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Safeguarding the benefits that ecosystems provide to society is increasingly included as a target in international policies. To support such policies, ecosystem service maps are made. However, there is little attention for the accuracy of these maps. We made a systematic review and quantitative comparison of ecosystem service maps on the European scale to generate insights in the uncertainty of ecosystem service maps and discuss the possibilities for quantitative validation. Maps of climate regulation and recreation were reasonably similar while large uncertainties among maps of erosion protection and flood regulation were observed. Pollination maps had a moderate similarity. Differences among the maps were caused by differences in indicator definition, level of process understanding, mapping aim, data sources and methodology. Absence of suitable observed data on ecosystem services provisioning hampers independent validation of the maps. Consequently, there are, so far, no accurate measures for ecosystem service map quality. Policy makers and other users need to be cautious when applying ecosystem service maps for decision-making. The results illustrate the need for better process understanding and data acquisition to advance ecosystem service mapping, modelling and validation.

The globalisation of trade affects land use, food production and environments around the world. In principle, globalisation can maximise productivity and efficiency if competition prompts specialisation on the basis of productive capacity. In reality, however, such specialisation is often constrained by practical or political barriers, including those intended to ensure national or regional food security. These are likely to produce globally sub-optimal distributions of land uses. Both outcomes are subject to the responses of individual land managers to economic and environmental stimuli, and these responses are known to be variable and often (economically) irrational. We investigate the consequences of stylised food security policies and globalisation of agricultural markets on land use patterns under a variety of modelled forms of land manager behaviour, including variation in production levels, tenacity, land use intensity and multi-functionality. We find that a system entirely dedicated to regional food security is inferior to an entirely globalised system in terms of overall production levels, but that several forms of behaviour limit the difference between the two, and that variations in land use intensity and functionality can substantially increase the provision of food and other ecosystem services in both cases. We also find emergent behaviour that results in the abandonment of productive land, the slowing of rates of land use change and the fragmentation or, conversely, concentration of land uses following changes in demand levels.

Land use is constantly changing. For example, urban areas expand as a result of population growth, cropping patterns change to fulfil the demand for bioenergy and natural vegetation recovers in locations where farmers cease to farm. Understanding these changes is pivotal to explore future land-use scenarios and to design spatial policies. Land-use models are increasingly being used for these purposes. They function as virtual laboratories in which scientists or policy analysts can conduct experiments. In order to reliably apply models for these purposes, they need to be calibrated, where calibration is the adjustment of parameters to improve the model’s performance. Consequently, the value of modelled land-use scenarios and policy assessments depends on the quality of the calibration. Assessment of the quality of the calibration is termed validation, and is ideally performed independently in the sense that the data that is used for validation has not been used for calibration. The development of a land-use model can be described by four sequential phases: analysis and conceptual modelling, computer programming of the conceptual model, calibration of the computerized model, and experimentation with the calibrated model. The first three phases all have their own evaluation procedures: conceptual validation, code verification and operational validation, respectively. Operational validation provides insights into the strengths and weaknesses of a particular model application, and sometimes it can suggest directions for improvement. However, available assessment methods have limitations for their application in land-use modelling. Therefore, there is a demand to develop and apply more appropriate methods. The work presented in this thesis first considers the properties of land-use models that are important for their assessment, and subsequently presents and applies several methods that can be used for this assessment. Many land-use changes are directly or indirectly the

The levels of investment needed to mobilize an energy system transformation and mitigate climate change are not known with certainty. This paper aims to inform the ongoing dialogue and in so doing to guide public policy and strategic corporate decision making. Within the framework of the LIMITS integrated assessment model comparison exercise, we analyze a multi-IAM ensemble of long-term energy and greenhouse gas emissions scenarios. Our study provides insight into several critical but uncertain areas related to the future investment environment, for example in terms of where capital expenditures may need to flow regionally, into which sectors they might be concentrated, and what policies could be helpful in spurring these financial resources. We find that stringent climate policies consistent with a 2 degrees C climate change target would require a considerable upscaling of investments into low-carbon energy and energy efficiency, reaching approximately $45 trillion (range: $30-$75 trillion) cumulative between 2010 and 2050, or about $1.1 trillion annually. This represents an increase of some $30 trillion ($10-$55 trillion), or $0.8 trillion per year, beyond what investments might otherwise be in a reference scenario that assumes the continuation of present and planned emissions-reducing policies throughout the world. In other words, a substantial "clean-energy investment gap" of some $800 billion/yr exists -- notably on the same order of magnitude as present-day subsidies for fossil energy and electricity worldwide ($523 billion). Unless the gap is filled rather quickly, the 2 degrees C target could potentially become out of reach.

This paper looks into the regional mitigation strategies of five major economies (China, EU, India, Japan, and USA) in the context of the 2 degrees C target, using a multi-model comparison. In order to stay in line with the 2 degrees C target, a tripling or quadrupling of mitigation ambitions is required in all regions by 2050, employing vigorous decarbonization of the energy supply system and achieving negative emissions during the second half of the century. In all regions looked at, decarbonization of energy supply (and in particular power generation) is more important than reducing energy demand. Some differences in abatement strategies across the regions are projected: In India and the USA the emphasis is on prolonging fossil fuel use by coupling conventional technologies with carbon storage, whereas the other main strategy depicts a shift to carbon-neutral technologies with mostly renewables (China, EU) or nuclear power (Japan). Regions with access to large amounts of biomass, such as the USA, China, and the EU, can make a trade-off between energy related emissions and land related emissions, as the use of bioenergy can lead to a net increase in land use emissions. After supply-side changes, the most important abatement strategy focuses on end-use efficiency improvements, leading to considerable emission reductions in both the industry and transport sectors across all regions. Abatement strategies for non-CO2 emissions and land use emissions are found to have a smaller potential. Inherent model, as well as collective, biases have been observed affecting the regional response strategy or the available reduction potential in specific (end-use) sectors.

De Europese Commissie heeft een (tijdelijk) verbod afgekondigd op een aantal toepassingen van de drie neonicotinoïden clothianidine, thiamethoxam en imidacloprid, in verband met mogelijke effecten van deze middelen op bijen. Op verzoek van Greenpeace Nederland heeft CLM onderzocht in welke gewassen, bij welke type toepassingen en in welke hoeveelheden deze drie neonicotinoïden in Nederland worden gebruikt. Ook is onderzocht welk deel hiervan valt onder het moratorium. Aansluitend heeft CLM een in schatting gemaakt van de gevolgen van het moratorium voor de Nederlandse land- en tuinbouw

Er is momenteel veel aandacht voor mogelijke risico’s van bestrijdingsmiddelen zoals imidacloprid voor bijen. Resultaten van onderzoeken naar mogelijke risico’s worden beschreven in openbare en vertrouwelijke studies. De vertrouwelijke studies worden bij de toelating gehanteerd om te bepalen of en onder welke voorwaarden een middel toegelaten kan worden. Op verzoek van Natuur & Milieu heeft CLM een analyse gemaakt van vertrouwelijke studies over risico’s van het bestrijdingsmiddel imidacloprid op bijen via een tweetal bezoeken in de ‘reading room’ van Bayer. In de vertrouwelijke studies is soms sprake van te gunstig gekozen proefopzetten waardoor resultaten een te positief beeld geven. Ook is de hoeveelheid beschikbare informatie te dun om risico ’s van imidacloprid voor bijen uit te sluiten.

Verlsag van de KNPV-najaarsbijeenkomst 2013 met samenvattingen van de volgende sessies: Het grootste succes van... Gera van Os; Aaltjes, meer dan alleen schadelijk; Nieuwe inzichten in de functies van speekeseleiwitten van plant-parasitaire aaltjes, en mogelijke gevolgen voor de praktijk; Aardappelwratziekte: je ziet het niet, maar 't is er wel!; Boer, bier en water: of hoe de praktijk het onderzoek stuurt; Bommelerfruit: netwerkend aan de slag met duurzame gewasbescherming; Some homologs of Verticillium dahliae effector Ave1 contribute to virulence in other plant pathogens; An in vitro infection system for studying Phytophthora-host interactions using tomato cell suspensions; Dominant resistance against the Tomato spotted wilt virus in Capsicum annuum is triggered by the RNA silencing suppressor protein; Remote beneficials in soil; potential role of bacterial volatiles in suppression of soil-borne fungal pathogens; Plant defence against Verticillium wilt disease through RNA silencing; Perspectives for site-specific application of soil herbicides in arable farming; The emergence of new plant pathogens: Stemphylium in Dutch sugar beet production; Crop protection in horticulture. How to rescue growers from punishment for shortfall of control agents?; Development of a low-dose / slow-release system for the topical dosing of bio-actives.

This paper looks into the regional mitigation strategies of five major economies (China, EU, India, Japan and USA) in the context of the 2 degrees C target, using a multi-model comparison. In order to stay in line with the 2 degrees C target, a tripling or quadrupling of mitigation ambitions is required in all regions by 2050, employing vigorous decarbonization of the energy supply system and achieving negative emissions during the second half of the century. In all regions looked at, decarbonization of energy supply (and in particular power generation) is more important than reducing energy demand. Some differences in abatement strategies across the regions are projected: In India and the USA the emphasis is on prolonging fossil fuel use by coupling conventional technologies with carbon storage, whereas the other main strategy depicts a shift to carbon-neutral technologies with mostly renewables (China, EU) or nuclear power (Japan). Regions with access to large amounts of biomass, such as the USA, China and the EU, can make a trade-off between energy related emissions and land related emissions, as the use of bioenergy can lead to a net increase in land use emissions. After supply-side changes, the most important abatement strategy focuses on enduse efficiency improvements, leading to considerable emission reductions in both the industry and transport sectors across all regions. Abatement strategies for non-CO2 emissions and land use emissions are found to have a smaller potential. Inherent model, as well as collective, biases have been observed affecting the regional response strategy or the available reduction potential in specific (end-use) sectors.

The levels of investment needed to mobilize an energy system transformation and mitigate climate change are not known with certainty. This paper aims to inform the ongoing dialogue and in so doing to guide public policy and strategic corporate decision making. Within the framework of the LIMITS integrated assessment model comparison exercise, we analyze a multi-IAM ensemble of long-term energy and greenhouse gas emissions scenarios. Our study provides insight into several critical but uncertain areas related to the future investment environment, for example in terms of where capital expenditures may need to flow regionally, into which sectors they might be concentrated, and what policies could be helpful in spurring these financial resources. We find that stringent climate policies consistent with a 2 degrees C climate change target would require a considerable upscaling of investments into low-carbon energy and energy efficiency, reaching approximately $45 trillion (range: $30-75 trillion) cumulative between 2010 and 2050, or about $1.1 trillion annually. This represents an increase of some $30 trillion ($10-55 trillion), or $0.8 trillion per year, beyond what investments might otherwise be in a reference scenario that assumes the continuation of present and planned emissions-reducing policies throughout the world. In other words, a substantial "clean-energy investment gap" of some $800 billion/yr exists -- notably on the same order of magnitude as present-day subsidies for fossil energy and electricity worldwide ($523 billion). Unless the gap is filled rather quickly, the 2 degrees C target could potentially become out of reach.

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Public Realm, Public Building, Architecture and The Built Environment

Reportage van de bijenhouderij in het dorpje El Limon, op het schiereiland Samana in de Dominicaanse Republiek. Hoe wordt er geimkerd, waarin leven de bijen en wat zijn de vergelijkingen met Nederland?

In 2010 is het project 'Schoon Water voor Brabant' verlengd voor een periode van vier jaar en uitgebreid naar 11 (zeer) kwetsbare grondwaterbeschermingsgebieden. Naast Waalwijk, Budel, Macharen, Nuland, Vessem en Helvoirt doen nu ook Roosendaal, Bergen op Zoom, Aalsterweg, Helmond en Lith mee. Het project is gericht op alle gebruikers van bestrijdingsmiddelen; agrariërs, gemeenten, bedrijven en bewoners. Dit project is gericht op het verminderen van het gebruik van bestrijdingsmiddelen die een risico vormen voor de kwaliteit van het grondwater dat bestemd. is voor drinkwaterwinning

This study provides a conceptual framework for exploring the bargaining space within international climate negotiations based on important economic, political and environmental considerations. Based on it, we analyse combinations of the proposed emission reduction ranges for Annex I countries as a group (25–40% below 1990 levels) and non-Annex I as a group (15–30% below baseline) by 2020 to limit global warming to 2 °C. We use results of the FAIR model with costs estimates based on two energy system models. We conclude that the range of targets that comply with a set of criteria for economic, political and environmental considerations is smaller than that by environmental considerations alone. More specifically, we find that according to our criteria, a 30% Annex I reduction target below 1990 levels, combined with a 20% non-Annex I reduction target below baseline emission levels (i.e. 20 to 30% above 2005 levels), is the only combination of targets fulfilling all our criteria for both energy system models. Otherwise, reaching the 2 °C target becomes less likely, technically infeasible, or non-Annex I abatement costs are likely to exceed those of Annex I, a result, which we consider less plausible from a political viewpoint in our conceptual framework.