A certificação de Sistemas de gestão ambiental tem se tornado quase uma obrigação para as Organizações, face ao aumento da conscientização da sociedade para os problemas relacionados ao meio ambiente. Este trabalho busca identificar se a certificação de Sistemas de gestão ambiental promove a efetiva melhoria do desempenho ambiental de empresas Brasileiras e se estes sistemas permitem uma relação custo-benefício favorável a estas Organizações. A metodologia, baseada na pesquisa qualitativa, utiliza como instrumentos a aplicação de um questionário com questões fechadas e análise de documentos do Sistema de Gestão Ambiental de Organizações certificadas há mais de dois anos. Os resultados da pesquisa conseguiram demonstrar que, embora ainda existam diversos pontos com potencial de melhoria nos sistemas pesquisados, as Organizações estão conseguindo melhorar seu desempenho ambiental ao longo do tempo e também auferir benefícios econômicos com a operação destes sistemas. Foi observado que o foco principal dos sistemas implementados nas Organizações pesquisadas está concentrado mais no sistema propriamente dito do que na busca de uma efetiva melhoria do desempenho ambiental, que é o ponto central do objetivo da implantação de um Sistema de Gestão Ambiental, segundo a norma ABNT NBR ISO 14001 (ABNT, 2004). Algumas das ações tomadas pelas Organizações já demonstram alinhamento com a tendência atual de busca da sustentabilidade, o que representa um potencial positivo para a disseminação da importância destes sistemas como uma das ferramentas a serem utilizadas para se cumprir as diretrizes estabelecidas na Agenda 21. / The certification of Environmental Management Systems has almost become a obligation for Organizations, because of the increasing societys consciousness about the problems related to the environment. This paper seeks identify whether the certification of Environmental Management Systems promotes the effective improvement of environmental performance of Brazilian companies and whether these systems provide a favorable cost-benefit ratio to these Organizations. The methodology, based on qualitative research, uses as instruments the application of a questionnaire of closed questions and analysis of documents from the Environmental Management Systems of Organizations certified since more than two years. The results of the research achieved to demonstrate that, even though there are several points of potential improvement in the systems evaluated, the Organizations are able to improve its environmental performance over time and also reap economic benefits due to the operation of these systems. It was observed that the main focus of the systems implemented in the evaluated Organizations is more concentrated in the system itself than in looking for the effective environmental performance improvement, which is the core point of the objective of the implementation of a Environmental Management System, according to the standard ABNT NBR ISO 14001 (ABNT, 2004). Some of the actions taken by the Organizations already show alignment with the current trend of seeking for sustainability, which represents a positive potential for disseminating the importance of these systems as a tool to be used to meet the guidelines set forth in Agenda 21.

A certificação de Sistemas de gestão ambiental tem se tornado quase uma obrigação para as Organizações, face ao aumento da conscientização da sociedade para os problemas relacionados ao meio ambiente. Este trabalho busca identificar se a certificação de Sistemas de gestão ambiental promove a efetiva melhoria do desempenho ambiental de empresas Brasileiras e se estes sistemas permitem uma relação custo-benefício favorável a estas Organizações. A metodologia, baseada na pesquisa qualitativa, utiliza como instrumentos a aplicação de um questionário com questões fechadas e análise de documentos do Sistema de Gestão Ambiental de Organizações certificadas há mais de dois anos. Os resultados da pesquisa conseguiram demonstrar que, embora ainda existam diversos pontos com potencial de melhoria nos sistemas pesquisados, as Organizações estão conseguindo melhorar seu desempenho ambiental ao longo do tempo e também auferir benefícios econômicos com a operação destes sistemas. Foi observado que o foco principal dos sistemas implementados nas Organizações pesquisadas está concentrado mais no sistema propriamente dito do que na busca de uma efetiva melhoria do desempenho ambiental, que é o ponto central do objetivo da implantação de um Sistema de Gestão Ambiental, segundo a norma ABNT NBR ISO 14001 (ABNT, 2004). Algumas das ações tomadas pelas Organizações já demonstram alinhamento com a tendência atual de busca da sustentabilidade, o que representa um potencial positivo para a disseminação da importância destes sistemas como uma das ferramentas a serem utilizadas para se cumprir as diretrizes estabelecidas na Agenda 21. / The certification of Environmental Management Systems has almost become a obligation for Organizations, because of the increasing societys consciousness about the problems related to the environment. This paper seeks identify whether the certification of Environmental Management Systems promotes the effective improvement of environmental performance of Brazilian companies and whether these systems provide a favorable cost-benefit ratio to these Organizations. The methodology, based on qualitative research, uses as instruments the application of a questionnaire of closed questions and analysis of documents from the Environmental Management Systems of Organizations certified since more than two years. The results of the research achieved to demonstrate that, even though there are several points of potential improvement in the systems evaluated, the Organizations are able to improve its environmental performance over time and also reap economic benefits due to the operation of these systems. It was observed that the main focus of the systems implemented in the evaluated Organizations is more concentrated in the system itself than in looking for the effective environmental performance improvement, which is the core point of the objective of the implementation of a Environmental Management System, according to the standard ABNT NBR ISO 14001 (ABNT, 2004). Some of the actions taken by the Organizations already show alignment with the current trend of seeking for sustainability, which represents a positive potential for disseminating the importance of these systems as a tool to be used to meet the guidelines set forth in Agenda 21.

This research investigates ways to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions from the cement industry. Cement is one of the largest sources of man-made greenhouse gases, contributing ~5% of the global total. 40% of emissions from cement come from the fuel used in the process, while the electricity used contributes a further 5%. The focus of the research is to find operational changes that can reduce emissions without the need for large capital investment. Three cement plants in the UK were investigated using four different mathematical models based on real data from the plants. A new metric for assessing the environmental impact of the fuel mix of a plant was proposed, and evidence indicates that it may be a better predictor of environmental performance than the metrics currently used in industry. The research found that consistently improving this fuel metric to best-observed levels, as well as reducing the excess air ratio to industry-standard levels had the potential to reduce fuel consumption by up to 7%, and fuel derived CO2 emissions by up to 12%. Increasing use of biomass to best-observed levels had the potential to reduce the net fuel derived CO2 emissions by up to 20%. Comparing the proposed improvements to the historic range of plant performance showed that this level of performance is within the normal operating range of the plants. A reduction of 2-4% in electricity costs and electricity derived emissions was also possible from operational changes. These savings would reduce operating costs as well as emissions, and require little to no capital investment, meaning they could be implemented directly. If successfully implemented in the near future the total savings by 2050 would be on a similar scale to those expected from much more expensive technology changes, such as upgrading to new cement plants, or installing carbon capture and storage technology.

Trachoma is a major public health concern throughout Ethiopia and other parts of the developing world. Control efforts have largely focused on the antibiotic treatment (A) and surgery (S) components of the World Health Organizations (WHO) SAFE strategy. Although S and A efforts have had a positive impact, this approach may not be sustainable. Consequently, this study focuses on the latter two primary prevention components; facial cleanliness (F) and environmental improvement (E). A geographical approach is employed to gain a better understanding of how culture, economics, environment and behaviour are interacting to determine disease risk in the Kembata Zone of Southern Ethiopia. Specifically, mixed methods were used to investigate what social and environmental factors are influencing the distribution of active trachoma amongst children (aged one to nine) in the Kedida Gamela and Damboya Woredas of the Kembata Zone. The research was completed in collaboration with ORBIS Ethiopia – an NGO providing ophthalmology services - and is a follow up to a baseline trachoma survey conducted in the region. ORBIS Ethiopia provided data on the household trachoma prevalence and the knowledge, aptitude and practices (KAP) of household heads. These data sets were linked in ArcGIS to the geographic coordinates for each household surveyed. Mixed effects logistic regression was used to investigate the strength of a set of fourteen predictor variables in 1) determining whether or not a child a had active trachoma (TF or TI) and 2) determining the level of active trachoma (TF or TI) a child had, given that they had active disease. Younger age, an unclean face and low household expenses were found to be significant risk factors for active trachoma (p < 0.05). Older age and an unclean face were found to be significant risk factors (p < 0.05) for TI, the more severe form, in children with trachoma. Next, the Kulldorff spatial scan statistic was used to identify and map clusters of each risk factor as well as clusters of active disease. The results identified areas of overrepresentation of cases (i.e. active disease, unclean faces, low monthly expenses and low latrine ownership) where the need for intervention is particularly high. Qualitative data from in-depth interviews and focus groups with household heads, teachers and health care professionals were used to identify factors that were encouraging or impeding facial cleanliness and environmental improvement efforts to reduce the spread of trachoma. Lack of food, water and money were identified as important concerns amongst household heads. Based on the interviews with teachers, the study recommends that hygiene education be supported by appropriate access to water in schools. The results of the qualitative and quantitative analyses converged and support continued implementation of the facial cleanliness (F) and environmental improvement (E) components of the WHO’s SAFE strategy.

Höga krav på energirapportering ställs på stora företag i Sverige och med hänsyn till de Globala Hållbarhetsmålen måste industrin ställa om till en mer hållbar produktion. I projektet LEDA-GRÖNT, ett samarbete mellan Chalmers och KTH, ska miljöförbättringsmetoden Green Performance Map spridas i syfte att inom industriella processer, genom minskad resursanvändning, bidra till en mer hållbar produktion. I detta arbete har metoden undersökts genom litteraturstudier och intervjuer i en jämförelse med miljöförbättringsmetoden Energikaizen1  för att få perspektiv på hur energiaspekten inom industriella processer kan undersökas ytterligare. Den förstnämnda miljöförbättringsmetoden undersöker användning av resurser såsom vatten, material och energi men syftet med detta arbete var att undersöka endast energiaspekten av metoden. Inget företag har besökts under detta arbete men intervjuer har genomförts med personer som på något sätt har arbetat med någon eller båda av dessa metoder och som arbetar på antingen Scania eller AstraZeneca. En viktig avgränsning som har gjorts inom arbetet var det faktum att endast energiaspekten av Green Performance Map undersöktes, trots att det finns flera andra aspekter som skulle kunna ge betydande resultat. Rapporten avgränsades även till att endast undersöka två miljöförbättringsmetoder för att hålla sig inom ramen för arbetets storlek. I detta arbete har tre huvudsakliga frågor besvarats, dessa berör metodernas användningsområden, kompletteringsmöjligheter och utmaningar. De främsta resultaten av arbetet är att det finns möjligheter för dessa metoder att kombineras, att metoderna har olika förutsättningar och utmaningar samt att metoderna överlappar varandra och har olika typer av fördelar under olika förhållanden. I resultatet presenteras två möjligheter att kombinera metoderna, två kombinationer som bygger på att de båda metoderna, i sin helhet, kan användas som en utbyggnad av varandra. I analysen diskuteras möjlig- heterna att kombinera metoderna samt hur de i sina styrkor kan överlappa varandras utmaningar. Betydelsen av dessa resultat är att det finns anledning och potential för vidare undersökningar, samt att liknande jämförelser kan göras med andra metoder för att hitta bästa möjliga sätt att hitta miljöförbättringsmöjligheter inom industriella processer. / Great demands in energy reporting are placed on large companies in Sweden and according to the Sustainable Development Goals, the industry must adapt to a more sustainable production. This report provides a short review of the project LEDA-GRÖNT [LEAD-GREEN , my translation], a cooperation between the Swedish universities Chalmers and KTH, in which the environmental improvement method Green Performance Map is an important part. Its purpose, which comes from a reduction of resource use in industrial processes, is contributing to a more sustainable production. In this report, the method has been analyzed with the help of literature studies and interviews in acomparison with the environmental improvement method Energy Kaizen to gain perspective on how energy aspects in industrial processes can be further investigated. The former environmental improvement method contains the use of the environmental aspects like water, materials and energy but the purpose of this report was to investigate only the energy aspect of the method. No company has been visited while writing this report but the respondents in the interviews were people with some kind of connection to one or both of these methods and they work at either Scania or AstraZeneca. Important delimitations that have been made within this report were the fact that only the energy aspect of the method Green Performance Map was analyzed, despite the fact that there are several other aspects that could give significant results. Also, the report was limited to only two environmental methods to stay within the frames for the size of this work. In this report, three major questions have been answered, and these concern areas of application for both methods, possibilities for complementation, and challenges in the methods. The main results are that there exist opportunities for these methods to be combined, but also that both methods have different prerequisites and challenges. Also, the methods overlap each other and have different types of advantages under different conditions. Two possible ways to combine the methods are introduced in the results. These suggestions were based on the idea that both methods, as a whole, can beused as an extension of the other method. In the analysis, the possibilities to combine the methods and how they can overlap the challenges of the other method were discussed. The significance of these results is that there are reasons and there is potential to investigate this type of study further, and that similar comparisons can be made with other methods to find the most efficient way of finding environmental improvement opportunities in industrial processes.