Gidley, J 2017, The Future A Very Short Introduction, Oxford University Press.
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ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly.
Camfield, DA, McIntyre, E & Sarris, J 2017, 'The Need for Evidence-Based Herbal and Nutritional Anxiety Treatments in Psychiatry' in Evidence-Based Herbal and Nutritional Treatments for Anxiety in Psychiatric Disorders, Springer International Publishing, Germany, pp. 1-7.
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© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2017. The introduction will explain the scope of the book: (i) the presentation of clinical evidence for the efficacy of herbal and nutritional treatments in the context of anxiety disorders, and (ii) how health professionals can apply this knowledge in a clinical setting with patients presenting with a wide range of symptoms, including comorbid mood disorders. The rationale for using these treatments in comparison to pharmaceutical options is also discussed, including a more favourable side effect profile and multi-modal mechanisms of action that make these treatments more suitable as chronic treatments.
Chong, J & White, S 2017, 'Urban—Major Reforms in Urban Water Policy and Management in Major Australian Cities' in Hart, B & Doolan, J (eds), Decision Making in Water Resources Policy and Management, Elsevier, The Netherlands, pp. 85-96.
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The urban water sector in Australia is quite diverse. Service providers range from large integrated
utilities, such as Sydney Water, Melbourne Water and the Water Corporation of Western Australia,
through to disaggregated retail and bulk water utilities, and local government water authorities. Their
responsibilities range from water supply only, to also include sewerage service provision and bulk
stormwater management. Some utilities rely exclusively on local surface water, while sources used
in other areas include large-scale intercatchment transfers, groundwater and desalination plants.
The scales involved range from a few hundred connections to nearly two million users
Chong, J, Cooley, H, Dickinson, MA, Turner, A & White, S 2017, 'Managing Drought in Urban Centers: Lessons from Australia' in Drought and Water Crises, CRC Press, pp. 359-368.
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Chong, J, Treichel, P & Gero, A 2017, 'Evaluating Climate Change Adaptation in Practice: A Child-Centred, Community-Based Project in the Philippines' in Uitto, JI, Puri, J & van, DENBERGRD (eds), Evaluating Climate Change Action for Sustainable Development, Springer International Publishing, Germany, pp. 289-304.
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This authoritative book reviews the evaluation of the development and implementation of climate change strategies.
Davila, F & Reinhardt, W 2017, 'Teaching as a Strategic Choice' in McMaster, C, Murphy, C, Whitburn, B & Mewburn, I (eds), Postgraduate Study in Australia: Surviving and succeeding, Peter Lang, New York.
Fam, DM & Sofoulis, Z 2017, 'Trouble at the disciplinary divide: a knowledge ecologies analysis of a co-design project with native Alaskan communities' in Fam, D, Palmer, J, Riedy, C & Mitchell, C (eds), Transdisciplinary research and practice for sustainability outcomes, Routledge, UK.
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This case of transdisciplinary collaboration raises a range of issues relevant to scientificresearch on complex twenty-first-century problems associated with water security, energyconsumption and climate change impacts. These problems are widely acknowledged to requiremore than technocentric and resource-centred solutions, and they demand increasedengagement with the people impacted by the problem, and with those who will live with theproposed solutions. This suggests a greater role for researchers from humanities and socialscience (HASS) disciplines in fields conventionally dominated by STEM (science, technology,engineering, mathematics) knowledges. But bringing together positivist (quantitativelyoriented) and interpretive (qualitative) paradigms of knowledge has its own difficulties, notleast the effort to establish ‘a basis of mutual intellectual and professional respect’ that couldground a ‘genuine’ knowledge partnership (Nowotny et al. 2013).These two paradigms have very different ideas about the nature, generalizability and thepurpose of knowledge. One theorist of water governance summarizes these differences:[P]ositivism sees the researcher and reality as separate, there is only one identifiablereality and the purpose of research is to control and predict. Interpretivism, on the otherhand, notes that the researcher and reality are inseparable realities, are mental constructsin that they are social and experienced-based and there are multiple realities, which aredependent on the interpretation of individuals.(Meissner 2015, 3, citing Lincoln et al. 2011)The very contrast between these paradigms, Meissner points out, that positivism is not the onlylegitimate way of doing research; nor is it the only basis for theories of reality (2015).Positivists' beliefs that their reality is the reality, and that scientific method is the only validmethod, are themselves obstacles to overcome in order to achieve successful transdisciplinary...
Fam, DM, Smith, T & Cordell, D 2017, 'Being a transdisciplinary researcher: skills and dispositions fostering competence in transdisciplinary research and practice' in Fam, D, Palmer, J, Riedy, C & Mitchell, C (eds), Transdisciplinary research and practice for sustainability outcomes, Taylor and Francis, USA, pp. 77-92.
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Transdisciplinary approaches to research and practice have widely been acknowledged as critical for tackling complex, messy and wicked sustainability problems that make a single disciplinary perspective of the problem inadequate (Hirsch-Hadorn et al. 2006; Lawrence 2010). In defi ning transdisciplinarity, the fundamental principles of such an approach to research and practice are to work in participatory ways and to tackle socially relevant issues with an overarching goal to transcend and integrate disciplinary paradigms (Pohl 2011). In this way a ‘unity of knowledge’, that goes beyond disciplines (Nicolescu 2002), is sought to improve the problem situation.
McIntyre, E, Camfield, DA & Sarris, J 2017, 'Potential Herbal Anxiolytics' in Evidence-Based Herbal and Nutritional Treatments for Anxiety in Psychiatric Disorders, Springer International Publishing, Germany, pp. 139-152.
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© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2017. The following substances also have a long traditional history of use, however not necessarily in the treatment of anxiety. These herbs have been included as they have demonstrated some clinical evidence and may be considered as potential treatments for anxiety. It is recommended that future studies further investigate these substances in order to determine their efficacy in the treatment of anxiety. • Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) • Iranian borage (Echium amoenum) • Bitter orange (Citrus aurantium) • Echinacea (Echinacea spp.).
Mitchell, C, Cordell, D & Fam, DM 2017, 'Beginning at the end: the outcome spaces framework to guide purposive transdisciplinary research' in Fam, D, Palmer, J, Reidy, C & Mitchell, C (eds), Transdisciplinary research and practice for sustainability outcomes, Taylor and Francis, USA, pp. 25-38.
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Over the last four decades there has been increasing interest in transdisciplinary research. The complex, messy nature of some problems, such as the problem of how to increase sustainability in particular contexts, means they cannot easily be tackled from a single disciplinary perspective, and this makes a transdisciplinary approach valuable (Lawrence 2010, Hirsch-Hadorn et al. 2006). With the increasing literature on transdisciplinarity in the fi eld of sustainability science comes a diverse range of perspectives. In part this diversity refl ects the disciplinary characteristics of the researcher, how transdisciplinary research is perceived, practised and theorised, and the potential infl uence of funding models as well as the disciplinary perspectives and histories of the researchers involved. The majority of literature on transdisciplinary sustainability research tends to focus on the input and/or process of research rather than explicitly acknowledging the outputs or outcomes of the approach. The conceptual model of transdisciplinary research presented in this paper offers a complementary starting point by fi rst acknowledging the normative intent of deliberately creating change toward sustainability and then articulating the desired outcomes through the concept of ‘outcome spaces’.
Mitchell, CA & Ross, K 2017, 'Trandisciplinarity in action: four guidelines, a reflexive framework and their application to improving community sanitation governance in Indonesia' in Fam, D, Palmer, J, Riedy, C & Mitchell, C (eds), Transdisciplinary Research and Practice for Sustainability Outcomes, Routledge, Britain, pp. 172-189.
Mukheibir, P & Ziervogel, G 2017, 'Municipal Adaptation Planning (MAP)' in Green CITYnomics, Routledge, pp. 72-88.
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This chapter presents a methodology for municipalities to develop an integrated adaptation plan. It presents an overarching framework for a municipal-level approach to adapting sectors to climate impacts and highlights examples of potential impacts for cities. The chapter also presents an overview of the problem posed by projected climate change, and requires further attention to detail in many areas before a clear adaptive strategy can be developed. National Adaptation Programmes of Action have been developed under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change for Least Developed Countries. Therefore, the major challenge for planners and policy-makers is to ensure that climate change impacts are considered and fully integrated into urban planning in order to pre-empt them or at least manage the residual impacts. The political discourse on climate change has been debated through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, but the agenda has in the past focused mainly on mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions.
Mukheibir, P, Boronyak-Vasco, L & Alofa, P 2017, 'Dynamic Adaptive Management Pathways for Drinking Water Security in Kiribati' in Leal Filho, W (ed), Climate Change Management, Springer International Publishing, Berlin, pp. 287-301.
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© 2017, Springer International Publishing AG. The dynamic adaptive management pathways (DAMP) approach was designed to build the skills of community facilitators to lead participatory decision-making processes for the delivery of basic services under a changing climate. It provides facilitators with a range of tools for leading conversations at the community level. It will also help to build skills and knowledge which will enable the community to participate in identifying solutions that are relevant and appropriate for their context. The approach aims to build the adaptive capacity of communities in the outer islands of Kiribati to identify indicators/triggers, that draw upon various knowledge systems, including traditional knowledge, to define thresholds or limits to specific water related adaptation strategies. This will empower them to monitor adaptation strategies and subsequently contribute to the development of future adaptation strategies that will support the diversification of water resources. A handbook (in both English and iKiribati) has been produced, and provides an outline of how to: better understand the impacts of climate change on possible water supply optionsidentify indicators of when a new water option should be planned. The tools and processes that are presented are flexible enough to be applied to a range of situations.
Mukheibir, P, Boronyak-Vasco, L & Alofa, P 2017, 'Erratum to: Dynamic Adaptive Management Pathways for Drinking Water Security in Kiribati' in Climate Change Management, Springer International Publishing, pp. E1-E1.
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In the original version of the book, in Chapter 17, the misspelt author name “Lousie Boronyak-Vasco” should be corrected to read as “Louise Boronyak-Vasco”. The erratum chapter and the book have been updated with the change.
Riedy, CJ 2017, 'Seeding a new transdisciplinary community of practice' in Fam, D, Palmer, J, Riedy, C & Mitchell, C (eds), Transdisciplinary Research and Practice for Sustainability Outcomes, Routledge, England, pp. 93-106.
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Transdisciplinary research is a rich, complex, contested body of theory and practice that has risen to prominence over the last four decades. Klein (2015) identifi es three overlapping discourses that capture the concerns driving this rise: transcendence, problem-solving and transgression. Transdisciplinary research aims to transcend the fragmentation of knowledge into disciplines by synthesising knowledge towards a more holistic view. It is concerned with delivering more effective responses to wicked problems (Rittel and Webber 1973) and sustainability challenges. It transgresses traditional scientifi c boundaries by recognising the value of knowledge held by actors outside of academia
Sarris, J & McIntyre, E 2017, 'Herbal Anxiolytics with Sedative Actions' in Evidence-Based Herbal and Nutritional Treatments for Anxiety in Psychiatric Disorders, Springer International Publishing, Germany, pp. 11-31.
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© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2017. This chapter will present evidence from human clinical trials regarding the efficacy of herbal treatments with a primarily sedative mode of action. These are most relevant for chronic (everyday) supplementation to address anxiety symptoms. • Kava (Piper methysticum) • Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) • Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) • Galphimia (Galphimia glauca) • Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora) • Valerian (Valeriana spp.).
Uitto, J, Kohlitz, J & Todd, D 2017, 'Evaluating Sustainable Development in SIDS - Lessons from the Pacific and the Caribbean' in van den Berg, R, Naidoo, I & Tamondong, S (eds), Evaluation for Agenda 2030: Providing Evidence on Progress and Sustainability, International Development Evaluation Association (IDEAS), Exeter, United Kingdom, pp. 119-133.
Wakefield-Rann, R 2017, 'More Than Skin Deep: A Service Design Approach to Making the Luxury Personal Care Industry More Sustainable' in Environmental Footprints and Eco-design of Products and Processes, Springer Singapore, pp. 211-231.
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The core values of both luxury and sustainability are at odds with a consumer culture characterised by cheap, disposable products and undervalued natural resources. Although some product categories within the luxury goods sector have upheld the values of quality and durability, others, such as personal care, have come to rely on materials and processes that are harmful to ecosystems and human health. The luxury personal care industry trades on qualities of purity, freshness, beauty and the ‘natural’. However, the industry remains unsustainable through its continued use of single-use plastic packaging and particular synthetic chemical additives. For this to change, the way in which personal care products are delivered and administered must be fundamentally redesigned. This chapter presents a case study of luxury personal care company LUSH, and examines how its innovative approach to service design could provide a genuinely sustainable model for luxury personal care companies, and potentially the broader industry. The central elements of this model include local production, ‘naked’ products, short expiry dates, and innovative retail design.
Wilhite, DA & Pulwarty, RS 2017, 'Drought and Water Crises' in Wilhite, D & Pulwarty, RS (eds), Drought and Water Crises: Integrating Science, Management, and Policy, Second Edition, CRC Press, pp. 359-368.
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© 2018 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. Australia is the world’s driest inhabited continent. Many regions have highly variable climates and are prone to severe multiyear droughts. From around 1997 to 2012, however, Australia endured the “Millennium Drought,” which affected a larger area of Australia, and in many locations it lasted far longer than any previous drought on record. Figure 16.1 illustrates the pattern of precipitation deficiency in Australia between November 2001 and October 2009. Falling reservoir levels and persistently low precipitation rates fueled concerns that major urban centers, including many capital cities, would face severe water shortages and, in some cases, concerns that they might run out of water.
Willetts, JR & Mitchell, C 2017, 'Assessing transdisciplinary doctoral research: quality criteria and implications for the examination process' in Fam, D, Palmer, J, Riedy, C & Mitchell, C (eds), Transdisciplinary Research and Practice for Sustainability Outcomes, Routledge, Britain, pp. 122-136.
Wynne, LE, McGee, C & Lehmann, S 2017, 'Growing Compact' in Bay, JHP & Lehmann, S (eds), Growing Compact Urban Form, Density and Sustainability, Routledge, UK, pp. 287-300.
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The book presents contributions from internationally well-known scholars, thinkers and practitioners whose theoretical and practical works address city planning, urban and architectural design for density and sustainability at various ...
Ali, SH, Giurco, D, Arndt, N, Nickless, E, Brown, G, Demetriades, A, Durrheim, R, Enriquez, MA, Kinnaird, J, Littleboy, A, Meinert, LD, Oberhänsli, R, Salem, J, Schodde, R, Schneider, G, Vidal, O & Yakovleva, N 2017, 'Mineral supply for sustainable development requires resource governance', Nature, vol. 543, no. 7645, pp. 367-372.
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© 2017 Macmillan Publishers Limited, part of Springer Nature. All rights reserved. Successful delivery of the United Nations sustainable development goals and implementation of the Paris Agreement requires technologies that utilize a wide range of minerals in vast quantities. Metal recycling and technological change will contribute to sustaining supply, but mining must continue and grow for the foreseeable future to ensure that such minerals remain available to industry. New links are needed between existing institutional frameworks to oversee responsible sourcing of minerals, trajectories for mineral exploration, environmental practices, and consumer awareness of the effects of consumption. Here we present, through analysis of a comprehensive set of data and demand forecasts, an interdisciplinary perspective on how best to ensure ecologically viable continuity of global mineral supply over the coming decades.
Brydges, T & Pugh, R 2017, 'An “Orphan” Creative Industry: Exploring the Institutional Factors Constraining the Canadian Fashion Industry', Growth and Change, vol. 48, no. 4, pp. 942-962.
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AbstractIn recent years, tier‐two fashion countries have been making gains in the global fashion industry, with hip young brands, buzz‐worthy fashion weeks and export‐oriented designers. The Canadian fashion industry, on the other hand, continues to fall behind and instead has experienced recent high‐profile closures of leading domestic fashion names. This paper explores why this is the case by considering a wide range of factors from a historical and institutional perspective. We argue that Canadian fashion is facing a number of systemic problems relating to wider institutional and policy weaknesses, rather than a lack of talent and know‐how within the entrepreneurs and businesses in the sector. While the fashion industry is indeed global, we argue that it is in fact national and local level factors—political, economic, and cultural—that structure and constrain the Canadian fashion industry for independent designers. Through exploring the experiences of this group of actors—entrepreneurial fashion designers—in this particular context, we not only learn about Canada as an economy but also what is needed in order to develop the fashion industry more broadly. We provide a framework for analysing the range of socio‐economic, historical, and political factors at the national level which affect the performance of the fashion sector and the operation of fashion designers as the entrepreneurial actors at the heart of the industry.
Carrard, N & Willetts, J 2017, 'Environmentally sustainable WASH? Current discourse, planetary boundaries and future directions', Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 209-228.
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The significant challenge of achieving safe, reliable and continuous service delivery has been a focus of the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector in recent years, with less attention given to other important sustainability considerations such as environmental sustainability. The agenda set by the Sustainable Development Goals prompts a wider lens, bringing water resource management and ecosystem conservation together with water and sanitation access targets in one integrated goal. As we grapple with our approach to this new agenda, it is timely to reflect on how we, as a sector, engage with environmental sustainability. This paper reviews recent literature at the intersection of WASH and environmental sustainability to identify current themes and future directions. Analysis of academic and non-academic sources was undertaken and then situated with reference to the planetary boundaries framework as a useful lens to ground the socio-ecological systems and processes upon which environmental sustainability depends. Findings point to both opportunities and gaps within current sector thinking, which can drive leadership from knowledge and research institutions towards better integration of access and environmental sustainability imperatives.
Clift, R, Sim, S, King, H, Chenoweth, J, Christie, I, Clavreul, J, Mueller, C, Posthuma, L, Boulay, A-M, Chaplin-Kramer, R, Chatterton, J, DeClerck, F, Druckman, A, France, C, Franco, A, Gerten, D, Goedkoop, M, Hauschild, M, Huijbregts, M, Koellner, T, Lambin, E, Lee, J, Mair, S, Marshall, S, McLachlan, M, Milà i Canals, L, Mitchell, C, Price, E, Rockström, J, Suckling, J & Murphy, R 2017, 'The Challenges of Applying Planetary Boundaries as a Basis for Strategic Decision-Making in Companies with Global Supply Chains', Sustainability, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 279-279.
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The Planetary Boundaries (PB) framework represents a significant advance in specifying the ecological constraints on human development. However, to enable decision-makers in business and public policy to respect these constraints in strategic planning, the PB framework needs to be developed to generate practical tools. With this objective in mind, we analyse the recent literature and highlight three major scientific and technical challenges in operationalizing the PB approach in decision-making: first, identification of thresholds or boundaries with associated metrics for different geographical scales; second, the need to frame approaches to allocate fair shares in the ‘safe operating space’ bounded by the PBs across the value chain and; third, the need for international bodies to co-ordinate the implementation of the measures needed to respect the Planetary Boundaries. For the first two of these challenges, we consider how they might be addressed for four PBs: climate change, freshwater use, biosphere integrity and chemical pollution and other novel entities. Four key opportunities are identified: (1) development of a common system of metrics that can be applied consistently at and across different scales; (2) setting ‘distance from boundary’ measures that can be applied at different scales; (3) development of global, preferably open-source, databases and models; and (4) advancing understanding of the interactions between the different PBs. Addressing the scientific and technical challenges in operationalizing the planetary boundaries needs be complemented with progress in addressing the equity and ethical issues in allocating the safe operating space between companies and sectors.
Daly, M 2017, 'Quantifying the environmental impact of ecovillages and co-housing communities: a systematic literature review', Local Environment, vol. 22, no. 11, pp. 1358-1377.
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© 2017 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. Many intentional communities worldwide, such as ecovillages and co-housing communities, have explicit goals of living in an environmentally sustainable manner, and are taking conscious steps towards these goals in response to the widely discussed unsustainability of the global sociotechnical system. There are numerous claims from researchers and community members, in the academic and grey literature, that intentional communities are making significant improvements towards sustainability goals, particularly in terms of environmental impact. However, actual measures of progress, with evidence supporting these claims, are relatively scarce. This paper presents the findings of a systematic review of quantitative studies of the environmental impact of intentional communities, including comparisons with relevant “mainstream” communities. The review focused on the two indicators that are most commonly reported in studies of the impact of intentional communities–the ecological footprint and the carbon footprint. This review was undertaken as there is a lack of literature reviews that comprehensively compile existing quantitative studies about intentional communities. In total, the review identified 16 separate studies covering 23 communities and 30 footprint measurements, with publication dates ranging from 2000 to 2014. This is a greater number of studies than in any other literature review of this topic. Taken as a whole, these compiled studies provide strong support for claims of greater environmental sustainability within these communities, and reinforce the need for greater research and exploration of the role sustainability-oriented intentional communities can play in the transition to more sustainable sociotechnical systems.
De La Sienra Servin, EE, Smith, T & Mitchell, C 2017, 'Worldviews, A Mental Construct Hiding the Potential of Human Behaviour: A New Learning Framework to Guide Education for Sustainable Development', The Journal of Sustainability Education, vol. 13, pp. 1-21.
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Latest results in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) research and practice show a tendency towards more holistic approaches aiming at deep transformation of the self and the meanings of human existence. Aligned with this, we present the Transdisciplinary Framework of Worldviews and Behaviours (TFWB) to describe the possible formation and expression of a worldview, a complex constellation of meaning and identity from which all human conduct emerges. Four key principles arising from the TFWB are: 1) The whole embodied nervous system is greater than the sum of its separated parts, especially when it comes to intelligence (information processing) and learning (meaning making); 2) The mind is a highly emotion-dependent and mostly unconscious entity; 3) A worldview is a unique arrangement of meaning each person builds, and lives through; and 4) Increasing self-awareness about how a personal worldview is formed and expressed generates increasing opportunities for that individual to explore and build a different meaning for their experience, or to explore and choose different forms to express it (behave). The TFWB informs a new perspective on learning that could be useful for the achievement of ESD’s transformative goals, guiding the innovative design of educational initiatives encouraging new conceptualizations about the meanings of being human; thus, facilitating potential behavioural transformations toward a more sustainable existence.
Distefano, T & Kelly, S 2017, 'Are we in deep water? Water scarcity and its limits to economic growth', Ecological Economics, vol. 142, pp. 130-147.
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© 2017 Elsevier B.V. Water is an important factor of production contributing both directly and indirectly to economic activity across all sectors and regions of the global economy. Water scarcity may therefore go beyond having important consequences for people, society and ecological systems but may also pose a threat to economic growth. Using the latest IPCC RCP projections and the OECD Shared Socio-Economic Pathways (SSPs) for population growth and economic output, we develop a multi-regional input-output model to estimate future demand for water resources across different countries and sectors of the global economy. Model results show that most countries will experience declining water availability, particularly those countries that experience a confluence of factors including low fresh water availability, high climate change impacts, and growing consumption patterns. We show that virtual water trade and improved water efficiency has potential to alleviate the worst effects of water scarcity for wealthy countries but may have limited effect on poorer countries. The analysis concludes that the most important driver of future water scarcity is economic growth, which overwhelms any realistic savings that can be made from increased technological progress and improvements to water efficiency. Population growth and climate change are also shown to be important drivers of future water scarcity, particularly over the long-run.
Foster, T 2017, 'A critical mass analysis of community-based financing of water services in rural Kenya', Water Resources and Rural Development, vol. 10, pp. 1-13.
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© 2017 Elsevier B.V. Critical mass dynamics have been widely used to explain the initiation and spread of collective behaviours, from protests and political representation, through to vaccinations and adoption of new technologies. For the first time, this study applies critical mass theory to community waterpoint financial contributions in rural sub-Saharan Africa. The presence of critical mass points, cooperative equilibria and self-reinforcing growth dynamics is empirically evaluated through assessment of multi-decadal waterpoint financial records from rural Kenya, comprising 43,020 household payments over a 26 year period. An examination of month-to-month changes in user contribution rates and financial record continuity suggests contribution levels remain relatively stable once more than 60% of water users are paying. Revenue collection systems tend to become unstable and are prone to collapse during the wet season if user contributions drop below a 60% threshold, but appear to be more resilient in dry season with evidence of self-reinforcing growth dynamics when 40–60% of users contribute. Results reveal that some communities are able to sustain their waterpoint over a long period of time even if a moderate proportion of users do not contribute financially. The analysis also highlights the influence of climate patterns on community-based financing, and the fragility of collective behaviours during wetter periods. Further investigation is needed to assess what dynamics emerge in a more representative sample of waterpoints, particularly in the first few years after installation when failures commonly occur.
Foster, T & Hope, R 2017, 'Evaluating waterpoint sustainability and access implications of revenue collection approaches in ruralKenya', Water Resources Research, vol. 53, no. 2, pp. 1473-1490.
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AbstractWater policies in many sub‐Saharan African countries stipulate that rural communities are responsible for self‐financing their waterpoint's operation and maintenance. In the absence of policy consensus or evidence on optimal payment models, rural communities adopt a diversity of approaches to revenue collection. This study empirically assesses waterpoint sustainability and access outcomes associated with different revenue collection approaches on the south coast of Kenya. The analysis draws on a unique data set comprising financial records spanning 27 years and 100 communities, operational performance indicators for 200 waterpoints, and water source choices for more than 2000 households. Results suggest communities collecting pay‐as‐you‐fetch fees on a volumetric basis generate higher levels of revenue and experience better operational performance than communities charging flat fees. In both cases, financial flows mirror seasonal rainfall peaks and troughs. These outcomes are tempered by evidence that households are more likely to opt for an unimproved drinking water source when a pay‐as‐you‐fetch system is in place. The findings illuminate a possible tension between financial sustainability and universal access. If the Sustainable Development Goal of “safe water for all” is to become a reality, policymakers and practitioners will need to address this issue and ensure rural water services are both sustainable and inclusive.
Gero, A, Kohlitz, J & Willetts, JR 2017, 'Informal settlements in the Pacific and links to sustainable development', Development Bulletin, vol. 78, pp. 91-96.
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This paper explores the contemporary issues associated with informal settlements in the Pacific in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 11—Sustainable Cities and Communities. We explore the challenges of water and sanitation service provision in informal settlements, and describe steps being made to address these challenges. Finally, we look at the future of informal settlements in the Pacific in the context of sustainable development, examining specific examples of progress in Solomon Islands and Fiji. As urban populations grow, so too have rates of urban poverty and populations residing in informal settlements. Given the lack of suitable housing, large numbers of new settlers have no choice but to live in temporary shelters or on marginal land. Informal settlements are characterised by overcrowding, poor access to services (including water, sanitation and electricity), roads and drainage. Settlement areas are also more highly prone to natural hazards such as flooding due to their location on marginal land including mangroves, riverbanks, floodplains and steep slopes (ADB 2016). Informal settlements can exist in many different forms, from newly established settlements of disparate individuals, to those mimicking rural villages through their more mature governance and micro-economic systems (ibid). This, along with the heterogeneity of Pacific Island countries in general, highlights the need for careful consideration in supporting the sustainable development of informal settlements—an issue that cuts across many of the SDGs. As for all complex development challenges, an inclusive approach is required, as advocated by the SDGs. Governments, civil society, the private sector, donors, multilateral organisations and other actors have roles to play to ensure development progress is made for people residing in informal settlements.
Gidley, JM 2017, 'Imbuing Futures and Time with Agency and Urgency: Reframing Concepts for a Planetary Emergency', World Futures Review, vol. 9, no. 4, pp. 201-207.
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The relationship between concepts of time and concepts of futures has been in an ever-changing and dynamic evolution for thousands of years. Yet, time has been relatively underexplored in the futures studies literature until recently. Furthermore, the transdisciplinary fields of “time studies” and “futures studies” have operated in relative isolation within the siloism of twentieth- and twenty-first-century academia. This article draws substantially from my recent book The Future: A Very Short Introduction, which places this piece into the larger historical context of what we humans have done in the past with these deeply interwoven concepts. I discuss here how we relate to them today, and what is emerging regarding new concepts of futures and time in our current era. By understanding how humans in the past have storied and framed both time and the future, we can gain a deeper appreciation of the significance of time consciousness on futures thinking.
Hamilton, TGA & Kelly, S 2017, 'Low carbon energy scenarios for sub-Saharan Africa: An input-output analysis on the effects of universal energy access and economic growth', Energy Policy, vol. 105, pp. 303-319.
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© 2017 Elsevier Ltd Meeting Sub-Saharan African (SSA) human development goals will require economic development to be the priority over the coming decades, but economic development ‘at all cost’ may not be acceptable across these goals. This paper aims to explore five development scenarios for the five largest economies in SSA to understand the implications to CO 2 -equivalent emissions (CO 2 -e) and off-grid energy modernisation in 2030. Within this scope GDP growth; economic structure; availability of energy resources; international trade; and, the development of distributed generation for remote locations are considered. Regional CO 2 emissions were studied using a Multi-Regional Input-Output Model for Africa. Under the scenarios analysed all five nations will be unable to reduce 2030 CO 2 -e emissions below 2012 levels, whilst simultaneously achieving forecast GDP growth and universal access to modernised energy services. 100% off-grid modernisation is estimated to require a three-fold increase in Primary Energy Supply and a 26% (1317 Mt) increase in 2030 CO 2 -e emissions. Total regional CO 2 -e emissions could be reduced from 45% to 35% by meeting a 50% renewable energy supply target by 2030. Climate Change policy would need to focus on multi-sector reform to reduce regional emissions as the agricultural sector is the largest emitter in Nigeria, Ethiopia and Kenya.
Hinton, J & Maclurcan, D 2017, 'A not-for-profit world beyond capitalism and economic growth?', Ephemera: theory and politics in organization, vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 147-166.
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At the heart of the failing growth-based, capitalist system is the ‘for-profit’ way of doing business. It is based on the idea that humans are mostly selfish and competitive, so the best way to motivate economic activity is to appeal to individual self-interest. Most approaches to resolve capitalism’s tendency to increasingly create socioeconomic inequality and ecological devastation entail either greater emphasis on the role of the state as the regulator or owner of industry, or, at the other end of the spectrum, voluntary market initiatives from the angle of ‘conscious capitalism’. However, there is a growing trend that points the way to an entirely different approach: not-for-profit enterprise. In this article, we first illustrate the connections between capitalism, for-profit enterprise and the growth-based economic system. We go on to explore how not-for-profit enterprise offers a way beyond the market-state dichotomy, highlighting the current trends and macroeconomic shifts that support the emergence of an entire economy based on not-for-profit enterprise. We finish with an introduction to the Not-for-Profit World economic model we have developed, exploring the hypothesis that the future of business lies with not-for-profit business models, and that such a shift, for the first time, enables a modern economy that is both socially and ecologically sustainable.
Ibrahim, IA & Khatib, T 2017, 'A novel hybrid model for hourly global solar radiation prediction using random forests technique and firefly algorithm', Energy Conversion and Management, vol. 138, pp. 413-425.
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Reliable knowledge of solar radiation is an essential requirement for designing and planning solar energy systems. Thus, this paper presents a novel hybrid model for predicting hourly global solar radiation using random forests technique and firefly algorithm. Hourly meteorological data are used to develop the proposed model. The firefly algorithm is utilized to optimize the random forests technique by finding the best number of trees and leaves per tree in the forest. According to the results, the best number of trees and leaves per tree is 493 trees and one leaf per tree in the forest. Three statistical error values, namely, root mean square error, mean bias error, and mean absolute percentage error are used to evaluate the proposed model for the internal and external validation. Moreover, the results of the proposed model are compared with conventional random forests model, conventional artificial neural network and optimized artificial neural network model by firefly algorithm to show the superiority of the proposed hybrid model. Results show that the root mean square error, mean absolute percentage error, and mean bias error values of the proposed model are 18.98%, 6.38% and 2.86%, respectively. Moreover, the proposed random forests model shows better performance as compared to the aforementioned models in terms of prediction accuracy and prediction speed.
Ibrahim, IA, Khatib, T & Mohamed, A 2017, 'Optimal sizing of a standalone photovoltaic system for remote housing electrification using numerical algorithm and improved system models', Energy, vol. 126, pp. 392-403.
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This paper presents a size optimization method of the energy sources in a standalone photovoltaic system. The proposed technique implies improved photovoltaic array model, dynamic battery model, and accurate objective function as well as a fast simulation algorithm. The loss of load probability (LLP) is used to define the availability of the system. Different system's configurations with different availability levels are generated using the proposed algorithm. These configurations are evaluated based on system availability and cost. Hourly meteorological and load demand data are utilized in this research. A design example is done to show the application of the proposed method considering the weather profile of Malaysia. The result shows that the optimal sizing ratio of the photovoltaic array (CA) is 1.184, while the sizing ratio for storage battery (CB) is 0.613. In addition, the levelized cost of energy (LCE) for the unit generated of energy by the proposed system is 0.447 $/kWh.
Islam, KA, Hossain, MR, Chowdhury, TJ & Halim, MA 2017, 'Accessibility of emergency rescue vehicle in the road network of Old Dhaka, Bangladesh', International Interdisciplinary Journal of Scientific Research, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 91-107.
Jacobs, B, Cordell, D, Chin, J & Rowe, H 2017, 'Towards phosphorus sustainability in North America: A model for transformational change', Environmental Science & Policy, vol. 77, pp. 151-159.
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© 2017 Elsevier Ltd Global food production and security rely heavily on finite reserves of newly mined phosphate for fertilizers. However, systemic inefficiencies result in the deposition in aquatic ecosystems of much of the phosphorus mined for food production causing costly eutrophication problems that damage aquatic ecosystems and human health. The Sustainable Phosphorus Alliance (SPA, formerly named North American Partnership for Phosphorus Sustainability) was created to implement sustainable phosphorus solutions through active engagement of stakeholders in both the private and public sectors. This paper describes a conceptual model of transformative change to a sustainable phosphorus system for the North American region. The model emerged from discussions at a series of formal and informal meetings held in conjunction with a ‘Future of Phosphorus’ event (National Science Foundation's Phosphorus Sustainability Research Coordination Network) and an inaugural SPA Board meeting. Model development drew on the multi-level perspective of socio-technical transitions to develop a series of pathways to a transformed phosphorus system. The uses of the model and transition pathways are discussed in terms of their potential to form an important first step towards the development of a regional vision for improved phosphorus sustainability. The process provides an example of how research in sustainability science can contribute to action on environmental improvement.
Jung, G, Park, J, Kim, Y & Kim, YB 2017, 'A modified bootstrap method for intermittent demand forecasting for rare spare parts', International Journal of Industrial Engineering : Theory Applications and Practice, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 245-254.
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An effective inventory management requires timely and accurate forecasting of demand for parts or items. In many real-world scenarios, however, the demand for rare, high-cost spare parts are scarce and erratic, making it highly challenging to perform a reliable forecast for intermittent demand. Studies in the past offered two approaches to such intermittent demand forecasting: A traditional approach to estimating demand parametrically, and a non-parametric approach that estimates the distribution of demands. The bootstrap method is considered to be one of the key non-parametric methods available. Despite its usefulness, however, application of conventional bootstrap methods in intermittent demand forecasting does not take into account any existing dependent structures in lead time demand, leading to inaccurate forecasting. In this paper, we suggest a new bootstrap method that takes into consideration the unique characteristics of intermittent demand to improve forecasting performance. We conclude by demonstrating the applicability of suggested new method through the results of a simple case experiment.
Kishita, Y, McLellan, BC, Giurco, D, Aoki, K, Yoshizawa, G & Handoh, IC 2017, 'Designing backcasting scenarios for resilient energy futures', Technological Forecasting and Social Change, vol. 124, pp. 114-125.
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© 2017 Elsevier Inc. The concept of resilience is a crucial part in crafting visions of desirable futures designed to withstand the widest variety of external shocks to the system. Backcasting scenarios are widely used to envision desirable futures with a discontinuous change from the present in mind. However, less effort has been devoted to developing theoretical frameworks and methods for building backcasting scenarios with a particular focus on resilience, although resilience has been explored in related sustainability fields. This paper proposes a method that helps design backcasting scenarios for resilient futures. A characteristic of the method is to delineate “collapse” futures, based upon which resilient futures are described to avoid the various collapsed states. In the process of designing backcasting scenarios, fault tree analysis (FTA) is used to support the generation of various risk factors and countermeasures to improve resilience. In order to test the effectiveness of the proposed method, we provide a case study to describe resilient energy systems for a Japanese community to 2030. Four expert workshops involving researchers from different disciplines were organized to generate diversified ideas on resilient energy systems. The results show that three scenarios of collapsed energy systems were described, in which policy options to be taken toward achieving resilient energy systems were derived.
Kohlitz, JP, Chong, J & Willetts, J 2017, 'Climate change vulnerability and resilience of water, sanitation, and hygiene services: a theoretical perspective', Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 181-195.
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In this paper we outline different theoretical approaches, namely outcome vulnerability, contextual vulnerability, and resilience, for addressing climate change effects in the context of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services. We analysed how these three approaches were employed in the WASH-climate change nexus literature, and discuss the implications for WASH research, policy, and development work. Our analysis of 33 scholarly WASH-climate change nexus papers found that they implicitly drew most frequently on an outcome vulnerability approach that tended to focus on the impact of projected climate change hazards on physical aspects of WASH service delivery. Each individual approach has limitations due to their disciplinary and epistemological foundations and the WASH sector in particular must be mindful of who stands to benefit most and what values will be upheld when these approaches are used. We argue that in most cases it will be beneficial to draw on all approaches and describe challenges and opportunities for integrating different perspectives on preparing for climate change within the WASH sector.
Leahy, C, Winterford, K, Nghiem, T, Kelleher, J, Leong, L & Willetts, J 2017, 'Transforming gender relations through water, sanitation, and hygiene programming and monitoring in Vietnam', Gender & Development, vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 283-301.
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This article presents the results of empirical research conducted in Central Vietnam in 2016 into water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) initiatives. It uncovered changes in gender relations and power dynamics at both household and community levels, aiming to explore the extent to which both practical and strategic interests of women can be influenced and changed by WASH policies and programming. In particular, we were interested in assessing the impact of a Gender and WASH Monitoring Tool (GWMT), developed by Plan International Australia and Plan Vietnam, on women’s strategic gender needs. In this article, we discuss the types of changes reported by women and men of different ages and ethnicities and the reasons for their occurrence. There were a wide range of reported reasons for change, with implications for our understanding of the relationship between changes in gender relations at the household and community levels. We also consider the relationship between wider shifts in social norms in the context of rural Vietnam. The Vietnam research highlights the roles that WASH initiatives can play in furthering strategic gender needs and hence promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment. It also shows the importance of addressing Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 (on gender equality) and SDG 6 (on water and sanitation) together.
Liu, A, Giurco, D & Mukheibir, P 2017, 'Advancing household water-use feedback to inform customer behaviour for sustainable urban water', Water Supply, vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 198-205.
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Sustainable water management is increasingly essential in an age characterised by rapid population growth, urban and industrial development and climate change. Opportunities to promote conservation and water-use efficiencies remain attractive in directly reducing water demand. Smart water metering and the provision of detailed water-use feedback to consumers present exciting new opportunities for improved urban water management. This paper explores two smart water metering trials in New South Wales, Australia, which provided household water consumption feedback via (i) paper end-use reports and (ii) an online portal. This combination enabled a deeper exploration of the various impacts of detailed feedback enabled via smart water metering. The positive effects uncovered by the research present an important opportunity for smart water metering feedback to contribute towards more sustainable urban water management. Their summary contributes empirical evidence on the impacts for water utilities considering embarking on the smart water metering journey with their customers. The identification of future research and policy needs sets an agenda for smart water metering to promote a sustainable digital urban water future. Larger-scale trials are now required and utilities should integrate the design and plans for scalable advanced feedback programs at the outset of smart meter implementations.
Liu, A, Giurco, D, Mukheibir, P, Mohr, S, Watkins, G & White, S 2017, 'Online water-use feedback: household user interest, savings and implications', Urban Water Journal, vol. 14, no. 9, pp. 900-907.
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© 2017 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This paper reports on the short- and long-term impacts of online water-use feedback provided via a smart metering trial involving 120 households in New South Wales, Australia. Near-real time water consumption feedback was provided via an online portal to half of the sample. Water consumption was uniquely analysed one year pre- and post-intervention, and in conjunction with login data. During one year of available access, the intervention group saved an overall average of 24.1 litres per household per day (L/hh/d) (4.2%). Regression analysis showed the significant savings of active users related specifically to portal login activity. Significant short-term effects persisted for 42 days, averaging at 63.1 L/hh/d. The article discusses the implications for research and practice, including a consideration of how, in addition to providing ongoing access, online portals could be leveraged further by water authorities to help meet urgent short-term supply constraints such as in drought.
Northey, SA, Mudd, GM, Werner, TT, Jowitt, SM, Haque, N, Yellishetty, M & Weng, Z 2017, 'The exposure of global base metal resources to water criticality, scarcity and climate change', Global Environmental Change, vol. 44, pp. 109-124.
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Oliva H., S 2017, 'Residential energy efficiency and distributed generation - Natural partners or competition?', Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, vol. 76, pp. 932-940.
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Plant, R, Boydell, S, Prior, J, Chong, J & Lederwasch, A 2017, 'From liability to opportunity: An institutional approach towards value-based land remediation', Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space, vol. 35, no. 2, pp. 197-220.
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The remediation of contaminated sites impacts on stakeholders in potentially beneficial ways, yet stakeholder dialogue has historically been focussed on costs, risk, liability, stigma, and other negatives. Shedding light on stakeholders’ remediation values can help reform remediation policy towards more positive outcomes of site clean-up. We adopt institutional theory to elicit plural motivations and cognitive assumptions as embedded in stakeholders’ expressions of remediation values, objectives, and outcomes. We explore in four case studies with varying size, complexity, cultural diversity, and geographical location (three in Australia, one in Fiji) how remediation values operate within remediation decisions. Our findings suggest that more than economic costs, liability, and risks are at play in decision-making on contaminated land. Our research confirmed that different socio-ethical, environmental and sustainability values are evaluated differently by different types of actors (site owners, regulators, auditors, residents, local government, consultants). We found that remediation values often shift in the course of a remediation decision-making process, suggesting learning and improved understanding. Remediation policy that better facilitates and aligns stakeholders’ articulations of initial and emergent outcomes sought from site clean-up is likely to enhance both economic and social value outcomes of remediation. Further research is needed on how remediation policy could better incorporate remediation value dynamics in stakeholder consultation and engagement.
Prior, J & Hubbard, P 2017, 'Time, space, and the authorisation of sex premises in London and Sydney', Urban Studies, vol. 54, no. 3, pp. 633-648.
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While the regulation of commercial sex in the city has traditionally involved formal policing, recent shifts in many jurisdictions have seen sex premises of various kinds granted formal recognition via planning, licensing and environmental control. This means that ‘sexual entertainment venues’, ‘brothels’ and ‘sex shops’ are now not just labels applied to particular types of premises, but formal categories of legal land use. However, these categories are not clear-cut, and it is not simply the case that changes in the law instantiate a change whereby these premises are brought into being at a particular point in time. Countering the privileging of space over time that is apparent within much contemporary research on sex and the city, this paper foregrounds the varied temporalities in play here, and describes how the actions of those policy-makers, municipal bureaucrats and officers allow sex premises to variously ‘fade in’, accelerate, linger, or disappear as legal land uses within the city. We examine the implications of these different temporalities of the law by exploring how sex premises have been subject to regulation in London and Sydney, showing that the volatile, contradictory and fractured nature of legal space-making does not necessarily provide the certainty sought by the law but produces overlapping and contested understandings of what types of premises should be subject to regulation. More broadly the paper highlights how attention to the contingency and complexity of municipal law can help us better understand the ways that commercial sex is differently manifest in different cities.
Prior, J & Rai, T 2017, 'Engaging with residents' perceived risks and benefits about technologies as a way of resolving remediation dilemmas', Science of The Total Environment, vol. 601-602, pp. 1649-1669.
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© 2017 Elsevier B.V. In recent decades the diversity of remediation technologies has increased significantly, with the breadth of technologies ranging from dig and dump to emergent technologies like phytoremediation and nanoremediation. The benefits of these technologies to the environment and human health are believed to be substantial. However, they also potentially constitute risks. Whilst there is a growing body of knowledge about the risks and benefits of these technologies from the perspective of experts, little is known about how residents perceive the risks and benefits of the application of these technologies to address contaminants in their local environment. This absence of knowledge poses a challenge to remediation practitioners and policy makers who are increasingly seeking to engage these affected local residents in choosing technology applications. Building on broader research into the perceived benefits and risks of technologies, and data from a telephone survey of 2009 residents living near 13 contaminated sites in Australia, regression analysis of closed-ended survey questions and coding of open-ended questions are combined to identify the main predictors of resident's perceived levels of risk and benefit to resident's health and to their local environment from remediation technologies. This research identifies a range of factors associated with the residents’ physical context, their engagement with institutions during remediation processes, and the technologies which are associated with residents’ level of perceived risk and benefit for human health and the local environment. The analysis found that bioremediation technologies were perceived as less risky and more beneficial than chemical, thermal and physical technologies. The paper also supports broader technology research that reports an inverse correlation between levels of perceived risks and benefits. In addition, the paper reveals the types of risks and benefits to human health...
Prior, J, Hubbard, P & Rai, T 2017, 'Using residents' worries about technology as a way of resolving environmental remediation dilemmas', Science of The Total Environment, vol. 580, pp. 882-899.
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© 2016 Elsevier B.V. The choice of technologies used to remediate contaminated environments are increasingly made via engagement with affected local residents. Despite this, little is known about how residents perceive remediation technology applications. Building on the findings of broader technology worry research, and drawing on data from a telephone survey of 2009 residents living near thirteen contaminated sites in Australia, regression analysis of closed-ended survey questions and coding analysis of open-ended survey questions are combined to identify the main predictors of worries concerning particular remediation technologies, and how worry affects them. This suggests respondents are more worried about the application of chemical remediation technologies than the application of physical and thermal technologies, which in turn caused more worry than the application of biotechnology. The paper suggests that these worries can be reduced via direct engagement with residents about remediation technologies, suggesting that such engagement can provide knowledge that improves remediation technology decisions.
Pritchard, R & Kelly, S 2017, 'Realising Operational Energy Performance in Non-Domestic Buildings: Lessons Learnt from Initiatives Applied in Cambridge', Sustainability, vol. 9, no. 8, pp. 1345-1345.
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The gap between the intended and actual energy performance of buildings is increasingly well documented in the non-domestic building sector. Recognition of this issue has led to the availability of a large range of initiatives that seek to ensure energy efficient building operation. This article reviews the practical implementation of three such initiatives in a case study building at the University of Cambridge. The notionally high-performance office/laboratory building implemented two voluntary design frameworks during building planning and construction: the voluntary rating scheme BREEAM and a bespoke Soft Landings framework called the Cambridge Work Plan. The building additionally meets the energy reporting criteria for the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), a legislative requirement for many publicly owned buildings in the UK. The relative impact of these three approaches for optimising building energy performance is reviewed through a mixed methods approach of building occupant and operator interviews, document analysis and energy performance review. The building’s core functions were revealed to consume 140% more energy than the building logbook estimate for the same needs. This difference, referred to widely as the energy performance gap, is larger than the majority of reported UK university buildings in the energy reporting database CarbonBuzz. The three implemented initiatives are demonstrated to be inadequate for reducing the energy performance gap in the case study, thus a number of alternative energy efficiency approaches are additionally reviewed. Common to the three approaches used in the case study is a lack of verification of actual building performance despite ambitious sustainability targets, due to a heavy focus on the design-stage and few follow-up mechanisms. The paper demonstrates the potential of energy efficiency initiatives that are focussed on operational performance as a core criterion (such as the L...
Retamal, M 2017, 'Product-service systems in Southeast Asia: Business practices and factors influencing environmental sustainability', Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 143, pp. 894-903.
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© 2016 Product-service system (PSS) business models are now more widely used for business to consumer exchanges due to the popularity of the ‘sharing economy’ or ‘collaborative consumption’. While there are claims that PSS offer more sustainable consumption alternatives, there is a shortage of literature regarding PSS business practices and the factors that may influence their environmental performance. In addition, few studies have investigated PSS in emerging economies. In this paper, we examine PSS business practices in relation to environmental sustainability for twenty businesses in Hanoi, Manila and Bangkok. Our aim is to understand business practices in this emerging economy context, and to determine the factors that enable or inhibit PSS businesses from achieving environmentally sustainable outcomes. We identified six sustainability criteria from the literature as the basis for analysing business practices: 1) using durable, quality goods; 2) intensifying use of goods; 3) enabling repair, take back and recycling of goods; 4) ensuring rental replaces purchase; 5) minimising transport and disposable packaging of goods; and for transport – 6) reducing private vehicle kilometres travelled. Through qualitative analysis of interviews we found that business participants generally performed well in criteria 1–2, but performance across the remaining criteria depended on the context such as: market conditions, public infrastructure, housing form, customer behaviour and the nature of the product. Our findings highlight the need for policy interventions to facilitate more sustainable outcomes, including: guidelines and green accreditation; planning regulations/incentives to provide space for PSS businesses; and policies to encourage multiple passengers for transport sharing.
Sahin, O, Stewart, RA, Giurco, D & Porter, MG 2017, 'Renewable hydropower generation as a co-benefit of balanced urban water portfolio management and flood risk mitigation', Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, vol. 68, no. 2, pp. 1076-1087.
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© 2016 Elsevier Ltd Understanding energy–water system interactions is critical to the effective management of urban infrastructure. This paper explores the potential for hydropower as a co-benefit in a novel operating regime for Sydney׳s main water reservoir (Warragamba Dam). Hydropower could be generated as part of storage level management in the reservoir aimed at introducing flood retention ‘airspace’ (to mitigate downstream flood risk from extreme rainfall) whilst augmenting the use of installed desalination capacity to maintain secure supplies of water. A purpose-built systems dynamics model provides the mechanism for evaluating and comparing future operating scenarios over a 25 year period (i.e. until 2040). Importantly, the findings reveal the potential for desalination plants, integrated into a populous city׳s water supply network, to satisfy a much broader planning agenda. Specifically, the study provides evidence that Sydney's interdependent goals of deferring capital intensive flood storage works, maintaining water security, better utilising existing desalination and hydropower assets, and increasing renewable energy generation can be achieved through applying systems thinking to a complex citywide water planning problem. The work also makes a valuable contribution to the energy–water nexus literature at the under-explored city-scale.
Watson, R, Mukheibir, P & Mitchell, C 2017, 'Local recycled water in Sydney: A policy and regulatory tug-of-war', Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 148, pp. 583-594.
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© 2017 Elsevier Ltd Local recycled water (LRW) can potentially contribute to resilient and sustainable urban water services critical to liveable cities. Investment in these systems has increased rapidly in Australia in the past 10 years, yet public and private investment in these systems can still be difficult, complex, costly and risky. An in depth case study analysis of Sydney, revealed that while the local policy, institutional and regulatory environment is on the surface conducive to the uptake of local recycled water, actual practice has surprisingly mitigated against further and broader investment in these systems. These instruments are often counteracted by multiple opposing levers that in some instances were developed for entirely different purposes. The generalizable insight is that a systematic, systemic, detailed review of these instruments and levers can reveal unexpected contradictions and provide a strong and defensible base from which to develop strategies to address unintended consequences and remove barriers to future investment.
Willetts, J, Gero, A, Susamto, AA, Sanjaya, R, Trieu, TD, Murta, J & Carrard, N 2017, 'Sanitation value chains in low density settings in Indonesia and Vietnam: impetus for a rethink to achieve pro-poor outcomes', Journal of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Development, vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 445-454.
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This study examined the sanitation hardware supply chain in rural, low density settings in Indonesia and Vietnam. Actual costs along the chains were investigated to understand the challenges and opportunities to support affordable sanitation in remote, rural locations. Data were collected from four remote districts in Indonesia and Vietnam through a systematic value-chain analysis comprising 378 interviews across households and supply chain actors and both quantitative and qualitative analysis. Three main findings are presented. Firstly, poor households, often located in remote areas and with lower sanitation access, often experienced higher costs to build durable latrines than households in accessible areas or district capitals. Second, locally sourced materials (sand, bricks or gravel) had a greater influence on price than externally sourced materials (cement, steel and toilet pans), even accounting for cost increases of these materials along the supply chain. Thirdly, transport and labour costs represented considerable proportions of the overall cost to build a toilet. These findings highlighted logistical and financial barriers to poor, remote households in accessing sanitation. Findings can inform strategies to improve the availability and affordability of sanitation products and services, in particular key issues that need to be addressed through government and non-government pro-poor market-based interventions.
Chong, J, Winterford, K & Lederwasch, AJ 1970, 'Community engagement on water futures: using creative processes, appreciative inquiry and art to bring communities' views to life', OzWater 2017, Sydney, Australia.
Cordell, DJ 1970, 'Global Phosphorus Scarcity: A Food Secure Future?', Australian Poultry Symposium, Sydney.
Cordell, DJ 1970, 'Policy tools and frameworks for phosphorus security', Sustainable Phosphorus Summit, Kunming, China.
Fam, DM, Leimbach, T, Kelly, S, Hitchens, L & Callen, M 1970, 'Collaborative research and collective learning: institutionalizing interdisciplinary programs in higher education', International Transdisciplinary Conference, Transdisciplinary Research and Education — Intercultural Endeavours, Leuphana University Lüneburg, Germany.
Fam, DM, Leimbach, T, Kelly, S, Hitchens, L & Callen, M 1970, 'Collaborative research and collective learning: institutionalizing interdisciplinary programs in higher education', International Transdisciplinary Conference, Transdisciplinary Research and Education — Intercultural Endeavours, Leuneburg, Germany.
Fam, DM, Mitchell, C, Ross, K, De La Sierna, E & Ukowitz, M 1970, 'Challenging my and your worldview - recognizing ontological (beliefs), epistemological (knowledge) and axiological (values) assumptions to enrich TD research and practice', International Transdisciplinary Conference, Transdisciplinary Research and Education — Intercultural Endeavours, Leuphana University Lüneburg, Germany.
Foster, T 1970, 'Linking groundwater use, rainfall and alternative water sources in rural Kenya, Cambodia & Vanuatu', Chapel Hill.
Foster, T, Dance, B & Willetts, J 1970, 'Unfinished Business: Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Remote Indigenous Communities in Australia's Northern Territory', Water and Health Conference, Water and Health Conference, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA, pp. 62-63.
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Improving water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) outcomes for the ~60,000 Indigenous people living in remote communities in Australia's Northern Territory (NT) remains an important but unresolved policy challenge. Despite major national reforms aimed at bolstering Australia'swater security over the last decade, the WASH situation in remote Indigenous communities (RICs) has attracted little attention. This study sheds new light on this issue by assessing the status of WASH indicators (access, behaviours, health outcomes) and identifying obstacles thatconstrain progress. Up-to-date information on access to WASH services in RICs in NT is scant. We piece together historical data to deduce that there is now almost universal access to improved water sources and sanitation facilities. At least 90% of dwellings currently have a piped water supply and a private sanitation facility. In the 72 largest communities, the quantity of water used by households is far greater than the Australian average, and regular testing reveals the water supplied is of good microbiological quality. The main infrastructure shortfalls -in terms of access, reliability and safety - can be found in the more than 400 small homeland communities, most of which have a population of less than 50. Notwithstanding nearly universal access to services, the burden of WASH-related diseases remains substantial. Indigenouschildren in remote communities are twice as likely to be hospitalised for intestinal infection as non-Indigenous children. Environmental enteropathy and prevalence of intestinal parasitic infestation (e.g. Strongyloides) provide further markers of excreta-related disease transmission. Trachoma remains endemic in many RICs despite repeated mass drug administrations. Skin infections are also prevalent, and these are thought to underlie disproportionately high rates of acute glomerulonephritis and acute rheumatic fever, both of which lead to chronic and life-threatening kidney and hea...
Foster, T, Katuva, J & Hope, R 1970, 'Multi-decadal financial assessment of groundwater services for low-income households in rural Kenya', 44th IAH Congress 2017, 44th IAH Congress 2017, Dubrovnik.
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Sustainable financing of groundwater-based drinking water supplies in rural Africa poses one of the biggest obstacles to the global Sustainable Development Goal of safely managed water for all by 2030. Hand-pumped groundwater is the chief mode of supplying safe drinking water to rural populations in Africa, yet around one in three systems is non-functional in part due to a failure of users to pay the costs of ongoing operation and maintenance. Yet there is little empirical evidence about what factors determine rural communities’ capacity to collect revenue from users, and the implications this has for the operational sustainability of services and the water source choices of users. We present findings from a unique study that assesses community-based financing of groundwater services in Kwale (Kenya), the location for one of the first ever large-scale programmes involving handpump-equipped boreholes in rural Africa. The study draws on longitudinal financial records kept by 100 water user groups over three decades, coupled with hydrogeological, community, and household-level data collected from over 500 waterpoints and 3,000 households. We find that among those communities collecting fees on a monthly basis, around one in four households fails to pay in the long-run. Multivariable regression analysis reveals that waterpoints that (i) are situated close to households, (ii) draw on groundwater with a pH above 6.5, (iii) produce palatable water, and (iv) support productive water use activities have significantly higher levels of payment compliance. Payment levels are also strongly related to rainfall patterns, suggestive of complex and dynamic decisions about water source preferences. Those communities charging water users on a pay-as-you-fetch volumetric basis generate the highest levels of revenue, and this translates into significantly shorter breakdown durations. Yet this revenue collection approach is also associated with a higher proportion of househo...
Grant, M 1970, 'Gender Equality in Water Resources Management – overview of global opportunities and issues', Mekong Regional Forum on Gender Equality in Water Governance, Lao PDR.
Grant, M 1970, 'What does socially inclusive Integrated Water Resources Management look like?', International Riversymposium, Brisbane.
Guerrero, J, Chapman, A & Verbic, G 1970, 'A Study of Energy Trading in a Low-Voltage Network: Centralised and Distributed Approaches', 2017 AUSTRALASIAN UNIVERSITIES POWER ENGINEERING CONFERENCE (AUPEC), Australasian Universities Power Engineering Conference (AUPEC), IEEE, AUSTRALIA, Melbourne.
Jung, G, Choi, S, Jung, H, Kim, Y, Kim, Y, Kim, YB, Khan, NT & Park, J 1970, 'A New Simulation Framework for Intermittent Demand Forecasting Applying Classification Models', MODELING, DESIGN AND SIMULATION OF SYSTEMS, ASIASIM 2017, PT II, 17th Asia Simulation Conference (AsiaSim), Springer Singapore, Melaka, MALAYSIA, pp. 569-578.
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Jung, H-J, Jung, G-S, Kim, Y, Khan, NT, Kim, Y-H, Kim, Y-B & Park, J-S 1970, 'Development and appplication of agent-bsed disease spread simulation model : The case of Suwon, Korea', 2017 Winter Simulation Conference (WSC), 2017 Winter Simulation Conference (WSC), IEEE, Las Vegas, NV, pp. 2810-2820.
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Khatib, T, Yasin, A, Mohammad, AA & Ibrahim, IA 1970, 'On the effectiveness of optimally sizing an inverter in a grid-connected photovoltaic power system', 2017 14th International Conference on Smart Cities: Improving Quality of Life Using ICT & IoT (HONET-ICT), 2017 14th International Conference on Smart Cities: Improving Quality of Life using ICT & IoT (HONET-ICT), IEEE, pp. 48-52.
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Lestikow, G, MacArthur, J, Chowdhury, R, Davis, J & Wei, Y 1970, 'Integrating WASH and nutrition in market-based interventions: principles and results from the field', 40th WEDC International Conference, Loughborough, UK, 2017, © WEDC, Loughborough University, pp. 1-7.
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This paper outlines principles for integrating market-based approaches for improving WASH and nutrition. It draws on iDE’s experience implementing such programs, and specifically highlights learnings from iDE Bangladesh’s program Profitable Opportunities for Food Security (PROOFS), implemented in partnership with ICCO Cooperation, BoP Inc., and Edukans. PROOFS leverages market forces to increase food security, nutrition, and water and sanitation for smallholder farmers and base-of- pyramid consumers. The program recently concluded a pilot in which Nutrition Sales Agents added a set of WASH products to their existing “basket” of nutrition-related goods. The paper highlights principles for leveraging markets to achieve outcomes in WASH and nutrition. Specific insights involve aligning sales cycles, managing different sales and distribution channels, and ensuring that product margins provide profit opportunity for businesses and sales agents. These principles are underscored by observations from the WASH-Nutrition pilot, the final results of which will be available for the WEDC Conference. Introducti
Liu, A, Giurco, D, Mukheibir, P & White, S 1970, 'Maximising digital information for a smart water customer and community future', AWA Online Papers, OzWater17, AWA, Sydney.
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Now almost five years on since embarking on a customer-focused digital water utility research project with MidCoast Water, a wealth of experience has been accumulated regarding the key elements to harnessing digital information to engage customers in a digital customer strategy. The research project is specifically revisited with its review of the international literature to develop a practical tool box to assist water utilities in planning, implementing and evaluating a detailed digital customer information feedback strategy. The interactive tool box is introduced in this paper and aims to maximise digital information for a smart customer and community future.
McIntyre, E, Saliba, A & Wiener, K 1970, 'The use of herbal medicine by adults with anxiety: A critical exploration of health behaviour', 15th World Congress on Public Health, Melbourne, Australia.
Mitchell, C, Abeysuriya, K, Ross, KE, Eales, K, Willetts, J & Mills, F 1970, 'Achieving safe management: A case for strengthening the attention to liquid streams in on-site and local sanitation', Fecal Sludge Management 4 Conference, Fecal Sludge Management 4 Conference, Chennai.
Miyake, S & Bargiel, D 1970, ''Underutilised' agricultural land: its definitions, potential use for future biomass production and its environmental implications', EGU General Assembly 2017, Vienna, Austria.
Miyake, S & Dauber, J 1970, 'Biomass crop production on ‘underutilised agricultural land’ as a sustainable land management option?', International Symposium on Ecosystem Behavior, Litomyšl, Czech Republic.
Miyake, S, Bargiel, D, Mizgajski, JT, Wowra, K, Pudełko, R & Schebek, L 1970, 'Biodiversity, carbon and socio-economic implications of the use of ‘abandoned agricultural land’ for future biomass production in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE).', 2nd International Bioeconomy Congress, Stuttgart, Germany.
Moise, N, Davidson, K, Duer-Hefele, J, Onge, TS, Ridenour, T, Cheung, YK, Cohn, E, Kelly, S & Kronish, I 1970, 'Acceptability and preferences for participating in N-of-1 trials: A national survey of patients with multiple chronic comorbidities', PSYCHOSOMATIC MEDICINE, 75th Annual Scientific Meeting on Mobilizing Technology to Advance Biobehavioral Science and Health, LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS, SPAIN, Sevilla, pp. A159-A159.
Paul, R, Mukheibir, P & Kenway, S 1970, 'Distributed recycled water systems to reduce energy intensity for urban water services', Online Document Library, OzWater17, Ozwater, Sydney.
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The energy expenditure of water utilities is likely to increase due to the need to supply water from more energy-intensive sources such as distant rivers, sea water, recycled water and lower quality water sources. Currently water utilities face serious challenges to provide cost effective water services and this will further worsen due to rising energy price. This paper discusses research undertaken to date on the energy associated with the delivery of urban water services and presents a justification of how distributed recycled waste water systems can reduce energy consumption in urban water and wastewater systems.
Talwar, S 1970, 'A scientific macro assessment of 5 circular economic measures for India, and their comparative performance to global industrial hubs', The International Society for Industrial Ecology Biennial Conference, Chicago, USA.
Talwar, S 1970, 'Circular economy indicators for India', Panellist at the Powering the change to a circular economy conference, Adelaide, Australia.
Watson, R, Mukheibir & Mitchell, C 1970, 'Local recycled water in Sydney: what's happening and why', AWA Online Document Library, OzWater'17, AWA, Sydney.
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Local recycled water systems have the potential to meet many of the opportunities and challenges currently faced by the urban water industry. Recently there has been an increased installation of local recycled water in Sydney, however, there is a lack of agreement as to their overall value. This paper examines the evolution of local recycled water investment in Sydney to clearly identify what is driving (or limiting) investment. In doing so, it explains the nature and complexity of the interactions between the social, environmental and institutional context, and the decision to invest in distributed recycled water systems, particularly the impact on the evaluation of costs and benefits.
Willetts, J, Grant, M, Carrard, N, Bui, L, Doan The, L, Pham Thi, D & Dinh Van, D 1970, 'Good Water Governance for Inclusive Growth and Poverty Reduction', OzWater 2017, OzWater'17, Sydney.
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This research demonstrates the existence of inequitable outcomes in provision of piped water services by both private and other service providers in rural Vietnam. This study is the first of its kind in Vietnam, providing robust scientific evidence on who accesses water services from private enterprises. Qualitative research in 60 communes was followed by a quantitative study in six locations. A policy and regulatory review was also conducted, in addition to an assessment of enterprise motivators, enablers and challenges. The study highlights the need for effective regulatory mechanisms to ensure inclusive water service delivery in rural Vietnam.
Willetts, J, Murta, J, Grant, M & Gero, A 1970, 'Creating impact through research partnerships in the Enterprise in WASH Initiative', Research for Development Impact Conference, Sydney.
Winterford, KH 1970, 'One step removed: Making sense of evaluating a governance reform project for climate change and disaster risk management in the Pacific', The Australasian Evaluation Society (AES) 2017 International Conference.
wynne, Riedy, CJ, mckenna, daly & mcgee 1970, 'Housing older Australians: Three typologies for senior cohousing', State of Australian Cities 2017, Adelaide.
Abeysuriya, K, Khawaja, N, Mills, F, Carrard, N, Kome, A & Willetts, JR 2017, Applying the WHO’s multi-barrier approach to faecal sludge reuse, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney.
AlÁfghani, M, Prayitno, D, Mills, F & Willetts, JR 2017, Increasing local government responsibility for communal scale sanitation Part 2: Using Regional Budget (APBD) to support postconstruction sustainability of communal sanitation, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney.
Alexander, D, Wyndham, J, James, G & McIntosh, L 2017, Networks Renewed: Technical Analysis.
Amparo, F, Davila, F, Dyball, R, Geges, D, Jimena, C, Malenab, C, Mendoza, E & Saguiguit, S 2017, An analysis of smallholder commodity systems using and integrative and systems based framework in two pilot ISARD sites in the Philippines., pp. 1-111, Los Baños, The Philippines.
Baguma, A, Bizoza, A, Carter, R, Cavill, S, Foster, S, Foster, T, Jobbins, G, Hope, R, Katuva, J, Koehler, J, Shepherd, A & Simons, A Skat Foundation 2017, Groundwater and poverty in sub-Saharan Africa, UPGro Working Paper, pp. 1-105, St Gallen.
Chong, J, Kome, A, Murta, J, Willetts, JR & Grant, M 2017, Exploring smart enforcement within urban sanitation, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney.
Cordell, DJ, Dominish, E, Esham, M & Jacobs, B Institute for Sustainable Futures, UTS 2017, Towards Phosphorus and Climate Smart Agriculture in Sri Lanka, pp. 1-79, Sydney, Australia.
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Two of the biggest global challenges for food security – phosphorus scarcity and climate change – are threatening farmers’ livelihoods, agricultural productivity and environmental health. Sri Lanka’s agricultural sector is comprised largely of smallholder farmers, where rainfed rice is often a staple of the diet. Climate change projections indicate rice yields could drop by 40%, affecting the majority of farmers and increasing poverty levels by up to a third. At the same time, fertiliser subsidies, which represent 2% of government spending, are currently being scaled back in a country that is dependent on fertiliser imports. This exposes farmers to future price fluctuations like the 800% phosphate fertiliser price spike that occurred in 2008. The goal of this collaborative research project is to contribute to building food system resilience to climate change and phosphorus scarcity in Sri Lanka, through adaptations from farm-scale through to policy-making. This report presents the first phase of the project investigating the capacity of smallholder farmers, policy-makers, industry and other food system stakeholders in Sri Lanka to adapt to these twin challenges, via a participatory, integrated, rapid vulnerability assessment framework.
Cunningham, R, Jacobs, B, Measham, T, Harman, MP & Cvitanovic, C Institute for Sustainable Futures, UTS 2017, Social network analysis: a primer on engaging communities on climate adaptation in New South Wales, Australia, pp. 1-18, Sydney, Australia.
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A network is a group or system of interconnected people or things. Social networks connect people. Those connections provide advantages to members of the network through access to private information, diverse skills and power, which makes the understanding of networks important for the formulation and communication of policy. The Adaptive Communities Node used a network analysis methodology to understand the formal and informal knowledge channels that communicate climate change adaptation policy throughout regional communities (Harman et al, 2016; Harman et al 2015a; Harman et al 2015b). The results of case studies in these communities (centred on Shoalhaven, Bega and Orange) have been published through the UTS:ISF NSW Adaptation Research Hub (https://www.uts.edu.au/research-and-teaching/our-research/institute-sustainable-futures/our-research/climate-change/nsw). This primer serves as a companion document to those reports.
Davila, F, Sloan, T, Milne, M & van Kerkhoff, L 2017, Impact assessment of giant clam research in the Indo-Pacific, no. ACIAR Impact Assessment Series No 94, pp. 1-100, Canberra.
Dominish, E, Chaplin, L & Giurco, D 2017, Exploring new business models for battery recycling, Sydney, Australia.
Dominish, E, Cordell, D & Jacobs, B 2017, Creating demand for recycled organic compost, Sydney, Australia.
Dominish, E, Florin, N, Giurco, D, Corder, G, Golev, A, Lane, R, Rhamdhani, A, Reck, B, Graedel, T, Sharpe, S, Edwards, M, Benn, S & Brooks, G 2017, Australian Opportunities in a Circular Economy for Metals: Findings of the Wealth from Waste Cluster, Sydney, Australia.
Dunstan, C, Alexander, D, Morris, T, Langham, E & Jazbec, M Institute for Sustainable Futures, UTS 2017, Demand Management Incentives Review: Creating a level playing field for network DM in the National Electricity Market, pp. 1-57.
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This review assesses and quantifies the financial barriers to DM created by existing economic regulatory incentives for distribution network businesses. the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) commissioned ISF to conduct the review to support the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) in developing the new DM Incentive Scheme required by a change to the National Electricity Rules in 2015.
Dunstan, C, Mcintosh, B, Mey, F, Nagrath, K, Rutovitz, J & White, S 2017, Beyond Coal: Alternatives to Extending the Life of Liddell Power Station, UTS.
Fam, DM, Turner, A, Latimer, G, Liu, A, Giurco, D & Starr, P Institute for Sustainable Futures, UTS 2017, Convergence of the waste and water sectors: risks, opportunities and future trends – discussion paper, pp. 1-24, Sydney, Australia.
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The aim of this discussion paper is to bring to light the increasing convergence of the water and waste sectors and the associated risks, benefits, and future trends already on the horizon. Current examples of convergence in managing coal seam gas (CSG), food waste, fats, oils and grease (FOG) and biosolids, provide insights into not only the risks to public and environmental health of waste streams that cross sectoral boundaries but also potential opportunities for the water and waste sectors to seize as business opportunities. What is clear is that convergence between these sectors is already happening and in some cases there are adverse environmental consequences and associated health impacts. A key message from this research is the need to take an integrated and coordinated approach to planning and regulating the convergence of the water and waste sectors. Key recommendations to manage the risks associated with cross sector convergence of the water and waste sectors include facilitating: (1) increased engagement between regulators of each sector, (2) greater communication across sectors (3) a co-ordinated approach and plan to managing waste streams, (4) the development of monitoring and evaluation frameworks that cross sectors and (5) a coordinated approach to the assessment of research needs.
Fane, S, Mukheibir, P, Prentice, EJ & Chong, J 2017, External Factors for the Melbourne Sewerage Strategy 2018, Melbourne.
Florin, N & Dominish, E 2017, Sustainability evaluation of energy storage technologies, Sydney, Australia.
Gero, A, Murta, J & Willetts, JR 2017, Business development services for enterprises: A rapid review of global literature, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney.
Grant, M Global Water Partnership 2017, Gender Equality and Inclusion in Water Resources Management – Action Piece, Stockholm.
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This Action Piece is an evidence-based call to action to all actors to build more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable societies. Countless gender and inclusion strategies within the water management sector have been developed across the world by non-governmental organisations, governments, regional bodies, partnership organisations, multilateral development banks, and bilateral aid agencies. And yet, evidence has revealed a clear gap between these policies and practice: gender strategies are seldom funded adequately, gender mainstreaming is not well understood, and on the whole monitoring and evaluation processes are not sophisticated enough to reveal the true gender and inclusion power dynamics occurring within a water resources management context. Furthermore, there is a need to better understand and account for a broader range of factors that can lead to exclusion and marginalisation, such as age, disability, ethnicity, caste, and sexuality, if we are to ensure that no one is left behind.
Grant, ML, Huggett, C, Willetts, J & Wilbur, J Australian Water Partnership 2017, Gender Equality and Goal 6: The Critical Connection., Canberra.
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This discussion paper is intended to contribute to the implementation of the High Level Panel on Water(HLPW) Action Plan. It should be read alongside other framing notes commissioned by the AustralianWater Partnership.4 The key points of intersection with the High Level Panel on Water Action Plan areshown in Figure 1. This Discussion Paper identifies and explains key areas of action for the High LevelPanel on Water and other international development actors and governments. The paper provides arange of case studies, and the implications for improving policy and practice are outlined. This paperfocuses primarily on the HLPW Action Plan’s ‘Water Governance’ and ‘Universal Access to Safe Water andSanitation’ themes.
Leahy, C, Lunel, J, Grant, M & Willetts, JR Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney 2017, Women in WASH Enterprises: Learning from female entrepreneurship in Cambodia, Indonesia and Lao PDR - Working Paper 6, ISF-UTS.
Lewis, H, Downes, J, Verghese, K & Young, G Institute for Sustainable Futures, UTS 2017, Food waste opportunities within the food wholesale and retail sectors, pp. 1-99, Sydney, Australia.
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The aim of this research project is to provide the NSW Environment Protection Authority (NSW EPA) with a better understanding of the opportunities and barriers to reduce the amount of food waste going to landfill from the wholesale, logistics and retail sector. This report presents the research findings and provides a series of recommendations as to how NSW EPA can most effectively engage with these sectors within the food supply chain to maximise performance while minimising disruption and costs.
Liu, A & Mukheibir, P 2017, Digital Metering and Change in Water Consumption, Melbourne.
Maras, K & Mukheibir, P 2017, Analytics on East Frankston digital metering trial, Melbourne.
Mills, F, Willetts, JR & AlÁfghani, M 2017, Increasing local government responsibility for communal scale sanitation Part 1: Review of national program guidelines and two city case studies, Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology Sydney.
Mukheibir, P, Madden, B & Morris, T 2017, Circular Economy: Water Services Planning for GPOP, Sydney.
Mukheibir, P, Mitchell, C, Abeysuriya, K & Watson, R 2017, Decision making process framework and handbooks, Brisbane.
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ISF prepared a Decision Making Framework to guide decision making within QUU from strategic planning decisions through to those made at the implementation stage. the process ensures that the correct level of information is considered and that the right tool for each decision is used. A case example was prepared to illustrate how the process would work in practice. the Decision Making Framework is support by two guidebooks on cost-benefit analysis (CBA) and multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA).
Murta, J, Foster, T & Willetts, J 2017, Piloting pro-poor support strategies in Banteay Meas district, Phnom Penh.
Plant, RA, Cunningham, R, Berry, F, Madden, B, Hageer, Y & Huete, A 2017, Measuring Urban Green Space in Australia, no. GC15004, pp. 1-133, Sydney, Australia.
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The Hort Innovation Green Cities project “Measuring Australia’s Green Space Asset” (MUGS) undertook a global review of urban green space (UGS) measurement research and engaged with Australian stakeholders to gauge current practice. The overall aim of the project was to foster best-practice UGS planning and management by juxtaposing the scientific state of the art with the contextualised needs expressed by potential Australian end users. The synthesis of findings informed a ‘blueprint’ which sketches the contours of a possible nationally consistent UGS decision-support framework. The framework is illustrated with a worked example from Australia (rapid assessment of urban green space assets using satellite imagery).
Retamal, ML & Dominish, E Tearfund 2017, The Sharing Economy in Developing Countries, pp. 1-20, Sydney, Australia.
Riedy, CJ, Wynne, L, McKenna, K & Daly, M 2017, Advancing co-housing for seniors, pp. 1-35.
Riedy, CJ, Wynne, L, McKenna, K & Daly, M 2017, Cohousing for Seniors: Literature Review, pp. 1-35.
Rutovitz, J, James, G, Teske, S, Mpofu, S, Usher, J, Morris, T & Alexander, D 2017, Storage requirements for reliable electricity in Australia.
Teske, S, Morris, T & Nagrath, K 2017, 100% Renewable Energy for Tanzania – Access to renewable and affordable energy for all within one generation (full report), pp. 1-81.
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In 2016, CAN-Tanzania (CAN-TZ), the World Future Council (WFC) and Bread for the World (BftW) embarked on an 18-month project in Tanzania to develop a coherent strategy to implement 100 per cent Renewable Energy (RE) as part of the country’s Sustainable Low Carbon Development (LCD) Initiatives and Poverty Reduction Goals. This project builds on the previous experience of the project partners in facilitating the deployment of LCD and RE in Tanzania.Through an inclusive and interactive approach engaging local stakeholders and key decision makers in the energy transformation and poverty reduction process, this project intends to:• inspire stakeholders and build hands-on knowledge of how 100 per cent RE adds value to local economic development and community sustainability• strengthen synergies, networks and platforms for multi-stakeholder dialogue and follow-up at the national level among government, parliamentary committees, policy-makers, civil society, trade unions, churches and media on LCD, poverty reduction and 100 per cent RE• identify necessary legislation and policy reforms.The proposed assignment aims to support the project by informing a policy framework on 100 per cent RE with the following aims:1. providing universal access to renewable energy2. fully decarbonising Tanzania’s economy, and3. boosting socio-economic development and reducing inequalities.
Teske, S, Morris, T & Nagrath, K 2017, 100% Renewable Energy for Tanzania – Access to renewable and affordable energy for all within one generation. (Executive Summary), pp. 1-18.
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In 2016, CAN-Tanzania (CAN-TZ), the World Future Council (WFC) and Bread for the World (BftW) embarked on an 18-month project in Tanzania to develop a coherent strategy to implement 100 per cent Renewable Energy (RE) as part of the country’s Sustainable Low Carbon Development (LCD) Initiatives and Poverty Reduction Goals. This project builds on the previous experience of the project partners in facilitating the deployment of LCD and RE in Tanzania.Through an inclusive and interactive approach engaging local stakeholders and key decision makers in the energy transformation and poverty reduction process, this project intends to:• inspire stakeholders and build hands-on knowledge of how 100 per cent RE adds value to local economic development and community sustainability• strengthen synergies, networks and platforms for multi-stakeholder dialogue and follow-up at the national level among government, parliamentary committees, policy-makers, civil society, trade unions, churches and media on LCD, poverty reduction and 100 per cent RE• identify necessary legislation and policy reforms.The proposed assignment aims to support the project by informing a policy framework on 100 per cent RE with the following aims:1. providing universal access to renewable energy2. fully decarbonising Tanzania’s economy, and3. boosting socio-economic development and reducing inequalities.
Turner, AJ & White, S Institute for Sustainable Futures, UTS 2017, Urban Water Futures: Trends and Potential Disruptions, pp. 1-49, Sydney, Australia.
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Now an ideal time to reflect, to take stock of where the Australian water industry is at, to scan the trends, disruptions and innovation opportunities that lie ahead, to imagine what the water industry could look like in the next 20 to 30 years, and to work out what it would take to realise that vision. As the weight of history, the push of the present and the pull of the future unfold, there is a need to take control, innovate, advocate and consciously head in the desired direction to ensure that the collective vision of the future water industry is fulfilled. The Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA), the peak industry body that represents over 70 public and privately, owned water or water related organisations, commissioned the Institute to research and write this discussion paper on the trends and potential disruptions to Australia’s urban water futures.
Watson, R, Mitchell, C & Crick, R 2017, Three Horizons workshop - translating a vision into practice, Univeristy of Technology Sydney.
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Water utilities face increasing levels of uncertainty and complexity, at the same time as increasing and broadening performance expectations, and major shifts in institutional and regulatory structures. All this drives both evolution and revolution. Actively guiding the direction of evolution and revolution requires new skills and tools: Three Horizons is well-suited to facilitating transformative change where complexity and uncertainty prevail. Hunter Water Corporation’s 2017+3 Strategy signals a shift in strategic direction towards supporting the rapidly transforming aspirations of the region. Using Three Horizons to begin to map pathways to Hunter Water Corporation’s future produced new insights and profound learnings for participants.
Willetts, J & Murta, J UTS 2017, Business development services for sanitation enterprises in Cambodia, Enterprise in WASH - Research Report 8, Sydney.
Wilmot, K, Zeibots, M, Bitzios, D & James, B 2017, WAVERLEY’S PEOPLE, MOVEMENT AND PLACES KEY ISSUES REPORT, NSw.
Wilmot, K, Zeibots, M, Bitzios, D & James, B 2017, WAVERLEY’S PEOPLE, MOVEMENT AND PLACES STRATEGY REPORT, NSW.
Winterford, KH 2017, How to Partner for Development Research, Sydney, Australia.
Winterford, KH & Cunningham, I 2017, Strengths-based approaches in Malawi and Zimbabwe, Sydney, Australia.
Winterford, KH & Gero, A 2017, Exploring the link between child and youth participation and development effectiveness, Sydney, Australia.
Winterford, KH & Leahy, C 2017, Matadalan Kona-Ba Auditoria Sosiál Ba Timor-Leste, Dili, Timor-Leste.
Winterford, KH, Tupou, S & Hesaie, D 2017, End of Program Evaluation Fiji Community Development Program, Sydney, Australia.
Ali, SH, Giurco, D, Arndt, N, Nickless, E, Brown, G, Demetriades, A, Durrheim, R, Enriquez, MA, Kinnaird, J, Littleboy, A, Meinert, LD, Oberhänsli, R, Salem, J, Schodde, R, Schneider, G, Vidal, O & Yakovleva, N 2017, 'Erratum: Corrigendum: Mineral supply for sustainable development requires resource governance', Springer Science and Business Media LLC, pp. 246-246.
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Camfield, D, McIntyre, E & Sarris, J 2017, 'Evidence-Based Herbal and Nutritional Treatments for Anxiety in Psychiatric Disorders', Springer International Publishing, Germany, pp. 1-208.
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© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2017. This book presents the current clinical evidence on the efficacy of herbal and nutritional treatments for anxiety that is experienced in association with psychiatric disorders, and explains how health professionals can apply this knowledge to the benefit of patients presenting with a wide range of symptoms, including comorbid mood disorders. All chapters are written by world-leading researchers who draw on the findings of human clinical trials to provide uncompromising assessments of individual treatments, including herbal anxiolytics with sedative actions, adaptogens, cognitive anxiolytics, and nutraceuticals. Traditional treatments requiring further study - including the plant-based psychotropic Ayahuasca and other phytotherapies of potential value in the treatment of anxiety - are also reviewed. In the closing chapters, a series of helpful case studies are provided by mental health clinicians in order to illustrate how herbal and nutritional treatments can best be integrated into an overall treatment plan for individuals with a range of comorbid diagnoses. Mental health professionals, researchers, and general readers will find that the book provides an excellent review of current scientific knowledge gained from the study of herbal and nutritional treatments, together with important clinical recommendations for their use in patients experiencing clinically significant levels of anxiety.
Cordell, D 2017, 'Global phosphorus scarcity: A food secure future?', Elsevier BV, pp. 61-62.
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Cordell, DJ, Fam, D & Florin, N 2017, 'Companies should take charge of the potential toxins in common products'.
Evans, MC, Davila, F, Toomey, A & Wyborn, C 2017, 'Embrace complexity to improve conservation decision making', Springer Science and Business Media LLC, pp. 1588-1588.
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Fam, D, Mitchell, C & Cordell, D 2017, 'Designing for impact in Transdisciplinary research', Integration and Implementation Insights.
Fam, D, Riedy, C, Palmer, J & Mitchell, CA 2017, 'Transdisciplinary Research and Practice for Sustainability Outcomes', Routledge, UK.
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‘Transdisciplinarity’ is a form of research and practice that synthesises knowledge from a range of academic disciplines and from the community. There is now global interest and a significant body of work on transdisciplinarity and its potential to address the apparently intractable problems of society. This creates the opportunity for a specific focus on its practical application to sustainability issues.
Transdisciplinary Research and Practice for Sustainability Outcomes examines the role of transdisciplinarity in the transformations needed for a sustainable world. After an historical overview of transdisciplinarity, Part 1 focuses on tools and frameworks to achieve sustainability outcomes in practice and Part 2 consolidates work by a number of scholars on supporting transdisciplinary researchers and practitioners.Part 3 is a series of case studies including several international examples that demonstrate the challenges and rewards of transdisciplinary work. The concluding chapter proposes a future research pathway for understanding the human factors that underpin successful transdisciplinary research.
Foster, T 2017, 'Possibilities and pitfalls of community-based financing of water supplies in rural Kenya', Oxford University.
McKenna, K, Pomoh, K, Boronyak, L & Jacobs, B 2017, 'PNG’s role in facilitating climate change dialogue', Devpolicy blog.
Riedy, CJ, mckenna, K, wynne & daly 2017, 'Co-housing works well for older people, once they get past the image problem', The Conversation.
Smith, T, Cordell, D & Fam, D 2017, 'Transkillery! What skills are needed to be a boundary crosser?', Integration and Implementation Insights.
Talwar, S 2017, 'Recycle: A case study of 3Rs in India’s Iron and Steel Industry'.
Turner, A, Sahin, O, Giurco, D, Stewart, R & Porter, M 2017, 'Reprint of: The potential role of desalination in managing flood risks from dam overflows: the case of Sydney, Australia', Elsevier BV, pp. S125-S137.
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© 2016 Elsevier Ltd Shifting climate patterns are causing extreme drought and flooding across the globe. This combined with the world's burgeoning population and insatiable thirst for water requires water service providers to think differently about the limited resources they manage. In Australia, the severe drought at the beginning of the century caused dams to fall to record levels. In response, many state governments invested heavily in rain-independent supplies such as desalination to augment and diversify traditional sources. However, extreme rainfall soon followed the drought, filled reservoirs and caused flooding in many locations leaving billions of dollars worth of damage and new water infrastructure standing idle. This is the case in Sydney, where the new desalination plant is still not used and the potential for major flooding has raised concerns over the safety of the large population downstream of the dam. This paper explores the growing need to understand the relationship between drought, flooding and infrastructure optimisation. The paper focuses on Sydney to illustrate the application of a system dynamics model. The new model explores options for raising the dam wall, offering airspace to assist flood protection, in contrast to options to lower the dam full supply level and utilise idle desalination capacity to fill the water security gap created. The illustrative results, using publicly available data, find that by lowering the dam water levels and operating desalination, significant flood protection can be achieved at a similar cost to raising the dam wall. The paper demonstrates the importance of optimising existing and new water resources for multiple purposes and how system dynamics modelling can assist water service providers in these complex investigations.
Wynne, LE, Riedy, C, Daly, M & McKenna, K 2017, 'Cohousing: An alternative tenure for senior Australians?'.
