When the Wells Run Dry: Reimagining Azerbaijan’s Post-Oil Futures

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 279-290
Author(s):  
Timothy E. Dolan

Azerbaijan is a case study of the issue of nations with non-renewable natural resource-based economies, usually fossil fuels, facing depletion of what was deemed to be their principal resource. Azerbaijan’s petroleum wealth has been a defining feature of its national economy, social development, and national character for 150 years. It has also manifested what is commonly known as the “resource curse” for its entropic effect on all of the other sectors of the economy. This main driver of its economy is projected to be exhausted roughly within the next 30 years. The focus of this piece is on assessing the prospects of developing a national economy that can create a more equitable and sustainable economic public benefit over the next generation. Each of the pathways summarized herein are from capstone project research reports of graduate students on this issue. It is ultimately intended to be a demonstration of conducting applied future-oriented anticipatory action learning.

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 4554 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jolanda de Jong ◽  
Sven Stremke

While the transition to renewable energy becomes a main driver of landscape change, few publications discuss the historical transformation of landscapes for the development of energy—commonly referred to as energy landscape. The research reported in this paper investigates the evolution of energy landscapes in the Western Netherlands—a region shaped by peat extraction and dotted with windmills. Five periods have been identified, dominated by wood, peat, wind, fossil fuels, and modern renewables, respectively. During each period, the landscape coevolved with the new energy source hosting new energy infrastructure. The sequence of landscape transformations over the past 10 centuries in the Western Netherlands is illustrated by means of historical paintings, photographs and a series of five georeferenced maps. Our systematic analysis confirms the long-lasting and manifold interrelations between energy development and landscape transformation at the brink of another energy transition. This paper presents the first all-encompassing application of the analytical framework for the study of energy landscapes proposed earlier. The three main qualifications—substantive, spatial, and temporal—provided a clear framework for the systematic study of landscape transformations at the regional scale.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 6797
Author(s):  
Peter Mako ◽  
Andrej Dávid ◽  
Patrik Böhm ◽  
Sorin Savu

Sustainability of transport systems is a key issue in transport. The main question is whether high levels of road and railway transport in areas along navigable waterways is an effective solution for this issue. The Danube waterway is an example. Generally, it is not observed that traffic performance is not as high as on the Rhine. This paper deals with the revelation of the available capacity of this waterway based on approximation functions and their comparison with real transport performances. This methodology points to the level of use of waterways. The connection of this model with the production of fossil fuels creates a basis for a case study. The case study in this paper offers a possibility for a sustainable and environmentally friendly transition from road transport to inland water transport on the example of specific transport routes. The main contribution of this paper is a presentation of the application of sustainable models of use transport capacity to increase the share of environmentally friendly and sustainable inland water transport. The conclusion based on the case study and materials is that the available capacity of inland water transport on the Danube could support the transition of traffic performances to sustainable and environmentally friendly means of transport.


Author(s):  
Soumith Kumar Oduru ◽  
Pasi Lautala

Transportation industry at large is a major consumer of fossil fuels and contributes heavily to the global greenhouse gas emissions. A significant portion of these emissions come from freight transportation and decisions on mode/route may affect the overall scale of emissions from a specific movement. It is common to consider several alternatives for a new freight activity and compare the alternatives from economic perspective. However, there is a growing emphasis for adding emissions to this evaluation process. One of the approaches to do this is through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA); a method for estimating the emissions, energy consumption and environmental impacts of the project throughout its life cycle. Since modal/route selections are often investigated early in the planning stage of the project, availability of data and resources for analysis may become a challenge for completing a detailed LCA on alternatives. This research builds on such detailed LCA comparison performed on a previous case study by Kalluri et al. (2016), but it also investigates whether a simplified LCA process that only includes emissions from operations phase could be used as a less resource intensive option for the analysis while still providing relevant outcomes. The detailed LCA is performed using SimaPro software and simplified LCA is performed using GREET 2016 model. The results are obtained in terms of Kg CO2 equivalents of GHG emissions. This paper introduces both detailed and simplified methodologies and applies them to a case study of a nickel and copper mine in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The analysis’ are done for three modal alternatives (two truck routes and one rail route) and for multiple mine lives.


Author(s):  
А.С. Лановой ◽  
В.Н. Чумаченко ◽  
А.М. Иванов ◽  
А.С. Яковенко

С момента перехода государства на новую экономическую модель развития социально значимые отрасли остались в тени «локомотивов» экономического развития – топливно-энергетического и минерально-сырьевого комплексов. Отрасли народного хозяйства, не имеющие коммерческого интереса, отмирали полностью или сжимались до размеров возможной минимальной окупаемости. Данные изменения затронули и отрасль жилищно-коммунального хозяйства, в частности водопроводно-канализационное хозяйство. Катастрофическое состояние отрасли в настоящее время требует особого внимания и особых решений со стороны всех участвующих и заинтересованных сторон: органов государственной и муниципальной власти, органов контроля и надзора, операторов систем водопроводно-канализационного хозяйства, коммерческих организаций, высшей школы, профильного научного сообщества и населения. Одна из базовых отраслей народного хозяйства не должна находиться в таком состоянии и, несмотря на отсутствие экономической стабильности, необходимо сделать ее восстановление приоритетной государственной задачей, направив на это максимальные материальные и интеллектуальные ресурсы страны. Приведен пример концессионного соглашения, которое иллюстрирует один из возможных путей продления ресурса городского канализационного хозяйства с предельным износом. Since the transition of Russian Federation to a new economic model of development, socially significant industries have remained in the shadow of the «locomotives» of the economic development, i. e., the fuel and energy and mineral resource sectors. Branches of the national economy that had no commercial interest died out completely or shrank to the size of a possible minimum payback. These changes also affected the housing and utilities sector, in particular, the water supply and wastewater disposal systems. The catastrophic state of the industry currently requires special attention and special decisions on the part of all the stake holders: the state and municipal authorities, control and supervision bodies, operators of water and wastewater utilities, commercial organizations, higher education, the relevant scientific community and population. One of the basic sectors of the national economy should not be in such a state and, despite the lack of the economic stability, its restoration should be a priority state task directing the maximum material and intellectual resources of the country. An example of a concession agreement is given that can be a possible way to extend the resource of an urban wastewater disposal system with a wear limit.


2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed Akacem ◽  
Nicolas Cachanosky
Keyword(s):  

2015 ◽  
Vol 18 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benedetto Rocchi ◽  
Chiara Landi ◽  
Gianluca Stefani ◽  
Severino Romano ◽  
Mario Cozzi

Author(s):  
Y. M. Paz ◽  
R. M. Holanda ◽  
S. G. El-Deir

As frações granulométricas do solo são consideradas recursos naturais não renováveis, devido a escala de tempo necessária para sua formação. A argila possui elevada disponibilidade na natureza, e por isso seu uso ainda é indiscriminado. É a matéria-prima principal para as indústrias de cerâmica vermelha pulverizadas em todo o território brasileiro. O objetivo do trabalho foi realizar uma discussão acerca do recurso natural não renovável argila e seu uso no processo produtivo da Indústria de cerâmica vermelha. Este foi desenvolvido através de pesquisa bibliográfica, e estudo de caso com realização de visitas técnicas a uma indústria de cerâmica vermelha localizada no município de Paudalho no estado de Pernambuco. No ano de 2013 a Indústria X adquiriu para estoque e consumo 70.161 toneladas, para uma produção de 35.806.268 blocos de cerâmica. De todo o quantitativo produzido houve uma perda de 7,5%, que reflete em 4.768 toneladas de argila e num prejuízo aproximado de R$ 845.835,52. Através do trabalho realizado percebe-se que há uma necessidade de planejamento da exploração e uso dos recursos naturais não renováveis, pois estes podem se tornar escassos e inviabilizar determinados processos produtivos. Isso pode acarretar em conflitos sociais e econômicos, pela valoração dos recursos e diminuição de disponibilidade para uso, ocasionando redução dos lucros por parte dos empresários e por consequência diminuição na oferta de empregos.Use of clay in the production process of the Red Ceramics: A case study in the city of Paudalho, Pernambuco Abstract: The fractions of soil are considered non-renewable natural resources, because the time scale required for its formation. Clay has high availability in nature, and therefore its use is still indiscriminate. It is the main raw material for the manufacture of red ceramic sprayed throughout the Brazilian territory. The objective was to conduct a discussion of non-renewable natural resource clay and its use in industry's production process of red ceramic. It was developed through literature review and case study of technical a red ceramic industry in the municipality of Paudalho in Pernambuco state visits. In 2013 the X Industry acquired for stock and consumption 70,161 tons, for a production of 35,806,268 ceramic blocks. The entire quantity produced there was a loss of 7.5%, which reflects in 4,768 tons of clay and an approximate loss of R $ 845,835.52. Through work is noticed that there is a need for planning of exploration and use of non-renewable natural resources, as they may become scarce and derail certain production processes. This can lead to social and economic conflicts, the valuation of resources and reduced availability for use, resulting in lower profits for entrepreneurs and consequently decrease in the supply of jobs.


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