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
Das Projekt "Risk Assessment of Fungal Biological Control Agents (RAFBCA)" wird vom Umweltbundesamt gefördert und von Universität Innsbruck, Institut für Mikrobiologie durchgeführt. The overall aim of this unique project is to establish whether metabolites produced by fungal BCAs enter the food chain and if they pose a risk to human and animal health. This will be achieved through: 1. development of sensitive tools (e.g. biosensors) and methods (including high throughput assays like ELISA and the Vitotoxin test) for rapid and accurate detection of fungal metabolites, 2. biochemical and molecular studies to elucidate their mode of action, 3. molecular markers to monitor fungal BCAs in the environment, 4. studies to determine if metabolites enter the food chain and, if so, identify the route of entry and type and quantities present.
