Ecological citizenship and democracy: Communitarian versus agonistic perspectives

Grassroots environmental movements have recently started to question the focus on sustainable consumption as a main strategy to tackle climate change. They prefer to address individuals as citizens rather than as consumers, and focus on collective rather than individual change. Two prominent movements in this regard are Transition Towns and Climate Justice Action. While both movements criticise conventional approaches, they put forward entirely different strategies for what has to happen instead. Based on extensive qualitative research, this article analyses how these movements manifest themselves in Flanders (Belgium). The focus is on their different accounts of how and why collective practices have to be built, and the place they attribute to ‘the political’ in this. The analysis reveals the existence of two different forms of ecological citizenship: one communitarian, the other agonistic.     

家庭部门生活能源消费碳排放:测度与驱动因素研究

本文运用IPCC的二氧化碳排放量测算方法,在省际层面测度了我国家庭部门直接能源消费碳排放,并基于扩展的STIRPAT和Kaya模型,构建家庭部门直接能源消费碳排放影响因子动态面板数据模型,对我国2003-2012年分省面板数据样本及城乡子样本进行系统GMM估计。本文研究表明,第一,我国城乡家庭部门碳排放总量和人均碳排放在近十年都呈快速上升趋势,家庭部门碳排放的空间分布具有明显的地域差异特征,高碳排放地区主要集中在东、中部地区,西部地区的碳排放水平较低;第二,城乡家庭部门生活能源消费的上期碳排放量对本期碳排放产生重要的正向影响,这反映出我国家庭部门碳排放具有显著的惯性特征和路径依赖性,是一种动态自适应机制;人口规模、居民消费水平、能源消费结构、碳排放强度、能源消费强度和城镇化因素,都对我国居民能源消费碳排放总量及人均碳排放具有显著的影响,城乡之间的家庭能源消费碳排放驱动因素存在差异。本文研究得到如下启示及政策含义:家庭部门碳减排将是一个有步骤、分区域的渐进过程,我国碳减排政策应当兼顾消费升级和碳排放的双重目标,努力构建分层次碳减排的适应性预期机制。具体而言,一方面应着眼于引导和激励居民低碳消费,缓解人口规模增加、消费水平提升和城镇化对家庭部门碳减排的压力;另一方面要通过能源价格改革、财政政策和环境规制政策等优化我国能源消费结构,不断降低煤炭消费比重,提高清洁能源的消费。同时,通过技术创新、设备改造等科技手段提高煤炭利用效率,降低碳排放强度,这些政策将更有利于城镇家庭部门碳减排。     

污水低氧脱氮机制及其应用研究进展

阐述了污水低氧脱氮的基本原理,即抑制或去除亚硝酸盐氧化菌(NOB),同时保留氨氧化菌(AOB),并保持其活性;探讨了污水低氧脱氮实现途径;详细介绍了几种典型的污水低氧脱氮工艺(短程硝化(SHARON)工艺、厌氧氨氧化(ANAMMOX)工艺、好氧反氨化(DEMON)工艺、低氧自养硝化反硝化(OLAND)工艺、甲烷营养型硝化反硝化工艺和亚硝酸盐型完全自养脱氮(CANNON)工艺)的应用研究进展;最后对污水低氧脱氮处理工艺的工程运用进行了展望.     

降低循环冷却水水耗的生产措施

为了有效降低循环冷却水系统补充水量、排污量,节约水处理剂的消耗、降低冷却水处理成本,关键在于提高循环水的浓缩倍数。本文对影响循环水浓缩倍数的因素进行了分析,总结了哈尔滨石化公司循环水场存在的问题。同时本文给出了提高循环水浓缩倍数的方法,上述方法能取得显著的环境效益和经济效益。     

CO_2 Emission Induced by Urban Household Consumption in China

Household consumption is one of the important factors that induce COL emission. Based on input-output model, this article calculated the intensity of CO2 emission of different income groups and seven provinces in China, and then estimated total CO2 emission induced by urban household consumption from 1995 to 2004 in China based on statistic data of household living expenditure. The results show that CO2 emission per capita induced by household consumption had increased from 1583 to 2498 kg CO2 during 1995-2004. The ratio of consumption-induced CO2 emission to total CO2 emission had risen from 19% to 30% in the past decade. Indirect CO2 emission accounted for an important part of the consumption-induced emission, the ratio of indirect emission to consumption-induced emission had risen from 69% to 79% during the same period. A significant difference in consumption-induced CO2 emission across different income groups and different regions has been observed. COs emission per capita of higher income groups and developed regions increased faster than that of lower income groups and developing regions. Changing lifestyle has driven significant increase in CO2 emission. Especially, increases in private transport expenditure （for example, vehicle expenditure） and house building expenditure are key driving factors of growth in consumption-induced COL emission. There are big differences in the amount of CO2 emission induced by change in lifestyle across different income groups and provinces. It can be expected that lower income households and developing regions will increase consumption to improve their livings with income growth in the future, which may induce much more CO2 emission. A reasonable level of CO2 emission is necessary to satisfy human needs and to improve living standard, but a noticeable fact is that CO2 emission per capita induced by household consumption in developed areas of China had reached a quite high level. Adjustment in lifestyle towards a low-carbon society is in urgent need.     

北京市空气质量及其与能源消费结构的动态关联

运用模糊集理论中的Euclidean权距离评价2002—2011年北京市空气质量。根据最大隶属度原则确定空气质量等级值,结合灰色系统理论中的关联动态矩阵分析法,研究北京市主要大气污染物与9种能源消费因子的动态关系。结果表明,2002、2004—2007年北京市空气质量处于Ⅲ级,2003、2008—2011年处于Ⅱ级,空气质量由劣到优的年份排序为2002、2011、2010、2006、2007、2009、2008、2005、2004、2003年,2003、2008年空气质量得到改善,2009年以来有所恶化;燃料油、焦炭和煤炭是造成北京市大气污染的前3位能源,天然气是最清洁的能源;同种能源与不同污染物的关联程度相似;同种能源与污染物在不同时间段的关联序基本不变,不同能源因子分别表现出"缓慢上升"、"逐渐升高"、"水平S"型和"倒U"型4种态势;燃料油与大气污染物"同增同减",大气污染物与燃料油正相关;天然气与大气污染物"此涨彼消",天然气与大气污染物负相关。     

A method for evaluating transport energy consumption in suburban areas

Urban sprawl is a major issue for sustainable development. It represents a significant contribution to energy consumption of a territory especially due to transportation requirements. However, transport energy consumption is rarely taken into account when the sustainability of suburban structures is studied. In this context, the paper presents a method to estimate transport energy consumption in residential suburban areas. The study aimed, on this basis, at highlighting the most efficient strategies needed to promote awareness and to give practical hints on how to reduce transport energy consumption linked to urban sprawl in existing and future suburban neighborhoods. The method uses data collected by using empirical surveys and GIS. An application of this method is presented concerning the comparison of four suburban districts located in Belgium to demonstrate the advantages of the approach. The influence of several parameters, such as distance to work places and services, use of public transport and performance of the vehicles, are then discussed to allow a range of different development situations to be explored. The results of the case studies highlight that traveled distances, and thus a good mix between activities at the living area scale, are of primordial importance for the energy performance, whereas means of transport used is only of little impact. Improving the performance of the vehicles and favoring home-work give also significant energy savings. The method can be used when planning new areas or retrofitting existing ones, as well as promoting more sustainable lifestyles regarding transport habits.     

Factors affecting the quantitative uncertainty of the estimated short-term intake. Part I—Calculation methods

ABSTRACT

The calculation of the combined uncertainty of the international estimated short-term intake (IESTI) of ethephon residues in apples is shown as an example. The ethephon residues in apples were reported by the Joint FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations)/WHO (World Health Organization) Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR). The apple consumption data were taken from the IESTI (international short-term intake) calculation template used by the JMPR. The IESTI was calculated with the currently used method (case 2a) and a proposed one recommended by the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority)/RIVM (Dutch National Institute for Public Health) Scientific Workshop co-sponsored by FAO and WHO. In this example, the ratio of IESTI_proposed/IESTI_current and their combined relative uncertainty are about 2.8, and 1.7, respectively. The larger IESTI and uncertainty obtained with the proposed equation are the consequence of calculation only with the large portion (LP) instead of its combination with unit mass, and the MRL instead of the highest residue (HR). The LP is the major contributor to the combined uncertainty. Both the calculated IESTI and its combined uncertainty depend on the actual food – pesticide residue combination, and should be calculated for each case.     

Comprehensive estimate of the theoretical maximum daily intake of pesticide residues for chronic dietary risk assessment in Argentina

A chronic dietary risk assessment for pesticide residues was conducted for four age groups of the Argentinian population following the procedure recommended by the WHO. The National Theoretical Maximum Daily Intake (NTMDI) for 308 pesticides was calculated for the first time, using the Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) from several Argentinean regulations and food consumption data from a comprehensive National Nutrition and Health Survey. The risk was estimated by comparing the TMDI with the Acceptable Daily Intakes (ADI) identified by various sources. Furthermore, for each of the compounds with a TMDI >65% of the ADI, a probabilistic analysis was conducted to quantify the probability of exceeding the ADI. In this study 27, 22, 10, and 6 active ingredients (a.i.) were estimated to exceed the 100% of the ADI for the different population groups: 6–23 month-old children, 2–5 year-old children, pregnant women, and 10–49 year-old women, respectively. Some of these ADI-exceeding compounds (carbofuran, diazinon, dichlorvos, dimethoate, oxydemeton-methyl and methyl bromide) were found in all four of these groups. Milk, apples, potatoes, and tomatoes were the foods that contributed most to the intake of these pesticides. The study is of primary importance for the improvement of risk assessment, regulations, and monitoring activities.     

城镇化对工业能源消费的门槛效应研究——以长江经济带省份为例

高效能源利用是推动工业发展,进而促使城镇格局演化的重要催化剂,同时城镇化的高速发展对工业能源的消费结构和利用效率提出了进一步的要求,这必将影响到低碳城市建设和环境保护等生态责任目标的实现。选取2003—2012年长江经济带11个省份(直辖市)的相关数据,运用门槛模型对城镇化率、城镇居民人均总收入、能源工业投资、工业总产值、城市人口密度、产业结构等影响工业能源消费的因素进行分析,重点研究城镇化率和工业能源消费的非线性关系和相应的地区差异。结果表明:(1)长江经济带城镇化发展存在着明显的地区差异,上海、浙江等东部地区城镇化发展速度和水平明显优于云南、贵州等中西部地区。云南和贵州2012年的城镇化率远远低于2003年上海、浙江的城镇化率,显示出长江上游和下游之间存在着巨大的发展水平差距。(2)城镇化对工业能源消费存在显著的门槛效应,以城镇化率为门槛变量,存在两个结构变化点,分别为36.9%和48.3%。(3)在第一个门槛点前,城镇化对工业能源消费起抑制作用,前期城镇化的发展导致资源和人口的集聚效应明显,资源的利用效率和配置效率得到提升,从而抑制工业能源消费。在越过第二个门槛点后,城镇化对工业能源消费起正向作用,此时工业的发展和生活消费水准的提升对能源消费提出了更多的要求。最后为促进长江经济带城镇化和工业低碳化的协调发展,提出以下建议:加快长江经济带沿线各省份联动发展,缩小城镇化发展差异;针对城镇化率和工业能源消费的非线性关系,采取相应的措施引导和控制工业能源消费的变化趋势;协调城镇化进程和地区工业能源消耗,促进城镇化的健康发展。