Effective Mitigation Measures Research Articles

An Emerging Issue of Human-Leopard Conflict in the Human-Dominated Landscape of Mid-Hills: A Case Study from Tanahun District of Nepal

Information on the spatial and temporal patterns of losses caused by leopard (Panthera pardus) in terms of human attacks and livestock depredation in the human-dominated landscape of the mid-hills of Nepal is essential in formulating and implementing effective mitigation measures. This study aimed to assess the spatial and temporal patterns of leopard attacks on humans and livestock and the economic losses incurred by livestock depredation between 2015 and 2019 in the Bhanu municipality of Tanahun District. We adopted a household survey (N = 110), key informant (N = 10), and focus group discussion (N = 4) for this study. We purposively chose two conflict wards: 2 and 4, based on the severity of the attacks by the leopard. Within each ward, we selected the households randomly and conducted a semistructured questionnaire survey in September 2020. A total of 8 incidents of human attacks and 142 incidents of livestock depredation were recorded, with six human casualties in ward 2 and 1.45 incidents of livestock depredation per household in ward 4. The maximum attack was observed during 2019 both on humans (n = 6) and livestock (n = 67). Leopards mostly attacked children below 9 years, living within 200 m of the nearest forest edge, with the highest attack during the autumn months (62.5%). During the five years, leopard killed goats that represent 83.1% of total livestock loss categories. A significant difference was found in the frequency of attacks on livestock over the years (χ2 = 87.60, df = 4, and P ≤ 0.01 ), months (χ2 = 16.53, df = 11, and P = 0.12 ), and time of day (χ2 = 48.47, df = 3, and P ≤ 0.001 ) with the highest attack during the year 2019 (47.18%), July (14.08%), and daytime (42.96%), respectively. Households living nearer to the forest edge (<200 m) lost more livestock (72.54%). The monetary value of a total of 8142 USD (74 USD per household) was lost due to livestock depredation, with major monetary loss at a distance >400 m from the forest edge. We suggest adopting mitigation measures like predator-proof livestock corals while stall feeding and strengthening conscientious livestock herding practices during grazing, encouraging livestock insurance schemes, educating local communities about leopard behavior, caring for and protecting children intensively in the leopard attack sites, improving the prey base in the wild, and timely management of man-eater leopard to reduce the conflict in the study area and the country.

A Quantitative Framework for Propagation Paths of Natech Domino Effects in Chemical Industrial Parks: Part II—Risk Assessment and Mitigation System

This is the second part of the quantitative framework for the propagation paths of Natech domino effects in chemical industrial parks, which focuses on risk assessment and a mitigation system based on the propagation path probabilities obtained from Part I. In this paper, the risk assessment model for the propagation paths of the domino effects induced by natural disasters are developed, and the risk level is quantitatively analyzed using individual risk and social risk indexes and compared with the risk acceptance standard to determine whether the risk in the plant area is at the risk acceptance level. Furthermore, the chain-cutting disaster mitigation model for domino effects induced by Natech events and the full-life-cycle mitigation system are proposed, and the effectiveness of mitigation measures is also evaluated. The case analysis results show that Natech events and multi-level domino effects can increase the risk to an unacceptable level, and taking corresponding mitigation measures could reduce the risk to an acceptable level.

Causes, Effects, and Mitigation Measures of Time and Cost Overruns in Water Supply Projects: Case of Tigrai Region, Northern Ethiopia

Project cost overrun and schedule delay are major and widespread problems in the construction industry. In Tigrai, most water supply construction projects are not completed within the predetermined contract time and planned budget. Hence, this research was carried out to investigate the causes and effects of time and cost overrun in water supply projects in Tigrai, northern Ethiopia and further recommend effective mitigation measures. A total of 87 questionnaires were distributed, 50 of them were collected, and desk study of 12 water supply projects were conducted. Data were analyzed using relative importance index and statistical software SPSS version 20. Results showed that the most important causes of time overrun were design errors and changes, lack of consistency between bill of quantities and drawings, and change order. Similarly, the most important causes of cost overrun were design errors and changes, lack of consistency between bill of quantities and drawings, and shortage of construction materials and electromechanical equipment in local market. The most effective mitigation measure of the overruns was complete and proper design. Time and cost overrun of the projects ranged between 0 and 203% and between 0 and 25%, respectively. The regression model showed that time overrun was estimated well (r2 = 0.95) using delays caused by design errors and changes and material import. Similarly, cost overrun was estimated well (r2 = 0.98) using factors that affect cost. Overall, the major cause for the overruns was design problem, hence clients and consultants should give due attention for the design process.

Exploring flood mitigation governance by estimating first-floor elevation via deep learning and google street view in coastal Texas

Flood mitigation governance is critical for coastal regions where flooding has caused considerable damage. Raising the First-Floor Elevation (FFE) above the base flood elevation (BFE) is an effective mitigation measure for buildings with a high risk of flooding. In the U.S., measuring FFE is necessary to obtain an Elevation Certificate (E.C.) for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and has traditionally required labor-consuming field surveys. However, the advances in computer vision technology have facilitated the handling of large image datasets, leading to new FFE measurement approaches. Taking Galveston Island (including the cities of Galveston and Jamaica Beach) in Coastal Texas as a case study, we explore how these new approaches may inform flood risk management and governance, including how FFE estimates may be combined with BFE estimates from flood inundation probability mapping to model the predicted cost of raising buildings’ FFE above their BFE. After establishing the FFE model’s accuracy by comparing its results with previously validated FFE estimates in three districts of Galveston, we generalize the workflow to building footprints across Galveston Island. By combining the FFE data derived from our workflow with multidimensional building information, we further analyze the future flood control and post-disaster maintenance strategies. Our findings present valuable data collection paradigms and methodological concepts that inform flood governance for Galveston Island. The proposed workflow can be extended to flood management and research for other vulnerable coastal communities.

Genomic surveillance identifies potential risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 transmission at a mid-sized university in a small rural town

Understanding transmission dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 in institutions of higher education (IHEs) is important because these settings have potential for rapid viral spread. Here, we used genomic surveillance to retrospectively investigate transmission dynamics throughout the 2020–2021 academic year for the University of Idaho (“University”), a mid-sized IHE in a small rural town. We generated genome assemblies for 1168 SARS-CoV-2 samples collected during the academic year, representing 46.8% of positive samples collected from the University population and 49.8% of positive samples collected from the surrounding community (“Community”) at the local hospital during this time. Transmission dynamics differed for the University when compared to the Community, with more infection waves that lasted shorter lengths of time, potentially resulting from high-transmission congregate settings along with mitigation efforts implemented by the University to combat outbreaks. We found evidence for low transmission rates between the University and Community, with approximately 8% of transmissions into the Community originating from the University, and approximately 6% of transmissions into the University originating from the Community. Potential transmission risk factors identified for the University included congregate settings such as sorority and fraternity events and residences, holiday travel, and high caseloads in the surrounding community. Knowledge of these risk factors can help the University and other IHEs develop effective mitigation measures for SARS-CoV-2 and similar pathogens.

Three decades of variability and warming of nearshore waters around Tasmania

The ocean region around Tasmania forms an interface between major ocean basins and represents a significant global ocean hotspot due to a rate of warming higher than the global average. Nearshore Tasmanian waters are of central importance for shallow-water ecosystems and a range of human activities, including recreation, aquaculture and fisheries which have become increasingly impacted by warming in recent decades. However, the fine-scale spatial and temporal variability of sea surface temperature (SST) in these waters is not well understood, limiting opportunities for effective local-scale mitigation and adaptation measures in the face of ongoing warming. We use a high-resolution (0.02 °x 0.02°, 1992–2020) satellite SST received at local stations (validated against in situ temperature) to explore variability over seasonal, interannual, decadal and multi-decadal timescales at spatial scales from the nearshore up to the entire study domain. The SST is used as a proxy for seasonal circulation by removal of the broad-scale radiative forcing (estimated by a region-wide latitudinal gradient of SST). The main circulation drivers of nearshore SST are the East Australian Current Extension (EACx) and Zeehan Current (ZC) acting on the east and west coasts with respective peaks in summer and winter. New results include the seasonality of three summer upwelling systems, the first direct evidence of EACx inflow into eastern Bass Strait, a time series of the endpoint of the ZC/EACx intersection, and a full year description of the ZC, from warm winter inflow transitioning into a summer cooler than ambient intrusion. We find that local SST variations are controlled by coastal geometry with intensified atmospheric forcing in enclosed waters. We have identified two modes of low frequency SST variability (including 1, 2 and 10-year periods) associated with the EACx (63% of the variance) and the ZC (12%). The EACx mode induces a rapid adjustment of the entire ocean region around Tasmania. Multi-decadal warming trends occur in all regions, modulated by coastal boundary flows, changes in upwelling mechanisms and local topography. Trends in the eastern shelf arise from intrusions of EACx waters, with local processes driving trends on the western shelf. Both east and west nearshore SST trends are around + 0.4°C decade−1 with the highest value of + 0.55°C decade−1 on the central west coast, possibly associated with outflow from Macquarie Harbour.

Spatial Analysis of Flood Exposure and Vulnerability for Planning More Equal Mitigation Actions

The issue of spatial equity of Nature-Based Solutions in cities generally concerns the spatial distribution of their benefits to local residents and other city users. In the context of flood risk management, planners are challenged to identify effective mitigation and adaptation measures that can generate benefits to the higher number of people and, more specifically, to people with highest levels of exposure and vulnerability. To address these issues, an essential step is to identify the geography of needs for mitigation, intended as prior areas in which to locate measures for flood risk mitigation. This study combines geospatial layers of multiple dimensions of exposure and vulnerability to flooding and identifies prior areas suitable for design scenarios for mitigation of flooding risk, for a regional case study located in Sicily. The results show patterns of exposure and vulnerability that vary according to locally relevant physical and social urban dimensions. Based on these results, proposals for mitigation actions are advanced with the overall objective of generating equal benefits to the most vulnerable exposed social subjects. Moreover, this study argues about the particular implications of implementing stormwater green infrastructure planning for equal beneficial distribution of the potentially achievable risk reduction.

Impact of Microplastic Pollution on Freshwater Ecosystems and Effective Mitigation Measures in Canada

Purpose: This study investigates the impact of microplastic pollution on freshwater ecosystems and effective mitigation measures in Canada.
 Methodology: The study adopted a desktop methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low-cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive’s time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library.
 Findings: The literature review and research findings demonstrate that microplastic pollution is significantly impacting freshwater ecosystems in Canada. Microplastics can accumulate in water, biota, and sediments, leading to water quality changes, ecological disruptions, and potential risks to human health. The study also highlights the ecological and societal impacts of microplastic pollution, such as changes in habitat structure, alterations in food webs, and potential health risks. Various mitigation measures, including source reduction, wastewater treatment, education and awareness, policy and regulatory measures, and ecosystem-based approaches, are effective in reducing microplastic pollution in freshwater environments.
 Recommendations: This study contributes to the understanding of microplastic pollution's impact on freshwater ecosystems and effective mitigation measures in Canada. The research advances knowledge in environmental science, freshwater ecology, and pollution management, providing insights into sources, pathways, and impacts of microplastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems, and the effectiveness of various mitigation measures. The findings have practical implications for policymakers, environmental managers, and stakeholders involved in freshwater management and pollution control, highlighting the need for interdisciplinary approaches, stakeholder engagement, and evidence-based policy and management strategies to mitigate the negative effects of microplastic pollution on freshwater ecosystems and safeguard their health and sustainability.

Modelling the transportation of marine plastics over the ocean surface by Cellular Automata

This article describes a novel Cellular Automata (CA) model to predict the transportation of buoyant marine plastics. The proposed CA model provides a simpler and more affordable approach to a field where the computationally intensive Lagrangian particle-tracking models dominate. The transportation of marine plastics was investigated using well-defined, probabilistic rules governing the advection and diffusion processes. The CA model was applied to evaluate the impact of two input scenarios, namely a “population” and a “river” scenario. Of the sub-tropical gyres, a high percentage of buoyant plastics were found in the Indian gyre (population: 5.0 %; river: 5.5 %) and North Pacific gyre (population: 5.5 %; river: 7 %). These findings show good agreement with previously published results from particle-tracking models. The CA model could be a useful rapid-scenario assessment tool for the estimation marine plastic pollution prior to more in-depth studies on effective mitigation measures to, for example, reduce plastics waste.

Mitigation of Respirable Aerosol Particles from Speech and Language Therapy Exercises

Phonation and speech are known sources of respirable aerosol in humans. Voice assessment and treatment manipulate all the subsystems of voice production, and previous work (Saccente-Kennedy et al., 2022) has demonstrated such activities can generate >10 times more aerosol than conversational speech and 30 times more aerosol than breathing. Aspects of voice therapy may therefore be considered aerosol generating procedures and pose a greater risk of potential airborne pathogen (eg, SARS-CoV-2) transmission than typical speech. Effective mitigation measures may be required to ensure safe service delivery for therapist and patient. To assess the effectiveness of mitigation measures in reducing detectable respirable aerosol produced by voice assessment/therapy. We recruited 15 healthy participants (8 cis-males, 7 cis-females), 9 of whom were voice-specialist speech-language pathologists. Optical Particle Sizers (OPS) (Model 3330, TSI) were used to measure the number concentration of respirable aerosol particles (0.3 µm-10 µm) generated during a selection of voice assessment/therapy tasks, both with and without mitigation measures in place. Measurements were performed in a laminar flow operating theatre, with near-zero background aerosol concentration, allowing us to quantify the number concentration of respiratory aerosol particles produced. Mitigation measures included the wearing of Type IIR fluid resistant surgical masks, wrapping the same masks around the end of straws, and the use of heat and moisture exchange microbiological filters (HMEFs) for a water resistance therapy (WRT) task. All unmitigated therapy tasks produced more aerosol than unmasked breathing or speaking. Mitigation strategies reduced detectable aerosol from all tasks to a level significantly below, or no different to, that of unmasked breathing. Pooled filtration efficiencies determined that Type IIR surgical masks reduced detectable aerosol by 90%. Surgical masks wrapped around straws reduced detectable aerosol by 96%. HMEF filters were 100% effective in mitigating the aerosol from WRT, the exercise that generated more aerosol than any other task in the unmitigated condition. Voice therapy and assessment causes the release of significant quantities of respirable aerosol. However, simple mitigation strategies can reduce emitted aerosol concentrations to levels comparable to unmasked breathing.

To what extent are ecosystem services provided by geodiversity affected by anthropogenic impacts? A quantitative study in Caraguatatuba, Southeast coast of Brazil

Ecosystem services (ES) provided by geodiversity are goods that directly and indirectly benefit society and can be classified into regulating, supporting, provisioning, cultural, and knowledge functions. The integrated assessment of geodiversity with an emphasis on ES is relevant for conservation and territorial management strategies. The current work aims the identification and assessment of impacts on ES provided by geodiversity in the Caraguatatuba county, with an emphasis in the Serra do Mar State Park (SMSP), on the Southeast coast of Brazil. The methodological procedures followed two steps: (i) identification of the ES based on the recognition of the Essential Geodiversity Variables (EGVs) and bibliographic research and (ii) quantitative assessment of the impacts on the ES provided by geodiversity based on land use categories. Seventy-five ES provided by geodiversity were identified in Caraguatatuba, being the ecosystem functions affected by urban area and native vegetation land use categories, respectively: supporting (50.9%), regulating (47.7%), cultural (41.9%), knowledge (34.9%), and provisioning (31.2%). The results indicate that the supporting and regulating functions, such as aquifers, fauna and flora habitats, and carbon sequestration and storage, are the ones that require the most effective environmental impact mitigation measures. This approach can contribute not only to academic works, but to different economic sectors to achieve sustainable development.

Surviving the cold: a review of the effects of cold spells on bivalves and mitigation measures

Cold spells, characterized by prolonged periods of low temperature, have become increasingly frequent, intense, and prolonged due to the ongoing effects of climate change, resulting in devastating consequences for marine ecosystems and significant socio-economic impacts. As ectothermic organisms, bivalves are dependent on their environment for regulating body temperature, and thus, cold spells can disrupt their normal functioning, leading to mass mortalities. This review comprehensively summarizes the effects of cold spells on bivalves and proposes mitigation measures to be considered in future bivalve farming and management plans. Scientific evidence has indicated that cold spells can alter bivalve metabolism, leading to an increase in stress protein production and a decrease in the activity of energy metabolism-related enzymes, which can negatively impact the bivalve immune system and increase the risk of disease. To mitigate the effects of cold spells on bivalves, a number of strategies can be employed, including the use of thermal shelters such as floating covers, selective breeding of more cold-tolerant bivalves, and genetic engineering to enhance the expression of heat-shock proteins in bivalves. The impacts of cold spells on bivalves are significant, affecting both their physiological and molecular processes. Through the implementation of thermal shelters, selective breeding, and genetic engineering, the effects of cold spells on bivalves can be reduced, improving their survival and growth. Further research is required to fully understand cold spells’ impacts on bivalves and develop effective mitigation measures.

Identification, transformations and mobility of hazardous arsenic-based pigments on 19th century bookbindings in accessible library collections

This study focused on the non-destructive characterization of potentially hazardous Victorian-era books found in the Northwestern University Libraries. XRF, Raman and FTIR were used to identify and isolate hazardous books containing As-based pigments. These techniques also permitted, on selected books, to characterize the pigment as being Emerald green. However, none allowed for the identification of equally hazardous degradation products or potential transfer to adjacent books. These analytical gaps create limits in thoroughly identifying the level of risks associated with these books for library users and hampered the application of effective risk mitigation measures. Such limitations were overcome with synchrotron radiation (SR) techniques. Through SR-XRF, Cu/As distributions were mapped across covers and spines of green and neighboring books, whereas SR-X-ray absorption near edge structure (SR-XANES) was used to characterize the As oxidation state, leading to the identification of arsenates as degradation products. Besides successfully identifying hazardous books, this study demonstrated that hazards extend beyond As-containing green books to innocuous, long-standing neighboring books and non-colored pages due to migration and transfer of pigment and degradation products. Aside from helping to implement workplace health and safety measures, this study also informs how other libraries can identify and characterize potentially hazardous items in their collections.

Rainwater harvesting systems: An urban flood risk mitigation measure in arid areas

Rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems have been developed to compensate for shortage in the water supply worldwide. Such systems are not very common in arid areas, particularly in the Gulf Region, due to the scarcity of rainfall and their reduced efficiency in covering water demand and reducing water consumption rates. In spite of this, RWH systems have the potential to reduce urban flood risks, particularly in densely populated areas. This study aimed to assess the potential use of RWH systems as urban flood mitigation measures in arid areas. Their utility in the retention of stormwater runoff and the reduction of water depth and extent were evaluated. The study was conducted in a residential area in Bahrain that experienced waterlogging after heavy rainfall events. The water demand patterns of housing units were analyzed, and the daily water balance for RWH tanks was evaluated. The effect of the implementation of RWH systems on the flood volume was evaluated with a two-dimensional hydrodynamic model. Flood simulations were conducted in several rainfall scenarios with different probabilities of occurrence. The results showed significant reductions in the flood depth and flood extent, but these effects were highly dependent on the rainfall intensity of the event. RWH systems are effective flood mitigation measures, particularly in urban arid regions short of proper stormwater control infrastructure, and they enhance the resilience of the built environment to urban floods.

Utilizing interview-based data to measure interactions of artisanal fishing communities and cetacean populations in Kuching Bay, Sarawak, East Malaysia

Kuching Bay is a significant area for artisanal fishing activities as well as an Important Marine Mammal Area (IMMA) for coastal cetaceans. A total of 286 fishers from eight fishing communities were interviewed between 2011 and 2019 to determine the nature and extent of cetacean-fishery interactions in the area. The main types of fishing gears recorded were gillnets, trammel nets, trawl nets, longlines, handlines and crab traps, with the use of gears varying by season and target species. Depredation, net damage, and entanglements in fishing gear were the most frequently reported negative interactions with cetaceans. Thirty-six percent of fishers reported having experienced a cetacean entanglement in their fishing gear at least once. More than half (58.1%) of the respondents who experienced bycatch were able to disentangle and release the animals alive. The more conservative calculated bycatch rate of 0.36 cetaceans per fisher over a fishing career indicates that a minimum estimated average of 19 cetaceans are involved in bycatch annually in Kuching Bay, with as many as nine of these incidents likely resulting in mortality. However, a less conservative method yields a bycatch rate of 0.57 per fisher, and estimated an average of 30 bycaught cetaceans per year. Irrawaddy dolphins (Orcaella brevirostris) were reported to be at the highest risk (72.9% of reported incidents), with an estimated minimum of seven individuals caught and killed per year. Despite the negative interactions, 77.2% of respondents reported a generally positive attitude toward cetaceans based on their value for tourism and as indicators of fish presence and a healthy ecosystem. Mutualistic relationships between fishers and cetaceans were documented, with 53% of respondents reporting that they feed discarded fish to cetaceans. The results of this study can be used to guide effective mitigation measures, which should focus on training fishers in safe handling and release of entangled cetaceans, and, more importantly, methods to prevent interactions with gillnets.

Residential building stock in Serbia: classification and vulnerability for seismic risk studies

Regional seismic risk assessment is necessary for designing effective seismic risk mitigation measures. In general, such risk assessment studies consist of three components: hazard, vulnerability, and exposure modelling. This paper lays the foundations for regional seismic risk assessment of the residential building stock in Serbia and addresses each of the three seismic risk assessment components, either by reviewing the existing or proposing novel models. First, a review of seismic hazard models and seismic design codes used in Serbia in the past 70 years was presented. Next, an overview of Serbia’s population metrics and historical development of Serbian’s residential building stock was presented to provide the context for the exposure model. Furthermore, the paper proposed a novel building classification for Serbia's residential building stock, which is based on the existing building taxonomies, but it has been adapted to account for the local building characteristics. Building damage patterns reported in past earthquakes in Serbia and neighbouring countries were reviewed as a basis for damage classification pertaining to building typologies included in the proposed classification. Finally, the results of a preliminary vulnerability model were presented in the form of expert-based fragility functions derived for buildings typical of Serbia's residential building stock.

Estimated nutrient leakage from arable land in different bioeconomy scenarios for two areas in central Sweden, determined using a leaching coefficient method

Knowledge of future developments in agriculture and how these will affect nutrient leakage from arable land is important in efforts to achieve good ecological status of surface waters. This study assessed the impact of five scenarios for a bioresource-based economy, involving use of renewable biological resources from land and sea, on nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) leakage from arable land to surface-waters and groundwater. The scenarios (developed in an earlier study) were applied to two areas in central Sweden, leaching region LR-6 (5350 km2) and catchment C6 (19 km2). Using the NLeCCS calculation system to produce leakage coefficients, we evaluated the changes in total N and total P leakage from arable soil. The leakage coefficients described agricultural management practices and climate conditions representing the leaching region LR-6 in Sweden and the baseline year was 2016. The scenarios varied from a baseline in terms of crop combination (relative area of different crops) and extent of mitigation measures (e.g. delayed tillage date, buffer zone width and relative area, and catch crop). Expected consumption of meat varied in the scenarios, with lower consumption meaning fewer cattle and consequently less grass ley. The scenarios was supplemented with calculations of introducing mitigation measures up to their maximum potential.In leaching region LR-6, calculated baseline leakages was 10.5 kg N ha−1 year−1 and 0.87 kg P ha−1 year−1, values that varied in the scenarios by −4% to 5% (N) and −6% to 19% (P). In catchment C6 calculated baseline leakages was 7.1 kg N ha−1 year−1 and 1.11 kg P ha−1 year−1, and the values in the scenarios varied by −15% to 2% (N) and −5% to 5% (P). Assuming maximum potential of the mitigation measures decreased leakage further, by up to −19%.Crop combination had a major impact on total N and P leakage in the scenarios. Leakage increased when the amount of grass ley in the rotation decreased, but remained relatively unchanged when the crop combination change only involved annual crops. Frequency of the mitigation measures increased in all scenarios, with associated decreases in N and P leakage that counteracted the increased leakage caused by changes in crop combination. The most effective mitigation measure was catch crop for N leakage and delayed soil tillage for P leakage.

Effects of multiple stressors on benthic invertebrates using Water Framework Directive monitoring data

Multiple stressors affect freshwater systems and cause a deficient ecological status according to the European Water Framework Directive (WFD). To select effective mitigation measures and improve the ecological status, knowledge on the stressor hierarchy and individual and joined effects is necessary. However, compared to common stressors like nutrient enrichment and morphological degradation, the relative importance of micropollutants such as pesticides and pharmaceuticals is largely unaddressed. We used WFD monitoring data from Saxony (Germany) to investigate the importance of 85 environmental variables (including 34 micropollutants) for 18 benthic invertebrate metrics at 108 sites. The environmental variables were assigned to five groups (natural factors, nutrient enrichment, metals, micropollutants and morphological degradation) and were ranked according to their relative importance as group and individually within and across groups using Principal Component Analyses (PCAs) and Boosted Regression Trees (BRTs). Overall, natural factors contributed the most to the total explained deviance of the models. This variable group represented not only typological differences between sampling sites but also a gradient of human impact by strongly anthropogenically influenced variables such as electric conductivity and dissolved oxygen. These large-scale effects can mask the individual importance of the other variable groups, which may act more specifically at a subset of sites. Accordingly, micropollutants were not represented by a few dominant variables but rather a diverse palette of different chemicals with similar contribution. As a group, micropollutants contributed similarly as metals, nutrient enrichment and morphological degradation. However, the importance of micropollutants might be underestimated due to limitations of the current chemical monitoring practices.

Underground energy-related product storage and sequestration: site characterization, risk analysis and monitoring

Abstract This paper presents a high-level overview of site characterization, risk analysis and monitoring priorities for underground energy-related product storage or sequestration facilities. The siting of an underground storage or sequestration facility depends on several important factors beginning with the area of review. Collection of all existing and available records and data from within the rock volume, including potential vulnerabilities such as prior containment issues, proximity to infrastructure and/or population centres, must be evaluated. Baselining of natural processes before storage or sequestration operations begin provides the basis for assessing the effects of storage or sequestration on the surroundings. These initial investigations include geological, geophysical and geochemical analyses of the suitability of the geological host rock and environs for storage or sequestration. A risk analysis identifies and evaluates threats and hazards, the potential impact should they develop into unwanted circumstances or events and the consequences to the facility should any of them occur. This forms the basis for framing effective mitigation measures. A comprehensive monitoring programme that may include downhole well surveillance, observation wells, geochemical sampling and well testing ensures that the facility operates as designed and that unforeseen issues, such as product migration or loss of integrity, can be identified and mitigated. In addition to these technical issues, human factors and public perception of a project are a critical part of the site characterization, construction and operational phases of a project. Despite differences between underground storage and sequestration, the characterization, risk analysis and monitoring approaches that were developed for underground natural gas storage or for carbon dioxide sequestration could be used for underground storage or sequestration of any type of energy-related product. Recommendations from this work include: (1) develop an industry-standard evaluation protocol (workflow) for the evaluation of salt beds, saline aquifers, depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs, underground mines and cased wellbores for potential underground storage or sequestration development beyond those in use today; and (2) develop an industry-wide collaborative process whereby incident and near-miss data related to underground storage or sequestration operations can be reported, documented and shared for use in refining risk analysis modelling.

The Duty to Consult and Colonial Capitalism: Indigenous Rights and Extractive Industries in the Inuit Homeland in Canada

Advance Online Article published March 6, 2023This article contributes to academic debates about the relationship between Indigenous rights and the expansion of capitalism and colonialism in Canada. Using case studies of duty to consult litigation related to resource extraction on and near Inuit territory, I argue that Inuit experiences with the duty to consult have been mixed. While Inuit have won some important victories in the courts, in other cases the duty to consult has provided a notably weak legal mechanism for Inuit to either stop unwanted extraction or compel the government to impose effective mitigation measures to safeguard Inuit harvesting rights. The duty to consult appears to mostly enable, rather than impede, the expansion of colonial and capitalist social relations in the Inuit homeland.