Political ideology and views about climate change in the European Union

There is a strong political divide on climate change in the US general public, with Liberals and Democrats expressing greater belief in and concern about climate change than Conservatives and Republicans. Recent studies find a similar though less pronounced divide in other countries. Its leadership in international climate policy making warrants extending this line of research to the European Union (EU). The extent of a left–right ideological divide on climate change views is examined via Eurobarometer survey data on the publics of 25 EU countries before the 2008 global financial crisis, the 2009 ‘climategate’ controversy and COP-15 in Copenhagen, and an increase in organized climate change denial campaigns. Citizens on the left consistently reported stronger belief in climate change and support for action to mitigate it than did citizens on the right in 14 Western European countries. There was no such ideological divide in 11 former Communist countries, likely due to the low political salience of climate change and the differing meaning of left–right identification in these countries.     

Greener governments: partisan ideologies,executive institutions,and environmental policies

Why do some governments have more environmentally friendly policies than others? Part of the answer involves governing parties’ ideological positions on environmentalism and the constraints imposed by executive institutions. Here, this party-based explanation is elaborated and tested with uniquely comparable indicators of national environmental policies for governments in 27 countries in the European Union (EU). The findings show that governments with parties that emphasized environmental protection in their manifestos are more likely to propose pro-environment policies during EU-level negotiations. However, the effect of ideology is mediated by the centralization of the national executive branch. In centralized national executives, the environmental positions of prime ministers’ parties affect policies, while in decentralized national executives, the positions of environment ministers’ parties are relevant. The findings have implications for understanding the impact of parties’ environmental positions on government policies, as well as for policy making in coalitions more generally.     

A GIS model-based screening of potential contamination of soil and water by pyrethroids in Europe

The paper presents a geographic information system (GIS) model-based approach for analysis of potential contamination of soil and water by pyrethroids for the European continent. Pyrethroids are widely used pesticides and their chemical and toxicological characteristics suggest there may be concerns about human health and ecosystems, although so far there is no strong evidence indicating actual risk. However, little monitoring has been conducted and limited experimental information is available. We perform an assessment exercise that demonstrates how accessible information and GIS-based modeling allow to estimate the spatial distribution of chemical concentrations and fluxes at a screening level. The assessment highlights potential hot spots and the main environmental transport pathways, in a quick and simple way. By combining information on pesticide use, crop distribution and landscape and climate parameters we identify potential problem areas to help focusing monitoring campaigns. The approach presented here is simple and fast, and can be applied to virtually all pesticide classes used over a large domain, and is therefore suitable for the screening of large quantities of chemicals, of which the majority has not undergone any systematic environmental monitoring program. The method has been tested through benchmarking with other well-established models. However, further research is needed to evaluate it against experimental observations.     

The management of household hazardous waste in the United Kingdom

Waste legislation in the United Kingdom (UK) implements European Union (EU) Directives and Regulations. However, the term used to refer to hazardous waste generated in household or municipal situations, household hazardous waste (HHW), does not occur in UK, or EU, legislation. The EU's Hazardous Waste Directive and European Waste Catalogue are the principal legislation influencing HHW, although the waste categories described are difficult to interpret. Other legislation also have impacts on HHW definition and disposal, some of which will alter current HHW disposal practices, leading to a variety of potential consequences. This paper discusses the issues affecting the management of HHW in the UK, including the apparent absence of a HHW-specific regulatory structure. Policy and regulatory measures that influence HHW management before disposal and after disposal are considered, with particular emphasis placed on disposal to landfill.     

欧洲能源复兴计划CCS示范项目实施进展与启示

碳捕集与封存(Carbon Capture and Storage,CCS)作为最有前景可有效深度减排的低碳技术之一,在世界范围内受到广泛推行,特别是欧洲,其作为全球CCS技术的先行者,一直在积极推进该项技术工业化进程.2009年,欧盟委员会(European Commission,EC)启动欧洲能源复兴计划(European Energy Programme for Recovery,EEPR),正式批准资助6个全流程CCS示范项目.这6个CCS示范项目囊括了当前所有可行的CO2工业捕集技术,运输方式以及封存方法,本文将对其基本情况和最近进展进行介绍,并重点对欧盟层面的CCS法律法规与此6个项目所在欧盟成员国的CCS技术与政策环境的交互影响进行比对和分析,以进一步系统评述欧洲能源复兴计划CCS示范项目带来的积极成果,包括达成减排目标和气候政策,建立欧洲CCS示范项目网络共享平台,获得CCS技术研发突破等,同时也详细列举了这些项目目前所面临的阻碍与困境,如相关法律政策缺乏执行力,融资困难,公众接受度低,技术成本高等.最后,试探讨欧盟能源复兴计划CCS全流程示范项目实施发展现状对我国未来CCS商业化走向的思索与启示.     

欧盟汽车行驶记录仪的推广应用历程

欧盟是汽车行驶记录仪应用历史最久和安装车辆最多的地区。欧盟应用的成功经验掀起了周边国家及世界范围内各国争相引入汽车行驶记录仪实施道路交通安全监管的热潮。在广泛、深入调查欧盟汽车行驶记录仪应用情况的基础上,本文从基本概念、产品种类及技术发展、推广应用历程进行了简述,旨在加深人们对汽车行驶记录仪基本概念和应用理念的认识和理解,推动我国汽车行驶记录仪的进一步推广应用及管理体系的建立。     

欧盟针对农药对水生生物的初级风险评价——标准物种不确定因子法

建立适宜的农药环境风险评价体系,有利于评价农药对环境的影响,控制农药带来的环境污染.欧盟具有丰富的农药风险评价经验和完善的评价体系,论文针对欧盟的初级风险评价工作中水生生物风险评价的标准物种不确定因子法进行了综述,阐述了其评价原则与方法,总结了预测环境浓度(predicted environmental concent...     

欧盟温室气体排放交易实践对我国的借鉴

基于欧盟温室气体排放交易体系的建立与特点,概述了欧盟温室气体排放交易第一阶段的市场运行效果,分析了该阶段取得的经验与教训,主要包括管制范围、历史数据获取与分配方法等方面,在此基础上提出我国应加紧制定温室气体排放交易法律法规、建立国际化碳交易所,并以电力行业为试点探索建立我国碳排放贸易体系。     

The challenge of implementing the European network of protected areas Natura 2000

Established under the European Union (EU) Birds and Habitats Directives, Natura 2000 is one of the largest international networks of protected areas. With the spatial designation of sites by the EU member states almost finalized, the biggest challenge still lying ahead is the appropriate management of the sites. To evaluate the cross‐scale functioning of Natura 2000 implementation, we analyzed 242 questionnaires completed by conservation scientists involved in the implementation of Natura 2000 in 24 EU member states. Respondents identified 7 key drivers of the quality of Natura 2000 implementation. Ordered in decreasing evaluation score, these drivers included: network design, use of external resources, legal frame, scientific input, procedural frame, social input, and national or local policy. Overall, conservation scientists were moderately satisfied with the implementation of Natura 2000. Tree modeling revealed that poor application of results of environmental impact assessments (EIA) was considered a major constraint. The main strengths of the network included the substantial increase of scientific knowledge of the sites, the contribution of nongovernmental organizations, the adequate network design in terms of area and representativeness, and the adequacy of the EU legal frame. The main weaknesses of Natura 2000 were the lack of political will from local and national governments toward effective implementation; the negative attitude of local stakeholders; the lack of background knowledge of local stakeholders, which prevented well‐informed policy decisions; and the understaffing of Natura 2000 management authorities. Top suggestions to improve Natura 2000 implementation were increase public awareness, provide environmental education to local communities, involve high‐quality conservation experts, strengthen quality control of EIA studies, and establish a specific Natura 2000 fund. El Reto de Implementar la Red Europea de Áreas Protegidas Natura 2000     

First Trimester Prenatal Diagnosis of Metabolic Diseases: A survey in countries from the European Community

This paper presents the collected data concerning First Trimester Prenatal Diagnosis of Metabolic Diseases performed in different countries of the European Community by enzymatic methods using chorionic villi. In all, 258 diagnoses were made for 38 different metabolic diseases and 56 (22 per cent) affected fetuses have been detected. Several difficulties were encountered with regard to chorionic villus material or enzyme expression in this tissue. We stress the conditions necessary for avoiding errors in diagnosis.