What the Science Tells Us about Climate Change

2020 ◽  
pp. 19-42
Author(s):  
Janis Sarra
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Climate Adaptation ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Current Science ◽  
Health And Well Being ◽  
Impacts Of Climate Change

Chapter 2 offers an analysis of the state of science and its direct implications for business. It explores how the physical impacts of climate change are already evident, discussing impacts on human health and well-being; on food security and food production systems; on the ecosystems of oceans, lands, and wetlands; and impacts on freshwater resources and on the cryosphere. The chapter examines the concept of climate tipping points and the implications for businesses. It also explores why mitigation is crucially important to reversing the negative impacts of climate change and discusses why climate adaptation is important and necessary, but not, in itself, sufficient to change the current trajectory of global warming. The chapter focuses particularly on what companies need to know about the current science on climate change.

Adapting to climate change for food security in the Rift Valley dry lands of Ethiopia: supplemental irrigation, plant density and sowing date

2016 ◽  
Vol 155 (5) ◽  
pp. 703-724 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. MULUNEH ◽  
L. STROOSNIJDER ◽  
S. KEESSTRA ◽  
B. BIAZIN
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Plant Density ◽  
Maize Yield ◽  
Sowing Date ◽  
Supplemental Irrigation ◽  
Dry Spells ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Improve Food Security ◽  
Impacts Of Climate Change

SUMMARYStudies on climate impacts and related adaptation strategies are becoming increasingly important to counteract the negative impacts of climate change. In Ethiopia, climate change is likely to affect crop yields negatively and therefore food security. However, quantitative evidence is lacking about the ability of farm-level adaptation options to offset the negative impacts of climate change and to improve food security. The MarkSim Global Climate Model weather generator was used to generate projected daily rainfall and temperature data originally taken from the ECHAM5 general circulation model and ensemble mean of six models under high (A2) and low (B1) emission scenarios. The FAO AquaCrop model was validated and subsequently used to predict maize yields and explore three adaptation options: supplemental irrigation (SI), increasing plant density and changing sowing date. The maximum level of maize yield was obtained when the second level of supplemental irrigation (SI2), which is the application of irrigation water when the soil water depletion reached 75% of the total available water in the root zone, is combined with 30 000 plants/ha plant density. It was also found that SI has a marginal effect in good rainfall years but using 94–111 mm of SI can avoid total crop failure in drought years. Hence, SI is a promising option to bridge dry spells and improve food security in the Rift Valley dry lands of Ethiopia. Expected longer dry spells during the shorter rainy season (Belg) in the future are likely to further reduce maize yield. This predicted lower maize production is only partly compensated by the expected increase in CO2 concentration. However, shifting the sowing period of maize from the current Belg season (mostly April or May) to the first month of the longer rainy season (Kiremt) (June) can offset the predicted yield reduction. In general, the present study showed that climate change will occur and, without adaptation, will have negative effects. Use of SI and shifting sowing dates are viable options for adapting to the changes, stabilizing or increasing yield and therefore improving food security for the future.

scholarly journals Worrying about climate change: is it responsible to promote public debate?

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 31-32
Author(s):  
Helen L. Berry ◽  
Dominic Peel
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Fossil Fuel ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Public Debate ◽  
Health Impacts ◽  
Population Mental Health ◽  
Regional Australia ◽  
Impacts Of Climate Change

Some fear that provoking widespread worry about climate change may harm mental health. The Regional Wellbeing Survey, a large study of health, well-being and life in rural and regional Australia, examined climate change worry and attitudes. Most respondents were worried about climate change and agreed that fossil fuel use causes global warming, but there was no evidence to suggest that worry about climate change is linked to mental health in the general population. Respectful, calm, considered public debate about how to respond to climate change is unlikely to be harmful to population mental health. Individually focused clinical approaches are unlikely to be effective as a primary approach in managing the mental health impacts of climate change. Instead, collective, systems-based approaches will be needed.

scholarly journals The nature buffer: the missing link in climate change and mental health research

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naseem Dillman-Hasso
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Mental Health Benefits ◽  
C 32 ◽  
Health And Well Being ◽  
Impacts Of Climate Change

AbstractThe connections between climate change and mental health are well known (Berry et al., Int J Publ Health 55(2):123–132, 2010; Clayton and Manning 2018; Kim et al., J Environ Sci Health C 32(3):299–318, 2014). Research also points to the positive impacts of nature on mental health, well-being, and attention (Capaldi et al., Int J Wellbeing 5(4):1–16, 2015; Kaplan and Kaplan 1989; Tillmann et al., J Epidemiol Community Health 72(10):958–966, 2018). However, no empirical research has examined how degradation of nature as a result of climate change can impact the mental health benefits that nature provides. This paper first reviews the existing research on the negative mental health consequences of climate change and the benefits of nature exposure for stress, mental health, and well-being. The connection between these two lines of research is examined in order to fully understand the impacts of climate change on mental health. Suggestions for future research are included.

scholarly journals COVID-19 pandemic-related changes in wellness behavior among older Americans

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elgloria Harrison ◽  
Lillie Monroe-Lord ◽  
Andrew D. Carson ◽  
Anne Marie Jean-Baptiste ◽  
Janet Phoenix ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Health And Well Being

Abstract Background COVID-19 has taken its toll on citizens in all 50 states of the United States. The United States (U.S.) leads the world with 30,291,863 confirmed reported cases and 549,664 deaths as of March 29, 2021 compared to globally confirmed cases at 127,442,926 and 2,787,915 deaths as of March 29, 2021. The U.S. federal government primarily left the response to the virus to individual states, and each implemented varying measures designed to protect health of citizens and the state’s economic well-being. Unintended consequences of the virus and measures to stop its spread may include decreased physical activity and exercise, shifting access and consumption of food, and lower quality-of-life. Therefore, our primary goal was to quantify the impact of COVID-19 on health and well-being by measuring changes in physical activity, mental health-quality of life, food security and nutrition in adults ages 40 and older. We believed shifts in health behaviors would be more prevalent in minorities, less educated, lower socio-economic status, older adults, and those with underlying health conditions, so a secondary goal was to determine the impact of COVID-19 on these sub-populations. Methods We conducted an online survey with 9969 adults 40 years and older between 9 August and 15 September 2020 in urban areas across the four U.S. census regions. The survey included questions about demographic variables, pre-existing health conditions, physical activity, access to food, quality-of-life, and nutritional food status and asked participants to respond with information from pre-pandemic and pandemic conditions. We used paired-sample t-tests to detect changes in variables after the start of the pandemic and Cohen’s d to determine effect sizes. Results Our main findings showed a decrease in physical activity since the onset of COVID-19 for minorities and non-minorities. Food security also slightly increased for minorities during the pandemic, but we found no other changes in food security, quality-of-life indicators, or nutritional status of those who responded to this survey. Conclusions It is concerning that physical activity declined. Such activity helps maintain physical and mental health, and it is also an important time to socialize for many older adults. In many ways, our data indicate that the older adult population in U.S. cities may be more resilient than expected during the pandemic. However, the pandemic could have negative impacts that we did not detect, either due to the survey instrument or the timing of our survey, so the health and well-being of older adults should continue to be monitored in order to mitigate potential negative impacts.

scholarly journals Impacts of Climate Change: Can Fisheries and Aquaculture Sectors Survive the Wave?

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 78
Author(s):  
Talent Ndlovu ◽  
Sylvain Charlebois
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Ocean Ecosystem ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Impacts Of Climate Change

Studies have shown the impact of climate change on the ocean ecosystem and the fishing and aquaculture sectors. As global warming intensifies, this will impact communities and communities as the populations of some fish species decline or increase. Research on the impacts of climate change to fisheries will facilitate the development of policies, helping communities to adapt while ensuring resilience and sustainability of the sector(s). This paper assesses the short term and long-term impacts of climate change to the ocean ecosystem, the consequences to economies and communities that rely on fishing for food security. It begins with a review of peer reviewed literature, followed by an analysis of the current policies and ends with some recommendations for governments in the sustainability and management of the ecosystem in the future. Important to note is the impact of human generated hazards and how a more holistic approach to minimizing risks to the ocean ecosystem could resolve threats of food insecurity in future.

scholarly journals The nature buffer: The missing link in climate change and mental health research

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naseem Dillman-Hasso
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Empirical Research ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Mental Health Research ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Mental Health Benefits ◽  
Health And Well Being ◽  
Impacts Of Climate Change

The connections between climate change and mental health are well known (Berry et al., 2010; Clayton and Manning 2018; Kim et al., 2014). Research also points to the positive impacts of nature on mental health, well-being, and attention (Capaldi et al., 2015; Kaplan and Kaplan 1989; Tillmann et al., 2018). However, no empirical research has examined how degradation of nature as a result of climate change can impact the mental health benefits that nature provides. This paper first reviews the existing research on the negative mental health consequences of climate change and the benefits of nature exposure for stress, mental health, and well-being. The connection between these two lines of research is examined in order to fully understand the impacts of climate change on mental health. Suggestions for future research are included.

The impacts of climate change on food security and health in Southern Africa

2008 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 12-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
H.L. Wlokas
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
National Level ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Weather Events ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Mitigation Action ◽  
Impacts Of Climate Change

Climate change will have a great impact on Southern Africa according to the IPCC. Two closely related topics, food security and health will be affected by the changes in many ways. Difficulties in transporting food through carbon regulations in air-freight, changing conditions for growing food crops and negative impacts on fishery might occur and will very possible lead to an increase in malnutrition in the region. Changes of the climate will also have an effect on the way illnesses are transmitted and cause a number of extreme weather events which can have an extremely damaging consequence on human living. Two main efforts are being work on in terms of dealing with these concerns. At the inter-national, regional and national levels, adaptation and mitigation action is being planned and imple-mented. Activities at each level are discussed and I argue this in this  paper that currently the most effi-cient way of dealing with the existing and future burdens of climate change impacts are activities at a national level, and enhanced effort has to be made to improve regional and international collaboration in addressing these issues.

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