Economic Impact of Protected Large Carnivores on Sheep Farming in Norway

Norway has historically been a stronghold for carnivore predators. Today there are four protected carnivore species, brown bear (Ursus arctos), wolverine (Gulo gulo), wolf (Canis lupus) and lynx (Lynx lynx), together with the golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos). The carnivore populations were significantly reduced, and wolves and bears almost eradicated nationally during the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries (Ministry of the Environment, 1992; 1996-97). Today, the species are protected, and management calls for restoring demographically and/or genetically viable populations (Ministry of the Environment, 1996-97). Another proposal is to view Norwegian management goals and responsibilities in accordance to the Bern Convention in combination with those of Sweden and Finland, i.e. shared-predator populations for the Nordic countries (Nordic Farmers Central Council, 1988). The principle has recently been introduced by the authorities for management of wolves in Norway, defining viability based on a common Norwegian-Swedish populatio

External Effects of Mitigating Measures to Reduce Large Carnivore Predation on Sheep

Outfield range pastures with widely dispersed sheep are quite common in Norway, with a summer population of approximately 2.4 million animals. In many areas losses to predators are considerable and identifying efficient mitigating measures against predation is a prime target in nature management. In order to assess economic efficiency, any actual effect of the measure on predation and loss regime must be addressed. One problem with some research is the "scale problem". While sheep outfield home range areas have been measured from 2.2 - 33.8 km2, large carnivores on their ranges might use from several hundred up to even thousands of square kilometres. For lynx (Lynx lynx) the home range varies between 158 and 433 km2, wolverine (Gulo gulo) between 61 and 970 km2 and for the brown bear (Ursus arctos) from 171 to 33,041 km2. Thus there emerges a form of statistical dependence, since the exposure of the carnivores to actions and measures in a sheep home range or sample area might influence how the same carnivores behave outside the area. The external effects on society, the environment or other farmers may therefore outweigh advantages to farmers introducing the measure, and scale evaluation might be of crucial importance in designing field research projects exploring such measures

Impact Against Offshore Pipelines

Impact against offshore pipelines is investigated in this thesis. Introductory low velocity experiments on pipeline specimens using the stretch bending rig at the Department of Structural Engineering, NTNU, were carried out. A wedge shaped indenter, previously used for impact tests on similar pipelines, were used to subject pipes to bending. The experimental set-up allowed for application of axial loads and inner pressure to pipes during bending. This thesis is a continuation of three previous master's theses and is part of a ongoing research program between CRI-SIMLab, NTNU, and Statoil ASA.Three pipes were tested in the stretch bending rig while being subjected to different axial loads during bending. The pipes were first bent at a low velocity of 25$mm/min$ before being stretched. A slight relative rotation of the connection between the pipe and the rig was discovered for experiments with applied axial loads. This affected the measurements. Surface cracks were discovered in the indentation zone for all pipes after stretching. Experiments involving pressurized pipes were planned, but were not conducted due to issues with pipe delivery. Numerical analyses were performed using Abaqus/Explicit. Material models calibrated in previous theses were used, and implemented in numerical models using SIMLab Metal Model. Simulations corresponded well with the bending step of the pipes, but the stiffness was overestimated by numerical analyses of the stretch step. Numerical analyses revealed that pipes subjected to axial loads during bending experienced less strain in the critical area of the indentation zone, where cracks occurred in the experiments.The indentation zones of the pipeline specimens were studied metallurgically. It was discovered that surface cracks initiated in lathing grooves that originated from the lathing process of the pipes. No significant internal fracturing was discovered. The results were compared to findings from a similar study on pipes subjected to impact loading. It was found that the bending experiments with subsequent stretching failed to recreate the same fracture mechanisms as discovered in impacted pipeline specimens

Resource conservation across generations in a Ramsey-Chichilnisky model

International audienceThe Chichilnisky criterion is an explicit social welfare function that satisfies compelling conditions of intergenerational equity. However, it is time inconsistent and has no optimal solution in the Ramsey model. By investigating stationary Markov equilibria in the game that generations with Chichilnisky preferences play, this paper shows how, nevertheless, this criterion can be practically implemented in the Ramsey model, leading to attractive consequences. The time-discounted utilitarian optimum is the unique equilibrium path with a high-productive initial stock, implying that the weight on the infinite future in the Chichilnisky criterion plays no role. However, this part of the Chichilnisky criterion may lead to more stock conservation than the time-discounted utilitarian optimum with a low-productive initial stock. Based on the notion of von Neumann–Morgenstern abstract stability, we obtain uniqueness by assuming that each generation coordinates on an almost best equilibrium and takes into account that future generations will do as well

Ecos del Pacífico en México

Rapporten tar for seg effekten av redusert kjøttforbruk i fire ulike scenarier i et 10-årsperspektiv fra 2017 til 2027 for forbruk, import og produksjon av kjøtt sammenlignet med uendret kjøttforbruk per innbygger (referansebanen). Vurderingene skulle avgrenses til de fire hovedkjøttslagene storfe, svin, lam/sau og kylling. Deretter har en undersøkt hva det ville ha å si for arealbehovet for norsk fôrproduksjon i 2027 dersom kjøttforbruket per innbygger gikk ned fra nivået i 2017 med a) 10 prosent for alle kjøttslag og med b) 45 prosent for alle kjøttslag med unntak for fjørfekjøtt. Deretter var målet å drøfte hvor i landet areal vil gå ut av fôrproduksjon og hvilken matproduksjon som eventuelt kunne skje på disse arealene. Videre har en sett på konsekvenser av redusert kjøttforbruk for arbeidsforbruk og brukstall i jordbruket i 2027. En har dessuten analysert mulige konsekvenser av redusert kjøttforbruk for omsetning, sysselsetting og antall foretak i kjøttindustrien i 2027.publishedVersio