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1.
Gregory Ponthiere 《Environment, Development and Sustainability》2009,11(4):677-694
This paper aims at assessing the extent to which the ecological footprint indicator (EF) can be regarded as an exhibit allowing
an intergenerational trial about the use of natural resources. For that purpose, we examine various criticisms questioning
the relevancy of EF measures for the study of environmental justice between generations. We explore the difficulties raised
by the physical—and highly aggregated—nature of EF measures, as well as problems related to the number, the possible non-existence,
and the tastes of future generations. The extent to which postulates on nature’s regeneration and technological progress affect
the significance of EF studies is also discussed. It is concluded that those criticisms, by identifying various weaknesses
of EF measures for the study of intergenerational justice, point to several crucial refinements of existing EF-based analyses.
相似文献
Gregory PonthiereEmail: |
2.
María Eugenia Ibarrarán Matthias Ruth Sanjana Ahmad Marisa London 《Environment, Development and Sustainability》2009,11(3):549-569
Commonly occurring natural events become natural disasters when they affect the population through death and injury, and/or
through the destruction of natural and physical capital on which people rely for their livelihood and quality of life. Climate
change plays a role in that it tends to increase the frequency and intensity of weather-related natural disasters. Additionally,
climate change may put people at risk by influencing access to water, coastal flooding, disease and hunger, and leaving them
with a more degraded environment, leading, in turn, to increased vulnerability. The purpose of this paper is to present a
review and synthesis of the literature and case studies addressing differential impacts of climate change-related natural
disasters on a society and its economy. Developed and developing countries show different vulnerabilities to natural disasters.
Even within countries, impacts vary significantly across population and economic sectors. When losses from natural disasters
are large, their cumulative effect can have notable macroeconomic impacts, which feed back to further pronounce existing income
inequalities and lower income levels. Impacts tend to be most pronounced for women, the young and elderly, and people of ethnic
or racial minorities.
相似文献
María Eugenia IbarraránEmail: |
3.
Climate change and coastal vulnerability assessment: scenarios for integrated assessment 总被引:2,自引:1,他引:1
Robert J. Nicholls Poh Poh Wong Virginia Burkett Colin D. Woodroffe John Hay 《Sustainability Science》2008,3(1):89-102
Coastal vulnerability assessments still focus mainly on sea-level rise, with less attention paid to other dimensions of climate
change. The influence of non-climatic environmental change or socio-economic change is even less considered, and is often
completely ignored. Given that the profound coastal changes of the twentieth century are likely to continue through the twenty-first
century, this is a major omission, which may overstate the importance of climate change, and may also miss significant interactions
of climate change with other non-climate drivers. To better support climate and coastal management policy development, more
integrated assessments of climatic change in coastal areas are required, including the significant non-climatic changes. This
paper explores the development of relevant climate and non-climate drivers, with an emphasis on the non-climate drivers. While
these issues are applicable within any scenario framework, our ideas are illustrated using the widely used SRES scenarios,
with both impacts and adaptation being considered. Importantly, scenario development is a process, and the assumptions that
are made about future conditions concerning the coast need to be explicit, transparent and open to scientific debate concerning
their realism and likelihood. These issues are generic across other sectors.
相似文献
Robert J. NichollsEmail: |
4.
Towards a spatially explicit and quantitative vulnerability assessment of environmental change in Europe 总被引:9,自引:4,他引:5
Over the next century, society will increasingly be confronted with the impacts of global change (e.g. pollution, land use changes, and climate change). Multiple scenarios provide us with a range of possible changes in socio-economic trends, land uses and climate (i.e. exposure) and allow us to assess the response of ecosystems and changes in the services they provide (i.e. potential impacts). Since vulnerability to global change is less when society is able to adapt, it is important to provide decision makers with tools that will allow them to assess and compare the vulnerability of different sectors and regions to global change, taking into account exposure and sensitivity, as well as adaptive capacity. This paper presents a method that allows quantitative spatial analyses of the vulnerability of the human-environment system on a European scale. It is a first step towards providing stakeholders and policy makers with a spatially explicit portfolio of comparable projections of ecosystem services, providing a basis for discussion on the sustainable management of Europe’s natural resources.
相似文献
Marc J. MetzgerEmail: Phone: +31-317-482983Fax: +31-317-484839 |
5.
This paper is a response to a recent special issue of Regional Environmental Change, “Quantifying vulnerability to drought from different disciplinary perspectives” (vol. 8, number 4, 2008). In this paper,
we examine some of the challenges facing efforts to understand vulnerability to drought through quantification as they are
manifest in some of the articles in this special issue.
相似文献
Edward R. CarrEmail: |
6.
Kuheli Dutt 《Environment, Development and Sustainability》2009,11(4):705-723
This paper examines the environment-income relationship in the context of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC), and explores
the possible role that factors like governance, political institutions, socioeconomic conditions, and education play in influencing
this relationship. The results suggest that the EKC exists for carbon dioxide emissions for cross-country data over the period
1984–2002. However, there is nothing automatic about this relationship; policies designed to protect the environment may be
responsible for this phenomenon. Two other significant findings are: one, countries with better quality of governance, stronger
political institutions, better socioeconomic conditions and greater investment in education have lower emissions; and two,
only around 15% of the countries in the dataset have reached income levels high enough to be associated with an unambiguous
decline in emissions. The implications of these results are discussed within the context of the international environmental
policy arena and the Kyoto Protocol. One of the main objectives of this paper is to bridge the gap between studies conducted
on the EKC and developments in the international environmental policy arena. As a final note this paper emphasizes that one
needs to connect the body of knowledge on the EKC hypothesis to the international environmental policy arena, despite the
apparent difficulty of doing so. One hopes that future studies will further build on this line of thought.
相似文献
Kuheli DuttEmail: |
7.
The Kyoto Protocol relies on incentive-based regulations layered underneath a global cap on net emissions of greenhouse gases.
Within the Kyoto Protocol are opportunities and constraints for signatory nations. Of concern to developing nations are the
constraints the Kyoto Protocol could place on future growth. We examine the constraints and the opportunities offered to developing
countries within the Kyoto Protocol. By identifying the potential costs and benefits the Kyoto Protocol has to offer to developing
countries and by examining the incentives each create, we hope to spark serious investigations into ways to minimize the potential
costs of entering the Kyoto Protocol and take full advantage of the potential benefits.
相似文献
Amin SarkarEmail: |
8.
A spatially explicit and quantitative vulnerability assessment of ecosystem service change in Europe 总被引:5,自引:1,他引:4
Marc J. Metzger Dagmar Schröter Rik Leemans Wolfgang Cramer 《Regional Environmental Change》2008,8(3):91-107
Environmental change alters ecosystem functioning and may put the provision of services to human at risk. This paper presents
a spatially explicit and quantitative assessment of the corresponding vulnerability for Europe, using a new framework designed
to answer multidisciplinary policy relevant questions about the vulnerability of the human-environment system to global change.
Scenarios were constructed for a range of possible changes in socio-economic trends, land uses and climate. These scenarios
were used as inputs in a range of ecosystem models in order to assess the response of ecosystem function as well as the changes
in the services they provide. The framework was used to relate the impacts of changing ecosystem service provision for four
sectors in relation to each other, and to combine them with a simple, but generic index for societal adaptive capacity. By
allowing analysis of different sectors, regions and development pathways, the vulnerability assessment provides a basis for
discussion between stakeholders and policymakers about sustainable management of Europe’s natural resources.
Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
相似文献
Marc J. MetzgerEmail: |
9.
Weisheng Zhou 《Sustainability Science》2006,1(1):115-122
It has been clearly recognized that future global climate change will limit the possibilities for sustainable development in China. To minimize these negative effects, as a practical strategy, we suggest that the Chinese government engage in international cooperation as a key contributor in the prevention of global warming. This suggestion results from numerical estimations of China’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emission trends accompanied with economic growth up to 2100. The results show that China’s gross domestic product (GDP), measured in terms of purchasing power parity (PPP), may overtake the sum of the GDPs of the United States and Canada in 2020. It is predicted that GDP per capita may reach US$20,000 and $80,000 in 2050 and 2100, respectively; meanwhile, CO2 emissions in China will increase from 6.6 billion tons (in carbon equivalent units) in 1990 to 54.6 billion tons in 2100. This means that the global peak concentration of GHG cannot be practically reduced without significant contributions from China. For international cooperation in mitigating global climate change, we introduce a new option, “per-capita emission restricted by assigned amount,” as an accounting rule for GHG reduction. This baseline classifies global CO2 reduction actions into three categories: compulsory reduction, self-imposed reduction, and voluntary reduction. We suggest that China contribute to world CO2 reduction according to the following timetable: voluntary reduction until 2012, self-imposed reduction until 2020, and compulsory reduction from 2020. The simulation results also indicate that China can benefit from this strategy in terms of improvements in its domestic economy and environment, for instance, by reducing fossil fuel consumption and the emission of pollutants.
相似文献
Weisheng ZhouEmail: Phone: +81-75-4663418Fax: +81-75-4663418 |
10.
Cornelia E. Nauen 《Environment, Development and Sustainability》2008,10(5):605-622
The paper examines preliminary experiences with international scientific cooperation in fisheries, aquaculture and coastal
zone issues through 90 projects in successive European Research Framework Programmes (FP4–FP6: 1994–2006). FPs had increasingly
ambitious objectives in response to international commitments, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Millennium
Development Goals, the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation and dialogue with partner regions. Sustainable aquatic food production
in the context of respect for ecosystems was a central concern. Engagement with different social actors and attention to investment
in education, people and institutions enabled uptake of research results in education, innovation and some impact. The emphasis
in several recent projects on more integrated analyses and knowledge products in the public domain is an encouraging response
to the growing crisis of aquatic resource systems. It is suggested that significant up-scaling will be required. This might
be done through institutional internalisation and better translation of research results into policy developments supportive
of transitions towards sustainable production systems and ecosystem rehabilitation. Capacity building to use research in novel
ways and other enabling mechanisms need to be put in place to increase societal and environmental benefits of the research.
相似文献
Cornelia E. NauenEmail: |
11.
Himayatullah Khan 《Environment, Development and Sustainability》2009,11(2):293-305
Using survey-based data approach for modeling the demand for environmental goods/resources, this study estimates income and
price elasticities of demand for improved environmental quality of two National Parks in Northern Pakistan. The study uses
data from two studies. The estimates indicate that improved environmental quality effects can be described as a luxury and
an ordinary and price elastic service. Confidence intervals show however that the classification as a luxury is not statistically
significant. Income elasticities of willingness to pay are estimated for a broad range of environmental services. The study
finds that income and willingness to pay vary directly and significantly. The elasticity estimates, in general, are greater
than zero, but less than unity. The study concludes that environmental improvements are more beneficial to low-income groups
than for high-income groups.
相似文献
Himayatullah KhanEmail: |
12.
Graciela A. Canziani Rosana M. Ferrati Claudio Rossi Diego Ruiz-Moreno 《Regional Environmental Change》2006,6(4):181-191
The purpose of this work is to assess the impact on the Esteros del Ibera wetland ecosystem caused by the Yacyreta dam, a large hydroelectric power plant on the Parana River, Argentina, in comparison to other factors of environmental change. The project of the dam started around 1970. The power plant began operating in 1994. In 1989, the neighboring Ibera wetland ecosystem showed a substantial increase in the water level for which several different causes were conceivable, including climate change and the dam construction. We analyzed all existing hydrometeorological data and studied other changes that were observed in this ecosystem. A water balance model was used to analyze different scenarios. Increased groundwater inflow, generated since the construction of the dam, appears to be affecting the wetland more than any other factor. The study has implications for the assessment of global and regional consequences of building dams.
相似文献
Graciela A. CanzianiEmail: Phone: +54-2292-447104Fax: +54-2293-446317 |
13.
Terrascope is a freshman learning community at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in which teams of students
work to find solutions to large ‘unsolvable’ problems and to communicate about those problems with a wide variety of audiences
in multiple formats. The program strongly promotes students’ autonomy in focusing and structuring their work, and student
projects culminate in public presentations, both to general audiences and to panels of technical specialists. Students who
have completed the program tend to show strong engagement with environmental and sustainability issues, as well as the skills
and experience to work intensively on such issues within multidisciplinary teams. Here, we present the program as a case study,
with some discussion of the factors that are key to its operation.
相似文献
Ari W. EpsteinEmail: |
14.
A stakeholder dialogue on European vulnerability 总被引:1,自引:1,他引:0
Anne C. de la Vega-Leinert Dagmar Schröter Rik Leemans Uta Fritsch Jacomijn Pluimers 《Regional Environmental Change》2008,8(3):109-124
A stakeholder dialogue was embedded in the ATEAM project to facilitate the development and dissemination of its European-wide
vulnerability assessment of global change impacts. Participating stakeholders were primarily ecosystem managers and policy
advisers interested in potential impacts on ‘Agriculture’, ‘Forestry’, ‘Water’, ‘Carbon storage’, ‘Biodiversity’ and ‘Mountain
environments’ sectors. First, stakeholder dialogue approaches to integrated assessment are introduced. Methodological considerations
on stakeholder selection and dialogue implementation and evaluation follow. The dialogue content and process are evaluated
from the perspectives of stakeholders and scientists. Its usefulness in the research process and the relevance of outcomes
for stakeholders are particularly considered. The challenging compromises required to perform innovative research, which seeks
to achieve both peer scientific credibility and societal relevance, are emphasized. Effective stakeholder dialogues play a
substantial role in raising the visibility and meaningfulness of vulnerability assessments as critical means to improve awareness
on global change and its potential worrying impacts on society. They further provide scientists with critical information
on ecosystem management and sectoral adaptive capacity. These processes of mutual learning and knowledge exchange moreover
foster a better understanding of the potential and limits of global change modelling and vulnerability assessment for policy
and ecosystem management.
相似文献
Anne C. de la Vega-LeinertEmail: |
15.
William Ascher 《Sustainability Science》2007,2(2):141-149
The policy sciences, in offering the most comprehensive approach to policy analysis and the sociopolitical processes that
shape policy outcomes, is particularly appropriate for guiding the analysis required to promote sustainability. This article
presents the main components of the policy sciences framework and demonstrates its potency in the crucial task of deepening
the problem definitions required to select and enact policies to promote sustainability. As such, it provides background for
the policy sciences articles of this special feature.
相似文献
William AscherEmail: |
16.
Brad Allenby Cynthia Folsom Murphy David Allen Cliff Davidson 《Sustainability Science》2009,4(1):7-15
Sustainable engineering is a conceptual and practical challenge to all engineering disciplines. Although the profession has
experience with environmental dimensions of engineering activities that in some cases are quite deep, extending the existing
body of practice to sustainable engineering by including social and cultural domains is a significant and non-trivial challenge.
Nonetheless, progress is being made, as a recent study undertaken by the Center for Sustainable Engineering in the United
States demonstrates.
相似文献
Brad AllenbyEmail: |
17.
Akimasa Sumi 《Sustainability Science》2007,2(1):67-76
Environmental issues and the future sustainability of society are among the greatest concerns facing society today. How to
formulate a pathway toward a sustainable society is a critical question. Several issues associated with this question are
presented and discussed. First, a structuring of the issues is presented. The environment can be said to consist of three
systems—the natural, social, and human—and their interactions; environmental problems may therefore be defined in terms of
perturbations of the interactions among the three systems. A sustainable society can be realized by restoring these interactions.
Next, the characteristics of the issues are discussed. Because environmental issues relate to the future, forecasts of the
future are essential. Because it is impossible to predict the future with complete accuracy, however, we should develop a
method of using information about the future with allowance for error. It should be noted that error characteristics differ
according to their time-scale. Third, the relationship between environmental issues and society is discussed. To take collective
action on these issues we need society-wide consensus, which requires a reliable and objective platform. Here, more attention
must be paid to the distribution of knowledge across society, because scientific knowledge in a modern society tends to be
monopolized by research organizations. The role of the media is therefore important. Another important factor is the commitment
of the general public; user-friendly ways of galvanizing such commitment should be developed.
相似文献
Akimasa SumiEmail: |
18.
Motivation of Japanese companies to take environmental action to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions: an econometric analysis 总被引:1,自引:0,他引:1
To analyze the motivations of Japanese companies to take environmental actions to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions,
we used FY2006 research data and questioned Japanese industries regarding their reduction of GHG emissions. Empirical investigations
revealed that voluntary targets set by industry organizations, government requirements, and advance responses to possible
future regulations can positively influence environmental actions for GHG emission reduction; however, cost reductions and
corporate social responsibility fulfillment cannot.
相似文献
Seiji IkkataiEmail: |
19.
Henrik Klinge Jacobsen 《Environment, Development and Sustainability》2009,11(1):137-160
The increase in oil prices has put pressure on the global economy. Even economies that have a high degree of self-sufficiency
concerning oil products are experiencing rising production costs and price increases for households energy use. Therefore,
changes in energy policies are under consideration for countries highly dependent on imported energy as well as countries
with a high degree of self-sufficiency. Examination of dependence on cheap energy sources for economic growth in different
economic sectors is becoming more important as countries are trying to promote activities that are less energy intense. Among
the policy changes under consideration, the adjustment of domestic energy subsidies is of particular interest. The effect
of high energy prices on a fast growing economy, such as in Malaysia, is considerable, as the country will shift from being
a net exporter of energy to a net importer in less than 10 years. Malaysia until recently has experienced increasing overall
energy intensity and the growth up to 2,000 was quite high, especially for electricity intensity. A continued rise in energy
intensity will be quite problematic in this new high oil price regime. This paper investigates the impact of rising energy
prices on production costs for the different sectors of the Malaysian economy. Input–output (I–O) calculations demonstrate
that the impact on the exporting component of the manufacturing sectors is less than for the average production. Therefore
the production cost increase caused by, for example, an adjustment in electricity prices of 25% will result in less than 1/2%
increase. As the competing countries in world markets are experiencing the same rise in energy costs, including electricity
based on fossil fuels, there is no vital argument for not allowing domestic energy prices to adjust to the international price
changes.
相似文献
Henrik Klinge JacobsenEmail: |
20.
Anindita Sarkar Sucharita Sen Animesh Kumar 《Environment, Development and Sustainability》2009,11(4):751-763
There is a general contention among scholars that first, wheat–paddy cropping pattern is largely responsible for declining
ground water table in Punjab and secondly, that the wheat–paddy cropping system is becoming unsustainable over time as the
yield levels of these two major crops are stagnating. However, the existing evidences do not throw adequate insight into the
stage of groundwater depletion during which the wheat–paddy cycle becomes unsustainable. The paper strengthens the existing
empirical base of sustainability status of this cropping cycle in Punjab. A comparison of irrigation systems in terms of both
trends in yield and stability for wheat and paddy has been attempted to arrive at a holistic appraisal of sustainability aspects
of crop specialization in Punjab. It is observed that the canal dependent irrigation system has performed better as compared
to the overexploited groundwater irrigation system in terms of most of the parameters used in the study.
相似文献
Animesh KumarEmail: |