Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Environmental aspect'

Cotton as a dominating natural fibre imparts a major contribution in the whole textile market including natural and artificial fibres. The demand of this cellulosic fibre is increasing rapidly day by day, on the other hand supply cannot fulfill its demand, and as a result price goes higher in world market. Now people are looking for alternatives to cotton in different applications. Viscose as cellulosic origin, the cheapest of all cellulosic fibres could be the best alternative. Viscose fibre exhibits some similar properties compared to cotton except its poor wet strength. In this thesis work different chemical finishes were applied to improve the wet strength of viscose fabric. For this purpose water repellent and soil release finishes were applied. Both water repellent and soil release finishes helped in reducing the molecular barrier around the individual fibres that lowered the surface tension of the fibre. It reduces the absorbency of viscose fibre hence leads to higher wet strength. Water repellent finish was applied alone as well as in combination with soil release finish. It was seen that viscose fibre exhibited better wet strength after applying water repellent and soil release finishes on it. This improved property of viscose could replace the cotton fibre in certain applications like bed linen.
Program: Magisterutbildning i textilteknologi

Under modern conditions of “information age” and “knowledge society” it is fair to define human potential and its fulfilment as the main factors of regional socio-economic development. Both intelligence and creativity have much less material limits and is very promising in the context of sustainability. Even more interesting becomes the intellectual and innovative activities results for the regional development and environment in particular.

In the first chapter, "Does the Stage of Development Matter for Infrastructure Payoffs?”, I consider infrastructure as a channel for economic development. I address the question of whether the impact of infrastructure varies according to the stage of development of a country. I answer this question through an innovative methodology exploiting the information included in papers that provide estimates of infrastructure payoffs. I use a logit model whose dependent variable indicates whether these estimates are positively significant. To account for the variation of this dependent variable, I consider the sample characteristics of estimates. One of these characteristics is the stage of development of the countries included in the samples. Specifically, I use the weight of each of four income categories in the sample as an explanatory variable.

The second chapter, "Climate Change Mitigation in the Presence of Technology Spillovers", explores the implications of an increase in clean technology spillovers between developed and developing countries. I build a 2-stage 2-country game of abatements in which players are linked with technology spillovers. The two countries are asymmetric in their technology endowment. Country 1 - the developed country - is the only one able to invest in technology that lowers abatement costs. Country 2 - the developing country - captures only part of the technology provided by country 1.

The third chapter, "Threshold Effects in Self-Enforcing International Environmental Agreements" is co-written with Renaud Foucart. In this chapter, we address the stability of self-enforcing International Environmental Agreements (IEAs) with the presence of a threshold of irreversible climate change. Climate scientists recognize the existence of human-induced abrupt climate changes that are likely to occur when the climate system crosses some threshold. We show that taking into account these threshold effects - when identified with enough accuracy - allows for the existence of more ambitious agreements than those predicted by the traditional literature on IEAs. When considering abrupt irreversible damage, the contribution of any country that helps prevent the world from such a catastrophe is very large. Consequently, a high number of signatories that could potentially prevent the climate system from crossing the threshold could form a self-enforcing agreement.
Doctorat en Sciences économiques et de gestion
info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

The feasibility of improving water quality by food web manipulation in an urban eutrophic tropical reservoir, Lago Paranoa (Brasilia, Brazil) was investigated. The potential of promising biomanipulation strategies was experimentally tested in limnocorrals: reduction of internal nutrient loading by controlling tilapia overpopulation, and suppression of nuisance cyanobacteria by stocking non reproducing filter-feeding silver carp. A four-month test in two large littoral isolated areas of the reservoir (1,000 m2 each) stocked with high vs. low tilapia biomass revealed that fish over-population promoted blooms of Microcystis and decreased water clarity by supplying phytoplankton with additional nutrients (mainly phosphorus, "P"). Since reduction of tilapia biomass from 150 to 40 g/m3 resulted in significant water quality improvements, the release of commercial fisheries using cast-nets was recommended. Field experiments III floating net-cages (10 m3) were conducted to evaluate silver carp adaptation to Lago Paranoa and to determine fish growth rates when maintained feeding exclusively on the abundant plankton in the reservoir. High growth rates (up to 6 g/day) and survivorship (> 90%) of young-of-the-year (72 g), juveniles (300 g) and adult silver carp (1100 g) during both dry and rainy season were observed. Efficient ingestion of nuisance algae was evidenced by the dominant presence of Microcystis aeruginosa and Botryococcus braunii colonies in the fore-intestine of experimental fishes. Results indicate the great potential for silver carp cage culture as a low-cost and environmentally beneficial economic activity. Following indications from literature and previous studies in Lago Paranoa, the optimum range of silver carp biomass which maximize phytoplankton control was determined in ten large replicated limnocorrals (50 m3 ). Although a significant decrease in Microcystis abundance was achieved by stocking silver carp at all biomass levels, net-phytoplankton biomass was only significantly suppressed at moderate fish stocking densities of 40 and 60 g/m3 . Two additional limnocorral experiments during dry and rainy seasons were performed to test the effectiveness of both biomanipulation strategies when adopted separately or simultaneously. Water quality improvements through control of tilapia abundance (from 100 to 40 g/m3) and stocking with silver carp (at moderate stocking rates of 40-50 g/m3) induced significant decreases in total phosphorus (21- 31 %), cyanobacteria density (40-44%) and phytoplankton biomass (22-38%). As those strategies were found to act independently, the combination of both enhanced water quality benefits by reducing total phosphorus by 38%, cyanobacteria density by 75% and phytoplankton biomass by 60%. To predict the internal P-loading reduction that could be achieved by implementing both biomanipulation strategies on a whole-reservoir scale, P excretion rates were quantified in indoor tanks for 16 and 40 g tilapia (0.527-1.576 ug SRP/g ww/h) and silver carp (0.391-0.737 ug SRP/g ww/h). It was estimated that the tilapia contribution to internal P-Ioading (5.4 mg TP/m2/day for 1,300 kg/ha) is equivalent to external P input to the Bananal Branch (6.0 mg TP/m2/day). A 60% reduction in tilapia biomass plus stocking of silver carp at densities of up to 60 g/m3 after three years would not change internal P-Ioading (5.6 mg TP/m2/day) but would (1) reduce by 60% the input of "new" phosphorus to the water column from tilapia bottom feeding, and (2) increase grazing on phytoplankton following silver carp introduction.

Cette thèse contribue à la compréhension de la relation entre le commerce et l’environnement, en mettant l’accent sur le rôle de la réglementation environnementale entre pays. Trois essais abordent ce lien selon différentes perspectives. Le premier chapitre analyse l’efficacité de la formalisation de la Convention de Bâle sur le commerce des déchets dangereux dans l’Union européenne (UE-WSR) puis sur les pays en développement, divisés en régions. Je construis un indice de réglementation environnementale, qui comprend notamment la qualité des institutions. Les résultats montrent peu de preuves d’un effet de havre de déchets dans les pays de l’UE les moins développés. Dans l’analyse régionale, il n’y a aucune preuve de l’efficacité de l’UE-WSR. Le second chapitre étudie l’efficacité des accords internationaux sur l’environnement. Ce chapitre évalue les effets de la ratification et de l’adoption de ces accords sur les importations de produits chimiques dangereux et de polluants organiques persistants. Les résultats soulignent l’effet partiel de ces deux conventions. Plus précisément, lorsqu’on évalue un accord moins restrictif, les importations ne sont réduites que lorsque l’exportateur ratifie la convention. Lors de l’évaluation de l’interdiction des polluants organiques persistants, les importations sont réduites. Le troisième examine l’effet de la réglementation environnementale sur les résultats environnementaux. Ce chapitre a pris en compte les déterminants de la pollution et une variable de réglementation environnementale composée de lois environnementales adoptées par les pays. Les résultats montrent que les lois environnementales ont un effet améliorant les résultats environnementaux. Cet effet est particulier aux résultats environnementaux et à la loi. Ainsi on met en question certaines conclusions antérieures tirées de la littérature sur l’effet bénéfique du commerce sur l’environnement
This thesis contributes to an understanding of the relationship between trade and the environment, with an emphasis on the role of environmental regulation among countries. Three essays deal with this link from different perspectives. The first chapter analyses the effectiveness of the formalization of the Basel Convention on trade in hazardous wastes in the European Union (EU-WSR), followed by developing countries, and divided into regions. I build an environmental regulation index, which includes the quality of the institutions. The results show little evidence of a waste haven effect in the least developed EU countries. In the regional analysis, there is no evidence of the effectiveness of the EU-WSR. The second chapter examines the effectiveness of international environmental agreements. This chapter assesses the effects of the ratification and adoption of these agreements on imports of hazardous chemicals and persistent organic pollutants. The results underline the partial effect of these two conventions. More specifically, when assessing a less restrictive arrangement, imports are reduced only when the exporter ratifies the agreement. In assessing the ban on persistent organic pollutants, imports are reduced. The third examines the effect of environmental regulation on environmental outcomes. This chapter has taken into account the determinants of pollution and an environmental regulatory variable composed of environmental laws adopted by countries. The results show that environmental laws have an effect improving environmental outcomes. This effect is unique to environmental outcomes and to the law. Thus, some previous conclusions drawn from the literature on the beneficial effect of trade on the environment are questioned

Cette thèse contribue à la compréhension de la relation entre le commerce et l’environnement, en mettant l’accent sur le rôle de la réglementation environnementale entre pays. Trois essais abordent ce lien selon différentes perspectives. Le premier chapitre analyse l’efficacité de la formalisation de la Convention de Bâle sur le commerce des déchets dangereux dans l’Union européenne (UE-WSR) puis sur les pays en développement, divisés en régions. Je construis un indice de réglementation environnementale, qui comprend notamment la qualité des institutions. Les résultats montrent peu de preuves d’un effet de havre de déchets dans les pays de l’UE les moins développés. Dans l’analyse régionale, il n’y a aucune preuve de l’efficacité de l’UE-WSR. Le second chapitre étudie l’efficacité des accords internationaux sur l’environnement. Ce chapitre évalue les effets de la ratification et de l’adoption de ces accords sur les importations de produits chimiques dangereux et de polluants organiques persistants. Les résultats soulignent l’effet partiel de ces deux conventions. Plus précisément, lorsqu’on évalue un accord moins restrictif, les importations ne sont réduites que lorsque l’exportateur ratifie la convention. Lors de l’évaluation de l’interdiction des polluants organiques persistants, les importations sont réduites. Le troisième examine l’effet de la réglementation environnementale sur les résultats environnementaux. Ce chapitre a pris en compte les déterminants de la pollution et une variable de réglementation environnementale composée de lois environnementales adoptées par les pays. Les résultats montrent que les lois environnementales ont un effet améliorant les résultats environnementaux. Cet effet est particulier aux résultats environnementaux et à la loi. Ainsi on met en question certaines conclusions antérieures tirées de la littérature sur l’effet bénéfique du commerce sur l’environnement
This thesis contributes to an understanding of the relationship between trade and the environment, with an emphasis on the role of environmental regulation among countries. Three essays deal with this link from different perspectives. The first chapter analyses the effectiveness of the formalization of the Basel Convention on trade in hazardous wastes in the European Union (EU-WSR), followed by developing countries, and divided into regions. I build an environmental regulation index, which includes the quality of the institutions. The results show little evidence of a waste haven effect in the least developed EU countries. In the regional analysis, there is no evidence of the effectiveness of the EU-WSR. The second chapter examines the effectiveness of international environmental agreements. This chapter assesses the effects of the ratification and adoption of these agreements on imports of hazardous chemicals and persistent organic pollutants. The results underline the partial effect of these two conventions. More specifically, when assessing a less restrictive arrangement, imports are reduced only when the exporter ratifies the agreement. In assessing the ban on persistent organic pollutants, imports are reduced. The third examines the effect of environmental regulation on environmental outcomes. This chapter has taken into account the determinants of pollution and an environmental regulatory variable composed of environmental laws adopted by countries. The results show that environmental laws have an effect improving environmental outcomes. This effect is unique to environmental outcomes and to the law. Thus, some previous conclusions drawn from the literature on the beneficial effect of trade on the environment are questioned

Orientadores: Silvia Aparecida Mikami Gonçalves Pina, Lucila Chebel Labaki
Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Civil, Arquitetura e Urbanismo
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Resumo: A qualidade do ambiente construído envolve características espaciais que afetam a percepção e o comportamento de seus usuários. Fatores como ventilação, temperatura, iluminação, forma e volume devem ser trabalhados de maneira a propiciar ambientes adequados que promovam uma qualidade de vida desejável. Devido à percepção ambiental ser derivada do processamento do estímulo sensorial, é premissa desta tese de doutorado que o ritmo biológico e o estado psicológico dos usuários são diretamente influenciados pelas variáveis espaciais. Assim, a hipótese da pesquisa é que os ambientes hospitalares, controlados exclusivamente por sistemas artificiais de iluminação e controle de temperatura e associados ao intenso ritmo de trabalho, alteram o ritmo biológico dos médicos residentes ampliando a ocorrência de doenças psicológicas e potencializando as chances de erro de diagnóstico. O objetivo é identificar como o ambiente hospitalar em condições artificiais, especialmente de iluminação e temperatura, afetam a qualidade de vida e a percepção dos médicos residentes por meio da análise de variáveis fisiológicas e psicológicas. Para tanto, foram feitas avaliações sobre as variáveis do ambiente: i. quantitativa aferindo a temperatura, iluminação, umidade relativa, velocidade do ar e aspectos físicos; e ii. qualitativa com questionários de percepção visual, térmica, acústica e de uso do espaço. Os aspectos psicofisiológicos dos médicos residentes foram avaliados segundo: i. variável emocional com instrumentais validados no Brasil para delimitação da ansiedade, depressão, estresse e transtorno psiquiátrico no ambiente de trabalho, além do sono e sua qualidade e ii. variável hormonal mediante coleta salivar e uso do Teste ELISA para dosagem de cortisol e melatonina. A pesquisa é caracterizada como exploratória e transversal prospectiva devido às variáveis de desfecho observadas e segue o delineamento da pesquisa experimental. O estudo foi realizado em condições reais de uso no Setor da Imaginologia do Hospital de Clínicas da UNICAMP/Campinas. Dentre os resultados obtidos foram constatadas, dentre outros, respostas psicofisiológicas diferenciadas de acordo com as condições ambientais e o nível de residência médica; também se verificou que estas mesmas condições não alcançaram valores capazes de interferir integralmente na saúde psicofisiológica dos médicos residentes independente do nível. Esta pesquisa além de contribuir com a extensão do estado-da-arte, acrescentou informações à coleção de dados sobre a influência do ambiente sob condições artificiais de seus sistemas ambientais na percepção e saúde psicofisiológica de uma parcela da população hospitalar, auxiliando no desenvolvimento de melhorias na qualidade do ambiente daquela tipologia arquitetônica
Abstract: The quality of the built environment involves spatial characteristics that affect the perception and the behaviour of its users. Factors such as ventilation, temperature, lighting, shape and volume must be worked out in order to provide appropriate environments that promote a good quality of life. Because environmental perception is derived from the processing of sensory stimulus, the premise of this doctorate thesis is that the biological rhythm and the psychological state of users are directly influenced by spatial variables. Thus, the hypothesis of the research is that the hospital environment, controlled exclusively by artificial lighting and climate control, and associated to the intense pace of work, alter the biological rhythm of resident physicians increasing the occurrence of psychological diseases and increasing the chances of them making diagnostic errors. The goal is to identify how the hospital environment under artificial conditions, especially lighting and temperature, affect the quality of life and the perception of medical residents through the analysis of physiological and psychological variables. Therefore, the evaluated environmental variables were; i. quantitative gauging of the temperature, lighting, relative humidity, air velocity and physical aspects; ii. qualitative questionnaires regarding visual perception, thermal, acoustic and use of space. Psycho-physiological aspects of resident physicians were evaluated according to; i. emotional variables with validated instruments in Brazil for the demarcation of anxiety, depression, stress and psychiatric disorder in the workplace, in addition to sleep and its quality; ii. hormonal variables by saliva collection and the use of ELISA test for cortisol and melatonin dosage. The research is characterized as exploratory and prospective due to the observed outcome variables and follows the design of experimental research. The study was conducted in real conditions in the Radiology Department of the Hospital at UNICAMP/Campinas. Among the results found with resident doctors were different psycho-physiological responses according to the environmental conditions; also that these same conditions did not reach values able to fully interfere in the psycho-physiological health of physicians whatever the year of residency. This research contributes to the advance of the state of the art, adding information to the data already collected on the influence of artificial environmental conditions on the perception and psycho-physiological health of a proportion of the hospital population, contributing to the development of the quality of the environment through architectural design
Doutorado
Arquitetura, Tecnologia e Cidade
Doutora em Arquitetura, Tecnologia e Cidade

The environmental work in Sweden has developed a lot over the past fifty years. Today, most companies have some kind of environmental work. Environmental activities are regulated by the Environmental Code, which applies in parallel with other laws. This report is an environmental review for Bräcke Diakoni. The report aims to find out how much environmental impact Bräcke Diakoni has. The report will also be used as a basis for an environmental diploma. Bräcke Diakoni is a foundation that has existed in Gothenburg since 1923 and has its operations in health, care, rehabilitation, psychiatry, children, youth, elder care and hospice. They have an environmental diploma since 2005 and are actively working to reduce their environmental impact. Data were collected through interviews, surveys, and Intranet. The environmental review includes eight of Bräcke Diakoni units are located in Bräcke, Gothenburg. The report is general, covering the environmental impact of energy, water, travel, chemicals, waste, recycling and accidents. No indentations are made. The investigation shows that business trips, electricity, district heating, service vehicles and households waste have the highest environmental impact.  Bräcke Diakoni generally has no impact on the environment that needs urgent help. At the end of the report there are suggestions for further environmental work, such as switching energy contracts, reward soft mobility among staff and reduce the missions through the purchase of video conference. Bräcke Diakoni has already taken steps to reduce their environmental impact. Among other things, they help to meet environmental quality objective "A non-toxic environment" by taking care of their hazardous waste. The fact that they use district heating contributes to the "Good Built Environment" and "Fresh air".
Miljöarbetet i Sverige har utvecklats mycket de senaste femtio åren. Idag arbetar de flesta företag med miljö på något sätt. Miljöarbetet regleras av miljöbalken som gäller parallellt med andra lagar. Den här rapporten är en miljöutredning för Bräcke Diakoni. Syftet med rapporten är att ta reda på hur stor miljöpåverkan Bräcke Diakonis verksamheter har. Rapporten ska även användas som underlag till miljödiplomering. Bräcke Diakoni är en stiftelse som funnits i Göteborg sedan år 1923 och har verksamheter inom hälsa, vård, rehab, psykiatri, barn, ungdom, äldreomsorg och hospice. De är miljödiplomerade sedan 2005 och arbetar aktivt för att minska sin miljöpåverkan. Data har samlats in genom intervjuer, inventeringar och Intranätet. Miljöutredningen omfattar åtta av Bräcke Diakonis enheter som är lokaliserade i Bräcke, Göteborg. Utredningen är övergripande och omfattar miljöpåverkan från energiförbrukning, vatten, resor, kemikalier, avfall, återvinning och olyckor. Inga fördjupningar har gjorts. Högst miljöpåverkan fick tjänsteresor, el, fjärrvärme, tjänstefordon och hushållssopor. Bräcke Diakoni har överlag ingen miljöpåverkan som behöver akuta åtgärder. I slutet av rapporten finns förbättringsförslag för fortsatt miljöarbete, exempelvis byta energiavtal, belöna miljövänligt resande bland personalen och minska på tjänsteresor genom införskaffande av videokonferensanläggning. Bräcke Diakoni har redan vidtagit åtgärder för att minska sin miljöpåverkan. Bland annat bidrar de till att uppfylla miljökvalitetsmålet ”Giftfri miljö” genom att ta hand om sitt farliga avfall. Att de använder fjärrvärme bidrar till att uppfylla ”God bebyggd miljö” samt ” Frisk luft”.

The Swedish National Rail Administration, Banverket, has the overarching sector responsibility for Swedish railways, including a responsibility for implementing and managing the government decision for an ecologically sustainable development. In support of achieving ecologically sustainable development and fulfilment of the national environmental objectives and environmental legislation, Banverket initiated the implementation of an Environmental Management System (EMS) in 1998. The overall aim of this thesis is to examine the EMS applied at Banverket with regard to the identification and monitoring of environmental aspects at the administrative Railway Regions of Banverket. The analysis is based on a qualitative approach comprising questionnaires, interviews, document analysis and participating observations.

Areas for potential improvements are identified. A more stringent use of the EMS is needed in the organisation. Furthermore, a link between activity, aspect and impact when identifying environmental aspects would improve the procedure. Like in other public organisations, the monitoring of environmental aspects at Banverket is insufficient. Introducing indicators and integrating different Government requirements for environmental monitoring into one system, using EMS as a tool would make the system more effective. In the thsesis a framework is proposed for the identification of environmental aspects pertaining to operation and maintenance at Banverket. This framework has an input–output perspective and provides a clear connection between activity, aspect and impact. Furthermore, by establishing the framework on a system used mainly for environmental performance evaluation, a better connection between the identification and monitoring of aspects is created, possibly improving both processes. The framework for the identifica-tion of environmental aspects, as proposed in the thesis, could also be modified and applied in other organisations.

A major conclusion of the study is that the EMS applied at Banverket, in its present form, is not an effective environmental management tool for achieving ecologically sustainable development within the rail sector. Adapted methods for identification and monitoring of environmental aspects for public organisations such as Banverket would facilitate the application of EMS and increase its effectiveness as an environmental tool.

The Schools and Colleges Permaculture (SCOPE) Programme in Zimbabwe has developed a process for use by schools in planning for the sustainable management of their land. The process is called Integrated Land-Use Design (ILUD) and is based on Permaculture principles. The ILUD process has so far been implemented in 54 pilot schools where it has been used to facilitate the re-design of the school grounds through the active participation of the students, staff and parents. The aim of this research was to investigate what environmental learning takes place during the implementation of the ILUD process and related activities, with a view to informing the improvement of the process. The research was conducted within the interpretive paradigm with particular use being made of the Symbolic Interactionist theoretical framework to explore the social situations in which the ILUD process has been applied. A purposive sample of two schools and five form 4 (grade 11) pupils from each school was selected for the study. The main data collection method was the structured interview. Other data were collected from nonparticipant observations and the analysis of documents, particularly photographs. The data was analysed using the constant comparative method. The findings point towards a significant contribution from the Permaculture activities to the environmental knowledge, environmental management skills and the positive environmental attitudes of the pupils. The work done at the two schools indicates the usefulness of the ILUD process as a tool for environmental action in the schools but its application in the communities was found to be limited by constraints such as lack of resources and the limited capacity of teachers to work in the field of adult education and training. It is recommended that Permaculture should be integrated into the secondary school curriculum if the momentum of the progress made so far is to be maintained. The SCOPE Programme itself needs to be strengthened for its work with communities. There is, for example, a need for adult education and training methods if the introduction of ILUD to the communities is to be successful.

L'humanité fait face à de nombreux défis dans le domaine de l'énergie: explosion de la demande, émissions de gaz à effet de serre, raréfaction de certaines ressources fossiles, pollution, etc. La réponse à ces défis passe en particulier par le développement de systèmes de conversion d'énergie à haute efficacité et à faibles impacts environnementaux. Elle requiert, de plus, la mise au point d'approches permettant d'évaluer ces impacts et de communiquer les résultats à un très large public. Le travail de thèse présenté est une contribution aux efforts menés pour satisfaire ces deux exigences. Il est composé de deux parties qui ont consisté respectivement: - à évaluer à l'aide d'une approche mâture les impacts environnementaux de l'électricité produite par un système de conversion d'énergie en cours de mise au point. Il s'agissait d'effectuer l'Analyse de Cycle de Vie (LCA) de l'électricité issue d'un "stack" de pile à combustible de type Solid Oxyde Fuel Cell (SOFC). L'étude visait à définir les conditions optimales de fabrication, d'utilisation et de recyclage de ce stack d'un point de vue environnemental, afin d'aider les concepteurs et utilisateurs dans leurs choix technologiques. - à mettre au point une approche permettant d'évaluer les impacts environnementaux de l'électricité produite par un système de conversion d'énergie mâture. Il s'agissait d'adapter les concepts d'Empreinte Ecologique et de Biocapacité afin qu'ils intègrent correctement la production d'électricité à partir de réacteurs nucléaires. L'étude visait à disposer d'un indicateur simple permettant d'évaluer les impacts environnementaux de ce type d'électricité
Humankind faces many challenges in the energy field: explosion in demand, greenhouse gas emissions, rarefaction of certain fossi! resources, pollution etc. The answer to these challenges lies in particular in the development of energy conversion systems with a high efficiency and low environmental impacts. Furthermore, it requires the development of approaches which enable to evaluate these impacts and communicate the results to a very wide audience. The work undertaken in this Phd thesis is a contribution to the efforts underway to me et this dual demand. It is made up of two parts which have consisted respectively: - in evaluating with a mature approach the environmental impacts of the electricity produced by an energy conversion system currently under development. The objective was to carry out a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) of the electricity provided by a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) "stack". The study was aimed to define the optimal manufacturing, use and end-of-life conditions for this stack from an environmental point of view, in order to help the designers and users in their technological choices. - in developing an approach which allows the assessment of the environmental impacts of the electricity produced by a mature energy conversion system. The objective was to adapt the concepts of Ecological Footprint and Biocapacity in order that they properly integrate nuclear electricity production. The study was aimed to propose a simple indicator for evaluating the environmental impacts ofthis type of electricity

Dans cette étude, nous cherchons à mesurer l’impact des émissions anthropogéniques de gaz à effet de serre sur la croissance économique dans un modèle de convergence conditionnelle. Nous nous intéressons au dioxyde de carbone, au méthane, au protoxyde d’azote et au groupe des "gaz F", ainsi qu’à l’effet de la somme de ces polluants, c’est-à-dire la quasi totalité des gaz à effet de serre. Notre échantillon est composé de 81 pays, avec une variété de niveaux de revenu par habitant, entre 1993 et 2012. Nous définissons deux sous-périodes de 10 ans et nous régressons la croissance économique sur la croissance des émissions de chaque polluant séparément, sur le PIB de la première année de la période et sur plusieurs variables de contrôle. Face au risque de biais de causalité inversée entre les émissions de pollution et la croissance économique, et entre l’investissement et la croissance économique, nous décidons d’utiliser les données passées comme variables instrumentales. Plus précisément, les données de la première année de la période sont utilisées comme instruments pour la pollution et l’investissement. Mis à part le CO2, nous trouvons qu’aucun des gaz à effet de serre n’a d’impact significatif sur la croissance économique. La croissance des émissions de CO2 semble avoir un impact positif sur la croissance économique. Cet impact apparaît moins fort sur la seconde période (2003-2012) que sur la première (1993-2002). De plus, il semble plus fort pour la moitié la plus riche des pays de notre échantillon.
In this study, we investigate the effect of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions on economic growth in a conditional convergence framework. We look at carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and the group of "F gases", as well as the effect of the sum of these pollutants, i.e. almost all greenhouse gases. Our sample is composed of 81 countries with a variety of per capita income levels and covers the period between 1993 and 2012. We define two ten-year periods and regress economic growth on emissions growth of each pollutant separately, on the first-year GDP of the period and on several control variables. To address the issue of inverse causality bias between pollution emissions and economic growth, as between investment and economic growth, we use an instrumental variable methodology. We use past data to instrument pollution and investment. More precisely, the data of the first year of the period are used as instruments. We find that, except for CO2, greenhouse gas emissions growth does not generate economic growth. CO2 emissions growth has a positive impact on economic growth. Interestingly, this impact is less pronounced between 2003 and 2012, as compared to the 1993-2002 period. In addition, the impact of CO2 emissions growth is stronger in the richer half of countries in our sample.

Achieving the balance between the three sustainability aspects i.e., environmental, social, and economic has been a problem for many companies, where many of them still prioritize the economic aspect over the environmental and social aspects. Currently, many companies and energy utilities are going through major changes in their energy systems, and to be able to stay in the market and be competitive, they need to have clear and effective policies and a clear purpose. To examine the challenges that energy utilities are going through and are restraining them from balancing between the three pillars, a qualitative method has been used. Additionally, the solutions to these challenges and which organizations can help were also examined by interviewing two Swedish companies. The findings revealed that the challenges energy utilities were going through were related to knowledge (e.g., customer acceptance, cost, waste reduction, and consuming energy without exhausting the earth's resources). On the other hand, the solutions were knowledge, educating customers, citizens, and companies, getting help from the governments and politicians, such as encouraging the implementation of CSR, laws, and financial incentives. Knowledge has been perceived as the biggest challenge and solution for almost all companies, where increasing awareness and education campaigns would play a big role in solving the problems that companies are going through.

Sverige har fastslagit nationella miljömål som bland annat fastställer att Sverige inte ska orsaka några nettoutsläpp av växthusgaser år 2045. För att nå klimatmålen krävs insatser från en rad olika sektorer. Transportsystemets miljöpåverkan är stor men därav är också möjligheterna att minska de totala utsläppen av växthusgaser. En utmaning för att lyckas med detta är att hitta helt nya lösningar samtidigt som redan existerande funktionella lösningar behöver effektiviseras och byggas ut. En hållbar samhällsutveckling kan bara uppnås genom ett helhetsperspektiv. I syfte att minska den antropogena påverkan på klimatet och miljön, men även för att anpassa stadsmiljön till klimatförändringarna, är det därför av stor vikt att tillfullo integrera klimatförändringar i planerade planer, program och projekt. Miljökonsekvensbeskrivningar (MKB) är lagstadgade och metodiska verktyg, passande för detta ändamål. Därmed finns det en möjlighet att systematiskt integrera klimatförändringar i en rad olika offentliga och privata projekt, i arbetet mot ett mer hållbart samhälle. Fram till nyligen (år 2018) har detta inte varit lagstadgat men ändringen av Europaparlamentets och rådets direktiv (2011/92/EU) till (2014/52/EU) gällande miljöbedömningar förändrar detta. Nu måste även klimatförändringar behandlas tydligare i miljöbedömningar. Trafikverket är en aktör som ansvarig för statlig infrastruktur och för att styra anläggningsbranschen mot ett mer ”utsläppsvänligt” byggande. Ändringen av EU-direktivet ställer nya krav på hur Trafikverket framöver behöver behandla denna miljöaspekt. Syftet med examensarbetet var därför att förtydliga klimatperspektivet i MKB:er och målet att ge rekommendationer till hur Trafikverket bör hantera klimataspekten i MKB:er för svenska väg- och järnvägsplaner för att tillmötesgå nya EU-direktiv. Tre olika fallstudier genomfördes för att undersöka dels: om och hur Trafikverket behandlar klimataspekten i sina MKB:er i dagsläget; för att undersöka hur andra aktörer implementerar klimataspekten; för att undersöka hur olika vägledningar föreslår att implementeringen bör gå till. Även en litteraturstudie genomfördes för att sammanställa forskningsområdet om bland annat vad MKB-processen för svagheter, om E-LCA bör användas vid transportplanering och vilka utmaningarna är med att lyckas integrera klimataspekten. I EU-direktivet framkommer det att MKB:er framöver bör behandla:  Lindring av klimateffekter: alltså utredning av förväntade utsläpp av växthusgaser till följd av projektet och hur dessa kan reduceras (så kallade miljöåtgärder). Klimanpassning av projektet: utredning gällande hur projektet kan komma att påverkas av framtida klimatförändringar och huruvida projektet kan anpassas efter dessa. Resultatet visar att endast 20 % av Trafikverkets slumpmässigt utvalda MKB:er behandlar klimataspekten på ett tydligt sätt medan 45 % behandlar klimataspekten ”ytterst lite”. Av Trafikverkets 20 MKB:er nämner 45 % nyckelordet ”koldioxid/CO2” och 40 % nämner nyckelordet ”växthusgas”. Rekommendationerna som resultatet mynnat ut i förslår att: Om klimataspekten inte redovisas bör en motivering finnas till detta. Redovisa utfall kvantitativt. Rimligtvis i form av CO2-ekvivalenter (både positiva och negativa). Tydligare bedömningsgrunder. Förslagsvis: Koppla ihop projektet till globala, nationella och regionala mål; använd funktionella enheter, exempelvis CO2-ekv/Km järnväg. Tydligare definitioner och uttryck. Använd ett E-LCA-perspektiv i MKB:en och redovisa systemgränser och livsfaser. (Lyft fram sådant som framkommer i en eventuell EPD tydligare) Belys osäkerheter med känslighetsanalyser och scenarioanalyser. Förtydliga kopplingen mellan klimatanpassning och klimatförändringar Inför klimataspekten i ett ”eget” avsnitt eller under ett avsnitt kallat ”kumulativa effekter” För att stödja processen med införandet av klimataspekten kan en lathund likt tabell 20 (se Fallstudie 3) utformas.
Sweden has prescribed national environmental targets which states that Sweden should not cause any greenhouse emissions by 2045. To achieve these goals, efforts are required from a variety of sectors. The environmental impact of the transport system is high, but therefore are the opportunities to reduce the total greenhouse gas emissions also great. A challenge to succeeding in this is to find completely new solutions while already god existing solutions needs to be streamlined and expanded. Sustainable social development can only be achieved through a holistic perspective. To reduce the anthropogenic impact on the climate and the environment, but also to adapt the urban environment to climate change, it is therefore important to integrate climate change into planned plans, programs and projects. Environmental impact Assessments (EIA) are statutory and methodological tools, suitable for this end goal. Thus, there is an opportunity to systematically integrate climate change into a variety of public and private projects, in the work towards a more sustainable society. However, until recently (2018) this has not been statutory, but the amendment of Directive (2011/92 / EU) to (2014/52 / EU) of the European Parliament and of the Council to on environmental assessments alters this. Now climate change is also required to be treated more clearly in environmental assessments. The Swedish Transport Administration oversees government infrastructure and therefore an important actor to direct the construction and infrastructure industry towards a more "emission-friendly" construction. The amendment to the EU directive places new demands on how the Swedish Transport Administration will need to address this environmental aspect in the future. The purpose of the thesis work was therefore to clarify the climate perspective in EIAs and the goal to give recommendations for how the Swedish Transport Administration should handle the climate aspect in EIAs for road and rail plans in order to comply with new EU directives. Three different case studies were conducted to partly investigate: If and how the Swedish Transport Administration deals with the climate aspect in their present EIAs; to investigate how other actors implement the climate aspect; to investigate how different guides suggest that the implementation should take place. I addition to the Case Studies a literature study was conducted to compile the research area on the weaknesses in the EIA-process, if E-LCA is a good tool to use in transport planning and what the challenges are to successfully integrate the climate aspect into EIAs. The new EU directive states that EIAs should address: Mitigation of climate effects: i.e., investigation of expected greenhouse gas emissions as a result of the projects and how these can be reduced (so called environmental measures). Climate adaption of the project: an assessment of how the project may be affected by future climate change and whether the project can be adapted accordingly. The result shows that only 20 % of the Swedish Transport Administrations randomly selected EIAs is addressing the climate aspect in a clear way, while 45 % addresses the climate aspect very little. Only 45 % of the Swedish Transport Administrations 20 randomly selected EIAs mention "Carbon dioxide/CO2" and only 40 % mention the keyword “greenhouse gas”. The recommendations that resulted from the results include:  If the climate aspect is not recognized, a motivation should be given to this. Report outcomes quantitatively. Reasonably in terms of CO2 equivalents (both positive and negative). Clearer grounds for assessment. Proposed: Link the project to global, national and regional goals; Use functional units, such as CO2 Equal / Km Rail. Clearer definitions and expressions. Use an E-LCA perspective in the EIA and report system boundaries and life scenarios. (Highlight the content of a possible EPD more clearly). Illustrate uncertainties with sensitivity analyzes and scenario analyzes. Clarifying the link between climate change and climate adaption. Introduce the climate aspect into an "own" section or under a section called "cumulative effects" To support the process of introducing the climate aspect, a reference guide, like table 20 (see Case Study 3) can be designed.

Cette thèse vise à étudier les conséquences en terme de changement institutionnel pour un développement durable de l’évaluation des politiques environnementales d’un pays, meneés par une organisation intergouvernementale. Les fondements philosophiques et théoriques de l’économie institutionnelle fournissent le cadre retenu pour construire une grille de lecture permettant d’analyser l’approche théorique, l’impact et les facteurs conditionnant l’impact de l’évaluation des politiques environnementales dans l’optique de développement durable. Les examens des performances environnementales de l’OCDE sont ensuite étudiés moyennant une approche d’étude de cas qualitative. Malgré l’attention relativement faible accordée par le public à ces examens, leur intérêt réside dans une plus grande légitimité des politiques et des autorités environnementales, et dans le renforcement des politiques environnementales basées sur les principes de contrôle, suivi, évaluation et coût-efficacité. Ces impacts opèrent à travers de quatre chemins parallèles, représentant les objectifs de reddition des comptes et de l’apprentissage. La forme et l’intensité de l’influence de ces impacts dépendent de la capacité des examens à mobiliser les acteurs clés, de leur sensibilité au contexte, ainsi que de la crédibilité et le poids politique de l’OCDE auprès des acteurs des pays étudiés. Nonobstant leur conception du développement durable relativement éloignée des principes institutionnalistes, les examens contribuent au développement durable en réduisant les déséquilibres de pouvoir et en améliorant ainsi certaines des conditions pour une démocratie délibérative
This thesis examines what consequences, through which pathways, and under which circumstances, does country-level environmental policy evaluation, carried out by an intergovernmental organisation, have for institutional change towards sustainable development. The philosophical and theoretical frameworks of institutional economics are proposed as the lens through which to assess experiences from evaluation research. This is done in order to elaborate a conceptual framework for analysing the approach, the impact and the factors conditioning the influence of environmental policy evaluation in the context of sustainable development. The OECD Environmental Performance Review programme is examined through an in-depth qualitative case study approach. It is found that in spite of engendering relatively modest interest among the public, the reviews increase the legitimacy of environmental policies and authorities, and strengthen a performance-oriented environmental policy emphasising evaluation, monitoring and cost-effectiveness. These impacts operate through four parallel pathways, representing the purposes of learning and accountability. The type and intensity of influence depends on the capacity of the reviews to mobilise key change agents and to be sensitive to the context, as well as on the credibility and political weight of the OECD in the reviewed country. It is concluded that notwithstanding the distance of the prevailing OECD conception of sustainability from the institutionalist principles adopted as the benchmark for the appraisal in this thesis, the reviews contribute meaningfully to sustainable development by redressing asymmetries of power, thereby improving some of the conditions for deliberative democracy

Analytical methods based on gas chromatography in combination with electron capture negative ion/electron ionisation mass spectrometry were developed and validated for the separation and determination of legacy and emerging flame retardants (EFRs) in a wide range of samples including indoor air, dust, diet and human milk. A broad suite of EFRs and legacy flame retardants (FRs) including polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDDs) were determined in indoor air and dust taken from offices and homes in Birmingham, UK. Comparison with previous data, suggests that temporal trends in contamination with EFRs and legacy FRs reflect changes in production and use of such compounds as a result of bans and restrictions on the use of legacy FRs. Using inter alia a simple, single compartment, steady state pharmacokinetic model, human exposure to FRs via air inhalation, dust ingestion and diet was estimated for different age groups and the relative importance of each exposure route to overall exposure assessed under different exposure scenarios. Concentrations of target EFRs were detected for the first time in UK human milk samples (n=35). Human exposure to EFRs and HBCDDs via diet was estimated for a population impacted by a rudimentary e-waste processing area in Vietnam.

In my thesis, I address two important issues: (i) the creation of a price signal through the use of carbon markets (or cap-and-trade schemes) and (ii) the necessity to reach a global agreement on greenhouse gas emission reduction policies. It consists of three separate papers. Chapters 2 and 3 of this thesis emphasize theoretically and empirically the fact that achieving international cooperation on climate change is very difficult. Chapter 3 suggests that the global nature of the climate change problem and the design of climate agreements (i.e. the means available to reduce CO2 emissions) may explain this failure. Chapter 2 shows theoretically that asymmetric information between countries may exacerbate the free-rider problem. These two chapters also provide some possible solutions to the lack of international cooperation. To address the issue of information asymmetry, chapter 2 proposes the creation of institutions in charge of gathering and certifying countries' private information before environmental negotiations. If achieving international cooperation is still not possible, chapter 3 suggests that regional cooperation may supplement global treaties. Chapter 1 presents an example of such a regional agreement to reduce CO2 emissions. The EU emissions trading system is a cornerstone of the European Union's policy to combat climate change. However, as it is highlighted in chapter 1, the design of such regional carbon markets really matters for their success in reducing carbon emissions. This chapter shows the interactions between intertemporal permit trading and the incentives of firms to undertake long-term investments in abatement technologies.
Doctorat en Sciences économiques et de gestion
info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

South Africa is one of the world's foremost mining nations and mining and its associated industries continue to form the cornerstone of the country's economy. However, the mining industry has, by its very nature, the potential to endanger human health and safety, as well as the physical environment. Consequently, mining will always contend with major environmental challenges and remain under constant public pressure to demonstrate its commitment to responsible environmental management. The key to effective environmental management is the use of a systematic approach to plan, control and improve environmental efforts. An Environmental Management System (EMS) employs such an approach and allows organisations to address environmental concerns in an orderly and consistent manner. Such a system allows organisations to anticipate and meet their environmental objectives and to ensure ongoing compliance with national and/or international requirements. An organisation with no existing EMS should, initially, establish its current position with regard to the environment by means of an initial review process. The aim should be to consider all environmental aspects of the organisation as a basis for establishing the EMS. Although a few gold mines in South Africa have implemented an EMS, the question of which significant environmental aspects need to be managed in such a system at a deep level gold mine shaft, remains largely unanswered. This study endeavoured to provide answers to this question and develop a generic model for the initial review process of a deep level gold mine shaft. The development of such a model should facilitate the development and implementation of an EMS at such shafts, thereby contributing to reduce the environmental impact of gold mines. The research consisted of a literature review of national and international literature on the topic and a comparative empirical study, which evaluated the mining operations of two deep level gold mine shafts. Data collection and analysis was done according to the IS0 14015 guideline on the environmental assessment of sites and organisations. Other techniques used included business process analysis, the use of modified Leopoldt matrices and risk analysis to determine the significance of the environmental impacts and aspects. This study contributed to a generic model for the initial environmental review process that precedes the development of an EMS at deep level gold mine shafts through: developing a generic sub-model that can be used to determine the scope of any deep level gold mine shaft; identifying some of the significant environmental impacts and aspects of deep level gold mine shafts, as well as identifying some generic business activities that are potentially destructive and carry a high risk of causing significant negative environmental impacts.
Thesis (M. Environmental Management)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

L'accent mis sur la durabilité environnementale au sein des entreprises et l'engagement actif des organismes à but non lucratif globalement à trouver des solutions aux problèmes environnementaux au cours des dernières décennies ont tous deux contribué à l'essor du mouvement écologique. Parmi les facteurs explicatifs de ces tendances figurent la dégradation environnementale dans certaines régions du monde et l'augmentation de notre empreinte écologique individuelle, donnant lieu à une responsabilité socio-écologique partagée. Un autre facteur clé concerne la reconnaissance récente des nombreux bénéfices que la performance environnementale peut apporter aux entreprises, y compris des bénéfices socio-écologiques et financiers essentiels au développement durable. Cette thèse s'inscrit dans le paradigme de pensée qui défend l'idée que pour contribuer à un avenir écologiquement viable, propre, sûr et sain pour le plus grand nombre, une des missions des organisations est de contribuer à la prévention des crises environnementales. Celle-ci implique une responsabilisation des employés en termes d'engagement dans des pratiques écologiques appropriées de collaboration qui sont ni sous-standards ni extrêmes. Les attitudes et comportements pro-environnementaux des employés apparaissent en effet comme des facteurs déterminants de la performance environnementale des entreprises, notion qui englobe la gestion environnementale et les pratiques environnementales. Qu'on soit un pionnier en la matière ou un nouveau venu dans le domaine de l'écologie, disposer d'une main d'œuvre pro-environnementale, sous la forme de managers talentueux et de travailleurs formés et qualifiés, est essentiel pour garantir sa survie et son succès dès lors qu'on possède des valeurs écologiques et qu'on est disposé à s'engager dans des pratiques respectueuses de l'environnement, c'est-à-dire des comportements pro- environnementaux au niveau organisationnel. Par conséquent, l'attraction d'individus pro-environnementaux exige une approche cohérente afin d'assurer et de maintenir le niveau de performance environnementale des employés, mais aussi pour réduire l'intention de quitter l'organisation prématurément. Dans la mesure où le recrutement et la sélection constituent des éléments fondamentaux du cycle de vie environnemental d'une organisation dans l'optique d'obtenir une main d'œuvre pro-environnementale de qualité, l'attraction de candidats pro-environnementaux peut être bénéfique si elle est pratiquée de manière proactive dans le but d'identifier, de recruter, d'attirer, et de sélectionner les bons candidats pro-environnementaux. Cependant, dans un contexte croissant de marketing et de greenwashing où l'on voit émerger une certaine malhonnêteté autours des attributs environnementaux à la fois chez les recruteurs et chez les candidats, la question qui se pose alors est de savoir comment attirer des candidats de façon juste et éthique afin, d'une part, de générer des perceptions positives de l'attractivité environnementale d'une organisation et, d'autre part, de détecter les bons candidats. De même, dans un contexte difficile où la manipulation et la déception sont désormais monnaie courante, et en particulier dans le contexte d'une véritable « course aux armements », quels sont les facteurs de signalisation qui font que des candidats et recrues pro-environnementaux percevront un employeur comme étant véritablement pro-environnemental et en accord avec leurs valeurs ? Quels signaux écologiques sont difficiles à falsifier ? S'appuyant sur les principes de la théorie du signal, et adoptant une approche fondée sur le savoir, cette thèse aborde ces problématiques émergentes en examinant la portée de la gestion des capacités écologiques organisationnelles et des pratiques écologiques proactives de recrutement dans l'attraction d'employés actuels et futurs. Les résultats démontrent la valeur d'un modèle fondé sur le principe de l'« Handicap » transmettant des valeurs éthiques en termes d'attraction et comportent aussi un certain nombre d'implications pratiques dans l'optique de définir, de recruter, de détecter et de sélectionner les meilleurs candidats pro-environnementaux ayant la même orientation écologique que l'organisation employeuse.
The pursuit for environmental sustainability of business firms and the active participation of not-for-rofit organisations worldwide in proactive deal with environmental problems in recent decade have contributed a great effort to the environmental movement. One reason is related to the environmental degeneration in some regions and the increase in individual environmental footprint that urges the societal change in socio- cological responsibility. The other reason is the recognition of green rewards that environmental performance brings to a firm, including both intrinsic outcomes and extrinsic outcomes ensuring sustainable development goals. This thesis envisions an eco-living future of clean, safe, and healthy toward which the participating organisations' environmental orientations need to comply to corporate ethics of green mission in terms of reducing social inequality and preventing environmental crisis. This requires the appropriate enablement of corporate environmental performance of no below standard and no extremism from both green and nongreen actors. In corporate green mission, employees are accountable for their participation in environmental practices. Their pro-environmental attitudes and pro-environmental behaviours determine their corporate environmental performance, which is conceptualized to encompass environmental management and environmental operation practices. To both the pioneers and the newcomers in this green field, forging a pro-environmental workforce of talented managers and fully skilled workers is vital to the organisational survival and success provided they have ecological value congruence and are willing to engage in focus environmental orientation, meaning organisational pro-environmental behaviours. Therefore, attracting the fit pro-environmental individuals should be executed in a consistent manner to recruit and maintain their environmental performance as well as to remove their intention to leave early. Since green recruitment and selection is the foremost in the green organisational life cycle to guarantee pro-environmental workforce in quality, green candidate attraction is worth doing in a proactive manner in order to recruit, attract, identify and select the right type of pro-environmental talents. However, in the context of blooming Marketing and greenwashing or in case where there is dishonesty on environmental characteristics of both recruiters and applicants, how the organisational attraction should be conducted in a pro-environmental and corporate ethic manner to generate early the job seekers' positive perceptions of organisational attractiveness for environment in the one part and detect the fit ones in the other? Likewise, due to recent decades' rapid changing life of manipulation and deception, particularly in an « arms race », what key signalling factor is to make the pro-environmental talents and potentials recognise a true pro-environmentalemployer who is compatible with them? Which pro-environmental signal is hard-to-fake? From the tenet of signalling theory and from a knowledge-based view, this thesis responds to these emerging issues by researching into the insight of management of green organisational capacity and green recruitment to attract existing and future employees, which are happening now. The overall findings indicate a stabilized environmental movement which is comprised of green organisational processes in conformity with optimal heterogeneity of green organizational distinctiveness representing the organizational ecological value to sustain an organisational hard-to-fake character. A model of « Handicap » principle conveying the ethics of pro-environmental attraction and practical implications for defining, recruiting, detecting and selecting the right type of pro-environmental talents with a focus environmental orientation of the employing organisation are recommended.

The diploma thesis focuses on voluntary tools that the business entities by using them can try to reduce the negative impact on the environment which may arise in connection with their activities. Attention is paid on the Eco Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) on the basis of which environmental review and identification of indirect environmental aspects of the selected company is carried out. The result is proposed measures on indirect environmental aspects and an assessment of the appropriateness of the introduction of EMAS into the practice of the company Technické služby Jeseník.

Ao mesmo tempo em que o turismo é reconhecido como uma atividade potencialmente causadora de danos ao meio ambiente, motivando diversas pesquisas e ações que visam fomentar a sustentabilidade do setor, a imaterialidade permanece como característica amplamente aceita no entendimento da natureza dos serviços em geral. Nesse sentido, a pesquisa tem como objetivo discutir, à luz de teorias da economia de serviços, a materialidade dos serviços de hospedagem. Para tanto, utiliza se revisão da literatura e a estrutura analítica do conceito de ciclo de vida para abordar as entradas e saídas associadas aos aspectos ambientais do produto fornecido pelos meios de hospedagem. Foram considerados os estágios de produção e uso dos serviços de hospedagem. Assim, diferentes entradas e saídas associadas às fontes de materialidade desses serviços podem ser identificadas. As entradas são: consumo de energia, água, alimentos e bebidas, produtos de higiene pessoal, produtos de limpeza, produtos químicos, combustíveis fósseis e outros produtos. Já as saídas identificadas são: geração de resíduos orgânicos e inorgânicos, descargas de efluentes, emissões atmosféricas, emissões de ruídos e emissões de odores. Tais entradas e saídas decorrem do conteúdo material dos serviços de hospedagem, o qual se manifesta nos locais físicos de produção e na operação dos fatores de produção utilizados. Discutir a materialidade dos serviços e impulsionar um bom desempenho ambiental dos meios de hospedagem é parte importante de um contexto de promoção do turismo sustentável
While tourism is recognized as a potential cause of damage to the environment and motivates several researches and actions designed to promote the sector\'s sustainability, the immateriality remains a widely accepted feature in understanding the nature of the services. In this sense, the research aims to discuss, in the light of service economy theories, the materiality of the accommodation services. Therefore, the research uses literature review and the analytical framework of the life cycle concept to address the inputs and outputs associated with the environmental aspects of the product provided by the accommodation businesses. The stages of production and consumption of accommodation services were considered. Thus, different inputs and outputs associated to the materiality sources of accommodation services can be identified. The inputs are: consumption of energy, water, food and beverage, personal care products, cleaning products, chemicals, fossil fuels and other products. The outputs are organic and inorganic waste generation, effluent discharges, atmospheric emissions, noise emissions and odor emissions. These inputs and outputs are derived from the material content of the accommodation services, which is manifested in the physical sites of production and in the production factors operations. Discussing the services materiality and promoting a good environmental performance of accommodations businesses is important in a context of promoting sustainable tourism

Sveriges befolkning ökar ständigt men även leveranserna av varor ökar ständigt. Dettaresulterar att mer press sätts på kommunerna att forma väletablerade transportrutter. Däravhar vissa kommuner i Sverige lagt fokus på att forma dessa rutter och göra de mer effektivaför befolkningen och även öka vinsterna för företagen som står för leveranserna av godset.I denna studien har vi fokuserat på Ystads kommun och hur de har utvecklat sin strategi föratt uppnå dessa mål. En möjlig lösning för att effektivisera transportsystemet har varit attupprätta samlastning av gods. Huvudsyftet med denna studien är att se effekterna medsamlastningsprojekt inom Ystad kommun. För att kunna fullfölja vårt syfte har vi valt attintervjua olika individer som har en viktig roll inom transportsektorn i Ystad men äventidigare forskning som ger exempel av effekter som samlastningscentraler haft. En viktig delvar även samlandet av information från Ystad kommuns egna hemsida.Den teoretiska referensramen fick vi från vårt universitets egna sökmotor där vi hittade vårateorier med hjälp av nyckelord såsom “joint loading” och “co- loading”. Teorierna som vi harvalt har hjälpt oss genom vår undersökning och att besvara syftet. Eftersom denna studien ärav kvalitativ form har våra intervjuer utförts med tre individer som har en hög position inomtransportsektorn i Ystad. Den empiriska datan i kombination med våra teorier gav osstillräckligt med kunskap för att utföra en analys och presentera vårt resultat.Resultatet som vi presenterade indikerar att den miljömässiga aspekten fick en stor positivpåverkan där även företagen som hade implementerat en samlastningscentral fick en markantökning av sina vinster.Nyckelord: Samlastning, Samlastningscentral, effekt, miljöaspekt
As the population of Sweden rises, the demand for deliveries of goods grows significantly.This results in more pressure being put on the government to form a well establishedtransportation route. Therefore, some communities in Sweden have placed their focus ondeveloping the routes and making them more efficient for the population and to improve theprofits for the companies that deliver the goods.In this study we have focused on the community of Ystad and how they have resolved theirstrategy to achieve these goals. A possible solution in order to maximize the effectiveness hasbeen to establish joint loading of the goods. The main purpose of this study is to portray whatthe outcome of the joint loading project has had on the community of Ystad. To be able tofulfill our purpose we have conducted interviews of different people that have an importantrole in the transportation business but also searched for previous literature studies that giveexamples of earlier projects. An important part was also the gathering of information fromtransportation companies that was presented on their websites.The theoretical part was collected from our universities search engine where we found themthrough the keywords, joint loading and co-loading. The theories that we have mentionedhave helped us through the study and answer the question we brought out. Because this studyis of qualitative form, our interviews were conducted with three highly positioned individualsthat work in different transportation companies in Ystad. The empirical data together with ourtheories gave us a decent background in order to analyze our data and bring forward a result.The results that we present indicate that the environment was affected positively as well asthe profit of the companies that implemented the co loading project.Keywords: Joint loading, co- loading, effects, environmental aspect

The effects of shape and relative submergence (the ratio of flow depth to obstacle height, d/H) were investigated on the wakes around four different low-aspect-ratio wall-mounted obstacles: semi-ellipsoids with the major axes of the base ellipses aligned in the streamwise and transverse directions, two cylinders with aspect ratios matching the ellipsoids. Wake structure of a fully submerged, spherical obstacle was also investigated in the same flow conditions to provide insight into the flow obstacle interaction with ramification to sediment transport. A low-aspect-ratio semi-ellipsoid was chosen as broad representative of a freshwater mussel projecting from a river bed, and a sphere was employed as representative of a boulder. Two cylinders were used due to their similarity to geometries investigated in other studies. Digital Particle Image Velocimetry and thermal anemometry were used to interrogate the flow. For ellipsoids and cylinders, streamwise features observed in the mean wake included counter-rotating distributions of vorticity inducing downwash (tip structures), upwash (base structures), and horseshoe vortices. In particular, the relatively subtle change in geometry produced by the rotation of the ellipsoid from the streamwise to the transverse orientation resulted in a striking modification of the mean streamwise vorticity distribution in the wake. Tip structures were dominant in the former case while base structures were dominant in the latter. A vortex skeleton model of the wake is proposed in which arch vortex structures, shed from the obstacle, are deformed by the competing mechanisms of Biot-Savart self-induction and the external shear flow. An inverse relationship was observed between the relative submergence and the strength of the base structures for the ellipsoids, with a dominant base structure observed for d/H = 1 in both cases. The wake of the sphere is more complex than ellipsoidal geometries. Streamwise features observed in the mean wake including tip, horseshoe structures, and weak upwash. The shedding characteristics and dynamics of the wake were examined. Weak symmetric shedding was observed in the wakes of streamwise and transverse ellipsoids at d/H = 3.9 while cross-spectral measurements confirmed downstream and upstream tilting of arch structures shed by the transverse and streamwise ellipsoids, respectively. Much weaker peaks in the power spectrum were observed for low- and high-aspect-ratio cylinders. While the dominant Strouhal number remained constant as the relative submergence was reduced to d/H = 2.5 for the ellipsoids, it increased abruptly at d/H = 1 and transitioned to an antisymmetric mode. For sphere geometry at d/H = 3.9, a weak dominant frequency was observed close to obstacle junction and the cross-correlation function for symmetric measurements in the wake indicates symmetric shedding. These results demonstrate a means by which to achieve significant modifications to flow structure and transport mechanisms in the flow.

The diploma thesis deals with an implementation of three subsystems into one integrated system. That includes a quality management system, an enviromental system and a health and safety system transfered to the practice of a commercial company with a construction activity. The diploma thesis describes a management function by chapters of appropriate standards and a suggestion of QMS, EHS and HSMS integrated management system manual.

Cette thèse comporte quatre essais et porte sur les questions fondamentales sur la relation entre l’environnement et le développement économique. Le premier chapitre cherche à identifier les déterminants individuels et contextuels qui affectent la volonté de contribuer des gens à la lutte contre la pollution environnementale. Nos résultats révèlent que les individus riches, les personnes éduquées ainsi que les personnes possédant des valeurs post-matérialistes sont plus susceptibles d’être préoccupées par la pollution environnementale. On remarque que la caractéristique du pays de ces individus affecte leur volonté à contribuer. Ainsi, dans les pays à forte démocratie avec une forte stabilité gouvernementale, les individus sont réticents à faire des dons pour prévenir les dommages environnementaux. Le deuxième chapitre examine la relation entre la croissance économique et la dégradation de l’environnement en s’interrogeant sur la relation U inversée de Kuznets. Nos résultats empiriques ne révèlent aucune preuve de ladite relation. Cependant, nous notons l’existence d’une relation non linéaire entre la croissance économique et la dégradation de l’environnement. Les émissions ont tendance à augmenter un rythme plus rapide dans les premiers stades de la croissance économique puis dans les dernière étapes, cette hausse persiste mais à un rythme plus lent. Le troisième chapitre étudie la relation de causalité de long terme entre la consommation d'énergie propre et la croissance économique dans un groupe de pays de l’Afrique subsaharienne. Le résultat révèle l'existence d'une relation d'équilibre à long terme entre la consommation d'énergie propre et la croissance économique. En outre, la dynamique de court terme et de long terme indiquent une relation de causalité à la Granger unidirectionnelle de la consommation d'énergie propre vers la croissance économique sans aucun effet rétroactif. Le dernier chapitre de cette thèse cherche à investiguer sur la convergence des émissions de gaz entre les provinces canadiennes. L'étude montre que les émissions de gaz des provinces canadiennes sont caractérisées des convergences de clubs. En d'autres termes, on détecte l'existence d'une segmentation des émissions entre les provinces canadiennes
This thesis comprises four empirical essays on environmental and development economics. In the first chapter, we examine to what extent individual and contextual level factors influence individuals to contribute financially to prevent environmental pollution. We find that rich people, individuals with higher education, as well as those who possess post-materialist values are more likely to be concerned about environmental pollution. We also observe the country in which individuals live matter in their willingness to contribute. More precisely, we find democracy and government stability reduce individuals’ intention to donate to prevent environmental damage mainly in developed countries. The second chapter deals with the relation between economic growth and environmental degradation by focusing on the issue of whether the inverted U-shaped relation exist. The study discloses no evidence for the U-shaped relation. However, the empirical result points toward a non-linear relationship between environmental degradation and economic growth, that is, emissions tend to rise rapidly in the early stages with economic growth, and then emissions continue to increase but a lower rate in the later stages. The third chapter investigates the long-run as well as the causal relationship between energy consumption and economic growth in a group of Sub-Saharan Africa. The result discovers the existence of a long-run equilibrium relationship between clean energy consumption and economic growth. Furthermore, the short-run and the long-run dynamics indicate unidirectional Granger causality running from clean energy consumption to economic growth without any feedback effects. The last chapter of this thesis concerns with convergence of emissions across Canadian provinces. The study determines convergence clubs better characterizes Canadian’s emissions. In other words, we detect the existence of segmentation in emissions across Canadian provinces

This master´s thesis is focused on analysis of state of CSR in the Czech Republic. The theoretical part covers the basic concept of CSR associated with its development, benefits, methods of its measurement and reporting including current trends in the field. The practical part is based on author´s own research conducted among national and multinational companies operating on the Czech market using quantitative and qualitative research methods. The research´s results reflect the differences between these companies following up the individual aspects of CSR and other variables. Therefore the thesis portrays the evaluation of the current state of CSR in the Czech Republic, including related causes and recommendations for improvement.

Cette thèse étudie la relation entre le commerce mondial agricole et les normes destinées à protéger l'environnement qui interviennent en amont et en aval des échanges. Notre travail est structuré autour de trois chapitres. Dans le premier, nous analysons les caractéristiques du réseau des mesures non tarifaires liées à l'environnement. Le deuxième chapitre mesure et examine les déterminants de l’efficacité agro-environnementale d’un large panel de 108 pays au cours de la période 2003-2013. Le dernier chapitre traite les effets commerciaux de la rigueur des politiques agro-environnementales ainsi que l’impact de l’hétérogénéité des réglementations sur les flux commerciaux bilatéraux. À cette fin, nous avons utilisé différentes approches non paramétriques et économétriques, notamment l'analyse des réseaux dans le premier chapitre, un modèle de frontière non paramétrique dans le deuxième chapitre et un modèle de gravité théoriquement justifié dans le chapitre trois.Nos résultats indiquent que la croissance des exportations agricoles des pays du Sud a été propice à la montée des conflits commerciaux liés à l'environnement. Alors que les pays d'Amérique latine et d'Asie du Sud-Est s'affirment de plus en plus comme des fournisseurs majeurs pour de nombreuses régions, nos résultats révèlent une nouvelle relation conflictuelle liée à l’environnement, ciblant les pays en développement et émergents d'un côté et se répandant de plus en plus au sein des pays du Sud de l'autre. Les résultats montrent aussi que, globalement, le secteur agricole a enregistré une hausse des scores d'efficacité agro-environnementale. Toutefois, de fortes disparités sont constatées entre les pays. Nous constatons également que l’ouverture commerciale et la spécialisation dans les exportations agricoles entravent l’inefficacité, confirmant ainsi l'hypothèse des «gains environnementaux du commerce». En outre, nous montrons que les mesures non tarifaires liées à l'environnement s'avèrent être des leviers pour améliorer la performance agro-environnementale des pays émergents, développés et à revenu intermédiaire, induisant ainsi un phénomène de «nivellement par le haut» dans leurs normes environnementales. Par ailleurs, nos résultats indiquent que la rigueur des réglementations environnementales réduit la capacité d'exporter du groupe des CAIRNS, confirmant ainsi l'hypothèse du « paradis des pollueurs ». En revanche, les politiques environnementales rigoureuses augmentent les exportations agricoles de l'Union Européenne et des États-Unis. Étonnamment, les exportateurs en voie de développement soutiennent également l'hypothèse de Porter, suggérant que des réglementations environnementales strictes peuvent renforcer leur capacité d'exportation. Enfin, nous concluons que l'hétérogénéité agro-environnementale entre les pays est plus déterminante pour la marge intensive des échanges agricoles que les accords commerciaux. Cependant, ses effets varient selon les groupes de revenus des pays exportateurs et importateurs
This thesis investigates the relationship between international agricultural trade and standards intended to protect the environment, considering both upstream and downstream measures. The work is structured around three chapters. In the first one, we analyze the network of environmentally-related non-tariff measures. Chapter 2 investigates the stringency and the determinants of agri-environmental regulations by measuring their efficiency in a large panel of 108 countries during the period 2003-2013. The last chapter examines the effects of agri-environmental regulations’ stringency and heterogeneity on the intensive margin of trade between 108 countries over the same period. To this end, we used non-parametric and econometric approaches. We employ the network analysis in the first chapter whereas we use a non-parametric frontier model and the double bootstrapped truncated regression in chapter two. In chapter three, we use a theoretically justified gravity model of trade.Our findings indicate that trade growth of southern countries has been conducive to rising environmentally-related trade conflicts. While Latin American and Southeast Asian countries are increasingly asserting themselves as major suppliers for many regions of the world, our results reveal new environmentally-related conflictual relation targeting developing and emerging countries on one side and increasingly spreading within southern agro-producers on the other. Further results show that the sector of crops has witnessed globally an increasing trend in average agri-environmental efficiency. An intriguing finding is that agricultural trade openness and the specialization in crop commodities’ exports hamper the inefficiency, supporting therefore the “environmental gains-from-trade” hypothesis. In addition, our results show that environmentally-related NTMs turn out to be levers for enhancing the agri-environmental performance of exporters, especially in the BRICS and high as well as middle-income countries. Nonetheless, low income countries react differently and record a deteriorating agri-environmental performance due to environmentally-related NTMs. We also show that the stringency of environmental regulations turns out to be trade reducing in the CAIRNS group, supporting thereby the pollution haven hypothesis. By contrast, rigorous agri-environmental policies have a significant trade-enhancing effect on bilateral agricultural exports of the EU and the USA. Surprisingly, low and middle income countries support also the Porter hypothesis, suggesting that strict environmental regulations can enhance their competitive advantage against foreign rivals. Finally, we conclude that difference in exporter and importer environmental regulations is more relevant to agricultural trade than trade agreements. However, trade effects vary according to the income groups of exporting and importing countries

Cette thèse étudie la façon dont les sociétés utilisent, entretiennent et préservent les ressources naturelles qui façonnent fondamentalement le bien-être de l'humanité, l'environnement et l'économie. Les liens entre la prospérité économique, ressources et impacts environnementaux et la protection environnementale sont complexes et variés. Cela signifie que, si toutes ces dimensions ne sont pas prises en compte dans l'élaboration des politiques publiques, tout progrès dans la réalisation des ambitions dans ces domaines peut être entravé par des conséquences négatives. Une question importante dans les études sur le développement est de savoir comment la richesse en ressources naturelles affecte la croissance économique à long terme. Dans la perspective de répondre à cette question, le premier chapitre étudie l'impact de l'exploitation des ressources non-conventionnelles sur le secteur manufacturier des États-Unis sur la période 1997-2013. Dans la même perspective, le troisième chapitre étudie l'impact de l'abondance de ressources naturelles fossiles et minérales sur l'économie en exploitant le canal de la volatilité de la rente due aux ressources naturelles sur un panel de 103 pays entre 1985-2014. Par ailleurs, l'extraction et la transformation des ressources naturelles sont souvent des activités à forte intensité énergétique qui impliquent des modifications à grande échelle des écosystèmes. Le deuxième chapitre de la thèse étudie l'impact de l'abondance des ressources naturelles sur l'intensité en CO2 dans les pays développés sur la période 1995-2014
This thesis examines how societies use and sustain the natural resources that fundamentally shape human well-being, the environment and the economy. The links between economic prosperity, resources and environmental preservation are complex and diverse. This implies that, if all dimensions are not taken into account in public policy making, any progress in achieving objectives in these areas can be hindered by undesirable outcomes. A key issue in development studies is how natural resource wealth affects long-term economic growth. In order to address this question, the first chapter examines the impact of non-conventional resource development on the US manufacturing sector over the period 1997-2013. In the same veine, chapter 3 examines the impact of abundant natural resources on the economy by exploiting the volatility channel of natural resources rent on a panel of 103 countries between 1985-2014. Moreover, the extraction and processing of natural resources are often energy-intensive activities that involve large-scale ecosystem alterations. Chapter 2 of the thesis investigates the impact of natural resource abundance on CO2 intensity in developed countries over the period 1995-2014

In the first part of the article, a theoretical and doctrinal development of the concept of environmental impact and its positive and negative side is proposed. Further, a comparison and theoretical differentiation between the environmental impact and environmental pollution is developed.In the second part of the article, the theoretical concepts are reflected on a practical level, developing the implications of negative environmental impact before, during and after the implementation of productive activities.
En la primera parte del artículo se propone un desarrollo teórico – doctrinario del concepto de impacto ambiental y de su vertiente positiva y negativa. Asimismo, se desarrolla una comparación y diferenciación teórica del concepto impacto de ambiental negativo y de contaminación ambiental. En la segunda parte, se plasman los conceptos teóricos a nivel práctico, desarrollando así las implicancias de los impactos ambientales negativos antes,durante y después de la ejecución de actividades productivas.

Träd i tropiska våtmarker har uppmärksammats som en viktig källa till regionala och globala metan (CH4) utsläpp, då träd fungerar som utsläppskanaler för metan som bildas i sedimenten. Dock finns det en osäkerhet gällande säsongsvariation och rumslig variation samt mängden CH4 utsläpp från träd, eftersom kunskapen kring regionala flöden är begränsad. Därför strävar vi efter att optimera provtagningsinsatser för att öka möjligheten till representativa uppskattningar för olika typer av skogsekosystem och förbättra kunskapen om rumslig och temporär variabilitet för framtida mätningar i Amazonas. Vi undersökte variabiliteten i flöden av CH4 från träd belägna i tre periodvis översvämmade platser (Solimões, Negro and Tapajós) längs Amazonfloden, med olika karaktäristiska egenskaper. Studien genomfördes in situ med slutna kammare på 36 träd vid de tre provplatserna, under olika hydrologiska säsonger. Platserna visade en stor säsongsvariation i CH4-flöden, med de största bidragen under högvattensäsong. En signifikant skillnad mellan två av platserna upptäcktes endast under högvatten och detta kan vara ett resultat av vattnets varierande fysikaliska och kemiska egenskaper. Med hänsyn till variation inom studieplatserna har indelning av zoner betydelse för mätning av CH4-flöden i träd, då vattennivån är en påverkande faktor. En stor rumslig variation upptäcktes, med lägre flöden i zonen närmast land och med det högsta flödet i zonen där förhållanden varierar mest mellan blött och torrt. Detta mönster kan beaktas genom att utföra provtagningar längs zonerna med hänsyn till vattenavståndet.
Tropical wetland-adapted trees are recognized as an important source of regional and global methane (CH4) emissions, by transport of soil gas through wetland trees. However, spatiotemporal variability and controls on the magnitude of tree-mediated CH4 emissions remain unknown as fluxes are poorly constrained. Therefore, we aim to optimize sampling efforts to yield representative emission estimates for distinct types of forest ecosystems and improve knowledge on spatial and temporal variability. We examined the variability in tree stem mediated CH4 fluxes in situ, located in three different floodplains (Solimões, Negro and Tapajós) with various characteristics, during different hydrological seasons. The sampling was conducted by measuring fluxes from 36 trees at each location using closed chambers. All the three study sites, situated in the Amazon region, displayed seasonal variability in CH4 fluxes, with the largest contributions observed during the wet season. A significant difference between Solimões and Negro was detected during the wet season and this may be a result of the different chemical and physical characteristics between the sampling locations. As for within the study sites, zones played a significant role for CH4 flux from trees since the water level influences the fluxes. A strong spatial variability (lower fluxes in the land zone, and the highest flux obtained in the zone with greatest variability between dry and wet conditions) was found. This pattern can be addressed by sampling along flooded and non-flooded zones.
The Global Methane Budget

Cette étude porte sur la conformité environnementale, une politique juridique au service de la performance globale de l’entreprise. Il s’agira de démontrer que les réglementations environnementales et les normes environnementales volontaires auxquelles tentent de se conformer les entreprises et les États, peuvent améliorer à la fois leur protection de l’environnement, leur compétitivité, et dans une certaine mesure leur performance sociale. Cette conformité environnementale a pris un essor particulier depuis les grands phénomènes économiques induits par la mondialisation. La mondialisation se caractérise depuis les années 1970 par l’avènement d’une économie de marché ouverte dans laquelle les entreprises circulent librement d’un pays à un autre. Cette économie repose notamment sur le libre-échange des biens, des services, des technologies, des capitaux, ainsi que sur libre circulation des entreprises elles-mêmes. La mondialisation se caractérise également, du fait de l’ouverture de cette économie, par la mise en concurrence des États et des entreprises à l’échelle internationale. Ce phénomène économique de la mondialisation a toutefois entraîné une dégradation majeure de l’environnement au fil des années. Afin de répondre à ces différents enjeux, les États ont mis en place des mécanismes réglementaires ainsi que des mécanismes volontaires de protection de l’environnement destinés à encadrer les activités des entreprises, qui forment le socle de la politique juridique de conformité environnementale menée par ces entreprises. Les entreprises tentent alors de s’adapter à ces mécanismes juridiques afin de mieux protéger l’environnement, mais aussi afin de devenir plus compétitives
The aim of the thesis consists of wondering how companies lead their legal politics to get a global performance. In other words, it will be advisable to demonstrate that environmental regulations and voluntary environmental standards which companies and States try to conform, can improve at the same time their environmental protection, their competitiveness, and to a lesser extent their social performance. This environmental compliance has taken a particular development since the big economic phenomena led by the globalization. The globalization is characterized since the 1970s by the advent of an opened market economy in which companies circulate freely from a country to another. This economy is particularly based on free trade of properties, services, technologies, capital, as well as on free circulation of companies themselves. But globalization had led to a serious environmental degradation. In order to meet these challenges as operationally as possible, countries have put regulations and voluntary standards with a view to regulating firms’ activities, that form the basis of a environmental compliance legal policy undertaken by these companies. These companies are trying to adapt to those legal mechanisms in order to better protect the environment, but also to become more competitive

A construção sustentável é uma condição essencial para o alcance do desenvolvimento sustentável da sociedade. Para isso, é necessário preocupar-se com a sustentabilidade de todas as etapas do ciclo de vida de um empreendimento, desde sua concepção, passando pelo projeto, construção, manutenção, até sua demolição, considerando sempre as três dimensões da sustentabilidade: econômica, social e ambiental. Portanto, destaca-se o estudo da redução dos impactos negativos da etapa de construção de empreendimentos na medida em que a indústria da construção civil, além de grande consumidora de recursos naturais, é fonte de diversos impactos negativos causados ao meio ambiente. Dessa forma, o objetivo desta pesquisa é propor práticas a serem adotadas por empreendedores e empresas construtoras e seus subcontratados em seus canteiros de obras, visando a um processo de produção de edifícios mais sustentável em áreas urbanas. Essas práticas envolvem diretrizes tecnológicas e gerenciais, além de um guia, que propõe uma estratégia para implantação de canteiros de obras mais sustentáveis. A pesquisa, de propósito exploratório e caráter qualitativo, foi desenvolvida por meio de estudos teóricos, envolvendo revisão bibliográfica nacional e internacional, assim como observações em campo. Como principais resultados, apresentam-se: a evolução da matriz de correlação de aspectos e impactos ambientais de canteiros de obras de edifícios; a formulação de conjunto de diretrizes tecnológicas e gerenciais que visem a um processo de produção mais sustentável em canteiros de obras; e a elaboração de um guia para implantação de um canteiro de obras mais sustentável.
Sustainable construction is an essential condition for society sustainable development achievement. So, concerning about sustainability is indispensable for all stages of the building life cycle, since its conception, through design, construction, maintenance, until its demolition, considering the three dimensions of sustainability: economical, social and environmental. Hence, the building construction negative impacts reduction study stands out, as the construction industry, besides being a great consumer of natural resources, causes unwanted environmental impacts. Thus, the purpose of the research is to provide recommendable practices to be adopted by the constructors in their site works, aiming at a more sustainable production process in urban areas. These practices involve technological and managerial guidelines, besides a guide, which proposes a more sustainable site works establishment strategy. The research has exploratory object and qualitative nature, and was developed through theoretical studies, involving national and international literature review, and field observations. As main results there are: the evolution of the site works environmental aspects and impacts correlation matrix, the formulation of technological and managerial guidelines aiming at a more sustainable site works production process, and the preparation of a guide for a more sustainable site works establishment.

Depuis quelques années, d’importants déplacements de populations sont régulièrement annoncés comme l’une des conséquences les plus dramatiques du changement climatique. Plusieurs dizaines de millions de personnes pourraient ainsi être contraintes à l’exil en raison des impacts du réchauffement global, selon les estimations alarmistes. Ces prédictions, pourtant, relèvent d’une logique largement déterministe, qui simplifie souvent la relation entre dégradation environnementale et migrations à une causalité directe, et néglige l’importance des cadres normatifs. Cette thèse prend le contre-pied de cette approche, et démontreque l’ampleur et la nature de ces flux migratoires ne dépendront pas uniquement des impacts du changement climatique, mais également – et surtout – des politiques qui seront mises en place pour limiter ces impacts et encadrer ces migrations. Au travers d'une approche constructiviste, la thèse se penche sur les réponses politiques apportées jusqu’ici aux mouvements de population provoqués par des dégradations environnementales. En particulier, elle examine l’émergence progressive de la question des « migrations environnementales » à l’agenda politique, et comment les politiques migratoires et environnementales ont évolué dans des sens différents pour traiter cette question. La traduction de ces politiques sur le terrain est examinée et comparée dans deux études empiriques: le déplacement massif de la population de La Nouvelle-Orléans suite à l’ouragan Katrina, et la migration progressive des habitants de Tuvalu, archipel du Pacifique Sud menacé par la montée des océans, vers la Nouvelle-Zélande
Massive population displacements are regularly forecast as one of the most dramatic consequences of climate change. The thesis shows that such an approch is overly deterministic, and argues that patterns of migration flows depend primarily on policy responses. In a constructivist approah, the research contends that the very conceptualisation of environmental migration, as a political construct, is contingent upon the normative frameworks and policy responses that aim to address it. These frameworks and responses are examined in two policy areas: migration policies and environmental policies. Two empirical studies, in New Orleans and Tuvalu, complement the analysis

Inter-Basin-Water Transfers significantly reduce flow and sediment regimes to the downstream ecosystem effecting differential channel adjustment at various locations. It is not known how macroinvertebrates adjust to flow regulation, either spatially or temporally, because research is lacking into how morphological adjustment affects benthic habitat. Feedback mechanisms that initiate the adjustment process must first be identified, then the effect on benthic habitat becomes apparent, thus, providing a link to macroinvertebrate response. Since regulation there has been a 95% reduction in flow volume, a complete downward shift in both the flow duration and flood frequency curves and a 194% increase in flow constancy compared to the pre- dam period. Furthermore, Jindabyne Dam traps 99.9% of the total incoming sediment load. Upstream of the tributary the dominant river response was accommodation adjustment with subsequent contraction of the river channel. Associated feedback mechanisms were ?armouring? and vegetation encroachment. Downstream of the tributary response was more complex, with channel contraction through aggradation and specifically the formation of a tributary mouth bar and fan, mid channel lobate bar, transverse bar and in-channel bench. Associated feedback mechanisms were interactions between vegetation and sediment; channel morphology, flow and sediment distribution; and sediment distribution, flow and channel morphology. These processes have had site specific and reach scale impacts on benthic habitat. Macroinvertebrate response to flow regulation was habitat specific (riffle or edge) and seemed to correspond to either site, or reach scale morphological adjustment, whereas, flow constancy seemed to affect edge macroinvertebrates throughout both reaches. Spatially, macroinvertebrates have not adjusted to the post- dam flow regime and temporally, macroinvertebrates have not recovered 30 years after the closure of Jindabyne Dam. How physical processes change habitats and how these impact on a river?s ecology and at what scale, are important considerations in river management.

Cette thèse apporte un nouvel éclairage au débat sur la dégradation de l'environnement et le développement. Elle analyse les déterminants et les effets macroéconomiques de la dégradation de l'environnement. Elle est subdivisée en deux parties. La première partie analyse les effets de l'éducation et des institutions démocratiques sur la qualité de l'environnement. Le premier chapitre analyse le rôle de l'éducation dans la protection de l'environnement. Les résultats empiriques indiquent que l’effet dépend du niveau de développement. Contrairement à l’échantillon des pays en développement où elle n’a pas effet, l'éducation est source de pollution dans les pays développés. Cependant, cet effet est atténué en présence de bonnes institutions démocratiques. Le deuxième chapitre étudie l'impact des institutions démocratiques sur la qualité de l'environnement. Nous montrons qu´elles ont un effet direct et positif sur la qualité de l'environnement. Celui-Ci est plus élevé pour les polluants locaux que pour les polluants globaux. De plus, ce chapitre identifie des canaux indirects par lesquels l´amélioration de la démocratie dégrade l'environnement. En effet, en favorisant l´adoption de politiques de redistribution des revenus et de politiques économiques, la démocratie a un effet indirect et négatif sur la protection de l'environnement. La deuxième partie propose deux essais sur les effets du changement climatique et des politiques environnementales sur le développement. Le troisième chapitre met en évidence un effet négatif et significatif de la variabilité climatique sur la sécurité alimentaire dans les pays en développement. Cet effet apparait plus élevé dans les pays africains. Par ailleurs, cet effet est exacerbée dans les pays à conflit et ceux vulnérables aux chocs des prix des biens alimentaires. Le quatrième chapitre analyse l’effet de la similitude des politiques environnementales sur le commerce bilatéral. Contrairement aux études précédentes qui utilisent des indicateurs partiels de réglementation environnementale (indicateurs axés sur les moyens ou sur les résultats), nous construisons on un indicateur de politique environnementale révélé. Les résultats suggèrent que la similitude dans les politiques environnementales n'a pas d'effet sur les flux commerciaux bilatéraux. En outre les résultats ne dépendent ni du niveau de développement de pays partenaires ni des caractéristiques des biens exportés (biens manufacturés et biens primaires)
This dissertation is a contribution to the debate on environmental degradation and development. It focuses on the determinants and macroeconomic effects of environmental degradation. It is structured in two parts. The first part analyses the effects of education and democratic institutions on environmental quality. The first chapter analyses the role of education in environmental quality. No evidence of an effect of education on carbon dioxide emissions. However, this effect depends crucially on the sample of countries according to their levels of development. While the effect remains insignificant in developing countries, education does matter for carbon dioxide emissions in developed ones. Moreover, when controlling for the quality of democratic institutions, the positive effect of education on carbon dioxide emissions is mitigated in developed countries while remaining insignificant in developing ones. The second chapter explores the effect of democratic institutions on environmental quality. We evidence that democratic institutions do have a direct and positive effect on environmental quality. This positive effect is stronger for local pollutants than for global ones. More interestingly, it identifies the indirect channels through which democracy affects environmental degradation. Indeed, by increasing people’s preferences for redistribution and economic policies, democratic institutions have indirect and negative effects on environmental protection through income inequality and investments. In the second part, the dissertation provides two essays on the effects of environmental policies and climate change on development. The third chapter investigates the effects of climatic variability on food security. The results show that climatic variability reduces food security in developing countries. The adverse effect is higher for African sub-Saharan countries than for other developing countries. Second, the negative effect of climatic variability on food security is exacerbated in countries facing conditions of conflict and is high for the countries that are vulnerable to food price shocks. The fourth chapter provides new evidence about the effect of a gap in environmental policies between trading partners on trade flow. While previous papers have used partial measures of environmental regulations (input-Oriented or output-Oriented indicators), we compute an index of a country’s environmental policy. Results suggest that a similarity in environmental policies has no effect on bilateral trade flows. Moreover results do not appear to be conditional on the level of development of the countries trading or on the characteristics of exported goods (manufactured goods and primary commodities)

Introduction – Objectives. The cardiovascular system is in direct and constant interaction with its environment. Exposure to various environmental parameters, such as low temperature, air pollution and tobacco smoke, has been strongly associated with serious or even fatal cardiovascular outcomes. Arterial stiffening and greater wave reflection are age-related vascular modifications that lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular events. The aim of this work was to explore the relationship between selected environmental factors and arterial elastic properties in an effort to elucidate the underlying mechanisms that link these factors to increased cardiovascular mortality.

Study 1: Effects of cold exposure on central and peripheral vascular tone. Our first study explored the effects of cold exposure on aortic stiffness and peripheral microvascular tone. We observed that cold exposure, in addition to its chronotropic effects, provoked an increase in aortic stiffness, as assessed by aortic pulse wave velocity, as well as significant vasoconstriction of peripheral arterioles in the microcirculation. Moreover, we explored the magnitude of this effect in a different population (Black subjects of African origin), which is traditionally characterized by exaggerated reactions to adrenergic stimuli. We noted that the vascular reactions, in terms of both aortic stiffness and microvascular vasoconstriction, were more profound in Black Africans than in age-matched Caucasian-Whites. These results argue for a direct effect of cold exposure on arterial stiffness and peripheral vascular tone, probably through activation of the orthosympathetic system.

Study 2: Exposure to ambient particulate matter and arterial stiffness. We explored the effects of acute exposure to outdoor particulate matter on aortic stiffness and aortic wave reflection. We studied the relationship between central hemodynamic parameters and ambient concentration of particulate matter in a population of patients who attended the Hypertension Clinics of Athens University. After statistical correction for a number of potential confounders, we did not observe an association between ambient concentrations of particulate matter and aortic stiffness. However, in men, particulate matter concentration was related to the amplitude of the reflected wave reaching the aorta from the periphery. These results suggest a direct acute interaction between particulate matter concentration and vascular tone, leading to an enhanced arterial wave reflection.

Study 3: The role of nicotine on the vascular effects of environmental tobacco smoke. Environmental tobacco smoke is considered as the most important source of particulate matter in the indoor environment. We recently demonstrated that exposure to tobacco smoke augmented wave reflection, an effect that was not seen after equivalent exposure to the smoke of non-tobacco, herbal cigarettes. We also noticed that the increased wave reflection was proportional to the plasma concentrations of nicotine. However, a direct causal effect between nicotine, arterial wave reflection and aortic stiffness has never been clearly demonstrated. We observed that increasing nicotine plasma concentration to levels comparable to those seen after extensive exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, provoked an increase in both aortic stiffness and arterial wave reflection after correction for heart rate and blood pressure changes. These results confirm the significant participation of nicotine in the vascular effects of passive smoking.

Conclusions. Globally, our results reveal the deleterious effects of cold, particulate matter exposure, and nicotinic stimulation on arterial stiffness, peripheral microcirculation and aortic wave reflection. The hemodynamic modifications associated with these effects may at least partially explain the causal relation between cold exposure, ambient air pollution and cardiovascular mortality.

Introduction-Objectifs. Le système cardiovasculaire est en relation directe et constante avec l’environnement. L’exposition au froid, la pollution atmosphérique et le tabagisme passif sont associés à des événements cardiovasculaires aigus graves et même fatals. La rigidification des artères et l’intensification de la réflexion de l’onde de pouls au niveau de l’aorte accompagnent le vieillissement et prédisent un risque cardiovasculaire accru. Nous avons testés l’hypothèse que les effets cardiovasculaires délétères des facteurs environnementaux comportent une altération des propriétés élastiques artérielles. Ceci pourrait être un des mécanismes physiopathologiques qui lie la mortalité cardiovasculaire aux variables environnementales.

Étude 1 :Exposition au froid ;effets centraux et périphériques. Notre première étude portait sur l’effet de l’exposition au froid sur la rigidité aortique et le tonus vasculaire des artérioles périphériques. Nous avons démontré que l’exposition au froid, hormis ses effets chronotropes, provoquait une augmentation de la rigidité artérielle – mesuré par la vitesse de l’onde de pouls au niveau de l’aorte - ainsi qu’une vasoconstriction importante au niveau des artérioles de la microcirculation. Nous avons ensuite déterminé l’amplitude de cet effet dans une autre population (sujets Africains-Noirs) qui se caractérise par des réactions plus prononcées aux différentes stimulations adrénergiques. Nous avons observé que les réactions vasculaires, tant au niveau de la rigidité aortique qu’au niveau de la microcirculation, étaient plus marquées chez les Africains-Noirs que chez les Caucasiens. Ces résultats révèlent un effet délétère de l’exposition au froid sur la rigidité aortique et le tonus vasculaire des artères périphériques, probablement via une activation du système orthosympathique.

Étude 2 :Exposition aux microparticules atmosphériques et rigidité artérielle. Nous avons ensuite investigué les effets de la pollution atmosphérique sur la rigidité artérielle et la réflexion de l’onde de pouls vers l’aorte. Nous avons étudié la relation entre les paramètres hémodynamiques centraux et la concentration atmosphérique de microparticules dans une population de patients qui ont consulté la Clinique Universitaire d’Hypertension Artérielle d’Athènes. Après correction statistique pour les facteurs confondants, nous n’avons pas observé de corrélation entre la rigidité artérielle et le taux de microparticules atmosphériques dans l’ensemble de la population investiguée. Par contre, si on restreint l’analyse aux résultats obtenus chez les sujets masculins, on s’aperçoit que la concentration atmosphérique de microparticules était associée de façon significative avec l’amplitude de l’onde réfléchie par la périphérie vers l’aorte et la pression pulsée aortique. Ces résultants suggèrent un effet direct des microparticules au niveau de la microcirculation. L’augmentation de l’amplitude de l’onde réfléchie consécutive à une vasoconstriction périphérique, modifie vraisemblablement les pressions au niveau de l’aorte chez le sujet masculin lors de pics de pollution.

Etude 3 :Le rôle de la nicotine dans les effets vasculaires du tabagisme passif. Le tabagisme passif est considéré comme la source la plus importante d’émission de microparticules au niveau domestique. Cependant, la composition chimique des particules semble jouer un rôle essentiel sur les ondes de réflexion. Nous avons démontré récemment que l’exposition passive à la fumée des cigarettes du tabac augmente l’intensité de la réflexion de l’onde de pouls. Ceci n’a pas été observé avec l’exposition à la fumée des cigarettes non tabagiques, en dépit d’une concentration ambiante tout à fait comparable de microparticules. Par ailleurs, nous avons observé que l’augmentation de l’incidence de l’onde de pouls au niveau de l’aorte était fortement associée à la concentration plasmatique de la nicotine. Un lien causal entre la nicotine, réflexion de l’onde de pouls et rigidité artérielle n’avait jamais clairement été établi. Nous avons testé cette hypothèse en administrant la nicotine pure chez des sujets sains. Nous avons observé que l’augmentation des taux plasmatiques de la nicotine à des valeurs comparables à celles qui surviennent après une exposition intensive au tabagisme passif, intensifiait la réflexion de l’onde de pouls et augmentait la rigidité artérielle. La correction statistique pour l’augmentation de la fréquence cardiaque et l’augmentation de la pression artérielle en réponse à la nicotine ne modifiait pas ces conclusions. Nos résultats démontrent ainsi les effets cardiovasculaires importants de faibles concentrations de nicotine, similaires à ceux qui sont atteints en cas d’exposition à un tabagisme passif.

Conclusions. Nos résultats révèlent les effets néfastes de l’exposition au froid et aux microparticules atmosphériques sur la rigidité artérielle, la microcirculation périphérique et la réflexion de l’onde de pouls. Nous avons pu également démontrer le rôle de la stimulation nicotinique dans les effets vasculaires aigus du tabagisme passif, comme en témoigne l’augmentation de la réflexion de l’onde de pouls au niveau aortique. Ces modifications hémodynamiques favorisent l’ischémie myocardique, et constituent un des mécanismes par lesquels l’exposition au froid et à la pollution atmosphérique favorisent la pathologie cardiovasculaire.

Doctorat en Sciences médicales
info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

This thesis addresses the relationship between the physical dimensions and aspect ratios of urban areas and the airflow below the urban canopy height. The aim is to investigate the link between these aspect ratios and the resulting airflow patterns, wind speed and direction, and pressure coefficients on the envelope of target buildings. The research method involves several steps which seek to explore the airflow in four urban scenarios, simplified simulation using two parallel bricks; several complex urban prototype scenarios; and two actual urban areas used as case studies situated on the Cardiff Cathays Campus and the Paulista Avenue - São Paulo. The research methods employed are: atmospheric boundary layer wind tunnel (WT), steady-state standard k-e CFD simulation and field measurements (FM). Three prevailing wind directions were investigated: parallel, orthogonal and oblique. The outputs are guiven in terms of: Cp and ΔCp data displayed as graphs, tables and/ or contour plots; airflow patterns and velocity magnitude and direction, displayed as vertical profile graphs and visualized by means of CFD pathlines or WT helium bubble pathlines; and correlation displayed as scatter diagrams and matrices. A relationship was found between the urban aspect ratios and the ΔCp results. This was demonstrated by statistical methods using the data on the variables concerned, thus verifying the strength of the correlation between them. Strong correlation was found between the investigations into similar scenarios of the urban prototypes and the two case studies as regards both the aspect ratios and the ΔCp results. On the other hand, low correlation for the same variables were identified when contrasting dissimilar urban prototype scenarios. Moreover, good levels of comparison were found between the FM and the CFD simulations in Case Study 01 for both the decrease in wind velocity magnitude and direction in urban areas.

Les effets observés du changement climatique sur les dernières décennies mettent en exergue le besoin et l’urgence de mobiliser suffisamment de ressources pour le ralentir et en atténuer les effets. Dans le cas des pays en développement, d’aucuns suggèrent que l’aide au développement aurait un rôle non des moindres à jouer dans cette lutte. Cependant, encore faudrait-il que les ambitions politiques des décideurs ne soient pas en compétition avec celles environnementales. Cette thèse examine les liens existants entre l’aide au développement, les cycles politiques et la dégradation de l’environnement, à travers trois chapitres empiriques. Le chapitre 2 étudie le lien entre l’aide et l’atténuation des émissions de CO2 dans 112 pays en développement. Il montre que l’effet de l’aide dépend du type de donneur, l’aide multilatérale étant plus susceptible de réduire la pollution que l’aide bilatérale pour laquelle il n’y a pas d’effet. Cependant, une aide bilatérale spécifiquement ciblée sur la protection de l’environnement contribue à réduire le niveau de pollution. Cet impact est toutefois non linéaire, un effet de réduction de la pollution n’étant observé que pour des montants importants d’aide bilatérale environnementale. Le chapitre 3 étudie les facteurs associés à l’allocation de l’aide bilatérale environnementale entre les pays bénéficiaires, sur la période 1990-2013. L’objectif est d’évaluer si l’aide bilatérale environnementale est motivée par des facteurs non environnementaux tels que les intérêts économiques et politiques des donneurs. Trois types de variables susceptibles d’influencer l’allocation de l’aide environnementale sont examinés : les besoins et les mérites environnementaux et non environnementaux des pays bénéficiaires, ainsi que les intérêts économiques et politiques des donneurs. Les variables relatives aux besoins et aux mérites environnementaux comprennent la vulnérabilité aux événements climatiques extrêmes et la rigueur de la politique environnementale. Les résultats des régressions montrent que si la vulnérabilité au changement climatique semble être un déterminant clé de l’aide environnementale, son allocation est peu ou pas liée aux efforts d’atténuation du changement climatique des bénéficiaires. Il trouve également peu d’évidence empirique sur une quelconque association entre les variables d’intérêt des donneurs et l’aide environnementale, en moyenne. Cependant, une analyse désagrégée révèle d’importantes hétérogénéités dans ces relations, et révèle ainsi que certains donneurs sont plus sensibles aux variables environnementales, tandis que d’autres semblent plutôt se concentrer sur leurs intérêts économiques et politiques. Le chapitre 4 explore l’impact des élections sur la politique environnementale et la dégradation de l’environnement, en utilisant un échantillon de 76 pays démocratiques de 1990 à 2014. Les estimations indiquent que les années électorales sont caractérisées par une augmentation des émissions de CO2, même si cet effet semble s’atténuer sur les années plus récentes. Il révèle également que cet effet n’est présent que dans les démocraties plus anciennes, où les électeurs sont plus avisés et où les dirigeants se livrent à des manipulations budgétaires via la composition des dépenses publiques plutôt que par leur niveau. Une plus grande liberté de la presse et des préférences environnementales élevées de la part des électeurs permettent de réduire l’ampleur de ce cycle
The observed effects of climate change over the last decades highlight the urgency of mobilizing enough resources to slow it down and mitigate its effects. In the case of developing countries, some suggest that development aid has an important role to play. However, the political ambitions of decision-makers should not be in competition with environmental ones. This thesis examines the existing links between foreign aid, political cycles and environmental degradation, through three empirical chapters. Chapter 2 studies the link between foreign aid and CO2 mitigation in 112 developing countries. It shows that the effect of aid depends on the donor, with multilateral aid more likely to reduce pollution than bilateral aid for which there is no effect. Nevertheless, a bilateral aid specifically targeted toward environment contributes to decrease the level of pollution. This later impact is non-linear, a pollution-reducing effect is only observed for important amounts of environmental bilateral aid. Chapter 3 studies the factors associated with environmental bilateral aid to recipient countries over the 1990-2013 period. The objective is to assess whether the environmental bilateral aid is motivated by non-environmental factors such as donors’ economic and political interests. Three kind of variables that might influence environmental aid allocation are examined: the environmental and non-environmental needs and merits of recipient countries, and the economic and political interests of donors. Environmental needs and merits variables include vulnerability to extreme climate events and the stringency of climate policy. The results show that while vulnerability to climate change seems to be a key determinant of environmental aid, its allocation is poorly linked to recipients’ climate mitigation policies. It finds weak evidence of association between donors’ interest variables and environmental aid on average. However, an heterogeneity analysis allows to go deeper into all the relations above, and unveils that some donors are more sensitive to environmental variables, while others rather seem focused on their economic and political interests. Chapter 4 explores how elections impact climate change policy and environmental degradation, using a sample of 76 democratic countries from 1990 to 2014. The findings indicate election years are characterized by an increase in CO2 emissions, even though the effect weakens over the recent years. It also reveals that this effect is present only in established democracies, where incumbents engage in fiscal manipulation through the composition of public spending rather than its level. Higher freedom of the press and high environmental preferences from citizens reduce the size of this “political pollution cycle”

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The analysis of the transformation of natural landscape of a specific place that permits the identification of areas more critical about the level of degradation, inadequacy of the use of the land and potential conflicts of use in relation to the environmental legislation. It is extremely relevant to the establishment of measures for management and use of conservation of land. The aim of this work is to analyze the landscape of the Cavalcante village, from the changing patterns of land use based on the timeline performed by the GIS, digital classification of satellite images and thematic maps. The results of this work indicated that in the periods analyzed (1990, 2000, 2010 and 2011) there was a gradual process of transformation of the natural landscape, dominated by native vegetation in pastoral systems in an estimated value of 361.6 hectares. The analysis of the slope shows an irregular relief ranging from 0 to> 35% classified as flat to undulating strong. It was verified that all land use is on plain areas to smooth undulation in the classes of 0-6% slope. It was observed three classes of soils: a Red-Yellow Latosol dystrophic Glei Slightly Damp and Litholic Neosols. The relationship with the land use with the land showed the largest use over the class Glei Slightly Damp about 80% of the total. Irregular situations with respect to legislation and the environmental protection were detected in the area. Since in the most part of the PPAs along the waterways the use and land cover are inadequate, about the Forest Code, prevailing in these pastures. The area of the Cavalcante village had four classes of potential Environment Fragility (Very High, High and Medium) and the class of fragility most representative in the area was the Very High with 76% of the total. The analysis in relation to the classes of Emerging Environment Fragility to the Cavalcante village showed that the area has also four emerging classes (Very High, High and Medium) with one class more representative, Very High with 75,6%. The use of GIS and computational tools, combined with the qualitative analysis of the images, the generation and interpretation of thematic maps, field work and the choice of associated parameters with the methodologies used that facilitated the perception of how was the use and occupation of land in the area. The results show that the main uses of the land in the Cavalcante Village are for livestock, which conflicts with the laws and lack of environmental policies and technical knowledge to choose the type of use according to the suitability of the land. This situation reaffirms the need to perform other works and proposing actions for a better use of the land and adaptation to the Environmental Laws.
A análise da transformação da paisagem natural permite a identificação de áreas mais críticas quanto ao nível de degradação, inadequabilidade do uso da terra e possíveis conflitos deste uso em relação à legislação ambiental, sendo assim extremamente relevante para o estabelecimento de medidas de manejo e uso conservacionista da terra. O objetivo deste trabalho é o de analisar a paisagem da Gleba Cavalcante, a partir da evolução dos padrões de uso da terra com base no monitoramento espaço-temporal realizado por meio do geoprocessamento, classificação digital de imagens de satélite e elaboração de mapas temáticos. Durante os resultados períodos analisados (1990, 2000, 2010 e 2011) houve aumento gradativo na transformação da vegetação nativa em sistemas Agropastoris em um valor estimado de 361,6 hectares ou 28,16%. O relevo da área é irregular variando de 0 a >35%, sendo classificado como plano a forte ondulado. Todo uso da terra se encontra sobre áreas planas à suave ondulada, em áreas com declividade de 0-6%. Foram observadas três classes de solos: Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo Distrófico Glei Pouco Húmico e Neossolos Litólicos. O uso da terra se concentrou na classe Glei Pouco Húmico, com cerca de 80% do total. Situações irregulares com relação à legislação e a preservação ambiental foram detectadas na área. Na maior parte das Após, ao longo dos cursos d água, o uso e cobertura da terra estão inadequados em relação o Código Florestal, predominando nestas as pastagens. A área da Gleba Cavalcante apresentou três classes de Fragilidade Ambiental Potencial (Muito Alta, Alta e Média) sendo que a classe de fragilidade mais representativa na área foi Muito Alta com 76% do total. Em relação às classes de Fragilidade Ambiental Emergente, foram detectadas três classes (Muito Alta, Alta e Média), com maior representatividade da classe Muito Alta com 75,6%. Os resultados mostram que os principais usos da terra na Gleba Cavalcante são para fins de pecuária, que existem conflitos em relação às leis ambientais e falta de políticas e conhecimento técnico para a escolha do tipo de uso em relação à aptidão da terra.

Cette thèse vise à examiner les impacts de la performance environnementale sur la performance économique des PME Vietnamiennes. En outre, cette thèse développe également un modèle théorique de taxation sur les émissions de la firme, la corruption et les connexions politiques. Le chapitre 2 examine les effets de la synergie entre la conformité environnementale, l’innovation, et les activités d’exportation sur la Productivité Totale des Facteurs (PTF) des firmes. Cette étude montre que la relation entre la conformité environnementale et l’innovation de produit est complémentaire dans l’explication de la PTF de la firme. Elle montre également que l’impact de la synergie des activités d’exportation et de la conformité environnementale peut être influencé par l’innovation. Le chapitre 3 présente l’impact de ces synergies sur la capacité de survie de la firme. Ce travail montre que la relation entre la conformité environnementale et les activités d’exportation est complémentaire pour améliorer la survie des firmes. La survivabilité des entreprises peut également être affectée par la conformité environnementale de façon séparée. Le chapitre 4 étudie l’impact de la conformité environnementale sur la convergence de la productivité des firmes. Les conclusions indiquent que la conformité environnementale pourrait ne pas affecter directement cette convergence; cet impact peut devenir significatif seulement si cette conformité s’accompagne d’innovation. Enfin, dans le chapitre 5, nous développons un modèle théorique sur la relation entre la taxation sur les émissions, le niveau d’émissions et les incitations à verser des pots-de-vins ou à développer des connexions politiques. Les résultats montrent que le lien entre la firme et la sphère politique peut avoir une incidence sur l’efficacité des taxes sur les émissions. Nous constatons également que les effets de la taxation sur la corruption et les connexions politiques sont non-monotones, et dépendent du mécanisme d’audit et de pénalité, de la sensibilité du profit de la firme et des coûts de la connexion politique
This thesis aims to examine the impacts of environmental performance on economic performance of firms which apply to Vietnamese SMEs. In addition, this thesis also develops a theoretical model of tax on firm’s emissions, bribery, and political connection. Chapter 2 examines the synergy effects of environmental compliance, innovation, and export activities on firm TFP. This study finds that the synergy of environmental compliance and product innovation is complementary in explaining firm’s TFP. In addition, the impact of the synergy of export activities and environmental compliance may be influenced by innovation. Chapter 3 presents the impact of these synergies on firm’s survivability. This work reveals that the synergy between environmental compliance and export activities is complementary in enhancing firm survival. The latter may be also affected by separated environmental compliance. Chapter 4 investigates the impact of environmental compliance on firm’s productivity convergence. Its findings indicate that environmental compliance may not directly affect this convergence. This impact may become to be significant if this compliance is accompanied by innovation. Finally, in Chapter 5, we develop a theoretical model of the relationship between emission tax, emissions and willingness to commit bribery and to maintain political connection of firms. The result points out that firm’s political connection canaffect emission tax efficiency. Furthermore, the impacts of tax on bribery and political connection are non-monotonous, depending upon the nature of audit and penalty mechanism, sensitivity of firm’s profit and political connection costs