There exists a lack of consensus around the definition of “sustainability” and numerous of applications of the concept in the disaster literature. Reviewing the disaster literature on sustainability, its intended audience, and the disciplines that inform it, a disconnect between the strategies proposed and the current role of county emergency managers in the U.S is evident. This study qualitatively explored how sustainability is conceptualized and perceived to be applicable at the local level by interviewing county emergency managers in the states of Florida and North Dakota. The study demonstrated that the lack of definitional clarity evidenced in the disaster literature is also reflected in emergency manager conceptualizations of sustainability. However, themes related to meaning were identified in the interviewed managers’ conceptualizations of sustainability, contextual factors influencing these conceptualizations offered, and implications of these findings for the development of the profession and discipline of emergency management discussed.

No abstract available / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Business Management / unrestricted

In this dissertation, I explore how a community in East Los Angeles, California planned a urban greenway routed by local schools and to what extent schoolchildren use the trail. Previous research has largely focused on greenways as a community amenity for adults. However in this study, I investigate schoolchildren's use of an urban rail-trail. With this greenway being routed near schools, I explore to what extent, if any, are schoolchildren using the greenway to actively travel to school. Though there is extensive literature on both greenways and active travel to school as discrete research topics, there is a gap in the literature concerning whether or not greenways can serve as an environmental support for children's active travel behavior to school. Concerning the research design, I used a single case study approach to document the critical case of the Whittier Greenway. After conducting a nation-wide search, I selected this case based on the following criteria. First, I located greenways routed near school properties. Second, I prioritized urban greenway sites over rural greenway sites. I selected Whittier, California because it has sufficient density where children's active travel to school is more likely to occur than in more rural settings. For the methodology, I interviewed key individuals who have historical knowledge of the trail, analyzed planning documentation, and retrieved archival resources to create a rich descriptive account of how the greenway was created. To determine children's greenway use and active travel behaviors, I employed survey methodology at three schools with property adjacent to the greenway: two elementary schools and one high school. One of the three schools has restrictive access to the greenway. Each school has a largely Latino student population. I used student surveys at the high school and parents surveys at the elementary schools. Both surveys are adapted from the nationally recognized Safe Routes to School survey to include greenway use and behavior questions. To determine children's use of the greenway, I employed descriptive statistics and performed a content analysis. Also, I ran descriptive statistics, a logistic regression, and a Pearson's Chi-Square analysis to address the extent that schoolchildren are using the greenway to travel to school. Concerning the findings, this case illustrates how a city planned and created an urban greenway. Serving as the catalyst that started the project and part of the general planning process, participation played a vital role in the creation of the Whittier Greenway. This case also reveals how one community successfully planned and constructed an urban rail-trail without the use of a city's general funds. A further analysis of the survey results reveals that both children and youth use the greenway as a recreational amenity. Though high school students use the greenway for recreation, their most common use of the greenway was traveling to destinations within their community. From a sample of active travelers, the results show that greenways may make it easier for high school students to walk or cycle to school compared to walking or cycling through neighborhoods. Distance and traveling with a companion are significant predictors that influence students' use of a greenway when traveling to school. As the distance from home to school increases, high school students are more likely to take the greenway to travel to school as compared to active travel through neighborhoods. High school students are also more likely to use the greenway to go to school if they travel alone rather than with a companion. For other communities contemplating a greenway project, the Whittier Case offers greenway practitioners' lessons on how to plan and fund an urban greenway near schools. In addition to being a recreational support, the Whittier Greenway serves as a transportation corridor for high school students to travel to school among other community destinations. In terms of policy implications, evidence from this case suggests that a greenway intervention near schools may be a viable strategy worth further testing to promote active travel to school in other communities. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Urban and Regional Planning in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2014. / May 22, 2014. / Active Travel to School, Green space, Greenway, Planning, Schools, Youth and Children / Includes bibliographical references. / Christopher Coutts, Professor Directing Dissertation; Jeffrey Chanton, University Representative; Rebecca Miles, Committee Member; Tim Chapin, Committee Member.

Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) advocates that well-functioning ecosystems are critical for building resilience and supporting society's adaptation to the adverse impacts of climate change. The National Department of Environmental Affairs, Fisheries and Forestry in South Africa has decided to mainstream EbA into its climate response actions, developing a strategy and set of guidelines to steer implementation. However, little work has been done to grasp different actors' perspectives and understandings of EbA, its implementation and how to link EbA to existing related projects and programmes that focus on natural resource management and ecological restoration. This research presents findings from a qualitative study in the Western Cape that sought to investigate what EbA means ‘on the ground' and how it can be actioned. The objectives for this research were to 1) unpack how government actors in the Western Cape relate to, understand and give meaning to EbA in their specific and existing work contexts and how they relate EbA to other concepts such as green infrastructure, restoration and various forms of natural resource management (NRM); 2) explore the concerns and challenges encountered and what support is needed to implement EbA within each actor's sector; and 3) interpret what the findings mean for future conceptualization, and promotion of EbA mainstreaming in the Western Cape. Semi-structured interviews with 19 government officials and participant observation at EbA related events in South Africa were the main methods used in the research. Findings suggest that despite some conceptual confusion related to EbA, EbA can be ‘grounded based on the three spheres EbA explicitly builds on; namely biodiversity and ecosystem conservation, climate change adaptation and socio-economic benefits. That said, the study also found that practitioners might struggle to successfully address climate change as one of the critical areas of EbA, due to the difficulties of integrating climate change science and projections into projects. In addition, three challenges were identified that relate to funding availability, silo mentality and the mismatch between short-term objectives and decision making in government, and the need for long-term thinking and planning. Increased climate change understanding together with effective demonstration and the use of applicable language that relates to what the different actors are already doing can help improve EbA uptake and mainstreaming, as well as address the challenges related to conceptual confusion, funding, silo mentality and short-term thinking.

In Post-Apartheid South Africa tourism was seen as an important tool for economic development and poverty alleviation, especially in rural communities. The term Responsible Tourism was adopted by government in the 1996 White Paper and encouraged tourism that creates competitive advantage, maintains natural, social and cultural diversity and promotes sustainable use of local resources. This study looks at two case studies on the Wild Coast of South Africa, namely; Coffee Shack in Coffee Bay and Bulungula Lodge in Nqileni, which have both been awarded for their responsible tourism efforts. Through a review of the literature, document analysis and semi-structured interviews, this thesis identified a set of responsible tourism criteria applicable to tourism ventures in rural South Africa, while also identifying some of the challenges that come with tourism development in rural areas. The study discusses how responsible tourism approaches and practices can enable not only job opportunities, but also contribute to improving basic living conditions and enhance education and skills development of local communities. Gaining ownership of the tourism venture, meaningful participation of local communities in management and decision making, equal power relations as well as sharing in the benefits were all found to be important enablers in the case studies. A responsible tourism approach also focuses on promoting sound environmental management practices, including respect for local cultures, institutions and local knowledge, thereby contributing to biodiversity conservation efforts and promoting sustainable livelihoods. The study recognised how partnerships with government and NGOs can enable better implementation of responsible tourism policies and approaches, while monitoring results and accreditation can measure these benefits delivered to the economy, community and environment.

Development researchers have long held a belief that developed states use their power to provide Aid or other forms of external assistance such as private philanthropy, assistance of Non-Governmental Organisations, and other private financing to underdeveloped, or developing, nations to achieve global economic and political stability. Development scholars (including geographers) have largely attributed this to a sense of responsibility. Many have assumed this assistance to travel in one direction, i.e. from Global North to Global South, thus overlooking the modalities of care and hospitality among individuals within countries of the Global South. In this thesis, I posit that looking at everyday modes of assistance at the community level would challenge scholars to re-think the ways in which place matters in development. Analysing qualitative data gathered through interviews and focus groups in two neighbourhoods in Maputo, Mozambique, this study is ultimately an investigation of proximity. I argue that the closeness of people in these complex community relationships matters in three ways: (i) the everyday practices of assistance in these communities are modes of resistance to an oppressive state; (ii) forms of assistance serve as expressions of local (as opposed to national) identity; and (iii) religious institutions play a significant role in fostering public discourse, rather than motivating assistance itself. In speaking more specifically about how proximity matters, this study contributes uniquely to the growing realisation that development must come from within.

The food security of university students in South Africa is an area of research which is becoming increasingly researched and recognised. Internationally, there has been research into university student food security, recognition of student food insecurity and the links to academic success, and the idea of secure campus food systems. Approaches documented in the literature from the global North include the establishment of food banks and pantries, and the use of university green space in order to feed university students and decrease student food insecurity. Limited research on food security of university students in South Africa has been conducted, but this is increasing. Universities around the world are becoming increasingly aware and active in examining their ecological impacts as universities, and placing sustainability on the university agenda. This research explores the current narratives of student food security, campus food initiatives and the (dis)connection between green spaces and student food security responses at a university in South Africa. In order to achieve the research aim, three objectives were identified. The first objective was to review the global literature of university student food security, the use of green spaces on university campuses as a food security response. The second objective investigated student food security dialogues, and the third objective included the examination of university based food initiatives and university policy documents and reports, and assessing the integration of aspects of student food security. This exploratory research used a mixed methods approach, using a mixture of quantitative and qualitative data, by way of literature review, document analysis, online quantitative surveys and semi structured interviews in order to explore the narrative of student food security in South Africa, as well as the link between university campus sustainability and student food security. Dominant themes which arose from the research include food costs and affordability, in addition to food quality and health. It was found that there is a disconnection between student food experiences, sustainability and green spaces. While the links between green space and student food security may be relevant in Northern contexts, more pressing systemic issues require attention in the context of South Africa, thus adding to the complexity of how student food security is approached in the country. This exploratory research highlights the need for further research to be conducted in the area of student food security.

This study aimed to examine the perceptions of two local communities living adjacent to Mombasa Marine National Park and Reserve (MMNP&R) and Kuruwitu community closure (tengefu) in Kenya regarding the benefits and impacts of the MPA on their livelihoods. A secondary aim was to compare the perceptions of these two communities in relation to the MPA management models employed at the two study sites. The research employed a case study approach and undertook focus group meetings and key informant interviews at each case study site and with relevant organisations. Key findings from the research revealed that both sites experienced diversification of livelihoods, however the diversification was for different reasons. The Bamburi community members stated that the park generated benefits such as new forms of employment linked to tourism, beach security, increased variety of corals and fish species as well as improved infrastructure. The Kuruwitu community perceived the closure to have resulted in various benefits but in particular social benefits, such as women empowerment, ownership of resources, co-existence among resource users and community exchange visits were highlighted. However, both cases also identified various negative impacts including tensions due to an increase in migrant fishers, illegal access and poaching and the use of unsustainable gear. Furthermore, the direct resource users (fishers) in both case study sites felt that their fishing grounds had been drastically reduced due to the establishment of the park and tengefu which negatively affected their fish catches and livelihoods, leading to decreased support for the conservation initiatives. Therefore, the fishers in both study sites were more negative about the protected areas compared to the other resource users. Kuruwitu, in particular, identified perceived fear of the loss of their marine area to privatisation, inequitable sharing of benefits by their leadership group and limited involvement of women in decision- making as primary negative concerns. On the other hand, concerns about minimal involvement in management decisions during and after park inception were expressed by participants at the Bamburi study site. In addition, the lack of transparency in the management and use of revenue derived from the state- run MMNP&R further aggravated tensions between the state and the adjacent communities as well as severe penalties set for transgressions on locals by marine park authorities at MMNP&R. With the introduction of co-management through the Beach Management Units (BMUs) in Kenya in the year 2007, it was expected that stakeholder participation would be increased, however, the Bamburi community lamented over lack of proper representation within the BMUs which they claimed gave outsiders more power. While both communities, especially Kuruwitu identified a number of nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) that aided in fulfilling the community’s socio- economic and ecological objectives, they were much more central to achieving socio-ecological objectives at Kuruwitu than at Bamburi. These NGOs and other stakeholders, however, became much more engaged at MMNP&R after the inception of the BMUs. Based on the findings, it was evident that the community- based co-management conservation approach at Kuruwitu generated more social benefits to the community than the state-centred co- managed conservation approach at MMNP&R. Loss of access to traditional fishing grounds, perceived loss of benefits and increased social costs triggered illegal access into the state park, therefore, fuelling conflicts and exacerbating tensions between the community and the state as well as tensions between various management institutions regarding overlapping mandates. Implementing genuine co-management approaches are key to fostering inclusivity, accountability, legitimacy and support for marine conservation initiatives.

Wind energy has become one of the most important and thriving renewable energy resources in the world. Transforming the kinetic energy of wind into electric power is more environmentally friendly than traditional processes such as the combustion of fossil fuels. It provides independence from the limited fossil fuels reserves by using an unlimited resource. In order to develop a wind power facility, it is important to develop an initial wind resource assessment to guarantee the selected site will be profitable in terms of electric energy output. Several countries lack developed wind atlases that indicate a rough estimate of wind resource in their territories, which is an obstacle for inexpensive wind resource evaluations. In order to perform site evaluations generally an anemometer must be put in place to take wind measurements. This process is costly and time consuming since at least a year of data must be observed. The quality of wind resource depends on several geographic and atmospheric characteristics such as: air density, site location, site topography, wind speed and direction. This study was conducted to provide an initial wind resource assessment on three locations in Venezuela which do not have previous evaluations: Cerro Copey, Punta de Piedras and Los Roques. The assessment was done remotely based on the national meteorological service meteorological observations; wind resource and turbine power output uncertainties were taken into account. The wind assessment was done through Monte Carlo simulations mathematically considering several uncertainties with emphasis on surface roughness for vertical extrapolation. The results exhibit wind energy potential of the three sites and a throughout wind resource characterization of the site with the most potential: Cerro Copey. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering in partial fulfillment of the Master of Science. / Spring Semester 2016. / April 8, 2016. / Assessment, Energy, Venezuela, Wind / Includes bibliographical references. / Sungmoon Jung, Professor Directing Thesis; Eren Erman Ozguven, Committee Member; Kamal Tawfiq, Committee Member; Raphael Kampmann, Committee Member.

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to investigate how young consumers understand sustainability in the fashion industry: how they define it and if they consider both environmental and social sustainability. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative method was used. The 14 semi- structured video-call interviews were carried out with interviewees between the ages of 20 and 30 years old, chosen based on their age and accessibility to the researchers. Further, all the interviewees live in Sweden. Findings – The collected data show that young consumers have a fairly broad understanding of sustainability in the fashion industry, even if parts of that understanding seem to be subconscious. All the interviewees are aware of the fashion industry’s negative impact on global sustainability, and show awareness of transparency and Greenwashing issues. Many also agree that aspects of high quality, timeless design and second-hand clothing are crucial for sustainability in the fashion industry. All interviewees connect sustainability in the fashion industry to environmental sustainability first and foremost, while issues with social sustainability come second. The interviewees were generally more concerned with environmental issues like emissions and materials. However, all but one showed awareness of the social implications as well, addressing social issues like working conditions. Originality/value – The thesis is a response to the lack of research on young consumer’s understanding and perceptions of sustainability within the fashion industry. It’s an interesting subject, since the fashion industry has many sustainability issues, and young consumers have a great spending power, and also care a lot about sustainability. The research is a mean for future research regarding young consumers and the fashion industry and will provide further understanding towards the subject.