http://repositorio.lnec.pt:8080/jspui/handle/123456789/1007784 Sat, 04 Apr 2026 21:00:41 GMT 2026-04-04T21:00:41Z http://repositorio.lnec.pt:8080/jspui/handle/123456789/1018984 Simplificação legal, responsabilidade e consistência precisam coexistir para assegurar a sustentabilidade Barbosa, A. E.; Santos, M. Responsabilidade Ambiental e Sustentabilidade são termos cada vez mais empregues, porém a profundidade da compreensão dos seus nexus, na prática, não parece estar totalmente clara. Os impactos ambientais e as dimensões temporárias associadas aos mesmos são uma responsabilidade dos promotores de atividades económicas e são regidas por um enquadramento legal e administrativo. Este é variável, não só de país para país como existem abordagens distintas entre continentes. O Fórum Económico Mundial (FEM, 2024) refere, de forma exaustiva, que a perda da Biodiversidade – intrinsecamente associada à água – constitui uma grave ameaça à economia global. Efetivamente, as empresas estão cientes que os recursos naturais, particularmente a água, são elementos fundamentais do seu negócio (Wong et al., 2021; Soyombo et al., 2024). Os relatórios de sustentabilidade servem para divulgar os impactes mais significativos de uma empresa, positivos e negativos, e devem espelhar os valores e a estratégia da organização, além de enquadrar os objetivos de sustentabilidade na estratégia global da empresa. Iniciativas pro-sustentabilidade ambiental das corporações são tanto movidas por uma real consciência da sua responsabilidade ambiental e social, como são uma estratégia de negócio ou, ainda, são resposta a imposições legais. Este trabalho pretende promover uma reflexão sobre a meritória crescente exigência de responsabilidade ambiental colocada ao mundo empresarial, cuja sobrevivência depende dos recursos naturais, com a tendênica para a simplificação do processo de licenciamento ambiental e avaliação de impactos ambientais. Estas últimas acontecem através de instrumentos legais como, no caso de Portugal, o Decreto-Lei nº 11/2023, que procede à reforma e simplificação dos licenciamentos ambientais, com vista a "reduzir os encargos e complexidades que inibem a atividade empresarial e assim impactam a produtividade". Já no caso do Brasil há o Projeto de Lei nº 2159/2021, que flexibiliza o licenciamento para uma série de empreendimentos, tirando, inclusive, a sua obrigatoriedade para projetos críticos, como obras relacionadas a saneamento básico. A motivação não é trazer respostas. As autoras acreditam que é necessária atenção, análise crítica e consertação de de iniciativas, diretrizes e legislação dedicadas às atividades económicas.de modo garantir congruência e consistência. A simplificação tem de ser uma aliada da sustentabilidade e adequada a cada contexto. Uma preocupação são os impactos cumulativos nos recursos hídricos, principalmente, considerando horizontes temporais de médio e longo prazo e a situação crítica que vivemos em várias partes do globo, em relação à oferta e demanda de água. Tue, 08 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMT http://repositorio.lnec.pt:8080/jspui/handle/123456789/1018984 2025-04-08T00:00:00Z http://repositorio.lnec.pt:8080/jspui/handle/123456789/1018982 Innovative approaches to harmonise water, nature and society Barbosa, A. E.; Rebelo, M. Global challenges like urbanisation, climate change, and biodiversity loss require integrated approaches linking water, nature, and society. Research emphasises the need to manage water, ecosystems, and societal well-being as interconnected systems. Nature-based solutions (NBS) provide cost-effective ways to protect and restore ecosystems and are fundamental to addressing urban challenges, promoting both environmental sustainability and human health. The NATURELAB project, implemented in five countries, focuses on enhancing green and blue areas to promote climate resilience, biodiversity, and water management. The project adopts an integrative methodology that connects health and societal benefits, aiming for a sustainable and resilient future. Fundamental guidelines for urban planning include prioritising green infrastructure, promoting liveable cities, and assessing environmental impacts early in the policy design. The NATURELAB methodology addresses current global challenges by providing guidelines to support governance and in-field actions. Its contributions encompass key outcomes, namely, a framework of indicators for assessing the health potential of nature spaces; a funding scheme guide for health sector initiatives; guidelines for evaluating health benefits of green and blue spaces; best practices for creating therapeutic gardens combining climate resilience and sustainability; standardised intervention programs for therapeutic nature spaces, and tools for integrating nature-based care into public health, culminating in a comprehensive policy brief. Tue, 24 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMT http://repositorio.lnec.pt:8080/jspui/handle/123456789/1018982 2025-06-24T00:00:00Z http://repositorio.lnec.pt:8080/jspui/handle/123456789/1018712 Shear layer development and fully developed flows in compound channels Fernandes, J. N.; Leal, J. B.; Cardoso, A. H. In alluvial river reaches, flood events are characterized by the inundation of the adjacent land near the main channel course. In these compound channel or overbank configurations, the flow structure is much more complex than in a single channel due to interactions between faster and deeper flow in the main channel and the slower and shallower flow in the lateral floodplains. Moreover, the interactions may be enhanced by the floodplain roughness as this region is usually covered by vegetation. The present study aims at understanding the streamwise flow development and the turbulent flow structure in such conditions. An experimental campaign was carried out in a laboratory compound channel. An iterative procedure to obtain the uniform flow was followed by successive change of the discharge distribution and downstream levels. In total, nine uniform flows were studied, namely (i) six with floodplains made of polished concrete and (ii) three with synthetic grass covering the floodplains. The boundary and mixing layers are presented and the effects of the shallowness and of the floodplain roughness on main flow mechanisms are assessed. Wed, 16 Oct 2024 00:00:00 GMT http://repositorio.lnec.pt:8080/jspui/handle/123456789/1018712 2024-10-16T00:00:00Z http://repositorio.lnec.pt:8080/jspui/handle/123456789/1018711 Sedimentation pattern as a response to hydrodynamics in a Near-Symmetric river confluence Fernandes, J. N.; Alizadeh, L. Tommaso Caloiero; Hossein Bonakdari River confluences are dynamic zones where hydrodynamic interactions between tributary flows—varying in velocity, direction, and sediment concentration—can significantly alter hydro morphology. These changes feature substantial consequences for the stability of riverbanks, nearby hydraulic structures, and the surrounding environment. This paper investigates flow mechanisms and sediment dynamics in a symmetric 50° confluence through laboratory experiments on a scaled physical model of a real confluence located on Madeira Island, Portugal. Acoustic Doppler velocity measurements were used to analyze the hydrodynamic characteristics, while bathymetry was surveyed using an RGB sensor and the Structure from Motion technique. Sedimentation patterns were correlated with key flow zones within the confluence. This study highlights how variations in discharge and momentum ratios influence sediment distribution and morphology, potentially destabilizing riverbanks and contributing to sediment deposition and erosion patterns. Understanding these mechanisms is critical for improving the sustainable management of water resources and minimizing anthropogenic impacts on fluvial systems. The findings provide valuable insights for enhancing river resilience, protecting natural watercourses, and supporting sustainable development by promoting informed planning of hydraulic structures and sediment management strategies. Wed, 23 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMT http://repositorio.lnec.pt:8080/jspui/handle/123456789/1018711 2025-04-23T00:00:00Z