Our rights are carved in stone: the case of the Pathalgadi movement in Simdega, Jharkhand

publishedVersio

Life Cycle Assessment of Icelandic Arctic Char Fed Three Different Feed Types

This study utilized Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to quantify the environmental impacts of 1 kg of live-weight Arctic char, cultivated in an Icelandic land-based aquaculture farm. The functional unit included assessments of three different feed types; standard feed with high inclusion levels of marine ingredients (Conv.), experimental feed with high inclusion levels of agricultural ingredients (ECO) and a hypothetical Black soldier fly larvae based feed (BSF). Results of the study indicated that the feed production causes the greatest environmental impacts from all feed types considered. The Black soldier fly based feed demonstrated the best environmental performance of the three feed types. Furthermore, it can be concluded that by increasing agriculture based ingredients at the cost of marine based ingredients, a better environmental performance can be reached. This study demonstrated the importance of feed production for aquaculture in terms of environmental impacts and showed that byoptimizing feed consumption, reducing the amount of fishmeal and fish oil and even creating new types of feed from novel ingredients, the overall impacts of aquaculture can be greatly reduced.The study was conducted as a part of MSc studies in Environmental and Natural Resources at the University of Iceland, in collaboration with Matis ltd., Icelandic food and biotech R&D, which also funded the project. The authors are grateful for the financial and expert support provided by both entities. The authors would also like to thank the owner of the aquaculture company involved in the study, for clear and concise data provision, and also other companies that provided data for this study.Peer Reviewe

Effect of Pentavac and measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination on the intestine

To access full text version of this article. Please click on the hyperlink "Full Text" at the bottom of this pageBACKGROUND: The safety of infant vaccination has been questioned in recent years. In particular it has been suggested that the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination leads to brain damage manifesting as autism consequent to the development of an "enterocolitis" in the immediate post-vaccination period. AIM: To assess if MMR vaccination is associated with subclinical intestinal inflammation, which is central to the autistic "enterocolitis" theory. METHODS: We studied 109/58 infants, before and two and four weeks after immunisation with Pentavac and MMR vaccines, for the presence of intestinal inflammation (faecal calprotectin). RESULTS: Neither vaccination was associated with any significant increase in faecal calprotectin concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: The failure of the MMR vaccination to cause an intestinal inflammatory response provides evidence against the proposed gut-brain interaction that is central to the autistic "enterocolitis" hypothesis

Methodology for Designing a Sustainability Assessment Framework for Geothermal Energy Developments

ABSTRACT Geothermal projects have significant socio-economic and environmental impacts, both positive and negative. In order for energy developments to contribute to sustainable developments they must result in positive impacts in all dimensions. Sustainability assessments are valuable tools for policy-or decision-makers for making informed conclusions regarding policy effectiveness and progress toward sustainable development. Currently available assessment frameworks are not suited to assessing geothermal projects, thus a new, specialized framework is required. The methodology for developing a geothermal sustainability assessment framework is described in this paper. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Geothermal Energy and Sustainable Development Energy usage worldwide is increasing. Global energy demand is predicted to grow by more than one-third by 2035, with China, India and the Middle East accounting for 60% of the increase (International Energy Agency, 2012). The use of alternatives such as geothermal energy is set to increase, since the world has only a finite supply of fossil fuels. As well as this, in order to combat climate change and fulfill international agreements, low carbon energy sources such as geothermal energy are now being tapped on a larger scale. In 2008, geothermal energy represented around 0.1% of the global primary energy supply, but estimates predict that it could fulfill around 3% of global electricity demand, as well as 5% of global heating demand by 2050 (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2012)

The need for integrated valuation tools to support decision-making – The case of cultural ecosystem services sourced from geothermal areas

Post-print (lokagerð höfundar)Developing geothermal power projects may lead to trade-offs, whereby the economic and social benefits of the venture are difficult to compare with its cultural consequences, which include impacts to ES such as aesthetics, spiritual enrichment and inspiration. The socio-cultural rather than monetary character of such impacts reinforce the importance of a pluralist approach to valuation, in order to ensure that all human well-being impacts linked to the development of geothermal power projects are accounted for in appropriate decision-support tools, which can successfully integrate diverse values concerning the environment. In this short communication, this paper considers the various impacts to cultural ecosystem services that are associated with the development of geothermal power projects, and a literature review is conducted concerning the extent to which cultural impacts have been included within Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA). Using the Search, Appraisal, Synthesis and Analysis, and snowballing methods, eight studies are identified. This review finds, with one exception, a lack of focus on cultural impacts and limited stakeholder consultation. This issue could potentially be of particular concern in relation to geothermal power projects impacting indigenous communities, whereby decision-making is frequently conducted according to the notion of the national good, with local interests relegated in importance.This paper has been subject to funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research programme in relation to the DEEPEGS project (grant no. 690771), RANNIS (The Icelandic Centre for Research) (grant no. 163464053), the Landsvirkjun Energy Research Fund, and Vegagerðin (The Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration).Peer Reviewe

Socio-cultural valuation of whale ecosystem services in Skjálfandi Bay, Iceland

Pre-print (óritrýnt handrit)The study examines the socio-cultural values of multiple ecosystem services (ES) sourced from whales in Skjálfandi Bay, North Iceland, with many beneficiaries living in and visiting the town of Húsavík. The study begins to address the research gap in non-monetary valuation of marine ecosystem services. Based on a multi-method approach, it elicits stakeholders' perceptions of the contribution of whale ES to human wellbeing using stakeholder mapping, semi-structured interviews, observations, and socio-cultural preference surveys. The key whale ES identified by the local stakeholders were cultural, most frequently mentioned being recreation and education. The most commonly mentioned ES values were related to economic benefits from the whale watching industry. The preference survey reveals that regulating and maintenance ES were valued most highly with a mean score of 4.0 out of 5.0, cultural ES were second with a mean score of 3.5, and provisioning ES in the form of food and raw materials were valued the least with a mean of 0.75. Interview data also reveals some marine ES management challenges originating from intensified tourism, industrial development, and climate change. The results of the study have the potential to inform marine resource management in Iceland by including socio-cultural values associated with whale resources.This paper has been subject to funding from NordForsk (grant number 76654) via their financial support to the Nordic Centre of Excellence ARCPATH (Arctic Climate Predictions – Pathways to Resilient, Sustainable Communities) and the Doctoral Grant of the University of Iceland Research Fund

How Does the Arctic Council Support Conservation of Arctic Biodiversity?

Publisher's version (útgefin grein)The Arctic Council is an intergovernmental forum promoting cooperation, coordination and interaction among Arctic states, indigenous communities, and peoples on issues of common importance. The rising geo-political importance of the Arctic and the onset of climate change has resulted in the Council becoming a focus of increasing interest from both inside and beyond the Arctic. This has resulted in new demands placed on the Council, attracting an increasing number of participants, and instigating a period of transformation as Arctic states work to find a way to balance conflicting demands to improve the Council's effectiveness and take care of national interests. This paper considers whether, during this time of change, the Council is having an impact on the issues it was formed to address, i.e., environmental protection and sustainable development. To provide answers, it looks at how the Council reports on and evaluates progress towards the implementation of recommendations it makes regarding biodiversity, how it identifies where activities have had impacts and uncovers the mechanisms through which they were successful, to provide an insight into how the Arctic Council can be an agent of change.We thank the numerous people who took time to review this paper and provide insights and constructive comments which led to its improvement. This work is supported by, and contributes to, the NordForsk-funded Nordic Centre of Excellence project (award 76654) Arctic Climate Predictions: Pathways to Resilient, Sustainable Societies (ARCPATH).Peer Reviewe