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Abstract Increasing the share of renewable energy for covering our energy demand is central to the energy policy of the European Union. Despite the acknowledged importance, renewable energy has not yet reached the favoured wide-spread utilisation throughout Europe. Wood pellets, cylindrical sticks of 10 to 30 mm length mainly made from wood processing residues, are a renewable, cost-competitive, l
Abstract This thesis addresses the effects of parking accessibility on work commuting and the potential to use parking policies as a tool to support mobility management and enhance sustainable commuting in Lund. The structure rests on two folds: first, it provides a theoretical background on different parking policies and factors influencing work commuting; second, it provides an analysis of Lund
This thesis describes bio-ethanol production and use for transport fuel in Ethiopia, focusing on current status and potential, barriers, implications and recommendations for a sustainable market. The need for such research is justified as it paves the way for bio-ethanol development in Ethiopia towards a more sustainable path as challenges are surmounted. Bio-ethanol from molasses is identified in
There are more than 80 pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical metabolites detected in the aquatic environment. Regarding negative impacts of these compounds, the main concern lays in sensitive aquatic environment and long-term effects regarding human health and the environment. Although we have procedures to assess the risk that pharmaceutical residues represent to the environment, these procedures in
Contemporary innovation in the converging technology sectors of electronics and textile aims at augmenting functionality of textiles, making them “smart”. That is, integrating electronic functions such as sensing, data processing, and networking into wearable products. Embedding electronic devices into textiles results in a novel category of products: electronic textiles (e-textiles). Whereas rese
This thesis looks at the drivers and barriers religious groups within the United States face on the climate change issue as well as the actions religious groups have taken on the issue as a means for encouraging social and individual changes in behavior to address it. It examines the role of religion in shaping values, investigates the drivers and barriers identified through academic literature so
The concept of ecotourism has been widely misunderstood and misused. This undermines some of its aims when it is put in practice. In theory, one of the principles of ecotourism is bringing benefits to the local communities at the destination site. Benefiting the local communities, in turn, offers an opportunity for community development of the local populations (particularly in poor countries). Bu
Perception of risks and related costs associated with energy crop cultivation pose a barrier to expansion of production, and therefore economies-of-scale are not achieved and investments in new infrastructure harder to justify. In this study, the risk perceptions for agro-biofuel production in Sweden, France and Finland are delineated and a new contractual arrangement to reduce such risk perceptio
This thesis attempts to examine the situation of health-care waste management in Guyana using a systems approach and to understand the roles of government in mandating, facilitating, and initiating a reduction of the adverse impacts related to human health and environment. It examines the existing situation of health-care waste management using the principles of the viable system model to guide th
Commercial banks can play an important role in environmental issues. Having a role of an intermediary in an economy, because of their importance for the business sector, commercial banks can influence and contribute to the healthy environment significantly. Still, the banking sector is slowly responding to environmental challenges in comparison to other sectors: banks’ direct impacts on the enviro
The objective of this thesis is to analyze the development and diffusion of Photovoltaic Power Systems (PVPS’) in Denmark, identify drivers and barriers for further dissemination, and explore how the policy framework supports the diffusion of PVPS’’ and thus contribute to learning within this field. The focus is on grid-connected PVPS’, which are either used as an “add-on” device or integrated int
Fast development of energy efficient buildings is necessary to deal with growing and high levels of energy consumption and related environmental impacts in the Middle East countries including Iran and Israel. Design for climates such as hot arid and Mediterranean climates entails facing challenges regarding both heating and cooling energy demands in buildings. Since the late 70s, research has been
End-of-life management of cars in Europe is regulated by a common legislative framework since 2000, when the Directive 2000/53/EC on end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) was adopted. The objectives of this legislation are: prevention of waste from ELVs through design improvements, and facilitating better recycling and treatment of ELVs by improving environmental performance of treatment facilities and atta
European power generators are facing a powerful suite of drivers to engage in carbon capture and storage (CCS). However, the future for CCS is uncertain. The type and level of engagement will depend on how CCS develops. This work, based heavily on primary data, collected thoughts and opinions of 37 stakeholders in Northern Europe in the CCS field today encompassing power companies, NGOs, academics
The research investigates the market and policy conditions that inhibit energy efficiency in the household sector in the context of the CDM undermining its financial and environmental performance and creating uncertainties in the CDM project financing. The contribution to the practical illustration of the uncertainty impact on the project performance is undertaken by the economic and barrier analy
This study assesses the problems of loss of information about chemicals throughout the global product chain of toys, concentrated on import to the European Union. The aim of the study was to use qualitative interviews as well as available literature to describe the present situation regarding information about chemicals in the toy industry, to investigate whether information is lost and in that ca
Efficient and effective environmental information processing is a key element for the improvement of an organization‘s environmental performance. Business Information Systems (BIS) are recognized as a tool for the facilitation of collecting, storing, processing and communicating any kind of information. However, there are other benefits that BIS can provide for a company. These benefits are relate
Regional economic integration is widely spread in Africa, and especially in the eastern region. Three countries in East Africa: Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, have engaged in various forms of integration since colonial times, and the cooperation has increased further since independence. Today, the East African Community (EAC) has been enlarged, with Rwanda and Burundi as new members, and a customs un
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the informal sector of the Senegalese economy with focus on the relationship with formal sector competitiveness. The paper is based on three research questions. 1. What are the characteristics of the informal sector in Senegal? 2. What are the linkages, similarities and differences between the formal and informal sector? 3. How can formal sector competit
