SME adaptive capacity in response to environmental requirements: understanding it as a complex adaptive system

The pressure on Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) in emerging economies to adapt their production and management to meet global industrial environmental standards is enormous. These pressures come from both the international supply chain and the government’s environmental legislation. Yet, an effective way to help SMEs adapt to these challenges in emerging economies is not reported. Little is available about environmental adaptation process at SMEs in developing countries. This paper attempts to address this gap in knowledge. It uses the theory of Complex Adaptive Systems to understand the complex nature of environmental adaptation at SMEs, and more importantly, it outlines an agenda for further research to identify key success factors for the environmental adaptation process at SMEs based on the key components of such a system

Comparative Ecological Based Life Cycle Assessment of Multi- Crystalline PV Technology and Coal Electric Power

Multicrystalline (multi-Si) photovoltaic (PV) technology is increasingly common throughout Australia and the developed world, as renewable energy technologies become viable electrical generation alternatives to coal and nuclear power. We have examined the cradle-to-grave life cycle of a 3kWp multi-Si PV system within Australia. The highest contribution of environmental impacts results from the usage of fossil fuel energy resources and their emissions at the pre-production and manufacturing stages. We analyze the impacts of multi-Si technology on ecosystem goods and services (EGS) and compared it with impacts resulting from coal power electricity. For 3kWp multi-Si system, coal, crude oil and iron ore were the critical resources consumed from the lithosphere while the public supply of water was consumed from the hydrosphere. For coal power electricity, coal and water were the resources most consumed from both the lithosphere and hydrosphere. However the resource consumption from coal power electricity is significantly larger than that of multi-Si PV. Coal power electricity is also responsible for much greater energy and exergy consumption compared to multi-Si PV. The main ecosystem disturbances resulting from the lifecycle of a 3kWp multi-Si unit affect supporting and regulating services though these disturbances are considerably lower than the services impacted from coal power electricity. The study concludes that similar analysis performed on another PV technology would provide a greater understanding to the Eco-LCA results for multi-Si PV technology, particularly with relation to exergy analysis

Value Chain Analysis of Palm Oil Biodiesel through a Hybrid (ISO-Eco) Life Cycle Assessment Approach

This study assesses the life-cycle impacts of palm oil biodiesel value chain in order to provide insights toward holistic sustainability awareness on the current development of bio-based energy policy. The assessment methodology was performed under a hybrid approach combining ISO-14040 Life Cycle Assessment (ISO-LCA) technique and Ecologically-based Life Cycle Assessment (Eco-LCA) methodology. The scope of this study covers all stages in palm oil biodiesel value chain or is often referred to as “cradle-to-grave” analysis. The functional unit to which all inputs and outputs were calculated is the production of 1 ton of biodiesel. For the analysis, life cycle inventory data were collected from professional databases and from scholarly articles addressing global palm oil supply chains. The inventory analysis yields a linked flow associating the land used, fresh fruit bunch (FFB), crude palm oil (CPO), per functional unit of 1 kg of palm oil biodiesel (POB). The linked flow obtained in the inventory analysis were then normalized and characterized following the characterization model formulated inISO-LCA guidelines. The aggregation of ecological inputs was classified based on the mass and energy associated to each unit process in the value chain, which are cultivation, extraction, conversion, and utilization. It is noted that compared to other unit processes, cultivation is the most crucial unit process within the whole palm oil biodiesel value chain. This study serves as a big picture about the current state of palm oil biodiesel value chain, which will be beneficial for further improving oversight of the policy making and service toward sustainable development.

Submarine Infrastructures and the International Legal Framework

The purpose of this paper is to identify weaknesses in the international framework for the protection of submarine cables beyond the sovereign waters of coastal States. To illustrate this, the paper uses a hypothetical case study of what a possible attack on a submarine cable may look like. First, it provides an overview over the applicable framework, with a particular focus on international peacekeeping law (ius contra bellum), the law of the sea, protection against piracy, and criminal prosecution under national criminal law. Various international conventions play a key role in relation to submarine cables. Particularly relevant are the Convention on Submarine Telegraph Cables of 1884, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982, as well as the peacekeeping regulations of the United Nations Charter of 1949. After outlining the legal framework using the classical methods of treaty interpretation, as well as taking the scholarly literature on this subject into account, the example is subsumed under the various means of protection under international law. The peacekeeping law of the United Nations turns out to be ineffective because, on the one hand, an attack as described in the reference scenario does not necessarily constitute an armed attack in the sense of the UN Charter and therefore cannot be met with military countermeasures. On the other hand, an authorisation by the Security Council cannot be given quickly enough to counter the attack militarily. In addition to that, measures taken in the framework of the Law of the Sea Convention are ineffective due to the exclusive flag State jurisdiction which precludes other States from acting in this matter. An exception to this principle, namely universal jurisdiction to combat piracy, is unlikely to be applied in the context of an attack against a submarine cable. Finally, as result of the exclusive jurisdiction of the flag State and the poor implementation of the international obligations under the Law of the Sea Convention, national criminal law is also inadequate as a repressive means of protection

Autonome Schifffahrt - Ethische, Legale und Soziale Aspekte

Der Vortrag, der sich an die nichtwissenschaftliche interessierte Öffentlichkeit gerichtet hat, behandelt die autonome Schifffahrt aus der Perspektive der ELSA Forschung. Dabei wurde zunächst der aktuelle Stand der Technik autonomer und unbemannter Schifffahrt dargestellt sowie die Arbeit der Internationalen Seeschifffahrtsorganisation (IMO) aufbereitet. Schließlich wurden die drei wesentlichen Aspekte der ELSA Forschung, die ethischen, rechtlichen und sozialen Aspekte, in ihren theoretischen Grundzügen kurz erläutert. Mit diesen theoretischen Grundlagen konnten dann die Problemschwerpunkte im Bereich autonomer Schifffahrt dargestellt werden, mit denen sich die ELSA Forschung befasst

The necessity for end-of-life photovoltaic technology waste management policy: a systematic review

Photovoltaic (PV) technologies in the energy industry are crucial for transitioning to a decarbonized era that relies on renewable energy sources. This systematic review aimed to identify the potential environmental impacts associated with the entire life cycle of PV technologies. To accomplish this, the review analysed literature from the last five years focused on life cycle assessment and evaluating PV technologies' environmental impacts/toxicity. In total, 72 final articles were collected and analysed, considering the year of publication, research methodology, and geographical context. Although there is substantial knowledge regarding potential impacts associated with end-of-life (EoL) PV technologies, only a limited number of regions have specific regulations regarding PV waste. With the incorporation of circular economy principles, targeted strategies for EoL treatments can be developed and implemented, leading to a substantial reduction in the environmental impacts caused by EoL PV modules, where this aspect represents a critical concern within the context of PV technologies. Therefore, this study emphasises the need to integrate life cycle assessment, circular economy, and systems thinking to achieve more sustainable development when utilizing PV technologies so that the diffusion of PV technologies helps decarbonization transitions without creating major unintended environmental problems in waste systems

Effective Carbon Emission Reductions from Using Upgraded Fly Ash in the Cement Industry

Utilisation of supplementary cementitious materials (SCM) has been found as a suitable alternative to reduce CO emissions from cement production. Fly ash (FA) is the most well-known of these materials and has been used for decades in cement applications. Amongst these applications, the most significant is the replacement of clinker in cement blends, which reduces the consumption of resources and energy and at the same time, avoids the environmental burden associated with clinker production. Despite the existence of these opportunities, a large fraction of the FA produced worldwide is still unused and disposed as waste or stored in landfills. This occurs mostly because FA is unable to meet the quality requirements for replacing clinker in cement blends. Upgrading of FA to a suitable material that can effectively replace clinker is possible via upgrading processes (UP). These processes carry their own environmental impacts because in most of the cases, thermal and electric energy are used in them. Due to this fact, the use and implementation of upgraded fly ash involves additional environmental impacts to the life-cycle of the product. The most relevant of these impacts during the upgrading stage, is the generation of additional direct and indirect CO emissions from energy consumption. From a life-cycle perspective, the generation of these additional CO emissions decreases the net abatement achieved by using fly ash as a SCM. Therefore, it is necessary to account these emissions and calculate the net abatement achieved by replacing clinker and fossil fuel consumption. A system dynamics model is presented by simulating five different cement life-cycle scenarios in order to quantify the net CO reductions when using upgrading processes of fly ash. Ultra-fine grinding for the mechanical activation of FA is the UP modelled using published and direct data from the equipment manufacturer. A material flow analysis (MFA) was carried out to describe the scenarios and to simplify the life-cycle approach. It was found that the upgrading process modelled can have maximum value of 3.98 GJ/tonne of fly ash and still be able to produce net reductions. The same model also estimated that an 80% of the total reductions are avoided when ultra-fine grinding consumes 0.75 GJ/tonneFA of energy, compared to emissions from the baseline cement. The model is also complemented by reviewing the current use of FA as a SCM in the cement industry and by presenting a holistic systems thinking analysis. The model can also be further expanded to simulate other life-cycle scenarios which can include multiple upgrading processes and other materials

Land Reclamation Activities under the Law of the Sea Convention in the Light of Sea Level Rise

In this presentation, the presenters approached land reclamation activities (LRA) under the Law of the Sea Convention in the light of sea level rise. As sea level rises, it is expected that coastal baselines (as defined under article 5 UNCLOS) shift landwards resulting in the loss of part of coastal states' areas and attached rights. To preserve land masses, coastal states have the possibility to take measures, such as LRA in order to raise the ground's level and form a new baseline coinciding with the level prior to sea level rise. Halog questions whether LRA can be considered as part of the natural coastline and problematizes the status of LRA in light of other existing examples of artificial land, such as artificial islands, which do not have a territorial sea of their own and do not affect the delimitation (article 60(8) UNCLOS), and permanent harbor works, which are part of the coast (article 11 UNCLOS). Halog ultimately warns about LRA's detrimental effects on the marine environment and recommends using them in moderation while mitigating the damage to the environment. Margat continued with a focus on security issues in the maritime sector connected to the sea level rise and LRA, including the interest of states at sea, economic activities, maritime infrastructures. Security issues linked to SLR and LRA are issues of shifting maritime boundaries (see e.g., 2014 Bay of Bengal Maritime Boundary Arbitration) and maritime zones. In addition, the extension of maritime zones could be done at the expense of the freedoms of the high seas. Margat ended the presentation with a quote from the International Law Commission stating that in the case of LRA it is more important to preserve existing rights than create new ones