The use of benthic indicators in Europe: from the Water Framework Directive to the Marine Strategy Framework Directive

The Water Framework Directive (WFD) and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) are the European umbrella regulations for water systems. It is a challenge for the scientific community to translate the principles of these directives into realistic and accurate approaches. The aim of this paper, conducted by the Benthos Ecology Working Group of ICES, is to describe how the principles have been translated, which were the challenges and best way forward. We have tackled the following principles: the ecosystem-based approach, the development of benthic indicators, the definition of ‘pristine’ or sustainable conditions, the detection of pressures and the development of monitoring programs. We concluded that testing and integrating the different approaches was facilitated during the WFD process, which led to further insights and improvements, which the MSFD can rely upon. Expert involvement in the entire implementation process proved to be of vital importance.     

Spatial data availability and its implications for sustainable development of the Brazilian Amazon

In the Amazonia region, general policy based on sustainable development must be adopted to counterbalance natural conservation and the needs of people. To discuss and monitor the regional development requires a significant variety of spatial data. However, making data available is not simple and various solutions usually are presented in non-standardized and non-interchangeable databases. This paper presents an overview of spatial data available for the Amazonia region, and initiatives of data dissemination systems, considering various geographical scales and data access. From this general perspective, we discuss some ideas about the importance of spatial data for sustainability and suggest interactive systems that could contribute to local development and environmental conservation. The limitation on the promotion of spatial information and data sharing in Amazonia is neither computational nor technological. Rather, it is a matter of informing those who generate the data about the benefits of knowledge as a public good and promoting collaborative work. Creating a convergent spatial consciousness about the territory, and bringing together every environmental player, is a step towards the discussion and planning of the sustainable development of the Amazonia.     

Die Kristallstruktur von Warikahnit,Zn3[(H2O)2|(AsO4)2]

Zusammenfassung Die Kristallstruktur des neuen Minerals Warikahnit, Zn₃[(H₂O)₂|(AsO₄)₂], wurde mit Diffraktometerdaten bestimmt und bis zuR=0,038 für 3428 unabhängige Reflexe verfeinert.Warikahnit ist triklin, , mita=6,710(1),b=8,989(2),c=14,533(2) Å, =105,59(1), =93,44(1), =108,68(1)°,Z=4.Die Kristallstruktur des Warikahnits enthält sechs unterschiedliche Koordinationspolyeder des Zinks mit den Koordinationszahlen 6, 5 und 4 und mit fünf verschiedenen Ligandenkombinationen. Die Wasserstoffbrückenbindungen werden mit Hilfe der Ladungsbilanz und des IR-Spektrums diskutiert.

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The crystal structure of warikahnite, Zn₃[(H₂O)₂|(AsO₄)₂]

Summary The crystal structure of the new mineral warikahnite, Zn₃[(H₂O)₂|(AsO₄)₂], was determined from diffractometer data and refined toR=0,038 for 3428 observed independent reflections.Warikahnit is triclinic, , witha=6.710(1),b=8.989(2),c=14.533(2) Å, =105.59(1), =93.44(1), =108.68(1)°,Z=4.The crystal structure of warikahnite contains 6 different coordination polyhedra of zinc with the coordination numbers 6,5 and 4 and with 5 different combinations of ligand. The hydrogen bonds are discussed on the basis of charge balance and IR spectra.

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White Knights: will wind and solar come to the rescue of a looming capacity gap from nuclear phase-out or slow CCS start-up?

In the wake of the Fukushima nuclear accident, countries like Germany and Japan have planned a phase-out of nuclear generation. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology has yet to become a commercially viable technology with little prospect of doing so without strong climate policy to spur development. The possibility of using renewable power generation from wind and solar as a non-emitting alternative to replace a nuclear phase-out or failure to deploy CCS technology is investigated using scenarios from EMF27 and the POLES model. A strong carbon price appears necessary to have significant penetration of renewables regardless of alternative generation technologies available, but especially if nuclear or CCS are absent from the energy supply system. The feasibility of replacing nuclear generation appears possible at realistic costs (evaluated as total abatement costs and final user prices to households); however for ambitious climate policies, such as a 450 ppm target, CCS could represent a critical technology that renewables will not be able to fully replace without unbearable economic costs.