Port competitiveness in North East Asia : an integrated fuzzy approach to expert evaluations

Despite the fact that the Northeast Asia (NEA) region, which had four of the top five and 20 of the top 30 container ports in the world in 2003, can be regarded as holding a central position in liner shipping and the handling of container cargo volumes, very little research has been done into the evaluation of its port competitiveness (EPC). For this reason, the EPC in NEA can be regarded as a problematic and urgent issue to be solved, and worthy of academic attention. From this aspect, this research set out to attempt to address the above issue by means of utilizing expert knowledge. However, the EPC contains problems of complex multipleattributes and multiple-hierarchies (CMAMH). In addition, difficulties concerning certain characteristics of evaluation such as complexity, uncertainty and ambiguity are also involved. To deal with such problems, in this research, the employment of integrated fuzzy evaluation (IFE) as a methodology was decided upon. As a result of the adaptation of the methodology, certain indications from this research to the theory and practice for container ports have emerged and are clearly identifiable. With regard to theory, this study has contributed to theoretical development significantly in four ways. First, the factors and taxonomy of port competitiveness for the container ports in NEA have been provided for the first time. Second, this is the first integrated approach for the EPC in NEA, the most competitive area in the world. Third, this research was also the first to attempt extracting critical weak points and/or influential factors affecting current port competitiveness. Finally, the adoption of IFE made it possible for the first time to uncover the interactive relationships between the competing container ports. In terms of practice, this research has also provided certain contributions of utmost importance. First of all, the study has provided a suggestion for the most recent port ranking in respect of port competitiveness. Moreover, changes in competitiveness power, which are dynamically and interactively affected by the relationship between the ports, have been successfully estimated and suggested. Thus, such changes in the competitiveness in NEA can now be easily forecasted by port actors

Automated mass appraisal system with cross-city evaluation capability: a test development in China

The appraisal of property value is extremely important in a modern economy. For example, developers and end-consumers use appraisals for their investment decisions. Governments use it for taxation purposes, while banks rely on appraisals to update their risk profile when managing mortgage and credit application activities. With fast developing economies, quickly valuing new cities and suburbs as they get built becomes particularly difficult. Globalisation has also increased the need for common international valuation standards and automated methods. This research investigates the present mass appraisal systems and the role of automated valuation models. Financial institutions and institutional investors are increasingly more concerned about constantly updating their present portfolio value especially in a dynamic market. Trends of significant peaks and troughs need to be accounted in a faster cycle time with short bursts of pricing adjustments. The problem poses a challenge because property transactions are infrequently traded unlike other commodities such as securities. Hence, there are not many recent transactions for the same property to receive an updated value with a simple adjustment based on economic conditions. The study proposes a method that solves both large-scale mass appraisal with an ability to search across cities to discover properties with similar characteristics for its update and comparison scheme. This research advances the automated valuation model for the residential property market with a test development performed in China. In particular, the resulting model was tested with data from Chinese Tier 1, 2 and 3 Cities to evaluate property values. This research performs several major accomplishments. First, it demonstrates the efficacy of reducing human cognitive effort in the mass appraisal exercise. Second, by applying Artificial Neural Network capabilities in the automated valuation model, pricing of residential properties are able to draw upon knowledge from more mature cities with greater number of transactions and apply to newer developments in less developed cities. Third, the proposed mass appraisal system shows the reliability and robustness that matches the rapid development of Chinas real estate market that had been verified by a real application. Finally, the approach developed provides a valuable new method for property valuation that reduces the possible bias, increases consistency and lowers the effort required by current manual methods, with a lower data requirement

Sustainable Use of Soils and Water: The Role of Environmental Land Use Conflicts

This book on the sustainable use of soils and water addressed a variety of issues related to the utopian desire for environmental sustainability and the deviations from this scene observed in the real world. Competing interests for land are frequently a factor in land degradation, especially where the adopted land uses do not conform with the land capability (the natural use of soil). The concerns of researchers about these matters are presented in the articles comprising this Special Issue book. Various approaches were used to assess the (im)balance between economic profit and environmental conservation in various regions, in addition to potential routes to bring landscapes back to a sustainable status being disclosed

Feasibility of Rooftop Wind Turbines in Boston

The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources is committed to assessing new forms of renewable energy. This project determined the feasibility of rooftop wind turbines in Boston. We interviewed and consulted major stakeholders, and considered siting factors, turbine technology, economic feasibility and social reactions. Currently, rooftop wind turbines are not economically viable in Boston due to long payback periods resulting from siting challenges and underdeveloped technology. We recommend research into urban siting methods as well as vertical axis wind turbines

From development zones to edge urban areas in China: A case study of Nansha, Guangzhou City

The new millennium signified a new phase in the development zone-oriented suburbanization of China. Spurred by a new round of urban development strategies, development zones in many large cities face a need for enormous transformations and re-development. These areas have often been compared with the Western concept of “edge cities”, although in this paper we argue that this “imported” concept, in practice, bears little resemblance to the actual development tendencies in China. Taking a comparative approach, this paper presents a critical examination of edge urban formations in the Chinese context, and identifies the major differences between the concept in China and the United States. Drawing upon a case study of Nansha in Guangzhou, the unique paths and underlying dynamics driving these transformations are revealed. It is concluded that Chinese edge urban areas are being transformed from mono-function development zones into new fully functional cities. A city in China like Nansha reveals the dynamics of both state interventions and local actions in boosting the polycentric economies of large city regions

With great ecosystem services comes great responsibility: carbon sequestration and climate modelling in Brazilian urban forests

Urban forests are unique ecosystems that are frequently characterized by harsh conditions and face numerous pressures and threats. They contribute to the well-being and sustainability of cities by delivering a wide range of ecosystem services. Here, we analyze different aspects of urban forests an its ecosystem services. In chapter one, we observe several trends in the scientific production in the themes of ecosystem services and urban forests between 1996 and 2022. In chapter two, we analyze the ecosystem services provided by the urban areas of 25 cities of the Atlantic Forest in Brazil through the i-Tree Canopy software. Finally, in chapter three, we examine how climate change might affect Brazilian urban forests. Our results show that between 1996 and 2022, a total of 813 documents were published in 208 different journals, with 20.62% of annual growth. Our results show that scientific production in the area has grown notably over the years. Scientific production has shown a consistent growth trend from 2011 onwards. The results suggests that the importance of urban forests and ecosystem services has gained greater recognition and attention in recent years. Our data reveal that together, the cities studied sequester a significant total of 235.3 kilotonnes of carbon and substantial 864.82 kilotonnes of CO2 Equivalent (CO2 Equiv.) annually. Furthermore, together they also store, through their vegetation, a total of 4861.19 kilotonnes of carbon and 17824.32 kilotonnes of CO2 Equiv. We found out that the average monetary estimate of annual carbon sequestration was $3.57 million, while the average stored estimate was$73.76 million. Pearson’s correlogram showed a strong positive correlation between density of inhabitants and the percentage of impervious areas in urban areas (p < 0.001). Our findings show that climate change, even in more optimistic scenarios, may severely impact the environmental suitability of urban forests in all phytogeographic domains, that is, the climate will not be suitable anymore for the urban forest types that are now present in the areas studied. The impacts in the environmental suitability are expected especially in the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado, two biodiversity hotspots. The two most affected phytogeographic domains house most of the Brazilian human population, one of which tends to suffer substantial impacts. We also warn that Brazilian urban forests can be drastically affected, having their composition extremely modified and their biodiversity may diminish and even face homogenization. Therefore, urgent mitigation and adaptation actions are needed to tackle climate change and the maintenance of ecosystem services.As florestas urbanas são ecossistemas únicos, frequentemente caracterizados por condições adversas e que enfrentam inúmeras pressões e ameaças. Elas contribuem para o bem-estar e a sustentabilidade das cidades, fornecendo uma ampla gama de serviços ecossistêmicos. Aqui, analisamos diferentes aspectos das florestas urbanas e seus serviços ecossistêmicos. No primeiro capítulo, observamos várias tendências na produção científica sobre os temas de serviços ecossistêmicos e florestas urbanas entre 1996 e 2022. No capítulo dois, analisamos os serviços ecossistêmicos prestados pelas áreas urbanas de 25 cidades da Floresta Atlântica no Brasil por meio do software i-Tree Canopy. Finalmente, no capítulo três, examinamos como as mudanças climáticas podem afetar as florestas urbanas brasileiras. Nossos resultados mostram que, entre 1996 e 2022, um total de 813 documentos foram publicados em 208 periódicos diferentes, com 20,62% de crescimento anual. Nossos resultados mostram que a produção científica na área tem crescido notavelmente ao longo dos anos. A produção científica apresentou uma tendência de crescimento consistente a partir de 2011. Isso sugere que a importância das florestas urbanas e dos serviços ecossistêmicos ganhou maior reconhecimento e atenção nos últimos anos. Nossos dados revelam que, juntas, as cidades estudadas sequestram um total significativo de 235,3 quilotoneladas de carbono e substanciais 864,82 quilotoneladas de CO2 Equivalente (CO2 Equiv.) anualmente. Além disso, juntas, elas também armazenam, por meio de sua vegetação, um total de 4.861,19 quilotoneladas de carbono e 17.824,32 quilotoneladas de CO2 Equiv. Descobrimos que a estimativa monetária média do sequestro anual de carbono foi de US$3,57 milhões, enquanto a estimativa média armazenada foi de US$ 73,76 milhões. O correlograma de Pearson mostrou uma forte correlação positiva entre a densidade de moradores e a porcentagem de áreas impermeáveis em áreas urbanas (p < 0,001). Nossas descobertas mostram que as mudanças climáticas, mesmo em cenários mais otimistas, podem afetar severamente a adequabilidade ambiental das florestas urbanas em todos os domínios fitogeográficos, ou seja, o clima não será mais adequado para os tipos de florestas urbanas que estão agora presentes nas áreas estudadas. Isso é esperado especialmente na Floresta Atlântica e no Cerrado, dois hotspots de biodiversidade. Esses dois domínios fitogeográticos mais afetados abrigam a maior parte da população humana brasileira, uma das quais tende a sofrer impactos substanciais. Alertamos também que as florestas urbanas brasileiras podem ser drasticamente afetadas, tendo sua composição extremamente modificada e sua biodiversidade pode diminuir e até mesmo sofrer homogeneização. Portanto, são necessárias ações urgentes de mitigação e adaptação para o enfrentamento das mudanças climáticas e a manutenção dos serviços ecossistêmicos

Goods and Services of Marine Bivalves

The aim of this book is to review and analyse the goods and services of bivalve shellfish. How they are defined, what determines the ecological functions that are the basis for the goods and services, what controversies in the use of goods and services exist, and what is needed for sustainable exploitation of bivalves from the perspective of the various stakeholders. The book is focused on the goods and services, and not on impacts of shellfish aquaculture on the benthic environment, or on threats like biotoxins; neither is it a shellfish culture handbook although it can be used in evaluating shellfish culture. The reviews and analysis are based on case studies that exemplify the concept, and show the strengths and weaknesses of the current applications. The multi-authored reviews cover ecological, economic and social aspects of bivalve goods and services. The book provides new insights for scientists, students, shellfish producers, policy advisors, nature conservationists and decision makers. This book is open access under the CC BY license.publishedVersio

Restructuring the Sunan model, globalizing regional development: trajectories of development in Kunshan, China

Working PaperThis paper attempts to advance the research on globalization and regional development in China through a study of Kunshan City. We investigate the restructuring process, the structure of FDI, and the nature of global-local networks to understand trajectories and models of regional development in the context of globalization. We highlight the interactions of the Chinese state, transnational corporations (TNCs) and regional assets in shaping the trajectories of regional development

Understanding the role of agricultural management effects on global soil degradation utilizing biophysical modeling

Klimawandel und Bodendegradation üben Druck auf die Nahrungsmittelproduktion sowie auf die Fähigkeit des Bodens zur Minderung des Klimawandels beizutragen aus. Bodendegradation hat negative Auswirkungen auf die Bodenqualität. Ziel dieser Arbeit ist die Analyse der Effekte von landwirtschaftlich getriebener Bodendegradation, vor allem durch Pflügen und dem Umgang mit Ernterückständen. Es wird ein Überblick über das Thema Bodendegradation gegeben, gefolgt von Erweiterung des globalen Ökosystemmodells Lund-Potsdam-Jena-managed-Land (LPJmL) um eine detaillierte Prozessabbildung von Pflugpraktiken und Effekten von Ernterückständen. Diese ermöglicht die Analyse der Effekten von landwirtschaftlichen Managements auf die Anpassung und Minderung des Klimawandel. Das Modell kann die Effekte von naturerhaltender landwirtschaftlicher Bewirtschaftung (im Englischen bekannt als Conservation Agriculture) auf Kohlenstoffvorräte im Boden und CO2 Emissionen simulieren. Im letzten Teil wird die historische Dynamik der Entwicklung von Bodenkohlenstoff (engl.: Soil Organic Carbon – SOC) und die Effekte von Annahmen zum zukünftigen Management unter unterschiedlichen Klimaszenarien gezeigt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass durch die historische Umwandlung von natürlicher Vegetation zu landwirtschaftlicher Fläche bis zu 215 Pg SOC im Boden verloren gegangen sind. Bis zum Ende des Jahrhunderts könnten weitere 38 Pg SOC zusätzlich verloren gehen, wird die heutige landwirtschaftliche Fläche nicht nachhaltig bewirtschaften. Die Bewirtschaftung mit dem Pflug zeigt einen geringen Einfluss auf die Kohlenstoffvorräte des Bodens, während die Wahl der Behandlung von Ernterückständen erheblich Einfluss hat. Die Rückführung von Ernterückständen hat positive Einflüsse auf Bodenwassergehalt und Ernteproduktivität, mit regionalen Unterschieden. Insgesamt zeigen 46% der heute Landwirtschaftsfläche das Potenzial zur Steigerung des Bodenkohlenstoff, während mindestens 52% Kohlenstoff im Boden verlieren könnten.Climate change and increasing soil degradation put pressure on the global food production systems and the ability of land for climate change mitigation. Additionally, soil degradation has negative implications on soil quality. This thesis analyzes the effects of agricultural-driven global soil degradation, in particular tillage and residue management. At first, a review the state of knowledge on global soil degradation is provided. Soil organic carbon (SOC) decline is one of the major forms of soil degradation on cropland and a useful indicator of the status of soil degradation. Secondly, to study the effects of different pathways of agricultural management on biophysical and biogeochemical flows, the global ecosystem model Lund-Potsdam-Jena managed Land (LPJmL) is extended by a detailed representation of tillage practices and residue management. This improvement of LPJmL allows for the analysis of management-related effects on agricultural mitigation of climate change adaption and the reduction of environmental impacts. The model can simulate the effects of conservation practices on SOC stocks and CO2 emissions. And third, SOC development and the effects of different management assumptions under climate change is analyzed. This shows that approximately 215 Pg SOC was lost due to the historical conversion of natural land to cropland and up to 38 Pg SOC could be additionally lost on already existing cropland until the end of the century if cropland is not managed sustainably. The type of tillage system has small effects on the SOC stocks, while the choice of crop residue treatment is shown to be the main driver governing SOC development. Returning residues to the soil slows the decline of SOC, and positively affects soil moisture and crop productivity, with regional differences. In total, up to 46% of todays’ cropland shows the potential for SOC increase, while at least 52% of cropland today will undergo further SOC loss as a form of soil degradation