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In pursuit of energy transition objectives, Algeria is increasingly focusing on the production and utilization of low-carbon and renewable hydrogen. While hydrogen has predominantly been used in the chemical and refining industries, it holds promise for decarbonizing specific industrial sectors, enabling electricity storage, and powering the transport sector. However, several barriers must be overcome before hydrogen technologies can be widely deployed. Numerous countries, with Japan at the forefront, are heavily investing in this burgeoning market, anticipating the creation of thousands of new jobs. Hydrogen offers Algeria significant potential for greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction and substantial economic benefits. In response, the Algerian government has prioritized energy transition to new and renewable sources as part of its economic recovery plan, aiming for "green" growth through innovative and digital energy technologies. This paper's primary objective is to provide a techno-economic foundation for guiding public policy development, identifying promising opportunities for green hydrogen within Algeria's energy transition context, and outlining sustainable pathways for pilot projects that promote hydrogen adoption within the Algerian society. Additionally, this paper will explore the latest advancements in hydrogen research, technology, and applications relevant to the Algeria's energy transition. The Algerian energy minister, has reaffirmed his desire to "invest in hydrogen", an energy source presented as one of the solutions to the climate crisis. In October 2021, Algeria launched a hydrogen plan worth several billion dinars, including 100 million for research, to enable the country to develop "green" hydrogen, i.e. produced without fossil fuels. • Algeria's energy transition mission focuses on promoting energy transition, innovation, and efficiency. • The Algerian Strategy on Green Hydrogen 2050 intends to establish a supportive framework for hydrogen sector development. • Algeria has set ambitious targets: reducing its GHG emissions by 2030 and lowering its consumption of petroleum products. • Algeria export between 30 and 40 TWh by 2040 of gaseous green hydrogen, liquefied, and derived. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Molecularly adapted: Paper wasps inhabit extremely variable thermal environments. • Normal cellular function: Hsc70 and Hsp83 appear important under benign conditions. • Stress response: Hsp70 and Hsp83 expression is highly induced by severe heat stress. • Development: Expression of Heat Shock Proteins varied between life stages. • Environmental adaptation: Use of the Heat Shock Response differ between populations. Temperature is a crucial factor in many physiological processes, especially in small ectotherms whose body temperature is highly influenced by ambient temperature. Polistes (paper wasps) is a genus of primitively eusocial wasps found in widely varying thermal environments throughout the world. Paper wasps construct open-faced combs in which the brood is exposed to varying ambient temperatures. The Heat Shock Response is a physiological mechanism that has been shown to help cope with thermal stress. We investigated the expression of heat shock proteins in different life stages of three species of Polistes from different climates with the aim of deducing adaptive patterns. This was done by assaying heat shock protein (hsp70 , hsp83 , hsc70) expression during control conditions (25 °C) or a heat insult (35 or 45 °C) in individuals collected from natural populations in Alpine, Temperate, or Mediterranean climates. Basal expression of hsc70 and hsp83 was found to be high, while hsp70 and hsp83 expression was found to be highly responsive to severe heat stress. As expression levels varied based on species, geographical origin, and life stage as well as between heat shock proteins, the Heat Shock Response of Polistes was found to be complex. The results suggest that adaptive utilization of the heat shock response contributes to the ability of Polistes spp. to inhabit widely different thermal environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Machine learning (ML) techniques were pioneered to analyze non-linear relationships. • Algorithm's predictive power validated ML models, preventing spurious relations. • Recursive feature elimination explored predictor importance. • Presence of non-linear relationships is suggested, advising further investigation. • Acknowledgment of skepticism stresses rigorous analysis for long-term correlations. The Earth's climate is a complex system that can be influenced by various internal and external factors. Previous research has explored the relationship between climate and external forcings such as solar activity and GCR. However, the relations are intricate and intertwined into almost chaotic meteorological measurements. This paper delves deeper into understanding their interactions. GCR flux, Sunspot number (SSN), total solar irradiance (TSI), UV irradiance (UVI), and the Oceanic Niño Index (ONI) are the predictor variables, while total cloud amount (TCA) and low cloud amount (LCA) are the response variables. The analysis begins with standard statistical techniques and continues with multiple regression models including random forest, which is a machine learning (ML) method that can be used for non-linear regression. Subsequently, Recursive Feature Elimination (RFE) is employed to scrutinize the correlation among the predictor parameters. In the ML model, the final 25% of the dataset is held out and tested for validation, so, the predictive power of the algorithm is measured. Both geographical and temporal patterns have been investigated. This study suggests that a non-linear relationship might exist between the parameters, and should be investigated further, particularly in specific regions of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design of energy and climate policy is usually seen as an 'expert' domain, relying on technical tools such as economic analysis. However, policy requires the support of politicians and citizens alike, through the democratic process. Many policies, such as reducing carbon emissions from homes and transport, also affect people's lives directly. It is thus necessary to supplement technical analysis with methods that allow an exploration of people's views, values and behaviours. One such method is codesign, whereby groups of citizens work with policy analysts to develop strategies informed by the lived experience of citizens, as well as the specialist knowledge of analysts. There is a history of co-design approaches in public services such as healthcare, but there have been few attempts to co-design public policy measures. This paper reports on a Citizens' Panel, a representative group of people working with specialists to create co-designed policy recommendations for reducing carbon emissions from homes. The process revealed that policy co-design can provide detailed, viable proposals. In this case, panellists emphasised the necessity of leadership and support from government; tailored, consistent information; targeted regulation; and financial incentives. Finally, the wider potential role for policy co-design for energy and climate is addressed. • Co-design processes are widely used but rarely applied to the design of energy and climate policy. • Co-design processes can embed citizen perspectives in policy design. • The paper reports on an experimental panel on home energy decarbonisation. • Co-design can ensure that policies are effective and will gain support of politicians and publics. • Changes to cultures of policymaking are needed to embed such approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the relationship between climate risk and climate policy uncertainty, and CO2 emissions in the US over the 2000–2022 period using a structural Factor- Augmented Vector AutoRegression (FAVAR) model with a two-step principal component analysis based on monthly observations. We employ a very recent measure to proxy for uncertainty regarding climate policy based on the Climate Policy Uncertainty Index (CPU) of Gavriilidis (2021), while Climate Risk is proxied by financial cost of natural disasters and number of deaths. We use different variables for CO2 emissions, based on total and sectoral emission (commercial, electric power, residential sector, transportation, and industrial sector). The results indicate that a significant percentage of the variance of CO2 emissions in the US, is explained by Natural Disasters Cost, which also seem to account for a significant percentage of the US Total Renewable Energy Consumption variance. Shocks to disaster costs seem to decrease all type of emissions significantly and also increase renewable energy use significantly. Natural disasters increase political disagreement among U.S. politicians, as well as, the climate policy uncertainty, highlighting the need for efficient policymaking and regulations. In further results, we find that an increase in Partisan Conflict decreases emissions and explains a significant amount of renewable energy variance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The electronic logging device (ELD) system allowed research on a new safety system. • Four themes tied into cultural aspects were identified, indicating a safety culture existed. • The data suggested the ELD influenced both positive and negative safety behaviors. • Influence links connecting safety culture, safety climate, and safety behaviors were documented. Introduction: This paper examines the safety relationships between safety culture, safety influences, safety climate, and safety outcomes for long-haul truck drivers. The relationships focus on the intersection of the electronic logging device (ELD) technology, regulations, and truck drivers that fall into the lone-worker category. Results: Through research questions, links between safety culture and safety climate were established with links between the layers. Conclusions: The implementation of the ELD system was associated with safety outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-use of climate information is often attributed to scientists failing to understand what decision-makers need. In response, co-production offers one promising method to improve the usability, and therein, use of climate information. Yet it remains unclear to what extent usability and use are linked, or if other factors influence the non-use of climate information. This paper critically examines two efforts to co-produce climate information for UK adaptation decision-making: the first and second cycles of the climate change risk assessment to gather evidence and then inform the national adaptation programme. To do this, a mixed methods approach was used: (i) textual analysis of official Government documents, and (ii) in-depth interviews with key actors. Our research found that the institutional-political context in which climate information is produced and used, played a significant role in defining who the user should be, how the data analysis was performed, and the extent to which that information was used. Just because something is co-produced does not mean it will be usable, nor does something that's usable automatically mean it will be used. Unless new research seeks to better understand how the modes of production (linear vs. co-production) influence the use of climate information, who uses it, and how it's used, questions will remain over whether the right barriers to climate inaction have been tackled. • Co-production promises to improve the usability and use of climate information. • We conducted an interview and document analysis of the UK's climate change risk assessments. • Use and usability of climate information differ. • More research is needed on the difference co-production makes to use and usability of climate information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar photovoltaic energy is widespread worldwide and particularly in Europe, which became in 2016 the first region in the world to pass the 100 GW of installed capacity. As with all the renewable energy sources, for an effective management of solar power, it is essential to have reliable and accurate information about weather/climate conditions that affect the production of electricity. Operations in the solar energy industry are normally based on daily (or intra-daily) forecasts. Nevertheless, information about the incoming months can be relevant to support and inform operational and maintenance activities. This paper discusses a methodology to assess whether a seasonal climate forecast can provide a useful prediction for a specific sector, in this paper the European solar power industry. After evaluating the quality of the forecasts in providing probabilistic information for solar radiation, we describe how to assess their potential usefulness for a generic user by proposing an approach that takes into account not only their accuracy but also other potentially relevant factors. This approach is called index of opportunity and is then illustrated by presenting an example for the European solar power sector. The index of opportunity provides indications about where and when seasonal climate forecasts can benefit the decision-making in the photovoltaic sector. Even more importantly, it suggests an approach on how to evaluate their usefulness for the user's decision-making. This approach has the advantage of not limiting the definition of the usefulness only to the quality of the forecasts but rather considering, in an explicit way, all the factors that must be combined with the forecast's quality to define what is useful or not for the user. • This work explains how to use better climate forecasts in the energy sector. • Estimating the accuracy to assess the usefulness of climate forecasts is not enough. • This approach considers many factors to assess the usefulness of climate forecasts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper differs from conventional science and socially oriented studies of climate by integrating concepts derived from both approaches. Based on interdisciplinary, trans-disciplinary multidisciplinary literature review, it defines microclimate and its essences of including natural, social and interactive microclimate from tourism discipline context. For in-depth development of tourism in China under the pressure of tourism supply-side structure revolution, this paper proposes microclimate tourism and analyzes basic on-site microclimate tourism mechanism, basic tourists attractions supply mechanism, and dynamic flows and flexible organisation mechanism of microclimate tourism. For sustainable development, it explores tangible tourists attractions safety, tourists safety and industrial security of microclimate tourism as well as measurements and suggestions for mitigating relative security and safety issues. • Defining climate and microclimate concept from tourism discipline perspective. • Analyzing microclimate tourism mechanisms in on-site, basic tourists attraction supply, dynamic flow situations. • Analyzing tangible tourists attractions, tourists and industrial security and safety of microclimate tourism. • Proposing measures and suggestions for sustainable development of microclimate tourism security and safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peatlands have been recognised as having a significant role in the mediation of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2) levels with direct implications for global climate change. Longitudinal in situ measurement systems for CO 2 concentrations in blanket peatland ecosystems are difficult to implement where the nature of terrestrial–aquatic connectivity and hydrodynamics have a significant effect on the carbon cycle. The need for greater data on CO 2 concentrations and flux monitoring in these settings has been well recognised. However, applying the most appropriate monitoring approach presents a special challenge. This paper sets out the development of a direct method for field based longitudinal CO 2 concentration measurement. Based on experiential considerations a new approach is presented that addresses the complexity associated with the high diurnal dynamics of CO 2 evasion during mid-winter in an Irish blanket peatland soil–water system. The paper outlines the significance of a direct in situ continuous measurement strategy using a non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) sensor to evaluate CO 2 concentrations. The CO 2 concentrations recorded as part of this study showed significant differences between the pond waters and the peat waters. The overall CO 2 concentration trend did not correlate with the temperature patterns. Further monitoring is essential to evaluate the spatial and longitudinal trends in carbon dynamics. Outputs of this study will have a direct bearing on approaches to carbon flux determinations for this landscape type and will provide an important input to future efforts to explore carbon-hydrodynamics in the surface and sub-surface waters of blanket peatlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Integrate natural gas, solar and geothermal energy into park-level integrated energy systems. • Study park-level integrated energy systems' characteristics in china's climate zones. • Propose a confidence interval combination method. • Propose a two-stage optimization model. Park-level integrated energy systems (PIESs) have a unique role in developing communities' energy infrastructure in more economical and sustainable ways. The design and operation of a PIES depend on the energy demand of buildings, which could be significantly affected by climate change. This paper presented the PIES in China's different climate zones (Harbin, Dalian, Changsha, and Haikou). The PIES integrating natural gas, solar and geothermal energy simultaneously produces electric, heating and cooling loads. A two-stage optimal approach was proposed in this paper to model the PIES mathematically. In the first stage, the worst-case scenario was obtained by the confidence interval combination method to optimize the minimum total cost. In the second stage, the operation strategies of following electric loads and following thermal loads were used to optimize the operation cost. The results revealed that the annual total cost of the PIES presented a v–shaped cost curve with the power generation unit (PGU) capacity from 400 kW to 2000 kW. PIES-1, located in Dalian, had the lowest total cost of $0.71 million. The carbon dioxide emissions had the same trend. When the PGU's capacity reached the optimum (1000 kW), the PGU's utilization rate was between 50% and 60% in all scenarios. From Harbin to Haikou, the operation cost gap between PIES-1 and PIES-2 narrowed from $0.18 million to $0.01 million. Moreover, PIES-1, located in Harbin, had the lowest CO 2 emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The healthcare sector is a significant producer of emissions globally and yet paradoxically cares for those who are most impacted by climate change. This rapid review examined the role of the nurse in reducing emissions within the hospital setting. Literature meeting inclusion criteria were identified from 2009 to 2021, resulting in 11 primary research papers being reviewed. The review found that nurses, the largest profession within the healthcare workforce, are in a unique position to influence emissions reduction in the hospital setting. Whilst nurses have not reached their full potential in influencing emissions reduction, education, setting policy direction, and undertaking research are pivotal for the nursing profession to reduce emissions within the hospital setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nature-based solutions (NbS) to climate change, strategies for mitigation and adaptation that rely on natural ecosystem processes to preserve biodiversity and enhance human well-being, hold the potential to contribute to numerous Sustainable Development Goals and uplift Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLCs) that pursue place-based livelihoods. The local ecological and societal expertise housed in Indigenous and local knowledge (ILK) could provide substantial benefits to the development, implementation, and evaluation of NbS projects. However, the historical treatment of ILK through misappropriation and biopiracy by the scientific community leave IPLCs politically, socially, culturally, and economically vulnerable to the growing interest in NbS applications to combat climate change. This paper addresses the current state of NbS focused on IPLCs by assessing peer-reviewed literature with criteria developed around the validation, integration, and protection of ILK. The assessment uncovered that most NbS literature does not discuss ILK or the contributions and participation of IPLCs. Such omissions could establish a dangerous precedent of ignoring or misappropriating ILK in NbS projects, possibly ushering in a new era in biopiracy. To facilitate better inclusivity of IPLCs, honor the dual purpose of NbS, and ensure the proper application of ILK in climate response, future NbS projects should detail how ILK is validated, integrated, and protected. • Nature-based solutions hold great potential to help climate mitigation and adaptation. • Indigenous and local knowledge can support nature-based solutions. • Climate projects should validate, integrate, and protect Indigenous knowledge. [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]

Climate change is a pressing issue requiring bold innovations using an integrated and systematic approach. As part of the CGIAR Webinar Series for the International Year of Plant health 2020 a webinar took place in 2021 entitled 'Climate change and plant health: impact, implications, and the role of research for adaptation and mitigation'. The purpose of this paper is to share the discussions of the webinar and to show how CGIAR, working closely with partners, can contribute to better management of plant health in a climate crisis. The global research community has an enormous opportunity to collaborate on innovations, partnerships, capacity development and policy engagement to scale up solutions for plant health and agricultural resilience in a climate crisis, embedded within social and economic frameworks. Key action points were identified related to surveillance, big data and predictive models; integrated pest management (IPM) tools; a new paradigm for research to deliver end-to-end, sustainable solutions; fostering of an enabling environment; gender research; delivery of research at ecosystem and landscape scale through bundling and digital tools; and leveraging partnerships, including with the private sector. Through leveraging collaboration opportunities embedded within social and economic frameworks, the global research community has to scale up solutions for plant health and agricultural resilience under a changing climate. • A CGIAR webinar took place in 2021 focusing on climate change and plant health. • The global research community has an enormous opportunity to collaborate. • Key action points were identified for CGIAR and its partners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Severe weather events pose a significant threat to transportation networks. This research analyzes and discusses the impact of precipitation, temperature, visibility and wind speed on hourly weekday traffic flow volume in Atlanta, Georgia. The study involves the following: determine weather variables that affect traffic volume, develop a machine learning technique to derive decision rules based on weather and traffic volume, and create a web-based decision support visualization tool using the analyzed results. The relationship between extreme weather events and traffic volume was investigated by comparing traffic volume between a base case scenario and an extreme weather scenario. Data from 48 Automatic Traffic Recorder (ATR) sites around Atlanta, GA, USA and hourly precipitation data from 4 climate measurement stations were used to conduct this study. The spatiotemporal relationships between traffic volume and weather variables were analyzed individually and evaluated using a non-parametric statistical test. A machine learning technique is applied to derive decision rules that result in reduction in traffic volume. Results show significant impacts on traffic volume from visibility, precipitation and temperature and helps in isolating hours in a typical weekday when such impacts are felt. A decision support tool was also developed to visualize traffic volume and weather interactions. The data-driven insights from this analysis is applicable to transportation planners, centralized traffic control rooms and urban infrastructure decision makers. Highlights • Paper analyzes correlations between 4 weather hazards and traffic volume by combining Big Data repositories from climate science and transportation. • The paper using extensive statistical analysis to derive hours in a typical day where traffic at a particular location is impacted due to a weather hazard. • Machine learning models were also applied to derive decision rules for traffic planners and transportation personnel to optimize and plan for weather hazards. • A decision support tool was also derived to help display the data analysis, derive insights and optimize transportation decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the procedures through which climate change can be rendered governable in the present. Climate change has generally been approached as an abstract, global, and long-term problem, thereby disconnecting it from the places and times in which decisions are made. Relational thinking in geography has articulated the local and regional levels of climate governance, hence foregrounding the practices through which the climate is situated in concrete local and organisational contexts. However, in time climate change has remained an abstract and long-term problem. This calls for studies of how the need for rapid climate action can be established in the present, and how climate governance can be aligned with the temporal rhythms in which organisations operate. This paper examines Oslo's "climate budgets", an innovative governance tool which integrates climate planning into the regular municipal budgeting cycle. It brings attention to the practices through which different temporalities of climate action are aligned, how climate change is rendered legible, and how uncertainties are managed. Drawing on the literatures on temporality and governmentality, it develops a conceptual approach to assess the practices through which responsibility for global, long-term concerns can be articulated in the present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a framework for topological feature analysis in time-dependent climate ensembles. Important climate indices such as the El Nino Southern Oscillation Index (ENSO) or the North Atlantic Oscillation Index (NAO) are usually derived by evaluating scalar fields at fixed locations or regions where these extremal values occur most frequently today. However, under climate change, dynamic circulation changes are likely to cause shifts in the intensity, frequency and location of underlying physical phenomena. In case of the NAO for instance, climatologists are interested in the position and intensity of the Icelandic Low and the Azores High as their interplay strongly influences the European climate, especially during the winter season. To robustly extract and track such highly variable features without a-priori region information, we present a topology-based method for dynamic extraction of such uncertain critical points on a global scale. The system additionally integrates techniques to visualize the variability within the ensemble and correlations between features. To demonstrate the utility of our VTK+TTK-based software framework, we explore a 150-year climate projection consisting of 100 ensemble members and particularly concentrate on sea level pressure fields. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the first insight into the interpretation of the wood charcoal from the Holocene layers of Wonderwerk Cave. Situated in the Northern Cape Province in the arid interior of South Africa, the site provides a unique and valuable chronological record of past environmental fluctuations and responding human behavioural adaptations spanning the last two million years. The Holocene strata have been dated to cover the last 12.5 ka cal BP years, but exclude the last 100 years because of contamination. A sizeable amount of charcoal was recovered from these strata and remnants have been identified, described and the species composition amongst the strata compared. Most identified species are those that tolerate hot, dry conditions, signalling an arid trend during the Holocene. Comparison with present day species distributions suggests an eastwards shift in modern vegetation. The charcoal data also indicate that during the mid Holocene there was a wetter period from 6.2 to 4.5 ka cal BP, coinciding with stratum 4a. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Austrian Climate and Energy (CEM) model regions are facing energy transition towards a greater share of renewable energy sources in the final electricity mix. To guarantee the resilience of the CEM socio-economic and regional systems, an integrated approach towards electricity generation and transmission is necessary. The changing architecture of electricity generation is causing new challenges to the transmission grids to adapt. The cascading risks of existing and emerging risks for electricity transmission grids can lead to power outages and even blackouts. This paper argues about the need of a multi-risk approach towards risk assessment and risk governance for resilience of CEM regional electricity systems. It also discusses a multi-risk governance perspective as a tool to strengthen resilience of urban socio-economic systems against electricity blackouts. Based on extensive dialogue with stakeholders from the CEM regions over the last two years the paper develops recommendations for inclusive and participatory risk governance process. The data collection included contributions of stakeholders from public and private sector, as well as academia and civil society. The analysis of data was done in light of possible stakeholders and public engagement into decision-making processes on risk mitigation measures and strengthening of electricity infrastructure of the CEM regions in Austria for resilience in the process of energy transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Past plant diversity dynamics can provide a historical perspective on biodiversity change and ecosystem dynamics as a guide to conservation management in the future. Pollen analysis is one of the most widely used approaches to reconstruct plant diversity change through time, but the representativeness of pollen diversity to plant diversity is not yet fully understood and especially in open landscapes. In this paper, we compare pollen assemblages from topsoil in the open landscapes of the Tibetan Plateau with the surrounding vegetation to investigate their compositional similarity and the correlations between their diversity (richness and evenness), and to evaluate the influence of climate variables, landscape characteristics, and human disturbance on the pollen diversity. The results show that pollen assemblages vary obviously in different vegetation types and they can represent their surrounding plant communities at low taxonomic levels. Pollen richness boarders a better match with plant richness than pollen evenness with plant evenness across the whole study area, but the correlation is weak (r adj 2 < 0.2, p < 0.001). Transforming plants into their pollen equivalents has little improvement for the correlations between pollen and plant richness/evenness. Pollen richness and evenness can capture well the trend in plant richness and evenness along the vegetation gradient, suggesting that they can be used as gamma (landscape scale) rather than alpha (local scale) diversity metrics in the study area. Mean annual precipitation (MAP), mean annual temperature (MAT), and patch richness (PatchS) are positively associated with pollen richness. MAP, PatchS, and human disturbance (HD) are significantly predictors for pollen evenness. These confirm that pollen richness and evenness can provide insights into past plant diversity dynamics and help evaluating the effects of climate and habitat changes and human disturbance on long timescales. • Pollen assemblages represent surrounding plant communities at low taxonomic levels. • Pollen diversity is reliable proxy for plant diversity at the landscape scale. • Vegetation shift is an important prerequisite in studying past plant diversity. • Pollen-equivalent transformation cannot improve pollen-plant diversity correlations. • Pollen diversity can indicate changes in past climate and habitat conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving equitable development that supports climate mitigation in an uncertain future remains a daunting task, particularly for post-conflict societies. In this paper, we present results from a local stakeholder participatory scenario workshop investigating emerging priorities for anticipatory action, with respect to future climate impacts, in the vulnerable conflict-affected Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan. Importantly, our findings reveal that stakeholders were less focused on addressing climate impacts, and more interested in local development initiatives to enhance tourism offerings and the regional national park network. The novelty of our work lies in the use of participatory scenarios to both initiate a process of healing and provide a forum for the co-production of future narratives focused on sustainable and inclusive development. However, this first involves mending the social fabric that ties individuals and communities together in an inclusive and informed way. As such, our work adds to the scholarship of environmental peacebuilding, creating a local context-specific knowledge base using a bottom-up approach to understand a shared future. The case study presented here highlights the perspectives of policymakers from the global south and brings local stakeholders together in a space where top-down management approaches often dominate. • Using scenarios is only one step towards providing an opportunity for healing by co-producing narratives of a local future. • Our work reflects on ways to avoid future conflict and other undesirable prospects. • Our findings highlight the need to reflect on technocratic versus political approaches to address the issue of climate change. • We add to the scholarship of environmental peacebuilding and create a localised and context-specific knowledge. • We bring stakeholders together in a space where top-down management approaches dominate in policymaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terminology frames reality and affects how people perceive and respond to it. What makes the global climate situation concerning is not simply a change in climate, but the anthropogenic change, in addition to natural climate variations, occurring at a rapid rate relative to the pre-industrial era. However, in general language, "climate change" does not differentiate itself from natural climate variations nor reflect the rate of change. Based on theoretical reasoning, this paper argues that "climate upheaval" frames and communicates the global climate situation more informatively. This is because "climate upheaval" highlights the additional change at a rapid rate, which is crucial for (1) describing and informing the current climate status, (2) understanding the impacts of climate on natural, socioeconomic, and cultural aspects, and (3) taking climate actions. This argument can serve as a hypothesis for future exploration. Specific questions for empirical tests may include: How do people interpret "climate upheaval" and "climate change"? Do people prefer "climate upheaval", and why? Is the intended message of "climate upheaval" different from people's perceptions? As certain terms may offer more utility and information than others, it is important to weigh the advantages and drawbacks of different terms. Strategies aimed at reducing potential confusion and misunderstanding associated with "climate upheaval" may include providing scientific clarification, establishing communication channels, and conducting public education on this term. Terminology does not solely represent scientific labels but also carries significant social and cultural implications, encompassing public perceptions, social mobilization, policymaking, governance, negotiations, and international initiatives. • Terminology frames reality and influences people's perceptions of climate. • The term "climate change" does not differentiate itself from natural climate variations. • "Climate upheaval" seeks to emphasize the anthropogenically accelerated change in climate. • The rate of change matters to the status, impacts, and mitigation measures of climate. • Changes in terminology can lead to significant social and cultural implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a study focused on the analysis of phytosanitary treatment sales in the Souss Massa region of Morocco. The objective of the study is to predict the sales of agricultural products, particularly crop protection solutions, aiming to optimize supply chain operations and meet customer demand effectively. Data for this study are collected from multiple sources, including the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system called Microsoft Dynamics AXAPTA used by a leading agricultural company operating in the region. Information such as the date of sale, farming type, climate, and specific sales locations within the Sous Massa region is gathered. Machine learning techniques are applied for forecasting. Various regression models, including the Gradient Boosting Regressor algorithm, are employed to determine the most accurate predictor. Evaluation of the models reveals promising results, with a Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of 0.0035 and a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 0.0066. The results obtained by applying various regression models, including the Gradient Boosting Regressor algorithm, demonstrate promising prediction scores. These findings contribute to the field of sales prediction in the agricultural industry while considering the impact of climate conditions, farming practices, and regional factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Franz Josef Land (FJL) is a remote archipelago that has become more accessible for large-scale studies due to recent warming. This paper summarizes recent survey findings on oceanography, climate, plankton, and benthic communities conducted in FJL. Cold Arctic waters predominantly affect FJL, but an increased inflow of warmer Atlantic water has been observed in recent decades. The bacterioplankton in FJL is mainly comprised of ultra-small bacterial cells, which make up to 60% of the biomass. Phytoplankton are predominantly composed of cells smaller than 20 μm, with the greatest concentrations found above the pycnocline. The population of larger microalgae ranges from 4.5 to 1250 thousand cells L−1, with dinoflagellates occupying the euphotic zone, Dinobryon being the most abundant species in the thermocline, and spore-bearing cells of Chaetoceros diatoms dominating in the deepest region. Summer zooplankton comprise large Calanus copepods, smaller copepods, and meroplankton, with an average dry biomass of 114–391 mg m−3. The community structure varies mainly based on water temperature and phytoplankton density, with greater biomasses found in colder offshore waters. August represents the breeding season for plankton populations. The local benthic fauna is diverse and displays high species abundance (3370 ind. m−2) and wet biomass (428 g m−2). There is a distinct vertical stratification in the benthic community structure, evidenced by a consistent decline in both abundance and biomass with increasing depth. The trophic structure is predominantly influenced by food availability, sediments, and currents. The trend of borealization in the Barents Sea biota is supported by recent distribution records of certain boreal benthic species and increased abundances of typical Atlantic zooplankton species. The results of our study establish a foundational dataset to aid in ongoing scientific inquiry, preservation efforts, and strategic decision-making with regards to the natural resources of the FJL region. • The area has a complex oceanography and is influenced mainly by Arctic Water. • Clear spatial and vertical patterns are common in the local biota. • Plankton abundance and biomass peak in August. • Benthic fauna shows high species diversity, abundance, and biomass. • Warming has led to increased taxa abundances and borealization of the fauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Almost 800 million people currently lack access to reliable electricity, for many of whom solar microgrid systems are expected to be the most cost-effective solution. Quantifying current and future electricity demand is crucial for cost-effective design of reliable microgrids. However, electricity usage is connected to a wide range of social and economic factors alongside climatic conditions, making estimation of demand challenging. This paper presents a framework facilitating each stage of solar microgrid design from demand estimation through to cost-optimal sizing of the microgrid and its economic and environmental characterisation. Household demand is simulated based upon (1) climatic conditions, (2) appliance ratings and usage patterns, and (3) rates of growth in appliance ownership based upon the Multi-Tier Framework for measuring household electricity access. Microgrid demands are simulated based on the combination of these with (4) nondomestic demand based upon locally available data. The framework is demonstrated across four rates of domestic demand growth and two climatic conditions ('tropical savanna' and 'humid subtropical'), alongside nondomestic demand based upon two operational microgrids (one rural and one peri-urban). When growth rates are high, newly introduced appliances tend to dominate, with differing impacts on the demand profile depending on power and usage times. Cooling represents a modest contribution to demand in the tropical savanna climate. However, in the hotter and more seasonally varying humid subtropical climate, cooling becomes the dominant driver of demand, increasing seasonality and proportion of demand at night. Nondomestic demand in the rural microgrid is primarily agricultural, and exhibits more seasonality and better alignment with daylight hours than demand in the peri-urban setting, which is more service-based. Across cases, increased seasonality and proportion of demand at night lead to poorer alignment with PV generation, increasing cost and GHG emissions per unit of electricity used in a cost-optimised microgrid system. • A framework is presented to facilitate demand estimation and solar microgrid design. • Household load is simulated based upon appliance ownership and climatic conditions. • Nondomestic load data is derived from deployed microgrids across economic contexts. • Load growth, climatic condition, and nondomestic load all play a key role in shaping load profiles. • Data are combined in a technoeconomic model to inform cost-optimal sizing strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New investigations of the Krasnaya Gorka site suggest the emergence of pottery in the Late Pleistocene-Early Holocene in the Transbaikal region. Several new AMS dates obtained for the early ceramic cultural layer 2 indicate an age between 13900-10500 cal BP. The results of palynological studies of the Krasnaya Gorka deposits are given in the paper for the first time, and the Late Pleistocene-Holocene environmental changes were reconstructed. Pollen data obtained from the Krasnaya Gorka profile showed cold and dry Late Pleistocene environmental conditions. The regional climate became milder and more humid around 13900–12700 cal BP, which corresponds to the Allerød interstadial thus corroborating the radiocarbon age results. The warmest interval of the Late Pleistocene occurred around 13500 cal BP. Between 12700 and 11800 cal BP, cooling probably corresponds to the cold and dry event of the Younger Dryas. There is some stratigraphical in deposits of the Krasnaya Gorka archeological site. The deposits forming in the early Holocene and beginning of the middle Holocene most likely were removed by erosion. Warming and increased humidity occurred in middle of the late Holocene (2700-1800 cal BP). During the late Holocene, the climate was unstable. Beginning 400 cal BP, the vegetation of the region acquired its modern appearance. Some published materials concerning reconstructions of paleoclimate in the region of Ust'-Karenga XII, Studenoe I, and Ust'-Menza I are considered in the context of general characteristics of the region. Therefore, both palynological reconstructions and radiocarbon dates place the earliest ceramics from Krasnaya Gorka within the final stage of the Late Pleistocene – Early Holocene between 13900-10500 cal BP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a tool to build climate change scenarios to forecast Gross Domestic Product (GDP), modelling both GDP damage due to climate change and the GDP impact of mitigating measures. It adopts a supply-side, long-term view, with 2060 and 2100 horizons. It is a global projection tool (30 countries/regions), with assumptions and results both at the world and the country/regional level. Five different types of energy inputs are taken into account according to their CO 2 emission factors. Full calibration is possible at each stage, with estimated or literature-based default parameters. Compared to other models, it provides a comprehensive modelisation of Total Factor Productivity (TFP), which is the most significant determinant of the GDP projected path. We present simulation results of different energy policy scenarios. They illustrate both the "tragedy of the horizon" and the "tragedy of the commons", which call for a policy framework that adequately integrates a long run perspective, through a low-enough discount rate and an effective intergenerational solidarity as well as international cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because many environmental threats span national boundaries, transboundary networks have emerged as a form of multi-stakeholder platform to support environmental governance (EG). There are transboundary networks in various ecologically important regions of the world such as the Amazon. However, there remains a need for systematic analyses to adequately evaluate the contributions of transboundary networks to EG. This paper takes up the case of the "MAP Initiative", a transboundary network in the tri-national frontier of the southwestern Amazon that sought to support EG. We examine three key questions: 1) how do transboundary networks motivate participants to engage in collaboration across boundaries for EG, 2) how do transboundary networks evolve structurally as well as strategically to increase their impact on EG, and 3) can transboundary networks generate outcomes beyond information sharing for EG? The analysis draws on historical documents, participant observation, and key informant interviews about the MAP Initiative. The findings confirm that transboundary networks motivate cross-border exchanges in multiple ways, they evolve structurally in multiple ways that increase their capacity, and that evolution supports multiple forms of activities and outcomes that support EG. We conclude with a discussion of the contributions and challenges of transboundary networks regarding EG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advent of 21st century, over last 16–18 years, there has been an exodus of people moving to urban towns and cities, a phenomenon observed globally. This makes the cities not only extremely congested, but also very polluted and resource-scarce. With 50+ new cities and 100+ smart cities set to come up in South East Asia by 2030, it is extremely essential to plan the development of a city in such a way so as to be sustainable, accessible and eco-friendly. This paper presents a detailed survey and analysis of how the development of a city, particularly in India can be planned in the context of sustainable urban transformation , climate change and future urban vision . A detailed survey is provided on all three mentioned aspects by providing a comparison on different aspects with planned developments carried out globally. Further, the suitability of the existing solutions are analysed; along with a proposal on how to develop new cities. Finally, the paper addresses some of the challenges that need to be addressed in order to develop new sustainable, accessible, well-connected cities of future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous legal and regulatory frameworks in the U.S. and globally are acknowledging the opportunity for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions offered by combining the long-term storage of CO 2 in association with carbon dioxide enhanced oil recovery (CO 2 -EOR), to support carbon capture and storage (CCS) as a climate mitigation technology. These include the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the State of California, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), among many. In this paper, a brief overview is provided of the literature on GHG lifecycle analyses (LCA) applied to CO 2 storage in association with CO 2 -EOR. Then, various techniques for performing LCA related to CO 2 -EOR operations are summarized. Moreover, since most past LCA analyses of CO 2 -EOR projects were generally based on historical CO 2 -EOR operations, LCA based on assumptions from these operations are likely not to represent future emissions reduction opportunities where CO 2 storage is a co-objective with increased oil production. Thus, the paper examines different CO 2 -EOR development options that could greatly increase the amount of CO 2 injected, and ultimately stored, to recover incremental oil via the application of CO 2 -EOR, and speculates on how even greater storage efficiencies with CO 2 -EOR can be realized. Assuming historically-based values for CO 2 utilization, most life cycle analyses of CO 2 storage in association with CO 2 -EOR show that the emissions associated with producing, processing, transporting and/or utilizing the incremental oil produced are greater than the CO 2 injected and stored in association with CO 2 -EOR. However, current CO 2 -EOR operations are achieving much higher utilization values, and assuming the wide-scale application of “next generation” technologies applied to existing and potential new resource targets, even larger utilization values are realizable. Recent work by Advanced Resources, for example, shows that “next generation” CO 2 -EOR applied to the main pay zone (MPZ) of oil reservoirs uses, on average , about 0.45 metric tons per barrel of oil produced, while CO 2 -EOR applied to the residual oil zone (ROZ) underlying and in between existing oil fields uses, on average , about 0.50 metric tons per barrel of oil produced. Many projects are likely to achieve even higher values of CO 2 utilization for CO 2 -EOR. These utilization values are over double that assumed in most traditional LCA analyses applied to CO 2 -EOR operations. And even greater utilization values are realizable. For comparison, emissions associated with the production, transport, refining, and ultimate combustion of the incremental oil produced are estimated to be on the order of 0,42 to 0.43 metric tons per barrel. Given these values for CO 2 utilization with CO 2 -EOR, accounting for emissions associated with CO 2 -EOR operations, with activities downstream of CO 2 -EOR operations (i.e., crude oil transport and refining), and even accounting for the combustion of fuels created from the barrel of crude, the amount of CO 2 injected and stored in the reservoir during CO 2 -EOR can generally be greater than that associated with the emissions associated with the incremental oil produced. Going forward, it will be important that legal and regulatory frameworks for verifying and accounting for GHG emissions reductions acknowledge the importance of CO 2 storage with CO 2 -EOR in achieving GHG emissions goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A numerical model is proposed for seasonal thermal energy storage (STES) couple with solar collector. • The model is featured as relatively high computational speed and accuracy. • An analysis on technical planning and operational design for the STES is offered. • The key parameters for system design and control are investigated with instructive results. Seasonal thermal energy storage (STES) systems are a key component in expanding the share of renewables in energy programs because they provide schedulability and flexibility. However, such a large-scale system requires careful planning to avoid high investment costs. Therefore, numerical models are becoming increasingly important as an alternative. This paper develops a numerical model of STES coupled with solar collector. The model was verified based on the experimental data of the Huangdicheng Project in China. The results show that the relative error in the charging mode and discharging mode is only 1.57 % and 0.46 %, respectively. Then, the effects of different charging and discharging mode on the heat storage efficiency of the tank and the efficiency of solar collector systems in STES were studied. The study found that in the initial charging stage, the water temperature rise curve caused by different flow rates is very different. In the design of the collector-storage area ratio, the relatively economical collector-storage ratio of this model is around 3768 L/m2. The selection of different proportions of discharging energy in the discharge stage has a great impact on the heat storage efficiency of the system in the next year. Moreover, the influence of different depth-diameter ratios of the tank on the system heat storage efficiency is discussed in detail, which has important guiding significance for model application and system analysis. This paper provides some references for the scale design and operation optimization of cylindrical STES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioclimatic architecture design is a connection to nature that requires accurate and concrete climate data of site. Meanwhile, the climate and environment conditions should be taken into account in order to help achieve the optimal energy efficient and thermal comfort inside. The purpose of the paper is to determine the adaptable strategies for Lhasa building design that through the simulate analyses, including temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation and air velocity. Moreover, the structure and materials of traditional dwellings will also be considered in the research. Finally, hoping that the research and exploration of this paper, providing reference to the design and analysis method for ecological building in Lhasa in the future, and other cities also can be used for reference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper briefly reviews the physical and human geography of the Kamchatka region and summarises previous research on Holocene climate dynamics. We provide context for the rest of the Special Issue of the Journal Global and Planetary Change entitled ‘Holocene climate change in Kamchatka’, the primary focus of which is the use of lake sediment records for palaeoclimatic inferences. In this paper an additional perspective from ongoing tree ring, ice core and borehole temperature reconstructions illustrates that the Kamchatka region is rich in paleoclimatic proxies. The period of the last 200 years is sufficiently covered by the proxy information, including reconstructions with annual resolution. In this period the tree-rings, ice cores, boreholes, and glacier fluctuations recorded a 1 °C warming and a general glacier retreat, i.e. the transition from the Little Ice Age climate to the modern one. Although the proxies have different resolution, accuracy and seasonality in general they demonstrate a coherent picture of environmental changes in the last two centuries. The tree ring and ice core records are up to four-six hundred years long and they provide information on annual to decadal variability of summer temperature, accumulation processes, volcanic eruptions and lahar activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we present a new method for simulating and mapping energy demands for European museums for recent past (RP), near future 2020-2050 (NF) and far future 2070-2100 (FF). It is new combination of three recent developments: Firstly, the simulation and mapping of building performance indicators based on European weather stations. Secondly, a multi zone energy model, representing a wide range of museums. The latter consists of 16 different museum zone types equal to all combinations of 4 levels of building construction and 4 levels of climate control. Thirdly, the availability of hourly based, EU wide, external future A1B climate files from the EU FP7 Climate for Culture project. We used 7 performance indicators: (1) mean indoor temperature; (2) mean indoor relative humidity; (3) mean heating demand; (4) mean cooling demand; (5) mean humidification demand; (6) mean dehumidification dem nd; (7) total energy demand, to produce EU maps for 16 museum types and five 30 year time periods: RP, NF, FF, NF-RP and FF-RP. This gives in total 560 maps. The most important mapping results are included and discussed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on an analysis of planted forests data from the 2015 Forests Resources Assessment of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FRA 2015). It forms one of a series of papers in the FRA 2015 special issue of this journal. While total forest area decreased from 4.28 billion hectares to 3.99 billion hectares from 1990 to 2015, with percent global forest cover dropping from 31.85% to 30.85%, the area of planted forests increased from 167.5 to 277.9 million hectares or 4.06% to 6.95% of total forest area. Increase was most rapid in the temperate zone, and regionally in East Asia, followed by Europe, North America, and Southern and Southeast Asia. However the annualised rate of increase in area of planted forests slowed in the 2010–2015 period to 1.2%, below the 2.4% rate suggested is needed to supply all of the world’s timber and fibre needs. The majority of planted forests comprised native species with only 18–19% of the total area being of introduced species. Introduced species were dominant in the southern hemisphere countries of South America, Oceania and Eastern and Southern Africa where industrial forestry is dominant. Twenty countries accounted for 85% of planted forest area and a different 20 countries for 87% of planted forest roundwood supply. As with forest area, roundwood supply from planted forests also showed an increasing trend although this was based on minimal data. There was a mismatch in composition and rankings of the top 20 countries with top forest area and roundwood production suggesting that there are substantial opportunities to increase roundwood production in the future, especially in China which has the largest area but is currently ranked 3rd in roundwood production. Outlook statements were developed for the FAO sub regions based on past changes in planted forest area, population growth, and climate and forest health risks to identify key issues for the future. The overall view from this study suggests that climate impacts, especially from extreme climatic events will affect planted forests in the future and that forest health impacts can also be expected to increase. Outlooks vary regionally. Europe and North America are likely to be most concerned with climate and health risks; Asia will experience population pressure that will impact on land availability for new forests and risks from extreme weather events, and will need to make the most of its existing forests; Africa will need to increase planted forest area to offset continuing deforestation and rapid population growth; and Oceania, the Caribbean, Central and South America are likely to be most concerned with climate impacts. To ensure the continued contribution of planted forests, a number of responses will be required to both maintain existing and also to develop new forests. Intensification of production in existing forests will lessen the need for greater forest areas and offset any land use conflicts related to food security; climate adaptation strategies will need to be developed as a matter of urgency, and forest health focus must remain a priority for research. Establishment of new forests will be eased through greater community and stakeholder engagement. Application of models such as WWF’s New Generation Plantations, which recognises the importance of society and the need to consider the full range of forest products and services within the wider landscape and spectrum of land uses, will be important. We recommend that to enable deeper analysis related to planted forests future FRA Assessments consider ways to better gather data specific to planted forests such as productivity so that this important component of global forests can be better understood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The role of scientists in the design of a multistakeholder partnership, the "4 per 1000″ initiative, is analysed. • The involvement of soil scientists leads to keep discussions at a technical level while the initial ambition was political. • The technical focus reinforces the credibility of the initiative but leads some civil society organisations to stay outside. • The case study leads to support the idea of accountability as an integral part of scientific engagement in the policy process. The proliferation of multistakeholder initiatives is deemed to be a key vehicle for the implementation of international agreements for sustainable development. This is the case with the "4 per 1000: Soils for Food Security and Climate" initiative (4PM), launched in March 2015 by French Minister Stéphane Le Foll, whose aim is to increase soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks worldwide, in order to simultaneously address climate change mitigation, adaptation, and food security issues. This paper explores the knowledge dynamics at play and the role scientists played in the early development of the initiative. It shows that the strong involvement of soil scientists in the design of 4 PM, as well as in the enrolment of other stakeholders, has had a dual consequence. On the one hand, it has reinforced the initiative's credibility by keeping most discussions at a mere technical level, considering soil organic carbon sequestration as the main (if not the sole) proxy for climate change mitigation, adaptation and food security. On the other hand, this technical approach has led the initiative to be hardly able to enrol representatives from peasant and familial agricultures, who have criticized the absence of clear definitions of the type of agricultural models the 4 PM intends to promote. We show that this has had detrimental consequences on the results of the 4 PM initiative, and we discuss the implications both for the framing of voluntary multistakeholder initiatives and for the engagement of scientists in such settings, notably in terms of their accountability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with the great impact spatial statistics has had in Africa. Brief reviews relating to the metrics defining Africa and to the models used within spatial statistics are provided. In addition, the converse of the title of the paper, that the geostatistical model of Krige and Matheron is truly 'Out of Africa', is discussed. Attention is then given to the impact of spatial statistics on the key areas of health, ecology, climate, geoscience and theory. Particular emphasis is placed on papers in Spatial Statistics which have African authors or co-authors, or which include African datasets, or both. Tentative recommendations are made throughout the text and an extensive, broad-based bibliography is included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assesses the effects of a global emissions trading scheme (GETS) for international aviation and shipping as a way of reducing emissions of both greenhouse gases (GHG) and other atmospheric emissions that lead to air pollution. A prior assessment of such integration requires the coupling of energy–environment–economy (E3) global modelling of mitigation policies with the atmospheric modelling of pollution sources, mixing and deposition. We report the methodology and results of coupling of the E3MG model and the global atmospheric model, p-TOMCAT. We assess the effects of GETS on the concentrations of atmospheric gases and on the radiative forcing, comparing a GETS scenario to a reference BASE scenario with higher use of fossil fuels. The paper assesses the outcome of GETS for atmospheric composition and radiative forcing for 2050. GETS on international shipping and aviation reduces their CO 2 and non-CO 2 emissions up to 65%. As a consequence atmospheric concentrations are modified and the radiative forcing due to international transport is reduced by different amounts as a function of the pollutant studied (15% for CO 2 , 35% for methane and up to 50% for ozone). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is the maritime and sub–Antarctic contribution to the Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research (SCAR) Past Antarctic Ice Sheet Dynamics (PAIS) community Antarctic Ice Sheet reconstruction. The overarching aim for all sectors of Antarctica was to reconstruct the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) ice sheet extent and thickness, and map the subsequent deglaciation in a series of 5000 year time slices. However, our review of the literature found surprisingly few high quality chronological constraints on changing glacier extents on these timescales in the maritime and sub–Antarctic sector. Therefore, in this paper we focus on an assessment of the terrestrial and offshore evidence for the LGM ice extent, establishing minimum ages for the onset of deglaciation, and separating evidence of deglaciation from LGM limits from those associated with later Holocene glacier fluctuations. Evidence included geomorphological descriptions of glacial landscapes, radiocarbon dated basal peat and lake sediment deposits, cosmogenic isotope ages of glacial features and molecular biological data. We propose a classification of the glacial history of the maritime and sub–Antarctic islands based on this assembled evidence. These include: (Type I) islands which accumulated little or no LGM ice; (Type II) islands with a limited LGM ice extent but evidence of extensive earlier continental shelf glaciations; (Type III) seamounts and volcanoes unlikely to have accumulated significant LGM ice cover; (Type IV) islands on shallow shelves with both terrestrial and submarine evidence of LGM (and/or earlier) ice expansion; (Type V) Islands north of the Antarctic Polar Front with terrestrial evidence of LGM ice expansion; and (Type VI) islands with no data. Finally, we review the climatological and geomorphological settings that separate the glaciological history of the islands within this classification scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Knowledge is an important tool for Indigenous peoples to adapt to climate change. • The Arabana people, South Australia articulate alternatives to Western climate discourses. • Historical (colonial) Indigenous knowledge is as important as millennia old knowledge. • Climate knowledge is observed at multiple scales and reflects history of colonial dispersal. • Arabana adaptation to climate change is articulated as survival, agency and healing. The role of knowledge in assisting Indigenous people adapt to climate change has been gaining increasing attention and local studies provide rich insights into how and where knowledge is used. This paper reports on the results of a qualitative cross-cultural research collaboration about climate change adaptation for the Arabana, an Indigenous people from South Australia. We find that the Arabana people have a corpus of observed historical knowledge of climate change, forged through a sustained period of colonial invasion, that offers fine level detail about likely climate impacts that is not captured by regional scientific projections. This knowledge includes actual observations about recent climate variability, as well as changes to flora, fauna, land and cultural sites. This historical knowledge about and observation of the environment is as important to the Arabana people as ancestral traditional knowledge for informing the contemporary climate change policy that affects them and their surroundings. Arabana knowledge sets about climate change and its impacts were also found to be intimately interconnected with other regional socio-economic activities (such as pastoralism and mining) which are the legacy of colonisation, and cannot be divorced from cultural perceptions and discussions about climate impacts. We conclude that in order to forge appropriate responses to the impacts of climate change, dialogues between policy makers and the Arabana needs to acknowledge the legitimacy of all Arabana knowledge, particularly historical knowledge that has been grafted through colonial dispossession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global warming arising from climate change can increase the spread of deadly diseases. Effort is needed to develop a set of policies for the government to stem or reduce health risks from global warming. The purpose of this paper is to examine more detail and comprehensively about the relationship among climate and event disease count in Taiwan using the partial least square latent regression model. The results obtained that of the 17 types of diseases in Taiwan, that has the most significant loading factor is Amoebiasis, Malaria and Chikungunya. At the same time, climate variables that have the biggest most significant factor are Number day with max temp more than 30, Number day Temp more than 25, and Rainfall PH. Cronbach's Alpha infectious disease 0.9696 and climate 0.2813. At the same time, the value of Dillon Goldstein's rho infectious disease 0.974 and climate 0.6404, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Subjective well-being effects of unemployment reflect societal work ethic. • Warm climates have a negative impact on this societal work ethic. • Work ethic does not substantially mediate the relation between climate and income. • De Montesquieu's thesis about the impact of climate on income is half right. Although we know that geographical climate is associated with economic development, there have only been a few studies yet that try to explain the exact mechanisms through which climate and development are related. In this paper, we assess a cultural channel, most famously suggested by de Montesquieu, linking cooler climates to economic development through a stronger work ethic. On the basis of a novel approach exploiting individual-level happiness data in 98 countries to estimate the value attached to work, we show that people who live in a cold climate value working significantly more than people who live in a warm climate do. However, subsequent analysis at the national level suggests that the national average work ethic that we estimate from individual level data translates only marginally into a better economic performance at national level. Our results support de Montesquieu's hypothesis that a cold climate creates informal norms encouraging people to value work more, but, in contrast to his suggestion, the impact of this channel on economic development appears very limited. We conclude that de Montesquieu was only half right when he stated that differences in economic development can be traced back to differences in climate-induced work attitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme weather and climate events, although rare at any particular location, can lead to different amount of loss to exposed human and natural systems, even to disasters. In this paper, the most authoritative definitions of "extreme events" given by the World Meteorological Organization and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change have been considered, as well as the underlying basic concepts, i.e., selected intensity levels, selected percentiles, multiples of the standard deviation, return period, distribution tails, imprint left, cause-effect relationships, natural disasters. Definitions and criteria have been tested with real world case studies using long instrumental records (300 years of daily temperature and 200 years of daily precipitation in Bologna, Italy) and proxy series (1000 years of Venice lagoon frozen over and 300 years of Po River outflow). The analysis reveals that each definition leads to particular consequences, e.g., in the peak over threshold theory, if the threshold is expressed in absolute terms, the number of extreme events may change with the climate period as tested with the Venice case study; as opposed, the relative definition based on percentiles or standard deviation will keep unchanged this frequency. Again, considering extreme events those external to the 10th or 90th percentile of the distribution may lead to a return period too short, e.g., 10 days for daily records, while a 10 years return period would require 1st or 99th percentiles, as tested with the daily temperature and precipitation in Bologna. In addition, the distribution of a series may substantially change shape passing from daily to monthly and yearly averages as tested with the series taken as examples. The specific case of proxies is also considered analysing their uncertainties and categorization. The lagoon frozen over as a consequence of exceptionally severe winters constitutes an example of extremes based on an absolute threshold, as well as cause-effect relationship, and the return period was highly affected by the change of climate periods. The example of the overflow of the Po River suggests that the occurrence of extremes, and their intensity, may be altered by other factors that concur to the final result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Four climates patterns exist in the same company at the department level. • Three of those patterns are homogeneous and one is heterogeneous. • The higher the climates, the higher the safety participation and compliance. Introduction: This paper represents a first attempt to fill a gap in research about different specific climates and safety outcomes, by empirically identifying patterns of climates and exploring the possible effect of different climates at the department level on some specific safety outcomes. The first objective was to explore how different specific climates (safety, communication, diversity and inclusion) can be associated to each other, considering the department level of analysis. The second objective was to examine the relationships between those patterns of climates with safety performance (compliance and participation behaviors). Method: A total of 429 blue-collar workers in 35 departments answered a questionnaire covering safety, diversity, inclusion, and communication climate measures. Cluster analysis was performed to identify clusters of departments with different climate patterns and their impact on safety compliance and safety participation behaviors. Subsequently, a hierarchical multiple linear regression was conducted at the individual-level to test the effect of climate patterns, by controlling for some sociodemographic variables. Results: Results showed the existence of four differentiated clusters of departments. Three of those clusters showed homogenous patterns (coherent association among perceptions of low, medium and high climates) and one heterogeneous (low and medium perceptions). The findings also revealed that the higher the climates perceptions, the higher the levels of safety participation and safety compliance, with safety participation being more affected than compliance. Conclusions: The present research showed the associated effects of some organizational climate factors, such as fair treatment, inclusion, safety and communication within the organization, which had not been previously studied in their combined relationships, on safety behaviors. Practical applications: Several other organizational climate factors, such as fair treatment, inclusiveness and communication, may play an important role in safety, showing the importance of broadening the focus on safety climate as one of the main predictors of safety behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The management of agriculture in greenhouses relies on precise control of the indoor climate, considering the impact of external factors such as temperature and solar radiation. • An experimental setup was conducted to develop a comprehensive three-dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model for studying the greenhouse climate, incorporating the influence of air, crops, and soil. • The numerical results indicate that external temperature and radiation significantly affect the distributions of indoor temperature, (DO) irradiation, and static pressure. • Robust correlations based on test data were established to accurately capture the changes caused by external factors. • The influence of crops design was investigated through a series of numerical simulations conducted with and without crops configurations. • The study provides valuable insights into the impact of external factors on greenhouse climates and emphasizes the importance of accurate modeling and control for optimal agricultural management. This paper presents a comprehensive study on the influence of external factors and the crop positioning on indoor environments in Sfax, a central region of Tunisia, during summer climate conditions. To achieve this, an experimental setup is implemented, and a numerical model was developed. The model incorporates air, crops, and soil components to analyze their individual and combined effects on the indoor environment. The numerical results were validated through a comparison with test data obtained from a greenhouse prototype, specifically concerning air velocity and temperature profiles. An optimization of the numerical model was performed considering turbulence and radiation models and grid independence analysis to ensure accurate simulations. Moreover, both with and without crops configurations as well as the impact of the crop position were investigated through a series of numerical simulations. Based on the numerical and experimental findings, the study establishes robust correlations to capture the variations resulting from these factors. The study reveals that external factors, such as ambient air temperature and solar radiation, play a crucial role in determining the temperature inside the greenhouse. The comparative study revealed an increase of less than 1% with the integration of crops in the greenhouse. The central position of the crop emerged as optimal, resulting in a slight temperature reduction of around 2 K compared to the left and right positions. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the impact of external factors on greenhouse climates and highlights the importance of accurate modeling and control for optimal agricultural management in the central region of Sfax, Tunisia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interactions between clay minerals and organic matter, specifically adsorption, are widely recognized as a crucial mechanism for promoting the preservation of organic matter within sedimentary environments. This paper discusses the genesis and adsorption of clay minerals, especially their influence on the process of organic matter enrichment in sedimentary environments. The composition of clay minerals found in sediments serves as an indicator of both the climatic and lithological characteristics of the provenance area. Smectite formation is favored in mafic provenance, while the coexistence of illite and chlorite suggests cold and arid conditions. Additionally, an abundance of kaolinite indicates intense chemical weathering of the provenance area. The physical and chemical properties of clay minerals and organic matter significantly influence adsorption. Smectite is thought to adsorb more organic matter due to its greater surface area. Selective adsorption of high molecular weight, aromatic, and aliphatic compounds dissolved organic matter onto mineral surfaces may have played a role in kerogen formation. Moreover, the preservation of organic matter via clay mineral adsorption is intricately linked to the sedimentary environment. Disparities in nutrient elements during the clay minerals synsedimentary period can impact biological productivity. Furthermore, the pH and solution metal ions of the water column influence the quantity and type of organic matter adsorbed. The contribution of adsorption to organic matter preservation is influenced by redox conditions, and this contribution can be observed through density separations. Additionally, we present several recommendations for future research. Firstly, diagenesis alters the clay mineral assemblage in sedimentary rocks. However, it may be possible to reconstruct the clay mineral assemblage based on morphological, mineralogical, and chemical composition characteristics. Secondly, studies have indicated that clay minerals can facilitate the precipitation of carbonate minerals, providing insights into the formation of abiotic carbonate minerals. Finally, the practical applications of clay minerals in shale oil and gas exploration are underscored, such as their ability to predict sweet-spot areas and control reservoir properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Strong public support for UGI policies that advance climate benefits. • Public willing to trade-off well-being benefits, but not biodiversity, for climate. • Values, access to UGI explain support for different outcomes across the BCS -nexus. • Frequent use of urban forests correlates with support for climate outcomes. • New method for targeting climate, biodiversity, and well-being outcomes in UGI. Urban green infrastructure can help cities tackle biodiversity loss and support well-being, but also contribute to climate change mitigation. This can be enhanced with green infrastructure policies that favor biodiversity, residential well-being, or climate benefits such as carbon sequestration. However, assessing public support for policies favoring specific green infrastructure outcomes, or potential trade-offs between them, is vital to understanding the social implications that such policies may have upon implementation. This paper presents the results of a public participation GIS (PPGIS) survey (n = 3 237) in Helsinki, Finland, concerning public support for policies favoring diverse climate, biodiversity, and well-being outcomes in green infrastructure. The results of the survey, derived with spatial and aspatial analyses, indicate that urban residents strongly support green infrastructure policies that favor climate benefits such as carbon sequestration, and are more willing to compromise the well-being benefits, rather than the biodiversity, of green infrastructure in favor of climate benefits. The results also reveal how support for policies favoring different green infrastructure outcomes varies spatially across the city, manifesting into priority areas of support for climate, biodiversity, and well-being outcomes. Finally, different ways of valuing and utilizing green infrastructure, and the socio-economic background of the respondents, predict support for policies favoring different green infrastructure outcomes. Our methods and results help take global political targets of mitigating climate change and reversing biodiversity loss into practice in cities in a manner that acknowledges the plurality of understandings on how green infrastructure should be managed, for whom, and most importantly, where. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using data on MENA country-banks, the paper assesses the impact of climate legislation on bank lending. Exploiting the staggered timing of the implementation of such laws across countries, the evidence shows that such legislations lower lending by 5%. The impact manifests more starkly for Islamic banks as compared with their conventional counterparts. Banks increase investment to compensate for the revenue loss, although there was no discernible impact on their deposits. • Examines the impact of climate legislation on bank lending behaviour. • Climate legislations lead to a decline in bank lending by 3.6%, on average. • The decline in lending is compensated for by an increase in investment by nearly 2%, on average. • Islamic banks lower lending by a much larger magnitude as compared with their conventional counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]