Espacios e interrelaciones del saber ambiental

Plantea lo que debe ser una identidad de las ciencias sociales desde visiones novedosas de abordar la temática ambiental. Parte de la premisa de que el saber ambiental va más allá del diagnóstico, es decir, va a la preposición, a la generación de un conocimiento nuevo que mixtura los conocimientos populares con los científicos para permitir un cambio real en la relación de las personas con otras manifestaciones de vida. Abstract The article presents what it should be an identity for Social Sciences from very novel approaches towards the environmental subject-matter. The starting pont of the article is the premise that the environmental knowledge goes far beyond the diagnostics i.e., it goes to the preposition, to the production of new knowledge that mixes the knowledhe of the people with the scientific knowledge to allow a real change in the realtionship between people and other life manifestations.

Bioexploration of wild Alaskan berries: From field screening to functional food

Wild berries are fundamental components of traditional diet and medicine for Native American and Alaska Native tribes and contain a diverse array of phytochemicals, including anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins, with known efficacy against metabolic disorders. Bioexploration represents a new paradigm under which bioactive preparations are screened in coordination with indigenous communities, to prepare for subsequent in-depth chemical and biological analysis. The inclusive, participatory philosophical approach utilized in bioexploration has additional benefits that could be realized in seemingly disparate areas, such as education and economics. Five species of wild Alaskan berries (Vaccinium uliginosum, V. ovalifolium, Empetrum nigrum, Rubus chamaemorus, and R. spectabilis) were tested using “Screens-to-Nature” (STN), a community-participatory approach to screen for potential bioactivity, in partnership with tribal members from three geographically distinct Alaskan villages: Akutan, Seldovia, and Point Hope. Berries were subsequently evaluated via HPLC and LC-MS2, yielding significant species and location-based variation in anthocyanins (0.9-438.6 mg eq /100g fw) and proanthocyanins (73.7-625.2 mg eq /100g fw). A-type proanthocyanidin dimers through tetramers were identified in all species tested. Berries were analyzed for in vitro and in vivo activity related to diabetes and obesity. R. spectabilis samples increased preadipocyte-factor-1 levels by 82% over control, and proanthocyanidin-rich fractions from multiple species reduced lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Furthermore, extracts of V. uliginosum and E. nigrum (Point Hope) reduced serum glucose levels in C57bl/6j mice up to 45%. The same precepts of bioexploration, especially the inclusion of indigenous community perspectives and knowledge, have relevance in other areas of study, such as education and economics. Studies have established the apathetic, low-motivational environment characteristic of many introductory science laboratory classes is detrimental to student interest, learning, and continuation in scientific education. A primary means of arresting this decline and stimulating the students’ attention and excitement is via engagement in hands-on experimentation and research. Using field workshops, the STN system is investigated as to its potential as a novel participatory educational tool, using assays centered around bioexploration and bioactive plant compounds that hold the potential to offset human health conditions. This evaluation of the STN system provided ample evidence as to its ability to augment and improve science education. Furthermore, Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis was employed as a theoretical framework to review the potential benefits and hurdles associated with developing a wild Alaskan berry commodity. Synthesizing various sources of information – including logistics and harvest costs, sources of initial capital, opportunities in the current superfruit industry, and socioeconomic factors – the development of a berry commodity proves to be a complex amalgam of competing factors which would require a delicate balance before proceeding.

Lagoa mirim: caracterização da pesca artesanal e composição da captura

Os ambientes aquáticos continentais da metade sul do RS são caracterizados por uma ampla planície costeira, onde destaca-se a Lagoa Mirim, com uma área total binacional (Brasil e Uruguai) de 3.750 Km². Nesta região, a pesca é uma importante atividade sócio-econômica, porém, a economia da região baseia-se no cultivo do arroz e na criação de gado. A proposta deste trabalho foi realizar um diagnóstico preliminar desta atividade na L. Mirim. A metodologia foi baseada na aplicação de formulários aos pescadores artesanais (perfil sócio-econômico e características da pesca) e na identificação das espécies que compunham a captura proveniente do desembarque pesqueiro no entorno da L. Mirim (Jaguarão, Santa Isabel e Santa Vitória do PalmarPorto e Curral Alto). Os dados de captura total de pescado foram provenientes de fontes independentes e complementares. O estudo sugere um perfil do pescador artesanal composto por 71% de indivíduos de sexo masculino, entre 20 e 65 anos de idade que costumam ficar de uma semana a quinze dias embarcados. A maioria (71%) dos pescadores artesanais entrevistados possui somente ensino fundamental e seus familiares geralmente estão envolvidos na atividade pesqueira. Foram identificados 28 locais de pesca e as principais espécies capturadas pela pesca artesanal foram: traíra Hoplias malabaricus, jundiá Rhandia aff. quelen, pintado Pimelodus maculatus, peixerei Odontesthes spp, viola-cascuda Loricariichthys anus e tambico Oligosarcus spp. A traíra foi a espécie mais representativa em peso (> 40%). Estas espécies apresentaram flutuações na composição das capturas ao longo do ano; os menores valores foram registrados entre julho e setembro (meses frios), exceto para o peixe-rei. A análise dos dados também aponta uma variação interanual dos valores totais de pescado e alguns fatores que podem estar associados à diminuição da captura são os prolongados períodos de seca na região, o uso da água na orizicultura e a falta de fiscalização da atividade pesqueira. Estudos baseados em estimativas de pescarias e conhecimento sobre a biologia das espécies capturadas podem fornecer subsídios para o correto manejo dos recursos pesqueiros, para tanto, são necessárias pesquisas que investiguem aspectos do uso sustentado das espécies de importância econômica na região e os possíveis efeitos da atividade pesqueira sobre a estrutura e a biodiversidade do ecossistema. Assim, para garantir a sustentabilidade da Lagoa Mirim, faz-se necessário envolver os pescadores artesanais e suas estratégias de pesca, em função de seus conhecimentos ecológicos, nas pesquisas que integram a elaboração das políticas públicas.

Barriers to environmental management in clusters of small businesses in Brazil and Japan: from a lack of knowledge to a decline in traditional knowledge

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

Perceptions of environmental change and use of traditional knowledge to plan riparian forest restoration with relocated communities in Alcantara, Eastern Amazon

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Blame it on Rio: Biodiscovery, native title, and traditional knowledge

This article examines the legal responses to protect traditional knowledge of biodiversity in the wake of the Rio Convention on Biological Diversity. It considers the relative merits of the inter-locking regimes of contract law, environmental law, intellectual property law, and native title law. Part 1 considers the natural drug discovery industry in Australia. In particular, it looks at the operations of Amrad, Astra Zeneca R & D, and the Australian Institute of Marine Science. This section examines the key features of the draft regulations proposed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) - model contracts, informed consent, benefit-sharing, and ministerial discretion. The use of Indigenous Land Use Agreements in the context of access to genetic resources is also explored. Part 2 considers the role played by native title law in dealing with tangible and intangible property interests. The High Court decision in Western Australia v Ward considers the relationship between native title rights and cultural knowledge. The Federal Court case of Neowarra v Western Australia provides an intriguing gloss on this High Court decision. Part 3 looks at whether traditional knowledge of biodiversity can be protected under intellectual property law. It focuses upon reforms such as Senator Aden Ridgeway's proposed amendments to the Plant Breeder's Rights Act 1994 (Cth), and the push to make disclosure of origin a requirement of patent law.

Lessons Learned From Loko I‘a Culture: How Hawaiian Ecological Knowledge Influences Environmental Policies

Thesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2016-06

An environmental assessment model for knowledge-based urban development

Purpose – In recent years, knowledge-based urban development (KBUD) has introduced as a new strategic development approach for the regeneration of industrial cities. It aims to create a knowledge city consists of planning strategies, IT networks and infrastructures that achieved through supporting the continuous creation, sharing, evaluation, renewal and update of knowledge. Improving urban amenities and ecosystem services by creating sustainable urban environment is one of the fundamental components for KBUD. In this context, environmental assessment plays an important role in adjusting urban environment and economic development towards a sustainable way. The purpose of this paper is to present the role of assessment tools for environmental decision making process of knowledge cities. Design/methodology/approach – The paper proposes a new assessment tool to figure a template of a decision support system which will enable to evaluate the possible environmental impacts in an existing and future urban context. The paper presents the methodology of the proposed model named ‘ASSURE’ which consists of four main phases. Originality/value –The proposed model provides a useful guidance to evaluate the urban development and its environmental impacts to achieve sustainable knowledge-based urban futures. Practical implications – The proposed model will be an innovative approach to provide the resilience and function of urban natural systems secure against the environmental changes while maintaining the economic development of cities.

Proceedings of the 6th Knowledge Cities World Summit, KCWS 2013

In recent years, with the impact of global knowledge economy, a more comprehensive development approach has gained significant popularity. This new development approach, so called ‘knowledge-based urban development’, is different from its traditional predecessor. With a much more balanced focus on all of the four key development domains – economic, spatial, institutional, and socio-cultural – this contemporary approach, aims to bring economic prosperity, environmental sustainability and local institutional competence with a just socio-spatial order to our cities and regions. The ultimate goal of knowledgebased urban development is to produce a city purposefully designed to encourage the continuous production, circulation and commercialization of social and scientific knowledge – this will in turn establish a ‘knowledge city’. A city following the ‘knowledge city’ concept embarks on a strategic mission to firmly encourage and nurture locally focused innovation, science and creativity within the context of an expanding knowledge economy and society. In this regard a ‘knowledge city’ can be seen as an integrated city, which physically and institutionally combines the functions of a science and technology park with civic and residential functions and urban amenities. It also offers one of the effective paradigms for the sustainable cities of our time. This sixth edition of KCWS – The 6th Knowledge Cities World Summit 2013 – makes an important reminder that the ‘knowledge city’ concept is a key notion in the 21st Century development. Considering this notion, the Summit sheds light on the multifaceted dimensions and various scales of building a ‘knowledge city’ via ‘knowledge-based urban development’ paradigm by particularly focusing on the overall Summit theme of ‘Establishing Bridges’. At this summit, the theoretical and practical maturing of knowledge-based development paradigms are advanced through the interplay between the world’s leading academics’ theories and the practical models and strategies of practitioners’ and policy makers’ drawn from around the world. This summit proceeding is compiled in order to disseminate the knowledge generated and shared in KCWS 2013 with the wider research, governance, and practice communities the knowledge co-created in this summit. All papers of this proceeding have gone through a double-blind peer review process and been reviewed by our summit editorial review and advisory board members. We, organizers of the summit, cordially thank the members of the Summit Proceeding Editorial Review and Advisory Board for their diligent work in the review of the papers. Also we thank Prof.Dr. Ahmet Ademoğlu, Rector of İstanbul Şehir University, for providing all the support for the Summit. We hope the papers in this proceeding will inspire and make a significant contribution to the research, governance, and practice circles.

The 4th Knowledge Cities World Summit Proceedings

FROM KCWS 2011 CHAIRS AND SUMMIT PROCEEDING EDITORS In recent years, with the impact of global knowledge economy, a more comprehensive development approach has gained significant popularity. This new development approach, so called ‘knowledgebased development’, is different from its traditional predecessor. With a much more balanced focus on all of the four key development domains – economic, enviro-urban, institutional, and sociocultural – this contemporary approach, aims to bring economic prosperity, environmental sustainability and local institutional competence with a just socio-spatial order to our cities and regions. The ultimate goal of knowledge-based development is to produce a city purposefully designed to encourage the continuous production, circulation and commercialisation of social and scientific knowledge – this will in turn establish a ‘knowledge city’. A city following the ‘knowledge city’ concept embarks on a strategic mission to firmly encourage and nurture locally focussed innovation, science and creativity within the context of an expanding knowledge economy and society. In this regard a ‘knowledge city’ can be seen as an integrated city, which physically and institutionally combines the functions of a science and technology park with civic and residential functions and urban amenities. It also offers one of the effective paradigms for the sustainable cities of our time. This fourth edition of KCWS – The 4th Knowledge Cities World Summit 2011 – makes an important reminder that the 'knowledge city' concept is a key notion in the 21st Century development. Considering this notion, the Summit sheds light on the multi-faceted dimensions and various scales of building a ‘knowledge city’ via 'knowledge-based development' paradigm by particularly focusing on the overall Summit theme of ‘Knowledge Cities for Future Generations’. At this summit, the theoretical and practical maturing of knowledge-based development paradigms are advanced through the interplay between the world’s leading academics’ theories and the practical models and strategies of practitioners’ and policy makers’ drawn from around the world. This summit proceeding is compiled in order to disseminate the knowledge generated and shared in KCWS 2011 with the wider research, governance, and practice communities the knowledge cocreated in this summit. All papers of this proceeding have gone through a double-blind peer review process and been reviewed by our summit editorial review and advisory board members. We, organisers of the summit, cordially thank the members of the Summit Proceeding Editorial Review and Advisory Board for their diligent work in the review of the papers. We hope the papers in this proceeding will inspire and make a significant contribution to the research, governance, and practice circles.

Knowledge gain or system benefit in environmental decision making?

The quality of environmental decisions are gauged according to the management objectives of a conservation project. Management objectives are generally about maximising some quantifiable measure of system benefit, for instance population growth rate. They can also be defined in terms of learning about the system in question, in such a case actions would be chosen that maximise knowledge gain, for instance in experimental management sites. Learning about a system can also take place when managing practically. The adaptive management framework (Walters 1986) formally acknowledges this fact by evaluating learning in terms of how it will improve management of the system and therefore future system benefit. This is taken into account when ranking actions using stochastic dynamic programming (SDP). However, the benefits of any management action lie on a spectrum from pure system benefit, when there is nothing to be learned about the system, to pure knowledge gain. The current adaptive management framework does not permit management objectives to evaluate actions over the full range of this spectrum. By evaluating knowledge gain in units distinct to future system benefit this whole spectrum of management objectives can be unlocked. This paper outlines six decision making policies that differ across the spectrum of pure system benefit through to pure learning. The extensions to adaptive management presented allow specification of the relative importance of learning compared to system benefit in management objectives. Such an extension means practitioners can be more specific in the construction of conservation project objectives and be able to create policies for experimental management sites in the same framework as practical management sites.

The genographic project: Traditional knowledge and population genetics

This article considers the debate over patent law, informed consent, and benefit-sharing in the context of biomedical research in respect of Indigenous communities. In particular, it focuses upon three key controversies over large-scale biology projects, involving Indigenous populations. These case studies are representative of the tensions between research organisations, Indigenous communities, and funding agencies. Section two considers the aims and origins of the Human Genome Diversity Project, and criticisms levelled against the venture by Indigenous peak bodies and anti-biotechnology groups, such as the Rural Advancement Foundation International. It examines the ways in which the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) grappled with questions of patent law, informed consent, and benefit sharing in relation to population genetics. Section three focuses upon the ongoing litigation in Tilousi v. Arizona State University, and the Havasupai Tribe v. Arizona State University. In this matter, the Havasupai tribe from the Grand Canyon in the United States brought legal action against the Arizona State University and its researchers for using genetic data for unauthorised purposes - namely, genetic research into schizophrenia, migration, and inbreeding. The litigation raises questions about informed consent, negligence, and larger matters of human rights. Section four explores the legal and ethical issues raised by the Genographic Project. It considers the aims and objectives of the venture, and the criticisms levelled against it by Indigenous communities, and anti-biotechnology groups. It examines the response of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues to the Genographic Project. It charts the debate over the protection of traditional knowledge in various international fora. The conclusion recommends a number of measures to better regulate large-scale biology projects involving the participation of Indigenous communities.

Albert Namatjira: copyright estates and traditional knowledge

Albert Namatjira was Australia's first Indigenous professional artist. He adapted Western-style painting to express his cultural knowledge of the Arrernte country, for which he was a traditional custodian. In his lifetime, Albert Namatjira achieved great acclaim for his exceptional ability as an artist. However, after his untimely death, he was ignored by the mainstream Australian art world, because of the aesthetic prejudices and social policies of the time. A recent exhibition entitled Seeing the Centre: The art of Albert Namatjira (1902-1959) curated by Alison French has sought to redress this neglect, and provide a retrospective of his work. The exhibition has brought to light that the copyright in the artistic works of Albert Namatjira has not been passed onto his family descendants. In June 1957, Namatjira entered into a copyright agreement with John Brackenreg, the owner of a publishing company by the name of Legend Press, and the associated Artarmon Galleries in Sydney. It was agreed that Legend Press would pay royalties to Namatjira for the sole right to reproduce all of his paintings. Following Namatjira's death in 1959, the administration of his estate passed to the Public Trustee for the Northern Territory Government. The Public Trustee of the Northern Territory Government authorised the sale of Namatjira's copyright to Legend Press in 1983, thereby ending the ability of the descendents of Namatjira to benefit from on-going income from the reproduction of his works. Senator Aden Ridgeway of the Democrats has called on the Federal Government to enter into discussions with the Northern Territory Government to buy back the copyright in Albert Namatjira's works. He argued that exclusive control of the use and reproduction of his works should be restored to his descendants, as well as the receipt of all financial benefits that result from the use and reproduction of his works under copyright protection. The Senator said: 'By doing this, we will all be rewarded, because finally, belatedly, we will be showing Albert Namatjira the reverence that he has always deserved. We will be protecting his legacy for future generations'.

On the importance of pro-environmental organizational climate for employee green behavior

In their call to action, Ones and Dilchert(2012) discuss several possible individual and some contextual determinants of employee green behavior that await examination by industrial and organizational I–O) psychologists. Although these authors briefly mentioned organizational climate, specifically ethical climate, as a potentially relevant predictor of green behaviors, they mostly emphasized the role of individual difference characteristics and traditional job performance determinants such as knowledge, skills, abilities, and other person factors (KSAOs).