Convergence or divergence?: Status and prospects for US climate strategy

The objective of this paper is to assess recent developments and prospects for future changes in United States (US) climate strategy. In doing so, the paper explores some of the key factors that have shaped strategies and policies to date, distinguishing between factors related to institutional and governance structures, linkages between science and policy, energy technology and the role of interest groups. Against this background, the paper attempts to explore future development paths for US climate policy. More specifically, the paper assesses opportunities for policy changes compared to the preferences of the current administration, and the prospects for future linkages between US and international climate change strategies. In brief, the paper argues that substantial changes are unlikely to take place in the near to medium term, leaving open, however, the possibility of wide-ranging changes in domestic politics or major incidents that could facilitate a shift in the perceived need for near-term action.     

东亚夏季风变化机理的模拟和未来变化的预估:成绩和问题、机遇和挑战

东亚夏季风对于我国东部气候具有重要影响,呈现出多种时间尺度的变化特征。在理解东亚夏季风过去和当前的变化机理、预测和预估其未来变化等方面,气候系统模式发挥着不可替代的作用。但是当前的气候模式在东亚夏季风的模拟上尚存在诸多不足,这使得其模拟结果存在不确定性,既制约了我们对过去和当前季风变化机理的准确理解,又降低了未来预测预估结果的可信度。关于造成季风模拟偏差的原因,既涉及模式本身的性能问题,又与模拟系统的构建、强迫资料的误差、乃至我们当前对季风变化规律自身的认知水平有关。本文以时间尺度为序,从气候态、日变化、年际变率、年代际变率、长期气候变化和未来预估等季风学界关注的热点问题角度,本着总结成绩、归纳问题、寻找机遇、面对挑战的目的,从七个方面系统总结了当前气候模式的水平,归纳了其主要偏差特征,讨论了影响模式性能的可能因素。内容涉及模式分辨率和地形效应、对流和云辐射效应的作用、与季风相关的热带海气相互作用关键过程、内部变率（太平洋年代际振荡）、自然变率（太阳辐照度变化和火山气溶胶强迫）和人为辐射强迫（人为温室气体和气溶胶排放）对季风变化的不同影响、热力和动力过程及气候敏感度对季风环流（副高）和降水预估不确定性的影响等。最后从优化参数、实现场地观测和过程模拟的协同、发展高分辨和对流解析模式等角度,讨论了提升东亚夏季风模拟能力的技术途径。     

Carbon taxes and greenhouse gas emissions trading systems: what have we learned?

Systematic evidence relating to the performance of carbon pricing – carbon taxes and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions trading systems (ETSs) – is sparse. In 2015, 17 ETSs were operational in 55 jurisdictions while 18 jurisdictions collected a carbon tax. The papers in this special thematic section review the performance of many of these instruments over the 2005–2015 period. The performance of existing carbon taxes and GHG ETSs can help policy makers make informed choices about whether to introduce these instruments and to improve their design. The purpose of carbon pricing instruments is to reduce GHG emissions cost effectively. Assessing their performance is difficult because emissions are also affected by other policies and exogenous factors such as economic conditions. Carbon taxes in Europe prior to 2008 and in British Columbia reduced emissions from business-as-usual but actual emissions continued to rise. Since 2008 emissions subject to European carbon taxes have declined, but in most countries, other mitigation policies have probably contributed more to the reductions than the carbon taxes. Emissions subject to ETSs, with the exception of four systems without emissions caps, have declined. The ETSs contributed to the emissions reductions, but their share of the overall reduction is not known. Most tax rates are low relative to levels thought to be needed to achieve climate change objectives. Few jurisdictions regularly adjust their tax rates. All ETSs have accumulated surplus allowances and implemented measures to reduce these surpluses. The largest ETSs now specify annual reductions in their emissions cap several years into the future. Emissions trading system allowance prices are generally lower than the tax rates.

Key policy insights

• Theoretical discussions usually portray carbon taxes and GHG ETSs as alternatives. In practice, a jurisdiction often implements both instruments to address emissions by different sources.

• Designs of ETSs have evolved based on experience shared bilaterally and via dedicated institutions.

• Carbon tax designs, in contrast, have hardly evolved and there are no institutions dedicated to sharing experience.

• Every jurisdiction with an ETS and/or carbon tax also has other policies that affect its GHG emissions.

     

上甸子本底站卤代温室气体大气浓度短期波动的个例分析

利用轨迹分析法、印痕分析和流场分析法,结合上甸子站卤代温室气体H-1301、HCFC-22、CFC-11和SF6在线浓度观测数据,选取2012年9月7-12日上甸子测站卤代温室气体浓度短期波动典型个例进行分析.轨迹分析结果表明：7日12时,污染发生前,气团主要来自较远的偏西北、偏北方向,水平输送距离长,移动迅速,垂直高度高,对应的卤代温室气体浓度偏低,H-1301、HCFC-22、CFC-11和SF6的体积分数分别为4x10-12、350x10-12、260x10-12、10x10-12;9、10日有一定比例的气团在测站的偏南区域近地面回旋打转,水平输送距离短,垂直高度低,在边界层内缓慢移动,不利于污染物在边界层内扩散,导致卤代温室气体浓度偏高,对测站浓度的短期抬升贡献较大,9日12时H-1301、HCFC-22、CFC-11的峰值体积分数分别达到45x10-12、1 200x 10-12、310x10-12,10日03时SF6的峰值体积分数达到28x10-12;11日西南方向回旋气团消失;12日气团完全来自较远的西北方向且轨迹移动较快.印痕分析与轨迹分析结果一致：7、8日敏感性系数较高区域主要分布在测站以北,9、10日敏感性系数较高区域分布在测站偏南,11、12日测站偏南的敏感性系数较高区域消失.流场分析结果表明：9、10日环流形势有利于污染物在测站区域累积,造成测站浓度的短期抬升.     

外部环境气象条件对日光温室气象条件的影响

应用2003年1～4月、10～12月在寿光蔬菜基地的日光温室内所取得的温度、光照和湿度资料及同一时期周围外部环境气象条件资料，分析了外部环境气象条件对日光温室内的温度、光照及湿度等气象条件的影响情况，在此基础上，提出了温室蔬菜生产中天气预报指导作用的简单思路。     

Distributions of O3, CO and NMHCs over the rural sites in central India

The surface level measurements of O₃, CO, CH₄ and light NMHCs were made at eight different rural sites in the central part of India during February, 2004. The online analyzer was used for in-situ measurement of O₃ while air samples were collected for the analyses of CO, CH₄ and NMHCs using the gas chromatography techniques. The average mixing ratios of O₃, which were in the range of 60–90 ppbv, are significantly higher compared to the typical values reported for urban sites of India. The increase rates of O₃ in the forenoon hours were estimated to be in the range of about 8.8–10 ppbv h⁻¹. The slopes of ∆O₃/∆CO, which is an indicator of the efficiency of photochemical production, were in the range of 0.24–0.33 ppbv ppbv⁻¹. However, levels of primary pollutants e.g., NMHCs, CO, etc. at these sites were much lower than urban sites, but higher compared to previously observed values surrounding marine region of India. The estimated ratios of NMHCs and CO indicate fossil fuel combustion process as the dominant source of primary pollutants in this corridor.     

Spatio-temporal Variability of Surface-layer Turbulent Fluxes Over the Bay of Bengal and Arabian sea During the ICARB Field Experiment

We report the spatio-temporal variability of surface-layer turbulent fluxes of heat, moisture and momentum over the Bay of Bengal (BoB) and the Arabian Sea (AS) during the Integrated Campaign for Aerosols, gases Radiation Budget (ICARB) field experiment. The meteorological component of ICARB conducted during March – May 2006 onboard the oceanic research vessel Sagar Kanya forms the database for the present study. The bulk transfer coefficients and the surface-layer fluxes are estimated using a modified bulk aerodynamic method, and then the spatio-temporal variability of these air-sea interface fluxes is discussed in detail. It is observed that the sensible and latent heat fluxes over the AS are marginally higher than those over the BoB, which we attribute to differences in the prevailing meteorological conditions over the two oceanic regions. The values of the wind stress, sensible and latent heat fluxes are compared with those obtained for the Indian Ocean Experiment (INDOEX) period. The variation of drag coefficient (C _D ), exchange coefficients of sensible heat and moisture (C _H = C _E ) and neutral drag coefficient (C _DN ) with wind speed is also discussed.

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Quick measurement of CH<Subscript>4</Subscript>, CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> and N<Subscript>2</Subscript>O emissions from a short-plant ecosystem

Combining improved injector, gas line and valve-driving models, a gas chromatograph (GC) equipped with Hydrogen Flame Ionization Detector (FID) and Electron Capture Detector (ECD), can measure CH4, CO2, and N2O simultaneously in an air sample in four minutes. Test results show that the system has high sensitivity, resolution, and precision; the linear response range of the system meets the requirement of flux measurements in situ. The system is suitable for monitoring fluxes of the main greenhouse gases in a short-plant field since it is easy to use, efficacious, and constant and reliable in collecting data.     

深对流云对不同高度示踪气体层垂直输送的数值模拟研究

采用考虑化学气体传输过程的云模式模拟了2014年7月30日发生在安徽滁州境内一次深对流过程,研究深对流活动对不同高度示踪气体的输送及再分布作用。结果表明,在积云发展阶段,强上升气流使得云内源层示踪气体有效地向上输送,对流层中部强的夹卷过程及水平入流使得云外气体入云输送至主要对流区,并在垂直气流的作用下进一步影响各层示踪气体的分布。各层示踪气体均可向上输送至对流层上部,其中对流层中部示踪气体（2.1~4.5 km、4.5~7.5 km和7.5~10.8 km）的向上输送作用与近地层示踪气体（0~2.1 km）的贡献相当。例如,输送到11~13 km的示踪气体有4.9%来自近地层,6.3%来自2.1~7.5 km。此外,近地层示踪气体可在深对流的水平输送下向云侧边界扩散,将局地污染输送到云外周边地区。源层高度位于2.1~4.5 km的示踪气体可下沉输送至近地层,形成新的局地污染。随着源层高度的抬升,示踪气体向下输送作用减弱,其中对流层上层示踪物（10.8~15 km）无法输送到6 km以下。     

Saltzman气候模式的新格式及其应用

云反馈是影响气候变化的重要因子,它导致气候模拟的不确定性.为此,针对云反馈提出了一种参数化方案,随后推导一个包含云反馈在内的大气-海洋-海冰模式.云反馈是通过短波辐射引入的,而二氧化碳温室效应是在长波辐射中引入的.经过繁杂的推导,得到了模式方程组,它是一个双变量非线性常微分方程组.通过数值计算模拟了CO2变化时气候系统的增温量.平衡试验表明,当CO2从330×10-6增加到660×10-6时,全球平均增温量为1.7℃,瞬变试验时,增温量为1.3℃.