Environmental Behavior of Youth and Sustainable Development

The relationship between people and nature is one of the most important current issues of human survival. This circumstance makes it necessary to educate young people who are receptive to global challenges and ready to solve the urgent problems of our time. The purpose of the article is to analyze the experience of the environmental behavior of young people in the metropolis. The authors studied articles and monographs that contain Russian and international experience in the environmental behavior of citizens. The following factors determine people’s behavior: the cognitive capabilities of people who determine the understanding and perception of nature and the value-affective component that determines the attitude towards nature. The next task of the study is surveying young people through an online survey and its analysis. The research was realized in Ekaterinburg, the administrative center of the Sverdlovsk region (Russia). The study of the current ecological situation in Ekaterinburg made it possible to conclude that the environmental problem arises not only and not simply as a problem of environmental pollution and other negative influences of human economic activity. This problem grows into transforming the spontaneous impact of society on nature into a consciously, purposefully, systematically developing harmonious interaction with it. The study results showed that, from the point of view of the youth of Ekaterinburg, the city’s ecological situation is one of the most pressing problems. Despite minor improvements over the past 3–5 years, this problem has not lost relevance, and regional authorities and city residents should be responsible for its solution. Young people know environmental practices, but they often do not apply them systematically. Ecological behavior is encouraged and discussed among friends/acquaintances. The key factors influencing the formation of environmental behavior practices are the mass media and social networks. The most popular social network for obtaining information on ecological practices among young people is Instagram, and the key persons are bloggers. This study did not reveal the influence of the socio-demographic characteristics of young people on the application of eco-behavior practices, which may indicate the need for a survey of a larger sample.

Methodology for the economic estimation of the environmental damages caused by land, soil and air pollution in Kenya: a review of previously used methods

Environmental compensation is a form of payment for pollution of nature and the environment and the destruction of land, plants or animals. One of the challenges in ensuring waste management in Kenya is how to measure the negative effect of industrial activities and waste on the environment, economy, and human health. Although the amount of compensation should be established on the basis of the environmental-economic assessment of the appropriate environment, it should also be sufficient to implement measures aimed at restoring, reproducing and improving this environment. Kenya has not yet developed a clear legal framework for compensation for environmental damage even through it has a clear and elaborate Environmental Management and Coordination Act for the protection of the environment. Previous studies on the cost of environmental damage in Kenya have successfully used two methodologies: emergency costs and soil, air, and water pollution. This works examines the essence of these methods, as well as the possibility of their application in assessing the cost of damage to the environment as a result of human economic activity.

Preface to Drought Risk Management to Reflect Changing Meteorological Conditions

Drought is one of the main extreme meteorological and hydrological phenomena which influence both the functioning of ecosystems and many important sectors of human economic activity [...]

Mud volcanism as a dangerous phenomenon for oil and gas facilities

The research dwells on the danger of mud volcanism for human economic activity, namely, oil and gas production. We performed quantitative assessment of mud volcanoes activities, using Azerbaijan and Kerch-Taman region as examples. Average annual number of mud volcanoes eruptions is 3–4 for Azerbaijan and 1–2 for Kerch-Taman region. We estimate the catalogues of mud volcanic eruptions for those areas to be 52 % and 39 % complete, respectively. Mud volcanoes eruptions are quite frequent. In both regions, over 50 % of all recorded eruptions occur within ten years of the latest eruption. Analysis of mud volcanic eruptions catalogues shows that the volume of breccia ejected during an eruption is practically not related to how long the mud volcano was quiescent. Analysis of potential impact of seismicity on mud volcanic activity shows that the probability of mud volcanoes responding to an earthquake is 6 % and 10 % for Azerbaijan and Kerch-Taman region, respectively.

Current status of alert alien species management for the establishment of proactive management systems in Korea

Background Some of the introduced alien species introduced settle, multiply, and spread to become invasive alien species (IAS) that threaten biodiversity. To prevent this, Korea and other countries legally designate and manage alien species that pose a risk to the environment. Moreover, 2160 alien species have been introduced in South Korea, of which 1826 animals and 334 plants are designated. The inflow of IAS can have negative effects such as ecosystem disturbance, habitat destruction, economic damage, and health damage to humans. To prevent damage caused by the inflow of IAS in advance, species that could potentially pose a risk to the environment if introduced in South Korea were designated as alert alien species (AAS). Results The designation criteria were in accordance with the “Act on the Conservation and Use of Biological Diversity” and the “Regulations on the Ecological Risk Assessment of AAS and IAS” by the National Institute of Ecology. The analysis result of risk and damage cases indicated that mammals affect predation, competition, human economic activity, virus infection, and parasite infection. Birds have been demonstrated to affect predation, competition, human economic activity, and health. It was indicated that plants intrude on the ecosystem by competing with native species with their high-population density and capacity to multiply and cause allergic inducement. Interestingly, 300 species, including 25 mammals, 7 birds, 84 fishes, 28 amphibians, 22 reptiles, 1 insect, 32 spiders, 1 mollusk, 1 arthropod, and 99 plants, are included in the list of AAS. Conclusions AAS designation plays a role in preventing the reduction of biodiversity by IAS in South Korea and preserving native species. Moreover, it is determined to provide considerable economic benefits by preventing socio-economic losses and ecological damage.

DISTRIBUTION AREA AND CREATION CAUSES OF WATER EROSION IN LANKARAN REGION

The distribution area of water erosion has been determined, factors causing creation and intensification of erosion process have been identified in Lankaran region in this article. It was known that a main reason in intensification of erosion process in Lankaran region is anthropogenic factor. Trus, ill-considered human economic activity, replacement of natural forest cover with agricultural crops, untimely and improper organization of antierosion control measures have led to a decrease in soil quality and productivity, as well as accelerated erosion processes. The mountainous, foothill and plain areas of Lankaran region, which are the object of research, are at risk of water erosion. The total area of the region is 636,3 thousand hectares. Of this, 266,5 thousand hectares, or 41,9% were subject to various degrees of erosion.

Net national metabolism as a fine-scale metric of energetic biophysical size in an industrialised country

The biophysical magnitude of global human economic activity is arguably the defining feature and challenge of the Anthropocene, leading to multiple environmental consequences. Quantifying this magnitude at sufficient resolution remains a challenge. We define and present the first detailed district-level analysis of Net National Metabolism (NNM) – a social metabolism energy metric – for an industrialised country (the United Kingdom), using data on household energy alongside household expenditure survey data and energy intensity figures for product categories. The total UK NNM is estimated as 7.56 EJ year−1 (3650 W per capita), 44% of which stems from energy embodied in products and services consumed by households. This is comparable with the metabolism of the UK biosphere (approximately 6.95 EJ year−1). Of the final energy embodied in consumption of goods and services, 46% is dependent on domestic policy decisions and 54% is dependent on policy decisions with/in key trading partners. We demonstrate the applicability of this metric by exploring the relationship between NNM and social deprivation in the UK.

Desertification in Agricultural Lands: Approaches to Mitigation

Urban expansion and industrial development destroy agricultural lands, pastures, and forests, and reduce the ecological and biological potential of lands, known as desertification. Diminished land potential due to one or a combination of processes such as erosion, destruction of water resources, destruction of vegetation, and swamping, by climate and human factors, is called desertification. Among these, human factors have a vital role in the emergence of this phenomenon. Excessive human economic activity upsets the ecological balance of arid and semi-arid regions, leading to adverse environmental changes. With the expansion of deserts in some parts of the world, food production and water resources are declining, resulting in environmental migration. Due to the limited capacity of urban areas to provide facilities and services, these migrations will cause severe socio-economic problems. In general, climatic and human factors are among the fundamental causes of desertification in the world. Preventing improper agricultural practices that lead to salinity and widespread soil degradation requires well-planned and strengthened awareness programs and development of information and care systems for areas exposed to desertification and drought, while also addressing the economic and social dimensions in these ecosystems.

The relationship between natural phenomena and economic activities in the national calendar of the Yakuts and Evens

The national calendar is an encyclopedia of the everyday life of the people, their way of life and world order. Knowledge and study of the folk calendar as part of culture is necessary to preserve the unique traditional cultures of the indigenous peoples of the North and Siberia. The novelty of the research lies in the establishment of the relationship between natural phenomena and human economic activity in the national calendar of the Yakuts and Evens, taking into account the peculiarities of the creation by each of the peoples of their own calendar.

Microwave Irradiation in Technologies of Wastewater and Wastewater Sludge Treatment: A Review

Every year, the human impact on the world’s water sources becomes more pronounced. One of the triggers to this increase is the use of ineffective wastewater and sludge treatment systems. Recently, the number of studies of microwave processing in handling liquid municipal and industrial waste has increased. This paper discusses heat treatment, change in properties, decomposition of substances, removal of metals, demulsification, pyrolysis, biogas processing, disinfection, and other topics. The findings of European, Chinese, Russian, and other authors are summarised and presented in this review. In addition, the most notable Russian patents for microwave installations/devices and reactors suitable for a wide variety of applications are discussed. In this article, the authors look at microwave wastewater and sludge treatment from the perspective of practical application in various fields of human economic activity.