Resource and Environmental Issues in Transitional China： A Perspective from the Interaction Among Market, Government and Society

Along with the rapid growth of economy in the postreform period after 1979,China has faced severe problems of resource overusing and environmental degradation which would threaten the sustainable development of economy and society.This article explores an effective mechanism of managing resource and environment in China.It examines some major resource and environmental issues,and constructs a framework of institution innovation to cover three sectors(government,market and society).In addition,the article analyzes their experience and evaluation in resource management and environmental conservation during the transitional period.We argue that the combination of market regulation,government intervention and public participation is an effective way of allocating resource and protecting environment.Some suggestions are put forward to balance the relationship between them,including coordinating role of government and market,building platform for market operation and creating an atmosphere of public participation.     

Current State of the Altai Glaciers (Russia) and Trends Over the Period of Instrumental Observations 1952–2008

Results of research into climate and glacier dynamics in the Altai Mountains (Russia) over the period of instrumental observations (1952–2008) are presented in this article. About 1030 glaciers with a total area of 805 km² and volume of 42.5 km³ have been recorded in the Altai Region. The average summer air temperature in different regions of the Altai has increased during the study period from about 0.2°C (Aktru) to 1.1°C (Akkem). The annual atmospheric precipitation rate has also increased, by 8–10%. Since 1952, the glacier area in different regions of the Altai has decreased by 9–27%, and volume by 12–24%. By 2008, as a result of degradation, the total number of glaciers was 953 with an area of 724 km² and volume of 38 km³.     

Full Water‐Cycle Monitoring in an Urban Catchment Reveals Unexpected Water Transfers (Detroit MI,USA)

A goal in urban water management is to reduce the volume of stormwater runoff in urban systems and the effect of combined sewer overflows into receiving waters. Effective management of stormwater runoff in urban systems requires an accounting of various components of the urban water balance. To that end, precipitation, evapotranspiration (ET), sewer flow, and groundwater in a 3.40‐hectare sewershed in Detroit, Michigan were monitored to capture the response of the sewershed to stormwater flow prior to implementation of stormwater control measures. Monitoring results indicate that stormflow in sewers was not initiated unless rain depth was 3.6 mm or greater. ET removed more than 40% of the precipitation in the sewershed, whereas pipe flow accounted for 19%–85% of the losses. Flows within the sewer that could not be associated with direct precipitation indicate an unexpected exchange of water between the leaky sewer and the groundwater system, pathways through abandoned or failing residential infrastructure, or a combination of both. Groundwater data indicate that groundwater flows into the leaky combined sewer rather than out. This research demonstrates that urban hydrologic fluxes can modulate the local water cycle in complex ways which affect the efficiency of the wastewater system, effectiveness of stormwater management, and, ultimately, public health.     

转型期的资源与环境管理：基于市场-政府-社会三角制衡的分析

在经济体制转型期,伴随着经济的持续快速增长,我国出现了前所末有的资源破坏和环境恶化现象,严重制约未来经济社会的可持续发展.由此,构建解决经济发展需求与资源环境供给矛盾的有效机制,成为政界及学术界共同关注的重点课题.从中国经济转型期存在的主要资源与环境问题分析入手,提出资源环境管理制度构建的理想框架,通过进一步评价我国在市场机制、政府干预、公众参与3个方面的经验及教训,分别提出未来改进的方向.研究结果表明;"市场--政府--社会"三足鼎立的制度结构是我国资源环境管理制度构建的理想日标,也是适应世界资源环境保护发展的潮流.最后提出协调政府和市场作用、构建市场运作平台、营造公众参与氛围等方面的政策建议.     

A multi-scale remote sensing approach for monitoring northern peatland hydrology: present possibilities and future challenges

Remote sensing has the potential to provide quantitative spatially explicit hydrological information across northern peatland complexes. This paper details a multi-scale remote sensing approach for assessing the use of Sphagnum mosses as proxy indicators of near-surface hydrology. Several spectral indices developed from the near infra-red (NIR) and shortwave infra-red (SWIR) liquid water absorption bands, as well as a biophysical index can be correlated with measures of near-surface moisture in the laboratory, in the field and from airborne imagery. Data from all platforms revealed similar patterns in the spectral indices in relation to changes in moisture although the strength of correlations was reduced as the spatial scale increased. The rapid collection of temporally and spatially explicit hydrological data means that the technique has potential practical application for environmental managers and peatland scientists at the local scale. The task of up-scaling the technique for use in operational peatland hydrological monitoring to the global scale is challenging but achievable, and requires further investigation into the heterogeneity of near-surface moisture across Sphagnum patches and the application of novel image processing techniques to improve the spatial resolution of currently available satellite imagery.     

Fate of linear alkylbenzenes and benzothiazoles of anthropogenic origin and their potential as environmental molecular markers in the Pearl River Delta, South China

The mass emissions of linear alkylbenzenes (LABs), benzothiazole (BT), and 2-[4-morpholinyl]benzothiazole (24MoBT) from anthropogenic activities within one year were estimated according to the population and the number of automobiles in the Pearl River Delta (PRD), South China. Based on the estimation, the distribution of these compounds among various environmental media was simulated with a mass balance box model established in the present study. The results showed that 79% of LABs generated in the PRD was stored in sediment while only 1.3% of LABs was presumably transported to the adjacent South China Sea (SCS). On the contrary, 47% of BT and 77% of 24MoBT generated in the region were carried with riverine runoff to the coastal ocean. The results from the present study suggest that hydrophobic compounds tend to stay in the watershed of the PRD, whereas hydrophilic ones mainly outflow to the coastal ocean.     

A comparison of Alpine emissions to forest soil and spruce needle loads for persistent organic pollutants (POPs)

The project MONARPOP analysed the concentrations of semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) in two important sink compartments, needles of Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) and forest soil from 40 remote Alpine forest sites in Austria, Germany, Italy, Slovenia and Switzerland.In the present study the load of PCDD/F, PCB, PBDE, PAH, HCB, HCH and DDT in the Alps calculated on the basis of measured data are compared with their estimated emissions in the Alpine region. It comes out that the masses of the studied pollutants stored in the forests are higher than the corresponding emissions in the Alpine area indicating that the Alps are a sink for POPs advected from surrounding areas. It is assumed that local emissions of PCDD/F and PAH deriving from biomass burning are probably underestimated and that the pool of these pollutants in the forests represents the accumulation over some decades.     

Mass balance of anionic surfactants through up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket based sewage treatment plants

The outcome of a 21-month monitoring study on anionic surfactants (AS) at five (27–70 ML/d) up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) based sewage treatment plants (STPs) is described. The average removals of AS were around 8–30%. Appreciable concentrations of AS were being discharged to the watercourse (average 4.30 mg/L; range 3.60–4.91 mg/L). On an average dried sludge contained 1452 mg AS/kg dry weight. Mass balance at three STPs indicated that, AS load of the order of 5–17% and ≈12% is removed by adsorption in UASB reactors and polishing ponds (PP) respectively. Biodegradation of AS under anaerobic conditions in UASB reactors and PP does not seem to take place. In the sludge stream, appreciable biodegradation (≈46%) of adsorbed AS under aerobic conditions on the sludge drying beds takes place. If influent AS mass flux is normalized to 100 units, than average of ≈74 and ≈7 units are discharged with treated effluent and dried sludge respectively, while 12 and 6 units are adsorbed/settled in PP and aerobically biodegrade on sludge drying beds respectively. At two STPs (34 and 56 ML/d), the filterable fluxes in UASBR increased so that the mass balance could not be computed.     

总体平衡模式工伤保险基金筹集模式的研究

针对我国目前工伤保险基金筹集模式中最重要的总体平衡模式,利用参保人数、伤残人数、伤残比例等具体的历史数据进行了预测,得出总体平衡模式工伤保险基金的应交费率和费用,为工伤保险基金的有效筹集提供了有益的思路和借鉴.     

Mass fluxes and spatial trends of xenobiotics in the waters of the city of Halle, Germany

The behaviour and the effects of xenobiotics including pharmaceuticals and fragrances in the environment are widely unknown. In order to improve our knowledge, field investigations and modelling approaches for the entire area of the city of Halle/Saale, Germany, were performed. The distribution of the concentration values and mass fluxes are exemplified using indicators such as Bisphenol A, t-Nonylphenol, Carbamacepine, Galaxolide, Tonalide, Gadolinium and isotopes. Concentrations at a magnitude of ng/L to microg/L were found ubiquitously in the ground and surface waters. Using the concentration values, the impact of the city concerning the indicators was not always evident. Only the assessment of the mass fluxes shows significant urban impacts along the city passage. The calculation of the mass fluxes shows increasing values for all investigated xenobiotics during the city passage; only Bisphenol A stagnates. A balance model of water and indicator mass fluxes was built up for the entire city area.