Practical application of sustainable development in decision-making processes in the Great Lakes Basin

SUMMARY

Sustainable development has become the conceptual framework within which societal, economic and environmental issues are addressed at every level around the world. In 1993, a United States-Canada assembly of more than 250 Great Lakes leaders was convened to evaluate the efficacy of creative processes under way in the Great Lakes Basin relative to sustainable development and to identify key success factors and process characteristics which are consistent with principles of sustainable development. A combination of eight criteria for effective project management (i.e. stakeholder involvement; leadership; information and interpretation; planning; human resource development; results and indicators; review and feedback; stakeholder satisfaction) and six principles of sustainable development (i.e. long-range planning and intergenerational responsibility; carrying capacity; anticipation and prevention; full cost accounting; integration of economic, social and environmental factors; efficiency, innovation and continuous improvement) were developed to evaluate and help improve decision-making processes. Such criteria and principles may be useful in improving decision-making processes in other parts of the world.     

Towards a co-evolutionary framework for implementing sustainable development

SUMMARY

A quantitative method which can be used to gauge the sustainability of existing socio-cultural, economic and environmental constructs is proposed. An underlying assumption of the approach is that a co-evolutionary relationship exists between social, cultural, economic and environmental systems and that these cannot be addressed in a reductionist and deterministic manner. The method focuses on both broad trends and patterns of variance in a multivariate data matrix, it allows the identification of dominant trends as well as underlying tensions, does not treat socio-cultural, economic and environmental heterogeneity as statistical noise and can be applied at different administrative scales. Furthermore, it may be used to identify potential sources of human insecurity, factors that may affect the probability of positive human survival, developmental patterns at odds with the established values system of civil society that can be targeted for political action, and to inform public debate. In addition, the method can be used to identify unexpected synergies between variables and may serve as an early warning system for regional planners.     

Relationships of the dimensions of sustainability as measured by the sustainable society index framework

This article presents a study of the interrelationships between the different dimensions of sustainability as measured by the sustainable society index framework. We examine the statistical relationships between the four indices making up the sustainable society index framework. The analysis uses the complete existing data set provided by Sustainable Society Foundation for the years 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2012 and for 151 countries. While the time period where data are available is quite short, we can make some preliminary observations about the apparent trends in the interrelationships of the different dimensions of sustainability. This study shows that the three dimensions of sustainability are far from all being synergic and positively correlated. There is a strong negative correlation between human well-being and environmental well-being. This is problematic from the point of view of the Brundtland Commission’s three-pillar definition of sustainability. However, the trade-off relationship between economic and environmental development measured by the economic well-being index and environmental well-being index is decreasing and the dimensions are becoming more de-linked. This trend is promising from the sustainability perspective.     

Prioritising development planning in the Indian semi-arid Deccan using sustainable livelihood security index approach

This paper presents the status of sustainable livelihood security index (SLSI) of Karnataka, the most drought prone state in the Southern part of India. Computation of ecological security index, economic efficiency index and social equity index, and finally SLSI were carried out at the district level for the entire state, using empirical data. The selected indicators were first normalised, and then using estimated weights, indices were computed. The results indicate that the state has a very low SLSI with only 27.6% of total geographical area (TGA) and 21.7% of population being placed in the ‘sustainable’ and ‘highly sustainable’ categories (covering 10 districts) while only 34% of the TGA covering six districts falls in the ‘moderately sustainable’ category. The remaining area, confined mostly to the northern parts of the state, comprising 14 districts (51.8% of the state’s TGA) is categorised as ‘less sustainable’ and ‘very less sustainable’ exposing 44.4% (27.14 million) of state’s population to the perils of uncertain rainfall, high soil erosion rates, high social inequality and poor resource use efficiency. There is an urgent need to reorient development programmes and prioritise development investments in these vulnerable districts so that they are provided resources and opportunities to improve their ecological (more forest cover and less soil erosion), economic (higher agricultural productivity) and social (improved health and education facilities and rural infrastructure) status and achieve sustainable levels of livelihood.     

Assessing the relative impacts of the factors affecting MIS adoption process

Micro-irrigation systems (MIS) have been at the forefront of policy-making and social research in exploring determinants that could potentially impact the adoption of MIS technologies in the field to fulfil the basic aim of enhanced agricultural productivity and enriched nutritional quality of the produce with optimal adoption of natural resources. Therefore, this study was undertaken to determine why MIS technologies have not been adopted to the extent anticipated, so that suitable policy schemes, promotional schemes and socio-technical frameworks could be formulated for their enhanced adoption to enhance the socio-economic status of the farming community in the Dahod district of Gujarat State, India. A study of 350 non-MIS (NMIS) and 350 MIS farmers was conducted to identify factors affecting the MIS adoption process. The logit model was fitted using XLSTAT software (XLSTAT 2014.1.04) to the explanatory variables (determinants) of the MIS adoption process. Type III analysis and ANOVA were conducted to test the relative significance of the explanatory variables adopted. It was found that total income had the highest weight (or beta coefficient, i.e. 0.625) followed by total land area (0.546), motor horsepower (0.499), dependency ratio (0.397), and education (0.295) and age of household head (0.207). Furthermore, to assess the efficacy of the logit model, the ROC curve was also developed and the AUC was found to be 0.881, and therefore the model was considered to discriminate well in identifying the factors affecting the MIS adoption process. The study found that higher total income and education level increase the likelihood of MIS adoption and agricultural water management, and therefore special training programmes on installation, as well as repair and maintenance, of MIS systems and agricultural water management can be planned at the institutional/organisation level. The total cultivable area is also one of the important determinants in MIS adoption, and therefore the adoption of MIS schemes should not be restricted to large farmers only, but rather should be extended to both small and marginal farmers.     

Rehabilitation of degraded community lands for sustainable development in Himalaya: a case study in Garhwal Himalaya,India

SUMMARY

An approach to the rehabilitation of degraded community lands built on people's perceptions and traditional knowledge was developed, implemented on a small scale (6 ha plot), and evaluated in terms of economic and ecological costs and benefits over a period of 5 years in a mid-altitude (1200 m) village of Garhwal Himalaya. Rehabilitation comprised establishment of water harvesting tanks, organic management of soil, agroforestry (native multipurpose trees t traditional crops), and decision making by the whole village community. Costs and benefits under irrigated and unirrigated conditions were compared. The total cost of establishing the irrigated agroforestry system was 1.23 fold that of the unirrigated one, whereas the total benefit was 2.09 fold. The average standing above-ground biomass of the 4-year-old plantation in the irrigated agroforestry system was 11.69 t/ha compared to 8.34 t/ha in the unirrigated system. Improvement in soil properties was more pronounced in the irrigated system than in the unirrigated one. Nutrient input, an input derived largely from forest biomass, in the unirrigated system was nearly 3 times higher than that in the irrigated system. It is concluded that, considering the local and national/regional/global interests in an integrated manner, agroforestry incorporating water management would be a more effective option for rehabilitating degraded community lands than the afforestation currently being attempted by the government in the mid-altitudes of Indian Himalaya.     

地下水六价铬运移的仿真及场地修复限值探讨

根据渗流理论,考虑地下水中水头变化的影响,利用COMSOL软件,对六价铬在地下水中的运移进行数值模拟,得到地下水压力水头和六价铬在地下水中的迁移变化规律,为六价铬对地下水的污染研究和预测提供重要的分析数据。并借此计算得出场地地下水的修复指导限值为3.17 mg/kg。     

基于中国风能资源专业观测网的近地层风切变日变化特征

以中国风能资源专业观测网2009年5至10月10~120 m的梯度风观测数据分析了全国近地层风切变特征,结果表明:①风切变总体呈现规律性变化趋势,即:日出前和日落后切变指数较大,随着近地层温度升高,切变指数逐渐下降,近地层温度达到最高时,切变指数达到最低值,后随着日落、地面温度下降,切变指数逐渐上升,直到次日日出、日落周期;②因局地海(湖)陆分布的差异以及下垫面粗糙程度的不同,切变指数在各地的变化可归纳为如下几种类型:典型陆地型、海陆效应差异型、湖(河)陆效应差异型、特殊地形(峡谷)型、切变指数偏大型和特殊型;③从不同梯度间的风切变特征来看,低层(30 m附近)较为明显,而中高层(50 m和70 m)较小,说明30 m高度为我国近地层风速变化较为明显的层次。该研究资料序列短,可能在反映全国近地层风切变特征的普适性方面还存在一定的不足,但仍可作为我国风能资源丰富区近地层不同梯度间风切变分布和变化特征的重要参考,期望通过该研究的开展为风电场的布设及近地面层风能资源的利用提供技术依据。     

软、硬煤层残余瓦斯含量区域效果检验临界值研究

针对软、硬煤层瓦斯含量区域突出危险性效检指标临界值存在较大差异这一工程实际。建立软、硬煤样相关参数关系模型,对基于残余瓦斯含量的区域防突措施效果检验指标临界值进行研究。结果表明:同一煤质软煤和硬煤瓦斯吸附量差别不大,但随着煤的变质程度降低,软、硬煤瓦斯吸附量差值先减小后增大。对存在软、硬分层的煤层,建议采用0.74MPa时软、硬煤瓦斯含量测值的小值（取整）作为煤层残余瓦斯量指标的临界值。此研究因地制宜地确定符合矿井实际的突出预测指标临界值和区域措施效果检验指标临界值,对降低防突成本具有重要意义。     

Tolerance of the black soldier fly,Hermetia illucens (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) to pH value,pungency, and NaCl in foodstuffs北大核心CSCD

The black soldier fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens, has been considered impressive as a saprophagous insect, for its high ability to convert organic waste to insect protein and oil. Hence, it has been regarded by the municipal administration that BSF might be used as a medium to deal with food waste. However, food waste in China has been characterized as having a high salt content, oily, and very spicy, which usually renders them unsuitable for animal feeding. In order to assess the technological reliability for BSF conversion of food waste, the tolerance of BSF for pH values, pungency, and NaCl in food were investigated in this case. Results indicated that strong acidity (pH = 3) was not good for the development of BSF, demonstrating less body weight and eclosion failure. In contrast, strong basicity (pH = 11) seemed to be beneficial for larval development with high biomass, and there is no difference in pupation, eclosion, larval biomass, and livability for BSF for pH values between 5 and 11. With regards to salinity, liner correlations were observed; the salinity strength increased along with the extension of the larval phase, but body weight, pupation rate, emerging rate, and livability were still consistent under 6% density of salinity. Influence of pungency on BSF larvae has not yet been found. In conclusion, BSF showed a high tolerance to pH value, pungency, and salinity in foodstuffs. Hence, it is expected that food waste from common environments might have a lesser possibility to cause negative effects on BSF development, which could be good news for BSF conversion technology. As for the process design, the conclusion suggested that food waste optimum for BSF is expected to be alkaline and low-salt, which would be helpful to improve the efficiency and harvest. © 2018 Science Press. All rights reserved.