Nature-based climate solutions to grow globally

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Concern ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Environmental Risks ◽  
Transformative Change ◽  
Due Diligence ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Critical Thresholds ◽  
Global Environmental ◽  
Data Gaps ◽  
Global Environmental Concern

Subject Biodiversity and climate change. Significance The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) has reported that 1 million animal and plant species face extinction and that many ecosystems are moving closer to critical thresholds, describing the rate of global change in nature as "unprecedented in human history". The report calls for "transformative change" in economic and social structures that drive biodiversity loss. As in other areas of global environmental concern, improving biodiversity action is increasingly seen not just as a matter for states, but also as a challenge for the private sector, subnational actors and the international financial system. Impacts Companies will face increased pressure to widen due diligence requirements to include environmental risks. Data gaps on quantifying the value and impact of biodiversity at a localised level will continue to limit policy mainstreaming. Efforts to increase biodiversity finance flows will look to mirror the example of climate finance.

scholarly journals Commentary: Inequality, precarity and sustainable ecosystems as elements of urban resilience

Urban Studies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 57 (7) ◽  
pp. 1588-1595
Author(s):  
W Neil Adger ◽  
Ricardo Safra de Campos ◽  
Tasneem Siddiqui ◽  
Lucy Szaboova
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Risks ◽  
Asia Pacific ◽  
Urban Systems ◽  
Transformative Change ◽  
Urban Resilience ◽  
Public Infrastructure ◽  
Global Environmental ◽  
Physical Infrastructure ◽  
Urban Settlements ◽  
Economic Trends

The science of resilience suggests that urban systems become resilient when they promote progressive transformative change to social and physical infrastructure. But resilience is challenged by global environmental risks and by social and economic trends that create inequality and exclusion. Here we argue that distortionary inequality and precarity undermine social processes that give access to public infrastructure and ecosystems thereby undermining urban resilience. We illustrate how inequality and precarity undermine resilience with reference to social exclusion and insecurity in growing urban settlements in the Asia-Pacific region. Inequality and exposure to environmental risks represent major challenges for governance that can be best overcome through inclusion and giving voice to marginalised populations.

scholarly journals A Review of Cardiovascular Toxicity of Microcystins

Toxins ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 507 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linghui Cao ◽  
Isaac Yaw Massey ◽  
Hai Feng ◽  
Fei Yang
Keyword(s):  
Cardiovascular Health ◽  
Environmental Concern ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Cyanobacterial Blooms ◽  
Major Public Health Problem ◽  
Cardiovascular Toxicity ◽  
Secondary Products ◽  
Global Environmental ◽  
Global Environmental Concern

The mortality rate of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in China is on the rise. The increasing burden of CVD in China has become a major public health problem. Cyanobacterial blooms have been recently considered a global environmental concern. Microcystins (MCs) are the secondary products of cyanobacteria metabolism and the most harmful cyanotoxin found in water bodies. Recent studies provide strong evidence of positive associations between MC exposure and cardiotoxicity, representing a threat to human cardiovascular health. This review focuses on the effects of MCs on the cardiovascular system and provides some evidence that CVD could be induced by MCs. We summarized the current knowledge of the cardiovascular toxicity of MCs, with regard to direct cardiovascular toxicity and indirect cardiovascular toxicity. Toxicity of MCs is mainly governed by the increasing level of reactive oxygen species (ROS), oxidative stress in mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum, the inhibition activities of serine/threonine protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) and 2A (PP2A) and the destruction of cytoskeletons, which finally induce the occurrence of CVD. To protect human health from the threat of MCs, this paper also puts forward some directions for further research.

The Southern Ocean Sanctuary and the Evolution of International Environmental Law

2000 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 293-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Gillespie
Keyword(s):  
Southern Ocean ◽  
Environmental Concern ◽  
Environmental Law ◽  
International Community ◽  
Vienna Convention ◽  
Statutory Interpretation ◽  
International Environmental Law ◽  
International Whaling Commission ◽  
Global Environmental ◽  
Global Environmental Concern

AbstractThe legality of the Southern Ocean Sanctuary has been a matter of debate. This paper seeks to explain the Sanctuary as being both legal and illustrative of the development of international environmental law within a new, evolutionary framework. A teleological approach to statutory interpretation could construe the Convention in ways that are supportive of the non-lethal utilisation of cetaceans. Such an interpretation may be supported under the Vienna Convention, whereby if examples of previous practice demonstrating different interpretations of the language in question can be shown, then this practice is evidence that a different interpretation of the convention in question is legitimate. This has been the case with the International Whaling Commission. The paper concludes that the Southern Ocean Sanctuary may be regarded as being both a legal and authoritative example of the way in which the majority of the international community has viewed one area of global environmental concern.

scholarly journals A Systematic Review On Consumer Behavior toward Plastic Consumption In Asian Countries

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 150
Author(s):  
Nur Syafiqah Khalisah Jallaludin ◽  
Nor Shafieqa Sukarno ◽  
Siti Nur Baiyah Md Nasir ◽  
Nur Ain Ismail ◽  
Nur Aishah Amir Shah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Concern ◽  
Environmental Conservation ◽  
The Body ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Consumption Behavior ◽  
Conservation Policies ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
Global Environmental ◽  
Research Designs ◽  
Global Environmental Concern

The consumer’s consumption of plastic continues to increase and has contributed to the global environmental concern, even though certain new environmental conservation policies or laws have been adopted and enforced. However, there were still insufficient studies that systematically review the existing literature on consumers in Asian Countries. Hence the present article conducted a systematic literature review on the plastic consumption behavior and the effect of plastic use by the customers. The present study joined multiple research designs and the review was based on the publication standard. (Reporting standards for systematic evidence syntheses).  This study selected articles using two leading databases namely Scopus and Science Direct. Based on the thematic analysis, this review has three main themes namely 1) action to reduce plastic consumption; 2) waste management 3) impact of plastic on the ecosystem. The three main themes have further produced 11 sub-themes. The study offered several significant contributions for practical purposes and the body of knowledge. The findings explained the importance of integrating consumer awareness and knowledge into consumer plastic consumption, 1) to encourage respect for knowledge and the role played by the consumer on the usage of plastic consumption policy; 2) to strategize an adaptation plan that is in line with the needs, abilities, and intention to use plastic; and 3) to inform on effect on the ecosystem to the specific areas and content of researches that should be the focus of the future studies.

The paradox model: towards a conceptual framework for engaging with sustainability in higher education

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola Kemp ◽  
Stephen Scoffham
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Civic Responsibility ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Guiding Principle ◽  
Global Environmental ◽  
Sustainability In Higher Education

Purpose The growing awareness of climate change, biodiversity loss and the wider global environmental emergency has led to calls for decisive and immediate action from all sections of society. This paper aims to consider the question of how universities should respond and what role they might best adopt in current circumstances. Design/methodology/approach This paper presents a conceptual framework, the paradox model, which places sustainability within the contradictory, messy and uncertain terrain that characterises higher education (HE). This is derived from the own experience of leading sustainability within one UK university, as well as the continued engagement with educational theory and philosophy. Findings This paper identifies two fundamental contradictions or paradoxes facing those seeking to engage in sustainability in HE, namely, how to develop authentic sustainability responses within the context of existing HE structures and processes and how to reconcile the demand for immediate action with the much more gradual processes of education. This paper represents these two paradoxes as intersecting axes on a diagram, which creates four quadrants in which a diverse range of responses can be located. The point where these two axes intersect is particularly significant and provides a place from which to navigate responses both individually, collectively and institutionally. Originality/value This paper argues that wisdom provides a guiding principle for discerning which type of response might be appropriate in any given context. It may also indicate a route towards institutional change and underpin the vision of the ecological university of the future based on principles of civic responsibility and social justice.

Problem and Countermeasure on Promoting the Plastic Bag Ban of USA

2015 ◽  
Vol 768 ◽  
pp. 787-796 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhong Guo Li ◽  
Justin S. Richter
Keyword(s):  
Policy Implementation ◽  
Environmental Concern ◽  
Impact Categories ◽  
Coastal Cities ◽  
Plastic Bags ◽  
Global Environmental ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Plastic Bag ◽  
Problem And Countermeasure ◽  
Global Environmental Concern

Plastic bag pollution is a growing global environmental concern. Several countries have recently approved bans on the use and distribution of plastic bags. In the USA, 22 of the 50 states have adopted multiple city/county ordinances. Most of these bans are introduced in coastal cities/counties. The local drivers, i.e. economy, geography, benefit, life-style, cost of living, and educational attainment, all impact the level and commitment to plastic bag bans. Currently, battles between support and opposition to these bans are typically financially driven; jobs and environmental health being main impact categories. This paper identifies several problems affecting the complete adoption of plastic bag bans in the USA, and gives some corresponding strategies to enhance the effectiveness and success of policy implementation.

scholarly journals Effect of Mortar Reduction in Recycled Aggregates Used in Concrete

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 363-370 ◽  
Author(s):  
Viviana Letelier ◽  
Ester Tarela ◽  
Pedro Muñoz
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Concern ◽  
Recycled Concrete ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Recycled Aggregates ◽  
Structural Concrete ◽  
Mechanical Abrasion ◽  
Coarse Aggregates ◽  
Global Environmental ◽  
Material Reuse ◽  
Global Environmental Concern

Background:Following a global environmental concern, concrete manufactured with recycled materials has been widely studied. The reuse of concrete as raw material can reduce the amount of debris and the amount of natural resources needed minimizing the environmental impact.Objective:One of the fundamental issues when using recycled aggregates is the mortar that remains adhered to their surfaces. The effect of this adhered mortar on aggregates, obtained from pavement demolition debris, used in recycled concrete is studied.Method:A mechanical abrasion process is used to reduce the amount of mortar in different degrees from the recycled aggregates that will be used to replace a 40 % of natural coarse aggregates in structural concrete. The mechanical behavior is studied through the compressive and flexural strength of the material and compared with the values obtained for a control concrete, with no recycled aggregates.Results:The abrasion process is proven to be effective eliminating the adhered mortar to the aggregates and the results show that a medium abrasion level, around 200rev, improves significantly the mechanical properties of the recycled concrete, increasing its compressive strength.Conclusion:The percentage of recycled aggregates used in structural concrete can be increased if these are treated with simple mechanical abrasion. The residuals of the eliminated mortar can be also reused as cement replacement, maximizing the material reuse.

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