A framework for evaluating flood risk governance

Calls to strengthen flood risk governance are echoed across Europe amidst a growing consensus that floods will increase in the future. Accompanying the pursuit of societal resilience, other normative agendas relating legitimacy (e.g. accountability and public participation), and resource efficiency, have become attached to discussions concerning flood risk governance. Whilst these represent goals against which ‘success’ is socially and politically judged, lacking from the literature is a coherent framework to operationalise these concepts and evaluate the degree to which these are achieved. Drawing from cross-disciplinary and cross-country research conducted within the EU project STAR-FLOOD, this paper presents a framework for evaluating the extent to which flood risk governance arrangements support societal resilience, and demonstrate efficiency and legitimacy. Through empirical research in England, this paper critically reflects on the value of this approach in terms of identifying entry points to strengthen governance in the pursuit of these goals.     

A 1-dodecanethiol-based phase transfer protocol for the highly efficient extraction of noble metal ions from aqueous phase

A 1-dodecanethiol-based phase-transfer protocol is developed for the extraction of noble metal ions from aqueous solution to a hydrocarbon phase, which calls for first mixing the aqueous metal ion solution with an ethanolic solution of 1-dodecanethiol, and then extracting the coordination compounds formed between noble metal ions and 1-dodecanethiol into a non-polar organic solvent. A number of characterization techniques, including inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis demonstrate that this protocol could be applied to extract a wide variety of noble metal ions from water to dichloromethane with an efficiency of >96%, and has high selectivity for the separation of the noble metal ions from other transition metals. It is therefore an attractive alternative for the extraction of noble metals from water, soil, or waste printed circuit boards.     

上、下悬窗开启角度对排烟效果影响的研究

自然排烟窗有多种开启方式,开启方式的不同影响烟气的流动,进而影响排烟效率。通过数值模拟方法,研究了自然排烟窗的开启方式对排烟效果的影响。主要研究了上悬窗和下悬窗在排烟上的表现。通过对上悬窗开口角度的研究,发现了上悬窗主要排烟区域为两侧,且排烟效率跟开启角度正弦值有关,并在此基础上提出了一种提高建筑中上悬窗排烟效率的方法。而下悬窗的模拟结果则表明,开启大于23°时,排烟效果基本不受影响。     

Efficient and sustainable management of complex forest ecosystems

A large range of models has been developed for the analysis of optimal forest management strategies, with the well-known Faustmann models dating back to the mid-19th century. To date, however, there has been relatively little attention for the implications of complex ecosystem dynamics for optimal forest management. This paper examines the implications of irreversible ecosystem responses for efficient and sustainable forest management. The paper is built around two forest models that comprise two ecosystem components, forest cover and topsoil, the interactions between these components, and the supply of the ecosystem services ‘wood’ and ‘erosion control’. The first model represents a forest that responds in a reversible way to overharvesting. In the second model, an additional ecological process has been included and the ecosystem irreversibly collapses below certain thresholds in forest cover and topsoil depth. The paper presents a general model, and demonstrates the implications of pursuing efficient as well as sustainable forest management for the two forest ecosystems. Both fixed and variable harvesting cycles are examined. Efficient and sustainable harvesting cycles are compared, and it is shown that irreversible ecosystem behaviour reduces the possibilities to reconcile efficient and sustainable forest management through a variable harvesting cycle.     

林火管理经济学的研究与探讨——单一可变防火要素的最佳投入

用经济学的观点分析了其它防火要素的投入量不变,仅改变某种可变防火要素的投入时,减灾效益Ｅ、边际减灾效益ＥＭ、平均减灾效益Ｅ／Ｆｉ与单一可变防火要素Ｆｉ的关系。提出了如何采用连际分析的方法确定单一防火要素的最佳投入问题。     

Does Decentralization Matter in Environmental Management?

/ Questionnaires from 39 state National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) agencies were analyzed using principal component analysis and multiple regression. Decentralized programs scored better in a fundamental indicator of efficiency (lower percentage of expired permits) and in the key effectiveness measure of unit-cost compliance achieved. In no case did centralized states score significantly better than decentralized ones. These results indicated support for the theory that superior local knowledge is the key mechanism. Case studies of five states suggested internal program adjustments may cause outcomes to converge towards efficiency and effectiveness, perhaps explaining the large number of variables showing no difference between centralized programs and decentralized ones.KEY WORDS: NPDES; Compliance; Decentralization; Outcome; Efficiency; Unit-cost analysis     

一种三元复合型细水雾洗消氯气的性能及机理研究

采用由亚铁（Fe^2＋）盐、表面活性剂（OP）和清水组成的三元复合型洗消剂对液氯泄漏进行模拟洗消实验研究,其洗消效率比清水细水雾有显著提高。通过对比实验考察了添加剂的浓度和洗消时间对其洗消效率的影响,并对雾滴粒径进行了测量。研究结果表明洗消剂中各成分之间的物理化学耦合作用提高了含添加剂的细水雾的洗消效率,表面活性剂组分可以降低溶液的表面张力,减小雾滴粒径,增大细水雾与氯气的接触面积;而亚铁盐组分则可以与氯气发生化学反应,将强氧化性的Cl2完全转变为较稳定的Cl-,增强洗消剂的化学洗消作用,且洗消效果更加彻底。     

废水厌氧处理研究前沿和趋势探讨

废水厌氧处理作为一种有竞争力的、经济的、日益成熟的生物处理工艺,是一种集环境保护、能源回收和生态良性循环于一体的技术,具有良好的社会、经济、环境效益,其研究和应用日益受到重视,工程化推广应用极其广泛。本文讨论了废水厌氧反应器的发展历程、厌氧氨氧化生物脱氮技术、两相生物反应器、高硫酸盐有机废水厌氧处理技术,并对目前废水厌氧处理的热点问题及发展趋势进行了展望。     

复合人工湿地系统对生活污水的净化效果

将垂直流人工湿地与水平流人工湿地组成复合人工湿地系统,研究了此复合系统对化粪池出水的净化效果。结果表明,当水平流人工湿地的水力停留时间为3d天时,复合系统对COD、BOD5、TP的去除率分别达到73％、66％、87％,并通过垂直流湿地的硝化作用及水平流湿地的反硝化作用,复合系统对TN的去除率达到40％以上。     

Energy Considerations in Design for Environment: Appropriate Energy Selection and Energy Efficiency

Abstract

The design aspects of energy selection and energy efficiency are described. These topics are key components of Design for Environment, and thus are important considerations in industrial ecology. In the article, background material is presented on energy forms, sources, carriers and conversion technologies. Then, energy use in countries, regions and sectors is discussed, and the impact of energy use on the environment described. Efficiencies and other measures of merit for energy use are presented, and design for energy selection and for energy efficiency are described, highlighting energy-related design factors for pollution prevention. Finally sustainable development and its relation to energy and efficiency are discussed, and a case study is presented.