Options For Sustainable Development Research Articles

Sustainable Development Options for the Chestnut Supply Chain in South Tyrol, Italy

Italy is the largest producer of table chestnuts in Europe. This study focuses on the chestnut supply chain in South Tyrol (Alto Adige/Sudtirol), a northern Italian province where chestnuts are currently of minor importance in relation to other crops such as apples and grapes. Nevertheless, a small number of chestnut farmers keep a historically rooted tradition alive. A detailed survey of the chestnut supply chain, involving interviews of 138 producers, 49 distributors and 272 consumers revealed the strengths and weaknesses of the local niche market. Moreover, it appeared that a significant production and marketing heterogeneity exists when analysing four sub-regions separately. Three different characteristics, regarding orchard management as well as purchasing and consumption habits, could be identified: (i) commercial chestnut production and direct sales around Merano; (ii) chestnut wood production around Bressanone; and (iii) the use of chestnut trails as spare time activities around Chiusa. New regional development strategies will therefore have to take into account the geographical disparities when trying to innovate a traditional agricultural activity.

Social capital, ecotourism, and empowerment in Shiripuno, Ecuador

Indigenous communities in the Ecuadorian Amazon have struggled for a sustainable, long-term development path since the entrance of large, foreign-owned oil companies to the area in the 1970s. Ecotourism may offer a sustainable development option for indigenous communities that have been exploited by extractive industry. This paper describes rapid ethnographic research carried out in the indigenous Amazonian community of Shiripuno, Ecuador. It argues that social capital, termed by some as the 'missing link' to development, was stimulated by the initiation of a community-based ecotourism project. Prior scholarship suggest a theoretical framework supported here that demonstrates how increased inter and intracommunity relationships and communication pathways provided a solid base for future sustainable development of this community. The ecotourism project's roots in an indigenous women's association offers a space for considering the connection between social capital and gender empowerment, and the potential this connection provides in machismo-dominated societies.

Internet in Rural Communities

Honey Harbour in the Township of Georgian Bay has been identified by the Muskoka Growth Strategy as the number one community in Muskoka for residential growth. As a waterfront community with limited ability to expand geographically, the community looked to the Internet for sustainable economic development options. The question being: ‘if the Internet was available for the travelling public, would the travelling public use it, how would they use it, and what would it mean for the community?’Wi-fi was offered at no cost to the community, in the community centre with little advertising, to determine need. Its results exceeded the expectations of the community, stakeholders, and businesses, drawing traffic and attention to the community in the summer of 2014. The timing of the project was serendipitous, coinciding with funding announcements from the Government of Canada for small community development as well as broadband and connectivity.Keywords: Internet, rural, broadband, Wi-Fi, local economic development, connectivity

Metropolitan Government: An Option for Sustainable Development of Dhaka Megacity

Since 1950s the pace of urbanization has produced a significant number of megacities in both developing and developed regions of the world. Developing countries are the chief host of newly formed megacities in the globe. Dhaka, with around 20 million people and a lot of problems regarding sustainability, is one of the fastest growing megacities in the developing part of Asia. The objectives of this article are; (i) to delineate the present loopholes in the governance process of Dhaka megacity and (ii) to propose an option for resolving the governance problems for achieving a sustainable development of the city. Dhaka megacity is being governed by city corporation (recently split into two) vested with a huge range of responsibilities and ultimately the city fails to deliver the services to the citizens according to their expectations. Parallel organizations such as DWASA, CDA, DESCO, DPDC, etc., which provide utilities and infrastructural development to the citizens, have issues while coordinating with Dhaka City Corporations (DCC North and South). This shows the severe differentiation among different agencies responsible for Dhaka city’s management and governance and creates confusion among the institutions and severe governance problem leading to unsustainable development of the megacity. It is necessary for Dhaka to eliminate the current system of governance by inviting well recognized system like metropolitan government in which management is more consolidated, easy, less confusing and targeted towards sustainable development. This article finally identifies that in order to pave the way for sustainable development of the megacity, it is needed to install the system of metropolitan government with no severe delay.

Resort-based or resource-based tourism? A case study of Jamaica

Subject area This case study can be used in the following subject areas: tourism management; tourism policy; tourism planning and development; destination marketing and management; hospitality and tourism management; special event planning and management; and attraction management. Study level/applicability This case study is useful to both undergraduate and graduate students specializing in hospitality and tourism management. Case overview This case study explored the nature of two forms of tourism development; resort-based and resource-based, and aimed to determine which is the more viable and sustainable option for the future of tourism in Jamaica, an island destination in the Caribbean which depends highly on the tourism industry. The literature established that both forms of tourism are challenged by several and varying factors and so their synergistic integration appears to be the most functional option for sustainable tourism development in Jamaica along with the involvement of the relevant stakeholders. Expected learning outcomes The students should be able to: Distinguish between resort-based tourism and resource-based tourism by identifying the elements and attributes that make them different. Explain the usefulness and drawbacks of both types of tourism model. Discuss the nature of culture and heritage tourism and eco-tourism. Analyze Jamaica's tourism model from the nineteenth to the twenty-firstst century by assessing the changes and developments. Discuss the role of government in facilitating the development of a “wholisitic tourism model” that will facilitate the synergy of resort-based tourism and resource-based tourism. Assess the role of the private sector in encouraging and facilitating resource-based tourism. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes. Social implications This case study conceptually and empirically analyzed the tourism model in Jamaica to ascertain whether or not the future of Jamaica's tourism should remain dependent on resort-based tourism or should it opt for resource-based tourism as a more viable and sustainable option. The discussion however, indicates that resort-based tourism can synergize with resource-based tourism to achieve sustainable development along with the involvement of all the relevant stakeholders including the government, hotel operators and the residents. The case synopsis likewise presented a concise summary of the literature reviewed regarding the concepts of resort-based tourism and resource-based tourism; and the case of Jamaica's tourism. The learning outcomes are intended to guide the teaching- learning process and stimulate students' understanding of the concepts of resort-based tourism and resource-based tourism and their specific implications in terms of tourism development in Jamaica. This knowledge can also be generalized to other destinations with similar historical background and tourism resources. The applied questions will guide the discussions and provide additional resources for assessment purposes. They will also help the students to critically assess the dynamics of tourism development. The case synopsis is consistent with the learning outcomes, corresponding applied questions and course recommendations. A total of two to three-hours teaching session can be used to discuss the constructs, analyze the case in point and answer the applied questions.

Increasing the Efficiency of the Grid System using Renewable Energy

The limitation of the conventional energy supply in Nigeria has heightened the need for researches in renewable energy alternatives. This paper, therefore, proposes solar energy as an effective option with particular focus on industrial and communication sectors. A detailed investigation of the cost effectiveness and energy efficiency of the systems were undertaken. The results confirmed solar energy as a veritable option for sustainable national development.

Examining possible relationship between carbon finance availability and growth of wind energy

This paper evaluates the possible relationship between carbon fund availability and the growth of wind energy. This has become apposite considering global quest for renewable energies as a veritable option for carbon reduction and sustainable development. Whilst some extant literature blames delay in climate policy as an obstacle to green energy, others regard carbon finance availability as a booster to renewable energy. Raging argument is that similar to any other investment, renewable energy finance availability may mar or catalyse growth in renewable energy. Consequently, in this paper, a conceptual overview of carbon finance and renewable energy is undertaken and a test of the relationship between the World Bank carbon finance availability and wind energy growth is conducted. The result indicates a significant positive relationship between World Bank carbon financing and global growth in wind energy. The paper thus concludes that aside from policy options, renewable energy financing seems to be a contributory catalyst that may spur improvement in global renewable energy. The paper highlights that achieving green economic development in developing countries would depend, not only on climate policies alone, but also on sustainable financing. Hence government and private sources of funding is very desirable in achieving global green economic development, most importantly, for developing economies. The paper thus offers a research agenda on awareness creating for local and international sources of green energy for developing countries.

Sustainable Rural Development: Solar/Biomass Hybrid Renewable Energy System

This paper describes results from our effort to develop affordable technologies for sustainable rural development, particularly in regions that are plagued with energy poverty and where potable water is inaccessible. A hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) comprising photovoltaic array, battery, and biomass-fueled generator with gasifier, was developed. The system utilizes multiple conversion devices such that when combined, the weakness inherent in either is mitigated. Photovoltaic arrays serve the daytime energy need on days with high insolation, while excess energy is stored in a lead-acid battery. A 12kWel Prakash electric generator serves as the backup power, producing electricity and exhaust heat. This engine derives its fuel from a 50kWth Ankur downdraft gasifier that processes biomass feedstock to yield producer gas. Waste heat from the biomass fueled electric generator serves as thermal energy input to a Scarab AB air gap membrane distillation (AGMD) system. The AGMD module utilizes low-grade thermal energy applied to a salt-water solution also known as feed water, via a heat exchanger. This feed water of a known salt concentration is pumped into the hot inlet of the AGMD module, while the cold side of the membrane distillation module is maintained at a lower temperature using a heat sink. A cross-flow of the hot feed water and coolant water over a semi-porous membrane in the AGMD module results in a vapor pressure driven distillation of saltwater, which yields pure water. Result of the combined HRES and AGMD is a simultaneous production of electricity and pure water, also known as co-generation, which meets the need of a rural population. HOMER software was employed to analyze several configurations of the HRES, ensuring a reliable electricity production and an optimum sizing of the system. The overall result is an optimum levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of the system that falls below the population's ability to pay, making electricity affordable, while also providing portable water for the rural community. The findings from this study suggest that co-generation using HRES and AGMD provides an affordable and reliable energy and water services that meet the needs of a rural community, thus a viable option for sustainable rural development.

Corporate Water Footprint: Risks, Opportunities, and Management Options for Sustainable Development

For many companies, freshwater is a basic ingredient for their operations, while effluents may lead to pollution of the local hydrological ecosystem. Initially, public pressure has been the most important reason for sustainable business initiatives, but today many companies recognize that failure to manage the freshwater issue raises risks, including damage to the corporate image, threat of increased regulatory control, financial risks caused by pollution, or insufficient freshwater availability for operations. It is therefore interesting to know the specific water requirements of various consumer goods, particularly the water-intensive ones. This paper discusses specialised water reporting instruments such as the ‘water footprint’ calculation method and demonstrates it's usefulness in measuring and monitoring corporate sustainability. The water footprint analysis can highlight how near or far a company is from being sustainable and identify those aspects that have the greatest negative effect on freshwater and entire environment. Also it can highlights further management options and ways that companies address in their use of freshwater as one of the aspects of sustainable business performance, because today, many companies recognise that proactive environmental management contributes to their profitability and competitiveness in green markets.

Using Frugal Innovations to Support Cybercrime Legislations in Small Developing States: Introducing the Cyber-Legislation Development and Implementation Process Model (CyberLeg-DPM)

Frugal innovation is the process of reducing the complexity and cost of a good or service and the process to deliver benefit to the customers or users. This practice is especially beneficial to developing countries as they actively seek sustainable national development options. The development and implementation of legislations is placed under scrutiny in this study where the research introduces a process model for developing and implementing cybercrime legislations in society, particularly small developing states, that includes domain/society understanding; cybercrime understanding; process preparation; legislative development; evaluation; implementation; and post-implementation review. An analysis of the current environment shows that the development of cybercrime legislation is fractured and often results in a lacuna in the laws of the land as countries struggle to keep pace with the rapidly evolving face of cybercrimes. This issue is further exacerbated by insufficient considerations of the supportive legal and justice system processes to facilitate effective legislative development and management of cybercrime. This phenomenon has major implications for developing states already overburden by multiple resource constraints. The study utilizes the principles of design science research where the descriptive and observational evaluation approaches are applied to demonstrate the utility and relevance of the proposed solution. The study underlined that frugal innovation in the developing contexts can be realized with the adoption of this process to promote successful cybercrime legislative process through the creation of opportunities for improvements in the efficiency of the full cycle process and the effectiveness of the enacted legislation.

Providing Access to Electronic Theses and Dissertations: A Case Study from Togo

Open access has become a significant part of scientific communication. With regards to dissemination of scientific production, the green road, i.e. self-archiving of scientific work in an open access repository, is often considered as the choice for developing countries because of lower investment and operational costs. This paper will provide a review of relevant literature on the topic, followed by a short overview of open repositories in sub-Saharan African countries, a region facing serious political, economic and social challenges. The main section will present a project for the digitizing of PhD theses of two universities in Togo, and we will then discuss questions and problems related to the specific conditions of the project, in order to contribute to the understanding of the dynamics and rich diversity of the open access movement. Is there an option for sustainable development of open access in these countries? The future will show whether open access contributes to reducing the digital divide between sub-Saharan Africa and other countries or whether it will instead consolidate this divide.

‘TWO REVOLUTIONS BEHIND: IS THE ETHIOPIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH AN OBSTACLE OR CATALYST FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT?’

As part of a project to investigate the spiritual and moral roots for an African Renaissance the paper employs an inter-disciplinary approach, investigating the intersection between religion and social development. This is done with reference to developmental issues as they become manifest in Ethiopia. An analysis of the social role of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church is accompanied by a critical review of some theories and strategies for social development. Since Ethiopia is one of the major beneficiaries of US and international aid the paper also considers options for sustainable social development.

Semi-quantitative actor-based modelling as a tool to assess the drivers of change and physical variables in participatory integrated assessments

Integrated assessments that aim to support sustainable natural resources management require analysing how biophysical systems are impacted by human actions. These analyses are often performed by modelling the physical system, while human actions are prescribed as scenarios and introduced into the physical models by varying the model input. To achieve a more thorough analysis of the human system component in participatory integrated assessments, we developed a semi-quantitative approach for actor-based modelling which focuses on modelling actions of societal actors based on their problem perceptions but also computes the resulting changes of physical system variables. Our approach is intended to support transdisciplinary research and identification of sustainable development options in problem fields with high levels of uncertainty or ignorance, together with the actors that are being modelled. Actor-based modelling is done using an enhanced version of the DANA software. DANA allows modelling the actors in a specific problem field by representing the perception of each actor by directed graphs, and by computing optimal actions from the perspective of each actor. These perception graphs are semi-quantitative causal maps, which can easily be discussed among stakeholders in a participatory process. DANA was extended to support, in addition to actor modelling, the other two steps in actor-based modelling, modelling of actions and modelling of factors. Modelling of actions refers to determining the actions of each actor under certain scenario assumptions, taking into account the diverse problem perceptions of the individual actors in the problem field, the action of the other actors and exogenous changes. Modelling of factors refers to calculating, in a semi-quantitative way, the resulting changes of physical variables (e.g. pollutant emissions), which may serve as input to physical models. We applied actor-based modelling in an integrated assessment of mobile organic xenobiotics in rivers. Our study shows that actor-based modelling allows generating scientifically better founded and more transparent scenarios of the drivers of change in integrated assessments, in particular because they are based on a structured analysis of the actors' problem perceptions.

Challenges and Opportunities in the World of Tourism from the Point of View of Ecotourism

<p>This article emerges from the analysis of the data corresponding to the tourism activity in the world and in Mexico, considering: the arrival of tourists and international visitors, and the arrival of tourists in the North American region. Subsequently, it is intended to place ecotourism as an option for sustainable development, which helps generate additional income for local communities and contributes to the protection and conservation of natural resources. The analysis of global tourism in the above categories, in addition to the discussion about the criteria and characteristics of ecotourism versus sustainable development, allows us to visualize the potential that this activity poses to emerging economies such as Mexico. The discussion about Ecotourism and sustainability shows that there is a mutually beneficial relationship when the community is incorporated in the development of ecotourism projects, as demonstrated in EcoAlberto Park. Nonetheless, an activity that has no government support or equitable tourism legislation, in addition to the absence of quality research, can overshadow any potential natural resource to practice ecotourism activities in global markets representing tourism.</p>

Community perceptions on the impact of the recession of Lake Victoria waters on Nyando Wetlands

Lake Victoria experienced drastic water level changes from October 2005 raising concerns about impact to the livelihood of the communities around the lake. The study investigated impacts of the water level decline on land use changes, wetland resource utilization, household food production, income generation, fish catches, water supply, quality and quantity and biodiversity changes within the Nyando wetlands in Western Kenya. Data was collected between August and December 2006 through in-depth household interviews of 120 randomly selected wetland resource users; key informant interviews (KII), and focused group discussions (FGD). Qualitative description and SPSS computer package Version 11.6 was used for statistical data analysis. Results of the study indicate that receding water levels led to increased availability of land for farming through reclamation and conversion of exposed wetland areas; over-exploitation of macrophytes; increased food production and income generation; and increased conflicts in the use of wetland resources. Water recession also caused shortage of domestic water supply, decrease in fish catches and biodiversity. The study recommends establishment of buffer zones to protect papyrus, formulation of national policies on wetland conservation, creation of alternative sustainable development options, and development of site specific wetland management plan to regulate the utilization of wetland resources. Key words: Lake Victoria, water recession, Nyando wetlands, community perceptions.

Effect of conservation tillage on soil quality in the piedmont plain of Mount Taihang

保护性耕作被认为是华北平原农业可持续发展的重要措施, 但目前缺乏这些措施对土壤质量影响的系统报道。本研究以长期定位试验为基础, 探讨了太行山前平原两熟制高产农田不同耕作措施对麦田土壤质量的影响。试验始于2001 年, 设置翻耕玉米秸秆不还田(非保护性耕作对照, CK)、翻耕玉米秸秆粉碎还田(CT)、旋耕玉米秸秆粉碎还田(RT)和免耕玉米秸秆直立还田(NT)4 个处理。2007 年冬小麦收获后分层测定土壤有机碳(soil organic carbon, SOC)含量、容重(<i>ρ</i>_<i>b</i>)、水稳性团聚体、水分特征曲线、饱和导水率(<i>K</i>_s)和微生物量碳氮。2008 年测定了剖面SOC 含量、<i>ρ</i>_<i>b</i> 和蚯蚓数量。结果表明, 连续多年保护性耕作后土壤剖面的SOC 储量无显著变化, 但保护性耕作(RT 和NT)下SOC 的层化比率(1.74~2.04)显著高于翻耕处理(CK 和CT, 1.37~1.45); 保护性耕作显著提高了表层微生物量碳、氮含量以及单位面积土壤中的蚯蚓数量。NT 处理导致耕层(0~20 cm)土壤<i>ρ</i>_<i>b</i> 增加, 但提高了土壤团聚体的稳定性。CK 和CT 处理显著增加了0~5 cm 土层裂隙(>500 μm)和传输孔隙(500~50 μm)的比例, 而NT 处理则增加储水孔隙(50~0.5 μm)的含量。另外, 保护性耕作提高了土壤的<i>K</i>_s、田间持水量和有效水含量。对土壤质量指标<i>S</i> 的分析结果表明, 实施保护性耕作后, 太行山前平原地区土壤质量总体上得到改善。

Posibilidades para el desarrollo sostenible de la palmicultura en México: Experiencias y retos

As part of the research entitled, �Local innovations: Sustainable Development and social articulation technology diffusion with oil palm growers in Mexico�, addressed the issue of the sustainability of the production of palm oil and its relationship with local innovation, referred to this type of innovation, based on local knowledge, is environmentally friendly, subject to local resources and a socio-cultural context, thereby complying with the principles of social, economic and environmental. In parallel with the identification of innovations and the local innovation system, and to assess the current sustainability of palm production systems in the State of Veracruz (Mexico), a work of field was developed, using sustainability indicators: i) productivity; ii) patterns and frequency of crop rotation; iii) the use of plant protection products; iv) impact on biodiversity; v) household income; vi) the pattern of crop growth and social impacts expressed on food security; and vii) conflicts over land use and job security. The methodology proposed is applicable to the Mexican case, because of the recent inclusion of agribusiness activity, which is new and transformative of the rural reality in the humid tropics of Mexico. In this document is recorded the advances in the analysis of sustainable palm cultivation in Mexico and, taking as a case study the State of Veracruz, which initially shows the options for sustainable development of a activity relatively new (14 years implementation), and its impact on the generation of innovations and changes in the culture of the region under study.

Options of sustainable groundwater development in Beijing Plain, China

Overexploitation of groundwater resources has supported rapid social and economical developments in Beijing City in last 30years. The newly constructed emergency well fields have saved Beijing from a critical water crisis caused by a long drought spell of eight consecutive years from 1999 to 2006. But this unsustainable development has resulted in serious consequences: discharges to rivers ceased, large number of pumping wells went dry, and land subsidence caused destruction of underground infrastructure. The completion of the middle route of South to North water transfer project to transfer water from Yangtze river to Beijing City by 2010 provides opportunity to reverse the trend of groundwater depletion and to achieve a long-term sustainable development of groundwater resources in Beijing Plain. Four options of groundwater development in Beijing Plain were formulated and assessed with a regional transient groundwater flow model. The business as usual scenario was used as a reference for the comparative analysis and indicates fast depletion of groundwater resources. The reduction of abstraction scenario has immediate and fast recovery of groundwater levels, especially at the cone of depression. The scenario of artificially enhanced groundwater recharge would replenish groundwater resources and maintain the capacity of present water supply well fields. The combined scenario of the reduction of abstraction and the increase of recharge could bring the aquifer systems into a new equilibrium state in 50years. A hydrological sustainability of groundwater resources development could then be achieved in Beijing Plain.

Landscapes Toolkit: an integrated modelling framework to assist stakeholders in exploring options for sustainable landscape development

At present, stakeholders wishing to develop land use and management change scenarios at the landscape scale and to assess their corresponding impacts on water quality, biodiversity and economic performance, must examine the output of a suite of separate models. The process is not simple and presents a considerable deterrent to making such comparisons and impedes the development of more sustainable, multifunctional landscapes. To remedy this problem, we developed the Landscapes Toolkit, an integrated modelling framework that assists natural resource managers, policy-makers, planners and local communities explore options for sustainable landscape development. The Landscapes Toolkit links spatially-explicit disciplinary models, to enable integrated assessment of the water quality, biodiversity and economic outcomes of stakeholder-defined land use and management change scenarios. We use the Tully–Murray catchment in the Great Barrier Reef region of Australia as a case study to illustrate the development and application of the Landscapes Toolkit. Results show that the Landscapes Toolkit strikes a satisfactory balance between the inclusion of component models that sufficiently capture the richness of some key aspects of social-ecological system processes and the need for stakeholders to understand and compare the results of the different models. The latter is a prerequisite to making more informed decisions about sustainable landscape development. The flexibility of being able to add additional models and to update existing models is a particular strength of the Landscapes Toolkit design. Hence, the Landscapes Toolkit offers a promising modelling framework for supporting social learning and adaptive management through participatory scenario development and evaluation as well as being a tool to guide planning and policy discussions at the landscape scale.

Sustainable Socio-economic Extraction of Australian Offshore Petroleum Resources through Legal Regulation: Is it Possible?

This article analyses the capacity of the current Australian petroleum regulatory framework to encourage sustainable socio-economic extraction of Australia’s offshore petroleum resources. First it considers what sustainable development means within the context of non-renewable petroleum resources. After an examination of the petroleum resources and policies of Australia and Norway, this article focuses on the legislative framework that regulates offshore petroleum exploration and extraction. The analysis identifies a number of limitations of the current legislative framework to encourage sustainable petroleum extraction. In an attempt to provide solutions to these legislative limitations the article also analyses the Norwegian offshore petroleum policy and legislative framework, which together have encouraged the sustainable socio-economic extraction of its petroleum resources. By examining the Norwegian legislative framework, it is possible to generate a number of options for sustainable socio-economic development of Australian resources. The article makes several recommendations for Australia to encourage the sustainable development of its offshore petroleum resources.