Spatiotemporal Comparison of Drivers to CO2 Emissions in ASEAN: A Decomposition Study

The Southeast Asian region is one of the most vulnerable to climate change given its geographical location and economic situation. This study aims to conduct a combination of spatial and temporal analyses in order to understand differences between member nations in terms of driving factors to changing emissions. The logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) method was used in order to estimate carbon dioxide emissions due to population, economic activity, economic structure, and energy intensity effects from the year 1990 to 2018. In conducting the study, spatial analysis showed that Singapore was the only country to effectively lessen carbon emissions, due to population and energy intensity, in comparison to the others. Additionally, temporal analysis showed that the ASEAN initially developed at the same rate, before countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand, started becoming more economically active, as shown by their economic activity. Finally, results have shown that some countries, especially the Philippines and Indonesia, have undergone significant changes in economic structure, which significantly affected carbon emissions. The results also highlight the increasing per capita emissions as income levels rise. The paper concludes by presenting a summary of the findings and some policy recommendations.

Spatial and temporal analyses of culls due to bovine tuberculosis in slaughterhouses of Minas Gerais state, Brazil, 2008 to 2012

ABSTRACT: The application of spatial and temporal analysis in epidemiology aims to understand the causes and consequences of spatial and temporal heterogeneity in studies of infectious diseases. Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a chronic and progressive infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium bovis and is an important zoonosis worldwide. The aim of this study was to conduct spatial and temporal analyses of a secondary database of bTB-positive cases registered by the Federal Inspection Service in two slaughterhouses from the West of Minas mesoregion of Minas Gerais state, Brazil, from 2008 to 2012 and to suggest its use in epidemiological surveillance. The culled cattle with bTB macroscopic lesions during post mortem inspection were considered positive in this study. The data used were the positive cases registered on the “Sistema de Informações Gerenciais do Serviço de Inspeção Federal” (SIG/SIF - Management Information System of the Federal Inspection Service) of the “Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento” (MAPA - Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supplies), the number of animals slaughtered monthly and their municipalities of origin, per slaughterhouse. The prevalence (%) of cases per cattle slaughtered was calculated, and the relationship between these cases of bTB and cases of human tuberculosis (hTB) and the GDP per capita of the mesoregions comprising the municipalities surveyed was evaluated. The prevalence was 1,030 cases of bTB (0.28%). The lowest case numbers and prevalence rates were obtained in 2010, while the highest rates were observed in 2011. Slaughterhouse 1 showed stationarity, while Slaughterhouse 2 showed an increasing annual trend for data since October 2009. A statistical correlation between the numbers of cases of bovine and human TB (p=0.006, r=0.148) was observed. The prevalence for Slaughterhouses 1 and 2 were not correlated (p>0.05). The municipalities of origin demonstrated randomness in their spatial distribution. SIG/SIF-MAPA may be used for the analysis of spatial and temporal distribution to contribute to the monitoring of animal health services with information on the prevalence of culling for bTB in the West of Minas, South/Southwest of Minas, Campo das Vertentes and Zona da Mata mesoregions of Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Environmental Management and Landscape Transformation on Self-Heating Coal-Waste Dumps in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin

Coal-waste dumps are an integral part of the environment and shape the landscape of coal basins. This study aimed to present an analysis of environmental changes in terms of land use and changes in vegetation on self-heating coal-waste dumps of different ages. Spatial and temporal analyses of land relief and land cover in the area of the investigated coal-waste dumps were performed. The investigated areas differed in size, shape, management, and land cover. Thermally active zones were identified. The results showed that the species composition of the flora is diverse, but representatives of the Asteraceae family dominate on both dumps. The diversity of flora in the investigated dumps depends on the presence of mosaic- and microhabitats (often of an extreme nature) and the nature of the vegetation in the surroundings, which is manifested by the participation of socioecological groups of flora. The pace and dynamics of succession on burning coal-waste dumps depends on the stage of the fire, the topography, and the nature of the substrate. The investigated changes in the elements of the environment are important from the point of view of application research and monitoring of postindustrial areas, which may allow for the optimal management of postmining dumps.