Research Interests
My research interests lie in the area of sustainable development, and specifically those related to energy, resource management, climate change, and ecosystem modeling. Understanding the spatial and temporal patterns of environmental cycles was central to my M.Sc. thesis (Biology, Queen’s University), where I examined the fate and distribution of mercury in sediment of the Cataraqui River, at Kingston, Ontario.
Currently, my Ph.D. thesis is attempting to answer several questions, all related to understanding how to appropriately account for the environmental impacts of current and emerging energy technologies, when considering renewable energy policy decisions. Government policies in Canada have traditionally been devoted to the oil, coal, and gas sectors, meaning Canada faces a significant challenge to develop sustainable energy policy, while simultaneously minimizing the impacts that would result from the restructuring of the energy industry. While we understand that electricity production represents the largest single source of carbon dioxide, the challenge has been ensuring that regional economic and social values are not compromised when enacting broader policies to reduce environmental impacts.
Our primary aim is to develop a life cycle tool for biofuel feedstocks related to agricultural production, which can be used to develop sustainable energy policy in Ontario, by informing how to make the most efficient use of available resources within a landscape, based on an understanding of where the biggest environmental and social impacts are in the life cycle of emerging energy technologies. Our second aim is to use this information we develop, to create better ecosystem models that integrates systems analysis with human development and energy needs. It is hoped that this study will inform a framework for policy makers that will enable them to more effectively assess whether top-down energy policies are meeting bottom-up energy needs, and promoting communal, environmental health. A regional ecosystem approach to understanding best practices of renewable energy development could help to facilitate effective and efficient implementation of policy to support renewable energy development in Eastern Ontario, and potentially Canada as a whole.
Publications
Manion, N.C, Campbell, L. and A. Rutter. 2010. Historic Brownfields and Industrial Activity in Kingston, Ontario: Assessing Potential Contributions to Mercury Contamination in Sediment of the Cataraqui River. Science of the Total Environment 408: 2060-2067
Manion, N. 2009. Kingston’s Inner Harbour and the Historical Background of Some Selected Sites. In P. Welbourn, H. Cleghorn, J. Davis and S. Rose (Eds.). The Story of Brownfields and Smart Growth in Kingston Ontario: From Contamination to Revitalization. (pp. 157 – 164). Kingston, ON: Classroom Complete Press.
Manion, N. 2009. Case Study – Kingston Gas Works and the K-Rock Centre, Kingston, ON. In P. Welbourn, H. Cleghorn, J. Davis and S. Rose (Eds.). The Story of Brownfields and Smart Growth in Kingston Ontario: From Contamination to Revitalization. (pp. 216 – 225). Kingston, ON: Classroom Complete Press.
Supervisor: Dr. Warren Mabee |
Nathan Manion (Ph.D. Candidate)