Search

E, S, and G: Environmental, Social, and Governance is a framework regarding the sustainability of legal entities. The EU through Regulations and Directives by setting a minimum mandatory threshold for environmental protection, climate change, green deal, social responsibility, and corporate governance aims to unify the rules in member states towards a holistic approach relating to economic growth and social fairness. In that regard, Greece and Cyprus hold obligations to adopt the EU legislation and policies. This paper focuses on two objectives, i.e., the analysis of compliance in terms of Greek and Cypriot laws and the broader response of business practices to embrace the EU and national laws and policies for ESG investments, operations, and growth. The paper uses two main methods, i.e., a review the of literature and qualitative methods of legal and comparative analysis under a holistic approach. As a conclusion of the findings of this paper, it is stated that the ESG factors regarding corporate sustainability are now a general framework of guiding principles in the EU and both in Greece and Cyprus both at legislative and practical levels under a broader, holistic approach. This approach further guides the interconnection of environmental protection, climate change issues, social responsibility, and corporate governance as key factors for sustainability, growth, and wealth for the future in the EU, in Greece and Cyprus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new assessment method named GEOAM (geoeducational assessment method), that will be a useful tool for highlighting the geoeducational and geoethical value of a geosite, is proposed. This method takes into account, initially, 11 criteria, which are grouped into 8 categories. Each criterion addresses a different aspect of the geosite's potential for promoting sustainable development, environmental management, and education. A simplified scoring system using a scale of 1–5 is used, where each criterion is scored based on the degree to which it is presented or implemented. The method was piloted in eight geotopes of the Kalymnos Island and five geotopes of the Nisyros Island, in the SE Aegean Sea, Greece. The implementation of this assessment method highlighted the geoeducational value of these geosites. Based on the criteria and subcriteria incorporated in GEOAM, this paper discusses GEOAM's potential to promote sustainable development and rational environmental management by directing educators and stakeholders toward actions that conserve and protect geoheritage for future generations, while also contributing to the economic, social, and cultural development of the surrounding communities. By quantifying the geoeducational potential of geosites and integrating essential concepts such as geoconservation and geoethics, the implementation of this new assessment method can benefit the educational community, tourism industry, and environmental conservation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the examination of the mediating role of attitudes in the assumed relationship between values and conservation behaviour. SEM analysis revealed casual relationships between transcendent values (universalism and benevolence) and environmental unconcern as well as between environmental unconcern and conservation behaviour. The interference of attitudes in the relationship between values and behaviour tripled the percentage of variance explained. It was concluded that consumers, who value equality among people, tolerance, harmony, justice among all humans (high universalism values) and try to help people (high benevolence values) are more likely to minimise unconcern regarding environmental issues. It is exactly this attitudinal position that guides them to conserve water and energy in their households more frequently than their counterparts do. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aviation is a basic necessity of our world, but its contribution to air pollution is considered significant. In this paper, the contribution of air traffic to air pollution levels in the area of the three larger airports of Greece is examined through the use of EDMS (Emission and Dispersion Modeling System), a regulatory model proposed by the US EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency). To ensure a better understanding of air traffic contribution to air quality levels, the hourly aircraft movements along with the corresponding meteorological data for a whole year, 2009, were taken into account. During this year, air traffic peaked both in Greece as a total and in each of the three airports of this work. Airport emissions calculated by EDMS are found to be in good agreement with emissions monitored at Athens International Airport as well as with emission results and published data for International Zurich Airport. Concentration results have shown that PM10 and SO2 concentrations are well below the limit values, whereas NO2 concentrations exceeding limit value are expected in small areas under specific circumstances, when heavy air traffic coincides with meteorological conditions favoring air pollutant accumulation. Finally, the comparison of computational results with monitoring air quality data shows a good agreement, if other sources of air pollution are excluded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose — The present paper attempts to prove that social resilience to environmental risks should be considered as a potential mechanism of transfer of vulnerability from one social actor to another and/or transformation of vulnerability to one risk to vulnerability to another. This means that social resilience should not be treated always as a desirable attitude; it is desirable under certain conditions only. Design/methodology/approach — Widespread views are challenged by alleging both theoretical knowledge and empirical outcomes. By carrying out insights to the epistemological roots of the concept resilience, its use in the domains of ecology, social and behavioural sciences, and actual experiences of resilience processes to risks in Greece, the author re-integrates resilience analysis in the context of systemic understanding of society, the environment and interrelations between the two. Findings — The paper introduces a clear dissociation of individualized from collective resilience and evidences that these two forms may come in conflict. Besides it indicates that assessment of resilience impacts on vulnerability is possible only by taking into account the systemic interconnections between community actors, on the one hand, and between environmental, natural and socio-economic risks, on the other. The paper provides a methodological approach to the identity of a resilience process, an approach based on the determinant factors of resilience: the agency performing the process, the utilized resources, the stimulus and modus operandi, spatial and temporal range of the process and impacts on several aspects of vulnerability. Practical implications — Acknowledgement of social resilience to risks as a mechanism of transfer and/or transformation of vulnerability entails radical changes in planning philosophy. Planning should focus more on keeping the effects of individualized resilience within the constraints of the wider community interest and environmental sustainability objectives, i.e. vulnerability reduction for all and vis-à-vis all risk aspects. Originality/value — The paper reverses widespread optimism about social resilience to environmental risks as a universally positive process and a panacea for dealing with social vulnerability. It introduces a new methodology for evaluating virtual impacts on vulnerability and revises the guiding principles and given assumptions of risk mitigation planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes cost data pertinent to the municipal wastewater treatment plants (MWTP) in Greece. First, data have been collected with onsite visits and contain the land size necessary for a MWTP, the construction cost, and the operation and maintenance cost of existing wastewater treatment facilities. Second, they come from analytical budgeting of natural wastewater treatment system units. Twelve equations of the form ln Yi=A0i+A1i ln Xi are estimated both with ordinary least squares (OLS) and fuzzy linear regression (FLR). The root mean square error and the mean absolute error are used as fitting measures for the comparison of the OLS with the fuzzy estimations. It is shown that the FLR did produce very similar estimates but slightly inferior to those of OLS in most of the cases for these particular datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper sets out to describe the level of corporate environmental responsibility of the Greek industrial sector. While the level of corporate socially responsible behaviour has been widely explored in the context of Northern European industry, the theoretical work surrounding the level of CSR practices of Greek industry is underdeveloped. A qualitative study was designed to increase awareness about the level of environmental responsibility of two Greek firms, which represented the chemical/fertilizer and metal sectors. The empirical findings suggest that a number of factors, both internal and external, determine the level of environmental policy and performance of the two companies. The environmental policy of the companies appears also to relate to the sector of operation. The paper concludes that the Greek business actor should look at his workforce in order to accelerate the environmental activities of the organization. With regard to the theory of CSR, it is argued that the development of a model of CSR is aided by the study and identification of factors that support and/or undermine the socially responsible behaviour of the European corporate sector. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The designation and management of protected areas (PAs) is a challenging task significantly influenced by numerous parameters, both economic and social. In this paper, these issues are explored by means of an empirical survey in a PA of international importance in Greece: the National Park of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (NPEMT). In particular, the survey explored the knowledge and perceptions of different interest groups concerning environmental issues in general, awareness of the restrictions imposed by the current management framework, benefits connected with the designation of the PA and willingness of individuals to pay for protection of the NPEMT. These interest groups were created depending on their level and type of involvement with PA issues. The results revealed a low level of awareness, indicating that further efforts should be conducted, both by the state and non-governmental organisations, to inform the local community and visitors about the existence of the PA and also the social and economic benefits resulting from its creation. Furthermore, the level of knowledge and perceptions of individuals about the NPEMT varies according to the social groups examined. Finally, individuals are willing to pay €94.08 annually for protection of the park, although there was a high percentage of protest responses. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In the present paper, the possibility of the treated municipal wastewater (TMWW) reuse in agriculture, produced by the Wastewater Treatment Plants of Aitoloakarnania prefecture, one of the greatest agricultural regions of Greece, has been investigated. The boundaries of agricultural soils and the irrigated crops were defined, and the water requirements of crops were calculated. Also the chemical characteristics of the TMWW were determined for the safe reuse in crop production, and for the protection of soils from potential pollution. The research conducted in this area is expected to constitute the basis for an integrated TMWW reuse planning in soils and crops, in the context of sustainable agriculture, and environmental protection. It must be mentioned that the Messolongion-Aitolikon lagoon is in the area under investigation, one of the largest wetland ecosystem of Mediterranean region, which makes the area ecologically sensitive. The ultimate scope of this study is to describe the planning of the TMWW reuse on the basis of soil characteristics, climatic factors, and irrigation water requirements of the crops, grown in this ecologically sensitive area. The volume of the effluents produced by the wastewater treatment plants of Messolonghion, Agrinion, Nafpaktos, Aitoliko and Thermo could cover 19.3%, 25.14%, >100%, 17.18 and 87.84% of the irrigation water requirements, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper aims at planning the treated municipal wastewater reuse in fragile ecosystems of Messolonghion lagoon and Acheloos estuary, which are protected as a Natura wetland under the Ramsar Treaty. The need for environmental protection of the wetlands became necessary due to the continuing anthropogenic intervention, as well as to the climate changes that have been occurring in recent years. Relevant studies have shown that the lagoon of Messolonghion and Acheloos estuary are ecosystems that have been burdened by anthropogenic activities (pesticides, fertilizers, overexploitation of underground aquifers, intrusion and land use change), as well as by climatic changes (temperature, precipitation, sea level), which altogether have adversely affected the hydrodynamic and ecological balance of the entire ecosystem. The Messolonghion lagoon and Acheloos estuary are also the recipients of the wastewater processing plant effluents, operating locally, which have over-enriched the waters with macronutrients N, P and K, favouring eutrophication. The municipal wastewater reuse for crop irrigation grown in the protected area appears to be an environmentally acceptable solution for alleviating the natural water shortage, since it could save significant amounts of irrigation water as well as it could reduce the adverse effects of the treated effluents discharge into the aquatic ecosystem. This study describes the planning of the treated wastewater reuse in this ecologically sensitive area, on the basis of the geomorphologic and geotechnical characteristics, climatic factors, and crop irrigation water requirements grown in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, modern, eco-friendly and cost-efficient ideas to enhance the competitiveness and to promote Green Ports are presented by taking into account the current situation of the ports, as well as the current legislation regarding the protection of the environment. This study is based on a bibliography survey, examining two Greek ports as case studies and investigating the integration and adaptation of the environmental legislation, national, international and European, in order to suggest improvements to move towards the idea of the perfect Green Port.This paper first introduces the idea of the green port. Then, the main legislation in force in Greece and Europe is briefly described aiming to answer the question if existent legislation leads to green ports or not. The existent situation in two Greek ports, the actions, and the measures that need to be made and taken in order to turn the Greek ports into Green ports are examined as case studies. The two Greek ports are the port of Igoumenitsa and the port of Patras This paper presents the main characteristics that feature a Green port. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper summarizes the results of a study concerning the operation of industrial plants and their effects to the environment. It also addresses, shortly, the consequences to the quality of human life and proposes potential measures that may contribute to the reduction of the negative environmental impacts. The relatively small organized Industrial Area of Alexandroupolis (Greece) is examined as a case study. In particular, the activities of its major industrial facilities are presented and their emissions to the environment are examined. In addition, the socio-economic aspects of the operation of the Industrial Area are studied. The results of the study showed that the operation of the Industrial Area has specific negative effects in the natural environment of the region and in the quality of life of the residents. Methodological and legislative tools, such as control systems for the environmental pollution, the green chemistry, and the environmental management systems, may be employed to assist the prevention and confrontation of environmental problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - To study the impact of River Nestos (North Greece) dams construction on coastal morphology. Design/methodology/approach - In order to study the evolution of the coastal morphology in the area, an "one-line shoreline change model" was developed (PELNCON). The model's input comprises the field characteristics, the wave characteristics at the breaker line and a "source" term for the sediment supply rate by River Nestos. The model calculates the shoreline change over a given period of time. The annually transported sediment quantity by the river is estimated using filed measurements and other models' results for various sites along the Greek part of the hydrologic basin of Nestos (Nestos is a transboundary river extending along Greece and Bulgaria). Findings - The "PELNCON" results demonstrate a serious erosion threat for the coastal area due to the sediment budget deficit of about 1.8 × 106 m3/year. Research limitations/implications - The developed model is subject to common structural weaknesses of computational modelling based on the one-line shoreline change theory. Practical implications - The developed model is user-friendly and can be applied to any coastal area of known characteristics, providing realistic results. Originality/value - This paper is an attempt to model the correlation between two large-scale phenomena, namely coastal erosion and water/sediment management in river basins, setting at the same time the basis for further study on this particular scientific field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of the environmental dimension into sectoral and regional policies constitutes a dominant concern of the current EU strategy for sustainable development. Thus, physical planning as an instrument of environmental policy and its combination with environmental planning, both at a policy as well as implementation level is a key pursuit in almost all European countries. In Greece, the adoption of a concept about a rational and unified approach of physical and environmental planning has met with many difficulties. The aim of this paper is to contribute towards a critical approach of recent developments, mainly in the field of the institutional framework for spatial and environmental planning in Greece. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impervious land expansion is linked to ecosystem fragmentation and degradation, posing threats to nature conservation and multiplying climate change impacts. This is particularly true on the Mediterranean coast, where persistent urbanization is coupled with tourism development, further intensifying coastal erosion, flood risk, heat stress and biodiversity loss, while decreasing carbon sequestration. In this research, high-resolution imperviousness data were analyzed through a geospatial methodology to detect patterns and processes in a heavily burdened Mediterranean coastal area, namely Greece. The methodology was structured on a set of GIS tools, analyzing the distribution of new impervious cover between 2006 and 2018, to evaluate pressures exerted on coastal territories and on the environmental protection network. The results revealed relatively slow rates of impervious land expansion at a nationwide scale, mostly attributed to the economic recession period in Greece. However, certain locations exhibited continuing artificialization of land even within Natura 2000 areas, while future pressures on coastal territories are expected to increase due to the restarting of construction activity and the continuing dynamic of the mass tourism sector. The conclusions imply that controlling for imperviousness is important in order to develop spatial planning policies for climate resilience, which should be decisively enforced in the Mediterranean to prevent a business-as-usual scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As part of the European Green Deal, the EU aims to become climate-neutral and reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Lignite has long dominated the electricity system of Greece, providing cheap and reliable energy, given the abundant and low-cost domestic resources at the cost of increased emission. In line with its national and international commitments to climate action, Greece needs to urgently transform its energy system and overcome its technological lock-ins, paving the way for a net-zero emission economy by the mid-century. The Internet of Things plays a significant role in this direction, providing with its technologies the protection of the environment and creating new jobs. The smart bins constitute an interesting proposal for areas in the energy transition. This research work reflects the current situation in the region of Western Macedonia and proposes the smart bin project as a part of the solution in the transition to the post-lignite era. For this purpose, survey research has been conducted in the municipalities of Greece on waste management technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, sustainability and sustainable development are issues that concern society due to the high degree of pollution and the measures taken that, in many cases, do not prove their efficiency. Economic entities are aware that their involvement in the community has become necessary for the sustainable development of any business. The promotion of responsibility towards the environment is an important principle of corporate social responsibility (CSR), which is becoming an obligation that can no longer be exempted. Our intention in this paper was to study the changes generated by the European Union (EU) Directive 2014/95 regarding the manner in which oil entities listed at the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BSE) and the Athens Stock Exchange (ATHEX) between 2014 and 2018, report environment-related information. We also identified whether entities in fields that are known as polluting were more sensitive to environmental factors and if they tended to report more information compared to other business sectors. To achieve these objectives, we used qualitative and quantitative research. Namely, we analyzed the entities' non-financial reports, to identify their social responsibility actions, and we tested if they were correlated with the environment protection and also with the 2014/95 European directive stipulations. For the entities operating in this polluting area, demonstrating transparency regarding the efforts and investments made to counteract the environmental impacts is important. Non-financial corporate reporting can be an opportunity to integrate sustainability into a company's business practices and strategies to obtain benefits and to increase efficiency and, thus, to increase stakeholder confidence. The contribution of our study is to highlight the importance of non-financial information for the sustainable development of companies and the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the pillars of sustainability in health care units is environmental protection. Although an EU-wide dental amalgam phase-out legislation exists, quantities of this material are still to be found in the market, dental offices or in the mouths of patients. The purpose of this study is to record the views of dentists and dental students in Greece regarding the use and safety of dental amalgam for people and the environment as well as their attitudes towards its restriction and disposal. Materials and methods: Two different questionnaires, through Google forms, were filled by each group. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the variables. The chi-square test or the chi-square test with Yates correction was used to examine potential differences per group (p-value = 0.05). Overall, 564 people participated in this study; 462 (81.9%) dentists (N1) and 102 (18.1%) dental students (N2). Results: Both groups agreed that they no longer use dental amalgam often. Dentists (39.8%) and students (36.4%) consider amalgam to have a moderate burden on the environment. This answer differed significantly per year of profession and year of undergraduate studies, respectively, with dentists from 6–25 years in the profession and 4th-year students, being the least aware on the environmental footprint of dental amalgam. Further, professionals (70%) and students (60%) believe that dental amalgam has a hazardous impact on patient's health, at all or to a small extent. For staff health, dentists reported at a moderate degree dangerous impact (32.9%) while students (36.4%), respectively. The impact on patients and staff health, were found to differ significantly per region of practicing dentistry for both groups. Finally, there were suggestions made from both groups about the necessity of information sharing on amalgam and mercury safety and the impact on the environment at the level of professional organizations. Conclusions: Students, younger dentists and those living in non-urban regions seem to be more sensitive to the environmental impact of amalgam use, disposal, and health of people. Environmental issues should be addressed thoroughly by professional organizations, enhancing relevant activities for all people involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the EU countries, Greece relies heavily on coal the most, and it has lagged behind in cutting emissions. Further, following the oil crisis of the 1970s, Greece has strategically invested in lignite. Solid fossil fuels such as lignite are classified as fossil fuels that are detrimental to environmental performance. This continued burning of fossil fuels has emerged as one of the most serious concerns in Greece, even globally. The aim is to capture the effect of energy productivity on carbon dioxide emissions (CO2E) in Greece while controlling trade openness, energy consumption, and economic growth. Toward this end, we employ a nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag (NARDL) model and other econometric robust techniques. The findings of the study are as follows: (i) trade openness positively impacts carbon emissions growth; (ii) economic growth adds to increased CO2E; (iii) expanding energy productivity is beneficial to the environment as it causes CO2E to decline; and (iv) increase in energy consumptions further results in CO2 cutbacks. The recommendation of our study suggests some innovative policies to counter the detrimental effects of carbon emissions by an increase in energy efficiency for the Greek economy. The study recommends that embracing a low-carbon, resource-efficient, and circular economy is of paramount importance to Greece in order to ensure environmental protection, as well as to boost green growth, create new jobs, and combat unemployment. Greece should ensure that energy efficiency techniques are promoted, and renewable energy sources are expanded in order to increase the options for cleaner alternatives and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, thus preserving the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest fires are of critical importance in the Mediterranean region. Fire weather indices are meteorological indices that produce information about the impact as well as the characteristics of a fire event in an ecosystem and have been developed for that reason. This study explores the spatiotemporal patterns of the FWI system within a study area defined by the boundaries of the Greek state. The FWI has been calculated and studied for current and future periods using data from the CFSR reanalysis model from the National Centers for Environmental Protection (NCEP) as well as data from NASA satellite programs and the European Commission for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECWMF) in the form of netCDF files. The calculation and processing of the results were conducted in the Python programming language, and additional drought- and fire-related indices were calculated, such as the standardized precipitation index (SPI), number of consecutive 50-day dry periods (Dry50), the Fosberg fire weather index (FFWI), the days where the FWI exceeds values of 40 and 50 days (FWI > 40) and (days FWI > 50). Similar patterns can easily be noted for all indices that seem to have their higher values concentrated in the southeast of the country owing to the higher temperatures and more frequent drought events that affect the indices' behavior in both the current and future periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The current economic downturn has put public budgets under pressure, reducing investments and revenues for local stakeholders to cope, among other things, with contemporary demands of environmental protection. Local-based partnerships may provide an efficient tool by adopting, integrating and implementing actions based on awareness and participation of a set of different players. This need is even more evident in rural areas in which a proposed decentralized bio-energy production model established in Agro-energy districtscan provide incentive and create a comfortable ground for the development of an energy production plant based on a mixed public-private partnership. Drawing on the implementation of a European co-funded research project the paper presents the efforts being made to build a partnership at a local level in order to cover the lack of an institutional plan and public investment for handling biomass production. Our aim is not primarily to present the best technical solution to bio-energy production but rather to illustrate the networking between different players, the public consultation, and the agreements being made under the form of Public Private Partnerships, as well as the levels of commitment and the risks taken. The gist of this study is that despite the civic engagements the inconsistent administrative environment, the dominance of the public sector and the State intervention through legislation and different political decisions, makes it still difficult for local partnerships to exercise their power and turn from government to governance in order to cope with the environmental challenges and tackle inequalities faced in rural areas. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We examine how the changes in migration patterns and humanitarian assistance policies in response to the 2015–2016 migration crisis in Greece affected unaccompanied migrant children's access to shelters in Greece. Forty-four migrant youth aged 18–21 who arrived in Greece as unaccompanied children were recruited for in-depth interviews regarding their experiences in Greece. Life history calendars were constructed to establish the sequence of events and changes in living situations. We found that after EU-Turkey Statement was signed in March of 2016, unaccompanied minors' experience of the humanitarian border changed according to the route by which they entered Greece. The policy changes that were implemented in March 2016 created new disparities in access to child protection settings based on minors' route of entry into Greece. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The latest developments in the field of energy supply, along with the major issue of the environment protection, set new priorities and yardsticks concerning the energy policies implemented worldwide. The development and implementation of effective energy conservation policies has been a target of the European Union ever since the days when it was still called European Economic Community. In this framework, and despite the successes already monitored, the need for further energy conservation in the building sector is a both an aim and a tool. Emphasis is being placed on the residential building stock and the improvement of its energy performance. Greece has been one of the last countries to adopt the Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings. A thorough research regarding the nature of the Greek residential building stock helps in highlighting the problems associated with this delay, but also the perspectives for catching up with the other EU member states and achieving the aims set for the coming years. This paper aims at providing detailed information on the residential urban building stock, as determined in a field study in typical big and smaller Greek cities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The capacity expansion planning is a crucial process taking into account multiple aspects and various parameters of the examined power sector in order to optimally satisfy the future electricity demand. In the case of Greece, the long-term energy planning of the electricity supply sector faces a lot of challenges deriving from the peculiarities and geomorphology of the country mainly referring to the large number of islands. This paper explores the feasibility and the consequences of interconnecting Greek islands to the mainland grid by establishing two alternative scenarios of least cost electricity planning for the period 2009–2020. Namely, the reference scenario assumes isolated electric systems of islands and is compared against the alternative option of their interconnection to the mainland. The main purpose of the present study is to illustrate the great importance of islands’ interconnection on the development of renewable energy sources (RES) to generate electricity while pointing out the consequent economic and environmental benefits. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Monitoring of natural gas (NG) pipelines is an important task for economical/safety operation, loss prevention and environmental protection. Timely and reliable leak detection of gas pipeline, therefore, plays a key role in the overall integrity management for the pipeline system. Owing to the various limitations of the currently available techniques and the surveillance area that needs to be covered, the research on new detector systems is still thriving. Biosensors are worldwide considered as a niche technology in the environmental market, since they afford the desired detector capabilities at low cost, provided they have been properly designed/developed and rationally placed/networked/maintained by the aid of operational research techniques. This paper addresses NG leakage surveillance through a robust cooperative/synergistic scheme between biosensors and conventional detector systems; the network is validated in situ and optimized in order to provide reliable information at the required granularity level. The proposed scheme is substantiated through a knowledge based approach and relies on Fuzzy Multicriteria Analysis (FMCA), for selecting the best biosensor design that suits both, the target analyte and the operational micro-environment. This approach is illustrated in the design of leak surveying over a pipeline network in Greece. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The paper introduces a new methodology for the prediction of daily PM10 concentrations, in line with the regulatory framework introduced through the EU Directive 2008/50/EC. The proposed approach is based on the efficient utilisation of the data collected over short time intervals (hourly) rather than the daily values used to derive the daily regulatory threshold. It is sufficiently simple and easily applicable in operational forecasting systems with the ability to accept as inputs both historical data and exogenous paraeters, such as meteorological variables. The application of the proposed methodology is demonstrated using data from five monitoring stations of air pollutants located in Athens, over a five year period (2000–2004) as well as compatible meteorological data from the NCEP (National Centers for Environmental Protection). A set of different models have been tested at the same time to reveal the effectiveness of the proposed approach, both univariate and multivariate, and linear and non-linear models. The analysis of all examined datasets has shown conclusive evidence that the introduction of the newly developed procedure which utilises data collected over a shorter horizon can significantly increase the forecasting ability of any developed model using daily historic PM10 data, under all examined metrics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This article presents an examination of pro-environmental purchasing behaviour (PPB) and how it is influenced by demographics, environmental knowledge (a factor rather neglected so far) and attitudes (environmental unconcern). PPB was found to be adopted at a rather low level; less than 20% of Greeks may be characterized as relatively frequent pro-environmental purchasers. The higher scores were obtained with reference to energy and water conservation, reduction of overall consumption and avoidance of products containing genetically modified organisms. The consumers also declared they very often choose the eco-friendly alternative of a product when there is no significant price difference. The results indicated that professionals, 35–55 years old, holding a graduate and/or a postgraduate degree and with an annual income of 25–30 thousand Euros are those who are more engaged in PPB in Greece. PPB was found to be correlated positively and moderately with environmental knowledge and negatively and moderately with environmental unconcern. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most serious problems of our times is the protection of the environment. Within this framework, a significant contribution is made by environmental organisations in raising awareness among the public in order to resolve a great number of environmental concerns. The most important tool for the achievement of this goal is the implementation of public relations programmes through a public relations officer, as fragmented actions carried out by any other member of the organisation are considered ineffective. Consequently, the basic question in this case, lies in identifying the characteristics of the organisations that do actually operate in an effective manner. Data concerning environmental organisations was gathered through a structured questionnaire and processed using the non-linear principal components analysis technique from the statistical program SPSS. The main result of this research was that those environmental organisations that do have a public relations officer are usually those with the greatest amount of members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Greece was among the last countries in the European Union to adopt the EU Directives on Environmental Impact Assessment, upgrading the previously existing legislative framework. The aim of the present paper was to appraise the quality of a randomly selected sample of EISs using non-obligatory but quality-related indicators and to evaluate the overall quality of these studies produced in Greece during the last decade (1993–2003). It was found that the majority of these EISs performed rather poorly in respect of most indicators used and there was little evidence of improvement with time. It is concluded that the authorities in charge still have little experience in coping with the increasing bulk of project submissions and are primarily interested in conformity with formal requirements rather than in reliable predictions and in overall quality of the EIA procedure. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The linkage between environmental research and environmental policy is conceived as part of a model of policy formation within which four distinct domains interact: the bureaucratic , the economic , the academic and the civic , with the bureaucratic domain being responsible for policy delivery. Supranational and sub-national effects are missing from this model, considering recent initiatives at the EU level, which have spurred 'green research' within the academic cultures of member countries. Furthermore, research on the interaction between the bureaucratic and academic domains is in its infancy. This paper addresses these issues by analysing the main funding sources of environmental research in Greece, and the roles and capacity of researchers from the natural and social sciences. Various indicators are employed to assess the impact of environmental research on policy, including the formalization of the process by which research results are utilized, and the researchers' views on such issues as the value of research and its use by the government, interdisciplinarities and future direction of environmental research. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is intended as a contribution to the continuing discussion on the problem of site definition in surface survey. The data are drawn from the results of surveys undertaken by the author on the islands of Kephallenia and Lefkas off the western coast of Greece. Following a brief description of the islands, the aims and strategies of the surveys are described. Some methodologies are then proposed that can aid the researcher in the decision-making process in the field and allow for testing and reassessment of those decisions later. It is argued that sites are only part of a continuum of artifact distribution and that they can only be defined in relation to visibility and to the level of surface artifact density across the entire study region; this material is also referred to as ‘background noise.’ [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open pit exploitation of the Kirki high sulfidation epithermal deposit (Thrace, NE Greece) resulted in the formation of an acidic pit lake by infilling of the open cast by rain and draining waters after mine closure. Three case-specific PHREEQC geochemical models were developed including "Direct Precipitation", "Evaporation", and "Mixing with Rain water" to simulate the environmental conditions through the year, and to investigate the behavior of the acidic and rich in heavy metals waters of the pit lake. Scanning Electron Microscopy examination revealed the predominance of jarosite species and goethite in the mineral precipitate, followed by lower amounts of hematite, schwertmannite and anglesite. According to PHREEQC modeling, jarosite species formation is favored during both dry and wet periods, while the presence of schwertmannite, goethite, hematite and anglesite depicts the fluctuation of the physicochemical conditions through the year. These phases play a key role in controlling the As and Pb dissolved concentrations, mainly through adsorption and co-precipitation; whereas, the soluble metals Zn, Cd and Mn remain dissolved. The current status of the Kirki open pit system is the most stable for the environment; therefore, a case-specific remediation plan focused on both the protection of the environment and the preservation of the Kirki open pit is proposed. The socio-economic benefits of such an approach could include increased tourist numbers due to case-oriented tourism, enhancement of local economy, education; whereas, this approach is also cost effective relative to other proposed remediation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A structured questionnaire was administered to assess Greek pre-service primary teachers' knowledge, attitudes, and self-reported behavior toward marine pollution issues. Exploratory factor analysis revealed several factors, all demonstrating adequate internal consistency, and showed that pre-service teachers demonstrated a moderate level of knowledge about marine pollution issues, although they also held misconceptions. They scored high or relatively high on all attitude factors, and scored moderately high on individual action and low on collective action. These findings can contribute to the design and implementation of teacher education programs focused on the marine environment and its conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, starting with the main characteristics of the mining and metallurgical industry and its values we attempt to propose mining activities that take into account the environmentally sensitive area of Greek islands. We seek to create opportunities for a development beyond the tourism and the creation of conditions for the utilization the primary sources of the local economy. We formed three action guidelines. The first relates to the importance of identification and registration of the mineral potential of each island; regardless of the intent to go or not into mining. The second concerns the utilization of underground mining technology that in these cases allow competitive mining and environmental protection. The third put consideration in the research and rehabilitation of former mining or industrial sites in order through this approach to achieve familiarity between people of the region and some of the characters of technological thinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ambient aerosol concentrations have been implicated in human health effects, in visibility reduction in urban and regional areas, in acid deposition and in perturbing the Earth’s radiation balance. The main concern of the air quality managers is to achieve compliance to the established air quality standards (AQS). As AQS are exceeded in numerous sites worldwide, it is essential to reduce the emissions. Having decided which statistical distribution fits well to the PM10 parent distribution, it is feasible to estimate the reduction in emissions that is required in order to meet AQS. In this study, it is verified that the PM10 concentration distribution can be adequately simulated by lognormal distribution, a conclusion drawn by the calculation of several statistical indexes. The study area is the city of Volos in central Greece, which is experiencing an unpleasant situation concerning the levels of PM10 pollution. The probability density function of lognormal distribution is capable to predict the number of days when the European Union (EU) AQS for PM10 concentration are exceeded in Volos area. Furthermore, the minimum reduction in current emission sources of PM10 required in order to meet the air quality regulations that are established by the EU is calculated for the study area and is found to be ~33%. The results could be utilized as reference for air pollution control strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. This paper examines the business external environment scanning theory for information in the context of Greece. Method. A questionnaire was developed to explore the relationships between general and task business environment, perceived uncertainty, scanning strategy, and sources of information with respect to type of environment, size and industry. The research was based on a sample of 144 private organizations operating in North Greece. Analysis. Data collected were analysed using SPSS. The statistical procedures of chi-squared homogeneity test, ANOVA, Duncan's test of homogeneity of means, and related samples t-test were followed for testing the hypotheses developed. Results. The results show that perceived uncertainty of the general and task business external environment factors depend on the type of the environment, size of organization, and industry where the organizations operate; organizations adapt their scanning strategy to the complexity of the environment; personal sources of information seem to be more important than impersonal sources; external sources of information are equally important with internal sources; and higher levels of environmental uncertainty are associated with higher levels of scanning the various sources. Conclusion. Business external environment scanning of information is influenced by the characteristics of the organizations themselves and by the characteristics of the external environment within which the organizations operate. The study contributes to both environmental scanning theory and has important messages for practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fourteen sediment samples from the banks of river Nestos, Northern Greece, were collected, extracted with HNO3 and analyzed for their content in 10 major and 32 trace elements. The analytical methods used were ICP-OES and ICP-MS. The results indicate that the sediments in the northern Greek part of the river have the highest elemental concentrations partly because of human activities, but mainly due to natural processes. The two dams that have been constructed in the middle course play a buffering role on the elemental content, for all the elements analyzed, of the river sediments, decreasing downstream concentrations and sediment load. An increase of concentrations is newly observed in the low course and delta because of the mobilization of fine sediments by natural processes and agricultural practices. The comparison of the river sediment contents with contaminated land guidelines has not revealed any potentially dangerous concentrations for the elements analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the 1990s the Greek economy has posed a unique international paradox, combining relatively strong growth rates with a very weak performance on many other fronts ranging from poor labour and product market institutions and low competitiveness to poor environmental protection and high levels of corruption. The recent economic and social turbulence in Greece is a result of this paradox. What is the explanation for this situation? What reforms are necessary to change it? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the question of newspaper journalists' education in environmental matters, the role of the newspapers as an informal means of environmental education, and the approach of provincial and national newspapers in Greece, noting deficiencies. The minor contribution of scientists to newspaper articles is highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An approach to measuring environmental quality and trends in coal mining and industrial areas was attempted in this work. For this purpose, the establishment of a reference scale characterizing the status of environmental quality is proposed by developing an Environmental Quality Index (EQI). The methodology involves three main components: social research, the opinion of environmental experts, and the combination of new or existing indices. A survey of public opinion was carried out to identify the main environmental problems in the region of interest. Environmental experts carried out a survey, and the weights of specific environmental problems were obtained through a fuzzy Delphi method and pairwise comparison. The weight attributed to each environmental problem was computed, using new or existing indices (subindices) in the relevant literature. The EQI comprises a combination of the subindices with their own weights. The methodology was applied to a heavily industrialized coal basin in northwestern Macedonia, Greece. The results show that the new index may be used as a reliable tool for evaluating environmental quality in different areas. In addition, the study of EQI trends on an interannual basis can provide useful information on the efficiency of environmental policies already implemented by the responsible authorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses environmental law presented before the European Commission as of July 2004. Commission of the European Communities' application for a declaration that the Hellenic Republic was in breach of obligations under the Directive 91/271/EEC on urban waste water treatment; Proceedings brought against the EDF in relation to damage caused by the discharge of fresh water from a hydroelectric power station into a saltwater marsh connected to the Mediterranean.

This study attempts to examine issues related to the existing adverse relationship between regional economic development and natural environment protection. For doing so, a regional environmental input-output model for the region of central Macedonia in northern Greece is constructed in order to quantify the direct and indirect undesirable negative effects of the production process in the natural environment. The results suggest that there is a considerable trade-off between economic development and environmental deterioration which should be taken into account when policy decisions are made. (JEL Q10) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green growth is about merging environmental and social protection with economic growth. The OECD countries follow the progress toward greening though a set of indicators. The aim of the study is to analyze the condition and development of the OECD countries using a set of green growth indicators. The univariate and multivariate statistical approach was used to identify the main features of green growth development in two time spans. The achieved success of the OECD countries toward the green growth was measured from period 1 (years 2000–2009) to period 2 (years 2010–2019). For stimulant indicators, an increase was achieved, while for the destimulant variables, a decrease was reached between the analyzed periods. CO2 productivity increased by more than 31%, material productivity by 25%, and the energy productivity by nearly 21%. From the ecological point of view, a positive sign was achieved by an intensive increase of the percentage of municipal waste treatment by recycling or composting. The real GDP increased between periods in each of the OECD countries, except in Greece. The destimulant indicators decreased over time. The mortality declined by about 20% from exposure to ambient PM2.5 and thus the welfare costs of premature death from exposure to PM2.5 also declined. The decline of the mean population exposure to PM2.5 by 12.5% on average for the OECD countries is a positive signal for environmental protection and public health of the OECD population. Some uncertainty exists as the municipal waste generated per capita decreased only slightly by 2%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Appraises the methodological, institutional and political consequences of the British and Greek governments' enactment of the European Council Proposal for a Council Directive on the assessment of environmental plans. Background on the British government's Strategic Environmental Assessment; Refusal of the governments to adopt the proposal; Proposal outline.