Formulation Of Management Policies Research Articles

Analysis of Annual Spatiotemporal Variations in Carbon Stock in the Urban Agglomeration of the Middle Yangtze River Basin, China

Terrestrial ecosystem carbon stock (TECS) is critical to socioeconomic development and ecosystem services and is jointly affected by land use and cover and climate change. However, the dynamics of long-term annual TECS levels in urban agglomeration remain largely unknown, and research mostly ignores the spatial heterogeneity of climate factors, compromising sustainable environmental management and land planning strategies. To this end, we integrated field observations of carbon density, land use, and climate factors to map the annual distribution of TECS and analyzed their spatiotemporal variations and policy implications in the urban agglomeration of the middle Yangtze River Basin in China from 1990 to 2020. The results showed that 43,855.47 km2 of the land of the urban agglomeration changed from 1990 to 2020, accounting for 12.54% of the study area. The farmland and forest land area fluctuated and reduced, and the construction land area increased significantly. The increase in construction land was mainly from farmland and forest land. The TECS in urban agglomerations underwent a remarkable change, the overall trend fluctuated downward, and the maximum interannual variation was 1560 Tg. The transfer of construction land, farmland, forest land, shrubs, grassland, and other land mainly caused the change in carbon storage. Due to abnormal climate change, the urban agglomeration in some areas illustrated carbon storage with a spatially aggregated distribution. When considering the impact of climate change on carbon density, the TECS changes of land types other than forest land were found to be consistent with the area change but more significant due to climate change. The research results can provide reference data for regional land management policy formulation and realization of “dual carbon” goals.

Construction of carbon emission evaluation methods and indicators for low-carbon technologies in buildings

Global climate change is an increasingly prominent issue, with the building stock significantly to carbon emissions (CEs). Evaluating the effectiveness of renewal pathways and technologies is essential for carbon reduction in this domain. This study adopts theoretical research, field investigations, simulation analysis, and mathematical calculations, and innovatively integrates whole life-cycle evaluation with inventory methods. The carbon emissions reduction (CER) evaluation boundary of low carbon technologies (LCTs) is defined as the pre- and post-application operational stages and technology application stage. A novel comprehensive CER efficiency (CERE) indicator is established, combining the CER with embodied carbon payback time (ECPT), in addition to recommendations for the selection of evaluation criteria based on diverse building requirements. Simulations and calculations for four commonly used LCTs in Chongqing revealed that CERE provides a more holistic evaluation of CER effectiveness than traditional indicators, and identified a suite of LCTs suitable for Chongqing, encompassing replacement of energy-efficient lamps, roof photovoltaics and air source heat pumps. The findings provide a scientific basis for guiding the application of LCTs, renewal pathways and decarbonization management policy formulation in the building sector.

Recent Advances and Implications for Aviation Emission Inventory Compilation Methods

With the rapid development of industrialization and urbanization in China, civil aviation plays an increasingly important role in the transportation industry. However, pollutants and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from civil aviation are becoming an increasingly concerning environmental problem. In order to mitigate the resulting environmental pollution, such as air quality deterioration, regional and global climate warming, and declining human health, more and more efforts have been devoted to reducing both pollutants and GHG emissions. Among these efforts, emissions inventories from civil aviation provide a basis for quantifying pollutants and GHG emissions, establishing evaluation standards of environmental impact, and formulating management policies for both air quality improvement and climate change mitigation. In this paper, we reviewed both compilation approaches and data collection methods for civil aviation emissions inventories, introduced several typical calculation methods for aviation emissions inventories, and analyzed specific cases of actual application based on typical methods of inventory compilation. We also described in detail the activity level and emission index calculation methods of several pollutants and greenhouse gases. Furthermore, based on the above research methods, four typical application cases were investigated, including a specific airport, the landing and takeoff (LTO) cycle of a nation, the entire period with the LTO cycle and the climb–cruise–descent (CCD) phase of a country, and global emissions inventories from civil aviation. The results suggest that, in addition to quantifying the emissions of both pollutants and GHG produced by civil aviation, the selection of inventory compilation methods is likely to be important for improving aviation emission inventory accuracy and for further reducing the environmental, economic, and health impacts resulting from aviation emissions. Moreover, this paper can also provide a reference and theoretical basis for the development of aviation emission inventory compilation methods in the future.

Environmental Regulations, Green Technological Innovation, and Green Economy: Evidence from China

With the advancement of the green economy, the influence of the environmental regulations on green technological innovation and the green economy is increasingly expanding. This paper investigates the impact of the environmental regulations and corporate green technological innovation on the green economy. We hope to explore how the environmental regulations affect the green economy through corporate green innovation. Thus, the research aims to enhance our understanding of the impact of the environmental regulations on the green economy. By incorporating the fixed-effects models, mediation models, spatial models, and regression analysis, this paper unveils the impact process of the environmental regulations on the green economy. The research findings are as follows: (1) The environmental regulations show the direct capacity to facilitate the elevation of the green economy. (2) Through the mediating variable of corporate green technological innovation, the environmental regulations could indirectly enhance the green economy. (3) Significant spatial correlations exist between the environmental regulations and corporate green technological innovation activities across the different regions in China. (4) Substantial disparities are evident in the relationships among the environmental regulations, green technological innovation, and the green economy across the various regions in China. The findings presented in this paper serve to broaden the scope of research on the relationship between the environmental regulations and the green economy. Moreover, it offers essential insights for the relevant government authorities and businesses in formulating management policies.

A Study of Age, Sex Ratio, Gonado-Somatic Index, Fecundity, and Breeding Season, of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus Linnaeus, 1758) from Khashm El-Girba Reservoir and Atbara River, Eastern Sudan

This study aims to investigate some reproductive aspects of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus in the Khashm El-Girba reservoir and Atbara River, eastern Sudan. The study was conducted during December 2015 to November 2016. Samples were collected bi-monthly basis from three localities, namely; Um Aswad (Atbara River), El-Remila, and El-Monaba (Khashm El-Girba reservoir), using beach seine nets of 1.2 cm 4.0 cm and 7.0 cm stretched mesh. A total of 1595 O. niloticus specimens were collected from all sampling sites. The age of O. niloticus was estimated using five anterior vertebrae of fish body; The results indicate that the age ranged between 0+ to 4+ years. Most of the collected fish specimens were of age 1+, with females most dominant at this age. Sex ratio was 1:1(M: F). Gonado-somatic index (GSI) of females of O. niloticus ranged between 1.965 – 2.620, and from 0.434 – 0.439 for males. Two periods of increase of GSI were observed reflecting two breeding seasons of this species. Used gravimetric method to estimate the average fecundity of O. niloticus ranged between 481 eggs in Um Aswad sampling site, and 638 in El-Remila site. The fecundity of O. niloticus has a high correlation with gonadal weight (r=0.82708) but a low correlation with standard length (r=0.47612) and total weight (r=0.50874). The results of this investigation on O. niloticus indicate that the age of the fish ranged from 0+ to 4+ years, with a sex ratio of 1:1. The Gonado-somatic Index (GSI) indicated two spawning seasons, and fecundity was found to be strongly correlated with gonad weight, and moderately correlated with total length and standard length. This results can be used formulate management policies and procedures for protecting and conserving the fisheries resources and to regulate and improve the catches of the most important commercial fish species in that region.

Examining Satisfaction Factors among Young Vietnamese Tourists: A Study of Traditional Cuisine in Hue City, Vietnam

The satisfaction of tourists plays a crucial role in enhancing the image of a tourist destination and influencing their decision to visit and revisit. Despite numerous global studies on this issue, there needs to be more research on factors influencing tourist satisfaction with traditional cuisine, especially for young Vietnamese tourists in a historic city like Hue, Vietnam. This study surveyed 250 young domestic tourists visiting Hue in early 2023 and included 12 semi-structured interviews with culinary experts, chefs, and tourism businesses. The results of hypothesis testing revealed that factors related to traditional Hue cuisine, such as Culinary Quality (CQ), Service Quality (SQ), Food hygiene and safety (HS), and Fair Price (FP), positively impact Customer Satisfaction (SAT). However, the factor of Restaurant Environment (RE) was rejected. Additionally, the interview results highlighted the significance of traditional Hue cuisine in tourism development. The study proposes policies and solutions to enhance tourist satisfaction with traditional Hue cuisine. This research contributes to formulating management policies and promoting traditional cuisine as a crucial factor in attracting visitors to tourist destinations.

The cekungan bandung urban area management policy formulation

This research aims to explain the management of the Cekungan Bandung Urban Area with a focus on three policy formulations, namely process, content and context in the social, environmental and economic dimensions. The research method used is a qualitative approach. Data collection techniques include observation and interviews with stakeholders, using purposive sampling techniques, including the Head of West Java Province Regional Development Planning Agency, district/city Bappeda heads, planners (Badan Perencanaan Dan Pembangunan Daerah, Bappeda), Regional People`s Representative Assembly (Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat Daerah, DPRD members), Legal Bureau and Collaboration Bureau Heads in West Java Province, and Academic Manuscript Compiler. Due to the absence of comfortable, safe, and punctual public transportation, people continue to use private vehicles, leading to unresolved traffic congestion and environmental pollution, thus resulting in economic losses. The results show the formulation of policies for managing the urban area of the Cekungan Bandung, specifically the establishment of BP Cek ban, faced challenges due to a lack of authority in managing financial and human resources. The agency couldn’t execute programs or activities and implement the development due to limitations in legal authority over state finances. Alternative policies were not effectively synchronized between government levels and lacked legislative support, hindered by regional autonomy. The contribution of the research is as reference material for the government in formulating management policies for the Cekubgan Bandung urban area.

Evaluation of Waste Management Policy Formulation: Case Study of Implementation of Tomohon Mayor Regulation Number 30 of 2019

Waste is one of the many urgent problems to be resolved by local governments. Various regulations have been established. However, in its implementation it is faced with various obstacles. Failure in a policy is not only seen from the implementation aspect. However, it can also be studied from the formulation aspect. Researchers examined the Waste Management Policy Formulation by the Tomohon City Government. With the focus of the study on the policy formulation process, examine and analyze why the presence of Tomohon Mayor Regulation Number 30 of 2019 has not succeeded in overcoming the problem of waste accumulation and management at the Tomohon City Waste Final Processing Site located in Taratara Village. The research design used is qualitative. The research findings were that the problem analysis stage did not work because the preparation of Jakstrada only followed directions from the center through the pocket book for the preparation of Jakstrada which is a derivative of Jakstranas without any research or problem identification process. The development of measures process which is lacking in deepening the problem results in not maximizing the measurement of situations or conditions to formulate appropriate policies. The determination of impacts process was not carried out to estimate the level of success of the policies made. Budgeting problems were discovered which resulted in the policies that had been set not being able to run according to what was set and required in the waste management process.

Exploring the Emotional Geographies of Teacher-to-Teacher and Teacher-to-Principal Interactions: Toward Educational Management Policy Formulation

<p style="text-align:justify">This study addresses the emergence of unwarranted conflicts and raptured ties within teacher-to-principal and teacher-to-teacher interactions. It highlights the neglect of emotions in relationships, which has been a gap in this research. Unlike existing scholarly focus on cognitive and pragmatic aspects of relationships, this study explores emotional geographies. Its objective is to promote positive relationships between and among teachers and principals by examining emotionality in their political and professional geographies. Furthermore, it seeks to formulate a policy and develop a program that restores ruptured interactions. This research employed an exploratory sequential mixed method. The qualitative analysis involved thematic and reflexive analysis. Statistical methods, such as frequencies and percentages, weighted mean, and Pearson correlation coefficient, were employed for quantitative analysis. The findings identified both positive and negative behaviors in the political and professional geographies. The results of the interviews produced a four-quadrant chart. Positive behaviors were positioned in Quadrants I and IV, and negative behaviors in Quadrants II and III. Pearson correlation coefficient indicated a moderate positive correlation in the interactions of teachers with the principal and interaction with colleagues in both political and professional geographies. This study concludes that addressing emotional geographies is crucial to repairing strained relationships between teachers and principals and among teachers. The formulation of educational management policies and programs is a vital step toward achieving this goal.</p>

A Quantitative Approach for Identifying Nitrogen Sources in Complex Yeongsan River Watershed, Republic of Korea, Based on Dual Nitrogen Isotope Ratios and Hydrological Model

Effective management of nitrate loading in complex river systems requires quantitative estimation to trace different nitrogen sources. This study aims to validate an integrated framework using soluble nitrogen isotope ratios (δ15N–NH4 and δ15N–NO3) and hydrological modeling (hydrological simulation program SPARROW) of the main stream and tributaries in the Yeongsan River to determine anthropogenic nitrogen fluxes among different land-use types in the complex river watershed. The δ15N–NH4 and δ15N–NO3 isotopic compositions varied across different land-use types (4.9 to 15.5‰ for δ15N–NH4 and −4.9 to 12.1‰ for δ15N–NO3), reflecting the different sources of nitrogen in the watershed (soil N including synthetic fertilizer N, manure N, and sewage treatment plant effluent N). We compared the soluble nitrogen isotopic compositions (δ15N–NH4 and δ15N–NO3) of the river water with various nitrogen sources (soil N, manure N, and sewage N) to assess their contribution, revealing that N from sewage treatment plant effluent as a point source was dominant during the dry season and N from forest- and soil-derived non-point sources was dominant due to intensive rainfall during the wet season. The coefficient of determination (R2) between the measured pollution load and the predicted pollution load calculated by the SPARROW model was 0.95, indicating a high correlation. In addition, the EMMA-based nitrogen contributions compared to the SPARROW-based nitrogen fluxes were similar to each other, indicating that large amounts of forest- and soil-derived N may be transported to the Yeongsan River watershed as non-point sources, along with the effect of sewage treatment plant effluent N as a point source. This study provides valuable insights for the formulation of management policies to control nitrogen inputs from point and non-point sources across different land-use types for the restoration of water quality and aquatic ecosystems in complex river systems. Given the recent escalation in human activity near aquatic environments, this framework is effective in estimating the quantitative contribution of individual anthropogenic nitrogen sources transported along riverine systems.

Incorporating ecosystem services into functional zoning and adaptive management of natural protected areas as case study of the Shennongjia region in China

Against the background of global climate change and anthropogenic interference, studying the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of ecosystem services in important ecological function regions and rationally dividing the functional zones will help to promote the construction of the natural protected areas system dominated by national parks. The Shennongjia Region is an important candidate for China's national parks and one of the key pilots. Integrating the InVEST model, Getis-Ord Gi* index, hotspot analysis, GeoDetector and K-means clustering algorithm, we measured five ecosystem services interactions and delineate the functional zones. The results show that the spatial and temporal evolution of various ecosystem services in the Shennongjia Region between 2000 and 2020 was significant. All ecosystem services showed a decreasing and then increasing trend, except for carbon storage, which slowly declined. The ecological status of the region is in the process of polarization, with the local environment showed a trend of continuous deterioration. Water yield-habitat quality and carbon storage-water purification showed synergistic relationships; soil conservation showed trade-offs with water yield, carbon storage and water purification over a wide spatial range. The interaction between land surface temperature and vegetation cover was the most significant dominant factor. Hot spots for the comprehensive ecosystem services index were mainly located in the central and southern parts of the Shennongjia region and four types of ecosystem service functional zones were identified accordingly. This study is of great significance for maximizing the benefits of ecosystem service functions, the efficient allocation of environmental resources and the rational formulation of management policies in natural protected areas.

Occurrence, removal, and risk assessment of emerging contaminants in aquatic products processing sewage treatment plants.

Emerging contaminants (ECs) in aquatic environments have attracted attention due to their wide distribution and potential ecotoxicities. Sewage treatment plants (STPs) are proven to be the major source of ECs in the aquatic environment, while there remains insufficient understanding of the removal and risk assessment of ECs in STPs. Here, we clarified the degradation and risk impact of 13 ECs in two aquatic product processing sewage treatment plants (APPSTPs) along the southeast coast of China. The concentrations of ECs followed the order: endocrine-disrupting chemicals (1877.85-15,398.02ng/L in influent, 3.37-44.47ng/L in effluent) > > sulfonamide antibiotics (SAs, 75.14-906.19ng/L in influent, 1.14-15.33ng/L in effluent) > pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs, 44.47-589.93ng/L in influent, 2.54-34.16ng/L in effluent) ≈ fluoroquinolone antibiotic (54.76-434.83ng/L in influent, 10.75-32.82ng/L in effluent) > other antibiotics (16.21-51.96ng/L in influent, 0.68-6.17ng/L in effluent). Moreover, the concentrations of PPCPs (decreased by 55.33-87.65% in peak fishing season) and antibiotics (increased by 44.99% in peak fishing season) were affected by fishing activities. In particular, the sequencing batch reactor (SBR) process had a better removal effect than the anaerobic-anoxic-oxic (A2/O) process on the treatment of some contaminants (e.g., norfloxacin and nonylphenol). Risk evaluations of ECs demonstrated that nonylphenol and SAs were at high- and low-risk states, respectively. Overall, our results provide important information for the degradation treatment of ECs, which is essential for pollutant management policy formulation.

The Analysis of Residents' Intention to Consume Pre-Made Dishes in China: A Grounded Theory.

The demand for pre-made dishes has increased in China. However, a detailed understanding of residents' intention to consume pre-made dishes is lacking in the existing studies. This research aims to investigate the consumer motives and intention to consume pre-made dishes. Through in-depth interviews and analysis, this research explores the factors influencing the residents' intention along the research steps of grounded theory. Fifty-one residents participated in semi-structured interviews via face-to-face or online interviews. Three motives for purchasing pre-made dishes were attitude, subjective norm, and perceived control. These were influenced by external factors, including environmental features and product features. Subjective characteristics are pre-existing characteristics of individuals themselves, including cooking skills, food skills, housework allocation, and eating attitudes, which play a moderating role in the relationship between external factors and consumer motives. Based on the six major categories, this study built a model of the formation mechanism of the consumer intention to consume pre-made dishes. It revealed the psychological attribution of residents' consumption of pre-made dishes. The finding of this study contributes to the understanding of the internal logic of PMDs' consumer intention formation. It would be a guide for researchers to map out appropriate business development strategies, and provide evidence for the government in formulating management policies.

Groundwater Recharge Assessment for Small Karstic Catchment Basins with Different Extents of Anthropogenic Development

Climate change and anthropogenic development considerably influence groundwater resource distribution and conditions. Catchment basin groundwater recharge—discharge computation reliability is needed for effective groundwater management policy formulation and implementation and also for resolving environmental challenges in such a watershed. This paper compares groundwater recharge patterns between urbanized and nearly natural small catchment basins of Israel’s Western Mountain Aquifer (WMA). The correlation between precipitation volumes and surface runoff shows that surface runoff volume constitutes 3–4% of the precipitation volume in the Natuf catchment and 1–2% in the Te’enim catchment. These assessments reflect the differences in the land use, outcrop lithology, topography and hydrodynamic properties of the WMA within the model basins. A groundwater recharge assessment based on water balance and water table fluctuation methods was performed for the mountainous karstic Te’enim and Natuf catchment basins for all the available data from 2000 to 2020. The water balance method provided reliable estimates. The groundwater recharge assessment considered land use classification and climate changes during this period. The average multiannual groundwater recharge values for the 2000–2021 period varied from 17.6 × 106–24.8 × 106 m3 to 24.5–29.2 × 106 m3 for the Te’enim and Natuf catchment basins, respectively. For the relatively dry period of the 2013/2014–2017/2018 hydrological years when detailed measurements of the surface runoff were available, the corresponding groundwater recharge volumes were 17.6 × 106 m3 and 24.5 × 106 m3. The corresponding local groundwater recharge coefficients constitute 0.46–0.57 for the mostly agricultural Te’enim basin and 0.29–0.32 for the urbanized Natuf basin. A significant difference in the groundwater recharge coefficients between the studied catchments is caused mostly by the differences in land use. It is suggested that applying such a groundwater recharge estimation for small hydrological sub-basins can improve one’s understanding of the groundwater recharge distribution within a major basin, enabling the application of an accurate regional hydrogeological model that may be extrapolated to other similar regions.

International Students’ Satisfaction with Online Learning and Faculty Engagement during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Northwestern Chinese Universities

International students in China had not anticipated the unprecedented disruption to their educational experiences caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In China, COVID-19 movement control on campus was managed solely by university authorities. Online teaching and learning following multilevel procedures were implemented for centralized emergency response, decision-making, and information dissemination. This study examined international studentsʼ academic and non-academic experiences in northwestern Chinese universities during the pandemic. Kuh’s engagement theory of learning and the Keaveney and Young’s Satisfaction Model were adapted and employed for insights into student satisfaction. The study was informed by Creswell’s “exploratory sequential” mixed methods research design. The in-depth interviews with selected students from three universities with the highest international student intakes in northwest China yielded four factors affecting students’ satisfaction, namely, online learning experience, in class-interaction, out-of-class faculty-students engagement, and out-ofclass student initiative. A validated questionnaire was distributed following the interviews at three universities. 410 international students completed the questionnaire. The analysis revealed a moderate level of satisfaction with both online learning and the faculty-students engagement during the pandemic. However, international students’ expectations differed according to their respective backgrounds and disciplines. Undergraduates yearned for more interpersonal communication, while postgraduate students desired academic engagement during online learning and fulfilment of graduation criteria. These findings should help the universities in Northwest China with strategic planning and the formulation of management policies pertaining to international student satisfaction.

Monitoring the dynamic changes in vegetation cover and driving factors from 2000 to 2020 in the Maoershan Forest Farm region, China, using satellite remote sensing data

Aim of study: Natural climate change is a central driver of global ecosystem and forest change. Climate change and topographical factors have had the greatest impact on different types of forests around the world. We used remote sensing technology to detect and analyze the temporal and spatial changes of forest vegetation to provide reference for regional management. Area of study: Maoershan Forest Farm, China. Material and methods: The Landsat images were preprocessed using ArcGIS and ENVI software. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was calculated to identify vegetation changes from 2000 to 2020. In addition, the vegetation fraction cover (VFC) was calculated using the pixel binary model. The driving factors and their influences on vegetation changes in this region were determined using the random forest algorithm and Pearson correlation analysis method. Main results: From 2000 to 2020, the NDVI showed an overall increasing trend. The results indicated that compared with the climatic factors, topographic factors were more important to vegetation growth in the study area. Among the topographic factors, elevation was the most important factor affecting vegetation growth and both showed a negative correlation. Among the climatic factors, relative humidity was the primary driving factor affecting vegetation growth and both showed a positive correlation. Research highlights: Accurate and timely assessment of vegetation change and its relationship to climate and topographical changes can provide very useful information for policy makers, governments and planners in formulating management policies.

Spatio-Temporal Distribution Characteristics of Intangible Cultural Heritage and Tourism Response in the Beijing–Hangzhou Grand Canal Basin in China

The Beijing–Hangzhou Grand Canal is renowned for being one of the longest and largest canals in the world. Running from Beijing to Hangzhou (north to south), it connects China’s five major water systems and has an important impact on the ecological environment and economy of northern and southern China. It also boasts a large quantity of intangible cultural heritage (ICH). Clarifying the spatio-temporal distribution pattern of ICH in the Beijing–Hangzhou Grand Canal Basin and its influencing factors is essential for the protection and utilization of heritage resources and the formulation of management policies. In this study, 977 national ICH items in the Beijing–Hangzhou Grand Canal Basin are analyzed with the help of ArcGIS spatial analysis technology, SPSS regression analysis, and human geography research methods. The results show that the national ICH in the Beijing–Hangzhou Grand Canal Basin has complete categories but varies in provincial scale, particularly between the north and south parts. According to the analysis using tools such as kernel density estimation, standard deviation ellipse, and the center-of-gravity model, it is clear that the ICH in the Beijing–Hangzhou Grand Canal Basin shows different degrees of sub-type aggregation, varying directional characteristics of each batch of ICH, and a centre of gravity of ICH with a tendency to shift in multiple directions. The main factors affecting the spatio-temporal distribution pattern of ICH in the Beijing–Hangzhou Grand Canal Basin are natural geographical factors, socioeconomic factors, and policy environment factors. Moreover, there is a significant positive correlation between ICH resources and the tourism industry that cannot be ignored. This study provides an important reference for planning the reuse of ICH resource systems in northern and southern China.

Evolutionary Game Analysis of Abandoned-Bike-Sharing Recycling: Impact of Recycling Subsidy Policy

The launch of large-scale bike sharing in China has effectively met the demand for low-carbon short-distance travel, but it has also led to the emergence of a large number of abandoned bikes, which is called the “bike-sharing siege”. In order to achieve the sustainable development of the bike-sharing industry, this paper discusses how to encourage bike-sharing companies to recycle and reuse abandoned bikes and improve the efficiency of local government financial resources based on the promotion of the EPR system. We apply the evolutionary game to investigate the interaction mechanism of complex behaviors between local governments and bike-sharing companies under two subsidy policies: a fixed recycling subsidy and regressive recycling subsidy. The results show that both recycling subsidy policies have diminishing marginal effects. In addition to incentives, local governments need to unify bike-sharing parking, establish bike-sharing monitoring platforms, and reasonably allocate bike parking spaces to ensure the quality of the urban environment. Under effective regulation, by implementing a regressive recycling subsidy policy and setting a rational amount for the recycling subsidy, local governments can effectively promote the EPR system, strengthen the environmental responsibility of companies, and avoid the “free-rider phenomenon”. Based on the current situation in China, this research provides references for each local government to formulate management policies from the perspective of subsidy policy.

Evolution and prediction of drought-flood abrupt alternation events in Huang-Huai-Hai River Basin, China

Drought-flood abrupt alternation (DFAA) as a compound natural disaster can cause severe socioeconomic loss and environmental destruction. Under climate change, the Huang-Huai-Hai River Basin has experienced evident increases in temperature and variability of precipitation. However, the study of the evolution characteristics of DFAA in the Huang-Huai-Hai River Basin is limited and the risk of exposure to DFAA events under future climatic conditions should be comprehensively assessed. In this study, the DFAA events including drought to flood (DTF) and flood to drought (FTD) events in the Yellow River Basin (YRB), Huai River Basin (HuRB), and Hai River Basin (HaRB) are identified by the long-cycle drought-flood abrupt alternation index (LDFAI) and the temporal variation and spatial distribution of the number and intensity of DFAA events from 1961 to 2020 are examined. The 24 climate model simulations of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) are used to evaluate the variation of DFAA events based on the bias-corrected method. The results show that both DTF and FTD events occurred >10 times in most areas of the Huang-Huai-Hai River Basin from 1961 to 2020, and severe DFAA events occurred more frequently in the HaRB. The occurrence of DTF events decreased and FTD events continuously increased in the YRB, while they showed opposite trends in the HuRB and HaRB. In the future, the Huang-Huai-Hai River Basin is projected to experience more DTF events under the SSP1-2.6 and SSP2-4.5 scenarios, while more FTD events under the SSP3-7.0 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios. Most areas in the Huang-Huai-Hai River Basin are projected to be at medium or high risk of the frequency and intensity of DFAA events under different future scenarios, especially in the central part of the YRB. These findings can provide scientific reference to the formulation of management policies and mitigation strategies.

Characterisation of ambient air quality over two urban sites on the South African Highveld

Air pollution is an environmental-health challenge that many developing and developed countries are struggling to deal with. The purpose of our study was to characterise the ambient air quality during the year 2019–2020 over two urban sites of DiepKloof and Vanderbijilpark which are located on the South African Highveld. The study characterised PM10, PM2.5, SO2, NO2 and O3. Findings were that PM10, PM2.5, SO2 and NO2 ambient concentrations predominantly peaked during the winter season in June, July and August with mean concentrations of 48.6 µg/m3, 29.2 µg/m3, 38.6 µg/m3 and 12.6 µg/m3, respectively for the DiepKloof site while for the Vanderbijilpark site, winter mean for PM10, PM2.5 and SO2 were recorded at 124 µg/m3, 50.7 µg/m3 and 22.1 µg/m3, respectively. The average daily pollutant concentrations of the majority of pollutants were elevated above the WHO air quality guideline limits. Analysis of variance showed the seasonal variations had a significant (all p-values less than 0.01) effect on the variability of pollutant concentrations in both sites. The study attributes these elevated ambient pollutant levels to industrial, domestic and vehicular emission sources that are scattered over the South African Highveld. The study also highlighted the impact of the first lockdown period in South Africa indicating that the first three-week lockdown had a significant (p-values less than 0.001) impact on the variability of pollutant concentrations in both Diep Kloof and Vanderbijlpark. The study also established that pollutant concentrations were more significantly affected by wind direction in the more industrialized Vanderbijlpark than in Diep Kloof. The study contributes towards air quality monitoring and management policy formulation both in South Africa and other African countries. Furthermore, the study contributes towards the academic body of knowledge. To curtail pollutant emissions governments have several options including tightening the air quality regulatory frameworks as well as establishing and supporting community-based air quality advocates. Air quality advocates can act as a conduit in raising general public awareness regarding the impact of air pollution on human health.