scholarly journals AI Approaches to Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) in the Mining and Metals Sector Using AutoML and Bayesian Modeling

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (17) ◽  
pp. 7914
Author(s):  
Saki Gerassis ◽  
Eduardo Giráldez ◽  
María Pazo-Rodríguez ◽  
Ángeles Saavedra ◽  
Javier Taboada
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Bayesian Modeling ◽  
Soil Degradation ◽  
Natura 2000 ◽  
Environmental Risks ◽  
Natura 2000 Network ◽  
Environmental Impact Assessments ◽  
The World ◽  
Subsurface Runoff

Mining engineers and environmental experts around the world still identify and evaluate environmental risks associated with mining activities using field-based, basic qualitative methods The main objective is to introduce an innovative AI-based approach for the construction of environmental impact assessment (EIA) indexes that statistically reflects and takes into account the relationships between the different environmental factors, finding relevant patterns in the data and minimizing the influence of human bias. For that, an AutoML process developed with Bayesian networks is applied to the construction of an interactive EIA index tool capable of assessing dynamically the potential environmental impacts of a slate mine in Galicia (Spain) surrounded by the Natura 2000 Network. The results obtained show the moderate environmental impact of the whole exploitation; however, the strong need to protect the environmental factors related to surface and subsurface runoff, species or soil degradation was identified, for which the information theory results point to a weight between 6 and 12 times greater than not influential variables.

scholarly journals Analysis of reports on the impact of building investments on Natura 2000 sites in Poland based on own research

2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 251-259
Author(s):  
Jolanta Harasymiuk
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Natura 2000 ◽  
Building Structures ◽  
Natura 2000 Network ◽  
Environmental Threats ◽  
The Public ◽  
Release Of Information ◽  
Building Project ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Construction Works

The paper presents the results of several analyses of reports on the impact of SFRs on Natura 2000 sites. The reports enumerated are documents which are the basis for the assessment of an undertaking (building project) on valuable natural areas. Legal regulations determine fairly precisely the scope of a report on the impact of an undertaking on the environment, although they are imprecise in regards to how the impact on Natura 2000 sites should be evaluated. The reports are prepared at the request of investors, who are not interested in demonstrating a significant impact of construction works and planned building structures on the condition that the protected features and the integrity of Natura 2000 sites. An incomplete report may foster neglect of environmental threats and be contradictory to the basic aim of the assessment, which it to exclude a possible occurrence of a significant impact of a building on the Natura 2000 network. The present paper shows analyses of reports in the context of the content required by the Act of 23 November 2008 on the release of information about environment and its protection, participation of the public in the environment, and protection and assessments of the environmental impact. The analysis presented in this article has shown that the reports did not have the characteristics of an expert environmental examination, wich is commonplace with respect reports on the environmental impact required in a classical impact assessment. Some reports were incomplete, and the predicted impact on Natura 2000 sites was not based on actual data.

TEACHINGS ON ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENTS IN GEOGRAPHY REFLECTING DEMANDS OF THE WORKING PRACTICE: A GERMAN CASE STUDY

2012 ◽  
Vol 14 (03) ◽  
pp. 1250019 ◽  
Author(s):  
ULRIKE WEILAND
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Environmental Assessment ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Minor Importance ◽  
Environmental Impact Assessments ◽  
History Of ◽  
Practice Gap

Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) are applied in many project approval procedures, and many experts from various disciplines are engaged in this, among them environmental consultants and geography graduates. In this paper, teaching on EIA in German geography programmes is analysed and evaluated with respect to the demands of the working practice. The results are used to advice on further environmental assessment related teaching programmes. The analysis reveals the small number of geography programmes teaching EIA at universities, a large breadth of teaching, and discrepancies between teaching and actual demands from the profession. Agreement between teaching and working practice exists only in some areas, e.g. with respect to knowledge on EIA processes, knowledge on environmental factors considered, and the minor importance of the history of EIA. Finally, conclusions are drawn for teaching EIA, based on the demands from practitioners as well as results from the literature. The teaching-practice-gap is discussed.

scholarly journals The Use of LCA Method to Assess Environmental Impact of Sewage Sludge Incineration Plants

2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 263-275
Author(s):  
Grzegorz Wielgosiński ◽  
Robert Cichowicz ◽  
Agata Targaszewska ◽  
Jacek Wiśniewski
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Management ◽  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Sewage Sludge ◽  
Thermal Treatment ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
World Literature ◽  
Sludge Incineration ◽  
Environmental Impact Assessments ◽  
The World ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is one of the new, little more popular in Poland of elements of environmental management. In the world literature one can find many examples of the use of LCA but mainly for comparison purposes. The paper presents results of LCA analysis made on the basis of data from a running incineration of sewage sludge. Performing a thorough analysis of this process enables improved operational system, including through a better use of the resulting products of combustion, as well as determining the impact of the thermal treatment of sludge on the environment and compared the results with data from the literature. To date, in Poland has not been carried out environmental impact assessments and the process of thermal treatment of both sludge and waste, based on the assumptions of LCA.

scholarly journals Mining under kalina and Selisoo Bogs

2015 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 175
Author(s):  
Merle Otsmaa
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Oil Shale ◽  
Water Regime ◽  
Natura 2000 ◽  
Positive Experience ◽  
Natura 2000 Network ◽  
The North ◽  
Nature Preserve ◽  
Hydrogeological Parameters ◽  
Oil Shale Mining

Continuous developing of Estonian power engineering on the basis of oil shale requires ever taking into use of new exploration fields. When the reserve of Estonia mine is depleted, mining of the exploration field of Seli has to be started. But that field is located under the Selisoo bog which is defined as a region of the Natura 2000 network and is planned become a nature preserve. Conservationists are interested for what extent oil shale mining under the Selisoo bog and in its immediate nearness will spoil the natural water regime of the bog. To clear up the environmental impact are carried through several investigations in the Selisoo bog. As a result of modeling is proposed a perceptible lowering of water table in peat layer. At the same time we have a positive experience on mining under bogs and water bodies, some kilometers to the north from the Selisoo bog. In Viru mine situated under the Kalina bog there is oil shale mining practically finished for today, but the Kalina bog exists as before, also the Lake Kalina in this bog. The aim of this research is to compare the geological and hydrogeological parameters of the Selisoo and Kalina bogs, clearing up the essential factors owing to which the mining in district of the Selisoo bog could exert a larger influence on environment than under the Kalina bog. In this paper are some measures for diminishing of the environmental impact brought on.

Biodiesel production from non-edible oils: A review

2020 ◽  
pp. 149-159
Author(s):  
Jatinder Kataria ◽  
Saroj Kumar Mohapatra ◽  
Amit Pal
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
World Wide ◽  
Edible Oils ◽  
Control Measure ◽  
Biodiesel Production ◽  
Pollution Level ◽  
Animal Fats ◽  
The World

The limited fossil reserves, spiraling price and environmental impact due to usage of fossil fuels leads the world wide researchers’ interest in using alternative renewable and environment safe fuels that can meet the energy demand. Biodiesel is an emerging renewable alternative fuel to conventional diesel which can be produced from both edible and non-edible oils, animal fats, algae etc. The society is in dire need of using renewable fuels as an immediate control measure to mitigate the pollution level. In this work an attempt is made to review the requisite and access the capability of the biodiesel in improving the environmental degradation.

FAKTOR – FAKTOR YANG BERHUBUNGAN DENGAN KEJADIAN PNEUMONIA PADA BALITA DI WILAYAH KERJA PUSKESMAS WONOREJO SAMARINDA TAHUN 2017

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 76
Author(s):  
Novi Anggun Pusvitasary
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Family Member ◽  
Cause Of Death ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Smoking Behavior ◽  
Smoking Habits ◽  
P Value ◽  
Behavioral Factors ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Standards

Pneumonia disease is the leading cause of death of babies in the world. The prevalence of pneumonia in infants is 18.5 / mil. Data from Samarinda City Health Office during the last 1 year there are 91 cases of pneumonia in Karang Anyar Village and 63 cases in Teluk Lerong Ulu Village. Factors causing pneumonia are toddler factors, behavioral factors, and environmental factors. The results show there is a relationship between house humidity (p value = 0,013; OR = 0,192), house dwelling density (p value = 0,024; OR = 0,214), and family member smoking behavior (p value = 0,006; OR = 10,450) with incidence of pneumonia in toddlers in the Working Area of Puskesmas Wonorejo Samarinda. There was no correlation between house temperature (p value = 0,214; OR = 0,337), house lighting (p value = 0,095; OR = 3,188) and family disease history (p value = 0,707; OR = 0,753) with Pneumonia occurrence in infant in region Work Puskesmas Wonorejo Samarinda. It was concluded that there was a relationship between house humidity, home dwelling density, and smoking behavior of family members with the incidence of pneumonia in infants. It is recommended to be able to apply housing health requirements that meet health standards to reduce the incidence of pneumonia in infants and change smoking habits.

scholarly journals Twenty-Three Years of Land-Use Changes Induced Considerable Threats to the Main Wetlands of Sardinia and Sicily (Italy) along the Mediterranean Bird Flyways

Diversity ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 240
Author(s):  
Alessandro Ferrarini ◽  
Marco Gustin ◽  
Claudio Celada
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Habitat Degradation ◽  
Land Use Changes ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Natura 2000 ◽  
Global Level ◽  
Natura 2000 Network ◽  
Stopover Sites ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Agricultural Areas

Biodiversity loss has multiple causes, but habitat degradation through land-use change is the predominant driver. We investigated the effectiveness of the Natura 2000 network in preserving the main wetlands of the two largest islands of the Mediterranean region, whose conservation is critical for many avian species at European and global level, in a 23-year period (1990–2012). In Sardinia, the surroundings of 22 wetlands were affected by an increase in artificial areas (+64 ha/year) and decrease in agricultural (−54 ha/year) and natural (−17 ha/year) ones. In Sicily, the surroundings of 16 wetlands were impacted by an increase in agricultural areas (+50 ha/year) and decrease in natural and semi-natural ones (−62 ha/year). Results show that the Natura 2000 policies were effective in preserving wetlands (no shrinkages detected in both regions), but their surroundings experienced intense processes of degradation and artificialization in all the sub-periods considered (1990–2000, 2000–2006, 2006–2012), whose effects are now threatening waterbirds and wetland integrity. The enlargement of the existing Natura 2000 sites, the creation of new ones and the speedup of the application of the rules of the Habitats and Birds Directives seem necessary to counteract the rapid land-use changes around these important stopover sites.

scholarly journals Novel Application and Validation of a Method to Assess Visual Impacts of Rotating Wind Turbine Blades Within Woodland Areas

2021 ◽  
Vol 89 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
U. Nopp-Mayr ◽  
F. Kunz ◽  
F. Suppan ◽  
E. Schöll ◽  
J. Coppes
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Wind Turbines ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Laser Scanning ◽  
Forest Canopy ◽  
Turbine Blades ◽  
Wind Turbine Blades ◽  
Environmental Impact Assessments ◽  
Independent Field

AbstractIncreasing numbers of wind power plants (WPP) are constructed across the globe to reduce the anthropogenic contribution to global warming. There are, however, concerns on the effects of WPP on human health as well as related effects on wildlife. To address potential effects of WPP in environmental impact assessments, existing models accounting for shadow flickering and noise are widely applied. However, a standardized, yet simple and widely applicable proxy for the visibility of rotating wind turbines in woodland areas was largely lacking up to date. We combined land cover information of forest canopy extracted from orthophotos and airborne laser scanning (LiDAR) data to represent the visibility of rotating wind turbines in five woodland study sites with a high spatial resolution. Performing an in-situ validation in five study areas across Europe which resulted in a unique sample of 1738 independent field observations, we show that our approach adequately predicts from where rotating wind turbine blades are visible within woodlands or not. We thus provide strong evidence, that our approach yields a valuable proxy of the visibility of moving rotor blades with high resolution which in turn can be applied in environmental impact assessments of WPP within woodlands worldwide.

scholarly journals Anticipatory Non-Green-Phenomena Determination for Designing Eco-Design Products

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 621
Author(s):  
Hsin Rau ◽  
Mary Deanne M. Lagapa ◽  
Po-Hsun Chen
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Product Design ◽  
Determination Method ◽  
Washing Machine ◽  
Product Failure ◽  
Design Concepts ◽  
The World ◽  
World Business Council

The number of consumers with green awareness have grown these days and as a result they have turned to purchase eco-friendly products. For this reason, this study aims to propose a method for eco-design based on the anticipatory failure determination method to develop eco-design products. By using eco-design concepts adopted from the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, the process will limit the failures and issues related to environmental impact in product design. The proposed method for eco-design product in this study follows the following procedure. First, we analyze product failure. Second, we propose the determination of the non-green phenomenon of the failure. Thirdly, we integrate the intensified non-green phenomenon to generate non-green hypotheses and fourthly, we eliminate each non-green phenomenon hypothesis by introducing the contradiction matrix of TRIZ for obtaining solutions. Finally, we assess alternative eco-design solutions by evaluation. To verify the practicality of the new procedure, a washing machine is used as an example for illustration.

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