Environmental Management最新文献

Climate denial is often misunderstood as ignorance, but evidence from neuroscience reveals it as identity protection. This perspective integrates insights from the neuroscience of belief, emotion, and decision-making into climate communication, arguing that resistance to climate action reflects how people process information, not how much they know. Scientific messages that conflict with people’s values or group identities often provoke reinterpretation or rejection of the facts. Climate change is also a uniquely abstract and psychologically distant threat and fear-based appeals often backfire unless paired with agency and clear solutions. More effective communication must be participatory, emotionally intelligent, and grounded in trust, aligning with audience values and reducing psychological threat. Approaches built on empathy, local context, and collaboration can make climate communication not only more persuasive but also transformative.

Like several countries with industrial history and heritage, the risks associated with contaminated land (CL) are a widespread challenge in the United Kingdom (UK). Contaminated land and their risks are managed by local authorities, although consultancy is often sought from non-governmental organisations. There is a legal requirement for the relevant local authority to hold data on the status of any contaminated land and associated risks within their geographical remit. However, minimal legislation exists regarding the standardisation of documentation, including records of contaminated site management and the associated administrative procedures. Another fundamental challenge is that the data concerning contaminated land is non-integrated. This is because hundreds of different local authorities up and down the country manage sites in a non-uniform manner. The same is the case in England and Wales, which is the geographical remit of this study. For instance, there are variations in format, type of data, presentation of data, procedures to access the data (e.g., by environmental consultants), quality of data, and even quantity of data. To overcome such issues presented by the lack of integration, there is a substantial need for unification and standardisation at all scales. This study not only presents an account of aforesaid issues and their adverse implications but also outlines innovative models that can enhance the integration, unification, simplification, and standardisation of data/information management from local authorities through to a national level. These conceptual models involve the application of information matrices and GIS. Such models, when fully developed in future, can enhance the environmental communication and coordination between the diverse stakeholders involved in each contaminated site scenario, particularly including environmental regulators e.g., the Environment Agency or Natural Resources Wales, environmental consultants, and local authorities; similarly other associated stakeholders such as developers, the construction industry and land reclamation specialists.

The development of renewable energy, such as hydropower, often leads to the loss and fragmentation of terrestrial habitats, with significant effects on biodiversity. However, these impacts are often overlooked or underestimated in Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs). In this study, we proposed a framework that explicitly integrates forest habitat connectivity into EIAs and environmental planning, addressing both impact assessment and recommendations for offset. The framework included (i) an evaluation of forest habitat connectivity loss by comparing before- and after-construction scenarios and (ii) a spatial analysis to prioritise reforestation activities aimed at restoring connectivity for wildlife species with varying movement abilities. We applied this framework to a proposed hydropower project in Nepal and found a major loss of forest habitat connectivity within the project footprint and up to 15 km away, indicating substantial loss of forest connectivity and a landscape-scale impact. In total, 94.1 km² of deforested areas were identified, and potential reforestation sites were ranked using the Integral Index of Connectivity across three dispersal distances (500 m, 1 km and 2 km). Priority reforestation sites were identified both at landscape-level and within riparian zones, with 15% and 36% of the sites, respectively, emerging as top priorities for reforestation across all the dispersal distances. Our findings highlight the importance of explicitly addressing habitat connectivity in EIAs and environmental planning and show how connectivity-based prioritisation can guide effective reforestation offsets, promoting a better balance between energy development and biodiversity conservation.

Tropical wetlands provide critical services, including carbon sequestration and biodiversity conservation. This study assesses the community composition, species diversity, and carbon stock potential of aquatic vegetation across three distinct wetland types in Barak Valley, Assam, Northeast India, namely an oxbow lake (OL), a floodplain wetland (FPW), and a perennial wetland (PW). Field surveys were conducted during the wet and dry seasons, with vegetation sampled across both aquatic and riparian zones using a randomized quadrat approach. Data on species composition, density, and biomass were collected, and phytosociological analyses was done to evaluate community structure and diversity of the wetland vegetation. Carbon stock was estimated from dry biomass, using a conversion factor to quantify carbon content. The study identified 53 plant species across the wetlands, with PW exhibiting the highest species richness (42 species) and OL the highest carbon stock (2.76 Mg ha⁻¹). Invasive plants contributed approximately 50-60% to the total carbon stock, suggesting a significant but ecologically complex role in carbon sequestration. A moderately strong positive association (R² = 0.65) was observed between plant diversity and carbon stocks although invasive dominance weakened evenness and possibly the community resilience. While invasive species significantly enhance carbon storage, their ecological impacts on native biodiversity and resource allocation raise concerns about ecosystem health and resilience. These findings highlight the need for adaptive wetland management strategies that balance carbon sequestration with biodiversity conservation, particularly through the control of invasive species.

The transformation of the energy system towards climate neutrality poses countries in Central Europe with complex multidimensional challenges. Green hydrogen is seen as a key technology for enabling cross-sector coupling and decarbonising CO₂-intensive sectors such as industry and mobility. In this context, this study identifies and analyses relevant stakeholders in eight countries of the Danube region as part of a transnational cooperation. A systematic stakeholder analysis is used to identify 45 stakeholders in six stakeholder groups and evaluate them in terms of their perceived importance, influence and attitude towards the development of green hydrogen ecosystems. The stakeholder mapping shows country-specific differences and overarching patterns in the prioritisation of political, economic and civil society actors. Political institutions and key economic players such as energy suppliers and industrial companies are particularly influential. At the same time, stakeholders with a focus on fossil energies show ambivalent attitudes, pointing to possible transformation conflicts. Thus, the analysis provides empirically sound findings for the design of targeted participation strategies and governance-orientated policy design in European hydrogen policy.

Effective management of dry ecosystems requires an understanding of vegetation dynamics, especially in areas affected by dam-induced hydrological alteration. To provide valuable information on the delayed restoration of ecosystems in arid regions has been affected by dam-induced hydrological alteration, the current study looks at the lagged vegetation responses to hydroclimatic factors. Vegetation dynamics were analyzed using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in relation to precipitation, temperature, runoff, and total water storage (TWS) across four dam-impacted basins in southern Saudi Arabia (Hali, Baish, Qanuna, and Al-Ahsabah). A Vector Autoregression (VAR) model applied to remote sensing data (2003–2024) revealed that dam construction significantly increased the vegetation response lag, extending from 2–3 months in the pre-dam period (2003–2009) to 4–5 months post-dam (2010–2024). This shift highlights how dams disrupt the natural coupling between hydroclimatic inputs and vegetation growth, with important consequences for ecosystem recovery and water management in arid regions. These findings highlight the vegetation response and hydrological cycle alterations induced by dams, stressing the lagged vegetation recovery in dammed basins. This has significant implications for water resource management and ecosystem resilience in arid regions. Time-lag analysis can guide dam operations, improve irrigation planning, and support ecosystem monitoring.

Unsustainable mining practices have led to severe ecosystem degradation in mining areas. Ecological restoration plays a crucial role in reinstating the ecosystem service functions of these areas. A monetary evaluation of the ecosystem service value generated by ecological restoration can provide a clear understanding of its socioeconomic benefits, which are of considerable practical significance. While traditional choice experiment methods are widely used in ecosystem service valuation, they often overlook non-compensatory decision-making strategies employed by respondents, potentially resulting in biased estimates. To address this limitation, this study enhances the traditional choice experiment model by introducing attribute cutoffs and incorporates a generative artificial intelligence model to assist in questionnaire design. Using the Dexing Copper Mine as a case study, both the traditional and the modified choice experiment approaches were applied to assess the ecosystem service value resulting from ecological restoration efforts in the mining area. The results indicated that the modified choice experiment method outperforms the traditional choice experiment method in terms of goodness of fit and explanatory power. Based on the improved method, the socioeconomic benefits of ecological restoration in the Dexing copper mine area are projected to reach 53.45 million yuan in 2024. Additionally, the respondents’ average annual willingness to pay for ecosystem services ranked as follows: landscape esthetics, disaster prevention, air quality, water quality, soil quality, vegetation coverage, science education, and biodiversity. This study provides methodological innovation and empirical evidence for the valuation of ecosystem services resulting from ecological restoration in mining areas. It offers theoretical support and a decision-making foundation for ecological restoration planning and related policy formulation in mining regions.

Effective governance is essential for the success of conservation efforts in protected areas, as it coordinates resources, fosters collaboration, and facilitates adaptability. The Mekong Delta, a globally significant wetland ecosystem, is facing increasing threats from invasive alien species (IAS) and climate change, challenging the governance capacity of its wetland-protected areas. This study examines three wetland protected areas: Lang Sen Wetland Reserve, U Minh Thuong National Park, and Phu My Species-Habitat Conservation Area. We employed semi-structured interviews, in-depth interviews, field surveys, and spatial analysis for our research. Governance was assessed using Lockwood’s principles and the attributes defined by McGeoch et al. Our findings revealed a government-led model (IUCN Type A) characterized by strong legal frameworks, yet there were notable gaps in coordination, resource allocation, and community involvement. Unlike previous studies that focused on isolated threats, we integrated the dynamics of invasive alien species and climate change into a localized adaptive governance framework. We propose policies that promote synergy, advocate for shared governance with an emphasis on community roles, and leverage technology to enhance resilience. These findings address specific gaps in the governance of invasive alien species and climate change within the Mekong Delta’s protected areas. They offer actionable strategies that align with the Kunming-Montreal Framework (Convention on Biological Diversity 2022), thereby advancing conservation tools for tropical wetlands on a global scale.

Ecosystem Services (ES) represent the benefits nature provides to people. This concept has been instrumental in guiding research and mapping methods over time. In this context, there is a lack of studies in the scientific literature on ecosystem services that consider landscapes linked to public policy data, such as Environmental Zoning. We mapped provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting types of ES in the Espinhaço Range Biosphere Reserve watersheds, Brazil. This study uses environmental and productive zoning data for participatory mapping involving experts and local actors. Through this participatory approach and using a weighted matrix based on scientific literature, we assigned scores to 11 landscape units according to each unit’s perceived relevance in providing different ES categories. We calculated final averages from these scores, ranging from 1 (very low) to 5 (very high). We conducted data analysis using RStudio and QGIS software. The results showed a predominance of high relevance in ES supply across the landscape units, with the highest percentages found in regulating and supporting services (72%), followed by provisioning (60%) and cultural (59%) services. Spatial distribution analysis indicated that 70% of the studied regions had high overall relevance in ES provision, highlighting the significant potential of these areas to deliver ecosystem services. The high conservation status of the studied basins further reinforces this potential. Our findings indicate a clear need for more detailed investigations to better understand ES dynamics in these areas, especially with diversified methodologies considering ongoing environmental changes.

River recreation in the U.S. increased dramatically in the 1970s as boating technology and recreational skill level improved. Thus, a number of federally- and state-managed rivers instituted use limits over the following decades to limit environmental and social impacts. River managers were then faced with the complicated task of allocating this limited use between private and commercial users (allotment) and within these groups (rationing). A lack of statutory language and frameworks for making recreation allocation-related decisions forces river managers to make these difficult choices using best judgment and limited available data. These allocation-related decisions have lasting consequences on the recreating public, thus managers require a framework for how to think about these complex decisions. This research explores the decision-making process that managers utilize when thinking about allocating river recreation use opportunities, as well as obstacles to including equity considerations in these processes. Applying a grounded theory approach, in-depth semi-structured interviews with 23 river managers and subsequent analysis highlight six important attributes that allocation systems must possess, and points to three main obstacles to incorporating equity considerations into the allocation decision-making process. A theoretical framework is presented for managers to utilize when thinking through complex river recreation use allocation decisions.