Translating Ecological Integrity terms into operational language to inform societies

It is crucial that societies are informed on the risks of impoverished ecosystem health for their well-being. For this purpose, Ecological Integrity (EI) is a useful concept that seeks to capture the complex nature of ecosystems and their interaction with social welfare. But the challenge remains to measure EI and translate scientific terminology into operational language to inform society. We propose an approach that simplifies marine ecosystem complexity by applying scientific knowledge to identify which components reflect the state or state change of ecosystems. It follows a bottom-up structure that identifies, based on expert knowledge, biological components related with past and present changing conditions. It is structured in 5 stages that interact in an adaptive way: stage 1, in situ observations suggest changes could be happening; stage 2 explores available data that represent EI; stage 3, experts' workshops target the identification of the minimum set of variables needed to define EI, or the risk of losing EI; an optative stage 4, where deviance from EI, or risk of deviance, is statistically assessed; stage 5, findings are communicated to society. We demonstrate the framework effectiveness in three case studies, including a data poor situation, an area where lack of reference sites hampers the identification of historical changes, and an area where diffuse sources of stress make it difficult to identify simple relationships with of ecological responses. The future challenge is to operationalize the approach and trigger desirable society actions to strengthen a social-nature link.Comment: Submitted to Journal of Environmental Management 13 April 2018; Received in revised form by the journal 3 September 2018; Accepted 10 September 201

Regenerative Marketing Communications Planning : a short term plan for Camun SpA

In a time marked by geo-political instability, the way we do business must be re-evaluated. Research has shown that business activities, such as marketing communications, play an important role in the constant planetary degradation, possibly, by manipulating people into unsustainable consumerism. This being true, could business be used to promote eco-social regeneration instead? This thesis examines theories, guidelines and principles related to marketing communication planning, and regeneration. The goal was to investigate how to integrate regenerative practices into marketing communications planning, to produce a short-term marketing communications plan, with recommendations for a regenerative approach, for the case company - Camun SpA. This qualitative study begun by using literature from business and regeneration books and journals to understand traditional approaches to marketing communications planning, such as those described by Kotler & al., and regenerative theories, such as those described by Hutchins & Storm, Hahn & Tampe and Reed. Then, by using purposive sampling, five semi-structured interviews were conducted with communications and regeneration professionals, to validate the use of regenerative principles in business practices, especially in marketing communications. The qualitative data analysis was performed using MAXQDA24, followed by manual coding. The analysis showed a significant relationship between regenerative business practises and regenerative theories. Furthermore, the analysis showed that non-traditional concepts such as deep-listening, as well as patterns of creativity, rhythm and polarity based on living systems theory are crucial in maintaining a regenerative strategy. On this basis, the use of a blend of regenerative communication practices and more traditional marketing communication planning approaches is recommended. The outcome of such blended practises is expected to have a positive impact on maintaining Camun’s business sustainability and contributing to eco-social regeneration of Camun and its stakeholder ecosystem

Environmental health risk assessment of particulate air pollution and mortality in metropolitan Manila, Philippines

Key Words: Metropolitan Manila, Environmental Health Risk Assessment, Life Expectancy, Age, Educational Level, Particulate Air Pollution, PM10 Background and Objectives: Metropolitan Manila is considered a Mega-City with approximately 10 million people as of 1995. Due to rapid industrialization and urbanization, environmental health problems including air pollution have become very prominent. In this study, the potential magnitude of environmental health inequalities with particular reference to particulate air pollution in Metropolitan Manila, Philippines has been assessed in terms of mortality by adapting the risk assessment method. Utilizing various indicators of mortality such as life expectancy and years of life lost, modification of the chronic health impact by markers of population heterogeneity particularly age and educational attainment has been explored In addition, the impact of various pollution reduction scenarios were evaluated. Methodology: Published Environmental Health Risk Assessment methods were adapted and applied for estimating chronic mortality effects of PM10 pollution in the city of Metropolitan Manila. Pooled estimates derived from the exposure-response coefficients of the two US longitudinal epidemiological studies on PM10 and chronic mortality were used primarily. These pooled estimates which signify increases in mortality with incremental increase in PM10 were applied to the indicators of mortality. Hence, the methodology involved a life table approach using age-specific mortality rates from Metropolitan Manila in 1995. Annual averages of PM10 for the whole of Metropolitan Manila and for the cities within were also used. Life expectancies using two pollution reduction scenarios were compared with the 1995 life table to determine pollution reduction benefits. All causes and cardio-respiratory causes of deaths were evaluated. Apart from gains in life expectancy, other effect measures such as years of life loss and number of deaths were also assessed. Findings: Health impact as a result of particulate pollution reduction by 10 μg/m3 resulted in gains in life expectancies of approximately five months for both males and females. Inclusion of effects on the elderly in the model did not make much of a difference in terms of life expectancy gains. However, with the addition of the effects on infants in the model and retaining the effects on adults and the elderly, life expectancy gains, years of life lost and attributable deaths increased. Life expectancy gains were also estimated to be more for the low education level as compared to the middle and high education levels. The overall life expectancy gains for a reduction to the international annual guideline of 50 μg/m3 PM10 scenario were 2.22 years for males and 1.88 years for females. By educational level, the life expectancy gains at age 25 years old in the same pollution reduction scenario, range from 0.74 years for males and 0.59 years for females in the high educational level to more than four years for males and more than three and half years for females in the low educational level. Improvements in the cardio-respiratory causes of death alone contributed most to the life expectancy gains. The estimates that resulted from this assessment were found to be sensitive to the exposure-response coefficients used, the exposure reduction scenarios, the measures of heterogeneity (particularly age and educational level), baseline rates and the time period of effect. In addition, geographic differences in gains in life expectancy within Metropolitan Manila were like wise assessed. Higher gains in life expectancy were seen in the cities in the north where pollution levels are also greater than in the cities in the south. Implication: The air pollution studies have found relatively small exposure response coefficients. However, the impact on public health is quite substantial and relevant to prioritising intervention to control air pollution. The results in this study could be used in several aspects of public policy as discussed in the thesis. These results were presented to decision-makers in the government and the responses summarised.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

URBAIR. Urban air quality management strategy in Asia. Metro Manila City specific report.

The report describes the development of an action plan for air quality improvement in Manila NCR, based upon assessment of emissions and air quality in the metropolitan area, population exposure and health effects (damage), the assessment of costs related to the damage and to a number of proposed abatement measures, and a cost-benefit analysis

Moderate reductions in dissolved oxygen may compromise performance in an ecologically-important estuarine invertebrate

Coastal ecosystems, including estuaries, are increasingly pressured by expanding hypoxic regions as a result of human activities such as increased release of nutrients and global warming. Hypoxia is often defined as oxygen concentrations below 2 mL O2 L−1. However, taxa vary markedly in their sensitivity to hypoxia and can be affected by a broad spectrum of low oxygen levels. To better understand how reduced oxygen availability impacts physiological and molecular processes in invertebrates, we investigated responses of an estuarine amphipod to an ecologically-relevant level of moderate hypoxia (~2.6 mL O2 L−1) or severe hypoxia (~1.3 mL O2 L−1). Moderate hypoxia elicited a reduction in aerobic scope, and widespread changes to gene expression, including upregulation of metabolic genes and stress proteins. Under severe hypoxia, a marked hyperventilatory response associated with maintenance of aerobic performance was accompanied by a muted transcriptional response. This included a return of metabolic genes to baseline levels of expression and downregulation of transcripts involved in protein synthesis, most of which indicate recourse to hypometabolism and/or physiological impairment. We conclude that adverse ecological effects may occur under moderate hypoxia through compromised individual performance and, therefore, even modest declines in future oxygen levels may pose a significant challenge to coastal ecosystems