Yes / Daily increasing use of tidal power generation proves its outstanding features as a renewable source. Due to environmental concerns, tidal current energy which has no greenhouse emission attracted researchers’ attention in the last decade. Additionally, the significant potential of tidal technologies to economically benefit the utility in long-term periods is substantial. Tidal energy can be highly forecasted based on short-time given data and hence it will be a reliable renewable resource which can be fitted into power systems. In this paper, investigations of effects of a practical stream tidal turbine in Lake Saroma in the eastern area of Hokkaido, Japan, allocated in a real microgrid (MG), is considered in order to solve an environmental/economic bi-objective optimization problem. For this purpose, an intelligent evolutionary multi-objective modified bird mating optimizer (MMOBMO) algorithm is proposed. Additionally, a detailed economic model of storage devices is considered in the problem. Results show the efficiency of the suggested algorithm in satisfying economic/environmental objectives. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is validated by making comparison with original BMO and PSO on a practical MG. / Iran National Science Foundation; Royal Academy of Engineering Distinguished Visiting Fellowship under Grant DVF1617\6\45

This Doctoral thesis studies how nudges can help protect the environment. Three empirical and one theoretical studies investigate applications of green nudges and identify situations where they should, or should not, be used to promote environmental conservation. In Chapter 1, we explore the interplay between nudges and financial policy instruments using an incentivized online experiment that reproduces daily energy behaviors. We find that these two tools do not perform better when implemented together than individually. Our results suggest that in some situations, displacements between behavioral and financial policy tools are more likely to arise than synergies. Chapter 2 presents a field study in which a behavioral intervention is used to promote energy conservation in the workplace. Using a difference-in-difference approach, we find a significant reduction in branches’ monthly consumption outside the work schedule only, but not on overall consumption. Our findings suggest that nudges that are effective in the household context do not necessarily prompt behavioral change in the working environment. In Chapter 3, we develop a behavioral model for the usage of in-home displays that provide real-time feedback on energy consumption, focusing on social housing. On top of the cost-benefit analysis between financial and moral utility, on the one hand, and the effort from using them, on the other hand, we add the role of cognitive biases. This study seeks to improve the design of behavioral policies aimed at tackling energy poverty. Chapter 4 presents an incentivized online experiment that studies moral cleansing in the interpersonal and environmental domains. We find that bad behaviors that impact others trigger costly moral cleansing, whereas those that impact the environment do not even trigger costless cleansing. This empirically shows that people perceive environmental issues differently from other moral issues.

The aim of the thesis is a framework analysis of the current situation and the use of environmental accounting in relation to sustainable development in the Czech Republic. To achieve the goal of this work were used analytical methods, content analysis, comparison and statistical data. In particular, official documents at the level of the European Union and the Czech Republic on sustainable development and environmental accounting were examined. The European Union has the main influence on the environmental accounting in the Czech Republic and Czech Republic, as a member of the European Union, therefore, act in accordance with established European objectives. Also, the institutions concerned were contacted by structured interview. The work provides a comprehensive description of the development and current state of environmental accounting in the Czech republic. Based on the findings also work provides an overall assessment of the situation and suggestions for potential improvement.

This diploma thesis describes Sudetenland in environmental, economic and sociological view. The main question of this research is if Sudetenland still exist as a marginal area. The theoretical part contains a summary of basic terms, for example amenity migration, a plan of development of a municipality and a coefficient of the ecological stability (KES). It also contains explanation of the word "Sudetenland" as a geographical, socio-economic and histroric-political term and so on the historical consequences, which influenced Sudetenland. The practical part of this diploma thesis is focused on observation the socio-economic behaviour of inhabitants of particular part of the Sudetenland, village Celnice and on a calculation of KES of its cadastral area. This thesis is designed as a case study. It considers the amenity migration as a solution of some socio-economic problems of this area.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-15T19:34:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Lilian Argenta Pereira.pdf: 847606 bytes, checksum: d158e9f17d3eab9fe3946650ef192133 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-03-28 / Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie / This research aims to analyze the sustainability of ethanol as the criterias of the State of Environmental Law. It was achieved by investigating the sustainable development as a compatibilizer between environment and economy through the Environmental Economic Law and the analysis of the Brazilian energetical policy, the reasons for the inclusion of ethanol in the energy matrix of Brazil and how ethanol energy policy is governed in Brazil in order to promote sustainability. Finally, are presented the possibilities for ethanol to be a sustainable biofuel and the major obstacles that prevent this from occurring in Brazil. Considering all the above and the conclusions of the previous chapters, reaching the main and final analysis about the sustainability of ethanol using as criteria, the assumptions of the Environmental State. And also, considering this, is verified the necessity to impose limits to the economical power. / A presente pesquisa pretende analisar a sustentabilidade do etanol conforme os pressupostos do Estado de Direito Ambiental. Para tanto, parte-se da investigação do desenvolvimento sustentável como compatibilizador entre meio ambiente e economia, através do Direito Econômico Ambiental e da análise da política energética brasileira, dos motivos para a inserção do etanol na matriz energética e da forma como o etanol é regulado no Brasil, visando promover a sustentabilidade. Por fim, são apresentadas as possibilidades do etanol de ser um biocombustível sustentável e os principais entraves que impedem que isso ocorra no Brasil. Para então, apoiando-se em todo o exposto e nas conclusões dos capítulos anteriores, fazer a principal e final análise acerca da sustentabilidade do etanol, utilizando-se como critério os pressupostos do Estado de Direito Ambiental. A partir de tais pressupostos, verifica-se também a necessidade de imposição de limites ao poder econômico. Palavras-chave: agrocombustíveis; etanol; desenvolvimento sustentável; direito econômico ambiental; estado de direito ambiental.

Urban regeneration has become a frequently and widely used urban transformation strategy in many cities since the beginning of the 1990s. A number of urban regeneration projects have been implemented in declining city centres, old-industrial and harbour sites, and the working-class residential areas and undermined historical heritage sites of cities. The rise and mushrooming of such projects all over the world however brings about the questions related to their success level. This thesis aims to assess the success level of urban regeneration projects according to the measurable (qualitative and quantitative) features of integrated planning approaches. It seeks to develop a model to examine the success level of urban regeneration projects in physical, environmental, economic and social terms. Using case study as a research method, the research focuses on the on-going &amp / #8216 / Rehabilitation of the Fener and Balat Districts Programme&amp / #8217 / in the Istanbul Historical Peninsula, and tries to answer the question of how far this Programme can be successful in terms of regenerating the Fener-Balat Districts physically, environmentally, economically and socially.

[EN] New European policies established in the Blueprint (EC, 2012) propose the use of water accounting for the allocation and reservation of water resources. This course correction contrasts with the calculation of water balances that has been used since the last century in Spain for this purpose. According to the European Commission (EC, 2015) the difference between the two approaches is the inclusion of the economic component. This argument is indisputable, but it would also add that both "asset accounts" and the physical supply and use tables require a type of information that had not been considered until now. In view of this new challenge, the use of hydrological and water resources management models is essential. This thesis aims to implement a methodology for the transition between water balances and water accounting considering the special characteristics of the Mediterranean basin (with a high degree of regulation and the use of unconventional resources). In the same line, it raises the need for the definition of an indicator to assess the performance of a water resources system taking into consideration the origin of the water resources as a measure of the degree of stress suffered by the systems. This thesis is presented by publications and seeks to address the methodologies and indicators used to date in the planning and management of water resources. First, the state of the art is analyzed in the first publication of the thesis, as detailed in Annex 1. The second publication, analyzes the key elements for formulating water balances that will determine, to a large extent, results obtained, as detailed in Annex 2. The third publication, in Annex 3, tries to explain how in those basins where the use of water resources is close, or even higher, to their availability, the use of balances based solely on variables such as rainfall and temperature are not sufficient. And due to the high regulation of water resources they should also include the results of water management models. This approach contrasts with the proposals made by the countries of northern Europe focused mainly on hydrological models. In order to address the water accounting approach a pilot case located in the Andalusian Mediterranean basins was analysed. This work is presented in the fourth publication, reproduced in Annex 4. This initial analysis has served to highlight the need to develop a complementary software that allows unify the results of hydrological and water management models for calculating water accounts. The development of this software, which has been called AQUACCOUNTS, and its application to a general case with all the detail required in water resources planning has been published in the fifth article presented in Annex 5, taking the Júcar River Basin as a case study. From these results, a classification of water exploitation systems was carried out according to their degree of stress. These results were compared with the ones in Annex 2 which proposes the use of the indicator of exploitable water resources and which has been obtained with the traditional water balances approach. Finally, Annex 6 includes the last publication of this thesis focused on the effects of climate change in the Po River Basin (Italy) by using water accounting. This work has served to identify those key elements within the simulation models and opens the door to improve them within the approach proposed by the SEEA-W. This thesis aims to collaborate with those responsible for European policies in water resource planning for the application of those methodologies and tools appropriate to each territory. / [ES] Las nuevas políticas europeas establecidas en el Blueprint (EC, 2012) proponen el uso de la contabilidad del agua para la asignación y reserva de los recursos. Esta corrección del rumbo (cambio de paradigma) contrasta con el cálculo de balances que se ha venido utilizando desde el siglo pasado en España para dicho fin. Según la Comisión Europea (EC, 2015) la diferencia entre ambos planteamientos se halla en la inclusión de la componente económica. Este argumento es indiscutible, pero habría que añadir además que tanto las "asset accounts" como las tablas físicas de uso y suministro requieren un tipo de información que hasta ahora no se había considerado. A la vista de este nuevo reto, el uso de los modelos hidrológicos y de gestión de los recursos hídricos se hace imprescindible. Con esta tesis se pretende llevar a cabo una metodología que permita la transición entre los balances hídricos y las cuentas del agua teniendo en cuenta las especiales características de las cuencas mediterráneas (con un elevado grado de regulación y el uso de recursos no convencionales). En esta misma línea se plantea la definición de un indicador que trate de discutir el comportamiento conjunto de un sistema de recursos hídricos y que tenga en consideración el origen de los recursos empleados como medida del grado de estrés de los sistemas. Esta tesis se presenta por compendio de publicaciones y trata de abordar las metodologías e indicadores utilizados hasta la fecha en la planificación y gestión de los recursos hídricos. En primer lugar se analiza el estado del arte que constituye la primera publicación de la tesis, tal y como se detalla en el Anexo 1. La segunda publicación, analiza los elementos clave para la formulación de balances que determinarán, en gran medida, los resultados obtenidos, tal y como se detalla en el Anexo 2. La tercera publicación, en el Anexo 3, trata de explicar cómo en las cuencas donde el aprovechamiento de los recursos es cercano o incluso superior a su disponibilidad, el uso de los balances basados únicamente en variables como la precipitación y la temperatura no son suficientes, sino que debido a la alta regulación de los recursos debe recurrirse además a los modelos de gestión. Este planteamiento contrasta con las propuestas planteadas por los países del norte de Europa centrados principalmente en los modelos hidrológicos. Para abordar el tema se ha partido de un caso piloto localizado en las cuencas mediterráneas andaluzas. Este trabajo se presenta en la cuarta publicación, que se reproduce en el Anexo 4. A partir de este análisis inicial, se vio la necesidad de desarrollar un software complementario que permitiese unificar tanto la información de partida como los resultados de los modelos hidrológicos y de gestión para el cálculo de la contabilidad del agua. El desarrollo de este software, que ha sido denominado AQUACCOUNTS, y su aplicación a un caso general con todo el detalle requerido en planificación se ha publicado en el quinto artículo que se presenta en el Anexo 5, siendo la Demarcación Hidrográfica del Júcar el caso de estudio. A partir de los resultados obtenidos se ha llevado a cabo una clasificación de los sistemas de explotación según su grado de desarrollo comparándose con los resultados obtenidos en el Anexo 2 que propone el uso del indicador de recursos explotables y que se ha obtenido con las metodologías tradicionales de balances. Por último, el Anexo 6 recoge la última publicación de esta tesis en la que se analizan los efectos del cambio climático en la cuenca del río Po (Italia) mediante el uso de la contabilidad del agua. Este trabajo ha servido para identificar aquellos elementos clave dentro de los modelos de simulación y abre las puertas a una mejora de los mismos dentro del enfoque planteado por el SEEA-W. Esta tesis pretende colaborar con los responsables de las políticas europeas en materia de planificación para la apl / [CAT] Les noves polítiques europees establides en el Blueprint (EC, 2012) proposen l'ús de la comptabilitat de l'aigua per a l'assignació i reserva dels recursos hídrics. Esta correcció del rumb (o canvi de paradigma) contrasta amb el càlcul de balanços que s'ha utilitzat des del segle passat a Espanya per a aquesta finalitat. Segons la Comissió Europea (EC, 2015) la diferència entre ambdós plantejaments es troba en la inclusió de la component econòmica. Este argument és indiscutible, però caldria afegir a més que tant les "asset accounts" com les taules físiques d'ús i subministrament requerixen un tipus d'informació que fins ara no s'havia considerat. A la vista d'este nou repte, l'ús dels models hidrològics i de gestió dels recursos hídrics es fa imprescindible. Amb esta tesi es pretén dur a terme una metodologia que permeta la transició entre els balanços hídrics i els comptes de l'aigua tenint en compte les especials característiques de les conques mediterrànies (amb un elevat grau de regulació i l'ús de recursos no convencionals). En esta mateixa línia es planteja la definició d'un indicador que tracte de discutir el comportament conjunt d'un sistema de recursos hídrics i que tinga en consideració l'origen dels recursos empleats com a mesura del grau d'estrés dels sistemes. Esta tesi es presenta per compendi de publicacions i tracta d'abordar les metodologies i indicadors utilitzats fins a la data en la planificació i gestió dels recursos hídrics. En primer lloc s'analitza l'estat de l'art que constituïx la primera publicació de la tesi, tal com es detalla en l'Annex 1. La segona publicació, analitza els elements clau per a la formulació de balanços que determinaran, en gran manera, els resultats obtinguts, tal com es detalla en l'Annex 2. La tercera publicació, en l'Annex 3, tracta d'explicar com en les conques on l'aprofitament dels recursos és pròxim o inclús superior a la seua disponibilitat, l'ús dels balanços basats únicament en variables com la precipitació i la temperatura no són suficients, sinó que a causa de l'alta regulació dels recursos ha de recórrer-se a més als models de gestió. Este plantejament contrasta amb les propostes plantejades pels països del nord d'Europa centrats principalment en el models hidrològics. Per a abordar el tema s'ha partit d'un cas pilot localitzat en les conques mediterrànies andaluses. Este treball es presenta en la quarta publicació, que es reproduïx en l'Annex 4. A partir d'aquest anàlisi inicial, es va veure la necessitat de desenrotllar una ferramenta complementaria que permetera unificar tant la informació de partida com els resultats dels models hidrològics i de gestió per al càlcul de la comptabilitat de l'aigua. El desenrotllament d'esta ferramenta, que ha sigut denominat AQUACCOUNTS, i la seua aplicació a un cas general amb tot el detall requerit en planificació s'ha publicat en el quint article que es presenta en l'Annex 5, sent la Demarcació Hidrogràfica del Xúquer el cas d'estudi. A partir dels resultats obtinguts s'ha dut a terme una classificació dels sistemes d'explotació segons el seu grau de desenrotllament comparant-se amb els resultats obtinguts en l'Annex 2 que proposa l'ús de l'indicador de recursos explotables i que s'ha obtingut amb les metodologies tradicionals de balanços. Finalment, l'Annex 6 arreplega l'última publicació d'esta tesi en què s'analitzen els efectes del canvi climàtic en la conca del riu Po (Itàlia) per mitjà de l'ús de la comptabilitat de l'aigua. Este treball ha servit per a identificar aquells elements clau dins dels models de simulació i obri les portes a una millora dels mateixos dins de l'enfocament plantejat pel SEEA-W. Esta tesi pretén col·laborar amb els responsables de les polítiques europees en matèria de planificació per a l'aplicació d'aquelles metodologies i ferramentes més adequades a cada territori. / Pedro Monzonís, M. (2016). Assessment of water exploitation indexes based on water accounting [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/71677 / TESIS

Avec pour cas d’étude les Programmes de mesures de la Directive-cadre « stratégie pour le milieu marin », cette thèse étudie les usages attendus et effectifs des évaluations économiques, et plus largement du langage économique, dans l’élaboration des politiques publiques d’environnement. En France, les Programmes de mesures ont été élaborés via des réunions rassemblant des membres des administrations centrales et déconcentrées ainsi que des parties prenantes, aussi bien au niveau national qu’à l’échelle des sous-régions marines. Une étude des incidences socio-économiques et environnementales des mesures nouvelles, présentée comme une analyse coût-efficacité, a été conduite par des bureaux d’études. Des observations directes ont été menées au cours de 27 de ces réunions.Une analyse de contenu des discours ainsi collectés montre un faible recours au langage économique (i.e. interventions et arguments économiques). Toutefois, la proportion de langage économique dans l’ensemble des discours augmente après la présentation des résultats de l’étude d’incidences. L’absence d’objectifs bien définis et majoritairement acceptés par les parties prenantes émergeant du processus d’élaboration des Programmes de mesures explique en partie la difficulté qu’a eue l’étude d’incidence à remplir son rôle d’outil d’aide à la décision. L’élaboration des Programmes de mesures a alors été analysée comme un processus de coordination entre agents, nécessitant l’émergence de représentations communes des problèmes d’environnement marin, dans un contexte de forte incertitude. Une analyse textuelle menée sur 25 extraits d’entretiens auprès de participants au processus d’élaboration des Programmes de mesures fait apparaître la coexistence de quatre représentations du Bon état écologique. / With a focus on the programmes of measures of the European marine Strategy Framework Directive, this work explores the expected and effective uses of economic valuation, and more widely of economic language, in support of the implementation of environmental public policy. In France, the programmes of measures were elaborated via meetings gathering central and decentralised administration members as well as stakeholders, both at national and sub-marine regions scales. A socio-economic and environmental impact assessment of new measures, presented as a cost-effectivness analysis, has been conducted by external consultants. Direct observations were conducted during 27 of those meetings. A content analysis of collected speeches shows that economic language (i.e. economic interventions and arguments) is hardly ever used. However the share of economic language within speeches increases once the impact assessment of new measures has been introduced. The lack of well defined and widely accepted objectives arising from the programmes of measures elaboration process partly explain why impact assessment struggled to find its place as a tool for supporting decision-making. The Programme of measures elaboration has then been analysed as a coordination process, requiring emergence of shared representations of marine environment issues, in a highly unpredictable context. The textual analysis of 25 interviews extracts, conducted with participants to the programme of measures elaboration process, highlights the coexistence of four representations of the Good environmental status.

This cumulative dissertation presents an environmental economic geography approach to the study of waste and recycling. Thereby, it introduces the notion of ‘waste economies’, which describes the conjunction of the production of waste with the societal handling as well as the valorisation of waste. Two distinct regional case studies serve to illustrate different aspects of waste economies. The first case investigates the valorisation of surplus manure from intensive livestock farming through biogas production in a highly industrialized rural region in north-western Germany – the example of manure and digestate in the Oldenburger Münsterland. The second case focuses on the recovery and revalorisation of wasted materials in the labour-intensive urban informal economy of a metropolitan area in eastern India – the example of informal plastic recycling networks in Kolkata. On a theoretical level, the conceptualization of waste economies is located at the intersection of environmental economic geography and the interdisciplinary field of waste studies. It draws on the global production networks approach, social metabolism and Marxist political economy to analyse waste as a form of ‘hybrid’ socio-nature. Following a qualitative research methodology, the analysis of the two cases depicts the close entanglement of economic and environmental processes in the production, societal handling and economic valorisation of waste, and reveals how this intersection is conducive for capital accumulation. Three different economic processes and dynamics serve as central analytical dimensions to delineate the characteristics of waste economies with regard to the expanded reproduction of capital accumulation, that is, the continued growth of capitalist economies: processes of externalisation as well as dynamics of expansion and intensification. Through the combined up-scaled analysis of two empirical cases on a higher level of theoretical abstraction, this dissertation offers a better understanding of the economic function of waste in growth-oriented capitalist economies. In this way, it contributes to the global recycling network and global destruction network approaches within economic geography and relates them to scholarly concerns about global environmental change.