Reducing conflict over the Danube waters: equitable utilization and sustainable development

This paper develops the idea that the principle of equitable utilization must be applied in concert with sustainable water use not only in the resolution of specific disputes but in the cooperative management of water resources in general. It illustrates this point with two different cases involving the use of the Danube River. The first is the conflict over the Gabcikovo Nagymaros Dam, which now rests before the International Court of Justice. The author argues that a narrow legal ruling that fails to take into account broader issues of equitable utilization as they relate to sustainable development will not satisfactorily address the long-term questions at stake between the parties. The second involves the situation in the Danube Delta where the potential for conflict exists, but may be minimized through the convention and institutional framework developed to address the environmental degradation and pollution of the Danube River basin, which is based in part on the principle of equitable utilization and the goal of achieving more sustainable water use. The paper provides a brief overview of the geographical features of the Danube River and international water law. It then explores the principle of equitable utilization and sustainable water use in light of the two cases and discusses the implications for the resolution and management of conflicts involving internationally shared water courses.     

机场热点时空分布特征及运行风险评价

为研究大型机场航空器地面滑行冲突风险,提出一种基于机场热点时空分布特征的机场机动区运行风险评价方法。首先,以中南地区某机场为例,将场监雷达数据按每3 h分段,分别识别各时间段的机场热点,分析其时空分布特征;然后,基于热点发生的可能性和后果的严重性,构建考虑航空器冲突架次比、冲突可能性、冲突持续时间、冲突级别的机场热点风险评价模型,依据现有机场热点风险等级评价标准,评价该机场的热点风险等级。结果表明:该机场02号跑道运行风险高于20号跑道;02号跑道起降时,12:00—15:00点的机场热点风险最高;20号跑道起降时,9:00—12:00点机场热点的风险较高,与该机场实际运行情况基本相符。     

HPLC-高分辨飞行时间质谱测定水中多种微囊藻毒素

水样经HLB小柱富集、净化后,采用高效液相色谱-四极杆-高分辨飞行时间质谱同时测定水样中MC-LA、MC-LF、〖JP3〗MC-LR、MC-LW、MC-LY、MC-RR、MC-YR、MC-WR等8种微囊藻毒素。试验表明,8种微囊藻毒素在0500 μg/L～〖JP〗100 μg/L范围内线性良好,方法检出限为0001 μg/L～0005 μg/L,自来水空白样品3个质量浓度水平的加标回收率为725%～998%,5次测定结果的RSD为19%～112%。将该方法用于测定珠海本地水产养殖鱼塘和小型水库的水样,结果均未检出     

气相色谱-高分辨双聚焦磁质谱测定水中超痕量多氯萘

采用固相萃取法处理水样,气相色谱-高分辨双聚焦磁质谱法测定水中超痕量多氯萘,同位素内标法定量,并对样品前处理条件和仪器条件进行优化。试验表明：方法在0．500 ng/L～500 ng/L范围内线性良好;当取样体积为1 L时,方法检出限为0．005 ng/L～0．01 ng/L;对实际水样进行2个质量浓度水平的加标回收试验,平行测定6次的 RSD为2．7％～8．7％,回收率为70．2％～110％。方法适用性试验表明,水样中复杂的基质对测定无影响。     

Sustainable development conflict over freeway construction

Environmental disputes arise due to opposing views of various groups about their environmental concerns and their economic or developmental interests. Development and protection of the environment constitute two main contradictory objectives within the sustainable development paradigm, which are often in conflict. The decision support system, GMCR II, which implements the graph model for conflict resolution, is employed to model and analyze an environmental dispute arising over the construction of a new freeway between the Iranian capital, Tehran, and the city of Chalous located in the north of the country. This study demonstrates that the graph model for conflict resolution can be used as a methodology to promote a reasonable balance between economic development and environmental protection from a strategic viewpoint. In addition to systematically modelling the conflict by putting the existing information into proper perspective, it is shown how conflict analysis can be used for comparing alternative scenarios and predicting possible future outcomes. Readers should send their comments on this paper to: BhaskarNath@aol.com within 3 months of publication of this issue.     

The Use of Remote Sensing and GIS in the Sustainable Management of Tropical Coastal Ecosystems

The sustainable use and management of important tropical coastal ecosystems (mangrove forests, seagrass beds and coral reefs) cannot be done without understanding the direct and indirect impacts of man. The ecosystem's resilience and recovery capacity following such impacts must be determined. The efficacy of mitigation measures must also be considered. Remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS) are excellent tools to use in such studies. This paper reviews the state of the art and application of these tools in tropical coastal zones, and illustrates their relevance in sustainable development. It highlights a selected number of remote sensing case-studies on land cover patterns, population structure and dynamics, and stand characteristics from South-East Asia, Africa and South-America, with a particular emphasis on mangroves. It further shows how remote sensing technology and other scientific tools can be integrated in long-term studies, both retrospective and predictive, in order to anticipate degradation and to take mitigating measures at an early stage. The paper also highlights the guidelines for sustainable management that can result from remote sensing and GIS studies, and identifies existent gaps and research priorities.There is a need for more comprehensive approaches that deal with new remote sensing technologies and analysis in a GIS-environment, and that integrate findings collected over longer periods with the aim of prediction. It is also imperative to collect and integrate data from different disciplines. These are essential in the spirit of sustainable development and management, particularly in developing countries, which are often more vulnerable to environmental degradation.     

DECISION-MAKING PROCESS ON THE DANUBE AND THE PLATTE1

ABSTRACT: Two case studies highlighting the institutional arrangements and decision-making processes used to attempt to allocate water on large scale river systems in two countries are presented. In both cases the implementation of river plans has been blocked by conflicts between those who wish to use water for irrigation, hydropower, or municipal purposes and those who wish to maintain instream flows for fish and wildlife. To date conflict has blocked the implementation of a large hydropower scheme on the Danube River, downstream from Vienna, Austria, and the construction of municipal and agricultural projects, as well as the relicensing of an existing hydropower facility on the Platte River in Nebraska. Analysis of the decision-making processes and institutional settings of both cases led to the identification of problem areas and development of recommendations that would support the achievement of compromise solutions for management.     

E-bikers’ braking behavior: Results from a naturalistic cycling study

Abstract

Objective: The number of e-bike users has increased significantly over the past few years and with it the associated safety concerns. Because e-bikes are faster than conventional bicycles and more prone to be in conflict with road users, e-bikers may need to perform avoidance maneuvers more frequently. Braking is the most common avoidance maneuver but is also a complex and critical task in emergency situations, because cyclists must reduce speed quickly without losing balance. The aim of this study is to understand the braking strategies of e-bikers in real-world traffic environments and to assess their road safety implications. This article investigates (1) how cyclists on e-bikes use front and rear brakes during routine cycling and (2) whether this behavior changes during unexpected conflicts with other road users.

Methods: Naturalistic data were collected from 6 regular bicycle riders who each rode e-bikes during a period of 2 weeks, for a total of 32.5?h of data. Braking events were identified and characterized through a combined analysis of brake pressure at each wheel, velocity, and longitudinal acceleration. Furthermore, the braking patterns obtained during unexpected events were compared with braking patterns during routine cycling.

Results: In the majority of braking events during routine cycling, cyclists used only one brake at a time, favoring one of the 2 brakes according to a personal pre-established pattern. However, the favored brake varied among cyclists: 66% favored the rear brake and 16% the front brake. Only 16% of the cyclists showed no clear preference, variously using rear brake, front brake, or combined braking (both brakes at the same time), suggesting that the selection of which brake to use depended on the characteristics of the specific scenario experienced by the cyclist rather than on a personal preference. In unexpected conflicts, generally requiring a larger deceleration, combined braking became more prevalent for most of the cyclists; still, when combined braking was not applied, cyclists continued to use the favored brake of routine cycling. Kinematic analysis revealed that, when larger decelerations were required, cyclists more frequently used combined braking instead of single braking.

Conclusions: The results provide new insights into the behavior of cyclists on e-bikes and may provide support in the development of safety measures including guidelines and best practices for optimal brake use. The results may also inform the design of braking systems intended to reduce the complexity of the braking operation.     

基于高分辨率动态排放清单的郑州市机动车排放特征研究

为深入了解郑州市机动车污染排放现状,提升移动源污染治理水平,通过融合多源交通大数据,搭建基于路段交通流和本地化排放因子的郑州市路网排放动态测算模型,实现对道路排放的实时测算,建立了小时级、路段级高分辨率道路移动源排放清单.开展郑州市分车型、分环路、行政区、道路类别等机动车排放特征分析,提出机动车污染管控措施建议.结果表明:小客车是CO2、CO和HC的主要贡献车型,NOx和PM排放量主要来自货车和大型客车;郑州市机动车CO2、CO和HC排放主要集中在三环内区域,碳排放量从中心城区至边缘呈逐渐减弱趋势,NOx和PM排放沿环路呈明显的带状分布;东南部区域机动车污染物排放水平偏高,其中郑东新区和金水区CO2、CO和HC污染物排放占比超出郑州市区排放量40％,中牟县和新郑市NOx和PM排放污染较重;快速路类型机动车CO2排放率高至3.66 t/(km·d),高速路类型NOx排放强度最大,为0.017 t/(km·d).研究显示,郑州市可通过优先推动主城区绿色低碳发展和提高货车污染治理水平,推进本市移动源减污降碳协同增效,以切实改善空气质量.