The use of Environmental Assessment (EA) as a planning tool has been promoted in Namibia in recent years and a broad-based, consultative process to develop an umbrella Environmental Management Act, is underway. Most EAs conducted since 1990 were for prospecting and mining, and many were post-facto assessments that led to the development of Environmental Management Plans. This dissertation examines the links between sustainable development and EA, both from a theoretical perspective and on the basis of case study analysis. The objective is to assess the potential role of EA in promoting sustainable development in an arid, natural resource dependent, developing country. An overview of Namibia's socio-economic and environmental circumstances, development needs and options, past and current planning systems and commonalties within the region, provided a contextual setting for the analysis. The role of EA is assessed through a review of the planning and implementation of sector policies, plans, programmes and projects. A national questionnaire survey of decision makers provided insight into their knowledge, perceptions and attitudes towards EA. Finally, the dissertation considers the trial implementation of "fast-track EA" in the small-scale mining sector. It remains difficult to ascribe the appropriate implementation of activities to the influence of EA. However, the dissertation shows that EAs enhanced the way development activities were planned and implemented, especially when applied at the strategic level. Even at the project level, EAs improved planning and implementation when introduced early in the process. The lessons learnt in Namibia confirm that public participation is crucial to the success of EA. EAs that disappointed were those where the process was dominated by a single stakeholder or where authorities either excluded or unduly influenced public participation. By helping to minimise negative impacts, EAs have reduced opportunity cost and have thus promoted sustainable development. The dissertation makes a number of key recommendations including the creation of broad-based administrative structures to implement EA, the diversified application of Strategic EA and the development of "fast track EA" to guide the increasingly important small and informal sectors of Namibia's economy.

Poster from University of Arizona 2016 IT Summit / Are you or the researchers you work with writing a grant proposal that requires a data management plan? Are you working on a research project and have questions about how to effectively and efficiently manage your research data? Are you interested in sharing your data with other researchers? We can help! For the past several years, the University of Arizona (UA) Libraries, in collaboration with the Office of Research and Discovery and the University Information Technology Services, has been providing data management services and resources to the campus. We are interested in tailoring our services and resources to what you need. We conducted a research data management survey in 2014 and are currently working on the Data Management and Data Curation and Publication (DMDC) pilot. This poster will describe what data management and curation services we are currently providing, and ask for your feedback on potential new data management services and resources.

A criação de Unidades de Conservação é uma estratégia mundialmente utilizada para garantir a conservação dos recursos naturais e a sustentabilidade ambiental, econômica e social, tendo como principal instrumento de planejamento e gestão o plano de manejo. Antes e depois a promulgação do Sistema Nacional de Unidades de Conservação vários planos de manejo foram elaborados a partir dos métodos consagrados que não consideram a variável tempo para a definição de ações de conservação e recuperação dos recursos naturais, a curto, médio e longo prazo. Visando contribuir para o aperfeiçoamento metodológico dos planos de manejo, a presente pesquisa apresenta uma compilação sobre as unidades de conservação e respectivos planos de manejo, tendo como estudo de caso, para a análise do método consagrado, o Plano de Manejo da APA Várzea do rio Tietê. Além disso, a pesquisa apresenta uma descrição das principais ferramentas de modelagem econômica - ecológica com intuito de conhecer conceitos e métodos alternativos e complementares para elaboração dos planos de manejo. Das fermentadas estudadas, o InVest se apresenta como sendo o mais operacional, produzindo modelos para a quantificação biofísica, o mapeamento e a valoração monetária dos benefícios providos por ecossistemas terrestres e marinhos, enquanto que o MIMES se apresenta como sendo o mais indicado para qualquer escala de modelos dinâmicos e integrados que, além de identificar, avalia e valora os serviços ecossistêmicos. Ambos os modelos consideram a variável tempo e estabelecem cenários a partir deles. Ao final, observou-se que, os métodos consagrados para elaboração dos planos de manejo das Unidades de Conservação não consideram a variável tempo na medida em que não definem os cenários e tendências para superação ou não do limiar de resiliência dos ecossistemas protegidos pelas unidades de conservação, o método tradicional analisa a situação atual, sem construir cenários para conservação e recuperação desses recursos naturais, a curto, médio e longo prazo. Desse modo, a questão que se coloca não é a definição de quanto vale os serviços ecossistêmicos para a sociedade e, sim, qual é o real limiar de resiliência do ecossistema. / The creation of Conservation Units is a globally used strategy to guarantee the conservation of natural resources and environmental, economic and social sustainability, having as main planning and management tool the management plan. Before and after the promulgation of the National System of Conservation Units, several management plans were elaborated based on established methods that do not consider the time variable for the definition of actions for conservation and recovery of natural resources in the short, medium and long term. Aiming to contribute to the methodological improvement of the management plans, the present research presents a compilation on the conservation units and respective management plans, having as case study, for the analysis of the established method, the APA Management Plan Várzea do Rio Tietê. In addition, the research presents a description of the main economic - ecological modeling tools in order to know alternative and complementary concepts and methods to elaborate management plans. From the studied ferments, InVest presents itself as the most operational, producing models for biophysical quantification, mapping and monetary valuation of the benefits provided by terrestrial and marine ecosystems, while MIMES presents itself as being the most suitable for any scale Of dynamic and integrated models that, in addition to identifying, evaluating and valuing ecosystem services. Both models consider the time variable and establish scenarios from them. At the end, it was observed that the methods established for the elaboration of the management plans of the Conservation Units do not consider the time variable insofar as they do not define the scenarios and trends for overcoming or not the resilience threshold of the ecosystems protected by the conservation units. Conservation, the traditional method analyzes the current situation without constructing scenarios for conservation and recovery of these natural resources in the short, medium and long term. Thus, the question is not the definition of how much ecosystem services are worth for society, but rather what is the real resilience threshold of the ecosystem.

Na presente pesquisa é realizada a avaliação dos planos de gestão integrada de resíduos sólidos urbanos (PGIRSU) em cidades amazônicas. Foram alvos das reflexões todas as dezoito experiência elaboradas e implantadas na região. Além de revisão bibliográfica, foram realizadas visitas de campo e entrevistas aos secretários responsáveis pelo serviço nos 18 lugares, onde aferiu-se que os resultados foram aquém do definido nos PGIRSU. Ao longo deste trabalho, pode-se perceber os motivos do insucesso da empreita: os conceitos e as estratégias que embasaram os planos não eram adequados a realidade dos municípios e a ausência de outros instrumentos de gestão de resíduos sólidos urbanos nos 3 níveis de Governo inviabiliza a gestão integrada. O trabalho é finalizado com a avaliação dos 18 PGIRSU, segundo o método de avaliação de Planos de GIRSU proposto nesta tese. Um novo conceito de PGIRSU foi formulado. Por fim, concluiu-se que a Amazônia imprescinde de formas específicas de intervenção decorrente de suas características físicas e de seu histórico de ocupação. / In the present study is performed to assess the plans for the integrated management of municipal solid waste (PGIRSU) in Amazonian cities. Reflections were targets of all eighteen experience designed and implemented in the region. In addition to literature review were conducted field visits and interviews with the secretaries responsible for the service in the 18 places where that has measured the results were below the set in PGIRSU. Throughout this paper, one can see the reasons for the failure of the enterprise: the concepts and strategies that have underpinned the plans were not adequate to the reality of the municipalities and the absence of other management tools of municipal solid waste in three levels of government undermines the integrated management. The job ends with an assessment of 18 PGIRSU, according to the method of evaluation of plans Girsu proposed in this thesis. A new concept of PGIRSU was formulated. Finally, it was concluded that Amazon lacks specific forms of interference, physical characteristics and its history of occupation.

A criação de Unidades de Conservação é uma estratégia mundialmente utilizada para garantir a conservação dos recursos naturais e a sustentabilidade ambiental, econômica e social, tendo como principal instrumento de planejamento e gestão o plano de manejo. Antes e depois a promulgação do Sistema Nacional de Unidades de Conservação vários planos de manejo foram elaborados a partir dos métodos consagrados que não consideram a variável tempo para a definição de ações de conservação e recuperação dos recursos naturais, a curto, médio e longo prazo. Visando contribuir para o aperfeiçoamento metodológico dos planos de manejo, a presente pesquisa apresenta uma compilação sobre as unidades de conservação e respectivos planos de manejo, tendo como estudo de caso, para a análise do método consagrado, o Plano de Manejo da APA Várzea do rio Tietê. Além disso, a pesquisa apresenta uma descrição das principais ferramentas de modelagem econômica - ecológica com intuito de conhecer conceitos e métodos alternativos e complementares para elaboração dos planos de manejo. Das fermentadas estudadas, o InVest se apresenta como sendo o mais operacional, produzindo modelos para a quantificação biofísica, o mapeamento e a valoração monetária dos benefícios providos por ecossistemas terrestres e marinhos, enquanto que o MIMES se apresenta como sendo o mais indicado para qualquer escala de modelos dinâmicos e integrados que, além de identificar, avalia e valora os serviços ecossistêmicos. Ambos os modelos consideram a variável tempo e estabelecem cenários a partir deles. Ao final, observou-se que, os métodos consagrados para elaboração dos planos de manejo das Unidades de Conservação não consideram a variável tempo na medida em que não definem os cenários e tendências para superação ou não do limiar de resiliência dos ecossistemas protegidos pelas unidades de conservação, o método tradicional analisa a situação atual, sem construir cenários para conservação e recuperação desses recursos naturais, a curto, médio e longo prazo. Desse modo, a questão que se coloca não é a definição de quanto vale os serviços ecossistêmicos para a sociedade e, sim, qual é o real limiar de resiliência do ecossistema. / The creation of Conservation Units is a globally used strategy to guarantee the conservation of natural resources and environmental, economic and social sustainability, having as main planning and management tool the management plan. Before and after the promulgation of the National System of Conservation Units, several management plans were elaborated based on established methods that do not consider the time variable for the definition of actions for conservation and recovery of natural resources in the short, medium and long term. Aiming to contribute to the methodological improvement of the management plans, the present research presents a compilation on the conservation units and respective management plans, having as case study, for the analysis of the established method, the APA Management Plan Várzea do Rio Tietê. In addition, the research presents a description of the main economic - ecological modeling tools in order to know alternative and complementary concepts and methods to elaborate management plans. From the studied ferments, InVest presents itself as the most operational, producing models for biophysical quantification, mapping and monetary valuation of the benefits provided by terrestrial and marine ecosystems, while MIMES presents itself as being the most suitable for any scale Of dynamic and integrated models that, in addition to identifying, evaluating and valuing ecosystem services. Both models consider the time variable and establish scenarios from them. At the end, it was observed that the methods established for the elaboration of the management plans of the Conservation Units do not consider the time variable insofar as they do not define the scenarios and trends for overcoming or not the resilience threshold of the ecosystems protected by the conservation units. Conservation, the traditional method analyzes the current situation without constructing scenarios for conservation and recovery of these natural resources in the short, medium and long term. Thus, the question is not the definition of how much ecosystem services are worth for society, but rather what is the real resilience threshold of the ecosystem.

In 2010 and 2011, Manitoba Hydro in collaboration with Manitoba Conservation collared 65 gray wolves (Canis lupus) as part of a larger multi-year boreal woodland caribou research project. There is insufficient data regarding populations of gray wolves in Manitoba or their movements throughout the province. The objective of this study was to typify wolf movements in Manitoba to provide recommendations for industry and government for the development of policy and integrated resource management plans of this species. Of the 65-collared wolves, 11 were selected to examine their movements in three regions of the Province. It was found that wolf populations overlap one another in the study area, to varying degrees. Their ability to move long distances, creates challenges for resource managers, as most management plans only consider management at a regional scale rather than a multi-jurisdictional level. In addition, this examination of gray wolf movements will assist in understanding their role as predators on the protected boreal woodland caribou and depressed moose populations within the Province.

Our aim is to investigate and evaluate the efficiency of crisis management in European aviation, and to recommend enhancements. To fulfill this, we mapped the current crisis management plans and created a fictive scenario where a cyber-attack shut down the power at five of the major airports in Europe. Air traffic in Europe was reconstructed to a chosen day; the 16th of September 2013, and the reconstructed traffic situation was used in the scenario. We also created a model, for the purpose of showing the effect of a cut in time for the steps in the crisis management plan may have on the traffic waiting to depart at the closed airports. When using these means, we could implement the crisis management plans on the fictive scenario and make changes to the plans for a new implementation. The existing crisis management plans were compared to the modified plans made by us, and it was found that usage of a common platform for the different stakeholders involved in the crisis could improve the efficiency of the crisis management.

South Africa is one of the most biologically diverse countries in the world. However, biodiversity is suffering under the huge demand for natural resources and the increasing dependence of rural communities on these same resources. It has also become apparent that an alarming number of species are threatened, endangered or even destroyed. Surveys have revealed that 34% of the country’s 440 terrestrial ecosystems are threatened. The three severest threats to biodiversity are overexploitation, overgrazing and mining. There is however a range of international, regional, national and local laws and best practice guidelines that aim to protect and preserve the natural faunal and floral diversity of the various rural areas and regions. The prescription of sustainable practices enables communities that depend on the services of ecosystem in their area, to utilise without depleting the resources provided by nature. South Africa is a signing party to more than seven conventions and treaties that either protect or govern biodiversity. In addition to this, the South African government has promulgated eighteen pieces of legislation and guidelines to protect and govern the use of biodiversity. The focus of this study was on the impacts platinum mining have on biodiversity and how effectively these impacts are managed. Data for the case study was obtained from Impala Platinum. Impala leases its land from the Royal Bafokeng Nation and inter alia shares it with the people who use the areas in between for grazing and other subsistence activities. The aim of the study was, in the first place to identify how Impala Platinum’s Environmental Management Plans (EMP’s) and Closure Plan (which manages current and post mining activities and their impacts) are aligned with the various international, national and local requirements for biodiversity management, and secondly to evaluate the effectiveness of the current management measures put in place, which regulates activities impacting on biodiversity. To give effect to the above outcome it was necessary to first identify the various international, national and local treaties, legislature and guidelines. Secondly, an environmental risk assessment was conducted where the current management measure were weighed against the various international, national and local requirements in order to deduce the level of effectiveness of the current EMP’s and Closure plan. It was found that the majority of the EMP’s compiled under the Environmental Conservation Act No. 73 of 1989 (ECA) lack substantive management and preventative measures. It was only in the later EMP’s (between the years 2000 - 2004) that the prescribed management measures improved and became more effective. This was because the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process had matured in South Africa and an entire new regime of more descriptive EIA regulations had been promulgated under the National Environmental Act No. 107 of 1998, which repealed the majority of the outdated ECA regulations. It was also found that the environmental standards, management objectives and priorities that were developed in the EMP’s did not contingently and specifically reflect the conditions in relation to the environmental, developmental and biodiversity contexts to which they apply. The Closure plan on the other hand, was a regurgitation of the same unimaginative objectives focusing on remedying past legacies instead of providing a lasting solution to sustain and improve the environmental conditions left by the mine, and most importantly it does not address the social issues that result from mine closure. For example, the overexploitation and overgrazing of the areas in between the various mining operations by the Royal Bafokeng Nation’s people is a crucial aspect that has not been thoroughly addressed in the respective documents. Habitat disturbance, which was not addressed for instance, requires a wide range of actions e.g. educating local communities on pasture management, post–rehabilitation monitoring, amelioration etc. To improve compliance with current legislation and adherence to the guidelines proposed by best practice initiatives, various recommendations are put forward to control both the negative activities brought on by the Royal Bafokeng and Impala Platinum. These include the implementation of: Biodiversity (inclusive) impact assessment, good environmental governance, the precautionary approach, the ecosystems approach, sustainable biodiversity management practices through conservation planning, biodiversity action plans, stewardship and land care tools, conservation plans, biodiversity offsets, effective mine closure planning and the forming of a Biodiversity Action Steering Committee (BASC). Finally, an eight step model is proposed as a tool to evaluate the effectiveness of specifically the platinum mine’s EMP’s and Closure plans to manage activities affecting biodiversity. The model is based on the concepts of direct and indirect drivers of change and the Deming cycle and is an elaboration of the model proposed by UNEP and the International Association of Impact Assessment. The model focuses on both the natural and anthropogenic drivers that may affect biodiversity and will aid the management of a mine to supplement the shortcomings of these documents. As an indirect outcome the model may possibly even improve, the relationship between the specific company and the communities with which it shares its land. / Thesis (M. Environmental Management)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

South Africa is one of the most biologically diverse countries in the world. However, biodiversity is suffering under the huge demand for natural resources and the increasing dependence of rural communities on these same resources. It has also become apparent that an alarming number of species are threatened, endangered or even destroyed. Surveys have revealed that 34% of the country’s 440 terrestrial ecosystems are threatened. The three severest threats to biodiversity are overexploitation, overgrazing and mining. There is however a range of international, regional, national and local laws and best practice guidelines that aim to protect and preserve the natural faunal and floral diversity of the various rural areas and regions. The prescription of sustainable practices enables communities that depend on the services of ecosystem in their area, to utilise without depleting the resources provided by nature. South Africa is a signing party to more than seven conventions and treaties that either protect or govern biodiversity. In addition to this, the South African government has promulgated eighteen pieces of legislation and guidelines to protect and govern the use of biodiversity. The focus of this study was on the impacts platinum mining have on biodiversity and how effectively these impacts are managed. Data for the case study was obtained from Impala Platinum. Impala leases its land from the Royal Bafokeng Nation and inter alia shares it with the people who use the areas in between for grazing and other subsistence activities. The aim of the study was, in the first place to identify how Impala Platinum’s Environmental Management Plans (EMP’s) and Closure Plan (which manages current and post mining activities and their impacts) are aligned with the various international, national and local requirements for biodiversity management, and secondly to evaluate the effectiveness of the current management measures put in place, which regulates activities impacting on biodiversity. To give effect to the above outcome it was necessary to first identify the various international, national and local treaties, legislature and guidelines. Secondly, an environmental risk assessment was conducted where the current management measure were weighed against the various international, national and local requirements in order to deduce the level of effectiveness of the current EMP’s and Closure plan. It was found that the majority of the EMP’s compiled under the Environmental Conservation Act No. 73 of 1989 (ECA) lack substantive management and preventative measures. It was only in the later EMP’s (between the years 2000 - 2004) that the prescribed management measures improved and became more effective. This was because the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process had matured in South Africa and an entire new regime of more descriptive EIA regulations had been promulgated under the National Environmental Act No. 107 of 1998, which repealed the majority of the outdated ECA regulations. It was also found that the environmental standards, management objectives and priorities that were developed in the EMP’s did not contingently and specifically reflect the conditions in relation to the environmental, developmental and biodiversity contexts to which they apply. The Closure plan on the other hand, was a regurgitation of the same unimaginative objectives focusing on remedying past legacies instead of providing a lasting solution to sustain and improve the environmental conditions left by the mine, and most importantly it does not address the social issues that result from mine closure. For example, the overexploitation and overgrazing of the areas in between the various mining operations by the Royal Bafokeng Nation’s people is a crucial aspect that has not been thoroughly addressed in the respective documents. Habitat disturbance, which was not addressed for instance, requires a wide range of actions e.g. educating local communities on pasture management, post–rehabilitation monitoring, amelioration etc. To improve compliance with current legislation and adherence to the guidelines proposed by best practice initiatives, various recommendations are put forward to control both the negative activities brought on by the Royal Bafokeng and Impala Platinum. These include the implementation of: Biodiversity (inclusive) impact assessment, good environmental governance, the precautionary approach, the ecosystems approach, sustainable biodiversity management practices through conservation planning, biodiversity action plans, stewardship and land care tools, conservation plans, biodiversity offsets, effective mine closure planning and the forming of a Biodiversity Action Steering Committee (BASC). Finally, an eight step model is proposed as a tool to evaluate the effectiveness of specifically the platinum mine’s EMP’s and Closure plans to manage activities affecting biodiversity. The model is based on the concepts of direct and indirect drivers of change and the Deming cycle and is an elaboration of the model proposed by UNEP and the International Association of Impact Assessment. The model focuses on both the natural and anthropogenic drivers that may affect biodiversity and will aid the management of a mine to supplement the shortcomings of these documents. As an indirect outcome the model may possibly even improve, the relationship between the specific company and the communities with which it shares its land. / Thesis (M. Environmental Management)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

The graduation theses describes an individual tools of a management accounting for an operating management of an efficiency and responsibility lines. Values implementation of these tools on an example of the concrete company.