Health benefits valuation of regulatory intervention for air pollution control in thermal power plants in Delhi,India

This study estimates minimum marginal health benefits (morbidity reduction only) of air pollution control and total health benefits arising from regulatory intervention regarding the adoption of the World Bank emission guidelines (WBEG) for thermal power plants (TPPs) in Delhi. The Industrial Source Complex-Short-Term Version–3 (ISCST3) model has been used to estimate the contribution to air pollution from TPPs. The household health production function (avertive behaviour) has been used to value health benefits of air pollution control. The study revealed that the ambient air pollution due to TPPs is reduced by between 62.17% to 83.45% by adopting the WBEG. Annual marginal benefit due to reduction in exposure to air pollution by 1 μg m^?3 is estimated to be US$0.353 per person. Total annual health benefits for adopting the WBEG for TPPs are estimated at US$235.19 million. This study provides a novel methodology to evaluate health benefits of regulatory intervention.     

汶川地震极重灾区地形起伏度特征及其与生态环境受损关联分析

采用DEM数据对汶川地震极重灾区地形起伏度特征分析,海拔高度和地形起伏度总体上是南西高,北东低。5km×5km单元地形起伏度〉1000m的区域面积占27．98％。0．5km×0．5km单元〉100m的区域面积占50．63％。在8．0级主震和6．4级余震震中之间典型区段剖面0．5km间隔分析中,南西段起伏度大于北东段,南西段起伏度〉200m区段占全段14．84％,北东段仅占6．64％。地震导致生态环境受损程度的差异与地形起伏度的差异在空间分布上有一定的重合,具有高起伏度的南西段生态系统破坏面积占总破坏面积的88．55％,新增水土流失面积占新增总面积的70．99％。地震灾区地形起伏度是生态环境遭受严重破坏致灾关联因素之一。     

Comprehensive Assessment on Tourism Eco-environment of Gansu Province Based on Spatial Data

The article studies tourism eco-environment of 14 cities of Gangsu Province, China, based on GIS with many kinds of multi-subject spatial database, such as remote sensing data, observation data and literature data. The research results were as follows. First, spatial features of 14 cities＇ tourism eco-environment are displayed with five levels of vulnerability respectively. The vulnerability in Gansu becomes worse from Gannan City, located in southern Gansu to Hexi Corridor which lies in northwestern Gansu. Second, the areas of above the middle vulnerability level make up 75% of the total areas of Gansu Province. Third, more than 70% of high-level human and natural tourism resources are in the areas with high vulnerability eco-environment. Fourth, it is crucial to develop comprehensive tourism industry in order to improve the harmonious development between tourism industry and eco-environment in Gansu Province.     

The value of the environment – Is it a matter of approach?

This paper discusses why estimates of the benefits of reduced air pollution differ in accordance with the approach used. Estimates based on bottom-up studies of the damage costs related to air pollution usually turn out much lower than estimates based on assessments of the utility of reduced air pollution, obtained for instance by willingness to pay assessments. This is usually explained by the fact that the willingness to pay approach includes the utility aspect of non-market values, and for this reason, it is often preferred to the damage cost approach. This is, however, not the whole story. The paper shows why alternative approaches should not be considered as being in conflict, but rather as means to get supplementary information necessary to put a value on environmental quality. Information from bottom-up assessments of damage costs and from studies of the willingness to pay is used in a macroeconomic model to carry out an evaluation of the social costs of energy saving measures in Hungary.     

滇池污染底泥环保疏浚一期工程实施后环境效益评估

通过对滇池草海污染底泥环保疏浚一期工程实施前后水质、底质及水生生物的监测和分析,评价工程实施后对改善草海水质,减轻内源负荷及对水生态恢复的环境效益。结果表明,疏浚工程直接去除了草海污染底泥层,随污染层分别去除TN、TP20 538 t和1 716 t。疏浚后草海水体透明度由0.37 m提高到0.80 m,水体中的TN和TP由疏挖前的8.91 mg/L和1.07 mg/L降低到疏挖后的8.15 mg/L和0.69 mg/L。疏浚后新生界面层促使形成新的水—沉积物的平衡,水质与底质条件改善以及水下光照条件超过沉水植物恢复的需求,是疏浚后水生态呈现恢复趋势的机理。     

长江中游城市群经济-城市-社会-环境耦合度空间差异分析

以长江中游城市群的36个城市为例,构建了经济发展、城市化、社会保障、生态环境综合评价指标体系,运用耦合度模型评估了36个城市2011~2013年的耦合度,并利用GIS技术分析系统的得分与耦合度的空间分布特征。结果表明:长江中游城市群的36个城市的经济发展、城市化和社会保障水平的空间分布比较相似,三者间存在显著的正相关关系。但是,存在显著性的地区差异。36个城市生态环境得分均值很高,城市之间差异很小。从耦合度的空间分布来看,长江中游城市群明显存在3个高耦合度的聚集区域,即长株潭城市圈,武汉-南昌(含鄂州、黄石和九江)城市带和鄂北4市,即十堰、襄阳、宜昌和荆门。最后,36个城市之间耦合度的差异呈现逐年缩小的趋势。     

中部地区资源型城市城市化与生态环境动态耦合关系

通过构建城市化与生态环境耦合模型,利用中部地区37个资源型城市2005—2014年城市化系统和生态环境系统的30个指标数据,对城市化与生态环境耦合关系动态变化进行测度,并比较分析不同类型资源型城市城市化水平、生态环境水平及其二者耦合协调度的变化。结果表明:(1)2005以来人口城市化对资源型地区城市化综合水平的影响力减弱,社会城市化的影响力逐渐加大并趋于比较重要的地位。尽管资源条件对资源型城市的生态环境综合水平影响最大,但生态环境治理水平对资源型地区生态环境综合水平的影响力正变得日益重要。(2)各城市间城市化综合水平差异较大,而生态环境综合水平差异较小。自2005年以来城市化发展综合水平的城际差异无较大改变,但生态环境发展水平的城际差异正变得日趋缩小。位于山西省的资源型城市城市化综合水平和生态环境综合水平的变动较之其他省份更为显著。(3)中部地区资源型城市的协调类型处于勉强协调、初级协调和中级协调,并以初级协调型为主。2005以来中部地区多数资源型城市城市化与生态环境关系保持不变,关系恶化的资源型城市主要分布在安徽、江西和湖南,关系更为协调的资源型城市主要位于山西。(4)不同类型资源型城市的城市化综合水平差异显著,而生态环境综合水平差异并不明显。再生型和衰退型城市的耦合协调度水平较高,成熟型城市的耦合协调度较低。(5)城市化滞后仍是资源型城市城市化与生态环境关系不协调发展的主要原因。     

矿山生态环境恢复治理保证金制度在迁安的实践

以迁安市矿山环境恢复治理保证金制度实施情况及效果的调查为基础,总结了迁安市的成功实践经验,强化全社会对资源环境问题的认识,健全矿山生态环境建设责任制,建立矿山生态环境保护与治理数据库,提高矿山环境治理的技术水平。     

山海关区农村生态环境状况及保护对策

从山海关区农村生态环境现状出发,客观分析了农村生态环境存在的水体污染、土壤污染、水土流失等问题,以及影响农村生态环境的主要因素,如污水和垃圾的无组织排放、化肥和农药的不合理使用、基础设施差、监管缺位等,提出应从环保体制、环保意识、基础设施建设、自然资源保护、污染防治、强化监管等方面采取切实可行的措施,保护农村生态环境。     

运用LCA方法分析污水再生处理的成本效益

运用生命周期评价(LCA)方法,以西安市北石桥污水净化中心的污水处理与再生利用全过程为例进行环境影响评价,通过清单分析、当量计算和权重分析等一系列分析过程,计算出污水处理过程的投入成本及污水再生处理前后对环境的影响,得出污水在经过处理后,能够很大程度上减小其对环境的影响,从而产生环境正效益。该研究明确了污水处理在环境保护中的重要地位,同时对优化污水处理与再生利用工艺过程具有重要的参考价值和指导意义。