189 research outputs found
Exploring Deliberative Democracy: Tribal Membership Meetings Under Indian Reorganization Act Constitutions
This was a qualitative study of deliberation and participation in a tribal government setting. The results of this study identified high levels of deliberation and participation with a need to focus on improving the aspect of showing respect towards others. Improving deliberation can result in a more networked community, identification of a greater number of solutions, and greater acceptance of the solution selected.https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/archivedposters/1044/thumbnail.jp
Tropical Tree Cover in a Heterogeneous Environment: A Reaction-diffusion Model
Observed bimodal tree cover distributions at particular environmental
conditions and theoretical models indicate that some areas in the tropics can
be in either of the alternative stable vegetation states forest or savanna.
However, when including spatial interaction in nonspatial differential equation
models of a bistable quantity, only the state with the lowest potential energy
remains stable. Our recent reaction-diffusion model of Amazonian tree cover
confirmed this and was able to reproduce the observed spatial distribution of
forest versus savanna satisfactorily when forced by heterogeneous environmental
and anthropogenic variables, even though bistability was underestimated. These
conclusions were solely based on simulation results. Here, we perform an
analytical and numerical analysis of the model. We derive the Maxwell point
(MP) of the homogeneous reaction-diffusion equation without savanna trees as a
function of rainfall and human impact and show that the front between forest
and nonforest settles at this point as long as savanna tree cover near the
front remains sufficiently low. For parameters resulting in higher savanna tree
cover near the front, we also find irregular forest-savanna cycles and
woodland-savanna bistability, which can both explain the remaining observed
bimodality.Comment: 28 pages, 6 figures, 2 tables, supplementary info include
Distributed local energy:assessing the determinants of domestic-scale solar photovoltaic uptake at the local level across England and Wales
Science-based approach for credible accounting of mitigation in managed forests
Abstract Background The credibility and effectiveness of country climate targets under the Paris Agreement requires that, in all greenhouse gas (GHG) sectors, the accounted mitigation outcomes reflect genuine deviations from the type and magnitude of activities generating emissions in the base year or baseline. This is challenging for the forestry sector, as the future net emissions can change irrespective of actual management activities, because of age-related stand dynamics resulting from past management and natural disturbances. The solution implemented under the Kyoto Protocol (2013â2020) was accounting mitigation as deviation from a projected (forward-looking) âforest reference levelâ, which considered the age-related dynamics but also allowed including the assumed future implementation of approved policies. This caused controversies, as unverifiable counterfactual scenarios with inflated future harvest could lead to credits where no change in management has actually occurred, or conversely, failing to reflect in the accounts a policy-driven increase in net emissions. Instead, here we describe an approach to set reference levels based on the projected continuation of documented historical forest management practice, i.e. reflecting age-related dynamics but not the future impact of policies. We illustrate a possible method to implement this approach at the level of the European Union (EU) using the Carbon Budget Model. Results Using EU country data, we show that forest sinks between 2013 and 2016 were greater than that assumed in the 2013â2020 EU reference level under the Kyoto Protocol, which would lead to credits of 110â120 Mt CO2/year (capped at 70â80 Mt CO2/year, equivalent to 1.3% of 1990 EU total emissions). By modelling the continuation of management practice documented historically (2000â2009), we show that these credits are mostly due to the inclusion in the reference levels of policy-assumed harvest increases that never materialized. With our proposed approach, harvest is expected to increase (12% in 2030 at EU-level, relative to 2000â2009), but more slowly than in current forest reference levels, and only because of age-related dynamics, i.e. increased growing stocks in maturing forests. Conclusions Our science-based approach, compatible with the EU post-2020 climate legislation, helps to ensure that only genuine deviations from the continuation of historically documented forest management practices are accounted toward climate targets, therefore enhancing the consistency and comparability across GHG sectors. It provides flexibility for countries to increase harvest in future reference levels when justified by age-related dynamics. It offers a policy-neutral solution to the polarized debate on forest accounting (especially on bioenergy) and supports the credibility of forest sector mitigation under the Paris Agreement
Edge-Based Compartmental Modeling for Infectious Disease Spread Part III: Disease and Population Structure
We consider the edge-based compartmental models for infectious disease spread
introduced in Part I. These models allow us to consider standard SIR diseases
spreading in random populations. In this paper we show how to handle deviations
of the disease or population from the simplistic assumptions of Part I. We
allow the population to have structure due to effects such as demographic
detail or multiple types of risk behavior the disease to have more complicated
natural history. We introduce these modifications in the static network
context, though it is straightforward to incorporate them into dynamic
networks. We also consider serosorting, which requires using the dynamic
network models. The basic methods we use to derive these generalizations are
widely applicable, and so it is straightforward to introduce many other
generalizations not considered here
Ivermectin for the control of scabies outbreaks in the UK
On July 9, 2019, WHO updated its model list of essential medicines to include oral ivermectin for ectoparasitic infections.1 This recommendation follows the 2017 WHO categorisation of scabies as a neglected tropical disease. The list covers the âminimum medicine needs for a basic health-care system, listing the most efficacious, safe and cost-effective medicines for priority conditionsâ.1 In the UK, scabies outbreaks are a substantial public health burden in care homes for older people
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Bioenergy for climate change mitigation: Scale and sustainability
Many global climate change mitigation pathways presented in IPCC assessment reports rely heavily on the deployment of bioenergy, often used in conjunction with carbon capture and storage. We review the literature on bioenergy use for climate change mitigation, including studies that use top-down integrated assessment models or bottom-up modelling, and studies that do not rely on modelling. We summarize the state of knowledge concerning potential co-benefits and adverse side effects of bioenergy systems and discuss limitations of modelling studies used to analyse consequences of bioenergy expansion. The implications of bioenergy supply on mitigation and other sustainability criteria are context dependent and influenced by feedstock, management regime, climatic region, scale of deployment and how bioenergy alters energy systems and land use. Depending on previous land use, widespread deployment of monoculture plantations may contribute to mitigation but can cause negative impacts across a range of other sustainability criteria. Strategic integration of new biomass supply systems into existing agriculture and forest landscapes may result in less mitigation but can contribute positively to other sustainability objectives. There is considerable variation in evaluations of how sustainability challenges evolve as the scale of bioenergy deployment increases, due to limitations of existing models, and uncertainty over the future context with respect to the many variables that influence alternative uses of biomass and land. Integrative policies, coordinated institutions and improved governance mechanisms to enhance co-benefits and minimize adverse side effects can reduce the risks of large-scale deployment of bioenergy. Further, conservation and efficiency measures for energy, land and biomass can support greater flexibility in achieving climate change mitigation and adaptation
Recommended from our members
Bioenergy for climate change mitigation: Scale and sustainability
Many global climate change mitigation pathways presented in IPCC assessment reports rely heavily on the deployment of bioenergy, often used in conjunction with carbon capture and storage. We review the literature on bioenergy use for climate change mitigation, including studies that use top-down integrated assessment models or bottom-up modelling, and studies that do not rely on modelling. We summarize the state of knowledge concerning potential co-benefits and adverse side effects of bioenergy systems and discuss limitations of modelling studies used to analyse consequences of bioenergy expansion. The implications of bioenergy supply on mitigation and other sustainability criteria are context dependent and influenced by feedstock, management regime, climatic region, scale of deployment and how bioenergy alters energy systems and land use. Depending on previous land use, widespread deployment of monoculture plantations may contribute to mitigation but can cause negative impacts across a range of other sustainability criteria. Strategic integration of new biomass supply systems into existing agriculture and forest landscapes may result in less mitigation but can contribute positively to other sustainability objectives. There is considerable variation in evaluations of how sustainability challenges evolve as the scale of bioenergy deployment increases, due to limitations of existing models, and uncertainty over the future context with respect to the many variables that influence alternative uses of biomass and land. Integrative policies, coordinated institutions and improved governance mechanisms to enhance co-benefits and minimize adverse side effects can reduce the risks of large-scale deployment of bioenergy. Further, conservation and efficiency measures for energy, land and biomass can support greater flexibility in achieving climate change mitigation and adaptation
Bioenergy for climate change mitigation : scale and sustainability
Funding Information: The authors are grateful for comments from three reviewers and the editor. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors alone.Peer reviewedPublisher PD
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