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Entered into force in 2011, the Protocol on Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) in the Mediterranean is a major innovation in that it is the first supra-State legal instrument aimed at coastal zone management. However, the nature and magnitude of change it is actually generating, or is likely to generate, in domestic coastal zones management systems, are highly uncertain. Investigating such prospects for change in contrasted contexts around the Mediterranean, and therefore providing a critical view of the Protocol as a game-changer, is the aim of this article. Results call for vigilance: the risk is real that the Protocol will not change much and that it will become a paper-protocol only. Ratifying it is – relatively – easy. Avoiding “ratifications of convenience” is more demanding. For various reasons the Protocol is likely to have mostly limited impacts on domestic coastal law development. It probably has more potential in terms of influencing changes in governance processes and increasing the social demand for ICZM. But this potential may only be translated into facts under stringent conditions on political will and good faith from Parties to adopt an ambitious understanding of the Protocol, and on appropriation by civil societies around the Mediterranean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To shift towards low-fossil carbon economies, making more out of residual biomass is increasingly promoted. Yet, it remains unclear if implementing advanced technologies to reuse these streams really achieves net environmental benefits compared to current management practices. By integrating spatially-explicit resource flow analysis, consequential life cycle assessment (LCA), and uncertainty analysis, we propose a single framework to quantify the residual biomass environmental baseline of a territory, and apply it to the case of France. The output is the environmental threshold that a future large-scale territorial bioeconomy strategy should overpass. For France, we estimate the residual biomass baseline to generate 18.4 ± 2.7 MtCO 2 -eq·y -1 (climate change), 255 ± 35 ktN-eq·y -1 (marine eutrophication), and 12,300 ± 800 disease incidences per year (particulate matter formation). The current use of crop residues and livestock effluents, being essentially a return to arable lands, was found to represent more than 90 % of total environmental impacts and uncertainties, uncovering a need for more certain data. At present, utilizing residual streams as organic fertilizers fulfills over half of France's total phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) demands. However, it only meets 6 % of the nitrogen demand, primarily because nitrogen is lost through air and water. This, coupled with the overall territorial diagnosis, led us to revisit the idea of using the current situation (based on 2018 data) as a baseline for future bioeconomy trajectories. We suggest that these should rather be compared to a projected baseline accounting for ongoing basic mitigation efforts, estimated for France at 8.5 MtCO 2 -eq·y -1 ., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Mountain protection forests can prevent natural hazards by reducing their onset and propagation probabilities. In fact, individual trees act as natural barriers against hydrogeomorphic events. However, assessing the structural strength of trees against these hazards is challenging, especially in a context of climate change due to the intensification of extreme events and changes in forest dynamics. Here, we focus on the mechanical analyses of two of the most common tree species across the Pyrenees (Abies alba Mill. and Fagus sylvatica L.) growing in two different areas (Spain and France), and affected by recurrent snow avalanche and rockfall events. We first performed 53 pulling test on mature trees, where the root-plate stiffness and the modulus of elasticity of the stems were evaluated. To further analyse the impact of forest management and climate on protective forests, we yielded information on tree growth using dendroecology techniques. Then, we assessed structure and neighbourhood characteristics for each target tree to account for the surrounding forest structure. Finally, using linear and structured equation models we tested if the mechanical capacity of the trees is determined either by functional traits (e.g. species, tree growth, diameter and height) or forest structural traits (e.g. tree density, tree structure and slenderness) or both. Our results suggest that the forest neighbourhood influences tree mechanical capacity through two pathways, including both functional and structural traits. The individual stiffness parameter of trees is influenced by their functional traits, while their structural traits are more closely related with changes in the modulus of elasticity. Both species exhibit varying levels of dominance in different locations, which is related to their resilience to the diverse natural hazards they confront. Our findings provide relevant insights to anticipating management strategies for forests that serve as a protective barrier against natural hazards in the context of a changing climate., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Paula Gomez-Garcia reports financial support was provided by Spanish Scientific Research Council. Paula Gomez-Garcia reports administrative support and travel were provided by Polytechnic University of Madrid. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Extreme winter cold temperatures in Europe have huge societal impacts on society. Being able to simulate worst-case scenarios of such events for present and future climates is hence crucial for short and long-term adaptation. In this paper, we are interested in low-probability cold events, whose probability is deemed to decrease with climate change. Large ensembles of simulations allow to better analyse the mechanisms and characteristics of such events, but can require a lot of computational resources. Rather than simulating very large ensembles of normal climate trajectories, rare event algorithms allow sampling the tail of distributions more efficiently. Such algorithms have been applied to simulate extreme heat waves. They have emphasized the role of atmospheric circulation in such extremes. The goal of this study is to evaluate the dynamics of extreme cold spells simulated by a rare event algorithm. We focus first on winter cold temperatures that have occurred in France from 1950 to 2021. We investigate winter mean temperatures in France (December, January, and February) and identify a record-shattering event in 1963. We find that, although the frequency of extreme cold spells decreases with time, their intensity is stationary. We applied a stochastic weather generator approach with importance sampling, to simulate the coldest winters that could occur in a factual and counterfactual climate. We hence simulated ensembles of worst winter cold spells that are consistent with reanalyses. We find that a few simulations reach colder temperatures than the record-shattering event of 1963. The atmospheric circulation that prevails during those events is analyzed and compared to the observed circulation during the record-breaking events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the socio-political implications of sceptical metaphors in French discourse about the climate crisis. Existing literature has demonstrated the prevalence of religion metaphors in English sceptical discourse. Yet, in France, religious references in language use are limited as such references have been considered "anti-revolutionary" since the storming of the Bastille, in 1789. I thus ask to what extent sceptical metaphors in French climate crisis discourse differ from English sceptical metaphors. To this aim, I conduct a corpus-based study relying on texts published in the extreme-right wing French newspaper "Valeurs Actuelles". The metaphors identified in this corpus are analysed so as to uncover the mini-narratives related to sceptical metaphor scenarios. Consistent with existing literature, the analysis establishes the prevalence of the religion scenario. However, the research highlights significant argumentative exploitations: metaphor users define the source concept according to cultural viewpoints on religion and ideological understanding of the religious lexicon. I demonstrate that religion metaphors prevail because associated source concepts (environmentalism as islam) are not conceived as being part of the domain of religion, according to these (extreme-right-wing) discourse producers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: An increase in fire weather is expected in a warming climate, but its translation to fire activity (fire numbers and sizes) remains largely unknown. Additionally, disentangling the extent to which geographic and seasonal extensions as well as intensification contribute to future fire activity remain largely unknown. Aims: We aimed to assess the impact of future climate change on fire activity in southeastern France and estimate changes in spatial and seasonal distributions. Methods: We projected future fire activities using a Bayesian modelling framework combined with ensemble climate simulations. Changes in numbers of escaped fires (>1 ha), large fires (>100 ha) and burned area were studied for different emission scenarios or degrees of global warming. Key results: Fire activity could increase by up to +180% for +4°C of global warming, with large expansions of fire-prone regions and long seasonal lengthenings. Overall, changes will be dominated by intensification within the historical fire niche, representing two-thirds of additional future fire activity, half of this occurring during the high fire season. Conclusions: This study confirms that major changes in fire niches would be expected in Euro-Mediterranean regions. Implications: Long-term strategic policies for adapting prevention and suppression resources and ecosystems are needed to account for such changes. Projections of fire activity in southeastern France show that very large increases in fire metrics arise mostly from an intensification in the already fire-prone region during the core of the current fire season and only to a lower degree from an expansion of the fire-prone region and lengthening of the season. (This paper is part of a Special Issue that includes papers on research presented at the IX International Conference on Forest Fire Research, Coimbra, Portugal, November 2022.) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Governments worldwide are increasingly concerned about ensuring a balance between economic and environmental well being. Global economies, particularly developing ones, emphasize the importance of achieving escofriendly growth to maintain the levels of the ecological footprint while achieving higher economic growth. The ecological footprint is a comprehensive indicator of environmental degradation. It is used to assess the state of the environment because it reflects the impact of all human activities on nature. This study contributes to the literature by offering a novel analytical approach for solving complex interactions of ecological footprint antecedents, advancing the theoretical reasoning behind how government policy combines to explain the ecological footprint from some G7 countries (France, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, and Germany) from 1996 to 2020. To establish a composite score of environmental footprint, we used complexity theory as well as fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) and necessary condition analysis (NCA). Our analysis revealed that low expenditures on environmental protection and waste management, low taxes on transport, and high energy use are sufficient conditions to be included in the causal configurations for a high ecological footprint. Additionally, the sufficient solution, which has the highest coverage score that produces a low ecological footprint relies on high expenditure on environmental protection and high taxes on transportation. In this framework, Japan, Italy, and France have more effective government policies in terms of reducing the ecological footprint., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Dynamic LCIA has been developed in the past 12 years almost exclusively for climate change impact assessment, and especially the Global Warming Potential (GWP) indicator. Recently, discussions have taken place in France on the issue of integrating, a dynamic GWP indicator in the 2020 regulation (noted RE2020) on new buildings. This regulation uses a combination of static and dynamic indicators. Discussions to produce a standard on a dynamic GWP indicator could be soon launched at European level. This close perspective of using dynamic indicator into regulation recalls the importance using scientifically sound indicators. Therefore, this article re-examines the fundamentals concepts of the dynamic GWP indicator on which the future regulation is based. Method: Three basic principles of LCA are recalled: (i) no inventory flow should be omitted from an assessment, (ii) all impacts of all substances contributing to an impact category should have the same Time Horizon of the Impact (THI) in the indicator used for that impact category, and (iii) the time horizon of the impact has no reason to change as a function of time. It is then shown that the current and common version of the dynamic GWP (Levasseur et al. 2010) does not respect these principles. A new expression of dynamic GWP is provided in order to respect the three basic principles. Results: Both dynamic GWP indicators are compared according to their meaning and according to the decrease that they quantify compared to static GWP. The initial dynamic GWP indicator (Levasseur et al. 2010) sets a fixed Time of Observation Duration (TOD), chosen subjectively, after which nor flows nor impacts on climate change are assessed. The new dynamic GWP sets a TOD according to the life cycle duration (LCD) and the THI that avoids any flow omission and guarantees the full account of the impact of all flows. THI and LCD have independent values, but both time entities are related chronologically: THI has to be considered to account for the full effect for the very last emission of the product's life cycle. Thus, the total observation duration (TOD) to consider for any dynamic approach is TOD = LCD + THI. The initial dynamic indicator overestimates the effect of temporary carbon storage of around 25% at the time 50 years. The raised issue is not only an implementation issue due to the choice of TOD, it is a conceptual issue, because even in the case of TOD > LCD, the value of THI would still be variable according to the moment of emissions. Finally, the notation between dynamic and static GWP is not harmonised which can lead to confusion. Conclusion: The initial GWP indicator (Levasseur et al. 2010) represents an assessment of the impact within a subjectively chosen observation period and neither the flows nor the effects of these flows on climate change are taken into account beyond this limit. The new equation provided for the dynamic indicator takes into account the totality of the flows and the entireness of their impact according to the value of THI; it thus represents only and exclusively the effect of delaying emissions compared to the static GWP. This new method is totally applicable for the regulation, as only new FRE2020(t) coefficients, produced in this paper, have to be changed. At a time when the dynamic GWP indicator is being considered as a regulatory tool on a French or even European scale, it seems crucial to consider its scientific relevance, because using the wrong method could lead to an overestimation of the possible beneficial effects of temporary carbon storage in the construction sector as a whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates whether farmers adapt their pesticide use to cope with weather shocks. Using a unique, exhaustive dataset detailing all active substance purchases per zip code in France between 2014 and 2019, we econometrically explain abnormal pesticide purchase deviations by weather shocks. We identify heterogeneous weather impacts across pesticide types, seasons and locations. Because our analyses suggest limited year-to-year pesticide storage and farmers' adaptation along other margins, we interpret our estimates as true weather impacts on pesticide use. Our preferred estimates suggest that, ceteris paribus , farmers increase pesticide use by seven to fifteen per cent in 2050 under a RCP4.5 climate change scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Documenting trends in the health impacts of ambient temperature is key to supporting adaptation strategies to climate change. This paper explores changes in the temperature-related mortality in 18 French urban centers between 1970 and 2015. Method: A multicentric time-series design with time-varying distributed lag nonlinear models was adopted to model the shape of the relationship and assess temporal changes in risks and impacts. Results: The general shape of the temperature-mortality relationship did not change over time, except for an increasing risk at very low percentiles and a decreasing risk at very high percentiles. The relative risk at the 99.9th percentile compared to the 50th percentile of the 1970–2015 temperature distribution decreased from 2.33 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.95:2.79] in 1975 to 1.33 [95% CI: 1.14:1.55] in 2015. Between 1970 and 2015, 302,456 [95% CI: 292,723:311,392] deaths were attributable to non-optimal temperatures, corresponding to 5.5% [95% CI: 5.3:5.6] of total mortality. This burden decreased progressively, representing 7.2% [95% CI: 6.7:7.7] of total mortality in the 1970s to 3.4% [95% CI: 3.2:3.6] in the 2000s. However, the contribution of hot temperatures to this burden (higher than the 90th percentile) increased. Discussion: Despite the decreasing relative risk, the fraction of mortality attributable to extreme heat increased between 1970 and 2015, thus highlighting the need for proactive adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Antipode is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Oilseeds & Fats, Crops & Lipids (OCL) is the property of EDP Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper investigates the Yellow Vests movement and the extent it constitutes an original platform for resistance to a sustainability transition agenda in the French context. The movement represents a disruption to global climate mitigation solutions that are often formalized at a global scale, and illustrates cultural and economic constraints in providing social justice in the age of climate change. Using a cultural performative approach, this case study reveals the relevance of framing and cultural analyses to understand such resistance. This qualitative exploration initiates a narrative analysis to assess how the universal resolve of the 2015 Paris Conference and the related legitimacy of the sustainability discourse has been further contested by the Yellow Vests and their fractured framing. From the 'end of the world' to the 'end of the month', we investigate the rise and fall of the legitimacy of the French sustainability discourse by analysing politicians' and activists' speeches, historical narratives as well as visual materials of resistance in France in the context of sustainability transitions. Tip of a broader social crisis, the movement reveals an original conflict of temporalities, symptomatic of the inevitable interdependency of socio-economic inequalities to sustainability transitions. Beyond the resistance itself, the Yellow Vests embody an original exemplar for the importance of cultural appropriation within the sustainability discourse' legitimation processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study is to estimate the nexus between energy insecurity and energy poverty with the role of climate change and other environmental concerns. We used DEA like WP methods and properties of MCDA, a most common form of data envelopment analysis (DEA) to estimate the nexus between constructs. This paper presents a measurement and analysis of G7 countries' energy, economic, social, and environmental performance associated with energy poverty indexes. The study used the multiple, comprehensive, and relevant set of indicators, including energy economics and environmental consideration of energy poverty. The net energy consumption of al G7 economies is equal to 34 percent of the entire world along with the net estimate GDP score of around 50 percent. Using DEA modelling and estimation technique, our research presented valuable insights for readers, theorists and policy makers on energy, environment, energy poverty and climate change mitigation. For this reasons, all these indicators combined in a mathematical composite indicator to measure energy, economic, social, and environmental performance index (EPI). Results show that Canada has the highest EPII score, which shows that Canada's capacity to deal with energy self-sufficiency, economic development, and environmental performance is greater than the other G7 countries. France and Italy rank second and third. Japan comes next with 0.50 EPI scores, while the USA has the lowest average EPI score environment vulnerable even though have higher economic development among the G7 group countries. We suggest a policy framework to strengthen the subject matter of the study., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

In Europe, regions in the Mediterranean area share common characteristics in terms of high sensitivity to climate change impacts. Does this translate into specificities regarding climate action that could arise from these Mediterranean characteristics? This paper sheds light on regional and local climate mitigation actions of the Mediterranean Europe, focusing on the plans to reduce greenhouse gases emissions in a representative sample of 51 regions and 73 cities across 9 Mediterranean countries (Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain). The study investigates: (i) the availability of local and regional mitigation plans, (ii) their goals in term of greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets on the short and medium-long term, and (iii) the impact of transnational climate networks on such local and regional climate mitigation planning. Results of this study indicate an uneven and fragmented planning, that shows a Mediterranean West-East divide, and a link with population size. However, overall, both regional and city action seem insufficiently ambitious with regards to meeting the Paris Agreement, at least at city level. While national frameworks are currently weak in influencing regional and local actions, transnational networks seem to be engaging factors for commitment (at city level) and ambitiousness (at regional level). The uneven and fragmented progress revealed by this study, does not align with the characteristics shared by investigated regions and cities in terms of environmental, socio-political, climatic and economic conditions. The results support the call of a common green deal at the Mediterranean level to further address specific Mediterranean challenges and related needs. This will allow to capitalise on available resources, generate local-specific knowledge, build capacities, and support Mediterranean regions and cities in preparing the next generation of more ambitious mitigation plans., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: This paper forms part of the social and environmental accounting literature. The purpose of this paper is to study how the strategy of development and dissemination of a carbon accounting tool by a public organisation affects the actions of companies. Design/methodology/approach: It is based on the Foucaldian concept of a strategic dispositif whose components and evolution over time will be analysed. The methodology will be based on a case study of ADEME, the French Environment and Energy Management Agency, through the preparation and dissemination of Bilan Carbone® – the French greenhouse gas accounting tool – between 2000 and 2017. Findings: The results highlight the specific features of the dispositif formed by carbon accounting in France, namely, the integration of small companies, use of the tool to directly support actions and financial independence. Practical implications: The theoretical contribution of this work consists in showing the benefits of the concept of a strategic dispositif to understand the action of companies in terms of the transition towards low-carbon strategies. Social implications: Its empirical contribution lies in the emphasis placed on the specific role of public authorities in tackling climate change within the sphere of carbon accounting methodologies largely dominated by private organisations. Originality/value: The theoretical contribution of this work consists in showing the benefits of the concept of a strategic dispositif to understand the action of companies in terms of the transition towards low-carbon strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an overview of the papers published in this Special Issue « Coastal Evolution under Climate Change along the Tropical Overseas and Temperate Metropolitan France» of Journal of Coastal Research. This special issue reflects the large diversity of mainland and tropical French coast and highlights the complex, site- and timescale-specific, combination of factors driving coastal evolution. Many contributions reveal a strong climate control on storm wave activity and, in turn, coastal response. In some contributions, the inherited geology and anthropogenic factors clearly appear affect coastal change. This special issue emphasises the need to monitor the coast combining different means to improve our understanding and predicting capacities of the natural variability of coastal response in a changing climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme droughts have a strong impact on agricultural production. In France, the 2003 drought generated records of yield losses at a national scale for grassland (more than 30%) and for cereals (more than 10% for soft winter wheat and winter barley). These extreme events raise the question of farm resilience in the future. Studying them makes it possible to adapt risk management policy to climate change. Therefore, the objective of this paper was to analyze the frequency and the intensity of extreme drought in 2050 and their impact on crop yield losses (grassland and cereals) in France. We used the DOWKI (Drought and Overwhelmed Water Key Indicator) meteorological index based on a cumulative water anomaly, which can explain droughts and their consequences on agricultural yield losses at a departmental scale. Then, using the ARPEGE-Climat Model developed by Meteo-France, DOWKI was projected in 2050 and grassland, soft winter wheat, and winter barley yield losses were simulated. The results compare the frequency and intensity of extreme droughts between the climate in 2000 and 2050. Our results show that the frequency of extreme droughts (at least as intense as in 2003) doubled in 2050. In addition, the yield losses due to 10-year droughts increased by 35% for grassland and by more than 70% for cereals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By the end of the 1990s in France, the first labels have been created to distinguish the singularity of 20th-century architecture. However, a large part of its building stock suffers from energy deficiencies, and most of them need major retrofitting to align with today's habitability standards. If current technologies offer a wide array of devices that meet performance demands, their implementation does not always comply with heritage protection goals. As part of a transdisciplinary research project, our team studies the acceptability and feasibility of the renovation of various buildings of the 20th-century, using "the ventilated double-skin". The goal is to set renovation protocols that incorporate architectural and cultural evaluation in the technical analysis of energy and comfort needs. In this paper, we present our methodology and first results and aim to highlight the importance of complementary approaches to help inform sustainable interventions on this unique heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revue du Financier is the property of Societe Cybel and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The panel approach with fixed effects and nonlinear weather effects has become a popular method to uncover weather impacts on economic outcomes, but its ability to capture long‐run climatic adaptation remains unclear. Building upon a framework proposed by McIntosh and Schlenker (2006), this paper identifies empirical conditions under which the nonlinear panel approach can approximate a long‐run response to climate. When these conditions fail, the obtained relationship may still be interpretable as a weighted average of underlying short‐run and long‐run responses. We use this decomposition to revisit recently published climate impact estimates. For spatially large panels, the estimated temperature–outcome relationship mostly reflects the long‐run climatic response; this is not so for precipitation. We find some evidence of long‐run climatic adaptation for crop yield outcomes in the United States and France. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

European sturgeon Acipenser sturio is an anadromous fish species being classified "critically endangered" with only one remaining population in the Gironde-Garonne-Dordogne basin (France). In the global warming context, this paper aims to determine the sensitivity of A. sturio early life phases to temperature and oxygen saturation. Embryos were experimentally exposed to a combination of temperature (12 to 30 °C) and oxygen (30 to 90% O 2 saturation) conditions. Lethal and sublethal effects were evaluated using embryonic mortality, hatching success, malformation rate, yolk sac resorption, tissue development and swimming speed. Embryonic survival peaked at 20 °C and no survival was recorded at 30 °C regardless of the associated oxygen saturation. No hatching occurred at 50% O 2 sat or below regardless of temperature. Malformation frequency appeared to be minimum at 20 °C and 90% O 2 sat. Swimming speed peaked at 16 °C. The temperature optimum of early life phases of A. sturio was determined to be close to 20 °C. Its upper tolerance limit is between 26 and 30 °C and its lower tolerance limit is below 12 °C. Oxygen depletion induces sublethal effects at 70% O 2 sat and lethal effects at 50% O 2 sat. Within the spawning period in the Gironde-Garonne-Dordogne basin, we identified yearly favourable oxythermal windows. Consequences of climate change would depend of the phenological adaptation of the species for its spawning period.

How soil moisture affects precipitation is an important question-with far reaching consequences, from weather prediction to centennial climate change-, albeit a poorly understood one. In this paper, an analysis of soil moisture-precipitation interactions over France based on observations is presented. A first objective of this paper is to investigate how large scale circulation modulates soil moisture-precipitation interactions, thanks to a weather regime approach. A second objective is to study the influence of soil moisture not only on precipitation but also on the difference between precipitation and evapotranspiration. Indeed, to have a total positive soil moisture-precipitation feedback, the potential decrease in precipitation associated with drier soils should be larger than the decrease in evapotranspiration that drier soils may also cause. A potential limited impact of soil moisture on precipitation is found for some weather regimes, but its sign depends on large scale circulation. Indeed, antecedent dry soil conditions tend to lead to smaller precipitation for the negative phase of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) regime but to larger precipitation for the Atlantic Low regime. This differential response of precipitation to soil moisture anomalies depending on large scale circulation is traced back to different responses of atmospheric stability. For all circulation regimes, dry soils tend to increase the lifted condensation level, which is unfavorable to precipitation. But for the negative phase of the NAO, low soil moisture tends to lead to an increase of atmospheric stability while it tends to lead to a decrease of stability for Atlantic Low. Even if the impact of soil moisture anomalies varies depending on large scale circulation (it is larger for Atlantic low and the positive phase of the NAO), dry soils always lead to a decrease in evapotranspiration. As the absolute effect of antecedent soil moisture on evapotranspiration is always much larger than its effects on precipitation, for all circulation regimes dry soil anomalies subsequently lead to positive precipitation minus evapotranspiration anomalies i.e. the total soil moisture feedback is found to be negative. This negative feedback is stronger for the Atlantic Low and the positive phase of the NAO regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the last 25 years, CO-PDD (Cézeaux-Aulnat-Opme-puy de Dôme) has evolved to become a full instrumented platform for atmospheric research. It has received credentials as a national observing platform in France and is internationally recognized as a global station in the GAW (Global Atmosphere Watch) network. It is a reference site of European and national research infrastructures ACTRIS (Aerosol Cloud and Trace gases Research Infrastructure) and ICOS (Integrated Carbon Observing System). The site located on top of the puy de Dôme mountain (1465 m a.s.l.) is completed by additional sites located at lower altitudes and adding the vertical dimension to the atmospheric observations: Opme (660 m a.s.l.), Cézeaux (410 m), and Aulnat (330 m). The integration of different sites offers a unique combination of in situ and remote sensing measurements capturing and documenting the variability of particulate and gaseous atmospheric composition, but also the optical, biochemical, and physical properties of aerosol particles, clouds, and precipitations. Given its location far away from any major emission sources, its altitude, and the mountain orography, the puy de Dôme station is ideally located to sample different air masses in the boundary layer or in the free troposphere depending on time of day and seasons. It is also an ideal place to study cloud properties with frequent presence of clouds at the top in fall and winter. As a result of the natural conditions prevailing at the site and of the very exhaustive instrumental deployment, scientific studies at the puy de Dôme strongly contribute to improving knowledge in atmospheric sciences, including the characterization of trends and variability, the understanding of complex and interconnected processes (microphysical, chemical, biological, chemical and dynamical), and the provision of reference information for climate/chemistry models. In this context, CO-PDD is a pilot site to conduct instrumental development inside its wind tunnel for testing liquid and ice cloud probes in natural conditions, or in situ systems to collect aerosol and cloud. This paper reviews 25 years (1995–2020) of atmospheric observation at the station and related scientific research contributing to atmospheric and climate science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sedimentary sequence of La Narce du Béage Basin is one of the few natural archives covering the last 18 ka cal. BP in the French Massif Central. This paper focuses on the palaeoecological reconstruction of environmental and climatic changes affecting this shallow periglacial lake from the Late-Glacial to the Early Holocene. After field surveys and geophysical mapping, two cores (cores A and D) were extracted and dated. Plant macrofossils, pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs) and diatom assemblages were compared within the cores to study vegetation, temperature, pH, water level and ice cover changes through time. During the Oldest Dryas (18–14.75 ka cal. BP), climatic conditions were the coldest with a short ice-free season allowing the development of periphytic diatoms only (ecologically comparable to Arctic ones). A cold and dry steppe landscape – exposed to severe erosion – comprised an herbaceous and shrub flora (e.g. Artemisia , Chenopodiaceae, Helianthemum, Ephedra, Hippophaë, Juniperus). Animal presence is suggested by coprophilous fungi. Periphytic diatoms and allochtonous pollen (Cedrus) underline windy conditions, and the possible erosion of neo-formed soils. Then, during the Bølling-Allerød interstadial (14.75–12.7 ka cal. BP), the ice-free season increased and some trees/shrubs (Salix, Betula and Juniperus) established locally within open grasslands. During the Younger Dryas (12.7–11.7 ka cal. BP) cooler conditions favoured steppe taxa again (Helianthemum, Achillea, Artemisia , Caryophyllaceae, Ranunculaceae) and erosion increased. The ice cover on the lake prevailed even if the conditions were not as cold as during the Oldest Dryas. During the Preboreal (11.7–10 ka cal. BP) Isoëtes echinospora and I. lacustris developed in the eulittoral zone of the lake, which was surrounded by a swamp forest (with Betula nana and B. pubescens). Pinus sylvestris, Betula pendula, Corylus avellana and trees from the Quercetum mixtum rapidly established in the uplands. Occurrences of Gaeumannomyces and Xylomyces fungi – both phytopathogens on broadleaved trees – and decreasing herb values indirectly hint at a close forest canopy. At the beginning of the Boreal (10 ka cal. BP), aquatic and semi-aquatic taxa developed on open water due to longer ice-free seasons (diatoms, micro-algae, Alisma plantago-aquatica, Potamogeton, Typha). The final terrestrialization towards a mire occurred as a consequence of the Holocene warming and related to water chemistry changes (acidification, eutrophication). • During the last deglaciation, a very shallow lake established as demonstrated by palaeoecological data, such as epiphytic diatoms, living on rocks. • Late-Glacial steppe landscape with severe erosion, open grassland and possible mega-herbivore presence. Arctic-like conditions. • Development of shrubs or trees during the Bølling-Allerød interstadial and reduced ice-free season. • Dry and cold conditions persisted from the Younger Dryas to the Early Preboreal. Oligotrophic flora (Isoetids) established in the eulittoral zone. • During the post-glacial warming, the lake tended to acidify. Peat flora and organic matter accumulated and led to the terrestrialization of the lake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Over the past decade climate change has become an inescapable aspect of social responsibility for the major retail chains who have sought to incorporate the environmental considerations into their communication strategies. The purpose of this paper is to look more closely at communications campaigns based on environmental theme through social networks. Design/methodology/approach – In this respect, social media can be considered a direct communication tool conducive to the promotion of sustainable development. Therefore, the paper is based on a year-long study of one group’s official Facebook page. Findings – The conclusions highlight the need for retail chains to strengthen the perceived consistency of their communication strategies on this subject, in order to retain their credibility. Practical implications – Encouraging consumers’ contributions via Facebook may be considered as a relevant practice for greening retail, on the condition that internet users are convinced of the value and interest of this process, as examples of a company’s concrete actions, which provide hard evidence of its stated commitments. The authors also point out the implications of the results in the emerging context of omni-channel retailing. Originality/value – This paper provides two kinds of added value. First its explore retailers’ practice on the subject of green marketing. Second, it provides significant learnings regarding the potential impact of communication in social media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We investigate the environmental benefits of ridesharing and rebound effects. • We use an integrated transport land-use model calibrated to the Paris region. • By reducing the cost of car and congestion, ridesharing yields rebound effects.... • ...that mitigate by about 2/3 initial decreases in CO 2 emissions, mostly due to modal shift. • Road pricing and reducing road capacity can efficiently reduce the rebound effect. This paper investigates how and to what extent changes in user behavior may mitigate the environmental benefits of urban ridesharing, a phenomenon commonly referred to as "rebound effect". Ridesharing reduces both the individual cost of car travel (through cost splitting) and road travel times (by decreasing congestion). This may trigger a number of behavioral changes among transportation users, including: making less detours to avoid congestion (route choice effect), switching from public transit and active modes to the car (modal shift effect), travelling longer distances (distance effect), and relocating further from the urban center (relocation effect). Taking Paris region as a case study, this research applies an integrated transportation/land-use model to evaluate several ridesharing scenarios and quantify the four rebound effects. The overall rebound effect is found to be substantial, cancelling out from 68 to 77% of CO 2 emission reductions and from 52 to 73% of aggregated social benefits (including congestion, air quality, CO 2 emissions, noise) expected from ridesharing. This is primarily the result of the modal shift effect, supplemented as ridesharing develops by the distance effect. Although the simplified representation of ridesharing in the baseline model calls for caution regarding these estimates, a sensitivity analysis corroborates the main findings and the prevalence of substantial rebound effects. The paper also investigates to what extent three complementary policies - improving public transit, reducing road capacity or increasing the cost of car travel – might limit the overall rebound effect and thereby maximize the benefits of urban ridesharing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Overheating regulations and calculation methods in 26 European countries were compared. • Most of the existing calculation methods are outdated and do not fit climate-proof buildings. • France requires a mixed-mode operation of naturally ventilated households. • The UK developed a heatwave-based calculation approach. • Comfort-based, multi-zonal, and time-integrated calculation approaches are needed. With the ongoing significance of overheating calculations in the residential building sector, building codes such as the European Energy Performance of Building Directive (EPBD) are essential for harmonizing the indicators and performance thresholds. This paper investigates Europe's overheating calculation methods, indicators, and thresholds and evaluates their ability to address climate change and heat events. e study aims to identify the suitability of existing overheating calculation methods and propose recommendations for the EPBD. The study results provide a cross-sectional overview of twenty-six European countries. The most influential overheating calculation criteria are listed the best approaches are ranked. The paper provides a thorough comparative assessment and recommendations to align current calculations with climate-sensitive metrics. The results suggest a framework and key performance indicators that are comfort-based, multi-zonal, and time-integrated to calculate overheating and modify the EU's next building energy efficiency regulations. The results can help policymakers and building professionals to develop the next overheating calculation framework and approach for the future development of climate-proof and resilient residential buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nuclear energy is a very important component of overall power supply in France. If the effects of future extreme weather events or climate shifts are not addressed, energy systems will be highly vulnerable to extreme weather events or shifts in weather patterns, such as changes in precipitation. Because of the deep uncertainties involved in climate projections and response strategies, any strategy implementation should perform adequately regardless of which scenario actually materialises. In this paper, we analyse the effects of drought and heat wave in the French nuclear energy sector using the Strategy Robustness Visualisation Method. The key feature of the method is the modelling of uncertainty of the quantitative indicators by (min, max) values plotted on radar plots such that each strategy option’s performance can be visually inspected for robustness. The method can be utilised as a “module” of its own in different uncertainty management approaches. Based on the case study, the presented adaptation strategies “Maintaining industrial production and final demand” and “Smart grid infrastructure” were more robust than the “No planned or automatic adaptation”. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

France is one of the countries that have made commendable progress towards accomplishing sustainable development goals but still struggles with combating environmental challenges. Decarbonizing the energy sector by deploying clean energy and reducing fossil fuels in the energy mix are essential steps. The study uses annual time series data from 1980 to 2021 and employs the ridge regression estimation technique to estimate a twice-differentiable transcendental production function, which approximates the second-order Taylor series to explore the potential for such decarbonization for France. The study finds that substitution possibilities exist between clean energy and fossil fuels, with substantial substitution possibilities coming from nuclear energy. Nuclear energy and renewables are found to be complements that can be deployed concurrently, but since nuclear energy already constitutes a significant proportion of clean energy for France, the study recommends increasing the proportion of renewable energy in the overall energy mix as the most plausible path to decarbonization. Other complementary sustainable energy policies are recommended in the body of the paper. • The substitution elasticities between clean energy and fossil fuels were estimated. • A second-order Taylor series trans-log production function was specified. • Substitutability is found between clean energy and fossil fuels. • Nuclear energy currently dominates France's clean energy mix. • Increasing renewables in the clean energy mix is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The French coast facing the Bay of Biscay (North-East Atlantic) is characterised by the presence of small macrotidal and turbid estuaries, including the Charente, which is geographically located between the two large estuaries of the Gironde and the Loire (south-west France). Multi-year, multi-site and high-frequency water quality surveys have shown that the Loire and, to a lesser extent, the Gironde suffer from summer hypoxia. These observations raised the question of the possible occurrence of hypoxia, particularly in one of these small estuaries, the Charente, which flows into the Bay of Marennes-Oléron, the first oyster-farming area in France. Unlike its two large neighbours, the Charente estuary is not continuously monitored, although it is subject to similar climatic changes and anthropogenic pressures, making it impossible to assess potential risks to the ecosystem. Here we present a first study of dissolved oxygen in the Charente estuary based on a combination of longitudinal studies along the estuary axis and instrumented sites to determine the intensity and spatial extent of deoxygenation. Temperature, dissolved oxygen and conductivity sensors were deployed at several sites during the summers of 2018, 2019 and 2020 to record temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen every 15 min. The high-frequency dataset is compared with a long-term low-frequency dataset (1975–2022; 8–12 measurements per year) to determine whether or not there is a deterioration in the oxygenation of the Charente estuary. The high-frequency dataset shows a high variability in dissolved oxygen (DO) with a clear influence of the tidal cycle. During summer, DO concentrations are often below 5 mgL-1 and sometimes even below 2 mgL-1 , indicating the presence of a summer estuarine oxygen minimum zone with an extension along the estuarine axis of about 20–25 km. Temperature is the main factor controlling DO in the Charente estuary, which limits preventive management strategies and, in the context of global warming, raises questions about the long-term suitability of estuarine conditions for the needs of the biological communities, particularly migratory fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Natures Sciences Sociétés is the property of EDP Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Information on several papers discussed at "13th IWRA World Water Congress" that was held in Montpellier, France from September 1-4, 2008, is presented. Topics include water availability, use and management, water resources and global changes towards the future, and development of water resources and infrastrucre. Aside from the usual oral scientific sessions, 14 special sessions were also presented, which include evaluation of the impact of climate changes in Arab region.

Climate change is already having impacts on biodiversity within Europe, with habitats and species needing to change and adapt to rising global temperatures and shifts in bio-climatic zones. Spatial planning represents an important intervention to further European, national and local biodiversity objectives for climate change adaptation. Drawing on case-studies of plans for inland and coastal areas, and involving stakeholder workshops, this paper reports on a trans-national study examining the scope of spatial plans in the Netherlands, England and France in addressing the impact of climate change. It concludes that spatial planning is making provision for biodiversity and dynamic natural processes. However, while good practice in planning for biodiversity under conditions of climate change is developing, systematic use is not being made of available procedures. The paper examines some of the barriers to implementation of this new policy commitment to climate change adaptation. Recommendations are made covering policy development to include climate change impacts upon biodiversity, modified procedures for plan-making and the appraisal of plans and projects. Amongst the specific measures recommended are the climate-proofing of projects and plans through the use of EIA and SEA; the integration of plans through adoption of common objectives and review of time horizons and boundaries; and an ecosystem-based planning approach. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The climate impacts of deep enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) have been understudied in the academic literature. Using life-cycle analysis (LCA) conducted in accordance with ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 standards, this paper explores the climate change impacts of two deep EGS. The first study was in Reykjanes, Iceland, where a single well, IDDP-2/DEEPEGS, was drilled to a depth of 4.6 km for the purposes of additional electricity production from an existing power plant. The second study involved two wells with side-tracks (depth > 5000 m), drilled to serve a new heat and power co-generation plant located on an old oil field site in Vendenheim, France. Climate change impacts for the sites were estimated in the range 1.6–17.4 gCO2e/kWh and 6.9–13.9 gCO2e/kWh for Reykjanes and Vendenheim, respectively. Although the EGS projects are very different, both outcomes are low when compared to non-renewable alternatives and akin to best-in-class renewable alternatives. The main impact at the Reykjanes demonstration site were the greenhouse gas emissions released from the borehole, an effect that could be avoided by carbon capture and storage/mineralisation/utilisation. In the case of Vendenheim, further reductions in emissions could be achieved via more extensive adoption of circular economy principles in design and procurement. • First two life-cycle assessments of deep enhanced geothermal systems (EGS). • Climate change impacts for Reykjanes estimated in the range 1.6–17.4 gCO2e/kWh. • Climate change impacts for Vendenheim estimated in the range 6.9–13.9 gCO2e/kWh. • Emissions reductions at Reykjanes achievable through carbon capture and storage. • Circular economy design/procurement principles could reduce emissions at Vendenheim. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given that in-depth place-specific studies are needed for a better understanding of the role of cities in coping with climate change and implementing the energy transition, this paper, based on the case of Lyon (France), brings empirical evidence of how climate and energy are being governed at a city level. A comprehensive understanding of this is achieved with emphasis put on the modes of governing enacted by the local authority, as well as the positioning of the city at broader scales. The framing and localising processes involved in the policy-making process are at the core of this analysis, with a particular focus on two interrelated questions: how are climate and energy making their way as new urban issues that call for specific responses, and how do they reinforce – and are they also reinforced by – metropolitan-wide governance in a context of institutional change? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal erosion and flooding are projected to increase during the 21st century due to sea-level rise (SLR). To prevent adverse impacts of unmanaged coastal development, national organizations can apply a land protection policy, which consists of acquiring coastal land to avoid further development. Yet, these reserved areas remain exposed to flooding and erosion enhanced by SLR. Here, we quantify the exposure of the coastal land heritage portfolio of the French Conservatoire du littoral (Cdl). We find that 30% (~40%) of the Cdl lands owned (projected to be owned) are located below the contemporary highest tide level. Nearly 10% additional surface exposure is projected by 2100 under the high greenhouse gas emissions scenario (SSP5-8.5) and 2150 for the moderate scenario (SSP2-4.5). The increase in exposure is largest along the West Mediterranean coast of France. We also find that Cdl land exposure increases more rapidly for SLR in the range of 0–1 m than for SLR in the range 2–4 m. Thus, near-future uncertainty on SLR has the largest impact on Cdl land exposure evolution and related land acquisition planning. Concerning erosion, we find that nearly 1% of Cdl land could be lost in 2100 if observed historical trends continue. Adding the SLR effect could lead to more than 3% land loss. Our study confirms previous findings that Cdl needs to consider land losses due to SLR in its land acquisition strategy and start acquiring land farther from the coast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2018, TROPOMI on-board Sentinel-5P provides unprecedented images of NO2 tropospheric columns at a relatively high spatial resolution with a daily revisit. This study aims at assessing the potential of the TROPOMI-PAL data to estimate the national to urban NO x emissions in France from 2019 to 2021, using the variational mode of the recent Community Inversion Framework coupled to the CHIMERE regional transport model at a spatial resolution of 10×10 km2. The seasonal to inter-annual variations of the NO x French emissions are analyzed. A specific attention is paid to the current capability to quantify strong anomalies in the NO x emissions at intra-annual scales such as the ones due to the COVID-19 pandemic, by using TROPOMI NO2 observations. The inversions lead to a decrease of the average emissions over 2019–2021 compared to 2016 of -3 % at national scale, which is lower than the decrease of -14 % between these years in the estimates of the French Technical Center for Air Pollution and Climate Change (CITEPA). This may be linked especially to the limited level of constraint brought by the TROPOMI data, due to the observation coverage and the ratio between the current level of errors in the observation and the chemistry-transport model, and the NO2 signal from the French anthropogenic sources. Focusing on local analysis and selecting the days during which the TROPOMI coverage is good over a specific local source, we compute the reductions in the NO x anthropogenic emission estimates by the inversions from spring 2019 to spring 2020. These reductions are particularly pronounced for the largest French urban areas (e.g., -26 % from April 2019 to April 2020 in the Paris urban area) and along major roadways, consistently with the reduction in the intensity of vehicle traffic reported during the lockdown period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agro-climatic indicators (AgcIs) provide a suitable tool to evaluate the implications of climate change on agriculture by simplifying plant–climate interactions. However, developing reliable AgcIs requires high-quality historical climate datasets. Consequently, reanalysis products (RPs) are frequently used as a potential reference dataset for observed climate in agricultural studies. This study aims to compare five RPs (ERA5, ERA5-Land, SCOPE Climate, FYRE Climate, and RFHR) at reproducing observed AgcIs over France. The RPs are evaluated against the SYNOP meteorological data over the 1996–2012 period, focusing on six AgcIs specific to apple, maize, and vine crops. The findings show that RPs perform well in reproducing temperature-based AgcIs, with some slight discrepancies in areas with complex topography. However, all RPs tend to overestimate precipitation amounts and to underestimate dry days, leading to a poor performance in reproducing precipitation-based AgcIs. This study emphasizes the need for a thorough evaluation of the RPs in developing both temperature-based and precipitation-based AgcIs, especially if findings are intended to support operational agricultural decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The South of France is a biodiversity hotspot within Europe. Here, we present a comprehensive review of surveys conducted in the Cent Fonts aquifer, an overlooked subterranean biodiversity hotspot embedded in a region rich in stygobiotic species and threatened by climate change and water abstraction projects. Key studies, spanning from 1950 to 2006, show a progression in survey methods and results, although troglobiotic species remain poorly documented. With 43 stygobiotic species recorded, the Cent Fonts is the richest stygobiont hotspot in France. Most species are regional endemics, a quarter of which are considered vulnerable by the IUCN. The Cent Fonts also hosts several relict species and is the type locality of four species. Such a high biological value clearly deserves to be preserved. Our analysis warns of a possible decline in biodiversity, as eight of the species recorded in the 20th century were absent from the 2006 survey, suggesting potential threats of unknown origin. The capture of the Cent Font springs for water abstraction is discussed as a potential threat to this ecosystem and its unique biodiversity. Three new species of stygobiotic molluscs are described, one of which was collected in the Cent Fonts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insecticide toxicity may strongly vary with temperature, and interspecific differences have been commonly reported for this relationship. A differential influence of temperature on insecticide toxicity between pests and their natural enemies may have important consequences on biological control in a global warming context. This study aimed to investigate cross effects between temperature and three insecticides—i.e., chlorantraniliprole, emamectin and spinosad—on the mortality of a major pest in orchards, Cydia pomonella L., and two of its natural enemies in southern France, the predatory earwig Forficula auricularia L. and the introduced parasitoid Mastrus ridens Horstmann. We observed a decreased efficiency of emamectin and spinosad with increasing temperature on mortality of codling moth, while no influence of temperature on chlorantraniliprole efficacy was observed. Increasing temperatures increased the toxicity of spinosad and chlorantraniliprole against M. ridens and only for emamectin on F. auricularia. This study provides essential insight to make recommendations for using these insecticides in combination with two natural enemies to control the codling moth in prevision of global warming. Our results suggest that the use of spinosad may become sub-optimal under higher temperatures. In contrast, chlorantraniliprole should be suitable under warmer climatic conditions to control C. pomonella and the less detrimental against F. auricularia and M. ridens. To conserve the use of biological control strategies relying on F. auricularia, alternating use of emamectin during early spring, when its toxicity is the lowest on this natural enemy, chlorantraniliprole during summer could limit resistance risks in codling moth populations and reduce the insecticides' impact on the populations of natural enemies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Plants, People, Planet is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this paper, a stochastic model is used to simulate daily minimum temperature time series coming from observations and two CMIP5 climate models (IPSL-CM5A-MR and CNRM-CM5) in order to analyze the changes in cold wave number and proportions under future climate conditions. The stochastic model allows computing 100 temperature time series for each different source (observation or climate model), and for 22 locations in France, which enables inferring the statistical significance of the changes. Two future time periods, near (around 2010-2060) and far future (around 2050-2100), and two RCPs (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) are considered, while 3 different thresholds are used to identify cold waves: 0 °C and the 10th and 5th percentiles of observed wintertime (December-January-February) daily minimum temperature distribution. The results show that both models project a significantly lower number of cold waves in the future, all durations considered, but the changes mainly concern the proportion of the longest cold waves (10 days and more). The decreases are higher with IPSL-CM5A-MR than with CNRM-CM5. The main driver of this change is the decreasing frequency of the observation based thresholds in the future, which is higher for IPSL-CM5-MR model because the impact of a higher mean is enhanced by a decrease in the variance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims at modelling the daily concentrations of nonylphenolic compounds such as 4-nonylphenol (4-NP), nonylphenol monoethoxylate (NP1EO) and nonylphenoxy acetic acid (NP1EC) within the Seine River downstream of Paris City for over a year, firstly in the present state (year 2010) and for years 2050 and 2100 in order to assess the consequences of global change on the fate of nonylphenolic compounds in the Seine river. Concentrations were first simulated for the year 2010 and compared to monthly measured values downstream of Paris. To achieve this goal, the hydrodynamic and biogeochemical model, ProSe, was updated to simulate the fate of 4-NP, NP1EO and NP1EC. The Seine upstream and Oise River (tributaries of the Seine River) concentrations are estimated according to concentrations-flow relationships. For Seine Aval wastewater treatment plant (SA-WWTP), the concentrations are considered constant and the median values of 11 campaigns are used. The biodegradation kinetics of 4-NP, NP1EO and NP1EC in the Seine River were deduced from the results of the companion paper. The Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient indicates a good efficiency to simulate the concentrations of 4-NP, NP1EC and NP1EO over an entire year. Eight scenarios were built to forecast the impacts of global warming (flow decrease), population growth (SA-WWTP flow increase) and optimisation of wastewater treatment (improvement of the quality of effluents) on annual concentrations of 4-NP, NP1EO and NP1EC at Meulan by 2050 and 2100. As a result, global warming and population growth may increase the concentrations of 4-NP, NP1EC and NP1EO, especially during low-flow conditions, while the optimisation of wastewater treatment is an efficient solution to balance the global change by reducing WWTP outflows., (© 2013.)

This paper analyses the interlinked usages of the concepts of ‘governance’ and ‘sustainable development’ over the past two decades of French urban policies. It shows that the importance of ‘sustainable development’ procedural principles has significantly declined in public agendas alongside the rise to prominence of climate change issues. Based on a study of the urban policies developed by central French government authorities since the 1990s, it identifies two main phases. In the 1990s and early 2000s, ‘sustainable development’ and ‘governance’ slogans were extensively mobilized in urban policies for the purposes of modernizing public action. In a context of economic, social and institutional transformations, these urban policies aimed at constructing local dynamics of collective action and encouraged the emergence of projects relying on incremental and deliberative practices. As of the mid-2000s, this dynamic weakened and climate change replaced sustainable development as a reference in urban policies. This shift occurred in the context of a neo-managerial restructuring, with central government authorities regaining influence over cities and urban policies being redefined around quantitative and technical objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faced with increasing urbanization and uncertainties linked to climate change, the scientific community has integrated the concept of resilience into urban management practices. Once revolutionary, now a buzzword, resilience is a concept that is difficult to transform into an integrated tool that stakeholders accept and adopt. This paper offers a perspective on the different interpretations of resilience, its difficult implementation and the tools that seek to operationalize it. The underlying questions are how these tools are appropriated by urban managers and territorial decision-makers, and how the theoretical concept can be translated into resilient urban development. This research paper reviews the work on resilience and investigates its use and operationalization, comparing two different approaches – organizational (Canada) and holistic (France) – that aim to clarify and operationalize resilience. These theoretical approaches have been combined to create workshops for urban managers so they can move from theoretical results to practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme weather events have strong impacts on agriculture and crop insurance. In France, drought (2003, 2011, 2017, and 2018) and excess of water (2016) are considered the most significant events in terms of economic losses. The crop (re)insurance industry must estimate its financial exposure to climatic events in terms of the average annual losses and potential extreme damages. Therefore, the objective of this paper was to develop a model that links meteorological indices to crop yield losses with a specific focus on extreme climatic events. We designed a meteorological index (DOWKI: Drought and Overwhelmed Water Key Indicator) based on a water balance cumulative anomaly that can explain drought and excess of water at the department scale. We propose a crop damage model calibrated by combining historical yield records and the DOWKI values. To estimate the financial exposure of insured crops at a national level, stochastic simulations of the DOWKI were performed to produce one thousand years of yield losses. Our objective was to estimate the effect of climatic extremes affecting the global production. Simulated average annual losses and the possible maximum claim for three crops (soft winter wheat, winter barley, and sunflower) are presented in the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groundwater represents the most important freshwater resource. In this paper, we applied a spatial approach based on the Geographical Information Systems (GIS) technology to assess the groundwater vulnerability in the Grand Est region from northeastern France. Aquifers media (AM), potential infiltration map (PIM), pollution load index (PLI), and effective precipitation (EP) were the main parameters used in the calculation of groundwater vulnerability. This study proposes a spatial-temporal analysis including past (1961–1990), near future (2011–2040), and more distant future (2041–2070), thereafter called the 1990s, the 2020s, and the 2050s. To validate the results, groundwater monitoring stations data of Nitrate (NO 3 −), dated from 2005 to 2012, was used as reference datasets. The validation of the groundwater vulnerability map was based on pixel pair comparison (PPC) method and it indicates 42.85% perfect confidence and 50% good confidence for the groundwater vulnerability map in 2020s period. The high groundwater vulnerability was found in the Rhine, Marne, and Aube Valleys, while the low and very low vulnerability was depicted in the Vosges, Ardennes Mountains, and some territories form the central region for all three periods. Application of the proposed framework indicates increases of vulnerability up to 60% between 1990s and 2020s and up to 80% between 1990s and 2050s scenarios. The output maps and findings could be useful for the future environmental plans of the region and, in addition, could help mitigate the problems related to water resources, considering the climate expectations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]