The Definition of Brownfield

This paper discusses the need for a more robust definition of the term 'brownfield' from a multidisciplinary perspective. It examines the issues involved in constructing an agreed and accepted definition and its importance with regard to UK government policy. Current usage of the term 'brownfield' and related terminology is reviewed. The paper proposes that: a brownfield site is any land or premises which has previously been used or developed and is not currently fully in use, although it may be partially occupied or utilized. It may also be vacant, derelict or contaminated. Therefore a brownfield site is not necessarily available for immediate use without intervention. Interpretation of the terminology incorporated with the definition is presented herein. The definition is subsequently evaluated with respect to the views of different stakeholder groups involved in the redevelopment of brownfield sites.     

Development of Indicators to Assess Economic Vulnerabilities to Changes in Ecosystem Services: Case Study of Counties in Maryland,USA

We develop indicators showing the relative environmental burdens that human activities place on locales for a given level of economic benefits. The main purpose is to develop tools that allow us to examine the potential vulnerabilities within economies to changes in resource conditions. The indicators of pollution emission or resource consumption per job can be used to identify potential challenges to resource and industry managers and to compare areas in terms of their ability to adapt to change. For example, if a large number of area jobs are dependent on abundant water, this indicates a vulnerability to a reduction in water availability for industrial use. We develop a case study for 23 counties and 1 city in Maryland to examine the usefulness and limitations of the indicators. Our case study demonstrates that the indicators provide an informative view into patterns of local economic activity and use of an area’s environmental goods and services. In contrast to patterns for total environmental burdens (e.g., total SO₂ emissions) that are typically reported, the rates of environmental burden per job are not simply correlated with high or low economic output. Thus, the indicators represent distinct patterns of environmental burdens per job that reflect reliance on environmental services. The indicators have some limitations when used at this fine scale because they can misrepresent conditions in counties in which economic sectors are dominated by one or a few businesses. For this reason, the indicators are best used as a regional screening tool.     

Bibliometric analysis of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) in wastewater treatment: global and Ibero-American research trends

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) constitute a developing area of particular interest for researchers in different fields due to their broad range...     

Historical trajectories in land use pattern and grassland ecosystem services in two European alpine landscapes

Regional Environmental Change - Land use and spatial patterns which reflect social-ecological legacies control ecosystem service (ES) supply. Yet, temporal changes in ES bundles associated with...