Facility siting: the theory-practice nexus

The paper focuses on the relationship between the production and utilisation of knowledge in the siting of facilities. It suggests that the siting literature has evolved over time and has moved away from seeing siting as a technological problem to seeing siting as social and political problem facing all nations. It has developed into a fully-fledged literature which uses a fun range of theoretical and methodological approaches to explore siting conOicts and their management and has produced a variety of middle-range theories to explain the management of siting conflicts. The literature is highly policy relevant and can provide not only important conceptual insights to siting practitioners in terms of basic perspectives and orientations, but can also offer important instrumental insights in strategic and functional terms. The challenge for the literature in the future will be to build on these achievements and address several theoretical and empirical shortcomings in ways which are seek to fulfill the needs of siting practitioners

Conclusion

[Extract] This volume has explored the siting of unwanted facilities in the Asia-Pacific region. It has done this by analysing several cases in the context of a theory of knowledge production and utilisation and the relationship between the two. It suggests that siting has become a national policy issue in the region, despite the diversity of nations, and that there is a need to bring the Asia-Pacific siting experience more explicitly into the growing comparative literature on siting. The chapters of this volume reveal that the Asia-Pacific experience can contribute to a better theoretical and comparative understanding of siting and that it can provide useful insights for policy makers and practitioners on siting processes and their outcomes. They also illustrate that the literature makes several assumptions with respect to the relationship between spillover effects and the scope of the community and decision processes and outcomes. This chapter concludes that the literature needs to redefine the relationship between spillover effects and the nature of community and the relationship between those effects and decisions if we are to enhance our understanding and management of siting disputes

Managing Conflict In Facility Siting: an international comparison

The siting or development of risky facilities, such as nuclear power plants or waste repositories, remains an intractable policy problem for all democratic nations. In this valuable new book, the authors present a comparative study of various siting controversies in North America, Asia, Europe and Australia. They argue that devising effective policies for dealing with siting conflicts will require social learning and changes in both institutional design and policy process. This volume studies the issue of siting in the context of a transactions cost framework. It analyses the extent to which the institutional and policy environment can assist in managing siting conflicts, as well as considering the effect of other important factors such as equity, incentive structures, social pressures, alliances, the nature of decision processes and information strategies. By adopting a broad comparative perspective and using international case studies, the authors are able to identify the similarities and differences in siting problems between nations, and the approaches and policies adopted. As well as extending the theoretical and comparative knowledge of siting conflicts, they also help to develop more robust and effective policies for managing and resolving future disputes. This book addresses a growing policy problem confronting all democratic nations. By exploring the lessons to be learned from international siting experiences, it will prove invaluable reading for academics, policymakers, government agencies, NGOs, and other societal interests involved in environmental and siting issues

Barriers to the diffusion of renewable energy in Queensland

Renewable energy (RE) is needed for the low-carbon future envisioned in the 2015 Paris climate change agreement. This article comparatively evaluates the RE performance of two states in Australia to show how government policies affect energy transitions. The ‘complex systems’ perspective is used as a theoretical lens and it elucidates the constraints to RE transitions. Ambitious targets at state level and sustained political support are required to overcome the multi-dimensional barriers to RE transitions. However, given the complexity of the energy system, governments should pursue collaborative efforts across states and with various stakeholders to avoid conflicts. They need to address concerns about rising electricity prices and energy security if the much needed decarbonisation of the electricity sector is to take place

Efficient targeted transgenesis of large donor DNA into multiple mouse genetic backgrounds using bacteriophage Bxb1 integrase.

The development of mouse models of human disease and synthetic biology research by targeted transgenesis of large DNA constructs represent a significant genetic engineering hurdle. We developed an efficient, precise, single-copy integration of large transgenes directly into zygotes using multiple mouse genetic backgrounds. We used in vivo Bxb1 mediated recombinase-mediated cassette exchange (RMCE) with a transgene landing pad composed of dual heterologous Bxb1 attachment (att) sites in cis, within the Gt(ROSA)26Sor safe harbor locus. RMCE of donor was achieved by microinjection of vector DNA carrying cognate attachment sites flanking the donor transgene with Bxb1-integrase mRNA. This approach achieves perfect vector-free integration of donor constructs at efficiencies \u3e 40% with up to ~ 43 kb transgenes. Coupled with a nanopore-based Cas9-targeted sequencing (nCATS), complete verification of precise insertion sequence was achieved. As a proof-of-concept we describe the development of C57BL/6J and NSG Krt18-ACE2 models for SARS-CoV2 research with verified heterozygous N1 animals within ~ 4 months. Additionally, we created a series of mice with diverse backgrounds carrying a single att site including FVB/NJ, PWK/PhJ, NOD/ShiLtJ, CAST/EiJ and DBA/2J allowing for rapid transgene insertion. Combined, this system enables predictable, rapid development with simplified characterization of precisely targeted transgenic animals across multiple genetic backgrounds

Electricity consumers in regional Australia: social acceptance of coal-fired power and renewable energy

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the energy-related attitudes of consumers and explore the factors associated with social acceptance of renewable energy. Methods: Findings are based on a quantitative survey of 325 respondents from regional Australia. Frequency distributions, cross tabulations and non-parametric tests were performed. Findings: Overall, respondents agree that climate change is occurring, that it is human-induced and that society has a responsibility to act. Surprisingly, respondents who are pro-coal generation show strong support for renewable energy, despite being undecided on the climate change issue and not perceiving a connection between electricity usage in the home and climate change. Respondents who are anti-coal generation show low support for all fossil fuels, despite the fact that they will continue to underpin the energy system for some time to come. The research found that demographic variables, notably gender and education, along with political affiliation, are associated with varying levels of support for particular energy technologies. Conclusion: Research on consumer attitudes towards energy sources is crucial if Australia is to make a transition to a low-carbon electricity market

The m6A‑methylase complex and mRNA export

During synthesis, mRNA undergoes a number of modifications such as capping, splicing and polyadenylation. These processes are coupled with the orderly deposition of the TREX complex on the mRNA and subsequent recruitment of the NXF1-P15 heterodimer which stimulates the nuclear export of mature mRNAs. mRNAs also undergo a number of internal modifications, the most common of which is the N6‑methyladenosine (m6A) modification. In this review we discuss the recent evidence of coupling between the m6A modification, RNA processing and export

Social marketing strategies for renewable energy transitions

This document is the Accepted Manuscript version of the following article: Lynne Eagle, Amy Osmond, Breda McCarthy, David Low, and Hayden Lesbirel, ‘Social marketing strategies for renewable energy transitions’, Australasian Marketing Journal Vol. 25 (2): 141-148, May 2017. Under embargo until 12 November 2018. The final, definitive version of this paper is available online at doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ausmj.2017.04.006.Transitions to more sustainable energy systems are increasingly required to address the problem of climate change. Different stakeholder groups, however, may not share the same level of acceptability for an increase in renewable energy. This paper examines energy consumers' attitudes towards energy issues, their use of renewable energy in the home and constraints to energy conservation. Respondent-completed questionnaires from 325 people reveal strong support for renewable energy and a belief in human-induced climate change. A multitude of obstacles to energy-efficient practices are revealed by the survey. The paper also explores the role of social marketing in prompting behavioural change and encouraging a transition to renewable energy. Policy makers can utilise these findings to accelerate the transition to renewable energy and build capacity among residents.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio