2020/09/04     Dresden, Germany

A truly integrated management of environmental resources calls for a study of not only the individual components of the Resource Nexus but also the interlinkages between them. From water resources to soil and energy, researchers at UNU-FLORES engage in a number of topics around environmental management. In further advancing the nexus mindset, we also consider the governance as well as the systems perspective. To get an idea of what our researchers have been busy with, here are our recent publications:

The Role of Environmental Management Performance in Higher Education Institutions
Sustainability
Nicolas Roos, Xaver Heinicke, Edeltraud Guenther, Thomas W. Guenther

The rising awareness for acting responsibly and the proliferation of business tools among higher education institutions have an impact on their management. This article presents results of a survey on the concept of environmental management performance aiming to answer how higher education institutions conduct environmental management along dimensions including environmental policy, environmental objectives, environmental processes, organisational structures, and monitoring.

Analysis of Climate Variability and Droughts in East Africa Using High-Resolution Climate Data Products
Global and Planetary Change
Solomon H. Gebrechorkos, Stephan Hülsmann, Christian Bernhofer

Long-term observations are necessary to detect variability and changes in climate and drought monitoring and to design adequate adaptation and mitigation strategies. Using datasets from international databases like the Climate Hazard Group, this study finds that climate data products with high spatial resolution and accuracy help detect changes and variability in climate at local scale where adaptation is required.

Quantifying the Information Content of a Water Quality Monitoring Network Using Principal Component Analysis: A Case Study of the Freiberger Mulde River Basin, Germany
Water
Thuy Hoang Nguyen, Björn Helm, Hiroshan Hettiarachchi, Serena Caucci, Peter Krebs

The effectiveness of water quality monitoring is rarely evaluated. When there is a need to reduce the monitoring costs, optimum monitoring strategies need to be identified. Using principal component analysis, this study aims to evaluate and optimise water quality variables and monitoring sites to explain the spatial and temporal variation of water quality in rivers.

Collective Action in Waste Management: A Comparative Study of Recycling and Recovery Initiatives from Brazil, Indonesia, and Nigeria Using the Institutional Analysis and Development Framework
Recycling
Jinkyung Oh, Hiroshan Hettiarachchi

While perhaps not many countries can afford technology-based solutions to improve recycling and recovery activities, active societal participation might succeed in any country. This manuscript discusses what recycling/recovery programmes can learn from the theory of collective action and the Institutional Analysis and Development framework by examining three case studies from Brazil, Indonesia, and Nigeria.

This article has been selected to appear on the front cover of the journal.

Enhanced Cash Flow Valuation in Real Estate Management by Integrating Innovative Materials and Risk Assessment
Sustainability    
Patrick Bergmann, Endre Kamarás, Werner Gleißner, Edeltraud Guenther

The environment has become a critical criterion for the evaluation of projects and products, especially for the long term. This article investigates the importance of material selection with regard to external and project risk for real estate development and, through its analysis, contributes to risk management and decision making in the respective filed. It presents a model that integrates environmental and long-term effects, thus increasing the flexibility of stakeholders.

Evaluating and Predicting the Effects of Land Use Changes on Hydrology in Wami River Basin, Tanzania
Hydrology
Sekela Twisa, Shija Kazumba, Mathew Kurian, Manfred F. Buchroithner

To develop management strategies for water resources, it is essential to understand the variation in the hydrological response of a basin associated with land-use changes. This study evaluates the influence of land-use changes on various elements of the hydrological processes in the Wami River Basin. The findings can support decision making to better plan and manage the basin’s land and water resources.

The Sustainable Use of Wood as a Regional Resource – An Ecological Assessment of Common and New Processing Technologies for Wood Poles
Sustainability Management Forum
Nadine May, Edeltraud Guenther, Peer Haller

New wood processing technologies can increase the climate mitigation potential of wood poles by widening their scope of application in the construction sector. This study investigates the environmental performance of moulded wood poles and classic roundwood poles and assesses their ecological competitiveness in comparison to steel and concrete.

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