bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The use of constructed wetlands in the treatment of acid mine drainage
Authors: Perry Allen , Kleinmann Robert L. P.
Published: October 2009

US government regulations require that all effluents from industrial operations, including mining, meet certain water quality standards. Constructed wetlands have proven to be useful in helping to attain those standards. Application of this biotechnology to mine water drainage can reduce water treatment costs and improve water quality in streams and rivers adversely affected by acidic mine water drainage from abandoned mines. Over 400 constructed wetland water treatment systems have been built on mined lands largely as a result of research by the US Bureau of Mines. Wetlands are passive biological treatment systems that are relatively inexpensive to construct and require minimal maintenance. Chemical treatment costs are reduced sufficiently to repay the cost of construction in less than a year. The mine waste water is typically treated in a series of excavated ponds that resemble small marsh areas. The ponds are engineered to facilitate bacterial oxidation of iron. Ideally, the water then flows through a composted organic substrate supporting a population of sulphate‐reducing bacteria which raises the pH. Constructed wetlands in the USA are described ‐ their history, functions, construction methodologies, applicabilities, limitations and costs.
Key strategic issues for the development of CODELCO in the 1990s
Authors: Bande Jorge
Published: October 2009

This paper briefly reviews CODELCO's competitive strategy in the 1980s and presents a detailed description of the broad strategies and policies that will guide the company's development during the 1990s.
Oil and gas reserves of the Middle East and North Africa
Authors: Champlon D. , Girard C. , Daubignard T.
Published: October 2009

A quantitative estimate of the petroleum reserves of the Middle East and North Africa is presented and analysed in terms of the region's ability to meet current market demand for a sweet light crude. Costs of Middle East production are compared with those of other oil‐producing regions. With an average costs of US$4/bbl, the Middle East has both the largest oil reserves and the lowest cost oil in the world. While new and improved technology of exploration and production may lessen this price advantage in the future, it will not eliminate it. Because of these two factors, the Middle East will continue to play an important role on the world energy stage well into the next century.
Electric power and the environment: an analysis of pollutant emissions at Argentine state‐owned electric power stations
Authors: Carnevali Daniel , Suarez Carlos E.
Published: October 2009

This paper describes the impact on particulate and ‘greenhouse gases’ emissions of substitution policies implemented by Argentine state‐owned electric power stations. Those policies involve the substitution, on the one hand, of hydroelectric and nuclear energy for conventional thermal energy and, on the other hand, of natural gas for fuel oil, diesel oil and coal. As additional investments are required in conventional thermal power stations to prevent environmental pollution, the investment savings generated by substitution policies have been calculated. While the environmental impact of hydroelectric, nuclear and natural gas facilities is locally significant and is experienced in geographical areas away from cities, there can be no doubt that the substitution policies implemented in the Argentine electricity sector have overall both ecological and economic benefits.
The Ethiopian mining sector
Authors: Walrond Grantley W. , Hailu Girma , Selassie Wondemagegnehu G.
Published: October 2009

The Ethiopian Constitution of 1928 vests in the state ownership of all mineral resources. However, the mining code of 1944 recognized the right of individuals and private companies to explore for and develop those resources. The results were quite impressive; Ethiopia became a producer of gold, platinum, copper and other minerals. A revised mining code in 1971 further extended the rights of individuals and companies to develop the mineral resources of the country. In 1974, the newly established revolutionary government eliminated private ownership of mines and established instead state‐owned mining companies to develop the mineral resources of the country. In time, the demand for government funding by other sectors of the economy left little for the mining sector and it went into decline. To correct that problem, the Government of Ethiopia in 1989 decided to again make private ownership in the mining sector legal. This paper describes some of the recent initiatives to open the mining sector to private enterprise.
Petroleum exploration in a resource management perspective
Authors: Al‐Kasim Farouk
Published: October 2009

There is a need for positive interplay among the various actors in exploration. The licensees have an important role, but the host country's role in managing the assessment of the resources is equally important in promoting effective exploration. Selection of an appropriate concession policy is the main tool for the development of the host country's enterprising capacity both within and outside the petroleum sector. Some of the most important aspects of concession policy are reviewed, with reference to the Norwegian experience as an illustration. The development of infrastructure and institutional development in the country are major elements in resource management in as far as promoting a positive development in the country's enterprising capacity. It is therefore important that licensing as the cardinal element in exploration is implemented within a total resource management strategy.
Groundwater resource management and environmental protection
Authors: Munasinghe Mohan
Published: October 2009

Population and economic developmental pressures will continue to put increasing pressure on the environment, especially on scarce water resources. Meanwhile, large numbers of poor families in the developing countries still lack access to safe water. An integrated water resource planning and policy analysis framework is presented that permits the main issues and alternative options to be systematically considered and prioritized, especially problems arising from groundwater pollution. Basic principles of water resource economics are used to illustrate how the neglect of long‐term environmental considerations jeopardizes the availability and quality of groundwater resources in the Greater Manila area. This paper contains a brief overview of drinking water and sanitation issues in developing countries, presents a policy‐oriented analysis of a groundwater problem of great relevance worldwide, and demonstrates how the study conclusions might be implemented practically in a constrained developing country context.
Economic degradation, conservation and allocation of water resources
Authors: Llop Armando
Published: October 2009

Economic stagnation and hyper‐inflation, in part the result of the need to service huge foreign debts, have taken their toll on the infrastructure and government institutions of Latin America. Both have been starved of financial resources. In some ways the water sector has been affected more than others because water and the environment are seen as free public goods which can be used without regard to cost. Even though internal financial resources are limited there are still opportunities to address the water and environmental problem at the national level, and some recommendations are made in this regard. Nevertheless, major inputs from the developed countries will be needed because the protection of environment and water resources is both a national and global issue.
The contribution of energy efficiency to sustainable development in developing countries
Authors: Levine Mark D. , Meyers Stephen
Published: October 2009

The demand for energy services is growing rapidly in developing countries. Low levels of energy efficiency in electric power supply and in energy use mean that the energy sector threatens to absorb an intolerably high share of available financial resources. Energy inefficiency also contributes to local and global environmental problems. A strategy of vigorously improving energy efficiency is thus a key element of a sustainable development path. Results reported in this paper show that there is considerable room for efficiency improvement in both existing and new capital stocks, but a much larger effort than presently underway is essential if the potential is to be realized. Assistance from the industrialized countries can play a major role in such an effort.
China's dual‐thrust energy strategy
Authors: Geping Qu
Published: October 2009

As the basis of the national economy, energy has been of importance in the course of China's economic development. Due to the increasing attention to the environmental problems incurred in the production and use of energy since the beginning of the 1980s, environmental protection has become a major factor for consideration in formulating China's energy development strategy and programme.
A reappraisal of WRI's estimates of greenhouse gas emissions
Authors: Pachauri R. K. , Gupta Sujata , Mehra Meeta
Published: October 2009

Excessive emissions of certain trace gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide and chlorofluorocarbons are likely to result in global warming due to increased concentration of these greenhouse gases (GHGs). Therefore, measures to control GHG emissions are essential and the current international debate is on how to arrive at optimal GHG limitation strategies. To set emission targets or to distribute the burden of costs of various control measures, it is necessary to identify the major emitters. The World Resources Institute has assessed countrywide contributions to global GHG emissions for 1987. This paper disagrees with the basic approach adopted by WRI because it fails to apportion sinks on a logical basis by keeping in mind equity considerations; it does not account for the residence time of different GHGs; and it uses unreliable and outdated data for estimating the emissions. Using recent and reliable data for India and Brazil as well as the IPCC global warming potential for various GHGs, the shares in global emissions have been recalculated. The paper concludes that if only current emissions are considered there is considerable bias against those countries which are latecomers to the process of industrialization.
Environmental management in mining and mineral processing in developing countries
Authors: Warhurst Alyson
Published: October 2009

This paper analyses some of the social, political and economic dimensions of the environmental behaviour of mining enterprises and governments in the context of evolving regulation, growing public concern and technological innovation. Contrary to the belief that a trade‐off exists between production costs and environmental costs, which presupposes a static technology, new generations of technology offer improved economic and environmental efficiency. Technical change is therefore reducing both production and environmental costs. Because most planned mines and available reserves are in developing countries, situations may develop whereby technical change reduces that trade‐off for them.
Environmental impact of mining in Ghana: issues and answers
Authors: Mate Kwabena
Published: October 2009

As part of the process of drafting environmental guidelines for mining, a study of the impact of mining on the environment was undertaken by the Ghanaian Minerals Commission. The study evaluated the impact of underground mines and surface mines on the physical environment as well as their socio‐economic impact. Among its conclusions: for both types of mines, drainage emptying out into rivers is a major cause of pollution; mine roads open up uninhabited regions to farming and other uses. Underground mines employ more workers than surface mines; the socioeconomic benefits of the surface mines to local people are less than those of underground mines.
Water management problems in economies in transition
Authors: Bochniarz Zbigniew
Published: October 2009

Ambitious programmes of reform in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) are threatened by a serious deterioration of the environment. Large‐scale damage of the natural environment in many forms, including water pollution has created development barriers which adversely affect the living conditions of current and future generations. Despite similar patterns of environmental policy in the CEE countries compared with their Western counterparts, neither environmental legislation nor economic incentives have produced any significant improvement in water quality over the last 10–20 years. For that very reason in the transition period, it is necessary to identify existing deficiencies in the system and to build up a mixed system of new institutions of water management, more realistic legislation with a strong enforcement system, and market based incentives for water conservation and protection against pollution.
Preliminary observations of environmental damage due to the Gulf War
Authors: El‐Baz Farouk
Published: October 2009

Preparing for and conducting the Gulf War resulted in much damage to the environment of the region. The first and most visible effect is related to the damage caused by oil well fires in terms of air pollution as well as the potential damage to the petroleum reservoirs. The second detrimental effect has been caused by the oil spill in the Gulf water. Hundreds of miles of the western coastline of the Gulf are already covered with oil. Petroleum ‘mats’ have settled on coral reefs and have reduced Gulf water productivity. Foremost among the irreparable damages are changes to the terrain due to the digging of trenches, building walls of soil and otherwise disturbing the desert pavement in and around Kuwait. Disruption of the, usually, one‐grain thick layer of pebbles on the desert floor exposes soil to wind action. Changing the contours of the normally flat land increases resistance to the wind and increases the potential of particle transport until the land is peneplained. This condition will increase the frequency and the ferocity of dust storms in the region. It will also result in the formation of new sand dunes; sand drifts already exist along roads in northern Kuwait. It is believed that the detrimental effects on the atmosphere will last for years, on the Gulf water for decades, and on the desert surface for centuries.
Finding local answers to fuelwood problems
Authors: Soussan John , O'Keefe Phil , Mercer D. Evan
Published: October 2009

This paper presents an analytical approach to the identification of characteristic fuel‐wood situations in developing countries. This approach recognizes the tension between achieving a level of generalization needed for policy formulaion and the need to capture the specifics of fuelwood production and use at a local level. A typology, based on environmental and socioeconomic criteria, is advanced which is intended to form the basis of a refining of policy principles to the specifics of different localities. A series of brief case studies is presented to illustrate the characteristics of different types of locality, and conclusions of the future direction of fuelwood policy are advanced.
Electrification of rural areas by solar PV
Authors: Lovejoy Derek
Published: October 2009

More than 2000 million people, mostly in developing countries, live in rural areas without access to grid connected power. Conventional approaches to supplying power, whether through extension of existing grids or through stand‐alone ‘minigrids’ based on diesel generator sets, or even on renewable energy minigrids, require large investments which are unlikely to receive priority in competition with more economically and politically attractive investments in urban areas. Domestic PV lighting and broadcast reception kits (DLKs), comprising, typically, a 30–60 W panel, an automotive battery, a charge indicator, and dc fluorescent lamps can be furnished and installed for about $500. DLKs are now used in the Dominican Republic, Kenya, Sri Lanka and many other countries. DLKs provide a minimum essential service with low overheads. Given the necessary credit facilities, they can give better service at comparable costs in comparison with kerosene lamps and dry cell powered radios. They also permit a substantial degree of local manufacture, thus saving on foreign exchange. This movement is starting in many countries on a purely commercial basis. The process could be greatly accelerated if ‘seed money’ in the form of revolving funds could be made available.
Market‐based environmental development
Authors: Raufer Roger K.
Published: October 2009

Industrialization has caused significant pollution damage, but the manner in which certain historical environmental problems were overcome provides insight for approaching today's concerns. The efficiency of markets played a key role in that process, and will also be important in an environmentally driven future. Marketoriented mechanisms can optimize pollution control strategies, incorporate energy efficiency and serve to transfer resources from developed to developing economies for environmental purposes. These changes will have considerable implications for political systems in both the developed and developing world.
Survey of water use behaviour in rural North Ghana
Authors: Kendie Stephen B.
Published: October 2009

Evaluation research of rural water projects has not paid much attention to examining the extent to which intended beneficiaries actually utilized the new water points for drinking purposes. This paper presents a survey of water use patterns in a rural district of Ghana to find out the source(s) of water for drinking both at home and when on the farm. Because farms are at a considerable distance from the settlements where the boreholes are located, the use of borehole water when on the farm provides a good standard with which to evaluate community education components of the water programmes.
Government participation in mining projects
Authors: Padmore Gerald
Published: October 2009

Governments of developing countries may obtain ownership participation in national mining projects in the hope of receiving greater policy control over, financial rewards from, and information about such projects. These objectives could be achieved by using their sovereign authority to tax, regulate and monitor projects more effectively. The principal problem is likely to be the administrative inability fully to enjoy rights that they lawfully possess. As such projects are nearly always controlled by foreign entities, and involve the exploitation of irreplaceable mineral wealth, they may engender feelings of suspicion and hostility. Government participation may sometimes be necessary to mitigate those feelings and to lead to more stable and successful projects. If these political objectives are fully recognized, then government participation may be structured so as to minimize any detrimental effect it might have on the fiscal and financial structure of the project. It may also prove to be a vehicle for future participation by private local interests, thereby eliminating the alien enclave feature generally characteristic of such projects.
Mineral potential and scope of investment in the Republic of Yemen
Authors: Alawi Ali Jabr
Published: October 2009

On 22 May 1990 the Yemen Arab Republic and Peoples Democratic Republic of Yemen were unified to form the Republic of Yemen, with a population of about 14 million people in an area of about 580 000 km2. The Republic of Yemen is hoping to develop its mineral industry. Possessing a well established geological database plus a newly issued mining law and investment law, Yemen is inviting all investors, whether from the Yemeni private sector or foreign companies, either solely or in joint ventures to investigate opportunities in minerals and construction and industrial materials.
Options for mining development in Africa
Authors: Hollaway John
Published: October 2009

Self‐sufficiency in agriculture has been the principal development target in Africa for the past decade. It is now generally appreciated that that target can only be reached if population growth can be controlled and farmers are paid to make it worth while to grow a surplus. Responsibility for the next phase of development – wealth generation – will depend largely by default on the rapid growth of mining, particularly smaller mines. This paper sets out the country requirements for a successful mining sector in Africa. Experience in Zimbabwe and elsewhere suggests that there are three essential components: (i) simple, transparent mining legislation that gives title to the discoverer of a mineral resource in the form of a freely tradeable property right; (ii) the availability of local and/or international sources of risk finance; and (iii) a workforce that includes numbers of persons who have been trained in the technical and financial aspects of practical mining.
Dynamics of state mining enterprises during the 1980s and the outlook for the 1990s
Authors: Ericsson Magnus , Tegen Andreas
Published: October 2009

This paper examines the evolution of the control by the state of mining and smelting from 1975 to 1989. In 1950, there was little state‐owned mining capacity outside the centrally planned economies. A wave of nationalizations of mine assets swept over the developing countries in the late 1960s and early 1970s. State control continued to rise, in developing countries as well as in the developed market economy countries, until the mid‐1980s, when the trend reversed. At present some 20% of Western world mineral production is state controlled. The level of control is highest for those minerals mined mainly in the developing countries, and lowest for those minerals mined mainly in the developed market economy countries. The current trend is toward privatization of state‐owned mining enterprises in developed countries and it is expected that as the 1990s progress, privatization of such enterprises will also begin to take place in developing countries.
The Amazon between economy and ecology
Authors: Hoppe Andreas
Published: October 2009

The soils of the Amazon's rainforests, unlike soils in rainforests in other parts of the world, have very low productivity. Experiments have shown that the Amazon's timber productivity of 2–3 m3 per year per hectare is considerably below that achievable in Northern Europe. Sustainable agricultural development therefore can be expected to be very low. However, the mineral resources of the Amazon are very extensive and offer a way to develop the Amazon without destroying the ecology, provided that some limits are set on non‐mining activities.
Guidelines for flood disaster prevention and preparedness
Authors:   Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
Published: October 2009

The damage caused by flooding is a major obstacle in improving the economic and social well‐being of people in developing countries. Consequently, there is an urgent need for effective flood disaster prevention and preparedness in those countries. Disaster relief from losses, damage, adverse social and cultural consequences and demand on emergency services resulting from flooding can only be achieved through planned flood loss prevention and management techniques, involving the recognition of flooding characteristics and the implementation of appropriate mitigation measures. Guidelines are necessary to plan and implement flood loss prevention and management measures on a rational, systematic and technically sound basis. Some guidelines have been prepared primarily for members of the Typhoon Committee (ESCAP), but they may be found generally useful to developing countries. These guidelines, which are presented here, have been prepared based on information collected in the field and a series of expert group meetings organized from November 1987 to July 1990.
Determinants of state mining enterprise resilience in Latin America
Authors: Auty R.M.
Published: October 2009

The performance of many state‐owned mining firms in Latin America has been disappointing. There is at least one interesting exception: Chile's Codelco has been more resilient than, say, its counterparts in Bolivia and Peru. The state mining firms of Bolivia and Peru were decapitalized by low autonomy, flawed tax policies and weak macroeconomic policies ‐ even as the importance of such firms in the economy increased. In contrast, Codelco benefited from an orthodox macroeconomic policy which sensibly, if belatedly, adopted a mineral stabilization fund. It also enjoyed a more profit related tax regime and somewhat higher commercial autonomy. Nevertheless, the Chilean experience requires some important qualifications before it can be used as a model for other developing countries.
Tradeable permits and the comprehensive approach to climate change
Authors: Grubb Michael
Published: October 2009

The need to constrain the rising concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has led to a growing interest in efficient ways of achieving it. Many analysts have argued for the advantages of tradeable emission permits. Others have pointed to the importance of addressing all sources and sinks of greenhouse gases. However, this ‘comprehensive approach’ at present appears incompatible with the use of tradeable permits, because few sources and sinks can be monitored with the accuracy required for such a system. It is not enough to make rough approximations, because inadequate monitoring and revision of approximations could disrupt the whole system. The best approach is to start by developing an efficient control system for the major sources which can be adequately monitored ‐ primarily fossil‐fuel CO2 ‐ and by ensuring that other sources and sinks may be introduced over time. This can be achieved by starting with a system of overlapping permits which focuses upon the major quantifiable sources (notably fossil CO2), and introduces revisions as permits are retired and reissued.
A critical look at residential electricity conservation campaigns in a developing country environment
Authors: Jannuzzi Gilberto De Martino , dos Santos Vanice Ferreira , Filho Marcello de Moura Campos , Fugiwara José Kogi
Published: October 2009

This paper analyses survey results of the effectiveness of information campaigns to promote energy efficiency among residential consumers in Brazil. The survey found that consumers have a relatively good knowledge of conservation measures to improve electricity usage. Nevertheless, other approaches are needed to promote energy conservation in the household sector.
Rationalization of imports, refineries and distribution of petroleum in Sub‐Saharan Africa
Authors: Mayorga‐Alba Eleodoro
Published: October 2009

This paper outlines policies to secure and reduce the cost of oil supplies in Sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA), taking into account the existing forces at play: limited foreign exchange, competition for increasingly scarce funds, and the likely emergence of Africa as the fastest growing centre of energy demand over the coming decade. It identifies major inefficiencies in petroleum procurement, refining and distribution, and analyses the specific bottlenecks at each stage of the supply chain. Many of the diseconomies, estimated to yield savings of US$1.4 per year, are traced to an inefficient regulatory set‐up in SSA countries, as well as unnecessary government interference in the downstream petroleum sector. In particular, price controls, small topping refineries, monopolistic agencies, government subsidies and opaque management structures prevent the working of efficient market mechanisms. The paper discusses the importance of policy reform, outlining what changes need to be implemented on the levels of institutional arrangements, closing of inefficient units, petroleum pricing and encouraging foreign investment in the sector.
The value of cooperation in resolving international river basin disputes
Authors: Rogers Peter
Published: October 2009

This paper reviews the phenomenon of international river basins, and concludes that the sharing of river basins between and among countries is the rule rather than the exception for the major river systems of the world. The growth of the nation state with rivers as agreed‐upon boundaries, as cease‐fire lines and as natural defensive lines has led to the carving up of most river basins around the world. More than 200 river basins, accounting for more than 50% of the land area of the Earth, are shared by two or more countries. When population densities were low, there was plenty of water for all and major conflicts were avoided. With the rapid population and economic growth experienced in the past few decades, conflicts over use of water are becoming more important. It is expected that in the near future such conflicts will become much more severe. The paper reviews the literature on attempts to analyse river basin conflicts and negotiate solutions. Some rudimentary game models are examined, and some tentative conclusions, based upon various game theory concepts of stability, are applied to the Ganges‐Brahmaputra basin. The paper ends with suggestions on how to plan Pareto‐Admissible outcomes for international basins.
The role of environmental impact assessment in coal production and utilization
Authors: Jones Tim
Published: October 2009

Large‐scale exploitation of fossil fuels and nuclear power can have an adverse effect on the human and natural environment. That need not be the case, if the effect on the environment is carefully assessed to ensure the development of a sustainable approach. This paper examines the process of environmental impact assessment (EIA) for coal from an international perspective. The concept of EIA is not new. A formalized process of EIA was introduced in the USA in 1970, and more recently similar legislation has been implemented in other countries. The member states of the European Community are required to adopt EIA regulations, as set out in Directive 85/337/EEC. Elsewhere, in Japan and Australia, there are requirements for EIA and a growing need for the process can be seen in developing countries. A comparison is made of the EIA process for coal in the international arena, and exemplary procedures are highlighted. Potential problems such as delays, modifications and additional costs are analysed, and the benefits of EIA, both to industry and environment, are discussed. A database of coal‐related EIA would facilitate an exchange of information on the subject.
World energy future: the demand side challenge
Authors: Skinner Robert G.
Published: October 2009

Non‐OECD countries will account for the greatest share of growth in future energy demand. Policy‐makers, in response to public concern that the continued use of fossil‐fuels could bring about global climate change have sought out policies which will reduce future energy demand. However, economic instruments which can do so, such as carbon taxes, provoke significant distributional and equity issues. Most OECD governments have set CO2 reduction targets, but few of those targets are backed up by effective legislation and programmes. Instead, most governments seem to count on increasing energy efficiency, seemingly ‘spontaneously’, to bring about CO2 reductions. Realization of OECD CO2 reduction targets would be insignificant on a global scale, but they are nevertheless very ambitious when compared to recent changes in the OECD's energy‐derived CO2 emissions. Reliance on market forces alone may therefore not be enough.
Financing energy development in the 1990s
Authors: Pollio Gerald
Published: October 2009

Energy finance has resurfaced as a major issue in energy and energy policy debates. These concerns arise from the recent dismal performance of the private oil industry, and the growing financial demands of the former Soviet Union and other emerging markets. These growing financial imbalances are seen as jeopardizing the continued smooth growth of the world's petroleum industry. However, this paper stresses that the financial difficulties being experienced by publicly held oil companies are due, primarily, to the current economic recession. As economic growth recovers, and owing to recent substantial cost reductions, the balance sheets of the private oil industry will improve. Among state energy companies, recent structural and financial reforms mean that such companies will be able to retain more cash flow than was true historically. Moreover, many national oil companies are again able to access funds on international financial markets and generally at increasingly attractive spreads. And finally, there is the growing importance of financial innovation that is already having a positive impact on the level and pace of petroleum development worldwide.
Chile's resource sectors
Authors: Sohn Ira
Published: October 2009

Chilean economic reforms, introduced in the 1970s and early 1980s, discarded decades of state intervention in the economy, but were accompanied by considerable economic pain and social stress from domestic and international sources. In the 1990s, Chile, supported by a competitive micro‐economy, a stable macro‐economy, strong linkages with the world economy and the return to democratic government, is exploiting its world‐class resource sectors to propel economic growth in order to address social problems. However, the prospects for raising living standards in Chile and other resource‐exporting developing countries are critically dependent on a favourable external environment.
Application of multiple objective models to water resources planning and management
Authors: North Ronald M.
Published: October 2009

Over the past 30 years, we have seen the birth and growth of multiple objective analysis from an idea without tools to one with useful applications. Models have been developed and applications have been researched to address the multiple purposes and objectives inherent in the development and management of water resources. A practical approach to multiple objective modelling incorporates macroeconomic‐based policies and expectations in order to optimize the results from both engineering (structural) and management (non‐structural) alternatives, while taking into account the economic and environmental trade‐offs.
Information needs for water resources decision‐making
Authors: Sellers Jackie
Published: October 2009

Water and related resources planning and decision‐making have developed to the state of multiple objective and/or multiple criteria analysis using complicated systems analysis. The objective of this paper is to indicate the major components of information needed to facilitate the planning process for resource utilization, and to provide desirable outputs from management schemes. The process could best be described as the proper development of Management Information Systems (MIS) or Decision Support Systems (DDS). Data and information systems are never completed and must be continually updated and modified. The exact composition of any system depends also upon the general type of decision techniques being used. A brief outline of the decision process is given with the remainder of the paper dealing with the types of information needed to support the decision system.
CO2 emissions reduction from the power system in India
Authors: Chattopadhyay Debabrata , Parikh Jyoti K.
Published: October 2009

The power system in India accounts for nearly one‐third of CO2 emissions of the country as a whole. A comparison of some of the technical options to reduce CO2 emissions is presented in this paper. A linear programming framework is used to simulate the integrated optimal operation of the three regional grids, and it is shown that such operations lead to lower fuel costs and to lower CO2 emissions. The same framework is used to see how a rise in thermal efficiency translates into a CO2 emissions reduction. Reduced fuel requirements also lead to reductions in other pollutants ie SO2, NOx and fly ash. The reductions in CO2 emissions and other pollutants are at far lower cost in the case of integrated optimal operations as compared to reductions due to gas fuelled generation or thermal efficiency improvements. However, thermal efficiency improvements under optimal integrated operations result in much higher reductions in operating costs, coal consumption and total emissions of all pollutants.
Mining investment in Africa
Authors: O'Neill Dennis
Published: October 2009

Since 1985, there has been rapid growth in the presence of Australian exploration and mining companies in Africa. This paper sets out the reasons for the interest of those companies, now 20 in number, in various African mineral opportunities. Australian companies spent about US$16 million in 1992 on African exploration and evaluation, with over US$130 million spent on new mine development or expansion. The 20 Australian companies operate in 16 African countries, with two areas of focus, West Africa and Southern Africa. Using the responses to a survey sent to Australian companies operating in Africa in 1991, and to companies known to be interested in prospects there, the paper identifies and categorizes the policy and regulatory requirements needed by investors. Although a gloomy picture has often been painted of investment in Africa, Australian companies recognize that their risk taking, in the light of a declining investment climate in other mining areas, could promote a renaissance of world‐scale mining in Africa.
The supply and demand outlook for energy in the Asia—Pacific region
Authors: Fridley David
Published: October 2009

Years of strong economic growth in the Asia—Pacific region have resulted in unprecedented increases in energy demand in the region, particularly for oil and gas. The supply of oil and gas to the region will become more problematic as the decade progresses. Already 50% dependent on imported oil, this figure will rise to nearly 65% by 2000. Because high rates of domestic oil demand growth among traditional petroleum exporters ‐ Indonesia. China and Malaysia ‐ will absorb exportable surpluses, the region will find itself dependent on the Middle East for at least 90% of its imported oil needs by 2000. Currently linked to oil, LNG prices cannot justify the investments needed to bring new greenfield projects on line. With demand expected to exceed 67 million tonnes (Mt) in 2000 and 100 Mt in 2010. over 50 Mt of new capacity will be needed; satisfying this demand will necessitate a new pricing structure for LNG, raising the price substantially above the relative price of crude oil.
The political economy of transnational oil
Authors: Mikdashi Zuhayr
Published: October 2009

This paper identifies some of the major policies adopted by the public authorities of both the oil importing and oil exporting countries, as well as the business strategies followed by the major energy corporate groups. The significance of governmental policies and business strategies are often reflected in transnational political or economic relations, market structures and price formation. The focus of this paper is to ascertain the impact of those policies and strategies.
Sustainable forestry management in developing countries
Authors: D'Silva Emmanuel , Appanah S , Kariyawasam Dayananda
Published: October 2009

The central message of this paper is that natural forests have multiple uses and multiple users. The paper describes the crisis in Asian forestry and four failures which lie behind the crisis. The first failure is related to economic policy which has consistently underpriced timber, not accounting for the true cost of replacing the felled trees or the value of non‐timber goods and services (including environmental services). The second failure stems from the lack of community involvement in managing forests. The third failure is that of forestry institutions which have not been able to adapt to changes required to meet new challenges — away from timber extraction towards environmental services and social forestry. The fourth failure arises from technological constraints, including difficulties in carrying out long‐term research (to cover the 20–40 year time horizon in the forestry sector) and ineffective application of research results. A number of specific suggestions for moving toward sustained yield management in Asia are presented. The sustainable management of forests in Asia is crucial not only for indigenous peoples, the environment and economies of the countries of Asia, but also for the biodiversity and health of the global environment.
Survey of issues in government policy and public management of state oil and mining companies in developing countries
Authors: Ascher William
Published: October 2009

The author has identified a number of structural policy issues which adversely affect public sector enterprises involved in natural resource extraction. It is held that the various interactions between government policy and public management have created severe cross currents which impede the efficient and cost‐efficient operation of these entities. This tends to promote a culture which encourages excessive production at the risk of premature exhaustion of the resource and diverts scarce development capital into marginal increments of production at the expense of other sectors of the economy. This transient influx of money is said to encourage overconsumption. The author does not recommend any facile solutions. The circumstances vary from country to country, as do the remedies. Policy and structural reforms can and have made a difference in specific instances and examples are cited of where improvements have been made.
Small‐ and medium‐scale mining
Authors: Labonne Beatrice
Published: October 2009

This article summarizes the proceedings of a United Nations organized international Seminar on Guidelines for Development of Small‐ and Medium‐scale Mining, held in Harare, Zimbabwe, in February 1993. The meeting assessed progress in promoting and developing small‐ and medium‐scale mining operations worldwide since the last United Nations conference on small‐scale mining (Ankara, 1988). The meeting produced a set of guidelines for developing countries intended to provide a framework for encouraging development of small‐ and medium‐scale mining as a sanctioned sustainable activity with recognizable contributions to economic and social goals.
Economic impacts of mining
Authors: Dorian James P. , Humphreys H. Brett
Published: October 2009

The mining industry can be critical to a nation's economic well‐being. Impacts may be felt on a national or regional level, with their significance dependent in part on the resources under development as well as existing government policies. This paper examines typical economic consequences of mining and how such impacts are being felt in the so‐called transitional economies of Asia and Europe. Clearly, while mining continues to play an important role in the economies of Russia, China, Vietnam and other transitional nations, the nature and impacts of mining are different by virtue of years of centralized planning in the industry and the use of non‐economic measures of efficiency. The changing character of mining is today opening up new opportunities for foreign investment and technology assistance.
Development finance in the 1990s for Latin American resource exporting countries
Authors: Sohn Ira
Published: October 2009

As a result of the debt crisis, per capita income in Latin America in 1990 was 10% below its 1981 level. Many resource exporting countries in the region have undertaken wide and deep reforms in order, among other reasons, to attract and retain long‐term capital to fuel growth prospects. One newly proposed long‐term instrument for development finance and risk management is the commodity bond. Given the sovereign risk component, the costly premiums that must be paid to insure it and more efficient alternative instruments for both issuers and investors, commodity bonds are unlikely to generate the required long‐term capital needed to enhance growth prospects. With the continuing globalization of the goods, factors and currency markets, long‐term capital can be attracted and maintained in both developed and developing countries by an attractive investment environment characterized by a competitive microeconomy, a stable macroeconomy, strong global linkages, and a serious programme to improve physical and social infrastructure.
Fog collection's role in water planning for developing countries
Authors: Schemenauer Robert S. , Cereceda Pilar
Published: October 2009

In certain locations, the combination of meteorological conditions and topography are such that persistent fogs cover coastal or interior mountains. The droplets from these fogs are collected by trees or other tall vegetation. They can also be collected by appropriately designed man‐made collectors, to provide large volumes of water for domestic, agriculture or forestry uses. The largest project to date has provided, since March 1992, an average of 11 000 litres of water per day (*****l/d) to a village of 330 people in the arid coastal desert of northern Chile. This project and others are reviewed. The impact of the deforestation of high elevation areas, and the subsequent loss of fog water input in a watershed are discussed, as are guidelines for water planners.
Issues in natural resources management in developing countries
Authors: Thapa Gopal B. , Weber Karl E.
Published: October 2009

Recognizing the steady depletion of natural resources in developing countries, this study analyses its causes by focusing on the ownership of such resources. Resource degradation was found associated with an array of individual, socioeconomic, politicoeconomic and institutional factors. In the pursuit of sustainable regional resources management and conservation, it is necessary to analyse and incorporate these multifarious factors into the design of a comprehensive strategy. While local government should be responsible for devising management strategies, their implementation requires the interfacing of field agencies with local communities that are to be assisted in the short term and instructed in depth; their performance should be closely monitored over the long term.
Approaches to integrated water resource development and management
Authors: Burke Jacob J.
Published: October 2009

In southern Africa institutional capacity in the water sector is severely limited by diminishing regular budget and external assistance allocations. The result has been an overall decline in operational water resource management. This is ironic given the international community's current concern with ‘integrated’ or ‘comprehensive’ water resources management. Often, so‐called integrated attempts at river basin planning and development have been conceived within the framework of a river basin authority or regional master plans. Such large‐scale attempts have not necessarily been compatible either with the national capacity in water resources management or the existing institutional and legislative frameworks. In many cases the actual integration of a basin's physical resources and social, economic and environmental demands is poorly executed. To examine a way forward in resolving what is clearly an unsustainable state of affairs, a diagnostic study of the Kafue Basin, Zambia, was carried out in order to identify a set of water resource management options for a basin currently under stress. A physical framework for the Kafue Basin was established and principal subcatchments and hydro‐geological subsystems identified. Current water resource issues in the basin are discussed and a multiobjective approach is proposed to allow intersectoral competition for the basin's limited water resources to be reconciled.
Analysis of optimal recycling policy in a market economy
Authors: Ezeala‐Harrison Fidel
Published: October 2009

Recycling is still in its relative infancy in many Western societies, although recycling programmes have grown considerably in recent years and different programmes have evolved. This paper applies straightforward analytical techniques to demonstrate ways to achieve an optimal recycling programme – a policy that would result in a longer‐term cost‐efficient programme which would be beneficial in overall resource and environmental management.