Economic sustainability and the preservation of environmental assets

The core requirement of sustainability is that current economic activities should not result in an excessive burden on future generations. This criterion is general enough to imply different decision rules for the preservation of environmental assets. Neoclassical economics does not have a sustainability criterion for environmental assets independent of the intertemporal efficiency criterion, which allocates environmental and man-made capital based on projected monetary benefits and costs. This criterion is examined in terms of the feasibility of valuing the benefits of environmental assets, the substitution possibilities between natural and man-made capital, and the ethical grounds for using efficiency as the sole determinant of the allocation of environmental assets. An alternative ecological sustainability criterion is the preservation of safe minimum levels of environmental assets in physical terms rather than the dollar value of a composite of natural and man-made capital. Safe minimum standards for environmental assets constrain the efficiency criterion in order to ensure the sustainability of economic systems. It is argued that the ecological approach to sustainability should limit the economic approach for decisions involving the allocation of environmental assets.     

Estimation of Cumulative Frequency Distribution for Carbon Monoxide Concentration from Wind-Speed Data, in Buenos Aires (Argentina)

In this article we apply and test a methodology to estimate cumulative frequency distribution for air pollutant concentration from wind-speed data. We use the inverse relationship after Simpson et al. (Atmospheric Environment, 19, 75–82, 1985) between the opposing percentile values in the statistical distributions for air pollutant concentrations and wind-speed data. This relationship is valid, irrespective of the statistical distributions of both variables, if an inverse relationship between them is also applicable. The available data are five years of 8-h average carbon monoxide concentration and 8-h mean wind-speed, observed in Buenos Aires (Argentina). The performance of the obtained empirical expressions in estimating cumulative frequency distributions for 8-h CO is statistically evaluated. The results show that it is possible to obtain an acceptable cumulative frequency distribution for 8-h CO concentration at the site if the cumulative frequency distribution for wind-speed is known. Q–Q plots show a good agreement between estimated and observed values. From our data, the mean relative error of the estimations was found to be as much as 8.0%.     

试谈企业“安全性评价标准”与创评价的整体意识

安全性评价作为安全管理科学的一种方法,已在机电行业广泛开展,并取得一定成效,但通过实践,发现它仍有不足之处。就进一步完善“安全性评价标准”(下称“标准”)谈述见解,并力求以生产工具本质安全化的观点,编制了“产品设计安全性评价检查表”,试用此法,杜绝事故隐患。     

岩溶区隧道爆破开挖地震危害控制的研究

隧道爆破开挖是爆破安全工程问题 ,也是工程质量安全问题 ,从长远考虑更是安全及环保问题 ,因震害的潜隐性和危害性 ,必须对其从宏观与微观、工程及周边环境全面考虑。笔者结合爆破作用下微裂纹扩展机理的分析 ,将爆破震速耦合到裂纹损伤断裂条件中 ,得到爆破震动的安全控制标准计算公式 ,结合工程实例 ,给出了不同条件下岩溶区隧道爆破开挖安全控制的建议标准 ,并且提出了爆破地震危害的控制措施 ,为类似工程提供参考。     

煤矿本质安全特征及管理方法研究

分析国内煤矿本质安全管理研究现状及存在问题,进一步讨论煤矿本质安全的内涵。探讨近年来我国煤矿事故发生的致因与根源,指出人的行为安全是我国煤矿本质安全的主要特征。通过研究我国煤矿事故的控制管理,选择事故率作为我国煤矿本质安全判别的参考标准;分析我国煤矿生产的现状与差异,提出了对我国煤矿的本质安全性进行分类判别的思想;从深入开展煤矿安全管理理论研究、加强煤矿安全管理立法、建立煤矿安全管理标准和有效组织机制等方面提出了实现煤矿本质安全的管理策略。     

论我国非煤矿山安全生产标准体系构建思路

本文分析了我国目前非煤矿山安全生产标准体系建设的现状及存在的主要问题,阐述了建立一套科学、合理、完善的标准化体系对我国非煤矿山安全生产行业的重要意义;并根据非煤矿山安全生产标准体系建设的现状提出了我国非煤矿山安全生产标准体系建设的思路和基本框架,为今后非煤矿山安全生产标准体系建设提供一定基础。     

略论清代自然资源的保护与利用

清代在水土资源、林木资源、矿产资源的保护与利用等方面采取了积极有效的措施，包括开垦土地、兴修水利、发展生态农业、植树造林、加强法制、设立环保机构等。     

Assessing audit impact and thoroughness of VCS forest carbon offset projects

Voluntary markets transacted over $66 million USD of forest carbon offsets in 2016, according to Forest Trends, and over 99% of those offset projects were audited to a standard, primarily the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS). We provide a table characterizing all 70 validated and verified forest carbon projects employing the VCS version 3.0 currently-in-use (December 2011–July 2017). We also examine two separate aspects of the audit process––impact and thoroughness––to assess the effectiveness of the costly audit process, which can consume up to one-third of offset revenue. Audit impact we measure in terms of reduction in the number of offsets from ex ante estimated to ex post approved. Audit thoroughness we measure both directly in terms of the number of auditor hours worked per project and also indirectly in terms of the total number of Corrective Action Requests (CARs)/Non-Conformity Reports (NCRs) auditors prescribe. In terms of impact, we find that Afforestation/Reforestation/Restoration (A/R/R) and Improved Forest Management (IFM) projects, though only constituting 5% of total verified offsets, demonstrate significant (p < = 0.05) reductions from ex ante estimated to ex post approved offsets, likely because auditors can easily scrutinize carbon stocks/emission factors for the commercial tree species involved in these project types. In terms of thoroughness, we find that higher ex ante estimates correlate with more total auditor hours worked and total CARs/NCRs prescribed for three of four project activity types, likely because auditors perceive larger ex ante projects as higher risk. We conclude with recommendations for the VCS to empower auditors to scrutinize carbon stocks/emissions factors from avoided deforestation projects, and also to continue to flag high ex ante projects as higher risk.     

Which “fairness”, for whom,and why? An empirical analysis of plural notions of fairness in Fairtrade Carbon Projects,using Q methodology

Fairness is a relative concept with multiple, subjective and competing notions of what it is, how to achieve it, and for which beneficiaries. Fairtrade International's collaborative efforts to develop a standard to certify Fairtrade Carbon Credits (FCCs) brought together multiple stakeholders in a deliberative context. This paper uses Q methodology to empirically assess the notions of fairness this wider consultation group held. Three distinct ‘factors’ (or perspectives) are identified, and discussed in relation to a multi-dimensional framework for exploring fairness. The first factor prioritises development delivered through organisations, participation in decision-making and use of minimum prices to adjust trade imbalances. The second factor conceptualises a non-exclusive approach maximising generation and sales of FCCs, involving a commodity chain where everyone performs their optimum function with financial transparency and information-sharing to facilitate negotiations. The third factor involves minimising intervention, allowing carbon commodity chains and project set-ups to function efficiently, and make their own adjustments to enhance benefits access and quality received by beneficiaries. The three factors reflect debates within carbon and fair trade spheres about who should be playing which roles, who should be accessing which benefits, and how people should be supported to interact on an uneven playing field. Communicating findings to standards organisations enables a more open and inclusive policy process. Our research provides a critical reflection on these plural notions of fairness, identifying areas of (dis)agreement within the FCC dialogue, and provides a wider, yet manageable, set of inputs for supporting the FCC process during its inception and subsequent implementation. Clearer definitions of “fairness” are also useful for standards organisations in reviewing ex post whether “fairness” goals have been met.     

基于余震序列分布信息的地震极灾区快速判断方法研究

利用震级加权标准差椭圆法研究了基于震后短期内(24 h)余震序列判定地震极灾区的方法,研究结果表明:1利用该方法判断宏观震中是一种比较可行的方法,不同震源破裂方式的震例利用该方法判断宏观震中的精度不同,倾滑-近倾滑型破裂方式的震例利用余震序列判定宏观震中的精度最高;2整体上看,利用该方法判断极灾区长轴方向的准确性低于利用距震中最近活动断裂判断的准确性,但对于倾滑-近倾滑型破裂方式的震例,利用该方法的准确性高于利用断层数据判定的准确性。