From sea monsters to charismatic megafauna: changes in perception and use of large marine animals

Marine megafauna has always elicited contrasting feelings. In the past, large marine animals were often depicted as fantastic mythological creatures and dangerous monsters, while also arousing human curiosity. Marine megafauna has been a valuable resource to exploit, leading to the collapse of populations and local extinctions. In addition, some species have been perceived as competitors of fishers for marine resources and were often actively culled. Since the 1970s, there has been a change in the perception and use of megafauna. The growth of marine tourism, increasingly oriented towards the observation of wildlife, has driven a shift from extractive to non-extractive use, supporting the conservation of at least some species of marine megafauna. In this paper, we review and compare the changes in the perception and use of three megafaunal groups, cetaceans, elasmobranchs and groupers, with a special focus on European cultures. We highlight the main drivers and the timing of these changes, compare different taxonomic groups and species, and highlight the implications for management and conservation. One of the main drivers of the shift in perception, shared by all the three groups of megafauna, has been a general increase in curiosity towards wildlife, stimulated inter alia by documentaries (from the early 1970s onwards), and also promoted by easy access to scuba diving. At the same time, environmental campaigns have been developed to raise public awareness regarding marine wildlife, especially cetaceans, a process greatly facilitated by the rise of Internet and the World Wide Web. Currently, all the three groups (cetaceans, elasmobranchs and groupers) may represent valuable resources for ecotourism. Strikingly, the economic value of live specimens may exceed their value for human consumption. A further change in perception involving all the three groups is related to a growing understanding and appreciation of their key ecological role. The shift from extractive to non-extractive use has the potential for promoting species conservation and local economic growth. However, the change in use may not benefit the original stakeholders (e.g. fishers or whalers) and there may therefore be a case for providing compensation for disadvantaged stakeholders. Moreover, it is increasingly clear that even non-extractive use may have a negative impact on marine megafauna, therefore regulations are needed.SFRH/BPD/102494/2014, UID/MAR/04292/2019, IS1403info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Da higiene à construção da cidade: o Estado e o saneamento no Rio de Janeiro From hygiene to the building of a city: the State and sanitation in Rio de Janeiro

Este artigo apresenta uma análise histórica sobre a constituição do setor responsável pela implantação e gestão dos serviços de saneamento básico no Rio de Janeiro entre o início da problematização das questões sanitárias, em meados do século XIX, e a década de 20 deste século. A análise privilegia a relação entre a estrutura dos serviços montada pelo Estado e o espaço urbano, em especial os interesses organizados em torno da sua produção. O trabalho dialoga com a vasta literatura sobre o urbano carioca no período, acrescentando a esta uma análise que tematiza de maneira central a montagem das primeiras políticas de infra-estrutura de saneamento no país.<br>The paper offers a historical analysis of the creation of the sector responsible for inaugurating and managing Rio de Janeiro's basic sanitary services, examining the period from the mid-nineteenth century, when sanitary issues were first posed, through the 1920s. The analysis centers on the relation between the service structure established by the state, on the one hand, and urban space, on the other, taking a particular look at the special interests involved in creation of this structure. Exploring the vast literature available on Rio de Janeiro's urban world at that time, the present text supplements this with an analysis focused above all on the architecting of Brazil's first policies on sanitation infrastructure

Divertor Tokamak Test facility project: status of design and implementation

An overview is presented of the progress since 2021 in the construction and scientific programme preparation of the Divertor Tokamak Test (DTT) facility. Licensing for building construction has been granted at the end of 2021. Licensing for Cat. A radiologic source has been also granted in 2022. The construction of the toroidal field magnet system is progressing. The prototype of the 170 GHz gyrotron has been produced and it is now under test on the FALCON facility. The design of the vacuum vessel, the poloidal field coils and the civil infrastructures has been completed. The shape of the first DTT divertor has been agreed with EUROfusion to test different plasma and exhaust scenarios: single null, double null, X-divertor and negative triangularity plasmas. A detailed research plan is being elaborated with the involvement of the EUROfusion laboratories