A GIS model-based assessment of the environmental distribution of g-hexachlorocyclohexane in European soils and waters

The MAPPE GIS based multimedia model is used to produce a quantitative description of the behaviour of γ-hexachlorocyclohexane (γ-HCH) in Europe, with emphasis on continental surface waters. The model is found to reasonably reproduce γ-HCH distributions and variations along the years in atmosphere and soil; for continental surface waters, concentrations were reasonably well predicted for year 1995, when lindane was still used in agriculture, while for 2005, assuming severe restrictions in use, yields to substantial underestimation. Much better results were yielded when same mode of release as in 1995 was considered, supporting the conjecture that for γ-HCH, emission data rather that model structure and parameterization can be responsible for wrong estimation of concentrations. Future research should be directed to improve the quality of emission data. Joint interpretation of monitoring and modelling results, highlights that lindane emissions in Europe, despite the marked decreasing trend, persist beyond the provisions of existing legislation. An spatially-explicit multimedia modelling strategy was applied to describe the historical distribution of γ-HCH in European soils and surface waters

Medium‐long term effects of saline reclaimed water and regulated deficit irrigation on fruit quality of citrus

BACKGROUND Non-conventional water sources and water-saving techniques can be valuable in semi-arid regions, although their long-term effects on citrus quality are little known. This study evaluated the effects of irrigation with two sources, transfer water (TW) and reclaimed water (RW), combined with two irrigation strategies, full irrigation (FI) and regulated deficit irrigation (RDI), on fruit quality of mandarins and grapefruits during eight growth seasonsRESULTS Reclaimed water irrigation in mandarin, without water restriction, influenced maturity index (MI) less than TW-FI, because titratable acidity (TA) increased to a greater degree than soluble solid contents (SSC). Nevertheless, juice quality standards were satisfied. Regardless of the irrigation treatment (FI or RDI), a trend towards increasing fruit weight was also detected with RW. In grapefruit, its rootstock (Citrus macrophylla) enhanced salinity resilience with respect to the rootstock of mandarin (‘Carrizo’ citrange) and, hence, MI was not affected by RW. The RDI strategy, without saline stress (TW-RDI), increased, to a similar degree, both SSC and TA in mandarin fruit, not affecting the MI. In grapefruit, the water stress of RDI did improve the MI due to the TA did not change and SSC increased significantly, the TA did not change. The combination of both strategies, RW-RDI, decreased the MI only in some years because TA increased proportionally more than SSC in mandarinCONCLUSIONS The medium- and long-term feasibility of using RW and RDI to irrigate citrus was demonstrated. However, they must be performed cautiously and with appropriate management to avoid damaging fruit quality as a result of phytotoxic elements. © 2019 Society of Chemical IndustryCICYT (FEDER funds). Grant Numbers: FEDER, UE, AGL2010-17553, FEDER, UE, AGL2013-49047-C2-2-R, AEI/FEDER, UE, AGL2016-77282-C3-1-R CONSOLIDER-INGENIO 2010. Grant Number: MEC CSD2006-0067 Fundación Séneca. Grant Numbers: 19903/GERM/15, 20363/PD/17 SIRRIMED. Grant Number: FP7-KBBE-2009-3-245159Peer reviewe

Water in Kazakhstan, a key in Central Asian water management

Abstract Central Asia is one of the regions with the highest probability of conflicts over water. Kazakhstan is the main Central Asian economic power and therefore it is important to understand how the country’s water management policy is influencing water availability in the other Central Asian states. Already, the Central Asian economies are developing under increasing water deficiency, resulting in developmental problems. The main reasons for this are increasing political tensions and worsening ecological and socio-economic conditions. Kazakhstan was the first country in Central Asia to develop the pre-requisites for a transition towards integrated water resources management (IWRM). Therefore, Kazakhstan has potential to lead the development of transboundary water integration between all Central Asian states. A scenario for successful regional cooperation on water management in Central Asia involves establishing legal mechanisms for water management following international water law, assistance by international agencies and donors, and integrated social, economic and environmental methodology

Just the usual suspects? Partnerships and environmental regulation

Governance based on partnerships has become a characteristic of late capitalist societies. This paper explores how this new collaborative approach to environmental regulation creates challenges for existing technocratic policy networks, drawing on an organisational ethnography of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. Our findings suggest partnership working is embraced for four reasons—to improve understanding of problems, to develop resource-efficient management solutions, to improve implementation of these solutions, and to improve communication and trust within the policy network. However, there appear to be three areas of difficulty. First, decisionmaking appears to be dominated by technocratic public servants; second, practical reasons for partnership, rather than embracing the normative arguments for discursive democracy, motivate most participants; and, third, participants are yet to experience the benefits of partnerships. We suggest three key areas which might address these problems and contribute towards a more successful implementation of the collaborative approach to regulation, namely to provide incentives for partnership working (demonstrating how the perceived benefits outweigh costs), developing interorganisational trust and providing organisational support (resources). We conclude with an analysis of the constraints that must be overcome to develop effective partnerships for environmental management, particularly the need to extend the network beyond the ‘usual suspects' and to embrace the normative dimensions of participatory democracy

Evolution of the Nexus as a Policy and Development Discourse

The key resources that sustain life and the ecosystem (e.g., water, food, energy, and others) are linked in many ways. Action in one sector might have impacts on others, thus forming a policy nexus among them. The relationships between the resources were realized long back; however, the nexus concept is still evolving as a policy and development discourse with the involvement of many actors. It is generally considered as a “multicentric” approach, the advancement of “water centric” Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). This chapter presents a systematic review on how the nexus concept emerged and is now spreading to cover wider sectors; it then discusses key actors involved in raising the profile of the nexus as a policy and development discourse