Environmental decision making using multiple participant-multiple criteria decision techniques

Two environmental decision making problems are investigated utilizing decision making methods found to be appropriate for each situation. The first study on sustainability alternatives for the aviation industry evaluates possible actions by the industry in order to reduce emissions by utilizing multiple criteria decision making methods. Interdependence of alternatives is considered. In the second study, the graph model for conflict resolution is utilized to investigate the controversy surrounding the recommendations by the International Joint Commission on the fluctuating water levels in the Laurentian Great Lakes. These studies are carried out to clarify and understand the values and considerations that have led to the participants’ decision making behavior so that insights on creating movement towards desired outcomes are revealed. If the solution is undesirable, the movements on preferences of some participants needed to shift to a better outcome are explored, which add value to the analysis.

Environmental decision making using multiple participant-multiple criteria decision techniques

Two environmental decision making problems are investigated utilizing decision making methods found to be appropriate for each situation. The first study on sustainability alternatives for the aviation industry evaluates possible actions by the industry in order to reduce emissions by utilizing multiple criteria decision making methods. Interdependence of alternatives is considered. In the second study, the graph model for conflict resolution is utilized to investigate the controversy surrounding the recommendations by the International Joint Commission on the fluctuating water levels in the Laurentian Great Lakes. These studies are carried out to clarify and understand the values and considerations that have led to the participants’ decision making behavior so that insights on creating movement towards desired outcomes are revealed. If the solution is undesirable, the movements on preferences of some participants needed to shift to a better outcome are explored, which add value to the analysis.

Environmental nationalist: Andrew McNaughton and Canada–US relations in the Cold War

Prior to 1945, General Andrew George Latta McNaughton had already made a name for himself as an army general, engineer, inventor, and cabinet minister. After 1945, McNaughton occupied a number of key international roles for Canada: at the United Nations, on the Permanent Joint Board on Defence, and on the International Joint Commission. Even though he became one of Canada’s most important diplomatic actors during the early Cold War period, this aspect of his career has been mostly ignored by international historians. This article examines McNaughton’s key involvement in the evolution of a number of Canada–US water megaprojects, arguing that his nationalism underpinned his approach to bilateral relations, which combined deep technical expertise with a willingness to publicly assert the Canadian national interest. McNaughton’s approach should be studied not only to better understand North American environmental diplomacy in the Cold War but also to draw from it several lessons for contemporary times.

Intergovernmental River Basin Management: The Role of the International Joint Commission in the Great Lakes Basin between the United States and Canada

The International Joint Commission (IJC) is an independent agency that guides Canada and the United States on how to settle disputes involving their 13 transboundary river basins. The IJC’s river basin management methods can be evaluated by using 10 principles, and its techniques can be modelled by other international transboundary water organisations. The 2012 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement serves as a case study that demonstrates how the IJC responds to situations in an immense and historically disputed basin.

Analysing the Operative Experience of Paediatric Surgical Trainees in Sub-Saharan Africa Using a Web-Based Logbook

Background The expansion of local training programmes is crucial to address the shortages of specialist paediatric surgeons across Sub-Saharan Africa. This study assesses whether the current training programme for paediatric surgery at the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA) is exposing trainees to adequate numbers and types of surgical procedures, as defined by local and international guidelines. Methods Using data from the COSECSA web-based logbook, we retrospectively analysed numbers and types of operations carried out by paediatric surgical trainees at each stage of training between 2015 and 2019, comparing results with indicative case numbers from regional (COSECSA) and international (Joint Commission on Surgical Training) guidelines. Results A total of 7,616 paediatric surgical operations were recorded by 15 trainees, at different stages of training, working across five countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Each trainee recorded a median number of 456 operations (range 56–1111), with operative experience increasing between the first and final year of training. The most commonly recorded operation was inguinal hernia (n = 1051, 13.8%). Trainees performed the majority (n = 5607, 73.6%) of operations recorded in the eLogbook themselves, assisting in the remainder. Trainees exceeded both local and international recommended case numbers for general surgical procedures, with little exposure to sub-specialities. Conclusions Trainees obtain a wide experience in common and general paediatric surgical procedures, the number of which increases during training. Post-certification may be required for those who wish to sub-specialise. The data from the logbook are useful in identifying individuals who may require additional experience and centres which should be offering increased levels of supervised surgical exposure.