Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Evaluation in the context of sustainable development'

In the context of sustainable development, evaluations have particularly high relevance as complex issues have to be dealt with generally over an extended period of time. Furthermore, there is a growing demand to evaluate against the concept of sustainable development. Especially evaluations with sustainable development are a rather new type of evaluation, as the source of its evaluation questions and the criteria applied are rooted in the concept of sustainable development. Sustainability of a specific project or process is often highly case specific as sustainable development is determined by many often unique issues. However, evaluations would be highly inefficient, if they would have to be newly designed in every case. Thus it is necessary to determine and utilize the major issues for evaluations with sustainable development. This paper is part of a series of three papers - which can be used independently - that present the major common issues for evaluations with sustainable development in a Tool Box. The results presented here are based on outcomes of a research project funded by the "Austrian Science Fund". This paper includes the "strategic orientation tool", which was developed as a tool for reflection and decision upon the general outline of an evaluation with sustainable development. It helps to define a design- frame with respect to its information-focus, scope and utilization. The core of the tool is a matrix that is based on two key- functions. On the one hand it defines which contents should be assessed: "What is the object of evaluation?". On the other hand it is oriented along the actual utilization of the evaluation: "How the gained results of the evaluation should be communicated and to whom?". (author's abstract)
Series: Research Paper Series of the Research Focus Managing Sustainability

In the context of sustainable development, evaluations have particularly high relevance as complex issues have to be dealt with generally over an extended period of time. Furthermore, there is a growing demand to evaluate against the concept of sustainable development. Especially evaluations with sustainable development are a rather new type of evaluation, as the source of its evaluation questions and the criteria applied are rooted in the concept of sustainable development. Sustainability of a specific project or process is often highly case specific as sustainable development is determined by many often unique issues. However, evaluations would be highly inefficient, if they would have to be newly designed in every case. Thus it is necessary to determine and utilize the major issues for evaluations with sustainable development. This paper is part of a series of three papers - which can be used independently - that present the major common issues for evaluations with sustainable development in a Tool Box. The results presented here are based on outcomes of a research project funded by the "Austrian Science Fund". This paper includes the evaluation planning and commissioning procedure. It describes the steps from the idea to implementation of an evaluation with sustainable development. In the context of general requirements of evaluation planning and commissioning, the special features of evaluations with sustainable development are highlighted. (author's abstract)
Series: Research Paper Series of the Research Focus Managing Sustainability

In the context of sustainable development, evaluations have particularly high relevance as complex issues have to be dealt with generally over an extended period of time. Furthermore, there is a growing demand to evaluate against the concept of sustainable development. Especially evaluations with sustainable development are a rather new type of evaluation, as the source of its evaluation questions and the criteria applied are rooted in the concept of sustainable development. Sustainability of a specific project or process is often highly case specific as sustainable development is determined by many often unique issues. However, evaluations would be highly inefficient, if they would have to be newly designed in every case. Thus it is necessary to determine and utilize the major issues for evaluations with sustainable development. This paper is part of a series of three papers - which can be used independently - that present the major common issues for evaluations with sustainable development in a Tool Box. The results presented here are based on outcomes of a research project funded by the "Austrian Science Fund". This paper presents practical problems related to the issue of complexity in evaluations with sustainable development. Notwithstanding the multiple challenges, the strategic options available are presented in terms of strategies. Especially commissioning agents, but also other evaluation stakeholders will find an overview and an assessment of the strategies regarding resources required, state of practical experience as well as their compatibility with the concept of sustainable development. (author's abstract)
Series: Research Paper Series of the Research Focus Managing Sustainability

Sustainable development is determined by a combination of top-down policy objectives, bottom-up interests as well as theoretical and scientific input. To date there has not yet emerged a system of reference to integrate these aspects. This lack of a framework poses severe problems for the implementation and the evaluation of sustainable development. This paper, which was funded by the Austrian Science Fund, illustrates the importance of a system of reference for the implementation and evaluation of initiatives for sustainable development and describes the framework developed by the "Research Focus Managing Sustainability" of the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration. The development of the framework is founded on the definition and delimitation of sustainable development from various perspectives and disciplines, on workshops with experts, on case studies of Local Agenda 21 (LA21) projects and on literature-analysis. The framework accounts for the wide range of notions of sustainable development in a systematic way and provides orientation through the aspects of sustainable development (scope) and the requirements associated therewith (depth). With regard to the implementation of sustainable development, the framework helps to match the demands and expectations on sustainable development that exist on different policy levels. As a means to focus consensus-based processes of local sustainable development policies, the framework makes the concept of sustainable development more operational. Concerning evaluations of Local Agenda 21 initiatives, a meta-analysis in Austria shows that project managers, evaluators and clients apply different systems of reference according to their view of sustainable development. The framework provides a tool to explicitly point out different approaches of sustainable development and thus facilitates discussion and harmonization towards a common system of reference. Furthermore, the framework makes it easier to identify strengths and weaknesses of sustainable development initiatives, clarify missing aspects and possible directions of further improvement. (author's abstract)
Series: WU-Jahrestagung 2002

The purpose of this study was to explore how previously developed traditional entrepreneurialskills is connected with the recently established entrepreneurial activity, called sustainableentrepreneurship as well as to help sustainable entrepreneurs to build the necessary skills thatincrease the development of projects aiming to balance social, environmental, and economicalproblems. Therefore, the research question to answer in this study is ‘’Which entrepreneurialskills (or set of skills) must be acquired and nurtured by entrepreneurs to successfully flourisha sustainable business?’’. The procedure is based on interviews with eight individuals withrelevant experience within sustainable entrepreneurship and whom operate in businesses thatoffer sustainable products and/or services, operate in a sustainable way regarding social,environmental or economic were chosen. The results indicate that there are other skills that donot fit the traditional entrepreneurial skills presented by Lichtenstein and Lyons (2001) andthat a fifth category could be imprinted into the entrepreneurial skills necessary to flourish asuccessful business.

Sustainable development is an emerging paradigm designed to strike a balance between the ecological health of the planet and human development in a manner which ensures that both meet the needs of the present without compromising the future. Sustainable development is looked to as an ethics guide from which better planning and management principles and practices can be developed. In this search for ways and means to work toward the basic goal of sustainability, attention has been directed to the linkage between heritage and sustainable development. Heritage is increasingly being understood as a source for meaning and as a basis for judgement amid the flow of global change. Heritage is the context in which people live their lives and it is therefore, considered the context in which decisions should be made. Heritage is most clearly understood at the local or community level and it is at this level where concrete solutions to environmental and economic problems must first be found. This research examines community-based programs which purport both a strong heritage orientation and a commitment to community sustainability. The purpose is to critically analyse the philosophical and decision-making tenets inherent in the programs and to identify the characteristics of the community development process which is the product of the union of forces sensitive to heritage and sustainable development. The Heritage Regions program in Canada, the Heritage Tourism Initiative program in the United States and the Groundwork program in the United Kingdom serve as case studies for the research. These programs and their respective community-based projects are analysed using a Management Assessment Model, a Sustainable Development Model and a Heritage Model as guides. The findings are analysed in terms of four central research questions which address program philosophies, program management structures and processes, consistency between the national program levels and the local project levels, and key program characteristics and attributes. Research results clearly indicate that the heritage and sustainable development principles are the foundation components for the programs. The heritage principles serve as the underlying philosophical tenets and the ethical and strategic principles of sustainable development serve as the general decision-making tenets to be used when relevant and necessary in program operation. This understanding of the principles and how they are operationalized at the community level reveals a blueprint for the construction of a different community development process. It is a process which enhances community capacity to respond to changing endogenous and exogenous forces through heritage and sustainable development sensitivities. Also emanating from the research are a series of observations and recommendations related to heritage based program structure and process and the transfer potential of program constructs. Specifically, the observations pertain to common denominators of successes and failures inherent in the programs and the recommendations relate to program replication in general, and to enrichment of the Canadian approach in particular. In this vein, emphasis is placed on institutional structures, management linkages, actor and agency relationships, methods to facilitate cooperation, and integration. Concluding comment prescribes future research avenues. Most notable are the need for a comprehensive examination of the heritage estate in Canada and an extensive assessment of community development as a product of the enriched process which emerges from the integration of heritage and sustainable development. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Buildings are responsible for 40% of the energy used globally as well as emit asmuch as one third of greenhouse gas emissions. With small but widespread changes to theway we build and use our buildings, the built environment could quickly reduce our impact onthe environment. In Sweden young adults are leaving higher education with an everincreasing limiting set of choices, the housing market has been outstripping inflation for over20 years and the continuing deregulation of the housing markets, both private and municipalhas resulted in young adults returning home after their education has finished. Thereforethrough the design of buildings that are expected to last for at least 100 years there is a chanceto reduce our negative environmental impact and reduce the growing financial gap for youngadults, both important factors for sustainable developmentThe premise of the paper is to design a home for a small family that goes beyond greenbuilding standards of energy efficiency and takes into account the resource use and wasteproduction of the occupants. An autonomous house is identified and explored as the solution:a house that has no connections to the municipal systems that supply water and electricity northe municipal systems that deal with the waste produced by the occupants. This paper asks: Isan autonomous house possible in Sweden? And can one self-design and self-build anautonomous home as a way of avoiding the financial pitfalls of the regular housing market?This paper uses the Case Study methodology to follow the journey of the authors desire toreduce their impact on the surrounding environment. A final design is based upon the designmethodology A Pattern Language to develop and explore thoughts and ideas of the humanrequirements and the built environment’s interaction with nature. Given the length of timeallowed to produce this paper and to continue the narrative, the results of as-built home arealso presented and discussed. The final as-built solution thinks beyond the house as a singleentity and looks to the neighbourhood for solutions for resources that can be shared. The scaleof autonomy is expanded upon with autonomous communities seen as a solution with a strongrealisation that context is the main driver for design.

Starting from the hypothesis European countries have more experience in addressing problems in their mountain areas, the research was designed as a cross-country study mixed with a casestudy approach. Major European mountain massifs were embraced within the first phase of the research (exploratory-descriptive), indicating how similar problems in Serbian [SMA] and other European mountain areas [EMA] are and how their countries address them. The next task was to present how sustainable development of SMA alone can be enhanced, which was done in the explanatory phase. Multiple source analysis, also known as the triangulation method, enabled evidence cross-checking. In the case of SMA, data was collected from both available sources and interviews conducted in three rounds with experts, authorities and the local population (in four municipalities), while data for other EMA was obtained solely from written sources. Both qualitative and quantitative data were analysed. The research led to identification of five categories of problems: environmental, demographic, infrastructure, economic and management. In this regard, SMA have been shown to be similar to other EMA in terms of environmental and demographic issues, while differing from them in matters of the economy, physical accessibility, infrastructure endowment and management. The Balkan Mountain Massif and the Carpathians showed the greatest similarity to SMA. In contrast, the Alps showed a considerably lower extent of problems because of the length of time already spent on finding solutions for them. The identified problem categories in mountain areas Serbia has been dealt for the shortest period of time, including defining and promotion of principles, instruments and measures. The issues stressed are: Serbia lacks decision-making power below the national level, explicit measures for mountain area problems and their implementation. The greatest gap between EMA and SMA appeared to be in the sphere of management, where Serbia has done the least. The last part of the research argues and suggests the prospects for the sustainable development of SMA, split into three main fields of action - management, infrastructure and the economy, and additionally a couple of actions valuable for all the fields simultaneously – urban-rural dependences and activation of the civil sector and volunteers. Within the management field, active local population participation, responsible realisation of the full cycle of decision making - from research to evaluation – and the special status for SMA are highlighted as inevitable in the enhancement process. In the field of the economy, the suggestions made are economic diversification and the improvement of products and job attractiveness, which are expected to positively affect the dissemination of knowledge, product marketing and accessibility to the market. Finally, the sustainable development perspectives aligned in the field of accessibility and infrastructure are the endowment of roads, modernisation of education and ICT endowment
Ausgehend von der Hypothese, dass europäische Länder bereits vielfältige Erfahrungen mit der Bewältigung von Problemen in ihren Berggebieten haben, ist die vorliegende Forschungsarbeit als länderübergreifende Fallstudie angelegt worden. In einem ersten, exploratorischdeskriptiven Teil der Forschungsarbeit werden die größten europäischen Gebirgsmassive vorgestellt. Es wird herausgearbeitet, wie sich Probleme in serbischen [SBG] und anderen europäischen Berggebieten [EBG] ähneln und auf welche Art und Weise sich die einzelnen Länder mit ihren Berggebieten auseinandersetzen. Dies geschieht in der Absicht, Wege aufzuzeigen, wie eine nachhaltige Entwicklung der Berggebiete in Serbien angegangen werden könnte. Daten aus verschiedenen Quellen sind zu diesem Zweck ausgewertet worden, wodurch auch die Prüfung der Daten, d.h. ihre Triangulation möglich war. Im Falle der SBG wurden Daten aus zwei verfügbaren Quellen herangezogen. Außerdem sind Interviews mit Fachexperten, Behörden und den Bewohnern in vier Gemeinden geführt worden. Zu den EBG sind verfügbare Daten aus der Literatur genutzt worden. Sowohl qualitative als auch quantitative Daten sind in die Analyse einbezogen worden. Fünf Kategorien von Problemen konnten auf diese Weise herausgearbeitet werden: ökologische, demographische, infrastrukturelle, wirtschaftliche und administrative Probleme. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass die SBG und die EBG vor allem in Bezug auf die Umwelt und die Demographie Ähnlichkeiten besitzen. Unterschiede zeigten sich vor allem in Bezug auf Fragen der Wirtschaft, der physischen Zugänglichkeit, der infrastrukturellen Ausstattung und der Verwaltung. Das Gebirgsmassiv im Balkan und den Karpaten besitzt die größte Ähnlichkeit mit den SBG. Im Gegensatz dazu, zeigten die Alpen wesentlich geringere Probleme, da diese seit einem längeren Zeitraum angegangen werden. Im darauffolgenden, analytischen Teil der Arbeit werden zu jeder der identifizierten Problemkategorien in Serbien kurzfristig umsetzbare Entwicklungsprinzipien, Instrumente und Maßnahme vorgeschlagen. Herausgestellt werden folgende Aspekte: Serbien braucht mehr Entscheidungsbefugnis unterhalb der nationalen Ebene, es braucht besondere Instrumente zur Bewältigung der Probleme seiner Berggebiete sowie eigene Ansätze zu deren Umsetzung. Der größten Differenzen zwischen EBG und SBG werden im Bereich der Verwaltung gesehen, da Serbien hier bisher die wenigsten Anstrengungen unternommen hat. Im letzten Teil der Arbeit werden Perspektiven für die nachhaltige Entwicklung der SBG aufgezeigt, aufgeteilt in drei mögliche Haupthandlungsfelder– Verwaltung, Infrastruktur und Wirtschaft. Außerdem werden Maßnahmen vorgeschlagen, die alle Problemfelder übergreifen. Dazu gehören die Bezugnahme von Stadt und Land sowie die Aktivierung zivilen und ehrenamtlichen Engagements innerhalb der SBG. Für den Bereich der Verwaltung werden die aktive Einbeziehung der lokalen Bevölkerung, die verantwortungsvolle Umsetzung planerischer Entscheidungsprozesse – von der Forschung bis hin zur Evaluierung – sowie die Einrichtung eines besonderen Status für die SBG als notwendig für deren nachhaltige Entwicklung erachtet. Für den Bereich der Wirtschaft werden Diversifikation, die qualitative Verbesserung von Erzeugnissen sowie die Steigerung des Angebotes attraktiver Arbeitsplätze als Entwicklungsmöglichkeiten vorgeschlagen, da diese voraussichtlich positiv auf die Verbreitung von Wissen, Produktmarketing und die Zugänglichkeit zu den Märkten wirken. Darüber hinaus werden für nachhaltige Entwicklungsperspektiven der SBG in Bezug auf die Erreichbarkeit und die Infrastruktur die Einrichtung von Straßen, die Modernisierung von Bildungseinrichtungen und die Einrichtung von Informations- und Kommunikationswegen angeregt

Dans ce travail, un moteur Stirling de type Gamma alimenté par énergie solaire avec une faible différence de température a été étudié numériquement et expérimentalement. Un nouveau modèle appelé Polytropic Stirling Model with Losses (PSML) a été proposé et appliqué au moteur GPU-3 Stirling. Un cryoréfrigérateur basé sur un moteur Stirling intégral de type Alpha a été étudié numériquement, après avoir mesuré ses dimensions géométriques au laboratoire. Pour le moteur Stirling de type gamma du laboratoire, le modèle ait thermodynamique à vitesse finie et le modèle isotherme a été développé, incluant les bilans de masse et d’énergie à travers les différents volumes (compression, régénération et expansion) dans le moteur. Différents types de pertes thermiques et mécaniques ont été considérés dans le modèle afin d'analyser les processus thermodynamiques et les pertes dans le moteur Stirling. En outre, des études paramétriques sur les performances du moteur Stirling alimenté à l’énergie solaire ont également été étudiées expérimentalement et numériquement. La comparaison entre les résultats expérimentaux et les résultats de simulation à différents déphasages entre le déplaceur et le piston, et à différentes course de piston montre que le modèle est convaincant dans la prédiction des performances du moteur Stirling. Basé sur la méthode thermodynamique en dimension physique finie, une méthode d’algorithme génétique multi-objectives, objectifs étant la puissance fournie, le rendement énergétique et le taux de génération d'entropie a été utilisé pour optimiser la fonction et la géométrie du moteur du type Gamma. En comparant avec la méthode d'optimisation écologique, la méthode multi-objectif permet de mieux équilibrer les trois objectifs. Le nouveau modèle (PSML) proposé pour prédire les performances du moteur de type Bêta ou Gamma du moteur Stirling, il divise l'espace de travail en 5 parties (volume de compression, refroidisseur, régénérateur, chauffage et volume d'extension). Une liaison entre volume de compression et volume d'extension a été ajoutée dans le modèle adiabatique classique du moteur Stirling. Ainsi, des processus polytropiques ont été considérés dans les volumes de compression et d'expansion du moteur Stirling. Le moteur Stirling GPU-3 a été utilisé pour valider le nouveau modèle. Il a été démontré que le nouveau modèle (PSML) prédit correctement la puissance de sortie et le rendement du moteur. Dans la dernière partie de la thèse, un Cryorefroidisseur Stirling de type Alpha, a été étudié en utilisant un modèle isotherme prenant en considération différentes pertes. Les volumes de compression et d'expansion sont considérés isothermes, et la variation de la température du régénérateur est considéré linéaire. Les bilans d'énergie et d'exergie du Cryorefroidisseur ont été réalisés, et l'effet de divers paramètres sur la performance (puissance de refroidissement et puissance mécanique consommée) est étudié. Les résultats de la simulation pour PPG-102 Stirling cryocooler ont été comparés avec deux autres résultats de simulation de la littérature et des résultats expérimentaux indiquant que ce modèle est convaincant pour prédire la performance du Cryorefroidisseur
In this work a solar powered low temperature difference Gamma type Stirling engine has been studied experimentally and numerically using an isothermal model coupled with various losses and using an objective optimization. A new model named Polytropic Stirling Model with Losses (PSML) has been proposed which was applied to the Beta type GPU-3 Stirling engine. An Alpha type integral Stirling cryocooler has been studied numerically using an isothermal model with losses. To study a Gamma type Stirling engine of our laboratory, an isothermal model coupled with finite speed method has been developed, including mass and energy balances through different spaces of the engine. The engine is divided into 3 volumes: compression volume, regeneration volume, and expansion volume. Different kind of thermal and mechanical losses have been considered in the model, in order to analyze thermodynamic processes and losses in the Stirling Engine. In addition, parameter effects on the performance of the solar powered gamma type Stirling engine have also been studied experimentally and numerically. The comparison between the experimental results and the simulation results at different phase shift between the displacer and the piston, and at different piston stroke shows that the model is convincing to predict the Stirling engine performance. Based on the Finite Physical Dimensional Thermodynamic method, a multi-objective genetic method considering output power, thermal efficiency and entropy generating rate as objective functions simultaneously, has been used to multi-objective optimize the Gamma type Stirling engine. Comparing with the ecological optimization method, the multi-objective method can better balance the three objective goals. The new model (PSML) proposed in the thesis for predicting performance of Beta or Gamma type of Stirling engine divides the working space into 5 parts (compression volume, cooler, regenerator, heater, and expansion volume). A bypass linking compression volume and expansion volume has been added in the classic adiabatic model of Stirling engine. Thus, polytropic processes have been considered in the compression and expansion volumes of the Stirling engine. The GPU-3 Stirling engine has been used to validate the new model. It was shown that the new model (PSML) predict well the output power and the thermal efficiency of the engine well. An isothermal model considering various losses was developed and presented in the last part of this thesis to study an Alpha type Stirling cryocooler, whose geometrical dimensions were measured in our laboratory. The compression and expansion volumes are supposed to be isothermal, the variation of the regenerator temperature is supposed to be linear. Energy and exergy balances of the cryocooler were developed. The effect of various parameters on the cryocooler performance (cooling power and input power) are investigated. The simulation results for PPG-102 Stirling cryocooler were compared with two other simulation results of the literature and with experimental results which indicated that this model is convincing to predict the performance of the Stirling cyocooler

The Environment Agency are responsible for the regulation of radioactive substances in England, which is a highly controversial area to regulate due to the public perception regarding the associated environmental and health impacts. This is further complicated by the Environment Agency’s primary aim of contributing towards sustainable development, which is another controversial and contested concept. The principles of good regulation require a proportionate approach, which can be considered a key component of sustainable development also. However, published literature asserts that the regulation of radioactive discharges is disproportionate, which lacks verifiable data on the regulatory compliance costs and impacts imposed. This also implies that the regulation may not contribute towards sustainable development, which is compounded by the ambiguity of this requirement in the regulatory framework. This thesis therefore seeks to evaluate whether the Environment Agency is achieving its primary aim of contributing towards sustainable development in its regulation of radioactive discharges. To this end, this study sought to identify the interpretation of sustainable development that the law, policy and guidance for the regulation of radioactive discharges requires the Environment Agency to adhere to, and then collect data to assess whether this is being implemented. To achieve this, the law, policy and guidance for the regulation of radioactive discharges has been mapped on to an enhanced sliding-scale of sustainable development interpretations. This has revealed that the regulatory framework drives the Environment Agency to adhere to the newly developed interpretation of stronger sustainability, which requires a proportionate approach to be applied within the limitations of the environment. The regulation applied to Sellafield’s radioactive discharges has then been assessed against this stronger sustainability paradigm. The data collected confirms discharges are within environmental limits and that the regulation has resulted in direct compliance costs of £120 million between 2002 and 2009 without yielding any benefit to the environment in terms of a reduction in collective dose. The measured costs and benefits have been supplemented by a qualitative analysis of impacts that cannot be quantified, and these reinforce the contention that the regulatory approach at Sellafield is disproportionate and therefore inconsistent with stronger sustainability. A likely cause of the disproportionate regulatory approach is attributed to stakeholder and political pressures. Improvements have been proposed to address the disproportionate approach, which have already influenced the removal of some discharge limitations.

Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The thesis reports on an evaluative study of the sustainability of housing development by the City of Cape Town with the Witsand, Atlantis, housing project as case study to empirically measure such sustainability. The study was attempted to determine how the City of Cape Town has planned for and implemented sustainability measures and what the results were in the Witsand project. The research therefore determined to what extent the expressed policy intent of sustainability housing delivery was implemented successfully in Witsand in terms of output and outcomes. The objectives of this study included outlining a theoretical and analytical framework for sustainable development as prescribed in the National, Provincial and Local Government policies and relevant legislation. An evaluative case study is provided, describing how the City of Cape Town implemented its policy in practice. This housing project was chosen because it is claimed to be the first large-scale integrated sustainable housing project in South Africa. The research methodology entailed an analysis of relevant literature, policies, legislation and project design documentation. In addition, the field work utilised a semi-structured mixed questionnaire for conducting interviews with the Project Manager, community development worker and a sample of residents. The research found that the City of Cape has followed the sustainability blueprint as far as their means allowed. The satisfaction level of the community is high. It was found, however, that the people, even though they received houses that were designed and constructed to take full advantage of the environment without harming it; lack the knowledge to maintain sustainable, energy conserving living. This indicates that sustainability in low income housing is not only a matter of design and technology, but also of instilling a particular behaviour amongst beneficiaries.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis voer ‘n evaluering studie van die volhoubaarheid van behuising deur die Stad Kaapstad by die Witsand, Atlantis projek, wat as ‘n gevallestudie om sodanige volhoubaarheid empiries te meet, gedien het. Die studie is onderneem om te bepaal hoe die Stad Kaapstad volhoubaarheidsmaatreëls beplan en geïmplementeer het, en wat die resultate van die Witsand projek was. Die navorsing het dus bepaal tot watter mate die uitdruklike beleidsvoornemens vir die lewering van volhoubare huisverskaffing in terme van uitset en uitkomste suksesvol in Witsand geïmplementeer is. Die doelstellings van hierdie studie het die skets van ‘n teoretiese en analitiese raamwerk vir volhoubare ontwikkeling, soos in Nasionale, Provinsiale en Plaaslike beleid en toepaslike wetgewing voorgeskryf, ingesluit. ‘n Evaluerende gevallestudie wat beskrywe hoe die Stad Kaapstad se beleid prakties uitgevoer is, word voorsien. Hierdie projek is gekies vanweë die aanspraak dat dit die eerste grootskaalse geïntegreerde volhoubare projek vir huisverskaffing in Suid-Afrika was. Die navorsingsmetodologie het ‘n ontleding van toepaslike literatuur, beleid, wetgewing en gedokumenteerde projekontwerp behels. Daarbenewens het die veldwerk gebruik gemaak van ’n gemengde semi-gestruktureerde vraelys vir onderhoude met die Projekbestuurder, gemeenskapsontwikkeling werker en ‘n steekproef van die inwoners. Die navorsing het bevind dat die Stad Kaapstad die bloudruk vir volhoubaarheid sover as die stad se middele kon toelaat, gevolg het. Die bevredigingsvlak van die gemeenskap is hoog. Daar is egter gevind dat die mense, ten spyte daarvan dat hulle van huise voorsien is wat ontwerp en gebou is om sonder enige skade aan die omgewing ten volle daaruit voordeel te trek, kennis ontbreek om op volhoubare wyse en met besparing van energie te lewe. Dit dui daarop dat volhoubaarheid in lae-inkomste behuising nie maar net ‘n kwessie van ontwerp en tegnologie is nie, maar ook vereis dat ‘n bepaalde soort gedrag onder die begunstigdes gevestig moet word.

Costs and benefits associated with erosion reduction and adoption of soil conservation practices for a representative farm in a watershed in Honduras are examined in a linear programming framework. Special attention is paid to income-soil loss tradeoffs, income-risk tradeoffs, and on the effect of different farmers' planning horizons on net farm income. A representative farm model for the area was constructed to achieve the objectives of the study. Twelve farmers in the region were surveyed, crop budgets were prepared, and soil loss values were calculated to provide the information required to construct this representative farm. A linear programming model that maximizes net farm income is used to examine the effect of different soil loss levels on farm income. A MOTAD model that minimizes deviation in income (risk) is used to determine risk levels while income and/or soil loss levels restrictions are imposed. Results indicate that considerable reductions in the amount of soil loss can be achieved in the study area. Erosion is reduced from 328.24 ton./mn./year to 6.56 ton./mn./year1 when constraints are imposed on the model. The reduced erosion lowers income from L.5929.24/year for high erosion rates to L.2825.8l/year for low erosion rates. Low levels of soil erosion are achieved at the expense of higher levels of risk. High levels of income are associated with high levels of risk regardless of whether soil loss constraints exist or not. Small differences in income exist among the four planning horizons analyzed. The best soil conservation practices for this region turned out to be the cultivation of coffee on the highest slopes, the use of live barriers and terraces, and the use of conventional and minimum tillage.
Master of Science

Corporate sustainable development is placed between simplified interpretations and an overabundance of complexity and requirements that hampers implementation. Stakeholder Relations Management is one approach for the operationalization of sustainable development on the corporate level, which enables the inclusion of aspects of sustainability into corporate decision-making in a pragmatic way. However, stakeholder pressure and economic constraints lead companies to adopt only a small segment of the concept of sustainable development. Therefore, a referential framework is needed in order to regard corporate initiatives within the wider context of sustainable development on the theoretical level. The framework of sustainable development presented here, which was developed during a research project funded by the "Austrian Science Fund", takes the wide range of notions of sustainable development into account. Like a map, the framework depicts approaches to sustainable development and provides an overview of the aspects of sustainable development (scope) as well as the different levels of complexity that are associated therewith (depth). This framework is conceived as a tool to classify approaches to sustainable development in a wider context. (author's abstract)
Series: Research Paper Series of the Research Focus Managing Sustainability

The sustainable development concept has entered the urban planning agenda of Turkey mainly after Habitat II Conference held in Istanbul in 1996. Turkey is trying to adopt the experiences of developed countries to improve the planning system including the sustainable development criteria. In this study, planning experience of Mugla is selected as a case study to criticize and evaluate on the changing planning process of cities in Turkey in terms of sustainable development criteria, which requires new approaches that are integrative and participative between local and global context. In the case of Mugla, the urban form has shaped according to the development areas declared in the plans as additional districts to the traditional city since 1930s
that is, the result was not sustainable in the long run because of some environmental, socio-economic and political values. In the thesis, the problems of the case related to planning experience through sustainable development objectives are stated and solutions are proposed for a sustainable city.

The idea of harmonizing economic growth with the laws of development of society and the environment is expressed in the concept of sustainable development. In the frame of sustainable development an exceptional importance is attached to studying material flows, therefore management of waste flows must not contradict the principles of sustainable development. In agreement with M. Jacobs, it is possible to affirm that waste management in the context of sustainable development means using materials in closed cycles. Investigating socio-economic efficiency of municipal waste management means studying the organizational waste management process and factors disclosing characteristic features of this process, making deep comparative socio-economic analysis of waste management options and studying waste managements acts both on national and local level in order to reveal the ways of increasing socio-economic efficiency in municipal waste management. This study is induced by the necessity of changing the traditional waste management of depositing it in landfills, by recycling using not only national and international funds, but by mobilizing resources of local waste management systems as well. It is natural, that the policy of waste management, in which neither the scale of economic damage nor future waste management expenditure were evaluated, was orientated towards disposal of waste in refuse dumps. This means transferring problems to future generations, and this cardinally... [to full text]
Dėsninga, jog atliekų tvarkymo politika, kurioje nebuvo įvertinas ekonominės žalos aplinkai ir visuomenei dydis bei būsimos atliekų tvarkymo sąnaudos, buvo orientuota į atliekų deponavimą sąvartynuose. Tokia praktika įvardijama kaip problemų (pavojaus) aplinkai perkėlimas ateities kartoms, o tai kardinaliai prieštarauja darnios plėtros koncepcijai. Todėl keliamas klausimas, kokios atliekų tvarkymo sistemos laikytinos efektyviomis socialiniu-ekonominiu požiūriu. Tyrimai, atlikti Europos Sąjungos šalyse, rodo, jog tai sistemos, kurių ištekliai nukreipti antrinėms žaliavoms tvarkyti ir nuolatinei šio tvarkymo plėtrai organizuoti. Diegiant regionines atliekų tvarkymo sistemas, antrinių žaliavų surinkimo, rūšiavimo ir parengimo perdirbti išlaidoms padengti numatyti du šaltiniai – bendrasis tarifas (ar vietinė rinkliava) ir „Gaminių ar pakuotės atliekų tvarkymo programos“ lėšos. Bendrojo tarifo didinimas atsižvelgiant į atskirų atliekų srautų tvarkymo išlaidas arba tarifo neišrūšiuotai ir rūšiuotai atliekų daliai diferencijavimas priskiriamas prie neatidėliotinų priemonių, tačiau pirmiausia būtina identifikuoti lokalinių komunalinių atliekų tvarkymo sistemų vidinius rezervus, kurių dėka galima padidinti socialinį-ekonominį atliekų tvarkymo rezultatyvumą, kartu praktiškai realizuojant darnios plėtros principus.

The central theme of this doctoral research is organisational knowledge creation in the cross cultural context of the post-socialist transition of former Eastern European (EE) countries towards a more liberal market structure and methods of working. This transition was particularly important for those countries seeking European Union (EU) accession such as Romania, and impacted on those organisations having a major role in accession such as the Romanian Border Police (RBP). The need for organisations to expand their knowledge of strategic decision making for change and development resulted in a plethora of EU-funded training interventions to fill the gap. The literature suggests that as a result of the dominance of Western ideology of the transitional process, cognitive dissonance and a general disconnect with the outcomes of EU-funded projects was a product of such interventions. This research explores how a more collaborative co-inquiry methodology with partners can bring about knowledge creation as a more sustainable and significant approach for organisational change. Specifically, it investigates the reflective capabilities of a group of Romanian Border Police (RBP) managers to reveal how they can create knowledge for organisational change and development in preparation for EU accession. Simultaneously a framework for facilitation was developed as a result of using the original research of Geppert and Clark (2002) and Breiter and Scardamalia (2000), as a foundation for the operationalisation of the research and in the attempt to move away from traditional models of knowledge transfer to further develop the changing dimensions of training interventions in the EE as suggested by Michaelova and Hollinshead (2007). It is offered as a purposeful method for the sustainable organisation, in preference to western style knowledge transfer projects. The findings result in a complex model of knowledge creation for the RBP and a better understanding of how Western trainers can work with EE organisations to achieve the desired outcomes for developing organisations. Moreover recommendations are made on how the EU can best utilise this research as a basis for funding future knowledge transfer projects, to guarantee that funding is having an impact on developing organisations at a time of austerity.

In South Africa, democracy has brought transformative improvement in the system of governance. The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (1996) implemented in the post-apartheid era, has raised the status of the lowest sphere of government, by granting these authorities delegated responsibilities. This sphere of governance is known as local government (municipal government) and in the present context developmental local government is both democratically elected and decentralized. The restructuring of local governance requires municipalities to serve the communities within their areas of jurisdiction. This has brought capacity challenges for the municipalities. They are charged with delivering acceptable standards of services to the residents. The current lack of deliverance is evident in the widespread protests, with community members showing their dissatisfaction with sub-standard service delivery and backlogs. Furthermore, municipalities are required to formulate their own by-laws improve the lives of community members, and to implement their legislative mandates satisfactorily. In order for the municipalities to perform more effectively, a transformative model is necessary. The quality of services currently delivered at municipal level must be reviewed. Monitoring and evaluation are the key elements of assessment which must be undertaken. The rationale behind this monitoring and evaluation is to make the system of governance more effective through an even-handed assessment of policies, programmes, projects, strategies, performance of personnel, and the organization as a whole. For the purpose of this study, the researcher explored the challenges regarding monitoring and evaluation and its impact on sustainable development in Sedibeng District Municipality utilizing the quantitative research approach. A model is proposed for improvement called as Monitoring and Evaluation for Sustainable Development (MESD).
PhD (Public Management and Governance), North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2014

Sustainable development (SDEV) aspects are increasingly becoming an integral part of managerial discourse in different industries. Stakeholders realise that long-term success is profoundly dependent on a balanced treatment of the Economic, Social and Environmental responsibilities through the lenses of the “Triple Bottom Line” (TBL) framework. As SDEV is becoming more vital for organisations, dealing with its challenges is also becoming more complex and costly. Modelling and Simulation (M&S) techniques could be valuable in providing understanding and insight for coping with systems that have high levels of complexity and uncertainty; However, findings of this research show that the empirical research in this area is still in its infancy; particularly, within the context of healthcare sector. The majority of existing studies are predominately focused on the productivity factors, while social and environmental elements are ignored in system modelling. Systems with SDEV characteristics (defined in this thesis as TBL-based systems) can be very complex and uncertain, particularly in healthcare, as they combine various subsystems comprising numerous elements and stakeholders with diverse interests. Thus, this research shows that developing models to respond to these complexities requires insight into the characteristics of SDEV and sustainable systems, alongside a major rethink of studying sustainability beyond existing modelling disciplines. To address these issues, this research has developed a comprehensive M&S framework for TBL modelling, to guide modellers in developing models for SDEV analysis of healthcare systems. It is argued that this framework could cater for all requirements and characteristics of TBL-based systems, thereby attempting to reduce the gap between TBL-based systems and the current capabilities of M&S methods. The framework is evaluated through existing case studies in a healthcare context, which are then extended to incorporate SDEV characteristics using the TBL framework. The lessons learned from the evaluations were used to make further amendments and revisions, leading to the final framework.

City beautification was the fundamental purpose of urban design at the time it was introduced as a separate profession. Over time, the scope and objectives of urban design have changed. Today, urban design plays a key role in the creation of sustainable urban environments in terms of the 'triple bottom line', that encompasses the three dimensions of life–economics; social and environmental sustainability. Therefore, today, urban design seeks to enhance the life of the city and its inhabitants in socio-economic and environmental terms. Even though urban design has a wider scope for achieving sustainability on all its three fronts, the current process of urban design has often become an obstacle to attaining this scope. The current urban design process is top-down, i.e., generally the urban designers or planners design the urban environment and at a later stage the community may have some involvement. There are serious criticisms of this process as it may not touch the “ground” level community, and therefore, there is a serious risk these projects will fail to create sustainable environments. Accordingly, in order to overcome the drawbacks of the current top-down process, researches have discussed implementing a bottom-up process. A bottomup urban design process will give prominence to the local community in the urban design process and it will assist in the identification of locally significant factors and the exact problems and issues within the area which will then ensure that the urban design solutions will address the sustainability issues. However, it is found that the bottom-up urban design process has its own negative features which can adversely affect the creation of sustainable urban designs. In the meantime, it is discovered that the current top-down urban design process has many positive features which can positively assist for the creation of sustainable urban designs. Accordingly, it is illustrated that neither the current top-down process nor the suggested bottom-up process will address the critical issues for achieving the current scope of urban design and, therefore, a ‘balanced’ community embedded urban design process was required to overcome the current research gap. This research used the ‘onion’ methodological framework and the research strategy was case study. Two live neighbourhood urban design projects in North West England were used as the case studies and the key data collection methods were semi structured interviews, focus group discussions and non- participant observation. The analysis resulted to derive 07 key factors from the case study 01 and 10 key factors from the case study 02 and these key factors were further analysed in order to develop components for two initial urban design process frameworks from the two case studies. Thereafter, the data were triangulated and the new urban design process framework was developed. Finally, at the latter stage of the research, the new urban design framework was validated via experts in urban design. Accordingly, this research developed a new community embedded and balanced urban design process framework to replace the current standard top-down process to produce sustainable urban design solutions in a neighbourhood context in UK.

Sammanfattning  En av utmaningarna för de projekt som arbetar med hållbar utveckling är att mäta och analysera nivån på lokalt deltagande. Lokalt deltagande betraktas som en nyckelaspekt för att genomföra långsiktiga processer som kan bidra till bevarande av ekosystem och även förbättra förhållandena för lokala aktörer.  Avhandlingen syftar till att bedöma två fallstudier i bolivianska Amazonas enligt principerna av co- management/samverkan. Syftet är att uppnå följande huvudmål: - Granska litteratur om management för samverkan av hållbara utvecklingsprojekt. -Utveckla en kvalitativ ram för att bedöma intryck och resultat av projekt. -Utvärdera två befintliga projekt enligt den etablerade ramen.  Denna avhandling analyserar arbetet som en icke-statlig organisation (NGO) genomför i två olika samhällen i bolivianska Amazonas, i projekt relaterade till hållbar utveckling och bevarande. Ett av samhällena är urfolket Tacana, som ligger i regionen La Paz; den andra betraktas vara en multietnisk befolkningsgrupp som formellt är etablerad i en region som heter Santa Rosa del Abuna i regionen Pando. Trots att dessa två grupper uppvisar kulturella och organisatoriska skillnader arbetar de både med skörd av råvaror från skogen, dock ej skogs och trädavverkning. Råvarorna representerar de viktigaste ekonomiska intäkterna för dessa samhällen.  För att kunna utvärdera projekten, har besök till samhällen genomförts. Intervjuer och deltagarobservation har utförts för att studera relationerna mellan de olika aktörerna som är involverade i projekten. Flera intervjuer genomfördes också med medarbetare från NGOs på deras kontor i La Paz och Cobija.  För att förbereda utvärderingsprocessen har olika teorier använts för att skapa specifika kriterier för att utvärdera framgångsnivån för medverkande processer i projekten. Co-management and co-generation of knowledge har bedömts vara verktyg som kan användas för att utveckla en ram som kan utvärdera lokalt deltagande i olika projekt. För att utveckla detta har sex kriterier använts för att analysera lokalt engagemang i projekten och hur detta deltagande kan förbättras i det långsiktiga perspektivet.  Denna utvärdering kan bidra till att öka det lokala och aktiva deltagandet i projekten, men kan också hjälpa medlemmarna i externa organisationer (i detta fall frivilligorganisationer) att förstå den relevans som lokalt engagemang och lokal kunskap kan ha för projekten. Tanken är att olika aktörer / organisationer kan använda denna typ av utvärdering för att hitta möjliga svagheter vid genomförandet av projekt relaterade till hållbar utveckling.
Abstract  One of the challenges for projects that work on sustainable development is to measure and analyse the level of local participation. Local participation is considered a key aspect in order to implement long term processes that can contribute to conservation of ecosystems and also improve the living conditions of local actors.  The aim of this thesis is to assess two case studies ongoing in the Bolivian Amazon according to co-management principles. This aim raises the following core objectives: -Review literature on co-management for sustainable development projects. -Develop a qualitative framework to assess the perceptions and performance of projects. -Assess two existing projects according to the established framework.  This thesis analyses the work that a non-governmental organization (NGO) does in two different communities in the Bolivian Amazonia in projects related to sustainable development and conservation. One is an indigenous group called Tacana located in the department of La Paz; the other is considered a multy-ethnic population that is formally established in a region called Santa Rosa del Abuna in the department of Pando. Even though these two groups show cultural and organizational differences both work on the harvesting of non-timber forest recourses. The recollection of the products that come from the forest represents the main economical income for these populations.  To evaluate the projects, visits to the communities where done in order to make interviews, participant observation and to see the relations between the different actors involved in the projects. Several interviews were also done with the members of the NGO in their offices in La Paz and Cobija.  To prepare this evaluation process, different theories have been used in order to create specific criteria to evaluate the level of success of co-participation processes into the projects. Co-management and Co-generation of knowledge have been seen as interesting tools that can be used to develop a framework that can evaluate the local participation in different projects. To develop this, six criteria have been used to analyse the local participation on the projects and how this participation can be improved in the long-term perspective.  This evaluation can help to increase the local and active participation into the projects but also can help the members of external organizations (in this case the NGO) to understand the relevance that local participation and local knowledge can have for the projects. The idea is that this kind of evaluation can be used by different actors/organizations in order to find possible weaknesses during the implementation of projects related to sustainable development.

This study is research into practice, concerned with locating a critical perspective into the possibilities of drama in achieving sustainable development within communities. This qualitative research approach draws on action-research paradigms, ethnographic techniques and drama methodologies to create in depth analysis of the facilitation and action of community drama within case study contexts. The case study contexts were drawn from the field of mental health provision and the context of self-advocacy for people with learning difficulties. Drama and video workshops were facilitated within these groups between periods of 9 - 18 months. Participants were involved from three groups including a women's group and a male orientated group within mental health provision, and a group for young adults with learning difficulties within a self advocacy project. This thesis contributes to knowledge in the field of Theatre for Development and UK community based drama in the following ways: The thesis suggests that previous assumptions and claims as to the 'success' of community drama projects need closer, critical interrogation. Analysis of the field work reveals that 'visions' of theatre and development face conflict when positioned in context, as both the nature and action of community is itself contested and ambivalent. The relationship of the facilitator role to other involved parties is given specific interrogation. The role and persona of the facilitator as a key player is identified, and demonstrated as such throughout the thesis through adoption of self-reflexive strategies of writing. It becomes clear that the radical, pedagogic intent of the drama process to foster collective ownership through the critical addressing and the representation of issues pertinent to a group's social reality, is questioned by those involved at various levels in the process. In exploring the nature of drama and video representations as resistance and intervention, sites of personal resistance and 'counter' interventions are illuminated. However, the reality of resistance is also bound up within the complexity of identity politics where the consequences of 'coming out' and accepting a label can become both a liberatory and oppressive experience. In chapter eight the continual difficulty of sustainability is examined and critiqued in the light of key issues identified within the previous chapters. Finally, the thesis assesses the substantive issues in relation to current discourses in cultural theory. By resisting opportunities to prescribe models and techniques thus reproducing the discourses critiqued this study culminates with optimism. Developing creative frameworks, that genuinely engage with contradiction and the complicated politics of context, are deemed as critical conditions for practices.

The purpose of this thesis is to explore a local organization’s adoption of global sustainability policy, in terms of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Agenda is a response to global sustainability challenges which require action by international cooperation and actors on all levels. For such a policy to fulfill its purpose, means of implementation must be ensured. This study aims to answer both why and how a small organization located in Malmö, Sweden, has adopted the Sustainable Development Goals, and what it implies for its operations. More specifically, the focus is on the perceptions of people involved in the selected case organization. These perceptions have been captured by interviews. In addition to the interviews, the case data also consists of a document that directs parts of the organization’s operations. Furthermore, to connect the global and local levels, the case data is supplemented with the 2030 Agenda. By conducting a thematic analysis, our main findings indicate that the SDGs are adoptable to a local organization, but that their main function seems to be to frame and legitimize already existing activities in a context of sustainable development.

The purpose of the study has been to assess the question of sustainability of economic growth and human development, particularly using sub-Saharan Africa in context. Sub-Saharan Africa is an interesting case study because, on the one hand, it has been mired in poverty and remains the least developed region in the world, and on the other, it has experienced a revival in economic growth since the mid-1990s. Economists tend to use the term economic development and economic growth interchangeably. However, questions have been raised about whether Africa’s latest growth episode is indeed ‘development’. Although there are many issues at stake, the key question, and the focus of this thesis, is whether sub-Saharan Africa’s revival is sustainable. The paper sets out the debate between the ‘World Bank view’ and the ‘alternative view’. The main debate lies around how genuine development should be achieved. Firstly, the ‘World Bank view’ claims that economic growth is necessary and sufficient condition to achieve development. Economic growth will be generated by ‘orthodox’ policies and this growth will automatically trickle-down and stimulate development. Secondly, the ‘alternative view’ argues that economic growth is necessary but it is not sufficient to stimulate sustainable development. Economic growth without ‘qualitative’ change is not ‘sustainable’. Indeed, human development shortfalls (as well as other, social, political and structural problems), if not addressed through appropriate policy interventions, can undermine economic growth. The ‘alternative view’ appears to be strongly supported by evidence from other developing regions such as Latin America and East Asia. The empirical study conducted in this thesis reinforces doubts about ‘sustainability’. Even though there are signs of convergence in some indicators; this is not the case for all indicators. More importantly the gap between sub-Saharan Africa and other developing regions remains very wide. Sub-Saharan Africa’s development path remains uncertain. The intention in this study is not to be conclusive that sub-Saharan Africa cannot achieve sustainable development. Rather the study attempts to identify potential hindrances to sub-Saharan Africa’s development and to provide a solid foundation for further research in the same direction.

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document
Dissertation (M Inst Agrar ( Sustainable Ecological Management))--University of Pretoria, 2007.
Zoology and Entomology
unrestricted

Announced few months before, a public housing estate in Hong Kong, Ming Wah Dai Ha, which is owned and managed by Hong Kong Housing Society which is planned, is to process redevelopment in the coming years (HKHS, 2011). The social voice nowadays are focusing on the land provided by the redevelopment project can be used as subsidized housing to fulfill the housing demand for better housing and home owning aspiration of the lower or middle income group. However, at the other side, development caused changes to the living of the residents there, and also the environment and social culture of that area. This discussion has drawn my attention that whether redevelopment of public housing estates in Hong Kong is a sustainable way of housing development or not. It is both important to meet the housing needs of the people and to preserve the environment. Land is scarce in the urban area of Hong Kong, we know that it need to put at top priority to fulfill the need of citizens who still on the waiting list or suffer for high housing costs. However, the role of housing management organizations and housing managers should have the responsibility on maintaining the quality of living environment. For the case of Ming Wah Dai Ha, many councilors from political parties request the government to redevelop to use the land for My Home Purchase Plan. The request reflects the subsidized public housing policy now cannot satisfy the need of citizen on their desire on home ownership or even harmonious living environment. The unfulfilled right could be the result of problems, such as affordability and long waiting time for subsidized housing. These housing problems show the deficiencies of the existing housing policies in Hong Kong. I think this is an interesting topic for us to review, evaluate and recommend, on the issues on balancing the need of subsidized housing by citizens and the impact of redevelopment on the society, for selecting the suitable way for sustainable housing development in Hong Kong.
published_or_final_version
Housing Management
Master
Master of Housing Management

'Water stress' is a term used when the pressures of urbanisation and the uncertainty of climate change on hydrological limits and capacities can no longer be overcome by traditional supply-oriented engineering responses because of their economic and environmental costs. It can be argued that the key alternative water policy responses are occurring with the changing role of development and Catchment Management Planning (CMPg) to a more 'catchment consciousness' water management model. In England and Wales the emergence of 'water stress' in the 1990s has coincided with the national launch of CMPg and renewed interest in development and water issues. Thus the research question sought to investigate how the National Rivers Authority (NRA) as a statutory environmental agency sought to improve and integrate river management by extending its influence to development planning through Catchment Management Planning (CMP) between 1991 and 1996. The particular areas of outcome focused on were water quality improvement, water resource management and flood protection, major NRA functions. The research findings demonstrated that there were different types of development response linked to water issues, scale of implementation and potential contribution to city form. The most important factor in the type of response was the water issue, with the flooding relationship being most advanced and water resources the least. The CMPg process assisted by supporting the promotion of water policies in DPs and creating a new context (involving stakeholder involvement and consensus building) in which to implement these policies. CMPg was found to be having the greatest impact in areas where no previous consensus over particular water issues had existed, and thus had begun to act as a new arena for debate on the problems and solutions required.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2003.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The research report investigates the theoretical foundation of the understanding of decision-makers at local government level of the term "development", with specific reference to local government as development agent and Local Economic Development. The choice of theoretical model by these decision-makers to conceptualise their understanding has historical and analytical antecedents, and secondly, the decision-maker is faced with a basic dualism in developmental thinking, ie. the emphasis on universalism (global competitiveness) on the one hand and the need for specificity (local economic development) on the other. The theoretical principles and assumptions on which the neoliberal and market-orientated approach to development is based are incorporated in the macroeconomic policy approach 'Growth, Employment and Redistribution' in South Africa. This approach has recently overshadowed the social welfarist developmental approach represented by the 'Reconstruction and Development Program' or Sustainable Human Development. The basis for specific policy formulation and intervention strategies are found in the theoretical assumptions, goals and objectives in each of these alternate approaches to development. The research design for the study is primarily qualitative. A semi-structured interview schedule is applied in directing in-depth interviews with identified central decisionmakers in metropolitan and larger "B" municipalities. The research design and process is constructed around three themes based on current and historic analysis of development thinking as a means to address poverty and inequality: theme 1 - theoretical understanding of the term development, Economic Growth in the formal sector versus Sustainable Human Development; theme 2 - the nature and relevance of participation by civil society in the Local Economic Development (LEO) process; and theme 3- Local Economic Development and the role of infrastructure investment, land use planning and zoning as intervention strategy. A benchmark position is developed on local government as development agent and LEO, using various sources, for example, interview with Director-General in the Department of Provincial and Local Government dealing with Local Economic Development, the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa and legislative acts and policy papers relevant to LED. This position is compared with the position held by local government decision-makers dealing with LED. The analysis of the information collected suggests that the theoretical perspective and policy framework on development, participation and strategies to address inequality and poverty, ie Sustainable Human Development (researchers title) held by the Department of Provincial and Local Government (DPLG) is not compatible with the definition and understanding of the majority of the decision-makers at local government level dealing directly with LED. The notion of participative development with anti-poverty strategies focussed on poor urban citizenry at the local level is not seen as the relevant theoretical or applied focus by developmental decision-makers at municipal level. In addition, limited knowledge is available to local government decision-makers on both formal and informal economic activity. In this regard, de facto leadership has already been handed over to formal-economy organisations and institutions. The idea of using land-use planning and zoning regulations to reorientate economic activity to low- and informal housing settlements and the reconstitution of low-and informal housing as sites of manufacture utilising flexible specialisation principles was positively received. However, the respondents were either not knowledgeable about these principles, for example; Globalisation of production and flexible production processes, or had not considered them in relation to their planning, land use or zoning and development functions. In the light of the above, the notion of local government as development agent with specific reference to addressing poverty and inequality utilising the Local Economic Development process as envisaged by the Department of Provincial and Local Government does not have the majority support of decision-makers at city and metro level. The majority of respondents defined the process of consultation as limited to formal economic sectors that were/could be competitive in the new global economy. The majority of decision-makers hold the view that the redefinition and location of sites of economic activity could be delegated to these formal sector organisations and institutions. Their common understanding of development and the related intervention strategies was based on formal sector growth and related job creation strategies, as well as the "trickle-down" of resources and opportunities to the informal sector. If they wish to remain relevant in this context the Department of Provincial and Local Government has to develop intervention strategies to reorientate and redefine the theoretical and applied definition of development held by the decision-makers especially with regard to Local Economic Development. If these issues are not addressed the form and shape of South Africa cities and metros will be based on the entrenchment and escalation of economic dualism and exclusion of the poor from any developmental decision-making and strategies. This has serious implications for the development of local democracies and developmental institutions based on the formulation and understanding of local conditions and circumstances of poverty and inequality and holds serious implications for social stability in the South African metros and municipalities in the future.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die navorsingsverslag ondersoek die teoretiese begronding van die begrip wat besluitnemers op plaaslike regeringsvlak het van die term "ontwikkeling "met spesifieke verwysing na plaaslike regering as ontwikkelingsagent en Plaaslike Ekonomiese Ontwikkeling. Die keuse van teoretiese modelle deur hierdie besluitnemers het historiese en analitiese voorlopers en tweedens, word die besluitnemer in die gesig gestaar deur 'n basiese dualisme in ontwikkelingsdenke, die klem op universalisme (globale kompeterendheid) aan die een kant en die behoefte aan spesifiekheid (plaaslike ekonomiese ontwikkeling) aan die ander kant. Die teoretiese beginsels en aannames waarop die neoliberale en markgeorienteerde benaderings tot ontwikkeling berus, word gei"nkorporeer in die makro-ekonomiese benadering "Groei, Werkverskaffing en Herverdeling" (GEAR) in Suid Afrika. Hierdie benadering het onlangs die sosiale welsynsontwikkelingsbenadering, wat verleenwoordig is deur die "Heropbou en Ontwikkelingsprogram" (HOP) of Volhoubare Menslike Ontwikkeling, in die skadu gestel. Die basis vir spesifieke beleidsvorming en intervensiestrategiee word gevind in die teoretiese aannames, doelwitte en doelstellings in elk van hierdie altematiewe benaderings tot ontwikkeling. Die navorsingsontwerp vir hierdie studie is primer kwalitatief. 'n Semi-gestruktureerde onderhoudskedule word toegepas am rigting te gee aan in-diepte onderhoude met geidentifiseerde sentrale besluitnemers in metropolitaanse en groter "B" munisipaliteite. Die navorsingsontwerp en proses is gekonstrueer rondom drie temas wat gebaseer is op huidige en historiese analise van ontwikkelingsdenke as 'n manier waarop armoede en ongelykheid aangespreek kan word: tema 1 - teoretiese begrip van die term ontwikkeling, ekonomiese groei in die formele sektor teenoor Volhoubare Menslike Ontwikkeling; tema 2 - die aard en relevansie van deelname deur die siviele samelewing en die Plaaslike Ekonomiese Ontwikkelingsproses (PEO); en tema 3 - Plaaslike Ekonomiese Ontwikkeling en die rol van infrastruktuurbelegging, grondgebruikbeplaning en sonering as 'n intervensie-strategie. 'n Beginpuntposisie word ontwikkel oar plaaslike regering en PEO deur gebruik te maak van verskeie bronne, byvoorbeeld, onderhoude met die Direkteur-Generaal in die Deparlement van Provinsiale en Plaaslike Regering gemoeid met Plaaslike Ekonomiese Ontwikkeling (PEO) , die Grondwet van die Republiek van Suid Afrika en wetgewing en beleidskrifte relevant tot PEO. Hierdie posisie word vergelyk met die posisie wat ingeneem word deur plaaslike regeringsbestuurbesluitnemers gemoeid met PEO. Die analise van die inligting wat ingesamel is suggereer dat die teoretiese perspektief en beleidsraamwerk oor ontwikkeling, deelname en strategiee om ongelykheid en armoede aan te spreek, die Volhoubare Menslike Ontwikkeling (navorserstitel) wat gehuldig word deur die Departement van Provinsiale en Plaaslike Regering (DPPR) nie versoenbaar is met die definisie en begrip van die meerderheid van die besluitnemers op plaaslike regeringsvlak wat direk gemoeid is met PEO nie. Die idee van deelnemende ontwikkeling met anti-armoede strategiee wat gefokus is op arm stedelike burgers op plaaslike vlak word nie deur die ontwikkelingsbesluitnemers op munisipale vlak beskou as die relevante oftoegepaste fokus nie. Bykomend is beperkte kennis tot beskikking van plaaslike regeringsbesluitnemers oor beide formele en informele ekonomiese aktiwiteite. In hierdie verband is de facto leierskap alreeds oorhandig aan formele ekonomiese organisasies en instellings. Die idee van die gebruik van grondgebruik- en soneringsregulasies om ekonomiese aktiwiteite tot lae en informele behuisingsnedersetfings te herorienteer en die hersamestelling van lae en informele behuising as plekke vir vervaardiging deur gebruik te maak van buigbare spesialiseringsbeginsels is goed ontvang. Die respondente was egter nie ingelig oor hierdie beginsels, of hulle het weggelaat om hierdie beginsels in berekening te bring by hul beplanning, grondgebruik of sonering en ontwikkelingsfunksies. In die lig van bogenoemde het die idee van plaaslike regering as ontwikkelingsagent met spesifieke verwysing tot die aanspreek van armoede en ongelykheid, deur gebruik te maak van die Plaaslike Ekonomiese Ontwikkelingsproses, soos in die vooruitsig gestel deur die Departement van Provinsiale en Plaaslike Regering, nie die meerderheidsteun van besluitnemers op staats- en metrovlak nie. Die meerderheid van die respondente het die proses van beraadslaging gedefinieer as beperk tot die formele ekonomiese sektore wat kompeterend was of kan wees in die nuwe globale ekonomie. Die meerderheid van hierdie besluitnemers is van mening dat die herdefiniering en plasing van plekke van ekonomiese aktiwiteite gedelegeer kan word aan hierdie formele sektororganisasies en instellings. Hierdie gedeelde begrip van ontwikkeling en verbandhoudende intervensie-strategiee was gebaseer op groei in die formele sektor en verbandhoudende werkskeppingstrategiee, asook die "afsyfering" van bronne en geleenthede na die informele sektor. As dit hul wens is om in hierdie konteks relevant te bly, moet die Oepartement van Provinsiale en Plaaslike Regering intervensiestrategiee ontwikkel om die teoretiese en toegepaste definisie van ontwikkeling, wat gehuldig word deur besluitnemers, veral met betrekking tot Plaaslike Ekonomiese Ontwikkeling te herorienteer en te herdefineer. Indien hierdie aangeleenthede nie aangespreek word nie sal die vorm en fatsoen van Suid-Afrikaanse stede en metros gebaseer wees op die verskansing en uitbreiding van ekonomiese dualisme en die uitsluiting van die armes van enige ontwikkelingsbesluitneming en strategie. Oit het ernstige implikasies vir die ontwikkeling van plaaslike demokrasie en ontwikkelingsinstellings gebaseer op die formulering en begrip van plaaslike toestande en omstandighede van armoede en ongelykheid en hou ernstige implikasies in vir die sosiale stabiliteit in die Suid-Afrikaanse metros en munisipaliteite in die toekoms.

The Tropics continue to provide the most biologically diverse and carbon rich forest in the world, but they are being lost at alarming rates. To meet the global climate change targets and the UN sustainable development goals, financing is urgently needed to speed up and increase tropical forest restoration. The aim of this thesis is to show that sustainable timber and non-timber forest products offer are a viable vehicle for investment in tropical forest restoration and to identify the needed incentives and tools to enable sustainable investment.   There is a lack of research on the integration between business model design and sustainability generally and an absence of business models for tropical forest restoration. Very little research if any, has been undertaken to link the two and evaluate the feasibility of applying business models on tropical forest restoration, especially with regard to its potential as an interesting investment option. This thesis gives a background about tropical forest restorations, sustainable investment, presents three tropical reforestation projects and a conceptual framework. The conceptual framework will be used to evaluate the potential for business model application to finance restoration and enable sustainable investments.   Using a business model for tropical forest restoration projects, which in most cases are not defined as businesses, is an innovative approach and an agent of needed radical change. A business model is a crucial strategic management tool to enable success of tropical forest restorations. The core logic of the business model can offer equitable customer value and the fulfillment of new types of needs. Merging economic development and forest restoration is a powerful tool for innovation. The critical variables for financing are management, monitoring, operational efficiency, political incentives and regulations, stakeholder involvement, community benefits, transparency and information communication technology.

In order to reach sustainability, a greater capacity to facilitate the implementation of the principles on which sustainability is founded is required. Effective methods of communicating sustainability will be necessary. Although there is a notable range of successful methods, opportunities to expand that range always remain and are worthy of exploration. This study pursues capacity building by testing a communication method variation that uses questions, audience participation, and metaphors intended to make the subject matter more easily understood and more permanently retained. An initial trial of the method was attempted with several groups of senior secondary students who were introduced to the ideas of sustainability during group and individual sessions. The students were surveyed before, during and after the sessions to measure their understanding and acceptance of sustainability concepts and principles. Of the students surveyed, all showed greater knowledge after instructional sessions using this technique. Results suggest that using a consciously dynamic and adaptive approach to choice of metaphors and questions can make the subject of sustainability easier to understand and remember.

The aim of the study is to analyse the learning process of the Dorze weaving in Ethiopia and its implications on Education for Sustainable Development, ESD. My two main questions are: 1. How do the Dorze understand their learning process in weaving? 2. What conclusions concerning education for sustainable development applied on textile handicraft can be drawn from the findings of my case study?   In order to answer these questions I have made a field study on the Dorze (the weavers) in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia for 10 weeks. The study has a socio-cultural and narrative approach and the method used are interviews, observations and review of documents. The result is presented in a “metastory” where I retell the stories and introduce the results of the study and that gives answers to question 1. UNESCO’s recommendations on ESD are used to analyse the findings and give the answer to question 2. The result shows that the learning process depends on the environment with its people, who have gathered knowledge of raw material and techniques for generations but the latter also needs to develop to meet new challenges. “Shiro Meda” is the centre of learning. To grow up in “Shiro Meda” it becomes natural to work with textile production, accept a special lifestyle with clear gender differences and a hierarchical structure. The educational model of spinning and twisting are “learning by doing”, whereas young boys start practising weaving under the leadership of an older teacher step by step.   From an ESD perspective the Dorze education is holistic, practical, individualized, and contains some problem solving even if the students are not participating in decisions on how they learn. The education is highly integrated in the daily life of the weaving community and is also relevant to the surrounding local community. Moreover the education transfers a historical legacy of cultural continuity, and has shown itself to be dynamic and adaptable to change. A weakness in this traditional knowledge system is the low profit the weavers are making and the set hierarchical and gender rules which need to be developed in order to be sustainable for future challenges. The final discussion highlights the relevance of my findings for a Swedish learning context.
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Interest in the concept of 'wellbeing' is gaining prominence among academic researchers, policy makers and planning bodies within the UK and internationally. This emerging agenda is often in the context of efforts to promote sustainable communities through environmental initiatives, such as community gardening, which aim to link communal activities with individualised lifestyle preferences and behaviours. This thesis explores the ways in which health, wellbeing and social development are intricately implicated in sustainable living initiatives, and how such initiatives can be applied to enhance health, wellbeing and social development at both individual and community levels through exposure to greenspace in the form of community gardens. This thesis takes an ethnographic approach into the study of community gardens in areas of social disadvantage in Plymouth. Findings provide empirical evidence showing that active participation in the community gardens result in health, wellbeing and social development impacts for individual participants directly involved within the garden. Findings at the community level were more mixed, providing insights into barriers to exclusion and inequalities in and across communities within the study area. The results of this thesis provide a greater appreciation of how sustainable living initiatives can provide social and economic opportunities which can promote health and wellbeing for individuals and communities and contribute towards sustainable design of urban areas with the use of green infrastructure. Stemming from these results is the call for increased collaboration between public health officials and spatial planners to incorporate and utilise green space community initiatives in urban areas to enable health and wellbeing impacts to become realised and sustained at an individual and community level.

The research question was 'What is the role of design in the process of sustainable development'. The study focused on Welsh producers making woven or knitted fabric, clothing or household textiles from wool or natural fibres. Wales was the location of the study, the Welsh government having a legal duty to pursue sustainable development. The research methodology was qualitative, following a social constructionist epistemology and a grounded approach to theory building. A case study approach was chosen. The 13 cases ranged from factory producers to individual manufacturers. Multiple methods were used to collect data while data was analysed using methods from situational analysis. Findings showed that both design and sustainable development can be conceptualised in differing ways; design as undertaken by professional designers, identified as 'big D Design' but also by producers with no design training, 'small d design'; both types of design can contribute to the sustainability of the business. Sustainable development can be seen as a model in which 'Three Pillars', economic, environmental and social are considered; however in this study a re-conceptualisation of it as a 'vision' was used. These conceptualisations show that the relationship between design and sustainable development is variable and not fixed. The producers contribute to sustainable development by their continuation in business, they have low environmental impacts and fulfil social remits. The textile producers can be classified into three groups with regard to design and sustainable development: those who are highly sustainable using 'big D Design' as a strategic tool; those who are sustainable using 'small d design'; and those who have used 'big D Design' but who have gone out of business. Thus design, both 'big D and small d', may contribute to the process of sustainable development but this contribution is also dependent on other factors beyond the producer's control.

This thesis explores the impact and effects of a leadership development programme in-depth and over time. There has been a lack of attention given to understanding the impact of such interventions in the academic literature. Where studies do investigate the impact (s) of leadership development they tend to focus almost exclusively on positive outcomes or the achievement of pre-determined targets and tend to be short-term in focus. This research finds that there is also a shadow side of leadership development, defined as the unintended effects of leadership development programmes which can be counter-productive and dysfunctional. A longitudinal case study approach was adopted comprising documentary analysis, observation and interviews, the latter of which were conducted with multiple stakeholders at three different junctures in time during and beyond the length of the leadership development programme. Three conceptual dimensions of identity, organisational culture and organisational context were identified which together facilitated a multi-faceted understanding of the changing impact and effects of the leadership development programme over time. In conclusion this thesis makes both a theoretical and methodological contribution by adding a longitudinal, multi-level analysis and evaluation of leadership development, evidencing both positive and shadow impacts and effects.

The Mediterranean Commission on Sustainable Development (MCSD) is established as an advisory body within the Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP) framework, in order to provide advice on programs and prepare recommendations for the Contracting Parties. The MCSD identifies and evaluates major economic, environmental and social problems specified in Agenda MED 21. It aims to track the implementation of the proposals it submits to the Contracting Parties. Furthermore, the MCSD is open to participation from the main groups of the society, which have equal footing alongside government representatives. Within the limits imposed upon it, the MCSD provides a regional forum for dialogue and a promising framework for defining a regional sustainable development strategy in the Mediterranean. Its regional nature and its composition constitute an innovative contribution to promote the integration of environmental concerns in development policies. The object of this study is to evaluate the work that has been carried out by MCSD and understand the complex structure of an institution through which international and regional cooperation and coordination is achieved.

One of the most important issues influencing urban areas is that of sustainable residential development. In this regard, formulation and implementation of policies relating to transport play a major role in decreasing the amount of energy consumed and greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. This awareness of the major role of transport posed the main research question “Have transport elements in policies for residential development in Western Australia been implemented on the ground in the Perth Metropolitan Region?” Since this study focuses on and evaluates the implementation of residential planning policy on the ground at local level, it uses case study areas (Joondalup and Woodlake) deemed benchmark of sustainable development within the Perth Metropolitan Region in Western Australia. Policies for residential development and sections on transport (towards sustainable development) were collected and from this, evaluation criteria were drawn to be measured against their implementation. Then, field observation, and household questionnaire surveys were conducted to check and identify the extent of implementation. Subsequently, semi-structured interviews with policy players were undertaken to clarify findings and factors influencing (impeding or supporting) policy implementation. The findings of this research indicate that Joondalup (planned and developed more than two decades ago) was more sustainable in transport terms than Woodlake (developed nearly a decade ago) when measured against policies at the time of the planning and development phases. But when the case study areas were measured against current policy objectives and new evaluation criteria for transport towards sustainable development, Woodlake performs better.
It may not be surprising that in future Woodlake might be considered less sustainable than it is now. It signifies that policies and residential planning standards have improved to a certain degree over time. Improvement is also apparent in the translation of international and national policies to lower-level policies. Recommendations propose what could be performed better in future, based on what has been learnt from past experience.

It is believed that damage occurring to the earth's environment and the quality of life for future generations will be irreparable (Lozano et al., 2013). Sustainable development as a concept has been used as a means of integrating strategies to reduce this degradation. Education has been deemed to be key to promoting this sustainable future, and thus the term education for sustainable development (ESD) was coined. Research proposes that higher education institutions in particular could be significant contributors to ESD (Karatzoglou, 2013). Literature surrounding ESD has increased within recent years due to the UNESCO Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014). Particular emphasis has been placed on reorientation of education towards sustainability (Sterling, 2001). It is believed that the curriculum should be holistic, participatory, promote critical thinking and values that promote sustainability (Firth and Smith, 2013). However, changes in the curriculum to date have been deemed minimal and the effectiveness of the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development questioned (McKeown and Day, 2015). This research argues that ESD does not have a distinct pedagogy, but instead is made up of various component parts. These component parts take the form of learning pedagogies presented as (andragogy, social learning, experiential learning and transformative learning). A qualitative approach was used to collect data for this research with emphasis being placed on using the four mentioned learning theories to evaluate ESD within different learning settings (classroom, fieldwork, volunteer setting and work based learning environment). This thesis identifies that each learning theory researched promotes good pedagogical practice whilst incorporating ESD indicators. The research concludes that a careful balance of different elements of these learning theories is needed to effectively deliver ESD within higher education.