On the Expansion and Realization of the Right to Environmental Information in Environmental Protection Supervision

As an innovation in the environmental governance system that breaks the traditional hierarchical structure,environmental protection supervision has not only played a significant role in protecting tangible environmental rights but also expanded the basic scope of the right to environmental information—part of procedural environmental rights.In the supervision of environmental protection,the objects of the right to environmental information and the subjects of the obligation to provide environmental information have been both expanded,with the focus shifting from government information to Party information and from administrative organs to Party organs.This vividly demonstrates the Communist Party of China’s concrete efforts to protect human rights in the field of the endeavor to build an ecological civilization.At present,the realization of the right to environmental information in environmental protection supervision still faces problems such as insufficient standards and norms,disordered practice and operation,and lack of liability guarantee.In this context,based on renewing relevant subjects’cognition of the right to know in environmental protection supervision,we should further improve and specify the rule for disclosing information about environmental protection supervision,rationally distribute the obligations for information disclosure in environmental protection supervision,and clarify the accountability rules for violating relevant requirements for information disclosure,so as to promote the overall development of the environmental protection supervision system while guaranteeing the realization of the right to environmental information.

Development of a building information model-guided post-earthquake building inspection framework using 3D synthetic environments

Computer vision-based inspection methods show promise for automating post-earthquake building inspections.These methods survey a building with unmanned aerial vehicles and automatically detect damage in the collected images.Nevertheless,assessing the damage′s impact on structural safety requires localizing damage to specific building components with known design and function.This paper proposes a BIM-based automated inspection framework to provide context for visual surveys.A deep learning-based semantic segmentation algorithm is trained to automatically identify damage in images.The BIM automatically associates any identified damage with specific building components.Then,components are classified into damage states consistent with component fragility models for integration with a structural analysis.To demonstrate the framework,methods are developed to photorealistically simulate severe structural damage in a synthetic computer graphics environment.A graphics model of a real building in Urbana,Illinois,is generated to test the framework;the model is integrated with a structural analysis to apply earthquake damage in a physically realistic manner.A simulated UAV survey is flown of the graphics model and the framework is applied.The method achieves high accuracy in assigning damage states to visible structural components.This assignment enables integration with a performance-based earthquake assessment to classify building safety.

Geographical Information Visualization on a Panoramic Sphere in an Immersive Environment

In this paper,we propose a novel approach to visualizing global geographical information:a panoramic sphere in an immersive environment.The whole geographical surface can be observed through the rotating of heads as the viewpoint of the panoramic sphere is inside the sphere.We compared three approaches to visualizing the earth for rendering the geographical information in a virtual reality environment.On the tasks of terrestrial and marine geographical information,we compare the visualization effects on a)a globe,b)a flat map and c)a panoramic sphere.Terrestrial geographical information tasks include the area comparison and direction determination.Marine geographical information tasks contain the visualization of sea surface temperature and sea surface currents.For terrestrial geographical information tasks,the experimental results show that the panoramic sphere outperforms the globe and the flat map,with a higher average accuracy and a shorter time.On marine geographical information task,the panoramic sphere visualization is also superior to the flat map and the globe in an immersive environment for the sea surface temperature data and the sea surface current fields.In all three visualization experiments,the panoramic sphere is most preferred by the participants,particularly for global,transcontinental and transoceanic needs.

Pro-Environmental Civic Participation in the USA: The Effects of Social Media, Pro-Environmental Lifestyle and Climate Experiences

This study addresses the link between social media use and pro-environmental civic participation considering the moderating effect of social media affordances (public realm) on one hand, and lifestyle behaviors and climate change experiences (personal realm) on the other. We combine communication theory and behavioral models and using a sample of USA individuals (N = 7225) based on the American Trends Panel to predict variations in pro-environmental behavior. We show that social networks rather than information are more effective in predicting pro-environmental behavior. Moreover, a pro-environmental lifestyle as well as climate change experiences at the community level increase the likelihood for pro-environmental participation. However, affordances related to socioeconomic variations generate variations to pro-environmental civic participation. We conclude that in order to capture the depth of pro-environmental civic participation, it is necessary to theoretically and empirically bridge between private and public expressions of pro-environmental awareness.

Internet based environmental monitoring information system and its application in Yili Prefecture

With the development of Internet technologies, Internet Based Information System (IBIS) arises with more advantages: Firstly, it is convenient for users to use owing to the introduction of Internet technologies. Secondly, it benefits greatly the data dissemination and data sharing based on Internet. The most important but not the last is that we can establish the information service network supported by its technologies and the facilities of information highway. So, it would be significant to design IBIS to realize the data collection, sharing and dissemination on Internet. There are many factors affecting regional environment. So it is not easy to realize the integrated environmental monitoring. Given this, we designed the Internet based environmental monitoring information system. By the virtue of the Internet based environmental monitoring information system, the management and storage of environmental monitoring data would be easier, which lays the foundation to actualize the environmental monitoring efficiently.

A Framework of Environmental Modelling and Information Sharing for Urban Air Pollution Control and Management

More effective environmental pollution control and management are needed due to the increasing environ-mental impacts from a range of human activities and the growing public demands for a better living environment. Urban air pollution is a serious environmental issue that poses adverse impacts on the health of people and the environment in most metropolitan areas. In this paper,we propose a geoinformatics augmented framework of environmental modelling and information sharing for supporting effective urban air pollution control and management. This framework is out-lined in terms of its key components and processes including: 1) an integrated,adaptive network of sensors for envi-ronmental monitoring; 2) a set of distributed,interoperable databases for data management; 3) a set of intelligent,robust algorithms and models for environmental modelling; 4) a set of flexible,efficient user interfaces for data access and in-formation sharing; and 5) a reliable,high capacity,high performance computing and communication infrastructure for integrating and supporting other framework components and processes.

Angular Distribution of Element Contents in Tree Rings and the Environmental Information

Element contents of tree rings and soils near tree roots collected from Deodar cedar (Cedrus deodara (Roxb.) G. Don) and Masson pine (Picks massoniana lamb.) were determined to study the relationship between the angular distribution of element contents in tree rings and the environmental information. The chemical composition and properties of soils are very much complicated, which leads to the non-uniform distribution of the element contents in tree rings. The statistical multi-variable regression method was used to got the information of the tree-centered distribution of element contents in the environment (soil) (C’), C’(z, θj ), from the distribution of element contents in tree rings (C), C(Z, θi), which depends on the plane azimuth angle (θi), i. e., C=C(Z,θi), where Z is the atomic number of the element, with a satisfactory result,though this study is only a primary one.

A Review of Development of Environmental Protection Information during the 12^(th) Five-Year Plan Period and Its Outlook

During the 12^(th)Five-Year Plan period,the environmental protection information work made remarkable achievements,and the construction of nationwide air quality monitoring network was completed; the trinitarian monitoring system was established,and environmental emergency command ability enhanced significantly. However,the issues of " information island" and " application silo" are still outstanding,and the application and promotion of new technologies make slow progress; the capacity of information system to support environmental protection business is insufficient,and there is no capacity for decision analysis. In the 13^(th)Five-Year Plan period,it is needed to strengthen the application and promotion of new technologies such as cloud computing,big data,Internet of Things,and spatial information,mainly construct and improve " Cloud Computing Based Environmental Protection( CCBEP) ", " big data platform of ecological environment",and then realize the core objective of improving environmental quality.

Comprehensive assessment method for environmental impact of railway based on geographic information system

By integrating the merits of the map overlay method and the geographic information system (GIS), a GIS based map overlay method was developed to analyze comprehensively the environmental vulnerability around railway and its impact on the environment, which is adapted for the comprehensive assessment of railway environmental impact and the optimization of railway alignments. The assessment process of the GIS based map overlay method was presented, which includes deciding the system structure and weights of assessment factors, making environmental vulnerability grade maps, and evaluating the alternative alignments comprehensively to obtain the best one. With the GIS functions of spatial analysis, such as overlay analysis and buffer analysis, and functions of handling attribute data, the GIS based map overlay method overcomes the shortcomings of the existing map overlay method and the conclusion is more reasonable. In the end, a detailed case study was illustrated to verify the efficiency of the method.

Study on the environmental information disclosure of Chinese forestry enterprises

Environmental accounting is a kind of accounting which focuses on the compensation for the resources spending. It combines the theories of environmental economics and traditional accounting and uses scientific as well as systematic ways to coordinate the development of economics and the protection of environment. It is just in the primary process for forestry enterprises in China to introduce the research and practice of environmental accounting. Based on discussion about the principle of environmental information disclosure and analysis on the current situation of the environmental information disclosure of the forestry enterprises, this paper attempted to propose that the supplementary report mode of information disclosure should be appropriate for the forestry enterprises, which provide the balance sheet of environment, the income statement of environment besides the original three financial report to reflect the general environmental information of the enterprise.

A regional environmental management information system for Chinese EPA—the system analysis and design

REMIS is one of key research projects sponsored by the central government. It is recommended to regional EPAs as a main tool of the environmental management. REMIS simulates the functions of the regional EPAs and aimed to improve their management level. The national environmental management information system will base on REMIS.Functional analysis is the kernel of the REMIS system analysis. Data and data flow analysis are used to support the functional analysis.Investigations on the functions of the local EPAs of eight provinces and 12 cities have been taken. The functions were carefully sorted. Modular design method was used in system analysis and system design.The system analysis included functional analysis, data analysis and data flow analysis. The system design is based on the system analysis. HIPO diagram of each modular, data base structure, menu design, selection of hardware and software environment were the main items of the system design.

Environmental Information Governance Reform in the Era of Big Data--From Information Disclosure to Public Service

The development of environmental information governance includes three phases: providing for oneself,information disclosure,and public service. And then China is in the transition and transformation of environmental information disclosure to the environmental information public service. The core of the transformation is public participation,in the whole procedure of environmental information supply decision making,production,and quality supervision and evaluation,etc. The target path of the environmental information governance reform includes five parts: improvement of public satisfaction,optimizing information disclosure,information quality control,integration of information resources,and multiple supply.

Research on Public Participation and Information Publicity in Strategic Environmental Assessment

It has been generally recognized that strategic environmental assessment integrates environment and development into decision-making and becomes an important decision-making tool for implementing sustainable development. This paper firstly introduces the relationships of SEA, public participation(PP)and information publicity(IP),then discusses the key parts in enforcing the effective process of PP: They are the methods for how to make sufficient information open (What), when to implement PP (When), who will determinate the public (Who), and how to make the models of PP (How). Six cases are compared and analyzed. At last, ways to improve the effectiveness of PP in China is also presented.

Linking Numerical Water Quality Models in an Environmental Information System for Integrated Environmental Assessments

Decision makers involved in prevention of water contamination often lack the technical knowledge of water quality evaluation or the comprehension of complex software for environmental information management required to make effective decisions. Providing information about the environment is not an easy task due to its complex structure, relationships, and dynamic processes. Because environmental models play an important role in environmental decision support systems, the integration of models into user-friendly integrated information systems is a key factor in the support of such users. This paper presents an environmental information system which supports water protection of Coatzacoalcos River in Mexico, having as a main building block water quality assessments supported by mathematical modeling through the two-dimensional Saint Venant and Advection-Diffusion-Reaction equations to calculate the river hydrodynamics and the contaminant transport, respectively. The mathematical modeling solution yields appropriate results representing the river contaminant distribution when compared with field measurements. But the direct use of these models by decision makers is difficult at best, meaning they are not likely to be used in making practical decisions. The system described in this paper integrates these models, and several other tools, into a seamless, user-centered application, improving model usability, initial configuration, and results visualization.

Empirical Research on Factors Influencing Level of Environmental Protection Information Disclosure in Annual Reportsby Listed Companies

Taking 248 A-share manufacturing listed companies in 2006 Shanghai Stock Exchange as example, using "index method" to measure level of environmental protection infor-mation disclosure, this paper examines the factors influencing level of environmental protection information disclosure. The findings show that the disclosure level has improved, but the overall level is still low and unable to satisfy information users; there is positive correlation between corporate size, industry type, accounting firm's type and corporate environmental dis-closure index. The companies of large scale and heavy pollu-tion and those audited by international "Big 4" and domestic "Big 10" accounting firms have a high level of environmental disclosure, while the profitability and financial leverage has no impact on the disclosure level. Finally some suggestions are put forward to establish environmental information disclosure sys-tem in China.

Eco－environmental information system of Tianjin City─Design，implementation and applications

This paper describes the design, implementation and applications of theeco-environmental information system in Tianjin City, which is the kernel of the decision support sys-tem for urban eco-environmental regulation (DSSUER) The design of this information system isbased on the analysis of the requirements of users. The system features that it has expendability,maintainability and universality, makes data be shared between different components of DSSUERand provides help facilities and protection. The system is built by using database and graphic basetechnologies it consists of the main control module, data-management module and data-proassingniodule. The applications of this system is demonstrated by an example which is the case ofsuitability analysis of land use for residential areas in Tianjin.

Problems on the application of geographic information systems to urban environmental management

Geographic information systems (GIS) are a widely used tool in urban planning and management. More and more cities and decision-makers require its attributes of promptness, precision and visualization. But the application of GIS in urban environmental management is still a new field and relevant researches are getting on tardily. As a subsystem of GIS, an urban environmental management geographic information system (UEMGIS) should be a complex multi-discipline and multi-objective tool to perform quantitative multi-dimension analysis and to transfer the results into an expression legible to an ordinary user. It should be a dynamic system of prompt functions based on upgradable databases, and be composed of many subsystems respectively specialized in items about water, air, waste and noise as well as relative standards and regulations. However, existing UEMGISs mostly rely on the basic GIS too much to design the actual requirements of applications and managements in themselves, and the unavailability of sufficient fundamental data has retarded their improvement. In the design of a UEMGIS, the standardization of data classification should be taken into consideration to make the data exchangeable and shareable among its subsystems and within every subsystem, and the applicable error limits for input data should be defined in accordance with the user抯 required precision of data out. Data acquisition can be easy and quick if remote sensing, global positioning system (GPS) and other technologies are combined with GIS. Rapidly progressing information technologies have been giving a bright prospect for the melioration of UEMGIS that will have great potential and wide application in environmental conservation.

Biomedical and Environmental Sciences INFORMATION FOR AUTHORS

Biomedical and Environmental Sciences, an international journal with emphasis on scientific findings in China, publishes articles dealing with biologic and toxic effects of environmental pollutants on man and other forms of life. The effects may be measured with pharmacological, biochemical, pathological, and immunological techniques. The journal also publishes reports dealing with the entry, transport, and fate of natural and anthropogenic chemicals in the biosphere, and their impact on human health and well-being. Papers describing biochemical, pharmacological, pathological, toxicological and immunological studies of pharmaceuticals （biotechnological products） are also welcome.

Biomedical and Environmental Sciences INFORMATION FOR AUTHORS

Biomedical and Environmental Sciences,an international journal with special emphasis on scientificfindings in China,publishes articles dealing with biologic and toxic effects of environmental pollutants onman and other forms of life.The effects may be measured with pharmacological,biochemical,pathological,and immunological techniques.The journal also publishes reports dealing with the entry,transport,andfate of natural and anthropogenic chemicals in the biosphere,and their impact on human health andwell-being.Papers describing biochemical,pharmacological,pathological,and immunological studies ofpharmaceuticals that might facilitate the interpretation of toxic effects of environmental pollutants are alsowelcome.

Environmental Accounting in the Context of Environmental Information： Case Study of a Reforestation Company in Campo Belo do Sul City, Santa Catarina State, Brazil

In Brazil, environmental accounting is inserted in a set of emerging matters, which are arousing great interest among researchers. One of the important points regarding the environmental issue is how to develop tools in order to analyze and manage the natural resources in a balanced way. However, in the literature there are no studies that made use of a knowledge-based approach to implement environmental accounting in organizations. This work aims to examine how environmental accounting can contribute to the knowledge creation in organizations. It held an exploratory, descriptive study and a research-action. The methodological procedures held were： literature review and development of a research-action in a forest enterprise between October 2008 and January 2011. During the interviews, the creation and change of routines and activities was pointed out, such as classification of expenditures schedules, creation of new accounts and new knowledge which help the planning and decision-making process in the organization. This work has an original character due to the practical application within an organization, in which there is a longitudinal follow up for a period of two years and three months, showing the results obtained through interviews with people involved in this process of implementing environmental accounting.