Press Briefings in International Climate Change Negotiations

Press conferences are an important element of a government's communication strategy at climate change summits. From a theoretical perspective, press conferences should serve two main functions: exerting pressure in negotiations and informing the public. These functions correspond to two logics of action: a logic of consequence where governments use press conferences as negotiation tools and a logic of appropriateness where governments organize press conferences to increase transparency. Based on new data from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change archives, we find limited support for these two logics of action. Neither democracies, which, we argue, are more likely to follow a logic of appropriateness, nor vulnerable countries, which are more likely to follow a logic of consequence, organize systematically more press conferences. Other factors, such as capacity and a government's function in the negotiation structure, seem to play a more important role.     

基于气候变化的干旱脆弱性评价——以青海东部为例

基于青海东部农业区22个县区的20个气象、农业、社会经济统计指标,利用层次分析法和等级化等数学分析方法,分别进行了暴露性、敏感性和适应性的评价,再通过分析承险体的内在脆弱性,将气候变化和内在脆弱性进行综合分析,得到了青海东部干旱脆弱性等级。结果表明:在目前全球变暖背景下,干旱脆弱性最高的是民和、化隆,较高的是城中、城北区、湟中、大通等四县区,门源、互助、同仁、同德的干旱脆弱性中等。在此基础上,提出了强化旱灾的风险管理模式、倡导节约型水资源开发利用模式等干旱防范措施。     

企业管理人员气候变化意识的统计分析

本文首先总结了气候变化意识的定义和内涵,认为气候变化意识包括对气候变化的原因、影响和应对措施等问题的认知和应对气候变化的行为意愿两部分.其次基于问卷调查的数据,统计了企业管理人员对气候变化问题的认知和应对气候变化的行为意愿的各项问题的得分率.在气候变化的认知方面,受访者对于气候变化的原因的认知水平比较低,对于气候变化的全球协议和中国政策的认知水平非常低,对于气候变化的原因和减缓气候变化的措施的认知水平比较高,对于适应气候变化的各项措施的认知程度则有明显的差异;在应对气候变化的行为意愿方面,大多数受访者愿意在日常生活中采取行动减缓气候变化,也有大部分受访者认为企业是应对气候变化的主要利益相关方之一,企业应对气候变化的最主要的推动力是强制性的标准和法令的执行以及经济激励政策的引导,中国企业已经采取的应对气候变化的措施主要是节能减排取得了明显成效、淘汰了落后产能、开展了清洁生产及循环经济等.     

我国珍稀濒危物种适应气候变化的对策探讨

基于气候变化下部分珍稀濒危物种脆弱性分析,初步提出了适应对策,探讨了部分物种适应措施。气候变化下,珍稀濒危物种脆弱性表现在物种分布范围减少、破碎化和失去原分布范围、丰富度下降、种群数量减少、物种灭绝、栖息地退化或消失等。珍稀濒危物种适应气候变化需要分析物种自然适应机制,加强就地保护,增加种群数量,开展迁地和遗传保护,减少其它干扰,保护和恢复栖息地,建立自然保护区适应对策等。每个物种需要分析目前濒危程度和气候变化下的脆弱性来提出适应对策。     

气候变化对西苕溪流域未来洪水影响研究——Ⅱ.情景分析

研究表明VIC模型在西苕溪流域具有良好的适用性,特别是对汛期洪水的模拟。应用陆面水文模型VIC与区域气候模式PRECIS耦合,探讨了西苕溪流域未来洪水对气候变化的响应。结果表明：横塘村水文站月平均流量与月最大洪峰流量的关系较为密切,相关系数均在0.85以上,在一定程度上可以表征洪水的变化特征;基于PRECIS生成的气候情景,未来时期西苕溪流域洪水对气候变化的响应比较明显,尤其是汛期流量增加趋势较显著;结合P-Ⅲ型分布频率分析,西苕溪流域2021~2050年发生洪水极值事件的频率及量级都较基准期增大,且A2情景比B2情景相对更容易触发较大洪水,基准期50 a一遇洪水在未来两种情景下分别缩短为27 a一遇和32 a一遇,说明流域洪水对于气候变化的响应程度增大。     

环鄱阳湖区水足迹的动态变化评价

水足迹模型是计量水资源承载力的一个较新颖且日趋成熟的方法。水资源状况对鄱阳湖区生态系统的平衡、稳定以及生态系统良性循环有着重要意义。将水足迹模型运用于环鄱阳湖区进行实证研究,通过计量模型计算出环鄱阳湖区1989~2008年水足迹的时间序列值,并评价其承载状况。结果显示,近20 a来,环鄱阳湖区的水足迹需求由1989年的735亿m3增加至2008年的110亿m3,呈现出波动上升趋势。至今为止水足迹未超载,但盈余空间呈减少趋势。最后从优化水资源利用、倡导绿色消费和促进区域间贸易交流等降低水足迹的需求和增大水足迹供给的角度提出了提高水足迹承载力的对策。进而从水足迹的角度为环鄱阳湖区提高生态系统承载力提供理论依据,促进江西省鄱阳湖生态经济区的建设     

基于3S技术的矿产资源开发景观格局动态变化研究——以木里县梭罗沟金矿改扩建工程为例

本文在阐述3S技术特点的基础上,以四川省木里县梭罗沟金矿改扩建工程所在地的梭罗沟和如米沟为研究区,介绍了3S技术在景观格局信息提取的技术要求、数据收集和工作流程,并对研究区景观格局的提取结果进行了动态变化预测与分析。实例研究证明,3S技术是景观生态学研究的重要技术工具,应用3S技术开展矿产资源开发景观格局动态评价,可以准确、快速地提取景观格局的主要特征指标,掌握景观格局现状、预测其动态变化特征、揭示其变化规律,满足区域景观格局研究的要求。本研究方法适用于生态类建设项目或区域开发规划的景观格局中短期动态预测研究,不宜用于景观格局长期的动态预测。     

辽宁沿海经济带城市化对气候影响的实证分析

以辽宁沿海经济带为研究对象,利用1997—2008年辽宁沿海各城市的城市化和气候指标,运用线性拟合、主成分分析方法探索城市化对气候的影响。结果表明,除盘锦和大连的气温在城市化影响下呈现微弱的下降趋势外,其他各地的年均温和年降水量均随着城市化进程的发展呈现波动性上升趋势。城市规模、产业结构合理水平、下垫面变化和城市环境共同构成葫芦岛、锦州、营口和大连城市气候变化的主要因素,而在盘锦和丹东,城市规模和城市环境是第一主成分,产业结构合理水平和下垫面变化是第二主成分。在未来的发展过程中,辽宁沿海经济带应控制人口数量,合理调整产业结构,减少污染物排放,增加绿地面积,从而协调城市化发展与气候之间的关系。     

Beyond Rio: Sustainable energy scenarios for the 21st century

Reaching the economic, environmental and sustainability objectives of all societies requires overcoming several major energy challenges; it necessitates rapid progress in multiple areas. The scenario pathways presented in this paper describe transformative changes toward these goals, taking a broad view of the four main energy challenges faced by society in the 21st century: providing universal access to modern energy for all; reducing the impacts of energy production on human health and the environment; avoiding dangerous climate change; and enhancing energy security. The overarching objective of the paper is to provide policy guidance on how to facilitate the transformation of the energy system to achieve these multiple energy objectives. Particular focus is given to the required pace of the transformation at both the global and regional levels, and to the types of financial and policy measures that will be needed to ensure a successful transition. Synergies and trade‐offs between the objectives are identified, and co‐benefits quantified. The paper makes an important contribution to the scenario literature by approaching the global transition toward sustainable development in a more integrated, holistic manner than is common in other studies.     

Increased Frequency of Low‐Magnitude Floods in New England1

Armstrong, William H., Mathias J. Collins, and Noah P. Snyder, 2012. Increased Frequency of Low‐Magnitude Floods in New England. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 48(2): 306‐320. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2011.00613.x Abstract: Recent studies document increasing precipitation and streamflow in the northeastern United States throughout the 20th and early 21st Centuries. Annual peak discharges have increased over this period on many New England rivers with dominantly natural streamflow – especially for smaller, more frequent floods. To better investigate high‐frequency floods (<5‐year recurrence interval), we analyze the partial duration flood series for 23 New England rivers selected for minimal human impact. The study rivers have continuous records through 2006 and an average period of record of 71 years. Twenty‐two of the 23 rivers show increasing trends in peaks over threshold per water year (POT/WY) – a direct measure of flood frequency – using the Mann‐Kendall trend test. Ten of these trends had p < 0.1. Seventeen rivers show positive trends in flood magnitude, six of which had p < 0.1. We also investigate a potential hydroclimatic shift in the region around 1970. Twenty‐two of the 23 rivers show increased POT/WY in the post‐1970 period when comparing pre‐ and post‐1970 records using the Wilcoxon rank‐sum test. More than half of these increases have p < 0.1, indicating a shift in flow regime toward more frequent flooding. Region wide, we found a median increase of one flood per year for the post‐1970 period. Because frequent floods are important channel‐forming flows, these results have implications for channel and floodplain morphology, aquatic habitat, and restoration.