International Journal of Water Resources Development, 2017
This book investigates the new complexities of the hydropolitical dynamics and water–land–energy ... more This book investigates the new complexities of the hydropolitical dynamics and water–land–energy nexus in the Nile River basin. This book is particularly relevant because it is focused on a region that is geopolitically extremely important and that has seen significant inward foreign investment. No other study currently provides the combination of updated information and data and the rich analysis of the current opportunities and challenges these investments represent in terms of the regional (and global) political economy. The work identifies the major investors and provides critical new insights into the linkages between the Nile Basin and the Middle East, exploring how important these are in terms of virtual water trade. Another important contribution is that the authors look at the transboundary impacts such investments might have, namely in terms of hydropolitical relations between Nile riparian states, relations that are already very tense. This book will interest both academics and water-sector professionals, and makes an important contribution to the work of water practitioners and researchers in the Nile River basin. It will also be of interest to newcomers to the subject since it provides a comprehensive picture of past and present challenges, as well as the prospects for the future.
In June 2019, Sweden received its seventh biosphere reserve. Biosphere reserves are part of UNESC... more In June 2019, Sweden received its seventh biosphere reserve. Biosphere reserves are part of UNESCO’s global programme Man and the Biosphere (MAB), which commenced in 1971 with the aim of enhancing the relationship between humans and the environment. There are more than 700 biosphere reserves in the world that strive to be model areas for sustainable societal development. In total, Sweden’s biosphere reserves account for about seven per cent of the country’s total surface area. The report describes the development that has taken place in Sweden’s biosphere reserves regarding their organisational structures and their formation processes. The report is based on semi-structured interviews and conversations with about 60 key informants in combination with extensive analysis of documents. Based on the biosphere reserves’ mission to promote collaboration and dialogue for sustainable societal development, the report describes the challenges and success factors that have emerged since their ...
Sverige fick i juni 2019 sitt sjunde biosfärområde. Biosfärområden är en del av Unescos globala p... more Sverige fick i juni 2019 sitt sjunde biosfärområde. Biosfärområden är en del av Unescos globala program Man and the Biosphere (MAB) som startade 1971 i syfte att utveckla relationen mellan människan och hennes livsmiljö. Det finns över 700 biosfärområden i världen som strävar efter att vara så kallade modellområden för hållbar samhällsutveckling. Sveriges biosfärområden utgör sammanlagt drygt sju procent av landets totala yta. I rapporten beskrivs utvecklingen av Sveriges biosfärområden med särskilt fokus på områdenas organiserings- och bildningsprocesser. Rapporten bygger på semistrukturerade intervjuer och samtal med ett femtiotiotal nyckelaktörer för Sveriges biosfärområden i kombination med omfattande dokumentstudier. Rapporten diskuterar de utmaningar och framgångsfaktorer som uppkommer i biosfärorganisationerna och sätter dessa i relation till frågeställningar om biosfärområdenas representativitet, legitimitet samt organisatoriska förändringar och effekter. Rapporten visar h...
Emerging water frontiers in large-scale land acquisitions and implications for food security in A... more Emerging water frontiers in large-scale land acquisitions and implications for food security in Africa
The county administrative boards (CABs) and the Swedish Forest Agency shall coordinatework on reg... more The county administrative boards (CABs) and the Swedish Forest Agency shall coordinatework on regional environmental objectives and stimulate actions to achieve them,on the basis of the Swedish national environmental quality objectives. The aim of thisstudy is to evaluate the effectiveness of regional environmental objective measures, bystudying the outcomes in relation to the cost of implementing the measures. The resultsinclude the provision of guidance for formulating future environmental objectivemeasures, and examples of what is needed to be able to evaluate the effectiveness ofmeasures.Environmental benefit, environmental objective fulfilment and cost effectivenesshave been evaluated for 19 environmental objective measures within the areas of energy/climate, non-toxic environment, surface water and biological diversity. Also, successfactors and obstacles to the implementation of the measures have been identified.The evaluation is based on the inspection of documents, a questionnaire, telephoneinterviews and our collective competence.Quantitative evaluations and followups of environmental objective fulfilment, environmentalbenefit and cost effectiveness require a great deal of information aboutthe resources used for implementation and the resulting environmental benefits ofthe measures. Because in many cases biological systems need many years to recover, itis often difficult to evaluate environmental benefit a short time after completion of ameasure. Cost effectiveness could not be assessed for one third of the measures dueto insufficient basic data.In this evaluation, the most effective measures are characterised as having beenconcrete, that the CAB had decided that they should be implemented, and that therewas sufficient competence and involvement to implement them. In general, effectivenessis greater for measures implemented with the help of control instruments such ascommunity planning, legislation and financial incentives, than for measures that used informationas an instrument of control.For the formulation and evaluation of future regional environmental objective measures,we arrived at the following conclusions:•It is important that the CAB and/or the Swedish Forest Agency initiate and coordinatework on regional measures.•An important task for the CAB is to provide adequate basic data.•Data is required showing how the environment was before the implementation ofspecific measures.•It is important to formulate a clear goal for each measure.•The possibility of monitoring measures on a continual basis shall be taken into accountfrom the planning stage.•Joint county projects involving the municipalities (for example, supervision, inventories)give synergy effects and greater cost effectiveness.•When measures are planned, financial prerequisites should be discussed with themunicipalities that will be affected.•It is an advantage if measures that involve municipalities are politically established.•In joint county projects involving the municipalities, the CAB should facilitate theparticipation of municipalities that have limited resources.•Measures must be connected with other environment and conservation work of theCAB and/or the municipality.8The most important success factors that we have identified include the following:•Constructive participation by many stakeholders (provides exchange of knowledgeand/or experience).•So-called “real enthusiasts”, i.e. persons with considerable involvement and clear objectives.•Good dialogue between the CAB and the municipalities.•County-wide administrative tools and basic data for the county’s municipalities.•Improved level of knowledge with operators and others.•New forums and networks for cooperation.•Political prioritisations and decisions.•Sufficient resources allocated for the work.•The presence of financial instruments of control or financial incentives.The most common obstacles to effective measures include limited financial resources,lack of clear allocation of responsibility, insufficient political support, deficient basicdata from the CAB and high turnover of personnel.This study should be seen as a contribution to the work of developing methods forthe evaluation of the effectiveness of environmental objective measures at regionallevel. The selection of measures in this evaluation has been very limited and we suggesta broader, less biased evaluation of regional environmental objective measures. Itwould also be interesting to review how the CABs and municipalities work with thefollow-up and evaluation of measures. We also recommend further studies to be ableto establish possible connections between instruments of control and the effectivenessof the measures.Key words:environmental objectives,measures, evaluation, environmental benefit, objectivefulfilment, cost effectiveness, success factor, obstacle, energy, climate, non-toxicenvironment, surface water, biological diversity, county administrative board
The thesis explores the emergence of local natural resource management arrangements as a contextu... more The thesis explores the emergence of local natural resource management arrangements as a contextual and negotiated process in two rural communities in northern Sweden: Ammarnäs and Coastal Ring. It analyses particular practices and meanings that appear in the ...
International Journal of Water Resources Development, 2017
This book investigates the new complexities of the hydropolitical dynamics and water–land–energy ... more This book investigates the new complexities of the hydropolitical dynamics and water–land–energy nexus in the Nile River basin. This book is particularly relevant because it is focused on a region that is geopolitically extremely important and that has seen significant inward foreign investment. No other study currently provides the combination of updated information and data and the rich analysis of the current opportunities and challenges these investments represent in terms of the regional (and global) political economy. The work identifies the major investors and provides critical new insights into the linkages between the Nile Basin and the Middle East, exploring how important these are in terms of virtual water trade. Another important contribution is that the authors look at the transboundary impacts such investments might have, namely in terms of hydropolitical relations between Nile riparian states, relations that are already very tense. This book will interest both academics and water-sector professionals, and makes an important contribution to the work of water practitioners and researchers in the Nile River basin. It will also be of interest to newcomers to the subject since it provides a comprehensive picture of past and present challenges, as well as the prospects for the future.
In June 2019, Sweden received its seventh biosphere reserve. Biosphere reserves are part of UNESC... more In June 2019, Sweden received its seventh biosphere reserve. Biosphere reserves are part of UNESCO’s global programme Man and the Biosphere (MAB), which commenced in 1971 with the aim of enhancing the relationship between humans and the environment. There are more than 700 biosphere reserves in the world that strive to be model areas for sustainable societal development. In total, Sweden’s biosphere reserves account for about seven per cent of the country’s total surface area. The report describes the development that has taken place in Sweden’s biosphere reserves regarding their organisational structures and their formation processes. The report is based on semi-structured interviews and conversations with about 60 key informants in combination with extensive analysis of documents. Based on the biosphere reserves’ mission to promote collaboration and dialogue for sustainable societal development, the report describes the challenges and success factors that have emerged since their ...
Sverige fick i juni 2019 sitt sjunde biosfärområde. Biosfärområden är en del av Unescos globala p... more Sverige fick i juni 2019 sitt sjunde biosfärområde. Biosfärområden är en del av Unescos globala program Man and the Biosphere (MAB) som startade 1971 i syfte att utveckla relationen mellan människan och hennes livsmiljö. Det finns över 700 biosfärområden i världen som strävar efter att vara så kallade modellområden för hållbar samhällsutveckling. Sveriges biosfärområden utgör sammanlagt drygt sju procent av landets totala yta. I rapporten beskrivs utvecklingen av Sveriges biosfärområden med särskilt fokus på områdenas organiserings- och bildningsprocesser. Rapporten bygger på semistrukturerade intervjuer och samtal med ett femtiotiotal nyckelaktörer för Sveriges biosfärområden i kombination med omfattande dokumentstudier. Rapporten diskuterar de utmaningar och framgångsfaktorer som uppkommer i biosfärorganisationerna och sätter dessa i relation till frågeställningar om biosfärområdenas representativitet, legitimitet samt organisatoriska förändringar och effekter. Rapporten visar h...
Emerging water frontiers in large-scale land acquisitions and implications for food security in A... more Emerging water frontiers in large-scale land acquisitions and implications for food security in Africa
The county administrative boards (CABs) and the Swedish Forest Agency shall coordinatework on reg... more The county administrative boards (CABs) and the Swedish Forest Agency shall coordinatework on regional environmental objectives and stimulate actions to achieve them,on the basis of the Swedish national environmental quality objectives. The aim of thisstudy is to evaluate the effectiveness of regional environmental objective measures, bystudying the outcomes in relation to the cost of implementing the measures. The resultsinclude the provision of guidance for formulating future environmental objectivemeasures, and examples of what is needed to be able to evaluate the effectiveness ofmeasures.Environmental benefit, environmental objective fulfilment and cost effectivenesshave been evaluated for 19 environmental objective measures within the areas of energy/climate, non-toxic environment, surface water and biological diversity. Also, successfactors and obstacles to the implementation of the measures have been identified.The evaluation is based on the inspection of documents, a questionnaire, telephoneinterviews and our collective competence.Quantitative evaluations and followups of environmental objective fulfilment, environmentalbenefit and cost effectiveness require a great deal of information aboutthe resources used for implementation and the resulting environmental benefits ofthe measures. Because in many cases biological systems need many years to recover, itis often difficult to evaluate environmental benefit a short time after completion of ameasure. Cost effectiveness could not be assessed for one third of the measures dueto insufficient basic data.In this evaluation, the most effective measures are characterised as having beenconcrete, that the CAB had decided that they should be implemented, and that therewas sufficient competence and involvement to implement them. In general, effectivenessis greater for measures implemented with the help of control instruments such ascommunity planning, legislation and financial incentives, than for measures that used informationas an instrument of control.For the formulation and evaluation of future regional environmental objective measures,we arrived at the following conclusions:•It is important that the CAB and/or the Swedish Forest Agency initiate and coordinatework on regional measures.•An important task for the CAB is to provide adequate basic data.•Data is required showing how the environment was before the implementation ofspecific measures.•It is important to formulate a clear goal for each measure.•The possibility of monitoring measures on a continual basis shall be taken into accountfrom the planning stage.•Joint county projects involving the municipalities (for example, supervision, inventories)give synergy effects and greater cost effectiveness.•When measures are planned, financial prerequisites should be discussed with themunicipalities that will be affected.•It is an advantage if measures that involve municipalities are politically established.•In joint county projects involving the municipalities, the CAB should facilitate theparticipation of municipalities that have limited resources.•Measures must be connected with other environment and conservation work of theCAB and/or the municipality.8The most important success factors that we have identified include the following:•Constructive participation by many stakeholders (provides exchange of knowledgeand/or experience).•So-called “real enthusiasts”, i.e. persons with considerable involvement and clear objectives.•Good dialogue between the CAB and the municipalities.•County-wide administrative tools and basic data for the county’s municipalities.•Improved level of knowledge with operators and others.•New forums and networks for cooperation.•Political prioritisations and decisions.•Sufficient resources allocated for the work.•The presence of financial instruments of control or financial incentives.The most common obstacles to effective measures include limited financial resources,lack of clear allocation of responsibility, insufficient political support, deficient basicdata from the CAB and high turnover of personnel.This study should be seen as a contribution to the work of developing methods forthe evaluation of the effectiveness of environmental objective measures at regionallevel. The selection of measures in this evaluation has been very limited and we suggesta broader, less biased evaluation of regional environmental objective measures. Itwould also be interesting to review how the CABs and municipalities work with thefollow-up and evaluation of measures. We also recommend further studies to be ableto establish possible connections between instruments of control and the effectivenessof the measures.Key words:environmental objectives,measures, evaluation, environmental benefit, objectivefulfilment, cost effectiveness, success factor, obstacle, energy, climate, non-toxicenvironment, surface water, biological diversity, county administrative board
The thesis explores the emergence of local natural resource management arrangements as a contextu... more The thesis explores the emergence of local natural resource management arrangements as a contextual and negotiated process in two rural communities in northern Sweden: Ammarnäs and Coastal Ring. It analyses particular practices and meanings that appear in the ...
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