scholarly journals Renewable Energy and Land Use in India: A Vision to Facilitate Sustainable Development

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Kiesecker ◽  
Sharon Baruch-Mordo ◽  
Mike Heiner ◽  
Dhaval Negandhi ◽  
James Oakleaf ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Public Support ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Resource Potential ◽  
The Public ◽  
Potential Capacity ◽  
High Production ◽  
Reduce Emissions

India has committed to reduce emissions with a goal to increase renewable energy production to 175 gigawatts (GW) by 2022. Achieving this objective will involve rapidly increasing the deployment of solar and wind energy, while at the same time addressing the related challenges of the financing requirements, environment impacts, and power grid integration. Developing energy on lands degraded by human activities rather than placing new infrastructure within natural habitats or areas of high production agriculture would reduce cumulative impacts and minimize land use conflicts. We estimated that converted lands have the potential capacity of 1789 GW across India, which is >10 times the 2022 goals. At the same time, the total land footprint needed to meet India’s 2022 renewable energy target is large, ranging from ~55,000 to 125,000 km2, which is roughly the size of Himachal Pradesh or Chhattisgarh, respectively. If renewable energy is advanced with the singular aim of maximizing resource potential, approximately 6700–11,900 km2 of forest land and 24,100–55,700 km2 of agricultural land could be impacted. Subsidies and incentive programs aimed at promoting low-impact renewable energy deployment and establishing mitigation obligations that raise costs for projects that create land-impacts could improve the public support for renewable energy.

scholarly journals Assessment of the resource potential of agricultural land use for land management purposes

2020 ◽  
Vol 579 ◽  
pp. 012143
Author(s):  
A A Varlamov ◽  
S A Galchenko ◽  
R V Zdanova ◽  
A A Rasskazova ◽  
O B Borodina
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Management ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Agricultural Land Use ◽  
Resource Potential

scholarly journals Assessing the extent of land-use change around important bat-inhabited caves

BMC Zoology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariëtte Pretorius ◽  
Wanda Markotter ◽  
Mark Keith
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Use Change ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Anthropogenic Pressures ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Threat Status ◽  
Animal Populations ◽  
Urban Settlements

Abstract Background Modification and destruction of natural habitats are bringing previously unencountered animal populations into contact with humans, with bats considered important zoonotic transmission vectors. Caves and cave-dwelling bats are under-represented in conservation plans. In South Africa, at least two cavernicolous species are of interest as potential zoonotic hosts: the Natal long-fingered bat Miniopterus natalensis and the Egyptian fruit bat Rousettus aegyptiacus. Little information is available about the anthropogenic pressures these species face around important roost sites. Both bats are numerous and widespread throughout the country; land-use changes and urban expansions are a rising concern for both conservation and increased bat-human contact. Results Our study addressed this shortfall by determining the extent of land-cover change around 47 roosts between 2014 and 2018 using existing land cover datasets. We determined the land-cover composition around important roost sites (including maternity, hibernacula and co-roosts), distances to urban settlements and assessed the current protection levels of roost localities. We detected an overall 4% decrease in natural woody vegetation (trees) within 5 km buffer zones of all roost sites, with a 10% decrease detected at co-roost sites alone. Agricultural land cover increased the most near roost sites, followed by plantations and urban land-cover. Overall, roosts were located 4.15 ± 0.91 km from urban settlements in 2018, the distances decreasing as urban areas expand. According to the South African National Biodiversity Institute Ecosystem Threat Status assessment, 72% of roosts fall outside of well-protected ecosystems. Conclusions The current lack of regulatory protection of cavernicolous bats and their roosts, increasing anthropogenic expansions and proximity to human settlements raises concerns about increased human-bat contact. Furthermore, uncontrolled roost visitation and vandalism are increasing, contributing to bat health risks and population declines, though the extent of roosts affected is yet to be quantified. In an era where pandemics are predicted to become more frequent and severe due to land-use change, our research is an urgent call for the formal protection of bat-inhabited caves to safeguard both bats and humans.

Effect of farming strategies on environmental impact of intensive dairy farms in Italy

2013 ◽  
Vol 80 (3) ◽  
pp. 300-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matteo Guerci ◽  
Luciana Bava ◽  
Maddalena Zucali ◽  
Anna Sandrucci ◽  
Chiara Penati ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Animal Husbandry ◽  
Dairy Farms ◽  
Lca Methodology ◽  
High Production

Agriculture and animal husbandry are important contributors to global emissions of greenhouse (GHG) and acidifying gases. Moreover, they contribute to water pollution and to consumption of non-renewable natural resources such as land and energy. The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology allows evaluation of the environmental impact of a process from the production of inputs to the final product and to assess simultaneously several environmental impact categories among which GHG emissions, acidification, eutrophication, land use and energy use. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate, using the LCA methodology, the environmental impact of milk production in a sample of 41 intensive Italian dairy farms and to identify, among different farming strategies, those associated with the best environmental performances. The functional unit was 1 kg Fat and Protein Corrected Milk (FPCM). Farms showed characteristics of high production intensity: FPCM, expressed as tonnes per hectare, was 30·8±15·1. Total GHG emission per kg FPCM at farm gate was 1·30±0·19 kg CO2 eq. The main contributors to climate change potential were emissions from barns and manure storage (50·1%) and emissions for production and transportation of purchased feeds (21·2%). Average emission of gases causing acidification to produce 1 kg FPCM was 19·7±3·6 g of SO2 eq. Eutrophication potential was 9·01±1·78 ${\rm PO}_{\rm 4}^{{\rm 3} -} {\rm eq}.$ per kg FPCM on average. Farms from this study needed on average 5·97±1·32 MJ per kg FPCM from non-renewable energy sources. Energy consumption was mainly due to off-farm activities (58%) associated with purchased factors. Land use was 1·51±0·25 m2 per kg FPCM. The farming strategy based on high conversion efficiency at animal level was identified as the most effective to mitigate the environmental impact per kg milk at farm gate, especially in terms of GHG production and non-renewable energy use per kg FPCM.

Land management of the protection and rational use of agricultural land

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (93) ◽  
pp. 3-7
Author(s):  
V.F. Kaminskyi ◽  
I.P. Shevchenko ◽  
L.P. Kolomiets
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Management ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Economic Regulation ◽  
Land Resource ◽  
Resource Potential ◽  
Scientific Analysis ◽  
Land Relations ◽  
Methodological Approaches

Goal. To carry out a scientific analysis of approaches to the determination of the effectiveness of land use in the context of the transformation of land relations. Methods. System-structural analysis of approaches to optimization of land use of rural territories. Results. The theoretical and methodological approaches to increase the efficiency of use of agricultural land potential potential in the development of decentralization processes are substantiated. Conclusions. The complex system of measures concerning the ecological and economic regulation of the use of land- resource potential by the development of a system of land management projects on the basis of ecologically safe land use is substantiated and proposed.

scholarly journals Modelling Development, Territorial and Legislative Factors Impacting the Changes in Use of Agricultural Land in Slovakia

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (14) ◽  
pp. 3893 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucia Palšová ◽  
Katarína Melichová ◽  
Ina Melišková
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Agricultural Land Use ◽  
Land Protection ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Conflict Of Interests ◽  
The Public ◽  
Developmental Factors ◽  
Private And Public ◽  
The Impact

The conflict of interests in agricultural land use based on the diversity of needs of private and public interest is the main problem of the current protection of agricultural land in Slovakia. Therefore, the aim of the paper is to identify factors affecting the withdrawal of agricultural land, i.e., conversion of the agricultural land to non-agricultural purposes, and to initiate a professional discussion on the concept of protection and use of the agricultural land in Slovakia. Through panel regression models, the developmental, territorial, and legislative factors affecting land withdrawal for the purpose of housing, industry, transport, mining, and other purposes were analyzed. Research has shown that developmental factors, compared to legislative ones, affect the total volume of agricultural land withdrawn in bigger scope. From the perspective of the conflict of interests between the individuals and state regarding land protection, the private interest prevails over the public one. As a consequence, agricultural land is withdrawn in suburbanized and attractive areas, where the land of the highest quality is mostly located. In accordance with the precautionary principle, the state should adopt a long-term conceptual document defining the areas of agricultural land use taking into account the impact of the developmental factors on the land protection.

scholarly journals Exploring cross-national public support for the use of enhanced weathering as a land-based carbon dioxide removal strategy

2021 ◽  
Vol 165 (1-2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elspeth Spence ◽  
Emily Cox ◽  
Nick Pidgeon
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Public Attitudes ◽  
Public Support ◽  
Field Trials ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Level Of Concern ◽  
The Uk

AbstractThis study explores how public attitudes across three countries influence support towards terrestrial enhanced weathering, whereby silicate minerals are applied to agricultural land to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. An online survey was administered in Australia (N = 1000), the UK (N = 1000), and the USA (N = 1026) where there are ongoing field trials of this technique. Findings are similar across all three countries with many participants unfamiliar with enhanced weathering and unsure about supporting the use of enhanced weathering. Results show that positive affect is the main predictor for support of this technique, along with perceived benefits and level of concern about climate change. Open-ended questions asking why respondents would or would not support the use of enhanced weathering elicit mainly affective concepts, with enhanced weathering seen by individual respondents as either something mainly positive or mainly negative, with others saying it sounds risky and/or would have impacts on the environment. The way in which enhanced weathering is communicated is likely to influence support of the use of this strategy so must be undertaken carefully. Overall, our findings show that it is imperative to continue to engage the public, thereby allowing their views to be incorporated as enhanced weathering technology develops over time.

scholarly journals ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACT OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL AND LEGAL STATUS OF LAND ON THE EFFICIENCY OF LAND USE IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION COOPERATIVES

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-12
Author(s):  
N.A. Alekseeva
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Legal Status ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Resource Base ◽  
Resource Potential ◽  
Udmurt Republic ◽  
Legal Forms ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

The article considers changes in the legislation on the circulation of agricultural land, which are aimed at stimulating the development of property institutions and land leases, as well as modern trends in the organizational and legal relations between owners and tenants of agricultural land. The contribution of the resource potential of agricultural production cooperatives to the development of the resource base of agriculture has been assessed using the example of the Udmurt Republic. Factors of organizational and legal order have been identified, which affect the level of development of internal production cooperation. The impact of organizational and legal factors concerning the registration of land plots on the effectiveness of agricultural production cooperatives has been analyzed and assessed. The factor that characterizes the relationship between the level of legal registration of land and the efficiency of land use is justified. It is recommended to apply this factor to adjust various estimates of land turnover. There is a weak relationship between the organizational and legal forms of land management and the profitability and current liquidity of cooperatives in relation to the municipal districts of the Udmurt Republic. Conclusions are drawn on the state and trends of development of intra-industrial cooperation.

scholarly journals ПРОБЛЕМИ ІНСТИТУЦІОНАЛЬНОГО ЗАБЕЗПЕЧЕННЯ ФОРМУВАННЯ ЕКОЛОГІЧНО СТІЙКИХ АГРОЛАНДШАФТІВ В УКРАЇНІ

2019 ◽  
pp. 44-52
Author(s):  
Наталія Вікторівна Комарова
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Fertility Level ◽  
Resource Potential ◽  
Environmentally Sustainable ◽  
Economic Decisions ◽  
Anthropogenic Loading

Increase in the level of anthropogenic loading on agro ecosystem, which is the result of an increase in the amount of production of marketable crop production in violation of the requirements for reproduction and preservation of agro resource potential, leads to negative destructive changes in agro landscapes, what threatens agro ecological and food security. Under the existing organization of commodity production of crop production there are no trends in the implementation of land-use measures, and the priority is to increase profits, increase in yield, extension of arable land within the narrowing of agricultural land provoke the spread of erosion and degradation processes, reduction of humus stock and land fertility level. Implementation of measures for the restoration and preservation of agro resource potential demanding radical changes from scientifically positions. The systematization of agro ecological safety factors will promote the search for optimal organizational and economic decisions, implementation of agricultural land use. The subject of the research is a set of theoretical aspects of improvement organizational and economic conditions of balanced land use and institutional support, which will ensure the formation of environmentally sustainable agricultural landscapes.

scholarly journals Public Views of the Economy of the Renewable Energy Sources: Evidence from Russia

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 256-266
Author(s):  
Dalia Streimikiene ◽  
Victoria Akberdina
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Public Support ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
The Public ◽  
Global Climate Changes ◽  
Public Views

Recent worldwide growing awareness of the global climate changes stressed the importance of developing and supporting the renewable energy sources (RES). However, the public support for RES varies across various countries and regions, especially those abundant in traditional fossil fuels. This paper presents the analysis of the public views of the economics of the renewable energy using the results of the online survey (N = 750) conducted in several regions of the Russian Federation, a country abundant in natural gas and oil. Our results indicate that there is a mixed opinion on trust in RES as opposed to the traditional energy sources. Even though we found some support for the renewable energy technologies, it appears that it is correlated with the respondents’ concerns about the environmental protection and sustainable development as well as with some demographic variables. The outcomes of the regression analysis confirmed that positive attitudes towards climate protection predetermined the support for various types of RES, while the financial or political gains did not come through as significant. The results indicate that public views on the renewable energy sources could and should be shaped by the information campaigns and presentations in mass media conducted by relevant policymakers and public authorities.

scholarly journals Human-Mediated Land Use Change Drives Intraspecific Plant Trait Variation

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hayley Schroeder ◽  
Heather Grab ◽  
André Kessler ◽  
Katja Poveda
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Land Use Change ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Habitat Modification ◽  
Wild Plants ◽  
Wild Plant ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Insect Communities ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Plant Trait

In the Anthropocene, more than three quarters of ice-free land has experienced some form of human-driven habitat modification, with agriculture dominating 40% of the Earth’s surface. This land use change alters the quality, availability, and configuration of habitat resources, affecting the community composition of plants and insects, as well as their interactions with each other. Landscapes dominated by agriculture are known to support a lower abundance and diversity of pollinators and frequently larger populations of key herbivore pests. In turn, insect communities subsidized by agriculture may spill into remaining natural habitats with consequences for wild plants persisting in (semi) natural habitats. Adaptive responses by wild plants may allow them to persist in highly modified landscapes; yet how landscape-mediated variation in insect communities affects wild plant traits related to reproduction and defense remains largely unknown. We synthesize the evidence for plant trait changes across land use gradients and propose potential mechanisms by which landscape-mediated changes in insect communities may be driving these trait changes. Further, we present results from a common garden experiment on three wild Brassica species demonstrating variation in both defensive and reproductive traits along an agricultural land use gradient. Our framework illustrates the potential for plant adaptation under land use change and predicts how defense and reproduction trait expression may shift in low diversity landscapes. We highlight areas of future research into plant population and community effects of land use change.

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