Climate protection strategies today basically pursue two approaches: Firstly, measures should be taken to reduce anthropogenic greenhouse gas emisssions. Secondly, measures should be implemented that enable humans and the environment to adapt to unavoidable climate change. For some time, proposals for counteracting climate change through large-scale intervention in global ecological processes have also been the subject of increased debate in literature and the media. Such measures are grouped together under the term geoengineering. Veröffentlicht in Hintergrundpapier.
Das Projekt "Laboratory and field methods for determination of bromate in drinking water" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von DVGW Deutscher Verein des Gas- und Wasserfaches e.V. - Technisch-wissenschaftlicher Verein - Technologiezentrum Wasser (TZW) durchgeführt. Objective: A large part of distributed waters for human consumption must be efficiently and frequently controlled A 10 ug 1(-1), regulatory standard for bromate in drinking water as proposed in the new Directive for water intended for human consumption, requires an analytical method with a detection level of at least 2.5 ug 1(-1) (25 per cent of the parametric value). Few water analysis laboratories with statutory function in Europe have demonstrated an ability to determine bromate in drinking water at the ug 1(-1) level. Research, therefore, is urgently needed to meet the following objectives: 1. To improve the current laboratory-based method, ion chromatography with conductimetric detection for determination of bromate in raw and potable waters in compliance with the proposed new European Directive of 10 ug 1(-1) to make the method more robust user friendly and less subject to specific interferences and to insure determination capability at the ug 1(-1) level. 2. To develop alternative laboratory based methods for determination of bromate in raw and potable waters as per objective 1, and to confirm bromate presence in raw waters. 3. To develop novel field based methods for determination of bromate in raw an potable waters. These robust and low cost methods would be suitable for routine monitoring at a waterworks and should be applicable to on-line monitoring. 4. To clearly specify the advantages and disadvantages of each method and particularly with respect to potential significant interferences. 5. To produce new information concerning the stability of bromate in various types of water (at ug 1(-1) level). 6. To validate some of the developed methods and to organise interlaboratory tests involving 8 to 15 laboratories (for the ion chromatography/conductimetry method and one selected field method) before a CRM is prepared. General Information: The project relates to Theme III.1 (human health) and III.2 (water monitoring). Indeed the World Health Organisation has classified bromate in Group 2B, i.e. 'Possibly carcinogenics to humans'. Therefore as the occurrence of bromate represent a risk for public health, there is an urgent need for rapid and sensitive methodology to analyse bromate in drinking water. As a result, both public health utilities and water utilities need to have in place accurate and repeatable laboratory based method to determine bromide at a ug 1(-1) level. At the end of the project, a reference method will be made at the disposal of CEN TC 230 (Water Analysis). Dissemination of results achieved within the project and transfer of experience will allow a greater number of European analytical laboratories to determine easily bromate concentrations in distributed drinking waters, with a good accuracy. ... Prime Contractor: GIE Anjou-Recherche, Laboratoire Central - Le Graal; Maison-Laffitte; France.
Das Projekt "Kulturlandschaften im Wandel' im Landkreis Kaiserslautern am Beispiel Olsbrücken" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Technische Universität Kaiserslautern, Lehr- und Forschungsgebiet Landschafts- und Grünordnungsplanung durchgeführt. Historisch ist das Landschaftsbild in der Nord/West-Pfalz geprägt durch landwirtschaftliche Nutzung. Zur Zeit vollzieht sich in der Landwirtschaft ein rascher Strukturwandel. In erheblichem Umfang fallen dabei bisher landwirtschaftlich genutzte Flächen brach. Das spannungsreiche Bild der nordwestpfälzischen Landschaft, gekennzeichnet durch den Wechsel von Grünland, Acker, Wald und Streuobstwiesen beginnt sich dramatisch zu verändern. Bedingt durch den Strukturwandel verlieren sowohl die freie Landschaft als auch die Siedlungen mehr und mehr ihr gewachsenes Erscheinungsbild. In keiner der vorhandenen Planungen sind der z.Z. erkennbare Strukturwandel in der Landwirtschaft und die sich daraus ergebenden Veränderungen berücksichtigt. Ebenso gehen diese Planungen nur wenig auf das Leitbild der Nachhaltigkeit im Sinne der Agenda 21 ein. Im Rahmen des Projektes soll daher gemeinsam mit den Akteuren in der Gemeinde ein informelles Landschaftsentwicklungskonzept (Leitbilder, Ziele und Projekte) erarbeitet werden, das sich am Leitbild der Nachhaltigkeit orientiert. Die Forschergruppe übernimmt dabei die Mediatorenfunktion. Zu den Aufgaben gehört, den Dialog zwischen den Disziplinen zu initiieren, durch Entwicklung und Visualierung von Szenarien der Landschaftsentwicklung die Diskussion zu vertiefen und zu lenken sowie das informelle Konzept in die Umsetzung zu bringen. In diesem Zusammenhang soll untersucht werden, inwieweit der Handel mit Eingriffs-/Ausgleichsoptionen zur Realisierung des Konzeptes beitragen kann. Das Projekt soll in verschiedene Phasen gegliedert werden. In der anstehenden ersten Phase geht es um die zukünftige Entwicklung des ortsbildprägenden Hausberges. Dazu fanden bereits verschiedene Arbeitssitzungen statt.
Das Projekt "Entwicklung und Anwendung eines Ueberwachungssystems fuer die von Fahrzeugen verursachte Luftverschmutzung in einer europaeischen Grossstadt, Vorschlag und Auswertung von Massnahmen zur Verringerung der durch Fahrzeuge verursachten Luftverschmutzung - Fallstudie aus Athen" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Trier, European Association for Environmental Management Education - Focal Point Trier -, Europäisches Diplom in Umweltwissenschaften durchgeführt. One of the serious problems for many European cities is air pollution and especially the photochemical pollution that has as main contributor the vehicular traffic. The subject of this project is the definition and evaluation of interventions to the traffic network of the city of Athens as a mean to minimise pollution. The first part of the project gives a description of the subsystems of the Vehicular Pollution Monitoring System (VPMS) such as: the traffic flow monitoring system, the sampling system for vehicular speed, fuel consumption, emission factors of CO. HC's and NOx, and driving conditions. The next part is referred to the application of a VPMS in the city of Athens. The combination of the subsystems of VPMS is discussed in practice, and the data for every main road are presented in a database which is related to a Geographical Information System (GIS) that also completes the comprehensive, spatial and temporal presentation of data. The final part is dedicated to the proposal and evaluation of interventions in the road network of Athens, which have the form of percentages of traffic decrease in specific roads. The amounts of CO, HC, NOx emitted in the atmosphere from every road are a very important parameter in the evaluation procedure. A large part of the evaluation process is taking place in GIS environment for a more efficient presentation of interventions, systematic and complete management of data.
Das Projekt "Evaluation of instruments of the European Union as regards their contribution to sustainable agriculture in the Alps (SUSTALP)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Europäische Akademie Bozen, EURAC durchgeführt. Agriculture is the branch of economy with the greatest degree of land responsibility. Because of it and because of the important role it plays in supplying the population, it is the subject of many political ordinances and interventions. The impacts of these agro-political measures are not limited to agriculture alone, but bring about considerable side effects in the ecosystem as well. These 'environmental side effects in such highly fragile areas as mountain ecosystems are of highest significance. It was the goal of the SUSTALP Project to analyse the environmental impacts of agro-political measures and to derive from that analysis the consequences necessary to give a strategic direction to agricultural policy. Results: In the alpine region, it was possible to identify eight well distinguishable agro-regional types based on natural, socio-economical, and agro-economical indicators. Agro-policy was effective on agricultural reference values as well as on the environment. Its impact differs according to regional and operational settings. Five main farm strategies (optimisation of subsidies, intensification, extensification, specialisation and modernisation) were primarily responsible for the transfer of agro-political impulses to the environmental situation. Next to a whole row of technical results, the analysis of these strategies and the way they were influenced by the regional and operational setting allowed the conclusion that an environmentally appropriate European agricultural policy must be especially enduring (long-term, clearly formulated goals and instruments) and subsidiary (wide leeway for regional differentiation of the measures). Results showed, furthermore, that the highest agro-political leverage on the environment existed in the disadvantaged areas. Further references for the structuring of European agricultural policy could be deduced from these strategical principles.