Input-Output Analysis of Waste Management

A new scheme of hybrid life-cycle assessment (LCA) termed the waste input-output (WIO) model is presented that ex-plicitly takes into account the interdependence between the flow of goods and waste. The WIO model has two distin-guishing features. First, it expands the Leontief environmental input-output (EIO) model with respect to waste flows. It turns out that the EIO model is a special case of the WIO model in which there is a strict one-to-one correspondence between waste types and treatment methods. By relaxing this condition, the WIO model provides a general framework for LCA of waste management. Second, the WIO model takes into account the "dynamics of waste treatment", which refers to the fact that the input-output relationships of waste treatment are significantly affected by the level and composition of waste feedstock, by incorporating an engineering process model of waste treatment. Because waste treatment is expected to accept whatever waste is generated by industry and households, a proper consideration of this feature is vital for LCA of waste management. We estimated a WIO table for Japan and applied it to evaluating effects of alternative waste management poli-cies with regard to regional concentration of incineration and the sorting of waste with regard to flammability. We found that concentrating treatment in a small number of large incin-erators combined with an increased degree of sorting could decrease both landfill consumption and the emission of carbon dioxide.     

Using Input-Output Analysis to Measure the Environmental Pressure of Consumption at Different Spatial Levels

Input-output modeling is a useful tool for tracing environmental impacts of consumption. Because it includes impacts originating from production layers of infinite order (capturing the entire economy), input-output modeling is highly relevant for studies operating in a life-cycle context. In this article we show how the input-output approach can be used to enumerate the problem of sustainable consumption. Based on a literature survey including research done by the authors we present measures of the emissions of carbon dioxide at different spatial levels: nation, city, and household. Further, we take more environmental effects into account and introduce the concept of environmental efficiency by combining input-output modeling and data envelopment analysis. Finally, we discuss the policy relevance of the different measures. The article demonstrates that input-output modeling has a wide range of life-cycle oriented applications when combined with other data sources such as detailed trade statistics, foreign input-output and environmental statistics, and household expenditure data.     

Waste treatment in product specific life cycle inventories

The final disposal of waste in sanitary landfills generates environmental impacts in the form of gaseous emissions and effluents in the seepage water. In product specific Life Cycle Assessments, these environmental impacts resulting from the disposal of the product under study frequently have a strong influence on the overall results. The Sanitary Landfill (SL), like the Municipal Solid Waste Incineration (MSWI), is a complex system with a large variety of different types of waste with varying input composition. A direct determination of the environmental impacts resulting from the landfilling of a single input component, e.g. by measurements, is not possible. The model approach described in this paper shows an operationalized concept for the allocation of the environmental effects caused by the landfill process to special input components. The calculation of the landfill emissions in the model is based on the emission spectrum (landfill gas and seepage water) of an average-sized landfill in Germany and the elementary composition of the single waste fraction under consideration. The resulting reactor landfill module comprises an average split for diffuse and captured landfill emissions, the use of captured landfill gases in a gas engine and a cleaning of captured seepage water in a waste water treatment plant. A short case study demonstrates the calculation of the effects of landfilling of a defined waste fraction (bottle fraction in post-consumer plastic waste).     

An Analysis of Stocks and Flows Associated with Water Consumption in Indian Households

The focus of urban water system metabolism studies has, by and large, been restricted to what comes under the domain of the urban water utilities: water treatment and supply, and wastewater collection, treatment, and disposal. The material and energy flows both necessitated and facilitated by the supply of treated water to households—the water demand subsystem—are by no means negligible. This article studies the key flows into households associated with water consumption and the environmental impacts related to the same for India as a whole. Electricity consumption in washing machines and water heaters contributes the most to almost all the 13 environmental impact categories considered. This is easily explained by the fossil fuel heaviness of the Indian mix (>60%). Soaps contribute the most to terrestrial eco‐toxicity and malodorous air. In India, on a national scale, all the environmental impact categories deserve attention. The absolute consumption of electricity, soaps, and detergents, and the demand for home appliances will increase in the years to come.     

Consumption and the Rebound Effect: An Industrial Ecology Perspective

Measures taken to protect the environment often have other, unintended effects on society. One concern is that changed behavior may offset part of the environmental gain, something that has variously been labeled "take-back" or "rebound." In energy economics, the rebound effect encompasses both the behavioral and systems responses to cost reductions of energy services as a result of energy efficiency measures. From an industrial ecology perspective, we are concerned about more than just energy use. Any given efficiency measure has several types of environmental impacts. Changes in the various impact indicators are not necessarily in the same direction. Both co-benefits and negative side effects of measures directed to solve one type of problem have been identified. Environment is often a free input, so that a price-based rebound effect is not expected, but other indirect effects not connected to the price, such as spillover of environmental behavior, also occur. If the costs and impact of products that are already environmentally friendly are reduced, the "rebound" can be in the opposite, desired direction. Furthermore, I identify technical spillover effects. Hence a number of related effects, often producing positive results, are not as well understood. Household environmental impact assessments and eco-efficiency assessments take into account the rebound effect, but they do not necessarily take into account these other effects. The analysis hence indicates that the current focus on the rebound effect is too narrow and needs to be extended to cover co-benefits, negative side effects, and spillover effects.     

Expected Environmental Impacts of Pervasive Computing

Pervasive Computing will bring about both additional loads on and benefits to the environment. The prevailing assessment of positive and negative effects will depend on how effectively energy and waste policy governs the development of ICT infrastructures and applications in the coming years. Although Pervasive Computing is not expected to change the impact of the technosphere on the environment radically, it may cause additional material and energy consumption due to the production and use of ICT as well as severe pollution risks that may come about as a result of the disposal of electronic waste. These first-order environmental impacts are to be set off against the second-order effects, such as higher eco-efficiency due to the possibility to optimize material and energy intensive processes or to replace them by pure signal processing (dematerialization). The potential environmental benefits from such second-order effects are considerable and can outweigh the first-order effects. But changes in demand for more efficient services (third-order effects) can counterbalance these savings. The experience gained thus far with ICT impacts has shown that such a rebound effect occurs in most cases of technological innovations.     

Environmental Impacts of Conventional and Sustainable Investment Funds Compared Using Input-Output Life-Cycle Assessment

This study compares equity funds that are managed according to sustainability goals with conventionally managed funds with respect to their environmental impacts. Overlap in the portfolios of sustainable equity funds and conventional equity funds can be very large. Further, the sector allocation of both types of funds is generally very similar, because portfolio managers follow a chosen benchmark to minimize risk. These two effects may result in no difference existing between the two types of funds in terms of their environmental impact and damage (null hypothesis of this research). This study comparatively assesses the environmental impact of portfolios of 26 investment funds: 13 sustainable investment funds and 13 conventional funds, which are managed according to the benchmark MSCI World. The study applies input–output life-cycle assessment (IO-LCA) in combination with a simulation of company-specific environmental performance. The environmental impact is evaluated per functional unit for each fund, measured as the risk-adjusted financial performance. The statistical analysis showed that the analyzed sustainable investment funds performed better with respect to environmental impact assessment but worse in economic risk-adjusted performance (RAP) over the period 2000-2004. In 2004, however, the RAP of the selected sustainable investment funds showed better performance. Both samples considerably overlap for the environmental and economic parameters. The results suggest that the environmental impact of sustainable investment funds in the sample is slightly less than that of conventional funds.     

药用植物资源利用的一种分析模型

在系统分析药用植物资源利用的各方面因素基础上,以资源利用模式为研究切入点,提出了一个基于资源利用模式和模式形成路径的分析模型（Pattem—Path Model）,用于整体分析某一药用体系中植物资源的开发利用水平和发展过程。应用该分析模型对2005版中国药典使用的药用植物资源（549种高等植物）进行了分析,结果表明：中国药典中应用的药用植物,其资源利用发展较成熟（供应持续性良好的植物资源占79％,暂不能持续供应的占21％）;但是资源利用的发展过程不尽合理（部分植物资源的栽培开展滞后于野生资源的枯竭,占40％）。该结论与已有定性评价观点相一致,并量化地体现出资源利用的发展水平和发展过程,能够推广应用到其他药用体系的资源利用分析,为药用植物资源的利用管理提供决策依据。     

Environmental Implications of Resource Use:Environmental Input-Output Analyses for Germany

In a German case study, environmental input-output analyses (eIOA) combined with NAMEA-type tables were conducted for eleven selected environmental pressure variables. (NAMEA is an acronym for national accounts matrix including environmental accounts.) The analyses were conducted to derive the production-cycle-wide resource use and environmental impact potentials of final-demand product groups. The methodology permits identification and preliminary ranking of 10 product chains along which about two-thirds of German production-born environmental pressures arise. The most relevant product groups are construction work, food, motor vehicles, basic metals, and electricity. The ten product groups are characterized by both high resource requirements and high residual outputs (air emissions, wastes). The EU policy areas of integrated product policy and sustainable use of natural resources may address these product chains as a priority in order to identify and explore the possibility of reducing the environmental impacts from products throughout their life cycles and to decouple environmental impacts from resource use.     

我国农村居民生活能源碳排放的时空特征分析

随着生活质量的提高,我国农村居民生活能源消费呈现大幅增长的趋势,成为碳排放增长的新源泉。估算了我国30个省区2001—2013年的农村居民生活能源碳排放,采用碳基尼系数、Arc GIS技术分析了中国省级尺度农村居民生活能源碳排放的时空特征,并利用STIRPAT模型辨明了农村居民生活能源碳排放的主要影响因素。结果表明:(1)2001—2013年农村居民直接生活能源碳排放量和间接生活能源碳排放量分别增长了7.65%、9.16%。(2)东部、中部、西部地区的碳基尼系数呈下降趋势,说明各区域农村居民人均生活能源碳排放量的区域差异总体均呈缩小趋势。(3)2001—2013年间,处于我国农村居民人均直接生活能源碳排放高水平地区的空间格局分布相对较为稳定,而对于人均间接生活能源碳排放来说,处于低水平地区的空间格局分布较为稳定。(4)农村人口规模、农民人均纯收入、农村居民生活消费支出、青壮年人口比重对农村居民生活能源碳排放量具有促进作用,而农村居民能源消费结构对其具有减缓作用,且北方农村居民生活能源碳排放量明显高于南方。(5)从环境Kuznets曲线假说出发,经济发展是促使我国农村居民生活能源碳排放Kuznets曲线存在拐点的重要因素。     

Sectoral Aggregation Error in the Accounting of Energy and Emissions Embodied in Trade and Consumption

Correctly accounting for the energy and emissions embodied in consumption and trade is essential to effective climate policy design. Robust methods are needed for both policy making and research—for example, the assignment of border carbon adjustments (BCAs) and greenhouse gas emission reduction responsibilities rely on the consistency and accuracy of such estimates. This analysis investigates the potential magnitude and consequences of the error present in estimates of energy and emissions embodied in trade and consumption. To quantify the error of embodied emissions accounting, we compare the results from the disaggregated Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP 8) data set, which contains 57 sectors to results from different levels of aggregation of this data set (3, 7, 16, and 26 sectors), using 5,000 randomly generated sectoral aggregation schemes as well as aggregations generated using several commonly applied decisions rules. We find that some commonly applied decision rules for sectoral aggregation can produce a large error. We further show that an aggregation scheme that clusters sectors according to their energy, emissions, and trade intensities (net exports over output) can minimize error in embodied energy and emissions accounting at different levels of aggregation. This sectoral aggregation scheme can be readily used in any input‐output analysis and provide useful information for computable general equilibrium modeling exercises in which sector aggregation is necessary, although our findings suggest that, when possible, the most disaggregated data available should be used.     

The carbon budget of the Spanish forests

A model for the calculation of anthropogenic CO₂ emissions from perturbed forests (extraordinary emissions) is described. Timber production as well as wildfire statistics are used, and relevant physicochemical parameters are derived from the literature, to calculate the annual amounts of perturbed biomass and extraordinary emissions to the atmosphere from the Spanish forests — including soils — in the years 1960–1990; these emissions increased from 5.3 10⁶ t (metric tons) of carbon in 1970 to 10.6 10⁶ t C in 1990. A sensitivity analysis of the results has been performed to identify the most critical parameters. Contributions of observed timber growth and natural vegetal detritus and soil organic matter to the net forest carbon flux have been estimated to calculate the carbon budget in the Spanish forests between 1966 and 1974, which represents a net gain of carbon, ranging from 9.2 to 18 millions t. Finally, the methods used to calculate biospheric carbon balance and their results are compared and discussed.     

白色生物技术在可持续大规模化学生产中的应用

目前几乎所有有机化学品和塑料是从原油和天然气中生产的, 而生物技术的应用使得利用可再生资源进行大规模化工生产成为可能。以下主要综述了白色生物技术, 即利用细菌、酵母或酶将可发酵糖转化为特定的化学产品的技术。白色生物技术极大节省了不可再生能源的消耗, 减少了温室气体的排放。在有利条件下, 如果化工生产中相关技术有了发展并且可以成功以木质纤维素为原料, 那么到2050年不可再生能源的消耗将减少将近2/3 (67%)。欧洲（EU-25）地区的分析表明, 白色生物技术相关的用地在未来几年的欧洲不会受到制约, 尤其是有大量闲置资源的东欧。另外, 虽然原则上可以在白色生物技术中使用自然的细菌和酶, 但是很多专家认为, 利用经遗传改造生物体(GMO)可以达到高产量、高浓度、高效率, 这对实现经济活力是必要的。值得注意的是, 目前并不是所有的重组基因和其他物种间的相互作用所带来的后果都可预见, 因此化工生产释放的GMOs的安全失活和处理非常重要, 但是如果采取足够的预防措施, 在白色生物技术中应用GMOs的风险是可以控制的。我们认为, 生物生产过程的技术突破、下游生产过程的控制、化石燃料的高价格、可发酵糖的低价获得是生物质化学产业发展中的关键因素, 这4个因素及其他伴随策略是发展整体白色生物技术的要求。     

CO2 emissions from land‐use change affected more by nitrogen cycle,than by the choice of land‐cover data

The high uncertainty in land‐based CO₂ fluxes estimates is thought to be mainly due to uncertainty in not only quantifying historical changes among forests, croplands, and grassland, but also due to different processes included in calculation methods. Inclusion of a nitrogen (N) cycle in models is fairly recent and strongly affects carbon (C) fluxes. In this study, for the first time, we use a model with C and N dynamics with three distinct historical reconstructions of land‐use and land‐use change (LULUC) to quantify LULUC emissions and uncertainty that includes the integrated effects of not only climate and CO₂ but also N. The modeled global average emissions including N dynamics for the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000–2005 were 1.8 ± 0.2, 1.7 ± 0.2, and 1.4 ± 0.2 GtC yr^?1, respectively, (mean and range across LULUC data sets). The emissions from tropics were 0.8 ± 0.2, 0.8 ± 0.2, and 0.7 ± 0.3 GtC yr^?1, and the non tropics were 1.1 ± 0.5, 0.9 ± 0.2, and 0.7 ± 0.1 GtC yr^?1. Compared to previous studies that did not include N dynamics, modeled net LULUC emissions were higher, particularly in the non tropics. In the model, N limitation reduces regrowth rates of vegetation in temperate areas resulting in higher net emissions. Our results indicate that exclusion of N dynamics leads to an underestimation of LULUC emissions by around 70% in the non tropics, 10% in the tropics, and 40% globally in the 1990s. The differences due to inclusion/exclusion of the N cycle of 0.1 GtC yr^?1 in the tropics, 0.6 GtC yr^?1 in the non tropics, and 0.7 GtC yr^?1 globally (mean across land‐cover data sets) in the 1990s were greater than differences due to the land‐cover data in the non tropics and globally (0.2 GtC yr^?1). While land‐cover information is improving with satellite and inventory data, this study indicates the importance of accounting for different processes, in particular the N cycle.     

农地利用碳强度及可持续性动态变化——以山东省平度市为例

以中国东部山东省平度市为案例区,通过识别重要的农地利用碳排放源和构建碳排放测算体系,包括农用化学物质投入间接碳排放、耗能碳排放、氮肥施用后导致的土壤直接N_2O释放、秸秆燃烧碳排放和牲畜养殖CH_4和N_2O排放,测算了1995—2013年农地利用的碳排放量;结合农产品产值分析了农地利用碳强度变化特征,结合农作物碳吸收分析了农地利用的碳可持续指数的变化规律。研究得出:(1)1995—2013年平度年均碳排放量的次序是:农资投入22.50万t牲畜养殖17.41万t秸秆燃烧6.62万t,其中秸秆燃烧碳排放呈逐年增加态势,而农资投入和畜牧养殖均呈逐年减少趋势。(2)平度农地利用碳强度变化结果表明,农产品产值增加速度超过农地利用碳排放速度,单位产值碳排放已从1995年的1.24 t/元降至2013年的0.35 t/元。(3)碳可持续性指数变化特征表明,平度农地利用过程中碳吸收大于碳排放,且碳可持续性指数以年均7.12%速率增长,故平度农作物生产期的碳吸收能够完全消纳农地利用过程中所产生碳排放。该研究不仅为中小尺度以及我国东部区域的农地利用碳排放及可持续发展提供科学依据,而且有益于推进我国农业的碳减排,并为国际全球环境变化人文因素计划中LUCC、碳循环等重大问题的研究提供基本素材。     

区域旅游交通碳排放测度模型及实证分析

交通是旅游业发展的基础,旅游交通的碳排放是旅游业碳排放的主体部分。合理配置区域旅游交通是旅游业可持续发展的重要保障。从区域的角度出发,构建区域旅游交通碳排放测算模型,并以南京市和黄山市为例进行分析。研究发现:(1)区域经济和旅游发展水平是影响旅游交通碳排放的重要因素,且经济发展水平和旅游发展水平对旅游交通碳排放"贡献"的大小和方向不同;(2)区域旅游交通碳排放主要在区外,区内比例较小。2008至2012年,南京市旅游交通碳排放中区外部分所占比例平均达到89.13%,黄山市平均达到90.21%,两城市区外与区内部分之比均约为9∶1;(3)区域旅游交通碳排放结构中,民航所占比重最大,其次是公路和铁路,区域交通结构的优化有利于旅游交通碳排放的减少;(4)区域各类交通方式中,外部交通的碳排放中旅游业的贡献较大,而城市内部交通的碳排放中旅游业的贡献较小。     

Diurnal changes in nitric oxide emissions from conventional tillage and pasture sites in the Amazon Basin: influence of soil temperature

We have investigated a subset of restoration practices applied to a degraded pasture at Fazenda Nova Vida, a 22000 ha cattle ranch in Rond^onia, Brazil. Nitric oxide (NO) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from soils were measured in conventional tillage and current pasture sites to assess N and C losses. Mean daily NO emissions from tilled plots were at least twice those from the pasture. Nitric oxide emissions from the tilled sites showed a strong diurnal pattern, while those from the pasture sites did not. Mean daytime NO emissions from the tilled sites were 9.7 g NO-N m^–2 h^–1, while mean nighttime emissions were 29.7 g NO-N m^–2 h^–1. In the pasture sites, NO emissions were 7.6 g NO-N m^–2 h^–1 during the day, and 7.7 g NO-N m^–2 h^–1 at night. Surface soil temperature was a good inverse predictor (r ²=0.75) of NO emissions from the tilled sites. Carbon dioxide emissions from the tilled sites were generally larger than CO₂ emissions from the pasture sites. The mean CO₂ emission rate from the tilled sites was 179 mg C m^–2 h^–1, while it was 123 mg C m^–2 h^–1 from the pasture sites. There was no distinct diurnal pattern for CO₂ emissions. We found that the very high temperatures measured at the soil surface in the tillage plots, in the range of 40–45°C, reduced the rate of NO emission. The reduction in NO emissions may be because of the sensitivity of autotrophic nitrifiers to high temperatures. This study provides insights on how land-use change may alter regional NO fluxes by exposing certain microbial communities to extreme environmental conditions. Future studies of NO emissions in tropical agricultural systems where soils are bare for extend periods need to make diurnal measurements or the daily fluxes will be substantially underestimated.     

Impact of winter roads on boreal peatland carbon exchange

Across Canada's boreal forest, linear disturbances, including cutlines such as seismic lines and roads, crisscross the landscape to facilitate resource exploration and extraction; many of these linear disturbances cross peatland ecosystems. Changes in tree canopy cover and the compression of the peat by heavy equipment alter local thermal, hydrological, and ecological conditions, likely changing carbon exchange on the disturbance, and possibly in the adjacent peatland. We measured bulk density, water table, soil temperature, plant cover, and CO₂ and CH₄ flux along triplicate transects crossing a winter road through a wooded fen near Peace River, Alberta, Canada. Sample plots were located 1, 5, and 10 m from the road on both sides with an additional three plots on the road. Productivity of the overstory trees, when present, was also determined. The winter road had higher bulk density, shallower water table, higher graminoid cover, and thawed earlier than the adjacent peatland. Tree productivity and CO₂ flux varied between the plots, and there was no clear pattern in relation to distance from the road. The plots on the winter road acted as a greater CO₂ sink and greater CH₄ source compared to the adjacent peatland with plots on the winter road emitting on average (standard error) 479 (138) compared to 41 (10) mg CH₄ m^?2 day^?1 in the adjacent peatland. Considering both gases, global warming potential increased from 70 to 250 g CO₂e m^?2 year^?1 in the undisturbed area to 2100 g CO₂e m^?2 year^?1 on the winter road. Although carbon fluxes on any given cutline through peatland will vary depending on level of compaction, line width and vegetation community shifts, the large number of linear disturbances in Canada's boreal forest and slow recovery on peatland ecosites suggest they could represent an important anthropogenic greenhouse gas source.     

Ecological and environmental effects of land use change in rapid urbanization: The case of hangzhou,China

Land use changes sharply under rapid urbanization, yet its ecological and environmental effects are often neglected in land use decisions. Using the case of Hangzhou, China, we analyze the ecological and environmental effects of land use changes, including ecosystem services value (ESV) and carbon emissions, based on Landsat TM images from 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2014. We found significant ecological and environmental effects of land use changes under rapid urbanization. The value of ecosystem services in Hangzhou decreased from 546.7 million USD in 1995 to 448.97 million USD in 2014, and the ratio of ESV to GDP decreased from 5.8% to 0.6%. The net carbon emissions associated with land use changes increased from 4.26 million tons in 1995 to 15.10 million tons in 2014, mainly due to the increase of built-up land carbon emissions and the decrease of forest land carbon sink. The ESV is unevenly distributed spatially and low ESV spread from the central to the peripheral area. We use scenario analysis to illustrate that economic growth and environmental protection could be coordinated by bringing ecological and environmental effects into land use decisions.     

基于土地利用变化的四川省碳排放与碳足迹效应及时空格局

土地利用变化的碳排放与碳足迹研究对了解人类活动对生态环境的扰动程度及其机理、制定有效的碳排放政策具有重要意义。采用1990—2010年四川省能源消费数据和土地利用数据,通过构建碳排放模型、碳足迹及其压力指数模型,对研究区20年来土地利用的碳排放及碳足迹进行了定量分析。结果表明:(1)土地利用变化的碳排放和能源消费碳的足迹呈显著增加趋势。碳排放增加5407.839×10~4t,增长率达143%;能源消费的碳足迹增加1566.622×10~4hm~2,四川全省的生态赤字达1563.598×10~4hm~2。(2)建设用地和林地分别为四川省最大的碳源与碳汇。20年间建设用地的碳排放增加5407.072×10~4t,增长率达126.27%,占碳排放总量的88%以上;林地的碳汇减少10.351×10~4t,但仍占四川省碳汇的96%以上。(3)土地利用碳排放、碳足迹和生态赤字存在明显区域差异。成都平原区碳排放、碳足迹压力最大,生态赤字严重,西部高山高原区和盆周山区碳排放、碳足迹最小,未出现生态赤字;成都、德阳、资阳和内江等地的碳排放、碳足迹压力最大,生态赤字最严重,甘孜、阿坝等地的碳排放、碳足迹最小,未出现生态赤字。(4)土地利用结构与碳排放、碳足迹存在一定的相互关系,趋高的碳源、碳汇比导致土地利用的碳源效应远大于碳汇效应。因此,四川省减排的重点应该在保持或增加现有的林地的同时,主要以降低建设用地的碳排放、碳足迹为主。