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Lu J, Mao X, Liu Z, Liu Y, Zhang Q, Song P, Wu Y, Zusman E, Tu K. The Global Environmental Impacts of China's Accession to the WTO: A 20-Year Review. Environ Sci Technol 2024; 58:5760-5771. [PMID: 38507818 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c10159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Robust empirical assessments of the long-term cumulative global effects of free trade and economic globalization on the environment are limited. This account fills this gap by constructing a dynamic computable general equilibrium model to estimate the environmental effects of a milestone in the recent history of trade liberalization: China's 20-year World Trade Organization (WTO) accession. The modeling shows that China's accession could have resulted in an increase in the global cumulative greenhouse gases (GHGs), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by roughly 14,000 Mt CO2-eq, 64 Mt, and 46 Mt, respectively. The global production scale effect contributed to most of these estimated increases. The regional total output composition effect also caused higher emissions. Meanwhile, the sectoral output composition effect helped reduce total emissions to a limited extent. Fortunately, a package of emission abatement measures led to a decrease in emission factors and a drop in the global cumulative emissions of GHGs, SO2, and NOx. The findings suggest that to enjoy the free trade and economic globalization benefits and minimize the induced emission increases, it is vitally important to systemically reduce emissions across the entire economy and nurture a low-carbon trade regime.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianhong Lu
- School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing 100875, P. R. China
- Center for Global Environmental Policy, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing 100875, P. R. China
- School of Economics and Management, Beijing Institute of Petrochemical Technology, Beijing 102617, P. R. China
| | - Xianqiang Mao
- School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing 100875, P. R. China
- Center for Global Environmental Policy, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing 100875, P. R. China
| | - Zhengyan Liu
- Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research, No. A-11, Muxidi North Street, Beijing 100038, P. R. China
| | - Yu Liu
- College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Qingyong Zhang
- School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing 100875, P. R. China
- Center for Global Environmental Policy, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing 100875, P. R. China
| | - Peng Song
- School of Public Affairs, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazheng Street, Chongqing 400044, P. R. China
| | - Yanjie Wu
- School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing 100875, P. R. China
- Center for Global Environmental Policy, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing 100875, P. R. China
| | - Eric Zusman
- Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, 2108-11 Kamiyamaguchi Hayama, Kanagawa 240-0115, Japan
- National Institute for Environmental Studies, 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8506, Japan
| | - Kevin Tu
- Center for Global Environmental Policy, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing 100875, P. R. China
- Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University SIPA, 1255 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, New York 10027, United States
- Agora Energiewende, Anna-Louisa-Karsch-Str. 2, Berlin 10178, Germany
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Scott RP, Ulibarri N, Scott TA. Concise or comprehensive? Predictors of impact assessment choices for electric transmission line projects. Risk Anal 2023; 43:994-1010. [PMID: 35725023 DOI: 10.1111/risa.13977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Environmental impact assessment (EIA) procedures required in the United States and many other countries are often highlighted as a major hindrance to timely and efficient deployment of critical infrastructure projects. Under the U.S. National Environmental Policy Act, a more extensive environmental impact statement (EIS) review can take several more years and cost much more than a succinct environmental assessment (EA). This not only affects the project in question, but also likely informs how-or whether-additional projects are pursued. Thus, understanding key predictors of the EA versus EIS choice sheds light on supply-side considerations affecting infrastructure deficits. Using the case of NEPA reviews conducted for 244 transmission line projects between 2005 and 2018 by two U.S. federal agencies in the western United States, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Department of Energy (DOE), this addresses the following question: What project features most predict whether EA or an EIS is used to assess a transmission line project? Drawing upon NEPA assessment guidance and agency NEPA records, we use a regression classification tree to analyze how protocols and project attributes relate to assessment choice. The result is essentially a null finding: transmission line length is by far the most important predictor of whether a project receives an extensive EIS or a shorter EA, with little predictive value provided by other attributes. While absolute project size undoubtedly influences impacts, the lack of further differentiation in what predicts use of EISs versus EAs suggests assessment does not simply respond to project details but also shapes proposal and design choices beforehand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan P Scott
- Department of Political Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Nicola Ulibarri
- Department of Urban Planning & Public Policy, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Tyler A Scott
- Department of Environmental Science & Policy, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA
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Warren-Vega WM, Campos-Rodríguez A, Zárate-Guzmán AI, Romero-Cano LA. A Current Review of Water Pollutants in American Continent: Trends and Perspectives in Detection, Health Risks, and Treatment Technologies. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2023; 20:4499. [PMID: 36901509 PMCID: PMC10001968 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20054499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Currently, water pollution represents a serious environmental threat, causing an impact not only to fauna and flora but also to human health. Among these pollutants, inorganic and organic pollutants are predominantly important representing high toxicity and persistence and being difficult to treat using current methodologies. For this reason, several research groups are searching for strategies to detect and remedy contaminated water bodies and effluents. Due to the above, a current review of the state of the situation has been carried out. The results obtained show that in the American continent a high diversity of contaminants is present in the water bodies affecting several aspects, in which in some cases, there exists alternatives to realize the remediation of contaminated water. It is concluded that the actual challenge is to establish sanitation measures at the local level based on the specific needs of the geographical area of interest. Therefore, water treatment plants must be designed according to the contaminants present in the water of the region and tailored to the needs of the population of interest.
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Dokis C. Imposing calculations: The visibility and invisibility of harm in the Mackenzie Gas Project environmental assessment. Front Sociol 2023; 7:1056277. [PMID: 36714362 PMCID: PMC9880046 DOI: 10.3389/fsoc.2022.1056277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Environmental assessment is an institutional apparatus through which proponents concede harm associated with extractive projects. Within these processes proponents define the nature and scope of harm, which is made visible through the production of indicators and measurements and made manageable through mitigation measures or economic compensation. That the activities of extractive industries may have effects on surrounding ecologies is rarely in question; proponents of extractive projects regularly concede that their activities will result in negative (but also positive) changes to environments and communities. What is often contested in the course of environmental assessment and regulatory processes is the "significance" of the impacts identified, the nature of the harm caused, and whether or not it is possible or acceptable to accommodate it. Drawing from ethnographic fieldwork conducted in the Sahtu Settlement Area, NWT during the Mackenzie Gas Project environmental assessment, along with regulatory documents and transcripts, this paper examines how proponents and regulatory regimes work to make the impacts of extractive industries visible, and how these logics deviate discursively and materially from many Indigenous peoples' understandings of appropriate relationships between human beings and nature.
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Calder RSD, Robinson CS, Borsuk ME. Total Social Costs and Benefits of Long-Distance Hydropower Transmission. Environ Sci Technol 2022; 56:17510-17522. [PMID: 36446025 PMCID: PMC9775194 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c06221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Increasing amounts of hydropower are being exported from Canada to the northern United States. Recently proposed projects would increase transmission capacity to U.S. population centers without increasing generation. This avoids generation-side impacts from hydroelectric development and introduces power to the U.S. energy mix that is dispatchable, unlike wind and solar, with greenhouse gas emissions generally lower than those of fossil fuels. There is, however, a lack of analysis comparing high upfront capital costs to social benefits and controversy over valuation of social costs of hydropower from existing generation given the negligible marginal cost of production. This analysis evaluates direct and indirect costs in comparison to alternatives for a 1250 MW transmission line from Canada to New York City currently under development to replace the recent loss of ∼15 TWh year-1 of nuclear generation. For the case study considered, we find that long-distance transmission avoids $13.2 billion ($12.1-14.4 billion) in total social costs by 2050. This includes $4.2 billion ($3.4-5.1 billion) from premature mortality in disproportionately Hispanic and African American or Black counties (roughly 306 avoided deaths). In an extensive sensitivity analysis, results are robust to all modeling choices other than the cost assigned to hydropower: the nominal dollar value of hydropower imports (payments from buyer to seller) commonly used in cost-benefit analysis leads to substantial underestimates of net benefits from transmission projects. The opportunity cost of these imports (e.g., environmental benefits foregone in alternative export markets) is a better metric for cost but is difficult to estimate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan S. D. Calder
- Department
of Population Health Sciences, Virginia
Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
- Faculty
of Health Sciences, Virginia Tech, Roanoke, Virginia 24016, United States
- Global
Change Center, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Celine S. Robinson
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Mark E. Borsuk
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
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Su S, Ju J, Ding Y, Yuan J, Cui P. A Comprehensive Dynamic Life Cycle Assessment Model: Considering Temporally and Spatially Dependent Variations. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022; 19:14000. [PMID: 36360878 PMCID: PMC9657249 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192114000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a widely-used international environmental evaluation and management method. However, the conventional LCA is in a static context without temporal and spatial variations considered, which fails to bring accurate evaluation values and hinders practical applications. Dynamic LCA research has developed vigorously in the past decade and become a hot topic. However, systematical analysis of spatiotemporal dynamic variations and comprehensive operable dynamic models are still lacking. This study follows LCA paradigm and incorporates time- and space-dependent variations to establish a spatiotemporal dynamic LCA model. The dynamic changes are classified into four types: dynamic foreground elementary flows, dynamic background system, dynamic characterization factors, and dynamic weighting factors. Their potential dynamics and possible quantification methods are analyzed. The dynamic LCA model is applied to a residential building, and significant differences can be observed between dynamic and static assessment results from both temporal and spatial perspectives. This study makes a theoretical contribution by establishing a comprehensive dynamic model with both temporal and spatial variations involved. It is expected to provide practical values for LCA practitioners and help with decision-making and environmental management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu Su
- Department of Construction and Real Estate, School of Civil Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Jingyi Ju
- Department of Construction and Real Estate, School of Civil Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Yujie Ding
- Department of Construction and Real Estate, School of Civil Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Jingfeng Yuan
- Department of Construction and Real Estate, School of Civil Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
| | - Peng Cui
- Department of Engineering Management, School of Civil Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
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Choji VD, Rampedi IT, Modley LAS, Ifegbesan AP. An Evaluation of the Quality of Environmental Impact Assessment Reports in the Mobile Telecommunications Infrastructure Sector: The Case of Plateau State in Nigeria. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022; 19:12659. [PMID: 36231958 PMCID: PMC9564770 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191912659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Environmental impact assessment reports meant for proposed development actions can be evaluated to reveal their quality and fitness for the purpose of environmental decision-making. Therefore, this study evaluated the quality and identified strengths and weaknesses in environmental impact assessment reports of telecommunications infrastructure proposed for Plateau State in Nigeria. To this end, 80 reports were evaluated using the modified version of the Lee and Colley review package. The results revealed the following points. In Review Area 1.0 (Description of the proposed telecommunications facilities) and Review Area 5.0 (Communication of results), the quality of environmental impact assessment reports was found to be generally satisfactory. However, the quality of all reports was considered 'very unsatisfactory' ('F') regarding their overall legal compliance with the requirements stipulated in the remaining three Review Areas, namely, Review Area 2.0 (Terrain susceptibility in the proposed project areas), Review Area 3.0 (Associated and potential environmental impacts), and Review Area 4.0 (Mitigation measures/alternatives). This 'F' rating was assigned to 65% (52/80) of reports regarding Review Area 3.0 because the information provided was 'very unsatisfactory'; important tasks were poorly carried out or not attempted at all. Moreover, in review areas such as Review Area 2.0 and Review Area 4.0, all reports in the evaluation were assigned an 'F' quality. Such an unsatisfactory quality rating is ascribable to the very unsatisfactory manner in which the reports were populated, especially as important task(s) were poorly performed or not attempted at all. Historically, only Review Area 1.0 and Review Area 5.0 indicated improvements in quality over time, whereas the remaining three review areas (Review Area 2.0, Review Area 3.0 and Review Area 4.0) did not improve. Based on the results obtained from the study, we recommend that there should be periodic reviews of environmental impact assessment reports by independent reviewers and environmental consultants should adhere to the sectoral guidelines for telecommunication infrastructure during the production of these reports. Moreover, in order to build technical capacity, more studies on report quality must be conducted in all sectors in Nigeria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent D. Choji
- Department of Geography, Environmental Management & Energy Studies, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg 2006, South Africa
| | - Isaac T. Rampedi
- Department of Geography, Environmental Management & Energy Studies, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg 2006, South Africa
| | - Lee-Ann S. Modley
- Department of Geography, Environmental Management & Energy Studies, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg 2006, South Africa
| | - Ayodeji P. Ifegbesan
- Department of Arts and Social Sciences Education, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye 120107, Nigeria
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Bonds JAS, Collins CM, Gouagna L. Could species-focused suppression of Aedes aegypti, the yellow fever mosquito, and Aedes albopictus, the tiger mosquito, affect interacting predators? An evidence synthesis from the literature. Pest Manag Sci 2022; 78:2729-2745. [PMID: 35294802 PMCID: PMC9323472 DOI: 10.1002/ps.6870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The risks of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus nuisance and vector-borne diseases are rising and the adverse effects of broad-spectrum insecticide application have promoted species-specific techniques, such as sterile insect technique (SIT) and other genetic strategies, as contenders in their control operations. When specific vector suppression is proposed, potential effects on predators and wider ecosystem are some of the first stakeholder questions. These are not the only Aedes vectors of human diseases, but are those for which SIT and genetic strategies are of most interest. They vary ecologically and in habitat origin, but both have behaviorally human-adapted forms with expanding ranges. The aquatic life stages are where predation is strongest due to greater resource predictability and limited escape opportunity. These vectors' anthropic forms usually use ephemeral water bodies and man-made containers as larval habitats; predators that occur in these are mobile, opportunistic and generalist. No literature indicates that any predator depends on larvae of either species. As adults, foraging theory predicts these mosquitoes are of low profitability to predators. Energy expended hunting and consuming will mostly outweigh their energetic benefit. Moreover, as adult biomass is mobile and largely disaggregated, any predator is likely to be a generalist and opportunist. This work, which summarizes much of the literature currently available on the predators of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus, indicates it is highly unlikely that any predator species depends on them. Species-specific vector control to reduce nuisance and disease is thus likely to be of negligible or limited impact on nontarget predators. © 2022 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Louis‐Clément Gouagna
- UMR MIVEGEC (Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Écologie, Génétique, Évolution et Contrôle)IRD‐CNRS‐Univ. MontpellierMontpellierFrance
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Abstract
A newly developed water sampling system enables autonomous detection and sampling of underwater oil plumes. The Midwater Oil Sampler collects multiple 1-L samples of seawater when preset criteria are met. The sampler has a hydrocarbon-free sample path and can be configured with several modules of six glass sample bottles. In August 2019, the sampler was deployed on an autonomous underwater vehicle and captured targeted water samples in natural oil seeps offshore Santa Barbara, CA, USA.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amy L. Kukulya
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | | | - Robyn N. Conmy
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA
| | | | - Lisa DiPinto
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
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Hollarsmith JA, Therriault TW, Côté IM. Practical implementation of cumulative‐effects management of marine ecosystems in western North America. Conserv Biol 2022; 36:e13841. [PMCID: PMC9305205 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Globally, ecosystem structure and function have been degraded by the cumulative effects (CE) of multiple stressors. To maintain ecosystem resilience, there is an urgent need to better account for CE in management decision‐making at various scales. Current laws and regulations are supported by a multitude of frameworks and strategies that vary in application and terminology use across management agencies and geopolitical boundaries. We synthesized management frameworks that accounted for CE in marine ecosystems at the regional and national levels across western North America (Canada, United States, Mexico) to identify similarities and shared challenges to successful implementation. We examined examples of solutions to the identified challenges (e.g., interagency and cross‐border partnerships to overcome challenges of managing for ecologically relevant spatial scales). Management frameworks in general consisted of 3 phases: scoping and structuring the system; characterizing relationships; and evaluating management options. Challenges in the robust implementation of these phases included lack of interagency coordination, minimal incorporation of diverse perspectives, and data deficiencies. Cases that provided solutions to these challenges encouraged coordination at ecological rather than jurisdictional scales, enhanced involvement of stakeholders and Indigenous groups, and used nontraditional data sources for decision‐making. Broader implementation of these approaches, combined with increased interagency and international coordination and collaboration, should facilitate the rapid advancement of more effective CE assessment and ecosystem management in North America and elsewhere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan A. Hollarsmith
- Department of Biological SciencesSimon Fraser UniversityBurnabyBritish ColumbiaCanada
- Pacific Biological StationFisheries and Oceans CanadaNanaimoBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Thomas W. Therriault
- Pacific Biological StationFisheries and Oceans CanadaNanaimoBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Isabelle M. Côté
- Department of Biological SciencesSimon Fraser UniversityBurnabyBritish ColumbiaCanada
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Abstract
We conduct a consequential lifecycle analysis (LCA) of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from North American liquefied natural gas (LNG) export projects, estimating the change in global natural gas and coal use resulting from the market effects of increased LNG trade. We estimate that building a 2.1 billion cubic feet per day (Bcfd) LNG export facility, equivalent to one of the larger LNG projects under development in the US today, will change global GHG emissions -39 to 11 Mt CO2e (90% range) with a median value of -8 Mt CO2e. Previous attributional LCA methods for electricity generation with LNG replacing coal find a much larger benefit of LNG exports, a median value of -36 Mt CO2e for this size project. The smaller decrease in GHGs is attributable to higher domestic coal use and a smaller decrease in international coal use than assumed by previous methods. Net global emission change estimates are most sensitive to the uncertainty in economic elasticities outside of North America. Given the scale of planned and proposed LNG export terminals, project regulators and policymakers must account for market effects to more accurately estimate the global net change in GHG emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean Smillie
- Department of Engineering and Public Policy, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Nicholas Muller
- Department of Engineering and Public Policy, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
- Tepper School of Business, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - W Michael Griffin
- Department of Engineering and Public Policy, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
| | - Jay Apt
- Department of Engineering and Public Policy, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
- Tepper School of Business, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, United States
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Kim J, Haigh FA. HIA and EIA Are Different, but Maybe Not in the Way We Thought They Were: A Bibliometric Analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021; 18:9101. [PMID: 34501690 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18179101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 08/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Background: The fields of Health Impact Assessment (HIA) and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) have grown with increasing numbers of disciplines and sectors contributing to their advancements, but with it, perceived conflict over methodological and disciplinary approaches to integrate health in impact assessments. This study maps the current field of HIA and health in EIA to examine the scientific landscape of the field. Methods: We carried out a bibliometric analysis of HIA papers and EIA papers that included a health focus in peer-reviewed journals in the Web of Science Core Collection (n = 229). We carried out co-authorship and co-citation network analyses of authors and documents in VOSviewer. Results: We identified two main co-authorship and co-citation groupings. Our document co-citation analysis also identified four clusters with two major groups, the Defining HIA cluster and the Describing the fields cluster versus the Active transport quantitative HIA cluster, and the Quantitative modelling tools cluster. Conclusion: Our findings strongly suggest that there exist two groups of thought in the scholarly fields of HIA and health in EIA. Barriers to developing more methodologically integrated approaches to considering health within EIA are related more to disciplinary differences than field (HIA versus EIA)-based differences and we advocate for the development of transdisciplinary approaches to both HIA and EIA.
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13
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Panepinto D, Riggio VA, Zanetti M. Analysis of the Emergent Climate Change Mitigation Technologies. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021; 18:6767. [PMID: 34202431 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18136767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
A climate change mitigation refers to efforts to reduce or prevent emission of greenhouse gases. Mitigation can mean using new technologies and renewable energies, making older equipment more energy efficient, or changing management practices or consumer behavior. The mitigation technologies are able to reduce or absorb the greenhouse gases (GHG) and, in particular, the CO2 present in the atmosphere. The CO2 is a persistent atmospheric gas. It seems increasingly likely that concentrations of CO2 and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere will overshoot the 450 ppm CO2 target, widely seen as the upper limit of concentrations consistent with limiting the increase in global mean temperature from pre-industrial levels to around 2 °C. In order to stay well below to the 2 °C temperature thus compared to the pre-industrial level as required to the Paris Agreement it is necessary that in the future we will obtain a low (or better zero) emissions and it is also necessary that we will absorb a quantity of CO2 from the atmosphere, by 2070, equal to 10 Gt/y. In order to obtain this last point, so in order to absorb an amount of CO2 equal to about 10 Gt/y, it is necessary the implementation of the negative emission technologies. The negative emission technologies are technologies able to absorb the CO2 from the atmosphere. The aim of this work is to perform a detailed overview of the main mitigation technologies possibilities currently developed and, in particular, an analysis of an emergent negative emission technology: the microalgae massive cultivation for CO2 biofixation.
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14
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Bianchi F, Ancona C, Bisceglia L, Forastiere F, Ranzi A. [Health impact: considering only a plant assessment is not enough, an area assessment is also needed]. Epidemiol Prev 2021; 45:117-121. [PMID: 33884850 DOI: 10.19191/ep21.1-2.p117.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) often conclude with a "low" or at least "negligible" final health impact assessment (HIA) of the industrial plant under assessment. We explore the reasons for this - often simplistic - conclusion and offer suggestions on how to extend the assessment focus from just the plant to an appropriate impact area. For many assessments, the conclusions are easily predictable: the application of available risk functions to modest increases in pollution, in the presence of numerically small populations in the areas of greatest fallout and considering rather rare health outcomes, can only result in quantitatively modest health impacts. This is the classic situation of low sensitivity of the observation system due to the impossibility of containing the type II error (false negatives) since we cannot increase the exposed population at will. The risk is to give the green light to an industrial plant in which the apparently null or very limited damage is simply not properly detectable. There is hardly any trace of these elements in the HIA scoping phase. In environmental complex territories, the renewal or authorization of a new plant should consider not only the impact of the individual plant, but also the health profile of the population concerned and the context in which the industrial project is located. An 'HIA area' is therefore configured, aimed at the complex of environmental pressure factors that insist on the same area of impact of the plant. Epidemiology focuses on the exposed population, considers the 'current' state of health, hazard, and risk information from toxicology, and estimates individual exposure and the effects of exposure. The 'HIA area' can assess the impact of the complex of persistent emission sources, considering in the analysis the health status of the exposed population and the presence of specific vulnerabilities. The proposal is in line with what is already foreseen in the Essential levels of care and Environmental technical performance of the National Health Service.A basic condition is the establishment of functions dedicated to integrated environmental and health surveillance to update the health profile and carry out the 'HIA area' as an accompanying tool for local strategic planning. On these issues, the Italian Environment and Health Network (RIAS) has opened a discussion within the network and with any Italian regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizio Bianchi
- Istituto di fisiologia clinica, Consiglio nazionale delle ricerche (CNR), Pisa; .,Istituto per la ricerca e l'innovazione biomedica, Consiglio nazionale delle ricerche, Palermo
| | - Carla Ancona
- Dipartimento di epidemiologia del Servizio sanitario regionale del Lazio, ASL Roma 1
| | | | - Francesco Forastiere
- Istituto per la ricerca e l'innovazione biomedica, Consiglio nazionale delle ricerche, Palermo
| | - Andrea Ranzi
- Centro tematico regionale ambiente prevenzione e salute, Arpae Emilia-Romagna, Modena
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Giachino PM, Eberhard S, Perina G. A rich fauna of subterranean short-range endemic Anillini (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Trechinae) from semi-arid regions of Western Australia. Zookeys 2021; 1044:269-337. [PMID: 34183880 PMCID: PMC8222277 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1044.58844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Globally, the great majority of Anillini species are endogean, adapted to live in the interstices of soil and leaf litter, while the extremely low vagility of these minute ground beetles gives rise to numerous shortrange endemic species. Until recently the Australian Anillini fauna was known only from leaf litter in rain forests and eucalypt forests in the wetter, forested regions of eastern and south eastern Australia, as well as Lord Howe and Norfolk islands. The first hypogean Anillini in Australia (17 species in six genera) were described in 2016 from mineral exploration drill holes in iron-ore bearing rocks of the Pilbara region in Western Australia, representing the first finding of the tribe deep underground in a semi-arid climate region. A further eight new genera and 20 new species are described herein, mostly from the Pilbara region as well as the semi-arid Kimberley and Goldfields regions; all were collected in mineral exploration drill holes. The following new genera are described: Erwinanillus gen. nov., Gregorydytes gen. nov., Pilbaraphanus gen. nov., Neoillaphanus gen. nov., Kimberleytyphlus gen. nov., Gilesdytes gen. nov., Pilbaradytes gen. nov., and Bylibaraphanus gen. nov. The following new species are described: Erwinanillus baehri sp. nov.; Gracilanillus hirsutus sp. nov., G. pannawonicanus sp. nov.; Gregorydytes ophthalmianus sp. nov.; Pilbaraphanus chichesterianus sp. nov., P. bilybarianus sp. nov.; Magnanillus firetalianus sp. nov., M. sabae sp. nov., M. salomonis sp. nov., M. regalis sp. nov., M. serenitatis sp. nov.; Neoillaphanus callawanus sp. nov.; Kimberleytyphlus carrboydianus sp. nov.; Austranillus jinayrianus sp. nov.; Gilesdytes pardooanus sp. nov., G. ethelianus sp. nov.; Pilbaradytes abydosianus sp. nov., P. webberianus sp. nov.; Bylibaraphanus cundalinianus sp. nov.; and Angustanillus armatus sp. nov. Identification keys are provided for all Australian anilline genera, and Western Australian species. All the described species are known from a single locality and qualify as short-range endemics. The Anillini are recognised as a significant and diverse element making up part of Western Australia's remarkable subterranean fauna, and whose conservation may potentially be impacted by mining developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pier Mauro Giachino
- World Biodiversity Association onlus. Private: via della Trinità 13, I-10010 San Martino Canavese (TO), ItalyWorld Biodiversity AssociationTorinoItaly
| | - Stefan Eberhard
- Subterranean Ecology Pty Ltd, 227 Coningham Road, Coningham, TAS 7054, AustraliaSubterranean Ecology Pty LtdConinghamAustralia
| | - Giulia Perina
- Collections and Research, Western Australian Museum, 49 Kew Street, Welshpool, WA 6106, AustraliaWestern Australian MuseumPerthAustralia
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16
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Riley E, Sainsbury P, McManus P, Colagiuri R, Viliani F, Dawson A, Duncan E, Stone Y, Pham T, Harris P. Including health impacts in environmental impact assessments for three Australian coal-mining projects: a documentary analysis. Health Promot Int 2021; 35:449-457. [PMID: 31056656 DOI: 10.1093/heapro/daz032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Notwithstanding the historical benefits of coal in aiding human and economic development, the negative health and environmental impacts of coal extraction and processing are of increasing concern. Environmental impact assessments (EIAs) are a regulated policy mechanism that can be used to predict and consider the health impacts of mining projects to determine if consent is given. The ways in which health is considered within EIA is unclear. This research investigated 'How and to what extent are health, well-being and equity issues considered in Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) of major coal mining projects in New South Wales, Australia'. To this end we developed and applied a comprehensive coding framework designed to interrogate the publicly available environmental impact statements (EISs) of three mines in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, for their inclusion of health, well-being and equity issues. Analysis of the three EISs demonstrates that: the possible impacts of each mine on health and well-being were narrowly and inadequately considered; when health and well-being were considered there was a failure to assess the possible impacts specific to the particular mine and the communities potentially affected; the cumulative impacts on human health of multiple mines in the same geographical area were almost completely ignored; the discussions of intragenerational and intergenerational equity did not demonstrate a sound understanding of equity and, it is essential that governments' requirements for the EIA include detailed analysis of the health, well-being, equity and cumulative impacts specific to the proposed mine and relevant communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Riley
- Level 2 The Hub, Charles Perkins Centre D17, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | | | | | - Ruth Colagiuri
- Level 2 The Hub, Charles Perkins Centre D17, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | | | - Angus Dawson
- Sydney Health Ethics, Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Level 1, Medical Foundation Building K25, NSW 2006, Australia
| | | | | | - Tracy Pham
- Level 2 The Hub, Charles Perkins Centre D17, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Patrick Harris
- Level 2 The Hub, Charles Perkins Centre D17, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
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17
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Froidevaux JSP, Boughey KL, Hawkins CL, Jones G, Collins J. Evaluating survey methods for bat roost detection in ecological impact assessment. Anim Conserv 2020; 23:597-606. [PMID: 33288979 PMCID: PMC7687239 DOI: 10.1111/acv.12574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The disturbance, damage and destruction of roosts are key drivers of bat population declines worldwide. In countries where bats are protected by law, bat roost surveys are often required to inform ecological impact assessments. Yet, evidence‐based information on survey methodology to detect bat roosts is crucially lacking, and failing to detect a roost can lead to serious errors during decision‐making processes. Here, we assess the efficacy of bat roost surveys in buildings as implemented in the UK. These consist of a daytime inspection of buildings, followed by a series of acoustic surveys at dusk/dawn if during the daytime inspection evidence of bats is found, or if the absence of bats cannot be verified. We reviewed 155 ecological consultants’ reports to (1) compare survey outcome between daytime inspection and acoustic surveys and (2) determine the minimum sampling effort required during acoustic surveys to be confident that no bats are roosting within a building. We focused on two genera of bats most frequently found in buildings in Europe – Pipistrellus (crevice roosting species with high‐intensity echolocation calls that can be easily detected by ultrasound detectors) and Plecotus (species that roost in open spaces and which emit faint echolocation calls that are difficult to detect). Daytime inspections were efficient in detecting open‐roosting species such as Plecotus species but were likely to miss the presence of crevice‐dwelling ones (here Pipistrellus species) which may lead to erroneous conclusions if no acoustic surveys are subsequently prescribed to confirm their absence. A minimum of three and four acoustic surveys are required to be 95% confident that a building does not host a roost of Pipistrellus species and Plecotus species, respectively, thus exceeding current recommendations. Overall, we demonstrated that reports submitted as part of an ecological impact assessment provide suitable data to test and improve survey methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- J S P Froidevaux
- School of Biological Sciences University of Bristol Bristol UK.,Université de Toulouse, INRAE, UMR DYNAFOR Castanet-Tolosan France
| | | | | | - G Jones
- School of Biological Sciences University of Bristol Bristol UK
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18
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Hassouna FMA, Assad M. Towards a Sustainable Public Transportation: Replacing the Conventional Taxis by a Hybrid Taxi Fleet in the West Bank, Palestine. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2020; 17:E8940. [PMID: 33271931 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17238940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 11/22/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Recently, developing sustainable public transportation systems has been highlighted by decision makers and transportation agencies, due to the development of urban areas and the related environmental problems. Implementing new vehicle technologies has been introduced as an appropriate alternative to the conventional taxis. Hybrid electrical vehicles (HEVs) have been the potential candidates for replacing the conventional taxis, since they are more eco-friendly than conventional ones and even more reliable than electric vehicles (EVs) as a mode of public transportation. In this study, current and future environmental impact assessments have been determined for the taxi fleet in the West Bank, Palestine, and the implications of using new vehicle technologies (hybrid taxis) as a replacement of the conventional taxi fleet have been investigated. In order to perform this study, firstly, the data of the number of taxis for the period of 1994–2018 have been collected and a prediction model for the future number of taxis has been developed. The expected total amounts of consumed fuels have been then estimated. Finally, the current and the future N2O and CO2, and emissions, have been estimated and the expected influences of hybrid taxis have been determined. The results of the analysis have concluded that replacing 50% of conventional taxis with a hybrid fleet could achieve 42.3% and 28% reductions in N2O and CO2, respectively, in the next 10 years. A 395% increase in CH4 could be obtained due to the higher amount of CH4 that is produced by the gasoline combustion compared to the diesel fuel, since hybrid vehicles have gasoline-based engines (GHG in terms of CO2-equivalent could be increased by 28.2%).
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19
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Siqueira-Gay J, Soares-Filho B, Sanchez LE, Oviedo A, Sonter LJ. Proposed Legislation to Mine Brazil's Indigenous Lands Will Threaten Amazon Forests and Their Valuable Ecosystem Services. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 3:356-362. [PMID: 34173538 PMCID: PMC7500344 DOI: 10.1016/j.oneear.2020.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Revised: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
A recent proposal to regulate mining within Indigenous Lands (ILs) threatens people and the unique ecosystems of Brazil's Legal Amazon. Here, we show that this new policy could eventually affect more than 863,000 km2 of tropical forests—20% more than under current policies—assuming all known mineral deposits will be developed and impacts of mining on forests extend 70 km from lease boundaries. Not only are these forests home to some of the world's most culturally diverse communities, they also provide at least US $5 billion each year to the global economy, producing food, mitigating carbon emissions, and regulating climate for agriculture and energy production. It is unclear whether new mines within ILs will be required to compensate for their direct and indirect environmental and social impacts but failing to do so will have considerable environmental and social consequences. Mining within Indigenous Lands may impact 20% more forests than the current scenario Proposed bill could affect forests providing at least $5 billion in ecosystem services annually Impact assessments must comply with best practices to safeguard ecosystems and people
In February 2020, Brazilian President Bolsonaro signed a bill (PL 191/2020) that would permit mining inside Indigenous Lands, a unique category of protected area covering 23% of the Legal Amazon. In this study, we assess the potential impacts of this proposed legislation. We find that this proposal threatens 863,000 km2 of Amazon forests. These forests are home to 222 culturally unique indigenous groups and provide more than US $5 billion annually to society. The social and environmental impacts caused by new mines will unlikely be mitigated given the lack of environmental requirements and safeguards to indigenous rights in the current proposal. This policy could have long-lasting negative effects for Brazil's socio-biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Britaldo Soares-Filho
- Centro de Sensoriamento Remoto, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Luis E Sanchez
- Escola Politécnica, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Antonio Oviedo
- Instituto Socioambiental, 01238-001 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Laura J Sonter
- School of Environmental and Earth Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
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20
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Dietler D, Lewinski R, Azevedo S, Engebretsen R, Brugger F, Utzinger J, Winkler MS. Inclusion of Health in Impact Assessment: A Review of Current Practice in Sub-Saharan Africa. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2020; 17:ijerph17114155. [PMID: 32532108 PMCID: PMC7312242 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17114155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Revised: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Natural resource extraction projects, including those in the mining sector, have various effects on human health and wellbeing, with communities in resource-rich areas in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) being particularly vulnerable. While impact assessments (IA) can predict and mitigate negative effects, it is unclear whether and to what extent health aspects are included in current IA practice in SSA. For collecting IA reports, we contacted 569 mining projects and 35 ministries regulating the mining sector. The reports obtained were complemented by reports identified in prior research. The examination of the final sample of 44 IA reports revealed a heavy focus on environmental health determinants and included health outcomes were often limited to a few aspects, such as HIV, malaria and injuries. The miniscule yield of reports (1.6% of contacted projects) and the low response rate by the contacted mining companies (18%) might indicate a lack of transparency in the IA process of the mining sector in SSA. To address the shortcomings identified, policies regulating IA practice should strengthen the requirements for public disclosure of IA reports and promote a more comprehensive inclusion of health in IA, be it through stand-alone health impact assessment or more rigorous integration of health in other forms of IA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Dietler
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, P.O. Box, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland; (R.L.); (S.A.); (J.U.); (M.S.W.)
- University of Basel, P.O. Box, CH-4001 Basel, Switzerland
- Correspondence:
| | - Ruth Lewinski
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, P.O. Box, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland; (R.L.); (S.A.); (J.U.); (M.S.W.)
- University of Basel, P.O. Box, CH-4001 Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Humanities, Social- and Political Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Clausiusstrasse 37, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland; (R.E.); (F.B.)
| | - Sophie Azevedo
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, P.O. Box, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland; (R.L.); (S.A.); (J.U.); (M.S.W.)
- University of Basel, P.O. Box, CH-4001 Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Humanities, Social- and Political Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Clausiusstrasse 37, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland; (R.E.); (F.B.)
| | - Rebecca Engebretsen
- Department of Humanities, Social- and Political Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Clausiusstrasse 37, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland; (R.E.); (F.B.)
| | - Fritz Brugger
- Department of Humanities, Social- and Political Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Clausiusstrasse 37, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland; (R.E.); (F.B.)
| | - Jürg Utzinger
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, P.O. Box, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland; (R.L.); (S.A.); (J.U.); (M.S.W.)
- University of Basel, P.O. Box, CH-4001 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Mirko S. Winkler
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, P.O. Box, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland; (R.L.); (S.A.); (J.U.); (M.S.W.)
- University of Basel, P.O. Box, CH-4001 Basel, Switzerland
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21
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Ferronato N, Gorritty Portillo MA, Guisbert Lizarazu EG, Torretta V. Application of a life cycle assessment for assessing municipal solid waste management systems in Bolivia in an international cooperative framework. Waste Manag Res 2020; 38:98-116. [PMID: 32133930 DOI: 10.1177/0734242x20906250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Using a life cycle assessment (LCA) to evaluate municipal solid waste management (MSWM) systems is strongly recommended and the approach has been used in high-income contexts. However, stakeholders in low to middle income countries are not aware of the potential of this approach, mainly due to a lack of financial resources and technical ability. The present work introduces a LCA of MSWM system scenarios into a developing city using an academic licence for the LCA software that is available for use exclusively by researchers. The MSWM system in place in 2018 in La Paz (Bolivia) was assessed according to seven scenarios. The novelty of the research is twofold: the use of LCA academic licensing in a low to middle income region where LCA is unknown as planning tool; and discussing the potential of the approach in conjunction with local and international stakeholders with a view to starting MSWM projects. The results of the analysis allow for the consideration of energy recovery and materials recycling as the main methods by which the environmental impact of MSW can be reduced, as has also been reported by other LCA studies conducted with full licensing of the relevant software. Moreover, the research is the basis for cooperative development projects that will adopt the LCA approach as the main assessment tool. The study discusses the importance of cooperation between universities and local governments for implementing new strategies for MSWM assessment and planning. The research is a contribution towards improving technical knowledge in developing countries for boosting sustainable development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navarro Ferronato
- Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, University of Insubria, Italy
| | | | | | - Vincenzo Torretta
- Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, University of Insubria, Italy
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22
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Hodgson EE, Wilson SM, Moore JW. Changing estuaries and impacts on juvenile salmon: A systematic review. Glob Chang Biol 2020; 26:1986-2001. [PMID: 32020738 PMCID: PMC7155064 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Revised: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Estuaries are productive ecosystems providing important habitat for a diversity of species, yet they also experience intense levels of anthropogenic development. To inform decision-making, it is essential to understand the pathways of impacts of particular human activities, especially those that affect species such as salmon, which have high ecological, social-cultural and economic values. Salmon systems provide an opportunity to build from the substantial body of research on responses to estuary developments and take stock of what is known. We conducted a systematic English-language literature review on the responses of juvenile salmon to anthropogenic activities in estuaries and nearshore areas asking: what has been studied, where are the major knowledge gaps and how do stressors affect salmon? We found a substantial body of research (n = 167 studies; 1,369 comparative tests) to help understand responses of juvenile salmon to 24 activities and their 14 stressors. Across studies, 82% of the research was conducted in the eastern Pacific (Oregon and Washington, USA and British Columbia, Canada) showing a limited geographical scope. Using a semiquantitative approach to summarize the literature, including a weight-of-evidence metric, we found a range of results from low to moderate-high confidence in the consequences of the stressors. For example, we found moderate-high confidence in the negative impacts of pollutants and sea lice and moderate confidence in negative impacts from connectivity loss and changes in flow. Our results suggest that overall, multiple anthropogenic activities cause negative impacts across ecological scales. However, our results also reveal knowledge gaps resulting from minimal research on particular species (e.g. sockeye salmon), regions (e.g. Atlantic) or stressors (e.g. entrainment) that would be expedient areas for future research. With estuaries acting as a nexus of biological and societal importance and hotspots of ongoing development, the insights gained here can contribute to informed decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma E. Hodgson
- Earth to Ocean Research GroupDepartment of Biological SciencesSimon Fraser UniversityBurnabyBCCanada
| | - Samantha M. Wilson
- Earth to Ocean Research GroupDepartment of Biological SciencesSimon Fraser UniversityBurnabyBCCanada
| | - Jonathan W. Moore
- Earth to Ocean Research GroupDepartment of Biological SciencesSimon Fraser UniversityBurnabyBCCanada
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23
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Ferronato N, Gorritty Portillo MA, Guisbert Lizarazu EG, Torretta V. Application of a life cycle assessment for assessing municipal solid waste management systems in Bolivia in an international cooperative framework. Waste Manag Res 2020. [PMID: 32133930 DOI: 10.1177/0734242x20906250.] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Using a life cycle assessment (LCA) to evaluate municipal solid waste management (MSWM) systems is strongly recommended and the approach has been used in high-income contexts. However, stakeholders in low to middle income countries are not aware of the potential of this approach, mainly due to a lack of financial resources and technical ability. The present work introduces a LCA of MSWM system scenarios into a developing city using an academic licence for the LCA software that is available for use exclusively by researchers. The MSWM system in place in 2018 in La Paz (Bolivia) was assessed according to seven scenarios. The novelty of the research is twofold: the use of LCA academic licensing in a low to middle income region where LCA is unknown as planning tool; and discussing the potential of the approach in conjunction with local and international stakeholders with a view to starting MSWM projects. The results of the analysis allow for the consideration of energy recovery and materials recycling as the main methods by which the environmental impact of MSW can be reduced, as has also been reported by other LCA studies conducted with full licensing of the relevant software. Moreover, the research is the basis for cooperative development projects that will adopt the LCA approach as the main assessment tool. The study discusses the importance of cooperation between universities and local governments for implementing new strategies for MSWM assessment and planning. The research is a contribution towards improving technical knowledge in developing countries for boosting sustainable development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navarro Ferronato
- Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, University of Insubria, Italy
| | | | | | - Vincenzo Torretta
- Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, University of Insubria, Italy
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24
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Cortes-Ramirez J, Sly PD, Ng J, Jagals P. Using human epidemiological analyses to support the assessment of the impacts of coal mining on health. Rev Environ Health 2019; 34:391-401. [PMID: 31603860 DOI: 10.1515/reveh-2019-0033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/06/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The potential impacts of coal mining on health have been addressed by the application of impact assessment methodologies that use the results of qualitative and quantitative analyses to support their conclusions and recommendations. Although human epidemiological analyses can provide the most relevant measures of risk of health outcomes in populations exposed to coal mining by-products, this kind of studies are seldom implemented as part of the impact assessment methods. To review the use of human epidemiological analyses in the methods used to assess the impacts of coal mining, a systematic search in the peer review literature was implemented following the PRISMA protocol. A synthesis analysis identified the methods and the measures used in the selected publications to develop a thematic review and discussion. The major methodological approaches to assess the impacts of coal mining are environmental impact assessment (EIA), health impact assessment (HIA), social impact assessment (SIA) and environmental health impact assessment (EHIA). The measures used to assess the impacts of coal mining on health were classified as the estimates from non-human-based studies such as health risk assessment (HRA) and the measures of risk from human epidemiological analyses. The inclusion of human epidemiological estimates of the populations exposed, especially the general populations in the vicinity of the mining activities, is seldom found in impact assessment applications for coal mining. These methods rather incorporate HRA measures or other sources of evidence such as qualitative analyses and surveys. The implementation of impact assessment methods without estimates of the risk of health outcomes relevant to the potentially exposed populations affects their reliability to address the environmental and health impacts of coal mining. This is particularly important for EIA applications because these are incorporated in regulatory frameworks globally. The effective characterization of the impacts of coal mining on health requires quantitative estimates of the risk, including the risk measures from epidemiological analyses of relevant human health data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Cortes-Ramirez
- Child Health Research Centre, Level 7, Centre for Children's Health Research (CCHR), The University of Queensland, 62 Graham Street, South Brisbane, QLD 4101, Australia
| | - Peter D Sly
- Child Health Research Centre, Level 7, Centre for Children's Health Research (CCHR), The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, Australia
| | - Jack Ng
- Queensland Alliance for Environmental Health Sciences, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia
| | - Paul Jagals
- Child Health Research Centre, Level 7, Centre for Children's Health Research (CCHR), The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, Australia
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25
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Humboldt-Dachroeden S, Fischer-Bonde B, Gulis G. Analysis of Health in Environmental Assessments-A Literature Review and Survey with a Focus on Denmark. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2019; 16:ijerph16224570. [PMID: 31752239 PMCID: PMC6888575 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16224570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Revised: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In the European Union, the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive (2014/52/EU) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Directive (2011/92/EU) emphasise the assessment of population and human health. The directives require health to be considered within Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). To date, health is mainly considered in connection with negative environmental factors and in terms of risk assessments. The integration of health in EIA as well as SEA has not been investigated in a Danish context, and this study aims to address the missing knowledge. There is a need for a more comprehensive health assessment within EIA and SEA to comply with the EIA and SEA directives. An integration of health into EIA and SEA will ensure a sound examination of health determinants which can improve decision making and thus comprehensively promote and protect health. To establish the status of the inclusion of the assessment of impacts on health into EIA and SEA, a literature review was performed. In addition, a survey addressed to researchers and practitioners was conducted and analysed through a comparative analysis. The survey examined the needs of practitioners and researchers, focusing on the Danish context, regarding the inclusion of health into EIA and SEA. Enhanced intersectoral cooperation of the health and environmental sectors, more specific guidance documents, and underlying this, stronger political support, were identified among needs for more comprehensive health assessments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Humboldt-Dachroeden
- Department of Social Science and Business, Roskilde University, Universitetsvej 1, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +45-4674-3552
| | | | - Gabriel Gulis
- Unit for Health Promotion Research, University of Southern Denmark, Niels Bohrsvej 9-10, 6700 Esbjerg, Denmark;
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26
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Korol J, Hejna A, Burchart-Korol D, Chmielnicki B, Wypiór K. Water Footprint Assessment of Selected Polymers, Polymer Blends, Composites, and Biocomposites for Industrial Application. Polymers (Basel) 2019; 11:polym11111791. [PMID: 31683877 PMCID: PMC6918390 DOI: 10.3390/polym11111791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2019] [Revised: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 10/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This paper presents a water footprint assessment of polymers, polymer blends, composites, and biocomposites based on a standardized EUR-pallet case study. The water footprint analysis is based on life cycle assessment (LCA). The study investigates six variants of EUR-pallet production depending on the materials used. The system boundary included the production of each material and the injection molding to obtain a standardized EUR-pallet of complex properties. This paper shows the results of a water footprint of six composition variants of analyzed EUR-pallet, produced from biocomposites and composites based on polypropylene, poly(lactic acid), cotton fibers, jute fibers, kenaf fibers, and glass fibers. Additionally, a water footprint of applied raw materials was evaluated. The highest water footprint was observed for cotton fibers as a reinforcement of the analyzed biocomposites and composites. The water footprint of cotton fibers is caused by the irrigation of cotton crops. The results demonstrate that the standard EUR-pallet produced from polypropylene with glass fibers as reinforcement can contribute to the lowest water footprint.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerzy Korol
- Department of Material Engineering, Central Mining Institute, Pl. Gwarków 1, 40-166 Katowice, Poland.
| | - Aleksander Hejna
- Department of Material Engineering, Central Mining Institute, Pl. Gwarków 1, 40-166 Katowice, Poland.
- Department of Polymer Technology, Gdansk University of Technology, Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233 Gdansk, Poland.
| | - Dorota Burchart-Korol
- Faculty of Transport and Aviation Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, Krasińskiego 8, 40-019 Katowice, Poland.
| | - Błażej Chmielnicki
- Paint & Plastics Department in Gliwice, Institute for Engineering of Polymer Materials and Dyes, 50 A Chorzowska Street, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland.
| | - Klaudiusz Wypiór
- Department of Material Engineering, Central Mining Institute, Pl. Gwarków 1, 40-166 Katowice, Poland.
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27
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Hughes AC. Understanding and minimizing environmental impacts of the Belt and Road Initiative. Conserv Biol 2019; 33:883-894. [PMID: 30900273 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2018] [Revised: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) sets to create connections and build infrastructure across Eurasia, Asia, and parts of the African continent in its initial phase and is the largest infrastructure project of all time. Any infrastructure project on this scale will necessarily pass through ecofragile regions and key biodiversity areas (KBAs). This creates an imperative to identify possible areas of impact and probable effects on conservation values to facilitate adaptive planning and to mitigate, minimize, or avoid impacts. Using the highest resolution route maps of the BRI available, I overlaid the proposed road and rail routes on KBAs, protected areas, and predicted biodiversity hotspots for over 4138 animal and 7371 plant species. I also assessed the relationship between the proposed route with the distribution of mines across BRI countries and the proportion of deforestation and forest near routes. Infrastructure, especially mining, was clustered near the proposed route; thus, construction and development along the route may increase the size and number of mines. Up to 15% of KBAs were within 1 km of proposed railways. Thus, planned and probable development along the routes may pose a significant risk to biodiversity, especially because the majority of KBAs are unprotected. Many biodiversity hotspots for different taxa were near the route. These hotspots varied between taxa, making systematic management and environmental impact assessments an effective strategy for at least some taxa. A combination of planning and mitigation strategies will likely be necessary to protect the most important areas for biodiversity proximal to development, especially in currently unprotected KBAs and other regions that need protection. A fuller assessment of trade-offs between conservation and other values will be necessary to make good decisions for each project and site being developed, including potentially modifying parts of the route to minimize impacts. Modification or foregoing of infrastructure may be needed if stakeholders consider the conservation costs too high.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice C Hughes
- Landscape Ecology Group, Centre for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yunnan, 666303, People's Republic of China
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28
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Collins CM, Bonds JAS, Quinlan MM, Mumford JD. Effects of the removal or reduction in density of the malaria mosquito, Anopheles gambiae s.l., on interacting predators and competitors in local ecosystems. Med Vet Entomol 2019; 33:1-15. [PMID: 30044507 PMCID: PMC6378608 DOI: 10.1111/mve.12327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2018] [Revised: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 06/15/2018] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
New genetic control methods for mosquitoes may reduce vector species without direct effects on other species or the physical environment common with insecticides or drainage. Effects on predators and competitors could, however, be a concern as Anopheles gambiae s.l. is preyed upon in all life stages. We overview the literature and assess the strength of the ecological interactions identified. Most predators identified consume many other insect species and there is no evidence that any species preys exclusively on any anopheline mosquito. There is one predatory species with a specialisation on blood-fed mosquitoes including An. gambiae s.l.. Evarcha culicivora is a jumping spider, known as the vampire spider, found around Lake Victoria. There is no evidence that these salticids require Anopheles mosquitoes and will readily consume blood-fed Culex. Interspecific competition studies focus on other mosquitoes of larval habitats. Many of these take place in artificial cosms and give contrasting results to semi-field studies. This may limit their extrapolation regarding the potential impact of reduced An. gambiae numbers. Previous mosquito control interventions are informative and identify competitive release and niche opportunism; so while the identity and relative abundance of the species present may change, the biomass available to predators may not.
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Affiliation(s)
- C. M. Collins
- Centre for Environmental PolicyImperial College LondonLondonU.K.
| | - J. A. S. Bonds
- Bonds Consulting Group LLCPanama City Beach, FloridaU.S.A.
| | - M. M. Quinlan
- Centre for Environmental PolicyImperial College LondonLondonU.K.
| | - J. D. Mumford
- Centre for Environmental PolicyImperial College LondonLondonU.K.
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29
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Rebello TA, Zulcão R, Calmon JL, Gonçalves RF. Comparative life cycle assessment of ornamental stone processing waste recycling, sand, clay and limestone filler. Waste Manag Res 2019; 37:186-195. [PMID: 30632951 DOI: 10.1177/0734242x18819976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Owing to the cost of destination and transportation of ornamental stone processing waste, many studies focused on the reuse and recycling of this product. However, there is a scarcity of articles addressing the environmental viability of the recycling of ornamental stone. In this context, this study comprehends a comparative life cycle assessment of ornamental stone processing waste and conventional materials: sand, clay and limestone filler. The modelling software used was SimaPro 8.3.0.0 with Ecoinvent 3.2 database, employing the ReCiPe H/H methodology for impact assessment. The results show that the recycling of ornamental stone processing waste is environmentally preferable, and the artificial drying alternatives, such as flash dryer and rotary dryer, have lower environmental impact than extracting and processing clay through atomisation methods and limestone filler production. The sensitivity analysis indicated that it is possible to transport the ornamental stone processing waste 37 km after processing, so it reaches the same environmental impact as sand extracted by dredging. On the other hand, an increase of 25% in the energy consumption incremented only 7% of the environmental impact owing to the Brazilian energy mix.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Robson Zulcão
- Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitória - ES, Brazil
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30
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Chen L, Li L, Yang X, Zhang Y, Chen L, Ma X. Assessing the Impact of Land-Use Planning on the Atmospheric Environment through Predicting the Spatial Variability of Airborne Pollutants. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2019; 16:ijerph16020172. [PMID: 30634496 PMCID: PMC6351908 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16020172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2018] [Revised: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
As an important contributor to pollutant emissions to the atmosphere, land use can degrade environmental quality. In order to assess the impact of land-use planning on the atmosphere, we propose a methodology combining the land-use-based emission inventories of airborne pollutants and the long-term air pollution multi-source dispersion (LAPMD) model in this study. Through a case study of the eastern Chinese city of Lianyungang, we conclude that (1) land-use-based emission inventorying is a more economical way to assess the overall pollutant emissions compared with the industry-based method, and the LAPMD model can map the spatial variability of airborne pollutant concentrations that directly reflects how the implementation of the land-use planning (LUP) scheme impacts on the atmosphere; (2) the environmental friendliness of the LUP scheme can be assessed by an overlay analysis based on the pollution concentration maps and land-use planning maps; (3) decreases in the emissions of SO2 and PM10 within Lianyungang indicate the overall positive impact of land-use planning implementation, while increases in these emissions from certain land-use types (i.e., urban residential and transportation lands) suggest the aggravation of airborne pollutants from these land parcels; and (4) the city center, where most urban population resides, and areas around key plots would be affected by high pollution concentrations. Our methodology is applicable to study areas for which meteorological data are accessible, and is, therefore, useful for decision making if land-use planning schemes specify the objects of airborne pollutant concentration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longgao Chen
- School of Geography, Geomatics and Planning, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou 221116, China.
| | - Long Li
- School of Environmental Science and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China.
- Department of Geography, Earth System Science, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels 1050, Belgium.
| | - Xiaoyan Yang
- School of Geography, Geomatics and Planning, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou 221116, China.
| | - Yu Zhang
- School of Geography, Geomatics and Planning, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou 221116, China.
| | - Longqian Chen
- School of Environmental Science and Spatial Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China.
| | - Xiaodong Ma
- School of Geography, Geomatics and Planning, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou 221116, China.
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31
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Morimatsu Y. [Present Situation of Wind Turbine in Major European Countries and Outlook of Wind Turbine in Japan]. Nihon Eiseigaku Zasshi 2018; 73:278-283. [PMID: 30270294 DOI: 10.1265/jjh.73.278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The Renewable energy is a key driver of generating clean energy because it continuously lower air pollution. In particular, the development of wind power energy has been remarkable, and it currently accounts for approximately one-third of renewable electricity. Germany has the largest onshore wind deployment. On the other hand, the United Kingdom is most highly expected to develop offshore wind power. Germany and Denmark have assessed the usefulness of wind turbines, and they benefited from wind energy. Execution of not only environmental impact assessment (EIA) but also health impact assessment (HIA) is an obligation in the United Kingdom, the practice of EIA and HIA is important for the successful construction of wind turbine facilities. We in Japan should learn the method of handling renewable energy systems from major European countries.
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32
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Hara K. [ Environmental Impact Assessment of Wind Power Generation Facilities]. Nihon Eiseigaku Zasshi 2018; 73:284-290. [PMID: 30270295 DOI: 10.1265/jjh.73.284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Impacts of wind power generation facilities on neighborhood residents, animals, plants, water environment and landscape are a concern. Therefore, in 2010, wind turbine facilities were targeted to be covered by the environmental impact assessment law, which was enacted in 1999, and was amended with the environmental impact statement procedure in 2013. A guidance level of noise produced by wind turbines in quiet residential areas was set in 2017. In the environmental impact statement procedure at the planning stage of targeted projects, the trust of precedent users should be obtained and consensus building should be implemented. Projects of wind turbine facilities are accepted in accordance with the environmental impact assessment law using the new guidance noise level and the procedure of the environmental impact statement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kunio Hara
- School of Health Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan
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33
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Ishitake T, Hara K. [Current Situation around Wind Power Generation and Health Effects of Wind Turbine Noise]. Nihon Eiseigaku Zasshi 2018; 73:277. [PMID: 30270293 DOI: 10.1265/jjh.73.277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tatsuya Ishitake
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine
| | - Kunio Hara
- Teikyo University Graduate School of Public Health
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34
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Salih H, Patterson C, Li J, Mock J, Dastgheib SA. Utilization of Water Utility Lime Sludge for Flue Gas Desulfurization in Coal-Fired Power Plants: Part I. Supply-Demand Evaluation and Life Cycle Assessment. Energy Fuels 2018; 32:6627-6633. [PMID: 30078938 PMCID: PMC6069973 DOI: 10.1021/acs.energyfuels.8b00823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The feasibility of lime-softening sludge utilization for flue gas desulfurization in coal-fired power plants was evaluated through a supply-demand analysis and a life cycle assessment (LCA). To evaluate the demand and supply of lime sludge to replace limestone on a national scale, the annual amount of lime sludge generated by water treatment utilities in the United States was estimated and compared with the annual amount of limestone used by coal-fired power utilities. To evaluate the environmental sustainability of reusing lime sludge in power plants, an LCA study was performed in which the environmental impact and water footprint of the proposed approach were quantified and these results were compared with the conventional approaches for limestone mining, grinding, and transportation to power plants and lime sludge disposal in landfills. Water utilities across the United States are currently generating approximately 3.2 million tons of lime sludge per year at an estimated disposal cost of approximately US$90 million, whereas power utilities are using approximately 6.3 million tons of limestone per year. The potential savings that would result from partial replacement of limestone with lime sludge was estimated to be approximately US$97 million per year. The LCA study showed that the environmental impact of lime sludge utilization in power plants under different scenarios was 2 orders of magnitude lower than that of the landfill disposal option. Furthermore, the water footprint for lime sludge reuse in power plants was almost negligible compared with that of the conventional approaches of disposing of lime sludge at water utilities or using limestone at power utilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hafiz Salih
- Illinois State Geological Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois 61820, United States
| | - Craig Patterson
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Cincinnati, Ohio 45268, United States
| | - Jiaxing Li
- Illinois State Geological Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois 61820, United States
| | - Justin Mock
- Illinois State Geological Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois 61820, United States
| | - Seyed A. Dastgheib
- Illinois State Geological Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois 61820, United States
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35
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Planillo A, Malo JE. Infrastructure features outperform environmental variables explaining rabbit abundance around motorways. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:942-952. [PMID: 29375768 PMCID: PMC5773299 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2017] [Revised: 11/06/2017] [Accepted: 11/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Human disturbance is widespread across landscapes in the form of roads that alter wildlife populations. Knowing which road features are responsible for the species response and their relevance in comparison with environmental variables will provide useful information for effective conservation measures. We sampled relative abundance of European rabbits, a very widespread species, in motorway verges at regional scale, in an area with large variability in environmental and infrastructure conditions. Environmental variables included vegetation structure, plant productivity, distance to water sources, and altitude. Infrastructure characteristics were the type of vegetation in verges, verge width, traffic volume, and the presence of embankments. We performed a variance partitioning analysis to determine the relative importance of two sets of variables on rabbit abundance. Additionally, we identified the most important variables and their effects model averaging after model selection by AICc on hypothesis‐based models. As a group, infrastructure features explained four times more variability in rabbit abundance than environmental variables, being the effects of the former critical in motorway stretches located in altered landscapes with no available habitat for rabbits, such as agricultural fields. Model selection and Akaike weights showed that verge width and traffic volume are the most important variables explaining rabbit abundance index, with positive and negative effects, respectively. In the light of these results, the response of species to the infrastructure can be modulated through the modification of motorway features, being some of them manageable in the design phase. The identification of such features leads to suggestions for improvement through low‐cost corrective measures and conservation plans. As a general indication, keeping motorway verges less than 10 m wide will prevent high densities of rabbits and avoid the unwanted effects that rabbit populations can generate in some areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aimara Planillo
- Terrestrial Ecology Group (TEG) Department of Ecology Universidad Autónoma de Madrid Madrid Spain
| | - Juan E Malo
- Terrestrial Ecology Group (TEG) Department of Ecology Universidad Autónoma de Madrid Madrid Spain
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36
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Vallejo GC, Grellier K, Nelson EJ, McGregor RM, Canning SJ, Caryl FM, McLean N. Responses of two marine top predators to an offshore wind farm. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:8698-8708. [PMID: 29152170 PMCID: PMC5677494 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2017] [Revised: 07/19/2017] [Accepted: 07/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Quantifying the likely effects of offshore wind farms on wildlife is fundamental before permission for development can be granted by any Determining Authority. The effects on marine top predators from displacement from important habitat are key concerns during offshore wind farm construction and operation. In this respect, we present evidence for no significant displacement from a UK offshore wind farm for two broadly distributed species of conservation concern: common guillemot (Uria aalge) and harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). Data were collected during boat-based line transect surveys across a 360 km2 study area that included the Robin Rigg offshore wind farm. Surveys were conducted over 10 years across the preconstruction, construction, and operational phases of the development. Changes in guillemot and harbor porpoise abundance and distribution in response to offshore wind farm construction and operation were estimated using generalized mixed models to test for evidence of displacement. Both common guillemot and harbor porpoise were present across the Robin Rigg study area throughout all three development phases. There was a significant reduction in relative harbor porpoise abundance both within and surrounding the Robin Rigg offshore wind farm during construction, but no significant difference was detected between the preconstruction and operational phases. Relative common guillemot abundance remained similar within the Robin Rigg offshore wind farm across all development phases. Offshore wind farms have the potential to negatively affect wildlife, but further evidence regarding the magnitude of effect is needed. The empirical data presented here for two marine top predators provide a valuable addition to the evidence base, allowing future decision making to be improved by reducing the uncertainty of displacement effects and increasing the accuracy of impact assessments.
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Abstract
The food system is a major source of environmental impact, and dietary change has been recommended as an important and necessary strategy to reduce this impact. However, assessing the environmental performance of diets is complex due to the many types of foods eaten and the diversity of agricultural production systems and local environmental settings. To assess the state of science and identify knowledge gaps, an integrative review of the broad topic of environment and diet was undertaken, with particular focus on the completeness of coverage of environmental concerns and the metrics used. Compared with the 14 discrete environmental areas of concern identified in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the located journal literature mainly addressed greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and, to a lesser extent, land and water use. Some relevant concerns were rarely addressed or not addressed at all. In the case of GHG emissions, changes in land use and soil carbon stocks were seldom considered. This represents a disconnect between the science informing strategic climate action in the agricultural sector and the science informing public health nutrition. In the case of land and water use, few studies used metrics that are appropriate in a life-cycle context. Some metrics produce inherently biased results, which misinform about environmental impact. The limited evidence generally points to recommended diets having lower environmental impacts than typical diets, although not in every case. This is largely explained by the overconsumption of food energy associated with average diets, which is also a major driver of obesity. A shared-knowledge framework is identified as being needed to guide future research on this topic. Until the evidence base becomes more complete, commentators on sustainable diets should not be quick to assume that a dietary strategy to reduce overall environmental impact can be readily defined or recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley G Ridoutt
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Agriculture and Food, Victoria, Australia;,University of the Free State, Department of Agricultural Economics, Bloemfontein, South Africa; and
| | - Gilly A Hendrie
- CSIRO Biosecurity and Health, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Manny Noakes
- CSIRO Biosecurity and Health, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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Dijkstra G, Bitondo D, Nooteboom S, Post R, van Boven G. Supporting Governance of Economic Development: The PAANEEAC Experience in Central Africa. J Dev Soc 2017; 33:51-74. [PMID: 30443096 PMCID: PMC6195161 DOI: 10.1177/0169796x17694447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
This article aims to evaluate PAANEEAC (Projet d'appui au développement des associations nationales pour l'évaluation environnementale en Afrique Centrale), the program to support the development of national associations (NAs) for environmental impact assessment (EIA) in Central Africa. PAANEEAC's objective is to improve the governance of investment decisions through strengthening capacities for EIA. From the literature explaining the failure of donor-induced capacity development programs, the article deduces conditions for success. The empirical assessment of PAANEEAC is based on document review, extensive interviews, and observations. It concludes that PAANEEAC managed to create platforms in which stakeholders meet with the common objective of improving EIA systems, and that this led to measurable, albeit modest improvements in EIA systems. Furthermore, PAANEEAC met most of the success conditions, which was instrumental for its performance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dieudonné Bitondo
- University of Douala and Secretariat for Environmental Assessment in Central Africa, Cameroun
| | - Sibout Nooteboom
- Erasmus University Rotterdam and The Netherlands Commission for Environmental Assessment
| | - Reinoud Post
- The Netherlands Commission for Environmental Assessment
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39
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Marshall CAM, Wieringa JJ, Hawthorne WD. Bioquality Hotspots in the Tropical African Flora. Curr Biol 2016; 26:3214-3219. [PMID: 27839969 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2016.09.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2016] [Revised: 09/17/2016] [Accepted: 09/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Identifying areas of high biodiversity is an established way to prioritize areas for conservation [1-3], but global approaches have been criticized for failing to render global biodiversity value at a scale suitable for local management [4-6]. We assembled 3.1 million species distribution records for 40,401 vascular plant species of tropical Africa from sources including plot data, herbarium databases, checklists, and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and cleaned the records for geographic accuracy and taxonomic consistency. We summarized the global ranges of tropical African plant species into four weighted categories of global rarity called Stars. We applied the Star weights to summaries of species distribution data at fine resolutions to map the bioquality (range-restricted global endemism) of areas [7]. We generated confidence intervals around bioquality scores to account for the remaining uncertainty in the species inventory. We confirm the broad significance of the Horn of Africa, Guinean forests, coastal forests of East Africa, and Afromontane regions for plant biodiversity but also reveal the variation in bioquality within these broad regions and others, particularly at local scales. Our framework offers practitioners a quantitative, scalable, and replicable approach for measuring the irreplaceability of particular local areas for global biodiversity conservation and comparing those areas within their global and regional context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cicely A M Marshall
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RB, UK.
| | - Jan J Wieringa
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, National Herbarium of the Netherlands, Darwinweg 2, 2333 CR Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - William D Hawthorne
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RB, UK
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40
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Abstract
Animals exposed to anthropogenic disturbance make trade-offs between perceived risk and the cost of leaving disturbed areas. Impact assessments tend to focus on overt behavioural responses leading to displacement, but trade-offs may also impact individual energy budgets through reduced foraging performance. Previous studies found no evidence for broad-scale displacement of harbour porpoises exposed to impulse noise from a 10 day two-dimensional seismic survey. Here, we used an array of passive acoustic loggers coupled with calibrated noise measurements to test whether the seismic survey influenced the activity patterns of porpoises remaining in the area. We showed that the probability of recording a buzz declined by 15% in the ensonified area and was positively related to distance from the source vessel. We also estimated received levels at the hydrophones and characterized the noise response curve. Our results demonstrate how environmental impact assessments can be developed to assess more subtle effects of noise disturbance on activity patterns and foraging efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Pirotta
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ, UK
| | - Kate L Brookes
- Lighthouse Field Station, Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Cromarty IV11 8YL, UK Marine Scotland Science, Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen AB11 9DB, UK
| | - Isla M Graham
- Lighthouse Field Station, Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Cromarty IV11 8YL, UK
| | - Paul M Thompson
- Lighthouse Field Station, Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Cromarty IV11 8YL, UK
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41
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Werner K, Collinder P, Berglund S, Mårtensson E. Ecohydrological responses to diversion of groundwater: case study of a deep-rock repository for spent nuclear fuel in Sweden. Ambio 2013; 42:517-26. [PMID: 23619809 PMCID: PMC3636376 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-013-0404-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Planning and license applications concerning groundwater diversion in areas containing water-dependent or water-favored habitats must take into account both hydrological effects and associated ecological consequences. There is at present no established methodology to assess such ecohydrological responses. Thus, this paper describes a new stepwise methodology to assess ecohydrological responses to groundwater diversion from, e.g., water-drained pits, shafts, tunnels, and caverns in rock below the groundwater table. The methodology is illustrated using the planned deep-rock repository for spent nuclear fuel at Forsmark in central Sweden as a case study, offering access to a unique hydrological and ecological dataset. The case study demonstrates that results of ecohydrological assessments can provide useful inputs to planning of monitoring programs and mitigation measures in infrastructure projects. As a result of the assessment, artificial water supply to wetlands is planned in order to preserve biological diversity, nature values, and vulnerable species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Per Collinder
- Ekologigruppen AB, Åsögatan 121, Stockholm, 116 24 Sweden
| | - Sten Berglund
- HydroResearch AB, Stora Marknadsvägen 15S, 12th Floor, Täby, 183 34 Sweden
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42
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Masden EA, Reeve R, Desholm M, Fox AD, Furness RW, Haydon DT. Assessing the impact of marine wind farms on birds through movement modelling. J R Soc Interface 2012; 9:2120-30. [PMID: 22552921 PMCID: PMC3405758 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2012.0121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2012] [Accepted: 02/16/2012] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Advances in technology and engineering, along with European Union renewable energy targets, have stimulated a rapid growth of the wind power sector. Wind farms contribute to carbon emission reductions, but there is a need to ensure that these structures do not adversely impact the populations that interact with them, particularly birds. We developed movement models based on observed avoidance responses of common eider Somateria mollissima to wind farms to predict, and identify potential measures to reduce, impacts. Flight trajectory data that were collected post-construction of the Danish Nysted offshore wind farm were used to parameterize competing models of bird movements around turbines. The model most closely fitting the observed data incorporated individual variation in the minimum distance at which birds responded to the turbines. We show how such models can contribute to the spatial planning of wind farms by assessing their extent, turbine spacing and configurations on the probability of birds passing between the turbines. Avian movement models can make new contributions to environmental assessments of wind farm developments, and provide insights into how to reduce impacts that can be identified at the planning stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Masden
- Boyd Orr Centre for Population and Ecosystem Health, Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
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43
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Bhatia R, Wernham A. Integrating human health into environmental impact assessment: an unrealized opportunity for environmental health and justice. Environ Health Perspect 2008; 116:991-1000. [PMID: 18709140 PMCID: PMC2516559 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.11132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2007] [Accepted: 04/13/2008] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The National Environmental Policy Act and related state laws require many public agencies to analyze and disclose potentially significant environmental effects of agency actions, including effects on human health. In this paper we review the purpose and procedures of environmental impact assessment (EIA), existing regulatory requirements for health effects analysis, and potential barriers to and opportunities for improving integration of human health concerns within the EIA process. DATA SOURCES We use statutes, regulations, guidelines, court opinions, and empirical research on EIA along with recent case examples of integrated health impact assessment (HIA)/EIA at both the state and federal level. DATA SYNTHESIS We extract lessons and recommendations for integrated HIA/EIA practice from both existing practices as well as case studies. CONCLUSIONS The case studies demonstrate the adequacy, scope, and power of existing statutory requirements for health analysis within EIA. The following support the success of integrated HIA/EIA: a proponent recognizing EIA as an available regulatory strategy for public health; the openness of the agency conducting the EIA; involvement of public health institutions; and complementary objectives among community stakeholders and health practitioners. We recommend greater collaboration among institutions responsible for EIA, public health institutions, and affected stakeholders along with guidance, resources, and training for integrated HIA/EIA practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajiv Bhatia
- San Francisco Department of Public Health, San Francisco, California 94102, USA.
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Adriaenssens V, Goethals PLM, De Pauw N. Assessment of land-use impact on macroinvertebrate communities in the Zwalm River basin (Flanders, Belgium) using multivariate analysis and geographic information systems. ScientificWorldJournal 2002; 2:546-57. [PMID: 12805982 PMCID: PMC6009528 DOI: 10.1100/tsw.2002.111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Relationships between land-use and river water quality assessed by means of biological and physical-chemical variables and habitat characteristics were analysed for the Zwalm River basin in Flanders (Belgium). The research focussed on three zones within this river basin, each characterized by different land uses, and consequently, different types of pollution, mainly of diffuse origin. Environmental data have been integrated within a Geographic Information System. Possible relationships between aquatic ecosystem and land-use variables were searched for by means of multivariate analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronique Adriaenssens
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, J. Plateaustraat 22, B-9000 Gent, Belgium.
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