Modelling long-term HFC emissions from India's residential air-conditioning sector: exploring implications of alternative refrigerants,best practices,and a sustainable lifestyle within an integrated assessment modelling framework

India's growing role in the global climate debate makes it imperative to analyse emission reduction policies and strategies across a range of GHGs, especially for under-researched non-CO₂ gases. Hydrofluorocarbons' (HFCs) usage in cooling equipment and subsequent emissions are expected to increase dramatically in India with the phase-out of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) as coolants in air-conditioning equipment. We focus on the residential air-conditioning sector in India and analyse a suite of HFC and alternative coolant gas scenarios for understanding the implications for GHG emissions from this sector within an integrated assessment modelling framework. We find that, if unabated, HFC410A emissions will contribute to 36% of the total global warming impact from the residential air-conditioner sector in India in 2050, irrespective of the future economic growth trajectory, and the remaining 64% is from energy to power residential air-conditioners. A move towards more efficient, low global warming potential (GWP) alternative refrigerants will significantly reduce the cumulative global warming footprint of this sector by 37% during the period 2010–2050, due to gains both from energy efficiency as well as low GWP alternatives. Best practices for reducing direct emissions are important, but only of limited utility, and if a sustainable lifestyle is adopted by consumers with lower floorspace, low GWP refrigerants, and higher building envelope efficiencies, cumulative emissions during 2010–2050 can be reduced by 46% compared to the Reference scenario.

Policy relevance

Our analysis has important implications for Indian climate policy. We highlight that the Indian government's amendment proposal to the Montreal Protocol is a strong signal to the Indian market that the transition away from high GWP refrigerants towards low/zero GWP alternatives will happen sooner or later. The Bureau of Energy Efficiency should extend building energy conservation code policy to residential buildings immediately, and the government should mandate it. Government authorities should set guidelines and mandate reporting of data related to air-conditioner coolant recharge frequency and recovery of scrapped air-conditioner units. For contentious issues like flammability where there is no consensus within the industry, the government needs to undertake an independent technical assessment that can provide unbiased and reliable information to the market.     

Climate change mitigation scenarios and policies and measures: the case of Kazakhstan

This article illustrates the main difficulties encountered in the preparation of GHG emission projections and climate change mitigation policies and measures (P&M) for Kazakhstan. Difficulties in representing the system with an economic model have been overcome by representing the energy system with a technical-economic growth model (MARKAL-TIMES) based on the stock of existing plants, transformation processes, and end-use devices. GHG emission scenarios depend mainly on the pace of transition in Kazakhstan from a planned economy to a market economy. Three scenarios are portrayed: an incomplete transition, a fast and successful one, and even more advanced participation in global climate change mitigation, including participation in some emission trading schemes. If the transition to a market economy is completed by 2020, P&M already adopted may reduce emissions of CO₂ from combustion by about 85 MtCO₂ by 2030 – 17% of the emissions in the baseline (WOM) scenario. One-third of these reductions are likely to be obtained from the demand sectors, and two-thirds from the supply sectors. If every tonne of CO₂ not emitted is valued up to US$10 in 2020 and $20 in 2030, additional P&M may further reduce emissions by 110 MtCO₂ by 2030.     

水质关键因素光谱遥感监测技术分析

针对传统水体水质分析方法过度依赖于实地测量和实验室化学分析,需要耗费大量人力物力且效率不高的问题,从水质遥感监测数据获取手段、典型反演监测模型、不同水体光谱遥感监测应用状况、水质遥感监测技术应用及前景等方面分析归纳了使用遥感技术监测水质的新方法。从可用数据类型、数据特征等方面对水质遥感监测数据获取的3种主要手段进行了比较;从复杂程度、使用场景、优缺点等方面对4种典型的反演模型进行了归纳;对遥感数据和模型在Ⅰ类和Ⅱ类水体应用中的常用组合方式进行了分析总结。     

The effects of the North Anatolian Fault on the geomorphology in the Eastern Marmara Region,Northwestern Turkey

North-western Anatolia has been actively deformed since Pliocene by the right-lateral North Anatolian Fault (NAF). This transform fault, which has a transtensional character in its western end due to effects from the Aegean extensional system, is a major control on the regional geomorphologic evolution. This study applied some geomorphic analyses, such as stream longitudinal profiles, stream length-gradient index, ratio of valley floor width and valley height, mountain front sinuosity, hypsometry and asymmetry factor analyses, to an area just east of the Sea of Marmara in order to understand the tectonic effects on the area’s geomorphological evolution. The active and fastest northern branch of the NAF lies within a topographic depression connecting Sea of Marmara in the east to the Adapazar? Basin in the west. This depression filled with early Pleistocene and younger sediment after a series of pull-apart basins opened along the NAF. North of this depression lies the Kocaeli Peneplain, whose southern edge the NAF uplifted. Meandering streams on the central peneplain were incised possibly due to baselevel changes in the Black Sea. South of the depression, an E-trending mountainous area has a rugged morphology. Based on geomorphic analyses, uplifted Pliocene sediment, marine terraces, and recent earthquake activity, this area between northern and southern branches of the NAF is actively uplifting. The geomorphic indices used in this study are sensitive to vertical movements rather than lateral ones. The bedrock lithology that played an important role on the area’s geomorphologic evolution also affects the geomorphic indices used here.     

流域坡面汇流研究现状述评

对当前坡面汇流计算方法的研究进展进行了较为系统的总结与分析,并对坡面汇流的非线性效应以及城市低影响开发中的雨水入渗与蓄集对坡面汇流的控制作用进行了简要分析。从模型简单实用的角度出发,认为以流域时间-面积关系与线性水库相串联的ModClark法等为代表的概念性分布式坡面汇流模型具有良好的发展前景;考虑到基于等流时单元的变动等流时线法在反映雨强非线性影响中存在的问题,认为根据水文响应单元在不同雨强条件下汇流时间的变化,调整其汇流参数以反映坡面汇流的非线性效应,对于流域坡面汇流的分布式模拟更具有实际意义;针对目前低影响开发设施长时间序列大空间尺度的室外降雨径流监测资料普遍较为缺乏的现状,给出了后期应积极选择合适的技术以加强低影响开发性能监测工作的建议。     

Water and salt balance modelling to predict the effects of land-use changes in forested catchments. 1. Small catchment water balance model

A long-term water balance model has been developed to predict the hydrological effects of land-use change (especially forest clearing) in small experimental catchments in the south-west of Western Australia. This small catchment model has been used as the building block for the development of a large catchment-scale model, and has also formed the basis for a coupled water and salt balance model, developed to predict the changes in stream salinity resulting from land-use and climate change. The application of the coupled salt and water balance model to predict stream salinities in two small experimental catchments, and the application of the large catchment-scale model to predict changes in water yield in a medium-sized catchment that is being mined for bauxite, are presented in Parts 2 and 3, respectively, of this series of papers. The small catchment model has been designed as a simple, robust, conceptually based model of the basic daily water balance fluxes in forested catchments. The responses of the catchment to rainfall and pan evaporation are conceptualized in terms of three interdependent subsurface stores A, B and F. Store A depicts a near-stream perched aquifer system; B represents a deeper, permanent groundwater system; and F is an intermediate, unsaturated infiltration store. The responses of these stores are characterized by a set of constitutive relations which involves a number of conceptual parameters. These parameters are estimated by calibration by comparing observed and predicted runoff. The model has performed very well in simulations carried out on Salmon and Wights, two small experimental catchments in the Collie River basin in south-west Western Australia. The results from the application of the model to these small catchments are presented in this paper.     

Programme of the Galactic meridian: Star counts and Galactic models 2. Distribution of absolute proper motions

A comparison of the observed distribution of absolute proper motions with a kinematical model of the Galaxy is presented. Proper motions with respect to galaxies were obtained for about 40 000 stars along the main Galactic meridian and in two fields near the North Galactic pole (programme MEGA). The Galaxy is considered as composed of the disk (main sequence and disk red giants), the thick disk and spheroid populations. For each subsystem, spatial velocity components and their dispersions were computed. The distribution of kinematical parameters were modelled for stars located in different directions of the Galaxy.     

北京市郊区传统村落价值评价及可持续利用模式探讨——以北京市门头沟区传统村落的调查研究为例

北京市西部门头沟区保留有许多传统村落,这些传统村落经过历史的积淀而具有典型的地域特征和深厚的文化底蕴,成为京西独特的景观旅游资源。在深入系统调查的基础上,结合悠久性、完整性、乡土性、协调性、典型性对传统村落的价值特征进行了综合评价,将传统村落划分为遗产性村落、特色性村落和保护性村落三种类型。在探讨传统村落可持续利用机制的基础上总结了传统村落可持续利用的6种模式。     

生态系统模型中物候的参数化方法研究进展

物候和叶面积指数的季节动态在落叶林中是决定生态系统净生产力的关键因素。尽管物 候对能量和CO2 通量的影响可以简单地通过描述发芽和落叶的时间以及叶面积指数的季节动态 来表示, 但是由于对驱动物候的物理过程缺乏全面正确的理解, 在陆地生态系统模型中物候就成 为最难以参数化的一个过程。目前, 在陆地生态系统模型中描述物候主要有两种不同的方法: 一 种是基于气候变量( 主要是温度或积温) 的经验方法, 即是通过建立物候不同阶段与气候变量的 经验关系来预测关键物候事件发生的时间。另一种方法是基于碳吸收的物候参数化方案, 物候的 任何阶段都和当前的碳平衡相联系。在生态系统模型中, 基于碳吸收的物候参数化方法可以大大 降低物候模拟的经验性, 提高模型的适用性和模拟精度, 比基于气候变量的经验模型更适于模拟 未来气候变化影响。未来随着生理和分子水平上, 对控制物候和LAI 动态过程机理的揭示, 建立 基于过程的物候参数化方案和LAI 动态模拟模型就成为生态系统模型或气候模型的发展方向。     

过去2000年以来地磁偶极子的长期变化

利用地磁场模型资料,计算和分析了公元0～2000年的地磁场偶极子磁矩和地磁北极位置的长期变化。结果表明:过去2000年中,地磁场的偶极子磁矩并非一直减小,有近400年的时间是持续增长的。地磁北极位置的移动并不均匀,在纬度方向的变化范围只有10°左右,经度方向变化有255°。