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• This paper addresses an acknowledged knowledge gap by exploring both impact and risk in an African cultural context. • This paper is the first to assess the same methodology at two very different site types in two very different regions. • This paper presents a bottom-up, values-based and community focused approach to understanding climate risk. • This paper presents an approach to embed sustainable change, with a strong focus on capacity building and knowledge exchange. Climate change is a major threat to global heritage and many sites are already experiencing impacts from climate change and related hazards. Recent studies have indicated that this challenge is especially acute in the African continent. Climate vulnerability assessment is increasingly a key tool in periodic reporting and ongoing site management and an essential first step in climate adaptation planning. This paper presents results from climate vulnerability assessments undertaken at two UNESCO World Heritage (WH) properties: The Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Ruins of Songo Mnara in Tanzania; and the Sukur Cultural Landscape in Nigeria. These assessments each applied a version of the Climate Vulnerability Index (CVI), a values-based, science-driven and community-focused technique. A values mapping exercise identified key heritage and socioeconomic values, including key attributes associated with the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the WH property. Downscaled climate projections were used to identify key hazards over selected emissions scenarios and timeframes, before weighing potential impacts against local adaptive capacities. Based on the timeframes and emissions scenarios, the project found OUV Vulnerability was Moderate at the Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Ruins of Songo Mnara and Low at the Sukur Cultural Landscape, whilst the Community Vulnerability was Low for both properties. The paper will conclude with some wider observations on the application of climate vulnerability assessments in an African context and a focus on lessons learned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two important risks faced by many smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa are erratic weather patterns and insecure land tenure. It is likely these risks will increasingly interact as projections of more erratic weather make small-scale farming more difficult and demand for rural land grows. This paper asks how farmers in Western Tanzania view these compound risks and the influence this has on levels of investment in adaptive agricultural technologies and the demand for land certification in a lab-in-the-field setting. Presenting novel data from a series of framed decision tasks linked to a household survey, this paper explores the relationship between individual risk preferences, adaptive investment and the demand for land certification from a group of 645 rural households in Kigoma, Tanzania. While adaptive investment increases with weather related risk, we find it responds negatively to land tenure risk. Individual risk preferences and past experiences of land disputes play significant roles in adaptive investment. Demand for land certification is high, investment increases significantly after certification, especially for risk-averse individuals. • In a lab-in-the-field setting, adaptive investment responds strongly to land tenure and weather risk. • Investment in adaptive technologies is much lower than under expected income maximization. • Participants show high demand for land certification, but levels of willingness to pay are lower than current costs. • Risk-averse individuals show larger increases in investment after obtaining land certification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sustainability of dry regions has become a key issue for global development. Their natural and cultural landscapes are facing threats resulting from ongoing global changes. This paper presents an overview of geomorphological, climatic-environmental, and archaeological studies in the hyper-arid eastern Tarim Basin (Lop Nur), northwest China, a world-renowned crossroad for early east-west communications, to provide a scientific foundation for sustaining its nature-culture heritage. The late Quaternary landscape changes in the Lop Nur region are characterised by cycles between oases and yardang deserts, shaping the extensive aeolian landform. Archaeological evidence suggests humans' adaptation and resilience to today what are viewed as inhospitable environments since the late Pleistocene by exploiting the diverse range of oasis resources, movement, and encouraging adjacent populations to diversify their subsistence base. Settlement- and regional-scale deterioration of available water resources, affected by environmental and climatic dynamics, caused the eventual abandonment. Periodic occupation and abandonment in the Lop Nur region accompanying oasis-desert/yardang environment cycles provide important lessons for present-day policymakers to contextualise the relationship between human communities and fragile ecosystems. The open-air sites in the Lop Nur region represent the best-preserved oasis-desert civilisation, suffering cultural history losses. We propose the urgent necessity to establish a transdisciplinary database, construct a master chronological framework of settlement, and integrate the culture-nature heritage within the network of the Silk Roads. The scientific management of river networks is also critical for protecting those riverine cultural relics. The site- and group-level management of heritage needs to be adapted to the projected changes in climate and environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moving a world leading numerical weather prediction system that runs on a dedicated, bespoke, high performance computing cluster and supporting infrastructure, into the heart of a digital twin for climate change adaptation and extreme weather events has been a challenging and exciting journey. In this paper we describe this journey with a focus on those aspects required to leverage the pre-exascale EuroHPC systems that have been made available to Destination Earth (DestinE) to run its computational representation[1]. EuroHPC systems can be effectively used for DestinE and are in fact key assets to deliver the computational power required for Earth system digital twins at global km-scale resolution. At the same time, EuroHPC systems were newly installed and procedures to run them efficiently are evolving. We find that each of these systems is operated by a national hosting entity that implements its own procedures, e.g. for identity and access management, specific system configuration like schedulers, filesystems, software management systems, and specific, sometimes vendor associated, toolchains, tooling, and container runtimes. In particular, the different scheduling policies encountered, required us to adapt our workflows for each site. We found that having dedicated resources available, which was trialed in a period from 16th February to 14th April on LUMI, allowed to achieve high occupation rates, with 92% on the reserved GPU allocation and greater than 97% efficiency on the CPU reservation. Also a stronger focus on federation of these systems, with a focus not only on federation of identities and accounts, but also in the areas of data ownership/transfer, observability, services and service accounts, maintenance coordination and performance portability is required. In general, it should become much easier to transfer a workload, or a digital twin system, from one EuroHPC site to the next and run and maintain them across several sites concurrently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morocco's commitment to the Marrakech and Paris Agreements' sustainability goals necessitates the implementation of Net Zero Energy Building (NZEB) initiatives to mitigate climate change and promote sustainable development for the built environment industry. Utilizing Morocco's abundant solar resources, NZEBs aim to minimize energy use and carbon emissions in buildings, aligning with global climate objectives and enhancing economic stability through reduced energy costs. This approach aids Morocco in adapting to climate change and achieving international financial and environmental targets. This paper explores Morocco's energy strategy and the regulatory framework for Nearly Zero Energy Buildings, providing a NZEB definition, assessment metrics, and performance indicators, while addressing the challenges posed by existing laws on energy-efficient buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change adaptation is currently an important community concern in developing countries like Bangladesh. The conceptualization of adaptation within the government system matters for the promotion of activities such as employment generation for local communities. The lesser the gap between government policy and the local community's needs for adaptation the more effective outcomes are for ensuring policy success and promoting sustainable community livelihoods or vice versa. This interface between policy and community is important for climate change adaptation which is explored in this paper along with the findings of the research project, DEltas, vulnerability and climate change: Migration and Adaptation (DECCMA) conducted during 2014–2018 in Bangladesh, Ghana, India, and the United Kingdom. The data from Bangladesh was collected from 1384 survey respondents, 19 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), 3 workshops, and 43 Key Informant Interviews (KIIs). The findings of the paper show that government adaptation activities mainly reflect the Reactive Approach of Limited Action (RALA) perspective rather than the Proactive Approach To Adaptation (PATA). The RALA perspective is characterized by piecemeal and top-down approaches to adaptation which fail to recognize a community conceptualization of climate change, policy perspectives for coping with local concerns, and governance approaches for effective adaptation. In response, the government needs to focus on the PATA in policy, programs, and projects with the governance approach implemented from the bottom-up or, in other words, from the local perspective. Community participation in decision-making processes is characteristic of this bottom-up governance model. Local community participation, consultation, and representation are essential parts of PATA in adaptation policy formulation and execution, providing important lessons for Bangladesh. • Adaptation to climate change is a high policy priority for developing countries such as Bangladesh. • The conceptualization of adaptation in government policy matters for community sustainability. • The top-down, centralised Reactive Approach of Limited Action (RALA) causes further concern for effective adaptation policy. • A Proactive Approach to Adaptation (PATA) is better for community sustainability. • Community participation and representation within governance approaches can expedite a PATA approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the Paris Agreement, European member countries have been committed to mitigating climate change and adapting to its effects. Climate action planning allows cities to organize their approach. It is critical to ensure that investments in infrastructure and services have a low-carbon impact and consider likely climate change perspectives. The output of this process is the climate action plan (CAP): one or more documents where a city sets out its roadmap to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen climate resilience throughout the community. Many cities have already developed and published a Paris Agreement-compatible CAP. The quality and compliance of these plans will also influence the achievement of the goals of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC, 2015). Thus, cities are crucial players in global climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts, and how they engage in climate policy is currently under debate. The paper is intended to support technological design, selecting good practices from the latest and most complete ones for climate mitigation and adaptation in urban settings. In particular, the paper focuses on public space and built environment regeneration actions that can tangibly contribute to the global climate resilience movement. Considering the operational difficulty that could arise in planning climate adaptation measures in historical urban contexts, the study critically analyzes current strategies in sedimented landscape realities of high cultural-historical value. The goal is to draw from them a cognitive and expeditious method of intervention that can be reiterated for similar contexts and is compatible with the consistency and value of urban and built heritage. The theme is timely and falls into Sustainable Development Goals No. 11 (sustainable cities and communities) and No. 13 (climate action). • The paper analyses the most recent studies and scientific papers on climate action plans. • Good practices for climate mitigation and adaptation in urban settings are critically investigated. • The study analyses current strategies in sedimented landscape realities of high historical and cultural value. • A toolkit is proposed that can be repurposed for similar contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the hydrological history of the Hunter River and Estuary (Newcastle, Australia), to identify pathways for incorporating climate-sensitive adaptation approaches into urban development and planning. The research method utilises mapping as a methodological discovery tools to visually articulate the correlation of pre-colonial hydrological landscapes, the transformation of the estuary over two centuries, the areas identified as at risk, and the opportunities for developing a climate-resilient estuary. This research aims to contribute to the redefinition of the discourse on the role of estuary planning for changing climate, focusing on four critical aspects: identify the impacts of urbanisation and industrialisation on ecosystems and its correlation with climate hazard at the estuary; visualise such transformations over time and space to identify critical spatial and climate factors threatening inhabitation; propose strategic spatial practices towards adaptation and resilience; and synthesising the options to foster reflective thinking and establish a correlation with novel policies, governance and practices. The study highlights that adopting new urbanism aligned with cultural and ecological principles can mitigate future climate impacts through re-naturalisation and urban adaptation to sea-level rise by focusing on proactive approaches to building resilient communities. This paper also acknowledges the need for site-specific adaptive design and planning strategies at multiple scales and governance levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban ecosystems provide many crucial services to cities and their residents, particularly in adapting to the effects of climate change. Extensive research has been conducted in this field, covering various aspects of ecosystem services. However, little is known about issues related to the limited access to these ecosystem services, particularly among marginalized populations. This review systematically screened 3961 papers and synthesized findings from 98 papers to identify groups that are marginalized in terms of access to urban ecosystem services and provide policy measures to address the issue. We conducted an inductive content analysis and thematic analysis to review the literature comprehensively. Our findings revealed that marginalization is more prevalent in cultural ecosystem services (51 %) than in other ecosystem service types. The results also show that vulnerable populations, including minorities, low-income populations, physically challenged people, children/young people/students, older people, and migrants, are particularly marginalized. Among these groups, minorities (24 %) emerged as the most extensively studied category. Additionally, we identified a marginalized group labeled as 'generic,' consisting of individuals whose identities did not neatly fit within the previously defined groups or were mentioned across multiple groups simultaneously.The marginalization across all these groups stems from income disparities, cultural norms, racial and ethnic considerations, willingness to visit, age-related disparities, physical disabilities, and geographical location. Importantly, our study underscores the adverse effects of marginalization on these groups, leading to health disparities, lower quality of life, and reduced resilience to climate change. In light of these findings, we also spotlight policies from the literature such as inclusive urban planning, community engagement initiatives, and financial support aimed at ensuring more equitable access to urban ecosystem services. [Display omitted] • We discuss how some groups are marginalized in access to ecosystem services. • Minorities, urban poor, and physically challenged people are key marginalized groups. • Cultural norms and racial and ethnic considerations have exacerbated marginalization. • Marginalization is more prevalent in cultural ecosystem services. • Community-based programs and knowledge-sharing initiatives can help address the issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Residential green spaces are an integral part of urban green infrastructure and its role in climate change adaptation and mitigation. Various urban typologies and changing planning practices affect the amount and structure of residential greenery, which has a direct impact on climate benefits. While urban green and its climate benefits have received increasing attention, there is still limited knowledge on how changing planning practices and related urban typologies impact residential vegetation and its capacity to deliver climate benefits. This paper aims to address this gap by determining the impact of planning practices on residential vegetation, focussing specifically on climate mitigation and adaptation. With the case study of Helsinki, characterized by a high share of green areas, the paper first examines how construction year and urban density affect the amount and structure of vegetation on residential properties. Second, it estimates the carbon sequestration and summer temperatures in the present-day climate. The paper applies spatial modelling and regression analysis to estimate the impact of construction year on the studied dependent variables, while controlling density via gross floor area of buildings. The study demonstrates that the average amount of residential vegetation, as measured using canopy and vegetation cover, has declined 15 percentage points from the 1970 s to early 2010 s and the canopy to low vegetation ratio has decreased constantly over the periods studied. The decline of the canopy cover in particular has reduced the climate benefits of residential vegetation. The paper highlights the significant impact of gross floor area and planning practices on urban vegetation cover and the climate benefits it provides. It also stresses the importance of ensuring sufficient tree cover and permeable surfaces in cities with progressive climate mitigation agenda throughout the chain of urban planning, construction, and subsequent property management stages. [Display omitted] • Residential areas are a vital but understudied part of urban green infrastructure. • The amount of residential vegetation has diminished since the late 1970 s • The decline in canopy cover has reduced the climate benefits of residential areas. • Density and spatial patterns affect the climate benefits of residential vegetation. • Climate-wise, residential areas require sufficient vegetated and permeable surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the critical issue of decolonizing meanings within the context of the climate crisis and land-based adaptations, specifically focusing on Indigenous women's perspectives in Western Canada. The study focuses on the intricate relationship between Indigenous knowledge, culture, and the environment, emphasizing the unique insights that Indigenous women bring to the discourse surrounding climate change and adaptation. Drawing on the decolonial feminist research approach, community engagement, and participatory research methods, the paper highlights the diverse ways Indigenous women conceptualize the climate crisis and respond to the impacts of the climate crisis on their traditional lands. It critically examines the colonial legacies that have shaped environmental policies and interventions, often marginalizing Indigenous voices and perspectives. The findings advocate the importance of centering Indigenous women's knowledge and experiences in climate change discourse and policy-making. By decolonizing meanings, the paper advocates for a more inclusive and equitable approach to land-based adaptations that acknowledges the resilience and wisdom embedded in Indigenous land-based learning and practice. This research contributes to the ongoing dialogue on sustainable and culturally sensitive strategies for addressing the climate crisis, fostering a deeper understanding of the intersections between gender, Indigeneity, and environmental justice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seychelles' issuance of the world's first blue bond in 2018 represents a novel approach to financing sustainable blue economy activities. Consisting of socio-legal methodologies, this paper examines the implications of this financial innovation, particularly for the local fisheries sector, and explores how it shapes the implementation of international environmental law in Seychelles. The paper reveals that the ecological modernization trajectory based on the discourse that sees sustainable transition as a profitable opportunity prioritizes commercial interests over the needs of local communities and alternative fisheries proposals. However, the paper claims that such a strategy should be read in the context of low climate financing for adaptation to small island states that are pushed to come up with their climate financing solutions at the expense of becoming indebted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resilience is an important aim of climate adaptation in urban development planning. Since 2015, sponge city (SC) pilot construction in China has highlighted the importance of urban water systems, but has paid insufficient attention to extreme and long-term climate change risks. This paper aims to provide a new method for evaluating the urban water system climate resilience (UWSCR), classify China cities in combination with climate hazards, conduct case studies on SC pilots, and propose ways to improve the UWSCR in SCs. Firstly, Taking heavy rain and drought as hazards, an evaluation index system of UWSCR is established, including engineering resilience (ENR), ecological resilience (ECR) and evolutionary resilience (EVR). A combination model based on the analytic hierarchy process and entropy weight method is used to measure the UWSCR of 27 SC pilot cities and 253 non-pilot cities at or above the prefecture level in China. Secondly, coordinating hazard index and UWSCR index, cities are divided into four types. The results show that the ENR and EVR of SC pilots exhibited an increasing trend from 2010 to 2020 and were greater than those of non-pilots. Among the four types, Resilient Cities and Low Risk Cities with high climate resilience (CR) were mainly distributed in the eastern and central regions of China. High Risk Cities and Vulnerable Cities with low CR were mostly distributed in the central and western regions. Among the cities of high CR, SC pilots accounted for 63.0% of the pilot samples, while non-pilots only accounted for 26.5% of the non-pilot samples. Finally, this paper analyzes the typical cases of SC pilots, and puts forward some suggestions, such as considering the UWSCR systematically and holistically, improving the ECR of UWSCR, making medium-term to long-term adaptation planning and providing differentiated policy support. The originality of this work is to identify four types of cities from the perspective of UWSCR and provide reference for improving the CR of SCs. [Display omitted] • Against climate change, security risks of urban water systems have intensified. • Sponge city pilot projects in China highlighted the importance of urban water system. • The climate resilience of urban water system in China was evaluated and classified. • The proportion of high-resilience cities in the sponge city pilot sample is high. • The evaluation of urban water system climate resilience can guide sponge city constructions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate aid is a form of official development assistance that addresses climate change mitigation and adaptation and plays a crucial role in combating climate change. However, existing empirical evidence does not suggest a clear link between climate aid and carbon lock-in. Based on country-level panel data from 77 countries spanning the period 2002–2020, this paper empirically examines the impact of climate aid on carbon lock-in and the four sub-indicators of carbon lock-in. Moreover, we investigate the mediating role of technological progress and potential impact mechanisms. We find that (1) climate aid has a significant restraining effect on carbon lock-in, and is an effective means of inhibiting the four aspects of carbon lock-in, namely, the lock-in of industry, institution, technology, and social behavior. (2) Technological progress not only directly leads to carbon lock-in eradication, but also synergizes with climate aid, suggesting that the combined influence of technological progress and climate aid can enhance the efficacy of efforts to mitigate carbon lock-in. (3) Climate aid promotes carbon lock-in mitigation by accelerating energy structure transition and industrial structure transition, which are two internal impact mechanisms in the nexus between climate aid and carbon lock-in. These findings offer concrete and practical policy implications to facilitate the development of climate aid and carbon lock-in eradication. • This paper estimates the impact of climate aid on carbon lock-in. • Climate aid significantly mitigates carbon lock-in and its four dimensions. • Technological progress can further strengthen the inhibiting effect of climate aid on carbon lock-in. • Climate aid indirectly affects carbon lock-in by promoting energy structure transition and industry structure transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Traditional and Indigenous knowledges and strategies are overlooked and suppressed by mainstream approaches to adaptation. • Modernist adaptation approaches frame climate as something that can be controlled and understood rationally. • The suppression of traditional and Indigenous approaches to adaptation has led to increased vulnerability and marginalisation. • People's local and place-based knowledges are assets that help them better adapt to climate change. • Adaptation planners and practitioners should listen with openness to plural forms of knowing and being. The differential impacts of climate change have highlighted the need to implement fit-for-purpose interventions that are reflective of the needs of vulnerable communities. However, adaptation projects tend to favour technocratic, market-driven, and Eurocentric approaches that inadvertently disregard the place-based and contextual adaptation strategies of many communities in the Global South. The paper aims to decolonise climate change adaptation guided by the critical tenets of 'Decolonising Climate Adaptation Scholarship' (DCAS). It presents empirical case studies from Fiji, Vietnam, and the Philippines and reveals the different ways that Indigenous and local knowledge (ILK) and strategies are devalued and suppressed by modernist and developmentalist approaches to climate adaptation. The paper then foregrounds some of the adaptive techniques that resist and remain, or have been re-worked in hybrid ways with ILK. Ultimately, this paper combats the delegitimisation of ILK by mainstream climate change adaptation scholarship and highlights the need for awareness and openness to other forms of knowing and being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global climate change is aggravating the occurrence of pests and diseases, however, pesticide residue caused by the abuse of chemical pesticides is emerging as a worldwide issue with a great threat to the ecological environment, human health, and food security. Biopesticide application, a component of climate-smart agricultural practices, is viewed as a vital alternative for agricultural sustainable development. Due to the additional cost attached to externalities and information insufficiency, the adoption rates of biopesticide are still quite low in most developing countries. By using panel data of 3143 rural households from 2020 to 2021 in Jiangsu Province, this paper builds a theoretical framework of whether and how specialized agricultural service (SAS) for specialized pest control affects farmers' biopesticide application, and then employs an Endogenous Switching Probit model to verify this effect and its channels empirically. The empirical results show that the SAS purchase can increase significantly the probability of smallholders' biopesticide adoption by 30.8%. Without consideration of the self-selection bias, this probability would drop to 16.2%. The potential channels of the SAS influencing farmers' biopesticide application are technology popularization (training) and machinery substitution resulting from SAS. Moreover, our findings also indicate that the effects of SAS on biopesticide adoption are heterogeneous, and vary with farmers' education level, cooperative members, and land size. This paper provides the first empirical evidence for the effect of SAS on biopesticide promotion, which is expected to contribute to agricultural sustainable development and food safety in most developing countries. [Display omitted] • Climate-smart agricultural practices play a vital role in global adaptation to climate change. • We examine the effects of specialized agricultural services on biopesticide application in China. • Theoretical framework and endogenous switching probit model are employed to identify these effects. • Specialized agricultural service affects biopesticide adoption mainly through two channels. • These effects are heterogeneous and vary with farmers' different characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Response and adaptation to the impacts of climate change is a vital and increasing requirement for protected area management. On the ground managers of cultural and natural values in protected places have requested practical guidance on how to undertake climate change impact analysis, vulnerability assessment, and adaptation planning together with enhanced capacity for planning with partners, rightsholders and stakeholders. In this paper we explore how co-development and subsequent testing among World Heritage site managers, Indigenous experts and researchers, produced guidance for assessing, responding to and planning for the impacts of climate change on the diverse values of World Heritage sites in Australia. We draw on the diversity of cultural and natural heritage values associated with the terrestrial, coastal and marine environments in Australian World Heritage sites, and the broad range of institutional contexts in these sites, to highlight considerations of relevance to other protected areas (including other World Heritage sites around the world, Ramsar wetlands and marine protected areas). Our paper highlights that, for climate adaptation planning to become a normal part of management, there is a need for ongoing capacity building, including around the use of climate information to inform adaptation planning and implementation, as well as integrating Indigenous perspectives. Building capacity may involve trial and error, negotiation, sharing, sourcing and interpreting new information, and changes in expectations. It will require novel and more dynamic relationships between partners and stakeholders. Managers should include capacity building for climate adaptation planning and implementation as a specific climate adaptation task in their planning. • We present co-developed and tested climate change guidance for World Heritage. • This guidance is co-authored with Indigenous experts. • There is an ongoing need for capacity building in adaptation planning. • Co-development processes can build capacity and bring together diverse knowledge. • World Heritage is a useful context for understanding climate adaptation planning needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Meso level vulnerability assessment for extreme heat. • Contextual vulnerability framework for heritage city. • Socio-cultural indicators like social capital, cultural value. • Support for decision making in urban disaster resilience planning. In developing cities, rapid urbanization and climate change leads to drought and urban heat island effects which affects the energy consumption, economy and the environment. Extreme temperature rise has amplified the stress on vulnerable groups and has reduced livability. The sustainability of a city lies in the adaptability of the city to the climatic stresses. The role of adaptability is guided by the contextual vulnerability assessment of the city. This paper intends to assess the contextual vulnerability of Madurai, an ancient city with high social and cultural value. Composite heat vulnerability index (CHVI), a function of exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity of the context has been construed by many as the quantitative representation of the vulnerability of a place to high temperature. This paper focuses on the development of a framework to assess the CHVI considering the contextual socio-cultural indicators like social capital and cultural value along with components of meteorological, geophysical, biophysical, fragility, socially-marginalised, and development quotient.The research methodology identifies suitable context specific indicators, computes and maps exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity indices, spatially maps the categorised vulnerable zones and identifies the critical indicators that contribute to vulnerability. The framework can support decision-making to enable socially resilient cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is expected to seriously affect agricultural livelihoods and food security in all Pacific Island countries. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation contends that, to adapt, both 'modern' and Indigenous agricultural practices and knowledge are needed. A challenge lies in combining agricultural knowledge systems and enabling adaptive knowledge to be shared amongst Pacific Islanders. Opportunities to integrate different types of agricultural knowledge (including 'modern' and Indigenous) are needed. This paper argues that international labour mobility programmes provide an avenue for knowledge exchange that can support climate change adaptation in agriculture. It presents empirical evidence from research with 33 Pacific Islanders who grow crops in their home countries and were employed in Australia's Seasonal Worker Programme (SWP). We demonstrate how SWP participation opened new possibilities for climate change adaptation in agriculture in the Pacific Islands. Adaptive knowledge stems from SWP workers' exposure to different agricultural skills and ideas in Australia, combined with their knowledge and experience of crop production in their countries of origin. SWP participation created opportunities for workers to draw on different agricultural skills and knowledge on return to the Pacific Islands. The ability for SWP workers to then exchange adaptive knowledge with other Pacific Islanders is enabled by their social relationships, the likes of which an official agricultural extension officer might not have to the same degree. So far, such adaptive agricultural knowledge and skills exchanges are serendipitous. There is scope to explicitly build climate change knowledge exchange into agriculture-focused international labour mobility schemes. • International labour mobility schemes facilitate agricultural knowledge exchange. • Labour mobility migrants adapt acquired agricultural knowledge to their countries. • International labour mobility schemes can build adaptive capacity in agriculture. • Adaptive capacity from labour mobility can spread via agricultural extension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This paper identifies the effect of extreme temperatures on labor wage. • Temperature and labor wage exhibit an inverted U-shaped relationship. • Extreme cold temperatures lower labor wage by reducing the average wages. • High temperatures primarily reduce labor wage by decreasing employee numbers. Labor wage is a common focus of welfare economics and public policy, but little is known about its response to climate factors. With random year-to-year variation in temperature based on county-level data while using comprehensive and nationwide manufacturing data in China, this paper identifies the effect of extreme temperatures on firm-level labor wage. The result shows an inverted U-shape relationship between temperature and firm-level labor wage. We find that extremely high and low temperatures affect labor wage through different channels. Specifically, extremely cold temperatures lower labor wage by reducing the average wage from the intensive margin, whereas the negative impact of high temperatures on labor wage is mainly driven by the decrease in the number of employees from the extensive margin aspect. The temperature effect is more pronounced for labor-intensive firms, firms with employees with lower education levels, and low-tech firms. Areas with a hot climate are more sensitive to extremely cold temperatures but are not affected by extremely high temperatures because of the adaptation to climate change. We also find that the high-temperature subsidy policy has not achieved the expected goal of protecting workers' welfare during this period. Our results suggest that China should raise public awareness of the danger of extreme temperatures and take various adaptive measures to deal with extreme temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several highly cited review articles identify recommended adaptation strategies for conservation. However, those reviews do not include evaluation of whether the recommended adaptation measures were tested and found to be effective in reducing climate change vulnerability. The basic question of this paper is to determine if there has been assessment of the potential effectiveness of adaptation recommendations for conservation reported in the published literature, and if so, what kind of assessment was used. To answer this question, literature was surveyed from the references in previous review papers focused on climate change adaptation recommendations, and augmented by a targeted literature search to identify studies that assess the effectiveness of recommended adaptation actions listed in those reviews. Identified studies were categorized by study type according to a hierarchy of adaptation efficacy testing. The result was a very modest number of studies that experimentally tested adaptation efficacy (n = 13), including only one indicating the chosen strategy did not achieve its intended goal, and only one study that tested efficacy through monitoring. For some of the recommendations, only one efficacy-assessing paper was identified. There appears to be a significant shortage of studies presenting evidence that would be most useful in determining if a recommended action is likely to confer the desired conservation improvement, as well as a stagnation in the growth of the field. This points to a need for more efforts to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of adaptation recommendations for biodiversity management. Without it, we cannot learn which are the good ideas. • Adaptation strategies to improve biodiversity outcomes are largely untested. • Only 14 studies were identified in which adaptation efficacy was tested. • Efforts to test adaptation efficacy do not appear to be increasing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is perceived as a major challenge of modern times. Apart from mitigation measures, such as greenhouse gas emission reductions, a further means to tackle it is via the deployment of adaptation policies and responses, which may also help to address the natural hazards associated with it. Despite the importance of adaptation measures, their effectiveness is often limited by a failure to integrate actions addressing both the causes and symptoms of vulnerability. There is evidence that adaptation processes are largely fragmented, incremental, with limited capacity for transformational change. This paper suggests measures through which transformative adaptation may be further deployed to tackle climate challenges in conjunction with efforts that address poverty alleviation. The implications of this paper are two-fold. Firstly, it offers a comprehensive review of the literature on transformative climate change adaptation, outlining its nature and special features. Secondly, it contains a unique set of cases from 20 countries, predominantly from the Global South, mostly affected by climate change, and is one of the largest studies on the topic ever undertaken. The experiences from this paper will support attempts to sustain transformative adaptation and natural hazards control, which are relevant to the many countries suffering from climatic variations. • Examines the concept of transformative adaptation and its adoption in facing climate change adaptation challenges. • Presents cases of climate change adaptation strategies from 20 countries. • Highlights the context-specific nature of climate change adaptation challenges. • Six countries adopted mainly incremental adaptation approach while 14 countries implemented transformative adaptation methods. • Highlights measures for improving the implementation of transformative adaptation to tackle challenges of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change adversely affects aquatic food systems, causing livelihood challenges and other socioeconomic complexities. We use the case of the oyster sector in The Gambia to explore the awareness of climate change impacts and its effect on youth participation decisions. The paper also examines how family ties to oyster activities, climate adaptation strategies, capacity development opportunities, and introductions of climate-smart innovations influence youths' decisions to engage in oyster value chain activities. We conducted focus group discussions (FGDs) with youths to explore the factors affecting their participation decisions in the oyster sector. We then used information from the FGDs to design a survey questionnaire to collect data from 312 youths through a simple random sampling technique. Through the probit model, the results show that awareness and training opportunities on climate change, discussions about climate change with family members, training on oyster management, awareness on the use of climate-smart tools, decisions to stay or leave the oyster harvesting community, family ties to oyster harvesting, and awareness of climate change adaptation strategies, positively influenced youths' decisions to succeed in oyster activities. The educational level and climate-related stressors negatively influenced youths' succession decisions. This paper contributes to the existing literature on the need to improve the human capital of youths through relevant skills and capacity-building opportunities to encourage their participation in aquatic food systems. The study suggests that the successful engagement of youths in the oyster sector requires an enabling environment supporting the recruitment and retention of youths despite the challenges of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the impact of climate change on women farmers' livelihoods and poverty incidence in Nigeria. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, using primary and secondary data sources to analyse the effect of climate shocks on women farmers. The study finds that women farmers in both communities are experiencing significant impacts on their livelihoods due to climate change, resulting in increased poverty incidence. The study recommends that future action plans dedicated to climate change adaptation should not be standalone. Still, it should form part of a national and sub-national strategy aimed at poverty reduction and improving livelihood, especially for women. Additionally, the paper recommends collating specific meteorological data in an inexpensive and easily understandable form and expanding extension services to ensure proper targeting of small women farmers. The study also suggests using crop diversification through a land transformation scheme to mitigate against low rainfall, with women farmers potentially serving as sharecroppers within larger farms. The paper concludes by emphasising the importance of sustaining supply and demand-driven initiatives stipulated in the plan and ensuring the political will to allocate land to women farmers. Overall, the study highlights the need for gender-sensitive policies and strategies that account for the unique vulnerabilities of women farmers in the face of climate change, especially for future adaptation strategies. • Small women farmers with better access to improved seedlings mitigated climate shocks, sustaining agriculture and consumption with marginal income change • Male partners with knowledge of adaptation strategies, served as knowledge pass through to female partners. • Climate shocks increased burden of care, child labour, and increased incidence of domestic violence. • Flood-focused crop diversity aims at income, not adaptation. • Extension services propagate climate related information in the context of limited knowledge on national policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Justice theory is intended to guide practical choices, but justice theories struggle to inform many decisions that must be made in climate change adaptation practice. This paper highlights gaps between theory and practice by analyzing the justice dimensions of dilemmas routinely faced by adaptation administrators, using the example of property acquisitions to ground the analysis. Justice theories struggle to assist decision-makers in: prioritizing distribution of resources; distributing programs that cause both harms and benefits; weighing uncertain harms and benefits; identifying participants and resolving conflicts in participatory processes; and redressing historic injustices. Proposals to improve adaptation justice that do not address one or more of the practical dilemmas faced by administrators are unlikely to advance the cause. Absent theoretical or policy guidance, decisions are often shaped by administrators' unconscious heuristics such as views on the role of government and the purpose of buyouts. Tailoring justice-relevant decisions to local contexts may provide greater benefits than a universal approach to justice, but a relative approach is most likely to be just when justice-relevant decisions are transparent and informed by theoretical and empirical work. Transparency is critical for accountability, evaluation, and policy learning. Justice decisions are often constrained by limited authority, resources, and institutional goals, so achieving greater justice in climate adaptation may require changes in the larger governance systems within which adaptation decisions are made. More nuanced evaluations of adaptation justice, more comparative analyses, enabled by greater transparency in practice, and more holistic approaches to adaptation governance are recommended moving forward. • Major gaps persist between justice theories and adaptation practice. • Proposals to improve adaptation justice should specifically address dilemmas. • Transparency in justice decisions improves accountability, evaluation, and policy learning. • Justice heuristics may enable local tailoring if explicit and evidence-informed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cost-benefit analysis (CBA) is used in many contexts to compare the monetary costs and benefits of taking different actions. It has thus been advocated as a suitable method for analysing environmental policy making as well as decisions about projects and their effects on societal welfare. Despite the valuable use in principle, its actual use in policy processes seems to be limited. The paper presents an empirical case study in the city of Bremen, Germany and contributes to the literature on the use of CBA in policy making related to climate adaptation. We interviewed municipal actors involved in a participatory workshop series dedicated to supporting the use of CBA for deciding whether to implement specific climate adaptation measures. The municipal actors were asked about their perception of the usefulness of CBA, particularly in formulating policy options, and about the success factors and constraints connected to integrating cost-benefit results in policy making. The findings suggest that CBA is, above all, perceived as useful in raising awareness of environmental goods and in increasing the transparency of the policy-making process. Here, CBA was confirmed as useful for spurring a systematic discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of different adaptation measures. However, the municipal actors adopted a relatively critical stance towards using CBA as a decision criterion for prioritising measures. We conclude that, in this context, the participatory process of conducting the CBA, which takes municipal actors' knowledge seriously into account, is important for the perception of the usefulness of its results in policy making. • Policy makers were asked about their perception on the usefulness of cost-benefit analysis results. • Cost-benefit analyses are perceived as useful in raising awareness and increasing the transparency. • Use of cost-benefit analysis as a decision criterion for prioritization of measures is viewed critically. • A participatory process of conducting the cost-benefit analysis is important for improving the perception of the usefulness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The building sector is critical in climate change mitigation by reducing its energy consumption. At the same time, warming climate requires adaptation measures from buildings, making it necessary to study the future thermal energy demand of buildings. This paper studies the impact of climate change on the thermal energy demand of buildings in a heating dominated climate of Finland, under "representative concentration pathway" (RCP) climate scenarios in near- (2030), medium- (2050) and long-term (2080) horizon. Additionally, the impact of the thermal performance level of the buildings is investigated. The thermal energy demand calculation is based on overarching standards from the European "energy performance of buildings" directive. The weather scenarios present both typical and extreme weather years, applied through morphing and future weather data from the Finnish Meteorological Institute. The results show that annual thermal energy demand in Finland in 2080 can decrease up to 74.6 kWh/m 2. In addition, the decrease in heating demand will be higher than the increase in cooling demand. Cooling can become the dominant peak in long-term evaluations, especially in South Finland (Vantaa) with passive buildings under RCP8.5 climate scenario. Renovation is the most efficient action to decrease energy intensity, the earliest it is done the better. [Display omitted] • Thermal energy demand of detached houses in Finland is studied under RCP climate scenarios. • Thermal energy demand is expected to decrease in Finland in long-term. • RCP scenario affects when the highest average annual thermal energy change occurs. • Cooling can become the dominant thermal peak demand source for passive buildings. • Renovating building to newer standards remains beneficial, though less with time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal wetlands have the capacity to trap and store large amounts of carbon and function as efficient blue carbon sinks—an essential nature-based approach for climate change mitigation. Owing to anthropogenic activities and sea level rise (SLR), coastal wetlands located at the land–sea interface are subject to severe deterioration, transformation, and loss. Assessing coastal wetland vulnerability to SLR serves as the foundation for developing climate change adaptation solutions and is critical for maintaining the stability and sustainability of coastal ecosystems. In this paper, we provide an overview of approaches for assessing coastal wetland vulnerability and find the following: (1) The Rod Surface Elevation Table–Marker Horizon (RSET–MH) method can provide accurate and repeatable measurements of local surface elevation changes; however, contrary to Relative Sea Level Rise (RSLR) recorded by long-term tide gauges, RSETs recording the current surface elevation changes of coastal wetlands provide short-period monitoring with uneven coverage. Hence, RSET monitoring needs to be further extended to obtain long-term broad-coverage data for more accurately assessing coastal wetland vulnerability. (2) Existing vertical accretion models for coastal wetlands account for important feedback mechanisms between SLR and sediment accretion; however, they do not account for the relationship between vertical accretion and climate change, i.e., elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration. This omission may lead to a shift in the SLR threshold for the survival of coastal wetlands. (3) Human activities affect the stability of wetlands, and current studies on coastal wetland vulnerability do not consider the potential impacts of human activities on these areas, resulting in an incomplete assessment of wetland risk. Incorporating the effects of human activities into biophysical models of coastal wetland evolution is a major challenge that must be addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

• State-of-the-art research tools and methodologies to assess environmental benefits. • Proposed methodology to identify habitat area change using global Copernicus data. • Translation of land use, land cover classes to habitat classification system. • ArcGIS toolbox developed and applied to Denmark and Netherlands study area. • Positive or negative effect evaluation of the measure from biodiversity response. Nature-Based solutions (NBS) are the measures supported by natural processes that can adapt to changing climates and generate diverse social, economic, and environmental benefits. Recognising the potential for additional NBS benefits, and quantifying these benefits is essential as it encourages decision-makers to implement and scale-up NBS initiatives. This paper presents findings from a systematic literature review. The review focused on tools and methodologies used for assessing the environmental benefits of implementing NBS. This review provides a detailed compilation of environmental indicators supported by assessment tools. It also includes a catalogue of tools for evaluating environmental benefits, thereby identifying research gaps. Moreover, this research proposes a methodology that uses an ArcGIS (Architecture of Geographic Information Systems) toolbox to identify habitat changes resulting from the implementation of NBS. The methodology translates CORINE (Coordination of Information on the Environment) land cover classes to EUNIS (European Nature Information System) habitat classes. The developed toolbox was applied to two case studies: Denmark (12 NBS) and the Netherlands (3 NBS). The assessment aimed to compare the habitat changes between 2000 and 2018 as two extreme time points for NBS implementation for both case studies. Results indicate that NBS implementation can change habitats leading to an increase in the Red-necked Grebe population in Denmark and a decline in the Black-tailed Godwit population in the Netherlands (two threatened species). The population change highlights the potential positive and potential negative impacts of NBS in their respective cases. These findings suggest Denmark could benefit from lake construction and restoration projects. At the same time, the Netherlands could invest in wetlands and meadows construction and restoration projects to protect the respective species. They could establish designated breeding zones to ensure their population does not decline rapidly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

• Frontline communities are often excluded and tokenized in coastal resiliency planning. • Interviews with New York-area community leaders reveal pathways to better planning. • Centering and investing in community-level expertise can improve planning outcomes. • Equitable partnerships require ongoing dialogue, accountability and self-evaluation. • Iterative co-production of resiliency research yields valuable, actionable insight. Community-based organizations (CBOs) in frontline coastal communities grapple with social and environmental injustices compounded by climate change risks. In response, CBOs have developed deep expertise in climate adaptation tailored to their local communities. Yet these groups are often effectively excluded from resilience planning processes that are top-down and involve perfunctory and often performative consultations. This paper asks: What do community leaders seek from adaptation planning, and how do they recommend such processes be improved? Drawing on the experiences of ten CBOs in coastal New York and New Jersey, the majority representing BIPOC environmental justice communities, this article advances community-driven priorities for coastal resilience planning outcomes and processes. We conducted structured 60–90-minute interviews with ten CBO leaders between February-March 2022, collaboratively completed an iterative content analysis of the interview data and community plans, and workshopped core findings in multiple sessions and conversations with participating CBOs through early 2024. CBO leaders had consensus on resilience planning priorities: they oppose top-down approaches where planners bring a predetermined agenda, and seek true partnership through a relational approach that values grassroots perspectives to co-produce equitable and just strategies to address climate risk. Recommendations for decision-makers center on the need to build on existing community-led plans, invest in community leadership within planning processes, act with transparency to foster trust, partnership and co-planning with communities, and self-evaluate their practice. Lessons for researchers seeking to support community leadership within resilience planning include the need to establish lasting and mutually supportive relationships with community partners to enable knowledge co-production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Local governments face urgent challenges from sea-level rise (SLR), impacting coastal urban areas significantly. Despite a shared commitment to adapting to climate change and SLR-induced hazards, strategies for SLR adaptation vary significantly between cities, reflecting a spectrum of political, socio-economic, and cultural contexts. This paper examines potential SLR adaptation strategies in Shenzhen and Hong Kong, cities with different political and socio-economic frameworks, to understand the effectiveness of varied local adaptation pathways to meet adaptation objectives. Through an analysis of shoreline adaptation infrastructures, including natural shelters and hard defense structures, alongside historical coastal reclamation data from 1985 to 2020, we identify the most cost-effective adaptation pathway. Specifically, our cost-benefit analysis reveals that Shenzhen's "Hybrid management" pathway offers superior economic efficiency, increasing benefits by up to 63% for only a 7%–16% rise in protection costs. Conversely, Hong Kong's "Relative-risk Reduction" pathway shows less timely adaptation actions, indicating a need for more dynamic approaches. The findings highlight the pitfalls of overly rigid SLR adaptation strategies and the necessity for flexible, transition-capable adaptation pathways to better manage future uncertainties. Lessons learned from this study will enable refinement of local SLR adaptation pathway approaches and could significantly improve decision-making under uncertainty in other coastal cities based on investment perspective. • Integrate coastal structures and reclamation to explore SLR adaptation pathways. • Limited investments constrains the efficacy of nature-based adaptation strategies. • Prioritise adaptation options is critical to address uncertainty in SLR management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Little is known about the level of climate change to which societies can adapt to. • Limits to adaptation are more likely to be reached and breached in the future. • Limits can be viewed from a justice informed perspective and coupled with modelling. • Assessing limits is central to national and international adaptation policymaking. Anthropogenic climate change is already causing dangerous and widespread disruptions in global ecological and social systems and affects the lives of billions of people around the world. Even with scaled-up risk management and adaptation, the limits of adaptation will often be reached. Currently, very little is known about the degree to which societies can adapt to climate change, and where and when limits to adaptation will be reached. In this paper, we conceptualize adaptation limits through a novel methodological framework, assess adaptation limits along adaptation pathways, and propose a research strategy for empirical and model-based limits assessments based on biophysical and socio-economic data. Assessing limits is central to national and international adaptation policymaking. More efficient adaptation can also help climate mitigation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Archaeological research provides important insights into climate change adaptation. • Norse and Proto-Inuit cultures developed in different learning environments. • Different learning environments produce different responses to environmental change. • Archaeology offers evidence of multi-century information transmission and learning. Using archaeological, historical, and ethnographic analysis of Norse and Inuit toys and miniatures, this paper argues that legacies of childhood learning can create limits to climatic change adaptation and provide lessons from the past relevant today. In Medieval Greenland, Norse children played with objects that would have familiarised them with the expected norms and behaviours of farming, household activities, sailing and conflict, but not with hunting, which was a key omission given the fundamental importance of wild resources to successful climatic adaptation in Greenland after the climate shocks of the mid-13th century. The restricted range of toys combined with an instructional form of learning suggests a high degree of path dependence that limited adaptation to climatic change, and we know the Norse settlement ended with the conjunctures of the 15th century that included climatic change. Inuit children, by contrast, learnt highly adapted behaviours and technologies through objects that taught locally tuned hunting skills. Inuit approaches that prioritised unstructured learning time aided the development of creative skills and problem-solving capabilities, and the Inuit successfully navigated the climatic changes of the Little Ice Age in Greenland. This insight from the past has implications for our approaches to childhood learning in the 21st century and the unfolding climate crisis. Innovative approaches to childhood teaching and learning in the context of climate change adaptation could provide effective solutions, on a timescale commensurate with that of projected climate impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Critical infrastructure is a foundational component of a functional society and is under threat from the impacts of climate change. To ensure communities are not left without fundamental supplies and services, the adaptation of critical infrastructure to climate change needs to be understood holistically. This paper uses a scoping literature review to investigate the relationship between critical infrastructure and climate change. In the absence of a common definition for adaptive critical infrastructure, an outcomes-based definition is proposed that captures the four types of critical infrastructure: physical, ecological, institutional and cultural. A typology was developed to critically interrogate the focus of adaptive critical infrastructure. It shows that the focus across elements such as conceptualisation and management ranges from tangible to intangible infrastructure, and from positivist to interpretivist in approach. The literature review identified relationship-building as a key management objective across the spectrums. The typology contributes knowledge on how the choice of infrastructure focus and adaptation methods influences adaptation outcomes and path dependencies. • There are four different types of critical infrastructure: physical, ecological, institutional and cultural. • Current definitions of critical infrastructure prioritise physical assets. • Critical infrastructure needs to pay more regard to climate change impacts. • A definition for adaptive critical infrastructure is proposed that includes tangible and intangible systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Climate change will increase the unpredictability, magnitude, and frequency of both slow and rapid onset disaster events. Although large-scale engineered interventions have been common for the purposes of risk reduction and adaptation in the past, emerging ecosystem-based approaches are gaining attention. In contrast to 'hard' infrastructure, ecosystem-based solutions that integrate risk management priorities with natural processes are touted as being more cost effective, socially equitable, and environmentally sustainable. Current developments in ecosystem-based approaches to climate adaptation (EbA) and ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction (Eco-DRR) tend to focus on scientific projections, engineering techniques, and their respective roles in shaping economic benefits. However, recent studies show that effective implementation of such solutions is dependent on the governance practices and interactions between relevant actors, interests, and institutional structures. In response, this paper reviews the current status of governance studies in the context of EbA and Eco-DRR. The analysis is grounded in the interdisciplinary theories of governance, socio-ecological systems, infrastructure studies, and multilevel politics, with sources derived from scientific databases including Scopus and Science Direct advanced query. Based on the review, we evaluate existing governance theories, assessment methods, and implementation through illustrating emblematic examples from around the world. The paper concludes with a synthesis of governance gaps and opportunities, and notes that while emerging ecological engineering approaches provide distinct opportunities, there is a lack of comprehensive assessment beyond diagnosing potential financial, institutional, and political shortfalls. We therefore highlight the need for future research on the socio-ecological, spatial/scalar, and political dimensions of EbA and Eco-DRR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper examines the association between slow-onset natural hazards and the temporal aspects of human mobility— that is, short-term and long-term internal migration in the context of north-west Bangladesh. The paper contributes to the current understanding on the multiple stressors influencing individual's decisions to migrate from their rural origin, while examining the interplay between factors such as tipping points of migration (identified as drivers of migration), socio-demographic variables, and the contexts of slow-onset natural hazards. The analysis is based on empirical data relating to disadvantaged internal migrants or their household members living in drought-prone and riverine areas. A binary logistic regression model is used to analyse how various factors influence the temporality of migration. Key findings indicate that in the context of the natural hazards studied, financial stress at the household level and lack of economic resources are strongly associated with people's decisions to migrate for the-long or short-term. Based on such findings, the paper argues for diversified policy interventions for different groups of internal migrants in order to address difficulties associated with their mobility to and settlement at new locations. Highlights • Association between hazard and temporal aspect of human mobility is explored. • Demographic and economic vulnerability are linked with internal migration. • Both the hazard context and socio-economic factor influence migration. • Policy interventions for different groups of internal migrants is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global environmental changes, including landscape fragmentation, are threatening the integrity of ecosystems and reducing their capacity to deliver ecosystem services. Spatial configuration of a green network supports ecological functions and services, that depend on living organisms and material movements across the landscape. It is important to study the structure of green infrastructure networks and to develop robust methodologies that can inform future planning. In this paper we describe a framework for connectivity analysis and enhancement within the green infrastructure networks. We review and combine methods to map and analyse the current spatial network configuration of green elements, in order to identify the key nodes and links that can maintain connectivity and consequently support the benefits provided across the landscape. The study explores the creation of network scenarios and the improvement or reduction of connectivity by adding, preserving, or removing corridors and core areas. Methods include morphological spatial pattern analysis, landscape connectivity metrics and graph theory elements. The analysis has been applied in the Northern Italian Plain, considering green riparian zones and the protected areas as elements of the network. The results show that this method can be used to analyse the status of green infrastructure networks and to identify the main needs for maintaining and improving network connectivity. This is important in the current context of change, as it may support decision-makers in developing tailored adaptation strategies that exploit nature-based solutions to reduce the risks caused by the major drivers of change. [Display omitted] • Green infrastructure network tackle ecosystems fragmentation and services provision. • Spatial configuration and connectivity influence ecosystem services and functions. • We review and combine methods to analyse green infrastructure network connectivity. • The framework allows to identify key nodes and links to maintain ecological connectivity. • Landscape planning and management should consider green infrastructure connections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines whether or not specific forms of adaptation governance that involve city administrations and citizens can help (or hinder) creating a foundation for more sustainable climate adaptation and transformation. Based on the analysis of recurring patterns of social adaptation dilemmas (caused by the interdependencies between adaptation providers and beneficiaries), associated actor constellations, policy approaches, and gaps, this paper presents principles for supporting city–citizen commoning for climate adaptation (i.e. joint actions needed to create systems to manage ‘shared’ adaptation resources). The presented principles can assist in facilitating the management of public goods for adaptation, including privately-provided adaptation goods, and relate to four strategic aims: i) the effective management of collective and individual resources; ii) comprehensive risk reduction; iii) sustained local–institutional linkages (mainstreaming); and iv) matching different actors’ views, efforts and capacities. The principles synthesise and extend the literature by considering, and providing space for, a comprehensive understanding of risk and its root causes, and for alternative rationalities or (‘nonrational’) behaviours intended to address them. The latter takes account of the subjectivities (e.g. emotional attachments to resources and seascapes), which are as important as power structures with respect to how climate adaptation is managed. In fact, subjectivities are central to the operation of city administrations as they are an integral part of how people understand their relationship to others. In an adaptation context, this means focusing on practices and interactions that are required for taking adaptation actions, and how they can both promote and frustrate attempts to collaborate. We conclude that the developed principles can support more sustainable climate adaptation and transformation by holistically addressing existing adaptation dilemmas, actor constellations, and the associated policy gaps that make current approaches ineffective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From the end of 2013 to the end of 2015, Brazil faced serious challenges to supply its demand for electricity due to a prolonged drought in the Southeast and Northeast regions with the consequent loss of hydroelectric generation. This paper presents an historical analysis of major world energy crises from 1988 to 2015 and in Brazil from 1924 to 2015. Analysing the natural river flow of key Brazilian dams from 1931 until 2017, this paper suggests that hydropower generation in Brazil has a 10–15 years cyclical pattern of hydropower generation. The periods of drought in this cyclical pattern usually coincides with energy crises due to the reduction in hydropower generation. It was found that the drought in 2015 had an impact of 110 TWh in hydropower generation, from which 25 TWh are due to head loss and 70 TWh are from lack of stored hydropower in July of 2014. In addition, 48 TWh were not generated due to delays in the construction of new power plants. Other causes of the Brazilian energy crisis of 2015 are presented and the overall electricity generation impact of these causes are compared. In addition, this paper presents the impacts on the energy, water and food supply sectors in Brazil, and the strategies employed to reduce the impact of the crises. With the intention of preventing future energy crises, the paper then shows the potential alternatives to improve electricity supply security in Brazil, particularly in terms of diversifying and widening the share of renewable sources and increasing the energy storage potential of the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integration of relatively new policy tasks like climate adaptation into established higher-level policy fields is insufficiently understood in the academic literature. This paper proposes a framework to evaluate the integration of climate adaptation into the sectoral policy-making of the European Commission, particularly following the publication of the EU Adaptation Strategy (in 2013). The paper uses a framework of micro, meso and macro-level institutional behaviour drawing strongly on new institutionalism perspectives to identify and explain factors enabling and hindering policy integration. It focuses on integration in the coastal and marine policy sector, which is expected to be particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts, and draws from data collected through a document review and interviews with key informants. The findings show that the integration of climate adaptation is still at an early stage. The integration process appears to be largely dependent on institutional dynamics at the EU-level combined with how member states and wider sectoral stakeholders engage with adaptation concerns. In particular, the ambivalence of some member states and a lack of urgency among sectoral stakeholders has hampered the integration of adaptation goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alternative ecosystem valuation methodology can inform policy choices to better reflect local needs, improve living standards and facilitate more effective climate change adaptation strategies. In the context of the South Pacific Island Countries and their reliance on marine resources, this paper outlines the urgent need for exploring alternative ecosystem valuation methodology. The objective behind alternative ecosystem valuation methodology is to enable a more comprehensive identification and elicitation of the various types of ecosystem values. This paper demonstrates how the commonly adopted monetary approach to conducting ecosystem valuation impedes the exploration of climate change adaptation strategies based on non-monetary aspects. These include value-indicators such as time, labour, geographical distance and collective community efforts along with social value, e.g. community incentives to protect and sustain local ecosystems. The paper compares and contrasts various combinations of ecosystem valuation methods that can enable social and non-monetary valuation of ecosystems in low-income settings that reflect social norms and cultural value systems. The paper concludes with a discussion of how alternative ecosystem valuation methodology can enable new pathways towards climate change adaptation and the improvement of living standards that would be particularly suitable for low-income settings where natural resources are vulnerable and financial resources scarce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper proposes a novel multi-model approach, integrating the CARIMA-SARIMA-GPM framework, to assess the combined impacts of climate change and land use change on the potential of concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) systems. By considering both climatic variables and land use patterns, this study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of how these factors influence CPV performance in the context of a changing environment. The proposed methodology offers valuable insights into the future viability and sustainability of CPV technology, enabling informed decision-making for policymakers, energy planners, and investors in the Middle East and Africa. As a result, the ability of the hybrid evolutionary CARIMA-SARIMA-GPM to predict the potential of CPV energy output for assessing the impacts of climate change on it was investigated in Alice Springs, the Middle East, and Africa. The outcome showed that the hybrid model significantly outperformed the other machine learning approaches. The fitted model was used to assess the potential impacts of climate change on CPV generation in Alice Springs, Australia, as well as the Middle East's and Africa's comparable climatic conditions. According to the study, climate change had the greatest impact on solar CPV energy production in Alice Springs, where it decreased the most by 8.577% under moderate forcing scenarios (SSP245) during the boreal summer season; moderately in the Middle East, where it decreased the mode by 2.316% under mitigation scenarios (SSP126) during the boreal summer season; and extremely minimally in Africa, where it decreased the mode by 1.263% under the far future sequencing period (2051–2099). Climate change also increased solar CPV energy production significantly in the Middle East in the far future sequencing period (2051–2099), as well as in Alice Springs, Australia, and Africa in the near future sequencing period (2015–2050). The strongest forcing scenario (SSP585) increased by 7.644% during the boreal autumn season in Africa; moderately increased by 6.502% during the boreal spring season in the Middle East; and had the least beneficial effects in Alice Springs, Australia, with increases of 5.538% during the boreal winter season. On an annual basis, all three regions showed a similar trend. Climate change (CLC) and urban expansion (URE) were also investigated in the Middle East and Africa for their effects on changes in solar CPV energy output. URE had a greater impact in Africa than the Middle East under the effective scenario, with a URE value of 45.45% for Africa and 20.15% for the Middle East, whereas CLC had a greater impact in the Middle East than Africa, with a CLC value of 29.01% compared to 5.47% for Africa. CLC and CPV residual factors, on the other hand, have a greater impact in the Middle East than in Africa, with effects of 29.01% and 50.83%, respectively, compared to 5.47% and 49.09%. The potential difference that drives the remediation of specific pollutants lies in the application of advanced technologies and sustainable practices. By exploring innovative solutions, such as using renewable energy sources like concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) systems, we can effectively mitigate the impacts of climate change and land use changes on pollutant concentrations. These technologies have the potential to significantly reduce pollution levels and create a cleaner and healthier environment for future generations. Assessing the CPV potential in different regions like Alice Springs, Australia, the Middle East, and Africa allows us to identify areas with high solar energy resources that can be harnessed for efficient pollutant remediation. Implementing prompt climate mitigation and adaptation measures is crucial for achieving a net-zero energy transition in the Middle East and Africa by 2050. In this context, prioritizing solar energy as the primary source of renewable energy is imperative for successful low-carbon economic planning in these regions. • CARIMA-SARIMA-GPM outperforms other applicable models • By 2100, the CPV potential in Alice Springs could increase by 0.082–5.338% at 1.5 °C • By 2100, the Middle East's CPV potential could increase by 0.021–0.221% at 1.5 °C. • By 2100, Africa's CPV potential could increase by 0.133–7.644% at 1.5 °C. • Climate change has harmed Alice Springs and the Middle East more than Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities need more green spaces to adapt to climate change and facilitate community resilience. However, successfully managing green spaces is challenging. City governments consistently employ top-down management practices that limit the benefits, usage, and perception of such spaces as Nature. Further, current management practices overlook socio-cultural factors important to residents. Using the existing categories of urban green spaces (UGS) and informal green spaces (IGS), this article situates the cultural practice prendersi cura as a way to conceptualize successful, bottom-up green space management. The term prendersi cura, meaning "to take care of" in Italian, emerged through interviews in Perugia, Italy, and reflects the socio-ecological value of IGS and the disconnect between residents and city-managed UGS. This study employed mixed methods, combining 10 weeks of participant observation, 13 interviews, and GIS analysis to understand the relationship between Perugians and their green spaces. Results indicate that interviewees did not describe city-supported UGS (i.e. top-down green spaces like parks or historic gardens) as Nature, even if they were areas of dense vegetation and recognized by the City of Perugia in GIS analyses. In contrast, interviewees described IGS (i.e. community gardens, vacant lots, or potted plants) that were unrecognized in city GIS visualizations as Nature, indicating a stronger attachment to green spaces when interviewees had active roles in their management or witnessed community-based management practices. This paper demonstrates the importance of managing green spaces through a socio-ecological framework that considers user perceptions and cultural values. To allow greening initiatives to reach their full potential, it is critical to embrace local values and participation in management practices. • Value of urban parks is based upon community engagement, not park size. • Active, bottom-up management supports successful green spaces in Perugia, Italy. • Taking care of Nature provides a framework to improve the human-Nature relationship. • Mixed-methods approaches need to inform urban planning and policy development. • A comprehensive socio-ecological framework is necessary to evaluate green spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In light of the growing interest in naturalizing schoolgrounds this paper explores the governance configurations that enable, produce and sustain their multiple benefits. We scrutinize the existing literature analysing the norms, actors, and processes through which green school grounds are conceptualized, designed, implemented, and sustained. We find that good schoolyard governance is exhibited by: i) the actual use that children make of the naturalized areas, and by its repercussion on their physical and mental well-being, social integration, sense of place, and socio-environmental awareness; ii) the ways outdoor environments intersect with school curriculums; iii) by the availability of public support and funding lines with flexible, anticipatory and adaptive features; and crucially iv) by the ways that architects and gardeners engage with the concepts of ecology, creative play and outdoor education in the acts of schoolyard (re)making. We also find that at times focus on program effectiveness (efficiency, goals) infringes upon justice and inclusion. The way participative processes are interpreted, and eventually inform schoolyard designs and uses is one of the challenges to consider in this respect. Greening schoolyards also requires participation processes that are accessible and inclusive for adults and children from a variety of socio-cultural, ethnic and economic contexts. In a nutshell, naturalizing schoolyards needs to go beyond the search for narrow technical solutions for climate adaptation or pedagogical innovation, being a process of school (re)making. The governance framework suggested here is apt for analysing a range of urban green interventions • Good schoolyard governance is exhibited by the actual use that children make of the naturalized areas. • Successful schoolyard greening rests on its intersection with existing curriculums. • Designers need to engage with landscape ecology, participation and creative play. • Equity and justice need to be considered in design, implementation, and use. • Flexible and adaptive public funding is key for steadfast schoolyard naturalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Climate change affects the stormwater quality due to variation in climatic parameters. • Scientific interventions with strong database should be geared up in developing nations. • Emerging pollutants needs more attention by undertaking systematic research. • Groundwater recharge with stormwater may raise groundwater level and reduce pollution. The problem of water logging and deteriorating water quality of surface water bodies has been witnessed in and around the urban centers owing to rapid population growth, urbanization, industrialization and climate variability. The stormwater runoff management is the need of the hour, and with increasing public and political awareness and rapid economic growth, it is receiving due attention. In the climate-change scenario, it needs to be addressed with scientific interventions as changes in pattern of precipitation affects the runoff volume and movement of pollutants including nutrients. This paper discussed and critically reviewed the stormwater runoff characterization, modelling, relationship between runoff and water quality, first flush phenomena, runoff treatment in changing climate scenarios. Researchers have used regional climate models (RCMs) to project future precipitation and then incorporated in various hydrologic and hydraulic models such as SWMM, SWAT, HSPF, SUSTAIN and MUSIC etc to study the impact of climate change and its adaptation. The flooding and water quality problem can be combatted with adopting green infrastructure practices. Many works on stormwater management have been carried out in developed countries, but efforts need to be geared up in the developing countries, particularly for runoff characterization and effective management. Emerging pollutants need to be paid more attention by undertaking systematic research. Future studies should include measurements and quantification of ecosystem services and integration of stormwater management into environmental policy. This review suggests intriguing future research avenues at the nexus of stormwater management and ecological services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Irrigation can increase crop yields and could be a key climate adaptation strategy. At present, under the background of increasing food demand and continuous expansion of irrigation cropland, there still uncertainties about the soil carbon dynamics under the change of irrigation water volume and irrigated area in view of large-scale spatial heterogeneity. Therefore, this paper uses space-for-time + meta-analysis and a two-step methodology based on the residual trend analysis to quantitatively analyze the relationship between soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil respiration (Rs) in response to fluctuations in irrigation water volume and irrigated land extents. Here we show that the irrigation water volume within 100–1000 mm had a negative impact on SOC, and the impact was correlated with the irrigation water volume. Different levels of irrigation water manifest distinct effects on SOC content across varying soil depths. When irrigation water quantities are less than 700 mm, the impact on SOC content in the 0–30 cm depth layer surpasses that in the 30–200 cm depth layer. Conversely, when irrigation water quantities equal or exceed 700 mm, this pattern is reversed. The overall impact of irrigation on SOC stock at a depth of 0–200 cm was −14.88±6.7%. Tillage, planting intensity, topography, and soil type within irrigated cropland all exert variable impacts on SOC content. Whether these influences are deleterious or beneficial hinges predominantly upon the balance between the augmentation of SOC stock due to heightened carbon inputs from crops and the reduction of SOC through alterations in microbial activity. Mann-Kendall trend analysis showed that from 2000 to 2015, the overall Rs of cropland showed an increasing trend, with an increase rate of 3.67 g/m2/year. The increase of global Rs is mainly driven by climate change factors (temperature, precipitation and solar radiation), while the decrease of Rs in a small number of areas is mainly driven by management practices (fertilizer nitrogen, irrigation, and tillage). Our study further quantifies the impact of irrigation on soil carbon dynamics, thereby offering potential pathways and data support for the advancement of sustainable agriculture. • Developed an approach that integrates space-for-time with meta-analysis. • Quantifying soil carbon dynamics under changes in irrigation water volume and irrigated area at the global scale. • Irrigation had a negative impact on SOC, and the impact was correlated with the irrigation water volume. • From 2000–2015, the global increase in soil respiration of irrigated croplands was mainly caused by climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The flood issues of urban underground space (UUS) are systematically reviewed. • Causes and characteristics of UUS floods are analyzed. • Three engineering measures for flood defense of UUS are introduced. • Current research hotspots are summarized from the perspective of resilience. • Future directions of enhancing UUS's flood resilience are proposed. Urban underground space (UUS) has become an integral component of modern cities. However, its vulnerability to inundation results in flood disasters occurring in UUS worldwide every year, posing significant threats to human lives and property. Hence, enhancing the resilience of UUS under floods has become a widely recognized consensus in both engineering and academic communities. To gain a better understanding of flood issues of UUS, this paper conducts a systematic review to present the current status of flood control in UUS and discuss some future research and practice directions. Firstly, an analysis of the causes of UUS floods and their characteristics compared with aboveground floods is provided. Subsequently, detailed introductions are presented on three lines of flood defense for UUS in engineering practice, including the elevation design of entrances, flood barriers, and drainage systems. Special attention is given to five research hotspots aiming to enhance UUS's flood resilience: (1) flood process modeling, (2) flood risk assessment, (3) crowd emergency evacuation, (4) flood vulnerability and recoverability of underground transport network, and (5) flood resilience analysis. Finally, three critical directions for future research and practice, including constructing sponge underground space, adopting advanced information technologies, and adapting UUS to climate change, are proposed in order to further advance the conceptual and technological developments in UUS inundation prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]