Is Ziarat a Potential Site for Conventional or Unconventional Energy Resources?

A structural interpretation of the Ziarat block in the Balochistan region (a part of the Suleiman Fold and Thrust Belt) has been carried out using seismic and seismological data. Seismic data consists of nine 2.5D pre‐stack migrated seismic lines, whereas the seismological data covers the Fault Plane Solution and source parameters. Structural interpretation describes two broad fault sets of fore and back thrusts in the study area that have resulted in the development of pop‐up structures, accountable for the structural traps and seismicity pattern in terms of seismic hazard. Seismic interpretation includes time and depth contour maps of the Dungan Formation and Ranikot group, while seismological interpretation includes Fault Plane Solution, that is correlated with a geological and structural map of the area for the interpretation of the nature of the subsurface faults. Principal stresses are also estimated for the Ranikot group and Dungan Formation. In order to calculate anisotropic elastic properties, the parameters of the rock strength of the formations are first determined from seismic data, along with the dominant stresses (vertical, minimum horizontal, and maximum horizontal). The differential ratio of the maximum and minimum horizontal stresses is obtained to indicate optimal zones for hydraulic fracturing, and to assess the potential for geothermal energy reservoir prospect generation. The stress maps indicate high values towards the deeper part of the horizon, and low towards the shallower part, attributed to the lithological and structural variation in the area. Outcomes of structural interpretation indicate a good correlation of structure and tectonics from both seismological and seismic methods.     

岩溶塌陷灾害的岩溶地下水气压力监测技术及应用

文章系统、全面地介绍了岩溶地下水气压力监测技术及其应用成果。该技术在监测成孔、孔口的密封及监测频率等方面创新性地提出了相关的工艺方法,能真实、及时且充分地反映出岩溶管道裂隙系统中的地下水气压力变化特点,可为岩溶塌陷的机理研究、监测和预警提供科学依据。岩溶地下水气压力监测技术工艺简单、操作方便、成本低廉,经过20多年的改进,已成功应用于全国11个典型岩溶塌陷区,服务于高铁、水源地、油气管线、市政建设等潜在岩溶塌陷风险性评价、安全降深、监测预警等方面,取得了很好的效果。      

Ozone and climate governance: An implausible path dependence

Many observers and commentators have used the case of ozone science and politics as a role model for climate science and politics. Two crucial assumptions underpin this view: (1) that science drives policymaking, and (2) that a unified, international science assessment is essential to provide “one voice” of science that speaks to policymakers. I will argue that these assumptions are theoretically problematic and empirically questionable. We should realize that both cases, ozone and climate, are profoundly different and only have superficial similarities. Ozone science developed late, but efforts to protect the ozone layer happened swiftly. The relation between carbon dioxide and climate change has been studied for many decades, but efforts to control global warming have failed so far. I will discuss the linear model of the science-policy relationship and use the typology of tame and wicked problems to explain this stark difference.     

基于弱光栅技术的地面沉降自动化监测系统

光纤监测技术具有分布式、精度高等特点,在地面沉降监测中具有独特优势。但受限于监测成本较高与监测环境复杂,目前地面沉降光纤监测多通过人工采集数据,限制了在特殊环境变化情况下地面沉降的实时信息获取。文章在地面沉降钻孔全断面光纤监测技术的基础上,设计并建立了基于弱光栅技术的地面沉降自动化监测系统。该监测系统利用弱反射光栅、时分复用、物联网和数据库等技术,通过4G无线通信手段实现了地面沉降在线自动化监测和远程数据实时采集,并通过客户端系统软件实现数据的存储、查询和分析。将其应用到衡水地区地面沉降监测中,结果表明:钻孔内土层压缩变形主要发生在以黏性土为主的隔水层（Ad2、Ad3、Ad4）;受季节性地下水开采的影响,钻孔100～400 m深度范围内砂土含水层存在波动变化,在监测期内,冬季略回弹,随后春季地下水开采量增大,地下水位下降,土层呈现压缩趋势。监测结果验证了该系统的可行性与准确性,使得整个地面沉降监测流程趋于自动化、规范化和低成本化,具有广泛的应用前景。     

滑坡对降雨响应的多指标监测及综合预警探析:以赣南罗坳滑坡为例

降雨量和位移是当前降雨型滑坡监测预警最常用的指标。然而,降雨量和位移监测结果只能反映降雨作用下滑坡的变形情况,不能揭示滑坡内在物理力学性状对降雨的响应。因此,除降雨量和位移监测之外,建立包括体积含水率、基质吸力等反映滑坡动态演化过程的关键指标监测体系必将成为今后更真实地把握滑坡内在演化趋势、更准确地建立滑坡综合预警判据的最有效手段。笔者对赣南地区典型降雨型滑坡进行了多指标监测及综合预警示范研究。结果表明:(1)在降雨条件下滑坡土体内部体积含水率、基质吸力和温度等多指标均产生有规律的动态响应;(2)随着降雨的持续,滑体体积含水率与基质吸力的变化均具有显著的滞后现象;(3)体积含水率和基质吸力变化速率与滑体位移具有显著的正相关性;(4)滑体温度分布变化规律受大气温度和体积含水率的共同影响。以实测数据的滑坡稳定性分析为基准,在考虑实际降雨入渗深度与滑坡稳定性的关联度上,建立了包括日降雨量、体积含水率增加速率、基质吸力减小速率以及位移速度多元指标预警方法体系,提出了基于关键指标综合预警体系及确定方法,旨在为降雨滑坡准确预警提供新模式。     

随机森林模型预测岩溶区酸性煤矿井水锰污染

酸性煤矿井水严重威胁地下水的水质。如何更有效对受影响区域的地下水源进行动态监测是当前的一个关键问题。采用随机森林中的回归模型,利用自变量(采空区水位、岩溶水位、pH值、泉水流量、电导率)和因变量(污染离子浓度)的相关性,建立回归模型;使用测试数据进行误差分析,结果证明模型准度较高,所得预测值具有参考价值;得出各自变量对因变量影响的重要程度,分析结果与实际情况相符合。试验表明,随机森林回归模型在酸性煤矿井水污染预测方面具有适用性,可作为辅助手段监测水质污染情况,对今后工作有一定的指导意义和经济价值。     

市级自然资源调查监测体系构建探索——以徐州市为例

自然资源调查是实现自然资源统一管理的重要前提和基础性工作。本文通过对自然资源分类体系、调查方案和数据库组织的研究,构建了以第三次国土调查和各类专项调查数据为基础的自然资源调查监测体系,提出了新的数据库组织和更新方法,并在江苏省徐州市进行了实践验证,形成了地市级调查成果,旨在为全国范围内地级市自然资源调查工作提供参考,构建可复制、可推广的调查体系。     

Policy options to streamline the carbon market for agricultural nitrous oxide emissions

The majority of emissions of nitrous oxide – a potent greenhouse gas (GHG) – are from agricultural sources, particularly nitrogen fertilizer applications. A growing focus on these emission sources has led to the development in the United States of GHG offset protocols that could enable payment to farmers for reducing fertilizer use or implementing other nitrogen management strategies. Despite the development of several protocols, the current regional scope is narrow, adoption by farmers is low, and policy implementation of protocols has a significant time lag. Here we utilize existing research and policy structures to propose an ‘umbrella’ approach for nitrogen management GHG emissions protocols that has the potential to streamline the policy implementation and acceptance of such protocols. We suggest that the umbrella protocol could set forth standard definitions common across multiple protocol options, and then modules could be further developed as scientific evidence advances. Modules could be developed for specific crops, regions, and practices. We identify a policy process that could facilitate this development in concert with emerging scientific research and conclude by acknowledging potential benefits and limitations of the approach.

Key policy insights

• Agricultural greenhouse gas market options are growing, but are still underutilized

• Streamlining protocol development through an umbrella process could enable quicker development of protocols across new crops, regions, and practices

• Effective protocol development must not compromise best available science and should follow a rigorous pathway to ensure appropriate implementation

     

Mid-Century Strategies: pathways to a low-carbon future?

Since the Paris Agreement was adopted in 2015, both national and subnational governments have been encouraged to submit Mid-Century Strategies, outlining how they would reach their deep decarbonization goals. However, research on the design and potential of these strategies has been very limited. To address this shortcoming, here we assess 13 such strategies – six national, seven subnational – in a comparative fashion. We find that the energy-economy-climate models underpinning these strategies are generally of high quality, though national jurisdictions generally performed better. However, most strategies are not plausible without significant changes to policy, and the industrial sector in particular presents a major limitation. The strategies are helpful in revealing this gap, but much works remains to be done for plausible mid-century decarbonization trajectories to become a reality. We also find that public input and societal participation in strategy building were a double-edged sword depending on the constellation of domestic preferences.

• Governmental Mid-Century Strategies for deep decarbonization are underpinned by high-quality energy-economy-climate models

• Governments’ proposed strategies require significant new policies, as even among jurisdictions that have an MCS, extant policies are insufficient to achieve deep decarbonization

• No jurisdiction studied has yet put forward a plausible decarbonization policy for the industrial sector.

• Public input and societal participation can be a double-edged sword: they can increase durability of the strategy but also enable opposing forces to mobilize against ambitious changes.

     

China’s national carbon emissions trading scheme: lessons from the pilot emission trading schemes,academic literature,and known policy details

Upon completion, China’s national emissions trading scheme (C-ETS) will be the largest carbon market in the world. Recent research has evaluated China’s seven pilot ETSs launched from 2013 on, and academic literature on design aspects of the C-ETS abounds. Yet little is known about the specific details of the upcoming C-ETS. This article combines currently understood details of China’s national carbon market with lessons learned in the pilot schemes as well as from the academic literature. Our review follows the taxonomy of Emissions Trading in Practice: A Handbook on Design and Implementation (Partnership for Market Readiness & International Carbon Action Partnership. (2016). Retrieved from www.worldbank.org): The 10 categories are: scope, cap, distribution of allowances, use of offsets, temporal flexibility, price predictability, compliance and oversight, stakeholder engagement and capacity building, linking, implementation and improvements.

Key policy insights

• Accurate emissions data is paramount for both design and implementation, and its availability dictates the scope of the C-ETS.

• The stakeholder consultative process is critical for effective design, and China is able to build on its extensive experience through the pilot ETSs.

• Current policies and positions on intensity targets and Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) credits constrain the market design of the C-ETS.

• Most critical is the nature of the cap. The currently discussed rate-based cap with ex post adjustment is risky. Instead, an absolute, mass-based emissions cap coupled with the conditional use of permits would allow China to maintain flexibility in the carbon market while ensuring a limit on CO₂ emissions.