How does eliminating mercury from artisanal and small-scale gold mining lead to achieving sustainable development goals?

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is the principal anthropogenic activity that globally contributes to overloading our environment with mercury. Although the Minamata Convention, led by the United Nations, is a crucial instrument to eliminate its use progressively, novel approaches to accelerate this difficult transition are welcome. This article proposes a framework for policy-making or improvement, fostering the enforcement of mercury elimination through the lens of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), focusing on the excluded artisanal and small-scale gold miners and their dependents. We move forward with a literature review of the Artisanal and Small Mining topic, taking each SDG as a unit of analysis. Understanding the problem as a puzzle of four sets of pieces, namely: (1) social, (2) environmental, (3) economic, and (4) institutional, the paper offers potential opportunities for the decision-makers and practitioners to accelerate the substitution of this heavy metal and develop sustainable futures for the ASGM communities. We conclude by proposing a pragmatic framework that synthesizes the means, actions, and ends to accelerate a sustainable transition.     

Co-development of an integrated assessment framework to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of selected nature-based water treatment technologies in Sri Lanka,The Philippines,and Vietnam

Water quality is a critical challenge in Asia in the context of growing industrialization, urbanization, and climate change. Nature-based solutions (NbS) could play an important role in reducing urban water pollution, while generating multiple co-benefits that could make cities more liveable and resilient. In this regard, a number of pilot and demonstration projects have been set up to explore their potential across cities in Asia. Their effectiveness and impacts, however, have not been adequately documented, thus how they can be sustained, replicated and up-scaled remain poorly understood. This study aims to contribute to addressing this challenge by co-developing an integrated assessment framework and employing it to understand how existing evaluations of NbS in the region can be improved. It focuses specifically on a set of nature-based solutions that have been employed for water treatment across six cities in Southeast Asia (two in each Sri Lanka, the Philippines, and Vietnam), namely, floating wetlands, constructed wetlands and maturation ponds. The study also suggests specific methodologies for capturing a set of core indicators considered relevant for assessing the effectiveness and capturing the multi-faceted impacts of the examined NbS.     

基于DPSIRM概念框架模型的岩溶区水资源安全评价

针对目前水资源安全评价中存在的评价指标片面性、单个指标隶属信息遗漏及权重确定主观性问题,以岩溶典型区-贵州省为例,结合岩溶地区水资源的特点,构建基于驱动力-压力-状态-影响-响应-管理(DPSIRM)概念框架的岩溶区水资源安全DPSIRM评价指标体系,借助灰色-集对模型对贵州省2005~2012年水资源安全进行定量评价,研究结果表明: 2005和2006年整个贵州省水资源安全处于临界安全状态,2007~2012年处于较安全状态,贵州省水资源安全呈现整体转好的态势.水资源的状态和水资源管理是目前影响贵州省水资源安全的重要因素;因此,在继续调整经济结构转变增长方式同时,提高水资源的利用效率,加大水资源基础设施建设的投入,加强水资源管理制度建设和提高水资源管理制度的落实情况,是贵州省水资源安全的根本保障;该评价模型和指标体系适用性较强,评价结果较为客观,为岩溶地区水资源安全评价提供了一个新视角和新方法.     

基于火灾场景的大型浮顶储罐区全过程风险防范体系研究

针对大型浮顶罐区火灾事故风险特征,通过对火灾场景辨识及其火灾风险影响因素分析,结合预防初期火灾场景风险要素和消防系统有效性,提出了罐区火灾事故现实风险的评估框架及确定方法。在此基础上,构建了基于火灾场景的全过程风险防范体系,包括库区评估规划、罐体本质安全化设计、库区火灾预防、罐区火灾扑救、园区火灾事故管理等5个方面,并给出相应的对策措施。大型浮顶罐区全过程火灾风险防范是一个持续改进的结构化过程风险管理体系,有助于实现罐区火灾风险的过程安全管理,进而提高仓储型园区的整体消防安全保障能力和风险防控水平。     

物质代谢分析框架及其研究述评

追溯了物质代谢概念的起源和发展,剖析了不同学科视角下物质代谢内涵的共性和差异性,并将物质代谢划分为生命代谢、生态代谢和经济或社会代谢等三大类.在此基础上,根据研究重点和目标不同,将物质代谢分析划分为代谢主体分析和代谢物质分析两大类,并进一步细分为组织代谢、区域代谢、物质分析、材料分析;对主要的物质代谢分析方法的适用范围、研究对象进行了比较和界定.基于物质代谢分析框架,对国内外相关研究系统地进行了归纳和总结,客观分析和评价了当前研究存在的问题和不足,并展望了物质代谢研究的重点领域和发展方向.      

RAPID-N: Rapid natech risk assessment and mapping framework

Natech accidents at industrial plants are an emerging risk with possibly serious consequences. For the mitigation of natech risk, authorities need to identify natech prone areas in a systematic manner. In order to facilitate probabilistic natech risk mapping, a unified methodology was developed that is based on the estimation of on-site natural hazard parameters, determination of damage probabilities of plant units, and assessment of probability and severity of possibly triggered natech events. The methodology was implemented as an on-line, extensible risk assessment and mapping software framework called RAPID-N, which allows rapid local and regional natech risk assessment and mapping with minimal data input. RAPID-N features an innovative data estimation framework to complete missing input data, such as on-site natural hazard parameters and plant unit characteristics. The framework is also used for damage assessment and natech consequence analysis, and allows easy modification of input parameters, dynamic generation of consequence models according to data availability, and extension of models by adding new equations or substituting existing ones with alternatives. Results are presented as summary reports and interactive risk maps, which can be used for land-use and emergency planning purposes by using scenario hazards, or for rapid natech consequence assessment following actual disasters. As proof of concept, the framework provides a custom implementation of the U.S. EPA's RMP Guidance for Offsite Consequence Analysis methodology to perform natech consequence analysis and includes comprehensive data for earthquakes. It is readily extendible to other natural hazards and more comprehensive risk assessment methods.     

新发展阶段中国矿山安全法规标准体系研究*

为充分发挥立法的引领和推动作用,不断完善中国矿山安全法律法规体系,分析我国矿山安全领域的立法现状,借鉴美国矿山安全立法经验及启示,立足于我国矿山安全监管监察体制革新的新形势和新要求,提出了以《矿山安全法》为基本法,以行政法规、部门规章、监察手册和强制性标准为支撑的新发展阶段矿山安全法规标准体系,为中国矿山安全领域立法提供参考。     

玉米对受污染河道复合沉积物的修复

为减轻城市河道沉积物的受污染程度,利用温室盆栽玉米对其中的污染物进行了修复研究试验.结果表明,玉米体内累积最多的重金属是zn,占沉积物中Zn总量的56.69%,其中地上部分为1 985.56 mg·kg-1,占沉积物中Zn总量的30.16%,其余重金属(Pb、Cu、Ni、Cd)均为地上部分小于地下部分;Cd在玉米地上部分的累积量为2.33 mg·kg-1,为沉积物中Cd总量的40.10%;地上部累积的Zn、Pb、Cu和Ni等重金属数量与其离子交换态量显著相关,与重金属总量相关性不明显.种植玉米后沉积物中大分子有机物逐渐向小分子过渡,有效降低了有机物的污染.玉米的根际作用增加了沉积物中的微生物和酶活性.种植玉米较好地修复了受污染河道复合沉积物.     

我国规划环评相关技术问题探析

中国是立法认可规划环评并作为促进环境保护和可持续发展重要手段的亚洲国家之一。由于我国环评法2003年9月1日才施行,可以说我国规划环评技术尚处于探索中。文章回顾了国际上和我国规划(战略)环评的主流概念、主要任务、基本型式和总体技术路线,提出了我国规划环评的主要任务及适宜的基本型式和总体技术路线。     

制度变迁对旅游发展的效应及其研究框架——从一个新制度经济学的视角

一个完善的制度是保证旅游业持续发展的关键.在新制度经济理论的指导下和界定制度变迁相关概念的基础上,分析了制度变迁对旅游发展的效应.从制度变迁对旅游发展是否存在效应、正效应还是负效应、具体效应与不同区域的效应有无差异等方面构建了研究框架和主要内容.