Coventry University

About: Coventry University is a education organization based out in Coventry, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Higher education. The organization has 4964 authors who have published 12700 publications receiving 255898 citations. The organization is also known as: Lanchester Polytechnic & Coventry Polytechnic.

Sedimentary indicators of lake-level changes in the humid temperate zone: a critical review

Abstract: Evidence for lake-level changes derived from stratigraphic sequences in cores from littoral zones is reviewed in the context of lake sedimentation processes. These are illustrated with published case-studies which have used multiple-core data. Possible approaches for choosing optimum sites are examined. Sedimentation controls which may change over time are also considered; these include, wind strength and frequency, wind exposure, water depth and underwater slopes, sediment type and littoral vegetation. A final section discusses how lake-level studies can be optimised so that results can be used with confidence in paleoclimatic and paleohydrological reconstructions. Sedimentary data showing shifts in littoral vegetation along shallow underwater gradients in sheltered margins, and transitions between sediment compositions linked to specific hydrological conditions give the strongest lines of evidence.

Structure of the global plastic waste trade network and the impact of China’s import Ban

Abstract: Millions of tonnes (teragrams) of plastic waste are traded around the world every year, which plays an important role in partially substituting virgin plastics as a source of raw materials in plastic product manufacturing. In this paper, global plastic waste trade networks (GPWTNs) from 1988 to 2017 are established using the UN-Comtrade database. The spatiotemporal evolution of the GPWTNs is analyzed. Attention is given to the country ranks, inter- and intra-continental trade flows, and geo-visual communities in the GPWTNs. We also evaluate the direct and indirect impacts of China’s plastic waste import ban on the GPWTNs. The results show that the GPWTNs have small-world and scale-free properties and a core-periphery structure. The geography of the plastic waste trade is structured by Asia as the dominant importer and North America and Europe as the largest sources of plastic waste. China is the unrivaled colossus in the global plastic waste trade. After China’s import ban, the plastic waste trade flows have been largely redirected to Southeast Asian countries. Compared with import countries, export countries are more important for the robustness of GPWTNs. Clearly, developed countries will not announce bans on plastic waste exports; these countries have strong motivation to continue to shift plastic waste to poorer countries. However, the import bans from developing countries will compel developed countries to build new disposal facilities and deal with their plastic waste domestically.

Benchmarking sustainability in cities : The role of indicators and future scenarios

Abstract: Scenarios are a useful tool to help think about and visualise the future and, as such, are utilised by many policymakers and practitioners Future scenarios have not been used to explore the urban context in much depth, yet have the potential to provide valuable insights into the robustness of decisions being made today in the name of sustainability As part of a major research project entitled Urban Futures, a toolkit has been developed in the UK to facilitate the use of scenarios in any urban context and at any scale relevant to that context The toolkit comprises two key components, namely, (i) a series of indicators comprising both generic and topic area-specific indicators (eg, air quality, biodiversity, density, water) that measure sustainability performance and (ii) a list of characteristics (ie, 1–2-sentence statements about a feature, issue or small set of issues) that describe four future scenarios In combination, these two components enable us to measure the performance of any given sustainability indicator, and establish the relative sensitivity or vulnerability of that indicator to the different future scenarios An important aspect of the methodology underpinning the toolkit is that it is flexible enough to incorporate new scenarios, characteristics and indicators, thereby allowing the long-term performance of our urban environments to be considered in the broadest possible sense