Jan Kovanda

Material flow accounts, balances and derived indicators for the Czech Republic during the 1990s: results and recommendations for methodological improvements

Abstract The economy and the environment are connected through material and energy flows. These flows are the key cause of environmental problems (together with land use and other biological and social factors) and can serve as an indirect indicator of pressure on the environment. The leading method for assessing material flows and dematerialisation at a macroeconomic level was developed during the 1990s by a number of research institutes and organisations. The result of this effort was the guide [‘Eurostat (2001) 92’]. This is a guide for the analysis of the total mass of annual material inputs and outputs for the whole economic system, using accounts, balances and derived indicators of material flows. The manual touches only briefly on the flows between various sectors of the economy. This article describes the application of material flow analysis (MFA) to the economy of the Czech Republic. Relevant indicators were derived on the basis of accounts and balances of material flows compiled for the Czech Republic for 1990–2000. The indicators and analysis of material flows presented here are the first results covering a long time period and a comprehensive set of material flow accounts in a transition economy. The results show that indicators of material flows decreased during the 10-year-period analysed by approximately 30–40%. Material intensity also dropped by 30% (i.e. material efficiency increased by 30%) while the material intensity of other countries such as Germany dropped by 30% in the 15-year-period. Finally it has been possible to demonstrate that economic growth as expressed by GDP has been decoupled from environmental pressure as expressed by material flow indicators. The article proposes further work that should be undertaken in MFA at macroeconomic level in the Czech Republic. In conclusion, recommendations are made on how to improve the methodology used.

Assessing Socioeconomic Metabolism Through Hybrid Life Cycle Assessment

This article applies a combined inputoutput and life cycle inventory (LCI) method to the calculation of emissions and material requirements of the Czech economy in 2003. The main focus is on materials and emissions embodied in the international trade of the Czech Republic. Emissions and material extraction avoided due to imports are calculated according to an inputoutput approach that assumes the same production technology for imports as for domestic production. Because not all products are provided by the domestic economy, the LCI data are incorporated into the monetary inputoutput model. The results show that incorporating the LCI data into an inputoutput model is reasonable. The emissions embodied in the international trade of the Czech Republic are comparable to the domestic emissions. We compare the economy-wide material flow indicators, such as direct material input, domestic material consumption, and physical trade balance, to their raw material equivalents. The results of our calculation show that the Czech Republic exerts environmental pressure on the environment in other countries through international trade. We argue that raw material equivalents should be used to express the flows across national boundaries. Furthermore, we recommend a raw material consumption indicator for international comparisons.

Structural Decomposition Analysis of Raw Material Consumption

The aim of this article is to quantify the drivers for the changes in raw material consumption (domestic material consumption expressed in the form of all materials extracted and used in the production phase) in terms of technology, which refers to the concept of sustainable production; the product structure of final demand, which refers to the concept of sustainable consumption; and the volume of final demand, which is related to economic growth. We also aim to determine to what extent the technological development and a shift in product structure of the final demand compensate for the growth in final consumption volume. Therefore, we apply structural decomposition analysis (SDA) to the change in raw material consumption (RMC) of the Czech Republic between 2000 and 2007. To present the study in a broader context, we also show other material flow indicators for the Czech Republic for 2000 and 2007. Our findings of SDA show that final demand structure has a very limited effect on the change in material flows. The rapid change in final demand volume was not compensated for crude oil, metal ores, construction materials, food crops, and timber. For the material category of non‐iron metal ores, even the change in technology contributes to an increase in material flows. The largest relative increases are reported for non‐iron metal ores (38%) and construction materials (30%). The main changes in material flows related to the Czech Republic are driven by exports and enabled by imports, the main source of these increased material flows. This emphasizes the increasing role of international trade.

Material Flow Indicators in the Czech Republic in Light of the Accession to the European Union

This article deals with the economy-wide material flows in the Czech Republic in 1990–2006. It presents in brief the overall trends of the material flow indicators in 1990–2002. The major part of the article is focused on the years 2002–2006, which immediately preceded and followed the accession of the Czech Republic to the European Union in 2004. It is shown that this accession had quite a significant impact on the volume and character of the material flows of the Czech Republic. The accession was beneficial from an economic point of view, as it allowed for an increased supply of materials needed for economic growth. Furthermore, it was accompanied by an improvement in the efficiency of material transformation into economic output. From an environmental and broader sustainability point of view, however, this accession brought about some controversial outcomes. There was a significant increase in the net export of environmental pressure, on one hand, and an increase in net additions to the physical stock of the economy, on the other. Although the former is controversial from the viewpoint of equity in sharing area and resources, the latter places an additional burden on future generations because all physical stocks will turn into waste and emissions at some point, when their life span expires.

Economy-wide material flow indicators in the Czech Republic: trends, decoupling analysis and uncertainties

Material and energy flows (together with human appropriation of land) are considered the key cause of environmental problems. This paper describes the application of economy-wide material flow accounting and analysis to the economy of the Czech Republic for 1990-2002. The results show a decrease of material intensity and decoupling of the economic growth from environmental pressure. The second part of the paper treats an important issue of uncertainties related to economy-wide material flow indicators in the Czech Republic. The results point out that the high uncertainties related to some material flow indicators may be an obstacle to their applicability.

Calculation of the 'Net Additions to Stock' Indicator for the Czech Republic using a Direct Method

Net additions to stock (NAS) are an indicator based on economy-wide material flow accounting and analysis. NAS, a measure of the physical growth rate of an economy, can be used for estimates of future waste flows. It is calculated using two methods: The indirect method of calculation is a simple difference between all input and output flows, whereas the direct method involves measuring the amounts of materials added to particular categories of physical stock and the amounts of waste flows from these stocks.The study described in this article had one leading objective: to make available direct NAS data for the Czech Republic, which could later be used for predicting future waste flows. Two additional objectives emerged from the first: (1) to develop a method for direct NAS calculation from data availability in the Czech Republic; (2) to calculate NAS directly, compare the results with those achieved in indirect NAS calculation, and discuss the identified differences.The NAS for the Czech Republic calculated by the direct method is equal to approximately 65 million tonnes on average in 2000-2002 and is approximately 27% lower than the NAS acquired by the indirect method of calculation. The actual values of directly calculated NAS and its uncertainties suggest that the indirect NAS is more likely to be an overestimation than an underestimation. Durables account for about 2% of the total direct NAS, whereas the rest is attributed to infrastructure and buildings. The direct NAS is dominated by nonmetal construction commodities such as building stone and bricks, which equal approximately 89% of the total direct NAS.Calculation of NAS by the direct method has been proved to be feasible in the Czech Republic. Moreover, uncertainties related to direct NAS are lower than those related to indirectly acquired NAS.

Acute right ventricular resynchronization improves haemodynamics in children after surgical repair of tetralogy of Fallot

Aims Right bundle branch block is associated with right ventricular (RV) electromechanical dyssynchrony, which may contribute to acute haemodynamic impairment after repair of tetralogy of Fallot (ToF). We sought to evaluate the effects of RV resynchronization on haemodynamics and tissue oxygenation during the first 24 h after surgery. Methods and results Arterial pressures, cardiac output, and tissue oxygenation were measured in 28 consecutive patients (median age 10.1 months) during baseline sinus rhythm with right bundle branch block and after RV resynchronization by atrial-triggered RV free wall pacing in complete fusion with spontaneous activation. Studied variables were compared in a crossover design in four 5-min intervals (baseline rhythm and stimulation, 2x each). Resynchronization reduced the QRS complex duration from median 110 to 70 ms (P < 0.001), increased significantly median arterial systolic, mean and pulse pressure, cardiac index, left ventricular maximum +dP/dT and decreased central venous pressure (P < 0.001 for all). Both cerebral and renal oxygenation improved (P < 0.001). Eleven of the 28 patients showed a clinically highly significant resynchronization effect defined as an increase in arterial pulse pressure of ≥ 10%. The q-RV interval (expressed as % of QRS duration) at the RV pacing site during baseline rhythm was the only predictor of resynchronization effect. Conclusions RV resynchronization carried short-term improvement of haemodynamics in children early after surgery for ToF and might be a useful non-pharmacologic adjunct to the management of haemodynamically compromised patients. Resynchronization effect was maximized when pacing from area of the latest RV activation.

Pulmonary Right Ventricular Resynchronization in Congenital Heart DiseaseCLINICAL PERSPECTIVE: Acute Improvement in Right Ventricular Mechanics and Contraction Efficiency

Background— Electromechanical discoordination may contribute to long-term pulmonary right ventricular (RV) dysfunction in patients after surgery for congenital heart disease. We sought to evaluate changes in RV function after temporary RV cardiac resynchronization therapy. Methods and Results— Twenty-five patients aged median 12.0 years after repair of tetralogy of Fallot and similar lesions were studied echocardiographically (n=23) and by cardiac catheterization (n=5) after primary repair (n=4) or after surgical RV revalvulation for significant pulmonary regurgitation (n=21). Temporary RV cardiac resynchronization therapy was applied in the presence of complete right bundle branch block by atrial-synchronized RV free wall pacing in complete fusion with spontaneous ventricular depolarization using temporary electrodes. The q-RV interval at the RV free wall pacing site (mean 77.2% of baseline QRS duration) confirmed pacing from a late activated RV area. RV cardiac resynchronization therapy carried significant decrease in QRS duration (P<0.001) along with elimination of the right bundle branch block QRS morphology, increase in RV filling time (P=0.002), pulmonary artery velocity time integral (P=0.006), and RV maximum +dP/dt (P<0.001), and decrease in RV index of myocardial performance (P=0.006). RV mechanical synchrony improved: septal-to-lateral RV mechanical delay decreased (P<0.001) and signs of RV dyssynchrony pattern were significantly abolished. RV systolic stretch fraction reflecting the ratio of myocardial stretching and contraction during systole diminished (P=0.001). Conclusions— In patients with congenital heart disease and right bundle branch block, RV cardiac resynchronization therapy carried multiple positive effects on RV mechanics, synchrony, and contraction efficiency.

VARIOUS ASPECTS OF ANTHROPOGENIC MATERIAL FLOWS IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC: PRESENTATION OF THE PROJECT

The conducted clinical and instrumental study revealed that the aggregate group of the patients with chronic diseases of throat differs by increased frequency of isolated and combined disorders of gastrointestinal tract. If a patient has such symptoms as hoarseness, tickling, scratching, burning, feeling of dryness in throat, frequent variant of gastro-intestinal tract disorders is gastroesophageal reflux disease with pharyngolaryneal reflux. There are such severe pathologies of throat as pachydermia of vocal cords and nodules of vocal cords among more frequently met disorders at gastro-intestinal tract diseases. High probability of accompanied pathology of throat in the form of pachydermia and nodules of vocal cords at patients with gastro-intestinal tract disorders stipulates for the necessity of conducting fibrorhynolaryngoscopy in combination with fibergastroscopy.Study presents short overview of drug situation’s indicators during the first, or heroin decade of drugs, and then during the second, soft and synthetic drugs decade of drugs in Slovakia. Then the results of series of nation-wide school surveys, mapping development of licit and illicit drugs use among children and youth during nineties are outlined. The results indicated constant growth of licit and illicit drugs consumption among primary school pupils, and secondary school students until the fourth wave of nation-wide school surveys in the years 2006 – 2007. However, the next wave after four years has detected profound change in the expected pattern of further growth in the case of illicit drugs. Instead of this decline of use or at least stabilization occurred among Slovak youth. At the same time we have found growth of use in the case of licit drugs – alcohol and tobacco, more profoundly among girls. Also the use of new synthetic drugs among young people was revealed via traditional school survey.