Assessing protected area effectiveness using surrounding (buffer) areas environmentally similar to the target area

Many studies are based on the assumption that an area and its surrounding (buffer) area present similar environmental conditions and can be compared. For example, in order to assess the effectiveness of a protected area, the land use/cover changes are compared inside the park with its surroundings. However, the heterogeneity in spatial variables can bias this assessment: we have shown that most of the protected areas in Mexico present significant environmental differences between their interior and their surroundings. Therefore, a comparison that aims at assessing the effectiveness of conservation strategies, must be cautioned. In this paper, a simple method which allows the generation of a buffer area that presents similar conditions with respect to a set of environmental variables is presented. The method was used in order to assess the effectiveness of the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, a protected area located in the south-eastern part of Mexico. The annual rate of deforestation inside the protected area, the standard buffer area (based upon distance from the protected area only) and the similar buffer area (taking into account distance along with some environmental variables) were 0.3, 1.3 and 0.6%, respectively. These results showed that the protected area was effective in preventing land clearing, but that the comparison with the standard buffer area gave an over-optimistic vision of its effectiveness.     

防烟空气幕防烟有效性模拟实验研究

利用火灾模拟软件FDS,以四川消防研究所高层实验塔二层为原型建立模型,对防烟空气幕的防烟有效性进行研究。本次实验在前室内设置测点,测定前室内的温度及CO浓度。实验结果表明:在未设置防烟空气幕时,前室内1.25m高度以上的测点温度稳定后均在35～45℃之间,CO浓度最大达到180ppm;在设置风幕后,前室内1.25m高度以上的测点温度稳定后在20～30℃之间,CO浓度最大为75.7ppm。因此,防烟空气幕能有效的减少烟气的进入量,降低进入前室的烟气的温度及有害气体浓度,为人员的安全疏散赢得时间。     

强化生物絮凝＋生物接触氧化除磷效果分析

通过单因素试验研究了强化生物絮凝＋生物接触氧化组合式一体化工艺对城市污水悬浮物SS、化学需氧量COD、氨氮NH3-N、总氮TN、总磷TP的去除效能和机理。试验结果表明：在组合工艺的较优运行条件下,装置对SS、COD、NH3-N、TN、TP的平均去除率分别为88．7％、89．3％、87．9％、73．4％、58．8％。组合工艺对污染物的总体去除效果良好,且稳定可靠,其中生物絮凝吸附段对总磷的去除率为32．4％,生物接触氧化段对总磷的去除率为39．1％,并对装置的除磷效果进行了分析。     

Quality Control for Environmental Policy Appraisal Tools: An Empirical Investigation of Relations Between Quality,Quality Control and Effectiveness

The spectre of regulatory reform carried out in a range of Western countries has generated concern amongst parts of the environmental policy community. Quality and effectiveness are said to be at stake, but empirically there is a dearth of data on the relationship between provisions for quality control and the effects on quality and effectiveness. This research addresses this lacuna by analysing the effects of different quality control provisions in the Netherlands and Denmark for a globally institutionalized environmental appraisal tool—Environmental Assessment (EA). Extensive technical provisions for quality control in the Netherlands have led to it being described as the ‘Rolls Royce’ of EA systems, while in Denmark the polity is expected to take charge of quality control. The effects of quality control are investigated through surveys and in-depth interviews with actors centrally engaged with EA implementation. The results show that quality control provisions are poorly related to the perceived quality and effectiveness of EA. Only the appropriateness of the scope of EA reports is perceived to be strongly related to quality control provisions. The findings are relevant for environmental policy communities concerned with quality control systems and effectiveness of policy appraisal tools and policy-makers contemplating regulatory reforms.     

规划环境影响评价项目实施有效性的评估

从管理程序、技术方法、内容设置、评价结论及规划实施的保障措施等方面,建立了评估规划环境影响评价实施有效性的指标体系,包括“早期介入、公众参与的有效性、评审制度的严格性、工作程序的合理性、评价方法的实用性、技术手段的先进性、指标体系的全面性和合理性、环境质量评价标准的有效性、累积影响评价、替代方案、评价结论的明确性、规划评价结论的有效采纳、缓解和跟踪措施”等13项指标,并在对9个规划环境影响评价案例实施有效性评估的基础上,分析了当前该领域普遍存在的问题,包括规划环境影响评价介入时机晚、替代方案较少、公众参与普遍流于形式和对累积影响考虑不够等.      

The influence of metal source uncertainty on cost-effective allocation of mine water pollution abatement in catchments

In mine water pollution abatement, it is commonly assumed that known mine waste sites are the major pollution sources, thus neglecting the possibility of significant contribution from other old and diffuse sources within a catchment. We investigate the influence of different types of pollution source uncertainty on cost-effective allocation of abatement measures for mine water pollution. A catchment-scale cost-minimization model is developed and applied to the catchment of the river Dalälven, Sweden, in order to exemplify important effects of such source uncertainty. Results indicate that, if the pollution distribution between point and diffuse sources is partly unknown, downstream abatement measures, such as constructed wetlands, at given compliance boundaries are often cost-effective. If downstream abatement measures are not practically feasible, the pollution source distribution between point and diffuse mine water sources is critical for cost-effective solutions to abatement measure allocation in catchments. In contrast, cost-effective solutions are relatively insensitive to uncertainty in total pollutant discharge from mine water sources.     

When workplace safety depends on behavior change: Topics for behavioral safety research

Introduction

Comprehensive interventions that address public-health concerns invariably include behavior-change strategies. In occupational safety and health, behavioral safety is an approach designed to improve safety performance directly through peer observations of safe behaviors, goal setting, performance feedback, and celebrations or incentives for reaching safety goals. Although the basic components of behavioral safety processes have been studied and widely documented, the current safety literature reveals several gaps in knowledge. These gaps are associated mostly with wide practice variations among the common process elements and uncertainty about the influence of organizational and other external factors.

Impact to Industry

A major objective of this paper was to highlight not only key topic areas that warrant further research, but also to propose a list of research questions that are tied to uncertainties about various intervention practices. If only a portion of these topic areas and research questions are addressed through systematic reviews, field interventions, surveys, and laboratory-based studies, then the knowledge gained will significantly improve the delivery and effectiveness of behavioral safety interventions and thus their impact on worker health and safety.     

细水雾抑制熄灭室内火灾的有效性模拟实验研究

采用模拟实验的方法，通过改变实验条件，研究室内不同种类固体可燃物，处于不同的位置时，细水雾的灭火有效性。研究发现：当火源位于细水雾的作用范围内时，灭火时间较短，灭火性能较高；当火源位于细水雾的防护区域之外时，灭火有效性显著降低。增加细水雾的流量可以减少灭火时间。但是对一定功率的火源，存在临界流量，超过了临界流量，再增加细水雾的流量，并不能有效减少灭火时间，因此设计细水雾灭火系统时，应当优化上述影响因素，达到最佳的灭火性能。     

含氯化钴添加剂细水雾灭火有效性的实验研究

在标准受限空间中,通过热态灭火实验对比分析了纯水细水雾和含氯化钴添加剂细水雾在不同添加荆浓度、工作压力下对煤油火的抑制效果.实验结果表明:含有氯化钴的细水雾比纯水细水雾具有更好的抑制效果.而细水雾的灭火时间并不是随着氯化钴的浓度变化而呈线性变化的,而是存在着一个最佳灭火浓度.实验表明:浓度为1.75%时的灭火效果最好.系统的工作压力也对细水雾的灭火性能有影响,在较高的工作压力下,细水雾的平均灭火时间较短.     

The global partnership for sustainable development

This paper examines whether foreign aid, together with other economic, social and environmental factors, contributes to sustainable development. It starts with an illustrative theoretical growth model where foreign aid promotes sustainable development by protecting the environment. Using factor analysis and newly developed estimation methods for a dynamic panel data model with endogenous regressors, the empirical section of the paper finds evidence that foreign aid has had a significantly positive influence on sustainable development in aid recipient countries. This effect is very likely to go through channels related to growth and resources as well as a technology channel with respect to energy intensity. This research has important implications for a post‐2015 development framework on international collective action with regard to a sustainable future.