http://hdl.handle.net/2099/1496 2013-05-19T23:02:39Z http://hdl.handle.net/2099/2873 Title: Organización y sostenibilidad en un sistema urbano socio-ecológico y complejo Authors: Crojethovich Martín, Alejandro D.; Rescia Perazzo, Alejandro J. Abstract: El enfoque tradicional consiste en tratar a la sostenibilidad a partir de la interacción entre tres subsistemas: el social, el económico y el ecológico, con algún grado de dependencia entre ellos, y donde en cada uno se puede definir un tipo especial de sostenibilidad que está relacionada con los objetivos a alcanzar en cada subsistema. Otro punto de vista, es que la sostenibilidad es una medida del mantenimiento de la organización y estructura de un sistema. A pesar de los avances, sin embargo siguen prevaleciendo los enfoques estáticos e individuales sobre los dinámicos y sístemicos. Este trabajo se realiza tomando como ejemplo la integración a nivel sistémico de una ciudad y la sostenibilidad como una propiedad emergente de las interrelaciones entre los distintos aspectos mencionados, aplicados dentro del marco teórico de la ecología urbana. La metodología desarrollada considera a la ciudad como un sistema complejo, al ambiente en sus múltiples dimensiones (físico, social, económico, cultural, entre otras) y enfoca el análisis de la sostenibilidad a la gestión de los recursos hídricos urbanos. Para ello se ha construido un sistema que permite estudiar las interrelaciones que dan cuenta de la calidad del recurso hídrico (superficial y profundo), sus formas de uso, las condiciones socioeconómicas de los consumidores, las principales actividades productivas de una región y sus consecuencias sobre el estado del recurso (vertidos domiciliarios e industriales), las condiciones de vulnerabilidad y riesgo ambiental, así como los principales procesos ecológicos (contaminación, inundación, entre otros) como producto de dichas interrelaciones.; The traditional approach deals with sustainability on the basis of the interaction between social, economic and ecological subsystems. There is some degree of dependence among these subsystems and a special kind of sustainability can be defined for each one. The different kinds of sustainability are related to the objectives that have to be reached in each subsystem. Another perspective is that sustainability is a measure of how well the organisation and structure of a system are maintained. Despite the advances, statistical and individual approaches are still more prevalent that dynamic and systematized approaches. This study was undertaken using the example of the systemic integration of a city and sustainability as a property resulting from the interrelations between the different aspects mentioned above, which are applied within the theoretical frame of urban ecology. The methodology considers the city as a complex system and takes into account the many dimensions of the environment (physical, social, economic, cultural, etc.). The sustainability analysis is focused on the management of urban water resources. A system was constructed that enables us to study the interrelations that explain the quality of water resources (superficial and deep), the types of water use, the socioeconomic status of the consumers, the main productive activities in the region and the effect of these activities on the state of the resource (industrial and domestic waste), the conditions of vulnerability and environmental risk and the main ecological processes that are a result of these interactions (pollution, flooding, etc.). 2007-05-09T13:07:08Z http://hdl.handle.net/2099/2580 Title: Modelamiento de presiones sobre la biodiversidad en la Guayana Authors: Rincón R., Alexander; Romero R., Miton; Bernal S., Néstor; Rodríguez E., Nelly; Rodríguez C., Juliana Abstract: Este artículo busca identificar los factores que han influido a que la transformación de ecosistemas y la deforestación avancen en 4 zonas del sector Guayanes de la Amazonía Colombiana (La Macarena, Nukak, Puinawai y Chiribiquete). Para la identificación de estos factores, se realizó un análisis en dos escalas: a nivel municipal y a nivel de píxel, los análisis con datos municipales sirvieron para dar un contexto de los aspectos sociales y demográficos para cada una de las zonas, adicionalmente se realizó un análisis de correlaciones. Los datos a nivel de píxel se utilizaron para la estimación de modelos de regresión logística para cada zona, de forma complementaria y para tener en cuenta la dinámica de cambio y los efectos de vecindad entre pixeles se realizó un ejercicio de simulación empleando el software DINAMICA (desarrollado por el centro de sensores remotos de la Universidad de Minas Gerais) para las dos zonas de mayor transformación. Los resultados del análisis de asociaciones, modelamiento y simulación evidencian que la facilidad de acceso terrestre (distancia a vías), el estado legal del territorio, la distancia a centros urbanos (distancia a cabeceras) son los factores relevantes que han impulsado la transformación de ecosistemas y la deforestación en el área de análisis.; Ecosystem change and deforestation has advanced in four areas of the Guayanes region of the Colombian Amazon (La Macarena, Nukak, Puinawai and Chiribiquete). This paper aims to identify which factors have influenced these changes, by undertaking analyses on both municipal and pixel levels. The analyses of municipal data provide the social and demographic context for each area. In addition, a correlation analysis is carried out. Pixel level data is used to estimate logistic regression models for each area. Moreover, to take into account the dynamics of change and the effects of proximity between pixels, a simulation exercise is undertaken using DINAMICA software (developed at the Remote Sensor Centre of the Federal University of Minas Gerais) to analyse the two areas that underwent the most change. The results of the association, modelling and simulation analyses reveal that the following factors have driven ecosystem change and deforestation in the study area: ease of land access (distance from roads), the legal status of the territory and the distance from urban centres (the distance from administrative centres). 2007-03-29T16:31:22Z http://hdl.handle.net/2099/2579 Title: Modelización participativa para la evaluación integrada de la sostenibilidad de los recursos hídricos: el Modelo del Mundo Celular y el Proyecto Matisse Authors: Tábara, David; Elmqvist, Bodil; Akgun, Ilhan; Madrid, Cristina; Olson, Lennart; Schilperoord, Michel; Valkering, Pieter; Wallman, Patrick; Weaver, Paul Abstract: El presente trabajo describe el proceso participativo vinculado al desarrollo y la implementación del prototipo de un modelo que tiene como principal objetivo servir de soporte durante el procesos de Evaluación Integrada de la Sostenibilidad (EIS) de diferentes opciones políticas de gestión de los recursos hídricos a diferentes niveles de acción. El modelo – llamado el Modelo del Mundo Celular (MMC) – se centra en la representación del comportamiento de los agentes respecto a sus relaciones sistemáticas con el medio ambiente. Esto se consigue principalmente mediante el análisis tres aspectos. En primer lugar, se analizan los intereses, motivaciones, creencias culturales y otras condiciones estructurales que condicionan la conducta de los agentes en el usos de las reservas y flujos de agua. Segundo, mediante el estudio a diferentes escalas del impacto sobre los ecosistemas naturales y el medio ambiente en general del comportamiento de los usuarios. Por último, se realiza de forma co-evolutiva el análisis del impacto de esos cambios ambientales en el comportamiento de los agentes. El MCM utiliza una perspectiva integrada, multi-escalar y basada en agentes. Los agentes operan en un único sistema interrelacionado en el cual cada individuo o agente colectivo responde a su disponibilidad y uso de un conjunto de reservas y flujos de reglas sociales e instituciones (S), energía y recursos (E) información y conocimiento (I), que a su vez provocan impactos y cambios (C) en el sistema socio-ecológico. Este modelo se está desarrollando conjuntamente con Grupos de Discusión como parte de un proceso de Evaluación Integrada participativa. En el proceso de participación intervienen actores reales involucrados en la gestión del agua que aportan su conocimiento sobre el comportamiento de los agentes y la posible arquitectura del modelo para incrementar su robustez social y su relevancia política. Nuestra investigación forma parte del proyecto MATISSE (Methods and Tools for Integrated Sustainability Assessment)financiado por la Unión Europea.; This paper describes the participatory process of developing and implementing a prototype model. This model is aimed at supporting integrated sustainability assessment (ISA) of policy options for managing water resources at different levels of action. The model is called the World Cellular Model (WCM). It represents agents’ behaviour in terms of their systemic relationships with the environment. This is achieved by examining three aspects. Firstly, we analyse the interests, motives, cultural beliefs and other structural conditions that drive agents’ actions with regard to their use of reserves and flows of water. Secondly, we examine different levels of the impact of agents’ behaviour on the environment and on natural ecosystems. Thirdly, we analyse in a coevolutionary way the impact of such environmental changes on the behaviour of agents. The WCM uses an integrated, multi-scale, agent-based perspective. Agents operate in a single interrelated system in which each individual or collective agent responds to the availability and use of a set of reserves and flows of social rules and/or institutions (S), energy and resources (E), information and knowledge (I) that in turn provokes environmental change (C) or impact on the social ecological system. This model is being developed with the collaboration of discussion groups, as part of a participatory integrated assessment process. Groups include people who are involved in water management. These group members have insight into agents’ behaviour and the possible architecture of the model. Their contributions can help to increase the model’s socio-ecological robustness and policy relevance. Our research is part of the EU-funded project MATISSE (Methods and Tools for Integrated Sustainability Assessment). 2007-03-29T16:24:07Z http://hdl.handle.net/2099/2578 Title: El paper de la organització social en la sostenibilitat: noves possibilitats des d'una perspectiva estructuralista Authors: Lozano Pérez, Sergi; Àlvarez, Xavier Abstract: L'aproximació al concepte de sostenibilitat des d'una perspectiva sistèmica implica, necessàriament, tenir en compte la influència que la complexitat intrínseca dels sistemes social i natural exerceix sobre les interaccions entre ells. En aquest sentit, l'organització social no ha rebut tradicionalment tanta atenció com a factor d'incidència ambiental com altres qüestions de caire més tècnic (el reciclatge o la eficiència energètica dels sistemes productius, per exemple). En aquest article, plantejem la idoneïtat de l'Anàlisi de Xarxes Socials (un àmbit de recerca pluridisciplinar centrat en l'estudi de l'organització social des d'una perspectiva estructuralista) com a marc conceptual per a desenvolupar els discursos d'alguns autors que sí han incidit en aquesta qüestió, i presentem alguns exemples de conceptes que poden resultar útils en aquesta línia.; Approaching the concept of sustainability from a systemic perspective involves taking into account the influence that the intrinsic complexity of the social and natural systems has on the interactions between them. To date, technical issues (e.g. recycling, the energy efficiency of production systems, etc.) have received more attention as factors that affect the environment than social organization. In this paper, we propose that Social Network Analysis (a multidisciplinary research area focused on studying social organization from a structuralist perspective) is a suitable conceptual frame for developing the ideas of authors who have addressed the link between social organization and the environment. We present some examples of concepts that could be useful in this line of research. 2007-03-29T15:54:57Z http://hdl.handle.net/2099/2577 Title: Modelización de un sistema territorial “urbano-rural” para la evaluación de su sostenibilidad. Aplicación a una zona representativa del País Vasco Authors: Urzelai, Arantzazu; Olazabal Alberdi, Maria; García, Gloria; Santa Coloma, O.; Herranz, K.; Abajo, Beñat; Acero, J.A.; Feliu, E.; Aspuru, I. Abstract: El desarrollo de una base de conocimiento común y sólida que permita la máxima objetividad y transparencia en la evaluación de la sostenibilidad dentro del proceso de toma de decisiones, constituye uno de los pilares básicos para su implementación en el planeamiento estratégico y la gestión del territorio. La caracterización del sistema ecológico-ambiental, económico, social e institucional que es objeto de gestión constituye un paso clave en el conocimiento de la red de relaciones que subyace al funcionamiento del sistema y de las interacciones responsables de potenciales sinergias. La traducción de esta información en modelos conceptuales y matemáticos constituye una herramienta útil en el desarrollo de indicadores de sostenibilidad eficaces y relevantes, enfocados desde las necesidades de gestión. En este trabajo se presenta el modelo conceptual que define los componentes e interacciones de un sistema urbano-rural representativo del País Vasco, así como su marco de evaluación.; One of the most important factors in introducing the concept of sustainability into strategic planning and territorial management is the development of a shared, solid knowledge base. This knowledge base should ensure maximum objectivity and transparency in sustainability assessment within the decision-making process. A description of the ecological-environmental, economic, social and institutional system that is to be managed is needed in order to develop knowledge about the network of relations that underlie the functioning of the system and the interactions that are responsible for potential synergies. The transformation of this information into conceptual and mathematical models is a useful tool for developing effective and relevant sustainability indicators that are oriented towards management needs. This paper presents a conceptual model that defines the components and interactions of a representative urban-rural system in the Basque Country. It also discusses the assessment frame for this model. 2007-03-29T15:54:33Z http://hdl.handle.net/2099/2576 Title: The Regional Vancouver Urban Observatory (RVu): counting on Vancouver, “our view” of the region Authors: Holden, Meg; Mochrie, Clare Abstract: The Regional Vancouver Urban Observatory (RVu) was established in 2004 to provide a new model for measuring and monitoring regional progress toward sustainability. RVu is the first indicator project in Canada to join the UN-Habitat Global Urban Observatory network. RVu takes up the challenge within sustainability assessment theory to analyze and inform at the same time as it attracts and unites the widest range of citizens possible toward the goal of improving our common future. This article presents the processes carried out by RVu in 2005-2006 to recommend sustainability indicators for the Vancouver region. While RVu’s expert process built upon rational models, RVu’s nonexpert process operationalized a systems modelling approach. RVu has aimed to mesh international expectations and regional aspirations, expert- and citizenbased views of progress, and hard line and storyline trends. The process and results hold lessons for other regions grappling to apply sustainability principles in practice. 2007-03-29T15:43:14Z http://hdl.handle.net/2099/2570 Title: Strategies to connect and integrate urban planning and environmental planning through focusing on sustainability: case study of Cheongju City, Korea Authors: Ban, Yong Un Abstract: This study has intended to find strategies which connect and integrate urban planning and environmental conservation planning through acquiring sustainability applied to Cheongju City, a local government of Korea. To overcome inefficiency happened during the process of urban and environmental planning practice in Korea, it is necessary to find strategies to integrate both planning practices through focusing on 'sustainable urban development.' This study, therefore, has suggested to make 'sustainable city development law' for national level and 'sustainable urban development ordinance' for local level, and provided the process and contents of the 'sustainable urban development planning' based on the suggested law and the ordinance, so that unmatched planning period of both plans could be adjusted (for 20 years), and the overlapped contents could be removed through identifying future goal of sustainable development. 2007-03-29T15:05:44Z http://hdl.handle.net/2099/2569 Title: Towards integrated long-term scenarios for assessing biodiversity risks Authors: Spangenberg, Joachim H. Abstract: From a policy point of view, the rapid loss of biodiversity (how ever measured) constitutes an urgent need to improve the ability to forecast possible changes in biodiversity. Scenario development and modelling are essential tools for studying changes of biodiversity and their impacts in order to provide well-founded policy options. However, so far no comprehensive model has been developed integrating the diverse relevant ecological, economic, individual and societal processes. Instead socio-economic, climate and biodiversity models exhibit a wide range of assumptions concerning population development, economic growth and the resulting pressures on biodiversity. The paper summarises the efforts undertaken in the framework of the ALARM project by an interdisciplinary team of economists, climatologists, land use experts and modellers. It describes the challenges of such a kind of work, bringing together different world views unavoidably inherent to the different fields of investigation. 2007-03-29T14:37:37Z http://hdl.handle.net/2099/2568 Title: The Index of Sustainable Economic Welfare revisited for Poland in transition Authors: Prochowicz, Robert; Sleszynski, Jerzy Abstract: In the paper, the Index of Sustainable Economic Welfare (ISEW) for Poland was calculated. The research covers the time period between 1990 and 2003. The lowest values of ISEW were observed in 1990, when Poland still experienced the economic crisis. Up to 1992, we can observe a dynamic growth then slowing down and progressing again in succeeding years, which eventually shows back a new and more moderate tendency started in 2000. It seems, that the stagnation effect in ISEW can be attributed, in order of potential, to categories like: losses caused by commuting and road accidents, long-term environmental damage, expenditures on consumer durables, losses due to ozone layer depletion, change in net international position, depletion of non-renewable resources. Moreover, growing welfare inequalities penalize the value of ISEW in recent years much more significantly than before. 2007-03-29T14:09:07Z http://hdl.handle.net/2099/2567 Title: Connectionist techniques to approach sustainability modelling Authors: Domingo Gou, Marta; Agell Jané, Núria; Parra, Xavier Abstract: When defining a context of sustainability, capturing the complexity of data and extracting as much information as possible are fundamental challenges. Normally, quantitative and qualitative indicators are defined. While the definition and calculation of the former is direct, the latter are difficult to manage. This document provides tools based on connectionist techniques for managing complex information combining the use of imprecise and qualitative variables. The application of these tools to evaluate non-numerical sustainability indicators is presented. The results obtained in some first approaches are briefly presented to illustrate the connectionist paradigm. 2007-03-29T13:44:23Z http://hdl.handle.net/2099/2566 Title: A flexible framework for regional sustainable development indicators using system thinking criteria (INSURE) Authors: Álvarez Arenas, Manuel; Mirón, I. Abstract: Developing politics and actions guided by sustainability criteria require to have elements that support decisions at the most strategic levels and facilitate the communication and justification of decisions made. To do so, indicators are simple tools aiming to facilitate high-level decisionmaking, playing the role of making complex systems understandable or perceptible. Sustainable development (SD) indicators are specifically designed to facilitate a perspective on sustainability, but sustainability is a blurred concept lacking a well based scientific theory that supports it, it is more a social and political approach that implies a transverse vision of different sectors strongly influencing each other in a complex system of mutual (and some times not well known) relations. SD indicators cannot therefore be conceived as isolated trends, unaware of the systemic vision implicit in the SD concept, being the real challenge not to identify SD indicators(there are hundreds of good lists available) but to look for the best way to put them all to work together providing a consistent and coherent vision of how regional systems are progressing towards SD objectives. This is the main objective of INSURE. Starting from any hierarchical thematic framework that is also determined by policy targets and priorities, the INSURE system indicators (S-indicators), initially designed to be applied at regional scale, aims to interpret and to understand indicators and trends in connection with the regional sustainability system behind. Its objective is to link the structured view of the policy SD priorities2 —ordered around a hierarchical thematic framework— with a systemic view that represents how the most important elements operating in the region are integrated in the regional system. This means to understand how the different trends of SD are related each others and how they influence the behaviour of the regional system in relation to policy priorities. What makes INSURE different from other SD indicators methodologies is its capacity to focus the analysis in the diagnosis of the regional system, placing particular emphasis in its systemic character, and then to transfer the richness and complexity of SD relations to a conventional hierarchical indicators thematic framework, based on a reasonable reduced number of SD trends, which is oriented by policy priorities. As a result, the data trends obtained from indicators are converted into SD trends values, which are determined not only by statistical data, but also integrating correction indices depending on how they are expected to influence other SD trends in the region. 2007-03-29T12:47:58Z http://hdl.handle.net/2099/2565 Title: SYNAPS systems analytical process oriented tool for sector integration Authors: Book, Charlotte; Pelin, Katerina; Svensson, Mats Abstract: “Sustainable development” is mentioned in most documents concerned with society and progress. However, in today’s society there are many conflicting views concerned with what sustainable development is and specially how it may be achieved and the three sustainability dimensions balanced and finally measured. Region Skåne, responsible for the development of SYNAPSE, believes methods and tools to help illustrate and illuminate the interrelationships between the three dimensions of sustainable development are fundamentally important to both try and explain what sustainable development is but in particular in trying to facilitate the how. It is the firm belief of the people behind SYNAPSE that sustainable development is about taking responsibility for our actions and decisions and to do so by acknowledging that environmental, social and economic issues are mutually reinforcing, sometimes counteracting each other, but often dependent upon each other. One feasible way to take such responsibility is to apply methods that may allow for consequence analysis of various decisions upon society and its development. As a regional public body responsible for all developmental issues in Skåne, Sweden, Region Skåne has a responsibility towards its citizens, its 33 municipalities and the various different actors of this region to make sure that great efforts are made into reinforce means and resources that can ensure that the region develops in a sustainable way. This in turn implies the need for new ways of working with society and progress by, for instance, trying to develop methods and model as well as to measure sustainable development and to engage different interested parties in this process at a very early stage. SYNAPSE is the result of a two year process involving a range of different actors - from different sectors but also from different political levels i.e. local, regional, national and international. SYNAPSE aims to offer a concrete form of how to practically work with sustainable development at several different levels of society, weighing both objective as well subjective components together and to turn rethorics into action. 2007-03-29T09:56:24Z http://hdl.handle.net/2099/2558 Title: Salutación Authors: Carrera Gallissà, Enric Abstract: La Cátedra UNESCO de Sostenibilidad de la Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya http://www.catunesco.upc.edu se creó en mayo de 1996 con el objetivo de desarrollar un sistema integrado de actividades de investigación, formación, información y documentación centradas principalmente en el análisis de las relaciones múltiples entre la sostenibilidad, la tecnología y el humanismo. Sus actividades se centran en cuatro grandes ejes: docencia, investigación, cooperación y publicaciones. 2007-03-26T08:09:46Z http://hdl.handle.net/2099/2557 Title: Presentación Authors: Barceló García, Miquel 2007-03-27T07:59:05Z http://hdl.handle.net/2099/2551 Title: Hacia una construcción social del desarrollo sostenible basada en la definición de sus dimensiones y principios, articulados a partir de la ecuación IPAT. Aproximación a sus implicaciones y debates Authors: Cendra Garreta, Jaime; Stahel, Andri Werner Abstract: Ante las evidentes críticas de indefinición que el concepto de desarrollo sostenible ha recibido y recibe, se propone un acercamiento al concepto en base a la formulación de unos principios generales que deberían ser discutidos, tanto a nivel académico como social, en general. Para que la propuesta sea coherente y global se ha tomado la ecuación IPAT como punto de partida articulador de la misma. En este sentido, se definen siete dimensiones, vinculadas a ella, y se formula un principio general para cada una de esas dimensiones con algunos subprincipios subsidiarios suyos. Al mismo tiempo que estos principios y subprincipios se van presentando, se estudian y discuten algunas de sus implicaciones y debates, con la finalidad de presentar una visión global que de la idea de desarrollo sostenible se pretende ofrecer.; One obvious criticism of the concept of sustainable development is that it is not clearly defined. In response to this criticism, we suggest approaching the concept by formulating some general principles that should be discussed on both academic and social levels. The IPAT equation is used as a starting point to make the proposal coherent and comprehensive. We define seven dimensions linked to the IPAT equation. A general principle and some sub-principles are formulated for each dimension. As these principles and sub-principles are presented, some of their implications and controversial aspects are studied and discussed. The objective is to present an overview of the concept of sustainable development. 2007-03-27T11:39:21Z