Climate policy strength compared: China,the US,the EU,India, Russia,and Japan

The few systematic international comparisons of climate policy strength made so far have serious weaknesses, particularly those that assign arbitrary weightings to different policy instrument types in order to calculate an aggregate score for policy strength. This article avoids these problems by ranking the six biggest emitters by far – China, the US, the EU, India, Russia, and Japan – on a set of six key policy instruments that are individually potent and together representative of climate policy as a whole: carbon taxes, emissions trading, feed-in tariffs, renewable energy quotas, fossil fuel power plant bans, and vehicle emissions standards. The results cast strong doubt on any idea that there is a clear hierarchy on climate policy with Europe at the top: the EU does lead on a number of policies but so does Japan. China, the US, and India each lead on one area. Russia is inactive on all fronts. At the same time climate policy everywhere remains weak compared to what it could be.

Policy relevance

This study enables climate policy strength, defined as the extent to which the statutory provisions of climate policies are likely to restrict GHG emissions if implemented as intended, to be assessed and compared more realistically across space and time. As such its availability for the six biggest emitters, which together account for over 70% of global CO₂ emissions, should facilitate international negotiations (1) by giving participants a better idea of where major emitters stand relative to each other as far as climate policy stringency is concerned, and (2) by identifying areas of weakness that need action.     

1,800 Years of abrupt climate change, severe fire, and accelerated erosion, Sierra Nevada, California, USA

This paper provides both a detailed history of environmental change in the Sierra Nevada over the past 1,800 years and evidence for climate teleconnections between the Sierra Nevada and Greenland during the late Holocene. A review of Greenland ice core data suggests that the magnitudes of abrupt changes in temperature and precipitation increased beginning c. 3,700 and 3,000 years ago, respectively. Precipitation increased abruptly 1,300 years ago. Comparing paleotemperature data from Cirque Peak, CA with paleoprecipitation data from Pyramid Lake, NV suggests that hot temperatures occurred at the beginnings of most severe droughts in the Sierra Nevada over the past 1,800 years. Severe fires and erosion also occurred at Coburn Lake, CA at the beginning of all severe droughts in the Sierra Nevada over the past 1,800 years. This suggests that abrupt climate change during the late Holocene caused vegetation and mountain slopes in some areas to be out of equilibrium with abruptly changed climates. Finally, the ending of drought conditions in Greenland coincided with the beginning of drought conditions in the Sierra Nevada over the past 1,800 years, perhaps as a result of the rapidly changed locations of the Earth??s major precipitation belts during abrupt climate change events.     

The temperature dependent,infrared absorption cross-sections for the chlorofluorocarbons: CFC-11, CFC-12, CFC-13, CFC-14, CFC-22, CFC-113, CFC-114, and CFC-115

The infrared absorption cross-sections for eight commonly used halogenated methanes and ethanes have been measured as a function of temperature from 203 to 293 K. High resolution spectra (0.03 cm^-1) have been used to derive integrated band strengths and peak cross-sections associated with the spectral features in the infrared region from 600 to 1500 cm^-2. The values obtained in this study are compared to those from previous reports, and recommendations are made for uses in atmospheric sensing and radiative energy transfer models. The observed temperature dependence in the spectral features is also discussed.     

基于L波段探空的云区边界识别改进算法

利用气象业务中使用的L波段探空数据和毫米波云雷达观测资料,分析探空相对湿度在入云和出云时的变化规律,提出一种基于探空相对湿度阈值与梯度相结合的云区边界识别改进算法,并利用云雷达观测数据对算法识别结果进行验证.利用北京市南郊观象台2019年1—6月层状云样本验证分析,结果表明:改进算法相比相对湿度阈值法,对云区边界识别更...     

Wind-Driven, Double-Gyre, Ocean Circulation in a Reduced-Gravity, 2.5-Layer, Lattice Boltzmann Model

A coupled lattice Boltzmann （LB） model with second-order accuracy is applied to the reduced-gravity, shallow water, 2.5-layer model for wind-driven double-gyre ocean circulation. By introducing the secondorder integral approximation for the collision operator, the model becomes fully explicit. The Coriolis force and other external forces are included in the model with second-order accuracy, which is consistent with the discretization accuracy of the LB equation. The feature of the multiple equilibria solutions is found in the numerical experiments under different Reynolds numbers based on this LB scheme. With the Reynolds number increasing from 3000 to 4000, the solution of this model is destabilized from the anti-symmetric double-gyre solution to the subtropic gyre solution and then to the subpolar gyre solution. The transitions between these equilibria states are also found in some parameter ranges. The time-dependent variability of the circulation based on this LB simulation is also discussed for varying viscosity regimes. The flow of this model exhibits oscillations with different timescales varying from subannual to interannual. The corresponding statistical oscillation modes are obtained by spectral analysis. By analyzing the spatiotemporal structures of these modes, it is found that the subannual oscillation with a 9-month period originates from the barotropic Rossby basin mode, and the interarmual oscillations with periods ranging from 1.5 years to 4.6 years originate from the recirculation gyre modes, which include the barotropic and the baroclinic recirculation gyre modes.     

The microstructure of selected, small, isolated, cumulus clouds near Red Deer, Alberta

Physical experiments designed to explore the potential of rain augmentation through airborne glaciogenic seeding on small, isolated non-precipitating cumuliform clouds near Red Deer, Alberta were carried out during the period 1982–1985. The microstructure of 90 cumulus congestus clouds have been documented through repeated in-situ sampling using a cloud physics instrumented aircraft platform. Observations from the inspection passes of 57 clouds seeded with either dry ice pellets or silver iodide pyrotechnics, and all the passes of 33 natural clouds are presented.Measurements of the cloud droplet concentration indicate that Alberta cumulus clouds are typically continental in nature, with an average droplet concentration of 535 cm⁻³ and an average droplet diameter of 10.6 μm. Alberta clouds have average liquid water contents of 0.57 g m⁻³, with a peak 1-sec value of 3.17 g m⁻³. The 1-km average liquid water contents are 0.83 g m⁻³, with a peak value of 2.81 g m⁻³. Cloud lifetimes vary between 11 and 20 minutes. Concentrations of naturally occurring ice crystals are found to be low. The average maximum 1-km ice concentration was 31⁻¹, and the peak 1-km concentration was 73.11⁻¹ in the natural cloud dataset. Evidence of precipitation-sized particles was detected in 21% (7 of 33) of the clouds, and precipitation below cloud base was detected in 6% (2 of 33) of the clouds.A comparison of the Alberta cloud characteristics to the cumulus clouds from different locations showed that there are some distinct differences between Alberta clouds and the clouds from the other regions.     

江苏三次不同量级降雪过程的对比分析

利用常规观测资料和NCEP 1°×1°再分析资料,通过对发生在江苏的三次不同量级的区域性暴雪、大雪和中雪过程典型个例进行对比分析,发现降雪时,700hPa低空急流的位置和强度是影响降雪量级的主要因素之一;降雪区上空涡度的垂直分布遵循低层负涡度、中层正涡度和高层负涡度的配置,暴雪时正涡度强且正涡度区最为深厚,动力抬升作用强,中雪发生时正涡度区相对最为浅薄,不利于形成强辐合抬升,动力抬升作用弱。且暴雪和大雪发生时基本上整层都为垂直螺旋度正值区,中雪时没有出现明显的正值区;暴雪和大雪过程时中低层都具有明显的逆温层,中高层西南急流造成的对流层中层的爆发性增温是逆温层形成的关键,中雪发生时不一定有逆温层结;降雪强度与湿位涡分量绝对值存在一定的正相关关系。     

承德市一次由快速发展气旋诱发的大风天气分析

利用常规观测资料和NCEP/NCAR(1°×1°)逐6 h再分析资料,对承德市2017年5月5—6日大风天气的环流形势和物理量进行分析,结果表明气旋的快速发展(气旋加深率0.84 B)导致锋生加强,引发气压和变压梯度加大是导致大风的直接原因。500 hPa高压脊东移迫使冷空气向南堆积,高空槽不断发展成为冷涡,温度平流为地面气旋的发展提供热力条件,高低层涡度平流的差异,也是地面气旋快速发展的重要原因;当1.5 PVU位涡面伸展至对流层低层时,局地位涡异常在气旋的发展过程中不可忽视;高空急流出口区发生质量调整,出口区左侧的辐散强度达10×10~(-5) s~(-1),使低层大气减压,有利于气旋发展。     

Weeds, Insects, and Diseases

The geographic distribution, vigor, virulence, and agricultural impact of weeds, insects, and plant pathogens will be affected by climatic changes accompanying the global "greenhouse effect." Weed/crop competitive interactions, particularly among species differing in photosynthetic pathway (C₃ v C₄), may be altered, with the C₃ species favored by increasing CO₂. Physiological and biochemical changes induced in host crop plants by rising CO₂ may affect feeding patterns of pest insects. Compilation of climatic thresholds for phenological development of pest insects reveals the potential for shifts in pest behavior induced by global warming and other climatic change. Generation times may be reduced, enabling more rapid population increases to occur. Poleward migration may be accelerated during the crop season. The epidemiology of plant diseases also will be altered. Prediction of disease outbreaks will be more difficult in periods of rapidly changing climate and unstable weather. Environmental instability and increased incidence of extreme weather may reduce the effectiveness of pesticides on targeted pests or result in more injury to non-target organisms. Biological control may be affected either negatively or positively. Overall, the challenge to agriculture from pests probably will increase.     

Governance,complexity, and resilience

This special issue brings together prominent scholars to explore novel multilevel governance challenges posed by the behavior of dynamic and complex social-ecological systems. Here we expand and investigate the emerging notion of “resilience” as a perspective for understanding how societies can cope with, and develop from, disturbances and change. As the contributions to the special issue illustrate, resilience thinking in its current form contains substantial normative and conceptual difficulties for the analysis of social systems. However, a resilience approach to governance issues also shows a great deal of promise as it enables a more refined understanding of the dynamics of rapid, interlinked and multiscale change. This potential should not be underestimated as institutions and decision-makers try to deal with converging trends of global interconnectedness and increasing pressure on social-ecological systems.     

Preface to the Special Issue:Aerosols,Clouds,Radiation,Precipitation,and Their Interactions

正The treatment of aerosols,clouds,radiation,and precipitation in climate models,in addition to their interactions and associated feedbacks,has long been one of the largest sources of uncertainty in predicting any potential future climate changes.Although many improvements have been made in CMIP5,aerosols,clouds,radiation,and their feedbacks are still a problem     

Linking vulnerability, adaptation, and resilience science to practice: Pathways, players, and partnerships

Vulnerability, adaptation and resilience are concepts that are finding increasing currency in several fields of research as well as in various policy and practitioner communities engaged in global environmental change science, climate change, sustainability science, disaster risk-reduction and famine interventions. As scientists and practitioners increasingly work together in this arena a number of questions are emerging: What is credible, salient and legitimate knowledge, how is this knowledge generated and how is it used in decision making? Drawing on important science in this field, and including a case study from southern Africa, we suggest an alternative mode of interaction to the usual one-way interaction between science and practice often used. In this alternative approach, different experts, risk-bearers, and local communities are involved and knowledge and practice is contested, co-produced and reflected upon. Despite some successes in the use and negotiation of such knowledge for ‘real’ world issues, a number of problems persist that require further investigation including the difficulties of developing consensus on the methodologies used by a range of stakeholders usually across a wide region (as the case study of southern Africa shows, particularly in determining and identifying vulnerable groups, sectors, and systems); slow delivery of products that could enhance resilience to change that reflects not only a lack of data, and need for scientific credibility, but also the time-consuming process of coming to a negotiated understanding in science–practice interactions and, finally, the need to clarify the role of ‘external’ agencies, stakeholders, and scientists at the outset of the dialogue process and subsequent interactions. Such factors, we argue, all hinder the use of vulnerability and resilience ‘knowledge’ that is being generated and will require much more detailed investigation by both producers and users of such knowledge.     

大气中硝酸盐、硫酸盐、铵和钙的浓度

1985年10月,在中国的三个不同地点用太氟龙和尼龙滤膜采样系统观测了硝酸根、硫酸根、铵和钙的浓度。平均而言,硫酸根的摩尔浓度与硝酸根的摩尔浓度之比不到2。考虑到中国燃煤大量排放SO_2这一事实,这一低比值有点出乎预料。在北京钙是最重要的阳离子,而在华北山区的兴隆天文观测站和南方城市长沙气溶胶中铵离子多于钙离子。在北风条件下,兴隆的硫酸根和硝酸根浓度与文献中报道的欧洲和北美的本底值接近。因此,兴隆天文观测站是研究亚洲大陆本底空气的理想地点。     

京津冀鲁豫地区小麦优化灌溉的农业气候依据

根据巩县和泰安4年小麦水分试验资料,分析确定了冬小麦最佳耗水量。从充分利用自然降水和土壤贮水角度出发,分析了影响麦田水分状况的各种因子,得出全生育期水分供需差。进而根据小麦阶段耗水的差异和麦田水分动态分析,确定了小麦适宜灌溉期。在上述基础上得出该区小麦优化灌溉方案,通过大面积推广应用,证明该方案可行,具有重大经济效益。