Innovation through collaboration: scaling up solutions for sustainable development

The open collaborative philosophy employed in the success of open source (OS) software can be applied to hardware design. Specifically, the development of OS appropriate technologies (OSAT) can improve sustainable development efforts worldwide. Yet, widespread OSAT use is far from ubiquitous. Given that lack of communication, access to information and poor collaboration are among the largest barriers to a more effective OSAT dissemination, this paper explores opportunities to overcome such obstacles using four techniques: (1) collaborative online platforms, (2) crowd-sourcing, (3) the concept of knowledge commons, and (4) enabled educational institutions through service learning and applied research. The results are analyzed, and conclusions are drawn that outline paths to higher multiuser collaboration for OSAT deployment.     

Application of the Eco-Industrial concept to community environmantal management

This study is aimed at studying the feasibility of applying the Eco-Industrial concept to community environmental management and then investigating factors and appropriate means. In-depth interviewing of scholars and authorities and surveying of five sample communities representing the four different regions in Thailand is carried out to search for the feasibility of applying the concept. The results show that it is feasible, especially in rural areas, where dependence on the local resources and the community members in doing activities in the communities in accordance with the ecological context still exists. Factors and conditions involved in applying the concept include analysis of resources, participation of the people, community leaders, formulation of community development plans, good communication, sharing of knowledge, and provision of appropriate support to create network of communities. The appropriate means of applying the concept to community environmental management entails promoting involvement in the part of the local people and sustainability in the cooperation, with appropriate channels of communication and under the guidance of the leaders, who are the community’s central figures with the determination and ability to motivate and navigate the people in the community. Importantly, there must be analysis on the economic, social, environmental, and health benefits resulting from such application.     

Redressing cultural erosion and ecological decline in a far North Queensland aboriginal community (Australia): the Aurukun ethnobiology database project

Traditional environmental knowledge (usually imparted orally) is being lost from many regions of the world, requiring novel forms of transmission if this situation is to be redressed. Loss of this knowledge may be a significant contributory factor towards ecological decline. Undoubtedly, disruption to ecosystems and societies that depend on these has impacted on traditional land management practices, with negative ramifications for biodiversity. From an environmental perspective, scientists in northern Australia need to understand traditional Aboriginal methods of ‘caring for country’, such as burning regimes, so that these can be incorporated into strategies today for maintaining Australia’s rich biodiversity. However, information exchange should be two-way: as well as learning from local people, science can in turn benefit people who may have little experience of, for example, invasive species. The challenge is how can the complexity of biological knowledge from within different ontologies be represented and integrated in a way that it can be of use to scientists and local people, in order to ensure a sustainable future? The main aim of this study was to record existing local knowledge of biodiversity for the community of Aurukun (far north Queensland), integrating this knowledge with scientific data, while giving parity to both knowledge systems and protecting intellectual property rights. A cross-cultural collaboration between community members and ethnobiologists resulted in development of the Aurukun Ethnobiology Database. An interdisciplinary approach was taken to effectively model autochthonous biological knowledge and scientific data to create a database with a number of practical applications.     

Can’t get there from here: attainable distance,sustainable intensification and full-scale technical potential

Full-scale technical potential provides a clear horizon for agricultural technology policy to meet the dual and urgent challenge of meeting food security and minimising the effects of climate change. A common stated goal is to double food production by 2050 to meet the needs of 9 billion people. The frontier of full-scale technical potential embodies this goal and provides a panacea for policy makers. However, the pathway between the present adoption of technologies towards this frontier is paved with some hazards which may be insurmountable. We develop a conceptual framework based on adoption levels of technology. The key criteria between current and potential adoption of technologies is the role of enablers, that is interventions which create changes in structural, distributional, technical, social and behavioural cultures. Policy must find optimal mixtures of regulation and voluntary mechanisms to fully encourage uptake of technologies and shift current adoption to meet full-scale technical potential. A range of technologies can be aligned with sustainable intensification and are examined in terms of this enabler framework. Further examination of the framework allows us to conclude that full-scale technical potential will never be achieved due to the stochastic nature of agricultural production, the diversity of motivations and institutional structures operating within food supply chains, as well as unbalanced cost-effectiveness criteria. We argue that sustainable intensification may provide a direction of travel for attaining food security but its poor conception, limited acceptability and understanding amongst the communities of interest lead to over-optimism in determining the journey to this final destination.     

Environment,development and sustainability of local practices in the sacred groves and shrines in Bongo District: a bio-cultural study for environmental management in Ghana

The eminent crisis threatening biological and resource diversity is a global adversity. Global resource diversities are constantly disappearing and deteriorating at quite an alarming proportion, provoking renewed thinking regarding the effectiveness of existing environmental management approaches and practices. For the past four decades, several epochs of environmental management policies and practices disregarded the cultural imperative for safeguarding efficient environmental management outcomes, particularly at the community level. Even in the rouse of this reality, issues of spirituality and how it binds local community people to their natural environment appear to be given only a window dressing attention through the recognition of sacred natural sites. Eight sacred groves and shrines in the Bongo District were investigated based on an endogenous development framework. The data were collected using focus group discussions with stakeholders at the local and district levels and individual interviews with key local natural resource managers from four selected communities. The study revealed that the way indigenous people construct the worldviews and interactions with nature using ancestors and other spirit mediums can safeguard the environment against long periods of human interference and destruction. It also demonstrates that in certain places traditional institutions are becoming malleable and open to the use of external knowledge and resources in order to sustain places of sacred significance. It concludes that cultural imperative and the issues of spirituality are critical for the sustainable management of environmental resources. The study recommends revisiting local practice and cultural values that promote good environmental management practices within the local communities.     

Environmental non-governmental organizations: key players in development in a changing climate��a case study of Mali

Developing countries are often most impacted by climate change. While the work of international environmental organizations has received considerable public and academic attention, local environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs) also play a key role in assisting local populations adapt to the changing environment and develop in a sustainable manner. Drawing on data from semi-structured interviews with rural Malians, and using a local ENGO [the Mali-Folkecenter Nyetaa (MFC)] as a case study, this paper begins by describing how rural Malians perceive climate change is impacting their lives, and how the MFC attempts to address these impacts with their programs in the communities. The paper then illustrates the unique advantages of local ENGOs, both in their holistic approach and their integration in the communities, to working with the local population, relative to the approach taken by larger NGOs in this field. It concludes by proposing that a key new avenue for the international community to meet its developmental and environmental goals could be to support the work of local ENGOs through, for example, existing carbon markets.     

Limits of ecodesign: the case for open source product development

Abstract

In pursuit of coping mechanisms for the challenges of sustainable manufacturing, systematic methods have been developed to allow engineers to improve the ratio between products’ utility and environmental impact. These necessary efforts remain however limited if the surrounding production and consumption practices are not called into question at the same time. This article introduces open source product development as a potential approach for unlocking the limits of existing sustainable product design practices and to lead towards alternative and eco-efficient production and consumption practices termed as participative production. First, it discusses the potential advantages of this emerging practice in terms of environmental sustainability. Second, it provides a screened qualitative environmental analysis of 18 exemplary open source hardware products. Specific sustainable design principles implemented by these products are highlighted and discussed in order to identify challenges for further common research in the field of open source and sustainable product development.     

Anaerobic digestion and community development: A case study from Hainan province,China

Connections and relationships between conservation practices and community development in relation to rural sustainability have received considerable attention in recent years, especially in developing countries. Among many sound practices around the world, anaerobic digestion (AD) technology has long been encouraged as an alternative source of energy, while contributing to resource conservation and economic development initiatives in developing rural areas. Guided by the theme of sustainable development, the study examined the current applications of AD technology in Meiwan Xincun Village (MWXCV) in Hainan Province, China. Employing a self-administered questionnaire survey, face-to-face interviews and on-site observation, the study explored the diffusion process, current operation and local impacts of AD practice. The study identifies that leadership, education, technical support and local economy are key factors affecting the diffusion of AD, and governmental financial incentives are significantly effective measures to make the technology economically viable for local residents. The technology was found to fit into the rural livelihood system of the village, with considerable environmental and socio-economic benefits. Guided by the leaders of the village, the local residents generally accept and support the practice and are willing to contribute to introducing the technology in and out of the village. Suggestions regarding the utilization and diffusion of AD elsewhere are presented to enhance the potential capacity of the practice to generate benefits across rural Hainan.     

Restoring ecosystems,restoring community: socioeconomic and cultural dimensions of a community-based coral reef restoration project

Environmental restoration projects are commonly touted for their ecological positives, but such projects can also provide significant socioeconomic and cultural benefits to local communities. We assessed the social dimensions of a large-scale coral reef restoration project in Maunalua Bay, O‘ahu, where >1.32 million kg of invasive marine macroalgae was removed from 11 hectares (90,000 m²; 23 acres) of impacted coral reef in an urbanized setting. We interviewed 131 community stakeholders and analyzed both quantitative and qualitative data to assess human uses of the environment, assess perceptions of environmental health, and characterize social dimensions (+/?) associated with the invasive algae removal effort. Results indicate substantial direct economic benefits, including the creation of more than 60+ jobs, benefiting more than 250 individuals and 81 households. The project helped develop a skilled workforce in a local business dedicated to environmental restoration and increased the capacity of community organizations to address other threats to reefs and watersheds. Other major benefits include revitalization of Native Hawaiian cultural practices and traditions and the successful use of harvested invasive algae as compost by local farmers. Our results show the project heightened community awareness and a broader sense of stewardship in the area, creating enabling conditions for collective community action. Our findings show that restoration projects that explicitly incorporate efforts to build community awareness, involvement, and a shared responsibility for a site may ultimately create the long-term capacity for sustainable stewardship programs. We conclude by discussing lessons learned for engaging productively with communities in environmental restoration and stewardship, which remains a central focus in conservation worldwide.     

Recovery and recycling of post-consumer waste materials. Part 1. Generalities and target wastes (paper,cardboard and aluminium cans)

Recycling of post-consumer waste materials is gaining increased interest due to public awareness, legislative promotion and imposition, economic benefits and appropriate technologies being available. The present paper does not deal with municipal solid waste as such, but only with the recyclable constituents. The paper does not aim at presenting recycling process details and/or fundamental research results, but reviews the major recyclables with their reuse potential, recycling technologies used, problems, solutions and potential areas of future research and development. These target recyclables include paper and cardboard, aluminium cans, glass beverage bottles, scrap metal and steel cans, scrap tyres, batteries and household hazardous waste. The present paper sets the overall picture and deals with paper, cardboard and aluminium cans only. A second part of the paper assesses the other target recyclables. The assessment of the waste availability, the existing and currently developed recovery and recycling technologies, and the economically rewarding markets while recycling, stress the technical, economic and environmental importance of this waste management sector. The activities associated with the recovery and recycling of post-consumer wastes require a strong sustainable engineering input at all phases of the treatment, from input quality control, to the selection of the most appropriate technology and the delivery of the recyclables as readily reusable feedstock.     

A Survey of Perception, Knowledge, Awareness, and attitude in Regard to Environmental Problems in a Sample of two Different Social Groups in Jakarta, Indonesia

A quantitative study was conducted in 1998 to investigate differences in perception, knowledge, awareness, and attitude with regard to environmental problems between educated and community groups and to identify human-dimension factors to improve public perception, knowledge, awareness, and attitude in relation to global environmental conservation concerns in developing countries. Educated and community groups in Jakarta were interviewed, and data obtained from a total of 537 males aged 30-49 years were analyzed. The data were evaluated by the chi-squared test and logistic regression was applied after factor analysis. The results show that: (1) The perception, knowledge, awareness, and attitude of educated subjects in regard to regional and global environmental problems were much better than those of subjects in the community group; (2) The highest 'yes' response in the community group was in regard to perception of AIDS (82.9%). Few subjects in the community group knew the effects and the cause or source of environmental problems, however, they were well informed about AIDS (86.4% for effects and 93.9% for cause or source). The conclusions are: (1) subjects in the educated group had better perception, more detailed knowledge, were more aware, and had better attitudes in regard to regional and global environmental problems than those in the community group; (2) more education is needed to develop environmental actions and ethics in developing countries; (3) non-formal environmental education through popular mass media should be used more widely and frequently, and more detailed information on the environment should be provided to literate people by newspapers and other means.     

Technology transfer insights for new climate regime

The purpose of technology transfer under the UNFCCC Article 4.5 is to “…promote, facilitate, and finance as appropriate the transfer of, or access to, environmentally sound technologies and know how to other Parties particularly Developing Country parties to enable them to implement the provisions of the Convention.” The key challenge in this respect is that low-carbon sustainable technologies need to be adopted both by developed as well as developing countries. However, this paper focuses on the process of technology transfer to developing countries to allow them to move quickly to environmentally sound and sustainable practices, institutions and technologies. In the above framework, this paper reviews key aspects of technology transfer from a range of perspectives in the literature and discusses insights from this literature for the transfer and innovation process needed to reduce global vulnerability to climate change in the context of current international activities based on the research undertaken by the EU sponsored ENTTRANS project.     

Alternatives to gas flaring: a multi-criteria decision approach applied to a case study in Russia

During recent years, the issue of gas flaring has become an increasingly relevant problem for the international community. The claim to more sustainable development offers a renewed prospective in the observation of gas flaring and emphasizes that recovering the associated gas could induce economic, environmental and social benefit. The true core of the issue, as is widely accepted, is not a lack of appropriate technologies, but in the number of criteria involved, which makes it difficult to identify a list of alternatives and connecting all the involved stakeholders in the negotiation process. The complexity of this problem can be mitigated using a decision-making method. The objective of the present work is to identify and formulate a supportive decision system based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process. Application of the model to a real case underlines the strengths and weaknesses of the model, leading to the conclusion that a selection of the most sustainable alternatives needs to be based on a number of criteria that need to be recognized and agreed amongst the stakeholders.     

Selection of an appropriate waste-to-energy conversion technology for Dhaka City,Bangladesh

Solid waste disposal poses a significant problem, as it leads to land pollution if openly dumped, water pollution if dumped in low lands and air pollution if burnt. Moreover, the scarcity of land and increase in land prices especially in Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh create the problems of developing new landfill sites. Realising the existing and future impacts of waste disposal issues, the analytic hierarchy process model was applied to select an appropriate Waste-to-Energy (WTE) conversion technology for household waste of Dhaka-Mirpur Cantonment area. Three alternatives, namely, anaerobic digestion, pyrolysis and plasma gasification (PG) technologies and nine criteria under three aspects (technological, environmental and financial) were chosen for comparison. The analysis revealed that PG is the most appropriate WTE conversion technology in the study area. The selected PG technology has a relatively small footprint; it can treat unsorted waste and can produce good-quality synthetic gas without generating extremely toxic by-products.     

Community engagement in the sustainable management of rivers: Barekese catchment,Kumasi, Ghana

The Barekese Reservoir is a facility for reserving water for treatment and subsequent consumption by the populace of the Kumasi conurbation and its environs. The reservoir provides over 80% of the total public water supply to the Kumasi locale and is plagued by persistent degradation through human activities throughout the catchment. This situation raises concern on the regional deterioration of water quality and quantity. We present the attitudes of local communities towards their involvement in river water management and the sustainable exploitation of natural resources. We administered both open ended and closed structured questionnaires in seven communities in the reservoir catchment. The results revealed that individual residents in these communities have not been involved in the management of the reservoir, adversely affecting goals of sustainable management. Our study concludes with direct policy recommendations and applications in four specific areas to arrive at sustainable management of the facility by involving affected communities through their inclusion in: ongoing and proposed project development as shareholders; the review of existing environmental legislation; adopting of indigenous knowledge in management institutions; and the re-introduction of norms and traditions within the communities.     

长江流域可持续发展基本政策研究

可持续发展是一种既满足当代人需求又不破坏后代人为满足其需求能力的一种发展模式,任何一个地区,均可以根据自身的资源优势和经济发展特点,走出一条适合于自身的可持续发展道路,实现可持续发展的途径与方式取决于区域的资源特征和经济发展水平;而能否实现可持续发展在较大程度上与地方政府部门制定的政策密切相关,研究实现可持续发展的适宜政策具有实际意义。本文在分析长江流域基本特征和影响因素的基础上,从经济、生态环境     

Analysis of two schemes using micro hydroelectric power (MHPs) in the Amazon with environmental sustainability and energy and economic feasibility

A major problem for sustainable development in the Amazon is the difficulty of supplying electric power to isolated communities, which represent a considerable share of the population. This problem has been a major obstacle to productive activities (especially extractive and agricultural) in such communities, thus significantly contributing to rural drift and creating social problems in larger cities. In that case, one way to supply electric power would be to use the huge network of small rivers in the region by implementing Micro Hydroelectric Power Plants (MHPs). However, this type of hydropower project requires a set of technical assessments in order to obtain better value for its cost-effectiveness from the perspective of sustainable development. Thus, based on a survey of energy demand and the local hydrological and topographical characteristics, two possible MHP designs for the hydrological site under analysis were suggested. Assessments of hydropower, economic and environmental aspects were developed. MHP designs were compared with the diesel generator design of the community under focus. Comparison showed that the MHP designs are feasible in terms of energy to meet local demand; economically, they are more feasible than the diesel generator and are environmentally sustainable, mainly because such designs involve low-head, run-of-river MHPs and the flooded areas were simulated and are not larger than 0.02 km². Therefore, the information provided by these assessments constitutes important data, serving as subsidies for MHP implementation projects, which shall contribute to sustainable development in the region.     

浙北山区土地利用与生态保护的冲突与协调机制研究冲突与协调机制研究——以天目山自然保护区为例

如何既注重生态环境的保护又满足区域经济、社会发展对土地利用的要求，成为当前我国不少地区土地利用中的一个重大课题。位于太湖流域和钱塘江流域源头的浙北天目山区，在土地利用与生态保护之间存在着多种矛盾。通过对浙北天目山地区生态保护与其他土地利用冲突及其协调的机理分析，试图寻找太湖流域上游山区生态保护与土地利用相协调的可选途径，探索自然保护区有效管护与当地经济发展、农民增收相结合的良性发展机制，并提出解决这些冲突的办法：修正保护目标，调整保护政策；建立合理的补偿机制；在不同的功能区施行不同的土地政策；把生态旅游作为解决土地利用冲突的突破口；探索社区共管模式，力争在扩大社区参与的前提下，实现保护区资源的可持续利用。     

浙江省粮食贸易中的虚拟水研究

贸易中的虚拟水研究使人们认识到地区的水资源危机可以通过全球性的经济贸易来缓解。虚拟水的进出口是水资源的一个来源,通过贸易的形式、利用各种外部资源来缓解内部水资源的紧缺,最终解决水资源短缺和粮食安全问题,是社会实现水资源社会化管理、生态环境安全和社会经济可持续发展的战略保障。以浙江省为研究对象,首先利用各类农作物虚拟水含量标准,核算了1997~2006年10 a间浙江省粮食贸易的虚拟水含量。然后比较浙江省全年用水量和用水结构,计算得出粮食贸易产生的年净进口虚拟水量占浙江省年总用水量7.41%左右,占到年农业灌溉用水的1717%。研究结果表明,过去10 a浙江省粮食贸易的虚拟水是浙江省水资源的一个重要的补充。〖     

Communities of practice for knowledge co-creation on sustainable dairy farming: features for value creation for farmers

Communities of Practice (CoPs) are a promising concept for transdisciplinary knowledge co-creation in sustainable agricultural development, but empirical evidence from the farmers’ viewpoint is scarce. This paper contributes to empirical insights on the knowledge creation in CoPs as valued by farmers. Using concepts from CoP theory (domain, community, and practice) and the value creation framework (VCF) developed by Wenger et al. (Promoting and assessing value creation in communities and networks: a conceptual framework. Netherlands Ruud de Moor Center Rapport 18:60, 2011), we examined two cases issuing from a European project on sustainable dairy farming. Results indicate regional differences between the two cases and relate CoP features to value creation cycles (immediate, potential, applied, realized and reframing value). They show how specific features regarding domain, community, and practice development can enhance knowledge creation on sustainable agricultural development. Domain development should be considered consciously taking into account the project duration. The community should include actors with specific competencies, such as farmers with an open attitude, researchers with (practical) domain expertise, and advisors with skills as translators between researchers and farmers. The practice development, or the actual knowledge creation, should unify two equally important types of interaction that contribute differently to value creation in CoPs: individual farmer–researcher–advisor interactions and farmer group–advisor interactions. Our research provides both valuable information for designing and managing knowledge co-creation initiatives and anchors further research on competencies and activities required to foster the two types of interactions for knowledge creation.