Ecological distribution conflicts as forces for sustainability: an overview and conceptual framework

Can ecological distribution conflicts turn into forces for sustainability? This overview paper addresses in a systematic conceptual manner the question of why, through whom, how, and when conflicts over the use of the environment may take an active role in shaping transitions toward sustainability. It presents a conceptual framework that schematically maps out the linkages between (a) patterns of (unsustainable) social metabolism, (b) the emergence of ecological distribution conflicts, (c) the rise of environmental justice movements, and (d) their potential contributions for sustainability transitions. The ways how these four processes can influence each other are multi-faceted and often not a foretold story. Yet, ecological distribution conflicts can have an important role for sustainability, because they relentlessly bring to light conflicting values over the environment as well as unsustainable resource uses affecting people and the planet. Environmental justice movements, born out of such conflicts, become key actors in politicizing such unsustainable resource uses, but moreover, they take sometimes also radical actions to stop them. By drawing on creative forms of mobilizations and diverse repertoires of action to effectively reduce unsustainabilities, they can turn from ‘victims’ of environmental injustices into ‘warriors’ for sustainability. But when will improvements in sustainability be lasting? By looking at the overall dynamics between the four processes, we aim to foster a more systematic understanding of the dynamics and roles of ecological distribution conflicts within sustainability processes.     

Technological applications of organo-montmorillonites in the removal of pyrimethanil from water: adsorption/desorption and flocculation studies

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Pyrimethanil (2-aniline-4, 6-dimethylpyrimidine, PRM) is used in fruit packing plants to control fungal infections and diseases. The effluents greatly...     

Municipal solid waste management in Pudong New Area, China

The increase in population, the rapid economic growth and the rise in community living standards accelerate municipal solid waste (MSW) generation in developing cities. This problem is especially serious in Pudong New Area, Shanghai, China. The daily amount of MSW generated in Pudong was about 1.11 kg per person in 2006. According to the current population growth trend, the solid waste quantity generated will continue to increase with the city's development. In this paper, we describe a waste generation and composition analysis and provide a comprehensive review of municipal solid waste management (MSWM) in Pudong. Some of the important aspects of waste management, such as the current status of waste collection, transport and disposal in Pudong, will be illustrated. Also, the current situation will be evaluated, and its problems will be identified.     

Integrating methods for the environmental sustainability: the SPIn-Eco Project in the Province of Siena (Italy)

This paper shows how different methods can be integrated in order to provide an organic evaluation of the environmental sustainability at the territorial level. A territory is a complex, dynamic and open system where a population develops, uses resources, produces goods and services, consumes, depletes and finally obtains economic results. All these elements characterise human behaviour, which can be monitored, measured and compared to the capacity of the environment to sustain it in the long run. The SPIn-Eco Project for the Province of Siena (Italy) is described as an example of an environmental sustainability assessment of an area, and its methods (Ecological Footprint, Greenhouse Gas Inventory, Extended Exergy Analysis, Emergy Evaluation, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Remote Sensing) are briefly introduced. This Project has been proposed and funded by the most important provincial administrative and financial institutions in the territory (the Administration of the Province of Siena and the Monte dei Paschi Foundation, respectively), and was designed and realised in 4 years (2001-2004) by a research team coordinated by the University of Siena.     

Environmental sustainability and the integration of different methods for its assessment

The aim of this paper is to propose a research framework, based on the joint use of three widely used methods: EMergy Evaluation (EME), Ecological Footprint Analysis (EFA) and Greenhouse Gas Inventory (GHGI), that are applied to assess the environmental sustainability of a region. The results of application of these methods to several Italian Provinces enabled us to compare their sustainability, and to test the methods with respect to sustainability requirements at local and global level. The outcomes suggest that the proposed framework provides an organic evaluation of regional systems based on key aspects, such as resources depletion, consumption patterns, waste production and absorption.     

210Pb geochronology and trace metal fluxes (Cd, Cu and Pb) in the Gulf of Tehuantepec, South Pacific of Mexico

Distributions of Al, Cd, Cu, Fe, Li, Mn and Pb were analyzed in a sediment core collected in the Gulf of Tehuantepec, an important fisheries region located in the South Pacific of Mexico, where data on metal accumulation and accretion rates were previously almost nonexistent. Depth profiles of metal concentrations were converted to time-based profiles by using a 210Pb-derived vertical accretion rate, estimated to be 0.05 cm year(-1) on the average. Sediments were dated up to 8 cm depth, corresponding to a layer of ca. 140 years old. The historical changes of metal accumulation along the sediment core have shown a moderate enrichment of Cd, Cu and Pb concentrations at present, of about threefold the corresponding background concentrations. Chronological trace metal records showed that metal fluxes have increased over the last 20 years, reaching the maximum values at present of 2.5, 22.5 and 45.8 (microg cm(-2) year(-1)) for Cd, Pb and Cu, respectively. These increments in metal fluxes are likely influenced by the development of anthropogenic land-based activities since over this period of time oil production activities in the region have had a significant development.     

Concentrations of trace elements in tissues of loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) from the Tyrrhenian and the Ionian coastlines (Calabria,Italy)

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Toxic trace elements from both, natural and anthropogenic origin, pose a threat to aquatic environments and marine wildlife due to their long-range...     

Occurrence and Trend of Hepatitis A Virus in Bivalve Molluscs Production Areas Following a Contamination Event

The aim of this study was to assess the trend of hepatitis A virus (HAV) in a coastal zone impacted by a contamination event, providing data for the development of management strategies. A total of 352 samples, including four bivalve mollusc species (Mytilus galloprovincialis, Solen vagina, Venus gallina and Donax trunculus), were taken over a period of 6 months from 27 production areas of the coast and analysis were performed according to ISO/TS 15216-1:2013. HAV presence was detected in 77 samples from 11 production areas and all positive results were related to samples collected in the first 3 months of the surveillance, during which HAV prevalence was 39.9% and values as high as 5096 genome copies/g were detected. A progressive reduction of viral contamination was evident during the first trimester of the monitoring, with prevalence decreasing from 78.8% in the first month, to 37.8% in the second and 3.9% in the third and quantitative levels reduced from an average value of 672 genome copies/g to 255 genome copies/g over a period of 4 weeks (virus half-life: 21.5 days). A regression analysis showed that, during the decreasing phase of the contamination, the data fitted a reciprocal quadratic model (Ra² = 0.921) and, based on the model, a residual presence of HAV could be estimated after negativization of the production areas. The statistical analysis of the results per shellfish species and per production area showed that there were limited differences in contamination prevalence and levels among diverse bivalve species, while a statistically significant difference was present in quantitative levels of one production area. These data could be useful for the development of both risk assessment models and code of practice for the management of viral contamination in primary production.     

An agent based model to simulate structural and land use changes in agricultural systems of the argentine pampas

The Argentine Pampas, one of the main agricultural areas in the world, recently has undergone significant changes in land use and structural characteristics of agricultural production systems. Concerns about the environmental and societal impacts of the changes motivated development of an agent-based model (ABM) to gain insight on processes underlying recent observed patterns. The model is described following a standard protocol (ODD). Results are discussed for an initial set of simplified simulations performed to understand the processes that generated and magnified the changes in the Pampas. Changes in the structure of agricultural production and land tenure seem to be driven by differences among farmers’ ability to generate sufficient agricultural income to remain in business. In turn, as no off-farm or credit is modeled, economic sustainability is tied to initial resource endowment (area cropped). Farmers operating small areas are economically unviable and must lease out their farms to farmers operating larger areas. This leads to two patterns: (a) a concentration of production (fewer farmers operating larger areas) and, (b) an increase in the area operated by tenants. The simulations showed an increase of soybean area, linked to the higher profitability of this crop. Despite the stylized nature of initial simulations, all emerging patterns are highly consistent with changes observed in the Pampas.