According to the biophilia hypothesis, humans have a fundamental tendency to affiliate with nature. If this hypothesis is true, large majorities of people should express a high level of nature-friendliness (a tendency to affiliate with nature), and this level should have low variability across cultures. We tested this proposition using the interculturally applicable Human and Nature (HaN) scale. We compare the outcomes from 12 previously published studies that applied the HaN scale on four continents and show that a high level of nature-friendliness was indeed detected in all countries. We also demonstrate that the cross-cultural variability of the nature-friendliness levels was as small as their within-culture variability. Jointly then, these 12 studies offer strong support for the biophilia hypothesis. We share implications that are valuable for policymaking as well as further theoretical development of human-nature relationship research, particularly around relational values with nature and ecological virtue ethics.

Interest in plant-based meat analogues has increased and can be expected to be applied to pet foods, which necessitates the understanding of the nutrient supply in those foods. Our primary aim was to advance our understanding of the digestive properties of sterilized plant-based meat analogues. The impact of the preparatory processing steps on the solubility of meat analogues was studied. Meat analogues were made by mixing water, salt, and wheat gluten with soy protein isolate, pea protein isolate, or faba bean concentrate. Mixed materials were processed into model meat analogues using shear cell technology. Products were canned in water or gravy and sterilized. An animal-based canned pet food was made as a reference. Products sampled at the processing steps (mixing, shearing, sterilization) were digested in vitro. Samples of digestate were taken at the gastric phase (0 and 120 min) and small intestinal phase (120, 200, 280, and 360 min) for analysis of protein hydrolysis. The extent digestion of nitrogen and dry matter was determined at the end of incubation. Total phosphorus, soluble phosphorus after acid treatment, and after acid and enzymatic treatment were determined. The degree of hydrolysis after gastric digestion was low but increased immediately in the small intestinal phase; products based on pea had the highest values (56%). Nitrogen digestibility was above 90% for all materials at each processing step, indicating that bioactive compounds were absent or inactivated in the protein isolates and concentrate. Phytate seemed to play a minor role in meat analogues, but phosphorus solubility was influenced by processing. Shearing decreased soluble phosphorus, but this effect was partly reversed by sterilization. Nutrient digestibility as well as phosphorus solubility in plant-based products was higher than or comparable with the reference pet food. These findings show that the digestive properties of the tested plant-based meat analogues do not limit the supply of amino acids and phosphorus.

Discussions and practices for biodiversity and the environment are associated predominantly with duty ethics, which spell out the do’s and don’ts of good behavior. Virtue ethics offer an alternative that is much more inspirational, provided we do not reduce it to a mere enumeration of environmental virtues. Moreover, a virtue ethic is truly humanistic, in that it builds on inborn human capacities rather than on external sources of morality. Grounded in the classic Greek account of virtue ethics and in interaction with medieval and modern visions, this paper articulates a virtue ethic for the Earth. Accessible to a broad audience, we address the foundational concepts of nature-inclusive telos, eudaimonia, virtues and friendship, and connect these with social-scientific research findings. This elucidates how the virtues, sometimes supported by moral exemplars, work in lives that include nature in their flourishing. A virtue ethic for the Earth, we think, can be helpful for policy making but most of all act as a platform for people to become more inspired, courageous and effective friends of nature and the planet as a whole.

Shear cell technology is a promising method for the production of meat analogues. Meat analogues are also studied as alternative proteins for dogs and cats, which require high-quality protein. This study monitored the effect of shearing, using shear cell technology, and sterilization (26 min at 125.5 degrees C) on selected amino acids, advanced glycation end products (AGEs), lysinoalanine, o-phthalaldehyde-reactive lysine, as well as oxidation markers, free thiols, and dityrosine, in soy protein- and pea protein-based meat analogues. These are compared with animal-based pet foods. Processing resulted in modified amino acids, especially cysteine. Reductions in amino acid levels were higher in the soy-based meat analogue, but markers indicated more pronounced oxidation in the pea-based meat analogue. AGEs and lysinoalanine were not formed on shearing, only during sterilization. Despite extensive thermal treatment, the effects of processing on the protein quality of plant-based products were comparable or less than those in animal-based pet food.

•Cash crop plantation expansion, triggered by international trade, is one of major causes of global land use/cover change including deforestation•Oil palm plantation expansion is one of the most rapid.•In Indonesia, expansion of plantation to customary land requires local people's approval.•Oil palm companies seek local people's approval by way of economic promises.•We found no straightforward correlation between people's economic conditions and belief of these promises.•People with high embeddedness and interest in the future however disbelieved the promises and rejected the conversion to oil palm.

Relational values reflect the qualities of the relationships between humans and nature, such as care, social bonding, place attachment and spiritual meanings. In this perspective article, we argue that understanding relational values is vital for nature conservation, and we identify how incorporation of these values may function as leverage points for achieving more effective nature policy. We discuss the distinctive features of the concept of relational values and elaborate how relational values strongly influence people’s perceptions of, engagement with and action for nature. Relational values can also provide important deep leverage points for policy interventions aiming to support citizen’s contribution to nature conservation, to strengthen biodiversity policy and the relationship between people and nature. Based on three realms of leverage (re-think, re-structure and re-connect), we distinguish six routes through which relational values can be integrated in policies and practices of nature conservation: (1) incorporation of pluralized meanings of nature; (2) the uptake of relational language in policy discourse; (3) a prioritization of landscape-based policy; (4) empowering citizens in nature conservation; (5) re-orienting nature education to stimulate people’s personal bond with nature; and (6) using digital technology to stimulate new relationships with nature.

The production of soy protein-based foods requires multiple-step, intensive processing and storage of soy ingredients, which can increase the product's susceptibility to oxidation. Therefore, we investigated the oxidative stability of soy protein-based products subjected to different relevant conditions or treatments: over storage of soy flours, over fractionation to yield soy protein isolate (SPI), and over subsequent thermomechanical processing to yield a model structured product. Soy flours were stable to lipid and protein oxidation over 250 days storage in chilled or ambient conditions. The fractionation process applied to make SPI did not increase substantially protein carbonylation, but increased surface-exposed hydrophobicity and decreased free thiols, compared to the starting defatted flour. Subsequent processing of hydrated SPI powder at 140 °C further increased protein carbonylation to a high extent. Therefore, we conclude that soy flours can be stable over long storage times, but processing to yield structured foods products promote protein oxidation.

In Vietnam, the PFES program of payment for forest environmental services involves more than 100,000 forest right holders. Little is known about the impact of the program on the actual forest management activities by these actors. We used an open-ended self-reporting method in 21 villages in three provinces to characterize changes in forest management due to PFES, to assess levels of change (positive, no change, or negative), and to explore underlying motivations. The major changes identified occurred in the forest patrol groups, trespass and fire prevention, and the effectiveness of forest protection rules. Basically, all respondents reported a positive change in at least one of these features, and no negative change was reported. Respondents also highlighted that the payments and the clarification of boundaries were the main factors underlying this substantial impact. It must be borne in mind however that this success builds on effective forest law enforcement.

Biodiversity and nature conservation have become prominent issues in the political agenda, at both local and global level, and in this regard the importance of considering people lifestyles, habits and behaviours has received increasing attention. The present study verified an extended version of the Value-Belief-Norm (VBN) theory (Stern et al., 1999) in the prediction of action for biodiversity and nature conservation. Here we found that the VBN sequential path (including biospheric values, general pro-environmental beliefs, awareness of consequences of action, ascription of responsibility for action, and moral norm), integrated by perceived behavioural control and social norms, predict action for nature and biodiversity. Participants (N = 183), recruited in seven European countries, had performed outstanding actions either in nature-related issues or in other areas (or were just involved in some biodiversity/nature relevant actions). They filled in an online questionnaire measuring the examined constructs. Results confirmed the paths predicted by the VBN. In particular, moral norm and biospheric values, as well as perceived behavioural control, showed a direct impact on action for nature/biodiversity. On the other hand, social norms (notably, injunctive norm) showed only an indirect influence on action, via other dimensions. These outcomes suggest that communication and educational agencies should promote the dissemination of biospheric values in the community, in order to trigger the moral obligation of doing something relevant for nature and biodiversity conservation. A major implication is that by increasing the proportion of people acting in a committed way for biodiversity conservation should then provide a social cue for the ones not yet acting.

This paper presents the application of a Multi-Level Agent Based Model technology through a Natural Model based Design in Context (NMDC) to describe and model a class of environ-mental problems. NMDC allow training domain expert to design a conceptual model for a concrete environmental problem. This model describes the underlying application domain in terms of environmental concepts and neither requires specific technical skills nor involves implementation details. We show how the associated TiC (Tool-in-Context) develop through NMDC can help the domain expert to describe in semi-natural (specific) language the environmental problem. This description is the basis for TiC to generate a simulation tool. On the base of this, we transform the specific language to NetLogo agent based code, thereby facilitating an early prototype application to be used by the domain expert. Finally, we applied this approach to explain and analyze the process of deforestation around the Laf Forest Reserve and discuss the prototype resulting from our approach. Cet article présente une application de l’approche de modélisation multi-échelle à base d’agent en s’appuyant sur un modèle spécifique (NMDC) pour décrire et modéliser une classe de problèmes environnementaux. Le modèle NMDC permet à l’expert du domaine de décrire le domaine d’application sous-jacent en termes de concepts environnementaux et ne nécessite pas de compétences techniques spécifiques, ni de détails de mise en oeuvre. Nous montrons comment l’outil TiC (Tool-in-Context) associé développé à partir du modèle NMDC peut aider l’expert du domaine à décrire dans un langage naturel (spécifique) le problème environnemental. Cette description est la base pour l’outil TiC de générer un outil de simulation. A travers cet outil, nous transformons le langage spécifique en code multi-agents NetLogo, facilitant ainsi un premier prototype de l’application pouvant être utilisé par l’expert de domaine. Enfin, nous appliquons cette approche pour expliquer et analyser le processus de déforestation autour de la réserve forestière de Laf et discuter du prototype résultant de notre approche.

Biodiversity loss is a widely debated world problem, with huge economic, social, and environmentally negative consequences. Despite the relevance of this issue, the psychological determinants of committed action towards nature and biodiversity have rarely been investigated. This study aims at identifying a comprehensive social-psychological profile of activists committed to biodiversity protection and at understanding what determinants best predict their activism. A questionnaire investigating relevant social-psychological constructs identified in the literature on environmental activism was administered to 183 outstanding leaders (vs. non-leaders) in biodiversity protection across seven EU countries. Leaders (vs. non-leaders) in biodiversity protection showed, among other constructs, higher scores on environmental values, attitudes, identity, perceived control, a feeling of union and spirituality with nature, and willingness to sacrifice for their cause. Results are discussed within the theoretical framework of a motivation model of committed action for nature and biodiversity protection. Applications of the results are also proposed.

•Relational values are strongly represented in people everywhere.•Relational values can be constitutive values in partnerships, lives and places.•Relational values can also be intrinsic values of people-nature-relationship triads.•Partnership with nature is a concept with a strong, action-oriented ethic.•Nature-inclusive eudaimonia highlights nature as a source of flourishing life.

Complementary to a quantitative effect study, this paper reports on the factors enabling the effect of a mindful walking retreat following a largely unpaved route along a lowland river and estuary in the Netherlands, on which people make their own choices to find their way. Most participants had a depression background. Interviews, triangulated with diary and questionnaire data, were subjected to iterative coding. Several factors were identified as conducive to positive effect, such as encountering nature, negotiating obstacles, duration of the walk, and walking in silence. The results are helpful for the design of effective walking retreats and also underpin the option to develop mindful walking retreats as a regular element in the mindfulness portfolio.

The distribution of monetary benefits is a central element in PES schemes and arouses ‘distributional risk’ if felt as unjust by the beneficiaries. The paper defines the concept of distributional risk, proposes a framework surrounding the phenomenon and explores their utility in an analysis of distributional decisions in eight Vietnamese communities that participate in a national forest PES program. This program shares a distributional principle with many PES schemes worldwide, paying out on a per hectare basis, implying that the biggest forest owners get most. Up till now, the communities successfully counterbalance this consequence by asserting the village level as the de facto distributor, able to apply their own principles of justice and partially reframing the disbursements as remuneration for work done for the forest rather than forest ownership. We recommend to legally institutionalize this practice, reaping other advantages as well, such as reduced transaction cost.

Citation for published version (APA): Scopelliti, M., Molinario, E., Bonaiuto, F., Bonnes, M., Cicero, L., De Dominicis, S., ... Bonaiuto, M. (2018). What makes you a 'hero' for nature? Socio-psychological profiling of leaders committed to nature and biodiversity protection across seven EU countries. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 61(5-6), 970-933. https://doi.org/10.1080/09640568.2017.1421526

The public justification for nature conservation currently rests on two pillars: hedonic (instrumental) values, and moral values. Yet, these representations appear to do little motivational work in practice; biodiversity continues to decline, and biodiversity policies face a wide implementation gap. In seven EU countries, we studied why people act for nature beyond professional obligations. We explore the motivations of 105 committed actors for nature in detail using life-history interviews, and trace these back to their childhood. Results show that the key concept for understanding committed action for nature is meaningfulness. People act for nature because nature is meaningful to them, connected to a life that makes sense and a difference in the world. These eudemonic values (expressing the meaningful life) constitute a crucial third pillar in the justification of nature conservation. Important policy implications are explored, e.g. with respect to public discourse and the encounter with nature in childhood.

Software-based cryptographic implementations can be vulnerable to side-channel analysis. Masking countermeasures rank among the most prevalent techniques against it, ensuring formally the protection vs. value-based leakages. However, its applicability is halted by two factors. First, a masking countermeasure involves a computational overhead that can render implementations inefficient. Second, physical effects such as glitches and distance-based leakages can cause the reduction of the security order in practice, rendering the masking protection less effective. This paper, attempts to address both factors. In order to reduce the computational cost, we implement a high-throughput, bitsliced, 2nd-order masked implementation of the PRESENT cipher, using assembly in ARM Cortex-M4. The implementation outperforms the current state of the art and is capable of encrypting a 64-bit block of plaintext in 6,532 cycles (excluding RNG), using 1,644 bytes of data RAM and 1,552 bytes of code memory. Second, we analyze experimentally the effectiveness of masking in ARM devices, i.e. we examine the effects of distance-based leakages on the security order of our implementation. We confirm the theoretical model behind distance leakages for the first time in ARM-based architectures.

In Malawi, fishing community user groups known as beach village committees, traditional chiefs, government officers, and fishers are the key players in fisheries management. Fish catch trends at the Elephant Marsh Fishery in southern Malawi are declining. Based on interviews and participant observation, this article uses an actor-based framework (known as Action-in-Context) to unveil the issues that are crucial in devising a sustainable governance system for the fishery. We establish and propose that the key social variables for the design of a three-pillared (locally based, weak, and amorphous) resilient institution for sustainability of the Elephant Marsh Fishery are (i) the social reputation of the leaders of local fishery institutions (beach village committee leaders), and (ii) the power dynamics between traditional chiefs and these local fishery leaders. We end the article by exploring the implications of the findings on the sustainability of the fishery under rising resource pressure.