Trends in vehicular emissions in China's mega cities from 1995 to 2005

Multiyear inventories of vehicular emissions in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou from 1995 through 2005 have been developed in this paper to study the vehicle emissions trends in China's mega cities during the past decade. The results show that the vehicular emissions of CO, HC, NO_x and PM₁₀ have begun to slow their growth rates and perhaps even to decline in recent years due to the implementation of measures to control vehicular emissions in these cities. However, vehicular CO₂ emissions have substantially increased and still continue to grow due to little fuel economy improvement. Passenger cars and large vehicles (including heavy duty trucks and buses) are the major sources of vehicular CO₂ and CO emissions while large vehicles were responsible for nearly 70% and 80% of the vehicular NO_x and PM₁₀ emissions in these mega cities. Motorcycles are also important contributors to vehicular emissions in Guangzhou and Shanghai.     

Mercury concentration in hair samples from Chinese people in coastal cities

This investigation was made to estimate current normal concentrations of total mercury in the hair of Chinese coastal people. Hair samples were collected from 659 healthy inhabitants in the areas along the coast and the rivers (such as Shanghai, Ningbo, Dalian, Xiamen, and Zhoushan) of China from Feb. 2005 to June 2006. Total mercury concentrations in the samples were analyzed by the cold vapor atomic adsorption spectrometry method (CVAAS). The results showed the geometric mean concentration of total mercur...     

我国地级及以上城市臭氧污染来源及控制区划分

为划分我国臭氧污染控制区,制定更加科学合理的臭氧污染控制措施,根据2018年地面臭氧浓度监测数据,分析了全国338个地级及以上城市的臭氧超标情况,利用TCEQ方法计算出各城市的本地生成O₃量与区域传输O₃量,对本地生成O₃量与O₃日最大8 h平均值进行相关性分析,根据决定系数(R²)确定了各城市臭氧污染的主要来源.结果表明,2018年全国共有121个城市O₃浓度超标,超标率达35.8%; 104个城市本地生成O₃对当地O₃污染影响较大,是O₃污染的主要来源;另外234个城市O₃污染的主要来源则以区域传输O₃为主.利用城市O₃超标情况与O₃污染来源将城市分为4类:超标-以本地生成O₃为主的城市(N-L)、超标-以区域传输O₃为主的城市(N-T)、达标-以本地生成O...     

温度对城市污水厌氧生物滤池运行效果与菌群结构的影响

城市污水厌氧产甲烷是城市污水资源化利用途径之一,但低有机物浓度和低温条件影响和限制该工艺在城市污水处理方面的应用.为此,在中试反应器中对厌氧生物滤池处理实际城市污水的启动方式、不同温度条件下系统运行效果和菌群结构的变化进行了研究.结果表明,采用间歇运行和连续运行相结合的挂膜方式,可实现工艺的快速启动,出水SCOD浓度稳定在60mg·L^-1. 14℃以上厌氧生物滤池运行较稳定,水解酸化菌和产甲烷菌代谢趋于平衡,出水SCOD和TCOD浓度稳定在69mg·L^-1和90mg·L^-1. 10℃低温条件下,水解菌群相对丰度下降,系统TCOD去除效果下降;而消化链球菌科(Peptostreptococcaceae)产酸菌相对丰度增加至32.79%,导致系统出水VFA浓度从2mg·L^-1升高至12mg·L^-1;产甲烷菌群数量略有降低,产甲烷能力变化较小,出水SCOD较为稳定.厌氧生物滤池生物膜菌群结构复杂,菌群丰富度和多样性随温度的降低而下降.同时,启动和温度降低过程中,产甲烷菌群结构发生变化...     

Institutional innovation in urban governance: The case of climate change adaptation

Urban governance systems need to be adaptive to deal with emerging uncertainties and pressures, including those related to climate change. Realising adaptive urban governance systems requires attention to institutions, and in particular, processes of institutional innovation. Interestingly, understanding of how institutional innovation and change occurs remains a key conceptual weakness in urban climate change governance. This paper explores how institutional innovation in urban climate change governance can be conceptualised and analysed. We develop a heuristic involving three levels: (1) “visible” changes in institutional arrangements, (2) changes in underlying “rules-in-use”, and (3) the relationship to broader “governance dilemmas”. We then explore the utility of this heuristic through an exploratory case study of urban water governance in Santiago, Chile. The approach presented opens up novel possibilities for studying institutional innovation and evaluating changes in governance systems. The paper contributes to debates on innovation and its effects in urban governance, particularly under climate change.     

Fostering Sustainability in Headwaters Country: Using Bioregional and Social Capital Strategies in Support of Sustainability

Abstract

Many of Canada's ex-urban and rural areas face a daunting array of sustainability challenges. In developing effective sustainability strategies, these areas must rely heavily upon local resources and capacities and existing social capital. Part of the solution for these areas may lie in multi-stakeholder collaborative approaches built on sustainability principles and strategies. These include the engagement and mobilization of civil society networks; the cultivation of strategic partnerships among key stakeholders in civil society, the private sector and government; and long-term local programmes of research, education and advocacy that are supportive of sustainability. This article describes and analyses a Canadian case study—Dufferin County, part of the Headwaters Country region in southern Ontario—in which a multi-stakeholder, civil society based approach to fostering sustainability is currently unfolding. The ideological and theoretical underpinnings of the initiative are explored, key process-oriented and substantive challenges to the approach are analysed and action research strategies are discussed.     

低碳试点政策是否提高了城市碳排放效率——基于低碳试点城市的准自然实验研究

作为推动我国低碳经济发展的重要政策,低碳试点城市建设成效在当今我国面临碳减排及经济下行双重压力的情况下显得尤为重要。基于2006—2018年间的279个地级市样本数据,运用超效率SBM模型核算了城市碳排放效率,并通过双重差分模型实证检验了低碳试点政策对城市碳排放效率的影响。研究表明：低碳试点政策能够显著提高城市碳排放效率,这一结论在经过PSM-DID等一系列稳健性检验后仍然成立。异质性分析发现,低碳试点政策对碳排放效率的影响在东西部及非资源型地区更显著。机制分析则表明,低碳试点政策的政策效应主要通过提高城市技术创新水平和调整城市能源结构来发挥作用。区分东中西地区的作用机制检验结果表明,东部地区的试点政策主要通过调整能源结构及产业结构合理化来影响碳排放效率,西部地区和中部地区则分别主要通过技术创新和产业结构合理化发挥作用。本文为加强低碳试点城市建设、实现碳减排与经济发展双赢提供了有益的经验启示。     

Climate change adaptation planning for Global South megacities: the case of Dhaka

Megacities in low- and middle-income countries face unique threats from climate change as vulnerable populations and infrastructure are concentrated in high-risk areas. This paper develops a theoretical framework to characterize adaptation readiness in Global South cities and applies the framework to Dhaka, Bangladesh, a city with acute exposure and projected impacts from flooding and extreme heat. To gather case evidence from Dhaka we draw upon interviews with national and municipal government officials and a review of planning documents and peer-reviewed literature. We find: (1) national-level plans propose a number of adaptation strategies, but urban concerns compete with priorities such as protection of coastal assets and agricultural production; (2) municipal plans focus on identifying vulnerability and impacts rather than adaptation strategies; (3) interviewees suggest that lack of coordination among local government (LG) organizations and lack of transparency act as barriers for municipal adaptation planning, with national plans driving policy where LGs have limited human and financial resources; and (4) we found limited evidence that national urban adaptation directives trickle down to municipal government. The framework developed offers a systematic and standardized means to assess and monitor the status of adaptation planning in Global South cities, and identify adaptation constraints and opportunities.     

The paradox of the modernisation of urban water systems in Europe: Intrinsic institutional limits for sustainability

This article assesses the sustainability potential of the urban water systems in Europe (UWSE) following their modernisation. A decade after implementation and close to the first deadlines, modernisation efforts seem to have not been (totally) successful. This article examines the ability of governance to achieve sustainability and poses the question of how modernisation develops a particular “terrain” more or less favourable to sustainability. We use the Institutional resource regimes framework which has been dedicated to determining the potential for sustainability of natural resources regulation. Conclusions show that the modernisation of UWSEs offers a path for progress which though necessary is insufficient due to a lack of coherence between policy design and the regulatory system. Globally, the development of regulation goes hand in hand with increasing inconsistencies that reduce the efficiency of the reform.     

Effects of red light camera enforcement on fatal crashes in large U.S. cities

Objective

To estimate the effects of red light camera enforcement on per capita fatal crash rates at intersections with signal lights.

Methods

From the 99 large U.S. cities with more than 200,000 residents in 2008, 14 cities were identified with red light camera enforcement programs for all of 2004-2008 but not at any time during 1992-1996, and 48 cities were identified without camera programs during either period. Analyses compared the citywide per capita rate of fatal red light running crashes and the citywide per capita rate of all fatal crashes at signalized intersections during the two study periods, and rate changes then were compared for cities with and without cameras programs. Poisson regression was used to model crash rates as a function of red light camera enforcement, land area, and population density.

Results

The average annual rate of fatal red light running crashes declined for both study groups, but the decline was larger for cities with red light camera enforcement programs than for cities without camera programs (35% vs. 14%). The average annual rate of all fatal crashes at signalized intersections decreased by 14% for cities with camera programs and increased slightly (2%) for cities without cameras. After controlling for population density and land area, the rate of fatal red light running crashes during 2004-2008 for cities with camera programs was an estimated 24% lower than what would have been expected without cameras. The rate of all fatal crashes at signalized intersections during 2004-2008 for cities with camera programs was an estimated 17% lower than what would have been expected without cameras.

Conclusions

Red light camera enforcement programs were associated with a statistically significant reduction in the citywide rate of fatal red light running crashes and a smaller but still significant reduction in the rate of all fatal crashes at signalized intersections.

Impact on Industry

The study adds to the large body of evidence that red light camera enforcement can prevent the most serious crashes. Communities seeking to reduce crashes at intersections should consider this evidence.