scholarly journals GHS-POP Accuracy Assessment: Poland and Portugal Case Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 1105
Author(s):  
Beata Calka ◽  
Elzbieta Bielecka
Keyword(s):  
Population Distribution ◽  
Accuracy Assessment ◽  
Local Level ◽  
National Level ◽  
Error Rates ◽  
Research Centre ◽  
Percentage Error ◽  
Remotely Sensed Data ◽  
Joint Research ◽  
Population Number

The Global Human Settlement Population Grid (GHS-POP) the latest released global gridded population dataset based on remotely sensed data and developed by the EU Joint Research Centre, depicts the distribution and density of the total population as the number of people per grid cell. This study aims to assess the GHS-POP data accuracy based on root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) and the correlation coefficient. The study was conducted for Poland and Portugal, countries characterized by different population distribution as well as two spatial resolutions of 250 m and 1 km on the GHS-POP. The main findings show that as the size of administrative zones decreases (from NUTS (Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics) to LAU (local administrative unit)) and the size of the GHS-POP increases, the difference between the population counts reported by the European Statistical Office and estimated by the GHS-POP algorithm becomes larger. At the national level, MAPE ranges from 1.8% to 4.5% for the 250 m and 1 km resolutions of GHS-POP data in Portugal and 1.5% to 1.6%, respectively in Poland. At the local level, however, the error rates range from 4.5% to 5.8% in Poland, for 250 m and 1 km, and 5.7% to 11.6% in Portugal, respectively. Moreover, the results show that for densely populated regions the GHS-POP underestimates the population number, while for thinly populated regions it overestimates. The conclusions of this study are expected to serve as a quality reference for potential users and producers of population density datasets.

scholarly journals Identification of Rainfall and Inundation pattern using remotely sensed data in Lake Sentarum Floodplain Area

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 9-20
Author(s):  
Fajar Setiawan ◽  
Iwan Ridwansyah ◽  
Luki Subehi
Keyword(s):  
Surface Water ◽  
National Park ◽  
Research Centre ◽  
Remotely Sensed Data ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Joint Research ◽  
Rainfall Analysis ◽  
Water Index ◽  
Inundation Area ◽  
Park Area

Wetlands are vulnerable natural habitats that should be preserved to protect habitat for fish and wildlife, flood mitigation, improve water quality, recharge area, and maintain surface water flow during dry periods. Water bodies and swamp areas are two primary components of the wetland. Considering its essential roles for the ecosystem, Lake Sentarum was set as a national park area (Lake Sentarum National Park – TNDS), Indonesia's 15 national priority lakes, and; designated as a Ramsar site (The Convention on Wetlands) in Indonesia. Despite the significant roles for the ecosystem, providing the limnological characteristic of Lake Sentarum remains a challenge due to its remote location. This study aims to identify the rainfall and inundation characteristics in the Lake Sentarum area and develop the rainfall-inundation relationship in the TNDS area. First, we carried out rainfall analysis using the Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR) data. Second, we utilized a remote-sensing-based global surface water map from the Joint Research Centre (JRC) to describe the historical inundation pattern. Third, we applied the Normalized Different Water Index (NDWI) combined with Modification Normalized Different Water Index (MNDWI) to the selected Landsat dataset to extract the inundation area. Finally, we developed a rainfall-inundation relationship in the TNDS area. The result indicated that the yearly rainfall in the TNDS area has an increasing trend, with the highest peak in December and the second peak in April. Historical Landsat data shows that the TNDS has a complex pattern of inundation. The maximum water extent was 649 km2, with a 95 km2 as permanent (90>- 100 % water occurrence). These areas were constantly flooded, even in the dry season. The most significant non-permanent water was 161 km2 (80>- 90 % water occurrence). This permanent and larger temporary water area provides fish and other aquatic biotas habitats. It temporarily stores the water flowing slowly into the River Kapuas through the Tawang River. We captured the spatial inundation pattern and its relationship with the temporal regional rainfall. The developed relationship showed a lag of -60 days of accumulated rainfall correlated with the inundation area (R2 of 0.48, n=11). These findings will thus provide valuable data for lake managers and policy-makers to protect the biota and habitat in Lake Sentarum National Park area.

scholarly journals The Water-Energy-Food Nexus Index: A Tool for Integrated Resource Management and Sustainable Development

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gareth Simpson ◽  
Graham Jewitt ◽  
William Becker ◽  
Jessica Badenhorst ◽  
Ana Neves ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Resource Management ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
National Level ◽  
Composite Indicator ◽  
Research Centre ◽  
Joint Research ◽  
Core Element ◽  
Integrated Resource Management ◽  
Trade Offs

The Water-Energy-Food (WEF) nexus has, in the past decade, gained prominence as an approach for assessing integrated resource management. One challenge related to the WEF nexus approach is how to represent and monitor it since a system that includes water-, energy- and food-related parameters is complex. Not only are these resources quantified utilising different units, but they vary both spatially and temporally.This paper presents a national-level composite indicator that has been established for 170 countries, utilising the methodology developed by the Joint Research Centre: Competence Centre on Composite Indicators and Scoreboards. Following an assessment of 87 globally applicable water-, energy- and food-related indicators, 21 were selected to constitute the WEF Nexus Index. This index is made up of three equally weighted pillars representing the three constituent resource sectors, and six sub-pillars. A core element in the development of this index is equitable access to resources, which is characterised by each resource sector's ‘access’ sub-pillar. The WEF Nexus Index provides a quantitative perspective and offers a lens for evaluating trade-offs to be considered in the pursuit of sustainable development. To this end, it is intended for assessing national progress relating to integrated resource management as well as supporting decision making and policy development. The relevance and usefulness of the outcomes are demonstrated through an assessment of South Africa. The development of the WEF Nexus Index has demonstrated that no country is undertaking integrated resource management flawlessly. Every nation has the potential for improvement; which is evidenced by, for example, the top-ranking country for the index needing to reduce CO2 emissions. Neither the composite indicator nor the WEF nexus approach is, however, the panacea that will solve all the significant development or environmental challenges facing the global society. It can, however, contribute to integrated resource management and is complementary to the Sustainable Development Goals. It should ideally be utilised as an entry point into the underlying pillars, sub-pillars and indicators, in parallel with other qualitative and quantitative studies.

scholarly journals Multi-Scale Estimation of Land Use Efficiency (SDG 11.3.1) across 25 Years Using Global Open and Free Data

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (20) ◽  
pp. 5674 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcello Schiavina ◽  
Michele Melchiorri ◽  
Christina Corbane ◽  
Aneta Florczyk ◽  
Sergio Freire ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Population Distribution ◽  
Research Centre ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Human Settlements ◽  
Joint Research ◽  
Land Use Efficiency ◽  
Tier Ii ◽  
Free Data ◽  
Use Efficiency

Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11 aspires to “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”, and the introduction of an explicit urban goal testifies to the importance of urbanisation. The understanding of the process of urbanisation and the capacity to monitor the SDGs require a wealth of open, reliable, locally yet globally comparable data, and a fully-fledged data revolution. In this framework, the European Commission–Joint Research Centre has developed a suite of (open and free) data and tools named Global Human Settlement Layer (GHSL) which maps the human presence on Earth (built-up areas, population distribution and settlement typologies) between 1975 and 2015. The GHSL supplies information on the progressive expansion of built-up areas on Earth and population dynamics in human settlements, with both sources of information serving as baseline data to quantify land use efficiency (LUE), listed as a Tier II indicator for SDG 11 (11.3.1). In this paper, we present the profile of the LUE across several territorial scales between 1990 and 2015, highlighting diverse development trajectories and the land take efficiency of different human settlements. Our results show that (i) the GHSL framework allows us to estimate LUE for the entire planet at several territorial scales, opening the opportunity of lifting the LUE indicator from its Tier II classification; (ii) the current formulation of the LUE is substantially subject to path dependency; and (iii) it requires additional spatially-explicit metrics for its interpretation. We propose the Achieved Population Density in Expansion Areas and the Marginal Land Consumption per New Inhabitant metrics for this purpose. The study is planetary and multi-temporal in coverage, demonstrating the value of well-designed, open and free, fine-scale geospatial information on human settlements in supporting policy and monitoring progress made towards meeting the SDGs.

scholarly journals Profiling of Sub-Lethal in Vitro Effects of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Reveals Changes in Chemokines and Chemokine Receptors

Nanomaterials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 883 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandeep Keshavan ◽  
Fernando Torres Andón ◽  
Audrey Gallud ◽  
Wei Chen ◽  
Knut Reinert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Nanotubes ◽  
Chemokine Receptors ◽  
Research Centre ◽  
Target Cells ◽  
Joint Research ◽  
Chemokine Signaling ◽  
Multi Walled Carbon Nanotubes ◽  
Downstream Analysis ◽  
Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Engineered nanomaterials are potentially very useful for a variety of applications, but studies are needed to ascertain whether these materials pose a risk to human health. Here, we studied three benchmark nanomaterials (Ag nanoparticles, TiO2 nanoparticles, and multi-walled carbon nanotubes, MWCNTs) procured from the nanomaterial repository at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission. Having established a sub-lethal concentration of these materials using two human cell lines representative of the immune system and the lungs, respectively, we performed RNA sequencing of the macrophage-like cell line after exposure for 6, 12, and 24 h. Downstream analysis of the transcriptomics data revealed significant effects on chemokine signaling pathways. CCR2 was identified as the most significantly upregulated gene in MWCNT-exposed cells. Using multiplex assays to evaluate cytokine and chemokine secretion, we could show significant effects of MWCNTs on several chemokines, including CCL2, a ligand of CCR2. The results demonstrate the importance of evaluating sub-lethal concentrations of nanomaterials in relevant target cells.

scholarly journals Local-Level Democratic Backsliding? The Consolidation of Aspiring Dominant-Party Regimes in Hungary and Poland

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-24
Author(s):  
Conor O'Dwyer ◽  
Matthew Stenberg
Keyword(s):  
Local Politics ◽  
Electoral Systems ◽  
Local Level ◽  
National Level ◽  
Dominant Party ◽  
Mayoral Elections ◽  
Political Reforms ◽  
Strategic Coordination ◽  
The Future ◽  
Two Factors

Abstract Aspiring dominant-party regimes often institute major institutional and political reforms at the national level to ensure they retain control. However, subnational politics is an important, under-studied, component of regime consolidation. This study uses mayoral races in Hungary and Poland from 2006 to 2018 to examine two factors that may inhibit dominant-party regime consolidation in local politics: the use of two-round, i.e. runoff, electoral systems and strategic coordination among opposition parties. While we find little evidence that strategic coordination can lead to widespread opposition success in single-round systems, we do find that increasing the number of candidates decreases the likelihood of the nationally dominant party winning in the first round while not affecting the second round. As such, two-round mayoral elections may be an important buffer to dominant-party regime consolidation and may provide a training ground for the future opposition.

Reducing the Impact of Unemployment through Work-Sharing: Some Industrial Relations Considerations

1983 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noah M. Meltz ◽  
Frank Reid
Keyword(s):  
Local Level ◽  
Industrial Relations ◽  
National Level ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Labour Relations ◽  
Work Sharing ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Short Run ◽  
The Impact

The Canadian Government has introduced a work-sharing program in which lay offs are avoided by reducing the work week and using unemployment insurance funds to pay workers short-time compensation. Compared to the lay-off alternative, there appear to be economic benefits to work-sharing for both management and employees. Reaction to the scheme has been generally positive at the union local level and the firm level, but it has been negative at the national level of both labour and management. These divergent views can be explained mainly as a result of short-run versus long-run perspectives. Managers at the firm level see the immediate benefit of improved labour relations and the avoidance of the costs of hiring and training replacements for laid-off workers who do not respond when recalled. The national business leaders are more concerned with work incentive and efficiency aspects of work-sharing.

Silver nanoparticles induce cytotoxicity, but not cell transformation or genotoxicity on Balb3T3 mouse fibroblasts

2013 ◽  
Vol 14 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 49-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Broggi ◽  
Jessica Ponti ◽  
Guido Giudetti ◽  
Fabio Franchini ◽  
Vicki Stone ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Silver Nanoparticles ◽  
Cell Transformation ◽  
Micronucleus Test ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Neoplastic Transformation ◽  
Research Centre ◽  
Ag Nps ◽  
Joint Research ◽  
Ic50 Values ◽  
Average Size

AbstractSilver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) are one of the most common nanomaterials present in nanotechnology-based products. Here, the physical chemical properties of Ag NPs suspensions of 44 nm, 84 nm and 100 nm sizes synthesized in our laboratory were characterized. The NM-300 material (average size of 17 nm), supplied by the Joint Research Centre Nanomaterials Repository was also included in the present study. The Ag NPs potential cytotoxicity was tested on the Balb3T3 cell line by the Colony Forming Efficiency assay, while their potential morphological neoplastic transformation and genotoxicity were tested by the Cell Transformation Assay and the micronucleus test, respectively. After 24 h of exposure, NM-300 showed cytotoxicity with an IC50 of 8 µM (corresponding to 0.88 µg/mL) while for the other nanomaterials tested, values of IC50 were higher than 10 µM (1.10 µg/mL). After 72 h of exposure, Ag NPs showed size-dependent cytotoxic effect with IC50 values of 1.5 µM (1.16 µg/mL) for NM-300, 1.7 µM (1.19 µg/mL) for Ag 44 nm, 1.9 µM (0.21 µg/mL) for Ag 84 nm and 3.2 µM (0.35 µg/mL) for Ag 100 nm. None of the Ag NPs tested was able to induce either morphological neoplastic transformation or micronuclei formation.

scholarly journals Underneath Kyoto: Emerging Subnational Government Initiatives and Incipient Issue-Bundling Opportunities in China and the United States

2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter H. Koehn
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Stress Reduction ◽  
Traffic Congestion ◽  
Local Level ◽  
National Level ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
The United States ◽  
Healthy Human ◽  
Republic Of China ◽  
Stabilization Policies

At present, progress in mitigating global GHG emissions is impeded by political stalemate at the national level in the United States and the People's Republic of China. Through the conceptual lenses of multilevel governance and framing politics, the article analyzes emerging policy initiatives among subnational governments in both countries. Effective subnational emission-mitigating action requires framing climatic-stabilization policies in terms of local co-benefits associated with environmental protection, health promotion, and economic advantage. In an impressive group of US states and cities, and increasingly at the local level in China, public concerns about air pollution, consumption and waste management, traffic congestion, health threats, the ability to attract tourists, and/or diminishing resources are legitimizing policy developments that carry the co-benefit of controlling GHG emissions. A co-benefits framing strategy that links individual and community concerns for morbidity, mortality, stress reduction, and healthy human development for all with GHG-emission limitation/reduction is especially likely to resonate powerfully at the subnational level throughout China and the United States.

Portugal: 19 July 1987

1987 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 444-451 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa
Keyword(s):  
Party System ◽  
Local Level ◽  
National Level ◽  
Political Regime ◽  
Public Companies ◽  
Parliamentary Elections ◽  
Universal Suffrage ◽  
The Republic ◽  
The Government ◽  
Economic Regime

THE PORTUGUESE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS OF 19 JULY 1987 initiated a profound change in the Portuguese party system and in the system of government. From 1974 onwards, Portugal had moved peacefully towards a democratic political system, enshrined in the 1976 Constitution. This evolution lasted about eight years and culminated in the revision of the Constitution in 1982. From 1982 onwards the present political regime has been a democratic one, coexisting with a capitalist economic regime attenuated by state monopoly in key sectors and by public companies which were nationalized between 1974 and 1976. It is also since 1982 that the system of government has been semi-presidential. There is pure representativeness as referendums do not exist at national level and have never been regulated at local level. But the government is semi-presidential in the sense that, owing to French influence, it attempts to balance Parliament with the election of the President of the Republic by direct and universal suffrage.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document