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This paper proposes a new multi-surface plasticity model for the cyclic hardening of unsaturated granular soils crucial for assessing their resilience jointly under repeated loading and changing climatic conditions. The model incorporates a generalised kinematic hardening law and a double logarithmic compressibility law, both of which are essential to accurately simulate soil cyclic behaviour, particularly when considering water retention hysteresis and volume change dependence. A tailored adaptive sub-stepping stress integration algorithm has also been developed, featuring a sub-algorithm for initial hydraulic state and path determination adaptable to various soil water retention curve formulations. The model is validated through experimental results obtained from repeated load triaxial tests and cyclic simple shear tests on unsaturated granular soils under diverse initial void ratios and suctions. The study underscores the importance of soil water retention properties in plastic strain development and offers predictive axial plastic strain contours on the compaction plane. These findings provide essential insights for soil performance optimisation and practical guidelines for effective soil compaction in field applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic fluctuations in sea surface temperature within the North Atlantic Ocean (NA-SST) exert a pivotal influence on global climate change. Yet, the specific impacts of these variations on the temperature shifts within the Qinling-Bashan Mountains (QBM) of China, remain to be fully elucidated. Furthermore, a debate surrounding the manifestation of the Little Ice Age (LIA) within the QBM is ongoing, primarily due to the scarcity of reliable, long-term, and high-resolution temperature records. To bridge these knowledge gaps, in this paper, we present a ∼ 250-year temperature reconstruction (Tmax 11 – 7) developed based on a tree-ring-width chronology from the QBM. The new reconstruction not only aligns with a local winter temperature reconstruction based on historical document evidence, but also reveals robust regional and hemispheric temperature signals. Intriguingly, the study shows that the warming trend observed in the QBM since the Industrial Era is less pronounced than that witnessed across China and the Northern Hemisphere. The Tmax 11 – 7 reconstruction provides a glimpse into the final stages of the LIA, highlighting a relatively colder 19 th century followed by a warmer 20 th century. Notably, the warming trend post-1970s remains within the bounds of the 250-year temperature framework. The research further uncovers that NA-SST has predominantly governed the QBM's temperature fluctuations over the past centuries, as evidenced by the tight positive correlation between Atlantic multidecadal Oscillation (AMO)/Atlantic multidecadal variability (AMV) and Tmax 11 – 7. However, this dominant influence of NA-SST was temporarily subdued between 1900 and 1930 CE due to the interference of Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). This finding serves as a reminder that future temperature projections for the QBM must account not only for the primary role of NA-SST but also the modulating effects of the PDO. The study is essential for shaping effective environmental management and adaptation strategies in the region. • A ∼ 250-year temperature reconstruction is developed using tree rings from the QBM. • The QBM saw the last stage of the LIA and recent warming is within historical frame. • North Atlantic SST (NA-SST) played a positive and dominant role on QBM'S temperature changes. • Weakened NA-SST's impact on temperature in 1900–1930 CE was due to PDO's interference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scarcity of water resources, severe pollution and climate change necessitate the sustainable and optimized allocation of irrigation water resources. Agricultural irrigation is profoundly influenced by dynamic environmental conditions and affects crop photosynthesis, respiration and energy utilization, thereby significantly influencing crop yield and agricultural non-point source pollution. To address this issue, this paper presents a process-driven modeling approach for achieving sustainable optimal allocation of irrigation water resources based on the water-food-energy-environment (WFEE) nexus in response to climate change. The model is capable of quantifying the inherent mechanisms of irrigation water and yield, as well as the formation of non-point source pollution, and optimizing irrigation water considering changing environment. This method was tested and implemented in Changgang Irrigation District in Heilongjiang Province, China. The results indicate that: (1) there exists a significant positive and negative nonlinear correlation between the amount of irrigation water and crop photosynthesis as well as soil respiration, which directly impacts crop yield. Specifically, when the optimized volume of irrigation water is increased by 5 %, crop respiration decreases by 1.26 %, the photosynthetic rate increases by 0.85 %, actual evapotranspiration increases by 0.73 %, and yield increases by 1.72 %. (2) By optimizing the allocation of agricultural water resources, the harmony between the economy, energy, environment, and resource utilization efficiency can be improved by 33.35 %. (3) The distribution of irrigation water significantly responds to changes in climate factors. Under other unchanged conditions, when potential evapotranspiration increases, it will promote a significant increase in irrigation water, while an increase in rainfall during growth period will reduce the demand for irrigation water. The constructed model finely regulates agricultural irrigation water resources from a process mechanism perspective, and mitigates non-point source pollution, thus realizing sustainable utilization of such resources. • A system model of water-energy-food-environment nexus is developed. • Water allocation coupling water-photosynthesis-respiration process is optimized. • Irrigation water has a nonlinear correlation with crop photosynthesis and respiration. • Irrigation reduction promotes the synergy between economy, energy and resources use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public transit offers urban populations physical accessibility to resources and opportunities. However, at the same time, transit trips often expose users to extreme environmental conditions, such as extreme heat and cold since transit journeys usually include out-of-vehicle trip segments including walking and waiting. Such exposure can be considered as environmental health costs because exposure to weather extremes can lead to adverse health outcomes. Even worse, climate change is increasing the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events. In this context, how can we make public transit accessibility measures ready for climate change? This paper attempts to answer this question by developing a generalized cost function approach combining travel time and environmental health costs into an integrated measure of dual accessibility: a measure of the travel costs of accessing a fixed number of destinations. We synthesize transport science, environmental health, remote sensing, and urban climatology to empower the proposed framework. To demonstrate the utility of the proposed method, we carry out an example study that incorporates transit passengers' extreme cold exposure into accessibility measures in the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Further, we perform a social equity analysis to investigate whether the increase in total integrated costs (i.e., decrease in accessibility) due to the inclusion of environmental health costs disproportionately affects socially disadvantaged population groups. The proposed method enables a more realistic and practical measurement of public transit accessibility under climate change; thereby, improving the readiness and resilience of our society and transport systems for future challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is transforming landscapes and land use practices. As the state territorializes climate risk via land use planning instruments, it transforms the operation of legal rights. In the Global North, this is generally understood as imposing constraints on private property rights. In the Global South, the literature focuses on the way planning instruments create or transform property rights. Using case studies from the Philippines, this paper demonstrates that, in property orders marked by high levels of informality, the land use planning process does not constrain state-given property rights, nor only create or attenuate rights. Instead, it can transform entire property orders, displacing long-term systems of informal land tenure derived from possessory interests and reifying state-sanctioned forms of title. This reordering of systems has significant consequences for the emergent, nominally climate-resilient landscape and the operation of state power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indigenous knowledge of and practices for climate change and disaster risk management have been used to respond to climate and disaster risk since antiquity. These indigenous practices have continuously been evolving with the change in human societies and their environment. In Africa, dominance of contemporary science, sometimes refer to as the 'Western version of science' or global science, has greatly led to the abandoning of the African Indigenous Knowledge (AIK) systems in formal decision-making process. However, recent years have witnessed increasing references to indigenous knowledge systems in policy documents. This paper assessed the application of the African indigenous knowledge of and practices for climate change and disaster risk management by African governments in policy formulation and implementation. Whereas references to the need to apply the indigenous knowledge of and practices for climate change and disaster risk management are abound in academic documents and policy instruments, this research has found that the application of the African indigenous knowledge of and practices for climate change and disaster risk management remains elusive. The research identified key barriers that hinder the application of the AIK for climate change and disaster risk management in decision making, and suggested some policy recommendations that would contribute to the utilisation of indigenous knowledge systems in policy formulation and implementation. The study was undertaken in seven African countries. These include Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Tunisia, and Mozambique. The seven countries represents the six climate zones on the African continent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global increase in building cooling demands poses a challenge for designers striving for net zero energy consumption. The prevalent use of mechanical cooling underscores the necessity for designers to consider Ventilative Cooling as a viable alternative in the early stages of building design. This paper presents findings from an exploratory survey and semi-structured interviews of industry experts in Ireland and the United Kingdom about their design processes and experienced-based approaches to designing Ventilative Cooling. The findings suggest that the pre-design stage has the same influence for promoting ventilative cooling strategies as the schematic and detailed design stages for practitioners, yet limited impactful decision making occurs at this stage. Over 70 % of the survey respondents reported satisfaction with current Ventilative Cooling tools used in building design. Only 8 % of architects use a ventilative cooling tool, while engineers always do, showing that separate design advice is needed for architects and engineers. The interview findings indicate that early-stage design interventions for Ventilative Cooling can be improved if there was more empirical evidence of how strategies perform available as design guidance in ventilative cooling design guidelines. Additionally, engineers highlighted that post-occupancy evaluation and site monitoring of existing buildings are crucial stages of further research that can identify the effectiveness of Ventilative Cooling design decisions. In their building designs, the practitioners reported a need for preparedness to assess resilience to extreme future climate events such as heat waves. Effective communication between industry and academic research can help improve the built environment industry's future readiness. • The interplay between the building design processes of Architects and Engineers was assessed • The pre-design stage has the same influence for promoting ventilative cooling strategies as the schematic and detailed design stages for practitioners, yet limited impactful decision making occurs at this stage • 73 % of the practitioners reported satisfaction with the current Ventilative Cooling design tools available in the market • Only 8 % of architects use software for ventilative cooling decisions, while engineers always do showing different design guidance needed for engineers and architects • A lack of understanding of vulnerability of building designs to overheating risk, client awareness and limited early stage design guidance were key reported challenges in VC design • 79 % of building design professionals not prepared for extreme future climate events in their designs [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With climate change affecting buildings differently across various local climates, there's a heightened focus on local microclimates and their impact on building energy consumption. Urban microclimates change the buildings' energy dynamics by influencing local weather patterns while building operations affect these patterns and microclimates through feedback. This paper provides a comprehensive review of tools and applications used for examining the feedback interaction between building operation and energy, and urban microclimate. This study collects, analyses, and classifies tools and applications related to Urban Building Energy Modeling (UBEM) and Urban Climate Modeling (UCM) and particularly focuses on the combination of these tools through Multi-Domain Urban Scale Energy Modeling (MD-USEM), enabling efficient information exchange between urban microclimate and building energy models. The building-microclimate exchange of information may occur as either a one-way impact or a two-way interaction, a distinction that is thoroughly examined in the final section with an in-depth analysis of the relevant literature. • Urban Building Energy Modeling and Urban Climate Modeling tools are presented. • Co-Simulation strategies for coupling microclimate and building are reviewed. • Three types of the reciprocal impacts of microclimate and building are discussed. • Building-microclimate information exchange is assessed through MD-USEM application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing 'Climate Adaptation Imaginaries', this paper explores visions of futures in relation to climate change and adaptation in the Swedish Arctic, a region where climatic changes are rapid and pronounced. The analysis draws on interviews with civil servants working with adaptation, fieldwork in the region of Norrbotten in Sweden, and relevant documents. The analysis focuses on future visions and whether, and how, they incorporate adaptation to the climate crisis as a strategy to achieve the vision. Particular focus is given to how adaptation is understood in terms of approach (reactive vs. proactive), aim (incremental vs. transformational) and focus (direct effects, or whether transboundary effects are included). Four different kinds of visions emerge in the material: economic growth coupled with a reactive approach; 'green' economic growth with proactive and incremental adaptation; a transformed locally anchored and regenerative society; and finally, a range of dystopia(s). It is only the two visions based on economic growth that are collectively held, materially embedded and hold political influence in the region. A variety of dystopias emerge as the main alternative presented by civil servants. This leaves adaptation guided by at best proactive, incremental and short-term focused strategies, and at worst driven by disparate dystopic visions. • Develops Climate Adaptation Imaginaries to analyse visions and strategies in adaptation governance. • Climate Adaptation Imaginaries focused on economic growth hinder transformational adaptation. • Climate Adaptation Imaginaries focused on economic growth omit negative transboundary risks. • Acknowledging transboundary climate risks is important for developing alternative visions of the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Biden administration has revitalized the United States' climate agenda. Current research on the U.S. climate mitigation policies has predominantly focused on individual policies and legislative measures, demonstrating a lack of a comprehensive and systematic analysis. To address this gap, this study establishes a systematic analytical framework for US climate mitigation policies, including the "Vertical Policy Hierarchy - Horizontal Policy Path - Policy Instruments" dimensions, drawing upon first-hand policy data to thoroughly assess the U.S. climate mitigation policy system, pathways, instruments, and potential policy outcomes. The study finds that, (i) Concerning the vertical policy hierarchies based on the government's governance structure, the U.S. federal government has been proactive in advancing climate mitigation policies. However, the government faces multiple risks arising from various factors, including elections, public opinion, limited authority, frequent economic and social unrest, and the ever-shifting domestic and international political factors. These vulnerabilities may undermine the effectiveness of policies. The Congress also encounters certain challenges of significant fragmentation and influence from diverse economic and political factors, which poses challenges to the enactment of related environmental legislation. Moreover, the Supreme Court's climate litigation rulings tend to exhibit a conservative and highly politicized nature. (ii) In terms of the horizontal policy path, which is categorized into six major focus areas, the U.S. climate mitigation policies have made positive strides in the general sector, buildings sector, transport sector, and agriculture and forestry sector. However, challenges persist in the energy sector and industry and business sector. (iii) An analysis of 706 policy instruments indicates that Financial/Fiscal Mechanisms and Direct Investment are the primary means of implementing U.S. climate mitigation policies. Since President Biden assumed office, Regulatory Reform has emerged as a significant breakthrough, accompanied by the gradual adoption of Commercialization Mechanisms and Governance Mechanisms. However, Market-based Mechanisms have encountered challenges in their implementation at the federal level. (iv) An analysis of the potential effects of policy instruments indicates that institutional requirements are a primary consideration; policy design emphasizes environmental justice and equity. Many policies demonstrate positive outcomes in terms of environmental effectiveness, economic effectiveness, and innovation. Policies are also beneficial in improving people's livelihoods, reducing inflation, increasing employment, while also exhibiting positive synergies and enhancing competitiveness. Combining these results and issues, this paper also discusses prominent trends in the policy and offers recommendations for climate decision-making in the United States and other countries. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The rising global energy use in buildings, driven by climate change and economic expansion, is a major concern. In Algeria, the residential sector is a significant contributor, accounting for roughly 40 % of total energy consumption and 32 % of greenhouse gas emissions. This paper aims to Modeling and forecasting energy consumption in Algerian residential buildings. In this study, a bottom-up methodology was combined with Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis to quantify and project energy consumption patterns in Algerian residential buildings until 2100, as well as identify climate zones, which will help develop thermal standards. Commencing with the collection of pivotal data such as temperature and global horizontal irradiation (GHI), the research proceeds to ascertain the annual heating and cooling needs for residential houses across Algeria (at 906 uniformly dispersed spots) using the degree-days method. Besides, the energy consumption for other residential appliances, including lighting, refrigerators, and freezers are also evaluated. Utilizing a GIS software (ArcGIS 10.x), the obtained results for various building energy usage at 906 points are therefore interpolated to generate high resolution maps representing different regions in Algeria. The analysis predicts a significant rise in energy consumption from 47.54 TWh in 2022 to 74.4 TWh in 2100, underscoring the diverse energy requirements across nine identified climatic zones. Zone 5 emerges as the highest energy-consuming zone per household, attributed to its elevated Heating Degree Days (HDD) and Cooling Degree Days (CDD) values. Additionally, cooking emerges as the primary energy consumer nationally, accounting for 30.61 % of total consumption, with variations observed in the usage of appliances like air conditioners and fans, influenced by local climate conditions. Zones with high heating energy needs, such as Zone 5, could benefit from energy-efficient heating systems, while zones with substantial cooling energy requirements, like Zone 9, may require targeted cooling strategies. These findings emphasize the necessity of tailored energy policies to address the distinct demands of each climatic zone rather than setting standard strategies for all regions. Despite few limitations of this study, useful insights are gained that can aid policymakers and urban planners in crafting sustainable energy policies to address evolving residential energy demand in Algeria and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Union (EU) has consistently held a prominent global position in climate governance. This paper compiles 152 climate neutrality policies issued by the European Commission (EU Commission) and employs a systematic analytical framework including "Vertical Policy Hierarchy - Horizontal Policy Path – Systematic Policy instruments" to conduct an in-depth analysis of the EU's climate neutrality policy system. This study produces several findings as follows: First, the EU's climate neutrality policy hierarchy is characterized by a structure comprising "Long-Term Planning – Specific Measures - Financial Support". Second, the EU's policy formulation process for climate neutrality emphasizes the integration of a multi-party engagement mechanism involving "Nongovernmental Level - Regional Level - National Level - Transnational Level - Supranational Level", while extensively employing a "framework-content" policy-making methodology. Third, the EU's climate neutrality governance is guided by the dual objectives of achieving a "Cleaner Energy Structure" and "Recover Ecological Environment" pursuing a broad-ranging and multi-tiered policy pathway towards climate neutrality. Fourth, the EU leverages a combined approach of mandatory measures and guiding policies to propel the climate neutrality governance process, aspiring to achieve breakthroughs in new energy technology innovation through climate neutrality governance, thereby solidifying its international standing. Moreover, this study provides an outlook on the future of the EU's climate neutrality policy governance, positing that the EU's emphasis on climate neutrality governance will remain undiminished, with a heightened focus on guiding policies and an emphasis on the roles of enterprises and the public in advancing the realization of climate neutrality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Recent advances in state-of-the-art membranes for H 2 /CO 2 separation were reviewed. • The performance and advantages of these H 2 /CO 2 separation membranes were provided. • Key aspects of membrane design and simple economic evaluation were summarized. • Future research directions based on the development bottlenecks were proposed. H 2 /CO 2 separation is an essential step to produce clean energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to sustainable development and addressing climate change challenges. As a promising strategy for carbon capture and hydrogen purification, membrane separation technology has attracted lots of attention due to its simple operation process, efficient and energy-saving characteristics. This paper reviews recent advances in inorganic membranes, organic membranes, mixed matrix membranes (MMMs), and heterostructured membranes for H 2 /CO 2 separation, introduces their characteristics and advantages, and clarifies the optimal using conditions. Key aspects of membrane design such as multiphase design, microstructure control, separation mechanisms, and simple economic evaluation are also summarized. Finally, the main challenges and future research prospects of H 2 /CO 2 separation membrane are proposed, aiming to provide enlightening insights for the development of H 2 /CO 2 separation membranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Arctic Ocean is rapidly warming. In this paper, we document changes in the source, distribution, and accumulation rate of organic matter (OM) for three sediment cores in the Bering and Chukchi seas to investigate changes to the oceanic carbon cycle over the past ∼75 years. Analyses were undertaken using bulk properties, such as total organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen (TN), stable carbon isotope (δ13C), OC to TN molar ratio (C/N), and biomarkers (lignin phenols). The OC, TN, and lignin (Σ8, in mg (g sediment)−1) contents were found to be significantly related to the fraction of sand (Sand%) as a result of sediment sorting and/or different sediment sources. Using an end-member mixing model, we estimated marine OM accounted for ∼67% of all organic matter in all cores, being the dominant source. Moreover, terrestrial OM mainly originated from angiosperm non-woody tissue, while moss contribution was negligible. In the Bering Sea shelf, OC% has not changed over time, but there have been some extreme peaks around the 1960s–1970s and in 2005, which correspond to increased terrestrial input from North American rivers. In the southern core from the Chukchi Sea, the OC% showed an apparent decrease after 2000, accompanied by an increase in sand content, likely due to enhanced delivery of volcanic rocks by the Pacific Inflow from the Bering Sea. In contrast, in the northern core from the Chukchi Sea, the OC% showed a significant increasing trend, with some peaks occurring at the same time as in the Bering Sea core. The mean increase rate was compared to the increase in Siberian riverine discharge, which both could be caused by long-term climate changes. The results highlight the regional differences in the response of OC preservation to climate change and other controlling factors. Further studies with higher spatial resolution are required to better understand the preservation of OC in response to climate change. [Display omitted] • The main vegetation source was vascular plant, contribution from moss was limited. • Marine source accounted for ∼67% of the sedimentary OC in the (sub)Arctic cores. • OC preservation changed differently in the (sub)Arctic Ocean in past decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microgrids are an increasingly popular solution to provide energy resilience in response to increasing grid dependency and the growing impacts of climate change on grid operations. However, existing microgrid models do not currently consider the uncertain and long-term impacts of climate change when determining a set of design and operational decisions to minimize long-term costs or meet a resilience threshold. In this paper, we develop a novel scenario generation method that accounts for the uncertain effects of (i) climate change on variable renewable energy availability, (ii) extreme heat events on site load, and (iii) population and electrification trends on load growth. Additionally, we develop a two-stage stochastic programming extension of an existing microgrid design and dispatch optimization model to obtain uncertainty-informed and climate-resilient energy system decisions that minimizes long-term costs. Use of sample average approximation to validate our two case studies illustrates that the proposed methodology produces high-quality solutions that add resilience to systems with existing backup generation while reducing expected long-term costs. • We generate climate change-informed load and renewable energy production profiles. • We extend a design-and-dispatch problem to a two-stage stochastic program. • Cases with high variation in annual renewable output show the methodology's value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the environmental context, designing energy efficient buildings is crucial. Standard performance indicators evaluate the quantity of energy going through the wall. Such indicator considers the energy balance of the wall, i.e the first thermodynamic law. However, the main drawback of such approach is that it does not qualify the energy quality, which can be done by the second thermodynamic law. This paper proposed a performance indicator that both quantifies and qualifies the energy efficiency of a wall. It is based on the evaluation of the exergy destruction rate. The performance indicator has been developed for transient conditions induced by climatic variations of temperature and relative humidity and considering coupled heat and mass transfer in the wall. Calculations were carried out with experimental data obtained from a wall demonstrator under climatic conditions and comparisons with standard performance indicators were also performed. The corresponding results highlighted that the exergy loss allows a more accurate assessment of the energy performance and the influence of mass transfer on it. Indeed, the mass transfer can account for 30% in the exergy destruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Analyzes South Asia's energy trilemma balancing energy access, security and sustainability. • Focuses on four major regional countries: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. • Identifies major challenges as lack of energy access, unreliable gird, and unaffordable prices. • Explores the prospects of renewable energy as the key toward a sustainable energy transition. • Presents stakeholder perspectives on crucial dynamics of energy transition. To address the faced challenges – i.e. rapidly growing energy needs, depleting fossil fuel reserves, surging energy prices, risks to security of supplies, and climate change – the World is targeting a sustainable energy transition. This energy transition is primarily propelled by a global decarbonization drive. South Asia, a developing region housing over 23% of the global population, faces the additional challenge of serious energy deprivation. The subject of energy transition has not been explored in the South Asian context in terms of drivers, challenges, and prospects. This paper investigates the prospects of sustainable energy transition in South Asia in terms of resources, consumption trends, and challenges encountered by countries in the region, particularly India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. It also examines the sustainable and renewable energy options for the region. An original stakeholder survey provides salient behavioral insights into awareness, attitudes and opinions shaping societal response to energy transition. The findings of the study highlight the serious energy security issues faced by the region in terms of lack of access, inconsistent supplies, unreliable grids, and high energy prices. Renewables like solar energy, wind power, and hydropower have the potential to propel regional countries to energy and environmental sustainability. "Lack of consistent policies and regulations", "lack of political will" and "lack of investment" are found to be the three most important challenges to the energy transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In High Mountain Asia, human-induced climate warming threatens the cryosphere. Expected long-term reductions in future runoff from glacial catchments raises concerns regarding the sustainability of these natural 'water towers' and the implications of reduced water availability for regional human and ecological systems. Ice-debris landforms (I-DL), containing ice whether moving or not include rock glaciers and ice-cored moraines, and are likely to be climatically more resilient than debris-covered and debris-free glaciers. Recent work has shown that rock glaciers contain globally valuable water supplies yet over High Mountain Asia information regarding their number, spatial distribution, morphometric characteristics and water content are scarce. Here, we present the first systematic estimate of the current extent and distribution of rock glaciers for a subset of High Mountain Asia (the Himalaya). A sample of 2070 intact and relict rock glaciers were digitized on Google Earth imagery from the Western, Central and Eastern Himalaya regions and then quantitative and qualitative characteristics were analysed regionally based on topographic data from the NASA Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) Version 3.0 and then aggregated across the Himalaya using an "upscaling" method. The majority of the digitized landforms (∼65%) were categorised as intact rock glaciers (i.e., ice-debris Landforms, or I-DLs, containing ice) and the remainder as relict rock glaciers (i.e., discrete debris accumulations or DDAs, not containing ice). They range in elevation from 3225 to 5766 m a.s.l., with the lowest in the Central Himalaya. Sampled relict and intact rock glaciers are primarily situated on northern quadrants. Over the entire Himalaya, we identified ∼25,000 landforms, with a total estimated areal coverage of 3747 km2. The area upscaling method was validated in the Manaslu region of Nepal using high-resolution Planet data (5 m) and freely available, fine spatial resolution optical satellite data accessed through Google Earth Pro and ESRI basemaps. In absence of complete rock glacier inventories over the Himalaya, our approach proves useful to investigate the nature, distribution and infer potential future behaviour of these landforms across the Himalaya in a changing climate. • Climate change in the mountains of the Himalaya is driving glacier melting and associated changes in water supplies to downstream areas. • This impacts the water supplies for hundreds of millions of people and ecosystems and is seen as a great challenge for future sustainable development in this part of central Asia. • However, large volumes of ice are contained are contained in rock glaciers (ice-debris landforms common in high arid mountains) although research on the number and extent of these in the Himalaya is limited. • In this paper, we present the first systematic estimate of the current extent and distribution of rock glaciers for the Himalaya and show that around 25,000 landforms exist in the region, with a total estimated areal coverage of 3747 km2. • We argue that rock glaciers constitute hydrologically valuable long-term water stores and, with continued climatically-driven glacier recession and mass loss, their value is likely to become increasingly important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper forecasts the growth of freight transport emissions in India's trucking sector until 2050. We use the ARIMAX time series model to project the commercial vehicle population under various economic growth scenarios. CO 2 emissions are estimated using emission factors, distance traveled, and the projected commercial vehicle population. We use the validated forecasting model to investigate how emissions can be curbed through vehicle scrappage policies or fleet electrification to realign with the 2015 Paris Agreement's targets. Compared to the business-as-usual (BAU) scenario, 10-year and 15-year vehicle scrappage policies are estimated to reduce freight emissions by 6–11% and 1–2%, respectively. Fleet electrification has more pronounced effects as it results in a 35% and 70% reduction in carbon emissions for heavy and light goods vehicles in 2050, respectively, compared to the BAU scenario. These findings provide crucial insights for devising policies to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions in India's trucking industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme weather, especially typhoons, frequently impacts port operations, causing substantial economic losses. Thus, it has become vital to quantitatively evaluate the resilience of ports to typhoon disasters. This paper offers a comprehensive examination of the current evaluation methods used in assessing the resilience of ports and develops a quantitative port typhoon resilience assessment model based on the 4R (i.e., Reliability, Redundancy, Robustness, and Recoverability) framework. Ports' overall resilience to typhoon disasters can be assessed by integrating the analytic hierarchy process method, fuzzy logic, and the evidence reasoning approach. Four representative coastal ports in China were selected as case studies to examine the suitability and efficacy of the suggested model. This study provides innovative theoretical insights and empirical evidence to advance port resilience research, with a valuable reference for port administrators and policymakers, equipping them to address forthcoming challenges of climate change efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the importance of pastoralism, as an alternative or adjunct to farming in China's long history, a clear understanding of the spreading routes and mechanisms of pastoralism in China is lacking. Fungal spores can be a useful addition to zooarchaeological evidence and have been widely used to explore the origins and development of pastoralism in different regions of the globe. The northern Loess Plateau is one of the most important areas for the emergence and development of pastoralism in early China. The aim of this paper was to take the fungal spores in the Baihemiao (BHM) core that we extracted from a site in the Yulin region, combine them with the zooarchaeological records to explore their relationship with climate and environmental changes, and reconstruct the evolution of animal husbandry in the northern Loess Plateau since the mid-Holocene. The results indicate that the climatic conditions in the northern Loess Plateau during the first period of 6–4.2 ka were relatively humid, the number of domesticated herbivores was small, animal husbandry was not developed, and the spores of coprophilous fungi in the sediments mainly originated from wild herbivores. Fungal spores as well as zooarchaeological evidence reveal that cattle and sheep grazing developed rapidly in the region during the second period, c. 4.2–3 ka. We suggest that the arid climatic conditions during this period facilitated the development of pastoral activities in the northern Loess Plateau. However, this pastoral economy gradually weakened after 1.2 ka. • Sporormiella suggests a high volume of herbivore activities in the Baihemiao area in 6–4.2 ka. • Fungal spores and zooarchaeological record from the archaeological sites indicate that grazing activity was strong in 4.2-3 ka. • Arid climatic conditions facilitated the development of pastoral activities in the northern Loess Plateau in 4.2–3 ka. • Pastoralism weakened and declined during the period from 3 ka to 1.2 ka. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Geohazards pose significant risks to human life, infrastructure, and the environment, bringing out the necessity of advanced monitoring techniques for early detection and mitigation. This review paper explores the application of optical fibre sensors in geohazard monitoring. Optical fibre sensors have emerged as promising tools due to their inherent advantages. Various types of optical fibre sensors used in geohazard monitoring, categorized as distributed optical fibre sensors and fibre Bragg grating sensors and explains their mechanisms and applications are outlined in the context. Extracting from an ample amount of research and case studies, the successful design and deployment of optical fibre sensors in detecting disaster-causing changes in the environment and providing early warnings for diverse geohazards: landslides, earthquakes, and volcanic activity are brought up in detail. Furthermore, it addresses challenges and limitations in implementing optical fibre sensors for geohazard monitoring while highlighting opportunities for future advancements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adaptation of port infrastructures to climate change and sea level rise effects is highlighted as a key field among transportation systems' lines of action for adaptation, given their highly exposed location in coastal areas and position as critical nodes in logistic chains and local, regional and national economies. The present work proposes an adaptation assessment framework that, based on a high-resolution compound climate risk assessment, identifies the main threats that climate change may pose to port performance, defines a set of optimized adaptation measures and characterizes constraints for implementation, and finally evaluates the applicability and effectiveness of these measures under diverse climate scenarios and different time frames. The framework is applied in a study case located in the northern coast of Spain. It is shown that the proposed methodology enables port managers and planners to develop tailor-fitted adaptation plans, providing tools to make them coherent with actual and future uncertain climate conditions. • The paper develops a novel framework to prepare climate change adaptation plans for port and coastal infrastructures. • It identifies the main needs and limitations for adaptation of port infrastructures based on a compound CC risk assessment. • It identifies and optimizes a set of adaptation measures, considering measure combinations, based on risk-reduction criteria. • It assesses the adaptation options' effectiveness in reducing climate risk for different scenarios and time horizons. • The framework has been applied and validated for a case study located on the Atlantic coast in Spain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Disconnected state-civil society knowledge flows and disconnected socio-ecological systems inhibit efforts to build socio-hydrological resilience to water risks. • Cape Town's marginalized urban spaces, while physically located at the periphery, are in fact central to the city's urban social-hydrological systems. • Ignoring marginalized urban spaces does not only disproportionally affect Cape Town's impoverished communities, but also effectively undermines the socio-hydrological resilience of Cape Town as a whole. In 2017 and 2018, Cape Town faced historically unprecedented water shortages. With the imminent possibility of running out of water, the city's leadership prioritized reducing water demand and expanding new water sources, while also reinvigorating the goal of seeking to build system-level water resilience for the longer term. Beyond the context of Cape Town, the crisis captured global attention, highlighting ongoing and future water security challenges, the realities of climate change, and the critical need to foster transitions towards more resilient water futures. Given that much of the discourse and implementation around water resilience remains squarely focused on the biophysical and engineering aspects of water supply and distribution systems, despite repeated calls for the need for greater attention to issues of equity and power, there remains little understanding of the ways that persistent inequities might serve or inhibit possibilities for urban socio-hydrological (or water) resilience. This paper draws on examples from Cape Town to argue that patterns and legacies of inequality, marginalization, and exclusion erode and inhibit possibilities for water resilience. Providing needed empirical evidence on the nature of these linkages, we theorize that deeply rooted inequities and related dynamics act as "counter-currents"—trends that undermine and present persistent challenges to efforts to enhance socio-hydrological resilience. Documenting examples of disconnections between the state and civil society as well as disconnected socio-ecological systems, we argue that these persistent inequities mean that efforts to achieve socio-hydrological resilience are likely to remain elusive. It is only by foregrounding these processes that it will be possible to make cities more resilient in the face of ongoing and future water-related risks, uncertainties, and climatic and environmental change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given climate change, trend detection is gaining increasing attention in the context of multivariate frequency analysis. In this paper, we propose new statistical tests for multivariate trend detection. The first one, a multivariate overall trend (MOT) test, is designed to detect trend in all components of the multivariate distribution (margins and dependence structure) whereas the second test is a multivariate dependence trend (MDT) test focusing on detecting trend in the dependence structure. A simulation study is used to evaluate the performance of the proposed tests. Results show that the proposed MOT test performs well when trend is present in margins, in the dependence structure and/or in both. Likewise, results of the proposed MDT test indicate a higher power when the trend is in the dependence structure. Moreover, an application to a real-world dataset is provided. Performing the proposed tests with the univariate tests provides a complete overview of trend detection. • Two multivariate trend tests for multivariate hydrological series are proposed. • New multivariate overall trend (MOT) test dealing with trend in all the components of the whole multivariate distribution. • New multivariate dependence trend (MDT) test focuses on trend in the dependence structure. • Vast simulation study is considered to evaluate the performance of the tests. • The developed tests show high performance, with increasing power observed as the trend slope and sample size increase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ongoing erosion of beaches due to anthropic pressure, together with the effects of sea level rise are expected to have devastating effects on sandy coastlines. This paper identifies the Italian beaches under threat and their regional distribution, examining the implications for beach-dependent activities and coastal management, based on the integration of various projections and datasets. As a result, by the year 2050 erosion is expected to affect 70% of Italian beaches. One-fifth of the current beaches' surface is likely to be almost completely submerged by 2050 and 45% by the end of the century, with the regions of Sardinia, Campania, Lazio, and Apulia likely to lose more than half of their equipped beaches. Although beaches naturally tend to migrate landward when subjected to erosion, and such shift can be favoured by managed retreat measures, these solutions are severely limited by the increasing urbanisation of back beaches. Adaptation in Italy is almost exclusively based on coastal protections, which exacerbate overall erosion and undermine beaches' natural resilience. A transformative and nature-based rethinking of the coastal management regime is needed to avoid the artificialization of a huge portion of the sandy coastline and increasing threats to coastal settlements and economies. [Display omitted] • 20% and 45% of Italian beaches risk almost complete submersion by 2050 and 2100. • In almost all Italian Regions a third or more of equipped beaches are at risk. • Managed retreat is severely limited by coastal urbanization and artificialization. • Current coastal management regimes exacerbate erosion and artificialization. • A transformative and nature-based rethinking of coastal management is urgently needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The food industry accounts for 25% of global carbon emissions, of which animal food accounts for 57%. Therefore, the reduction of carbon emissions from meat products consumption is one of the important issues of global climate governance. This study calculates and compares the carbon footprints of major meat products in China at various stages of production and consumption and the trends of their development based on life cycle assessment and questionnaires, which will help to understand the emission characteristics and reduction potential of the food sector in China. The results show that the main stages of the life cycle and the size of the total carbon footprint of the meat category for the same unit standard exhibit the following order: beef > mutton > pork > poultry (chicken and duck) > seafood (fish and shrimp); the farming factor has a greater impact on carbon emissions, followed by transportation and a smaller impact at the meal-making stage; from 2010 to 2021, China's total meat products consumption and carbon emissions continue to increase, but the structure of meat consumption is gradually diversified and balanced, and the trend of carbon emissions shows a slowdown in growth with structural changes. Finally, based on the results of the study, this paper proposes countermeasures for meat production and consumption. • Designed a unique meat consumption life cycle carbon footprint inventory and carbon emission calculation example diagram. • Measured the carbon footprint of different meat products and their life cycle phases in Chinese household meat consumption. • Analyzed the development trend of carbon emissions caused by the total and structural changes in China's meat consumption. • Identified potential opportunities for carbon emission reduction in meat consumption and propose targeted countermeasures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• ANNs and Monte Carlo simulations are used to obtain future shallow water climate. • Monte Carlo simulations and statistics aid regional climate change projections. • ANNs exploit the data generated by Monte Carlo simulations. • An adaptation of the equation for Tp is necessary to reflect new climate conditions. • Up to 1.6 m increase in extreme Hs are expected in Western Mediterranean by 2050. This paper proposes a new model to study future coastal maritime climate under climate change context. This new model combines statistical analysis, Monte Carlo simulations and Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs). Statistical analysis and Monte Carlo simulations are used to extrapolate future wave climate under climate change context at a regional level and ANNs are used to propagate these projected sea states obtained in deep water to the coast. The use of ANNs allows for the utilization of large amounts of data at a very low computational cost, and the use of Monte Carlo simulations enables the generation of future climate change projections at a regional level. The combination of the two methodologies results in a very accurate (MSE of 0.02 m and 1 s) and computationally inexpensive hybrid model that allows projections of coastal maritime climate considering climate change. This new methodology has been validated and applied in the Western Mediterranean for the long-term regime and for extreme events, obtaining increases in extreme events up to 1.5 m in wave height and up to 1.8 s in wave period by 2050. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While cities have been widely considered to be key sites of ambitious and transformative climate action, it is time to question whether they have adequate tools and mandates to reach their goals in time. In this paper we provide a comprehensive assessment of planned measures in major cities, assessing the distribution of persuasive (soft) versus direct regulatory (hard) and material measures using an urban systems perspective. Examining 1079 climate measures of 19 cities in the global C40 network we find that the majority of measures can be considered as soft measures , focused on raising awareness, incentivising businesses, engaging citizens, and developing new plans. Our cases suggest that cities in the Global South are more focused on hard and material measures and less prone to voluntarism than cities in the Global North. Generally, showing that strategies for sustainability transformations in cities are heavily reliant on voluntarism and persuasion, the article expresses concern for the ability of cities to meet its ambitious targets. The research literature on urban climate governance should expand from its current focus on collaborative, network-based and experimental governance, to reconsider the roles of regulation and control in meeting climate targets. • Provides a comprehensive assessment of planned climate measures in 19 major cities • Analyses 1079 climate measures and categorises into soft, hard and material modes • We find that the majority of measures (more than half) can be considered as soft. • We critically discuss the viability of ambitious climate targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The risks of climate change are increasing, and their impacts seem inevitable on the livability of climate-vulnerable urban areas. In this regard, the present study aims to investigate the effects of climate change on the level of livability in Sistan and Baluchistan province, located in the southeast of Iran, which is facing severe climatic tensions. In this paper, daily climate data of temperature, humidity, wind, frost, and precipitation from 2000 to 2020 were analyzed temporally and spatially. From 2010 to 2019, the livability of this province's cities was also evaluated using the multi-criteria decision-making method. Geostatistical analysis methods were also applied to understand the relationship between climate and livability. The results showed that climatic drivers strongly influence the provinces of Sistan and Baluchistan. The northern regions of the province had the highest number of drought, frost, and windy days compared to the southern ones. But, the average humidity and temperature of the central and southern regions were assessed higher than the northern ones. Therefore, the above climatic features exerted different effects on the livability process. The livability situation results indicated that the cities' livability level was different in the studied years. Many cities had a downward trend. Also, based on spatial statistics analysis, the distribution of livability at the province level was uneven and clustered. In addition, the evaluation of the effect of climatic drivers on the livability of cities illustrated that there is a strong correlation between the humidity driver and the trend of livability (with a correlation of 0.35). However, the drivers of temperature, wind, frost, and drought (with correlations of 0.06, 0.02, 0.01, and 0.02) individually did not have a significant relationship with the livability trend. However, a combination of temperature-humidity (with a correlation of 0.3) and drought-humidity (0.31) drives greatly impacted the livability of the province's cities. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The city of Venice, Italy, has historically coped with tidal flooding and is an example of a resilient system, but today the disruptive effects of relative sea level rise pose even more complex challenges. Some of the most significant damage to the city's historic architectural assets is related to the effects of salty water on masonry due to rising damp and tidal flooding. This paper evaluates the entity and distribution of rising damp in seven Venetian brick masonries by quantifying moisture content, soluble salt content, and ion distribution. The distribution is compared with previous literature data and related to tidal and meteorological data recorded prior to sampling. The results show that frequent tidal flooding exacerbates rising damp phenomena within building masonry, resulting in higher moisture contents both in height and depth. Possible future scenarios of relative sea level based on models and the effects of countermeasures such as the MOSE dam are discussed about the likely damage to masonry exposed to rising damp and tidal flooding. • Rising damp in brick masonry in Venice is exacerbated by tidal flooding. • The duration and height of tidal floods will be affected by climate change. • The MOSE barrier will change the frequency, height, and extent of tidal flooding. • The moisture and salinity distributions of seven case studies were monitored. • The specific contribution of tidal flooding to rising moisture will be investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impacts of wildfires on tourism are growing, with concomitant detrimental consequences for tourists and destinations. However, only a few studies have assessed wildfires in tourism-dependent regions, and none have systematically explored fire risks. This paper summarizes the academic literature on tourism and wildfires that serves as a background for developing a tourism fire exposure index. The index identifies regions in the European Union at the NUTS2 level with high wildfire risks and high tourism dependency. Results show that exposure is exceptionally high in regions of Portugal and Mediterranean islands belonging to Greece and Spain. As vulnerabilities can be strategically reduced through adaptation, findings serve as a basis for the development of an integrated wildfire management framework for exposed destinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the contributions of critical Latin American geography, this paper proposes an alternative understanding of territories to explore the transformation of regional and local economies towards environmentally friendly and conscious modes of production while tackling uneven development. We argue that economic geography is well-suited to study these transformations due to its emphasis on understanding the spatial distribution and organization of economic activities. However, most of its theorisations are based on the Global North, leaving out discussions in the Global South. A decolonial approach to territories can help understand economic change towards sustainability and inclusiveness, considering alternative institutional and social arrangements that mediate socio-economic relations. The concept of 'territories as practice' emerges from critical Latin American geography and challenges monolithic and colonial conceptions of development and modernity. As proposed here, territories as practice allows explaining and planning for regional transformations in non-core regions, while paying attention to how global networks and extra-territorial factors influence economic change. We advocate for a practice-based spatial approach that acknowledges the practices shaping territories, helping us comprehend how localities and communities resist and adopt economic transformations. Territories as practice capture the multiplicity of visions, contradictions, and constructions defining a territory, leading to more inclusive and context-specific approaches to economic transformations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies how climate change affects green technology innovation among enterprises from the perspective of attention to global warming. The results show that abnormal temperatures significantly inhibit the green technology innovation output of local enterprises. Our conclusion still holds after a series of robustness checks. This effect is more pronounced for nonstate-owned enterprises and manufacturing enterprises. Moreover, CSR and information opacity aggravate the inhibitory effect of abnormal temperatures on green innovation. We find that abnormal temperatures increase the short-term environmental protection investment of enterprises in a region, which has a crowding out effect on R&D investment and inhibits green innovation. This study helps to deepen the understanding of climate risk and enterprise green innovation and provides an empirical basis for how to carry out environmental regulation to promote sustainable development. • This study explores the impact of climate change attention on corporate green innovation. • Abnormal temperature is used as a proxy for climate change attention (Choi et al., 2020). • We find that abnormal temperature significantly reduces corporate green innovation. • This effect is more pronounced for nonstate-owned enterprises and manufacturing enterprises. • CSR and information opacity aggravate the inhibitory effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the accelerating deployment of renewable energy, photovoltaic (PV) and battery energy storage systems (BESS) have gained increasing research attention in extremely cold regions. However, the extreme low temperatures pose significant challenges to the performance and reliability of such systems. This paper reviews the current progress in PV-BESS technologies and applications in extreme cold climates. The major technical challenges are discussed, including the impacts of low temperatures on PV and battery efficiency, snow and icing effects, and difficulties in system modeling and optimization. Recent solutions are analyzed, such as advanced PV module designs, battery thermal controls, anti-icing coatings, and sensors. Case studies of existing PV-BESS demonstration projects in cold regions are presented, and key lessons learned from real-world operation data are summarized. The economic feasibility and policy incentives for promoting PV-BESS in cold areas are also examined. Finally, recommendations for further research and development are provided to overcome the limitations and knowledge gaps. This review covers the current state-of-the-art in PV-BESS systems suited for extreme cold environments, providing insights for researchers and engineers working on advancing renewable energy in these challenging climates. Key findings indicate that despite technical hurdles, PV-BESS systems show promising potential in extreme cold regions through continued system optimization, cost reduction, and supportive policies. • We summarize the state-of-the-art in PV-BESS technologies suited for extreme cold climates. • Field experiences and lessons learned from existing PV-BESS demonstration projects and installations in extreme cold regions are analyzed. • We provide recommendations for further research and development towards advancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Buildings in the EU contribute significantly to energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, with HVAC systems being major contributors. This paper assesses the impact of the resilience of various cooling strategies on thermal comfort, energy consumption, and GHG emissions in the residential building stock in Belgium. This study uses an innovative approach for sizing and designing cooling systems, considering the impact of climate change on future weather conditions and extreme heatwaves. The findings reveal alarming temperature increases, with potential rises of up to 4.1 °C from the 2010s to the 2090s, particularly in the high-emission SSP5-8.5 scenario. The study investigates three cooling strategies: scenario 1 (mechanical ventilation), scenario 2 (mechanical ventilation and natural ventilation), and scenario 3 (mechanical ventilation, natural ventilation, and split system). In scenario 1, there is a notable increase in Indoor Overheating Degree (IOhD), reaching up to 586% in the 2090s for semi-detached buildings, while scenario 2 consistently reduces IOhD, reaching only 0.2 °C by the 2090s. Scenario 3 achieves near-zero IOhD by the 2050s and 2090s. Notably, the "Heatwave [2081–2100]" exhibits unprecedented daytime temperatures, peaking at 46.0 °C. During the 2054 heatwave, insulated buildings maintained the Indoor Operative Temperature (IOpT) below 40 °C, whereas non-insulated buildings reached 44.3 °C, indicating challenges in meeting thermal comfort standards. Furthermore, cooling energy consumption increased by 106%–141% in the 2050s and surge by 174%–280% in the 2090s compared to the 2010s, along with significant GHG emissions growth in the future scenarios, particularly in SSP5-8.5. • Belgium faces 4.1 °C temp rise by 2090s, emphasizing climate urgency. • Evaluation of three resilient cooling strategies for effective adaptation. • Heatwaves peak at 46.0 °C in late 21st century, stressing need for improved cooling. • Advanced cooling solutions achieves near-zero overheating by 2050s, showcasing efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a flexible methodology for ecosystem assessment oriented to climate-change adaptation and mitigation policies focused on ecosystem protection. This analysis is based on a methodology developed at the European level which is adapted and applied in a specific Spanish context, providing a practical application that can be replicated in other European contexts after cartographic adaptation. The novelty of the proposed method is the inclusion of ecosystem assessment for land use planning as an element to consider when justifying the reasons for land protection. It involves three main steps. The first step introduces the spatial information of the different ecosystems of the study area, including the identification of ecosystem services (ES) and the capacity of the different ecosystems to provide them. The second step proposes the ecosystem assessment methodology at the regional and local planning scale based on the Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services (MAES) project. The third step concerns the evaluation of the expected impacts on the ecosystems due to land-use-planning-related development trajectories to depict the possible negative consequences on ES. Such results show how the integration of ES assessments into land use planning tools could motivate land protection through providing evidence information on ecosystem risks, ES loss, or both. • Resilience is multidimensional, not just about climate change. • Ecosystem assessment can be part of the development of a new land use plan. • Land-use planning should incorporate European climate change policies. • A tool for articulating climate-resilient planning is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CO 2 capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) are critical technical measures to effectively mitigate the global climate change problem. However, most of the existing research has focused on the capture end and lacks in-depth analysis of subsequent processes such as compression, leading to limitations in the improvement of system economics. Therefore, a novel CCS system for a 300 MW coal-fired power plant was proposed in this paper with two strategies: (1) a CCS system integrating CO 2 refrigeration cycle (CFPP-CCS-CRC); and (2) a CCS co-generation plant integrating CO 2 refrigeration cycle (CHP-CCS-CRC). The proposed systems' performance was comparatively evaluated by applying energy, exergy, and economic (3E) analyses. The results demonstrated that at different CO 2 capture percentages (13.1 %∼72.9 %), the CHP-CCS-CRC system has improved energy utilization efficiency by 1.2 %∼5.6 % and exergy efficiency by 7.7 %∼25.8 %, compared to the conventional CCUS system (CFPP-CCS). In particular, at a percentage of 13.1 %, the combined energy consumption of the CHP-CCS-CRC system was 0.39 GJ/tCO 2 , a 79 % reduction compared to 1.87 GJ/tCO 2 of the CFPP-CCS system, which resulted in a static payback period of less than 2 years. In general, the newly proposed system features more adequate energy utilization, lower operating costs, and higher economic efficiency. [Display omitted] • A novel CCUS system coupled with CO 2 refrigeration were proposed. • The performance of the proposed systems is comparatively evaluated by 3E analysis. • The energy consumption of the proposed CCUS systems is reduced by 29.24 %–79 %. • The exergy efficiency of the proposed CCUS systems is reduced by 7.7 %–25.8 %. • The static payback period for the proposed systems is reduced to less than 2 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The hydrodeoxygenation reaction of isoeugenol to propylcyclohexane on a subnanometric platinum cluster was investigated using DFT. • Four pathways belonging to the deoxygenation through hydrogenation route were detailed. • Microkinetic analysis reveals a preference for the alternative direct deoxygenation channel. [Display omitted] The debate on climate change and the future of our Planet has brought to general attention the problem of fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas), among the main causes of pollution on Earth. At the same time, the necessity to encourage research and development of alternative and renewable energy resources has become increasingly relevant. In this context, biomass is an attractive option to produce biofuels and chemicals currently derived from petroleum. The hydrodeoxygenation process of bio-oils, produced by the rapid pyrolysis of biomass, is the most effective strategy for obtaining biofuels, hence the reason for the investigation of its mechanism on model biomass compounds. Having investigated the direct deoxygenation (DDO) mechanims in the first paper of this series, the present work aims to illustrate the deoxygenation-through-hydrogenation (HYD) mechanism, by which isoeugenol, a compound chosen as a model of bio-oils, is converted into propylcyclohexane on a ten-atom platinum cluster. DFT calculations highlight, from kinetic and thermodynamic perspectives, how the formation of propylcyclohexane takes place through 4-propyl-2-methoxycyclohexane-1-ol, the removal of – OCH 3 as methanol and then of the –OH group as water. Microkinetic analysis, performed by joining findings on both DDO and HYD routes, reveals that the isoeugenol DDO mechanism is favored at any selected temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physics-based deterministic tropical cyclone (TC) simulation models play an important role in TC risk analysis, for their unique capability to represent physical principles and incorporate climate change impacts. However, establishing effective deterministic models can be challenging. In this paper, we present a simple yet powerful framework that distills physics-based TC models from historical TC data. By treating TC evolutions as dynamical systems, we adaptively discover the TC track and intensity governing equations from historical TC and environmental data via the Sparse Identification of Nonlinear Dynamics (SINDy) approach. Our proposed TC-SINDy approach is able to identify parsimonious, interpretable yet effective physics-based TC models. Compared to alternative physics-based deterministic models, our models match historical records much better in terms of the intensity evolution, prevailing tracks, and key parameter statistics across the coastlines of the Western North Pacific (WNP) basin and the North Atlantic (NA) basin. Our proposed models were finally coupled with a widely used parametric wind field, and the obtained probabilistic distribution of the surface wind also matched the historical histograms. Overall, the proposed method presents a general data-driven framework for discovering physics-based TC models, enabling reliable effective TC simulations while reserving the capacity to accommodate the changing climate. • Data-driven improvement to physics-based deterministic tropical cyclone (TC) models. • Maintain physical consistency and applicability to climate change. • Sparse machine learning to discover TC governing equations from historical data. • Results outperform existing deterministic models in both WNP and NA basins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to analyze the spatiotemporal variations in drought in Serbia over recent decades using the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI). The analysis is performed for time series of 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month SPEI indices (SPEI-01, SPEI-03, SPEI-06 and SPEI-12, respectively) calculated using the E -OBS gridded dataset with a horizontal resolution of 0.1° for the period of 1950–2022. In general, it was found that negative SPEI trends prevailed in Serbia for all months and all analyzed SPEI timescales, indicating a more frequent appearance of droughts in recent decades. Moreover, for a large majority of month-timescale combinations, the area with a negative trend was larger than the area with a positive trend. For several reasons, we focused on the SPEI for August. First, the SPEI for this month shows one of the most pronounced negative trends, which is rather consistent over different timescales and consistent in terms of the area over which the trend was found to be significant. Statistically significant negative trends of SPEI-03, −06 and − 12 for August were found over 11, 17 and 38% of the country area, respectively. To better understand the trends and changes in the SPEI for August, focusing on extreme and severe drought events, an innovative trend analysis (ITA) was applied. It was found that the occurrence of both extreme and severe SPEI drought categories has doubled over the last thirty years in comparison with the previous thirty-year period. Additionally, more frequent transitions from neutral and wet categories to dry categories were observed through an application of the Markov chain. Second, the special focus on SPEI-03, −06 and − 12 for August was motivated by the fact that we found a significant correlation between these index values and the annual maize production in Serbia, indicating that the SPEI for August can be useful for the assessment of drought impact on agriculture. To better understand interannual variability and long-term trends, this paper also explores the relations between the SPEI over Serbia and large-scale circulation patterns, together with general global and continental warming trends. Our findings indicate that drought changes over recent decades may be driven by the interplay of long-term warming and large-scale circulation patterns. In the context of climate change, especially climate projections, Serbia is situated in a region for which climate projections of mean precipitation change demonstrate weak signals and often with conflicting signs of change within multimodel ensembles. From this point of view, our results can be seen as a contribution to a better understanding of changes in extremes, in our case droughts, that can be hidden by inconclusive changes in the mean values. Finally, due to the similar situation in terms of precipitation and drought trends and changes, our results may be relevant for a wider region, and not only for Serbia. • For Serbia negative trends in SPEI index, for different months and timescales, are dominant. • Occurrence of extreme drought categories has doubled over the last decades. • Transitions from neutral and wet categories to dry categories are more frequent. • These changes are driven by long-term warming and large-scale circulation patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the increasingly severe challenges of global climate change and sustainable development, accurate prediction of daily carbon dioxide (CO 2) emissions has become crucial. However, current research on real-time daily forecasts remains relatively scarce, often limited to annual predictions and point estimates. This paper proposes an innovative integrated model, based on quantile regression and Attention-Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (BILSTM), specifically designed for probabilistic prediction of daily carbon emissions. Testing the model on daily carbon emission data from major carbon-emitting countries including China, the United States, India, Russia, and Italy has demonstrated its superior performance across various metrics, including mean squared error (MSE), mean absolute error (MAE), coefficient of determination (R2), and normalized average width of prediction intervals (PINAW), compared to other benchmark models. This achievement not only highlights the model's effectiveness in predicting daily carbon emissions but also provides policymakers with a powerful tool for real-time monitoring and assessment of carbon emissions. Furthermore , the application of probabilistic forecasting methods enables decision-makers to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the potential range of future carbon emissions, providing strong support for the formulation of targeted policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roads play a vital role in transportation systems, and their construction and maintenance expenses are high. Those reasons make crucial the examination of factors that accelerate road deterioration and those factors' negative impacts on societies. Climatic-related elements, especially temperature and precipitation, significantly affect the quality and lifespans of roads. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has reported that increasing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is causing changes in climate and that the rate of change has accelerated during the past several decades. To assess the impacts of changing climatic parameters on flexible-pavement performance, this study used 32 climate models to evaluate the performance of interstate, primary, and secondary roads across 11 diverse locations with varying traffic and climatic conditions. The study's findings reveal that changing climate exacerbates pavement distresses, leading to reduced pavement lifespans and increased numbers of reconstruction projects, which in turn raise demands for materials and equipment and contribute to higher GHG emissions. The effects of changing climate and changing climate's associated economic and environmental costs make the application of various engineering solutions to enhance pavement resilience essential, as described in this paper, in the absence of comprehensive emissions reduction strategies. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The proposed tropical cyclone model is completely driven by a set of environmental variables. • This model reproduces the spatial and temporal characteristics of observed tropical cyclones. • The model achieves remarkable balance between computational complexity and efficiency. • This model will provide decision-makers with valuable information regarding potential wind-induced hazards. • When future climate data are fed into this model, the impact of climate change on tropical cyclones can be evaluated. This paper presents an environment-driven tropical cyclone (TC) model for the Western North Pacific basin, which comprises a revised Poisson regression genesis model, a tailored beta-advection track model, and a fast intensity model. The TC model reproduces the temporal and spatial distributions of genesis events, the motion pattern of tracks, as well as the intensity evolutions along tracks. Risk analyses for Hong Kong and along the southeast coastline of mainland China demonstrate that this model can simulate extreme TC events with high fidelity. And the Gaussian mixture model outperforms the Frank Copula in approximating the joint distributions of the annual maximum wind speeds and the corresponding wind directions. This model is driven by a set of environmental variables including relative vorticity, relative humidity, sea surface temperature, vertical wind shear, potential intensity, sub mixed layer depth stratification, mixture layer depth and so on. This enables the model to not only reproduce historical records, but also make predictions for future TC behaviors under climate change with combination of global climate models. Besides, the computational efficiency of the TC model is comparable to traditional purely statistical models. The proposed model can also be coupled with other natural hazard models to conduct multi-hazard analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An LRFD framework for embankments considering climate change effects is established. • Additional partial factors are introduced to account for the climate change effects. • Non-stationary maximum flood depth is developed using a peak-over-threshold method. • Embankment reliability is evaluated against overtopping and slope failure. • The proposed framework can serve as a reference for future code design. Riverine floods have become increasingly prevalent on a global scale, posing significant risks to infrastructure systems and communities. The escalating impacts of climate change associated with the increase in rainfall intensities and frequencies necessitate the improvement of the existing design methodologies to account for the non-stationary climate change effects to ensure that the reliability is above the target level and mitigate future flood disasters. This paper presents a novel LRFD approach for river embankments subjected to extreme rainfall under non-stationary climate change effects. This approach introduces an additional partial factor to account for the effects of climate change. Precipitation and temperature projections are collected from various climate models considering several cases of emission scenarios. An integrated hydrological and hydraulic modeling of the analyzed river is carried out to estimate the associated time-variant river discharge and water surface elevation. The non-stationary extreme value associated with the maximum flood level is leveraged using the peak-over-threshold approach. The embankment reliability and the corresponding most probable points are evaluated using limit states associated with overtopping and slope failures. Based on the estimated and target reliability indexes, the design point for each random variable is assessed considering the cases with and without climate change effects. Finally, the partial factors associated with climate change effects are determined. As an illustrative example, the proposed framework is applied to the Ashida River in Fukuyama city of Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• SEM models interactions among climate, forest composition, deer, and recreation. • Climate change will cause a shift from boreal to temperate species. • Forest composition affects recreation in the presence of climate and deer. • Climate, mainly temperature, affects both forest composition and recreation. • Model results could help inform better climate adaptation strategies. Climate change will likely cause changes in the composition of forests worldwide, with consequent impacts on forest ecosystems and the ecosystem services they provide. In northeastern Minnesota, climate change will likely cause a shift from boreal to temperate forest by the end of the century. Such a shift will affect species populations such as deer and outdoor recreation, a valuable ecosystem service with over $4 billion in annual expenditures in hunting, fishing, and wildlife viewing. In this paper, a structural equation modeling (SEM) framework is used to model four key variables, climate change, deer, forest composition, and outdoor recreation, as an interactive system with data from the Laurentian Mixed Forest (LMF) region of Minnesota. A series of SEM models of increasing complexity are used to draw out the individual and system level effects. The results show: a strong empirical relationship between forest composition and recreation; climate affects both forest composition and recreation, mainly through temperature effects; deer affects both forest composition and recreation. A systems modeling approach like SEM is needed because there are important complex interactions, such as the effect of deer on forest composition and of forest composition on deer. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ixodid (hard) ticks play important ecosystem roles and have significant impacts on animal and human health via tick-borne diseases and physiological stress from parasitism. Tick occurrence, abundance, activity, and key life-history traits are highly influenced by host availability, weather, microclimate, and landscape features. As such, changes in the environment can have profound impacts on ticks, their hosts, and the spread of diseases. Researchers recognize that spatial and temporal factors influence activity and abundance and attempt to account for both by conducting replicate sampling bouts spread over the tick questing period. However, common field methods notoriously underestimate abundance, and it is unclear how (or if) tick studies model the confounding effects of factors influencing activity and abundance. This step is critical as unaccounted variance in detection can lead to biased estimates of occurrence and abundance. We performed a descriptive review to evaluate the extent to which studies account for the detection process while modeling tick data. We also categorized the types of analyses that are commonly used to model tick data. We used hierarchical models (HMs) that account for imperfect detection to analyze simulated and empirical tick data, demonstrating that inference is muddled when detection probability is not accounted for in the modeling process. Our review indicates that only 5 of 412 (1 %) papers explicitly accounted for imperfect detection while modeling ticks. By comparing HMs with the most common approaches used for modeling tick data (e.g., ANOVA), we show that population estimates are biased low for simulated and empirical data when using non-HMs, and that confounding occurs due to not explicitly modeling factors that influenced both detection and abundance. Our review and analysis of simulated and empirical data shows that it is important to account for our ability to detect ticks using field methods with imperfect detection. Not doing so leads to biased estimates of occurrence and abundance which could complicate our understanding of parasite-host relationships and the spread of tick-borne diseases. We highlight the resources available for learning HM approaches and applying them to analyzing tick data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Big-data mining approaches based on Artificial Intelligence models can help forecast biodiversity changes before they happen. These approaches can predict macroscopic species distribution patterns and trends that can inform preventive measures to avoid the loss of ecosystem functions and services. They can, therefore, help study and mitigate climate change implications on biodiversity conservation in fragile ecosystems. Wetlands are particularly fragile ecosystems where climate change poses severe risks and has dramatically reduced their size over the past century, with profound consequences on biodiversity and ecosystem services. Through big-data mining approaches, we can predict future wetland biodiversity trends in the context of climate change. This paper proposes such predictive analysis for a specific wetland: The Massaciuccoli Lake basin in Tuscany, Italy. This basin is a critical tourist attraction due to its rich biodiversity, making it an area of interest for citizens, tourists, and scientists. However, the region's suitability for native and non-native species is at risk due to climate and land-use change. Using machine-learning models, we predict the potential effects of climate change on animal spatial distribution in the basin under different greenhouse gas emission scenarios. The results suggest that habitat suitability has generally improved from 1950 to today, presumably owing to the targeted conservation strategies adopted in the area, but climate change will severely reduce bird biodiversity by 2050 while favouring several insect species' proliferation and other species' habitat change, even under a medium-emission scenario. This will lead to significant changes in the basin's biodiversity. Our methodology is adaptable to other wetland basins, being fully based on open data and models. The spatially explicit modelling used in this research provides valuable information for policymakers and spatial planners, complementing traditional biodiversity trend analyses. [Display omitted] • Bayesian Open Science ecological niche models for 180 species in an Italian wetland • Environmental change in the last 70 years has benefited animal biodiversity • Climate change will disadvantage birds even under medium greenhouse gas emission • Climate change will alter other species' richness and habitat distribution [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanism by which information exposure affects climate change engagement remains controversial. One view holds that information exposure can directly affect human behavior through the "fast system," that is, instinctive and emotional. Another view points out that information exposure must be translated into knowledge first and then affect individual behavior through the "slow system," that is, deliberative and logical. This paper designs an analytical framework to verify whether information exposure or knowledge is the determinant in promoting individual climate change mitigation responses. Using the latest individual-level survey data gathered in Beijing, China in 2021, estimation results indicate that information exposure has dissimilar influencing mechanisms for different types of behaviors. For concern about climate change, information exposure has a direct effect. While knowledge plays a complete mediating role in the influence path between information exposure and behavioral intention. Moreover, knowledge can be more directly and effectively transformed into mitigation behavior. • Information exposure has both fast and slow influencing mechanisms for different types of behaviors. • Information exposure can directly influence individuals' concerns about climate change. • Knowledge plays a complete mediating role between information exposure and mitigation behavior. • Current efficiency of converting information exposure into knowledge is relatively low. • Future policy communication should focus more on knowledge development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• German far-right groups are increasingly aligning themselves with ecological ideas. • Völkisch settlers combine care for nature with xenophobic nationalism. • The (racial) future is a key terrain of struggle for this political ideology. • Far-right future-making takes place through an anticipatory and immunological register. • The utopian dimensions of far-right ecological praxis need to be better understood. Focusing on the resurgence of so-called völkisch (ethno-nationalist) settlements in northern Germany over the past three decades, this paper explores the emergent socio-spatial forms through which nativist and xenophobic responses to the ecological crisis are being expressed. It argues that political ecologies of the future cannot be understood, in the present conjuncture, without taking into account those actors which are working to manifest the future in explicitly racialised and immunitary forms. After providing an overview of the development of völkisch movements and ideologies since the 19th century, I introduce contemporary actors and organisations which are attempting to reconfigure the climate crisis as a matter of right-wing concern. These strategies position Nature as a signifier that stitches together far-right concerns about the infiltration of the German Volk and landscape by racialised threats, facilitating a form of ecological praxis through rural settlement projects that is heavily centred around a homogenous and naturalised notion of German identity. Rather than an outright denial of the impending urgency of the climate crisis, I argue that völkisch discourses represent a different, and arguably more dangerous response to the spectre of ecological disorder, and one which works in an immunological and anticipatory register. The affective intensity of these imaginaries and strategies also demonstrate that the terrains of hope, possibility, and even utopia increasingly hold the potential to be claimed by the violent and exclusivist ideologies of the far-right. No mere harbinger of 'things to come', völkisch strategies represent a mode of responding to the climate crisis in the present, and of prefiguring an ethno-nationalist 'solution' which must be taken seriously by activists and scholars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]