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The article offers an assessment of the International Labour Organization (ILO) report "World Employment and Social Outlook 2018: Greening With Jobs." Topics covered include the success of the report in providing perspectives, findings and policy proposals for global climate stabilization, the relationship between stabilization, economic growth and jobs discussed in the report, and some significant problems found in the study.

Abstract This study aims to investigate Chinese adult learners' viewpoints of a blended learning environment in promoting sustainable development with the research methods such as hermeneutics and a semi structured survey. The research results reveal that Chinese adult learners believe a blended learning environment promotes sustainable development in at least three aspects within some degree. Firstly, with the characteristics of comfort and convenience for learning, a blended learning environment promotes sustainable development for adult education and continuing education. Secondly, a blended learning environment is an eco-friendly learning environment, which helps to construct a source-saving society. More importantly, a blended learning environment bridges the gaps in sustainable development between females and males and between those living in rural areas and those living in cities. It increases the opportunities for female and those living in rural areas to become educated and promotes sustainable development. The study hopes that the research results will be beneficial for education policy makers and practitioners interested in sustainable development. Highlights • It is a pioneer study to analyse the effectiveness of a blended learning environment in promoting sustainable development. • It calls on sustainability studies on social equality development with new technology in education. • It is of use to education policy makers and practitioners interested in sustainable development. • It is only a case study in China from which the findings are derived. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Biodiversity conservation should be at the heart of the agenda towards the SDGs. • The built environment has a major role to play in reducing loss of biodiversity. • Raising awareness of the effects of the built environment on biodiversity loss is key to the realisation of the SDGs. • The construction industry should promote sustainable procurement practices that conserve biodiversity. Abstract Recent major global environmental initiatives toward a more sustainable society are the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the New Urban Agenda (NUA) and the Paris Agreement. The built environment has been recognised as a major contributor to loss of biodiversity and should therefore play a major role in a sustainable world where ecological values are enhanced. There should be a smooth interaction between the built environment and the natural environment because humanity and nature are the usual victims of loss of biodiversity. The purpose of this paper is to examine the link between the Built Environment, Biodiversity and the Sustainable Development Goals. The paper explores the role of a sustainable built environment towards biodiversity conservation which is central to the realisation of the SDGs in general and SDG 15 in particular. The paper adopts a qualitative research methodology using knowledge generation workshop involving 16 experts from both academia and industry. The results show that, even though the built environment has a negative impact on biodiversity, it also has the greatest opportunity to integrate biodiversity into all development projects. Reducing the impact of the built environment on biodiversity should be an integral part of policies and strategies towards a sustainable built environment. All key built environment stakeholders need to engage in raising awareness of the effects of biodiversity loss as a result of construction activities, on the health and wellbeing of mankind. The value of this paper is to help decision-makers such as government agencies, industry-players and non-governmental organisations to understand the contributions of the built environment towards biodiversity conservation in achieving the SDGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the main outcomes of the Rio + 20 Conference was the agreement to set Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The most common terms in the17 goals are economic growth, resilience and inclusion, all of which are critically examined in this article. This article discusses how these goals are reflected within existing sustainability programs at a vocational college, and at the undergraduate and postgraduate university levels in The Netherlands. Within all three institutions the author has integrated lectures on sustainable development with specific emphasis on the SDGs. The aim was to engage students in critical discussion, allowing reflection on the issues and paradoxes that characterise the larger discourse of sustainability. The case studies illustrate how curriculum aimed at this awareness can be developed stimulating the students’ recognition of critique of economic development, inclusion and resilience. As a result of the courses, the students were able to develop a certain degree of critical, imaginative, and innovative thinking about sustainable development in general and the SDGs in particular. Cradle to cradle and circular economy approaches were named as more promising for current production systems. This article concludes with the recommendation as to how the SDGs can be critically taught. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban areas have contributed 75% of the global CO 2 emissions. Therefore, seeking global carbon reduction solutions from the perspective of city has become a focus of decision-makers in charge of environmental protection. The carbon emission reduction potential in land management and spatial adjustment has become an important mean for achieving regional and global sustainable development. In this paper, we systematically review and synthesize four main aspects of urban carbon metabolism spatial analysis, namely: (1) advances in urban carbon metabolism, (2) carbon accounting based on land use and cover change, (3) spatial distribution of urban carbon metabolism and influencing factors, and (4) forecasting based on land use change (Land Use and Cover Change – LUCC). In addition, we point out current deficiencies in the study of urban carbon metabolism, such as incomplete process analysis and lack of spatial display. Based on previous research, we propose a spatial-analysis-centric outlook on urban carbon metabolism, including the following key approaches: (1) future researchers should simultaneously consider natural and socioeconomic components, as well as vertical (flows from land to atmosphere) and horizontal (flows among different land use types) carbon flows, to obtain a more complete picture of the entire urban carbon metabolism system; (2) carbon metabolic spatial mapping can be implemented in patches to better serve government’s goals for optimal regulation and spatial planning; (3) researchers should refine current urban-scale research, also expanding it to the metropolitan (i.e., urban agglomeration) scale, to establish multi-scale, multi-level, and organic network structures, and study the spatial distribution pattern of carbon metabolism within and among cities and metropolitan areas, which will lay a scientific foundation for urban, regional, and national sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study sheds light on the driving forces of eco-innovation and the effects on firm performance. We focus on eco-innovation, which provides customer and business value, and contributes to sustainable development while decreasing environmental costs and impacts. The study uses data collected from 442 Chinese firms to investigate the relationship among the drivers, eco-innovation behavior, and firm performance. The results reveal that certain factors (i.e., technological capabilities, environmental organizational capabilities, a market-based instrument, competitive pressures, and customer green demand) contribute to the development of eco-innovation. Competitive pressure provides firms with the greatest incentive to adopt eco-innovation, followed by a market-based instrument, technological capabilities, customer green demand, and environmental organization capabilities. The market-based instrument is effective in inducing eco-innovation, while a command and control instrument does not. With regard to the adoption of eco-innovation, we show that eco-innovation behavior can significantly enhance a firm's environmental performance, and, through environmental performance, has an indirect positive impact on its economic performance. These findings support the “Porter hypothesis,” and have several implications for both policy makers and business managers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An editorial on responses of new sustainable development approaches to societal challenges. Topics discussed include approval of 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the United Nations (UN) in September 2015; increasing global inequality and fundamental failures in economic systems; and the economic development with equity and social justice.

Complementing extant studies on the antecedents of firms' environmental strategy, this article focuses on the trajectories of corporate engagement in proactive environmental alliances. Specifically, we build an awareness-motivation-capability framework and analyze factors that drive the move beyond incremental pollution prevention and facilitate firms' engagement in transformative, sustainable development strategies in their alliances. Based on 212 environmental alliance-related observations, our test results indicate limited explanatory power of regulatory pressures, but highlight the role of firms' environmental networks to sharpen their awareness to engage in transformative alliances. Further, we elaborate on the nuances and boundary conditions of firms' risk-taking propensity, industry concentration, financial capacity and especially prior sector-spanning experiences as motivation and capability drivers. These insights contribute to the discourse on firms' environmental strategy and alliance formation by depicting how and to what extent environment-specific and more general firm attributes predispose them to engage in transformative rather than incremental environmental projects. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Economic Annals-XXI / Ekonomìčnij Časopis-XXI is the property of Institute of Society Transformation 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.)

Earth's life-support system is facing megaproblems of sustainability. One important way of how these problems can be addressed is through innovation. This paper argues that responsible innovation that contributes to sustainable development (SD) consists of three dimensions: (1) innovations avoid harming people and the planet, (2) innovations 'do good' by offering new products, services, or technologies that foster SD, and (3) global governance schemes are in place that facilitate innovations that avoid harm and 'do good.' The paper discusses global governance schemes based on deliberation as a means to foster such responsible innovation. These schemes can provide voluntary soft-law regulations that complement and extend national and international hard-law regulations and facilitate collective innovation that contributes to SD goals. The article addresses the facilitative role of governments and international organizations in overcoming problems of deliberation and offers illustrative examples of such governance schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the past few decades, the global food system has confronted new sustainability challenges related not only to public health and the environment but also to ethical concerns over the treatment of farmed animals. However, the traditional threedimensional framework of sustainable development is ill equipped to take ethical concerns related to non-human animals into account. For instance, the interests of farmed animals are often overridden by objectives associated with social, economic or environmental sustainability, despite their vast numbers and influence on contemporary societies. Moreover, sustainability policies necessarily involve an element of ethical evaluation; yet this element is not explicitly incorporated in prevailing frameworks of sustainable development. Our purpose in this article is to address these shortcomings by developing a Sustainability Matrix that recognizes the need to consider food system sustainability from the perspective of all interest groups affected by the issue under consideration, from a plurality of ethical standpoints. Combing sustainability principles with the basic idea of an ethical evaluation tool, the proposed Sustainability Matrix evaluates the sustainability of food-related systems, decisions and policies from the perspectives of three major strands of ethical theory and from the perspectives of human beings, farmed animals and wildlife. In terms of policy implications, the Sustainability Matrix can be applied in deciding on the specific targets of food system sustainability that can then be utilized as a basis for designing policies and measures towards the achievement of these goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nine different indices for measuring sustainable development, comprising Change in Wealth Index (CWI), Ecological Footprint (EF), Environmental Performance Index (EPI), Environmental Sustainability Index (ESI), Genuine Savings Index (GSI), Global Well-Being Index (GWI), Happy Planet Index (HPI), Human Development Index (HDI) and Sustainable Society Index (SSI) were selected in this study. The indices were analysed for their ability to measure the economic, environmental and social dimensions of sustainable development. Only two indices (SSI and GSI) considered all three dimensions of sustainable development, while the remaining measured either the socio-economic, socio-environmental or just economic and environmental dimensions. A normalized average sustainability index (NASI) was proposed in this study, calculated as an average index of all nine. Switzerland, Norway and Sweden were the countries with the highest, while Burundi, Sierra Leone and Niger were the countries with the lowest NASI scores. The deviation of each index compared with NASI was determined, resulting in GWI followed by HDI having the lowest deviation from the average rankings. The publication contribution of the scientific literature towards the three dimensions of sustainable development for each individual index was further analysed and discussed, identifying public health as one of the potential overarching indicators for sustainable development. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the drivers of renewable energy development and consumption in Sub-Sahara African countries for the period, 1980-2011. The fully modified ordinary least squares, dynamic ordinary least squares, and fixed-effects estimation techniques are used to evaluate the statistical significance of the determinants of renewable energy consumption. Results indicate that income has the desired positive, albeit statistically insignificant contribution to renewable energy consumption growth. This indicates that recent economic strength in the region has not been accompanied by increased development and consumption of renewable energy, in contrast to empirical evidence in other developing economies. A review of the possible reasons for this incongruence is presented. Also, increased consumption of renewable energy is associated with heightened concerns for climate change caused by pollutants such as carbon dioxide. Population and industrial expansion are statistically significant determinants of renewable consumption, and oil prices correlate negatively with renewable energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of prediction of global climate change made for the territory of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan showed that the air temperature would continue to rise constantly. In addition, in 2085 in the basins of the rivers Shu and Talas, the temperature will rise to 4.3°C (about 50% compared with the period before the global climate change. Therefore, the scientific and methodological basis of considering the possible consequences of global climate change affecting the location and specialisation of industries, including irrigated agriculture was developed. It was found that due to the increase of air temperature, the precipitation regimes practically did not change compared to the current state. Specific water requirements of crops will increase by 4-5% every 10-20 years. At current levels, the total area of 66 thousand ha of irrigated land has efficiency (efficiency coefficient) of -0.53. A complex of measures on the application of innovative technologies and improving the efficiency of irrigated land: 2030 - 0.58; 2050 - 0.66; 2085 - 0.80, can reduce the average weighted gross irrigation norm for billing periods prior to: 2030 - 8100 m3/ha; for 2050 - 7400 m3/ha; 2085 year to 6800 m3/ha. Total losses from changes in the boundaries of geographic areas to settlement promising periods in the Talas River basin within Kazakhstan on the annual basis amount to (US$ million): up to 2030 - 142.4;. to 2050 - 191.1; to 2085 - 230.3. The conclusion is that prevention of greenhouse gas emissions will be lower than the total damage from environmental degradation to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem, which for many centuries measured globe is "coexistence" between man and nature. The essential element of this process is the continuous satisfaction of human needs with the use of what nature and the process of globalization have given of themselves. Therefore, the authors of this article research has identified the following problems, namely. Do man can imagine himself without essential environment? Is the action and the human conscience allows him to "surrender" the gifts of fauna and flora? Is in the current progress in the development of society is the human factor that causes people to become empathetic to the devastation of the environment? The present article attempts to answer these questions, and the responses are the hypotheses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with the modern processes of large-scale destabilization of the geosphere and the role of the scientific prediction of global environmental crisis. We also present an analysis of the reorientation process of civilization to sustainable development and ethical foundations of the relationship of humanity and nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental disputes often encompass both a conflict over the practical issue itself and, more fundamentally, a conflict over environmental worldviews (EWVs). In this study, a new two-dimensional tool has been created for measuring prevailing EWVs in individuals and organizations. Respondent’s place on the horizontal axis shows preference on an institutional scale where environmental issues should be handled. Therefore, thex-axis shows the relationship between social greens (highlighting local communities) and institutionalists (believing in strong global cooperation and institutions). The vertical axis describes focus on sustainability/nature vs. market/economy, thus showing preference between bioenvironmentalists and market liberals. EWVs were measured in Finnish political parties, actors in environmental administration, many non-environmental organizations and public innovation funders. Principal component analysis showed that the two-dimensional analysis fits well to the EWV analysis. Data (n = 1637) approximates symmetrically the bell curve of a normal distribution in both the axes, with neglible linear relation between the axes. A case study of seven Finnish political parties revealed remarkable EWV differences, logically compared to the existing research. Moreover, the respondent’s views on globalization were found to follow a very different logic from the environmental concern. An analytical tool of EWVs fosters harmonious decision-making, facilitating constructive solutions in environmental debate. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The landscape is a major challenge for the sustainable development of territories. In this research, the territorial dimension of social facts is vested in terms of the feeling of belonging and local identity. It questions the social phenomena shaped by individual and collective spatial practices and local policies for sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A streamlined energy and emissions assessment model (SEEAM) is presented that is based on life cycle analysis (LCA) methods. The SEEAM provides geotechnical engineers with the means to quantify the embodied energy (EE) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions associated with ground improvement projects. A companion paper (Shillaber et al. 2015) provides detailed background for sustainable development and environmental impact assessment, which are at the foundation of the SEEAM. This paper presents the boundary conditions and methodology for this model. Construction of levee LPV 111 in New Orleans, LA is used as a case history example to illustrate the use of the model. This project involved supporting an earthen embankment by deep soil mixing (DSM) elements. Results of a SEEAM analysis of the DSM supported embankment indicate that constructing the levee involved 1,174,000 GJ of EE and 147,000 t of CO2 emissions. For comparison, the SEEAM was also used to estimate the EE and CO2 emissions associated with two other LPV 111 design alternatives; one utilizing prefabricated vertical drains (PVDs) to increase the rate of primary consolidation in the foundation soils, and the other a pile-supported reinforced-concrete T-wall. The results show that the PVD design has the lowest EE and CO2 emissions at 809,000 GJ and 64,000 t, respectively. The concrete T-wall has the greatest EE and CO2 emissions, at 2,755,000 GJ and 211,000 t, respectively (for the materials alone). Despite having the lowest EE, CO2 emissions and cost, the PVD design was not a viable solution because it could not meet a 20-month time constraint placed on the construction to achieve the needed flood protection. When performance criteria are met, quantitative information about environmental impacts, such as EE and CO2 emissions, is useful for making geotechnical decisions for sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy issues are very important for our civilization. Taking into account the perspective of sustainability a lot of attention is devoted to the sources of primary Energy characterized with low emission. Among them shale gas has gained in importance as the primary energy source. The paper presents the role of shale gas in the implementation of the main paradigm of sustainable development, i.e. the intergenerational equity. As the reference, the necessity of implementing water intakes monitoring has been pointed out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emission and absorption fluxes of CO2 and CH4 in the environment have been characterized. It has been pointed out that the anthropogenic emission of CO2 amounts only to 3% of emissions from the natural sources. It has been also noted that increasing CO2 absorption of terrestrial ecosystems by 3% could inhibit the increase of CO2 concentration in the atmosphere. This means that mitigation of global warming by intensifying natural processes is a more sustainable solution than performing expensive changes in energy policy. Lowering the emission of methane, on the other hand, can be accomplished by utilizing fodder additives for ruminants and the process of microbiological methane oxidation in covering soil layers or biofilters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Transformations in Business & Economics is the property of Vilnius University 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.)

The notion of an inclusive green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication requires an approach that engages with the informal economy. However, the informal economy is generally ignored or undervalued in discussions on the green economy. This paper set out to bolster this argument by identifying the ways in which the green economy and the informal economy may be connected by establishing the extent to which policies and plans relating to green economy connect with the informal economy, and recognising several informal green activities. The barriers and opportunities for connecting the two spheres were also explored as well as possible ways in which such activities may be supported at different levels of organisation. In the case of South Africa, many informal green activities that contribute to sustainable livelihoods are recognised. However, issues pertaining to procedure, process and participation hinder the transition to a truly inclusive green economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last two decades have been influenced by the growing concern regarding climate change and the ways that it will determine economic activities and human development. Many countries already took actions through international treaties to solve different problems like carbon emission reduction through certificate trade or low emission investments. The cost of the transition to a low carbon emission economy is too big for countries to support, so here, the private sector needs to help through a sustainable way of doing business. From this point of view, developed countries have a more sophisticated financing system than that of developing countries but, usually, developing countries have better competitive advantages that attract FDI. The main aim of the paper is to see how sustainable development is related to the flow and stock of FDI in the EU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Progress toward sustainable development is to be accelerated in order to avoid irreversible transformations that could threaten the wellbeing and existence of humankind. Governmental actions by more and more effective policies already initiated the necessary changes but their path is far behind the dynamic of the environmental degradation. Integrating sustainability in businesses is becoming a mainstream trend featured by innovative approaches for finding technological, social and organizational solutions. One of the most challenging issues is to integrate sustainability in brands, but it also is credited with the largest potential to generate the paradigm change needed for transforming sustainability in social value. Departing from the model of sustainable value there are outlined several milestones to be considered for creating sustainable brands for products and services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United Nations (UN) Rio+20 summit committed nations to develop a set of universal sustainable development goals (SDGs) to build on the millennium development goals (MDGs) set to expire in 2015. Research now indicates that humanity's impact on Earth's life support system is so great that further global environmental change risks undermining long-term prosperity and poverty eradication goals. Socioeconomic development and global sustainability are often posed as being in conflict because of tradeoffs between a growing world population, as well as higher standards of living, and managing the effects of production and consumption on the global environment. We have established a framework for an evidence-based architecture for new goals and targets. Building on six SDGs, which integrate development and environmental considerations, we developed a comprehensive framework of goals and associated targets, which demonstrate that it is possible, and necessary, to develop integrated targets relating to food, energy, water, and ecosystem services goals; thus providing a neutral evidence-based approach to support SDG target discussions. Global analyses, using an integrated global target equation, are close to providing indicators for these targets. Alongside development-only targets and environment-only targets, these integrated targets would ensure that synergies are maximized and trade-offs are managed in the implementation of SDGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The manufacture of building materials and components, the construction, use and demolition of buildings contribute to the generation of environmental effects such as soil, water and air pollution. The paper defines and synthesizes the impact categories that affect the environment, as well as the factors that cause the appearance of impacts, for the choice of optimal ecological building materials. An important problem is finding impact indices that describe the factors affecting the environment, whose value might be quantified. For this, the study was extended to the methods for the evaluation and analysis of the environmental effects of impact factors. The study performed allowed to synthesize the following impact categories taking into consideration the impact factors that occur during the life cycle of materials: natural resources, human health and risk, pollution due to emissions and waste. The impact factors were analyzed from the point of view of the impact level (geographical extension) and the possible magnitude of their value. This article describes a relatively easy method for the choice of the optimal material from a group of materials, taking into calculation the following impact criteria and categories: depletion of natural resources, environmental degradation, toxic substance emissions due to the energy consumed during the production, execution, exploitation and demolition processes, as well as the possibility of reusing waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT This study assesses for the first time the environmental sustainability of development organizations involved in North-South cooperation by quantifying the carbon footprint as a widely adopted indicator. Our objectives are to (1) analyze the criteria that should be met for correct greenhouse gas accounting of development organizations, (2) gain insight into the emission profile for a limited sample of development organizations from Belgium and Germany, and (3) set forward policy options for more sustainable practices. Carbon footprints are calculated following official guidelines and include available data from different institutions. Mobility of staff is on average responsible for 60% of total annual emissions of the organizations under study, mainly owing to air travel (40%), followed by electricity and heating of offices. These emissions may be partially offset through voluntary carbon market transactions or within development projects themselves. Either approach requires the adoption of high standards of carbon accounting by development organizations. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gales of climate change blow the future open and closed. In response, we are having to learn to live with a renewed notion of limits and a novel level of uncertainty. One emerging governance response is a turn to scenario planning, which generates narratives about multiple futures refracted out from the present. Like climate change itself, scenario planning, and the broader field of futures studies it is part of, is historically and socially positioned, belying its application as a mere method or tool. This paper discusses the growing turn to scenario planning within government climate change adaptation initiatives in light of parallel shifts in governance (eg, interest in efficiency and wicked problems) and adaptation efforts (eg, framed as risk management or resilience) and their shared roots in the ambiguities of sustainable development. It provides an extended introduction to a theme issue that provides, overall, a nested discussion of the role of scenario planning by government for climate change adaptation, noting how governance, climate change adaptation, and scenario planning all fold together the motifs of openness and closedness. This paper engages with the emerging field of future geographies and critical interest in future orientations to highlight the way society's growing engagement on climate change adaptation exposes, critiques, replicates, and amplifies our existing orientations to the future and time and their politically contested and embedded character. It points to the way the motif of open futures can be both progressive and conservative, as political and economic interests seek to open up some futures while closing down others in the name of the ambivalent goals of adaptation and sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between evidence, governance and institutions in the pursuit of sustainable development is notoriously complicated. Studying organisations whose roles include managing boundaries between evidence and policy is one way to better understand this relationship. But in spite of the complexity, such organisations often appear - officially at least - to have rather limited remits, with very sharply drawn boundaries. This paper investigates this puzzle through study of the United Kingdom Parliamentary Environmental Audit Committee (EAC), established in 1997 to scrutinise government departments' efforts to integrate environment and sustainable development into policymaking. Gathering and deployment of evidence are critical to its work, and it is able to call as witnesses both members of the executive and experts from outside government. Drawing on Jasanoff's work on issue framing and boundaries, and Owens and Rayner's work on Royal Commissions, this paper employs a broad definition of boundary work to allow potential identification of multiple boundaries shaped by different sorts of boundary work. It investigates what boundaries are drawn, how, why and by whom. Through analysis of EAC reports, and elite interviews, the paper examines the context, consultation processes, roles played and influence of the EAC. The committee is found to play many roles, including analyst, forum for debate and political lever, all of which provide potential for influence on specific policies, and on the nature and space of political debate. The EAC shapes many boundaries using various mechanisms, both informal and institutionally-sanctioned. The rich and subtle variety of these boundaries, and different work carried out around them, confirms that a simple reading of the EAC's remit of government scrutiny falls short of understanding how it works in practice. The results vividly illustrate the politicised nature of sustainable development policy, and informs prospects for 'filling' any gap between evidence and policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current context, the entire construction industry is confronted with particular priorities regarding the achievement of sustainable construction. Designers and builders become increasingly aware of the wide range of problems that affect the environment, but they face a confusing set of possible actions and solutions. Consequently, this article presents the ECCOMAT method (ECological COnstruction MATerials) for multicriteria analysis, which allows designers to rapidly and easily make decisions regarding the choice of ecological building materials. The criteria selected for analysis are not only based on technical and financial requirements, but they also take into consideration the impact that materials have or may have on the environment during their life cycle, as well as on the reduction of operational energy. The presented example of calculation regarding the choice of the material with optimal characteristics for the structural elements, depending on the nature and use of the building, demonstrates the utility and effectiveness of the method. The ECCOMAT method has a high degree of objectivity and allows to easily introduce an unlimited number of quantifiable criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a consequence of general economic growth, progress in all areas of economic and social life, the human being came today to have the technical means improved so that consuming huge quantities of renewable and non-renewable natural resources, exploiting the ever increasing and changing the environmental factors nature at a rapid rate. The human being leaves free way harshness of economic disequilibrium with negative effects on quality of life, but also on the evolution of the biosphere, but not require adequate control over his actions and aware. It was created the image that the human being endowed with power and intelligence to dominate modern technology and then to transform nature, placing it so entirely at his service. The modern technology estranges the human being from nature to such an extent that he acts more and more against it, unfortunately contributing to degradation. Thus, nature can be irreversibly affected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability assessment thinking is now well established in the impact assessment literature. Community-governed developments which aim to be sustainable have become popular in many developing countries. They attempt to protect the environment while alleviating poverty, but there is apparently no systematic guidance. We explored how established sustainability assessment criteria might be combined with principles for good community-governance for application to a community governed development using a case study of a sea cucumber farm in Madagascar. By adapting these criteria and principles to our case study, we were able to quickly and easily illuminate important sustainability issues and provide insight for improving processes and outcomes. We believe that our framework for combining these two sets of criteria and principles provides a simple but useful approach that could help future community groups enhance their quest for sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Copyright of Revista Crítica de Ciências Sociais is the property of Centro de Estudos Sociais 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.)

There is an urgent need to develop scenarios and roadmaps for a more sustainable future than where business-as-usual is heading. This paper addresses the use of sensitivity analysis for analyzing environmentally extended input–output (EEIO) models in order to develop cost-effective and comprehensive scenario building. Main components of resource use, emission intensity and final demand are extracted from the complete network of interactions contained in the input–output tables of the national accounts. The method is demonstrated using a detailed Finnish EEIO-model (ENVIMAT). Based on the results, only 0.3% of the 23 103 interactions were found to have a significant effect on Finnish greenhouse gas emissions. The same parameters were also relevant for waste generation and land use, but not for gross domestic product. The identified main components were tested by structural decomposition. Actual development of greenhouse gas emissions from 2002 to 2005 was compared to that predicted by updating only the identified components. Based on the results, the development of greenhouse gas emissions could be predicted with high accuracy using only the identified main components. Generalizing the results, sensitivity analysis can assist in identifying the main components to be included in future scenarios for sustainable development. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The gradual evolution of international trade and of environmental protection regimes continues to arouse conflict and contention opportunities. The international community is, in theory, engaged and involved both in trade liberalization and sustainable development in environmental matters. However, given the current system of economic activity, trade may also harm the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Observatorio Medioambiental is the property of Universidad Complutense de Madrid 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.)

Copyright of Observatorio Medioambiental is the property of Universidad Complutense de Madrid 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.)

Copyright of Observatorio Medioambiental is the property of Universidad Complutense de Madrid 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.)

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The clean development mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol is designed not only to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) but also to contribute locally to sustainable development. As a market-based mechanism, CDM has the potential to channel private investments into development activities with economic, social, and environmental benefits. Unfortunately, investments have tended to flow where CDM activities provide higher returns with limited economic and political risks, that is, outside of least developed countries (LDCs). To date, only a handful of LDCs have been able to participate in the CDM. This article discusses opportunities for modifying the CDM rules to provide more opportunities for LDCs. Regulatory reforms, technical assistance programs, and direct registration and certification of CDM activities in LDCs by the UNFCCC Secretariat may help foster CDM activities in LDCs . As negotiations regarding the post-2012 climate regime are afoot, an overhaul of the CDM toward a mechanism more friendly to LDCs is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. The development of sustainable, multi-functional agricultural systems involves reconciling the needs of agricultural production with the objectives for environmental protection, including biodiversity conservation. However, the definition of sustainability remains ambiguous and it has proven difficult to identify suitable indicators for monitoring progress towards, and the successful achievement of, sustainability. 2. In this study, we show that a trait-based approach can be used to assess the detrimental impacts of agricultural change to a broad range of taxonomic groupings and derive a standardised index of farmland biodiversity health, built around an objective of achieving stable or increasing populations in all species associated with agricultural landscapes. 3. To demonstrate its application, we assess the health of UK farmland biodiversity relative to this goal. Our results suggest that the populations of two-thirds of 333 plant and animal species assessed are unsustainable under current UK agricultural practices. 4. We then explore the potential benefits of an agri-environment scheme, Entry Level Stewardship (ELS), to farmland biodiversity in the UK under differing levels of risk mitigation delivery. We show that ELS has the potential to make a significant contribution to progress towards sustainability targets but that this potential is severely restricted by current patterns of scheme deployment. 5. Synthesis and applications: We have developed a cross-taxonomic sustainability index which can be used to assess both the current health of farmland biodiversity and the impacts of future agricultural changes relative to quantitative biodiversity targets. Although biodiversity conservation is just one of a number of factors that must be considered when defining sustainability, we believe our cross-taxonomic index has the potential to be a valuable tool for guiding the development of sustainable agricultural systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of sustainable development has influenced the evolution of many scientific and practical activities. An application of this concept to landscape, as a product and a field of interaction of human and natural processes, is possible and necessary. It is evident that concepts of landscape and cultural heritage are closely interrelated: cultural heritage can obviously exist in a landscape and influence it as well as landscape can be treated as cultural heritage. The interrelationship between these concepts makes possible the search for links between cultural heritage and sustainable development of landscape. Built heritage, the abundant category of cultural heritage encompassing historic buildings, their ensembles, and other structures, has an indisputable influence on landscapes and is crucial for their sustainable development. In order to determine the influence of built heritage on sustainable development of landscape, four main dimensions of sustainability representing the integration of human and natural processes (i.e. cultural, economic, environmental, and social) are distinguished and analysed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental education is commonly claimed to be at the centre of efforts to achieve sustainable development. Since the 1980s, Costa Rica has been one of the acknowledged leaders in efforts to promote environmental learning, and national policy includes a three-fold national development strategy which simultaneously promotes education, conservation and ecotourism. As of yet, however, what is happening ‘on the ground’ has not been examined in much detail. This article addresses this gap in the literature by providing an overview of the diverse programmes and actors involved in environmental education in Costa Rica, as well as analysing the politics of its implementation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

An innovative approach is introduced for helping developing countries to make their development more sustainable, and also to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as a co-benefit. Such an approach is proposed as part of the multilateral framework on climate change. The concept of sustainable development policies and measures (SD-PAMs) is outlined, making clear that it is distinct from many other approaches in starting from development rather than explicit climate targets. The potential of SD-PAMs is illustrated with a case-study of energy efficiency in South Africa, drawing on energy modelling for the use of electricity in industry. The results show multiple benefits both for local sustainable development and for mitigating global climate change. The benefits of industrial energy efficiency in South Africa include significant reductions in local air pollutants; improved environmental health; creation of additional jobs; reduced electricity demand; and delays in new investments in electricity generation. The co-benefit of reducing GHG emissions could result in a reduction of as much as 5% of SA's total projected energy CO2 emissions by 2020. Institutional support and policy guidance is needed at both the international and national level to realize the potential of SD-PAMs. This analysis demonstrates that if countries begin to act early to move towards greater sustainability, they will also start to bend the curve of their emissions path. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines energy priorities for Thailand from the economic, social and environmental perspectives of sustainable development. The article uses a set of indicators devised by the International Atomic Energy Agency in partnership with other international agencies and research institutes in seven countries. Thailand's energy efficiency in the 1980s and 1990s are analysed using energy intensity indicators, and possible impacts on sustainable energy development are highlighted. The early 1990s in particular was an important period for Thailand, as the country was at the height of its economic growth, and a number of energy efficiency and conservation programmes were launched. Energy intensity indicators show continuing and faster growth in energy consumption relative to economic activity. The financial crisis in the late 1990s did halt growth in energy consumption, with positive consequences on environmental emissions, but only temporarily as Thailand's economy quickly started to recover in 2000. Notwithstanding the financial crisis, the other indicators show significant progress in economic and social dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the establishment of reserves to counteract the threat of exploitation and habitat destruction within the ecosystem. It highlights the sustainable management for the chamois living in the protected reserves and hunting areas. It also cites the value and conservation of chamois for tourism.