Communication Strategy of Transboundary Air Pollution Findings in a US–Mexico Border XXI Program Project

From 1996 to 1997, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC) conducted an air quality study known as the Lower Rio Grande Valley Transboundary Air Pollution Project (TAPP). The study was a US–Mexico Border XXI program project and was developed in response to local community requests on a need for more air quality measurements and concerns about the health impact of local air pollutants; this included concerns about emissions from border-dependent industries in Mexico, known as maquiladoras. The TAPP was a follow-up study to environmental monitoring done by EPA in this area in 1993 and incorporated scientific and community participation in development, review of results, and public presentation of findings. In spite of this, critical remarks were leveled by community activists against the study's preliminary “good news” findings regarding local air quality and the influence of transboundary air pollution. To resolve these criticisms and to refine the findings to address these concerns, analyses included comparisons of daily and near real-time measurements to TNRCC effects screening levels and data from other studies along with wind sector analyses. Reassessment of the data suggested that although regional source emissions occurred and outliers of elevated pollutant levels were found, movement of air pollution across the border did not appear to cause noticeable deterioration of air quality. In spite of limitations stated to the community, the TAPP was presented as establishing a benchmark to assess current and future transboundary air quality in the Valley. The study has application in Border XXI Program or other air quality studies where transboundary transport is a concern since it involved interagency coordination, public involvement, and communication of scientifically sound results for local environmental protection efforts.     

利用水泥迴转窑处理可燃性危险废物

本文评述了国外利用可燃性危险废物作为生产水泥燃料的经验技术，说明这是一项既可处理危险废物，又回收废物资源的成功之举。结合我国具体情况，指出它将是我国进行区域性集中处理某些可燃性危险废物的有效之路。     

Evidence for a Neoproterozoic carbonate ramp on the northern edge of the Central African craton: relations with late Proterozoic intracratonic troughs

During Late Proterozoic times, the Archaean Central African craton was affected by trough faulting which led to the formation of grabens, the Sangha aulacogen being the main structure of this type in the studied area. This transverse basin connects with other basins on the northern and south-western borders of the craton. During the Cryogenian, this network of basins was filled with fluvio-deltaic and lacustrine periglacial deposits. The glacio-eustatic transgression in Neoproterozoic III (end-Proterozoic) times flooded extensive areas of shelf on the northern edge of the craton, leading to the development of carbonate sedimentation in a broad outer shelf environment associated with nearshore barriers and evaporitic lagoons. These facies are similar to those developed in the West Congolian Schisto-calcaire (shale-limestone) ramp succession. The North-Central African ramp succession (sediment slope) contains an example of tidal rhythmites in vertical accretion, which occurs beneath the barrier deposits on the subtidal outer shelf. Mathematical analysis of the bedding pattern yields a period of 29–30 days for the lunar month, a result which is in agreement with astrophysical evidence for this epoch (i.e. 650 Ma ago). Major subsidence and seismic activity on this gently sloping platform, associated with the proximity of the Sangha aulacogen, caused the triggering of carbonate turbidites and mass flow deposits. The proliferation of microbial mats under euphotic conditions on an extensive shelf led to the build-up of a carbonate platform. During early Neoproterozoic III times, the West Congolian and North-Central African ramps prograded northwards and southwards, respectively, into the Sangha aulacogen. The sea at that time was restricted to a long graben-like basin, while a remaining area of marine sedimentation persisted into the Palaeozoic. Thus the pattern of end-Proterozoic carbonate sedimentation on the borders of the Central African craton can be interpreted in terms of an overall gently sloping ramp model with progradation converging towards the Sangha aulacogen.     

十三陵地震台观测技术系统优化改造

在北京十三陵地震台建设了一个高度集成的地震观测监控系统，将原来分散的观测项目（如测震、GPS、气氡、气汞、电磁波、地电场等测项），改造为集中到一台服务器管理，在一个监控平台上统一实现了对台站数据的收集、入库、管理、处理、监控等业务；对这些观测项目可以在控制台上直接取数并将数据入库；初步实现了观测数据的收集、数据处理、数据管理、数据监控的软件管理系统，减少了系统维护工作量，方便台站工作人员操控。监控系统的地震前兆数据监管软件系统DataMonitor可准实时监视数据，检查数据的异常和到达情况，并向台站数据管理人员告警；可对数据库数据进行统计，包括数据到达情况统计、缺数统计、数据连续率统计等。该系统还提供多种前兆数据处理方法，实现对前兆数据的各种常规分析处理。     

中央政府投资城市污水处理厂的理论和实证分析

目前，城市污水处理厂的建设速度比较迟缓，地方政府建设城市污水处理厂积极性不高，针对这一现状，文章对城市污水处理厂的外部性和投资资金不足等原因进行了调查和分析，在城市基础设施建设资金不足的背景下，城市污水处理厂投资体制不能满足城市污水处理的需求，因此，城市污水处理厂的外部性和流域水污染防治的系统性要求中央政府承担建设城市污水处理厂的主要责任，另外，流域内社会经济发展的普遍不平衡，以及国外在城市污水处理厂投资方面的一些成功经验，都说明了中央政府投资城市污水处理厂的必要性。     

Long-term climate variability at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant,southeastern New Mexico,USA

The United States Department of Energy is developing the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in southeastern New Mexico for the disposal of transuranic wastes generated by defense programs. Because changes in climate during the next 10,000 years (10 ka) may affect performance of the repository, an understanding of long-term climate variability is essential for evaluating regulatory compliance. Fluctuations in global climate corresponding to glaciation and deglaciation of the northern hemisphere have been regular in both frequency and amplitude for at least 780 ka. Coolest and wettest conditions in the past have occurred at the WIPP during glacial maxima, when the North American ice sheet reached its southern limit roughly 1200 km north of the WIPP and deflected the jet stream southward. Average precipitation in southeastern New Mexico during the last glacial maximum 22-18 ka before present (BP) was approximately twice that of the present. Driest conditions (precipitation approximately 90% of present) occurred 6.5-4.5 ka BP, after the ice sheet had retreated to its present location. Wet periods of unknown duration have occurred since the retreat of the ice sheet, but none have exceeded glacial conditions. Global climate models suggest that anthropogenic climate changes (i.e., warming caused by an increased greenhouse effect) will not result in an increase in precipitation at the WIPP. The climate of the last glacial maximum is therefore suitable for use as a cooler and wetter limit for variability during the next 10 ka.     

The shadow of the past: environmental issues and institutional learning in EU enlargement processes

This paper compares the role of environmental issues in negotiating Spanish membership of the European Union (EU) with the ongoing enlargement talks with Central and Eastern European countries. The paper first argues that the EU has recognized a need to change the way in which it has traditionally managed environmental issues in enlargement processes. Second, the paper provides evidence of learning processes at the Community level that could have effected a change in Community approaches to enlargement in the environmental field. However, the paper shows that the fundamental principles and procedures applied in preparing for eastern enlargement match those used in previous enlargement rounds, resembling a largely technical exercise with exclusive focus on the applicants' ability to align with the acquis communautaire and the length of transition periods. The lack of sufficient adaptation or reform suggests that path dependence and institutional inertia have constrained the scope for innovations at the level of policy strategy and institutions, for which the shadow of the past has reinforced established patterns of institutional behaviour and practices. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Consequences of Buffelgrass Pasture Development for Primary Productivity,Perennial Plant Richness,and Vegetation Structure in the Drylands of Sonora,Mexico

Abstract: In large parts of northern Mexico native plant communities are being converted to non‐native buffelgrass (Pennisetum ciliare) pastures, and this conversion could fundamentally alter primary productivity and species richness. In Sonora, Mexico land conversion is occurring at a regional scale along a rainfall‐driven gradient of primary productivity, across which native plant communities transition from desert scrub to thorn scrub. We used a paired sampling design to compare a satellite‐derived index of primary productivity, richness of perennial plant species, and canopy‐height profiles of native plant communities with buffelgrass pastures. We sampled species richness across a gradient of primary productivity in desert scrub and thorn scrub vegetation to examine the influence of site productivity on the outcomes of land conversion. We also examined the influence of pasture age on species richness of perennial plants. Index values of primary productivity were lower in buffelgrass pastures than in native vegetation, which suggests a reduction in primary productivity. Land conversion reduced species richness by approximately 50% at local and regional scales, reduced tree and shrub cover by 78%, and reduced canopy height. Land conversion disproportionately reduced shrub species richness, which reflects the common practice among Sonoran ranchers of conserving certain tree and cactus species. Site productivity did not affect the outcomes of land conversion. The age of a buffelgrass pasture was unrelated to species richness within the pasture, which suggests that passive recovery of species richness to preconversion levels is unlikely. Our findings demonstrate that land conversion can result in large losses of plant species richness at local and regional scales and in substantial changes to primary productivity and vegetation structure, which casts doubt on the feasibility of restoring native plant communities without active intervention on the part of land managers.     

The relationship of social capital and fishers’ participation in multi-level governance arrangements

The need for effective multi-level governance arrangements is becoming increasingly urgent because of complex functional interdependencies between biophysical and socioeconomic systems. We argue that social capital plays an important role in such systems. To explore the relationship between social capital and participation in resource governance arenas, we analyzed various small-scale fisheries governance regimes from the Gulf of California, Mexico. The components of social capital that we measured include levels of fishers’ structural ties to relevant groups and levels of trust in different entities (i.e. cognitive component). We collected data using surveys and interviews with residents of small-scale fishing communities adjacent to marine protected areas. We analyzed the data using a logistic regression model and narrative analysis. The results of our quantitative analysis highlight the multidimensional nature of social capital and reveals complex relationships between different types of social capital and fisher participation in monitoring, rulemaking and MPA design. Furthermore our qualitative analysis suggests that participation in fisheries conservation and management is not fully potentialized due to the social and historical context of participatory spaces in Mexico.