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Think Globally, Act Locally Public Health and the Anthropocene Evidence Review
Think Globally, Act Locally Public Health and the Anthropocene Evidence Review Dr. Trevor Hancock, Hon FFPH Retired Professor and Senior Scholar School of Public Health and Social Policy, University of Victoria Prepared For: The Public Health Agency of Canada Contract No: 4500412213 Date: September 4, 2020 PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION OF BC | #550-2950 Douglas Street, Victoria, BC, V8T 4N4 Phone: 250-595-8422 | Email: [email protected] | Website: phabc.org This publication was produced by PHABC with funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors/researchers and do not necessarily reflect the official views of the Public Health Agenc y of Canada. Think Globally, Act Locally Public Health and the Anthropocene Evidence Review Table of Contents Preamble ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 2 1. Welcome to the Anthropocene ........................................................................................................................................................... 4 a) The Anthropocene as a Geological Phenomenon ............................................................................................................................ 4 b) The Anthropocene as an Ecological Phenomenon ........................................................................................................................... 5 -
Investing in Real Assets with Real Purpose to Create a Sustainable Future Infrared | Creating Better Futures CEO Statement | Infrared
SUSTAINABILITY REPORT Investing in real assets with real purpose to create a sustainable future InfraRed | Creating better futures CEO Statement | InfraRed CEO 01 Statement being transparent reporting and the publication of this in line with Task Force for Climate-related Financial sustainability report. Disclosures (“TCFD”); expanded our reporting framework and data collection; increased engagement with portfolio I am proud of the progress we have made in delivering companies on sustainability issues; and aligned our staff’s against our sustainability commitments. Whilst Covid interest through the introduction of individual sustainability impacted some of our assets, particularly those with performance objectives. demand-based revenue streams and those in the health and educational sectors, their operational resilience Whilst we are delighted with the progress we have has remained strong. This is a testament to the active achieved, we recognise there is a lot more to be done. In asset management approach and robust governance the coming year, we will set a clear path on how we can frameworks which underpin our investments and overall achieve net zero carbon emissions using science-based business alike. targets for assets under our direct operational control. Where we do not have operational control, we will work with Supporting our stakeholders Werner von Guionneau CEO clients to support their net zero journeys. We will also put At the start of the pandemic, we set out priorities for I am delighted to present InfraRed’s inaugural sustainability -
Geoengineering in the Anthropocene Through Regenerative Urbanism
geosciences Review Geoengineering in the Anthropocene through Regenerative Urbanism Giles Thomson * and Peter Newman Curtin University Sustainability Policy Institute, Curtin University, Perth 6102, WA, Australia; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +61-8-9266-9030 Academic Editors: Carlos Alves and Jesus Martinez-Frias Received: 26 June 2016; Accepted: 13 October 2016; Published: 25 October 2016 Abstract: Human consumption patterns exceed planetary boundaries and stress on the biosphere can be expected to worsen. The recent “Paris Agreement” (COP21) represents a major international attempt to address risk associated with climate change through rapid decarbonisation. The mechanisms for implementation are yet to be determined and, while various large-scale geoengineering projects have been proposed, we argue a better solution may lie in cities. Large-scale green urbanism in cities and their bioregions would offer benefits commensurate to alternative geoengineering proposals, but this integrated approach carries less risk and has additional, multiple, social and economic benefits in addition to a reduction of urban ecological footprint. However, the key to success will require policy writers and city makers to deliver at scale and to high urban sustainability performance benchmarks. To better define urban sustainability performance, we describe three horizons of green urbanism: green design, that seeks to improve upon conventional development; sustainable development, that is the first step toward a net zero impact; and the emerging concept of regenerative urbanism, that enables biosphere repair. Examples of green urbanism exist that utilize technology and design to optimize urban metabolism and deliver net positive sustainability performance. If mainstreamed, regenerative approaches can make urban development a major urban geoengineering force, while simultaneously introducing life-affirming co-benefits to burgeoning cities. -
STATE of HEALTH Report of the Director of Medical 2003 - 2012 Services
STATE OF HEALTH STATE Report of the Director of Medical Services of Medical of the Director Report State of Health Report of the Director of Medical Services 2003 - 2012 2003 - 2012 Ministry Of Health (College Of Medicine Building) 16 College Road ISBN 978-981-07-6828-7 Singapore 169854 9 789810 768287 College of Medicine Building Ministry of Health Contents Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Foreword by Director 01 of Medical Services 05 Overview of the 15 Control of Health Status in Communicable Singapore Diseases Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 27 Surveillance and 35 Health Services 49 Healthcare Standards Control of Chronic Planning, Delivery and Clinical Quality Diseases and Cancers and Development Improvement Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 61 Promoting Medical and 71 Healthcare Manpower 83 Health Regulation and Health Services Research Standards and Enforcement Development Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Selected Speeches 95 Emergency Preparedness, 105 International 111 Response and Medical Cooperation Support for National Events – 01 – Contents Foreword The last annual report of the Director of Medical challenges underscored the importance of a high level Services, entitled “State of Health”, was published in of vigilance and surveillance. Some of these included 2001. Major events involving the Ministry of Health Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003, (MOH) were subsequently documented annually in the first report of indigenous chikungunya fever in the Singapore Yearbook published by then Ministry of Singapore in 2008 and the arrival of the first influenza A Information, Communications and the Arts. Publications (H1N1-2009) pandemic of the 21st century in 2009. however ceased from 2009. -
Sustainability Answer Big Questions
Master of Sustainability 0818 Answer big questions Housed on Chatham’s groundbreaking, net-zero Eden Hall Campus, Chatham’s Master of Sustainability (MSUS) program is experiential and practical. Our highly interdisciplinary faculty members work closely with students on projects that make real differences even as they teach important principles. Students gain not only a professional skill set that prepares them to be the sustainability leaders of tomorrow, but a diverse portfolio of work that shows that they already are. falk.chatham.edu/msus Master of Sustainability IT’S NOT JUST EARTH DAY. IT’S EVERY DAY. We are inspired by environmental icon and Chatham alumna Rachel Carson ’29, whose own work over 50 years ago continues to change the world. The Princeton Review and the U.S. Green Building Council recognized Chatham University as one of the most environmentally responsible colleges in the United States and Canada. Chatham received a “Green Rating” score of 98 out of a possible 99 – the highest of any university in Pittsburgh. udududududududududududududududududududududududududududududududududududududu PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS SAMPLE COURSES • Housed within the Falk School of Sustainability & Environment, the Master of Sustainability (MSUS) is SUS603 Sustainability: Ethics, Equity, Justice an intensive cohort program that can be completed This course focuses on the role of the “social” as one in two years of full-time study. of the three pillars of sustainability. It explores historic • Choose from seven focus areas: and contemporary notions of ethics, social equity and – Sustainability Management social justice. It examines how these concepts can be – Sustainable Design and the Built Environment applied to sustainability by studying local and global – Community Development and Planning case studies. -
State-Of-The-Art Artificial Intelligence Techniques for Distributed Smart
electronics Review State-of-the-Art Artificial Intelligence Techniques for Distributed Smart Grids: A Review Syed Saqib Ali and Bong Jun Choi * School of Computer Science and Engineering, Soongsil University, Seoul 06978, Korea; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +82-2-820-0923 Received: 12 May 2020; Accepted: 10 June 2020; Published: 22 June 2020 Abstract: The power system worldwide is going through a revolutionary transformation due to the integration with various distributed components, including advanced metering infrastructure, communication infrastructure, distributed energy resources, and electric vehicles, to improve the reliability, energy efficiency, management, and security of the future power system. These components are becoming more tightly integrated with IoT. They are expected to generate a vast amount of data to support various applications in the smart grid, such as distributed energy management, generation forecasting, grid health monitoring, fault detection, home energy management, etc. With these new components and information, artificial intelligence techniques can be applied to automate and further improve the performance of the smart grid. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art artificial intelligence techniques to support various applications in a distributed smart grid. In particular, we discuss how artificial techniques are applied to support the integration of renewable energy resources, the integration of energy storage systems, demand response, management of the grid and home energy, and security. As the smart grid involves various actors, such as energy produces, markets, and consumers, we also discuss how artificial intelligence and market liberalization can potentially help to increase the overall social welfare of the grid. -
Living Sustainably: It's Your Choice
EC 1614 Revised December 2011 Oregon State University Extension Service Living Sustainably: It’s Your Choice Social Economic Environmental What this guide is all about Our goals are to: l Introduce the concept of sustainable living l Identify three barriers to living sustainably in the United States and suggest ways to overcome them l Help you begin to identify your personal values l Show you how to use the “triple win” sustain ability triangle in your lifestyle choices l Help you decide how to incorporate sustainable behaviors into your everyday life This booklet doesn’t start where you might think a typical guide should. We won’t ask how many lamps you have in your house, or what kind of vehicle you drive, or whether you use paper, plastic, or cloth bags at the grocery store. All that—and more— comes later. We start first by helping you identify what’s important to YOU—as an individual and as a member of a family and a community. This guide focuses on making choices to improve quality of life and reduce negative impact on the environment. We hope it will help you determine your lifestyle choices and what’s really important to you and your family. We’ve included space to jot down your ideas, or you might want to keep a journal as you go through the guide. The decision to live sustainably is intensely personal. Some people make changes to save money; others make changes to protect the environment; still others make changes to allow more time to pursue other things in life. -
An Example of a Sustainable Island As a Part of a Biosphere Reserve
Pangatalan: an example of a sustainable island as a part of a biosphere reserve Cinzia Alessi1, Thomas Pavi1, Laure Thierry De Ville D`Avray1, Mélanie Santo1, Frederic & Christina Tardieu 1 1 Sulubaai Environmental Foundation Inc., Pangatalan Island, brg Depla, Taytay, Palawan Keywords: zero-carbon emission, eco-sustainable activities, marine protected area, habitat restoration, local community integration Abstract: Sulubaai Environmental Foundation (SEF), a Filippino non-profit organization created in 2012, has been devoted to implement ecosystem protection through targeted actions together with a self- sufficient sustainable development in Pangatalan Island (Shark Fin Bay). Before 2012 vegetation was exploited to produce charcoal, a very impacting activity that left only 306 trees on the island. Marine surveys revealed a similar situation underwater, with more than 60% of coral reef turned into rubble with a direct decrease in fish biomass. During time SEF replanted over 50,000 of native plants and 9.000 of mangrove trees. One goal of SEF is to increase the protection of natural resources. For this reason a Marine Protected Area has been implemented in 2016 and a coral restoration project has started. 85% of the electricity used on the island comes from 20 kW solar-powered system making Palangatan Island a zero-Carbon emission place. Food comes from a 2 ha organic farm initiated and developed by the foundation on the main land nearby the island. Water used on the island comes from the mountain nearby thanks to a gravity-based system, making water use 100% green. SEF is promoting up-cycling of materials in order to reduce the ecological footprint: thus SEF re-uses dismantle wood from old buildings of the surrounding villages and material waste (e.g. -
Local and International Examples of How Sustainable Communities Can and Do Work
Environment 24 Local and international examples of how sustainable communities can and do work Morag Gamble SEED International Email: [email protected] www.SEEDinternational.com.au What is a sustainable neighbourhood? What does it look like? What are it’s features? How are local communities around the world making it a reality? INTRODUCTION For the first time in human history, more than half of the global population live in urban environments. To sustain urban habitats and their inhabitants, we must plan, design and think of cities as ecological systems, create healthy urban metabolisms and reconsider the relationship between cities and their hinterland. Climate change, peaking oil supplies, increasing levels of pollution, scarcity of fresh water, biodiversity loss, toxic food scares, and escalating violence are just some of the reasons why new patterns of urban living need to be developed. There is a great potential in urban areas to produce more, waste less and contribute to the ecological balance (restoration of the urban metabolism). Cities can become cyclers instead of sinks. The settlements we live in affect the choices we make and the way we live, as well as the level of impact we have on the planet's finite resources. A radical shift is required in the current approach to the design of human settlements and the food systems that feed the populations. WHAT IS A SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY? “Sustainable communities live in social, cultural and physical environments in which needs and aspirations can be satisfied without diminishing the chances of future generations. A sustainable human community is designed in such a way that its ways of life, businesses, economy, physical structures, and technologies do not interfere with nature’s inherent ability to sustain life. -
LIFE and Climate Change Mitigation
LIFE and Climate change mitigation LIFE Environment Environment & Climate Action LIFE ENVIRONMENT | LIFE AND CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION EUROPEAN COMMISSION ENVIRONMENT DIRECTORATE-GENERAL LIFE (“The Financial Instrument for the Environment”) is a programme launched by the European Commission and coordinated by the Environment Directorate-General (LIFE Units - E.3. and E.4.). The contents of the publication “LIFE and Climate change mitigation” do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the institutions of the European Union. Authors: Gabriella Camarsa (Environment expert), Justin Toland, Tim Hudson, Stephen Nottingham, Wendy Jones, Jon Eldridge, Morwenna Severon (ASTRALE GEIE-AEIDL), Chris Rose, Jan Sliva (ASTRALE GEIE-AEIDL), Hans Joosten (Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universitaet Greifswald, Germany), Christophe Thévignot (ASTRALE GEIE- AEIDL, Communications Team Coordinator). Managing Editor: Hervé Martin (European Commission, Environ- ment DG, LIFE E.4). LIFE Focus series coordination: Simon Goss (LIFE Communications Coordinator), Valerie O’Brien (Environment DG, Publications Coordinator). Technical assistance: Agnese Roccato, Pekka Hännin- en, Pavlos Doikos, Katja Lähdesmäki, Inga Racinska, Claudia Pfirrmann, Aixa Sopena (ASTRALE GEIE). The following people also worked on this issue: Adriana Galunic (DG Climate Action, Policy Officer - Climate Finance and Deforestation), Mette Quinn (DG Climate Action, Deputy Head of Unit - Climate Finance and Deforestation), Artur Runge-Metzger (DG Climate Action, Director of International and Climate Strategy Direc- torate) Trees Robijns (Policy Officer, BirdLife Europe), Antonia Andúgar Miñarro (Senior Policy Advisor, Copa- Cogeca), Izabela Madalinska, Santiago Urquijo-Zamora (Environment DG, LIFE Environment Unit). Production: Monique Braem (ASTRALE GEIE-AEIDL). Graphic design: Daniel Renders, Anita Cortés (ASTRALE GEIE-AEIDL). Photos database: Sophie Brynart (ASTRALE GEIE-AEIDL). Acknowledgements: Thanks to all LIFE project beneficiaries who contributed comments, photos and other useful material for this report. -
Intelligent Energy – Written Evidence (BAT0038)
Intelligent Energy – Written evidence (BAT0038) Introduction Intelligent Energy is a world leading fuel cell engineering company based in Loughborough, Leicestershire, focused on the development, manufacture and commercialisation of its hydrogen fuel cell products, for customers in the automotive, aerospace, warehousing, telecoms and drone sectors. Our technology is ready for the here and now. What our submission to this Committee’s inquiry wants to convey is the UK’s unique position with respect to zero emission Fuel Cell (FC) technology and the wider industry. We are of the belief that the UK is currently adequately funding Research & Development spending through BEIS initiatives, such as the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) and the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI). In addition, we believe the UK Government has been successful at encouraging low-cost hydrogen production as well as investment in Carbon Capture and Storage technology (CCS). However, there are a number of areas where the UK is currently behind on. Firstly, more should be done to accept and encourage fuel cell technology employed in electrified powertrain vehicles for passenger use. In addition, the UK Government should more readily demonstrate how much it values UK companies that have developed this technology and should support them accordingly. Finally, we hope to convey with our response four key points: 1. Hydrogen fuel cell technology is well established, both in the UK and across the world. It is not a development technology, it is technology ready for the here and now. 2. The top-level total cost of ownership of fuel cells favours this technology over batteries, especially given the logistical challenges that battery technology faces if it were to be rolled out extensively (lithium mining and recycling, and the lack of a second National Grid to power them to name just two). -
Connecting Threads to Create a Roadmap to an Intelligent Energy Future
Connecting Threads to Create a Roadmap to an Intelligent Energy Future Paul Centolella, Chair NIST Smart Grid Advisory Committee This memo encourages the National Institute of Standards and Technology, working with the U.S. Department Energy and other stakeholders, to consider the impacts of significant power system challenges and technological changes and how to bring together different research threads to develop a forward-looking response. It summarizes a topic that the Advisory Committee may wish to consider in a future meeting. Background: The Challenges Converging forces will fundamentally change the power system over the next five to ten years. The power system itself faces simultaneous challenges to: • Remain affordable; • Maintain reliability for an economy that has grown increasingly dependent on electricity; • Become resilient with respect to severe weather impacts and to other disruptive events; • Defend, deter, and recover from continuously evolving cyber-physical security threats; and • Transition to an environmentally sustainable, low greenhouse gas energy system that integrates variable renewable resources and supports the electrification of transportation and other energy uses. Individually any of these would be significant challenges. However, the industry must simultaneously remain affordable, improve reliability, and meet higher resilience, security, or environmental requirements. Public concern related to resilience and climate change mitigation have produced policy responses and increased adoption of distributed and renewable energy resources and electric vehicles. As a result: • The combination of declining technology costs, reliability and environmental concerns, and state policies are expected to support continued growth in the deployment of distributed energy resources.1 Annual capacity additions of distributed generation and storage could increase by 70% by 2024.2 As much as 50 GW of new distributed generating capacity could be added by 2030.3 1 Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Staff.