Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Nicolas R. Dalezios Author-X-Name-First: Nicolas R. Author-X-Name-Last: Dalezios Author-Name: Andreas N. Angelakis Author-X-Name-First: Andreas N. Author-X-Name-Last: Angelakis Author-Name: Seyed Saeid Eslamian Author-X-Name-First: Seyed Saeid Author-X-Name-Last: Eslamian Title: Water scarcity management: part 1: methodological framework Abstract: Water scarcity and water availability puts significant constraints in the social and economic development of many regions and countries around the world, especially the arid and semi-arid regions, as well as deteriorates the quality of life. The current problem of water scarcity consists of the adverse result of ineffective water resource management and policies, as well as the availability of water in these regions. This paper presents a methodological overview of a sustainable water resource management framework through technical and scientific analyses of water scarcity management in regions vulnerable to drought and water scarcity. The methodological framework consists of procedures, including database development, climate variability and modelling, water quantity and quality modelling, a summary of hierarchical drought analysis, water demands assessment. In case of significant reduction in water availability, the analyses are expected to explore alternative water resource solutions, such as non-conventional measures related to marginal waters, including rain enhancement, desalination, water treatment and reuse potential, water harvesting, trends and practices under drought and water scarcity conditions. Once the water demands are assessed, a water resource management scheme is implemented, along with an economic model to evaluate the economic feasibility of the management scenarios. Journal: Int. J. of Global Environmental Issues Pages: 1-40 Issue: 1 Volume: 17 Year: 2018 Keywords: water scarcity; water demands and availability; non-conventional measures. File-URL: http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=90629 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:ids:ijgenv:v:17:y:2018:i:1:p:1-40 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Abay Mulatu Author-X-Name-First: Abay Author-X-Name-Last: Mulatu Title: Environmental regulation and international competitiveness: a critical review Abstract: In this paper, we critically review the literature on environmental regulation and competitiveness at a national level. The concept of international competitiveness (in relation to environmental regulation) is assessed in two broad schools of thought: neoclassical economics and the competitiveness school to which the Porter hypothesis belongs. We identify the pollution haven hypothesis (PHH) as the least common denominator for empirical evaluation of the main themes of these two competing schools of thought. As a minimum, one would need to find evidence on PHH to question the validity of the Porter hypothesis. A fully legitimate test of the Porter hypothesis should, inter alia, have a particular emphasis on the impact of well-designed environmental policies on high-value sectors of an economy. Examining the recent empirical literature on the PHH we find that the evidence remains inconclusive. This leaves the Porter hypothesis largely unscathed and challenges the widely-held view of the existence of a trade-off between economic performance and environmental quality. Journal: Int. J. of Global Environmental Issues Pages: 41-63 Issue: 1 Volume: 17 Year: 2018 Keywords: competitiveness; environmental regulation; Porter hypothesis; environmental policy; pollution haven. File-URL: http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=90639 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:ids:ijgenv:v:17:y:2018:i:1:p:41-63 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: S. Muthusamy Author-X-Name-First: S. Author-X-Name-Last: Muthusamy Author-Name: A. Shanmugasundharam Author-X-Name-First: A. Author-X-Name-Last: Shanmugasundharam Author-Name: M. Jayaprakash Author-X-Name-First: M. Author-X-Name-Last: Jayaprakash Title: Shallow sediment physiognomies of Manakudy estuary southwest coast of India Abstract: A total of 20 surface sediment samples were collected from the Manakudy estuary (8°05'30'' N and 77°29'10'' E) in Kanyakumari, southwest coast of India. Samples were analysed for grain size, CaCO<SUB align="right"><SMALL>3</SMALL></SUB>, organic carbon and trace element. Sedimentological behaviour and the spatial distribution pattern in the coastal and estuarine environment are presented in detailed. Based on the textural results show that the estuary is dominated by silty sand, where as the estuarine mouth is dominated by sand. Correlation studies illustrate that there exists a strong correlation between sand and CaCO<SUB align="right"><SMALL>3</SMALL></SUB>, organic carbon significant correlation with silt. The order of abundance of various trace elements in the surface sediment can be summarised as Fe > Mn > Zn > Pb > Cu > Cd > Cr. The increase in the concentration of trace metals along the Manakudy estuary indicates that the area has been contaminated by the input from the Pazhayar River. The sources of contamination mainly due to the anthropogenic activities such as sewage water, boot relishing oil, and fishing waste mixing around the estuary. The enrichment of cadmium in the southern part of the study area is mainly due to anthropogenic activities. Journal: Int. J. of Global Environmental Issues Pages: 64-79 Issue: 1 Volume: 17 Year: 2018 Keywords: estuarine sediment; CaCO3; OC; anthropogenic; trace elements; acid leachable trace metals; ALTMs. File-URL: http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=90648 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:ids:ijgenv:v:17:y:2018:i:1:p:64-79 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Ngambouk Vitalis Pemunta Author-X-Name-First: Ngambouk Vitalis Author-X-Name-Last: Pemunta Title: The logic of benevolent capitalism: the duplicity of Sithe Global Sustainable Oils Cameroon land grab and deforestation scheme as sustainable investment Abstract: This ethnographic study documents the concurrent debates pitting neoliberal ideology promoting economic growth and the generation of employment opportunities championed by the agro-industrial giant Herakles Farms, alongside the World Bank and the government of Cameroon - inherent in the establishment of a 73,086 ha oil palm plantation in Southwest Cameroon against the need for sustainable environment advocated for by local communities, NGOs and their transnational allies. Claims of benevolent capitalism are at odds with the perception and experiences of home loss and environmental degradation orchestrated by this project. The dissonance between the discourses and claims of benevolent capitalism with the perception and experiences of home loss and environmental degradation orchestrated by this project demonstrates that the neoliberal discourse of capitalist benevolence is a self-interested discourse that benefits the powerful at the expense of the subaltern. Local people should be empowered to negotiate with multinational corporations, laws recognising customary land rights instituted and implemented. Journal: Int. J. of Global Environmental Issues Pages: 80-109 Issue: 1 Volume: 17 Year: 2018 Keywords: neoliberalism; discourse; development; Africa; oil palm; land tenure; Cameroon; benevolent capitalism; deforestation; environmental degradation; Sithe Global Sustainable Oils Cameroon; Herakles Farm; land grab. File-URL: http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=90655 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:ids:ijgenv:v:17:y:2018:i:1:p:80-109 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Nicolas R. Dalezios Author-X-Name-First: Nicolas R. Author-X-Name-Last: Dalezios Author-Name: Nicholas Dercas Author-X-Name-First: Nicholas Author-X-Name-Last: Dercas Author-Name: Seyed Saeid Eslamian Author-X-Name-First: Seyed Saeid Author-X-Name-Last: Eslamian Title: Water scarcity management: part 2: satellite-based composite drought analysis Abstract: The composite use of two drought indices, namely the Reconnaissance Drought Index (RDI) for meteorological drought and the Vegetation Health Index (VHI) for agricultural drought, is considered for drought quantification and monitoring leading to water scarcity. The results of 20-year monthly RDI for Thessaly, Greece, indicate that there are eight drought periods lasting 12 months each and the start of severe and extreme drought usually coincides with the beginning of the hydrological year, whereas for moderate droughts the start occurs in spring, both lasting until the end of the hydrological year. There is also an increase in the areal extent of drought with the maximum occurring in the summer. Similarly, the results of VHI indicate that drought occurs every year during the warm season with increasing severity and areal extent. The findings justify the composite use of drought indices of different drought types for drought assessment and monitoring. Journal: Int. J. of Global Environmental Issues Pages: 262-295 Issue: 2/3 Volume: 17 Year: 2018 Keywords: composite drought analysis; indices; water scarcity; satellite methods. File-URL: http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=91429 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:ids:ijgenv:v:17:y:2018:i:2/3:p:262-295 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Ioanna Giannoukou Author-X-Name-First: Ioanna Author-X-Name-Last: Giannoukou Author-Name: Christina C. Beneki Author-X-Name-First: Christina C. Author-X-Name-Last: Beneki Title: Towards sustainability performance management system of tourism enterprises: a tourism sustainable balanced scorecard framework Abstract: This paper intends to provide the components and the process for a firm to establish, maintain and improve a culture of sustainable development in firms in the field of tourism and a framework for an effective management system, the performance of which can be monitored and verified. It is applicable to all firms in the entire tourism industry such as hotels, restaurants, tourism agents, and tour operators. The results are identified through the development of sustainable tourism performance criteria and indicators, which have been divided around four main perspectives: institutional; economic; socio cultural; and environmental. The management tool and methodology of the traditional balanced scorecard have been developed further towards the tourism sustainability balance scorecard integrating institutional, economic, socio-cultural and environmental perspectives. The tourism sustainability balanced scorecard defines the causal relation between factors of firms in order to establish priorities and targets in a rational decision-making process. Journal: Int. J. of Global Environmental Issues Pages: 175-196 Issue: 2/3 Volume: 17 Year: 2018 Keywords: sustainability performance; sustainability balance scorecard; SBSC; performance management; sustainable tourism; tourism marketing; global environmental issues; tourism enterprises; management system; sustainable development; tourism. File-URL: http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=91457 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:ids:ijgenv:v:17:y:2018:i:2/3:p:175-196 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Dawit Diriba Guta Author-X-Name-First: Dawit Diriba Author-X-Name-Last: Guta Author-Name: Djiby Racine Thiam Author-X-Name-First: Djiby Racine Author-X-Name-Last: Thiam Title: Challenges and opportunities associated with the role of forestry in promoting water-energy and food security nexus in Ethiopia Abstract: This paper discusses the extent to which decentralised and participatory forest resources management contributes to promoting synergies and reducing trade-offs in the water-energy and food security nexus in Ethiopia. After having briefly highlighted the historical and institutional context of forest management policy in the country, we provide an articulated and holistic nexus framework that takes into account the complementarity and interconnectedness that emerge from simultaneous natural resources uses. Moreover, the proposed framework takes into account the competing interests that exist between forest and other natural resources such as water, energy and land use for agriculture. Forest policy is therefore elaborated in a broader context where there are synergies and trade-offs associated with natural resource management. This paper finally outlines the institutional settings and governance structures that support a nexus management approach, which provides policy innovations that are required to achieve optimal economic and non-economic values of forest and alternative natural resources uses. Journal: Int. J. of Global Environmental Issues Pages: 214-229 Issue: 2/3 Volume: 17 Year: 2018 Keywords: forest; natural resources management; water-energy-food nexus; policy; Ethiopia; institutional arrangement. File-URL: http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=91458 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:ids:ijgenv:v:17:y:2018:i:2/3:p:214-229 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Christina Bampatsou Author-X-Name-First: Christina Author-X-Name-Last: Bampatsou Author-Name: George Halkos Author-X-Name-First: George Author-X-Name-Last: Halkos Author-Name: Dimitra Kaika Author-X-Name-First: Dimitra Author-X-Name-Last: Kaika Author-Name: Efthimios Zervas Author-X-Name-First: Efthimios Author-X-Name-Last: Zervas Title: Impact of technical and efficiency changes on productivity Abstract: Better management of natural capital, an efficient allocation of resources and technological progress can contribute to productivity change. The present study uses data envelopment analysis to determine the total factor productivity index, in the case of the EU15 countries, using panel data on energy consumption for a period spanning from 1995 to 2011. The aim is not only to determine the index of total factor productivity change but also to record its driving forces for the decision making units under consideration, showing whether the productivity gains come mainly from an improvement in efficiency or derive merely as a result of technological progress. In terms of eco-efficiency, the paper contributes in showing whether the overall development is more driven by input-saving or environmental-saving processes. The detailed decomposition offers policy makers additional insights into more valuable reference material representing the driving forces of productivity gains or losses. Journal: Int. J. of Global Environmental Issues Pages: 144-162 Issue: 2/3 Volume: 17 Year: 2018 Keywords: data envelopment analysis; total factor productivity index; panel data; energy consumption; carbon emissions; eco-efficiency; efficiency change; technical change; production possibility frontiers; undesirable output. File-URL: http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=91459 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:ids:ijgenv:v:17:y:2018:i:2/3:p:144-162 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Edward B. Barbier Author-X-Name-First: Edward B. Author-X-Name-Last: Barbier Author-Name: Joanne C. Burgess Author-X-Name-First: Joanne C. Author-X-Name-Last: Burgess Title: Policies to support environmental risk management in investment decisions Abstract: Investors are increasingly requiring assessments of environmental risks arising from climate change, natural resource scarcity and pollution. Improved environmental risk management also lowers the total cost of capital of firms, thus making them more attractive to investors. We illustrate this relationship by demonstrating how greater environmental risk may increase a firm's after-tax cost of capital. However, better environmental risk management by firms requires a range of complementary policies. The rules governing the financial system should support investment decision-making that takes into account environmental sources of risk and opportunity. Central banks can advance this objective by establishing environmental risk management and reporting requirements and adjusting capital provisioning to account for underpriced environmental threats. There is also a need to develop international guidelines and common policy and legal frameworks to support and streamline such initiatives. Developing such a policy strategy is likely to produce a self-reinforcing gain to firms, investors and society. Journal: Int. J. of Global Environmental Issues Pages: 117-129 Issue: 2/3 Volume: 17 Year: 2018 Keywords: cost of capital; environment risk management; environmental sustainability; green financing. File-URL: http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=91461 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:ids:ijgenv:v:17:y:2018:i:2/3:p:117-129 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: J. Velmurugan Author-X-Name-First: J. Author-X-Name-Last: Velmurugan Author-Name: M. Venkatesan Author-X-Name-First: M. Author-X-Name-Last: Venkatesan Title: Soft prediction model for spatial data analysis Abstract: A natural disaster causes huge loss in terms of people life and infrastructures. Landslide is one of the prime disasters in the hill regions such as Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Ooty in India. The extent of damages of landslide could be reduced or minimised by proposing novel landslide risk analysis model. Landslide is generated by various factors such as rainfall, soil, slope, land use and land covers, geology, etc. Data science and soft computing plays major role in landslide risk analysis. In this paper, classification data science technique is integrated with rough set model and soft Bayesian prediction model (SBPM) is proposed to analyse the possibilities of various landslide risk level at Coonor Taluk of Niligiri district. The proposed model is validated with real time data and performance is compared with other classification models. Journal: Int. J. of Global Environmental Issues Pages: 130-143 Issue: 2/3 Volume: 17 Year: 2018 Keywords: geographical information system; GIS; rough set; Bayesian; landslide; disaster. File-URL: http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=91465 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:ids:ijgenv:v:17:y:2018:i:2/3:p:130-143 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Nemi Lorraine S. Escalante Author-X-Name-First: Nemi Lorraine S. Author-X-Name-Last: Escalante Author-Name: Jonathan A. Uy Author-X-Name-First: Jonathan A. Author-X-Name-Last: Uy Author-Name: Hanah Marie M. Tonggol Author-X-Name-First: Hanah Marie M. Author-X-Name-Last: Tonggol Author-Name: Amando A. Radomes Jr. Author-X-Name-First: Amando A. Radomes Author-X-Name-Last: Jr. Author-Name: Lanndon A. Ocampo Author-X-Name-First: Lanndon A. Author-X-Name-Last: Ocampo Title: The application of system dynamics as a framework for establishing sustainable cave management policies: a case study in the Philippines Abstract: Sustainable tourism has become a critical concern for local and global communities due to several detrimental issues on tourist destinations. However, traditional tourism research generally adopts a reductionalist approach that has its limitations as it fails to see the interdependencies of many components within the tourism system. This study attempts to demonstrate an alternative approach to dealing with complexities of cave sustainability in the form of system dynamics. Two major policies for cave tourism sustainability were employed to simulate the long-term sustainability of the tourist cave system. A case study was carried out on an emerging cave destination in central Philippines in order to explore the dynamic impacts of the policies. As a result, the combination of dynamic pricing and vegetation improvement is the best policy mix that can be implemented by management to ensure that the requirements of sustainable tourism are not violated in running the cave system. Journal: Int. J. of Global Environmental Issues Pages: 197-213 Issue: 2/3 Volume: 17 Year: 2018 Keywords: cave tourism; sustainability; system dynamics; cave management policies; Philippines. File-URL: http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=91466 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:ids:ijgenv:v:17:y:2018:i:2/3:p:197-213 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Dmitry Rudenko Author-X-Name-First: Dmitry Author-X-Name-Last: Rudenko Title: Environment and economic growth in the Russian Arctic Abstract: The purpose of this study is to examine the hypothesis of the inverted U-shaped interdependence between environmental damage from air pollutant emissions and economic growth measured by gross regional product (GRP) per capita in the Arctic regions of Russia. Using the panel data for the period of 2000-2014, we apply FM-OLS panel long-run estimates proposed by Pedroni to investigate the existence of environmental Kuznets curve. Various panel data unit root and co-integration tests are also applied. We examine the stationary properties of individual series in panel datasets using different panel unit root tests. According to the concept of the environmental Kuznets curve all regions of the Russian Arctic are on the increasing branch of the curve. The economic growth is found to have no beneficial effect on the environment in the Arctic. We actualise the need of concentrated policies and incentives to reduce air pollutant emissions in the Russian Arctic. Journal: Int. J. of Global Environmental Issues Pages: 163-174 Issue: 2/3 Volume: 17 Year: 2018 Keywords: Arctic; environmental Kuznets curve; EKC; environment; economic growth; Russia. File-URL: http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=91471 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:ids:ijgenv:v:17:y:2018:i:2/3:p:163-174 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Diptimayee Nayak Author-X-Name-First: Diptimayee Author-X-Name-Last: Nayak Author-Name: Bharati Puri Author-X-Name-First: Bharati Author-X-Name-Last: Puri Author-Name: Vrajaindra Upadhyay Author-X-Name-First: Vrajaindra Author-X-Name-Last: Upadhyay Title: Recognising 'conservationism of the poor' towards holistic sustainability: study of an Indian national park Abstract: This paper analyses perceptions of poor households living in and around an Indian national park, the Bhitarkanika National Park (BNP), towards conservation, in the lens of the concepts 'conservationism of the poor' and 'environmentalism of the poor' as a theoretical tool. Values and motives held to conserve this pristine beauty are determined based on <i>raison d'être</i> cited by respondents. The paper analyses the matrix of values perceived about conservation at this park. Despite their low income, respondents assign non-use value as a reason to conserve this mangrove wetland. It is noteworthy that their willingness to pay (WTP) for the conservation of the BNP, in terms of labour hours is 295.6 times more than their WTP in terms of cash per annum. This paper insists on studying different types of values associated with conservation of the park and conjectures that non-use values form an important part in conservation, which must be recognised in a policy decision-making process for sustainability. Journal: Int. J. of Global Environmental Issues Pages: 230-261 Issue: 2/3 Volume: 17 Year: 2018 Keywords: national parks; people-park relationship; conservation; conservationism of the poor; non-use values; environmentalism; willingness to pay; WTP; India. File-URL: http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=91473 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:ids:ijgenv:v:17:y:2018:i:2/3:p:230-261 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Mohammad Javad Amiri Author-X-Name-First: Mohammad Javad Author-X-Name-Last: Amiri Author-Name: Jahangir Abedi-Koupai Author-X-Name-First: Jahangir Author-X-Name-Last: Abedi-Koupai Author-Name: Saeid Eslamian Author-X-Name-First: Saeid Author-X-Name-Last: Eslamian Title: Comparison of reference evapotranspiration inside and outside the glasshouse Abstract: In this study daily evaporation rate from class A pan and reduced pan installed inside the glasshouse with a class A pan installed outside were compared. The results showed that the mean weekly ET<SUB align="right"><SMALL>0</SMALL></SUB> value estimated by the class A pan installed outside and inside the glasshouse were 27.6 mm and 17.6 mm respectively, and 20.3 mm for the reduced pan. The ET<SUB align="right"><SMALL>0</SMALL></SUB> in the glasshouse was found to be 64% of outdoor ET<SUB align="right"><SMALL>0</SMALL></SUB>. With regard to the comparisons between the weekly ET<SUB align="right"><SMALL>0</SMALL></SUB> values estimated by the class A pan and reduced pan, both inside the glasshouse, coefficient of correlation was obtained 0.95 for the reduced pan method and with comparing between the weekly ET<SUB align="right"><SMALL>0</SMALL></SUB> values estimated by the class A pan outside the glasshouse and those estimated by the different methods inside, coefficient of correlation was obtained 0.71 for the class A pan and 0.68 by the reduced pan. Journal: Int. J. of Global Environmental Issues Pages: 297-306 Issue: 4 Volume: 17 Year: 2018 Keywords: evapotranspiration; glasshouse; class A pan; reduced pan. File-URL: http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=95040 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:ids:ijgenv:v:17:y:2018:i:4:p:297-306 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Mojtaba Pirnazar Author-X-Name-First: Mojtaba Author-X-Name-Last: Pirnazar Author-Name: Hafez Hasheminasab Author-X-Name-First: Hafez Author-X-Name-Last: Hasheminasab Author-Name: Arash Zand Karimi Author-X-Name-First: Arash Zand Author-X-Name-Last: Karimi Author-Name: Kaveh Ostad-Ali-Askari Author-X-Name-First: Kaveh Author-X-Name-Last: Ostad-Ali-Askari Author-Name: Zahra Ghasemi Author-X-Name-First: Zahra Author-X-Name-Last: Ghasemi Author-Name: Majedeh Haeri-Hamedani Author-X-Name-First: Majedeh Author-X-Name-Last: Haeri-Hamedani Author-Name: Elham Mohri-Esfahani Author-X-Name-First: Elham Author-X-Name-Last: Mohri-Esfahani Author-Name: Saeid Eslamian Author-X-Name-First: Saeid Author-X-Name-Last: Eslamian Title: The evaluation of the usage of the fuzzy algorithms in increasing the accuracy of the extracted land use maps Abstract: Within this paper, we evaluate the accuracy of three methods of classification including: object-oriented algorithms of the satellite images classification without the use of fuzzy algorithms, algorithm based on fuzzy algorithms, and pixel-based algorithms The accuracy of each method obtained by comparing the results with pixel-based algorithm in land use/land cover classification in Maragheh County. To reach this goal, AVNIR2 sensor images that generated from ALOS satellite were used to classify land use. The results obtained from the methods indicated that the classifications which produced by object-oriented classification method were more accurate than that of pixel-based method. The accuracy of fuzzy knowledge-based method was 93.28%. However the accuracy of the object-oriented method without using of the fuzzy algorithms and the pixel-based algorithm method were 88.06% and 83.79% respectively. According to these results, using higher spatial resolution images along with proper algorithms for extracting of features of land use classes is recommended to environmental researches. Journal: Int. J. of Global Environmental Issues Pages: 307-321 Issue: 4 Volume: 17 Year: 2018 Keywords: remote sensing; object-oriented classification methods; pixel base; fuzzy algorithms; land use map. File-URL: http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=95063 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:ids:ijgenv:v:17:y:2018:i:4:p:307-321 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Suraj Sood Author-X-Name-First: Suraj Author-X-Name-Last: Sood Title: Global problem-solving and ethics: a theoretical and practical analysis Abstract: This article focuses on how a more reciprocally-beneficial relation between humans and planetary ecologies can be achieved. Global problems and their potential solutions are considered from the perspectives of research non-profit The Millennium Project, the United Nations, the late cyberneticist Gregory Bateson, and the late psychoanalyst Felix Guattari. These approaches are contextualised within Ken Wilber's 'all quadrants, all levels' (AQAL) epistemological framework with the intent of making the problems discussed more amenable to higher-level analysis and problem-solving methodology. Within and following this latter endeavour is an assessment of practical approaches to global problem-solving, including The Millennium Project's Global Futures Intelligence System (GFIS) and Barrett Brown's Quadrant Dynamics: Thwarting or Supporting (Q-DyTS) algorithm. Lastly, a plural ethical approach is proposed and compared with US psychology, Guattari's ethico-aesthetic paradigm, and The Millennium Project's global challenge #15 (which concerns global ethics). Journal: Int. J. of Global Environmental Issues Pages: 322-339 Issue: 4 Volume: 17 Year: 2018 Keywords: global problem-solving; AQAL; sustainable development goals; The Millennium Project; United Nations; Felix Guattari; Gregory Bateson; Ken Wilber; mind; global environment; plural ethics; psychology; GFIS; Q-DyTS; global solution networks. File-URL: http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=95134 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:ids:ijgenv:v:17:y:2018:i:4:p:322-339 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Muhammad Haseeb Author-X-Name-First: Muhammad Author-X-Name-Last: Haseeb Author-Name: Sallahuddin Hassan Author-X-Name-First: Sallahuddin Author-X-Name-Last: Hassan Author-Name: Muhammad Azam Author-X-Name-First: Muhammad Author-X-Name-Last: Azam Author-Name: Tulus Suryanto Author-X-Name-First: Tulus Author-X-Name-Last: Suryanto Title: The dynamics of governance, tourism and environmental degradation: the world evidence Abstract: Efficient utilisation of scarce resources is always the prime aim of every state to ensure social welfare while maintaining a clean and green environment for sustainable development. Therefore, this study is an attempt to empirically investigate the linkages among corruption, democracy, tourism, and CO<SUB align="right"><SMALL>2</SMALL></SUB> emissions for selected disaggregate and aggregate panel data over the period 1995-2015. The FMOLS results indicate that the corruption and tourism at disaggregate and aggregate levels are substantial contributors of CO<SUB align="right"><SMALL>2</SMALL></SUB> emissions. These empirical results also reveal that corruption and tourism in low-income countries have a higher impact on CO<SUB align="right"><SMALL>2</SMALL></SUB> emissions compared to high-income countries. Besides, democracy in all panels except low-income countries has helped to reduce CO<SUB align="right"><SMALL>2</SMALL></SUB> emissions. Furthermore, tourism is undeniably a source of economic growth, however, it should not be at the cost of environmental degradation. Similarly, high endemic corruption needs to be controlled, and unregulated CO<SUB align="right"><SMALL>2</SMALL></SUB> emissions must be reduced to ensure sustainable development. Journal: Int. J. of Global Environmental Issues Pages: 340-363 Issue: 4 Volume: 17 Year: 2018 Keywords: governance; tourism; environmental degradation; CO2 emissions; fully modified ordinary least squares; FMOLS. File-URL: http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=95155 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:ids:ijgenv:v:17:y:2018:i:4:p:340-363 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Mengqi Xiong Author-X-Name-First: Mengqi Author-X-Name-Last: Xiong Author-Name: Zhulu Lin Author-X-Name-First: Zhulu Author-X-Name-Last: Lin Author-Name: G. Padmanabhan Author-X-Name-First: G. Author-X-Name-Last: Padmanabhan Title: Impact of bioenergy policy induced land use change on water quality under changing climate in the Northern Great Plains of the USA Abstract: Lake Ashtabula, located in the Northern Great Plains of the USA, has been listed as a nutrients-impaired water body by the United States Environmental Protection Agency with high priority to develop total maximum daily load (TMDL) reduction plans. The watershed draining into the lake is predominantly of agricultural land uses, which have changed considerably in recent years due to bioenergy policies. The region has also been experiencing a decade-long abnormally wet weather pattern since the early 1990s. A Soil and Water Assessment Tool model for Lake Ashtabula watershed was developed and calibrated to estimate annual sediment and nutrient loads into Lake Ashtabula under different land use and climate scenarios. The model could be used further for developing sediment and nutrient TMDLs for Lake Ashtabula and for identifying contributing areas targeted for watershed management and lake water quality improvement. Journal: Int. J. of Global Environmental Issues Pages: 364-390 Issue: 4 Volume: 17 Year: 2018 Keywords: bioenergy policy; climate change; eutrophication; land use change; Northern Great Plains; nonpoint source pollution; SWAT; total maximum daily load; TMDL; water quality; watershed modelling. File-URL: http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=95164 File-Format: text/html File-Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers. Handle: RePEc:ids:ijgenv:v:17:y:2018:i:4:p:364-390