1,721,079 research outputs found
Il diritto e la sostenibilità climatico-ecologica: energia, clima e ambiente nel governo della complessità
No full textL’indagine approfondisce, attraverso le lenti del diritto, il tema della complessità in relazione alla crisi climatico-ecologica. L’itinerario della ricerca si compone di sei ‘tappe’ – ciascuna corrispondente ad un Capitolo – tra loro distinte ma profondamente interconnesse.
Nel Capitolo Primo si tracciano le coordinate di riferimento dell’intera indagine, individuando le sfide che il diritto dovrà affrontare per governare la complessità. In quest’ottica, si analizzano i risvolti giuridici della ‘lettura della realtà’ e si indaga come il diritto si ponga dinnanzi ad un fenomeno in continuo mutamento che non solo si dipana su scala globale, ma che è per di più connotato da una (parzialmente) inevitabile incertezza scientifica.
Nel Capitolo Secondo, si ricostruisce l’evoluzione storica del concetto di ambiente, fenomeno ‘più facile da intuire che da definire’. In questa prospettiva si fa luce sia sulla dimensione internazionale (e, in particolare, sul ruolo delle Nazioni Unite) sia sulla dimensione europea nella sua duplice declinazione di Unione Europea e di Consiglio d’Europa. Si cerca dunque di ‘sviscerare’ la nozione (giuridica) di ambiente e di ripercorrere le tappe (giuridiche e concettuali) che hanno condotto all’elaborazione del concetto di sviluppo sostenibile.
Il Capitolo Terzo si apre con la perimetrazione dei confini concettuali della sfida che il diritto è chiamato ad affrontare per poi dedicare maggiore attenzione ai molti risvolti del macro-cosmo dell’energia, perno centrale nella svolta verso un paradigma sostenibile. L’indagine si concentra sulla ricostruzione dei complicati intrecci di interessi dalla cui considerazione il diritto non può prescindere.
Nel Capitolo Quarto la ricerca si concentra sul quadro normativo della transizione energetica nella dimensione euro-unitaria. In questa prospettiva si indaga come sia mutata la considerazione delle nozioni di ambiente, energia e clima, nozioni le quali si sono sempre più sovrapposte sino ad affermarsi come termini di un trinomio inscindibile.
Nel Capitolo Quinto il focus della ricerca si concentra sui macro-interessi rappresentati da clima, ambiente e salute e sulle diverse ‘ricostruzione teoriche’ elaborate nella ricerca di un equilibrio (im)possibile. Dalla concettualizzazione degli equilibri climatico-ambientali come beni comuni si muove verso i concetti di green economy per confrontarsi poi con le teorie che contestano radicalmente la bontà del concetto di sviluppo sostenibile. Si indagano dunque le influenze del concetto di degrowht su alcuni recenti testi normativi europei per giungere poi ad analizzare i risvolti giuridici del paradigma dell’economia circolare, considerata quale ‘la più attendibile risposta’ per inverare una strategia di crescita qualitativamente (e non solo quantitativamente) differente. Si analizza infine il rinnovato protagonismo dei pubblici poteri, chiamati a porsi alla guida del processo di transizione.
Nel Capitolo Sesto si affrontano quelli che sembrano essere gli attori che, in ragione del loro coinvolgimento o della loro possibile rilevanza, si sono affermati come protagonisti nella lotta alla crisi climatico-ecologia e nell’affermazione di un paradigma di sostenibilità. In questa prospettiva ci si sofferma in particolare sul ruolo dello Stato, delle Organizzazioni Internazionali, dell’Unione Europea e delle città. Si indaga infine il ruolo della ‘componente umana’ nella veste di cittadino-consumatore, a cui si giustappone il ruolo dell’impresa. Si propongono poi alcune considerazioni sul ruolo cui sono in questo conteso chiamati i pubblici poteri e sulla nozione di good governance.
Infine, nelle Conclusioni, si offrono alcune riflessioni sul metodo con il quale si è voluto condurre la ricerca e sui risultati cui si è giunti, senza mancare di indicare – come a voler ‘passare il testimone’ a chi vorrà raccoglierlo – quelli che ci sembrano essere i temi su cui si debba continuare ad indagare.The thesis delves into the theme of complexity in relation to the climate-ecological crisis through the lens of law. The research is composed of six 'stages'—each corresponding to a Chapter—distinct yet deeply interconnected.
In the First Chapter, the reference coordinates for the entire investigation are outlined, identifying the challenges that law must face to govern complexity. From this perspective, the legal implications of the 'reading of reality' are analyzed, and the manner in which law addresses a constantly evolving phenomenon, which unfolds on a global scale and is further characterized by a (partially) inevitable scientific uncertainty, is explored.
The Second Chapter traces the historical evolution of the concept of the environment, a phenomenon 'easier to intuit than to define.' In this context, the focus is on both the international dimension (particularly the role of the United Nations) and the European dimension, in its dual expression as the European Union and the Council of Europe. The chapter seeks to 'unpack' the (legal) notion of the environment and retrace the legal and conceptual milestones that have led to the development of the concept of sustainable development.
The Third Chapter begins by delineating the conceptual boundaries of the challenge that law is called to address, and then turns greater attention to the many facets of the energy macrocosm, a central pillar in the shift towards a sustainable paradigm. The investigation focuses on reconstructing the complex web of interests that law cannot overlook.
In the Fourth Chapter, the research concentrates on the regulatory framework for the energy transition within the European Union dimension. From this perspective, it examines how the notions of environment, energy, and climate have evolved, increasingly overlapping until they have become established as terms of an inseparable trio.
The Fifth Chapter focuses on the macro-interests represented by climate, environment, and health, and on the various 'theoretical reconstructions' developed in the pursuit of an (im)possible balance. The analysis moves from the conceptualization of climate-environmental balances as common goods to the concepts of the green economy, subsequently engaging with theories that fundamentally challenge the validity of the concept of sustainable development. It investigates the influence of the concept of degrowth on some recent European legislative texts, before analyzing the legal implications of the circular economy paradigm, considered as 'the most reliable response' to realizing a strategy of growth that is qualitatively (and not only quantitatively) different. Finally, it explores the renewed protagonism of public authorities, called to lead the transition process.
In the Sixth Chapter, attention is turned to those actors who, due to their involvement or potential relevance, have emerged as key players in combating the climate-ecological crisis and in promoting a sustainability paradigm. In this context, particular attention is given to the role of the State, International Organizations, the European Union, and cities. The role of the 'human component' is also examined, in the dual capacity of citizen-consumer, juxtaposed with the role of businesses. The chapter concludes with some considerations on the role that public authorities are expected to play in this context, and on the notion of good governance.
Finally, in the Conclusions, some reflections are offered on the methodology adopted for the research and on the results obtained, not failing to indicate—almost as if to 'pass the baton' to those who wish to take it up—what seem to be the themes that should continue to be explored
SEISMIC DESIGN AND ASSESSMENT OF BRIDGE ABUTMENTS
No full textThe case-study illustrated makes use of a simplified model for the dynamic analysis of diaphragm walls subjected to seismic excitation, based on the well-known one-dimensional Winkler approximation and on the non-linear shear-beam model for the ground layers on both sides of the wall [Franchin et al 2007]. The model, which can include anchor-ties and account for non- linearity in all of its elements (retained soil, anchors and wall), is applied to the analysis of an idealised non-seismically designed existing bridge abutment. The results highlight the versatility of the model in assessing the system response in its existing state and in progressive states of upgrading, in terms of both wall forces and dynamic displacements
TRANSITABILITY OF MAINSHOCK-DAMAGED BRIDGES
No full textA criterion is proposed for deciding whether, after a damaging mainshock, a bridge can still be open for either emergency or ordinary traffic. The criterion is based on the comparison between the collapse risk of the mainshock-damaged structure and the pre-mainshock risk of the intact structure. The approach requires fragilities for multiple damage states for the intact structure, and transition probabilities from these states to collapse for the damaged structure. The aftershock risk decreases with time, hence a decision for reopening might have to wait until the risk level goes down to an acceptable value. A realistic application demonstrates the approach
Performance-based seismic design of integral abutment bridges
No full textIntegral abutment bridges (IAB) are experiencing increasing diffusion in the short to mid-range lengths, where they offer some advantages over traditional girder bridges with non-monolithic connection at the abutments. One challenging problem with their analysis and design is that consideration of the interaction between foundation soil, structure and backfill is unavoidable, also for the deck design. Further, the end of the construction is only one of the conditions that need to be verified during design. Cyclic deformations, such as those occurring during ground shaking, typically lead to an increase in stresses in the abutments and connections, due to progressive compaction (ratcheting) of the backfill soil. This problem is magnified when the bridge is comprised between two embankments, whose response may amplify the input motion and drive the deformation of the bridge. Performance-based design aims at superseding current design procedures by explicitly checking that the target performances set out are achieved, and not overly exceeded. Such a design paradigm naturally calls, on the one hand, for improved accuracy in response determination and more refined analyses, and, on the other, for taking into account the uncertainties entering into the problem by means of an explicitly probabilistic approach. With this objective in mind, the paper presents an inelastic dynamic model for the seismic analysis and design of IABs. The model, that features a balanced compromise between the setup and evaluation effort on one hand, and accuracy on the other, has been developed for implementation in typical commercial analysis packages. It builds on 1D site-response analysis and on inelastic Winkler-like modeling, to reproduce the main physical aspects of the seismic response of IABs. One example application to a highway overpass in Italy illustrates the model and the relevance of a fully probabilistic approach to performance-based design. The application offers also important insight into the choice of an efficient intensity measure for this type of structure
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
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
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