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Wastewater generated in dairies has a strong polluting potential and must be treated for disposal into water bodies or reuse. The objective of this work was to analyze the efficiency of removing pollutants through the processes used by a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) of a dairy located in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. For this purpose, the results of the characterization analyses referring to raw and treated wastewater were interpreted. The results showed that the sequence of processes used in the WWTP (water/oil separation, dissolved air flotation, followed by biodegradation in an upflow anaerobic filter) is efficient in removing on average 99.1% of COD and 98.7% of BOD5. For treated wastewater, data on pH and concentration of total suspended solids, total ammoniacal nitrogen, surfactants, settleable solids, and oils and greases also met the standards for disposal into water bodies. For reuse in agriculture, treated wastewater can be used for irrigation, but it is recommended to additionally evaluate the Escherichia coli parameter. When evaluating the existence of linear correlation between COD and BOD5 data, it was possible to find only a moderate correlation (R2 equal to 0.7) for treated wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Streams are vulnerable to anthropogenic impacts, such as changes in land use, which reflect on water quality and can be evaluated by abiotic variables. In this context, the aims were to compare the abiotic values recorded in streams of different land use categories with the limits established by National legislation, and to analyze changes in abiotic variables in response to different land use impacts. Thus, 17 streams located in southern Brazil were sampled and grouped into urban, rural, and protected areas (PA) categories. The results showed the major impacts in urban streams. However, some variables in rural streams and PA also exceeded local legislation limits. Conductivity, total dissolved solids, salinity, ammoniacal nitrogen and coliforms were significantly higher in the urban streams. Contrary to expectations, the highest levels of manganese were found in PA streams. The relationship between abiotic variables and land uses suggests possible contamination by sewage in urban streams and by pesticides in rural streams. The abiotic similarity between rural and PA streams indicates that the conservation of these water bodies is ineffective. We suggest the monitoring of these environments and measures to mitigate the impacts to seek the restoration of ecosystem services and the well-being of human populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, there exists a huge debate for a long time on whether a double dividend, reducing pollution emissions and boosting employment, can be achieved by intensifying environmental regulations. In this paper, we use two data sets on provincial environmental legislation and Chinese manufacturing firms during 1998–2013, to estimate the impact of provincial environmental legislation on the firms' employment growth with a difference-in-difference (DID) model. Results showed that (1) after the implementation of environmental legislation, the employment growth of regulated manufacturing firms decreases significantly by 3.07%, and this result is robust to alternative tests. (2) Local environmental legislation reduces employment growth mainly via the influencing mechanism of the firm's entry and exit, export, and innovation. (3) The local environmental legislation has heterogeneous impacts on employment growth in different industries and different regions, and the estimated effect is more obvious in high-pollution industries and areas with strong enforcement. (4) Environmental legislation significantly improves job destruction and reduces job creation, resulting in a − 3.86% job net increase. Due to the long-term implementation of extensive economic growth mode, China's ecological environment has been deteriorating since the 1990s, and environmental pollution has attracted more and more social attention. Until 2013, the Communist Party of China put forward 'ecological civilization', and building a beautiful new China with harmonious coexistence between man and nature has become an important development strategy. Meanwhile, starting from the implementation of the Two-Control-Zone policy in 1998, China has implemented numerous environmental policies in just ten years. These environmental policies have greatly improved the quality of China's ecological environment, but their economic effects have been controversial. Given the special historical period, this paper helps assess the impact of Chinese environmental policies on employment and provides a more objective policy evaluation and implications for improving existing laws and regulations to achieve higher social welfare. To achieve this goal of balancing the improvement of the ecological environment and high employment level, environmental policies firstly should be flexible to ensure that the environmental standards follow the firm's characteristics and regional characteristics to avoid "one size fits all". Particularly, for regions with poor economic development or having a single industrial structure, the implementation cycle of the environmental policies should be extended to ensure that they have enough time to achieve industrial restructuring and complete the environmental protection goals. Secondly, we find that environmental legislation hurts employment growth by limiting export decisions, so the government should use multiple channels to stabilize export when implementing environmental legislation. Thirdly, technological R&D and innovation play an important role in the effect of environmental legislation on firms' employment growth. Therefore, the government should provide a more flexible environment for firms' R&D and innovation with appropriate fiscal policies and technical support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to analyze the effects of Grenelle I and Grenelle II laws on financial performance, social performance, and risk-taking in France. The study is focussed on SBF120 (The SBF120 index consists of the 120 largest capitalizations listed on the French Stock Exchange market (SBF: Société des Bourses Françaises)) firms between 2005 and 2016. It provides the following results: first, it shows that after the introduction of the Grenelle I and II laws, financial performance decreased while corporate risk increased, particularly in low polluting industries. One explanation for this is that Grenelle laws are based on the comply or explain principle which may lead to adaptative and interpretative disclosure strategies. In addition, environmental regulations may involve high costs of compliance. In the short-term, environmental disclosure regulations do not drive businesses to improve their social performance: they have not been able to undertake socially and environmentally responsible projects based on good governance practices. Using the Environmental Policy Stringency EPS index to measure the stringency of environmental policy, we show that international binding laws such as the Paris Agreement, unlike locally binding Grenelle laws, are able to enhance the overall social performance through the environmental, social and governance channels. In the long-term, Grenelle laws show effective results on the environmental performance and the quality of governance which enhance the overall social performance without impairing the financial one. Finally, quantile regression analysis provides evidence that businesses are likely to increase their environmental performance at the expense of low financial and overall social performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Statistical data on the level of use of ash and slag from thermal power plants is provided. The results of an analysis of regulatory and technical documentation in the field of ash and slag management in the energy sector are presented. Laws, regulations, and other documents regulating the management of by-products of coal combustion are considered. It was noted that it is necessary to refine the existing documentation, introduce legally defined terms and definitions for a number of ash and slag processing products, and also legally consider ash and slag as mineral raw materials and not waste. Definitions of ash and slag are given in accordance with the current industry regulatory document, in which ash and slag are тще called waste but mineral residues of solid fuel. It is shown that various government agencies are preparing regulatory documents related to the involvement of ash and slag into economic circulation. However, the existing regulatory framework does not meet the goals of achieving the level of low-waste and waste-free production. It was noted that regional programs have currently been approved to increase the level of ash and slag utilization from thermal power plants in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. Activities are presented that will make it possible to achieve the indicators for the level of utilization of ash and slag from thermal power plants in accordance with the Energy Development Strategy of the Russian Federation until 2035. It is explained how legally correct regulatory and technical documentation will make it possible to increase the level of ash and slag utilization in Russia and will help eliminate accumulated harm to the environment. It has been shown that the most large-scale, high-tech, environmentally friendly and economical use of fly ash is its replacement of up to 40% of cement in the construction of buildings and structures. Definitions of fly ash used in cements and concretes are given in the standards of different countries (EU countries, United States, Australia, India, China, Japan, Russia) depending on the type of ash formed. A comparative analysis of Russian and foreign national standards for the use of ash in cements and concretes was carried out in terms of physical and chemical characteristics, which are significant limiting factors when choosing directions and projects for the use of ash. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Plant Ecology is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Pulp and paper industries are very important for developing the Brazilian economy. During production processes, many effluents are generated with high polluting potential. The objective of this study is to conduct an extensive literature review on the characteristics of effluents and treatment forms adopted by Brazilian mills in this industrial sector. Most consulted studies address raw (without treatment) and secondary (after biological treatment) effluents, considering their main characteristics like pH, chemical and biochemical oxygen demands (COD and BOD, respectively), color, solids, organochlorines, toxicity, estrogenic activity, and phenols. Raw effluents differ considerably in composition, depending on the type of paper produced, the pulping process employed, and other steps, like pulp bleaching. Raw effluent characteristics indicate that this effluent cannot be directly disposed of into water bodies, because it does not comply with federal and state disposal standards. Secondary effluents normally comply with Brazilian legislations, although some studies have reported COD and total phenol concentrations higher than disposal standards, suggesting that additional treatments are necessary. Treated effluent reuse was verified in some Brazilian mills, while its disposal in eucalyptus plantations has been considered a promising alternative for irrigation purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of developing effective legal regulation of waste management and implementation of best practices in this area is relevant for many countries of the world. In the Republic of Kazakhstan, the development of a regulatory framework for waste management is still in its infancy. This situation poses a potential threat to the environment and public health. The question of this study is what are the obstacles to the effective implementation of international agreements in the field of waste management in Kazakhstan? What international legal instruments in the field of waste management are not fully used and what legislative initiatives need to be implemented in this regard? In order to assess the applicability of their regulations to the conditions of Kazakh law, the study examines such supranational legal instruments as, in particular, the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal, the Espoo Convention, Directive (EU) 2018/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council. As this study suggests, an impending problem for Kazakhstan is the issue of utilization of WEEE and the implementation of the Basel Convention regarding the issue of transportation and disposal of WEEE. Despite the growing interest in the issues of proper waste management, mechanisms related to the implementation of the Espoo Convention and the Aarhus Convention are poorly implemented in Kazakhstan. This study uses the method of political and legal analysis, with the help of which it examines the problems of the effectiveness of the implementation of international agreements in the field of waste management in the Republic of Kazakhstan and ways to overcome them. To achieve these goals, international legislative acts in the field of environmental protection and the legislation of the European Union and EU member states were analyzed, which made it possible to determine the possibility of applying foreign practices on legal regulation of waste management and implementation of international legal acts mechanisms in Kazakhstan. The study attempts to give a qualitative assessment of the elaboration of the legislative regulation of the waste management sphere in Kazakhstan. The solution of problems in the field of waste management at the state level can be feasible only with a systemic rather than partial reform of the legal framework. Based on the EU practices in the implementation of international and supranational environmental agreements, the optimal combination of state and market instruments would improve the regulatory framework of Kazakhstan in the field of waste management. In order to create the most beneficial effect in countering the accumulation of waste without harming the economy, it would be useful to apply proactive and preventive approaches to increase the responsibility and participation of all stakeholder groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public policies affecting land use/land cover also have an impact on water resource availability, and hilltop protected areas are a relevant factor in ensuring continued availability of water resources. The legislation ruling the delimitation of protected areas on hilltops has changed at the Brazilian national level in 2012 and in Rio de Janeiro state in 2014. However, these environmental legislation changes did not take into account the feedback effects of restricting protected areas to hilltops on the regularity of hydrological responses in watersheds. As such, this manuscript sought to analyze the contribution of hilltop-only protected areas to continued water availability. We analyzed hydrological responses in the São João river watershed, which provides water for domestic, industrial, and agricultural uses in the Região dos Lagos municipalities of Rio de Janeiro state. Our results show that designating only hilltops as protected areas, as prescribed under the new pieces of legislation, does not prevent abrupt changes in hydrological responses that can lead to changes in streamflow volume and regularity as well as increases in sediment flows, which may compromise drainage systems and continued water supply due to reservoir silting. Therefore, we conclude that protecting hilltops only, as established under current Brazilian legislation, is not sufficient to safeguard the environmental function of maintaining water resource availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mercury is a toxic pollutant that exists in the atmosphere in several forms, operationally identified according to their chemical and physical characteristics. The problem of atmospheric mercury pollution has recently received increasing attention, as evidenced by the numerous European regulations issued in the last years. The normative question is closely related to the methodological one, as the quantification of the mercury species is strictly linked to the sampling and analysis methods. Due to their different bioavailability, airborne mercury forms detection is fundamental both in outdoor and indoor (i.e., workplace) environments. This paper presents an overview of European legislation on atmospheric mercury pollution, with particular attention to the Italian legislation. Starting from the regulatory protocols, the methodological framework for mercury quantification was reviewed, underlining the limits and the problems of the different methodologies and providing new guidance for the analysis. Regulatory and methodological updates have led to great specificity in mercury quantification, which is distinguished for the outdoor and indoor environments. For workplace environments, all mercury species (i.e., gaseous and particulate mercury) are required to be quantified by the Italian legislation; on the contrary, only gaseous compounds are monitored in outdoor conditions. It hence appears of primary importance that the monitoring operator chooses the sampling and analytical method for mercury sampling and analysis that correctly adheres to the normative regulations. Detailed norms describe how to carry on the monitoring in both outdoor and indoor conditions, preventing the operator's arbitrariness, which otherwise can lead to airborne mercury underestimation/overestimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the effects of Fe-mining tailings of the Fundão dam on water quality, concerning physical and chemical parameters, aiming to infer the recovery process of the affected areas, and prospects of water quality in the coming years. Water quality data from the Gualaxo do Norte and Carmo rivers were evaluated in three moments: (i) before the dam rupture (1999–2000), (ii) 1 year after the rupture of the Fundão dam (2016), and (iii) after the implementation of recover mitigation activities (2017–2019). Concerning the variables evaluated, the mean concentrations of Fe and Mn were higher in the dry period, and increasing turbidity was detected in the rainy season. The turbidity, even after the recovery measures, peaked at 300 and 400 NTU in 2017 and 2019, respectively. The concentrations of dissolved Fe, Mn, and Cr, closely related to the tailings, decreased with rainfall by a dilution mechanism. Conversely, the concentrations of Cd, Al, Zn, and Cu increased in the rainy season, probably by greater erosion. The implementation of the recovery actions at the Gualaxo do Norte headwaters are helping to reduce the Mn and Fe concentrations and turbidity downriver, all associated with the Fe-mining tailings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, there are two main trends in the field of corporate environmental management regarding the role of environmental regulations in corporate environmental and economic performance. The first trend examines environmental regulations such as barriers or risks of corporate operations since they increase the adaptation and compliance costs which negatively influence their competitive advantage. The second trend examines the potential positive effects of environmental regulations on firms' operations like reduction in operational costs, creation of intellectual capital and enhancement of economic performance. In this debate, this paper examines a set of hypotheses to analyze the relationships between environmental regulations and various aspects of corporate performance. Hypotheses are tested by utilizing information disclosed in a sample of 100 sustainability reports published by 25 firms in the metal products sector over a four-year period. To collect all the necessary non-financial information a methodological framework was used which is based on a scoring system and a set of indicators derived from GRI guidelines and the relevant literature, while well-known financial indicators were used to assess firms' economic performance. The findings show positive relationships between the environmental performance and the level of corporate compliance with environmental legislation as well as between corporate environmental innovation and environmental performance. There is also a positive correlation between the level of corporate compliance with environmental legislation and components of green intellectual capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasingly severe environmental issues, especially those in developing countries such as China, drive the evolution of the environmental protection institution (EPI) to its strictest levels. However, the implementation of the strictest EPI still confronts various challenges and barriers, and the multi-stakeholder features of EPI determine these barriers are not independent of one another but rather present complex interactive relationships. This paper identifies the barriers to implementing China's EPI from four aspects of environmental legal, economic, regulatory, and public participation institutions. A variable precision rough DEMATEL approach is proposed to visualize the causal relationships and intensities among barriers from the similarities and differences in perspectives of stakeholders from the government, company, and public levels. The obtained causal interactive mechanism among barriers highlights the need to prioritize the improvement of environmental policy assessment, and the concrete measures in policies or plans should be integrated into legislation to ensure they are mutually supportive early. The non-substantive contributions achieved by China's public participation in environmental protection reveal prejudices that the public is often regarded as a supporter or spectator by both government and company groups, which makes the transparent environmental information disclosure, transfer and feedback into an effective mediation among stakeholders. Comprehensive coordination and feedback mechanisms including source prevention, process control, and severe punishment for consequences while enhancing linkages among stakeholders are put forward to overcome barriers and help implement the strictest EPI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Veredas environments play a critical role on the perennialization of streams in the Cerrado Biome, but alterations to their physiognomies are becoming increasingly more common, which directly affects abiotic variation and the structure of biological communities. Our study evaluates the effect of abiotic variations and environmental alterations upon the abundance, richness, and composition of species of semiaquatic bugs, where we test whether there are significant differences in conserved and altered veredas. Species richness was higher on altered veredas and there was no difference in abundance between altered and preserved veredas. The composition of conserved veredas was more homogeneous. Five species were associated with altered veredas and one to conserved areas. There were abiotic changes in the veredas that affected the abundance, richness, and/or composition of Gerromorpha. Ease of access to soil usage and to water for farming activities and pasture might be the main factors contributing to the alteration of veredas in this region. Gerromorpha community structure was modified by the environmental passive in areas of veredas, thus allowing to measure the degree of alterations to these systems, being a useful tool for monitoring and conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the interrelations between environmental variables (proxies for water availability and soil physico-chemical properties) and tree community patterns (diversity, composition and structure) along pond-upland topographic gradients within depressional watersheds in the upper Uruguay River basin in southern Brazil. Sampling plots were allocated in four topographic habitats: (1) inside ponds (wetland sites) and (2) immediately outside them, and in areas with (3) 60 cm and (4) 120 cm of elevation in relation to their limits (upland sites). Environmental conditions and forest composition varied along pond-upland gradients, but the diversity and structure of tree communities did not. Species turnover was associated with changes in topography-driven environmental conditions, notably water availability. Depressional watersheds show regionally unique abiotic and biotic features but are virtually unprotected by Brazilian private land legislation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analysis of existing legislation shows that legal norms are established mainly for soils belonging to the category of agricultural land. The orientation of land legislation to the category of land does not take into account the specific features of the soil as an essential component of the environment. It performs the most important set of ecological functions in both natural and anthropogenic ecosystems. At present, even a few references to soil in the system of regulatory acts are actively supplanted by the category of land. In its legal essence, the category of land is primarily a socio-economic category. The existing in scientific literature and regulatory acts formulations reflect the modern scientific ideas of soil as an independent natural body; however, from the legal point of view, they are extremely vague, uncertain, and do not meet understanding among legislators. In the legal definition of the category of soil, it is reasonable to limit it to several of the most important soil characteristics, among which the humus content and the bulk density should play the major role. Naturally, the restriction of the category of soil to a narrow set of characteristic features will narrow it in some cases and unjustifiably expand the number of natural or human-made objects related to the soil in other cases, but this will move the project of the Federal Law On Soil Protection (no. 83334-3) from the stalemate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past 50 years, Costa Rica has experienced extensive landscape changes. It is, therefore, important to understand the historical changes that have occurred and how the forests will change in the future, which provides the objective of this study. To determine the historical deforestation trends and link them to the different biogeophysical and socioeconomic variables, forest maps from 1960 to 2013 were used in the Dinamica Environment for Geoprocessing Objects (Dinamica EGO) to create deforestation models for Costa Rica. The base model was built and analyzed for changes in landscape metrics such as patch size and distance between 1960 and 2013. After validation of the model's ability to replicate patterns, the landscape change was then projected to 2069. The historical model validated at 85% accuracy within 600 m for both the 2005-2013 and 1997-2005 iterations. All national future projections exhibited an increase in forest area, including the most extreme deforestation scenarios. Future projections are increasingly important given changes in the global socio-political structure, climatic change, and the ever-increasing globalization of capitalistic endeavors. The trajectory of the forest in Costa Rica can also serve as a way to track both these global pressures on the natural landscape, and as a proxy for how to manage deforestation in other similar political and geographic areas of the tropics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early studies published in Ambio showed large-scale acidification of lakes in southern Sweden and Norway from acid rain. These studies were important for delimiting various scientific issues and thus for eventually contributing to legislation, which reduced emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides and helped to mitigate this major environmental problem. Long-term studies and monitoring in Sweden and Norway and at Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in New Hampshire helped guide this legislation in Europe and in the USA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental legislation in many countries demands the rehabilitation of degraded areas to minimize environmental impacts. Brazilian laws require the restitution of self-sustaining ecosystems to historical conditions but ignore the emergence of novel ecosystems due to large-scale changes, such as species invasions, extinctions, and land-use or climate changes, although these novel ecosystems might fulfill ecosystem services in similar ways as historic ecosystems. Thorough discussions of rehabilitation goals, target ecosystems, applied methods, and approaches to achieving mine land rehabilitation, as well as dialogues about the advantages and risks of chemical inputs or non-native, non-invasive species that include all political, economic, social, and academic stakeholders are necessary to achieve biological feasibility, sociocultural acceptance, economic viability, and institutional tractability during environmental rehabilitation. Scientific knowledge of natural and rehabilitating ecosystems is indispensable for advancing these discussions and achieving more sustainable mining. Both mining companies and public institutions are responsible for obtaining this knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The current focus of environmental legislation for energy-using products is an efficient energy consumption in the use stage. However, the production and waste treatment of electronic products are also related to environmental impacts in terms of declining metal resources and growing waste streams. This paper investigates the environmental impacts of life time extension versus energy efficiency for the product group video projector using life cycle assessment (LCA). Methods: The product under study was an average video projector based on three LCD projectors. The studied systems included two possibilities after a regular first usage period: reconditioning for a second use or replacement by a primary successor with an energy efficiency increase of 5 and 10%. All impacts addressed were accounted using the ReCiPe 2008 method. The impact contribution of projector components was identified at midpoint and endpoint levels, while life cycle impacts were calculated with a focus on three impact categories. Furthermore, the amortization period of production emissions was quantified. Results and discussion: LCA results showed that the use stage dominates life cycle impacts of the global warming potential and primary energy demand. For the metal depletion potential, the production stage accounts for most of the total life cycle load. The highest shares in production emissions were identified for electronic components, namely printed wired boards and integrated circuits. Reconditioning and reuse of a secondary projector resulted in minor environmental impacts compared to the replacement and use of a primary projector with an energy efficiency increase of 5%. The saving potential of the primary energy demand is higher only in the case of a 10% more efficient device as compared to the secondary projector. Conclusions: The study concluded that production emissions and their amortization period are relevant factors offsetting any environmentally beneficial measures applied during the use phase. The study suggests that life time extension of video projectors can provide higher environmental improvement potentials, while energy efficiency increase during usage is less beneficial, given that major improvements in energy efficiency do not occur. Recommendations are valid for this particular case study. The study suggests that the current focus of mandatory product requirements for energy-using products on energy efficiency increase should be extended to measures of life time extension in order to serve the intent of an integrated product policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquatic monitoring programs are imperative for the functioning of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process and a cornerstone for industrial compliance in Canada. However, in 2012, several leading pieces of federal environmental legislation (e.g., Canadian Environmental Assessment Act c.19, s. 52, 2012) were drastically altered, effectively weakening levels of environmental protection for aquatic ecosystems during project developments. This paper assesses the impact of CEAA 2012 on aquatic monitoring programs (and subsequent monitoring data reporting) across Canada for ten projects (five completed pre- CEAA 2012 and five completed post- CEAA 2012). Projects included four energy and six mining projects and were selected based on the following criteria: (i) representative of Canada's resource economy; (ii) project information was publicly available; and (iii) strong public interest. Projects pre - and post- CEAA 2012 exhibited few apparent differences before and after environmental regulatory changes. However, wide discrepancies exist in numbers and types of parameters reported, along with a lack of consistency in reporting. Projects pre- CEAA 2012 provided more follow-up monitoring commitments. Although qualitative differences remain inconclusive, this paper highlights requirements for further assessment of aquatic monitoring and follow-up programs in Canada. Recommendations for the government to consider during reviews of the federal environmental assessment processes include (i) improved transparency on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency website (); (ii) creation of a legally binding standardized aquatic monitoring program framework to ensure that all Canadian aquatic ecosystems are monitored with equal rigour; and (iii) commitments and justification related to frequency of aquatic monitoring of water quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, it is argued that environmental historians ought to become more engaged in scholarly debate on the Environmental Kuznets Curve. Starting from this theoretical perspective, the paper studies water pollution in the case of the river Göta Älv in Sweden. The empirical evidence shown for pollution of the river fits well with the patterns hypothesized by the theory of an Environmental Kuznets Curve. Explaining the relationship is however more complex than much of the research in this field has argued. An historical analysis of the relationship shows that the pattern was largely dependent on a process of learning about the negative environmental impact of various types of pollution, and the need to deal with these problems. A crucial turning point in the relationship between economic growth and environmental pollution occurred when pollution levels approached the carrying capacity of the local ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this article is to analyse how green supply chain management (GSCM) practices are being adopted by some high-tech companies located in Brazil. The research was conducted using the case study approach, focusing on eight companies that are representative of this sector. The main results are: (a) the most adopted GSCM practices in the studied high-tech companies located in Brazil are internal environmental management, investment recovery and reverse logistics and (b) Brazilian environmental legislation and international policies are very important in driving the adoption of GSCM practices. The internationalisation of companies was also found to be a variable that interferes with the adoption of GSCM practices. This is one of the first studies that examine the relationship between GSCM and the internationalisation of companies located in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on comparative review and analysis of the systems of environmental protection, national environmental strategies and fundamentals of environmental legislation in Australia and the Russian Federation. These countries have many socioeconomic similarities, such as low population densities and richness in natural resources which are largely exported. The main disparity between Australia and Russia is in the types of economy. This paper ‘continues’ the sequence of recent scholarly publications on comparison of various features of environmental policies in the countries from all over the world. Comparative analysis in this research has been based on examination of scholarly publications, legislation, government documents, mass media sources and NGO responses. The analysis has revealed a number of differences including top-down implementation of policies in Russia whereas in Australia, each State (Territory) implements policies with significant independence from the Commonwealth Government. At the same time, similarities between the countries have been identified: for example, in deficits in the budget of local environmental authorities and in the presence of contradictions in legislation at national and regional levels of government. Suggestions resulting from this analysis include further integration of sustainable development strategies at all levels of Australian government to encourage further protection of the environment and, for Russia, creating a separate Ministry of Environmental Protection. These approaches should assist facilitation of sustainable development for both nations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Umweltwissenschaften und Schadstoff-Forschung is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Thirteen years since the EU Habitats Directive (1992/43/EEC) became a binding legal agreement, this paper considers the implementation of this important European environmental legislation as it applies to the coastal activities of seaports and harbours. The paper examines the relationship between environmental legislation and ports policy, and seeks to provide a comprehensive assessment of the policy and science that has been developed in relation to protected areas and port management. The paper reports the results of a survey of European port professionals, and their perception of the successes and challenges of the management regimes that have been established, as well as their opinions on how these have influenced the management within ports. The paper also provides a detailed examination of the scientific and technical developments with particular regard to dredging and habitat management in European ports. Key research gaps are identified, including: practical approaches to licensing procedures; lack of baseline information, especially with regard to in-combination effects; the efficacy of techniques for mitigating the impacts of dredging; and greater understanding on how more resilient models for collaborative action can be developed. The paper will be of use to environmental planners, scientists, regulators, conservationists, and port managers, as they consider how to apply science and management to the sustainable development and environmental protection of coastal areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When the costs of regulation are borne by individuals outside of their political jurisdiction, an elected politician arguably will vote in favor of socially costly regulations because from his/her narrow perspective even small marginal benefits outweigh zero marginal costs. Our empirical analysis of the environmental voting records of U.S. Senators from 1991 to 2002 reveals a pronounced tendency for Senators to vote against (in favor of) environmental bills that impose costs in their (other) states. The straightforward implication is that elected politicians overgraze the regulatory pasture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An 11-year period of water quality data, collected by the Directorate of Sate Water Works of Turkey are thoroughly analyzed for the purpose of implementing water quality classes to water resources in the Meric Basin, located on the European land mass of Turkey. Water quality parameters are divided into four groups as physical, organic, inorganic, and bacteriological. The quality class of each group is evaluated by taking into account the poorest quality of any parameter in the group, after which a quality rank is assigned to the sampling station and the waterbody in question. This method of water quality classification imposed by the Turkish Water Quality Act, is then criticized with respect to a statistical approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intensified surface mining, power generation, and smelting operations in the Hunter River lowlands, NSW, Australia have posed numerous new environmental management problems. Legislative controls over water, soils, and land use management have been clearly insufficient and remain so. The complex range of environmental changes is challenging government agencies as well as coal developers. While water demands are increasing in the region the proportionally greatest competitors are power generation and irrigation. Comprehensive regional water quality assessment is inadequate and divided between a number of agencies with fragmentary interests. Coal development inquiries signal further controversy over appropriate management solutions and are an ongoing phenomenon in the region. The early 1980s resource boom has been followed by lower rates of economic growth, which have resulted in disparate agency responses to major ongoing environmental questions. While issue attention cycles are often remarkably short in environmental management, matters of water, land, and air quality require intensive and ongoing monitoring and policy development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defining the key temporal scales of variability in ecological processes is fundamental to saline lake management because the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of saline lakes undergo fluctuations at different time scales, compared to those of freshwater lakes. A long-term study of Lake Gallocanta (25 km2 area inlandsaline lake in NE Spain) provides the ecological basis for its management. The coupling of the administrative framework with its ecological processes is examined. Limnological and climatological parameters were measured using standard methods during 1977-1995. Complete desiccation of the lake occurred in 1983-86 and in 1994-95. Water level fluctuations were strongly correlated with meteorological events, particularly rainfall for seasonal and decadal time scales. The relationship between salinity and water volume follows the typical model described for playa lakes. However, the intensity and frequency of the salinity and water volume fluctuations in Lake Gallocanta also change over time. Most species show pulsing population dynamics at the larger time scales (annual, decadal). However, many of these show a continuous population development at shorter time scales. Examples are provided for several phytoplankton and zooplankton species. Fluctuations in water level also influence phyto and zooplankton community structure.The combination of the number of species, S, and the number of individuals, N, as K=log S/log N indicates that the community structure also fluctuates at different time scales. Most of the present laws established for the management of saline lakes are centered on the conservation of waterfowl. Although some generic laws attempt to preserve the overall natural ecosystem, only those dealing with the protection of wild flora and fauna, and threatened species, are implemented. However, ecological knowledge now suggests that the major objective for the conservation of saline lakes should be to preserve the fluctuation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is no single piece of legislation which comprehensively addresses the problem of eutrophication of freshwater lakes. An examinationis made of the extent to which national and EU laws applicable in England and Wales may be used to reduce phosphorus inputs to eutrophicated lakes. This case study is then used to outline the shortcomings of existing legislation and the future challenges for lake eutrophication control. Applicable legislation may be divided into that relatingto nature conservation, to water quality and to agricultural extensification. Nature conservation laws are applicable, in that lakes designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), are theoretically safeguarded from degradation. The main limitation of the SSSI system lies in the boundary definition process under which, as a rule, no other category of legally protected land may be designated. Thus, the use of surrounding buffer land to protect water quality at the catchment level is generally precluded. The introduction of consultation areas around SSSIs of international importance under the EU Directive on Habitats is unlikely to alleviate the problem, since the area involved remains minimal compared to the extent of the majority of catchments. Intensive agricultural practices are responsible for significant nutrient enrichment of rivers and lakes, so that legislation aimed at extensification is also relevant. Examples of agricultural extensification include the Environrnentally Sensitive Areas program and various options available for Set-Aside land. However, the prime purpose of such initiatives is the alleviation of surplus and budgetary problems and, as such, they fall short of a fully integrated approach to the ecological management of farmland. Nutrient enrichment is, essentially, a water quality issue, but policy and legislation in this area are not yet sufficiently developed to address the problem comprehensively. The current regulatory process for water quality carries the [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need for management, in natural systems, and possibly in all systems, reflects an inability of the systems to operate in self-sustaining ways, due to interference, or damage to an extent that is beyond the capacities of the system for self-repair. Management need is thusa symptom of failure of the system. The more management needed, the greater the failure and management is always costly. Most freshwater systems have been seriously altered by human activities. We may wish to restore them to self-sustaining systems which provide conservationor amenity values, or products such as potable water or fish, with minimal management, or preferably none at all. This may not be possible in many cases; it is completely impossible without profound understanding of their functioning. The ecological 'challenges' in lake management are thus to remove blocks which impede this understanding. There are at least three groups of blocks: fundamental; those of approach and method; and political. The latter is no less ecological than the others; human beings and their behaviour are ecological phenomena like those of any other animal. Fundamental blocks include the complexity and stochasticity of natural systems, which may change faster than they can be dissected and understood. They include also the scarcity of complete systems for investigation. Lakes are parts of greater systems in the landscape and if these systems are no longer intact, through insensitive land use, such as drainage, it is not possible to understand interactions and influences which were not confined to the lake basin. Examples are given concerning fish and bird movements. Methodological blocks concern the scale of investigations. The need forstatistical rigour confines many investigations to small scale, easily replicable phenomena. Lake systems, however, are influenced by larger scale, lakewide or more extensive effects. An example is given concerning the effects of piscivorous birds. Unless whole lakes and their [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ecological and amenity values of fresh still waters do not depend primarily upon the size or permanence of the water body. The ecological importance of still waters may be recognized by global, European, national or local legislation or agreements. However, non-designated still waters may also be of great importance, both to their local human population and through their contribution to ecological processes. In particular, small still waters, whilst individually of low importance at the national scale, may nevertheless have a disproportionately high ecological and/or cultural value at the local scale. The uses to which we put our still water resources, and the land within their upstream catchments, exert pressure on both ecological and utility values. Historically, still-water protection has been addressed on a reactive basis. Although a considerable, and largely under-utilized, armory of powers exist for their protection, resource limitations place real constraints upon the effort that regulatory Authorities can expend upon still waters. Broader public awareness and ownership of the key issues and values, and of the underpinning legislation, must therefore form part of protective strategies for the future. The Environment Agency has a key role to play in this education process, which may represent a cost-effective means for it to discharge its responsibilities to the water environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]