Web-based GIS for collaborative planning and public participation: an application to the strategic planning of wind farm sites

Spatial planning typically involves multiple stakeholders. To any specific planning problem, stakeholders often bring different levels of knowledge about the components of the problem and make assumptions, reflecting their individual experiences, that yield conflicting views about desirable planning outcomes. Consequently, stakeholders need to learn about the likely outcomes that result from their stated preferences; this learning can be supported through enhanced access to information, increased public participation in spatial decision-making and support for distributed collaboration amongst planners, stakeholders and the public. This paper presents a conceptual system framework for web-based GIS that supports public participation in collaborative planning. The framework combines an information area, a Multi-Criteria Spatial Decision Support System (MC-SDSS) and an argumentation map to support distributed and asynchronous collaboration in spatial planning. After analysing the novel aspects of this framework, the paper describes its implementation, as a proof of concept, in a system for Web-based Participatory Wind Energy Planning (WePWEP). Details are provided on the specific implementation of each of WePWEP's four tiers, including technical and structural aspects. Throughout the paper, particular emphasis is placed on the need to support user learning throughout the planning process.     

Effects of an invasive ant on land snails in the Ogasawara Islands

We investigated how Pheidole megacephala has affected endemic achatinellid snails because these snails are excellent indicators of the impact of ants and they have high conservation value in Ogasawara. In 2015 we surveyed the Minamizaki area of Hahajima Island of Ogasawara, designated a core zone of the World Heritage Site, for P. megacephala. In Minamizaki, we determined the distribution and density of achatinellid snails in 2015 and compared these data with their distribution and density in 2005. Land cover in the survey area was entirely forest. We also tested whether P. megacephala preyed on achatinellid snails in the laboratory. P. megacephala was present in the forested areas of Minamizaki. Achatinellid snails were absent in 19 of 39 sites where P. megacephala was present, whereas in other areas densities of the snails ranged from 2 to 228 individuals/site. In the laboratory, P. megacephala carried 6 of 7 achatinellid snails and a broken shell was found. Snail distribution and density comparisons and results of the feeding experiments suggest that the presence of P. megacephala has contributed to the decline of achatinellid snails in forests in the survey area. Yet, P. megacephala is not on the official list of invasive non‐native species. Stakeholders using the list of invasive species to develop conservation programs should recognize that invasiveness of non‐native species differs depending on the ecosystem and that official lists may not be complete.     

Greenhouse gas emissions and natural resources use by the world economy: Ecological input-output modeling

For the world economy as a biophysical network associated with financial links, an ecological endowment inventory and corresponding ecological input-output modeling are presented to investigate the greenhouse gas emissions and natural resources use in 2000. A forty-sector global economic input-output table is constructed through an integration and extension of existing statistics which covers thirty-four countries accounting for about 80% of the world economy. Global inventories for ecological endowments of six categories, i.e., greenhouse gas emissions, energy sources, water resources, exergy resources, solar emergy resources, and cosmic emergy resources, are accounted in detail. As a result of the modeling, embodied intensities of different ecological endowments are obtained for all forty sectors, based on which the sectoral embodiments for consumptive and productive uses are presented separately. Results of this study provide a sound scientific database for policy making on global climate change mitigation as well as on global resources management.     

武汉军运会前后大气PM2.5化学组分和来源

基于第七届世界军人运动会前后武汉大气细颗粒物(PM_2.5)及其化学组分的在线监测数据,分析了管控前、管控期和管控后PM_2.5的质量浓度和化学组分,并通过PMF结合后向轨迹的聚类分析和浓度权重轨迹开展来源解析.研究揭示了军运会前后武汉市PM_2.5对本地和周边区域管控措施的响应,可为PM_2.5的区域精准防控提供依据.在减排措施影响下,管控期间ρ(PM_2.5)为(31.3±12.0)μg·m^-3,比管控前降低14.7%;而二次组分有明显生成,其中硫酸盐、硝酸盐和铵盐(SNA)质量浓度升高25.6%.管控后由于湿度降低和西北气团的影响,SNA的质量浓度降低36.9%,矿质元素的质量浓度升高4.7倍.源解析表明管控前后机动车尾气的整体贡献率变化不显著(P<0.05).管控期工业排放和燃煤贡献分别较非管控期降低68.1%和43.7%,二次源贡献上升89.5%.由于并未针对机动车尾气采取大规模控制,管控期NO^-₃和NO<...     

Local people's perceptions of participating in conservation in a heritage site: A case study of the Wuyishan Scenery District cultural and natural heritage site in Southeastern China

The perceptions and attitudes of local people in heritage sites strongly influence their behaviour related to protecting heritage resources and improving management. In this study, we collected pertinent data through a questionnaire and group discussions to examine local people's attitudes and perceptions toward participation in heritage protection in Wuyishan Scenery District (WSD). Logistic regression was used to identify the factors that influence local people's perceptions of heritage protection behaviours. The results indicate that education level is the most critical factor in local people's initiatives to protect heritage resources. Local people with higher education levels pay more attention to the status of WSD and behave more positively with regard to conservation. Gender and income are relatively important factors in perceptions of heritage. Males have better knowledge of heritage resources than females do, and inhabitants with higher income levels are more likely to participate in protection, especially after WSD was listed as a World Heritage Site. Education level was always a key demographic factor before and after WSD's listing on the Heritage List. Household size was a significant factor before WSD was listed on the Heritage List, but it was not significant after, when household income became a significant factor.     

中国三大园艺博览会的对比分析——暨对西安2011年世园会的相关建议

对西安、昆明和沈阳的中国三大园艺博览会进行了相关要素的对比分析,提出西安应该借鉴前两届世园会的成功经验,加强对事前效应的管理并延长后续效应,以增强世园会对城市更新及旅游业发展的影响力,促进城市与旅游的和谐发展.     

Emergency medical preparedness during the 2006 World Cup in Frankfurt, Germany

This paper describes emergency medical preparedness during FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) World Cup matches in Frankfurt, Germany, in 2006. The methods employed were document analysis and personal observation of games over five days in June–July 2006. The medical authorities in Frankfurt drew on a wide range of scientific literature and experiences to elaborate a National Concept. They paid attention to different models of handling mass catastrophes in shaping the final version of the document. The participation of designated authorities, associations, and volunteer organisations was coordinated sufficiently and the games in Frankfurt proceeded without great incident, even though more than 300,000 people in total attended. The adopted emergency medical procedure was appropriate for a mass gathering event. Official and volunteer organisations collaborated precisely in emergency preparedness. While one uniform concept for all mass gatherings events cannot be developed, case reports and experiences are useful tools.     

Forest depletion: Some policy options

The problem of forest depletion needs to be given serious consideration in developing countries due to the preponderance of exploitative factors over regenerative factors. In most of the developing countries there is over-exploitation of forest resources and, unless an integrated forest resource policy is formulated and implemented, forest resources of the Third World will become the greatest ‘tragedy of the commons’.     

Cleaner production: profit for future generations

The fate of the environment, currently endangered by human arrogance and oversight, is one of the most pressing problems of our times. This problem cannot be tackled unless cleaner production, cleaner products and cleaner values evolve into a more expansive concept and become part and parcel of the dominant social paradigm. Since its inception in 1985, the Biopolitics International Organisation (B.I.O.) has been raising awareness of the urgent need to develop and adopt biocentric values and ethics in society, and has been promoting a series of initiatives to increase bio-environmental appreciation. This paper presents the conceptual framework of these initiatives, as well as a general overview of the fundamental principles of the Biopolitics International Organisation.     

Building on IUCN Regional Red Lists to Produce Lists of Species of Conservation Priority: a Model with Irish Bees

Abstract:  A World Conservation Union (IUCN) regional red list is an objective assessment of regional extinction risk and is not the same as a list of conservation priority species. Recent research reveals the widespread, but incorrect, assumption that IUCN Red List categories represent a hierarchical list of priorities for conservation action. We developed a simple eight-step priority-setting process and applied it to the conservation of bees in Ireland. Our model is based on the national red list but also considers the global significance of the national population; the conservation status at global, continental, and regional levels; key biological, economic, and societal factors; and is compatible with existing conservation agreements and legislation. Throughout Ireland, almost one-third of the bee fauna is threatened (30 of 100 species), but our methodology resulted in a reduced list of only 17 priority species. We did not use the priority species list to broadly categorize species to the conservation action required; instead, we indicated the individual action required for all threatened, near-threatened, and data-deficient species on the national red list based on the IUCN's conservation-actions template file. Priority species lists will strongly influence prioritization of conservation actions at national levels, but action should not be exclusive to listed species. In addition, all species on this list will not necessarily require immediate action. Our method is transparent, reproducible, and readily applicable to other taxa and regions.