Risk management in operations of petrochemical plants: Can better planning prevent major accidents and save money at the same time?

This paper presents an argument that improvement in operational safety can be achieved concurrently with increased operational efficiency. This is a fundamentally different viewpoint on the investment in safety. Traditionally, the cost of providing safety barriers is offset by the expected benefits of reducing the occurrence and severity of accidents. Our approach departs from this method of accounting for safety improvements and focuses on planning as a means of managing systems' response uncertainty and consequently reducing both major accident risk and the cost of operations. The scope of the paper is limited to interventions such as maintenance and repairs and defined in the context of major accident prevention e.g. hydrocarbon leaks. However, the developed methodology is general enough to be applied across the spectrum of process industry facilities and operations.     

环境污染治理工程管理对策分析

随着环境问题的日益突出,环境保护以及环境治理越来越迫切,由于造成环境污染问题的因素特别多,在对污染原因没有明确了解的情况下,盲目的着手进行环境污染治理工作,将会很难达到预期的治理效果。因此,作者从环境污染治理工程管理入手,进一步探索导致环境污染问题日益严重的根本原因,并详细分析加强环境污染治理工程管理的有效方略,旨在提高我国环境污染治理工程管理水平。     

OHS风险控制方法在烟气排放控制工程中的应用

介绍了烟气排放控制工程中OHS风险控制的方法,并以香港青山“B”电厂4X680MW机组排放控制工程（CPBEC）为例,阐述了目前国内外环保项目在OHS风险管理方面的差距和改进措施。     

南水北调中线水源地不同植被类型坡地土壤水分特征研究

为了解不同植被类型土壤水资源的变化规律,选择南水北调中线水源区宁陕县寨沟区域典型植被针阔混交林、针叶林、板栗林、灌木林、荒坡草地和坡耕地为研究对象,通过样地调查与实验分析的方法对其土壤水分物理特征及有机质含量进行测定研究。结果表明,各种有林地的土壤容重、孔隙度和有机质等理化特征均优于荒坡和坡耕地;针阔混交林土壤含水量最高,蓄水能力明显好于其它植被类型;在垂直剖面上,各种植被类型坡地土壤含水量和饱和蓄水量随土壤深度的增加基本呈递减趋势,但有林地下降幅度较大,表层含水量明显高于荒坡与坡耕地表层。由此可见,在涵养水源方面,针阔混交林最好,针叶林、板栗林与灌木林次之,荒坡与坡耕地较差。     

从世界银行对二滩水电站环境影响评估中得到的启示

本文介绍了二滩水电站环境影响评价，以及世界银行评估过程中专家提出的一系列环境问题，并结合我院１０多年来的环境影响评价工作简述几点启示，供参考。     

洪湖演变的驱动力及其生态保护对策分析

阐述了洪湖的形成与演变历程,总结了洪湖演变的主要驱动力及其作用机制,认为地质活动和长江泛滥奠定了洪湖的成湖基础;古气候环境推动了洪湖面积变化和沼泽化过程;近代人类活动进一步加剧了洪湖生态环境的退化;三峡工程会促进洪湖生态环境的恢复,但也可能加剧洪湖的淤积。在此基础上,提出了洪湖保护的对策：完善立法,加强管理;深入开展湿地保护宣传教育,提高群众保护意识;在保护优先前提下,对洪湖资源进行适当开发利用;逐步实施包括洪湖通江在内的生态恢复措施;加强洪湖生态需水的研究,积极应对三峡工程的影响。     

Sustainability evaluation of the Grain for Green Project: from local people's responses to ecological effectiveness in Wolong Nature Reserve

This article examines the sustainability of the Grain for Green Project in the Wolong Nature Reserve. Pertinent data were collected through a questionnaire survey and a spatial analysis of reforested lands. The study results identified four critical issues that may influence the sustainability of the project in the study area. The first issue is concerned with the project’s impacts on local sustenance. Because local grain consumption depends greatly on compensation awarded by the project, the potential for sustainability of the project is compromised. The second issue is that the project causes negative effects on local incomes in the Wolong Nature Reserve, which may undermine local economic prospects. The third issue is that the project failed to deliver suitable habitat for the giant panda, although two of the suitability requirements that deal with landform features were met. Lastly, the project neglects great differences among geographical areas in the country, providing the same compensation and length of compensation period to all participants. Appropriate compensation mechanisms should be established and adapted to local economic, environmental, and social conditions. In managing nature reserves and moving toward sustainability, ensuring all aspects of local socioeconomic and ecological/environmental issues are properly addressed is a real challenge. Based on our study, some recommendations for improving sustainability of the project are given.     

南水北调西线工程对解决受水区生态环境问题的意义

南水北调西线工程是一项跨流域的大型调水工程，对解决我国西北、华北部分地区严重干旱缺水，促进黄河上中游地区的资源开发和经济持续快速发展，及其生态环境的改善具有重大意义。本文着重分析了调水工程对受水区生态环境的有利影响，指出调水工程将增加受水区的河川径流量，改善水环境；提高植被覆盖率，遏制并治理水土流失和土地沙漠化；减少自然灾害，改善农业生态环境和当地居民的生存环境。     

The political economy of power generation in Zimbabwe since 1980

This article presents a historical analysis of the power generation choices in Zimbabwe since independence in 1980; their causes and consequences. In the early 1980s, the electricity supply choices of the country were dictated by a policy of self-sufficiency, and least-cost supply options (e.g. imports and hydropower) were rejected at a not negligible economic cost. At the end of the 1980s, a new political environment and pressures from the World Bank prompted substantial changes towards least-cost alternatives. In the early 1990s, security of supply motives still played an important role and financial constraints were severe. At present, however, there is little evidence that imported power is still as cheap a source of electricity as it was about 15 years ago. This situation together with the ongoing trend towards higher discount rates imply that thermal power, in particular coal-fired power, will dominate future electricity supply investments in Zimbabwe.     

Water, sanitation and sustainability: lessons from a community project

This paper captures the lessons learned from the implementation of water supply and sanitation interventions in Mayiwane community in the rural northeastern region of the Kingdom of Swaziland, relating to water system rehabilitation, water quantity and quality improvements, and the promotion of latrine construction. The issues examined include both the dimensions of implementation efficiency and project effectiveness: first identifying the inputs, activities and final outputs and, then, tracking the entire project cycle, from design to implementation and monitoring. To draw meaningful lessons for the sustainability of similar interventions, project evaluation involved extensive fieldwork, water sampling and testing, review of documentation, and interviews with community members and officials of governmental, civil society and collaborating external agencies. Readers should send their comments on this paper to BhaskarNath@aol.com within 3 months of publication of this issue.