Local Agenda 21 in Four Swedish Municipalities: A Tool towards Sustainability?

Four small- to medium-sized municipalities in the south-east of Sweden were chosen for a 5-year study of their Local Agenda 21 (LA21) processes. The study shows that the LA21 processes have instigated many new ideas, brought fields together and introduced new subjects into the municipal world. In the decisions of the local governments environmental considerations are treated seriously. There are signs of an extended dialogue and of public influence, especially within fields where citizens are directly involved. LA21 does not seem to have great influence on which natural resources are dealt with, but does on how they are dealt with. New stakeholders within and outside the municipal organization have been identified through the LA21 processes, and more comprehensive ways of solving problems and a positive climate for testing new ideas have been created. In these respects LA21 has been and will be a significant support to the development of appropriate natural resource management at the local level.     

DESIGN OF AN INDEX OF WATER QUALITY1

ABSTRACT: This paper describes the formulation of an Index of Water Quality to evaluate the level of pollution in fresh water. A Four-Round Delphi equation, using a panel of seven nationally recognized water scientists, was performed to ascertain the pollutants to be included in the index, the relationship between the quantity of these pollutants in the water and the resulting quality of the water, and the importance of each pollution variable to each water use as well as to overall pollution. A multiplicative index was used to bring the pollutants together into one system.     

A special adaptation to planktonic life in larvae of the Cassoidea (=Tonnoidea) (Gastropoda)

Living veligers of the Cassoidea have been observed to use a mantle appendage to form and resorb periostracum. Anatomical and histological examinations of a ranellid (Cymatium sp.) larva collected from the Red Sea in 1987 revealed the structure and location of the pallial appendage. The mantle edges of juvenile or adult species of the Cassoidea do not show a comparable specialization. It is demonstrated that cassoid larval conch characters are sufficient to prove the existence of a pallial appendage without anatomical confirmation. A mantle appendage is not known from teleplanic (long-living planktic) veligers of other gastropod superfamilies. In cases where the larval strategies of the latter are known they are totally different. Therefore it is suggested that the adaptation of cassoid larvae to pelagic life is unique among gastropods representing an autapomorphic character of the superfamily.     

Geocybernetics: Controlling a Complex Dynamical System Under Uncertainty

   Global change, i.e. the mega-process radically transforming the relationship between nature and human civilization since the end of World War II, is investigated from the point of view of systems analysis. It is argued that this unbridled process should rather be domesticated by planetary control strategies transpiring from a new science called “geocybernetics”. The formal aspects of geocybernetic theory are sketched and illustrated in a tutorial theatre world reflecting the overall environment and development problematic. Within this setting a straightforward operationalization of the sweeping “sustainable development” ideal through a set of concise paradigms can be achieved. Evidence is provided that geocybernetics is actually feasible on the basis of earth system modelling and fuzzy-control techniques.     

Simplicity versus efficiency in sampling designs and estimation

Simplicity and efficiency in design and estimation are all important in deciding on sampling strategies. A simple model is given and illustrated for four practical situations to show how a good sampling strategy should be selected.The U.S. Government right to retain a non-exclusive, royalty free licence in and to any copyright is acknowledged.     

A first trimester trisomy 13/trisomy 18 risk algorithm combining fetal nuchal translucency thickness,maternal serum free β-hCG and PAPP-A

This study examines 45 cases of trisomy 13 and 59 cases of trisomy 18 and reports an algorithm to identify pregnancies with a fetus affected by trisomy 13 or 18 by a combination of maternal age fetal nuchal translucency (NT) thickness, and maternal serum free β-hCG and PAPP-A at 11–14 weeks of gestation. In this mixed trisomy group the median MoM NT was increased at 2.819, whilst the median MoMs for free β-hCG and PAPP-A were reduced at 0.375 and 0.201 respectively. We predict that with the use of the combined trisomy 13 and 18 algorithm and a risk cut-off of 1 in 150 will for a 0.3% false positive rate allow 95% of these chromosomal defects to be identified at 11–14 weeks. Such algorithms will enhance existing first trimester screening algorithms for trisomy 21. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Globaler und regionaler Klimawandel

The interdependences between climate and humanity are becoming increasingly apparent, which makes climatology an upto-date and strongly discussed subject. Its task is to identify and examine relatively long-term, regional and global, natural and anthropogenic developments. A global, long-term view reveals a striking increase of surfacenear air temperature since the beginning of the industrial age. On a regional scale, trends differ considerably, but also Germany shows an apparent trend of increasing temperature and precipitation. The development of extreme events is more difficult to judge; the heat summer of 2003 in Europe, however, is among the phenomena that are likely to occur more frequently in the future. The influence of different natural and anthropogenic factors on the climate is expressed, amongst others, through their radiative forcings. Greenhouse gases emitted from anthropogenic activities are of particular significance since their concentration in the atmosphere keeps increasing. Mathematical modeling has made it possible to reconstruct the climate development of the past with increasing precision. The currently observed warming can only be comprehended by assuming anthropogenic influences. For the future development different scenarios have been calculated in order to deduce strategies for necessary action.