Air Quality Research Using Remote Sensing

Air pollution is a worldwide environmental hazard that poses serious consequences not only for human health and the climate but also for agriculture, ecosystems, and cultural heritage, among other factors. According to the WHO, there are 8 million premature deaths every year as a result of exposure to ambient air pollution. In addition, more than 90% of the world’s population live in areas where the air quality is poor, exceeding the recommended limits. On the other hand, air pollution and the climate co-influence one another through complex physicochemical interactions in the atmosphere that alter the Earth’s energy balance and have implications for climate change and the air quality. It is important to measure specific atmospheric parameters and pollutant compound concentrations, monitor their variations, and analyze different scenarios with the aim of assessing the air pollution levels and developing early warning and forecast systems as a means of improving the air quality and safeguarding public health. Such measures can also form part of efforts to achieve a reduction in the number of air pollution casualties and mitigate climate change phenomena. This book contains contributions focusing on remote sensing techniques for evaluating air quality, including the use of in situ data, modeling approaches, and the synthesis of different instrumentations and techniques. The papers published in this book highlight the importance and relevance of air quality studies and the potential of remote sensing, particularly that conducted from Earth observation platforms, to shed light on this topic

Natural and Technological Hazards in Urban Areas

Natural hazard events and technological accidents are separate causes of environmental impacts. Natural hazards are physical phenomena active in geological times, whereas technological hazards result from actions or facilities created by humans. In our time, combined natural and man-made hazards have been induced. Overpopulation and urban development in areas prone to natural hazards increase the impact of natural disasters worldwide. Additionally, urban areas are frequently characterized by intense industrial activity and rapid, poorly planned growth that threatens the environment and degrades the quality of life. Therefore, proper urban planning is crucial to minimize fatalities and reduce the environmental and economic impacts that accompany both natural and technological hazardous events

Ecosystem Service and Land-Use Changes in Asia

This book highlights the role of research in Ecosystem Services and Land Use Changes in Asia. The contributions include case studies that explore the impacts of direct and indirect drivers affecting provision of ecosystem services in Asian countries, including China, India, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam. Findings from these empirical studies contribute to developing sustainability in Asia at both local and regional scales

Dipterocarps protected by Jering local wisdom in Jering Menduyung Nature Recreational Park, Bangka Island, Indonesia

Apart of the oil palm plantation expansion, the Jering Menduyung Nature Recreational Park has relatively diverse plants. The 3,538 ha park is located at the north west of Bangka Island, Indonesia. The minimum species-area curve was 0.82 ha which is just below Dalil conservation forest that is 1.2 ha, but it is much higher than measurements of several secondary forests in the Island that are 0.2 ha. The plot is inhabited by more than 50 plant species. Of 22 tree species, there are 40 individual poles with the average diameter of 15.3 cm, and 64 individual trees with the average diameter of 48.9 cm. The density of Dipterocarpus grandiflorus (Blanco) Blanco or kruing, is 20.7 individual/ha with the diameter ranges of 12.1 – 212.7 cm or with the average diameter of 69.0 cm. The relatively intact park is supported by the local wisdom of Jering tribe, one of indigenous tribes in the island. People has regulated in cutting trees especially in the cape. The conservation agency designates the park as one of the kruing propagules sources in the province. The growing oil palm plantation and the less adoption of local wisdom among the youth is a challenge to forest conservation in the province where tin mining activities have been the economic driver for decades. More socialization from the conservation agency and the involvement of university students in raising environmental awareness is important to be done

MANAJEMEN PENGELOLAAN SUMBER DAYA AIR UNTUK PEMBANGUNAN BERKELANJUTAN (STUDI KASUS DI SUMBER AIR BENDOROGO, DESA BEKIRING KECAMATAN PULUNG KABUPATEN PONOROGO)

Pembatalan UU nomor 7 tahun 2004 melalui pembatalan oleh MK dan pemberlakuan kembali UU nomor 11 tahun 1974 tentang pengairan akan membawa dampak yang besar terhadap pengelolaan sumber daya air di negeri ini. Di dalam UU nomor 7 Tahun 2004 yang bersifat khusus, akan kembali lagi ke UU nomor 11 tahun 1974 yang lebih bersifat umum serta memberikan ruang keleluasaan bagi pengelola swasta/pihak swasta untuk mengeksplorasi sumber daya air di negeri. Tentu saja hal ini akan berdampak kepada lemahnya kontrol eksplorasi dari pihak Pemerintah. Dampak perubahan undangundang ini juga terlihat dari aktifitas ekplorasi sumber mata air Bendorogo di Desa Bekiring Kecamatan Pulung Kabupaten Ponorogo. Hal ini terjadi karena tidak adanya aturan resmi yang dikeluarkan oleh pemerintah daerah terkait pengelolaan SDA di Sumber Bendorogo. Hal ini tentu saja tidak diinginkan oleh warga Desa Bekiring karena ketergantungan masyarakat atas sumber air ini sangat tinggi jika suatu saat ancaman keringnya sumber air terjadi akibat ketiadaan dana perawatan. Untuk menciptakan pembangunan yang berkelanjutan (sustainable development), tentu saja setelah perubahan UU tentang pengelolaan sumber daya air ini maka sudah seharusnya pemerintah baik pemerintah pusat sampai ke pemerintah daerah mempersiapan peraturan yang ketat guna membatasi eksplorasi SDA karena air bukan hanya untuk kita tapi juga untuk anak cucu kita nanti. Kata kunci: Desa Bekiring, eksplorasi SDA, sumber daya air (SDA), sustainable developmen