Based on the improved analytic hierarchy process, the authors adopted a 3-scale (0, 1, 2) matrix method to establish regional water ecological security assessment system including 3 layers and 24 indicators according to the real conditions of water environment in Xingtai City. The ecological security assessment system could analyze the influence factors of water environmental security status and evaluate the security situation in Xingtai City. The results showed that the five top influence factors were sewage treatment rate, annual precipitation, wastewater total amount, industrial waste water discharged and urban residential domestic sewage in the 24 indicators. The composite evaluating indexes of the water environment ecological security were within the bandwidth of 0.36 to 0.63, which indicated that the water environment ecological security was still in severe with general or poor state. Some coping strategies and suggestions were put forward to water environmental safety in Xingtai City. The research would provide a theoretical basis for water resource sustainable utilization and a reference for the similar natural condition areas.

A 50-cm core (hereafter referred to as “XFYC12-2”) was retrieved from western Foye Chi (Buddha Pond), a glacier-scour lake on southern slope of Taibai Mountain that is the main massif and peak of Qinling Mountain Range. Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) ¹⁴C dating and analyses of isotopic carbon and nitrogen of organic matter were performed on samples from XFYC12-2. Climatic and environmental changes occurring around this alpine during over the past ~1800 years were therefore reconstructed. Climatic and environmental conditions were still fairly cool and arid during 1811−1380 (or 1440) aBP. In 1380 (or 1440)−840 aBP, the climate and environment were warm and humid. This episode is probably corresponding to Medieval Warm Period (MWP). Climatic and environmental conditions deteriorated subsequently and were thus cold and dry over the period of 840?460 (or 520) aBP. This phase may correspond to Little Ice Age (LIA). Climatic and environmental conditions have turned to be warm and wet again during 460 (or 520)−100 aBP. The aforementioned process of climatic and environmental changes appears quite similar to what was reconstructed around another two lakes at the high altitudes of Taibai Mountain, what was generalized for eastern China and what was identified at another four study areas in eastern China.

Using the carbon footprint model, the carbon footprint of energy consumption and the ecological pressure of carbon footprint were analyzed from 2003 to 2013 in Xingtai City, Hebei Province, China. The results show that, in Xingtai City, the energy consumption was increasing during the past 10 years, with the consumption of fossil energy resources accounting for around 50% of total consumed energy. In the consumption of fossil energy, coal was primary energy. This is an inevitable result from the policies of coal supply. The per capita carbon footprint from total energy consumption and the per capita carbon footprint from coal consumption increased in a fluctuation way. The per capita carbon footprint from petroleum consumption changed slightly. The change of per capita carbon footprint from gas consumption showed a fluctuation stage, and then followed a sharp increase stage. The ecological pressure of carbon footprint show an increasing tendency, suggesting that CO2 production from the energy utilization has been far beyond the absorptivity of woodland. Therefore, the paper proposes feasible means and corresponding countermeasures on energy utilization and industrial structure in the future, which would provide the strategy-making reference for the continual development in optimization energy structure and establishment the low-carbon economic development model in Xingtai City.