Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
Following is the January/February edition of EarthLink, a bi-monthly current awareness newsletter produced by INFOTERRA/USA. EarthLink provides information on international environmental activities, publications and news of interest to EPA staff and other environment professionals.
Sections:
Article: Environmental Databases Online?
Internet Sites Regarding Environmental Databases
Online
International Environment News
GeneralCoastal
Management
Forests and Conservation
Urban Planning and Environment
Air Pollution
Pesticides
Remediation
Chemicals
Cleaner Production
Upcoming International Conferences
INFOTERRA Information
Subscribe to EarthLink on the Listserv
Environmental Databases Online?
After receiving many questions on this subject, we at INFOTERRA/USA have found a number of databases on the web for journal articles covering environmental issues. The journals should include the abstracts of the articles, cover scientific publications in the field of the environment or that is a general natural science/engineering databases, and be available either free of charge or for a reasonable fee.
We have included them here with a brief description and their web locations, and then we have also listed them out individually in the Internet Sites section below.
Elsevier Science Direct:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/
ScienceDirect is a Web database for scientific research that contains the full text of more than 1,000 Elsevier Science journals in the life, physical, medical, technical, and social sciences available through the Internet. To provide a starting point for the research process, and to expand the literature coverage beyond Elsevier Science journals, ScienceDirect also contains abstracts from the core journals in the major scientific disciplines.
Northern Light
http://www.northernlight.com/
This is a search service which provides some free access to materials. Fees are charged for other materials.
International Academy- Santa Barbara, Environmental Periodicals
Bibliography Database:
http://www.iasb.org/
A guide to periodical literature on the environment. It provides indexed citations to more than 600,000 articles published over the last 26 years. Authors' abstracts have been included since 1997. Click on the Environmental Periodicals Bibliography" link at the main IASB homepage to access more information about the database and how to obtain a password.
INTERNET SITES CONCERNING ONLINE ENVIRONMENTAL DATABASES
1. Elsevier Science Direct:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/
2. Envirosources:
http://www.envirosources.com
4. Meteorological and Geophysical
Abstracts
http://www.demo1.mganet.org/
5. Northern Light
http://www.northernlight.com/
6. World
Bank Environment Bulletin:
http://www-esd.worldbank.org/html/esd/env/publicat/publicat.htm
INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT NEWS
General
"UNEP Governing Council Adopts Budget of Nearly $120 Million for Next Biennium." International Environmental Reporter, 17 February 1999 (Vol.22, No. 4): 133-134.
The core budget of the United Nations Environment Program is set at almost $120 million for the biennium 2000 and 2001, an eleven percent increase over the budget set for 1998 and 1999. The figure ($119.4 million), proposed by Executive Director Klaus Töpfer, was adopted at UNEP's 20th Governing Council meeting held at UNEP headquarters in an atmosphere Töpfer described as 'unusually cooperative.'
"GEF/UNEP Relationship Entering 'New and Exciting' Phase, Töpfer
Says." International Environmental Reporter, 17 February 1999
(Vol. 22, No. 4): 134-135.
The often strained relationship between UNEP and the Global Environment
Facility - a partnership between UNEP, the U.N. Development Program, and
the World Bank - has entered a 'new and exciting phase,' Töpfer says
during the Governing Council meeting. Töpfer joins with GEF Chief
Executive Officer and Chairman Mohamed T. El-Ashry to announce new areas
of cooperation between the two bodies.
"U.K., South Africa Ratify London Convention; Five Nations to Act in
1999." International Environmental Reporter, 6 January 1999 (Vol.
22, No. 1): 9-10.
The United Kingdom announces its ratification of the 1996 protocol to
the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes
and Other Matter, also known as the London Dumping Convention, during
the 20th Consultative Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the 1972 treaty.
Six other nations also pledge to ratify the treaty in 1999. One is South
Africa, which actually files its instrument of ratification before the
close of the year.
"Environment Committee Rejects Limit of Seven Years for Approval of GMOs."
International Environmental Reporter, 3 February 1999 (Vol. 22, No.
3): 96.
The European Parliament's Environment Committee rejected a Commission
proposal to limit the approval of new genetically modified organisms to
a seven-year time period. Instead, the Environment Committee called for
an unlimited license when regulatory authorities are satisfied such organisms
pose no environmental threat. In cases where specific concerns are raised
about environmental impact, it said, a 12-year regulatory approval license
should be issued.
Börjesson, Pål, "Environmental Effects of Energy Crop Cultivation
in Sweden -- 1: Identification & Quantification," Biomass &
Bioenergy 16, no. 2 (February 1999): 137-154.
This paper presents an analysis of how energy crop cultivations in Sweden,
consisting of short-rotation forest (Salix) and energy grass (reed canary
grass), can be located and managed to maximize environmental benefits.
The overall conclusion is that substantial environmental benefits, ranging
from global to site-specific, could be achieved when traditional annual
food crops produced with current agriculture practices are replaced by
dedicated perennial energy crops. The emission of greenhouse gases could
be reduced by reduced carbon dioxide emissions from organic soils, by
reduced nitrous oxide emissions caused by the use of fertilizers and through
accumulation of soil carbon in mineral soils, which also leads to increased
soil fertility. Nutrient leaching could be reduced by using energy crop
cultivations as buffer strips along open streams and wind erosion could
be reduced by using Salix plantations as shelter belts. Cultivation of
Salix and energy grass can also be used to purify municipal waste, such
as waste water, landfill leachate, and sewage sludge. Furthermore, the
content of heavy metals in the soil can be reduced through Salix cultivation.
The biodiversity is estimated to be almost unchanged, or slightly increased
in open farmland. These environmental benefits, which could be achieved
on up to 60% of current Swedish arable land and last for 25 years or more,
will increase the value of the energy crops. The economic value of these
benefits is calculated in Part II of the analysis, which is presented
in a second paper.
Coastal Management
*Also see the Naturopa special issue focusing exclusively on
Coastal zones and sustainable management. (Naturopa 88, 1998).
Published by the Council of Europe.*
Thia-Eng, Chua, "Lessons Learned from Practicing Integrated Coastal Management
in Southeast Asia," Ambio 27, no. 8 (December 1998): 599-610.
This paper evaluates the performance of integrated coastal management
projects in Southeast Asia. Two of the eight programs have reached the
implementation stage. The other six have, however, completed environmental
assessments. "The author discusses the lessons learned from 13 years of
practicing ICM including the formulation and implementation of...the 8
programs..."
Berg, H., et. al., "Environmental Economics of Coral Reef Destruction
in Sri Lanka," Ambio 27, no. 8 (December 1998): 627-634.
Coastal populations worldwide depend upon coral reefs for their livelihoods.
This article discusses a study of the costs and benefits of coral reef
mining. The study reveals that the long-term costs of mining exceed the
short-term benefits. Efforts to promote the sustainable resource use of
the coral reef system, therefore, are necessary. "The costs of a policy
of inaction are the losses in value of the functions of coral reefs...Only
a few of these functions can be expressed in monetary terms, and some
of the most important are not quantifiable."
Voabil, C., et. al., "SEACAM: Coastal Zone Management in Eastern Africa
has Taken a New Approach," Ambio 27, no. 8 (December 1998): 776-778.
The Secretariat for Eastern Africa Coastal Area Management (SEACAM) was
established in 1997 to address issues and devise approaches to combat
coastal degradation in the region. In this effort SEACAM has established
five specific areas of priority: capacity building (especially of local
non-government organizations), database of coastal zone management activities
(programs & projects; institutions & individuals), environmental
assessment, and sustainable financing of programs. Because of its focused
approach, strong core funding and vigorous government support, SEACAM's
program has made rapid progress.
Forests and Conservation
Menotti, Victor. "Globalization and the Acceleration of Forest Destruction
Since Rio." 28 The Ecologist, no. 6 (November/December 1998):
354-362.
It might be assumed that since the 1992 Earth Summit at Rio de Janeiro
the pace of environmental destruction has slowed down. However, no concrete
programs emerged from that meeting. Any programs developed would have
been subsumed by the growth of the global economy and the GATT, as well
as subsequent free trade agreements. In this article, the author shows
to what extent this has been the case with the world's remaining tropical
forests.
Urban Planning and Environment
Pelley, Janet. "Building Smart-Growth Communities." Environmental
Science & Technology 1 January 1999 (Vol. 33, No.1): 28A-32A.
Urban sprawl continues to eat up land, damage natural resources, and
create avoidable environmental impacts. Janet Pelley explains how city
planners are responding to these problems by combining traditional and
contemporary design principles to preserve open spaces and reduce environmental
impacts.
Air Pollution
Agren, Christer. "Surprisingly Great Emissions from Cars." Acid News,
No. 4 (December 1998): 13.
According to a Swedish study, new cars in the EU which have catalytic
converters release less nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds and
carbon monoxide, but actually increases the emissions of ammonia. For
the purposes of the Swedish study, four new cars were tested, with engine
volumes from 1.6 to 2.8 liters. The results showed the emissions of ammonia
to be relatively low during normal driving, but to be very much higher
when the engine was being driven under high load, as for instance at very
high speeds.
Pesticides
Christen, Kris. "IMO Will Ban the Use of a Popular Biocide." Environmental
Science & Technology 1 January 1999 (Vol. 33, No.1): 11A.
Despite concern that an early ban on the use of tributyl tin (TBT) could
lead to other environmental problems, the International Maritime Organization
(IMO) plans to ban the application of organotin antifouling paints on
ships by 2003. Critics argue that costly antifouling alternatives have
not yet undergone the rigorous testing they would require to be proven
effective and safe.
Remediation
Obuekwe, C.O. et. al., "Bioremediation of Crude Oil Pollution in the
Kuwaiti Desert: The Role of Adherent Microorganisms," Environmental
International 24, no. 8 (November 1998): 823-834.
Pieces of stones and other solid materials scientists found in the oil
lake sites of the Kuwait desert appeared clean, providing indications
of surface-associated enhanced crude oil degradation. Scanning electron
microscope studies revealed that such surfaces were colonized by active
microbial populations. The colonization of the stone surfaces was concentrated
within crevices. When enriched from washed pieces of stones from the oil
lake, the resulting mixed population of adherent microorganisms degraded
much more crude oil (44.4%) in the presence of inert carrier materials
(styrofoam chips) in laboratory cultures, than in the absence of the inert
materials (21.8%). The inert materials were found to be extensively colonized
by microorganisms just as was observed with the stone and other solid
samples from the oil lake.
Chemicals
Rockne, Karl J. and Stuart E. Strand. "Biodegradation of Bicyclic and
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Anaerobic Enrichments." 32 Environmental
Science & Technology, No. 24 (December 15, 1998): 3962-7.
Although many polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are known to be biodegraded under aerobic conditions, most contaminated sediments are anaerobic. With recent results demonstrating that some bicyclics and PAHs can be degraded without oxygen, information on specific biodegradation rates and electron acceptor stoichiometry is lacking. A fluidized bed reactor (FBR) enrichment approach was used to enrich for bacterial cultures able to anaerobically degrade napthalene, biphenyl, and phenanthrene with stoichiometric production of sulfide or nitrate reduction. The results show that bicyclics and PAHs can be biodegraded under nitrate- and sulfate reducing conditions and suggest that anaerobic treatment may provide a useful option for remediation of PAH-contaminated sediments.
Cleaner Production
Boyle, Carol, "Education, Sustainability and Cleaner Production," Journal
of Cleaner Production 7, no. 1 (February 1999): 83-87.
Successful integration of cleaner production concepts and technologies into businesses and industries will require that professionals in those industries receive adequate training and knowledge. Yet at present, most university programs outside mainstream environmental programs cover little in the way of environmental issues or sustainability and few show how environmental concepts such as cleaner production should be integrated into management, design, engineering, marketing and service. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the need for including sustainability in professional practices and education and, using engineering as an example, discuss how the University of Auckland is undertaking this task.
UPCOMING INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES
Notices regarding the following international conferences have been sent to INFOTERRA during the last few months. Notification is received through the mail and over the Internet. The list below is not comprehensive; INFOTERRA maintains a fairly large file of conference announcements. If you have any questions about the conferences listed below, or would like to consult our conferences file, please contact the INFOTERRA office (202) 566-0544 or send an email request to: library-infoterra@epa.gov.
1.Second Inter-American Conference on Water Resources Management (II
Water Meeting)
Montevideo, Uruguay
15-18 June 1999
This conference will provide an opportunity to exchange technical and political information on water management in the world, especially in the Americas. There will be three panels for discussion of technical issues regarding integrated management of water resources, water uses (human, livestock, agricultural) and water standards (economic, legal, and institutional aspects). Contact: email: aguas@iica.org.uy; FAX: (5982) 902-1318.
2. Collection Systems Rehabilitation and O&M 1999
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
1-4 August 1999
This conference aims to equip policy makers and water quality professionals with timely ands pertinent information for the operation, maintenance, and management of collection systems, with special emphasis on the challenges of extremely hot or cold climates. For more information, contact: Water Environment Federation (WEF). Phone: 703-684-2452; Email: confinfo@wef.org.
3. International Conference on Biological Treatment of Waste and the
Environment (ORBIT 99)
Weimar, Germany
2-4 September 1999
ORBIT 99 addresses the whole spectrum of biological waste management. In particular, focus will be on aspects pertinent to composting and anaerobic digestion. The aim of this conference is to promote communication of and debate on issues of interest to plant operators, scientists, regulators, and other state and private organizations. Contact: E.K. Papadimitriou; Bauhaus Universität Weimar, Lehrstuhl Abfallwirtschaft, Coudaystr. 7, D-99423 Weimar, GERMANY; Phone: (49) -(0)36 43 / 58 46 47; FAX: (49) (0) 36 43 / 58 46 39; Email: papadimi@bauing.uni-weimar.de
4. Third International Conference on Emissions Monitoring (CEM 99)
University of Warwick, Coventry, ENGLAND
6-8 September 1999
CEM is an important conference for experts in stack testing, representatives of industry, utilities, and government agencies, dealing with emissions testing issues. The conference provides the opportunity for agencies throughout the world to present the latest regulations on emissions monitoring to the source testing community for discussion and debate. For more information contact: Dave Curtis, Source Testing Association, 101 Bancroft, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG5 1NB, UK; Tel +44(0) 1462 457535; Fax +44(0) 1462 457157; Email: CEM99@s-t-a.org.
5. International Workshop on UV Exposure, Measurement, and Protection
Chilton, Oxfordshire, UK
18-20, 1999
The scope of this workshop is to provide a better understanding of the science relating to human UV exposure and the environmental, behavioral and social factors relating to such exposure; to review existing measurement techniques for assessing exposure and their associated uncertainties; to examine the adequacy of existing protection methods and public perception initiatives in reducing overall exposure; to set clear objectives and policy for future requirements in this area. Contact: Dr Colin Driscoll, (UV Workshop), NRPB, Chilton, Didcot, OX11 0RQ, United Kingdom; Email: colin.driscoll@nrpb.org.uk; Fax: 44- 1235 831600; tel: 44- 1235 822724.
