abstract: In the face of increasing anthropogenic threats to marine systems, marine reserves have become a popular tool to promote sustainable fisheries management and protect marine biodiversity. However, the governance structures that determine marine reserve success are not well understood. The response of resource users to reserve establishment, as well as the socioeconomic, institutional, and political contexts in which they occur, are rarely considered during reserve implementation. I use the Coupled Infrastructure Systems (CIS) framework to better understand the interdependencies between social, economic, natural, and institutional processes affecting reserve implementation and performance efficacy in the Gulf of California, Mexico. I used a combination of interviews, qualitative case study comparisons, and systematic conservation planning tools to evaluate the role of different infrastructures, institutions, and governance for marine reserve efficacy in the Gulf of California, Mexico. At a local scale, I assessed stakeholder perceptions, preferences, and knowledge on reserves in the Midriff Islands sub-region of the Gulf. My results show differences in fisher perceptions about the use of reserves for biodiversity conservation and fisheries management, misconceptions about their location, and non-compliance behavior problems. At the regional scale, I explored the trajectories of reserve implementation and performance. I show that capacity-building programs and effective collaboration between non-profit organizations, environmental, fisheries, and other government authorities are essential to coordinate efforts leading to the provisioning of infrastructure that enables effective marine reserves. Furthermore, these programs help facilitate the incorporation of fishers into diversified management and economic activities. Infrastructure provision tradeoffs should be carefully balanced for designing scientifically-sound reserves that can achieve fisheries recovery objectives and incorporating stakeholder engagement processes during the planning phase that allow fishers to include their preferences in a way that complements proposed reserve network solutions. Overall, my results highlight the importance of multiple infrastructures in understanding the dynamics of interacting action situations at various stages of marine reserve implementation and operation. I identify strengths and weaknesses within marine reserve systems that help understand what combinations of infrastructures can be influenced to increase marine reserve effectiveness and robustness to internal and external challenges, as well as delivering benefits for both nature and people. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Environmental and Resource Management 2017

abstract: Sustainability depends in part on our capacity to resolve dilemmas of the commons in Coupled Infrastructure Systems (CIS). Thus, we need to know more about how to incentivize individuals to take collective action to manage shared resources. Moreover, given that we will experience new and more extreme weather events due to climate change, we need to learn how to increase the robustness of CIS to those shocks. This dissertation studies irrigation systems to contribute to the development of an empirically based theory of commons governance for robust systems. I first studied the eight institutional design principles (DPs) for long enduring systems of shared resources that the Nobel Prize winner Elinor Ostrom proposed in 1990. I performed a critical literature review of 64 studies that looked at the institutional configuration of CIS, and based on my findings I propose some modifications of their definitions and application in research and policy making. I then studied how the revisited design principles, when analyzed conjointly with biophysical and ethnographic characteristics of CISs, perform to avoid over-appropriation, poverty and critical conflicts among users of an irrigation system. After carrying out a meta-analysis of 28 cases around the world, I found that particular combinations of those variables related to population size, countries corruption, the condition of water storage, monitoring of users behavior, and involving users in the decision making process for the commons governance, were sufficient to obtain the desired outcomes. The two last studies were based on the Peruvian Piura Basin, a CIS that has been exposed to environmental shocks for decades. I used secondary and primary data to carry out a longitudinal study using as guidance the robustness framework, and different hypothesis from prominent collapse theories to draw potential explanations. I then developed a dynamic model that shows how at the current situation it is more effective to invest in rules enforcement than in the improvement of the physical infrastructure (e.g. reservoir). Finally, I explored different strategies to increase the robustness of the system, through enabling collective action in the Basin. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Sustainability 2017

Orientador: Marcos Franke Pinto / Coorientador: Danielle de Bem Luiz / Coorientador: Elisa Helena Giglio Ponsano / Resumo: O crescimento sustentável da indústria de processamento de tilápia está diretamente relacionado com o uso eficiente de água e com a gestão da qualidade da água devolvida ao meio ambiente. Foi avaliado o uso global de água um uma planta de produção de filé de tilápia, bem como o uso de água em diferentes etapas do processamento. Para isso, foram instalados hidrômetros em 13 pontos do estabelecimento. Em seguida, foram sugeridas ações de minimização visando diminuir o uso de água. O uso global de água foi de 432 m³.dia-1, sendo a etapa de depuração responsável por 40,7% desse volume, seguida das atividades relacionadas com a limpeza (32,3%). As ações de minimização implantadas reduziram 29% do uso de água referente à área limpa do processamento da empresa. Em seguida, foi realizada a caracterização físico-química e microbiológica dos efluentes gerados na indústria para a determinação das suas cargas de poluentes. A indústria, como um todo, gerou um efluente com alta carga de matéria orgânica, sendo as etapas onde há maior contato da água com o pescado e seus resíduos (cabeça, carcaça, carne, pele, sangue e vísceras) as maiores fontes poluidoras. Os parâmetros de DBO, DQO e óleos e graxas apresentaram os valores acima dos limites estabelecidos pela legislação para lançamento em sistemas de esgotamento sanitário ou em corpos hídricos receptores. Isso evidenciou a necessidade de um tratamento prévio do efluente antes do seu descarte. Além disso, foi avaliado o potencial do efluent... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The sustainable growing of the tilapia processing industry is directly related to the efficient use of water and to the management of the quality of water returned to the environment. The global use of water in a tilapia fillet processing plant and the use of water in different processing stages were evaluated. For this, hydrometers were installed at 13 points within the premisses. Additionally, minimization actions were suggested aiming at reducing the water use. It was used 432 m3 .d-1 of water, being the depuration stage responsible for 40.7% of this volume, followed by the general cleaning process of the plant (32.3%). The applied minimization actions reduced in 29% the use of water in the clean area of the processing flow. After this, the physical-chemical and microbiological characterization of the effluents generated by the industry was performed in order to evaluate the pollutant load. The industry, as a whole, produced an effluent with high organic matter load, being the stages in which the water contacts the fish and the solid residues (head, carcass, meat trimmings, skin, blood and viscera) the main pollutant sources. The parameters BOD, COD, oils and greases presented values above the legal limits to dispose in the effluent treatment systems or in the hydric spring. This demonstrated the necessity of a previous treatment of the effluent before it is discarded. Besides that, the potential of the effluent from the depuration stage to be reused for urban purposes and... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

Submitted by Marilene Donadel (marilene.donadel@unioeste.br) on 2017-09-22T01:01:21Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Eloisa_A_Pereira_2016.pdf: 2839117 bytes, checksum: 1361115750d791c106671a486cf7dcab (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-09-22T01:01:21Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Eloisa_A_Pereira_2016.pdf: 2839117 bytes, checksum: 1361115750d791c106671a486cf7dcab (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-12-08 / Water is essential for the survival of living beings and in recent decades the debate on its availability and quality for future generations has increased, because the data and information in the literature about it have shown worrying results from an environmental point of view. The aim of this paper is to present a historical overview of the water quality in Toledo river and water availability in the city of Toledo - Paraná. For this purpose, documentary analysis of Toledo river water analysis reports and information from official organs were realized, as well as a literature review of the main Brazilian legislation for environmental preservation. The study shows that the municipal demand for water use has increased considerably in recent decades, and that its main source has been suffering the effects of the occupation of their surroundings and the discharge of effluents. The index of water quality in Toledo river demonstrated values ranging for smaller and smaller indexes along its route, indicating degradation of their ecosystem. The guarantee of water resources for future use depends on more attention from the managers and the public in relation to its use. / A água é indispensável para a sobrevivência dos seres vivos e nas últimas décadas os debates sobre sua disponibilidade e qualidade para as futuras gerações tem se acirrado, pois os dados e informações na literatura sobre a mesma têm apresentado resultados preocupantes do ponto de vista ambiental. O objetivo desse trabalho é apresentar um panorama histórico sobre a Qualidade da Água do rio Toledo - Paraná e a disponibilidade hídrica no município de Toledo. Para isso foram realizadas análises documentais de relatórios de análises de águas do rio Toledo e informações de órgãos oficiais, bem com revisão bibliográfica das principais legislações brasileiras de preservação ambiental. O estudo demonstra que a demanda de utilização hídrica do município aumentou consideravelmente nas últimas décadas e que seu principal manancial vem sofrendo com os efeitos da ocupação de seu entorno e da descarga de efluentes. O Índice de Qualidade da água do rio Toledo apresentou valores que oscilam para índices cada vez menores ao longo de seu percurso, indicando degradação de seu ecossistema. A garantia dos recursos hídricos para utilizações futuras depende de maior atenção dos gestores e da população em relação a seu uso.

The thesis investigates the nature of the relationship between the banking sector depth and long-term economic growth in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) States, assesses the banking sector development status in each of the States, and underlines the policy implications in the light of the banking-growth nexus and the banking development benchmarking models’ findings for the region by undertaking three projects. The thesis examines the nature of the relationship between banking sector depth and long-term economic growth in the NRBC—as a proxy for the GCC States— vis-à-vis the rest of the world countries. For the empirical investigation, a dynamic panel data approach, i.e. Generalised Method of Moments (GMM), is adopted over the period 1961 to 2013. By utilising mixed effects and System GMM frameworks, the research identifies the countries with the strongest banking-growth relationships and establishes the banking sector development determinants in those countries. Employing a novel benchmarking process, the thesis assesses the status of the banking sector development in each of the GCC member countries and simulates the change in the banking sector depth across the Gulf region over a period of ten years to highlight the potential policy implications for the sector development. The findings of the thesis suggest that the relationship between banking sector depth and long-term economic growth in the NRBC is non-linear, where the relationship between the banking sector depth and economic growth turns from positive to negative beyond certain levels of sector depth. In comparison to other countries, the results indicate that the banking-growth nexus in the NRBC exhibits a smaller total effect magnitude as well as a shorter time between the change in the sector depth and its effect on economic growth. The benchmarking of the banking sectors in the GCC region suggests that in five of the six member countries the banking sectors are underdeveloped. The simulation results predict that the banking sectors will develop further in half of the countries in the region, given their current levels of banking sector development determinants, while two countries require reforms in terms of undertaking regulations and policies to avoid seeing their sector development levels deteriorate. The thesis contributes to theory by confirming findings in the literature and expanding the body of knowledge through novel findings. This research also contributes to policy by demonstrating the significance of the banking sector development for long-term economic growth in the NRBC, providing policymakers in the Gulf States with the status of their banking sectors, and underlining the banking sector depth determinants that ought to be considered when setting regulations and policies that are aimed at developing the banking sector further.

Nigeria and the United Kingdom are leading oil producers within their region. Both countries are linked by their exploration and production maturity within their regions and the fact that they produce similar oil grades. Their institutional similarities and their economic status as developed and developing economies provide the platform upon which this study basis its comparative investigation. On account of the oil price phenomenon and oil supply concerns by way of reserves, this study investigates the effect of the Hotelling theory, the Hubbert theory and Engineering decline curve theory on actual production rates within Nigeria and the United Kingdom. It develops individual models for both countries, applying each theory to each country to analyse the individual effect and the effect in comparison to one another. The level of adherence of each country to these production theories is measured, following which a combination of all three theories is applied to both country cases to quantify the level of significance and relationship to actual production behaviour. The results leave us with the understanding that the Hubbert theory does indeed capture the behaviour of production in both countries even where it was not expected in the case of Nigeria. The reserve constraint remains a key factor in future production plans for both countries. The results of the empirical analysis provide evidence of strong support in the United Kingdom for the Hotelling theory and weak support in the case of Nigeria. Oil price also remains a key factor in production modelling, though less so in the case of Nigeria. The engineering modelling approach on the other hand failed to explain Nigeria’s production profile, while it captured that of the UK; indicating that production in Nigeria is yet to decline. This result is corroborated by the projected peak production date seen in the Hubbert forecast model for Nigeria, and the weaker support Nigeria shows for the Hubbert theory. The study concludes by developing a combined model using all three theories to quantitatively analyse which of them best explains the country oil production profile. The results lead us to conclude that despite the fact that there is weak support for a production theory; an empirical analysis of the data does show that the relationship may not be insignificant. The augmentation along with the combination of the production models sheds more light on actual behaviour as it provides a more in-depth understanding on actual oil production behaviour.

L'objectif de cette thèse a été de comprendre le fonctionnement économique des pêcheries et de proposer des politiques de gestion des ressources halieutiques. L'attention a été portée essentiellement sur la pêcherie crevettière guyanaise. Une première analyse a été effectuée à partir d'une base de données historique. Les premiers constats ont été que cette pêcherie a été marquée par une forte diminution de son stock, de son effort, de sa production, ce qui a conduit à la fermeture de certaines entreprises. Les premiers résultats ont permis de comprendre que la production de cette pêcherie est fortement dépendante du stock et que la forte diminution de ce dernier n'est pas liée à la surpêche. En effet, malgré une baisse considérable de l'effort de pêche et du prélèvement, le stock a continué de s'effondrer, suggérant ainsi que d'autres facteurs peuvent être mis en cause. En particulier, la zone de pêche est caractérisée par un environnement amazonien avec une mangrove importante et de nombreux cours d'eau. L'intégration de la mangrove dans l'analyse, qui a pourtant connu une diminution de sa surface dans les années 90, n'a pas permis d'expliquer l'effondrement du stock observé. Cependant l'intégration d'autres facteurs comme le débit des fleuves et la température de surface de l'océan ont permis de mieux comprendre la chute du stock dans cette filière. La pêcherie crevettière guyanaise semble en effet fortement impactée par le changement global, notamment l'augmentation de la température des eaux dans les zones de prélèvement. De surcroît, le dernier chapitre suggère que certains phénomènes endogènes à la pêcherie, comme les effets de congestion entre les navires de pêche, rendent l'ensemble de la pêcherie plus sensible à des chocs exogènes technologiques, économiques ou biologiques, en amplifiant l'impact de ces derniers sur les décisions optimales des entreprises concernant l'effort de pêche. Afin de préserver la pêcherie crevettière en Guyane française, il apparaît donc essentiel d'essayer de limiter, dans la mesure du possible, les sources du changement climatique, au lieu de modifier profondément les pratiques économiques du secteur. / The objective of this thesis was to understand the economic behavior of fisheries and to propose resource management policies. The focus was mainly on the French Guiana shrimp fishery. First an initial analysis will be performed on a historical data basis. Initial findings have showed that this fishery was characterized by a strong decrease in its stock, its effort, its production and lead to the closure of some companies. The results have helped also to understand that the production in this fishery is highly dependent on stock and the decrease of the stock is not related to overfishing. Indeed, despite a considerable decline in fishing effort and production, the stock continued to slump suggesting that other factors may be involved. In particular the fishing zone is characterized by an Amazonian environment with significant mangrove and many rivers. The integration of mangrove in the analysis, which shows a decrease in its surface in the 90s did not explain the collapse of the stock. However, the integration of other factors such as rivers and sea surface temperatures have increased understanding of stock depletion in this sector. The French Guiana shrimp fishery is highly influenced by global change, notably increasing in temperature. Moreover, the last chapter suggests that some endogenous phenomena in the fishery, like the congestion effects between fishing vessels, make the whole fishery more sensitive to technology, exogenous economic or biological shocks, amplifying their impact on the optimal business decisions regarding fishing effort. In order to save the French Guiana shrimp fishery, it appears therefore crucial to try to limit the sources of climate change instead of deeply modifying economic practices in this sector, which may lead to misunderstandings by fishermen and local political conflicts.

La richesse naturelle est-elle un gage de prospérité ou se révèle-t-elle être une malédiction? Comment le pétrole a-t-il façonné l'évolution économique des pays producteurs ? Dans le prolongement de ces interrogations, l'objectif de cette thèse est de progresser dans la compréhension des mécanismes qui font que le pétrole est, pour les pays exportateurs, aussi souvent une malédiction qu'une bénédiction. Les travaux empiriques qui constituent notre thèse permettent ainsi de répondre à trois questions distinctes : (i) quelle est la contribution du pétrole en tant que ressource énergétique (ou source d'énergie) au processus de croissance économique ? (ii) quels sont les effets directs et indirects de la dépendance aux revenus pétroliers sur la croissance économique et (iii) la malédiction pétrolière n'est-elle pas une question qui renvoie à la stabilité macroéconomique?Notre analyse met ainsi en évidence les résultats suivants : (i) une richesse pétrolière abondante et la surconsommation de pétrole observée dans une large majorité de pays exportateurs de pétrole contribuent positivement au processus de croissance économique. Ce résultat n'est toutefois valable que sur le court terme. En effet, sur le long terme, la consommation de pétrole s'avère être une conséquence de la croissance économique ; (ii) le pétrole en tant que source de revenus impacte la croissance économique directement et indirectement via ses effets sur le montant et la qualité des dépenses publiques ainsi que sur l'ouverture commerciale. Au regard de ces mécanismes de transmission, nos résultats montrent qu'au-delà d'un certain seuil de dépendance aux revenus pétroliers, la croissance économique est entravée par les effets directs et indirects de la rente pétrolière. Toutefois, ces effets peuvent être contenus, tout d'abord, en réduisant la dépendance aux revenus pétroliers, en améliorant, ensuite, la gouvernance et, enfin, en allant vers davantage de stabilité politique ; (iii) les revenus pétroliers, de part leur extrême instabilité peuvent nuire à la croissance économique en induisant des distorsions macroéconomiques. Cette instabilité se traduit plus précisément par une appréciation du taux de change réel, une hausse des dépenses publiques et de l'inflation. Les pays les plus tributaires de la rente pétrolière sont les plus exposés à cette instabilité macroéconomique. De même, les pays où l'efficacité et la crédibilité du gouvernement sont moindres sont ceux où la croissance économique pâtit le plus de cette instabilité macroéconomique.Le pétrole est ainsi un atout pour les économies des pays exportateurs de pétrole dont il faut maitriser les effets indésirables sur l'économie. Une première solution consisterait alors à réduire le niveau de dépendance de l'économie aux revenus pétroliers pour diminuer le risque d'exposition à la volatilité des prix du pétrole et en réduire le risque de contagion à l'économie. Une autre solution nécessiterait d'améliorer la capacité des gouvernements à mettre en place des politiques économiques efficientes. / Is natural wealth a guarantee of prosperity or is it a curse? How has petroleum shaped growth economic process in oil producing countries? To the extent that these questions have to be raise, the purpose of this thesis is to move towards a better understanding of the mechanisms that make oil becoming a curse as often as a blessing, in oil exporting countries. The empirical studies conducted in this thesis help answer three main questions: (i) What is the contribution of oil as energy (or an energy source) in the process of economic growth? (ii) What are the direct and indirect effects of dependence to oil revenues on economic growth? (iii) Is the oil curse a question of macroeconomic stability?Our contributions thus highlight the following results. (i) Abundant oil wealth and overconsumption observed in the vast majority of oil exporting countries contribute positively to the economic growth process. This result is, however, valid only in the short term. Indeed, in the long term, oil consumption appears to be a consequence of economic growth. (ii) Oil as a source of revenue impacts economic growth directly and indirectly through its effect on the amount and quality of public spending as well as on trade openness. Given these mechanisms, our results show that beyond a certain threshold of dependence on oil revenues, economic growth is constrained by the direct and indirect effects of oil revenues. However, these effects can be contained, first, by reducing dependence on oil revenues; then, by improving government effectiveness; and finally by increasing political stability. (iii) Oil revenues, due to their extreme instability may harm economic growth by inducing macroeconomic distortions. This instability results more precisely by an appreciation of the real exchange rate, a rise in public spending and inflation. The most dependent are countries, the most they are exposed to macroeconomic instability. Similarly, countries with an efficient and credible government are the one which suffer economic growth suffers the less from macroeconomic instability.Oil is, thus, a vantage for oil exporting countries but the adverse effects of such a natural resource on the economy must be mastered. One solution would, then, be to reduce the level of dependence of the economy on oil revenues to reduce the exposure to volatile oil prices and to reduce the risk of contagion to the economy. Another solution would be to improve the ability of governments to implement efficient economic policies.

Deteriorating quantity and quality of wetland ecosystem services is a major challenge for the conservation of the Lawuba wetland: socioeconomically the most important wetland area in Swaziland. In response, this study was designed to assess local dependent communities’ factual knowledge of the benefits and threats to the wetland, and their attitudes towards its conservation. In addition, the study employed environmental valuation techniques to estimate the annual economic value of the wetland’s fibre provisioning services and four notions of resource rent associated with the harvested fibre: rent on fibre consumed on site as a final product; and rent on fibre transported for 90 kilometres to Manzini market where it is sold, either as a final product or used as an intermediate input in the production of handicrafts. The fibre ecosystem service was specifically selected on account of its socioeconomic significance. Value of the fibre provisioning service was estimated using market price-based methods, while the magnitude of the different notions of resource rent was estimated using the net price method. A random sample of 63 respondents was used to provide data on the benefits, threats, attitudes, and annual economic value which households attach to the harvested fibre. This sample also provided data used to compute the resource rent associated with fibre harvested and consumed on-site. A random sample of 5 respondents provided data used to compute the resource rent on fibre transported and sold in Manzini as a final consumption good. Finally, a random sample of 5 respondents provided data used to compute the resource rent on fibre manufactured at Lawuba and sold in Manzini. Households had high levels of knowledge of the benefits and threats to the Lawuba wetland. They also had positive attitudes towards its conservation. Chi-square and ANOVA tests rejected the null hypothesis of no association between household: (i) knowledge of the benefits derived from the wetland and income (F = 12.67, p = 0.000), (ii) knowledge of the threats endangering the wetland and education (χ2 = 38.474, p = 0.000), (iii) knowledge of the threats endangering the wetland and income (F = 7.25, p = 0.000), (iv) attitudes towards its conservation and income (F = 13.320, p = 0.000) and (v) attitudes towards its conservation and gender (χ2 = 11.854, p = 0.003). The value of fibre provisioning services was estimated at between US $20,310 and US $32,673 per annum, which translates to US $70 per capita per annum. Magnitude of the resource rent increased along the value chain as theory would predict. It was estimated at US $1.92 (for fibre harvested and consumed on site), US $2.27 (for fibre sold at Manzini as a final product), and US $18 (for fibre manufactured at Lawuba and sold in Manzini). Inasmuch as the study established a positive resource rent, no institutions currently exist for rent capture and appropriate re-investment to support sustainable wetland conservation. The study thus recommends the need to set up suitable resource management institutions. / Dissertation (MSc Agric)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / gm2014 / Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development / unrestricted

Magister Legum - LLM / This mini-thesis analyses the international legal framework governing the protection of the natural environment during armed conflicts. It critically examines the normative rules in international humanitarian law and international environmental law in respect of environmental damage during armed conflicts and it highlights the strengths and shortcomings of international law in this regard. Furthermore, this thesis investigates how the regulatory structures of the African Union (AU) address the problem of environmental damage during armed conflict. It draws on the aforementioned analyses to determine how regional law in Africa differs from the international regime and in what ways the regional framework may serve to complement the international legal regime in order to strengthen the protection of the environment during armed conflict on the continent.