The need of understanding the relationship between the physical habitat and ecology in the fluvial systems has become a major issue due to an increasing environmental conciousness but also because of the normativity which demand the achievement of the good status of the water bodies and its ecosystems. Exactly this requirement is prescribed by the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) which have included the hydromorphology as an important aspect of evaluation due to the influence that it has on the ecology of a river system. The hydromorphology gets relevance because it study the system as a whole, involving the interactions between ecology, hydrology and fluvial geomorphology. As a response to the WFD each country of the European Union has developed a method for guaranteeing the compliance of the normativity. Elements of such methods and of international literature are collected for the development of a methodology that fulfill the gaps of the current Colombian water normativity and support the decision making in the environmental planning and impact assessment. This guide for the river morphological restoration in Colombia is a complete hydromorphological analysis of a selected river which main purpose is to make an approach to the general aspects of the river in the macro scale, followed by an assessment in the meso scale in which the river is segmented, classified and the hydromorphological conditions are scored; finally, a simulation is performed for a critical reach, called in this work the “bottle neck” reach. The simulation consists in a hydrodynamics model (or hydromorphodynamics model as optional), its results of depth, velocity and substrate in combination with the preferences of a fish indicator species, are computed in the software CASiMiR and give the habitat suitability in the study area for the simulated conditions. The application of such methodology is applied in a mountainous river reach downstream the Punt da Gall dam in Switzerland for which the hydromorphological aspects in the macro and meso scale are assessed and in the micro scale the habitat distribution of fish indicator species are calculated. The present work is an attempt to apply the habitat simulation as a tool for determining hydromorphological quality, for river restoration activities and for determining minimum habitat conditions when the discharge is regulated. Future investigations include the application in a Colombian river for which the collection of biological data still is a challenge.

This research is focused on obtaining an important reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions resulting from the use of fossil fuels by increasing the efficiency of pre-combustion carbon capture. It examines a new, low-risk, approach that uses conventional water gas shift reactors and acid gas removal technology in a unusual arrangement, within an Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle power plant (IGCC). Timmins (2010) proposed a flowsheet of this nature and it is this flowsheet that is used as the starting point for this research project. Process simulation in UniSim Design R390 is conducted  to validate the viability of such  a flowsheet and to investigate optimal plant configuration. The modelling output is compared to US DOE baseline studies for competing technologies (2010).The physical solvent, Selexol, is used for cardon dioxide (CO2) absorption as recommended by researchers as the most energy efficient amongst the range of physical and chemical solvents investigated. There are mainly two thermodynamic models required to meet all of the needs of this complex process. Most of the process is modelled with the Peng-Robinson equation of state but the Selexol absorber and desorber is modelled using the non-random-two-liquid model  (NRTL) for the liquid phase and the ideal gas law for the vapour phase. A beseline flowsheet model is successfully modelled that could be attached to an IGCC plant to enable it to continue producing electric power whilst capturing 90% of the carbon derived from the fuel. The model is used for process development, and for energy efficiency evaluation. Every major item of capital equipment has been included, modelled and sized to produce a cost analysis and additionallly, the model output was used for a preliminary life cycle analysis (LCA). From the results produced in this study, the proposed process appears to be a feasible, energy-efficient, alternative technology for incorporating carbon capture within an IGCC flowsheet.

On average, 44% of total water abstraction in Europe is used in agriculture. Evidence of water scarcity in Europe is borne out by research that shows increasing strain on water resources in 30% of EU member states. Current research seems to validate the view that wastewater treatment and reuse is a technical opportunity to address the imbalances between agricultural water demand and European water resources in the long term. Currently, just 2.4% of wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents are reused, and thus the water reuse potential in Europe remains high. This document reports on and analyses the performance of a prototype-scale plant installed to treat real wastewater in rural Spain using a Treat & Reuse Membrane Bioreactor (T&R MBR). It shows that the T&R MBR is an improvement on MBR operations due to the fact that it produced a solids-free, nutrient rich and high-quality permeate in which Escherichia Coli was removed to values < 1 ufc/100ml. Furthermore, Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD5), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Turbidity and Suspended Solids (SS) were typically lowered to concentrations below the legal limit established in countries such as France, Italy, Spain, Greece, Cyprus and Portugal. Additionally, the system was able to extract nutrients from the wastewater inflow and to retain them in the permeate at 80% and 60% of the Nitrogen (once transformed to Nitrates) and Phosphorous, respectively. These results, combined with the continuing reduction of capital and operating costs for the T&R MBRs, suggest that they are an increasingly cost-effective technology for producing treated effluents suitable for water reuse in agriculture. This study also suggests possible limitations regarding the fate of micro-pollutants during treatment. Nevertheless, the system works efficiently so long as the wastewater input meets the typical composition of raw municipal wastewater with minor contributions of industrial wastewater. This would imply low concentration of trace organic contaminants (TrOCs) and Heavy Metals, as well as slight to moderate salinity (i.e. 0.7-3.0 dS/m). In spite of the fact that the T&R MBR technology can reduce the fresh water and fertilizer consumption of the agriculture sector, this system cannot be implemented in countries where the legislation restricts the reuse of effluents with significant concentrations of Nitrates and Phosphorous (e.g., Germany). Therefore, the present document suggests a set of technical criteria addressing the European challenges regarding water reuse in agriculture.

As inundações podem ter um grande impacto na saúde das populações. Doenças produzidas pela exposição direta ou indireta às águas, podem resultar em surtos de doenças gastrointestinais, infecções respiratórias, leptospirose entre outras. Já que os cenários de mudança climática predizem o aumento na frequência e severidade das inundações devido ao aquecimento global, é necessário ter claridade nos impactos gerados sobre a saúde humana como reflexo dos efeitos combinados das mudanças climáticas sobre os ecossistemas, o sistema econômico e o sistema social. A pesquisa visa analisar a vulnerabilidade da população do município de São Paulo às doenças infecciosas relacionadas com inundações. O processo tem como fio condutor o modelo de avaliação da vulnerabilidade conhecido como modelo de vulnerabilidade expandida. Dez variáveis consideradas como representativas para o município de São Paulo, foram escolhidas para a análise da vulnerabilidade social, correlacionadas e analisadas dentro da unidade espacial bacia hidrográfica para o ano 2010, mediante a análise de componentes principais. Bases de dados de precipitação da Rede Telemétrica de Pluviômetros de Superfície do Departamento de Águas e Energia Elétrica (DAAE), foram os dados usados para a avaliação dos níveis de precipitação. Adicionalmente, as estatísticas das bases de dados de Autorização de Internação Hospitalar do Sistema Universal de Saúde (AIH/SUS) foram usadas para a avaliação das variáveis epidemiológicas. Os resultados mostram que a vulnerabilidade social aumenta na direção centro-periferia e que as aglomerações de valores altos, evidentemente mais abundantes do que as aglomerações de valores baixos, aparecem nas bacias de vulnerabilidades sociais significativamente altas. Las inundaciones pueden tener un gran impacto sobre la salud de las poblaciones humanas. Las enfermedades producidas por la exposición directa o indirecta a agua contaminada, puede resultar en brotes de enfermedades gastrointestinales, infecciones respiratorias y Leptospirosis entre otras. Debido a que los escenarios de cambio climático predicen el aumento en la frecuencia y severidad de las inundaciones resultado del calentamiento global, es necesario tener claridad de los impactos generados sobre la salud humana que reflejan los efectos combinados de estos cambios ambientales sobre los ecosistemas, el sistema económico y el sistema social. Esta investigación tuvo como objetivo analizar la vulnerabilidad de la población del municipio de Sao Paulo a enfermedades infecciosas relacionadas con inundaciones. El proceso tuvo como hilo conductor el modelo de evaluación de la vulnerabilidad conocido como modelo de vulnerabilidad expandida. Diez variables consideradas como representativas para el municipio, fueron escogidas para el análisis de la vulnerabilidad social por cuenca hidrográfica para el año 2010. El análisis final de la vulnerabilidad consistió en la correlación y análisis de componentes principales. Fueron utilizados datos de la red telemétrica de pluviómetros de superficie del departamento de aguas y energía eléctrica (DAAE), para analizar los niveles de precipitación. Adicionalmente, las estadísticas de las bases de datos de Autorizaciones de Hospitalización del Sistema Universal de Salud (AIH/SUS) fueron usadas para la evaluación de las variables epidemiológicas. Los resultados muestran que la vulnerabilidad social dentro del municipio aumenta en la dirección centro-periferia y que las aglomeraciones de valores altos, evidentemente más abundantes que las aglomeraciones de valores bajos, aparecen en las cuencas hidrográficas con vulnerabilidades sociales altamente significativas.

The rapid urbanisation process and the shifting from rural to urban areas in Latin America from the second half of the 21st century onwards, has resulted in the creation of larger cities with social and environmental struggles, as well as greater opportunities in the labour market, economic development, and income generation. Given the limited financial and human resources of the Latin American context, most efforts for development have focused on specific urban centres, forming metropolitan areas. Most of these metropolitan areas developed in a disorganized and unplanned way, causing numerous countries to turn to metropolitan governance as a strategic tool and mechanism to face the challenges of their development. In Colombia, the process of urban development challenges the traditional idea that the municipal level is the core and main territorial unit of development, representing an issue for the national and local governments. It redefines institutional and territorial notions that interrelate geography, urban flows and governance tools, and open the discussion of the metropolitan areas. The Metropolitan Area of the Aburrá Valley – AMVA was created in 1980, which comprises 10 municipalities including Medellin as the core city. The principal aims of this supra-municipal entity, are managing the coordinated development of the associated municipalities, reducing social inequalities, promoting the sustainable development of the territory and improving the quality of life of its inhabitants. The metropolitan governance model of this metropolitan area is the case study of this dissertation. The objective of this research is to analyse the metropolitan governance of the AMVA through a set of criteria proposed in the literature review. The dissertation seeks to answer, to what extent does the Metropolitan Area of the Aburrá Valley - AMVA, Colombia, after the issuing of Law 1625 of 2013, comply with the criteria of the Methodological Framework for Metropolitan Governance? In order for the AMVA to implement a successful model of metropolitan governance.

Abstract: This thesis intends to explain the change of strategies to address coca plantation in Colombia before and after the 2016 Peace agreement. To do so, I build a theoretical model that draws on securitization/de-securitization theory and ripeness/readiness theories. The former theory is used to explain what kind of change was there between the different strategies. In this sense, I claim that policies to address coca plantation before 2016 Peace agreement, securitized coca and framed it as a vital threat, something that ought to be eliminated. On the other hand, the Substitution program of the Peace agreement is, I claim, an attempt to de-securitize -move back to the realm of politics- the issue of coca plantation. The latter theory is used to explain this change and address the characteristics of the ready/ripe moment that made possible the peace negotiations and the change of strategies regarding coca plantation. More specifically, the analysis centres on the changing of disputants’ aspirations to end the conflict and the changing perceptions of each other. I claim that this change of perception of ‘the Other’ is fundamental to de-securitize an issue in a conflict. As a result, the attempt to de-securitize coca in a context of conflict like the Colombian is done through reconsidering the perception of ‘the Other’, the former enemy. Resumen: Esta tesis trata de explicar el cambio de estrategias para abordar la plantación de coca en Colombia antes y después del Acuerdo de paz de 2016. Para hacerlo, construyo un modelo teórico que se basa en la teoría de la securitización / de-securitización y las teorías de madurez/ preparación. La teoría de la securitización / de-securitización se usa para explicar qué tipo de cambio hubo entre las diferentes estrategias. En este sentido, afirmo que las políticas para abordar la plantación de coca antes del Acuerdo de paz de 2016, securitizaron la coca y la enmarcaron como una amenaza vital, algo que debería ser eliminado. Por otro lado, el programa de Sustitución del Acuerdo de paz es un intento por de-securitizar -traer al ámbito de la política- el tema de la plantación de coca. Las teorías de madurez/ preparación se usan para explicar este cambio de estrategias y abordar las características del momento preparado/ maduro que hizo posible las negociaciones de paz y el cambio de estrategias con respecto a la plantación de coca. Más específicamente, el análisis se centra en el cambio de las aspiraciones de los contendientes a terminar con el conflicto y en el cambio de las percepciones que los contendientes tenían del otro. Afirmo que este cambio de percepción de 'el Otro' es fundamental para de-securitizar un problema en un conflicto. Como resultado, el intento de de-securitizar la coca en un contexto de conflicto como el colombiano se hace reconsiderando la percepción de 'el Otro', el antiguo enemigo.

Abstract: The research dissertation “Can Tourism School Enterprises build Social Capital to enhance people’s livelihoods?” carried out and submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the MSc. in Development Administration and Planning at the Development Planning Unit - University College London. The paper analyses the construction of social capital through vocational high school education and training, specifically in tourism school enterprises. The objective of the research was to understand how tourism school enterprises can help communities to engage with other actors in the spheres of the state, market and civil society to access, defend and transform assets for individual and collective benefit. For this purpose, the paper elaborates on social capital as an analytical tool, developing a specific framework to assess the construction of social capital in tourism school enterprises. Base on this framework, there are two case studies presented, one in Ecuador and other in Guatemala. In these case studies, tourism school enterprises have been established and work with local communities in rainforest areas of Latin America. Resumen: El proyecto de investigación “Pueden las Escuelas-empresa de Turismo, construir Capital Social para mejorar la calidad de vida de las personas?” fue presentado en cumplimiento de los requerimientos para obtener el título de MSc. in Development Administration and Planning de la Development Planning Unit de University College London. El proyecto de investigación analiza la construcción del capital social a través de la educación superior vocacional y de entrenamiento, específicamente en las escuelas-empresa de turismo. El objetivo de la investigación fue el entender como las escuelas-empresa de turismo pueden ayudar a las comunidades para relacionarse con otros actores en las esferas del estado, el mercado y la sociedad civil para acceder, defender y transformar recursos para el beneficio individual y colectivo. Para este propósito, la investigación elabora en el capital social como herramienta analítica, desarrollando un marco específico para evaluar la construcción de capital social en las escuelas-empresa de turismo. Basado en este marco analítico, se presentan dos casos de estudio, uno en Ecuador y otro en Guatemala. En estos casos, las escuelas-empresa de turismo han sido establecidas y trabajan con comunidades locales en áreas selváticas de Latinoamérica.

With the combination of intensive and extensive methods in accordance with the critical realism approach, this case study constitutes an attempt to reveal the generative mechanisms involved when procuring the two promises of the Diploma Programme: as pathway to higher or tertiary education and its subsequent success during further university studies. These generative mechanisms are not observable in the empirical domain, but reachable in the real and actual domain. In this sense, the IB candidates possesses casual powers derived from the Diploma Programme that can remain unexercised or are actualized during the interaction with other entities, in this case the application to university and the consequent further university studies. Sixteen questionnaires and interviews were developed to unveil what mechanisms come at work during these two phases. Participants involved in the case study were pupils undertaking the Diploma Programme in order to see how this is being conceived and consumed, teachers to gain deeper perspective of this curriculum and finally IB graduates enrolled at least in one university course to complement and obtain rich insights about these causal powers. A qualitative analysis of both methods was carried out to identify demi regularities in the questionnaires and recurrent themes in the interviews to confirm and broaden the former ones. The case study concludes revealing and highlighting those most important elements that comprise the rationale of this curriculum choice in relation to the pursuit of university admission process and success during the experience of further university studies.

Abstract: Thesis project exploring how to connect political bordering urban systems through the natural structure for a coherent occupation between the built environment, ecosystems and resources following the Landscape Architecture lens that can address different scale systems simultaneously to create a holistic approach between them. And the proposition of a new type of landscape of this threshold territory as its own kind. Specifically looking at the bordering cities in the heart of the Amazon Region in South America that fall between Colombia, Brazil and Peru. Focusing specially in issues that affect the population and the environment such as flooding and lack of potable water in one of the most humid place on earth and with more rain per year. Making landscape architecture infrastructure. It looks to create a system that weaves the political boundaries based on the natural structure and ecological processes for the benefit of the people as well of the health of the environment through the Landscape Architecture approach that is about system thinking problem solving in physical territories which includes people, the built environment, the natural environment, ecological processes, design, community participation and productive development. This lens is taken and applied to this unique place to create cohesion in the South American region. *Landscape: as the container of everything including the built environment, human behaviors and dynamics, ecological processes and ecosystems.Resumen: Tesis de grado que busca explorar, el conectar fronteras políticas usando la estructura natural y procesos ecológicos para el beneficio de la población y del medioambiente, desde el punto de vista del Paisajismo o Landscape Architecture que usa el pensamiento sistémico incluyendo el desarrollo del ser humano, el entorno construido, el medio ambiente, los procesos ecológicos, el diseño y el Desarrollo productivo. Todo esto para consolidar los asentamientos fronterizos y el desarrollo de la región Latinoamericana. Tomando, específicamente, la frontera tri-nacional Amazónica entre Colombia, Perú y Brasil (Leticia, Santa Rosa y Tabatinga) como ejemplo donde se enfrentan problemáticas contradictorias como la falta de agua potable e inundaciones periódicas (entre otros aspectos) a pesar de ser uno de los lugares más húmedos y que recibe más agua lluvia en el planeta El segundo propósito de este trabajo de investigación es presentar estos lugares fronterizos, como su propio tipo de paisaje y con dinámicas muy diferentes a lugares donde sólo hay una jurisdicción, y cómo tienen que haber estrategias específicas para estos casos. *Paisaje: el entorno contenedor de todo incluyendo el hecho construido, las dinámicas del ser humano (desarrollo, políticas, etc), los procesos ecológicos, los ecosistemas.

The nineteenth century was a period of great change for most Latin American nations, which gained independence from a decaying Spanish Empire and saw their birth as republics and engaged in a process of social, political and economic change in the construction of a national identity. In this process, the work of artists and writers was of particular importance, as it was meant to spread around the newborn republics the invented traditions and cultural imaginary upon which a strictly gendered idea of nationhood was to be founded. Negotiating between traditional/colonial and progressive/republican values, writers and artists created a gendered notion of the “ideal Colombian” through their works, and relegated the Colombian woman to the domestic field, the ideal of womanhood being one of pure and submissive virginity. Although such works highlighted certain characteristics of personality, they also emphasized the importance of appearances, of manners, and of fashion/dress. This thesis focuses on the portrayal of femininity through dress: it studies the construction of the ideal Colombian woman through the clothes she wears in two novels, Jorge Isaacs’ María (1867) and Eugenio Díaz Castro’s Manuela (1858), and the watercolors produced by Carmelo Fernández, Henry Price, and Manuel María Paz for the Comisión Corográfica, this work identifies the different ways in which the specific characteristics of the ideal Colombian woman of the nineteenth century are portrayed through dress, as well as the potential opportunities for the subversion of such ideals and the creation of alternative forms of femininity.