Environmental conflicts and defenders: A global overview

Recent research and policies recognize the importance of environmental defenders for global sustainability and emphasize their need for protection against violence and repression. However, effective support may benefit from a more systematic understanding of the underlying environmental conflicts, as well as from better knowledge on the factors that enable environmental defenders to mobilize successfully. We have created the global Environmental Justice Atlas to address this knowledge gap. Here we present a large-n analysis of 2743 cases that sheds light on the characteristics of environmental conflicts and the environmental defenders involved, as well as on successful mobilization strategies. We find that bottom-up mobilizations for more sustainable and socially just uses of the environment occur worldwide across all income groups, testifying to the global existence of various forms of grassroots environmentalism as a promising force for sustainability. Environmental defenders are frequently members of vulnerable groups who employ largely non-violent protest forms. In 11% of cases globally, they contributed to halt environmentally destructive and socially conflictive projects, defending the environment and livelihoods. Combining strategies of preventive mobilization, protest diversification and litigation can increase this success rate significantly to up to 27%. However, defenders face globally also high rates of criminalization (20% of cases), physical violence (18%), and assassinations (13%), which significantly increase when Indigenous people are involved. Our results call for targeted actions to enhance the conditions enabling successful mobilizations, and for specific support for Indigenous environmental defenders.     

Sustainability in New Zealand's quota management system: A convenient story

New Zealand's fisheries management institutions represent a globally recognised story of a successful sustainable management regime, an accolade perceived to be based on its early and comprehensive adoption of a quota management system (QMS). This article questions these assumptions. There are three main strands to the argument. First, that the interpretation of sustainability in the New Zealand QMS disregards the social while simultaneously accentuating a particularly neoliberal economic paradigm in which sustainability is directed towards sustaining the wealth generating potential of quota holdings. Second, while in theory there is a separation of biological and economic conceptions of sustainability in the QMS, these processes are, in fact, deeply intertwined. Third, that the sustainability brand works to legitimise the privatisation and marketization of marine environments, to protect the income stream of quota investors, and to effectively incorporate and discipline dissent.     

Potential for sustainable sea transport: A case study of the Southern Lomaiviti,Fiji islands

This paper outlines research on the sea transport need and potential options for the future for the islands of Gau, Batiki and Nairai, Southern Lomaiviti, Fiji. Sea transport is vital for this island group but is limited to infrequent commercial ferry services and outboard driven punts. The Fiji Government subsidises the ferries through its Shipping Franchise Scheme to ensure commercial operators service the route. The absence of commercial development within the group has meant high biodiversity and cultural values have been preserved and there are a number of projects, especially on Gau, with a common aim of building resilience or ‘climate change proofing’ the communities and their island environments. These projects are focused on supporting local communities to maintain well-being through improved reliance on local and natural assets. It is logical to add analysis of low carbon sea transport options to these initiatives. Lomaiviti has been selected as representative of a number of isolated Maritime Provinces in the Pacific. This paper is expected to pave the way for greater research in this field and assist in solving the crippling effect of the region's current fossil fuel dependency.     

Impacts of current EU regulation on the UK whitefish value chain

Cod and haddock are two of the “big 5” UK supermarket fish species and intrinsic to fish and chip shops nationwide. UK whitefish fleets produce a significant amount, however there is a reliance on imports to maintain supply. The UK is in a strong position to compete for raw material from Iceland and Norway given high prices paid for imports and investment by Icelandic and Norwegian companies in the UK. Regarding UK production of whitefish, the European Common Fisheries Policy landing obligation has introduced significant uncertainty. To avoid discarding of any quota stock, fishing may be stopped before all target stocks quota is reached. For demersal fleets, there is a transition period between 2016 and 18 where target stocks are introduced according to Advisory Council and EU agreement and Article 15, with all quota stocks from 2019. As the capacity of the fleets balance to the new regulations, supply will likely return and if maximum sustainable yield (MSY) is reached in 2020 then an increase in TACs from current levels is likely too. However, markets and industries can change in a short period. Particularly, most processing companies are small to medium size enterprises and those that concentrate on cod and haddock may have to adjust their business. Fleets could be resilient to such short term reductions in landings however this cannot be assumed. The competitiveness of producers will surely be affected in the short to medium term as a result.     

Market assessment on the incentives and disincentives for the adoption of sustainable practices along the tuna value chain in Region 12, Philippines

With the world's increasing demand for tuna and the subsequent exhaustion of tuna stocks, this paper tries to assess the different attempts and/or practices that lead towards sustainability along the tuna value chain in the Philippines. In terms of economic gains, the net margins analysis, was used to measure the level of income of the actors which was considered as a factor that could possibly incentivize the adoption of sustainable practices, along with other market phenomena which were reviewed in this paper. These significant practices in the market include the provision of price premiums for the capture of mature tuna and the stringency of the market in terms of eco-labelling and certifications in contrast to the indifference of the local Philippine market in terms of preference. Lastly, having purse seine as a less sustainable method of tuna fishing, it was seen that there is a lack of incentive for them to adopt more sustainable practices.     

Effects of long-term dumping of harbor-dredged material on macrozoobenthos at four disposal sites along the Emilia-Romagna coast (Northern Adriatic Sea, Italy)

Sediment from harbors of the Emilia-Romagna (Northern Adriatic Sea) were dredged and dumped in four disposal areas characterized by muddy bottoms. The long-term effects of the dumping on macrozoobenthic communities were investigated before and after 6 month, 8 month, 2 years and 4 years. The disposal of dredged material did not influence the granulometry and %TOC in the sediment, and no alterations in the structure of the macrobenthic communities were observed in the four areas. The lack of impact could be ascribed to the environmental characteristics and precautionary measures taken to minimize the effects of the dumping. It appears that: (1) the communities of the dumping areas are well adapted to unstable environments; (2) the sediments were disposed gradually and homogeneously over relatively large areas; Other factors that help to reduce the impact of sediment disposal are the low concentrations of contaminants in dredged materials and the similarity of sediment in the dredged and disposal areas. Off-shore discharge appears a sustainable strategy for the management of uncontaminated dredged sediments from the Northern Adriatic Sea harbors.     

甘肃生态经济系统的能值分析及其可持续性评估

比较生态足迹指数、环境可持续性指数（ESI）、自然资本指数（NCI）等作为衡量生态经济系统可持续性指标的不足后,选择能值分析及其指标作为定量评价区域可持续发展状态的方法和指标。通过对甘肃1994—2004年的净能值产出率（NEYR）、能值投入率（RIR）、环境负载率（ELR）和可持续发展能值指数（ESI）等7项指标的计算及趋势分析,并与其他国家和地区比较得出：甘肃经济还处于较低水平,开放程度依然有限,能值消费和利用结构也是低层次的,近年工业化步伐虽然加快,但要实现甘肃的可持续发展,仍需重视经济发展的作用,通过进口低能值、高能量的产品而输出高能值的产品和服务,达到自组织最优化状态（能源利用高效率）和系统对外最大功（强势竞争力）;甘肃可持续发展指数（ESI）的波动下降与甘肃经济的快速增长不无关系。重视经济增长和控制其对环境系统的压力,保持可持续发展指数的平缓降低尤为重要。