METHODS AND APPROACHES TO THE APPLICATION OF BIOCHAR SYSTEM IN GHANA, SIERRA LEONE, ZIMBABWE, ETHIOPIA AND CAMEROON

Il lavoro di ricerca si è basato sull'analisi e sullo studio tramite interviste del Progetto "BioChar Plus" col fine di sondare la possibilità di creare delle best practice per favorire il miglioramento degli obiettivi fissati dal progetto.ope

Aviation Biofuel Production in Sweden

Civil Aviation is one of the fastest growing sectors on earth, for which emissions currently account for between 2 and 3% of the global total (International Air Transport Association, 2013). Decarbonising the aviation sector is a key challenge on the international agenda, for which sustainable alternative fuels stand as playing a future role. Biofuels for aviation (biojet) have shown to be energy efficient, safe and generate significant emissions savings (Faaij & van dijk, 2012). Efforts are currently underway to accelerate biojet fuel development through establishing global and regional supply chains for commercial production, yet high production costs, relative to fossil based fuel production stands as the fundamental hurdle preventing commercial scale production. The Nordic region is characterised as having good potential for biofuel production, prompting studies throughout Norway, Finland and Denmark. Similar environmental conditions are found within Sweden, yet a Swedish regional investigation into biojet production opportunities is yet to be carried out. This research identifies key opportunities and barriers to establishing a biojet production system within Sweden using available forestry biomass as a feedstock. Findings indicate that the availability of forestry biomass resources, infrastructure and knowledge present within the Swedish system could support the establishment of a biojet system, yet high production costs and a lack of policy support create unfavourable market conditions. Future efforts to establish biojet uptake in Sweden may include lobbying for policy change at the national level to recognize aviation emissions when setting policy targets. The process of facilitating collaboration through linking actors in the field, both within Sweden and throughout the wider Nordic region, is an essential non-technical component to streamline future potential supply chain pathways

Confronting the Climate Crisis with Food Systems Transformation: Stories of Action from 14 countries

Integrating food systems transformation into the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) – the national climate actions at the heart of the Paris Agreement, is critical to delivering on interconnected ecological, biodiversity, health, economic, social, and cultural goals. Taking a food systems approach builds climate resilience and results in a diversity of context-specific solutions for food production, distribution, consumption, and waste. Yet, food systems are rarely prioritized in climate policy. This catalogue of global Case Studies complements a suite of publications that are designed to centre food systems transformation in future climate debate and policy

Walmart: 2015 Global Responsibility Report

Traditional costs include expenses like supplies, energy and packaging. But the net true cost considers issues such as waste-to-landfill, greenhouse gas emissions, economic mobility, worker safety and food safety. These are all examples of the effects production may have on the environment, in local communities, or on the people who grow and make what we sell. We believe a business should strive for not just the lowest prices, but the lowest true cost for all.Low prices benefit customers, but low true costs benefit everyone.To do this, we can't sit on the sidelines until after a product is made. Walmart's role is unique. We have a large presence in the world, and with that presence comes great opportunity to change how business is done. In addition to tackling social and environmental issues in our own operations, we need to actively engage in and reshape the systems in which we work. This report shares what we are doing in three main areas:Creating economic opportunity for our associates, suppliers and people who work in retail and retail supply chains beyond WalmartEnhancing the sustainability of our operations and product supply chains for people and the planetBuilding strong communities where we operate

FAO-Thiaroye processing technique : towards adopting improved fish smoking systems in the context of benefits, trade-offs and policy implications from selected developing countries

More than 60 percent of global production of smoked fishery products occurs in Africa and Asia, highlighting their tremendous significance in food and nutrition security and as a vehicle for livelihood support in these regions. However, prevailing processing technologies entail significant deleterious health implications for both processors and consumers. The main hazard relates to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are known to have carcinogenic potential. In response to the PAH challenge and leveraging on the Codex Alimentarius Code of Practice guidelines for preventing their occurrence in smoked and dried products, the FAO-Thiaroye fish processing technique (FTT) was developed under a collaborative research approach between FAO and a fisheries institution in Senegal. To date, the FTT has been introduced in 16 countries. The technique addresses the PAH problem, and yields products that comply with international limits on the hazard, while fostering many social, economic and environmental benefits. However, experience from some African and Asian countries points to the need for a context-driven balance that ensures that the gains associated with its use can be realized without making expensive compromises, especially in terms of fisheries resources status and trade dynamics. Policy and regulatory frameworks need to be informed by a risk-based approach and supportive of consistent benchmarking and differentiation of FTT products. This document reviews the lessons from those countries, and makes the case for a hard, evidence-based, policy backbone to safeguard the sustainable, eco-friendly supply of safe smoked (and dried) fishery products to support food security, particularly in the developing world

Critical Factors for Success among Social Enterprises in India

In addressing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it is expected that governments, private sector businesses and civil society organizations will be involved. Social enterprises, in particular, are attracting global attention. While international development agencies have increased their investment in social enterprises, empirical research on their business practices remains limited. For the purpose of determining factors critical to the success of social enterprises in a developing world context, this paper examines the cases of for-profit social enterprises that provide goods and services necessary for poor communities constituting the Base of the Pyramid (BoP) in India. The paper identifies the distinctive business approaches that enable social enterprises to continue their work in what can be described as a challenging and critical geographical context

Eating Here: The Greater Philadelphia Food System Plan

In 2010, the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) published the Greater Philadelphia Food System Study, which explores Greater Philadelphia's agricultural industry, food distribution network, regional food economy, and social capital. While Greater Philadelphia is a part of a global food system, the study focused on the assets, challenges, and opportunities within its 100-Mile Foodshed, a geographic area from which a population's food may theoretically be sourced. As shown in Figure 1.2, the 100-Mile Foodshed comprises 70 counties in five states (New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware, and Maryland) and includes DVRPC's nine-county planning area.Eating Here continues and extends that work, identifying opportunities to develop the regional economy and strengthen our agricultural sector, decrease waste and want, improve public health, protect the region's soil and water, and encourage diversity, innovation, and collaboration. It contains the Committee's specifi c priority recommendations, based on values

Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report

The scope and boundaries of the 2014 Walmart Global Responsibility Report encompass our corporate efforts related to workplace, compliance and sourcing, social and environmental responsibility, while also providing snapshots into each of our individual markets around the globe. The report reviews our progress and performance during FY2014, reflects areas where we've achieved tremendous positive results and specifies areas of opportunity we continue to focus on. The social and environmental indicators were obtained by internal survey and checks without the participation of external auditing. The reporting timeline covers the period of Feb. 1, 2013 -- Jan. 31, 2014, and builds on our last report, issued April 2013. Unless otherwise noted, all currency is in U.S. dollars