Appropriate Models In Decision Support Systems For River Basin Management

In recent years, new ideas and techniques appear very quickly, like sustainability, adaptive management, Geographic Information System, Remote Sensing and participations of new stakeholders, which contribute a lot to the development of decision support systems in river basin management. However, the role of models still needs to be emphasized, especially for model-based decision support systems. This paper aims to find appropriate models for decision support systems. An appropriate system is defined as ‘the system can produce final outputs which enable the decision makers to distinguish different river engineering measures according to the current problem’. An appropriateness framework is proposed mainly based on uncertainty and sensitivity analysis. A flood risk model is used, as a part of the Dutch River Meuse DSS to investigate whether the appropriate framework works. The results showed that the proposed approach is applicable and helpful to find appropriate models

The Earth as an Engineering System: Addressing Sustainability through Science, Technology and Policy

We combine insights from the two emerging fields of engineering systems and sustainability science to develop an analytical approach for understanding and managing coupled natural and human systems. The Earth system is characterized with reference to the attributes of engineering systems (real-world existence, artificiality, dynamic properties, hybrid state, and some human control). We argue that human influences have become so overwhelming that it is impossible to understand global Earth systems without taking into account both technical and social dimensions. Aspects of sustainability systems that fulfill functional types of engineering systems are enumerated with reference to five processes (transporting, transforming, storing, exchanging and controlling) and operands (living organisms, matter, information, energy and money). Building on methods from sustainability science, we introduce the concept of Spatial-Temporal-Functional (STF) analysis for addressing sustainability problems in an engineering systems context. We illustrate this framework with reference to the case of global transport of hazardous chemicals. Our analysis suggests that efforts to address cross-scale problems should focus on enhancing mechanisms for transforming and exchanging in addition to controlling

Sustainable cities: challenges of an integrated planning approach

This paper will identify specific planning conditions that arise when planning aims at sustainable development. First, attention will be paid tosocio-ethical attitudes toward sustainability issues and to the reasons why much of the sustainability debate deserves an urban focus. Then, specificplanning conditions will be discussed in relation to cities, such as a multiple actor situation, inertia in urban adjustment processes, and asegmentation in planning institutions. Furthermore, the paper will focus on economic behaviour in urban areas using urban sustainability as a broadframe of reference and emphasizing an increasing competition between cities. Then, attention will shift to urban policy in the field of environmentalquality control (urban ecology). A necessary condition for the development of integrated planning for urban sustainability is the development of urbanenvironmental data systems. Attention will therefore, focus on the so-called CBD structue of such information systems (Core - Basic - Distinct data) and the key factors for the success of such systems. The paper proceeds with a discussion of particular data needs in view of Environmental ImpactAssessment. The paper will conclude with the essentials and challenges of an integrated planning approach, major obstacles to such an approach, and aninventoryof directions where some progress already has been achieved

Enrich Project Final Report

The Enrich project was a 12 month JISC project funded as part of the Inf11 Programme (2009-11). It was conducted in partnership by the Library, Research and Enterprise and IT Services – with additional technical support from EPrints Services. This interdepartmental approach was critical to the success of the project and the repository’s long term sustainability as an institutional [not simply Library] service. At its heart, Enrich provided a clear focus for the integration and enhancement of the University of Glasgow’s repository, Enlighten with other institutional systems, including our Research System (for funder data) and our Data Vault (for staff records), lowering barriers to deposit and increasing the range of information held

Multi-Dimensional Views for Sustainability: Ontological Approach

Sustainability has been assessed by measuring the environmental, social and economic performance. Such diverse measurements could include contrasting attributes in sustainability measures namely environmental, social, and economic attributes. Our research argues that it is necessary to use a multi-dimensional approach for sustainability knowledge improvements that consist of all sustainability dimensions. Ontology models the real world and is useful in understanding different dimensions of a phenomenon. The use of an appropriate ontology such as static, dynamic, social, and intentional ontologies help to better understand the sustainability dimensions - environmental, social, and economic. This research develops ontology-based multi-dimensional view to environmental management by focusing on sustainability. The research uses hypothetical situations to develop ontological views and maps the ontological knowledge onto the sustainability dimensions to develop knowledge. This approach integrates information systems and environmental research, while encouraging multi-dimensional approaches for improved knowledge

Invited Paper: Teaching Information Systems in the Age of Digital Disruption

The Information Systems discipline has long suffered an identity crisis. It has also been prone to program sustainability issues as a technology focus has waxed and waned over the last 50 years. This paper suggests a new approach to teaching Information Systems, utilizing the notion of “fundamental and powerful concepts.” Using digital disruption as a fundamental and powerful concept, the authors argue for the core IS course and the courses that make up the major to be developed and centered around the transformation of business models, products, and services caused by emerging digital technologies. The paper includes an outline for the core IS course and the other courses in the major and concludes with a suggestion that the fundamental and powerful concept of digital disruption be used as an approach to teaching Information Systems

From biosphere to noosphere: Vladimir Vernadsky\u27s theoretical system as a conceptual framework for universal sustainability education

In light of accelerating global warming and climate change, the importance of sustainability education is unquestionable. It is a requirement of our time that sustainability education must become a part of any professional curriculum in higher education because today\u27s college students are tomorrow\u27s decision makers and the key players at local, national, and international levels. Although the importance of education for a sustainable future has been recognized by the global community and we are now living through the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014), a common conceptual approach to teaching sustainability does not exist. We face a paradoxical situation. Students often are frustrated by information regarding the developing ecological crisis and feel hopeless about their uncertain future, while educators are not only confused by the overwhelming flow of information on sustainability and sustainable living but often are lost, trying to adapt multiple and various approaches to teaching sustainability. The notion of sustainability education is still vague and indistinct due to its broad, multi- and interdisciplinary nature. Moreover, the name of Russian scientist Vladimir Vernadsky (1863-1945) -- the author of the theory of the biosphere and the noosphere, which is a scientific foundation for Earth System Science and the concept of sustainability -- is often unknown to many western educators. According to Vernadsky, the noosphere is a new evolutionary stage in the development of the biosphere when human-and-nature interaction will be consciously balanced. Vernadsky\u27s theory of the biosphere and the noosphere provides a solid scientific foundation for working out a conceptual approach to teaching sustainability. In our time of ecological challenges and uncertainty about the future, it is important to include Vernadsky\u27s theory of the Biosphere and the Noosphere in sustainability education curricula because his concept carries an interdisciplinary and systems thinking approach, ecological and holistic worldview, and an optimistic vision of the future. Using the Systems Thinking approach and based upon Vernadsky\u27s original work, an extensive literature review, and the author\u27s positive teaching experiences in applying Vernadky\u27s ideas to the teaching of sustainability, the present research shows that Vernadsky\u27s theory of the biosphere and the noosphere represents a ready-to-use conceptual framework for universal sustainability education that can be effectively implemented by educators at all levels and in various settings

Communication Network Among Campus Sustainability Influencers

Systems of all types require efficient communication between its parts and units in order to be successful and e ective. It is thus important to understand a systems units in order to better advance its operations. In this study, we look at Loyola Marymount University (LMU) as a systematic organization in regards to the universitys execution of its environmental sustainability endeavors. This approach allows for the identification of the path by which important environmental sustainability information is communicated, is learned, and is acted upon at LMU. Through various network centrality measurements, I will develop a visual representation of the communication network between individuals on LMU\u27s campus who have an interest and play a role in the development and advancement of environmental sustainability practices and policies on campus. Moreover, an analytical understanding of this network of information transference will provide insight into the decision-making, implementation, and management that affects the e orts to reduce LMU\u27s campus carbon footprint

High resolution agriculture land cover using aerial digital photography and GIS : a case study for small island states

Chapter 7With the advent of site-specific crop management, sustainability and profitability, land farming now requires information and technology-based management system to identify, analyse and manage spatial and temporal resource variability. Th is approach is being made increasingly possible by recent innovation in information technologies such as mobile devices, geographic information systems, positioning technologies (such as Geographical Position system), and Earth Observations. Such innovation now off ers a holistic approach to micro-manage agricultural resources. (Robert et al., 1994). Basic mapping and farm-level record keeping is one of the first precision agriculture practices that must be implemented in a typical productive agriculture operation (Stombaugh et al., 2001). Typical tasks include mapping of variations that occur in largescale field features such as vegetation stress, crop rotation, inventorying, irrigation, soil drainage and erosion, pest control, etc. Th e search for a low cost methodology that takes into account the growth of information technology in data capture and surveying, data processing, database creation and geographic information systems becomes mandatory in order to respond to such needs. Th e study constitutes, for the first time in Malta, the collection of high precision farming statistics that makes use of an inexpensive system for aerial mapping that requires minimal ground truthing. Th e effectiveness of such a method for small areas was later demonstrated by Galdies and Borg (2006) related to coastal and beach management in the Maltese islands. In the current case, digital aerial remote sensing enabled the accurate mapping of agricultural variables, and coupled with ground survey data, resulted in the production of precise, high resolution agricultural crop-cover maps. Additional information can be further derived from this data that can be used for the optimisation of micro agriculture practices.peer-reviewe