Macroalgal blooms are increasing globally as a result of anthropogenic stressors and are leading to negative environmental and socio-economic impacts. There is, however, an opportunity to utilise ...nuisance macroalgae by creating useful and economically viable products. Thus relieving pressure on diminishing, but sought-after natural resources. Here we have undertaken a systematic review of the literature to synthesise data from 639 peer-reviewed papers to: identify the spatial and temporal nature of macroalgal blooms; quantify the ecological and socio-economic impacts associated with these blooms; outline the conversion of macroalgal biomass into products, in particular for the main blooming genera; provide an assessment of input and product costs for different compounds; and provide feasibility assessments generated from Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA) and Life Cycle Assessments (LCA). Globally, green macroalgae (chlorophyta), predominately Ulva spp. (52%), were found to be the most reported and spatially distributed blooming algae. However, the largest single bloom was produced by Sargassum spp. (phaeophyta), producing >20 million tonnes in 2018. Ecologically, the dominant negative impacts of macroalgal blooms were a decline in species richness and abundance; with seagrasses and fish most impacted. Social and economic impacts of macroalgal blooms were under-reported in peer-reviewed papers and globally under-researched, but where reported, there were clear negative impacts. For nuisance green macroalgal species, biorefining to produce multiple products was the most researched application, yet in the feasibility assessments there was a stronger case for biofuel production. Limited TEA or LCA were identified focussing on bloom material. There is an urgent need for research to provide the tools for the effective utilisation of macroalgal blooms. We recommend increased research into bioprocessing and a TEA of nuisance macroalgal blooms especially for Ulva and other chlorophyta, which are predominantly problematic. If this is achievable then exciting pathways utilising problem macroalgae can be incorporated into the circular economy.
•Nuisance macroalgal blooms are environmentally and socially globally problematic.•Global trends show that Ulva spp. (52%) are the most reported blooming genera.•The most economically viable use bloom material could be through bioprocessing.•Limited TEA or LCA of blooming material is available, thus highlighting research gaps.•Effective utilisation of bloom material could feed into the circular economy.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
COVID-19 has profoundly impacted global livelihoods and disrupted the food supply chain, including the aquaculture and fisheries industries. Little is known about the response to COVID-19 and the ...impact it has on incomes, livelihoods and knowledge and practice in the coastal artisanal fishers communities of Bangladesh. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the socio-demographics of selected coastal fishers, their knowledge about COVID-19 and the preventive practice taken to reduce it. The impact on their fishing habits and income was also examined to determine potential policy areas. Data were collected via a structured questionnaire from 250 respondents from three coastal districts, Cox’s Bazar, Patuakhali and Barguna, Bangladesh during April–June 2020. The research shows that the fishers’ knowledge about COVID-19 and measures taken to reduce it were significantly higher in Patuakhali and Barguna than in Cox’s Bazar. The pandemic caused lower consumer demand, reduced fish prices and created fish transportation issues due to movement restrictions enforced during the lockdown. Irrespective of geographical location, fishing trips were reduced by frequency and duration compared with the pre-COVID-19 period, consequently lowering the income of fishers. Fishers have received little or no support from private, non-governmental or governmental sources. Considering the evidence in this paper of economic hardship, this paper recommends artisanal fishers in Bangladesh should be provided with support to improve their health education, access to professional health facilities and financial services. This will contribute to improved food security and sustainable livelihoods that can better withstand local and/or global crises.
•Awareness of COVID-19 is associated with preventive health measures being practiced.•Irrespective of location, fishers experienced reduction in fishing time and income.•Skippers and boat owners faced a higher income reduction (49%) than fishers (26%).•COVID-19 caused less demand for fish, labor shortages and transport issues.•Fishers received limited to no external support during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Megaprojects are crucial to address the current challenges of climate change and sustainability. Despite the growing interest in Megaproject Social Responsibility, there is still a lack of accounting ...protocols, standards and frameworks so widespread to monitor the short, medium, and long-term impacts megaprojects may generate both on local territories and communities. This work presents an original geospatial accounting protocol for megaprojects to monitor and assess the generated impacts during all the life cycle phases, from the initial planning and design to the construction and use phase. The proposed protocol includes a three-step methodology - definition of relevant indicators and aspects, 2) identification of a counterfactual territory, and 3) comparison of trends - and six macro areas - from socio-economic impacts to cultural identity preservation or the governance of sustainability. The protocol has then been applied to a relevant highly contested megaproject, i.e., the Turin-Lyon high-speed railway in Italy, to highlight the pros, cons, and limitations of such protocol. This work represents a first development and test of a geospatial accounting application for megaprojects and it can support future policies and managerial decisions, as well as it represents a highly scalable and reproducible operationalization approach for Megaproject Social Responsibility.
•Megaproject Social Responsibility needs a robust operational methodology.•A novel three steps geo-spatial accounting protocol is developed for megaprojects.•Geo-spatial counterfactual analysis should be included into EIA.•The developed methodology is applied to the Turin-Lyon high-speed railway.•Counterfactual analysis is necessary to assess impacts generated by the megaproject.•The research found an ideal counterfactual area of reference.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
This paper presents a novel approach to assessing the cost of container liner shipping through the Northwest Passage (NWP) on northern local communities. Based on some representative communities, ...concerns of the residents of these Canadian Arctic regions were assessed. Two essential factors to the well-being of the community members—air pollution and oil spills—are considered in our model. The approach was therefore used to evaluate the socio-economic impact of Arctic container liner shipping in Canadian Arctic regions. More specifically, the approach adopted a) uses a logit model to estimate the market share of NWP for commercial liner shipping; b) investigates different scenarios to evaluate the feasibility of commercial liner shipping through the NWP; c) incorporating concerns from the local communities, conducts a socio-economic analysis for the communities. With the analysis of the socio-economic impacts on local communities, the study would help guide governments on how to evaluate and calculate transit fees for transiting NWP. The study is imperative in supporting decision-making to shape Arctic policy. Furthermore, it gives stakeholders an idea of the market dynamics of shipping in the Arctic area.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
The COVID-19 pandemic had severe consequences for communities across the globe and especially in Melbourne, Australia, where residents experienced strict control measures and extended lockdowns. ...Using a mixed-methods approach, this study explores an initiative to facilitate community recovery by analysing the socio-economic impacts of small-scale events held by local government in Melbourne’s West shortly after the final lockdown lifted. Survey data were collected from 843 event attendees and 43 business operators, followed by semi-structured interviews. Results show that these events generated multiple social benefits by enhancing a sense of community, (re)connecting people, improving mental health, and promoting diversity and inclusion. Economic benefits were generated directly by boosting local and visitor spending and indirectly through increasing business-community connectedness. The study contributes to the limited empirical research on the value and role of small-scale events for community recovery and has managerial implications for sustainable destination development, recovery and regeneration strategies.
This study explores the impact of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) on households in Samoa, particularly those households that invested in the TVET qualification and ...certification of at least one member of their household. Significant benefits accrue to households through productive employment of the TVET‐certified household member, and this study is one of a kind designed to gather some base line socio‐economic data from 15 case study households to validate these claims. The study is framed within the sustainable livelihoods approach and capabilities approach. Improved skills of TVET persons provide a sustainable livelihood for their households and enabled strengthening of people's capabilities to make significant contributions to their families, community and national development agenda. Questionnaires and focus group discussions were methods engaged to answer the study question on the socio‐economic impacts of TVET‐certified members on their households. The results substantiated what we have always observed and believed, that the households with at least one TVET‐certified member is able to make positive physical and social contributions towards improving the livelihood of the entire household.
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DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
South Africa's natural resources and ecosystems are negatively affected by Invasive Alien Plants (IAPs). We used a life-cycle approach to assess the environmental and socio-economic impacts of using ...IAPs for electricity generation in South Africa or exported and used for electricity generation in the Netherlands. Supply chain greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of electricity from IAPs pellets, excluding land use change-related GHG emissions, are 31.5 gCO2eq MJ−1 for electricity generation in South Africa and 31.2 gCO2eq MJ−1 for electricity generation in the Netherlands. An additional 3.9 gCO2eq MJ−1 is accounted for if emissions of land use change are included and land is rehabilitated to its natural state. The removal of IAPs results in water savings when considering any potential land use transition, ranging between 1,263 mm year−1 for annual cropland to 12 mm year−1 for dense forest. The supply chain costs of pellets are 5,344 ZAR Mg−1 (285 € Mg−1) delivered at the power plant in South Africa and 2,535 ZAR Mg−1 (159 € Mg−1) delivered at Rotterdam port. Direct full-time jobs generated from removing IAPs up to the conversion-factory-gate are 604 FTE year−1 for South Africa and 525 FTE year−1 for the Netherlands. There are clear trade-offs between environmental and social benefits and costs. There are generally net carbon losses when considering the land use transitions after IAP removal, even when land is rehabilitated to its natural state. Using IAPs for electricity can be a valuable strategy for South Africa to generate employment, conserve water resources and reduce GHG emissions.
•Utilizing invasive alien plants for electricity generation can result in GHG emissions savings.•Eradicating invasive alien plants results in environmental and socio-economic tradeoffs.•Removing invasive alien plants results in water savings and job creation.•Including tradeoffs need to be considered for the sustainable development of the biomass sector.•A public-private partnership is essential to share electricity production costs.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
The aim of this study is to assess the socio‐economic impacts of the São Francisco River Integration Project (PISF). In order to do that, a dynamic inter‐regional computable general equilibrium model ...is used, called TERM‐NEPISF. An increase in investments and in the total productivity of factors in the agricultural sectors was simulated. In general, the results reveal that greater investment and increase productivity has positive effects on GDP, employment, and household consumption, with rural workers and lower‐income households benefited the most. Furthermore, the results show a negative variation of the Gini index for almost all regions, expressing reduction of regional disparities.
Resumen
El objetivo de este estudio es evaluar los impactos socioeconómicos del Proyecto de Integración del Río São Francisco (PISF). Para ello, se empleó un modelo dinámico interregional de equilibrio general computable, denominado TERM‐NEPISF. Se simuló un aumento de las inversiones y de la productividad total de los factores en los sectores agrícolas. En general, los resultados revelan que una mayor inversión y un aumento de la productividad tienen efectos positivos sobre el PIB, el empleo y el consumo de los hogares, y que los más beneficiados serían los trabajadores rurales y los hogares con menores ingresos. Además, los resultados muestran una variación negativa del índice de Gini para casi todas las regiones, lo que indica la reducción de las disparidades regionales.
抄録
本稿では、TERM‐NEPISFと呼ばれる地域間での計算可能な動学的一般均衡モデルを用いて、São Francisco River Integration Project(PISF:サン・フランシスコ川統合プロジェクト)の社会経済的影響を評価する。農業部門の因子における投資の増加との総生産性の向上をシミュレーションした。概して、結果から、投資の拡大と生産性の向上はGDP、雇用、家計消費にプラスの効果をもたらし、農村労働者と低所得世帯が最も恩恵を受けたことが明らかになった。また、結果からほぼ全ての地域でジニ指数のマイナスの変化が示され、地域間格差が縮小していると見られる。
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DOBA, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, IZUM, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
This study aims to determine the process of relocation of the Pasar Panjang traders to the Central Market of Wua-Wua Kendari City and to determine the impact caused after the relocation. This ...research uses a qualitative approach, where data is collected through observation, interview, and documentation techniques. The results of this study indicate that the relocation of Pasar Panjang traders to the Wua-Wua Central Market of Kendari City is intended for fire victims. The government provides approximately 1,200 stalls with adequate facilities. The impact caused by the relocation of the Pasar Panjang traders to the Central Market of Wua-Wua, Kendari City, includes social impacts, namely the interaction between traders is well established, some locations are not given much attention to cleanliness. While the economic impact of the lack of merchant income due to lack of visitors, most traders take capital in the bank to open a business so they do not have savings, the volume of business traders to decline.
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