Environmental Sciences Europe最新文献

Background

Dual crises happen when an acute shock unfolds in the context of a creeping crisis. The July 2021 floods in the Vesdre river basin (Wallonia, Belgium) is a typical case of such dual crises in the context of climate change. This study is based on 16 semi-structured interviews (conducted in Spring 2023) with 10 mayors, 4 representatives of the Public Service of Wallonia, 1 person working for the federal government, and 4 project managers, coupled with a document analysis (n = 13). It investigates the temporal strategies that connect short and long-term considerations in the aftermath of this disaster (timing, futuring, pacing, cyclical adaptation, and determining time horizons), at two different governmental levels: river basin and municipal level.

Results

In general, the window of opportunity to improve disaster resilience has been seized. Several studies were initiated by the Walloon region that shape the idea of an ideal future for the river basin and give recommendations for how to reach it. Unfortunately, those recommendations still come late compared to the temporal reality of the reconstruction process. Municipalities wish to strengthen disaster resilience as soon as possible, but they have to prioritize certain actions over others because of limited resources. The recommendations are considered flexible enough to adapt strategies to future contexts, but no monitoring and evaluation system for doing so has been implemented so far. In addition, clear policy agendas with transformational goals are scarce, and they diverge between the river basin and the municipalities. All these temporal strategies are shaped by elements of the institutional policy arrangement: resources, which affect them all, as well as actors, power, and formal rules, which affect some. These policy dimensions notably slow down the implementation of disaster resilience strategies and limit the determination of consensual time horizons.

Conclusions

The temporal strategies are passively shaped by the policy arrangement dimensions to a greater extent than actively chosen by the stakeholders. A structural transformation of the institutional policy arrangement is therefore needed to enable more coherent temporal strategies between different governance levels and to facilitate the consideration of long-term resilience during the recovery process from disasters.

In this study, 15 sampling sites were set up in Dongting Lake, a typical river-connected lake in China, to investigate water quality and diatioms in March, June, September and December from year 2017 to 2022. Seven diatom indices, including relative abundance of diatoms (RAD), percentage motile diatoms (PMD), generic diatom index (GDI), diatom quotient (DU), pollution tolerance index for diatoms (PTI), trophic diatom index (TDI), and Pampean diatom index (IDP), were selected to screen the adaptability of water quality assessment comparing with the Nemero index (NI), which is simple to calculate and has always been the main method for water quality assessment in Dongting Lake. The results from 2017 to 2019 showed that the diatom density in Dongting Lake ranged from 0.7 × 10⁴ to 85.5 × 10⁴ ind./L, with a certain decreasing trend. The spatial and temporal changes of some water quality factors were obvious, just like the temperature of water (WT), ammonia nitrogen (NH₄⁺–N), dissolved oxygen (DO) and the comprehensive trophic level index (∑TLI) ranged from 45.99 to 50.72, with an average value of 47.85, indicating that the overall condition of Dongting Lake was medium nutrition. Correlation analysis showed that PTI, RAD and PMD could represent the information of DU, GDI, TDI and IDP, and were significantly positively correlated with DO (p < 0.01), while significantly negatively correlated with electrical conductivity (Cond), potassium permanganate (COD_Mn), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD₅), chemical oxygen demand (COD_Cr) and ∑TLI (p < 0.001). The index verification results from year 2020 to 2022 showed that PTI, RAD and PMD were all significantly positively correlated with NI (p < 0.001). Taking into account the data integrity of the index calculation and the difficulty degree, RAD was finally selected as the biological indicator for evaluating the water quality of Dongting Lake. The results of this study provide a new path or alternative method for water quality assessment of the river-connected lakes.

The snowline exhibits significant seasonal shifts upward and downward, reflecting the ever-changing dynamics of the seasons and being influenced by climate variations, which can vary annually. These fluctuations profoundly impact the cryosphere, biota, and ecosystem processes in high mountain regions. Despite the critical role of snowline variations, comprehensive information on how actual climate variability affects snow cover trends in the central mountain range of the western Himalayas is scarce. In the 'Pindari' region of the Uttarakhand district, India, which is part of the Himalayas, these challenges are exacerbated by the unchecked growth of anthropogenic activities and the broader impacts of climate change. This study analyses snowline variations in the Pindari glacial region from 1972 to 2018. The findings revealed that the snowline elevation significantly shifted upward between 1972 and 2018. Notably, this research revealed a decrease in snow-covered areas of approximately 5.01 km² over the course of 46 years. This decrease is attributed to a direct response to the increasing number of high-temperature events that occurred during this extended period. This study emphasizes the urgent need for conservation measures in the study region and similar high mountains to combat global warming and safeguard the snowline, which serves as a visible proxy indicator to safeguard high-altitude Himalayan glaciers.

Background

The reconstruction of the pollution history using aquatic sedimentary archives is of major relevance not only for the present and past, but also for future actions. The extent and influence of past anthropogenic emissions can be correlated with site-specific (e.g., industrial) developments as well as political actions, regulations, and initiatives. Finally, the need for further restrictions, specific monitoring or other countermeasures can be defined. Accordingly, within the scope of this study, a drilling core of subaquatic sediment was comprehensively analyzed to reconstruct the pollution history of the Urft reservoir and to understand the linkage between introduction, fate, and behavior of different organic pollutants.

Results

The Urft reservoir is well suitable for pollution reconstruction as the investigated interval covered a period of nearly 60 years of undisturbed sedimentation of fine-grained material. Additionally, specific input factors and their development (e.g., in industrial production) could be easily correlated with the emission profile detected for the reservoir. Overall, quantitative data of more than 60 lipophilic organic compounds were obtained and traced back to urban and industrial emissions. Concentrations were mainly in the range of ng/g_TOC–µg/g_TOC showing a decreasing tendency toward the surface and, thus, the effectiveness of political regulations. In addition, a clear maximum was detected for almost all substances at the end of the 1970s/beginning of the 1980s, probably related to an exceptional event such as a flood or a malfunction affecting wastewater-related compounds of both urban and industrial origin.

Conclusions

Based on the organic-geochemical investigation and the associated dating, it was possible to reconstruct the pollution history of the Urft catchment in the northern Eifel mountains. Overall, organic indicators have proven to be very useful to obtain information on distribution patterns and the influence of industrial as well as governmental actions. For instance, catchment-specific developments such as the closure of ironworks were recognizable in the identified emission patterns. Generally, in the last 50 years, the pollution of the reservoir sediment has decreased clearly showing the efficiency of increasing environmental awareness and corresponding regulations.

Background

Persistent, mobile and toxic (PMT), or very persistent and very mobile (vPvM) substances are a wide class of chemicals that are recalcitrant to degradation, easily transported, and potentially harmful to humans and the environment. Due to their persistence and mobility, these substances are often widespread in the environment once emitted, particularly in water resources, causing increased challenges during water treatment processes. Some PMT/vPvM substances such as GenX and perfluorobutane sulfonic acid have been identified as substances of very high concern (SVHCs) under the European Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation. With hundreds to thousands of potential PMT/vPvM substances yet to be assessed and managed, effective and efficient approaches that avoid a case-by-case assessment and prevent regrettable substitution are necessary to achieve the European Union's zero-pollution goal for a non-toxic environment by 2050.

Main

Substance grouping has helped global regulation of some highly hazardous chemicals, e.g., through the Montreal Protocol and the Stockholm Convention. This article explores the potential of grouping strategies for identifying, assessing and managing PMT/vPvM substances. The aim is to facilitate early identification of lesser-known or new substances that potentially meet PMT/vPvM criteria, prompt additional testing, avoid regrettable use or substitution, and integrate into existing risk management strategies. Thus, this article provides an overview of PMT/vPvM substances and reviews the definition of PMT/vPvM criteria and various lists of PMT/vPvM substances available. It covers the current definition of groups, compares the use of substance grouping for hazard assessment and regulation, and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of grouping substances for regulation. The article then explores strategies for grouping PMT/vPvM substances, including read-across, structural similarity and commonly retained moieties, as well as the potential application of these strategies using cheminformatics to predict P, M and T properties for selected examples.

Conclusions

Effective substance grouping can accelerate the assessment and management of PMT/vPvM substances, especially for substances that lack information. Advances to read-across methods and cheminformatics tools are needed to support efficient and effective chemical management, preventing broad entry of hazardous chemicals into the global market and favouring safer and more sustainable alternatives.

There is indisputable evidence that the environment, humans and wildlife are continuously exposed not to single but to multiple chemicals from different sources. Exposure to these mixtures can lead to combined risks not yet sufficiently addressed in any of the European chemical legislations. Under the REACH regulation for industrial chemicals, specific environmental mixture assessments are challenged by a lack of data on toxicity, use and exposures and the communication of data along the supply chain. Within the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability the European Commission proposed to introduce (a) mixture allocation factor(s) (MAF) as regulatory management tool to reduce exposures, effects and potential risks of unintentional mixtures. The MAF is proposed to be applied as default value within the chemical safety assessments undertaken by companies under REACH. Here, we critically review the relevant literature discussing the conceptual background of the MAF and approaches to derive its magnitude. The analysis focuses on the environment and key issues for an implementation in regulatory practise together with remaining uncertainties and needs for possible ways forward. At this stage introducing a MAF in REACH Annex I appears the most pragmatic and immediately implementable measure to address risks from unintentional mixtures in the environment. A so-called MAF_ceiling appears as the preferred option of policy makers, since it would only affect relevant substances close to their respective risk threshold. While the magnitude of a MAF will be decided politically, the choice of methods and assumptions to derive its size should be clear and transparent, build on the available scientific evidence and take account for uncertainties. A MAF will be most effective reducing environmental releases and exposure levels if risk mitigation measures are implemented in practise. Its socioeconomic impacts and costs need to be assessed in a balanced way together with the benefits for the environment, society, and for companies—also in comparison to the efforts needed for specific mixture risk assessments. In the future and with the experiences gathered in practise, a discussion is needed on how to assess and regulate unintentional mixtures across different pieces of chemicals legislation to consider the true exposure situation and ensure harmonisation.

In 2020, the European Commission released its Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability towards a Toxic Free Environment (CSS) as part of the European Union’s zero pollution ambition, which is a key commitment of the European Green Deal. One group of substances highlighted in the CSS is persistent, mobile and toxic and very persistent and very mobile (PMT/vPvM) substances. This article focuses on the current, broad European political landscape that applies to PMT/vPvM substances as well as looking into gaps and opportunities within this policy framework. To look at the political landscape, strategies and action plans published in the context of the European Green Deal, as well as a small number of other strategies adopted prior to the European Green Deal, were reviewed. A template was developed to identify actions related to PMT/vPvM substances and the actions were split between the following categories: “Prevent & Reduce”, “Prioritize”, and “Remediation”. Following this, opportunities and gaps were identified.The current overarching strategy governing environmental policy is the European Green Deal which aims to achieve carbon neutrality and zero pollution by 2050. The CSS is the main and most focused Green Deal strategy addressing chemical pollution and uses a hierarchy tailored to chemicals management called the Toxic Free Hierarchy. The potential sources and exposure pathways of PMT/vPvM substances which result in environmental emissions are vast. This has the resultant effect that the relevant legal framework to address PMT/vPvM substances spans policies and legislation with different aims. Broadly, these policies and legislations are related to prevention, minimization/control and remediation, as reflected by the toxic-free hierarchy. There are many gaps and opportunities in the current policy framework which have primarily arisen due to the bold ambition of the CSS and the subsequent introduction of new hazard classes for PMT/vPvM substances. One such gap is related to a lack of harmonization across European Chemicals Policy demonstrated via the Cosmetics Regulation and the Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR) which are currently not aligned. The Cosmetics Regulation does not require a re-evaluation of a substance even in light of new scientific information, whilst the BPR requires new scientific evidence to be considered. In addition, REACH (SVHC criteria) and other legislation using hazard classes for triggering risk management measures (BPR, PPPR, pharmaceutical legislation, Water Framework Directive) may be expected to be revised or are currently being revised based on the new hazard class. The regulation of PMT/vPvM substances is in its infancy. While many EU action plans exhibit gaps and opportunities for chemical regulation as a whole, only certain policies refer to PMT/vPvM substances directly. It is up to policymakers, regulators and academia to highlight those gaps and corresponding emerging windows of opportunity that refl