A Política Nacional do Meio Ambiente PNMA, com seus fins e mecanismos de formulação e aplicação, foi instituída pela Lei nº 6.938, de 31 de agosto de 1981, e tem como um de seus instrumentos a Avaliação de Impacto Ambiental (AIA), que analisa as consequências ambientais de uma ação atual ou proposta, visando garantir a viabilidade ambiental de empreendimentos previamente à sua implantação. A AIA é o instrumento da PNMA que subsidia a gestão ambiental empresarial, uma vez que essa deve ser iniciada na fase de projeto e continuar de forma integrada durante as atividades de implantação, operação e desativação dos empreendimentos. Nessa vertente, uma integração de procedimentos entre a AIA, direcionada ao empreendimento, e as normas da Série ISO 14000 - Gestão Ambiental -é necessária. Entretanto, verifica-se que há um paradoxo entre a teoria e a prática dessas ferramentas de gestão. Assim, o objetivo desta pesquisa é realizar um comparativo entre as características técnicas da AIA e as características técnicas das normas da Série ISO 14000, sugerindo potenciais oportunidades de integração entre os dois instrumentos. Para tanto, foram realizadas duas revisões bibliográficas: uma relacionada à AIA e outra às normas técnicas da Série ISO 14000, que identificou as possibilidades de integração entre essas duas ferramentas de gestão ambiental. Esta pesquisa é classificada metodologicamente: do ponto de vista de sua natureza, como pesquisa básica; do ponto de vista da forma de abordagem do problema, como pesquisa qualitativa; do ponto de vista de seus objetivos, como pesquisa exploratória e descritiva; do ponto de vista de procedimentos técnicos, como pesquisa bibliográfica. Os resultados da comparação entre os instrumentos apresentam informações que poderão subsidiar a integração das características técnicas da AIA com as das normas técnicas da Série ISO 14000. / The National Environment Policy, with its purposes and mechanisms of formulation and implementation, was instituted by Law nº. 6938 of August 31, 1981. The Policy has as one of its instruments the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), which examines the environmental consequences of a current or proposed action in order to ensure the environmental feasibility of projects previously to their deployment. The EIA is the instrument of Policy which subsidizes environmental management business, since that should be initiated at the design stage and continue seamlessly during the deployment activities, operation and deactivation of the enterprises. In this instance, integration between the EIA procedures, directed the project, and the standards of ISO 14000 Series - Environmental Management is necessary. However, it appears that there is a paradox between theory and practice of these management tools. Thus, the objective of this research is to make a comparison between the technical characteristics of the EIA and the technical characteristics of ISO 14000 Series, suggesting potential opportunities for integration between the two instruments. To this end, were performed two literature reviews: one related to EIA and other related to the technical standards of the ISO 14000 series, which identified the possibilities for integration between the two environmental management tools. The research is methodologically classified: from the point of view of nature as basic research, from the point of view of how to approach the problem as a qualitative, from the point of view of objectives as exploratory and descriptive, from the point of view of technical procedures will be classified as literature review. The results of the comparison between the instruments provide information that could subsidize the integration of the technical characteristics of EIA with the technical characteristics of ISO 14000 series.

Chemical (gaseous) emissions from wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) are perceived as odour and can generate undesirable health reactions. These could affect the quality of life to those regularly albeit intermittently exposed, although regular exposure may result in tolerance and loss of recognition of the odour. Consequently, research is necessary to establish the role of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in ensuring that facilities such as WWTP do not pose a threat to local communities, particularly in relation to housing developments for poor communities. The aim of this study was to investigate if the EIA regulations were effectively implemented before building of the Residential Development Proiect (RDP) houses at KwaMathukuza, in Newcastle South Africa. Furthermore, the study intended to determine the impact the (WWTP) has on the health of people who reside close to the site and to establish if the families staying close to the WWTP have any common ailments such as handicapped babies, early deaths within families. Findings would also indicate if RDP houses should be built in close proximity to such sites. Data was collected through a survey of 85 residents living within five kilometers and ten residing beyond five kilometers from the WWTP. The participants were selected randomly. Municipality employees who worked with the WWTP were also sampled together with healthcare givers. Data included information about health of the community, their perception of the gases released from the WWTP as well as EIA meetings and processes related to the construction of the RDP houses. The outcome of this study revealed that EIA regulations were not adequately implemented and that this residential site was unsuitable for the construction of RDP houses. It emerged that the residence regularly experience unpleasant odours released from the WWTP. These could be associated with ill-health of the residents as well as v degradation the environment in general. The study also found that the effect of the WWTP affects even those communities who reside beyond five kilometers from the WWTP. The researcher argues for more stringent mechanisms to ensure that EIA regulations are properly implemented to prevent adverse effects on the communities. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Management)

Thesis (LLM. (Development and Management Law)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / Refer to the document

M. Tech. (Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Management Sciences), Vaal University of Technology. / South African government departments, through the relevant executing authority, are required to develop strategic plans in terms of the Public Service Amendment Act (Act No. 30 of 2007) and Public Finance Management Amendment Act (Act No. 29 of 1999). In terms of Treasury Regulation, 2005 section 6, the government departments are further required to comply with budgetary requirements. The key question in this research was to what extent is the strategic planning process aligned to the budgeting process. In light of the research question, the research objective was to investigate the alignment of the strategic planning and budgeting processes in the selected national government departments. In order to achieve the aforementioned research objective, structured questionnaires were distributed to 300 senior managers in the selected government departments of which 203 were completed and retrieved. The government departments that participated in the study were selected using the non-probability convenient sampling technique. A quantitative approach was followed, in which case a survey was used to garner data, which were analysed using statistical analytical methods, such as the means, standard deviations, exploratory factor analysis, correlation analysis and regression analysis. The five factors of strategic planning were extracted from the strategic planning questionnaire data and were coined strategic analysis and assessment (SAA), environmental impact assessment (EIA), goal setting (GS), responsibilities and resource allocation (RRA), and information system (IS). Correlation analysis indicated that there was a positive relationship between the five factors of the strategic planning process and the budgeting process. The regression analysis results confirmed the existence of a predictive relationship between the five factors of strategic planning and the budgeting process. The conclusion from this finding confirmed the alignment of strategic planning with the budgeting process in the selected national government departments. The internal consistency of the measuring instrument was tested by means of Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, while its validity was measured using face validity, content validity, construct validity, convergent validity and predictive validity. In spite of the positive correlation and regression analyses, recommendations were made to improve the strategic planning and budgeting processes.

[ES] La Evaluación Ambiental Estratégica (EAE) proporciona el marco para la articulación de los proyectos de forma coherente y respetuosa con el medio ambiente, condiciones sociales, políticas y económicas (Arce y Gullón, 2000) y aunque comúnmente se le conoce a la EAE como una herramienta, esta representa un proceso que puede mejorar la toma de decisiones y propiciar el desarrollo sostenible (Bidstrup y Hansen, 2014). El análisis de alternativas es una de las áreas más débiles de la EAE, debido a que no se ha investigado suficientemente qué funciona y qué no en el desarrollo, evaluación y selección de alternativas. Estas investigaciones deben incluir enfoques sistemáticos para la identificación y el desarrollo de alternativas, para involucrar plenamente a las partes interesadas en su definición y evaluación, y proporcionar detalles suficientes al documentar el proceso de la selección (González et al., 2018). A estas debilidades se añade la dificultad de desarrollar una metodología que sea adaptable a diferentes con-textos. Estos condicionantes han encauzado la construcción de la metodología desarrollada en esta tesis y así, lograr minimizar estas brechas, planteando un método analítico, simple y flexible. La metodología denominada "Índice de Selección de Alternativas Estratégicas Ambientales (ISAEA) y sus incertidumbres", parte de la utilización de indicadores simples construidos en base a las metas que se plantean en el instrumento evaluado en la EAE. Al construir los indicadores partiendo de los criterios de los propios objetivos o metas del Plan, Proyecto o Programa (PPP), se disminuye la complejidad y ambigüedad que típicamente existe en la construcción y/o selección de indicadores ambientales, pues queda claro la dirección que debe seguirse en la construcción del indicador. Los criterios de construcción permiten optimizar la calidad del indicador, ya que el mismo describe el objetivo y, por ende, se manejan indicadores que son los adecuados para ese PPP en particular, es decir, adaptado al contexto preciso del PPP. El ISAEA se complementa con un análisis de incertidumbre, que ofrece al tomador de decisiones herramientas completas para proceder a seleccionar con información cuantitativa, la alternativa que más conveniente para el PPP estudiado. De este modo, la metodología propuesta proporciona un índice que representa en qué medida se acerca la alternativa a la meta planteada, aportando además una adaptación de los análisis de incertidumbre al uso de indicadores compuestos. La experiencia de la aplicación de esta metodología en ambos de sus componentes principales, el ISAEA y el análisis de incertidumbre, deja de manifiesto la importancia de la cooperación abierta de la entidad promotora del PPP para garantizar el flujo de información y más importante aún, de información confiable. Tras el desarrollo de la presente investigación se concluye que la metodología desarrollada aporta una herramienta valiosa, que puede ser utilizada de forma simple y a la vez permite reflejar las circunstancias propias del PPP. A la vez, la metodología ofrece resultados en un lenguaje matemático llano, fácilmente entendible para los tomadores de decisiones. La metodología que se aporta en esta investigación doctoral llega a minimizar una brecha en la temática de selección de alternativas en la EAE, ya que se basa en información cuantitativa y a la vez ha asumido un desafío pendiente en evaluaciones ambientales al incorporar el análisis de incertidumbre como un criterio de acompañamiento al ISAEA, que permite realizar una selección de alternativas estratégicas en base a criterios científicos. / [CA] L'Avaluació Ambiental Estratègica (AAE) proporciona el marc per a l'articulació dels projectes de forma coherent i respectuosa amb el medi ambient, condicions socials, polítiques i econòmiques (Arce i Gullón, 2000) i encara que comunament se li coneix a la AAE com una eina, aquesta representa un procés que pot millorar la presa de decisions i propiciar el desenvolupament sostenible (Bidstrup i Hansen, 2014). L'anàlisi d'alternatives és una de les àrees més febles de la AAE, pel fet que no s'ha investigat prou què funciona i què no en el desenvolupament, avaluació i selecció d'alternatives. Aquestes investigacions han d'incloure enfocaments sistemàtics per a la identificació i el desenvolupament d'alternatives, per involucrar plenament a les parts interessades en la seva definició i avaluació, i proporcionar detalls suficients al documentar el procés de la selecció (González et al., 2018). A aquestes debilitats s'afegeix la dificultat de desenvolupar una metodologia que sigui adaptable a diferents contextos. Aquests condicionants han canalitzat la construcció de la metodologia desenvolupada en aquesta tesi i així, aconseguir minimitzar aquestes bretxes, plantejant un mètode analític, simple i flexible. La metodologia anomenada "Índex de Selecció d'Alternatives Estratègiques Ambientals (ISAEA) i les seves incerteses", part de la utilització de indicadors simples construïts en base a les metes que es plantegen en el instrument avaluat en l'AAE. Al construir els indicadors partint dels criteris dels propis objectius o metes de el Pla, Projecte o Programa (PPP), es disminueix la complexitat i ambigüitat que típicament existeix en la construcció i/o selecció d'indicadors ambientals, ja que queda clar la direcció que ha de seguirse en la construcció de l'indicador. Els criteris de construcció permeten optimitzar la qualitat de l'indicador, ja que el mateix descriu el objectiu i, per tant, es manegen indicadors que són els adequats per a aquest PPP en particular, és a dir, adaptat al context precís de l'PPP. L'ISAEA es complementa amb una anàlisi d'incertesa, que ofereix al prenedor de decisions eines completes per a procedir a seleccionar amb informació quantitativa, l'alternativa que més convenient per al PPP estudiat. D'aquesta manera, la metodologia proposada proporciona un índex que representa en quina mesura s'acosta l'alternativa a la meta plantejada, aportant a més una adaptació de les anàlisis d'incertesa a l'ús d'indicadors com-llocs. L'experiència de l'aplicació d'aquesta metodologia en tots dos dels seus components principals, l'ISAEA i l'anàlisi d'incertesa, deixa de manifest la importància de la cooperació oberta de l'entitat promotora de l'PPP per garantir el flux d'informació i, més important encara, d'informació ambfiable. Després de concloure la present investigació queda demostrat que la metodologia desenvolupada aporta una eina valuosa, que pot ser utilitzada de forma simple i alhora permet reflectir les circumstàncies pròpies de l'PPP. Alhora, la metodologia ofereix resultats en un llenguatge matemàtic pla, fàcilment comprensible per als prenedors de decisions. La metodologia que s'aporta en aquesta tesi doctoral arriba a minimitzar una bretxa en la temàtica de selecció d'alternatives a l'EAE, ja que es basa en informació quantitativa i alhora ha assumit un repte pendent en avaluacions ambientals a l'incorporar el anàlisi d'incertesa com un criteri d'acompanyament a l'ISAEA, que permet realitzar una selecció d'alternatives estratègiques en base a criteris científics / [EN] Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) provides the framework for the articulation of projects in a coherent and respectful way with the environment, social, political and economic conditions (Arce and Gullón, 2000). Although SEA is commonly known as a tool, it represents a process that can improve decision-making and promote sustainable development (Bidstrup and Hansen, 2014). The analysis of alternatives is one of the weakest areas of SEA, because what works and what does not in the development, evaluation and selection of alternatives has not been sufficiently investigated. These investigations should include systematic ap-proaches for the identification and development of alternatives, to fully involve stake-holders in their definition and evaluation, and provide sufficient detail when documenting the selection process (González et al., 2018). Besides these weaknesses, the difficulty of developing a methodology that is adaptable to different contexts appears. These conditioning factors have guided the construction of the methodology developed in this thesis and thus, manage to minimize these gaps, proposing an analytical, simple and flexible method. The methodology called "Selection Index for Strategic Environmental Alternatives (ISAEA) and its uncertainties", starts from the use of simple indicators built on the basis of the goals set out in the instrument evaluated by the SEA. By constructing the indicators based on the criteria of the objectives or goals of the Plan, Project or Program (PPP), the complexity and ambiguity that typically exists in the construction and/or selection of environmental indicators is reduced, since the direction to be followed in the construction of the indicator. The construction criteria allow optimizing the quality of the indicator, since it describes the objective and, therefore, indicators are used that are appropriate for that particular PPP, that is, adapted to the precise context of each PPP. The ISAEA is complemented with an uncertainty analysis, which offers the decision maker complete tools to proceed to select with quantitative information, the most convenient alternative for the PPP studied. Therefore, the proposed methodology provides an index that represents to what extent the alternative approaches the proposed goal, also providing an adaptation of the uncertainty analyzes to the use of composite indicators. The experience of applying this methodology in both of its main components, the ISAEA and the uncertainty analysis, shows the importance of the open cooperation of the PPP promoter to guarantee the flow of information and, more importantly, reliable information. After the development of this research, it is concluded that the developed methodology provides a valuable tool, which can be used in a simple way while allowing reflecting the circumstances of the PPP. At the same time, the methodology offers results in plain mathematical language, easily understood by decision makers. The methodology provided in this doctoral research minimizes a gap in the subject of selecting alternatives in SEA, since it is based on quantitative information and at the same time has assumed a pending challenge in environmental evaluations by incorporating the uncertainty analysis as an accompanying criterion to the ISAEA, which allows a selection of strategic alternatives based on scientific criteria. / González González, RL. (2022). Metodología analítica para el análisis de alternativas en la evaluación ambiental estratégica y sus incertidumbres en la toma de decisiones [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/183152

Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Titles in English and Afrikaans / Text in Afrikaans / Die Suid-Afrikaanse omgewingsreg kry sy grondslag in velerlei statute, waarvan die Wet op Omgewingsbewaring van 1989 die belangrikste is. Die staat is tans besig om hierdie wet en die Geintegreerde Omgewingsbestuursbeleid in lyn te bring met die - Grondwet van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika van 1996. Dit word onder meer gedoen deur regulasies wat ingevolge die Wet op Omgewingsbewaring afgekondig is, die Witskrif op 'n Omgewingsbeleid vir Suid-Afrika, die Witskrif oor Bewaring en Volhoubare Gebruik van Suid-Afrika se Biologiese Diversiteit, ensovoorts. Hierdie beleidsaanpassing beoog om ontwikkeling op 'n volhoubare wyse te laat geskied, wat ook rekening hou met die ekonomiese werklikhede van Suid-Afrika, soos verwoord in die Heropbou en Ontwikkelingsprogram. Voordeel kan daaruit getrek word deur te kyk na die pad wat volhoubare ontwikkeling in lndie, as 'n ontwikkelende land, gevolg het / South African environmental law derives its foundation from various statutes, of which the Environment Conservation Act of 1989 is the most important. The state is currently in the process of bringing this Act and the Integrated Environmental Management Policy in line with the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa of 1996. This is done by, inter a/ia, the regulations which have been promulgated in terms of the Environment Conservation Act, the White Paper on an Environmental Policy for South Africa, the White Paper on Conservation and Sustainable Use of the Biological Diversity of South Africa, et cetera. This adaptation in policy is directed towards sustainable development, which will also take into account the economic realities of South Africa as set out in the Reconstruction and Development Programme. Benefit may be derived from observing the path of sustainable development in India as a developing country. / Law / LL.M.

A wave energy park has been established on the Swedish west coast outside Lysekil and pioneer work about its interactions with the marine environment has been conducted. So far, little is known about the effects of offshore energy installations on the marine environment, and this thesis assists in minimizing environmental risks as well as in enhancing potential positive effects on the marine environment. The Lysekil research site is situated about two kilometres offshore and has been under development since 2005. During this time 26 “environmental devices”, without generators, consisting of a steel buoy attached via a wire to a foundation on 25 m depth have been placed out for ecological studies on macrofauna in surrounding sediments and on colonization of the foundations and the buoys. Sediment samples to examine macrofauna in the seabed have been taken during five seasons. Biomass, abundance and diversity of infauna in the test site were generally low, but higher than in a nearby control site. The species composition was typical for the area and depth. In addition to sediment analysis, the effect of wave power concrete foundations on the marine environment has been investigated by scuba diving. The surface orientation and its effect on colonization by sessile organisms was examined on the first five foundations, placed out in 2005, and observations of habitat use by fish and crustaceans were made. The results show a succession of colonization over time (three years of investigation) with a higher cover by sessile organisms on vertical surfaces. Mobile fauna abundance on and around the foundations was generally low. Three months after the deployment of the 21 new foundations in 2007, assemblages of mobile organisms were examined visually. Also here, mobile species exhibit a low density, but still higher than on surrounding soft bottoms. The edible crab used artificial holes in the foundations frequently. The foundations were placed in two different clusters, north and south, and the degree to which early recruits covered the foundations and the succession of epibenthic communities were documented during two years. Sessile organisms colonized the northern foundations more rapidly, producing a higher diversity which suggests that the placement of wave energy devices affects colonization patterns. Biofouling on buoys was examined and blue mussels, Mytilus edulis, dominated with a cover about 90%. Wave exposed buoys were particularly favoured by M. edulis which there had a higher biomass and larger shells compared to those on sheltered buoys. Biofouling on wave power buoys, independent whether these had a cylindrical or toroidal shape, was insufficient to markedly affect their energy production. Finally, the thesis incorporates a review describing wave power projects in general pointing out the need of future research on for instance no-take zones, marine bioacoustics and electromagnetic fields. The main conclusions are that large-scale renewable wave energy conversion will cause ecological impact primarily by adding new hard substrate to an area but not by harming organisms or decreasing biodiversity within wave power parks.

Thesis (DPhil (Philosophy))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Through my research I have developed an alternative conceptual approach to project-level environmental assessment in South Africa, which begins to move beyond modernism in its philosophical, procedural and substantive aspects. This approach draws on the ideas of certain radical philosophers, and three innovative thinkers, namely: Bent Flyvbjerg, Amartya Sen and Paul Cilliers. The overall purpose of project-level environmental assessment (i.e. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)) is to predict the impacts on the environment of proposed development, and to recommend ways to mitigate its negative consequences and enhance its positive effects. However, there are a number of recurring problems in the practice of EIA which include: achieving interdisciplinarity in the assessment process; effectively undertaking stakeholder engagement; and accurately predicting the impacts of proposed developments. Addressing uncertainty and adequately considering the implications of cumulative and social impacts are also often poorly addressed in environmental assessment procedures. In this thesis, I describe these problems as symptomatic of the modernist roots of environmental assessment, an argument, or similar, which has been made by others in related domains (e.g. philosophy), as well as in the international field of environmental assessment itself. I identify the following three main problematic assumptions of the modern worldview that are currently constraining the effectiveness of this field: A system can be understood by observing the behaviour of its parts; All processes flow along linear, deterministic, predictable and orderly paths; and Technical, objective, natural science-based information and processes are separate from, and superior to, non-technical, subjective, and value-based information and processes. Drawing on my investigation of the core ideas of radical ecologists and of the work of Bent Flyvbjerg, Amartya Sen and Paul Cilliers, I challenge the modernist assumptions listed above and propose an alternative conceptual approach to environmental assessment, which involves the formulation of a ‘sustainability argument’. I explain the philosophical tenets (for example, humans and nature are seen as part of an interrelated social-ecological system) and general principles on which this approach rests (for example, the normative nature of all knowledge of social-ecological systems should be recognised), as well as its key characteristics (for example, the team that undertakes the study should comprise disciplinary specialists, key stakeholders and at least one ‘sustainability practitioner’ who coordinates the development of the argument). These tenets, principles and characteristics are designed to guide the development of context-specific processes, for the formulation of a sustainability argument that informs project-level development decisionmaking. The ‘sustainability argument’ approach moves beyond the human-nature (or developmentenvironment) divide inherent in current environmental assessment, in which the impact of the former on the latter is determined. The focus is shifted to understanding how the social-ecological system is likely to alter, under different conditions, as a result of the proposed development, which is seen as a potential change in the system. In addition, the way in which the social-ecological system is likely to affect the implementation of this change is described. These effects are evaluated in relation to contextually defined sustainability values, which are identified by key stakeholders through a participatory process, and guided by the principles proposed as part of the sustainability argument approach. The principles include a view of humans and nature as part of an interrelated social-ecological system in which diversity, both human and natural, is valued as a pre-requisite to sustainability. Human needs are defined beyond the provision of basic goods and services, to include the promotion and enhancement of the valuable functionings and capabilities of an individual, as described by Sen (1988b). Nature is valued, not only for its role in enabling the achievement of these functionings and capabilities, but also for the fact of its existence, as part of the overall social-ecological system. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In my navorsing het ek alternatiewe, konseptuele benadering tot omgewingsbeoordeling op projekvlak in Suid Afrika ontwerp, wat begin om verby die filosofiese, prosedurele en substantiewe aspekte van die modernisme te beweeg. Hierdie benadering berus op die idees van sekere radikale filosowe, en drie innoverende denkers, naamlik: Bent Flyvbjerg, Amartya Sen en Paul Cilliers. Die oorkoepelende doelstelling van omgewingsbeoordeling op projekvlak (i.e. Omgewingsimpakstudie (OIS)) is om die impakte op die omgewing van voorgestelde ontwikkeling te voorspel, en om voorstelle te maak om die negatiewe gevolge daarvan te beperk en die positiewe gevolge te bevorder. Tog is daar aantal herhalende probleme in die praktyk van OIS, wat die volgende insluit: Die bereiking van interdissiplinariteit in die proses van omgewingsbeoordeling; die versekering van effektiewe deelname van belangegroepe; en die akkurate voorspelling van die impakte van voorgestelde ontwikkeling. Die hantering van onsekerhede en die voldoende oorweging van die implikasies van kumulatiewe en sosiale impakte word ook nie voldoende aangespreek in die ontwerp van omgewingsbeoordeling nie. In hierdie tesis beskryf ek hierdie probleme as simptome van die modernistiese grondslag van omgewingsbeoordeling, wat soortgelyke punt maak as die argument wat nie alleen deur ander in verwante velde (e.g. filosofie) ontwikkel is nie, maar ook in die internasionale veld van omgewingsbeoordeling self. Ek identifiseer die volgende drie problematiese kernaannames van die moderne wêreldbeeld, wat tans die doeltreffendheid van omgewingsbeoordeling beperk: Sisteem kan verstaan word deur die gedrag van sy dele waar te neem; Alle prosesse volg liniêre, deterministiese, voorspelbare en geordende patrone; en Tegniese prosesse en objektiewe, natuurwetenskaplik-begronde inligting is apart van, en verhewe bo, nie-tegniese prosesse en subjektiewe en waardegebaseerde oorwegings. Op grond van my ondersoek van die kernidees van radikale ekoloë, asook die werke van Bent Flyvbjerg, Amartya Sen en Paul Cilliers, daag ek die bogenoemde modernistiese veronderstellings uit, en stel alternatiewe benadering tot omgewingsbeoordeling voor, wat die formulering van ‘volhoubaarheidsargument’ insluit. Ek verduidelik die filosofiese uitgangspunte (byvoorbeeld dat die mens en die natuur, in onderlinge wisselwerking met mekaar, gesien moet word as deel van geïntegreerde sosio-ekologiese sisteem) en algemene beginsels waarop hierdie benadering berus (byvoorbeeld dat die normatiewe aard van alle kennis van sosio-ekologiese sisteme erken behoort te word), asook die kenmerkende eienskappe daarvan (byvoorbeeld dat die span, wat die studie onderneem, saamgestel moet word uit kenners vanuit verskillende dissiplines, sleutelbelanghebbendes, en ten minste een ‘volhoubaarheidspraktisyn’ wat die ontwikkeling van die argument koördineer). Hierdie uitgangspunte, beginsels en eienskappe is ontwerp om die ontwikkeling van konteksspesifieke prosesse te stuur, en vir die formulering van volhoubaarheidsargument wat besluitneming oor ontwikkeling op projekvlak informeer. Die ‘volhoubaarheidsargument’ benadering beweeg verby die mens-natuur (of ontwikkelingomgewing) onderskeid inherent aan die huidige praktyk van omgewingsbeoordeling, waar die impak van die eersgenoemde op die laasgenoemde bepaal word. Die klem verskuif na begrip vir die manier waarop die sosio-ekologiese sisteem moontlik gaan verander, onder sekere toestande, as gevolg van die voorgestelde verandering, wat beskou word as moontlike verandering in die sisteem. Boonop word die manier waarop die sosio-ekologiese sisteem waarskynlik die implementering van die verandering gaan beïnvloed ook beskryf. Hierdie effekte word geëvalueer met betrekking tot konteks-gedefinieerde volhoubaarheidswaardes, wat deur deelnameproses geïdentifiseer word deur sleutel belanghebbendes, en gelei deur die beginsels wat voorgestel word as deel van die volhoubaarheidsargument benadering. Die beginsels sluit beskouing van mense en die natuur as deel van interverwante sosio-ekologiese sisteem waarin diversiteit, beide menslik en natuurlik, gewaardeer word as voorwaarde vir volhoubaarheid in. Menslike behoeftes is gedefinieer as meer as net die voorsiening van basiese goedere en dienste om die bevordering en verbetering van die waardevolle funksioneringe en vermoëns van individu, soos beskryf deur Sen (1988b), in te sluit. Die natuur word gewaardeer, nie slegs vir die rol wat dit speel om die verwesenliking van hierdie funksioneringe en vermoëns moontlik te maak nie, maar ook vir die feit van die natuur se bestaan, as deel van die algehele sosio-ekologiese sisteem.

Thesis (PhD) -- University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The dissertation traces the development of environmental assessment and environmental ethics as these disciplines have evolved independently in response to the global environmental crisis. The aim is to determine the extent to which they can promote the integration of the dissociated objective and subjective spheres of human valuation of the environment. This is a necessary condition, it is argued, for arresting the pathology in the human-environment relationship. The study concludes that both disciplines were initially trapped in narrow, monistic approaches, which rendered them largely ineffective. However, their evolutionary advancement, and a common grounding in a radical conceptualization of sustainable development, greatly enhances their usefulness in environmental decisionmaking. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die verhandeling ondersoek die evolusionêre ontwikkeling van omgewingsimpakbepaling en die filosofie van omgewingsetika, na die ontstaan van die twee disiplines in reaksie tot die globale omgewingskrisis. Die studiedoelwit is om te bepaal tot watter mate hulle die integrasie van die gedissosieerde objektiewe en die subjektiewe sfere van menslikeomgewingswaardering kan bevorder. Daar word geredeneer dat sodanige integrasie noodsaaklik is om die patologie in die verhouding tussen die mens en sy omgewing te stuit. Die belangrikste gevolgtrekking is dat beide disiplines, tydens hulle aanvangsstadia, vasgeval was in 'n monistiese benadering wat hul doeltreffendheid belemmer het. Die onlangse ontwikkeling van omgewingsimpakbepaling en omgewingsetika, sowel as 'n gemeenskaplike uitgangspunt binne 'n radikale vertolking van volhoubare ontwikkeling, versterk grootliks hulle bruikbaarheid vir omgewingsbesluitneming.

Zeolites are among the least-known products for environmental pollution control, separation science and technology. Due to their unique porous properties, they are used in various applications in petrochemical cracking, ion-exchange and separation and removal of gases and solvents. The preparation of synthetic zeolites from chemical reagents is expensive. Therefore, in order to reduce costs, zeolite researchers are seeking cheaper aluminosilicate bearing raw materials, such as clay minerals, to produce synthetic zeolites. This research concerns the synthesis of zeolites and zeotypes derived from low-cost materials like kaolinite (KAO), natural clinker (NC) and fly ash (FA). The motivation for using these sources as the starting materials in zeolite synthesis is driven by factors, such as they are cheap and available in bulk quantities, are currently under-utilized, have high workability, and require less water (or solution) for activation. The raw materials were activated by two different routes: (1) classic alkaline hydrothermal synthesis and (2) alkaline fusion prior to hydrothermal synthesis. In the first method, the synthesis of zeolitic materials was carried out generally in alkaline media, although KAO or its calcination product, metakaolinite (MTK), was also activated in the presence or absence of structure directing agents (SDAs) and additional silica (precipitated SiO2), with the last one determining the SiO2/Al2O3 ratio of the reaction mixture and the time given for zeolitization. Synthesis in fluoride- and calcium-bearing media was also used to activate kaolinite. The process of synthesis was optimized by applying a wide range of experimental conditions with a wide range of reaction temperature, time, mineralizer concentration and solid/solution ratio. In the second approach, an alkaline fusion step was conducted prior to hydrothermal treatment, because it plays an important role in enhancing the hydrothermal conditions for zeolite synthesis. On the other hand, this approach was adopted because it can dissolve more aluminosilicates. The main synthesis products obtained after activation of KAO in NaOH solutions included zeolite LTA (LTA), sodalite (SOD), cancrinite (CAN), faujasite (FAU), zeolite Na-P1 (GIS), JBW-type zeolite (JBW), analcime (ANA), whereas the activation of KAO in KOH solutions produced chabazite (CHA), zeolite Barrer-KF, phillipsite (PHI) and K-feldspar. The hydrothermal conversion of kaolinite in fluoride media did not produce successful results, although traces of FAU, GIS, CHA, SOD and CAN crystallized. The activation of KAO in the system CaO-SiO2-Al2O3-H2O promoted the formation of different calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) phases, including hydrogarnet (HYD) and tobermorite (TOB). Following the fusion approach, the main zeolitic phases obtained using NaOH as mineralizer were LTA and CAN. The main as-synthesized zeolites obtained from NC by the conventional hydrothermal treatment method include PHI, SOD and CAN. Using the fusion approach, FAU and LTA were obtained with NaOH as an activator, whereas non-zeolitic material crystallized when KOH was used. The main as-synthesized zeolitic materials obtained by hydrothermal reaction of FA include PHI, zeolite Barrer-KF, CHA and SOD with traces of TOB, ANA, zeolite LTF (LTF) and herschelite (HER), appearing occasionally. By the fusion approach, FAU was obtained with NaOH as activator, whereas no zeolitic material crystallized using KOH. Experimental results indicate that the method, mineralizer, concentration and time have strong effects on the type and degree of crystallinity of the synthesis products. On the other hand, the type and chemical composition of the as-synthesized products are strongly dependent on the chemical composition of the starting material. The chemistry of zeolite synthesis was subject to perturbations caused by the presence of impurities in the raw materials, which may remain insoluble during crystallization and cause undesired species to nucleate, developing mixtures of different types of zeolites. However, other physicochemical factors may play a very important role in the thermodynamics and kinetics of zeolite formation. The raw materials have very high contents of SiO2 and Al2O3, with SiO2/Al2O3 ratios appropriate for the synthesis of low-Si zeolitic materials with high crystallinity and cation exchange capacity (CEC). However, although zeolites’ CEC represents a very important characteristic quality in the removal of undesired species from polluted effluents, it is not the deciding factor in determining zeolite performance during ion exchange processes, since numerous other factors also need to be considered. Finally, the potential application of the raw materials and their as-synthesized products as low-cost sorbents in the remediation of metal ions and ammonium from wastewater effluents was investigated. PHI showed a lower efficiency than FAU. Selectivity of FAU for metal removal was, in decreasing order, Fe>As>Pb>Zn>Cu>Ni>Cr. Based on these results, the use of these materials has the potential to provide improved methods for the treatment of contaminated effluents.