163 research outputs found
Towards transition management of European water resources
Global change fundamentally changes the nature of water-related problems. We will
illustrate this by showing how perceptions of the water-problems in the Netherlands
have shifted in the past four decades. The nature of water-related problems changed
from a technical problem’ to a so-called ‘persistent’ problem, characterized by
plurality, uncertainty and complexity. Although integrated water resource
management (IWRM) has been advocated to cope with this type of problem, the
complexity of the transition process towards such a water management regime is
often underestimated. Therefore, transition management is needed in the water
sector. Transition management theory is presented and applied to the Dutch case.
Transition management strategies are suggested that would reinforce this transition.
Comparison between the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) and
transition management indicates that the Common Implementation Strategy (CIS) in
its current form is not sufficiently stimulating an innovation climate
Transition dynamics in social-ecological systems: The case of Dutch water management
The main objective of this dissertation is to generate more insight into the dynamics of sustainability transitions, more specifically it deals with the question of which kind of social structures are changing during a transition and how these transformative changes come about.
Using insights from resilience theory and social theories, this research indicates that in order to understand and explain transitions we should shift our attention towards the regime concept. The regime is often treated as a black box, not explicitly clarifying which elements constitute the regime nor addressing the internal dynamics. The regime conceptualization suggested in this dissertation is a first step into this direction. A new transition analysis approach is developed which enables researchers to analyze which regime structures are changing during a transition and how these changes come about (i.e. the underlying transformation patterns).
The research presents an in-depth analysis of the dynamics of the transition of Dutch water management, starting around the 1970s and is still unfolding towards a new regime adapting to and anticipating climate change. Our analysis suggests that niches and the regimes may be more cooperative than suggested in the literature and that even the regime is actively involved in creating niches. The regime creates niches through the formation of new structures. The niche initiates transformation leading to new regime structures, which in turn trigger niches.
Scientifically, this dissertation triggers intriguing questions as to when societal change may be classified as transition. Practically, it provides leverages for systems analysis and transition management
The transition in Dutch water management
Over the past decades the Dutch people have been confronted with severe waterrelated
problems, which are the result of an unsustainable water system, arising from
human interventions in the physical infrastructure of the water system and the water
management style. The claims of housing, industry, infrastructure and agriculture
have resulted in increasing pressure on the water system. The continuous subsidence
of soil and climate change has put pressure on the land. Hence, the nature and
magnitude of water-related problems have changed. Longitudinal research of
relevant national policy documents reveals that the water management regime has
changed its water management style over the past thirty years from a technocratic
scientific style towards an integral and participatory style. We have investigated if the
historical development in Dutch Water management can be characterized as a
transition. Based on longitudinal research through an integrated systems analysis,
document research and expert interviews, we have reconstructed the historical
narrative by using the transition concepts of multi-level and multi-phase. This
research indicates that the shift in Dutch Water management can be characterized as
a transition. This transition is currently in the take-off stage and near the acceleration
stage. This is a crucial stage as long as the considerable differences between the
strategic macro-vision and the practical implementation at the micro-level remains.
As long as these levels are not compatible (modulation), the transition will not be
completed successfully. Transition management as multi-level governance model
should therefore be adopted to facilitate the modulation
Transitiemanagement en duurzame ontwikkeling: co-evolutionaire sturing in het licht van complexiteit
This article presents a promising governance framework for 'persistent societal problems', based on the concept of transition management. This framework is based on the common notions from complexity theory and new forms of governance, that are folded into a new management paradigm. This management paradigm starts from complexity and uncertainty as drivers of societal innovation, not as obstacles that have to be fully controlled. Essential feature of transition management is the explicit coupling of content and process. The analysis (based on the presented analytical concepts) determines the transition management process: the management possibilities and instruments that are employed with regard to the presented management framework. The framework entails goals, activities, instruments and competences for the strategic, tactical and operational level. Which activities and actors are being involved depends on the phase of the transition
Захисні лісові насадження – важливий структурний елемент у формуванні національної екологічної мережі
Описано роль і значення захисних лісових насаджень як важливого структурного елементу при формуванні національної екологічної мережі.Описана роль и значение защитных лесных насаждений как важного структурного элемента при формировании национальной экологической сети.Role and meaning of forest protective stands as an important structural element for national ecological network formation is described
MoSi Superconducting Nanowire Single-Photon Detectors on GaAs for On-Chip Integration
We report on MoSi-based superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors on a
gallium arsenide substrate. MoSi deposited on a passivated GaAs surface has the
same critical temperature as MoSi deposited on silicon. The critical
temperature decreases slightly on depositing MoSi directly on the native oxide
of GaAs. Hence, MoSi works well as a thin-film superconductor on GaAs. We
propose that the amorphous structure of MoSi ensures compatibility with the
GaAs matrix. Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) are
fabricated with MoSi on GaAs using a meander-wire design. The SNSPD metrics are
very similar to those of devices fabricated with the same procedure on a
silicon substrate. We observe a plateau in the response-versus-bias curve
signalling a saturated internal quantum efficiency. The plateau remains even at
an elevated temperature, 2.2 K, at a wavelength of 980 nm. We achieve a timing
jitter of 50 ps and a recovery time of 29 ns. These results point to the
promise of integrating MoSi SNSPDs with GaAs photonic circuits
Do we need to rethink our waterways? Values of ageing waterways in current and future society
In the past canals were developed, and some rivers were heavily altered, driven by the need for good transportation infrastructure. Major investments were made in navigation locks, weirs and artificial embankments, and many of these assets are now reaching the end of their technical lifetime. Since then the concept of integrated water resource management (IWRM) emerged as a concept to manage and develop water-bodies in general. Two pressing problems arise from these developments: (1) major reinvestment is needed in order to maintain the transportation function of these waterways, and (2), it is not clear how the implementation of the concept of IWRM can be brought into harmony with such reinvestment. This paper aims to illustrate the problems in capital-intensive parts of waterway systems, and argues for exploring value-driven solutions that rely on the inclusion of multiple values, thus solving both funding problems and stakeholder conflicts. The focus on value in cooperative strategies is key to defining viable implementation strategies for waterway projects
Efficiency of stress-adaptive traits chlorophyll fluorescence and membrane thermo- stability in wheat under high temperature
Despite developments in targeted gene sequencing and whole-genome analysis techniques, the robust detection of all genetic variation, including structural variants, in and around genes of interest and in an allele-specific manner remains a challenge. Here we present targeted locus amplification (TLA), a strategy to selectively amplify and sequence entire genes on the basis of the crosslinking of physically proximal sequences. We show that, unlike other targeted re-sequencing methods, TLA works without detailed prior locus information, as one or a few primer pairs are sufficient for sequencing tens to hundreds of kilobases of surrounding DNA. This enables robust detection of single nucleotide variants, structural variants and gene fusions in clinically relevant genes, including BRCA1 and BRCA2, and enables haplotyping. We show that TLA can also be used to uncover insertion sites and sequences of integrated transgenes and viruses. TLA therefore promises to be a useful method in genetic research and diagnostics when comprehensive or allele-specific genetic information is needed
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