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Land cover data documents how much of a region is covered by forests, wetlands, impervious surfaces, agriculture, and other land and water types. Water types include wetlands or open water. Land-use shows how people use the landscape - whether for development, conservation, or mixed uses hence, the objective of this paper was to evaluate the impact of land-use change from 2000 - 2020 on environmental resources in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. A sample frame of two broad epochs (spanning from 2000 - 2020) was used for the study. This was to allow detailed image capturing and interpretation of land-use land cover (LULC) change of the study area. The result of the analysis shows that water bodies occupies 291.31km2 (3.11%) of the total land cover of the area (9372.72km2), riparian vegetation 1245.2km2 (13.29%), mangrove swamp - 2959.86km2 (31.57%), fresh water - 3976.86km2 (42.43%) and built up area 899.95km2 (9.60%). The study recommends for the implementation of existing environmental laws in order to take care of current trend of environmental resources decline, there should be public enlightenment and environmental education in order to alert the general public on the danger of human activities on the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 47,278 Chinese adolescents were examined for daily creative behavior and their environmental resources (ER), grit, and motivation. • ER and grit were found to have robust and positive relationships with creativity across all school years. • For students in early primary school (grades 1-3), controlled orientation influences creativity through autonomy orientation. • Controlled orientation contributes to creativity in primary schools, while autonomy orientation becomes more important with age. This study aims to explore the pivotal roles of environmental resources (ER) and grit in fostering creativity, while meticulously examining the diverse effects of motivation on creativity across various educational stages, ranging from primary school to university. A large random sample of 47,278 Chinese students was examined for ER, grit, motivation, and daily creative behavior using questionnaires. The findings revealed that ER and grit positively predicted creativity among students. ER, and grit among high school and university students predicted creativity through autonomy orientation, whereas those among upper primary schools were predicted through controlled orientation. Additionally, the creativity of lower primary schools is predicted through controlled-autonomy orientation. The current research reveals that the impact of autonomy and controlled orientation on creativity varies among students of different grades. These findings enrich current models of motivation on creativity and provide a reference for the application of external rewards in teaching and learning among different grade students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an emerging industry, tourism has a very important impact on the development of ecological economy. Therefore, it is of great significance to accurately evaluate the tourism ecological efficiency. Based on the ecological footprint analysis method, this paper constructs a calculation model of ecological efficiency, and analyzes the changes of tourism overall characteristics, including six elements from time and space by taking Yunnan Province of China as an example. The results reveal that although the ecological efficiency of tourism in Yunnan Province has fluctuated in recent ten years, it is on the rise as a whole, and the effective utilization of environmental resources is increasing. Spatial distribution is un balanced, showing the characteristics of high abdomen and low surrounding, and the ecological efficiency of the northern region is higher than that of the southern region. The overall utilization rate of catering and transportation is low, which is less than half of the industrial ecological efficiency, and it needs to be further optimized and improved. The ecological efficiency of catering in Kunming and Xishuangbanna is higher, and the utilization rate of traffic ecological environment in Xishuangbanna, Honghe and Lijiang is higher. The ecological efficiency of housing, tourism, shopping and entertainment are far higher than the overall efficiency of the industry. Through the analysis, it can be seen that diet, transportation and shopping have a greater response to ecological efficiency. To improve the eco efficiency, it is necessary to increase tourism revenue and reduce environmental energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines economic cycles that do not depend on exogenous economic actions. More precisely, the paper develops a positive model of government behavior in order to define the intertemporal fiscal policies that are optimal for a country and which, determine both the optimal budget level and the optimal level of environmental quality. For this purpose, we establish an optimal control model involving intertemporal subsidy strategies characteristically used by an authoritarian government similar to those found in central Europe. It will be shown that by applying the Hopf bifurcation theorem,a cyclical strategy – that is, waves of regulation, environmental subsidies alternating with deregulation and cuts in social programs – may represent an optimal policy. In this paper, we propose an extremely simple optimal control model which is applied to budget surpluses and environmental subsidies. We investigate the cyclical environmental policies as applied through the bifurcation theorem. A number of propositions are stated during the solution process. The first proposition sets the rules in the model parameters in order to establish the cyclical policies. A second proposition sets the relationship between the discount rate and the opportunity cost of capital, which is used to determine a taxing strategy which becomes the future optimal subsidy policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews the main research work on the impact of eucalyptus plantations in Galicia on water resources, soils and biodiversity. It is concluded that these effects can be significant under certain circumstances but there are different types of forest management and locations that can minimise their impact. Therefore, it is possible to continue expanding these plantations with some restrictions. Social conflicts arisen by this tree will not be mitigated only with scientific research. It is also necessary to promote public involvement and to encourage debates and activities in which the social and psychological aspects of this issue are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary objective of the paper is to report the survey of environmental resources conducted in Ode-Irele forest using two staged technique. This study was framed within the model that sustainable management of environmental resources is a consequence of heavy reliance on subsistence extraction of resources. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics of frequency counts and percentages. The result reveals that 65% of the respondents hunted wild animals for food, 62% also traded in wild animals and their products, 69% traded in natural honey, and 86% also traded in medicinal plants. 92% of respondents were involved in collecting wood for use and sale, while 92% were also involved in trade in wild fruits. Most of the respondents, who hunted animals for food, traded in wild animals and their products, natural honey, medicinal plants, wild fruits and those who also collected firewood for use and sale also conserved trees on their farms for the continued availability of the resources. Sustainable use of environmental resources by local residents in natural forested areas could only be achieved if they realize that continued availability of the resources is dependent upon the wise use and most importantly the conservation of the resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose to present real solutions for close self-monitoring of older adults, given the permanent assistance and rapid intervention needed in emergency medical situations. The recent medical devices integrate existing or in development technologies that are easy to use, affordable, accessible and sustainable solutions that address a range of needs because the ultimate goal is the ensuring of a "living actively and independently at home" environment for older adults. We propose to contribute to the improvement of ICT-based and E-Health Internet of Things solutions that can solve the growing demand for health care systems with limited environmental resources using the energy autonomy of the medical technologies based on high efficiency organic solar cells. We systematically studied the relationship between the device performance and the preparation parameters, including the film thickness, drying time, annealing temperature of the active layers. The goal of these proposed health care devices is to provide "green" and ICT-based solutions which integrate recent technologies that will support older patients in their homes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: With the current issues concerning the management of finite energy resources and the potential savings in the building sector, reducing building energy consumption is a key point. Up to now, efforts have been focused on insulation to separate the inner ambiance from the fluctuation of the outside air temperature. Assuming that insulating a building might not be the best solution to exploit the free renewable sources of its environment (outside air temperature, sky temperature, solar radiation), a first identification step has been carried out to determine which sources should be exploited. Building energy simulations have been carried out, including several insulation levels and climatic conditions. Then, indicators have been defined in order to quantify the ability of the previous sources to cover the energy needs and the possibility for the building to exploit them. Finally, the previous indicators have been applied to the different configurations of buildings. The study shows that whatever the climate or the insulation level is, some resources such as the sun and the sky are not enough exploited, although some could entirely cover the building needs at each time step (case of the sky). When it is not possible, the paper proposes a method to evaluate the remaining needs and the sizing of a supplementary heating/cooling system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Using the framework of Asta-Ja, meaning eight 'Ja' -- Nepali letter 'Ja', Jal (water), Jamin (land), Jungle (forest), Jadibuti (medicinal and aromatic plants), Jansakti (manpower), Janawar (animals), Jarajuri (plants) and Jalabayu (climate) in Nepal, this paper assesses challenges and constraints, and presents a strategic framework for environmental and sustainable development in Nepal. Also, this paper underscores the need for the convergence and mutual reinforcement of environmental and economic policies for sustainable development, and emphasises the importance of system-based, participatory, interdisciplinary and holistic approaches in using the Asta-Ja framework to achieve sustainable long-term development in Nepal. By avoiding the need to retrofit and correct short-sighted developmental projects when environmental problems arise, the Asta-Ja framework will optimise environmental, social and financial benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study, which is among the first in Pakistan to value recreational benefits, estimates the benefits of the Margalla Hills National Park near Islamabad. The study examines how much park visitors are willing to pay to visit the park. Annual benefits from the park are considerable—the total annual consumer surplus or economic benefit obtained from recreation in the park is approximately Rs. 23 million (US $ 0.4 million). Various factors influence the value visitors obtain from the park — these include travel cost, household income, and the quality of the park. Improvements in the quality of the park are estimated to increase recreational benefits by 39%. The study recommends that a park entrance fee of Rs. 20 per person be introduced, which could be utilized for park management. This would generate nearly Rs. 11 million in revenues annually, a sizable amount of money that represents about 4% of the annual budget allocated to the environment sector in Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Adaptive Opaque Façades are emerging technologies to achieve low energy buildings • The effective responses of Adaptive Opaque Façades depend on climatic conditions • So far, no guideline supports the design of adaptive façades at early design stages • This new tool identifies potential façade responses without running simulation Mainstream design approaches for low-energy buildings make use of highly-insulated building envelopes. However, if façades are always blocking energy exchange, the climatic resources surrounding the built environment might remain untapped or issues like overheating could arise. By reducing energy demand or improving indoor comfort, adaptive opaque façades are considered a promising sustainable alternative. The usual approach for designing adaptive façades relies on detailed simulations of specific façade components. Such technology-oriented approaches tend to be incompatible with the early-stage design process and do rarely make a conscious analysis of the potential climatic resources, which could result in sub-optimal façade adaptation strategies. This paper presents a new methodological approach called Dynamic Climate Analysis (DCA) and shows that it is possible to narrow down the preferable adaptive opaque façade responses at early design stages by extracting relevant transient information from weather files. Users only define the location, geometry and placement of the façade. It was concluded that DCA represents a broadly useful early-stage design decision support because of its ability to estimate the proportion of preferred adaptive thermal behaviours without proposing defined technological solutions. Therefore, DCA is an effective approach to test the potential application of upcoming responsive technologies in specific built contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The government of some countries see ecotourism as having the potential of becoming a moderately useful tool for locally directed and participatory rural development based on a rational utilization of environmental and cultural resources on which tourism is based. We therefore need a better understanding of ecotourism's impacts, and how those impacts are affected by various development and management strategies. Furthermore, ecotourism not only provides revenue and employment, but also causes undesirable environmental and social change. Unfortunately, these costs of ecotourism development are rarely evaluated in detail. If ecotourism is truly to promote a region's welfare, it is vital that apart from the economic potential, environmental and social costs also needs to be identified, and that these costs enter into any decisions about ecotourism development. The study examined the relationships between ecotourism and economy with a view to understanding how the benefits if any are utilized within the communities. Tourism in natural and protected areas is economically important to many countries, both developing and developed. Tourism is an important foreign exchange earner, stimulate domestic income, and generate employment in other areas related to tourism. These objectives which were further elaborated and articulated by the subsequent national development plans may be summarised as follows: to increase the contribution of tourism to the growth of the country's gross domestic product (GDP); to increase foreign exchange earnings from the sector and maximize the retention of foreign exchange in the economy; to create and expand employment opportunities; to improve the quality of service offered by tourism enterprises; and to conserve wildlife and protect the environment. There are two related, but distinct, economic concepts in ecotourism: economic impact and economic value. A common ecotourism goal is the generation of economic benefits, whether they are profits for companies, jobs for communities, or revenues for parks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with the measurement of the economic advantages and environmental disadvantages of an urban setting. Based on a large sample of Italian cities, the paper provides results from an estimate ofan urban production function which contains, in addition to the traditional labour and capital production factors, a variable representing the environmental resource consumption and the negative environmental externalities associated with urban life. A major result highlighted in the paper is that cities have in themselves mechanisms to favour an efficient consumption of environmental resources; however, the use of these resources has a cost in terms of environmental output, ofnegative externalities that are generated on the environment and which become worse by increasing the urban size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]