Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Critical Assessment Of The Literature Regarding The Public Costs Of Roadway Damage Due To Fracking, Brent Ritzel

Brent Ritzel

Many government bodies have raised concerns regarding preservation of existing public roadway systems from infrastructure damage, and roadway degradation in particular, due to the impact of fracking-related truck traffic on roads that are simply not designed for that level and intensity of usage. This significant heavy usage imposes both immediate and long-term cost burdens on taxpayers, and can create unfunded liabilities for the wide range of levels of government (jurisdictions) responsible for maintaining the roadways (from township to federal). This acceleration in roadway consumption has manifested a financial need that is not easily funded by traditional fee mechanisms.

This paper’s …

An Assessment Of The Socio-Economic Impact Of Gurara Dam On The Inhabitants And Its Environs, J Y. Magaji

Abuja Journal of Geography and Development

This research work is an attempt to assess “the Socio–economic Impact of Gurara dam on the surrounding communities”. This dam is located within two local governments that shared boundary; these are Kagarko and Kachia local governments in Kaduna state. The study investigates the impact of the dam construction on agricultural production and occupation of the people of the study area as well as the benefits derived. It also examines the extent of resettlement and compensation. Survey method was adapted, the respondents were selected randomly. This is because the population is homogeneous; questionnaire was administered to 214 respondents. Results revealed that …

Pro-Poor Nanotechnology Applications For Water: Characterizing And Contextualizing Private Sector Research And Development, Matthew Harsh, Thomas Woodson

Thomas Woodson

Nanotechnology has been proposed as a possible solution to the dire problems caused by contaminated water in impoverished communities. We characterize the global landscape of nanotechnology research and development using bibliometric and patent data to ascertain how private firms are using nanotechnology to create improved filters and other technologies that might create benefits for the ‘poor’. Research and development on nanotechnology applications for water is very international, but is occurring mostly in China, the USA and wealthy countries. Nanowater patents focus mostly on filtration systems. Other research areas like nanosensors and desalination have fewer nanowater patens which suggest that those …

Mathematical Modeling Of Drought Resilience In Agriculture, Ram Ranjan

Ram Ranjan

Ensuring drought resilience for farmers is an important policy concern. Yet, a quantitative treatment of the concept of drought resilience has been lacking in the literature. This paper designs a mathematical model of drought resilience to assess farmers’ survival strategies when faced with the prospect of repeated droughts. A key distinction is being made here between consecutive droughts and one-off droughts, as it is the former which is of most concern to farmers as well as policy makers. The mathematical model is generalized to incorporate the possibility of more than one set of a certain number of consecutive droughts occurring …

Natural Resource Sustainability Versus Livelihood Resilience: A Model Of Groundwater Exploitation Strategies In Developing Regions, Ram Ranjan

Ram Ranjan

This paper designs a stylized model representing farming in water scarce regions of south India to address the problem of managing depleting groundwater assets facing the threat of irreversible loss. Circumstances under which it may be optimal to forgo sustainable water use are evaluated in the context of farmers’ wealth and land endowments, crop choices and risk of groundwater loss. Several policy and management implications are derived. Additionally, it is argued here that attaining livelihood resilience will entail a transformation process involving tradeoffs between different capital assets where it may be optimal for a farmer to forego the objective of …

Drought Resilient Strategies, Ram Ranjan

Ram Ranjan

Drought resilience is defined in this paper as the capacity of farmers to survive a certain number of consecutive droughts. Farmers can enhance their drought resilience through accumulating wealth and through conserving groundwater. A stylized model quantifies drought resilience and analyzes key trade-offs between wealth accumulation and groundwater conservation strategies. Findings highlight differing patterns of drought resilient strategies for farmers varying in their endowments and time preferences.

Tribes As Essential Partners In Achieving Sustainable Governance, Prof. Elizabeth Burleson

Prof. Elizabeth Burleson

Indigenous peoples have modeled sustainable development around the world. Incentivizing the innovation and instillation of wind, solar, and other renewable energy sources can come in the form of public funding, including renewable portfolio standards, feed in tariffs and green tag programs. This article analyzes ways in which tribal communities are helping to expand cooperative good governance.

Factors Affecting Participation In Spot And Options Markets For Water, Ram Ranjan

Ram Ranjan

In this paper, using a stylized mathematical simulation model, the participation of farmers in spot and options markets is analyzed in a two-period setting. Farmers assess the benefits from entering one of the two markets based upon anticipated water supplies in a subsequent period and relative expected profits in water and agricultural markets. Supply of water for urban use is a function of uncertain weather conditions and water demands for agricultural uses. The analysis offers insight on water market participation by deriving conditions that favor spot or options market participation. Findings highlight the importance of market size, agricultural profitability and …

Social Norms, Social Capital And The Sustainability Of Small Scale Economies, Ram Ranjan

Ram Ranjan

This paper develops a conceptual model to link social norms and social capital with key socio-ecological characteristics of small scale economies in order to derive implications for the sustainability of natural resources and survival of these economies. Specifically, the extent of punishment required to deter defection is derived as a function of group size, rewards from defection, resource stock and the risk of groundwater loss. Social norms which ordain collective participation and punishments can be endogenous, dynamic and exhibit resilience. The implication of these possibilities on the sustainability of small scale economies is also evaluated.

China In Context: Energy, Water, And Climate Cooperation, Prof. Elizabeth Burleson

Prof. Elizabeth Burleson

Climate resilient communities can be achieved with the support of global research, development, deployment, and diffusion of environmentally sound low GHG emission technologies and processes. Technology cooperation should lower emissions remaining mindful of biodiversity, ecosystem services and livelihoods. China and the United States need to respond effectively to both economic and climate crises and can do so in part by cooperating on environmentally sound technology that transforms the global use of energy.

Aqua Science Through The Ages. An Illustrated History Of Water, Fathi Habashi

Fathi Habashi

Water a component of the Four Elements considered by the ancient philosophers as essential for survival, played, and is still playing an essential role in society. Great civilizations in ancient times developed along great rivers. The ancient peoples knew how to manage water supplies by digging canals, controlling floods, and using water for irrigation. They designed equipment that used water to measure the time, to determine the density of solids, to fight fires, and to create vacuum. Modern engineers exploited water flow to design and construct huge hydroelectric power stations. Waterways and navigation systems were also an essential element for …

Resource Conflict Among Farmers And Fulani Herdsmen: Implications For Resource Sustainability, Olarewaju Oluseyi Ifatimehin, Marietu Tenuche

Olarewaju Oluseyi Ifatimehin

This study describes the traditional relationship between farmers and Fulani herdsmen in the incessant resource conflict witnessed in Kogi State, Nigeria and how it affects livelihood security of those involved and resource sustainability for the communities. These conflicts are most responsible for the unsustainable utilization of land and water resources as the trampling by the hooves of herds of cattle compacts the soil of farm land, destroy farm crops by the herdsmen, places restraint on effective utilization of arable farmland among other destruction of available resources. It is understood that these conflicts have their roots in the land tenure system, …

Drought Resilience In Agriculture: The Role Of Technological Options, Land Use Dynamics, And Risk Perception, Ram Ranjan, Sanhita Athalye

Ram Ranjan

Sustained droughts coupled with increasing pressure from urbanization severely test the ability of farmers to continue in agriculture. Understanding farmers’ resilience to such pressures is increasingly becoming a significant policy concern. In this paper, a new measure of resilience to severe and sustained droughts in agriculture is derived as the ability to continue farming by saving and carrying forward water through the adoption of water efficient technology. In addition, the role of behavioral factors—such as subjective risk perception over the probability of droughts, of the probability of land getting urbanized, and of resistance to revising beliefs over water scarcity situation—in …

Optimization Of Check Dams Through The Application Of Advanced Technologies, Praveen Jha Dr

Praveen Jha Dr

Scientific planning for conserving water and while minimizing the financial resources requirement for its implementation could be done through application of advanced technological programs developed by the author. Three state-of-art geo-spatial programs - Multi-Algorithm Automation Program (MAAP), Water Analysis Program (WAP) and Check Dam Optimization Program (CDOP) - would be used. MAAP produces land use land cover (lulc) map primarily by undertaking Digital Image Processing (DIP) of satellite data in an automated fashion using Artificial Intelligence (AI). WAP, a hydrology modeling program, would be used to generate information related to watershed, water flow, water accumulation etc. CDOP, coupled with MAAP …

Social Norm, Social Capital And The Sustainability Of Small Scale Economies, Ram Ranjan

Ram Ranjan

Social capital and social norms in agrarian settings encourage farmers to come together and sustainably manage their scarce common property resources, such as water. The role of social norms is crucial towards determining whether or not farmers are able to overcome the temptations of the market that place emphasis on immediate higher benefits at the cost of future sustainability and the risk of getting marginalized in a rural community. The capability to collectively co-manage resources is dependent upon the ability of the community to penalize the defectors. In this paper, the extent of punishment required to deter defection is derived …

Drought Resilience In Agriculture: The Role Of Technological Options, Land Use Dynamics And Risk Perception, Ram Ranjan, Sanhita S. Athalye

Ram Ranjan

This paper explores the role of behavioural factors --such as subjective risk perception over the probability of droughts, of the probability of land getting urbanized and of resistance to revising beliefs over water scarcity situation, in determining farmers’ resilience to droughts. A measure of resilience in agriculture, in wake of severe and sustained droughts, is derived as the ability to continue farming, by saving and carrying forward water, through the adoption of water efficient technology. Findings indicate that behavioural factors dominate the decision to adopt when the economic factors, such as the price of water, do not capture the true …

Climate Change And Freshwater Resources, Noah D. Hall, Bret B. Stuntz, Robert H. Abrams

Noah D Hall

The Earth’s climate is warming. This is the unequivocal conclusion of climate scientists. Despite the complexities of climatology, certain consistent trends emerge with implications for water availability: as the world gets warmer, it will experience increased regional variability in precipitation, with more frequent heavy precipitation events and more susceptibility to drought. These simple facts will have a profound impact on freshwater resources throughout the United States, as the warmer climate will reduce available water supplies and increase water demand. Unfortunately, current water law and policy are not up to the new challenges of climate change and resulting pressures on freshwater …

Vida,Frescura Y Limpieza:Representaciones Sociales Del Agua Desde El Punto De Vista De Adolescentes Y De Padres De Familia, Teresa M. Torres-López, Rubén Soltero-Avelar, Manuel Pando-Moreno, Carolina Aranda-Beltrán, José G. Salazar-Estrada

José G. Salazar Estrada

The objective was to identify the elements and the organization of the social representations about the water of adolescents and family parents, and to describe differences among the points of view of the gender of the studied groups. The methodology was structural focus of the social representations: it was used the method associative of free listing and the paired comparison. The participants were adolescent and the family parents. The results showed differences according to the group age of adsorption and to gender point of view. The adolescents show a great concern about the use and consumption practices of the water. …

Exit Timing Decisions Under Land Speculation And Resource Scarcity In Agriculture, Ram Ranjan, Sorada Tapsuwan

Ram Ranjan

This paper models the impact of water scarcity in agriculture on the timing of exit decisions for farmers faced with the prospect of declining profitability in agriculture but increasing benefits from land rezoning in the future. The prospects of land rezoning are modeled as a Poisson process. The analysis highlights the role of speculative rewards in making farmers resilient to declining profitability in agriculture and also identifies the circumstances under which water prices may become an ineffective policy tool for allocating water. An empirical application is performed for the case of a drought prone region in Western Australia. Results indicate …

Resilience In Ecology And Belief, Ram Ranjan

Ram Ranjan

TThis paper explores the crucial linkage between societal risk perception and the survival of threatened ecosystems exhibiting non-linear stock dynamics. Perception of risk over specie’s importance and over its survival chances may be subject to resilience and therefore may differ from actual risks. Whereas, ecosystems stand a better chance of survival if they aren’t stressed beyond their resilience thresholds. When an ecosystem’s sustainability and the subjective perception of risks of their loss are both influenced by the stock of a common natural resource, several resource management outcomes are possible, not all of which may ensure the sustainability of the ecosystem. …

How Probability Weighting Affects Participation In Water Markets, Ram Ranjan, Jason F. Shogren

Ram Ranjan

The behavioral tendency to overestimate probabilities of loss can affect a farmer’s participation in water markets. We examine this issue with a theoretical model of a non-expected utility maximizing farmer who places subjective weights on the actual probabilities of loss of water rights due to market transactions. The farmer bargains over sharing of surpluses with the buyer of water. The farmer then incorporates the bargaining outcome in his inter-temporal expected benefit maximization problem that accounts for the possible loss of water rights due to its sale out of agriculture. Three key results emerge. First, subjective weighting of probabilities leads to …

The Evolution Of The Public Trust Doctrine And The Degradation Of Trust Re- Sources: Courts, Trustees And Political Power In Wisconsin, Melissa K. Scanlan

Melissa K. Scanlan

The public trust doctrine is rooted in ancient Roman law and the Wisconsin Constitution. Ancient Roman jurists be- lieved that the natural law concept that the waters are common to all was not subject to the changing whims of legis- latures. Similarly, modern theorists assert that a constitutionally-based doctrine will be more insulated from politics. This Comment demonstrates the limits of these theories. The trust doctrine is not immutable. Based on interviews with the trustees of Wisconsin's water resources, this Comment uncovers the constraints on the trustees. It shows that trust resources are at risk due to politically-motivated decisions and …

Rising Temperatures: Rising Tides, Prof. Elizabeth Burleson

Prof. Elizabeth Burleson

Transboundary environmental problems do not distinguish between political boundaries. Global warming is expected to cause thermal expansion of water and melt glaciers. Both are predicted to lead to a rise in sea level. We must enlarge our paradigms to encompass a global reality and reliance upon global participation.

The Nationalist World Of Occupied Jakarta, 1946-1949, Robert Cribb

Robert Cribb

Describes the atmosphere in Jakarta during the Dutch occupation, 1946-1949.