47,613 research outputs found

    Managing ubiquitous eco cities: the role of urban telecommunication infrastructure networks and convergence technologies

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    A successful urban management system for a Ubiquitous Eco City requires an integrated approach. This integration includes bringing together economic, socio-cultural and urban development with a well orchestrated, transparent and open decision making mechanism and necessary infrastructure and technologies. Rapidly developing information and telecommunication technologies and their platforms in the late 20th Century improves urban management and enhances the quality of life and place. Telecommunication technologies provide an important base for monitoring and managing activities over wired, wireless or fibre-optic networks. Particularly technology convergence creates new ways in which the information and telecommunication technologies are used. The 21st Century is an era where information has converged, in which people are able to access a variety of services, including internet and location based services, through multi-functional devices such as mobile phones and provides opportunities in the management of Ubiquitous Eco Cities. This paper discusses the recent developments in telecommunication networks and trends in convergence technologies and their implications on the management of Ubiquitous Eco Cities and how this technological shift is likely to be beneficial in improving the quality of life and place. The paper also introduces recent approaches on urban management systems, such as intelligent urban management systems, that are suitable for Ubiquitous Eco Cities

    Product Service Systems and Sustainability: Opportunities for Sustainable Solutions

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    Given that the concept of PSS is beginning to 'catch on' and gain attention, it is time for UNEP to contribute to, and influence the progress of PSS, to ensure that in concept and application it incorporates the idea of sustainability. In this context its potential is not generally understood by the public and private sectors or civil society. This booklet is intended to contribute to the dissemination and the discussion of the PSS concept as a promising approach to sustainability. The ultimate goal must be to achieve Sustainable Product-Service Systems. This UNEP publication is targeted at industry and government, academia and civil society to explain PSS – their potential benefits and limitations – in the sustainability context – using real company examples. To prepare this booklet, UNEP has drawn on the knowledge and experience of PSS experts to flesh out the concept of a sustainable PSS, to collect case studies of PSS in practice, to begin to document both its benefits and the hurdles which need to be overcome in its application, and to suggest ways forward in its development

    From Sensor to Observation Web with Environmental Enablers in the Future Internet

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    This paper outlines the grand challenges in global sustainability research and the objectives of the FP7 Future Internet PPP program within the Digital Agenda for Europe. Large user communities are generating significant amounts of valuable environmental observations at local and regional scales using the devices and services of the Future Internet. These communities’ environmental observations represent a wealth of information which is currently hardly used or used only in isolation and therefore in need of integration with other information sources. Indeed, this very integration will lead to a paradigm shift from a mere Sensor Web to an Observation Web with semantically enriched content emanating from sensors, environmental simulations and citizens. The paper also describes the research challenges to realize the Observation Web and the associated environmental enablers for the Future Internet. Such an environmental enabler could for instance be an electronic sensing device, a web-service application, or even a social networking group affording or facilitating the capability of the Future Internet applications to consume, produce, and use environmental observations in cross-domain applications. The term ?envirofied? Future Internet is coined to describe this overall target that forms a cornerstone of work in the Environmental Usage Area within the Future Internet PPP program. Relevant trends described in the paper are the usage of ubiquitous sensors (anywhere), the provision and generation of information by citizens, and the convergence of real and virtual realities to convey understanding of environmental observations. The paper addresses the technical challenges in the Environmental Usage Area and the need for designing multi-style service oriented architecture. Key topics are the mapping of requirements to capabilities, providing scalability and robustness with implementing context aware information retrieval. Another essential research topic is handling data fusion and model based computation, and the related propagation of information uncertainty. Approaches to security, standardization and harmonization, all essential for sustainable solutions, are summarized from the perspective of the Environmental Usage Area. The paper concludes with an overview of emerging, high impact applications in the environmental areas concerning land ecosystems (biodiversity), air quality (atmospheric conditions) and water ecosystems (marine asset management)

    SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION

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    This study (National Strategy) is built on the premise that accelerateddevelopment in the medium and long run in its three essential components (economic, socialand environmental) is not just one of the possible options, but an essential precondition forgradually closing the gap which still separates Romania, in terms of quality of life, from theEU average level within the shortest possible time and for ensuring real cohesion bothnationally and in the broader EU framework. The economic developments in Romania over the past 7 years (2001-2007), with anannual growth rate of the gross domestic product of more than 6% compared to the EUaverage of under 2%, demonstrate that it is possible to attain this objective.sustainable,development, economic

    POVERTY REDUCTION IN BANGLADESH: ABSENCE OF A NATIONAL FRAMEWORK, AN ABUNDANCE OF DONORS’ STRATEGIES

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    The paper highlights the problem that Bangladesh has never had a homegrown holistic dynamic strategic framework to combat poverty nor has a clearly articulated operational approach been developed to address the issue. Rather, agendas for poverty alleviation had remained largely donor driven and Bangladesh has been exposed to a plethora of advice and assistance from its development partners for the purpose of alleviating poverty.Poverty Reduction, Poverty, Bangladesh

    Marketing and sustainability

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    'Marketing and sustainability' is based on an original booklet written by Martin Charter in 1990. The text has been updated and re-written to take account of the changing and emerging debate of marketing’s role in relation to sustainable development. This booklet has been produced as a supporting publication for the Sustainable Marketing Knowledge Network (Smart: Know-Net) a web-based information and communication platform for marketers interested in sustainability, available at www.cfsd.org.uk/smart-know-ne
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