聚焦城市降温关键问题的可持续发展解决方案 ——世界银行与广州的"清凉城市"试点实践

全球人口城市化率在超过50％后持续上升和全球气候变化是当前世界各地城市发展面临的两大趋势.随着城市人口和开发建设的高度集聚,城市热环境过载问题日益突显,对城市带来复杂且持续的影响.这一问题的解决与联合国2030年可持续发展目标的17个领域均直接相关,可作为统筹推进城市可持续发展的重要抓手.本文结合世界银行2020年在广州市启动的全球首个可持续降温试点项目阶段成果,展示并总结以"清凉城市"为主题的城市可持续转型新模式:助力中国城市应对气候变化,贡献实现碳中和路径,面向可持续发展综合目标,聚焦关键问题,通过国际合作和知识共享,以系统化思维构建集成化的解决方案,并促进方案高效实施.     

Response to Buchanan et al.'s comment on Urban et al. “Assessment of human health risks posed by consumption of fish from the Lower Passaic River (LPR), New Jersey” (2009, doi:10.1016/jscitotenv.2009.03.004)

Buchanan et al. assert that our recent fish ingestion risk assessment for a section of the Lower Passaic River (LPR) (Urban et al., 2009) utilizes inappropriate ingestion rates and is inconsistent with state and USEPA guidelines and risk assessment procedures, and therefore underestimates the human health risks associated with angler exposure along this stretch of the river. However, they fail to support these assertions with evidence; indeed, in a recent response to similar allegations, we demonstrated that the utilized ingestion rates are, in fact, the most appropriate for this parameter (Urban et al., 2010). Our reliance on data from a comprehensive, independently validated, peer-reviewed, and site-specific creel angler survey (CAS) in order to define fish and crab ingestion rates for this region of the LPR is fully compliant with USEPA guidelines. In fact, the crab ingestion survey and risk assessment cited by Buchanan et al. as evidence of crabbing activity and crab ingestion for this region was less comprehensive than the CAS in question, was not overseen by an independent panel, has yet to be peer-reviewed, and does not provide any activity or consumption data for this section of the LPR. Contrary to the implications of Buchanan et al., our effort provides a transparent, comprehensive, and scientifically legitimate human health risk assessment of fish ingestion for the lowest 6 miles of the LPR. Thus we adamantly disagree with the characterization and assertions put forth by Buchanan et al., and stand by the conclusions presented in Urban et al. (2009) and defended in Urban et al. (2010).     

Platinum and rhodium concentrations in airborne particulate matter in Germany from 1988 to 1998

Increases in platinum group element (PGE) concentrations in ambient air and dust since the introduction of automotive catalytic converters in 1988 is a cause of concern. Until now, data derived from engine-test bench experiments have provided the basis for the assessment of human health risks associated with PGE exposure. Such experiments have provided valuable information regarding emission data that has been used to estimate ambient exposure concentrations. However, these data are not necessarily representative of typical environmental PGE exposure levels and conditions. Data on measured environmental concentrations is needed to provide a more adequate basis for the assessment of exposure and related risks. Twenty air and airborne-dust samples were provided by the Umweltbundesamt (Federal Environmental Agency, Germany) in the years 1988, 1989, 1992, 1997, and 1998. The samples were collected in Frankfurt/Main and the adjacent city of Offenbach. For this, 11 to 80 m3 of air were filtered over a 24-72 h period using a vacuum. Glass-fiber filters were used to collect samples. Sample platinum and rhodium concentrations were determined using adsorptive voltammetry. Although the number of samples collected in different years is limited, the results indicate a trend toward continuous increases in ambient concentrations of these metals between 1988 and 1998. Specifically, there were 46- and 27-fold increases in Pt and Rh concentrations, respectively. Despite these observed increases, the Pt concentrations measured (i.e., 147 pg/m3 on average, with a maximum of 246 pg/m3 in 1998) fell far below 15,000 pg/m3, which has been suggested as a guidance value (i.e., exposure at this level would be expected to be without appreciable health risk). The results of a particle-size distribution analysis of one sample (8-step impactor) that was collected 150 m away from a street show that approximately 75% of Pt and 95% of Rh occurs in association with large particulate matter of > 2 microns, with concentrations reaching a maximum in particles of 4.7 to 5.8 microns. The remaining 25% of Pt and 5% of Rh is present in fine particulate matter of < 2 microns. An approximate 10% of Pt and < 38% of Rh in airborne particles was found to be soluble in 0.1 molar HCl. Further, the results indicate that most of the emitted PGE particles from automotive catalytic converters, particularly those bound to fine particulate matter, are capable of being airborne. As a result, PGEs are not only present in areas close to emissions (e.g., roads), but can be transported over longer distances.     

城市窗口 垂直的当代美术馆

设计者选择在曼哈顿的Prince和Browery大街上设计一个垂直的当代美术馆。这一地区作为关键的地理和文化交汇点，孕育了数代艺术家。他们在此生活和工作，为民族文化对话的不断推进贡献自己的力量。     

Image analysis applied to engineering geology, a literature review

Image analysis is a technique used in a number of subjects, but to date not extensively used in the geological sciences. The paper describes the way image analysis is used in the various disciplines and presents an overview of the methods and its potential uses in geology and particularly engineering geology. Emphasis is placed on the way image analysis can be applied to rock structures and textures. It is hoped that this overview will provide an introduction to the literature, which is published in a variety of related fields. Electronic Publication     

Active Rule Termination Analysis: An Implementation and Evaluation of the Refined Triggering Graph Method

This paper describes the implementation of the Refined Triggering Graph (RTG) method for active rule termination analysis and provides an evaluation of the approach based on the application of the method to a sample active application. The RTG method has been defined in the context of an active-deductive, object-oriented database language known as CDOL (Comprehensive, Declarative, Object Language). The RTG method studies the contents of rule pairs and rule cycles in a triggering graph and tests for: (1) the successful unification of one rule's action with another rule's triggering event, and (2) the satisfiability of active rule conditions, asking whether it is possible for the condition of a triggered rule to evaluate to true in the context of the triggering rule's condition. If the analysis can provably demonstrate that one rule cannot trigger another rule, the directed vector connecting the two rules in a basic triggering graph can be removed, thus refining the triggering graph. An important aspect in the implementation of the method is the development of a satisfiability algorithm for CDOL conditions. This paper presents the tool that was developed based on the RTG method, describing how techniques from constraint logic programming are integrated with other techniques for testing the satisfiability of rule triggering conditions. The effectiveness of the approach within the context of a sample application is also addressed.