scholarly journals Changing Climate Patterns and Women Health: An Empirical Analysis of District Rawalpindi, Pakistan

2018 ◽  
Vol III (IV) ◽  
pp. 320-342
Author(s):  
Tahseen Ajaz ◽  
Muhammad Tariq Majeed
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Rural Women ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Burden Of Illness ◽  
Extreme Rainfall ◽  
Outdoor Environment ◽  
Weather Patterns ◽  
Women Health ◽  
Increasing Temperature

Climate change, the greatest environmental challenge of current era, affects human health badly. Natural hazards such as storms, droughts, excessive rains, floods, droughts and increasing temperature always threaten human health. South Asian rural women bear more household responsibilities than men in terms of fetching water and burning biomass fuel for cooking and heating. To obtain these resources women have to go out and are more exposed to outdoor environment and the increased exposure make them more amenable to the effects of changing climatic and weather patterns. The objective of this study is to document women health impacts under climate change in District Rawalpindi, Pakistan. We find that climate change increases the incidence of diseases which affect physical health. In developing countries, extreme weather patterns disproportionally affect vulnerable population like women, children and others bear burden of illness. Pakistan also faces heat waves fluctuation during summer and extreme rainfall pattern which have severe effect on overall health of individuals. We conclude that climatic changes (increasing heat intensity, dry spells, unusual rains and others) affect women health badly. The state has to improve our climate by offering effective policies. This may include reforestation, plantation in and outside homes and environmental friendly policies like renewable energy that is a shift from coal and oil investing energy projects. Increase of green areas within urban localities is also needed.

Compound heat and ozone pollution events relevant for human health

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elke Hertig ◽  
Ana Russo ◽  
Ricardo Trigo
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Myocardial Infarction ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Future Climate Change ◽  
Ozone Pollution ◽  
Ground Level Ozone ◽  
Ozone Concentrations ◽  
South Europe

<p>Temperature extremes and air pollution pose a significant threat to human health. A specific concern applies to heat events and elevated ground-level ozone concentrations, due to the physical relationships between these variables, the single and combined effects of both variables on human health and the anticipated substantial changes in the scope of climate change.</p><p>The present contribution addresses relationships between air temperature and ground-level ozone, the association of these variables with atmospheric circulation patterns, the anticipated changes under future climate change as well as their association with human morbidity (i.e. myocardial infarction frequencies, Hertig et al. 2019) and mortality. The focus is on two climatically different regions in Europe, i.e., Bavaria (Central Europe) and Portugal (South Europe).</p><p>In general, a strong relationship between air temperature and ozone formation became evident. Due to the non-linear nature of the relationship, higher temperatures usually led to substantially enhanced ozone concentrations. In the scope of climate change, considerable increases of maximum temperatures were assessed for Bavaria until the end of the century. Also, future ozone concentrations were projected to rise (Hertig 2020). With respect to spell-length related extremes (heat waves and/ or ozone pollution waves), heat waves were identified as the most frequent wave type for the two European regions under investigation. Waves were associated with in-situ built-up as well as with advection of air masses. Despite different climate settings, a comparable exposure to heat and ozone waves was found in Central and South Europe. In view of excess mortality, the most severe impacts were always associated with compound heat-ozone waves (Hertig et al. 2020).</p><p>Research was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) under project number 408057478.</p><p>Hertig, E., Russo, A., Trigo, R. (2020): Heat and ozone pollution waves in Central and South Europe- characteristics, weather types, and association with mortality. Atmosphere. doi: 10.3390/atmos11121271</p><p>Hertig, E. (2020): Health-relevant ground-level ozone and temperature events under future climate change using the example of Bavaria, Southern Germany. Air Quality, Atmosphere and Health. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-020-00811-z</p><p>Hertig, E., Schneider, A., Peters, A., von Scheidt, W., Kuch, B., Meisinger, Ch. (2019): Association of ground-level ozone, meteorological factors and weather types with daily myocardial infarction frequencies in Augsburg, Southern Germany. Atmos. Environment. DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2019.116975</p>

Teaching in Stormy Weather

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 513-517
Author(s):  
Shawna Ross
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Learning Community ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Weather Patterns ◽  
Weather Events ◽  
Oak Trees ◽  
Event Attribution ◽  
Adverse Weather ◽  
Stormy Weather

This article considers the pedagogical implications of climate change and other environmental catastrophes of the Anthropocene, the new geological epoch identified by climate scientists. In the Anthropocene, the human species has become the most significant force shaping Earth’s geosphere and is responsible for a number of anxiety-producing effects beyond the rise of global temperatures. As erratic weather patterns and extreme weather events have increased, climatologists have been perfecting new methods of single-event attribution capable of linking particular adverse weather events (including droughts, heat waves, flooding tornadoes, and hurricanes) directly to climate change. To provide a concrete example of those universal trends, the author applies her experiences in teaching in Texas, which is strongly marked by long-term forces of anthropogenic environmental devastation (such as the northward migration of the oak trees and alterations in the lithosphere caused by oil extraction). It has also been impacted by hurricanes, floods, and freezes that delayed the onset of the Fall 2017 and Spring 2018 semesters and, in many cases, damaged or destroyed her students’ homes at Texas A&M. The article recounts the strategies that her learning community used to adjust to these exigencies and then offers suggestions for adapting these strategies to other locales.

scholarly journals Macro-level study on Climate Change effects on agriculture and human health in Western Himalayas: A Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashutosh Mohanty
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Social Inequalities ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Pest Species ◽  
Western Himalayas ◽  
Forest Pest ◽  
Climate Change Effects ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Increasing Temperature

The current study reveals that the western Himalayas has a fragile ecosystem, highly susceptible to rapid changes in land morphology due to the consequences of climate change. Land-use and climatic change in this region has negative impacts on agriculture and human health. Increasing temperature, erratic precipitation, and rising CO2 concentrations are the main drivers which show adverse effects on agriculture and human health. The impacts trends in this region can be categorised into exacerbated pathogenicity are pathogens, and hence disease outbreaks, changes in the traditional agriculture techniques, and people’s migration that directly changes in ecological and leading to social inequalities. In the last few decades, there have been changes in vector species distribution in agriculture and increases of forest pest species attacks by climate change in agriculture and forest pest increases, and parasites are emerging during periods of these last few decades. Enhancement of seasonal transmission and distribution of pests pushes food insecurity and vector-borne infections deteriorate human health. This review article tries to analyse different literature on the effects of climate change on agriculture and human health in the Western Himalayas and suggest agroforestry and agroecology is some of the strategies to overcome climate change impact.

scholarly journals Impact of Climate Change on India

2019 ◽  
pp. 31-44
Author(s):  
J. Srinivasan
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Surface Air Temperature ◽  
Extreme Rainfall ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Variability ◽  
Sea Levels ◽  
Himalayan Glaciers ◽  
Dry Spells ◽  
Rainfall Patterns

India’s high population density, large spatial and temporal variability in rainfall, and high poverty rates make it particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. This chapter provides a baseline of knowledge on evidence and impacts. More frequent episodes of extreme rainfall, longer dry spells, higher sea levels, and heat waves are expected. This will have unpredictable impacts on agriculture and public health. There has been an increase in the national mean surface air temperature and the number of hot days, significant regional variations in rainfall patterns, measurable melting of Himalayan glaciers, and a rise in sea level on both the coasts of the country. High levels of air pollution could exacerbate changes in rainfall patterns. India will need better climate models to predict impacts by state and region, a prerequisite for informed adaptation policy.

scholarly journals Impact of climate change on the hydrologic cycle and implications for society

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dagbegnon C. ◽  
Sohoulande Djebou ◽  
Vijay P. Singh
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Water Security ◽  
Extreme Rainfall ◽  
Hydrologic Cycle ◽  
Cold Weather ◽  
Cultural Economic ◽  
Economic Dimension ◽  
Chain Reactions

Should we attribute all natural disasters, such as floods, droughts, extreme rainfall, extreme snowfall, glacial melting, changes in space-time distribution of rainfall, changes in ecosystems, earthquakes, fire hazards, hurricanes, tsunamis, tornadoes, heat waves, extreme cold weather, wind storms and health epidemics, to climate change? This question often comes up when we review the burgeoning literature on climate change and its impacts. Although climate change is still being debated in certain political, social and economic quarters, there is overwhelming and undeniable scientific evidence supporting climate change. Climate change impacts virtually every facet of society — scientific, technological, environmental, ecological, social, cultural, economic, and political. As a result, strategies for mitigating the impacts and adapting to climate change must be broad and integrated. Some of the impacts stem from the chain reactions in the earth system. Therefore, the socio-economic dimension should be an integral part of climate change discussion. Current literature on climate change is less than balanced among domains of scientific and human thought. This would probably change in the future, since the adaptation strategies are becoming an increasing concern in the scientific community. This article examines the impacts caused by climate change on the hydrologic cycle and discusses their repercussions for the society. It also provides suggestions that may be relevant for redefining policies aiming to improve water security at local and global levels.

Factors Impeding the Participation of Rural Women in the Climate Change Discourse: A Requirement for Social Work Intervention

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Louis Nyahunda ◽  
Frans Koketso Matlakala ◽  
Jabulani Calvin Makhubele
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Rural Women ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Resource Base ◽  
Vhembe District ◽  
Impacts Of Climate Change

The disproportional impacts of climate change on rural women are undisputable. Climate change impacts that manifest through droughts, heat waves, floods, scarcity of water and depletion of the natural resource base are becoming more precarious in the lives and livelihoods of rural women. This study aims to delineate factors hampering the participation of rural women in the climate change discourse in the Vhembe District, Limpopo, South Africa. The study adopted the qualitative methodology guided by a multi-case study design. A sample of 24 participants was selected through multistage sampling techniques. Rural women and social workers participated in the study. The data were collected using focus group discussions and semi-structured individual interviews and were analysed thematically. The study established that rural women in the Vhembe District are not participating in climate change decision-making processes, especially when it comes to community level politics where climate change-related decisions are made. Furthermore, the pervasive patriarchal dominance in the district discriminates against women and prevents them from acquiring land and property rights as well as adequate information about climate change adaptation and mitigation. The low social status of women is reducing their efforts to participate in the climate change discourse despite their perennial vulnerability to the impacts of climate change. These challenges faced by rural women in the climate change discourse are a cause for concern for the social work profession which is premised on enhancing human well-being.

scholarly journals Índices de Detecção de Mudanças Climáticas Derivados da Precipitação Pluviométrica e das Temperaturas em Recife-PE (Detection Indexes Derived from Climate Change Rainfall and Temperatures in Recife-PE)

2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Werônica Meira Souza ◽  
Pedro Vieira Azevedo
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Daily Rainfall ◽  
Extreme Rainfall ◽  
Climate Indices ◽  
Extreme Rainfall Events ◽  
Detection Rates ◽  
Rainfall Events ◽  
Daily Data

Este trabalho objetiva verificar as tendências dos índices de detecção de mudanças climáticas derivados da precipitação pluviométrica e das temperaturas máximas e mínimas em Recife, a partir do software RClimdex, com o propósito de averiguar se houve mudanças no comportamento dos elementos climáticos analisados. Foram utilizados dados diários da precipitação pluviométrica e das temperaturas (máximas e mínimas) no período de 1961 a 2008 em Recife, cedidos pelo INMET. Os resultados derivados da precipitação não apresentaram tendências significativas de redução. Por outro lado, diagnosticou-se aumento da frequência de eventos extremos de chuvas a partir da década de 80, com chuvas diárias superiores a 100 mm. Em relação aos índices associados às temperaturas, todos apontam tendências positivas, indicando aumento das temperaturas máximas e mínimas em torno de 1oC nos 47 anos analisados, com aumento da frequência de dias e noites mais quentes, constatando-se aumento de ondas de calor na região. Apesar dos resultados apresentarem mudanças nos índices climáticos, estas alterações não necessariamente estão associadas a uma mudança climática global, mas principalmente as ações antropogências através da modificação do espaço. Palavras-chave: Mudança climática, precipitação pluviométrica, temperaturas, RClimdex.  Detection Indexes Derived from Climate Change Rainfall and Temperatures in Recife-PE  ABSTRACT This study aims to determine the detection rates of climate change derived from rainfall and maximum and minimum temperatures in Recife, through the RClimdex software, with the purpose of investigate whether there were changes in the behavior of climatic elements analyzed. It used daily data of rainfall and temperatures (maximum and minimum) in the period 1961 to 2008 in Recife, assigned by INMET. The results derived from the precipitation did not show significant trends of reduction. On the other hand, was diagnosed with increasing frequency of extreme rainfall events from the 1980, with daily rainfall exceeding 100 mm. Compared to the temperatures associated with, all indicate positive trends, indicating an increase of the maximum and minimum temperatures around 1 °C in 47 years analyzed, with increased frequency of hot days and nights, it noted the increase in heat waves in the region . Although the results present changes in climate indices, these changes are not necessarily associated with global climate change, but mainly through the actions of anthropogenic modification of the space. Keywords: Climate change, rainfall, temperatures, RClimdex.

scholarly journals Climate change in rural Pakistan: evidence and experiences from a people-centered perspective

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amber Ajani ◽  
Kees van der Geest
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Heat Waves ◽  
Agricultural Practices ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Climate Impacts ◽  
National Geographic Society ◽  
Weather Patterns ◽  
Climate Resilience ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Study Sites

AbstractPakistan is home to a wide range of geographical landscapes, each of which faces different climate change impacts and challenges. This article presents findings from a National Geographic Society funded project, which employed a people-centered, narratives-based approach to study climate impacts and adaptation strategies of people in 19 rural study sites in four provinces of Pakistan (N = 108). The study looked at six climate-related stressors—changes in weather patterns, floods, Glacial Lake Outburst Floods, drought, heat waves, and sea-level rise—in the coastal areas of Sindh, the desert of Thar, the plains of Punjab, and the mountains of Hunza, Gilgit, and Chitral. Speaking to people at these frontlines of climate change revealed much about climate suffering and trauma. Not only is the suffering induced by losses and damages to property and livelihood, but climate impacts also take a heavy toll on people’s psycho-social wellbeing, particularly when they are displaced from their homes. The findings further demonstrate that people try to adapt in various ways, for instance by altering their agricultural practices, but they face severe barriers to effective adaptation action. Understanding people’s perceptions of climate change and incorporating their recommendations in adaptation planning can help policy-makers develop a more participatory, inclusive, and holistic climate resilience framework for the future.

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