The Logical Foundations of Ecological Footprints

An academic debate about ecological footprints has started at last. It was set in motion by a critical article in Ecological Economics, 29(1), 61–72, by Jeroen C.J.M. van den Bergh and Harmen Verbruggen (henceforth B&V). Being ourselves major users of ecological footprints, we disagree with most of the criticisms that B&V level at the concept. In our experience, there are widespread misunderstandings surrounding the methodology of eco-footprinting, so it seems a good time to set out the logical foundations of eco-footprinting for all those who may have an interest in the subject – surely extending beyond the readers of Ecological Economics. Thus our approach will be a general exposition. However, even those who have not read the article by B&V will doubtless benefit from knowing the sort of criticisms which are made against ecological footprints, so we will also attempt to explain and respond to the criticisms raised by B&V.     

Engaged Communication Scholarship for Environmental Justice: A Research Agenda

ABSTRACT

As a discipline of crisis and care, environmental communication needs to address questions of environmental justice. This article argues that the most appropriate approach to studying environmental justice communication is engaged scholarship, in which academics collaborate with community partners, advocates, and others to conduct research. The article reviews prior engaged communication scholarship on environmental justice, and proposes four streams of future research, focused on news and information, deliberation and participation, campaigns and movements, and education and literacy.     

Salvaging Wilderness from the Tomb of History: A Response to The National Parks: America's Best Idea

In the age of industrialism, wilderness is the counterbalance to human excesses and the inspiration for environmental activists. Today, wilderness is even more important and contested as people face multiple environmental crises on a planet with an exploding human population and voracious consumer appetite. Too often obscured by the technosphere that engulfs us, wilderness awaits its ecoteur filmmakers to give it greater presence on the public screens of the technoscape. After The National Parks: America's Best Idea, wilderness still waits. By treating wilderness as an historical relic and vacation spot, the film saps it of its vital relevance and political power. Audiences must understand the foundational role of wilderness in their lives, instead of being pacified with an history drained of color that disconnects them from wilderness. As people wonder if there is a future for industrial civilization, wilderness provides the last best hope for rethinking our place on earth.     

Environmental Rights: on the Perspective of Harmonious Development between Human Beings and Nature

The idea of environmental rights was first ascertained as a universal concern in the late 20th century and then became a fundamental part of environmental law along with the growth of serious disasters brought by the frequent occurrence of extreme environmental crisis. Generally speaking, the environmental rights safeguard and defend human rights and ultimately facilitate producing better conditions of life on earth by stretching and expanding the theory of traditional human rights. But there are endless debates since environmental rights appeared and various views of environmental rights, such as anthropocentric doctrine and organism's centre doctrine. Differentiated from the traditional research, this article reviewed environmental rights from the perspective of harmonious development between human beings and nature rather than from the perspective of law. Therefore, it is very important to clarify the relationship between human beings and nature based on the environmental rights and to promote the environmental rights to be embodied in the constitution. This article emphasized the importance of the practical significance of environmental rights, and built a concrete structure within the legal system that could promote the transformation of environmental law from ‘should have’ right to practical right, and promote the further development of environmental rights and their weightiness in the legal system.     

Amplifiers on the Commons: Using Indicators to Foster Place-Based Sustainability Initiatives

This essay proposes a heuristic conservation between the emerging field of environmental communication and the “crisis discipline” of conservation biology in order to generate a set of ethical postulates for research, teaching, and professional consultation. To the extent that social/symbolic representations of “environment” embody interested orientations, such discourses potentially constrain and/or enable societal responses to environmental signals, including signs of ecological crises. The essay argues that, implicit in this and other functional premises, lies a principal ethical duty of environmental communication: the obligation to enhance the ability of society to respond appropriately to environmental signals relevant to the well-being of both human communities and natural biological systems.     

On the Field of Environmental Communication: A Systematic Review of the Peer-Reviewed Literature

The field of environmental communication has reached several milestones since the 1990s, particularly the establishment of environmental communication-related divisions at professional associations and the founding of the journal Environmental Communication in 2007. This systematic review characterizes the peer-reviewed literature on environmental communication to date, examining methods, geography, top-cited articles, and analyzing keyword and titles. Drawing on the Web of Science Core Collection, which archives the Social Sciences Citation Index and the Arts & Humanities Citation Index, the review finds that attention to environmental communication has exploded in recent years and that the field is methodologically open-minded. Scholars have shifted focus from general environmental risk to specifically climate change in the last decade. Implications for the field are discussed.     

Audiences for Science Communication in the United States

ABSTRACT

The US National Science Foundation collects biennial data on views about science and technology (S&T). Analyses have typically focused on the degree to which demographics, knowledge, and attitudes predict S&T support or views about specific technologies or issues. Published efforts do not appear to have focused on identifying latent classes within the data. Initial analyses using latent profile analysis suggests that Americans can be categorized into six substantive audience groups when it comes to views about S&T. These groups vary by demographics, including scientific background and ideology, as well as in views about S&T. Post hoc analyses explore how “class-focused” analyses may provide additional insight beyond what can be obtained from “variable-focused” analyses.     

Variability of biochemical parameters and radiation resistance of the seed progeny of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Descurainia sophia</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lepidium apetalum</Emphasis> under exposure to various factors

The physiological and biochemical characteristics of seedlings of Descurainia sophia (Fisch.) and Lepidium apetalum Wild. have been used as examples to demonstrate that long-term exposure of plant populations to environmental stress factors causes adaptive changes in antioxidant and genomic systems that may considerably affect the radioresistance of seed progeny. The resistance to additional acute irradiation of seed progeny of wild plants adapted to different environmental conditions has been found to be determined not only by the combination of antioxidant and DNA-repair protection systems and the vulnerability of the functioning genome, but also by their variability. The data on the relationship of the radioresistance of wild plant populations with physiological and biochemical characteristics and their variability may be used for expert environmental assessment of the state of the biota and prediction of its viability under exposure to abiotic environmental factors.     

Baudrillard and Our Destiny with the Natural World: Fatal Strategies for Environmental Communication

Drawing on the writings of Jean Baudrillard, the purpose of this essay is to suggest a set of communication practices that promote a different way of thinking about the earth–human relationship. Baudrillard's “fatal strategies” are developed into concepts of intersubjectivity, seduction, and sorcery, which when used in conjunction with more traditional, logical rhetorical appeals, can produce powerful appeals for environmental change. To illustrate, we explore how these strategies are used in two exemplars of environmental discourse: Rachel Carson's Silent Spring and Al Gore's documentary, An Inconvenient Truth.     

Application of fuzzy models to assess susceptibility to droughts from a socio-economic perspective

By combining the concepts of environmental stress, state susceptibility and environmental crisis, “Security Diagram” (SD) provides a quantitative approach to assessing environmental change and human security. The SD is a tool that clearly presents in a diagram the security situation of a population or region affected by a particular environmental crisis. Its underlying concept emphasises that the higher the level of environmental stress and socio-economic susceptibility, the higher the probability of the occurrence of crisis. Focusing on drought, this study analyses the susceptibility of case study regions in India, Portugal, and Russia from a socio-economic perspective. A conceptual framework of socio-economic susceptibility is developed based on the economic development theories of modernisation and dependency. Fuzzy set theory is used to generate susceptibility indices from a range of national and sub-national indicators, including financial resources, agricultural dependency and infrastructure development (for economic susceptibility), and health condition, educational attainment and gender inequality (for social susceptibility). Results indicate that socio-economic susceptibility over the period 1980–1995 was highest in India, followed by Russia and (since 1989) lowest in Portugal. Globalisation is likely to contribute to changes in the level of socio-economic susceptibility over time. Moreover, specific social and economic structures unique in each country (e.g., the role of women in society in India, the socialist legacy in Russia) may explain differences in susceptibility between the case study regions.

隐含碳视角下的湖北省工业结构调整评价体系

着眼于如何科学促进工业结构升级,发展技术含量和附加值双高、社会效益与经济效益双优的"两型"工业部门,首次将产业安全和隐含碳纳入考量,分别从经济效益、社会效益、生态效益、技术密集度、产业安全、区域优势6个方面选取了13项指标.在对所选指标进行相应说明后,应用主成分分析法建立了湖北省工业结构调整评价体系.该评价体系对湖北省的24个工业部门进行了综合评分及排序,分析结果显示未来几年湖北省应该大力发展三类产业:一是经济效益好、社会关联度大,但存在一定污染问题的产业;二是增长速度快、技术含量与外向度较高的产业;三是就业能力强,区域优势明显的产业.同时,三类产业的发展策略各有侧重.文章最后依据各项指标对于湖北省几个重点工业部门发展给出了针对性的政策建议.     

Long-term contaminant migration and impacts from uranium mill tailings

As part of the BIOMOVS II study, a Working Group was established with the primary aim of comparing computer models used to assess the long-term impacts of contaminants released from uranium mill tailings piles, involving multiple pathways, multiple contaminants and multiple environmental receptors. The application of models to two scenarios (V1 and V2) allowed participants to gain an improved understanding of important processes and to compare the representation of these processes in the models. Partly as a result of this, new models were developed and the functionality of existing models was enhanced. Model results for the scenarios were compared quantitatively and agreed well (often within a factor of three) for the more tightly specified V2 scenario. In so far as the scenarios represent generic sites, the following generic conclusions can be drawn.

• &#x02022;A range of pathways and contaminants affect the total dose/intake and so no single pathway or contaminant is dominant for all scenarios to the exclusion of all other pathways or contaminants.
• &#x02022;Peak impacts on individuals may not arise for many hundreds of years.
• &#x02022;Simplification of the ²³⁸U decay chain, by assuming ²¹⁰Pb and ²¹⁰Po are in secular equilibrium in the biosphere with the long-lived parent, ²²⁶Ra, is inappropriate.
• &#x02022;Whilst models are available for assessing potential radiological and non-radiological health impacts, comparison of health impacts is limited by the absence of comprehensive data for health impacts of stable elements.

     

Communicating Haze Crisis Online: Comparing Traditional Media News and New Media Perspectives in Singapore

ABSTRACT

To understand haze-related online communication in Southeast Asia, this exploratory study took a mixed method approach to conduct web analysis of online communication during haze crisis in Singapore, followed by textual analysis of traditional and new media content during peak days. First, web analytics showed that Singapore’s haze online communication occurred mostly on the Twitter platform with primary negative sentiments. Next, textual analysis results found that majority of traditional media-affiliated news provided informative haze reports and centered on positive measurements taken by government and authorities, similar to Public Information Model for crisis management. In comparison, haze-related new media content had diverse topics reflecting laymen’s viewpoints with critical tones and negative sentiments. News portals and blogs used two-way asymmetrical and symmetrical model for crisis management, respectively. Additionally, Social Cognitive Theory’s media diversity perspectives were applied to understand people’s media choices among traditional and new media during natural crisis with environmental influences.     

Renewable energy potential in India and future agenda of research

ABSTRACT

Demand of electrical energy is exponentially increasing causing environmental problems due to extensive use of fossil fuels. Hence, research has been promoted in renewable energy technologies to mitigate environmental pollution. Indian subcontinent is rich in renewable energy sources (RES). This paper describes potential of RES and region-wise installed capacity in India. Estimated potential of RES is 57 GW which is targeted to be 175 GW by 2022. A logical framework for our future research work has been presented. This includes performance optimisation of solar pumping system and reliability assessments of the designed system using reliability indices.

Abbreviation: RES: Renewable energy resources; SHP: small hydro plants; GOI: Government of India; MNRE: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy; LHP: large hydropower; BCM: billion cubic metres; PEC: per-capita energy consumption; JNNSM: Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission; DNI: direct normal irradiance; SPV: solar photovoltaic; UMPP: ultra mega green solar power project; GIS: geographic information systems; WMS: wind monitoring stations; MPWL: Madhya Pradesh windfarms Ltd.; MIB: mat river basin; SWAT: Soil and Water Assessment Tool; ROR: run of river; SMS: short message service; CDM: clean development mechanism; NIOT: national institute of ocean technology; LOLP: loss of load probability; CSO: Central Statistics Office; CEA: Central Electricity Authority; TERI: The Energy and Resources Institute; WPI: Wind Power India; IEA: International Energy Agency; EAI: Energy Alternatives India; BKP: Biomass Knowledge Portal; IRENA: International Renewable Energy Agency; GAIN: Global Agricultural Information Network; NITI: National Institution for Transforming India; NIWE: National Institute of Wind Energy; UP: Uttar Pradesh; J&K: Jammu and Kashmir; HP: Himachal Pradesh; NR: northern region; MP: Madhya Pradesh; WR: western region; TN: Tamil Nadu; AP: Andhra Pradesh; SR: southern region; ER: eastern region; NER: north eastern region; A&N: Andaman & Nicobar     

Routine Reporting of Environmental Risk: The First Traces of Micropollutants in the German Press

ABSTRACT

This article analyzes the emergence of a new environmental issue in the German press. Since the 1990s, scientists have detected traces of pharmaceuticals, hormones and chemicals in all segments of the water cycle. These micropollutants have negative effects on aquatic life and might affect human health. Their sources are manifold and include private households. Yet although micropollutants of are direct concern to media audiences, they are a challenging topic for news reporting. Although this issue is systemic and fraught with uncertainty, it does not easily translate into news stories. Our content analysis of 444 articles (1995–2015) reveals that the societal risk was rarely presented as a stand-alone topic. Instead, the issue was mostly covered as part of local routine reporting and framed as a challenge for experts to solve. Over time, the reporting became more managerial, while media framings of micropollutants gained more substance and scope. We contend that local routine reporting should receive more attention as a public forum for addressing emerging environmental concerns.     

Scientific Basis and Technological Path of Regional Strategic Environmental Assessment

Abstract

The study tries to set up a system to extract strategic environmental assessment (SEA) in exploitation of regional development based on the present situation of environmental assessment in China. First, the article summarizes the emphasis and deficiency of international academic community’s SEA research in the past 10 years. Based on this, the article puts forward the concept and evaluation principles of regional strategic environmental assessment (RSEA). Then the article expounds the necessity of carrying out RSEA. After that, the article discusses in detail the process of RSEA, which includes defining evaluation scope, describing regional background, combing strategic behavior, designing development scenarios, predicting the pressure on environment, assessing environmental impact, screening alternatives and proposing regulation and control schemes.     

Measuring individuals’ valuation distributions using a stochastic payment card approach: application to solid waste management in Nigeria

The objectives of this study are twofold. First it aims to establish empirical grounds for pricing the services of a new environmental management initiative in Enugu state, Nigeria. A joint initiative of the UK Department for International Development (DfID), Enugu State Environmental Protection Agency (ENSEPA) and the State and Local Government Programme (SLGP). The second is to test the empirical performance of a new approach to the contingent valuation method (CVM) i.e., the Stochastic Payment Card (SPC) design proposed by Wang (Contingent valuation of environmental resources: A stochastic perspective, 1997a, Journal of Environmental Economics & Management, 32:219–232, 1997b). The SPC design unlike many of the conventional CVM elicitation formats, takes into account the stochastic nature of individuals’ valuation decisions. The data for the analysis were obtained from a random sample survey of a district in Enugu metropolis. The results show that, on average, households in this city are willing to pay (WTP) 215 Naira ($1.6) monthly as against 200 Naira ($1.5) currently charged for the service by ENSEPA. Analysis of individual’s valuation distribution function indicates that this amount is positively and significantly related to the gender of the respondent, household income and the respondent’s perception of environmental quality.

An environmental wide association study (EWAS) approach to the metabolic syndrome

BackgroundEnvironmental contaminants have previously been linked to components of the Metabolic Syndrome (MetS). However, exposure to environmental contaminants is in part determined by various lifestyle factors.ObjectiveUsing an “Environmental Wide Association Study” (ELWAS) integrating environmental contaminants and lifestyle factors, we aimed to evaluate a possible additive role of both contaminants and lifestyle factors regarding MetS.Methods1016 subjects aged 70 years were investigated in the Prospective Investigation of the Vasculature in Uppsala Seniors (PIVUS) study. 43 environmental contaminants were measured in the circulation. Dietary records were used to evaluate 21 nutrients and the proportions of 13 fatty acids were determined in serum cholesterol esters to further quantify fat quality intake. Adding 5 other important lifestyle factors yielded together 76 environmental and lifestyle factors. MetS was defined by the NCEP/ATPIII-criteria.Results23% had MetS. Using cross-validation within the sample, fourteen environmental contaminants or lifestyle factors consistently showed a false discovery rate < 0.05. When the major variables entered a multiple model, only p, p′-DDE levels (positive), PCB209 (inverse) and exercise habits (inverse) were together with a fatty acid pattern, with high levels of palmitic acid and oleic acid and low levels of linoleic acid, related to MetS (p < 0.002 for all variables).ConclusionUsing a cross-sectional EWAS approach, certain environmental contaminants and lifestyle factors were found to be associated with prevalent metabolic syndrome in an additive fashion in an elderly population.     

Relations between Environmental Right for Citizens and the Right to Use Environmental Resources owned by Company and Enterprise

Abstract

From angles of administrative law and private law, the article analyzes relations between environmental right for citizens and the right to use environmental resources owned by company and enterprise and points out three principles to balancing two relations: A principle of equal protection, a principle that general interest is superior to special interest as well as taking an account for special interest, in specific circumstances, for example, in the circumstance that clashes between environmental and economic interests can not be avoided, policy makers can put an emphasis on more important social interest according after considering weight of each interest. Finally, the article reaches a conclusion that China should establish system of environmental right for citizens from legislative and administrative levels so that a harmonious society can be constructed with guarantee.     

Disposal practices for unused medications in New Zealand

BackgroundThere is an enhanced international awareness that the improper disposal of unwanted and unused medications may have a detrimental effect on the environment.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to determine the proportion of unused medications in New Zealand that are not returned to a pharmacy for disposal and are instead disposed of via land fill or water systems. In addition, this study intended to identify why these medications were unused or unwanted.DesignAn online survey was placed on the New Zealand National Poisons Centre website for a period of three months during 2008. This consisted of a series of questions with predefined answer sets and asked about collection of medications, why there may be unused medications, storage of medications and disposal of medications.ResultsThis survey was completed by 452 individuals. 62% of respondents currently had unwanted medications in their house. The most common reason for people to have leftover medication was ‘medical condition improved or resolved’ (n = 307). Depending on formulation type, between 13–24% of unused medications were returned to pharmacies with tablets and capsules being most likely to be returned and liquids most likely to be added to water systems.ConclusionsA significant percentage of unwanted medications are disposed of via routes that have the potential to adversely affect the environment. Reducing excess medications and wastage as well as education of appropriate disposal techniques may minimize their potential impact on the environment.