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Sustainable nitrogen (N) management in agriculture is one of the most important issues affecting the environmental performance of modern agriculture. It is actually well perceived that coordinated efforts and holistic approaches are required to regulate N use by farmers. The purpose of this study was to provide an initial examination of stakeholders’ views in Japan regarding N use in agriculture and challenges to increase its sustainability. The analysis was based on a questionnaire study of five types of stakeholders (farmers, advisors, researchers, suppliers, policy makers). By means of multivariate analysis techniques it was revealed that consensus was lacking either in the acknowledgment of the causes and effects of unsustainable N management or in the challenges that need to be addressed. N losses from farms and the effects of N use were perceived but not conceived equally by all stakeholders. Organic farming and mandatory measures were the most controversial challenges, while those involving awareness, training and advisory were the most popular. This study cannot provide safe conclusions that can be generalized in the Japanese context, but it indicates domains where further research is required and orientations for future policy design towards more sustainable N use.

Water scarcity is a driver for society to rethink water management and change the paradigm of use to a fit-for-purpose approach—i.e., separating potable water for human consumption (drinking, cooking or personal hygiene) from all non-potable uses that do not require the same quality level. In this context, urban water reuse is a relevant tool for municipalities and metropolitan areas when dealing with pressure on water resources, among several alternative water sources that can be considered in a site-specific and integrated manner. Through the available literature and specific case studies in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, this paper explores the benefits and barriers of water reuse and intends to support local authorities in including water reuse in their water management strategies. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper focusing on Portugal and the Lisbon Metropolitan Area that globally examines governance, economic, legislative and social aspects regarding water reuse and presents specific implementation examples covering potable and non-potable as well as direct and indirect reuse.

Based on the presentation and discussion at the 3rd Winter School on Technology Assessment, December 2012, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (Portugal), Caparica Campus, PhD programme on Technology Assessment Environmental concerns over the use of fossil fuels and their resource constraints have increased the interest in generating electric energy from renewable energy sources (RES) to provide a sustainable electricity supply. A main problem of those technologies (wind or solar power generation) is that they are not constant and reliable sources of power. This results inter alia in an increased demand of energy storage technologies. Related stake holders show a big interest in the technical, economic and ecologic aspects of new emerging energy storage systems. This comes especially true for electrochemical energy storage systems as different Li-Ion batteries, Sodium Sulfur or Redox Flow batteries which can be utilized in all grid voltage levels, a wide range of grid applications as well as end user groups (e.g. private households, industry). A prospective and active Constructive Technology Assessment (CTA) can help to minimize potential mismatches, wrong investments, possible social conflicts, and environmental impacts of new energy storage technologies in an early development stage. It is insufficient to exclusively look at the operation phase to assess a technology. Such an approach can lead to misleading interpretations and can furthermore disregard social or ecological impact factors over the whole life cycle. Different energy storage technologies have to be evaluated in a prospective manner with a full integrated sustainability and life cycle approach to form a base for decision making and to support technology developers in order to allow distinctions between more or less sustainable battery technology variations. Therefore CTA is used as a scientific approach using several “neighbouring” engineering orientated disciplines e.g. Life Cycle Analysis (LCA), Social Life Cycle Assessment (SLCA) or Life Cycle Costs (LCC) and their methodologies which were initially developed for other purposes. The aim of the presented PhD Thesis is to make an economic, technological and ecological comparison of Energy storage technologies based on a life cycle sustainability Analysis (LCSA), multi criteria Analysis (or evaluation) (MCA) and to develop a suitable LCSA-MCA model through a new combined highly interdisciplinary approach in frame of CTA. Dr.-Ing. Marcel Weil Prof. Dr. António Brandão Moniz

Abstract The need to generate thermal and electrical energy, global warming caused by increased emissions of greenhouse gases, rising fossil fuel prices and demand for energy independence, have created a new industry focused on energy production through the use of renewable sources. Among the different options, biomass is the third most important source for obtaining electricity, and is the main source for the production of thermal energy. However, problems related to the low density of the different types of biomass, and the difficulty of transportation and storage, have led to the need to find solid fuels with higher density and greater hardness, known as pellets and briquettes. This paper seeks to develop an analysis of the current situation of the production of pellets, mainly with mixed biomass types, and the possible uses they have, with the main emphasis on the review of different combustion processes.

Abstract Molten salts are a very relevant member of industrial fluids for high temperature applications, such as catalytic medium for coal gasification, molten salt oxidation of wastes, heat transfer fluids or latent, sensible heat storage and solar (CSP) or nuclear power station operations. Available data on thermophysical properties, applications and a discussion of the state of the art for molten alkali carbonates and its mixtures like pure Li2CO3, Na2CO3 and K2CO3, mixtures of Li2CO3-Na2CO3, Li2CO3-K2CO3 (binary eutectics) and Li2CO3-Na2CO3-K2CO3 (ternary eutectic) and nanofluids based in these carbonate melts are presented. These melts are especially suitable for application at higher temperature regimes, like those involving high temperature energy storage, coolants or molten salts oxidations of wastes and therefore the accurate knowledge of their most important thermophysical properties is essential for efficient energy transfer and storage, because of their impact on energy efficiency, namely in energy savings and decrease of carbon footprint. From the analysis performed it can be concluded that the scatter of data found for molten alkali carbonates, added to present and future applications, still justifies further studies on these systems, to support their application as alternative engineering fluids. Additionally, some comments on how to improve present situation of methods and measurements are made, especially in the area of thermal conductivity.

Abstract One of the most prominent urban problems European cities face, is not only the physical degradation of its historic city centers, but also the degradation of their social, economic and environmental context. Moreover, common rehabilitation methods and strategies are often unsuccessful combatting such problem, and new ways and strategies must be researched, tested, and implemented under a new sustainable development policy. Creativity and artistic activities can play an important role in the resolution of this problem. For example, the re-occupation of derelict buildings, through creative and innovative activities, can contribute to resolving the primary issue. While analyzing a comparative case study using three examples: LxFactory in Lisbon, Ateneu Popular 9 Barris in Barcelona, and 59 Rivoli in Paris, it´s possible to conclude that their rehabilitation through art and culture, could produce positive side effects leading to social renovation and solid economic activity within itself and its surrounding area, creating new local economies, jobs, new tourists attractions, real estate opportunities and more. Considering the current standpoint and outlook on rehabilitation, as an action and movement of sustainability, especially at the environmental level, and associating it with the arts and culture movement, will allow it to solve the social and economic problem simultaneously. By introducing new dynamic living spaces in unoccupied and derelict buildings also re-energizes the economic value of the building as well as, most importantly, regenerating the actual city.

The progressive geography of climate change impacts places the African continent among the most vulnerable regions of the world. In line with the prediction of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in its first report (1990), the involuntary migration of population is already proving to be one of the most serious of such impacts across the region. The overwhelming majority of victims remain within their own countries. Therefore, coupled with conflict, violence and development projects, slow-onset and rapid-onset disasters have currently made Africa home to the largest number of internally displaced people. Determined to tackle this plight, on 23rd October 2009 the African Union adopted its Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa (Kampala Convention), articulating the need for a holistic response based on a combined framework of international human rights law and international humanitarian law. Five years since the convention entered into force (on 6th December 2012), this paper aims to taking stock of the progress made in its implementation and, in particular, assessing its effectiveness in protecting people environmentally displaced in the context of climate change. To this end, it identifies the existing and ongoing normative, policy and institutional processes on domestication and implementation of the convention and explores the degree to which these processes provide for the protection due to people displaced by environmental disasters, specially those slow-onset (e.g. desertification). The paper finds that, despite the remarkable efforts towards the implementation of the said convention, the concrete impact of its provisions on enhancing the protection of and assistance to environmental IDPs is still unperceiv

The purpose of this direct research is to assess the viability and sustainability of SATA SGPS in the market of aviation despite the public service’s conditioning. This analysis, based solely on public information available, indicates a misleading management of the Azorean Airline, in particular, towards its fleet distribution, financial situation and the unsustainable international branch. In the period of 2007-16, the firm deteriorated financially and operationally, leading to an airline in need of restructuring if its goal is to be sustainable in the long run. Abandoning its major international routes and redesigning its fleet composition seems the most viable answer.