Metrics for environmental compensation: A comparative analysis of Swedish municipalities

Submitted by Petra Hansson on
EfD Authors:
Mellin, Anna

Environmental compensation (EC) aims at addressing environmental losses due to development projects and involves a need to compare development losses with compensation gains using relevant metrics. A conceptual procedure for computing no net loss is formulated and used as a point of departure for a comparative analysis of metrics used by five Swedish municipalities as a part of their EC implementation in the spatial planning context of detailed development plans.

Peer Reviewed
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Policy Design

Bioremediation Strategy Based on Risk Assessment of Exposure to Residual Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

Submitted by Nnaemeka Chukwuone on
EfD Authors:
Uzochukwu, Cornelius Ugochukwu

In this study, application of risk assessment was the basis for the selection of an optimum treatment option for the potential bioremediation of a hydrocarbon polluted environment. This approach was applied in a hydrocarbon polluted swampy terrain in the Niger Delta of Nigeria and could actually be applied to any other hydrocarbon polluted environment.

Peer Reviewed
Land

Mobilizing Resources for Marine Turtle Conservation in Asia: A Cross-country Perspective

Submitted by Luat Do on
EfD Authors:
Thuy, Truong Dang

This article reports the results of a comparative study conducted in China, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam to assess households' willingness to pay for marine turtle conservation and the potential to mobilize funds. Results show that imposing even a modest mandatory surcharge on residential electricity bills would not pass a referendum. This suggests that many people place a low priority on marine turtle conservation compared to other public policy issues. Nevertheless, there is some potential for voluntary contributions, though mobilizing these also presents problems.

Peer Reviewed
Conservation

Understanding forest users' participation in participatory forest management (PFM): Insights from Mt. Elgon forest ecosystem, Kenya

Submitted by Jane Nyawira Maina on
EfD Authors:
Ateka, Josiah

Participation of local communities in forest management decision-making has been promoted as a mechanism of improving livelihoods and forest conditions, yet the level of participation in many programs remains low. Using data from a cross-sectional survey of 924 forest-dependent households in Western Kenya, we examine the factors that support or constrain forest dependent people's participation in a Participatory Forest Management (PFM) program.

Peer Reviewed
Forestry

Decentralized Forest Management: Experimental and Quasi-experimental Evidence

Submitted by Petra Hansson on
EfD Authors:
Blackman, Allen
Bluffstone, Randall

Developing country forests sustain livelihoods, help to control flooding, recharge aquifers, pollinate crops, cycle nutrients, harbor biodiversity, and sequester carbon. As a result, forest loss and degradation have serious environmental and socioeconomic consequences. Decentralization and devolution of governance have arguably been the most important policy trend affecting developing countries’ forests over the past three decades.

Peer Reviewed
Forestry

The value of forest water purification ecosystem services in Costa Rica

Submitted by Petra Hansson on
EfD Authors:
Piaggio, Matías
Siikamäki, Juha

Highlights

•  Avoiding 1% of catchment's forest loss reduces chemicals use by 0.026% in Costa Rica.

• Improving the turbidity by 1% decreases 0.005% aluminum sulfate needed at the water plants.

• The value of water purification service by forests is USD 9.5 per hectare per year.

• The contribution of forest (per ha) becomes larger as the size of the catchment decreases.

Peer Reviewed
Biodiversity, Forestry, Water
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