ADAPTING THE LAW OF WATER MANAGEMENT TO GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE AND OTHER HYDROPOLITICAL STRESSES1

ABSTRACT: Existing legal regimes for the management of water resources are already stressed by changing technologies and growing populations. There is little reason for doubt that today the planet is undergoing significant and even alarming climate change. In the past such global climatic changes had dramatic effects on water resource availability with disastrous consequences for many human communities. Today's climate changes can be managed without such disastrous consequences for present day communities only if there are major reforms to existing water law regimes at the local, national, and international levels. In particular, at the local and national levels, water resources must be treated as public property rather than as common or private property. At the international level, water must be managed at the drainage basin level rather than according to national boundaries that largely ignore rational water management criteria. At all levels, care must be given to decentralizing decision making and to use economic incentives insofar as possible, without, however, mistaking economic incentives for markets. The public nature of water resources precludes true markets as a significant management tool.     

水中微塑料来源、生态毒理效应及处理技术研究进展

微塑料作为目前被广泛关注的新污染物之一,近年来在世界各地水环境中被频繁检出。微塑料不仅具有体积小、难降解、持久性等特点,而且可作为有毒金属、微生物、农药等污染物的载体,进一步增强它们的危害潜力。全面了解微塑料的来源和处理途径是确定微塑料污染控制关键问题以及实现对其有效管理的先决条件。回顾了国内外水环境中微塑料污染研究进展,梳理分析了水环境中微塑料的分类及来源,详细阐述了微塑料分离提取、定性定量检测方法,系统总结了微塑料对典型水生生物的单一影响以及微塑料与相关污染物对水生生物的复合影响;结合现有水污染控制技术,归纳了水中微塑料去除方法的优缺点,包括吸附、过滤、混凝沉淀、光催化、电絮凝、生物降解、膜生物反应器以及活性污泥法等技术。相关研究可为水环境中微塑料的去除与污染控制提供参考。

     

An experimental analysis of compliance in dynamic emissions markets

Two important design elements for emission trading programs are whether and to what extent firms are able to bank emissions permits, and how these programs are to be enforced. In this paper we present results from laboratory emissions markets designed to investigate enforcement and compliance when these markets allow permit banking. Banking is motivated by a decrease in the aggregate permit supply in the middle of multi-period trading sessions. Consistent with theoretical insights, our experiments suggest that high permit violation penalties have little deterrence value in dynamic emissions markets, and that the main challenge of enforcing these programs is to motivate truthful self-reports of emissions.     

Reprint of “The future of hydropower in Europe: Interconnecting climate,markets and policies”

Hydropower is very important for electricity supply security in the European inter-connexion as well as for the economy of regions (primarily peripheral) that possess water resources. Its future may however be jeopardized by several factors: climate change, the development of new renewable energy, the creation of super and micro-grids, and progress in power storage technology. Energy and climate policy, as well as electricity market design and dynamics play a pivotal role.This article carries out a comprehensive analysis of all these factors and discusses the future of hydropower. This discussion follows an overview of the present situation and of future drivers. The technical, environmental, economic and political aspects of the problem are analyzed with an interdisciplinary approach. The stakes as well as the uncertainties are highlighted.The conclusion is that hydropower has a promising future, particularly in light of emerging sustainable energy policy, but that the risks should not be overlooked. Academics will find a comprehensive interdisciplinary analysis of hydropower in this article, whereas public bodies, communities and hydropower companies can identify the strategic variables that should be taken into consideration in the decision making process. The end of water concessions or authorizations is also evoked.     

Investigating the environmental Kuznets Curve and the role of green energy: Emerging and developed markets

In this study, the validity of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis and the effect of green energy sources to decrease CO₂ emissions are examined for emerging and developed markets from 1990 to 2011 using a pooled mean group (PMG) estimator. Empirical findings of this study suggest that the EKC hypothesis is not confirmed by emerging markets; meanwhile, it is strongly supported by developed markets. The long-run elasticity results of per capita data may also imply a divergence between emerging markets and developed markets regarding CO₂ emissions. On the other hand, the findings of this study indicate that renewable energy sources will play an important role in reducing CO₂ emissions for both panel groups in the long run.     

Patronage and access to a legacy city farmers’ market: a case study of the relocation of the Flint,Michigan, market

This study examines the effects of relocating the Flint Farmers’ Market, a large and successful market in the medium-sized legacy city of Flint, Michigan. Over the course of a year, market patrons and vendors were surveyed to explore questions about the scale of the market, patron demographics, reasons for visiting the market, seasonal variations in outcomes, and healthy food access. The results indicate that the relocated, downtown market is successful in large part because it satisfies multiple needs – it provides access to fresh, local produce; it provides lunch options for downtown workers and students; and it serves as a community gathering space. The study further demonstrates that farmers’ markets in legacy cities can serve a large region, attract diverse customers, and remain sustainable year-round, even in northern climates. These findings should be of interest to planners, policy-makers, and market managers who are considering opening or relocating a farmers’ market as a means of supporting community health, well-being, and economic development.     

Financing energy transformation: The role of renewable energy equity indices

The support of financial markets for the transformation of the energy system to a low carbon society seems critical for its success. But will they support this transformation on the basis of market incentives alone? This study analyses how equity indices that try to capture renewable energy investments perform compared to conventional benchmark indices. Especially financial market investors—such as pension funds, insurance companies, and mutual funds—use these to assess and guide their renewable energy investments. As such, we take the perspective of financial market participants, which mainly only indirectly invest in renewable energy. We also analyze whether renewable energy indices are to be regarded as an example of market environmentalism. We find that the renewable energy indices’ risk-adjusted return is very poor and suggests renewables is not a financially attractive portfolio investment yet. We also argue that renewable energy equity indices can be regarded as an example of market environmentalism, especially with respect to commodification and frame-shifting.     

持久性、迁移性和潜在毒性化学品环境健康风险与控制研究现状及趋势分析

持久性、迁移性、毒性或高持久和高迁移性化学品(PMT/vPvM)在全球地表水、地下水和饮用水水体已被广泛检出,是未来可能显著影响人类健康和环境的一类重要新兴污染物.按照欧盟提议的鉴别标准,现有化学品中的PMT/vPvM数以千计,涉及用途广泛,包括三聚氰胺等数10种较高产量的工业化学品.PMT/vPvM可通过农田径流、工业废水和生活污水排入环境,污水处理厂目前被认为是其主要排放途径.因难以被现行常规水处理技术有效去除,PMT/vPvM可长期存在于城镇人居环境水循环系统中,危及居民饮用水及生态系统安全.欧盟已率先开始将PMT/vPvM专门纳入现行化学品风险管理体系中的优先范畴.目前,环境中仍有众多潜在PMT/vPvM,其监测方法亟待进一步完善,物质鉴定、类别范围及清单建立均尚需时日;PMT/vPvM在全球各地区的环境分布和暴露研究十分有限,其潜在、长期的生态毒性和人体健康危害效应研究较为匮乏.与此同时,替代品或替代技术以及污水处理、污染场地修复等环境工程治理技术的研究和开发,都将成为未来PMT/vPvM风险科学研究与管理决策的迫切需求.     

武进港流域地表水中新污染物的高通量筛查与源解析

新污染物长期存在于水环境中,其对生态、人类健康存在的潜在危害和风险是不可忽视,而研究其在地表水中的分布特征及其来源可对新污染物的源头治理与管控提供帮助.武进港是太湖西北部的主要入湖河流之一,为了解武进港流域新污染物的分布,采用液相色谱-高分辨率质谱仪（LC-HRMS）对19处地表水样（包括主河道12个水样、支流7个水样）和污水处理厂出水水样中的新污染物进行高通量筛查.共识别出294种新污染物,其中药物类和农药类新污染物占比较大,分别为35.4%和32.3%.主成分分析表明,污水处理厂出水受新污染物污染的情况与地表水具有显著差异,同时19个地表水点位中,新污染物的分布在武进港流域存在南北地区差异.通过Mann-Whitney U检验,并绘制火山图,北部筛选出70种特征新污染物,其中药物类新污染物占比最大,为48.6%,包括咖啡因、金刚烷胺、缬沙坦等.南部筛选出17种特征新污染物,农药类占比最大,为52.9%,包括2-甲基-4-氯苯氧乙酸（MCPA）、灭草松等.相关性分析结果显示,农药类特征新污染物与农田占比呈正相关.     

Analysis of Long-term Energy and Carbon Emission Scenarios for India

In the coming years India faces greatchallenges in energy and environment. Thepath of development chosen by India, uponwhich lies the future growth of energy andemission trajectories, would be greatlyinfluenced by technological developmentsboth within and outside the country,economic cooperation between countries, andglobal cooperation in limiting greenhousegas emissions. This paper discusses theintegrated modeling system used fordeveloping and analyzing the long-termtrajectories and presents results for thescenarios developed. In the context ofongoing market reforms two scenarios –accelerated and decelerated reforms – aredeveloped depicting fast and slow progressin energy sector reforms compared toexpectations in the baseline scenario.Accelerated market reforms would spurimprovements in technological efficiencies.Reforms would lower investment risks inIndia, thereby stimulating increased levelsof foreign direct investment. On the otherhand in decelerated reform scenarioeconomic growth is lower than that in thebase case, there is low access to capital,and technological improvements lag behindthose in the base case. In another scenariowe assume specific policy interventions forpenetration of renewable technologies overthe baseline scenario, for promotion andaccelerated deployment of renewable energytechnologies over and above the baselineassumptions. A scenario with carbon(c) constraints has also been developed and theresults discussed.