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• A strategic risk-screening approach to water quality has been applied in Scotland. • Screening identified dominant risk factors and higher-risk catchments. • Risks were highlighted for colour and linked to management of organic soils. • Bacteriological quality parameters were linked to agricultural land uses. • Risks are likely to be further modified by land use changes and climate change. Water resources provide multiple services, one of the most important the provision of drinking water, conventionally treated before public consumption as potable supplies. With increasing pressures from land use and climate change, there are advantages to be gained from considering raw water quality as a fundamental characteristic of the natural resource, and to anticipate emerging risks within the catchments rather than relying on treatment. This research proposes a large-scale, rapid risk screening of raw water quality based on catchment sensitivity to pressures as prerequisite to a more strategic inclusion of emerging risks in water resource and ecosystem management. Raw water quality observations from 154 surface water catchments in Scotland were investigated to determine the national baseline and to identify current pressures and underlying drivers. Patterns and spatial dependencies were investigated using principal component analysis, redundancy analysis, cluster analysis, and regression trees. These statistical approaches highlight the interaction between intrinsic catchment biophysical properties, land use and climate in characterising water quality risks and identify the focus for prioritising catchment interventions and risk-mitigation in the future. The emphasis on raw water quality will also support an ecosystem-based approach to increase catchment resilience, to ensure long-term supply of good quality drinking water while simultaneously creating wider benefits for society and the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A diverse range of response options was evaluated in terms of their utility for sustaining ecosystem services in the UK. Robustness of response options was investigated by applying a ‘stress-testing’ method which evaluated expected performance against combined scenarios of socioeconomic and climate change. Based upon stakeholder feedback, a reference scenario representing current trends in climate and socioeconomic drivers (‘business-as-usual’) was used as a dynamic baseline against which to compare results of other scenarios. The robustness of response options was evaluated by their utility in different environmental and social contexts as represented by the scenarios, and linked to their adaptability to adjust to changing conditions. Key findings demonstrate that adaptability becomes increasingly valuable as the magnitude and rate of future change diverges from current trends. Stress-testing also revealed that individual responses in isolation are unlikely to be robust meaning there are advantages from integrating cohesive combinations (bundles) of response options to maximise their individual strengths and compensate for weaknesses. This identifies a role for both top-down and bottom-up responses, including regulation, spatial targeting, incentives and partnership initiatives, and their use in combination through integrated assessment and planning consistent with the adoption of an Ecosystem Approach. Stress-testing approaches can have an important role in future-proofing policy appraisals but important knowledge gaps remain, especially for cultural and supporting ecosystem services. Finally, barriers and enablers to the implementation of more integrated long-term adaptive responses were identified drawing on the ‘4 Is’ (Institutions, Information, Incentives, Identity) conceptual framework. This highlighted the crucial but usually understated role of identity in promoting ownership and uptake of responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on New Zealand court cases dealing with criminal law. Information is provided on the court case Brynley Davies v. R. which dealt with minimum imprisonment sentences under the Sentencing Act of 2002. The article also discusses the removal of depositions from trial practice and convictions for infringement offenses.

The article discusses two court cases which tackle the issue of car searches, backpacks and admissibility of what is found. One case refers to Thompson v. Police wherein the issue was whether the evidence was admissible against him at trial for burglary. Another mentions the Carroll v. R wherein the policeman did not get a search warrant or invoke any search powers pursuant to the Misuse of Drugs Act. Moreover, the decisions of the appellate courts are also presented.

The article offers summaries of several New Zealand criminal court cases judgments, including McMahon v. R., which dealt with an attempt to obstruct the court of justice, and R. v. Tai, which dealt with involuntary manslaughter. It also discusses the case Saber v. R., which deal with the criminal penalties for attempted murder.

The article discusses several developments in New Zealand (NZ) criminal law practice as of February 2011, including information on minimum periods of imprisonment, convictions for infringement offences, and the use of depositions. Other topics include expert evidence, NZ's Environmental Science and Research (ESR) agency, and DNA evidence reviews. Several NZ laws are examined, including the Crimes (Home Invasion) Amendment Act 1999, the Bill of Rights Act 1990, and the Criminal Justice Act 1985.

The article presents summaries of several criminal law-related cases in New Zealand (NZ) and Australia as of February 2011, including legal matters dealing with topics such as the admissibility of automobile searches, juror incapacity, and visual identification under Section 45 of the NZ Evidence Act 2006. In the Australian Court of Appeal case Haskins v. The Commonwealth, the court deals with military detention and the nation's Defence Force Discipline Act 1982.