This special issue of the Frontiers Report focuses on the potential environmental, health, social and animal welfare implications of the uptake of novel meat and dairy alternatives, in particular... Show moreThis special issue of the Frontiers Report focuses on the potential environmental, health, social and animal welfare implications of the uptake of novel meat and dairy alternatives, in particular novel plant-based, fermentation-derived and cultivated products. A team of interdisciplinary experts has assessed the available evidence on the impacts of these alternatives in comparison with their conventional counterparts, identifying pertinent considerations for policymakers involved in regulating, investing in or providing other support for novel meat and dairy products and highlighting research gaps. Show less
Environmental factors increasingly define today’s global security landscape. In recognition of the role that environmental factors play in triggering, fueling and sustaining armed conflicts at the... Show moreEnvironmental factors increasingly define today’s global security landscape. In recognition of the role that environmental factors play in triggering, fueling and sustaining armed conflicts at the local, regional and even global level, environmental peacebuilding has emerged as a new field of research and practice. This chapter introduces the reader to the growing scholarship in this field and discusses the contributions that international normative and institutional frameworks make to it. In this way, it sets the scene for more detailed discussions on the role of these normative and institutional frameworks in the other chapters in the book. It concludes with an appraisal of the contributions that the book makes to existing scholarship and identifies future areas for research. Show less
This article examines the outcome of the International Law Commission’s (ILC) Study on the Protection of the Environment in relation to Armed Conflict as adopted on first reading. The twenty-eight... Show moreThis article examines the outcome of the International Law Commission’s (ILC) Study on the Protection of the Environment in relation to Armed Conflict as adopted on first reading. The twenty-eight draft principles, adopted by the ILC in July 2019, aim to enhance environmental protection before, during, and after armed conflict. This article evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of the draft principles and highlights principal innovations of the draft principles. Then this article concludes that the ILC study makes important substantive contributions to enhancing environmental protection, but it also misses opportunities to advance the law in this field. The principal strength of the study is that it brings in many different aspects relating to the environment and armed conflicts under one framework, including legal questions that were hitherto neglected. Its weaknesses relate most notably to the protection of the environment during armed conflict. This article argues that, even though there was limited space for the ILC to develop the applicable law in this field, it nevertheless could have been more ambitious. Show less
According to the controversial China—Raw Materials and China—Rare Earths decisions, China is prohibited from using export duties to address any environmental problems, including those associated... Show moreAccording to the controversial China—Raw Materials and China—Rare Earths decisions, China is prohibited from using export duties to address any environmental problems, including those associated with climate change. This is unfortunate because a number of climate studies have suggested that export duties can be useful to tackle carbon leakage in China, being the largest emitter and exporter of carbon dioxide emissions.This thesis argues that there is a need to consider ‘greening’ the absolute ban on China’s export duties. It accordingly proposes that, export duties - solely restricting exports - should be prohibited outright, while ‘export duties plus’ – restricting both exports and domestic consumption - should be allowed in pursuit of environmental advantages. There are three most feasible ways to achieve this balanced outcome: (i) a waiver as a stopgap measure, (ii) a Ministerial Decision or Declaration as a more flexible alternative, and (iii) a legal interpretation for the Appellate Body to distinguish between export duties and ‘export duties plus’ as a judicial correction. With regard to the proposed judicial correction, even if the Appellate Body is no longer operational, it remains relevant for the purpose of injecting valuable flexibility into the WTO’s precedent system. Show less
Background: The Nature Step to Respiratory Health was the overarching theme of the 12th General Meeting of the Global Alliance against Chronic Respiratory Diseases (GARD) in Helsinki, August 2018.... Show moreBackground: The Nature Step to Respiratory Health was the overarching theme of the 12th General Meeting of the Global Alliance against Chronic Respiratory Diseases (GARD) in Helsinki, August 2018. New approaches are needed to improve respiratory health and reduce premature mortality of chronic diseases by 30% till 2030 (UN Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs). Planetary health is defined as the health of human civilization and the state of the natural systems on which it depends. Planetary health and human health are interconnected, and both need to be considered by individuals and governments while addressing several SDGs.Results: The concept of the Nature Step has evolved from innovative research indicating, how changed lifestyle in urban surroundings reduces contact with biodiverse environments, impoverishes microbiota, affects immune regulation and increases risk of NCDs. The Nature Step calls for strengthening connections to nature. Physical activity in natural environments should be promoted, use of fresh vegetables, fruits and water increased, and consumption of sugary drinks, tobacco and alcohol restricted. Nature relatedness should be part of everyday life and especially emphasized in the care of children and the elderly. Taking "nature" to modern cities in a controlled way is possible but a challenge for urban planning, nature conservation, housing, traffic arrangements, energy production, and importantly for supplying and distributing food. Actions against the well-known respiratory risk factors, air pollution and smoking, should be taken simultaneously.Conclusions: In Finland and elsewhere in Europe, successful programmes have been implemented to reduce the burden of respiratory disorders and other NCDs. Unhealthy behaviour can be changed by well-coordinated actions involving all stakeholders. The growing public health concern caused by NCDs in urban surroundings cannot be solved by health care alone; a multidisciplinary approach is mandatory. Show less
This thesis explores the feasibility of prosecuting environmental harm before the International Criminal Court. It examines the Court’s substantive and procedural framework to determine its... Show moreThis thesis explores the feasibility of prosecuting environmental harm before the International Criminal Court. It examines the Court’s substantive and procedural framework to determine its applicability to instances of serious destruction of the environment. It analyses the rules concerning victim participation and compensation arising from environmental harm. Key provisions and jurisprudence governing the Court’s work are assessed, along with relevant international law conventions, principles, cases and commentary. Fundamentally, the study questions the extent of the Court’s anthropocentric orientation and impact thereof on any prospective eco-centric proceedings. Show less
This study examined impacts of large-scale farming in Ethiopia on local economic development, household food security, incomes, employment, and the environment. The study adopted a mixed research... Show moreThis study examined impacts of large-scale farming in Ethiopia on local economic development, household food security, incomes, employment, and the environment. The study adopted a mixed research approach in which both qualitative and quantitative data were generated from secondary and primary sources. Three large-scale farms (two foreign and one domestic) operating in Oromia, Gambella, and Benshanguel Gumuz regional states were selected as case studies. The result of the study indicated that large-scale farms generally undermined local level food security and incomes, generated little employment opportunities for the local population, deteriorated the local environment, especially in terms of vegetation cover and soil quality, and contributed little to local economic development, such as infrastructure construction, technology transfer, and generating fiscal revenue and foreign currency. The study concluded that the approach of large-scale mechanized farming contributes little to the economic and agricultural transformation of the nation. Local people generally lose out in respect of land transactions and investments, and they are expropriated from their customary land rights to the benefit of national goals. The outcome contradicts with the ethno-linguistic federal state arrangement of the country in which federated states manage their resources to improve their local development. Show less
The state of our environment is a global concern. Despite an increasing awareness, setting internationally binding commitments has proven to be a challenging process. In the absence of a... Show more The state of our environment is a global concern. Despite an increasing awareness, setting internationally binding commitments has proven to be a challenging process. In the absence of a stringent international framework, states seek alternatives to promote environmental protection. Can states unilaterally impose trade measures targeting foreign production processes in order to protect transboundary environmental resources? Does WTO law allow for these ‘extraterritorial’ trade measures? This thesis examines extraterritoriality in the trade-environment debate. The WTO legal texts are silent on their jurisdictional scope and the case law has been scarce and incoherent. Part I discusses the relevant legal provisions and dispute settlement reports dealing with jurisdictional issues. Part II adopts a comparative perspective on extraterritoriality in different legal fields. Part III builds upon the lessons learned in Part II, proposing an extraterritoriality decision tree to assess the acceptability of trade measures targeting production within the framework of Article XX GATT. This decision tree is tested through case-studies: the WTO case US-Shrimp is revisited, in addition to EU environmental measures (fishing, emission trading, timber). This research demonstrates that the WTO legal regime does not constitute an impediment to global environmental action. Current WTO law leaves more room than is often thought. Show less
After a long period of cold conditions that characterize the Saalian Glacial in Europe, Neandertals were confronted with the warm and more forested environments of the Eemian Interglacial (125-115... Show moreAfter a long period of cold conditions that characterize the Saalian Glacial in Europe, Neandertals were confronted with the warm and more forested environments of the Eemian Interglacial (125-115,000 years ago). We do know that they were present in these environments, but the number of known sites and the size of their assemblages is relatively limited. The Eemian deposits of Neumark-Nord 2 (eastern Germany) yielded the unique opportunity for a detailed analysis of Neandertal behaviour within its environmental context. The reconstructed environmental conditions give us a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities that Neandertals faced, and, together with data from other Eemian sites, provided indications for their environmental preferences. How Neandertals dealt with these environmental conditions is also reflected in the archaeological record, which has been addressed by a detailed analysis of the flint tool assemblage as well as the proxies for hominin use of fire at the site. Show less
Sooronbaev, T.; Ghezai, B.; Williams, S.; Almatalieva, M.; Mademilov, M.; Chavannes, N. 2015
An abundance of natural resources in a country is conducive to its development. Nevertheless, the last few decades have shown a harsher reality, where natural resources have triggered, financed or... Show moreAn abundance of natural resources in a country is conducive to its development. Nevertheless, the last few decades have shown a harsher reality, where natural resources have triggered, financed or fuelled a number of internal armed conflicts. Examples include the armed conflicts in Cambodia, Angola, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which have been financed with the exploitation of a variety of valuable natural resources, including diamonds, gold, timber, oil and cocoa. Two main challenges can be identified. The first concerns stopping natural resources from financing or fuelling armed conflicts, while the second challenge is to improve the governance over natural resources within States in order to resolve existing armed conflicts and to prevent a relapse into armed conflict. The aim of this book is to assess the role of international law in addressing these two challenges. For this purpose, this book discusses the legal frameworks for the governance of natural resources in States in general, in situations of armed conflict and as part of conflict resolution and immediate post-conflict peacebuilding efforts. Show less
This dissertation explores sound, its image and its role in relating humans and our technologies to the environment. It investigates two related questions: How does sound mediate our relationship... Show moreThis dissertation explores sound, its image and its role in relating humans and our technologies to the environment. It investigates two related questions: How does sound mediate our relationship to environment? And how can contemporary multidisciplinary art practices articulate and explore this relation between sound and environment? Scorescapes is predicated on the idea that artists and scientists are a part of the sonic environments we study. Thus we cannot assume a passive role of listening without recognising the influence of our actions and presence on the environment with which we engage. The systemic relationship among elements in a complex ecology demands an active approach in which we conceive of ourselves as immersed participants rather than simply as objective observers. This realisation, in turn, demands challenging conventional conceptions of the composer as musical specialist and embracing a trans-disciplinary approach towards sound and sonic research. Given this attitude towards direct engagement in environment, my work as an artist forms a central part of my research method. The Scorescapes project includes audio-visual installations and performances, performative lectures, electronic instruments, sonic walks and collaborations with improvising musicians. In addition, the project has involved close interactions with composers David Dunn, Alvin Lucier and Pauline Oliveros, and bio-acoustic scientist Michel Andr_. Engaging with these experts and creating and presenting new works allows me to apply and test theoretical ideas. This, in turn, encourages new and unexpected questions to arise that can then be explored theoretically. The written dissertation combines analysis of theoretical texts on sound, scores, environmental aesthetics and scientific papers, with reflections on my personal experiences and discoveries in recording, editing, exhibiting and performing my artistic works. The artworks generated during the course of the Scorescapes project are an integral part of the dissertation and are documented in the accompanying DVD. In order to adequately explore the various facets of this research project, and relate it to developments in my own practical work, I have chosen a subject-oriented approach rather than a chronological or historiographical one. Each chapter has a one-word subject title: Score, Scape, Inaudible, Whale, Field and Flare. In the first two chapters I outline my personal artistic interest in the development of the notion of a score beyond a document for notation, proposing that the score facilitates relationship. Building on my work with sonic navigations, I provide theoretical arguments and historical examples to suggest that the score can also exist in the mind and in space. Examining the question - what is it to __relate to environment__ through sound? __ I investigate parallels between Acoustic Ecology and Land Art, ecology and systems aesthetics, and the legacy of walking as an art form embodying relationship to environment. The central three chapters go into considerably more depth on specific topics that require mediation by technology: making the inaudible audible, underwater sound and attitudes to field recording. The physiological limitations of the human hearing range within larger environmental soundscapes highlight the necessity of making the humanly inaudible audible. As an example, the necessity but difficulty of understanding the sonic qualities of the underwater environment that functions largely through sound, is explored through the scientific and artistic work on cetaceans. This leads on to questions of place in field recordings in general and proposes a possible interactive role in environments through recordings. The concluding chapter is an attempt to synthesise the array of ideas that developed during this research by taking a more personal turn in an analysis of my own art works. Through the artistic process of making Pink Noise, Fishing for Sound, Tropical Storm and other works, realising a performance of Lucier__s Quasimodo, and working with Oliveros__ Deep Listening techniques, I recognised the central importance of considering the context in which sounds occur rather than exclusively the qualities of a sound itself. Such an attitude presents a significant shift in the role of the composer. From this perspective, the act of composition emphasizes learning to listen in order to understand sounds in relationship to their environment, and enabling other listeners to do the same. The Scorescapes research project maps given approaches and suggests potential trajectories between sound, technology, environment and sonic consciousness. In general, putting such ideas into practice, either through my own work or the work of others, creates possibilities for heightened awareness and engagement in environment. The environment is continuously being developed and transformed by human intervention. Understanding sounds__ role in these transformations can open up greater awareness of the interrelation of factors that can lead towards more sustainable practices in the arts as well as science and other fields. In conclusion, I propose a notion of __techno-intuition__ and its application in instrument design and interaction with the environment by combining technological and intuitive ways of knowing. Show less
