Suchergebnisse

Avant que l'Etat belge ne se dote d'une réglementation en matière de déchets, l'ensemble des déchets produits par les ménages et l'industrie finissait le plus souvent dans des dépotoirs ou des remblais. A cette époque, ces exutoires ne disposaient d'aucune précaution particulière. En réalité, les autorités d'antan n'avaient pas conscience des conséquences néfastes de la présence de ces déchets enfuis dans le sol. Il faut dire que ces pratiques étaient courantes dans tous les pays européens et ne soulevaient pas l'indignation de la population. Ce n'est qu'à partir des années 1970 que l'existence de pollutions issues de ces exutoires sera révélée à la population et aux autorités. Suite à cette prise de conscience, la Communauté Economique Européenne (CEE) fut la première à réagir. Un cadre réglementaire européen fut créé et plusieurs directives furent transposées par les Etats Membres en droit national en vue d'initier une politique plus stricte en matière de gestion de déchets. En Belgique, ces directives seront transposées, dans un premier temps, en droit national belge. Par après, suite aux différentes réformes de l'Etat, elles devront l'être en droit régional. Actuellement, la stratégie européenne en matière de gestion de déchets s'appuie sur un concept clé; l'échelle de Lansink. Il s'agit de hiérarchiser les différents traitements appliqués aux déchets selon un ordre de préférence. Prioritairement, cette échelle insiste sur la prévention des déchets. Brièvement, la prévention suit un double objectif : éviter la production de déchets lorsque l'occasion le permet et influencer les producteurs d'emballages afin de rendre leurs conditionnements plus facilement récupérables ou recyclables. Ensuite, lorsqu'un déchet est produit, les traitements qui peuvent lui être appliqués sont classés préférentiellement comme suit : la récupération, le recyclage, la valorisation (énergétique) et enfin l'élimination. Cette hiérarchisation préférentielle des traitements fut également transposée dans les réglementations nationales des pays européens. Depuis plus de dix ans, les autorités belges ont pris des mesures afin de recycler de plus en plus de déchets issus de l'activité usuelle des ménages. Les tris sélectifs du verre, des papiers & cartons et des PMC en sont de parfaits exemples. Aujourd'hui, le tri sélectif de ces déchets recyclables est une pratique ordinaire dans les habitudes de la population. Toutefois, il n'en va pas de même pour un autre gisement de déchets ménagers recyclables ; il s'agit de la fraction fermentescible des poubelles « tout- venants ». Les déchets issus de cette fraction sont mieux connus sous le nom de « déchets organiques ». En effet, le tri sélectif des déchets organiques n'est pas encore une pratique courante sur l'ensemble du territoire belge. Ce mémoire considère essentiellement la situation en région wallonne et plus particulièrement la situation des communes affiliées à l'Intercommunale du Brabant Wallon (IBW). En Wallonie, le tri sélectif de ces déchets était d'application en 2014 pour 143 communes sur 262 (55% des communes wallonnes). Cependant, la population de ces communes ne représente que 40% de la population totale wallonne. En réalité, les politiques locales des communes en matière de gestion de déchets sont souvent influencées par les intercommunales en charge de la gestion des déchets auxquelles elles sont affiliées. Sur ces sept intercommunales wallonnes, trois d'entre elles pratiquent le tri sélectif des déchets organiques couramment. Il s'agit d'AIVE-IDELUX (Luxembourg), d'INTRADEL (Liège) et du BEPN (Namur). Deux autres sont en phase de démarrage : l'ICDI (Charleroi) et HYGEA (Mons/La Louvière). Les deux dernières, quant à elles, n'ont pas prévu ce type de collecte dans leur plan stratégique. Il s'agit de l'IBW (Brabant wallon) et d'IPALLE (Hainaut occidental). Afin de comprendre les enjeux relatifs à la mise en place d'une collecte sélective pour les déchets organiques, nous nous sommes penchés sur la situation des communes affiliées à l'IBW. Actuellement, sur les 28 communes affiliées à cette intercommunale, seules deux d'entre elles ont initié une collecte sélective pour ces déchets. Il s'agit des communes de Mont-St-Guibert et d'Ottignies-LLN. La commune de Chastre travaille actuellement sur les modalités de mise en œuvre afin de proposer également une collecte sélective des déchets organiques pour 2016. Il est intéressant de se pencher sur les tenants et aboutissants qui entourent la mise en place d'une telle collecte car ceux-ci déterminent en grande partie la politique locale de gestion des déchets ménagers. En effet, la tarification des ordures ménagères, le choix du contenant, du collecteur et des différents traitements pouvant être appliqués aux déchets ménagers sont abordés dans ce mémoire. Nous avons également essayé de comprendre la position occupée par l'IBW dans les décisions couvrant cette problématique. Au terme de nos recherches, nous avons mis en lumière deux adaptations structurelles qui doivent être réalisées si ces communes décident d'adopter une collecte sélective pour les déchets organiques : Premièrement, l'introduction d'une collecte sélective pour les déchets organiques nécessite des modifications dans les politiques communales relatives à la gestion des déchets ménagers. Ces changements concernent le type de tarification et le choix du contenant. A ce titre, nous avons recommandé la mise en place d'une tarification proportionnelle au poids et l'adoption de conteneurs à puce. Deuxièmement, le tri sélectif de ces déchets implique qu'ils soient traités dans des unités de recyclage et plus dans des U.V.E. Il est donc nécessaire que l'IBW entreprenne une réorganisation stratégique de ses outils de traitement. Pour se doter de capacités suffisantes de recyclage, nous avons suggéré à l'IBW de collaborer financièrement avec les trois intercommunales du Hainaut (ICDI, IPALLE et HYGEA). Nous leur avons également proposé de mener une étude de faisabilité afin de comparer les coûts relatifs à la réhabilitation du site d'Havré et les coûts relatifs à l'acquisition d'une nouvelle usine de bio-méthanisation ailleurs. Afin de préparer cette transition, nous conseillons aux communes affiliées à l'IBW d'attendre quelques années avant que le passage au tri sélectif de leurs déchets organiques ne soit effectif. En réalité, nous avons recommandé de profiter du débat relatif au renouvellement de la grille d'incinération de Virginal pour préparer le traitement alternatif des déchets organiques. Dès lors, les collectes organiques pourraient être mises en œuvre dès 2022. Ce délai fut préconisé pour deux raisons. D'une part, il est raisonnable d'attendre quelques années afin d'amortir correctement les investissements qui ont été réalisés sur l'incinérateur de Virginal. D'autre part, ce délai permettra à l'IBW de se doter des infrastructures nécessaires à la mise en œuvre d'une telle collecte. Il faut également souligner que ce délai de préparation permettra aux communes de procéder aux modifications nécessaires dans leur politique de gestion de déchets. Par ailleurs, nous tenons également à souligner le rôle de précurseur qu'occupent les communes de Mont-St-Guibert, Ottignies-LLN et Chastre dans la gestion de leurs déchets organiques. En lançant une collecte sélective pour ces déchets, elles ont permis d'initier le débat relatif au traitement des déchets organiques auprès des autres communes affiliées à l'IBW. De plus, leurs expériences pourront être appréciées lorsqu'il sera question de mettre en place une collecte similaire dans les autres communes. ; Master [120] en sciences de gestion, Université catholique de Louvain, 2015

Der Gebrauch von Pestiziden in der Landwirtschaft hat nachteilige Auswirkungen auf die Umwelt und die menschliche Gesundheit. Diese Auswirkungen sind abhängig vom Klima, weil Schädlingsbelastung und optimaler Pestizideinsatz sich mit den Wetter- und Klimabedingungen verändern. Diese Dissertation liefert eine integrierte ökonomische Analyse des Einflusses der Klimaentwicklung auf den Pestizideinsatz in der US-amerikanischen Landwirtschaft und der externen Auswirkungen auf die aquatische Umwelt. Im ersten analytischen Teil der Dissertation wird ein auf Paneldaten basierendes Regressionsmodell benutzt, um die Auswirkung von Wetter und Klima auf den Pestizideinsatz in 32 Staaten zu quantifizieren. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass Wetter- und Klimaunterschiede die Anwendungsraten der meisten Pestizide bedeutend beeinflussen. Anschließend werden interpolierte Klimaszenariodaten sowohl des Kanadischen Klimamodells als auch des Klimamodells vom Hadley-Zentrum in die geschätzten Regressionsgleichungen integriert. Die dadurch erhaltenen Projektionen zeigen, dass die Anwendung der meisten Pestizide zunimmt. Die Werte variieren jedoch nach Nutzpflanzenart, Region und Pestizid. Erhöhte Ausbringungsraten von Pestiziden können die negativen Auswirkungen auf die Umwelt vergrößern. Dabei spielen die Auswirkungen auf Wasserorganismen eine wichtige Rolle. Der aquatische Risikoindikator REXTOX und aus der Paneldatenregression abgeleitete, klimaabhängige Projektionen der Pestizidanwendung werden kombiniert, um die Auswirkung des Klimawandels auf das Risiko für Wasserorganismen zu untersuchen, das von Pestiziden in der US-amerikanischen Landwirtschaft ausgeht. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass der Klimawandel das Toxizitätsrisiko für Wasserorganismen wegen gestiegener Anwendungen von Pestiziden in der Landwirtschaft um durchschnittlich 47 Prozent erhöht. Daphnien und Fische sind die am meisten betroffenen Wasserorganismen. Von den acht untersuchten Kulturpflanzenkategorien tragen Pestizide, die auf Kern- und Steinfrüchte sowie auf fruchtbildendem Gemüse verwendet werden, am meisten zum aquatischem Risiko bei. Innerhalb der 32 untersuchten US-Staaten werden mehr als 90 Prozent der vom Klimawandel hervorgerufenen Pestizidschäden auf die Wasserwelt von nur dreizehn Staaten in Küstennähe verursacht. Weil die 100 Jahre umspannenden Projektionen auf unsicheren Regressionskoeffizienten mit einer Fehlerverteilung beruhen, werden Monte Carlo Simulationen durchgeführt und Vorhersage-Intervalle berechnet, um die Unsicherheit der Risikowerte einzuschätzen. Außerdem werden die Projektionen der Pestizidanwendung mit dem Pesticide Environmental Accounting (PEA)-Instrument verknüpft, um die Auswirkung des Klimawandels auf die externen Kosten der Pestizidanwendungen zu monetarisieren. Die daraus berechneten gegenwärtigen externen Kosten der Pestizidanwendung in der US-amerikanischen Landwirtschaft betragen durchschnittlich US$42 pro Hektar. Durch den Klimawandel können diese Kosten auf durchschnittlich $72 pro Hektar bis 2100 steigen. Im weiteren Verlauf der Dissertation werden klimaabhängige Daten über Pestizidintensitäten unter alternativen Schädlingskontrollstrategien und damit verbundene Einflüsse auf Nutzpflanzenerträge, Wasserbedürfnisse, Produktionskosten und externe Pestizidkosten, in das Agricultural Sector and Mitigation of Greenhouse Gas (ASMGHG)-Modell integriert, um alternative Szenarien über mögliche Regulierungen von externen Kosten der Pestizidanwendungen in der US-amerikanischen Landwirtschaft unter verschiedenen klimatischen Bedingungen zu untersuchen. Die Auswirkungen der Internalisierung der externen Pestizidkosten und des Klimawandels werden sowohl unabhängig voneinander als auch gemeinsam beurteilt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen für die USA, dass ohne eine Pestizidregulierung die Klimawandelgewinne aus der gestiegenen landwirtschaftlichen Produktion durch die gestiegenen externen Umweltkosten mehr als kompensiert werden. Die Internalisierung der externen Pestizidwirkungen erhöht zwar die Produktionskosten der Landwirte, aber wegen der Preisanpassungen und damit verbundenen Veränderungen von Konsumenten- und Produzentenrenten auch deren Einkünfte. Die Ergebnisse offenbaren auch, dass eine vollständige Internalisierung der externen Pestizidkosten die optimalen Anwendungsraten für Pestizide im Getreide- und Sojabohnenanbau beträchtlich reduzieren würde, wenn sich das Klima verändert. Die empirischen Ergebnisse dieser Doktorarbeit zeigen wie wichtig die Berechnung der externen Pestizidkosten ist. Eine Zunahme der negative externen Effekte durch Pestizidanwendungen liefert ein Argument für eine strengere politische Kontrolle der Treibhausgasemissionen. In diesem Zusammenhang können die durchgeführten Kostenberechnungen auch helfen, die Repräsentation der externen Effekte des Klimawandels in integrierten Bewertungs- und Erdsystemmodellen zu verbessern. Die untersuchte Pestizidregulierung kann als eine Pestizidsteuer interpretiert werden, bei der das Steuerniveau dem Schaden für Umwelt und menschliche Gesundheit entspricht. Eine solche Politik würde sich von den meisten existierenden Regelungen unterscheiden, die nur Pestizide verbieten oder genehmigen, aber keine Kosten auf die erlaubten Pestiziden auferlegen. Die Erkenntnisse dieser Dissertation können auch Landwirtschaftsforschungsprogramme beeinflussen, weil der erwartete gesellschaftliche Nutzen der Forschung zu alternativen Schädlingskontrollstrategien von der erwarteten Veränderung der externen Kosten abhängt. ; Agricultural pesticides impact adversely on the environment and human health. These impacts are sensitive to climate change, because pest pressure and optimal pesticide application rates vary with weather and climatic conditions. This dissertation provides an integrated economic analysis on climate change and US pesticide applications. A panel data regression model, for thirty two states, is used to quantify the effect of weather variability and climate change on pesticide application. The results indicate that weather and climate differences significantly influence the application rates of most pesticides. Subsequently, the regression results are linked to a downscaled climate change scenario, the Canadian and Hadley climate change models. Results show that the application of most pesticides increases under both scenarios. The projection results vary by crop, region and pesticide. Increases in pesticide application doses may amplify the negative impacts on the environment. One important issue is the effect on aquatic species. Aquatic risk indicator, REXTOX and climate change projection on pesticide applications from the panel data regression model, are combined to examine the impact of climate change on aquatic risk from agricultural pesticides in the US. On average, climate change is likely to increase the toxicity risk to aquatic species by 47 percent, because of increased applications of agricultural pesticides. Daphnia and fish are the most affected aquatic species categories. Across eight broad crop groups, pesticides used on pome and stone fruits and on fruiting vegetables contribute the most to aquatic risk. Within the thirty two US states examined, more than 90 percent of the climate change-induced pesticide pollution impact on the aquatic environment is caused by only thirteen states near the coast. Because projections on aquatic risk are based on uncertain regression coefficients with an error distribution and projection period covering 100 years, a Monte Carlo simulation and prediction intervals system is used to estimate the uncertainty of the risk estimates. Simultaneously, projections on pesticide application are linked with the Pesticide Environmental Accounting (PEA) tool, to compute the impact of climate change on the external cost of pesticide applications. The current average external cost of pesticide use in US agriculture is calculated at US$42 per hectare. Under projected climate change this cost could increase to $72 per hectare by 2100. Subsequently, pesticide external cost estimations and climate change projections on pesticide application, together with alternative pest control data, climate state specific data on agricultural crop yields, irrigation water requirements and production costs are integrated within the Agricultural Sector and Mitigation of Greenhouse Gas (ASMGHG) model, to examine alternative assumptions about regulations of external costs from pesticide applications in US agriculture under different climatic conditions. The impact of the internalization of the pesticide externality and climate change, are assessed both independently and jointly. Results indicate that without external cost regulation, climate change benefits from increased agricultural production in the US, may be more than offset by increased environmental costs. The internalization of the pesticide externalities increases farmers' production costs but also increases farmers' income, because of price adjustments and associated welfare shifts from consumers to producers. The results also show that full internalizations of external pesticide costs substantially reduce preferred pesticide application rates for corn and soybeans, as climate changes. Additionally, a partial equilibrium model of the US agricultural sector is modified to examine the effects of alternative regulations of the pesticide and greenhouse gas emission externality. Simulation results indicate that without pesticide externality regulations and low greenhouse gas emission mitigation strategy, climate change benefits from increased agricultural production in the US are more than offset by increased environmental costs. Although the combined regulation of pesticide and greenhouse gas emission externalities increases farmers' production costs, their net income effects are positive because of price adjustments and associated welfare shifts from consumers to producers. The results also show heterogeneous impacts on preferred pest management intensities across major crops In absence of greenhouse gas emission policy, pesticide externality regulation substantially increases the total water use for irrigation. Empirical results from this dissertation show the importance of accounting for pesticide externalities. Overall increased negative externalities from pesticide applications could provide an argument for more mitigation, i.e. for stronger greenhouse gas emission control policies. Related to this argument, the externality estimates can help to improve the scope of climate change impacts in integrated assessment and earth system models. Furthermore, the examined pesticide policy could be interpreted as a pesticide tax, where the tax level corresponds with the environmental and human health damage. Such a policy is different from most existing regulations, which only prohibit pesticides but impose no charge on admitted ones. The results further could also affect agricultural research programs because the anticipated social returns to research on alternative pest control strategies depend also on the expected external cost change.

I løbet af det seneste årti er man begyndt at erkende, at mikroplast (plastpartikler <5 mm) på globalt plan er allestedsnærværende i både hav- og ferskvandsmiljø. Som konsekvens af den lille størrelse kan mikroplast potentielt påvirke en lang række vandlevende organismer. Selvom antallet af studier omhandlende effekter af mikroplast er stærkt stigende, er forståelsen af processerne, hvormed organismer interagerer med mikroplast og de medfølgende indvirkninger på økosystemer, stadigvæk begrænset. Der er yderligere usikkerhed omkring mikroplastens kemiske sammensætning og dens potentielle rolle som vektor for kemikalier til organismer. På det seneste er der rejst opmærksomhed om den humane eksponering for mikroplast og mulige resulterende helbredseffekter – et emne hvor videnskaben stadig er i sin vorden. I den sammenhæng er målene med denne afhandling: 1) At vurdere og anvende kontrollerede laboratorieforsøg til at analysere optag og effekter af mikroplast i hvirvelløse dyr i både hav- og ferksvandsmiljøer. 2) At undersøge interaktioner mellem plastpartikler og hydrofobe organiske kemikalier. 3) At gennemgå den aktuelle debat og tilgængelige viden indenfor human mikroplasteksponering og mulige humane effekter af denne. De fleste undersøgelser af mikroplasts effekt på hvirvelløse dyr har været med fokus på effekter som følge af indtagelse. For at forstå og fortolke den slags effekter, er det vigtigt at kvantificere indtagelsen og udskillelsen af mikroplast, da disse processer er bestemmende for den overordnede eksponering. I denne afhandling påvises det, at fluorescerende partikler kan bruges til at kvantificere processerne, særligt når partiklerne er i størrelsesordenen af nanometer og få mikrometer. For en pålidelig kvantificering er det ofte nødvendigt at opløse dyrevæv. Baseret på anvendelse og udvikling af forskellige enzymatiske protokoller i denne afhandling, anbefales det at anvende enzymer til at opløse vævet. Enzymatisk opløsning og kvantificering af partikelfluorescens blev anvendt til at måle indtagelse og udskillelse af 100 nm og 2 µm partikler i vandloppen Daphnia magna og blåmuslingelarver (Mytilus edulis). For begge arter blev det påvist, at partikler med en størrelse svarende til dyrenes normale bytte blev optaget i en større grad end mindre partikler. Med hensyn til udskillelse fandtes flere artsspecifikke forskelle. Denne proces kan påvirkes markant af partikelstørrelsen og tilstedeværelsen af føde. Desuden kan partiklerne blive i organismen i længere tid end den tid, det normalt tager at passere gennem tarmsystemet. I både D. magna og larver af M. edulis havde de mindre partikler større negative effekter på dyrenes fysiologi. Kontrollerede laboratorieforsøg, som anvendt i denne afhandling, kan forbedre den mekanistiske forståelse af organisme-partikel interaktionen og derved højne pålideligheden og øge sammenligneligheden mellem studier. En detaljeret karakterisering af partiklerne og eksponeringen mangler dog ofte og dermed mangler også en tilstrækkelig forståelse af partiklernes egenskaber og skæbne i det givne forsøg. På grundlag af erfaringer gjort i forbindelse med nanomaterialer anbefales det, at man også analyserer mikroplastpartiklers størrelse, sammensætning, massefylde, overfladekemi og elektriske ladning såvel som undersøger for mulig partikelaggregering, dispersion og sedimentation. Samtidig er det vigtigt, at eksponeringssystemer har en højere grad af miljørealisme. Det kan opnås ved at bruge lavere partikelkoncentrationer, flere forskellige partikelformer (især fragmenter og fibre), flere forskellige plastpolymere, partikler med biofilm og inkludere kontroller med naturlige partikler såsom ler og silikat. Mikroplast kan ikke altid behandles som inerte partikler, for de kan indeholde mange forskellige kemikalier, som enten stammer fra plastproduktionen, eller er absorberet til plasten fra det omgivende miljø. I begge tilfælde kan kemikalierne transporteres og afgives, og på den måde kan mikroplast måske være en vektor for eksponering af vanddyr til hydrofobe organiske kemikalier. Derfor anbefales det på det kraftigste at inkludere undersøgelser af mikroplastpartiklernes potentielle kemiske toksicitet, når der udføres effektstudier af mikroplast. Som vist i denne afhandling, er sorption af hydrofobe organiske kemikalier til plast styret af diffusionsprocesser og kan optræde som absorption, adsorption eller en kombination af begge. Processen er afhængig af plastpartiklernes egenskaber, de hydrofobe kemikalier og det omgivende miljø. I naturlige matricer som havvand, opløst organisk kulstof og kolloider kan mikroplastens rolle som vektor muligvis være forsvindende lille (i særdeleshed på global skala). I denne afhandling understreges det dog, at rumlig variation på lokal skala samt eksponering af mikroplast-associerede kemikalier til organismer nødvendigvis må adresseres. I de sidste år har der været et øget fokus på human eksponering og de mulige resulterende helbredseffekter. Bekymringen blev primært vakt på grund af fund af plastpartikler i vanddyr, som bruges til mad, og andre fødevarer. Der er grund til at antage, at mikroplast kan have partikel- eller kemikalier-relateret toksicitet, men ingen studier har endnu undersøgt helbredseffekter relateret til indtagelsen af mikroplast. Mennesker er eksponeret til mikoplast og associerede kemikalier fra en række forskellige kilder og selvom forurenede fødevarer har fået mest opmærksomhed, argumenteres der i denne afhandling for, at den største eksponering kommer fra brug af plastmaterialer i hverdagen. På grund af mange usikkerheder og manglende viden er det ikke muligt endnu at konkludere i hvilken udstrækning mikoplast udgør en trussel for miljø og mennesker. Der er i dag en stærk folkestemning imod plastforurening i miljøet, som fremmer handlinger i samfund og lovgivning. Processen går hurtigere end konsensus i det videnskabelige miljø og dermed er der en risiko for, at fokus ikke er rettet mod mest pressende emner set fra et videnskabeligt synspunkt og der derved ikke bliver taget de mest effektive skridt for at begrænse plastforureningen i miljøet. ; Within the past decade, it has been widely recognised that microplastics (commonly referred to as plastic particles <5 mm) are ubiquitous in freshwater as well as in marine environments globally. Owing to their small size, microplastics can interact with and potentially affect a wide range of aquatic organisms. Although the number of studies on microplastic effects is quickly increasing, there is still limited understanding of the processes by which organisms interact with microplastics as well as impacts in natural ecosystems. Further uncertainties relate to the chemical nature of microplastics and their potential role as vectors for chemical pollutants to organisms. More recently, questions have been raised about human exposure to microplastics and potential health effects – a topic where science still is at the very start of providing answers. In this context, the aims of this thesis are: 1) To critically evaluate and use controlled laboratory experiments for analysing uptake and effects of microplastics in aquatic invertebrates. 2) To examine the interaction between plastic particles and hydrophobic organic chemicals. 3) To review the current debate and state of knowledge on microplastic exposure and potential effects on humans. Most effects of microplastics on aquatic invertebrates have been studied as a result of particle ingestion. In order to understand and interpret such effects, it is important to quantify ingestion and egestion of microplastics, as this determines the overall exposure that an organism is facing. In this thesis, it is shown that fluorescent particles can be used to quantify these processes. This is especially useful for particles in the nano- and small micrometre size range. To achieve a reliable quantification, it is often necessary to digest animal tissue. Enzymes are recommended for digestion, based on the use and development of different enzymatic protocols within this thesis. Enzymatic digestion and quantification of particle fluorescence were successfully applied to measure ingestion and egestion of 100 nm and 2 µm particles in the water flea Daphnia magna and larvae of the blue mussel Mytilus edulis. For both species, it was found that, on a mass basis, a higher amount of particles which are similar to the size of normal prey were ingested than smaller particles. Regarding particle egestion, more species-specific differences were observed in comparison to ingestion. It was found that egestion can strongly be influenced by particle size and the presence of food. Also, particles have the potential to remain in organisms for a time exceeding the normal gut passage time. Both for D. magna and larvae of M. edulis the smaller particles were found to cause more adverse effects on the animals' physiology. Controlled laboratory tests, as employed in this thesis, can be a useful tool to obtain a mechanistic understanding of organism-particle interactions and increase the reliability of and comparability between studies. It was, however, found that a detailed particle and exposure characterisation is often missing and thus particle behaviour and fate in laboratory exposure systems are not well understood. Drawing on experience and developments within the field of engineered nanomaterials, it is therefore recommended to include analyses of particle size, composition, density, surface chemistry and charge, as well as particle aggregation/agglomeration, dispersion and sedimentation. At the same time, it is important that exposure systems attain a higher degree of environmental realism. To achieve this, it is suggested to use lower particle concentrations, a variety of particle shapes (especially fragments and fibres), a variety of different plastic polymers, biofouled particles, and to include controls with natural particles, such as clay or silica. Moreover, microplastics cannot always be treated as inert particles since they may contain a multitude of different chemicals, either stemming from plastic production or having sorbed to the plastics in the environment. In both cases, chemicals have the potential to get transported and released, and in this way microplastics may act as vectors for hydrophobic organic chemicals (HOCs) to aquatic animals. It is therefore strongly recommended to include controls for potential chemical toxicity in microplastic effect studies. As reviewed in this thesis, sorption of HOCs to plastics is governed by diffusive mass transfer and occurs as either adsorption, absorption or a combination of both. The process strongly depends on the properties of the plastic particle, the chemical and the surrounding environment. In comparison to natural matrices, such as water, dissolved organic carbon and colloids, the role of plastics as a vector may be negligible on a global scale. However, in this thesis it is emphasised that spatial variation on a smaller scale as well as the exposure route of microplastic-associated chemicals to organisms are important to consider. In recent years, there has been an increasing focus on human exposure to and potential health effects of microplastics. This was mainly sparked by findings of plastic particles in aquatic species used for human consumption as well as other food products, and has evoked many concerns. While there is reason to assume that microplastics can exhibit particle- and/or chemical-related toxicity, no studies have investigated human health effects of consuming microplastics to date. Humans are exposed to plastic particles and associated chemicals by a variety of pathways. Even though contaminated food products have received most attention, in this thesis it is argued that the main exposure is most likely related to abrasion of particles from the use of plastic materials in everyday life. Because of many uncertainties and knowledge gaps, it is to date not possible to conclude to what degree microplastics are a threat to the environment and to humans. However, a strong public opinion against environmental plastic pollution has formed, which drives societal and legislative action. This is moving faster than consensus within the scientific community and thus entails the risk that not the most urgent issues are addressed or the most effective measures to reduce environmental plastic pollution are taken.

It is well established that bacteria are the first organisms to adhere and colonize both abiotic and biotic surfaces. Their subsequent multiplication and production of exopolymeric substances (EPS) bring to biofilm formation which is believed to influence the settlement of following colonisers starting biofouling process on surfaces. Biofilm and fouling often have a deleterious effect on colonized surfaces and materials. They explicate a complex and various range of processes on abitic surfaces that cause physical damages, chemical alterations, loss of functionality and discolouration of surfaces, generating tremendous environmental and economical harm for human society. The control of the deleterious biofilm and the following fouling is today a great challenge. Currently, we have two choices: to remove biofilm by traditional methods or to research new effective antifouling approaches. Traditional techniques consist mainly in the application of biocides, however this practice has several disadvantages. In fact, traditional biocides are not generally specifically target against detrimental microorganisms and they are often potentially toxic both for humans and the environment. In addition, biological matter released by their use can offer a favourable substratum for subsequent colonisations. Others problems concern the development of resistance in target pest populations and the low biodegradability of these chemicals. Moreover, biocides are not always effective at low concentrations because life inside the biofilm leads to increased resistance to antimicrobial products up to 1000-fold compared to planktonic cells. Finally, current legislation in UE and USA regulates the use of biocides and lately several products have been withdrawn from the market. New antifouling strategies need to be effective, economic, safe for the public and to pose negligible risk to human health and the environment. In the last years new strategies able to control biofilm growth have been proposed as alternative to traditional active substances. However, several years will be required to set up and test satisfactory methods, so, these novel strategies can be only a long term solution. In the meantime, as short term solution, it is vital to study methods for a more sustainable use of traditional antimicrobial agents. Therefore, the aims of the PhD project here presented were: 1) to use biocides for the removal of deleterious biofilm from relevant abiotic surfaces in the most sustainable way; 2) to exploit the ability of a new promising inorganic compound, the photocatalytic titanium dioxide, as an innovative non-toxic antifouling system to control biofilm formation on abiotic surfaces. The study reported in the chapter 3 addresses the first aim. Generally, broad-range biocides are used to remove alterative biofilms from historical and artistic surfaces. In order to obtain a use as sustainable as possible of antimicrobial agents, the strategy has been to identify alterative microorganisms so as to use a suitable biocidal product which targets specifically the biodeteriogen agents. In this work, for the first time, an integrated biotechnological system that enables the cleaning of cultural heritage stone affected by both biological and chemical alteration process was used. The study was conducted on alterations found on two stone sculptures decorating the courtyard of the Buonconsiglio Castle in Trento (Italy). Stone, especially if exposed to the weather, is subject to chemical, physical and aesthetical deterioration. In this regard, pollution and environmental parameters play an important role since they are most responsible of deterioration process. Samples from altered and unaltered areas were characterized using stereomicroscope, cross-section observations and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analyses. Results reveled that stone was an oolitic limestone and changes were both discolorations ascribed to biological agents and chemical alteration represented by black crusts composed mainly by gypsum with a small amount of calcite, nitrate and silicates. Cultural and biomolecular methods were adopted to study microbial biofilm from powders samples. The cultural analyses proved that heterotrophic bacteria, fungi and prokaryotic and eukaryotic algae were present on surfaces and that in some samples the counts were quite high (up to 7 logCFU/g for bacteria and up to 6 logCFU/g for fungi). Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and sequencing from total DNA extracted allowed to identify taxa of microorganisms causing discolorations: they were Cyanobacteria, Chlorophyta green algae (Myrmecia and Friedmannia), Streptophyta green algae (Klebsormidium), microcolonial black fungi (Alternaria and Cladosporium) and other species of fungi able to deposit melanin in the cell wall (Verticillium). Fluorescent in situ hybridisation (FISH) highlighted that the Cyanobacteria generally were dominant (more than 60%) among the other prokaryotics belonging to the Bacteria domain. In this case, in order to remove the discolourations, despite the initial purpose to use a product that targeted only the small population of harmful microorganisms, we were forced to choose the biocide BIOTIN N (constituted by a mixture of tributyltin naphthenate (20% w/v) and didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (35% w/v)) with a broad spectrum of activity due to the taxonomical variety of the biodeteriogens. The same traditional and biomolecular methods were carried out on the samples collected after the cleaning to verify the removal of alterative microorganisms. Treatment with the biocide resulted in a decrease of the bacterial load (up to five orders of magnitude), and neither culturable fungi nor culturable prokaryotic and eukaryotic algae grew. Indeed the DGGE profiles showed far fewer bands than before treatment and proved that Cyanobacteria and most of the green algae and dematiaceous fungi had been efficiently removed. Chemical alterations were removed by a biocleaning treatment, an innovative, efficient and highly selective bioremediation technology, alternative to the use of chemicals, that uses viable cells of sulphate-reducing bacteria able to remove sulphates from stone ornamental surfaces. In this work for the first time this approach was applied on limestone. Sulphate-reducing bacteria have been Desulfovibrio vulgaris subsp. vulgaris (ATCC 29579). The treatment consisted in three 12-h applications for a total duration of 36 h. Comparison of the results of the chemical analyses performed before and after the biocleaning proved that gypsum, nitrates and silicates were almost completely removed. In addition, both optical evidence and FTIR analysis showed that the limestone substratum was preserved. In general, the cases of biofilms with large taxonomical variety (as the biofilms on the sculptures from Buonconsiglio Castle in Trento) are very frequent. Therefore, due to the side-effects of biocides, the development of alternative strategies for the prevention and control of deleterious biofilm becomes imperative. They must allow to protect materials from biodeterioration, and thus preserve their usefulness for as long as possible. In addition, new approaches must be safe for human beings and the environment. The study reported in the chapter 4 refers to this second aim of the project. The ability of photoactivated titanium dioxide (TiO2), a promising alternative to biocide for the biofilm control and prevention, was investigated. The biocidal activity of TiO2 against planktonic cells thanks to its strong photocatalytic properties has been reported since 1985. TiO2 per se is non-toxic, as the tests in rats prove, and has been approved by the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in human food, drugs, cosmetics and food contact materials. Moreover, it is considered an environmentally friendly photocatalyst, it is relatively inexpensive, chemically stable and effective under weak solar irradiation in ambient atmospheric environment. Few attention was dedicated to study the potential of photocatalytic TiO2 against the bacterial biofilm so far. The aim was to investigate the ability of photocatalytic TiO2 as a new non-toxic antifouling nanotechnology to deter and prevent the attachment and biofilm formation of selected bacteria on TiO2-coated surfaces. Aeroxide P25 (Degussa) was employed as source of TiO2. The effects of both photocatalyst nanopowder suspensions (3g/l concentration) and thin TiO2-film applied on glass coverslides by sol-gel method were valued. During the experiments TiO2 was photoactivated by a lamp emitting radiation over a UV-A wavelength range with light intensity similar to outdoor solar irradiation (between 3000 and 500 μW/cm2). An efficient protocol for the photoactivation of TiO2 was set up degrading the dye rhodamine B. Thus activity was investigated on Bacillus cereus-group sp. (Gram-positive) and P. stutzeri and P. aeruginosa (Gram-negative) planktonic cells. The results proved that photoactivated TiO2 provoked a significant decrease of CFU/ml. Biocidal activities of nanopowder suspension in demineralised water in Bacillus sp., P. stutzeri and P. aeruginosa were respectively 1-log reduction after 24 h, 2-log reduction after 30 min and 1-log reduction after 2 h compared to non-photoactivated TiO2. TiO2 thin film also produced a complete disinfection of P. aeruginosa planktonic cells in 24 h. Finally, the activity of photoactivated TiO2 was investigated on P. aeruginosa biofilm at various formation steps both at the solid-liquid and at the solid-air interface. It was proved that neither TiO2 nanopowder nor photocatalytic film showed any biocidal activity on P. aeruginosa biofilm at all the interfaces investigated. The experiments have demonstrated that the lack of cell inactivation by photocatalytic action on biofilm was not due to 1) the presence of phosphates that could block active sites on the catalyst surface, 2) scavenge oxidative radicals produced at the surface, nor to insufficient presence of O2 at the TiO2 surface, which maintains charge transfer in photocatalytic reactions, 3) biofilm growth that screens UV-A light, deactivating TiO2, 4) insufficient build-up of photocatalytically-generated reactive species necessary for cell inactivation. In addition, confocal laser scanning microscope analysis demonstrated that not even exopolysaccharides produced by biofilm cells were the cause of fail inhibition since almost absent in the very young tested biofilms. The only possible explanation for these findings was that the cells, when live in sessile form, invoke a genetic response that imparts them an increased resistance to oxidative stress generated by photoactivated TiO2. In conclusion, the studies reported here have demonstrated that: a) Biotechnologies could facilitate a more sustainable use of biocides addressing the choice toward a suitable product that targets only the biodeteriogen microorganisms. b) The biocleaning treatment is an effective technology, alternative to use of chemicals, to remove selectively sulphates from stone. c) The photocatalytic TiO2 is not a good candidate to develop an effective technology that is alternative to traditional biocides for the control of deleterious biofilm. Further studies with other promising environmentally-friendly compounds may provide new ways to move forward in the search and to pursue the goal of an efficient surface coating methods able to prevent biofilm formation or, at least, to interfere with their inconvenient increased resistance to biocides, respecting the human health and environment. The research for new non-toxic antifouling strategies continues.

This synthesis report details the process, outputs and intermediate outcomes of the World Bank's Water and Sanitation Program (WSP) Technical Assistance (TA) to pilot and operationalize city sanitation plans (CSPs) towards outcome oriented sector investments (P131967). This TA addresses issues of ad hoc planning though CSPs that are holistic, intended for city-wide implementation and address the full cycle of sanitation. However, prior to preparation and operationalization of CSPs, it was recognized that this needed to be anchored in a statewide sanitation program. The statewide sanitation program needed to: estimate and provide for the capital requirements to address the gaps in sanitation infrastructure across the sanitation service delivery chain (collection, treatment and disposal), estimate the operation and maintenance (OM) requirements, and set out the framework for prioritization of cities, and attendant institutional frameworks. This TA aimed at piloting and operationalization of CSPs towards outcome oriented sector investments, by supporting (i) select state and local governments with technical assistance to operationalize city sanitation plans by targeting outcome oriented investments, and (ii) improving the institutional and regulatory framework and strengthening state and local government capacity for efficient and sustainable delivery of Government of India or World Bank or other development partner funded programs.

El presente documento representa un esfuerzo por encontrar alternativas para mejorar la gestión de la diversidad biológica del Perú desde de una perspectiva global, procurando integrar conservación y desarrollo, bajo el enfoque del desarrollo sostenible. El trabajo consta de cuatro partes que se desarrollan en 14 capítulos. La Primera parte aborda aspectos relativos a los objetivos, la metodología de investigación y el marco teórico que sirven de base para la comprensión de la gestión de la biodiversidad y para el desarrollo de propuestas. Conocimientos básicos sobre la diversidad biológica Tomando en consideración que en el país el tema de diversidad biológica todavía es muy poco conocido, esta segunda parte tiene como propósito sintetizar los conocimientos básicos sobre la biodiversidad del Perú. Se abordan aspectos relevantes de los componentes básicos: diversidad de especies, diversidad de ecosistemas, diversidad genética, diversidad cultural, agrodiversidad y Áreas Naturales Protegidas. Destaca la condición privilegiada del país de ocupar el 4° lugar entre los 12 países de mayor megadiversidad en el mundo, que le confieren especial posición geopolítica internacional. Otro aspecto que se aborda es sobre la importancia de la biodiversidad del Perú en los aspectos económico, social y ambiental, destaca su importancia en la seguridad alimentaría y el gran peso en la economía del país, que representa más del 50% del PBI. Sin embargo, a pesar de su importancia la biodiversidad viene destruyéndose y deteriorando en forma acelerada, en el capítulo 6 se identifican los principales factores directos e indirectos que amenazan la conservación de la biodiversidad peruana, entre ellos: La contaminación, sobre extracción de recursos, pérdida de habitat, celeridad del cambio climático, la pobreza, fallas de mercado, falta de conciencia ambiental y la deficiente gestión pública; siendo esta última el tema central del presente trabajo, por ser uno de los factores de mayor influencia. Situación general de la gestión En esta tercera parte se busca responder a la pregunta ¿Cómo se está gestionado la biodiversidad del Perú?. Al respecto a fin de tener una visión general de la situación de la gestión, se realizó el análisis seleccionando los siguientes factores operacionales de gestión: Marco legal, planeación, organización, tecnología, infraestructura, cultura y relación con el ambiente externo. Entre los hallazgos más relevantes destacan: el grave atraso tecnológico, escasa comprensión de la importancia de la biodiversidad en el desarrollo del país, falta de un órgano directriz de la gestión integral de la biodiversidad actualmente sectorizada, falta de una visión sistémica del proceso administrativo y planes de largo plazo, dificultad en la formulación e implementación de planes estratégicos, entre otros. El Convenio sobre Diversidad Biológica (CDB) suscrito por Perú el año 1992 en la reunión de Rió de Janeiro, conjuntamente con 156 naciones, constituye el principal instrumento jurídico para la conservación y uso sostenible de la biodiversidad; desde su puesta en vigor a fines de 1993, Perú ha desarrollado importantes esfuerzos para su implementación, sin embargo el avance todavía es lento, y está más focalizado en la conservación de la biodiversidad. La Comisión Nacional de Diversidad Biológica (CONADIB) es el órgano de coordinación intersectorial, pero su accionar sólo se limita al cumplimiento del CDB. Propuestas para una mejor Gestión de la Diversidad Biológica Sobre la base de los resultados obtenidos en los capítulos anteriores, en esta cuarta parte se presentan las propuestas para una mejor gestión de la biodiversidad, en dos categorías: a) Propuestas generales por factores operacionales, en concordancia con la estructura del análisis de la gestión y b) Propuestas específicas, que desarrolla algunos aspectos prioritarios de las propuestas generales, tales como: Necesidad de un enfoque global y sistémico del proceso administrativo de la biodiversidad, en el que se toma como base el Enfoque Operacional, la planeación estratégica como parte del sistema, integración entre conservación y desarrollo, necesidad de órgano que asuma la dirección integral de la biodiversidad del país, y otros. Frente a la dificultad en la formulación de los planes estratégicos para la gestión de la biodiversidad, en el capítulo 11 se hacen propuestas sobre los aspectos más críticos de la planeación estratégica: integración al proceso administrativo total, atención a las premisas de planeación, análisis FODA, y la identificación de frentes estratégicos básicos para la conservación y aprovechamiento sostenible de la biodiversidad: 1) Conservación, 2) Uso sostenible, 3) Aprovecha-miento sostenible y competitivo, 4) Posicionamiento cultural, 5) Desarrollo Humano, y 6) Excelencia administrativa. Considerando la prioridad del país de encontrar alternativas para el desarrollo económico y la lucha contra pobreza, se desarrolla con especial prioridad el frente estratégico: "Aprovechamiento sostenible y competitivo". A fin contribuir en la implementación de planes estratégicos, en el capitulo 12 se formulan algunas propuestas al respecto: criterios básicos para una administración de excelencia, instrumentos de gestión, prioridades de investigación, capacidades humanas requeridas, y alternativas para el financiamiento de la gestión. Otro aspecto que se aborda en este capítulo, es la propuesta de criterios y lineamientos de políticas para la conservación y aprovechamiento sostenible de la biodiversidad. En la certeza de que la conservación y aprovechamiento sostenible de la biodiversidad no solo compete a unas cuantas instituciones públicas, sino que es una tarea que atañe a todos los peruanos, en él capitulo 13 se hace una propuesta de roles para los principales actores sociales tanto del sector público y privado. Finalmente en el capítulo 14 se formulan las respectivas conclusiones y recomendaciones, entre los aspectos más relevantes se tiene: la prioridad de integrar conservación y desarrollo, reconocer el aprovechamiento sostenible de la biodiversidad como uno de los principales motores para el desarrollo del país, impulsar la educación, investigación y tecnología, priorizando la biotecnología, mayor participación del Estado en el desarrollo de factores clave para la competitividad de las empresas, fortalecer CONADIB como órgano directriz de la gestión integral de la biodiversidad nacional, trascendiendo la sola implementación del CDB. ; This document intends to represent an effort in order to find some alternativas for the improvement of the biologic diversity management in Perú according to a global point of view, but also with a sustamable development approach that looks for the integration of the conservaron and the development itself. This paper has 4 parts and 14 chapters. The first part is about topics related to the objectives, methodology and scientific framework, necessary for the understanding and comprehension of the biodiversity management and development of proposals. Basic knowledge for the biologic diversity Considering that the biologic diversity is a not very well known theme in our country, the second part summarizes the basic knowledge about the biodiversity in Perú. Pertinent aspects about the basic components: species diversity, ecosistems diversity, genetic diversity, cultural diversity, agrodiversity, and protected natural áreas. This part also highlights the features of Perú as the 4* country with the greatest megadiversity in the world, which gives us a very interesting geopolítica! situation in the world. Other aspects about this are related to the importance of the biodiveristy in Perú in terms of economic, social and environmental issues, highlighting the importance on food safety and the relationship with the economy of the country (more than 50% of the GDP). However, despite its great importance biodiversity is being destroyed and deteriorated progressively. In chapter 6, the main factors that threat the conservation of the Peruvian biodiversity, direct or indirect, are presented: pollution, resources overexploitation, loss of habitáis, weather changes, poomess, market failures, lack of environmental conscrousness, and deficient public administration. The last one is the central topic of the paper since it is the factor with the biggest influence. General situation of the management In the third part we intend to answer the question, How is the biodiversity being managed in Perú? In order to have a general overview, an analysis was made by selecting some operational factors: legal framework, planning, organization, technology, infrastructure, culture and relations with the extemal environment. The most important findings were: technological backwardness, poor comprehension of the biodiversity in the development of the country, lack of an institution in charge of the integral management of the biodiversity which at the time is dispersed in sectors, lack of a systemic visión of the administrative processes and long-term plans, difficulty on formulation and implementation of strategic plans, among others. The Biological Diversity Agreement (BDA), signed by Perú in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro along with other 156 nations, is the main legal instrument for the conservation and permanent use of the biodiversity. Since it was set into effect in 1993, Perú has developed important efforts for its implementation, however the results are scarce and the process especially focuses only on the conservation of biodiversity. The National Comité for Biologic Diversity (CONABID) is the coordinating institution but its actions are defined only by the BDA. Proposals for the best management of the Biologic Diversity According to the outcomes presented in the previous chapters, the fourth part presents the proposals in order to improve the management of the biodiversity into two categoríes: a) General proposals for operational factors (analysis of the management); and b) Specific proposals, which develop the most important ítems of the general proposals, such as: need of a global and systemic approach of the administrative process of biodiversity (operational approach), strategic planning as part of the system, conservation and development integration, need of a coordinating institution for the biodiversity in the country, etc. Because of the difficulty on the formulation of strategic plans for the management of the biodiversity, chapter 11 presents proposals about the most crítica! aspects on strategic planning: integration to the general administrative process, planning features, FODA analysis, identification of the strategic sides for the conservation and use of the biodiversity: 1) Conservation; 2) Sustainable use; 3) Competitive and sustainable exploitation; 4) Cultural positioning; 5) Human development; and 6) Excellence in management. According to the necessity of the country on finding altematives for the economic development and the fight against the poorness, the item 3 is developed in a detailed way. In order to make some contribution for the implementation of the strategic plans, chapter 12 presents some proposals: basic entena for a better management, management instruments, research príoríties, required human skills. and altematives for the management financing. Another aspect that is presented in this chapter is the proposal of entena and political guidelines for the conservation and permanent use of the biodiversity. Understanding that this idea is not only a task for some public institutions but for al) the Peruvian people, chapter 13 presents many proposals for the activities that should be made for the public and prívate sector. Finally, Chapter 14 presents the conclusions and recommendations: The importance of the integration of conservation and development, recognition of the sustainable use of biodiversity as one of the main engines for the development of the country, promoting the education, investigation and technology being biotechnology priorized, more participation of the government in the development of key factors for the competitiveness of enterprises, strenghtening of the CONABID as the ruling institution for the integral management of national biodiversity. ; Tesis

As part of a long-term partnership between the World Bank and Brazil, the Federal Government of Brazil sought the World Bank's assistance to review road safety management capacity in Brazil, building both on past experiences in the country and international best practices. This National Road Safety Management Capacity Review, therefore, was prepared by the World Bank, with the support of the Global Road Safety Facility (GRSF). The primary objective of the review is to evaluate the multi-sectoral capacity of road safety management in Brazil, identifying possible road safety challenges and presenting recommendations to address these challenges. The methodology of the review, in accordance with the guidelines of the World Bank Global Road Safety Facility, focused on examinations of key functional aspects of road safety, including institutions, legislation, financing, information, and capacities at all levels of government and among non-government actors. The review was prepared mainly based on interviews of key road safety stakeholders at the federal, state, and municipal levels, members of parliament, NGOs, and the private sector, in addition to direct inspection of roads and on-road behaviors, and the analysis of published research and reports on road safety. In addition, information and understanding gained from previous reviews of the states of São Paulo, Rio Grande do Sul, and Bahia were also incorporated.

Urban sanitation remains a significant challenge for most low- and middle-income countries. While sanitation coverage has been increasing across both the 48 least developed countries (LDCs) and developing regions as a whole, progress has been relatively slow. In many cities, even where improved on-site facilities are used to contain excreta, the level of quality and access to services for the emptying, conveyance, treatment, and disposal of the resulting fecal sludge is usually limited. These services are collectively called fecal sludge management (FSM) services. FSM services are the focus of this study, within the broader context of urban sanitation and integrated urban water management (IUWM). This document provides a summary of the diagnostic tools developed for assessing FSM services and is based on field work carried out in the five cities of Balikpapan in Indonesia, Dhaka in Bangladesh, Hawassa in Ethiopia, Lima in Peru, and Santa Cruz in Bolivia. It summarizes the tools themselves, lessons learnt about their use, and general policy recommendations.

For the last three years, Pakistan has been making efforts to revive strong and sustained growth. The economy was badly destabilized by the turmoil in the international commodity and financial markets in 2007-2008 and the lack of adequate domestic policy responses to manage those external shocks. The task of stabilizing the economy and reviving the economic recovery has been made difficult by an adverse security situation and domestic politics that has prevented the government from taking timely required, but difficult, stabilization measures. The devastating floods in July-August last year and the recent increase in international oil and food prices have exacerbated the problem. In addition, Pakistan continues to face significant political challenges in achieving durable development. The domestic security situation as a result of campaign against terrorism is a direct and indirect tax on the costs of economic activity and the achievement of the kinds of social stability required to promote a supportive environment for businesses.

The economic value of the Upper Tuul ecosystem in Mongolia reports on a study carried out under the auspices of the World Bank and the Government of Mongolia. The goal of the study was to improve understanding about the economic value of the Upper Tuul ecosystem for Ulaanbaatar's water supplies and how this might be affected by different land and resource management options in the future. The study also aims to develop and apply ecosystem valuation methods that can be used more widely in the country, to generate information about the contribution of the environment to the Mongolian economy, and to make the case for improved budget allocations for the conservation of the Upper Tuul. Integrating eco-hydrological and economic valuation techniques, the study traces through the biophysical effects and socioeconomic impacts of future land and resource degradation, and ecosystem conservation, in the upper watershed.

Máster Universitario en Ingeniería Industrial ; El clima del planeta lleva sufriendo desde hace varios años importantes cambios. Estas alteraciones se deben fundamentalmente a las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero, que son originadas entre otros, por el uso de combustibles fósiles. A día de hoy existen numerosas pruebas irrefutables de este cambio climático que están afectando negativamente al ecosistema, la salud humana y la economía. La concienciación por este grave problema es cada vez mayor, gobiernos e instituciones a nivel mundial se han unido por la lucha contra el cambio climático y han asumido objetivos de reducción de emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero. Para lograr estas metas, se están impulsando medidas y ayudas económicas que favorezcan la puesta en marcha de prácticas y modelos más eficientes energéticamente. Las ciudades son el punto de partida en esta batalla, si no se consiguen ciudades sostenibles tampoco se conseguirá que lo sea el planeta. El entorno urbano es uno de los retos más importantes dentro del área de la investigación ambiental. El tráfico de vehículos en las grandes ciudades es uno de los principales focos de polución en las mismas, lo que conlleva negativas consecuencias para las personas y el medio. Dentro del tráfico urbano, la flota de servicios urbanos representa una gran parte de los vehículos que circulan por las ciudades, esto ha impulsado unas políticas europeas que tienen como objetivo promover el desarrollo de transportes urbanos más ecológicos. En la actualidad hay ayuntamientos españoles que ya han puesto en marcha estas nuevas medidas y están renovando las flotas urbanas por otras mucho más recomendables desde el punto de vista ecológico. Siguiendo esta línea, el proyecto se centra en medir el impacto ambiental y económico que supondría la renovación parcial o total de la flota de un ayuntamiento por vehículos ecológicos, entendiéndose por vehículos ecológicos, vehículos eléctricos de baterías, vehículos híbridos eléctricos y vehículos convencionales de bajo consumo. Por razones de simplicidad, el estudio se ha llevado a cabo en la ciudad de Valladolid. No obstante la finalidad del mismo es que este proyecto sea una herramienta, no sólo para Valladolid, sino para cualquier individuo o colectivo interesado en la sustitución de un vehículo por otro más eficiente energéticamente. El impacto ambiental se define como la reducción de emisiones de CO2 y de contaminantes que se obtiene al sustituir un vehículo de una flota por su equivalente ecológico; y el impacto económico es el coste que supone esta sustitución. La compra de un nuevo vehículo implica una inversión y esta inversión es por tanto el impacto económico que supondría la renovación de un vehículo.La metodología que se ha seguido para el análisis y renovación de una flota compleja como la de Valladolid es la siguiente: • Identificación de los servicios y vehículos sujetos a renovación: para el caso de una flota tan numerosa como la de Valladolid se ha decidido analizar únicamente aquellos vehículos que están presentes más repetidamente. • Selección de tres vehículos ecológicos equivalentes para cada vehículo sujeto a renovación: a partir de unos criterios de equivalencia, se selecciona un vehículo eléctrico de baterías, un vehículo híbrido eléctrico y uno convencional de bajo consumo. • Elección del vehículo óptimo tanto a nivel ambiental como económico: partiendo de las tres alternativas ecológicas, se realiza un estudio de emisiones de CO2 y contaminantes y del coste de los vehículos y se elige como la solución más adecuada aquel vehículo con el que se reduzcan en mayor cantidad las emisiones de CO2 por euro invertido en el mismo. Para que la comparación sea lo más justa posible, el análisis se lleva a cabo teniendo en cuenta las diferentes etapas del ciclo de vida de un vehículo. • Impacto ambiental y económico de los vehículos: con los nuevos vehículos es posible calcular la reducción de emisiones de CO2 que supondrán las sustituciones y el coste implícito que éstas conllevan. En el siguiente estudio, se han analizado seis vehículos pertenecientes a seis diferentes flotas del ayuntamiento de Valladolid. En todos los casos, el vehículo eléctrico ha sido la opción óptima como alternativa para la renovación de la flota.Debido a la repetición de estos vehículos en sus respectivas flotas, con el análisis de únicamente seis vehículos es posible sustituir setenta y cinco vehículos de la flota del ayuntamiento de Valladolid.Esta renovación parcial de la flota supone una reducción de 4,15 miles de toneladas de dióxido de carbono respecto de las emisiones generadas por los setenta y cinco vehículos actuales durante la vida media en uso de los mismos, fijada en diez años (reducción del 55,4%). Sin embargo, si se tienen en cuenta todas las etapas del ciclo de vida de un vehículo, es decir desde la fabricación hasta el reciclado del mismo, la reducción de emisiones de dióxido de carbono es todavía mayor, alcanzándose las 6 mil toneladas de CO2. La apuesta por esta nueva flota ecológica requiere de una gran inversión. La reducción de emisiones no es a coste cero, sino que implica la adquisición de nuevos vehículos, elevándose a 10.908.300 € en el caso de los setenta y cinco vehículos de la flota de Valladolid. Pese al gran impacto económico, la renovación de las flotas urbanas es un tema primordial y prioritario para la sostenibilidad del planeta. De ello son conscientes organismos e instituciones a nivel mundial, y lo han demostrado con numerosos planes de financiación que fomentan e impulsan el desarrollo de estas tecnologías limpias. En la actualidad existen diversas ayudas económicas impulsadas por el Gobierno que hacen que la inversión inicial requerida se vea mermada. De este modo, el Plan MOVELE 20151 y el Plan PIMA AIRE 42 son programas que conceden financiación económica para incentivar la adquisición de nuevos vehículos con tecnologías limpias. Así mismo, se ha creado recientemente el Fondo de Carbono para una Economía Sostenible (FES-CO2)3. Este fondo es un nuevo instrumento de financiación climático. Tiene como objetivo redirigir la economía hacia modelos bajos en carbono. El fondo ofrecerá la inversión necesaria para el impulso de actividades y desarrollo de tecnologías limpias que favorezcan la atenuación del cambio climático. Para llevar a cabo esta financiación, el fondo adquirirá créditos en forma de reducción de emisiones de carbono de aquellos proyectos o iniciativas que luchan contra el cambio climático en España y que pertenecen a aquellos sectores que no están sujetos al régimen europeo de comercio de derechos de emisión, como es el caso del sector transporte. El Plan MOVELE 2015 es un programa que aplica directamente al caso de la renovación de la flota del ayuntamiento de Valladolid. Debido a que todos los vehículos sustitutos son vehículos eléctricos, se obtendría una financiación de 570.000 € por la renovación de los setenta y cinco vehículos gracia a este plan. Aunque el coste sigue siendo elevado, es ahora el momento de implantar este tipo de proyectos. Los ayuntamientos, empresas, organismos, etc. deben contribuir a la reducción de emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero, y que mejor manera que empezar por uno de los sectores de mayor repercusión en este asunto, el sector transporte. No cabe duda de que la industria del transporte es de gran trascendencia para la economía mundial, pero al mismo tiempo constituye una enorme carga energética y unagran huella ambiental afectando directamente a la salud, la calidad de vida, los ecosistemas y el cambio climático; y todo ello se opone al desarrollo sostenible a nivel local y global. El coste de los efectos secundarios del cambio climático es superior al coste de las renovaciones de las flotas urbanas, y la reducción de emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero que ofrecen estas flotas hacen que este tipo de proyectos merezcan la pena. ; The Earth's climate has been undergoing several changes during the last years. These alterations are mainly due to emissions of greenhouse gases, which are caused among others by the use of fossil fuels. Nowadays there is irrefutable evidence that climate change is negatively affecting the ecosystem, human health and the economy. Awareness about this serious problem is raising, governments and institutions worldwide have joined the fight against climate change and they have assumed emissions reduction targets for greenhouse gases. To achieve these goals, they are driving measures and financial support to encourage the implementation of more energy efficient practices and models. Cities are the departure point in this battle, if sustainable cities are not achieved neither the sustainability of the planet will be achieved. The urban environment is one of the most important challenges in the area of environmental research. Vehicular traffic is one of the main sources of pollution in big cities, which leads to negative consequences for people and the environment. In urban traffic, the fleet of urban services represents a large proportion of vehicles traveling through the cities. This fact has prompted some European policies that aim to promote the development of more environmentally friendly urban transport. Currently there are Spanish municipalities that have already implemented these new measures and they are renewing their urban fleets by others more desirable vehicles from the ecological point of view. Following this line, the project focuses on measuring the environmental and economic impact that would result in the partial or total renewal of a fleet of a municipality. The actual fleet will be renewed with some environmentally friendly vehicles, meaning by environmentally friendly vehicles, battery electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles and conventional low consumption vehicles. For simplicity, the study has been carried out in the city of Valladolid. However, the purpose of this project is that this study is a tool, not only for Valladolid, but for any individual or group interested in replacing one vehicle for another more energy efficient vehicle.The environmental impact is defined as the CO2 and pollutant emissions reduction obtained by replacing a vehicle from a fleet for its ecological equivalent; and the economic impact is the cost of this replacement. Buying a new vehicle involves an investment and this investment is therefore the economic impact involved in the renovation of a vehicle. The methodology followed for the analysis of a complex fleet renewal as Valladolid is as follows: • Identification of the services and vehicles subject to renewal: as the fleet of Valladolid is considerably large, only those vehicles that are present over repeatedly will be analyzed. • Selection of three equivalent ecological vehicles for each vehicle subject to renewal: using a criteria of equivalence, an electric vehicle battery, a hybrid electric vehicle and a conventional low consumption vehicle are selected. • Choice of the optimal vehicle both environmentally and economically: having the three ecological alternatives, thanks to a study on the CO2 and pollutants emissions and on the cost of vehicles, the most appropriate vehicle is chosen. That best option will be the vehicle with the largest reduction of CO2 per euro invested in it. To make the comparison as fair as possible, the analysis is carried out taking into account the different stages of the life cycle of a vehicle. • Environmental and economic impact of the new vehicles: with these new vehicles is possible to calculate the reduction in CO2 emissions which will provide these replacements and the implicit cost they entail. In this study, six vehicles belonging to six different fleets in the municipality of Valladolid have been analyzed. In all cases, the electric vehicle is the optimal choice as an alternative for fleet renewal.Because of the repetition of these vehicles in their fleets, with the analysis of only six vehicles, seventy five vehicles of the municipality of Valladolid can be replaced. This partial renewal of the fleet represents a reduction of 4.15 thousand tons of emissions of carbon dioxide from the emissions generated by the current seventy five vehicles during their life in use, set at ten years (reduction of 55,4%). However, when taking into account all stages of the life cycle of a vehicle, from manufacturing to recycling it, the reduction of the emissions of carbon dioxide is even higher, reaching the 6,02 tons of CO2. The commitment to this new ecological fleet requires a large investment. Reducing emissions is not at zero cost, it involves the acquisition of new vehicles, rising to 10.908.300 € in the case of the seventy-five vehicles of the fleet of Valladolid. Despite the huge economic impact, the renewal of urban fleets is a priority issue for the sustainability of the planet. Organizations and institutions worldwide are aware of this topic, and they have demonstrated their consciousness with numerous financing plans that encourage and promote the development of these clean technologies. Currently there are various financial aid promoted by the Government that will reduce the initial investment required. Thus, the "Plan MOVELE 2015"1 and the "Plan PIMA AIRE 4"2 are programs that grant economic funding to encourage the purchase of new vehicles with clean technologies. Futhermore, recently is has been created the "Fondo de Carbono para una Economía Sostenible (FES-CO2)"3. This fund is a new tool for climate funding. It aims to redirect the economy towards low-carbon models. The fund will provide the necessary investment for the support of activities and development of clean technologies that promote climate change mitigation. To carry out this funding, the fund will acquire credits in the form of reduced carbon emissions of projects or initiatives that fight against climate change in Spain and belong to sectors that are not subject to the European emissions trading system, such as the transport sector The "Plan MOVELE 2015" is a program that applies directly to the case of the renewal of the fleet of the city of Valladolid. Since all the proposed vehicles are electric vehicles, 570.000 € in funding would be obtained by the renewal of seventy five vehicles thanks to this plan. Although the cost is still high, it is now time to implement such projects. Municipalities, companies, organizations, etc. should contribute to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, and the transport sector is the most significant one to start working on since it has the greatest impact on the emissions. There is no doubt that the transportation industry has a great significance in the world economy, but at the same time it is a huge energy charge with a really important environmental impact that affects directly to the health, quality of life, ecosystems and climate change; and all that is opposed to sustainable development both locally and globally.The cost of the side effects of climate change is greater than the cost of the renewals of urban fleets and the reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases that these fleets offer make such projects worthwhile.

General Abstract 1. Introduction Nowadays, it is essential to develop and find new ways to reduce the increasing pollution deriving from anthropogenic and environmental sources. Human activities are major responsible of climate changes and ecosystems alterations, because of the increasing release of CO2 and other harmful gases inside the atmosphere. In order to reduce the environmental impact of the human society, a great attention is now given to such processes able to reduce the pollutants concentration in both air and water systems. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), which involves the generation of highly reactive hydroxyl radicals (OH•), have emerged as promising air and water treatment technology for the degradation or mineralization of a wide range of pollutants. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) induced photocatalysis is an example of AOP processes and it has been demonstrated its efficiency in the decomposition of various organic contaminants. TiO2 is a very well known and well-researched material due to the stability of its chemical structure, biocompatibility, physical, optical, and electrical properties. TiO2-based photocatalysts are used for a variety of applications such as degradation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) [1] and decomposition of nitrogen pollutants (NOx) [2] or also organic dyes, like Methylene Blue [3]. The crystalline forms of TiO2 are anatase, rutile and brookite. In general, TiO2 is preferred in anatase form because of its high photocatalytic activity, non-toxicity, chemically stability; moreover, it is relatively inexpensive. For a long time, new synthetic routes have been developed to prepare nano-TiO2 samples in order to enhance their photocatalytic efficiency [4-6]. In fact, since many years the attention has been focused on ultrasmall semiconductive particles, because they show peculiar and enhanced properties compared to the micrometric particles ones [7]. Nano-sized TiO2 is extremely efficient towards the photodegradation processes; in particular, photo-redox reactions are greatly enhanced thanks to the high numbers of active sites present on the extremely large surface area [8]. However, in recent years many papers published the possible health risks correlated with nano-sized materials [9,10]. The small size, shape, solubility and agglomeration degree of nano-sized materials, make them able to cross the cell boundaries or pass directly from the lungs into the blood stream and finally reach all the organs in the body [11]. On the other hand, larger particles are adsorbed by organs and cells with more difficulty. The main question is then if it is necessary to use the nano-sized particles in an exclusive way. Kwon et al. [12] stated that nanocatalysts having small particle size, high surface area, and a high density of surface coordination unsaturated sites offer improved catalytic performance over microscale catalysts but this does not imply the impossibility a priori to use these latter in selected conditions. The use in photocatalysis of TiO2 powders with larger-sized crystallites is a very interesting approach to reduce the possible health problems caused by nanoparticles. 2. Aims of work The aims of this PhD work is to evaluate the photoactivity of micro-TiO2 samples using as irradiation source both UV and LED lights. At first, commercial powdered micro- and nano-sized TiO2 catalysts, were tested and then improved for the degradation of pollutants in both gas and aqueous phase. The ultimate purpose of the PhD work is to test the possibility of using TiO2 for production of building materials; the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 can be then exploited for degrading air pollutants inside domestic environments or workplaces, thus making them healthier over time. Application of photocatalysis to construction buildings began towards the end of 1980s with the production of photocatalytic glasses, which provided self-cleaning and anti-fogging properties [13]. Afterward photocatalytic cementitious materials have been patented by Mitsubishi Corp. and Italcementi SpA [14,15]. In all these construction materials, the active photocatalyst is anatase TiO2. Although the use of photocatalytic cement is still restricted and limited, many buildings and city roads have been designed and constructed since 2000. Relevant examples are Church "Dives in Misericordia", Rome, Italy; Music and Arts City Hall, Chamberéry, France [16]. In general, the mostly used powders of commercial TiO2 for photocatalytic applications are nanometric: this leads some advantages in terms of pollutants degradation efficiency, but many backwards too, like the difficulty to recover the catalyst or the possibility of inhalation with consequent health damage, even the high cost is not negligible. For this reasons, the optimization of the photocatalytic efficiency of micrometric compounds is desired, in order to replace definitely the nanometric catalysts. In this PhD work micro-sized TiO2 powder was used for the preparation of porcelain gres tiles, which are commercial manufactured products, opening a new generation of material intrinsically safer than the traditional photocatalytic products. All samples were fully characterized investigating textural, structural, morphological and surface properties. The photoefficiency was evaluated in different ways, which can be summarized as follows: • Assessment of the photoactivity of commercial samples, both nanometric and micrometric, in gas and aqueous phases in the presence of typical indoor and outdoor pollutants (NOx and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), textile dyes, surfactants); • Assessment of the self-cleaning effect, evaluated by water contact angle measurements, during ultraviolet irradiation on micro-TiO2 tiles of building materials on whose surface the oleic acid is deposited (ISO/WD 27448-1); • Assessment of the effects of the addition of anionic or cationic ions, like fluorine, tin, rhenium or tungsten, on the catalytic surface through the impregnation method. Doping is useful to lower the titanium band gap and accordingly to increase the photocatalytic activity of the material. 3. Experimental details 3.1 Catalytic materials a) Preparation of TiO2 powders Different commercially available micro- and nano-sized pigmentary-powdered TiO2 were chosen; the catalysts were characterized and used without further treatment. In the Table 3.1 the photocatalytic powders used in this PhD work are reported. For each powder, the different physico-chemical characteristics are specified: XRD for the crystalline nature, BET for the surface area, XPS for the atomic composition of elements, SEM and TEM for the particles morphology, FTIR for the chemical composition of samples supported with DRS (diffuse reflectance spectra) for the characterization of the light absorption features and band-gap determinations. Before starting the photooxidation process of pollutants, commercial TiO2 powders were deposited in two plains of glass sample (each plain of 7.5x2.5 cm2). TiO2 powders (0.050 g) were first suspended in 2-propanol (50 ml) so to obtain a homogeneous suspension and then deposited by drop casting onto one side of the laminas. The solvent was simply evaporated at room temperature without any further treatment. The samples consisted in a thicker layer, obtained by overlapping three TiO2 coatings (labelled as T, standing for triple layers, followed by the substrate abbreviation), as shown in previous works by Bianchi et al. [17,18]. Table 3.1. Main features of TiO2-based commercial powders, used as photocatalysts, with the corresponding crystalline phase: nanometric and micrometric samples. Powder Crystalline phase BET (m2/g) Micro/Nano XPS OH/Otot P25 (Evonik) 75% anatase; 25% rutile 52 NANO 0.14 PC105 (Crystal) anatase 80 NANO 0.85 1077 (Kronos) anatase 11 MICRO 0.32 AH-R (Hundsman) anatase 12 MICRO 0.19 AT-1 (Crystal) anatase 12 MICRO 0.24 1001 (Kronos) anatase 11 MIXED PHASE (micro+nano) 0.27 1002 (Kronos) anatase 9 MIXED PHASE (micro+nano) 0.35 1071 (Kronos) anatase 10 MIXED PHASE (micro+nano) 0.18 A-Z (Hombitam) 99% anatase 4 MICRO 0.25 AN (Hombitam) 98,5% anatase 12 MICRO 0.5 N.10 (HombiKat) 98% anatase; 2% rutile 13 MICRO 0.13 b) Preparation of vitrified tiles Among all building materials, commercially available white tiles by GranitiFiandre SpA (sample name White Ground Active® (WGA) or Orosei Active) were chosen and used for the preparation of photocatalytic tiles. Porcelain gres tiles are manufactured under high pressure by dry-pressing of fine processed ceramic raw materials, with large proportions of quartz, feldspar, and other fluxes. The body of these materials is then fired at very high temperatures (1200–1300◦C) in kilns [19]. After impregnation with water, the tiles are subjected to temperature cycles between +5 and -5 °C, during a minimum of 100 freeze–thaw cycles, in order to verify their resistance to the frost and their durability. No evident cracks or damages were observed on the samples. The final material is thus characterized by lack of porosity, complete water-proofing, durability, hardness, wear resistance properties, and a complete frost resistance. The porcelain gres tiles were covered at the surface with a mixture of micro-TiO2 and a commercial SiO2-based compound prepared via ball–mill [20,21]. To achieve the desired product stability, at the end of the preparation procedure tiles were treated at high temperature (680 °C) for 80 min and then brushed to remove the powder present at the surface and not completely stuck. Temperature was precisely chosen to maintain the anatase form of the semiconductor and allow the vitrification of the tiles surface. Tiles were also prepared with the same procedure but without adding the photoactive oxide into the SiO2-based compound for the sake of comparison (sample name White Ground (WG) or Orosei)). The surface wettability of photoactive porcelain gres tiles was evaluated by static contact angle (CA) measurements performed with an OCA20 instrument (DataPhysics Co., Germany) equipped with a CCD camera and a 500 μL-Hamilton syringe to dispense liquid droplets. [22,23]. c) Doping effect on TiO2 powders Micrometric TiO2 powders were doped with cations like tungsten (W), tin (Sn) and rhenium (Re), and fluoride anions (F-). This was done with the aim to improve the photoefficiency of the micro-sized TiO2 catalysts, which have lower activity than the traditional nanopowders. Ren at al. [24] demonstrated that the fluorination of TiO2 nanocrystals gave a photocatalytic enhancement due to the higher separation efficiency of photogenerated electrons and holes. Furthermore, it has been found that the surface fluorination favors the generation of free OH radicals, which are responsible of an enhanced oxidation [25]. Regarding the doping with metal cations, in the literature is reported that Re dopant could effectively inhibit the recombination of the photoinduced electrons and holes [26]. Re can act as electron trap and promote the interfacial charge transfer processes in the composite systems, which reduces the recombination of photoinduced electron-hole pairs, thus improving the photocatalytic activity of TiO2. Moreover, it was demonstrated that that metal particles doping can facilitate the electron excitation by creating a local electrical field, enhancing photoinduced surface redox reactions: it results in the extension of the wavelength of TiO2 response towards the visible region [27]. The band gap energy of the doped-TiO2 results less than that of naked TiO2, which induces the red shift of the adsorption edge to respond to visible light. This peculiar feature gets interesting for the use of LED (Light Emission Diode) as irradiation source for the photooxidation processes, because LED emissions are located only in the visible region of light. In fact, an important aspect is the use of irradiation by visible light, through LED lamps. Several cities, like Milano, Stockholm, Los Angeles, Copenhagen, have chosen to adopt the LED emission for the outdoor illumination: Milano will substitute the 80% of urban illumination with the LED light within May 2015 (Expo start date). Advantages, connected to this emerging technology (high durability, cheapness, low energy consume), adhere very well with the environmental safety. Thus, NOx and VOCs photodegradation was performed with LED lamp, using micrometric doped powder. The classical impregnation method was applied to dope the catalyst surface with fluoride anions, starting from inorganic fluoride salts (NaF, NH4F, CaF2 and F2). At the end of the impregnation procedure (24 h, room temperature), powders were calcined at 400°C for 4 h and rinsed in distilled water three times. The metal doping was performed in two different ways: it was used the same procedure of impregnation method for tin (Sn) surface doping, whereas a different surface deposition technique (decoration method) was performed for metals of tungsten (W) and rhenium (Re). Decoration of M- or MO-NPs is commonly implemented by means of ultra-sounds (US) in aqueous or organic solutions where ceramics or polymer substrate powders are dispersed [28]. In the latter case, the precursor of metal was sonicated at a costant temperature of 80°C for 3 h, with 33.0% amplitude and a 50 W cm-2 intensity. At the end, the solution was centrifugated many times to remove all the solvent; the final powders was washed with n-pentane and centrifugated again. The residual solvent was evaporated and the sample was finally calcined at 480°C for 40 h to completely remove the organic scents. 3.2 Testing procedure a) Photocatalytic set-up in gas-phase Photocatalyitc degradation of air pollutants, such as acetone, acetaldehyde, toluene (well known as VOCs) and NOx, were conducted in Pyrex glass cylindrical reactors having different volume depending on the type of analyzed pollutant: 5 L for VOCs and 20 L for NOx, respectively. In the case of VOCs analysis, the gaseous mixture in the reactor was obtained by mixing hot chromatographic air (f.i. 250 ◦C for toluene), with relative humidity (RH) of 40%, and a fixed amount of volatilized pollutant, in order to avoid condensation. The initial concentration of VOCs in the reactor was 400 ppmv, monitored directly by micro-GC sampling. Photon sources were provided by a 500 W iron halogenide lamp (Jelosil, model HG 500) emitting in the 315–400 nm wavelength range (UV-A) at 30 Wm−2 or by a LED lamp, emitting into the visible region. Acetone and acetaldehyde degradation tests lasted for 2 h, whereas toluene tests for 6 h, due to the difficulty in degrading a molecule with an aromatic ring and with a complex degradation pathway [19]. For NOx photodegradation study, a first static experimental setup was obtained used the following conditions: RH: 50%, UV light of 10 Wm-2 (for TiO2 powders deposited on glass sheets) or 20 Wm-2 (for micro-sized TiO2 gres tiles), with a NOx starting value of 1000 ppb. The analytical procedure was reported by Bianchi et al. [21]. NOx degradation by TiO2 powders (always immobilized on a glass sheet) and photoactive tiles was conducted also in continuous conditions using a plug-flow reactor (with an effective volume of 0.025 L) built strictly following the ISO 22197-1 rule [29]. Experimental conditions were maintained as follows: RH: 40%, 20Wm−2, [NOx]inlet=500 ppb, and 180, 32.4, 9, and 4.2 L h−1 total flow, respectively. A chemiluminescent analyzer (Teledyne Instruments M200E) was used to check the conversion of the pollutant in both batch and plug-flow reactor setups. b) Photocatalytic set-up in aqueous-phase The photocatalytic apparatus was a 1 L glass stirred reactor equipped with an iron halogenide UV lamp (500 W, Jelosil® HG500) emitting light at wavelengths of 315–400 nm and able to irradiate the reactor with a specific power of 95 Wm-2, when TiO2 powder was used as catalyst. The UV lamp was placed beside the reactor, which was cooled with water at a temperature of 30 ± 0.5◦C, as reported previously by Gatto et al. [30]. TiO2 was introduced in the reactor at the beginning of each test (0.66 g/L for surfactant degradation and 0.1 g/L for textile dyes). The variation of the surfactant (PFOA) concentration in solution was monitored by total organic carbon (TOC) analysis and ionic chromatography. The PFOA initial concentration ([PFOA]0= 4 mM) was maintained lower than its critical micellar concentration (7.8 mM) in order to avoid the formation of emulsions during the kinetic tests. Samples (10 mL) of the reaction mixture were collected at different reaction times: typically at 0 min (before the start of the reaction), 30 min, 1 h, 2 h, 3 h, 4 h, 6 h and 9 h. Textile dyes, chosen for the photodegradation tests, were Rhodamine B (RhB), Methylene Blue (MB) and Crystal Violet (CV); dyes degradation was checked every 60 min by determining the dye concentration in the water solution by a UV–vis spectrophotometer analyzer (T60 UV–vis PG LTD instruments), using water as the reference. Pure CV has an absorbance maximum at 590 nm, RhB at 555 nm and MB around 670 nm. Textile dyes degradation was also performed using photoactive tiles, covered with the micrometric 1077 powder. For this aim, a cylindrical batch reactor of 1 L volume was used for dye degradation tests in presence of ten photoactive tiles (0.03 m2 total surface photoactive area) immersed into the liquid solution, as reported by Bianchi et al. [31]. Refrigeration was allowed by a cooling jacket. Two different lamps directly immersed into the dye solution were used with this setup: a typical germicidal 9 W UV-C lamp (Philips TUV BL-S, model AEPL-7913 mercury vapor low pressure), with a radiant power of 1 Wm-2 and a 125 W UV-A lamp (Jelosil, mercury vapor low pressure), with an illuminance of 65 Wm-2, in correspondence of the tiles surface. During photocatalytic tests, the TiO2 active faces of the tiles were turned towards the UV light. After each test, the tiles were simply washed using deionized water and acetone and then left in deionized water all night long. The same dyes solution (RhB, MB, CV) were used in the present setup at a concentration of 1 × 10−5 M. c) Self-cleaning effect The self-cleaning capability of TiO2 photoactive tiles was evaluated in two different ways: (1) through the measurement of the water contact angle (CA) (KRUSS GmbH) of a tile, after oleic acid deposition and UV irradiation (Jelosil, model HG 500) for 76 h and (2) through the monitoring, by a colorimeter, of the discoloration of dyes directly put on the tiles surfaces, after exposure to the sunlight (Milan – Italy, May 2012). For water CA measurements, a test piece of porcelain gres tile of 100 ± 2mm2 were pre-treated by ultraviolet irradiation of 20 Wm-2 for at least 24 hours. Then, the catalytic samples were dipped inside an oleic acid (Fluka, >80%) solution (0.5 vol%) in order to simulate a polluting condition. The presence of oleic acids on the tile surface modify its wettability. After UV irradiation it was measured the CA at an appropriate time interval, observing a continuous decrease of the CA values related to a degradation of the polluting agent. The measurement can be considered concluded when the contact angle value of the clean photocatalytic tile is restored, as before the oleic acid deposition. For comparison, the measurement is repeated on a sample similarly polluted with oleic acid, but left in the dark for 76 hours. Furthermore, it was taken a sample of porcelain gres tile, not containing TiO2, and it was immersed into oleic acid solution and irradiated, with the aim to evaluate the pure contribute of UV irradiation. Dyes degradation instead was monitored by Vis-spectrometer equipped with an integrated sphere (OceanOptics, USB400-VIS-NIR-ES). 1 μL of dyes, dissolved in water, was put on the tiles surface and left under the sunlight, whose power was continuously checked from 9 am to 5 pm every day by a radiometer DeltaOhm HD2012,2. A mean power irradiation value of 7.28 W/m2 was measured. The color analysis was performed using the CIEXYZ and CIELAB models [22]. 4. Results and discussion 4.1 Characterization results a) Powders characterization Anatase, evidenced by XRD patterns, is the unique polymorph present for all samples, except for P25 and N.10 (by Hombikat) powders, which exhibit even the rutile phase (25 and 2%, respectively). The crystallographic reflexes (1 0 1), (2 0 0) and (2 1 1) have been employed to calculate the average crystallites size of the various titania particles. P25 and PC105, commercial nanometric powders, have comparable crystallite size centered on 25 nm, while the other samples have values between 120 and 200 nm, confirming their micro-sized nature. These structural properties are reflected in their BET surface areas that are about 11-12 m2/g, which are much lower compared to the nano-sized ones (Table 3.1). For 1001, 1002, 1071 samples Sherrer calculation was not performed, as TEM analysis reveals the presence of both micro-sized and ultrafine fractions, as it is visible in Fig. 4.1, section d. HR-TEM and SEM images confirmed the average crystallites sizes extrapolated by XRD analysis; moreover, it was excluded the presence of ultrafine particles in 1007, AT-1, AH-R, A-Z, AN and N.10 powders. It can be evidenced that nano-sized materials perfectly fall within the "nano" definition: in fact, both samples are characterized by average particles size of 15-30 nm (Fig. 4.1, section a), closely packed features and roundish contours [19]. As for what concerns the other powders (1077, AT-1, AH-R, A-Z, AN, N.10), they all exhibit well crystallized particles possessing smooth edge and average diameter size in the 120-200 nm range (see Fig. 4.1, section b and c), with fringes patterns belonging to the TiO2 anatase polymorph. On the contrary, for 1001, 1002 and 1071 powders TEM images again confirm that they are composed by a mixture of both micro-sized crystallites and some ultrafine particles (Fig. 4.1, section d). The surface state of the TiO2 particles was analyzed by XPS. No significant differences can be appreciated in the Ti 2p region among all the present samples concerning the binding energies (BE) and the full width at half-maximum (FWHM) values. The peak of Ti 2p3/2 is always regular and the BE at about 458.5 ± 0.1 eV compares well with the data for Ti(IV) in TiO2 materials [32]. The analysis of the oxygen peaks exhibits the presence of more than one component, which can be attributed to lattice oxygen in TiO2 (529.9 eV) and to surface OH species (>531.5 eV) respectively. A particular O1s shape was observed for PC105. In this case, the OH component is very intense probably due to a particular industrial synthesis in order to enhance the photocatalytic efficiency of the sample. The hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity character of photocatalysts surface plays a crucial role in determining the adsorption step and thus the photocatalytic activity, at least in the degradation of pollutants [33]. P105 exhibits the highest concentration of OH that represent the 85% of the oxygen at the surface, as it shown in Fig. 4.2. It is noteworthy that the micro-sized samples, with the exception of N.10 (by HombiKat) sample, present a higher atomic concentration of OH groups in comparison with P25, pointing out the higher hydrophilic character of their surface (see Table 3.1, fifth column). Fig. 4.1. TEM images of the various TiO2 powders. Section a: P25; section b: 1077; section c: AH-R; section d: 1071. FTIR spectra in the ν(OH) spectral range of the samples in air revealed two complex absorption bands, respectively located in the 3000–3450 cm-1 range and at ν ≥ 3600 cm-1. Based on the spectral behavior and of our previous data [19], the former envelope can be ascribed to the stretching mode of all H-bonded OH groups present at the surface of the various solids, whereas the latter corresponds to the stretching mode of all Ti–OH species free from hydrogen bonding interactions [34]. It is well-known that surface hydroxyl radicals play a fundamental role in the photocatalytic processes [35]. In particular, photo-generated holes react with water molecules adsorbed on TiO2 surface, leading to the formation of OH•: TiO2 + hν → h+ + e- (3.1) h+ + H2O → OH• + H+ (3.2) The pigmentary TiO2 powders showed appreciable amounts of OH groups and this validate their rather good performances in the photocatalyitc degradation, as reported in our previous study [19]. Fig. 4.2. O1s XPS spectra for (a) P25; (b) PC105; (c) 1077; (d) AT-1. b) Gres tiles characterization XPS measurement reveals the presence of only Ti(IV) and a Ti/Si ratio of 0.15 for the micro-TiO2+SiO2-based compound, which belongs to porcelain grès tiles. The preservation of the pure anatase form was verified by both XRPD and XPS measurements. As reported by Anderson and Bard [37] the presence of SiO2, together with TiO2, enhances the formation of hydroxyl radical OH•, which may be achieved via strong Brønsted acid sites at the TiO2/SiO2 interface region. Such incorporation inhibits the crystal growth of TiO2 allowing the preservation of the anatase structure at high temperature. By the investigation of morphological features, the presence of SiO2-based compound is evident in gres tiles (Fig. 4.3), in the form of either small protruding particles or as amorphous coating which covers the TiO2 particles. Fig. 4.3. HR-TEM images of the TiO2 porcelain gres tiles materials. (a) refers to low magnification and (b) to high magnification. The very thin nature of these particles and/or coating allows to inspect the fringe patterns located below, confirming that the spacing among the fringes are still ascribable to the anatase TiO2 polymorph. 4.2 Photocatalytic tests 4.2.1 Photocatalytic activity in gas-phase a) NOx photoabatement with TiO2 powders In this section, several commercial pigmentary powders were tested for NOx degradation and were compared with the nanometric powders efficiency (P25 and PC105). At first, the tested concentration of NOx in the reactor was 1000 ppb, in order to follow the same pollutant concentration requested by the ISO 22197-1 rules [38]. All the samples showed good photocatalytic performances, because the abatement of NOx was early completed at the end of 3 hours, except the 1071 (by Kronos) sample, which showed lower photodegradation (61.5 %). The efficiency of the other samples was between 90 and 99%: this behavior leads to hypothesize a complete degradation of the pollutant within the chosen limited time of the run (3 h). In particular, it is interesting to observe the photodegradation trend of the only micro-sized samples (1077, AH-R, Hombitam A-Z, Hombitam AN and HombiKat N.10) at 15 min, 30 min, 60 min and 240 min, the most significantly times. In Fig. 4.4 we can observe the peculiar differences, which arise in the initial period of the degradation. 1077, Hombitam AZ and Hombitam AN seem to be the most active, showing the best efficiency in the first times of reaction (15, 30 min). This behavior can be explained through the physico-chemical features and the amount of hydroxyl radicals that initiate the oxidation of NO. The ratio of OH/Otot, obtained by XPS analysis, resulted to be, in fact, higher than the other micrometric ones (Table 3.1). In particular, after 2 h, the NOx conversion of these samples is higher than 90%, very close to that of P25, which reaches the complete pollutant degradation in the same time. Thus, even if the nano-sized materials (P25 and PC105) show the best performances, the photocatalytic activities of the pigmentary powders are comparable, in agreement with the presence of appreciable amount of surface hydroxyls, which are crucial species for the photooxidation processes [39]. From the trend in the Fig. 4.4 it is clear that the micrometric samples with the best photocatalytic performances are the ones showing the largest OH component, the following 1007, Hombitam AZ and Hombitam AN. Fig. 4.4. TiO2 commercial micro-sized powders (1077, AH-R, Hombitam AZ, Hombitam AN, HombiKat N.10) for NOx abatement at 15, 30, 60, 240 min under UV light irradiation. b) NOx photoabatement with photoactive tiles Another study concerns the application in photocatalysis of building materials. In this PhD work porcelain gres tiles, covered with micrometric TiO2 powder, were used for the NOx degradation, under UV light, in static experimental conditions in gas phase. Starting from 1000 ppb of NO2, i.e. the same amount required by the ISO 22197-1 specification, the 65% of degradation was measured after 6 h. A very interesting trend (Fig. 4.5) was observed also following the NO2 degradation by photocatalytic tiles. NO2 was chosen as specific reference pollutant instead of the more generic NOx, because of its higher hazardousness. The continued exposure to high NO2 levels, in fact, can contribute to the development of acute or chronic bronchitis [40]. More in detail, tests were carried out by using as starting pollutant concentration 106 ppb (value not to be exceeded more than 18 times in a calendar year), and 212 ppb (alert threshold), according to the Directive 2008/50/EC of the European Parliament, which states the guidelines for the protection of the human health. It is possible to observe (Fig. 4.5) that, as the amount of starting pollutant is decreased, the time necessary to bring its concentration under the limit required by the European Directive (21 ppb) also decreases. In the Fig. 4.5 inset the degradation trend can be observed in the case of an initial pollutant concentration close to the alert threshold. Fig. 4.5. Time necessary to degrade the pollutant and decrease its amount under the limit value required by the Directive 2008/50/EC of the European Parliament and of the council on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe (21 ppb); 20 W/m2, RH 50%, static conditions. Therefore under real pollution conditions, simulating a day in the absence of wind (static conditions) WGA is able to degrade NO2 in a very efficient way bringing the pollutant concentration down to the required limit (21 ppb) in a matter of hours [21]. Micro-sized TiO2 porcelain gres tiles were also tested in continuous conditions using a plug-flow reactor, whose the operating conditions have been softened cutting the inlet concentration by half (500 ppb, instead of 1000 ppb). It was investigated the role of the flow per hour on the final NO2 conversion. An interesting aspect revealed: the modification of the flow per hour leads to an evident change of the contact times that is the time the pollutant can stay "in contact" with the catalyst surface. As expected, increasing the contact time, the final conversion proportionally increases. This result is very evident for Orosei Active sample that shows a conversion varying from 1.3% to 82.0% at 180 L h−1 and 4.2 L h−1, respectively. The obtained 82% conversion at 4.2 L h−1 flow can be consequently considered a very good value. c) VOCs photoabatement with TiO2 powders In order to study the photocatalytic activity of nano- and micro-sized samples, the degradation of three different VOCs, acetone, acetaldehyde and toluene, has been performed. As an illustrative example, it was reported the toluene photodegradation tests. For both nano-and micro-sized TiO2 powders, the pollutant was not completely degraded, even after 6 h of reaction. Moreover, it is noteworthy that the degradation percentages fell more or less in the same range (46–52%) with a slightly higher value for the nanometric P25 and PC105 catalysts, as it is shown in Fig. 4.6. Toluene degradation resulted very difficult due to the complexity of molecule, which presents the aromatic ring. The different catalysts show similar behavior toward the toluene degradation, irrespective of their physico-chemical characteristics. On the contrary, the pollutant mineralization is rather different for almost all samples. Furthermore, a low amount of CO2 formation confirmed the incompleteness of the degradation reaction. The possible by-products, which could take form during the degradation, were monitored by FTIR measurements. After the employment in toluene degradation, the spectra of the materials underwent deep changes. In particular, it was possible to recognize signals of unreacted toluene (T) and of several by-products deriving from its degradation, among which benzyl alcohol (BZOH), benzoic acid (BZAc) and benzaldehyde (BZH) [19]. In addition, the signals due to the stretching mode (νOH) of Ti-OH species free from hydrogen bonding interactions were disappeared with the parallel increase of the broad envelope generated by H-bonded OH groups [31]. Thus, it was possible to state that the catalysts surface underwent irreversible changes after the employment in the photodegradation reaction of toluene: the photo-active "free" Ti-OH sites were completely absent, as a result of their participation to the reaction. Fig. 4.6. Toluene degradation histogram: photoefficiency achieved with commercial micro-sized TiO2 and compared to the P25 and PC105 ones (nanometric). Their disappearance was a clear evidence of why toluene degradation appeared incomplete even after 6 h of reaction for all the samples, regardless of the morphological features of the materials. Therefore, in the case of toluene and in general for all less hydrophilic VOCs, it was well evident that both micro-sized materials and nano-sized ones possess almost the same photocatalytic behavior. 4.2.2 Photocatalytic activity in aqueous-phase Parallel with photocatalytic tests in gas-phase, photodegradation of surfactants and textile dyes in aqueous phase were performed. In particular, the PFOA (perfluooroctanoic acid) was chosen as surfactant species. The abatement was conducted by using P25 nano-powder as catalyst. The photodegradation trend, monitored at different times, highlighted the incomplete PFOA mineralization. For the entire duration of the photo-abatement process, it was possible to observe a decrease in the PFOA content in solution. However, the mineralization after 4 h settled down: the fluoride content and the percentage mineralization after 6 and 9 h remained equal to 29% and 32%, respectively, as reported by Gatto et al. [29]. Through HPLC-MS analysis was confirmed the presence of the intermediates in the solution that took form through two possible degradation pathways: this surface modification might influence the catalyst reducing the photocatalytic efficiency of TiO2. Nevertheless, it is important to note that, as reported in the literature, no PFOA abatement was observed working in the presence of TiO2 as photocatalyst without UV irradiation as well as under UV irradiation in the absence of photocatalyst (photolysis) [31]. The other interesting study concerns the textile dyes photodegradation, using micro-sized TiO2 (1077) powders as catalysts. The textile dyes analyzed were Methylene Blue (MhB), Rhodamine B (RhB) and Crystal Violet (CV). Experimental dark tests showed a very low adsorption of all the dyes on both kinds of powders. The contribute of photolysis was almost negligible for MhB and CV, whereas 12% of dye degradation for simple photolysis (10% for P25) was achieved for RhB. Nano-sized powder showed the best results for all the considered dyes achieving the complete decolorizing of the water solution, but also micro-sized sample was able to degrade the pollutants with a good efficiency (ranging from 48 to 58% depending on the dye in six hours) (see Fig. 4.7), as reported by Bianchi et al. [30]. In addition, the micro-sized powder can be easily filtered and recovered in order to be immediately reused for further photodegradation reactions. In fact, 1077 was recovered by the simple centrifugation and reused in the same dye degradation test with no loss of photoactivity [30]. Fig. 4.7. Photocatalysis of dyes performed with powdered micro-TiO2 catalyst (1077): crystal violet □; methylene blue ▲; rhodamine B ◌. Another application is relative to the photocatalytic efficiency of TiO2 porcelain gres tiles, evaluated through UV-vis measurements. This choice reflects the fact that photoactive porcelain gres tiles are covered with the micrometric 1077 powder. It was observed an increase of about 15% of dyes degradation in comparison to the simply photolysis. These porcelain gres tiles can be reused, just after insertion of the tiles in distilled water, and without affecting the photocatalytic activity. In fact, all the tests were done using the same batch of ten samples of industrial tiles, and no loss in their photoactivity was monitored. This indicates that the TiO2 deposited layers are not deactivated during the reaction either by loss or poisoning of the catalyst, and can be reutilized in subsequent runs. Thus, these new industrial ceramic materials are surely an interesting alternative to TiO2 suspensions in photocatalytic applications avoiding the removal of the particles at the end of the process. 4.2.3 Self-cleaning effect A different aspect for the evaluation of gres tiles photo-efficiency is the CA evaluation, measured on micro-sized TiO2 porcelain gres tiles, after the deposition of oleic acid and irradiation by UV lamp. At first, before the oleic acid (Fluka, >80%) deposition, the pretreatment CA measurements were performed obtaining value of about 31°. The, the catalytic samples were dipped inside the oleic acid solution (0.5 vol%); the presence of oleic acids on the tile surface modify its wettability, the water contact angle in fact increases to about 65°. After UV irradiation it was measured the CA at an appropriate time interval, observing a continuous decrease of the CA values related to a degradation of the polluting agent. We observed that after 76 h of irradiation, the water CA reached the starting value before the oleic acid deposition (about 30°). This highlights the self-cleaning properties of TiO2 porcelain gres tile [22] and its photocatalytic efficiency for the degradation of organic contaminant deposited on the surface. On the contrary, the same kind of porcelain gres tile (Orosei Active), treated with oleic acid, but maintained in the dark, does not show modifications of CA in the range t0 and t76. The same procedure, consisting in the deposition of oleic acid solution and irradiation under UV light for 76 h, was performed for a porcelain gres tiles, not containing TiO2. Even in this case the CA measurement during the UV irradiation remained the same, i.e., the initial CA measured on the oleic acid film (65°). It is justified that the change in the value of the contact angle is due merely to the photodegradation of the oleic acid due to both the action of UV radiation and the photocatalytic efficiency of the used material and not by spontaneous degradation of oleic acid, induced by non photocatalytic factors. Thus, the photocatalytic process is necessary for the abatement of organic pollutants [17]. 4.3 Doping effect on TiO2 powders Micro-sized 1077 powder was even doped by the impregnation method. First of all the fluorination effect was investigated, making a comparison with the corresponding nanometric P25 powder: in both powders, after the fluorination, the photocatalytic activity of NOx and VOCs abatement resulted increased. The simply surface fluorination seems to be a good method to increase the photoactivity in commercial TiO2 samples, even with large crystallites [41]. In particular, the morphological features evidenced in the HR-TEM images and FT-IR spectral patterns, showed significant features. When the fluorination was carried out on the 1077 sample, there was an increasing of the OH groups interacting by H-bonding in F2 fluorination and new families of free OH groups involving Ca2+ and Na+ ions. The simple surface fluorination by fluorination resulted as an easy and good method to increase the photoactivity in commercial TiO2 samples, even with large crystallites, as reported in Fig. 4.8. Fig. 4.8. Toluene degradation for both micro- (1077) and nano-sized (P25) TiO2 samples, naked and fluorinated (NaF precursor). Physico-chemical characterization demonstrated that the surface fluorination influenced all the surface OH groups, leaving free only some particular OH "families", reasonably the more active in the photocatalytic process. Thus, the driving force of the process is both the presence of active OH population and the efficient adsorption of the pollutant molecules on the photocatalytic semiconductor surface. Parallel with this, the metal surface deposition with Sn, W and Re lead to an improved photoefficiency. In this case, micro-sized TiO2 powders exhibited a higher photoactivity compared with the naked TiO2 one. In particular, an interesting aspect was even the evaluation of photo-efficiency of doped 1077 using the LED light as irradiation source for the pollutant degradation. It has been observed that the photo-abatement efficiency of micro-sized catalysts for VOCs is improved by the presence of metals particles, in particular in the case of rhenium and tungsten. The degradation percentage of acetone was in fact, 37% for 1077_W and 33% for 1077_Re, compared with the 1077, which showed a negligible photoactivity (~2%), when the catalysts were irradiated by visible light. In Fig. 4.9 it is possible to see the improved photo-efficiency. In fact, the metal species like W and Re have the main properties of promote the charge transfer and the visible light absorption, which lead to enhanced photocatalytic degradation of pollutants than naked micro-sized TiO2, even under visible light irradiation [42]. Fig. 4.9. Acetone photodegradation in gas-phase under visible light (performed with a LED lamp). 5. Conclusions The photocatalytic activity of both nanometric and micrometric TiO2 powders was evaluated, revealing that nano-sized powders have the best photo-efficiency. However, commercial pigmentary micro-sized TiO2 powders have given good results proving that they could be good materials in photocatalysis and good alternative to nano-sized catalysts. In particular, 1077, Hombitam AZ and AN are the micro-sized TiO2 powders with the highest photoactivity for NOx abatement. The low surface area is not a discriminant factor if other features compensate it; the ratio of OH/O has a specific influence for the pollutants photodegradation together with the morphological features of particles. In fact, nanometric P25 is characterized by a significant higher amount of hydroxyl radicals, in agreement with the optimal efficiency in pollutants photodegradation. However, also pigmentary 1077, Hombitam AZ and AN samples show appreciable amount of OH• groups and this justifies their good catalytic performance. Furthermore, porcelain gres tiles, prepared entrapping micro-TiO2 at the SiO2 surface confirmed a stable and reproducible photocatalytic activity toward organic contaminants, such as dyes and NOx, in both liquid and gas phase. This indicates that these new industrial ceramic materials with micrometric TiO2 are surely an interesting application, which avoids the use of traditional nanomaterials in powder form for their preparation. In addition, the doping of micrometric TiO2 powders with anionic or cationic species highlighted the possibility to increase the catalytic performance obtaining comparable results with naked nanometric samples. And, as a consequence of the high demand of the use of LED lamps in the indoor and outdoor areas, the metal particles on the micrometric TiO2 surface confirmed their ability to adsorb visible light and to be considered sensitizers. To summarize, powders with large particles and low surface area can have good photoefficiency for the depollution abatement.

Eyal
Weizman on the Architectural-Image Complex, Forensic Archeology and Policing
across the Desertification Line







Incidents
in global politics are usually apprehended as the patterned interaction of macro-actors
such as states. Eyal Weizman takes a different tack—an architect by training,
Weizman tackles incidents through detailed readings of heterogeneous materials—digital
images, debris, reforestation, blast patterns in ruins—to piece together concrete
positions of engagement in specific legal, political, or activist controversies
in global politics. In this Talk,
Weizman—among others—elaborates on methods across scales and material
territories, discusses the interactions of environment and politics, and traces
his trajectory in forensic architecture.




Print version of this Talk (pdf)




What
is—or should be—according to you, the biggest challenge, central focus or
principal debate in critical social sciences?



We
live in an age in which there is both a great storm of information and a
progressive form of activism seeking to generate transparency in relation to government
institutions, corporations or secret services. These forms of exposure
exponentially increase the number of primary sources on corporations and state
and provide also rare media from war zones, but this by itself does not add
more clarity. It could increase confusion and increasingly be used disseminate
false information and propaganda. The challenge is to start another process to
carefully piece together and compose this information.



I'm
concerned with research about armed conflict. Contemporary conflict tends to take
place in urban environments saturated with media of varicose sorts, whenever
violence is brought into a city, it provokes an enormous production of images,
clips, sounds, text, etc.



As
conflict in Iraq, Syria, Missouri and the Ukraine demonstrate, one of the most
important potential sources for conflict investigations is produced by the very
people living in the war zones and made available in social networks almost
instantly. The citizens recording events in conflict zones are conscious of
producing testimonies and evidence, and importantly so, they do so on their own
terms. The emergence of citizen journalists/witness has already restructured
the fields of journalism with most footage composing Al Jazeera broadcasts, for
example, being produced by non-professional media. The addition of a huge
multiplicity of primary sources, live testimonies and filmed records of events,
challenge research methods and evidentiary practices. There is much locational
and spatial information that can be harvested from within these blurry, shaky
and unedited images/clips and architectural methodologies are essential in
reconstructing incidents in space. Architecture is a good framework to
understand the world, alongside others.



Whereas
debates around the 'politics of the image' in the field of photography and
visual cultures tended to concentrate on the decoding of single images and
photojournalistic trophy shots we now need to study the creation of extensive
'image-complexes' and inhabit this field reconstruct events from images taken
at different perspective and at different times. The relation between images is
architectural, best composed and represented within 3D models. Architectural
analysis is useful in locating other bits of evidence—recorded testimonies,
films and photos—from multiple perspectives in relation to one other bits of
evidence and cross referring these in space.



But
'image complexes' are about interrogating the field of visibility it is also
about absence, failures of representation, blockages or destruction of images.





How
did you arrive at where you currently are in your thinking about global
politics?



I'm
an architect, and my intellectual upbringing is in architectural theory and
spatial theory. I tend to hold on to this particular approach when I'm entering
a geopolitical context or areas that would otherwise be the domain of
journalists and human rights people, traditional jurists, etc. Architecture taught
me to pay attention to details, to materiality, to media, and to make very
close observations about the way built structures might embody political
relations.



When I study political situations, I
study them as an architect: I look at the way politics turns into a material—spatial
practice—the materialization, and at the spatialization, of political forces. Architectural
form—as I explained many times—is slowed-down force. My thinking is structured
around a relation between force and form. And form, for an architect, is an
entry point from which to read politics. So when I look at matter and material
reality—like a building, a destroyed building, a piece of infrastructure, a
road or bridge, a settlement or suburb or city—I look at it as a product of a political
force field. But it is never static. A city always grows, expands or contracts
recording the multiple political relations that shaped it.



Buildings
continuously record their environment. So one can read political force on buildings.
In taking this approach, I am influenced by building surveyors, and insurance
people going into a building to look at a scratch in a wall to piece together
what might have happened, and what might still happen. So I feel like a kind of
property surveyor on the scale of a city at times of war. But in practicing
this forensic architecture
I also work like an archaeologist: archaeology is about looking at material remains
and trying to piece together the cultural, political, military, or social spheres.
But I'm an archaeologist of very recent past or of the present. While
some of my investigations will always retain a haptic dimension based on
material examination, much of it is an analysis of material captured and
registered by various medias. Verify, locate, compose and cross-reference a
spatial reality from images of architecture.





What
would a student need to become a specialist in your field or understand the
world in a global way?



The institutes I run do not recruit
only architects. We need to open up the disciplinary bounds of education. We work
with filmmakers and architects and with artists.



It embodies a desire to understand
architecture as a field of inquiry, with which you can interrogate reality as
it is effectively registering material transformation. I see architecture as a
way of augmenting our way of seeing things in the world, but it's not for me a
kind of sacred field that should not be touched or changed.



But I'm also using architecture
across the entire spectrum of its relation to politics, from the very dystopian—with
forensic architecture, a kind of architectural pathology—to the utopian. I have
a studio in Palestine with Palestinian partners of mine, and internationals.
Alessandro Petty and Sandi Hilal
are in this group, which is called Decolonizing Architure. It's this group that is engaged in
very utopian projects for the West Bank and Palestine and the return of
refugees and so on. So I use architecture across the entire spectrum, from the
very dystopian to the very utopian. Architecture is simply a way of engaging
the world and its politics. Space is the way of establishing relations between
things. And actually space is not static, it is both a means of establishing
relations between people and objects and things. Just as material itself is
always an event, always under transformation. So that is something I have taken
from architecture and try to bring into politics, but not only in analyzing
crimes, but in producing the reality yet to come.



So what we
need from people is the desire to understand aesthetics as a field of inquiry,
not simply as a pleasurable play of beauty and pleasing kind of effect, but as
a kind of very sensorial field, sensorium, in which you can interrogate reality
as it is effectively registering material transformation. So I would look
simply for that kind of sensorial intensity and high critical approach and
understanding and speculating of how it is we know what we think we know. Of
course, you cannot see, or you do not know what you see, you do not have the
language to interpret or question what it is you 'see' without abstract
constructs. This means I don't necessarily look for theoretical capacities in
people: I see theory as a way of augmenting our way of seeing things in the
world, of registering them, of decoding them, but it's not for me a kind of
sacred field to which I submit in any way.







So
what is it you work on now?



I'm mostly trying to establish forensic architecture as a
critical field of practice and as an agency that produce and disseminate
evidence about war crimes in urban context. Recent forensic investigations in Guatemala
and in the Israeli Negev involved
the intersection of violence and environmental transformations, even climate
change. For trials and truth commissions, we analyze the extent to which
environmental transformation intersect with conflict.



The imaging of this
previously invisible types of violence—'environmental violence' such as land degradation, the destruction of fields and forests (in the tropics), pollution
and water diversion, and also long term processes of desertification—we use as new type of evidence of processes dispersed across time
and space. There are other conflicts that unfold in relation to climatic and
environmental transformations and in particular in relation to environmental
scarcity.



Conflict has reciprocal
interaction with environment transformation: environmental change could
aggravate conflict, while conflict tends to generate further environmental
damage. This has been apparent in Darfur, Sudan where the conflict was
aggravated by increased competition over arable due to local land erosion and desertification.
War and insurgency have occurred along Sahel—Arabic for 'shoreline'—on the
southern threshold of the Sahara Desert, which is only ebbing as million of
hectares of former arable land turn to desert. In past decades, conflicts have
broken out in most countries from East to West Africa, along this shoreline:
Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Chad, Niger, Mali, Mauritania, and Senegal.
In 2011 in the city of Daraa, farmers' protests, borne out of an extended cycle
of droughts, marked
the beginning of the Syrian civil war. Similar processes took place in the
eastern outskirts of Damascus, Homs, al-Raqqah and along the threshold of the
great Syrian and Northern Iraqi Deserts. These transformations impact upon
cities, themselves a set of entangled natural/man-made environments. The conflict
and hardships along desertification bands compel dispossessed farmers to embark
upon increasingly perilous paths of migrations, leading to fast urbanization at
the growing outskirts of the cities and slams.



I'm
trying to understand these processes across desert thresholds. There has been a
very long colonial debate about what is the line beyond which the desert begins.
Most commonly it was defined as 200 mm rain per annum. Cartographers were
trying to draw it, as it represented, to a certain extent, the limit of
imperial control. From this line on, most policing was done through bombing of
tribal areas from the air. Since the beginning, the emergence of the use of air
power in policing in the post World War I period—aerial control, aerial
government—took form in places that were perceived, at the time, as lying
beyond the thresholds or edges of the law. The British policing of Iraq, the
French in Syria, and Algeria, the Italians in Libya are examples where control
would hover in air.



Up
to now I was writing about borders that were physical and manmade: walls in the
West Bank or Gaza and the siege around it—most notably in Hollow Land (2007, read the introduction here).
Now I started to write about borders that are made by the interaction of people
and the environment—like the desert line—which is not less violent and brutal. The
colonial history of Palestine has been an attempt to push the line of the
desert south, trying to make it green or bloom—this is in Ben Gurion's terms—but
the origins of this statement are earlier and making the desert green and
pushing the line of the desert was also Mussolini's stated aim. On the other
hand, climate change is now pushing that line north.



Following
not geopolitical but meteorological borders, helps me cut across a big
epistemological problem that confines the writing in international relations or
geopolitics within the borders organize your writing. Braudel is an
inspiration but, for him, the environment of the Mediterranean is basically
cyclically fixed. The problem with geographical determinism is that it takes
nature as a given, cyclical, milieu which then affects politics—but I think we
are now in a period where politics affects nature in the same way in which
nature affects politics. The climate is changing in the same speed as human
history.





What does your background in
architecture add to understanding the global political controversies you engage
in?



We are a forensic agency that
provides services to prosecution teams around the world. With our amazing
members we ran 20-odd cases around the world from the Amazon to Atacama, for
the UN, for Amnesty, for Palestinian NGOs, in Gaza of course, West Bank, issues
of killings, individual killings in the West Bank that we do now, and much more
drastic destructions.



Forensic Architecture is unique in using
architectural research methodologies to analyze violations of human rights and
international humanitarian law as they bear upon the built environment—on
buildings, cities and territories, and this is why we get many commissions. We
produced architectural evidence for numerous investigations and presented them
in a number of cases in national and international courts and tribunals. We
were commissioned by the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights to study single
destroyed buildings, as well as patterns of destruction, resulting from
drone warfare in Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia and Gaza. This study was presented at
the UN General Assembly in New York. We developed techniques to locate the
remains of buildings and villages overgrown by thick rain forests and presented
this material as evidence in the genocide trial of former president Efraín Ríos
Montt in the National Court of Guatemala and the Inter-American
Court. We quantified and analyzed levels of architectural destruction in Gaza
after the 2014 conflict for Amnesty International. We provided architectural
models and animations to support a petition against the wall in Battir
submitted to the Israeli High Court, helping to win the case.



Recently, we use and deal with the
reconstruction of human testimony. Witnesses to war give account of the worst
moment of their lives; times when their dear ones have died or hurt. Their
memory is disturbed, and tends to be blurred. We have developed a way of very
carefully interviewing and discussing with witnesses. Together with them, we
build digital models of their own homes. So we can see a very slow process of reconstruction
of the relation between memory space and architecture. And events start coming
back, through the process of building.



In order to develop this, we needed
to explore the historical use of memory and architecture, such as Frances Yates'
The Art of Memory (read it here), as well as different accounts on
the use of trauma, and bring them into the digital age, bring an understanding
of the relation of testimony and evidence into contemporary thinking. Single
incidents tend to be argued away as aberrations of 'standard operating
procedures'. To bring charges against government and military leaderships, it
is necessary to demonstrate 'gross and systematic' violations.
This means finding consistent and repeated patterns of
violations. Architectural analysis, undertaken on the level of
the city is able to demonstrate repetition and transformations in patterns of
violation/destruction in space and time—within the battle zone along the
duration of the conflict. Architectural analysis is useful not only in dealing
with architectural evidence—i.e with destroyed buildings—but also helpful in
locating other bits of evidence—testimony films or photos—in relation to one
other bits of evidence, and cross referring these in space.



Urban violence unfolds at different
intensities, speeds and spatial scales: it is made of patterns of multiple
instantaneous events as well as slower incremental processes of 'environmental
violence' that affects the transformation of larger territories. We aims to analyze
and present the relation between forms of violence that occur at different
space and time scales. From eruptive kinetic violence of the instantaneous/human
incident through patterns of destruction mapped across and along the duration
of urban conflict, to what Rob Nixon calls the 'slow violence' of environmental
transformation (read the introduction of the eponymous book here,
pdf).





Last question. How does your approach to research relate to, or differ
from, approaches to international politics?



To study conflict as a reality that unfolds across
multiple scales, we use the microphysical approach—dealing with details,
fragments and ruins—as an entry-point from which we will unpack the larger
dynamics of a conflict. We reconstruct singular incidents, locate them in space
and time to look for and identify patterns, then study these patterns in
relation to long terms and wide-scale environmental transformations. This
approach seeks to make connections between, what Marc Bloch of the Annales
School called 'micro- and macro-history, between close-ups and extreme long
shots' in his thesis on historical method. This topological approach is
distinct from a traditional scalar one: the macro
(political/strategic/territorial) situation will not be seen a root cause for a
myriad set of local human right violations (incidents/tactics). In the complex
reality of conflict, singularities are equally the result of 'framing
conditions' and also contributing factors to phase transitions that might
affect, or 'de-frame' as Latour has put it, changes occurring in wider areas.
Instead of nesting smaller scales within larger ones, our analysis will seek to
fluidly shift from macro to micro, from political conditions to individual
cases, from buildings to environments and this along multiple threads,
connection and feedback loops.



While in relation to the single
incident it might still be possible to establish a direct, liner connection
between the two limit figures of the perpetrator and the victim along the model
of (international) criminal law, evidence for environmental violence is more
scattered and diffused. Instead, it requires the examination of what we call
'field causalities'—causal ecologies that are non-linear, diffused,
simultaneous, and that involve multiple agencies and feedback loops,
challenging the immediacy of 'evidence'. 




Establishing field causalities requires the
examination of force fields and causal ecologies, that are non-linear,
diffused, simultaneous and involve multiple agencies and feedback loops.
Whereas linear causality entails a focus on sequences of causal events on the
model of criminal law that seeks to trace a direct line between the two limit
figures of victim and perpetrator field causality involves the spatial
arrangement of simultaneous sites, actions and causes. It is inherently relational
and thus a spatial concept. By treating space as the medium of relation between
separate elements of evidence brought together, we aim to expand the analytical
scope of forensic architecture. It is inherently relational and thus a spatial
concept. By treating space as the medium of relation between separate elements
of evidence brought together, field causalities expands the analytical scope of
forensic architecture.



Let me illustrate this a bit. Forms
of violence are crucially convertible one to another. Drying fields along the
Sahel or the Great Syrian Desert, for example, reach a point in which they can
no longer support their farmers, contributing to impoverishment, migration to
cities, slumnization and waves of protest that might contribute to the eruption
of armed conflict. These layers call for a form of architectural analysis able
to shift and synthesize information at different scales—from single incidents
as they are registered in the immediate spatial setting, through patterns of
violations across the entire urban terrain to 'environmental violence'
articulated in the transformation of large territories.





Eyal Weizman is an architect, Professor of Visual Cultures and director
of the Centre for Research Architecture at Goldsmiths, University of London.
Since 2011 he also directs the European Research Council funded project, Forensic
Architecture - on the place of architecture in international
humanitarian law. Since 2007 he is a founding member of the architectural
collective DAAR in Beit
Sahour/Palestine. Weizman has been a professor of architecture at the Academy
of Fine Arts in Vienna and has also taught at the Bartlett (UCL) in London at
the Stadel School in Frankfurt and is a Professeur invité at the École des
hautes études en sciences sociales (EHESS) in Paris. He lectured, curated and
organised conferences in many institutions worldwide. His books include Mengele's
Skull (with Thomas Keenan at Sterenberg Press 2012), ForensicArchitecture (dOCUMENTA13
notebook, 2012), The Least of all Possible Evils (Nottetempo
2009, Verso 2011), Hollow Land (Verso, 2007), A
Civilian Occupation (Verso, 2003), the series Territories 1,2
and 3, Yellow Rhythms and many articles in journals, magazines
and edited books. 



Related links





Facultyprofile at Goldsmith
Forensic Architecture homepage
Read
Weizman's introduction to Forensis
(2014) here
(pdf)
Read
Weizman's Forensic Architecture: Notes
from Fields and Forums (dOCUMENTA 2012) here
(pdf)
Read
Weizman's Lethal Theory (2009) here (pdf)
Read
the introduction to Weizman's Hollow Land
(2007) here
(pdf)


Print version of this Talk (pdf)




0
0
1
3506
19988
School of Global Studies, University of Gothenburg
166
46
23448
14.0





Normal
0




false
false
false

DA
JA
X-NONE









































































































































































/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}

This essay continues with a discussion concerning the intersection between indigenous technological adoption/adaptation and the range of perspectives with respect to local communities' use of technology in general. Analytical instruments will be presented at the end of this article. First, however, the reader will have the opportunity to examine the 'views' of outsiders with respect to the debate surrounding sustainability, environmental management and territorial ordering. Responses to an on-line survey concerning the above issues together with my own comments, will add to the discussion. ; Gestión ambiental; Ordenamiento Territorial; Sostenibilidad; TIC; Usos ; 1 TECHNOLOGY IN NORTHWEST AMAZONIA (NWA) VIEWS OF VIEWS: SUSTAINABILITY, ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT AND TERRITORIAL ORDERING A contribution to a Political Ecology for Northwest Amazonia1 This essay continues with a discussion concerning the intersection between indigenous technological adoption/adaptation and the range of perspectives with respect to local communities' use of technology in general2. Analytical instruments will be presented at the end of this article. First, however, the reader will have the opportunity to examine the 'views' of outsiders with respect to the debate surrounding sustainability, environmental management and territorial ordering. Responses to an on-line survey concerning the above issues together with my own comments, will add to the discussion. Aims Initially there were two aims behind the construction of a website. One of was to overcome impediments to my personal mobility and direct access3. ICT facilitated communications with other interested people and helped solicit their views on indigenous management of the forest and their opinions with respect to the process of territorial ordering in Amazonia. The other aim was to serve the process of opening up political opportunities for NWA's inhabitants. Grassroots organisations all around the globe were (and are) establishing links through ICT. The indigenous peoples of Amazonia may attempt the same and this experience could, in the future, be an instrument of education for NWA. The introduction of such technology among indigenous peoples, if possible, will have impacts, which will to be judged as positive or negative, depending of the political interests of the observer and the moment of observation. It is argued here, that despite there being no indisputable positive or negative effects of technological transfer, it would be contrary to indigenous people's rights to self-determination to prevent the promotion of ICT among them. We wish to question conservative forces: if governments, corporations, NGOs and even international drug dealers and terrorist groups are using ICT to fortify their political positions, why should indigenous peoples be denied access to it? The access (or lack of it) of grassroots organisations to ICT facilitates (or impedes) the 1 The author wishes to thank: Jim Connor and Mark Bennett of Imperial College, the former for his advice on the use of Arcview-GIS and the latter for helping to write the cgi-script form for the website. Thanks are also due to: Stuart Peters from the University of Surrey for training in Web- Page design; Adriana Rico from Páginas.Net for valuable advice during the design process and Alvaro Ocampo for a detailed critique of Kumoro.com before it went live. I also wish to thank the Board of Puerto Rastrojo Foundation, which gave me permission to use their vegetation map as a base for the Yaigojé vegetation map that appears on the web-site. Finally thanks to all the people that took the time to fill out the on-line survey. Their contributions made this chapter possible. 2 This discussion was introduced in "Technology in Northwest Amazonia: Sketches from Inside" (Forero 2002b). 3 A restriction of one of the scholarships the author was granted as well as guerrilla incursions at the time, prevented the author from going back to NWA. 2 development of their rights to be informed (and educated) in accordance with the actual historical context of a globalising corporate economy and cultural hybridisation. For indigenous peoples, as well as for other ethnic minorities, financial resources to set up ICT are extremely limited compared to those of corporations, governments and even NGOs. The establishment of an ICT network for indigenous peoples' organisations in NWA remains a Utopia. But without a Utopian vision there is no aim for social mobilisation; this is something that was underlined by responses to the on-line survey. Fieldwork in NWA involved the author in the territorial ordering process, helping with the formation of indigenous people's organisations, and getting involved in communities' economic and educational projects. My work in NWA can thus be characterised as participatory action research (PAR) and one way of continuing to engage in PAR without going back to the field was to set up a website, wait for an opportunity to share my experience with the people of NWA and promote projects that would allow them to take over the website and use it for their own projects4. Deconstruction of an Internet generated discourse Elsewhere the author has dealt with descriptions and deconstructions of discourses of indigenous and institutional organisations, be they NGOs, churches, governmental or international. This process of deconstruction has included the author's own work among indigenous organisations and NGOs, which was one of the aims of "Indigenous knowledge and the scientific mind: activism or colonialism?" (Forero 2002a). I wish to explain the inclusion of governmental and non-governmental organisations within the category 'institutional'. There are great differences as well as important coincidences in governmental actions and the work of NGOs in developing countries due to the limited nature and poor quality of State-driven action in such nations. E.g. in Colombia, COAMA, the largest NGO network in NWA, has been involved in the political administrative reforms, and served as a consultant in matters of education, health and sustainable production. Furthermore, COAMA staff accompanied indigenous peoples in all these processes and without their intervention it is doubtful that many of the indigenous political organisations of Amazonia would ever have succeeded in their quest for legal recognition5. NGOs and governmental institutions may pursue similar political aims and share administrative structures. Inasmuch as small organisations are successful, (and usually this success is a result of strong personal commitment to a cause and personal knowledge of all members of the organisation), they tend to obtain more funds, which in turn forces them to become increasingly bureaucratic. As 4 At the time of writing (May 2002) the author was preparing to visit NWA at the invitation of indigenous leaders, including the Co-ordinator of an education committee who wanted to discuss the roll of ICT in education. 5 See Forero, Laborde et al. 1998 and the interview with the director of COAMA Martín von Hildebrand, in The Ecologist 2002 (Vol. 32 No.1-February). 3 organisations grow, individual members have fewer opportunities to get to know each other personally and maintain an accordance of principles, aims and political means. This is not to say that NGOs are condemned to be inefficient bureaucratic institutions, (which is not uncommon among developing countries' governmental institutions). But it is important to draw attention to the risk that when resources are pumping in and recruitment is growing there is more chance of becoming detached from grassroots sensibilities with respect to issues and less chance of correctly interpreting local developmental idioms. Views of Indigenous Environmental Management The design, production and publishing of a website on the development of a political ecology for NWA, taking the Yaigojé Resguardo as a study case, may seem a very simple task with little impact. But it proved to be a very delicate matter that involved exhausting work. The production of a map of the Yaigojé Resguardo, (which was to be included on the website) has been explained elsewhere, although it is worth mentioning something about the methodology involved. The author accompanied shamans (who were selected by indigenous leaders from the Apaporis) on several trips in which all the recognised sacred places of the Apaporis River and some of its tributaries where identified. The shamans learn the names of the places during their training. These names are recited in myths, chants and spells. The shamans carry, as they say, the map within themselves. It is impressive to see these men point to a place and give its name without hesitation. It is like this even when they have never been in that place before. It is impressive that this orally transmitted geography corresponds so precisely to the physical aspects that start to become relevant for people who, like the author, have different epistemological instruments for their interpretations of the world. While visiting the sacred places shamans spoke of trips they had made previously. In the case of shamanistic trips, visits did not actually involve physical journeys, but what were referred to as trips en pensamiento, en espíritu (in thought, in spirit). While accompanying them I recorded the geographical co-ordinates using a satellite guided geographical positioning system (GPS). The geographical co-ordinates thus generated were converted to plane co-ordinates and a map was generated using AUTOCAD software. Translations, drawings and reflections about this map-making process are included in a MSc thesis of the University of Warwick (Forero 1999). The work I will describe now, although partially derived from my work with the shamans is distinct in character and intention from that reported in Forero (1999). The use of technological gadgetry allowed me partially to reflect the Tukano world in a way that non-indigenous people could understand. And although this was a significant and, I believe, useful undertaking the real knowledge of the territory lies within the shamans with whom I worked. The fact that the 'indigenous territorial' aspects of the website are illustrated with maps is a by-product of the technology. A more significant value of the work (and the reason behind the shamans' wish to become involved in mapping) is that the maps were going to provide evidence for the legal process through which the ACIYA 4 indigenous organisation would claim rights over lands outside the recognised Resguardo Indigenous Reserve (Forero, Laborde et al. 1998). This work was successful and an extension to the Resguardo was indeed granted. Work on the website began by making a provisional outline of the desired end product. The original plan included six pages: Introduction (Home), vegetation map, traditional territorial map, discussion (an introduction to the political ecology of the Yaigojé Resguardo), bibliography (for those looking for references to NWA and the Yaigojé in particular), and a questionnaire that would generate the information from which this chapter has been developed6. The contrasting discourses obtained from the questionnaires Although I shall refer to percentages in this section, there is no intention of making any predictions based on statistical analyses. Neither is it suggested that the analysis of questionnaires can provide an objective account of outsiders' opinions with respect to the politics of the environment and people of NWA. The following notes are not representative in that sense and such was never the intention of the exercise. What is intended is that the reader gets an insight into the perceptions of survey respondents. What is important in a qualitative data analysis, like this, is to present differential tendencies. If discourses are constituents of reality then the confusing scenario of political confrontation in NWA should be linked to the visions and perspectives of all of us, including the views of people that have never been in Amazonia but nonetheless hold an opinion. And, if there is a marked difference between indigenous and exogenous perspectives with respect to sustainability and environmental management in Amazonia, which relates to whether people have visited NWA or not, this should be reflected in the answers to the surveys. The information generated from the on-line survey was collected between May and December of 2001. Eight hundred invitations were sent through e-mail. They were sent mainly to academics and organisations working on indigenous issues, conservation or sustainable development in NWA. One of these invitations reached COLNODO7 and the ICT network asked if we wished to submit the website in a weekly contest for the best new website, which we did and subsequently won! This meant that COLNODO subscribers were notified and invited to visit the site. But we have no idea how many hits were derived from COLNODO invitation. What we know is that during these 8 months we received 51 completed survey forms. This is a 6.4% response rate to the original 800 invitations8. 6 The survey form is in Appendix 1and, a summary of the technical work involved in the construction of the web-site is in Appendix 2. 7 "COLNODO is a Colombian communications network serving organizations dedicated to community development. It is operated by the non-profit organization called Colombian Association of Non-Governmental Organizations for Email Communication" (http://www.colnodo.org.co/summary_english.html). For a critical review of COLNODO work the interested reader could consult Gómez, R. 1998. 8 This response rate is rather low relative to postal questionnaire surveys, but we are unable to assess it relative other on-line surveys. 5 For the purposes of the analysis respondents (R) were divided into two groups: those claiming to have visited NWA (VA – 29% of R) and those claiming not to have visited the region (NVA – 71% of R). With respect to occupation, 68% of R come from the academic sector, including five anthropologists (almost 10% of R) all of whom had visited NWA. In contrast, although there were the same number of environmental managers as anthropologists answering the questionnaire, none had visited NWA. With respect to gender, the percentage of male (53%) and female (47%) respondents is similar across both VA and NVA groups. In terms of age, there were four groups: 1) 18 to 24, 2) 25 to 34, 3) 35 to 50, and 4) over 50. For R the percentages were: 8%, 47%, 35% and 10% respectively. The majority of respondents belong to the second group, between 25 to 34 years of age. However with respect to age groups the composition of VA and NVA groups differs: 56% of the NVA group belong to this second age cohort (25-34), while the majority of the VA group (47%) is between 35 and 50. Additionally, 13% of the VA group are over 50. 61% of the NVA group are between 18 and 34 years of age, while 60% of those that have visited Amazonia are over 35. A comparison of age among the survey respondents thus shows that those that have visited Amazonia (VA) tend to be older than those that have not (NVA). To distinguish among the views held by survey respondents we have to present the responses to each of the questions of the survey. We have made some associations of responses with the intention of outlining the different tendencies that we identify, but the reader might identify others. Before we do so a word about the view of respondents with respect to the website itself should be said. Website evaluation An evaluation of the web-site made by users was included in the questionnaire. Respondents were asked to rate the site between four categories: poor, fair, good and excellent. These categories were chosen as follows: 0, 2, 32 and 15 respectively. Two of the respondents did not offer a rating for the site. Additionally, respondents had the opportunity to suggest improvements. Some respondents suggested changes in design: modification of fonts and colours (some changes had already taken place). There were those who asked for more pictures, a photo album, more links and the construction of a chat room. With respect to the content, some wanted more ethnographic data, another more on political ecology, others asked for better visibility of the maps, while others called for additional links to related sites, and/or more information in general. One suggestion was to make the website less personalised, while another expressed interest in knowing more about the author's research project. Others asked for an enhanced bibliography. Some changes had already taken place by the time these comments were analysed but further changes are still being undertaken at the time of writing. With respect to the questionnaire, two people suggested larger windows to facilitate vision and to be able to comment largely, in contrast, another suggested encouraging more 'yes/no' responses. An important suggestion was: "Perhaps it is now appropriate to include some questions on communication 6 and information flows" (S52). Although not sought explicitly, information was gathered with respect to the use of ICT in the territorial ordering process of Amazonia. One of the respondents suggested that in future the website should be used by indigenous peoples of the Yaigojé. This has been the intention of the author, which has made a visit to Yaigojé (summer 2002) with intention to advance in that direction. Access to ICT for the indigenous peoples of the Yaigojé Resguardo is very limited but present. Future modification of the site will respond to indigenous peoples' feedback. During the visit few indigenous people gave their opinions on the website but several discussions on the roll of ICT in developmental processes took place9. Q1 - Are development and sustainability compatible? A clear response to Question 1 was that this depends on the definition of both terms: "It is impossible to answer this question as it is, as both terms are open to interpretation… " (S26). The question could have been and was read as: Is sustainable development attainable? Respondent S26 continued: "I think sustainable development is possible but hard to achieve in an environment of often conflicting interests and values (economic vs. environmental vs. cultural.)… " One respondent (S22) did not answer this particular question, and two others seemed to be confused (S38 and S41). Forty respondents (78% of R) answered that they were or could be compatible, although there are differences in the way they perceived this compatibility. Development first There were few respondents that failed to question the meaning of 'development' as concept or practice: the developmental project. These responses somehow postulated that certain environmental concerns should be acknowledged and dealt with in order for the development processes to continue: "Yes… . Development as the integration of western technologies or increase of income per capita, can be carefully done by implementing appropriate technologies into the productive activities of the communities. Sustainability defined as a continuous productivity level over the long term." (S2); "Yes. It is only a question of integration of environmental considerations in all we do and adjustment of behaviours accordingly." (S12); "Yes, because there can never be sustainability without development. People have, first to develop for them to have a sense of sustainability." (S13); "Yes, I do. The point is how you can reach a determinate "state" of development without undermining financial, ecological and human capacities in a determinate site (or taking into account their characteristics)." (S40) SD: human - environmental security There were others that perceived the compatibility or the possibility of sustainable development as the chance to diminish human/environmental security risks: "Yes of course in the long run - otherwise life is not possible." (S18); 9 The author is currently preparing a report that will summarise some of these discussions. 7 "Yes. Both are necessary for the survival of the area." (S21); "Si. Solo las acciones en el hoy nos pueden garantizar acciones en el mañana. (Yes. Only by taking action now we can guarantee we could act tomorrow)." (S23); "Yes, development should always be sustainable otherwise there are costs that are not taken into account. i.e. cost of pollution" (S39); "We don't have any choice. We have to make development and sustainability compatible as it's the only way we can survive and at the same time preserve the earth for future generations." (S42) Pessimism, in the sense that without SD life will no longer be possible, was to be repeated in the responses to all of the survey questions. Sustainability is an aim The majority of the respondents that believed development and sustainability to be compatible or capable of becoming compatible, were also of the opinion that the goal of sustainable development had not yet been achieved. Some of them discussed requisite conditions for achieving sustainability. They either underlined the importance of accepting sustainability as a guiding principle for development policy and interventions or/(and) exemplified ways in which sustainable practices might be instituted: "They have to be. I think they are because they have to be. I am optimistic that eventually it will be seen as natural to have sustainable development, but the problem is when this attitude kicks in." (S3) "Depends on how you define the two terms. If you mean that human quality of life can improve while maintaining the natural resource base, I think this is possible but very difficult to achieve." (S5) "Yes, but development in qualitative and not in quantitative terms." (S8) "Yes… there can be sustainable development in an ecological sense of the word - which means installing 'best ecological practice' in planning development." (S24) "No solo lo creo sino que estoy seguro que ambos pueden ser compatibles. Un desarrollo sin considerar ciertos indicadores de sustentabilidad/ sotenibilidad no es posible o viceversa. Uno y otro deberan de ir al parejo tratando de limar los conflictos que a menudo surgen cuando se pretende no un desarrollo pero un crecimiento economico sin considerar la parte social/cultural o ecologica. (Not only I believe that the two can be compatible, I am certain. Development without considering certain indicators of sustainability is impossible or vice versa. Both should go hand in hand, trying to solve the social, cultural and ecological problems that often arise when economic growth rather than sustainable development is the goal)." (S 25) "Sim, no alto rio Negro onde trabalho a ideia e essa: implementar um programa regional de desenvolvimento indedgena sustentado. (Yes, in the Upper Black River, where I work, the idea is precisely to implement a regional programme for sustainable indigenous development)" (S29) "Yes they are. The problem is with the material and energy growth and its compatibility with some environmental standards, like critical thresholds and so on." (S35) "Yes. The only way is by avoiding rapid over-development and having good planning."(S37) ".El concepto de desarrollo sostenible lo veo mucho mas como algo a lo que se quiere llegar, es una nocion implementada por parte de las politicas gubernamentales y ong's donde lo que se 8 procura con estos es el aprovechamiento al maximo de los recursos con un minimo impacto ambiental y social. (I see the concept of sustainable development as goal towards which we heading. It is an idea implemented through governmental and non-governmental policies which aim at maximum exploitation of resources with a minimum of environmental and social impacts)." (S48) "Yes, because they represent the best option to keep for human life." (S51) The need for local definitions Among the respondents that considered sustainability and development compatible if certain conditions were met, there is group of responses that emphasised the need for local definitions of 'sustainability' and 'development', or 'sustainable development': "They can be compatible providing that development is targeted at the right level i.e. small scale and in-keeping with the natural resources and environment." (S5) "Depende de las condiciones y del desarrollo para quién? Por lo tanto el desarrollo es sostenible si es buscado y logrado por la misma comunidad local (It depends on the conditions and on the question 'Development for whom'? Development can only be sustainable if it is sought and implemented by the local community itself)" (S20) "Yes but mainly if made through indigenous methodologies in their territories in Amazonia" (S27) "Yes. There is work done in northern Scandinavia where the "sammi" (lapps) have been given economical support and encouraged to create their own parliament. They have programs protecting their way of life, language and customs. The Norwegian broadcasting company NRK sends news in the language and coastal dialects. All this, at least for Norwegian sammi (lapps) has been key factors in late developments where communities have developed economically achieving great sustainability, contributing, not only to their well being, but to the sustainability of the inhospitable sub-artic regions." (S31) "Yes - but only if there is an 'appropriate' deployment of tools, techniques and processes of development in line with local community needs." (S52) Semantics and the economic imperative Interestingly, one respondent was very pessimistic about the possibilities for sustainable development even when it was sought and pursued at the local level. This respondent brought into the equation the idea that people are driven by monetary benefits to deplete their environment, even though they know that such practices are unsustainable: "To a certain degree, yes. I think that monetary considerations will always outweigh humanitarian concerns and it is very hard to convince people who are seeking a living from sometimes-meagre resources that it is in their own good to give consideration to long-term sustainable use of their resources. It is usually easier and cheaper to move on to the next area when one area has been depleted." (S17) This last argument derives from a rationality that considers poor people to be collaborators in their own misery. In this particular response there was no questioning of the developmental project or the social structures within which people are stimulated to act regardless of the future; but it did address 'monetary considerations' as the driving force. 9 Those responses that argued that the concepts are incompatible claimed an intrinsic contradiction in "sustainable development": "Development of any kind cannot sustain anything." (S4). Instead of blaming the people (needy or not), the proponents of incompatibility pointed their fingers at 'the system'; contemporary capitalist structures, the current developmental project and the prevailing economic model are seen as unavoidably contrary to sustainable practices: "No because development is premised upon economic gain, and capitalism is inherently unsustainable" (S10); "The problem with sustainability is that the economic model is not compatible with social, economic and ecological aspects at the same time and proportion. The neo-liberal model promotes the economic aspect leaving as secondary the social and ecological." (S19); "No, because development does not imply a recognition of limits or the necessity to preserve the natural and human resources used to achieve it. It is an economic concept, which has bases in the apparently unlimited uses of resources… " (S47); "… Si lo entemos [desarrollo] como crecimiento economico, por supuesto que no son compatibles. Ya que el crecimiento economico, tal y como lo plantean los economistas, excluye de raiz criterios sociales, culturales y ambientales requeridos para la sustentabilidad." (If we understand development as economic growth, of course they [sustainability and development] are not compatible. This is because economic growth, as economist have brought it up, excludes from its bases the environmental, cultural and social requirements of sustainability)" (S34) S.D. inconsistent with the present There are less radical rejections of the compatibility, which do not portray sustainable development as a contradiction itself but rather as inconsistent with current economic and ecological trends. The point such respondents make is that the necessary conditions for sustainable development are currently, rather than inherently unattainable: "… The current model of industrial development, where 'development' means material economic growth, is unlikely to be sustainable on a long term basis for the majority of the world population." (S1) "Present development of our world is clearly not sustainable" (S33) "Yes, they are compatible. But in a different social and economic order, not in the one the world is living now… " (S36) "Yes, if we change the way development is understood, for instance, development is associated to living styles resembling to those Europe and USA have, which are a lot related to consumption. But we could live in a healthier and more compatible way with our environment if we change our pattern of consumption and the generalised idea of development nowadays, it would be turning it into "only use what I need and get from nature, exclusively this, not until I just can't get anymore from it", 'cause I over pressed the place, to obtain more benefits. So, at last, this could be possible but in the long term, I hope not when there's nothing left to do." (S45) 10 Greening politics Some responses expressed doubts about the compatibility of sustainability and development. These doubts arise from the apparent use of "sustainability" as a green rhetoric, the aim of which is the continuation of projects that degrade the environment or human rights: ". usually development translates into cutting down natural habitats without regard to "sustaining" cultures" (S32); "In theory 'yes' but much depends on the definition of the terms and societies' acceptance of equal human rights and obligations to others." (S7) "Los conceptos de desarrollo y de sostenibilidad resultan ser bastantes amplios y ambiguos. En la mayoria de los casos cuando se plantean proyectos de desarrollo se trata de relacionarlos directamente con proyectos que resulten ser favorables para el medio ambiente. Como si un concepto llevara implicito otro, sin embargo creo que lo que se esta haciendo desde hace algunos años es precisamente disfrazar los proyectos de desarrollo para que sean aprobados bajo el nombre de mantenimiento del medio ambiente." (The concepts of sustainability and development are very ambiguous. In the majority of cases, there is an attempt to portray development projects as environmentally friendly[, a]s if one concept implied the other. However, I believe that what has been happening for the last few years is a camouflaging of development projects, in order to get them approved under the heading of environmental management) (S48). Reflections on responses to Q110: If "all development is not 'absolute' but will have a beginning and an end" (S24) then, "[d]evelopment of any kind cannot sustain anything." (S4). The impossibility of re-establishing high quality energy after it has been transform into low quality energy (or entropy) is a characteristic feature of closed systems, this would leave us with a world in decline where there is no possibility of sustaining anything. It could be argued that this is the case, as we cannot even guarantee perpetual solar energy flow. But this is perhaps taking the concept of sustainability too far, leaving us with no possibility for discussion. The central political discussion arising from the different responses revolves around the contradiction between those arguments of compatibility that leave the development project unquestioned and those that reject any possibility of compatibility because of a profound questioning of development. Between the two, the picture is blurred, undefined, open and elusive. There does not appear to be any significant correspondence between the two opposite groups of respondents in relation to whether they have been in Amazonia or not. Three out of five of the respondents claiming that there is absolutely no compatibility between development and sustainability have been in Amazonia; but so have two out of four of the respondents that left the development project unquestioned. However, it may be of some significance that none of those that accepted 'sustainable development' are related to social sciences. Those respondents with academic backgrounds in the social sciences all fit into groups 10 A schematic summary can be found in Table 1, Appendix 3. 11 that see sustainable development as a principle, something to be defined locally or as a reformist greening of politics. None of them were found in the group arguing for absolute incompatibility. The middle ground, where the picture is most blurred, came from the majority of respondents by whom it was argued that sustainable development may be possible but that they were unsure about how it might be achieved. Although these responses varied from those expressing suspiciousness (those pointing out the rhetoric of sustainability) to hope: "They have to be. I think they are because they have to be". This acceptance of a possibility of sustainable development, despite the semantic contradiction and current political rhetorical manipulation of the term, reflects a process of thinking and acting that is deeply rooted in Utopian beliefs. This 'sustainability' will happen in the future, in another time, when local communities take control of their lives and their resources, when environmental protection is taken seriously, when today's actions reflect our responsibility toward the future, etc. According to one of the respondents even continuous increases in productivity will be possible, when the proper technology has been developed. Q2 - Is there a relationship between indigenous reserves (IR) and protected areas (PA)? In Colombia IR are called "Resguardos Indígenas" or "Resguardos de Tierras". The term resguardo, literally means protection. Its meaning is not too different from that given to natural conservation areas of different grades: áreas protegidas, protected areas (PA). Both, IR and PA, emphasise the need for an area to be specially protected. Some of the respondents of this question pointed out an implicit relationship between IR and PA perhaps departing of this meaning: "… In a general sense, indigenous reserves are protected areas; they are protected from outside influence for the benefit of the indigenous people… " (S1); "Yes there are relationships. Both have natural systems and environmental quality that requires some level of conservation and protection" (S9); "Yes , for obvious reason. Because the protected reserves are a birth child of indigenous reserves and because we do not want to lose the nature environment the relationship should be maintained." (S13); "Yes, indigenous reserves are protected areas" (S28) As in the case of Q1 (Do you think that development and sustainability are compatible?) some respondents pointed out that it would depend on what we understand by the two terms: "Depends on the sort of protected area or what we mean with protected area… " (S25). "There could be" (S38); "It could be, but I am not sure" (S46); "… this has to be context specific" (S1). Five respondents simply said "yes" (S37, S18, S22, S43, S50) and one simply said "no" (S15). However many of the respondents did go on to qualify the relationship in some way. 12 Harmony or the need for it Some of the affirmative responses portrayed indigenous peoples as the guardians of the environment while others offered concrete examples of this viewpoint: "Si. Las culturas indigenas han demostrado que sus culturas han vivido armonicamente con su entorno durante miles de años" (Yes. Indigenous peoples have demonstrated that their cultures have lived in harmony with their environment during millennia). (S23); "Empirical evidence through statistical analysis has shown (particularly in Colombia in the north west region of the Sierra Nevada) that there is a direct relation between conservation and indigenous reserves. So, the answer is "yes, I do think so". (S40) There were those that referred to the need for a harmonic relationship because: 1) the environment should be protected for the benefit of indigenous peoples: "… indigenous reserves are related with spaces or areas that the government leaves for indigenous people and protected areas are where the local authorities or government provide the ($) resources in order to protect them" (S19); "Existe una relación, historica y cultural, respecto a su territorio, esto debe ser respetado y protegido para las mismas comunidades indigenas" (There is an historic and cultural relationship with respect to their territories. This should be respected and protected by indigenous communities for their own sake (S20). 2) the protection is fundamental for biodiversity conservation: "… Podria ser que se proteja un area porque existe cierta flora o fauna que esta en peligro de extincion. Por ejemplo, muchos animales que viven en la selva solo se aparean una vez al año en cierta temporada y si estos son interrumpidos por presencia humana su decendencia podria verse aun mas en peligro de extincion… " (It may be that an area is protected because there are endangered flora or fauna. For example, there are many rainforest animals that mate once a year or seasonally; if they are interrupted by human activities their progeny could be further endangered) (S25); "… development there should be restricted for the sake of conservation" (S33) 3) sustainable practices could be developed based on indigenous peoples' experiences: "Yes. By protecting areas where almost all indigenous people are more and more confined, there will be a way to preserve indigenous experiences in order for these experiences to contribute to a sustainable development." (S11). Utopia There were also those sorts of answers that reflected a feeling of hope or a sense of Utopia, in which a harmonic, positive relationship was acknowledged as desirable but not yet achieved: "I imagine IR to equate with PA in some way. Perhaps naively. IR is implicitly protected from external development forces, but not necessarily internal." (S3); "There can be. If people are continuing a way of life that has been sustainable in the past and are able to develop sustainably (… ) there is no reason why both should not coexist." (S6); "Most indigenous reserves must be also protected areas. How to effectively do it? I don't know." (S36); "In countries with mindless and irresponsible politicians and business people, it should be mandatory that 'indigenous reserves' must be synonymous with 'protected areas'. (S42) 13 Contamination and cultural imposition Some respondents signalled the risk of contamination, this is of indigenous peoples being influenced by a mestizo culture and therefore driven to break the presumed harmonic relationship with the natural environment. This may be seen as a lost opportunity, that of the rest of humanity to learn from indigenous experiences or, that of given indigenous people to assert managerial control: "Yes, as indigenous populations tend to live in harmony with nature these areas tend to require protection from the outside world. (S12); "… I also think it is difficult to put it into practice since indigenous people want to be part of the economic system and therefore there is a risk of depletion. Anyway who is better to protect certain areas than the people who have lived there for hundred of years!!!" (S39); "Yes, in fact, so far as I know, many of our indigenous people live in these protected areas, where most of them have been able to live in a sustainable way, I say most of them, because others are affected by the mestizo men that live nearby or want to get something from that place due to its economic importance, affecting these natural areas." (S45) It was pointed out that both types of jurisdiction, IR and PA, derived from a cultural-historical process, in which self-determination was not accounted for: "Yes, a very imperialistic one - especially in the Americas (including Canada). It is an old regressive link between the two, in the 60s and 70s this paternalistic viewpoint saw indigenous culture as static --which is wrong!" (S24); "Yes, they both seem to be defined by the ruling 'white' government." (S26) A respondent that had visited Amazonia (VA) added that there is resistance to this imposition, at least as far as indigenous peoples of Colombia are concerned: "yes-especially when indigenous management systems are practised in spite of the models of dominant society in Colombia" (S27). Similarly, another VA respondent suggested that in Colombia there are no friendly relationships between IR and PA: "It depends from country to country, but in Colombia no" (S10)! Analytical responses The analysis provided by some of the respondents tended to localise the relationship: to put it into the historical process. The analysis underlined the main problem for a "non-confrontational" relationship between IR and PA regimes. As they are designations that came about without public participation and from a rationality that is especially alien to indigenous peoples, when IRs and PAs overlap, competition for management arises. These type of answers either acknowledged that the relationship happens through overlap, or mentioned the difficulties of hitting indigenous rights and conservation target simultaneously: "Freedom of choice for all people, in terms of lifestyle, cultural heritage can translate into giving management control to indigenous people in protected areas. However the balance between sustainable economic development for indigenous people and at the same time protecting the environment is a difficult topic to discuss at a macro level. Individual environmental and socio-cultural circumstances need to be fully accounted for and explicitly articulated." (S7) "Yo creo que existe una relacion estrecha entre reservas indigenas y areas protegidas alrededor del mundo. Ya que estas dos figuras juridicas en muchos casos (p.e. Colombia) se encuentran translapadas." (I believe there is a close relationship between indigenous reserves and protected areas around the world. It derives from the fact that in many cases these two jurisdictions overlap) (S34). 14 "There is a relationship when they overlap, which I think happens often." (S44) "Los resguardos y las reservas indigenas han tenido la tendencia a considerarse y definirse como areas protegidas, sin embargo me parece importante tener en cuenta que al establecer los limites territoriales entre los resguardos quedan zonas intermedias que no pertenecen necesariamente a algun resguardo, y esto hace de un modo u otro que tambien se presenten roces con diferentes actores. Por la misma razon que al no estar circunscrito en un resguardo aparentemente se consideraría como un area no protegida… " (It has been the tendency to consider the resguardos and indigenous reserves as protected areas. However, I think it is worth considering that when the resguardo boundaries are established, there are zones in-between not ascribed to any resguardo. And this makes it somehow possible for different [political] actors to get confrontational. This happens as a consequence of the non-ascription of the in-between zone, which is not considered as protected area… ) (S48) However it came about and assuming that both jurisdictions are somehow competing, some respondents argued that IR should be more effective, as it gives responsibility to the people for their own lives: "Yes, although I think indigenous reserves serve to protect the environment/area better. This is because they are protected by local people who value the resources and use them in a traditional and more sustainable way. Protected areas can be designated/run by Governments and this can remove the responsibility from the indigenous peoples." (S5); "Yes. I think that indigenous reserves do offer more protection than protected areas because it gives local people more incentive to use sustainable practices. They can see it being in their own interests" (S17) In contrast, one respondent argued: "Maybe there is, but I don't believe in reserves" (S35). And a second respondent (VA) added that poverty have driven indigenous peoples to behave unsustainably: "I think it is possible. However, some indigenous areas are completely degraded because they are selling their natural resources to survive." (S53). This response (S53) is related to one of those made to Q1: "To a certain degree, yes. I think that monetary considerations will always outweigh humanitarian concerns and it is very hard to convince people who are seeking a living from sometimes meagre resources that it is in their own good to give consideration to long-term sustainable use of their resources. It is usually easier and cheaper to move on to the next area when one area has been depleted." (S17) Both answers (Q1-S17, Q2-S53) echo a neo-Malthusian argument. It implies that a 'tragedy of the commons' is happening in Amazonia and elsewhere as result of overpopulation. The politics involved "No. Indigenous reserves and protected areas (for nature conservation) are two different political land use strategies. If the government is assigning an Indian reserve then they should respect the use the indigenous people are making of the terrain according to traditional use or to improved technologies. Areas for Nature conservation must be treated separately and with a different priority. We cannot make the indians responsible for the disappearing of the diversity. The government has to be responsible by applying appropriate conservation and management regimes" (S2) This response makes an argument for the need to differentiate between IR and PA as diverse political strategies that pursue different aims. The first would aim to 15 comply with Indigenous Peoples Rights, particularly that of self-determination. The second political strategy would aim at biodiversity conservation. The respondent acknowledges indigenous social change as indigenous management depends on both, tradition and technological improvement. Interestingly, the analysis provided does not try to conceal the confrontational nature of the relationship; nor does it neither place much hope in conciliation. On the contrary, it advocates for a distinction. If there is some hope or sense of utopia in the response it comes from solutions provided by technological improvement. Which is something this particular respondent had already stressed in Q1: "… . Development as the integration of western technologies or increase of income per capita, can be carefully done by implementing appropriate technologies into the productive activities of the communities. Sustainability defined as a continuous productivity level in the long term." (S2) Non-conclusive comment-Q211 Nowadays, the establishment or enlargement of IRs (Resguardos in Colombia) and PAs requires the interested proponents to follow long protocols, the fulfilment of precise administrative procedures and of legal conditions. One aim of the process is to allow different stakeholders to participate and to assure the fulfilment of fundamental rights to all citizens in equal conditions. In Colombia, like in many other parts of the developing world, when the "juridical figures" were established these procedures were not necessary, therefore, many IRs and PAs were established without participation of all interested parties. It is not surprising that some of the respondents refer to the confrontation or competition of regimes that began with their imposition. It could be of some significance that none of the respondents that claimed the need to harmonise IR and PA have been in Amazonia. In contrast, the two respondents that pointed out that these two regimes are conflicting in Colombia have been there. The analytical response that called for clear differentiation between the two also came from the group of people that had visited Amazonia (VA). From the set of answers given to Q2 it is clear that different and contrasting narratives ascribed to with respect to environmental management. For some of the respondents indigenous peoples are guardians of the environment, victims of colonialism or in risk of a cultural contamination that will force them to adopt maladaptive strategies that would threaten conservation strategies. For others, indigenous reserves are untrustworthy designations: the environment should be preserved against development and human intervention, be it indigenous or otherwise. Therefore indigenous peoples should not be in charge of environmental management. Yet, another political perspective is derived from hopes of compatibility between the two regimes, which although pursuing different aims are seen as relevant for environmental and human security at the same time. Thus, the third perspective could be characterised as dialectic or iterative. From this (last) perspective indigenous experience could help the development of conservation strategies; and, 11 Schematic summary: Table 2, Appendix 3. 16 at the same time, the revision of environmental and conservation management strategies could be vital for the survival of indigenous peoples. Hope or Utopian visions also have a place here: the development of technology is seen as a key component for adequate environmental management. Technological improvement would allow both compliance with indigenous peoples' rights and biodiversity conservation. We are sketching a continuum from our comment on Q1, suggesting that the narrative of conciliation 'reflects a process of thinking and acting that is deeply rooted in utopia'. Q3 - Do you think that the concepts of protected areas (PA), indigenous reserves (IR) and sustainable development (SD) are useful for environmental management today? Two respondents say that the concepts should be context specific: "Yes, but which of them is useful depends on context… " (S1). "As I said before, all these terms have to be defined properly in the first place before they can be applied." (S2). There were two respondents that simply said 'yes' (S14, S22), while one answered: "yes, if it works" (S4). S4's response suggests that concepts are instruments, and not surprisingly many answers referred to the "applicability" of these three concepts. Environmental indians and contamination risk Some respondents reiterated the idea, already expressed in Q1 and Q2, that indigenous peoples are practitioners of SD or conservation managers: "… Indigenous reserves are important because they allow the preservation of a way of living in sympathy with the environment long gone in most areas… " (S12); "Claro que si. Las culturas indigenas son un ejemplo de convivencia y explotacion sostenible del entorno en que viven" (Yes of course. Indigenous cultures are an example of coexistence with the environment they live in and of sustainable exploitation.) (S23); "Yes because indigenous people are the 'shepherds' of the landscape and they have a first-hand understanding and experience (handed down from previous generations) of ecosystem processes. Sometimes indigenous customs and habits reflect an understanding of nature's processes that can be exemplary in the planning of management plans… "(S41) One response re-enforced an idea presented in Q2, that indigenous sustainable practices are in risk as the younger generations begin to adopt western lifestyles: "… , but this knowledge is also in danger [endangered],… , shamanism is related in many cases to the management of the natural resources, but I have listened to the indigenous people from the community that I'm working in, that they're not interested in receiving this knowledge from their parents, and day by they they're a lot like us in their agricultural practices." (S45) Principles as instruments Various responses made reference to certain conditions that would have to be fulfilled in order for the concepts to be useful. This perspective, where the concepts are understood as political instruments, could be useful if a 'real' or 'truth-value' definition of them were accomplished. This truth-value would come from using the political instrumentality of a concept only if it were to reflect a set of principles such as intergenerational equity, empowerment, and participation. 17 And, in the case of participation, special emphasis were given to the incorporation of indigenous people, their knowledge and ways of dealing with the environment: "The concept of protected areas will only be successful if indigenous peoples are involved, therefore this would seem to indicate that indigenous reserves would be the best way forward of the two" (S5) "… indigenous reserves need to be redefined according to the wishes of the people who will be living in them,… (S6); "… If sustainable development means development with the means which exist and with the participation of the people concerned… " (S11); Yes. Exercising indigenous knowledge should not be limited to reserves but integrated into the management plans along with scientific knowledge more widely. (S26); "Yes… Any protected area, etc. must actively incorporate the participation of indigenous people" (S41) The idea of intergenerational equity is attached to that of resource reserve for the developmental process: "Yes… The sustainable development concept relating to the obligation of the present generation to leave enough natural assets and capital for future generations to enjoy at least the same quality of life we enjoy today must be at the heart of environmental management activities." (S12) "Yes, because the natural environment that we believe is endangered should be protected as a reference in future years to come and because of this a sense of environmental management is very important as the same environment becomes a resource for development" (S13) "Yes. We need to protect the area and its people and provide for sustainable development. (S21) "… pero estoy cierto que las areas protegidas independentemente del interes en prervarlas desempeñan un papel importante en el manejo de ambientes naturales para la captura de CO2, conservación de recursos biogenéticos/biodiversidad/ y como elementos de estudio para futuras generaciones… " (… but I am certain that, independently of the interest in preserving them, protected areas play a roll in the management of natural environment for CO2 sequestration, conservation of biodiversity/genetic resources and as study subjects for future generations (S25) "yes, otherwise development will go against our own endurance. I think we have to consider the possibility that we are not the most powerful force in this world." (S38) Risk and Protection Following this idea is that of concepts (as political instruments) being useful if they could provide and enforce protection (S13, S21 above). In this case either the environment is seen at risk (endangered species or ecosystems) or both indigenous peoples and their environments: "Yes. Protected areas are important as pools of natural resources not affected by human activity. Indigenous reserves are important because they allow the preservation of a way of living in sympathy [tune] with the environment long gone in most areas." (S12); "I think they are vital. Until everyone has a responsible attitude to environmental control certain protections have to be enforced." (S17) Some of the responses expressing a need for environmental protection have a sense of impending catastrophe: "Yes, but they are loaded concepts so we have to be careful in using them… sustainable development is the only way we will survive, but is usually glibly applied." (S6); "in a limited sense perhaps.but what we need to accomplish is protection of all that there is left, without cutting and taking land around the so called protected area. stop the modernisation process wherever it has not already reached into" (S32); "Yes, because they are the only source to preserve life on earth." (S51) 18 Protection but of cultural diversity: "… They may contribute to 'capturing' and saving fragile cultures and 'unknown' languages." (S31) Although acknowledging the need for protection, some respondents made it explicit that IRs were not effective, as the policies derived from such concepts (regimes) would increase risk instead of attenuating it: "… in terms of indigenous groups if they become circumscribed to a specific protected area then this will prevent persistence of nomadic lifestyles etc. and as a result the protected area may become 'unsustainable' as people are becoming circumscribed to a specific reserve. I guess this also answers the question on indigenous reserves, however, the indigenous reserves of N. America should be used as an example of the problems of tying people to such reserves,… " (S10) "… 'indigenous reserves' are not so useful - most of indigenous social problems have been caused by the colonisers, and are being reproduced through generations. Keeping indigenous people enclosed in such areas, and introducing paternalistic rules and laws is not healthy for any society. It instils racism in a society, and will not ensure that indigenous practices of environmental management will be maintained - that depends on the indigenous group and how they choose to manage their environment… " (S24) The need for integration and its impediments Some emphasis was put on the idea that there is or should be a link between the concepts (political instruments): "Yes all concepts are useful as they each permit different aspects of the economic/ecology debate to enter into the wider public arena. Ultimately for there to be sustainable solutions to environmental problems there needs to be a holistic approach adopted… " (S7) "… environmental development will not be meaningful without taking into account the interrelation between 'indigenous reserves' and 'sustainable development'" (S11) "Yes, because all areas are linked with each other very closely" (S18). "Yes. Exercising indigenous knowledge should not be limited to reserves but integrated into the management plans along with scientific knowledge more widely." (S26) "… Lo que creo es que tanto las reservas indigenas, como las areas protegidas deberian orientarse hacia un desarrollo sostenible. Bien sea que estas dos figuras se translapen o no. Si entendemos el desarrollo sostenible como un proceso que involucra criterios sociales, culturales, economicos, y ambientales." (… What I do believe is that indigenous reserves as well as protected areas should direct their attention towards sustainable development, whether or not the entities [juridical regimes] overlap. If we understand sustainable development as a process that involves social, cultural, economic and environmental criteria.) (S34) However, quiet a few responses pointed out the problems that prevent this integration from taking place: 1) Incompatibility of interests between IR and PA: "… Protected areas are useful, but they raise the debate as to whether one should protect an area and exclude people from it so that a certain species/ archaeological site/community can survive or whether people should have access… " (S10); "It is quite difficult to harmonies those concepts, specifically among indigenous people. They are convinced that 'sustainable development' is an imperialist concept, and the first idea they have -as far as they hear the concept- is that they are going to be exploited by others… " (S40) 2) The prevalence of economic efficiency and profit at the expense of anything else: 19 "… El desarrollo sustentable que ha sido cada vez mas un objetivo importante en varios paises del mundo. Pero encontrar los balances correctos ha sido y es dificil, particulrmente cuando las sociedades y gobiernos estan sometidos a un proceso de globalizacion y de efeicientizacion economica. He ahi los conflictos permanentes de lograr un desarrollo verdaderamente sustentable que considere no solo los aspectos economicos, pero politicos, cultrales, sociales y ecologicos o ambientales. (Sustainable development has become an increasingly important objective in several countries around the world. But to find the correct balances has been and continues to be difficult; in particular as a result of societies and governments being subjected to economic efficiency within the globalisation process. There are permanent conflicts in the way of obtaining a real sustainable development that involve not only the economic aspects, but also the social, cultural, ecological and environmental criteria " (S25). "… too many people think of 'sustainable' as meaning economic sustainability and not environmental sustainability." (S30). "… While protected areas and indigenous reserves serve to maintain environmental quality, the concept of sustainable development is often disregarded for the sake of profits and globalisation." (S33) 3) Political manipulation: "I think there have been problems with these concepts for two reasons: First, they mean different thing for different people, second, they have been used and to serve particular interests. There are several and opposite definitions of 'sustainable development' and it's a difficult concept. 'Indigenous reserve', used as a general concept does not describe usefully the complex realities and 'protected areas' have been used to serve particular interests over time so I think it is seen suspiciously by a lot of people." (S44) "I think so, but these concepts are used a lot by politicians, and then the meaning can be manipulated". (S46) "… The big problem is not related to the concepts alone, it is related to the way in which these are applied according with particular interests and purposes. Many times the terms are used by different groups or organisations in order to pretend to be environmental friendly or responsible, when the real purposes reveal an opposite target or interest." (S47) "… Muy seguaramente estos términos se manejan como deben ser en el plano académico teórico, mas no ocurre lo mismo en el ambito práctico donde lo que prevalece son los interese de los diferentes actores que trabajan en este campo, lo que lleva inevitablemente a que se presenten situaciones de tension entre estos y se deje de lado el objetivo primordial en cuanto a la conservación y le manejo ambiental" (For sure, theoretically and within the academic circles these concepts are managed as they should be. Although, in the practical scenario privilege is given to the particular interests of those different [political] actors who work in this field. Thus, it is unavoidable that tensions will arise between these [political actors], which leave aside the fundamental aim of environmental management and conservation) (S48) 4) Semantics, the concepts mean too many things to too many different political actors (S44 above): "… 'Sustainable development' is not so useful for environmental management, as the concept is too contested - it means too many different things to different people." (S24); "As I said, the problem is that there are many definitions of those terms and it makes it difficult to determine if they are useful in one place compared to other places" (S50) Dynamism The perspective of 'dynamism' reflects a perception of mutating meanings as an advantage. Under this perspective 'contested' means 'in change', which is seen as part of a learning process, which is in tune with the idea of local definition of concepts (emphasised above): "Ultimately for there to be sustainable solutions to environmental problems there needs to be a holistic approach adopted, where people can better appreciate that their lifestyle has much in 20 common with others - even if they are in an OECD country and cannot appreciate the day to day lifestyle of someone in a less developed country. … . Therefore the concepts listed can provide an opportunity to raise the awareness of the majority of the world's people." "Yes, there is plenty that can be learned from these three concepts and also applied" (S37) "A lot, I believe there are a lot of things we can learn from them, specially in this field of study,." (S45) "If these concepts are [understood or interpreted] under a dynamic and changing world (attached to contexts), which mean that there is not a unique definition or way to apply them, I think they are still useful for environmental management." [original: understanding or interpreting… ] (S47) The need for new concepts-Q3 Contradicting narratives can be appreciated through the reading of these responses. There is a group of respondents that are uncritical of the concepts or the policies derived from them (like S37, S45 above and): "Yes, they are important to efficient environmental management" (S28); "Yes. An understanding of the mechanism of these terminologies is essential for effective environmental management … " (S9). Another group could be made out of those responses that reflect suspicion or are definitely critical of the concepts (S10, S24, S25, S30, S33, S40, S44, S46, S47, S48, S50 above). And, besides the group of respondents that express conditionality or hope (see above), there is a group of responses that, while critical of the concepts, acknowledge that at present they are all we have: "… which of them is useful depends on context… If an ethnic group is to be allowed to determine the course of events within its own territory, then the territory must be reserved for them until such time as they develop complete autonomy or decide to integrate more closely with wider society. Sustainable development may seem a rather broad, unspecific term, but it does at least draw attention to the unsustainability of conventional development… " (S1) "… The concept of sustainable development is gradually getting better developed and, even if it is not strictly attainable, gives decision-makers something to work towards… (S5) "I don't agree with the concept of SD as it is a contradiction in terms, but at present there are few better alternatives… " (S10) One respondent actually moved forward in the critique, pointing out that the concepts were built on preconceptions and identifying the need to generate new concepts that would integrate the useless categorical divide of nature and society: "I think they are old fashioned, and generated by the Anglo-Saxon culture. We should move towards an increased compatibility between human activities and nature, making it therefore not necessary to talk about reserves, or natural areas." (S35) Non-conclusive comment-Q312: The majority if not the totality of respondents took 'concepts' as 'politics'. They discussed the history of these politics, their adequacy and sufficiency. It is very interesting that while the conduct through which political ideas become policies is supposed to be complex, it is obvious for the respondents that there is more than theoretical debate going on in the process of policy making. There is a prevailing, sometimes automatic or non-reflexive awareness that narratives pursue the aims that drive the policies and politics that are transforming the environment. 12 Schematic summary: table 3, Appendix 3. 21 In continuity with the results of Q2, only 1 out of five respondents of those who argued for the need to integrate the concepts had been in Amazon; while the two respondents that argued the case of 'incompatibility of interests' had been there. Of those which suggested that these concepts –political strategies- are useful for environmental protection or that this is the last chance –catastrophism- for life, none had visited Amazonia. It may be of some significance that none of the five respondents that suggested that IR might be a better strategy than PA have been in Amazonia, while one person of the two that argued that IRs are ineffective had been there. The responses correspond to several narratives that can be identified. One of them is that of 'confidence in science and trust in political instrumentality' derived from the (traditional definitions of) concepts outlined. Another narrative is that of 'natives as heroes and outsiders as villains', which is reflected in the suspiciousness of concepts based in untested assumptions and in mistrust of the governmental policies derived from them. In summary there is a status-quo narrative and a counter narrative. Yet a third type of narrative could be identified, that of 'critical understanding'. Q4 – Should environmental managers (EM) get involved in the territorial ordering process (TOP) of the Amazon? One of the respondents simply answered yes (S4). One was unsure (S52), perhaps suspicious? One considered the question was tricky (S32), and three of them put the question into question. Two of these responses asked for the term 'environmental manager' to be defined: "Difficult to answer. Define the roles, mandate and empowerment of the environmental manager… " (S31); "What do you mean by environmental managers?." (S6). The third one was more critical: "this sentence is colonialist as if indigenous peoples of Amazonia were not in fact environmental managers" (S27). With a similar intent, one respondent argued that indigenous people were better-qualified environmental mangers: "Las comunidades indigenas han sido las mejores administradoras del territorio ancestral, eso debe ser respetado y replicado en zonas donde la intervención humana 'civilizada' ha afectado las condiciones ambientales. (Indigenous communities have been the best managers of ancestral territories, this should be respected and should be replicated in areas where 'civilised' human intervention has affected environmental conditions) (S20)" The response of Indigenous peoples as better managers had been expressed in Q1, Q2 and Q3. Another three responses reinforced the ideas of catastrophism, the need for urgent environmental protection and to stop development (S32, S33, S42). Perspectives EMs are the ones: "Definitely" (S12); " … They have in many cases a better view for the long-run." (S18); 22 Yes. Who else is better suited to do so?" (S21); "Environmental Managers should get involved. They are best able to ensure protection of ecosystem" (S28); "Por supuesto que si. Ya que el ordenamiento territorial de un territorio (en este caso de la Amazonia) debe tener como objetivos el desarrollo sostenible." (Definitely. Territorial ordering (of the Amazon in this case) should have sustainable development as an objective) (S34); "Because they are the ones that can understand the balance that must exist between economic development, traditional culture and environment." (S36); " They should, how can they do whithout?" (S46) "Yes, because they can contribute to better territorial ordering in the region" (S53) EMs and scientists figure out the solutions and take the decisions: "Deben estar involucradas todas las personas del planeta, pero con mas razon los 'decision makers', que a fin de cuentas, toman las acciones concretas sobre nuestro futuro medioambiental. (All people from the planet should get involved, but the 'decision makers' have more reason to be there, after all they are the ones that take the concrete actions in respect to our environmental future) (S23); "Yes, but along with some other scientists, not only because of the importance of the Amazon from a global point of view, but specially for the importance for the people living there." (S35); "Yes, always considering multiple disciplines result in a better understanding and so better solutions." (S38) But taking into account the other opinions: "Yes, although indigenous peoples will also play a major part and without them any agreements between Governments and environmental managers will not work… " (S5); "Not always, because it is necessary to take into consideration lay people's opinions too." (53) Indigenous peoples direct EMs: "If they are asked to do so by indigenous peoples, I see no problem with this." (S1); "Territorial ordering should be primarily decided upon by the indigenous groups that inhabit them, … ultimately decisions need to come from the bottom upwards" (S10); "… The indigenous people should be in charge of the program at the ultimate level" (S14). " They should but they should make sure they respect the opinion of indigenous people and they should be very discreet in their approach and aim for cooperation." (S41) EMs have equal rights to participate as other stakeholders: " Of course. All actors should be involved in the process… It doesn't mean that they have to take decisions but they can evaluate the circumstances under different and also important perspectives." (S2); "What do you mean by environmental managers? But yes, I think they also have a stake in the fate of the Amazon, and have a right to make their voices heard. (S6); " Involvement - yes but only in collaboration and co-operation with the Amazonian people and those in the higher levels of bureaucracy and policy making … Environmental managers can make significant contributions in this area, given their depth of understanding of the issues (relative to the general public)" (S7); "Deveriam estar envolvidos no processo de re-ordenamento territorial, junto com edndios, ribeirinhos etc" (they should be involved in the territorial ordering process together with indigenous peoples, riverine inhabitants, etc." (S29); " I think they should be involved as advisors and technical support but I support the idea of a non-technical management, where decisions are taken by the different stakeholders based on the technical advice and the social, cultural and economic factors." (S44) 23 But this intervention should be avoided within indigenous territories: "Not in indigenous reserves or territories which historically have been managed by indigenous communities. In other areas, should be taking part in dialogue of knowledge between cultures, people, communities, scientists and decision makers from private and government sectors, to order process on the amazon area." [Original text:… historically has been management by… ](S47) The apolitical EM: "Yes, but not for political reasons. It should be for the cause of sustainable use of our natural environment which is our heritage." (S9); " … Generally though I think that environmentalists like missionaries before them should not get involved in political processes as this can have a very negative reaction within the local community." (S17) "Yes, their knowledge will hopefully be of use in the ordering process" (S37) The political participation of EMs: "Yes, to counteract the interference of other external actors but hopefully to work with the indigenous people respecting their values and practices, not independently." (S26) EMs as facilitators of the dialog between IK and WS: "… without them [indigenous peoples] any agreements between Governments and environmental managers will not work. Environmental Managers should facilitate discussion… " (S5); "Territorial ordering should be primarily decided upon by the indigenous groups that inhabit them, environmental managers roles here should be as referees to help in the co-ordination of the process, but ultimately decisions need to come from the bottom upwards." (S10); "It's necessary for people involved in this field of study, that had already gained a conscience, and that are able to understand that we have to work with indigenous, not from our usual management vision, but theirs, trying to see the world like they do. In this way could be easier, perhaps to understand and give convincing and why not scientific arguments to the authorities (or people in charge of handling these affairs) about the different way they have already distributed their territory, which [in] most of the case (if not all) doesn't have our political distribution. (I.E, those groups that live between Colombia and Brazil boundaries) they don't have the same division of territories, because of this, they must be managed in a way more in concordance to their political organisation." (S45) Capacity, ability and quality of EMs: "Depends who the environmental managers are - if they are from the area and have a passion for the area, then why not. If they are drafted in from outside, and seen as the 'outside experts' then probably not - it usually causes friction within the area."(S24) "Define the roles, mandate and empowerment of the environmental manager. They may fall into different categories, of which I may name at least 4: 1. The conflictive manager. Created by a lobbying body. A good example is the body (forget the name) that is in charge of the Everglades in Florida. Their work is tainted by conflict of interest: the provision of water to cities and sugar cane farmers, at the same time maintaining the 'wet lands' as an ecosystem and controlling flooding! 2. The romantic. Exemplified by rich Europeans or North-Americans. Wanting to keep habitats, they may buy some land and resort to eco-tourism in order to keep their sustainability. I believe there are some German managed 'eco' destinations in Ecuador. Driven by an alternative way of life, they may not 'manage' the environment as they should. 3. The bureaucrat. A member of a government agency or NGO that may not be aware of local needs, responding always to policies made from a distance. Current legislation may be a hinder. "Los paisas", developed and colonised what is today Risaralda, Quindio, Caldas and 24 parts of Choco in Colombia, by using legislation that enabled them to cut and clear big forest areas to be claimed afterwards, creating the concept of the "colono". A colonisation process I witnessed in Caquetá some years ago. 4. The "grass roots" manager. Perhaps, the type who knows best the ecosystem and the power relationships that develop around it by the people involved with it. Usually their voice is not heard, mainly because of the threat they represent to some landowners or 'colonos'. If the law regarding claiming land that has been cleared is still existing, managing the environment is going to be a great task. One shall not forget that the 'colono' phenomenon represents one of the many socio-economical problems a nation like Colombia faces. … Management work usually develops around a policy. Trust among all participants is primordial. There ought to be some kind of legal-economical framework that will ease management work. If this is in place and all conflicts of interest reduced, then the territorial ordering process of Amazonia may become real." (S 31) Political risks, EMs tough job: "Yes, however the pressures on the person might be extreme. It would be preferable to have both on-site environmental managers and use some respected external managers as reference." (S15); "Yes, but bearing in mind that you should work with politicians and many kinds of 'parasitic' people which are thinking every day in the short term. It means that environmental managers are not enough for sustainable management and use of natural resource: their analytical models as well as their technical capacity is necessary, but they cannot work isolated, they require to work with others, despite the fact that 'the others' could (and should) think in a different way." (S40) Summarising-Q413 Like in the responses to Q1, Q2 and Q3, we can identify different and often contradictory perspectives. There were those that argued that environmental managers14 are the best qualified for the task and appeared somewhat perplexed by the question. Within that group there were those responses that assumed that decisions were taken by environmental managers or should be taken by them, although two expressed that others' opinion should be considered to a lesser extent. In the other direction were the responses that questioned intervention by EMs and considered it useful only when the decision-making process was led by indigenous peoples themselves. Yet, a third group was of the opinion that EMs should get involve in the same conditions that other stakeholders, such as indigenous peoples but, one respondent suggested they should not intervene in the management of indigenous peoples' territories at all. 13 See also Table 4, Appendix 3. 14 Called EMs in the survey to differentiate them from other experts and indigenous peoples. As it has been explained elsewhere (See "The march of the Manikins: Agroforestry practices and Spiritual dancing in Northwest Amazonia) indigenous peoples management of the environment departs from a different rationality and uses different instruments. What indigenous people from Northwest Amazonia call "management of the world" is not only a set of shamanistic practices but a way of living that combines social aims, aesthetic values, religious believes, and economic practices in a distinctive manner. Although acknowledging indigenous peoples from Northwest Amazonia are in fact environmental managers, the author has stressed that their "management of the world" incorporates many things, some of them of tremendous importance for environmental management more generally. 25 The other contrasting perspectives concerned the character of the intervention. While one group of responses were of the opinion that EMs should not get involved in politics, but have a technical approach, others thought that they should get involved to contrast and balance the political interests of other groups. A third group emerged, which advocated the intervention of environmental managers as conciliators and facilitators. Related to this roll of managers as advisers there was a group of responses showing concern with the capacity, ability and quality of environmental managers and, the possible risks that they have to face. Non-conclusive comment-Q4: As in responses to questions one, two and three, we can trace arguments and contra-arguments. One set of respondents portrays EMs as heroes. In this scenario they face a tough job, they are well trained, better able and indispensable for the process of territorial ordering; their politically risky job in which they have to make the decisions would be fundamental for diminishing environmental risk and even saving life on earth. (As in Q2 and Q3 none of those arguing conservation/catastrophism had been in Amazonia). A counter narrative is that provided by respondents arguing that EMs' participation should be directed by indigenous peoples (IP) or that the projects should be led mainly by natives, and that EMs should not intervene in the management of indigenous territories: in this case the heroes are indigenous peoples. A second counter narrative seems to be reflected by some of the respondents. In this scenario, EMs like IP should have equal rights to participate as different stakeholders, in this case decisions would come from a rational process in which dialog between cultures would take place. The participation of EMs would not be limited by their status/power but by their capacity, ability and their roll as facilitators or conciliators. Discussion European colonisation of Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Australasia from the late fifteenth century onwards, gave a tremendous boost to the volume of global transactions involving natural resources. Over the long run, trade in these resources, and in an increasingly diverse array of environmental services, has been expanding ever since. However, much of what is called globalisation in the twenty first century has more to do with developments in information technology since the late 1900s. The increasing speed of communications media and information transfer have proved fundamental in economic restructuring and the transformation of the world into a largely urban space (Castells 1996). In the globalised, twenty first century, local political decisions have little chance of being autarchic; international policy advisors inform local stakeholders about what is considered adequate or legal in accordance with international treaties, foreign protocols and political compromises. The local politics of environmental management is the concern of everybody: corporations, governments, international, regional and national NGOs, all of which compete for access to information and expansion of their scope of power in the political arena (Ambrose-Oji, Allmark et al. 2002). During the 1990s, and especially after the Río Earth Summit in 1992, one of the main topics of discussion was management of the global environment (Sachs 26 1993). Global targets for sustainable development were established at Río and similar processes were set in train at regional, national and local scales all over the world, following the guidelines set out in one of the policy documents agreed at Río: "Agenda 21". The official discourse that emerged from the Río process was replicated and many of the assumptions that informed the original discourse have been accorded a quasi-factual status by many people all over the globe (Sevilla_Guzmán and Woodgate 1997). The official discourse on globalisation emphasised the need for environmental management at supranational levels. At the same time, counter-discourse or anti-globalisation narratives have emerged. These emphasise the rights of indigenous people and local political actors to manage natural resources independently, in ways that allow them to make their own livelihood decisions and establish resource-use regimes that can provide the environmental goods and services that people need15. The management of the environment has always motivated debate and often led to confrontation. One of the main arguments of conservative conservationists concerns the 'vulnerability' of rainforest environments, and thus the need for their protection. Since the 1980s the problem of deforestation of tropical rainforests has been a global issue with special emphasis in South East Asia, the Congo basin and Amazonia (Adger, Benjaminsen et al. 2001). In a 1998 analysis of 'rainforest' web-sites, Stott revealed four metawords within the conservation rhetoric: orientalism (the exotic other), climax (harmony), old age (ancient, undisturbed) and vulnerability (Stott 1999). Metawords such as these become key rhetorical devices so that even research and development project proposals tend to employ them, thus replicating assumptions that are no longer questioned. How is this metalanguage produced? What are the bases of its principal cannons? And why is it that semantic analysis tends to remain the preserve of scientists – or is it something that is also dealt with at a local level? Narratives can be traced back in time. Equilibrium disturbance (climax rupture) and environmental fragility (vulnerability) both played parts in Hardin's 1968 'tragedy of the commons' (Hardin 1998). The neo-Malthusian discourse of environmental catastrophe as a result of an increasing population (of 'poor people') lies at the heart of Hardin's tragedy. The conservative conservationist perspective on the management of the rainforest is based on mistrust of systems of environmental management in which property rights (over life and resources) are not yet marketable. From a conservative political perspective responsible environmental action can only be achieved through the clarification of property rights to allow the unfettered action of free markets for the negotiation of such rights. It is assumed that the tragedy of the commons is happening or will happen in rainforest contexts where private property rights are not yet the rule and where societies still practise communal environmental management regimes based on indigenous knowledge rationalities in which nature and society form an ontological continuum. For conservatives only free markets for environmental rights, good and services can guarantee sustainable development. Neo-Malthusian 15 The discourses that emphasise on the need of eco-efficiency, economic transnationalization and planetary ecological management, were named by Sachs as contest and astronauts' perspectives. And the counter-discourse arising from the desempowered communities of the South as the home perspective (Sachs 1977). 27 and neo-liberal assumptions are fundamental to this perspective on sustainable development. With the aim of promoting Agenda 21 at local, national and regional levels, a complex and sophisticated process of institutionalisation was embarked upon. Amazonia did not escape this process; governmental officials or conservationist NGOs replicated the dominant conservationist discourse at the local level in NWA16. This official discourse of deforestation with its main initiative of protection of the environment from people has been labelled 'hegemonic' (Stott and Dullivan 2000) or 'neo-Malthusian' and 'managerial' (Adger, Benjaminsen et al. 2001). It should come as no surprise then that counter narratives have developed in Amazonia (and elsewhere), for many of which the principal intention is to contradict the conservative policies derived from this hegemonic discourse. The rights of indigenous people to define the course of their lives: their rights to manage natural resources and the environmental services used or supplied by the Amazonian environment have been key issues in these significant counter-claims against the official Amazonian territorial ordering politics and policies, which have involved environmental management that has been designed elsewhere. This counter-narrative pursues the principle and right of self-determination against the interests of political initiatives for global environmental management. The counter-narrative was not just a reaction to neo-liberal, neo-Malthisian conservative politics and conservation policies during the 1980s and '90s, however. In Latin America, all indigenous peoples' rebellions against the European empires were motivated by a call to reconstruct pre-colonial socio-cultural orders returning to territorial orders where the management of 'agroforestry' was undifferentiated from the sacred (Varese 1996:124-25). In modern, post-colonial states, indigenous peoples continued to struggle for the recognition of their territories. In today's NWA this struggle is related to governmental and conservationists policies of environmental management and the presence of armed groups opposed to political resolution of territorial ordering. Many of the Protected Areas (PAs) of NWA were created at a time when no legal procedure was established for public intervention in the designation of such areas. The official titles of the PA or IR (Resguardos in Colombia) have not prevented non-native invasion of lands or the expansion of illegal crop production inside either PAs or IRs. Conservationists and indigenous peoples alike have vacillated between alliances with, and the rejection of, the armed groups in charge of illegal crop production, depending on the political gains to be made and the risks involved in rejecting the proposals or achieving an alliance. The armed groups, on their part, have sought political alliances when such co-operation could benefit their military capacity or improve the managerial efficiency of their enterprises.17 16 With respect to the territorial ordering process, the Colombian Amazon controversy is discussed in Forero 1999, 2000; Forero, Laborde et al. 1998. 17 See Forero 2000, "Territoriality and Governance in the Colombian Amazon". 28 As far as local inhabitants were concerned, rainforest conservation policies arrived in NWA from another space and time. The legal establishment of protected areas took no account of the opinions or desires of the peoples already inhabiting NWA. Indigenous agro-ecosystems and the livelihood strategies of more recent colonisers were both ignored. The ideology expressed through legal frameworks was that of protection of the environment from people. The villains were local inhabitants and the regulations to be enforced were those of expelling people from the 'conservation' areas and maintaining their exclusion. The dominant discourse made no distinction between complex indigenous agro-ecosystems and the less sophisticated livelihood strategies being developed by recent immigrants. All of them were labelled as "slash and burn" agriculture (Myers 1980). Yet it has become increasingly apparent over the last thirty years that slash and burn is just an aspect of indigenous environmental management in Amazonia, which combines agricultural production, fish and game management, ritual prescriptions, and aesthetic developments18. It has even been suggested that movement towards "short cropping/long-fallow" cultivation patterns within indigenous Amazonian agro-ecosystems was an strategic response to alien invasion of territories and the introduction of metal axes (Denevan 2001: 115-31). Today, most ethnoscientists find it self-evident that the concepts of "chagras" (gardens) and "rastrojos" (abandoned gardens) are far too simplified to reflect the structure of cultivations over the short-, medium- and long-terms, in accordance with local knowledge of agro-ecological variation. It is obvious that indigenous environmental management has transformed Amazonian ecosystems for millennia; this was already evident to many of the nineteenth century European explorers19. Even the most knowledgeable people in the industrialised world have no precise idea of how 'vulnerable' rainforest is and few have accurate knowledge about the political conditions facing indigenous peoples or other human inhabitants of the Amazonian rainforest. With respect to NWA, even the most determined researcher would have problems accessing this information. It is often said that the rainforests of Amazonia are the 'lungs of the planet' (S.33), a metaphor used to emphasise the region's role in the carbon cycle, especially the absorption of CO2. This is somewhat ironic given that our own lungs actually consume oxygen and release CO2 during respiration. Indigenous people have been portrayed as villains or victims depending on the observer and the moment of observation. When portrayed as victims the picture is something like this: the wise guardians of the rainforest are obliged by violence to sell their natural resources or abandon their noble environmental practices. The role of violence in the functioning of extractive economies has been well documented. Violent coercion has been the dominant system in NWA for more than a century. Although indigenous people are no longer sold, 'debt-peonage' systems still dominate and exploit poor indigenous and immigrant inhabitants of 18 See Forero 2001, " The march of the Manikins: Agroforestry Practices and Spiritual Dancing in Northwest Amazonia". 19 See Forero 2002a, " Indigenous Knowledge and the Scientific Mind: Activism or Colonialism". 29 NWA. These people are employed for the harvesting, transport and commercialisation of coca base, cocaine and, the functioning of 'extractive economies' in general (Gómez, A. 1999). But there has been an indigenous response. This has sometimes taken the form of open rebellion and sometimes that of making strategic and tactical alliances in an attempt to obtain or preserve political power, to secure the acquisition of merchandise or simply to survive20. The counter-hegemonic narratives that we mentioned above have been labelled 'populist discourse': making it explicit that the victims are the indians and the villains the international organisations, sometimes allied to transnational corporations (like oil drilling companies) and the dependent and often corrupted governments that collaborate with these international organisations (Adger, Benjaminsen et al. 2001: 687). For NWA there are reports that seem to corroborate these arguments; e.g. indigenous peoples and environmental campaigners have protested jointly in Ecuador and Brazil against the construction of massive pipelines planned to cross through both IRs and PAs in both countries. The pipeline construction projects in both countries have arisen following collaboration between national governments and international oil exploration companies and have provoked public feelings of outrage (Weinberg 2001)21 . " [In NWA] Governments, multilateral lenders, multinational corporations, private banks and other institutions may not be counting on the convenient disappearance of indigenous peoples who get in the way of their ambitious development plans, but they often act as if they are." (Rabben 1998:122) "We who live in indigenous communities are surviving in the midst of a war imposed upon us by different factions and by the very same Colombian state that historically abandoned the countryside and permitted our lands to be invaded by waves of colonizers. Today we are caught in the crossfire, menaced by killings and displacement, while the State manifests its presence in the air with planes that slowly kill our plants and animals, our subsistence crops, and our people." (Organizacion Zonal Indigena del Putumayo_ OZIP 2002) However, is it possible to claim that there is a policy of 'ethnic cleansing' for NWA? From one side the whole issue of national sovereignty has been put into question; the expansion of Plan Andino (formerly Plan Colombia), the USA's anti-drug strategy for Latin America, exemplifies the delicate situation in which some of the Latin American countries have entered the twenty first century. The military component Plan Andino is aimed to support economic measures, the famous and indeed infamous structural adjustment plans that have provoked strikes and rebellions22. Additionally, even if there were an official policy of ethnic cleansing, South American States, given their size and power, would find it difficult to implement 20 See "Indigenous Knowledge and the Scientific Mind: Activism or Colonialism" (Forero 2002a), and "Technology in Northwest Amazonia: Sketches from Inside" (Forero 2002b). 21 For recent (March 2002) press releases on this issue see www.amazonwatch.org and www.americas.org 22 See Forero and Woodgate 2002, "The semantics of 'Human Security' in Northwest Amazonia: between indigenous peoples''Management of the World' and the USA's State Security Policy for Latin America". 30 it. The poor, be they indigenous peoples or colonisers are in the middle of a territorial war linked to international networks of criminality; they have been displaced, kidnapped or killed regardless of their claims of neutrality. In the case of Colombia, although some military authorities have been linked to some of the worst of the paramilitaries' atrocities, it has not been proved that the State itself has a policy of ethnic cleansing. In the case of Brazil, in 1996 the national executive proclaimed Decree 1775, instructing a right to contravene which, contrary to 169 WTO international agreement on Indigenous Peoples' rights, gave other stakeholders the opportunity to challenge Indigenous property rights. Paramilitary groups associated with illegal evictions of indigenous peoples in Brazilian Amazonia have long sought such a 'charter'. At the same time, the decree left the definition of indigenous land rights to the will of the executive power itself (Ministry of Justice). But, as in the case of Colombia, it cannot be proved that there is a policy of ethnic cleansing. It has been suggested in the non-conclusive comments on the survey results, that many people's responses echoed hegemonic and populist narratives. Indigenous peoples were portrayed as heroes or victims, as well as scientists and environmental managers. However, quiet a few of responses cannot be associated with either populist or hegemonic narratives. There is a group of responses that reflect critical thinking and are willing to challenge such simplistic dichotomies. Thus, the concept of sustainable development has been questioned, suspiciousness of western, scientific and technological solutions was expressed, and there was little willingness to give environmental managers carte blanche to prescribe whatever measures they might see fit. Interestingly, this last group, while acknowledging the need for: new concepts and adequate guidelines for environmental management, and the difficulty of achieving conservation targets while complying with indigenous peoples rights, still consider the concepts of SD, PA and IR as useful or the politics derived from them as desirable. What is interesting is that the responses to this survey, which were made by outsiders (respondents were not inhabitants of Amazonia), reflect a tendency to picture the conflict over territory in ways that do not correspond to either of the two main narratives. We can say that inasmuch as outsiders see possibilities for political action outside hegemonic or populist approaches, so Amazonian insiders are organising and negotiating regardless of whether their political discourse echoes either conservative or counter-hegemonic politics of territorial ordering. As no significant statistical analysis could be derived from the survey it would be difficult to speak of tendencies. At first sight it seems that adherence to hegemonic, counter-hegemonic, utopic or conciliatory narratives reflects each respondent's intellectual background more than his or her witnessing of the situation of peoples and forests in Amazonia. However, certain coincidences among the responses to each question might be representative: - For Q1-SD, two out of four of the respondents that accepted the imperative of SD without question have been in Amazon, none of them is a social scientist (SS) though and the other two were environmental managers. None of the SSs 31 that had visited the region argued for complete incompatibility between sustainability and development. Instead, SSs were part of a third group acknowledging that the concept of SD might be of some use, given certain conditions. - For Q2 – the relationship between IRs and PAs, not one of those who argued for the need to harmonise the two concepts (5), or those that emphasised SD as a desirable aim that has not yet been reached (4), or those or that argued that IRs are better than PAs (2) had been to the Amazon (in total 21 % of respondents). Respondents that had visited Amazonia (VA) were among those that acknowledged a relationship between IRs and PAs and that the relationship can be both complementary and competitive. Two respondents from the VA group argued that a complementary relationship was not possible in Colombia and one of them pointed out that being political strategies with different aims they should be kept differentiated in order to avoid conflict. This result might indicate that people that have been in Amazonia are more aware of the problems of territorial ordering caused by the imposition of regimes based in alien concepts. - For Q3 – on the usefulness of the concepts, none the five respondents arguing that IRs might be better that PAs had been in Amazonia, while one of the two that argued that IRs are ineffective had visited. Only one out of five respondents that argued for the need to integrate the concepts had been in Amazonia, while both those that argued for an incompatibility of interests have. This result seems to confirm that people who have visited the area are more conscious of the problems caused when policies formulated elsewhere are imported to Amazonia. Conclusions All technological adoption/adaptation has diverse effects in the life and development of society. People living within the society that is adopting them, and the outsiders that are analysing cultural change perceive these effects in different ways. The assessments of 'usefulness' or 'risk' a society makes when adapting/adopting technologies are linked to the conscious and subconscious present and future scenarios into which the society places itself alongside other societies. If the rest of the world wishes to respect Amazonian indigenous peoples' rights of self-determination, they should not intervene in ordering processes of indigenous territories. The problem is that indigenous ways of dealing with the world might not be compatible with the ideas that foreigners have with respect to Amazonia, its peoples and its future. And, for good or bad, fairly or unfairly, each group has a way of intervening and exercising a certain amount of power to modify the global political agenda for the governance of Amazonia in function of their own particular interests. Replication of narratives is a common strategy used by all groups aiming to make alliances and enhance their power. However, the responses analysed here seem to indicate that a large group of people (at least from the academic sector) is 32 unhappy with the assumptions behind either populists or hegemonic discourses with respect to rainforest management, and seeking new ways of environmental policy making. This group of people acknowledged that political conflict has derived from policy formulated elsewhere, and derived from an epistemology alien to local inhabitants. There are varied political groups competing for the governance of Amazonia. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) facilitates analysis and political action. It is expected that better-informed indigenous peoples would be in a better position to make decisions with respect to the governance of Amazonia. At the present time, the indigenous peoples of Amazonia have very limited and precarious access to ICT. Thus, their perspectives on territorial ordering are less likely to be represented than those such as conservation agencies, multinational developers, insurgent and mafiosi groups, all of which have far superior access to ICT. 33 Appendix 1 PRIVACY POLICY: Email addresses will be used only to send out materials related to this survey. Aggregate survey results may be distributed, but all personal data will be kept strictly confidential. No information about individual users will be disclosed to third parties. 34 Appendix 2 Summary of Web-site technical work The most demanding work was designing the pages that would contain indigenous territorial maps. CAD versions of the map would have to be transformed into image files suitable for Web use. In order to do this ArcView- GIS (Geographical Information Systems) software was needed. A picture of the map could be easily generated in ArcView-GIS and to certain extent, editing and colouring could enhance some features. But such a map or, more precisely, such a picture of the bi-dimensional representation of the Tukano territory remained inadequate for publication in WebPages. "The pics were to heavy" (I would learn the ICT design jargon), meaning that the memory used to storage, loading and unloading of these pictures was vast. Besides dividing the map and generating pictures of several areas, these pictures needed transforming to make them 'lighter'. This meant that the pictures had to be edited and the storage format had to be changed in terms of the colour pallet and resolution (a maximum of 72 dpi). Most importantly, the pictures should look better! An early version of PhotoImpactTM was used to change the colours and other features as well as to design the icons that would be used to identify the hypertext links between pages. However, the software was not appropriate for the task and the 'pics' were still too heavy. The design was poor, too rigid, with inappropriate colours and, worst of all the 'weight' of the maps would not allow for easy loading of the images by potential users. To change the maps (pics) again, PhotoshopTM was used, while major design transformations were achieved using FireworksTM software. For the actual montage and edition of the whole web-site Dreamweaver3TM was used. A similar process was followed to generate the vegetation map, which was adapted from one of the Amazonian Vegetation maps generated by Puerto Rastrojo. The introduction to a political ecology taking as a case study the Yaigojé Resguardo, was originally a single text (like in the preliminary version) but following the advice of critical reviewers, this page was divided into six parts. 35 Appendix 3 Table 1 Q1- Do you think that 'development' and 'sustainability' are compatible? RESPONSE - ARGUMENT SURVEY No. NVA VA Profession Unquestioning the developmental project 2 1 PhD Student Biology 12 1 Environmental Engineer 13 1 Environmental Engineer 40 1 Project Co-ordinator (SD) Yes, to diminish environmental risk 18 1 Student 21 1 Taxation 23 1 Designer 39 1 Postgraduate Student 42 1 Biologist Sustainable Development is an aim to be 3 1 Epidemiologist reached 5 1 Civil Servant 8 1 Accountant 24 1 Student 25 1 PhD St. Agriculture & Development 29 1 Anthropologist 35 1 Lecturer 37 1 Postgraduate Student 48 1 Anthropologist 51 1 Postgraduate Student Compatible if defined locally 5 1 Civil Servant 20 1 Lecturer: Ecotourism 27 1 Anthropologist 31 1 Postgraduate Student 52 1 Lecturer: IT & Development Possible but risk of economic imperative 17 1 Unemployed Incompatible a) Contradiction in terms 24 1 Student 4 1 PhD St. Environmental genetics b) Financial economic imperative 10 1 Student 19 1 PhD St. Agriculture & Development 34 1 PhD Student: Environmental Manager 47 1 PhD Student SD inconsistent at present time 1 1 Lecturer: Env. Sociology 33 1 PhD Student 36 1 Research Engineer 45 1 EM SD is green rhetoric 7 1 Student 32 1 Teacher 48 1 Anthropologist 36 Table 2 Q2 - Do you think there is any relation between 'indigenous reserves' (IR) and 'protected areas' (PA)? RESPONSE - ARGUMENT SURVEY No. NVA VA Profession Yes 37 1 Postgraduate Student 18 1 Student 22 1 Anthropologist 43 1 Anthropologist 50 1 PhD Student No 15 1 Consultant: Health & Safety Need to harmonise IR and PA to protect a) For (IP) Indigenous Peoples' benefit 19 1 PhD St. Agriculture & Development 20 1 Lecturer: Ecoturism b) Protection of Biodiversity 25 1 PhD St. Agriculture & Development 33 1 PhD Student c) SD based on IP experiences 11 1 Consultant: Rural Development. SD as Utopia 3 1 Epidemiologist 6 1 Lecturer Ecology Env. Management 36 1 Research Engineer 42 1 Biologist IR and PA are different political strategies 2 1 PhD Student - Biologist IR and PA are colonisation strategies 10 1 Student 24 1 Student 26 1 Student Indigenous resistance to IR/PA strategies 48 1 Anthropologist IR and PA overlapped 7 1 Student 34 1 PhD St. Environmental Management 44 1 Postgraduate Student Environmental Indian 23 1 Designer 40 1 Project Co-ordinator (SD) Environmental Indians contaminated 12 1 Environmental Engineer by mestizo culture 39 1 Postgraduate Student 45 1 Environmental Manager IR are Inefficient 35 1 Lecturer 53 1 Journalist IR more effective that PA 5 1 Civil Servant 17 1 Unemployed 37 Table 3 Q3 - Do you think that the concepts of 'protected areas' (PA), 'indigenous reserves' (IR) and SD are useful for environmental management today? RESPONSE - ARGUMENT SURVEY No. NVA VA Profession Depends on the context 1 1 Lecturer: Env. Sociology 2 1 PhD St. Biologist Yes 4 1 PhD St. Env. Genetics 14 1 Economist 22 1 Anthropologist Indigenous Environmental 12 1 Environmental Engineer 23 1 Designer 41 1 PhD Student Indigenous Environmental in contamination risk 45 1 EM Concepts: Principles and instruments a) Participation: IR better than PA 5 1 Civil Servant 6 1 Lecturer Ecology EM 11 1 Consultant: Rural Development RD 26 1 Student 41 1 PhD Student b) Intergenerational Equity: resource reserve 12 1 Environmental Engineer for Development 13 1 Agriculturist 21 1 Taxation 25 1 PhD St. Agriculture & Dvnt. 38 1 Gardener (MSc) Risk and Protection a)Environmental Protection (EP) 12 1 Environmental Engineer 17 1 Unemployed EP and catastrophism 6 1 Lecturer Ecology EM 32 1 Teacher 51 1 Postgraduate Student b) Of cultural diversity 31 1 Postgraduate Student IR as ineffective 10 1 Student 24 1 Student Integration of concepts or the need for it 7 1 Student 11 1 Consultant RD 18 1 Student 26 1 Student 34 1 PhD Student Env. Mgment. Difficulties for integration a) Incompatibility of interests 10 1 Student 40 1 Project co-ordinator (SD) b) Financial economic effectiveness' imperative 25 1 PhD St. Agriculture Devent. 30 1 Postgraduate Student 33 1 PhD Student c) Political manipulation 44 1 Post. St. Environment 46 1 Lecturer 38 47 1 PhD Student 48 1 Anthropologist d) Semiotic blur 24 1 Student 50 1 PhD Student Education: Dynamism of the concepts 37 1 Postgraduate Student 45 1 Environmental Manager 47 1 PhD Student 39 Table 4 Q4 - Should or should not environmental managers (EM) get involved in territorial ordering process in Amazon? RESPONSE - ARGUMENT SURVEY No. NVA VA Profession Yes 4 1 PhD St. Evolutionary Genetics In fact they are 22 1 Anthropologist Unsure 52 1 Lecturer: IT & Development 32 1 Teacher Question into Question 6 1 Lecturer Ecology EM 31 1 Postgraduate St Indigenous Peoples as EM 27 1 Anthropologist Yes, for Env. protection (catastrophism) 32 1 Teacher 33 1 PhD Student 42 1 Biologist Yes, EM are the ones (better able that IP) 12 1 Environmental Engineer 18 1 Student 21 1 Taxation 28 1 Lecturer 34 1 PhD student 36 1 Research Engineer 46 1 Lecturer 53 1 Journalist EM provide solutions/ take decisions 23 1 Designer 35 1 Lecturer 38 1 Gardener Yes but listening to others 5 1 Civil Servant 53 1 Journalist If Indigenous Peoples direct EM or projects 1 1 Lecturer: Env. Sociology 10 1 Student 14 1 Economist 41 1 PhD Student EM have equal rights to other stakeholders 2 1 PhD St. Biology 6 1 Lecturer Ecology EM 7 1 Student 29 1 Anthropologist 44 1 Post. Student Not inside IP territories 47 1 PhD Student Yes, if apolitical EM 9 1 Environmental Manager 17 1 Unemployed 37 1 Postgraduate Student Yes for political counteract 26 1 Student EM as facilitators 5 1 Civil Servant 10 1 Student 45 1 Environmental Manager Depends of capacity, ability & quality of EM 24 1 Student 31 1 Postgraduate Student EM tough job: political risk 15 1 Consultant: Health 40 1 Project Co-ordinator (SD) 40 References Adger, W. N., T. A. Benjaminsen, et al. (2001). "Advancing a Political Ecology of Global Environmental Discourses". Development and Change 32: 681-715. Ambrose-Oji, B., T. Allmark, et al. (2002). "The Environmental State and the Forest; of Lookouts, Leopards, and Losers". In The environmental state under pressurence. A. P. J. Mol and F. H. Buttel. Oxford, Elsevier. 10: 149-69. Castells, M. (1996). "The rise of the network society". Cambridge, MA, Blackwell Publishers. Denevan, W. M. (2001). "Cultivated Landscapes of Native Amazonia and the Andes". Oxford and New York, Oxford University Press. Ecologist (2002). Making it happen. Interview to Martin von Hildebrand. The Ecologist. 32: 44-7. Forero, O. A. (1999). From pure sciences to ethnosciences. A broad perspective on ecosystems analysis and governance. Examining the environmental management problems of the Yaigojé Resguardo Indigenous Reserve in the Colombian Amazon. Ecology and Epidemiology Group. Biological Sciences. Coventry, UK, University of Warwick: 233. --- (2000). "Territoriality and Governance in the Colombian Amazon". Conference: SLAS annual conference- 2000, Hull, (Unpublished). --- (2001). "The March of the Manikins. Agroforestry practices and spiritual dancing in Northwest Amazonia". Conference: Conservation and Sustainable Development -Comparative Perspectives, CCR-University of Yale. New Haven, Connecticut, Unpublished. --- (2002a). "Indigenous knowledge and the scientific mind: Activism or Colonialism?" Conference: Activism as History, History as Activism. History Department, Columbia University, New York. --- (2002b). "Technology in Northwest Amazonia: Sketches form Inside. A contribution to the Political Ecology of Northwest Amazonia." Unpublished. Forero, O. A., R. E. Laborde, et al. (1998). "Colombia: Yaigojé Indigenous Resguardo Natural Reserve". In Indigenous Peoples and Diversity Conservation in Latin America. IWGIA. Copenhagen, IWGIA. Doc. 87. Forero, O. A. and G. Woodgate (2002). "The semantics of 'Human Security' in Northwest Amazonia: between indigenous peoples' 'Management of the World' and the USA's State Security Policy for Latin America". In Human Security and the Environment. M. Redclift. Cheltenham UK and Northampton MA, Edward Elgar. Gómez, A. (1999). "Estructuración socioespacial de la Amazonia Colombina, siglos XIX-XX". In Domínguez, C. F. Cubides. Bogotá, CES, Universidad Nacional de Colombia: 21-40. Gómez, R. (1998). "The Nostalgia of Virtual Community. A Study of computer-mediated communications use in Colombian non-governmental organizations". Information Technology and People 11(3): 217-34. Hardin, G. J. (1998). "The Tragedy of the Commons". In Debating the Earth. The Environmental Politics Reader. S. Dryzek and D. Scholosberg. N.Y., Oxford University Press: 23-34. Myers, N. (1980). Conversion of Tropical Moist Forest: A Report prepared for the Committee on Research Priorities in Tropical Biology of the National Research Council. Washington D.C., National Academy of Sciences. OZIP (2002). SOS from Indigenous Peoples of Putumayo, Znet:http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=9&ItemID=2122. 2002. Rabben, L. (1998). "Unnatural Selection. The Yanomami, the Kayapó and the Onslaught of Civilisation". London, Pluto Press. Sachs, W. (1977). "'Sustainable Development'". In The International Handbook of Environmental Sociology. M. Redclift and G. Woodgate. Cheltenham, UK Northampton, MA, USA, Edward Elgar: 71-82. ---, Ed. (1993). "Global Ecology. A new arena of political conflict". London, Zed Books. Sevilla_Guzmán, E. and G. Woodgate (1997). "'Sustainable rural development': from industrial agriculture to agroecology". In The International Handbook of Environmental Sociology. M. Redclift and G. Woodgate. Cheltenham, UK Northampton, MA, USA, Edward Elgar: 83-100. Stott, P. (1999). Tropical rain forest: a political ecology of hegemonic mythmaking. IEA Studies on the Environment, No 15. London. 41 Stott, P. and S. Dullivan, Eds. (2000). "Political Ecology: Science, Myth and Power". London and N.Y., Arnold. Varese, S. (1996). "The new Environmentalist Movement of Latin American Indigenous Movement pp." In Valuing Local Knowledge. S. Brush and D. Stabinsky. Washington D.C.: 122-144. Weinberg, B. (2001). "Amazonia: Planning the Final Destruction. Mega-Development Threatens Devastation of Indian Ecologies". Native Americas: Hemisphere Journal of Indigenous Issues 450: Fall/Winter.