88 results on '"integrated environmental assessment"'
Search Results
2. Integrated Environmental Assessment of Medical Waste Management in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
- Author
-
Al-Omran, Khadija, Abahussain, Asma, and Khan, Ezzat
- Abstract
As a global concern, medical waste (MW) links public health, environmental pollution, and resource sustainability. This study aims to assess the two issues related to medical waste in Bahrain: the increasing generation rate of MW and its management. The integrated Environmental Assessment (IEA) methodology was adopted, including the DPSIR (Drivers, Pressures, State, Impact, Responses) framework, analysis of existing policies, and the outlook. Consequently, data were collected from official health statistics in Bahrain, and related policies for the last two decades (2001 to 2021) were also collected, in addition to interviews with Bahrain medical waste (BMW) treatment company. The results show a vast increase in medical waste during COVID-19. Moreover, most of the existing policies address the impact of the BMW issues, but the policies are lacking in tackling the drivers and pressures; there is also a policy gap related to the generation rate. Accordingly, a set of policies was proposed to overcome the two medical waste issues. Moreover, to overcome issues associated with MW, the study recommended reforming regulations aiming to reduce and manage medical waste efficiently in order to focus more on drivers and pressure causing an elevation in MW issues in Bahrain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
3. Integrated environmental assessment of a diversion-project-type urban water source considering the risks of novel and legacy contaminants.
- Author
-
Zhao, Yang, Wang, Chenchen, Cao, Xianghui, Song, Shuai, Wei, Pei, and Zhu, Guangyu
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
4. The reliability of citizen science in plan formulation: evidence from Askar, the Kingdom of Bahrain
- Author
-
El-Kholei, Ahmed O.
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
5. Procedimiento para establecer un ecosistema organizacional en la evaluación integrada del medio ambiente.
- Author
-
Ladislá Miranda-Cuéllar, Roani, Blanco-González, Jeffrey, Carlos Fonden-Calzadilla, Juan, and Caballero-Miranda, Roani
- Subjects
- *
ECOSYSTEMS , *ENVIRONMENTAL protection , *ENVIRONMENTAL impact analysis , *DECISION making , *TALENT management , *ECOSYSTEM management , *HUMAN capital - Abstract
Environmental protection is a priority at the international level and its evaluation a resource to guide timely decision-making. The objective of the present investigation is to design a procedure to establish an organizational ecosystem in the integrated evaluation of the environment. Consequently, the results provided by the procedure contribute to timely decision-making. The methods were applied: historical-logical, synthesis analysis, surveys, interviews, process modeling and participatory observation. The procedure was conceptualized, designed and applied, obtaining informational resources such as: lists, models and reports. Likewise, the workflow designed in the Business Process Modeling Notation was represented for its subsequent automation. It contributed to identify the capacities of human resources related to the evaluation of the state of the environment and the characteristics of this type of organizational ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
6. Runoff and Water Quality in the Aspect of Environmental Impact Assessment of Experimental Area of Green Roofs in Lower Silesia.
- Author
-
Pęczkowski, Grzegorz, Szawernoga, Katarzyna, Kowalczyk, Tomasz, Orzepowski, Wojciech, and Pokładek, Ryszard
- Abstract
Green architecture, including green roofs, can limit the effects of urbanization. Green roofs soften the thermal effect in urban conditions, especially considering the significant increase in the European and global population and that a significant share of the age group, mainly the elderly is exposed to diseases caused by high temperatures. We studied runoff and the quality of water from green roof systems in Lower Silesia, within the area of the Agro and Hydrometeorology Station Wrocław-Swojec, in the years 2012–2016. In the study, two systems with a vegetation layer based on light expanded clay aggregate and perlite were analyzed. The studies were based on the assessment of peak flow reduction, rainwater volume preservation and peak wave reduction. The calculated maximum retention performance indicator, relative to rainfall, for perlite surfaces was up to 65%, and in relation to the control surface up to 49%. In addition, the quality of water from runoff was estimated in the conditions of annual atmospheric deposition, taking into account such indicators as electrolytic conductivity; the content of N, NO
3 , NO2 , NH4 , P, PO4 ; and the content of metals, Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd. The load of total nitrogen exceeded the values of concentration in rainwater and amounted to 7.17 and 13.01 mg·L−1 for leca and perlite, respectively. In the case of the metal content, significantly higher concentrations of copper and zinc from green surfaces were observed in relation to precipitation. For surfaces with perlite, these were 320 mg·L−1 and 241 mg·L−1 , respectively, with rainwater concentrations of 50 and 31 mg·L−1 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
7. A non-parametric distance-based method using all available indicators for integrated environmental assessment – a case study of the Mid-Atlantic Region, USA.
- Author
-
Tran, Liem T., McManamay, Ryan, and Kim, Hyun
- Subjects
- *
ENVIRONMENTAL impact analysis , *ENVIRONMENTAL indicators , *DIMENSION reduction (Statistics) , *MULTIPLE correspondence analysis (Statistics) , *CASE studies , *NONPARAMETRIC statistics - Abstract
The paper presents a multivariate measure useful for integrated environmental assessments. It is a weighted distance measure applied to metric data but based on nonparametric statistical procedures. The proposed measure allows all environmental indicators to be used directly without any reduction in dimension (e.g. as in principal component analysis) nor losing variance while being able to tolerate possible non-normality of the indicators, as well as non-linear relationships among them. Results of the hypothetical example and the Mid-Atlantic case study show that the proposed measure is suitable and valuable for integrating multiple indicators into a single index, an important task in integrated environmental assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
8. Socio-Environmental Vulnerability Assessment for Sustainable Management.
- Author
-
Szewrański, Szymon, Kazak, Jan K., and Szewrański, Szymon
- Subjects
Research & information: general ,Aksu-Jabagly nature reserve ,ArcGIS ,Factor Analysis on Mixed Data (FAMD) ,GIS ,Jiuqu stream ,Kazakhstan ,Nepal ,Nysa Kłodzka sub-basin ,Poland ,R ,SDG implementation ,SYNOP ,Support Vector Machines ,Tableau ,Ward's method ,acoustic space ,adaptability ,aging ,analytical hierarchy process ,assessment ,climate ,climate analogues ,climate change ,cluster ,clustering ,community-based assessment ,cross-sectoral partnerships ,cycling ,cycling routes ,dataset ,decision support system ,eco-environmental risk assessment ,ecological restoration ,ecological vulnerability ,education ,energy from biomass ,environmental flow ,environmental hazards ,farm management ,flood risk ,fortified landscape ,geospatial analysis ,geospatial information ,green infrastructure ,green roofs ,healthcare facilities ,heritage protection ,hydropower production ,impact ,impact perception ,indicators ,indigenous peoples ,integrated environmental assessment ,integrated planning index ,inter-municipal cooperation ,land use planning ,local development ,meteorology ,mineral resources ,mountain region ,multidimensional statistical analysis ,municipal waste ,municipalities ,municipality ,n/a ,national park ,natural environment ,nature protection ,noise ,open-source software ,pellets ,performance system ,periodization ,place-based and integrated development ,political environment ,preventive healthcare ,quality of runoff water ,questionnaire survey ,renewable energy ,resource-based economy ,slow cities ,society ,socio-ecological system ,socio-environmental vulnerability ,soil water retention ,solar energy radiation ,spatial policy ,stakeholders ,sustainable development ,sustainable economy ,sustainable management ,sustainable mobility ,sustainable tourism ,synanthropic flora ,technical infrastructure ,technogenic soil ,tourism impact ,traffic safety ,urban planning ,urban vegetation ,vulnerability and adaptation assessment ,water resources ,watershed management ,wood waste ,world heritage - Abstract
Summary: This Special Issue explores the cross-disciplinary approaches, methodologies, and applications of socio-environmental vulnerability assessment that can be incorporated into sustainable management. The volume comprises 20 different points of view, which cover environmental protection and development, urban planning, geography, public policymaking, participation processes, and other cross-disciplinary fields. The articles collected in this volume come from all over the world and present the current state of the world's environmental and social systems at a local, regional, and national level. New approaches and analytical tools for the assessment of environmental and social systems are studied. The practical implementation of sustainable development as well as progressive environmental and development policymaking are discussed. Finally, the authors deliberate about the perspectives of social-environmental systems in a rapidly changing world.
9. Establishment of the International Ural Sturgeon Park to Secure Sturgeon Conservation and to Facilitate Sustainable Integrated Water Management
- Author
-
Lagutov, Viktor, Lagutov, Vladimir, and Lagutov, Viktor, editor
- Published
- 2008
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
10. International environmental law: environmental performance reporting and monitoring practices
- Author
-
Jafarzadeh, Nafiseh
- Published
- 2012
11. Integrated Environmental Assessment of Medical Waste Management in the Kingdom of Bahrain
- Author
-
Khadija Al-Omran, Asma Abahussain, and Ezzat Khan
- Subjects
integrated environmental assessment ,policy analysis ,Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment ,DPSIR ,Geography, Planning and Development ,COVID-19 ,Building and Construction ,medical waste management ,Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law - Abstract
As a global concern, medical waste (MW) links public health, environmental pollution, and resource sustainability. This study aims to assess the two issues related to medical waste in Bahrain: the increasing generation rate of MW and its management. The integrated Environmental Assessment (IEA) methodology was adopted, including the DPSIR (Drivers, Pressures, State, Impact, Responses) framework, analysis of existing policies, and the outlook. Consequently, data were collected from official health statistics in Bahrain, and related policies for the last two decades (2001 to 2021) were also collected, in addition to interviews with Bahrain medical waste (BMW) treatment company. The results show a vast increase in medical waste during COVID-19. Moreover, most of the existing policies address the impact of the BMW issues, but the policies are lacking in tackling the drivers and pressures; there is also a policy gap related to the generation rate. Accordingly, a set of policies was proposed to overcome the two medical waste issues. Moreover, to overcome issues associated with MW, the study recommended reforming regulations aiming to reduce and manage medical waste efficiently in order to focus more on drivers and pressure causing an elevation in MW issues in Bahrain.
- Published
- 2023
12. Integrated environmental assessment to explore water resources management in Al Jabal Al Akhdar, Sultanate of Oman.
- Author
-
Al-Kalbani, Mohammed, Price, Martin, O'Higgins, Timothy, Ahmed, Mushtaque, and Abahussain, Asma
- Subjects
ECONOMIC development ,WATER supply ,ENVIRONMENTAL impact analysis ,TOURISM - Abstract
Al Jabal Al Akhdar, an arid mountain region in northern Oman, has experienced rapid development over the last decades, resulting in the deterioration of water resources. This paper applies the driving force-pressure-state-impact-response (DPSIR) framework as an integrated environmental assessment tool to illustrate the cause-and-effect relationships for sustainable management of water resources in the area. The research aimed to examine social and ecological aspects of mountain water to explore optimal approaches for sustainable use and management. The water resources are affected by increasing drivers of population growth and socio-economic development, through agriculture, tourism, and urbanization, exerting pressures through overconsumption of water, coupled with the exogenous pressure of climate change. The decreased rainfall and increased water demand have resulted in the degradation of water quantity and quality. The declining state of the water resources and reduced area of cultivation have resulted in considerable losses in agricultural income. The Omani government has adopted some responses, including water development projects, acting to reduce pressures as well as to improve the state of water resources. The DPSIR analysis indicates that trade-offs should be made between economic development and the continued supply of water for the agro-ecological system; choices could be in the prioritization of drivers. A dependence on desalinated water will introduce a reliance on a non-renewable external energy supply and is unlikely to ensure water supply at the multi-century timescale of the social-ecological system. In addition, tourism is predominantly based around the disappearing agro-ecosystems which in turn are dependent on the supply of water. Therefore, efforts should be directed towards improving water-use efficiency through installing modern irrigation technology, water conservation methods, use of greywater and treated wastewater, and rainwater harvesting as well as integrated water resources management, and climate change mitigation and adaptation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
13. Integrated assessment of environmental impact of Europe in 2010: data sources and extrapolation strategies for calculating normalisation factors.
- Author
-
Sala, Serenella, Benini, Lorenzo, Mancini, Lucia, and Pant, Rana
- Subjects
PRODUCT life cycle ,PAYBACK method ,PRODUCT obsolescence ,PRODUCT management ,EMISSIONS (Air pollution) - Abstract
Purpose: Assessing comprehensively the overall environmental impacts of a region remains a major challenge. Within life cycle assessment (LCA), this evaluation is performed calculating normalisation factors (NFs) at different scales. Normalisation represents an optional step of LCA according to ISO 14040/44 which may help in understanding the relative magnitude of the impact associated to a product when compared to a reference value. In order to enhance the robustness and comprehensiveness of NFs, this paper presents a methodology for building an extended domestic inventory of emission and resources extraction. The domestic inventory refers to emissions and extractions due to the processes located within a geographical region, Europe (EU 27), in 2010. A robust regional inventory is a fundamental element for supporting the calculation of global factors, often resulting form extrapolation and upscaling from regional ones. Methods: The NFs for EU 27 in 2010 are based on extensive data collection and the application of extrapolation strategies for data gaps filling. The inventory is based on domestic emissions into air, water and soil and on resource extracted in EU, adopting a production-based approach. A hierarchy is developed for selection of data sources based on their robustness and quality. Data gap filling is based on several proxy indicators, specific for each impact category, capitalising existing statistics on pressure indicators (e.g. estimating ionising radiation emissions based on data of electricity production from nuclear power plants). To calculate NFs, the inventory is characterised using the International reference Life Cycle Data System (ILCD) Handbook (EC-JRC ) midpoint indicators. Results and discussion: The resulting NFs present several added values compared to earlier normalisation exercises based on domestic inventories, namely more complete inventory, based on wide variety of sources; more comprehensive coverage of the flows within each impact category; overall evaluation of the robustness of the final figures; and robustness evaluation of the data sources. Contribution analysis shows that few flows (NO, SO, NH, etc.) are driving the impacts of several impact categories, and the choice of the data sources is particularly crucial, as this may lead to differences in the NFs. A qualitative uncertainty assessment is reported for each impact category. Besides, in order to test the robustness of the NFs, a sensitivity analysis on key choices and assumptions has been advocated. Conclusion and outlook: NFs may help identification of the relative magnitude of the impact. Nonetheless, several limitations still exist both at the inventory and at the impact assessment level, e.g., several inventory flows are not characterised as there is no characterisation factor available in current models. Those limitations should be clearly reported and understood by the users of normalisation factors in order to correctly interpret the results of their study as well as when regional NFs are used as basis for building global set of factor. The adoption of domestic NFs may, in fact, result in overestimating the relative magnitude of certain impacts, especially when those impacts are associated with traded goods from or outside the EU 27. Qualitative and quantitative assessment of uncertainties should be conducted from inventory to characterised results. Comprehensive testing is needed on the following: data sources, data mapping, regionalisation as well as models and system boundaries thereof. Strengths and limitations of the current study have implications also in other application contexts, as when indicators are needed to evaluate progress towards environmental policies goals. In fact, environmental impact indicators at regional scale often require data gap filling and estimation methodologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2015
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
14. Procedimiento para establecer un ecosistema organizacional en la evaluación integrada del medio ambiente
- Author
-
Miranda-Cuéllar, Roani Ladislá, Blanco González, Jeffrey, Fonden-Calzadilla, Juan Carlos, Caballero-Miranda, Roani, Miranda-Cuéllar, Roani Ladislá, Blanco González, Jeffrey, Fonden-Calzadilla, Juan Carlos, and Caballero-Miranda, Roani
- Abstract
Environmental protection is a priority at the international level and its evaluation a resource to guide timely decision-making. The objective of the present investigation is to design a procedure to establish an organizational ecosystem in the integrated evaluation of the environment. Consequently, the results provided by the procedure contribute to timely decision-making. The methods were applied: historical-logical, synthesis analysis, surveys, interviews, process modeling and participatory observation. The procedure was conceptualized, designed and applied, obtaining informational resources such as: lists, models and reports. Likewise, the workflow designed in the Business Process Modeling Notation was represented for its subsequent automation. It contributed to identify the capacities of human resources related to the evaluation of the state of the environment and the characteristics of this type of organizational ecosystem., RESUMEN La protección ambiental es una prioridad a nivel internacional y su evaluación un recurso para orientar la oportuna toma de decisiones. El objetivo de la presente investigación es diseñar un procedimiento para establecer un ecosistema organizacional en la evaluación integrada del medio ambiente, que consecuentemente tribute a la oportuna toma de decisiones. Se aplicaron los métodos: histórico- lógico, análisis síntesis, encuestas, entrevistas, modelación de procesos y la observación participante. Se conceptualizó, diseñó y aplicó el procedimiento, obteniéndose recursos informacionales tales como: listados, modelos e informes. Asimismo, se representó el flujo de trabajo diseñado en la Notación de modelado de procesos de negocio para su posterior automatización. Se contribuyó a identificar las capacidades del recurso humano relacionado con la evaluación del estado del medio ambiente y las características de este tipo de ecosistema organizacional.
- Published
- 2021
15. Procedimiento para establecer un ecosistema organizacional en la evaluación integrada del medio ambiente
- Author
-
Blanco González, Jeffrey, Fonden-Calzadilla, Juan Carlos, Caballero-Miranda, Roani, Miranda-Cuéllar, Roani Ladislá, Blanco González, Jeffrey, Fonden-Calzadilla, Juan Carlos, Caballero-Miranda, Roani, and Miranda-Cuéllar, Roani Ladislá
- Abstract
Environmental protection is a priority at the international level and its evaluation a resource to guide timely decision-making. The objective of the present investigation is to design a procedure to establish an organizational ecosystem in the integrated evaluation of the environment. Consequently, the results provided by the procedure contribute to timely decision-making. The methods were applied: historical-logical, synthesis analysis, surveys, interviews, process modeling and participatory observation. The procedure was conceptualized, designed and applied, obtaining informational resources such as: lists, models and reports. Likewise, the workflow designed in the Business Process Modeling Notation was represented for its subsequent automation. It contributed to identify the capacities of human resources related to the evaluation of the state of the environment and the characteristics of this type of organizational ecosystem., RESUMEN La protección ambiental es una prioridad a nivel internacional y su evaluación un recurso para orientar la oportuna toma de decisiones. El objetivo de la presente investigación es diseñar un procedimiento para establecer un ecosistema organizacional en la evaluación integrada del medio ambiente, que consecuentemente tribute a la oportuna toma de decisiones. Se aplicaron los métodos: histórico- lógico, análisis síntesis, encuestas, entrevistas, modelación de procesos y la observación participante. Se conceptualizó, diseñó y aplicó el procedimiento, obteniéndose recursos informacionales tales como: listados, modelos e informes. Asimismo, se representó el flujo de trabajo diseñado en la Notación de modelado de procesos de negocio para su posterior automatización. Se contribuyó a identificar las capacidades del recurso humano relacionado con la evaluación del estado del medio ambiente y las características de este tipo de ecosistema organizacional.
- Published
- 2021
16. Caracterización físico-química y microbiológica del agua del río Soacha, Cundinamarca, Colombia.
- Author
-
Acosta, Gustavo Forero
- Abstract
This research analyzed the properties of the water from the Soacha River, Cundinamarca, Colombia, its physicochemical and microbiological properties were investigated. The methodology consisted of performing various tours throughout the sub-basin of the river from Hungría laneto Bosatama lane where Soacha River flows into the Bogota River; livestock, agricultural, industrial and residential discharge points were identified; during the tours several workshops regarding environmental topics were conducted with the community of the area. Subsequently a total of 60 water samples during the period from September, to November 2012; 20 samples were taken from the top of the sub-basin 20 from the middle and 20 from the lower part physical, chemical and microbiological analysis were carried out both in situ and in laboratory; which allowed to identify the contamination of water from Soacha River. The results obtained showed that the waters of this river contain high levels of contamination of phosphorus, nitrogen and coliforms, as well as a low concentration of dissolved oxygen in the middle and low of the subbasin, which revealed clearly that the animals and humans who live near the river are in serious risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2015
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
17. КОМПЛЕКСНАЯ ЭКОЛОГИЧЕСКАЯ ОЦЕНКА РОСТОВСКОЙ ОБЛАСТИ
- Subjects
экологическое состояние ,Rostov region ,integrated environmental assessment ,level of environmental pollution ,антропогенная нагрузка ,anthropogenic load ,ecological state ,уровень загрязнения окружающей среды ,Ростовская область ,комплексная экологическая оценка - Abstract
Статья посвящена комплексной экологической оценке Ростовской области, включающей определение антропогенной нагрузки, оценку уровня загрязнения окружающей среды, установление степени напряженности экологической ситуации. Основой исследования стали методики, разработанные Б.И. Кочуровым, А.Д. Хаванским и др., В.Е. Закруткиным и др. Определение экологического состояния городов и административных районов, их экологических параметров, пространственный анализ ситуации, выявление особенностей регионального экологического развития выполнялось путем сравнения разнородных показателей, выраженных в различных единицах измерения, при помощи балльных оценок. В работе использовались опубликованные данные из официальных федеральных и региональных источников. Результаты комплексной экологической оценки Ростовской области позволяют утверждать следующее. 1. В городах с промышленным типом природопользования преобладает повышенная и средняя антропогенная нагрузка. Максимальные значения антропогенной нагрузки установлены в г. Ростове-на-Дону, повышенные – в Новочеркасске и Таганроге, в остальных городах выявлена средняя антропогенная нагрузка. В Ростове-на-Дону, Новочеркасске и Таганроге установлена кризисная экологическая ситуация, в остальных городах преобладает критическая экологическая ситуация. 2. В сельских районах с аграрно-промышленным типом природопользования, расположенных вблизи крупных и средних городов, установлены максимальные для аграрных районов показатели промышленной нагрузки, средние значения демографической и сельскохозяйственной нагрузки, в этих районах сформировалась критическая экологическая ситуация. 3. Аграрно-промышленные центры: Миллеровский, Сальский, а также Зимовниковский и Орловский районы – отличаются повышенной промышленной и высокой сельскохозяйственной нагрузкой, в этих районах преобладает критическая экологическая ситуация. 4. Большинство аграрных районов характеризуются высокой сельскохозяйственной нагрузкой и значительной деградацией почвенного покрова, что привело к формированию в них напряжённой экологической ситуации., The article is devoted to a comprehensive environmental assessment of the Rostov region, including the determination of anthropogenic load, an assessment of the level of environmental pollution, and the establishment of the degree of tension in the environmental situation. The research was based on the methods developed by B.I. Kochurov, A.D. Khavansky and others, V.E. Zakrutkin and others. Determination of the ecological state of cities and administrative districts, their ecological parameters, spatial analysis of the situation, identification of the features of regional ecological development was carried out by comparing dissimilar indicators expressed in different units of measurement using point estimates. The work used published data from official federal and regional sources. The results of a comprehensive environmental assessment of the Rostov region allow us to state the following. 1. In cities with an industrial type of nature management, an increased and average anthropogenic load prevails. The maximum values of anthropogenic load were established in the city of Rostov-on-Don, increased in Novocherkassk and Taganrog, in other cities an average anthropogenic load was revealed. In Rostov-on-Don, Novocherkassk and Taganrog, a crisis ecological situation is established, in other cities a critical ecological situation prevails. 2. In rural areas with an agrarian-industrial type of nature management, located near large and medium-sized cities, the maximum industrial load indicators for agricultural areas, average values of the demographic and agricultural load have been established; a critical ecological situation has formed in these areas. 3. Agrarian-industrial centers: Millerovsky, Salsky, as well as Zimovnikovsky and Oryol districts are distinguished by an increased industrial and high agricultural load, in these districts a critical ecological situation prevails. 4. Most of the agricultural regions are characterized by a high agricultural load and significant degradation of the soil cover, which led to the formation of a tense ecological situation in them.
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
18. An Open Science approach to infer fishing activity pressure on stocks and biodiversity from vessel tracking data
- Author
-
Pasquale Pagano, Gianpaolo Coro, and Anton Ellenbroek
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Open science ,Computer science ,Fishing ,e-Infrastructures ,computer.software_genre ,Vessel transmitted information ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Open Science ,Automatic Identification System ,14. Life underwater ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Vulnerability (computing) ,Ecology ,business.industry ,Impact assessment ,010604 marine biology & hydrobiology ,Applied Mathematics ,Ecological Modeling ,Environmental resource management ,Integrated Environmental Assessment ,Biodiversity ,Computer Science Applications ,Bycatch ,Data access ,Computational Theory and Mathematics ,Vessel tracking data ,13. Climate action ,Statistical analysis ,Modeling and Simulation ,Threatened species ,business ,computer ,Data integration - Abstract
Vessel tracking data help study the potential impact of fisheries on biodiversity and produce risk assessments. Existing workflows process vessel tracks to identify fishing activity and integrate information on species vulnerability. However, there are significant data integration challenges across the data sources needed for an integrated impact assessment due to heterogeneous nomenclatures, data accessibility issues, geographical and computational scalability of the processes, and confidentiality and transparency towards decision making authorities. This paper presents an Open Science data integration approach to use vessel tracking data in integrated impact assessments. Our approach combines heterogeneous knowledge sources from fisheries, biodiversity, and environmental observations to infer fishing activity and risks to potentially impacted species. An Open Science e-Infrastructure facilitates access to data sources and maximises the reproducibility of the results and the method's reusability across several application domains. Our method's quality is assessed through three case studies: The first demonstrates cross-dataset consistency by comparing the results obtained from two different vessel data sources. The second performs a temporal pattern analysis of fishing activity and potentially impacted species over time. The third assesses the potential impact of reduced fishing pressure on marine biodiversity and threatened species due to the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown in Italy. The method is meant to be integrated with other systems through its Open Science-oriented features and can rapidly use new sources of findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR) data. Other systems can use it to (i) classify vessel activity in data-limited scenarios, (ii) identify bycatch species (when catchability data are available), and (iii) study the effects of fisheries on habitats and populations’ growth.
- Published
- 2021
19. Understanding Integrated Environmental Assessment in a Multi-Stakeholder Negotiation via Role-Play.
- Author
-
Kim, Dong-Young
- Subjects
- *
ROLEPLAYING games , *EDUCATIONAL games , *VIDEO games , *AIR quality management , *SIMULATION methods in education , *LEARNING - Abstract
This article explains how a role-play game (RPG) can allow participants to get insights on the dynamics of incorporating scientific advice into adversarial policymaking. A RPG called GROUND-LEVEL OZONE (GLO) simulates a multi-stakeholder negotiation based on the recommendations of an integrated environmental assessment (IEA) for urban air quality management. Structured debriefing of the RPG used questionnaire survey of participants’ perceptions of IEA usefulness as well as participants’ feedback about the use of the IEA and performance of the facilitators during negotiations. By linking those perceptional and behavioral patterns to the negotiated outcomes, the debriefing drew much broader insights on the importance of upstream engagement for enhanced legitimacy of the IEA and constructive roles of a facilitator in a multi-stakeholder negotiation. This article also critically reviews the debriefing method and suggests a new design of more sophisticated debriefing method and a new RPG for more effective learning of the dynamics of the use of IEA in a multi-stakeholder negotiation in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]
- Published
- 2014
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
20. On the application of an environmental radiological assessment system to an anthropomorphic surrogate.
- Author
-
Brown, Justin E, Hosseini, Ali, and Dowdall, Mark
- Subjects
MEDICAL radiology ,ANTHROPOMORPHISM ,ECOLOGICAL risk assessment ,RISK management in business ,ECOLOGY methodology ,ENVIRONMENTAL impact analysis - Abstract
ABSTRACT Recent developments have seen the expansion of the system of radiological protection for humans to one including protection of the environment against detrimental effects of radiation exposure, although a fully developed framework for integration of human and ecological risk assessment for radionuclides is only at an early stage. In the context of integration, significant differences exist between assessment methodologies for humans and the environment in terms of transfer, exposure, and dosimetry. The aim of this elaboration was to explore possible implications of the simplifications made within the system of environmental radiological protection in terms of the efficacy and robustness of dose-rate predictions. A comparison was conducted between human radiological assessment and environmental radiological assessment for an anthropomorphic surrogate, the results for which, produced by both the environmental and human-oriented risk assessment systems, were critically compared and contrasted. The adopted approach split the calculations into several parts, these being 1) physical transfer in an ecosystem, 2) transfer to humans, 3) internal doses to humans, and 4) external doses to humans. The calculations were carried out using both a human radiological assessment and ecological risk assessment system for the same surrogate. The results of this comparison provided indications as to where the 2 systems are amenable to possible integration and where such integration may prove difficult. Initial stage transport models seem to be an obvious component amenable for integration, although complete integration is arguably unattainable as the differences between endpoints mean that the relevant outputs from the models will not be the same. For the transfer and dosimetry components of 2 typical methodologies, it seems that the efficacy of the environmental system is radionuclide-dependent, the predictions given by the environmental system for
90 Sr and60 Co being unsatisfactory and those for239 Pu and210 Po being evidently poor. Integration in this context might take the form of exploring the biokinetic models developed for humans with regard to selected animals and radionuclides. External dose assessment for environmental and human systems provide results for the surrogate that correspond quite closely providing an indication that integration in this regard is perhaps unnecessary. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2014;10:125-132. © 2013 SETAC [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2014
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
21. Integração de indicadores ecológicos, ambientais e de saúde humana em microbacias urbanas
- Author
-
Garuana, Luziana, Macedo, Diego Rodrigues, Machado, Antônio Thomaz Gonzaga da Matta, and Callisto, Marcos
- Subjects
rios urbanos ,integrated environmental assessment ,avaliação ambiental integrada ,qualidade de vida ,benthic macroinvertebrate bioindicators ,bacia hidrográfica ,urban rivers ,watersheds ,bioindicadores bentônicos ,health and environment ,life quality ,saúde e meio ambiente - Abstract
The integration of ecological, environmental, and human health indicators is an innovative tool to assess the environmental quality of urban watersheds, from the perspective of the National Water Resources Policy. The city of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais estate, located in the upper Rio das Velhas basin, has used watersheds as territories for planning environmental sanitation at the public policies since the late 1990s. This study aimed to integrate water quality and human health indicators in 10 urban watersheds located at the Belo Horizonte Metropolitan Region. We tested the hypothesis that the health of human populations living in urban sub-basins is possibly related to water quality, and that water quality, including biotic integrity of benthic macroinvertebrate communities (richness and relative abundance) is influenced by land use. Physical and chemical parameters of water quality, biological metrics of benthic macroinvertebrate indicators, human health metrics (infant mortality and hospitalization due to childhood diarrhea), and the conditions of land use (vegetation, impervious area and proportion of streams in natural channel) were analyzed through general linear models. The results showed that the increase in cases of hospitalization for childhood diarrhea in the period from 2005 to 2008 were related to water quality (R2 = 0.35; p < 0.05), due to the decrease of dissolved oxygen in the water. The number of benthic macroinvertebrate taxa resistant to pollution varied positively with the proportion of impervious areas and with the proportion of canalization in the river beds (R2 = 0.63; p < 0.01). It was evidenced that the water quality is associated with the occurrence of diseases in the human population and with the disordered land use in the studied watersheds at the upper Rio das Velhas basin. Growing public investments in sanitation (Goal 2030) are urgent for the improvement of human and environmental health, which may bring benefits to the human population in the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte city. A integração de indicadores ecológicos, ambientais e de saúde humana é uma ferramenta inovadora para avaliar a qualidade ambiental de bacias hidrográficas urbanas, na perspectiva da Política Nacional de Recursos Hídricos. A cidade de Belo Horizonte, localizada no trecho alto da bacia do Rio das Velhas, utiliza as microbacias hidrográficas como territórios de planejamento de saneamento ambiental em políticas públicas desde o final da década de 1990. Este estudo teve como objetivo integrar indicadores de qualidade de água e de saúde humana em dez microbacias hidrográficas urbanas na Região Metropolitana de Belo Horizonte. Testamos a hipótese de que a saúde das populações humanas que vivem em microbacias urbanas é possivelmente relacionada à qualidade de água, e que a qualidade de água, incluindo a integridade biótica de comunidades de macroinvertebrados bioindicadores (riqueza e abundância relativa) é influenciada pelo tipo de ocupação do solo. Parâmetros físicos e químicos de qualidade de água, métricas biológicas de indicadores bentônicos, métricas de saúde humana (mortalidade infantil e internação por diarreia infantil), e as condições de ocupação de solo urbano (vegetação, impermeabilização e proporção de córregos em leito natural) foram analisados através de modelos lineares generalizados. Os resultados obtidos evidenciaram que o aumento dos casos de internação por diarreia infantil no período de 2005 a 2008 foram relacionados à qualidade de água (R2 = 0,35; p < 0,05), devido à diminuição de oxigênio dissolvido. O número de táxons de bioindicadores bentônicos resistentes à poluição variou positivamente com a proporção de áreas impermeabilizadas e com a proporção de canalizações em leitos de rios (R2 = 0,63; p < 0,01). Foi evidenciado que a qualidade de água é associada à ocorrência de doenças na população urbana e ao uso desordenado do solo nas microbacias estudadas no trecho alto da bacia hidrográfica do Rio das Velhas. Maiores investimentos públicos em saneamento (Meta 2030) são prementes para a melhoria da saúde humana e ambiental, que poderão proporcionar benefícios para a população na região metropolitana de Belo Horizonte.
- Published
- 2020
22. Runoff and Water Quality in the Aspect of Environmental Impact Assessment of Experimental Area of Green Roofs in Lower Silesia
- Author
-
G. Pęczkowski, Ryszard Pokładek, W. Orzepowski, T. Kowalczyk, and Katarzyna Szawernoga
- Subjects
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,Geography, Planning and Development ,Green roof ,TJ807-830 ,010501 environmental sciences ,Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law ,TD194-195 ,01 natural sciences ,Renewable energy sources ,Rainwater harvesting ,green roofs ,GE1-350 ,Expanded clay aggregate ,Hydrometeorology ,Precipitation ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Environmental effects of industries and plants ,Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment ,Environmental engineering ,performance system ,Environmental sciences ,integrated environmental assessment ,Perlite ,quality of runoff water ,Environmental science ,Water quality ,Surface runoff - Abstract
Green architecture, including green roofs, can limit the effects of urbanization. Green roofs soften the thermal effect in urban conditions, especially considering the significant increase in the European and global population and that a significant share of the age group, mainly the elderly is exposed to diseases caused by high temperatures. We studied runoff and the quality of water from green roof systems in Lower Silesia, within the area of the Agro and Hydrometeorology Station Wrocław-Swojec, in the years 2012&ndash, 2016. In the study, two systems with a vegetation layer based on light expanded clay aggregate and perlite were analyzed. The studies were based on the assessment of peak flow reduction, rainwater volume preservation and peak wave reduction. The calculated maximum retention performance indicator, relative to rainfall, for perlite surfaces was up to 65%, and in relation to the control surface up to 49%. In addition, the quality of water from runoff was estimated in the conditions of annual atmospheric deposition, taking into account such indicators as electrolytic conductivity, the content of N, NO3, NO2, NH4, P, PO4, and the content of metals, Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd. The load of total nitrogen exceeded the values of concentration in rainwater and amounted to 7.17 and 13.01 mg∙L-1 for leca and perlite, respectively. In the case of the metal content, significantly higher concentrations of copper and zinc from green surfaces were observed in relation to precipitation. For surfaces with perlite, these were 320 mg∙L&minus, 1 and 241 mg∙L&minus, 1, respectively, with rainwater concentrations of 50 and 31 mg∙L&minus, 1.
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
23. Internationally agreed environmental goals: A critical evaluation of progress.
- Author
-
Jabbour, Jason, Keita-Ouane, Fatoumata, Hunsberger, Carol, Sánchez-Rodríguez, Roberto, Gilruth, Peter, Patel, Neeyati, Singh, Ashbindu, Levy, Marc A., and Schwarzer, Stefan
- Subjects
TREATIES ,ENVIRONMENTAL protection ,INTERNATIONAL environmental law ,STRATEGIC planning ,UNITED Nations Conference on the Human Environment (1972: Stockholm, Sweden) - Abstract
Abstract: The number of international environmental institutions, goals and agreements has increased greatly since the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in 1972. However, the results of this proliferation for environmental protection have been mixed. The upcoming “Rio +20” conference (2012), offers world leaders an opportunity to reaffirm the importance of achieving a sustainability agenda and to revisit their strategies for doing so. To inform this process it is crucial to learn from the ambitions, achievements and shortcomings on goal attainment to date. Drawing on the United Nations Environment Programme’s fifth Global Environment Outlook report (GEO-5), this paper presents an evaluation of progress made on globally agreed environmental goals in relation to a series of biophysical trends. The analysis suggests a picture of patchy achievements rather than sustained progress. The most encouraging results have occurred where measurable targets were established on problems with relatively straightforward causes and courses of action. Key obstacles to the achievement of goals include a series of mismatches: between narrow objectives and the need for integrated approaches; between types of problems and types of solutions; between the fragmentation of governance and the need for collective action; between science and policy; between the responsibilities and resources of environmental institutions; and between complex systems and the desire for measurable outcomes. Overcoming these obstacles will require not only learning from past successes and failures but also adapting this knowledge to environmental, political and economic circumstances that have changed considerably over the past 40 years. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2012
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
24. Research Needs and Challenges from Science to Decision Support. Lesson Learnt from the Development of the International Reference Life Cycle Data System (ILCD) Recommendations for Life Cycle Impact Assessment.
- Author
-
Sala, Serenella, Pant, Rana, Hauschild, Michael, and Pennington, David
- Abstract
Environmental implications of the whole supply-chain of products, both goods and services, their use, and waste management, i.e., their entire life cycle from "cradle to grave" have to be considered to achieve more sustainable production and consumption patterns. Progress toward environmental sustainability requires enhancing the methodologies for quantitative, integrated environmental assessment and promoting the use of these methodologies in different domains. In the context of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of products, in recent years, several methodologies have been developed for Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA). The Joint Research Center of the European Commission (EC-JRC) led a "science to decision support" process which resulted in the International Reference Life Cycle Data System (ILCD) Handbook, providing guidelines to the decision and application of methods for LCIA. The Handbook is the result of a comprehensive process of evaluation and selection of existing methods based on a set of scientific and stakeholder acceptance criteria and involving review and consultation by experts, advisory groups and the public. In this study, we report the main features of the ILCD LCIA recommendation development highlighting relevant issues emerged from this "from science to decision support" process in terms of research needs and challenges for LCIA. Comprehensiveness of the assessment, as well as acceptability and applicability of the scientific developments by the stakeholders, are key elements for the design of new methods and to guarantee the mainstreaming of the sustainability concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2012
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
25. Scientific approaches to address challenges in coastal management.
- Author
-
Nobre, A. M.
- Subjects
COASTAL zone management ,INTEGRATED coastal zone management ,ECOSYSTEM management ,ENVIRONMENTAL management - Abstract
The article discusses the major management tools that are utilized to resolve coastal zone problems, including the integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) and ecosystem-based management (EBM). It reviews several research areas that could be used in coastal management, such as marine spatial planning (MSP), ecological modelling, and the tools to communicate science to managers. It cites the U.S. National Estuary Program (NEP) as an example of EBM for the management of estuaries. The Atlantic Coastal Action Program (ACAP) is an example of EBM in Canada.
- Published
- 2011
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
26. Issues to consider, existing tools and constraints in biofuels sustainability assessments
- Author
-
Silva Lora, Electo E., Escobar Palacio, José C., Rocha, Mateus H., Grillo Renó, Maria L., Venturini, Osvaldo J., and Almazán del Olmo, Oscar
- Subjects
- *
BIOMASS energy , *SUSTAINABILITY , *EMISSION control , *ENVIRONMENTAL impact analysis , *PETROLEUM reserves , *BIOENERGETICS , *FOSSIL fuels , *PALM oil , *BIODIESEL fuels - Abstract
Abstract: Biofuels world production has increased sharply in recent years. Oil reserves depletion, the oil high price and the confidence in biofuels “carbon neutrality” are the main causes of this phenomenon. However, claims related to the negative consequences of biofuel programs are frequent; mainly those related to the biofuels/food competition and sustainability. This paper aims to contribute for the development of a framework for sustainability indicators as a tool for performance assessment. The most used indicators to measure the biofuels sustainability are: Life Cycle Energy Balance (LCEB), quantity of fossil energy substituted per hectare, co-product energy allocation, life cycle carbon balance and changes in soil utilization. On the other hand, existing assessment tools, such as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Integrated Environmental Assessment (IEA), are compared emphasizing their advantages and disadvantages. Main constraints related to the studied frontiers, as well as the lack of reliable data and their effects are also discussed. Discussions are held on the basis of real life cycle studies carried out by the authors about palm oil biodiesel and different alternatives for the stillage treatment and disposal. Finally, suggestions and recommendations are made to improve existing methodologies for biofuels sustainability evaluation, all this from a south perspective. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2011
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
27. Integration of bio-physical and economic models to analyze management intensity and landscape structure effects at farm and landscape level
- Author
-
Schönhart, Martin, Schauppenlehner, Thomas, Schmid, Erwin, and Muhar, Andreas
- Subjects
- *
BIOPHYSICS , *ECONOMIC models , *FARM management , *AGRICULTURAL economics , *LAND use , *AGRICULTURE , *CROP rotation , *COST effectiveness , *BIODIVERSITY - Abstract
Abstract: We present an integrated spatially explicit land use modeling framework, which integrates two key components of agricultural systems, the bio-physical production system and the management system, by coupling the bio-economic farm optimization model FAMOS[space], the crop rotation model CropRota, and the bio-physical process model EPIC (Environmental Policy Integrated Climate). The integrated modeling framework has been developed to analyze the cost-effectiveness of selected agri-environmental program (AEP) measures. We also focus on the landscape development and therefore include a detailed representation of landscape elements such as fields or orchard meadows in our analysis. An indicator set represents all main environmental AEP objectives, i.e. preservation of water and soil resources, mitigation of climate change, protection of biodiversity, maintenance of cultural landscapes as well as farm income support. The integrated modeling framework is applied to 20 farms in the Austrian ‘Mostviertel’ region, which are selected from the Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) of the European Union. The cost-effectiveness of AEP measures is assessed under different premium levels. The implementation of the AEP clearly affects environmental quality in a positive way. Nitrogen rates are reduced, landscape elements can be sustained, and the landscape becomes more diverse. The program also increases farm gross margins on average. However, the cost-effectiveness ratios (CER) are declining with increasing premium levels. The results indicate that the cost-effectiveness of AEP measures can be improved by spatial targeting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2011
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
28. Combining multimedia models with integrated urban water system models for micropollutants.
- Author
-
de Keyser, W., Gevaert, V., Verdonck, F., Nopens, I., de Baets, B., Vanrolleghem, P. A., Mikkelsen, P. S., and Benedetti, L.
- Subjects
- *
DUAL water systems , *WATER quality , *SEWAGE disposal plants , *MICROPOLLUTANTS , *ENVIRONMENTAL impact analysis , *PHTHALATE esters - Abstract
Integrated urban water system (IUWS) modeling aims at assessing the quality of the surface water receiving the urban emissions through sewage treatment plants, combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and stormwater drainage systems. However, some micropollutants tend to appear in more than one environmental medium (air, water, sediment, soil, groundwater, etc.). In this work, a multimedia fate and transport model (MFTM) is "wrapped around" a dynamic IUWS model for organic micropollutants to enable integrated environmental assessment. The combined model was tested on a hypothetical catchment using two scenarios: on the one hand a reference scenario with a combined sewerage system and on the other hand a stormwater infiltration pond scenario, as an example of a sustainable urban drainage system (SUDS). A case for Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) was simulated and resulted in reduced surface water concentrations for the latter scenario. However, the model also showed that this was at the expense of increased fluxes to air, groundwater and infiltration pond soil. The latter effects are generally not included in IUWS models, whereas MTFMs usually do not consider dynamic surface water concentrations,; hence the combined model approach provides a better basis for integrated environmental assessment of micropollutants' fate in urban environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2010
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
29. Ecological–economic assessment of aquaculture options: Comparison between abalone monoculture and integrated multi-trophic aquaculture of abalone and seaweeds
- Author
-
Nobre, A.M., Robertson-Andersson, D., Neori, A., and Sankar, K.
- Subjects
- *
AQUATIC resource management , *AQUACULTURE , *AQUACULTURE & the environment , *ABALONE culture , *MARINE algae culture , *COMPARATIVE studies , *ENVIRONMENTAL impact analysis , *ECONOMICS - Abstract
Abstract: Integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) possesses ecological and socio-economic advantages, relative to single-species aquaculture. The promotion of a sustainable aquaculture industry requires that decision-makers, ecosystem managers and farmers have sufficient quantitative information associated with its implementation from both public and private perspectives. The present paper applies the Differential Drivers–Pressure–State–Impact–Response (ΔDPSIR) methodological approach to an ecological and economic comparison between mono-aquaculture and IMTA. Data from a South African 240-tonyear−1 abalone farm were used as a case study. Three operation schemes were considered: abalone monoculture in a flow-through system; and two IMTA schemes, which recycle water and replace 10% and 30% of kelp consumption with on-farm-grown seaweed. The analysis indicates a decrease in the aquaculture generated ecological pressures with the incorporation of seaweeds, mainly a reduction in nitrogen discharges into the adjacent coastal ecosystem (by 3.7 to 5.0tonsyear−1), a reduction in harvest of natural kelp beds (by 2.2 to 6.6hayear−1) and a reduction of GHG emissions (by 290 to 350tons CO2eyear−1). Adopting an IMTA configuration raised farm profits by 1.4 to 5%. The corresponding overall gain from using IMTA in the case study is several folds larger than the net gain in profit, and is estimated between 1.1 and 3.0million U.S. dollar per annum. This range of values reflects the gains of adopting IMTA on (i) economic value of the aquaculture, i.e. farm''s profit, (ii) value of environmental externalities, and (iii) implementation costs. The analysis suggests that the value of the benefits to the public by adopting the IMTA configurations can be larger than the gains in farm''s profitability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2010
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
30. Collectively engaging complex socio-ecological systems: re-envisioning science, governance, and the California Delta.
- Author
-
Norgaard, Richard B., Kallis, Giorgos, and Kiparsky, Michael
- Subjects
WATER management ,CORPORATE governance ,ECOLOGICAL systems theory ,ENVIRONMENTAL impact analysis ,WATER quality management ,RESTORATION ecology ,WATER laws - Abstract
Abstract: We address the future of science and governance for the California Delta, focusing on the CALFED Bay-Delta Program, an interagency, multi-stakeholder effort to understand and manage the Delta for multiple purposes. We portray a Delta history as a coevolutionary process between science, governance and ecosystems. Global integrated environmental assessments (IEA) provide insights into understanding complex, dynamic socio-ecological systems. Many of the discursive stakeholder and scientific activities that have arisen under CALFED are similar to IEA and remain essential to the shared learning needed to effectively interact with a dynamic Delta. More deliberately enmeshing environmental monitoring, analysis, and collective learning into Delta governance will improve outcomes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2009
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
31. Determine the most influencing stressors and the most susceptible resources for environmental integrated assessment
- Author
-
Tran, Liem T., O’neill, Robert V., and Smith, Elizabeth R.
- Subjects
- *
ENVIRONMENTAL impact analysis , *MATRIX analytic methods , *ENVIRONMENTAL engineering , *RESEARCH methodology evaluation , *RESEARCH methodology , *LATENT variables , *CASE method (Teaching) - Abstract
The paper presents a method to determine the most influencing stressors and the most susceptible resources for complex assessment problems involving multiple stressors impacting multiple resources over a region. The method is based on the concept of limiting priorities in a square matrix which capture the transmission of influence along all paths between stressors and resources in the matrix. The proposed method allows the relationship between stressors and resources to be looked at in both univariate and multivariate fashion, taking into account the interactions among the variables. Hypothetical and case study examples are given for illustration purpose. It shows that the proposed method is suitable for the determination of the most important stressors and the most susceptible resources, a common (but often uneasy) task in integrated environmental assessment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2009
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
32. Environmental Integrated Assessment via Monte Carlo Simulation with a Case Study of the Mid-Atlantic Region, USA.
- Author
-
Tran, Liem T., O'Neill, Robert V., and Smith, Elizabeth R.
- Subjects
ENVIRONMENTAL impact analysis ,MONTE Carlo method ,WATERSHEDS ,INDEXES ,ECOLOGICAL impact - Abstract
Environmental integrated assessments are often carried out via the aggregation of a set of environmental indicators. Aggregated indices derived from the same data set can differ substantially depending upon how the indicators are weighted and aggregated, which is often a subjective matter. This article presents a method of generating aggregated environmental indices in an objective manner via Monte Carlo simulation. Rankings derived from the aggregated indices within and between three Monte Carlo simulations were used to evaluate the overall environmental condition of the study area. Other insights, such as the distribution of good or bad values of indicators at a watershed and/or a subregion, were observed in the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2009
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
33. An Ecological and Economic Assessment Methodology for Coastal Ecosystem Management.
- Author
-
Nobre, Ana M.
- Subjects
BIOTIC communities ,ENVIRONMENTAL impact analysis ,ENVIRONMENTAL protection ,ECOLOGICAL impact ,LAGOONS ,ECOSYSTEM management - Abstract
An adaptation of the Drivers-Pressure-State-Impact-Response methodology is presented in this work. The differential DPSIR (ΔDPSIR) was developed to evaluate impacts on the coastal environment and as a tool for integrated ecosystem management. The aim of the ΔDPSIR is to provide scientifically-based information required by managers and decision-makers to evaluate previously adopted policies, as well as future response scenarios. The innovation of the present approach is to provide an explicit link between ecological and economic information related to the use and management of a coastal ecosystem within a specific timeframe. The application of ΔDPSIR is illustrated through an analysis of developments in a Southwest European coastal lagoon between 1985 and 1995. The value of economic activities dependent on the lagoon suffered a significant reduction (ca. −60%) over that period, mainly due to a decrease in bivalve production. During that decade the pressures from the catchment area were managed (ca. 176 million Euros), mainly through the building of waste water treatment plants. Notwithstanding this, the ecosystem state worsened with respect to abnormal clam mortalities due to a parasite infection and to benthic eutrophication symptoms in specific problematic areas. The negative economic impacts during the decade were estimated between −565 and −315 million Euros, of which 9–49% represent the cost of environmental externalities. Evaluation of these past events indicates that future management actions should focus on reducing the limitation on local clam seeds, which should result in positive impacts to both the local socio-economy and biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2009
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
34. Prospects for combining chemical and biological methods for integrated environmental assessment
- Author
-
Blasco, Cristina and Picó, Yolanda
- Subjects
- *
ECOLOGICAL risk assessment , *POLLUTANTS , *RISK assessment , *BIOMARKERS - Abstract
Abstract: Inherently interdisciplinary, environmental assessment applied to contamination is evolving rapidly, despite associated uncertainties in methodologies and data limitations. Mixtures of known and unknown pollutants can cause toxic effects in the environment. Besides deploying a chemicals-driven strategy for the ecological risk assessment of the pollutants, it is necessary to apply and to explore biological strategies. Consequently, bioassays, biosensors and effect-directed analysis (EDA) to identify pollutants responsible of particular effects have become increasingly important. We give a broad overview of how to assess biological monitoring of ecosystems and chemical monitoring of priority and specific substances involved in environmental contamination. We describe bioanalytical tools and address the need to integrate and to combine them with chemical tools. We also describe the requirement for EDA in field monitoring and risk assessment of pollutants. We critically review the literature and present generalized strategies for characterizing environmental contamination, and detecting and categorizing toxicological problems. Last, but not least, we outline the prospects for combining chemical and biological methods for integrated environmental assessment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2009
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
35. An Applied Assessment Model to Evaluate the Socioeconomic Impact of Water Quality Regulations in Chile.
- Author
-
Yarrow, Matthew M., Tironi, Antonio, Ramírez, Alejandro, and Marín, Víctor H.
- Subjects
NATURAL resources management areas ,STAKEHOLDER theory ,SOCIOECONOMICS ,WATERSHEDS ,DEVELOPING countries ,WATER pollution potential - Abstract
In many developing countries, natural resource management is based on traditional, expert-based methods that often exclude a variety of stakeholders. This paper presents a conceptual model and methodology that represent a first step toward a more integrated evaluation and management of large basins. The main objective of this paper is to evaluate the socioeconomic impact of the application of secondary water quality regulations in the Aysén River Basin of Southern Chile. We employ the concept of physical, ecological and social (PHES)-system as a conceptual framework. Three indices based on this framework were created to characterize different aspects of the Aysén Basin: an environmental vulnerability index, an index of the water quality impact of the different economic sectors, and an index that quantifies the economic contribution of these sectors. Finally the three indices were combined as a measure of the socioeconomic impact of the proposed regulations in what we referred to as the 'applied assessment model'. Our results suggest that the applied regulations would have little socioeconomic impact on the Aysén Basin. Finally we discuss challenges to integrated watershed assessment in the context of developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2008
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
36. The need for combining IEA and IE tools: The potential effects of a global ban on PVC on climate change
- Author
-
Kleijn, René, van der Voet, Ester, and Udo de Haes, Helias A.
- Subjects
- *
ENVIRONMENTAL impact analysis , *INDUSTRIAL ecology , *CLIMATE change , *POLYVINYL chloride & the environment - Abstract
Abstract: Over the last decades the concepts of Integrated Environmental Assessment (IEA) and Industrial Ecology (IE), both claiming to provide analyses and solutions for sustainability issues, have been developed separately as they emerged in response to questions from different policy-fields. In both fields, specific tools are used to support national and international environmental policy. The focus of IEA and IE tools, however, is different. IEA tools focus on one or a limited number of specific environmental issues. They often model the chain environmental processes with high spatial (and temporal) resolution, but have a low resolution for the material structure of the economy and only partly take into account indirect effects that occur via physical and socio-economic linkages. IE tools take into account all environmental issues related to a specific substance or product. They have a high resolution for the material structure of the economy and take into account indirect effects that occur via physical linkages, however, their environmental modelling is very limited. Both IE and IEA tools have proven to be very useful and neither is superior to the other. However, a combination of both can provide additional information that can be used for more effective policy making. We use the case of a hypothetical world-wide ban on PVC to show that a measure that is not directly related to climate change could still have significant climate effects. This indirect effect is a result of the linkages of material flows in society. We show that IEA tools are not well suited to include these types of effects and that IE tools can fill this gap partially. What is really needed is a broader systems perspective that takes into account the full range of possible side-effects of environmental policy measures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2008
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
37. Environmental Indicators and Integrated Environmental Assessment.
- Author
-
Abahussain, Asma Ali and Abdu, Anwar Sh.-A.
- Abstract
Indicators are essential instruments to identify environmental problems, their analysis and evaluation, to set priorities, and to monitor trends and temporal changes in the environmental conditions. They are important tools to follow policy performance, and to measure progress towards achievements to of specific objectives. Indicators are used in Integrated Environmental Assessment (IEA) reports since they provide decision-makers with simplified and relevant information about the conditions and trends of the environmental issues of interest, which also helps to monitor and assess environmental policies. Indicators also enhance the level of public awareness about the environmental issues without dealing with the complicated specific data and statistics. The objective of this research is to make visible the most important (Core) environmental indicators relevant to (WEHABC) themes, which include (Water, Energy, Health, Agriculture, (and Land), Biodiversity, Marine and Coastal Ecosystems), since they are the most significant themes that constitute Integrated Environmental Assessment Reports. This step has been performed by use of DPSIR model (Driving force, Pressure, State, Impacts and Responses), to synthesize and analyze the interrelationships between human activities, environmental eco-systems and their environmental, social and economic impacts and the social responses to mitigate these impacts. The matrix of environmental indicators relevant to WEHABC themes were discussed, scrutinized, and finally selected through a number of activities organized by the United Nations Environmental Programme/Regional Office for West Asia (UNEP/ROWA) during 2003-2004. For each selected indicator, a methodology sheet was proposed that shows the theme, the issue, the definition, unit of measurement, type of indicator, purpose, significance and relevance, methodology of description, linkage to other indicators, alternative definitions, and sources of information and references. The main finding of this study indicates that it is vitally important to use environmental indicators to monitor and assess the trends and conditions of the environment in the Arab Region and its outlook. It is important not only at the regional base, but also at the national and local levels, to enable countries of the region to periodically prepare environmental assessment reports of shared environmental issues of interest. Such exercises can contribute to and facilitate the formulation of environmental strategies and initiation of future sustainable development policies for the Region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2008
38. Integrated environmental assessment and pollution prevention in Vietnam: the case of anthracite production
- Author
-
Chinh, Loi Dinh, Gheewala, Shabbir H., and Bonnet, Sébastien
- Subjects
- *
ENVIRONMENTAL impact analysis , *POLLUTION prevention , *ANTHRACITE coal - Abstract
Abstract: Using the concept of life cycle analysis, the whole life cycle of anthracite production in Vietnam was assessed and the environmental “hot-spots” were identified. These include (i) dust pollution at coal transfer points or piles in storage; (ii) noise pollution resulting from the usage of heavy equipment, and (iii) high volume of acid and turbid mine water discharged into the environment. Pollution prevention and treatment options were identified and discussed in this study which consists of wet treatment of dust, planning, collection and treatment of mine water, planting of trees for dust and noise reduction as well as minimization of erosion. Some recommendations are made for pollution abatement from coal production and improvement of anthracite production in the region. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2007
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
39. Service Sector Metabolism.
- Author
-
Oliver-Solà, Jordi, Nuñez, Monteserrat, Gabarrell, Xavier, Boada, Martí, and Rieradevall, Joan
- Subjects
- *
SERVICE industries , *URBAN parks , *INDUSTRIAL ecology , *ENVIRONMENTAL impact analysis - Abstract
This article evaluates, from an industrial ecology (IE) perspective, the energy performance of the services inside an urban system and determines their global environmental impact. Additionally, this study determines which are the most energy demanding services and the efficiency of their energy use per visitor and per surface area unit. The urban system under study is the Montjïc urban park in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, which can be considered a services system. In this case study we distinguished the different patterns of consumption among the service fields and, by studying each field individually, found the most efficient facilities and identified the most critical services based on energy use per visitor or per square meter. These findings are based on the use of energy flow accounting (EFA), life-cycle assessment (LCA), and the energy footprint to analyze the Park's technical energy consumption. Electricity consumption represents nearly 70% of the total energy consumed by the services at Montjïc Park. The forest surface area required to absorb the CO2-equivalent emissions produced by the life cycle of the energy consumed at Montjïc Park represents 12.2 times the Park's surface area. We conclude this article by proposing the incorporation of the methods of IE within the study of parks containing multiple services to improve energy management, and as a result, to raise the global environmental performance of the service sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2007
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
40. Combining lifecycle and risk assessments of mineral waste reuse scenarios for decision making support
- Author
-
Benetto, Enrico, Tiruta-Barna, Ligia, and Perrodin, Yves
- Subjects
ENVIRONMENTAL impact analysis ,ECOLOGICAL risk assessment ,INTEGRATED solid waste management ,WASTE recycling ,ECOLOGY methodology ,DECISION making ,LIFE cycle costing - Abstract
Lack of regulations and standards on mineral waste recycling makes Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA) useful methods for environmental assessment of recycling scenarios. An unsolved problem arises whenever two scenarios of recycling have to be compared according to both ERA and LCA impact results considered simultaneously. A methodology to combine LCA and ERA results and tools toward Integrated Environmental Assessment (IEA) is proposed together with three application examples based on case studies. The most effective combination approach is to define further impact categories for ERA to be considered with the standard LCA ones. Then, the use of a multicriteria analysis method was proved to be an efficient way to rank alternative scenarios with respect to all the results. The key issues to be further researched are discussed and proposals are suggested. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2007
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
41. Sensitivity Analysis of Aggregated Indices for Integrated Assessment with a Case Study of the Mid-Atlantic Region.
- Author
-
Tran, Liem, O’Neill, Robert, Smith, Elizabeth, and Knight, C.
- Subjects
ENVIRONMENTAL indicators ,FUZZY sets ,AGGREGATION operators ,SENSITIVITY theory (Mathematics) ,WATERSHEDS - Abstract
Environmental indicators are often aggregated into a single index for various purposes in environmental studies. Aggregated indices derived from the same data set can differ, usually because the aggregated indices’ sensitivities are not thoroughly analyzed. Furthermore, if a sensitivity analysis is carried out, it is not presented in a transparent fashion to policy decision-makers. This paper presents a method of generating various aggregated environmental indices and analyzing their sensitivities via the use of the fuzzy set concept. Results show that several insights into the environmental conditions of the study area (e.g., the distribution of good or bad values of indicators at a watershed and or across the region) can be revealed in the sensitivity analysis of aggregated indices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2007
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
42. The ECOMAN project: A novel approach to defining sustainable ecosystem function.
- Author
-
Galloway, Tamara S., Brown, Rebecca J., Browne, Mark A., Dissanayake, Awantha, Lowe, David, Depledge, Michael H., and Jones, Malcolm B.
- Subjects
POLLUTION ,BIOMARKERS ,NATURAL resources ,ENVIRONMENTAL quality - Abstract
Abstract: The ECOMAN was initiated in 2001 by the University of Plymouth, UK, Plymouth Marine Laboratory and the Department of the Environment, Fisheries and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to address the need for more pragmatic assessment techniques linking environmental degradation with its causes. The primary aim of the project was to develop an evidence-based approach in which suites of easy-to-use, cost-effective and environmentally valid biological responses (biomarkers) could be used together to assess the health of coastal systems through the general condition of individuals. A range of sub-lethal endpoints, chosen to reflect successive levels of biological organisation (molecular, cellular, physiological), was evaluated in common coastal organisms showing different feeding types (filter feeding, grazing, predation) and habitat requirements (estuary, rocky shore). Initially, the suite of biomarkers was used in laboratory studies to determine the relative sensitivities of key species within different functional groups to common contaminants. These results were then validated in field studies performed in a range of ecosystems exhibiting different degrees/signatures of contamination. Here, an example is provided of a field study in the Humber Estuary, UK, which illustrates how multivariate statistical analysis can be used to identify patterns of response to discriminate between contaminated and clean sites. The use of a holistic, integrated approach of this kind is advocated as a practical means of assessing the impact of chemical contamination on organismal health and of ranking the status of marine ecosystems. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2006
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
43. The effects of uncertainty on estimating the relative environmental quality of watersheds across a region.
- Author
-
Smith, Elizabeth R., McKinnis, Peter, Tran, Liem T., and O'Neill, Robert V.
- Subjects
ENVIRONMENTAL quality ,WATERSHEDS ,ECOLOGISTS ,LANDSCAPES ,MONTE Carlo method ,NUMERICAL analysis ,ESTIMATION theory ,SIMULATION methods & models ,ENVIRONMENTAL protection - Abstract
Landscape ecologists may be faced with ranking the relative environmental quality of watersheds across a region. The rankings would be based on measured or modeled variables with inherent sources of error. This paper examines the impact of data uncertainty on the ranking assigned to watersheds. The approach is Monte Carlo simulation in which the individual variables are considered to be estimated with uncertainty. The results show that watersheds in the best and the worst condition have rankings that are robust to uncertainty but intermediate watersheds may be difficult or impossible to assign to a rank. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2006
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
44. Canadian insights: The challenges of an integrated environmental assessment framework.
- Author
-
McCaig, Karen
- Subjects
ENVIRONMENTAL impact analysis ,ENVIRONMENTAL protection ,ECOLOGICAL risk assessment - Abstract
Abstract: The paper draws results from a review of literature to examine the strengths and weaknesses of the integrated environmental assessment framework in Canada with respect to the inclusion of health impact assessment. Insights include the legislative nature, rigid structure and priority for the natural environment that may restrict progress and the pool of government agencies that need to be convinced of the benefits of health impact assessment that may provide a strong structure for compliance in the long term. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2005
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
45. Elucidating public perceptions of environmental behavior: a case study of Lake Lanier
- Author
-
Fath, Brian D. and Beck, M.B.
- Subjects
- *
WATERSHEDS , *STAKEHOLDERS , *SURVEYS - Abstract
Participation of stakeholders in stewardship of the aquatic environment, including participation from members of the general public, has become much more widespread than was the case a decade or so ago. With this shift, from a former predominantly technocratic stance to something of a democratic stance on the style of management, it becomes important to elucidate public perceptions of environmental behavior. The paper examines this issue: from a rather specific perspective, where the role of time is significant; with a specific purpose in mind—for defining illustrative stakeholder aspirations for the future, whose plausibility is to be assessed against a computational model of lake behavior; and for a specific case study, Lake Lanier in the Chattahoochee watershed of Georgia, USA. Perturbations and variation in the behavior of the aquatic environment span many time frames, from the very short-term response associated with storms, infrastructure failure, transient pollution events, and so on, to the much longer-term, for instance, the biogeochemical ‘ageing’ of a lake over many decades and more. Our analysis is devoted to data from a survey of stakeholder imagination and perceptions of how the future state of Lake Lanier may evolve in the relatively short term (2–5 years) and in the long term, defined as 25+ years (the span of a generation). Overall, stakeholders are pessimistic and fear that things will be worse in the longer term. Guided largely by thinking on the perspectives of the social solidarities of Cultural Theory, extraction and analysis of sub-samples of the survey responses show that this outlook over the two frames of time is persistent, irrespective of what are, in principle, rather different ‘global’ attitudes towards the man-environment relationship. Of interest inter alia to the foresight generating procedure, by which the ‘reachability’ of stakeholder-derived futures for the lake is to be assessed using a computational model of the relevant parts of the science base, is the question of whether the same small number of priorities for further research on lake behavior is robust in the face of the rich variety of aspirations for the future inevitable in a democratic community of stakeholders. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2005
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
46. Integrated Environmental Assessment of the Mid-Atlantic Region with Analytical Network Process.
- Author
-
Tran, Liem T., Knight, C. Gregory, O'Neill, Robert V., and Smith, Elizabeth R.
- Subjects
DECISION making ,ENVIRONMENTAL impact analysis ,PRINCIPAL components analysis ,POLLUTION ,SUBMARINE topography - Abstract
A decision analysis method for integrating environmental indicators was developed. This was a combination of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and the Analytic Network Process (ANP). Being able to take into account the interdependency among variables, the method was capable of ranking ecosystems in terms of environmental conditions and suggesting cumulative impacts across a large region. Using data on land cover, population, roads, streams, air pollution, and topography of the Mid-Atlantic Region of the United States, we were able to point out areas which were in relatively poor condition and/or vulnerable to future deterioration regarding various environmental aspects. The method offered an easy and comprehensive way to combine the strengths of conventional multivariate statistics (PCA) and decision-making science tool (ANP) for integrated environmental assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2004
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
47. State of the Art and Future Challenges for Integrated Environmental Assessment.
- Author
-
Toth, Ferenc L.
- Subjects
- *
ENVIRONMENTAL impact analysis , *ENVIRONMENTAL monitoring , *ENVIRONMENTAL policy , *ENVIRONMENTAL engineering , *RESEARCH management - Abstract
A concise review of the evolution of the integrated environmental assessment field is presented. The opening conference of the European Forum on Integrated Environmental Assessment in 1998 is taken as a reference point. A mixed record of notable accomplishments and modest progress is detected in surveying examples in four large areas of concern to the integrated assessment community: modeling, participatory techniques, mega-assessments involving hundreds of people for several years, and organizational and community issues. Plausible reasons for slow progress in participatory assessments are sketched and possible remedies are suggested. Examples of the challenges facing the integrated assessment community are elaborated in three areas: the identification of integrated assessment as a discipline and/or profession by clearly defined distinctive features, thematic issues to be resolved, and methodological improvements that are possible and needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2003
48. Towards an integrated environmental assessment for wetland and catchment management.
- Author
-
Turner, R Kerry, Georgiou, Stavros, Brouwer, Roy, Bateman, Ian J, and Langford, I J
- Subjects
- *
DECISION making , *WETLANDS , *DECISION support systems , *ECOSYSTEM management , *MANAGEMENT information systems - Abstract
This paper develops a decision support system for evaluation of wetland ecosystem management strategy and examines its, so far partial, application in a case study of an important complex coastal wetland known as the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads, in the east of England, UK. Most managed ecosystems are complex and often poorly understood hierarchically organized systems. Capturing the range of relevant impacts on natural and human systems under different management options will be a formidable challenge. Biodiversity has a hierarchical structure which ranges from the ecosystem and landscape level, through the community level and down to the population and genetic level. There is a need to develop methodologies for the practicable detection of ecosystem change, as well as the evaluation of different ecological functions. What is also required is a set of indicators (environmental, social and economic) which facilitate the detection of change in ecosystems suffering stress and shock and highlight possible drivers of the change process. A hierarchical classification of ecological indicators of sustainability would need to take into account existing interactions between different organization levels, from species to ecosystems. Effects of environmental stress are expressed in different ways at different levels of biological organization and effects at one level can be expected to impact other levels, often in unpredictable ways. The management strategy, evaluation methodologies and indicators adopted should also assess on sustainability grounds whether any given management option is supporting, or reducing, the diversity of functions which are providing stakeholders with the welfare benefits they require. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2003
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
49. GIS simulations of the inundation risk in the coastal lowlands of the Northern Adriatic Sea
- Author
-
Gambolati, G., Teatini, P., and Gonella, M.
- Subjects
- *
ENVIRONMENTAL impact analysis , *HUMAN geography - Abstract
The Northern Adriatic Coastland, between the cities of Monfalcone and Cattolica, is characterized by locations of great tourist interest, such as the Venice Lagoon and the Romagna Riviera, and areas with a very precarious environmental setting, such as the Valli di Comacchio and the Po River Delta. Therefore, the coastal management and the design of new defence works of the littoral have to be made with the utmost care, possibly with the aid of numerical predictions of the coastal morphodynamics and the flood risk analysis of the lowland involved. In the study area, land may subside due to sediment natural compaction and subsurface fluid (water and gas) withdrawal. At the same time, littoral transport of solid material can contribute appreciably to change the shore morphology. Mean sea level may rise permanently due to global climate change (eustatism) and occasionally due to tides and intensive storm events. The predictions of each individual process is obtained using various ad hoc mathematical models and the outcome of the numerical simulations are managed with a GIS (geographical information system). Coastline evolution until the year 2100 is investigated and risk factor maps of the low-lying coastal areas are generated which account for the hazard of the expected event, and the land economic value and vulnerability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2002
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
50. Semantic catalogs for life cycle assessment data
- Author
-
Chris Davis, Brandon Kuczenski, Beatriz Rivela, and Krzysztof Janowicz
- Subjects
Computer science ,020209 energy ,Strategy and Management ,Data management ,Interoperability ,02 engineering and technology ,010501 environmental sciences ,Ontology (information science) ,01 natural sciences ,Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering ,World Wide Web ,Life cycle assessment ,SUSTAINABILITY ,Resource (project management) ,Environmental Science(all) ,0202 electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering ,Semantic Web ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,General Environmental Science ,INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT ,Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment ,business.industry ,Linked data ,Information sharing ,FRAMEWORK ,ONTOLOGIES ,Ontology design patterns ,Data access ,business ,Semantic web - Abstract
Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a highly interdisciplinary field that requires knowledge from different domains to be gathered and interpreted together. Although there are relatively few major data sources for LCA, the data themselves are presented with highly heterogeneous formats, interfaces, and distribution mechanisms. The lack of agreement among data providers for descriptions of processes and flows creates substantial barriers for information sharing and reuse of practitioners’ models. Nevertheless, the many data resources share a common logic. The use of Semantic Web technologies and text mining techniques can facilitate the interpretation of data from diverse sources. Numerous existing efforts have been made to articulate a knowledge model for LCA. In March of 2015 a joint workshop was held that brought together leading international domain experts with ontology engineers to develop a set of simple models called ontology design patterns (ODPs) for LCA information. In this paper we build on the outcomes of the workshop, as well as prior published works, to derive a minimal “consensus model” for LCA. We use the consensus model to derive a description of an LCA “catalog” that can be used to express the semantic content of a data resource. We generate catalogs of several prominent databases, and make those catalogs available to the public for independent use. Finally, we “link” those catalogs to existing knowledge models using JSON-LD, a linked data format that can expose the catalog contents to Semantic Web tools. We then show by example how the catalogs may be used to answer questions about the scope, coverage, and comparability of data, both within and across data sources, that are difficult to answer when the contents of the catalogs are provided independently and inconsistently. We discuss how the use of semantic catalogs can help address challenges that initiatives such as the “Global Network of Interoperable LCA Databases – Global LCA Data Access” are facing today.
- Published
- 2016
Catalog
Discovery Service for Jio Institute Digital Library
For full access to our library's resources, please sign in.