International Master of Environmental Policy (iMEP)

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https://hdl.handle.net/10161/18332

Master's projects by students in the Duke Kunshan International Master of Environmental Policy program.

The masters project is done in partial fulfillment of the degree requirements for the professional Internaional Master of Environmental Policy degree. While the MP may include original laboratory or field research, it may also take the form of management plans, handbooks, educational curricula, or other such products. Each student is advised by a faculty member who reviews and approves the project prior to completion.

A masters projects that is original research should not be as large as a masters thesis although it should be of publishable quality but not necessarily comprehensive enough to stand alone as a publication. A masters projects that does not follow the usual format for scientific research should follow a framework that is considered good practice in an appropriate field.

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Now showing 1 - 20 of 27

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Examining the Strategic Commodification of Nature and Culture for Development: A Case Study of Baiyu County on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
(2024) He, Lingyu
In the modern era, both Tibetan communities and the Chinese government employ strategies to commodify natural and cultural heritages for economic development, raising concerns about the preservation of the very core of Tibetan values. This study, using ethnographic methods, investigates the trade of thangkas and fungi in Baiyu County in the Kham region of Tibet. Interviews with a wide range of individuals, from senior Buddhists to government officials, indicate that both Tibetan culture and Buddhist belief have no power to overhaul market structures; rather, they function as flexible conduits to navigate the challenging realities of the market for Tibetans. In addition, a content analysis of policy documents about Baiyu County’s development plan since 2000 highlights a prioritization of public infrastructure construction, county branding initiatives, and natural resource exploitation, with minimal attention given to the revival of religious traditions and practices.
Open Access
Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) Policy in China
(2024-04-29) Xu, Michelle
Open Access
The Accessibility and Effectiveness of Zero-carbon Certification for Scenic Spots - A Case Study of Huanghai National Forest Park
(2024-04-26) Fu, Yanxin; Tian, Nannan
With the dual carbon targets of China and the continuous rise of tourism, promoting green development has become the consensus of the industry. In this context, the creation of zero-carbon scenic spots has become a trend. Multiple scenic spots in China successfully gain the zero-carbon title through different certification standards produced by various certification authorities. As a new branch of certification area, whether such certification could be obtained by majority of scenic spots and effectively deliver emission reduction outcomes remains unknown. Therefore, this study chooses Huanghai National Forest Park, the first scenic spot that receives the zero-carbon certification from China Quality Mark, as case study to evaluate the accessibility and effectiveness of the certification standard.
Open Access
Prospects and challenges in regulating the emerging global biodiversity credit market
(2024-04-29) Khatri, Jasmine
Biodiversity loss is one of the key environmental issues of our time, with species declining at their fastest rate in human history and numerous key biomes under threat. Yet the gap in biodiversity financing remains vast, at USD $830 billion. Private sector approaches have been fast growing in order to meet this demand, with biodiversity credits being the latest market initiative to emerge. This report takes a deep dive into the current state of the biodiversity credit market and its regulatory tools, and whether the direction of the market is commensurate to the problem it is trying to solve. Using a mixture of content analysis and in-depth interviews with key market stakeholders, the report provides a critical analysis of the market state and offers pertinent recommendations that encourage a re-evaluation of market foundations.
Open Access
Institutional Innovation for Biodiversity Finance with Direct Financing from International Foundations to IPLCs
(2024-04-28) Yang, Shangyi; Wang, Siming; Li, Muyang
Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) are pivotal stewards of biodiversity-rich areas, yet they often face significant financial constraints that impede their conservation efforts. This study, conducted in collaboration with the Global Environmental Institute, investigates the funding practices of international philanthropic foundations to identify how these can be enhanced to support IPLCs more effectively. Through interviews with seven international foundations who made commitments to support IPLCs, two intermediary organizations, and one IPLC group, this study explores the challenges within current funding mechanisms aimed at supporting biodiversity conservation by IPLCs. Our findings illuminate a complex funding landscape where long-term, unrestricted financial support is recognized as crucial yet hindered by several barriers. These include inadequate capacity within IPLC groups, misaligned priorities between donors and IPLCs, persistent language obstacles, trust issues, and hard to satisfy financial reporting demands. We also find that some organizations are already pursuing innovative practices that have the potential to overcome these barriers and serve as reference for other donors. Our analysis suggests that international foundations should focus on providing long-term, unrestricted funding directly to IPLC organizations while investing more in building their capacity to manage funds and projects, as well as to enhance their decision-making roles. Moreover, they should adopt policies that promote the use of indigenous local languages in their programs to enhance understanding, participation, and effectiveness. Foundations and other donor organizations who want to support IPLCs should also reform their governance structures to enable greater IPLC representation, and set explicit targets for reducing the number of intermediaries while also increasing direct funding to them. It is highly recommended that foundations ought to clearly define and plan to increase direct funding allocations to grassroots communities and local organizations in future funding cycles. They should also reevaluate their risk perceptions related to biodiversity conservation, prioritizing investment over avoidance, and maintain transparency and collaborative practices to strengthen local organizational capacities in alignment with IPLC priorities. Despite ongoing challenges, there is an increasing acknowledgment of the necessity for inclusive strategies and partnerships that align conservation efforts with the unique needs and priorities of IPLCs. This study serves as a reference for optimizing fund distribution to those who are integral to safeguarding global biodiversity.
Open Access
Evaluation of the Pricing of Pollutant Emissions Allowance in Zhejiang Province, China
(2024-04-26) Chen, Yang; Jin, Xinwei; Zhou, Zili
Over the past few decades, the pollutant emissions trading policies in China have undergone significant innovation and exploration. It is considered a market-based approach integrated with command-and-control mechanisms such as total emissions control or pollutant emissions allowance. This study is the first to provide systematic, reflective thinking that examines China's regional initiatives of pollutant emissions trading systems. In this article, we took research on the representative province, Zhejiang, as our case study to analyze the impact of the pricing of pollutant emissions allowance on enterprises’ trading behavior, in which the pollutant objects are mainly selected to focus on chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen oxides (NOX). This paper used a quantitative approach by drawing the error lines of allowance auction and transfers among ten cities in Zhejiang Province from 2020 to 2022; then, we provided policy recommendations by exploring the positive and efficient relationship between emissions trading policies and the price of pollutant emissions allowances.
Open Access
A Simplified Urban Waterlogging Risk Assessment Framework: A Case Study of Nanning City
(2024-04-26) Shan, Shiyao
Urban waterlogging poses an increasing challenge due to global climate change and rapid urbanization. Applicable urban waterlogging risk assessment models are essential to improve community-wide participatory waterlogging mitigation and adaptation strategies. This study introduces a simplified Urban Waterlogging Risk Assessment Framework(U-WRAF) designed to overcome the high technical thresholds and heavy data demands common in existing urban waterlogging risk assessment studies. Using the city of Nanning as a case study, the study analyzes the urban waterlogging risk and estimates the direct economic value impacted by urban waterlogging in Nanning in 2022 by integrating Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) and Geographic Information System (GIS) with publicly available geographic, hydrological, and socio-economic data. The results show that the direct economic loss value of urban waterlogging in Nanning in 2022 amount to RMB 780 million, equivalent to 0.15% of the city’s annual gross domestic product (GDP). These findings highlight the urgent need to strengthen effective urban waterlogging management in Nanning. The main contributions of this study are to offer an accessible, low-cost assessment method for engaging a wide range of stakeholders in the improvement of urban waterlogging risk prevention strategies and to provide valuable preliminary analyses and suggestions for the improvement of urban waterlogging management systems.
Open Access
Global Trends and Drivers of the Invention of Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage Technology
(2024-04-26) Wang, Yining
The role of carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) technology in achieving global and national climate targets hinges on a timely deployment of the technology in the most demanding sectors and regions. Innovation serves to drive down the cost of different technologies and improve the technological maturity for a successful deployment. Despite the current disparity between the demanding sectors and regions of the technology and their abatement cost, there is limited knowledge in the global trend and drivers of the innovation of CCUS technology across different application sectors. By refining global CCUS patent data into 6 technological categories and 11 application sectors using machine learning algorithm (random forest classification model), this paper aims to 1) Quantitively investigate a 30-year evolution of the invention and diffusion landscape of CCUS technologies, and 2) Employ a difference-in-difference model to examine the effect of carbon pricing on CCUS invention. We find a closing gap in the sectoral and regional disparity of CCUS technologies, characterized by a shift towards sector-specific technologies and a growth of invention in emerging markets. Global cooperation of CCUS innovation is highly concentrated within the leading countries, especially for nascent technologies. The sectoral and regional disparity is mainly bridged through diffusion from experienced and leading innovation countries to large emitters with high path dependency on fossil fuel. There exists a positive and significant effect of carbon pricing and path dependence on fossil fuel on CCUS invention, particularly for sectors that take CCUS as an abatement technology. However, the iron and steel sector remain far from demand-pull incentives, and may require further efforts in public R&D and financial incentives to direct resources towards technological innovation.
Open Access
Temperature Consideration in the Shallow Lake Model and Its Policy Implications for Eutrophication Governance
(2024-04-26) Zhao, Yang
Eutrophication is a significant environmental issue affecting shallow lakes and is closely related to human activities. The shallow lake model serves as an environmental economic model for studying this problem. In this study, we first reviewed the scientific rationale of this economic model, subsequently, analyzed the original shallow lake model proposed by Mäler et al., discussing market failure issues in static optimization based on previous research. We then introduced the factor of temperature to enable the model to consider the effects of seasonal temperature changes and long-term climate warming on eutrophication processes. We conducted an analysis of the shallow lake model incorporating temperature. Analysis of the state equation indicated that temperature variation significantly influences the internal phosphorus release in the water body, with increased temperature leading to the transition of the shallow lake to hysteresis or irreversible states. Analysis of the static optimization problem of shallow lake utility revealed that temperature increase makes it more likely for utility maximization to occur in states with high phosphorus content. Additionally, we explored the existence of emission control strategies under temperature variation scenarios. Finally, based on our study of this environmental economic model, practical policy implications were provided.
Open Access
A HIPPIE CLIMATE, A RIGID SYSTEM. CLIMATE ADAPTATION TO RIVERINE FLOODS AND WATERLOGGING AT THE LOCAL LEVEL IN COLOMBIA
(2024-04-26) Diaz Ramos , Jose Luis
Climate change intensifies extreme events, posing risks to ecosystems and human populations. In the near-term in a 1.5°C global warming scenario, more intense and frequent extreme rainfalls are expected, which is associated with flooding. Colombia is a highly vulnerable country to extreme weather, particularly flood risks. While the country has made progress identifying its climate vulnerabilities, and adopting policies to address them, the implementation of actions at the local level requires further assessment. This Master Project seeks to understand if actions and institutional arrangements for flood risk adaptation at the local level in Colombia are commensurate with the challenges of climate change. To answer this question, Chía, one of the most densely populated municipalities in the country that has suffered from flood impacts in the past, is used as a case study. Review of current literature and regulations, interviews to key stakeholders, and petitions to obtain information on government actions were used for the analysis, as well as estimations using geographic information systems. From the analysis, it was found that current frameworks and literature analyzing flood risks focus on riverine floods and neglect other sources of floods, such as waterlogging, despite them being a significant hazard especially under climate change. Therefore, this brief presents a framework for local governments to analyze their current actions (if any) related to flood and waterlogging management, in order to identify gaps and overlaps that need to be addressed. The framework has ten components, including the following: area and climate change context, stakeholder analysis, regulatory analysis, current actions description and analysis, gaps description, problem definition, design of the alternatives, prioritization of alternatives, and monitoring and assessment actions. Applying this framework to the case study, it was found that the municipality of Chía has reduced its flood risk as during the last decade dikes have been built along the river; however, it is estimated that 1,866 (0.9%) people in 2022 were living in areas of high flood risk. In addition, more than 80% of the population has a medium threat of riverine floods, which is concerning as even though total yearly precipitation is not expected to change considerably, precipitation is expected to increase in short periods of time (1 and 5 days), representing a threat to a municipality that has been highly urbanized. The analysis of the actions deployed to tackle these risks reveals that they are fragmented both between the regional and local level, and within the local administration. Flood and waterlogging risks management face different challenges due to lack of information (outdated and limited public access to data), policy (lack of integrated plan with low consideration of climate change), administrative coordination (lack of clear responsibilities lead to overreliance on actors and actions), accountability (fragmented environmental management structure) and capacity (lack of specific expertise). Flood and waterlogging actions need to be built upon existing initiatives. For flood management the most critical action is to guarantee the long-term quality of the dikes that were built by improving, among others, a better joint work between regional and local levels, as well as with the community. For waterlogging risks, it requires a better involvement of the local Environment Secretary to incorporate climate adaptation actions, fostering transversality and avoiding duplication. Infrastructure investments should focus on improving sustainable drainage systems, permeable surfaces and green spaces due to the complexity of increasing drainage systems. Even though this policy brief considers a specific case study, it helps to identify barriers that municipal governments in Colombia are having to tackle climate change effects of floods and waterlogging.
Open Access
EVALUATE NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS FOR FLOOD MANAGEMENT IN CHINESE CITIES: A CASE STUDY OF NINGBO, ZHEJIANG
(2024-04-26) Chen, Lufei; Dong, Siyu
This Master's Project delves into the pressing issue of flood management strategies in Ningbo, China, a region vulnerable to riverine flooding. As China experiences an unprecedented surge in urbanization, propelled by rapid industrialization and economic growth, cities face a plethora of challenges, including strained infrastructure, environmental degradation, and increased vulnerability to climate change impacts. The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of NbS in enhancing urban resilience against flood risks, addressing the intricate interplay between urbanization and environmental degradation. The research employs a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative spatial analyses with qualitative literature reviews and document analyses. A systematic review of policies related to NbS in China reveals that while the country lacks a comprehensive policy system dedicated to NbS, relevant policy contents are scattered across various ministries, each using context-specific terminology. The study identifies flood management as the most pressing challenge faced by Chinese coastal cities, particularly in the Yangtze River Delta, where millions of people are already exposed to the serious risks of severe floods and storms, a phenomenon expected to intensify due to climate change. Through GIS-based Analytical Hierarchy Process and Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis, a flood susceptibility map is generated to identify high-risk areas along Ningbo's riverbanks. The analysis integrates diverse criteria, such as elevation, slope, rainfall, and land use land cover, into a unified decision-making process. Considering complex socio-economic factors, Fenghua River in Guangdu Village, Fenghua District, is selected as the research site for examining the implementation of Setback Levees as the preferred NbS. A Cost-Benefit Analysis is conducted to assess the economic viability of implementing Setback Levees in the selected area over a 10-year period. The analysis covers initial and ongoing expenses, reduction in flood-related damages, opportunity costs, transaction costs, and potential ecological or social externalities. The results demonstrate a favorable Benefit-Cost Ratio of approximately 11.95, indicating that the potential benefits significantly outweigh the costs. Sensitivity analysis further confirms the robustness of the project's economic feasibility under various scenarios. The findings contribute to the strategic planning and implementation of flood control measures that are adaptive to climate change, sustainable, and aligned with ecosystem-based management principles. The study highlights the potential of NbS as a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable alternative to traditional flood control measures, offering valuable insights for urban flood management in Ningbo and other delta cities across China facing similar challenges of urbanization and climate change. By integrating NbS into urban planning and policy frameworks, cities can build resilience to climate change while simultaneously promoting ecological sustainability and socio-economic development.
Open Access
Assessing the Changes in Rosewood Import in China under CITES Regulations: Based on Provincial-Level Data
(2024-04-21) Deng, Boya; Mao, Yuyao
This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the impact of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) on the importation of rosewood furniture in China. The research utilizes Chinese customs data from 2015 to 2022 and employs the Difference-in-Differences (DiD) method to evaluate changes in import patterns. Contrary to the expected decrease in rosewood imports due to trade restrictions, the study reveals a paradoxical surge in importation. This unexpected trend is explained through the lens of the Green Paradox theory, suggesting that the anticipation of future restrictions on resource extraction can lead suppliers to intensify their extraction and sale efforts in the short-term, resulting in an accelerated pace of resource extraction. The study identifies a clear seasonality pattern in rosewood imports, with low levels in the first quarter of the year and high levels in the subsequent quarters. This pattern is congruent with the marriage rate in China, indicating a cultural influence on resource consumption patterns. Furthermore, the research uncovers a potential substitution effect and investment shifts following the implementation of CITES regulations. Regulatory measures can alter the relative attractiveness of products, leading to unintended shifts in consumer and producer behavior. In the case of rosewood, making the resource scarcer or more difficult to legally acquire can enhance its desirability as a status symbol or investment, thereby driving up demand. This increased demand can have the perverse effect of making illegal trade more lucrative, further endangering the resource the policy aimed to protect. The study also highlights the limitations of the DiD approach, particularly the assumption that the treatment and control groups would have followed similar trends over time in the absence of treatment. The observed pre-treatment uptrend in the treatment group and the increase in post-treatment imports suggest that the DiD estimate might be biased or confounded by factors not controlled for in the model. In conclusion, this paper offers significant insights into the effectiveness of CITES regulations and their implications on resource extraction, market responses, and environmental conservation. These findings highlight the need for carefully designed policies that account for the complex dynamics between market behavior, economic principles, and environmental sustainability. Future policies should consider market dynamics, behavioral economics principles, and the unique characteristics of resources like rosewood to mitigate adverse impacts and ensure the intended conservation goals are achieved.
Open Access
Green Is Not Enough: A Management Framework for Urban Biodiversity Friendly Parks
(2023-05-05) Hu, Min
The potential of cities to conserve biodiversity is increasingly gaining more recognition and cities mainly contribute to biodiversity through planning and managing urban green spaces (UGS), for example, urban parks. Research finds that the ability of UGS to support biodiversity depends on several factors, and management activities are one of them. Urban parks are important urban infrastructures and are under a high level of management. Proper management after planning and construction is significant for meeting human needs as well as providing suitable habitats for wildlife. Therefore, understanding how urban parks are managed and operated is critical for urban biodiversity enhancement but accepts insufficient attention in China. This research focuses on the management stage of Chinese urban parks and tries to answer: how could urban parks effectively enhance biodiversity by changing management practices? Through identifying the improvement spaces and exploring the root causes including government failure and market failure, I propose a policy suggestion of a certificate of urban biodiversity friendly parks and generate a management framework as a tool for urban parks to make changes.
Open Access
Model the Hidden Cost of China’s 2060 Carbon Neutrality: Potential Biodiversity Impacts of Wind and Solar Energy Expansion
(2023-05-04) Zhou, Zhijie
Large-scale renewable energy deployments, as urgent solutions to mitigate climate change and its consequences, are reshaping the landscape in the human-environment nexus. Albeit promoted as pathways to bend the curve of biodiversity loss through their emission reduction and habitat restoration potential, renewables require significant land assets per unit energy and could impose high cost to ecosystems, triggering potential conflicts between global climate mitigation and biodiversity conservation. As China expanding its landscape of large-scale wind and solar energy facilities to fulfill its ambitious “2060 Carbon Neutrality” goals, an assessment of the potential areas of such concerns at a high resolution can provide insights for stakeholders to effectively manage biodiversity impacts of renewable power transitions. This project used suitability analysis to identify and predict the potential land use conflict between wind and solar energy expansion and biodiversity conservation in China under the 2060 announced pledge scenario in contrast to the biz-as-usual model of renewables expansion rate. We also quantify the biodiversity impacts of such expansion scenarios by estimating the mean richness and rarity scores, along with ecosystem service values and conflicting zones with Key Biodiversity Areas. Although our results indicated the renewables expansion under China’s ambitious goals tend not to encroach a high ratio of prioritized areas for biodiversity, the potential impacts in regions without the strictest protection are still worth investigation, as illustrated in our case studies for the Qilianshan-Qinghaihu Region and Hainan Province. The study provides insights for decision-makers to develop renewable energy facilities while protecting biodiversity and ecosystem services.
Open Access
Exploring the Perceptions of Local Citizens towards the Hangzhou Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) Program and its Outcomes
(2023-05-02) Li, Ying
This paper highlights the issue of a large number of stray cats in China and emphasizes the need for proper intervention to prevent further problems. The Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program policy has been implemented in many countries to control the overpopulation of stray cats, which has proven to be effective. However, in China, the TNR program has only been implemented in a few mega-cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and others. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the perspectives of local citizens on the Hangzhou TNR program, including its necessity and results. To achieve this, surveys and qualitative interviews were conducted to capture the viewpoints of both supporters and opponents of the program. The research collected information from a diverse group of citizens to gain a comprehensive understanding of public attitudes towards the TNR program for the stray cat community. Surveys are particularly valuable in providing insights into public perceptions and support for the program. They can reveal people's knowledge and experiences with stray cats, their assessment of the effectiveness of the TNR program, their level of support for the program, and their recommendations for improving it. Interviews were also conducted with local animal protection non-governmental organizations (NGOs), hospital directors, and relevant businesspersons to gain insight into their knowledge of the TNR program. Additionally, a survey was conducted to gather data on local citizens' perceptions and attitudes toward stray cats and the TNR program. The collected data were analyzed to evaluate the effectiveness of the TNR program in reducing the number of stray cats in Hangzhou, China, while considering and improving the current dilemma.
Open Access
Spatial Variation of Greenhouse Gas Abatement Potential and Cost in Domestic Hot Water
(2023-04-28) Yao, Tianzhi
Urban water systems have complex sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Due to its high energy consumption and intensity, domestic hot water contributes significantly to GHG emissions in the residential sector. A transition towards cleaner water heating, such as heat pumps, could dramatically reduce carbon footprint. This study investigates the spatial variation of GHG abatement potential and cost in domestic hot water across the European Union (EU). The abatement potential and cost of the same abatement scenario vary from country to country due to different economic and social contexts. Therefore, the optimal scenario for domestic hot water in each country is determined in consideration of national circumstances. Results show that climate and electricity grid mix are essential factors contributing to spatial variation. Findings suggest that the EU could phase out subsidies for traditional water heaters and replace them with incentives for heat pumps and solar water heaters.
Open Access
Impacts of Governors’ Early-life Heatwave Experiences on Local Environmental Performance
(2023-04-28) Li, Jiahuan
As a main outcome of climate change, heatwave events have increasingly caused both physical and psychological trauma to human beings. This research investigates the mental influence of early-life heatwave experiences on the personalities of top managers and the subsequent impact on organizational performance. Specifically, the study examines whether public sector governors with early-life heatwave exposure promote local environmental outcomes during their tenure. Employing an ordinary least-squares (OLS) approach, the empirical analysis utilizes two unique datasets comprising the biographical experiences of 4018 municipal governors over the past 50 years and the pollution levels of 288 cities between 2000 and 2016. This study provides clear and robust evidence that early-life heatwave exposure significantly reduces jurisdictional CO2 emissions by 1.1% and PM2.5 pollution by 2.1%, despite variations in heatwave criteria. These findings supplement the top management literature and challenge the current belief of the public unawareness of climate change.
Open Access
A Guideline of China’s City-Level Decarbonization Planning --- With a Case of an Island City in Northern China
(2023-04-28) Yi, Siying; Lu, Yifei
Urgent action is needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate global warming, which leads to ecosystem degradation, extreme weather events, and economic and human risks. The Paris Agreement's goals can be achieved by establishing emission reduction targets and decarbonizing the economy. China, the largest emitter of greenhouse gases, aims to reach carbon peaking by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060. Urban areas account for 85% of China's emissions, making it crucial for cities to adopt decarbonization measures to fulfill the national targets. Therefore, many city governments have developed decarbonization plans to explore low-carbon development opportunities. Based on a client project, this policy report focuses on the Chinese context and aims to provide practical knowledge for urban development planners, policymakers, and the public interested in decarbonization issues. The report clarifies the concept of decarbonization planning and provides a comprehensive planning guideline, including greenhouse gas inventory, future emissions forecast, setting decarbonization targets, and developing action plans specific to the region. To illustrate the practical application of the proposed guidelines, the report also includes a case study of an island city in northern China. The GHG inventory shows that the study area's emissions decreased by approximately 56% from 2016 to 2021, primarily due to the promotion of electrification in various industries. The LEAP model-based emissions forecast for the next 40 years reveals the feasibility of the island city achieving carbon neutrality by 2035 under a stringent low-carbon scenario. Based on this analysis, we design and compile a decarbonization action plan for the island city, presenting information on guiding ideology, principles, cross-cutting strategies, necessary decarbonization initiatives for specific sectors, and capacity-building guarantee systems.
Open Access
Using Different Response of Freshwater Algal Biomass to Limnological Parameters to Improve Harmful Algal Bloom Early Warning Strategies
(2023-04-28) Ren, Yuxiang; Zhu, Anfeilin
Harmful algal bloom (HAB) is a type of disastrous phenomenon taking place across the globe caused by certain overgrowing phytoplankton species that break the ecological balance in waterbodies. Early warning is a crucial step within the whole picture of HAB management, yet given that HAB can be caused by different algal species due to their distinctive optimal reproduction environment, few studies and policies have scrutinized such differences, leaving current early warning mechanisms less comprehensive. Based on 15 global long-term freshwater monitoring datasets, this study examines the relationship between algal population and major limnological parameters including total nitrogen, total phosphorus, nitrogen: phosphorous ratio, and water temperature. Results have indicated genera and species under the division Bacillariophyta and Cyanophyta are the most commonly observed alga across all lakes. Based on the locally weighted scatterplot smoothing technique (LOWESS) techniques, the paper has also found significant differences between division, genus, and species of dominant alga in terms of all four aforementioned limnological parameters. To enhance future HAB early warning mechanisms, management personnel and policy makers should focus on enhancing the taxonomic specificity of biomass monitoring and nitrogen: phosphorous measurement. Additionally, management efforts of each lake should be spent on the lakes’ unique dominant alga with significant differences along their taxonomic hierarchies.
Open Access
Co-effects of Transportation Means and Air Quality on Neurological, Pulmonary, and Cardiovascular Function
(2021-04-15) Ong, Gui Xian; Zhang, Yang; Wang, Huaping
The guidelines on outdoor activities in the presence of air pollution vary. We aim to find out the effects of walking and air pollution among young adults. We conducted a randomized, 3-session cross-over trial, with 28 healthy Duke Kunshan University (DKU) students. Between October 2020 and February 2021 on days with varying air quality levels, students walked or took the bus from DKU to Scholars Hotel in Kunshan, China. Indicators of neurological function (reaction speed, visual memory, verbal memory, and numerical memory), pulmonary function (PEF, FEV1 , FVC, and FEV1 / FVC), and cardiovascular function (systolic pressure, diastolic pressure, and heart rate) were tested before and after the interventions. The paired t-test findings revealed that walking was beneficial for pulmonary function, with an average PEF increase of 40.29 ± 84.87 L/min (p<0.05). On the other hand, air pollution decreased diastolic pressure by an average of -3.85 ± 5.30 mmHg (p<0.05) and numerical memory by an average of -2.27 ± 2.37 points (p<0.01). The regressions results showed that air pollution was associated with statistically significant decreases in cognitive and pulmonary function. An increase in PM 2.5 (1 µg/m3 ) was associated with decreased numerical memory (-2.32 points; p<0.05) and a unit increase in AQI was correlated with decreased FEV 1 (-6.71 L; p<0.05). On the co-effects of walking and air pollution, our evidence was inconclusive. Walking outdoors during air polluted days may negatively affect pulmonary functions and neurological functions, while its effect on cardiovascular functions is not clear. Being cautious, individuals may refrain from exercising in air polluted environments to avoid potential negative health impacts. Nonetheless, we are unable to make strong inferences towards such behavioral recommendations due to the limited effect size.

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