Search

An essay is presented on the degradation of one's environment and one's raced, classed, gendered and sexed identity as an example from Ann Petry's novel on social realism called "The Street." It offers an overview of the novel which deploys the lucrative business of paper goods where Henry Chandler Sr. amasses his fortune. It provides the notion of throwaway paper towels, paper napkins and toilet paper mirrors that African American women workers are disposable and interchangeable.

This article analyzes the ways in which slow violence and neoliberalism intertwine in the production of social and environmental destruction, evident in the lingering devastation from the 1984 Union Carbide catastrophe in Bhopal, India. Children are born with congenital abnormalities; women are plagued with reproductive health problems; and dangerous chemicals left in the abandoned factory continue to contaminate soil and groundwater. Yet Bhopal is remembered almost exclusively for the spectacle of its immediate aftermath. Drawing on 60 interviews with Bhopal victims and activists, field observations, archives, and official and independent reports, this paper examines how the neoliberal turn in Indian governance plays a role in the creation of slow violence. The paper advances our understanding of socioenvironmental destruction by tying slow violence to a temporal change in countries' governance in the Global South. The paper underscores the significance of considering political economic dynamics in the perpetration of slow violence. It also emphasizes how the neoliberal turn, now anchored in right-wing Hindutva politics in India, further constrains the possibilities for counter-measures that would address slow violence. The paper offers significant implications for analyzing the political economy of socioenvironmental and health disparities in the wake of corporate malfeasance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The late 1980s saw the development of two bodies of literature addressing Japan's relationship to the Asian environmental crisis. The Japanese government's statements were concerned primarily with the contributions Japan could make to solving that crisis, while critical scholars and NGOs focused on ways in which Japanese activity exacerbated it. Using the annual White Papers of the Japan Environment Agency as a guide, this survey article inquires into the extent to which the government has come to engage with the arguments of the critical literature during the 1990s, a decade in which governments and multilateral lending agencies have been forced to deal more closely with environmental concerns. In particular I discuss (1) the extent to which the white papers address Japan's negative impacts on Asia; (2) the ways they treat Japan as a model for Asian environmental policy; and (3) their approach to conflict over policy-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an influential economic entity, China's economic growth pattern is changing. The traditional way brought high-speed growth as well as caused environmental damage. The concept of environmental innovation, which combines the advantage of technology innovation and environmental consideration, has become a vital means to achieve sustainable development. Due to the double externality characteristic of environmental innovation, the government plays an important role in its development. Based on provincial panel data from 2008 to 2017, this paper first examines the distinct influences of various economic incentive instruments on environmental innovation. Then, the moderation role of marketization is explored. The results show that governments' direct financial expenditure on environmental protection has a positive impact on environmental innovation, while the effect of the environmental tax is not significant. In addition, the impact is negatively moderated by marketization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores education as a context for facing what Susie Orbach has termed 'climate sorrow' and asks: what 'relations to the world' are we imagining might help youth stay with difficult feelings about the future by enabling them to develop a living relationship to the more‐than‐human world in the present? By way of response, the paper offers a conceptual shift from 'relations to the world' to 'encounters of the world'. I draw on the work of David Abram to reframe our relations as sensory encounters and on the work of Bruno Latour to reframe the world as a living multiplicity. What both authors enable is a complex understanding of the temporality of our living in and with our environment. To explore this further, I offer a reading of Olafur Eliasson's climate artwork, Ice Watch. Consisting of 24 blocks of melting glacial ice outside the Tate Modern in London, the installation holds two temporal dimensions together through the kinds of encounters it makes possible: chronological time (chronos) and living time (kairos). In the final section , I locate the time of environmental teaching at the juncture of chronos and kairos as a way of creating encounters of the world that educate about the climate emergency while also giving time for climate sorrow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although insect defoliators are recognized as major agents of ecological change in North American forests, their ecology in industrially degraded landscapes with poor-quality soils, metal contamination, and marginal vegetation growth is largely unknown. We fed gypsy moth larvae (Lymantria dispar L.) paper birch leaves (Betula papyrifera Marsh) (Fagales: Betulaceae) collected from four forested catchment areas near an abandoned Cu/Ni smelter in Sudbury (Ontario, Canada) with different histories of industrial degradation and remediation (reference, remediated, natural recovery, and degraded). We measured caterpillar feeding, frass properties and decomposability, and the effects of frass on the growth of ticklegrass (Agrostis scabra Willd.) (Poales: Poaceae). Caterpillars generally ate more (+25–50%) and produced more frass (+30–40 %) on a diet of leaves from the more industrially degraded sites. Frass had an overall positive effect on plant survivorship (+4.1–10.8 effect size) and growth (+0.1–0.5 effect size), although the smallest benefits came from frass derived from vegetation from the more heavily degraded sites. Our results suggest that defoliating insects respond to differences in environmental degradation and remediation and that industrial landscapes may be particularly susceptible to more extensive defoliation and increased conversion of foliar biomass into frass, which could alter plant growth and survivorship, soil development, and nutrient and metal cycling. Some of these effects may pose additional challenges to landscape recovery (e.g. increased defoliation) while others may be beneficial (e.g. enhanced plant growth and soil development). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The continued existence of sex, despite many the costs it entails, still lacks an adequate explanation, as previous studies demonstrated that the effects of sex are environment‐dependent: sex enhances the rate of adaptation in changing environments, but the benefits level off in benign conditions. To the best of our knowledge, the potential impact of different patterns of environmental change on the magnitude of these benefits received less attention in theoretical studies. In this paper, we begin to explore this issue by examining the effect of the rate of environmental deterioration (negatively correlated with population survival rate), on the benefits of sex. To investigate the interplay of sex and the rate of environmental deterioration, we carried out a long‐term selection experiment with a unicellular alga (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii), by manipulating mode of reproduction (asexual, facultative or obligate sexual) and the rate of environmental deterioration (an increase of salt concentration). We monitored both the population size and extinction dynamics. The results revealed that the relative advantage of sex increased at the intermediate rate and plateaued at the highest rate of environmental deterioration. Obligate sexual populations had the slowest extinction rate under the intermediate rate of environmental deterioration, while facultative sexuality was favoured under the high rate‐treatment. To the best of our knowledge, our study is the first to demonstrate that the interplay of sex and the rate of environmental deterioration affects the probability of survival, which indicates that mode of reproduction may be an important determinant of survival of the anthropogenic‐induced environmental change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Netflix's She-Ra (2018) is an example of how nostalgia-based children's culture uses speculative fiction to reimagine the past while commenting on the present. The new She-Ra papers over shortcomings in the original show, rewriting adults' memories of the character. She-Ra , and shows like it, allow adults to experience nostalgia for childhood media and toys by rewriting potentially unpleasant aspects of these thirty-year-old narratives. Though She-Ra uses characters and imagery familiar to parents, the show changes fundamental elements of the original to reflect contemporary social justice concerns, using its science-fiction elements to access political commentary including environmental degradation and coalition building. I will read the television show alongside recently released merchandise which depicts both the new and the 1985 versions of the character. Accessing the new and original versions of the character allows parents to both connect to contemporary children's programming and reimagine their own childhoods through a contemporary social justice lens. As major producers of children's culture such as Disney and Netflix embrace the nostalgia trend, scholars should pay careful attention to how these remakes as well as their marketing campaigns treat the source material. Even if the updated films and television shows are more self-aware, nostalgia-based marketing may allow adults to uncritically embrace and endorse the original content of works created in the 1980s that treat issues of race, gender, and sexuality in ways that are inconsistent with current cultural norms. She-Ra and the Princesses of Power argues against this embrace of nostalgic forms, even while using nostalgia to draw in a millennial audience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing recognition of the need to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss together is leading to shifts in the global environmental governance landscape such that these two traditionally separate domains are increasingly interlinked. This process is taking place not at the level of the international policy regimes but rather through the work of transnational governance initiatives (TGIs) that connect state and non-state actors and which form an increasingly formalized part of the hybrid regime complexes through which global environmental governance is conducted. Central to these dynamics are 'nature-based solutions', interventions designed to work with nature to achieve multiple sustainability goals. In this paper, we demonstrate the ways in which TGIs frame and implement nature-based solutions. We show how this is leading to an evolution in market and asset-based responses to addressing these twin challenges and consider the wider consequences for how we understand what effective responses to the interlinked problems of climate and biodiversity entail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the role of rural Palestinian women in the South Hebron Hills (SHH) in fighting back against both Israeli settler colonial practices and environmental destruction resulting from such practices. We contend that Israel is waging a war on the environment as a tool to deprive Palestinians in Area 'C' of what sustains life, land and natural resources. Through their everyday practices of defiance, we argue that, rural women wielding an indigenous lifestyle of farming in the SHH create an agro-ecological structure of sumud, or steadfastness through their domestic everyday practices, where they strengthen their attachment to the land and regenerate the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops a framework to study environmentalism as a cultural phenomenon, namely as reflecting a process of social identification with certain values. The model is used to explain how the shares of environmentalists and materialists in society can coevolve with taxes on emissions to protect society against damages caused by environmental degradation. These policies are determined by electoral competition. However, even though politicians internalize the welfare of those currently alive and pick utilitarian optimal policies, the dynamic equilibrium paths of policies and evolving values may not converge to the steady state with the highest level of long-run welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental degradation has become one of the major obstacles to sustainable development and human well-being internationally. Scientific efforts are being made to understand the mechanism of environmental degradation and sustainability. Critical Zone (CZ) science and research on the multi-functional landscape are emerging fields in Earth science that can contribute to such scientific efforts. This paper reviews the progress, similarities and current status of these two scientific research fields, and identifies a number of opportunities for their synergistic integration through functional and multi-functional approaches, process-based monitoring, mechanistic analyses and dynamic modeling, global long-term and networked monitoring and systematic modeling supported by scaling and deep coupling. These approaches proposed in this paper have the potential to support sustainable human well-being by strengthening a functional orientation that consolidates multi-functional landscape research and CZ science. This is a key challenge for sustainable development and human well-being in the twenty-first century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss, the European Union (EU) promotes extensive farming. However, identifying such farms across countries and assessing their performance for policy purposes remains challenging. This paper combines a latent class stochastic frontier model (LCSFM) with a novel nested metafrontier approach. The resulting model enables the identification of intensive and extensive farms across countries, estimation of farm efficiency and identification of different technology gaps. Based on Farm Accountancy Data Network data of French, Irish and Austrian dairy farms,we find poorer environmental but better economic performance of intensive farms, compared to extensive farms. The largest productivity differences stem from technology gaps and not from inefficiency. The approach enables a more nuanced analysis of sources of inefficiency to assist policy design for future green payments in the EU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports an evaluation of existing knowledge regarding the social bases of public concern with environmental quality. First, five popular hypotheses asserting relationships between environmental concern and eight demographic and social variables are reviewed, with particular attention paid to the theoretical explanations offered in support of each hypothesized relationship. Second, the results of 21 relevant studies are evaluated to determine the degree to which the empirical evidence supports the hypothesized relationships. Third, implications of the results of the review for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In September 2016, the International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor issued a new policy paper detailing the Office of the Prosecutor's (OTP) priorities for case selection and prioritization, including giving a 'particular consideration to prosecuting Rome Statute crimes that are committed by means of, or that result in, inter alia, the destruction of the environment, the illegal exploitation of natural resources or the illegal dispossession of land'. This new commitment of the OTP in fighting environmental devastation has been received enthusiastically by civil society and alleged victims. Indeed, few would disagree that protecting the environment against harmful conduct and conserving the world's natural resources are some of the most compelling challenges faced by the international community. Further, the negative impact of environmental destruction on human rights and peace and security is a matter of concern for many international institutions, including the Security Council. This article considers the merits and limits of prosecuting environmental destruction before the ICC. It contends that the significance and practical implications of the OTP's green shift ought to be appreciated against the constraints posed by existing criminal provisions (which have already received attention in the literature) and, more significantly, factual and structural challenges that have been more peripheral in the academic debate. Accordingly, the article suggests possible ways to overcome some of these obstacles. The article concludes by reflecting on the necessity to strike a balance between the OTP's commendable policy shift, victims'and environmental activists' expectations, and the ICC's possible contribution to 'environmental justice'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the publication titled "Sources, Effects & Sinks of Hydrocarbons in the Aquatic Environment," that discussed several aspects related to hydrocarbons. It is stated that hydrocarbon entering the water bodies through various sources such as oil spills cause a lot of pollution and cause massive environmental degradation. Information on the process of biosynthesis of natural hydrocarbons have also been explained. It is stated that the various sections of the publication include information on petroleum hydrocarbons and the future of hydrocarbon use.

In recent years, Indigenous ecological knowledge has been receiving increased attention due to its potential to help address the devastating impacts of climate change and environmental degradation. Indigenous peoples in various contexts have become engaged in collaborative research projects with scientists and other experts to build environmentally sustainable societies. Environmental education has been another site for incorporation of Indigenous knowledge systems and ways of knowing. This paper presents one such programme designed by the Bunun Indigenous group in Taiwan to support environmental learning and reconnection with the natural world of their group as well as other Indigenous and non‐Indigenous individuals willing to participate. While the programme's objective is learning with and from the natural environment (the lessons that can be adopted by non‐Indigenous groups), its other objectives include re‐building and strengthening Indigenous identities, cultures and ways of life, and potentially contributing to decolonisation of settler societies and reconciliation between groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper tests propositions advanced in previous theoretical literature about the impact of international economic integration via trade and investment on environmental protection with a case study of China. We hypothesize that instead of leading to additional environmental degradation, increased openness to trade and foreign investment results in an overall improvement in environmental quality by acting as a transmission belt for superior regulatory standards and environmental technology from China’s key export markets. Additionally, pressure for enhanced environmental regulation and product standards from principal developed-world importers of Chinese goods may induce Chinese firms to self-regulate rather than attempting to reduce the cost of their exports by lowering environmental standards. Statistical analysis of the variation in environmental performance across China’s regions from 1996 to 2004 lends support to this hypothesis, indicating that rather than leading regions to engage in a “race to the bottom” with the lowering of environmental standards, increased trade and investment encourages more stringent policy enforcement and compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

War and conflict negatively impact all facets of a health system; services cease to function, resources become depleted and any semblance of governance is lost. Following cessation of conflict, the rebuilding process includes a wide array of international and local actors. During this period, stakeholders must contend with various trade-offs, including balancing sustainable outcomes with immediate health needs, introducing health reform measures while also increasing local capacity, and reconciling external assistance with indigenous legitimacy. Compounding these factors are additional challenges, including co-ordination amongst stakeholders, the re-occurrence of conflict and ulterior motives from donors and governments, to name a few. Due to these complexities, the current literature on post-conflict health system development generally examines only one facet of the health system, and only at one point in time. The health system as a whole, and its development across a longer timeline, is rarely attended to. Given these considerations, the present article aims to evaluate health system development in three post-conflict environments over a 12-year timeline. Applying and adapting a framework from Waters et al. (2007, Rehabilitating Health Systems in Post-Conflict Situations. WIDER Research Paper 2007/06. United Nations University. http://hdl.handle.net/10419/63390, accessed 1 February 2018.), health policies and inputs from the post-conflict periods of Afghanistan, Cambodia and Mozambique are assessed against health outputs and other measures. From these findings, we developed a revised framework, which is presented in this article. Overall, these findings contribute post-conflict health system development by evaluating the process holistically and along a timeline, and can be of further use by healthcare managers, policy-makers and other health professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

EU competition law has a sustainability gap, particularly when it comes to enforcing Article 102 TFEU as a 'sword' to prohibit dominant undertakings' unsustainable conduct. In this article, we ask whether EU competition law can and should be part of a holistic EU solution to the climate crisis and how it can contribute to ensuring that our social, economic, and ecological systems are not entrenched into further perpetuating and mutually reinforcing crises. By using EU constitutional theories of 'mainstreaming', we argue for the inclusion of environmental and social sustainability goals in those that are pursued by EU competition law. With research that cuts across law and socioecological studies, we offer an original and unique perspective that identifies a relation between market power and business practices that harm people and planet. We do this by demonstrating empirically that undertakings that have in the past been found to be dominant, also engage in unsustainable business practices. This relation is significant, as it demonstrates that addressing unsustainable business practices through Article 102 TFEU is not only a theoretical possibility mandated by EU constitutional law. It is a real opportunity to address environmental and social injustices and thereby contribute to tackling the most important existential threat facing humanity, climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development, state-of-the-art and application of exergy concept to sustainability are discussed. Thermodynamic indicators, based on exergy, are proposed for the design and optimisation of energy systems. Efficiency of energy systems is determined using energy and exergy. This paper presents a methodology study of thermodynamic indicators for integrated sustainability assessment and its application to geotechnic system analysis. Information, obtained from thermodynamic indicators, is proposed to be used for managing the natural resources and reducing the environmental degradation caused by interaction between an energy system and environment. Life cycle analysis on the basis of exergy flow calculations is considered for assessment of total environmental impact on all stages of energy system life cycle. Integrated exergetic assessment, based on exergy analysis and thermoeconomics, is recommended for comparisons of alternative technical solutions and decision making for energy system design. Application of thermoeconomics to sustainable buildings is examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soaring throughput, plummeting costs, and increased sensitivity for assaying degraded or low-concentration DNA are driving a revolution in the way that we monitor biodiversity. Arguably the biggest 'game-changer' is environmental DNA ( eDNA), which refers to free-floating DNA released by organisms into their environment. Rare or elusive species can be detected with greater sensitivity and accuracy using eDNA than by most conventional methods, and we have the capability to screen and describe whole communities, as well as perform targeted monitoring of single species. This paper discusses the basic approaches for molecular monitoring of biodiversity, provides case studies to demonstrate the effectiveness of the techniques, and considers any challenges and limitations that could impact molecular biological recording. It is argued that eDNA surveys offer exciting new opportunities to engage the public in biological recording and that molecular approaches will complement conventional surveys, enabling unprecedented insights into species distributions. Finally, with the number of eDNA studies increasing at a rapid pace, it is argued that there is a need to rapidly establish ways of managing molecular records. Integrating molecular records into existing biological records databases would enhance our understanding of species distributions and may be something that the Biological Records Centre should be considering to mark its landmark anniversary. © 2015 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2015, ●●, ●●-●●. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the concept of ecological intensification of agriculture through biodiversity management. It explains that humans have been able to achieve higher population densities than other animals due to the invention of agriculture, which allows for the conversion of biomass into food. However, modern industrial agriculture has led to negative effects on the environment, such as pollution, soil fertility loss, and biodiversity loss. The article highlights the positive relationship between biodiversity and plant biomass production in agroecosystems and explores various applications of biodiversity in agriculture, including genetic diversity within crops, mixed cropping, and field border plant diversity. It also discusses obstacles to implementing ecological intensification, such as lack of knowledge and inappropriate incentives. The article concludes by providing a list of literature reviews that readers can use as a starting point for further research on the topic. [Extracted from the article]

This paper argues that, in spite of recent judicial practice contributing to the integration of environmental considerations in human rights adjudication, progress in this field remains limited. This is so because of the prevailing ‘individualistic’ perspective in which human rights courts place the environmental dimension of human rights. This results in a reductionist approach which is not consistent with the inherent nature of the environment as a public good indispensable for the life and welfare of society as a whole. The article, rather than advocating the recognition of an independent right to a clean environment, presents a plea for a more imaginative approach based on the consideration of the collective-social dimension of human rights affected by environmental degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper examines the neoliberal claim that the only way to achieve sustainable growth and full employment is to abandon Keynesian macroeconomic management and the welfare state and bring back `flexible labour market policies'. It summarises the conditions required for neoliberal policies to produce such an outcome and their relevance to contemporary economic, social and political realities. This is followed by an empirical comparison of the economic performance and social well- being of seven advanced economies, widely regarded as leading proponents of the three models of capitalism: liberal, corporatist and social democratic. Contrary to the claim, the model that performs best is the one that has least in common with the neoliberal economic orthodoxy - a conclusion that is likely to be of particular relevance in the present century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquatic ecosystems are constantly changing due to anthropic stressors, which can lead to biodiversity loss. Ocean sound is considered an essential ocean variable, with the potential to improve our understanding of its impact on marine life. Fish produce a variety of sounds and their choruses often dominate underwater soundscapes. These sounds have been used to assess communication, behaviour, spawning location, and biodiversity. Artificial intelligence can provide a robust solution to detect and classify fish sounds. However, the main challenge in applying artificial intelligence to recognize fish sounds is the lack of validated sound data for individual species. This review provides an overview of recent publications on the use of machine learning, including deep learning, for fish sound detection, classification, and identification. Key challenges and limitations are discussed, and some points to guide future studies are also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As climate continues to change, disturbances may increasingly navigate forest ecosystems towards tipping points, causing irreversible state shifts and a loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services. In this review, I elaborate the Special Issue topic 'Natural disturbances as tipping points of forest ecosystems under climate change' featured by Forestry and suggest a suit of adaptive measures to mitigate increasing disturbances and their impacts on forest ecosystems. The Special Issue contains seven case studies assessing drought, fire, wind and bark beetle disturbances in Europe, North America and Africa. Despite high severities and/or frequencies, disturbances have not yet induced a shift of the investigated forest ecosystems towards an alternative state. Instead, forests have shown high resistance, resilience or both. For instance, one case study reveals that short-interval fires in European beech forests may not even significantly alter tree species composition due to the high resprouting ability of beech. Yet, other case studies identify distinct differences in resilience amongst ecoregions, and indicate that climate change and disturbance interactions might tip the future carbon balance of forests from sink to source. Many forest ecosystems are likely able to cope with future increases in disturbance activity to some degree. However, tipping points might vary across ecosystems dominated by different disturbance agents. While wind and bark beetles mainly affect canopy trees, fire and drought also directly impair tree regeneration, thus reducing the capacity of ecosystems to recover and reorganize. Hence, forest ecosystems in which fire and drought are the dominant disturbance agents might approach tipping points earlier than forests dominated by other agents if disturbance activity continues to increase. Several proactive and reactive adaptive measures are available to mitigate increasing disturbances, but more research is needed to develop robust and region-specific strategies to prevent tipping points in forest ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The acoustic adaptation hypothesis (AAH) and ecological character displacement (ECD) are two potential mechanisms shaping call evolution that can predict opposite trends for the differentiation of signals. Under AAH, signals evolve to minimize environmental degradation and maximize detection against background noise, predicting call homogenization in similar habitats due to environmental constraints on signals. In contrast, ECD predicts greater differences in call traits of closely related taxa in sympatry because of selection against acoustic interference. We used comparative phylogenetic analyses to test the strength of these two selective mechanisms on the evolution of advertisement calls in glassfrogs, a highly diverse family of neotropical anurans. We found that, overall, acoustic adaptation to the environment may outweigh effects of species interactions. As expected under the AAH, temporal call parameters are correlated with vegetation density, but spectral call parameters had an unexpected inverse correlation with vegetation density, as well as an unexpected correlation with temperature. We detected call convergence among co-occurring species and also across multiple populations from the same species in different glassfrogs communities. Our results indicate that call convergence is common in glassfrogs, likely due to habitat filtering, while character displacement is relatively rare, suggesting that costs of signal similarity among related species may not drive divergent selection in all systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying function-enhancing enzyme variants is a 'holy grail' challenge in protein science because it will allow researchers to expand the biocatalytic toolbox for late-stage functionalization of drug-like molecules, environmental degradation of plastics and other pollutants, and medical treatment of food allergies. Data-driven strategies, including statistical modeling, machine learning, and deep learning, have largely advanced the understanding of the sequence–structure–function relationships for enzymes. They have also enhanced the capability of predicting and designing new enzymes and enzyme variants for catalyzing the transformation of new-to-nature reactions. Here, we reviewed the recent progresses of data-driven models that were applied in identifying efficiency-enhancing mutants for catalytic reactions. We also discussed existing challenges and obstacles faced by the community. Although the review is by no means comprehensive, we hope that the discussion can inform the readers about the state-of-the-art in data-driven enzyme engineering, inspiring more joint experimental-computational efforts to develop and apply data-driven modeling to innovate biocatalysts for synthetic and pharmaceutical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As efforts to restore coastal habitats accelerate, it is critical that investments are targeted to most effectively mitigate and reverse habitat loss and its impacts on biodiversity. One likely but largely overlooked impediment to effective restoration of habitat-forming organisms is failing to explicitly consider non-habitat-forming animals in restoration planning, implementation, and monitoring. These animals can greatly enhance or degrade ecosystem function, persistence, and resilience. Bivalves, for instance, can reduce sulfide stress in seagrass habitats and increase drought tolerance of saltmarsh vegetation, whereas megaherbivores can detrimentally overgraze seagrass or improve seagrass seed germination, depending on the context. Therefore, understanding when, why, and how to directly manipulate or support animals can enhance coastal restoration outcomes. In support of this expanded restoration approach, we provide a conceptual framework, incorporating lessons from structured decision-making, and describe potential actions that could lead to better restoration outcomes using case studies to illustrate practical approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the formation of International Environmental Agreements (IEAs). The economic literature focuses on scenarios where countries are weakly sensitive to environmental damages (constant or linear marginal damages) and finds that stable coalitions are small when countries choose their emission strategies simultaneously and the marginal benefit function is linear. Motivated by empirical evidence, our analysis addresses cases where countries are highly sensitive to environmental damages. In this context, we find equilibrium behaviors that reverse conventional wisdom. For instance, large coalitions including the grand coalition can be supported as an equilibrium outcome when the sensitivity of countries to environmental conditions its high. Our findings provide an additional explanation for large-scale IEAs such as the Montreal Protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic variation and population sizes are critical factors for successful adaptation to novel environmental conditions. Gene flow between sub‐populations is a potent mechanism to provide such variation and can hence facilitate adaptation, for instance by increasing genetic variation or via the introduction of beneficial variants. On the other hand, if gene flow between different habitats is too strong, locally beneficial alleles may not be able to establish permanently. In the context of evolutionary rescue, intermediate levels of gene flow are therefore often optimal for maximizing a species chance for survival in metapopulations without spatial structure. To which extent and under which conditions gene flow facilitates or hinders evolutionary rescue in spatially structured populations remains unresolved. We address this question by studying the differences between evolutionary rescue in the island model and in the stepping stone model in a gradually deteriorating habitat. We show that evolutionary rescue is modulated by the rate of gene flow between different habitats, which in turn depends strongly on the spatial structure and the pattern of environmental deterioration. We use these insights to show that in many cases spatially structured models can be translated into a simpler island model using an appropriately scaled effective migration rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Time is running out to limit further devastating losses of biodiversity and nature's contributions to humans. Addressing this crisis requires accurate predictions about which species and ecosystems are most at risk to ensure efficient use of limited conservation and management resources. We review existing biodiversity projection models and discover problematic gaps. Current models usually cannot easily be reconfigured for other species or systems, omit key biological processes, and cannot accommodate feedbacks with Earth system dynamics. To fill these gaps, we envision an adaptable, accessible, and universal biodiversity modeling platform that can project essential biodiversity variables, explore the implications of divergent socioeconomic scenarios, and compare conservation and management strategies. We design a roadmap for implementing this vision and demonstrate that building this biodiversity forecasting platform is possible and practical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental degradation caused by rapid urbanization is a pressing global issue. However, little is known about how urban changes operate and affect environments across multiple scales. Focusing on China, we found urbanization was indeed massive from 2000 to 2015, but it was also very uneven, exhibiting high internal city dynamics. Urban areas in China as a whole became less green, warmer, and had exacerbated PM2.5 pollution. However, environmental impacts differed in newly developed versus older areas of cities. Adverse impacts were prominent in newly urbanized areas, while old urban areas generally showed improved environmental quality. In addition, regional environmental issues are emerging as cities expand, connect and interact to form urban megaregions. To turn urbanization into an opportunity for, rather than an obstacle to, sustainable development, we must move beyond documenting urban expansion to understand the environmental consequences of both internal city dynamics and the formation of urban megaregions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existing research on Japanese security focuses mainly on the nation state and conceives of male elites as the key bearers of relevant knowledge about the phenomenon. This article problematizes these biases by zeroing in on women's everyday-oriented perspectives, which fall outside the scope of security politics as traditionally conceived. More specifically, it analyzes the rich material provided by a survey of the members of three major Japanese women's organizations, using a mixed-method approach premised on statistical methods and qualitative content analysis. The results show that the Japanese women in our sample accommodate and reproduce content from dominant elite views about security and insecurity. However, they also challenge and at times ignore these perspectives by identifying a host of other insecurities as more pressing in their daily lives, notably those related to environmental degradation and Japan's political development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Welcomme, R. L. 2011. An overview of global catch statistics for inland fish. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 68: 1751–1756.The reported global inland fish catch passed 10 million tonnes in 2008, after almost linear growth from the early 1950s. The rise coincides with an increasing number of reports of falling catches resulting from environmental degradation. It is thought that catches from inland waters were underreported in the past because of constraints on collecting the relevant data. National approaches to data collection are not generally comparable and their accuracy not usually assessed. National data processing and reporting should be audited, and training undertaken to harmonize these activities. The apparently bigger catches probably result from better reporting of actual catches rather than any increase in the amount of fish landed. Current data are sufficient only for a general overview of global inland catches of fish, rather than for the detailed analysis needed for management, policy formulation, and the valuation of inland fisheries. There is a need for improved approaches to data collection and for historical catches to be corrected to account for changes in methodologies and reporting procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Recent military doctrines and activities have re-kindled a long-standing debate about the relationship between international law and arms control in space. There is a notion that existing rules governing certain military uses of outer space are inadequate. Nonetheless, protection of the environment remains sacrosanct. While, to some extent, treaty-based rules governing military uses of outer space also seek to place limitations on the deliberate infliction of environmental damage for military purposes, the development and role of customary international law are pertinent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An endogenous growth model, which links pollution to ineffective input-use, is developed to examine the potential for achieving balanced growth while preserving the environment through investment in conservation capital. We derive conditions under which individual preferences for environmental quality and private incentives for investment in conservation capital can lead to non-decreasing environmental quality with balanced growth even in the absence of environmental regulations. Additionally, conditions under which investment in conservation capital can enable an environmentally regulated economy to achieve a higher rate of sustainable balanced growth than otherwise are analysed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simplified forest structures following even-age management have been associated with the loss of biodiversity, which may be avoided through disturbance-inspired silviculture. Here, we ask how much do gap characteristics in a managed old-growth differ from those in unmanaged old-growth subject only to natural dynamics? In this study, we compared important characteristics of gaps (e.g. canopy gap fraction, distribution of gap sizes) and gapmakers (e.g. size classes, frequency, decay classes) between a managed and an adjacent unmanaged old-growth Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) compartment in the Keladarsht region of northern Iran 10 years after a single harvest entry using single-tree selection. Canopy openings >100 m2 with visible remnants of gapmakers (i.e. stumps) were included in this study. Gap characteristics of both compartments were within typical ranges for old-growth beech. Nonetheless, small but potentially important differences between the two areas were observed. In the managed compartment, harvesting poor quality trees with structural defects and typical diameters at breast height >52.5 cm plus natural mortality resulted in 102 canopy gaps (1–6 gapmakers, averaging 3.5 gaps/ha, gap fraction 9.8 per cent) compared with 59 natural canopy gaps (1–7 gapmakers, averaging 2.6 gaps/ha, gap fraction 13.7 per cent) in the unmanaged compartment. In both compartments, medium-sized gaps (200–500 m2) were most prevalent. In the managed compartment, 60 per cent of gapmakers were large or very large (typically cut) compared with 39 per cent in the unmanaged compartment where large trees typically snapped and became snags. Uprooting, particularly of small and medium sized gapmakers, was less common in the managed than the unmanaged compartment. Our results indicate that even one single-tree selection harvest may lead to a short-term divergence in stand structure compared with the unmanaged forest. While such managed forests may no longer be considered as old-growth, divergences in canopy gap characteristics indicate that a more nuanced harvesting scheme that includes cutting some larger gaps may more closely mimic the canopy dynamics of this old-growth forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need for energy is increasing worldwide as the population has a continuous trend of increase. The restrictions on energy sources are becoming tougher as the authorities set these developed and developing countries. This leads to looking for other alternative energy sources to replace the conventional energy sources, leading to greenhouse emissions. Environmentally friendly energy sources (renewable energies), for example, geothermal, solar and wind, are viewed as clean and sustainable energy sources. Among these kinds of energy sources, geothermal energy is one of the best options because, like solar and wind energy sources, it does not depend on weather conditions. In this work, a single flash geothermal power plant is used to power a transcritical CO2 power plant is proposed. The energy and exergy analysis of the proposed combined power plant has been performed and the best possible operating mode of the power plant has been discussed. The effects of parameters such as separator pressure, CO2 condenser temperature and CO2 turbine inlet pressure and the pinch point on the energy efficiency, exergy efficiency and output power are determined and discussed. Our results indicate that the highest exergy destruction is in the CO2 vapor generator of 182.4 kW followed by the CO2 turbine of 106 kW, then the CO2 condenser of 82.81 kW and then the CO2 pump 58.76 kW. The lowest exergy destruction rates occur in the single flash geothermal power plant components where the separator has exactly zero exergy destruction rate. The results also show that the combined power plant produces more power and has better efficiencies (first law and second law) than the stand-alone geothermal power plant. Finally, Nelder–Mead simplex method is applied to determine the optimal parameters such as separator pressure, power output and pumps input power and second law efficiency. The results show that the power plant should be operated at a lower pinch temperature to reduce damage to the environment. As the condenser pressure increases, the environmental damage effectiveness coefficient decreases sharply until it reaches the minimum value of 1.2 to 1.7 MPa and then starts to increase. The trend of the impact of sports on environmental improvement is exactly the opposite of the trend of the effectiveness of environmental damage. Therefore, from an environmental point of view, it is recommended to operate the gas turbine at a high inlet pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses various reports published within the issue, including one by Garrett Hardin on biological insights into abortion and another by William Odum on environmental degradation.

This paper reports on a global survey of cases of massive state repression since World War II. The universe of analysis includes sustained episodes in which the state or its agents impose on a communal or political group ‘conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or part.’ We develop and use a typology which distinguishes between two categories of genocide (in which the victim groups are defined primarily in terms of communal characteristics) and four types of politicide (in which victim groups are defined in terms of their political status or opposition to the state). Forty-four episodes meet the operational guidelines developed here. Analysis of their properties and distribution shows that they occurred in all world regions, but with relatively few European and Latin American cases. Two or more began in each five-year period after 1945, with some clustering in the period of African decolonization; their median duration was five years. Aggregate fatalities were between seven and sixteen million people, at least as many who died in all international and civil wars in the period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid urbanization and the global loss of biodiversity necessitate the development of a research agenda that addresses knowledge gaps in urban ecology that will inform policy, management, and conservation. To advance this goal, we present six topics to pursue in urban biodiversity research: the socioeconomic and social–ecological drivers of biodiversity loss versus gain of biodiversity; the response of biodiversity to technological change; biodiversity–ecosystem service relationships; urban areas as refugia for biodiversity; spatiotemporal dynamics of species, community changes, and underlying processes; and ecological networks. We discuss overarching considerations and offer a set of questions to inspire and support urban biodiversity research. In parallel, we advocate for communication and collaboration across many fields and disciplines in order to build capacity for urban biodiversity research, education, and practice. Taken together we note that urban areas will play an important role in addressing the global extinction crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1992, the Union of Concerned Scientists shared their 'World Scientists' Warning to Humanity' with governmental leaders worldwide, calling for immediate action to halt the environmental degradation that threatens the systems that support life on Earth. A follow-up 'Second Warning' was released in 2017, with over 15 000 scientists as signatories, describing the lack of progress in adopting the sustainable practices necessary to safeguard the biosphere. In their 'Second Warning', Ripple and colleagues provided 13 'diverse and effective steps humanity can take to transition to sustainability.' Here, we discuss how the field of conservation physiology can contribute to six of these goals: (i) prioritizing connected, well-managed reserves; (ii) halting the conversion of native habitats to maintain ecosystem services; (iii) restoring native plant communities; (iv) rewilding regions with native species; (v) developing policy instruments; and (vi) increasing outdoor education, societal engagement and reverence for nature. Throughout, we focus our recommendations on specific aspects of physiological function while acknowledging that the exact traits that will be useful in each context are often still being determined and refined. However, for each goal, we include a short case study to illustrate a specific physiological trait or group of traits that is already being utilized in that context. We conclude with suggestions for how conservation physiologists can broaden the impact of their science aimed at accomplishing the goals of the 'Second Warning'. Overall, we provide an overview of how conservation physiology can contribute to addressing the grand socio-environmental challenges of our time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental change and biodiversity loss are but two of the complex challenges facing conservation practitioners and policy makers. Relevant and robust scientific knowledge is critical for providing decision-makers with the actionable evidence needed to inform conservation decisions. In the Anthropocene, science that leads to meaningful improvements in biodiversity conservation, restoration and management is desperately needed. Conservation Physiology has emerged as a discipline that is well-positioned to identify the mechanisms underpinning population declines, predict responses to environmental change and test different in situ and ex situ conservation interventions for diverse taxa and ecosystems. Here we present a consensus list of 10 priority research themes. Within each theme we identify specific research questions (100 in total), answers to which will address conservation problems and should improve the management of biological resources. The themes frame a set of research questions related to the following: (i) adaptation and phenotypic plasticity; (ii) human–induced environmental change; (iii) human–wildlife interactions; (iv) invasive species; (v) methods, biomarkers and monitoring; (vi) policy, engagement and communication; (vii) pollution; (viii) restoration actions; (ix) threatened species; and (x) urban systems. The themes and questions will hopefully guide and inspire researchers while also helping to demonstrate to practitioners and policy makers the many ways in which physiology can help to support their decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dye decolourizing peroxidase (DyP) is an emerging biocatalyst with enormous bioremediation and biotechnological potentials. This study examined the global trend of research related to DyP through a bibliometric analysis. The search term 'dye decolourizing peroxidase' or 'DyP‐type peroxidase' was used to retrieve published articles between 2007 and 2019 from the Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus databases. A total of 62 articles were published within the period, with an annual growth rate of 17·6%. The highest research output was observed in 2015, which accounted for about 13% of the total output in 12 years. Germany published the highest number of articles (n = 10, 16·1%) with a total citation of 478. However, the lowest number of published articles among the top 10 countries was observed in India and Korea (n = 2, 3·2%). Research collaboration was low (collaboration index = 4·08). In addition to dye decolourizing peroxidase(s) and DyP‐type peroxidase(s) (n = 33, 53·23%), the top authors keywords and research focus included lignin and lignin degradation (n = 10, 16·1 %). More so, peroxidase (n = 59, 95·2%), amino acid sequence (n = 27, 46·8%), lignin (n = 24, 38·7%) and metabolism (n = 23, 37·1%) were highly represented in keywords‐plus. The most common conceptual framework from this study include characterization, lignin degradation and environmental proteomics. Apart from the inherent efficient dye‐decolourizing properties, this study showed that DyP has emerging biotechnological potentials in lignin degradation and remediation of phenolic environmental pollutants, which at the moment are under explored globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydraulic fracturing or 'fracking' overlays a major industrial operation on the land in areas where shale and tight hydrocarbon resources can be exploited. Every aspect of the fracking operation can cause environmental damage, although the damage from any individual well is both unlikely and usually fairly limited. Such damage has been extensively documented, giving the impression that fracking activity is bad for the environment. There is no yes or no answer to the question 'Is fracking harmful to the environment'; rather, it is an issue that must be resolved politically rather than scientifically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Editor's Introduction sets the stage for this Special Issue with calls for action in light of the climate crisis and other environmental problems sweeping our planet. It then offers a brief overview of the topics our contributors address, and in some cases the philosophical sources they brought into this conversation. It then surveys the background literature on 'transformative' environmental education, the topic being problematised and developed by our contributors. This review of the literature reveals a wide range of interpretations, but also shows some productive hybrids in terms of transformation and transgression: seen as opportunities for effecting the changes in attitude, values and behaviours we need for our collective survival. Questions of efficacy are briefly discussed, although it was not the purpose of this Special Issue to decide which are the most effective eco‐pedagogies. In closing, we remark on the need for foresight in educational planning and policy, as in government generally, to address the magnitude of problems threatening all life on this planet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several disciplines outside the natural sciences, including International Relations (IR), have engaged with the Anthropocene discourse in order to theorize their relevance and translate their practical value in this new phase of the Earth's history. Some IR scholars have called for a post-humanist IR, planet politics, a cosmopolitan view, and ecological security, among other approaches, to recalibrate the theoretical foundations of the discipline, making it more attuned to the realities of the Anthropocene. Existing discussions, however, tend to universalize human experience and gravitate towards western ontologies and epistemologies of living in the Anthropocene. Within this burgeoning scholarship, how is the IR discipline engaging with the Anthropocene discourse? Although the Anthropocene has become a new theoretical landscape for the conceptual broadening of conventional IR subjects, this review reveals the need for sustained discussion that highlights the differentiated human experiences in the Anthropocene. The existing IR publications on the Anthropocene locates the non-spatial narratives of vulnerability and historical injustice, the non-modernist understanding of nature, the agency of the vulnerable, and the amplification of security issues in the Anthropocene. It is in amplifying these narratives that the IR discipline can broaden and diversify the discourse on the Anthropocene and, therefore, affirm its relevance in this new geological age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the abundant literature on transformation of research and the affective dimension of research practice, affective governing of research has not been documented to the same extent. To address this gap, we examine how scientific research can be affectively governed by research institutions. We focus on the case of ecosystem services science, an interdisciplinary field of research expected to lead to decisions capable of halting environmental degradation. Drawing on theoretical discussions bridging the concept of affect and the Foucauldian concept of government, we argue that affects can be mobilised as a technology of government in governing scientific practice. We identify three affective techniques used to govern ecosystem service research and discuss the limits of governing research through affects. Our analysis deepens the understanding of how academic work is transformed in the context of redefined relations between science and society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]