Final Report Summary - IRIS (Irkutsk Regional Information System for Environmental Protection)
The main injurious effect on the forest resources and the living environment of biota renders the pollution of the air. In the Irkutsk province the enterprises of fuel-energy, chemical, petrochemical complexes and nonferrous metallurgy are the basic sources of pollutants entering the atmosphere.
A second large contribution is introduced by truck transport. The large number of industrial objects in the cities consistently causes high and very high levels of pollution to the environment, often exceeding Russian average indices. The high load of pollutants to the environment is aggravated by the climatic special features of the territory - the anti-cyclone weather type in winter - which produces stable climatic conditions facilitating stagnation leading to the accumulation of harmful impurities in the atmosphere above the industrial objects.
For a period of already several decades there are regions with unhappy ecological situation of very high levels of pollution in the near-ground air: Angarsk, Bratsk, Zima, Irkutsk; Usolye- Sibirskoe, Shelekhov, Cheremkhovo, Ust-Ilimsk. Bratsk and Irkutsk for many years have been included in the priority list of the Russian cities with the highest level of air pollution. Zima is included into priority list since 2001, Angarsk since 2004.
The data about level and sources of the pollution of atmospheric air in the populated areas of Irkutsk region yearly are published in the state report 'about the state and protection of the environment in the Irkutsk region', the documents of the state committee of RF statistics.
The econometric analysis conducted allowed the following conclusions:
- the statistical dependency of the GRP produced by the LIC from the solvent demand created in the LIC, the pollutions made by the LIC, the cost estimation of the LIC's products, and fixed assets used in the LIC, turned out to be significant under all the factors. Thus the solvent demand results in the growth of the province's regional product and is the most significant factor of the growth of the society's wealth.
- enterprises are obliged to pay for the environmental contaminations which exceed the state limited values as penalties, positively influencing the well being of the society, which is explained by the fact, that with an increase of pollutions also the deductions into the budget grow and the production grows.
- the process of the deforestation is organised inefficiently. There is a high share of unaccounted cuttings, a smaller output of the wood products per square meter in comparison to the developed countries, a resource oriented export, a smaller margin profit from the functioning of the production.
- the increase of the quantity of pollution permissions results in the decrease of well being of the society because of the growth of the unpaid pollutions and the growth of uncompensated harm to the environment.
- the GRP values were obtained considering the harm causing environmental degradation, an inefficiency penalty for the resource and a fixed assets usage.
Intensive effort has been spent to produce up to date and accurate datasets on anthropogenic drivers of pollution. All datasets are checked for errors and every effort has been made to ensure that the datasets function properly in the information system developed by the ''Irkutsk regional information system for environmental protection' (IRIS) project. The econometrics approach has highlighted a number of problems in data availability, e.g. for regionalisation. Even if model input data were collected and archived for the entire province, they are not available on a more discrete district basis. Many individual assessments were limited by this constraining factor. Despite these problems, a comprehensive assessment of a large multi-parameter database was performed. The statistics show that the models do provide very useful information on the future development of the LIC and thus on sustainable forest resource development and man-made land cover change.
One project partner developed an initial draft of a regional branch systems analysis and forecasting approach for operating LICs including various sets of auxiliary data and information of negative anthropogenic impacts on the environment as well as of indicators for social costs of these impacts. The econometrics approach has met its initial objectives and is available in the IRIS-GIS. Thus, the central theme of this project task, the development of regions, inter-budget relations in the region, and links in the system 'economy and environment' has successfully been performed.
An overall initial approach to assessing the theoretical background of risk assessments has been undertaken and presented. A detailed risk assessment depends on the availability of validation data of high quality. Within the IRIS project and according to the project's workforce, no mathematical assessment according to risk theory was performed. This would be the task of a follow-on research project. Main focus was therefore on an assessment of the risks for forestry due to man-made changes. Moreover, industrial, agricultural and tourism pollution have been explained. Good progress was achieved for an agreed approach to conceptual documents on risk assessment and satellite-based Earth Observation (EO) information and a very extensive EO database has been set up. A synergistic assessment of the human impact on the Irkutsk region environment is the main outcome. Impact maps (also in digital format) have been included in the IRIS information system.
Impact
The major objective and overall goal of this project, the foundation for implementation of a powerful tool for risk assessment and environmental protection, has been successfully concluded. The IRIS information system can help to assess the impact of pollution on the forest environment of the Irkutsk province and foster sustainable management of the land resources.
It is useful for officials of the Russian Federation at different levels of state hierarchy, i.e. at regional level (Irkutsk), inter-regional level (since neighbouring areas are also included in the IRIS GIS as present and potential sources of pollution) and federal level (e.g. management of federally controlled nature resources and stress on the environment by enterprises held in federal property). The IRIS information system can also serve as a prototype for regional information systems for other territories of the Russian Federation.
Impact of the IRIS Earth Observation database
The technical nature of the results from the EO database has substantial socio-economic meaning and practical implications outside of the project. The collected satellite data of the IRIS project represents comprehensive characteristics of vegetation, land-use and land-cover, anthropogenic impact and disturbances, generating unique information for managers of this vast and insufficiently monitored region.
The ability to derive biosphere surface parameters from EO at a regional scale has been recently demonstrated by a number of organisations (e.g. LPDAAC). The accuracy assessment of all data products is critical to policy makers to get an informed opinion on the real value of EO derived information. In the context of environmental security, knowledge of the accuracy values will provide guidance of the potential improvements that might be achievable by incorporating the data products. For instance, judgements on the transition to sustainable forest management are impossible without such information. Some results, which were received, can be used in various climatic change national and international studies and in Russian forest / land management.
Impact of the IRIS econometric analysis
Collection and use of data on negative environmental impacts is irreplaceable in at least three aspects:
(1) to identify current pollution sources and natural and human-induced disturbances
(2) to estimate an environmentally-adjusted GRP, particularly in vast, remote LIC-dominated areas
(3) to estimate social costs in terms of public welfare while LIC operates.
Impact of IRIS in the context of the Open Geospatial Consortium
One of essential components of the IRIS information system is an open source GIS system. Open source technology is a growing field that encourages the free sharing of software, codes and services. The goal of the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) is to promote standard open software interfaces called OpenGIS. These interfaces will enable geoprocessing so that different geospatial systems are able to communicate with each other.
OpenGIS supports the easy retrieval of geospatial information in a distributed environment, regardless of physical location of the data. By conforming to international metadata standards, the IRIS user has access to standardised information about each dataset such as data origin, age, resolution and source. Thus IRIS contributes to a common European standard for satellite data products, model variables and other data.
Impact of the IRIS environmental risk assessment to forestry
The prototype of the IRIS information system allows an assessment of state and functioning of the regional forests, to identify areas of rapid changes, which require operative monitoring, and to estimate environmental risk in different aspects.
The research performed will be relevant for environmental security and climate protection. Its wider significance lies in the fact that the boreal forest region is especially vulnerable to climate change and that numerous indications show that this change is already beginning to occur. The implications of these changes for resource management of this large region are fundamental. Risk assessments provide the link between accounting methods and a deeper process understanding.
The IRIS information system works as an expert system for assessing the impacts of negative anthropogenic drivers on forests to serve as a basis for preparing of programs of new advance studies and research initiatives.
International and immediate impact
The international dimension of the successful project implementation is strongly connected with problems of climate change and sustainable land use management. The IRIS information system contributes to ensuring a sustainable ecological, economic and social future of one of the key forest areas of Russia the Irkutsk region. It should be stressed here that the IRIS information system is a lot more than a mere compilation of its parts (GIS, models, scenarios etc.). Matching these parts together allows reaching a qualitatively new level of understanding of response of forest environments to man-made changes and sources of pollution.
The results of the IRIS project, if implemented by the local bodies, may in the longer term contribute:
(i) to maintain the optimal scheme of economic development of the region as a compromise of industrial demands and nature-protection decisions and actions and
(ii) to foster sustainable forest environment management.
As a result of this public meeting in March 2009, prospective research initiatives for the continuation of the IRIS GIS and databases, the further development of pollution transport models, industrial development scenarios and risk assessments will be formulated since it is the expressed wish of the consortium to continue cooperation.
A second large contribution is introduced by truck transport. The large number of industrial objects in the cities consistently causes high and very high levels of pollution to the environment, often exceeding Russian average indices. The high load of pollutants to the environment is aggravated by the climatic special features of the territory - the anti-cyclone weather type in winter - which produces stable climatic conditions facilitating stagnation leading to the accumulation of harmful impurities in the atmosphere above the industrial objects.
For a period of already several decades there are regions with unhappy ecological situation of very high levels of pollution in the near-ground air: Angarsk, Bratsk, Zima, Irkutsk; Usolye- Sibirskoe, Shelekhov, Cheremkhovo, Ust-Ilimsk. Bratsk and Irkutsk for many years have been included in the priority list of the Russian cities with the highest level of air pollution. Zima is included into priority list since 2001, Angarsk since 2004.
The data about level and sources of the pollution of atmospheric air in the populated areas of Irkutsk region yearly are published in the state report 'about the state and protection of the environment in the Irkutsk region', the documents of the state committee of RF statistics.
The econometric analysis conducted allowed the following conclusions:
- the statistical dependency of the GRP produced by the LIC from the solvent demand created in the LIC, the pollutions made by the LIC, the cost estimation of the LIC's products, and fixed assets used in the LIC, turned out to be significant under all the factors. Thus the solvent demand results in the growth of the province's regional product and is the most significant factor of the growth of the society's wealth.
- enterprises are obliged to pay for the environmental contaminations which exceed the state limited values as penalties, positively influencing the well being of the society, which is explained by the fact, that with an increase of pollutions also the deductions into the budget grow and the production grows.
- the process of the deforestation is organised inefficiently. There is a high share of unaccounted cuttings, a smaller output of the wood products per square meter in comparison to the developed countries, a resource oriented export, a smaller margin profit from the functioning of the production.
- the increase of the quantity of pollution permissions results in the decrease of well being of the society because of the growth of the unpaid pollutions and the growth of uncompensated harm to the environment.
- the GRP values were obtained considering the harm causing environmental degradation, an inefficiency penalty for the resource and a fixed assets usage.
Intensive effort has been spent to produce up to date and accurate datasets on anthropogenic drivers of pollution. All datasets are checked for errors and every effort has been made to ensure that the datasets function properly in the information system developed by the ''Irkutsk regional information system for environmental protection' (IRIS) project. The econometrics approach has highlighted a number of problems in data availability, e.g. for regionalisation. Even if model input data were collected and archived for the entire province, they are not available on a more discrete district basis. Many individual assessments were limited by this constraining factor. Despite these problems, a comprehensive assessment of a large multi-parameter database was performed. The statistics show that the models do provide very useful information on the future development of the LIC and thus on sustainable forest resource development and man-made land cover change.
One project partner developed an initial draft of a regional branch systems analysis and forecasting approach for operating LICs including various sets of auxiliary data and information of negative anthropogenic impacts on the environment as well as of indicators for social costs of these impacts. The econometrics approach has met its initial objectives and is available in the IRIS-GIS. Thus, the central theme of this project task, the development of regions, inter-budget relations in the region, and links in the system 'economy and environment' has successfully been performed.
An overall initial approach to assessing the theoretical background of risk assessments has been undertaken and presented. A detailed risk assessment depends on the availability of validation data of high quality. Within the IRIS project and according to the project's workforce, no mathematical assessment according to risk theory was performed. This would be the task of a follow-on research project. Main focus was therefore on an assessment of the risks for forestry due to man-made changes. Moreover, industrial, agricultural and tourism pollution have been explained. Good progress was achieved for an agreed approach to conceptual documents on risk assessment and satellite-based Earth Observation (EO) information and a very extensive EO database has been set up. A synergistic assessment of the human impact on the Irkutsk region environment is the main outcome. Impact maps (also in digital format) have been included in the IRIS information system.
Impact
The major objective and overall goal of this project, the foundation for implementation of a powerful tool for risk assessment and environmental protection, has been successfully concluded. The IRIS information system can help to assess the impact of pollution on the forest environment of the Irkutsk province and foster sustainable management of the land resources.
It is useful for officials of the Russian Federation at different levels of state hierarchy, i.e. at regional level (Irkutsk), inter-regional level (since neighbouring areas are also included in the IRIS GIS as present and potential sources of pollution) and federal level (e.g. management of federally controlled nature resources and stress on the environment by enterprises held in federal property). The IRIS information system can also serve as a prototype for regional information systems for other territories of the Russian Federation.
Impact of the IRIS Earth Observation database
The technical nature of the results from the EO database has substantial socio-economic meaning and practical implications outside of the project. The collected satellite data of the IRIS project represents comprehensive characteristics of vegetation, land-use and land-cover, anthropogenic impact and disturbances, generating unique information for managers of this vast and insufficiently monitored region.
The ability to derive biosphere surface parameters from EO at a regional scale has been recently demonstrated by a number of organisations (e.g. LPDAAC). The accuracy assessment of all data products is critical to policy makers to get an informed opinion on the real value of EO derived information. In the context of environmental security, knowledge of the accuracy values will provide guidance of the potential improvements that might be achievable by incorporating the data products. For instance, judgements on the transition to sustainable forest management are impossible without such information. Some results, which were received, can be used in various climatic change national and international studies and in Russian forest / land management.
Impact of the IRIS econometric analysis
Collection and use of data on negative environmental impacts is irreplaceable in at least three aspects:
(1) to identify current pollution sources and natural and human-induced disturbances
(2) to estimate an environmentally-adjusted GRP, particularly in vast, remote LIC-dominated areas
(3) to estimate social costs in terms of public welfare while LIC operates.
Impact of IRIS in the context of the Open Geospatial Consortium
One of essential components of the IRIS information system is an open source GIS system. Open source technology is a growing field that encourages the free sharing of software, codes and services. The goal of the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) is to promote standard open software interfaces called OpenGIS. These interfaces will enable geoprocessing so that different geospatial systems are able to communicate with each other.
OpenGIS supports the easy retrieval of geospatial information in a distributed environment, regardless of physical location of the data. By conforming to international metadata standards, the IRIS user has access to standardised information about each dataset such as data origin, age, resolution and source. Thus IRIS contributes to a common European standard for satellite data products, model variables and other data.
Impact of the IRIS environmental risk assessment to forestry
The prototype of the IRIS information system allows an assessment of state and functioning of the regional forests, to identify areas of rapid changes, which require operative monitoring, and to estimate environmental risk in different aspects.
The research performed will be relevant for environmental security and climate protection. Its wider significance lies in the fact that the boreal forest region is especially vulnerable to climate change and that numerous indications show that this change is already beginning to occur. The implications of these changes for resource management of this large region are fundamental. Risk assessments provide the link between accounting methods and a deeper process understanding.
The IRIS information system works as an expert system for assessing the impacts of negative anthropogenic drivers on forests to serve as a basis for preparing of programs of new advance studies and research initiatives.
International and immediate impact
The international dimension of the successful project implementation is strongly connected with problems of climate change and sustainable land use management. The IRIS information system contributes to ensuring a sustainable ecological, economic and social future of one of the key forest areas of Russia the Irkutsk region. It should be stressed here that the IRIS information system is a lot more than a mere compilation of its parts (GIS, models, scenarios etc.). Matching these parts together allows reaching a qualitatively new level of understanding of response of forest environments to man-made changes and sources of pollution.
The results of the IRIS project, if implemented by the local bodies, may in the longer term contribute:
(i) to maintain the optimal scheme of economic development of the region as a compromise of industrial demands and nature-protection decisions and actions and
(ii) to foster sustainable forest environment management.
As a result of this public meeting in March 2009, prospective research initiatives for the continuation of the IRIS GIS and databases, the further development of pollution transport models, industrial development scenarios and risk assessments will be formulated since it is the expressed wish of the consortium to continue cooperation.
