<p>The Swedish National Rail Administration, Banverket, has the overarching sector responsibility for Swedish railways, including a responsibility for implementing and managing the government decision for an ecologically sustainable development. In support of achieving ecologically sustainable development and fulfilment of the national environmental objectives and environmental legislation, Banverket initiated the implementation of an Environmental Management System (EMS) in 1998. The overall aim of this thesis is to examine the EMS applied at Banverket with regard to the identification and monitoring of environmental aspects at the administrative Railway Regions of Banverket. The analysis is based on a qualitative approach comprising questionnaires, interviews, document analysis and participating observations.</p><p>Areas for potential improvements are identified. A more stringent use of the EMS is needed in the organisation. Furthermore, a link between activity, aspect and impact when identifying environmental aspects would improve the procedure. Like in other public organisations, the monitoring of environmental aspects at Banverket is insufficient. Introducing indicators and integrating different Government requirements for environmental monitoring into one system, using EMS as a tool would make the system more effective. In the thsesis a framework is proposed for the identification of environmental aspects pertaining to operation and maintenance at Banverket. This framework has an input–output perspective and provides a clear connection between activity, aspect and impact. Furthermore, by establishing the framework on a system used mainly for environmental performance evaluation, a better connection between the identification and monitoring of aspects is created, possibly improving both processes. The framework for the identifica-tion of environmental aspects, as proposed in the thesis, could also be modified and applied in other organisations.</p><p>A major conclusion of the study is that the EMS applied at Banverket, in its present form, is not an effective environmental management tool for achieving ecologically sustainable development within the rail sector. Adapted methods for identification and monitoring of environmental aspects for public organisations such as Banverket would facilitate the application of EMS and increase its effectiveness as an environmental tool.</p>

The feasibility of improving water quality by food web manipulation in an urban eutrophic tropical reservoir, Lago Paranoa (Brasilia, Brazil) was investigated. The potential of promising biomanipulation strategies was experimentally tested in limnocorrals: reduction of internal nutrient loading by controlling tilapia overpopulation, and suppression of nuisance cyanobacteria by stocking non reproducing filter-feeding silver carp. A four-month test in two large littoral isolated areas of the reservoir (1,000 m2 each) stocked with high vs. low tilapia biomass revealed that fish over-population promoted blooms of Microcystis and decreased water clarity by supplying phytoplankton with additional nutrients (mainly phosphorus, &quot;P&quot;). Since reduction of tilapia biomass from 150 to 40 g/m3 resulted in significant water quality improvements, the release of commercial fisheries using cast-nets was recommended. Field experiments III floating net-cages (10 m3) were conducted to evaluate silver carp adaptation to Lago Paranoa and to determine fish growth rates when maintained feeding exclusively on the abundant plankton in the reservoir. High growth rates (up to 6 g/day) and survivorship (&gt; 90%) of young-of-the-year (72 g), juveniles (300 g) and adult silver carp (1100 g) during both dry and rainy season were observed. Efficient ingestion of nuisance algae was evidenced by the dominant presence of Microcystis aeruginosa and Botryococcus braunii colonies in the fore-intestine of experimental fishes. Results indicate the great potential for silver carp cage culture as a low-cost and environmentally beneficial economic activity. Following indications from literature and previous studies in Lago Paranoa, the optimum range of silver carp biomass which maximize phytoplankton control was determined in ten large replicated limnocorrals (50 m3 ). Although a significant decrease in Microcystis abundance was achieved by stocking silver carp at all biomass levels, net-phytoplankton biomass was only significantly suppressed at moderate fish stocking densities of 40 and 60 g/m3 . Two additional limnocorral experiments during dry and rainy seasons were performed to test the effectiveness of both biomanipulation strategies when adopted separately or simultaneously. Water quality improvements through control of tilapia abundance (from 100 to 40 g/m3) and stocking with silver carp (at moderate stocking rates of 40-50 g/m3) induced significant decreases in total phosphorus (21- 31 %), cyanobacteria density (40-44%) and phytoplankton biomass (22-38%). As those strategies were found to act independently, the combination of both enhanced water quality benefits by reducing total phosphorus by 38%, cyanobacteria density by 75% and phytoplankton biomass by 60%. To predict the internal P-loading reduction that could be achieved by implementing both biomanipulation strategies on a whole-reservoir scale, P excretion rates were quantified in indoor tanks for 16 and 40 g tilapia (0.527-1.576 ug SRP/g ww/h) and silver carp (0.391-0.737 ug SRP/g ww/h). It was estimated that the tilapia contribution to internal P-Ioading (5.4 mg TP/m2/day for 1,300 kg/ha) is equivalent to external P input to the Bananal Branch (6.0 mg TP/m2/day). A 60% reduction in tilapia biomass plus stocking of silver carp at densities of up to 60 g/m3 after three years would not change internal P-Ioading (5.6 mg TP/m2/day) but would (1) reduce by 60% the input of &quot;new&quot; phosphorus to the water column from tilapia bottom feeding, and (2) increase grazing on phytoplankton following silver carp introduction.

Sveriges befolkning ökar ständigt men även leveranserna av varor ökar ständigt. Dettaresulterar att mer press sätts på kommunerna att forma väletablerade transportrutter. Däravhar vissa kommuner i Sverige lagt fokus på att forma dessa rutter och göra de mer effektivaför befolkningen och även öka vinsterna för företagen som står för leveranserna av godset.I denna studien har vi fokuserat på Ystads kommun och hur de har utvecklat sin strategi föratt uppnå dessa mål. En möjlig lösning för att effektivisera transportsystemet har varit attupprätta samlastning av gods. Huvudsyftet med denna studien är att se effekterna medsamlastningsprojekt inom Ystad kommun. För att kunna fullfölja vårt syfte har vi valt attintervjua olika individer som har en viktig roll inom transportsektorn i Ystad men äventidigare forskning som ger exempel av effekter som samlastningscentraler haft. En viktig delvar även samlandet av information från Ystad kommuns egna hemsida.Den teoretiska referensramen fick vi från vårt universitets egna sökmotor där vi hittade vårateorier med hjälp av nyckelord såsom “joint loading” och “co- loading”. Teorierna som vi harvalt har hjälpt oss genom vår undersökning och att besvara syftet. Eftersom denna studien ärav kvalitativ form har våra intervjuer utförts med tre individer som har en hög position inomtransportsektorn i Ystad. Den empiriska datan i kombination med våra teorier gav osstillräckligt med kunskap för att utföra en analys och presentera vårt resultat.Resultatet som vi presenterade indikerar att den miljömässiga aspekten fick en stor positivpåverkan där även företagen som hade implementerat en samlastningscentral fick en markantökning av sina vinster.Nyckelord: Samlastning, Samlastningscentral, effekt, miljöaspekt / As the population of Sweden rises, the demand for deliveries of goods grows significantly.This results in more pressure being put on the government to form a well establishedtransportation route. Therefore, some communities in Sweden have placed their focus ondeveloping the routes and making them more efficient for the population and to improve theprofits for the companies that deliver the goods.In this study we have focused on the community of Ystad and how they have resolved theirstrategy to achieve these goals. A possible solution in order to maximize the effectiveness hasbeen to establish joint loading of the goods. The main purpose of this study is to portray whatthe outcome of the joint loading project has had on the community of Ystad. To be able tofulfill our purpose we have conducted interviews of different people that have an importantrole in the transportation business but also searched for previous literature studies that giveexamples of earlier projects. An important part was also the gathering of information fromtransportation companies that was presented on their websites.The theoretical part was collected from our universities search engine where we found themthrough the keywords, joint loading and co-loading. The theories that we have mentionedhave helped us through the study and answer the question we brought out. Because this studyis of qualitative form, our interviews were conducted with three highly positioned individualsthat work in different transportation companies in Ystad. The empirical data together with ourtheories gave us a decent background in order to analyze our data and bring forward a result.The results that we present indicate that the environment was affected positively as well asthe profit of the companies that implemented the co loading project.Keywords: Joint loading, co- loading, effects, environmental aspect

No description available.

Ao mesmo tempo em que o turismo é reconhecido como uma atividade potencialmente causadora de danos ao meio ambiente, motivando diversas pesquisas e ações que visam fomentar a sustentabilidade do setor, a imaterialidade permanece como característica amplamente aceita no entendimento da natureza dos serviços em geral. Nesse sentido, a pesquisa tem como objetivo discutir, à luz de teorias da economia de serviços, a materialidade dos serviços de hospedagem. Para tanto, utiliza se revisão da literatura e a estrutura analítica do conceito de ciclo de vida para abordar as entradas e saídas associadas aos aspectos ambientais do produto fornecido pelos meios de hospedagem. Foram considerados os estágios de produção e uso dos serviços de hospedagem. Assim, diferentes entradas e saídas associadas às fontes de materialidade desses serviços podem ser identificadas. As entradas são: consumo de energia, água, alimentos e bebidas, produtos de higiene pessoal, produtos de limpeza, produtos químicos, combustíveis fósseis e outros produtos. Já as saídas identificadas são: geração de resíduos orgânicos e inorgânicos, descargas de efluentes, emissões atmosféricas, emissões de ruídos e emissões de odores. Tais entradas e saídas decorrem do conteúdo material dos serviços de hospedagem, o qual se manifesta nos locais físicos de produção e na operação dos fatores de produção utilizados. Discutir a materialidade dos serviços e impulsionar um bom desempenho ambiental dos meios de hospedagem é parte importante de um contexto de promoção do turismo sustentável / While tourism is recognized as a potential cause of damage to the environment and motivates several researches and actions designed to promote the sector\'s sustainability, the immateriality remains a widely accepted feature in understanding the nature of the services. In this sense, the research aims to discuss, in the light of service economy theories, the materiality of the accommodation services. Therefore, the research uses literature review and the analytical framework of the life cycle concept to address the inputs and outputs associated with the environmental aspects of the product provided by the accommodation businesses. The stages of production and consumption of accommodation services were considered. Thus, different inputs and outputs associated to the materiality sources of accommodation services can be identified. The inputs are: consumption of energy, water, food and beverage, personal care products, cleaning products, chemicals, fossil fuels and other products. The outputs are organic and inorganic waste generation, effluent discharges, atmospheric emissions, noise emissions and odor emissions. These inputs and outputs are derived from the material content of the accommodation services, which is manifested in the physical sites of production and in the production factors operations. Discussing the services materiality and promoting a good environmental performance of accommodations businesses is important in a context of promoting sustainable tourism

Ao mesmo tempo em que o turismo é reconhecido como uma atividade potencialmente causadora de danos ao meio ambiente, motivando diversas pesquisas e ações que visam fomentar a sustentabilidade do setor, a imaterialidade permanece como característica amplamente aceita no entendimento da natureza dos serviços em geral. Nesse sentido, a pesquisa tem como objetivo discutir, à luz de teorias da economia de serviços, a materialidade dos serviços de hospedagem. Para tanto, utiliza se revisão da literatura e a estrutura analítica do conceito de ciclo de vida para abordar as entradas e saídas associadas aos aspectos ambientais do produto fornecido pelos meios de hospedagem. Foram considerados os estágios de produção e uso dos serviços de hospedagem. Assim, diferentes entradas e saídas associadas às fontes de materialidade desses serviços podem ser identificadas. As entradas são: consumo de energia, água, alimentos e bebidas, produtos de higiene pessoal, produtos de limpeza, produtos químicos, combustíveis fósseis e outros produtos. Já as saídas identificadas são: geração de resíduos orgânicos e inorgânicos, descargas de efluentes, emissões atmosféricas, emissões de ruídos e emissões de odores. Tais entradas e saídas decorrem do conteúdo material dos serviços de hospedagem, o qual se manifesta nos locais físicos de produção e na operação dos fatores de produção utilizados. Discutir a materialidade dos serviços e impulsionar um bom desempenho ambiental dos meios de hospedagem é parte importante de um contexto de promoção do turismo sustentável / While tourism is recognized as a potential cause of damage to the environment and motivates several researches and actions designed to promote the sector\'s sustainability, the immateriality remains a widely accepted feature in understanding the nature of the services. In this sense, the research aims to discuss, in the light of service economy theories, the materiality of the accommodation services. Therefore, the research uses literature review and the analytical framework of the life cycle concept to address the inputs and outputs associated with the environmental aspects of the product provided by the accommodation businesses. The stages of production and consumption of accommodation services were considered. Thus, different inputs and outputs associated to the materiality sources of accommodation services can be identified. The inputs are: consumption of energy, water, food and beverage, personal care products, cleaning products, chemicals, fossil fuels and other products. The outputs are organic and inorganic waste generation, effluent discharges, atmospheric emissions, noise emissions and odor emissions. These inputs and outputs are derived from the material content of the accommodation services, which is manifested in the physical sites of production and in the production factors operations. Discussing the services materiality and promoting a good environmental performance of accommodations businesses is important in a context of promoting sustainable tourism

A dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Architecture to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2017 / Based on a complementary framework guided by the Delphi method for the business-as-usual (BAU) forecast and the backcasting method for envisioning the desired future state, the study finds that by 2050, South Africa will have reached its goal of 80% reduction of CO₂ emissions from the middle-income home sub-sector, through a middle-loading (ML) transition pathway. This pathway was selected from among four alternative pathways because of its ability to mindfully facilitate the required transformational changes in behaviour and lifestyle, especially through support by means of responsive nudging incentives and mandatory policies, responsive technology innovations and market transformations. The study also applied multiple-level actors (MLA) principles towards the identified four primary pathway-options in CO₂ emissions reduction in the sub-sector, which are front-loading (FL), back-loading (BL), even-loading (EL) and middle-loading (ML). The study further provided substantial motivation for ML as the preferred pathway for South Africa’s transitioning to low-carbon homes by 2050. This reinterpreted transition model of orchestrating transformative change depicted how iterative responses to conflicting accelerator- and inhibitor-factors enabled low-carbon mitigation interventions in the sub-sector, thus facilitating an equitable country-level contribution towards the global goal of stabilising global warming below the scientifically-guided threshold of 2°C by 2050. A co-evolutionary approach will be required on multiple-levels with significant pressures that will overcome systemsinertia in order to achieve the transition to low-carbon middle-income homes in South Africa. The main findings of this study can contribute towards policy tools to guide deeper structural transformations of both society and economy in pursuit of improved/equitable well-being and prosperity while ensuring survival within finite planetary resources. In particular, the process of visioning and pathway-frameworks under backcasting has been adequately substantiated to allow for adaptation to alternative applications in similar studies for South Africa and internationally as well. / XL2018

Inter-Basin-Water Transfers significantly reduce flow and sediment regimes to the downstream ecosystem effecting differential channel adjustment at various locations. It is not known how macroinvertebrates adjust to flow regulation, either spatially or temporally, because research is lacking into how morphological adjustment affects benthic habitat. Feedback mechanisms that initiate the adjustment process must first be identified, then the effect on benthic habitat becomes apparent, thus, providing a link to macroinvertebrate response. Since regulation there has been a 95% reduction in flow volume, a complete downward shift in both the flow duration and flood frequency curves and a 194% increase in flow constancy compared to the pre- dam period. Furthermore, Jindabyne Dam traps 99.9% of the total incoming sediment load. Upstream of the tributary the dominant river response was accommodation adjustment with subsequent contraction of the river channel. Associated feedback mechanisms were ?armouring? and vegetation encroachment. Downstream of the tributary response was more complex, with channel contraction through aggradation and specifically the formation of a tributary mouth bar and fan, mid channel lobate bar, transverse bar and in-channel bench. Associated feedback mechanisms were interactions between vegetation and sediment; channel morphology, flow and sediment distribution; and sediment distribution, flow and channel morphology. These processes have had site specific and reach scale impacts on benthic habitat. Macroinvertebrate response to flow regulation was habitat specific (riffle or edge) and seemed to correspond to either site, or reach scale morphological adjustment, whereas, flow constancy seemed to affect edge macroinvertebrates throughout both reaches. Spatially, macroinvertebrates have not adjusted to the post- dam flow regime and temporally, macroinvertebrates have not recovered 30 years after the closure of Jindabyne Dam. How physical processes change habitats and how these impact on a river?s ecology and at what scale, are important considerations in river management.

South Africa is one of the world's foremost mining nations and mining and its associated industries continue to form the cornerstone of the country's economy. However, the mining industry has, by its very nature, the potential to endanger human health and safety, as well as the physical environment. Consequently, mining will always contend with major environmental challenges and remain under constant public pressure to demonstrate its commitment to responsible environmental management. The key to effective environmental management is the use of a systematic approach to plan, control and improve environmental efforts. An Environmental Management System (EMS) employs such an approach and allows organisations to address environmental concerns in an orderly and consistent manner. Such a system allows organisations to anticipate and meet their environmental objectives and to ensure ongoing compliance with national and/or international requirements. An organisation with no existing EMS should, initially, establish its current position with regard to the environment by means of an initial review process. The aim should be to consider all environmental aspects of the organisation as a basis for establishing the EMS. Although a few gold mines in South Africa have implemented an EMS, the question of which significant environmental aspects need to be managed in such a system at a deep level gold mine shaft, remains largely unanswered. This study endeavoured to provide answers to this question and develop a generic model for the initial review process of a deep level gold mine shaft. The development of such a model should facilitate the development and implementation of an EMS at such shafts, thereby contributing to reduce the environmental impact of gold mines. The research consisted of a literature review of national and international literature on the topic and a comparative empirical study, which evaluated the mining operations of two deep level gold mine shafts. Data collection and analysis was done according to the IS0 14015 guideline on the environmental assessment of sites and organisations. Other techniques used included business process analysis, the use of modified Leopoldt matrices and risk analysis to determine the significance of the environmental impacts and aspects. This study contributed to a generic model for the initial environmental review process that precedes the development of an EMS at deep level gold mine shafts through: developing a generic sub-model that can be used to determine the scope of any deep level gold mine shaft; identifying some of the significant environmental impacts and aspects of deep level gold mine shafts, as well as identifying some generic business activities that are potentially destructive and carry a high risk of causing significant negative environmental impacts. / Thesis (M. Environmental Management)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

South Africa is one of the world's foremost mining nations and mining and its associated industries continue to form the cornerstone of the country's economy. However, the mining industry has, by its very nature, the potential to endanger human health and safety, as well as the physical environment. Consequently, mining will always contend with major environmental challenges and remain under constant public pressure to demonstrate its commitment to responsible environmental management. The key to effective environmental management is the use of a systematic approach to plan, control and improve environmental efforts. An Environmental Management System (EMS) employs such an approach and allows organisations to address environmental concerns in an orderly and consistent manner. Such a system allows organisations to anticipate and meet their environmental objectives and to ensure ongoing compliance with national and/or international requirements. An organisation with no existing EMS should, initially, establish its current position with regard to the environment by means of an initial review process. The aim should be to consider all environmental aspects of the organisation as a basis for establishing the EMS. Although a few gold mines in South Africa have implemented an EMS, the question of which significant environmental aspects need to be managed in such a system at a deep level gold mine shaft, remains largely unanswered. This study endeavoured to provide answers to this question and develop a generic model for the initial review process of a deep level gold mine shaft. The development of such a model should facilitate the development and implementation of an EMS at such shafts, thereby contributing to reduce the environmental impact of gold mines. The research consisted of a literature review of national and international literature on the topic and a comparative empirical study, which evaluated the mining operations of two deep level gold mine shafts. Data collection and analysis was done according to the IS0 14015 guideline on the environmental assessment of sites and organisations. Other techniques used included business process analysis, the use of modified Leopoldt matrices and risk analysis to determine the significance of the environmental impacts and aspects. This study contributed to a generic model for the initial environmental review process that precedes the development of an EMS at deep level gold mine shafts through: developing a generic sub-model that can be used to determine the scope of any deep level gold mine shaft; identifying some of the significant environmental impacts and aspects of deep level gold mine shafts, as well as identifying some generic business activities that are potentially destructive and carry a high risk of causing significant negative environmental impacts. / Thesis (M. Environmental Management)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.