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Human sustainability is one of the most pressing issues of the 21st century. Coupled Human and Natural Systems (CHANS) offers a useful framework to focus on understanding the complex process and pattern that characterizes the dynamical interactions between human and natural systems. This dissertation research integrates the geospatial analysis into the CHANS framework from three perspectives: temporal, spatial, and organizational coupling. Using the temporal coupling aspect, we monitor the risk of deforestation and biodiversity threats from energy investments in Southeast Asia. We assess the energy investment evaluate changes to forest morphology and the risk to biodiversity. In terms of land cover change, we find that hydroelectric power plants tend to have more extensive biodiversity impacts than coal-fired plants, which are usually built within proximity to major population centers. Next, we explore spatial coupling by examining the spatial heterogeneity and homogeneity in home prices across Massachusetts, using Geographically Weighted Regression models with natural and socio-demographic variables. We discovered models that utilized spatial heterogeneity perform better. However, statistical tests of significance are required to determine the model specification to avoid over-fitting. In the fourth chapter, we examined a critical refugium for endangered fish species in East Africa by mapping the organizational dynamics of aquatic vegetation on Lake Kyoga, Uganda. A CHANS organizational coupling involving the natural infrastructure of aquatic vegetation and fishes can adversely impact endangered species and the surrounding human communities. Floating aquatic vegetation can protect the native fishes from predation by Nile Perch by creating hypoxic barriers between water bodies. We developed an algorithm to locate and identify various types of aquatic vegetation. Profiles of lakes are created to examine the spatiotemporal dynamics of refugia. The results are valuable in shaping strategies to conserve both fish species and human livelihoods. The fifth chapter explores emerging technologies, Virtual Reality, in communicating the complex CHANS coupling of green (trees) and gray infrastructure (gas pipelines). This chapter demonstrates the building of 3D urban landscapes from remote sensing data and the emerging use of VR to communicate, educate and empower the stakeholders on sustainability issues related to aging natural gas infrastructure and resulting methane emissions. This dissertation research aims to build a set of methodologies based on extensive geospatial data, spatially explicit models, and tools essential for operationalizing and monitoring CHANS in studies ranging from local to regional scales. Each application builds or revises a new model or algorithm to address a real-world CHANS problem.

Bibliography: p. 109-111. / This is an academic report submitted in partial fulfilment of the degree Master of Environmental Science. It is written to demonstrate the competence of the writer in undertaking work in the field of Environmental Impact Assessment. The main purpose of the report is the comparative evaluation of two proposed alternative roads, the "Western Access Route" (WAR) and the "Least Cost Alternative Route" (LCAR). Since this is an academic report, it will not be used as a decision-making document and it will not be submitted to the proponent of the alternative roads.

'Green' business is claimed by some South African retailers even though they lack well-founded and integrated sustainable, social, and environmental commitments. This is because no standards of greening exist for retail in South Africa. The purpose of this study is to explore, 'What constitutes green retail in the South African supermarket sector?' This required investigation into the sustainability of the companies' green business processes, social component of sustainability, and the existing state of the green retail sector. The five dominant supermarkets were selected to answer a questionnaire based on different environmental variables and principles. Interviewee responses were supplemented with publicly available company reports and these were then critiqued by allocating a level of commitment to sustainability of companies' green business processes, social considerations of sustainability, and establishing the current state of the green retail sector. Results show that within business processes, sustainable procurement is becoming increasingly accounted for through eco-labels and enterprise development programs. Distribution processes assist in verifying green claims and production. Various international and local sustainability programs are used to validate green efforts in the lack of national standards. Best practice frameworks are being utilised in the absence of local green standards and where limited, some are creating their own innovative solutions. Sustainability is a core focus at an executive level to some to ensure full integration of sustainability. Retailers may not necessarily pursue trends, but they have similar pressures that are often variably addressed. Although retailers' attempts to green their operations may not be standardised, the retail industry in South African has almost privatised sustainability and socio-economic development as they have superseded legislation to contribute to society and transform communities. It is an opportunity for retailers to take responsibility for their operations and in doing so create innovative solutions that address South Africa's environmental and social issues, in spite of the lack of green standards and governmental regulation, and in doing so become leadership companies that are accountable to their consumer base.

Bibliography: pages 101-109. / The over-production by Man of waste and the consequent threat to life on Earth motivated this study of urban solid waste legislation and its application in South Africa. "Urban solid waste" was seen as solid waste generated within an urban area by secondary industrial and commercial processes, domestic activities and littering, and deposited on land. The unique South African context, in which the relevant legislation has developed and been applied, was acknowledged. The overall objective was both: a) to ascertain the extent to which the relevant legislation and fulfils its functions in terms of its raison d'etre, and achieves its objectives; b) to formulate guiding principles for reform of the legislation. In order to achieve the overall objective, the following five specific objectives were undertaken: 1; To ascertain which existing and contemplated South African legislation relates to urban solid waste. 2. To establish: * the raison d'etre of legislation, * accepted criteria for good legislation. 3. To evaluate the relevant legislation, using the aforesaid criteria. 4. To ascertain, from waste managers: * problems experienced or foreseen by them whilst operating within the relevant legislation, and * their proposed solutions to those problems. 5. To formulate guiding principles for reform of the legislation.

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