On the status of environmental education and awareness of undergraduate students at Ankara University, Turkey

The study reported in this paper was undertaken during 2001 and early 2002 to assess the status of environmental education and awareness of undergraduate students at Ankara University, Turkey. The main objectives of the study were to determine the depth of students' knowledge and awareness of environmental issues and problems and their attitude to the environment, and to make recommendations based on the findings. It is generally assumed that in Turkey university students mainly come from a particular socio-economic sector of society. And, therefore, that there is a certain homogeneity of environmental awareness and attitudes among most students at all Turkish universities. To test the veracity or otherwise of this widely held assumption, data on students' socio-economic backgrounds were also analysed. The study comprised face-to-face interviews of a random sample of 651 students in the final year of their educational programmes during which a detailed questionnaire was completed for each. The chi-squared test was used to evaluate collected data. The respondents came from 14 faculties of the university. The study was designed to assess the general characteristics, environmental knowledge, and behavioural pattern of the sample. Results of the study validate the above assumption and reveal, among others, that: a) in general, Ankara University students are reasonably aware of environmental issues and problems; b) majority of those studying environmental subjects are from the social sciences; and c) compared to the rest, students in the health sciences are significantly unaware of issues such as those of sustainable development, organic farming and solid waste pollution.     

大学环境教育与环境建设

从中国生态环境的现状和大学传授学生知识、确立学生观念的特殊地位说明了在高校进行环境教育的必要性。环境教育是让学生了解人类生活和文明发展历程中的环境状况和问题，思考环境保护的意义和价值，进而确立环境观念。提出了建设环境友好型大学。建议在高校中建立讲座、选修、必修三位一体的环境教育教学体系。     

The logistics of public participation in environmental assessment

This paper starts by investigating the rationales for public participation in environmental assessment. It is contended that access to participation may refer both to means as well as ends; thus, some advocates of citizen participation favour involvement for social and or political reasons (i.e. the participation is the end in itself). However, the value of that participation may also, as we shall see, advance quality and depth of knowledge (i.e. the participation is viewed only as a means to an end). The initial two sections, therefore, paint two broad brushstrokes: the first concerns why we should require public participation, and the second why that participation may improve the quality of our environmental assessment procedure. Further, it is then argued that the issues and problems of public participation vary across different environmental issues and also vary across different stages of the environmental assessment procedure and according to the scientific disciplines and practices involved. This paper points the way towards an open and representative style in which communities are included in environment assessment processes as a source of new or better knowledge, as well as a contribution towards what the EU refers to as the 'horizontal participatory approach'. The paper briefly considers methodological issues concerning ways in which participation might be carried out.     

Determining landscape function and ecosystem dynamics: contribution to ecological restoration in the southern Namib desert

The southern Namib is characterized by high biodiversity, changes in winter and summer rainfall, extreme climatic conditions and associated geomorphologic processes, a paucity of ecological knowledge, and multiple environmental threats posed by conflicting development options. With the long-term view to establish a research initiative focussing on restoration ecology in the southern Namib Desert, this article provides a review of current ecological knowledge and proposes potential research priorities. The aims of a research initiative would be two-fold. On the academic side, understanding processes operating at different scales will be critical to develop methods of ecological restoration suitable for southern Namib ecosystems. On the practical side, the development of appropriate methods will focus on facilitating ecological processes such as restoration of biologically active substrate, natural succession, and concentration of limited resources. The function of landscapes, plant-soil interface, soil-, vegetation- and plant population dynamics will likely provide some of the answers for ecological restoration.     

The littoral zone in the Three Gorges Reservoir, China: challenges and opportunities

For flood control purpose, the water level of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) varies significantly. The annual reservoir surface elevation amplitude is about 30 m behind the dam. Filling of the reservoir has created about 349 km² of newly flooded riparian zone. The average flooding period lasts for more than 6 months, from mid-October to late April. The dam and its associated reservoir provide flood control, power generation, and navigation, but there are also many environmental challenges. The littoral zone is the important part of the TGR, once its eco-health and stability are damaged,which will directly endanger the ecological safety of the whole reservoir area and even the Yangtze River Basin. So, understanding the great ecological opportunities which are hidden in littoral zone of TGR (LZTGR) and putting forward approaches to solve the environmental problems are very important. LZTGR involves a wide field of problems, such as the landslides, potential water pollution, soil erosion, biodiversity loss, land cover changes, and other issues. The Three Gorges dam (TGD) is a major trigger of environmental change in the Yangtze River. The landslides, water quality, soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, dam operation, and challenge for land use are closely interrelated across spatial and temporal scales. Therefore, the ecological and environmental impacts caused by TGD are necessarily complex and uncertain. LZTGR is not only a great environmental challenge but also an ecological opportunity for us. In fact, LZTGR is an important structural unit of TGR ecosystem and has special ecosystem services function. Vegetation growing in LZTGR is therefore a valuable resource due to accumulation of carbon and nutrients. Everyone thinks that the ecological approach to the problem is needed. If properly designed, dike–pond systems, littoral woods systems, and re-created waterfowl habitats will have the capacity to capture nutrients from uplands and obstruct soil erosion. Ecological engineering approaches can therefore reduce environmental impacts of LZTGR and optimize ecological services. In view of the current situation and existing ecological problems of LZTGR, according to function demands such as environmental purification, biodiversity conservation, and vegetation carbon sink enhancement, we should explore the eco-friendly utilization mode of resources in LZTGR. Ecological engineering approaches might minimize the impacts or optimize the ecological services. Natural regeneration and ecological restoration in LZTGR are valuable for soil erosion decrease, pollutant purification, biodiversity conservation, carbon sink increase, and ecosystem health maintenance in TGR.     

Measurement, Collaborative Learning and Research for Sustainable Use of Ecosystem Services: Landscape Concepts and Europe as Laboratory

Policies at multiple levels pronounce the need to encompass both social and ecological systems in governance and management of natural capital in terms of resources and ecosystems. One approach to knowledge production and learning about landscapes as social–ecological systems is to compare multiple case studies consisting of large spaces and places. We first review the landscape concepts’ biophysical, anthropogenic, and intangible dimensions. Second, we exemplify how the different landscape concepts can be used to derive measurable variables for different sustainability indicators. Third, we review gradients in the three dimensions of the term landscape on the European continent, and propose to use them for the stratification of multiple case studies of social–ecological systems. We stress the benefits of the landscape concepts to measure sustainability, and how this can improve collaborative learning about development toward sustainability in social–ecological systems. Finally, analyses of multiple landscapes improve the understanding of context for governance and management.     

A regulatory view on science and predictive models

A lot of scientific knowledge is required to carry out and enforce environmental regulations. The paper deals with the relationship between law and science from a legal perspective. First, some difficulties in using science to carry out environmental regulations are outlined. After this, some legal concepts which try to cope with the problems are presented. Aspects discussed are the precautionary principle, the legal concept of 'state of the art', general standard setting, the flexibility of the regulations, and procedural regulations for the standard-setting process. Finally, the new challenge for science that derives from the legal demand of an integrated approach to environmental protection is addressed.     

Interactive valuation: the social construction of the value of ecological services

Two different perspectives mark the discourse about the valuation of ecological services: a positivistrealist perspective, emphasising the use of objective scientific procedures to discover true values of ecological services truth is seen as the basis for social change; and a constructivist perspective, emphasising value as emerging from interaction. Value is an agreement and hence effective in social change. This paper examines the implications of the latter for valuation. It first analyses the current dominant practice of environmental valuation in terms of its epistemological assumptions. It then examines how a constructivist perspective colours the expectation of societal effectiveness of environmental valuation. Both themes reflect debated issues in ecological economics (e.g. O'Connor, 1998). 'Double hermeneutics' refers to the capacity to make sense on the basis of the sense-making of others. Environmental valuation in economics attempts a sort of 'triple hermeneutics': economists make sense of how people value the environment, in order to influence the sense-making of policy-makers and the general public. This paper argues that environmental valuation alternatively can be carried out as a constructivist procedure that reduces triple to single hermeneutics. Environmental valuation aims at societal change through internalisation of the costs of ecological services. Knowledge of the 'real' costs is expected to influence behaviour. Our analysis calls for the wider use of an alternative approach 'interactive valuation'. That is, the people whose behaviour incurs environmental costs are assisted to use environmental valuation methods themselves in order experientially to learn to internalise the environmental costs of their activities. It is not the researcher or expert who analyses and learns, so that he/she can transfer the learning to others, but the 'others' themselves who analyse and learn. In practice, this means that scientific valuators are not limited to discovering 'real', objective values, but also engage in developing tools for discovery learning by people themselves. The paper elaborates concrete experiences in the analysis and development of farming systems.     

National Park Development in China: Conservation or Commercialization?

The rapid development of parks and ecotourism in China has attracted worldwide attention, not only for the beauty of the landscape that the parks are protecting but also for their abundant and often unique biodiversity. However, in some areas, the development of ecotourism has actually led to the degradation of local ecological, economic, and social systems. Using National Forest Parks for demonstration, this article analyzes the current political, institutional, legal, environmental, and economic issues concerning National Parks in China, and examines their potential future development. Although the intention of National Park systems in China is to raise environmental quality, and to protect biodiversity and social livelihoods, their success has varied. Future success will be measured by their capacity to reduce poverty, to promote long-term rehabilitation of wildlife habitats, and to simultaneously protect Chinese culture and biodiversity.     

Master’s degree in sustainable development in Switzerland,the first master course comprising three faculties

Sustainable development has become a key aspect in society, economics and environment. Therefore, experts dealing with questions relating to people, the environment and its resources are more and more requested. This paper presents the concept and first experiences of a specialised Master's Degree in Sustainable Development (MSD). This is a pioneer course as it is equally anchored in three faculties (Human science, Natural science, Business and Economy) at the University of Basel, Switzerland. It aims to transmit knowledge, teach methodology and enable practical work experience in the field of sustainable development. This interdisciplinary master's degree is composed of several modules. At first, the attendance of modules providing a basic understanding in the disciplines not yet covered by the former Bachelor degree, is mandatory. In optional modules, the acquired knowledge of the compulsory modules is further enhanced, focussing on four different topics and are titled as: Agglomeration and Ecosystems; Conservation and Utilisation of Natural Resources; Environment, Values, Societal Transformation and Health; and Environmental Problems in a Globalised World. In another optional module, students may complete an internship in which they can apply theoretical and thematic knowledge. To work independently on a problem in the context of, interdisciplinary projects are a central request in the MSD. Finally, the master thesis has to be planned and realized by a plying the scientific methods and skills acquired in the previous modules. Since the beginning of the programme in the winter of 2005/2006, 45 students have enrolled. They received degrees at 25 different universities, 13 of which are from abroad. Some already have several years of working experience, while others have only just completed their Bachelor's degrees. A analysis has shown that the graduates will have excellent chances in the employment market, since they are well qualified to take over sought-after positions in the business world, in administration, in consultancy, national or international organisations, or to follow academic careers.     

Solutions-oriented research for sustainability: Turning knowledge into action: This article belongs to Ambio’s 50th Anniversary Collection. Theme: Solutions-oriented research

In this perspective, we reflect upon the question: what processes may help transition scientific insights on sustainability issues into practice and thus contribute to tackling the complex, systemic sustainability problems of today? We use five forerunners in the field of providing and brokering knowledge for science informed real world solutions, all published in Ambio and highlighted in this Anniversary collection, as our starting point. We discuss how the authors present solutions, whom they tried to reach, and what was suggested—implicitly or explicitly—as the potential uptake processes for turning scientific knowledge into practice. With this as the starting point, we discuss how sustainability science, as a field vowed to action, has evolved in its views of actors, pathways for impacts, and the potential roles of research and researchers to promote sustainability transformations.     

The weaker points of fish acute toxicity tests and how tests on embryos can solve some issues

Fish acute toxicity tests play an important role in environmental risk assessment and hazard classification because they allow for first estimates of the relative toxicity of various chemicals in various species. However, such tests need to be carefully interpreted. Here we shortly summarize the main issues which are linked to the genetics and the condition of the test animals, the standardized test situations, the uncertainty about whether a given test species can be seen as representative to a given fish fauna, the often missing knowledge about possible interaction effects, especially with micropathogens, and statistical problems like small sample sizes and, in some cases, pseudoreplication. We suggest that multi-factorial embryo tests on ecologically relevant species solve many of these issues, and we shortly explain how such tests could be done to avoid the weaker points of fish acute toxicity tests.     

Science with Society in the Anthropocene

Interdisciplinary scientific knowledge is necessary but not sufficient when it comes to addressing sustainable transformations, as science increasingly has to deal with normative and value-related issues. A systems perspective on coupled human–environmental systems (HES) helps to address the inherent complexities. Additionally, a thorough interaction between science and society (i.e., transdisciplinarity = TD) is necessary, as sustainable transitions are sometimes contested and can cause conflicts. In order to navigate complexities regarding the delicate interaction of scientific research with societal decisions these processes must proceed in a structured and functional way. We thus propose HES-based TD processes to provide a basis for reorganizing science in coming decades.     

污水土地处理技术研究的最新进展

本文以地下渗滤系统、慢速渗滤系统为例 ,介绍了污水土地处理技术研究的最新进展 ,指出加速污水土地处理技术产业化的进程必将大大促进我国的环境保护与生态建设工作 ,并带来巨大的环境、经济与社会效益。     

华北山区环境综合整治与生态建设

华北山区位于华北平原与陕甘黄土高原以及内蒙古高原之间，是我国经济欠发达地区之一。它又是我国华北平原、京津唐等大城市工农业和生活用水的主要源地，生态环境类型复杂多样，但由于人类活动频繁，自然植被破坏严重，生态系统结构紊乱，功能脆弱，自身恢复能力较弱。积极开展华北山区的环境综合整治与生态建设不仅对解决当地人民的生活和生存问题具有重要的意义，而且对于我国华北地区经济的发展也具有重要的战略意义。本文详细分析了华北山区的生态系统特点和存在的问题，并在此基础上提出在该区环境综合整治与生态建设的具体措施和途径。     

Requisite Simplicities to Help Negotiate Complex Problems

Decision makers responsible for natural resource management often complain that science delivers fragmented information that is not useful at the scale of implementation. We offer a way of negotiating complex problems by putting forward a requisite simplicity. A requisite simplicity attempts to discard some detail, while retaining conceptual clarity and scientific rigor, and helps us move to a new position where we can benefit from new knowledge. We illustrate the above using three case studies: elephant densities and vegetation change in a national park, the use of rules of thumb to support decision making in agriculture, and the management of salt in irrigation. We identify potential requisite simplicities that can allow us to generate new understanding, lead to action and provide opportunities for structured learning.     

Opportunities for Increasing Resilience and Sustainability of Urban Social–Ecological Systems: Insights from the URBES and the Cities and Biodiversity Outlook Projects

Urban futures that are more resilient and sustainable require an integrated social–ecological system approach to urban policymaking, planning, management, and governance. In this article, we introduce the Urban Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (URBES) and the Cities and Biodiversity Outlook (CBO) Projects as new social–ecological contributions to research and practice on emerging urban resilience and ecosystem services. We provide an overview of the projects and present global urbanization trends and their effects on ecosystems and biodiversity, as a context for new knowledge generated in the URBES case-study cities, including Berlin, New York, Rotterdam, Barcelona, and Stockholm. The cities represent contrasting urbanization trends and examples of emerging science–policy linkages for improving urban landscapes for human health and well-being. In addition, we highlight 10 key messages of the global CBO assessment as a knowledge platform for urban leaders to incorporate state-of-the-art science on URBES into decision-making for sustainable and resilient urban development.