Taming the Climate? Corpus analysis of politicians’ speech on climate change

The politics of climate change is much discussed, but there has been little investigation into how politicians themselves understand or articulate the issue. Corpus analysis, a method developed within linguistics, is used to investigate how UK politicians talk about climate change, using the example of the 2008 Climate Change Bill. Corpus techniques, including keyword analysis, collocation and semantic tagging, are used, alongside critical reading of the text. The analysis shows that politicians frame climate change as an economic and technical issue, and neglect discussion of the human and social dimensions. They are selective in their use of scientific evidence, with little mention of abrupt or irreversible change. In doing so, they attempt to ‘tame’ climate change, rather than confronting difficult realities. While this strategy has the benefit of political acceptability, it does not allow for discussion of the full political and social implications of climate change, and precludes more radical responses.     

When is increasing consumption of common property optimal? Sorting,congestion and entry in the commons

First-best pricing or assignment of property rights for rival and non-excludable goods is often infeasible. In a setting where the social planner cannot limit total use, we show that common-property resources can be over or under-consumed. This depends on whether the external benefits of reallocating users to less congested resources outweigh the additional costs imposed by new entrants. Importantly, we show that it may be optimal to encourage consumption of some common property resources. Our results have important implications for settings ranging from fisheries and forestry to recreational demand and transportation.     

海洋中微塑料的环境行为和生态影响

微塑料一般指直径小于5 mm的微小型塑料颗粒或碎片,海洋中常见的微塑料类型主要包括聚乙烯、聚丙烯、聚苯乙烯、聚氯乙烯等。由于形状、颜色多变,分子量大,结构稳定,粒径范围与浮游植物相近,海洋中的微塑料很容易对浮游植物、浮游动物和其他海洋动物等产生影响。微塑料还可以为病毒、细菌提供附着载体,影响浮游植物分布,进入海洋生物消化道或进一步转移到组织中对机体产生毒性效应,甚至通过捕食作用沿食物链传递,对高等动物及人类健康造成威胁。此外,微塑料可以作为海水中痕量化学物质的吸附载体,对生物产生联合毒性。根据目前对微塑料的研究进展情况,未来应加强对海洋微塑料分离、鉴定技术的研发以及海洋微塑料的生物毒性效应和生物传递效应机制等问题的研究。     

Understanding local community attitudes toward industrial development in the Great Barrier Reef region World Heritage Area: are environmental impacts perceived to overshadow economic benefits?

Conflicts between industrial development and environmental conservation can be particularly acute when such development occurs in the vicinity of World Heritage sites. A key example is the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (GBRWHA) in northeastern Australia, where a 2012 review by the World Heritage Council found that rapid port development inshore of the coral reef posed significant risks to local marine ecosystems. Such instances pose pressing challenges for decision‐makers seeking to manage World Heritage sites for multiple values and needs, including those of key stakeholder groups, such as local communities. There is increasingly a societal expectation that public decision‐making takes into account local views and priorities, and that companies seek a ‘social license to operate’. This research explored local community attitudes toward port development associated with the export of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and coal through the GBRWHA. Using data drawn from a survey and interviews, the research examined how a range of geographical factors, including proximity to gas infrastructure and the perceived impacts and risks of development to the local community, economy and environment shape community perceptions of the industry. Findings suggest that local attitudes toward gas and coal terminal development inshore of the GBRWHA are shaped predominantly by community perceptions of environmental impacts and risks associated with such infrastructure, in contrast to a broader public narrative that focuses largely on economic benefits. A complex combination of other factors, including social impacts, personal environmental values, community trust in industry, and equity in decision‐making and distribution of the risks and benefits of industrial development also contribute. Placed in a broader, global context, the findings have important implications for public decision‐making processes in Australia and elsewhere as they suggest that, for local communities, the perceived impacts of gas development on the environment may overshadow the benefits of industry.     

Effects of long-term chlorpyrifos exposure on mortality and reproductive tissues of Banded Gourami (Trichogaster fasciata)

Abstract

This study assessed the long-term toxicity of chlorpyrifos on survival and reproduction of Banded Gourami by using mortality, gonado-somatic index (GSI) and histopathological observations as endpoints. Adult fish were exposed to five different concentrations of chlorpyrifos (0, 15, 50, 150, 500?µg/L) in 15 PVC tanks for 15, 30, 45, 60 and 75?days. Results showed that all male and female fish died after 15?days of 500?µg/L chlorpyrifos exposure. No consistent significant effect was observed for both male and female GSI. Furthermore, results showed dose- and time-dependent histopathological alterations for both ovary and testes. The 60-d No Observed Effect Concentration (NOEC) for most histopathological alterations of Banded Gourami ovary and testes was 50?μg/L, while 60-d NOEC for mortality of both male and female fish was < 15?μg/L. The results show that the long-term exposure to chlorpyrifos not only affect the reproductive tissues of Banded Gourami at exposure concentrations but also cause their mortality. Future studies should evaluate effects at lower concentrations.     

两种AHLs信号分子对生物膜法养殖污水处理条件下水体内环境的影响

为提高生物膜法处理养殖污水的效果,对不同信号分子条件下的生物膜处理情况进行研究。在室内循环水养殖系统中,设定3个实验组和1个对照组,分别添加乙醇、C6-HSL、N-3-oxo-C8-HSL和蒸馏水,并在模拟过程中取样分析。实验结果表明,3个实验组附着基上的生物量明显多于对照组,尤其是添加N-3-oxo-C8-HSL组产生的生物量约为对照组的6倍;经添加C6-HSL和N-3-oxo-C8-HSL处理的养殖水体中,亚硝酸盐最终浓度比对照组低28.6%,但无机磷浓度稍高。数据因子分析结果表明,实验过程中(9～27 d),添加AHLs信号因子C6-HSL和N-3-oxo-C8-HSL两组养殖水体内环境的总体得分较高,说明养殖水体的内环境处于较好状态。     

中国与美国对外直接投资区位选择的比较研究

基于邓宁的国际生产折衷理论,对比了中美两国投资规模、空间分布和发展阶段,利用灰色关联分析法比较了影响两国投资区位的因子.结果表明,影响美国对外投资的主要因子是人均GNP、CH和CO2的排放量,影响中国的主要因子是直接投资净流入量、航空运输量和CPI;美国对外直接投资属于市场导向型,而中国尚处于转型期,为对外投资第三阶段.     

气动锤头式冲击响应谱模拟方法研究

分析了目前常用的机械撞击式响应谱试验机的特点和存在的一些问题,设计了一种以压缩空气作为锤头动力的新型气动式冲击响应谱试验机,给出了锤头速度计算公式和响应谱最大值的估算方法,为大型产品的冲击响应谱试验提供了一种手段。     

浅谈高校办公室工作的基本规律与工作技巧

从明晰高校办公室工作职责、高校办公室主任应具备的能力、创新高校办公室管理模式三个方面,阐述了高校办公室工作的基本规律。通过在高校办公室多年的工作积累,总结出了高校办公室主任八方面的工作技巧。     

充分利用环保倒逼机制促进产业结构调整升级

淄博市污染聚集,环境质量易受外来因素影响,产业结构不合理,污染物排放量大,排放强度高。但其充分发挥环保的倒逼作用,通过建立健全环保政策法规体系,严格执行高于省及国家标准的地方环保标准,大力发展高新技术和现代服务业,加快改造传统产业,极大地促进了产业结构升级和经济发展方式的转变。