User perceptions about marine wilderness on Australia's Great Barrier Reef

Wilderness traditionally has been a terrestrial resource designation. This study examined user perceptions related to the existence of wilderness in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP), and raises questions about the efficacy of the GIS based Australian National Wilderness Inventory (ANWI) as a method of inventorying and analyzing wilderness settings in the absence of such perceptions. Three hundred eighty‐three users of the GBRMP were surveyed. Results indicated that over 80% of the respondents believed that wilderness existed in the park, and that it existed both above and below the surface of the water. Characteristics of wilderness related to human presence, natural features, and remoteness were found to be important to marine wilderness. Responses revealed that remoteness (physical distance) from human development may warrant less weight in the designation of marine wilderness than implied as necessary by the ANWI. We discuss implications for selecting areas as wilderness and using the wilderness designation in marine settings.     

Energy use reduction potential of passenger transport in Europe

To contribute to a sustainable society, considerable reduction in energy use and CO₂ emissions should be achieved. This paper presents the results of calculations exploring the energy use reduction potential of passenger transport for Western Europe (OECD Europe minus Turkey). For these calculations, three types of options are defined emphasizing technological, infrastructural and behavioural change. By 2050, technological improvements may reduce energy use per passenger-km by - 30%. Adding infrastructural options, an energy reduction of > 50% by 2050 can be realised. To achieve further energy reductions, options with a large behavioural impact should also be implemented. This results in an 80% energy reduction potential in the transport sector by 2050. To calculate the reduction potential on OECD Europe level, one should factor in expectations concerning mobility growth. Two mobility development scenarios are used. Both scenarios foresee a net decrease in total energy use of 20% with the introduction of the technological and infrastructural improvement options. Adding options emphasizing behavioural change results in a net reduction potential of - 60% by 2050.     

Coastal Erosion and Its Social and Environmental Aspects in Tanzania: A Case Study in Illegal Sand Mining

Coastal erosion is one of the major coastal problems currently facing Tanzania. Several factors, including sea level rise, geology, and rapid coastal population growth accompanied by rapid increase of human activities that interfere with natural processes, have been linked to the problem. One of the human activities that have been well linked to the problem of coastal erosion is illegal sand mining along beaches, coastal streams/rivers, and other restricted areas. This causes localized accelerated/ severe coastal erosion and enormous environmental degradation and threat to coastal properties. Illegal sand mining is presently a big industry in Tanzania, employing many youths, and has become a social, economical, and environmental problem. Thus, it is a sensitive issue. The problem of illegal sand mining in Tanzania is revisited, and possible measures to control it are proposed. Measures that can help to reduce/eliminate illegal sand mining are: governments to address effectively the problem of unemployment and poverty in the society by formulation of effective policies, including the total liberalization of the labor market and reduction of the tax burden and regulations on potential employers; identifying alternative sources of sand that are environmentally safe to mine, of good quality, and easily accessible; launching well-focused mass education on the problem of coastal erosion; encouraging formation of legally registered associations of sand-miners that will work closely with relevant authorities to curb illegal sand mining; and strengthening of governance and improving research funding in the country.     

A review of the European Union shipping policy

It is the aim of the European Union to develop a transport policy that supports its economic and sustainable growth and where the concept of sustainable mobility is a driver in the development of such policy. To achieve this goal, the European Union (EU) is promoting the shift of goods to unused existing capacity in rail and sea modes. As such, it is the objective of this paper to carry out a review of the European shipping policy at a time when the EU Member-States are suffering from high levels of congestion, noise and pollution that not only affect the environment but also the quality of life of all citizens. This paper considers the development of EU shipping policy in three stages.     

Lessons from a Multi-Scale Historical Reconstruction of Newfoundland and Labrador Fisheries

In this article we use a multi-scale, multi-method historical reconstruction of post– World War II social-ecological interactions within fisheries in Newfoundland and Labrador to explore the dynamics of intensification, expansion, and resource degradation in managed fisheries. Our case study draws on landings statistics, other archival information, and the Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK) of fish harvesters to explore these linked dynamics at the macro, meso, and micro levels. By some measures we found large scale trends toward intensification of effort leading to over-harvesting at macro (province wide) levels. At the same time, at the local level (micro-scale) and across sectors and regions (the meso-scale), we found highly fluid fishing practices and a complex suite of stated motivations for change. As a basis for effective governance, an understanding of the dynamics of interactive restructuring in social ecological systems will require multi-scale analyses that are sensitive to this complexity.     

Integrated fuzzy signal and ramp‐metering at a diamond interchange

We propose a fuzzy logic control for the integrated signal operation of a diamond interchange and its ramp meter, to improve traffic flows on surface streets and motorway. This fuzzy logic diamond interchange (FLDI) comprises of three modules: fuzzy phase timing (FPT) module that controls the green time extension of the current phase, phase logic selection (PLS) module that decides the next phase based on the pre‐defined phase sequence or phase logic and, fuzzy ramp‐metering (FRM) module that determines the cycle time of the ramp meter based on current traffic volumes and conditions of the surface streets and the motorways. The FLDI is implemented in Advanced Interactive Microscopic Simulator for Urban and Non‐Urban Network Version 6 (AIMSUN 6), and compared with the traffic actuated signal control. Simulation results show that the FLDI outperforms the traffic‐actuated models with lower system total travel time, average delay, and improvements in downstream average speed and average delay. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The coastal barrier resources act of 1982: An assessment of legislative intent,process, and exemption alternatives

Recent coastal barrier legislation demonstrates a growing national concern to protect fragile undeveloped coastal barriers and to prevent the expenditure of federal monies used in promoting their development. The Coastal Barrier Resources Act of 1982 bases designations of undeveloped coastal barriers on previous federal legislation and Department of the Interior rule‐making. This paper examines the legislative intent of Congress and how it was interpreted through the designation process. Alternative strategies to achieve exemption from the Coastal Barrier legislation are discussed as a process, and an analysis is made of an exemption as it occurred in Texas.     

Fuel conservation as a regulator of vessel routeing

The high cost of fuel for marine purposes, coupled with the trend towards longer sea routes indicates the substantial savings in fuel costs that might accrue from more efficient trading patterns. The author discusses fuel conservation with special reference to the combined carrier.     

Introducing advanced electronic driver support systems: An exploration of market and technological uncertainties

R&D in the field of driver support systems is increasingly paid attention to. These systems can contribute significantly to public traffic goals. However, there is much uncertainty about future technology developments, market introduction, and impacts on driver and traffic behaviour. An international Delphi study collecting expert opinions on these issues is partly described here. The Delphi study was organized in three rounds. Opinions of 50 experts from the USA, Japan and Europe were collected. The paper is limited to market introduction, and technological and driver-behavioural barriers. The main conclusion is that future developments are less obvious than often assumed.