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Three steps to sustainable travel : A study of Region Skåne’s and Region Dalarna’s efforts to get more people to travel by public transit
Get PDFMånga svenska regioner har som målsättning att minska andelen biltrafik och få fler att istället resa med kollektivtrafiken. Två av dessa är Region Skåne och Region Dalarna, dock med väldigt olika förutsättningar för att göra så. Region Skåne har ett väl utbyggt järnvägsnät och en hög befolkningstäthet som lämpar sig väl för implementeringen av kollektivtrafik. Region Dalarna är bortsett från Region Gotland den region med högst biltäthet och har stora avstånd mellan tätorter.
Denna studie avser att undersöka dessa två regioners insatser för att få fler att resa med kollektivtrafiken utifrån tre olika teman: Infrastruktursatsningar, mobility management och styrmedel. Detta genom en intervjustudie där en handfull tjänstemän från vardera region inkluderas samt en dokumentanalys av regionernas styrdokument.
Studiens slutsatser visar på att båda regionerna utför en rad olika åtgärder för att nå deras målsättningar i frågan, exempelvis genom en rad olika pilotprojekt. Dessa inkluderar insatser som avser att läraMany Swedish regions have the goal of reducing the amount of car traffic and get more people to travel by public transport instead. Two of which are Region Skåne and Region Dalarna, although with very different conditions for doing so. Region Skåne has a well-developed network of train tracks and a high population density that is well suited for the implementation of public transport. Region Dalarna is, apart from Region Gotland, the region with the highest car density and has large distances between urban areas.
This study aims to examine these two regions' efforts to get more people to travel by public transport based on three different themes: Infrastructure investments, mobility management and policy instruments. This is done through an interview study in which a handful of civil servants from each region are included, as well as a document analysis of the regions' policy documents.
The study’s findings show that both regions are implementing a range of measures to achieve their goals in this area. These include initiatives to teach children the benefits of public transport, on-demand public transport in rural areas and attempts to give the general public the opportunity to travel by school transport.
The regions face unique challenges in getting more people to travel by public transport in order to lower the amount of car travel. In addition, the study found that there are also national factors that make the transition to increased public transport travel more difficult. This in the form of a lack of government co-financing and guidance in mobility management measures, and reduced petrol prices that attract more people to travel by car
Hur Politiska Partier i Kommunfullmäktige Påverkar Antalet Bostäder i Nyproducerade Byggnader : bevis Från 290 Svenska Kommuner, 1994–2022
No full textLocal self-governments in Sweden control local zoning and building permits, and the political drivers of housing supply can vary greatly dependent on the political context. I test whether ideology in municipal self-governments and political fragmentation influence the number of housing units in newly constructed buildings, in both multi- and single-dwelling buildings. I compile a panel dataset of Swedish municipalities covering the election periods 1994-2022, and estimate Fixed effects Poisson models, clustered at the municipality level. After controlling for demographic, economic and fiscal factors, neither left- nor right-leaning dominance shows any robust link to housing starts in either building type. Results from political fragmentation in local governments suggests additional parties to reduce expected multi-dwelling starts, but not when it comes to single-dwelling starts, regardless of ideology
Institutions matter: governance and the role of DFIs in mobilizing private investment : a panel data analysis of blended finance and institutional enablers in the SDG era
Get PDFThis thesis examines how governance quality influences the ability of Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) to mobilize private investment in developing countries. In this study, mobilized private investment (MPI) refers to the portion of private investment that can be attributed to the presence of DFIs through guarantees, concessional loans, or equity participation. Using panel data from 104 developing countries between 2012 and 2023, the study investigates how three aspects of governance, namely Rule of Law, Regulatory Quality, and Government Effectiveness, influence the volume of MPI. A random effects panel regression approach is used, along with Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to construct a composite governance index. The analysis also includes an interaction term for the post-COVID period and a comparative model using foreign direct investment (FDI) as a benchmark.
The findings show that stronger governance is significantly associated with higher levels of mobilized private investment. Among the three dimensions, regulatory quality has the largest and most consistent effect. Results also indicate that governance may have become more influential in the post-COVID period. These patterns hold across robustness checks, including alternative specifications and comparisons with FDI trends.
The thesis contributes to development finance research by providing empirical evidence that institutional quality is a key enabler of blended finance. However, it also highlights a distributional challenge: DFIs appear more effective in countries already on a development trajectory, while those with weaker institutions risk being left behind. The study underscores the importance of integrating governance diagnostics, risk-sharing tools, and institutional support into future blended finance strategies
Evaluation of the function of the amphibian mitigation at lake Lillbyasjön in Östhammar municipality
Get PDFGroddjur minskar i världen och en anledning är exploatering av vägar som leder till överkörda amfibier. För att förhindra påkörda groddjur på vägarna är ett bättre alternativ att bygga groddjursåtgärder. Syftet med denna studie är att ta reda på om tekniska brister i groddjursåtgärdens konstruktion vid Lillbyasjön leder till att groddjur tar sig upp på vägen och därmed riskerar att bli dödade. Ledarmarnas slut, färisterna och tunnlarna lades till i en ArcGis karta genom GPS-positioner. Groddjursåtgärden kategoriserades in i fyra olika områden beroende på vilken brist/ icke-brist som fanns. Groddjursåtgärden inventerades vid fem tillfällen under vårvandringen. Resultatet visar en högre andel groddjur på vägen vid slutbristområdena respektive konstruktionsbristområdet jämfört med icke-bristområdena. Denna studie skulle kunna förstärka sitt resultat om vissa reparationer och åtaganden görs och inventering sker på nytt för att jämföra resultaten. Denna studie visar att bristerna skulle kunna vara en bidragande faktor till groddjur på vägen. För att förhindra groddjur på vägen vid Lillbyasjöns groddjursåtgärd skulle kontinuerliga reparationer och underhåll behövas.Amphibians are decreasing in the world and one reason for this is human exploitation of roads that can lead to amphibians being run over by traffic. To prevent amphibian road-kills, one of the better options humans can do is to build amphibian mitigation measures. The purpose of this study is to find out if technical defect in the construction of the amphibian mitigation measures at Lillbyasjön lead to amphibians getting on the road and thereby risking being killed. The fence ends, cattle-grid and tunnels were added to an ArcGis map by GPS positions. The amphibian mitigation measures were categorized into four different areas depending on what type of construction defect/non defect it was. The amphibian mitigation measures were inventoried on five occasions during the spring migration. The result shows a higher proportion of amphibians on the road at the fence-end areas and construction defect areas compared to the non-deficiency areas. This study could strengthen its result if some repairs and maintenance are made, and inventory is done again to compare the results. This study shows that the technical defect in the construction could be a contributing factor to the increased number of individuals on the road. To prevent amphibians on the road at Lillbyasjön's amphibian mitigation measure, continuous repairs and maintenance would be needed
Ekonomisk analys av Kronobergsmetoden : Gran under lågskärm av björk
Get PDFIn Sweden, birch represents 13 percent of the total timber supply. The majority of the trees never reach their full potential because they are cleared or thinned out in favour of spruce and pine. There are many benefits of birch incorporation, increased biodiversity, reduced storm and fire damage, prevention against root rot and promotion of biodiversity are just a few. The following study is a presentation of economic differences between low canopy forestry and traditional rotation forestry.
The Kronoberg method (KBM) was compared with traditional rotation forestry (BAU) through four analyses in Heureka's BeståndsVis with an interest rate of 2,5 % for each location G24 and G28. To compare how the net present value is affected sensitivity analyses of 2 %, 3 % and 4 % rate were investigated. The analyses were guided by growth models for northern Sweden and SCA's price list for delivery timber in the Umeå area. The purpose of the analyses was to determine, from the same included stock, a NPV for each location and management method in order to be able to compare the four different scenarios. The total production in the four management alternatives was also compared.
The analyses showed that KBM gave a higher NPV than BAU on G24 while BAU gave a higher NPV than KBM on G28. The sensitivity analyses for G24 and G28 showed that at 2 % interest, BAU has a higher NPV than KBM, while at 4 % interest, KBM has a higher NPV than BAU. Total production was higher with KBM at both locations
CH4 and N2O fluxes from a partially flooded sugar beet field : a field experiment in Skåne during early spring
Get PDFJordbruket är en betydande källa till utsläpp av växthusgaserna metan (CH4) och lustgas (N2O), som bland annat bildas i jordbruksmark genom mikrobiologiska processer. Dessa processer påverkas av ett komplext samspel mellan flera miljö- och markrelaterade faktorer. En potentiell risk för höga emissioner av CH4 och N2O är sockerbetsodling, eftersom den ofta leder till markpackning, vilket ökar risken för översvämning. Varken översvämmad jordbruksmark eller sockerbetsfält är särskilt undersökta vad gäller gasemissioner. Inte heller är sambandet mellan dessa gaser och WFPS, ett mått på markens vatteninnehåll, tillräckligt undersökt vid sådana förhållanden.
Syftet med den här studien var därför att kvantifiera CH4- och N2O-flux från ett delvis översvämmat sockerbetsfält i Skåne under tidig vår och att ta reda på sambandet mellan dessa gaser och WFPS. Studien genomfördes som ett fältförsök där CH4- och N2O-flux mättes med statiska kammare från fem olika avstånd från översvämningen samt att information om mark- och väderfaktorer samlades in, totalt gjordes åtta gasmätningar under en 19-dagarsperiod.
Resultaten visade att marken fungerat som en metansänka, eftersom CH4-flux varit negativa för samtliga grupper. Detta innebär att marken varit för aerob för CH4-produktion, trots markens höga vatteninnehåll, vilket kan bero på att grundvattnet syresatts genom nederbörd eller en dräneringspump i anslutningen till översvämningen. Regressionsanalyserna visade inget samband mellan WFPS och CH4- respektive N2O-flux, men resultaten kan ha påverkats av att WFPS-värdena blivit felaktiga till följd av otillräckligt torkade jordprover. Däremot fanns en negativ korrelation mellan volymetrisk vattenhalt (VWC) och N2O, vilket visar på vatteninnehållets betydelse för N2O-emissioner. N2O-emissionerna ökade med ökat avstånd från översvämningen, men den vattennivå där denitrifikationen upphör har sannolikt inte nåtts, vilket innebär att emissionerna kan vara ännu högre vid längre avstånd. Likaså pågick mätperioden under endast ca 1/3 av översvämningsperioden, vilket innebär att emissionerna för hela översvämningsperioden sannolikt är ännu högre. Översvämmad jordbruksmark kan därför utgöra en risksituation för höga emissioner av N2O.Agriculture is a significant emission source for the greenhouse gases methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) produced in agricultural soils by microbiological processes. These processes are influenced by a complex interaction of several environmental- and soil related factors. Sugar beet production poses a potential risk for high gas emissions due to soil compaction which increases the risk of flooding. Neither flooded agricultural soils or sugar beet fields have been thoroughly studied in terms of gas emissions. Furthermore, the relationship between these gases and WFPS, a measure of soil water content, has not been sufficiently examined under such conditions.
The purpose of this study is to quantify the fluxes of CH4 and N2O from a partially flooded sugar beet field in Skåne during early spring and to examine the relationship between these gases and WFPS. A field study design was performed, measuring CH4 and N2O fluxes using non-steady-state chambers from five distances from the flooded water area and also gathering data of soil- and weather factors. In total, eight gas measurements were performed during a 19-day period.
The results showed that the soil had acted as a methane sink since CH4 flux were negative for all distances. This means that the soil had been too aerobic for CH4-production to take place even though the soil had high water content, which could be explained by the groundwater getting oxygenated by precipitation or by a nearby drainage pump. The regression analysis found no correlation between WFPS or any gas flux but the results could have been affected by a calculation error in WFPS values due to insufficiently dried soil samples. There was however a negative correlation between Volumetric Water Content (VWC) and N2O, which shows an impact of water content on N2O emissions. The emissions of N2O increased with greater distance from the flooded area, but the water level at which denitrification ceases has probably not been reached. This suggests that emissions could be even higher at greater distances. Furthermore, the measurement period only lasted for 19-days which represents about 1/3 of the local flooding period meaning that the total emissions of N2O likely was even higher. Flooded agricultural soils may therefore pose a risk for high emissions of N2O
Jämförelse av URM, URM med areatillägg och ARM för att begränsa sammanhängande hyggesstorlek
Get PDFIn this study, various models for limiting the size of clear-cut areas have been examined and compared using the decision support system Heureka Planwise. The models utilized in the comparison include the Unit Restriction Model (URM), URM-A, which is the URM with an additional area restriction limiting the combined area of two adjacent clear-cuts, and Heureka's built-in module, the Area Restriction Model (ARM). The study was conducted to investigate the challenges and opportunities of these different models in relation to the Swedish Forestry Agency's definition of close-to-nature forestry released in 2023. In this definition, the Swedish Forestry Agency defines close-to-nature forestry, among other criteria, by the key measure Ensuring gentle harvesting. This means that the maximum clear-cut size is 2 hectares in Götaland and 4 hectares elsewhere in Sweden. The results of the work showed that ARM managed to create a better distribution of final harvestable units over the planning horizon than the other models. A higher NPV was generated while the restrictions were adhered to. The disadvantage of ARM was the solution time, which was almost 3 times longer than in the other models
Site index in focus: A comparative study of measurement methods
Get PDFThe report compares the methods Site Index System (SIS), Upper Height Site Index (SIH),
and Elfving’s increment height development curves (E-SIH) for calculating site index (SI).
The aim was to investigate whether there were differences in estimated SI between the
methods within the same stands depending on geographic area, stand age, and different SI
classes.
For the analysis, inventory data from the National Forest Inventory for spruce (Picea Abies)
and pine (Pinus Sylvestris) in Sweden from the years 1983 to 2002 were used. The data
were divided into classes based on geographic area, age, and SI. Within these classes, SIS,
SIH, and E-SIH were compared with each other.
The results showed significant differences between the methods within all classes, with the
largest measured difference being one to one and a half meters. It also emerged that SIH
and E-SIH tend to give higher site indices in younger stands compared to SIS, than in older
stands. Depending on the geographic location, variations were also shown, with larger
differences between SIS, SIH, and E-SIH in northern Norrland than in other areas. Finally,
different SI classes were compared, where it was found that lower SI (between 10 and 21)
gave a larger difference than higher SI (between 28 and 32). Generally, for all classes, SIS,
SIH, and E-SIH gave a greater spread of SI in spruce stands than in pine stands.
All the differences mentioned above can create conflicts in forest planning. A one-meter
difference in site index makes little practical difference with today's methods, but further
research is needed to draw more precise conclusions and examine the practical implications
of the method differences
The economic value of the rounding : the impact of the lease agreement
Get PDFJordbruksmarkens yta i Sverige uppgår idag till cirka tre miljoner hektar och den arrenderade marken står idag för 45 % av åkermarken. Detta innebär att ett stort antal jordägare och arrendatorer brukar sin jord under ett arrendeavtal. Avtalets värde ska enligt lag utgå ifrån arrendeställets avkastningsförmåga, arrendeavtalets innehåll och omständigheterna i övrigt. Arrendeställets avkastningsförmåga är beroende på olika saker. Exempelvis jordklasser, klimat, täckdikning och arrondering. Det finns idag en efterfrågan från både jordägare och arrendatorer att jordbruksmarkens arrondering ska tydligare speglas i arrendeavgiften. Efterfrågan motiveras av att det i studier har påvisats hur arrendeställets lönsamhet kan påverkas av arronderingen. Alltså kan ett fälts utformning, storlek och läge kan leda till minskade driftskostnader om den är effektiv och därmed resultera i ökad lönsamhet i brukandet av marken. Ur ett lönsamhetsperspektiv är det därför av stor vikt att bidra till att utveckla ett transparant och konsekvent tillvägagångssätt för att värdera arronderingens kostnader på åkermark. Vidare finns det en otillräcklighet i forskningen som kan koppla arrondering och arrendevärdering trots en betydande inverkan på lönsamhet och prissättningen av arrendet.
Studiens syfte ämnar utveckla en beräkningsmodell som kan kvantifiera arronderings kostnader och därefter överföra dessa till en arrendeavgift med pålägg eller avdrag. Med hjälp av uppsatsen avser författarna att öka transparensen mellan arrendatorer och jordägare vilket kan bidra till att förbättra parternas relation till varandra. Vidare har författarna även inriktat sig på att analysera hur jordägarna och arrendatorerna uppfattar arronderings värde och hur de upplever varandras relation med avseende på informationssymmetri och egenintresse. För att uppnå syftet har författarna valt en kvantitativ metod med kvalitativa inslag. I den kvantitativ metoden har bidragskalkylering samt datorprogrammet GeoBird använts som verktyg för att utveckla en beräkningsmodell som påvisar arronderingens kostnader. Författarna har sedan beräknat täckningsbidraget för nio slumpmässigt utvalda samt två fiktiva fält. De kvalitativa inslagen i uppsatsen har tagits fram genom insamlande av data från intervjuer med både jordägare och arrendatorer. Detta tillvägagångsätt möjliggjorde en djupare förståelse för de faktorer som påverkar arrendeprissättningen och hur arrondering uppfattas av parterna.
Nyckelresultaten visar att arronderingen har en betydande påverkan på resultatet per hektar och har därmed en inverkan på lönsamheten i ett arrendeställe. Det var tydligt att större fält med en regelbunden form gav ett större resultat i täckningsbidrag i jämförelse med de fält som var mindre och hade en mer oregelbunden form med ett eller flera odlingshinder. Vidare var jordägarna och arrendatorerna eniga om att arronderingens påverkan borde ta större plats vid en arrendeförhandling. Det finns dock fortsatt en svårighet gällande prissättningen av arrendet på grund av parternas egenintresse vid en förhandling. Uppsatsen konkluderar att en tydlig och vedertagen beräkningsmodell kan bidra till ett mer transparent arrendeförhållande mellan parterna. I framtida studier föreslås det att utöka antalet tester på ett större antal fält för att få ett mer rättvist resultat. Vidare föreslår författarna att vid framtida studier bör man utforska arronderingens påverkan i fler geografiska områden än de i studien för att kunna bredda förståelsen av arronderings ekonomiska betydelse
Evaluation of Nature Based Materials for the Remediation of AMD Water : a Laboratory Based Case Study with the focus on Aluminium and Heavy Metals
Get PDFAbandoned mines often face the problem of Acid mine drainage (AMD). AMD is characterized by high acidity, elevated metal concentrations, and often significant salinization making a treatment of the water necessary to prevent environmental damage and secure water availability. Especially in South Africa, where mining has a big history, solutions to treat AMD are needed.
This study evaluates the effectiveness of various nature-based materials, including limestone, zeolite, unactivated and activated bentonite, and recycling concrete, in treating synthetic AMD with the focus on heavy metals and aluminium. A batch experiment was conducted, using solid to liquid ratio of 2 and 10 g/L and a synthetic AMD based on the water analysis of Brugspruit. The research examines their impact on pH levels and their ability to reduce mineral and metal concentrations. The two main mechanisms to decrease concentration in solution are adsorption and precipitation. Adsorption is mainly attributed to zeolite and the bentonites and precipitation to limestone and concrete due to their chemical and physical properties.
Results indicate that limestone and recycling concrete are particularly effective, increasing pH to 7.3 and 8.4 respectively at a dosage of 10 g/L. Recycling concrete demonstrated superior metal removal capabilities, achieving reductions of 99.7% for aluminium, 100% for iron, 98% for nickel, 100% for zinc, and 88% for manganese. At a lower dosage of 2 g/L, only limestone significantly increased pH and effectively removed metals from the solution. Modelling the process showed, that the removal for limestone and concrete batches might not only be according to precipitation but also adsorption. This means that forming precipitates can also act as adsorbents. Adsorptive materials did not reduce elements in solution in a significant manner.
The pH value was found to be important for metal removal. Adsorptive materials that were not able to increase pH were not able to adsorb metals at low pH values. On the other hand, pH increasing materials such as limestone and concrete showed promise regarding their ability to treat AMD.
However, further investigation is needed to fully understand the exact removal mechanisms and to evaluate applicability of adsorption materials when pH is increased in a first step in a multi stage treatment