Authors:Evans Amoako Amoah et al. Abstract: This study investigated the gender barriers to climate change adaptation practices in the semi-deciduous forest zone of Ghana. A mixed methods approach including household surveys with 210 farmers and 14 focus group discussions was employed in seven selected communities in the Ejisu-Juaben Municipality of the Ashanti Region. The following research questions were answered by the study: (i) What are the climate change adaptation practices implemented by male and female farmers in selected communities of the Ejisu-Juaben Municipality to reduce climate risks' and; (ii) What are the barriers obstructing male and female farmers in implementing climate change adaptation practices in the selected communities' Results showed that there were significant differences between farmers’ implementation of climate change adaptation practices including changing planting dates, growing of resistant varieties of crops, growing of short-term harvesting crops and off-farm activities (p < 0.05). Results also showed that gender had statistically significant influence on climate change adaptation barriers including lack of access to credit facilities and high cost of improved crop varieties (p < 0.05). Our results suggest the need for appropriate policy interventions in the agricultural sector of Ghana to boost access to credit facilities and production for household food security. There is also the need for significant funding commitment to rural transport sector to aid agricultural produce transfer from farming centres to market places. PubDate: Wed, 06 Jul 2022 11:31:43 PDT
Authors:Emmanuel Mensah Aboagye et al. Abstract: The WHO declared the novel Covid-19 virus a global pandemic shortly after it broke out. The deadly virus spread has affected human health and seriously halted many economic and industrial activities globally. However, there has been a blight as there has generally been an improvement in air quality since the deadly Covid-19 pandemic caused various governments to lockdown their cities to regulate the spread of the virus. Since the widespread of Covid-19, there have been several researches to measure the extent of impact Covid-19 city lockdown has had global air quality, but no critical review has been done in Africa as a continent to assess the impact of Covid-19 on the impact of lockdowns on air quality. This study is geared towards a critical review of the impact of lockdowns on air quality in Africa. A total of 117 studies were found after a thorough review, and 87 studies met the screening criteria for the review. The literature was examined from Scopus, Google Scholar, PubMed and Web of Science. The study unraveled that in Africa, most of the studies were carried out on West Africa (45.6%), followed by North Africa (26.6%), East Africa (12.6%), South Africa (10.6%), and Central Africa (4.6%). Most of the studies have assessed the air pollutants like PM2.5, NO2, SO2 and CO. The study shows a significant improvement in air quality in Africa during the Covid-19 city lockdown. The research concludes that economic and industrial activities have resumed as various governments resort to partial city lockdowns. The improved air quality has just become an almost lost battle. Various governments in Africa should lock for other effective means to help continue the fight against air pollution in Africa since Covid-19 lockdowns seem to be short-lived. This varied study on the impact of Covid-19 city lockdowns on air quality will certainly aid policymakers in Africa in finding any gaps, as it defines the perceptions of the existing systematic research.Keywords: Covid-19 pandemic, urban city lockdown, air pollution, air quality, Africa PubDate: Wed, 06 Jul 2022 11:31:27 PDT
Authors:Oleena Chaudhuri Abstract: The human population and the global economy have been growing rapidly, increasing resource consumption. This paper evaluates the extent to which sand mining has an impact on the environment. Through a case study and regulatory analysis of India, this paper has attempted to underscore the consequences of excessive sand excavation while highlighting the case of the Indian “sand mafia”. This secondary research evaluation finds that mining of sand resources is a common practice that leads to the destruction of the environment which adversely affects commercial and non-commercial living resources. While studies do point out that economic activities requiring sand as a material have been taking place in the developed countries, this paper shows how developing countries are also beginning to play a much bigger role in the global economy, thus having increasing impacts on natural resources and the environment. PubDate: Wed, 06 Jul 2022 11:31:19 PDT
Authors:Anushka Umesh Sawarkar Miss Abstract: This case study is written with the purpose of understanding the main causes that led to the development of the mentioned five villages, under the guidance of Padma Bhushan Hon. Shree Anna Saheb Hazare and Padma Shree Hon. Popatrao Pawar. Earlier, these villages suffered from low agriculture output, water deficit leading to low economic output. However today, by adapting the five principles outlined in the study, they were able amplify their economic power sustainably for the whole community. Although the principles are not new, their successful implementation through ingenious techniques and leadership by overcoming usual hurdles and hindrances is what made the projects successful and helped the community to flourish. PubDate: Thu, 04 Nov 2021 11:11:01 PDT
Authors:Opeyemi S. Aniramu Mr. et al. Abstract: The implications of climatic changes have been predicted to have devastating effects on biodiversity condition particularly nature-based tourism. In this study, investigation on the climatic characteristics in Ikogosi-Ekiti, Nigeria was conducted. Also, spatio-temporal changes of green and non-green cover were analysed for the study.Climatic data from Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) for a period of 1975-2014 were analyzed to reveal the trend of climatic changes using appropriate statistical tool. A 30 meter Landsat image of TM 1991, ETH+ 2002 and OLI 2015 were used for the study. The satellite images were digitally processed using Arcgis10.3 and Fragstat 3.0. Species Diversity and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) analysis was conducted to assess the vegetation degradation in the study area.The result showed that rainfall and temperature pattern between the year 1975 to 2014 experience an upward trend with maximum rainfall observed in year 2010 (1692.500mm) and temperature distribution reached its peak in year 2010 (27.046o C); annual temperature increment over the years is at regression model 0.016o C per year. Furthermore, results showed that anthropogenic activities as a result of tourism developmental programmes accounted for 25.93% increase in built-up between the periods of 1991 and 2015 with a substantial loss (29.97%) of dense vegetation were observed within the study area. In addition, Shannon Diversity Index (SHIDI) showed diversity decrease of 0.54, 0.47 and 0.21 for year 1991, 2002 and 2015 respectively; NDVI analysis revealed a degraded vegetation with the epoch of the years assessed. The result revealed that changes in rainfall and temperature pattern negatively affected the luxuriant vegetation; uncultured human activities led to massive reduction in the quality of remnant forest. However, tourism vegetation potentials of the study area were threatened; hence, ecosystem imbalance and animal migration were observed.The study concluded that climate change and vegetation removal has significant effect on the green infrastructures, nature-based tourism and biodiversity conservation. The study recommends a need for ecotourism practices and strict protection of the tourist site PubDate: Tue, 26 Oct 2021 09:45:44 PDT
Authors:Funmilayo Mokunfayo Adedire Dr. et al. Abstract: Peri-urban residential settlements in Nigerian cities grew phenomenally as a result of rapid urbanisation. But the spontaneous housing settlements are enmeshed in development-driven urban challenges. This study examines the environmental sustainability of a typical peri-urban settlement in Lagos, Ikorodu. A combination of case study based examination and application of International Urban Sustainability Indicators List framework (IUSIL) was used to achieve an integrated research method. Data were collected through primary and secondary sources including observation, structured questionnaires, interview and satellite images. Two stage clusters sampling was used to select 384 household heads as the study population. Quantitative data was done using descriptive analysis while satellite image analysis was used for qualitative data. Investigations were carried out on the state of infrastructure, locational quality and the commuting pattern. Findings show fair environmental sustainability as evidenced by access to public water services, effective transportation system. There was residents’ satisfaction in areas of fresh water, less reliance on automobile and effective transportation system which culminates in less commuting hours in the study area. Dissatisfaction was recorded over inadequate drainage system, poor waste management, resulting in poor environmental quality. Also noted was deviation from the master plan, zoning was not adhered to thereby causing noise pollution due to encroachment of manufacturing industries on residential areas. These findings can be a useful template for all stakeholders in enabling sustainability of emerging settlements in Lagos cities’ periphery. PubDate: Tue, 26 Oct 2021 09:45:34 PDT
Authors:Anita Boros Abstract: One of the means of rationalizing Hungarian waste management -in the context of the waste hierarchy- is to increase the rate of waste recycling and reprocessing. Although the Hungarian plastics industry is a very dynamically developing area, the Hungarian legislator has also recognized that the use of certain products is extremely harmful in the long run. Accordingly, stricter measures than the EU directive have been taken and accordingly a number of single-use plastic products from July 2021 are to be banned. In addition, in the case of plastic carrier bags, economic tools have been developed and further improved, which, according to Hungarian waste management experts, have the effect of reducing the volume of plastic products concerned.In the course of our research we focused on examining the output, product portfolio and characteristics of the Hungarian plastics industry. In this context we examined, what is the role of the single-use plastics present on the Hungarian market, what are the characteristics of the substitute products and what kind of further steps are needed in the field of Hungarian waste management to comply with the EU targets. PubDate: Thu, 14 Jan 2021 11:10:48 PST
Authors:Atilla Wohllebe Abstract: With the spread of the Internet, e-mail has also steadily gained in relevance over the past years and decades. Especially in the form of newsletters, e-mail marketing is probably the most important channel of digital dialogue marketing today. This paper examines the carbon dioxide emissions of advertising e-mails in Germany on the basis of existing sources and compares them with the emissions caused by sending letters by post. Despite significantly lower CO2 emissions per piece compared to a letter, e-mails seem to be a much greater burden on the environment due to their practically unlimited scalability in terms of cost. The author suggests that the introduction of a fee for sending or reading e-mails should be considered. PubDate: Tue, 06 Oct 2020 14:15:52 PDT
Authors:Sandra Rothenberg et al. Abstract: Business models that lead to reduced consumption of resources and energy and support a Circular Economy can help businesses address the world’s pressing environmental problems. At the same time, they are concepts that have taken decades to garner serious attention in management literature. In this paper we review patterns in scholarship across a wide range of disciplines (sciences, humanities and management) on the Circular Economy and related business models like Extended Producer Responsibility, Product Service Systems, Collaborative Consumption, Sharing Economy, and Voluntary Simplicity. From this review, we discuss how business scholars might learn from these trends, and the implications for future research on business models that will help lower material consumption. PubDate: Tue, 06 Oct 2020 12:27:52 PDT