<p>The geographic distribution of dengue fever has increased worldwide in recent years and is at present the most widespread vector borne viral disease in the world (Halstead 2002). Because of its rapid spread and increasing seriousness of its complications it is considered to be the most troubling vector borne disease (Wilcox and Colwell 2005, Phillips 2008). Dengue fever is the one vector borne disease that poses the greatest threat to New Zealand. Imported cases are being reported in ever increasing numbers and all the components for a mosquito borne disease cycle is already present (Ministry of Health 1997). Furthermore, New Zealand’s geographic isolation makes it a unique location for studying the emergence of vector borne diseases, such as dengue. The objective of this thesis was - by using case studies on dengue fever on a global scale and the potential emergence of the disease in isolated New Zealand as examples – to explore the interlinkages between global changes (climate change and rapid urbanisation), globalisation (rapid travel and trade), and their local impacts on vulnerability and health (i.e. changes in local climate, travel and trade patterns and demographic changes that affect emergence and transmission of disease). This was done by 1) reviewing the ecological and environmental conditions necessary for dengue transmission; 2) examining key social and environmental factors contributing to the recent global increase in dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and 3) drawing projections to 2070 in order to build future scenarios for epidemic dengue risks in New Zealand. Regression analysis were used to analyse 16 years of area specific dengue rates from 232 geographical areas in relation to key social and environmental factors proposed to contribute to dengue emergence. The results were tested on the mainland of New Zealand in order to build future scenarios for epidemic dengue risks in New Zealand for 2070. The outcome from the regression analysis proved to have a good ability to predict dengue rates based on national characteristics and it predicted a nearly fourfold increase in risk of epidemic for New Zealand’s North Island based on climate projections for 2070. The projected increase in population density however, had much less of an effect on the perceived risk than the projected climate change despite an estimated increase of 33% in population density. This is the first study that makes an attempt to measure the relative importance of different social and environmental variables proposed to contribute in the recent global increase in dengue.</p>

<p>West African fisheries, considered as one of the most productive in the world, have been subjected to stress by distant fishing fleets since the 1950’s. The introduction of Exclusive Economic Zones by the United Nations in the 1970’s made it possible for these fleets to fish only under fishing agreements signed with a hosting land, provided that they will harvest the surplus left by the local fishing fleet. In the last two decades, China has emerged as an important fishing nation in West Africa. Although there is clear evidence that Chinese vessels operate in the area, information on Chinese fishing agreements with West African countries is often missing. The implications on local fisheries are considerable. Lack of data regarding fish landings in the region may result in an increase of unsustainable fishing. The results of this study show considerable involvement of Chinese fishing vessels in illegal fishing in West Africa. In addition to the substantial loss of revenues to local nations, the negative impacts of illegal fishing on the marine ecosystem are likely to affect human populations that rely on these ecosystems. As the vulnerability of these people, many of them living in poor rural communities, is already high, unsustainable fisheries and a potential shift in the state of the marine ecosystem is likely to worsen their situation even more. Most West African countries lack capital resources to invest in monitoring, control and surveillance authorities, making illegal fishing relatively effortless. A better capacity to deter this type of activities is likely to have a significant improvement on West African fisheries. In addition, Chinese authorities, committed to the United Nations Law of the Sea, have the responsibility to take action against Chinese vessels that perform illegal activities in other parts of the world. A decrease in Chinese illegal fishing activities in West Africa, assessed to be considerable based on the studies’ results, will improve the possibility for achieving sustainable fisheries in the region.</p>

<p>Abstract. Parrotfish, a herbivorous reef fish, is considered to play an important role within coral reef ecosystems, enhancing coral reef resilience by keeping algal growth in check, allowing slower-growing coral recruits to settle. The functional performance of parrotfish species has been indicated to be dependent on body size. Albeit increasing size selective fishing pressure maintains, leading to immense effects on the dynamics of coral reefs, with consequences often much larger than changes in biomass and abundance of the targeted stock itself. The relative importance of the relationship between function (grazing) and body-size was tested in two parrotfish species (Scarus niger and Chlorurus sordidus) in the Red Sea. A non-linear relationship was found between functional performance and body size, with function found to increase notably as fishes reach a size of 15-20 cm At a regional level, parrotfish function was found to be low. These findings support the idea of a generalized ecological pattern of functional performance in parrotfishes. Demographic skewness within parrotfish species populations could easily be incorporated in routine monitoring schemes, thus act as a comparatively cheap and easily monitored indicator for assessing coral reef resilience, especially useful for managers in areas of limited budgets. Other alternative stable states than macroalgae, are speculated to be the case in the Red Sea.</p>

<p>Cultural landscapes provide goods and services that humans depend on. Managingsuch landscapes requires an institutional context that is safeguarding its functions.Collaboration among various stakeholders, organizations and authorities for establishingecosystem- based management is considered to be a major challenge and often transformationin governance is required. While governance that is integrating agencies across multiplespatial and institutional levels is increasingly suggested in trans-disciplinary research onsocial-ecological systems, processes on how to achieve this are poorly understood.Social learning is acknowledged for enhancing collaboration among multiplestakeholders, to increase actors’ capacity to deal effectively with the plurality of perceptions,to take collective decisions and to learn from experience. This case study is arguing that aninternational organization can trigger social learning. Emphasizing the role of guidance, thesense of prestige and creation of a common platform, specifically, it is exploring learningconditions, procedures and outcomes within a stakeholder group that is carrying out theWorld Heritage nomination of a cultural landscape in Bali. It exemplifies the challenge formanagement of a social-ecological system, in which no longer only the local resource usersand authorities have interest concerning the cultural landscape they are living in, but alsoglobal agencies are influencing management and hence the ecosystem itself.In that sense, the study is supporting the need of multi-scale governance dealing withglobal changes in natural resource management. It provides an example of a global actorsupporting self- organized learning processes. Though a structural social learning analysis, theunderstanding for this concept is deepened. Results reveal the potential and limits of aninternational organization in triggering sense making for a common vision, integratingstakeholders across vertical and horizontal scales and changing institutional frameworks thatenhance further learning and collaboration.</p>

<p>To engage in environmental and social issues is getting more important for companies, and many companies have integrated environmental considerations into their business. Consumers have a strong influence on companies and their environmental awareness and willingness to pay affects the companies work within the environmental field. The consumption of clothes has grown rapidly and the average Swede spends 3.9 percent of their income on clothes. The production process of clothes can harm the environment, society and the consumers themselves. So the purpose of this thesis is to see if consumers have a willingness to pay extra for an environmentally friendly garment. The aim is also to identify what factors that may influence consumers’ decisions. A survey containing a contingent valuation has been conducted. The results show that a prominent majority, 89 percent, of the respondents stated that they would pay extra to make sure the garment they buy is eco-friendly, and the median for the amount they are willing to spend is 65 SEK extra. This indicates that there is an interest from the consumers to pay extra to make sure environmental consideration is taken in production of clothes. The awareness of the indirect harm that purchasing clothes can cause themselves, others and the environment and how intensely consumers feel that it is their own responsibility not to cause that harm, probably have an influence on peoples’ willingness to pay extra.</p>

<p>Poverty and degradation of ecosystem services are prevalent features of the livelihood insecurity of coastal communities in Zanzibar, Tanzania. Livelihood diversification is typical in coastal rural areas and it is increasingly important to identify opportunities for income generation and ways to alleviate poverty. Sustainable enterprises provide a strong tool for livelihood development, but are still unable to find pathway towards development of ecosystem services and sustainable enterprises in coastal communities in Zanzibar.The aim of this study is to understand the existing livelihood diversification and income generating patterns in order to introduce sustainable enterprises in the future. Also, we aim to identify the conditions of the present dominant livelihood activities in terms of sustainability. During the study a household survey was conducted using a sample of 200 households from five coastal villages in Zanzibar. The data was collected by maintaining a daily diary and conducting comprehensive interviews. The statistical techniques, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), linear regression and other statistical measures were used to analyze the results. The ANOVA technique is used to test the differences in income generated by different livelihood sectors. The regression analysis techniques are employed to find out whether there is a correlation between numbers of livelihood activities and income.The results show that livelihood diversification is very high in coastal households in Zanzibar. With respect to ecosystem-based livelihoods, there is more household participation in fishing and seaweed farming, but it varies from village to village. Furthermore, fisheries and tourism are the most important sectors, and offer more opportunities to generate higher income for households. The findings suggest that there is space to improve the current dominant livelihood sectors in a sustainable way in the future. Livelihood management strategies are needed to take into account the market opportunities and their roles in livelihood development. Also, there is a need to identify possibilities to enhance livelihood opportunities in sectors with low household participation as an important way to reduce pressure on ecosystems. Finally, we outline the possible future impact of unsustainable development and of sustainable enterprises, and highlight the importance of a collaborative sustainable enterprise system to ensure livelihood security.</p>

<p>Adaptive co-management (ACM) has downplayed the role that diversity withincommunities could play in management schemes. It has understood communities asgroups of persons with similar interests. This thesis attempts to explore some of theconsequences that diversity of preferences of the future over social-ecologicaltrajectories within communities could have on adaptive co-management processes.The relevance of understanding this lies in the urgency of finding solutions thatpromote better resource and environmental management aimed at sustainability. Thefollowing work uses scenarios as a way to explore the effects that diversity ofpreferences within communities might have on ACM processes.</p>

<p>Rapporten beskriver examensarbetet Gamla idéer med nya lösningar utfört av Erik Björk,</p><p>avgångsstudent från utbildningsprogrammet möbeldesign vid Carl Malmsten Centrum för</p><p>Träteknik & Design vid Linköpings universitet. Examensarbetet är genomfört i samarbete med</p><p>IKEA of Sweden.</p><p>Syftet med det designuppdrag som jag har genomfört i samband med examensarbetet har varit att</p><p>ta fram fyra möbler utifrån givna förutsättningar i 7 olika möbelfabriker, som alla arbetar med</p><p>massivt trä som råvara. Utifrån dessa förutsättningar skulle jag dels skapa produkter som</p><p>tillvaratar materialets unika egenskaper och därigenom ej är möjliga att imitera i andra material.</p><p>Dels ge produkterna originalitet och personlighet genom att utforska den skandinaviska</p><p>identiteten och mitt egna ursprung samt kommunicera detta genom produkterna. Var produkt</p><p>skall ha en historia att berätta.</p><p>Att ta fram fyra möbler parallellt under 10 veckor har varit en utmaning. Stundvis har det känts</p><p>som att en produkt hade varit nog men i efterhand är jag glad att det var fyra. Detta har gjort att</p><p>tankar och idéer har kunnat ligga och gro under en tid utan att projektet har stannat upp. Antalet</p><p>produkter har i detta fall varit avgörande. I och med det har jag kunnat bearbeta vissa produkter</p><p>under tiden som andra har legat i träda.</p><p>Resultatet består av fyra prototyper som ska utvärderas och eventuellt utvecklas för produktion.</p>

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Lovisa och Mikael engagerades som medlemmar i delprojekten ”Justering/optimering av kamfack” och ”Avlastning/sittmöjligheter” (se fig. 2:1). I detta kapitel beskrivs Lovisas och Mikaels arbetsinsatser, vad de resulterade i samt hur de själva upplevde att delta som medarbetare i de två projekten. Avslutningsvis beskrivs hur deras förslag att förbättra kamfackens höjochsänkbarhet togs emot inom Posten.