The response of companies to information-based environmental policies

This paper investigates the companies' behavioural response to information-based environmental policies. We perform a panel analysis for 39 big companies in 16 countries, in 3 polluting industries (oil & gas, chemicals, power generation) over a 5- year period (1993-1997) to check whether environmental policies (command and control and energy taxation) and the adoption of information-based environmental strategies affect the companies' economic and environmental performance. The results confirm the positive role of self-regulated environmental audits and compensation programmes on corporate environmental performance

Compensating for severe nuclear accidents: An expert elucidation

We present the results of a structured discussion held in London in July 2014 involving a panel of experts drawn from three communities: specialists on aspects of risk and insurance; lawyers concerned with issues of nuclear law; and safety and environmental regulators. The discussions were held on the basis of participant anonymity. The process emphasised three considerations: conceptions of loss arising from a severe nuclear accident; the specifics of the Fukushima-Daiichi accident and what it means for policy and strategy going forward; and the future of liability regimes. We observe some stoicism from those closest to implementation of policies and procedures associated with nuclear risks, but a lower level of certainty and confidence among those concerned with nuclear energy regulation

(A211) Nanosciences and CBRN Threats: Considerations about the Potential Risk of Illicit Use of Nanosystems

In the history of humankind, any new scientific discovery has shown the risk of a "dual use" for peaceful purposes or for warfare. In regard to non-conventional weapons, the recent exponential development of nanosciences and nanotechnology can provide efficient tools for counteracting these threats, by improving the detection, protection, and decontamination capabilities in the field of CBRN defence. Nevertheless, these disciplines also may offer novel, uncontrolled means of mass destruction, leading to the synthesis of new, intentionally toxic systems. Furthermore, several points of concern are linked to the new concepts of "nanotoxicology" and "nanopathology: If a multidisciplinary approach is needed to study nanosciences and nanotechnologies, a multidisciplinary approach also is needed to have a strict control on potential illegal uses of nanosystems. Experts active in various fields, such as academic, industrial, military, and health protection institutions, must work cooperatively to constantly follow the state of the art, note which kind of critical emerging technologies may lead to illicit uses, and control the diffusion of hazardous nanosystems that may be potential precursors of weapons of mass destruction, and cooperate with CBRN emergency prevention organizations in order to plan suitable countermeasures. This presentation will cover some examples of nanosystems applied to defense from non-conventional warfare agents and answer questions regarding potential misuses of basic nanoscience and nanotechnology findings

Considerations in relation to off-site emergency procedures and response for nuclear accidents

The operation of nuclear facilities has, fortunately, not led to many accidents with off-site consequences. However, it is well-recognised that should a large release of radioactivity occur, the effects in the surrounding area and population will be significant. These effects can be mitigated by developing emergency preparedness and response plans prior to the operation of the nuclear facility that can be exercised regularly and implemented if an accident occurs. This review paper details the various stages of a nuclear accident and the corresponding aspects of an emergency preparedness plan that are relevant to these stages, both from a UK and international perspective. The paper also details how certain aspects of emergency preparedness have been affected by the accident at Fukushima Dai-ichi and as a point of comparison how emergency management plans were implemented following the accidents at Three Mile Island 2 and Chernobyl. In addition, the UK’s economic costing model for nuclear accidents COCO-2, and the UK’s Level-3 Probabilistic Safety Assessment code “PACE” are introduced. Finally, the factors that affect the economic impact of a nuclear accident, especially from a UK standpoint, are described

A workbook on planning for urban resilience in the face of disasters : adapting experiences from Vietnam's cities to other cities

The world is urbanizing rapidly. A little over half the global population is urban today. According to the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN\u2013HABITAT), by 2050, this proportion will grow to 70 percent\u2014and of a much larger pie, 9 billion people worldwide. This urban growth will predominantly (90 percent) take place in developing countries. Developing countries host 70 million new urban residents each year. Cities in the developing world are already challenged in providing adequate infrastructure and services to current residents, let alone supporting such large increases in the future. It is expected that the global slum population will double to 2 billion by 2030. The trend in increasing natural hazards further complicates the situation. The Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters reports via its Emergency Events Database (CRED EM-DAT) that, in 2010, 385 natural disasters killed nearly 300,000 people, affected over 217 million others, and caused $123.9 billion in damages in 131 countries. These economic damages represent an increase of 160.4 percent compared to 2009. Climate change and shifting tectonic plates will further exacerbate the situation. This workbook provides standard procedures local officials can use to develop Local Resilience Action Plans. While based on learning from the Vietnam experience, the guidance provided can be applied by any city at any level of disaster preparedness. The experience of the three pilot cities is the basis for llustrating the methodology. The pilots represent a broad range of city caracteristics in terms of geography, population size, economic base, administrative structure, and natural hazards\u2014demonstrating that the LRAP process is useful to a variety of cities. Indeed, the methodology has been taken up by cities outside of Vietnam, in China, Indonesia, and the Philippines. These cities have adapted the steps in the workbook to fit their local conditions and priorities and the workbook shows how they build resilience to climate change and natural disaster

Building climate and disaster resilience into city planning and management processes

This paper presents an integrated analytic framework for tackling climate change through mainstreaming disaster risk management into overall development planning in urban areas. It discusses an ongoing application of the Climate Resilient City framework in East Asia, the Middle East and Africa

Researchers, trainers and first responders: a synergy for an improved prevention of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear risks in south-east Asian countries.

Italian scientists active in national research and academic institutions have been collaborating since 2013, under the aegis of the EU Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Risk Mitigation Centres of Excellence, with governmental stakeholders and technical partners, in nine countries of South-East Asia, in order to enhance the local capabilities in preventing, monitoring and responding to CBRN incidents due to intentional, accidental or natural causes. The initiatives implied training courses, didactical sessions, live simulations, table-top exercises and interactive train-the-trainer sessions, in the presence of European and local experts, with trans-disciplinary competences covering areas such as chemistry, biology, toxicology, medicine, engineering, law and international right

Strumenti economici e politiche dell'ambiente e del clima

Il contributo presenta il processo di creazione delle esternalità, focalizzando l'attenzione sulle esternalià ambientali. Presenta inoltre la disciplina e i metodi della contabilità ambientale come possibile ausilio nell'internalizzazione delle esternalità ambientali. Segue una dissertazione nella stessa chiave relativa ai cambiamenti climatici

Partnership for climate : il caso dei Clean Development Mechanisms del Protocollo di Kyoto

L'articolo propone una analisi della valutazione di sostenibilità locale associata a progetti di Clean Development Mechanism nei Paesi in via di sviluppo, anche attraverso casi specifici di applicazione ed analisi