1. Concern about climate change and energy security is stimulating land-use change, which in turn precipitates social, economic and environmental responses. It is predicted that within 20 years in the UK, bioenergy crops could occupy significant areas of rural land. Among these, dedicated biomass crops, such as Miscanthus ( Miscanthus spp.) grass and short rotation willow ( Salix spp.) coppice, differ significantly from arable crops in their growth characteristics and management. It is important that the potential impacts of these differences are assessed before large-scale, long-term planting occurs. 2. We used a Sustainability Appraisal Framework (SAF) approach to landscape planning in the UK to identify stakeholder aspirations (objectives) and associated criteria (indicators) for the planting of dedicated biomass crops. 3. The use of environmental and physical constraints mapping allowed the SAF to focus only on environmentally-acceptable locations, thereby avoiding unsustainable trade-offs. The mapping identified 3·1 million ha of land in England as suitable for planting, suggesting the UK government target of 1·1 million ha by 2020 is feasible. 4. Evaluation of the SAF identified that while biodiversity was of concern to stakeholders, some current indicators of biodiversity are not appropriate. Butterfly abundance proved the most appropriate indicator, and it was found that total abundance was greater in field margins of both willow and Miscanthus biomass crops than in arable field margins. 5. Synthesis and applications. The potential conflicts of assuring food security, water availability, energy security and biodiversity conservation are recognized as a key challenge by governments worldwide. Methods with which decision-makers can compare the performance of different land-use scenarios against sustainability objectives will be crucial for achieving optimized and sustainable use of land-based resources to meet all four challenges. Using biomass crops planting as an example, this work illustrates the potential of a Sustainability Appraisal Framework, subject to identification and agreement of appropriate indicators, in securing a holistic understanding of the wide-ranging implications of large-scale, long-term changes to rural land-use in the wider context of sustainable land-use planning per se .

Bond A. J., Dockerty T., Lovett A., Riche A. B., Haughton A. J., Bohan D. A., Sage R. B., Shield I. F., Finch J. W., Turner M. M. and Karp A. Learning how to deal with values, frames and governance in Sustainability Appraisal, Regional Studies. The effectiveness of Sustainability Appraisal is highly contested because of the value-based nature of the assumed goal (sustainable development), because effectiveness itself can be determined through different theoretical framings, and because good governance does not guarantee sustainable outcomes. Drawing on learning derived from the literature and a case study examining biomass crop planting on a regional scale in England, an approach for managing the Sustainability Appraisal development and application process is proposed. This incorporates analytic-deliberative techniques as the basis for more pluralism, combined with constraints mapping. Such an approach, it is suggested, can better accommodate multiple framings. [image omitted] Bond A. J., Dockerty T., Lovett A., Riche A. B., Haughton A. J., Bohan D. A., Sage R. B., Shield I. F., Finch J. W., Turner M. M. et Karp A. Apprendre comment traiter les valeurs, les cadres et la gouvernance dans une evaluation du Developpement durable, Regional Studies. L'efficacite de l'evaluation du Developpement durable est tres discutee a cause des caracteristiques du pretendu objectif (a savoir le developpement durable) qui sont bases sur les valeurs, parce que l'on peut determiner l'efficacite elle-meme a partir de differents cadres theoriques, et car la bonne gouvernance n'assure pas de resultats durables. Puisant dans l'apprentissage qui provient de la documentation et dans une etude de cas qui examine la plantation de cultures biomasses sur le plan regional en Angleterre, on propose une facon de gerer le processus de mise au point et de mise en oeuvre du Developpement durable. Cela comprend des techniques analytico-deliberatives comme la base d'un pluralisme augmente, conjointement avec une elaboration des contraintes. On suggere qu'une telle facon peut mieux s'adapter aux cadres multiples. Evaluation du Developpement durable Cultures biomasses Elaboration des contraintes Apprentissage Analytico-deliberatif Pluralisme Bond A. J., Dockerty T., Lovett A., Riche A. B., Haughton A. J., Bohan D. A., Sage R. B., Shield I. F., Finch J. W., Turner M. M. und Karp A. Erlernen des Umgangs mit Werten, Rahmen und Steuerung bei der Nachhaltigkeitsprufung, Regional Studies. Die Wirksamkeit einer Uberprufung der Nachhaltigkeit ist stark umstritten, weil das angenommene Ziel (nachhaltige Entwicklung) eine wertbasierte Natur aufweist, weil sich die Wirksamkeit selbst in verschiedenen theoretischen Rahmen ermitteln lasst und weil eine gute Steuerung kein Garant fur nachhaltige Ergebnisse ist. Aufbauend auf den Ergebnissen der Literatur und einer Fallstudie, bei der der Anbau von Biomassepflanzen in regionalem Massstab in England untersucht wird, wird ein Ansatz fur die Leitung der Entwicklung und Anwendung einer Nachhaltigkeitsprufung vorgeschlagen...

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