Despite being one of the most recognizable sea creatures in the world, sharks remain widely misunderstood by the public. Media coverage often sensationalizes them as dangerous creatures, when in reality, humans pose a much more significant threat to sharks than vice versa. Over the past few decades, overfishing has decimated populations worldwide as demand increases for byproducts such as meat, cartilage, and fins in particular, a crucial ingredient in the Chinese delicacy of shark fin soup. Finning, a particularly inefficient practice that promotes overfishing and waste, occurs when fishers cut off fins at sea and throw carcasses overboard. As sharks play an important role in marine ecosystems as apex predators and are slow to reproduce, increased attention to shark conservation is urgently needed. Although there have been attempts by international organizations such as the United Nations and by individual countries, current legislation has proven to be inadequate in combating shark exploitation. Though public awareness is on the rise thanks to increased media coverage and environmental advocacy, sharks still need greater protection in the face of overharvest and stock depletion. This thesis details the current state of shark exploitation, including shark biology, public perceptions of sharks, and current levels of shark finning, as well as the economics behind the trade. It also analyzes previous actions taken both at the international and national levels. Finally, it recommends further actions to be undertaken in order to preserve declining shark populations and keep them from extinction.

Three complicated and interrelated issues are marine conservation, local development, and climate change. To seek insight into the challenges posed by these issues in a particular context, this dissertation focuses on seven communities near marine protected areas (MPAs) on the Andaman Coast of Thailand. The central question was “How can conservation outcomes and community livelihoods and adaptive capacity be enhanced in communities near MPAs on the Andaman Coast of Thailand in consideration of a changing climate?” The objectives were to explore local perceptions of social and environmental change and vulnerability, community opinions of Thailand’s National Marine Parks (NMPs), and the adaptive capacity of coastal communities. Literatures on resilience, adaptive capacity, vulnerability, conservation impacts, sustainable livelihoods, and governance and management frame the research. Fieldwork included Photovoice, interviews, and household surveys. Four stand-alone manuscripts are included in the dissertation: a) “A picture of change: Using Photovoice to explore social and environmental change in coastal communities on the Andaman Coast of Thailand”; b) “Vulnerability to multiple stressors in coastal communities: A study of the Andaman Coast of Thailand”; c) “Why local people do not support conservation: Community perceptions of marine protected area livelihood impacts, governance and management in Thailand”; and, d) “The capacity to adapt?: Communities in a changing climate, environment and economy on the northern Andaman Coast of Thailand”. Broadly, the dissertation offers relevant insights into the complex social-ecological changes being experienced by heterogeneous communities and the multi-faceted and multi-scalar actions required to address increasing challenges. Specifically, it a) demonstrates that Photovoice is an effective method for examining social and environmental change and providing input into community adaptation, conservation, and development processes, b) explores the social-economic and biophysical stressors that contribute to household vulnerability and suggests that multiple stressors, particularly economics and climate change, need to be considered in adaptation planning, c) recommends significant improvements to current NMP governance and management to engender local support for marine conservation, and d) illustrates that communities on the Andaman coast of Thailand are coping with environmental and fisheries declines, reacting to climate change and adapting variably to alternative livelihoods and proposes interventions for improving adaptive capacity. / Graduate / 0366 / njbennet@uvic.ca

Surface coal mining is a major form of land change and environmental degradation in Central Appalachia. Traditional mine reclamation iresults in unmanaged, unproductive grasslands that fail to mitigate many of the environmental costs of coal mining and are of minimal use to communities. Forestry reclamation is an alternative reclamation tactic that has the potential to address both environmental and socioeconomic concerns in Central Appalachia. A case study of Laurel Fork Mine in Eastern Kentucky is included.

ABSTRACT A POLITICAL ECONOMY OF RUSSIAN FOREIGN POLICY: THE EFFECTS OF THE NATURAL RESOURCE-FINANCIAL SECTORS ON THE FORMATION OF RUSSIAN FOREIGN POLICY IN THE CONTEXT OF THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET Soltanov, Elnur MS, Department of International Relations Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fatih Tayfur January 2004, 114 pages This research aims to analyze Russian natural resource-finance sectors&rsquo / effects on Russian foreign policy from the collapse of the Soviet Union on. The main question it tries to answer is why they are successful to determine the main contours of a relatively peaceful foreign policy in a crises-laden Russia which have had so many reasons to switch to an aggressive behavior. In this regard, the military-industrial complex is the other crucial economic sector to be referred to frequently. Given the overwhelming nature of the international structure that Russia finds itself in, and given the general change in the worldview of the Russians, it becomes clear that the resource-finance sector on the one hand and the military-industrial complex on the other are much more than mere economic sectors, being organic material cores of alternative national and international identities. Such a holistic approach in turn makes it possible to draw on the explanatory power of the legitimacy factor and to go beyond different group preferences in accounting for Russian foreign policy. Analyzing different sectors&rsquo / and their commodities&rsquo / structural characteristics in the context of the international market helps to discard the &ldquo / politics of international trade&rdquo / as a too narrow conceptual framework to study Russian foreign policy and to understand different economic sectors&rsquo / true explanatory utility.

Protected areas are of prime importance to conservation efforts worldwide because they provide society with a range of important environmental, economic, and social benefits. The ability of government agencies to manage threats to their national parks is often compromised by limited resources. There is a growing need to improve decisions about how resources are allocated amongst conservation responsibilities. Multiple Criteria Analysis (MCA) techniques are integrated decision systems that have the potential to reduce the complexity normally associated with decisions about public and quasi-public goods. The explicit expression of a decision-maker’s preferences for certain decision attributes is a key stage in the MCA process. The ability of MCA to increase the understanding, transparency, and robustness of decisions has been demonstrated in many disciplines. This research describes the development of a MCA model to assist decisionmakers with the allocation of resources amongst national parks. After a thorough review of the conservation and protected area literature, a MCA model is developed to determine the utility of a group of national parks based upon environmental, economic, and social significance. The model is tested and applied to the national parks managed by the Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory of Australia and to selected parks managed by the Department of Conservation of New Zealand. The research highlights the need for protected area management agencies to take lessons from the commercial sector and incorporate elements of business practices, particularly comprehensive inventory and data management, into conservation decision-making. It is shown that the integrated decision-making approach taken in this research aggregates complex data in a way that improves managers’ ability to make better informed decisions concerning the allocation and distribution of resources.

Orientador: Ana Beatriz Lopes de Sousa Jabbour / Resumo: O objetivo desse estudo é identificar e analisar, sob a ótica da teoria dos stakeholders e da visão baseada em recursos naturais, como fatores considerados barreiras e motivações/drivers têm influenciado na adoção de práticas de gestão de operações de baixo carbono no contexto de empresas localizadas no Brasil. Foram entrevistadas vinte empresas localizadas no Brasil para analisar como stakeholders e recursos e capabilidades organizacionais influenciam as empresas na adoção de práticas gestão de operações de baixo carbono. Os principais resultados do estudo foram: a) Fornecedores, governo e clientes são os principais stakeholders que agem como barreiras, enquanto que acionistas/proprietários e clientes agem como motivadores/drivers; b) Questão financeira e atitude dos empregados são os principais recursos que agem como barreiras; a questão financeira também é entendida como motivador/driver juntamente com a responsabilidade social e ambiental e a vantagem competitiva que a organização possui quanto à adoção das práticas de baixo carbono; c) O principal mecanismo de resposta para barreiras utilizado pelas empresas é superar, seguido de reduzir e aceitar; para as motivações/drivers, as empresas melhoram e exploram os fatores que as impulsionam na adoção das práticas - aceitar não é um mecanismo de resposta adotado pelas empresas. Além disso, esse estudo vai além de um diagnóstico de barreiras e motivações/drivers ao, também, traçar diretrizes organizacionais em busca de uma ges... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Mestre

Ethiopia has been challenged by multidimensional poverty. However, it has the potential to minimize the threat through an integrated multipurpose development process. In this regard, hydropower has a significant role to reduce energy poverty and enhance the multipurpose use of natural resources efficiency. Hydropower is a source of clean, sustainable and renewable energy. It has a contribution to reducing carbon emission and maintaining environmental sustainability. In Ethiopia, it is the major source of electricity. The country is rich in natural resources, including water to produce energy, however, electricity supply is still uncertain. The data shows that the country has the potential to produce 50,000 MW energy from water resources. Yet, it exploited 3,822 MW in 2018, approximately 7.6 % of its potential. Moreover, the country faces issues with energy security. Additionally, water and food supply also face an uncertain future. In this case, the country has planned the growth and transformation plan I and II for 2015 and 2020 to increase the energy production to 10,000 MW and 17,000 MW energy respectively. Consequently, the government launched different multipurpose hydropower plant projects. This project focuses on the multipurpose use of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, particularly for the sustainable energy-water-food-ecosystem service nexus at the national level. I applied the combination of methods such as the energy-water-food-ecosystem nexus, the SWOT analysis and the sustainability assessment as they are suitable for the complexity of such a project. Indeed, the GERD has benefits for the country in producing renewable and clean energy, generating income and increasing the water storage capacity at the national level. However, the project neglected the values of ecosystem services integration with the dam and its sectors. As a result, the dam affected the existed terrestrial biodiversity and ecosystem. Therefore, the GERD had not been the well-prepared plan that considers institutional cooperation and sectoral integration to use for multipurpose function and its sustainability. In these regards, unless the dam to take proper management of the project and natural resources, the hydropower plant would not have been generating sustainable energy production. / <p>The paper shows that how to use the reservoir hydropower plant for multipurpose, such as for energy, water, food, ecosystem services integration at local level</p>

Submitted by Evelyn Edith Contreras Medrano (contrerasmedrano@gmail.com) on 2017-03-10T21:05:13Z No. of bitstreams: 1 EContreras 2016 - Local Institutions and Natural Resources vf.pdf: 2289932 bytes, checksum: 3e134974c30ddcb38184183d421e24e7 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by ÁUREA CORRÊA DA FONSECA CORRÊA DA FONSECA (aurea.fonseca@fgv.br) on 2017-03-20T13:10:47Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 EContreras 2016 - Local Institutions and Natural Resources vf.pdf: 2289932 bytes, checksum: 3e134974c30ddcb38184183d421e24e7 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-03-22T18:33:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 EContreras 2016 - Local Institutions and Natural Resources vf.pdf: 2289932 bytes, checksum: 3e134974c30ddcb38184183d421e24e7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-12-08 / After decades of research, there is still no consensus in the literature regarding the effects of natural resource abundance on the economic and political performance of a territory. This research aims to contribute to this discussion, by analyzing the role of institutions on explaining the relationship between natural resource-based revenues and the provision of public goods at the local level. In order to do so, I test the mechanisms previously proposed in the literature for explaining the natural resource curse effect at the national level (mediation and moderation effects of institutional quality), using cross-sectional data of Peruvian municipalities located in the Andean highlands, for the 2011-2014 period. The identification strategy proposed uses as source of exogenous variation for revenues, the location of natural resources and its value among the territory, and a set of rules established by law for the redistribution of natural resource-based revenues to the local governments. In order to deal with the endogeneity of institutional quality, I include 2SLS estimations, using the presence of 'Peasant Communities' (Comunidades Campesinas) as an instrumental variable. The results show some evidence of a positive effect of natural resource-based revenues on the provision of local public infrastructure (water, public lightning and rural roads), a null effect on education results, and a negative effect on health campaigns. However, regarding the role of institutional quality on explaining these effects, I find no significant effects for all of the outcomes and samples analyzed.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:29:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 TeseATV.pdf: 9340614 bytes, checksum: f6c05daad62d03550f019a1708ed01fb (MD5) Previous issue date: 2002-11-27 / The general objective of this thesis was to study the processing of maté Ilex paraguariensis St. Hil Lineage Cambona 4, a renewable natural resource of sustainable form of small farmers in the South of Brazil. An analysis becomes on the conception of the agricultural producers of the city of Machadinho-RS on environment and maté organic culture. A study of the mate processing is carried out initiating with the singeing, using units of laboratory, which consists one of the conventional stages in the maté processing. The contact time is determined to produce similar leaves to the ones of industrial processes. The best operational condition consisted of singeing per 5 minutes, operating the singer in the rotation of 80 rpm. The initial moisture content of maté leaves varied of 61,9 - 65.0% (db), and to the ending of singeing, under action of combustion gases GLP in the average temperature of 181oC, the moisture content it is reduced for 14,6% (db). The drying was carried out in vibrated tray drier, at the operations conditions: air flow in the temperature and velocity of 60oC and 0,64 m/s; amplitude and frequency of vibration, 0.5,10-3 m and 183 m rd/s, being Aù.2/g equal to 1,7; average specific area initial of maté leaves processed was 52,63 cm2/g. The convective coefficients of heat transfer had been quantified, in the operations of singeing and drying, being obtained the average values, 0,316 at 0,606 and 0,097 kJ/m2.min.oC, respectively. The extraction studies of soluble had been carried through the use of two techniques. The first method, agitation and mixing of maté triturated water, was effected at the temperature of 90oC. It was quantified that 50.7% of solids in the maté dehydrated are constituted by soluble, that were extracted in multiple stages of leaching. In only stage 37.1% of solids are extracted. The second method, with fixed bed of triturated maté, it was used an extractor with perforated chamber for draining of the extract. The experiments had been carried out with multiple extractions, each one with new amount of solvent. In only extraction, 35.5% of solids are extracted. The extract presented a solid concentration of 3,4 to 4,5%. Arabic gum was added to the extract in the concentrations of 0, 0,2; 0,4; 0,6; 0,8; 1,0; 1,5 and 2.0%, in relation to it solids content. The mixtures had been affected with the objective to study the influence of the Arabic gum in the drying and the flavor of drinks. The extracts had been processed in spray dryer at the average operations conditions: temperature and flow air: 190oC and 32.1 m3/h; extract feed at 340 mL/h. The moisture content of powder had varied from 1,8 to 6,6% (db). Sensorial analysis was carried out with three formulations at the concentrations: 0; 0,2 and 1,0% of Arabic gum. To the experimental results a statistical treatment was applied and was verified best preference for the formulations with 0.2% of the Arabian gum content. This showed the influence of the encapsulating agent in the aroma retention. The Arabian gum facilitated the powder separation in the cyclone. Concentrated of soluble of maté they were lyophylisated and obtained the lyophilisation curve. A study of caffeine traced was carried out during the processing. The caffeine determinations were effectuate in the: natura mate; singed maté; dried maté after the singeing and powder maté obtained by spray dryer. The losses of caffeine had been of: 33,6% in singeing 40,7% after the drying in vibrated tray; 62,2% after the spray drying. With soluble extracts of maté of spray drying and lyophilisation new products were developed: Mateccino mate mixing with chocolate ; maté candy and suggestions of fine drinks with maté extract. The economic feasibility study of a plant with capacity for processing 1,500 kg maté leaves/h, it showed: the necessity of: annual fixed capital investment of R$ 390.514,00; that the total annual product cost is of R$ 800.322,00; that the total income is of R$ 1512,000.00 and that the annual profit before taxes is of R$ 711.678,00. / O objetivo geral desta tese foi estudar o processamento de Erva-Mate Ilex paraguariensis St. Hil Progênie Cambona 4, um recurso natural renovável de forma sustentável para pequenos produtores rurais no Sul do Brasil. Fez-se uma análise sobre a concepção dos produtores rurais do município de Machadinho-RS sobre meio ambiente e cultivo orgânico de erva-mate. Fez-se um estudo do processamento de erva-mate iniciando com o sapeco, utilizando unidades de laboratório, o qual consiste em uma das etapas convencionais no processamento de erva-mate. Determina-se o tempo de contato para produzir folhas similares às de processos industriais. A melhor condição operacional consistiu no sapeco por 5 minutos, operando o sapecador na rotação de 80 rpm. O conteúdo de umidade inicial das folhas de erva-mate variou de 61,9 a 65,0% (bu), e ao término do sapeco, sob ação de gases de combustão de GLP na temperatura média de 181oC, o conteúdo de umidade se reduziu para 14,6% (bu). A secagem foi efetuada em secador de bandeja vibrada, nas condições de operação: ar escoando na temperatura e velocidade de 66oC e 0,64 m/s; amplitude e freqüência de vibração, 0,5.10-3 m e 183 rd/s, sendo Aù2/g igual a 1,7; área específica média inicial das folhas de erva-mate processadas de 52,63 cm2/g. Foram quantificados os coeficientes convectivos de transferência de calor, nas operações de sapeco e de secagem, obtendo-se os valores médios, 0,316 a 0,606 e 0,097 kJ/m2.min.oC, respectivamente. Os estudos de extração de solúveis foram realizados com utilização de duas técnicas. Na primeira, efetuou-se agitação e mistura de erva-mate triturada, com água na temperatura de 90oC. Quantificou-se que 50,7% dos sólidos da erva-mate desidratada são constituídos por solúveis, que foram extraídos em múltiplas etapas de lixiviação. Em única etapa são extraídos 37,1% dos sólidos. Na segunda, com leito fixo de erva-mate triturada, utilizou-se um extrator com câmara perfurada para escoamento do extrato. Os ensaios foram realizados com extrações múltiplas, cada uma com nova quantidade de solvente. Em extração única, foram extraídos 35,5% dos sólidos. O extrato obtido apresentou uma concentração de sólidos de 3,4 a 4,5%. Ao extrato foi adicionada goma arábica nas concentrações de 0; 0,2; 0,4; 0,6; 0,8; 1,0; 1,5 e 2,0%, em relação aos sólidos contidos no mesmo. As misturas foram efetuadas com o objetivo de estudar a influência da goma arábica na secagem e no sabor das bebidas. Os extratos foram processados em secador por atomização nas condições operacionais médias: temperatura e vazão do ar: 190oC e 32,1 m3/h; alimentação de extrato a 340 mL/h. Os conteúdos de umidade do pó obtido variaram de 1,8 a 6,6%(bu). Efetuou-se análise sensorial de três formulações com concentrações: 0; 0,2 e 1,0% de goma arábica. Aos resultados experimentais aplicou-se tratamento estatístico e verificou-se maior preferência pela formulação contendo 0,2% de goma arábica, o que mostrou a influência do agente encapsulante na retenção de aromas. A goma arábica facilitou a captação do pó de erva-mate pelo ciclone do secador por atomização. Concentrados de solúveis de erva-mate foram liofilizados e determinou-se a curva de liofilização. Fez-se um estudo de rastreabilidade da cafeína, durante o processamento. As determinações de cafeína foram efetuadas em erva-mate in natura, sapecada, seguida de secagem e do extrato de erva-mate em pó obtido por spray dryer . As perdas acumuladas de cafeína foram de: 33,6% no sapeco; 40,7% após a secagem em bandeja vibrada; 62,2% após a secagem por atomização. Com os extratos solúveis de erva-mate secos por atomização e liofilização desenvolveram-se novos produtos: Mateccino achocolatado de erva-mate; balas de erva-mate e sugestões de drinks finos com percolado de erva-mate. O estudo de viabilidade econômica de uma planta com capacidade para processamento de 1.500 kg erva-mate/h, mostrou a necessidade de um capital de investimento fixo total de R$ 390.514,00; que o custo anual total do produto é de R$ 800.322,00; que a receita bruta é de R$ 1.512.000,00 e que o lucro bruto anual é de R$ 711.678,00.

Submitted by Daniela Andriani Ribeiro null (daniandriani@hotmail.com) on 2017-08-13T16:19:37Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação_Daniela A Ribeiro.pdf: 3343339 bytes, checksum: d302db72b5f877d24a748d5ab9a6026c (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by LUIZA DE MENEZES ROMANETTO (luizamenezes@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2017-08-18T19:23:17Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 ribeiro_da_me_bauru.pdf: 3343339 bytes, checksum: d302db72b5f877d24a748d5ab9a6026c (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-08-18T19:23:17Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 ribeiro_da_me_bauru.pdf: 3343339 bytes, checksum: d302db72b5f877d24a748d5ab9a6026c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-06-29 / O objetivo desse estudo é identificar e analisar, sob a ótica da teoria dos stakeholders e da visão baseada em recursos naturais, como fatores considerados barreiras e motivações/drivers têm influenciado na adoção de práticas de gestão de operações de baixo carbono no contexto de empresas localizadas no Brasil. Foram entrevistadas vinte empresas localizadas no Brasil para analisar como stakeholders e recursos e capabilidades organizacionais influenciam as empresas na adoção de práticas gestão de operações de baixo carbono. Os principais resultados do estudo foram: a) Fornecedores, governo e clientes são os principais stakeholders que agem como barreiras, enquanto que acionistas/proprietários e clientes agem como motivadores/drivers; b) Questão financeira e atitude dos empregados são os principais recursos que agem como barreiras; a questão financeira também é entendida como motivador/driver juntamente com a responsabilidade social e ambiental e a vantagem competitiva que a organização possui quanto à adoção das práticas de baixo carbono; c) O principal mecanismo de resposta para barreiras utilizado pelas empresas é superar, seguido de reduzir e aceitar; para as motivações/drivers, as empresas melhoram e exploram os fatores que as impulsionam na adoção das práticas - aceitar não é um mecanismo de resposta adotado pelas empresas. Além disso, esse estudo vai além de um diagnóstico de barreiras e motivações/drivers ao, também, traçar diretrizes organizacionais em busca de uma gestão de baixo carbono através da compreensão dos mecanismos de resposta identificados nas empresas estudadas, para, assim, superar eventuais inércias organizacionais. / The aim of this study is to identify and analyze, from the perspective of stakeholder theory and natural resource-based view, as factors considered barriers and motivations have influenced the adoption of practices of low carbon operations management for companies located in Brazil. Twenty companies located in Brazil were interviewed to analyze how stakeholders and organizational resources and capabilities influence companies to adopt practices of low carbon operations management. The main results of the study were: a) Suppliers, government and clients are the main stakeholders that act as barriers, while shareholders/owners and clients act as drivers; b) Financial question and employees attitude are the main resources that act as barriers; the financial question is also understood as driver along with the social and environmental responsibility and the competitive advantage that the organization has in the adoption of low carbon practices; c) The main barrier response mechanism used by companies is to overcome, followed by reducing and accepting; for drivers, companies improve and exploit the factors that drives them in adopting practices - accepting is not a response mechanism adopted by companies. Moreover, this study goes beyond a diagnosis of barriers and drivers; it also draws organizational guidelines in search of a low carbon management through the understanding of the response mechanisms identified in the studied companies, in order to overcome eventual organizational inertia.