Digital Commons Network^™

Extractivism And Conflict: Comparative Study Of Serbia And The Drc, Borislava Manojlovic, Espoir Kabanga

The Journal of Social Encounters

This study explores how populations in Serbia and the DRC have been affected by and responded to natural resource extraction. Specifically, protests and other activist engagement were examined by surveying social movements’ participants from civil society and academia. Both qualitative and quantitative methods of inquiry were used. Data was collected from multiple sources, including academic and online sources pertaining to the topic of extractivism, and a survey of 71 participants. The results indicate that both Congolese and Serbian participants have grave concerns about extractivism and its impact on the environment, peace, stability, health, and well-being but differ in their ability …

Environmental Accountability Of Extractive Industries And Community Resistance In The Wamuzimu Chieftaincy In Eastern Congo, Christian Cirhigiri

The Journal of Social Encounters

Throughout the Congo wars, the pervasive activities of extractive industries have deepened economic inequalities and eviscerated the ecological rights of victimized communities while perpetuating a tragic legacy of gross human rights abuses in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo . Increasingly, however, affected communities are carrying out violent and nonviolent campaigns against mining companies and other extractive industries whose activities jeopardize community livelihoods. Using the analytical framework of collective participation and drawing on qualitative data from 20 semi-structured interviews with community activists in the chieftaincy of Wamuzimu in 2022, this paper argues that community resistance against extractive industries is a …

Call For Proposals 2023: The Social Practice Of Human Rights And The And The 6th International Conference On The Right To Development, University Of Dayton

Content presented at the Social Practice of Human Rights Conference

Call for proposals: We welcome contributions that focus on the following sub-themes or any related topic:

• Inclusive development — redistributive models; business and human rights; rights-based economies and financial institutions; global supply chains; inequalities; and Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals.
  
  
• Social transformation, movements, and resistance — new forms of civic and cultural engagement, education, and pedagogy; the intersection of theater, art and activism; music, performance, and visual culture; new technologies; resistance to anti-rights movements; and democratic fragility.
  
  
• Climate change and sustainability — climate and environmental justice; ecological disaster; natural resources exploitation; building sustainable futures; corporate interests; and fiscal …

Investing In Virginia Through Energy Efficiency: An Analysis Of The Impacts Of Rggi And The Hiee Program, Damian Pitt, I-Shian Suen, Mike Mackenzie, Adelaide Alexander, Molly Lumsden

Institute for Sustainable Energy and Environment Publications and Presentations

This study examines the low-income energy efficiency programs funded by Virginia’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). Its goal is to understand the extent to which those programs can address the problem of high energy burdens among Virginia’s low-income residents, and to estimate the impacts that those energy efficiency investments could have on the broader Virginia economy.

Our report begins with a review of existing research on “energy burdens,” or the concept that some residents, particularly those in lower income brackets, spend a disproportionate percentage of their incomes on home energy costs (heating, cooling, etc.). We then discuss …

Strengthening Urban Resilience: Understanding The Interdependencies Of Outer Space And Strategic Planning For Sustainable Smart Environments, Ulpia-Elena Botezatu, Olga Bucovetchi, Adrian V. Gheorghe, Radu D. Stanciu

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

The conventional approach to urban planning has predominantly focused on horizontal dimensions, disregarding the potential risks originating from outer space. This paper aims to initiate a discourse on the vertical dimension of cities, which is influenced by outer space, as an essential element of strategic urban planning. Through an examination of a highly disruptive incident in outer space involving a collision between the Iridium 33 and Cosmos 2251 satellites, this article elucidates the intricate interdependencies between urban areas and outer space infrastructure and services. Leveraging the principles of critical infrastructure protection, which bridge the urban and outer space domains, and …

Local Leadership Strategies To Mitigate The Effects Of The Public Charge Rule And Covid-19 Among Undocumented Immigrants, Amos Onyango Oketch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractScholars have focused on the effects of implementing the federal-level Public Charge Rule (PCR) and COVID-19 on undocumented immigrants' health and socioeconomic well-being. Researchers have demonstrated that many federal assistance programs that benefit the general population in the wake of the pandemic exclude undocumented immigrants due to PCR restrictions; thus, they are disproportionately affected and suffer social and socioeconomic disparity. Researchers have yet to establish consensus strategies and interventions at the local and state levels to fill the gap and support disadvantaged communities during the pandemic to ensure equitable care and mitigate harm. Thus, this study aimed to identify the …

Mapping The Political Shifts And Impacts Of The Climate Movement In The United States, Kevin Rissmiller

Government and International Relations Honors Papers

This study explores how organizations within the climate change movement accrue political power and impact federal politics in the United States. It uses twelve semi-structured open-ended interviews with national climate activists at eight organizations to map shifts within the movement. These interviews are paired with additional qualitative analysis of legislative, media, and political rhetoric to evaluate the impact of the movement on American politics. The climate movement’s impacts (establishing the Green New Deal as a legitimate policy vision, shifting the Democratic Party to the left on climate, and the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act) were made possible by a …

Politics And The Criminal Enforcement Of Superfund, Joshua Ozymy, Melissa Jarrell Ozymy

Kentucky Journal of Equine, Agriculture, & Natural Resources Law

No abstract provided.

The Stateless Agent: A Multidisciplinary Analysis Of Transboundary Air Pollution In The El Paso-Ciudad Juárez Region Of The U.S.-Mexico Border, Elizabeth Hernandez

CMC Senior Theses

The El Paso-Ciudad Juárez (EPJ) region has a history of nonattainment for ozone and particulate matter. Given transboundary air pollution in the EPJ region is not confined to the U.S.-Mexico border, it is important to implement a transnational response that accounts for the health and safety of everyone, including marginalized communities in EPJ. This thesis assesses the state of air quality and transboundary air pollution in the EPJ region through a multidisciplinary perspective that focuses on issues of data monitoring, environmental governance, and transnational environmental justice. Analysis of the quantity and placement of ambient monitoring stations reveals EPJ residents near …

Warehouses In The Inland Empire: Displacing Land And Life, Katherine Gelsey

Pomona Senior Theses

The Inland Empire in Southern California embodies unique spatial and social configurations as a consequence of how settler colonialism has manifested locally in the region since the Spanish Mission Period. This work uses GIS software to estimate patterns of land conversion for residential, agricultural, and warehouse land from 2012 to 2022. Preliminary analysis suggests that thousands of people have been displaced by warehouse expansion over the ten-year period. In the twenty-first century, the Southern California logistics industry continues processes of land dispossession and racialized labor exploitation through displacing agricultural and residential land, exposing disproportionately low-income Black and Latine communities living …

Environmental Evidence, Seema Kakade

University of Colorado Law Review

The voices of impacted people are some of the most important when trying to make improvements to social justice in a variety of contexts, including criminal policing, housing, and health care. After all, the people with on-the-ground experience know what is likely to truly effectuate change in their community, and what is not. Yet, such lived experience is also often significantly lacking and undermined in law and policy. People with lived experience tend to be seen as both community experts with valuable knowledge, as well as nonexperts with little valuable knowledge. This Article explores the lived experience with pollution as …

Environmental Assessment In A Time Of Rapid Change And High Uncertainty: The Addition Of Resilience Assessment To Nepa, Bronson J. Pace, Barbara A. Cosens

William & Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review

This Article turns to ecological resilience theory to understand the behavior of SES [socioecological system] undergoing change. Informed by the emergent and surprising behavior of these complex systems, this Article argues for the option of resilience assessment under NEPA [National Environmental Policy Act] for use in application to climate adaptation measures in the United States. The amendment also provides an alternative approach to pre-project judicial review to ensure legitimacy within a more flexible process.

To this end, Part I addresses why an alternative approach to environmental assessment is needed in the context of climate adaptation by providing an overview of …

The African Century: Renewable Energy Opportunities In Sub-Saharan Africa, Joshua Mackinnon

William & Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review

Even if the world’s developed nations are able to curb their carbon emissions in the coming years, major hurdles will still exist. One such hurdle is fulfilling energy needs in urbanizing areas, like sub-Saharan Africa. Many global regions are urbanizing but none as rapidly as sub- Saharan Africa. The global share of Africa’s urban residents is expected to grow from 11.3% in 2010 to 20.2% by 2050.

[...]

While sub-Saharan African countries have peculiar social and economic characteristics, there are common elements that allow this Note to focus on the region as a whole. This general approach can be adjusted …

Accepting Change: Facets Of Acceptance & Sustainable Redevelopment, Zoe L. Ketola

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

As the effects of climate change worsen, it becomes increasingly apparent that just development efforts must be rooted in principles of sustainability and community engagement. This research addresses the role that acceptance plays within two different examples of sustainable redevelopment. The first empirical case examines acceptance of genetically improved trees among family forest owners. The second case explores policy acceptance of community-centric redevelopment of brownfield sites for renewable energy generation. This work uses a combination of survey data and document analysis to shed light on two specific forms of sustainable redevelopment and the consideration given to community priorities and acceptance …

Reshaping The Narrative, Crystal Little Owl

Graduate Student Portfolios, Professional Papers, and Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Bicycling For Sustainable Urban Mobility: Comparing Urban Transformations In Paris And Bogotá, Luba Masliy

Pomona Senior Theses

Promoting cycling is one of the low-hanging fruits to decarbonizing transportation, with further extensive benefits to quality of life. The main deterrent to the adoption of cycling for transportation is the lack of safe and connected infrastructure. This thesis explores and compares the case studies of Paris and Bogotá, where cycling modal shares grew significantly within the last decade. Plans outlining ambitious goals around sustainable transportation were put in place, and total bicycle network lengths increased rapidly in both cities. My work focuses on examining policy and infrastructure developments that lead to increased adoption of cycling over time in Paris …

Sustainable Community Development Case Study Of Collaboration, And Participation Between A Nonprofit Organization And Governance, Nicholas L. Brooks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe Lake Calumet Task Force (LCTF) is a nonprofit community organization that has developed the Green Economic Industrial Corridor (GEIC) plan. The GEIC plan presents the socio-economic needs of Lake Calumet’s communities and proposed improvements to the natural and built environment, which have been neglected for decades. There was a gap in knowledge regarding collaboration and formation of partnerships for the design and implementation of sustainable development strategies across other key stakeholders. The qualitative case study explored how LCTF can combine principles of cooperation, partnership, and participation, with the local governmental agency’s design and implementation strategies, to enlarge upon the …

Public Participation In Georgia’S Environmental Permitting Process, Joyce A. Stanley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is no meaningful way for Georgia residents to participate in the environmental decision-making process before environmental permits are approved. As a result, hazardous waste facilities are disproportionately placed in African American communities, exposing them to poor air quality and a higher prevalence of heart and respiratory diseases than Whites. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore and better understand how African American residents living in Stonecrest, Georgia felt about the hazardous waste site being placed in their community without an opportunity to provide input into the Georgia Environmental Protection Division’s (GEPD) decision-making process before a decision …

Local Leadership Strategies To Mitigate The Effects Of The Public Charge Rule And Covid-19 Among Undocumented Immigrants, Amos Onyango Oketch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractScholars have focused on the effects of implementing the federal-level Public Charge Rule (PCR) and COVID-19 on undocumented immigrants' health and socioeconomic well-being. Researchers have demonstrated that many federal assistance programs that benefit the general population in the wake of the pandemic exclude undocumented immigrants due to PCR restrictions; thus, they are disproportionately affected and suffer social and socioeconomic disparity. Researchers have yet to establish consensus strategies and interventions at the local and state levels to fill the gap and support disadvantaged communities during the pandemic to ensure equitable care and mitigate harm. Thus, this study aimed to identify the …

Mai Bhago And Amrita Devi Bishnoi: Women Of Strength, Sowmya Ayyar

Monsoon: South Asian Studies Association Journal

Mai Bhago (1670-1720), also known as Bhag Kaur, distinguished herself on the battlefield to defend the Sikh faith. Amrita Devi Bishnoi (d. 1730) is said to have sacrificed her life with 362 others to protect the Khejari trees in the Rajasthan desert. Both women continue to inspire social justice and ecological activism.

Cuba's Energy Future: Options Based On Renewables And Non-Carbon-Based Sources, Colin Crawford

FIU Law Review

My intention is to research and write on article on Cuba's energy future. Specifically, I plan to consider the options for a sustainable energy future using renewable energy sources and not carbon-dependent sources. This analysis will require both an examination of the island's historical energy challenges as well as consideration of the options for developing a sustainable energy infrastructure with international governmental (e.g. UN, World Bank etc.) and regional governmental (e.g. EU) support- an analysis that will also require consideration of the island nation's socialist political system and its willingness to engage internationally. The topic is one, clearly, with implications …

Making The Case For The Great Dismal Swamp National Heritage Area: A Scoping Review, Madelyn Newton, Chandler J. Berry, Bethany Arrington, Nick Wilson, Colin Mccormack, Michael Wilcox, Alexis Barmoh, Chris A. B. Zajchowski

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

National Heritage Areas (NHAs) are nationally distinct landscapes that represent unique cultural, historical, and/or natural attributes significant to the legacy of the United States of America (U.S.). The Great Dismal Swamp, located in southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina, is a prime candidate for NHA designation with diverse qualifications, among which was its antebellum role as a refuge for formerly enslaved people. The goal of our research, conducted in 2022 during the period of the U.S. Congressional debate on designation, was to investigate and expound upon the rationale for NHA designation of the Swamp. To do so, we used a …

Socio-Economic Comparative Analysis Of Front-Of-The-Meter And Behind-The-Meter Microgrids For Panamnik, Olivia C. Amann Mcshea

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

In Northern California, the Karuk Tribe is feeling the effects of climate change on inadequate energy infrastructures leading to unreliable power supply. Improving energy reliability in a way that also increases energy sovereignty is necessary. Renewable energy microgrids have emerged as a pathway forward.

Modeling ownership structures and cash flows for different microgrid configurations can support the Tribe’s implementation of a microgrid in Orleans, CA that maximizes community benefits. This thesis considers a front-of-the-meter (FTM) and behind-the-meter (BTM) configuration, both approximately 2 MW solar PV and 3 MW/12 MWh battery energy storage. Cash flows including capital costs, operations and maintenance …

Spatial Validation Of Agent-Based Models, Kristoffer Wikstrom, Hal T. Nelson

Public Administration Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper adapts an existing techno–social agent-based model (ABM) in order to develop a new framework for spatially validating ABMs. The ABM simulates citizen opposition to locally unwanted land uses, using historical data from an energy infrastructure siting process in Southern California. Spatial theory, as well as the model’s design, suggest that adequate validation requires multiple tests rather than relying solely on a single test-statistic. A pattern-oriented modeling approach was employed that first mapped real and simulated citizen comments across the US Census tract. The suite of spatial tests included Global Moran’s I, complemented with bivariate correlations, as well as …

“It’S Getting Hot In Here”: Climate Change And Tensions Surrounding Environmental Injustice For Minority And Low-Income Communities, Symone Gaskin

Symposium of Student Scholars

Our current climate crisis presents the perfect opportunity to address other social ills that reflect environmental injustice. The purpose of this research was to explore if, when, and how climate change disproportionately impacts minority communities. A thematic analysis was developed through the creation of a literature review matrix comprised of twenty academic and practitioner articles. This thematic analysis uncovered four key themes: implications in the workplace, the housing market, the economy, and the standard of health. Consequently, confirming the disenfranchisement of marginalized groups in relation to the environment, this research uncovered the long-lasting effects of systemic racism as an important …

Nexuscapes: A Landscape Approach For A Transdisciplinary Water-Energy-Food Nexus Decision-Making Process, Fortino Acosta

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study develops a reliable transdisciplinary framework for complex ecological and social systems by characterizing, mapping, typifying, assessing, and testing enhanced water-energy-food nexus scenarios under critical time constraints, specialized skills, or sensitive data accessibility. Detached management of limited essential resources like fresh water, reliable energy from renewable sources, and nutritious food can jeopardize regional economies and governance. Using a novel landscape approach, this study recommends a decision-making the framework focused on the circular economy that induces collaboration among diverse sectors and brings strategic coordination, specificity, and magnitude to the proposed solutions. The study elaborates on a decision-making tool that integrates …

Dr. Kim Scipes: Building A Network Of Compassion In A World Waiting To Be United, Kayla Vasilko

Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement

In his career, Dr. Kim Scipes has been globally active in the labor movement for almost 40 years and has published over 240 articles and book reviews. Additionally, Dr. Scipes has authored four books, three of which were completed while Dr. Scipes taught at PNW (the first two while he was teaching four courses a semester); his publication list is accessible via: https://www.pnw.edu/faculty/kim-scipes-ph-d/publications/, a listing that strongly illustrates his impressive range of work and dedication to advancing knowledge not just for the university, but for the world. Dr. Scipes’ Sociology 404 course (Environment and Social Justice) gives students a …

Coastal Squeeze, Climigration, And Equity Implications, Wie Yusuf

School of Public Service Faculty Publications

Summary: Coastal squeeze is impacting communities across the United States. Agricultural lands are affected by groundwater salt intrusion, habitats are lost due to limited space for species to migrate inland, natural capital and flood protection values are impacted by reduction in undeveloped land for natural ecosystems, infrastructure such as transportation are affected by flooding, and insurance companies are withdrawing from covering properties in coastal communities experiencing sea level rise and flooding. Resulting ‘climigration’ is occurring, for example, in Puerto Rico residents moving off the island, and subdivisions in North Carolina and Virginia being turned over to conservation. Lower-income communities are …

The Particle Problem: Using Rcra Citizen Suits To Fill Gaps In The Clean Air Act, Kurt Wohlers

Michigan Law Review

While the Clean Air Act has done a substantial amount for the environment and the health of individuals in the United States, there is still much to be done. For all its complexity, the Act has perpetuated systemic inequities and allowed harms to fall more heavily on low-income communities and communities of color. This is no less true for particulate matter pollution, which is becoming worse by the year and is a significant cause of illness and premature death. This Note argues that particulate pollution, traditionally only regulated on the federal level within the ambit of the Clean Air Act, …

What The Latest Science On Impacts, Adaptation And Vulnerability Means For Cities And Urban Areas, I Adelekan, A. Cartwright, Winston T. L. Chow, Et Al See Comments For Full List Of Authors

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

The Summary for Urban Policymakers (SUP) Volume II focuses on impacts, adaptation and vulnerability in cities and urban areas. Drawing on latest research, this volume summarises key findings of the IPCC Working Group II Report for urban policy makers. The scale, reach, and complexity of contemporary urbanization compounds climate risks and conditions adaptation. While cities are embedded in diverse regional contexts and differentially exposed to climate risks, they present key opportunities for a more rapid transition to equitable and climate-resilient development. This volume highlights how cities and regions are a primary locus for innovation and societal choices towards adaptation solutions …