Social vulnerability, social-ecological resilience and coastal governance

Non-technical summary. Our analysis shows that the framing of social vulnerability is shaped by a narrow definition of resilience, focusing on post-disaster return and recovery responses. This perspective does not account for the dynamism and non-stationarity of social-ecological systems (SES) which is becoming increasingly important in the face of accelerating environmental change. Incorporating social-ecological resilience into social vulnerability analysis can improve coastal governance by accounting for adaptation and transformation, as well as scale and cross-scale interactions. Technical summary. Social vulnerability analysis has been unable to deliver outcomes that reflect the reality of vulnerability and its consequences in an era characterised by accelerating environmental change. In this work, we used critical discourse analysis and key informant interviews to understand different framings of social vulnerability in coastal governance and management, globally and in New Zealand. We found that the framing of system vulnerability could vary depending on the definition of resilience adopted, which has critical ramifications for coastal governance of linked systems of humans and nature. We found that the framing of social vulnerability in coastal governance is mainly influenced by engineering, community and disaster resilience, focusing on return and recovery governance responses to environmental change (e.g. hurricanes, wildfires). Instead, we suggest a novel perspective based on social-ecological resilience, which more accurately reflects the dynamics of linked systems of humans and nature (SES). This revised perspective, general vulnerability, accounts for the dynamics of Earth’s systems across various spatial and temporal scales in the face of accelerating environmental change. Accounting for social-ecological resilience and its core aspects (i.e. panarchy, adaptation and transformation) is essential for informing coastal governance of SES (Do we adapt? or Do we transform the SES?). Social media summary. Social-ecological resilience is essential for social vulnerability analysis in the face of accelerating environmental change

The health potential of urban water: Future scenarios on local risks and opportunities

This is the final version. Available on open access from Elsevier via the DOI in this recordAlthough cities can be characterised as sources of economic, environmental and social challenges, they can also be part of the solution for healthy and sustainable societies. While most cities are situated close to water, whether inland waterways, lakes, or the sea, these blue spaces are not integrated into urban planning to their full potential and their public health impacts are not always recognised by planning authorities. Furthermore, cities face future challenges regarding climate change, socio-economic developments like tourism, urbanization, and rising social inequalities. The development of healthy blue spaces can support cities in their pursuit of ways to confront these challenges. Interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary analyses of the local impacts of these trends and promising interventions have been scarce to date. This study explores the use of such methodology by presenting experiences related to five European cities: Amsterdam, Barcelona, Plymouth, Tallinn and Thessaloniki, using an interactive and participative approach with local experts and stakeholders. Future scenarios have been developed based on the question: How can blue spaces contribute to a healthier city population, given the long term trends? The results highlight the importance of addressing the local context when seeking sustainable solutions for cities. The future scenarios deliver information that could serve as useful input for local planning processes.European Union Horizon 202

Human extrahepatic and intrahepatic cholangiocyte organoids show region-specific differentiation potential and model cystic fibrosis-related bile duct disease

The development, homeostasis, and repair of intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile ducts are thought to involve distinct mechanisms including proliferation and maturation of cholangiocyte and progenitor cells. This study aimed to characterize human extrahepatic cholangiocyte organoids (ECO) using canonical Wnt-stimulated culture medium previously developed for intrahepatic cholangiocyte organoids (ICO). Paired ECO and ICO were derived from common bile duct and liver tissue, respectively. Characterization showed both organoid types were highly similar, though some differences in size and gene expression were observed. Both ECO and ICO have cholangiocyte fate differentiation capacity. However, unlike ICO, ECO lack the potential for differentiation towards a hepatocyte-like fate. Importantly, ECO derived from a cystic fibrosis patient showed no CFTR channel activity but normal chloride channel and MDR1 transporter activity. In conclusion, this study shows that ECO and ICO have distinct lineage fate and that ECO provide a competent model to study extrahepatic bile duct diseases like cystic fibrosis

EHRM-rechtspraak met beperkte houdbaarheidsdatum? Van Korošec naar Devinar

Bespreking van de EHRM-rechtspraak over de deskundigeninbreng van het bestuursorgaan die uiteindelijk in de uitspraak van de bestuursrechter een grote rol speel

Klimaataansprakelijkheid, negatieve emissies en herstel van biodiversiteit

Onderwerp van het boek is klimaataansprakelijkheid en het stimuleren van negatieve emissies door onder meer natuurherstel. Deze maatregel kan bijdragen aan het beperken van broeikasgasemissies, maar kan ook leiden tot een herstel van biodiversiteit en van ecosysteemdiensten. Ter financiering van maatregelen gericht op de realisering van natuurlijke negatieve emissies overweegt de Europese Commissie in het kader van het ‘Fit for 55’ programma om een systeem van ‘carbon credits’ in te voeren. In het boek wordt onderzocht wat hier de voor- en nadelen van zijn en wordt ingegaan op de aard en omvang van de aansprakelijkheidsrisico’s indien bijvoorbeeld natuur tenietgaat die met ‘carbon credits’ is gefinancierd en waardoor opgeslagen CO2 vrijkomt. Daarbij wordt ook aandacht besteed aan de Richtlijn milieuaansprakelijkheid. Indien stimulering van natuurlijke negatieve emissies ook gericht is op een herstel van biodiversiteit, is in geval van verlies aan natuur het enkel verhalen van de marktprijs van een ‘carbon credit’ onvoldoende om het publiek te compenseren voor de ontstane schade

Solar geoengineering to reduce climate change: a review of governance proposals

Although solar geoengineering (alternatively ‘solar radiation management’ or ‘solar radiation modification’) appears to offer a potentially effective, inexpensive and technologically feasible additional response to climate change, it would pose serious physical risks and social challenges. Governance of its research, development and deployment is thus salient. This article reviews proposals for governing solar geoengineering. Its research may warrant dedicated governance to facilitate effectiveness and to reduce direct and socially mediated risks. Because states are not substantially engaging with solar geoengineering, non-state actors can play important governance roles. Although the concern that solar geoengineering would harmfully lessen abatement of greenhouse gas emissions is widespread, what can be done to reduce such displacement remains unclear. A moratorium on outdoor activities that would surpass certain scales is often endorsed, but an effective one would require resolving some critical, difficult details. In the long term, how to legitimately make decisions regarding whether, when and how solar geoengineering would be used is central, and suggestions how to do so diverge. Most proposals to govern commercial actors, who could provide goods and services for solar geoengineering, focus on intellectual property policy. Compensation for possible harm from outdoor activities could be through liability or a compensation fund. The review closes with suggested lines of future inquiry

Climate Change Liability, Negative Emissions and Biodiversity Restoration

This article is about climate liability and the stimulation of negative emissions through nature restoration. Such a measure can contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, but can also lead to a restoration of biodiversity and of ecosystem services. In order to finance measures aimed at achieving natural negative emissions, the European Commission is considering introducing a system of carbon credits as part of the ‘Fit for 55’ program. This contribution investigates the advantages and disadvantages thereof and wonders about the nature and extent of the liability risks if, for example, nature is destroyed that is financed with carbon credits and which results in the release of stored co2. In that respect, attention is given to the Environmental Liability Directive. If the stimulation of natural negative emissions is also aimed at restoring biodiversity, in the event of a loss of nature, merely recouping the market price of a ‘carbon credit’ is insufficient to compensate the public for the damage done

Spatiotemporal variability of Swedish lake ecosystems

Studying ecosystem dynamics is critical to monitoring and managing linked systems of humans and nature. Due to the growth of tools and techniques for collecting data, information on the condition of these systems is more widely available. While there are a variety of approaches for mining and assessing data, there is a need for methods to detect latent characteristics in ecosystems linked to temporal and spatial patterns of change. Resiliencebased approaches have been effective at not only identifying environmental change but also providing warning in advance of critical transitions in social-ecological systems (SES). In this study, we examine the usefulness of one such method, Fisher Information (FI) for spatiotemporal analysis. FI is used to assess patterns in data and has been established as an effective tool for capturing complex system dynamics to include regimes and regime shifts. We employed FI to assess the biophysical condition of eighty-five Swedish lakes from 1996–2018. Results showed that FI captured spatiotemporal changes in the Swedish lakes and identified distinct spatial patterns above and below the Limes Norrlandicus, a hard ecotone boundary which separates northern and southern ecoregions in Sweden. Further, it revealed that spatial variance changed approaching this boundary. Our results demonstrate the utility of this resilience-based approach for spatiotemporal and spatial regimes analyses linked to monitoring and managing critical watersheds and waterbodies impacted by accelerating environmental change

Begrijpelijke taal en juridisch correcte taal samen op één kussen? De duivel zit in de details

Wat is begrijpelijke taal en is het mogelijk juridisch correct en begrijpelijk te schrijven? Wat begrijpelijke taal is, is moeilijk vast te stellen vanwege de vele verschillende lezersgroepen van juridische teksten, in het bijzonder rechterlijke uitspraken. Of het mogelijk is juridisch correct en begrijpelijkheid te combineren, is eenvoudiger: die twee dingen hebben niet zo veel met elkaar te maken. Dus ja het kan