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Growing concerns for the rapidly expanding material consumption and rising greenhouse gas emissions have necessitated the United Nation's inclusion of Goal 12 (sustainable consumption) and Goal 13 (climate change) into sustainable development goals. These inclusions call for more ambitious plans, accelerated actions, and policies that will improve resource efficiency, reduce waste, and mainstream sustainability practices across multiple sectors of the economy. While the focus has been on several sectors (such as manufacturing, mining, agriculture, etc.), the education sector has received less attention in terms of its contribution to climate change. Hence, this study seeks to connect the dots between academic activities and climate change. Using the Vaal University of Technology in South Africa as a case study, the research addresses environmental issues by investigating students' attitudes toward paper consumption and reuse or recycling. The findings from the study show a high paper consumption and low recovery rate on campus. Hence, the study employed the incentive theory of motivation to develop a strategic response called the Sustainable Printing Workflow (SPW), which could help increase the paper recovery rate and mainstream sustainability practices in the education sector by reducing waste and enhancing efficient paper consumption and recycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is adversely affecting food production, thereby putting the livelihoods of many farmers in jeopardy. Without appropriate responses, climate change is likely to disrupt the development and poverty reduction efforts of many nations. In response to a changing climate, adaptation is becoming an urgent priority. Adaptation is a key factor that will determine the future severity of climate change impacts on agriculture because large reductions in the negative impacts are feasible when adaptation is fully implemented. Numerous investigations have been done on climate change adaptation, and many factors influencing farmers' adaptive responses have been identified. These factors are grouped into several categories: socioeconomic and demographic factors, institutional factors, technological factors, sociocultural factors, and cognitive factors. This paper attempts to appraise, classify, and support factors influencing farmers' adaptation in response to a changing climate in a complete manner to make a significant contribution to research. The paper revealed that studies on sociocultural and cognitive factors affecting farmers' adaptation measure has been limited in the sub-Saharan African context as opposed to the first three categories. However, the choice of the factors in investigating farmers' adaptation should be guided by the specific context and objectives of the research because of time and financial constraints. This review paper provides valuable knowledge for the advancement and extensive impending research on factors affecting farmers' adaptation to climate change in sub-Saharan Africa. The significance of several factors elucidating farmers' adaptive responses was highlighted and could be used to describe the factors influencing farmers' adaptation, therefore improving the effectiveness of adaptation strategies in the agricultural sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the links between climate-induced migration and urban challenges have been documented, there remains a paucity of research, policy, and action on different challenges of urban poverty compared with rural poverty in Bangladesh. However, the urban poor have continued to be overlooked in development and climate contexts. This paper reviews the underlying factors of climate-induced population migration and its connection with multi-pluralistic challenges for urban poor individuals in Bangladesh. It also explains multiple responses to urban hazards and revisits urban policies related to resilience and sustainability. A desk review of different existing resources, such as academic papers, organizational research reports, newspapers clippings, and documentaries, was conducted to achieve the overall purpose for this paper. Both theoretical and empirical evidence were identified and mainstreamed by categorizing them into specific domains to reinvestigate the groundbreaking factors associated with climate migration and thereby demonstrate the bridge between policies and practices related to urban challenges. Marx's conflict theory was applied to reiterate existing inequalities associated with urban problems and hazards and then contextualized to weigh and analyze newly generated urban disparities experienced at the individual to national level. Rising sea levels, natural hazards, sudden onset disasters were identified as the drivers of climate-induced migration that forcefully displace people from their homeland to nearby cities. Limited access to public healthcare services; huge population density; inadequate food, water, and sanitation overcrowding; lack of housing; limited coping mechanisms; and little adaptive capacity with climatic conditions seriously worsen the existing problems for urban poor in Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper used correlational analysis to identify the influence of Total Solar Irradiance (TSI) in precipitation and temperature of the Philippines, representing the area in Manila, Cebu, and Davao from the year 1982 to 2019. The precipitation and temperature data were obtained from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), while the TSI data were downloaded from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) daily database. The research found that there is a significant correlation between TSI and precipitation in the three major areas. Interestingly, there is a low negative correlation between TSI and temperature in Davao and a low significant correlation in Cebu. On the other hand, there is no significant correlation between TSI and temperature in Manila. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the results of research into the trends and nature of coverage of climate change issues in the Australian print media over the past ten years. Studies were undertaken at national, state and local levels, with a focus on Queensland (state) and the Townsville region (local) in northeastern Australia. At a national level there has been an almost exponential increase in coverage, with a decrease in the past year. Issues which have caused media coverage levels to surge are identified, showing a shift from international events/meetings to domestic policy issues as triggers. Interviews were conducted with decision-makers in print media to explore publication mechanisms. This is part of a wider study examining media coverage, public perception, and political/policy activities to inform judgement as to the likelihood of sustained levels of discussion and action on climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New media enables open communication about climate change and natural hazards due to its increasing and widespread usage among its users. This article aims to investigate the use of new media for information and communication about climate change and natural hazards and examine women's perception of its role in creating awareness about climate change. Based on mixed methods, quantitative data was collected by administering 384 paper-based questionnaires to female university students in Pakistan. For qualitative data, in-depth interviews of experts in one or more of the relevant research areas were also conducted. The findings of the study reveal that new media is a widely used source by literate women to gather information. Reading online newspapers by the respondents for climate change and natural hazards ranked first, followed by social networking sites, YouTube, blogs, emails, and listening to podcast/online radio. Female respondents agreed that new media is playing a major role in providing updated information about climate change and its causes and consequences. The findings of the study also revealed that media is educating people in dealing with climate change. However, educating women was deemed lesser in importance than reporting on climate politics. INSET: 79. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change has attracted much political and media attention in recent years. While western media coverage of this issue has been well-documented, there is a paucity of media analysis for climate change coverage in developing economies. This paper examines the media discourse generated in India among three leading English-language dailies (with centrist and conservative news values) during globally prominent climate change events. A quantitative analysis shows a peak in coverage when the Fourth Assessment Report by the IPCC was released in February 2007, and when climate change crusaders won the Nobel Peace Prize in October 2007. A qualitative content analysis reveals that frames such as scientific certainty, energy challenge, social progress, public accountability and looming disaster are widely employed by the elite Indian press to raise relevant social, economic and political issues. Cross-cultural comparisons of media constructs, especially with Europe and America, help identify the further development of risk communication in this field. In a broader, global sense, this work can be tied in to the idea of the 'climatic turn' as suggested by European researchers with climate change evolving into a grand, transnational narrative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to understand the dynamics of climate change and to adopt mitigation technique against it, it is necessary to know its impact on rainfall, one of the worst affected meteorological elements. Weather radars and satellites—proven to be the most effective instruments to estimate rainfall—need to explore high frequencies, namely the millimeter wave frequency range, because of its higher rate of data transmission, and also due to overcrowding at the lower frequency region. However, with an increase in frequency, the attenuation of the signal by rainfall increases. Above 10 GHz, the attenuation can be so severe that the link transmission may be significantly interrupted. Moreover, modern satellites adopting frequency reuse technique to increase the channel capacity suffer from unwanted cross polarization, which is attributed to the oblate shape of rain drops. Knowledge of co-polar attenuation is necessary to estimate cross polarization. Thus, the study of attenuation is of immense importance for an accurate estimation of rainfall. In this paper, the authors aim to study the attenuation at the Tropical Microwave Imager (TMI) channels, viz. 10.65, 19.35, 21.3, 37, and 85.5 GHz onboard the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite over Salem, India by using the International Telecommunication Union (ITU-R) model. The TMI uses four of its channels in dual polarization mode, except the 21.3 GHz. The ITU-R model to estimate rainfall attenuation needs a one-minute rainfall interval. However, rainfall values are mostly available on hourly basis. This paper aims to seek a conversion formula between the two, if any, over Salem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For centuries, the Aboriginal Peoples of Australia have been confronted with major ecological, geological, and climate events, and had to adapt home shelters and settlements to seasonal variations. Many of these changes have been captured in the cultural traditions of the indigenous people of Australia reflecting a harsh coastal environment. Weather patterns and climate change phenomena were gauged by the occurrence of landscape changes and recurring weather events by the acknowledgement of six seasons. Community settlements were established and relocated to adapt to the patterns of nature. This paper investigates if this ancient knowledge can provide answers for adaptation of coastal settlements to a changing climate now and in the future. Drawing upon recent published literature on predicted coastal climate change impacts in the different regions of Australia, and the review of Indigenous knowledge on settlement planning according to a six season cycle, the author explores traditional knowledge as input to a potential Climate Change Adaptation Model that considers a proposed framework, for integrating indigenous knowledge into the contemporary climate change adaptation practice and discourse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The urgency of climate change is communicated profusely across governments, decision makers, scientific and research communities. In countries such as the UK, where the future impacts of climate change are hard to perceive, action does not reflect this urgency. Consequently there is a need for a tailored approach in terms of climate change communication, from information content and dissemination, audience targeting and considerations affecting its reception to maximise its impact on action. This paper addresses how climate change information can influence action by investigating opportunities for changes in travel behaviour. It presents results from a questionnaire survey of 903 householders and five focus group discussions conducted in Hampshire, South East UK, on the use of climate change messaging for behaviour change. It identifies three distinct awareness groups based on levels of understanding of the causes of climate change ('Human activities', 'Unsure' and 'Non-human') and demonstrates that individuals aged less than 25 years old and over 55 show a stronger likelihood of being unsure of the causes of climate change or thinking this is not related to human activities. In addition to identifying audiences to target, barriers to change are identified: low willingness to engage in sustainable travel behaviour was found to result from a perception that climate change is too forbidding to be tackled on a personal level. However environmental information was found to be a positive reinforcer of future behaviour rather than a direct driver of change. The paper concludes by presenting a framework on how to best deliver climate change information to influence lifestyle changes by clearly designing the information around behaviour, audience, messenger, content and delivery tools. It suggests that climate change information can be used directly to address perceived barriers to behaviour change and increase intention to change behaviours. Moving away from current models of linear and one-dimensional dissemination of climate information, the framework can be used for multiple audiences and behaviours allowing for comparison, monitoring, evaluation and transferability of results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International legal efforts to mitigate global climate change continue to face impediments in achieving effective reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions. A closer introspection of the international climate change regime reveals major short comings, which in turn creates the need to explore the viability of engaging alternative approaches and legal regimes to fill the lacuna. In this context, the relevance of international trade norms for addressing global climate change becomes crucial but faces potential conflicts. Although, the reconciliation of related conflicts is expected to benefit both regimes, the paper argues that the stakes for climate change regime are much higher and therefore require a conscious development of conciliatory efforts with international trade norms. However, given the stalemate in international climate change negotiations, the prospect of such conciliatory initiatives arising from within the climate change regime seems bleak. This ironically creates the necessity to promote such efforts from outside the climate change negotiations. The paper seeks to identify and analyze the conflict and compatibility between international trade and climate regimes. It investigates how far the international trade regime could hinder or facilitate the measures seeking to enforce global climate change goals. It examines how differentiated climate change regime responsibilities and efforts could give rise to diverse national measures causing potential conflicts with international trade norms. The position of BRICS cooperation and some of its individual member states with regard to climate change is examined next. It concludes with a discussion on the relevant findings and suggestions regarding how international climate and trade regimes could be fostered to fight climate change more pragmatically. The potential role of BRICS and its member states in enhancing global climate change cooperation is discussed towards the end. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bangladesh Government has already announced Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan 2009 (BCCSAP), publicly known as Climate Change Policy. By its own statement this is also part of the overall development initiatives of the country. The southern, coastal region of Bangladesh is considered the hardest hit due to rising sea levels as a result of climate change; it contains most of the Char (low lying Small Island, often described as raised riverbeds) community. But, the action plan doesn't have any specific program for the Char community; in addition it didn't count their knowledge and the root cause of vulnerability. In terms of local knowledge, this paper is going to focus on two Char communities of the Bhola district for various reasons; this community (1) is considered as extremely poor, usually deprived from land ownership and a conflict prone area over land resources, (2) is going to be the hardest hit due to rising sea levels and (3) has an extraordinary knowledge of coastal adaptation mechanisms. Besides these features, these communities seek social justice, which they think is the root cause of their vulnerability, not rising sea levels, and they do not believe that Char land will be drowned permanently. From this empirical study finding, I point out some local knowledge for BCCSAP, which has been overlooked but could be an influential factor in minimizing Char vulnerability to climate change and increasing the opportunity for successful policy action. Finally, this paper reveals it is 'Donor' whose knowledge has been considered in the climate change policy of Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines a framework for calculating carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-e) emissions in urban developments, including emissions inherent in: materials, construction, operation, transport, water, and waste processes over the life cycle of a development. The paper takes a holistic approach to urban design, to include not only the CO2-e emissions inherent in the individual buildings but also in the infrastructure and service provision of the community as a whole metabolic system. A range of carbon assessment tools is examined to assess their capacity for measuring CO2-e emissions in terms of this framework. The tools are reviewed for their applicability to four case studies in Western Australia: Peri-urban development (greenfield), Urban redevelopment (brownfield), Mining camps, and Indigenous communities, which demonstrate the type of settlement patterns that carbon assessment tools must respond to. The case studies are also indicative of the challenges facing other urban developments around the world in cutting CO2-e emissions and enhancing sustainability. The results of the study show that two tools are currently available that can measure and model carbon emissions and carbon consequences of variations of design in urban developments. The tools CCAPPrecint and e- Tool are highlighted in this paper as outstanding examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australian households are throwing out more than $5 billion worth of food each year, with over 40% of household food wasted. This non-consumed food constitutes a waste of resources and energy that needlessly contribute to Australia's ecological and carbon footprints. To further complicate matters, the management, transport, and disposal of this non-consumed food is a problem that does not have a comprehensive federally legislated and governed solution. Instead, the collection and processing of municipal food waste is organised by local area councils with support and additional funding from state and federal governments. This has resulted in conflicting waste practices across Australia. This paper investigates the development of waste practices in South Australia, with the objective to understand how this particular state has developed a high level of political commitment to positive environmental action while other Australian states have taken a more conservative position. Opening with a broad discussion upon contemporary food waste policy in Australia, this paper will then delve into a historical discussion on the development of South Australia's municipal waste system in conjunction with an evaluation of the present municipal food waste disposal options that are available within South Australian homes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research into climate change is very much on the worldwide agenda and Flanders and Belgium are no different. Climate discourse in recent decades has mainly focused on the issue of mitigation. Through a better understanding and assessment of climate challenges, adaptation arises as a complementary strategy to mitigation. It is widely recognized that deltas worldwide, where high population densities, rich agricultural resources, high-value infrastructure, and large freshwater flows that converge at the sea, are potentially highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Belgium and the Netherlands are the two most vulnerable countries in the Northern Central Europe, as both are part of the Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt-delta (RMS-delta). In this paper the potential impacts for the structures of human activities (i.e. residential and economic) in relation to climate change are described for the Flanders region as part of the ongoing research project CcASPAR. This acronym stands for 'Climate change And Changes in SPAtial structures in Flanders-Research project' (2009-2012), funded by the Flanders Institute for Innovation through Science and Technology (IWT), the project is oriented towards preparing policy in the domain of adaptation possibilities in response to climate change. The aim of the research project is to formulate a spatial adaptation strategy for Flanders. The aim of this paper is to conclude on the one hand some of Flanders's sensitivities in relation to the expected primary effects of climate change. On the other hand a reflection is made on a methodology to formulate preconditions as a scientific basis for further research by design on integrated adaptation options for the future spatial developments in function to upgrade Flanders resilience in relation to climate change challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change will impact the community of Greater Sudbury, particularly increasing pressures on water quality and quantity. This was one of the main conclusions of studies such as the Case Study on Climate Change Vulnerabilities and Potential Adaptations (2005-2007). This led to the development of the Climate Change Position Paper, "Positioning the Nickel District Conservation Authority (NDCA) within the City of Greater Sudbury in a Future Climate and the creation of a consortium which was officially endorsed by the City of Greater Sudbury in 2009. This paper examines the process (from the research to knowledge transfer and public engagement) and the steps that have been taken by this community to integrate climate change scenarios and impacts data to find responses to better adapt to climate change. I discuss some of the prerequisites that have been the basis for the use of this stakeholders approach to climate change adaptation in this community. To be successful, it is clear that communities should first assess the levels of awareness, social acceptability, governance structure and power relations before moving ahead. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UN Security Council's approach to collective security has been ever evolving since the time of the organization's creation. While historically collective security was considered to concern the protection of states from external military attack, the Council has used its power to determine the existence of "threats to the peace" under Article 39 of the UN Charter to bring a broad range of situations and phenomena of international concern within its remit. Refugee flows, infectious epidemics, and challenges to democracy are just some of the threats to the peace identified by the Council in the post-Cold War era. This paper is concerned with the Council's approach to climate change as a "threat to the peace." Drawing upon Council debates and resolutions, it considers the manner in which climate changes and its effects have been conceptualized in such terms, and assesses the relationship between climate change and other recognized threats to the peace. It is demonstrated that considerable progress has been made in elevating climate change as an issue of the utmost international concern at the UN level, yet tensions between the foreign and domestic policy priorities of powerful states continue to hinder more proactive responses on the Council's part. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bangladesh is recognized as one of the world’s most climate-affected countries because of its geographical settings and monsoon pattern. In 2007 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) identified Bangladesh as a highly vulnerable country that will most likely face adverse impacts of climate change in coming decades. The social dimensions of climate change are also exacerbating socioeconomic challenges, particularly in developing countries dependent on natural resources that are vulnerable to climate change. Climate vulnerability in Bangladesh is strongly associated with poverty. As in many parts of the developing world, women not only make up a significant proportion of poor people, but are also responsible for activities such as agriculture, water supply, and food management, all activities that are affected by climate change. Although women’s vulnerability to climate change is a common phenomenon in many countries, evidence suggests that gendered experiences and knowledge offer significant benefits in how they respond to this challenge. In this context, the paper employs both theoretical and qualitative data to challenge the traditional assumptions of women’s place and role in climate change adaptation in countries like Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global climate change is likely to have catastrophic results, with countless experts indicating impending economic collapse, rising social conflicts, and large-scale public health disasters. It is in the Hindu Kush-Himalayas that the humanitarian disaster caused by climate change has the potential to be particularly acute. In addition to the obvious economic and environmental impact that may befall this region, there are also major risks for social and cultural wellbeing of its inhabitants. In response to this combination of stresses and changes, indigenous communities and governments are undertaking measures toward sustainable adaptation. However, the effects of climate change will lead to both adverse and beneficial changes to the environmental, social, cultural, and economic well-being of the region, so too will the effects of these adaption measures. This paper employs the Mauri Model Decision Making Framework to investigate and assesses these adaptation measures and the effect they have on social, cultural, environmental, and economic factors. This technique is aimed at delivering a paradigm comparable to a cost-benefit analysis, whereby nonmonetary benefits may be fairly scrutinized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bangladesh is recognized as one of the world's most climate-affected countries because of its geographical settings and monsoon pattern. In 2007 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) identified Bangladesh as a highly vulnerable country that will most likely face adverse impacts of climate change in coming decades. The social dimensions of climate change are also exacerbating socioeconomic challenges, particularly in developing countries dependent on natural resources that are vulnerable to climate change. Climate vulnerability in Bangladesh is strongly associated with poverty. As in many parts of the developing world, women not only make up a significant proportion of poor people, but are also responsible for activities such as agriculture, water supply, and food management, all activities that are affected by climate change. Although women's vulnerability to climate change is a common phenomenon in many countries, evidence suggests that gendered experiences and knowledge offer significant benefits in how they respond to this challenge. In this context, the paper employs both theoretical and qualitative data to challenge the traditional assumptions of women's place and role in climate change adaptation in countries like Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Floods are becoming increasingly common in Nepal resulting in a huge loss of life and damage to settlements, agriculture lands and infrastructures in various parts of the country. Most recent research findings suggest that climate change has accelerated the intensity and frequency of flood hazards in most parts of the country. Communities are however, making use of options that increase their preparedness for these flood hazards. This paper intends to assess the indigenous knowledge on flood forecasting and flood adaptation strategies at the community level in two districts of Western Terai of Nepal. Two focus group discussion and a total number of 240 households were interviewed during field visit. The collected information was scaled from least preferred- 1 to most preferred-5 based on their preferences. The research findings indicate that there are some very effective local flood forecasting practices such as identifying the position of clouds; monitoring the extent of rainfall in upper catchments; analyzing the mobility of ants; analyzing the magnitude of thunderstorms and wind blows; analyzing the magnitude of hotness; and hearing strange sounds from river/torrents. Synthesis and analysis of these indicators help communities prepare for potential flood events, through (1) preparation of search and rescue related materials; (2) creation of small drainage structures in each plot of land and storage of the valuable material; and (3) the psychologically preparation for floods. This paper argues that these indigenous flood forecasting and adaptation strategies could be particularly useful for migrants, who are in flood prone areas but are not familiar with those practices, in other parts of the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate-induced migration presents a growing challenge with significant humanitarian, social, and policy implications. This article examines the complex relationship between climate change and migration, exploring environmental impacts, socioeconomic consequences, and the different types of climate-induced migration, including internal displacement and cross-border migration. The article also highlights the current challenges in managing climate-induced displacement, such as legal and policy gaps, human rights and protection concerns, capacity constraints, and social integration and cultural challenges. The article emphasizes the importance of developing comprehensive policies and strategies to address climate-induced migration. It outlines potential approaches, such as enhancing global and regional frameworks, legally recognizing climate migrants, expanding support for regional and international cooperation, integrating climate-induced migration into national climate change and development plans, and investing in climate-resilient infrastructure and livelihoods. It also discusses case studies of successful policy responses to climate-induced migration and offers lessons learned and best practices. In conclusion, the article underscores the significance of proactive policy development, collaboration, and ongoing research and monitoring of climate-induced migration trends. By adopting best practices and learning from existing successes, policymakers can develop robust strategies to manage the growing challenge of climate-induced displacement and support vulnerable communities in the face of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vietnam is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, and impoverished ethnic minority groups in marginalized areas are more adversely affected. This article focuses on the Northern Mountainous Region (NMR) of Vietnam, which is the poorest region in the country. It employs a participatory case study approach in assessing the vulnerability of the three major ethnic minority groups in the region: (1) the Tay, (2) Dao, and (3) Hmong. The results show that each of the three groups is vulnerable to climate change in different ways. The Tay people are vulnerable to flooding, whereas the Hmong and Dao groups are vulnerable to droughts and cold snaps. This study provides valuable insights into the complex relationship between ethnicity and vulnerability. The vulnerability of specific communities in the study area to climate change impacts gets amplified due to their already existing vulnerabilities, which are accordingly determined by the complex links among culture, geography, poverty, marginalization, and the communities' lack of access to resources and capital. This underscores the importance of looking beyond simplistic technical response measures; instead, policy and decision-makers need to address both climatic and non-climatic conditions, including the drivers of social vulnerability. Only through this amalgamation of approaches can planners develop measures that are flexible enough to incorporate and mitigate the existing and many "new" vulnerabilities emerging from rapidly evolving human--environment systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The world's population recently surpassed 7 billion and is predicted to reach 9.2 billion by 2050. Continued population growth will result in increased resource consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, enhancing the effects of climate change. Synergisms between population growth and climate change will therefore have substantial negative impacts on the environment. However, solutions to population growth are often absent within the context of climate change. To address this absence, we conducted a review of the primary scientific literature published between 1980 and 2011 using ISI Web of Knowledge to determine the major topics that have been discussed, the geographic scale at which these topics were addressed, what types of solutions were proposed, and whether or not these solutions were tractable. In particular, we quantified the portion of the literature that addressed population growth and climate change as synergistic issues. Of 1,438 papers addressing population growth and climate change, only 139 (∼10%) included solutions. Among these 139 papers, the most frequent topics and solutions addressed the societal aspects of population growth and climate change. Land use/land cover change and greenhouse gas emissions were also frequently discussed, while changes in policy, economics, and science and technology were the most frequently offered solutions to population growth and climate change. Education, energy, and health, were the least discussed topics and the least mentioned as solutions. In addition, while topics were discussed on a global scale, actionable solutions were often regionally dependent and tailored to address either population growth or climate change as separate, unrelated topics. Importantly, the number of papers offering solutions increased significantly over time, with 46% published since 2008. These results suggest that while solutions to human population growth have seldom been discussed in the context of climate change, they are beginning to be considered in the literature, perhaps indicating an increased awareness of the interrelatedness of these issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the last decade, the South West (SW) region of Bangladesh has been found to be already engaged in practicing floating garden, cage culture, crab culture, etc., as the adaptation strategies to overcome the adverse effects of climate change (CC). Considering both, without CC (1961-1990) and with CC (1981-2010), this paper analyzes the trends of spatial, temporal, and extreme event indices for both temperature and rainfall based on fifty years (1961-2010) of data. Data have been collected from five Bangladesh Meteorological Departments distributed over the SW region and Rclimdex software is used for quality control and calculation of indices of rainfall as well as of temperature. During the monsoon, rainfall has been found with higher variability in magnitude as well as in spatial distribution. Over the last decade, both the highest monthly maximum 1-day rainfall and the highest monthly maximum consecutive 5-day rainfall were observed at Jessor, where water logging is a severe problem. Year to year variation of maximum summer temperature is increasing whereas minimum winter temperature is found to be decreasing. Additionally, the decreasing trends of consecutive wet days indicate that duration of the extreme rainfalls have become shorter. In the case of daily temperature, the winter trend has been drastically changed from increasing to decreasing. But in the case of other seasons, increasing temperature trends are found to be increasing at a faster rate. This study identifies the locations that are already vulnerable to changing condition and will be further exacerbated in the upcoming decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is focused on developing a set of guidelines with regard to the major climatic regions and climatic cities form, useful for urban planners and designers as well as for managerial, policymaking and financial purpose. It could inform the owners of businesses and actors on what to anticipate from city planning and design and to encourage a low-carbon growth for urban areas. The research synopsizes the results of an extensive study on climate-conscious urban elements and principles for different climates, and the goal is to decrease greenhouse gases for developing and transition economies as well as developed countries. Suggestions are presented on the four habitable climatic zones, but in this paper, only the results of arid climate is presented as an example. They are the essence of investigation of many cases studies, and the results are for comparison and quick references and to be applied on cities to obtain a sustainable urban form. The study of the relationship between climate and urban morphology of human settlements in the past is relatively a new field, and many lessons could be learned from ancient to recent cities. The main issue such as spatial configuration and morphological elements that may have an effect on climate change is discussed. The three criteria that will define the entity of an urban centre are history, culture and climate. These criteria have been considered in the study in order to include fairly representative examples of urban design, in other words, to have a homogeneous and balanced distribution of the selected settlements. Such a method will help in achieving comprehensive results and in making recommendations. The main purpose is to observe the influence of climate on the urban form, which would be useful to apply for contemporary city form. Climate-conscious urban design is an effective and a straightforward way to fight against climate change. It is important to emphasize that indigenous styles are defined less by national frontiers and more by environmental considerations. Climate has played a significant role in determining the overall urban and architectural form and fabric of future sustainable urban areas and liveable living style. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the concept of 'lived experience of climate change', the complementary challenge it poses to scientific (natural and social science) knowledge, its potential to inform policy, and the methodological challenges of capturing it. We conceptualise lived experience of climate change as evolving knowledge gained over time by individuals and groups through their everyday practices, practices that are in turn framed by proximate impacts of climate-related processes and events, and by broader socio-economic circumstance. The potential of lived experience to complement the sciences and inform policy poses difficult epistemological questions regarding how climate change knowledge is constructed and used. A key further dimension concerns the challenges that confront those who seek to capture it and its integrated, multi-faceted dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adapting to the impacts of climate change is a crucial challenge for Local Government Authorities (LGAs). LGAs provide essential services to the community including land use planning, infrastructure delivery and maintenance, public health and safety and disaster management. They therefore, have a vital role to play in identifying, planning and implementing effective and timely adaptation actions. However, little is being done by LGAs in Australia in regard to climate change adaptation planning and implementation of adaptation measures, despite the potentially severe consequences of procrastination. The issues that inhibit the local governments from taking action on climate change adaptation include lack of awareness about climate change risks and vulnerability, lack of sufficient resources, absence of a mechanism to facilitate cross-departmental planning and lack of ability to recognize climate change risks as corporate risks. Mainstreaming climate change risk assessment and adaptation planning within city planning and operation would help address many of these issues. This paper aims to provide an understanding of the issues that need to be considered in developing a framework to assist mainstreaming of climate change adaptation within local government operation and planning and increasing the resilience of the cities to climate change. Information from local governments across Australia has been collected through a survey questionnaire and face-to-face meetings. Responses from the local governments indicate that a general awareness about climate change exists but the capacity to estimate the severity of local impacts is absent. Climate change impacts often cross local government boundaries and become regional issues. Regional collaborations can help to build capacity to address climate risks and adaptation planning. The paper summarizes the responses and discusses the key elements of the design of an adaptation framework for local governments to help them mainstream climate change adaptation into their operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is a pressing concern for the agricultural sector of both developed and developing countries due to the heavy reliance of this primary sector on climate conditions. However, little research effort has gone into understanding underlying cognitive factors that implicitly and explicitly guide the climate change adaptation process of farmers and the combined influence of socioeconomic and psychological factors on their adaptive behaviour. Since the importance of psychological factors and the reinforcement of psychology and economics to each other in explaining human behaviour have been well recognised, this paper employs behavioural economic viewpoints, protection motivation theory, and the theory of planned behaviour as the foundation. An integrated conceptual framework has been developed that takes into account psychological as well as socio-economic factors and examines the interaction among those variables in explaining farmers' decision-making process regarding climate change adaptation. The framework aims to provide a better understanding of farmers' adaptive behaviour in response to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adapting existing buildings is a viable alternative to demolition and replacement in order to mitigate climate change and global warming. Australian cities with inherent cultural heritage fabric, like Melbourne and Sydney, are actively promoting building adaptive reuse as a strategy that supports their programme for developing carbon-neutral cities. Thus, designing for future buildings with embedded adaptive reuse potential is a useful criterion for sustainability. Building adaptive reuse entails less energy and waste, protects the buildings' heritage values- its socio-cultural and historic meanings; while giving them a new lease of life. This paper looks into urban conservation-- an interdisciplinary field that combines adaptive reuse, architecture and community development of the built heritage. It will further introduce the development of a new rating tool known as adaptSTAR, suitable for assessing the adaptive reuse potential of future buildings to lead and help promote the development of low to no carbon built environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approximately half the world's population now lives in urban areas, and about 70% will be city dwellers by 2050. The IEA's World Energy Outlook 2008 estimates the global energy and energy related carbon dioxide (CO2) emission contributions of cities are 67% and 71% respectively. They therefore represent a concentration of carbon dioxide-emitting activities, but equally provide substantial opportunities for effective mitigation. Although international action on climate change is essential, local mitigation will deliver many of the carbon savings, and consequently, cities will play an important role. However, closing the gap between 'where we are now' and 'where we need to be' can be problematic, given the all-encompassing nature of the problem and its cause, and the long timescales involved. Using the example of Bristol in south west England, this paper presents a methodology to overcome such a problem. By engaging local stakeholders through an innovative Delphi-like process, a number of low-carbon scenarios for the future city-region can be imagined. By subsequently using backcasting techniques, together with conventional forecasting, a robust pathway from the present to a future desirable low-emission city can be described. This will bring benefits to planning and policy making, by providing a low emission-pathway beyond the short term, and creates buy-in from key stakeholders through the Delphi-process, who have helped to define the city's future [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is a priority sector in Saudi Arabia. During last three decades, the country achieved significant growth in agricultural production. Despite difficulties of scarce rain, meager subterranean water, limited local manpower and widely dispersed cultivatable lands, agriculture has been given priority with objectives of attaining self-sufficiency, enhancing food security and increasing rural income. Agricultural productivity heavily relies on spatial and temporal variation of climate parameters like temperature, rainfall and humidity. Crop production is particularly vulnerable to variations in temperature and water availability during grain maturing stage. This paper presents the result of research work on effects of fluctuations in maximum and minimum temperature, water availability and humidity at different stages of plant growth for few major crops of the country which include wheat, date, and vegetables. Parametric analysis is conducted using historical climate data integrated into crop production simulation model to assess relative impacts of variations of climate parameters. PRECIS model is used for predictions of future climate parameters up to the end of the century. Climate forecasts are fed into DSSAT crop production simulation model to investigate corresponding impacts. Results suggest that yield of wheat, barley, date and vegetables may reduce by more than 30 percent due to change of temperature and rainfall forecasted in SRES scenarios. Outputs of analysis may be utilized for climate change adaptation policy formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a climate sensitive sector, tourism is highly vulnerable to climate change impacts. Indeed, the tourism sector has already been experiencing impacts rising from climate change such as warming temperatures, sea level rise, coral bleaching, and increase in frequency and intensity of tropical cyclones, etc. While China is a major source market for many destinations all over the world, it is rising in the ranking of the world's top tourism destinations by achieving the fourth position in terms of international tourist arrivals in 2004. It has been projected by the World Travel and Tourism Council that China is to become the second largest travel and tourism economy in the world over the next ten years. On the other hand, China is one of "climate-tourism hotspots" where climate change can have a major adverse effect on tourism. The projected impacts of climate change in China include more common heatwaves, change of precipitation and water availability, increase in frequency of tropical storms, sea level rise and coastal erosion. Although how these climate change projections would affect China's tourism has yet to be assessed, it will inevitably need to adapt to future impacts of climate change. Aware of this situation, Chinese government has been making efforts to develop policies to address adaptation issues. This paper aims to review China's recent policy development in tourism adaptation to climate change. Based on the understanding of the current policies, it concludes with recommendations for future policy development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impacts of climate change are being felt all over the world. Himalayan Glaciers like Gangotri and Yamunotri are melting away at an unprecedented rate and effecting lives of many in the Indian subcontinent. According to the IPCC reports, India will have no drinkable water left in the next fifty years. Cities like Mumbai in India are under a constant threat of being submerged due to rising sea levels. The policy makers of the country realize the hardships the country may face under the scenario of climate change. The Indian economy depends heavily on agriculture which is also under constant threat from climate change. In this paper we analyze the effects of climate change on Indian agriculture in Punjab, which is also known as the food basket of India. Our results do not show any negative impact of climate change on agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper outlines the evolution of the concept of global environmental governance, and its expression within climate-change related problem-solving institutions. A number of institutions address climate change on a global level, with a variety of institutional structures and processes. This leads to difficulties for comparative analysis, particularly when it comes to assessing quality of governance. Governance performance is important, since it helps stakeholders determine whether a given institution is sufficiently legitimate to merit participation, or whether their efforts are better served in other forums. Using a set of principles, criteria and indicators of governance quality, the paper provides an analysis of the 'REDD-plus' process (United Nations Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries). It highlights REDDplus' strengths and weaknesses and provides a rating of institutional legitimacy. It concludes with some observations on the challenges facing REDD-plus, and calls for the development of standards to ensure institutional quality-of-governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review contributes to a project promoted by the cluster of excellence "Integrated Climate System Analysis and Prediction (CliSAP)" to evaluate the preservation potentials of freshwater wetlands in Europe under consideration of climate change. In Europe wetlands have been drained and converted for centuries. The remaining wetlands are fragmented and often in a degraded state. During the last years efforts have been made to restore and preserve wetlands for various purposes, because wetlands provide crucial services and functions. They affect the carbon, water, and nitrogen cycles, serve as habitat for many plant and animal species, and act both as sink and source of greenhouse gases. In this sense, wetlands, its functions, and spatial extension may also be of significance in global and regional climate modeling. A fully coupled wetland-climate model under consideration of land use has not yet been developed; and within earth system models, wetlands are included as static shape with fixed boundaries. Wetlands have also received little attention in large-scale economic models of land use. But with relatively high European political ambitions for climate change mitigation, biodiversity protection, energy, water, food, and civil security, the question arises how to optimally govern wetlands in order to maximize market and non-market benefits. Qualitative and quantitative data on wetland ecosystems, its functions and services are required as base input for such model approaches. But often these studies are hindered by a lack of knowledge on wetland ecosystem functions, processes, as well as its spatial and temporal distribution under changing conditions. This paper summarizes existing knowledge on European freshwater wetlands under changing climatic conditions and discusses research gaps needed to be filled. The paper further compares the results with research undertaken globally by indicating uncertainties and variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adaptation is the adjustment in natural or human systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects, which moderates harm or exploits beneficial opportunities. Currently, there are many activities in Viet Nam aimed at adapting to climate change; it is therefore important to assess the effectiveness of those adaptive activities in order to see which activities are effective for continuation and replication. These indicators are based on the SMART principle but must also meet the requirements of the ADAPT rule. In addition, the indicators were developed on the basis of the Adaptation Monitoring and Assessment Tool (AMAT) and were divided into three subindicators: reducing vulnerability to negative impacts of climate change, increasing the likelihood of responding to the impacts of climate change, and promoting the transfer and application of adaptive technologies. In this study, Can Tho City, Viet Nam, was chosen as the pilot city to apply the indicators to assess the effectiveness of the adaptation measures. The results show that the set of indicators can provide a visual result on adaptation effectiveness and should be applied in other cities/provinces or at the regional level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human activities have been identified as the main cause of climate change which is already posing serious threats to coastal communities, creating the need for effective local, national, and global action plans. Increasing incidents of flooding and inundation in areas as disparate as the Pacific islands and Miami, Florida, are being reported, and these communities must take rapid action to prevent the loss of land to the sea. Even in the relatively short time between its two Assessment Reports in 2007 and 2013, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) significantly increased its global sea-level rise (SLR) projections for the year 2100, from 0.59 meters in the 2007 report to 0.98 meters in the 2013 version. In the development of adaptation strategies, SLR and its impacts can be considered as negative risks to the environment and to local communities. In this paper we propose that the well-established Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) risk response standard be applied to SLR risk response planning. By breaking down the risk response planning process into three key steps (inputs, tools and techniques, and outputs), the PMBOK standard can provide a logical, comprehensive, and systematic approach to SLR risk management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are seventeen countries that host 70% of the planet's biodiversity and 45% of its population: the megadiverse countries. Six of the world's megadiverse nations are in Latin America. Carbon stocks, biodiversity, and the life of millions of inhabitants are at risk due to high deforestation rates in the region. Furthermore, the economic and political stability of most Latin-American states depend on extractive practices. At a world-wide level, land use change, including deforestation, accounts for nearly 20% of total anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Since 2006, the UNFCCC financial mechanism to Reduce Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) has implemented close to 150 initiatives in Latin-American megadiverse countries. REDD+ has a high potential to become the climate change mechanism to transform deforestation trends and to make biodiversity an actual source of income for megadiverse countries. These six states are the priority target of REDD+ donations in the region. However, in contrast to mainstream theorists who have labeled transnational governance as the brand of climate change, REDD+ proves otherwise. Traditional hierarchical North-South inter-national relations mark the rhythm and governance of this mechanism. Furthermore, a shift from multilateral efforts to bilateralism is evident as they currently represent 89% of total REDD+ flows and 80% of climate finances in the region. The risk of bilateralism is that ODA depends on the political priorities of the donor and recipient countries alike, becoming a potential threat to REDD+ sustainability. This paper examines each of the programs and projects accounted as REDD+ between 2006 and 2020. The goal is to define the financial flows corresponding to each of the countries analyzed, and moreover, the governance model resulting from these interventions. This article starts with an overview of the regional deforestation evolution and the climate change responses registered in this period in Latin America followed by the influxes of REDD+ in the region and an analysis by each megadiverse country. The results have been contrasted with governance categories developed by different authors. The purpose is to state the governance model promoted by REDD+ in Latin-American megadiverse countries and its implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One aspect to developing successful responses to local sea level rise requires engaging stakeholders in thinking about local adaptation and design responses. Sheppard et al. found that civic engagement in climate change led to clarifying options for adaptation and mitigation. The question of how to involve residents in this type of design process encompasses examining different approaches to public involvement in the design process for sea level rise. This paper examines the case study of a project on Maryland's eastern shore. With a projected sea level rise of 1.4 feet by 2050 and 3.7 feet by 2100, Maryland is one of the most vulnerable states to sea level rise in the United States. This case study addresses the larger question of how to involve the human dimension in developing adaptation responses to the uncertainty of sea level change. This project examines a project in Dorchester County, Maryland, a county that is predicted to lose approximately sixty percent of its landmass by 2100 due to sea level change. Different approaches were used to engage stakeholders in developing local responses to sea level change. This work is innovative because stakeholder workshops around potential responses to local climate change are relatively new. For the Dorchester project, design responses by landscape architecture were developed to visualize alternative responses to sea level change. Some of the areas of design exploration examine the potential displacement of buildings, wetland migration, and adaptation to shorelines. This project on civic engagement in climate change design and planning is used to investigate how transdisciplinary approaches may provide (1) new ways of framing the problem, (2) new collaborations and processes in solving the problem, and (3) engaging stakeholders to visualize new responses to sea level change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Baltic Sea coasts hold huge potential for summer beaching in the 21st century. The appropriate temperature and precipitation regime are prior to Mediterranean Sea climatic conditions which become too hot with regular heat waves in summer. The originally designed method allows to evaluate more “precise” UTCI values (in °C) using averaged monthly data of meteorological variables (air temperature, humidity, wind velocity, cloudiness, and atmospheric pressure) instead of daily values. The evaluation in this paper covers the period from 1980 to 2009. Only the summer beaching period (May–September) was analysed. The initial data was taken from the European Climate Assessment & Dataset project database. The monthly reanalysis fields of meteorological variables were used for covering the Baltic Sea coasts and adjacent territories (180 grid points). The UTCI values were obtained using BioKlima version 2.6 software. The UTCI values were visualized using ArcGIS 10.2 version software. The evaluation period was divided into two parts (1980–1994 and 1995–2009). The results showed that the temporal and spatial changes are already happening on the coastline. The UTCI values became higher in almost the entire perimeter of the Baltic Sea coastline and the warming process included every summer month. The whole Baltic Sea coastline corresponds to comfortable conditions (UTCI >9°C) of the UTCI categorization from May to August. Only in September did conditions become less comfortable. However, the real “thermal comfort zone” conditions (UTCI >17.5°C) on the Baltic Sea coasts last from the middle of June until the middle of August. The southern part is significantly warmer compared to other parts in May and September, while the UTCI values are more similar over the other summer months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bangladesh is recognized as one of the most vulnerable countries due to climate-induced sea level rise and further exacerbation of the current conditions is anticipated in light of the projected climate scenarios. Saltwater intrusion to fresh water resources is one of the most important impacts of sea level rise in low-lying costal areas. Despite the widespread and growing problem of water salinity and population affected in low-lying coastal areas including in Bangladesh, evidence on human health impacts of water salinity is scarce. One important health risk potentially related to water salinity is high blood pressure. The epidemiological research examining the health impacts of drinking water sodium (water salinity) on blood pressure and as a consequence to other health conditions such as heart diseases, stroke, and kidney damage is yet to be explored. Given the extent of the problems of water salinity globally and in Bangladesh, further research is urgently required to assess the risk of water salinity on blood pressure and other health conditions within different populations and age groups, in order to promote appropriate prevention strategies. This paper describes the impacts of sea level rise and saltwater intrusion and identifies potential research gaps in order to make relevant policy recommendations in the context of coastal Bangladesh and similar settings in low-income countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Baltic Sea coasts hold huge potential for summer beaching in the 21st century. The appropriate temperature and precipitation regime are prior to Mediterranean Sea climatic conditions which become too hot with regular heat waves in summer. The originally designed method allows to evaluate more "precise" UTCI values (in °C) using averaged monthly data of meteorological variables (air temperature, humidity, wind velocity, cloudiness, and atmospheric pressure) instead of daily values. The evaluation in this paper covers the period from 1980 to 2009. Only the summer beaching period (May–September) was analysed. The initial data was taken from the European Climate Assessment & Dataset project database. The monthly reanalysis fields of meteorological variables were used for covering the Baltic Sea coasts and adjacent territories (180 grid points). The UTCI values were obtained using BioKlima version 2.6 software. The UTCI values were visualized using ArcGIS 10.2 version software. The evaluation period was divided into two parts (1980–1994 and 1995–2009). The results showed that the temporal and spatial changes are already happening on the coastline. The UTCI values became higher in almost the entire perimeter of the Baltic Sea coastline and the warming process included every summer month. The whole Baltic Sea coastline corresponds to comfortable conditions (UTCI >9°C) of the UTCI categorization from May to August. Only in September did conditions become less comfortable. However, the real "thermal comfort zone" conditions (UTCI >17.5°C) on the Baltic Sea coasts last from the middle of June until the middle of August. The southern part is significantly warmer compared to other parts in May and September, while the UTCI values are more similar over the other summer months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Details of the urban-rural disparities in climate change awareness in China have not been analyzed. This paper targets the differences of public opinion on climate change in urban-rural China, including the understanding of climate change and the science, personal confidence and action, policy support, climate change information seeking channels, and trusted information sources, etc. from a national survey. Targeted communication strategies to raise the public's awareness will be proposed based on the survey findings, using CATI survey data from a nationally representative sample of Chinese, covering 4,169 valid samples which are scientifically random. The national survey was to study the public's awareness and action of climate change and related issues. SPSS software was used to explore and highlight any statistical correlations and relationships between the different variable and to produce graphs and tables to present the results. There are significant differences of climate change awareness and actions between urban-rural residents in China. Future research about the two unique groups that view and respond to this issue in distinct ways is needed to identify. The methods of effectively communication with them also need be discussed in light of their belief and characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change threatens our very way of life, and yet meaningful climate change policy often lacks broad public support, particularly in the United States. Understanding climate change communication may help advocates convey the risks of climate change and the need for drastic action. This paper examines recent research on climate change communication: public perceptions, media representations, and attitude formation. Where Americans largely regard climate change as a temporally and geographically distant problem, efforts to convey the local impacts of climate change may lead to greater concern, but existing research has failed to establish a causal link between media representations and attitude formation. Future research must employ a rigorous experimental approach to understand the effects of media representations of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In addition to climatic variables, including extremes, non-climatic factors should be considered in the analysis of vulnerability and adaptation to climate change and variability. This shift in paradigm places the human agent at the centre of the process of adaptation to climate change, particularly with regard to the role of social networks in the transmission of new ideas. However, in a sector such as agriculture, it is recognized that social networks already play a crucial role in adaptation through the diffusion of innovations. To this end, the aim of this paper is to analyze the role of social networks for the support of the diffusion and adoption of innovations as a strategy for adaptation of agriculture to climate change and variability. Using grounded theory, a case study conducted in southwestern Quebec, which involved different stakeholders in agriculture, underscores the complementarity between the informal social networks and the formal structures that support adaptation, as well as the need to establish partnerships. In addition, the study positions adaptation of Quebec’s agriculture in a perspective of private adaptation, of which its success is based on a “socialization” of innovations, which leads to formal and informal institutional processes. The implementation of this type of partnership can contribute significantly to improving the adaptation process at the local level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article sets discourse by demonstrating the utility of indigenous climate knowledge (ICK) in understanding the science of climate change in Muzarabani, a rural community north of Zimbabwe. It argues that the notion of sacredness, enshrined in customary arrangements and belief systems, offers opportunities for exploitation in climate science. Through customary law, communities understand the sanctity and inviolability of the environment because of the varied cultural, political and ecological benefits derived from it. This perspective, although facing perpetuity challenges in Africa, can be exploited both to enhance understanding of climate change and to promote sustainable intervention strategies. By drawing from the experiences of indigenous people through in-depth conservations with a selected elderly local group, the paper proves that ICK offers capabilities in informing climate science. The local people have a range of sacred sites and environmental assets that can be used to understand past, current, and future climate systems from their many years of interactions with the same. Sacred forests and trees are also vital in climate change mitigation. It is concluded that, albeit limitations in scale, opportunities exist for tapping from the sacredness notions, to enhance the praxis of mitigation strategies such as Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uncertainty in climate change impact studies stem from many sources, wherein it is a difficult task to represent and quantify the whole range of associated uncertainties. Recently, a great deal of studies in climate change have focused on the uncertainty analysis and modelling. Current debate centres on the contribution of the various sources of uncertainty and their interplay–emission scenarios, general circulation models (GCM), downscaling methods, hydrological models; towards the final uncertainty quantum. However, there is a common agreement on the utmost importance of emission scenarios and GCM uncertainties in this context. Diverse researches have discussed the influence of other sources of uncertainty and notable discrepancies in their results necessitate the review of findings in this regard. Application of multiple GCMs in the impact studies is generally recognized as a resolution to GCMs uncertainty control. Several methods have been developed to analyze and model the resulting uncertainty due to multiple GCMs utilization. Methods such as generalized likelihood uncertainty estimation (GLUE) and reliability ensemble averaging (REA) methods have gained considerable attention among the researchers. The present paper, with focus on the available uncertainty quantification and modelling techniques, discusses the limitations and opportunities in converging all sources of uncertainty via a single model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops a theoretical model of endogenous growth where both human and physical capitals depreciate due to environmental pollution by extending the framework of Bretschger and Valente (2011). The model allows for adaptation to environmental effects triggered by climate variation. We characterize the socially optimal path of an economy in which pollution is generated by physical capital accumulation, which affects the depreciation rate of both the types of capital. The harmful effects of pollution might be severe for countries vulnerable to climate change. Solving for the social planner's equilibria, we find that along the optimal path, economic growth is lower when the efficiency loss in physical and human capital stock due to climate change is higher; when the pollution intensity of physical capital is higher, the vulnerability of a country to climate change is higher or the adaptation efficiency of the country to climate change is lower. These results are tested empirically for a balanced panel of sixty-two countries, including both developing and developed countries for a time spanning 1995-2016. We capture the vulnerability of human capital and physical capital of a country to climate change through environmental health index (EHI) and CO2 intensity respectively. The empirical results based on the system-GMM method shows that increase in environmental health index (EHI) has a positive impact, whereas increase in CO2 intensity has a negative impact on the GDP growth rate of the country, as well as the different sectors of the economy. Moreover, special efforts should be made to improve human health; efforts to reduce pollution could possibly be viewed as an investment in human capital, and this directly affects the output growth rate. This linkage between environmental pollution and human capital investment matters because if environmental pollution reduces human capital investments, economic growth will also reduce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops a theoretical model of endogenous growth where both human and physical capitals depreciate due to environmental pollution by extending the framework of Bretschger and Valente (2011). The model allows for adaptation to environmental effects triggered by climate variation. We characterize the socially optimal path of an economy in which pollution is generated by physical capital accumulation, which affects the depreciation rate of both the types of capital. The harmful effects of pollution might be severe for countries vulnerable to climate change. Solving for the social planner's equilibria, we find that along the optimal path, economic growth is lower when the efficiency loss in physical and human capital stock due to climate change is higher; when the pollution intensity of physical capital is higher, the vulnerability of a country to climate change is higher or the adaptation efficiency of the country to climate change is lower. These results are tested empirically for a balanced panel of sixty-two countries, including both developing and developed countries for a time spanning 1995-2016. We capture the vulnerability of human capital and physical capital of a country to climate change through environmental health index (EHI) and CO2 intensity respectively. The empirical results based on the system-GMM method shows that increase in environmental health index (EHI) has a positive impact, whereas increase in CO2 intensity has a negative impact on the GDP growth rate of the country, as well as the different sectors of the economy. Moreover, special efforts should be made to improve human health; efforts to reduce pollution could possibly be viewed as an investment in human capital, and this directly affects the output growth rate. This linkage between environmental pollution and human capital investment matters because if environmental pollution reduces human capital investments, economic growth will also reduce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]