The Sustainability Learning Forum

Upgrading Infrastructural Capacity and Reducing Atmospheric Pollution

Simonetta Giordani, Autostrade per l’Italia
Benedetta Masignani, Autostrade per l’Italia
Andrea Ragni, Autostrade per l’Italia
Autostrade per l’Italia

Given the interest in the issue of air quality – an issue that necessarily implies a scientific approach – Autostrade per l’Italia embarked on an in-depth examination of the problem in all of its aspects in 2007. This was done with an awareness that the motorway network is not a source of pollution, but rather an infrastructure that facilitates the transit of vehicles, whose emissions vary depending on their basic technical features, their speed, and traffic flow in general. A correct approach to the issue of air pollution therefore leads to the conclusion that since motorways free the ordinary road system of traffic, they can serve to reduce pollution. more[...] login_required

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Indigenously Produced Organic Fruit

Gerd Pfitzenmeier

“Without the cooperation with the indigenous people,” Xavier Richard knows, “our company would never have been able to thrive as it has.” Since its establishment in 1987, Amazon Caribbean Ltd. (Amcar) has relied on the efforts of thousands of indigenous people from the Arawack, Warrau and Carib tribes in Guyana. In the jungle of the Barima-Waini Basin, they collect the raw materials for Amcar’s products: hearts of palm and pineapple. “Our mission,” the company states accordingly, “is to generate, in partnership with the people in Guyana, economic value added from naturally growing products.” more[...]

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Kuylenstierna, Johan

Editorial Team

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The Global Food System, Environmental Protection, and Human Rights

Prof. Carmen G. Gonzalez, Seattle University School of Law

The global food system is exceeding ecological limits while failing to meet the nutritional needs of a large segment of the world’s population. While law could play an important role in facilitating the transition to a more just and ecologically sustainable food system, the current legal framework fails to regulate food and agriculture in an integrated manner. more[...] login_required

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Talk with Richard Howitt MEP, Rapporteur for CSR

Member of the European Parliament and Rapporteur for CSR, Richard Howitt, offers his insights into how the concept of CSR can push forward higher social and environmental standards in business and be used as a lever to combat emerging societal challenges. CSR Europe Association talked to him. Source: CSR Europe more[...]

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Meet WRI President Andrew Steer

World Resources Institute (WRI)

Dr. Andrew Steer is the new President of the World Resources Institute. In this short video interview he speaks about development and environment issues and his visions for the WRI. From his point of view watching at the natural resources and understanding the links between nature and mankind has never been more important than today: Economic decisions must include the value of natural resources and living ecosystems. Steer announces a new WRI strategy for the coming years to face the upcoming challenges and develop solutions to the world’s most urgent environmental and human development challenges. more[...]

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Marine Reserves - Restoring the Oceans

A growing body of scientific evidence that demonstrates, that the establishment of large-scale networks of marine reserves, urgently needed to protect marine species and their habitats, could be key to reversing global fisheries decline. more[...]

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Foresight - Migration and Global Environmental Change

The project Migration and Global Environmental Change examines how profound changes in environmental conditions such as flooding, drought and rising sea levels will influence and interact with patterns of global human migration over the next 50 years. Sir John Beddington, Professor Richard Black and Neil Adger explain what the final report concludes and what it means for the future of global migration. more[...]

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Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Coral Reefs

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Coral Reefs, in a Four-Minute Video. Ocean advocate Céline Cousteau and cartoonist Jim Toomey (creator of Sherman's Lagoon) teamed up with WRI to bring you the VIDEO Coral Reefs: Polyps in Peril . This short animated film tells the story of coral reefs with humor and admiration for these wondrous ecosystems. more[...]

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Environment Management Report. Focus on sustainability and its implications for CSR

Peter Laerke-Engelschmidt

This book explores what sustainability means, and especially what it means for business. It looks at the tools, techniques, standards and methodologies needed for sustainability and helps you to discover which are most appropriate for your organization and how you would implement them. The report also offers support in the preparation of a business case for moving towards sustainability. This book is not just written for experts, but aims to clarify and communicate the issues of sustainability and provide an invaluable tool for all managers. more[...] login_required

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Sustainability - A Biological Perspective

Prof. Stephen Morse, University of Surrey - Centre for Environmental Strategy

Encouraging students to engage in the challenges of sustainability, this text focuses not only on theories but more importantly on how they are translated into practice. Models and theories are illustrated with real world examples to help students connect with genuine issues and appreciate the importance of an interdisciplinary perspective. more[...] login_required

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Renewable Energy in the Middle East and North Africa

Dr. Franz Trieb, German Aerospace Center - DLR
Prof. Hans Müller-Steinhagen, Technische Univeristät Dresden

Until very recently, the countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region had not indicated any serious interests in the use of renewable energies, as these technologies were considered insufficient, irrelevant, and expensive. Countries with oil or gas became rich by exploiting their fossil fuel reserves, while the other countries claimed to be too poor to be able to afford wind or solar power. This picture changed in 2008 when the price of a barrel of oil climbed to $140. more[...]

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Overview

Editorial Team

In the last years we observe some key trends in eco-labeling. One is the quantitative increase in the number of labels and “green stickers” across the world and across business sectors. Another trend is the fear of many consumers of greenwashing. The sheer amount of labels and the fact, that many are invented by companies on their own, makes it difficult for consumers to distinguish between recognized, international standards and private or local initiatives. Here we give a short overview about important eco labels in the sectors Electric Device, Food, Wood/Paper, Textile, Rug, Flowers, Cosmetics, Tourism and Consumer Goods. more[...] login_required

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Sustainable Forest Management and Carbon in Tropical Latin America: The Case for REDD+

Dr. Robert Nasi, Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR)

Tropical forests are threatened by the distinctly different processes of deforestation and forest degradation. While deforestation involves the conversion of forests to another land use type, degradation results in forests that have lost some of their ability to provide environmental goods and services. In economic terms, deforestation tends to be associated with investments in other land uses, mainly agriculture, whereas degradation tends to be linked to short-term extraction of forest rents or wildfires. Forest degradation translates into losses of biodiversity, reduced capacity of forests to provide the full spectrum of goods and services, enhanced likelihoods of subsequent deforestation, and reduced resilience and adaptation potential to climate change. more[...] login_required

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Living Responsibility

Rainer Wend, Deutsche Post DHL

If one person forgets to switch off the light, it’s not the end of the world. But when thousands of employees agree to climate-protection measures, the effects can show a tremendously positive result. If only one customer requests a carbon-neutral transport, it’s not going to save the planet. However, when thousands of customers all over the world ask for eco-friendly services, it makes a big difference. Today, it is our employees and our customers who drive our corporate responsibility activities at Deutsche Post DHL. more[...] login_required

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