Augmenting Change
Future-focused Urban Water Management - Kerb-side Stormwater Infiltration Strategies: Fostering Resilience - Trees, Stormwater, and Climate-smart Urban Development. View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Harsha Sapdhare
A rapidly increasing population, together with climatic variability and climate change are contributing to severe water scarcity in Australia. One promising development in stormwater management is the kerb-side inlet system, which is designed to harvest stormwater runoff from residential streets and arterial roads for the irrigation of street trees and first flush. These systems efficiently capture the initial surge of stormwater, thereby mitigating and bioremediating pollutants and nutrients that could otherwise impact receiving waters through toxicity or algal blooms. This research examines the performance of kerb-side stormwater harvesting devices situated within the root zones of street trees. Field observations have measured high infiltration rates, with some locations registering up to 5 kilolitres of harvested stormwater annually. This was achieved with low maintenance requirements – essentially routine street sweeping. Importantly, this implementation had no discernible impact on seasonal ground movement. A regular survey of kerb elevations along research site, measuring ground movement linked to enhancing soil moisture. We collected data between 2014 and 2016 regarding ground movement in response to stormwater harvesting through kerb-side inlets at the case study site. A total of 160 survey points were strategically placed at the inlet locations, midway between them, and in the asphalt road surface 2m from the kerb. The current research project has demonstrated that stormwater harvesting and infiltration through kerb-side inlets has multiple beneficial effects. This includes increased growth of diameter of saplings by 77%, enhanced transpiration in both saplings and mature street trees by 17% and 21% respectively.
Featured Sustainable Fashion: Textiles and Microplastics View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Alessia Vacca
The global fashion industry is one of the largest and influential industries in the world. There is a plethora of applications of plastics in the fashion industry. Synthetic fabrics shed microplastics when washed and end up in the oceans posing risks to marine species and human health. Indeed, about 60% of textile fibres are synthetic. Most of our clothes contain plastics like polyester, nylon, rayon, acrylic and polyamide. This fact poses the question of both legal and social accountability of the fashion industry to reduce the production of plastics. This paper explores the efficacy of the current international and regional legal frameworks (EU) that regulate the use of plastics in the fashion industry. In order to tackle the problem of plastic-use in fashion industry, the ‘sustainable fashion’ concepts will be explored, which sit opposite with ‘fast fashion’. Based on the assumption that ‘sustainable fashion’ should the way forward to achieve ‘sustainability’ leading to circularity in the fashion industry, to what extent the current legal instruments support the sustainable fashion concepts will be the heart of this study. The successful promotion and the practical implementation of the sustainable fashion trend encouraged by the mixture of soft and hard law will ultimately lead to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and to the reduction of the plastic-use in the fashion industry, which is relevant to combat climate change. The relevant stakeholders should also have a pivotal role for climate action, for reducing the use of plastics and protecting the sea/ocean.
The Nuances of Policy and Institutional Strength, Income Growth and Energy Transitioning: A Test of the Energy Ladder Hypothesis in USA View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Akinwale Ishola
This study investigates the impact of policy and institutional strength for sustainability, and income growth (GDP growth) on renewable energy adoption in the United States, employing time-series data and the Quantile Autoregressive Distributed Lag (QARDL) model. Solar energy adoption serves as a key proxy for renewable energy transitioning, while the study also tests the energy ladder hypothesis, which posits that rising incomes lead to a shift from traditional energy sources to cleaner, modern options. The results reveal homogenous positive relationships between policy and institutional strength, income growth and renewable energy adoption. Strong policy measures, such as Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) and federal tax incentives, significantly enhance renewable technology uptake, particularly in higher adoption quantiles. Also, institutional quality ensures effective implementation of these policies by fostering regulatory consistency and efficient resource allocation. Income growth further supports this transition, with higher incomes enabling investments in clean energy technologies and driving a shift away from fossil fuels, validating the energy ladder hypothesis. Amid contemporary challenges like rising energy demand, fossil fuel price volatility, and the urgency of achieving carbon neutrality, the findings emphasize the need for targeted actions to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy. Expanding financial incentives, strengthening institutional frameworks, and investing in workforce development are crucial steps. Furthermore, this addresses energy equity through programs targeting underserved communities and promoting resilience.
A Community of One in Barangay Mahabang Parang, Sta. Maria, Bulacan, Philippines View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Angel Rose Valenzuela,
Vianca Elisse Semillano,
John Patrick Mendoza,
Albert Romero
Community-participation is the lifeblood of good governance. The power to mold the society is in the citizens with the help of the elected officials. The study examines the level of community participation in local decision-making processes. Through interviews with residents, it explores the residents’ awareness and perspective, particularly youth, in engaging with local governance. The findings highlight the challenges faced by citizens and the importance of engagement in nurturing local policies and the role of youth leaders as representative of the younger generation. The study shows that enhancing community participation can lead to more knowledgeable and responsive decision-making.
