1,720,963 research outputs found
Moving the Brown Agenda Forward: From Corporate Environmental Governance to Government Governance at the Local Level
Full text linkThe \u27brown agenda\u27 is part and parcel of the contemporary environmental law discourse and refers inter alia to the reduction of threats to health and human well-being that arise from poor sanitation, overpopulation, insufficient water provision, air and water pollution and inadequate waste management. Brown issues are understood to impact on humans at a local scale / at the local level and often impact the poor and low-income groups.
Despite the fact that the brown agenda falls within the purview of the protection afforded by international, regional and domestic environmental law, a number of judgments of the courts between 2009 and 2012[1] has shown that in South Africa, environmental law still remains largely unexplored in communities\u27 efforts to judicially protect brown (agenda) interests. Curiously, in cases involving poor sanitation, inadequate access to water of good quality, and access to adequate housing and electricity, the affected parties to date, relied in most instances on non-environmental rights and law. This is notwithstanding the fact that South Africa has a very strong environmental law framework embedded in a widely construed enforceable constitutional environmental right (section 24 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996).
In South Africa, local government is together with national and provincial authorities co-responsible for realising the constitutional environmental right of people. It is furthermore constitutionally mandated to provide services in a sustainable manner and to promote a safe and healthy environment (chapter 7 of the Constitution). A very firm constitutional and statutory basis is laid for local environmental governance, generally. As is the case in many other countries, the brown agenda falls within the constitutional mandate and scope of regulatory powers of local government that comprises of 284 municipalities. In fact, at the heart of local environmental governance lies the realisation of brown agenda objectives.
In spite of the relevant constitutional and environmental law provisions and the brown agenda mandate of local government, municipalities have battled in recent years to optimise local environmental governance across South Africa. It is widely acknowledged that at present, local governance (including local environmental governance) is in \u27deep distress\u27. A whole range of political, governance, resource related and other socio-economic complexities is to be blamed. This status quo demands that existing local environmental governance approaches, tools and decision-making institutions be thoroughly revisited.
Against the background of the above, the proposed paper critically evaluates and discusses the recent extension and adaptation of corporate governance approaches, tools and institutions to fit public sector governance, including local (government) governance in South Africa. The paper specifically questions to what extent the implementation of the objectives and mandates of local government contained in the King Report on Governance for South Africa (2009) and the King Code of Governance Principles (2009) (together referred to as King III) is a viable way of improving local environmental governance and more specifically, of seeing by means of governance measures, to the protection of life-supporting brown agenda interests of local communities.
[1] These judgments include, amongst others: Mazibuko v The City of Johannesburg 2010 (3) BCLR 239 (CC); Joseph v City of Johannesburg 2010 (4) SA (CC); Nokotyana v Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality 2010 (4) BCLR 312 (CC) and Ntombentsha Beja v Premier of the Western Cape [2011] ZAWCHC 97
The effect of age and sex on the meat quality of impala (Aepyceros melampus)
Full text linkThesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2020.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to provide baseline data on the effect of animal age and sex on the yield, physical meat quality and chemical composition of impala (Aepyceros melampus) meat. The analysis took place on the following six muscles: infraspinatus (IS), supraspinatus (SS), longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL), biceps femoris (BF), semimembranosus (SM) and semitendinosus (ST).
A total of 32 impala were used during this study. The male animals were divided into three age categories of 18-months old, 30-months old and 42-months old with eight animals per age group. The eight female animals were all 30-months of age. The 42-month-old rams had the heaviest dead weight (58.3 ± 5.99 kg) and carcass weight (34.1 ± 4.03 kg), but no differences in dressing percentage between the ages were noted. The male animals also had heavier dead weights and carcass weights in comparison to the same aged female animals. The total offal was heavier in the 42-month-old animals as well as the red offal proportion. The muscle weight increased with age, with the 42-month-old animals having the highest muscle yield.
Age did not affect the physical meat quality of the muscles that were analysed; no differences were found between the water holding capacity, shear force as well as colour between the different age groups. Sex had an influence on some of the muscles analysed. This was mainly observed in the lightness (L* values) of the muscles with the ewes having lower L* values and thus darker meat in comparison to the rams. The difference in L* values is possibly due to the difference observed in muscle pH between the rams and ewes. The female animals had a higher pH for the majority of the muscles in comparison to the rams. Despite these slight differences, it would seem as if impala have inherently high meat quality attributes ideal for fresh meat production.
The chemical composition of the muscles analysed were unaffected by age. The moisture content ranged between 75.0 ± 0.39 - 76.7 ± 0.90 g/100 g meat, the protein content between 20.8 ± 1.03 - 22.6 ± 0.41 g/100 g, the intramuscular fat content between 1.6 ± 0.31 – 2.4 ± 1.30 g/100 g, the ash content between 1.2 ± 0.07 - 1.6 ± 1.08 g/100 g as well as the myoglobin content ranged between 8.2 ± 1.17 - 11.6 ± 2.17 mg/g. Sex also had minimal effect on the proximate composition and myoglobin content of the muscles analysed. Slight differences between the muscles were observed for some of the proximate components. These differences were due to the different anatomical location and thus the function of each muscle.
The data generated will aid producers and marketers in the accurate production, marketing, labelling and consumer education regarding impala meat production.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie was om data te verskaf oor die effek van ouderdom en geslag op die opbrengs, fisiese kwaliteit en chemiese samestelling van rooibok (Aepyceros melampus) vleis. Die volgende ses spiere was vir die analises gebruik: infraspinatus (IS), supraspinatus (SS), longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL), biceps femoris (BF), semimembranosus (SM) en semitendinosus (ST).
‘n Totaal van 32 diere was gebruik tydens die studie. Die manlike diere was verdeel in drie ouderdomsgroepe naamlik 18 maande, 30 maande en 42 maande. Elke ouderdomsgroep het agt diere bevat. Die agt oorblywende vroulike diere was almal 30 maande oud. Die 42 maande oue ramme het die swaarste dooie gewigte (58.3 ± 5.99 kg) en karkas gewigte (34.1 ± 4.03 kg) gehad. Daar was egter geen verskil in uitslag persentasie tussen die ouderdomme gevind nie. Die manlike diere het ook swaarder dooie- en karkas gewigte gehad as die selfde ouderdom vroulike diere. Die totale afval asook die rooi afval verhouding was die swaarste in die 42 maande oue ramme. Die gewig van die spiere het toegeneem met ouderdom. Die 42 maande oue ramme het die hoogste spier opbrengs gelewer.
Die ouderdom van die diere het nie die fisiese vleis kwaliteit van die spiere beïnvloed nie. Daar was geen verskille gevind tussen die ouderdomsgroepe vir waterhouvermoë, skuifskeurkrag en kleur nie. Geslag het ‘n uitwerking gehad op van die spiere wat geanaliseer was. Die effek van geslag was hoofsaaklik waargeneem op die ligtheid (L* waarde) van die spiere. Die ooie het laer L* waardes gehad en dus donkerder vleis as die ramme. Die verskil wat waargeneem is tussen die L* waardes van die twee geslagte kan wees as gevolg van verskille wat waargeneem was in die pH waardes tussen ramme en ooie. Die vroulike diere het hoër pH waardes gehad vir die meerderheid van die spiere wat geanaliseer was. Ten spyte van hierdie klein verskille wil dit voorkom of rooibok vleis ‘n inherente hoë kwaliteit het wat geskik is vir vars vleisproduksie.
Die ouderdom van die diere het nie die chemiese samestelling van die spiere beïnvloed nie. Die voginhoud het gewissel tussen 75.0 ± 0.39 - 76.7 ± 0.90 g/100 g vleis, die proteïeninhoud tussen 20.8 ± 1.03 - 22.6 ± 0.41 g/100 g, die intramuskulêre vetinhoud tussen 1.6 ± 0.31 – 2.4 ± 1.30 g/100 g, die as inhoud tussen 1.2 ± 0.07 - 1.6 ± 1.08 g/100 g en die mioglobien inhoud het gewissel tussen 8.2 ± 1.17 - 11.6 ± 2.17 mg/g. Die geslag van die diere het ook minimale effekte gehad op die proksimale komposisie as ook mioglobien inhoud van die spiere wat geanaliseer was. Daar was klein verskille vir die proksimale komposisie tussen die verskillende spiere waargeneem. Hierdie verskille kan wees as gevolg van verskille in anatomiese ligging en dus die funksie van die verskillende spiere.
Die data deur hierdie navorsing gegenereer sal produsente en bemarkers van wildsvleis help met akkurate produksie, bemarking, etikettering as ook verbruiker opvoeding rakend rooibok vleis produksie.Master
Editorial: Environmental and Energy Law – Willemien du Plessis
No full textLiber amicorum is formally defined as a scholarly anthology honouring a distinguished colleague, and it would have been apt to call this special issue honouring Willemien du Plessis just that. But the special issue we present here is so much more than merely a collection of papers from long-standing colleagues and friends. The papers are deep reflections on some of the many burning issues that Willemien dedicated her life to, and they are therefore representative (although not fully) of the scope and breadth of her interests and vast academic expertise. Perhaps more importantly, they are reflective of the diversity of people spanning the globe, ranging from early career to senior scholars, from all walks of life, that have been inspired by Willemien, touched by her acumen, kindness, motivation, mentorship, curiosity and collegiality over the years
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
A framework for measuring and internal reporting of environmental costs at a mine
No full textThe purpose of the study is to investigate the current modus operandi of measuring and reporting environmental costs at a South African platinum mine which will finally allow for a framework to be set to improve the mentioned measuring and reporting. This research follows a case study approach, which is both explanatory and exploratory, which is inter alia to do a gap analysis regarding to the current measuring and reporting of environmental costs. Documents and different activities of the two involved Departments, Environmental and Management Accounting, responsible for the measuring and internal reporting, are considered. The study found that environmental costs are currently being measured by the mine, but they are not classified as such and are absorbed into the overhead or utility accounts. Because of this, reporting of environmental costs are lacking in the integrated statements of the mine. The value of the study is that it provides a framework in order to assist mining companies to measure and report on environmental costs – in such a way that they can improve their environmental and economic performance.http://businessperspectives.org/component/option,com_journals/task,issue/id,278/jid,9/Itemid,74
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts
Full text linkWe conducted a full-scale evaluative citation analysis study of scholars in the XML research field to explore just how different from each other author rankings resulting from different citation counting methods actually are, and to demonstrate the capability of emerging data and tools on the Web in supporting more realistic citation counting methods. Our results contest some common arguments for the continued
use of first-author citation counts in the evaluation of scholars, such as high correlations between author rankings by first-author citation counts and other citation
counting methods, and high costs of using more realistic citation counting methods that are not well-supported by the ISI databases. It is argued that increasingly available digital full text research papers make it possible for citation analysis studies to go beyond what the ISI databases have directly supported and to employ more
sophisticated methods
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