Urban-scale Environmental Prediction Systems

Weather, climate, water and related environmental conditions, including air quality, all have profound effects on cities. A growing importance is being attached to understanding and predicting atmospheric conditions and their interactions with other components of the Earth System in cities, at multiple scales. We highlight the need for: (1) development of high-resolution coupled environmental prediction models that include realistic city-specific processes, boundary conditions and fluxes; (2) enhanced observational systems to support (force, constrain, evaluate) these models to provide high quality forecasts for new urban services; (3) provision of meteorological and related environmental variables to aid protection of human health and the environment; (4) new targeted and customized delivery platforms using modern communication techniques, developed with users to ensure that services, advice and warnings result in appropriate action; and (5) development of new skill and capacity to make best use of technologies to deliver new services in complex, challenging and evolving city environments. We highlight the importance of a coordinated and strategic approach that draws on, but does not replicate, past work to maximize benefits to stakeholders.

Classification and optimization of product review information using soft computing models

A soft computing framework to classify and optimize text-based information extracted from customers' product reviews is proposed in this paper. The soft computing framework performs classification and optimization in two stages. Given a set of keywords extracted from unstructured text-based product reviews, a Support Vector Machine (SVM) is used to classify the reviews into two categories (positive and negative reviews) in the first stage. An ensemble of evolutionary algorithms is deployed to perform optimization in the second stage. Specifically, the Modified micro Genetic Algorithm (MmGA) optimizer is applied to maximize classification accuracy and minimize the number of keywords used in classification. Two Amazon product reviews databases are employed to evaluate the effectiveness of the SVM classifier and the ensemble of MmGA optimizers in classification and optimization of product related keywords. The results are analyzed and compared with those published in the literature. The outputs potentially serve as a list of impression words that contains useful information from the customers' viewpoints. These impression words can be further leveraged for product design and improvement activities in accordance with the Kansei engineering methodology.

Environmental protection and economic growth

This paper explores the link between environmental policy and economic growth by employing an extension of the AK Growth Model. We include a state equation for renewable natural resources. We assume that the change in environmental regulations induces costs and that economic agents also derive some utility from capital stock accumulation vis-`a-vis the environment. Using the Hopf bifurcation theorem, we show that cyclical environmental policy strategies are optimal, providing theoretical support for the Environmental Kuznets Curve.

Firms reaction to environmental regulation

International agreements arising from the need to deal with the global warming promoted by countries decided to embrace a climate change policy bring on the debate of the impacts on firms in a global competitive market. Facing, therefore, different environmental standards accordingly to firm’s physical location. Once European Union is taking the lead in adopting stringent environmental regulation, this study aims to assess the impact of environmental regulations on firms in Europe. A novel database was constructed providing firm-level air pollution emission information in the European Union. Using difference-in-difference model, the effect of the intervention of EU environmental policy change suggests a negative response in fixed assets among EU firms due to the 2006 EU policy. The evidence to the hypothesis that firms in European Union have been decreasing its firms fixed assets, as a proxy of production capacity, with the change in environmental regulation, provides general support for the PHH, however, it doesn’t remain in robustness checks. The contribution of this work is bringing a revisited view of the actual effect of environmental regulation based on Kyoto Protocol directives on European firms.

Geo-environmental investigation: A brief review and a few suggestions for brazilian contaminated sites

This paper presents a brief review about site investigation procedures for contaminated sites recommended by Brazilian and Canadian environmental agencies as well as discusses the theme of geo-environmental investigation as applied to Brazilian practice. The main definitions on the theme are reviewed and some guidelines are proposed for conducting a geo-environmental investigation of Brazilian contaminated sites using different site and laboratory investigation techniques based on the presented review and on the experience obtained from the investigation of a solid waste disposal site in the interior of the state of São Paulo, Brazil.

The North-South dimension of the environmental and cleaner technology industries

Includes bibliography

Does body size of neotropical ant species influence their recruitment speed?

Formigas são um dos mais importantes grupos animais nas florestas tropicais devido a sua abundância e seu número de espécies. Uma característica importante do grupo é a eusocialidade, que permite a ocorrência do comportamento de recrutamento quando um recurso alimentar é encontrado. Entretanto, existem duas questões principais acerca desse comportamento: (i) o recrutamento é um produto de pressões ambientais ou filogenéticas, e (ii) a velocidade de recrutamento é relacionada ao tamanho corpóreo das espécies de formigas. Neste trabalho nós analisamos essas duas questões em 17 espécies de formigas neotropicais, na floresta Amazônica densa de terras baixas. De acordo com os resultados, o recrutamento é fortemente relacionado com o tamanho da formiga, sendo que espécies menores exibem essa característica quando encontram uma fonte protéica. Entretanto, o tamanho das espécies não é importante na velocidade de recrutamento, o que sugere que a velocidade de recrutamento pode ser melhor explicado pelo tipo de recursos alimentares necessários à colônia.

Diagnóstico do estado geoambiental da área urbana do município de Cubatão (SP)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Essays on Industrial Organization and Environmental Economics

This dissertation studies environmental regulation issues in the hog production industry as well as forces behind the reorganization of the industry during the past two decades. Federal and State-level environmental regulations imposed on U.S. hog production during the year 2003 are examined in Chapter 1. Based on the number of regulations passed by the Federal government and states, the 2003 regulatory index is constructed. The regulatory stringency index suggests that state-level regulations vary across states and have increased over the years. In addition, state-level regulations are more stringent than federal regulations. Chapter 2 develops an empirically implementable theoretical model which allows us to investigate the long-run effects of environmental regulations on the U.S. hog industry. Hog feeding operations (HFOs) are divided into large feeding operations (LHFOs) and small feeding operations (SHFOs). The impact of the presence of a large number of LHFOs on the entry and exit of CHFOs is also examined. Results of this study suggest that: Increased state-level regulation stringency significantly lowers the output of SHFOs; increased state-level regulation stringency significantly lowers the output of LHFOs; increased state-level regulation stringency significantly lowers the number of SHFOs; SHFO output rises significantly in states that have a greater number of LHFOs; LHFO output rises significantly in states that have a greater number of LHFOs; the number of SHFOs significantly increases in states that have a greater numbers of LHFOs; regulation increases the average SHFO size; and regulation decreases the average LHFO size. Chapter 3 examines the importance of input availability, market attractiveness, agglomeration economies and environmental regulations on the reorganization of U.S. hog production for a panel of 22 U.S. hog producing states which include, Northern states, Southern states and Midwest states for the period 1994-2006. Results from this study suggest that: Hog production in a state is positively affected by hog production in a nearby state, confirming the presence of agglomeration economies; Environmental regulations and high corn price have negative effects on state-level U.S. hog production; High hog prices, and favorable labor cost, and land values attract hog production; and transportation cost has no effect on hog production. Advisors: Azzeddine Azzam and Karina Schoengold

Variation of Environmental Regulation Stringency Among the Top Ten U.S. Hog Producing States

The U.S. hog industry, once primarily made up of small owner-operated crop-hog farms, has become dominated by large specialized operations characterized by low costs and improved technologies in livestock management. Such changes have triggered concerns over the dangers large Hog Feeding Operations (HFOs) are likely to pose to the environment. In 2007, the top ten states accounted for more than 85 percent of total U.S. hog production (Iowa (IA), North Carolina (NC), Minnesota (MN), Illinois (IL), Nebraska (NE), Indiana (IN), Missouri (MO), Oklahoma (OK), Ohio (OH), and Kansas (KS)). With such domination on production, these states are often the subject of environmental debate relating to hog production. When farmers are required to incorporate environmental measures in hog production, their costs of production increase. Metcalfe (2001) found that small HFOs have found it difficult to cope with such costs and many have exited the industry, while large operations have not been affected at the same level. Due to the variation of environmental regulations among states, other operations moved to states with lax regulations (e.g. NC prior to the late 1990s). Such regulations appear to have played a major role in shaping the structure of the hog industry.

The role of land and water for trade and food production in Latin America: Environmental trade-offs of agricultural intensification versus extensification

One of humanity’s major challenges of the 21st century will be meeting future food demands on an increasingly resource constrained-planet. Global food production will have to rise by 70 percent between 2000 and 2050 to meet effective demand which poses major challenges to food production systems. Doing so without compromising environmental integrity is an even greater challenge. This study looks at the interdependencies between land and water resources, agricultural production and environmental outcomes in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), an area of growing importance in international agricultural markets. Special emphasis is given to the role of LAC’s agriculture for (a) global food security and (b) environmental sustainability. We use the International Model for Policy Analysis of Agricultural Commodities and Trade (IMPACT)—a global dynamic partial equilibrium model of the agricultural sector—to run different future production scenarios, and agricultural trade regimes out to 2050, and assess changes in related environmental indicators. Results indicate that further trade liberalization is crucial for improving food security globally, but that it would also lead to more environmental pressures in some regions across Latin America. Contrasting land expansion versus more intensified agriculture shows that productivity improvements are generally superior to agricultural land expansion, from an economic and environmental point of view. Finally, our analysis shows that there are trade-offs between environmental and food security goals for all agricultural development paths.

Viticultura y Cambio Climático en España: Vulnerabilidad en las distintas regiones y estrategias de adaptación frente al desarrollo de nuevas políticas

El presente trabajo realiza un análisis de la vulnerabilidad de la viticultura en España ante el Cambio Climático que contribuya a la mejora de la capacidad de respuesta del sector vitivinícola a la hora de afrontar los retos de la globalización. Para ello se analiza el impacto que puede tener el Cambio Climático en primer lugar sobre determinados riesgos ocasionados por eventos climáticos adversos relacionados con extremos climáticos y en segundo lugar, sobre los principales índices agro-climáticos definidos en el Sistema de Clasificación Climática Multicriterio Geoviticultura (MCGG), que permiten clasificar las zonas desde un punto de vista de su potencial climático. Para el estudio de las condiciones climáticas se han utilizado los escenarios de Cambio Climático regionalizados del proyecto ESCENA, desarrollados dentro del Plan Nacional de Adaptación al Cambio Climático (PNACC) con el fin de promover iniciativas de anticipación y respuesta al Cambio Climático hasta el año 2050. Como parte clave del estudio de la vulnerabilidad, en segundo lugar se miden las necesidades de adaptación para 56 Denominaciones de Origen Protegidas, definidas por los impactos y de acuerdo con un análisis de sensibilidad desarrollado en este trabajo. De este análisis se desprende que los esfuerzos de adaptación se deberían centrar en el mantenimiento de la calidad sobre todo para mejorar las condiciones en la época de maduración en los viñedos de la mitad norte, mientras que en las zonas de la mitad sur y del arco mediterráneo, además deberían buscar mantener la productividad en la viticultura. Los esfuerzos deberían ser más intensos en esta zona sur y también estarían sujetos a más limitaciones, ya que por ejemplo el riego, que podría llegar a ser casi obligatorio para mantener el cultivo, se enfrentaría a un contexto de mayor competencia y escasez de recursos hídricos. La capacidad de afrontar estas necesidades de adaptación determinará la vulnerabilidad del viñedo en cada zona en el futuro. Esta capacidad está definida por las propias necesidades y una serie de condicionantes sociales y de limitaciones legales, como las impuestas por las propias Denominaciones de Origen, o medioambientales, como la limitación del uso de agua. El desarrollo de estrategias que aseguren una utilización sostenible de los recursos hídricos, así como el apoyo de las Administraciones dentro de la nueva Política Agraria Común (PAC) pueden mejorar esta capacidad de adaptación y con ello disminuir la vulnerabilidad. ABSTRACT This paper analyzes the vulnerability of viticulture in Spain on Climate Change in order to improve the adaptive capacity of the wine sector to meet the diverse challenges of globalization. The risks to quality and quantity are explored by considering bioclimatic indices with specific emphasis on the Protected Designation of Origin areas that produce the premium winegrapes. The Indices selected represents risks caused by adverse climatic events related to climate extremes, and requirements of varieties and vintage quality in the case of those used in the Multicriteria Climatic Classification System. (MCCS). To study the climatic conditions, an ensemble of Regional Climate Models (RCMs) of ESCENA project, developed in the framework of the Spanish Plan for Regional Climate Change Scenarios (PNACC-2012) have been used As a key part of the study of vulnerability risks and opportunities are linked to adaptation needs across the Spanish territory. Adaptation efforts are calculated as proportional to the magnitude of change and according to a sensitivity analysis for 56 protected designations of origin. This analysis shows that adaptation efforts should focus on improving conditions in the ripening period to maintain quality in the vineyards of the northern half of Iberian Peninsula, while in areas of the southern half and in the Mediterranean basin, also should seek to maintain productivity of viticulture. Therefore, efforts should be more intense in the Southern and Eastern part, and may also be subject to other limitations, such as irrigation, which could become almost mandatory to keep growing, would face a context of increased competition and lack of resources water. The ability to meet these needs will determine the vulnerability of the vineyard in each region in the future. This capability is defined also by a number of social factors and legal limitations such as environmental regulations, limited water resources or those imposed by their own Designation of Origin. The development of strategies to ensure sustainable use of water resources and the support schemes in the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) can improve the resilience and thus reduce vulnerability.

A Summary and report on four national environmental workshops /

"July 1980"

Environmental regulation induced foreign direct investment

The last decade has witnessed a renewed interest in the relationship between environmental regulations and international capital flows. However, empirical studies have so far failed to find conclusive evidence for this so-called pollution haven or race to the bottom effect where foreign direct investment (FDI) is assumed to be attracted to low regulation countries, regions or states. In this paper we present a simple theoretical framework to demonstrate that greater stringency in environmental standards can lead to a strategic increase in capital inflows which we refer to as environmental regulation induced FDI. Our result reveals a possible explanation for the mixed results in the empirical literature and provides an illustration of the conditions under which environmental regulations in the host country can affect the location decision of foreign firms.

Mining product adopter information from online reviews for improving product recommendation

We present in this article an automated framework that extracts product adopter information from online reviews and incorporates the extracted information into feature-based matrix factorization formore effective product recommendation. In specific, we propose a bootstrapping approach for the extraction of product adopters from review text and categorize them into a number of different demographic categories. The aggregated demographic information of many product adopters can be used to characterize both products and users in the form of distributions over different demographic categories. We further propose a graphbased method to iteratively update user- and product-related distributions more reliably in a heterogeneous user-product graph and incorporate them as features into the matrix factorization approach for product recommendation. Our experimental results on a large dataset crawled from JINGDONG, the largest B2C e-commerce website in China, show that our proposed framework outperforms a number of competitive baselines for product recommendation.