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BACKGROUND There is ample evidence for human alteration of Europe’s regional seas, particularly the enclosed or partly enclosed Baltic, Black, Mediterranean, and North Seas. Accounts of habitat and biodiversity loss, pollution, and the decline of fish stocks in these economically, socially, and ecologically important seas demonstrate unsustainable use of the marine environment. At the same time, there is an insufficient quantity and quality of information to enable purely evidence-based management of Europe’s seas despite this being a declared goal of many decisionmakers; for example, less than 10% of the deep sea has been systematically explored (UNEP 2006). Evidence-based management alone is rarely possible in situations with complex value-laden policy options (Greenhalgh and Russell 2009), and unfortunately, many of the most pervasive problems in the marine environment are “wicked” second-order problems (Jentoft and Chuenpagdee 2009): they are complex in nature and their management will often involve both winners and losers. Solutions to these problems involve less politically attractive, valuebased choices and may require long time lags before tangible results are observed. Fisheries management, habitat and species protection, competition for marine space, and invasive species are all examples of “wicked” problems. These are some of the biggest issues facing Europe’s seas and are the major focus of this article and Special Feature. For the first time in European history, most countries have adopted a common maritime policy (the 2007 Integrated Maritime Policy) and a legally binding environmental directive (the 2008 Marine Strategy Framework Directive [MSFD]). These comprehensive policy vehicles encompass, or closely interface with, more specific measures, such as the recently reformed Common Fisheries Policy, the Water Framework Directive, the Habitats and Birds Directive, and a number of targeted policy instruments that deal with aspects of pollution control and coastal zone management. The overall array of measures has the potential to ensure the sustainable use of Europe’s seas and the restoration of marine environments, but the pathway between the current situation and the implementation of an ecosystem approach to management (the aspiration of the European Commission; see Our Approach to Research) is fraught with “wicked” problems. Science can help society resolve these problems, but in many cases this requires the broad and integrative vision of Odum’s (1971) “macroscope” rather than trying to piece together an ill-fitting jigsaw puzzle of discipline-focused information. This paper and the others in this Special Feature employ a systems approach. We describe the approach, how it can be applied practically, and some of the challenges in making it work. Though the work is based on research on Europe’s seas, it has much wider implications for regional seas throughout the world. OUR APPROACH TO RESEARCH ON MARINE SOCIALECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS The research described in this paper (and Special Feature) was conducted in the framework of the EU-FP7 funded project Knowledge-based Sustainable Management of Europe’s Seas (KnowSeas). The interdisciplinary research spanned 4 years and involved 33 institutions from 16 European countries (KnowSeas 2013). Its primary objective was to develop “a comprehensive scientific knowledge base and practical guidance for the application of the ecosystem approach to the sustainable development of Europe’s regional seas.” Given the knowledge gaps and uncertainties in the way Europe’s marine social-ecological systems function (e.g., unresolved causal links, poorly mapped habitats, nonlinear dynamics), an iterative approach to inquiry was adopted, based partly on the reasoning behind soft systems analysis (e.g., Checkland 2000).

Abstract Climate change is impacting marine ecosystems and their goods and services in diverse ways, which can directly hinder our ability to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), set out under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Through expert elicitation and a literature review, we find that most climate change effects have a wide variety of negative consequences across marine ecosystem services, though most studies have highlighted impacts from warming and consequences of marine species. Climate change is expected to negatively influence marine ecosystem services through global stressors—such as ocean warming and acidification—but also by amplifying local and regional stressors such as freshwater runoff and pollution load. Experts indicated that all SDGs would be overwhelmingly negatively affected by these climate impacts on marine ecosystem services, with eliminating hunger being among the most directly negatively affected SDG. Despite these challenges, the SDGs aiming to transform our consumption and production practices and develop clean energy systems are found to be least affected by marine climate impacts. These findings represent a strategic point of entry for countries to achieve sustainable development, given that these two goals are relatively robust to climate impacts and that they are important pre‐requisite for other SDGs. Our results suggest that climate change impacts on marine ecosystems are set to make the SDGs a moving target travelling away from us. Effective and urgent action towards sustainable development, including mitigating and adapting to climate impacts on marine systems are important to achieve the SDGs, but the longer this action stalls the more distant these goals will become. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.

In its latest assessment report the IPCC stresses the need for carbon dioxide removal (CDR) to counterbalance residual emissions to achieve net zero carbon dioxide or greenhouse gas emissions. There are currently a wide variety of CDR measures available. Their potential and feasibility, however, depends on context specific conditions, as among others biophysical site characteristics, or availability of infrastructure and resources. In our study, we selected 13 CDR concepts which we present in the form of exemplary CDR units described in dedicated fact sheets. They cover technical CO2 removal (two concepts of direct air carbon capture), hybrid solutions (six bioenergy with carbon capture technologies) and five options for natural sink enhancement. Our estimates for their CO2 removal potentials in 2050 range from 0.06 to 30 million tons of CO2, depending on the option. Ten of the 13 CDR concepts provide technical removal potentials higher than 1 million tons of CO2 per year. To better understand the potential contribution of analyzed CDR options to reaching net-zero CO2 emissions, we compare our results with the current CO2 emissions and potential residual CO2 emissions in 2050 in Germany. To complement the necessary information on technology-based and hybrid options, we also provide an overview on possible solutions for CO2 storage for Germany. Taking biophysical conditions and infrastructure into account, northern Germany seems a preferable area for deployment of many concepts. However, for their successful implementation further socio-economic analysis, clear regulations, and policy incentives are necessary.

AbstractBottom trawl fishing is a controversial activity. It yields about a quarter of the world's wild seafood, but also has impacts on the marine environment. Recent advances have quantified and improved understanding of large‐scale impacts of trawling on the seabed. However, such information needs to be coupled with distributions of benthic invertebrates (benthos) to assess whether these populations are being sustained under current trawling regimes. This study collated data from 13 diverse regions of the globe spanning four continents. Within each region, we combined trawl intensity distributions and predicted abundance distributions of benthos groups with impact and recovery parameters for taxonomic classes in a risk assessment model to estimate benthos status. The exposure of 220 predicted benthos‐group distributions to trawling intensity (as swept area ratio) ranged between 0% and 210% (mean = 37%) of abundance. However, benthos status, an indicator of the depleted abundance under chronic trawling pressure as a proportion of untrawled state, ranged between 0.86 and 1 (mean = 0.99), with 78% of benthos groups > 0.95. Mean benthos status was lowest in regions of Europe and Africa, and for taxonomic classes Bivalvia and Gastropoda. Our results demonstrate that while spatial overlap studies can help infer general patterns of potential risk, actual risks cannot be evaluated without using an assessment model that incorporates trawl impact and recovery metrics. These quantitative outputs are essential for sustainability assessments, and together with reference points and thresholds, can help managers ensure use of the marine environment is sustainable under the ecosystem approach to management.

Die vorliegende Diplomarbeit befasst sich mit dem Thema ein nachhaltiges, ökologisches und ökonomisches Hotel in Antalya zu entwerfen. Das Klima in Antalya tritt im Allgemeinen in das mediterrane Klima ein. Die Sommer sind heiß und trocken, die Winter regnerisch und stürmisch. Da Antalya eine Touristenstadt ist, gibt es hier Unmengen an Hotels, die vorwiegend für Großfamilien mit Kindern sind. Dieser Entwurf ist anders als die „herkömmlichen“ Hotelprojekte, die es in Antalya schon gibt. Das Ziel des Entwurfes ist ein Treibhaus- und/oder Gewächshaushotel mit all seinen nachhaltigen Nutzen entlang der Küste zu schaffen. Neben der nachhaltigen Gebäudestruktur des Öko-Hotels werden viele energiesparenden Maßnahmen eingesetzt. Im Fokus stehen hierbei die Verwendung von natürlichen Baumaterialien in monolithischer Bauweise, unterirdische monolithische Betonzisterne für Trink- oder Nutzwasser zur Bewässerung des Innengartens und ebenso eine Meerwassersolaranlage, die als zusätzliches Trinkwasser fungieren soll. Durch Gebäudeintegrierte Photovoltaik-Module (GiPV) an der Fassade und auf dem Dach des Atriums wird die Sonnenenergie genutzt und in Strom zur Erwärmung des Duschwassers umgewandelt. Ein Gebäude, dass nicht nur nimmt, sondern auch gibt! Gegen die Monotonie im Alltag soll das Öko-Hotel eine abwechslungsreiche und beruhigende Entspannung fördern. Als therapeutische Zwecke wird die Thalasso- und Kneipp-Therapie angewendet. Thalasso ist einfach eine Heilbehandlung am und mit dem Meer, aber mit allem, was dazugehört: Wasser, Algen, Schlick, Wind, Salz und frischer, daher schadstoff- und pollenfreier Meeresluft. Einzigartige, heilende Kräfte für Körper und Seele! This diploma thesis describes the idea of designing a sustainable, ecological and economical hotel in Antalya. The climate in Antalya generally enters the Mediterranean climate. Summers are hot and dry, winters are rainy and stormy. Antalya is a tourist city, there are tons of hotels here, which are mainly for large families with children. This design is different from the „conventional“ hotel projects that already exist in Antalya. The aim of the design is to create a greenhouse and/or glasshouse hotel with all its sustainable benefits along the coast. In addition to the sustainable building structure of the eco hotel, many energy-saving measures are used. The focus here is on the use of natural building materials in monolithic construction, underground monolithic concrete cisterns for drinking water or water for other purposes to irrigate the inner garden and also a seawater solar system, which is intended to serve as additional drinking water. Building-integrated photovoltaic modules (BiPV) on the facade and on the roof of the atrium use solar energy and convert it into electricity to heat the shower water. A building that not only takes, but also gives! Against the monotony of everyday life, the eco-hotel is intended to promote varied and soothing relaxation. Thalasso and Kneipp therapy are used for therapeutic purposes. Thalasso is simply a healing treatment by and with the sea, but with everything that goes with it: water, algae, mud, wind, salt and fresh sea air, which is therefore free of pollutants and pollen. Unique, healing powers for body and soul!

This work assesses the possibility of fitting an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) system in a commercial agricultural tractor, recovering waste heat from a 300-kW brake power heavy-duty diesel engine. Two different cycle architectures are considered: a single evaporator layout to recover tail-pipe exhaust heat, and a parallel evaporator configuration to recover both exhaust and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) heat. A second lower-temperature cooling circuit is also considered as possible different heat sink for the ORC system. Ten different working fluids have been assessed, and the optimum system configuration, in terms of fuel consumption, has been obtained applying an optimization algorithm to a process simulation model. A preliminary study has been carried out to evaluate the impact of the ORC system on the engine–vehicle-cooling system. A maximum fuel consumption reduction of 10.6% has been obtained using methanol and recovering heat from tail-pipe and EGR. However, considering also components and heat rejection performance, water steam, toluene and ethanol allow to obtain the best compromises between thermodynamic performance and engine–vehicle-cooling circuit impact.