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- Grönlund, Erik, 1964-, et al.
(author)
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Emergy as an additional indicator in a model of integrated management of the human-environmental system of reindeer herding
- 2013
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Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Several models have addressed the management of the Fenno-Scandinavian mountain region, for example Sverdrup et al (2010, Swedish EPA) presented many Causal Loop Diagram models of the Swedish mountain management. Burkhard and Müller (2008, Ecol.Indicators 8:828-840) presented a model for the Fenno-Scandinavian reindeer herding, including also an indicator system for the management. In this paper we add the relatively new measure emergy to these models, and discuss the benefits achieved.Emergy is a measure appearing when applying the energy hierarchy principle to natural (e.g. forests, lakes, or mountains) or human (e.g. mountain societies, cities or countries) systems, postulating that energies in any system will self-organize in hierarchical patterns given time to do so. Emergy is expressed in relation to one type of energy occuring in the hierarchy, most often solar emergy Joules, seJ.In the model by Burkhard and Müller (2008) the emergy values will add information both on the thermodynamic part of the model, but also on the economic side since emergy values in seJ can be alternatively expressed in a proportional, currency related unit, for example Em€ or Em$. The significance is that Em€ or Em$ measures the contribution different items give to the whole system, rather than how individuals give market values for different items; a donor value approach rather than a receiver or market value approach.
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| 3. |
- Grönlund, Erik, 1964-, et al.
(author)
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What to include in carbon budget models in Swedish forests?
- 2019
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Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The Swedish legislation regarding forestry, the Forestry Act from 1994, states that forestry should promote forests’ production and environmental values equally. Simultaneously extracting biomass resources for renewable materials and products while preserving and enhancing forest environments and biodiversity is a challenging task.In this paper, the balancing question is problematized with focus on what items and relationships to include in forest models with a special focus on carbon budgets.The results show that the biodiversity aspect is more difficult to capture in the models than the production data.
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- Mauerhofer, Volker, et al.
(author)
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Environmental net-gain governance : Global implementation challenges
- 2021
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In: Journal of Cleaner Production. - : Elsevier BV. - 0959-6526 .- 1879-1786. ; 321
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This Letter outlines the EU's & UN's latest environmental principle towards Net-Gains. It defines this principles' progress compared to recent “No-Net-Loss"/“Reduce-the-Rate-Of-Loss” approaches. Furthermore it introduces Environmental Net-Gain Governance as normative transition pathway and provides first practical approaches for increasing the worlds' biocapacity and for reducing impact from production and consumption. © 2021
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| 5. |
- Tellström, Susanne, 1986-, et al.
(author)
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Ecosystem Service Assessment of Measures to Mitigate Small-scale Hydropower Ecological Impact
- 2016
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In: Proceedings of 22nd International Sustainable Development Research Society Conference, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal, 13 – 15 July 2016.
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Conference paper (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Hydropower is important for provisioning of renewable energy, but the ecological effects to watersheds and rivers used for hydro-electrical production has gained increased attention in recent years. Concerns in connection to small-scale hydropower plants are particularly pointed out, as small plants causes several issues for aquatic biodiversity while the energy output remains limited. Hydropower dams poses as migration barriers, e.g. limiting reproduction of migratory fish; the flow regulation regimes disturbs the natural seasonal flows and damages bottom fauna; and rivers adapted to hydropower have altered biotic factors removing entire ecosystems, such as seasonally flooded wetlands. Projects to mitigate such impacts while maintaining hydro-electrical production are presently discussed and in some cases start to be undertaken. One such project is planned in river Billstaån, Sweden, affected by three small-scale hydropower plants and historically also by timber floating. The main measures in the ecological restoration process include construction of fauna passages, deconstruction of an unused reservoir and reintroduction of freshwater pearl mussels. The restoration project is carried out by the company owning the hydropower plants in Billstaån, in a joint effort including local authorities and stakeholders, to benefit local biodiversity and strengthen the ecological status of Billstaån towards the European Water Framework Directive. In this study, the expected outcomes of the Billstaån river restoration project has been assessed in terms of ecosystem services. Note that ecosystem services were not considered in the project planning of the restoration project itself, but were suggested for later monitoring efforts and for enabling inclusion of indicators of economic and social development connected to the restoration results. As ecosystem services describe the value of ecosystems through their interaction with society, this is done to complement ecological monitoring with effects on human residents in the area. Two frameworks for ecosystem service assessment have been tested: Corporate Ecosystem Service Review (ESR) and Toolkit for Ecosystem Service Site-based Assessment (TESSA). Both frameworks have been useful for assessing the expected development of Billstaån, but each of them have specific limitations. While ESR was good for qualitative scoping and defining important ecosystem services, the corporate focus made the later steps of the ESR framework hard to implement in this type of case. TESSA worked well for providing tools for quantitative assessment, but at present the number of services covered by the toolkit was limited. This indicates that different methods for ecosystem service assessment provide different levels of understanding of the assessed system. The two frameworks used to assess Billstaån do complement each other in terms of scope, but combined they point at gaps in coverage. This study has shown that ecosystem service assessment provides a complementary perspective of the value of increasing ecological status in rivers affected by small-scale hydropower, but also that the ecosystem services methodology needs further development for this type of case.
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| 6. |
- van den Brink, Paul, 1964-, et al.
(author)
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Differences in cultural context as an educational tool understanding differences in values of Ecosystem Services
- 2018
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Ecosystem services differ depending on how they are valued within a society. For instance, the value for recreational sites varies depending on the number of people that use them. People also give different values to different services depending on their background, for instance for aesthetic and ethical values.Since 2016 Mid Sweden University (Sweden) and VIVES (Belgium) has an educational cooperation. We use the cultural differences between Belgium and Sweden as an educational tool. In the exchange program, the students have one field trip in Sweden and one field trip in Belgium. In Sweden one sparsely populated area is used in the Swedish archipelago and in Belgium a semi natural area, a constructed lake,. We also compare residential areas in Stockholm and in Ypres.Some findings so far:Cultural services are important in semi natural areas in Belgium. The Swedish students become aware of the popularity for semi natural land for recreational use in Belgium. In the area of the lake “Eau d” Heure the difference is well expressed. The lake, first constructed to provide secured water delivery to the waterways for transportation, is now a popular recreational area. Lakes of the same size in Sweden could not reach those recreational values.Even if the access in Sweden to more natural habitats is possible, nature first is withdrawn, and then reconstructed to get a value in residential areas instead of using already existing natural habitats.The Swedish archipelago, some inhabited only by single families are exotic to Belgian students. No light pollution and the silence are a new experience. At the same time, inhabitants at these islands tries their best to find a way of living on tourism. Not even forestry are economical reasonable.By the exchange program, we believe that we widen the mindsets of both groups of students and their understanding of ecosystem services in different cultural contexts.
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| 8. |
- Zimmerman, Jenny K M, 1972-, et al.
(author)
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Is Astacology Environmental Science?
- 2019
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In: Book of abstracts.. - 9789526131665
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Environmental Science aims to study the relationships between human beings influence on and dependence of nature, the interaction and integration of ecological, social and technical systems as well as the strategies for sustainable use of natural resources. The linking of social, ecological and economical aspects in Environmental Science can provide useful tools for the study, management and conservation of freshwater crayfish from a broad social perspective. Therefore, it is of interest to explore the relationships between Environmental Science and Astacology. By analysing the aims of the International Association of Astacology and the content of some volumes of Freshwater Crayfish from an Environmental Science perspective we found that Astacology is operating within the field of Environmental Science. The focus is mainly on identifying underlying mechanisms of environmental issues. We will point out unexplored scientific perspectives and propose some advice of how to study freshwater crayfish from a broad systems perspective.
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| 10. |
- Carlman, Inga, et al.
(author)
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Models and methods as support for sustainable decision-making with focus on legal operationalisation
- 2015
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In: Ecological Modelling. - : Elsevier BV. - 0304-3800 .- 1872-7026. ; 306, s. 95-100
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Since the 1960s the urgency to steer mankind towards a more sound environment has grown. Currently humanity is in a transition period between today’s old paradigm – business as usual – and the new one, aiming at operationalise sustainable development goals. There is a growing understanding, that to move towards sustainable development, ecological sustainability is necessary but not sufficient. Steering society in this direction necessitates making decisions that at least do not counteract sustainability.Such decisions have to rest firmly on a natural scientific basis. Natural laws, such as thermodynamics, and conditions set by ecosystems can therefore not been ignored, when (a) searching for technical solutions to environmental problems and to fully understand the consequences of such solutions, and (b) improving steering instruments to guide human actions.Over the years a number of models/methods/systems have been developed to underpin sustainable decision-making, such as Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Ecological Footprints, and Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA). Ecological modelling contributes or complements such methods. Emergy analysis, an environmental accounting and assessment method takes a wider grip embracing both ecology and economy. Less known is environmental legal modelling.This paper puts ecological models in the context of societal steering systems for sustainable development, and focuses on a legal model for implementing environmental policy goals.
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