forest deadwood boosts key ecosystem services, new research suggests. By calculating the value of these services, the researchers were able to show that increasing the amount of deadwood in rivers and streams in a Basque Country reservoir basin was economically profitable and that returns on investment could be realised within 20 years.

Using open-access software and power saving technologies, researchers have developed an easily deployed, low-cost network for monitoring large areas of the Amazon rainforest. This Peruvian study shows that environmental information, such as soil moisture and rates of photosynthesis, can be recorded and uploaded to the internet without having to make repeated visits to remote areas.

A reforestation project has revitalised its surroundings just 80 years after its inception. In the late 1920s, the Saldaña badlands in northern Spain were a barren region, with a thin layer of intensely weathered soil, and only 5% vegetation cover. Now that cover has increased dramatically to 87%, the soil quality is improving, and the water flow in the area has stabilised, bringing greater environmental security to the local community.

Understanding the social context of Swedish forestry is key to understanding how the sector could be persuaded to move beyond ‘business-as-usual’ practices, to prepare for future climate risks, argues a new study. Using an approach that provides insights for future behavioural change more widely, the researchers explore the influences on forest managers’ behaviour, and highlight certification schemes as one important driver of actions which make forests better adapted to climate change. Knowledge on climate change risks and actions in itself is not enough to change behaviour, the study finds. For many environmentalists it may seem ‘logical’ for forestry to adapt now to future climate change: it epitomises an industry where actions taken today will determine long-term development, given that trees will not be harvested until 70–90 years after planting. However, the sector has taken limited actions to adapt, despite an abundance of available information on the impacts of climate change — such as storms, drought and changes in insect population.

Fire frequency is changing globally, yet it is unclear how such changes affect soil carbon and nitrogen storage, and, in turn, impact on ecosystem productivity. A study was conducted to evaluate how increased fire frequency drives changes in soil carbon and nitrogen over multiple decades. Data from 48 sites that have experienced altered fire frequency were analysed, spanning up to 65 years. The meta-analysis found that frequently burned sites experienced a significant decline in surface soil carbon and nitrogen over time — on average having 36% less carbon and 38% less nitrogen, after 64 years, than sites that were protected from fire. The researchers also observed comparable changes in an independent field dataset and in dynamic model simulations of global vegetation. The results indicate that future changes in fire frequency may lead to long-term changes in the amount of carbon and nitrogen stored in soils, especially in savanna grasslands and broadleaf forests. This has implications for the global carbon cycle and for ecosystem productivity and should, therefore, be considered in the design and implementation of relevant policy instruments.

A study of two forest ecosystems in Spain has found that land-cover maps of watersheds, ecosystems hosting key interactions between vegetation, wildlife, and water, are made more accurate by the inclusion of LiDAR data — a type of remote sensing that pulses laser light at a target to measure vertical distances for use in 3D-mapping an environment. This has important implications for ecosystem monitoring, flood mitigation, and forest management, fields in which accurately characterising an environment is key.

Last year my organization fell victim to a trans- national export invoice fraud. Since 99 percent of our sales come from exports, the cyber fraud dealt a big blow to our organization. We have a customer in South East Asia and my organization had business dealings with this customer for over five years.

It is crucial for CIOs to break free from set behaviors and relationships in order to establish IT as a full business partner. If CIOs complain that they feel ignored by the business, they are themselves to blame.

Moore, Amelia, 1981- author

Gaul, Gilbert M., author

The Spanish coast is a popular destination for tourists. A recent study has assessed the sustainability of tourism in these areas and the results can be used to guide future planning decisions.

Vulnerability to climate change is likely to rise faster in the least developed countries over the next two decades than it will do in the three decades after 2030, according to a new study. Researchers suggest that this signifies an imminent need for greater international financial assistance.

Environmental policies must provide the right incentives for the development of innovative technologies that reduce pollution and mitigate the effects of climate change. A recent study has investigated the characteristics of policies that are likely to encourage green innovation and concluded that those that are stringent, predictable and flexible are the most effective.

Researchers have developed a method to assess the sustainability of regeneration projects that could potentially be administered by a computer. The method tailors the universal goals of sustainability to specific local conditions.

Third party certification (TPC) uses independent auditors to ensure certain environmental standards are met. New research in Indonesia has indicated that TPC is not an objective process and is based on Western values and beliefs. It may need to incorporate different cultural practices and forms of knowledge to be globally effective.

New research has found a consensus amongst experts on which environmentally friendly agricultural practices are most effective at protecting four endangered birds in Spain. Experts agreed that maintaining fallow land, preventing the use of agrochemicals and stopping agricultural practices that disrupted nesting were the most valuable measures.

Sustainable de-growth is the transition to a smaller economy with less production and consumption. A new study has explored its origins and compared it to sustainable development. The study found that to become a viable alternative to sustainable development, ‘de-growth’ needs to be more clearly defined, and its implications for employment need to be considered very carefully.

New research has outlined three instruments to encourage green industry: adequate governmental resources, co-operation between interest groups and effective negotiation between state and interest groups. Taking the example of the organic food sector, it explored why Denmark has met these conditions whereas Australia has not.

A new study provides a 'snapshot' of the environmental skills programmes available across different industries in EU Member States. The study highlights the importance of partnerships – between public and private sector, and between different industry sectors – in ensuring the European workforce acquires the necessary skills to make the transition to a low-carbon, sustainable economy.

Researchers have applied a new approach to investigate the possible options for governmental intervention to support adaptation to climate change. Using this approach they identified three fields of adaptation policy with future potential: generation and spreading of knowledge, developmental assistance and insurance of loss.

Outputs of conservation planning research are likely to be translated into action more quickly and successfully if a transdisciplinary approach is adopted, according to a recent study. The researchers have applied a transdisciplinary framework 'pyramid of knowledge' to aid in understanding the process of converting research into action, which may also be applicable to other academic disciplines.

The recent recession has prompted the adoption of 'return to growth' policies but the tools used to assess growth often have a narrow economic focus. A new report has assessed current macro-economic models and suggests they need to incorporate the impact that environmental factors can have on the economy, and vice versa, and recommends they should consider limits on resource and material consumption.

Cooperative management can deliver successful and sustainable fisheries, according to a recent global study. The role of strong leadership was essential to this success. Other necessary conditions included the allocation of individual or community fishing quotas, strong community cohesion and having community-based protected areas.

The contribution of technical innovation to sustainable development requires integrated, long-term policy to unlock industry from previous business models and practices, according to a new analysis. The researchers suggest adopting a multi-purpose policy practice that integrates industrial policy, environmental policy and trade initiatives.

Resource productivity has become a popular indicator of environmental sustainability. However, new research has demonstrated that it is influenced by national income and its current use tends to support a simultaneous growth in economic productivity and resource consumption. In order to shape policy effectively, the study suggests that targets should directly emphasise resource consumption and emissions.

Rural areas are changing, with tourism playing an ever greater part in a multifunctional countryside. A recent study has looked at the role that sustainable rural tourism can play in rural development in Europe and some of the challenges to be overcome if a truly integrated approach to rural development is to be realised.

A new tool has been developed to predict the effectiveness of a policy on the basis of its compatibility with the institutional context in place. It is the first of its kind and a recent study has evaluated its ability to identify factors that might affect the successful implementation of policies.

International agricultural development must broaden its scope to address food security issues, according to a new study. The research recommends removing boundaries between sectors to allow agricultural policy to account for impacts of macroeconomic trends, climate change and links between malnutrition and infectious disease.

Europe could struggle to meet the target set by the renewable energy sector of 25% of electricity produced by solar energy by 2040 because the supply of materials, including rare metals, needed to produce photovoltaics (PV) is unlikely to meet demand. Production rates need to be drastically improved, according to a new study.

There has been a mixed response to Local Agenda 21 (LA21) across Europe, but a new study from the Basque Country in Spain has identified factors that contribute to a successful LA21 strategy. These are a local entrepreneurial presence, joint problem-solving and joint decision-making by local government members.

Sustainable development aims to improve quality of life without compromising the well-being of future generations. A new study highlights the challenges of setting environmental sustainability goals and cites the EU Climate and Energy policy package, with its ‘20-20-20’ targets, as a model example.

With ever-increasing global consumption, the impacts of resource depletion, land use change and pollution are being felt worldwide. A new study reveals how international trade is shifting the environmental burden from the consuming nation to other parts of the world, and calls for changes in the way national material use is accounted for.

Regional governments lack the support required to meet EU-wide targets for greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions in the building, transportation, agriculture and waste sectors, according to a new study. The researchers outline a five-step process to help regional governments develop indicators and policy measures to help ensure national targets are met.

Researchers have proposed a new approach to identifying sustainability indicators for Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM). It consists of three steps: identify the most important factors in ICZM for coastal stakeholders, model relationships between these factors, and analyse these factors to identify the most relevant for use as indicators.

A new index for measuring the health of oceans considers the benefits of the sea to humans, as well as the status of natural components, such as biodiversity. According to the researchers who developed the index, it provides a powerful tool for allocating resources and improving policy in the management of marine ecosystems.

A standardised method to help choose the most cost-effective measures to remediate contaminated sites has been developed by Austrian researchers. The method takes into account a wide range of factors, including the principles of sustainability.

Ecosystem-based adaptation to climate change relies on the services provided by nature; new research has now demonstrated the wide potential of urban ecosystem services to aid local adaptation efforts. This study developed and trialled a streamlined method for assessing ecosystem services, such as temperature reduction and carbon sequestration, in four European cities, providing a valuable tool to help city planners enhance ecosystem services.

A new review of ecosystem-based approaches to climate change adaptation has described the multi-functional benefits of integrating such measures into policy. It concludes that there is good evidence for the effectiveness and cost-efficiency of ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA), and that its adoption by policymakers and stakeholders should be encouraged.

Current knowledge on the availability of mineral resources is explored in a recent study, which focuses on phosphorus as a key example. Static measures of availability, such as the consumption-to-production ratio, are useful as early warning signals, the researchers suggest, but more dynamic indicators that consider technological development and population change are needed to better inform policy.

New research has investigated the many ways in which technological transfer occurs for wind power projects in developing countries. These range from trading with developed countries, to local innovation. In India and China, successful transfer was found to depend more on existing capabilities in these countries than international projects, such as the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).

A study has evaluated the Municipal Urbanisation Tax (MUT)—a specific tax for the construction, maintenance, and reinforcement of urban infrastructure—in the city of Tomar, Portugal. The city has a new formula for the tax which is simpler and reinforces efforts to contain urban sprawl. The MUT is a one-time charge applied to new development through land subdivision (Loteamento) or individual buildings, similar to an impact fee. Other municipalities aiming to direct urban regeneration towards their brownfield sites, for example, could learn from the Portuguese experiences.

It can take six to seven years before the financial benefits of brownfield regeneration projects are realised, according to a new study which focused on redevelopment in Michigan, USA. The study examines liability issues, regulatory concerns, clean-up standards and funding mechanisms, and introduces a new model that informs debate on brownfield redevelopment policies and funding mechanisms.