Loading...
71 results
Search Results
Now showing 1 - 10 of 71
- Who’s afraid of Local Agenda 21? Top-down and bottom-up perspectives on local sustainabilityPublication . Schmidt, Luísa; Gil Nave, Joaquim; Guerra, JoãoLocal Agenda 21 is essentially a process of democratic practicing, insofar as it involves sharing political competencies in decision making by the local authorities, and the mobilisation of all citizens and civil society organisations in the process. It is, thus, a course of action in which the willingness and openness of local political leaders is as important as the ability of citizens to take the initiative of learning about and getting involved in local public life. Unfortunately, there are no more than twenty LA21 processes running in Portugal, and most of them do not fulfil all the parameters required. This paper discusses some hypotheses on the lack of success of LA21 in Portugal, which are related to structural political conditions for local governance and public participation. Resorting to some surveys on environmental policy issues (applied to both the municipal leaders and the population), the aim is to characterise the trends of mobilisation on local sustainability in Portuguese society, particularly with regard to the citizenry and local administrations.
- Climate justice for the southwestern coastal region of BangladeshPublication . Ashrafuzzaman, Md; Gomes, Carla; Guerra, JoãoClimate change is considered a moral, ethical and social issue, which makes it dierent from other developmental issues. The foremost instance of lack of justice regarding climate change is that the worst impacted areas are the ones with the lowest contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, such as the southwestern coastal region of Bangladesh (SWCRB). Climate change is principally triggered by the presence and eventual spread of industrialization. This study employed themixedmethod, combining qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection and analysis for development of a framework for climate justice. Data and information were obtained from both primary and secondary sources. In primary sources, quantitative data were collected from climate vulnerable community households using a structured close ended questionnaire and interactive sessions such as focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, key informant interviews, workshops, and case studies. This study explored the perceptions of people in the SWCRB, currently experiencing devastating eects of climate change and sea level rise including extreme natural disasters, seasonal changes, flooding, salinization, riverbank erosion, and water logging. These climate-induced changes are causing loss of housing, livelihoods, and land to the natives, in addition to a lack of access to proper nutrition, potable water, and healthcare thus exacerbating social injustice. A capability-based approach to climate justice is introduced in this paper, which allows for residents of this region to prepare and rebuild their own communities and create adaptive mechanisms based on their specific capabilities.
- Measuring Information Transparency in the Water Sector: What Story Do Indicators Tell?Publication . Stefano, Lucia De; Empinotti, Vanessa; Schmidt, Luísa; Jacobi, Pedro R.; Ferreira, José Gomes; Guerra, JoãoIndicators and benchmarking initiatives are considered to be powerful instruments for identifying and communicating the need for change and for gauging performance of policy responses. During the past few decades, water-related indicators have increasingly broadened their scope from merely measuring bio-physical parameters to assessing different aspects of water governance. Designing meaningful governance indicators, however, has proven to be a challenging task. In this paper we start from an index of information transparency (calculated for Brazil, Portugal and Spain) to explore how such an index can contribute to a better understanding of the functioning of the water sector in a given country. We argue that, despite all its limitations, a transparency index can be a useful entry point for a diagnosis of gaps and strengths of the water sector, provided that its interpretation is rooted in the country’s institutional context. Such a diagnosis can reveal that the lack of transparency is partially due to the fact that water institutions are still building their capacity to reach out to the society or that competences on water issues are distributed among a very broad array of actors. Our analysis confirms that the results of governance indices are a doubleedged sword, as they do trigger and feed public debate about institutional reform, but they can also become an excuse for implementing superficial changes that merely meet formal requirements.
- Objectivos do desenvolvimento na encruzilhada da sustentabilidadePublication . Guerra, João
- A educação ambiental : balanço e perspectivas para uma agenda mais sustentávelPublication . Schmidt, Luísa; Nave, Joaquim Gil; Guerra, João
- Recentralização, Transparência e Gestão da Água em PortugalPublication . Schmidt, Luísa; Guerra, João; Ferreira, José Gomes; Travassos, DavidA gestão por bacia ou região hidrográfica tem sofrido importantes transformações no quadro político-administrativo nacional. Nas últimas décadas, passou-se de um período de consenso em que o país assumiu a descentralização como prioridade, até à reversão desse processo e consequente agudização de dificuldades, quer na produção e divulgação de informação, quer na dinamização da participação pública. Em simultâneo, e interligando-se com esse processo, ganharam visibilidade velhos e novos problemas (e.g., poluição de rios e ribeiras, secas, cheias) que se vêm agravando com o impacto crescente das alterações climáticas e dos incêndios florestais. O INTRAG 2019 retoma a caracterização da informação hídrica, avaliando a sua qualidade, acessibilidade, transparência e, a partir daí, as suas consequências na governança da água em Portugal. Apesar de algumas melhorias, os resultados indiciam a manutenção do que poderíamos designar como ‘opacidade administrativa’ já registada na sua primeira edição do INTRAG em 2014, não por obliteração intencional, mas por ausência de plataformas e dados de forma regionalizada, o que resulta na diminuição da informação disponível.
- Environmental education in Portuguese Speaking Nations: a survey of current practices and prioritiesPublication . Guerra, João; Prata, Leonor; Schmidt, LuísaSince the Community of Portuguese Speaking Nations (CPLP) was created in 1996, environmental education (EE) has gained recognition for enhancing multilateral cooperation on environmental protection and sustainability promotion. Conducted online in 2020 in all member states during the COVID-19 pandemic, this second Environmental Education Survey of CPLP explores the conditions and approaches of EE within the overall setting of the 2030 UN Agenda, taking the concepts of Canaparo’s geo-epistemology and Öhman and Östman’s selective traditions as the underlying framework of analysis. The survey received 196 valid responses from EE Experts and Promoters who hold positions in various institutional backgrounds. Addressing the current state of EE in all nine countries, a picture emerges of significant and ecologically prudent human intervention based on fact-based, normative, and pluralist EE approaches. Most encouraging is the overall finding that EE is vibrant, relevant for sustainable transformation, young people focussed, and in good heart.
- Novos Trilhos para o Desenvolvimento Sustentável – dos ODS à COP 21Publication . Guerra, JoãoO agudizar dos sinais de degradação das condições ambientais tornou-se evidente nas últimas décadas, mas se cabe à humanidade decidir como usar os recursos disponíveis, tal liberdade surge progressiva e inextricavelmente cerceada pela complexidade ecológica e pela ética da responsabilidade que, à medida que os novos valores ecológicos vingaram, parece ter-se instalado. Assim, é numa perspetiva que postula maior eficácia na ação, maior capacidade de monitorização e maior integração das várias dimensões do desenvolvimento sustentável que emergiram os Objetivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável e decorreu a COP 21 de que resultou o Acordo de Paris. Importa, ainda assim, perguntar, a partir de uma análise crítica dos dois eventos, se as flagrantes e crescentes desigualdades socioeconómicas, que se repercutem nos vários níveis de governança, não impedirão o progresso desta estratégia de generalização de objetivos. Procurando responder a esta questão, teremos em conta que, se nos últimos anos uma sensação de desesperança e fatalismo parece ter impregnado a vida moderna, não deixa de ser igualmente verdade que a consolidação da ideia de desenvolvimento sustentável global e, agora, a monitorização admitida podem potenciar a mudança ambicionada.
- Adaptação às alterações climáticas nos municípios: um processo de aprendizagem socialPublication . Schmidt, Luísa; Ferrão, João; Guerra, João; Mourato, João Morais; Alves, Adriana Ferreira; Baixinho, Alexandra; Ferreira, José Gomes
- The Changing Climate Is Changing Safe Drinking Water, Impacting Health: A Case in the Southwestern Coastal Region of Bangladesh (SWCRB)Publication . Ashrafuzzaman, Md; Gomes, Carla; Guerra, JoãoThis study focuses on investigating the impact of climate change on the availability of safe drinking water and human health in the Southwest Coastal Region of Bangladesh (SWCRB). Additionally, it explores local adaptation approaches aimed at addressing these challenges. The research employed a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to gather data. Qualitative data were collected through various means such as case studies, workshops, focus group discussions (FGDs), interviews, and key informant interviews (KIIs). The study specifically collected qualitative data from 12 unions in the Shyamnagar Upazila. On the other hand, through the quantitative method, we collected respondents’ answers through a closed-ended questionnaire survey from 320 respondents from nine unions in the first phase of this study. In the next phase, we also collected data from the three most vulnerable unions of Shyamnagar Upazila, namely Poddo Pukur, Gabura, and Burigoalini, where 1579 respondents answered questions regarding safe drinking water and health conditions due to climate change. The findings of the study indicate that local communities in the region acknowledge the significant impact of sea-level rise (SLR) on freshwater sources and overall well-being, primarily due to increased salinity. Over 70% of the respondents identified gastrointestinal issues, hypertension, diarrhea, malnutrition, and skin diseases as major waterborne health risks arising from salinity and lack of access to safe water. Among the vulnerable groups, women and children were found to be particularly susceptible to waterborne diseases related to salinity. While the study highlights the presence of certain adaptation measures against health-related problems, such as community clinics and health centers at the upazila level, as well as seeking healthcare from local and paramedical doctors, it notes that these measures are insufficient. In terms of safe drinking water, communities have adopted various adaptation strategies, including pond excavation to remove saline water (partially making it potable), implementing pond sand filters, rainwater harvesting, and obtaining potable water from alternative sources. However, these efforts alone do not fully address the challenges associated with ensuring safe drinking water