Impacts of mining and urbanization on the Qin-Ba mountainous environment, China

The Qin-Ba Ecological Functional Zone is a component of China’s ecological security pattern designed to protect the regional ecosystem and maintain biodiversity. However, due to the impact of mining and urban encroachment, the plight of a sustainable ecosystem in the Qin-Ba mountainous area is deteriorating. This paper has used a remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) to examine the impacts of mining and urban encroachment on the environment in the Qin-Ba mountainous area. The results indicate that the total mined area in 2013 was 22 km² and is predicted to escalate. Results also show that the ecosystems in Fengxian County, Shaanxi Province and Baokang County, Hubei Province were most severely affected by mining. Urbanization in the Qin-Ba mountainous area has seen an increase of 85.58 km² in urban land use from 2010 to 2013. In addition, infrastructure development including airport construction, tourism resorts and real estate development in the Qin-Ba mountainous area has intensified environmental and biodiversity disturbances since large areas of forest have been cleared. Our results should provide insight and assistance to city planners and government officials in making informed decisions.Xinliang Xu, Hongyan Cai, Daowei Sun, Lan Hu and Kwamina E. Banso

Future cities and environmental sustainability

Massive growth is threatening the sustainability of cities and the quality of city life. Mass urbanisation can lead to social instability, undermining the capacity of cities to be environmentally sustainable and economically successful. A new model of sustainability is needed, including greater incentives to save energy, reduce consumption and protect the environment while also increasing levels of citizen wellbeing. Cities of the future should be a socially diverse environment where economic and social activities overlap and where communities are focused around neighbourhoods. They must be developed or adapted to enable their citizens to be socioeconomically creative and productive. Recent developments provide hope that such challenges can be tackled. This review describes the exciting innovations already being introduced in cities as well as those which could become reality in the near future

The contribution of the European UNESCO Global Geoparks for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – a study based on several data sources

With the approval of the International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme (IGGP) by UNESCO, in November 2015, the new designation ‘UNESCO Global Geoparks’ (UGGps) was created. Based on a holistic approach, and in a sense of territorial ownership of its inhabitants, where the creation of local companies and innovative local products is added, these territories aim at a true sustainable regional development. In this context, this research was developed in the framework of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SD) seeking to understand whether and how the UGGps contribute to this universal endeavor. To this end, this study was based on a selection of 33 UGGps, located in 22 European countries, and based on four sources: the Progress Reports (PRs) presented during the biennium 2015-2016, the abstracts presented in two Geoparks conferences (Rokua, 2015, and English Riviera, 2016), a questionnaire fulfilled by the managers of the selected UGGps (2017), and interviews to elements of the staff and local inhabitants and stakeholders of the Marble Arch Caves UGGp (2019). This methodology allowed obtaining data from 91 ‘PRs’, 95 abstracts, 22 questionnaires, and five interviews. Taking into account the UGGp concept, the five pillars of the 2030 Agenda – People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace, and Partnership –, together with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the ‘Top Ten Focus Areas’ defined by the IGGP, this study was focused on trying to answer three research questions: 1) How do the European UGGps effectively contribute to the achievement of the 17 SDGs of the 2030 Agenda? And if so, do they contribute far more than the ‘Eight SDGs’ selected by the IGGP?; 2) How can these contributions be accounted for, in a qualitative approach? ; 3) How can some of these contributions be used as examples of good practices, demonstrating the real impact in the achievement of some of the 17 SDGs, within the scope of UNESCO’s strategies, in this field?. From the analysis of the obtained data, it was possible to achieve the main objectives of this study and to arrive at a positive answer to the posed research questions. Consequently, it was possible to demonstrate that the UGGps, directly or indirectly in their activities, contribute to the 17 SDGs. It was also feasible to prove that UGGps contribute effectively far more than the selected ‘Eight SDGs’. With the applied methodology, it was possible to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that UGGps currently face, concerning the SDGs and, in this context, a proposal for a new model of an 'Annual Progress Report’ was prepared for the UGGps, contemplating this reality. This study also sheds new light on the effective involvement of local communities in these territories and the need to adapt to new challenges, (e.g. pandemic COVID-19). Therefore, it is expected that this research may open new paths and generate innovative ideas for scientific projects related to the contribution of the UGGps to the achievement of the 17 SDGs of the 2030 Agenda, allowing to contribute to future actions and strategic plans developed by the management structures of the UGGps.Com a aprovação do Programa Internacional de Geociências e Geoparques (IGGP) pela UNESCO, em novembro de 2015, foi criada a nova designação ‘Geoparques Mundiais da UNESCO (UGGps). Assentes numa abordagem holística, e num sentido de pertença territorial dos seus habitantes, onde se acrescenta a criação de empresas locais e de produtos locais inovadores, estes territórios visam um verdadeiro desenvolvimento regional sustentável. Neste contexto, esta investigação foi centrada nos propósitos da Agenda 2030 para o Desenvolvimento Sustentável, procurando compreender se e como os UGGps contribuem para esse esforço universal. Para tal, este estudo baseou-se numa seleção de 33 UGGps, localizados em 22 países europeus, e com base em quatro fontes: os Relatórios de Atividades (PRs) relativos ao biénio 2015-2016, os resumos apresentados em duas conferências de Geoparques (Rokua, 2015 e English Riviera, 2016), um questionário preenchido pelos gestores dos UGGps selecionados (2017) e um conjunto de entrevistas realizadas a elementos da equipa, habitantes locais e parceiros do Marble Arch Caves UGGp (2019). Esta metodologia permitiu obter dados de 91 ‘PRs’, 95 resumos, 22 questionários e cinco entrevistas. Tendo em consideração o conceito de ‘Geoparque’, os cinco pilares da Agenda 2030 - Pessoas, Planeta, Prosperidade, Paz e Parcerias -, conjuntamente com os 17 Objetivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável (ODS) e as 'Dez Principais Áreas de Foco' definidas pelo IGGP, este estudo focou-se em procurar responder a três questões de investigação: 1) Como é que os UGGps europeus contribuem efetivamente para a concretização dos 17 ODS da Agenda 2030? Em caso afirmativo, se estes contribuem para mais do que os 'Oito ODS' selecionados pelo IGGP?; 2) Como é que algumas dessas contribuições podem ser contabilizadas, tendo por base uma abordagem qualitativa?; 3) Como é que algumas dessas contribuições podem ser usadas como exemplos de boas práticas, demonstrando o real impacto na concretização de alguns dos 17 ODS, no âmbito das estratégias definidas pela UNESCO neste domínio?. A partir da análise dos dados obtidos foi possível atingir os principais objetivos deste estudo, e chegar a uma resposta positiva às questões de investigação colocadas. Consequentemente, foi exequível demonstrar que os UGGps, direta ou indiretamente nas suas atividades, contribuem para os 17 ODS. Foi também viável provar que os UGGps contribuem efetivamente para mais do que os 'Oito ODS'. Com a metodologia aplicada, foi possível identificar os pontos fortes, os pontos fracos, as oportunidades e as ameaças que os UGGps enfrentam atualmente, no que se refere aos ODS e, neste contexto, foi elaborada uma proposta para um novo modelo de ‘Relatório Anual de Atividades’ para os UGGps, contemplando esta realidade. Este estudo traz ainda uma nova luz sobre o efetivo envolvimento das comunidades locais nesses territórios e a necessidade de adaptação a novos desafios, (e.g. pandemia COVID-19). Espera-se que esta investigação possa abrir novos caminhos e gerar ideias inovadoras para projetos científicos relacionados com a contribuição dos UGGps para a consecução dos 17 ODS da Agenda 2030, permitindo contribuir para ações futuras e planos estratégicos desenvolvidos pelas estruturas de gestão dos UGGps

Nutrient Cycling in Forest Ecosystems

The long-term productivity of forest ecosystems depends on the cycling of nutrients. The effect of carbon dioxide fertilization on forest productivity may ultimately be limited by the rate of nutrient cycling. Contemporary and future disturbances such as climatic warming, N-deposition, deforestation, short rotation sylviculture, fire (both wild and controlled), and the invasion of exotic species all place strains on the integrity of ecosystem nutrient cycling. Global differences in climate, soils, and species make it difficult to extrapolate even a single important study worldwide. Despite advances in the understanding of nutrient cycling and carbon production in forests, many questions remain. The chapters in this volume reflect many contemporary research priorities. The thirteen studies in this volume are arranged in the following subject groups: • N and P resorption from foliage worldwide, along chronosequences and along elevation gradients; • Litter production and decomposition; • N and P stoichiometry as affected by N deposition, geographic gradients, species changes, and ecosystem restoration; • Effects of N and P addition on understory biomass, litter, and soil; • Effects of burning on soil nutrients; • Effects of N addition on soil fauna

Remote Sensing of Natural Hazards

Each year, natural hazards such as earthquakes, cyclones, flooding, landslides, wildfires, avalanches, volcanic eruption, extreme temperatures, storm surges, drought, etc., result in widespread loss of life, livelihood, and critical infrastructure globally. With the unprecedented growth of the human population, largescale development activities, and changes to the natural environment, the frequency and intensity of extreme natural events and consequent impacts are expected to increase in the future.Technological interventions provide essential provisions for the prevention and mitigation of natural hazards. The data obtained through remote sensing systems with varied spatial, spectral, and temporal resolutions particularly provide prospects for furthering knowledge on spatiotemporal patterns and forecasting of natural hazards. The collection of data using earth observation systems has been valuable for alleviating the adverse effects of natural hazards, especially with their near real-time capabilities for tracking extreme natural events. Remote sensing systems from different platforms also serve as an important decision-support tool for devising response strategies, coordinating rescue operations, and making damage and loss estimations.With these in mind, this book seeks original contributions to the advanced applications of remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS) techniques in understanding various dimensions of natural hazards through new theory, data products, and robust approaches

中国陝西省南部における伝統的な住宅の冬の省エネルギー設計に関する研究

The combination of solar energy and buildings can greatly save energy, and a great deal of practical and theoretical research has been conducted on solar buildings around the world. Rural areas in southern Shaanxi, China, have wet and cold winters. The average room temperature is 4°C and below 2°C at night, which greatly exceeds the range of thermal comfort that the human body can tolerate. In response to a series of problems such as backward heating methods and low heating efficiency in southern Shaanxi, two fully passive heating methods are proposed for traditional houses in the region. They are rooftop solar heating storage systems and thermal storage wall heating systems (TSWHS), respectively. These two systems have been compared with the status quo heating system to confirm the practicality of the new system and to provide an idea for heating and energy saving in traditional houses in rural areas.北九州市立大

Environmental impacts of the digital economy: The case of Austin, Texas, 1990-2008

This dissertation investigates the dynamic economic structure transformation and its corresponding environmental consequences at the Austin-San Marcos Metropolitan Statistical Area (Austin MSA) from 1990 to 2008. Input-output (IO) analysis is the major methodology and environmental problems are defined as emissions of industrial point air pollutants. Both three-and seven-segment IO models of Austin MSA for the years of 1990, 1994, and 1999 are constructed. Direct and total pollution coefficients of six major pollutants are calculated, hypothe tical extraction measurement and structural decomposition analysis are implemented, and the quantity and pattern of pollutant emissions are simulated based on four major assumed development scenarios from 2000 to 2008. This study finds: 1) the digital economy has emerged in the Austin MSA during the 1990s, 2) the manufacturing process of Austin MSA tended to be more environmentally friendly, which supports the hypothesis of dematerialization and decarbonization, 3) consumption-driven and non-production segments related environmental problems becomes more significant in the emerging digital economy. This study predicts that industrial point air pollutant emissions will grow moderately from 2000 to 2008, assuming that the direct pollutant coefficients will change at the average rates of the 1990s and the final demand will grow at the half rates of the 1990s?? average. Pollution contribution from production segment will generally decrease and contribution from other segments such as ICT and Information will increase, however, emission contributions of the segments will vary in terms of pollutants as well as development scenarios. This study argues that the shift of the source and nature of environmental threats of in the digital economy mandates parallel reform of the current environmental policy. A new generation of policy should be cooperative rather than confrontational, integrated rather than fragmented, flexible rather than rigid. It should also facilitate innovative management initiatives to achieve sustainability. More fundamentally, it is expected to deal with environmental impacts of intangible information flows (bits) which are possibly more essential than flows of tangible goods and services (atoms) in the context of the digital economy and the information age

Handbook of disaster ritual : multidisciplinary perspectives, cases and themes

The Handbook of Disaster Ritual presents an overview of relevant literature, perspectives, methods, concepts, as well as a selection of topical themes in relation to current disaster rituals. The handbook has been compiled from multi-disciplinary and geographically diverse perspectives and works with broad definitions of the concepts of both disaster and ritual. A disaster is defined as an event or situation that causes a significant disruption of a society or a group and evokes a collective and/or an individual reaction with expression of mourning, compassion, indignation, protest, call for justice, recovery, reconciliation, and consolation. In this working definition, it is clear that the impact of a disaster is 'translated ritually'. Disasters bring forth a variety of ritual practices. The Handbook of Disaster Ritual consists of three parts. After an extensive conceptual and historiographical introduction, Part I presents several perspectives on the study of disasters and disaster rituals. In Part II, a team of international scholars presents nineteen case studies of various disasters and disaster rituals. Part III addresses various themes from the case studies that can be seen as key elements in disaster rituals. Introduction -- Introduction. Some conceptual and historiographical explorations on ritual, disaster and disaster ritual / Paul Post. Part I -- General Perspectives -- 1. Disaster studies. Perspectives between nature and ritual / Georg Frerks & Dorothea Hilhorst -- 2. Even, contingency and unexpectedness in social philosophy / Sanem Yazicioğlu -- 3. A victimology of corona. The disaster of our times / Antony Pemberton -- 4. Grief, trauma and meaning making after disaster / Joanna Wojtkowiak -- 5. Death studies and disasters. Ritualizing and numbering numbing realities / Douglas Davies -- 6. Restoring a negative destination image. The case of Palestine / Rami Isaac & Merel Sijm -- 7. "Groaning inwardly while waiting for the redemption of our bodies". Toward a theology of trauma / Erik Borgman. Part II -- Case Studies -- 8. Coping with suffering in a memorial ceremony after the 2011 tsunami in Japan / Yu Fukuda -- 9. The Pacific islands. Encounters with disaster and ritualized responses / Andrew J. Strathern Pamela J. Stewart -- 10. The great Wenchuan earthquake of 2008. Dark tourism, seismic memorials, and disaster rituals / Ken Foote Tang Yong -- 11. Ke garne? (What can one do?). How people 'on the ground' perceived the incomplete improvised mortuary rituals at Pashupatinath after the earthquake in Nepal, 2015 / Albertina Nugteren, Hans Hadders Rojisha Poudel -- 12. German central commemoriation of the Germanwings air crash 2015 / Brigitte Benz -- 13. When paradise became hell. The 2002 Bali bombings and their post-disaster ritual practices and repertoires / Herman L. Beck -- 14. School shootings and rituals. The case of Parkland, Florida in 2018 / Birgit Pfeifer André Mulder -- 15. Ritualizing after the terror attacks in Norway on 22 July 2011 / Lars Johan Danbolt Hans Stifoss-Hanssen -- 'Refugee ritual'. Ritual practices in connection with the Mediterranean refugee crisis / Paul Post -- 17. Walking the Marš Mira. War, tourism and ritual practices in Bosnia and Herzegovina / Siri Driessen -- 18. Genocide commemoration in Rwanda. Remembrance of the dead and the performance of missed funeral rituals / Célestin Nsengimana -- 19. The Armenian genocide commemoration. A dynamic demand of memory / Rima Nasrallah -- 20. Blood Brothers. The Armenian genocide commemorated in art projects / Martin J.M. Hoondert Sam van Alebeek -- 21. The glory of disaster. The Herero Flag Marches / Walter van Beek Jan-Bart Gewald -- 22. Commemorating the struggle against colonialism in Freedom Park, Pretoria / Marcel Barnard Cas Wpener -- 23. Making a space for ritual. Regime loyalists after the end of the German Democratic Republic / David Clarke -- 24. #MeToo as a ritual resonse to the slow-moving disaster of sexual violence / Heleen E. Zorgdrager -- 25. Ritualization in the context of the global food crisis / Mirella Klomp Marcel Barnard -- 26. How could Baptism cleanse us with polluted water? / Ernst M. Conradie -- 27. Ritualizing the COVID-19 pandemic. Global impressions / Sébastien P. Boret Yu Fukuda; David Clarke; Albertina Nugteren; Pamela J. Stewart Andrew Strathern; Cas Wepener; Joanna Wojtkowiak; Hans Stifoss-Hanssen Lars Johan Danbolt. Part III -- Selected Themes -- 28. State apology. The simultaneously hegemonic and brittle ritual / Tom Bentley -- 29. Relics. The ritual role of traces and remnants / Paul Post -- 30. Disaster theater. Play when thigs go awry / Kees de Groot -- 31. Shocked in more ways than one. Media (re)presentation of improvised funerary activities after the 2015 earthquake in Nepal / Albertina Nugteren -- 32. E-rituals in the coronavirus context / Paul Post -- 33. The mobile witness. Mobile media affective witnessing during disasters / Larissa Hjorth & Kathleen M. Cumiskey -- 34. 'You'll die of old age. I'll die of climate change!' Children and disaster rituals / Suzanne van der Beek