Institutional isomorphism and environmental sustainability: a new framework from the Shariah perspective

Environment, Development and Sustainability - Islam emphasizes the importance of environmental care, as prescribed in its primary sources of Shariah, the Quran and the authenticated actions and...     

Linking human security to natural resources: perspective from a fishery resource allocation system in Chilika lagoon, India

Human security is linked to people’s access to natural resources and vulnerabilities to environmental change. In the case study of Chilika lagoon, the findings reveal that insecurity linked to natural resources is largely embedded in the historical process of resource allocation among stakeholders, rather than on the presence of resource stocks. The insecurities are strongly tied not only to allocation changes, but also to multiple factors (environmental, technological, and demographic factors). Based on the Chilika lagoon experience, this article develops a pathway toward a clear understanding of the linkage between human security and natural resources in a local context.     

Vulnerability of human environment to risk: case of groundwater contamination risk

Based on a theoretical revision of the social vulnerability concept, this article proposes a scheme of vulnerability indicators within the human environment focused on different aetiology risks. An adaptation of this generic scheme of vulnerability factors is set for the specific field of aquifer contamination risk, as well as a methodology for its analysis. Finally, model application examples are given for the Sierra de Líbar and Sierra de Mijas carbonate aquifers and the Vélez River detrital aquifer, all of which are located in the south of Spain. Obtained cartography results show a range of utilities for risk mitigation and permit appropriate spatial discrimination for its performance over different scales. The exposure and vulnerability of the groundwater contamination risk concept is evaluated in specific maps, taking into account the resident population as well as their assets.     

Arsenic contamination of groundwater in the Terai region of Nepal: an overview of health concerns and treatment options

A review of published information on the arsenic contamination of groundwater in the Terai regions of Nepal showed that the source was mainly geogenic due to the dissolution of the arsenic-bearing minerals. Clinical observations of patients in the arsenic affected districts revealed chronic arsenic poisoning from drinking water. Half a million people inhabiting the region are believed to have been exposed to arsenic levels greater than 50 microg/L in their drinking water. Thirty-one percent of the population (3.5 million) in the region are estimated to have been exposed to arsenic levels between 10 and 50 microg/L. Iron assisted biosand filters currently distributed and in operation are a suitable alternative to mitigate the interim arsenic standard of 50 microg/L, as set by the Nepal Government. Arsenic biosand filters were also effective in removing bacteria and viruses from drinking water in laboratory and field tests. However, groundwater treatment targeting cluster communities in the Terai region is the sustainable way of mitigating the arsenic problem.     

Assessment of groundwater contamination in a suburban area of Chennai,Tamil Nadu,India

Groundwater source is the major source of drinking water in most of the suburban areas of India. Groundwater quality was analyzed for pH, TDS, hardness, chloride, fluoride, nitrate, ammonia, phosphate, total coliform and E. coli for the period of January–December 2013. Samples were collected from 10 locations that include 10 shallow wells and 10 deep wells in each location. The quality variation between both shallow and deep wells during pre- and post-monsoon was analyzed. The improper disposal of solid waste and the distance of septic tank were pronounced on E. coli count. The analysis reveals that groundwater contamination is influenced by seasonal changes, environmental condition of the well and maintenance of the well. The high contamination was observed in the wells which are near to the Pallikaranai marsh, and during post-monsoon season, the total dissolved solids and nitrite parameters are slightly increased, whereas chloride increases during pre-monsoon season. Correlation analysis reveals that the chloride and nitrite have a significant relation. The results suggested that the groundwater immediately needs broader protection.     

Agroforestry environment,potentiality and risk in India: a remote sensing and GIS understanding

Environment, Development and Sustainability - The study utilized the tree covers per cent, agroforestry suitability, present and future (2050) climate, agriculture vulnerability (2050), percentage...     

Effects of COVID-19 lockdown phases in India: an atmospheric perspective

Environment, Development and Sustainability - Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus. It was first identified in...     

Lead contamination and isotope signatures in the urban environment of Hong Kong

The source and the extent of Pb pollution in the urban environment of Hong Kong were investigated at five different urban settings selected on the basis of their annual average daily traffic (AADT) varying from less than 100 to 61,700. In addition, a small distant island without any traffic was selected to establish the possible baseline values. The surface environmental samples studied consisted of street and tunnel dusts, gully sediments, and a limited number of roadside topsoils. The analytical results clearly indicated variable degrees of Pb contamination in these urban settings. However, the level of contamination varied significantly among different types of samples collected at the same location. Pb concentrations of roadside topsoils (79+/-22 micrograms/g) and gully sediments (278+/-88 micrograms/g) were lower than those of the corresponding road dusts (327+/-54 micrograms/g). The Pb isotope compositions in different urban settings varied considerably. The bedrock in the small island had the lowest Pb concentration (12 micrograms/g) but with the highest 206Pb/207Pb ratio (1.2206), whereas the tunnel ceiling dusts with the highest level of Pb (1410 micrograms/g) had the lowest 206Pb/207Pb ratio (1.1062). Despite the significant differences in vehicle types and traffic volumes, and the presence of several different petroleum retailers in Hong Kong, the Pb isotope ratios of road dusts (206Pb/207Pb: 1.1553+/-0.0043, 208Pb/207Pb: 2.4408+/-0.0084) varied within a relatively narrow range among all the five urban sampling sites. On the other hand, the Pb isotopic compositions of gully sediments (206Pb/207Pb: 1.1515+/-0.0145, 208Pb/207Pb: 2.4322+/-0.0198) varied noticeably within the same setting, but were reasonably comparable across the different study sites. In general, the 206Pb/207Pb ratios of road dusts can be used to estimate the direct contribution from automobile emissions, whereas those of gully sediments might reflect the effects of the mixing of different anthropogenic sources. The Pb isotope signatures in the urban environment of Hong Kong clearly suggested that anthropogenic Pb in the environment originated from Pb ore with a low 206Pb/207Pb ratio (such as the Australian Pb ore and similar sources in Southeast Asia) were significantly different from those of the anthropogenic Pb present in the neighboring Pearl River Delta (PRD) region.     

Arsenic and other trace elements contamination in groundwater and a risk assessment study for the residents in the Kandal Province of Cambodia

Concentrations of arsenic and other trace elements in groundwater were examined at three villages (PT, POT and CHL) in the Kandal Province of Cambodia. Concentrations of arsenic in the groundwater ranged from 6.64 (in POT village) to 1543 microg/L (in PT village), with average and median concentrations of 552 and 353 microg/L, respectively. About 86% out of fifteen samples contained arsenic concentrations exceeding the WHO drinking water guidelines of 10 microg/L. Concentrations of arsenic (III) varied from 4 (in POT village) to 1334 microg/L (in PT village), with an average concentration of 470 microg/L. In addition, about 67%, 80% and 86% of the groundwater samples had higher concentrations for, respectively, barium, manganese and lead than the WHO drinking water guidelines. These results reveal that groundwater in Kandal Province is not only considerably contaminated with arsenic but also with barium, manganese and lead. A risk assessment study found that one sample (PT25) had a cumulative arsenic concentration (6758 mg) slightly higher than the threshold level (6750 mg) that could cause internal cancer in smelter workers with chronic exposure to arsenic from groundwater. High cumulative arsenic ingestion poses a health threat to the residents of Kandal Province.     

Problems of urban environment: A case study of Jodhpur,India

This paper attempts to analyze the environmental problems of Jodhpur city in terms of air quality, water supply, wastewater disposal, and solid waste management. Maps have been prepared to show the boundaries of municipal circles responsible for the disposal of solid wastes. Areas of comparatively higher degrees of air pollution have also been demarcated on the maps. The daily output of urban refuse and the intensity of urban refuse for wards within Jophpur's walled city versus for wards outside the walled city have been cartographically depicted.     

Lifestyle: suggesting mechanisms and a definition from a cognitive science perspective

The concept of lifestyle is rather difficult to pin down. It is used in a variety of disciplines and related to many different problems. In our highly modern society, lifestyle is more often mentioned as something we need to change in order to achieve a sustainable development. Our main interest then is how we create and change a lifestyle. How can we understand why it is sometimes difficult to achieve change? In relation to terms like beliefs, desires, intentions, habits and artefacts six factors will be suggested. Within these factors we may have a foundation for a mechanism underlying the creation and change of lifestyle. A definition of the concept of lifestyle from a cognitive science perspective will also be suggested, as derived from the same foundation and terms related to it.     

Considerations on the role of natural ecosystems in the eventual contamination of man and his environment

After the Chernobyl event, the problem of contamination of natural and semi-natural ecosystems has been particularly salient even where these nonagricultural land areas appear to generate only a small fraction of the annual food intakes of certain populations. A concise discussion of some features of natural ecosystems is presented here, with the objective of stimulating a closer inspection of the relative impact of these natural ecosystems on the eventual dose to man. The ability of natural systems to scavenge considerable amounts of contamination is emphasized and it is suggested that there is a need for further work to quantify the importance of these environments, relative to agricultural systems, in terms of producing eventual transfers to man.     

Sustainability from a Chinese cultural perspective: the implications of harmonious development in environmental management

Sustainable development has broad consensus in environmental science and policy discourse, but its implications differ in specific cultural contexts. This article articulates sustainable development from a Chinese cultural perspective by tracing ideas from Chinese traditional culture and exploring China’s concept of harmonious development with emphasis on environmental management. Ideas that resemble sustainable development are not new to Chinese culture, but have roots in ancient Chinese thoughts, which in turn influence current governance and policies. Notably, Chinese traditional philosophies such as Confucianism, Taoism, Legalism, and Yin–Yang contain philosophies fundamental to sustainable development. As a distinct local discourse, such concepts were well interpreted and understood in the ancient meaning of harmony, giving China unique sustainability perspectives with institutional implications for policies of harmonious development and environmental management. Currently, China is driven to create a new national identity of harmonious development that involves Chinese traditional philosophies and values in its modern administration. The slogans “harmonious society” and “Chinese dream” reflect this new way of responding to the world with the aspiration to achieve cleaner growth, personal prosperity, and social stability. The Chinese and Western roots of sustainable development are conceptually, ideologically, and historically different, and this paper articulates how the convergence of the two underlies contemporary international debates.     

Methane emissions from dairy farms: case study from a coastal district in South India

Environment, Development and Sustainability - India has the largest dairy industry in the world and accounts for a significant share of the global emission of livestock methane ( $$hbox...     

Human–environment interactions: learning from the past

The analysis of palaeoenvironmental archives—sediments, archaeological remains, tree-rings, documents and instrumental records—is presented as a key element in the global scientific endeavour aimed at understanding human–environment interactions at the present day and in the future. The paper explains the need for the focus on palaeoenvironmental studies as a means of ‘learning from the past’, and presents the rationale and structure of the IGBP-PAGES Focus 5 programme ‘Past Ecosystem Processes and Human–Environment Interactions’. The past, as described through palaeoenvironmental studies, can yield information about pre-impact states, trajectories of recent change, causation, complex system behaviour, and provide the basis for developing and testing simulation models. Learning from the past in each of these epistemological categories is exemplified with published case-studies.     

Protection of the environment from ionising radiation: ethical issues

The paper identifies some of the main ethical issues concerning the protection of the environment from radiation and suggests ways in which ethics can aid in developing a system of protection. After a presentation of background on ethical theory and environmental ethics, three main issues related to environmental protection are discussed: First, the question of valuing the environment and implications for the definition of harm and monetary valuation of environmental goods; second, difficulties with scientific uncertainty and applications of the precautionary principle; and third, issues concerned with the distribution of risk and its relevance for participation in decision-making. In summary, the paper argues that there are strong ethical grounds to provide for the protection of the environment and that, all other things being equal, there is no reason to treat ionising radiation differently to other environmental stressors.     

Study on cooperative strategies of rural water environment governance PPP project between companies and farmers from the perspective of evolutionary game

Environment, Development and Sustainability - The PPP mode of rural water environment governance was conducive to attracting social capital for giving full play to the decisive role of the market...     

Modeling spatio-temporal change patterns of forest cover: a case study from the Himalayan foothills (India)

The present study used temporal remote sensing data for 1990, 2001 and 2006 to assess spatio-temporal patterns of forest cover changes in Shiwalik range of the Himalaya, Dehradun forest division. Forests are innately associated to human well-being. However, with the increasing anthropogenic activities, deforestation has increased. Quantitative change analysis of the forest cover for the past two decades provides valuable insight into the forest conservation vis-à-vis anthropogenic activities in the region. Spatio-temporal datasets along with biotic and abiotic variables provide opportunities to model the forest cover change further. The present study investigates forest cover change and predicts status of forest cover in the Dehradun forest division. Land Change Modeller (LCM) was used to predict status of forest cover for 2010 and 2015 using current disturbance scenarios. Comparing actual LULC of 2006 with the predicted LULC of 2006 validated change prediction model and agreement was 61.03%. The forested areas are getting degraded due to anthropogenic activities, but deforestation/degradation does not contribute much in expanding urban area. Agricultural areas and fallow lands are the main contributors to increased urban area. The study demonstrates the potential of geospatial tools to understand spatio-temporal forest cover change and generate the future scenarios.