Sustainable Living with Environmental Risks


Book Description

We are not free from environmental risks that accompany the development of human societies. Modern economic development has accelerated environmental pollution, caused loss of natural habitats, and modified landscapes. These environmental changes have impacted natural systems: water and heat circulation, nutrient cycling, and biodiversity. These changes in natural systems degrade ecosystem services and subsequently increase environmental risks for humans. Environmental risks, therefore, are not only human health risks by pollution, climatic anomalies and natural disasters, but also degradation of ecosystem services on which most people are relying for their lives. We cannot entirely eliminate the risks, because it is not possible to attain zero impact on the environment, but we need to find a mechanism that minimizes environmental risks for human sustainably. This is the idea of the interdisciplinary framework of “environmental risk management” theory, which advocates harmony between economic development and environmental conservation. Based on this theory, the Sustainable Living with Environmental Risk (SLER) programme, adopted by the Japanese Ministry of Education (MEXT) as one of its strategic programmes, has been training graduate students at the Yokohama National University, Japan, from 2009 to 2013 to become future environmental leaders who will take the initiative in reducing the level of environmental risks and in protecting natural resources in the developing nations of Asia and Africa. This book provides students and teachers of this new academic field with a comprehensive coverage of case studies of environmental risks and their practical management technologies not only in Japan but also in developing nations in Asia and Africa.




Environmental Risks for Major Projects


Book Description

This title provides assistance on legal risk management following environmental incidents such as Fukushima and Deepwater Horizon. It reflects how such incidents have led many governments, international corporations and financial institutions to reassess their approach to safety and environmental risk.




Environmental Management in Mega Construction Projects


Book Description

This book discusses environmental management and construction management approaches to the environmental problems that can emerge in construction projects. It sets a brand new standard for environmental management in mega construction projects in China and helps all construction project stakeholders establish a more compliant and efficient environmental management system. The authors systematically explore management systems and team management, offering managerial methods and tips based on international and Chinese practices. Outlining all the environmental challenges that can arise during construction, it is a valuable resource for company owners, construction contractors, and construction management consultants and companies. It also offers useful insights for engineers, project managers and project executives.




Integrating Sustainability Into Major Projects


Book Description

A practitioner-focused guide featuring tools, models, and experience from the front lines of sustainability management on major projects With the growing need for sustainability management on large resource, infrastructure and power projects, this book provides project teams and sustainability practitioners with the practical advice, tools, and resources they need to create better projects. It offers extensive guidance for integrating sustainability into project design, planning and delivery. In each chapter, the authors provide invaluable sustainability management strategies and sample tools for project execution plans, engineering decision-making, stakeholder engagement tracking, logging commitments and follow-up actions, permit tracking, and construction management. Integrating Sustainability into Major Projects: Best Practices and Tools for Project Teams begins by introducing readers to the topic, as well as the common terminology. It then offers readers an overview of major projects, covering types of projects and project structures, the key players, and how to understand and manage different perspectives of time and space. Next, it looks at standards and guidelines, followed by chapters on: Project Management; Managing Risk and Opportunity; Sustainability Management Tools; Approvals and Permits; Design; Procurement; Construction Management; Commissioning; and more. This book: Provides analysis tools and resources that practitioners and project teams can use to successfully integrate and manage sustainability into major project design and delivery including industrial, resource, power, and infrastructure projects; Guides readers on how to work with local communities, engage with stakeholders and develop sustainability programs that support project financing; Includes case studies, lessons learned and expertise from a wide range of actual major projects and the authors' professional experiences with integrating sustainability; Leads practitioners through the major project types and their typical components, structure, and timelines, and demonstrates how sustainability can be effectively integrated into each type of major project. Integrating Sustainability into Major Projects provides the tools project teams need to successfully integrate sustainability into project design and management, making it an ideal tool for project teams and sustainability practitioners working on major resource, power, or infrastructure projects. It will also benefit project owners, organizational leaders, project finance professionals, government regulators and graduate students in engineering, project management, sustainability management, or environmental design and architecture.




The Power of Renewables


Book Description

The United States and China are the world's top two energy consumers and, as of 2010, the two largest economies. Consequently, they have a decisive role to play in the world's clean energy future. Both countries are also motivated by related goals, namely diversified energy portfolios, job creation, energy security, and pollution reduction, making renewable energy development an important strategy with wide-ranging implications. Given the size of their energy markets, any substantial progress the two countries make in advancing use of renewable energy will provide global benefits, in terms of enhanced technological understanding, reduced costs through expanded deployment, and reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions relative to conventional generation from fossil fuels. Within this context, the U.S. National Academies, in collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), reviewed renewable energy development and deployment in the two countries, to highlight prospects for collaboration across the research to deployment chain and to suggest strategies which would promote more rapid and economical attainment of renewable energy goals. Main findings and concerning renewable resource assessments, technology development, environmental impacts, market infrastructure, among others, are presented. Specific recommendations have been limited to those judged to be most likely to accelerate the pace of deployment, increase cost-competitiveness, or shape the future market for renewable energy. The recommendations presented here are also pragmatic and achievable.




Sustainable Mass Transit


Book Description

Sustainable Mass Transit: Challenges and Opportunities in Urban Public Transportation, Second Edition highlights the many sustainability solutions and alternatives to fossil fuel usage including renewable energy and efficiency in mass transit, as well as the conservation of materials, water, and air and the overall health of communities. This new edition will update the reader on developments in the field since 2017 and advancements in sustainability solutions. It explores how Environmental Management System frameworks improve environmental performance in the operations, maintenance, design, rehabilitation, and expansion of a mass transportation system. The book covers the numerous types of mass transit systems, looking closely at all their key functions, including operations, maintenance, development, design, building, and retrofitting. It explores the mitigation measures that reduce or eliminate negative environmental impacts, including green infrastructure, materials conservation, ecological conservation, and more. It covers energy, greenhouse gas emissions, toxic pollution and other significant environmental impacts, recycling, and more. It also examines organizational best practices and environmental regulatory constraints and life cycle assessments, describing which sustainable elements can be added while rehabilitating or expanding a mass transportation infrastructure or ancillary facility. The book concludes with a look at forthcoming sustainable initiatives that will enhance mass transit systems. - Contains case studies from around the world, including several new case studies from the United States, Canada, Mexico, South America, Europe and Asia - Thoroughly updated with four new chapters on The Sustainable Mass Transit Revolution, Relevance of Mass Transit, Environmental Professionals in Transportation, and Reimagining Sustainable Mass Transit - Includes a new companion website with assessment questions for educators, image files and video presentations - Shows how teams from different fields, entities, agencies and cities can work together to solve complex sustainability challenges







Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on Management Science and Engineering Management


Book Description

This book presents the proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on Management Science and Engineering Management (ICMSEM2013) held from November 7 to 9, 2013 at Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA and organized by the International Society of Management Science and Engineering Management, Sichuan University (Chengdu, China) and Drexel University (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA). The goals of the Conference are to foster international research collaborations in Management Science and Engineering Management as well as to provide a forum to present current research findings. The selected papers cover various areas in management science and engineering management, such as Decision Support Systems, Multi-Objective Decisions, Uncertain Decisions, Computational Mathematics, Information Systems, Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Relationship Management, Scheduling and Control, Data Warehousing and Data Mining, Electronic Commerce, Neural Networks, Stochastic Models and Simulation, Fuzzy Programming, Heuristics Algorithms, Risk Control, Organizational Behavior, Green Supply Chains, and Carbon Credits. The proceedings introduce readers to novel ideas on and different problem-solving methods in Management Science and Engineering Management. We selected excellent papers from all over the world, integrating their expertise and ideas in order to improve research on Management Science and Engineering Management.




Environmental Risk Management and Corporate Lending


Book Description

Environmental issues have never been so high on the agenda of governments and companies around the world. From being seen as a fringe discipline, environmental risk management has established its central importance for the future not only of the environment itself but also of the individual organisation. Until now, however, there has been no book devoted to the implications of environmental risk for banks and other financial institutions involved in corporate lending. Phil Case's timely book provides a much-needed blueprint for the management of environmental risk in this crucial area and should be essential reading for all those involved in corporate lending internationally.




Environmental Impact Assessment of Irrigation and Drainage Projects


Book Description

The aim of this publication is to provide guidance enabling personnel working in irrigation and drainage to take environmental impacts into account.