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The paper addresses vulnerability to Global Environmental Change of rural producers of Mendoza River basin, in Argentina. Vulnerability is a complex phenomenon that is generated at the intersection of environmental, social and economic dimensions. From a qualitative study based on in-depth interviews with producers of the study area, the paper explain the processes affecting actors (exposures / sensitivities) and the practices (adaptations) they develop to address these phenomena. The main idea is that hydroclimatological events act on a number of previous, long-term vulnerabilities defined by access to resources. Also it shows that resources are critical to the development of adaptive capacities, but finds that "availability of resources" and "capacity building" are not phenomena always related by a linear and direct causality. That is, sometimes the mere existence of resources is not enough to foster adaptive capacities. Noting some capacities gaps, the article identifies critical factors that could improve rural actors' capacities and could strengthen them to cope with future global climate events and other factors that affect their living conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper shows the main findings regarding the climate change perspective in the department of Antioquia. For measuring it, means such as surveys, interviews, and a focus group were used with parties related to academia, the government, and the authorities of Antioquia. The results show that, in Antioquia, there are still gaps to be filled, and few, or little known, commitments for prevention; deficient institutional presence, and little interest from the local government for actions derived from the issue of regulations, and tools for adaptation to climate change to be implemented effectively. Likewise, there is little planning and connection between initiatives and the means for management in the territory. The parties surveyed agree that the most vulnerable sectors in the face of climate change, from an economic viewpoint, are the production units in the livestock, agricultural and energetic fields. From a social point of view, the main problem is what geomorphologic conditions generate, and, from an environmental point of view, the loss of biodiversity. Finally, education is viewed as the main instrument and tool for knowing and approaching the essence of climate change, as well as the implications that it can have for society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existence of contrasting definitions of vulnerability to climate change poses a crucial challenge for the relationship between science and public policy in the context of adaptation to climate change. After reviewing the mainstream conceptualization of vulnerability to climate change, the article criticizes the use of the risk-hazard approach as a conceptual basis for measuring that vulnerability. Using concrete examples, the article illustrates how the resulting concept of vulnerability varies profoundly with respect to the type of knowledge generated and the epistemological approach depending on whether the concept of inherent vulnerability or that of outcome vulnerability is used. The paper concludes that the use of one or the other leads to public policies that are radically different in scope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the effects of climate change in agriculture and food in Latin America. In response to Maletta (2009), this essay analyze the real impacts climate change will have in the region. We suggest that global impacts in agriculture and food will be high in Latin America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to explore alternative institutional ways to approach the public strategies for the attention of the meteorological events that occur frequently in Mexico. In the context of a growing presence of such events in the country associated with climate change, increased resilience relates to the identification and correction of the vulnerability of those areas susceptible to such threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate variability (CV) and climate change (CC) have been associated to global changes or to changes in the climate regime and have shown remarkable effects on the hydrological cycle. Water shortage, changes in precipitation intensity, and variability of extreme events are gaining more importance. Because of the increase in air temperature and the changes in precipitation, CC is increasing the competition for fresh water and is impacting hydrological processes and regimes, causing in some cases a larger flow of pollutants and sediments in lakes and rivers, water quality degradation, alteration of the rate of bio-geochemical processes, and reduction of dissolved oxygen concentration. The need for adapting to CC is urgent when large economic and social changes are occurring that affect usage of water resources (WR). CC is increasing the vulnerability of badly-managed water systems, creating an urgent need to build a new framework for the management of WR. In this paper, an integrated water resource management concept (IWRM) is presented, which is gaining acceptance as a CC adaptation strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]