Development of a Geographic Information Systems Baseline Spatial Geodatabase Template for Evaluating Potential and Predicted Environmental Impacts for Sustainable Environmental Impact Assessment of Mining in Sierra Leone

Baseline Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of mining projects in Sierra Leone creates a challenging environment for data collection and impact prediction. Application of geographic information systems provides suitable spatial analysis data collection methods to reduce the challenges created by mining environments. This research develops a baseline spatial geodatabase template for evaluating potential and predicted environmental impacts assessment of mining projects in Sierra Leone. It is observed that spatial analysis of impacts of mining projects on the environmental attributes, especially air, noise, water, land, and socio-economy in mining areas is largely unexplored in Sierra Leone. The literature review revealed that no complete GIS spatial data geodatabase collection template appears to have been developed to date to provide an integrated sustainable spatial analysis and modelling tool for EIA and environmental management of mining in Sierra Leone. Therefore developing a Geographic Information Systems baseline geodatabase template for the evaluation of potential and predicted environmental impact for sustainable environmental impact assessment of mining in Sierra Leone will: 1) provide support to the data acquisition process of environmental impact assessment, 2) offer a concept for developing analysis methods for environmental management of mining, 3) minimize the undesired environmental impacts of mining, and 4) give an optimal proposal for data collection and analysis of mining industry in attaining sustainable development in Sierra Leone. Due to the limited available data, a conceptual GIS database template has been developed rather than a database case study of a mining site. No site investigation and data collection were undertaken. The geospatial database template was designed using ArcCatalog, ArcGIS 10.7.1. software, through the following steps: exploration of the general data requirement of environmental impact assessment studies of mining, the definition of the general baseline datasets requirement of environmental impact assessment in mining, structuring of the environmental impact assessment baseline spatial geodatabase, creating the geographic geodatabase dictionary, selecting, matching geographic data with geodatabase structure, designing the feature class and attributes, creating the baseline GIS geodatabase template. The GIS spatial geodatabase template has several advantages for environmental impact assessment of mining including avoiding data redundancy, integrating data into a single database, creating uniformity in data collection, easy to find and track data, integrated spatial and non-spatial data, and reducing the volume of data.

Preliminary Investigation on Tracking Evaluation of Planning Environmental Impact Assessment in Ecological Civilization Construction of Wuhan City

On the basis of experimental works of planning environmental impact assessment, works of planning environmental impact assessment such as each of the city＇s special planning and development zone planning were comprehensively promoted in Wuhan City, which effectively promoted the adjustment of Wuhan industrial structure, the rational layout of functions and the efficient utilization of resources, and laid a solid foundation for Wuhan City to be the supporting point for the rise of central China. Here, the work carried out in Wuhan was reviewed, combined with the new requirements of the current ecological civilization construction in Wuhan City, and the framework, the key technical points and the important focuses of the carrying out of the tracking evaluation of planning environmental impact assessment were proposed.

Discussion about Environmental Impact Assessment of Shale Gas Development

China is the third country to develop and utilize shale gas after the United States and Canada. However,shale gas development has significant environmental problems,such as huge consumption of both land and water resources,water pollution risk of hydraulic fracturing,leakage risk of shale gas and so on. At present,environmental impact assessment of shale gas development in China has been conducted based on the Technical Guideline for Environmental Impact Assessment——Constructional Project of Petroleum and Natural Gas Development on Land which lacks clear guidance on selection and quantitative analysis of pollution factors. In this paper,based on the experience of shale gas development in America,special environmental problems that need to be noticed for shale gas development were summarized,and the supplement to the technical guideline for environmental impact assessment of shale gas development was discussed to improve the environmental impact assessment system.

Groundwater and environmental challenges in Asia

Asia stands out as the most populous and geographically diverse region globally.The pressing issues of water resource development and the resulting ecological impacts are exacerbated by the region's rapid population growth and economic expansion.Groundwater,a vital source of water in Asia,faces significant disparities in distribution and suffers from unsustainable exploitation practices.This study applies groundwater system theory and categorizes Asia into 11 primary groundwater systems and 36 secondary ones,based on intercontinental geological structures,climate,terrain,and hydrogeological characteristics.As of the end of 2010,Asia's assessed groundwater resources totalled 4.677×10^(9) m^(3)/a,with exploitable resources amounting to 3.274×10^(9) m^(3)/a.By considering the geological environmental impacts of groundwater development and the distinctive characteristics of terrain and landforms,six categories of effect zones with varying distribution patterns are identified.The current research on Asia's groundwater resources,environmental dynamics,and human impacts aims to provide a theoretical foundation for sustainable groundwater management and environmental conservation in the region.

Assessment of the Environmental Impact of Road Infrastructure in Countries: A Study of the Namibia Scenario

The assessment of the impact of road infrastructure in the developing countries using the Namibian case scenario was done based on the contemporary challenges of road use. This study employed a qualitative technique using a sample size of thirty (30) selected by the simple random sampling technique. The use of charts, tables and frequencies were done to explain certain trends in the study. A well-structured, valid and reliable questionnaire instrument was designed for the study based on the following research questions;what are the impacts of road transport on the Namibian environment and what are the possible measures that may be used to reduce environmental impact of road transport on the Namibian environment? Twenty five respondents (83%) agreed that road transfer has drastically improved development and 26 (87%) respondents also accepted that it can improve Namibian economy. Similarly, it has also improved communication and technology greatly according to 27 (90%) respondents. To add more credence to the impact of road transport on the economy, all the 30 (100%) of the respondents agreed that road transport aids mobility within Namibia while 27 (90%) respondents supported the opinion that road transport aids in job search, 3 (10%) disagreed. The result shows that car owners service are potential threats which can affect pollution levels as was supported by 97% to cause environmental pollution as well as 100% when combined with energy consumption. Similarly, all the respondents indicated the potential of increased accident rate from poor road safety. Felling of trees poses great danger (97% response) due to the degradation of the environment. Most respondents (77% and 83%) agreed that road transport can lead to land encroachment and loss of aesthetic and farming. This research has shown that eventually death rate may increase from mere ill-health to from the degraded ecosystem, 24 respondents (80%). So many policies to protect the environment but the practical measures are to encourage impact assessment studies for road projects, land use control and human safety precautions on road use.

Assessment of the Impact of Environment Protection in Rwanda:A Case Study of Rugezi Marshland

Environmental protection is one of the most important measures to achieve the long run and sustainability of living organisms in the world.The study was conducted in Burera and Gicumbi districts with the main aim of assessing the impact of environment protection in Rwanda.A case study of Rugezi Marchland.Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS statistical software version 20 and STATA statistical software vision 13.Off-farm income,occupation,educational level,age,and farm size,showed a positive relationship with Rugezi marchland protection.Variables such as value of product distance to Rugezi marchland,gender,and family size had a negative influence on Rugezi marchland protection.The study also indicated that factors such as water management,increase of grass species,increase of wild animals and birds,modern house construction,zero grazing keeping revealing a positive relationship with Rugezi marchland protection.Two most serious problems encountered are the lack of occupation and low level of education.

Ecological and Environmental Protection Requirements in China s Regional Coordinated Development Strategy in the New Era

Starting from the historical evolution of China s regional coordinated development policy and practice,three stages of"enlightenment stage","development stage"and"maturity stage",as well as the connotation,characteristics and content of implementing regional coordinated development strategy were analyzed.On this basis,from different aspects of industrial distribution,pollutant characteristics and regional environmental protection policy,the existing ecological and environmental protection problems in China s regional coordinated development in the new era were analyzed,and some suggestions for the next step were put forward.It is necessary to follow the"four ones"concept from the overall point of view,implement"three lines and one list"from the perspective of the width of the access red line,strengthen"joint prevention and control"from the perspective of the depth of regional regulation,deepen the"planning environmental impact assessment"from the perspective of the breadth of industrial distribution,and promote the"green-way model"from the perspective of ecological low carbon.

Landscape Impact Assessment of Regulation Project in Lion Mountain of Lijiang City

The research advances of the technology of landscape impact assessment in China and other countries are introduced at first.And then aiming at the characters of the environmental regulation project,the assessment principles and research methods are proposed.Two typical viewpoints and a representative protection area in the project area are selected to respectively make a landscape impact assessment.Meanwhile,this research describes in details how to apply Map Overlays,Compared Evaluation and Visual Factors Evaluation in the process.

Meteoroid and Space Debris Risk Assessment for Satellites Orbiting the Earth/Moon

Interplanetary meteoroids and space debris can impact satellites orbiting the Earth or spacecraft traveling to the Moon.Targeting China Space Station(CSS),7 satellites selected from the constellation of Beidou Navigation Satellite System Phase III(BDS-3),and 3 spacecraft orbiting the Moon,we have adopted in the paper the Meteoroid Engineering Model 3,Divine-Staubach meteoroid environment model,and Jenniskens-McBride meteoroid steam model to analyze the meteoroid environment with the mass range of 10–6~10 g.Orbital Debris Engineering Model 3.1 space debris model is used to analyze the orbital debris environment faced by these satellites.The flux of space debris with a size larger than 100μm is compared with that of the meteoroids.The results show that the space debris flux encountered by China Space Station is much higher than that of the meteoroids with sizes in the above range.And quite the opposite,the meteoroids flux impacting the 7 satellites from the BDS-3 is higher.Upon adopting the double-layer Whipple protection measure,the catastrophic collision flux of these satellites encountering meteoroids is about 10–6 times of that without protection,or even less,implying that the Whipple protection effectively guarantees the safety of the satellites in orbit.Besides,it is also found that the flux of the high-density meteoroid population encountered by each satellite is greater than that of the low-density population,whereas the impact velocity is lower for each satellite.These results can aid the orbit selection and the protection design for satellites and spacecraft.

Development of an Indicator Scheme for the Environment Impact Assessment in the Federal District, Mexico

In this work is developed a proposal of environment indicators needed for the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) process in Mexico’s Federal District (FD);through which are authorized the construction and realization of different work actions and activities. The methodology is based on the combination of cabinet and field work, performed in three stages. In the first, a documental review was carried out within the topic of Environment Impact (EI), the EIA and the study area, with a subsequent analysis of the environment indicators at an international, national and regional scale. In the second, the systematization of information was performed for the sixteen study cases at a local scale and the organization and analysis of a data base with the allotted information. And in the last stage, a field work was realized with participative observations in three verification sites and interview applications to the principal actors of the EIA process. These results allowed: to determine the main limitations within the EIA process (methodological, technical and operational), to propose an indicators scheme, and to formulate recommendations focused on the improvement of this Environment Public Policy instrument.

A climatic environmental performance assessment method for ecological city construction:Application to Beijing Yanqi Lake

In contrast to the input perspective for evaluating planning metrics, this research takes the climatic environmental output effects as the starting point for assessing ecological city construction. Based on approaches such as observation data analysis, meteorological model simulation, and remote sensing, a set of climatic environmental performance assessment methods is developed and established. These methods mainly focus on surface ventilation assessment and urban thermal environment assessment. With the Yanqi Lake ecological development demonstration area located in Huairou district, Beijing as an example, the assessment of the local climatic environment before and after the construction are conducted, and relevant policy suggestions for urban planning and construction are presented. The results show that after development, the ventilation capacity will decrease overall and the ventilation potential index will decrease from 0.53 to 0.44. While this is not a large reduction, and is still at a favorable level, the ventilation potential in some local areas will markedly decrease. Furthermore, the thermal environment will become poorer to some extent; the urban heat island(UHI) area and intensity will increase compared with the current situation;continuous heat islands may occur in local areas; the UHI potential index of the core area will rise from 0.0878 to 0.1217(still a favorable level).Therefore, urban surfaces should be carefully developed and arranged during planning. It is suggested that the negative impacts of large areas of urban construction on the local climatic environment in the Yanqi Lake could be mitigated by 1) strengthening the airflow by introducing fresh,cold, northwesterly air via constructed ventilation corridors, 2) increasing the number of ecological cold sources, particularly for water bodies and green belts to prevent the UHI in the southern region of Yanqi Lake from becoming linked with each other, and 3) considering a pre-program before sub-domain and building planning to obtain optimum building locations. Different construction standards should be developed for different ventilation potential and UHI intensity levels. For strong heat island areas, land areas should be reserved to serve as cold sources.

Microplastics in Marine Environment: Occurrence, Distribution, and Extraction Methods in Marine Organisms

The pervasive presence of microplastics in marine environments has raised significant concerns. This review addresses the pressing issue of microplastic pollution in marine ecosystems and its potential implications for both the environment and human health. It outlines the current state of microplastic occurrence, distribution, and extraction methods within marine organisms. Microplastics have emerged as a significant environmental concern due to their harmful effects on ecosystems and their potential human health risks. These particles infiltrate marine environments through runoff and atmospheric deposition, ultimately contaminating beaches and posing threats to marine life. Despite the gravity of this issue, there has been limited research on the presence and distribution of microplastics in marine organisms. This review aims to bridge this knowledge gap by comprehensively examining the occurrence, distribution, and various extraction methods used to detect microplastics in marine organisms. It emphasizes the urgent need for targeted measures to manage microplastic pollution, highlights the significant role of human activities in contributing to this problem, and underscores the importance of reducing human-induced pollution to safeguard marine ecosystems. While this paper contributes to the understanding of microplastic pollution in marine environments and underscores the critical importance of taking action to protect marine organisms and preserve our oceans for future generations, it also emphasizes that, in effectively tackling the microplastic problem, a well-coordinated approach is essential, involving research initiatives, policy adjustments, public involvement, and innovative technologies. Crucially, prompt and resolute responses must exist to counteract the escalating peril posed by microplastics to the oceans and the global environment.

Economic development and its impact on the environment in east coastal zone of China

This paper discusses briefly the elementary characteristics of the east China economic developing zone, and analyses the condition of urban atmospheric pollution, water pollution and ecological damage in this zone at present. It was brought forward that we must pay great attention to the environmental factors, and make the environmental impact assessment and environmental planning in the process of economic development in this zone.

A Prediction Model of MF Radiation in Environmental Assessment

Objective To predict the impact of MF radiation on human health. Methods The vertical distribution of field intensity was estimated by analogism on the basis of measured values from simulation measurement. Results A kind of analogism on the basis of geometric proportion decay pattern is put forward in the essay. It showed that with increasing of height the field intensity increased according to geometric proportion law. Conclusion This geometric proportion prediction model can be used to estimate the impact of MF radiation on inhabited environment, and can act as a reference pattern in predicting the environmental impact level of MF radiation.

Integrated Assessment of Mineral Resources and Environmentin Mid-South of Shandong Province

On the bases of the field survey and a large number of testing data, we process the qualitative and quantitative assessment of the mine environment in the mid south of Shandong Province using the following grade Ⅰ factors:the surface subsidence in mining area, the three wastes of mine industries, the pollution sources, the surface water pollution, the underground water pollution and the air pollution. By means of emitting factor judgment and water quality indexes, we locate pollution sources, main pollutants, pollution type and pollution grade in the study area. Using the MAPGIS, we draw a zonality map of the mine environment. This paper attempts to offer a concrete example, including valuable assessment method, data and conclusion, for the assessment of mine environment from the integrated assessment of mineral resources and mine environment. This research is oriented towards the sustainable development and the ecological environment optimization.

Assessment of Effects of Qinshan Nuclear Power Station on the Ecological Environment and Water Quality of its Adjacent Waters after its Running

On the basis of the data of biological and nonbiological factors collected respectively from 1989 to 1990 and from 1995 to 1996 in the waters nearby the Qinshan Nuclear Power Station, the ecological environment and water quality of the waters are analyzed and assessed in the paper. The results show: (a) the surveyed area has the typical ecological characteristics of high tidal range estuary, rich nutrients and low biological productivity, (b) tide, runoff and offshore seawater intrusion are the key factors which result in seasonal and annual changes of various biological and non-biological factors, (c) the risking of seawater eutrophication index is resulted from enormous amount of the discharges of industrial and domestic sewage, (d) because the survey area is located in a high tidal-range estuary, thermal effluent from cooling system does not induce significant temperature changes, ( e) the first stage project of Qinshan nuclear power station has no notable impacts on the ecological environment in

Low-Impact Development(LID) of the Water Ecological Environment in Rural Areas: A Case Study of the Wei River Wetland in Fengxi New City of Xixian New Area

The problem of rural water ecological environment is becoming growingly prominent, and its ecological management is of great significance. From sponge cities to sponge villages, it is an effective way to use the low-impact development (LID) technology to solve rural water ecological environment problems. Through the investigation and analysis of the hydrology, soil, runoff, vegetation and other factors in the Wei River wetland of Fengxi New City of Xixian New Area, this study attempts to construct a LID route suitable for managing the rural water ecological environment in the northwest, so as to provide a reference for the construction of green infrastructure and sponge cities of rural areas in the northwest.

Ecosystem health: ecological sustainability target of strategic environment assessment

Strategic environment assessment (SEA) and ecosystem health are two new ideas on environmental management. On the basis of reviewing some relevant literature, this paper made discussions on the ecological sustainability target of SEA, the content of ecosystem health as well as the interrelations between SEA and ecosystem health. For a good SEA, its ecological sustainability principles should be provided with distinct content and a general assessment system. A framework for ecosystem health assessment was established according to the content of ecosystem health, and combined into SEA as SEA抯 ecological sustainability target, we can effectively guide decision-makers to make suitable indigenous means and local solutions. , The basic principles and procedure of SEA for ecosystem health are also discussed in the paper.

Assessment of impact of water diversion projects on ecological water uses in arid region

In arid regions, large-scale water diversion from rivers leads to significant changes in river flow regimes, which may have large impacts on ecological water uses of river-dependent ecosystems, such as river, lake, wetland, and riparian ecosystems. To assess the integrated impact of water diversion on ecological water uses, we proposed a hierarchy evaluation model composed of four layers representing the evaluation goal, sub-areas of the influenced region, evaluation criteria, and water diversion schemes, respectively. The evaluation criteria for different types of ecological water uses were proposed, and the analytical hierarchy process was used for the integrated assessment. For a river ecosystem, the percentage of mean annual flow was used to define the grade of environmental flow. For a lake ecosystem, water recharge to the lake to compensate the lake water losses was used to assess the ecological water use of a lake. The flooding level of the wetland and the groundwater level in the riparian plain were used to assess the wetland and riparian ecological water uses, respectively. The proposed model was applied to a basin in northern Xinjiang in northwest China, where both water diversion and inter-basin water transfer projects were planned to be carried out. Based on assessment results for the whole study area and two sub-areas, an appropriate scheme was recommended from four planning schemes. With the recommended scheme, ecological water uses of the influenced ecosystems can be maintained at an acceptable level. Meanwhile, economical water requirements can be met to a great extent.