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Open AccessArticle Using Ostrom’s DPs as Fuzzy Sets to Analyse How Water Policies Challenge Community-Based Water Governance in Colombia

by María Mar Delgado-Serrano, Pablo Andrés Ramos and Edwin Lasso Zapata

Water 2017, 9(7), 535; doi:10.3390/w9070535

Received: 16 May 2017 / Revised: 2 July 2017 / Accepted: 13 July 2017 / Published: 18 July 2017

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Abstract

Ostrom’s design principles have been broadly used to analyse the governance of common pool resources. However, they are normally assessed as present or absent. We challenge this assumption by considering them as fuzzy sets where membership scores range from 0 to 1, because,

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Ostrom’s design principles have been broadly used to analyse the governance of common pool resources. However, they are normally assessed as present or absent. We challenge this assumption by considering them as fuzzy sets where membership scores range from 0 to 1, because, in real situations, the design principles can be present at a certain level. We define categories to assess the level of membership and apply it to a single case study analysing how changes in water policy can affect the community-based management of the Water User Association of Mondomo (Colombia). In rural areas of Colombia, most water and sanitation services are provided by water user associations, wherein civil society has developed governance systems based on active citizen involvement and community-based management. Some of these associations have been operating for decades and are essential pillars of the local social fabric. However, recent changes in the country’s policy and legal framework threaten these long-lasting governance systems. The results show that most of the design principles would suffer important changes that undermine the governance system. Essential principles for sustainable community-based governance, such as the congruence of the rules with local conditions, the local monitoring and sanctioning capacities, the internal conflict-resolution mechanisms and the recognition of the rights to organize, are dramatically reduced after the policy implementation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Economics and Policy)

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Open AccessArticle Religious Literacy through Religious Education: The Future of Teaching and Learning about Religion and Belief

by Adam Dinham and Martha Shaw

Religions 2017, 8(7), 119; doi:10.3390/rel8070119

Received: 8 May 2017 / Revised: 22 June 2017 / Accepted: 23 June 2017 / Published: 28 June 2017

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Abstract

This article reports on research undertaken between July 2014 and November 2015 in secondary schools (for young people aged 11–16) across England to ask what young people need to know about religion and belief in schools in order to increase ‘religious literacy’ when

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This article reports on research undertaken between July 2014 and November 2015 in secondary schools (for young people aged 11–16) across England to ask what young people need to know about religion and belief in schools in order to increase ‘religious literacy’ when they go in to the workplace and wider society. The research arises in the context of an urgent debate which has been underway in England about the future of Religious Education (RE), a subject which remains compulsory in England under the Education Act 1944, but which gives rise to widespread confusion about its purposes, content and structure, as reflected in growing criticisms of the policy muddle that frames it. The key findings are: that there is an appetite for review and reform of teaching and learning about religion and belief in schools, inside and outside the RE space, in order to clarify confusion about its purposes, content and structure; that the key perceived purposes which are emerging are the ability to engage with diversity, and personal spiritual (but not religious) development; and that stakeholders want to learn about more religions and beliefs, and ways of thinking about them, which reflect a much broader and more fluid real contemporary religion and belief landscape of England and the world than education has reflected. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Religions and Social Sciences)

Open AccessArticle Study on Dynamic Response of Novel Masonry Structures Impacted by Debris Flow

by Peizhen Li, Tangzhenhao Li, Zheng Lu and Jin Li

Sustainability 2017, 9(7), 1122; doi:10.3390/su9071122

Received: 7 May 2017 / Revised: 20 June 2017 / Accepted: 23 June 2017 / Published: 27 June 2017

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Abstract

Debris flow is a very destructive natural disaster. This paper presents a novel masonry structure with strong resistance to debris flow—by using walls that are set with braces and filled with straw bricks. This structure was designed according to the concepts of sustainability.

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Debris flow is a very destructive natural disaster. This paper presents a novel masonry structure with strong resistance to debris flow—by using walls that are set with braces and filled with straw bricks. This structure was designed according to the concepts of sustainability. In order to study the dynamic response of this novel masonry structure under debris flow, finite element models of different masonry structures were established by means of LS-DYNA software. The responses of this novel structure and other traditional structures were calculated and compared when the rock of debris flow hits the center of the wall. Results showed that the out-of-plane stiffness of the impacted wall with cross braces was enhanced in this novel structure, leading to an increased resistance to the impact of debris flow more effectively. Furthermore, braces were able to stop rocks in the debris flow and dissipate the corresponding energy through deformation. These braces also improved anti-collapse capabilities, leading to an increase in the safety of people’s lives and properties. This novel structure is a response to national policies and plans, which plays an active role in promoting sustainable development of society. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Building Simulation and Resilience of Buildings to Extreme Weather Events)

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Open AccessReview Recycling of Rolling Stocks

by Rafael Favoretto Silva and Sakdirat Kaewunruen

Environments 2017, 4(2), 39; doi:10.3390/environments4020039

Received: 1 April 2017 / Revised: 12 May 2017 / Accepted: 14 May 2017 / Published: 25 May 2017

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Abstract

This review paper highlights feasible and practicable approaches for managing end-of-life rolling stocks. It aims to promote and enable sustainable procurement policy for rolling stocks. Firstly, it demonstrates that modern rolling stocks can potentially gain the environmental benefits since almost all of their

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This review paper highlights feasible and practicable approaches for managing end-of-life rolling stocks. It aims to promote and enable sustainable procurement policy for rolling stocks. Firstly, it demonstrates that modern rolling stocks can potentially gain the environmental benefits since almost all of their materials used in the rolling stock manufacturing can be recycled and reused. In this study, a brief definition and concept of various train types are introduced and discussed, accompanied by some demonstrative illustrations. Then, component analyses, recovery rates and percent proportion of each material in various rolling stock assemblies have been evaluated. The estimation of material quantities that can potentially be recycled has been carried out using industry data sources. The suitable management procedures for end-of-life rail vehicles are then discussed, together with the life cycle of the key materials in which the recyclability criteria take into account the environmental risks and the best and safest approaches to deal with them. The aim of this study is to increase the awareness of the public, train manufacturers and rail industries on the benefits to the environment from rolling stock recycling, which could result in sustainable society and urban livings. Full article

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Open AccessArticle The Use of Molluscan Fauna as Model Taxon for the Ecological Classification of River Estuaries

by Rei Itsukushima, Kai Morita and Yukihiro Shimatani

Water 2017, 9(5), 356; doi:10.3390/w9050356

Received: 21 March 2017 / Revised: 5 May 2017 / Accepted: 9 May 2017 / Published: 18 May 2017

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Abstract

River estuaries are important aquatic environments characterized by large environmental gradients in their water quality, riverbed material, and microtopography in the longitudinal and transverse directions. The geography or habitats in river estuaries differ depending on the energy from the tide, waves, and river;

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River estuaries are important aquatic environments characterized by large environmental gradients in their water quality, riverbed material, and microtopography in the longitudinal and transverse directions. The geography or habitats in river estuaries differ depending on the energy from the tide, waves, and river; therefore, the biota inhabiting river estuaries vary depending on the river estuary type. In view of this, for effective conservation in river estuaries, there is a need for information about potential habitats and biota based on objective data about the river estuary type. The objective of this study thus was to classify river estuaries by their molluscan fauna and physical indicators to reveal the relationship between molluscan fauna and the physical environment. The classification results using physical indicators indicated three types of river estuaries (wave energy-dominated group, tide energy-dominated group, and low tide and wave energy group). This classification result was similar to the classification of molluscan fauna. Therefore, it was suggested that molluscan fauna is extremely useful as a variable representing the river estuary environment. From the comparison between molluscan fauna and the physical environment, some rivers were not classified into the same group in the classification of molluscan fauna, despite them having similar physical environments. Some of these rivers with a molluscan fauna that diverged from expectations had undergone channel modification, which is expected to have caused a shift in this fauna group. These results suggest that this approach could be used to identify rivers that have been degraded by human activities. Full article

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Open AccessArticle Sex Work and the Politics of Space: Case Studies of Sex Workers in Argentina and Ecuador

by Jessica Van Meir

Soc. Sci. 2017, 6(2), 42; doi:10.3390/socsci6020042

Received: 21 February 2017 / Revised: 5 April 2017 / Accepted: 11 April 2017 / Published: 19 April 2017

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Abstract

While many studies examine how different legal approaches to prostitution affect sex workers’ living and working conditions, few studies analyze how sex workers’ physical workspaces and the policies regulating these spaces influence sex work conditions. Based on interviews with 109 current or former

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While many studies examine how different legal approaches to prostitution affect sex workers’ living and working conditions, few studies analyze how sex workers’ physical workspaces and the policies regulating these spaces influence sex work conditions. Based on interviews with 109 current or former sex workers, 13 civil society representatives, 12 government officials, and 5 other actors in Ecuador and Argentina, this study describes sex workers’ uses of urban space in the two countries and compares how they experience and respond to government regulation of locations of prostitution. Argentina and Ecuador took different approaches to regulating sex work space, which appear to reflect different political ideologies towards prostitution. Sex workers expressed different individual preferences for spaces, and government limitation of these spaces represented one of their major concerns. The results illuminate how sex workers’ workspaces influence their working conditions and suggest that governments should consider sex worker preferences in establishing policies that affect their workspaces. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sex Workers’ Rights: Looking toward the Future)

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Open AccessArticle A Networked Sensor System for the Analysis of Plot-Scale Hydrology

by German Villalba, Fernando Plaza, Xiaoyang Zhong, Tyler W. Davis, Miguel Navarro, Yimei Li, Thomas A. Slater, Yao Liang and Xu Liang

Sensors 2017, 17(3), 636; doi:10.3390/s17030636

Received: 18 November 2016 / Revised: 6 March 2017 / Accepted: 10 March 2017 / Published: 20 March 2017

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Abstract

This study presents the latest updates to the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania (ASWP) testbed, a $50,000 USD, 104-node outdoor multi-hop wireless sensor network (WSN). The network collects environmental data from over 240 sensors, including the EC-5, MPS-1 and MPS-2 soil moisture and

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This study presents the latest updates to the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania (ASWP) testbed, a $50,000 USD, 104-node outdoor multi-hop wireless sensor network (WSN). The network collects environmental data from over 240 sensors, including the EC-5, MPS-1 and MPS-2 soil moisture and soil water potential sensors and self-made sap flow sensors, across a heterogeneous deployment comprised of MICAz, IRIS and TelosB wireless motes. A low-cost sensor board and software driver was developed for communicating with the analog and digital sensors. Innovative techniques (e.g., balanced energy efficient routing and heterogeneous over-the-air mote reprogramming) maintained high success rates (>96%) and enabled effective software updating, throughout the large-scale heterogeneous WSN. The edaphic properties monitored by the network showed strong agreement with data logger measurements and were fitted to pedotransfer functions for estimating local soil hydraulic properties. Furthermore, sap flow measurements, scaled to tree stand transpiration, were found to be at or below potential evapotranspiration estimates. While outdoor WSNs still present numerous challenges, the ASWP testbed proves to be an effective and (relatively) low-cost environmental monitoring solution and represents a step towards developing a platform for monitoring and quantifying statistically relevant environmental parameters from large-scale network deployments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sensors for Environmental Monitoring 2016)

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Open AccessFeature PaperArticle Ultrasonic Techniques for Air Void Size Distribution and Property Evaluation in Both Early-Age and Hardened Concrete Samples

by Shuaicheng Guo, Qingli Dai, Xiao Sun, Ye Sun and Zhen Liu

Appl. Sci. 2017, 7(3), 290; doi:10.3390/app7030290

Received: 19 January 2017 / Revised: 6 March 2017 / Accepted: 8 March 2017 / Published: 16 March 2017

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Abstract

Entrained air voids can improve the freeze-thaw durability of concrete, and also affect its mechanical and transport properties. Therefore, it is important to measure the air void structure and understand its influence on concrete performance for quality control. This paper aims to measure

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Entrained air voids can improve the freeze-thaw durability of concrete, and also affect its mechanical and transport properties. Therefore, it is important to measure the air void structure and understand its influence on concrete performance for quality control. This paper aims to measure air void structure evolution at both early-age and hardened stages with the ultrasonic technique, and evaluates its influence on concrete properties. Three samples with different air entrainment agent content were specially prepared. The air void structure was determined with optimized inverse analysis by achieving the minimum error between experimental and theoretical attenuation. The early-age sample measurement showed that the air void content with the whole size range slightly decreases with curing time. The air void size distribution of hardened samples (at Day 28) was compared with American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) C457 test results. The air void size distribution with different amount of air entrainment agent was also favorably compared. In addition, the transport property, compressive strength, and dynamic modulus of concrete samples were also evaluated. The concrete transport decreased with the curing age, which is in accordance with the air void shrinkage. The correlation between the early-age strength development and hardened dynamic modulus with the ultrasonic parameters was also evaluated. The existence of clustered air voids in the Interfacial Transition Zone (ITZ) area was found to cause severe compressive strength loss. The results indicated that this developed ultrasonic technique has potential in air void size distribution measurement, and demonstrated the influence of air void structure evolution on concrete properties during both early-age and hardened stages. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Asphalt Materials and Paving Technologies)

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Open AccessArticle High Biodiversity of Green Infrastructure Does Not Contribute to Recreational Ecosystem Services

by Daria Sikorska, Piotr Sikorski and Richard James Hopkins

Sustainability 2017, 9(3), 334; doi:10.3390/su9030334

Received: 31 December 2016 / Revised: 17 February 2017 / Accepted: 20 February 2017 / Published: 24 February 2017

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Abstract

Urban lakes, especially those of natural origin, provide ecosystem services, recreation being one of the most important and highly valued by city dwellers. Fulfilling the needs of city residents to relax and have contact with nature has become a priority in urbanized areas

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Urban lakes, especially those of natural origin, provide ecosystem services, recreation being one of the most important and highly valued by city dwellers. Fulfilling the needs of city residents to relax and have contact with nature has become a priority in urbanized areas and has been proven to positively affect people’s health and well-being. The recreational potential of water bodies was identified to be the most important aspect of ecosystem services to the residents of the neighboring areas. An assessment of recreational ecosystem services (RES) provisioning to society based on the real time spent by the citizens and housing values in the urban–rural gradient revealed that the economic benefits of lakes differ in urbanized, suburban and rural landscapes. The growth of cities has led to an increased population density in the surroundings of ecologically valuable areas, resulting in higher pressure from visitors seeking recreational areas. Along with urbanization, the impoverishment of ecosystem functions takes place, limiting their capability to provide ecosystem services. In this work, the provisioning of recreational ecosystem services of 28 floodplain lakes located along the urban–rural gradient of the Warsaw agglomeration was assessed. The relationship between the ecological value of the water bodies, measured using naturalness indices, and the recreational ecosystem services they can provide was assessed. The results showed that the floodplain lakes located along the urban–rural gradient are of great importance to the citizens due to their recreational potential. The provisioning of recreational ecosystem services is poorly connected with the ecological characteristics of the floodplain lakes. Only hemeroby was significantly correlated with provisioning, and there was no relationship with factors such as naturalness of vegetation or water quality, demonstrating that public preference was not generally influenced by high ecological quality. These data should be available to potential buyers and be integrated in spatial planning management plans in order to shape future housing policy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Maintaining Ecosystem Services to Support Urban Needs)

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Open AccessArticle Resources and Rules of the Game: Participation of Civil Society in REDD+ and FLEGT‐VPA Processes in Lao PDR

by Irmeli Mustalahti, Mathias Cramm, Sabaheta Ramcilovic‐Suominen and Yitagesu T. Tegegne

Forests 2017, 8(2), 50; doi:10.3390/f8020050

Received: 31 October 2016 / Accepted: 14 February 2017 / Published: 21 February 2017

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Abstract

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) aims to achieve its purpose by working across multiple sectors and involving multilevel actors in reducing deforestation and forest degradation in tropical countries. By contrast, the European Union (EU) Action Plan on Forest Law Enforcement,

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Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) aims to achieve its purpose by working across multiple sectors and involving multilevel actors in reducing deforestation and forest degradation in tropical countries. By contrast, the European Union (EU) Action Plan on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) and its Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs) focus on forestry and functions at a bilateral state level. The FLEGT Action Plan specifically aims to tackle illegal logging and improve forest governance in countries exporting tropical timber to the EU. Since illegal logging is just one driver of forest degradation, and legalisation of logging does not necessarily reduce deforestation and forest degradation, the two instruments differ in scope. However, by addressing the causes of forest degradation and their underlying governance issues, the FLEGT VPAs and REDD+ share many functional linkages at higher levels of forest policy and forest governance. The contribution and participation of civil society organisations (CSOs) and other actors are imperative to both processes. Our study is based on a survey of key actors (national and international) in REDD+ and FLEGT VPA processes in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). Our analysis was guided by the theoretical perspectives of the policy arrangement approach and examination of two specific dimensions of this approach, namely resources and rules of the game. This paper argues that participation of CSOs in both processes is crucial because it facilitates and nurtures much needed cooperation between other national and international actors. The paper concludes that participation of CSOs could bring valuable information and knowledge into REDD+ and FLEGT VPA processes, thus contributing to increased legitimacy, justice and transparency. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue REDD+: Politics, Interplays and Impacts)

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Open AccessFeature PaperArticle New Interdisciplinary Spaces of Religions and Beliefs in Contemporary Thought and Practice: An Analysis

by Christopher Baker and Adam Dinham

Religions 2017, 8(2), 16; doi:10.3390/rel8020016

Received: 11 November 2016 / Revised: 3 January 2017 / Accepted: 5 January 2017 / Published: 24 January 2017

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Abstract

This article is rooted in the observation that the 21st century has witnessed a resurgent interest in and a new visibility of religions and beliefs across a range of arts, humanities and social science disciplines, some of which have always focused on religions

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This article is rooted in the observation that the 21st century has witnessed a resurgent interest in and a new visibility of religions and beliefs across a range of arts, humanities and social science disciplines, some of which have always focused on religions and beliefs, others are returning to it, while some have no previous tradition of doing so. The article reports on an analysis of these new spaces of interest in religions and beliefs, undertaken through semi-structured interviews with eighteen landmark figures in the study of religion internationally. Points of connection, disconnection and innovation are explored, and the concept of liminality is deployed to explore how understandings of religion, belief and the secular are in a process of being re-imagined within academic disciplines. By considering new thresholds and debates as they are emerging, the article concludes that there are opportunities to research and conceive of the role of religions and beliefs as an interdisciplinary exercise, which are yet to be addressed and which reflect the need to re-imagine how religions and beliefs are broadly conceived and how different disciplines engage with each other. Full article

Open AccessArticle The Climate Change-Road Safety-Economy Nexus: A System Dynamics Approach to Understanding Complex Interdependencies

by Mehdi Alirezaei, Nuri C. Onat, Omer Tatari and Mohamed Abdel-Aty

Systems 2017, 5(1), 6; doi:10.3390/systems5010006

Received: 2 August 2016 / Revised: 2 January 2017 / Accepted: 10 January 2017 / Published: 23 January 2017

Abstract

Road accidents have the highest externality costs to society and to the economy, even when compared to the externality damages associated with air emissions and oil dependency. Road safety is one of the most complicated topics, which involves many interdependencies, and so, a

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Road accidents have the highest externality costs to society and to the economy, even when compared to the externality damages associated with air emissions and oil dependency. Road safety is one of the most complicated topics, which involves many interdependencies, and so, a sufficiently thorough analysis of roadway safety will require a novel system-based approach in which the associated feedback relationships and causal effects are given appropriate consideration. The factors affecting accident frequency and severity are highly dependent on economic parameters, environmental factors and weather conditions. In this study, we try to use a system dynamics modeling approach to model the climate change-road safety-economy nexus, thereby investigating the complex interactions among these important areas by tracking how they affect each other over time. For this purpose, five sub-models are developed to model each aspect of the overall nexus and to interact with each other to simulate the overall system. As a result, this comprehensive model can provide a platform for policy makers to test the effectiveness of different policy scenarios to reduce the negative consequences of traffic accidents and improve road safety. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Current State-of-the-Art of System Dynamics Modelling and Simulation)

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Open AccessArticle A Dominant Voice amidst Not Enough People: Analysing the Legitimacy of Mexico’s REDD+ Readiness Process

by Jovanka Špirić, Esteve Corbera, Victoria Reyes-García and Luciana Porter-Bolland

Forests 2016, 7(12), 313; doi:10.3390/f7120313

Received: 28 September 2016 / Revised: 11 November 2016 / Accepted: 30 November 2016 / Published: 10 December 2016

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Abstract

In the development of national governance systems for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+), countries struggle with ensuring that decision-making processes include a variety of actors (i.e., input legitimacy) and represent their diverse views in REDD+ policy documents (i.e., output legitimacy).

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In the development of national governance systems for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+), countries struggle with ensuring that decision-making processes include a variety of actors (i.e., input legitimacy) and represent their diverse views in REDD+ policy documents (i.e., output legitimacy). We examine these two dimensions of legitimacy using Mexico’s REDD+ readiness process during a four-year period (2011–2014) as a case study. To identify REDD+ actors and how they participate in decision-making we used a stakeholder analysis; to assess actors’ views and the extent to which these views are included in the country’s official REDD+ documents we conducted a discourse analysis. We found low level of input legitimacy in so far as that the federal government environment agencies concentrate most decision-making power and key land-use sectors and local people’s representatives are absent in decision-making forums. We also observed that the REDD+ discourse held by government agencies and both multilateral and international conservation organisations is dominant in policy documents, while the other two identified discourses, predominantly supported by national and civil society organisations and the academia, are partly, or not at all, reflected in such documents. We argue that Mexico’s REDD+ readiness process should become more inclusive, decentralised, and better coordinated to allow for the deliberation and institutionalisation of different actors’ ideas in REDD+ design. Our analysis and recommendations are relevant to other countries in the global South embarking on REDD+ design and implementation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue REDD+: Politics, Interplays and Impacts)

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Open AccessArticle Who Leads Advocacy through Social Media in Japan? Evidence from the “Tsukuba Civic Activities Cyber-Square” Facebook Page

by Sae Okura and Muneo Kaigo

Information 2016, 7(4), 66; doi:10.3390/info7040066

Received: 2 September 2016 / Revised: 20 October 2016 / Accepted: 3 November 2016 / Published: 9 November 2016

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Abstract

Although the importance of advocacy activities by civil society organizations (CSOs) in policy and decision-making procedures has been greatly emphasized in the literature of political science and social policy, we have relatively little understanding of the relevance and impact of the leading actors

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Although the importance of advocacy activities by civil society organizations (CSOs) in policy and decision-making procedures has been greatly emphasized in the literature of political science and social policy, we have relatively little understanding of the relevance and impact of the leading actors who structure the diverse networks and discourses through social media; further recognition is needed in both fields. The purpose of this study is to analyze civil society organizations at the local government level involved in advocacy activities through the use of social media such as Facebook and Twitter. Our study focuses on a specific Japanese Facebook community page—the “Tsukuba Civic Activities Cyber-Square”—aimed at enhancing civil society activities in Japan. This page is operated by the municipal government of Tsukuba, in collaboration with the University of Tsukuba and Intel Corporation. Our findings indicate that social networking services such as Facebook can provide civil society organizations with: (1) more political opportunities to advocate; (2) more chances to connect with the local government; and (3) create opportunities to exert greater presence, despite their limited financial and political resources. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Citizenship and Participation)

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Open AccessArticle Environmental Impact Assessment of a School Building in Iceland Using LCA-Including the Effect of Long Distance Transport of Materials

by Nargessadat Emami, Björn Marteinsson and Jukka Heinonen

Buildings 2016, 6(4), 46; doi:10.3390/buildings6040046

Received: 23 August 2016 / Revised: 20 October 2016 / Accepted: 24 October 2016 / Published: 1 November 2016

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Abstract

Buildings are the key components of urban areas and society as a complex system. A life cycle assessment was applied to estimate the environmental impacts of the resources applied in the building envelope, floor slabs, and interior walls of the Vættaskóli-Engi building in

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Buildings are the key components of urban areas and society as a complex system. A life cycle assessment was applied to estimate the environmental impacts of the resources applied in the building envelope, floor slabs, and interior walls of the Vættaskóli-Engi building in Reykjavik, Iceland. The scope of this study included four modules of extraction and transportation of raw material to the manufacturing site, production of the construction materials, and transport to the building site, as described in the standard EN 15804. The total environmental effects of the school building in terms of global warming potential, ozone depletion potential, human toxicity, acidification, and eutrophication were calculated. The total global warming potential impact was equal to 255 kg of CO₂ eq/sqm, which was low compared to previous studies and was due to the limited system boundary of the current study. The effect of long-distance overseas transport of materials was noticeable in terms of acidification (25%) and eutrophication (31%) while it was negligible in other impact groups. The results also concluded that producing the cement in Iceland caused less environmental impact in all five impact categories compared to the case in which the cement was imported from Germany. The major contribution of this work is that the environmental impacts of different plans for domestic production or import of construction materials to Iceland can be precisely assessed in order to identify effective measures to move towards a sustainable built environment in Iceland, and also to provide consistent insights for stakeholders. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Impact of Buildings—Linking Impacts and Tools)

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Open AccessReview Modes and Approaches of Groundwater Governance: A Survey of Lessons Learned from Selected Cases across the Globe

by Robert G. Varady, Adriana A. Zuniga-Teran, Andrea K. Gerlak and Sharon B. Megdal

Water 2016, 8(10), 417; doi:10.3390/w8100417

Received: 12 May 2016 / Revised: 2 September 2016 / Accepted: 18 September 2016 / Published: 23 September 2016

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Abstract

The crucial role of groundwater and the centrality of water governance in accommodating growing water demands sustainably are becoming well recognized. We review 10 case studies of groundwater governance—representing diverse global regions and local contexts—from the perspective of four well-established elements: (1) institutional

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The crucial role of groundwater and the centrality of water governance in accommodating growing water demands sustainably are becoming well recognized. We review 10 case studies of groundwater governance—representing diverse global regions and local contexts—from the perspective of four well-established elements: (1) institutional setting; (2) availability and access to information and science; (3) robustness of civil society; and (4) economic and regulatory frameworks. For institutional setting, we find that governing is often a thankless task that paradoxically requires popularity; legislation does not always translate to implementation; conflict resolution is central to governance; and funding is critical for governance. In terms of information access, we see: a need for research for natural systems, social systems, and institutions; trust as an essential element in research; and that urbanized landscapes are critical components of groundwater governance. Looking at civil society robustness, we observe that equity is an essential element for governance; community-based governance requires intention; and leaders can play a powerful role in uniting stakeholders. As for frameworks, the cases suggest that economic incentives sometimes yield unintended results; “indirect” management should be used cautiously; and economic incentives’ effectiveness depends on the system employed. Collectively, the lessons speak to the need for shared governance capacities on the part of governments at multiple levels and civil society actors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water Governance, Stakeholder Engagement, and Sustainable Water Resources Management) Printed Edition available

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Open AccessArticle The Cosmopolitan Future: A Feminist Approach

by Sylvie Fogiel-Bijaoui

Laws 2016, 5(3), 34; doi:10.3390/laws5030034

Received: 18 March 2016 / Revised: 4 August 2016 / Accepted: 11 August 2016 / Published: 19 August 2016

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Abstract

This study questions the “clash of civilizations” thesis. Referring to the cosmopolitanization process as defined by Beck and Sznaider (2010), I analyze the cosmopolitanization of feminism, that is, the gradual recognition of “the others’ others”, the women, through the evolution of their political

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This study questions the “clash of civilizations” thesis. Referring to the cosmopolitanization process as defined by Beck and Sznaider (2010), I analyze the cosmopolitanization of feminism, that is, the gradual recognition of “the others’ others”, the women, through the evolution of their political rights—the right to elect and be elected—at a global level. In this context, the descriptive representation of women, their substantive representation, and their voices within civil society in the North and the South highlight the fact that feminism is undergoing a process of cosmopolitanization, albeit in a slow and sporadic way. I present this argument from a postcolonial feminist perspective and base my research on NGOs’ data and on data provided by the Inter-Parliamentary Union and UN-Women. First, I analyze the cosmpolitanization process as applied to feminism. Then, following Beck and Sznaider (2010), I describe how this process is articulated ‘from above’ (top-down cosmopolitanization), referring to electoral data from around the world and to international law. Further, I relate to the cosmopolitanization of feminism ‘from below’, referring to feminist theories, cyberfeminism and the global civil/feminist society. In conclusion, I discuss the common future of feminism and cosmopolitanism. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Public Law - Engendering Equality)

Open AccessArticle The Death of Democracy and the Forces of Power and Control: The Case of Europe

by Theo Gavrielides

Soc. Sci. 2016, 5(3), 42; doi:10.3390/socsci5030042

Received: 24 March 2016 / Revised: 1 August 2016 / Accepted: 8 August 2016 / Published: 11 August 2016

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Abstract

At the time of writing, the United Kingdom is grabbling with its decision to abandon its European Union membership. As the country is divided and hate incidents are increased by almost 50%, this think-piece presents a critical analysis of Europe’s missed opportunity for

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At the time of writing, the United Kingdom is grabbling with its decision to abandon its European Union membership. As the country is divided and hate incidents are increased by almost 50%, this think-piece presents a critical analysis of Europe’s missed opportunity for social justice. The paper presents evidence by analysing the civil and political rights jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights in order to explore the potential of what it calls the “human rights project” for a regional democracy. The paper shows that a key objective of the European Convention of Human Rights was the development of case law that would construct a regional democracy for bringing consistency in the enjoyment of civil and political rights across the continent. This “human rights project” was well underway, but is now hampered by contemporary forces of power and control that are ridiculing the work and status of the Council of Europe. The paper identifies three levers that move these forces, namely: financial and security terror as well as nationalism. The paper warns that if these forces are not managed, the backlash in social justice will continue while the human rights project for a regional democracy will come to its demise. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Backlash: Contemporary Obstructions to Social Justice)

Open AccessArticle NGO-Ization and Human Rights Law: The CRPD’s Civil Society Mandate

by Stephen Meyers

Laws 2016, 5(2), 21; doi:10.3390/laws5020021

Received: 21 March 2016 / Revised: 1 May 2016 / Accepted: 6 May 2016 / Published: 11 May 2016

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Abstract

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) is unique among international human rights instruments for including a “civil society mandate”. Within the convention, disabled persons organizations (DPOs) are identified as having the responsibility to “be involved and participate fully in

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The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) is unique among international human rights instruments for including a “civil society mandate”. Within the convention, disabled persons organizations (DPOs) are identified as having the responsibility to “be involved and participate fully in the monitoring process” of the CRPD. In response to this mandate, international funders, NGOs (non-governmental organizations), and networks committed to the CPRD have begun to implement capacity-building programs that target grassroots DPOs with the goal of ensuring they become advocates and monitors of the CRPD. While the goals of these capacity-building programs are admirable, they must be critically assessed. The NGO-ization theory within development studies offers a framework for analyzing the potential unintended consequences of donors providing new funding, NGOs providing training, and global networks integrating local partners. NGO-ization studies have identified how grassroots associations are co-opted by outside actors through formalization and professionalization processes that significantly alter local groups and alienate members, thus making those associations less representative and less responsive to local needs and interests. Human rights scholars and international organizations focused on the CRPD should incorporate an NGO-ization perspective into their research and project-implementation to ensure that grassroots voices are heard and local needs addressed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Disability Human Rights Law) Printed Edition available

Open AccessReview Review of CFD Guidelines for Dispersion Modeling

by Robert Meroney, Ryohji Ohba, Bernd Leitl, Hiroaki Kondo, David Grawe and Yoshihide Tominaga

Fluids 2016, 1(2), 14; doi:10.3390/fluids1020014

Received: 15 February 2016 / Revised: 30 March 2016 / Accepted: 21 April 2016 / Published: 5 May 2016

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Abstract

This is the review of CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) guidelines for dispersion modeling in the USA, Japan and Germany. Most parts of this review are based on the short report of the special meeting on CFD Guidelines held at the International Symposium on

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This is the review of CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) guidelines for dispersion modeling in the USA, Japan and Germany. Most parts of this review are based on the short report of the special meeting on CFD Guidelines held at the International Symposium on Computational Wind Engineering (CWE2014), University of Hamburg, June 2014. The objective of this meeting was to introduce and discuss the action program to make worldwide guidelines of CFD gas-dispersion modeling. The following six gas-dispersion guidelines including Verification and Validation (V&V) schemes are introduced by each author; (1) US CFD guidelines; (2) COST/ES1006; (3) German VDI (Verein Deutscher Ingenieure) guidelines; (4) Atomic Energy Society of Japan; (5) Japan Society of Atmospheric Environment; (6) Architectural Institute of Japan. All guidelines were summarized in the same format table shown in the main chapters in order to compare them with each other. In addition to the summary of guidelines, the overview of V&V schemes and many guidelines of CFD modeling in the USA are explained. Full article

Open AccessArticle Sustainability of Social Housing in Asia: A Holistic Multi-Perspective Development Process for Bamboo-Based Construction in the Philippines

by Corinna Salzer, Holger Wallbaum, Luis Felipe Lopez and Jean Luc Kouyoumji

Sustainability 2016, 8(2), 151; doi:10.3390/su8020151

Received: 30 November 2015 / Accepted: 26 January 2016 / Published: 6 February 2016

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Abstract

This paper highlights the need for a more inclusive and sustainable development of social housing in rapidly developing countries of Asia, Latin America, and Africa. At the example of the Philippines, a multi-perspective development process for a bamboo-based building system is developed. Sustainability

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This paper highlights the need for a more inclusive and sustainable development of social housing in rapidly developing countries of Asia, Latin America, and Africa. At the example of the Philippines, a multi-perspective development process for a bamboo-based building system is developed. Sustainability Assessment Criteria are defined through literature review, field observations and interviews with three stakeholder clusters: (1) Builders and users of traditional bamboo houses in the Philippines; (2) Stakeholders involved in using forest products for housing in other countries around the world; and (3) Stakeholders in the field of social housing in the Philippines. Through coding and sorting of data in a qualitative content analysis, 15 sustainability assessment criteria are identified clustered into the dimensions society, ecology, economy, governance, and technology. Guided by the sustainability criteria and four implementation strategies: (A) Research about and (B) Implementation of the building technology; (C) Participation and Capacity Building of Stakeholders; and (D) Sustainable Supply Chains, a strategic roadmap was created naming, in total, 28 action items. Through segmentation of the complex problem into these action items, the paper identifies one-dimensional methods leading to measurable, quantitative endpoints. In this way, qualitative stakeholder data is translated into quantitative methods, forming a pathway for a holistic assessment of the building technologies. A mid-point, multi-criteria, or pareto decision-making method comparing the 28 endpoints of the alternative to currently practiced conventional solutions is suggested as subject for further research. This framework paper is a contribution to how sustainable building practices can become more inclusive, incorporating the building stock of low-income dwellers. It bridges the gap between theoretical approach and practical applications of sustainability and underlines the strength of combining multi-dimensional development with stakeholder participation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards True Smart and Green Cities?)

Open AccessReview Environmental Chemical Assessment in Clinical Practice: Unveiling the Elephant in the Room

by Nicole Bijlsma and Marc M. Cohen

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2016, 13(2), 181; doi:10.3390/ijerph13020181

Received: 11 December 2015 / Revised: 19 January 2016 / Accepted: 27 January 2016 / Published: 2 February 2016

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Abstract

A growing body of evidence suggests chemicals present in air, water, soil, food, building materials and household products are toxicants that contribute to the many chronic diseases typically seen in routine medical practice. Yet, despite calls from numerous organisations to provide clinicians with

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A growing body of evidence suggests chemicals present in air, water, soil, food, building materials and household products are toxicants that contribute to the many chronic diseases typically seen in routine medical practice. Yet, despite calls from numerous organisations to provide clinicians with more training and awareness in environmental health, there are multiple barriers to the clinical assessment of toxic environmental exposures. Recent developments in the fields of systems biology, innovative breakthroughs in biomedical research encompassing the “-omics” fields, and advances in mobile sensing, peer-to-peer networks and big data, provide tools that future clinicians can use to assess environmental chemical exposures in their patients. There is also a need for concerted action at all levels, including actions by individual patients, clinicians, medical educators, regulators, government and non-government organisations, corporations and the wider civil society, to understand the “exposome” and minimise the extent of toxic exposures on current and future generations. Clinical environmental chemical risk assessment may provide a bridge between multiple disciplines that uses new technologies to herald in a new era in personalised medicine that unites clinicians, patients and civil society in the quest to understand and master the links between the environment and human health. Full article

Open AccessArticle “Reasonable Accommodation” and “Accessibility”: Human Rights Instruments Relating to Inclusion and Exclusion in the Labor Market

by Marianne Hirschberg and Christian Papadopoulos

Societies 2016, 6(1), 3; doi:10.3390/soc6010003

Received: 28 August 2015 / Revised: 23 December 2015 / Accepted: 6 January 2016 / Published: 16 January 2016

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Abstract

Ableism is a powerful social force that causes persons with disabilities to suffer exclusion. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) is based on the human rights principles of equality and freedom for all people. This Convention contains two

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Ableism is a powerful social force that causes persons with disabilities to suffer exclusion. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) is based on the human rights principles of equality and freedom for all people. This Convention contains two human rights instruments: the principle of accessibility and the means of reasonable accommodation, which can be used to protect the human rights of disabled persons. The extent to which they are used depends on whether the state implements the Convention adequately and whether companies accept their responsibility with respect to employing disabled persons and making workplaces available and designing them appropriately. Civil society can demand the adequate implementation of the human rights asserted in the CRPD and, thus, in national legislation, as well. A crucial point here is that only a state that has ratified the Convention is obliged to implement the Convention. Civil society has no obligation to do this, but has the right to participate in the implementation process (Art. 4 and Art. 33 CRPD). The Convention can play its part for disabled persons participating in the labor market without discrimination. If it is not implemented or not heeded sufficiently, the state must push this and put more effort into its implementation. If the state does not do this, this violates human rights and has direct consequences for the living conditions of disabled persons. The powerful ideological force of ableism then remains dominant and hampers or prevents the participation of persons with disabilities in the labor market and, thus, in society as a whole. Full article

(This article belongs to the collection Ability Expectation and Ableism Studies (Short Ability Studies))

Open AccessArticle Effects of Employees’ Work Values and Organizational Management on Corporate Performance for Chinese and Taiwanese Construction Enterprises

by Jeng-Wen Lin, Pu Fun Shen and Yin-Sung Hsu

Sustainability 2015, 7(12), 16836-16848; doi:10.3390/su71215852

Received: 20 July 2015 / Revised: 29 November 2015 / Accepted: 16 December 2015 / Published: 21 December 2015

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Abstract

Through questionnaire surveys, this study explored the discrepancies in work values and organizational management between employees and cadre members of construction enterprises on the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. Statistical methods including data reliability, regression analysis, and tests of significance were utilized

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Through questionnaire surveys, this study explored the discrepancies in work values and organizational management between employees and cadre members of construction enterprises on the two sides of the Taiwan Strait. Statistical methods including data reliability, regression analysis, and tests of significance were utilized for modelling a case study. The findings of this study included: (1) in terms of work values, employees from China focused on their lives “at present”, while those from Taiwan focused on their lives “in the future”, expecting to improve the quality of their lives later on through advanced studies and promotion; (2) according to the data obtained from the questionnaires, the answers regarding income and welfare in terms of work values and satisfaction were contradictory on the two sides of the Strait, which could be interpreted in terms of influence from society; and (3) there was a significant influence of organizational management on employees’ intentions to resign. If enterprises could improve current organizational management systems, their employees’ work attitudes would be improved and the tendency to resign would be reduced. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Business Models)

Open AccessArticle Microstructural Changes Due to Alkali-Silica Reaction during Standard Mortar Test

by Jun-Ho Shin, Leslie J. Struble and R. James Kirkpatrick

Materials 2015, 8(12), 8292-8303; doi:10.3390/ma8125450

Received: 5 August 2015 / Revised: 16 November 2015 / Accepted: 17 November 2015 / Published: 2 December 2015

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Abstract

The microstructural development of mortar bars with silica glass aggregate undergoing alkali-silica reaction (ASR) under the conditions of American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standard Test C1260 was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy and qualitative X-ray microanalysis. Cracking in the aggregate, the

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The microstructural development of mortar bars with silica glass aggregate undergoing alkali-silica reaction (ASR) under the conditions of American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standard Test C1260 was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy and qualitative X-ray microanalysis. Cracking in the aggregate, the hydrated paste, and the paste-aggregate interface was important in the development of the microstructure. Cracks were characterized according to their location, their relationship to other cracks, and whether they are filled with ASR gel. Expansion of the bars was approximately 1% at 12 days and 2% at 53 days. They fell apart by 63 days. The bars contained two zones, an inner region that was undergoing ASR and an outer and much more highly damaged zone that extended further inward over time. Evidence of ASR was present even during the period when specimens were immersed in water, prior to immersion in NaOH solution. Full article

Open AccessArticle Environmental Entitlements: Institutional Influence on Mangrove Social-Ecological Systems in Northern Vietnam

by Steven E. Orchard, Lindsay C. Stringer and Claire H. Quinn

Resources 2015, 4(4), 903-938; doi:10.3390/resources4040903

Received: 29 September 2015 / Accepted: 23 November 2015 / Published: 30 November 2015

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Abstract

Environment and development issues are complex and interdependent. Institutions underpinning state, private sector and civil society actions at various levels must address complexity to ensure social-ecological system integrity. However, responses often operate at only one governance level, with limited interactions with other levels,

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Environment and development issues are complex and interdependent. Institutions underpinning state, private sector and civil society actions at various levels must address complexity to ensure social-ecological system integrity. However, responses often operate at only one governance level, with limited interactions with other levels, restricting their ability to support communities who depend on natural resources for their livelihoods. This paper explores institutional factors influencing household entitlements to mangrove system provisioning goods on Vietnam’s northern coast. The environmental entitlements framework is used to identify: (1) current formal and informal institutional structures relating to mangrove systems; (2) the influence of state, private sector and non-governmental organisation actors at various levels; and (3) how actions occurring at and among various levels of governance shape mangrove system entitlements at the local level. Employing a case study approach, this research utilises qualitative methods and a multi-level governance approach to understand prevailing institutional contexts. Results indicate that reforms occurring within weak regulatory frameworks led to the concentration of power at the meso level, reducing the endowments of marginalized households. Market forces facilitated inequality and environmental degradation, negatively impacting household entitlements. Finally, a lack of formally recognised civil society constrained household capabilities to participate in mangrove planning. Mangrove dependent households must be integrated into mangrove planning at the local level, as processes at higher institutional levels affect household environmental entitlements and threaten sustainable outcomes. Ensuring views from the local level feed into the multi-level governance process is vital. Full article

Open AccessArticle From Anti-Pollution to Climate Change Risk Movement: Reshaping Civic Epistemology

by Kuei Tien Chou

Sustainability 2015, 7(11), 14574-14596; doi:10.3390/su71114574

Received: 9 June 2015 / Revised: 22 October 2015 / Accepted: 28 October 2015 / Published: 30 October 2015

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Abstract

From the perspective of reflexive governance, this study probes into the transformative capacity and roles of government and civil society, and aims to determine how the authoritative developmental neo-liberalism state was challenged by civil society in democratization from the end of the 1980s,

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From the perspective of reflexive governance, this study probes into the transformative capacity and roles of government and civil society, and aims to determine how the authoritative developmental neo-liberalism state was challenged by civil society in democratization from the end of the 1980s, when it encountered a crisis of governance legitimacy. By analyzing the anti-petrochemical movement of the recent two decades, this paper recognizes the important historic line, and proposes that without innovative governance, a regime of expert politics with hidden and delayed risk will result in higher degrees of mistrust and confrontational positions by the public. In contrast to the government, local and civil societies are growing through the anti-pollution appeals of simple group protests into systematic and robust civic knowledge and strategic action. By administrative, legislative, judicial, and risk statement paths, such strategic mobilizations break through authoritative expert politics and reshape new civic epistemology. The process of reflexive governance is extremely radical. When two parties cannot commit to dealing with a high degree of mistrust, they will not be able to manage the more dramatic threat of climate change. Fundamentally speaking, a robust civil society will be an important driving power competing with government, in terms of constructing innovative governance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability Strategies to Adapt to Climate Change)

Open AccessArticle Critical Data Source; Tool or Even Infrastructure? Challenges of Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing for Disaster Risk Governance

by Alexander Fekete, Katerina Tzavella, Iuliana Armas, Jane Binner, Matthias Garschagen, Carlo Giupponi, Vahid Mojtahed, Marcello Pettita, Stefan Schneiderbauer and Damien Serre

ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 2015, 4(4), 1848-1869; doi:10.3390/ijgi4041848

Received: 17 June 2015 / Revised: 31 August 2015 / Accepted: 11 September 2015 / Published: 24 September 2015

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Abstract

Disaster risk information is spatial in nature and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) play an important key role by the services they provide to society. In this context, to risk management and governance, in general, and to civil protection, specifically

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Disaster risk information is spatial in nature and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) play an important key role by the services they provide to society. In this context, to risk management and governance, in general, and to civil protection, specifically (termed differently in many countries, and includes, for instance: civil contingencies in the UK, homeland security in the USA, disaster risk reduction at the UN level). The main impetus of this article is to summarize key contributions and challenges in utilizing and accepting GIS and RS methods and data for disaster risk governance, which includes public bodies, but also risk managers in industry and practitioners in search and rescue organizations. The article analyzes certain method developments, such as vulnerability indicators, crowdsourcing, and emerging concepts, such as Volunteered Geographic Information, but also investigates the potential of the topic Critical Infrastructure as it could be applied on spatial assets and GIS and RS itself. Intended to stimulate research on new and emerging fields, this article’s main contribution is to move spatial research toward a more reflective stance where opportunities and challenges are equally and transparently addressed in order to gain more scientific quality. As a conclusion, GIS and RS can play a pivotal role not just in delivering data but also in connecting and analyzing data in a more integrative, holistic way. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geoinformation for Disaster Risk Management)

Open AccessArticle Leasehold: An Institutional Framework for Understanding Nonprofit Governance in a Civil Society Context

by Martin M. Greller

Adm. Sci. 2015, 5(3), 165-176; doi:10.3390/admsci5030165

Received: 20 June 2015 / Accepted: 18 September 2015 / Published: 23 September 2015

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Abstract

Nonprofit organizations play a role in the creation of a society that is civil, and it is an important one that neither the state nor for-profit organizations undertake. This raises the question of governance and accountability, which is often addressed by looking to

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Nonprofit organizations play a role in the creation of a society that is civil, and it is an important one that neither the state nor for-profit organizations undertake. This raises the question of governance and accountability, which is often addressed by looking to agency-based models from the private sector. The acknowledged problem is that the agency’s notion of owners does not translate well to nonprofits. Adapting the concept of leasehold (wherein the managers and organization operate with broad autonomy, using resources supplied by supporters in exchange for the promise that specific societal value will be created, and are accountable for doing so) allows for a more flexible and responsive arrangement. It also suggests a mechanism whereby many independent nonprofits taking multiple approaches help civil society evolve. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nonprofit Governance: Concepts, Visions, and Perspectives)

Open AccessArticle Recyclability of Concrete Pavement Incorporating High Volume of Fly Ash

by Isamu Yoshitake, Takeo Ishida and Sunao Fukumoto

Materials 2015, 8(8), 5479-5489; doi:10.3390/ma8085260

Received: 27 July 2015 / Revised: 14 August 2015 / Accepted: 17 August 2015 / Published: 21 August 2015

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Abstract

Recyclable concrete pavement was made from fly ash and crushed limestone sand and gravel as aggregates so that the concrete pavement could be recycled to raw materials for cement production. With the aim to use as much fly ash as possible for the

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Recyclable concrete pavement was made from fly ash and crushed limestone sand and gravel as aggregates so that the concrete pavement could be recycled to raw materials for cement production. With the aim to use as much fly ash as possible for the sustainable development of society, while achieving adequate strength development, pavement concrete having a cement-replacement ratio of 40% by mass was experimentally investigated, focusing on the strength development at an early age. Limestone powder was added to improve the early strength; flexural strength at two days reached 3.5 MPa, the minimum strength for traffic service in Japan. The matured fly ash concrete made with a cement content of 200 kg/m3 achieved a flexural strength almost equal to that of the control concrete without fly ash. Additionally, Portland cement made from the tested fly ash concrete was tested to confirm recyclability, with the cement quality meeting the Japanese classification of ordinary Portland cement. Limestone-based recyclable fly ash concrete pavement is, thus, a preferred material in terms of sustainability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Utilisation of By-Product Materials in Concrete)

Open AccessArticle Learning from the Co-operative Institutional Model: How to Enhance Organizational Robustness of Third Sector Organizations with More Pluralistic Forms of Governance

by Keith Taylor

Adm. Sci. 2015, 5(3), 148-164; doi:10.3390/admsci5030148

Received: 8 April 2015 / Revised: 22 July 2015 / Accepted: 11 August 2015 / Published: 14 August 2015

Abstract

Third sector organizations are oftentimes seen as contributing to a robust civil society. Yet the dominant modes of third sector organizational governance often adhere to a unitary orientation. The over-reliance on unitary modes of governance introduces two challenges: first, organizational stakeholders are kept

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Third sector organizations are oftentimes seen as contributing to a robust civil society. Yet the dominant modes of third sector organizational governance often adhere to a unitary orientation. The over-reliance on unitary modes of governance introduces two challenges: first, organizational stakeholders are kept from utilizing participatory mechanisms that would enable them to act as societal intermediaries, and; second, these organizations may underperform due to the artificial separation of stakeholders from participating in governance. This paper addresses calls to widen our knowledge by translating theory into practice through a discussion about the efficacy of pluralistic governance. The co-operative enterprise in introduced to focus analyses on pluralist modes of stakeholder governance. A specific co-operative’s governance structure and practice is introduced—Choctaw Electric Co-operative—through an archival analyses of secondary media accounts of a stakeholder-led reform initiative in rural Oklahoma. The Ostrom Design Principles—a diagnostic used to assess institutional robustness—are applied to demonstrate the shortsightedness of unitary governance, and highlight the potential benefits of pluralistic stakeholder engagement. Knowledge is widened in two ways: first, empirical analyses of co-operative enterprise may provide for significant insights and innovations in third sector governance, and; second proper systems of pluralistic governance exhibit enormous capacity to better orient the firm toward better serving the stakeholder base, improving performance and institutional robustness, while empowering stakeholders as societal intermediaries. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nonprofit Governance: Concepts, Visions, and Perspectives)

Open AccessArticle Novel Solution for Low-Lying Land Areas Safe from Natural Hazards—Toward Reconstruction of Lost Coastal Areas in Northeast Japan

by Toshio Nakajima and Motohiko Umeyama

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2015, 3(3), 520-538; doi:10.3390/jmse3030520

Received: 13 May 2015 / Accepted: 26 June 2015 / Published: 10 July 2015

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Abstract

The imminent fear of water-related hazards such as flooding hangs over low-lying areas, in particular now because climate changes have led to increased hazards, like storm surges, that could result in serious harm. This paper aims to provide a novel solution—namely “the floating

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The imminent fear of water-related hazards such as flooding hangs over low-lying areas, in particular now because climate changes have led to increased hazards, like storm surges, that could result in serious harm. This paper aims to provide a novel solution—namely “the floating platform”—that can transform dangerous low-lying areas into those safeguarded against potential hazards. Additionally, by utilizing this solution as a secure base for society to build atop this new artificial reservoir, we offer a better future role for such areas. Meanwhile, we propose adoption of our concept soon at two low-lying areas in northeast Japan hard-hit by the huge 11 March 2011 tsunami: Sendai’s Arahama coastal district and the still-devastated residential harbor area of Kesennuma, both cities in need of a fresh perspective. Full article

Open AccessArticle Numerical Study on Crack Propagation in Brittle Jointed Rock Mass Influenced by Fracture Water Pressure

by Yong Li, Hao Zhou, Weishen Zhu, Shucai Li and Jian Liu

Materials 2015, 8(6), 3364-3376; doi:10.3390/ma8063364

Received: 8 April 2015 / Revised: 23 May 2015 / Accepted: 3 June 2015 / Published: 9 June 2015

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Abstract

The initiation, propagation, coalescence and failure mode of brittle jointed rock mass influenced by fissure water pressure have always been studied as a hot issue in the society of rock mechanics and engineering. In order to analyze the damage evolution process of jointed

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The initiation, propagation, coalescence and failure mode of brittle jointed rock mass influenced by fissure water pressure have always been studied as a hot issue in the society of rock mechanics and engineering. In order to analyze the damage evolution process of jointed rock mass under fracture water pressure, a novel numerical model on the basis of secondary development in fast Lagrangian analysis of continua (FLAC3D) is proposed to simulate the fracture development of jointed rock mass under fracture water pressure. To validate the feasibility of this numerical model, the failure process of a numerical specimen under uniaxial compression containing pre-existing fissures is simulated and compared with the results obtained from the lab experiments, and they are found to be in good agreement. Meanwhile, the propagation of cracks, variations of stress and strain, peak strength and crack initiation principles are further analyzed. It is concluded that the fissure water has a significant reducing effect on the strength and stability of the jointed rock mass. Full article

Open AccessArticle Sustainable Civil-Society Engagement: Potentials of a Transnational Civil Society in French-German, Polish-German, and Czech-German Border Regions

by Klaus Boehnke, Susanne Rippl and Daniel Fuss

Sustainability 2015, 7(4), 4078-4099; doi:10.3390/su7044078

Received: 16 December 2014 / Revised: 31 March 2015 / Accepted: 2 April 2015 / Published: 8 April 2015

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Abstract

Based on representative survey data, the present study examines potentials for the sustainable development of a transnational civil society in French-German, Polish-German, and Czech-German border regions. The theoretical framework is a social capital approach in the tradition of Putnam. Transnational engagement is seen

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Based on representative survey data, the present study examines potentials for the sustainable development of a transnational civil society in French-German, Polish-German, and Czech-German border regions. The theoretical framework is a social capital approach in the tradition of Putnam. Transnational engagement is seen as a key element for the development of a border-crossing civil society. For the analysis, existing forms of social capital were classified according to their bridging and bonding functions and the potentials of local and transnational activities are described. Furthermore, using multilevel analysis, the predictive power of different variables like individual dispositions and specific contexts of the regions on cross-border activities are examined. Descriptively, the expected lower level of local civil-society engagement, in general, and also with regard to the transnational activities was found for post-socialist border regions. It is shown that, first and foremost, existing experience in civil-society engagement in the local context is a high-impact predictor for both transnational activities and an interest in such activities. Other variables like feelings of a historical burden or the economic situation of the region are less important. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Borderland Studies and Sustainability)

Open AccessArticle Ethno-Religiosity in Orthodox Christianity: A Source of Solidarity & Multiculturalism in American Society

by Chris Durante

Religions 2015, 6(2), 328-349; doi:10.3390/rel6020328

Received: 2 August 2014 / Revised: 5 March 2015 / Accepted: 18 March 2015 / Published: 31 March 2015

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Abstract

This study will analyze the processes of community organization implemented by Eastern Orthodox Christian ethno-religious groups, and Greek Orthodox Christian communities in particular, to establish themselves in American civil society. It will be argued that the symbiotic relationship formed between ethnicity and religion

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This study will analyze the processes of community organization implemented by Eastern Orthodox Christian ethno-religious groups, and Greek Orthodox Christian communities in particular, to establish themselves in American civil society. It will be argued that the symbiotic relationship formed between ethnicity and religion in this tradition, as well as the democratized grassroots mode of community organization that American civil society fosters, contributes to a strong sense of belonging amongst members of the ethno-religious Orthodox Christian congregations. In turn, this sense of belonging has produced a multi-layered mechanism for solidarity-building in these communities. It will then be suggested that in addition to contributing to America’s religious diversity, the preservation of ethno-linguistic heritage by the various Orthodox Christian churches simultaneously contributes to America’s poly-ethnicity and linguistic diversity as well. Last, it will be argued that the continued survival of ethno-religiosity in American Orthodoxy can either lead to further isolation amongst the separate ethnic congregations, or it can alternatively open avenues for the cultivation of a form of Orthodox Christian multiculturalism that supports neither homogeneity nor isolationism. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Race-Ethnicity and American Religion: Solidarities and Separations)

Open AccessCommunication Beyond Cockpit-ism: Four Insights to Enhance the Transformative Potential of the Sustainable Development Goals

by Maarten Hajer, Måns Nilsson, Kate Raworth, Peter Bakker, Frans Berkhout, Yvo de Boer, Johan Rockström, Kathrin Ludwig and Marcel Kok

Sustainability 2015, 7(2), 1651-1660; doi:10.3390/su7021651

Received: 24 December 2014 / Revised: 7 January 2015 / Accepted: 28 January 2015 / Published: 4 February 2015

Cited by 31 | Viewed by 5928 | PDF Full-text (818 KB) | HTML Full-text | XML Full-text

Abstract

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) have the potential to become a powerful political vision that can support the urgently needed global transition to a shared and lasting prosperity. In December 2014, the United Nations (UN) Secretary General published his report on the SDGs.

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The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) have the potential to become a powerful political vision that can support the urgently needed global transition to a shared and lasting prosperity. In December 2014, the United Nations (UN) Secretary General published his report on the SDGs. However, the final goals and targets that will be adopted by the UN General Assembly in September 2015 risk falling short of expectations because of what we call “cockpit-ism”: the illusion that top-down steering by governments and intergovernmental organizations alone can address global problems. In view of the limited effectiveness of intergovernmental efforts and questions about the capacity of national governments to affect change, the SDGs need to additionally mobilize new agents of change such as businesses, cities and civil society. To galvanize such a broad set of actors, multiple perspectives on sustainable development are needed that respond to the various motives and logics of change of these different actors. We propose four connected perspectives which can strengthen the universal relevance of the SDGs: “planetary boundaries” to stress the urgency of addressing environmental concerns and to target governments to take responsibility for (global) public goods; “the safe and just operating space” to highlight the interconnectedness of social and environmental concerns and its distributive consequences; “the energetic society” to benefit from the willingness of a broad group of actors worldwide to take action; and “green competition” to stimulate innovation and new business practices. To realize the transformative potential of the SDGs, these four perspectives should be reflected in the focus and content of the SDGs that will be negotiated in the run up to September 2015 and its further implementation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Use of the Environment and Resources)

Open AccessArticle Multilevel Governance for Forests and Climate Change: Learning from Southern Mexico

by Salla Rantala, Reem Hajjar and Margaret Skutsch

Forests 2014, 5(12), 3147-3168; doi:10.3390/f5123147

Received: 12 August 2014 / Revised: 1 December 2014 / Accepted: 5 December 2014 / Published: 12 December 2014

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1810 | PDF Full-text (1540 KB) | HTML Full-text | XML Full-text

Abstract

Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) involves global and national policy measures as well as effective action at the landscape scale across productive sectors. Multilevel governance (MLG) characterizes policy processes and regimes of cross-scale and cross-sector participation by multiple public and

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Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) involves global and national policy measures as well as effective action at the landscape scale across productive sectors. Multilevel governance (MLG) characterizes policy processes and regimes of cross-scale and cross-sector participation by multiple public and private actors for improved legitimacy and effectiveness of policy. We examine multilevel, multi-actor engagement in REDD+ planning in Quintana Roo, Mexico, to find out how local perspectives align with the national policy approach to REDD+ as an integrating element of holistic rural development at territorial scale, and how current practices support procedurally legitimate MLG required to implement it. We find that there is wide conceptual agreement on the proposed approach by a variety of involved actors, in rejection of the business-as-usual sectoral interventions. Its implementation, however, is challenged by gaps in horizontal and vertical integration due to strong sectoral identities and hierarchies, and de facto centralization of power at the federal level. Continued participation of multiple government and civil society actors to contribute to social learning for locally appropriate REDD+ actions is likely to require a more balanced distribution of resources and influence across levels. Meaningfully engaging and ensuring the representation of local community interests in the process remains a critical challenge. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Governing Forest Landscapes: Challenges and Ways Forward)

Open AccessArticle Impact Assessment and Multicriteria Decision Analysis of Alternative Managed Aquifer Recharge Strategies Based on Treated Wastewater in Northern Gaza

by Mohammad Azizur Rahman, Bernd Rusteberg, Mohammad Salah Uddin, Muath Abu Saada, Ayman Rabi and Martin Sauter

Water 2014, 6(12), 3807-3827; doi:10.3390/w6123807

Received: 6 June 2014 / Revised: 19 November 2014 / Accepted: 27 November 2014 / Published: 8 December 2014

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1543 | PDF Full-text (1168 KB) | HTML Full-text | XML Full-text

Abstract

For better planning of a managed aquifer recharge (MAR) project, the most promising strategies should analyze the environmental impact, socio-economic efficiency, and their contribution to the existing or future water resource conditions in the region. The challenge of such studies is to combine

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For better planning of a managed aquifer recharge (MAR) project, the most promising strategies should analyze the environmental impact, socio-economic efficiency, and their contribution to the existing or future water resource conditions in the region. The challenge of such studies is to combine and quantify a wide range of criteria from the environment and society. This necessity leads to an integrated concept and analysis. This paper outlines an integrated approach considering environmental, health, social and economic aspects to support in the decision-making process to implement a managed aquifer recharge project as a potential response to water resource problems. In order to demonstrate the approach in detail, this paper analysed several water resources management strategies based on MAR implementation, by using treated wastewater in the Northern Gaza Strip and the potential impacts of the strategies on groundwater resources, agriculture, environment, health, economy and society. Based on the Palestinian water policy (Year 2005–2025) on wastewater reuse, three MAR strategies were developed in close cooperation with the local decision makers. The strategies were compared with a base line strategy referred to as the so-called “Do Nothing Approach”. The results of the study show that MAR project implementation with treated wastewater at a maximum rate, considered together with sustainable development of groundwater, is the best and most robust strategy amongst those analyzed. The analysis shows the defined MAR strategies contribute to water resources development and environmental protection or improvement including an existing eutrophic lake. The integrated approach used in this paper may be applicable not only to MAR project implementation but also to other water resources and environmental development projects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Policy and Economics of Managed Aquifer Recharge and Water Banking) Printed Edition available

Open AccessArticle Quantifying the Recoverable Resources of Companion Metals: A Preliminary Study of Australian Mineral Resources

by Gavin M. Mudd, Mohan Yellishetty, Barbara K. Reck and T. E. Graedel

Resources 2014, 3(4), 657-671; doi:10.3390/resources3040657

Received: 12 December 2013 / Revised: 17 November 2014 / Accepted: 17 November 2014 / Published: 1 December 2014

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1573 | PDF Full-text (284 KB) | HTML Full-text | XML Full-text

Abstract

The long-term availability of mineral resources is crucial in underpinning human society, technology, and economic activity, and in managing anthropogenic environmental impacts. This is increasingly true for metals that do not generally form the primary product of mines (“host” metals), such as copper

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The long-term availability of mineral resources is crucial in underpinning human society, technology, and economic activity, and in managing anthropogenic environmental impacts. This is increasingly true for metals that do not generally form the primary product of mines (“host” metals), such as copper or iron, but are recovered as by-products (or sometimes co-products during the processing of primary ores). For these “companion” metals, it is therefore useful to develop methodologies to estimate the recoverable resource, i.e., the amount that could, if desired, be extracted and put into use over the next several decades. We describe here a methodological approach to estimating the recoverable resources of companion metals in metal ores, using preliminary data for some particular host/companion pairs in Australia as examples. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wealth from Waste: Urban Metal Resources and Industrial Ecology)

Open AccessArticle Civil Society in Hybrid Governance: Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Legitimacy in Mediating Wal-Mart’s Local Produce Supply Chains in Honduras

by J. Dara Bloom

Sustainability 2014, 6(10), 7388-7411; doi:10.3390/su6107388

Received: 28 August 2014 / Revised: 8 October 2014 / Accepted: 14 October 2014 / Published: 23 October 2014

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2055 | PDF Full-text (998 KB) | HTML Full-text | XML Full-text

Abstract

This paper challenges the notion that the incorporation of actors from civil society into hybrid governance arrangements improves outcomes and legitimacy. Multi-stakeholder collaborations are a popular hybrid governance approach to development, including NGOs’ work to integrate smallholder farmers into supermarket supply chains. As

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This paper challenges the notion that the incorporation of actors from civil society into hybrid governance arrangements improves outcomes and legitimacy. Multi-stakeholder collaborations are a popular hybrid governance approach to development, including NGOs’ work to integrate smallholder farmers into supermarket supply chains. As a result, NGOs’ service provision role has expanded to include market facilitation, often necessitating NGOs act as market intermediaries. This paper explores how this new role may jeopardize NGOs’ organizational legitimacy in the eyes of their constituents, other development organizations, and supermarket partners, and therefore ultimately affect their ability to represent civil society in hybrid governance arrangements. Drawing on qualitative data collected in the Central American country of Honduras, this paper focuses on NGOs’ role organizing producer associations to facilitate access to Wal-Mart supermarkets. Findings suggest that a lack of supply chain transparency, NGOs’ negotiation between commercial and aid-oriented goals, and the potential to exclude producers from development projects threaten NGOs’ legitimacy. These findings illustrate the difficulties of embedding philanthropic activities in market-based systems, and demonstrate how multi-stakeholder collaborations may be influenced more by commercial priorities than the elements of a partnership. Ultimately, development NGOs are products of neoliberal, hybrid governance, even as their activities are expected to ease the transition of small-scale producers into this system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Agricultural Governance)

Open AccessArticle Protecting Children and Adolescents in Uruguay: Civil Society’s Role in Policy Reform

by Amy Risley

Soc. Sci. 2014, 3(4), 705-725; doi:10.3390/socsci3040705

Received: 17 June 2014 / Revised: 9 September 2014 / Accepted: 9 September 2014 / Published: 9 October 2014

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Abstract

This article analyzes the advocacy efforts of civil societal actors in Uruguay who have sought to promote the rights of children. I discuss the strategies that members of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) used to achieve a greater presence in debates leading to significant policy

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This article analyzes the advocacy efforts of civil societal actors in Uruguay who have sought to promote the rights of children. I discuss the strategies that members of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) used to achieve a greater presence in debates leading to significant policy changes in the area of child protection. Child advocates achieved relatively high levels of political mobilization and influence throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. The analysis focuses on their multi-year campaign to reform the Children’s Code of 1934, which culminated in the adoption of a new Code of Childhood and Adolescence in 2004. I argue that two variables help explain their participation in policy making: effective issue framing and successful alliance building. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Contemporary Developments in Child Protection) Printed Edition available

Open AccessArticle Strategic Islands in Economic Games: Isolating Economies From Better Outcomes

by Michael S. Harré and Terry Bossomaier

Entropy 2014, 16(9), 5102-5121; doi:10.3390/e16095102

Received: 8 July 2014 / Revised: 18 September 2014 / Accepted: 18 September 2014 / Published: 24 September 2014

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2052 | PDF Full-text (1891 KB) | HTML Full-text | XML Full-text

Abstract

Many of the issues we face as a society are made more problematic by the rapidly changing context in which important decisions are made. For example buying a petrol powered car is most advantageous when there are many petrol pumps providing cheap petrol

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Many of the issues we face as a society are made more problematic by the rapidly changing context in which important decisions are made. For example buying a petrol powered car is most advantageous when there are many petrol pumps providing cheap petrol whereas buying an electric car is most advantageous when there are many electrical recharge points or high capacity batteries available. Such collective decision-making is often studied using economic game theory where the focus is on how individuals might reach an agreement regarding the supply and demand for the different energy types. But even if the two parties find a mutually agreeable strategy, as technology and costs change over time, for example through cheaper and more efficient batteries and a more accurate pricing of the total cost of oil consumption, so too do the incentives for the choices buyers and sellers make, the result of which can be the stranding of an industry or even a whole economy on an island of inefficient outcomes. In this article we consider the issue of how changes in the underlying incentives can move us from an optimal economy to a sub-optimal economy while at the same time making it impossible to collectively navigate our way to a better strategy without forcing us to pass through a socially undesirable “tipping point”. We show that different perturbations to underlying incentives results in the creation or destruction of “strategic islands” isolated by disruptive transitions between strategies. The significant result in this work is the illustration that an economy that remains strategically stationary can over time become stranded in a suboptimal outcome from which there is no easy way to put the economy on a path to better outcomes without going through an economic tipping point. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Entropy Methods in Guided Self-Organization)

Open AccessReview Sustainable Living in Africa: Case of Water, Sanitation, Air Pollution and Energy

by David O. Omole and Julius M. Ndambuki

Sustainability 2014, 6(8), 5187-5202; doi:10.3390/su6085187

Received: 26 February 2014 / Revised: 28 July 2014 / Accepted: 29 July 2014 / Published: 12 August 2014

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 1813 | PDF Full-text (745 KB) | HTML Full-text | XML Full-text

Abstract

The study reviewed developmental challenges confronting African countries with specific reference to the availability of potable water, sanitation, energy, water and ambient air. It showed the conflict between the need to exploit environmental capital in order to keep up with the pace of

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The study reviewed developmental challenges confronting African countries with specific reference to the availability of potable water, sanitation, energy, water and ambient air. It showed the conflict between the need to exploit environmental capital in order to keep up with the pace of human development activities and the need to utilize resources sustainably. Hitherto, the cost of this development has been at the expense of public health and cleaner environment. The outcome demonstrates the need for a change of approach in the way and manner that environmental resources are exploited for developmental purposes. Two concepts for addressing these problems were discussed. These are the “soft path” approach and the trialog model. The former places high priority on the proper use and management of existing infrastructure or resources rather than acquisition or exploitation of more infrastructure or resources. The latter concept addresses the principle of resource governance through the application of an understanding of the complex relationship between the main stakeholders—government, science, and society. Case studies on the practicality of these concepts were also highlighted and discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards Sustainability: Selected Papers from the Third World Sustainability Forum (2013))

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Open AccessArticle Use of GIS Tools for Environmental Conflict Resolution at Map Ta Phut Industrial Zone in Thailand

by Phattraporn Soytong and Ranjith Perera

Sustainability 2014, 6(5), 2435-2458; doi:10.3390/su6052435

Received: 24 December 2013 / Revised: 18 March 2014 / Accepted: 11 April 2014 / Published: 25 April 2014

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1785 | PDF Full-text (1813 KB) | HTML Full-text | XML Full-text

Abstract

Special industrial zones are favored over scattered industries from an environmental management perspective, but poor management can lead to conflicts. This paper presents an analysis of the environmental conflict that arose between the state, society, and industry stakeholders in an industrial zone of

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Special industrial zones are favored over scattered industries from an environmental management perspective, but poor management can lead to conflicts. This paper presents an analysis of the environmental conflict that arose between the state, society, and industry stakeholders in an industrial zone of the Eastern Seaboard Development Program of Thailand. This paper seeks to determine the effectiveness of policy measures implemented by the state to resolve the conflict. The purpose of this study is to draw lessons for industrializing nations that adopt the industrial zone model to foster environmentally sustainable industrial development. The study revealed that blatant violation of land-use planning regulations and expansion of the industrial zone into community areas was a root cause of the conflict. Through legal action, civil society has been successful in forcing the state and industries to halt unplanned expansion of industrial areas and practice better environmental governance. However, inadequate commitment by the state and industry stakeholders seems to perpetuate the conflict, threatening the sustainability of economic gains. A Geographic Information Systems (GIS)-based analysis confirmed that the policy interventions of the government to resolve the conflict have not produced significant results. This paper highlights the need for GIS-based environmental quality monitoring for guiding industrialization-based urban development towards sustainability. Full article

Open AccessArticle Multi-Scalar Governance for Restoring the Brazilian Atlantic Forest: A Case Study on Small Landholdings in Protected Areas of Sustainable Development

by Alaine A. Ball, Alice Gouzerh and Pedro H. S. Brancalion

Forests 2014, 5(4), 599-619; doi:10.3390/f5040599

Received: 7 February 2014 / Revised: 14 March 2014 / Accepted: 20 March 2014 / Published: 3 April 2014

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1857 | PDF Full-text (866 KB) | HTML Full-text | XML Full-text

Abstract

Implementation of forest restoration projects requires cross-scale and hybrid forms of governance involving the state, the market, civil society, individuals, communities, and other actors. Using a case study from the Atlantic Forest Hotspot, we examine the governance of a large-scale forest restoration project

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Implementation of forest restoration projects requires cross-scale and hybrid forms of governance involving the state, the market, civil society, individuals, communities, and other actors. Using a case study from the Atlantic Forest Hotspot, we examine the governance of a large-scale forest restoration project implemented by an international non-governmental organization (NGO) on family farmer landholdings located within protected areas of sustainable development. In addition to forest restoration, the project aims to provide an economic benefit to participating farmers by including native species with market potential (fruits, timber) in restoration models and by contracting farmers in the planting phase. We employed qualitative methods such as structured interviews and participant observation to assess the effect of environmental policy and multi-scalar governance on implementation and acceptability of the project by farmers. We demonstrate that NGO and farmer expectations for the project were initially misaligned, hampering farmer participation. Furthermore, current policy complicated implementation and still poses barriers to project success, and projects must remain adaptable to changing legal landscapes. We recommend increased incorporation of social science methods in earlier stages of projects, as well as throughout the course of implementation, in order to better assess the needs and perspectives of participants, as well as to minimize trade-offs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Governing Forest Restoration: Social, Environmental and Institutional Dimensions) Printed Edition available

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Open AccessArticle Defining Boundaries: Gender and Property Rights in South Africa’s Traditional Courts Bill

by Thuto Thipe

Laws 2013, 2(4), 483-511; doi:10.3390/laws2040483

Received: 23 August 2013 / Revised: 3 December 2013 / Accepted: 3 December 2013 / Published: 13 December 2013

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1674 | PDF Full-text (172 KB) | HTML Full-text | XML Full-text

Abstract

In 2008, the Traditional Courts Bill (TCB) was introduced in South Africa’s Parliament to regulate customary courts in place of the apartheid-era Black Administration Act. The TCB has come under wide ranging attack from civil society across the country, including from people based

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In 2008, the Traditional Courts Bill (TCB) was introduced in South Africa’s Parliament to regulate customary courts in place of the apartheid-era Black Administration Act. The TCB has come under wide ranging attack from civil society across the country, including from people based in the former homelands where the Bill would have effect, for its perpetuation of colonial and apartheid distortions of customary law, and its continuation of the oppressions justified through these distortions. In this article, I examine some of the major epistemic developments in customary law in South Africa, from colonialism to the present, to highlight key logics and genealogies of power that form the foundation and framework for ‘official customary law’. This examination provides the context for analysing the epistemological de-linking from colonial frameworks represented in women’s claims to land, and reveals how changes in women’s access to land over the years allows for a reading of epistemological shifts and contestations in customary law. I read these developments alongside the content of the TCB to examine different references for custom represented in both colonially rooted knowledges and de-colonial knowledges that challenge the premises of the former. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Legally Constructed Gendered Identities)

Open AccessArticle The European Market for Animal-Friendly Products in a Societal Context

by Paul T. M. Ingenbleek, David Harvey, Vlatko Ilieski, Victor M. Immink, Kees de Roest and Otto Schmid

Animals 2013, 3(3), 808-829; doi:10.3390/ani3030808

Received: 19 July 2013 / Revised: 8 August 2013 / Accepted: 8 August 2013 / Published: 14 August 2013

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2212 | PDF Full-text (211 KB) | HTML Full-text | XML Full-text

Abstract

This article takes a future focus on the direction in which social forces develop the market for animal-friendly products in Europe. On the basis of qualitative data gathered in the context of the European EconWelfare project, the differences across eight European countries are

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This article takes a future focus on the direction in which social forces develop the market for animal-friendly products in Europe. On the basis of qualitative data gathered in the context of the European EconWelfare project, the differences across eight European countries are studied. The findings suggest that, given international trade barriers that prevent an improvement of animal welfare through legislation, many stakeholders believe that the market is the most viable direction to improve farm animal welfare. Economic productivity of the chain remains, however, an issue that on a fundamental level conflicts with the objective to improve animal welfare. With the help of a deeper conceptual understanding of willingness to pay for animal welfare, the paper finds that the European market for animal-friendly products is still largely fragmented and that the differences between European countries are considerable. A more animal-friendly future that is achieved through the market will therefore need substantial policy attention from stakeholders in society. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Future of Farm Animal Welfare)

Open AccessArticle On the Vulnerability of Water Limited Ecosystems to Climate Change

by Salvatore Manfreda and Kelly K. Caylor

Water 2013, 5(2), 819-833; doi:10.3390/w5020819

Received: 25 April 2013 / Revised: 6 June 2013 / Accepted: 13 June 2013 / Published: 21 June 2013

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2256 | PDF Full-text (1258 KB) | HTML Full-text | XML Full-text

Abstract

Society is facing growing environmental problems that require new research efforts to understand the way ecosystems operate and survive, and their mutual relationships with the hydrologic cycle. In this respect, ecohydrology suggests a renewed interdisciplinary approach that aims to provide a better comprehension

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Society is facing growing environmental problems that require new research efforts to understand the way ecosystems operate and survive, and their mutual relationships with the hydrologic cycle. In this respect, ecohydrology suggests a renewed interdisciplinary approach that aims to provide a better comprehension of the effects of climatic changes on terrestrial ecosystems. With this aim, a coupled hydrological/ecological model is adopted to describe simultaneously vegetation pattern evolution and hydrological water budget at the basin scale using as test site the Upper Rio Salado basin (Sevilleta, NM, USA). The hydrological analyses have been carried out using a recently formulated framework for the water balance at the daily level linked with a spatial model for the description of the spatial organization of vegetation. This enables quantitatively assessing the effects on soil water availability on future climatic scenarios. Results highlighted that the relationship between climatic forcing (water availability) and vegetation patterns is strongly non-linear. This implies, under some specific conditions which depend on the ecosystem characteristics, small changes in climatic conditions may produce significant transformation of the vegetation patterns. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecological Watershed Management)

Open AccessArticle The Role of Community Centre-based Arts, Leisure and Social Activities in Promoting Adult Well-being and Healthy Lifestyles

by Mat Jones, Richard Kimberlee, Toity Deave and Simon Evans

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2013, 10(5), 1948-1962; doi:10.3390/ijerph10051948

Received: 3 December 2012 / Revised: 2 May 2013 / Accepted: 8 May 2013 / Published: 10 May 2013

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3123 | PDF Full-text (194 KB) | HTML Full-text | XML Full-text

Abstract

Developed countries are experiencing high levels of mental and physical illness associated with long term health conditions, unhealthy lifestyles and an ageing population. Given the limited capacity of the formal health care sector to address these public health issues, attention is turning to

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Developed countries are experiencing high levels of mental and physical illness associated with long term health conditions, unhealthy lifestyles and an ageing population. Given the limited capacity of the formal health care sector to address these public health issues, attention is turning to the role of agencies active in civil society. This paper sought to evaluate the associations between participation in community centre activities, the psycho-social wellbeing and health related behaviours. This was based on an evaluation of the South West Well-being programme involving ten organisations delivering leisure, exercise, cooking, befriending, arts and crafts activities. The evaluation consisted of a before-and-after study with 687 adults. The results showed positive changes in self-reported general health, mental health, personal and social well-being. Positive changes were associated with diet and physical activity. Some activities were different in their outcomes—especially in cases where group activities were combined with one-to-one support. The results suggest that community centre activities of this nature offer benefits that are generically supportive of health behaviour changes. Such initiatives can perform an important role in supporting the health improvement objectives of formal health care services. For commissioners and partner agencies, accessibility and participation are attractive features that are particularly pertinent to the current public health context. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Behavior and Public Health)

Open AccessArticle Minimizing the Environmental Impact of Sea Brine Disposal by Coupling Desalination Plants with Solar Saltworks: A Case Study for Greece

by Chrysi Laspidou, Kimon Hadjibiros and Stylianos Gialis

Water 2010, 2(1), 75-84; doi:10.3390/w2010075

Received: 9 December 2009 / Revised: 4 February 2010 / Accepted: 16 February 2010 / Published: 17 February 2010

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 8110 | PDF Full-text (123 KB) | HTML Full-text | XML Full-text

Abstract

The explosive increase in world population, along with the fast socio-economic development, have led to an increased water demand, making water shortage one of the greatest problems of modern society. Countries such as Greece, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia face serious water shortage issues

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The explosive increase in world population, along with the fast socio-economic development, have led to an increased water demand, making water shortage one of the greatest problems of modern society. Countries such as Greece, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia face serious water shortage issues and have resorted to solutions such as transporting water by ships from the mainland to islands, a practice that is expensive, energy-intensive and unsustainable. Desalination of sea-water is suitable for supplying arid regions with potable water, but extensive brine discharge may affect marine biota. To avoid this impact, we explore the option of directing the desalination effluent to a solar saltworks for brine concentration and salt production, in order to achieve a zero discharge desalination plant. In this context, we conducted a survey in order to evaluate the potential of transferring desalination brine to solar saltworks, so that its disposal to the sea is avoided. Our analysis showed that brine transfer by trucks is prohibitively expensive. In order to make the zero discharge desalination plant economically feasible, efforts should be directed into developing a more efficient technology that will result in the production of only a fraction of the brine that is produced from our systems today. Full article

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