1,721,043 research outputs found
Socioeconomic metabolism of Biomass in Jamaica in the Context of Trade and National Food Security: A time series biophysical analysis (1961-2013).
No full textThis thesis presents a novel study on the historical evolution of socioeconomic metabolism of biomass in Jamaica in the context of trade and national food security. The goal of this study was to provide empirical insight into the structure of Jamaica biomass system by analyzing biomass material flows (domestic extraction, imports, and exports) from 1961 to 2013, and on this basis establish a link to the issue of national food security in Jamaica. A biomass material database in time series was constructed for Jamaica based on Eurostat methodological guidelines and general principles of economy-wide material flow account and analysis (EW-MFA). The constructed database allowed for the characterization of biomass production and consumption using the calculated material flow indicators- domestic extraction (DE), domestic consumption (DMC) and physical trade balance (PTB). The degree of import dependency was also calculated. To establish a link between patterns of biomass metabolism, trade and national food security, the scope of MFA was expanded to conduct a time series analysis of national food availability and progress towards food self-sufficiency based on analysis of dietary energy supply (DES) and dietary energy production (DEP) in Jamaica.
Results obtained revealed a declining trend in both metabolic scale and metabolic rate of biomass use in Jamaica. MFA calculated indicators showed two alternating phases of growth and decline in the evolution of biomass use- peak growth (1966 and 1996) and steep decline (1981 and 2006). Primary crops dominated DE (48%) and DMC (47%). Cereals (74%) dominated physical imports flows and export flows were dominated by sugar cane (76%). Jamaica agro-food system is characterized by export oriented production as the share of mainstay food crops in overall primary crop extraction was less than 10%. A high food Import dependency ratio was observed. Food energy availability has significantly improved since 1961 from 1740 kcal/cap/day to 2470 kcal/cap/day in 2013. Jamaica is yet to achieve food self-sufficiency as DEP remains critically below the minimum dietary energy requirement threshold for Jamaica.
This study contributes to the growing body of research on material flow analysis and socioeconomic metabolism. It offers a starting point for methodological enhancement of the MFA framework towards adapting it for food security studies
Exploring the Interconnectedness between Work hours, Income Inadequacy, Time Adequacy, Leisure Time and Wellbeing within the Context of the Canadian Index of Wellbeing: A Case study of Victoria, British Columbia
Full text linkSustainability has consistently been linked to the wellbeing of the economy, society, and the environment. It has been viewed as a framework, which focuses on the interconnectedness of different systems, and activities that influence each other with the aim of enhancing wellbeing. These interdependencies of systems and activities are crucial for human wellbeing as they act as an impetus that strengthens and enhances wellbeing, and reflects the multiple factors that increase or diminishes wellbeing as well. In the light of this, this research aims to examine how the relationship between work hours, income inadequacy, time adequacy and leisure time influences wellbeing. It relied on archived data surveyed from Victoria, British Columbia by the Canadian Index of wellbeing (CIW). To establish a quantitative correlation between these factors of wellbeing, a subsample of 952 people who work for pay was drawn from the CIW dataset.
The data were analyzed with SPSS statistical tool using Pearson and Spearman correlation tests. The results showed a statistically significant association between work hours and time adequacy (r = -.183, p<.001); time adequacy and mental/physical wellbeing (r= .429, r= .321, p<.001); satisfaction with leisure time and mental/physical wellbeing (r= .466, r= .503, p<.001). These results indicate that as the participants’ work hours increased, they had less than adequate time for other important activities e.g. time to sleep, socialize and to maintain physical fitness. Further, their state of mental and physical wellbeing increased as their time adequacy and satisfaction with leisure time increased and vice-versa. Other indicators influenced by time adequacy are sleep hours, physical activities, unpaid care to dependants, and vacation days were found to be statistically significant with weekly work hours. The overall outcome of the results indicates health and wellbeing are closely related positively or negatively with human activities and lifestyle such as time adequacy for other activities outside of work, time devoted to sleep, physical activities and leisure activities.
This research contributes to the body of knowledge of the Canadian Index of Wellbeing (CIW) by underlining the interconnections that exist between the indicators and domains of the CIW selected for this study. In addition, this research would help influence policies and decisions, as policy makers would identify the factors driving wellbeing within the context of this research, and tailor interventions to minimize the pressures emanating from the factors driving wellbeing. In addition, this research stresses the importance of the sustainability of capital assets in achieving wellbeing.
Keywords: Wellbeing, Indicators, Domains, Canadian Index of Wellbeing, Work hours, Time adequacy, Work hours, Income, Leisure time
Can the Caribbean Live within the Doughnut? Environmental and Social Performance of Five Island Nations
Full text linkThis study examines the social and environmental performance of five Caribbean nations (Trinidad & Tobago, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba) using the Safe and Just Space (SJS) framework proposed by Kate Raworth (2012). For each country, values for 11 social and 7 environmental indicators are calculated. This is the first study that uses the Safe and Just Space framework for the Caribbean region, and with a focus on small island states.
Johan Rockström and colleagues first proposed the Planetary Boundaries (PB) framework in 2009, where they identify the urgency to remain within nine biophysical planetary boundaries if humanity must continue to thrive. The authors claim that by crossing these boundaries we would significantly risk our own survival and cause large-scale, abrupt or irreversible environmental changes. In 2012, Kate Raworth added the social dimension to the Planetary Boundaries framework, which she defines as the Safe and Just Space (SJS). She argues that humanity must not only remain within biophysical thresholds, but as part of the sustainability mandate, also aspire to achieve quality of life where no one is left behind. In other words, how can humanity achieve an acceptable quality of life at the lowest environmental costs, or in Raworth’ s words, “can we live within the Doughnut?”
Drawing on the SJS framework, this study calculates 11 social and 7 environmental indicators for the 5 Caribbean nations to assess their sustainability performance. To this end, the method proposed by O’Neill et al. (2018) is taken as a starting point. The 11 social indicators include Life Satisfaction, Social Support, Nutrition, Assess to Electricity (Energy), Access to Improved Sanitation, Health and Life Expectancy, Income, Equality, Democratic Quality, Education and Employment. The 7 environmental indicators are: Climate Change (represented by CO₂ emission), Phosphorous Flows, Nitrogen Flows, Blue Water, eHANPP (embodied Human Appropriated Net Primary Production), Ecological Footprint and Material Footprint.
The results suggest that none of these five nations is in an ideal position within the doughnut of the environmentally safe and socially just space. Four of the nations (Trinidad Tobago, Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Cuba) exceed at least four out of seven planetary boundaries and none of them achieve more than half of the social outcomes. Haiti exceeds the boundary for CO₂ emission and functions slightly under the eHANPP boundary (that measures the intensity of use of biomass), but achieves none of the 11 social outcomes.
While the relationship between the environmental and social variables is multi-metric, a few patterns and correlation between environment and social indicators can be observed. In general, the achievement of most social outcomes such as access to electricity, sanitation, income, nutrition, employment, education, social support and life satisfaction are positively related to emission or material consumption, such as CO₂ emission, especially from emission from fossil fuels, phosphorous flow, eHANPP, ecological footprint and material footprint. Based on performances of these five nations, the achievement of social outcomes is not closely related to blue water as one of the environmental performance indicator. There does not exist clear positive relationship between environmental indicators and social indicators such as healthy life expectancy, equality and democratic quality
“Trash is just treasure in the wrong place”: The social metabolism of waste in Grenada
Full text linkWithin a modern, globalized world, islands face evolving and complex development constraints related to managing scarce resources, maintaining fragile natural environments, reducing consumption and waste within bounds of their limited carry capacity, and maintaining adequate economic and social systems for thriving populations. Grenada, a tri-island Caribbean state (population: 112,003) is no exception. For this dissertation, I investigate the impacts and threats of solid waste on small island state sustainability. Using a case study approach, my research askes an overarching question: What opportunities exist for islands to sustainably manage their waste?
I investigate Grenada’s waste management system using the social metabolism approach. Social metabolism theorizes that sustainable development, including transitioning to a more sustainable waste management system, is dependent on both the biophysical, material flows (i.e., how much ‘stuff’ is extracted from and dumped in the environment) and the social processes that support these material flows (i.e., the institutions and cultural norms that govern).
Material flow accounting (MFA) was selected as a method to account for the biophysical flows of waste in Grenada. The result of the MFA demonstrates the importance and value of measuring and assessing waste management systems. Grenada’s economy is characterized by a one-way, linear flow of materials. Products are imported, manufactured, used, and discarded in the open dumpsites or disposed in one of several illegal dumpsites throughout the nation. Despite comparatively low generation rates, Grenada’s dumpsite are at capacity, and in absence of changes to current waste accumulation, these dumpsites are teetering on an environmental tipping point that threatens social, environmental, and economic health. Governance actors, particularly policy makers, cannot manage what they cannot measure, therefore sound data is critically important to guide transitions to sustainable waste management systems. MFA is one such means for waste managers and policy makers to assess their sociometabolic risk and understand the resource potential of waste materials. But material flows are also driven by institutional elements like legislation, regulation, policies, normative positions and engrained social habits that are culturally supported.
To assess social-cultural aspects of Grenada’s waste metabolism, I engage in two separate, yet interrelated studies. Through expert interviewees and government document analysis, I assessed the governing system impacting Grenadian waste management. The results, presented in Chapter 5, demonstrate that Grenada has a legacy of implementation and institutional challenges related to a project-based, end-of-pipe approach that has failed to deliver adequate waste management. Current governance mechanism and institutions are lacking comprehensive coverage, and are outdated, absent or inadequately enforced. This governance gap is reinforced by lack of data for decision-making.
Public participation in waste management forms an important basis for effective decision making and strategy, as it is a key aspect of forming legitimate governing structures and institutions. As the public is a key participant in everyday waste management practices, it is critically important to understand habits, behaviors, perspectives, and concerns of citizens. To understand the role and potential contributions of citizens in waste management, I undertook a grounded, “bottom-up” investigation of the challenges and opportunities for Grenadian waste management. Citizen interviews, rich pictures, and focus groups were the primary method of data collection, and were triangulated through an analysis of newspaper articles, and my own observations and collected artifacts (e.g., field notes and photographs). Research participants depicted a variety of perspectives; but, generally – and most importantly - they demonstrated the importance of citizen participation in waste management governance and social metabolic research. The results are organized around three roles that Grenadian citizens play in the waste management system: as participants and enablers of waste management; as stewards of the environment concerned with their health, environmental justice, and pollution in their communities; and as islanders offering local knowledge, innovation, and insights into what is possible in Grenada. The results offers a glance at what could be gained through a more representative, nation-wide consultation, and looking inward – instead of outward – for solutions to sociometabolic risk associated with waste management in Grenada.
This dissertation makes a key contribution to the literature by looking at both the material and socio-cultural aspects of waste management to provide a comprehensive, systems-based analysis of waste management as a problem within a social-ecological system. An island appropriate circular economy is one aspirational means of achieving a sustainable waste management system. From the results, I make practical, specific recommendations (with reporting indicators and financial implications) to strengthen waste management governance, including updating legislation and improving participation in global governance agreements and importantly, improve public participation through engagement, infrastructure availability and education.
Improving the waste management system is integral to the sustainability of the Spice Island and Pure Grenada. The Grenadian government must increase investment in waste management, taking a systematic approach to addressing the root causes, governance concerns and enhance public participation in the process. In absence of changes to current waste accumulation, the waste management system is teetering on an environmental tipping point that threatens social, environmental, and economic health, and Grenada’s progress on the Sustainable Development Goals
Socio-economic Metabolism of Canada: A case study of Biomass and Energy flows from 1990-2011
Full text linkCanada is ranked eighth, both as one of world’s leading producer of food as well as consumer of world’s total primary energy supply. Furthermore, Canada is one of the largest biomass and energy exporter, playing an important role towards world’s resource consumption. To understand Canada’s part in sustainable biomass production and energy security, it is important to analyze production, consumption and trade flows related to biomass and energy.
Using the MEFA indicators, this study attempts to operationalize biomass and energy metabolism of Canada. The data reflecting biomass incorporates the food, feed, forestry and other uses such as tobacco, and the data for energy contains food & feed, renewable and non-renewable energy sources. The research answers the following three questions: i) how has the metabolic profile of Canada changed over time, ii) How does Canada compare to other nations such as US in terms of biomass and energy use? iii) Where are potentials for a sustainability transition in biomass and energy sector?
Results indicate that Canada is self-dependent on biomass and energy consumption except for few food crops. Canada exports 30% of the biomass domestically produced and imports only 10% of the total biomass consumed locally. 54% of the technical energy domestically extracted is used for exports whereas 29% of the locally consumed technical energy comes from imports. This study further relates food & feed towards Canada’s total energy metabolism. The thesis also adds to the growing research of social metabolism and provides data points of Canada for global MEFA database. The study also encourages the discussion on food and energy security by providing key insights for the policy makers
Mapping the Time Use Research Field in the Context of Sustainability: Network Analysis and Scoping Review
Full text linkThe field of time use research has witnessed a continuous growth in recent decades. Meanwhile, the sustainability discourse also began to incorporate the time use approach. However, there is minimal research about the underlying knowledge base of the time use field, which creates difficulty for sustainability time-use studies to position themselves, draw insights from other disciplines, or achieve a comprehensive understanding of how human time allocation informs sustainability concepts and methods. This thesis established the first attempt to map the field of time use research, with the combination of co-citation network analysis and qualitative scoping review. We also explored a new bibliometric method, termed as “content-similarity network analysis”. The triangulation allowed us to identify convergent themes, such as household economics and well-being, sexual division of labour and child care, consumer behaviour, as well as transportation, underpinning this inter- and multi-disciplinary field. After the content-similarity network being generated based on the abstracts, we were able to investigate the relationship between household energy use and time use. Further, we created a conceptual framework to describe how the time use research can help approach the sustainability issues. It is shown that time use data, complementary to monetary and biophysical data, has the potential to enrich the social and behavioral aspects of sustainability. Our results also suggest an under-representation of sustainability themes in the time use field. By reinforcing the importance of knowledge integration across disciplines, this thesis adds to the growing body of sustainability literature at the interface of ecological economics, well-being, consumer-lifestyle, and urban planning
E-waste in the Caribbean: Is there a potential for a circular economy?
Full text linkIslands are bounded systems, often plagued with several sustainability challenges of limited land and resource availability, as well as pressing waste management issues. Small island economies import most of their resource needs, which ends up as waste on the island at the end of the life cycle, representing a one-way material flow. Despite these known problems, research aiming to help develop waste management systems for small island nations is scarce, let alone for e-waste. Focusing on five Caribbean island states, this study provides the first comprehensive view of e-waste generation trends in an island context and explores the potential for a circular economy (CE).
This study has two primary objectives: a) to quantify e-waste flows and accumulated stocks on the five Caribbean SIDS and b) to conduct an analysis on the economic value of e-waste being generated and the potential for a circular economy. As part of the first objective, the study estimated Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) flows for the five island cases over a period of 60 years (1965-2025), including e-waste that these flows have and will generate. A dynamic material flow analysis (MFA) is used to estimate these flows and stocks for 206 product types. Then, the quantity of secondary resources within e-waste is estimated that is likely to be generated between 2020 to 2025, using the available data on material composition from the literature.
In the next step, the economic value of the materials embedded in end-of-life (EoL) products is estimated. The results show that the five Caribbean islands produced significantly higher e-waste per capita per year compared to the global average of 6.1 kg/cap/year in 2016. The aggregated amount of e-waste generated per year on these five islands seems to significantly rise in the future: from 27,500 tonnes in 2010 to an estimated amount of 59,000 tonnes in 2025. This considerable estimated e-waste generation rate, when not properly managed, is not only harmful to the local environment, but also translates into considerable health impacts and loss of valuable resources.
In pursuit of the second objective, closing material loops through a CE was considered to limit waste generation as well as reliance on the supply of virgin materials from outside. To test the feasibility of a CE, an analysis of the economics of e-waste on the five islands was conducted. The results reveal that, between 2020 and 2025, more than 317.4 kt of secondary materials could be recovered from EoL products. However, if these islands had started the recovery of resources in early 2001, they could gain approximately 546 million, equivalent to nearly 1% of the annual GDP of all Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries. Different types of base, precious and rare metals can be recovered from the EoL products including: Fe (106.7 kt), Al (21.6 kt), Cu (16.7 kt), Ag (0.028 kt), Au (0.005 kt), Pd (0.001 kt); as well as plastics (84.9 kt), glasses (14.7 kt) and other materials (72.6 kt). Around 54% of the economic value would come from precious metals (Pd, Au, and Ag). For a shift towards a CE, circularity thinking will need to be embedded in policies that support efficient e-waste management systems. Planned eco-industrial parks for industrial symbiosis and resource flows among the sectors of the economy could be of great benefit. Due to economies of scale that limit smaller nations, regional co-operations would be essential for island nations that are desirous to shift to a CE
Escalated-dose somatostatin analogues for antiproliferative effect in GEPNETS: a systematic review
No full textBackground/Purpose: Somatostatin analogues are the cornerstone of systemic therapy for metastatic well-differentiated gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours for both hormonal control and antiproliferative effect. Dose escalation of somatostatin analogues is often utilized in clinical practice, but small studies have yielded mixed results. The aim of this study was to systematically determine the efficacy and safety of escalated-dose somatostatin analogues in the above setting. Methods: Eligible trials (using more than 30 mg octreotide or 120 mg lanreotide/28 days) were identified from MEDLINE, EMBASE, other databases and conference proceedings. Demographics, disease control rate, objective response rate, biochemical response, improvement in symptoms and toxicity were abstracted. Trials were synthesized qualitatively. Results: Eighteen studies (1002 patients) were identified. The risk of bias was moderate for objective response outcomes, but high for the outcomes of symptom control and toxicity due to open-label trial designs. Disease control rates ranged from 30 to 100%, but response rates were modest (at 0â14%). Rates of biochemical improvement (27â100%) and symptom improvement (23â100%) ranged widely depending on the population studied and the definition of response. The most common toxicities were fatigue, diarrhoea, abdominal discomfort and cholelithiasis, with no severe or unexpected toxicities compared to standard-dose somatostatin analogues. Conclusions: The current evidence indicates that escalated-dose somatostatin analogues are well-tolerated in patients with gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours, with significant rates of disease control but low rates of tumour response. It was difficult to judge the exact rate of biochemical response or symptomatic improvement. There is a need for large, prospective studies investigating the role of escalated-dose somatostatin analogues in the treatment of metastatic gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours
Local Material and Energy Flow Analysis for the Region of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Full text linkTo address global environmental challenges, resource use patterns at local and sub-national scales can provide relevant insights into drivers and how these link to local policy and decision-making. The Region of Waterloo is often referred to as “Canada’s Silicon Valley” consists of the townships of Wellesley, Woolwich, Wilmot, and North Dumfries and the tri-cities of Kitchener, Cambridge, and Waterloo. Close to Toronto, and reputation of being the tech hub, Waterloo’s population (mainly from immigration) is on the rise and region is under rapid transition from a rural to an increasingly urban system being connected by rapid transit systems. To better understand the region from a systems perspective and to provide input into sustainability policies of the region, the concept of social metabolism is applied.
Society’s metabolism measures pressures on the environment where increasing throughput can have negative impacts on ecosystem and human health in the short and long term. Material and Energy Flow Analysis (MEFA) is conducted to calculate derived indicators of biomass and energy use for the Region of Waterloo in accordance with established conventions. Using a number of MEFA indicators, the paper will outline some of the major sustainability challenges in resource use patterns in the region since 2006. This study is the first to conduct a material and energy flow analysis for the Region of Waterloo in three points in time. Data on extraction, consumption, imports, and exports of various biomass and energy flow indicators will be presented.
Results from MFA show that the Region of Waterloo has a high import dependency for food crops and high domestic extraction of feed crops mainly fodder corn And results observed from Energy Flow Analysis indicates that the Region of Waterloo imports 100% of its technical energy and is highly dependent on outside markets. This study will encourage discussions on food and energy security in the region and help the policymakers in the region to make informed decisions.
This research adds to the growing data points of research on Material and Energy flow analysis and social metabolism and serves as a starting point for more related research in sub-national socio-metabolic studies
The Weight of Islands: A GIS-based material stock analysis of Grenada in the context of extreme weather and climate change
Full text linkThe building stock consumes large amounts of resources for maintenance and expansion, which is only exacerbated by disaster events where large-scale reconstruction must occur quickly. Recent research has shown the potential for application of material stock (MS) accounts for informing disaster risk planning. This research presents a methodological approach to analyze the vulnerability of the material stock in buildings to extreme weather events and sea-level rise (SLR) due to climate change. The main island of the Grenada, a Small Island Developing State (SIDS) in the Caribbean region, was used as a case study. A stock-driven approach based on a geographic information system (GIS) is used to calculate total MS of aggregate, timber, concrete and steel in buildings. The total MS in buildings in 2014 is calculated to be 11.9 Mt. equalling 112 tonnes per capita given that year’s population. Material Gross Addition to Stock (GAS) between 1993 to 2009 was 6.8 Mt and the average value over this time period is 4.0 tonnes/capita/year. In the year following Hurricane Ivan (2004) the per capita GAS for timber increased by 172%, while for other metals, GAS spiked by 103% (compared to average growth rates of 11% and 8%, respectively, between 1993 and 2009). A future hurricane “Ivan-II” scenario to hit the 2014 building stock was also developed and estimated a hypothetical loss between 135 kt and 216 kt of timber stock. The potential impact of sea level rise (SLR) is also assessed, with an estimated 1.6 Mt of building material stock exposed under a 2-meter scenario. Further, I argue that spatial material stock accounts have an important application in planning for resilience and provide indication of the link between natural disaster recovery and resource use patterns
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