| eg-e website |
| eg-e is a database of information with a powerful word search facility.
Approx 50 entries are added every two weeks- a few of which are FREE access. To view all content you require a user name and passsword.
For a free month's trial: anne.finnane@globaltolocal.com
or to take out an annual subscription (£50 + VAT), click here.
|
| Managing the health effects of climate change |
| The Lancet, one of the world's leading medical journals, together with University College London researchers, has published a report claiming climate change is "the biggest global health threat of the 21st Century". This report outlines the major threats, both direct and indirect, to global health from climate change through changing patterns of disease, water and food insecurity, vulnerable shelter and human settlements, extreme climatic events, and population migration. It argues that a new advocacy and public health movement is needed urgently to bring together governments, international agencies, non-governmental organisations, communities, and academics from all disciplines to adapt to the effects of climate change on health. The full text is available following free registration.
|
| Institute for Sustainability, Health and Environment |
The vision of the Institute for Sustainability, Health and Environment, based at the University of the West of England, is to be an internationally recognised and distinctive research and knowledge exchange institute which provides a unique academic and practice base for integrating the evidence-based, cross-disciplinary understanding needed to confront some of the practical challenges for society as it travels towards a lower carbon intensity future. Distinct themes include: sustainable communities and the built environment; public health and well-being; and environmental sustainability. Presentations from the inaugural lecture, held in Bristol on 21 April 2009 are available on the ISHE website.
Visit website |
| Green infrastructure |
Green infrastructure needs to be taken as seriously as the more familiar 'grey infrastructure' of roads, railways and power lines, argues the Landscape Institute in a position statement, one of a series produced by the Institute's Policy Committee. The Landscape Institute believes that green infrastructure (GI) represents an approach to land use that has a critical role in meeting a wide range of serious environmental, social and economic challenges, such as developing housing to meet demographic changes, ensuring that our environments are resilient to a changing climate, maintaining adequate supplies of water, managing flood risk, securing food and energy supplies and safeguarding against biodiversity loss.
More |
| Enhancing biodiversity on business sites |
A study carried out by Dutch researchers has found that businesses and planners can boost biodiversity and contribute to sustainable development by developing green areas on business sites. The researchers questioned stakeholders, including companies, employees, local government, neighbours and environmental NGOs, about their preferences and found that attractive green spaces which also enhance health and recreational opportunities receive strong support. The researchers suggest new business sites offer valuable opportunities to enhance urban biodiversity. In addition, there are socio-economic benefits to incorporating additional green space in urban areas, and these areas should be identified and incorporated in the early stages of planning. The reference for this article is: Snep, R., Van Ierland, E., Opdam, P. (2009). Enhancing biodiversity at business sites: What are the options, and which of these do stakeholders prefer? Landscape and Urban Planning Vol.91 Issue 1, pp.26-35. |
| Inspiring people to enhance and preserve the natural environment |
Natural England has published a consultation paper which seeks views on its draft policy for people and the natural environment. This is designed to help Natural England develop a policy to support its objective of increasing people's understanding of the natural environment and the value they place in its contribution to their own and everyone else's quality of life. Comments on this paper are requested by 14 June 2009.
|
| Local actors and the EU energy and climate objectives |
More than 400 representatives from European local authorities gathered in Brussels on 22-24 April 2009 for the Annual Rendezvous of the city networks Energie-Cités and Climate Alliance, to consider the crucial role played by local actors to fill the EU energy and climate objectives. Videos of speeches and some presentations are available online. Side events at the conference included the final conference of the Innovative thinking project. At the event, all project partners presented the routes they have followed in stimulating citizens, companies, housebuilders and other stakeholders to participate in projects on energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy. The event also highlighted some challenges they have found.
|
| Economic value of good urban design in a recession |
Places Matter! - the architecture centre for the North West of England, has commissioned new research into the economic value of good design during the recession. Findings reveal that good design can still add value and help schemes to 'weather' the effects of recession. This is a follow-up to research undertaken in 2007. Full copies and summaries of both 2007 and 2009 reports are available online. The 2007 report concluded that there was strong evidence that economic, social and environmental returns increase with better design. Equally, the costs of bad design can be very substantial in economic, social and environmental terms. As well as outlining definitions of good design and economic value, the report presented several case studies. For the 2009 report, these case studies have been revisited to establish how they are faring in the current economic downturn.
Visit website | |
