Projects

THE EUROPEAN UNION AGAINST GLOBAL DEFORESTATION

Posted on by leonardo

THE EUROPEAN UNION AGAINST GLOBAL DEFORESTATION

Humanity has always agreed on this: environmental conservation is everyone’s responsibility. However, over the decades, only a few countries have made a real commitment to stop the environmental footprint that humans leave behind.

On this occasion, the European Union assumes the commitment and decides to face the gigantic loss of forest mass that its economic activity has caused in its own territory and throughout the world.

In the midst of a debate that lasted until the wee hours of the morning, the Council of EU member countries and the European Parliament itself reached an agreement to provisionally establish a strict law that regulates the importation of products whose manufacture has contributed to the deforestation.

 

GLOBAL DEFORESTATION: HOW WILL THIS PROVISIONAL LAW WORK?

As proposed by the Parliament and the Council of the EU, the objective is to encourage more and more companies to stop commercial activities that cause deforestation. The idea is to make an impact both on the European continent and around the world, forcing companies to be environmentally responsible in order to have a place in the largest and most prosperous economy: food and raw materials.

In force since December 6, this law prevents the importation of products whose manufacture has as a direct consequence internal or external deforestation of the European Union. Starting this month, producers will have 18 months to abide by and implement these new standards in their production devices.

GROBAL DEFORESTATION: HOW WILL THIS PROVISIONAL LAW WORK?

Regarding small companies, they will have a slightly greater range for their adaptation, understanding the cost and effort involved in a structural change of this type that, although necessary, implies a strong internal cost for them.

The European Union has established that, to guarantee compliance with the standard, a verification process will be established through the geolocation of crops using satellite technology.

At the moment, specific products will work under this legislation: soybeans, wood, palm, rubber, cocoa, coffee, cattle and other bovine derivatives, such as leather. Products derived from these raw materials, such as printed paper, furniture, cosmetics and chocolates, will also be taken into account.

To be sold completely openly and without regulations, each of these products must have the “due diligence” seal granted to companies that duly comply with the aforementioned law.

 

THE ORIGIN OF THE PROBLEM

Although the European Union is one of the most powerful alliances in the world, why take such a radical role in the problem of deforestation?

According to reports from the WWF (Acronym in English for ‘World Wide Fund for Nature’), its territory is responsible for 16% of all global deforestation and is the second largest destroyer of tropical forests. This, of course, due to its indiscriminate import market tukif.

The already marked damage that this economy causes to the planet has been increased in recent years, in addition, due to the increase in consumption and demand for food worldwide, collapsing the agricultural infrastructure.

And you, what do you think of these measures? Do you think that the actions of the European Union will be enough by themselves to make a difference and reverse the damage that human beings have caused to the environment?

 

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Projects

What forest conservation strategies have been shown to be most effective?

Posted on by leonardo

What forest conservation strategies have been shown to be most effective?

Forests are the earth’s heart. These ancient ecosystems are essential for human happiness, health, and environmental stability. They are also home to almost half of all species on earth. But according to recent reports, forests in tropical regions are almost dying out. The rate at which forests are being destroyed is alarming.

The main drivers include mining, logging, and unsustainable agricultural practices. And if the current destruction of forests continues, we may soon find ourselves in a serious crisis. But the best part is that there are solutions to this problem. Here are a few creative ways we can save trees and surrounding forests.
Reforestation

Planting more trees is critical to preserving our forests. Replacing the already destroyed trees helps provide habitat to threatened species. Reforestation can be done by either donating to organizations tasked with planting trees or joining your community in tree planting events. But never view planting trees as the excuse for cutting down the already existing trees. Don’t just donate to an organization that plants trees for timber use. Make sure your donation goes towards restoring the degraded ecosystems porno.
Buy non-timber furniture

You can use your purchasing power to prevent the illegal cutting of trees. Logging is responsible for a significant percentage of forest destruction around the world. Timber furniture is by far the worst cause of deforestation. Widespread clearing of forests contributes heavily to global climatic change. But the narrative can change by avoiding buying furniture and other items from trees.
Advocate for the Conservation of Forests

forest

The global climatic change continues to impact the natural world and our societies. Forests help control climatic patterns and store carbon that causes climatic changes. Cutting down trees will result in the extinction of many species and cause severe fires and droughts worldwide.

You can personally help conserve forests by spearheading the enactment of progressive climate policies in your neighborhood.

Forest Fire Control

Fire is a common cause of forest destruction. A wild fire can start naturally due to friction between trees or lightning. Trees are highly exposed to wild fire, and once a forest catches fire, it can’t be easy to put out. So, to save forests from wild fire, responsible organizations must adopt the latest firefighting techniques. They include using fire retardant chemicals, water sprays, and leaving wider access roads to the forest.
Teach Kids the Importance of Forests

Children are the future. So parents should inspire them to love their surroundings. They should be taught about forests and encouraged to read books on the ecosystem. Exposing kids to nature helps change their attitude towards forests. A better and more fun way to increase their love for forests is to explore a park together.
In conclusion, forest conservation can be done through cooperative efforts of the public, government, and humanitarian organizations. The benefits of taking care of forests are unquantifiable. If properly used, forests are the greatest resource humans can ever have. So, forest conservation is no longer an option. It is a requirement for the survival of all species.

 

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Methods

The screening process

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The screening process represents the first step within the evaluating process, in fact it drives along the interactive path of the E.I.A. procedure. It is not our aim to describe here entirely the way, but at least the principal guide line step by step. The methods of analysis don’t encompass every features of the evaluating process but they often fit a definite moment or fraction of the complete study.
You may surely understand the sequential program has to characterize the method, so that you clarify and evaluate carefully the method itself; It is absolutely needed to have the possibility of coming back to the beginning for analysing the node again.
We can resume briefly the screening process according to the following inferences.
a) setting of the analysis criterions and of the evaluation parameters
b) defining the planning choices fit the aims of the programme.
c) surrounding the lands influenced by the project
d) choosing the definite working methodology
e) understanding the degree of precision of the supplied documentation
f) establishing the rules of participation for the people living over the territory.
It is useful to distinguish between the possible choices of the arisen project and the choices concerning the project core. The first ones regard the decision to build or not to build the project and generally they come into the entire planning of the economic activities and of the social ones, and the second ones are referred to some different solutions after the making decision has been taken.
The beginning of this process constitutes the definition of choices of suitable projects and therefore it derives from the final steps of the screening.
The relations between the two phases (the screening and the scoping) could be stronger than ones could be thought by you as well as an organic analysis requires.

In first place we describe the building phase and its differences from other correlated steps, the ones latter presents the target of the analysis. In turn I would get the determination of the impacts within the building phase and within the utilization one.

The initial phase of building is quite different from the final principal phase named “use phase or utilization phase” because the nature of the impacts is typical, in fact the temporal features and the amplitude of the actions are mutable. The project may cause a local consequence or a wider influence over the neighbouring lands therefore we have to know thoroughly the environment for recognizing the possible hit point and the probable impacts. Within the “environment” we embed the ecosystems and the areas occupied by the mankind.

a) collecting knowledges as deeply as you may so you would avoid casual deficiencies.

b) organizing the data as best you will be able.

Because the impacts may cover variable extent so the analysis must be carried out considering a definite area where to localize the influence. Pursuing this aim we apply some mathematical instruments such as “check list” and “matrix targets-actions” and networks. The networks are a fundamental means to find out the basic impacts and the secondary ones time to time, on the other hand they have to gather the direct issues and the indirect ones. Another way for analysing the territory is represented by the overlapping maps, in my opinion this is the best route to make a correct analysis and nowadays it is always getting easier using the GIS technology already applied for some years. Balancing an action we refer to the modal influence as respects the surrounding territory and only in second place seek either a weaker or a stronger situation.

For appraising the signification the analyser has to fix a proper qualitative scale that could use a symbology to including the thoughts; the impacts may arrise with different sign, it might be positive or negative and they show reversible character or irreversible one.

The impacts are generally a “pure footprint” because of the occurred difficulty to foresee exactly the interactions among the factors set in the environment and in particular how these factors will evolve. The”dirty impact” takes on the future evolution of the environment getting started from the actual scenery. The “pure footprint” derives from the “dirty impact” minus the value assigned to the “zero point” which corresponds to the existing situation. The “pure footprint”, called also the “pure impact”, is the only measurable to program an arrangement.

The factors must be as simple as you may choose on the other hand they have to declare their conciseness in fact too many data determine a complex calculative procedure and the further decision one. The qualitative scale ought to be used every time the factor shows an appreciable internal uncertainty, in this case you won’t have to assume a quantitative scale because it would introduce an additional element of contradiction.

The “red flags” are the “warning borders” of the modified targets therefore it is very important we watch and compare them with the probable evolution leading to the dirty impact. The criterions encompass wholly and focus the crucial point that are gathered into the specific area. You should understand how it is essential to give a correct value to every criterion and it is possible only when the relations among them have been clarified without a doubt so that the details have to emerge.

The appraisal may take place when the resources are comparable and compensable. This aim is reached every time the analyser finds the three principal characters beneath compiled.

a) the resources have to achieve a fixed rate of substitution among themselves.

b) the preferences have to be independent, in other words they musn’t present a double count.

c) the negative effects must be compensable through the positive one.

You all will understand how the points here above are not always kept making an environmental evaluation because of the typicality of the criterions, for example their rarity and their weakness so the aggregation of impacts is really a great problem.

Source: Nacionfarma.com

Projects

Description of work

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The objectives of work during the first six months of the project were as follows:

To commence the development of models of the rate of heat accumulation in bark and wood chip compost heaps taking account of particle size, initial moisture content, aeration, urea addition and agitation.

1. To commence work on the determination of the heat conductivity coefficients (HCC) for different sizes and species of softwoods and further develop an existing computer model to predict the time required to reach critical core temperature in a plank of wood taking account of size, species, initial temperature and kiln type.

2. To develop appropriate equipment and techniques to test the response of pests and plant species to hot water dips.

3. To commence the work to determine the response of a range of plants to hot water dips.

4. To commence work on the determination of the response of a range of pests to hot water dips.

5. To develop, calibrate and test research equipment for conducting bioassays to test the response of pests and horticultural products to controlled atmospheres.



II. Description of work:
Sub-task 1.1: Experiments will investigate the effect of particle size, initial moisture content, artificial aeration through gas lines, added nitrogen content and agitation, on temperature, pH and moisture content, leading to the development of models of heat accumulation in compost heaps. Work will also determine minimum heap size needed for stable core temperatures. Initial work (spanning months 4-12) will measure the effect of the five variables on temperature, pH and moisture content with quantification of all three parameters from measurements at pre-set positions in heaps at different times during the composting process.

Sub-task 2.1: Wood planks of different sizes and species will be treated with a standard heat regime in controlled environment chambers. The rate of heat penetration into the samples will be measured and HCC’s determined. A mathematical solution for the HCC of timber will be developed to predict time required for planks of specified size to reach target core temperature

Task 3: A temperature indicating system based on heat sensitive paint will be investigated (months 9-18).

Sub-task 4.1: Water baths and monitoring equipment will be designed and calibrated against recognised standards to allow hot water dipping of plants and pests (months 1-3).

Sub-task 4.2: Three species of plants will be exposed in hot water dipping experiments to a range of temperatures and exposure periods and assessed for plant damage (months 3-12).

Sub-task 4.3: Selected species of invertebrate pests will be exposed to a range of temperatures and exposure periods to determine their thermal death parameters (months 3-12).

Sub-task 5.1: Gas tight chambers will be set up and fitted with suitable dosing and monitoring equipment for controlled atmosphere studies and calibrated against verifiable standards (months 1-6).

III. State of progress
Work leading to the development of models of the rate of heat accumulation in bark and wood chip compost heaps has been started. Literature searches on existing composting procedures have been undertaken and the design and specification of the required equipment has been completed, including items which had to be manufactured to a unique specification. Initial tests to determine optimal placement of measuring probes within compost heaps have been undertaken, and the output used in the early stages of specification of a model of rate of heat accumulation in compost heaps. The data has also been used in the design of experimental protocols for further composting experiments.

Work to determine HCC’s and to develop a new computer model to predict time required to reach critical core temperature in wood planks also commenced. Work to extend an existing model to incorporate a wider range of tree species and plank dimensions was undertaken. The model is also being designed to enable its use in the verification of a thermal indicator system which will be developed under a future component of this project.

Although not scheduled to commence until the second reporting period, work on task three has been started. Initial discussions with a commercial company have centered on the range of thermal indicating paints currently available providing the necessary basis for selection of the sub-set that will be utilised in experimental work. Thus work on task 3 is ahead of the planned schedule.

Hot water baths have been designed and manufactured and are currently in use at the laboratories of two partners. Rigorous tests of temperature stability under operational conditions have been completed with results meeting the required specifications for the work. Insect respirometry equipment has been obtained, calibrated and tested, but required to be free of moisture and plant material in order to measure the small changes in insect respiration rate resulting from temperature changes, making it unsuitable for investigation of life stages associated with plant material. it is therefore recommended that no further use is made of insect respirometry techniques in this study. Thus sub-task 4.1 has been achieved in full.

Using the hot water baths, extensive experiments investigating the damage caused to Dendranthema by hot water dips of different temperatures and duration have been undertaken. Plants plunged into cold water immediately after hot water treatment exhibited less damage than those left to cool gradually to ambient temperatures after treatment. Short treatments at temperatures below 44ºC caused little visible damage, but exposure to 43ºC for 20 minutes resulted in commercially unacceptable damage.

Investigations of the response of plant pests to hot water dips showed high mortalities of the eggs and pupae of Liriomyza huidobrensis and of the eggs of Thrips palmi at the critical 43-44ºC range. Work is ongoing to determine if temperature/exposure-time combinations can be established which result in complete control of pests but acceptable levels of plant damage.

Equipment has been developed at the laboratories of two partners to investigate the efficacy of controlled atmospheres or phosphine as a pest control method. Chambers large enough to take whole plants have been tested and calibrated, and found to meet the required specifications for this work. Thus sub-task 5.1 has been achieved in full.

IV. Achievements
Work in the first six months of the project has achieved all milestones stipulated in the Technical Annex for this period. All equipment for the early work has been sourced, tested and calibrated (completing the work on sub-tasks 4.1 and 5.1) and extensive work on hot water dip treatments has been undertaken.

V. Future actions.
A slightly revised schedule for testing of composting variables has been developed to ensure efficient completion of this element of the work. It is anticipated that all other tasks for the second reporting period of this work will be undertaken as detailed in the Technical Annex.

Introduction

Project objectives and benefits

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The aim of the project is to develop a range of post-harvest plant quarantine treatments for timber and horticultural products to prevent the spread of non-indigenous pests and diseases into and around the European Union.

In view of the listing of methyl bromide as an ozone depletor under the Montreal Protocol and consequent international restrictions being placed on its use, the project will seek to develop treatment methodologies suitable for timber and horticultural produce that do not use methyl bromide. Such treatments must be proved capable of giving extremely high levels of kill (virtually 100%) consistently and reliably within defined parameters. This project will fulfil the EC’s obligations under proposed revisions to Council Regulation (EC) No 3093/94 and will help to ensure that treatments exist for new, unforeseen, problems where methyl bromide is not currently used and would be prohibited under these regulations.

The project will investigate the following techniques which previous work has shown have potential as quarantine disinfestation treatments.

  • Heat treatment of timber
  • Composting of bark and wood chips
  • Hot water dipping of ornamental plants and cuttings
  • Extreme controlled atmospheres treatments of ornamental plants and cuttings
  • Alternative fumigant treatments of ornamental plants and cuttings (phosphine and plant volatiles)

Combination treatments

Much of the work relies on physical treatments that are not subject to pesticide regulations. Of the chemical treatments involved, phosphine already has widespread registration and its use should cause no problems. No plant volatiles are as yet registered for use although there is intense interest in this area and the registration of some compounds is foreseen in the medium term. The use of carbon dioxide in extreme controlled atmospheres may require an extension of existing registration.

With the exception of the heat treatment of timber all of the techniques are novel in their application to the commodities concerned. It will therefore be necessary initially to establish the viability of the techniques for the effective quarantine treatment of selected commodities. The proposal also combines investigation of the temperature indicator system with refinement of the heat penetration equations for timber, providing an integrated system that will be applicable to both quarantine procedures and to kiln quality control for general use.

Techniques will be developed to produce effective quarantine treatments for a range of commodities against selected pests and to define the limits of their applicability. Where effective treatments are developed, these will be submitted to appropriate international bodies, such as the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organisation (EPPO), for adoption.

The work will concentrate on insect pests. However in all cases the possibility of control of pathogens will be considered and where the techniques are considered suitable (primarily heat treatment of timber and composting), the effect of treatments on relevant pathogens will also be investigated.

In line with EU environmental policy the project seeks to develop alternatives to the use of methyl bromide. The project will allow companies within the EU, and throughout the rest of the world, to reduce and possibly eliminate the use of this highly toxic and potentially environmentally damaging chemical. Even if it proves technically impossible to develop alternatives for existing treatments the requirement to demonstrate the lack of suitable alternatives necessary to allow the retention of methyl bromide for critical uses will have been demonstrated.

The development of effective quarantine treatment schedules will help to prevent the introduction and spread of damaging pests within the EU and support the export of EU resulting in less damage to crops and products and making it easier to ensure the maintenance of the quality of EU produce. Effective schedules will also assist in reducing the requirement for pest control in general. Because biological and other non-chemical control measures are rarely immediately available for new pests, this will be particularly useful in reducing the extent to which chemical control measures are used.

The development of non-methyl bromide quarantine treatments will allow growers and foresters to eliminate the use of an environmentally damaging chemical while still protecting the industry, and associated jobs, from losses that could be caused by the introduction of new, damaging, pests and diseases. It will also avoid the use of other pesticides that would be required to control them should they be introduced.

Horticulture is a growing industry, particularly in less developed areas of southern Europe where it often provides substantial employment. The introduction of damaging new pests and diseases may threaten the continued viability of certain of these and increase the cost of pest control in others. Less developed areas with a lower knowledge base may be less well equipped to deal with new pest introductions making them particularly vulnerable. Currently, the international trade in potted plants is almost non-existent, because of the difficulty of treating soil-born organisms. A reliable and efficient quarantine treatment would give a large impetus to the trade in rooted plant cuttings and orchids. Work currently being carried out by partner 1 on the treatment of miniature trees (Bonsai and Penjing) to control soil borne nematodes, suggests that the heat treatment of potted plants may be a viable option for the control of soil and root borne organisms. By protecting the industry from the potentially disastrous introduction of new pests the problems associated with their introduction can be reduced or eliminated and may allow the industry to expand into new areas. This in turn will result in a safeguarding of jobs in the horticultural area.

Forestry is an important source of income to the EU as a whole, and can be particularly important to the local economy in more remote rural areas. Again the introduction of new pests and diseases can threaten the success of this industry and put jobs at risk. Forests are also important environmentally, reducing flooding and providing habitats for other wildlife. The use of appropriate quarantine treatments can prevent the introduction of new pests and diseases that could cause severe damage to forests, both natural and managed.