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Found 15 results.

E 4.1: Quality and food safety issues in markets for high-value products in Thailand and Vietnam

Das Projekt "E 4.1: Quality and food safety issues in markets for high-value products in Thailand and Vietnam" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Hohenheim, Institut für Agrar- und Sozialökonomie in den Tropen und Subtropen durchgeführt. The production and marketing of high-value agricultural commodities - such as fruits, vegetables, and livestock products - has been an important source of cash income for small-scale farmers in the northern mountainous regions of Thailand and Vietnam. However, against the background of recent free trade agreements and market liberalization, there is increasing national and international competition, partly leading to significant price decreases. Given structural disadvantages of farmers in northern Thailand and Vietnam, it will be very difficult for them to achieve and maintain a competitive position in markets for undifferentiated high-value products. Therefore, product differentiation - in terms of health attributes (e.g., low-pesticide residues, free from diseases and pathogens), taste (e.g., indigenous livestock breeds), time (e.g., off-season production), or processing characteristics (e.g., packaging, drying, canning) - could be a promising alternative. Quality and safety attributes play an increasing role in domestic and international food trade. The additional value generated could lead to sustainable income growth in the small farm sector, but this potential will only materialize when appropriate institutional mechanisms help reduce transaction costs and allow a fair distribution of benefits. This subproject seeks to analyze how the production and marketing of high-value agricultural products with quality and safety attributes can contribute to pro-poor development in northern Thailand and Vietnam. Quality and safety attributes can only generate value when they directly respond to consumer demand. Furthermore, since they are often credence attributes, the product identity has to be preserved from farm to fork. Therefore, the analysis will cover the whole supply chain, from agricultural production to final household consumption. Interview-based surveys of farmers, intermediate agents, and consumers will be carried out in Thailand, and to a limited extent also in Vietnam. The data will be analyzed econometrically with regard to the structure of high-value markets, trends and their determinants, and efficiency and equity implications of different institutional arrangements (e.g., contract agriculture, supermarket procurement). Since in northern Vietnam, the marketing of high-value products is a relatively recent activity, markets for more traditional crops will be analyzed as well, to better understand the linkages between different cash-earning activities in the semi-subsistent farm households. Apart from their direct policy relevance, the results will contribute to the broader research direction of the economics of high-value agricultural markets in developing countries. Moreover, they will generate useful information for other subprojects of the Uplands Program.

Governing the Common Sea (GOVCOM)? Changing modes of governance in the Baltic Sea Region

Das Projekt "Governing the Common Sea (GOVCOM)? Changing modes of governance in the Baltic Sea Region" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Greifswald, Institut für Politikwissenschaft, Lehrstuhl für Vergleichende Regierungslehre durchgeführt. The pattern of environmental governance is changing as national governments are under stress from new political agents. In addition to the traditional nation state centered policy-making system, including international cooperation, political power is also exercised on the trans-national and local levels of society. A simultaneous movement of political power is also exercised on the trans-national and local levels of government and downward to local communities. Sub national units such as local governments, civic organisations and even loosely constructed networks introduce their own environmental policies. Global sustainability problems are created by the interaction of all societal levels, and a new politics of sustainability involving local, national, regional as well as global efforts must be implemented to solve these problems. National governments have responsed to this situation by introducing programs promoting ecological modernisation as well as new policy instruments that involve communities and other actors. The Baltic Sea Region (BSR) is an area of special concern both from an environmental point-of-view as well as from a governance point-of-view. The sea itself is highly vulnerable to pollution. At the same time the region is an ideal setting for the research because it has introduced several new fora for sustainable decision making, while showing considerable strength in existing administrative and political structures. The main objectives for this project are: Module 1. to deepen understanding of the origins, development and operation of traditional environmental governance in the BSR

Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) - GSE Forest Monitoring in Russia (Stage I)

Das Projekt "Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) - GSE Forest Monitoring in Russia (Stage I)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Jena, Institut für Geographie, Abteilung Geoinformatik und Fernerkundung durchgeführt. This GSE-FM service option provides a powerful tool for effective forest monitoring and inventory at regional scale using both EO-data and ground based observations. It is especially designed for allocating reliable and up-to-date information over large forest areas. Many regions of the world like wide parts of Russia and the Irkutsk Oblast are covered by vast forests. The countries and administrative regions often have to deal with pressing environmental problems such as frequent forest fires events, illegal logging practices as well as other human activities and natural forest disturbances. Due to the large forest areas, which are often difficult to access or characterized by insufficient infrastructure and severe climate conditions, frequent monitoring of the forest resources is a great challenge. Forest monitoring by the means of ground inventories is rather complicated or even impossible. The use of aerial photographs is also often insufficient and cost-intensive. As a result, forest information available today, often does not correspond to the current situation. This is true for wide parts of Siberia, for example. However, according to their own legislation and to fulfill international obligations up-to-date and reliable information on forest resources are essential. For instance, in order to update the Russian State Forest Account as well as for forest management and monitoring issues an annual update of forest information is obligatory. The use of EO-technologies offers an excellent tool to obtain spatial forest information. Especially for regions covered by vast forest areas the combined use of high and low resolution EO-data is the most promising and cost-efficient strategy. Therefore, this GSE-FM service option follows a two-level strategy: Level 1: Low and medium resolution satellite data are used for operational monitoring of forest changes over large areas caused by fires, cutting, and other natural and human induced disturbances. Territories where significant changes occurred are identified at this level. Level 2: Both high-resolution satellite data and aerial photos are used for a detailed inventory of all candidates registered by the first level observations. Ground truth data (inventory maps, topography, archive EO data etc.) are used in addition.

Trees, Resilience and Livelihood Recovery in the Tsunami-affected Coastal Zone of Aceh and North Sumatra (Indonesia)

Das Projekt "Trees, Resilience and Livelihood Recovery in the Tsunami-affected Coastal Zone of Aceh and North Sumatra (Indonesia)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Hohenheim, Institut für Tropische Agrarwissenschaften (Hans-Ruthenberg-Institut), Fachgebiet Pflanzenbau in den Tropen und Subtropen (490e) durchgeführt. Post-Tsunami call for coastal protection forest has been quick and loud, as presence of trees could certainly have reduced loss of human lives. Coastal zone management has to provide environmental protection and meet economic targets of livelihood options based on sea plus land-based activities. Tree crops and trees preferred by farmers contribute to both. Pre-Tsunami 40-60 percent of the economy of West Aceh and Nias depended on tree crops. Our aim is to help rebuild a green infrastructure that enhances the resilience of the coastal population in the face of multiple stresses. We start with assessing damage to trees, changes in land suitability and impacts on the production-marketing chain and will follow up with activities supporting short term recovery (using existing trees) and preparing for the opportunities of rehabilitated infrastructure. Lessons learnt on resilience will be shared as international public goods.

Global Observation for Forest and Land Cover Dynamics

Das Projekt "Global Observation for Forest and Land Cover Dynamics" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Jena, Institut für Geographie, Abteilung Geoinformatik und Fernerkundung durchgeführt. The role of GOFC GOLD is to establish the link between space agencies, science community and the users of earth observation data and data products. The primary function of the Land Cover Implementation Team (LC-IT) is to develop and evaluate methods, tools and products for land cover measurements and monitoring using space-borne and in-situ observations. The LC-IT assesses current needs and deficiencies for global and regional monitoring to support Global Change research, national and regional forest inventories and international policy. The team cooperates closely with other GOFC-GOLD implementation teams and regional networks worldwide. Within this framework, the ESA GOFC GOLD project office helps to strengthen the GOFC-GOLD framework, to coordinate, promote and fulfil the GOFC Land Cover implementation plan, and to support the European Space Agency and related projects and services. Specific objectives for the first period (2004-2006) are: (1) To establish a GOFC-GOLD LC PO at the Jena University including the necessary infrastructure required to operate the LC PO. (2) To staff and operate the GOFC-GOLD LC PO for a period of three consecutive years starting February 2004. (3) Management and coordination of the execution of the GOFC-GOLD Land Cover Implementation Plan in close cooperation with the GOFC-GOLD-chairs John Townshend and Alan Belward. (4) To support ESA in the coordination of land cover harmonization and validation activities focussed on the development of a user information service for the (4.1) reporting and exchange of validation results and (4.2) information relating to the operational activities of satellite platforms and data delivery (GLOBCARBON and GLOBCOVER projects). To provide ESA with appropriate progress and annual reports and attend regular review meetings at ESA ESRIN, Italy.

Environmentally Compatible Air Transport Systems (ECATS- Network of Excellence)

Das Projekt "Environmentally Compatible Air Transport Systems (ECATS- Network of Excellence)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR), Institut für Physik der Atmosphäre Oberpfaffenhofen durchgeführt. ECATS ist ein so genanntes Exzellenznetzwerk (NoE) der Europäischen Kommission in Brüssel, an dem 13 Gruppen europäischer Universitäten und nationalen Forschungszentren beteiligt sind. Ziel des Projektes ist die Entwicklung eines virtuellen europäischen Forschungsinstitutes durch Bündelung verschiedener nationaler und europäischer Forschungsinitiativen zur Entwicklung umweltfreundlicher Luftverkehrskonzepte.

Entwicklung der Landnutzung, Bodendegradation und deren Konsequenzen für die Waldsteppenzone Bashkortostans

Das Projekt "Entwicklung der Landnutzung, Bodendegradation und deren Konsequenzen für die Waldsteppenzone Bashkortostans" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Institut für Geowissenschaften und Geographie, Arbeitsgruppe Geoökologie durchgeführt. In the Republic of Bashkortostan (Southern Russia) land use in general and land use practices in particular have changed due to the transformation process after the breakup of the former Soviet Union. These developments are causing land degradation and soll erosion, subsequently leading to a dramatic loss of arable land and a reduction of land productivity. The project will investigate the natural and anthropogenic causes for land degradation and soil erosion. Further more, ecological, socio-economic and political factors influencing sustainable agriculture in the region will be examined. For this study existing Russian archives, results from field work as Well as the analyses of remote sensing data will be used. Finally, guidelines and recommendations for soll conservation strategies will be developed. In addition, the existing data basis will be re-examined and adapted to international standards. The Integration of data as well as their transfer to the public will be achieved by using GIS techniques.

Earth Observation for Assessment of Forest Disturbances induced Carbon Emissions in Central Siberia (SibFORD)

Das Projekt "Earth Observation for Assessment of Forest Disturbances induced Carbon Emissions in Central Siberia (SibFORD)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Jena, Institut für Geographie, Abteilung Geoinformatik und Fernerkundung durchgeführt. The SibFORD project aims at the development of methods and tools to estimate carbon emissions induced by forest disturbances using Earth observation (EO) techniques in combination with in-situ data and contemporary models, and to improve the understanding of human impacts on the carbon balance in boreal ecosystems through analysis of multi-annual integrated land surface-model / remote sensing datasets. The SibFORD project has been selected for funding within INTAS (The International Association for the Promotion of Co-operation with Scientists from the New Independent States (NIS) of the Former Soviet Union) Thematic Call for Research Project Proposals on 'Earth Sciences and Environment' in co-operation with the European Space Agency (ESA).

Irkutsk Regional Information System for Environmental Protection (IRIS)

Das Projekt "Irkutsk Regional Information System for Environmental Protection (IRIS)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Jena, Institut für Geographie, Abteilung Geoinformatik und Fernerkundung durchgeführt. Background: IRIS builds on former Framework Programme 4 and 5 projects, extends their networks to Russia and adopts some of their findings to the specific needs of the involved governmental agency. This implements for the first time that the scientific results from former EC-funded scientific co-operations are being collected and transformed to tools for regional management by the administration. Consequently, the involvement of the potential IRIS user community is the most challenging objective and remains an ongoing process. Impacts: As a result of project implementation the prospective research initiatives for the creation of regional GIS, pollution transport models, industrial development scenarios and risk assessments will be formulated. IRIS will be useful for officials of the Russian Federation at different levels of state hierarchy, i.e. at regional level (Irkutsk Region), inter-regional level (since the neighbouring areas are also included in IRIS as the present/potential sources of pollution) and federal level (e.g. management of federally controlled nature resources and stress on the environment by enterprises held in federal property). The international dimension of project implementation is strongly connected with problems of climate change essential worldwide and, in particular, for EU Member States. There is no doubt today that the role of the boreal forests is essential. In this context the Siberian taiga, which is the largest forest region in the world, and Irkutsk region as a part of taiga is of vital importance. Thus the strategic impact of the project could be felt on both national and international levels, helping to manage the environment and develop effective solutions of regional and global problems facing the society. Objectives: The Irkutsk Regional Information System for Environmental Protection - 'IRIS' assesses the current status and dynamics of the Irkutsk Region's forestry environment, influenced by man-made changes and anthropogenic impact arising from pollution sources and other negative anthropogenic drivers located in the region and in adjacent areas. It will investigate the responsiveness and vulnerability of forestry environment within the region under different scenarios of industrial development and nature-preserving measures. The major goal of IRIS is to efficiently share Earth Observation data and domain-specific (ecologic and economic) information within earth science community and regional governance to identify environmental impacts that are both economic and socially responsible. Thus, for integrated environmental management methodical designs are necessary which refer to the complexity of the natural resource to be managed and the difficulty to predict the factors or driving forces influencing them.

ClimaSec - Die Versicherheitlichung des Klimawandels: Akteure, Prozesse und Konsequenzen

Das Projekt "ClimaSec - Die Versicherheitlichung des Klimawandels: Akteure, Prozesse und Konsequenzen" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Tübingen, Institut für Politikwissenschaft, Lehrstuhl Thomas Diez durchgeführt. In der Diskussion über die Veränderung unseres Verständnisses von internationaler Sicherheit spielt die Versicherheitlichung der Umwelt, d.h. die Darstellung von Gefahren für die Umwelt als existentielle Bedrohungen, eine zentrale Rolle. Innerhalb dieser Debatte nimmt der Klimawandel breiten Raum ein. Dabei wird oftmals postuliert, dass es durch den Klimawandel zu Wasserverknappung und Unwetterkatastrophen kommt, die direkt (als Verteilungskonflikte) oder indirekt (z.B. über Migrationsströme) zu Konflikten führen. Dieser Zusammenhang ist jedoch umstritten. So unterscheiden sich die Versicherheitlichungen des Klimawandels zentral hinsichtlich der Frage, wen sie als Referenzobjekt (wer wird bedroht?) annehmen, welche logischen Verknüpfungen (was führt warum zu was?) sie vornehmen und welche Maßnahmen (was tun?) sie einfordern. Über die damit verbundenen politischen Prozesse gibt es bislang nur wenige detaillierte Erkenntnisse. Wir verbinden in diesem Projekt die Theorie der Versicherheitlichung, wie sie in der sogenannten Kopenhagener Schule entwickelt wurde, mit einem Diskurs-Ansatz, um so zu untersuchen, welche Akteure warum welche Formen von Versicherheitlichung vornehmen, wer sich wie durchsetzt, und welche politischen Folgen dies hat. Dabei leisten wir auch einen Beitrag zur Debatte um internationale Sicherheitsanalysen, in der die Frage des Zusammenhangs zwischen Politisierung und Versicherheitlichung bislang ungeklärt geblieben ist.

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