Environmental planning,ecosystem science,and ecosystem approaches for integrating environment and development

Currently popular concepts such as sustainable development and sustainability seek the integration of environment and development planning. However, there is little evidence that this integration is occurring in either mainstream development planning or environmental planning. This is a function of the history, philosophies, and evolved roles of both. A brief review of the experience and results of mainstream planning, environmental planning, and ecosystem science suggests there is much in past scientific and professional practice that is relevant to the goal of integrated planning for environment and development, but still such commonly recommended reforms as systems and multidisciplinary approaches, institutional integration, and participatory, goal-oriented processes are rarely achieved. “Ecosystem approaches,” as developed and applied in ecology, human ecology, environmental planning, anthropology, psychology, and other disciplines, may provide a more transdisciplinary route to successful integration of environment and development. Experience with ecosystem approaches is reviewed, their advantages and disadvantages are discussed, and they are compared to traditional urban and regional planning, environmental planning, and ecosystem science approaches. Ultimately a synthesis of desirable characteristics for a framework to integrate environment and development planning is presented as a guide for future work and a criterion for evaluating existing programs.     

The impact of global warming on winter tourism and skiing: a regionalised model for Austrian snow conditions

Possible climate change will modify snow-cover depth and change the characteristics of winter tourism and skiing districts. Our model describes seasonal snow-cover depth related to altitude in six Alpine climate regions as the best fit of all snow stations. Data cover 30 winter seasons (November to April values) from 1965 to 1995. We modified the data according to a scenario of temperature and precipitation change (2 °C warming, no precipitation change) and achieve a new simulated snow-cover depth. The indicators MARP (mean altitude of resident population) and MASPSL (mean altitude of starting point of ski lifts) serve as references for “critical altitudes” of Austrian districts. A warming implies a reduction of snow in all districts, but the loss is overproportional in lower altitudes. The direction of economic impacts is clear – income losses and adaptation costs – but magnitude and time frames remain uncertain. Received: 24 February 1999 · Accepted: 15 May 1999     

Rough Set Rule Induction for Suitability Assessment

The data that characterize an environmental system are a fundamental part of an environmental decision-support system. However, obtaining complete and consistent data sets for regional studies can be difficult. Data sets are often available only for small study areas within the region, whereas the data themselves contain uncertainty because of system complexity, differences in methodology, or data collection errors. This paper presents rough-set rule induction as one way to deal with data uncertainty while creating predictive if–then rules that generalize data values to the entire region. The approach is illustrated by determining the crop suitability of 14 crops for the agricultural soils of the Willamette River Basin, Oregon, USA. To implement this method, environmental and crop yield data were spatially related to individual soil units, forming the examples needed for the rule induction process. Next, four learning algorithms were defined by using different subsets of environmental attributes. ROSETTA, a software system for rough set analysis, was then used to generate rules using each algorithm. Cross-validation analysis showed that all crops had at least one algorithm with an accuracy rate greater than 68%. After selecting a preferred algorithm, the induced classifier was used to predict the crop suitability of each crop for the unclassified soils. The results suggest that rough set rule induction is a useful method for data generalization and suitability analysis.     

A Spatial equilibrium perspective for planning the production of electrical energy

A spatial and temporal equilibrium model of production, consumption, prices, and transmission is constructed to determine the efficient pricing and allocation of electrical energy in the United States. Regional coordination is technically feasible and economically attractive. It also maximizes environmental efficiencies. The duplication of electrical generation and transmission facilities yields a misallocation of resources.The utilities put forth specific arguments against coordinated operations. Yet in a fully integrated power system, each region would be expected to maximize the benefits of time diversity by purchasing from outside the region in lieu of the expansion of regional capacity. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has not yet made a serious move to encourage regional coordination and planning, but the Commission has the authority to promote such operations if it chooses to do so.The author is an economist with the Department of Energy. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the policies of the Department of Energy or the views of other staff members.     

基于协调度函数的碳排放初始权区域分配模型研究

针对目前碳排放初始权区域分配模型中分配原则、指标体系不一致的问题,提出了碳排放初始权区域分配协调度概念,并确定了公平性原则、效率性原则、可持续发展原则、保障工业生产原则、保护环境原则作为碳排放初始权区域分配的具体原则,构造了基于各个分配原则下的碳排放初始权区域分配协调度子函数,建立了以碳排放初始权分配系统协调度最大为目标的协调度分配模型。将此模型应用到华东电网区域的碳排放初始权分配中,结果表明该模型合理、有效、可行性高,能较好的兼顾各个分配原则。该区域分配模型不依赖分配指标体系,能有效避免分配指标体系混乱问题,所建立的模型可以为碳排放初始权区域分配的研究提供借鉴。     

Inclusion of people with disabilities,their needs and participation,into disaster management: a comparative perspective

In the field of disaster management, not many have considered the role and needs of people with disabilities despite their number and condition. The purpose of this paper is to push for specific inclusion of people with disabilities, their needs and participation, into disaster management by studying relevant cases from Indonesia, Korea, and the USA. Qualitative content analysis was used as a major methodology by comparing three factors identified in these nations: government policies, schools and advocacy groups’ efforts, and families and local communities’ awareness. Three models, one from each country, were considered major takeaways from this study: the Indonesian moral inclusion, the Korean medical treatment without exclusion, and the US’ extending social inclusion. In addressing the needs and participation of people with disabilities in disaster management, the following recommendations are put forward: for Indonesia, a move away from olden beliefs and misconceptions on disability (e.g. as a punishment) is imperative. In Korea, relevant fundamental laws (e.g. the Basic Act on Emergency and Safety Management) need to be revised while also studying advanced laws on the subject. For the USA, though the country is already advanced, overall improvement is still needed in terms of association with international non-governmental organizations, increase in the number of (emergency or disaster) response officials, and provision of better medical treatment.     

A framework for assessing the impact of land use policy on community exposure to air toxics

Our research focuses on the linkage between land use planning policy and the spatial pattern of exposure to air toxics emissions. Our objective is to develop a modeling framework for assessment of the community health risk implications of land use policy. The modeling framework is not intended to be a regulatory tool for small-scale land use decisions, but a long-range planning tool to assess the community health risk implications of alternative land use scenarios at a regional or subregional scale. This paper describes the development and application of an air toxic source model for generating aggregate emission factors for industrial and commercial zoning districts as a function of permitted uses. To address the uncertainty of estimating air toxics emission rates for planned general land use or zoning districts, the source model uses an emissions probability mass function that weights each incremental permitted land use activity by the likelihood of occurrence. We thus reduce the uncertainty involved in planning for development with no prior knowledge of the specific industries that may locate within the land use district. These air toxics emission factors can then be used to estimate pollutant atmospheric mass flux from land use zoning districts, which can then be input to air dispersion and human health risk assessment models to simulate the spatial pattern of air toxics exposure risk. The model database was constructed using the California Air Toxics Inventory, 1997 US Economic Census, and land assessment records from several California counties. The database contains information on more than 200 air toxics at the 2-digit Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) level. We present a case study to illustrate application of the model. LUAIRTOX, the interactive spreadsheet model that applies our methodology to the California data, is available at http://www2.bren.ucsb.edu/~mwillis/LUAIRTOX.htm.     

Uneven Environmental Management: A Canadian Perspective

Advocates of community-based approaches to environmental management argue that by respecting local circumstances, skills, and concerns we may improve the prospects of achieving environmental sustainability; yet, within nation states such as Canada, environmental conditions, management and enforcement costs and capabilities, and power differentials within and among civic and public sectors may result in a highly differentiated capacity for environmental management across different localities and regions. This article draws on insights of political ecology to 1) create a conceptual framework that identifies key elements shaping regional environmental management regimes and to 2) undertake a comparative analysis to assess how elements interact to generate uneven management outcomes. I compare experiences of two Canadian biosphere reserves designated in 2000: Clayoquot Sound, BC; and Redberry Lake, SK. Analysis reveals that differences in governance and institutional capacities in the biosphere reserves are key to explaining uneven local outcomes. Where the public and civic sectors are strong, a robust and publicly vetted form of management will emerge. Where these sectors are weak and land is held as private property, environmental nongovernmental organizations can set the type and level of management, to the exclusion of effective civic and state involvement. This result may improve environmental sustainability but hinder social sustainability of a management regime and raises questions about the efficacy of community-based management.     

碳中和时代下我国能量自给型污水处理厂发展方向及工程实践

基于碳中和背景及污水处理可持续、低碳运行理念,分析了我国污水处理厂不同水质、工艺类型、规模等条件下的能源消耗及能源回收特点,提出了以“碳改向技术+低耗高效复合脱氮技术+污泥厌氧共消化技术+污水热能回收技术+节能降耗技术”的污水处理新模式是实现我国能源自给型污水处理厂的关键,并提出我国污水处理厂实现碳中和应分为“完全能源自给”及“能源供应工厂”两个目标.此外,对基于此背景下建设的北京某再生水厂的理论能源自给情况进行了分析,结果表明,通过节能降耗、引入外源有机物、污水源热泵回收等措施,北京某再生水厂能源自给率由12.2%分别提高至17.1%、21.6%、84.7%.     

Ambient volatile organic compounds at a receptor site in the Pearl River Delta region: Variations, source apportionment and effects on ozone formation

We present the continuously measurements of volatile organic compounds（VOCs） at a receptor site（Wan Qing Sha, WQS） in the Pearl River Delta（PRD） region from September to November of 2017. The average mixing ratios of total VOCs（TVOCs） was 36.3 ± 27.9 ppbv with the dominant contribution from alkanes（55.5%）, followed by aromatics（33.3%）. The diurnal variation of TVOCs showed a strong photochemical consumption during daytime,resulting in the formation of ozone（O₃）. Five VOC sources were ...