Integrated assessment of traffic impact in an Alpine region

Basso, Giuseppe; Calori, G.; Finardi, S.; Tinarelli, G.; Zublena, Manuela; Agnesod, Giovanni; Pession, Giordano

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2004.04.050

Cited by 9 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 1 publication

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“…There are only few studies that analyze the relationships and impacts of road tunnel infrastructure and regional tourism. It is interesting to note that the social significance of the existence of this type of infrastructure is mainly studied in more isolated areas or areas that are otherwise challenged due to their specificities-for example, in the mountainous regions of the Alps [54] or on remote islands such as in Iceland [17] or the Faroe Islands [21].…”

Section: Theoretical Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors Influencing the Carbon Footprint of Major Road Infrastructure—A Case Study of the Učka Tunnel

Grofelnik

Kovačić

2023

Sustainability

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In addition to its positive socioeconomic impact, tourism also has some negative effects on the environment, particularly through carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Although the impact of tourism on the environment is visible, many of the cause–effect relationships have not yet been adequately explored. In order to determine individual factors regarding the temporal variation in the carbon footprint of a major road infrastructure facility (the Učka Tunnel, Croatia), a regression analysis was conducted. The study analyzes the carbon footprint of the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods and uses factors at the national and regional levels influencing the region of Istria County, as representative of the developed tourism regions in the Mediterranean. The results of the research provide theoretical insight into the sustainability and cause–effect relationships between the economic and social factors of road transport in tourism-developed destinations, with characteristic seasonality. At the application level, the research results can be used to predict the temporal variations in the environmental impacts of road infrastructure, as well as economic parameters that can be used in the prediction process and crisis management models of major road facilities.

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Section: Theoretical Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors Influencing the Carbon Footprint of Major Road Infrastructure—A Case Study of the Učka Tunnel

Grofelnik

Kovačić

2023

Sustainability

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“…The most common way to model air pollution in areas with complex terrain is to compute time series of 3-dimensional wind-, turbulence-, and concentration fields (e.g. Nanni et al, 2002;Finardi et al, 2002, Anfossi et al, 1998Carvalho et al, 2002;Finardi et al, 2004;Tinarelli et al, 2000;Trini Castelli et al, 2003 and. Models are initialized with outputs of a global scale model or reanalysis data and subsequently nested until the required horizontal resolution is achieved.…”

Section: Flow Field Modellingmentioning

confidence: 99%

High resolution maps of nitrogen dioxide for the Province of Styria, Austria

Oettl

2014

IJEP

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Knowledge about the spatial distribution of NO 2 concentrations and its main contributors is beneficial for setting up air quality measurement plans, assessing exposure, or in licensing procedures, where background concentration levels are required. To produce air quality maps with reasonable spatial resolution, a suitable dispersion model is needed. The province of Styria with 16.400 km² and a population of 1.2 million is the second largest in Austria. While the northern part is dominated by the Alps (peak elevation: 2.995 m), the Southeast is much more flat with gentle hills and some larger plains. In order to take topographical effects on the pollutant dispersion properly into account, wind field libraries have been computed using the prognostic non-hydrostatic mesoscale model GRAMM (Graz Mesoscale Model). The chosen horizontal grid resolution of 300 m did not allow to model wind fields for the whole of Styria in one single run; instead the province has been divided into more than 20 overlapping sub-regions. Local observations of wind speed,-direction and estimated stability classes have been used as meteorological input. Subsequently quasi steady state wind fields have been computed and stored for later use in dispersion modelling utilizing the Lagrangian particle model GRAL (Graz Lagrangian Model). In order to capture strong NO 2 concentration gradients in the vicinity of roads, horizontal grid spacing was set 10 m in the dispersion calculations. Building effects on dispersion have been taken into account by applying a simple mass-conservative diagnostic flow field model implemented in GRAL. Modelled annual mean NO 2 concentrations compare well with observations, although in some areas unexpected patterns appear. In some cases these could be reasonably explained by wrong emissions. Apart from correctly assigning some emission sources in space (e.g. tractors, domestic heating), wind field simulations should be further improved. High resolution maps for PM 10 and B(a)P are foreseen in future, too.

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“…In mountainous regions, this translates into enhanced atmospheric stability conditions, which develop especially at night and during winter, conditions that tend to trap air pollutants near the ground [4], [5]. The main sources of air pollutants are human activities (e.g., road traffic, industries, domestic heating), which are usually located at the valley bottom [6]- [11]. Besides being the most critical part of the year in terms of atmospheric dispersion, winter is the season with the highest emissions of air pollutants, due to the additional contribution of domestic heating.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Importance of Comprehensive Health Risk Assessment Procedures for Modern Waste-Toenergy Facilities in Complex Geographical Contexts Oriented to Circular Economy

Rada

Tubino

Schiavon

et al. 2022

WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment

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Although circular economy (CE) principles set material circularity, resource efficiency and waste recycling as priority targets to guarantee the sustainable development of future generations, the thermochemical valorisation of municipal solid waste (MSW) still plays a fundamental role in the transition towards the final CE targets. As a matter of fact, the waste-to-energy (WtE) sector allows recovering energy from waste, reducing the pressure on MSW landfills and their related potential environmental impacts; however, recovering material for further uses is not excluded in WtE options. Significant improvements have been achieved in the air pollution control of exhaust gases from direct and indirect MSW combustion during the last decades. The efforts focussed on reducing dioxin emissions especially, and this has let other substances emerge as priority pollutants (e.g., heavy metals). In addition, the location of WtE facilities in certain geographical contexts is still potentially critical from the point of view of human exposure and the related health risk; moreover, the public acceptance of WtE plants is still limited, in spite of their recent role in fighting SARS-CoV-2 risks from waste management. The purpose of the present paper is to underline the importance of implementing correct and complete health risk assessment procedures tailored to the exposed population living in the area of influence of a WtE plant. The paper will present two case studies regarding the projects of two WtE plants in a mountainous region, highlighting the critical issues that arose during the environmental impact assessment procedures. The paper will finally suggest possible options to improve the health risk assessment procedure and alternative measures to reduce the expected impacts of the WtE sector on the environment and human exposure.

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Integrated assessment of traffic impact in an Alpine region

Cited by 9 publications

References 1 publication

Factors Influencing the Carbon Footprint of Major Road Infrastructure—A Case Study of the Učka Tunnel

Factors Influencing the Carbon Footprint of Major Road Infrastructure—A Case Study of the Učka Tunnel

High resolution maps of nitrogen dioxide for the Province of Styria, Austria

Importance of Comprehensive Health Risk Assessment Procedures for Modern Waste-Toenergy Facilities in Complex Geographical Contexts Oriented to Circular Economy

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