Marshaling Social Responses to Environmental Changes

A Note From the Editor-in-Chief

Urban growth is a major threat to biodiversity conservation at the global scale. Its impacts are expected to be especially detrimental when it sprawls into the landscape and reaches sites of high conservation value due to the species and ecosystems they host, such as protected areas. I analyzed the degree of urbanization (i.e., urban cover and growth rate) from 2006 to 2015 in protected sites in the Natura 2000 network, which, according to the Habitats and Birds Directives, harbor species and habitats of high conservation concern in Europe. I used data on the degree of land imperviousness from COPERNICUS to calculate and compare urban covers and growth rates inside and outside Natura 2000. I also analyzed the relationships of urban cover and growth rates with a set of characteristics of Natura sites. Urban cover inside Natura 2000 was 10 times lower than outside (0.4% vs. 4%) throughout the European Union. However, the rates of urban growth were slightly higher inside than outside Natura 2000 (4.8% vs. 3.9%), which indicates an incipient urban sprawl inside the network. In general, Natura sites affected most by urbanization were those surrounded by densely populated areas (i.e., urban clusters) that had a low number of species or habitats of conservation concern, albeit some member states had high urban cover or growth rate or both in protected sites with a large number of species or habitats of high conservation value. Small Natura sites had more urban cover than large sites, but urban growth rates were highest in large Natura sites. Natura 2000 is protected against urbanization to some extent, but there is room for improvement. Member states must enact stricter legal protection and control law enforcement to halt urban sprawl into protected areas under the greatest pressure from urban sprawl (i.e., close to urban clusters). Such actions are particularly needed in Natura sites with high urban cover and growth rates and areas where urbanization is affecting small Natura sites of high conservation value, which are especially vulnerable and concentrated in the Mediterranean region.

The Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) was founded in 1994 to provide a meeting ground and support organization for individual social workers who engage in research. Over its first 14 years, SSWR has grown from a modest-sized organization that hosted an initial conference to a large and influential force that sponsors a wildly successful yearly conference. SSWR's annual conference now showcases a portfolio of awards, including a travel scholarship for a doctoral student, a named lecture, and a very competitive abstract submission process. Funding for research by social workers has grown over the years, and SSWR, in association with the Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research (IASWR), has become a regular provider of educational opportunities about funding sources. This article presents perspectives from the first seven presidents of the organization, who describe the growing richness and diversity of SSWR's membership and projects and the increasing visibility of research conducted by social workers. KEY WORDS: infrastructure; organization; research; SSWR ********** The Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) was founded as a membership organization in 1994 to support social workers interested in research. To preserve the history of SSWR, this article presents sections contributed by the first seven presidents, each describing, often from a personal point of view, how their efforts helped to build the organization and to contribute to the current research infrastructure in social work. PRESIDENTIAL PERSPECTIVES Janet B. W. Williams, Founding President, 1994-1996 It was 1992. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)Task Force Report on Social Work Research (1991) had just been presented to the National Advisory Mental Health Council of NIMH. The report clearly acknowledged the significance of social work research by recognizing the breadth of critical problems with which social work deals and the increasing need for all human services to demonstrate the effectiveness of the services they provide. This report provided the stimulus and led to the funding that supported the establishment in 1992 of the Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research (IASWR). IASWR was created by five leading social work organizations: Baccalaureate Program Directors (BPD), National Association of Deans and Directors (NADD), Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education (GADE), Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), and NASW. SSWR was conceived in direct response to the NIMH Task Force Report conclusion that [t]hroughout the profession there is insufficient organizational support for research development. As a research social worker who was not embedded in a school of social work, I had always felt somewhat professionally isolated and hungry for interaction with nay social work research colleagues. As a faculty member in a medical school department of psychiatry, I frequently attended conferences and meetings of research-oriented groups in psychiatry but knew of no similar groups in social work. Therefore, at a psychiatry research meeting shortly after the Task Force Report was issued, I discussed these thoughts with Dr. Alan Leshner, at the time the director of the National Institute on DrugAbuse (NIDA). He agreed to support the founding of such a group and to contribute to its first conference. In 1992, at an NIMH-sponsored conference in Washington, DC (Building Social Work Knowledge for Effective Mental Health Services and Policies), I presented a plan for a new membership organization that would provide social work researchers with a base: the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWFZ). At that conference, Betsy Vourlekis also presented a report on the development of the new IASWR, as she had been appointed head of the implementation committee. At the conclusion of the conference, Betsy approached me and asked if I would delay the initiation of efforts to establish a membership group until the new organizationally based IASWR was firmly off the ground. …

This chapter describes the evolution of social work science in relationship to the development of the Grand Challenges for Social Work Initiative. The two initiatives, which took root in the field in close to the same period, created a mutually supportive, synergistic environment that benefitted both. Social work science, grounded in critical realism, embraces methodological approaches supportive of the fundamental principles of the social work profession and contributes to both the scientific identity needed for the stewards of the profession of social work and the scientific pipeline for the Grand Challenges for Social Work. An initiative of the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare, the Grand Challenges for Social Work delineate bold innovations and collective action powered by proven and evolving scientific interventions to address critical social issues facing society today. This chapter discusses how this work helps to both develop and derive support from social work science.

More than total economic value: How to combine economic valuation of biodiversity with ecological resilience

Despite the social work profession’s unified commitment to identify and address widespread societal problems, there have been few scholarly articles that have focused on the Grand Challenges for Social Work and Society (“Grand Challenges”). While half of social work academic programs have reported incorporating content about the Grand Challenges initiative into curricula, there have not been any known empirical studies about whether graduates have interests in these areas or feel prepared to address the identified concerns. This quantitative study of master’s-level social workers indicates that the vast majority are unaware of the Grand Challenges and are not working on most social problems identified. Despite strong interest in addressing the Grand Challenges generally, the primary professional foci of social workers are limited to a few issues. There are significant overall relationships between professional interests, perceived competency to work on the problems, and views on the likelihood of the profession making progress on addressing the Grand Challenges. Results have significant implications for social work education as practicum placements and work opportunities need to be developed in key areas if the profession wants to have desired societal impacts.

Objective: This study aims to appraise woody plant species diversity and their depletion in Abia State, Nigeria with a view of understanding pattern of vegetation loss for a 30-year period through the use of Geographical Information System (GIS) Methodology: The methodology adopted a survey design. The study area was divided into three zones based on vegetation distribution using vegetation map. This was done after preliminary observation of the pattern on the satellite imageries. Landsat 8 satellite imagery for thirty years (1988-2018) was used to determine the rate of vegetation loss. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was used to obtain basic information on land cover changes in Abia State. The images were imported into the Erdas Imagine 9.2 environment where they were rectified to a common projection, Universal Traverse Mercator (UTM). Georeferencing was done by assigning geographical information to the datasets. Result and Discussion: The study revealed that Land use land cover (LULC) changes from 1988 to 2018 had serious adverse effects on vegetation distribution in general and woody plant species diversity in particular and these could lead to an irreversible species loss if not total extinction of most exotic woody plant species in the study area. Most importantly, a study of this nature has not been conducted with reference to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which are currently the framework for discussion of global environment and development issues. Recommendations were made on measures to encourage and sustain woody plant species conservation and so achieve the sustainable development goals agenda of the United Nations. Research Implications: It was the compelling need to preserve and sustainably manage our environment that led the United Nations to formulate the SDGs in September 2015. This study will contribute to the achievement of SDG 15, which aims to protect, restore and promote the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification and halt and reverse land degradation, and halt biodiversity loss. Originality/Value: This study contributes to knowledge by underscoring the invaluable essence of the GIS as an optimal procedure of choice in appraising the pattern of depletion of woody plant species in Abia State, Nigeria. The findings of the study support the recommend policy formulation by Government as well as the enforcement of pro-active measures in line with these policies, to mitigate reckless plundering of Woody Plant Species (WPS), promote and conserve WPS in order to achieve the United Nations SDGs in the study area.

In the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by the UN General Assembly on 5 September 2015, 17 targets were set in line with the Sustainable Development Targets. In this study, the Sustainable Development Goal 15 (SDG15)—protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss—is discussed within the framework of the tourism sector. The study aims to propose a sustainable tourism vision and policy in line with the SDG 15. The study suggests the development of ecological tourism, which is a sustainable tourism vision, in line with SDGs.

Social workers engage with many professionals to address complex social problems. This includes leveraging the power of social work to support quality interventions on interprofessional teams. While generalist social workers are prepared to apply multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks and rely on interprofessional collaboration, specialized practice education enables social workers to operate at the highest level on interprofessional teams. Since 2019, the Eastern Kentucky University Master of Social Work program has been developing a specialization in interprofessional social work. This article presents the rationale and elements of this program and how students demonstrate interprofessional practice behaviors that align with the Council on Social Work Education core competencies. It is through this approach that social workers can mobilize the power of interprofessional teamwork to address the Grand Challenges for Social Work.

The Grand Challenges for Social Work were introduced by the American Academy for Social Work & Social Welfare in 2016, which are social problems that are interrelated and “exceedingly complex”. We discuss the relevance of complexity theory, operationalized by complex adaptive systems (CAS), to the Grand Challenges. CAS moves beyond current ecological systems approaches and is more appropriate for studying nonlinear, dynamic phenomena such as the Grand Challenges. We explore ideas for incorporating CAS into the social work curriculum at all levels. Adopting CAS into social work practice and research via changes to the curriculum will complement current practices and can facilitate interdisciplinary research teams, and thus has tremendous promise for helping social workers address the Social Work Grand Challenges.

Aims: The purpose of this study is to investigate the key energy and environmental issues that Sri Lanka is to address under sustainable development agenda of the United Nations. Study Design: This study reviewed relevant recent studies and reports published by government and non-governmental sources on the issues in relation to selected sustainable development goals on energy and environment namely Goal 07- access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all, Goal 13- combating climate change and its impacts, and Goal 15- protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss. Place and Duration of Study: The research was conducted in Sri Lanka during May to July 2017. Methodology: This paper is qualitative in nature and was conducted as a desk review using available resources online. Results: Issues relating to environment and energy are among the foremost important areas to be addressed for the realization of Sustainable Development Goals in Sri Lakethe. The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals relating to energy and environment on the other hand tend to have captured the key energy and environmental in issues that Sri Lanka is to concentrate. Conclusion: Issues that Sri Lanka faces in environment and energy sectors can significantly be remedied when the country makes tangible progress on relevant SDGs. It is also noteworthy however that the strategies for achieving the sustainable development goals require integrated and holistic approach backed by bold policy, legal and institutional framework.

Creating social responses to a changing environment is one of twelve Grand Challenges for Social Work (GCSW) that were launched in 2015 by the American Academy of Social Work & Social Welfare to use science, innovation, and new forms of collaboration to accelerate progress toward solving major social problems. One of these grand challenges pertains to the social problems created by human-caused changes in the physical environment. Along with genetic factors, human evolution has largely been driven by changes in our environment brought about by natural geophysical and biological processes and human activity, including urbanization and migration. In recent years, human activity has led to unprecedented levels of environmental degradation and unsustainable trends in environmental problems such as air pollution, water shortages, extreme weather events, and sea-level rise threatening the health, well-being, and survival of people and entire ecosystems. Moreover, these changes have not been distributed equally or equitably. Environmental change is fundamentally a social justice issue because climate change and other forms of environmental degradation disproportionately affect marginalized populations, including ethnic and racial minorities, women, children, older adults, people living in poverty, individuals with a history of mental or behavioral health problems, and people with disabilities as well as low-income, geographically vulnerable communities and nations. Disproportionate impacts include climate-related morbidity and mortality; population dislocation, notably rural to urban “climigration,” to areas less impacted by climate change; disruptions in employment and income; escalating food and water insecurity; heightened risks of gendered violence; and the devastating effect of extreme weather events. To ensure an environmentally sustainable and healthy world for all, solutions are urgently needed that are socially and culturally responsive, ethical, and equitable. The grand challenge to create social responses to a changing environment is perhaps the only one that is global in scope. The goals of this grand challenge are to: (1) adopt and implement an evidence-based approach to disaster preparedness and response; (2) develop policies and practices targeting environmentally induced migration and population displacement; (3) strengthen equity-oriented urban resilience policies and practices and proactively engage marginalized communities in adaptation planning; and (4) engage with individuals, groups, and communities in learning about and crafting responses to the local impacts of global changes. The grand challenge is intended to develop a workforce of social workers to address these changes through partnerships with vulnerable, under-resourced communities and collaborations with researchers from other disciplines, practitioners, and policymakers. This article summaries work that has served as the foundation for social work research, policy, and practice related to environmental changes with a specific focus on climate change, urbanization, environmental justice, and ecosocial work. It also summarizes work on these issues that has been specifically inspired by the social work grand change to create social responses to environmental change.

Introduction. Changes in the United Nations (UN) reform process since early 2000 have led to a reorganization of the peacekeeping training system for peacekeeping operations. The multinational nature of the UN peacekeeping operations environment and their complexity require a clear understanding of UN standardized approaches to training peacekeepers, especially in the pre-deployment phase. Purpose. Analysis of evolution of UN training strategy and its current characteristics. Methods: System analysis, comparison, classification, generalization and systematization. Results. The article contains an analysis of training of the UN peacekeeping personnel for peacekeeping operations and distribution of responsibilities by training stages in the UN system. The evolution of UN peacekeeping activities caused by the emergence of complex peacekeeping operations has led to the formation of new requirements for the training of peacekeeping personnel, based on a comprehensive analysis and lessons learned of conducted peacekeeping operations. Pre-deployment training for peacekeeping personnel is a basic training, the standardized minimum of which is set by the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations, but the responsibility for its quality rests with the contributing countries.Originality. The scientific novelty of the study is the analysis of the UN approaches to the formation of training strategy for peacekeeping operations, which determines the thematic focus and distribution of tasks by stages of training in the UN system. Currently, this topic is paid less attention, than other issues relating to peacekeeping activities in Ukraine. The practical significance of this research refers to the informative material for assessing the strategy of training peacekeepers according to UN standards, identifying the main directions and focusing efforts on training peacekeepers for peacekeeping operations.Conclusion. Analysis of UN reports and other materials on the training of UN peacekeeping personnel conducted in the article shows, that this training has undergone an appropriate evolutionary period, which is characterized by emergence of complex peacekeeping operations. Thus the tasks for mentioned operations got wider spectrum with formation of new training strategy, which covers military, civilian and police components. Development of UN training strategy based on comprehensive analysis and lessons learned from conducted UN peacekeeping operations has tendency for further changes consider complexity of operational environment in UN peacekeeping operations.The pre-deployment training of peacekeeping personnel remains the main training where member states responsible for its quality, however, a standardized approach to training rests for UN, maintained through the development of standard training materials and requirements for peacekeeping personnel.

Objectives: This study aims to analyze and determine the legal certainty of land rights for the Bajo tribe, which lives in the sea waters. In line with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 15, which promotes sustainable use of ecosystems and the rights of indigenous communities, this study highlights the importance of securing the Bajo Tribe’s land rights. Method: The research method used is empirical legal research, which uses empirical facts taken from human behavior. The collected data were analyzed using qualitative legal analysis methods, and the results were presented using descriptive-analytical methods. Results and Discussion: The conclusions from this research show that the Bajo Tribe has a legal basis for obtaining legal certainty over the area where they live. The state now recognizes the Bajo Tribe community, which lives on the sea, by issuing HGB certificates. It has a maximum period of 30 years and can be extended for 20 years. Furthermore, HGB can be upgraded to Freehold Rights by applying with the provision that the HGB is still valid or has expired and in the name of the rights holder who is still alive or deceased.

The sustainable development goals (SDGs) for 2030 are established to address global challenges including environment and human well-being. The SDGs are interconnected and achievement of them requires consideration of the planet’s ecosystems and resources - land, water and air. Ecosystem services (ES) approach has a high potential for better planning, policy and decision making. Understanding how different ecosystems (e.g., forests, rivers, wetlands, grasslands) contribute to the social and economic benefits is critical to ensure the long-term biodiversity protection and sustainable use of ecosystems. A conceptual framework linking biodiversity and ecosystem condition (its structure and functions), and ES to human well-being has been well-established in EU by so called MAES process (Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystem Services) lead by the European Commission. The framework is applied in recent research studies and projects, as well as national MAES processes. Various methods are applied for MAES in terms to determine biophysical, economic and social values and to deliver integrated ecosystem assessment. Assessment of ES and trade off analysis shall provide a new perspective for land use planning and decision making at different administrative and spatial levels and in different sectoral policies. EU and national policies for instance on agriculture, fishery, forestry, climate should account the benefits provided by relevant ecosystems and to ensure that the values are not diminished but rather enhanced during the implementation of the policies. Terrestrial and water ecosystems are interconnected as land-based human activities creates pressure that impacts the conditions in water ecosystems and thus delivery of ES by rivers and lakes. For example, intensive agricultural land use produces food for people and income; however, the activity also most frequently causes problems with water quality and quantity in the catchment area and a loss of biodiversity. A risk of such trade-off shall be handled in policy development. Ecosystems also contributes to the resilience of communities by reducing the risk of natural hazards and mitigate adverse impacts. Regulating services such as flood control are substituting investments in flood protection ensured by forests, wetlands and grasslands instead of human built infrastructure. Appropriate land cover and land use shall serve as a basic flood protection measure. Natural processes are increasingly recognised to create new-type solutions that use and deploy the properties of natural ecosystems and their services in an “engineered” way. A wide range of measures called also as nature-based solutions provide another opportunity to work with nature towards global sustainability.