Framing environmental indicators: moving from causal chains to causal networks

In recent years, there has been a boom in environmental assessment reports utilizing environmental indicators. Most of these publications are based on the casual chain frameworks (e.g., Pressure–State–Response (PSR), Driving force–State–Response (DSR), and Driving force–Pressure–State–Impact–Response (DPSIR)). These frameworks have made an important contribution by emphasising the importance of causality. However, the reliance on simple uni-directional chains is at the same time not very conducive to a good understanding of the complexity of the processes behind environmental indicators. This limits the usefulness of these frameworks for environmental (impact) assessments. In this paper we propose an enhanced DPSIR (eDPSIR) framework for environmental indicators that takes inter-relations of indicators into account by relying on the use of causal networks rather than causal chains. It will be shown how the concept of causal networks can increase insight into the inter-relation of environmental issues and associated indicators, can facilitate the identification of key indicators for particular kinds of questions, and can provide a useful first step to the establishment of dose–response functions. Working with causal networks can contribute to more appropriate environmental policies and better management decisions.     

No Sustainability without Technical,Fiscal and Social Innovation

Abstract

Migration process has become increasingly important in recent research on population and the environment. A majority of the existing migration and environment literature has focused on the environmental causes and determinants of migration. With the largest rural-to-urban migration flow in world history, and growing concerns about the environmental problems accompanying its fast economic development, China provides a particularly important case for migration and environment research. This paper reviews major migration theories and recent research on environmental effects on migration, with specific attention to the influences of environmental factors on rural-to-urban labor migration in China. A comprehensive multilevel conceptual framework is developed for studying the environmental causes of rural-to-urban migration in China. The effects of land resources on household labor migration decisions in rural China are explored to illustrate the application of this framework.     

Reasonableness of a proposed System Theoretic Process Analysis (STPA) validation framework: An interview study

Since its inception, the STPA technique has gained increasing popularity among researchers and industry practitioners. Nevertheless, the validity of its application has not yet received much scientific attention. Although some informal validation approaches have been used by STPA users, no formalized validation framework has been elaborated for practical use. This paper investigates the reasonableness of the recently proposed STPA validation framework, which includes 15 validation tests, each focusing on a specific step of an STPA analysis. To do so, STPA experts in both academia and industry were interviewed. First, it is investigated what approaches they have been using for validating an STPA analysis, the findings of which were categorized and mapped with the proposed validation framework. This aims to investigate the similarities and dissimilarities between the theory-based validation framework and the informal methods applied by experts in current practice. Then, the proposed framework was presented to the interviewees to seek their judgments about its reasonableness. Feedback from practitioners indicated that the proposed STPA validation framework has certain strengths, while several opportunities exist for further improvement. In particular, the findings indicate that most of the proposed theory-based tests have been already used by STPA experts in an unstructured manner. The experts appreciated the framework in that it provides clear guidance on how to validate each step of an STPA analysis systematically, and found some additional theory-based tests interesting for consideration in practice. The results also suggest that further research is needed to develop systematic techniques for performing each test to facilitate its application by STPA experts.     

A Soft Systems Approach to Watershed Management: A Road Salt Case Study

Watershed management requires integration of social and ecological understanding. Participatory approaches to planning and management incorporate stakeholder knowledge and understanding. An action research strategy using focus groups with Michigan State University operations units helped generate a soft systems model of watershed impacts of organizational decision-making regarding road de-icing. The results reveal tensions and inconsistencies between the mission and operation of the institution. These tensions are exacerbated by inadequate communication among various elements of the campus watershed management system. The action research approach facilitated the researchers understanding of the complex institutional system and helped identify possible areas for making improvements. Specifically, the researchers were able to facilitate improvement in some linkages between scientists developing campus watershed models and the operations staff responsible for handling many of the inputs being modeled.     

天津环保产业行动纲要

本文从天不保产业的实际情况出发,提出了天津环保产业发展的总体目标,总城市污水处理设备等五个重点发展方向和建立完善天津环保产业组织机构等六点行动纲要。     

Capture of carbon dioxide from flue gas on TEPA-grafted metal-organic framework Mg2(dobdc)

Carbon dioxide （CO2） adsorption on a standard metal-organic framework Mg2（dobdc） （Mg/DOBDC or Mg-MOF-74） and a tetraethylenepentamine （TEPA） modified Mgz（dobdc） （TEPA-Mg/DOBDC） were investigated and compared. The structural information, surface chemistry and thermal behavior of the adsorbent samples were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction （XRD）, infrared spectroscopy （IR）, thermogravimetric analysis （TGA） and nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm analysis. CO2 adsorption capacity was measured by dynamic adsorption experiments with N2-CO2 mixed gases at 60℃. Results showed that the CO2 adsorption capacity of Mg/DOBDC was significantly improved after amine modification, with an increase from 2.67 to 6.06 mmol CO2/g adsorbent. Moreover, CO2 adsorption on the TEPA-Mg/DOBDC adsorbent was promoted by water vapor, and the adsorption capacity was enhanced to 8.31 mmol CO2/g absorbent. The adsorption capacity of the TEPA-Mg/DOBDC adsorbent dropped only 3% after 5 consecutive adsorption]desorption cycles. Therefore, this kind of adsorbent can be considered as a promising material for the capture of CO2 from flue gas.     

钴金属-有机骨架活化过硫酸钠降解废水中的盐酸土霉素

采用新制备的钴金属-有机骨架(Co-MOF)和过硫酸钠(PS)分别作为催化剂和氧化剂,并通过Co-MOF活化PS降解废水中的盐酸土霉素,考察Co-MOF浓度、PS浓度、pH及温度对降解盐酸土霉素的影响。SEM、TEM、XRD及XPS等结果证明,Co-MOF成功地被合成。降解实验结果表明,与单独的Co-MOF、PS相比,Co-MOF/PS的降解性能有大幅度的提高。当pH=5、温度30 ℃、Co-MOF为200 mg·L⁻¹以及PS为2 000 mg·L⁻¹时,5 min后对20 mg·L⁻¹盐酸土霉素的降解率最高达到97.1%。在催化剂的重复使用实验中,Co-MOF第4次运行对盐酸土霉素的降解率由97.1%(第1次)降低至82.1%,这表明Co-MOF材料可以重复利用降解盐酸土霉素。Co-MOF降解盐酸土霉素实验反应前后的XRD和XPS数据表明Co-MOF具备良好的稳定性。以上研究结果可为新型高效降解体系的开发及其在水环境污染控制领域的应用提供参考。     

Indicator system and evaluation framework for sustainable development

ＩｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎＴｈｅｎｏｔｉｏｎｏｆｓｕｓｔａｉｎａｂｌｅｄｅｖｅｌｏｐｍｅｎｔｗａｓｐｒｏｐｏｓｅｄｉｎｔｈｅＷｏｒｌｄＣｏｎｓｅｒｖａｔｉｏｎＳｔｒａｔｅｇｙ（ＩＵＣＮ，１９８０）．Ｉｔｉｓｐｏｉｎｔｅｄｏｕｔｔｈａｔｔｈｅｃｏｎｓｅｒｖａｔｉｏｎａｎｄｔｈｅｓｕｓｔａｉｎａｂｌｅｄｅｖｅｌｏｐｍｅｎｔａｒｅｍｕｔｕａｌｌｙｄｅｐｅｎｄｅｎｔａｎｄｔｈｅｙｓｈｏｕｌｄｂｅｉｎｔｅｇｒａｔｅｄ，ｗｈｅｒｅｔｈｅｃｏｎｓｅｒｖａｔｉｏｎｍｅａｎｓｔｈｅｍａｎａｇｅｍｅｎｔｏｆｈｕｍａｎ…     

我国生态保护与建设支出账户框架构建研究

生态保护与建设是我国生态文明建设的重要任务,生态保护与建设支出账户核算是环境经济核算的重要内容,但我国目前尚未开展系统的生态保护与建设支出核算。本文首先梳理了生态保护与建设支出核算的国际经验,指出我国生态保护与建设支出账户核算面临统计口径不完善、统计体系尚未建立、统计主体和对象仍不完整、统计数据呈部门化和分散化等问题。在此基础上,本文从生态保护与建设支出主体、支出分类、支出资金来源等方面初步构建了支出账户核算体系,并以2013年为例进行了初步估算。结果表明,我国财政资金用于生态保护与建设的支出总量不足,仅占当年GDP的0.25%。为推动生态保护与建设支出账户核算工作,建议应从预算科目、统计口径、统计主体、统计对象等方面不断完善生态保护与建设统计体系,加快推进生态保护与建设支出账户的构建与核算,并争取尽快纳入国民经济核算体系,以推进生态文明体制改革与制度建设的进程,促进我国生态保护与经济社会的协调发展。     

关于建立工业园区统一规范碳核算方法体系的思考

工业园区是中国制造业发展的重要载体与做好碳达峰碳中和的关键支撑，建立统一规范的碳核算方法，是园区科学推进低碳发展的必要前提。本研究剖析了园区碳核算的复杂性，明确了园区“双碳”工作的核心要义，建立了“一芯四核”互馈式园区碳核算方法框架。该框架主要包括应用目标与范围定义、流分析与排放清单建立、碳排放计算、结果解释与决策支撑四个核心环节，四“核”间相互作用、迭代优化，根据园区发展实际进行具象化，并充分考虑向上与所在行政区域碳核算清单、向下与企业碳排放核算兼容，最终服务于准确把握低碳发展内涵、锻造新的产业竞争优势这一关键内“芯”。进一步地，研究阐述了“一芯四核”方法框架各主要步骤，分析了园区碳核算实践中面临的园区边界、核算范围、清单建立、数据质量等方面的难点，提出了基于检验清单的各环节工作原则、操作步骤及注意事项。研究为“千园千面”的工业园区提供了科学统一的碳核算理论框架，可为工业园区在低碳转型中锻造新的产业竞争优势提供决策支撑，为建立统一规范碳排放统计核算体系奠定方法基础。