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So far in the literature, the two-parameter Weibull distribution and its other extensions are frequently implemented to analyze the wind speed energy data sets. However, based on our study of the literature, there is no published work about analyzing the wind speed energy data sets using new probability distributions that are developed via trigonometric functions. In this paper, I attempt to cover this amazing and interesting research gap. Therefore, I incorporate a trigonometric function, especially, the sine function to introduce a new statistical distributional method. The proposed method is called a new modified sine- G family of distributions. Some distributional properties of the new modified sine- G method are obtained. Using the new modified sine- G method, a new extension of the Weibull distribution called a new modified sine-Weibull distribution is studied. The new modified sine-Weibull distribution is applied to analyze four wind speed energy data sets. All three data sets are taken from the weather station at Sotavento Galicia in the Canary Islands, Spain, located at 43.3544 North and 7.8812 West. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper investigates the incentives and inhibiting factors of eco-innovation capacities in the firm. Firms materialize the objectives of eco-innovation from a reactive attitude to external pressures, to a more proactive attitude that implies the voluntary incorporation of eco-innovation activities. This variability in the behaviour of companies with respect to the level of eco-innovation development has been a motivator for the research. However, despite the importance of this research question, this has been approached in a dispersed way from multiple approaches. From a dynamic capabilities perspective, we assume that the innovation capacity of the firm encourages eco-innovations. Our paper is focused on the process of eco-innovation, identifying the elements that facilitate or hinder the eco-innovation in the firm. We study the Spanish case, using a panel from the Spanish Innovation Survey, with a sample of 5461 Spanish firms. The results highlight that the complexity of the eco-innovation process negatively affects the decision to develop eco-innovations. However, our results suggest that institutions and organizations of the Spanish environment are making efforts to compensate these obstacles and provide incentives to develop eco-innovations. Highlights • We model investigates the incentives and inhibiting factors of eco-innovation. • Our focus is on the process of eco-innovation from dynamic capabilities perspective. • The complexity of the eco-innovation process negatively affects to develop eco-innovations. • Results show that the experience facilitates the development of future eco-innovations. • The institutions provide incentives to develop eco-innovations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper compares the performance of conventional and organic fruit farms in Spain, using a set of base indicators to assess their economic and environmental performance on a per hectare basis. Composite indicators are also calculated to measure the overall economic and environmental performance of both production systems. Comparisons are made using propensity score matching to minimize the non-randomization biases caused by structural differences between the samples of conventional (n = 552) and organic (n = 127) fruit farms sourced from the Spanish Farm Accountancy Data Network (RECAN). The results based on per hectare metrics point to modest changes in the performance of farms that converted to organic farming. This is mainly because most converted farms were former conventional farms characterized by lower profitability and less intensive input use, consequently minimizing the effects of the conversion process. Nevertheless, the conversion outcomes exhibit a degree of variability depending on the specific type of fruit production. Economic gains are only discernible in the case of nut farms, whereas fruit and tropical fruit farms tend to yield the most favorable results per hectare from an environmental perspective. • Changes in per hectare performance are assessed when fruit farms convert to organic. • A complete set of economic and environmental base and composite indicators is used. • A matching procedure is implemented to obtain unbiased difference estimators. • Small changes are found in the per hectare performance of farms after conversion. • Mixed results depending on the type of fruit production subsector considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies reveal physical, economical, and socio-technical barriers when measuring performance of sustainable urban ration projects with existing assessment tools. This reality, enlarged in the Spanish context, has revealed the need of a friendly-user and holistic tool that can assist the agents involved in the decision-making process of urban regeneration projects. This paper presents the Guide of strategies for urban regeneration; a design-support tool developed by demand of the Government of the Valencian Community (Spain). Along this paper we describe how the Guide has been designed by integrating: in first place measures of exiting urban assessment tools, secondly lesson learned coming from the application of urban assessment tools to selected and rewarded urban best practices at European level, and thirdly the opinion of regional decision-makers and urban experts. As a result, this Guide offers strategies and recommendations on a self-questioning format that makes easy its implementation by any urban planner regardless of its expertise on the topic. It is based on an open-source philosophy with a nonprofit orientation, using transparent and easy-to-understand technical criteria. It can be applied to any kind of urban fabric and proposes equal representation of the thematic categories needed to be considered during an urban regeneration project design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic crises pose challenges for the provision of public services but may also open up opportunities for social learning about how to achieve a sustainable society. The main research question addressed in this paper is: can economic crises catalyse social learning for a sustainable society? The hypothesis of the paper is that social learning emerges in association with the reduction of consumption levels that follows degrowth or with the reconfiguration of infrastructure management practices and sustainable innovation that could lead to a transition to sustainability. Following this, we empirically examine whether the crisis has led to social learning about the sustainable provision of public services in two similar municipalities in the north of Spain after the economic crisis of 2008. We develop an interpretative analysis of individual experiences of learning from the crisis using a set of qualitative interviews with individuals who were involved in key decisions about public service delivery during or immediately after the crisis. The analysis suggests that there has been a broader cultural change, which is challenging institutional models of regional development, that there has been a drive towards greater resource efficiency and that some opportunities have opened for entrepreneurs to develop sustainable innovations. The findings support the view that the crisis may have fostered learning responses that could lead to either degrowth or a sustainable transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many situations, the overuse of natural resources is aggravated by illegal use. More insights on the drivers and significance of this phenomenon are needed in order to formulate policies that can effectively ease human pressure on the environment. This paper makes use of the water footprint (WF), as a physical indicator of freshwater use, and introduces both economic (water productivity) and social (labour intensity) indicators to understand illegal groundwater use from a multiple perspective. Using data from the year 2000 and from 2007 to 2009, we analyse in detail the case of the Western Mancha Aquifer, in central Spain, where legal and illegal groundwater use take place simultaneously. Results show that nearly 52% of the agricultural blue WF is linked to illegal groundwater use, mostly for vine and vegetable irrigation. Besides this, the illegal share accounts for around 56% and 57% respectively of the gross income and employment generated by irrigation in the area. Therefore, although action to halt illegal withdrawals is a recurrent call to ease pressure on natural resources and ecosystems, these figures reflect the economic and social drivers, which might explain why such action is difficult to implement. In addition, the data presented in this paper provides new insights into some aspects of a public plan recently implemented to regularize illegal use by purchasing and reallocating groundwater rights on the basis of social and environmental grounds, which might be relevant for future public policy measures in situations presenting both over-allocation of water rights and illegal water use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper outlines the latest developments in sustainability reporting in Spain, one of the leading countries worldwide in this field, and makes special emphasis on the recent governmental initiative entitled “Spanish strategy on companies’ corporate social responsibility practices 2014–2020” aimed at extending CSR practices not only to listed companies and state-owned enterprises but also to the rest of companies (including SMEs) and the Public Administrations. It is based on six principles, four strategic objectives, ten action lines and sixty proposed measures with the ultimate goal of supporting the development of responsible practices in the public and private sectors in order that they become a significant driver of the country's competitiveness and its transformation to a more productive, sustainable and inclusive economy. The most relevant initiatives set out in each of the main CSR pillars are highlighted and compared with similar actions adopted in other European countries. The paper concludes with a reflection on the main challenges ahead that need to be overcome through the joint efforts of all the actors involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is twofold: to investigate the applicability of a building-stock modelling methodology to assess the potential of Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs) and their associated effects on carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions for a building stock in a South European climate, with Spain being used as an example; and to analyse the technical potentials and costs of the ECMs when applied both individually and as packages of multiple ECMs for the entire Spanish building stock, including residential and non-residential buildings. The modelling methodology, which has been designed to be applicable to any European country, is fully dynamic and based on an aggregated description of the building stock. This paper updates and validates the methodology to account for the climate and technical characteristics of the region under study. Applying all ECMs as a package gives a potential technical reduction in final energy demand of 55% and a 65% reduction in CO 2 emissions, while the corresponding techno-economical potentials are 33% and 37%. Nevertheless, the market potentials estimated are substantially lower (5–10%), which indicate that policy shifts are needed if the techno-economic potentials identified in this work are to be realized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficiency is a fundamental element of the transition towards a sustainable use of natural resources among which water has a prominent role. Spain is among the European countries facing considerable water shortage problems, particularly within its southern regions. The current paper introduces an efficiency evaluation model based on Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). The model incorporates a subset of outputs as undesirable inputs to account for the circularity of the production process by means of treated and reused water. The main differences existing between the circular approach proposed, a standard two-stage DEA model and a dynamic Slacks-Based Measure process will be carefully illustrated. In particular, the drawbacks faced by these latter techniques to consistently incorporate circularity into their optimization structures will be demonstrated both formally and numerically. The malleability of the current approach and its capacity to generate consistent identifiable categories among the regions evaluated within a circular production setting will be studied in detail. The analysis performed demonstrates significant structural differences in production capacity and efficiency across regions, with the inefficient ones displaying a considerable subpar use of resources through their production processes. The prevalence of inefficiency in several northern regions is partially compensated through their treatment and reutilization of water. However, this is not the case for the southern ones, which face stricter constraints and more inefficient production processes. The subsequent implications for efficiency are examined and policies aimed at enhancing the structural quality of the corresponding production systems suggested. [Display omitted] • We define a circular Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) efficiency evaluation model. • Undesirable inputs implement the production circularity generated by treated water. • Two-stage and dynamic Slacks-Based Measure DEA are inapplicable to our setting. • Significant differences in production efficiency are found across Spanish regions. • Southern regions remain inefficient even with water treatment and reutilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depopulation is a major challenge for many rural inland areas, as is the case in a considerable number of rural municipalities in Galicia (north-western Spain). The pandemic had a considerable impact on internal migration in 2020, but it was far from being anywhere near high enough to reverse the ongoing trend of population decline, highlighting the need for further action. Thus, this paper has a twofold objective: firstly, to propose an index of rural sustainable development for the rural Galician municipalities, and secondly, to identify the factors related to it. In so doing, a composite index stemming from the Benefit of the Doubt methodology has been proposed in the first stage, an index built from four-dimension factors– economic, demographic, social, and environmental. The empirical evidence of this index has been compared with three additional ones (namely, common weights, super-efficiency, and geometric mean and logistic normalization models). In the second stage, the relationship between the composite index and a set of exogenous variables that affect rural development has been analyzed, the data confirming that the rates of female immigration and occupancy in the hospitality sector favors sustainable development, whereas the distance from the provincial capital hinders it. This paper paves the way for an assessment of the potentialities of each territory, and the evidence found allows actions to be supported that generate sustainable progress in rural Galician municipalities and that are useful for tackling this complex problem. • A new rural sustainable development index based on four dimensions is proposed. • Strengths and weaknesses for each Galician rural municipality are identified. • Environmental factors constitute a driver of rural development in Galicia. • Social aspects (i.e., health, education, services) stand out as main weaknesses. • Policies to boost social care and attract childbearing-age inhabitants are paramount. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to analyze the evolution of the implementation and integration of standardized Management Systems (MSs) such as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. Specifically, we study the implementation of different standards during a four-year period (2006–2010) and we examine the level of integration of different MS elements such as the resources, documentation, goals and procedures during this period. Additionally, the paper aims to evaluate the impact of integration on companies over time, namely the difficulties experienced by firms during the integration of MSs in organizations with more than one MS. In order to accomplish these objectives, the first dynamic study on the integration of MSs has been undertaken. In order to compare firms that integrate their MSs in two different moments in time, two empirical studies were conducted, one in 2006 and one in 2010. These studies used a survey directed to firms with more than one MS in Catalonia (Spain). This paper contributes to the understanding of how firms that have an Integrated Management System (IMS) integrate their standardized MSs and how they perceive the challenges related to managing the IMS over time. It also demonstrates that firms integrate their MSs rather than keep them separated, therefore showing a tendency toward integration over time. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Gully width (W) is usually characterized by having a power relation with discharge. However, calculating runoff discharge in ungauged basins, where these gullies typically form, is inherently difficult and associated with large uncertainties. This paper examines a simplified approach to relating gully width directly to the runoff contributing area (A) in a cultivated area in SW Spain. The effect of rainfall and land use on this W-A relation was also analysed. Gully width was measured in 46 sections through the analysis of 10 historical orthophotos between 1956 and 2013, in a 21 km2 catchment in S Spain. These were validated by field measurements in 2013. Widening rates varied strongly over time, at between ~0 and 2,19 m year−1. No significant differences in the gully widening rates were found between the two land uses present in the study zone (olive groves and herbaceous crops). The data obtained show a significant power relation of the form W = αA β for all time periods analysed, except for 1980, when many gullies were filled in artificially due to a change in land use in the study area. The power relation coefficient (β) varied at between 0.2 and 0.3. A good correlation was obtained between the number of days with daily rainfall of above 13 mm and the increase in the α coefficient over time. The results of this study on gully width dynamics provide new insights into improving the estimation of gully volume, for example in combination with gully headcut retreat models, and including the effects of different climate scenarios. • Gully width dynamics were reconstructed from aerial orthophotos in Mediterranean crops. • We found a significant correlation between gully width and runoff contribution area. • Gully widening rates were successfully correlated with a rainfall index based on daily rainfall thresholds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Hourly-resolved model to investigate highly-renewable electricity generation in Spain. • Correlation analysis of time series to create 900 combinations used in simulations. • Transition paths evaluated based on security of supply, CO 2 emissions, and renewable share. • Short-term phase-out of nuclear and coal power plants proven to be feasible. Abstract Two alternative paths to achieve highly-renewable electricity generation in peninsular Spain are investigated in this paper. Every transition path comprises a description of the installed and decommissioned generation and storage capacities, from 2017 to 2030, as well as a hypothesis on the evolution of the electricity demand. The electricity mix for every hour within the transition path is determined through a dispatch algorithm that prioritizes electricity from renewable energy sources. The simulation is run for 900 different combinations of time series representing the hourly capacity factors of different technologies, as well as the electricity demand. This robust approach allows the evaluation of the transition paths based on the statistical distribution of several defined assessment criteria, such as security of supply, CO 2 emissions or renewable share in electricity generation. The feasibility of a Spanish power system with high renewable penetration is investigated not only in a future reference year but throughout the transition path. In particular, a progressive and simultaneous phase-out of nuclear and coal power plants in the short-term is proven to be feasible. Furthermore, the results sensitivity is analyzed including scenarios with a delayed nuclear phase-out, lower hydroelectricity generation due to more frequent and severe droughts caused by climate change and higher annual increment for the electricity demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past few decades, economists have defended the use of market-based instruments (MBI) in environmental and climate policy. There have been many papers which have compared the costs of attaining environmental objectives with MBIs and with command and control instruments. However very few have compared different MBIs in examining these costs. This paper seeks to analyse various MBIs for CO2 mitigation from the viewpoint of cost-effectiveness, using an AGE (applied general equilibrium) model for the case of Spain. A distinction is drawn between (1) quantity instruments, which represent different extents of a market for emission permits; and (2) price instruments, which represent different types of tax. Each instrument can affect different segments of the emission sources and therefore can have very different effects on the economy as a whole. We show how MBI can help to minimise mitigation costs, but also how taxes and tradable emission permits that are limited or constrained by many exemptions and distortions can raise costs considerably. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The studies carried out to evaluate and select a candidate site for International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) construction in Spain are presented in this paper. The ITER design, completed in July 2001, considered a number of technical requirements that must be fulfilled by the selected site. Several assumptions concerning the ITER site were made in order to carry on the design before final site selection. In the studies undertaken for ITER site selection in Spain, the referred technical requirements and assumptions were applied across the whole of Spain and two areas were identified as being preferential. These areas are on the Mediterranean coast and are situated in the Catalan and Valencian regions. A comparative evaluation based on technical characteristics for the concrete plots, proposed within the preferential areas, has been done. The result of these studies was the selection of a site that was deemed to be the most competitive—Vandello´s (Tarragona)—and it was proposed to the European Commission for detailed studies in order to be considered as a possible European site for ITER construction. Another key factor for hosting ITER in Spain, is the licensing process. The present status is summarised in this paper. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The low energy efficiency of the European building stock is both a social and environmental issue. However, plans and studies on energy retrofitting interventions do not usually evaluate the impact of these measures on households' energy affordability. This paper analyses and compares the effect of alternative retrofitting strategies on thermal energy services' affordability in Spanish vulnerable households. This analysis was carried out by applying the Required Thermal Energy Expenditure model proposed in previous studies to several 2030 residential building stock scenarios, setting 2020 as a baseline. Therefore, this work proposes a methodological approach to assess the impact of the considered energy efficiency interventions on energy poverty in winter (WEP) and summer (SEP) and carries out both a 'social cost' and a cost-benefit analysis. The dwelling's thermal-enclosure retrofitting stands out as a very WEP-reduction and social-cost effective measure. Instead, replacing old thermal systems with more efficient ones would have a higher impact on SEP. Combining both kinds of retrofitting measures could reduce heating and cooling required expenditures by, respectively, 49% and 59%, and decrease the WEP and SEP share, correspondingly, by 35% and 63%. These results might inform policymakers to enhance the targeting and design of energy efficiency programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citizen warnings alerting about the presence of invasive species has been claimed as fundamental in the strategies addressed to manage aquatic invasions. A great volume of online information coming from fishermen and ordinary citizens, about detection of new species in their communities is currently available. Unfortunately, it is not always implemented as a useful tool by agencies, and within stakeholders protocols, to prevent and manage biological invasions. In this work, we have used as a case study the wels catfish Silurus glanis Linnaeus, 1758. Online blogs, webpages, videos, magazines, and newspapers, were searched for news about the presence and spread of S. glanis in the Iberian Peninsula until June 2016. This information was compiled with official reports (scientific papers and regional and national governmental reports) to create a map showing the putative current pattern of S. glanis invasion through Iberian freshwater ecosystems. The current situation pointed to Silurus ’s presence in six of the seven main river basins of the Iberian territory. Since non-official reports need post-alerts confirmations, we have also set up a molecular pilot study designing genus specific primers to detect this species in environmental DNA (eDNA) from the reported locations. In the pilot study, primers were tested on eDNA samples extracted from experimental aquariums and on real environmental samples taken from different basins in Spain (Ebro, Douro and Tagus). In all these basins S. glanis was detected. Official S ilurus reports were confirmed with two molecular markers in five out of the six cases (83%) assayed in this work, and in two out of three non-official reports (66%) coming from fishermen websites and newspaper reports. The proposed combined strategy (citizen alerts and the eDNA detection method) can be a helpful tool in early detection of invasive species allowing fast and effective management actions by stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the paper is to analyse biodiesel market acceptance in Spain. In particular, we study the intention to use biodiesel by Spanish diesel car drivers and the factors explaining this intention. To achieve this goal, we developed a model of the intention to use biodiesel based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour but extended in two ways. The first one consists of the inclusion of two new predictors of the intention to use (environmental self-identity and biodiesel knowledge) and the second, the extension of the model to take into account the two barriers in the adoption of biodiesel in the market (potential price premium and limited availability in the petrol stations). This model has been specified as an ordered probit and estimated using data from a survey conducted in Spain. Results indicated that apart from the attitudes towards biodiesel use, the most important factors explaining the intention to use biodiesel are the biodiesel knowledge and the environmental self-identity, in other words, the new predictors in the Theory of Planned Behaviour model. In addition, the effects of all the factors (attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, biodiesel knowledge, environmental self-identity and socio-demographic characteristics) on the intention to use were different, depending on the price and the availability of the biodiesel in the market. Thus, we can conclude that to analyse the intention to use biodiesel, different price and availability scenarios should be taken into account. Empirical results indicated that to increase biodiesel use, the best option is to increase biodiesel knowledge and environmental self-identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concerns about hydrological drought risk and irrigation water supply reliability have grown in recent years due to the increasing demand for water for irrigation and other uses, and the decline in water availability due to climate change. Hydrological drought insurance hedging against water supply gaps can be a key instrument for adapting irrigated agriculture to this new scenario, since it improves the resilience of the irrigation sector, which is having to cope with increasing uncertainty and vulnerability. The objective of this paper is to assess farmers' willingness to pay (WTP) for index-based hydrological drought insurance under different policy designs, considering several different amounts of insured capital, insurance deductibles, and contract terms. To that end, it uses a discrete choice experiment as the valuation method and the Sector BXII irrigation district (southern Spain) as a case study. The results show that farmers would be willing to pay for the proposed hydrological drought insurance, stating a higher preference for policy designs with lower amounts of insured capital, lower deductibles, and shorter contract terms. Moreover, the results also show the existence of heterogeneity among farmers' preferences, depending on their socio-economic characteristics. Finally, we compare the distribution of farmers' WTP for different policy design options of the proposed insurance with the commercial premium estimated using actuarial analysis. The comparison confirms that only the options with lower levels of insured capital present a mean WTP below the commercial premium, while the rest of the policy design options would need to be subsidized like other agricultural insurance schemes to make them attractive to most farmers. • Farmers are willing to pay for hydrological drought insurance. • Farmers prefer policies with low levels of insured capital, low deductibles, and short contract terms. • WTP is heterogeneous depending on farmers' socio-economic characteristics. • Only policy designs with low levels of insured capital are currently commercially viable. • Once the new drought insurance is implemented, it will become more attractive for farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most of the projects subject to environmental impact assessment (EIA) are closely related to climate change, as they contribute to or are affected by it. The growing certainty about climate change and its impacts makes its consideration an essential part of the EIA process, as well as in strategic environmental assessment (SEA). This paper examines how climate change (CC) has been taken into account in EIA in Spain through the analysis of 1713 environmental records of decision (RODs) of projects submitted for EIA. In 2013 Spain approved one of the most advanced laws in terms of CC consideration in environmental assessment, although it had not yet accumulated extensive practice on the issue. This contrasts with the situation of countries like Canada or the USA, which have a significant body of experience without specific legal requirements. Only 14% of the RODs analysed included references to CC, and in more than half of the cases it was a mere citation. Thermal power plants, which are subject to specific GHG regulations, show the highest consideration, while transport infrastructures, which are important contributors to CC, show a very low consideration. Almost all the references are related to their contribution to CC, while consideration of the effects of CC is minimal. The increasingly common incorporation of CC into SEA, should not imply its exclusion from EIA, because both processes have different aims and uses. Including the obligation to consider CC in the EIA regulations is highly desirable, but probably not enough without other measures, such as practical guidance, training and motivational programmes for practitioners and evaluators. But even these actions cannot ensure effective and adequate assessments of CC. Probably more resources should be spent on creating greater awareness in all the agents involved in EIA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy performance certificate databases are a key tool for mapping national building stock and thus fostering greater overall energy efficiency. This paper presents an insight into the energy performance of residential and tertiary sector buildings in Spain, through an analysis of the first 129,635 energy performance certificates issued for existing buildings, collected by the Catalan Institute of Energy. Most of the residential buildings or building units that were studied were “E” class (53.6%). Single-family houses were found to use more energy on average (248.0 kWh p /m 2 ) than individual dwellings (183.2 kWh p /m 2 ). Tertiary sector buildings were found to have slightly better energy performance (26.4% of buildings were rated “D class”), with an average energy consumption of 317.8 kWh p /m 2 . Modern buildings consume less energy, as they must meet the higher energy performance requirements stated in thermal building regulations. Residential buildings or building units located in hotter climate zones consume slightly less energy than those located in colder zones, mainly because heating accounts for a high percentage of overall energy expenditure (70–75% in residential buildings). A significant proportion of the energy consumed in tertiary sector buildings is for lighting (37.2%). This research defines the current energy consumption baseline of existing buildings in Spain. The results can help to prioritize energy conservation efforts according to building type, construction period, climate zone and specific end-uses. They may also help public authorities to plan future energy policies, and construction practitioners to identify market segments and business strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work reviews the origin of the current Instituto de Catálisis y Petroleoquímica (ICP, Institute of Catalysis and Petroleum Chemistry) that belongs to the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC, Spanish National Research Council). The first papers on catalysis were published in Spanish scientific journals in 1908. In 1912, the first catalytic experiments were done in the research laboratories belonging to a new Spanish institution established in 1907, the Junta para la Ampliación de Estudios e Investigaciones Científicas (JAE, Council for Development of Studies and Scientific Researches), which was not dependent on the university. These laboratories were later integrated in the new Instituto Nacional de Física y Química (National Institute of Physics and Chemistry), opened in 1932 and located in a new building financed by the Rockefeller Foundation. In 1939, at the end of the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939), the JAE was abolished and replaced by CSIC. As a consequence of the reorganization process of the research institutes undertaken by CSIC, the Instituto de Química Fisica “Antonio Gregorio Rocasolano” (IQFR, Institute of Chemical Physics) was founded in 1946, which basically inherited the former National Institute of Physics and Chemistry, and on the very same premises. A new Catalysis Laboratory was established in 1953 in the IQFR under the leadership of Prof. Juan Francisco García de la Banda, which evolved through several steps to become finally an independent research center in 1975 under the name of Instituto de Catálisis y Petroleoquímica (ICP, Institute of Catalysis and Petroleum Chemistry). The ICP moved to its present premises in 1990. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Droughts are periodic natural hazards caused by below-average precipitation in a region. • Drought events have created severe impacts on natural resources and economic and social activities. • Intense droughts in Spain, MDB, and California have acted as catalysts of policy change. • Recent droughts have forced the change from supply-side to more sophisticated and long-term water-conservation measures. • Spain, MDB, and California have incorporated droughts as structural elements in their water planning and management. Droughts are natural hazards characterized by a prolonged period of below-average precipitation. Water scarcity is defined as insufficient water resources to meet demands in a region. This paper examines three regions (Spain, California, and the Murray-Darling Basin in Australia) which share similar social and climatic characteristics and face severe water-scarcity problems. The frequency and persistence of droughts in these regions over the last few decades have triggered changes in water laws as well as in the behaviour of water users and managers. This paper compares the major water reforms in these regions and the achievements and failures of the various approaches implemented. This comparison shows how, despite the differences in institutions and governance regarding water allocation in the three regions, recent droughts have catalysed the creation of institutions and the implementation of sophisticated long-term measures to mitigate the impact of future droughts. A deeper understanding of the effectiveness of mechanisms and regulations is necessary to better manage droughts since the uncertain impacts of climate change will require responses of a more effective nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Construction and demolition waste is a major problem in modern society, as it accounts for 25–30% of all the solid waste generated yearly. Its proper handling is one of the mainstays of European waste management policy, which aims to sever the direct relationship between economic growth and the increase in waste generation, lowering associated environmental impacts and furthering recycling and sustainability. To date, no paper has been published in the international literature on the C&DW management model in place in an EU Member State. To fill that gap, the present article analyses Spain's model, with a view to identifying and assessing the industry's strengths and weaknesses. Such analyses are of key importance, given the decisive impact of the management model on the technical and economic viability of using the end product (recycled aggregate) in new applications in construction (structural applications) and hence capitalising on the economic and social benefits to be reaped. The present model is found to be characterised by private plants with an intra-provincial waste reception and product commercialisation radius of no more than 30 km. Government's role in the model is mainly confined to establishing a legislative framework that regulates and fosters construction and demolition waste recycling, with scant financial participation or adoption of effective incentives for using recycled aggregate. The incoming product is primarily mixed construction and demolition waste with a high clay-based material content. In Spain, then, private enterprise is the sector that has committed most firmly to C&DW recycling, a business whose continuity is presently threatened by the slump in the construction industry and the ready availability of natural aggregate in Spain, compared to which the recycled product is not competitive. The current management model is consequently in need of revision, with special emphasis on government's role in furthering the use of processed construction and demolition waste as a raw material for the manufacture of new construction products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More efficient and sustainable use of water is increasingly becoming an urgency in drought prone parts of the world. In particular, in water scarce regions such as the Mediterranean, water supply is expected to become more uncertain because of climate change. Consequently, pro-active policy initiatives are proposed to increase supply reliability. Local context is important when the effectiveness of policies is assessed. The aim of this paper is to evaluate farmers’ acceptance of policy strategies to increase water supply reliability in the Segura, a water scarce river basin in the south-east of Spain. Results from a choice experiment suggest that farmers are willing to pay twice as much as their current irrigation water price to ensure water supply reliability through government supply guaranteed programs. However, they are averse to any institutional changes that might assist the government to achieve increased water supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The success of a common property regime can be partially judged on the basis of its ability to handle extreme events that stress its capacity for cooperation. This paper compares the performance of 38 irrigation associations in a large irrigation area in Spain during a severe drought as a test of hypotheses derived from property right theories. The case is particularly interesting because it contains a transferable quota institution that can potentially strengthen the effectiveness of common property regimes in scarcity conditions. According to the results the use of transferable quotas across associations can contribute to cooperation and drought performance. In this context, performance is higher when the associations enjoy (1) effective monitoring systems, (2) experience and legitimate leaders, and (3) facilitative biophysical conditions like soil water holding capacity. The analysis also suggests that biophysical properties like soil water holding capacity may compensate for weaker monitoring or leadership, and vice-versa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the influence of a strong Saharan dust event on longwave (LW) irradiance recorded at Granada (Southeastern Spain) on 6 September 2007. A detailed comparison with shortwave (SW) radiative effects for the same dust event is also shown. For these goals, simultaneous measurements of LW and SW irradiance were used together with the aerosol optical depth at 675 nm (AOD 675 ) derived from a Cimel CE-318 sun-photometer. LW irradiance on 6 September (AOD 675 ranged between 0.8 and 1.5) increased 8.4% on average compared to a no-dust day (4 September, AOD 675 below 0.15), while the SW irradiance was notably reduced about 28.2%. The study also showed that an increase of one unit in the AOD 675 led to an increase (decrease) of LW (SW) irradiance of 20 (187) W/m 2 . Hence, the LW contribution to offset partially the large SW decrease at surface strongly depends on the aerosol load, changing from 40% for AOD 675 ~ 0.8 to 20% for AOD 675 ~ 1.5. On daily average, LW radiative effect was about 39% of the SW one and, therefore, the intense decrease of SW irradiance due to dust particles was substantially offset by the increase of the LW irradiance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Introduction: Scandinavian countries such as Sweden implemented the occupational health and safety (OHS) measures in the European Directive 89/391/EEC earlier than other European counties, including Spain. In fact, statistics on workplace accident rates reveal that between 2004 and 2009, there were considerably fewer accidents in Sweden than in Spain. Method: The objective of the research described in this paper was to reduce workplace accidents and to improve OHS management in Spain by exploring the OHS practices in Sweden. For this purpose, an exploratory comparative study was conducted, which focused on the effectiveness of the EU directive in both countries. The study included a cross-sectional analysis of workplace accident rates and other contextual indicators in both national contexts. A case study of 14 Swedish and Spanish companies identified 14 differences in the preventive practices implemented. These differences were then assessed with a Delphi study to evaluate their contribution to the reduction of workplace accidents and their potential for improving health and safety management in Spain. Results: The results showed that there was agreement concerning 12 of the 14 practices. Finally, we discuss opportunities of improvement in Spanish companies so that they can make their risk management practices more effective. Practical Applications: The findings of this comparative study on the implementation of the European Directive 89/391/EEC in both Sweden and Spain have revealed health and safety managerial practices which, if properly implemented, could contribute to improved work conditions and accident statistics of Spanish companies. In particular, the results suggest that Spanish employers, safety managers, external prevention services, safety deputies and Labour Inspectorates should consider implementing streamlined internal preventive management, promoting the integration of prevention responsibilities to the chain of command, and preventing health and safety management from becoming a mere exchange of documents. The authors also encourage future research studies to use the methodology presented to compare and assess the European Directive 89/391/EEC implementation in other European countries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to examine how technology, processes of input substitution, and changes in final demand, all of which underlie economic growth, influence water consumption. This analysis is undertaken for Spain during a significant socio-economic period, from 1980, the beginning of the democratic era, to 2007, the onset of the current economic crisis. To this end, we construct water consumption series linked to a time series of input–output tables generated for the Spanish economy, and we develop a structural decomposition analysis to study mainly changes in water consumption embodied in final demand. We find that the growth in Spanish demand (all other things being constant) would have implied an increase in water consumption almost three times the growth actually observed. However, this demand effect is largely offset by technology and intensity effects, mainly due to changes in agricultural crops. Given the importance of the demand growth, the final demand effect is also analyzed in detail, broken down by categories as well as level and composition. Household demand and the increase of exports appear as key explicative factors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Over the last forty years, applying dendrogeomorphology to palaeoflood analysis has improved estimates of the frequency and magnitude of past floods worldwide. This paper reviews the main results obtained by applying dendrogeomorphology to flood research in several case studies in Central Spain. These dendrogeomorphological studies focused on the following topics: (1) anatomical analysis to understand the physiological response of trees to flood damage and improve sampling efficiency; (2) compiling robust flood chronologies in ungauged mountain streams, (3) determining flow depth and estimating flood discharge using two-dimensional hydraulic modelling, and comparing them with other palaeostage indicators; (4) calibrating hydraulic model parameters (i.e. Manning roughness); and (5) implementing stochastic-based, cost–benefit analysis to select optimal mitigation measures. The progress made in these areas is presented with suggestions for further research to improve the applicability of dendrogeochronology to palaeoflood studies. Further developments will include new methods for better identification of the causes of specific types of flood damage to trees (e.g. tilted trees) or stable isotope analysis of tree rings to identify the climatic conditions associated with periods of increasing flood magnitude or frequency. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Knowledge management (KM) has been studied extensively in recent years. Some consider knowledge to be the most strategically important resource for any company, but the fragmented, project-based and task-oriented nature of construction work makes it more difficult to implement KM in this sector. This paper presents a survey of perceptions of KM implementation in the Spanish construction sector and compares the results obtained from design and construction firms. Data were collected from the leading civil engineering companies in Spain. The survey found that the Spanish construction industry is aware of the benefits of KM but that systematic KM is not generally implemented. The findings clearly demonstrate that changes in organizational culture are critical to successful KM. The survey also revealed some distinctions between the KM perception of design firms and that of construction firms. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper seeks new insights concerning the health transition in 20th century Spain by analyzing both traditional (mortality-based) and alternative (anthropometric-based) health indicators. Data were drawn from national censuses, vital and cause-of-death statistics and seven National Health Surveys dating from 1987 to 2006 (almost 100,000 subjects aged 20–79 were used to compute cohort height averages). A multivariate regression analysis was performed on infant mortality and economic/historical dummy variables. Our results agree with the general timing of the health transition process in Spain as has been described to date insofar as we document that there was a rapid improvement of sanitary and health care related factors during the second half of the 20th century reflected by a steady decline in infant mortality and increase in adult height. However, the association between adult height and infant mortality turned out to be not linear. In addition, remarkable gender differences emerged: mean height increased continuously for male cohorts born after 1940 but meaningful improvements in height among female cohorts was not attained until the late 1950s. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Interest in ecosystem services provided by agroecosystems has grown over the last decades with research focusing on the type of environmental, economic and social benefits delivered by agroecosystems. Researchers suggest that, besides the provisioning of food, fuel, and fiber, agroecosystems provide habitat, cultural, and regulating services. One type of agroecosystem that remains relatively unexplored from an ecosystem service perspective is home gardens. In this paper, we aim at advancing the understanding of the value of home gardens by conducting an assessment of home gardens ecosystem services. For the empirical analysis we use home gardens in Vall Fosca (Catalan Pyrenees). We identify and characterize the most important ecosystem services provided by home gardens, and conduct a valuation of the social importance of home garden ecosystem services. The methodological approach for this work included an in-depth literature review, participant observation, semi-structured interviews, a valuation questionnaire, and a scientific panel consultation. We identified and characterized 19 ecosystem functions and related services. According to our informants, home gardens provide a large set of ecosystem services, being cultural services the category most valued. We found that the most important ecosystem services provided by home gardens differ from those provided by other types of agroecosystems. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In the last few years, many organizations have chosen to implement standardized Management Systems (MSs), such as the ones based on ISO 14001 and ISO 9001. However, few studies exist on how firms carry out the process of auditing these MSs. Our goal is to study how companies with more than one standardized MSs conduct the audits and to which extent they integrate the audit elements in order to benefit from the advantages of having a sole, integrated audit system. We provide four case studies and confirm the idea that firms with more than one MS integrate their audits. However, the degree and specific characteristics of this integration vary in the different companies analyzed. This paper contains one of the first qualitative empirical studies regarding the integration of MSs audits. The study provides an original contribution to the understanding of whether and how the four case study organizations have integrated certain aspects of the audit systems, for instance, the human resources, time, and audit inputs and outputs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Given the lack of availability of measured anthropometric data for the whole of Spain, this paper combines data from the 2006 Catalan Health and Health Examination Surveys to compute the size of weight and height self-reporting biases. The underlying determinants of these biases are then analyzed, placing special emphasis on the role played by social norms. Our findings show that social norms regarding “ideal” weight (proxied by the average weight of a reference group based on gender and age) tend to affect the self-reporting weight (relative) bias. This finding suggests that the more satisfied individuals feel with their own body image the less prone they are to under-report their weight, although this effect is contingent upon the definition of social norms and the correction of endogeneity. However, we found no evidence of a similar impact caused by the social norms governing height. The relationship found between the measured and self-reported anthropometric data was applied to the Spanish National Health Survey (NHS) so as to correct the self-reported information contained in it. After correcting for self-reporting errors, both the BMI and the prevalence of obesity were found to be significantly underestimated, with instances of misreporting being more prevalent among women. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Spain is a country with six LNG terminals in operation and three more scheduled for 2011. At the same time an increasing number of LNG tanks are under construction to compensate the Spanish lack of underground storage. A method for evaluating the daily boil off generated is presented in this paper. This method is applied to evaluate the increase of BOG to be handle by LNG terminals in 2016, studying the best commercially available solution to be installed. Finally, as a solution to tackle with the BOG a cogeneration plant is suggested. This option will reduce terminal’s operational costs increasing its availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this work, 64 samples of cereals purchased from local markets in the Valencian community (Spain) were investigated for the presence of six emerging mycotoxins: enniatins ENs (ENA, ENA1, ENB and ENB1), beauvericin (BEA) and fusaproliferin (FUS). Samples were extracted with a mixture of water/acetonitrile (85/15, v/v) by using an Ultra-turrax homogenizer. Mycotoxins were then identified and quantified with a liquid chromatography (LC) with diode array detector (DAD). Positive samples were confirmed with an LC–MS/MS. Analytical Results showed that the frequencies of contamination of samples with ENs, BEA and FUS were 73.4%, 32.8% and 7.8%, respectively. ENA1 was the most mycotoxin found and levels ranged from 33.38 to 814.42mg/kg. ENB levels ranged between 2.23 and 21.37mg/kg. ENB1 levels varied from 4.34 to 45.94mg/kg. All samples were free of ENA. BEA levels ranged from 0.51 to 11.78mg/kg and FUS levels varied between 1.01 and 6.63mg/kg. It could be concluded from this study that the high contamination levels found especially for ENs could be of a negative impact on the population. This is the first paper on the presence of emerging mycotoxins in cereals available in Spain. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The human appropriation of net primary production (HANPP) is an indicator of the human domination of ecosystems that measures to which extent human activities alter the amount of biomass available each year in ecosystems. This paper analyses the development of aboveground HANPP (aHANPP) in Spain for the period from 1955 to 2003. During this period, Spain's agriculture underwent a transition from a largely pre-industrial to a highly intensified production system. Changes in land use patterns include a reduction of cropland area and an expansion of forest area. Results show that aHANPP declined from 67% of potential aNPP in 1955 to 61% in 2003. Biomass harvest strongly increased from 68 million tons dry matter biomass per year (Mt/yr) to 106 Mt/yr, with nearly all of this increase occurring on cropland. Productivity losses due to human-induced land conversions dropped significantly from 112 Mt/yr to 63 Mt/yr, mainly as a result of the surge in cropland productivity and the increase in forest area. Despite its decrease during the last decades, aHANPP in Spain is still at a remarkably high level in comparison with the global average or other industrialized countries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Although gully erosion is generally considered a major process of land degradation, its contribution to total soil loss by erosion has recently been a subject of much discussion. The lack of adequate methods for the documentation and monitoring of gullies resulted in the shortage of quantitative data. Therefore, a high-resolution remote sensing system for aerial surveys by blimp or kite has been developed which meets spatial and temporal image resolutions required for short-term gully monitoring. The objective of this paper is to examine the potential of a method using non-metric digital photogrammetry and GIS for gully surface modelling and monitoring. Two bank gullies representing different morphological types of gullies (V-shaped and U-shaped) were chosen from a dataset of gully systems in semi-arid Spain. The considerable relief energy and complex topography of the gullies in a natural, vegetated landscape were found to be a challenge to digital photogrammetric techniques, introducing errors which inhibit fully automated DEM generation. Using a hybrid method combining stereomatching for mass-point extraction with manual 3D editing and digitizing, high-resolution DEMs (5 and 7.5 cm pixel size) were created for the study sites. GIS analysis of the DEMs for different monitoring periods (2 to 4 years) allowed the computation of gully area and volume, as well as their changes with an accuracy and detail sufficient to represent the geomorphological forms and processes involved. Furthermore, the spatially continuous survey of the entire form offered the possibility of distinguishing different zones of activity both at the gully rim and within the gully interior, identifying patterns of erosion and deposition which indicate the limited use of headcut retreat rates for the assessment of sediment production on a short-term basis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The analysis of input–output subsystems provides a useful tool for studying the productive structure of the different sectors of an economy. In this paper we develop this analysis to the study of the CO2 emissions associated to the group of branches of the service sector. The decomposition of the total production of the services subsystem allows us to decompose the CO2 emissions into five different components (own, demand volume, feed-back, internal and spill over components). From the results obtained, we can highlight the different roles played by the different branches of services. Transport activities are the services with the highest level of the direct emissions generated in the production of the sector. These activities are required by the other sectors of the economy to a greater degree than they are for their own final demand. Therefore, the production sold to other sectors causes more emissions than its own final demand. However, in the case of other service activities, direct and indirect emissions related to final demand are much more important, due to the strong pull effect of service activities on other activities of the economy. In this respect, Wholesale and retail trade, Hotels and restaurants, Real estate, renting and business activities, and Public administration services should be highlighted. These services receive scarce attention in the design of policies aimed at reducing emissions, but are notably responsible for the major increase in emissions experienced in recent years. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• A MILP is set to ex-post optimise the Interruptible Load program in Spain. • Consideration of real technical and regulatory constraints. • Definition of a series of metrics to compare the optimal performance of programs. • Recommendation to design and operate Interruptible Load programs. • The optimal usage of the resource could have saved the system a total of 163 M€. The deployment of demand response in reserve markets has been widely discussed. Interruptible Load programs contract demand capacity from consumers in exchange for fixed and variable payments. System operators contract these resources to increase system resilience and use them for economic purposes. Although common, no ex-post evaluations of the program's performance and efficiency exists in the literature. To fill this gap, the paper presents a procedure to evaluate the optimal usage of these resources from a system operator perspective. A Mixed Integer Linear Problem is set to minimise the overall cost of the system using the participant demand resources in the tertiary reserve market, while ensuring that all technical and regulatory constraints are fulfilled in the evaluation. The proposed method describes a series of metrics to compare the optimal performance with the current scenario, and we draw a set of conclusions and policy recommendations from it. We apply the method to the Spanish Interruptible Load program. Our results show that during the five and a half years of the program, demand resources could have provided savings to the system of up to 23% of the cost of tertiary reserve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The relationships between economic growth and environmental pressures are complex. Since the early nineties, the debate on these relationships has been strongly influenced by the Environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis, which states that during the first stage of economic development environmental pressures increase as per capita income increases, but once a critical turning point has been reached these pressures diminish as income levels continue to increase. However, to date such a delinking between economic growth and emission levels has not happened for most atmospheric pollutants in Spain. The aim of this paper is to analyse the relationship between income growth and nine atmospheric pollutants in Spain. In order to obtain empirical outcomes for this analysis, we adopt an input–output approach and use NAMEA data for the nine pollutants. First, we undertake a structural decomposition analysis for the period 1995–2000 to estimate the contribution of various factors to changes in the levels of atmospheric emissions. And second, we estimate the emissions associated with the consumption patterns of different groups of households classified according to their level of expenditure. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Considering the number of dead people, the worst tornado in the last two centuries in Spain is presented. The words used to describe the phenomenon have hidden it to the general public and the specialist The coetaneous press and other printed sources have been revised, and this has let us know the true sense of those words as well as the sequence of the tornadic event. The synoptic situation that was presented by some European Meteorological Offices in 1886 has been revised when all available data and some indirect information have been included. Tornado track and force have been plotted on the actual map of the city following the available information in the newspapers and other documents. Other subjective comments made by the paper writers have allowed us to find out some psychological and sociological aspects used to enhance the tragic perception of their readers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper examines the hypothetically bi-directional relationship which links marijuana consumption and school failure among students. To that end, we propose a simultaneous probability model, which is estimated by using the information provided by the three consecutive waves from the Spanish Surveys on Drug Use in the School Population [(1996, 1998 and 2000). Spanish Government''s Delegation for the National Plan On Drugs, Madrid, Spain]. Our results confirm that whilst marijuana consumption is a determinant for school failure among Spanish students, we do not find evidence in the opposite direction. Moreover, explanatory variables, such as the presence of smokers at home, a mono-parental situation or unhealthy habits, among others, are good predictors for both marijuana consumption and school failure. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The Arroyo de Gor is a highly incised stream (up to 200 m) that has eroded into the Pliocene–Pleistocene infill of the Guadix basin in the Betic cordillera (SE Spain). This paper concentrates on a particular reach of this stream, namely the Cenascuras–Gorafe reach, where abundant inactive rotational slides can be recognized on both hillslopes of the canyon-shaped valley. The rotational slides have surface areas of 5–15 ha and volumes of mobilized material of 5–15 Hm3. These rotational slides can be recognized by their main scarps, which are still well featured at both margins of the valley, as well as by the counter hillslope rotation of the strata in their bodies. The surfaces of rupture are concave, their width being greater than their length, i.e. the landslides are elongated in a direction perpendicular to the landsliding displacement and parallel to the stream. At depth, the surfaces of rupture developed on fine-grained sediments (mostly clays) underlying the conglomerates and sands affected by the rotational slides. The clays at the surface of rupture are smectite-rich and show several features produced by the landsliding, such as striations and sigmoidal-shaped structures. The Cenascuras–Gorafe canyon has been developed by a combination of entrenchment, fracturing and landsliding. Initial deep entrenchment of the stream is attributed to a base-level lowering related to the capture of the former endorheic basin by the Gualdalquivir river in the late Pleistocene. This river incision created a canyon with subvertical unstable walls, which due to gravitational instability would give way to vertical open tension cracks some distance from the canyon edge. The tension cracks would end at depths equal to the base of the canyon, which also coincides with the contact between the conglomerates and the underlying clays. The rotational slides are thought to have occurred during heavy rains by a combination of piping, which would have lengthened the tension cracks, and infiltration, which would reduce the shear strength along the gently dipping contact between conglomerates and the underlying clays. Thus, the blocks bounded by the tension cracks and the subhorizontal lithological contact would slide under their own weight on the subhorizontal surfaces of reduced shear strength. Several age constraints lead us to tentatively assign the landslides to the Isotope stage 5 (around 32 ka), an interglacial period agreed to be wetter and slightly warmer than the present-day semi-arid climate. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper reports the results of the analysis of annual mean temperature and precipitation series from 171 meteorological stations distributed over Castile and Leon [Castilla y León in Spanish] in Spain on monthly, seasonal and annual time-scales for a 37-year study period (1961–1997). Various statistical tools were used to detect and characterize significant changes in these series. The magnitude of the trends was derived from the slopes of the regression lines using the least squares method, and the statistical significance was determined by means of nonparametric tests. Positive trends of about 0.33 °C in the annual mean temperature were found for the whole period. Mean temperatures increased in spring and winter, the winter trend being statistically significant. The months of December and March also showed significant trends. Decreases in rainfall were found for three seasons (winter, spring and autumn), with statistically significant trends in March. Summer precipitation showed slight increases over the 37-year period. On this basis, the authors consider that the increase in summer precipitation and the decrease in the range of average temperatures between the warmest and the coldest months of the year (continentality), point towards a trend to a more oceanic climate in Castile and Leon. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Occupational Health and Safety in Spain has improved considerably over the last decade, most likely due to a new concept where an overall concept of safety culture is defined. Important changes in industrial safety, hygiene, and psychosocial factors present an optimistic panorama for the future of Spain. Despite this general improvement, according to the European Convergence Program, Spanish statistics still offer far from good safety results. In fact, according to 1997 official statistics, Spain had the highest incidence rate for nonfatal occupational accidents of all European Union (EU) countries, and occupied third place for fatal accidents. This paper summarizes the organizational structure of the Spanish National System of Health & Safety at Work, its effective health and safety laws, and statistics on the Spanish work environment obtained from III Spanish National Survey on Work Conditions (1997). The researchers hope that the findings of this work will have an impact on Spanish industry that will subsequently bring about improvements in work conditions and develop assessment and intervention models in occupational health and safety, from a theoretical position integrating environmental, human, and organizational factors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Assessment of responsiveness' role in mechanisms for adjusting economic incentives. • Agent-based model of feed-in tariff for solar adoption in Germany, Spain, Switzerland. • More responsive designs meet deployment policy goal accurately and lower uncertainty. • Surprisingly, results show diminishing returns of responsiveness that add policy cost. • Country-specific attributes shown to influence solar power diffusion patterns. A rapid, global diffusion of clean energy technologies is central to the efforts to curb global carbon dioxide emissions. Deployment policies based on economic incentives have proved effective in accelerating the uptake of renewable technologies, such as solar photovoltaics, and could quicken the adoption of others. However, their outcomes were often uncertain and costly as many countries struggled to adjust incentives while technology prices fell rapidly. This study addresses this challenge by investigating the role of responsiveness – the policy's ability to react to changes in the context in which it operates – in the design of mechanisms for adjusting incentives over time. This paper employs an agent-based model to evaluate quantitatively six policy designs with varying degrees of responsiveness for adjusting a feed-in tariff for solar photovoltaics in three countries – Germany, Spain, and Switzerland – for over a decade. Our first finding confirms that more responsive policy designs tended to produce policies that meet their goals more accurately and certainly. Between the least and the most responsive designs, deviation from policy goals was reduced by 60% and uncertainty was reduced by more than 50%. Our results also suggest that policy responsiveness could have diminishing returns: improvements in the policy's accuracy and certainty tended to become smaller while policy costs per capita tended to become larger as design responsiveness increased. Finally, simulation results show how country-specific attributes influence the diffusion pattern of the technology. These findings have major implications for the design of future deployment policies supporting the diffusion of clean energy technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Economic valuation assumes preference stability which is not confirmed by evidence. • We show that this is also the case for long-term water quality improvements. • Preference instability might reflect policy failures and not breach economic theory. • Policy inefficacy might increase protest behavior and decrease willingness to pay. • Economic valuation should consider potential biases from management performance. The Water Framework Directive (WFD) establishes that Programme of Measures (PoMs) to manage aquatic ecosystems have to be assessed to determine whether the benefits obtained from the good ecological status outweigh the costs. Stated preference methods have been widely applied to estimate non-market benefits of improved ecological status, assuming that respondents declare their true preferences that are stable over time. However, evidence on preference stability is mixed in the literature. The objective of this paper is to study preference stability towards water bodies improvement. As the WFD implementation has been delayed and have proven to be a greater challenge than expected, we focus on the effects of policy implementation failures on preference stability. We analyse two contingent valuation surveys to assess environmental values for the case of the Mar Menor (SE Spain) in years 2010 and 2017. We find higher protest response rate, changing indirect utility functions towards good ecological status and decreased WTPs in 2017. It indicates that public valuation might fail to adhere to rational economic premises when public authorities fail to reach environmental objectives and/or PoMs are not correctly implemented. Decision making based on stated preferences should carefully consider potential biases emerging from management performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Optimal design approach for carbon-neural residential communities is outlined. • The design approach is applied to residential communities in Barcelona, Spain. • Energy efficiency measures combined with wind turbines are found to provide cost-effective options. This paper investigates the optimal retrofit solutions for residential communities to be carbon neutral in Barcelona, Spain. In particular, three different sizes for the residential communities are considered depending on the number of housing units: small, medium, and large. First, the best cost-effective energy efficiency measures (EEMs) have been determined and applied to all the buildings of the communities, in order to reduce their overall energy demand. The retrofit optimization results demonstrate that combinations of passive and active strategies would achieve source energy use saving and electrical peak demand savings up to 57% and 29%, respectively. Then, a variety of renewable energy generation systems has been explored to determine the optimal grid-connected technologies for meeting the electricity demands while achieving annual carbon neutral conditions for the residential buildings. The analysis shows that wind turbines can reduce the cost of electricity generation up to 21.5% compared to the current utility prices (LCOE value as 0.247 €/kWh) and electricity sell back policies. The results indicate that for PV systems to compete with wind turbines, their capital costs need to be lower by at least 40% compared to the current level costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]