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Article
Publication date: 1 March 2003

J. Hill, P. Hostert and A. Röder

The importance of thoroughly monitoring the state of the environment in Mediterranean ecosystems has long been recognised. With regard to the spatial extension of large areas…

1461

Abstract

The importance of thoroughly monitoring the state of the environment in Mediterranean ecosystems has long been recognised. With regard to the spatial extension of large areas threatened by various degradation processes it becomes obvious that terrestrial observation alone is hardly able to cope with this task. Remote sensing with air‐ or spaceborne sensor systems provides a comprehensive spatial coverage, is intrinsically synoptic, and collects objective, repetitive data and is thus ideally suited for monitoring environmentally sensitive areas. The major problem associated with its use is to quantitatively interpret a measured signal that has interacted with remote objects in terms of the properties of these objects. In parallel to the advances in remote sensing geographical information systems (GIS) have emerged as a fully functional support for resource management tasks. As an example for tracing and analysing environmental change with coupled remote sensing and GIS approaches we present a case study on the island of Crete which was carried out in the framework of research programmes supported by the European Union. Although it is known that grazing in Crete dramatically increased during the last two decades, it was not well understood how grazing pressure differs spatially and in how far it altered the landscape of Crete. One of the major rangeland areas of central Crete, the Psiloritis Mountains, have been selected to serve as a test site for answering these questions. On the basis of an extended Landsat‐TM and ‐MSS data set acquired between 1977 and 1996 it has been shown that time series analysis techniques based on vegetation fractions derived from spectral unmixing can substantiate a spatio‐temporal interpretation of degradation processes. In areas under massive grazing pressure such processes can be linked to the respective driving forces by GIS‐based analyses of natural and socio‐economic boundary conditions.

Details

Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, vol. 14 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-7835

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Publication date: 23 April 2019

Monica Thiel

Abstract

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SDG17: Partnerships for the Goals: Strengthening Implementation Through Global Cooperation
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78769-315-9

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Article
Publication date: 18 December 2020

Andreas Beckmann, Uthayasankar Sivarajah and Zahir Irani

Circular economy is presented as an approach to economic growth that is in line with sustainable development. However, the recent literature has highlighted the limits of the…

718

Abstract

Purpose

Circular economy is presented as an approach to economic growth that is in line with sustainable development. However, the recent literature has highlighted the limits of the concept in terms of environmental sustainability. The study examines the relationship between circular economy and conservation of ecosystems, using a case study on the implications of a circular economy for Slovak forests and forest sector.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopts a qualitative methodology through a focused review of the relevant literature on circular economy and sustainable development and primary data gathered through semi-structured interviews with 15 experts and practitioners in the forest sector, forest conservation and circular economy context, both from within as well as outside of Slovakia.

Findings

The study finds that the forestry sector has an important role to play in a shift to a circular economy in Slovakia, with significant opportunities for improved efficiency as well as substitution of wood for non-renewable resources. There is also growing potential for ecosystem stewardship and restoration. However, the increased application of biomass could crowd out other needs, including for biodiversity. Safeguarding these services depends ultimately on good governance.

Originality/value

The study highlights that circular economy taken in a narrow focus on resource efficiency is insufficient to ensure environmental sustainability but rather needs to be set within the broader environmental and social context.

Details

Journal of Enterprise Information Management, vol. 34 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-0398

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Article
Publication date: 7 March 2023

Nguyen Thuy Trang, Steven W. Kopp, Vo Hong Tu and Mitsuyasu Yabe

The purpose of the present research is to examine the comparative values that urban Vietnamese consumers place on attributes of rice that is produced using environmentally…

314

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the present research is to examine the comparative values that urban Vietnamese consumers place on attributes of rice that is produced using environmentally friendly methods. The authors consider the impacts that this may have on the livelihoods of rural Vietnamese small farmers. Rice is an “impure public good” that includes both “private” and “public” attributes that consumers consider in their purchase decisions. Consumers make tradeoffs between environmentally and socially beneficial practices (public goods) and perceptions of product quality (private goods). The authors used latent class modeling to investigate the values associated with attributes of rice that is produced using sustainable farming practices.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used a discrete choice experimental design in which consumers stated their choices among combinations of rice attributes. The survey provided responses from 360 urban Vietnamese consumers and allowed to estimate the preferences and nonpecuniary values for rice grown using different levels of environmentally beneficial production methods.

Findings

The results identify two segments of rice consumers: one group of consumers who are sensitive to price and the other group who are sensitive to environmental issues. The individual characteristics are reflected in the choices of production methods and in the willingness to pay for environmentally beneficial outcomes of those methods.

Research limitations/implications

Given the number of independent variables measured, the sample was relatively small, such that confirmatory statistical methods were inconclusive. However, the authors used multiple analytical tools that provide corroboration of the significant determinants of the utility functions for the two segments.

Practical implications

The results provide directions for production of rice at a national level, as well as practical implications for consumer-oriented communications.

Social implications

Results suggest that the emerging middle class of Vietnamese consumers are willing to pay more for rice that is produced using methods that are beneficial to the environment. Results also indicate challenges to provide sustainably-produced rice to poorer groups of consumers.

Originality/value

The study provides important context for consumer preferences within emerging economies. This also adds to a growing literature that uses the choice experiment method to estimate consumer valuation of the outcomes of various agricultural practices.

Details

Journal of Consumer Marketing, vol. 40 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0736-3761

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Article
Publication date: 1 March 2003

Enrico Feoli, Paola Giacomich, Katja Mignozzi, Munir Oztürk and Mauro Scimone

In this paper a desertification risk index (DRI) based on the integration of climatic data and the normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI), obtained from National Oceanic…

1019

Abstract

In this paper a desertification risk index (DRI) based on the integration of climatic data and the normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI), obtained from National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration advance very high‐resolution radiometer (NOAA‐AVHRR) images, is discussed at the light of the aridity index and some eco‐physiological parameters. The good correlation between DRI, the aridity index and the eco‐physiological parameters suggests that DRI could be useful to measure the desertification risk. One advantage of DRI is that, with the help of a geographic information system (GIS), DRI maps can be easily obtained in short time and at relatively low costs.

Details

Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, vol. 14 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-7835

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Article
Publication date: 1 August 2005

Massimo Dragan, Talar Sahsuvaroglu, Ioannis Gitas and Enrico Feoli

To investigate whether the desertification risk index (DRI) which was originally developed for the coastal area of Turkey in a previous work, could be used as an effective…

1040

Abstract

Purpose

To investigate whether the desertification risk index (DRI) which was originally developed for the coastal area of Turkey in a previous work, could be used as an effective desertification indicator in other Mediterranean areas such as the Lebanon.

Design/methodology/approach

The calculation of the DRI is based on the use of climatic factors and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). As a result, climatic data were obtained and spatial interpolation techniques were applied to derive temperature and precipitation maps within a GIS environment while the NDVI was derived from satellite imagery. Spatial models were employed in order to produce the DRI map of Lebanon. Geographical analysis and standard statistical techniques were employed to investigate the relationships between: desertification risk and two topographic factors, namely, elevation and distance from the sea and desertification risk and the type of land cover. The accuracy of the index was assessed by comparison with recently published official maps and documents.

Findings

The paper demonstrates the efficiency of a desertification index to identify areas at risk. The DRI map proved to be accurate when compared to the map of desertification prone areas recently produced by the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture. The areas with the highest degree of desertification risk are located in the North‐Eastern part of the country, in the area of the Bekaa Valley. This is in agreement with the reports of the United Nations Convention for combating desertification. A strong correlation was found between desertification risk and distance from the sea (the larger the distance the higher the risk) while shrubland appears to be the land cover type with the highest risk of desertification.

Originality/value

This research work demonstrates how satellite imagery and modern spatial analysis techniques could provide an essential alternative to traditional methods.

Details

Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, vol. 16 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-7835

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Article
Publication date: 8 May 2018

Nguyen H.D. My, Ellen J. Van Loo, Pieter Rutsaert, Tran Huu Tuan and Wim Verbeke

The purpose of this paper is to investigate consumers’ willingness to pay for quality rice attributes in urban areas in the South of Vietnam, including organic and integrated pest…

708

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate consumers’ willingness to pay for quality rice attributes in urban areas in the South of Vietnam, including organic and integrated pest management (IPM) as sustainable production methods, and claim about health benefits and fair farmer prices.

Design/methodology/approach

Cross-sectional data were collected in 2015 using a survey including a choice experiment (CE) (n=500). Generalized mixed logit models were estimated.

Findings

Vietnamese consumers are willing to pay a premium of 82 percent for organic rice, and 45 percent for rice produced using IPM, compared to conventionally produced rice. They are also willing to pay a premium of 95 percent for rice claiming to be rich in vitamins and other nutrients, and 50 percent for rice that guarantees a fair price to rice farmers.

Research limitations/implications

A hypothetical CE was employed. Future research using revealed preference methods is suggested.

Originality/value

This study makes a significant contribution to the limited existing literature on consumers’ valuation of quality rice attributes in the context of developing countries such as Vietnam. The study shows that rice, that is, sustainably produced using organic or IPM methods provides a promising avenue for rice producers. This study highlights that there is an added value for rice with credence attributes in relation to sustainable production methods, health benefits, and fair farmer prices in a developing country.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 120 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

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Article
Publication date: 3 December 2024

Nasrollah Alinejad, Sungmoon Jung, Jinglun Cai and Xiuwen Liu

The wind loading on a building is likely to deviate further from the known wind loading due to the complexity of the real-world land coverage. To address this issue, research is…

33

Abstract

Purpose

The wind loading on a building is likely to deviate further from the known wind loading due to the complexity of the real-world land coverage. To address this issue, research is needed in two separate areas. First, wind tunnel testing needs to be conducted for more complex terrains. Second, research is needed to classify real-world land coverage with high accuracy, specifically for wind engineering applications. This paper deals with this second area of research. The machine learning-based land cover prediction is a promising technique because it can remove subjectivity in human interpretation of upwind terrain.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents a new deep neural network for land coverage prediction that can distinguish low- and mid-rise buildings in the built environment to enhance the estimation of surface roughness necessary in wind engineering. For the dataset, Landsat 8 satellite images were used. A patch-based convolutional neural network was employed and improved. The network predicted the land coverage at the center of the patch. Two different label schemes were used where the proposed network either achieved better accuracy than the conventional model or recognized additional building types while maintaining a similar level of accuracy.

Findings

Compared to the validation accuracy of 78% in a previous study, the proposed method achieved the validation accuracy of 90% thanks to the improvements made in this study as well as the consolidation of labels with similar surface roughness. When additional building categories were added, the validation decreased to 80%, which is comparable to the previous study but is now able to predict different building types.

Originality/value

The improvement of the proposed method will depend on the site characteristics. For the sites tested in this paper, the error reduction in wind speed and pressure was up to about 55%. In addition to more accurate wind speed and pressure, better identification of buildings will benefit wind engineering research, as different building types cause different downwind effects. An example application would be automated recognition of areas that have a certain distance from the target building type to identify downwind areas affected by high winds.

Details

Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2046-6099

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Article
Publication date: 5 July 2019

Mirjana Pejic Bach, Emil Tustanovski, Andrew W.H. Ip, Kai-Leung Yung and Vasja Roblek

System dynamics is a whole-system modelling and learning approach, useful for tackling non-linear problems, such as sustainable urban development. The purpose of this paper is to…

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Abstract

Purpose

System dynamics is a whole-system modelling and learning approach, useful for tackling non-linear problems, such as sustainable urban development. The purpose of this paper is to review system dynamics applications in the simulation of sustainable urban development over a period from 2005 to 2017.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis reveals that the number of applications of system dynamics modelling in the area of urban sustainable development increased in the analysed period. Research has changed its focus from the modelling of environmental problems to more complex models, portraying the multidimensional socio-economic processes that have an impact on the sustainability of urban development. Analysed case studies most often use the behaviour reproduction test for model validation, but without a unified approach. In most cases, modelling has been done in China, Germany and the USA, while urban development in the Eastern European countries, Africa and Latin America has not often been investigated. This paper indicates the knowledge gaps and suggests future research directions.

Findings

Papers that report the use of system dynamics modelling reveal a wide range of applications in urban sustainability. The analysis shows significant emphasis on environmental problems, while the interest for modelling social problems has been increasing during the last several years. Most of the modelled problems examine the sustainability of resources (land, water) and waste management, which are used for insights into the reasons for the system behaviour, forecasting future behaviour and policy testing.

Originality/value

The presented models were developed in most cases for the purpose of understanding the phenomena examined, as well as the future use of the models in policy planning. This brings us back to the need for greater stakeholder involvement, not only in the initial phase, but also during the whole modelling process, which could increase understanding, use and ownership of the models in the future, and thus increase their practical application.

Details

Kybernetes, vol. 49 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0368-492X

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Article
Publication date: 24 November 2021

Linyi Zheng and Wenrong Qian

This study explores how the land tenure system helps in protecting land quantity during agricultural production by estimating the influence of land certification on cropland…

624

Abstract

Purpose

This study explores how the land tenure system helps in protecting land quantity during agricultural production by estimating the influence of land certification on cropland abandonment, its mechanisms and its heterogeneous effects among groups at the provincial, community and household levels.

Design/methodology/approach

To deal with potential homogeneity concerns, the authors investigate the impact of land certification on the area of abandoned croplands using nationally representative panel data from the 2017 and 2019 China Rural Household Panel Survey on 15,000 households across 29 provinces and time-varying difference-in-differences and propensity score matching-difference-in-differences models.

Findings

Land certification significantly contributes to the protection of land quantity during agricultural production, and it reduces the area of abandoned croplands by at least 4%. This effect is mainly achieved by improving soil fertility, promoting land transfer, increasing the availability of agricultural subsidies and raising agricultural income. However, while land certification benefits farmers in nonmajor grain-producing areas and western regions, in plain, remote and nonpolitically central villages, and farmers who have not undergone land transfer or land adjustment, it is not beneficial for others.

Research limitations/implications

In the postepidemic era, food security based on the protection of the amount of cultivated land becomes increasingly important. It is realistic and inevitable to rationally use every inch of cultivated land and curb the cropland abandonment by strengthening land tenure system reform, especially in the case of the insecurity of land tenure.

Practical implications

There are various factors affecting farmers' cropland abandonment, such as poor soil fertility, unavailable land transfer, too little agricultural subsidies and too low agricultural income, but the root cause is the insecurity of land tenure. Empirical evidence from rural China has shown that a clear definition and effective protection of property rights can help curb the cropland abandonment. Enhancing the land protection behavior of farmers through the reform of land certification and promoting the sustainable use of land are what the reform of land tenure system should be.

Social implications

Cultivated land, as the material carrier and endowment basis of grain production, is of great importance to safeguarding national food security, especially in the postepidemic era. At the present stage, it is still necessary for most developing countries to strengthen the construction of land tenure system, to carry out land certification reform and to issue farmers with clearly defined and legally effective land certificates. Equally important, efforts also should be made to promote the diversified utilization of the achievements of the certification after the completion of land certification reform in China and other developing countries.

Originality/value

Expropriation and occupation of croplands are essential in protecting land quantity during rapid urbanization, and so is reducing cropland abandonment during agricultural production; therefore, it deserves close attention. In this regard, this study estimates the impact of land certification on the area of abandoned croplands, examines its possible mechanisms and identifies its heterogeneous effects to test the applicability of the property rights theory in the Chinese context and enrich the relevant literature and provide Chinese evidence for other developing countries to strengthen the protection of land quantity, by deepening the reform of the land tenure system under different circumstances.

Details

China Agricultural Economic Review, vol. 14 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1756-137X

Keywords

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