Exploring long-term land cover changes in an urban region of southern Europe

This paper addresses two important issues for large Mediterranean city regions: the differential impact of compact urban ‘growth’ and low-density ‘sprawl’ on land cover changes (LCCs), and their final effect on changing land cover relationships (LCRs). The urban expansion of Rome (Italy) during the last 50 years and the related LCCs were investigated as a paradigmatic example of compact versus dispersed urban development. LCCs were assessed over 5 years (1960, 1974, 1990, 2000, 2006) by analysing diachronically the distribution of 12 land cover categories derived from digital land cover maps covering the entire Nuts-3 prefecture of Rome (5353 km²). LCRs were studied using multi-way data analysis. LCCs were found to have relative differences during ‘growth’ (1960–1990) and ‘sprawl’ (1990–2006) phases. Conversion to urban land uses concentrated in the 1960s and 1970s at the urban fringe, while expanding progressively far from the city in the 1990s and 2000s. During the ‘growth’ phase, the land cover classes with the highest probability of being converted to urban uses were arable lands, annual crops, vineyards and pastures. During the ‘sprawl’ phase, olive groves, orchards and forest surfaces also decreased due to the development of low-density built-up areas and infrastructure. Planning suggestions aimed at mitigating the alteration of the rural landscape through sprawl conditions are discussed.     

Climate change,risk management and the end of Nomadic pastoralism

Mobility has been argued to be the single factor explaining why some pastoralists do relatively well during extreme climatic events, while others do not, because mobility works by taking advantage of the spatial and temporal structure of resource failure by moving away from scarcity towards abundance. In spite of this, a common governmental management strategy is to resettle pastoral populations and thereby significantly reduce mobility. By revealing the underlying logic of mobility for Tibetan pastoralists, this paper questions official policy that aims at privatizing communally owned rangelands since it reduces pastoral flexibility and access to key resources. This is especially pertinent in the face of climate change. While little is known as to the specifics of how climate change will affect nomadic pastoralists, environmental variability is likely to increase. Consequently, policies resulting in decreased mobility may exacerbate the negative effects of climate change because of a positive feedback between climate and negative density dependence.     

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.     

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。     

用钢管酸洗废水生产聚合硫酸铁技术的研究和应用

为了解决钢管酸洗废水污染环境和浪费资源难题,可用其生产聚合硫酸铁,从而实现循环经济。采用蒸发浓缩和催化聚合反应实现聚合硫酸铁的生成。其产品质量达《净水剂聚合硫酸铁》标准,可作为絮凝剂使用。研究和实践证明,用钢管酸洗废水制备聚合硫酸铁是可行的,具有明显的经济效益和环境效益,值得推广。     

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     

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。