Policy integration for adaptive water governance: Learning from Scotland's experience

This paper contributes to on-going attempts at bringing together two influential ideas in water governance: Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) and adaptive governance. In particular, a tension remains between the call in IWRM for the use of formal institutions, such as river basin organisations, to secure public policy integration, and the assumptions in adaptive governance in favour of informal collaboration between essentially independent policy actors. To clarify this relationship, this article draws on theoretical research on public policy integration, and uses these insights in an empirical setting to identify mechanisms that can facilitate effective policy integration for adaptive water governance. The research is based on recent attempts in Scotland to implement IWRM ideas to improve flood management. Several governance mechanisms were adopted to facilitate the integration of flood, water and rural land use policies. Six Scottish policy regimes are analysed using documentary sources and interviews. Results challenge the idea that collaboration should primarily be built on either river basin organisations or informal mechanisms. We identify a mix of informal and statutory-based mechanisms which may secure political and technocratic commitment to policy integration.     

Alternative treatments for the municipal solid waste and domestic sewage in Campinas,Brazil

The treatments of municipal solid waste (MSW) and the domestic sewage (DS) are critical issues of the current political and environment discussions. These concerns are due to the lack of dumping areas, the continuous increase of the population, and public health issues. The adequate treatment and management of MSW and DS can produce many benefits such as financial funds, heat and energy production, reduction of emissions and recuperation of water for reuse. Currently in Campinas MSW and DS are deposited in landfills or discharged into rivers and other sites. In the present study two scenarios are evaluated for the treatment of MSW and DS in Campinas: recycling with biological treatment and recycling with thermal treatment. The most suitable treatments for Campinas, based on the data from the present analysis and taking into consideration the local conditions, maximization of energy potential and environmental benefits, are incineration for the MSW and biological treatment for DS, both with energy recuperation. The main gains of this option are substantial environmental benefits, generated energy which can reach 18% of the total electrical energy consumed in Campinas while about 53% recuperation of the total amount of water treated for Campinas in 2010.     

Ecological Function Zoning for Environmental Planning at Different Levels

Environmental planning at different levels has been called for by environmental departments in China during last years to integrate environment consideration to economic development. Based on the accomplished environmental planning practice in Xiamen China, the paper suggests a general environmental planning process with ecological function zoning as its key steps, at the same time an effective method for ecological function zoning was formulated. The case studies of Dongfu suburban town environmental planning and Xiamen eco-city conceptual planning indicate that scientifically sound results of ecological function zoning can contribute to improving not only the adaptability and acceptability of environmental planning, also the environmental management and the decision-making. The experience shows that the ecological function zoning methods should be applied according to the principles of adaptive management, resource-based and community-based, so that it can integrate science into decision-making process, avoiding both narrow-minded viewpoints of planners and natural resource use conflicts among variety of stakeholders. Problems to be resolved in the future are also pointed out in the ending part.     

基于废弃资源价值创造的循环经济影响因素分析

从废弃资源特点和价值来源出发,分析了废弃资源正负价值来源,建立基于微观经济基础的循环经济分析框架,分析影响循环经济的近因和远因,并根据系统论及自组织理论,对远因进行分类,提出了影响循环经济的主导因素和次要因素等。     

我国城市化过程中水土资源利用问题的认识

改革开放以来，我国城市化过程出现快速发展时期，特别是长江下游地区（长江三角洲及其周边地区），由于人口与产业不断集聚，重大基础设施项目投资加大，道路网密度增加，开发区扩大，使得城市空间迭加扩展，造成了严重的水土资源利用失衡，生态环境日趋恶化，使本地区城市发展出现了许多新问题。以长江下游地区为例，对本区城市化过程中有关水土资源环境恶化、水污染增加、土地资源流失，以及城镇化速度过快的情况，作了深入分析论证，同时对长江下游地区水土资源合理开发利用与保护提出了新的思维、新的方法措施，特别是对如何加强长三角地区水质环境的整治提出了4点切实可行的办法与措施，为本地区的经济发展与生态安全提供科学依据.     

Climate change policy and water resources in the EU and Spain. A closer look into the Water Framework Directive

Climate change effects are becoming evident worldwide, with serious regional and local impacts. The European Union (EU) has launched and developed initiatives and policies that scratch the surface of water resources impacts. This article presents an introduction of the existing environmental policy and more concisely in the areas of climate change and the interactions with water resources. It also addresses main management tools, and plans linked to policies, recent updates on the Science–Policy Interface, highlighting major results from research and development projects. Establishing appropriate policies to tackle climate change impacts on water is essential given the cross-sectorial and flowing nature and the importance of water in all environmental, social and economic sectors. There are still some pending reviews and updates in the current EU policy and its implementation, as well as at the national level in Spain. This article identifies existing gaps, and provides recommendations on how and where reforms could take place and be applied by decision makers in the water policy sector.     

Applying integrated assessment methodologies to air quality plans: Two European cases

Air pollution Integrated Assessment Models (IAM) can be used for determining how emissions should be reduced to improve air quality and to protect human health in a cost-efficient way. The application of IAM is also useful to spread information to the general public and to explain the effectiveness of proposed Air Quality Plans. In this paper, the application of the RIAT+ system to determine suitable abatement measures to improve the air quality at a regional/local level is presented for two European cases: the Brussels Capital Region (Belgium) and the Porto Urban Area (Portugal). Both regions are affected with PM10 or NO₂ concentrations that exceed the limit values specified by the European Union legislation. To properly assess air quality abatement measures a surrogate model was used, allowing the implementation of an efficient optimization procedure. This model is derived in both cases through a set of simulations performed using a Chemistry Transport Model fed with different emission reduction scenarios. In addition, internal costs (due to the implementation of emission reduction measures) and external costs (due to population exposure to air pollutant concentrations) of policy options were considered. The application of this integrated assessment modelling system in scenario (Brussels case) and optimization (Porto) modes contributes to identifying some advantages and limitations of these two approaches and also provides some guidance when urban air quality has to be assessed.     

Ocean Disaster Reduction and Sustainable Development in the Region around Bohai Sea

1IntroductionBohai is the only inland sea in China.It has the highest resource density of all the fourcontinental seas in China.Since the end of the1 970 's,the marine economy around Bohai has seengreat development and the growth rate of the marine industry is up to 2 0 % .It is much higherthan the growth rate of the GDP of this region.The marine economy has greatly contributed tothe development of the economy and society around Bohai.However,since Bohai is an inlandsea,it has the natural …     

西南岩溶石山地区岩溶水资源合理开发利用模式

针对湘西洛塔岩溶区特殊的地质环境所造成的干旱缺水、水土流失、生态环境恶化等问题的特点，在调查、分析洛塔自然条件与水土资源、生态环境基本条件的基础上，实施了13处岩溶水资源开发利用示范工程。通过系统总结洛塔地区岩溶水资源合理开发利用技术与方法及岩溶水资源开发利用成功经验，提出了以岩溶水小流域为单元对岩溶水资源进行综合开发利用的5种模式：①地下河堵洞引水开发利用模式；②地下河出口及岩溶大泉引水开发利用模式；③凿引水隧洞拦截地下河开发利用模式；④地表地下联合水库开发利用模式；⑤表层岩溶泉开发利用模式。通过对失败工程的案例分析，认为在岩溶水资源开发利用过程中，应查清工程的岩溶发育规律及工程地质条件，分析经济技术支持的可行性，然后采取相适应的开采方式与方法。岩溶水资源进行综合开发利用的5种模式的提出，为在湘西实施“水源〖DK1〗·土地〖DK1〗·生态”持续发展战略，发展生态经济，实现脱贫致富，促进社会经济、生态环境良性循环，提供了切实可行的实用技术与方法借鉴。     

A “measurable” definition of sustainable development based on closed cycles of resources and its application to energy systems

Human society consumes resources that it is not able to reproduce. Human activities are still based on “open cycles,” starting from a condition of natural environmental balance and reaching an environmental imbalance. The challenging scope of scientific and technological research towards sustainability appears clear if it is based on this analysis: to find development systems based on “closed cycles” of resources. The challenging objective of realizing closed cycles leads to a definition of sustainability that indicates the path to sustainable development, as well as stating the general principle. It also provides a key to the qualitative measurement of sustainability. This means that the sustainability level of a system can be measured by measuring its capacity to avoid the consumption of resources. Zero consumption is a necessary condition for sustainability, and brings about as a side effect the highly desired “zero-waste” result. Materials entering the proposed endless scheme pass through the process of usefulness without losing their capacity to feed the system again after being used. Thus, the concept of “consumption” itself is replaced by one of “use” when resources are inserted into closed loops capable of feeding human development. The application of the closed cycle sustainability criterion particularly displays its feasibility, and a theoretical guiding role, in the energy sector. Energy vectors such as hydrogen and electricity enable the closure of the energy resources loop by effectively approaching the objective of “zero consumption” (and the side result of “zero waste”) through already demonstrated technological solutions.