Resolving issues with environmental impact assessment of marine renewable energy installations

Growing concerns about climate change and energy security have fueled a rapid increase in the development of marine renewable energy installations (MREIs). The potential ecological consequences of increased use of these devices emphasizes the need for high quality environmental impact assessment (EIA). We demonstrate that these processes are hampered severely, primarily because ambiguities in the legislation and lack of clear implementation guidance are such that they do not ensure robust assessment of the significance of impacts and cumulative effects. We highlight why the regulatory framework leads to conceptual ambiguities and propose changes which, for the most part, do not require major adjustments to standard practice. We emphasize the importance of determining the degree of confidence in impacts to permit the likelihood as well as magnitude of impacts to be quantified and propose ways in which assessment of population-level impacts could be incorporated into the EIA process. Overall, however, we argue that, instead of trying to ascertain which particular developments are responsible for tipping an already heavily degraded marine environment into an undesirable state, emphasis should be placed on better strategic assessment.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

EFFECTS OF CO2 INDUCED OCEAN ACIDIFICATION ON PHYSIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS AND COMMUNITY STRUCTURE OF MACRO-INVERTEBRATE ROCKY SHORE ASSEMBLAGES

The prediction of future changes in marine communities and ecosystems associated with ocean acidification (OA), remains challenging as responses vary widely among different species and can be counterintuitive. In this study the effect of ocean acidification on the physiology and community structure of intertidal rocky shore assemblages was tested in a medium-term mesocosm experiment. The response of whole assemblage oxygen consumption, net calcification/dissolution and biomass productivity was examined at seven different pH levels (8.05, 7.8, 7.6, 7.4, 7.2, 6.8 and 6.0) and community structure and diversity were characterised after a 30d exposure period. Oxygen consumption decreased at lowered pH and assemblages exposed to pH 7.6 and below displayed net dissolution. Total biomass at the end of the exposure period was significantly decreased at low pH, revealing high mortality at pH 6.0. Community structure was negatively affected, showing reduction in species abundance and diversity. This study provides information on whole community physiology along with the underlying change in community structure and diversity.Faculty of Science & Technology

Indium and Indium Tin Oxide Induce Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Oxidative Stress in Zebrafish (<i>Danio rerio</i>)

Indium and indium tin oxide (ITO) are extensively used in electronic technologies. They may be introduced into the environment during production, use, and leaching from electronic devices at the end of their life. At present, surprisingly little is known about potential ecotoxicological implications of indium contamination. Here, molecular effects of indium nitrate (In­(NO₃)₃) and ITO nanoparticles were investigated in vitro in zebrafish liver cells (ZFL) cells and in zebrafish embryos and novel insights into their molecular effects are provided. In­(NO₃)₃ led to induction of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response, induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and induction of transcripts of pro-apoptotic genes and TNF-α in vitro at a concentration of 247 μg/L. In­(NO₃)₃ induced the ER stress key gene BiP at mRNA and protein level, as well as <i>atf6</i>, which ultimately led to induction of the important pro-apoptotic marker gene <i>chop</i>. The activity of In­(NO₃)₃ on ER stress induction was much stronger than that of ITO, which is explained by differences in soluble free indium ion concentrations. The effect was also stronger in ZFL cells than in zebrafish embryos. Our study provides first evidence of ER stress and oxidative stress induction by In­(NO₃)₃ and ITO indicating a critical toxicological profile that needs further investigation

Wenn Algorithmen für uns entscheiden: Chancen und Risiken der künstlichen Intelligenz

Computer werden leistungsfähiger und können komplizierte Probleme immer schneller lösen. Gleichzeitig stehen, dank Internet und Smartphones, grosse Mengen an Daten zur Verfügung. Beides fördert die Entwicklung von künstlicher Intelligenz (KI). Anspruchsvolle Aufgaben, an denen bisherige Computerprogramme gescheitert sind, löst künstliche Intelligenz scheinbar mühelos. Bekannte Beispiele sind KI-Systeme, die Sprachen übersetzen oder menschliche Gegner in Spielen aller Art bezwingen. Stetig wird die künstliche Intelligenz verbessert und übernimmt Tätigkeiten, die bisher Menschen vorbehalten waren, etwa Steuerbetrug identifizieren oder Krankheiten diagnostizieren. Künstliche Intelligenz gilt daher als wichtiger Treiber des digitalen Wandels. Die Studie von TA-SWISS beschäftigt sich eingehend mit den Chancen und Risiken dieser Technologie in den Anwendungsbereichen Arbeit, Bildung und Forschung, Konsum, Medien und Verwaltung. Zur Sprache kommen insbesondere auch allgemeine ethische und rechtliche Aspekte. Das Hauptaugenmerk liegt auf Anwendungen, bei denen KI Entscheidungsprozesse unterstützt – Prozesse, die zu Entscheidungen mit direkten Auswirkungen auf Bürgerinnen und Bürger sowie auf unsere Gesellschaft als Ganzes führen

Wenn Algorithmen für uns entscheiden : Chancen und Risiken der künstlichen Intelligenz

Computer werden leistungsfähiger und können komplizierte Probleme immer schneller lösen. Gleichzeitig stehen, dank Internet und Smartphones, grosse Mengen an Daten zur Verfügung. Beides fördert die Entwicklung von künstlicher Intelligenz (KI). Anspruchsvolle Aufgaben, an denen bisherige Computerprogramme gescheitert sind, löst künstliche Intelligenz scheinbar mühelos. Bekannte Beispiele sind KI-Systeme, die Sprachen übersetzen oder menschliche Gegner in Spielen aller Art bezwingen. Stetig wird die künstliche Intelligenz verbessert und übernimmt Tätigkeiten, die bisher Menschen vorbehalten waren, etwa Steuerbetrug identifizieren oder Krankheiten diagnostizieren. Künstliche Intelligenz gilt daher als wichtiger Treiber des digitalen Wandels. Die Studie von TA-SWISS beschäftigt sich eingehend mit den Chancen und Risiken dieser Technologie in den Anwendungsbereichen Arbeit, Bildung und Forschung, Konsum, Medien und Verwaltung. Zur Sprache kommen insbesondere auch allgemeine ethische und rechtliche Aspekte. Das Hauptaugenmerk liegt auf Anwendungen, bei denen KI Entscheidungsprozesse unterstützt – Prozesse, die zu Entscheidungen mit direkten Auswirkungen auf Bürgerinnen und Bürger sowie auf unsere Gesellschaft als Ganzes führen

Resolving issues with environmental impact assessment of marine renewable energy installations

Growing concerns about climate change and energy security have fueled a rapid increase in the development of marine renewable energy installations (MREIs). The potential ecological consequences of increased use of these devices emphasizes the need for high quality environmental impact assessment (EIA). We demonstrate that these processes are hampered severely, primarily because ambiguities in the legislation and lack of clear implementation guidance are such that they do not ensure robust assessment of the significance of impacts and cumulative effects. We highlight why the regulatory framework leads to conceptual ambiguities and propose changes which, for the most part, do not require major adjustments to standard practice. We emphasize the importance of determining the degree of confidence in impacts to permit the likelihood as well as magnitude of impacts to be quantified and propose ways in which assessment of population-level impacts could be incorporated into the EIA process. Overall, however, we argue that, instead of trying to ascertain which particular developments are responsible for tipping an already heavily degraded marine environment into an undesirable state, emphasis should be placed on better strategic assessment