Objective: Civil society and its organisations (CSO) play a vital role in the implementation of sustainable development (SD). Civil society actors exhibit special features, they are to a large degree driven by visions or ideals, place a focus on common action, participate in and initiate discourses about SD in society, enhance social capital, and share a non-economical (non-efficiency driven) world view. Given these characteristics, CSOs show some specific shortcomings: a non-economical worldview leads to less efficient pursuit of SD goals and to a weak representation in political and economical decision-processes; initiating discourses often excludes evidence-based thinking, giving away chances for increased self-reflexivity and learning; and a lack of institutionalisation within existing institutional frameworks of governance provide not sufficient leverage to influence policy making. Apart from these more general shortcomings, there are numerous specific and context-related issues that would need to be researched in order to increase efficiency of CSOs. To foster sustainability from an analytical perspective, there are two aspects underlying (or overarching) all these context-dependent problems: - Degree of institutionalisation of sustainable development efforts within a local/regional context (socio-economical-political-cultural). Also therein, the degree of institutionalisation of sustainability-driven CSO in political/institutional decision structures (participative governance). - Sustainability knowledge and sustainability learning: getting sustainability across to people (the long way from head to hand).
Objective: The Project ClimateWater is aimed as the first step on the analysis and synthesis of data and information on the likely (known, assumed, expected, modeled, forecasted, predicted, estimated etc.) water related impacts of the changes of the climate with special regard to their risk and to the urgency of getting prepared to combat these changes and their impacts. The Project will identify all adaptation strategies that were developed in Europe and also globally for handling (preventing, eliminating, combating, mitigating) the impacts of global climate changes on water resources and aquatic ecosystems, including all other water related issues of the society and nature. etc.
Das Ziel des Teilprojektes besteht in der transdisziplinären Integration der Forschungsergebnisse, die von den vier Projekten EMIGMA, KlimaAlltag, Rebound und SPREAD im Rahmen der SÖF-Forschung generiert worden sind. In dem Teilprojekt werden parallel zu den drei anderen Teilprojekten drei Teilziele bearbeitet: (1) Integration der Ergebnisse zu individuellem Umwelthandeln zum Klimaschutz aus den vier beteiligten Projekten, (2) Überprüfung der Ergebnisse hinsichtlich Übertragbarkeit und der interdisziplinären Anschlussfähigkeit, (3) Transdisziplinäre Integration des generierten Handlungswissens in zwei Themenfeldern. Das CESR wird in diesem Rahmen die Ergebnisse des SPREAD-Projekts einbringen und weiterentwickeln. Bei AP 1 wird sich das CESR an der Erstellung der Integrationsmatrix mit den im SPREAD-Projekt erarbeiteten theoretischen und praktischen Erkenntnissen beteiligen. Für AP 2 sind schwerpunktmäßig eine an die Diskussion der Matrix anschließende Modellierung der räumlichen und lebensstilbezogenen Muster und Effekte sowie eine Erörterung dieser Ergebnisse hinsichtlich einer Anbindung an den natur- und technikwissenschaftlichen Klimadiskurs vorgesehen. In AP 3 beteiligte sich das CESR am Themenbereich B und bringt psychologisches Wissen in die Schulung der Gebäudeenergieberater ein.
There is widespread concern about how production and use of chemicals affect the environment. Yet food production and benefits of chemical products are vital for the functioning of European societies. In order to ensure sustainable use, EU regulations require extensive risk assessment before a chemical is approved for use. Current risk assessments focus on risk at the level of individual organisms, but according to EU directives the protection goal aims at achieving sustainable populations. Population-level effects depend not only on exposure and toxicity, but also on important ecological factors that are impossible to fully address empirically. Mechanistic effect models (MEMs) enable the integration of these factors, thus increasing the ecological relevance of risk assessments as well as providing vital understanding of how chemicals interact with ecosystems. Such understanding is crucial for improving risk mitigation strategies and ecosystem management. So far, however, regulators and industry have lacked understanding of the potential benefits that MEMs can deliver, and academics have been inconsistent in the approaches applied. This has led to scepticism about models, preventing a wider use of MEMs in risk assessment. Examples clearly demonstrating the power of MEMs for risk assessment are urgently needed, and industry, academia and regulatory authorities across Europe need scientists that are trained in both MEMs and regulatory risk assessment. CREAM will develop and experimentally validate a suite of MEMs for organisms relevant for chemical risk assessments. The consortium includes the main sectors involved (industry, academia, regulators) and will formulate Good Modelling Practice that will be followed in all individual projects, thus leading to consistency and transparency. CREAM will provide world class training for the next generation of ecological modellers, emphasizing transparency and rigorous model evaluation as core elements of the modelling process.
Objective: The general objective of PRACTICE is to link S & T advances and traditional knowledge on prevention and restoration practices to combat desertification with sound implementation, learning and adaptive management, knowledge sharing, and dissemination of best practices. Specific objectives are: - To create an international platform of long-term monitoring sites for assessing and investigating practices to combat desertification - To develop integrated evaluation tools to assess the cost-effectiveness of practices to combat desertification, taking into account changes in both biophysical and socio-economic properties, by synergistically exploiting the recent advances on assessment and evaluation methodologies and approaches - To assess prevention and restoration practices to combat desertification for croplands, rangelands and woodlands, considering the impacts on socio-economic status, soil functions, biodiversity, and ecosystem services - To identify and document best practices to combat desertification considering multiple purposes at different spatial (local to global) scales, and to establish cost-effective thresholds for the various management alternatives - To develop education material and translational science strategies, and implement innovative participatory approaches to link science to society, to share and transfer evaluation methods and best practices, addressing and involving stakeholders at all levels, from farmers to local organisations, to national and international bodies.
Vulnerability has long been a key concept in disaster literature. However, the majority of studies have focused on research related to the hazard, therefore neglecting the influence of the vulnerability of exposed systems to the consequences of such hazards, such as the death toll and losses from natural or man made disasters. There is also a need to better identify and measure the ability of 'at risk and affected communities and territorial systems to respond to such disasters. This is the starting point of the ENSURE project. The basic assumption of ENSURE is that our ability to better understand and evaluate different types of vulnerabilities constitutes a crucial tool to strengthen communities in the face of disasters due to extreme events and climate change. Improving the understanding of the factors that make a community more vulnerable is crucial. This will involve addressing the various physical, psychological, cultural, systemic, social and economic components that shape the relationship between societies and the 'natural environment, and will permit more tailored and articulated mitigation measures.
Research in the third phase follows two main objectives: the empirical objective is the assessment of the social benefits accruing from a flood control program in the uplands to the population of the city of Chiang Mai. Since current upland farming techniques result in high surface runoffs and, therefore, increase the frequency of flooding of the river Ping area, a CVM study with the population of Chiang Mai will be conducted in order to value the benefits from alternative farming techniques leading to water and soil conservation and, therefore, to less frequent flooding. In the light of the proposed scenario there is quite a number of methodological and theoretical objectives that are pursued by the research project according to the following guidelines: (1) to test the validity of the methodological results of F1.2 by applying them in a broader socio-economic context, and (2) to develop standardized procedures for the development of CVM scenarios and survey designs which are suitable for environmental valuation using the cost-saving mail survey approach without loss of reliability. In Vietnam a CVM study will be conducted aiming at an adaptation of CVM to the specific socio-economic and cultural background of a post-socialist society in transition to market economy.
Modern society is increasingly characterized by strong interactions between physical, infrastructure and human domains of the environment. Disasters are a critical collision between climatic and geophysical dynamics and are dramatic examples of people living in conflict with their environment. Disaster reduction and resilience are key priorities identified by the EC and the Hyogo Framework for Action. A sustainability framework for natural and technological hazards is of critical importance. Therefore the main goals of SCENARIO are: - To develop a European roadmap on sustainable mitigation of natural and induced technological hazards and risks which will support future European research priorities for the 7th framework programme, contribute to European policies on natural hazards, sustain the scientific community by providing a strategic picture and support potential end-users / stakeholders. A European roadmap may inspire a European Strategy for reduction and mitigation of effects by natural and induced technological Disasters and the building of greater resilience; - To integrate fragmented research approaches, concepts and results by incorporating existing experiences on natural disaster projects and initiatives at European level, including important national and international initiatives; - To assess and reorganise the Logic Value Chain of natural disasters through updating knowledge and state of the art on natural disaster prevention and mitigation in the context of modified societal and environmental features. In order to reach the objectives, SCENARIO will set up a networking process among existing projects and activities dealing with natural disasters with several workshops and meetings for knowledge sharing and dissemination. SCENARIO fits with Europe's goals regarding sustainable development in supporting environmental policies by defining a European roadmap on sustainable mitigation of natural and induced technological hazards and risks. Prime Contractor: Politecnico di Milano; Milano; Italy.
Wildfires are a major problem for many European societies threatening human lives and property with disastrous impacts particularly at the wildland-urban interface. On the other hand humans always used fire as a tool to regulate nature and traditional use of fire is known in many regions of Europe. The understanding of this paradox, is thus essential for finding solutions for integrated wildland fire management.This concept requires considering the various aspects of fire, from its use as a planned management practice (prescribed fire) to the initiation and propagation of unplanned fires (wildfires) and to the use of fire in fighting wildfires (suppression fire). Prescribed or suppression fires will therefore set the limits for wildfires by vontrolling their spatial extent, intensity and impacts. This is the main approach adopted aiming at the creation of the scientific and technological bases for new practices and policies under integrated wildland fire management and in the development of strategies for its implementation in Europe. Three major domains of related activities were considered: research, development and dissemination. In research, the project will focus on understanding the machanisms and modelling the processes associated with fire, from physics to biology and social sciences. Experimental and sampling methods will be used. The scientific and technical knowledge gathered will allow the development of a technological platform that will integrate the fire model, the temporal and spatial variability of fuels and weather, and the potential ecological and social-economical impacts. Documentation and demonstration platforms will also be extensively used for dissemination, focusing in the development of stategies for public awarness, academic and professional training using new communication technologies and networks, and for the implementation of new practices, policies and regulations under the concept of integrated wildland fire management. Prime Contractor: Universidade Tecnica de Lisboa, Instituto Superior de Agronomia; Lisboa; Portugal.
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