Development history and accessibility evolution of land transportation network in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region over the past century

From the development of modern transportation to the current era of high-speed transportation networks, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region has always played a national leading role in land transportation development of China. In order to explore the long-term evolutionary characteristics of land transportation in the BTH region, this paper utilized a temporal scale of 100 years to systematically interpret the development process of the land transportation network. Taking 13 cities within the BTH region as research anchor cities, we took into account “leaping” mode of transportation in order to investigate the evolution of accessibility. Our research shows the following results: (1) The land transportation network in the BTH region has undergone five stages of development: the initial period of modernization (1881–1937); the period of stagnation of transportation development (1937–1949); the network expansion period (1949–1980); the period of trunk construction (1980–1995), and the period of high-speed transportation network development (1995–present). The network structure centered around Beijing has existed from the outset of modern transportation development. (2) The accessibility spatial pattern of land transportation in BTH region has evolved from expansion along traffic corridors to the formation of concentric circles. The stratified circular structure of transportation in anchor cities has gradually developed into a contiguous development pattern. (3) There are clear hierarchical differences in the transportation structures of anchor cities. Beijing has always been at the top of this hierarchy, while the hierarchical position of Zhangjiakou has fallen noticeably since 1949. The Beijing-Tianjin region was the first region to form a short-duration transportation circle structure, while the transportation advantages of the central part of Hebei Province, which is located in the center of the BTH transportation region, have yet to be realized.     

Characterizing mixed-use buildings based on multi-source big data

To-date few research has successfully integrated big data from multiple sources to characterize urban mixed-use buildings. In this paper, we introduce a probabilistic model to integrate multi-source and geospatial big data (social network data, taxi trajectories, Points of Interest and remote sensing images) to characterize urban mixed-use buildings. The usefulness of our model is demonstrated with a case study of the Tianhe District in megacity Guangzhou, China. The model predicted building functions at 85% accuracy based on ground truth data from field surveys. We further explored the spatial patterns of the identified building functions. Most mixed-use buildings are located along major streets. Our proposed model can identify mixed-use buildings in a city; information is useful for planning evaluation and urban policymaking.     

Could baseline establishment be counterproductive for emissions reduction? Insights from Vietnam’s building sector

This article provides insights into the role of institutions involved in climate governance working towards a future low-carbon society at the national level, within the global climate change governance architecture. Specifically, it contributes to understanding the fragmented governance of energy efficiency policy in developing countries by focussing on Vietnam’s building sector, identifying key institutions related to underlying discourses, national and international power relations, resource distribution and coalitions. It uses the case of baseline setting in developing Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) to illustrate institutional dynamics, nationally and transnationally, as well as to question whether demands for baseline setting achieve the ideal trade-off between actual GHG emissions reduction and institutionalized demands for accountability. The analysis reveals that, in addition to domestic efforts and challenges, the international agenda greatly influences the energy efficiency policy arena. The article presents lessons to be learnt about policy processes from the specific Vietnamese case, reflecting on the role of international actors and discourses in it. Finally, it argues for the abolition of baselines in favour of adequate monitoring and evaluation, from the perspective that requirement for deviation from fictitious baselines is unproductive and only serves an international techno-managerial discourse.

POLICY RELEVANCE

Baseline establishment is commonly considered an initial step in developing NAMAs, in order to facilitate the demonstration of a deviation from such baselines. The requirement to produce baselines is traditionally not questioned by policy practitioners. Thus, significant development resources are allocated to the establishment of baselines and the bridging of data gaps, often without consideration as to whether baselines are a necessary instrument for NAMA implementation. We suggest omitting the lengthy and resource-consuming practice of establishing baselines and recommend proceeding forthwith to the planning and implementation of mitigation and energy efficiency policies. As conditions vary significantly in different contexts, it would be more appropriate to measure the initial situation, establishing the ‘base point’, and monitor development from that point. The present article might serve as motivation for policymakers to question traditional approaches to policy development and consider alternatives to maximize the cost efficacy of NAMA programmes and facilitate their implementation.     

An initial scoping of transitional justice for global climate governance

Geopolitical changes combined with the increasing urgency of ambitious climate action have re-opened debates about justice and international climate policy. Tensions about historical responsibility have been particularly difficult and could intensify with increased climate impacts and as developing countries face mounting pressure to take mitigation action. Climate change is not the only time humans have faced historically rooted, collective action challenges involving justice disputes. Practices and tools from transitional justice have been used in over 30 countries across a range of conflicts at the interface of historical responsibility and imperatives for collective futures. Central to this body of theory and experience is the need to reflect both backwards- and forwards-oriented elements in efforts to build social solidarity. Lessons from transitional justice theory and practice have not been systematically explored in the climate context. This article conceptually examines the potential of transitional justice practices to inform global climate governance by looking at the structural similarities and differences between the global climate regime and traditional transitional justice contexts. It then identifies a suite of common transitional justice practices and assesses their potential applicability in the climate context.

POLICY RELEVANCE

• Justice disputes, including about historical responsibility and future climate actions, are long-standing in the climate context and could intensify with increased climate impacts and broadened mitigation pressures.

• Lessons from efforts to use transitional justice mechanisms could provide insight into strategies for balancing recognition of harms rooted in the past, while creating stronger future-oriented collective action.

• Several areas of transitional justice practice including: the combination of amnesties and litigation, truth commissions, reparations and institutional change could provide useful insights for the climate context.

     

诗歌中物候记录的基本特征及用于历史气候重建的处理方法

历史物候记录对过去气候变化研究弥足珍贵。诗歌作为历史文献的重要体裁之一,其中的历史物候记录已得到了一定程度的整编和利用。但对诗歌物候记录的特征和处理方法仍缺乏系统的梳理和探讨。本文首先介绍了诗歌中物候记录的内容、特征及其在季节指示和反映农时中的应用,发现诗歌中的物候记录主要包括动物物候、植物物候和周期性气象、水文现象等3种,并呈现出距今越近,经济、社会越发达,记录越多的时空特点。然后,从物候记录筛选、物种鉴别、物候事件发生时间识别、物候期确定等方面总结了历史气候研究中诗歌物候记录的处理方法：①从诗歌的创作背景、文学成分、地理环境分异规律和人为影响等几个方面进行筛选,以保证其中物候记录的有效性;②区分古今动、植物名差异,并将物种鉴定到种;③针对年、月、日缺记的不同情况,依据物候规律和背景资料确定物候事件的发生时间;④根据现代物候观测标准,对诗歌中的文字描述进行归类定级,确定所包含的物候期。以期为诗歌物候记录的提取及其在历史气候研究中的应用提供理论和方法上的借鉴。     

中国历史时期土地覆被数据集地理空间重建进展评述

重建长时间序列具有空间属性的土地覆被数据集,对研究历史时期土地利用/土地覆被变化及其气候和生态效应具有重要意义。近年来,国内外学者就定量重建中国区域历史土地覆被数据集进行了积极探索。但由于历史时期土地利用数据来源多元、重建方法多样、验证方式各异等原因,不同学者的重建结果迥异,其中重建方法是导致差异形成的重要原因之一。本文从重建思路、假设和方法、结果验证等方面对覆盖中国区域的主要空间数据集进行了综合评述,结果表明：①基于历史记录的还原法和基于地理空间模型的重建法是历史土地覆被空间重建的主要方法,而根据建模过程,后者又可进一步分为“自上而下”的配置模型和“自下而上”的演化模型法。②基于数量重建进行空间重建是当前历史土地覆被数据集重建的主流,在缺少充分、客观历史数据的条件下,对基础数据、分布控制因素和限制因子进行合理假设是取得合理结果的重要条件。③为提高研究成果的解释力,需要对重建结果进行检验,直接验证法虽较为准确,但受时空尺度限制,具有显著的局限性,间接验证法可作为有效的补充。     

"地下水科学与工程"学科形成的历史沿革及其发展前景

人类由逐水而居到凿井取用地下水是人类文明史的一大转折。和地表水相比,地下水具有分布广泛、水质良好、变化稳定、便于利用、不容易受污染等优点,因此它是理想的供水水源。地下水本身既是人类生存不可或缺的重要资源,同时也是一种地质营力、信息载体、生态环境因子和灾害因子。因此开展地下水的形成、赋存、运动规律的研究,以及合理开发、利用的工程技术、布局设计和实施等水文地质研究是一门关系到人类生活、社会需求和发展的重要学科。笔者着重论述了“地下水科学与工程”学科形成的历史是和人类社会的诞生、繁衍和发展紧密相关的。随着科学进步和国民经济的发展,该学科已从原来的基础学科逐渐向应用基础学科和应用学科相结合的方向发展。因此,今后在加强水文地质基础研究的同时,还应该十分重视满足国民经济需求和面向市场应用的研究。最后,从世界面临严重缺水和水污染的现实、科学发展的必然和国际学术组织和学者对地下水学科的重视,以及当前人才市场对该学科人才需求等方面指出,21世纪“地下水科学与工程”学科的发展具有很大的空间和十分广阔的前景。     

Experimental evidence for flexibility of a building foundation supported by concrete friction piles

This article explores the possibility to measure deformations of building foundations from measurements of ambient noise and strong motion recordings. The case under study is a seven-storey hotel building in Van Nuys, California. It has been instrumented by strong motion accelerographs, and has recorded several earthquakes, including the 1971 San Fernando (M_L=6.6, R=22 km), 1987 Whittier–Narrows (M_L=5.9, R=41 km), 1992 Landers (M_L=7.5, R=186 km), 1992 Big Bear (M_L=6.5, R=149 km), and 1994 Northridge (M_L=6.4, R=1.5 km) earthquake and its aftershocks (20 March: M_L=5.2, R=1.2 km; 6 December, 1994: M_L=4.3, R=11 km). It suffered minor structural damage in 1971 earthquake and extensive damage in 1994. Two detailed ambient vibration tests were performed following the Northridge earthquake, one before and the other one after the 20 March aftershock. These included measurements at a grid of points on the ground floor and in the parking lot surrounding the building, presented and analyzed in this article. The analysis shows that the foundation system, consisting of grade beams on friction piles, does not act as a “rigid body” but deforms during the passage of microtremor and therefore earthquake waves. For this geometrically and by design essentially symmetric building, the center of stiffness of the foundation system appears to have large eccentricity (this is seen both from the microtremor measurements and from the earthquake recordings). This eccentricity may have contributed to strong coupling of transverse and torsional responses, and to larger than expected torsional response, contributing to damage during the 1994 Northridge, earthquake.     

相空间相似预报的一种新方法

本文针对相空间相似预报方法应用过程中存在需要同时确定时滞和维数的困难,引入历史预报准确率最高原则,提出了一种相空间相似预报的新方法。应用昆明站近百年（1901年～1992年）逐月雨量和气温时间序列对该方法进行了检验。计算结果表明此方法是可行的。     

“将古论今”——环境科学研究中的历史地质学方法

传统地质学的“将今论古”方法使地质学取得了巨大的成就,而且还将是今后地质学发展的指导思想,但面对资源、环境、减灾等人类在二十一世纪的主要问题,地球科学所面对的问题时,地质学家首先应该改变或者更新自己的思维方式。如果以地球演化的同一性原理来认识地球,则“将古论今”的方法对解决地球科学面临的挑战人有重要的意义。以历史地质学的方法和视角,研究地质过程的发生、发展和演化过程,以及这种过程在今天和明天的演化趋势,及其对人类生存环境的影响,将是今后一十时期地质科学的主要任务。