Avoiding Conflicts between Future Freshwater Algae Production and Water Scarcity in the United States at the Energy-Water Nexus

Sustainable production of algae will depend on understanding trade-offs at the energy-water nexus. Algal biofuels promise to improve the environmental sustainability profile of renewable energy along most dimensions. In this assessment of potential US freshwater production, we assumed sustainable production along the carbon dimension by simulating placement of open ponds away from high-carbon-stock lands (forest, grassland, and wetland) and near sources of waste CO 2 . Along the water dimension, we quantified trade-offs between water scarcity and production for an ‘upstream’ indicator (measuring minimum water supply) and a ‘downstream’ indicator (measuring impacts on rivers). For the upstream indicator, we developed a visualization tool to evaluate algae production for different thresholds for water surplus. We hypothesized that maintaining a minimum seasonal water surplus would also protect river habitat for aquatic biota. Our study confirmed that ensuring surplus water also reduced the duration of low-flow events, but only above a threshold. We also observed a trade-off between algal production and the duration of low-flow events in streams. These results can help to guide the choice of basin-specific sustainability targets to avoid conflicts with competing water users at this energy-water nexus. Where conflicts emerge, alternative water sources or enclosed photobioreactors may be needed for algae cultivation.

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Winning the Argument and Moving the Fight: The Legacy of a Grassroots Humanitarian

Public Voices ◽

10.22140/pv.24 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 115

Author(s):

Mary Coleman

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

United States ◽

Winning Strategy ◽

Supreme Court Decision ◽

The United States ◽

Colleges And Universities ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

The Political ◽

Political Actors ◽

Trade Offs

The author of this article argues that the two-decades-long litigation struggle was necessary to push the political actors in Mississippi into a more virtuous than vicious legal/political negotiation. The second and related argument, however, is that neither the 1992 United States Supreme Court decision in Fordice nor the negotiation provided an adequate riposte to plaintiffs’ claims. The author shows that their chief counsel for the first phase of the litigation wanted equality of opportunity for historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), as did the plaintiffs. In the course of explicating the role of a legal grass-roots humanitarian, Coleman suggests lessons learned and trade-offs from that case/negotiation, describing the tradeoffs as part of the political vestiges of legal racism in black public higher education and the need to move HBCUs to a higher level of opportunity at a critical juncture in the life of tuition-dependent colleges and universities in the United States. Throughout the essay the following questions pose themselves: In thinking about the Road to Fordice and to political settlement, would the Justice Department lawyers and the plaintiffs’ lawyers connect at the point of their shared strength? Would the timing of the settlement benefit the plaintiffs and/or the State? Could plaintiffs’ lawyers hold together for the length of the case and move each piece of the case forward in a winning strategy? Who were plaintiffs’ opponents and what was their strategy? With these questions in mind, the author offers an analysis of how the campaign— political/legal arguments and political/legal remedies to remove the vestiges of de jure segregation in higher education—unfolded in Mississippi, with special emphasis on the initiating lawyer in Ayers v. Waller and Fordice, Isaiah Madison

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Risk, Recessions and Resilience: Towards Sustainable Local Labor Markets through Employment Portfolio Analysis

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13147926 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (14) ◽

pp. 7926

Author(s):

Bharman Gulati ◽

Stephan Weiler

Keyword(s):

Labor Market ◽

Labor Markets ◽

Positive Impact ◽

The United States ◽

Local Economy ◽

Local Labor Markets ◽

Local Labor Market ◽

Business Survival ◽

Trade Offs ◽

New Business

This paper explores the role of local labor market dynamics on the survival of new businesses. The characteristics of the local labor market are likely to influence the survival of new businesses, the level of entrepreneurship, and the resilience of the regional economy. We apply portfolio theory to evaluate employment-based and income-based measures of risk-and-return trade-offs in local labor markets on new business survival in the United States. Our results show that volatility in local labor markets has a positive impact on new business survival, especially in Metropolitan Statistical Areas. The results are robust across different timeframes, including during economic downturns, thus highlighting the contribution of new businesses in developing the resilience of the local economy, and further promoting sustainable regional economic development.

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An integrated life cycle and water footprint assessment of nonfood crops based bioenergy production

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-83061-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Jun Li ◽

Fengyin Xiong ◽

Zhuo Chen

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle ◽

Environmental Sustainability ◽

Large Scale ◽

Water Footprint ◽

Arable Land ◽

Integrated Analysis ◽

Actual Performance ◽

Bioenergy Production ◽

Trade Offs ◽

Hybrid Pennisetum

AbstractBiomass gasification, especially distribution to power generation, is considered as a promising way to tackle global energy and environmental challenges. However, previous researches on integrated analysis of the greenhouse gases (GHG) abatement potentials associated with biomass electrification are sparse and few have taken the freshwater utilization into account within a coherent framework, though both energy and water scarcity are lying in the central concerns in China’s environmental policy. This study employs a Life cycle assessment (LCA) model to analyse the actual performance combined with water footprint (WF) assessment methods. The inextricable trade-offs between three representative energy-producing technologies are explored based on three categories of non-food crops (maize, sorghum and hybrid pennisetum) cultivated in marginal arable land. WF results demonstrate that the Hybrid pennisetum system has the largest impact on the water resources whereas the other two technology options exhibit the characteristics of environmental sustainability. The large variances in contribution ratio between the four sub-processes in terms of total impacts are reflected by the LCA results. The Anaerobic Digestion process is found to be the main contributor whereas the Digestate management process is shown to be able to effectively mitigate the negative environmental impacts with an absolute share. Sensitivity analysis is implemented to detect the impacts of loss ratios variation, as silage mass and methane, on final results. The methane loss has the largest influence on the Hybrid pennisetum system, followed by the Maize system. Above all, the Sorghum system demonstrates the best performance amongst the considered assessment categories. Our study builds a pilot reference for further driving large-scale project of bioenergy production and conversion. The synergy of combined WF-LCA method allows us to conduct a comprehensive assessment and to provide insights into environmental and resource management.

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HOW TO TRANSFORM AGRICULTURE UNDER THE CHALLENGES OF GLOBAL WARMING: A REVIEW OF KEY DEVELOPMENT AND TRADE ISSUES

Journal of International Commerce Economics and Policy ◽

10.1142/s1793993313500130 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 04 (03) ◽

pp. 1350013

Author(s):

ULRICH HOFFMANN

Keyword(s):

Global Warming ◽

Environmental Sustainability ◽

Gender Inequity ◽

Production Methods ◽

Mitigation And Adaptation ◽

Health And Nutrition ◽

Trade Offs ◽

Development Approach ◽

And Gender ◽

Made In

The problems of climate change, hunger and poverty, economic, social and gender inequity, poor health and nutrition, and environmental sustainability are inter-related and need to be solved by leveraging agriculture's multi-functionality. Against this background, this paper analyzes various aspects of the fundamental transformation of agricultural production methods and systems required for dealing with the serious challenges that arise from global warming. It also discusses the trade-offs to be made in enhancing the mitigation and adaptation potential of agriculture as part and parcel of a pro-poor development approach in agriculture, which will also have to include a modification of international trade rules.

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Water Scarcity and Sustainability in an Emerging Economy: A Management Perspective for Future

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13010144 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 144

Author(s):

Dianxi Zhang ◽

Muhammad Safdar Sial ◽

Naveed Ahmad ◽

António José Filipe ◽

Phung Anh Thu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Water Scarcity ◽

Environmental Sustainability ◽

Crop Production ◽

Irrigation System ◽

Climatic Conditions ◽

Water Crisis ◽

Rapid Urbanization ◽

Global Issue ◽

Management Perspective ◽

Emergency Measures

Water scarcity is rising as a global issue, because the planet earth is facing a global water crisis, which is considered something that can destroy environmental sustainability of our planet. The fact is that humanity’s demand is depleting natural resources faster than nature can replenish itself; if human habits and unsustainable use of water resources do not change, water scarcity will inevitably intensify and become a major cause of conflict among different nations of the world. The water scarcity issue is a crucial issue but unfortunately it has not received due attention in past. Pakistan, which once was a water abundant country, now facing a situation of water scarcity. Pakistan has a poor irrigation system which results 60% loss of its water; Pakistan uses more water for crop production than other countries. Likewise, the country harvests water from rainfall, rivers, snow, and glaciers. The country is facing a serious water crisis that is caused by different factors, such as changing climatic conditions, rising population, poor irrigation system, poor political will, and rapid urbanization. The water crisis of Pakistan is expected to worsen in coming years. This is a drastic situation which calls for emergency measures. With this background, the present study provides a detailed view of the water situation in the country with challenges to water management. The study also suggests some recommendations for policymakers to improve the water crisis situation in the future.

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Optimizing the Cost and Reliability of Shared Anchors in an Array of Floating Offshore Wind Turbines

ASCE-ASME J Risk and Uncert in Engrg Sys Part B Mech Engrg ◽

10.1115/1.4051163 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Michael Devin ◽

Bryony DuPont ◽

Spencer Hallowell ◽

Sanjay Arwade

Keyword(s):

Optimization Algorithm ◽

System Reliability ◽

Failure Modes ◽

The United States ◽

Offshore Wind ◽

Bayesian Optimization ◽

Maintenance Cost ◽

Offshore Wind Turbine ◽

Trade Offs ◽

Floating Offshore Wind Turbines

Abstract Commercial floating offshore wind projects are expected to emerge in the United States by the end of this decade. Currently, however, high costs for the technology limit its commercial viability, and a lack of data regarding system reliability heightens project risk. This work presents an optimization algorithm to examine the trade-offs between cost and reliability for a floating offshore wind array that uses shared anchoring. Combining a multivariable genetic algorithm with elements of Bayesian optimization, the optimization algorithm selectively increases anchor strengths to minimize the added costs of failure for a large floating wind farm in the Gulf of Maine under survival load conditions. The algorithm uses an evaluation function that computes the probability of mooring system failure, then calculates the expected maintenance costs of a failure via a Monte Carlo method. A cost sensitivity analysis is also performed to compare results for a range of maintenance cost profiles. The results indicate that virtually all of the farm's anchors are strengthened in the minimum cost solution. Anchor strength is in- creased between 5-35% depending on farm location, with anchor strength nearest the export cable being increased the most. The optimal solutions maintain a failure probability of 1.25%, demonstrating the trade-off point between cost and reliability. System reliability was found to be particularly sensitive to changes in turbine costs and downtime, suggest- ing further research into floating offshore wind turbine failure modes in extreme loading conditions could be particularly impactful in reducing project uncertainty.

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A multiscale approach to balance trade-offs among dam infrastructure, river restoration, and cost

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.1807437115 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 115 (47) ◽

pp. 12069-12074 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Samuel G. Roy ◽

Emi Uchida ◽

Simone P. de Souza ◽

Ben Blachly ◽

Emma Fox ◽

...

Keyword(s):

New England ◽

River Restoration ◽

Spatial Scales ◽

Dam Removal ◽

The United States ◽

Multiscale Approach ◽

Funding Policy ◽

Net Benefit ◽

Trade Offs ◽

Aging Infrastructure

Aging infrastructure and growing interests in river restoration have led to a substantial rise in dam removals in the United States. However, the decision to remove a dam involves many complex trade-offs. The benefits of dam removal for hazard reduction and ecological restoration are potentially offset by the loss of hydroelectricity production, water supply, and other important services. We use a multiobjective approach to examine a wide array of trade-offs and synergies involved with strategic dam removal at three spatial scales in New England. We find that increasing the scale of decision-making improves the efficiency of trade-offs among ecosystem services, river safety, and economic costs resulting from dam removal, but this may lead to heterogeneous and less equitable local-scale outcomes. Our model may help facilitate multilateral funding, policy, and stakeholder agreements by analyzing the trade-offs of coordinated dam decisions, including net benefit alternatives to dam removal, at scales that satisfy these agreements.

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Grappling With Complex Food Systems to Reduce Obesity: A US Public Health Challenge

Public Health Reports ◽

10.1177/0033354918802793 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 133 (1_suppl) ◽

pp. 44S-53S ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Anne Barnhill ◽

Anne Palmer ◽

Christine M. Weston ◽

Kelly D. Brownell ◽

Kate Clancy ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Environmental Sustainability ◽

Food Systems ◽

Food System ◽

The United States ◽

Community Members ◽

Targeted Interventions ◽

Health Community ◽

Policies And Programs ◽

State Programs

Despite 2 decades of effort by the public health community to combat obesity, obesity rates in the United States continue to rise. This lack of progress raises fundamental questions about the adequacy of our current approaches. Although the causes of population-wide obesity are multifactorial, attention to food systems as potential drivers of obesity has been prominent. However, the relationships between broader food systems and obesity are not always well understood. Our efforts to address obesity can be advanced and improved by the use of systems approaches that consider outcomes of the interconnected global food system, including undernutrition, climate change, the environmental sustainability of agriculture, and other social and economic concerns. By implementing innovative local and state programs, taking new approaches to overcome political obstacles to effect policy, and reconceptualizing research needs, we can improve obesity prevention efforts that target the food systems, maximize positive outcomes, and minimize adverse consequences. We recommend strengthening innovative local policies and programs, particularly those that involve community members in identifying problems and potential solutions and that embrace a broad set of goals beyond making eating patterns healthier. We also recommend undertaking interdisciplinary research projects that go beyond testing targeted interventions in specific populations and aim to build an understanding of the broader social, political, and economic context.

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High Throughput Screening of Elite Loblolly Pine Families for Chemical and Bioenergy Traits with Near Infrared Spectroscopy

Forests ◽

10.3390/f9070418 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 9 (7) ◽

pp. 418

Author(s):

Gifty Acquah ◽

Brian Via ◽

Tom Gallagher ◽

Nedret Billor ◽

Oladiran Fasina ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Throughput ◽

Loblolly Pine ◽

Environmental Sustainability ◽

High Throughput Screening ◽

Near Infrared ◽

The United States ◽

P Value ◽

Cellulose Content ◽

Forest Sites ◽

Chemical Traits

Pinus taeda L. (loblolly pine) dominates 13.4 million ha of US southeastern forests and contributes over $30 billion to the economy of the region. The species will also form an important component of the renewable energy portfolio as the United States seeks national and energy security as well as environmental sustainability. This study employed NIR-based chemometric models as a high throughput screening tool to estimate the chemical traits and bioenergy potential of 351 standing loblolly pine trees representing 14 elite genetic families planted on two forest sites. The genotype of loblolly pine families affected the chemical, proximate and energy traits studied. With a range of 36.7% to 42.0%, the largest genetic variation (p-value < 0.0001) was detected in the cellulose content. Furthermore, although family by site interactions were significant for all traits, cellulose was the most stable across the two sites. Considering that cellulose content has strong correlations with other properties, selecting and breeding for cellulose could generate some gains.

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Impacts of Legal and Institutional Changes on Irrigation Management Performance: A Case of the Gezira Irrigation Scheme, Sudan

Water ◽

10.3390/w10111579 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. 1579 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ahmed Elshaikh ◽

Shi-hong Yang ◽

Xiyun Jiao ◽

Mohammed Elbashier

Keyword(s):

Water Management ◽

Water Supply ◽

Irrigation System ◽

Irrigation Management ◽

Institutional Arrangements ◽

Institutional Changes ◽

Management Performance ◽

Water Users ◽

Water Surplus ◽

The Right

This study aims to offer a comprehensive assessment of the impacts of policies and institutional arrangements on irrigation management performance. The case study, the Gezira Scheme, has witnessed a significant decrease in water management performance during recent decades. This situation led to several institutional changes in order to put the system on the right path. The main organizations involved in water management at the scheme are the Ministry of Irrigation & Water Resources (MOIWR), the Sudan Gezira Board (SGB), and the Water Users Associations (WUAs). Different combinations from these organizations were founded to manage the irrigation system. The evaluation of these organizations is based on the data of water supply and cultivated areas from 1970 to 2015. The measured data were compared with two methods: the empirical water order method (Indent) that considers the design criteria of the scheme, and the Crop Water Requirement (CWR) method. Results show that the MOIWR period was the most efficient era, with an average water surplus of 12% compared with the Indent value, while the most critical period (SGB & WUAs) occurred when the water supply increased by 80%. The other periods of the Irrigation Water Corporation (IWC), (SGB & MOIWR), and (WUAs & MOIWR) had witnessed an increase in water supply by 29%, 63%, and 67% respectively. Through these institutional changes, the percentage of excessive water supply jumped from 12% to 80%. Finally, the study provides general recommendations associated with institutional arrangements and policy adoption to improve irrigation system performance.

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