Mainstreaming climate adaptation into water management in the Netherlands: The governance of the Dutch Delta Program

Whereas the literature on adaptation is rich in detail on impacts, vulnerability and limits to adaptation, less is known about governance systems that facilitate adaptation in practice. This paper offers preliminary conclusions on the constraints and opportunities for mainstreaming adaptation to climate change into water management in the Netherlands. We use the term mainstreaming for the integration of adaptation actions into ongoing sectoral planning to reduce climate vulnerability. In particular we look at the integration of climate adaptation and water management, currently underway in the implementation of the Dutch Delta Program. The Delta Program is an integral policy program executed by the Dutch Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management, the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality and the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment. The paper analyses the current implementation of the Delta program in the Netherlands according to the dimensions of the Earth System Governance framework: Architecture, Agents, Adaptiveness, Accountability, Allocation and Knowledge. The analysis suggests that all five governance dimensions are considered to capitalise on opportunities for successfully planning and implementing the Delta Program and its subprograms. Architecture gets most attention at present, but the implementation depends on the subprograms and varies over time. Program bodies generally bring together government agencies from different levels of government (national, provincial, municipal and water boards). A challenge for the new emerging program bodies is to move towards legitimate, accountable ánd adaptive governance. The program so far has little attention for coalitions of government actors and non-government actors or conferring accountability to stakeholders. One of the aims of the Delta Program is innovation of water management. At present science has few strategies analysed or tested to support this innovation. Typical advice includes encouraging innovation through a rich variety of experiments and transition approaches that probe possible directions. Although the Delta Act provides in setting up experiments, financial support is conditional on co-financing and so far subprograms do not plan for such experiments. The fragmented implementation of the delta program could be turned into advantage by recognising different subprograms as a set of experiments, from which actors can learn. The analysis suggests more attention could be given to experiments that test and debate new ideas through collaboration between recognised actors from civil society, policy and science. Promising options for pilots could be the integration of agro-environmental land use systems that regulate regional climate impacts on water systems with new technologies, organisational responsibilities and financial instruments. Here governance faces creating flexible financial instruments that facilitate benefit- and burden-sharing, social learning and that support potentially better-adapted new strategies rather than compensate for climate impacts on existing activities. A challenge remains how to scale up regional pilot results to what is required for long-term national safet

Clinical application of evoked-response audiometry

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Mapping the Western U.S. agrotourism industry: how do travel patterns vary by location?

2016-05.Includes bibliographical references.The spatial patterns reported across US farms and ranches show an interesting patchwork that indicates there are a diverse set of factors that may contribute to successful regional agritourism development efforts. Understanding how different aspects have worked differently in different places allows one to consider which model may be most effective for an operator or community to emulate in their own development plans

Klimaat dwingt tot kiezen

Hoe gaan we om met de gevolgen van klimaatverandering, zoals de dreiging van overstromingen, tekorten aan zoet water, achteruitgang van natuur en oververhitte steden? Onderzoekers van Wageningen UR brengen voor die discussie de ruimtelijke effecten in kaar

Effects of Wi-fi Radiation in Ex Vivo Immature Rat Seminiferous Tubules Oxidative Stress

Approximately 15% of couples globally of reproductive age fail to accomplish pregnancy within a year of unprotected intercourse, accounting the male factor approximately 50% of the cases. Over the years male fertility has been decreasing being associated with numerous factors such as lifestyle, tobacco, alcohol and chemicals. However, with technological evolution, another factor has been pointed as an important contributor to infertility: the electromagnetic radiation (EMR) from mobile devices such as mobile phones, tablets and computers. Although there are several studies correlating the EMR and negative effects on male fertility, including the increase in oxidative stress, none of those studies used a realistic model of EMR exposure. Thus, our goal was to build a realistic model of EMR exposure and use it to shed light in the association between EMR from wi-fi devices and male (in)fertility, highlighting oxidative stress and apoptosis. Therefore, firstly we developed the EMR exposure model through 3 instruments: a Wi-fi module (information transmission network), a mbed (programming module of information packets) and a wifly (reception and emissor antenna for information packets). After the development of the exposure model, we proceeded to the validation through the exposure of 3-month-old Wister rat spermatozoa for the time frame of 1h and evaluated the sperm parameters (motility, morphology and viability). Spermatozoa exposure to 2.4GHz of radiation lead to a statistically significant difference in the motility with a 2.4-fold difference, however, there wasn’t a statistically significant difference in the other parameters. Secondly, we proceeded to the selection of the ideal animals age for the present project to study EMR influences through a histological cell population study of the testis of 4 different ages: 19, 20, 21 and 22 days. As the goal of this work was to study animals in the final stages of development and maturation of SCs and in an early development of germ cells, Wistar rats with 20 days were selected. Thus, two groups of ex vivo immature rats (20 days) seminiferous tubules culture (control and exposed) were exposed to 2.4GHz radiation by the created model for 72h, TOS concentrations and Caspase 3 activity were measured. Immature rats Set exposure to our model resulted in statistically significant differences in both TOS concentration and Caspase 3 activity, with a 2-fold difference in the exposed group compared with control group in TOS concentration while Caspase 3 activity had a 1.6-fold difference. Thus, was possible to conclude through motility results that the developed model is effective in the transmission of EMR, simulating the daily use of diverse equipment existing in the present in our homes. Also, the increased in TOS concentration and Caspase 3 activity supports the hypothesis of the use of these technologies being harmful to male fertility thus being a factor to be taken into consideration in the evaluation of male fertility.Aproximadamente 15% dos casais mundialmente em idade reprodutiva não engravidam num período de um ano com relações sexuais não protegidas, sendo o fator masculino responsável por aproximadamente 50% dos casos. Ao longo dos anos, a fertilidade masculina tem diminuído sendo associada a vários fatores, como o estilo de vida, o tabaco, o álcool e os produtos químicos. No entanto, com a evolução tecnológica, outro fator foi apontado como uma importante causa para a infertilidade: a radiação eletromagnética (EMR) proveniente de telemóveis, tablets e computadores. Embora existam vários estudos que relacionam a EMR e os efeitos negativos na fertilidade masculina, incluindo o aumento dos níveis de stress oxidativo, nenhum destes estudos utilizou um modelo realístico de exposição à EMR. Desta forma, o nosso objetivo foi construir um modelo realístico de exposição a EMR com o intuito de estudar as influências destas radiações na fertilidade masculina com destaque para o stress oxidativo e a apoptose. Em primeiro lugar foi desenvolvido o modelo de exposição às EMR através da utilização de 3 instrumentos: um módulo wi-fi (rede de transmissão de informação), um mbed (modulo de programação dos pacotes de informação) e um wifly (antena de receção e emissão de pacotes de informação). Depois de desenvolvido o modelo, procedemos à sua validação através da exposição de espermatozóides de ratos Wistar com 3 meses ao nosso modelo durante 1h tendo sido avaliados parâmetros espermáticos (motilidade, morfologia e viabilidade). Esta exposição a radiações da gama dos 2.4GHz levou a diferenças estatisticamente significativas da motilidade com um aumento de 2.8 vezes do grupo exposto em relação ao grupo controlo, não se verificando diferenças significativas nos restantes parâmetros espermáticos. Para além disso, procedemos também à seleção da idade dos ratos Wistar para estudar a influência das EMR avaliando-se histologicamente a população celular de testículos de ratos com 19, 20, 21 e 22 dias. Tendo em consideração que para o objetivo deste trabalho pretendíamos estudar animais no final do desenvolvimento e maturação das células de Sertoli (SCs), mas com reduzido desenvolvimento das células germinativas foi selecionada a idade de 20 dias para o presente estudo. Sendo assim, dois grupos (controle e exposto) de cultura de túbulos seminíferos (Set) de ratos ex vivo imaturos (20 dias) foram expostos a radiações na gama dos 2.4GHz através do nosso modelo durante 72h, avaliando-se a concentração de Total Oxidative Status (TOS) e atividade de Caspase 3. Na exposição de Set de ratos imaturos ao nosso modelo verificou-se diferenças estatisticamente significativas tanto na concentração de TOS como na atividade da Caspase 3, ocorrendo um aumento 2 vezes do grupo exposto em relação ao grupo controlo nos níveis de concentração do TOS e de 1.6 vezes na concentração da Caspase 3. Concluímos que foi possível desenvolver um modelo eficaz na transmissão de EMR, simulando o uso diário de diversos equipamentos existentes na atualidade. Conjuntamente deduzimos que essa mesma utilização pode vir a ter efeitos negativos na fertilidade masculina sendo apoiado pelo aumento das concentrações de TOS e atividade da Caspase 3 contribuindo desta forma como um fator a ter em consideração na avaliação da fertilidade masculina