1,183 research outputs found
Substance Flow Analysis of Wastes Containing Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers:The Need for More Information and for Final Sinks
Global Waste Management Outlook 2024: Beyond an age of waste â Turning rubbish into a resource.
Jointly published with the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA), the report provides an update on global waste generation and the cost of waste and its management since 2018. The analysis uses life cycle assessments to explore what the world could gain or lose through continuing business-as-usual, adopting halfway measures, or committing fully to zero waste and circular economy societies. The report also evaluates three potential scenarios of municipal waste generation and management, examining their impacts on society, the environment, and the global economy. Furthermore, it presents potential strategies for waste reduction and enhanced management, following the waste hierarchy, to treat all waste materials as valuable resources.
Municipal solid waste generation is predicted to grow from 2.3 billion tons in 2023 to 3.8 billion tons by 2050. In 2020, the global direct cost of waste management was an estimated USD 252 billion.
When factoring in the hidden costs of pollution, poor health and climate change from poor waste disposal practices, the cost rises to USD 361 billion. Without urgent action on waste management, by 2050 this global annual cost could almost double to a staggering USD 640.3 billion
Environmental Effects and Interactions of Stratospheric Ozone Depletion, UV Radiation, and Climate Change
Benthic habitat modelling and mapping as a conservation tool for marine protected areas: A seamount in the western Mediterranean
1. An ecologically representative, wellâconnected, and effectively managed system of
marine protected areas (MPAs) has positive ecological and environmental effects
as well as social and economic benefits. Although progress in expanding the coverage of MPAs has been made, the application of management tools has not yet
been implemented in most of these areas.
2. In this work, distribution models were applied to nine benthic habitats on a Mediterranean seamount within an MPA for conservation purposes. Benthic habitat
occurrences were identified from 55 remotely operated vehicle (ROV) transects,
at depths from 76 to 700 m, and data derived from multibeam bathymetry. Generalized additive models (GAMs) were applied to link the presence of each benthic
habitat to local environmental proxies (depth, slope, backscatter, aspect, and
bathymetric position index, BPI).
3. The main environmental drivers of habitat distribution were depth, slope, and BPI.
Based on this result, five different geomorphological areas were distinguished. A
full coverage map indicating the potential benthic habitat distribution on the seamount was obtained to inform spatial management.
4. The distribution of those habitats identified as vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs)
was used to make recommendations on zonation for developing the management
plan of the MPA. This process reveals itself as an appropriate methodological
approach that can be developed in other areas of the Natura 2000 marine networkEn prensa1,92
Multinational and large national corporations and climateadaptation: are we asking the right questions? A review ofcurrent knowledge and a new research perspective
Adapting to climate change requires the engagement of all actors in society. Until recently, the predominant research focus has been on governments, communities and the third sector as key actors in the adaptation process. Yet, there is a growing emphasis internationally on understanding the role of and the need to engage businesses in adaptation given their potential to finance projects, develop technologies and innovative solutions, and enhance the scale and cost-effectiveness of certain adaptation measures. Large national and multinational corporations are among the key actors in this respect. Already, many of these corporations are purportedly taking steps to adapt their operations to climate change. Some stated reasons for their engagement include minimising potential impacts on value chains, improving resource efficiency, enhancing production of sustainable raw materials, and supporting customersâ, suppliersâ and communitiesâ climate change adaptation efforts. However, there is a paucity of work analysing adaptation actions by these corporations, their motivations and contribution to broader adaptation and climate resilient development efforts, as well as possible instances of maladaptation. We apply a three-tier framework on drivers, responses and outcomes to examine the state of knowledge according to recent literature on private sector and corporate adaptation to climate change. Our review highlights that the literature on the impact and outcomes of corporate adaptation actions is sparse and we consider the implications for future research. Our analysis concludes with a reflection on the relevance of corporate-led adaptation â for the companies themselves, policy-makers at all scales, as well as society at large
Microplastics in personal care products: Exploring perceptions of environmentalists, beauticians and students
Microplastics enter the environment as a result of larger plastic items breaking down (âsecondaryâ) and from particles originally manufactured at that size (âprimaryâ). Personal care productsare an important contributor of secondary microplastics (typically referred to as âmicrobeadsâ), for example in toothpaste, facial scrubs and soaps. Consumers play an important role in influencing the demand for these products and therefore any associated environmental consequences. Hence we need to understand public perceptions in order to help reduce emissions of microplastics. This study explored awareness of plastic microbeads in personal care products in three groups: environmental activists, trainee beauticians and university students in South West England. Focus groups were run, where participants were shown the quantity of microbeads found in individual high-street personal care products. Qualitative analysis showed that while the environmentalists were originally aware of the issue, it lacked visibility and immediacy for the beauticians and students. Yet when shown the amount of plastic in a range of familiar everyday personal care products, all participants expressed considerable surprise and concern at the quantities and potential impact. Regardless of any perceived level of harm in the environment, the consensus was that their use was unnatural and unnecessary. This research could inform future communications with the public and industry as well as policy initiatives to phase out the use of microbeads
The analytical framework of water and armed conflict: a focus on the 2006 Summer War between Israel and Lebanon
This paper develops an analytical framework to investigate the relationship between water and armed conflict, and applies it to the âSummer Warâ of 2006 between Israel and Lebanon (Hezbollah). The framework broadens and deepens existing classifications by assessing the impact of acts of war as indiscriminate or targeted, and evaluating them in terms of international norms and law, in particular International Humanitarian Law (IHL). In the case at hand, the relationship is characterised by extensive damage in Lebanon to drinking water infrastructure and resources. This is seen as a clear violation of the letter and the spirit of IHL, while the partial destruction of more than 50 public water towers compromises water rights and national development goals. The absence of pre-war environmental baselines makes it difficult to gauge the impact on water resources, suggesting a role for those with first-hand knowledge of the hostilities to develop a more effective response before, during, and after armed conflict
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Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
This extended report of the IPCC Expert Meeting on the Science of Alternative Metrics that was held in Oslo 18-20 March 2009 is provided in response to an invitation from the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Ad Hoc Working Group on Further
Commitments for Annex I Parties under Kyoto Protocol (UNFCCC AWG-KP) to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
to undertake further technical assessment of alternative common metrics which are used to calculate the CO2 equivalence of anthropogenic emissions by sources, and removals by sinks, of greenhouse gases listed in Annex A to the Kyoto Protocol.
The outcome of the expert meeting was an agreed set of key conclusions and recommendations to UNFCCC in response to the request of the AWG-KP as well as more specific recommendations to the scientific community regarding research needs and ones relevant to the scoping of the IPCC's Fifth Assessment Report (AR5). These were presented to the IPCC Plenary in a short report at its 30th
session in Antalya, 21-23 April 2009. The current full report of the expert meeting amplifies those conclusions and recommendations
and includes the extended abstracts of the meeting presentations as well as a general bibliography
Rational Selection of the 3D Structure of Biomacromolecules for Molecular Docking Studies on the Mechanism of Endocrine Disruptor Action
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