Showing papers on "Sustainability published in 1990"

Conserving the World's Biological Diversity

Abstract: The 1990s may be the last decade during which constructive and creative decisions, activities, and investments can be made to ensure that many of the world's species and ecosystems are maintained, examined for their material and ecological value, and promoted for sustainable use to support new and innovative approaches to development. The combination of maintaining the maximum possible biological and cultural diversity, and the greatest possible scientific endeavor seems the most sensible approach toward dealing with the dynamic future facing humanity. The elements now exist that will reverse the trend toward the biotic impoverishment of the world. New partners in conservation need to be found, involving all ministries, departments, and private institutions that are directly dependent on biological resources. For example, national parks departments should be joined in habitat management by a wide range of other institutions to represent all interests. Furthermore, other line agencies need to develop the capacity to manage biodiversity of particular relevance to their respective missions. Actions taken in the next few years will determine whether we take a road toward a chaotic future characterized by overexploitation and abuse of our biological resources, or take the road toward maintaining greater biological diversity and resource sustainability.

Sustainable Development: Economics and Environment in the Third World

Abstract: Preface * Sustainable Development: Ecology and Economic Progress * Discounting the Future * Economic Appraisal and the Natural Environment * Sustainable Development in the Upper Watersheds of Java * Sustainable Forest Management in the Outer Islands of Indonesia * Natural Resources in the Economy of Sudan * Sustainable Development in Botswana * Natural Resources and Economic Development in Nepal * Sustainable Management of Amazonia * Index

Agroecology: researching the ecological basis for sustainable agriculture.

Abstract: There has been a recent emergence in research activity on the ecology of agricultural systems. After a long history of separation and lack of interaction, ecologists and agronomists have begun to combine forces to study and help solve the problems confronting our food production systems. Out of this the field of agroecology has begun to form. But as the field forms, considerable discussion and even controversy has surfaced as to how a research approach or methodology might best be applied to ensure the achievement of ecologically significant as well as agriculturally applicable results. It is one thing to gain an understanding of what makes an agroecosystem function, yet it is quite another to apply such knowledge to solving everyday problems faced by farmers around the world.

Wetland conservation : a review of current issues and required action (Japanese version)

Abstract: There is today a growing awareness that many wetlands are more valuable in their natural, or only slightly modified state, than if drained, dyked or built upon. Past neglect of wetlands has meant that there is insufficient material available on policy guidance, planning techniques, or management methodologies for their conservation and sustainable use in different regions. This publication begins to redress the balance by reviewing the importance of wetlands, examining the reasons for wetland loss, and identifying ways and means to improve wetland management

Alternatives to deforestation: steps toward sustainable use of the Amazon rain forest.

Abstract: Alternatives to Deforestation explores some of the possible sustainable uses of the world's largest rain forest, the Amazon. The collection by scientists, policy makers, and foundations presents innovative approaches and technologies that will permit simultaneous use and conservation of the rain forest, and will benefit the population of Amazonia as a whole, rather than just a small rural minority. By presenting sustainable land-use alternatives that are both economically viable and ecologically sound, this book represents a valuable contribution in the effort to end the tragic consequences of tropical deforestation.

Wetland conservation: a review of current issues and required action

Abstract: There is today a growing awareness that many wetlands are more valuable in their natural, or only slightly modified state, than if drained, dyked or built upon. Past neglect of wetlands has meant that there is insufficient material available on policy guidance, planning techniques, or management methodologies for their conservation and sustainable use in different regions. This publication begins to redress the balance by reviewing the importance of wetlands, examining the reasons for wetland loss, and identifying ways and means to improve wetland management

A history of sustainable agriculture.

Abstract: This chapter presents two reference points to provide a conceptual setting for the definition of sustainable agriculture and to show evolutionary trends in its development. The first reference point is placed in the early 1980s, with the emergence of the concepts of regenerative agriculture and the articulation of a sustainable agriculture. A second reference point is the increased use of the term sustainable, starting in 1987, to refer to a “stable” agriculture in the global sense, involving all facets of agriculture and its interaction with society. Agricultural evolution always has been guided by a perception of what should be, sometimes called the model, the goal, or even the ideology. The difference between that goal and agriculture as it exists presently is the development gap. US agriculture was in a major expansionist mode during the early 1900s. Agricultural development trends and breakthroughs up to and including the Green Revolution are interestingly summarized by Dahlberg.

In search of sustainability: Reaping long-term advantage from investments in information technology

Abstract: :We have raised executive management’s awareness, and expectations of the strategic role of information systems technology Teams of managers are commonly involved in workshops or planning processes designed to identify such applications Conceptual frameworks to assist in such “idea-generation” sessions are widely cited in the literature and used in practice Less well understood is the process used to evaluate the sustainability of proposed applications We present a framework for evaluating sustainability based on the competitor’s anticipated response time, differences among competitors, and the potential of the application to preempt competitive responses Such an analysis is proposed as an evaluation tool for intended strategic applications of information technology

Some aspects of the role of organic matter in sustainable intensified arable farming systems in the West-African semi-arid-tropics (SAT).

Abstract: In this paper the role of organic manure in intensified farming systems in the SAT of West-Africa is discussed. Different aspects are treated: its function as a source of plant nutrients, its effects on soil physical and on soil chemical properties. It is concluded that often the major effect is through increased nutrient supply, but that in combination with chemical fertilizer — particularly nitrogen — it serves to counteract the negative effects of these fertilizers, particularly acidification and the increased removal of nutrients other than the one applied in the fertilizer. Insufficient organic material appears to be available to realize the required production increase and prevent the negative effects of nitrogen fertilizers. However, application of chemical fertilizer alone can lead to sustainable production systems provided export and losses of all nutrient elements are sufficiently compensated and acidification is avoided by using the correct type of nitrogen fertilizer, possibly in combination with liming.

No Timber Without Trees: Sustainability in the tropical forest

Abstract: The sustainable management of natural forest - the issues Queensland, Australia - an approach to successful sustainable management Africa South America and the Caribbean Aisa natural forest managemnt - a commentary conclusions recommended action.

Sustainable agriculture in temperate zones.

Abstract: Sustainable Agriculture: An Overview (C. Francis & G. Youngberg). Breeding Hybrids and Varieties for Sustainable Systems (C. Francis). Design of Pest Management Systems for Sustainable Agriculture (G. Bird, et al.). Sustainable Weed Management Practices (M. Liebman & R. Janke). Sustainable Soil Fertility Practices (L. King). Legumes and Crop Rotations (J. Power). Management and Soil Biology (J. Doran & M. Werner). Pasture Management (B. Murphy). Case Study: A Resource--Efficient Farm with Livestock (R. Thompson, et al.). Converting to Sustainable Farming Systems (R. Andrews, et al.). The Economics of Sustainable Low--Input Farming Systems (J. Madden). Sustainability of Agriculture and Rural Communities (C. Flora). Policy Issues and Agricultural Sustainability (C. Flora). Agriculture with Nature as Analogy (W. Jackson). Major Issues Confronting Sustainable Agriculture (W. Lockeretz). Future Dimensions of Sustainable Agriculture (C. Francis). Author Index. Subject Index.

The meaning and ethics of sustainability

Abstract: Some have argued that the meaning of sustainability varies according to context, forcing us to be as explicit as possible when defining our terms. An argument is offered that disputes this conclusion by maintaining that it is not the meaning of sustainability that changes with respect to context, but rather our understanding of the context itself. This is frequently apparent in contradictions that arise when conceiving each context in terms of sustainability. If this argument is correct, then we should be concerned not with the “meaning” of sustainability but rather the implications of sustainability as they affect the status quo. And in order to do this we must be prepared to answer the question: Why is sustainability desirable? This approach is illustrated through a preliminary conceptual and ethical analysis of ecologically sustainable development.

Environmental Sustainability and Cost-Benefit Analysis:

Abstract: Efforts to ‘operationalize’ a concept of sustainability into appraisal methods for practical decisionmaking have been few and generally unpersuasive. In this paper it is argued that this need not be the case if a set of environmentally compensating, or ‘shadow’, projects within an overall portfolio are used to ensure a sustainability objective of setting a constraint on the depletion and degradation of the stock of natural capital. This can be achieved through both a ‘weak’ and a ‘strong’ sustainability criterion. In both cases the resulting optimum differs from the efficient optimum of the conventional cost-benefit criterion, but the basic cost-benefit model remains intact.

The importance of integration in sustainable agricultural systems.

Abstract: Conventional agriculture has caused economic problems associated with over production of crops, increased costs of energy-based inputs and decreased farm incomes. It has also produced ecological problems such as poor ecological diversity, soil and water pollution and soil erosion. The adoption of integrated systems of agricultural production involving lower inputs of fertilizer, pesticides and cultivations can alleviate these economic and ecological problems. Such systems are dependent upon a good understanding of the nature of interactions between the four main components of such systems, which are fertilizers, pesticides, cultivations and rotations, and how these interactions influence crop yields and farm income. Alternatives to energy-based inputs include: legume rotations; use of waste organic matter as well as that from animals and crops; integrated pest management; pest and disease forecasting; biological and cultural pest control; living mulches and mechanical weed control; conservation tillage; specialized innovative cultural techniques, including intercropping, strip cropping, undersowing, trap crops, and double-row cropping. It is essential to integrate the components of agricultural systems fully so that their impact of other inputs is taken into account. Our knowledge of the main inputs and how these practices interact must increase before we can design fully integrated farming systems that minimize energy-based chemical inputs, produce good yields, increase farm profits and decrease environmental problems. There is considerable scope for the development of computer-based, farmer-operated, integrated management systems.

After the green revolution

Abstract: Despite impressive results, the Green Revolution has encountered major problems of equity, stability and sustainability, calling for a ‘new phase’ of agricultural research and development. In this article four indicators of agricultural performance—productivity, stability, sustainability and equitability —are defined. Agro-ecosystems are described as a hierarchy ascending from the level of the individual plant or animal all the way to national systems linked by international trade, and it is argued that development cannot be based on any one level. This is demonstrated with a discussion of international constraints on sustainable and equitable development, the necessary national policies, and the needs of rural households. In conclusion, the article summarizes the research and development priorities for the new phase of development.

The role of fertilizers in sustaining agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract: African farmers have relied traditionally on fallowing for up to 15 years to restore soil fertility. Leaving land unproductive for such periods is a luxury many regions cannot afford, given the contemporary decline in per capita food production (1%/year). Thus, alternative soil fertility maintenance measures such as agroforestry, novel intercropping systems, residue conservation, the use of manure, soil amendments, and fertilizer have recently been given greater emphasis. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that 75% of the increase in regional food production must come from intensive production. However, fertilizer use in sub-Saharan Africa is only one tenth of the world average. The small size of fertilizer markets in most countries is an important contributing factor in relatively high farm-gate prices and low fertilizer use. There is significant scope for improving the efficiency of fertilizer procurement and distribution in the region. Most countries can substantially reduce farm-gate prices by changing to higher analysis formulas, relaxing specifications, importing in bulk and bagging locally, and improving systems of distribution. Various options of fertilizer production are discussed in this context. Intensification in areas where environmental constraints are limited and surplus production can be marketed may alleviate the demographic pressures to cultivate marginal land where increased land and labor productivity is unlikely. Although substantial effort should be made to research sustainable farming system options for marginal lands, efforts in the more resilient environments should concentrate on increased crop production, using inputs where feasible. Provisions should be made for adequate support in the infrastructural, institutional, and policy spheres to transform these regions into granaries.

A Strategy for Tourism and Sustainable Developments

Abstract: (1990). A Strategy for Tourism and Sustainable Developments. World Leisure & Recreation: Vol. 32, No. 3, pp. 12-18.

Case studies of project sustainability : implications for policy and operations from Asian experience

Abstract: ed from Khan et al. (1988) with the permission of the authors. Additional material was taken from the World Bank Project Performance Audit Report (OED, 1986b).

Regional Sustainable Development and Natural Resource Use

Abstract: The concept of sustainable development has been discussed intensively at a global level in the past few years. This paper investigates sustainable development in a practical planning context by introducing and outlining the notion of regional sustainable development (RSD)-a translation and operationalization of sustainable development on a regional scale. Implicit in RSD is that it should always be compatible with global sustainability and that RSD of all regions of a spatial system implies sustainable development for the system as a whole. From a planning viewpoint, an identification of critical success factors (CSFS) is of crucial importance for RSD. A cSF is a necessary condition for balanced regional development that can be guided by policy intervention. In most cases, the notion of sustainable resource use (SRu) appears to provide a practicalframework for identifying a csF, because renewable stocks of natural resources are a keyfactorfor RSD in most countries. csFs may usually be found by investigating the regional supply of natural resources and using their features (exhaustible, renewable, accessible, multifunctional, and so on) to identify measurable indicators for RSD. The paper discusses and critically evaluates RSD models with regard to their design, specification, and use. In addition, it presents three case studies that may help clarify the notions of RSD, CSFS, and SRU and demonstrate their operational character in different regions: the Peel area in the Netherlands, the Sporades Islands in Greece, and rural land in Botswana. The paper concludes with retrospective review and a prospective exploration of important research questions.