Impact Assessment: assessing the social dimensions of fisheries research projects in the Asia-Pacific Region

Interest in understanding the social impact of publicly funded science research is growing globally. However, practical examples demonstrating how the social impacts of research for development are measured are negligible. This paper illustrates the utility of Impact Assessment (IA), Social Impact Assessment (SIA) in particular to measure and articulate the social dimensions of research for development. We employed substantive aspects of SIA to assess the social impacts of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) funded fisheries research projects across Southeast Asia and the Pacific Island Countries. Data were collected through a survey, in-depth interviews, and case studies. Results illustrate that SIA can offer a nuanced understanding of the contribution of research for development to changes in culture, community health and wellbeing, livelihood and economy, and governance and politics, among others. We suggest that researchers, policymakers and research for development organisations consider incorporating SIA in their projects not only as a tool to assess impact but also as a process to manage and understand the social dimensions of science research.     

A framework for integrated assessment of food production economics in South Asia under climate change

Agriculture is a sector vulnerable to climate change. The potential decline of crop yields from this vulnerability has important policy implications for food security in South Asia. In this study an integrated assessment modelling framework is proposed to link a global economic model with global climate models via an econometric model of crop productivity. It is then used to examine the impact of climate change on food security in individual South Asian countries by exploring the interaction between climate-induced productivity change and changes in food production and food prices. The results of our simulations suggest that unfavourable climate change can reduce food production significantly from the historical trend and create upward pressure on food prices. This, in turn, will have serious adverse impacts on food security in the South Asian region.     

Passive cooling techniques through reflective and radiative roofs in tropical houses in Southeast Asia: A literature review

Cooling is one of the major concerns in building tropical houses. This problem is exacerbated by the heat gain of the roof, which constitutes 70% of the total heat gain. The passive cooling technique is one of the innovative practices and technologies that provide buildings with comfortable conditions through natural means. Reflective and radiative processes are the methods used to decrease heat gain by facilitating the elimination of excess heat in a building׳s interior to maintain a comfortable environment. Given that the potential of these techniques vary from region to region, their application in the tropics should be examined.Exploring these approaches in detail allows us to rethink how to effectively adapt these techniques to overcome the build-up of heat in modern tropical houses in Southeast Asia. This study reviews the physical characteristics of these approaches to guide architects and building designers. Results indicate a great reduction in operational cost. However, the significant differences in the performance of colour and material properties should be considered, given that the selected approach strongly affects the required thermal conditions of a building.     

Mobile communication and political participation in South Korea: Examining the intersections between informational and relational uses

This study aims to extend the literature on mobile communication by demonstrating that multifaceted mobile practices work in coordination with one another to predict enhanced engagement in public life. Using a national survey of adults in South Korea, we show that informational mobile phone use to gather and discuss content about news and public affairs is positively associated with political participation while the corresponding link for relational mobile phone use to enhance strong personal tie relationships being also significant. More importantly, the findings indicate that the two mobile usage patterns interact with each other to explain increased involvement in political activities. However, analysis of the three-way interaction points to a noteworthy caveat, namely that those who are already engaged, by virtue of their perceived capacity to produce desired outcomes in politics (i.e., self-efficacy), are even more likely to obtain motivational benefits from the manifold uses of mobile telephony.     

Carbon emission,energy consumption and intermediate goods trade: A regional study of East Asia

Using country level panel data from East Asia over the period 1998–2011, this paper examines the implications of international production fragmentation-induced intermediate goods trade on the link between energy consumption and carbon pollution. The paper focuses on the interaction effect between energy consumption and trade in intermediate goods on carbon emission. The empirical results presented suggest that international trade in intermediate goods decreases the positive impact on carbon emission of energy consumption. When compared with the trade in final goods, intermediate goods trade contributes to a greater decrease in carbon pollution resulting from energy consumption. These results confirm that the link between energy consumption and carbon pollution in East Asia is significantly affected by international production fragmentation-induced trade in intermediate goods. The results presented in this paper have some important policy implications.     

The Affirmative Qualities of a Temporal Architecture

Working affirmatively with a social agenda often requires creating structures for those who need them most in a crisis situation, whether triggered by an environmental disaster, human conflict or long-term poverty and deprivation. A crisis, though, tends to require an immediate, provisionary response rather than a permanent solution. Martyn Hook , Professor of Architecture at RMIT University in Melbourne, explores the ‘pop-up’ tenure of affirmative architecture internationally, as exemplified by the work of TYIN tegnestue Architects, Shigeru Ban Architects, Tezuka Architects and Monash Architecture.     

“新苏州·新东大”——独墅湖高教区东南大学苏州研究院一、二期工程的地域性实践

独墅湖高教区东南大学苏州研究院是从苏州地域性和东大历史性出发,以现代性对其加以诠释的一组教育建筑群体。设计从城市关系、规划架构、总体空间以及色彩材料等设计角度对周边环境、苏州老城以及东大老校园文脉寻求紧密关联,从而形成一处"新苏州·新东大"的有着浓厚文化底蕴的空间场所。     

Early Cretaceous extensional structures in the Liaodong Peninsula:Structural associations,geochronological constraints and regional tectonic implications

Various extensional structures,e.g.,half grabens,detachment faults,and metamorphic core complexes,were formed in the Liaodong Peninsula.There are two metamorphic core complexes (mcc's) in the western part of the Peninsula,i.e.the Liaonan mcc and the Wanfu mcc.They share the same lower plate and constitute a conjugate mcc pair.The Dayingzi detachment fault system and the three half grabens are exposed in the central and eastern parts,respectively.U-Pb dating of zircons from syntectonic plutons in the lower p...     

The future of bioenergy and rural development policies in Africa and Asia

This special issue has presented some of the specific findings of the RE-Impact Project which was commissioned and funded by the EuropeAid Cooperation Office from 2007 until its conclusion in 2010. The project aimed to provide impact assessment frameworks and influence relevant policies through direct involvement in bioenergy projects and policy analysis in South Africa, Uganda, India and China. The papers summarised here have covered issues related to Jatropha curcas and forest-based bioenergy in these countries. Taking an overall look at the project findings we can identify a number of general conclusions relevant for the future of bioenergy and rural development in Africa and Asia. First, only local and context-specific sustainability assessment can identify the risk and responsibilities of the different groups and the exact impact on the environment. Second, many initiatives both in biofuels and forest-based bioenergy are marred by a lack of understanding of the life-cycle financial analysis. Third, careful consideration of local physical and social conditions and the economics of the production chain can identify real opportunities for rural development using bioenergy. The current global impasse in bioenergy policies could actually be advantageous to the development of bioenergy in developing countries. Without the pressure from America and Europe to develop bioenergy systems for climate change mitigation, countries in Africa and Asia may have the breathing room to shape bioenergy systems for their own internal energy supply in an orderly fashion. However, in order to avoid environmental and social impacts it will be necessary to articulate together elements of a number of measures including market-based certification, national policy formulation, national legislation, impact assessments, sustainability planning, land use planning, research, monitoring and evaluation taking into account country and project specific sustainability criteria. Unfortunately, many of the countries in Africa and Asia where bioenergy can play an important role still lack institutional structures able to articulate this sustainable development.