基于模糊数学和灰色理论的城市生态环境竞争力评价

在综合分析了国内外有关城市竞争力理论研究的基础上,对城市生态环境竞争力的概念和内涵进行了界定,构建了面向生态环境竞争力的评价体系,并以山东省17城市为例,采用灰色系统理论确定各指标的权重,利用模糊综合评价法对各市进行综合评价,研究结果表明,生态环境竞争力排名前三的地市为临沂(0.1894)、日照(0.1705)和烟台(0.1676),而德州(0.1191)、济南(0.1232)、枣庄(0.1274)、滨州(0.1285)和淄博(0.1289)表现相对较差,其他地市处于中游水平.分别从资源禀赋竞争力、污染物减量排放竞争力、环境治理竞争力和能耗竞争力4个子维度对典型城市进行分析,指出了存在的问题,并给出了相应的对策建议.     

温州市九山外河污染治理技术集成应用与治理成效

阐述了浙江省温州市九山外河污染治理技术的集成应用及治理成效。九山外河的综合整治工程采用了外源调水、底泥生态疏浚、河岸带阻控、人工曝气复氧和生态浮岛等多项技术,整治后的九山外河水体黑臭治理初见成效,水质由原来的劣Ⅴ类水逐步改善为Ⅴ类或Ⅳ类水,水体生境和生物多样性都有了一定的提高;将治理后对河流的实际感受与预期期望进行比较,69．2％的居民认为河流治理工程得分在60分以上,对河流治理总体比较满意。最后,对九山外河治理后管理存在的问题进行了分析并提出了建议与对策。     

基于密度泛函理论模拟单壁碳纳米管对五种核酸碱基的吸附

基于密度泛函理论,模拟了单壁碳纳米管(SWNTs)对5种碱基的吸附作用.考察了SWNTs直径、电荷转移量、碱基最高占据分子轨道能(EHOMO)和最低未占据分子轨道能(ELUMO)与SWNTs吸附碱基的吸附能之间的关系.结果表明,随着SWNTs直径的增大,SWNTs吸附碱基的吸附能降低.SWNT(6,6)吸附5种碱基的最低吸附能Emin与由碱基转移到SWNTs的电荷转移量(Q)及碱基的EHOMO线性负相关,相关系数分别为-0.966和-0.804(P<0.05).吸附后SWNTs与碱基的前线轨道无重叠,且SWNTs电子结构未受影响,表明吸附行为属于物理吸附.     

露天矿山排土场滑坡灾害预警技术

在现场调研与文献分析的基础上,提出了排土场滑坡灾害预警指标体系。基于物元理论和关联函数,构建了露天矿山排土场滑坡灾害可拓预警模型。采用基于测度改进的层次分析法客观地确定评价指标权重,较好地消除了人为因素带来的偏差;以综合关联度作为评价准则进行滑坡危险性等级判定,进而对排土场滑坡灾害进行预警。利用该模型对某铁矿排土场的滑坡危险性进行预警评价,得到了与实际情况吻合的警情,并针对存在的问题提出了相应的改进措施     

影响中国碳排放绩效的区域特征研究——基于熵值法的聚类分析

论文选择影响碳排放绩效的主要指标,基于熵值法确定各指标权重,采用系统聚类分析的方法,以中国省域为研究对象,将全国分为7类区域。分析结果显示:区域分工特征是造成目前中国省级碳排放绩效区域差异的主要影响因素,其次是高碳产业工艺特征和能源结构特征,而经济结构对解释省级碳排放绩效区域差异的贡献有限。北方地区高碳产品生产份额高且工艺水平相对低,能源消费中极高的煤炭比例加重了负面影响,造成其二氧化碳排放绩效水平低,特别是华北地区;近年来东南沿海地区高碳产业也逐步增加,但由于其工艺先进,在一定程度上抵消了高碳产品份额高的负面影响;中西部地区目前高碳产品份额虽然低于东部地区,但工艺水平也低,造成了其低水平的二氧化碳排放绩效。由于各省历史发展、自然资源禀赋、区域分工角色等因素不同,且遵从经济宏观发展客观规律和经济区位理论,除了少数发达地区之外,中国其他区域短时间内很难改变其经济和能源结构,低碳政策制定的重点应放在提高高碳产业工艺水平方面。     

Restrictions and options: A heuristic tool to integrate knowledge for strategies towards a sustainable development

SUMMARY

This article presents the heuristic ‘Restrictions and Options’ that was created in an interdisciplinary research team to identify restricting and supporting factors regarding sustainable ways of actions for different institutional and individual actors in the need-field of nutrition. The heuristic format is first presented on a general level. Then it is combined with two different approaches: first, with a systemic constructivist approach to organization theory, and second, with the ipsative theory of action (psychology). Its abilities are illustrated by examples from two research projects.

The heuristic tool was developed to help identify relevant factors that restrict or support sustainable development in two empirical settings and also could be used to compare the findings. Combining the two approaches remains for future research.     

Principal sustainability components: empirical analysis of synergies between the three pillars of sustainability

Starting from the concept of three fundamental sustainability dimensions (environmental, social, and economic), this study investigated professional contributions to sustainability by means of principal component analysis (PCA). Graduates from the Environmental Sciences program (N?=?542) at ETH Zurich described their best professional contributions to sustainable development. Next, they evaluated whether their best practice example contributed to achieving any of the five environmental, social, and economic objectives of the Swiss national sustainability strategy. These judgments served as the basis for a PCA aiming to identify principal sustainability components (PSCs) covering typical synergies between sustainability objectives within and transcending the three fundamental dimensions. Three PSCs capturing important synergies were identified. PSC 1 Product and Process Development reflects how ecological innovation and modernization can generate social and economic benefits and at the same time facilitate the reduction in use of as well as the responsible use of natural resources. PSC 2 Education and Social Economics reflects how educational activities and sociocultural sustainability initiatives can simultaneously promote income and employment, social and human capital, and free personal development. PSC 3 Protection of Nature and Humans covers the synergetic benefits which protection of natural spaces and biodiversity and the reduction of environmental risks have for the protection of health and safety of the population. The study also revealed that integration of environmental, social, and economic aspects is often connected to conflicts between these dimensions. However, contributions which consider the economic situation of future generations or enhance social and human capital achieved considerable integration but showed no inclination toward such conflicts.     

The role of social learning for soil conservation: the case of Amba Zuria land management,Ethiopia

Social learning plays key roles in sustainable natural resource management; however, studies on its role show mixed results. Even though most current studies highlight positive outcomes, there are also negative effects of social learning with respect to natural resource management. This paper explores the influence of social learning outcomes on the adoption of soil conservation practices in Amba Zuria, Ethiopia. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, group discussions and in workshops. The interviews were transcribed and analysed with the qualitative data analysis software ATLAS.ti. In addition, a review of pertinent documents and literature complements the analysis. We found that social learning results in positive outcomes in interactions among the actors, broader understanding on soil conservation, trust and mutual understanding, and the creation of opportunities to apply both indigenous and scientific knowledge. These outcomes, in turn, foster the adoption of stone terraces to conserve soils. No such positive results were found for farmers who were not involved in the learning process and who did not adopt stone terraces. The non-adoption can partly be explained by their exclusion from sharing the positive outcomes of social learning. The study also shows limitations related to the short duration of the learning platforms, insufficient representation of women and irregular patterns of learning schedules. Hence, Ethiopian soil conservation strategies should put emphasis on social learning in order to strengthen the collective processes of soil conservation measures.     

Prioritising development planning in the Indian semi-arid Deccan using sustainable livelihood security index approach

This paper presents the status of sustainable livelihood security index (SLSI) of Karnataka, the most drought prone state in the Southern part of India. Computation of ecological security index, economic efficiency index and social equity index, and finally SLSI were carried out at the district level for the entire state, using empirical data. The selected indicators were first normalised, and then using estimated weights, indices were computed. The results indicate that the state has a very low SLSI with only 27.6% of total geographical area (TGA) and 21.7% of population being placed in the ‘sustainable’ and ‘highly sustainable’ categories (covering 10 districts) while only 34% of the TGA covering six districts falls in the ‘moderately sustainable’ category. The remaining area, confined mostly to the northern parts of the state, comprising 14 districts (51.8% of the state’s TGA) is categorised as ‘less sustainable’ and ‘very less sustainable’ exposing 44.4% (27.14 million) of state’s population to the perils of uncertain rainfall, high soil erosion rates, high social inequality and poor resource use efficiency. There is an urgent need to reorient development programmes and prioritise development investments in these vulnerable districts so that they are provided resources and opportunities to improve their ecological (more forest cover and less soil erosion), economic (higher agricultural productivity) and social (improved health and education facilities and rural infrastructure) status and achieve sustainable levels of livelihood.     

Towards a sustainable future: a holistic inquiry of waste management behaviors of Singapore households

ABSTRACT

In 2018, Singapore produced a 7.7 million tonnes of waste, which is a significant amount of waste for a small nation-state. In line with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) targets 11.6 and 12.5 of the 2030 Agenda, which addresses cities’ waste generation and management impacts, we ask the question of why Singapore households are not more proactively engaged in waste minimization, despite the presence of local waste minimization public campaigns. This study is the first known study to comparatively apply and test three major theories – social psychological, social-structural, and sociocultural theories, to explain household waste management behavior in Singapore. A national survey followed by regression analysis of 303 households was conducted. In our findings, we firstly describe current trends in household waste management behaviors. Secondly, we compared each applied theory’s ability to predict households’: (1) reuse and (2) recycling of a variety of household items; and (3) recycling frequency. We obtained partial evidence supporting the role of future-orientedness and environmental identity on householders’ variety reuse and recycling. Social-structural (age cohort x income, education) and situational variables (the convenience thesis), also predicted various waste minimization behaviors. Finally, householders’ knowledge of what is recyclable affected all forms of waste minimization behaviors. In view of the study’s findings, we propose a need for targeted planning and policy interventions for different segments of the Singapore population, and different short- and longer-term measures to initiate and achieve sustained household waste minimization.