“One hundred worst” lists of alien species of the greatest concern proved useful for raising awareness of the risks and impacts of biological invasions amongst the general public, politicians and ...stakeholders. All lists so far have been based on expert opinion and primarily aimed at representativeness of the taxonomic and habitat diversity rather than at quantifying the harm the alien species cause. We used the generic impact scoring system (GISS) to rank 486 alien species established in Europe from a wide range of taxonomic groups to identify those with the highest environmental and socioeconomic impact. GISS assigns 12 categories of impact, each quantified on a scale from 0 (no impact detectable) to 5 (the highest impact possible). We ranked species by their total sum of scores and by the number of the highest impact scores. We also compared the listing based on GISS with other expert-based lists of the “worst” invaders. We propose a list of 149 alien species, comprising 54 plants, 49 invertebrates, 40 vertebrates and 6 fungi. Among the highest ranking species are one bird (
Branta canadensis
), four mammals (
Rattus norvegicus, Ondatra zibethicus, Cervus nippon, Muntiacus reevesi
), one crayfish (
Procambarus clarkii
), one mite (
Varroa destructor
), and four plants (
Acacia dealbata, Lantana camara, Pueraria lobata, Eichhornia crassipes
). In contrast to other existing expert-based “worst” lists, the GISS-based list given here highlights some alien species with high impacts that are not represented on any other list. The GISS provides an objective and transparent method to aid prioritization of alien species for management according to their impacts, applicable across taxa and habitats. Our ranking can also be used for justifying inclusion on lists such as the alien species of Union concern of the European Commission, and to fulfill Aichi target 9.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OBVAL, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
•A systematic literature review of the impacts of large-scale tree plantations for local communities.•Our inclusion criteria were met by 92 studies, of which 22 used a comparator and considered ...confounding factors in analyses.•Most studies report of negative impacts, moderated by the presence of formal titles and complementary livelihoods.•Despite a high degree of agreement on impacts between studies, strong global evidence around the topic remains limited.
Since their widespread introduction in the 1980s, large-scale tree plantations have seen contestations over their socio-economic impacts. With the establishment of new plantations on the rise, a review of the literature examining their impacts on local communities is needed to inform policies and practices. In this systematic review, we followed an a priori protocol to reduce the selection biases inherent to conventional literature reviews, and considered both grey and peer-reviewed literature. Of the 20,450 studies identified in our literature search, only 92 studies met our predefined inclusion criteria. However, only 22 studies presented a clear comparator and considered confounding factors in their analysis. Of the 251 impacts identified in this sample, most impacts across the nine categories were characterised as predominantly negative impacts attributed to large-scale tree plantations. Impacts on employment (22% of reported impacts/of which 41% predominantly negative), land (21%/81%), livelihoods (12%/48%) and the often intertwined social impacts (20%/69%) were the most commonly considered categories, within which a majority of studies agreed on the impact dynamics when in similar contexts, resembling the dynamics observed in other large-scale land-based investments. Most impacts were reported from Southeast Asia (34% of reported impacts), South America (29%), Africa (23%) and Australasia (12%). We corroborate that costs of large-scale tree plantations for residents tend to be front-loaded, especially when plantations have displaced customary land uses, and possible benefits to accrue over time, moderated by the emergence of local processing and complementary livelihood activities. However, given the methodological inconsistencies in our sample and the under-representation of areas known to have undergone plantation development, strong global evidence on the long-term socio-economic impacts of large-scale tree plantations remains limited.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZRSKP
Despite the world economy's tremendous growth, significant environmental and sustainability concerns need adequate attention. Ecological, environmental conservation is facilitated by “green ...production” and the promotion of 100% renewable energy development goals.” The 100% renewable energy development goal is hailed in the developed economies as a fresh set of policy initiatives that, primarily via the use of renewable energy and resource efficiency, seek to achieve social objectives, including socio‐economic impacts and the reduction of economic inequality. This study examines the potential energy transition based on current technology and the green productivity of 40 industrialized nations from 1990 to 2020. In most industrialized nations, green growth is positive, efficiency change is negative and technology advancement is the primary factor behind economic and environmental improvement. Furthermore, our empirical findings show that trade between nations encourages green output in developed nations. The potential energy transition rate across industrialized nations is 5.21% on average. This suggests that, on average, 5.11% of each advanced nation's total energy usage can be changed from dirty to clean energy.
Ecological, environmental conservation is facilitated by “green production” and the promotion of 100% renewable energy development goals.
The 100% renewable energy development goal is hailed in the developed economies as a fresh set of policy initiatives that, primarily via the use of renewable energy and resource efficiency, seek to achieve social objectives, including Socioeconomic impacts and the reduction of economic inequality.
This study examines the potential energy transition based on current technology and the green productivity of 40 industrialized nations from 1990 to 2020.
In most industrialized nations, green growth is positive, efficiency change is negative, and technology advancement is the primary factor behind the economic and environmental improvement.
The potential energy transition rate across industrialized nations is 5.21% on average. This suggests that, on average, 5.11% of each advanced nation's total energy usage can be changed from dirty to clean energy.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
With populations of wild carnivores growing in Europe, public debates on human-wildlife conflicts are becoming polarized around economic damages and risks to human safety. This article explores the ...state of knowledge on the broader socio-economic impacts of four European large carnivore species (wolf, bear, lynx and wolverine). We have developed a comprehensive categorization of the socio-economic impacts of large carnivore presence, combining impact assessment approaches from project planning with a conceptualization of biodiversity values (e.g. Nature's Contributions to People). We distinguish 19 impact categories grouped according to 1) economic impacts, 2) health and well-being impacts, and 3) social and cultural impacts. A review of the academic literature since 1990 identified 82 articles that assessed the socio-economic impacts of the four European large carnivore species, 44 of which focused on Europe and 33 on North America. Our analysis of these articles reveals a bias towards investigations of negative economic impacts, in most cases of wolves. To contrast the information provided by science with perspectives from conservation practice, we conducted a survey among expert practitioners to elicit relevance ratings for the impact categories. Several categories considered relevant by the survey respondents are underrepresented in the academic literature. These include, in particular, positive impacts: benefits from wildlife tourism and commercial activities, benefits from game population control by large carnivores, benefits from regional and product marketing, cultural heritage and identity, educational and research benefits, and social cohesion. This incongruity between supply and demand for scientific information likely reinforces biased public debates and the negative public perception of large carnivores. We recommend a stronger research focus on the socio-economic benefits of large carnivores, drawing on diverse impact metrics.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Bioenergy aims to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and contribute to meeting global climate change mitigation targets. Nevertheless, several sustainability concerns are associated with ...bioenergy, especially related to the impacts of using land for dedicated energy crop production. Cultivating energy crops can result in synergies or trade-offs between GHG emission reductions and other sustainability effects depending on context-specific conditions. Using the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) framework, the main synergies and trade-offs associated with land use for dedicated energy crop production were identified. Furthermore, the context-specific conditions (i.e., biomass feedstock, previous land use, climate, soil type and agricultural management) which affect those synergies and trade-offs were also identified. The most recent literature was reviewed and a pairwise comparison between GHG emission reduction (SDG 13) and other SDGs was carried out. A total of 427 observations were classified as either synergy (170), trade-off (176), or no effect (81). Most synergies with environmentally-related SDGs, such as water quality and biodiversity conservation, were observed when perennial crops were produced on arable land, pasture or marginal land in the ‘cool temperate moist’ climate zone and ‘high activity clay’ soils. Most trade-offs were related to food security and water availability. Previous land use and feedstock type are more impactful in determining synergies and trade-offs than climatic zone and soil type. This study highlights the importance of considering context-specific conditions in evaluating synergies and trade-offs and their relevance for developing appropriate policies and practices to meet worldwide demand for bioenergy in a sustainable manner.
•Synergies and trade-offs between SDGs from land use for bioenergy.•Synergies are related to water quality, soil quality and biodiversity conservation.•Trade-offs are related to water availability, food security and revenue.•Previous land use and feedstock are more relevant than other context conditions.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
The disease COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 is the third highly infectious human Coronavirus epidemic in the 21st century due to its high transmission rate and quick evolution of its pathogenicity. ...Genomic studies indicate that it is zoonotic from bats. The COVID-19 has led to significant loss of lives and a tremendous economic decline in the world. Generally, the population at risk of a fatal outcome are the elderly and those who are debilitated or are immune compromised. The fatality rate is high, but now is reduced after the development of preventive vaccine although an effective treatment by drug against the virus is yet to be developed. The treatment is narrowed to the use of several anti-viral drugs, or other re-purposed drugs. Social distancing, therefore, has emerged as a putative method to decrease the rate of infection. In this review, we summarize the aspects of the disease that is so far have come to light and review the impact of the infection on our society, healthcare, economy, education, and environment.
Cape Saint Paul Wilt Disease (CSPWD) is a devastating phytoplasma-associated infection that severely impacts coconut trees in Ghana, threatening the livelihoods of coconut farmers, and impacting the ...country's economy. Factors contributing to the spread and severity of CSPWD, including insect vector population, dynamic population of the associated phytoplasma, environmental conditions, coconut cultivation practices, and host resistance, are discussed. The economic and social impacts of CSPWD, such as reduced coconut production and yield losses are reviewed. Research efforts and management strategies for CSPWD are examined, including diagnostic techniques for detection and monitoring, as well as integrated disease management approaches and sustainability of coconut cultivation in Ghana. The review emphasizes the importance of collaborative research initiatives and capacity building to enhance understanding and control of CSPWD. The significance of adopting sustainable coconut cultivation practices to mitigate the impact of CSPWD and ensure the long-term viability of the coconut industry in Ghana was discussed. The review also provides an overview of the challenges posed by CSPWD and offers a foundation for future research and collaboration.
•Cape Saint Paul Wilt disease (CSPWD) is a devasting disease of coconut in Ghana.•Research on CSPWD distribution and detection has been in focus.•An integrated disease management is proposed for sustainable CSPWD control.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Cultural events are largely associated with several socio-economic benefits for tourism destinations and host communities. This article explores the case of the Ankos Masquerade Festival (AMF), which ...takes place annually in Sekondi-Takoradi (Ghana). Although this area is known for its tourism potential, it still needs development to attract international tourism. The COVID-19 pandemic brought additional challenges as it stopped international travel and necessitated the cancellation of all types of events. In this context, the main objective of this article is to present a case study of the AMF to: (i) identify the profile of the foreign visitors/participants of the festival, their perceptions and their satisfaction level; (ii) understand the perceptions of stakeholders about the socio-economic potential of this event for the local community; and (iii) elaborate policy recommendations to inform and support the local authorities' decision-making. The AMF case study revealed new evidence about the relevance of this type of event for the development of cultural and creative tourism, for attracting international tourists, for improving the destination's image and for creating socio-economic benefits for local communities.
Community-based wildlife conservation (CBWC) programmes have been a pervasive paradigm in the conservation circles since the 1970s. The key elements of such programmes are that local communities are ...given ownership rights or custodianship and management responsibilities over wildlife, and that they gain social and economic benefits from conservation of the resources. However, to date, there have been only a few studies that offer in-depth analyses of the interplay between governance processes and livelihood impacts of CBWC programmes. Here, I conducted key informant interviews and focus group discussions in five wildlife conservancies in the Maasai Mara ecosystem in Kenya to address the following questions: i) What are the perceived impacts of the wildlife conservancies on livelihoods of the local people? ii) To what extent are the wildlife conservancies governed in relation to the principles of environmental governance? I assessed impacts on livelihoods by applying the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework to explore perceived conservancy-related benefits and costs (i.e. perceived changes in social, financial, human, physical, and natural capitals). I assessed governance by asking the respondents whether the following eight principles of environmental governance were applied: legitimacy, transparency, accountability, inclusiveness, fairness, integration, capability, and adaptability. Perceived benefits of participating in wildlife co-management were identified as: enhanced income from gainful employment and new business opportunities, membership to cooperative societies and participation in community work (e.g. school bursary and feeding programmes), enhanced social relations, improved access to credit and health facilities, enhanced physical infrastructure (schools, roads and bridges), improved physical security and coordinated sharing of provisioning ecosystem services like pasture and water. The principles of legitimacy, inclusiveness, and integration had reportedly been well implemented in wildlife co-management. However, the institutional mechanisms for sharing resources within the conservancies lacked transparency, accountability, and fairness, and tended to favour those who were politically connected to the leadership of the conservancies. Moreover, most of the conservancies had weak systems and few resources to facilitate delivery on responsibilities (i.e. had low capability), and had some costs associated with human-wildlife conflicts. For an improved co-management of wildlife to be achieved in these conservancies, local institutions should be reconfigured to allow active participation by conservancy landowners in decision-making, information sharing, and equitable access to conservancy-related benefits.
•Wildlife conservancies in Maasai Mara ecosystem were perceived to provide various social and economic benefits to the local people.•The negative social outcomes of the conservancies included capture of resources by local elites and costs of human-wildlife conflict.•The principles of environmental governance including legitimacy, inclusiveness, and integration were arguably well implemented in wildlife co-management.•However, the principles of transparency, accountability, fairness, and capability were reportedly not implemented well.•For a more collaborative governance of wildlife, there is a need to reconfigure local institutions to enhance equity in the sharing of conservancy-related benefits.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
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