The Impact of Uncertainty on Banking Behavior: Evidence from the US Sulfur Dioxide Emissions Allowance Trading Program

In this paper, we study empirically whether uncertainty has an influence on trade in the US sulfur dioxide allowances market. In particular, we investigate the role of uncertainty on banking behavior. To do this, we introduce a tractable, structural model of trading permits under uncertainty. The model establishes a relation between banking behavior and risk preferences, especially prudence in the Kimball (1990) sense. We then test this model using data on allowances, for utilities submitted to the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Acid Rain Program, carried over from one year to the next. Evidence is found of imprudence, namely, utilities bank permits in order to favor higher profits. Another finding is that larger utilities do not adopt behavior significantly different from that of smaller ones. This paper was presented at the “International Workshop on Uncertainty in Greenhouse Gas Inventories: Verification, Compliance & Trading” in Warsaw, Poland, September 2004, under the title “Portfolio Management of Emissions Permits and Prudence Behavior.”     

Compliance and Emissions Trading under the Kyoto Protocol: Rules for Uncertain Inventories

A solution is proposed for proving compliance with emission targets and for emissions trading in the event of uncertainties in reported emission inventories. The solution is based on the undershooting concept, from which the mathematical conditions for both proving compliance with a risk α and calculating effective emissions for trading are derived. Based on the reported emission units, the number of permits granted is reduced in proportion to the uncertainty in the inventory. A country whose inventory has higher uncertainty is thereby allotted fewer permits than a country with the same inventory but smaller uncertainty.     

基于模糊综合方法的工业污水环境安全影响评价研究

在综合分析水环境影响因素的基础上,应用模糊综合评价方法对工业污水环境安全影响进行了研究。首先构建工业污水污染程度模糊综合评价的数学模型,然后利用综合评价方法对污水中重金属污染程度进行有效评价。研究结果表明:模糊综合评价方法可以全面考虑企业排放废水中影响环境安全的各种因素,充分体现评价因素和评价过程所固有的模糊性,适用于复杂参数水环境的不确定分析与评价,可以有效地评价水的质量;将模糊评价方法引入工业污水对环境安全影响的评价体系,是污水处理评价发展的一个新方向和新领域,它是污水处理评价方法的补充和完善,在该领域具有广阔的应用前景。     

DETERMINATION OF SEDIMENT YIELD BY TRANSFERRING RAINFALL DATA1

ABSTRACT: A methodology for obtaining the optimal design value to allow for sediment storage in a reservoir is presented for the situation where no data on sediment loads in the incoming streams are available. Information concerning the amount of sediment delivered to the reservoir over its life-time is obtained by a sediment yield model which uses data on rainfall amount and duration obtained from a nearby experimental watershed. Bayesian Decision Theory is used to obtain the optimal storage requirements in order to consider the natural variation of rainfall and the sampling error due to the short rainfall record available. The normally difficult calculations involved were made tractable by the use of simplifications and approximations valid in the context of the problem. Results show that sediment storage requirements can be calculated in this manner and that consideration of the uncertainties involved leads to a storage requirement substantially larger than that calculated without such consideration.     

Development and Operational Testing of a Super‐Ensemble Artificial Intelligence Flood‐Forecast Model for a Pacific Northwest River

Coastal catchments in British Columbia, Canada, experience a complex mixture of rainfall‐ and snowmelt‐driven contributions to flood events. Few operational flood‐forecast models are available in the region. Here, we integrated a number of proven technologies in a novel way to produce a super‐ensemble forecast system for the Englishman River, a flood‐prone stream on Vancouver Island. This three‐day‐ahead modeling system utilizes up to 42 numerical weather prediction model outputs from the North American Ensemble Forecast System, combined with six artificial neural network‐based streamflow models representing various slightly different system conceptualizations, all of which were trained exclusively on historical high‐flow data. As such, the system combines relatively low model development times and costs with the generation of fully probabilistic forecasts reflecting uncertainty in the simulation of both atmospheric and terrestrial hydrologic dynamics. Results from operational testing by British Columbia's flood forecasting agency during the 2013‐2014 storm season suggest that the prediction system is operationally useful and robust.     

气相分子吸收光谱法测定氨氮校准曲线斜率、截距参考值研究

主要阐述了气相分子吸收光谱法测定氨氮的校准曲线斜率、截距参考值的分析.文章收集了临安市环境监测站实验室自2012年以来气相分子吸收光谱法氨氮校准曲线制作的一系列原始数据,并通过数理统计方法对校准曲线、残余标准偏差、斜率扩展不确定度、截距扩展不确定度开展了详细讨论,得出气相分子吸收光谱法氨氮校准曲线截距a值、斜率b值实验室参考值.此结果对实验室分析人员判定氨氮项目校准曲线制作是否合格具有一定的参考价值.     

关于重量法测定硫酸盐化速率的不确定度分析

碳酸钾溶液浸渍过的玻璃纤维滤膜曝露于空气中,与空气中的二氧化硫、硫酸雾、硫化氢等发生反应,生成硫酸盐。测定生成的硫酸盐含量,计算硫酸盐化速率。不确定度的来源主要包括:样品重复性分析、电子天平称量等。评定结果为硫酸盐化速率的不确定度(2.90±0.06)(SO3),mg/(100cm2碱片·d),k=2。     

随机不确定性影响下某航炮发射动力学仿真

目的研究随机不确定性对航炮发射动力学响应的影响,提高其射击密集度。方法建立某航炮刚柔耦合动力学模型,利用ADAMS软件进行发射动力学仿真分析。考虑航炮射击过程中的不确定因素,采用非概率凸集模型进行量化,揭示缓冲器弹簧刚度、平衡机弹簧刚度、炮膛合力等参数不确定性对航炮射击密集度的影响规律。结果炮口振动在不确定性因素的影响下,出现振动幅值增大,在区间范围内波动的现象。结论航炮射击时的炮口振动严重影响了射击密集度,因此在设计时必须考虑不确定性因素,所得结果对于提高航炮系统射击密集度具有一定的指导意义。     

A Recourse‐Based Interval Fuzzy Programming Model for Point‐Nonpoint Source Effluent Trading under Uncertainty

In this study, a recourse‐based interval fuzzy programming (RIFP) model is developed for tackling uncertainties expressed as fuzzy, interval, and/or probabilistic forms in an effluent trading program. It can incorporate preregulated water‐pollution control policies directly into its optimization process, such that an effective linkage between environmental regulations and economic implications (i.e., penalties) caused by improper policies due to uncertainty existence can be provided. The RIFP model is applied to point‐nonpoint source effluent trading of the Xiangxi River in China. The efficiency of trading efforts between water quality improvement and net system benefit under different degrees of satisfying discharge limits is analyzed. The results are able to help support (1) formulation of water‐pollution control strategies under various economic objectives and system‐reliability constraints, (2) selection of the desired effluent trading pattern for point and nonpoint sources, and (3) generation of tradeoffs among system benefit, satisfaction degree, and pollutant mitigation under multiple uncertainties. Compared with the traditional regulatory approaches, the results demonstrate that the water‐pollution control program can be performed more cost‐effectively through trading than nontrading.