Lessons from the pandemic: climate change and COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
David Heath Cooper ◽  
Joane Nagel
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Climate Change ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Natural World ◽  
Future Climate ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Policy Responses ◽  
Future Policy ◽  
Health And Well Being

PurposeThis article examines US official and public responses to the COVID-19 pandemic for insights into future policy and pubic responses to global climate change.Design/methodology/approachThis article compares two contemporary global threats to human health and well-being: the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change. We identify several similarities and differences between the two environmental phenomena and explore their implications for public and policy responses to future climate-related disasters and disruptions.FindingsOur review of research on environmental and public health crises reveals that though these two crises appear quite distinct, some useful comparisons can be made. We analyze several features of the pandemic for their implications for possible future responses to global climate change: elasticity of public responses to crises; recognition of environmental, health, racial, and social injustice; demand for effective governance; and resilience of the natural world.Originality/valueThis paper examines public and policy responses to the coronavirus pandemic for their implications for mitigating and adapting to future climate crises.

What Islamic contributions have been made to climate change action and how useful are they in promoting environmental justice?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elle Turnbull
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Environmental Justice ◽  
Criminal Law ◽  
Global Climate Change ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Culturally Specific ◽  
Religious Perspective ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Global Environmental

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore Islamic contributions to discussions on climate change action and environmental justice. The author argues that Islamic approaches to this issue provide a unique cultural and religious perspective which can effectively address the issue of climate change. Design/methodology/approach Beginning with a discussion of the concepts central to this essay, the author moves to discuss why she has chosen to move away from approaches founded in criminal law, instead of arguing that it is important to focus on culturally specific approaches to environmental justice. The author then explores some of the approaches taken by mainstream Muslim organisations working towards environmental justice. In particular, the Islamic Declaration on Global Climate Change and responses from Islamic Relief Worldwide, considering both the benefits and flaws of these approaches. Findings The author concludes by arguing that Sharīʿah has potential for developing Muslim environmental justice further, using Islamic legal rulings from Indonesia as an example. In this way, Islamic contributions can further aid global environmental justice. The author finds that culturally specific approaches to climate change, founded in legal mechanisms such as the Islamic juridical process (fiqh), have vast potential in securing environmental justice across the globe. Originality/value Islamic contributions to climate change are often relegated to the background, while approaches from the perspective of legal mechanisms and criminal law have been favoured. The author believes that an Islamic approach is not only a starkly different approach, but also one which can provide an impetus for change. This is particularly true for the contributions of Islamic jurists.

scholarly journals Are we ignoring a black elephant in the Anthropocene? Climate change and global pandemic as the crisis in health and equality

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shinichiro Asayama ◽  
Seita Emori ◽  
Masahiro Sugiyama ◽  
Fumiko Kasuga ◽  
Chiho Watanabe
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Natural Environment ◽  
Human Activities ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Climate ◽  
Global Environment ◽  
Human Society ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Sustainability Research ◽  
Health And Well Being

Abstract Climate change and coronavirus pandemic are the twin crises in the Anthropocene, the era in which unsustainable growth of human activities has led to a significant change in the global environment. The two crises have also exposed a chronic social illness of our time—a deep, widespread inequality in society. Whilst the circumstances are unfortunate, the pandemic can provide an opportunity for sustainability scientists to focus more on human society and its inequalities, rather than a sole focus on the natural environment. It opens the way for a new normative commitment of science in a time of crises. We suggest three agendas for future climate and sustainability research after the pandemic: (1) focus on health and well-being, (2) moral engagement through empathy, and (3) science of loss for managing grief.

scholarly journals Gardening in Ashes: The Possibilities and Limitations of Gardening to Support Indigenous Health and Well-Being in the Context of Wildfires and Colonialism

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (9) ◽  
pp. 3273
Author(s):  
Kelsey Timler ◽  
Dancing Water Sandy
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Forest Fires ◽  
Food Sovereignty ◽  
Indigenous Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Natural World ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Climate Crisis ◽  
Health And Well Being

In this paper, we will discuss gardening as a relationship with nature and an ongoing process to support Indigenous health and well-being in the context of the climate crisis and increasingly widespread forest fires. We will explore the concept of gardening as both a Euro-Western agriculture practice and as a longstanding Indigenous practice—wherein naturally occurring gardens are tended in relationship and related to a wider engagement with the natural world — and the influences of colonialism and climate change on both. Drawing on our experiences as an Indigenous Knowledge Keeper (Dancing Water) and a non-Indigenous community-based researcher (Kelsey), our dialogue will outline ways to support health and well-being through land-based activities that connect with Indigenous traditions in ways that draw on relationships to confront colonialism and the influences of climate change. This dialogue is founded on our experiences in the central interior of British Columbia, Canada, one of the areas hit hardest by the 2017 wildfires. We will explore the possibilities and limitations of gardening and the wider concept of reciprocity and relationship as a means to support food security, food sovereignty, and health for Indigenous Peoples.

China-US deal sets stage for new climate change regime

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
United States ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Global Climate Change ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
The United States ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Bilateral Agreement ◽  
The Eu ◽  
Game Changer

Significance The United States has already committed, in an unprecedented deal with China in November 2014, to reducing its emissions to 26-28% below 2005 levels by 2025 (an improvement on its previous 17% goal). China in return pledged that its emissions would peak around 2030. This agreement is a game-changer for combating global climate change, since the two countries are the world's largest sources of carbon emissions, together accounting for 40% of the total, and were not covered under the now-expired Kyoto Protocol. Impacts Washington is poised to reclaim its place, lost after Kyoto, as a leader in global efforts against climate change. US-China climate cooperation initiatives could serve as templates for other developing countries. There are new opportunities for trilateral cooperation involving the EU. Fears that the bilateral agreement makes the UNFCCC obsolete are unwarranted, but it could preclude more ambitious efforts.

Knowledge management and global climate change regime negotiations

foresight ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamad Zakaria
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Knowledge Management ◽  
Global Climate Change ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Deep Understanding ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Climate Change Negotiations ◽  
Critical Issues ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss some of the important factors that negotiators and policy-makers need to take into account while putting their strategies to negotiate global climate change regimes. Design/methodology/approach – This paper is based on qualitative research using the deductive approach. Integrating the theoretical and empirical material in the analysis is used to enhance the readers’ value and interest in the paper. Findings – Without deep understanding of why some international negotiations related to climate change have previously failed, it is difficult to successfully negotiate them in the future. Flexibility and openness during negotiations and to consider the views and concerns of all global actors in finding optimum solutions and cooperation are among the many essential factors that bring the world leaders into a compromise agreement and a global climate change regime. Knowledge management including taking into account the discussed factors may help the negotiators and public to be more prepared to understand the obstacles that may complicate negotiating the international climate change regimes. Research limitations/implications – This paper is not intended for those who have years of experience in climate change negotiations nor for those seeking deep theoretical knowledge about this topic. Practical implications – This paper has practical implications as it combines the theories of international relations with practical evidences from previous Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Social implications – This paper is an essential read to students and young scientists, as well as to young policy-makers within the environmental politics. Originality/value – The paper deals with a very important and current issue and little has been published on the process of preparation for negotiating climate change negotiation. It covers some critical issues and determining factors in such negotiations.

scholarly journals Climate change and plant diseases

2008 ◽  
Vol 65 (spe) ◽  
pp. 98-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raquel Ghini ◽  
Emília Hamada ◽  
Wagner Bettiol
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Climate Change ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Historical Context ◽  
Temporal Distribution ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Simulation Models ◽  
Future Climate ◽  
Plant Diseases ◽  
Using Data

Human activities are altering greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere and causing global climate change. In the near future, there will certainly be changes in the Brazilian phytosanitary scenario attributed to global climate change. The impacts of climate change can be positive, negative or neutral, since these changes can decrease, increase or have no impact on diseases, depending on each region or period. These impacts will also be observed on plants and other organisms as well as on other agroecosystem components. However, these impacts are not easily determined, and consequently, specialists from several areas must go beyond their disciplinary boundaries and placing the climate change impacts in a broader context. This review focuses on the discussion of different aspects related to the effects of climate change on plant diseases. On the geographical and temporal distribution of diseases, a historical context is presented and recent studies using data of forecast models of future climate associated with disease simulation models are discussed in order to predict the distribution in future climate scenarios. Predicted future disease scenarios for some crops in Brazil are shown. On the effects of increasing concentrations of atmospheric CO2 and other gases, important aspects are discussed of how diseases change under altered atmospheric gases conditions in the future. The consequences of these changes on the chemical and biological control of plant diseases are also discussed.

scholarly journals Shifts in phenology due to global climate change: the need for a yardstick

2005 ◽  
Vol 272 (1581) ◽  
pp. 2561-2569 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcel E Visser ◽  
Christiaan Both
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Climate Change ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Natural World ◽  
First Approximation ◽  
Taxonomic Groups ◽  
Almost All ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Species Shifts

Climate change has led to shifts in phenology in many species distributed widely across taxonomic groups. It is, however, unclear how we should interpret these shifts without some sort of a yardstick: a measure that will reflect how much a species should be shifting to match the change in its environment caused by climate change. Here, we assume that the shift in the phenology of a species' food abundance is, by a first approximation, an appropriate yardstick. We review the few examples that are available, ranging from birds to marine plankton. In almost all of these examples, the phenology of the focal species shifts either too little (five out of 11) or too much (three out of 11) compared to the yardstick. Thus, many species are becoming mistimed due to climate change. We urge researchers with long-term datasets on phenology to link their data with those that may serve as a yardstick, because documentation of the incidence of climate change-induced mistiming is crucial in assessing the impact of global climate change on the natural world.

Applying student-generated theories about global change and energy demand

2015 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 258-271 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gilbert Ahamer
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Change ◽  
Global Climate Change ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Learning Theories ◽  
Learning Technology ◽  
Climate Protection ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Highly Nonlinear

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore how learning technology could be applied to the development of educational tools for global climate change. The task to be performed in an informed dialogue is to assess the causes and drivers for global climate change and to produce an improved basis of scientific understanding for the implementation of the climate protection targets suggested for each country. By character, this approach integrates the political and the scientific level. Design/methodology/approach – The paper applies learning theories and options for educational technologies to socio-economic, technological, biospheric, political and scientific themes relevant to present climate change. Findings – Drivers, effects and subsequent measures are subject to highly nonlinear effects. Thus, the combination of a (scientific, fact based) “Global Change Data Base” and a (dialogic, communication based) discourse (in the spirit of “Surfing Global Change”) seems best suitable to produce solutions for the seemingly unresolvable issues of climate protection. This combination of approaches is entitled “Tackle the Task of a Transition through Technological Targets (T5)” and allows the application of hypotheses generated by students in a scaffolded setting of discursive learning. Social implications – Suggestions for CO2 abatement measures are currently passing the process of political negotiation in all countries in the world. The different views and patterns of ethical values are harmonised during the T5 learning process and symbolise the required political process of consensus finding among and between different ministries, countries and global interest groups. Originality/value – This approach includes social and natural driving factors such as population, land use, economics, politics, energy systems, the global carbon cycle, biosphere and climate, and thus offers a more comprehensive learning endeavour than many other approaches.

scholarly journals Linking Personal Experience to Global Concern: How Zoo Visits Affect Sustainability Behavior and Views of Climate Change

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 7117
Author(s):  
Josie A. Taylor ◽  
Leslie A. Duram
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Environmental Education ◽  
Global Climate Change ◽  
Environmental Concern ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Sustainability Education ◽  
Natural World ◽  
Iucn Red List ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Impact

Globally, many species are threatened by habitat loss and are impacted by climate change due to human activities. According to the IUCN Red List, nearly 9000 animal species are now endangered or critically endangered. Yet, humans are largely ignorant to the impact they have on the environment due to lack of effective sustainability education. Currently, one of the most practical ways to connect with our global natural world is by visiting a local zoo. Zoos engage people with numerous species that they would otherwise never have the opportunity to see. Environmental education at zoos has come to address issues such as sustainability, personal green habits, and global climate change. Given the important role of zoos in sustainability education, there is a surprising lack of research on the topic. Due to its innovative nature, the research shown in this study acts as a pilot study set to gauge the impact of zoos on sustainability and climate change perspectives. This article investigates the extent to which adult survey respondents believe their current sustainability behaviors and their perceptions of global climate change have been influenced by their childhood visits to zoos and the environmental education topics learned during these visits. To investigate the long-term impact that zoos have on common sustainability behavior, a survey of 136 university students from various academic fields was conducted. The analysis found that 76% of respondents believe they act sustainably in their daily lives through actions such as sustainable shopping and recycling, with only 35% of individuals indicating that they learned their sustainable behaviors at zoos. Yet, 65% of respondents indicated that they believe zoos impact their overall level of environmental concern, primarily regarding knowledge of animal welfare and endangered species. Results suggest that individuals who are very concerned about climate change spent time at zoos, more than just one annual visit, and those zoo visits encourage global sustainability learning for the individual. This study suggests that zoos should expand visitor engagement through environmental education that encourages meaningful sustainability behavior and climate change knowledge.

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