A reflection about the social and technological aspects in flood risk management - the case of the Italian Civil Protection

The right of a person to be protected from natural hazards is a characteristic of the social and economical development of the society. This paper is a contribution to the reflection about the role of Civil Protection organizations in a modern society. The paper is based in the inaugural conference made by the authors on the 9th Plinius Conference on Mediterranean Storms. Two major issues are considered. The first one is sociological; the Civil Protection organizations and the responsible administration of the land use planning should be perceived as reliable as possible, in order to get consensus on the restrictions they pose, temporary or definitely, on the individual free use of the territory as well as in the entire warning system. The second one is technological: in order to be reliable they have to issue timely alert and warning to the population at large, but such alarms should be as "true" as possible. With this aim, the paper summarizes the historical evolution of the risk assessment, starting from the original concept of "hazard", introducing the concepts of "scenario of event" and "scenario of risk" and ending with a discussion about the uncertainties and limits of the most advanced and efficient tools to predict, to forecast and to observe the ground effects affecting people and their properties. The discussion is centred in the case of heavy rains and flood events in the North-West of Mediterranean Region.

Does land titling matter? The role of land property rights in the war on illicit crops in Colombia

This paper analyzes the role of formalization of land property rights in the war against illicit crops in Colombia. We argue that as a consequence of the increase of state presence and visibility during the period of 2000 and 2009, municipalities with a higher level of formalization of their land property rights saw a greater reduction in the area allocated to illicit crops. We hypothesize that this is due to the increased cost of growing illicit crops on formal land compared to informal, and due to the possibility of obtaining more benets in the newly in- stalled institutional environment when land is formalized. We exploit the variation in the level of formalization of land property rights in a set of municipalities that had their rst cadastral census collected in the period of 1994-2000; this selection procedure guarantees reliable data and an unbiased source of variation. Using fixed effects estimators, we found a signicant negative relationship between the level of formalization of land property rights and the number of hectares allocated to coca crops per municipality. These results remain robust through a number of sensitivity analyses. Our ndings contribute to the growing body of evidence on the positive effects of formal land property rights, and e ective policies in the war on drugs in Colombia.

Soil quality assessment through a multi-approach analysis in soils of abandoned terraced land in NE Spain

The abandonment of agricultural land in mountainous areas has been an outstanding problem along the last century and has captured the attention of scientists, technicians and administrations, for the dramatic consequences sometimes occurred due to soil instability, steep slopes, rainfall regimes and wildfires. Hidromorfological and pedological alterations causing exceptional floods and accelerated erosion processes has therefore been studied, identifying the cause in the loss of landscape heterogeneity. Through the disappearance of agricultural works and drainage maintenance, slope stability has resulted severely affected. The mechanization of agriculture has caused the displacement of vines, olives and corks trees cultivation in terraced areas along the Mediterranean catchment towards more economically suitable areas. On the one hand, land use and management changes have implicated sociological changes as well, transforming areas inhabited by agricultural communities into deserted areas where the colonization of disorganized spontaneous vegetation has buried a valuable rural patrimony. On the other hand, lacking of planning and management of the abandoned areas has produced badlands and infertile soils due to wildfire and high erosion rates strongly degrading the whole ecosystems. In other cases, after land abandonment a process of soil regeneration has been recorded. Investigations have been conducted in a part of NE Spain where extended areas of terraced soils previously cultivated have been abandoned in the last century. The selected environments were semi-abandoned vineyards, semi-abandoned olive groves, abandoned stands of cork trees, abandoned stands of pine trees, scrubland of Cistaceaea, scrubland of Ericaceaea, and pasture. The research work was focused on the study of most relevant physical, chemical and biological soil properties, as well as runoff and erosion under soils with different plant cover to establish the abandonment effect on soil quality, due to the peculiarity and vulnerability of these soils with a much reduced depth. The period of observation was carried out from autumn 2009 to autumn 2010. The sediment concentration of soil erosion under vines was recorded as 34.52 g/l while under pasture it was 4.66 g/l. In addition, the soil under vines showed the least amount of organic matter, which was 12 times lower than all other soil environments. The carbon dioxide (CO2) and total glomalin (TG) ratio to soil organic carbon (SOC) in this soil was 0.11 and 0.31 respectively. However, the soil under pasture contained a higher amount of organic matter and showed that the CO2 and TG ratio to SOC was 0.02 and 0.11 respectively indicating that the soil under pasture better preserves the soil carbon pool. A similar trend was found in the intermediate soils in the sequence of land use change and abandonment. Soil structural stability increased in the two soil fractions investigated (0.25-2.00 mm, 2.0-5.6 mm) especially in those soils that did not undergo periodical perturbations like wildfires. Soil quality indexes were obtained by using relevant physical and chemical soil parameters. Factor analysis carried out to study the relationship between all soil parameters allowed to related variables and environments and identify those areas that better contribute to soil quality towards others that may need more attention to avoid further degradation processes

Memòria justificativa de l'estada de recerca

Estudi elaborat a partir d’una estada a l’Associação para o Desenvolvimento da Aerodinânica Industrial (ADAI) de la Universitat de Coimbra, Portugal, entre març i juliol de 2006. Aquesta disposa d'un laboratori d'assaigs i té medis suficients per a cremar de manera controlada parcel•les prèviament delimitades en terreny forestal. Això permet observar el fenomen dels incendis forestals a dues escales de treball diferents. L’objectiu ha estat l’obtenció de dades experimentals sobre la propagació de fronts de flames que avancen sobre combustible tractat amb retardants sota l’efecte del pendent o el vent. S’ha participat en proves experimentals de camp i se n’han realitzat dues en instal•lacions de laboratori en què l’efecte del pendent o de la velocitat del vent podia ser variat. Degut a l’elevat nombre de variables que entren en joc l’anàlisi acurada de les dades encara està en procés.

Les communautés bulu contre la plantation industrielle HEVECAM au Cameroun

In 1975 the Kribi region (Southern Cameroon) became host of the rubber plantation HEVECAM, the third largest employer in Cameroon. The establishment of the plantation has been preceded by the expropriation of customary land and by the destruction of the rainforest used by local populations. As a result, conflicts – mostly latent – pitting neighbouring Bulu communities against the plantation have occurred, especially during the last few years. Drawing on fieldwork data as well as on anthropological, economic and historical materials, I try to explore a new way of looking at such environmental conflicts by arguing that they reflect the struggle between two distinct institutional logics with different impacts on the environment, i.e. the logic of property versus the one of possession. In short, the logic of possession corresponds to a multi-functional community-based forest management, while the logic of property gave birth to the commercial monoculture model, the highest stage of the transformation of an ecosystem in order to match the requirements of property. It is argued that the conflict between the logic of possession and the logic of property is at the heart of many cases of “environmentalisms of the poor” that arise in reaction to “development”.

La participación social como método de conservación. Estudio de caso en el área de conservación arenal Huetar norte de Costa Rica

El presente estudio se realiza con la intención de contribuir a establecer las bases para una buena gestión del territorio en el Área de conservación arenal Huetar norte de Costa Rica mediante la participación social; garantizando la conservación del capital natural y el desarrollo económico, social y ambientalmente sostenible. Para ello, se ha colaborado en la formación del Consejo Local del Corredor Biológico Ruta Los Malécu-Medio Queso (CL CBRLM-MQ) y del Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Caño Negro (RNVSCN), formado por una coalición social que tendrá el objetivo de gestionar su propio territorio. Con la intención de capacitar a los integrantes de este consejo, y a los pobladores de la Zona Norte de Costa Rica en general, y orientarlos hacia la buena gestión de los recursos naturales, se ha realizado un análisis detallado sobre su percepción sobre los Servicios Ecosistémicos de la región. El resultado de este proyecto, es un manual de educación y comunicación ambiental sobre los servicios ecosistémicos de la Zona Norte para el educador/a. Con este manual se pretende capacitar a los pobladores sobre el valor de los SE, todo con la finalidad de promover cambios de actitudes y de conductas que fomenten una relación respetuosa con la naturaleza para alcanzar el desarrollo sostenible de la región y de esta manera mejorar la calidad de vida de los habitantes de esta zona.

La construcció del funcionari. Un estudi de cas : INSS Barcelona

El treballador públic és sotmès, des que comença la seva particular relació laboral, a un món fortament estructurat i amb una cultura, unes característiques i un tarannà propis i particulars. És en aquest procés que les forces socialitzadores del seu lloc de treball, juntament amb les del món exterior, el van formant com a treballador públic, fins al punt que es pot parlar del funcionari com d'una construcció. Això produeix una manera de veure i entendre el món laboral molt diferent de la que es té en l'empresa privada. Així, les aptituds, les actituds, les maneres de fer, les dèries i les manies només tenen sentit dins el seu entorn, que ell mateix comprèn com a totalment diferent. L'oposició com a ritual de pas, la socialització secundària, la percepció de l'alteritat, el qui és l'altre, el quan i el perquè, i els trets de la seva cultura - el temps, el treball, la normativa són algunes de les claus estudiades en aquest treball que ens ajuden a comprendre el perquè i el com d'aquesta construcció.

Urban design proposes for the norwegian cities

Alta is the biggest city in the country of Finnmark. The area of study, Bossekop, is situated 4km from the city centre. It has some commercial areas, offices, hotels and housing, mostly single family housing. The most important Norwegian road, E6 goes through Bossekop, there for it has a big traffic flow. The concept builds on the idea of two axis, one local leading from the local sports development area into the centre core, and one on a higher level, the E6. In Bodø, after analysing carefully the surroundings we reached the conclusion that it is posssible to conserve a lot of the green as well as offering the municipalities the chance to develop with several housing typologies. Nature should be preserved and with this connect directly the mountain to the sea, using the existing creek to make the water connection. In order to keep a big part of this land untouched, we suggest that the rest of the site can be developed quite densely in one of the areas and then continuously fading out in direction of the mountains. Finnsnes is an important communication point for the region with its good connections. In that way it is becoming a central point for commerce and leisure. The concept is based on the wish from the municipality of Lenvik to look upon the city’s connection to the surrounding sea and green areas, together with the wish to make the pedestrian access better and the car traffic lighter., and in that way improve the conditions in the city

La privació de la pàtria potestat en el dret civil català

La privació de la potestat dels pares és una mesura per protegir un menor d’edat davant un dany que els seus progenitors no poden o no volen evitar. La inhabilitació per l’exercici del dret de pàtria potestat és una pena que no sempre aconsegueix l’adequada protecció dels menors d’edat.

Improving the organisation and commercialisation of small coffee and cocoa producers in the Northern Amazon Region of Ecuador

Coffee and cocoa represent the main sources of income for small farmers in the Northern Amazon Region of Ecuador. The provinces of Orellana and Sucumbios, as border areas, have benefited from investments made by many public and private institutions. Many of the projects carried out in the area have been aimed at energising the production of coffee and cocoa, strengthening the producers’ associations and providing commercialisation infrastructure. Improving the quality of life of this population threatened by poverty and high migration flows mainly from Colombia is a significant challenge. This paper presents research highlighting the importance of associative commercialisation to raising income from coffee and cocoa. The research draws on primary information obtained during field work, and from official information from the Ministry of Agriculture. The study presents an overview of current organisational structures, initiatives of associative commercialisation, stockpiling of infrastructure and ownership regimes, as well as estimates for both ‘robusta’ coffee and national cocoa production and income. The analysis of the main constraints presents different alternatives for the implementation of public land policies. These policies are aimed at mitigating the problems associated with the organisational structure of the producers, with processes of commercialisation and with environmental aspects, among others.

Recursos governatius. Doctrina de la Direcció General de Dret i Entitats Jurídiques IV

Comentaris a les Resolucions de la Direcció General de Dret i Entitats Jurídiques 22 de gener 2007, de 24 de gener 2007, de 15 de febrer 2007, de 16 de febrer 200 i de 19 de febrer 2007.

Recursos governatius. Doctrina de la Direcció General de Dret i Entitats Jurídiques (maig 2007-febrer 2008)

Comentaris a les Resolucions de la Direcció General de Dret i Entitats Jurídiques de 2 de maig 2007, de 10 de juliol 2007, d'11 de juliol 2007, de 16 de juliol 2007, de 17 de juliol 2007, de 22 d'octubre 2007, de 21 de desembre 2007 i 4 de febrer 2008.

Recursos governatius. Doctrina de la Direcció General de Dret i Entitats Jurídiques (febrer-abril 2008).

Comentaris a les Resolucions de la Direcció General de Dret i Entitats Jurídiques de 6 de febrer 2008, 8 de febrer 2008, 20 de febrer 2008, 2 d'abril 2008 i 18 d¿abril 2008.

Recursos governatius. Doctrina de la Direcció General de Dret i Entitats Jurídiques V

Comentaris a les Resolucions de la Direcció General de Dret i Entitats Jurídiques de 20 de març 2007, de 26 d'abril 2007, de 27 d'abril 2007 i de 30 d'abril 2007

Lobbying, political competition, and local land supply: recent evidence from Spain

We analyze whether local land supply is influenced by the degree of political competition, and interpret the findings as being indicative of the influence wielded by land development lobbies. We use a new database including both political and land supply data for more than 2,000 Spanish municipalities for the period 2003-2007. In Spain, land use policies are largely a local responsibility with municipalities having periodically to pass compre- hensive land use plans. The main policy variable in these plans, and the one analyzed here, is the amount of land classified for potential development. We measure local political competition as the margin of victory of the incumbent government. We instrument this variable using the number of votes obtained by parties represented in local government when standing at the first national legislative elections following the re-establishment of democracy, and the number of votes they actually obtained regionally at the national legislative elections. The results indicate that stiffer political competition does indeed reduce the amount of new land designated for development. This effect is found to be most marked in suburbs, in towns with a high percent of commuters and homeowners, and in municipalities governed by the left.