Envioronmental Studies

Environmental change can present rapid and destructive influences on traditional livelihoods.1 In many contexts, environmental change compels local populations to flee their homelands with greater frequency and to take residence in unfamiliar portions of their own countries, becoming internally displaced persons (IDPs), or to take refuge in other countries, becoming international migrants or environmental refugees. This poses difficulties not only for the refugees themselves, but also for the counties that must absorb and resettle them within their borders. In some cases, environmental degradation has triggered a shift from traditional livelihood strategies to sustenance strategies involving armed conflict and violence.

The issue of compensation is an under-studied dimension of a rights-based approach to health. The emerging normative framework that allows for compensation of human rights abuses lacks a consistent and transparent methodology for valuing health losses. While methods for assigning monetary values to decreases in health have evolved through health economics, these techniques have developed outside of a human rights framework and do not adequately account for such concerns as fairness and nondiscrimination. These methods may in fact underestimate damages for poor individuals and communities, as well as for those subjected to prolonged abuses. This article will examine the normative foundations for compensation, evaluate methodological shortcomings, and propose a methodology for the valuation of health damages in group settings.

Le problème de la compensation est une dimension qui n’a pas été suffisamment étudiée dans l’approche à la santé basée sur les droits. La nouvelle structure normative qui accorde une compensation pour les abus des droits de l’homme manque de méthodologie cohérente et transparente pour l’évaluation de dommages en matière de santé. Bien que les méthodes d’attribution d’une valeur monétaire à la perte de santé aient évoluées avec le régime économique de la santé, ces techniques se sont développées en dehors d’une structure des droits de l’homme et ne tiennent pas suffisamment compte des préoccupations telles que la justice ou la non-discrimination. En fait, ces méthodes sous-estiment probablement les atteintes à la santé des personnes et communautés pauvres, ainsi que des victimes d’abus prolongés. Cet article examine les bases normatives de la compensation, évalue les défauts méthodologiques, et propose une méthodologie pour l’évaluation des atteintes à la santé au sein d’un groupe.

El tema de la compensación es una dimensión estudiada de manera insuficiente en los enfoques para la salud basados en los derechos. El marco normativo emergente, que permite compensación de abusos de derechos humanos carece de una metodología coherente y transparente para evaluar pérdidas de salud. Si bien los métodos para asignar valores monetarios a disminuciones de la salud han evolucionado por medio de la economía de la salud, estas técnicas se han desarrollado fuera de un marco de derechos humanos, y no toman en cuenta de manera adecuada enigmas tales como la imparcialidad y la ausencia de discriminación. De hecho, estos métodos pueden subestimar daños para personas y comunidades pobres, así como para quienes están sujetos a abusos prolongados. En este artículo se examinarán los fundamentos normativos para
la indemnización, se evaluarán defectos metodológicos, y se propondrá una metodología para la valoración de daños de la salud en situaciones
de grupo.

This dissertation addresses health risks factors associated with mercury (Hg) intake as a consequence of fish consumption among the Kuwaiti population. Hg is an established neurotoxin, and some studies have shown that it may also cause atherosclerotic lesions in blood vessels, leading to cardiovascular disease. For both of these reasons, it is important to gain a comprehensive understanding of the levels of fish consumed by the Kuwait population, the levels of mercury in fish consumed, as well as the physiological factors that influence uptake of Hg in the body. The three papers in this dissertation address each of these areas, individually.

In “Fish Consumption among Kuwaiti Nationals,” we assess the consumption patterns of the Kuwait population, including the types of fish that are consumed, the frequency with which they are consumed, and the average quantity of consumption among various age, sex, and ethnicity groups. In “Human Health Risks from Mercury in Fish,” we investigate the potential health effects to the Kuwaiti population as a results of current levels of fish consumption. In “Fish Consumption as a Determinant of Hair Mercury Levels among Kuwaiti Nationals,” we relate this consumption information to overall body burden of mercury for the purpose of better characterizing the relationship between intake of fish and corresponding hair Hg levels.

The order of papers in this dissertation is determined by the chronology of their conception. It should be noted that the third paper, “Fish Consumption as a Determinant of Hair Mercury Levels among Kuwaiti Nationals” indicates several changes should be made to “Human Health Risks from Mercury in Fish” risk assessment. This is primarily due to our treatment of fish with unknown Hg. In “Fish Consumption as a Determinant of Hair Mercury Levels among Kuwaiti Nationals,” we ultimately dropped from the analysis of the effect of fish consumption on body burden of mercury any and all fish with unknown Hg concentrations. “Human Health Risks from Mercury in Fish” was completed before this paper and instead extrapolated these values for fish or, as in the case of tuna, took as a proxy US and Canadian test values for Hg in fish. Subsequently, we decided that this was not an ideal approach.

It is hoped that these studies will inform future work in the areas of risk reduction and risk management, such that more accurate risk assessments may be undertaken in the future.

By 2015 countries will define the level and ambition of their reductions obligations; in the meantime, a more robust regime for compliance and accounting will be required. Among other things, the Durban Platform will further refine the structure of a system for measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) of emission reductions. Most countries will have to increase the transparency Authors: José Alberto Garibaldi, Mónica Araya and Guy Edwards LAC countries supporting high ambition at the international climate negotiations need to continue to shape a more ambitious climate narrative by acting together, domestically and internationally, and strengthening existing work with experts on bold action both within and outside the COPs.

Offering financial incentives to developing countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD) represents a potentially innovative and cost effective mechanism for tackling climate change. It also has clear links to biodiversity conservation and other areas of environmental protection. But can it be implemented in ways that safeguard, and ideally enhance, the welfare of the poor? There are three possible outcomes, which will depend on the design of REDD mechanisms and the context within which they are implemented: 1. REDD could deliver new benefits, for example through employment or increased security of land ownership 2. REDD could 'do no harm', offering no new benefits but presenting no new risks. This could be associated with an approach oriented to defending indigenous peoples' rights or 'poverty safety nets' 3. REDD could pose new risks, such as loss of access to land and conflict over resources This brief argues that all three of these potential outcomes need to be addressed (and can be addressed) to increase the long term viability of REDD. Of particular interest are issues related to risk management, benefit sharing arrangements, how the activities and interests of the poor are factored into REDD design, and potential distortion brought about by REDD systems. Based on the full report 'Making REDD Work for the Poor' (Peskett et al., 2008) This document does not necessarily represent the views of all PEP member agencies. For more information, see: www.povertyenvironment.net/pep/ PEP REDD Working Group Members Maria Berlekom (SIDA), Joshua Bishop (IUCN), Jill Blockhus (The Nature Conservancy), Tim Clairs (UNDP), Lisa Curran (Yale University), Barney Dixon (UNEP WCMC), Elspeth Halverson (UNDP), David Huberman (IUCN), Izabella Koziell (DFID), David McCauley (ADB), Charles McNeill (UNDP), Leo Peskett (ODI), Susanne Von Walter (SIDA)

In anticipation of the COP26 Glasgow United Nations Summit on Climate Change, this position paper draws attention to a series of research themes and potential questions to ask on the role of climate obstruction in the Global South. These initial research themes and questions set the foundation for a body of research that could have direct implications for nation states in the Global South and their engagement in future action on climate change. Background Research on climate obstruction and delay is dominated by studies from and about the USA, Europe, and Australia. These studies examine the contours and depths of the obstruction movements that manifest within the Global North. Far less is known about climate obstruction across the Global South. 1