Effects of Urban Spatial Structure,Sociodemographics, and Climate on Residential Water Consumption in Hillsboro,Oregon1

House-Peters, Lily, Bethany Pratt, and Heejun Chang, 2010. Effects of Urban Spatial Structure, Sociodemographics, and Climate on Residential Water Consumption in Hillsboro, Oregon. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 46(3):461-472. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2009.00415.x Abstract: In the Portland metropolitan area, suburban growth in cities such as Hillsboro is projected to increase as people seek affordable housing near a burgeoning metropolis. The most significant determinants for increases in water demand are population growth, climate change, and the type of urban development that occurs. This study analyzes the spatial patterns of single family residential (SFR) water consumption in Hillsboro, Oregon, at the census block scale. The following research questions are addressed: (1) What are the significant determinants of SFR water consumption in Hillsboro, Oregon? (2) Is SFR water demand sensitive to drought conditions and interannual climate variation? (3) To what magnitude do particular census blocks react to drought conditions and interannual climate variation? Using ordinary least squares multiple regression and spatial regression methods, we found that base use, representing indoor water use, is dependent on household size and that seasonal use, representing external water use is dependent on both education level and the size of the property’s outdoor space. Spatial analysis techniques determined that although the water demand of the study area as a whole is not sensitive to drought conditions, certain individual census blocks do respond with a higher magnitude of water use. The most climate-sensitive census blocks tend to contain newer and larger homes, and have higher property values and more affluent and well-educated residents.     

基于因子分析法优选河流水体中氮浓度预测方法的研究

定量的河流水体中氮浓度预测方法有很多种,如何优选出预测精度较高的方法一直是学术界多年来致力于研究的重点。本研究采用因子分析法对预测方法的精度评价指标进行分析,并建立了预测方法精度的评价模型,对回归分析法、神经网络法、灰色系统法和增长率统计法4种水体氮浓度预测方法进行综合评估,优选出精度较高的河流水体氮浓度预测模型——BP神经网络预测模型。结果表明,此评估模型对类似研究具有一定的参考价值,能为选择出合适的河流水体氮浓度预测方法提供依据。     

无碴轨列车运行引起的环境振动影响评价

对遂渝高速铁路无碴轨道试验段客车运行引起的环境振动进行了现场实测,根据实验数据分析得知:环境振动强度随距离增大而减小,随车速增大而增大,但车厢数量对环境振动强度影响不明显;环境振动主要频率范围为30～120 Hz,距轨道距离、车速、车厢数量对振动主要频率影响不显著;在轨道两侧31.9 m处,速度超过104.7 km/h列车环境振动强度超过GB 10070-1988要求,须采取措施隔振。     

基层环境监测站环境质量综合分析中存在的问题及对策

从环境监测为环境管理服务的职能入手,系统分析了基层环境监测站的环境质量综合分析工作现状,针对实际工作中存在的问题,提出了提高环境质量综合分析水平的对策建议。     

中国环境效率评价及其影响因素实证研究

环境效率是实际污染排放和潜在污染排放的一种度量。本文运用包含污染排放的环境DEA模型,测算了1998-2007年中国省际环境效率,检验了其收敛情况。结果显示,全国环境效率总体水平较低,省际、区域间差距较大,表明现阶段实行地区间减排合作、推动环保技术在区域间扩散的现实必要性;分别从20032、005年开始,省际、区域环境效率差距逐渐缩小,存在一定的收敛趋势;同时,本文采用Tobit模型分析了影响环境效率因素,研究发现人均GDP对提高环境效率具有积极影响,而工业比重上升、财政分权度的提高以及贸易自由化对环境效率具有显著的负面影响。最后,基于实证研究的结果,就减少地区污染排放、提高我国环境效率给出了相关政策建议。     

我国城市间客运交通能源消耗趋势的分解

随着我国城镇化水平不断提高,城市作为重要的交通网络节点,其衔接交通运输线路、产生和承担客货流转换的功能日益显著。定量地探讨城市间客运交通能源消费变化的影响因素对于我国未来城市间客运交通能源需求的研究及温室气体减排具有重要意义。本文采用终端能源需求MAED模型,对我国城市间客运交通能耗的历史基期数据进行处理,同时对未来能耗进行预测,在形成ASIF结构的数据基础上,利用对数平均迪氏指数法(Logarithmic Mean Index,LMDI)对城市间客运交通能耗的活动效应、结构效应和强度效应进行分解分析。结果表明,从历史数据来看,我国"十五"期间城市间客运交通能耗的快速增加同时取决于客运周转量的增加、客运交通模式和能耗强度的转变,若延续这一发展趋势,我国中长期城市间客运交通模式将快速增长。未来城市间轨道交通网络的发展和高效利用及交通节能减排政策的落实将是促进能源消耗增速降低的可能选择。     

中国农村经济制度变迁与农业周期性增长分析

农业增长除受到基本投入要素的影响,还受制度因素的影响。对于制度因素对农业增长的影响的研究,大多文献是从定性的角度分析。本文运用计量经济学和统计方法,通过对1978-2007年总体和不同阶段农业增长与农村土地制度、价格制度、财政制度和税费制度进行理论和实证分析,探讨制度变迁对农业生产总值增长的推动作用。文章通过分析发现,我国农业在要素投入并没有周期性变化的情况下,农业总产值增长率却呈现一定的周期性。为了探究农业周期性增长的原因,本文结合我国农村经济制度变迁的路径和农业总产值指数变化的特点,将改革开放以来我国农业增长分为三个阶段进行分析,同时根据Griliches生产函数构造计量分析模型。通过分析发现,正是由于不同阶段农村土地制度、价格制度、财政制度和税费制度的变迁,导致农业生产总值增长率周期性起伏。因此,制度变迁是改革开放后中国农业经济增长的内在决定性因素。     

中国环境污染与经济增长的实证研究

本文基于我国1981-2007年环境污染与经济增长的相关数据,利用时间序列研究方法对我国EKC进行实证研究,说明建立EKC模型可能存在的问题。为弥补EKC模型中环境不影响经济的假设与变量难以量化的不足,运用VAR模型研究二者的动态关系。EKC研究结果表明:EKC是一种客观现象,而不是一般规律;与人们生产生活关系密切的污染物更有可能出现EKC特征。VAR脉冲响应和方差分解的动态分析结果与二者相互作用机理相符:一方面我国经济增长通过规模效应、结构效应、技术效应等因素影响环境;一方面随着人们环境质量需求弹性的增加,政府对环境质量的重视,环境对企业生产行为的约束机制正逐步形成,但可能由于人们通过自身消费影响产出的作用有限和环境政策实施存在滞后性等原因,这种机制的形成存在一定滞后。     

SWOT Analysis and Challenges of Nile Basin Initiative：An Integrated Water Resource Management Perspective

River Nile is one of the longest transboundery rivers and it is shared and used by Burundi,Democratic Republic of Congo,Egypt,Ethiopia,Eritrea,Kenya,Rwanda,Sudan,Tanzania and Uganda.As of today,the Nile is a crucial resource for the economic development of the Nile Basin countries and a vital source of livelihood for 160 million inhabitants as well as 300 million people living in the 10 riparian countries.The Nile Basin Initiative(NBI) is one of the international cooperative river basin management program and regional partnership where all the Nile Basin countries except Eritrea unite to pursue long-term sustainable development,improved land use practices and management.This review therefore focused on the challenges not faced on NBI in terms of integrated use of the river and conducted analysis of strengths,weaknesses,opportunities and threats(SWOT) based on secondary data.The result of the review revealed that for decades,the Nile Basin people have been facing many complex environmental,social,economic and political challenges that have made it difficult for the proper management and sustainability of Nile water.The initiative provides training to develop skills in government ministries,non-governmental organizations and local communities in each country.It is also working to raise awareness of critical environmental issues by strengthening networks of environmental education practitioners;developing curriculum in the education sector.The challenges of NBI include the involvement and funding of World Bank,lack of sufficient staff,procedural and policies conflicts,lack of coordination and linkage with other regional institutions and lack of recognition as river basin organization.Considering the complex nature of the project,it is recommended that the NBI should come up with a strong multi-disciplinary monitoring and evaluation team to follow up all implemented projects.The NBI should carry out participatory land use planning in communities along the river basin.Moreover,livelihood analysis should be carried out especially in communities along the Nile to come up with poverty eradication projects which are socially acceptable,applicable,economically viable and affordable.