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Cloud computing has become a critical infrastructure for modern society, like electric power grids and roads. As the backbone of the modern economy, it offers subscription‐based computing services anytime, anywhere, on a pay‐as‐you‐go basis. Its use is growing exponentially with the continued development of new classes of applications driven by a huge number of emerging networked devices. However, the success of Cloud computing has created a new global energy challenge, as it comes at the cost of vast energy usage. Currently, data centres hosting Cloud services world‐wide consume more energy than most countries. Globally, by 2025, they are projected to consume 20% of global electricity and emit up to 5.5% of the world's carbon emissions. In addition, a significant part of the energy consumed is transformed into heat which leads to operational problems, including a reduction in system reliability and the life expectancy of devices, and escalation in cooling requirements. Therefore, for the future generations of Cloud computing to address the environmental and operational consequences of such significant energy usage, they must become energy‐efficient and environmentally sustainable while continuing to deliver high‐quality services. In this article, we propose a vision for learning‐centric approach for the integrated management of new generation Cloud computing environments to reduce their energy consumption and carbon footprint while delivering service quality guarantees. In this article, we identify the dimensions and key issues of integrated resource management and our envisioned approaches to address them. We present a conceptual architecture for energy‐efficient new generation Clouds and early results on the integrated management of resources and workloads that evidence its potential benefits towards energy efficiency and sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil habitat quality is an important indicator of environmental health. NewZealand soils are in critical condition because of various land-use practices, such as intensification of agriculture and urban growth, causing increased erosion and loss of fertile soil. Soil consists of organic (carbon-rich, microbe-laden detritus) and inorganic (weathered rock particles, minerals, water, air) components that are vital for sustaining flora and fauna, including humans. Soil in and of itself is alive with various forms of biota. Soil conservation takes an anthropocentric, utilitarian approach to policy and planning, whereas soil preservation takes an ecocentric or nature-centred approach. When the catchment boards of the earlier eras [governed by the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Act 1941 (NZ)] were decommissioned to make way for regional councils around the time when the Resource Management Act 1991 (NZ) came into force, the soil scientific expertise was largely lost. At the same time, soil quality in New Zealand has been deteriorating ever since. In this paper, I argue for the establishment of community-based soil conservancies and conservancy officers and, ultimately, the legal endowment of personhood on soil in order for kaitiaki oneone (soil guardians) to be appointed. These measures will assist in the protection of soils, which will lead to better outcomes for the environment and generations to come. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The implementation of landscape-management decisions is often blocked because actors disagree in their perception of the problem at hand. These conflicts can be explained with the concept of problem framing, which argues that actors' problem perspectives are shaped by their interests. Recent literature suggests that social learning through deliberative processes among actors enables shared solutions to complex landscape-management conflicts. Methods: To examine these assumptions, a participatory process on integrated water-resource-management in a Swiss Alpine region was systematically evaluated using a quasi-experimental intervention-research design. The involved actors' problem perspectives were elicited before and after the participatory processes using qualitative interviews and standardized questionnaires. Furthermore, a standardized survey was sent to a sample of regional residents (N = 2000) after the participatory process to measure the diffusion of actors' social learning to the wider public. Results: The data analysis provided systematic evidence that a convergence of involved actors' problem perspectives, which were found to differ considerably before the intervention, had taken place during the participatory process. Furthermore, it determined diffusion effects of actors' social learning to the wider public in terms of its attitude towards participatory regional planning. Conclusions: The findings confirm the expected mechanism of social learning through deliberative processes and demonstrate it as a promising approach to implementing landscape-management decisions successfully. The catalyzing role of shared interests among actors suggests that landscape-management decisions should be implemented by participatory integrated planning on the regional level, which would require a new, strategic role of regional institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different actors in the circularity transition of the timber construction sector investigate, propose and implement workflows to enable the reclamation of materials from unused construction and their reuse in new projects or renovation projects. This study sought to evaluate different workflows in the Norwegian timber construction sector based on the perceived practical problems, opinions and attitudes of value chain actors. This multiple-method study, conducted in September 2021–March 2023, utilised desktop-based document research, marginal and participatory observations and interviews with innovation actors in Southern Norway, focused on planning the reclamation, diagnosis and reuse of (solid) timber. This study synthesised and validated opinions and experiences concerning investment and operation costs and highlighted the need for integrated resource management from a value chain perspective. The study proposes a framework for a set of processes for managers and recommendations for policy, practice and research. This paper initiates a discussion regarding whether CE implementation should be planned by local governments, be self-organised or require an intermediary governance model. In addition, this paper concludes with a call for future steps investigating the (perceived) fair distribution of costs, benefits and risks, as well as a multilevel workflow for data and information resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable food systems are essential to ensure food security and mitigate climate change. Adaptation to climate change is part and parcel of sustainable food systems. Prior literature merely documented the climate-smart agricultural practices and explored the relationship with food security of adopters without taking the period of the strategies into account. Therefore, this study explored the factors affecting sustainable adaptation to climate change and created a further link between sustainable adaptation to climate change and the food security of rural households. The cross-sectional data were collected from 384 farmers through a face-to-face survey in Pakistan, selected by a multistage random sampling method. An ordered probit model and propensity score matching technique were used to analyze the data. Education, farm size, credit access, extension services, internet use for agriculture information, women's participation in farm-related decision making, and considering climate change a significant problem for agriculture were all positively influencing the sustainable adaptation to climate change at farms. The results indicated that farmers with a higher level of sustainable adaptation to climate change consumed more diversified diets and more daily calories as compared to those with a lower level of sustainable adaptation. Similarly, farmers with a lower level of sustainable adaptation to climate change had significantly lower food security than farmers with a high level of sustainable adaptation at their farms. This research indicated that farmers can gain food and nutrition benefits by becoming more sustainable adapters to climate change. This study has important policy implications for achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) of zero hunger (SDG 2) and climate action (SDG 13) in developing countries.

Food-energy-water nexus governance has been promoted as an approach to integrate the management and policy of the three sectors together for coordinated governance. However, there are limited approaches to evaluate, assess, or measure the governance of the food-energy-water nexus. Assessment of the governance process is important to move the concept from conceptualization toward implementation and to understand the specific potential and limits of the nexus governance process. Therefore, this study presents a theoretical framework and associated indicator set to assess urban collaborative food-energy-water nexus governance in practice. This theoretical framework is then applied to two example cases: Phoenix, Arizona, USA and Cape Town, South Africa. The implementation of this framework provides recommended factors needed for improved collaborative FEW nexus governance in cities. These cases showcase the utility of this framework in assessing urban collaborative food-energy-water nexus governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the known benefits of integrated policy and planning, traditional governance decisions in the food-energy-water (FEW) nexus are often made without cross-sector collaboration, potentially leading to unintended consequences and decreased resource security. Applying collaborative governance approaches to the FEW nexus provides an opportunity to shift towards integrated policy of food, energy, and water governance; doing so first requires an understanding of the limitations of current governance structures and the opportunities for change. We conduct a social network analysis of stakeholders in Phoenix, AZ using secondary data sources to construct the social network of collaboration and to analyze the ability of the governance landscape to facilitate or hinder collaborative governance. The social network measures indicate potential challenges to collaborative governance of FEW nexus stakeholders, such as limited trust between actors. However, leveraging bridging actors provides opportunities to increase collaborative governance between sectors. This research is important for implementing collaborative FEW nexus governance in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grand societal challenges such as climate change, poverty and biodiversity loss call for rapid and radical changes to systems of production and consumption. Consequently, there is a growing interest in the dynamics of innovation, both social and technical, to accelerate innovation diffusion so as to increase the possibility of a step‐change or large‐scale transition. Research on the water–energy–food nexus adds an additional dimension to existing discussions, calling for transitions that recognise the sustainability challenges facing three major resource domains, and the synergies and tensions involved in their management. This paper examines anaerobic digestion (AD) – an example of innovation with potential benefits across the water–energy–food nexus – to understand the conditions that influence the rate of AD implementation and the achievement of its potential multi‐sectoral benefits across the water–energy–food nexus. Interview data regarding 15 AD plants are examined alongside complementary data from interviews and workshops using the Technological Innovation Systems framework. This framework provides an analytical structure through which the processes that enable and constrain the implementation of AD in the UK can be examined, enabling the identification of potential mechanisms to support AD's wider and more effective deployment. The findings call for recognition of the unintended consequences of sectoral support mechanisms for technological adaptation, and consequent performance of AD in other resource domains and call for greater integration between policy mechanisms to enable AD to perform across the nexus. They also highlight a need to assimilate knowledge from multiple sources (including site‐specific understanding gained from experimentation) to enhance the base on which policy and decision‐making occurs. These findings contribute to existing literature on sustainable transitions by examining the complexities of multi‐sectoral resource management in the context of nexus research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explored the potential for improved policy and regulation with a direct focus on household water-related energy (WRE) management in urban Victoria (Australia). Semi-structured interviews were employed to understand the perspectives of relevant actors within the existing institutional landscape. In this paper, questions about institutional and policy change are addressed through consideration of the literature on transitions management and institutional entrepreneurship. Key policy opportunities identified by the actors include consumer education and advocacy for behaviour change and technology adoption, and further development of residential building standards to improve the selection and layout of building services at the design phase. The work highlights medium-term opportunities to create an enabling environment for policy practitioners in Victoria to improve management of water-related energy use in households. The work provides an important new perspective on transitions theory in the field of integrated resources management.

The present study addresses the eco-efficiency (environmental and economic trade-offs) of durum wheat cultivation practices adopted at field level under typical Mediterranean conditions of Southern Italy. This study is based on three years of experimental data of durum wheat cultivation under three water supply regimes (full irrigation, 50% of full irrigation and rainfed) coupled with two nitrogen (N) fertilizer levels (high N, HN: 120 kg/ha, and low N, LN: not fertilized). The environmental impact assessment was based on a novel life cycle impact assessment method which quantifies seventeen midpoints (problems-oriented) and three endpoints (damage-oriented) indicators using ReCiPe 2016 model. The economic performance was evaluated using the total value added to the system’s final products due to water and N use and applied management practices. Eco-efficiency was assessed as a ratio of the total value added to the environmental impact categories. The water consumption impacts were estimated in addition to the typical environmental impact categories. The high input (irrigation and fertilization) intensity systems resulted in higher agricultural production, however, produced greater impacts on water consumption, global warming, and energy-related indicators. In turn, these impact categories generated the damages to human health, ecosystem quality, and resource scarcity. The analysis demonstrated that eco-efficiency cannot be always compensated by higher yield and corresponding economic total value added. The eco-efficiency assessment indicated that agronomic practices with the low use of resources (e.g., deficit irrigation with low N) tend to have higher eco-efficiency than more intensive cultivation strategies. Hence, the sustainable crop production strategies should evolve towards the adoption of precision agriculture and optimization of water and fertilization inputs (in space, timing, and quantities) that can improve yield response to resources, environmental and economic performance. In this sense, life cycle thinking and assessment considering multiple impact categories are essential to support decision-making processes towards sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global climate change creates critical challenges with increasing temperature, reducing snowpack, and changing precipitation for water, energy, and food, as well as ecosystem processes at regional scales. Ecosystem services provide life support, goods, and natural resources from water, energy, and food, as well as the environments. There are knowledge gaps from the lack of conceptual framework and practices to interlink major climate change drivers of water resources with water-energy-food nexus and related ecosystem processes. This paper provided an overview of research background, developed a conceptual framework to bridge these knowledge gaps, summarized California case studies for practices in cross sector ecosystem services, and identified future research needs. In this conceptual framework, climate change drivers of changing temperature, snowpack, and precipitation are interlinked with life cycles in water, energy, food, and related key elements in ecosystem processes. Case studies in California indicated climate change affected variation in increasing temperature and changing hydrology at the regional scales. A large variation in average energy intensity values was also estimated from ground water and federal, state, and local water supplies both within each hydrological region and among the ten hydrological regions in California. The increased regional temperature, changes in snowpack and precipitation, and increased water stresses from drought can reduce ecosystem services and affect the water and energy nexus and agricultural food production, as well as fish and wildlife habitats in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta) and Central Valley watersheds. Regional decisions and practices in integrated management of water, energy, food, and related ecosystem processes are essential to adapt and mitigate global climate change impacts at the regional scales. Science and policy support for interdisciplinary research are critical to develop the database and tools for comprehensive analysis to fill knowledge gaps and address ecosystem service complexity, the related natural resource investment, and integrated planning needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nexus between energy, water and agricultural production is important to consider for effective resource management and risk mitigation. New data acquisition techniques, in conjunction with cheap storage applications, have facilitated the collection and analysis of massive datasets to holistically describe natural and built environments. However, the field of coupling energy, water and agricultural management through evolving remote sensing technologies is still nascent. We find that remote sensing technologies are being increasingly utilized for resource management, but there are still large opportunities to deploy these technologies to achieve integrated resource management goals. Thus, this article aims to bridge remote sensing and integrated resource management communities, which have largely developed in isolation, so that technologies can be developed to assist in achieving sustainable development. The opportunities and challenges highlighted in this article can guide technology development, research opportunities and create new interdisciplinary research partnerships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing large crop yield gaps between farmers’ fields in rainfed areas and the achievable yields are abridged through integrated watershed management during 2002-2007, while improving farmers’ livelihoods also. In addition to water shortages, emerging widespread deficiencies of multiple micro- and secondary nutrients such as sulphur (S), boron (B) and zinc (Zn) along with nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are holding back the productivity potential through inefficient utilization of limited available water. Soil test-based balanced nutrient application of deficient SBZn plus NP in fields in watersheds recorded 70 to 119% (2100 kg ha −1 in maize, 660 kg ha −1 in groundnut, 640 kg ha −1 in mungbean and 1070 kg ha −1 in sorghum) improvement in crop productivity along with additional returns varying from Rs 16,050/- to Rs 28,160/- ha −1 over the farmers’ practice (only NP). Landform management to alleviate waterlogging proved effective intervention to manage high clay Vertisols for higher soybean and groundnut productivity by 13 to 27% (340 to 350 kg ha −1 in soybean and 160 to 250 kg ha −1 in groundnut) over the farmers’ practice. However, the integrated approach of balanced nutrition and landform management plus improved cultivar was the best option in increasing sunflower productivity by 182% (1600 kg ha −1 in sunflower) over farmers’ management (control). Adoption of these soil-water-crop interventions in target watersheds abridged yield gaps by 12 to 96% in groundnut (160 to 1280 kg ha −1 ), 29 to 100% (240 to 1130 kg ha −1 ) in pigeonpea and 0 to 100% (0 to 1175 kg ha −1 ) in chickpea. The impact of watershed interventions was seen in farm-based activities like improved milk production and incomes. The watershed programs alleviated migration in the catchments by improving the five capitals viz. human, financial, social, physical and natural. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction and service of urban infrastructure systems and buildings involves immense resource consumption. Cities are responsible for the largest component of global energy, water, and food consumption as well as related sewage and organic waste production. Due to ongoing global urbanization, in which the largest sector of the global population lives in cities which are already built, global level strategies need to be developed that facilitate both the sustainable construction of new cities and the re-development of existing urban environments. A very promising approach in this regard is the decentralization and building integration of environmentally sound infrastructure systems for integrated resource management. This paper discusses such new and innovative building services engineering systems, which could contribute to increased energy efficiency, resource productivity, and urban resilience. Applied research and development projects in Germany, which are based on integrated system approaches for the integrated and environmentally sound management of energy, water and organic waste, are used as examples. The findings are especially promising and can be used to stimulate further research and development, including economical aspects which are crucial for sustainable urban (re-)development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reconciling diverse forest values within policy and decision-making processes is an ongoing challenge in forestry. The use of environmental impact assessment (EIA) provides potential for improving forest management and making it more responsive to diverse interests. This paper examines EIA in Canadian and Finnish forest planning. In Finland there has been a reluctance to see EIA as a tool for forest planning while in Canada some provinces have long applied EIA to forest management. Ontario, Canada, provides one example of applying EIA to forest planning at a range of scales in order to advance integrated planning and help conflict management. The paper provides a brief analysis of the Finnish forest planning system, an illustration of the Ontario EIA forest management experience, and then considers the application of EIA to Finnish forest management. The paper concludes that EIA may be workable for Finnish state forests and would likely enhance planning and management, but given the existing institutional frameworks EIA would be difficult to apply to private forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current approaches to conservation planning have an established and successful track record. However, as our knowledge of resource sciences and goals for conservation expand, review and improvement of planning protocols could help improve conservation effectiveness, even though we may be satisfied with the status quo. This is easy to suggest, but we do not readily know how and when standard planning protocols can be adapted to incorporate new information. Resource conservation is a transdisciplinary science involving multiple resources, contexts of landscape and time, and sociocultural dynamics. Yet technology and human experience are progressing, and our capacity to become more site-specific in devising conservation systems and adapting practices to each situation is expanding. This editorial presents a conceptual model that may help frame debate over adoption of new technologies in conservation planning. The model is based on the system of knowledge that every conservation planner must consider in doing his/her job, which involves knowledge of natural resources, landscapes, temporal dynamics of weather and management, and sociocultural constraints of the landowner. Research and testing of new approaches are advancing in all four arenas. It is argued that progress in landscape-specific planning and sociocultural (community-feedback) approaches are the two areas where standard procedures lag the most. This coincidence might provide a way to enable local communities to become more involved in identifying conservation priorities in watersheds and to adopt site-specific approaches that target locally identified resource concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional Peer-to-Peer (P2P) systems were restricted to sharing of files on the Internet. Although some of the more recent P2P distributed systems have tried to support transparent sharing of other types of resources, like computer processing power, but none allow and support sharing of all types of resources available on the Internet. This is mainly because the resource management part of P2P systems are custom designed in support of specific features of only one type of resource, making simultaneous access to all types of resources impractical. Another shortcoming of existing P2P systems is that they follow a client/server model of resource sharing that makes them structurally constrained and dependent on dedicated servers (resource managers). Clients must get permission from a limited number of servers to share or access resources, and resource management mechanisms run on these servers. Because resource management by servers is not dynamically reconfigurable, such P2P systems are not scalable to the ever growing extent of Internet. We present an integrated framework for sharing of all types of resources in P2P systems by using a dynamic structure for managing four basic types of resources, namely process, file, memory, and I/O, in the same way they are routinely managed by operating systems. The proposed framework allows P2P systems to use dynamically reconfigurable resource management mechanisms where each machine in the P2P system can at the same time serve both as a server and as a client. The pattern of requests for shared resources at a given time identifies which machines are currently servers and which ones are currently clients. The client server pattern changes with changes in the pattern of requests for distributed resources. Scalable P2P systems with dynamically reconfigurable structures can thus be built using our proposed resource management mechanisms. This dynamic structure also allows for the interoperability of different P2P systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extensive forms of resource use are rarely subject to detailed environmental and social assessment. This paper outlines a potential methodology for assessment of the social impacts of extensive resource use activities based on the Pressure-State-Impact-Response (PSIR) model of integrated indicator development. It then tests this methodology through a case study of changed water flow regimes in Central Queensland's Fitzroy River catchment. While resource degradation associated with interruptions to flow was expected to force all resource users to face higher costs and greater uncertainty, negative social impacts were particularly concentrated among vulnerable groups and downstream industries. Extension of the PSIR framework and methodology proved useful in linking social and biophysical research and would thus appear to offer some potential as a model for incorporating social concerns within natural resource decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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India is a very populous country with more than one billion people. In order to provide food for this growing population, serious environmental problems may result. Despite many benefits from the green, blue, and silver revolutions adopted in India, there has been much concern resulting from intensive agricultural practices that led to environmental problems in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Increasing demand for aquatic resources also caused inland fisheries to decrease over the past few decades. The location of aquaculture projects, landscape destruction, soil and water pollution by pond effluents, over-exploitation of important fish stocks, depletion in biodiversity, conflicts over agriculture and aquaculture among various stakeholder groups over resource and space allocation, and international fish trade controversies have threatened the long-term sustainability of fisheries and aquaculture industries. The subject of sustainable aquaculture has not been adequately projected in terms of current aquaculture practices aimed to boost a rural economy. This review briefly describes the key issues of aquaculture unsustainability in terms of intensive aquaculture, nutrient enrichment syndrome, soil and groundwater salinization, destruction of mangroves, loss of biodiversity, marine pollution and loss of fish stock,use of aquachemicals and therapeutics, hormone residues, etc. The strategies for sustainability have been highlighted with respect to ricecum- fish culture, carp polyculture, integrated farming with livestock, rural aquaculture, intensification of small farms, wastewater-fed aquaculture, crop rotation, probiotics, feed quality, socioeconomic considerations, environmental regulations and fisheries acts, transboundary aquatic ecosystems, impact of alien species, ethical aspects of intensive aquaculture, responsible fisheries, and environmental impact assessment. A suggested model outlines the feedback mechanisms for achieving longterm sustainability through improved farm management practices, integrated farming, use of selective aquachemicals and probiotics, conservation of natural resources, regulatory mechanism, and policy instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract Lake management is typically approached from a biophysical perspective. Lake managers ask how lakes can be managed to sustain their ecological functions. The social value of lakes is usually given less attention. The present paper begins the analysis at the other end of the lake and society connection by posing the question: what social needs must be met to sustain society? The primary social needs of sustainable societies are outlined and then the contribution of lakes to each need is discussed. Lakes can only provide optimal social benefits if management decisions recognize the full set of potential contributions lakes can make to society and those management decisions are integrated to provided balanced attention to all values that lakes provide. The present paper expands the domain of values beyond the traditional environmental and recreational contributions of lake management to also include aesthetics, education, economic opportunity, emotional security, cultural opportunity, individual freedom and spirituality. Citizen involvement is essential in broadening the conceptualization of the lake values and in implementing integrated management plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT / The management of industrial reservoirs for hydroelectric energy can cause severe impacts to surrounding communities. This study examines the generation of dust along the northern foreshore zones of Williston Reservoir in northern British Columbia. The dust is generated in the spring when the reservoir levels are low and impacts a relocated First Nations' village (Tsay Keh) at the north end of the reservoir. Data were gathered to provide an overview of the physical conditions that contribute to the dust problem, including a social survey, soil analysis, and vegetation inventory. The study provides a scoping method to assess a large-scale and complex problem with respect to dust management along a large reservoir. Methods for dust control include short- and long-term solutions that integrate the use of native vegetation along the foreshore zones of the reservoir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT / Implementing the concept of sustainability through integrated approaches to natural resource management poses enormous challenges for both the rural communities and government agencies concerned. This paper reviews the underlying rhetoric of sustainable agricultural systems and the integrated resource management paradigm and identifies some of the challenges being experienced in translating this rhetoric into practice. A relatively recently implemented community-based integrated catchment management (ICM) process in a rural community in northeast Australia is examined in terms of some of the lessons learned that may be relevant to other similar integrated resource management (IRM) processes. It reveals a pragmatic, opportunistic, and evolving implementation process based on adaptive learning rather than a more traditional “rational” planning approach. Some essential characteristics of a community-based IRM process are identified, including fostering communication; providing a structure that fosters cooperation and facilities coordination among community, industry, and government agencies; the integration of IRM principles into local government planning schemes; and an emergent strategic approach to IRM program implementation. We conclude by identifying some essential characteristics of an IRM process that can assist a community to adapt to, and manage change for, sustainable resource use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution is one of the most pressing environmental problems which affects likewise urban, industrial and rural areas. Environmental planners, regulators and decision makers need reliable, scientifically based tools to find out strategies for controlling air pollution in a cost-effective way, taking into account the whole productive system. In this framework the basic elements of energy-environmental planning have to be extended to include also waste processing technologies amongst the usually considered pollution sources. Bottom-up optimizing models, based on linear programming techniques and customized for specific cases, represent a powerful tool in energy-environmental management. This paper focuses on the integrated modeling of material flows and energy system performed on a local scale case study (Basilicata Region, Southern Italy) using the linear programming model IEA-MARKAL. We have evaluated the feasibility of the model in representing the waste management system to estimate the environmental impact of the waste processing technologies in the context of the whole productive system. A sensitivity analysis has been carried out to emphasize the connections between tariffs, waste disposal technologies assessment and atmospheric emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the transition to industrial agriculture in the 20th century resulted in increased agricultural productivity and efficiency, the attainment of global food security continues to be elusive. Current and anticipated impacts of climate change on the agricultural sector are likely to exacerbate the incidence of food insecurity. In recent years, climate-smart agriculture has gained recognition as a mechanism that has the potential to contribute to the attainment of food security and also enhance climate change mitigation and adaptation. However, several conceptual and implementation shortfalls have limited the widespread adoption of this innovative agricultural system at the landscape scale. This manuscript argues for the use of ecosystem management as an overarching framework for the conceptualization and implementation of climate-smart agriculture. The manuscript focuses on clarifying the foundational assumptions and management goals, as well as the knowledge and institutional requirements of climate-smart agriculture using the principles of ecosystem management. Potential challenges that may be faced by the application of an ecosystem management approach to climate-smart agriculture are also discussed. Furthermore, the manuscript calls for a heightened focus on social equity in the transition toward an ecosystem-based approach to climate-smart agriculture. The US farm bill is used as an illustrative case study along with other examples drawn mostly from sub-Saharan Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case study from northeastern Alberta, Canada, demonstrates a fundamentally different approach to forest management in which stakeholders balance conservation and economic objectives by weighing current management options from the point of view of their long-term effects on the forest. ALCES®, a landscape-scale simulation model, is used to quantify the effects of the current regulatory framework and typical industrial practices on a suite of ecological and economic indicators over the next 100 yr. These simulations suggest that, if current practices continue, the combined activities of the energy and forestry industries in our 59,000 km2 study area will cause the density of edge of human origin to increase from 1.8 km/km 2 to a maximum of 8.0 km/km2. We also predict that older age classes of merchantable forest stands will be largely eliminated from the landscape, habitat availability for woodland caribou will decline from 43 to 6%, and there will be a progressive shortfall in the supply of softwood timber beginning in approximately 60 yr. Additional simulations involving a suite of "best practices" demonstrate that substantial improvements in ecological outcome measures could be achieved through alternative management scenarios while still maintaining a sustainable flow of economic benefits. We discuss the merits of our proposed approach to land use planning and apply it to the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin.

We explored the potential for improved policy and regulation with a direct focus on household water-related energy (WRE) management in urban Victoria (Australia). Semi-structured interviews were employed to understand the perspectives of relevant actors within the existing institutional landscape. In this paper, questions about institutional and policy change are addressed through consideration of the literature on transitions management and institutional entrepreneurship. Key policy opportunities identified by the actors include consumer education and advocacy for behaviour change and technology adoption, and further development of residential building standards to improve the selection and layout of building services at the design phase. The work highlights medium-term opportunities to create an enabling environment for policy practitioners in Victoria to improve management of water-related energy use in households. The work provides an important new perspective on transitions theory in the field of integrated resources management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]