Environmental and Sustainability Indicators最新文献

Several factors comprising climate variability, increasing water demand, and agricultural and industrial activities, have put pressure on water resources, making them more vulnerable, and compromising water quality. The present study uses geographic information system (GIS) to develop a multidimensional index of territorial vulnerability to water scarcity and climate variability in the Saïss plain, Morocco. The main objective is to identify the most vulnerable areas in the basin. In this approach, the conceptual framework of vulnerability consists of a multidimensional and integrated analysis, and is based on four components (Resources, Socio-demographic, Environment and Infrastructure) and 21 indicators. Two government agencies, namely, Agence du Bassin Hydraulique du Sebou and Haut-Commissariat au Plan du Maroc are the primary sources of data for this study. An aggregation method was used to produce the vulnerability index for each component, as well as the overall vulnerability index. A spatial vulnerability assessment was carried out to identify areas of very high vulnerability within the study area, requiring priority intervention. The findings of this study indicated that the degree of vulnerability to water scarcity in 51% of the communes within the study area is low to very low, 25% is moderate, while 23% of the communes have a high to very high level of vulnerability. According to the geographical distribution of vulnerability, rural communities in the northeast and northwest are more vulnerable than those in the center and south. Based on the assessment and mapping of the vulnerability of water resources to climate change and human factors in the Saiss plain, mitigation and adaptation measures are proposed to mitigate the risks associated with climate conditions and water scarcity.

This study examines the complex and time-varying relationship between residential energy demand (including electricity, geothermal, and solar energy) and climate change using wavelet analyses with monthly USA data from January 1990 to March 2023. The results show that residential energy demand and climate change indicators exhibit a time-varying interrelationship with cyclical and lag effects. Specifically, before 2021, a positive correlation between residential electricity demand and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in short-term frequencies was found, but the relationship reversed thereafter, with an increase in CO₂ levels influencing and decreasing residential electricity demand. In the long run frequencies, the link between residential power consumption and CO₂ emissions shifted over time, exhibiting inconsistent co-movement. The co-movements between residential geothermal and CO₂ show predominantly positive correlations, with CO₂ leading the relationship in the short run, while geothermal leads the co-movements in the long run. In both short and long-term frequencies, the dependency and co-movement between residential solar and CO₂ are mixed, with residential solar leading to positive correlations and CO₂ leading to negative correlations. Therefore, improved insulation, energy-efficient windows, and high-efficiency heating systems can all assist in reducing heat loss and the total energy demand for domestic heating and subsequently low CO₂ emissions.

Land restitution has been used to achieve redistributive justice. However, such social justice has been compromised by the misgovernance of water, energy, and food (WEF) which has resulted in distributive injustices and compromised welfare outcomes. The objective of the study was to ascertain the land restitution benefactor impacts on WEF misgovernance in lieu of offsetting social injustice. The study was carried out in Matatiele, Magareng and Greater Taung Local Municipalities in South Africa. A purposively selected sample of 1184 households was obtained through a cross-sectional survey using a semi-structured questionnaire. Vulnerability indices, independent sample t-tests and Propensity Score Matching were used to analyze the data. The results showed that land restitution beneficiaries were vulnerable to WEF misgovernance relative to social injustice. In addition, becoming a land restitution benefactor had a significant impact and increased the level of vulnerability to WEF misgovernance. This was mainly through increased exposure and sensitivity to WEF misgovernance. Benefiting from land restitution did not have an impact on vulnerability to WEF social injustice, even though exposure and adaptive capacity to social injustice were increased. The study concludes that benefiting from land restitution increased vulnerability to WEF misgovernance while having no impact on social injustice. The study recommends improving access and fixing dilapidated WEF infrastructure in land-restituted areas. Furthermore, there is a need to implement livelihood-improving programs in addition to social protection support to enhance access to WEF resources. Water, energy, and food (WEF) decision-making should be decentralized to improve participation, governance, and procedural justice.

This study sheds light on the potential of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) as a strategic initiative to foster the development of a more resilient, eco-conscious, and community-centred food system. CSA is a well-acknowledged concept that promotes localised food production and consumption by establishing direct connections between farmers and consumers. Nevertheless, this model remains relatively novel and less widely practised worldwide, particularly in the context of Malaysia. The objective of this study is to explore the motivations behind farmers' participation in CSA programmes in Malaysia. Using the snowball sampling technique, 15 participants agreed to take part in the one-to-one, face-to-face interviews at the farms. Each interview session had a duration of 1–2 h. The research findings indicate that CSA not only brings about economic benefits for farmers but also champions eco-friendly food production and distribution, while simultaneously enhancing social equity within local communities. The three qualitative indicators inherent to CSA serve as essential pillars advocating the expansion of CSA initiatives and cultivating a supportive policy environment that acknowledges and promotes sustainable food production systems.

The Tibetan Plateau, characterized by complicated geological structures, is sensitive to climate change and human activities. The vulnerable environmental balance of the Tibetan Plateau has witnessed substantial alterations, emphasizing the urgency to comprehend and protect its ecosystem quality. In this study, we aim to quantify the ecosystem quality of the Tibetan Plateau, portray its spatiotemporal dynamics, and analyze the spatial heterogeneity of climatic and anthropogenic influences. We employed the entropy weight method (EWM) to construct a comprehensive index, termed the Ecosystem Quality Comprehensive Assessment Index (EQCAI). The historical spatiotemporal patterns and trends of EQCAI were subsequently identified. Our results revealed a gradient of decreasing ecosystem quality from the southeast to the northwest of the Tibetan Plateau, while the mitigation of ecosystem quality degradation displayed an improving trend from the southwest to the northeast. We further detected the spatial heterogeneity of factors influencing changes in ecosystem quality through the multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR) method. Precipitation emerged as the primary positive factor, exerting a profound influence on the ecosystem quality of the southeastern Tibetan Plateau. Conversely, evapotranspiration, elevation, and human activities negatively affected the western Tibetan Plateau. This study proposes targeted conservation efforts for forestry regions with high ecosystem quality in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau. Additionally, we suggest that the positive impact of human activities on the ecosystem quality of the Tibetan Plateau should be further strengthened. Our findings contribute valuable insights for informed decision-making in the sustainable management and preservation of the Tibetan Plateau's fragile ecosystem.

Vegetation health and vitality are generally dependent on soil quality. This concept particularly integrates the capacity of soils to ensure suitable conditions for plant growth. Soil physico-chemical analyses were used to make this qualitative assessment in Mozogo-Gokoro National Park. Litter and composite soil samples were collected at different depths from 0 to 150 cm in three collection units (CUs) established in the park vegetation. The results showed that throughout the park, soils have physico-chemical characteristics favourable to plant productivity, particularly in the surface horizons of the CUs, which correspond to dense to clear dry forests and gallery forests. It was particularly observed that there was an abundance of litter, good soil aggregate stability extending to depth, organic matter richness, and medium-to-high cation exchange capacities. Richness in available phosphorus, near-neutral pH water throughout the profile, textures conducive to water percolation and rooting, and absence of salt toxicity were seen as other fertility traits. However, the potential acidity and high C/N ratios confirm the fragility of these soils. These soil characteristics may also be moderately nuanced in the most savannah CU, exhibiting qualitative changes in soil samples from surface to depth. These physico-chemical attributes contrast significantly with those of natural ecosystems with degraded pedological types in the Sudano-Sahelian region, indicating a conservation of resilience in interaction with the vegetation.

Urban Blue (like lakes, rivers and streams) and Green Areas (like parks or woods), UBGAs, provide natural areas within cities, potentially contributing to a better health and wellbeing (H&W) of citizens. However, if degraded these ecosystems pose a potential risk for human health. Understanding the role of UBGAs in citizens' health and wellbeing is crucial for developing sustainable cities under the One Health framework, particularly for vulnerable citizens like older adults, which hasn't been clearly demonstrated. To fill this gap and amplify existing evidence, we searched for studies published between 2011 and 2021 (WoS and PubMed). Our revision indicates that natural urban areas benefit older citizens H&W. The 174 studies selected were mostly from developed countries, addressing mainly urban green areas, like parks or forests (86%), while few were focused on urban blue areas (3%). Perceived health tends to increase in proportion and with the proximity to UBGAs. Larger UBGAs were positively associated with physical activity and negatively associated with depression. A higher Normalized Difference Vegetation Index was associated to lower mortality. Physical activity is often used a surrogate of physical health which may lead to several bias, as it doesn't distinguish the effect of degraded from health and biodiverse ecosystems on H&W. Most studies used indicators of quantity of UGBAs (e.g., size, number). Yet, it is crucial to also investigate the influence of quality aspects (i.e., ecological quality, biodiversity and conservation status), as the ecosystems health affects the supply of ecosystem services relevant for human health.

The development of sustainability indicators at the national level emerged due to the limitations of using GDP as a measure of well-being, sustainability, and resilience. Over time, various indicators and rankings have been formulated, with a shift in focus from solely economic growth to a more encompassing perspective. The objective of this study was to create a new ranking, based on the integration of two methodologies, namely UN Sustainable Development Goals Index (SDGI), and the Global Footprint Network's Ecological Footprint (EF), in order to identify meaningful clusters of countries based on both measures. Hierarchical clustering was utilized to group countries, while the Nearest Neighbour method was employed to filter out outliers, and the Ward method determined the final clusters. Additionally, the Pearson's correlation coefficient was calculated to assess the relationship between the 17 SDGIs and the EF. The clustering outcomes revealed that a three-cluster solution can be considered satisfactory. The results obtained with the new method demonstrate that the environmental dimension of SDGI is a sufficient metric for environmental sustainability in terms of ranking countries.

This study aimed at determining the relationship of chlorophyll a (Chl a) and the nutrients in two reservoirs of different sizes, namely Bueng Si Than and Bueng Thung Sang, which are located in Khon Kaen Province in Thailand. The evaluation of the trophic state index and the estimated threshold amounts of nutrients was consequently considered. Water samples were collected during both the dry and rainy seasons with twenty-seven sampling points in each reservoir. Parameters indicating water quality and nutrients were based on the APHA method. The results showed a significant difference in the average physicochemical properties and nutritional parameters of the water in a smaller proportion, with Bueng Si Than having more than Bueng Thung Sang (p < 0.05). Nutrient factors (TP, TKN) showed the impact on the occurrence of eutrophication during both the dry season and the rainy season. Average ratios of nutrients and Chl a together with the trophic state index revealed the occurrence of hypertrophic conditions in both reservoirs. The high value of Chl a:TP signaled that the algal growth in these reservoirs could be controlled by TP. The Pearson correlation analysis indicated a strong positive relationship of Chl a and TP in Bueng Si Than. Moreover, the obtained results from the simulation were achieved using MATLAB R2022a, and were performed with the fourth order polynomial equation, which indicated the boundary values of 28.25–29.42 μg/L and 4.15-4.19 mg/L for the threshold amounts of TP and TKN prior to Eutrophic occurrence, ascertain further eutrophication management in small-scale artificial reservoirs.

Invasive species threaten native biodiversity, potentially leading to a decline in endemic aquatic species. Thus, understanding their physiological responses and evaluating ecosystem impacts is crucial. The study investigates adaptive responses to oxidative stress in the invasive Sinanodonta woodiana in Lake Candia (northwest Italy). This approach represents a novel perspective in environmental monitoring, utilizing invasive species to gain insights into ecosystem health and potential ecological threats. The investigation delved into oxidative stress biomarkers, including superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione S-transferase, glyoxalase I, glyoxalase II, and lactate dehydrogenase, in mussel tissues (gills and digestive gland). Concurrently, environmental factors such as temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and conductivity were measured at four stations in Lake Candia during the summer. Environmental factors exhibited homogeneity across selected stations, with positive correlations observed only for temperature and conductivity with catalase and glyoxalase I. A distinct pattern of oxidative stress response was consistently observed in both mussel tissues throughout the sampling period across all monitoring stations, with more pronounced alterations observed in one specific station. This observation aligns with IBRv2 scores, indicating the station's highest impact. Gills exhibited a transient and severe oxidative stress response, while heightened antioxidant defenses in digestive glands suggested the adaptive ability of Chinese pond mussels to environmental disturbances. Proactive inclusion of invasive species in biomonitoring programs reduces reliance on native populations, enhancing strategies for controlling non-native mussels in protected areas like Lake Candia.