Regulation of UVR8 photoreceptor dimer/monomer photo-equilibrium in Arabidopsis plants grown under photoperiodic conditions

The UV RESISTANCE LOCUS 8 (UVR8) photoreceptor specifically mediates photomorphogenic responses to UV-B. Photoreception induces dissociation of dimeric UVR8 into monomers to initiate responses. However, the regulation of dimer/monomer status in plants growing under photoperiodic conditions has not been examined. Here we show that UVR8 establishes a dimer/monomer photo-equilibrium in plants growing in diurnal photoperiods in both controlled environments and natural daylight. The photo-equilibrium is determined by the relative rates of photoreception and dark-reversion to the dimer. Experiments with mutants in REPRESSOR OF UV-B PHOTOMORPHOGENESIS 1 (RUP1) and RUP2 show that these proteins are crucial in regulating the photo-equilibrium because they promote reversion to the dimer. In plants growing in daylight, the UVR8 photo-equilibrium is most strongly correlated with low ambient fluence rates of UV-B (up to 1.5 µmol m−2 s−1), rather than higher fluence rates or the amount of photosynthetically active radiation. In addition, the rate of reversion of monomer to dimer is reduced at lower temperatures, promoting an increase in the relative level of monomer at approximately 8–10 °C. Thus, UVR8 does not behave like a simple UV-B switch under photoperiodic growth conditions but establishes a dimer/monomer photo-equilibrium that is regulated by UV-B and also influenced by temperature

Setting energy justice apart from the crowd: lessons from environmental and climate justice

The continuation and exacerbation of many environmental failures illustrate that environmental and climate justice’s influence on decision-making is not being systematically effective, giving rise to a renewed emphasis on finding new, more focused, justice models. This includes the energy justice concept, which has received ready and growing success. Yet for energy justice, a key question keeps arising: what does it add that environmental and climate justice cannot? To answer this question this perspective outlines the origins, successes and failures of the environmental and climate justice concepts, with a view to both distinguishing the energy justice field, and providing cautionary tales for it. It then outlines three points of departure, which it argues increases the opportunity of success for the energy justice concept: (1) “bounding out”, (2) non-anti-establishment pasts and (3) methodological strength. This paper exists to stimulate debate

BT COTTON IN SOUTH AFRICA: ADOPTION AND THE IMPACT ON FARM INCOMES AMONGST SMALL-SCALE AND LARGE SCALE FARMERS

Farm Management, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

Electrons have no identity: Setting right misrepresentations in Google and Apple's clean energy purchasing

© 2018 Elsevier Ltd Aside dedicated generation, transmission and distribution networks, the hype around corporations and other entities purchasing so called clean energy may be considered a deliberate accounting misrepresentation. To illustrate this case in this short perspective, we begin by explaining the technical difficulties of remaining “renewables pure”. We then give case studies of two organisations – Apple Inc. and Google LLC – who are, arguably, at fault of making such claims. The method is a simple, non-systematic comparison between what is technically possible, and what is claimed to be possible. Given that incongruous renewables claims have the potential to further impoverish vulnerable households who must bear the financial costs of renewables integration, we conclude that a successful decarbonisation pathway must not have selective winners or losers

Energy security, equality and justice

PostprintPeer reviewe

Attributing responsibility for energy justice: a case study of the Hinkley Point Nuclear Complex

Since 2006, as part of the transition to low-carbon technologies, UK energy policy has moved towards incentivising new nuclear power production. As a result, the UK has developed a (now delayed) strategy to deliver around 16 GW of new nuclear power by 2030. This policy context provides an opportunity to reflect not only on the material infrastructure needed to meet transition targets, but also on who is responsible for the energy justice implications of these decisions. Using data collected from 26 semi-structured interviews with NGO and policy representatives, this paper presents a case study of energy justice concerns surrounding the Hinkley Point Nuclear Complex in Somerset, focusing particularly on the highly controversial Hinkley Point C developments. The results emphasise the importance of considering not only instances of energy justice or injustice, but of attributing responsibility for them, a concept that has been largely overlooked in the energy justice literature. NGOs, government and business allocate responsibility differently in nuclear energy decision-making. We find that perceptions of responsibility are highly dependent upon the level of transparency in decision-making. This article is part of a Virtual Special Issue entitled 'Exploring the Energy Justice Nexus'