Ecoregions and ecodistricts: Ecological regionalizations for the Netherlands' environmental policy

For communicating data on the state of the environment to policy makers, various integrative frameworks are used, including regional integration. For this kind of integration we have developed two related ecological regionalizations, ecoregions and ecodistricts, which are two levels in a series of classifications for hierarchically nested ecosystems at different spatial scale levels. We explain the compilation of the maps from existing geographical data, demonstrating the relatively holistic, a priori integrated approach. The resulting maps are submitted to discriminant analysis to test the consistancy of the use of mapping characteristics, using data on individual abiotic ecosystem components from a national database on a 1-km² grid. This reveals that the spatial patterns of soil, groundwater, and geomorphology correspond with the ecoregion and ecodistrict maps. Differences between the original maps and maps formed by automatically reclassifying 1-km² cells with these discriminant components are found to be few. These differences are discussed against the background of the principal dilemma between deductive, a priori integrated, and inductive, a posteriori, classification.     

Spatial interpolation of ambient ozone concentrations from sparse monitoring points in Belgium

Due to scientific interest on the one hand and political and regulatory obligations on the other hand the monitoring of ozone in the troposphere is an important issue. To this end, in Belgium as in many other countries, a fixed network of monitoring stations is operated. In order to estimate the ozone concentrations over the whole territory, a model is needed to spatially complement the sparse measurements. This paper describes the development of an interpolation scheme which is aimed at fast operational use. The model uses the population density as auxiliary data to remove a spatial trend due to titration by nitric oxide. The residuals are interpolated by kriging. As a benchmark the inverse distance weighting interpolation method is used with and without the detrending. The proposed model systematically improves the interpolation and makes a significant difference when estimating human exposure to ozone. It is generic in design, easy to implement and flexible to changes in the monitoring network.     

A Simple Value-Distinction Approach Aids Transparency in Farm Animal Welfare Debate

Public debate on acceptable farm animal husbandry suffers from a confusion of tongues. To clarify positions of various stakeholder groups in their joint search for acceptable solutions, the concept of animal welfare was split up into three notions: no suffering, respect for intrinsic value, and non-appalling appearance of animals. This strategy was based on the hypothesis that multi-stakeholder solutions should be based on shared values rather than on compromises. The usefulness of such an artificial value distinction strategy was tested in a small series of experiments. The results demonstrate that the chosen concept to distinguish between values is effective in a stakeholder context. Farmers’ views on doing good to animals appeared to be largely based on their value to prevent suffering and predominantly focused on the provision of regular care. Their priority for this value is clearly shared with other stakeholders, providing a basis for joint solutions. The concept of intrinsic value does not play a discernable role in farmers’ considerations. Based on the varying views on welfare, it can be inferred that there is a gradual rather than a principal difference between government legislation and farmers’ values, whereas public perception and acceptance of farm practices remains complicated. Distinction between value groups and focusing on a selected notion (such as no suffering) proved to be effective in bringing representatives of stakeholder groups together, but is unlikely to bridge the emotional gap between commercial farm practices and public ideals.     

From Trust to Trustworthiness: Why Information is not Enough in the Food Sector

The many well-publicized food scandals in recent years have resulted in a general state of vulnerable trust. As a result, building consumer trust has become an important goal in agri-food policy. In their efforts to protect trust in the agricultural and food sector, governments and industries have tended to consider the problem of trust as merely a matter of informing consumers on risks. In this article, we argue that the food sector better addresses the problem of trust from the perspective of the trustworthiness of the food sector itself. This broad idea for changing the focus of trust is the assumption that if you want to be trusted, you should be trustworthy. To provide a clear understanding of what being trustworthy means within the food sector, we elaborate on both the concept of trust and of responsibility. In this way we show that policy focused on enhancing transparency and providing information to consumers is crucial, but not sufficient for dealing with the problem of consumer trust in the current agri-food context.     

Integrating climate change adaptation into Dutch local policies and the role of contextual factors

Moving towards a more sustainable adaptation process requires closer integration of policies related to the environment. An important actor in this is the local government. This paper examines to what extend adaptation is currently being integrated into Dutch local policies, and what the role is of a municipality's size, risk and experience in the encountered manifestations of adaptation. First, it was determined that adaptations taking place only anticipate currently perceivable weather extremes – mostly increasing precipitation. Second, it was determined that the realisation of further adaptations is hindered by a strongly sectoral divided reality. Adaptation is now heavily dominated by the water department, while spatial planning and the environment are only limitedly involved. Finally, it was observed that the contextual factor size proved to most important for horizontal policy integration, whereas the contextual factor extreme-weather experience was the most definite for the realisation of adaptations. We conclude that a more sustainable adaptation should first tackle the sectoral divides which requires administrative efforts, for example, professional training. These would preferably be initiated from a vertical direction.     

Soil and plant biodegradation of chlorpyrifos in fields of cauliflower and brussels sprouts crops

For the protection of early and summer cauliflower and brussels sprouts crops against root fly, the insecticide chlorpyrifos was applied at planting onto soil around the stem of the plant, or in the planting line. In the soil, chlorpyrifos (1) was transformed into the insecticide metabolites oxon, 0,0‐diethyl‐0‐(3,5,6‐tri‐chloro‐2‐pyridinyl) phosphate (2), and 3,5,6‐trichloro‐2‐pyridinol (3). The soil half life time of chlorpyrifos could be 2.8 times greater (42 days relative to 15 days) when the field history as to cauliflower monoculture and insecticide treatments was short (1 year), than when it was long (8 years). Rains and season also had cumulative effects on the chlorpyrifos soil half life times. In the leaves of cabbage, chlorpyrifos and compound 3 were observed at concentrations which were higher, especially when their soil concentrations were high. Chlorpyrifos and compounds 2 and 3 however were not detected in the “flower” of cauliflower, nor in the brussels sprouts itself, the limit of sensitivity being 0.02 ppm of fresh weight.     

Redesigning a collection system for "small" consumer electronics

This paper establishes that the collection system within the recycling scheme for consumer electronics in the Netherlands has not been entirely successful in convincing consumers to hand in their used appliances by means of dedicated collection routes. Particularly regarding small appliances, consumers are persisting in their habit of discarding their appliances by means of the refuse bag/bin for regular household waste. Therefore, the current collection system has been unable to direct consumer behavior in the desired direction. Consequently, the layout of the current system is reviewed and redesigned in order to tackle this problem. This design effort applies the Triad model (behavioral model) in the analysis stage and the Morphological Chart method (design tool) in the synthesis stage, and results in a concrete proposal for a new system. Finally, the applicability of this design approach beyond the specific circumstances of the case study presented in this paper is discussed. This case represents only one example of the broader, worldwide challenge to design appropriate collection systems to direct consumer behavior in desired directions. It is argued that the approach presented in this paper could be a valuable contribution to research dealing with this challenge.