scholarly journals From Data to Marine Ecosystem Assessments of the Southern Ocean: Achievements, Challenges, and Lessons for the Future

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anton P. Van de Putte ◽  
Huw J. Griffiths ◽  
Cassandra Brooks ◽  
Pip Bricher ◽  
Maxime Sweetlove ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Southern Ocean ◽  
Marine Ecosystem ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Global Environment ◽  
Accurate Information ◽  
Human Society ◽  
Informatics System ◽  
The Status ◽  
Fair Principles ◽  
Global Initiatives

Southern Ocean ecosystems offer numerous benefits to human society and the global environment, and maintaining them requires well-informed and effective ecosystem-based management. Up to date and accurate information is needed on the status of species, communities, habitats and ecosystems and the impacts of fisheries, tourism and climate change. This information can be used to generate indicators and undertake assessments to advise decision-makers. Currently, most marine assessments are derivative: reliant on the review of published peer-reviewed literature. More timely and accurate information for decision making requires an integrated Marine Biological Observing and Informatics System that combines and distributes data. For such a system to work, data needs to be shared according to the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable), use transparent and reproducible science, adhere to the principle of action ecology and complement global initiatives. Here we aim to provide an overview of the components of such a system currently in place for the Southern Ocean, the existing gaps and a framework for a way forward.

scholarly journals A Comeback of Wind Power in Shipping: An Economic and Operational Review on the Wind-Assisted Ship Propulsion Technology

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1880
Author(s):  
Todd Chou ◽  
Vasileios Kosmas ◽  
Michele Acciaro ◽  
Katharina Renken
Keyword(s):  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Transport Sector ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Ship Propulsion ◽  
Fuel Savings ◽  
Technological Growth ◽  
The Status ◽  
Promising Solution

Wind-assisted ship propulsion (WASP) technology seems to be a promising solution toward accelerating the shipping industry’s decarbonization efforts as it uses wind to replace part of the propulsive power generated from fossil fuels. This article discusses the status quo of the WASP technological growth within the maritime transport sector by means of a secondary data review analysis, presents the potential fuel-saving implications, and identifies key factors that shape the operational efficiency of the technology. The analysis reveals three key considerations. Firstly, despite the existing limited number of WASP installations, there is a promising trend of diffusion of the technology within the industry. Secondly, companies can achieve fuel savings, which vary depending on the technology installed. Thirdly, these bunker savings are influenced by environmental, on-board, and commercial factors, which presents both opportunities and challenges to decision makers.

Nonrepresentative Representatives: An Experimental Study of the Decision Making of Elected Politicians

2017 ◽  
Vol 112 (2) ◽  
pp. 302-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
LIOR SHEFFER ◽  
PETER JOHN LOEWEN ◽  
STUART SOROKA ◽  
STEFAAN WALGRAVE ◽  
TAMIR SHEAFER
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Direct Evidence ◽  
Sunk Costs ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Strategic Decision ◽  
Personality Profiles ◽  
Future Time ◽  
Policy Choices ◽  
The Status ◽  
Considerable Body

A considerable body of work in political science is built upon the assumption that politicians are more purposive, strategic decision makers than the citizens who elect them. At the same time, other work suggests that the personality profiles of office seekers and the environment they operate in systematically amplifies certain choice anomalies. These contrasting perspectives persist absent direct evidence on the reasoning characteristics of representatives. We address this gap by administering experimental decision tasks to incumbents in Belgium, Canada, and Israel. We demonstrate that politicians are as or more subject to common choice anomalies when compared to nonpoliticians: they exhibit a stronger tendency to escalate commitment when facing sunk costs, they adhere more to policy choices that are presented as the status-quo, their risk calculus is strongly subject to framing effects, and they exhibit distinct future time discounting preferences. This has obvious implications for our understanding of decision making by elected politicians.

scholarly journals Urinary incontinence as the socioeconomic problem

2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 62-66
Author(s):  
Krystyna Klimaszewska ◽  
Mariola Bartusek
Keyword(s):  
Urinary Incontinence ◽  
Epidemiological Data ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Health Needs ◽  
Public Funds ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Status ◽  
Costs Of Treatment ◽  
Social Discomfort

Abstract Introduction. Urinary incontinence, meaning irrespective of will leakage of urine, is a serious health problem, and has the status of social disease basing on the epidemiological data concerning number of affected populations suffering from it Taking into consideration the chronic character of the disease and increasing social discomfort including social exclusion, the costs of treatment and rehabilitation should be lower so patients could improve the quality of their lives in other aspects. That is why it is important to deeply analyze the costs of urinary incontinence in terms of diagnostics, treatment and rehabilitation. Aim. Costs analysis related to diagnostics and treatment of urinary incontinence incurred by patient, or co-financed/funded by the National Health Fund on the basis of the literature review. Summary. The few but regularly prepared reports show that there is a clear need for changes in the funding of services provided to patients with health needs. Both the social and economic aspects are important for each patient and should be deeply analysed by public funds decision makers. It would be much easier to take an action if the probability of complete cure was high.

Global Environment Facility Support for Sustainable Transport: Early Lessons from World Bank–Assisted Projects in Mexico City, Mexico; Santiago, Chile; and Lima, Peru

2003 ◽  
Vol 1846 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierre Graftieaux ◽  
Walter Vergara ◽  
Todd Johnson
Keyword(s):  
World Bank ◽  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Demand Management ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Global Environment ◽  
Sustainable Transport ◽  
Modal Shift ◽  
Global Environment Facility

Global Environment Facility (GEF) support for World Bank sustainable transport activities is described. An overview is presented of current GEF strategy for sustainable transport, which reflects a shift beyond individual technology interventions toward broader objectives, including modal shift, demand management, and land use planning. Ongoing GEF projects that exemplify this shift are reviewed by examining projects in Latin America and Asia whose aim is improving public transport, nonmotorized programs, and institutional capacity related to sustainable transport. The major lessons that can be drawn from these projects, most of which are still at an early stage, is that local authorities are often enthusiastic about getting involved in programs that simultaneously address key transportation concerns in their cities (such as access, safety, congestion, local air quality) and result in less overall energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. Much can be achieved as long as project communications and promotion are addressed and carefully targeted at decision makers and potential beneficiaries.

scholarly journals Emergence of multiple ocean ecosystem drivers in a large ensemble suite with an Earth system model

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 3301-3320 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. B. Rodgers ◽  
J. Lin ◽  
T. L. Frölicher
Keyword(s):  
Southern Ocean ◽  
Marine Ecosystem ◽  
Marine Ecosystems ◽  
Earth System Model ◽  
System Model ◽  
Global Ocean ◽  
Earth System ◽  
Biological Productivity ◽  
The Tropics ◽  
Ecosystem Drivers

Abstract. Marine ecosystems are increasingly stressed by human-induced changes. Marine ecosystem drivers that contribute to stressing ecosystems – including warming, acidification, deoxygenation and perturbations to biological productivity – can co-occur in space and time, but detecting their trends is complicated by the presence of noise associated with natural variability in the climate system. Here we use large initial-condition ensemble simulations with an Earth system model under a historical/RCP8.5 (representative concentration pathway 8.5) scenario over 1950–2100 to consider emergence characteristics for the four individual and combined drivers. Using a 1-standard-deviation (67% confidence) threshold of signal to noise to define emergence with a 30-year trend window, we show that ocean acidification emerges much earlier than other drivers, namely during the 20th century over most of the global ocean. For biological productivity, the anthropogenic signal does not emerge from the noise over most of the global ocean before the end of the 21st century. The early emergence pattern for sea surface temperature in low latitudes is reversed from that of subsurface oxygen inventories, where emergence occurs earlier in the Southern Ocean. For the combined multiple-driver field, 41% of the global ocean exhibits emergence for the 2005–2014 period, and 63% for the 2075–2084 period. The combined multiple-driver field reveals emergence patterns by the end of this century that are relatively high over much of the Southern Ocean, North Pacific, and Atlantic, but relatively low over the tropics and the South Pacific. For the case of two drivers, the tropics including habitats of coral reefs emerges earliest, with this driven by the joint effects of acidification and warming. It is precisely in the regions with pronounced emergence characteristics where marine ecosystems may be expected to be pushed outside of their comfort zone determined by the degree of natural background variability to which they are adapted. The results underscore the importance of sustained multi-decadal observing systems for monitoring multiple ecosystems drivers.

scholarly journals A multi-factor model developed on residents’ opinions for the classification of urban residential areas

Geografie ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 121 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-31
Author(s):  
Péter Gyenizse ◽  
András Trócsányi ◽  
Gábor Pirisi ◽  
Zita Bognár ◽  
Szabolcs Czigány
Keyword(s):  
Urban Area ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Spatial Data ◽  
Factor Model ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Social Differentiation ◽  
Residential Areas ◽  
The Status ◽  
Housing Needs

The process of social differentiation in post-communist states has had a clear impact on the status of neighbourhoods. Municipalities have tried to handle the problem, but planning in Hungary is still based on shallow analyses. This paper presents a method for examining and quantifying prevailing factors of residential areas, also being able of a spatial comparison. It detects problematic issues and locations and assists in the formulation of solutions. The model city for the presented study was Szeged, located in southeastern Hungary. Szeged is the economic center of the region and it was an ideal urban area for the evaluation of housing needs and for the mapping of various objects and social services. A field-collected qualitative database was processed using the Idrisi Selva GIS program, resulting in a classifying map of investigated areas. We have localized the properties of the lowest score and also determined the major issues responsible for low scores by analysing the spatial data of 27 GIS layers. The model can be used to detect the reasons causing differences in the perception of neighbourhoods, while it may serve as a tool for decision makers.

scholarly journals Engineering Properties of Sea Ice

1977 ◽  
Vol 19 (81) ◽  
pp. 499-531 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Schwarz ◽  
W. F. Weeks
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Physical Properties ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Engineering Properties ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Electromagnetic Properties ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Human Society ◽  
Continental Shelves ◽  
The Status

AbstractAs the continental shelves of the Arctic become important as source areas for the oil and minerals required by human society, sea ice becomes an increasing challenge to engineers. The present paper starts with a consideration of the different fields of engineering which require information on sea ice with the tasks ranging from the design of ice-breaking ships to Arctic drilling platforms and man-made ice islands. Then the structure of sea ice is described as it influences the observed variations in physical properties. Next the status of our knowledge of the physical properties important to engineering is reviewed. Properties discussed include mechanical properties (compressive, tensile, shear and flexural strengths; dynamic and static elastic moduli; Poisson’s ratio), friction and adhesion, thermal properties (specific and latent heats, thermal conductivity and diffusivity, density) and finally electromagnetic properties (dielectric permittivity and loss, resistivity). Particular attention is given to parameters such as temperature, strain-rate, brine volume, and loading direction as they affect property variations. Gaps, contradictions in the data, and inadequacies in testing techniques are pointed out. Finally suggestions are made for future research, especially for more basic laboratory studies designed to provide the data base upon which further theoretical developments as well as field studies can be built.

scholarly journals Imaginary Worlds: The Status of Simulation Modeling in Claims for Cost-Effectiveness In Diabetes Mellitus

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul C Langley ◽  
Taeho Greg Rhee
Keyword(s):  
Diabetes Mellitus ◽  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Simulation Modeling ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Status ◽  
The Impact

Over the past 20 years a number of simulations or models have been developed as a basis for tracking and evaluating the impact of pharmacological and other interventions in type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus. These models have typically tracked the natural course of these diseases generating long-term composite claims for cost-effectiveness. These claims can extend over the lifetime of the modeled patient cohort. Set against the standards of normal science, however, these claims lack credibility. The claims presented are all too often either immune to failure or are presented in a form that is non-testable. As such they fail to meet the key experimental requirements of falsification and replication. Unfortunately, there is a continuing belief that long-term or lifetime models are essential to decision-making. This is misplaced. The purpose of this review is to argue that there is a pressing need to reconsider the needs of health system decision makers and focus on modeled or simulated claims that are meaningful, testable, reportable and replicable in evaluating interventions in diabetes mellitus.   Type: Commentary

Use of Nuclear Energy and Sustainable Development

2014 ◽  
Vol 1070-1072 ◽  
pp. 353-356
Author(s):  
Fang Chen ◽  
Qiang Yao
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Human Society ◽  
Plant Safety ◽  
The Status ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant Safety ◽  
Safety Operation

Nuclear energy as a clean energy, with the gradual depletion of traditional energy, is particularly important. In this paper, the status of the application of nuclear technology was reviewed. And problems during the use of nuclear energy were addressed, including environmental issue generated by radioactive mineral extraction, radwaste disposal, nuclear power plant safety operation. Although, there are still some problems in the process of nuclear energy use, undeniably nuclear energy is still the hope for the future of human society. Therefore, the technical and management improvement can achieve sustainable development of nuclear energy, in order to ensure the safety of human energy use and sustainability.

Study on Chinese Low Carbon Economic Model

2010 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 57-64
Author(s):  
Huifeng Li ◽  
Xiaofang Wang
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Economic Model ◽  
Human Society ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Low Carbon Economy ◽  
Low Emission ◽  
Social And Economic Development ◽  
The Status ◽  
Economic Development Model ◽  
Carbon Economy

Global warming, which is caused by over consumption of fossil energy during economic development in human society, threatens global ecological balance, tampers social and economic development, imperils energy security, ecological safety, water and food safety, and endangers the entire human race. Low carbon economy is a new economic development model based on low energy consumption, low pollution, and low-emission-based. This paper analyzes the Status quo and Limits of the Chinese Low Carbon Economy, making deep research on Design and Implementation Strategy of Chinese Low Carbon Economic model.

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