Thesis (Ph. D. (Economics))--University of Pretoria, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 174-181).

Thesis (M.U.D.)--University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves iv-iv).

Thesis (doctoral)--Göteborgs universitet, 2003. / Extra t.p. with thesis statement inserted. Includes bibliographical references.

In Sweden, EU: s Water Framework Directive led to an investigation that started in April 2012 by the Swedish government, called Vattenverksamhetsutredningen freely translated to "Water Activities Survey", with the purpose to investigate the Environmental Code’s rules concerning water activities and water plants. The survey is divided into 3 reports, two sub-reports and a final report. One of the sub-report is focused on Swedish hydropower and the investigators found that many hydropower plants have old permits. One suggestion in the survey was to reconsider old permits so they would become consistence with today’s Environmental Code. There have been discussions regarding whether Sweden will lose much of its electricity production from hydropower as an outcome if the survey’s suggestions becomes reality. The aim with this literature study is to investigate how the EU: s Water Framework Directive and the Water Activities Survey will affect Swedish hydropower and if there will be a decrease in electricity production as an outcome if the suggestions made in the survey becomes reality. The results in this literature study shows that there will probably be a decrease in production for Swedish hydropower, but with how much is hard to say because the Swedish government has not yet decided what they will do with the suggested actions in the Water Activities Survey. A comparison is done with Sweden’s import and export statistics between the years 2001-2014 with a predicted loss of 13 TWh per year, which is a number taken from a survey made by Vattenfall. A comparison with a loss of half of 13 TWh per year is also done. Between the years 2001 and 2014 Sweden imported electricity 6 out of 14 years and exported electricity 8 out of 14 years. If adding the predicted loss of 13 TWh per year to the import and export statistics, Sweden would have had to import electricity 12 years and export 2 years. If adding a loss of 6.5 TWh per year Sweden would have had to import electricity 8 years and export 6 years. The conclusions is that Sweden will have to import a lot more electricity if only looking at import and export statistic if the loss of electricity is between 6.5-13 TWh per year.

This report is a case study of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that was prepared by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Fort Worth District for the Upper Trinity River Central City Fort Worth, Texas EIS. It utilizes a system of best practices focused on four areas of concern: adequacy of the EIS public involvement and comment process, adequacy of the EIS content considerations, adequacy of analysis considerations, and adequacy of document quality. The basic premise of this report is that Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) should be analyzed outside of the Federal government in order to ensure that the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) remains a healthy statute that continues to serve the public. This particular EIS was chosen because of the magnitude of the project and the potential ramifications it poses for the City of Fort Worth. An important goal of this report is to not only evaluate this particular EIS, but to use it as a means for answering some general questions about the employment of NEPA in the Dallas and Fort Worth (DFW) Metroplex. Perhaps this report can also be of some assistance to individuals participating with the Corps’ preparation of the EIS for the Trinity River Corridor project in Dallas. / text

Non-native parasites pose a significant threat to aquatic bio-diversity and fishery development. Many factors have facilitated the introduction of non-native parasites into England and Wales. Identifying the effects of these parasites and the importance of any changes to wild fish populations represents a considerable challenge. However, in order for the Environment Agency to identify future disease threats, effectively manage resources and implement practical and sustainable control measures, the risks posed by these parasites to fisheries must be better understood. A structured, risk-assessment process for non-native freshwater parasites is proposed. This approach includes procedures for hazard identification, impact assessment, risk management and communication. A quantitative approach to hazard identification provides an initial prediction of impact at the time of introduction to inform decisionmaking and guide preliminary control measures. This is followed by a more comprehensive framework for impact assessment that promotes understanding of changes at host, population and fishery levels. These are placed into context with the economic and ecological value of native resources. An independent 'non-native parasite review group' has been convened to ensure consistency of policy decisions and clear communication of disease risks to interested bodies. It is hoped that this wil assist the management of future invasions and provide a scientifically robust foundation on which to base proportionate control measures. The Category 2 parasites are defined as "species having a significant disease potential when introduced into waters where they do not already exist, or are non-indigenous species with unknown pathogenicity and distribution". Understanding of the dangers posed by these parasites varies considerably. Ergasilus sieboldi, Anguilicola crassus, Bothriocephalus acheilognathi and Lernaea cyprinacea, are well recognised non-native fish pathogens that pose a considerable threat to fisheries. Conversely, the effects of other introduced parasites remain poorly understood. In many cases, a paucity of published literature at the time of introduction has limited a reliable assessment of impact. Four non-native parasites were considered a priority for further study. These were Paraergasilus longidigitus (Copepoda: Poecilostomatoida), Ergasilus briani (Copepoda: Caryophylldae) Poecilostomatoida ), Atractolytocestus huronensis (Cestoda: and Philometroides sanguinea (Nematoda: Philometridae). Pathological, epidemiological and experimental investigations were undertaken to assess the effects of these parasites at host and population levels. P. longidigitus can cause pronounced pathological changes to the olfactory epithelium of infected fish. Although this damage provides the potential for disruption to spawning through reduced sensitivity to reproductive chemical cues, experimental observations combined with seasonality studies suggest that the parasite is unlikely to disrupt reproduction within infected cyprinid fisheries. Similarly, studies conducted on the caryophylidean cestode A. huronensis provide little evidence to suggest that the parasites poses a threat to car fisheries. Damage within the intesinal tract was characterised by relatively mild mechanical and inflammatory changes. Infections of up 213 parasites had no adverse affect upon the conditon of common carp. Based on these findings and the application of the aformentioned risk model, P. longidigitus and A. huronensis are considered to be of low disease risk to fisheries. The pathology of E. briani and P. sanguinea are described for the first time. Literature suggests that both parasites are pathogenic to juvenile fIsh. E. briani causes a number of pathological changes within the gils of juvenile cyprinids, although these remain localised due to the very strict site specificity of the parasite. Migrations of the nematode P. sanguinea causes damage to the fins and caudal musculature of juvenile crucian car. For both parasites, the extent and severity of pathological changes are inversely proprtional to host size. Further studies at the population level are needed before an assessment of impact to fisheries can be made. The difficulties associated with studying the effects of introduced parasites to juvenile fish populations in the wild are recognised. Recommendations for further study are given.

It was determined in the mid- 1990s that Highway 95 in southern Nevada had experienced a tremendous increase in traffic and increased safety hazards for motorists due to growth in population and commerce in the Southwest. Federal, state, and local governments worked to find a solution to the impacts of increased traffic and have chosen a number of alternatives related to highway expansion. This is an American Indian ethnographic study for the Big Springs Highway 95 Corridor Project. The study area included the Big Spring Complex and associated American Indian sites potentially impacted by the westward expansion of U.S. 95 north of its junction with U.S. 15. The study does not include an analysis of U.S. 95 impacts to the east of the Big Springs complex towards what is known as Lorenzi Park. This report is based on interviews with American Indian representatives from six Southern Paiute tribes and the Las Vegas Indian Center. Each tribe and organization chose to send one or more tribal members to evaluate the potential impacts to American Indian cultural resources that would occur if Highway 95 were to be expanded to incorporate a portion of the current Big Spring location. This report provides the Southern Paiute evaluations of the proposed expansion.

No description available.

No description available.

Today the use of anaerobic digestion technique emerges as an alternative to the conventional treatment method of pig slurry to the pig producers in Brazil because of the energy demanding intensive pig production and the negative environmental impact that arises during storage and use. The end products of AD technique are biogas as an energy source and digestate that can be used as a fertilizer. The study took place at two pig producers in southern Brazil in order to evaluate the biogas production in the area, its applications and environmental impact. The visited pig producers run a confined animal production system where the slurry that is used in the anaerobic digesters is diluted. The studied digesters are covered with an air tight flexible plastic membrane that takes the shape of a balloon where each digester has the volume of 620 m3. Sedimentation occurs inside each reactor where the temperature also fluctuates. The produced biogas is conveyed to a torch where the biogas is combusted. The results of this study show that the digesters are working properly but there is a need for mixing and constant temperature in order to optimize the process. Biogas is primarily suited for heat production and the digestate can be used as a fertilizer. Biogas production is considered to have a positive environmental impact if the biogas is used or combusted in a torch. There is also a need to apply a cover over the digestate during the storage time to avoid ammonia emissions. The approximated biogas potential for Rio Grande do Sul is nearly 100 GWh/year. For an approximated biogas potential of more consideration it is found that further studies of the housing systems in Rio Grande do Sul are needed. This is due to a greatly varying amount of degradable materials in the pig slurry from one ranch to another.