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Scooters, or gasoline powered two-wheelers, are becoming increasingly popular in the Netherlands. They provide fast, independent and affordable transportation, especially in urban congested areas. Unfortunately, they also have considerable adverse impacts on the environment and human health. The three most prominent impacts are associated with air pollution, noise pollution and traffic accidents. While the total contribution of emissions by scooters is relatively small compared to total traffic related emissions, they have a disproportionally large impact on their direct environment, especially when sharing roads with bicycles as in the Netherlands, where they are characterized as super-polluters. A scoping GIS based assessment, using theoretical and available secondary data, could identify routes with highest likelihood of scooter presence to estimate exhaust and noise impacts and related traffic accidents. Estimated are provided for the total population, and the number of childcare facilities within the impact areas. For future projections four different scenarios are analyzed. For the case study of the town of Enschede in the Netherlands the present noise/exhaust environmental impact of scooters is affecting at least 30% of the population and in the future this number can increase to 38%–53%. • Gasoline powered two wheelers aka mopeds or scooters are gaining popularity. • Scooters are super polluters creating air and noise pollution and causing accidents. • Management and regulation are needed to encourage use of electric scooters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sandy Anthropogenic Shores (SAS) are coasts formed or heavily modified by moving large amounts of dredged sand from offshore towards the land. Subsequently, natural processes such as waves, wind, and currents are spreading the sand, where wind can transport sand into the foredune area and reinforce the foredune for long-term coastal safety. Besides improving safety, more expansive beaches and artificial lagoons, which may be part of a SAS design, provide new space for human activities and animal and plant habitats. The landscape of SAS is influenced by humans who manage and utilise the shore for various objectives, including flood safety, recreation, and ecological functions. Consequently, the sustainable management of multifunctional and multi-actor systems like SAS becomes challenging and requires an inter- and transdisciplinary approach to analyse the trade-offs between various socio-environmental functions. Although numerous studies of SAS have been conducted, they have had a sectoral, disciplinary approach and mainly focused on the natural aspects of SAS. In this study, we applied participatory modelling to explore the role of social systems (management activities and their interactions with natural systems) in SAS to broaden insight beyond natural systems and improve management and social acceptance of managerial decisions. We conducted several interviews and workshops with multiple stakeholders. We discussed different management aims and activities in SAS, the essential socio-environmental drivers of the managerial activities, their interactions, and the managerial indicators for analysing the various SAS functions. The elicited knowledge was structured in the form of a collective cognitive map (CCM) developed with stakeholders. We used the designed cognitive map for a qualitative assessment of the influence of some managerial decisions on trade-offs between the multiple functions of SAS. The developed CCM provides suitable ground to start the discussion with multiple stakeholders on the design of SAS as a new coastal management approach. • Key concepts related to SAS functions were identified based on stakeholder perceptions and knowledge. • The developed cognitive map analyses trade-offs among multiple functions of a SAS. • The qualitative model informs integrated modelling to improve decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Netherlands, like other European Union countries, is under intense pressure to increase its national share of energy from renewable sources in accordance with 2020 Kyoto Protocol obligations. Bioenergy in this context is especially interesting because it can replace liquid fuels so much in demand for transportation. In Europe, due to high population density, and intensive use of limited land resources, sources of biomass are quite limited. This study examines the potential of road verge for biomass production. In this case there is no conflict with agricultural production – “food for fuel” conflict – and very little problems with natural conservation, since we are focusing on already disturbed and heavily used and polluted areas. The road verge is also easily accessible and in most cases already has to be maintained and cultivated. We use GIS (Geographical information system) to identify the total area of land along the roads in the Netherlands that can potentially be used for bioenergy purposes. We then consider the opportunities and constraints of cultivating various types of biomass, mainly focusing on grasses and willow, short rotation coppice, as biomass sources on the road verge. Based on that, we distinguish between areas that are unavailable due to safety requirements, areas that are conditionally available provided that current regulations are revised and areas that are already unconditionally available. We assess the entire production chain in terms of Energy Return on Energy Invested (EROEI), and consider various combinations of grass and willow operations for bioenergy production. Looking at several roads in Eastern Overijssel, we have estimated that there is approximately 4.24–4.68 ha/km of road verge conditionally available along highways, A-roads, and some 0.80–2.67 ha/km available along local roads, N-roads. However, only 1.02–1.62 ha/km and 0.37–0.80 ha/km of A and N roads respectively are available unconditionally. The EROEI for some scenarios of both grass-based and willow-based production were quite high, 15–42, making such use of road verge quite promising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]