Comparison of modelled and measured ozone concentrations and meteorology for a site in south-west Sweden: implications for ozone uptake calculations

Measurements of ground-level ozone concentrations and meteorology (temperature, vapour pressure deficit (VPD), solar radiation) at the monitoring site Ostad (south-west Sweden) were compared to data from the corresponding grid in the EMEP photo-oxidant model for 1997, 1999 and 2000. The influence of synoptic weather on the agreement between model and measurements was studied. Implications of differences between modelled and observed inputs for ozone flux calculations for wheat and potato were investigated. The EMEP model output of ozone, temperature and VPD correlated well with measurements during daytime. Deviations were larger during the night, especially in calm conditions, attributed to local climatological conditions at the monitoring site deviating from average conditions of the grid. These differences did not lead to significant differences in calculated ozone uptake, which was reproduced remarkably well. The uptake calculations were sensitive to errors in the ozone and temperature input data, especially when including a flux threshold.     

Tracer transport model at Japan meteorological agency and its application to the ETEX data

This paper describes the JMA tracer transport model and its sensitivity to model physics and initial conditions by using the ETEX data. Compared with observations, the model overestimates ground-level concentration in the early stage within about one day from the emission, possibly due to underestimation of vertical diffusion. In the early stage, the enhanced vertical diffusion effectively transports the tracer upward and decreases the ground-level concentration, while in the later stage, it enhances downward transports from the upper layer and increases the ground-level concentration. A conceptual model is given for understanding the vertical transport due to vertical diffusion. The horizontal diffusion introduced to the model has preferable impacts on forecasts especially in the early stage. Finally, we discuss the predictability of this model based on sensitivity to initial conditions of emission time and height.     

Assessing the contribution of mobility in the European Union to rubber expansion

Nearly three-quarters of global natural rubber production is used to produce tyres, supporting mobility around the globe. The projected increase in mobility could contribute to further expansion of rubber plantations and impact tropical ecosystems. We quantified the use of natural rubber in tyres in the European Union (EU), the corresponding land footprint, and explored drivers of tyre use using country-specific transport statistics and trade registers of rubber goods. Five percent of the world’s natural rubber is consumed in tyres used in the EU, using up to a quarter of the area under rubber plantations in some producing countries. Car use is responsible for 58% of this consumption, due to car-dependent lifestyles that are associated with economic prosperity and spatial planning paradigms. While the EU’s transport policy focuses on reducing dependence on fossil-fuels, cross-cutting policies are needed to address car-dependency and reduce the EU’s land footprint in tropical landscapes without compromising progress towards decarbonisation.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13280-021-01579-x.     

Sediment-based investigation of naturally or historically eutrophic lakes -- implications for lake management

Implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive will call for new lake monitoring and management strategies. Therefore, different methods need to be tested in order to achieve reliable assessment of lake background conditions and water quality. Sediment-based techniques provide one such tool for lake management. In this work, 10 lakes, presumed to be naturally eutrophic, were investigated with a paleolimnological short core study. The aim of the study was to examine the composition of the diatom assemblages in their natural state, estimate their change over time and assess the background nutrient levels. One sediment profile from each lake was divided into six sub-samples that were analyzed for diatoms (60 samples). Diatom-based inference models were applied to reconstruct the past total phosphorus concentration and assess the eutrophication. The results indicated that all the lakes studied had already been nutrient-rich before the impact of modern agriculture. However, diatom assemblages have changed remarkably over time and total phosphorus concentrations have generally increased, so at present only two of the study lakes are close to their natural status. This suggests that naturally eutrophic lakes will probably require management actions to fulfill the new directive requirements in the future.     

Environmental factors in Soviet interbasin water transfer policy

Over 60% of the USSRs river discharge crosses sparsely settled regions and flows into the Arctic Ocean, whereas the most densely settled and economically developed southern regions possess only 12% of surface flow. Consequently, the Soviets perceive an urgent need to redistribute water resources to avoid future shortages. The Soviet government is diligently pursuing development of schemes for the mass transfer of water from northern to southern drainage basins. Because of their grand scale, these could have major, pervasive, and long-term environmental impacts. Although environmental factors were given minimal attention in earlier designs for interbasin water transfers, present proposals are being subjected to thorough, careful, and thoughtful environmental evaluation. The Academy of Sciences and the Hydrometeorological Service as well as several national ministries have been assigned responsibility for evaluating the potential environmental ramifications of alternative schemes including formulation of systems of mathematical models for quantitative estimation of these effects. Indeed, a guiding principle for the development of an acceptable diversion system is that it be environmentally sound. This requires identification and estimation of the magnitude of significant adverse environmental impacts and, where possible, formulation of mitigative measures; reasonable economic-environmental tradeoffs; and a negligible potential for irreversible catastrophic environmental changes. It appears that environmental factors are of major importance in devising Soviet interbasin water transfer policy and that resolution of key environmental questions is to precede implemention of any large-scale water diversion scheme.This is a revised version of a paper delivered at the Ninth Annual Convention of the American Association for the Advancement of Slavic Studies, Washington, D.C., October 13–16, 1977. Environmental Management Vol. 2, No. 6 pp. 567–580     

欧盟环境政策现状及对我国环境政策发展的启示

从取得成就与存在问题两个方面,综述了欧盟环境政策的制定与实施现状。分析了欧盟环境政策所面临的挑战及应对策略。通过我国与欧盟的环境政策对比,尤其是欧盟环境政策发展方面的经验与做法,本文提出了我国环境政策发展的建议。     

Organic Contaminants from Sewage Sludge Applied to Agricultural Soils. False Alarm Regarding Possible Problems for Food Safety? (8 pp)

Goal, Scope and Background Sewage sludge produced in wastewater treatment contains large amounts of organic matter and nutrients and could, therefore, be suitable as fertiliser. However, with the sludge, besides heavy metals and pathogenic bacteria, a variety of organic contaminants can be added to agricultural fields. Whether the organic contaminants from the sludge can have adverse effects on human health and wildlife if these compounds enter the food chain or groundwater still remains a point of controversial discussion. Main Features This paper presents an overview on the present situation in Europe and a summary of some recent results on the possible uptake of organic contaminants by crops after addition to agricultural fields by sewage sludge. Results Greenhouse experiments and field trials were performed to study the degradation and uptake of organic micro-contaminants in sludge-amended agricultural soil in crops, such as barley and carrots grown in agricultural soil amended with anaerobically-treated sewage sludge from a wastewater treatment plant, but studies hitherto have revealed no immediate risks. Common sludge contaminants such as linear alkylbenzene sulphonates (LAS), nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPE), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), bis(diethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), showed neither accumulation in soil nor uptake in plants. Discussion It is assumed that the annual amount of sewage sludge produced in Europe will increase in the future, mainly due to larger amounts of high quality drinking water needed by an increasing population and due to increasing demands for cleaner sewage water. Application of sewage sludge to agricultural soils is sustainable and economical due to nutrient cycling and disposal of sewage sludge. However, this solution also involves risks with respect to the occurrence of organic contaminants and other potentially harmful contents such as pathogens and heavy metals present in the sludge. There have been concerns that organic contaminants may accumulate in the soil, be taken up by plants and thereby transferred to humans via the food chain. Results obtained so far revealed, however, no immediate risk of accumulation of common organic sludge contaminants in soil or uptake in plants when applying sewage sludge to agricultural soil. With very high dosages of sewage sludge, there may be a risk for accumulation of very apolar contaminants, such as DEHP, to the soil. Conclusions Any conclusions on the safe use of sewage sludge in agriculture have to be drawn carefully, as the studies performed until now have been limited. Further studies are required, and before final statements can be drawn, it is imminent to study a larger variety of common crops and the effect sewage sludge application may have on a possible accumulation of organic contaminants in the crops. Furthermore, a larger variety of organic contaminants need to be studied and special focus should be given to contaminants newly introduced into the environment. Besides investigating possible plant uptake of organic contaminants, the fate of these compounds in soil after sludge application need to be monitored too. Here, special attention has to begiven to studies on degradation and the formation of degradation products, to weathering and to leaching effects on groundwater, to the application of different crops on the same field (crop rotation), to the use of full-width tillage and strip tillage, and to long term application of sewage sludge on the soil. Recommendations and Perspectives There are environmental, political as well as economical incentives to increase the agricultural application of sludge. However, such usage should be performed with care as there are also ways in which sludge fertilisation could harm the environment and human health. Recently, a new European COST Action (859) has been established covering the field of food safety and improved food quality. Part of the Action is dealing with the application of sewage sludge in agriculture. Before any political and economical measures can be taken, the pros and cons have to be sufficiently investigated on a scientific level first. ESS-Submission Editor: Prof. Elena Maestri (elena.maestri@unipr.it)     

INTERNATIONAL TRADE,ECO-LABELLING,AND SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES – RECENT ISSUES,CONCEPTS AND PRACTICES

Certification of where, when and how fish are caught is emerging as an important fisheries management tool. The history of eco-labelling in the fisheries sector is relatively short and actual experiences of eco-labelling are limited, although an emerging trend is shaping in European and US markets. Eco-labelling in fisheries gained increased impetus with the development of the non-government Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) in 1996. This paper reviews the emerging importance of certification and eco-labelling in the fisheries sector, the development and operation of the MSC, identifying particularly the role of ‘third party certification’ as promoted by the MSC, and notes the opportunities and challenges for the MSC and eco-labelling in general.     

A decision framework for Integrated Assessment Modelling of air quality at regional and local scale

Decision making in the field of air quality and greenhouses gases reductions can nowadays be supported by a clear overall framework and by computer tools that integrate the most relevant aspects of the problem. This approach is particularly important at local scale since new general rules on emission abatement at European level can only marginally modify the most critical hotspots and may be very costly. This paper adapts the general Drivers, Pressures, State, Impacts, Responses (DPSIR) scheme proposed by the European Environment Agency to the specific case of local air quality policies and shows how the most recent scientific developments in impact evaluation and social acceptance can be integrated. The proposed decision framework represents a general methodology to design Integrated Assessment Modelling (IAM) systems aimed at the implementation of effective Air Quality Plans (AQP). An extensive survey across European countries shows the current degree of adoption of these approaches.     

Benefits and costs of controlling three allergenic alien species under climate change and dispersal scenarios in Central Europe

Climate change is likely to exacerbate the negative effects of invasive alien species (IAS) as it will foster their further spread. This paper analyses the potential socio-economic effects of three emerging IAS (giant ragweed, Ambrosia trifida; annual wormwood, Artemisia annua; and burweed marshelder, Iva xanthiifolia), which are known to cause substantial harm to human health and to have negative effects on agricultural production. The novelty of the study consists in an integrated approach that combines several aspects of IAS research and management. We model the future spread of the study species in Central Europe by the year 2050 under several climate change, management and spread scenarios. The costs and benefits of controlling the expansion of these IAS are based on this forecast. The results show that an early and coordinated response to the spread of these IAS yields substantial net benefits under all scenarios. Under the conditions of moderate climate change (+1.5 °C), discounted net benefits range from €19 to €582 million. Assuming more severe climate change (+2.4 °C), total savings over the full period are projected to add up to €1063 million. These large socio-economic benefits provide compelling evidence that public authorities should act preventively to restrict the spread of these three IAS.