Natural Resources Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Dependence on a vast shared resource built up the economies of herring towns around the north-central and northeastern Atlantic during the first half of the 20th century. During the postwar years, culminating in the early-1960s spike, the... more

Dependence on a vast shared resource built up the economies of herring towns around the north-central and northeastern Atlantic during the first half of the 20th century. During the postwar years, culminating in the early-1960s spike, the fishery rapidly drew down its resource. This killer spike disastrously coincided with an adverse climatic event, collapsing the fishery in the late 1960s. That pattern, of collapse resulting from climatic variation on top of overfishing, has characterized other fisheries crises (for example see Hamilton et al., 2004b). The fisheries events reflect a more general proposition: climate changes tend to impact human affairs largely through interactions with resource use and distribution behaviour, which can reduce or exacerbate climate impacts. We should not expect to see simple, physical impacts from climate alone, unmitigated by social factors.

The majority of vulnerability and adaptation scholarship, policies and programs focus exclusively on climate change or global environmental change. Yet, individuals, communities and sectors experience a broad array of multi-scalar and... more

The majority of vulnerability and adaptation scholarship, policies and programs focus exclusively on climate change or global environmental change. Yet, individuals, communities and sectors experience a broad array of multi-scalar and multi-temporal, social, political, economic and environmental changes to which they are vulnerable and must adapt. While extensive theoretical—and increasingly empirical—work suggests the need to explore multiple exposures, a clear conceptual framework which would facilitate analysis of vulnerability and adaptation to multiple interacting socioeconomic and biophysical changes is lacking. This review and synthesis paper aims to fill this gap through presenting a conceptual framework for integrating multiple exposures into vulnerability analysis and adaptation planning. To support applications of the framework and facilitate assessments and comparative analyses of community vulnerability, we develop a comprehensive typology of drivers and exposures experienced by coastal communities. Our results reveal essential elements of a pragmatic approach for local-scale vulnerability analysis and for planning appropriate adaptations within the context of multiple interacting exposures. We also identify methodologies for characterizing exposures and impacts, exploring interactions and identifying and prioritizing responses. This review focuses on coastal communities; however, we believe the framework, typology and approach will be useful for understanding vulnerability and planning adaptation to multiple exposures in various social-ecological contexts.

In this chapter, we contribute to the decolonial feminisms that are expanding our understanding of extractive geographies and political ecologies of the subsoil. In this, we take extractivism to denote both the material processes of... more

In this chapter, we contribute to the decolonial feminisms that are expanding our understanding of extractive geographies and political ecologies of the subsoil. In this, we take extractivism to denote both the material processes of removal as well as a particular logic (not only of economic accumulation but of being) that renders materials, territories and bodies extractible (and necessarily so). We critically examine the ways in which these extractive logics and processes frequently initiate and condone racialised sexualised violence. In this, we argue that intersectional violence is at the heart of extractivism. Extraction settles within internal ecologies (including ecologies of health and disease) in ways that reaffirm colonial logics of race and sexuality. This broadening of the meaning of extractivism is important in understanding (a) how extraction operates through multiple forms and scales of power and (b) its intersectional and pluriform impacts. Sexual violence, we conclude, is at the centre of racialised extractivism; this is illustrated in corporate language and the more informal logics of residential tourism, both of which are united by colonial logics that would render black life disposable. We conclude with reflections on the value of decolonial feminist dialogue-as-critique that attends to the resonances across and between black women’s experiences of extractivism.

Editores literarios: Hans-Jürgen Burchardt / Rafael Domínguez /

This study is concerned with understanding of the formation of ore deposits (precious and base metals) and contributes to the exploration and discovery of new occurrences using artificial neural networks. From the different digital data... more

This study is concerned with understanding of the formation of ore deposits (precious and base metals) and contributes to the exploration and discovery of new occurrences using artificial neural networks. From the different digital data sets available in BRGM's GIS ...

This study is concerned with understanding of the formation of ore deposits (precious and base metals) and contributes to the exploration and discovery of new occurrences using artificial neural networks. From the different digital data... more

This study is concerned with understanding of the formation of ore deposits (precious and base metals) and contributes to the exploration and discovery of new occurrences using artificial neural networks. From the different digital data sets available in BRGM's GIS ...

The aim of this study is to collect evidence for textile recycling from a prehistoric and historic perspective. The basis are original textile finds and not, as might be expected, written or pictorial sources. The material presented here... more

The aim of this study is to collect evidence for textile recycling from a prehistoric and historic perspective. The basis are original textile finds and not, as might be expected, written or pictorial sources. The material presented here focuses on archaeological finds, especially on prehistoric to early medieval evidence from Central Europe, also mentioning some interesting examples from medieval and Early Modern times.
This is not a comprehensive study of all possible secondary uses of textiles, but it shall demonstrate different interesting case studies such as re-use and recycling of garments with examples from Bronze Age till early modern period. We also learn from Early Medieval evidence that textile rags have been employed for production processes e.g. of ceramic vessels, clay figurines or for thin bronze objects. In the salt-mines Hallstatt and Dürrnberg in Austria, hundreds of textile scraps have been found, left back in the mines after secondary use as make-shift binding material or sanitary items.
Worn-out textiles were used for caulking wooden ships, as sealing for water-management in prehistoric copper mines and as insulation material for medieval castles. At least, textile scraps also ended in medieval and early modern latrinae – after they have been used as “toilet-paper”. The evidence collected demonstrates a careful resource-management.

In the last decades of the twentieth century the small and medium-sized nations of East and South-East Asia have begun a process of potentially enormous political and economic transformation. Explosive growth has occurred already in many... more

In the last decades of the twentieth century the small and medium-sized nations of East and South-East Asia have begun a process of potentially enormous political and economic transformation. Explosive growth has occurred already in many parts of the region, and the more slowly growing countries are attempting to emulate this vanguard group. The impact of the region upon the world economy has increased rapidly and is likely to continue to do so in the future.

and Almaty. He founded the firms practice in the CIS countries and today is responsible for its work throughout the Central Asian and Transcaucasus regions. Currently, his practice includes representing Western natural resource companies... more

and Almaty. He founded the firms practice in the CIS countries and today is responsible for its work throughout the Central Asian and Transcaucasus regions. Currently, his practice includes representing Western natural resource companies in exploration and development projects, representing major philanthropies, and advising foreign sovereigns (including at various times all five of the Central Asian republics) on legal reform issues. He also represents multilateral development banks in secured finance and equity investment projects. He has represented investors in some of the largest natural resource development projects in the Caspian region. Mr. Horton is an adjunct professor at the Columbia University School of Law and the author of over 200 articles and monographs on legal developments in nations in transition, with a focus on natural resource law. Michael Clayton is a founder and member of the governing board of the Horizonti Foundation, a non-governmental organization based in Tbilisi, Georgia, which assists American and European foundations and organizations in developing relations with Caucasian organizations, universities, and government bodies and representatives. He was the Caucasus Program Manager of the Initiative for Social Action and Revival (ISAR) from October 1993 until March of this year. Over the last four years, he has worked extensively in the Caucasus with non-governmental organizations concerned with environmental issues. Mr. Clayton received his B.A. in International Relations from

We owe a debt of gratitude to many people: Ted Brown, Center for Watershed Protection, for his invaluable advice in developing the model for estimating loss of groundwater infiltration and estimating imperviousness levels, and for... more

We owe a debt of gratitude to many people: Ted Brown, Center for Watershed Protection, for his invaluable advice in developing the model for estimating loss of groundwater infiltration and estimating imperviousness levels, and for reviewing the report, and to the Center for Watershed Protection for its excellent publications on the subject; Bill Cunningham, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), for his assistance in interpreting USGS data in the USGS Ground Water Atlas, consulting on our estimation model, and reviewing the report; Bruce Ferguson, University of Georgia, for his help in developing our estimation model and in interpreting data, and for reviewing the report; Paul Barlow, USGS, for the information he provided, including several USGS publications on groundwater recharge, and to Terri Arnold, USGS, for sharing the methodology used for USGS' recent study on the effects of land use and groundwater recharge in the Upper Illinois River Basin; Scott Meyer, Illinois Water Survey, f...

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In recent years the environment has become an increasingly important issue in many sectors of society, from business and industry to community and government. This wide-ranging collection features contributors from the UK, Spain,... more

In recent years the environment has become an increasingly important issue in many sectors of society, from business and industry to community and government. This wide-ranging collection features contributors from the UK, Spain, Switzerland, France, Belgium, ...

The a.borigi?zaf d~t~b~Lt~~~ of ~a~~~~~a~ irk North Alnerka is found not to be positively related to the richrkess of the n&ml ~~~r~~r~l~, cantmy to thr: ~edicti~~ of the ~~~u~th~s~ark model, the dominant one irk Anthr~lo~y. Great... more

The a.borigi?zaf d~t~b~Lt~~~ of ~a~~~~~a~ irk North Alnerka is found not to be positively related to the richrkess of the n&ml ~~~r~~r~l~, cantmy to thr: ~edicti~~ of the ~~~u~th~s~ark model, the dominant one irk Anthr~lo~y. Great aln4ndurtce of some reso?&rces can encourage nomadism or rake thtz productivity of women, two detuminarkts qf the cost qfc/kildr??n, which I find are associated with lower abotiginal population density umong a sample of tribes of Norttk American Indians. POPULATION EQUILIBRIUM IN PRIMITIVE SOCIETIES 749 POPUIATION EQUILIBRIUM IN PRIMITIVE SOCIETIES 767 8. See the earlier quotation from Marshall Sahlins. 9. This rate was computed from those societies with both pre and post-epidemic estimates. 10. The important role of forest is because the implements of the Indians were not suitable for breaking up the tough grasses of open land (Driver and Massey, 1957, p. 225).

Este trabajo presentará una visión de largo plazo de la evolución de la economía venezolana en los últimos treinta años, periodo que constituye un ejemplo claro del fracaso de un país para superar una situación de subdesarrollo, a pesar... more

Este trabajo presentará una visión de largo plazo de la evolución de la economía venezolana en los últimos treinta años, periodo que constituye un ejemplo claro del fracaso de un país para superar una situación de subdesarrollo, a pesar de haberse visto beneficiado por la escalada de los precios del petróleo posterior a la crisis de 1973. El limitado espacio disponible impide recoger todos los matices, pero el objetivo es ofrecer una aproximación cabal a lo sucedido. En el primer epígrafe, se presentan las cifras que permiten hablar de fracaso. En el segundo epígrafe se intentará ofrecer las principales claves de esos muy limitados resultados con la ayuda de la teoría de la "maldición de los recursos". En efecto, el petróleo representa en la economía venezolana esa maldición, ese regalo "envenenado", que ha permitido grandes inversiones públicas y, a la vez, es clave para entender su proceso de endeudamiento y su crisis. En el tercero se analiza la evolución de la pobreza y la desigualdad en el país durante el periodo, mientras que el cuarto y último trata de hacer un balance, todavía muy preliminar sobre la evolución de la economía en los últimos años. Palabras clave Venezuela, crecimiento económico, recursos naturales.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether water quality parameters commonly associated with primary productivity may be used to predict the susceptibility of a specific water body to exceed proposed fish consumption advisory... more

The purpose of this study was to determine whether water quality parameters commonly associated with primary productivity may be used to predict the susceptibility of a specific water body to exceed proposed fish consumption advisory limitation of 0.3 mg kg −1 . South Dakota currently has nine lakes and impoundments that exceed fish tissue mercury advisory limits of 1.0 mg kg −1 total mercury, far exceeding US Environmental Protection Agency and Food and Drug Administration 0.3 mg kg −1 consumption criteria. Previous studies suggest that increased aquatic productivity may mitigate the effects of biological production and subsequent uptake of methyl mercury through bio-dilution; however, it is uncertain whether these trends may exist within highly alkaline and highly productive aquatic conditions common to South Dakota lakes and impoundments. Water quality parameters and fish tissue mercury data for northern pike and walleye were collected and assessed using existing South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Game Fish and Parks data. The data was initially screened using both parametric linear regression and non-parametric Mann-Whitney rank sum comparisons and further assessed using binary logistic regression and stepwise logistic regression methodology. Three separate phosphorus measurements (total, total dissolved, and Trophic State Index) and pH were determined to significantly correlate with increased mercury concentrations for the northern pike-in-impoundments model. However, phosphorus surprisingly was not a strong predictor for the remaining scenarios modeled. For the northern pike-in-natural lakes models, alkalinity was the most significant water quality parameter predicting increased mercury concentrations. Mercury concentrations for the walleye-in-natural lakes models were further influenced by pH and alkalinity. The water quality and fish tissue mercury interrelationships determined within this study suggest aquatic productivity, and consequential eutrophication processes appear to be reasonable indicators of fish tissue mercury susceptibility for aquatic conditions common to South Dakota and highlight the continuing need to minimize eutrophication through effective watershed management strategies.

R&.t&fB.-De nombreuses discussions ont lieu à l'heure actuelle sur le rôle de l'extractivisme dans une mise en valeur non prédatrice des écosystkmes forestiers. Or, ces discussions se restreignent le plus souvent aux écosystèmes... more

R&.t&fB.-De nombreuses discussions ont lieu à l'heure actuelle sur le rôle de l'extractivisme dans une mise en valeur non prédatrice des écosystkmes forestiers. Or, ces discussions se restreignent le plus souvent aux écosystèmes amazoniens et proposent une analyse globale de l'extractivisme. Après un rappel du champ couvert par cette activitz et de son importance dans les différents écosystèmes brésiliens, les auteurs s'interrogent sur son impact sur la biodiversité des espèces et des écosystèmes touchés. Une grande variété de situations est mise en évidence mettant en garde contre tout discours généralisant.

Transportation planning is an important part of the supply chain or wood flow chain in forestry. There are often several forest companies operating in the same region and collaboration between two or more companies is rare. However, there... more

Transportation planning is an important part of the supply chain or wood flow chain in forestry. There are often several forest companies operating in the same region and collaboration between two or more companies is rare. However, there is an increasing interest in collaborative planning as the potential savings are large, often in the range 5-15%. There are several issues to agree on before such collaborative planning can be used in practice. A key question is how savings should be distributed among the participants. In this paper, we investigate a number of possibilities based on economic models including Shapley value, the nucleolus, separable and non-separable costs, shadow prices and volume weights. We also propose a new allocation method, with the aim that the participants relative profits are as equal as possible. A large case study comprising eight forest companies in Sweden, is described and analyzed.

As algas pardas que pertencem ao Filo Phaeophyta, amplamente distribuídos em habitats marinhos temperados ate regiões subtropicais. As espécies do gênero Dictyota apresentam grande variabilidade morfológica e a sua composição diterpênica... more

As algas pardas que pertencem ao Filo Phaeophyta, amplamente distribuídos em habitats marinhos temperados ate regiões subtropicais. As espécies do gênero Dictyota apresentam grande variabilidade morfológica e a sua composição diterpênica tem auxiliado no estabelecimento de seus limites taxonômicos. Diversos estudos tem comprovado a existência da atividade antioxidante em extratos de algas pardas. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar poder sequestrador de peróxido de hidrogênio bem como identificar a presença de metabólitos secundários da Dyctiota dichotoma. A determinação da habilidade do seqüestro de peróxido de hidrogênio foi seguida. Para a identificação de monoterpenóides, sesqueterpenóides, diterpenóides e saponina foi usado como revelador a vanilina sulfúrica; para a identificação de triterpenóides e esteróides o reagente Liberman/Buchard e para flavonóides o revelador utilizado foi Os resultados referentes à avaliação fitoquímica de D. dichotoma, não foram encontrados flavonói...

This study investigated the wind characteristics of the island of Lesvos, Greece, with the objective of providing the necessary data for identifying the wind power production capabilities of the island. Weather patterns were examined... more

This study investigated the wind characteristics of the island of Lesvos, Greece, with the objective of providing the necessary data for identifying the wind power production capabilities of the island. Weather patterns were examined using weather data from four Remote Automatic Weather Stations. Specific tools were used to produce the necessary windroses, Weibull curves and charts that helped to understand the prevailing wind characteristics. By using the tools of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and the Wind Atlas Analysis and Application Program (WAsP) as the basic calculation platform, a wind map was produced portraying the wind speeds that prevail at a height of 10 m above ground level. The results of the analysis were tested and evaluated with measurements from 15 wind turbine sites by creating six alternative scenarios. The optimum scenario was used to investigate the installation of a small wind farm with five wind turbines, of 3 MW total capacity.

Recent studies point to the promise of rain forest extraction for more sustainable rural development in Amazonia but often overlook important differences within traditional communities in terms of relative economic reliance upon speci®c... more

Recent studies point to the promise of rain forest extraction for more sustainable rural development in Amazonia but often overlook important differences within traditional communities in terms of relative economic reliance upon speci®c forest resources. This paper reports on a study of charcoal production among forest peasants in an Amazonian river community, near Iquitos, Peru. In-depth household interviews (n36) provided information on household economic activity, demographic composition, and access to land, labor and capital as well as on the nature, role and economic importance of charcoal in the household economy. Our results indicate that peasant charcoal production Ð often cast as a rapacious, wasteful use of the forest Ð can provide signi®cant cash income for forest peoples and high returns per hectare, particularly when integrated into swidden-fallow agroforestry systems, without causing notable forest destruction. Low returns to labor, however, limit prospects for peasants to prosper by charcoal production. Variations in household output of charcoal are explained by differential access to intra-and extra-household labor. Among those households most reliant upon charcoal, two subgroups are found Ð`charcoal-dependent' households and`charcoal-specialized' households Ð both of which rely on charcoal production, but for different reasons and with distinct outcomes. These two subgroups are divided by differences in nonmarket mediated access to local land and labor. Clearly, to be successful, initiatives aimed at promoting rain forest conservation and management among`resource-reliant' households must be informed by careful attention to the underlying conditions that give rise to differential rain forest reliance.

Livestock production is an integral part of smallholder farming systems in southern Africa. While goats and sheep play some role in the smallholder farmer household economy, cattle are the predominant livestock species supplying draught... more

Livestock production is an integral part of smallholder farming systems in southern Africa. While goats and sheep play some role in the smallholder farmer household economy, cattle are the predominant livestock species supplying draught power, milk, manure and meat. Production of cattle is based on range grazing. However, the nutritive value of the range is generally low depending on vegetation type and season. With the rapid increase in human population in southern Africa and the increasing need to produce staple food on a sustainable basis, smallholder farmers are increasingly encroaching onto lands formerly reserved for livestock grazing. Therefore, livestock subsisting on the range require supplementation. Conventional bought-in supplements are expensive. Fodder trees and shrubs have been integrated within some farming systems of southern Africa as fodder banks with varying degrees of success. Work carried out in Tanzania, Malawi and Zimbabwe is reviewed to provide evidence on how the fodder tree technology has impacted on livestock production with special reference to smallholder dairy production, human food production and smallholder farmers' income. For the wider adoption of the technology, a synopsis of the different scaling up pathways and approaches adopted by research and development agencies is presented.

Within the ancient country of Japan, thousands of hydroelectric dams exist. The first hydroelectric dam built in Japan was the Oi Dam in 1924. These concrete megaliths have many purposes, with one major function for the Japanese and... more

Within the ancient country of Japan, thousands of hydroelectric dams exist. The first hydroelectric dam built in Japan was the Oi Dam in 1924. These concrete megaliths have many purposes, with one major function for the Japanese and humans worldwide being the production of hydroelectric power. In essence, the electricity produced by hydroelectric power is a renewable resource generated through the movement of water. This form of energy produces no waste and does not emit carbon dioxide. Yet, many people do not consider large hydroelectric projects to be a sustainable energy source due to the belief that they do not produce enough energy to make their construction necessary. Indeed, the construction of the dams harm the environment in many ways, such as land clearing; the destruction of animal habitat, and the dispersal of humans from their ancient homelands.

Mineral-deposit models are an integral part of quantitative mineralresource assessment. As the focus of mineral-deposit modeling has moved from metals to industrial minerals, procedure has been modified and may be sufficient to model... more

Mineral-deposit models are an integral part of quantitative mineralresource assessment. As the focus of mineral-deposit modeling has moved from metals to industrial minerals, procedure has been modified and may be sufficient to model surficial sand and gravel deposits.

Izvod; Poljoprivreda je, do sada, rastuće potrebe za hranom morala zadovoljavati uglavnom povećanjem produktivnosti. Ovakva praksa nije opravdana jer ugrožava bioraznolikost, podržava štetnu naftnu i hemijsku industriju, podstiče... more

Izvod; Poljoprivreda je, do sada, rastuće potrebe za hranom morala zadovoljavati uglavnom povećanjem produktivnosti. Ovakva praksa nije opravdana jer ugrožava bioraznolikost, podržava štetnu naftnu i hemijsku industriju, podstiče klimatske promjene, uništava proizvodne površine i slično. U radu su opisani resursi i pokretači koji utiču na održivost poljoprivrede, a to su; energija, voda, zemljište i klima. Takođe, opisana su i tri segmenta koja bi trebalo razvijati u budućnosti, a to su: (a) sigurnost hrane (b) izgradnja kapaciteta na nivou farme i (c) tehnološki razvoj i inovacije u sektoru održive poljoprivrede. Održiva poljoprivreda ima kompleksniji pristup, koji pored same proizvodnje predstavlja i očuvanje prirodnih resursa. Pristup održive poljoprivrede razbija linearni proces i pretvara ga u kružni tok tvari i energije. Održiva poljoprivreda predstavlja vrijednu mogućnost i prednost za zemlje u razvoju, u smislu ukupnog procesa industrijalizacije i ekonomskog razvoja, boljih izvoznih rezultata, i poboljšanja sigurnosti i kvalitete hrane. Ključne riječi; održiva poljoprivreda, očuvanje resursa, sigurnost hrane, farma, inovacije.
Apstract; Agriculture is, current growing food demand, comply with generally increasing productivity. This practice is not justified because it threatens biodiversity, supports harmful oil and chemical industry, encouraging climate change, destroys the production area and the like. The paper describes the resources and the drivers that affect the sustainability of agriculture, namely; energy, water, land and air. Also, the paper describes, the three segments that should be developed in the future: (a) food security (b) capacity building at the farm level and (c) techno development and innovation in the field of sustainable agriculture. Sustainable agriculture has a complex approach, which is next to the production and conservation of natural resources. Access to sustainable agriculture breaks the linear process and turns it into a circular flow of matter and energy. Sustainable agriculture is a valuable opportunity and advantage for developing countries, in terms of the overall process of industrialization and economic development, better export performance, and improving food safety and quality.

This paper advances an alternative explanation of the large external imbalance between the United States and China, and its linkages to the current global financial crisis. We show that US current account deficits dated back long before... more

This paper advances an alternative explanation of the large external imbalance between the United States and China, and its linkages to the current global financial crisis. We show that US current account deficits dated back long before the emergence of China's recent large trade surpluses, with China accounting at its peak for at most one-third of this deficit. The relative rise in China's savings in recent years can be attributed to an increase in its corporate savings, a trend which reflects distortions arising from the transition process from a planned to a market economy.

Devolution under Kenya's new 2010 Constitution has wide-ranging implications for the water sector. The Constitution recognizes that access to safe and sufficient water is a basic human right. It also assigns responsibility for water... more

Devolution under Kenya's new 2010 Constitution has wide-ranging implications for the water sector. The Constitution recognizes that access to safe and sufficient water is a basic human right. It also assigns responsibility for water supply and sanitation provision to 47 newly established counties. Effective implementation of the new devolved framework now requires the water sector to focus on the emerging opportunities and to address a number of challenges. This note analyses the pertinent issues and options for national government and county leadership to achieve sustainable delivery of improved water services under the new dispensation.

Public reporting burden for the collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and... more

Public reporting burden for the collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to Washington Headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports, 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington VA 22202-4302. Respondents should be aware that notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person shall be subject to a penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information if it does not display a currently valid OMB control number.

The recent revitalization of concern for environmental quality has generated many questions about the interaction between trade and the environment. Most of these questions have to do with the impact of environmental regulation on trade... more

The recent revitalization of concern for environmental quality has generated many questions about the interaction between trade and the environment. Most of these questions have to do with the impact of environmental regulation on trade patterns and gains from trade. If a tradeoff is perceived, it is often argued that some intervention becomes appropriate: either a specific trade policy or the establishment of an international environmental standard. Present GATT policy then becomes an issue of debate. Should GATT revise its rules to accommodate the specific trade measures suggested? How can GATT ensure that the environmental objective is not a disguise for a trade barrier? Should GATT establish some international environmental standard with procedures to ensure compliance? The importance given to trade liberalization and exchange rate policy reform as part of adjustment for development has raised another set of questions: Is there a direct link between the removal of trade barriers...

This paper presents lessons from applying an innovative approach for linking smallholder farmers to markets. This approach entitled, Enabling Rural Innovation (ERI) focuses on strengthening the capacity of smallholder, resource-poor... more

This paper presents lessons from applying an innovative approach for linking smallholder farmers to markets. This approach entitled, Enabling Rural Innovation (ERI) focuses on strengthening the capacity of smallholder, resource-poor farmers to access market opportunities and actively engaging in them with the aim of creating an entrepreneurial culture in rural communities, where farmers "produce what they can market rather than trying to market what they produce". The approach focuses on fostering inclusion of rural women and the poor in analyzing and accessing market opportunities (domestic, regional and international), using a territorial approach to agro-enterprise development. The paper provides a general overview of the approach, the guiding principles, conceptual framework and steps in the ERI process. The paper also gives detailed examples of the five key components: participatory market research, farmer participatory research and its links to natural resource management, social and human capital, gender equity and participatory monitoring and evaluation. Lessons, experiences and challenges from testing this novel approach with a range of research and development partners in eastern and southern Africa are presented. The paper also summarizes some key research findings from a series of impact studies. This paper is a critical selfreflection of our intellectual journey testing and applying the ERI approach.

(Un)sustainable cultural practices and initiatives often fall short of their intended, long-term functionalities because of an inherent lack of systemic thinking. It is becoming increasingly evident that the most impending crises humanity... more

(Un)sustainable cultural practices and initiatives often fall short of their intended, long-term functionalities because of an inherent lack of systemic thinking. It is becoming increasingly evident that the most impending crises humanity faces today – those that concern the climate, socioeconomics, politics, the environment – cannot be delineated into and treated siloed problems. A critical change in perception is necessary: systems thinking must be elevated to the forefront of our dynamic framework of ideologies, morals, and values. Sustainable development, which is largely fragmented and discontinuous across the globe, is currently suffering from a distinct lack of systemic contextualization. This has ultimately resulted in the genesis of ever-problematic feedback loops of initiatives and technological advancements that only exacerbate problems of capitalistic global extractivism, all while operating under the tricky guise of "sustainable development."

The article details the development and uses of the water poverty index (WPI). The index was developed as a holistic tool to measure water stress at the household and community levels, designed to aid national decision makers, at... more

The article details the development and uses of the water poverty index (WPI). The index was developed as a holistic tool to measure water stress at the household and community levels, designed to aid national decision makers, at community and central government level, as ...

This paper presents the assessment of wound healing properties of ethanolic extract of Acrostichum aureum and A. speciosum in rats. It was carried out on 6 treated groups with 6 rats each group. The excisional wound was made on the dorsal... more

This paper presents the assessment of wound healing properties of ethanolic extract of Acrostichum aureum and A. speciosum in rats. It was carried out on 6 treated groups with 6 rats each group. The excisional wound was made on the dorsal interscapular region of each rat by a 6 mm biopsy punch. T1 and T2 were treated with 5% and 10% A. aureum ethanolic extract in aqua cream, respectively. Meanwhile, T3 and T4 were treated with 5% and 10% A. speciosum ethanolic extract in aqua cream, respectively. Solcoseryl jelly and aqua cream were used as positive and negative controls. The treatments were applied topically twice daily, wound contraction and period of epithelization were measured every 2 days. The results showed that wound treated with 10% A. speciosum (T4) exerted faster wound contraction significantly (p < 0.05) compared to the negative control. It was also enhanced epithelization period (9.33 ± 3.20 days) of the wounds significantly (p < 0.05). In conclusion, these results strongly suggested the beneficial effects of both plant extracts for enhancing wound healing process.

Sustainable development remains a pressing priority for the Lake Naivasha Ramsar site, as a matter both of longterm protection of the lake ecosystem and of the economic and social progress that depends upon it. This must be addressed at... more

Sustainable development remains a pressing priority for the Lake Naivasha Ramsar site, as a matter both of longterm protection of the lake ecosystem and of the economic and social progress that depends upon it. This must be addressed at catchment-scale to protect the 'ecosystem services' that constitute the region's primary resources. Sustainability principles highlight energy, fertilisers, pesticides and other aspects of chemical use, plastics, erosion and sedimentation, wildlife, water and socio-economic issues as central to sustainable development strategy, influenced by both intensive and subsistence farms across the catchment. Market forces and long-term self-interest provide compelling arguments for sustainable development, the delivery of which will depend upon education and the spreading of good practice, perhaps backed up by stewardship schemes. Alternatively, the adverse consequences of continued unsustainable practice are highly significant for the region.

As interações entre as aquisições sísmicas marítimas e os cetáceos têm estimulado uma série de estudos e interpretações sobre os impactos da atividade na referida ordem destes mamíferos marinhos. No Brasil, a despeito da atividade vir... more

As interações entre as aquisições sísmicas marítimas e os cetáceos têm estimulado uma série de estudos e interpretações sobre os impactos da atividade na referida ordem destes mamíferos marinhos. No Brasil, a despeito da atividade vir sendo realizada desde a década de 1960, o interesse nessas interações foi intensificado após alterações na legislação para exploração petrolífera em 1997. Este estudo visa realizar uma análise histórica das aquisições sísmicas marítimas ocorridas no Brasil, desde os primeiros esforços até os dias atuais, fazendo correlação da atividade com os seus possíveis efeitos nos cetáceos descritos na literatura especializada. As informações quanto à quantidade, distribuição e extensão das aquisições sísmicas marítimas ocorridas no Brasil permaneceram escassas até a década de 1990 com pouca literatura sobre o assunto. Com o advento do processo de licenciamento ambiental, atualmente estas informações estão disponíveis na internet. Em referência as interações da atividade com os cetáceos, os primeiros estudos surgiram ainda na década de 1980, registrando-se 22 artigos sobre o tema em todo o mundo. Mesmo com o advento das pesquisas nos anos recentes, ainda existem lacunas no conhecimento das interações da atividade com os cetáceos, sendo necessário investimento das instituições de fomento para a realização de pesquisas direcionadas à supressão dessas lacunas.

This paper reviews the budget allocations of the first year of the General System of Royalties (SGR). The results show positive elements in the distribution and territorial equity in the new system. However, there are some aspects of... more

This paper reviews the budget allocations of the first year of the General System of Royalties (SGR). The results show positive elements in the distribution and territorial equity in the new system. However, there are some aspects of project approval that delay implementation and do not necessarily ensure that those selected are the most appropriate. Furthermore, there is no evidence that the system involves an analysis of the sustainability of investments and there is certain fiscal laziness observed in some departments, especially those who did not receive royalties before. Finally, the study of Cesar shows that in some cases the royalties are still investing in infrastructure projects without a clear impact and whose sustainability is not assured. Although this type of investment was one of the motivations that led to the creation of the SGR, these continue to dominate the allocation of resources.

The story of the “oil shock” is normally linked to that of the Arab-Israeli conflict in October 1973. The purpose of this article is to trace the origins of the oil crisis well before the beginning of the Yom Kippur war, describing it as... more

The story of the “oil shock” is normally linked to that of the Arab-Israeli conflict in October 1973. The purpose of this article is to trace the origins of the oil crisis well before the beginning of the Yom Kippur war, describing it as the final outcome of the ongoing common struggle by developing countries to gain control over natural resources, develop their national economy and reform the international economic institutions created at Bretton Woods.

Given an existing but unadopted backstop technology, this paper investigates the impact of uncertainty in the discovery date of superior backstop technologies on the rate of exhaustible resource depletion and adoption timing. Contrary to... more

Given an existing but unadopted backstop technology, this paper investigates the impact of uncertainty in the discovery date of superior backstop technologies on the rate of exhaustible resource depletion and adoption timing. Contrary to studies with a single backstop technology, the elevated rate of resource price increase due to uncertainty persists beyond discovery of a backstop technology. The option value of waiting can justify putting off, possibly indefinitely, what would otherwise be a sound investment in current backstop technology. In other circumstances the resource is depleted more rapidly and adoption occurs sooner than if future discoveries were not anticipated.