Lessons Learned About Societal Responses to Emerging Technologies Perceived as Risky

Presented at the 180-Minute Symposium Biofuels Ablaze, organized by Susan E Cozzens, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA.This presentation will present results from a research project that asks whether past experience in the United States with technologies associated in the public mind with risk, along with relevant social-scientific literatures, can inform strategies for bio-energy technologies.Research sponsored by the Program on Ethical, Legal, and Societal Implications (ELSI) of Research on Alternative Bioenergy Technologies, Synthetic Genomics, or Nanotechnologies, Office of Science, U.S. Department of Energ

Understanding Climatic Impacts, Vulnerabilities, and Adaptation in the United States: Building a Capacity for Assessment

Based on the experience of the U.S. National Assessment, we propose a program of research and analysis to advance capability for assessment of climate impacts, vulnerabilities, and adaptation options. We identify specific priorities for scientific research on the responses of ecological and socioeconomic systems to climate and other stresses; for improvement in the climatic inputs to impact assessments; and for further development of assessment methods to improve their practical utility to decision-makers. Finally, we propose a new institutional model for assessment, based principally on regional efforts that integrate observations, research, data, applications, and assessment on climate and linked environmental-change issues. The proposed program will require effective collaboration between scientists, resource managers, and other stakeholders, all of whose expertise is needed to define and prioritize key regional issues, characterize relevant uncertainties, and assess potential responses. While both scientifically and organizationally challenging, such an integrated program holds the best promise of advancing our capacity to manage resources and the economy adaptively under a changing climate

Answering behavioral questions about energy efficiency in buildings

We identify behavioral questions that arise with 4 kinds of policy interventions for energy efficiency in buildings: information, incentives, standards, and technological research and development. A general strategy is described for answering such questions by using 6 analytical methods: formal models, analysis of existing data, surveys, ethnographic methods, small-scale experimentation, and evaluation research. We evaluate each method for addressing each behavioral question in policy analyses.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/26718/1/0000268.pd

Lucro Real x Lucro Presumido: Opção menos onerosa para uma empresa prestadora de serviços de Comunicação.

TCC (Graduação) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. Centro Socioeconômico. Curso de Ciências ContábeisCada vez mais o empresário visa o maior lucro para sua empresa, com a elevada carga tributária no Brasil é necessário que o empreendedor tenha um auxilio para a tomada de suas decisões no que diz respeito à tributação. Assim o profissional contábil tem papel importante na vida da empresa, fazendo um planejamento tributário, levando em consideração os benefícios que a opção correta do regime de tributação apresenta. Atualmente existem incentivos fiscais que podem ser utilizados como dedução dos impostos a pagar, a exemplo do PAT (Programa de Alimentação do Trabalhador), que permite a dedução direta de até 4% do imposto de renda a pagar, além de poder ser utilizado nos próximos dois anos de apuração o valor que ultrapassar este limite. O Lucro Presumido é uma forma mais simples de se apurar o imposto de renda, contribuição social sobre o lucro líquido, PIS e COFINS, pois parte de uma base presumida, o que facilita sua apuração para o contador. Já o Lucro Real é a forma mais complexa dos regimes de tributação, ele necessita de uma correta escrituração contábil para apurar os valores dos impostos a serem pagos, nesse regime a base de cálculo parte do lucro real da empresa, a partir da confrontação das receitas menos as despesas do período, podendo adicionar ou excluir dessa base as receitas e despesas previstas em lei. Para constatar a opção menos onerosa para a empresa em estudo, são apresentados os devidos cálculos para demonstrar ao empresário qual a opção menos onerosa para sua empresa ao se tratar dos regimes do Lucro Real e do Lucro Presumido

Transformational resilience thinking: Putting people, power and politics at the heart of urban climate resilience

Resilience is receiving substantial traction as a concept to inform climate change and development policies and programmes. At the same time, a number of critiques have emerged that question its use as a framing concept for tackling urban climate change. This paper reflects on climate resilience and its critiques through an examination of the Asian Cities Climate Change Resilience Network (ACCCRN) initiative in two cities in India. We illustrate aspects of the resilience critique and, using evidence of transformational aspects of the initiative, we argue that resilience thinking must be coupled with the concept of transformation in order to bring issues of people, politics and power to the fore. In the process, the conceptual strength of resilience can be combined with a more radical agenda that engages with underlying political structures and trade-offs that determine risk and vulnerability

Synthesis and Assessment Product

This document is part of the Synthesis and Assessment Products (SAP) described in the U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) Strategic Plan. This report is meant to synthesize and communicate the current state of understanding about the characteristics and implications of uncertainty related to climate change and variability to an audience of policymakers, decision makers, and members of the media and general public with an interest in developing a fundamental understanding of the issue

Sensitivity of UK butterflies to local climatic extremes: Which life stages are most at risk?

1. There is growing recognition as to the importance of extreme climatic events (ECEs) in determining changes in species populations. In fact it’s often the extent of climate variability that determines a population’s ability to persist at a given site. 2. This study examined the impact of ECEs on the resident UK butterfly species (n=41) over a 37 year period. The study investigated the sensitivity of butterflies to four extremes (Drought, Extreme Precipitation, Extreme Heat, Extreme Cold), identified at the site level, across each species’ life stages. Variations in the vulnerability of butterflies at the site level were also compared based on 3 life history traits (voltinism, habitat requirement, and range). 3. This is the first study to examine the effects of ECEs at the site level across all life stages of a butterfly, identifying sensitive life stages and unravelling the role life history traits play in species sensitivity to ECEs. 4. Butterfly population changes were found to be primarily driven by temperature extremes. Extreme heat was detrimental during overwintering periods and beneficial during adult periods and extreme cold had opposite impacts on both of these life stages. Previously undocumented detrimental effects were identified for extreme precipitation during the pupal life stage for univoltine species. Generalists were found to have significantly more negative associations with ECEs than specialists. 5. With future projections of warmer, wetter winters and more severe weather events, UK butterflies could come under severe pressure given the findings of this study

1965: Abilene Christian College Bible Lectures - Full Text

LIFT UP YOUR EYES” Being the Abilene Christian College Annual Bible Lectures 1965 Price: $3.95 Published by ABILENE CHRISTIAN COLLEGE STUDENTS EXCHANGE ACC Station Abilene. Texa

Synthesis and Assessment Product

This report discusses the current state of understanding about the characteristics and implications of uncertainty related to climate change and variability to an audience of policymakers, decision makers, and members of the media and general public with an interest in developing a fundamental understanding of the issue