Economic growth,international trade,and the depletion or conservation of renewable natural resources

Conservation of renewable natural resources and promotion of economic growth are both sustainable development goals. Here, we study the interdependency between economic growth, international trade, and the use of renewable natural resources—under alternative institutional settings of either open access or full property rights—in an endogenous growth model. We find that if the resource is depleted over time, consumption growth is reduced. Economic growth and international trade only impact resource use when the resource is harvested under full property rights. Then, widening international trade can lead countries to shift from conservation to depletion. Changes in the institutional setting of resource use in one country may have repercussions on trading partners. Our results indicate potential trade-offs between the sustainable development goals and imply that policies focusing on resource use or trade (e.g., international trade bans or certified trade) are not sufficient to prevent resource depletion.     

Can climate mitigation help the poor? Measuring impacts of the CDM in rural China

This study examines whether investment in climate change mitigation contributes to poverty alleviation. We investigate the impacts of the renewable energy-based clean development mechanism (RE-CDM) projects on rural communities in China. The impacts of RE-CDM projects are estimated by combining propensity score matching with the difference-in-differences approach. We found that the biomass-based CDM projects significantly contribute to income improvement and employment generation in rural communities in China. Our estimation results also reveal that wind energy-based CDM projects have the potential to increase income and the share of labor force in the primary industry in rural areas. These results suggest different channels through which renewable energy sources affect income.     

Barriers to Renewable Energy Development on Brownfields

Brownfields that are reused for the generation of renewable energy are called brightfields. This rapidly emerging idea advocates the combination sustainable site reuse and the generation of electricity from renewables. While programmes like the RE-Powering America's Land Initiative herald its benefits, academia knows but little of its barriers and challenges. This study aims to examine the technical/environmental, regulator/financial/institutional, and social barriers to this type of development, along with measures that may address them. The barriers and measures were predominately identified via a qualitative and quantitative survey sent to brightfield developers (experts), along with a review of case studies and the emerging brightfield literature. The study found that environmental/technical barriers only differ from ‘conventional’ renewable energy projects (e.g. on Greenfields) in the event of site contamination. The latter then is what makes brightfields unique and is the source for a myriad of challenges concerning risk and liability, which cause financial problems and investment hesitance. However, evidence conjectures that there is less contextual public opposition to brightfields compared to conventional renewable energy.     

论保护三江平原湿地的意义与措施

20世纪后半叶,三江平原进行了大规模的开发,虽然为国家粮食供应做出了贡献,但大片湿地遭到破坏。现在为拯救中国这块唯一保持原始面貌的淡水湿地,当地政府制定了具体的三江平原湿地保护条例。建立了国家级的自然保护区,保护三江平原湿地终于纳入了政府工作的议事日程,为了加深人们对保护三江平原湿地意义的认识,本文从分析三江平原湿地的自然状况、三江湿地开发对当地生态和经济的影响入手,论述了三江平原湿地保护的重要意义和应采取的具体措施。     

2013—2017年《自然资源学报》办刊进展

论文基于2013—2017年中国科学技术信息研究所发布的《中国科技期刊引证报告（核心版）》和《中国科技期刊引证报告（扩刊版）》,《中国学术期刊（光盘版）》电子杂志社有限公司、中国科学文献计量评价研究中心和清华大学图书馆联合发布的《中国学术期刊影响因子年报》以及中国科学院文献情报中心的中国科学引文数据库（CSCD）中统计的《自然资源学报》的总被引频次、影响因子等相关引证指标,分析了近5年来《自然资源学报》一些重要引证指标的变化;同时梳理了《自然资源学报》近5年来被数据库收录情况、获奖情况以及发表的学术论文获奖和被媒体报道、转载情况,总结了2013—2017年间《自然资源学报》的办刊进展。结果表明：1）《自然资源学报》2016年核心影响因子、扩展影响因子和复合影响因子分别达到1.912、2.565、3.250,近5年来的增长率分别达到47.0%、46.4%、33.8%,在资源科学期刊领域排名稳居前列;2）《自然资源学报》已被国内重要数据库和检索系统全部收录,并在2016年被收录在EBSCO最新研发的数据库Academic Search Ultimate;3）2013—2017年间,《自然资源学报》共获得了15项学术期刊领域奖项,2013—2017年连续获得中国科协精品科技期刊工程项目支持,并于2014、2015年获得中国科学院科学出版三等基金资助;4）2013—2017年间,《自然资源学报》共有65篇论文入选中国精品科技期刊顶尖学术论文,多篇论文被媒体报道和转载。通过对2013—2017年《自然资源学报》发展状况的分析,为期刊未来的发展提供科学依据,为我国资源科学期刊质量的提升提供参考。     

An environmental impact assessment of quantum dot photovoltaics (QDPV) from raw material acquisition through use

Some emerging technologies are expected to be pivotal for solving many of the environmental challenges faced today, especially those related to energy. However, many of these technologies may incur significant environmental impacts over their life cycle, while having environmental benefits during their use. This paper presents results of a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a proposed type of nanophotovoltaic, quantum dot photovoltaic (QDPV) module. The LCA is confined to the stages of raw materials acquisition, manufacturing, and use. The impacts of QDPV are compared with other types of PV modules and energy sources - both renewable and nonrenewable. To provide a comprehensive comparative assessment, QDPV modules were compared with mature as well as emerging PV types for which data are available. Comparative assessment with other types of energy sources includes coal, oil, lignite, natural gas, diesel, nuclear, wind, and hydropower.QDPV modules may have the potential to overcome two current barriers of solar technology: low efficiencies and high manufacturing costs. If higher efficiencies are realized, QDPV modules could pave the way to large scale implementation of solar energy, helping nations move toward greater energy independence. On the other hand, candidate materials as quantum dots for solar cell applications are mostly compound semiconductors such as cadmium selenide, cadmium telluride, and lead sulfide which may be toxic and for which renewable options are limited. Toxic effects of these materials may be exacerbated by their nanoscale features.The LCA was carried out using the software SimaPro, and the Ecoinvent Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) database supplemented with available literature and patent information. Our results indicate that while QDPV modules have shorter Energy PayBack Time (EPBT), lower Global Warming Potential (GWP), SO_x and NO_x emissions than other types of PV modules, they have higher heavy metal emissions, underscoring the need for investigation of emerging technologies, especially nano-based ones, from a life cycle perspective. QDPV modules are better in all impact categories assessed than carbon-based energy sources but they have longer EPBT than wind and hydropower and higher GWP.     

废旧电脑拆解工艺与资源化案例研究

以某再生资源公司的废旧电脑拆解为案例进行研究,介绍了工艺技术、拆解回收各种资源的数据。研究结果表明,我国废旧电脑人工拆解-破碎-冶炼相结合的工艺,是电子废弃物循环利用、资源高效回收、减少环境风险的较好工艺技术,符合固废处理的3R(替代、减少、优化)原则。     

水资源对人类安全的负面影响

水是丰富的.但水不等于水资源.由于水资源分布不均、人类需求的不断膨胀以及水资源污染等,造成了水资源的短缺.水资源关乎着人类的安全:冲突、战争因水而起;水污染威胁人类健康;水资源缺乏威胁着食品(粮食)安全;水资源制约着经济乃致社会的发展,成为人类生存的最大限制因子.     

Build it,but will they come? Evidence from consumer choice between gasoline and sugarcane ethanol

How consumers might switch from gasoline and diesel to alternative energy sources is not known, since the availability of alternatives is currently very limited. To bridge this gap, we exploit exogenous variation in ethanol prices at Brazil's pumps and uncover substantial consumer heterogeneity in the choice between long-established gasoline and an alternative that is similarly available and usable: sugarcane ethanol. We observe roughly 20% of flexible-fuel motorists choosing gasoline when gasoline is priced 20% above ethanol in energy-adjusted terms ($/mile) and, similarly, 20% of motorists choosing ethanol when ethanol is priced 20% above gasoline. We use transaction-level data to explore “non-price” characteristics which differentiate the two goods in the minds of different groups of consumers. Our findings suggest—and a counterfactual illustrates—that switching away from gasoline en masse, should this be desired, would require considerable price discounts to boost voluntary adoption, in the US and elsewhere.     

Carbon neutral Biggar: calculating the community carbon footprint and renewable energy options for footprint reduction

The objective of this research was to develop a community carbon footprint model that could be used to assess the size and major components of a community’s carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions. The town of Biggar aims to become Scotland’s first carbon neutral town. As expected for this rural community, car transport accounted for nearly half of the CO₂ emissions, with natural gas and electricity consumption resulting in a further 24% and 12% of total emissions, respectively, and air travel being the last major component at 10% of emissions. An assessment was also made of the wind and solar resources of the town. One large wind turbine would provide the town’s electricity, while three to four turbines would be needed to offset all CO₂ emissions. In contrast, offsetting by tree planting would require in the region of 2,000 ha of trees.