Prepared by the Arid Lands Information Center, Office of Arid Lands Studies, University of Arizona ; Mark Speece, compiler.

This thesis focuses on determining the potential of bio-energy crops to contribute to Europe’s future energy needs and to reduce future greenhouse gas emissions. This requires an end-to-end (seed to exhaust gas) analysis of the crop production and enabling technology in terms of energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. The starting point of this research was to consider which energy crops had the potential to grow in future European climate scenarios and to determine those for which models did not exist to make this prediction. <i>Miscanthus</i> was identified as a relatively new crop with 15 years of European growing experience but with limited previous model development.  MISCANMOD, a simple model of <i>Miscanthus</i> crop growth, was improved and rewritten in FORTRAN so that it could be interfaced to use climate scenario, soil property and land use data bases to predict energy yields for current and future climate scenarios. A greenhouse gas emissions and energy balance model was added to investigate the sustainability of <i>Miscanthus</i> as a bio-energy crop. This model was combined with data from other energy crop predictions to determine the energy yields and GHG mitigation of different crops for the various scenarios of future climate, each considering the soil conditions, land available and climatic conditions. We conclude that <i>Miscanthus</i> is the crop with the highest energy yield and largest carbon mitigation potential of all the available energy crops, and that the maximum amount of primary energy that could be produced by bio-energy crops in Europe would represent only 12% of EU 25’s primary energy needs. The carbon intensity of such energy is estimated to be 24% of that for gas. To achieve this level of energy production we show that it is necessary to develop drought and frost resistant hybrids to increase the range of the <i>Miscanthus</i> crop for current and future climate scenarios. This demonstrates that bio-energy is not a panacea but must be considered as part of the strategy to achieve sustainable energy whilst mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.

Based upon multi-locale research with people building environmentally-friendly off-grid homes called Earthships, this ethnography explores the nature of such activity.  It critically considers this architecture in terms of building, concentrating on the processes by which the builders are able to dwell.  Drawing upon fieldwork in a radically empirical manner it furthers anthropological discussions of human-environment relations, exchange and technology, creativity, and the local and the global.  The theorisation weaves a phenomenological analysis of dwelling around a neo-Marxist critique of work and consumerism in Earthship communities in Scotland and New Mexico and in wider Western society.  Earthships, it is argued, present an attempt to revitalize the architecture of the West and to avoid the alienation so often exacerbated by it.  The thesis suggests that builders attempt to do this by engaging in practical-critical activity, fuelled by a belief in the value of being able to do it yourself and by a philosophy which places people within a dynamic world of interdependent elements.  Earthship dwelling, it is suggested, is a spatially- and temporally-aware social project which both generates and requires monism or an engagement of the whole person.  Earthship building is a radical, connective art, carried out by people brought together by their critique of wider society and a belief in their ability to forge a better future.  As the builders make manifest their designs, this thesis notes that a low-tech and underproductive approach is chosen as well as there being prominent use of natural systems as models.  Earthships present an experimental and open-ended way of dwelling within the limits of a shared world.  Acknowledging these limits, builders strive to reuse materials and exploit only renewable energies.

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are increasingly being used as tools for fishery management and marine conservation.  This thesis investigates several aspects of the human dimensions of MPAs in Scotland with the purpose to contribute to the understanding of the attitudes of Scottish inshore fishers towards this management measure. Paper I reviews the literature on fishers’ attitudes towards MPAs.  It reveals that most empirical work collects information on fishers’ attitudes towards three general issues of importance to MPAs: governance, conservation of biodiversity and the environment, and the impact of MPAs on fishing activity. Using data from surveys conducted with Scottish fishers, papers II, III, IV and V investigate fishers’ attitudes towards, and perceptions of, several issues of interest to MPAs.  Plus, multivariate data analysis was used in all papers in order to identify which individual characteristics influence fishers’ attitudes towards, or perceptions about, the issues under investigation.  Papers II, IV and V use data collected on a survey conducted with Scottish inshore fishers in 2006/07, while Paper III uses data from a survey conducted previously (in 2001/02). Paper II investigates Scottish inshore fishers’ perceptions about participation in the decision-making process. Results reveal that around half of the fishers perceived themselves to be informed about management, but most did not perceive themselves to be consulted or involved in the decision-making process. Papers III and IV investigate fishers’ attitudes towards labour mobility.  More precisely, the papers investigate fishers’ willingness to leave the fishing sector, change to another gear or move to another area to remain fishing.  Results reveal that fishers’ attitudes towards leaving the fishing sector were different in the two periods.  In 2002 most fishers were willing to leave the fishing sector (Paper III) while five years later most were not (Paper V).  Most importantly, both papers point to the importance of job satisfaction for fishers. Results point to the importance of understanding the economic, social and cultural contexts of the fishing industry for the success of measures and policies aimed at providing fishers with alternative job opportunities in order to counter impacts of displacement caused by the implementation of MPAs and reduction of the overcapacity of the European fishing fleets. Paper V investigates inshore fishers’ attitudes towards MPAs and issues of relevance to MPAs (e.g. compliance with, and enforcement of, rules, and state of resources). More precisely, the paper investigates the attitudes towards closed areas between users of different gears which are affected by closed areas in different ways.  Results reveal that Scottish inshore fishers are not a homogenous collective; the attitudes towards closed areas differ among users of different gears.

Adaptive management (AM) is a systematic process that regards management and policy decisions as experiments or treatments. This iterative process is relatively simple and intuitive, leading to widespread uptake and application of these principles. Popularity of AM results in the process being routinely inserted into strategies or plans without full recognition of the commitment and paradigm shift in management that it represents. This case study involved evaluation of Manitoba Hydro’s Environmental Protection Program during construction of the Bipole III transmission line and its use of AM. Researching the program’s functionality spanned three construction seasons using document review, employee interviews and site visits. The program was evaluated according to what current literature identifies as elements of successful AM. Monitoring and Innovative activities provided strong examples of AM principles while other areas such as communication face challenges. The recommendations pursue a more active approach to AM and continual improvement of environmental protection performance. / February 2017

CIVINS / Certain construction companies have adopted green building methods and practices while most of the industry continues to provide traditional construction services in traditional ways. The green building methods include managing waste streams effectively, using environmentally friendly materials, and working with other green companies and groups. The benefits of green construction have been explored as they relate to the environment, society, and even building owners. Several logical benefits have been postulated for green contractors, from better brand name to reduced costs associated with waste and insurance. This research explores the correlation between green construction and the economic success of companies. Through financial data analysis of a study group of green companies in the construction industry, a control group of similar companies without a sustainability focus, and the construction industry as a whole, the connections between business strategy and profit are investigated. Qualitative and subjective data are employed to assist in the interpretation of the quantitative findings, and the entire study is placed into context by the use of a contractor survey which explores the current perceptions of green construction in the industry. The major conclusion of the study is that there is not a notable negative economic impact associated with being a green company in the construction industry. / CIVINS / US Navy (USN) author.

Land Consolidation and its Relation to Environmental Protection- Abstract Land consolidation is term used for rearrangement and readjustment of land parcels and their ownership in order to assure their rational use. In its modern form, it became part of Czech legislature when Czech National Council's Act No. 284/1991 Coll. was officially published. Current legal regulations of land consolidation are provided in Act No. 139/2002 Coll., as amended. This Act enumerates main goals land consolidation, carried out in the public interest, should achieve. Primary task of this dissertation is to review how land consolidation can contribute to the environmental protection. Soil fund upgrading as well as improvment of landscape aesthetics and its ecological stability are stated among main goals of the currently effective land consolidation legal regulations. In its initial chapter, this dissertation describes purpose of land consolidation and gives definition of its objects. Following chapter briefly deals with the history of land consolidation on Czech, Moravian and Silesian territory. Reflecting our country's history, real estate ownership evolution was very dynamical in past 160 years. Knowledge of this evolution is crucial for understanding of reason and purpose of land consolidation. Third chapter guides the...

This diploma thesis is focused on the methods used for protecting the environment, which can be found in Czech legislation. Mentioned methods are those, which are used to prevent further deterioration of the environment. Particular groups of these methods create a system, where the methods support and complement each other. To the methods used for protecting the environment belong ordinary methods as well, however, only the legal methods are introduced in this thesis. In addition to dividing the methods into legal and ordinary, these methods are further divided into direct and indirect, general and special. The group of the legal methods consists of conceptual, administrative- legal, economic and vindicatory methods. Conceptual methods are direct and include various plans, programmes or conceptions. Administrative- legal methods are directly effective as well and include commands, restrictions, permissions, standpoints, expressions, standards and limits. Economic methods are indirect and consist of taxes, fees, tax benefits, loans etc. Vindicatory methods are direct and they are related to the application of tort liability and responsibility for environmental damage.

The thesis deals with the possible role of ombudsmen in environmental protection. The work starts by the description of the establishment of this institution in the world and subsequently in the Czech Republic. A crucial role played the Act No. 349/1999 Coll., the Ombudsman Act, which has been implemented into national law of the Czech Republic after many discussions on December 30, 1999. This act provides for activities of the ombudsman and the way how to lodge a complaint with the ombudsman. This treatise on the ombudsman activities in general creates also the basis for his/her procedure in specific cases concerning the environment. The part of this thesis forms case studies serving as the example how the ombudsman can participate in the environmental protection in practise.

Photocatalysis is a process to convert light energy into chemical energies. This advanced process has been extensively applied in different areas, such as water splitting to evolve hydrogen, organic/ inorganic pollutants decomposition, artificial photosynthesis (CO2 reduction), disinfection, heavy metal recovery, organic synthesis and nitrogen fixation (reduction). The difficulty for photocatalysis applied in practical is primarily due to the low quantum yield as for the high recombination of photogenerated charge carriers. Various strategies have been implemented to overcome these challenges. As recently developed advanced materials, two dimensional materials have attracted lots of attentions as for their superiorities such as large specific surface area and high conductivity. These advantages for two dimensional materials make them be promising cocatalysts in enhance catalytic activity. In this thesis, various two dimensional materials (such as MoS2, SnS, BN as well as C3N4) other than graphene were prepared and investigated in the promotion of photocatalytic activity. Specifically, the focus of present work is on two dimensional materials enhanced photocatalysis in environmental remediation, including organic pollutants detoxification as well as bacteria inactivation. It was found that two dimensional materials, including MoS2, SnS, BN, may be excellent candidates as cocatalysts to enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity. And g-C3N4 as an effective photocatalyst exhibited excellent photocatalytic oxidation activity, and its activity can be further enhanced with surface modification by hydroxyl functional groups (a modification method reported in the thesis). Suggestions for future work were also proposed in this thesis.