Tag: energy resources
The emergy-data envelopment analysis (EM-DEA) approach handbook: An illustrated guide on how to use the EM-DEA approach to assess resource- and energy-use efficiency and the sustainability of agricultural and forestry ecosystems
Emergy-Data Envelopment Analysis (EM-DEA) is a methodological approach for achieving complete environmental-economic accounting of different production systems. In an age when resources are scarcer than ever before, and the environmental impact of humanly designed systems of production is a major concern when deciding which system could better contribute to human and economic development without compromising the future of the global environment, using a reliable method for the comparative assessment of the efficiency and sustainability of different production systems is critical when making smart decisions. This handbook provides a step-by-step instruction to help users apply the EM-DEA approach to simultaneously assess the resource and energy use efficiencies, and sustainability of agricultural and forestry ecosystems as a whole. This approach was developed to address the lack of a singular method to assess complete environmental accounting and compare the sustainability performance of agro-ecosystems. The EM-DEA approach does so by combining emergy analysis (EMA) and data envelopment analysis (DEA) methods. By offering flexibility to account for various natural, human and economic resources such as land or input contributions from farm animals, it provides a means to do a comprehensive environmental accounting throughout the lifetime of agricultural and forestry systems. This approach was empirically tested with a comparative analysis of five maize production systems in Ghana, Africa. The results demonstrated that the application of the EM-DEA approach leads to complete environmental-economic accounting. Thus, EM-DEA is an innovative approach that could be used to support decision making when comparing different production systems as a whole.
Growth performance of Calophyllum inophyllum in bioenergy trial plots in Bukit Soeharto Forest, East Kalimantan
The Indonesian government has committed to providing its entire population with energy through the National Energy Policy, which highlights the importance of diversification, environmental sustainability, and enhanced deployment of domestic energy resources. The contribution of new and renewable energy (NRE) to the nation’s energy supply is mandated to reach 23% by 2025, with bioenergy an important NRE alternative. If developed and deployed appropriately, bioenergy plantations have potential to restore degraded land and enhance biodiversity and environmental services while supporting rural livelihoods. As a potential biofuel tree species suited to the tropics, Calophyllum inophyllum (nyamplung) is being tested across wide-ranging degraded forest conditions in Indonesia. Nyamplung is a potential biodiesel alternative as it grows well in harsh environmental conditions, produces non-edible seed oil, has high amounts of kernel oil and fruits profusely. Here we report growth performance in plantation trial plots established in February 2018, on previously burned land in Mulawarman University’s Bukit Soeharto Research and Educational Forest. Growth of this two-year old plantation is strong compared to other Indonesian sites, with average survival rate above 90% on Ultisol soil, which is classified as low fertility and acidic. The findings reveal that different doses of fertilizer applications and slope gradient have no significant effects on growth performance. In addition, trees have already started to flower and fruit, and are colonized by bird species and insects, including bees and butterflies.The study indicates that nyamplung adapts well to different land and soil types. Bioenergy plantations on degraded land are a promising approach for land restoration, and enhance native biodiversity and environmental services while providing a source of renewable energy.
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Response to increased environmental degradation and promotion of alternative energy sources in refugee hosting districts in Uganda
The refugee response in West Nile region faces the challenges of a rapid population influx, overburdened services and over-exploitation of natural resources including woody biomass for fuel and construction materials. Presence of the refugee community has increased pressure on natural resources which already face risk of degradation from use by the local community. The situation is made complex due to the high refugee population, with numbers almost equalling the size of the host communities. For example, in the Rhino Camp, refugees have been estimated to form 44% of the human population in the area (GFA Consulting Group GmbH 2021)
Bio-economy in developing countries
A bio-economy comprises the knowledge-based production and use of biological resources to provide products, procedures and services in all economic sectors. Every country in the world thus has a bio-economy, even if the characteristics of individual bio-economies vary significantly globally. Modern bio-economy concepts aim to “biologize” the economy with the aim of sustainable development. In this respect, there are numerous overlaps with the scientific and sustainability strategies of many countries as well as with the “green economy” concept.