– Classification of publications – All

18 Oct Engineering the future of water: Review of 2011 discussion series

Royal Academy of Engineering (UK) (RAEng)
2012
This report is a summary of proceedings of three meetings organised by Engineering the Future in the Autumn of 2011. The meeting was attended by members of the professional engineering institutions, Fellows of The Royal Academy of Engineering, representatives of industry, government and other relevant organisations.
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18 Oct Reform of the Water Sector in Ireland – Response to Consultation on the establishment of a Public Water Utility

Irish Academy of Engineering (IAE)
2012
In response to the Department of the Environment Community and Local Government’s request for views on their Water Services Reform, Phase 1, Report and Position Paper (Jan. 2012) the IAE and Engineers Ireland on 24th February 2012 issued them with their joint “Response to Consultation on the establishment of a Public Water Utility, (i.e. Irish Water) The IAE and Engineers Ireland welcomed the Position Paper and called for a robust and transparent funding model which includes for the substantial legacy issues on the Local Authorities’ books. The importance of the early and on-going conduct of Regulatory Impact Assessments and Risk Analyses is recommended using the knowledge of the sector and its key issues, resident in existing practitioners. It is also recommended that legacy liabilities are met from the Exchequer, rather than recovery through higher water charges, burdening customers and impacting negatively on national competitiveness.
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18 Oct Planet Earth – Living Planet. On a science of the whole Earth / Planeta Pamant – Planeta Vie. Asupra unei stiinte a intregului Pamant

Romanian Academy of Technical Sciences (ASTR)
2012
Among the first holistic approaches to Earth system , seen as a cybernetic system (with feedback loop and specific feed before homeostasis in preserving a relationship alive, not alive), a real bioreactor able to allow the birth and preservation of life.
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18 Oct Circular economy – improving the management of natural resources

Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences (SATW)
2014
This brochure gives an insight into the current implementation of Circular Economy at national level by presenting three country case studies and their different approaches to achieving the same goal of a more sustainable planet. China, besides being a huge economy, has the political power for a top-down approach to shape a completely restructured industrial and social system. Germany on the other hand is subject to external constraints in the form of EU directives along with national, regional and local demands. Finally Switzerland adopts a step-by-step approach based on finding solutions through the involvement of all stakeholders. In the section Analysis and Comparison, the three countries are investigated according to a number of indicators and consideration is given to the kind of indicators that could serve for a meaningful annual audit of countries’ Circular Economy performance. In the concluding section we give recommendations for possible future actions to take relevant steps towards the vision of a Circular Economy.
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18 Oct Shale gas extraction in the UK: a review of hydraulic fracturing

Royal Academy of Engineering (UK) (RAEng)
2012
A review of hydraulic fracturing -An independent review of the scientific and engineering evidence relating to the technical aspects of the risks associated with hydraulic fracturing to inform government policymaking about shale gas extraction in the UK. A report produced by the Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering.
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18 Oct Soil – A Geological Resource, Economic Driver and Ecosystem Service Provider: recommendations for pooling scientific expertise in soil and land management

National Academy of Science and Engineering (acatech)
2014
Soil is fundamental to human existence. It forms the uppermost layer of the Earth’s crust, supporting life and comprising a base of mineral and organic materials together with water, air and living organisms. The soil is where the lithosphere (our planet’s crust and upper mantle) meets the atmosphere (air), hydrosphere (water) and biosphere (flora and fauna). Its position at the interface between these four environmental compartments makes soil a highly sensitive and complex system. The rate at which new soil can be created is limited, meaning that soil loss is often irreversible. Even in the best-case scenario, when land is misused or degraded it can take decades or even centuries to restore soil to a state where it performs its full range of functions. Because the amount of land is finite it is no longer sustainable to consider that new soil may be brought into cultivation, e.g. by clearing forested lands. Arable land is, thus, a finite resource that should be used responsibly.
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18 Oct Georesource Water – The Challenge of Global Change. Approaches and requirements for an integrated management of water resources in Germany

National Academy of Science and Engineering (acatech)
2012
Freshwater (from now on simply referred to as “water”) is a precious good. It is one of the essential georesources. The most obvious uses of water properly occur in private households: we do the laundry and dishes; we cook, drink and water the plants. The largest share of water is, however, used by agriculture and industry. In particular, considerable amounts of water are used for power plant cooling in energy production. Groundwater accounts for about one third (30.1 percent) of global water resources, while only a small share is contained in lakes (0.26 percent), wetlands (0.03 percent) and rivers (0.006 percent). A much higher portion is trapped in ice and snow and is thus barely available for utilisation.
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18 Oct Marine Transport in High North

Norwegian Academy of Technological Sciences (NTVA)
2011
High North is Norwegian Government’s most important strategic foreign policy priority. Experts gave talks that reflected the current knowledge on the subject, viewed from scientific, technological and juridical understanding.
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18 Oct Electricity Demand and Supply in the Republic – Information Bulletin 2

Irish Academy of Engineering (IAE)
2014
Irish Academy of Engineering (IAE) - 2014 Initial Response to Energy Green Paper (2014) - Bulletin 2 of 4 on Key Policy Issues/Matters Arising.
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