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Allergic diseases such as asthma, atopic dermatitis, and food allergies are a burgeoning health challenge in the Asia-Pacific region. Compounding this, the region has become increasingly susceptible to the impacts of climate change. The region has weathered extreme precipitation, intense heat waves, and dust storms over the recent decades. While the effects of environmental and genetic factors on allergic diseases are well understood, prevailing gaps in understanding the complex interactions between climate change and these factors remain. We aim to provide insights into the various pathways by which climate change influences allergic diseases in the Asia-Pacific population. We outline practical steps that allergists can take to reduce the carbon footprint of their practice on both a systemic and patient-specific level. We recommend that allergists optimize disease control to reduce the resources required for each patient's care, which contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We encourage the responsible prescription of metered dose inhalers by promoting the switch to dry powder inhalers for certain patients, at each clinician's discretion. We also recommend the utilization of virtual consultations to reduce patient travel while ensuring that evidence-based guidelines for rational allergy management are closely adhered to. Finally, eliminating unnecessary testing and medications will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions in many areas of medical care., (© 2024 The Author(s). Pediatric Allergy and Immunology published by European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

One of the greatest challenges facing humanity in the current millennium is the need to mitigate climate change, and one of the most viable options to overcome this challenge is to invest in renewable energy. The study dynamically examines the links between renewable energy consumption, non-renewable energy consumption, climate change, and economic growth in five emerging Asian countries during the period 1975-2020. Variables selected in the model have long-term cointegration, as explored by the Pedroni cointegration test and the Westerlund cointegration test. The long-term estimated parameters of the augmented mean group (AMG) method show that renewable energy consumption significantly reduces climate change, while non-renewable energy consumption significantly promotes climate change. The results also show that GDP, investment in transport infrastructure, and urbanization can significantly contribute to climate change in selected emerging Asian countries. Moreover, the results validate the inverted U-shaped EKC hypothesis for emerging Asian economies. Country-specific analysis results using AMG estimates shows that renewable energy consumption reduces climate change in selected emerging Asian countries. Non-renewable energy consumption and investment in transport infrastructure have had significant progressive impacts on climate change in all countries. Urbanization contributes significantly to climate change, with the exception of Japan, which does not have any significant impact on climate change. GDP contributes significantly to climate change in all countries; however, GDP2 has significant adverse effects on climate change in India, China, Japan, and Korea, validating the inverted U-shaped EKC assumption for all countries except Bangladesh. Moreover, the Dumitrescu and Hurlin causality test confirmed a pairwise causal relationship between non-renewable energy consumption and GDP, supporting the feedback hypothesis. The results suggest that the best option for climate change mitigation in selected emerging Asian countries is to transition from non-renewable to renewable energy sources., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

While climate change is having serious impacts on agriculture and may require ongoing adaptation, short-run threats to global food security are also crucial for developing countries. We use dynamic and asymmetric panel autoregressive distributed lag estimators to investigate how the effects of climate change on agricultural productivity vary depending upon the short run and long run in Asia over the period of 1980-2016. The results confirmed that there is a long-run relationship between agricultural productivity and climate change variables; however, only CO 2 emissions could be linked to agricultural productivity in the short run. Moreover, while the direction of this effect is positive for the short run, it turns into negative in the long run confirming that carbon fertilization in the atmosphere can to some extent have a positive effect on agricultural productivity., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The recent progress report of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2023 highlighted the extreme reactions of environmental degradation. This report also shows that the current efforts for achieving environmental sustainability (SDG 13) are inadequate and a comprehensive policy agenda is needed. However, the present literature has highlighted several determinants of environmental degradation but the influence of geopolitical risk on environmental quality (EQ) is relatively ignored. To fill this research gap and propose a inclusive policy structure for achieving the sustainable development goals. This study is the earliest attempt that delve into the effects o of geopolitical risk (GPR), financial development (FD), and renewable energy consumption (REC) on load capacity factor (LCF) under the framework of load capacity curve (LCC) hypothesis for selected Asian countries during 1990-2020. In this regard, we use several preliminary sensitivity tests to check the features and reliability of the dataset. Similarly, we use panel quantile regression for investigating long-run relationships. The factual results affirm the existence of the LCC hypothesis in selected Asian countries. Our findings also show that geopolitical risk reduces environmental quality whereas financial development and REC increase environmental quality. Drawing from the empirical findings, this study suggests a holistic policy approach for achieving the targets of SDG 13 (climate change)., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Together with other elevated areas, the Mountains of Central Asia are significantly threatened by ongoing climate change. The presence of refuges during the glaciations makes the region extremely rich in species, especially endemic ones. However, the limited potential for colonisation of other habitats makes rocky-related species with 'island-like' distribution, particularly vulnerable to climate change. To understand the processes underlying species response to climate warming, we assessed differences in ecological niches and phylogenetic relationship of two geographically disjunctive alpine species belonging to the genus Sergia. The taxa are considered Tertiary relicts, endemic to the Tian Shan and Pamir-Alai Mountains. To illustrate range dynamics and differences in occupied niches of Sergia species, we used Ecological Niche Modelling of current and future distribution. Whereas, to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationship within and between Sergia and other related Campanulaceae species from the region we used molecular data (ITS, cpDNA, DArTseq-derived SNPs)., Results: The results reveal that the genus Sergia is a polyphyletic group, and its representatives differ geographically, ecologically and genetically. Both S. regelii and S. sewerzowii constitute a common clade with Asyneuma group, however, S. sewerzowii is more closely related to Campanula alberti (a species that has never previously been considered closely related to the genus Asyneuma or Sergia) than to S. regelii. Sergia sewerzowii is adapted to lower elevations with higher temperatures, while S. regelii prefers higher elevations with lower temperatures. The future distribution models demonstrate a dramatic loss of S. regelii range with a shift to suitable habitats in higher elevations, while the potential range of S. sewerzowii increases and shifts to the north., Conclusions: This study shows that S. regelii and S. sewerzowii have a long and independent evolution history. Sergia regelii and S. sewerzowii significantly differ in realised niches. These differences are mirrored in the response of the studied endemics to future climate warming. As suitable habitats shrink, rapid changes in distribution can lead to species' range loss, which is also directly related to declines in genetic variability. The outcomes of this paper will help to more precisely assess the impact of climate changes on rocky-related plant species found in this world's biodiversity hotspot., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The substantial known economic effect of changing in climate is upon on every sector especially on agriculture due to its sensitivity and size of the sector. Warming climate brings outstanding harm to agriculture in several nations because developed countries in low latitude already encounter the hot weather. This paper reviews numerous studies that evaluate the possible impact of warming climate to agriculture sector in Asia. There have been numerous studies examine how expected changes in climate are likely to effect on yield productivity in Asia. The findings in this paper is supported mainly from the fourth and fifth analysis report of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), where the latest sixth assessment report is excluded out as it is currently preparing by the panel. There are two specific objectives is needed to review the possible impacts of changing climate on agricultural. Firstly, the paper will synthesize the likely impacts of climate change on China and India’s agricultural production especially for crops C3 and C4. Secondly, this paper also review the adaptive responses to change in climate that could potentially be made and promoted in the agricultural sector. Additionally, this paper discusses the overview of Asian agriculture and likely outcome if climates do warm by observing several scientific evidence on climate change. This paper done some projection by reviewing existing literatures which various research studies have been approaches to estimate the changes. The impact of climate change in agriculture sector in two countries is also describe. The countermeasure to be consider in response to warming climate will be the last section in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis paper examines the influence of climate change vulnerability on the likelihood and severity of communal violence, with a particular emphasis on delineating large-scale regional patterns. Specifically, the analysis centres on Sub-Saharan Africa and South/South-East Asia – both regions being predominantly characterised by rain-fed agriculture and climate-sensitive economic activities – spanning the years 1995 to 2021. Relying on the ND-GAIN Vulnerability Index as a multidimensional measure for propensity of societies to be negatively impacted by climate change, we found robust evidence that greater vulnerability is conducive to a higher likelihood and severity of communal violence in Sub-Saharan Africa. On the other hand, in South/South-East Asia, results suggest that current climate variability, measured as rainfall deviations within the period, exerts a greater effect on communal violence outbreak than overall vulnerability to climate change. In both regions, greater access to productive means is significantly associated to the reduction of communal violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Special Issue highlights the most recent socio-legal research related to the mitigation, if not the elimination, of the threat of anthropogenic disasters in Asia and beyond. The drafts of these papers were originally presented at the Presidential Session on "The Anthropocene and the Law in Asia" at the Fourth Asian Law and Society Association (ALSA) Conference held in the vibrant city of Osaka, Japan in December 2019. The timing of this particular session, the first of its kind to be held at an ALSA Conference, turned out to be somewhat prophetic, in that two anthropogenic catastrophes—the historic zoonotic pandemic and the cataclysmic wild bushfires—had just begun to strike in December in Wuhan, China and in New South Wales, Australia, respectively. The novel coronavirus pandemic would kill more than 1 million people in the following months, after infecting more than 40 million across the globe. The Australian wild bushfires killed and displaced more than 3 billion animals, becoming the worst wildfire ever recorded in the world. Since that last ALSA Conference in December 2019, multiple anthropogenic disasters have hit various regions in Asia and across the world. The papers in this Special Issue examine various impacts of anthropogenic disasters and propose innovative socio-legal strategies to mitigate them. Included are arguments for the proposal of new legal education curricula and innovative pedagogy on environmental law and the exploration of an international multidisciplinary teaching framework in reconsidering and reshaping human-centric legal education. Also proposed is the development of a robust Earth Jurisprudence based on the adoption of the Rights of Nature principles, while moving away from the Euro-American exploitive view of nature as commodified properties. Additionally proposed is the establishment of a land-based, topological jurisprudence that incorporates the nuanced narratives of indigenous voices in dealing with the threat of human-induced ecological and environmental disasters in the years ahead. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dryland ecosystems in the Great Lakes Region of Central Asia (GLRCA) are highly sensitive to climate change due to the climate of spring precipitation. Although shifts in vegetation phenology have been widely attributed to rising temperature, the effects of solar radiation and drought on phenology remain largely unknown. Understanding the mechanisms of vegetation phenology response to climatic factors is essential for assessing the impact of climate change on dryland ecosystems. In this study, we investigated the spatial and temporal variations of vegetation phenology across the GLRCA using a long-term series of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and then examined the response of vegetation phenology to climate change within different climate zones by combining with climate data (surface temperature, soil moisture, short-wave radiation, and standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI)). The results suggested that the start of growing season (SGS) and the end of growing season (EGS) were significantly earlier regionally by -0.143 days/year and -0.363 days/year, respectively. Because of changes in SGS and EGS, length of growing season (LGS) across the GLRCA was shortened at a rate of -0.442 days/yr, which was mainly attributed to advanced EGS. Additionally, SGS of vegetation was negatively correlated with surface temperature but positively correlated with soil moisture and SPEI. These results indicated that surface temperature was a major determinant of advanced spring phenology, while increased soil moisture and mitigated drought would delay spring phenology. The response of autumn phenology to surface temperature and short-wave radiation varied across different climate zones. In arid climate zone, autumn phenology was obviously advanced with the increase of surface temperature and short-wave radiation. In cold climate zone, higher surface temperature and short-wave radiation postponed autumn phenology. Meanwhile, the thermal growing season did not accurately characterize the actual vegetation growing season because GLRCA phenology was different from most of Northern Hemisphere., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The high mountain regions of Asia contain more glacial ice than anywhere on the planet outside of the polar regions. Because of the large population living in the Indus watershed region who are reliant on melt from these glaciers for fresh water, understanding the factors that affect glacial melt along with the impacts of climate change on the region is important for managing these natural resources. While there are multiple climate data products (e.g., reanalysis and global climate models) available to study the impact of climate change on this region, each product will have a different amount of skill in projecting a given climate variable, such as precipitation. In this research, we develop a spatially varying mixture model to compare the distribution of precipitation in the High Mountain Asia region as produced by climate models with the corresponding distribution from in situ observations from the Asian Precipitation—Highly Resolved Observational Data Integration Towards Evaluation (APHRODITE) data product. Parameter estimation is carried out via a computationally efficient Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm. Each of the estimated climate distributions from each climate data product is then validated against APHRODITE using a spatially varying Kullback–Leibler divergence measure. Supplementary materials accompanying this paper appear online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is not something that has never happened before. However, it has recently been reported that climate change has affected living things such as humans, animals and plants. Among the animals that may be vulnerable to the effects of climate change are migratory bird species. Therefore, this review paper will emphasise the checklist of migratory bird species found to be affected by climate change. Data for bird migration species in Asia are obtained from the Birdlife Data Zone. At the same time, the data for Global land surface temperature (1910-2020) and Asia land surface temperature (1910-2020) were taken from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for Environmental information. These papers showed that climate warming could affect species differently, but there are still species from certain populations not affected at all. This paper also reviewed that approximately 169 species of migratory birds in Asia are affected by climate change and severe weather. Of the total, 5 species (2.96%) are critically endangered, 8 (4.73%) endangered, 21 (12.43%) vulnerable, 27 (15.98%) near threatened and 123 (63.91%) least concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization is one of the pivotal aspects of socioeconomic advancement which is critically vulnerable to climatic extremes. Extreme precipitation and urbanization are largely interlinked. Estimating the extreme precipitation-induced urban area exposure is the fundamental aspect of urban risk assessment for precipitation-related floods. In this study, future urban area exposure to extreme precipitation and associated influential factors are investigated over South Asia under 1.5 °C, 2.0 °C, 3.0 °C, and 4.0 °C global warming thresholds. In this regard, we used newly released 20 up-to-date climate models outputs, and five Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs) based urban land-use products under four combined scenarios of the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways and Representative Concentration Pathways (SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0, and SSP5-8.5) from the sixth phase of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6). Extreme precipitation is characterized by adopting 20-, 50-, and 100-year return periods of annual maximum daily precipitation. Results reveal a massive urban area expansion over South Asia which is the utmost by 186.4% under SSP3-7.0 than the reference period (1995-2014). The variations in projected urban areas mainly occur in Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) region among scenarios. In relative terms, extreme precipitation frequency and associated urban area exposure are prospective to increase with continued global warming. The exposed urban area varies 4.5- to 7.4-fold higher under different warming thresholds than the reference period. The leading increase is estimated (7.4-fold) under 4.0 °C. Notably, for global warming targets set out by the Paris Agreement (1.5 °C, and 2.0 °C), exposed urban area is intended to be 10.2% higher under 2.0 °C than 1.5 °C. Spatially, the exposed urban area will be dominant in the southeast region relative to the reference period. Importantly, the interaction effect (simultaneous change in climate-urban land) is the principal contributor to the changes in urban area exposure to extreme precipitation over South Asia. However, this study's findings strongly support the accomplishment of the Paris Agreement target and provide a scientific basis for formulating urban land-use policy interventions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Agricultural production is under threat due to climate change in food insecure regions, especially in Asian countries. Various climate-driven extremes, i.e., drought, heat waves, erratic and intense rainfall patterns, storms, floods, and emerging insect pests have adversely affected the livelihood of the farmers. Future climatic predictions showed a significant increase in temperature, and erratic rainfall with higher intensity while variability exists in climatic patterns for climate extremes prediction. For mid-century (2040-2069), it is projected that there will be a rise of 2.8 °C in maximum temperature and a 2.2 °C in minimum temperature in Pakistan. To respond to the adverse effects of climate change scenarios, there is a need to optimize the climate-smart and resilient agricultural practices and technology for sustainable productivity. Therefore, a case study was carried out to quantify climate change effects on rice and wheat crops and to develop adaptation strategies for the rice-wheat cropping system during the mid-century (2040-2069) as these two crops have significant contributions to food production. For the quantification of adverse impacts of climate change in farmer fields, a multidisciplinary approach consisted of five climate models (GCMs), two crop models (DSSAT and APSIM) and an economic model [Trade-off Analysis, Minimum Data Model Approach (TOAMD)] was used in this case study. DSSAT predicted that there would be a yield reduction of 15.2% in rice and 14.1% in wheat and APSIM showed that there would be a yield reduction of 17.2% in rice and 12% in wheat. Adaptation technology, by modification in crop management like sowing time and density, nitrogen, and irrigation application have the potential to enhance the overall productivity and profitability of the rice-wheat cropping system under climate change scenarios. Moreover, this paper reviews current literature regarding adverse climate change impacts on agricultural productivity, associated main issues, challenges, and opportunities for sustainable productivity of agriculture to ensure food security in Asia. Flowing opportunities such as altering sowing time and planting density of crops, crop rotation with legumes, agroforestry, mixed livestock systems, climate resilient plants, livestock and fish breeds, farming of monogastric livestock, early warning systems and decision support systems, carbon sequestration, climate, water, energy, and soil smart technologies, and promotion of biodiversity have the potential to reduce the negative effects of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Changing weather patterns, increasing frequency and intensity of natural hazards, and rising sea levels associated with global climate change have the potential to threaten cultural heritage sites worldwide. This is especially the case for maritime heritage sites located in the low-lying coastal and delta regions of Asia. Maritime heritage can reflect both highly localized cultural products based on the coupling of people and maritime environments and the historic footprints of complex maritime networks that connect people, ideas, and material over vast distances, creating unique cultural spheres. Furthermore, maritime heritage sites potentially serve as or contain records of how past societies have been impacted by and adapted to past environmental stress. Therefore, their degradation threatens local/regional/global cultural patrimony as well as evidence of human resilience and fragility in the face of environmental change. This makes a strong case for urgent preservation. However, the possible damage caused by climate change and the scale of vulnerable maritime heritage pose seemingly insurmountable challenges. In this paper, we present the ways in which maritime heritage sites across Asia are vulnerable to environmental stresses, such as changing sea levels, coastal erosion, flooding, and storm surges. Our objective is to draw upon our experience documenting endangered cultural heritage across South and Southeast Asia to illustrate that there are unique conceptual and practical characteristics of maritime heritage that complicate effective management and conservation efforts on the scale required to prevent massive loss by climate change. We conclude by stressing the need to reconceptualize debates about the custody and stewardship of maritime heritage and the urgency of employing a wide range of innovative preservation solutions to ensure maritime patrimony is not lost to the rising tides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetation is highly sensitive to climate changes in arid regions. The relationship between vegetation and climate changes can be effectively characterized by vegetation phenology. However, few studies have examined the vegetation phenology and productivity changes in arid Central Asia (ACA). The vegetation phenological information of ACA was extracted using MODIS NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) data, and the dynamics of vegetation phenological changes under spatiotemporal variations were quantitatively assessed. Moreover, the impacts of climate change on vegetation phenology and net primary productivity were analyzed by combining meteorological data with that of MODIS NPP (Net Primary Productivity) during the same period. The results demonstrated that the start of the season (SOS) of vegetation in the study was concentrated from mid-February to mid-April, while the end of the season (EOS) was concentrated from early October to mid-December. The length of growing season (LOS) ranged from 6 to 10 months. The SOS of vegetation was gradually postponed at a rate of 0.16 d·year -1 . The EOS advanced at a rate of 0.69 d·year -1 . The LOS was gradually shortened at a rate of 0.89 d·year -1 . For each per 1000 m increase in elevation, the SOS of vegetation was postponed by 12.40 d; the EOS advanced by 0.40 d, and the LOS was shortened by 11.70 d. For the impacts of climate changes on vegetation phenology and NPP, the SOS of vegetation phenology negatively correlated with temperature but positively correlated with precipitation and NPP. The EOS and LOS positively correlated with temperature but negatively with precipitation and NPP. Results indicated that the SOS was not moved ahead but was delayed, while the EOS advanced rather than being postponed under climate change. These results can offer new insights on the phenological response to climate change in arid regions and on non-systematic changes in phenology under global warming., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The East Asian winter monsoon (EAWM) is one of the most important climate systems during boreal winter. It has a large meridional extent and provides a vital bridge between the mid-to-high latitudes and the tropics. This paper reviews the latest research on the climate variability of the EAWM, with particular emphasis on the associated processes of extratropical-tropical interaction. Some new results have been achieved in understanding the variation of the EAWM on interdecadal, interannual, and intraseasonal time scales, such as the interdecadal strengthening in the early 21st century, the unstable impact of El Niño-South Oscillation (ENSO) on the EAWM, and the intraseasonal strong cold events in East Asia. In addition, understanding of the extratropical-tropical interactions related to the EAWM has improved in several aspects, including the impacts of the EAWM on ENSO-related climate effects, and the variation of regional Hadley circulation over the western Pacific and its climate impacts in the Asia-Australia region. Moreover, recent work has systematically evaluated the capacity of climate models to simulate the EAWM, including its climatology, interannual to interdecadal variations, and its relationship with ENSO. Finally, some scientific issues regarding our understanding of the EAWM are proposed for future investigation., (© 2021 New York Academy of Sciences.)

The projections of mean temperature, precipitation (P), and potential evapotranspiration (PET) reflect the probabilities of long-term changes of hydrologic processes and induced extreme events. In this paper, we investigated the future changes in some pivotal climatic variables (mean temperature, precipitation, and potential evapotranspiration) under 1.5 °C, 2.0 °C, and 3.0 °C specific warming levels (SWLs) across the Indus River Basin of South Asia. The seven global climate models output under seven different emission scenarios (SSP1-1.9, SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0, SSP4-3.4, SSP4-6.0, and SSP5-8.5) from the latest Sixth phase of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6) are used for this purpose. The Penman-Monteith approach is applied to estimate PET, and the water balance equation is for reflecting water surplus/deficit. Results indicate that except for precipitation, the greater increases in temperature and PET are inclined to happen with continued global warming. The highest increase in temperature is accounted for 14.6% (2.4 °C), and the enhanced PET is estimated at 5.2% higher than the reference period (1995-2014) under 3.0 °C SWL. While the precipitation is projected to increase by the highest 4.8% for 2.0 °C warming level. The differences in regional climate for an additional 0.5 °C (2.0-1.5 °C) and 1.0 °C (3.0-2.0 °C) of warming, the temperature is projected to increase by 0.4 °C and 0.9 °C in the entire IRB respectively. The highest increase in mean temperature (5.1%) and PET (2.4%) in the IRB are predicted to intensify for an additional 1.0 °C than that of 0.5 °C of warming, but precipitation is intended to decrease by 0.4%. Spatially, the increase in temperature, precipitation, and PET are dominated towards high elevation in the upper basin (north) under all the SWLs. The increased variability in climatological parameters across IRB depicts an evident occurrence of both wet events (upper basin) as well as dry events (lower basin) with the increase in global average temperature rise. However, these findings provide an insightful basis for water resource management as well as initiating mitigation and adaptation measures in the IRB related to water surplus (floods) and water deficit (droughts)., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The variability and dynamics of the Asian monsoon (AM, hereafter indicates both of the summer and winter monsoons.) at orbital and millennial timescales has attracted wide interest. Chinese loess deposits, covering an area of ~500 × 103 km2 and with a thickness of several tens to more than three hundred meters, is an ideal continental archive to reconstruct AM variations during the Quaternary epoch. Over the past thirty years, since the earliest paper published in an international journal that linked the Asian monsoon and Chinese loess deposits, many studies have been undertaken focusing on this research topic. These results have greatly deepened our understanding of the variations of the AM climate and their driving mechanisms during the past ~2.6 Myr. In this paper, we emphasize recent progress on the AM variability and dynamics revealed by Chinese loess records; in particular, we discuss the reliability and precision of the timescale and the monsoon proxy indicators for the loess-paleosol sequences, which are two fundamental aspects for understanding AM behavior. We analyze what we know and discuss what we do not know about the AM. We refine the timescale for the typical loess-paleosol sequence in the central Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP), which can be used as a new timescale to study palaeoclimate and palaeoenvironmental changes in the monsoonal Asia. We conclude that low-latitude insolation changes induced by precession, and global ice volume, temperature at high-latitudes, as well as sea-level changes forced variations of the AM at orbital time scales. High-latitude cooling events and low-latitude hydroclimate process at millennial time scales, such as climate changes associated with Heinrich events and Dansgaard-Oeschger cycles in Northern Atlantic and Greenland, have also modulated AM variability. We suggest that high-latitude forcing of AM variations occurs through ocean and atmospheric circulation linkages, although the roles of atmospheric CO 2 , ocean and vegetation feedbacks need further investigation. In future study, high-resolution independent dating, novel proxy indices and transient numerical simulations are still basic tools to understand the loess deposition and AM variations that require considerably more work. Issues such as reliable spatial comparison and regional linkages of records (dependent on precise and accurate numerical chronologies), and quantitative reconstruction of the AM variations, should be given priority in the study the past climate change in Asia, and low-latitude hydroclimate process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interface between Climate Changes and Food and Nutrition Security (FNS) has been standing out in the sustainable development agenda since the early 1990's. Since then, studies show that climate changes have negative effects on the FNS, aggravated by poverty and social inequality. The purpose of this paper is to perform a review evidencing the relationships between climate changes and FNS. The research was carried out in PubMed using the descriptors "climate change and food security" on the headline, selecting only papers in Portuguese, Spanish, and English languages, and with a direct relation to the themes. The main impacts of climate changes on the FNS were related to the access, production, nutritional quality, and volatility of food prices. The studies also indicated mitigation/adaptation strategies to the effects of climate changes on the FNS, as well as a geographic panorama of the publications with fields of study in Africa and Asia, continents marked by social inequality and poverty. Climate changes affect the dimensions of FNS, especially in poorer populations in situation of social inequality. The relevance of the themes raises concern on the urgency of higher investments in public policies, studies, and research on the subject around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Climate change has altered global hydrological cycles mainly due to changes in temperature and precipitation, which may exacerbate the global and regional water shortage issues, especially in the countries along the Belt and Road (B&R). Methods: In this paper, we assessed water supply, demand, and stress under three climate change scenarios in the major countries along the Belt and Road. We ensembled ten Global Climate Model (GCM) runoff data and downscaled it to a finer resolution of 0.1 × 0.1 by the random forest model. Results: Our results showed that the GCM runoff was highly correlated with the FAO renewable water resources and thus could be used to estimate water supply. Climate change would increase water supply by 4.85%, 5.18%, 8.16% and water demand by 1.45%, 1.68%, 2.36% under RCP 2.6, 4.5, and 8.5 scenarios by 2050s, respectively. As a result, climate change will, in general, have little impact on water stress in the B&R countries as a whole. However, climate change will make future water resources more unevenly distributed among the B&R countries and regions, exacerbating water stress in some countries, especially in Central Asia and West Asia. Our results are informative for water resource managers and policymakers in the B&R countries to make sustainable water management strategies under future climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous economic growth and the rise in energy consumption are linked with environmental pollution. Demand for health care expenditure increased after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study is interesting in modeling the nexus between public and private health expenditure, carbon dioxide emissions, and economic growth. To this end, the present study analyzed the nexus between public and private health care expenditure, economic growth, and environmental pollution for 36 Asian countries for the period 1991–2017. FMOLS, GMM, and quantile regression analysis confirm the EKC hypothesis in Asia. Besides, FMOLS and quantile regressions reached the reducing effects of government and private health expenditures on CO2 emissions. While quantile regression results show that public and private health expenditures can mitigate CO2 emissions; however, these results differ for various levels of CO2. Findings of quantile regression show a significant impact of both public and private health expenditures in reducing CO2 at the 50th and 75th quantiles but results are insignificant for the 25th quantile. Overall, the paper concludes that both government and private health sectors' expenditures caused CO2 emissions to decrease in Asia and that the negative impact of the private health sector on CO2 emissions is greater than that of the government health sector. The concluding remark is that the higher the health spending, the higher the environmental quality will be in Asia. Hence, the health administrators need to increase public and private health expenditures with an effective cost-service and energy-efficient management approach to reach sustainable health services and a sustainable environment in Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

East Asian summer monsoon precipitation is projected to increase under greenhouse warming with strong intraseasonal variation. Using a 35-member CESM Large Ensemble and 30 CMIP6 models, this study reveals that in July and August, maximum rainfall changes in East Asia take place in the midlatitudes, influencing regions encompassing North and Northeast China, the Korean Peninsula, and Japan. The intensified precipitation is attributed to the combined effect of the thermodynamic and dynamic components. The former stems from the enriched low-level moisture, which peaks in continental East Asia in July and August, under global warming. The dynamic effect is due to the enhanced upward motion, associated with the enhanced southerlies throughout the troposphere over midlatitude East Asia. The southerlies also act to intensify the low-level monsoonal circulation, strengthening moisture transport from the tropical ocean to the midlatitudes. In addition to the mean-state changes, the precipitation interannual variability in this region also intensifies, partly due to the enhanced low-level moisture and partly associated with enhanced large-scale circulation anomalies, such as the northwestern Pacific anticyclone. The enhanced background precipitation, along with the intensified interannual variability, may lead to more rainy summers in a warmer climate, with instances where historically extreme precipitation events become more frequent, posing challenges for water resource management and agriculture in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reliable attribution of Asian summer monsoon variations to aerosol forcing is critical to reducing uncertainties in future projections of regional water availability, which is of utmost importance for risk management and adaptation planning in this densely populated region. Yet, simulating the monsoon remains a challenge for climate models that suffer from long-standing biases, undermining their reliability in attributing anthropogenically forced changes. We analyze a suite of climate model experiments to identify a link between model biases and monsoon responses to Asian aerosols and associated physical mechanisms, including the role of large-scale circulation changes. The aerosol impact on monsoon precipitation and circulation is strongly influenced by a model's ability to simulate the spatio-temporal variability in the climatological monsoon winds, clouds, and precipitation across Asia, which modulates the magnitude and efficacy of aerosol–cloud–precipitation interactions, an important component of the total aerosol response. There is a strong interplay between South Asia and East Asia monsoon precipitation biases and their relative predominance in driving the overall monsoon response. We found a striking contrast between the early- and late-summer aerosol-driven changes ascribable to opposite signs and seasonal evolution of the biases in the two regions. A realistic simulation of the evolution of the large-scale atmospheric circulation is crucial to realize the full extent of the aerosol impact over Asia. These findings provide important implications for better understanding and constraining the diversity and inconsistencies of model responses to aerosol changes over Asia in historical simulations and future projections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several developing countries in Asia are relying on agricultural practices in which climate change is a challenging concern. The trends change in atmospheric parameters and vegetation indices are questioned and vague. Consequently, the trend variations of the environmental characteristics were introduced in the first decade of 21 century to better understand the trend changes and envisage the relationship between the atmospheric parameters and the vegetation cover. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer and the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder provide several atmospheric parameters, e.g., Air Temperature, Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD), and Carbon Dioxide (CO2). In addition, NDVI was estimated and aimed at the role of the interactions among the atmospheric parameters based on statistical analysis. The results showed that AOD and NDVI were air temperature dependent; meanwhile, AOD, NDVI, and air temperature were exchanging and influencing one another. Furthermore, the average minimum air temperature of the region increased during this period and carbon dioxide was a time-dependant parameter that was rising at a steep slope, which may lead to environmental crises. The trend analysis outlines what policies, programs, and procedures should be used to balance the ecosystem and mitigate the climatic negative effects. The Current research strengthens on the social awareness and the international cooperation to reduce socio-economic and political harm and loss in the face of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme climate events are hotspots in global change. However, research on the changes in future compound events and population exposure is still limited. Leveraging from the data of the sixth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6), this paper aims to analyze the temporal and spatial changes of global compound temperature and precipitation extreme events in the future. We also predict the risk of population exposure and quantify the contribution of different factors to exposure. The results show that: (1) In the next 80 years, compound hot-dry event (CHDE) will increase at a rate of 0.02, 0.03, and 0.08 days per decade under the three scenarios of SSP1–2.6, SSP2–4.5 and SSP5–8.5, respectively. By comparison, compound hot-humidity event (CHHE) shows a downward trend under the three scenarios, with a downward rate of 0.01, 0.02, and 0.11 days per decade, respectively. (2) Under the SSP1–2.6 and SSP2–4.5 scenarios, CHDE and CHHE have two or more mutation points. Under the SSP5–8.5 scenario, CHDE shows a significant upward and CHHE shows a significant downward trend in the middle and late 21st century. These two indices exhibit periodic changes in all three scenarios (3) South Asia, West Asia, and Northeast Africa have higher CHDE values, while regions with higher CHHE values are located in North Asia and Greenland. (4) Climate change is a major factor affecting population exposure. For CHDE, climate, population, and their synergistic effects contribute about 75%, 20%, and 5% to the exposure, respectively. For CHHE, the contributions of these three factors are 85%, 10%, and 5% respectively. These findings provide scientific guidance for the rational formulation of population policies, the effective avoidance of climate disaster risks and the protection of human health. • Frequency of hot-dry events and hot-humidity events will increase and decrease, respectively, in the future. • There are abrupt points and periodicity in the future time series of compound temperature and precipitation extremes. • Asia is projected to have the greatest exposure and climate change contributes the most to exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global population is aging at the same time as heat exposures are increasing due to climate change. Age structure, and its biological and socio-economic drivers, determine populations' vulnerability to high temperatures. Here we combine age-stratified demographic projections with downscaled temperature projections to mid-century and find that chronic exposure to heat doubles across all warming scenarios. Moreover, >23% of the global population aged 69+ will inhabit climates whose 95th percentile of daily maximum temperature exceeds the critical threshold of 37.5 °C, compared with 14% today, exposing an additional 177–246 million older adults to dangerous acute heat. Effects are most severe in Asia and Africa, which also have the lowest adaptive capacity. Our results facilitate regional heat risk assessments and inform public health decision-making. By 2050 > 23% of the global population aged 69 + will live in climates with acute heat exposure– the 95th percentile of the distribution of maximum daily temperatures–greater than the critical threshold of 37.5C, compared with 14% in 2020, an increase of 177–246 million older adults exposed to dangerous acute heat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is the main climate mode that drives the interannual variability in climate and consequently vegetation greenness. While widespread green‐up has been reported and examined in tropical America during El Niño, it remains unclear how vegetation in tropical Asia changes during the period. Here, we used four remote sensing‐based leaf area index (LAI) products to investigate changes in vegetation greenness during the 2015/16 El Niño in tropical Asia. We found a strong green‐up during the 2015/16 El Niño in tropical Asia, with its regional average LAI stronger than that of tropical America. The drivers for the green‐up vary across the region, with radiation being the main driver for continental tropical Asia, and temperature and soil water anomalies in the west and east parts of maritime tropical Asia, respectively. These findings provide important insights into the response of tropical Asia's vegetation to extreme climate anomalies. Plain Language Summary: El Niño is a climate pattern that is associated with warm and dry conditions in tropical forest regions. Significant climatic changes during El Niño thus affect vegetation greenness (i.e., growth, size of canopy, amount of leaves). While an increase in vegetation greenness has been reported in tropical America during El Niño, it remains unclear how vegetation in tropical Asia changes during the period. Here, we used satellite data to investigate changes in vegetation greenness during El Niño in 2015–2016 in tropical Asia. We found a strong increase in vegetation greenness in tropical Asia during this period. The cause of this increase in greenness varied across different parts of tropical Asia. In mainland tropical Asia, sunlight was the main driver, while in maritime Southeast Asia, temperature or soil moisture was the main driver. These findings help provide better understanding of how vegetation in tropical Asia responds to extreme climate events like El Niño. Key Points: Tropical Asia experienced strong green‐up during the 2015/16 El Niño, stronger than that of tropical AmericaIn continental tropical Asia, green‐up was mostly driven by anomalously high shortwave radiationIn maritime tropical Asia, green‐up was primarily driven either by anomalously warmer temperatures or drier soil moisture from the west to east [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food insecurity affects an estimated 691–783 million people globally and is disproportionately high in Africa and Asia. It arises from poverty, armed conflict, and climate change, among other demographic and globalization forces. This review summarizes evidence for policies and practices across five elements of the agrifood system framework and identifies gaps that inform an agenda for future research. Under availability, imbalanced agriculture policies protect primarily staple food producers, and there is limited evidence on food security impacts for smallholder and women food producers. Evidence supports the use of cash transfers and food aid for affordability and school feeding for multiple benefits. Food-based dietary guidelines can improve the nutritional quality of dietary patterns, yet they may not reflect the latest evidence or food supplies. Evidence from the newer food environment elements, promotion and sustainability, while relatively minimal, provides insight into achieving long-term impacts. To eliminate hunger, our global community should embrace integrated approaches and bring evidence-based policies and practices to scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study empirically examines the impact of climate change and agricultural research and development (R&D) as well as their interaction on agricultural productivity in 12 selected Asian and Pacific countries over the period of 1990–2018. Design/methodology/approach: Various estimation methods for panel data, including Fixed Effects (FE), the Feasible Generalized Least Squares (FGLS) and two-step System Generalized Method of Moments (SGMM) were used. Findings: Results show that both proxies of climate change – temperature and precipitation – have negative impacts on agricultural productivity. Notably, agricultural R&D investments not only increase agricultural productivity but also mitigate the detrimental impact of climate change proxied by temperature on agricultural productivity. Interestingly, climate change proxied by precipitation initially reduces agricultural productivity until a threshold of agricultural R&D beyond which precipitation increases agricultural productivity. Practical implications: The findings imply useful policies to boost agricultural productivity by using R&D in the context of rising climate change in the vulnerable continent. Originality/value: This study contributes to the literature in two ways. First, this study examines how climate change affects agricultural productivity in Asian and Pacific countries – those are most vulnerable to climate change. Second, this study assesses the role of R&D in improving agricultural productivity as well as its moderating effect in reducing the harmful impact of climate change on agricultural productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores how carbon emissions are affected by financial inclusion. Using a balanced panel data set of 26 Asian countries, we compute a composite index, through the principal component analysis (PCA) technique, of financial inclusion based on a set of attributes related to financial inclusion. Our main analysis also delineates the subsamples of developed and developing Asian economies. The results reveal a long (short)-run positive (negative) impact of financial inclusion on carbon emissions across the Asian countries. This finding is also true for the developed country subsample, implying nonlinearity in short- and long-run relationships. For the developing countries, a more pronounced long-run positive impact compared to developed countries is found. Furthermore, the pairwise causality test results indicate the existence of bi-directional causality between financial inclusion and carbon emissions. These findings have important policy implications, especially in the context of the strategic integration of financial inclusion and climate change strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil erosion is part of the erosion-sedimentation cycle and a type of land degradation that can be caused by poor land management. This is expected to be exacerbated by climate change. The rainfall erosivity factor (R) of the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) family of soil erosion models is one of the most important parameters being studied because it is heavily influenced by climate change. The determination of the R factor necessitates high-frequency precipitation data, which are unavailable for a significant portion of the globe. For decades, researchers in data-sparse regions have estimated the R factor using empirical equations that required only monthly or annual rainfall data. Unfortunately, many of these equations are outdated and susceptible to misuse. This study presents an empirical R equation based on the Modified Fournier Index (MFI) that has caused probably one of the most widespread and unnoticed errors in soil erosion research for at least 33 years. Our exhaustive literature search and analysis uncovered 125 papers with 28 incorrect R equation formulations. We discovered that the earliest incorrect publication dates back to 1989, and most of the studies were conducted in Asia (China and India). The 125 published papers have similar citation characteristics (three citations per year per paper) as other papers in the field of soil erosion modelling, and many of the 125 papers were published in well-known scientific journals. Together, they have been cited over 3300 times by international researchers. In addition, the number of incorrect papers has increased dramatically over the past few years (2015–2021), indicating that the equation is spreading more frequently than the general publication trend. Since using an incorrect R equation can result in a significant bias in estimating the R factor and, consequently, soil erosion, the incorrect use could significantly bias numerous studies. The inaccuracy also hinders global efforts like the "Global Applications of Soil Erosion Modelling Tracker (GASEMT)" to synthesize soil erosion studies worldwide to shed light on the global problem of soil erosion and to promote environmental education. Consequently, the primary objective of this paper is to contribute to the recognition of the use of incorrect R equations, thereby reducing or even preventing their further spread and thus limiting the number of studies publishing biased results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ancient irrigation systems (AISs) have been providing a multitude of ecosystem services to rural farming and urban communities in Asia and Africa, especially in arid and semi-arid climatic areas with low rainfall. Many AISs, however have now been degraded. A systematic analysis of AISs on their typologies, causes of degradation, and their ecosystem services is lacking. The objective of this review was to synthesize the knowledge on AISs on their typologies, status and causes of degradation, ecosystem services and functions, and identify gaps in research in Asia and Africa. A critical review of peer-reviewed journal papers, conference and workshop proceedings, book chapters, grey literature, and country reports was conducted. Qualitative and quantitative information from journal papers were used to conceptualize the typologies and analyze the status and causes of degradation, and ecosystems services and functions provided by the AISs. Based on the review, we classified AISs into three groups by source of irrigation water: Rainwater harvesting system (RHS) with small reservoirs, ground water based system, and floodwater based system. The RHSs, which used to receive reliable rainfall and managed by well cohesive social organizations for their maintenance and functioning in past, have now been silting due to extreme rainfall pattern and breakdown of the cohesive organizations in recent decades. In ground water based systems, indiscriminate development of deep tube wells causing siltation of channels has been a major challenge. In floodwater irrigation systems, irregular rainfall in the highlands and the breakage of irrigation structures by destructive floods were the main causes of degradation. Lack of maintenance and increased soil erosion, inadequate skilled manpower, and declining support from the government for repair and maintenance were the main causes of degradation of all AISs. The main ecosystem service provided by all AISs is water for agriculture. In tank- and pond-based systems, fish farming is also practiced. Tank irrigation systems provide various types of provisioning, regulatory, cultural and supporting services, especially in India and Sri Lanka. Ground water based systems provide water for domestic purposes and various cultural services. Floodwater based systems provide water for power generation and wildlife habitat maintenance and help in flood control. The knowledge generated through the review provide evidence-based information, and help aware governments, private sectors and development agencies for improved policy planning and decision making, and prioritizing the restoration, rehabilitation, and management of various AISs. Community Managed Ancient Irrigation Systems in Asia and Africa: Typologies, Degradation and Ecosystem services. [Display omitted] • Ancient irrigation systems (AISs) in Asia and Africa provide a multitude of benefits to mankind but are at a threat of degradation. • A systematic review conducted to identify typologies, status and causes of degradation of, and ecosystems services provided by, AISs. • Three typologies (rainwater harvesting, groundwater, and surface water based) and four ecosystems services identified. • Cascade tanks in Sri Lanka and India provide irrigation water for farming communities and ecosystem services for local communities and societies. • Rehabilitation of AISs needs urgent attention by governments, private sector, and development partners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolution of global temperature during Holocene is crucial for understanding the mechanisms of climate change and future climate trends. However, there is a discrepancy between the temperature trends reconstructed from proxy and model, which is attributed to the seasonal biases and the appearance of the Holocene thermal maximum was dominated by the temperature of the warm season. In this paper, fossil charcoal assemblages from the southern Chinese Loess Plateau were analysed to provide quantitative mean annual temperatures (MAT) and four-season temperature records during 6.55–3.45 cal ka BP. The results indicate that both the seasonal temperatures and MAT during the middle Holocene reached warm peaks between 5.55 and 5.35 cal ka BP. The similar trend between the winter temperature (WIT) and MAT denotes the highest contribution of WIT changes to the MAT in the study area since the mid-Holocene. • Flowering functional group was used to reconstruct spring-autumn temperature. • Nonhardy plants were used to reconstruct winter temperature. • Winter temperature contributed the most to the annual temperature since mid-Holocene. • Middle-Holocene temperature was not showing a long-term warming trend. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human–wildlife conflict is an important factor in the modern biodiversity crisis and has negative effects on both humans and wildlife (such as property destruction, injury, or death) that can impede conservation efforts for threatened species. Effectively addressing conflict requires an understanding of where it is likely to occur, particularly as climate change shifts wildlife ranges and human activities globally. Here, we examine how projected shifts in cropland density, human population density, and climatic suitability—three key drivers of human–elephant conflict—will shift conflict pressures for endangered Asian and African elephants to inform conflict management in a changing climate. We find that conflict risk (cropland density and/or human population density moving into the 90th percentile based on current-day values) increases in 2050, with a larger increase under the high-emissions “regional rivalry” SSP3 - RCP 7.0 scenario than the low-emissions “sustainability” SSP1 - RCP 2.6 scenario. We also find a net decrease in climatic suitability for both species along their extended range boundaries, with decreasing suitability most often overlapping increasing conflict risk when both suitability and conflict risk are changing. Our findings suggest that as climate changes, the risk of conflict with Asian and African elephants may shift and increase and managers should proactively mitigate that conflict to preserve these charismatic animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This keynote address offers an overview of Asia in an increasingly fragile world. Climate change is making the monsoon more erratic, bringing more drought and more flood, signaled by the devastating flood of Pakistan in August 2022. Extreme weather and rising sea levels are increasing the "human flow" of migrants, especially into Asia's megacities. Climate change reacts with other trends: the increased inequalities willed by a generation of neoliberal policies, the authoritarian turn in politics, and the return of geopolitical tensions resulting from China's spectacular rise. More dialogue between the sciences and the social sciences is needed to address these multiple fragilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wetland plants, including rice (Oryza spp.), have developed multiple functional adaptive traits to survive soil flooding, partial submergence or even complete submergence. In waterlogged soils and under water, diffusion of O2 and CO2 is extremely slow with severe impacts on photosynthesis and respiration. As a response to shallow floods or rising floodwater, several rice varieties, including deepwater rice, elongate their stems to keep their leaves above the water surface so that photosynthesis can occur unhindered during partial submergence. In stark contrast, some other varieties hardly elongate even if they become completely submerged. Instead, their metabolism is reduced to an absolute minimum so that carbohydrates are conserved enabling fast regrowth once the floodwater recedes. This review focuses on the fascinating functional adaptive traits conferring tolerance to soil flooding, partial or complete submergence. We provide a general analysis of these traits focusing on molecular, anatomical and morphological, physiological and ecological levels. Some of these key traits have already been introgressed into modern highyielding genotypes improving flood tolerance of several cultivars used by millions of farmers in Asia. However, with the ongoing changes in climate, we propose that even more emphasis should be placed on improving flood tolerance of rice by breeding for rice that can tolerate longer periods of complete submergence or stagnant flooding. Such tolerance could be achieved via additional tissues; i.e. aquatic adventitious roots relevant during partial submergence, and leaves with higher underwater photosynthesis caused by a longer gas film retention time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loess-paleosol sequences have been used in Asia to study climate and environmental changes during the Quaternary. The scarcity of age control datasets and proxy indices analysis data for Asian loess has limited our understanding of loess depositional processes and the reconstruction of paleoclimatic changes from loess-paleosol records. In this study, we present a dataset that includes 1785 quartz optically stimulated luminescence ages and 1038 K-feldspar post-infrared infrared stimulated luminescence ages from 128 loess-paleosol sequences located in different regions of Asia. We generate 38 high-resolution age-depth models of loess records based on the provided datasets. We provide data on 12,365 grain size records, 14,964 magnetic susceptibility records, 2204 CaCO3 content records, and 3326 color reflection records. This dataset contains the most detailed and accurate chronologies and proxy index data for loess records in Asia yet published. It provides fundamental data for understanding the spatial-temporal variations in loess depositional processes and climatic changes across the continent during the mid-late Quaternary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under future net-zero emission policies, reductions in emissions of ozone (O 3) precursors are expected to alter the temporal and spatial distributions of tropospheric O 3. In this study, we quantify changes in the tropospheric O 3 budget and in the spatiotemporal distribution of surface O 3 in east Asia and the contributions of regional emissions, intercontinental transport and climate change between the present day and 2060 under a net-zero scenario using the NCAR Community Earth System Model (CESM) with online tagging of O 3 and its precursors. The results reveal that the global tropospheric O 3 burden is likely to decrease by more than 20 %, from 316 Tg in the present day to 247 Tg in 2060, under a net-zero scenario. The burden of stratospheric O 3 in the troposphere is expected to increase from 69 to 77 Tg. The mean lifetime of tropospheric O 3 is expected to increase by 2 d (∼10 %). Changes in climate under a net-zero pathway are relatively small and only lead to small increases in tropospheric O 3. Over eastern China, surface O 3 increases in winter due to the weakened titration of O 3 by NO associated with reduced anthropogenic NO emissions and due to enhanced stratospheric input. In summer, surface O 3 decreases by more than 30 ppbv, and peak concentrations shift from July to May. Local contributions from anthropogenic emissions to surface O 3 over east Asia are highest in summer but drop substantially, from 30 % to 14 %, under a net-zero scenario. The contribution of biogenic NO sources is enhanced and forms the dominant contributor to future surface O 3 , especially in summer (∼40 %). This enhanced contribution is mainly due to the increased O 3 production efficiency under lower anthropogenic precursor emissions. Over eastern China, local anthropogenic contributions decrease from 50 % to 30 %. The decreases in surface O 3 are strongly beneficial and are more than sufficient to counteract the increases in surface O 3 observed in China over recent years. This study thus highlights the important co-benefits of net-zero policies that target climate change in addressing surface O 3 pollution over east Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In the near future, several areas of the world will be affected by climate change, reducing their water availability. More than 90% of goats are found in Asia and Africa, and it is believed that these animals would be more resilient to climate change. Their milk is a good source of nutrients, contributing to the food security of the poorest and rural communities. Considering that milk is mostly water, it is essential to understand how the goat mammary gland can respond at a productive, cellular, hormonal, and blood level when faced with reduced water intake scenarios, as well as analyzing prospects in terms of more sustainable goat milk production. Due to climate change, diverse territories of the planet will suffer from water restrictions. Goats are perceived as the most resilient ruminants in this scenario. So, various studies have focused on describing how a lower water intake influences milk production, especially in breeds adapted to desert environments. In water-stress situations, goats lose up to 32% of their body weight (BW), the rate of passage is reduced, and the digestibility of the feed increases. When goats consume water again, the rumen prevents hemolysis and osmotic shock from occurring. Regarding milk production, the response varies depending on the breed and the level of water restriction, maintaining the milk volume or reducing it by up to 41%. Systemically, it decreases the urinary volume and glomerular filtration rate, increasing blood osmolality and the vasopressin (ADH) concentration. Studies are scarce regarding changes in blood flow to the mammary gland, but there would be a reduction in blood flow velocity of up to 40% without changing blood pressure. New studies must be undertaken to determine which breeds or crosses are the best adapted to changing environmental conditions and to improve our understanding of the changes that occur at the morphophysiological level of the caprine mammary gland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Climate change is having adverse effects on the livelihoods of small-scale populations, particularly in relation to their subsistence practices. Scientific literature widely acknowledges that smallholders must first perceive climate changes to take necessary precautions and adapt to the new conditions. However, variations exist in the terminology used across the literature, and in how it conceptualizes these perceptions. This variation complicates understanding of the literature and hinders empirical evidence comparisons. Therefore, in this review, we systematically mapped the literature considering variations in the concept's usage across different thematic areas. Our goal was to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of the literature on smallholder climate change perceptions. Methods: In our systematic map, we adhered to the Collaboration for Environmental Evidence guidelines. We searched the literature adopting English terms and using five electronic databases of scientific publications (Web of Science Core Collection, Scopus, BASE–Bielefeld Academic Search Engine, PubMed, and Science Direct Elsevier). We then screened the retrieved articles' titles, abstracts, and full texts according to predefined eligibility criteria. Articles meeting the eligibility criteria were chosen for full reading, data extraction, and coding, utilizing a prepared codebook. No validity appraisal occurred in this selection. A database containing coded metadata for all studies is accessible for reference. Review findings: After screening 5358 articles (titles and abstracts), we identified and thoroughly reviewed 361 eligible articles at full text to map the usage of the climate change perception concept. Among these, 73 articles provided explicit definitions of perception, falling into seven categories: risk perception, perception based on psychological constructs and sensory stimuli, awareness, prior experience, observation of climate variables, beliefs, and uncertainties or threats. Implicit definitions of perception with various constructs were found, including those rooted in Cognitive Psychology, awareness, risk perception, traditional knowledge, beliefs, concerns about climate change, experiences of exposure to its effects, attitudes, worldviews, and scientific knowledge. Articles usually address multiple topics. Notably, 88% of the articles did not present any theory throughout their content. Geographically, Africa and Asia were the most frequently studied continents, with more focus on non-indigenous small-scale populations than indigenous ones. Conclusions: In conclusion, the perception concept exhibits an interdisciplinary nature. Therefore, fostering continuous dialogue among diverse disciplines is imperative to establishing an interdisciplinary definition of the term. An in-depth understanding of the perception concept is essential, as its absence can result in erroneous conclusions, limited adaptation strategies, and a lack of awareness among small-scale populations regarding climate change impacts. Misconceptions about this concept can lead to ineffective policies, further endangering vulnerable populations. Defining the concept and its constructs facilitates article comparisons. Without this definition, meaningful comparisons become unfeasible. Moreover, the absence of proper perception definitions poses challenges for small-scale populations, researchers, and stakeholders in developing effective, efficient, and flexible adaptations over time. Perception is the first step in incorporating adaptation strategies and must be translated into policies to address climate change impacts efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent technological advancements have revolutionized agriculture in Asia, leading to significant changes in crop yield stability. This study examines the changing face of crop yield stability in Asia resulting from the increasing adoption of innovative technologies in agriculture. Through a review of current research and case studies, the impact of technology-driven changes on yield levels, variability, and predictability is explored. The study applies a yield stability index (YSI) to evaluate the yield stability of six crops in seven Asian countries during two periods (1961–1994 and 1995–2020), comparing the countries, crops, and stability changes between the two segments. The novelty of the research is the application of YSI, which, contrary to usual stability metrics, can distinguish between rare large extreme yields and frequent minor fluctuations, and based on this feature, evaluates the suitability of the prevailing technologies to local environmental conditions. The YSI is used to evaluate the stability of technologies, indicating whether the technologies can respond well to the annual variations of environmental conditions. Positive YSI values indicate stable technologies that can respond well to the annual variations of environmental conditions, and the concept of a well-technologized crop is used for crops in countries with stable positive YSI values, indicating the suitability of the actual crop to the actual geographical environment. These results can guide production technology developments and the introduction or abandonment of certain crops in certain geographical zones, especially regarding the implications of climate change and global warming. This study highlights the transformative power of technology in improving crop yield stability and food security in Asia, while discussing the potential challenges associated with these changes and the need for continued research to address them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial leaf streak (BLS), caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzicola (Xoc), is a bacterial disease affecting rice production in Asia and Africa, whose severity is expected to increase with climate change. Identification of new quantitative-trait loci (QTL) or resistance genes for BLS resistance is essential for developing resistant rice. A genome-wide association study to identify QTL associated with BLS resistance was conducted using phenotypic and genotypic data from 429 rice accessions. Of 47 QTL identified, 45 were novel and two co-localized with previously reported QTL or genes conferring BLS resistance. qBLS6.2 on chromosome 6 explained the greatest phenotypic variation. Combined analysis of differential expression and annotations of predicted genes near qBLS6.2 based on haplotype and disease phenotype identified OsBLS6.2 (LOC_Os06g02960) as a candidate gene for qBLS6.2. OsBLS6.2 knockout plants showed higher resistance to Xoc than wild-type plants. Many other candidate genes for resistance to Xoc were identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the face of climate change, it is essential to rethink how we build to reduce the environmental impact of the construction industry. Timber construction can be a solution to reduce the use of concrete or steel, whose manufacture emits much CO 2. This paper proposes a method to reinterpret tenon and mortise joints for construction. Friction-based assemblies, particularly mortise and tenon wooden joints, have been studied for centuries in Asia and Europe and may offer promising constructive solutions, such as allowing disassembling rather than demolishing a structure. These assemblies can be complex; they initially required a great deal of craftsmanship, which robotics can now replace to manufacture and assemble them. Nevertheless, it is necessary to develop methods to produce these robotic joints. Our method uses non-sequential assemblies, which are by definition, opposed to sequential assemblies. An assembly is said to be sequential when the elements that compose it are assembled one after the other, in a defined order or not. For a non-sequential assembly, all the elements that compose it are in motion and assembled simultaneously. This assembly method has the particularity of being locked only by its kinematics, which makes it possible to easily (dis)assemble the elements by only knowing their motion. After an introduction and defining the terms and hypotheses of our research, we discuss the related word. In the fourth section, the developed method is explained. Then, we introduce the different parameters to control the assembly's design and kinematics. After that, we extend the previous method to the third dimension. Finally, a construction prototype demonstrates the method's efficiency. [Display omitted] • Generality: our method works for pure translation, in 2D or 3D. • Exhaustivity: any kinematic can be generate thanks to parallel transformation. • Control: calculations and parameters are given to choose the kinematics according to external factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Settlement crises in ancient cultures of Western Asia are commonly thought to be caused by climatic events such as severe droughts. However, the insufficient climate proxy situation in this region challenges the inference of clear relationships between climate and settlement dynamics. We investigate the Holocene climatic changes on the Varamin Plain in the context of the climatic history of Western Central Asia by using a transient comprehensive Earth System Model simulation (8 ka BP to pre-industrial), a high-resolution regional snapshot simulation and a synthesis of pollen-based climate reconstructions. In line with the reconstructions, the models reveal only slightly varying mean climatic conditions on the Varamin Plain but indicate substantial changes in seasonality during the Holocene. Increased precipitation during spring, combined with lower temperature and potentially stronger snow accumulation on the upstream Alborz mountains may have led to an increased water supply on the alluvial fan during the vegetation period and thus to more favourable conditions for agricultural production during the Mid-Holocene compared to modern times. According to the model, dry periods on the Central Iranian Plateau are related to particularly weak Westerly winds, fostering the subsidence in the mid-troposphere and hampering precipitation over the region. The model reveals that dry periods have spatially heterogenous manifestations, thus explaining why they do not appear in all proxy records in the wider study region. In fact, the climatic signal may depend on local environmental conditions. The interaction of the topography with the atmospheric circulation leads to additional spatial heterogeneity. Although our results provide several indications for a connection between climate and settlement dynamics, the small overall changes in moisture call into question whether climate is the main driver for settlement discontinuities on the Central Iranian Plateau. To shed further light on this issue, more high-resolution long-term proxy records are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is putting low-lying coastal zones at increased risk, through higher sea levels and changes in the weather. Deltas are subsiding, compounding such risks. Confirming past research, we find roughly 10 per cent of the world's population and an even higher share of its urban population are located in coastal areas under 10 metres in elevation (LECZ10), with Asia dominating these statistics. However, according to our estimates for 2015, the deltaic LECZ10 is 2.6 times as densely populated and 1.7 times as built-up as the non-deltaic LECZ10. The deltaic LECZ10 accounts for only 0.35 per cent of the world's land, but over 10 times the population share (279 million people). Population and built-up area growth rates remain higher in the deltaic LECZ10, and especially its cities. Indeed, for 1990–2015 the urbanization rate of the deltaic LECZ10 is double that in the non-deltaic LECZ10. Given the path dependency of urbanization, this risks locking in maladaptive settlement patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Climate change is causing an increase in air temperature, and consequently, animals are increasingly subject to heat stress, which is responsible for causing changes in their physiological and behavioral reactions, as well as reductions in feed intake, efficiency, growth, reproduction and milk and meat production. There are not only climate spaces for daily functions, but also climate cliffs that cause reproductive failures in the face of climate warming. The objective of this study was to develop a state-of-the-art model that calculates the impacts of climate and animal variables on milk production, metabolic rate, feed consumption and water needs. The study identifies current and future monthly latitudinal climate change impacts on milk production and feed and water needs in dairy cows on high-grain versus high-forage diets at three arbitrary north latitudes, 12°, 30° and 60°, for North and Central America and Asia. These three latitudes encompass current northern hemisphere bovine production environments and possible future production locations. The greatest impacts of climate change will be in the low elevations in tropical and subtropical regions. Global regions above 30° and below 60° latitude with reliable rainfall will be least affected by current projected levels of climate change. The effects of climate change on animals are typically viewed in terms of survivability and wellbeing. In this study, we broaden that purview to include climate impacts on reproductive capability. There are not only climate spaces for daily function, but climate cliffs that represent reproductive failures in the face of climate warming. This alternative focus suggests that climate warming challenges may be more immediate and profound than initially imagined. This research describes a state-of-the-art mechanistic model, Dairy Niche Mapper (DNM), and independent validation tests. Where test data are absent, the calculated results are consistent with expected responses. Simulations of metabolic chamber conditions reveal the local steady-state impacts of climate and animal variables on milk production capacity, metabolic rate, food consumption and water needs. Simulations of a temperature humidity index (THI) show strengths and limitations of that approach. Broader time- and spatial-scale calculations applied in the western and eastern halves of the northern hemisphere identify current and future monthly latitudinal climate change impacts on milk production potential, feed and water needs in dairy cows of different sizes. Dairy Niche Mapper (DNM) was developed from a broadly tested mechanistic microclimate-animal model, Niche Mapper (NM). DNM provides an improved quantitative understanding of the complex nonlinear interactions of climate variation and dairy bovine properties' effects on current and future milk production, feed and water needs for grazing and confinement dairy operations. DNM outputs include feasible activity times, milk production and water and feed needs of different-sized Holstein cows on high-grain (confinement feeding) versus high-forage (grazing feeding) diets at three arbitrary north latitudes, 12°, 30° and 60°, for North and Central America and for Asia. These three latitudes encompass current northern hemisphere bovine production environments and possible future production locations. The greatest impacts of climate change will be in the low elevations in tropical and subtropical regions. Global regions above 30° and below 60° latitude with reliable rainfall will be least affected by current projected levels of climate change. This work provides the basis for computational animal design for guiding agricultural development via breeding programs, genetic engineering, management options including siting or the manipulation of other relevant environmental and animal variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malaria is spread by female Anopheles mosquitoes, which complete their life cycle by feeding on human blood. Parasites from the mosquito's saliva enter the human bloodstream through a mosquito bite. Thus, the link between humans and mosquitoes to parasites is established. According to WHO statistics, malaria appears widespread in tropical and subtropical locations around the equator, including most of Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America. and Asia. The most prevalent causes of malaria transmission might be amicable temperature, which aids in the growth of the mosquito life-cycle, and a failure to maintain the local socio-economic condition, which reduces individual immunity. This study proposes the vector-host model to understand the spread of malaria infection. A vector model is used to understand the effects of temperature on the development of egg, larval, pupal, and adult mosquito populations. Furthermore, the role of immunity is being explored using the host model. Numerical simulations support the influence of temperature on disease transmission. The study draws attention to the fact that, along with issues like global warming and climate change. managing the socio-economic conditions of the area (healthcare facilities, environmental improvement) is essential for malaria eradication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the multi‐model average compares well with observations, individually most of the latest climate models do not simulate a realistic size of the Indo‐Pacific Warm Pool in the present‐day climate. This study explores the implications of this warm pool size bias in climate models in Northern Hemisphere winter. The warm pool size bias in phase 6 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project models is related to the subtropical jet and precipitation distribution, both in the present‐day climate and in response to climate change, through extratropical Rossby wave trains and tropical circulation pathways. Based on these relationships, emergent constraints are developed to observationally constrain the future subtropical jet response over Asia and the Atlantic Ocean and precipitation response over North and Central America, which can help to reduce uncertainty in future projections of these features. Thus, accurate model simulation of the warm pool in the present‐day climate is important for future projections of the subtropical jet and precipitation. Plain Language Summary: This study examines the impact of a common problem in the latest climate models where they do not accurately simulate the size of the Indo‐Pacific Warm Pool in the present‐day climate. The effects of this issue are investigated in the Northern Hemisphere winter. The warm pool size problem in the models affects the subtropical winds and precipitation, both in the current climate and in response to climate change. Based on the relationships between the present‐day warm pool size and future projections of the subtropical winds and precipitation across models, we can help to constrain future projections of the subtropical winds over Asia and precipitation over North and Central America by ruling out models with biased warm pool size. The results show that having an accurate simulation of the warm pool in the present‐day climate is crucial for more reliable future projections of subtropical winds and precipitation. Key Points: Phase 6 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project multi‐model‐mean reproduces the observed Indo‐Pacific warm pool size well, but there is a huge inter‐model spread in warm pool sizeModel biases in warm pool size have local and remote effects on subtropical winds and precipitation in present‐day and future climatesEmergent constraints reduce projection uncertainty of subtropical winds and precipitation by ruling out models with biased warm pool size [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]