Towards a spatial information infrastructure for flood management in The Netherlands

The immense value of a geographic information system for flood control has been experienced by the decision-markers of the Dutch province of Gelderland during the flood of the Rivers Meuse (Maas) and Waal in January 1995. Super-imposing different ‘data layers’, GIS-experts could detect the weak parts in the dikes and generate and evacuation plan. Shortcomings within the organization were experienced as well: important data could not be retrieved, and the coordination of efforts by the different governmental departments and institutions was not optimal. To overcome these shortcomings and to optimize the modelling process, a spatial decision support system (SDSS) is being proposed, aggregating several models, heuristic and procedural, into integrated software tools. As becomes clear from two cases of flood control described, ‘emergency managers’ should be able to communicate about spatial data available and have access to selected spatial data. In order to improve communication between data sources, data processing and the use of relevant spatial data in GISs, a new ‘Spatial Information Infrastructure’ (SII) needs to be developed. This requires both technical and organizational solutions and standards. Proper documentation of the data will allow the GIS-experts to more quickly find, store, update and reuse the data. A range of ‘metadata’ services exist documenting data sets, typically limited by thematic or national boundaries. There are no standards in common practice for structuring and classifying spatial information. The user of spatial information cannot easily browse across Web-sites and compare products from different suppliers. Even, if the search has been successful, the user all too often has to face a complex process of negotiation, and highly technical data integration issues. A consortium of European GIS-experts has addressed these problems and launched the ‘European Spatial Metadata Infrastructure’ (ESMI) project with the objective to link existing and future metadata systems using Internet.     

核电站FDA安全管理信息流系统模型的构建研究

为了从安全信息的角度完善核电站的事故致因机理,并在实践中加强核电站的安全管理,首先以安全信息为视角,以系统安全行为链为主线,建立核电站FDA安全管理信息流系统模型,该模型由运行操作人员、核电站企业、国家核安全局3条子链和1条必要安全信息主链构成;然后结合模型和核电站具体工作流程,分析得到3个子事故域和1个总事故域,并归纳出核电站安全运行各阶段所需的必要安全信息;最后结合事故域,分析模型在核电站安全管理中的实际应用价值。     

Tools for an enhanced solvent properties screening in the early stages of pharmaceutical process development

The objective of this research was the implementation of tools for the evaluation of solvents trough property screening in the early stages of process development. An important feature of the tools is that the implementation of indexes, scores, or weights is avoided. Information already available from the literature was stored in a database in order to turn raw data into decision making information. As a result, a solvent radar chart, a solvent representation table, and a solvent telescopying tool were developed in an ASP.NET application. The synthesis of Propranolol was used as study case in order to explore the selection of solvents in the early stages of process development. The replacement of diethyl ether was possible in the extraction step, while solvent choices were detected for potential telescoping for extraction and crystallisation steps. Solubility was found as a critical parameter in telescoping analysis. The methodology proposed enhanced the view towards a more holistic perspective and a more robust solvent screening process. As a consequence, the next steps into solvent evaluation and process development can be reduced.     

Towards Participatory Geographic Information Systems for community-based environmental decision making

This article discusses the potential of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to become an information technology enabling groups of people to participate in decisions shaping their communities and promoting sustainable use of natural resources. It explains the concept of participation in the context of planning and decision making. In this context Participatory GIS (PGIS) offers tools that can be used to help the public become meaningfully involved in decision making processes affecting their communities. Following an overview of research on PGIS and its current status the article presents two recent studies of PGIS in water resource planning; one involving the use of computer generated maps representing simple information structures and the other involving the use of more sophisticated information tools. The synthesis of both studies provides the bases for discussing the prospects of PGIS to empower citizens in making decisions about their communities and resources.     

Cutting the cake: Supporting environmental fund allocation decisions

This paper describes a decision support model for allocating financial resources amongst multiple user groups in environmental management problems. The model is based on the multiple criteria analysis (MCA) method of compromise programming. It was used to inform the allocation of Natural Heritage Trust funds across 14 regions in Queensland, Australia. The model targets funding to those regions with greater natural resource management needs. Need is determined by 19 weighted criteria relating to natural resource assets and threats. The model was accepted by the Australian Government, Queensland Government and regional groups as an appropriate means for allocating program funds; first in 2005 and then again, with improvements, in 2007. This paper shows that an MCA model can improve the transparency, auditability and acceptance of allocation decisions which would otherwise be heavily politicised.     

化学品管理法规浅析

随着化学品安全生产、职业与消费者健康和环境安全等相关问题的不断暴露,发达国家或地区近年来纷纷通过更新法规或出台新法规的形式强化了化学品管理力度。作为管理经验丰富和技术领先的代表,欧盟、美国、加拿大、日本、韩国和澳大利亚构建了涵盖多种化学品、全生命周期的化学品管理法规体系,确立了行之有效的管理制度——危害分类、标签及名录管理制度、暴露评估与风险评价制度、化学品优先测试评估制度、有害物质的职业卫生管理制度、污染物排放与转移登记制度、事故应急响应制度、公众知情和利益相关者参与制度。鉴于我国缺少化学品管理专项法规,化学品管理仍侧重末端污染控制,现有化学物质管理等法规不足或短缺,本文借鉴发达国家的先进经验,提出完善我国化学品管理法规体系的建议:①树立化学品风险源头管控理念,构建"无数据,无市场"的市场准入制度。②完善化学品管理上位法,明确化学品管理基本制度。③构建以环境和健康风险管理为导向的现有化学物质管理条例或规章。在此基础上,从5个方面深入分析我国具体化学品管理制度的不足并提出建议。     

Adoption of Stream Fencing Among Dairy Farmers in Four New Zealand Catchments

The effect of dairy farming on water quality in New Zealand streams has been identified as an important environmental issue. Stream fencing, to keep cattle out of streams, is seen as a way to improve water quality. Fencing ensures that cattle cannot defecate in the stream, prevents bank erosion, and protects the aquatic habitat. Stream fencing targets have been set by the dairy industry. In this paper the results of a study to identify the factors influencing dairy farmers' decisions to adopt stream fencing are outlined. Qualitative methods were used to gather data from 30 dairy farmers in four New Zealand catchments. Results suggest that farm contextual factors influenced farmers' decision making when considering stream fencing. Farmers were classified into four segments based on their reasons for investing in stream fencing. These reasons were fencing boundaries, fencing for stock control, fencing to protect animal health, and fencing because of pressure to conform to local government guidelines or industry codes of practice. This suggests that adoption may be slow in the absence of on-farm benefits, that promotion of stream fencing needs to be strongly linked to on-farm benefits, and that regulation could play a role in ensuring greater adoption of stream fencing.     

Impediments to refractory recycling decision-making

This paper focuses on organizational impediments to the successful implementation of industrial recycling programs. Even if a technologically viable and mutually beneficial solution were to exist, there are a number of organizational impediments that make it unlikely to succeed unless the benefits are very large and apparent. These impediments stem from the difficulty in identifying potential partners and involving the appropriate individuals within the firms that understand the technical requirements, value the strategic benefits and are receptive towards establishing the industrial recycling relationship. This dilemma applies to many industrial recycling opportunities, but solutions do exist. One way to avoid some of these obstacles is to use a middleman, or broker, who can play several crucial roles to establish the relationship. This paper describes the impediments and key broker roles, and provides a case study dealing with refractory recycling. It provides a case study that documents a recycling relationship between an aluminum-manufacturing firm that produces a large volume of spent refractories and a regional portland cement producer that is using the spent refractories as an alternative raw material source. This paper also provides a thorough literature search in the area of refractory recycling. Finally, the case study provides an opportunity for analysis and reflection on the implications of these findings to industrial firms, industrial societies and governmental agencies that seek to encourage successful recycling operations.     

水利水电建设中河流生态用水理论与方法研究

国内外研究表明,除了水质,生态用水也是维持生态系统健康发展的重要因素。因此,在水资源配置中保证一定量的生态用水是保护生态环境的重要措施。生态用水具有时空尺度和阈值范围,而人类大规模的水电开发则会造成其时空尺度的改变,甚至生态阈限难以被满足。统计数字表明,近5年来我国新建水电站下泄生态流量的不满足率达到57％。我国目前急需考虑的生态用水政策是：尽快建立河流最小生态流量的相关标准,制定河流生态用水配套法律法规;同时,通过跨流域调水等水段,加强生态环境需水的宏观调控。建议最小生态用水量不应小于工程所在河流控制断面多年平均流量的10％,当多年平均流量大于80m^3／s时不小于5％;同时根据河流的不同生态环境功能,应积极开展多方法、多方案比选。     

民航管制员违章行为探讨

从内在动力和外在诱因两个方面分析了管制员违章行为产生的根本原因,着重归纳了管制员有意违章的临界心理状态,揭示了违章行为的规律,并提出具体的防范控制措施.