EL BOE del 29 de abril de 2006 publicó la Ley 9/2006 sobre evaluación de los efectos de determinados planes y programas en el medio ambiente, que traspone al ordenamiento jurídico español la Directiva 2001/42/CE del Parlamento Europeo y del Consejo sobre la denominada Evaluación Ambiental Estratégica (EAE), importante instrumento preventivo de gestión ambiental, que viene a superar las limitaciones y deficiencias del enfoque proyecto a proyecto propio de la Evaluación de Impacto Ambiental (EIA). El espíritu de la EAE consiste en integrar primero el medio ambiente en el proceso de formulación de políticas, planes y programas (PPP), en verificar después la realidad de ello y en hacer público el resultado. La integración implica incorporar sensibilidad, conocimiento, criterio y compromiso ambiental al proceso de elaboración de PPP. La verificación comporta dos facetas: comprobar que efectivamente se ha hecho un esfuerzo de integración ambiental en la elaboración del PPP y evaluar el resultado conseguido a través de la identificación, valoración, prevención y seguimiento de los impactos que se producirían en caso de ejecutarse.

MIT Press, 01/09/2011 - 208 páginas In this provocative call for a new ecological politics, William Ophuls starts from a radical premise: "sustainability" is impossible. We are on an industrial Titanic, fueled by rapidly depleting stocks of fossil hydrocarbons. Making the deck chairs from recyclable materials and feeding the boilers with biofuels is

The environmental justice literature convincingly shows that poor people and minorities live in more polluted neighborhoods than do other groups. These findings have sparked a broad activist movement, numerous local lawsuits, and several federal policy reforms. Despite the importance of environmental justice, the topic has received little attention from economists. And yet, economists have much to contribute, as several explanations for the correlation between pollution and marginalized citizens rely on market mechanisms. Understanding the role of these mechanisms is crucial to designing policy remedies, for each lends itself to a different interpretation to the locus of injustices. Moreover, the different mechanisms have varied implications for the efficacy of policy responses-and who gains and loses from them. In the first book-length examination of environmental justice from the perspective of economics, a cast of top contributors evaluates why underprivileged citizens are overexposed to toxic environments and what policy can do to help. While the text engages economic methods, it is written for an interdisciplinary audience.

Certificate in Global Environment Challenges Human activity is increasingly changing the natural environment at an unprecedented rate. Humanity faces a range of complex and interrelated challenges: global warming, ecosystem disruption, biodiversity loss, and for many, increasing difficulty in meeting basic human needs for energy, food, water and shelter. As a result, environmental issues are inextricably linked to many aspects of local, regional and global development, health, security and politics. The Postgraduate Certificate in Global Environment Challenges is an online distance learning programme for people working, or or considering a career, at the intersections of policy, real-world practice and/or research in a range of sectors including government, international agencies, NGOs, private sector and academia. Environmental challenges can only be adequately understood and addressed by considering how human activity, intentional or not, drives environmental change. Likewise development and health challenges can not be fully understood and addressed without appreciating their environmental dimensions. The certificate therefore takes an interdisciplinary approach, drawing on expertise from across and beyond the University to develop participants' knowledge, understanding and skills. The distance learning programme offers a flexible approach to personal and professional development and can be studied around your other commitments, including full time work, from anywhere in the world with internet access. Check out the Global Environment Challenges microsite at http://www.gec.jux.com/   To apply online, please click:  The Courses The Global Environment Certificate programme is delivered as an online distance learning, 60-credit Postgraduate Certificate, comprising the following three 20 credit taught courses: 1. Global Environment Challenges (Core Course) This course introduces the nature and relevance of key environmental challenges. Taking an integ

"Standards govern the design, operation, manufacture, and use of nearly everything that mankind produces.  There are standards to protect the environment and human health and safety, and to mediate commercial transactions.  Other standards ensure that different products are compatible when hooked together. . . Standards generally go unnoticed.  They are mostly quiet, unseen forces, such as specifications, regulations, and protocols, that ensure that things work properly, interactively, and responsibility.  How standards come about is a mystery to most people should they even ponder the question."  (Global Standards - Building Blocks for the Future, Office of Technology Assessment, U.S. Congress (March 1992)) "Standards, in one form or another, have always underpinned trade and business. Standards, including codes of practice and guides as well as formal standards, support compatibility and drive down costs through use of common parts, specifications and methods.  They can also help open markets, create new industries and realize the potential of new technologies.  Standards are so much a part of our daily routine that we use them without even being aware of doing so, and without giving thought to how they are created or the benefits they provide."  (United Kingdom National Standardization Strategic Framework, Foreword (2003))     For more than 20 years, it was my privilege to represent and advise groups of engineers on questions of policy and law as they traveled the world negotiating global standards for their respective corporations.  It never ceased to amaze me how these bright, talented individuals collectively determined the future of their respective corporations and entire industries, as ambassadors of technology, when they participated in the development of global technology standards.  This experience has had a profound effect on my awareness and respect for the development of global standards, participants in the develop

The International Code Council is a member-focused association dedicated to helping the building safety community and construction industry provide safe, sustainable and affordable construction through the development of codes and standards used in the design, build and compliance process. Most U.S. communities and many global markets choose the International Codes. The International Codes, or I-Codes, published by ICC, provide minimum safeguards for people at home, at school and in the workplace. The I-Codes are a complete set of comprehensive, coordinated building safety and fire prevention codes. Building codes benefit public safety and support the industry's need for one set of codes without regional limitations. Fifty states and the District of Columbia have adopted the I-Codes at the state or jurisdictional level. Federal agencies including the Architect of the Capitol, General Services Administration, National Park Service, Department of State, U.S. Forest Service and the Veterans Administration also enforce the I-Codes. The Department of Defense references the International Building Code for constructing military facilities, including those that house U.S. troops, domestically and abroad. Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands enforce one or more of the I-Codes.

he American High-Performance Buildings Coalition (AHPBC) is composed of leading organizations representing a range of products and materials relevant to the building and construction industry who are committed to promoting performance-based energy efficiency and sustainable building standards. We support the development of green building standards through consensus-based processes derived from data and performance-driven criteria

Sustainability Science (Springer) Volume 7, Number 2 / July 2012 Socio technological transitions towards sustainable energy and climate stabilization Edited by Frans Berkhout, Peter Marcotullio and Tatsuya Hanaoka   Climate stabilization requires an energy transition that is not solely a technological fix, but includes institutional and societal changes. A new special feature of Sustainability Science focuses on these related themes -  comparing the costs and mitigation potentials of major GHG emitting countries, as well as examples and driving forces of clean energy diffusion.  The collection of 11 papers presents elements of a general framework for improved energy technology deployment from both the technical and social side. The following 4 papers are available for free download:          Understanding energy transitions http://www.springerlink.com/content/304tm19u714x6267/   -    Frans Berkhout, Peter Marcotullio and Tatsuya Hanaoka   Low-carbon transitions in world regions: comparison of technological mitigation potential and costs in 2020 and 2030 through bottom-up analyses http://www.springerlink.com/content/b4r5m2ut9g54k31l/ -    Tatsuya Hanaoka and Mikiko Kainuma   Technological feasibility and costs of achieving a 50 % reduction of global GHG emissions by 2050: mid- and long-term perspectives http://www.springerlink.com/content/l7w9716270306602/   -    Osamu Akashi and Tatsuya Hanaoka         Upscaling of business model experiments in off-grid PV solar energy in India -    Suyash Jolly, Rob Raven and Henny Romijn http://www.springerlink.com/content/l357558407u87m70/

Consulta Pública dos Planos Setoriais de Mitigação e Adaptação a Mudança do Clima Imprimir E-mail Estão em consulta pública eletrônica os Planos Setoriais de Mitigação e Adaptação à Mudança do Clima da Indústria, Mineração, Saúde e Transportes (transporte público de passageiros e o transporte de cargas) no período entre 15 de junho  e 15 de agosto de 2012. A elaboração dos planos aqui apresentados foi determinada no Decreto nº 7.390, de 9 de dezembro de 2010, que regulamenta a Política Nacional sobre Mudança do Clima e é parte integrante da estratégia brasileira de mitigação e adaptação à mudança do clima. Os Planos Setoriais foram elaborados no período de junho de 2011 a abril de 2012 pelos Ministérios das Cidades; dos Transportes; da Saúde; de Minas e Energia; e do Desenvolvimento, Indústria e Comércio Exterior, sob orientação do Grupo Executivo sobre Mudança do Clima (GEx) que é coordenado pelo Ministério do Meio Ambiente. Esse processo contou com a participação de representantes dos setores produtivos e da sociedade civil, indicados pelo Fórum Brasileiro de Mudanças Climáticas (FBMC), além de entidades convidadas pelas coordenações setoriais dos Planos. As contribuições aos planos setoriais devem ser enviadas por meio de formulários eletrônicos. Antes de encaminhar os comentários, leia as orientações para o preenchimento do formulário. Os arquivos para consulta estão disponíveis abaixo: Introdução e Apresentação Indústria Plano Setorial Formulário Eletrônico de contribuições Mineração Plano Setorial Formulário Eletrônico de contribuições Transportes e Mobilidade Urbana Plano Setorial Formulário Eletrônico de contribuições Saúde Plano Setorial Formulário Eletrônico de contribuições Para informações sobre o processo de consulta presencial dos Planos Setoriais acesse a página do Fórum Brasileiro de Mudanças Climáticas.

Established in 2011 by the French Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI), the Learning Platform on Climate Policies (LP) is an independent forum for the exchange of policy expertise and experiences between developed and developing countries. This initiative aims at building an international network of energy and climate policy experts, gathering all the relevant stakeholders in the partner countries and relying on IDDRI's extensive network, developed at the international level for a decade.

Green Books Reviews showcases the latest and greatest Green Books in an extensive and constantly updated database. Browse through environmental publications and authors, as well as view the entire archive of published reviews from Alternatives Journal, Canada's leading environmental magazine.

Comissão aprova substitutivo que inova no uso da água A Comissão de Meio Ambiente da Câmara aprovou ontem, por unanimidade, parecer da deputada Marina Sant'Anna (PT-GO) ao projeto de lei (PL 2457/11), do Senado Federal, que institui mecanismos de estímulo à instalação de sistemas de coleta, armazenamento e utilização de águas pluviais em edificações públicas e privadas. Substitutivo da deputada Marina reúne 14 projetos de autoria de diferentes deputados que abordam manejo de águas pluviais urbanas, economia e reutilização de água, permeabilidade do solo urbano e outros temas relacionados. A proposta do Senado Federal tornou-se a principal em razão de já ter sido votada por uma das Casas Legislativas. Entre as matérias apensadas, teve grande aproveitamento de seu conteúdo o projeto de lei (PL 1310/11), do deputado Paulo Teixeira (PT-SP), que trata da "Política Nacional de Gestão e Manejo Integrado de Águas Urbanas", incluindo a reutilização da água de uso doméstico, denominada de água cinza, gerada em banhos, pias e lavanderias. Conforme estabelece a relatora, são definidos como sujeitos ao cumprimento das obrigações previstas pela futura lei os empreendimentos que gerem impermeabilização do solo em área superior a mil metros quadrados; os que envolvam parcelamento do solo para fins urbanos; e os condomínios urbanísticos implantados em município com mais de cem mil habitantes, em municípios com histórico de enchentes ou que integrem aglomeração urbana. Também ficarão sujeitos a obrigações, os projetos de regularização fundiária em áreas urbanas e empreendimentos situados em perímetro urba