Home lands: island and archipelagic states’ policymaking for human mobility in the context of climate change

Climate change related migration and displacement are already a reality for many people around the world. A growing body of research suggests that the number of people affected will rise over the coming decades, which will create additional risks for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. This trend and the related issues are an increasing topic of discussion at international policy fora. The Task Force on Displacement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Platform on Disaster Displacement (PDD) are addressing these policy challenges. The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) is calling for the development of “coherent approaches to address the challenges of migration movements in the context of sudden-onset and slow-onset natural disasters”. This report reflects what is currently known about the impacts of climate change on people living in island nations and highlights the necessity to develop policies that address human mobility dynamics resulting from adaptation to these changes. By looking at island and archipelagic states as diverse as Kiribati, Saint Lucia and the Philippines, the various political frameworks within which they operate and the different response mechanisms they have adopted can be examined. First-hand interviews with experts from across the regions show the multiplicity of challenges governments are facing: from difficulties in distribution of relief goods to land scarcity, aid dependency, insufficient data and personnel capacities. Yet the key interviewees underline ways in which governments can capitalise on the strengths inherent to island and coastal communities to further build resilience using existing and innovative practices

Design and Implementation of an ADCS for a CubeSat

The hardware implementation of the attitude determination process of the Attitude Determination Control Subsystem (ADCS) for CubeSat is presented in this paper. The process of determining attitude involves combining data from several sensors that monitor internal or external references. ADCS has four primary subsystems; the sensor system, the actuator system, the controller, and the interface. The proposed ADCS is based on implementing the controller and sensor subsystems to monitor attitude determination. The STM32F405 microcontroller is used on the board as the main controller. External circuits are designed on the board to be compatible with the microcontroller and ADCS functions. The supplied circuit feeds the board from the voltage supplied by six panels of solar cells. The step-down feeding board circuit and the step-down STM feeding circuit are designed to create a suitable step-down supply voltage. Two oscillators are designed, which are needed in the STM32F405 microcontroller. The three intended H-bridge drives are implemented for use with brush motors. A joint action group (J-Tag) is connected to debug the device. The ADCS board's sensors subsystem included a magnetometer, temperature, and gyroscope sensors. The ADCS board circuits are simulated using Altium and fabricated On-Board Circuit (OBC) in small dimensions of 10×9.7 cm^2

A novel application of mark-recapture to examine behaviour associated with the online trade in elephant ivory

The illegal trade in elephant ivory is driving the unlawful killing of elephants such that populations are now suffering unsustainable reductions. The internet is increasingly being used as a platform to conduct illegal wildlife trade, including elephant ivory. As a globally accessible medium the internet is as highly attractive to those involved in the illegal trade as it is challenging to regulate. Characterising the online illegal wildlife (ivory) trade is complex, yet key to informing enforcement activities. We applied mark-recapture to investigate behaviour associated with the online trade in elephant ivory on eBay UK as a generalist online marketplace. Our results indicate that trade takes place via eBay UK, despite its policy prohibiting this, and that two distinct trading populations exist, characterised by the pattern of their ivory sales. We suggest these may represent a large number of occasional (or non-commercial) sellers and a smaller number of dedicated (or commercial) sellers. Directing resource towards reducing the volume of occasional sales, such as through education, would enable greater focus to be placed upon characterising the extent and value of the illegal, “commercial” online ivory trade. MRC has the potential to characterise the illegal trade in ivory and diverse wildlife commodities traded using various online platforms

Safety and resiliency in action: Integrating risk management into local development

This paper examines the efforts of the local government unit (LGU) of San Jose de Buenavista, in the Province of Antique in central Philippines to manage risks associated with multiple hazards to protect the people, their livelihoods and local development gains. More specifically, it analyzes the process of pursuing risk management objectives vis-a-vis national and international disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) norms, without loosing sight of local contextual realities that directly influence people’s vulnerabilities and capacities. Risk management initiatives in the LGU revolve around four key areas namely disaster prevention and mitigation, disaster preparedness, emergency response, and recovery and rehabilitation. Binding these initiatives are actions that integrate governance mechanisms with scientific data and sectoral and community participation to develop a comprehensive plan of action and standard operating procedures that will serve as guideposts in the process of building a safer community. The experience of San Jose de Buenavista also suggests that cost saving strategies an be replicated by communities and organizations that have financial limitations to pursue DRRM objectives. This paper contends that risk management is a fundamental development strategy to pursue local development goals and to sustain efforts to protect development gains in the long run. This can be done using a combination of governance, risk assessment, knowledge management, vulnerability reduction and preparedness strategies. Local leadership, people’s participation, environmental resource management and continuous capability building are key elements of the process. Ultimately, risk management must be mainstreamed into local development to develop community resiliency

Determinar los caracteres diferenciales de la locura y de la pasion

Tesis de doctorado leída en la Universidad Central el 24 de febrero de 1881, no figura la calificaciónManuscrito firmadoTesis Doctorales históricasTesis Complutenses históricasmanuscritoFacultad de Medicinatruepu