Environmental challenges of Europe: The state of environment and environmental trends in the EU (EU15) and the Accession Countries (AC10)

The state of the environment and environmental pressures in the EU Member States (EU15) and the Accession Countries (AC10) is discussed from the prospective of ecosystems and geopolitics. In the EU15, the reduction of the most acute kinds of pollution began in the 1970s, and at the beginning of the 1990s, an overall environmental development action program was made, aimed at sustainability. In the AC10, the state of the environment slightly improved in the 1990s, particularly thanks to the decline of industrial production and a general slump. Typical of the EU15 and the AC10 is the consumption of natural resources at an above-average level per inhabitant of the globe. The starting position in the EU15 with regard to a sustainable development is considerably more favourable than in the AC10.However, the EU15 are only in the phase of weak sustainability, with the emphasis laid on curative measures for eliminating some consequences of environmental pressures. To achieve the environmental and other goals of sustainable development of Europe and the planet, it is necessary to establish a strategic partnership on the basis of the equality of all European countries, to reduce radically the environmental pressures and consumption of natural resources per inhabitant, and to integrate the ecological principles into sectoral policies. The period of two-speed Europe should be as short as possible.     

Posterior probability of the deceleration parameter q0 from quasars provided with a luminosity indicator

We have worked out a ’statistical algorithm’ for obtaining the posterior probability density of the deceleration parameter q₀ from quasars where there is a luminosity indicator available. We point out that the role of the luminosity indicator is to provide asecond estimate of individual luminosities after a first estimate has been obtained from measured brightness and redshift together with an assumed q₀. Discrimination of q₀ is to be sought in the statistical properties of the set of differences between the two estimates (the residuals). We show that the variance of the residuals and their correlation with redshifts (further refined to luminosity distances) are two independent test-statistics for q₀, whose known distributions then lead to the probability density sought. We have applied the above algorithm to a sample of flat-spectrum radio quasars with measured CIV, MgII and Ly α lines. A combined Baldwin’s relation was used for all 3 lines. Our result is that log q₀ is normally distributed with a mean value of + 0.270± 0.135 (s.d.), or, q₀ = + 1.86 ± 0.135 dex. This result, we believe, is the sharpest result so far published on q₀.     

内蒙古桃花拉山—红流沟一带石榴石矿赋矿特征及找矿标志

本文主要对甘蒙交界处的桃花拉山—红流沟一带赋存的具有一定规模的原生石榴石矿和次生冲积型石榴石砂矿从区域地质背景、构造、岩浆作用、石榴石矿化特征、矿石组分、矿床成因、赋存状态进行了较系统的论述,并对其找矿标志进行了简要总结。     

Climatic evolution in the Yangtze Delta region in the late Holocene epoch

Neolithic site sections, natural sections and other proxy indicators like paleotrees and peat are collected for further understanding the environmental changes during the past 10,000 years in the Yangtze Delta region. The results indicate that cultural interruption in the Yangtze Delta was the result of water expansion induced by climatic changes like more precipitation. For fragile human mitigation to the natural hazards in the Neolithic cultural period, environmental changes usually exerted tremendous influences on human activities, havocking the human civilization, which is meaningful for human mitigation to natural hazards under the present global warming. At the same time, some uncertainties in reconstruction of paleo-environmental changes were discussed in the text.     

Changes in streamflow regimes and their responses to different soil and water conservation measures in the Loess Plateau watersheds,China

Investigating the changes in streamflow regimes in response to various influencing factors contributes to our understanding of the mechanisms of hydrological processes in different watersheds and to water resource management strategies. This study examined streamflow regime changes by applying the indicators of hydrologic alteration method and eco-flow metrics to daily runoff data (1965–2016) from the Sandu, Hulu and Dali Rivers on the Chinese Loess Plateau, and then determined their responses to terracing, afforestation and damming. The Budyko water balance equation and the double mass curve method were used to separate the impacts of climate change and human activities on the mean discharge changes. The results showed that the terraced and dammed watersheds exhibited significant decreases in annual runoff. All hydrologic metrics indicated that the highest degree of hydrologic alteration was in the Sandu River watershed (terraced), where the monthly and extreme flows reduced significantly. In contrast, the annual eco-deficit increased significantly, indicating the highest reduction in streamflow among the three watersheds. The regulation of dams and reservoirs in the Dali River watershed has altered the flow regime, and obvious decreases in the maximum flow and slight increases in the minimum flow and baseflow indices were observed. In the Hulu River watershed (afforested), the monthly flow and extreme flows decreased slightly and were categorized as low-degree alteration, indicating that the long-term delayed effects of afforestation on hydrological processes. The magnitude of the eco-flow metrics varied with the alteration of annual precipitation. Climate change contributed 67.47% to the runoff reduction in the Hulu River watershed, while human activities played predominant roles in reducing runoff in the Sandu and Dali River watersheds. The findings revealed distinct patterns and causes of streamflow regime alteration due to different conservation measures, emphasizing the need to optimize the spatial allocation of measures to control soil erosion and utilize water resources on the Loess Plateau.     

Whose Norms Prevail? Policy Networks,International Organizations and “Sustainable Forest Management”

This article investigates the origin of international norms, arguing that one pathway is via the strategic action of sector-specific policy networks. Evidence is adduced from an examination of the contested norm of sustainable forest management (SFM). It is argued that a Canadian forestry policy network, under pressure internally and externally to demonstrate its environmental and social credentials, promoted an “economistic” SFM norm in regional negotiations known as the Montreal Process. The article outlines the policy network approach, applies it to the Canadian forest sector, and analyzes how a policy network centered in the Canadian Forest Service and the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers worked to have the network's preferred conception of SFM internationally endorsed. The article highlights the importance of investigating which social actors champion which international norms and encourages reflexive policymaking by calling into question the degree to which international norms actually reflect a genuine global consensus.     

Performative justice: New directions in environmental and social justice

New explorations of justice are arising in the wake of post-structuralist and feminist critiques of abstract, generalized notions of justice in Western liberal democracies. These interventions are opening new avenues of study on discursive practices and performances that contest social and environmental injustices in everyday life. Feminist scholars argue for greater attention to the local and the particular, the embodied, gendered, emotion-based, ethnic subject of justice and injustice. Yet, limited research has been conducted on performative and performance-based relationships to justice, despite its potential to inform matters related the use and conservation of public goods and common spaces in everyday life. This critical review examines the notion of performativity and its application to justice, aiming to clarify and advance understanding and theorizing of a potentially valuable direction in environmental and social justice at the local level. We draw on Hobson’s articulation of performative justice, as it offers some useful insights into how injustices related to the appropriation of public green spaces agendas are being identified and new meanings are being constituted through local-level citizen practices. We argue, however, that such attempts appear to be identifying injustices and demonstrating the ‘what is’ of environmental and social justice, but not ‘what ought to be’. Directions for future research are offered, which include clarifying the application of performative theories to the study and practice of justice at the local level.     

长江三角洲地区全新世环境变化与人类活动的影响

长江三角洲地区全新世气候和环境曾发生过大的变迁,新石器时代文化伴随着全新世气候最暖期的到来,以及三角洲的形成和发展而出现,并由此向前推衍,奠定了以稻作农业为基础的经济形态。通过研究本区与农作物相关的现代植物花粉形态和代表性表土花粉,揭示出部分用于指示人类活动的综合指标、不同植被带表土花粉的组合特征和用于半定量界定不同植被类型的比值区间。研究区自然区域全新世孢粉反映当时植被3个主要发展阶段,即亚热带常绿-落叶阔叶混交林（11000～9500cal.aB.P.）、中亚热带常绿阔叶林（9500～3900cal.aB.P.）和次生性质的亚热带针阔叶混交林（3900cal.aB.P.以来）,其中8000～3900cal.aB.P.为全新世大暖期的鼎盛期,3900cal.aB.P.以来人类活动明显增强。人类活动区绰墩遗址孢粉植物群,反映新石器各主要文化期都以亚热带含针叶植物的常绿-落叶阔叶混交林为地带性植被,遗址周围一般都有较大面积的水域分布;  人类对植被的干预只是在后期才开始明显增强。区内人类文化几经兴衰,主要受制于环境的变迁,包括气候和地理状况的变化,以及由此产生的海平面升降和植被变化等。与此同时,人类活动的影响随着时间的推移而日趋加重,成为一种新的环境影响因素。     

近年来国内ENSO研究概述

综合介绍了近年来国内学者在ENSO研究中取得的一些进展，包括ENSO事件的指标和强度指数、ENSO的机制、ENSO的预测。认为ENSO研究中其指标和强度指数朝着综合指标方面发展是一种趋势；ENSO循环不仅仅是一种热带海洋气候和大气气候事件。更是一种全球性行为，其机制的研究还有待深入；对ENSO的模式预测存在不稳定，尚不能完整、准确地预报所有EI Nino/La Nina事件。     

湖相介形类壳体地球化学在环境变化研究中的应用与进展

双壳微体甲壳类动物介形虫,广泛分布于各类湖泊体系中,其碳酸盐壳化石通常在湖泊沉积物中保存完好,介形类的古生态学,尤其是介壳的地球化学在环境变化研究中,近年来得到越来越广泛的应用,介壳的氧同位素组成四形成壳体时湖水的同位素组成和温度决定,可以反映由蒸发和降水的变化所引起的湖水水化学以及与之关联的气候变化情况,一般而言,低δ^18O反映了温度潮湿的气候;高δ^18反映了寒冷干燥的气候,碳同位素可以反映总溶解无机碳的组成以及影响其组成的诸因素的变化,多数情况下可以反映湖泊古生产力的大小及变化,介壳中Mg和Sr的含量,往往与其宿生水体的盐度和温度呈一定的函数关系,据此可以恢复湖泊的温度,尤其是盐度的变化,为了满足高分辨率环境变化,特别是定量研究的要求,必须充分了解介形类各个种属的生命历史和生态消长的过程;通过定期收集野外介壳和水样进行化学分析了,了解湖水水化学和温度对介壳稳定同位素和微量元素组成的影响;详细了解湖泊湖沼学,包括湖水的同位素组成和M/Ca（M指微量元素Mg、Sr等）与盐度的关系以及它们随空间和季度变化的特征;开展实验室养殖培养实验,测定单个种属介壳与水体的氧同位素分馏系数,建立微量元素吸收的生理效应。