Benefits and challenges of streamlined life-cycle assessment for SMEs – findings from case studies on climate change impacts

ABSTRACT

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have a substantial role in the economy and job creation, but they are a remarkable source of environmental impacts. SMEs often lack skills and resources to compile environmental impact assessments; Streamlined Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) can provide efficient tools for this. An application of streamlined LCA relying heavily on database data, LCA clinic, was developed and tested on 23 SMEs in Finland. The climate change impacts were mainly caused by the production of raw materials, electricity and heating, whereas packaging and transportation were not influential. A significant amount of emissions were indirect, i.e. caused by production of raw materials. Thus, decreasing emissions from raw material production or selecting raw materials with a smaller environmental load could be a more efficient way to decrease emissions than reducing direct emissions such as those from electricity use. Lack of data in the LCA-databases was considered a challenge. An access to regionally customised datasets is important for the implementation of LCA clinics. Company feedback indicated that LCA clinics were useful in climate-friendly product design and increased environmental awareness, but did not lead to immediate actions to reduce emissions because of inadequate investment capabilities. Company managers had limited possibilities to use the results in marketing as comparative assessments would require a full LCA. Many company managers were willing to pay a fee sufficient to cover the costs of an LCA clinic, but some considered that the costs should be covered by external funding sources.     

不同区域气候条件影响下的纳帕海湿地植物叶绿素荧光特性

采用原位移地技术,研究了不同区域气候条件影响下,纳帕海4种常见湿地植物的株高、茎粗、生物量等生长特性,以及叶绿素a、叶绿素b、总叶绿素含量、叶绿素a/b值、光化学量子效率（Fv/Fm）、电子传递速率（ETR）、实际光化学量子效率（Phips2）、光化学猝灭系数（qP）、非光化学猝灭系数（NPQ）等生理生化指标,分析探讨了湿地植物对不同区域气候条件的响应差异和适应策略。研究发现气候条件的改变对湿地植物的生长、叶绿素含量及荧光参数产生重要影响。随着温度的上升,水葱Scirpus tabernaemontani和茭草两种广布种Zizania caduciflora均表现出良好的适应性,生物量、叶绿素含量、Fv/Fm、ETR、Phips2、qP值不同程度升高,生长状况良好。刘氏荸荠Heleocharis liouana也表现出较好的适应性,当气温上升到一定程度后,虽然Fv/Fm、ETR、Phips2、qP值降低,但其通过调节叶绿素含量、热耗散来减轻伤害,气候变化对其生长的影响较小。而北温带分布型的黑三棱Rhizoma scirpi yagarae对气候变化的适应性较差,当温度上升到一定程度后, Fv/Fm、ETR、Phips2、qP、NPQ都出现大幅下降,生长停滞,生物量下降,对温度上升极为敏感。可以推测,随着全球变暖,像黑三棱这样的物种,其生存将面临极大的威胁,而高原湿地生态功也将能受到损害。     

降水变化、氮添加对鼎湖山主要森林土壤有机碳矿化和土壤微生物碳的影响

全球变化对土壤有机碳(SOC)存贮与分解的影响在全球碳(C)循环中具有重要地位.分别通过室内土壤培养法和氯仿熏蒸法,研究了降水变化和氮(N)添加处理对鼎湖山3种不同演替阶段的季风常绿阔叶林、针阔混交林和马尾松针叶林SOC矿化和土壤微生物量碳(SMBC)的影响.结果表明:1)降水量增加能够提高森林演替晚期SOC累积矿化量和矿化速率,而对森林演替早期SOC累积矿化量和矿化速率没有显著影响(P>0.05).2)干旱条件(降水量减少)降低森林SMBC含量,且在鼎湖山季风林表层土壤(0～10 cm)中SMBC的减少达到显著水平(P<0.05).3)N添加处理对鼎湖山3种森林类型SOC累积矿化量、矿化速率以及SMBC都没有显著影响(P>0.05).未来关于SOC矿化对全球变化响应的研究,要综合考虑土壤有机质质量、C/N比例、外源性氮输入等因素的作用.图4表2参37     

Adaptive flood hazard management strategy and its effect on settlements in the lower Yellow River area in Ming–Qing China: a case study of Kaifeng Prefecture

This paper examines the settlements and embankments of the Yellow River in central China in late imperial China (late fourteenth century to the early twentieth century) through the approach of historical geographical information system. The Yellow River frequently flooded and changed paths in the lower Yellow River area, creating a disaster-prone environment in the populous capital city, Kaifeng in Henan Province. The official policies of constructing embankments in the alluvial fan for the sake of both preventing flood and ensuring canal transportation for grains were important factors in shaping the settlements of the region. Historical data from some counties in Kaifeng Prefecture indicate that people took shelter along the embankments during floods and, as a consequence, villages steadily developed along the embankments. This is in despite official restrictions on the use of the bottomlands along the Yellow River. This historical case not only illustrates the operating modes of official flood prevention strategies in dynastic China, but also shows how archaic settlement patterns and landscapes have shaped the geography of contemporary China.     

The role of Confucianism in South Korea's emergency management system

Numerous Western researchers have examined the influence of Confucianism on development in Asia, but almost no South Korean researchers have studied the topic in regard to emergency management in their own country. This study begins by considering Confucianism as a social culture. Next, it goes on to evaluate its role in South Korea's emergency management system, contributing, ultimately, to efficiencies in emergency management. Drawing on a literature review and a case study, the paper assesses the double‐ and single‐faced approaches, using four major Confucian components: destiny; family; ritual; and relation. The double‐faced approach includes the positive and negative aspects of emergency management, whereas the single‐faced approach incorporates only its positive aspects. This paper provides, for the first time, a systematic analysis of the relationship between Confucianism and emergency management in South Korea. Its key finding is that the double‐faced approach needs to be transformed into a single‐faced approach through active facilitation of behavioural change.     

基于数据挖掘技术的事故隐患预警方法研究

为改良企业既有隐患排查治理方法,提高辨识效率,提升整改效果,应用并优化数据流滑动窗口模型、等价类变化算法、变化挖掘算法等数据挖掘技术,构建1种关联隐患预警方法,该方法以企业历史隐患数据为基础,通过挖掘实时隐患数据的关联规则,发布关联隐患的类型、存在可能性和变化模式等预警信息,指导企业进行针对性排查和整改。最后,以72家安全管理性质相似企业的28 957项隐患数据为例,验证该方法可行性。研究结果表明:该方法不但能挖掘关联隐患类型及其变化模式,而且预警准确率随置信度水平提升而不断提高。     

中国实现碳达峰的政策建议——基于碳定价机制模型的多情景模拟分析

碳定价机制是利用市场机制推动碳减排、减缓气候变化方案的核心内容,包括碳排放权交易和碳税等措施。尽管新冠肺炎疫情打乱了经济发展节奏,但是中国主动提高国家自主贡献力度,积极推进战略提升与政策强化。本研究构建并运用"碳定价机制模型"模拟涵盖不同主体范围及政策组合下的碳排放权交易市场运行情况,分析评估碳减排效果及经济影响,为丰富完善我国实现碳达峰的政策工具提供技术支持。     

碳中和——中国发展转型的机遇与挑战

碳中和是《巴黎协定》提出的到21世纪末在全球范围内实现人为活动排放的温室气体排放总量与大自然吸收总量相平衡,这是《联合国气候变化框架公约》应对气候变化问题的终极目标。本文从碳中和的目的、本质和进展分析入手,提出了在实现碳中和问题上中国的机遇与挑战。     

基于SPI的西北地区气候干湿变化

干旱是西北地区乃至全国主要的自然灾害之一。论文应用标准化降水指数(SPI)对西北地区近50 a来不同时段的特旱和重旱发生频次及其空间分布进行了计算分析,结果表明:标准化降水指数(SPI)作为一种干旱重建指标,适用于西北地区,也可以作为气候变化的监测指标;降水量的西增东减趋势与干旱频次的西部和东北减少、东南增加相对应,亦即气候变化在某种程度上缓解了新疆北部和青海西部的干旱,但加重了甘肃东南部和陕西中南部的干旱;与气候变化相对应,全西北地区干旱频次有总体下降的趋势,尽管干旱发生的地域持续在改变。     

短时间间隔的土地利用变化监测

传统的土地利用变化监测方法已无法完全满足当前经济的快速发展和城市急剧扩张的要求,利用光学遥感数据对地观测也受到天气和云层覆盖等诸多因素的限制。而Radarsat-1等雷达遥感数据可以在"全天候"的条件下对地表进行观测。论文以Radarsat-1图像获取的24 d时间周期为最短时间间隔,分析了24 d、48 d和72 d时间间隔下的土地利用变化监测,对短时间间隔内的土地利用变化监测的结果进行了总结。监测的结果需要在精度与时间间隔之间做出取舍。对于大部分的情况,24 d的时间间隔已可以得到60%以上精度的结果,部分月份的监测需要48 d的监测时间间隔。若需要更高的精度,则需要72 d甚至更长。