In-situ and Remote Sensing Networks for Environmental Monitoring and Global Assessment of Leptospirosis Outbreaks

AbstractLeptospirosis is a disease that affects human population and can claim many victims with large outbreaks associated with natural disasters. This work focuses on the technological aspects for inexpensive climate monitoring techniques based on ground and satellite sensors for obtaining information prior to disease outbreaks in under-developed regions and on water-quality sensors that can lead to radical changes in our ability to detect and abate this disease. The remote deployment of such sensors in areas where outbreaks can occur can help in enhancingin real-time the spatial and temporal resolution of information and allows unattended operation that will be particularly useful for monitoring under extreme climate events. Such types of monitoring advancements, when coupled with regular geographical, population and habitat monitoring can assess the hazards and risks to local population prior to a disease outbreak. Then in the eventual aftermath, it can assist in identification of affected geographical locations where abatement solutions will be required, and eventually in the assessment of the effectiveness of control measures. This work explores recent releases of open global observation data and a range of in-situ environmental monitoring tools of increasing complexity for measuring several parameters andfor detecting contaminants and pathogens that were previously irresolvable due to the high degree of complexityinthe diagnosis of this disease

Perceived enablers and barriers impacting sustainability of small‐and‐medium sized enterprises: A quantitative analysis in four European countries

Small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) often lag behind major corporations in implementing sustainability management practices, limiting their capacity to mitigate negative social and environmental impacts. A notable challenge is the lower percentage of SMEs with sustainability objectives. This research aims to examine the links among sustainability practices and performance of European SMEs. In addition, the causal relationships between enablers/barriers for sustainability practices are also examined. To achieve these objectives, a quantitative research approach was employed. Data were collected from 420 SMEs located in the United Kingdom, France, Spain, and Greece using a structured questionnaire. Statistical modeling and inference were used to analyze the responses, separately for each of the four countries. The study revealed several significant findings. Strong relationships were identified between enablers/barriers and sustainability practices. The study found consistent links between supply chain sustainability practices and SME performance across all participating countries. The research highlighted similarities and differences in findings across various economies and geographical regions. The study's findings have important implications; For policymakers insights from this research can inform policy decisions aimed at promoting sustainability among SMEs, thus contributing to broader social and environmental goals. For SME owners and managers the findings offer guidance for improving sustainable performance through operational, planning, and strategic decisions. Policymakers should consider initiatives that encourage SMEs to adopt sustainability practices. SME owners and managers should prioritize supply chain sustainability and work on overcoming barriers identified in this study. Further research should explore specific strategies for enhancing sustainability practices in different regions and economies

Sustainability Practices and Performance in European Small-and-Medium Enterprises:Insights from Multiple Case Studies

: The advancement of sustainability trajectories is a critical challenge for most of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). SMEs require specific considerations with regard to business methodologies for achieving and enhancing sustainability, since their business case is far from similar to larger counterparts. As a consequence, tools for implementation of sustainability practices within SMEs need to recognize these differences as well and take into account the intrinsic characteristics and special needs of these enterprises accordingly. This paper reports findings from a multiple case study survey aiming to explore new directions for enhancing the sustainability levels demonstrated by European SMEs. Case studies were conducted in SMEs from four European countries (Denmark, Austria, Greece, and the UK) attempting to shed light on the implementation status of sustainability practices within their business core design and suggest ways of transferring such approaches to other SMEs. In this context, three key questions guided the study — What is the current status of sustainability practices by European SMEs?, what are the emerging issues, setbacks and opportunities towards sustainability practices in SMEs?, and what strategies, resources, and competences may facilitate effective sustainability embeddedness in SMEs? Face-to-face interviews were conducted with owners and managers of the selected SMEs to better understand their attitude and performance in terms of implementing sustainability practices. Findings allow highlighting key sustainability practices as well as drivers and barriers that stimulate or hamper respectively the sustainability practices implementation. While findings reveal a considerable variation in viewpoints among the interviewed SMEs, we identify a strong orientation and momentum towards sustainability endorsement. The paper concludes with implications for policy and management planning and an overarching aim to increase awareness and consideration of sustainability aspects in European SMEs

Urban case studies : general discussion

Urban case studies: general discussio

Scrutinising Environmental Monitoring - Challenges for Environment and Health

The European Commission’ Environment and Health Strategy in 2003 and the European Environment and Health Action Plan in 2004 have set the objectives to reduce the human exposure to environmental factors in the EU and to identify and prevent new health threats caused by the environment. In order to strengthen the capacity for policy making in this area researchers are called upon to recognize the novel potential of smart technologies and deployment of new technological tools. These tools utilise advances in many technological fields with innovative capabilities for monitoring the status of atmospheric pollution in a way that is relevant for characterising the dangers to human health. This presentation focuses on how to extend our current understanding on environmental and health monitoring taking into account the capacity of research efforts for identifying and classifying sensitive gases and/or toxic substances and for coupling these with tools for assessing on “real time” environmental hazards which affect human health. This work reflects the need of the ENHIS-2 programme. The population living in the vicinity of highways and other hot spot area can change drastically the concepts of health effects from outdoor and indoor pollution. The main issues which will be addressed during this presentation are: • High spatial resolution of attributed population density. • A review of local conditions related with monitoring and population exposure. • The prospect of future European efforts in order to identify and prevent threats on human health. It also focuses on: • Improvements on geographical coverage and provide higher spatial and temporal resolution, especially in pollution “hot spots”, and allow real-time monitoring and rapid intervention. • Monitoring of both outdoor and indoor air exposure, particularly in public spaces (e.g. hospitals, schools, office buildings, aircraft cabins). • Improved environmental monitoring and control of chemicals and toxins with simple and cost-effective techniques. Detection of pathogens and chemicals using biosensors and automated high throughput bio-analytical techniques. • Identification of priority target substances and present technological capabilities and limitations (sensitivity, rapidity of analysis, detection thresholds, cost-effectiveness). • Suitability of monitoring the randomness of human activities and its relation with environmental hazards and ethical concerns, that ubiquitous sensor systems and informatics networks could pause for privacy issues and respect for rights of the individual.JRC.H-Institute for environment and sustainability (Ispra

Connectivity of integrated environment and health systems with research synergies and in support to policies

By this work are presented several new areas of integrated applications with existing infrastructures which are linked via new ICT products, which promote the integration of heterogeneous information systems though: ¿ Movable terminal communication interface with processing capabilities with wireless communication for tracking and collection of data and ¿ Innovative scalable network architecture with improved network management. Such EHIS shed light on new environmental informatics projects targeted on the impact of environment and health policies on public health. They provides a new perception of environment and health data bases across time and space allows for assessment of the potential health and environmental benefits of policies in Member States. This connectivity of EHIS enables evidence-based priority-setting and planning of preventive measures, identifies cases of good practice among participating countries in terms of the effectiveness and efficacy of environment and health policy. Previously unrecognized success stories will be regularly documented and shared, so they can be used as benchmarks at national and international levels. EHIS were demonstrated to be helpful in monitoring progress in the status of the environment and health by observing time trends in individual Member States or a group of countries. This function represents a very important added value of EHIS, if international agencies and the countries themselves would introduce internationally collaborative policies on the environment and health in the near future in Europe.JRC.H-Institute for Environment and Sustainability (Ispra

Novel Features for Dispersion Models in Response to New Regulatory Challenges for Environment and Health

The complexity of processes associated with dispersion of atmospheric pollution undergoing chemical reactions, phase transformation from vapour to particulates and dispersing under complex circulation mechanisms makes the use of three dimensional dispersion models difficult in new regulatory challenges. Research should focus on establishing the correct implementation of dispersion while taking into account the randomness of population activities. For the purposes of this work a collection of suitable simulations are presented and is shown how these are obtained from modules which allow a new set of applications for dispersion simulations. In this presentation are also examined the new challenges for regulatory purposes in areas where: - Data are available and impact assessments can be carried out already and where - Attribution to new environmental sources can be carried out already. The reported examples show the importance of advanced monitoring and address the issue of increasing spatial resolution for: 1. New hazard identification: where are identified the consequences and the level of harmful effects the pollutant monitoring may cause (and characterisation of the nature and strength of the sources that cause these). 2. Dose-response evaluation: where are presented the difficulties in determining the relationship between the amount of exposure to a substance and the extent of a specific biological response (toxic injury or disease) and are shown areas and tools where improvement are possible (expressed as observed incidence, percent response in groups of persons/subject). 3. Exposure assessment: for estimating the magnitude of human exposures, especially for the improving the spatial resolution and accounting for the characteristics of the population exposed. 4. Risk characterisation: especially for estimation of the probability, of occurrence of an adverse effect if a toxic substance is absorbed by a particular organism or population in a specific dose. Of immediate value is the differentiation of outdoor and indoor effects and the establishment of new vision and roadmap for which regulatory efforts were not possible until now. It is expected, that these will change the perceptions about new vulnerable population groups, the severity of specific locations (hot spots) and the significance of episodes during which specific dispersion modelling is required. The results demonstrate important differences from large area averaging and reporting over the whole year processes that result in doubtful statistics.JRC.H-Institute for environment and sustainability (Ispra

Film-Thickness, Pressure Gradient and Turbulent Velocity Profiles in Annualr Dispersed Flows

Abstract not availableJRC.(STI)-Institute For Safety Technolog

A New Generation of Modelling Needs for Environment and Health Impact Assessments.

Abstract not availableJRC.H-Institute for environment and sustainability (Ispra

Reconsidering Air-Quality from Acidification to PMx Policies and the Response to New Regulatory Challenges

Different perceptions are expected to emerge about the exposure of vulnerable population groups on atmospheric pollution. Following early attempts to regulate harmful anthropogenic emissions in he atmosphere, we were focusing on the reduction of emission with cost-effective scenarios. In later efforts emission were substituted with air-quality concentrations and nowadays in the era of toxic particulate matter the concentrations were substituted and/or combined with population health effects. Unfortunately, measurements in several monitoring locations show that the proposed solutions have not lead to improvement in air-quality. New regulatory strategies are required for cities with large population densities with susceptible populations. These strategies should focus on the frequency and severity of air-pollution episodes, on the impact assessments in zones with specific population groups (e.g. children in zones with high traffic) and on the utilisation of new technologies for the attribution of air-quality concentrations on verifiable emission sources. Such technologies are already available and are of relatively small costs that allow full-scale commercial deployment.JRC.H-Institute for Environment and Sustainability (Ispra