Regional Activity Center Research Articles

Decoding the image of island urban sprawl: insights from the Indonesian archipelago

ABSTRACT This study presents a multidimensional urban sprawl assessment in 15 Indonesian island cities using 17 indicators across densities, composition, and configuration dimensions. The analysis utilizes data from the Global Human Settlement Layer (GHSL). Larger-sized islands serving as provincial capitals or regional activity centers, governed by multidistrict jurisdictions, tend to be more sprawl. Island-level planning and governance are crucial for managing sprawl effectively. The study highlights the coexistence of multiple sprawl typologies within single-island cities and emphasizes the limitations of simplistic binary/linear sprawl assessments. The findings offer insights applicable beyond island contexts, bridging regional and urban units in multilevel settings.

Air Quality Monitoring and Analysis in Tasikmalaya City

Within the national scope, based on Government Regulation no. 47 of 1997 concerning the National Spatial Plan, the City of Tasikmalaya which is included in the East Priangan Region is included in the mainstay area. Where Tasikmalaya City functions as a Regional Activity Center (PKW) city. One result is the increased volume of traffic in the area. One of the impacts of motor vehicle traffic activity is air pollution. Air pollution is defined as the contamination of the atmosphere by gases, liquids or by-products in such concentrations and periods that can harm human health/life, and or create discomfort. The method used in conducting the research was in the form of monitoring ambient air parameters which were carried out at 10 points, spread across community activity centers in Tasikmalaya City. Based on the research that has been done, it can be concluded that the parameters Sulfur Dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), Oxidants (O3), Dust (TSP), Ammonia (NH3) and Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) at 10 the testing location still meets the required quality standards based on PP RI No. 41 of 1999. Meanwhile, the results of noise level measurements have exceeded the noise level quality standards, so that treatment is needed in the form of implementing sound emission rules and localizing industrial pollutant sources.

Land Suitability Analysis for Settlement Areas in Tilamuta District, Boalemo Regency

Tilamuta Subdistrict which is the capital of Boalemo Regency is directed as a Regional Activity Center (PKW) which has a function as a government center, urban settlement area, education area and trade and service area, but only about 35 percent of the total area of Tilamuta Subdistrict can be maximized as a function. built area. The purpose of this study was to determine the suitability of land for urban settlement areas in Tilamuta District. The analytical technique used is the overlay method using a Geographic Information System (GIS) from slope data, rainfall, morphology, soil type, land use and spatial pattern planning directions in Tilamuta District, which is then scored to determine the classification of land suitability of the area. settlement. The results showed that there were 4 land suitability classifications, namely: suitable (402 ha), quite suitable (4202 ha), less suitable (5223 ha), not suitable 8831 ha.

Response Coordination Between Multiple Countries in the Wider Caribbean Region Following a Possible 6 Million Gallon Oil Spill

ABSTRACT As the 2017 International Oil Spill Conference (IOSC) was wrapping up in Los Angeles, CA, an oil spill on a magnitude no one had expected was making its way across the lower Wider Caribbean Region. The Regional Activity Center, The Regional Marine Pollution Emergency, Information and Training Centre – Caribe (RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe), that was established in 1994 under the Cartegena Convention, stood up for the first time as a regionally coordinating body to facilitate communication, coordination and exchange of information during a major spill as was designed and intended under the Caribbean Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Cooperation (OPRC) Plan. What was confirmed months later, was that a large spill from a refinery in Trinidad and Tobago had in fact impacted the States of Venezuela, Bonaire, Curacao and Aruba. On April 23, 2017, it became public knowledge that a spill had occurred from a 150,000 barrel (6.3 million gallon) waste oil tank at the Petrotrin Refinery in Pointe-a Pierre, Trinidad. What fallowed was successive reporting of subsurface oil and tarballs washing ashore over a thirty-six day period: first on Venezuelan Gulf of Paria coasts; then Paria, Isla Margarita, Los Roques and La Orchila coasts; followed by Bonnaire; then Klein Curacao and Curacao; and ultimately beaches in Aruba. Had it not been for the coordinating body of RAC/REMPEITCCaribe, these impacts may have never been officially connected to a single point source. Miraculously, through the Regional Center each of the impacted States exchanged oil samples from each other's coasts and the potential source tank in Trinidad. Subsequent analysis from laboratories in the Netherlands proved that the oiling events, which occurred across 600 nautical miles of ocean, were in fact from the same source, Storage Tank #70 of the Petrotrin Refinery. This paper discusses how RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe worked across borders to help identify the source of a spill that reached across more than 600 miles of the Wider Caribbean Region, and shows just how connected these countries are. It sheds light on a major oil spill that few people outside the impacted countries are aware of, and it presents the April 2017 Petrotrin Spill as a realization that, not only are these scenarios likely, they are real cause for increased regional spill coordination and preparation.

The Status of Oiled Wildlife Preparedness and Response in the NOWPAP Region

Abstract and introduction The Marine Environmental Emergency Preparedness and Response Regional Activity Centre (MERRAC) is one of four Regional Activity Centres of the Northwest Pacific Action Plan (NOWPAP). It was adopted in 1994 as a Regional Seas Programme of UNEP by the People's Republic of China, Japan, Republic of Korea and Russian Federation and is responsible for regional co-operation on marine pollution preparedness and response in the NOWPAP region. The shipping density has been growing greatly in the NOWPAP region due to the high level of industrial and economic development of the NOWPAP member states and consequently, the region has been severely exposed to oil spills. Oil spill incidents were identified as one of the threatening elements to the marine environment and coastal biota, especially, birds and marine mammals that live mostly near the coast. Objective: We collected existing data on oiled wildlife including relevant response techniques for rescuing, relevant national laws/policies and guidelines concerning response of the oiled wildlife from the NOWPAP Member States to mitigate the damage on the oiled wildlife. Based upon the reviews, we be identified weaknesses and challenges on oiled wildlife issues in the region, suggesting the possible future action plan to taken by NOWPAP members.

Land cover analysis using object based image analysis based on Landsat 8 OLI images in the city of Jember

Jember area has a status as a PKW area (Regional Activity Center). This has resulted in diversifying activities of the population and increasing demand for land, so that land use change is inevitable. Real time land cover data updates in the City of Jember with Landsat 8 OLI imagery using OBIA can be used as an alternative to find out information on land cover classes. This study aims to determine the accuracy of land cover data extraction using OBIA. Using the OBIA method which involves the segmentation process with a multiresolution segmentation algorithm and a classification process with the nearest neighbor algorithm. The results showed the level of accuracy of land cover extraction using OBIA was 90%. These results indicate that the OBIA method for data extraction of land cover in urban areas has high accuracy.

KAJIAN STANDAR PELAYANAN MINIMAL (SPM) BIDANG JALAN DI KABUPATEN NAGAN RAYA

As one of the district that engage on the agriculture and plantation sector, Nagan Raya needs to be supported the facilities and infrastructure correspondingly, quality of transportation, and appropiate in MSS that mobility of goods and services can run smoothly. Anonymous (2015) had been defining of the planned local activity center ( LAC), regional activity center (RAC), Environment service center ( ESC), and classification of system network road. The purpose of this research are to evaluate the practice MSS of road field in Nagan Raya, to specify MSS of road field based on connectivity indicator between region that accordance with SP in Nagan Raya, and also to evaluate fulfillment Minimum Service Standard of road field based on presentation indicator of road condition level in Nagan Raya. This reasearch conducted with collecting the datas that are Hamlet Neighbour book in Nagan Raya, condition data, and DFAA. The use of connectivity MSS on 2015 in Padang Rubek - Lueng Baro is 91,29 percent, Babussalam – Lueng Baro is 91, 78 percent, and Alue Bilie – Lueng Baro is 90,4 percent. The value of roadcondition by made the survey of road condition with visual method categorized at good (B), and medium (S) with each amount are 90,78 percent, and 9,22 percent. The value of road condition by made the survey of specific road condition categorized at good in the amount is 96, 51 percent, medium in the amount is 1,94 percent, and lightly damaged in the amount is 1,55 percent. The compliance of road field in Nagan Raya by made survey of specific road condition in the amount is 164,10 percent, meanwhile on the survey of road condition in visual method in the amount is 166,67 percent

Analysis of Built-up Land Spatial Patterns Using Multitemporal Satellite Imagery in Pekalongan City

Regional growth is characterized by an increase in built-up land. An increase in built-up land can cause changes in land use such as vacant land turned into built-up land. One of the cities in Central Java that experienced an increase in built-up land was in the City of Pekalongan. Based on Pekalongan City Regulation Number 30 Year 2011, the National Spatial Planning stipulates that Pekalongan City is the Regional Activity Center. This causes the Pekalongan City to have the potential to increase the amount of built-up land. An increase in uncontrolled built-up land can cause negative impacts such as reduced water catchment areas so that the disruption of water resources conditions. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor the increase of built-up land in Pekalongan City and see its development spatial patterns. One of method for monitoring a city's built-up land uses the remote sensing method. This study uses an Index-based Built-up Index (IBI) algorithm. Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that the city of Pekalongan experienced an increase in built-up land between 2013 and 2019. The largest increase in built-up land is in the range of 2017 to 2019 with an area of increase of 359.088 ha so that it can be obtained the speed of increase of built-up land by 170.544 ha/year. The spatial pattern of built-up land increased in 2017 to 2019 heading south because South Pekalongan Regency has a toll road that connects the main road with the toll road.

The distribution of green open space in Jember City area based on image landsat 8 - OLI

Green open space has an important role in the ecological balance of urban areas with a minimum area that must be approved by 30%. Jember City Region consists of Sumbersari, Kaliwates, and Patrang Sub-Districts which are designated as Regional Activity Centers with four main functions. The distribution of green open space in Jember City can be known quickly and accurately by using remote sensing imagery. The purpose of this study is to study and analyze the distribution of green open space in the city of Jember specifically in the Sub-Districts of Kaliwates, Sumbersari, and Patrang whether it has met the minimum requirement of green open space construction of 30% of the total area. The analysis carried out with the help of Landsat 8-OLI imagery recording 10 June 2018. The method used is the NDVI classification. The results showed that classification of land use using vegetation index is good because it can minimize errors. The total area of determined vegetation green space based on NDVI classification is 23.70 km2 or around 24.5% of the total area.

Layanan Transportasi dalam Pengembangan Pariwisata di Kabuapten Kerinci

Indonesia is one of the best tourist destination countries in the world. It can be concluded fromthe availability of tourism transportation services in Indonesia. Sungai Penuh as a promoted city of Regional Activity Center (PKWp) has not served as the brand of Kerinci Regency for tourism in Jambi Province. It is caused by the lack of route services of public transportation for tourism in Kerinci Regency. The purpose of this study is to determine the form of transportation services in the tourism development of Kerinci Regency. The analytical method used in this study was quantitative descriptive method by utilizing questionnaire data, observation interviews and documents to identify tourist characteristics, tourism activities and transportation infrastructure. The data processing was using Arcgis Software on Route Analysis, in order to find out the travel time, travel distance, costs incurred and types of tourist movements. The results of this study shows that there are two types of movements, which are the type of tour movement determined by the closest distance between attractions and the type of trip destination movement determined by the length of time needed to reach a tourist attraction. The result will be displayed in the form of Kerinci Regency tourism map. It is expected that with the availability of tourism transportation services in Kerinci regency, tourists could travel easily, safely and comfortably, which is expected to attract the number of tourists and increase the economic activities in Sungai Penuh.

Factors the Development of Region Promotion Activities Centre (PKWp) in Lebak District Banten Province

Lebak Regency as one of the districts that is still lagging behind in Banten Province, does not rule out the possibility of having the potential to be developed so that it can compete with other districts / cities in Banten Province. PKWp is the center of activities that are promoted later to be designated as Regional Activity Centers. There are two sub-districts included in the PKWp in Lebak Regency, namely Maja and Bayah. The problem that occurs is that it still relies on the agricultural sector so that it needs to be developed in the non-agricultural sector, limited supervision of spatial utilization, not yet supporting infrastructure facilities in the development of PKWp, and regional disparities between districts in Lebak Regency. The purpose of this study was to find out and analyze the development of PKWp in Lebak Regency and analyze the driving or inhibiting factors in developing PKWp in Lebak Regency. This study used qualitative research methods. The results of this study the driving factors in regional development, namely physical (education, health, economy and infrastructure) and investment, while inhibiting factors in regional development, namely social, productive population migration, government policies, trade patterns and trade activities.

Influence of vegetation cover on the assessment of erosion and erosive potential in the Isser marly watershed in northwestern Algeria—comparative study of RUSLE and PAP/RAC methods

The present article aims to evaluate soil losses due to water erosion and to contribute to the knowledge about the impact of vegetation cover on the Isser watershed that is located in northwestern Algeria. For this purpose, two predictive models were used, namely the Priority Actions Program by the Regional Activity Center (PAP/RAC) model and the revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) model, using the geographic information system (GIS). To illustrate the level of protection in that watershed, it was decided to use two approaches for the estimation of factor C; the first one is the classical method and the second consists of calculating the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) during two periods (dry and wet). The map of erosive states, which was obtained from using by the PAP/RAC model, shows the areas that are potentially most vulnerable to erosion and which cover more than 60% of the total area of the basin. The results for vegetation cover (factor C) by the conventional method during the dry period present an average land loss equal to 14 (t ha−1 year−1), whereas this rate decreases to 7.9 (t ha−1 year−1) during the wet period. According to the NDVI approach, the factor C results for the dry season are 25.53 (t ha−1 year−1) with an annual land loss of up to 3 million tons. This study provided the qualitative and quantitative estimates needed for the development of the environmental management; it also helps to control the different impacts on that watershed.

Characterisation of the lonely Zostera marina meadows in North Africa and a deep one of the Mediterranean (south to the strait of Gibraltar, Morocco)

Event Abstract Back to Event Characterisation of the lonely Zostera marina meadows in North Africa and a deep one of the Mediterranean (south to the strait of Gibraltar, Morocco) Loubna Boutahar1*, Free Espinosa Torre2, Yassine R. Sghaier3, Atef Ouerghi3, Mohamed MAANAN4, Jonathan Richir5, Sylvie Gobert5, Gilles Lepoint5 and Hocein Bazairi1 1 Mohammed V University, Morocco 2 University of Seville, Spain 3 Regional Activity Centre for Specially Protected Areas (RAC/SPA), Tunisia 4 Université de Nantes, France 5 University of Liège, Belgium Zostera marina ecosystems are key components of the marine environment. The dramatic widespread loss of this vascular plant has been well documented and may be due to natural processes and/or anthropogenic disturbances and stress. The only Z. marina meadows which still exist in the Moroccan coast are those of Oued El Marsa and Belyounech bays in the site of ‘Jbel Moussa’ (southern the Strait of Gibraltar). The present study aimed to provide baseline quantitative data on these two deep eelgrass meadows of the Mediterranean (lower limit at -17 m in depth). The Belyounech meadow has a wide continuous distribution whereas that of Oued El Marsa is very fragmented. Shoot density and aboveground biomass were consequently higher in Belyounech bay. Seagrass cover (%) showed significant differences only between the border and the central parts while it remained comparable between both sites. The percentage cover of Caulerpa cylindracea algae was higher throughout the margins parts and especially in Ouad El Marsa bay where the meadow is fragmented. Roots serve as the main bioaccumulator organ of 28 chemical elements with low transition to rhizomes and leaves. %C and %N were both higher in leaves comparing to belowground parts. The results obtained were compared to other regions in the Mediterranean to assess the quality and the health of the deep eelgrass meadows of Jbel Moussa. Keywords: Zostera marina,, Moroccan Mediterranean coast, seagrass characterisation, bioaccumulation, elementary content, conservation Conference: XX Iberian Symposium on Marine Biology Studies (SIEBM XX) , Braga, Portugal, 9 Sep - 12 Sep, 2019. Presentation Type: Poster Presentation Topic: Ecology, Biodiversity and Vulnerable Ecosystems Citation: Boutahar L, Espinosa Torre F, Sghaier YR, Ouerghi A, MAANAN M, Richir J, Gobert S, Lepoint G and Bazairi H (2019). Characterisation of the lonely Zostera marina meadows in North Africa and a deep one of the Mediterranean (south to the strait of Gibraltar, Morocco). Front. Mar. Sci. Conference Abstract: XX Iberian Symposium on Marine Biology Studies (SIEBM XX) . doi: 10.3389/conf.fmars.2019.08.00089 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 14 Sep 2019; Published Online: 27 Sep 2019. * Correspondence: PhD. Loubna Boutahar, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco, boutaharloubna@gmail.com Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Loubna Boutahar Free Espinosa Torre Yassine R Sghaier Atef Ouerghi Mohamed MAANAN Jonathan Richir Sylvie Gobert Gilles Lepoint Hocein Bazairi Google Loubna Boutahar Free Espinosa Torre Yassine R Sghaier Atef Ouerghi Mohamed MAANAN Jonathan Richir Sylvie Gobert Gilles Lepoint Hocein Bazairi Google Scholar Loubna Boutahar Free Espinosa Torre Yassine R Sghaier Atef Ouerghi Mohamed MAANAN Jonathan Richir Sylvie Gobert Gilles Lepoint Hocein Bazairi PubMed Loubna Boutahar Free Espinosa Torre Yassine R Sghaier Atef Ouerghi Mohamed MAANAN Jonathan Richir Sylvie Gobert Gilles Lepoint Hocein Bazairi Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.

RETOS™: USE OF AN INTERNATIONAL TOOL FOR ASSESSING OIL SPILL PLANNING AND PREPAREDNESS

ABSTRACT The “Readiness Evaluation Tool for Oil Spills (RETOS™)” is an application upgraded in 2014 with the support of regional and international experts from industry and government, including associations such as Oil Spill Response (OSRL), the Regional Activity Centre / Regional Marine Pollution, Emergency, Information and Training Centre – Caribe (RAC/REMPEITC-Caribe), and the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The ARPEL Manual and RETOS™ provide a comprehensive set of criteria for industry and governments to assess their level of oil spill response (OSR) planning and readiness. The assessment criteria, agreed upon by the participating companies and institutions, provide the foundation for a series of checklists whereby gaps can be identified in spill response planning and readiness programs. The background for the tools is the “Assessment of Oil Spill Response Capabilities: A Proposed International Guide for Oil Spill Response Planning and Readiness Assessment”, developed for the 2008 International Oil Spill Conference. The RETOS™ Excel application and Manual list evaluation criteria according to the type of OSR program to be assessed. These tools have:Seven different scopes and two general perspectives (government and industry) are considered, including facilities, companies’ business lines, and government national programs.For each scope, there are three possible assessment levels for which OSR planning and readiness assessment criteria become increasingly more demanding.Each level contains criteria in 10 different categories (topic areas) and identifies critical criteria deemed necessary for completeness at a basic level.An additional category for institution-specific added criteria. Given that the criteria utilized relate to best international practices, RETOS™ represents a powerful tool for international benchmarking purposes. As of the end of 2016, workshops on how to use the tools have been presented in at least seven countries with over 400 total participants. RETOS™ has been used in more than 30 countries worldwide with most of those assessing national spill preparedness programs. Initial assessment results for Level A (basic) ranged from approximately 20% to 99% completion. Over 20 companies and institutions have utilized the tool with a similar range of results. Re-assessment provides a clear indication of progress toward higher levels of preparedness. The Manual and RETOS™ are currently available in English, Spanish, Portuguese and French and can be downloaded free of charge from the ARPEL web site (www.arpel.org).

Problems of Increasing the Regional Development Innovative Sustainability

The article gives a comparative analysis of the innovation and technological development in Russia and foreign countries. The paper shows that in the innovation sector, Russia lags behind most of the developed and developing countries: Russia has almost left the market of high technologies; main costs for innovations are implemented in the sectors of low and medium technology industries. Self-sufficiency of Russian economy for a number of the major types of production equipment is significantly below than the threshold marks determined by the requirements of national security. The article demonstrated the differentiation in the innovative development of the Russian regions. The study of the Russian innovation space has shown that in the periphery, there are sufficiently intense processes of the attenuation of science, which creates serious problems for the growth of innovative impulses across the country. The authors present the methodology for integrated assessment of regional innovative security. The appropriate calculations for regions of the Ural Federal District are performed. The article identifies the most critical factors for innovative sustainability of these regions. The authors have made a forecast as well as built the projected trajectories of the innovative security level of the Ural Federal District using the modernized method of Hurst. We have formulated the main barriers to the innovative development of the Russian regions. The article presents the methodological approaches to the substantiation of the priorities for the formation of the innovative system of regions including the specific features of their science and industry. The authors propose the methodology for the formal evaluation of the creation of a regional innovation activity centers aimed at supporting the competitiveness of the enterprises of different technological level. The paper presents calculation results for the priority of the formation of the centers of innovation activity aimed at supporting the development of industries of different technological level on the example of the regions of the Ural Federal District which is one of the leading Russian regions in the innovative and productive potentials.

Analisis Disparitas dan Interaksi Spasial di Timor-Leste

Spatial planning is a tool to achieve braden goals of development. To support economic development in Timor Leste, it needs an optimal spatial structure planning that supports connectivities between districts through infrastructures network. This research aimed to analyze and explain disparities, interaction and optimal regional spatial structure using variables of infrastructures and public facilities on national and regional/districts/subnational activities center. This research used Scalogram and gravitation modelling analysis. The results showed that there is a high disparity level between districts in Timor-Leste that caused by the lack of public facilities and lack of access to public services. Moreover, the spatial structure interaction between districts are very weak. To cope with those problems, this research suggested the formulation of one national activity center located in the north (Dili) and three Regional (subnational) Activity Center (RAC) located at Ermera in the west, Baucau in the east and Manufahi in the south of Timor-Leste

Pengaruh Eksistensi Bandara International Lombok Terhadap Perkembangan Permukiman di PKW Perkotaan Praya

Inequality development causes delays for Praya development. MP3EI, changed conditions of Urban Praya through the construction of Lombok International Airport (BIL) that is represented as Regional Activity Center. The development began to grow including the settlements sector. The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of the presence of BIL on the development of settlements in Praya urban with quantitative descriptive method; through the identification residential development from the aspects existence of BIL, pattern and shape of its range, physical and non-physical variables that affect and changes pattern and Structures space. The results showed, the development of urban settlements do not occurs due to the direct presence of BIL but influenced by the roads and utility networks. Praya urban image map in 2006 and 2012 showing the development of settlement that is shaped "Radial Continuous" and other territories form Praya urban scattered "Linear" following the road and utility grid, whereas the other territories near BIL does not show a significant development. According to the Patterns of change and Structure Space, the land price changes. The suburban area of Praya that is experiencing the development of road, the land prices have increased despite relatively less productive land.

Selection and implementation of pollution prevention techniques in small and medium enterprises in countries in transition

This paper aims to open the discussion about the possibility and economic feasibility of applying pollution prevention techniques in industrial enterprises with smaller production capacities than those specified in Directive 2010/75/EU. The work refers to countries with transition economies where low cost of environmental resources and pollution fees are present. The research is conducted on pilot sample of seven small- and medium-size enterprises belonging to the food and beverage sector. The enterprises have different characteristics in terms of company size, capacity levels, production processes employed, and status of the transition in terms of their ownership status. The selection of appropriate prevention techniques is done using newly developed Method for Identification of Prevention Techniques (“MIP”). The MIP method combines: (i) Minimization Opportunities Environmental Diagnosis methodology developed by Regional Activity Center for Sustainable Consumption and Production Barcelona and its approach to data collection, (ii) United Nation Industrial Development Organisation’s step-by-step approach to environmental diagnosis of industrial enterprises, (iii) Driving Forces, Pressure, State, Impact, Response Framework used by European Environmental Agency to facilitate problem–solution identification, (iv) Multicriteria ranking method for selection of best available techniques, and (v) Philosophy of Shewhart–Deming’s circle to introduce the system of planning, control, and correction and integrate prevention concept into business policy. This provided necessary flexibility corresponding to companies’ abilities to finance implementation. The results confirmed that the pollution prevention concept can be applied to small- and medium-sized companies of different production capacities and organization levels with both environmental and economic benefits.

Local to regional polycentric levels of governance of the Guinea Current Large Marine Ecosystem

Building trust across diverse groups and nations requires long-term commitment and time, as the Gulf of Guinea Large Marine Ecosystem (GOGLME) and the Guinea Current Large Marine Ecosystem (GCLME) projects demonstrated over two decades while establishing trust and partnerships among 16 western African countries along the coast of the GCLME leading to the GCLME project successfully establishing the Interim Guinea Current Commission (IGCC). Regional Activity Centers of Capacity for Productivity, Fisheries, Environment, Information Management and Pollution Monitoring created by the GCLME Project effectively connected international development goals with implementation efforts on the ground at regional and local scales. The active involvement of the Regional Coordination Unit (RCU) and key Ministers from various countries was critical to achieving the genuine commitment in the region to pursue transboundary regional ocean governance at the GCLME level. The 16 countries at a ministerial meeting in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire declared their intent to replace the Interim Guinea Current Commission (IGCC) with a permanent Commission serving as a mechanism for coordination and agreement on resource use among these countries embracing the LME modules from local to regional polycentric levels of governance, consistent with the benefits of an ecosystem-based approach to assessment and management of GCLME goods and services.

A critical review of the Mediterranean sea turtle rescue network: a web looking for a weaver

A key issue in conservation biology is recognizing and bridging the gap between scientific results and specific action. We examine sea turtles—charismatic yet endangered flagship species—in the Mediterranean, a sea with historically high levels of exploitation and 22 coastal nations. We take sea turtle rescue facilities as a visible measure for implemented conservation action. Our study yielded 34 confirmed sea turtle rescue centers, 8 first-aid stations, and 7 informal rescue institutions currently in operation. Juxtaposing these facilities to known sea turtle distribution and threat hotspots reveals a clear disconnect. Only 14 of the 22 coastal countries had centers, with clear gaps in the Middle East and Africa. Moreover, the information flow between centers is apparently limited. The populations of the two species nesting in the Mediterranean, the loggerhead Caretta caretta and the green turtle Chelonia mydas, are far below historical levels and face a range of anthropogenic threats at sea and on land. Sea turtle rescue centers are acknowledged to reduce mortality in bycatch hotspots, provide a wealth of scientific data, and raise public awareness. The proposal for a Mediterranean-wide rescue network as published by the Regional Activity Centre for Specially Protected Areas a decade ago has not materialized in its envisioned scope. We discuss the efficiency, gaps, and needs for a rescue network and call for establishing additional rescue centers and an accompanying common online database to connect existing centers. This would provide better information on the number and types of rescue facilities on a Mediterranean scale, improve communication between these facilities, enhance standardization of procedures, yield large-scale data on the number of treated turtles and their injuries, and thus provide valuable input for targeted conservation measures.