The conservation of marine mammals relies on the knowledge of species ecology in order to assess the impacts of anthropogenic activites and make appropriate species management decisions. Blubber biopsies are a relatively non-invasive sampling protocol to provide ecological information; two particular uses are for dietary analysis via fatty acid signature analysis (FASA) and investigating the uptake of organochlorine (OC) and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) environmental contaminants. Blubber composition and structure may vary according to body site and depth due to its dynamic functioning. This may result in the vertical stratification and heterogenous distribution of blubber FAs, OCs and PCBs between body sites, giving variable interpretations of diet and contaminant levels depending on biopsy sample site and depth. The aim of this thesis is to determine the FA distribution of blubber from two body sample sites (dorsal pelvic and ventral thoracic) currently used for FASA of the New Zealand sea lion, Phocarctos hookeri (NZSL) and to determine the level of OCs and PCBs in the blubber of healthy NZSLs for comparison to diseased NZSLs recorded in the 1997/98 epidemic. Blubber samples were collected from 29 by-caught NZSLs incidentally captured by the squid fishery around the Auckland Islands (50º42’S, 166º5’E) during the years 2005 to 2007 (not all NZSLs were able to be analysed for each chapter). Full blubber cores from both sample sites were collected from 18 NZSLs. Both sites showed a relative homogeneity of FA profiles, indicating the similar deposition and mobilisation of FAs at the two sample sites. To determine if FA stratification occurred, full blubber cores from both sample sites of 20 NZSLs were divided into inner and outer halves. Both sites displayed the same pattern of vertical stratification or biochemical layering of FAs between the two divisions, indicating that stratification of FAs occurs in the blubber of the NZSL. A range of OCs and PCBs were then determined in full thoracic blubber cores of seven NZSLs. The levels were higher than those previously recorded in NZSLs affected by disease during a 1997/98 epidemic. The SPCB in NZSLs was 0.034-0.192 mg/kg lipids, below the suggested threshold of 17 mg/kg for adverse health affects in marine mammals. From the results of this study I can support current blubber biopsy sampling techniques for FASA in NZSL. Obtaining full blubber cores from either the thoracic or pelvic sample site will give a comparable interpretation of diet. The low levels of blubber OCs and PCBs suggest a minor role of contaminants acting as a possible causative agent toward disease outbreaks in the NZSL. This research provides important information for developing correct and consistent blubber sampling techniques for NZSL and other pinniped species. This will ensure more accurate interpretations of ecological information obtained from blubber biopsies and therefore improved species management and conservation decisions that may be based on such research.

No abstract available

Bibliography: leaves 98-103. Examines the role of public participation in coastal protection and coastal management in two marina developments proposed for Yorke Peninsula. The study concluded that there was potential for the South Australian Planning System to incorporate sustainable development and involve the public to a greater extent. The Environmental Impact Assessment process has been perceived as a means of incorporating the principles of ecologically sustainable development at a community level, but the extent to which this has occured for the marina developments at Port Vincent and Wallaroo is limited.

隨著消費者開始意識到自身的購買行為對於環境的影響，環境友善的產品也越來越受歡迎．碳足跡標籤，也就是在標籤上註明一件產品的生命週期所產生的所有碳排放，而其過程就包括了從原料取得到最後被丟棄的整個產品生命週期．產品碳足跡標籤讓消費者了解產品的環境友善程度，也幫助消費者做對環境友善的購買決策．碳足跡標籤也讓消費者成為帶動更永續的未來的主要推力，並激勵企業製造碳足跡較低的產品來維持競爭力． 碳足跡標籤已在全球成為一個越來越普遍的行為，而台灣也正開始推動碳足跡標籤方案．此論文深入研究已發展國家包括英國，美國，法國，日本以及跨國公司包括Walkers，Walmart和Casion Group如何導入碳足跡標籤方案． 接下來將探討台灣以及台灣企業是如何將碳足跡標籤導入到公司以及過程中所碰到的問題與機會． 在台灣企業的部分，宏碁以及泰山為研究對象，由於這兩家企業都是在碳足跡標籤方案的先驅者，並且為不同的產業背景，因此挑選了這兩家深入研究，並探討不同產業導入碳標籤方案的作法． / As consumers become conscious of the impacts of their purchase decision on the environment, environmental friendly products become increasingly popular. By indicating the amount of carbon dioxide produced and emitted throughout a product’s life cycle, from material acquisition to manufacturing to consumption, carbon footprint label give consumers the information to make earth-friendly purchase decisions. Carbon footprint label also makes consumers the driver of a more sustainable future by incentivizing businesses to make lower GHG-content products to increase the competitiveness of products. Carbon footprint label is becoming a popular practice around the world. Taiwan is also learning and doing carbon footprint labelling. This dissertation investigates how carbon footprint labelling is done in advanced countries including the United Kingdom, the United States, France, and Japan and multinational companies including Walkers, Walmart and Casino Group. Then it investigates how carbon footprint labelling is done in Taiwan and how Taiwan businesses approach carbon footprint labelling. Two companies of different industry were interviewed to gain an in-depth understanding of how and why Taiwan businesses implement carbon footprint labelling. From the interviews, insights of the motivation, project planning, execution and questions encountered during the implementation of carbon footprint labelling were revealed. The dissertation then concludes by discussing the limitations that happened during the research and the suggestions for the development of Taiwan’s carbon footprint label.

Includes bibliographical references (leaves [268]-285) / xiv, 285, [85] leaves : ill. (some folded), maps (col., folded) ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Geographical and Environmental Studies, 2002

<p>The decision process of which technique to choose for remediation of contaminated sites has traditionally focused on the clean up level, the time required and the economical resources. The environmental costs of the remediation are seldom taken into consideration. With a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) it is possible to receive an overall picture of the environmental impacts caused by a remediation technique. In this thesis a comparison of two LCA methods has been made. The methods are named REC and Uva and are used in the Netherlands and Germany. Two remediation techniques, the adsorption technique and the bioremediation technique, were compared and data from a discontinued petrol station were used. The output from the REC method indicated that the adsorption technique causes more environmental costs then the bioremediation technique. The main reason is because the adsorption technique consumes more groundwater and energy. The UvA method presented a different result. According to this method the bioremediation technique causes more environmental costs. This is because the bioremediation technique consumes more energy and causes more emissions. The main reasons of the difference between the REC and the UvA methods are that they use diverse ways to calculate the consumption of energy, have different system boundaries and consider different impact categories. A conclusion of the present study is that a decision process of which remediation technique to use at a contaminated site could be dependent on which method is used as a decision support tool.</p>

<p>When the local authorities establish a plan for land use planning, they have to judge if the influence on the environment could be of such a grade that they have to make a special Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), following national laws and EU-directives. The laws for the process in Sweden is set by the Swedish Parliament, with advisory given by the central government authority, the National Board of Housing, Building and Planning, Boverket. For EU, the laws is set by the European Parliament and the Council. The laws and directions for this process have been changed for Sweden in recent years, and the aim of this study was to compare the contents of three different Environmental Impact Assess¬ments to see if there has been any change in appearances and content in later years, as well as to see if different municipalities and authors have effect on the EIAs. According to different studies some of the EIA done are without insufficient focus on main environmental issues in the EIA, or even that some information is missing. In some studies there are arguments that the EIA should be a document that should be possible to read alone. These aspects has also been studied in the material.</p><p>The result is partly described in a matrix where different criteria is compared between the three EIAs to spot differences easily. There is also a part where the content and structure of the three EIAs is compared in text. The result of the study was that there are big differences in structure, while their content has more in common. In one of the three Environ¬mental Impact Assessments much facts are only put in other documents. The conclusion of the study is that there is a need for implementing a common way of presenting the content of an EIA. There is a risk that facts are overlooked that are not presented in the EIA document. There is also a risk that the local authorities has too big interest in implementing the plan and that they make the EIA with a biased look. As a case study an EIA was done. In the case study, the experience of the study is used to make this EIA as complete as possible, with regards to the criteria from the analysis matrix. Also, it was written in a report structure to test this model. The case study is added as Appendix 4.</p>

Monitoring is an important tool for gaining insight into an organisation’s environmental performance and for learning about the environmental condition and the effectiveness of environmental management measures. Development of environmental monitoring has generally relied on research aiming at improving monitoring methodology, technique or practice within a particular management tool. Little empirical research has taken into account the organisation’s reality where several management tools are used in parallel. This thesis analyses the practice of environmental monitoring in public authorities with the aim of identifying barriers and possibilities for environmental monitoring as an instrument for improving environmental performance, using the Swedish Rail Administration as a case organisation. The study identified two different types of environmental monitoring: environmental performance measurement (EPM) and activity monitoring, both important for achieving environmental improvements. EPM involves gathering and evaluating data to determine whether the organisation is meeting the criteria for environmental performance set by the management of the organisation. EPM can further be used for judging the success and failure of environmental objectives and strategies. Activity monitoring provides each project of the organisation with information to minimise the negative effects on the natural environment or human health and to ensure that the organisation’s operations conform with regulations. Problems encountered comprised a variety of little co-ordinated monitoring activities, poor utilization of the monitoring results as well as limited internal feedback on monitoring results. Some of the problems identified seem to be an effect of the management transition from a traditional ‘command and control’ system to a self-administered organisation managed by economic incentives and voluntary management systems. This thesis suggests several improvements to make monitoring more efficient. Primarily, the monitoring systems must have a clear structure and be adapted to its specific function. The EPE system would benefit from being integrated with the organisation’s central performance measurement, presenting progress towards organisational strategic objectives as well as operational objectives. The system for activity monitoring must not only focus on inputs and outputs to the system but must also include the environmental condition of the system. In order to improve communication and learning, monitoring data within both EPE and activity monitoring must be better transmitted and utilised within the structure of the permanent organisation. Experience from all monitoring activities that now is scattered and inaccessible to the individuals of the organisation could beneficially be stored within a well-structured organisational ‘memory‘. Such a system would facilitate an iterative management process where the monitoring results and the knowledge gained are used for making future plans and projects more adaptive, thereby improving the environmental performance of the organisation. / QC 20100729

No description available.

Amongst the available renewable energy sources, offshore wind energy is having a rapid expansion. Renewable energies are viewed as an environmental benign alternative to the energy production based on fossil fuels, but the emerging development of offshore wind energy has also raised public concern over its potential impact on seabird communities. To assess this impact, seabird distribution and abundance maps are usually included in Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA) and Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA). Nevertheless few studies have attempted to develop analytical methods to assess quantitatively the potential impacts of offshore wind farms on birds based on seabird distribution data. This PhD study aims to contribute to fill in this gap in the methodological approach. The thesis is a compilation of four studies, two published papers, one submitted manuscript and another ready for submission. These studies focus on different analytical approaches that integrate the spatial and temporal dimension of seabird distribution at large scale and regional and local scale. After presenting these integrative tools I provide practical guidelines for practitioners on how to integrate the tools in the design of SEAs and EIAs. / D’entre totes les fonts d’energia renovable disponibles actualment, l’energia eòlica marina està tenint una ràpida expansió. Les energies renovables es veuen com una bona alternativa per reduir el nostre ús dels combustibles fòssils. El desenvolupament de l’energia eòlica marina, però, també planteja incògnites i preocupació respecte els seus possibles efectes sobre les comunitats d’aus marines. Per avaluar aquest impacte, tant els mapes de distribució com els mapes d’abundància de les aus marines es solen incloure en les avaluacions ambientals estratègiques (AAE) i les avaluacions d'impacte ambiental (AIA). No obstant això, pocs estudis han intentat desenvolupar mètodes analítics per quantificar els impactes potencials dels parcs eòlics marins basats en les dades de distribució i abundància de les aus. Aquest treball de doctorat té com a objectiu contribuir a omplir aquest buit que hi ha a nivell metodològic. La tesi és un recull de quatre estudis, dos articles publicats, un manuscrit enviat i un altre llest per enviar. Aquests estudis es centren en diferents mètodes analítics que integren la dimensió espacial i temporal de la distribució d'aus marines a gran escala i a escala regional i local. Després de presentar aquestes eines d'integració en detall, presento una sèrie de recomanacions i directrius pràctiques sobre la manera òptima d'integrar aquestes eines en el disseny d'EAE i EIA, dirigides principalment a tots aquells experts involucrats en el disseny d’Avaluacions ambientals, tant a nivell estratègic com local. / De entre todas las fuentes de energía renovable disponibles actualmente, la energía eólica marina destaca por su rápida expansión. Las energías renovables están muy bien consideradas como alternativa para reducir nuestro uso de combustibles fósiles. Sin embargo, el desarrollo de la energía eólica marina también plantea incógnitas y cierto grado de preocupación respecto a sus posibles efectos sobre las comunidades de aves marinas. Para evaluar este impacto, se suele incluir mapas de distribución y de abundancia de aves en las Evaluaciones Ambientales Estratégicas (EAE) y las Evaluaciones de Impacto Ambiental (EIA) para este tipo de instalaciones. Sin embargo, pocos estudios han intentado desarrollar métodos analíticos para cuantificar los impactos potenciales de los parques eólicos marinos basados en los datos de distribución y abundancia de las aves. Este trabajo de doctorado tiene como objetivo contribuir a llenar este vacío que existe a nivel metodológico. La tesis es una recopilación de cuatro estudios, dos artículos publicados, un manuscrito enviado y otro listo para enviar. Estos estudios se centran en diferentes métodos analíticos que integran la dimensión espacial y temporal de la distribución de aves marinas a gran escala y a escala regional y local. Tras presentar con detalle estas herramientas de integración, presento una serie de recomendaciones y directrices prácticas sobre la manera óptima de integrar estas herramientas en el diseño de los EAE y EIA, dirigidas principalmente a todos aquellos expertos involucrados en el diseño de Evaluaciones ambientales, tanto a nivel estratégico como local.