scholarly journals The Role of Climate Change in the Assessment of the Seismic Resilience of Infrastructures

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 76
Author(s):  
Davide Forcellini
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Coastal Hazards ◽  
Response Strategies ◽  
Assess Climate Change ◽  
Recovery Models ◽  
Seismic Resilience ◽  
Scientific Attitudes

Climate change is modifying scientific attitudes toward pre- and post-event assessments of natural hazards. Unprecedented levels of destruction need renewed focus on addressing and protecting communities forcing the decision makers to change their attention to vulnerability and risk assessment. In particular, society and economy rely heavily on infrastructures, as fundamental links for movement of goods and people, and are extremely vulnerable to multiple hazards (such as droughts, floods, storms, and coastal hazards). In this regard, resilience quantifies the recovery time and procedures to facilitate and enhance pre-hazard and post-hazard event mitigation and emergency response strategies of systems and entire communities. Resilience calculation depends on two important contributions: loss and recovery models that need to consider the effects of climate change. This paper aims to propose a methodology that implements the most recent approaches to assess climate change inside the traditional framework of resilience. The proposed framework is then applied to a case study of a bridge.

scholarly journals Power, the Pacific Islands, and the Prestige Press: A Case Study of How Climate Reporting is Influenced by UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Summits

2021 ◽  
pp. 194016122110180
Author(s):  
Meghan M. Shea ◽  
James Painter ◽  
Shannon Osaka
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Media Coverage ◽  
Pacific Islands ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Emotional Appeals ◽  
Issue Attention ◽  
Quantitative Results

While studies have investigated UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) meetings as drivers of climate change reporting as well as the geopolitical role of Pacific Islands in these international forums, little research examines the intersection: how media coverage of Pacific Islands and climate change (PICC) may be influenced by, or may influence, UNFCCC meetings. We analyze two decades of reporting on PICC in American, British, and Australian newspapers—looking at both volume and content of coverage—and expand the quantitative results with semi-structured interviews with journalists and Pacific stakeholders. Issue attention on PICC increases and the content changes significantly in the periods around UNFCCC meetings, with shifts from language about vulnerability outside of UNFCCC periods to language about agency and solutions. We explore the implications of these differences in coverage for both agenda setting and the amplification of emotional appeals in UNFCCC contexts.

Size does matter – span of control in hospitals

2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 192-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Holm-Petersen ◽  
Sussanne Østergaard ◽  
Per Bo Noergaard Andersen
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Hospital Staff ◽  
Leadership Capacity ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Span Of Control ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Frontline Leaders ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose Centralization, mergers and cost reductions have generally led to increasing levels of span of control (SOC), and thus potentially to lower leadership capacity. The purpose of this paper is to explore how a large SOC impacts hospital staff and their leaders. Design/methodology/approach The study is based on a qualitative explorative case study of three large inpatient wards. Findings The study finds that the nursing staff and their frontline leaders experience challenges in regard to visibility and role of the leader, e.g., in creating overview, coordination, setting-up clear goals, following up and being in touch. However, large wards also provide flexibility and development possibilities. Practical implications The authors discuss the implications of these findings for decision makers in deciding future SOC and for future SOC research. Originality/value Only few studies have qualitatively explored the consequences of large SOC in hospitals.

scholarly journals Hydropower Future: Between Climate Change, Renewable Deployment, Carbon and Fuel Prices

Water ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1197 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandro Ranzani ◽  
Mattia Bonato ◽  
Epari Patro ◽  
Ludovic Gaudard ◽  
Carlo De Michele
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Multidisciplinary Approach ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Smooth Transition ◽  
Hydropower Plant ◽  
Distributed Hydrological Model ◽  
Fuel Prices ◽  
New Energy ◽  
The Right

Hydropower represents an interesting technology: affordable, renewable, and flexible. However, it must cope with climate changes and new energy policies that jeopardize its future. A smooth transition to sustainability requires decision makers to assess the future perspectives of hydropower: about its future revenue and related uncertainty. This investigation requires a multidisciplinary approach as both streamflow and energy mix will evolve. We simulated future streamflow based on eight climate scenarios using a semi-distributed hydrological model for our case study, the Tremorgio hydropower plant located in southern Switzerland. Next, using a hydropower management model we generated income according to these streamflows and twenty-eight electricity price scenarios. Our results indicate that climate change will modify the seasonality of inflows and volumes exploitable for hydropower generation. However, adaptive strategies in the management of reservoirs could minimize revenue losses/maximize revenue gains. In addition, most market scenarios project an increase in revenues, except in the case of high wind and solar energy penetration. Markets do not provide the right incentive, since the deployment of intermittent energy would benefit from more flexible hydropower.

The role of ecosystems in coastal protection: Adapting to climate change and coastal hazards

2014 ◽  
Vol 90 ◽  
pp. 50-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark D. Spalding ◽  
Susan Ruffo ◽  
Carmen Lacambra ◽  
Imèn Meliane ◽  
Lynne Zeitlin Hale ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Coastal Hazards ◽  
Coastal Protection

scholarly journals When cooperation begets cooperation: the role of key individuals in galvanizing support

2015 ◽  
Vol 370 (1683) ◽  
pp. 20150012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine McAuliffe ◽  
Richard Wrangham ◽  
Luke Glowacki ◽  
Andrew F. Russell
Keyword(s):  
Cooperative Breeding ◽  
Conflicts Of Interest ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
Case Study Approach ◽  
Response Strategies ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Limited Power ◽  
Differential Costs

Life abounds with examples of conspecifics actively cooperating to a common end, despite conflicts of interest being expected concerning how much each individual should contribute. Mathematical models typically find that such conflict can be resolved by partial-response strategies, leading investors to contribute relatively equitably. Using a case study approach, we show that such model expectations can be contradicted in at least four disparate contexts: (i) bi-parental care; (ii) cooperative breeding; (iii) cooperative hunting; and (iv) human cooperation. We highlight that: (a) marked variation in contributions is commonplace; and (b) individuals can often respond positively rather than negatively to the contributions of others. Existing models have surprisingly limited power in explaining these phenomena. Here, we propose that, although among-individual variation in cooperative contributions will be influenced by differential costs and benefits, there is likely to be a strong genetic or epigenetic component. We then suggest that selection can maintain high investors ( key individuals ) when their contributions promote support by increasing the benefits and/or reducing the costs for others. Our intentions are to raise awareness in—and provide testable hypotheses of—two of the most poorly understood, yet integral, questions regarding cooperative ventures: why do individuals vary in their contributions and when does cooperation beget cooperation?

scholarly journals Development of an integrated computational tool to assess climate change impacts on water supply–demand and flood inundation

2013 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 710-730 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pao-Shan Yu ◽  
Tao-Chang Yang ◽  
Chen-Min Kuo ◽  
Shien-Tsung Chen
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Water Supply ◽  
Impact Assessment ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Water Shortage ◽  
Adaptation Strategy ◽  
Future Scenarios ◽  
Assess Climate Change ◽  
Southern Taiwan

This paper aims to propose a decision support system (DSS) for evaluating the climate change impacts on water supply–demand and inundation; and assessing the risks for water shortage and inundation under future scenarios. The proposed DSS framework is universal and flexible, which comprises five modules integrated by a geographic information system platform, including the modules of (1) scenario rainfall and temperature projection under climate change, (2) impact assessment of water supply–demand, (3) impact assessment of inundation, (4) assessment of vulnerability and risk, and (5) adaptation strategy. A case study in southern Taiwan was performed to demonstrate how the DSS provides information on the climate change impacts and risks under future scenarios. The information is beneficial to the authorities of water resources management for understanding the spatial risks for water shortage and inundation, and planning suitable adaptation strategies for the locations with larger risks.

scholarly journals Effective Policy Applications of Psychological Science: Drawing Parallels between COVID-19 and Climate Change

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehrgol Tiv ◽  
David Livert ◽  
Trisha Dehrone ◽  
Maya Godbole ◽  
Laura López-Aybar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Psychological Research ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Psychological Perspective ◽  
Psychological Science ◽  
The World ◽  
Effective Policy

In 2021, the world continues to face a serious, widespread challenge from the COVID-19 pandemic. Governments and civil society are grappling with unprecedented impacts on healthcare and the economy as well as restrictions of normal social interactions of millions. Still, the climate emergency has not rested. Unless addressed, carbon levels will continue to rise through this pandemic, the development and disbursements of vaccines, and the next pandemic. From a psychological perspective, there are many commonalities between the current COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing crisis of climate change. This whitepaper begins by summarizing the broad similarities between these two crises. From there, we draw parallels between COVID-19 and climate change across four domains of psychological research. In doing this, we identify evidence-based approaches that policymakers and other key decision-makers can adopt to holistically respond to the two global crises of climate change and public health. We conclude with a broad discussion on the role of psychological science (and other social and behavioral sciences) in policy.

scholarly journals The role of location in the functioning of a local currency: La Gonette case study

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 335-351
Author(s):  
Csaba Lakócai
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Future Development ◽  
Statistical Tests ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Expansion Strategy ◽  
Business Partners ◽  
Local Currency ◽  
Complementary Currencies

The beginning of the 21st century was a proliferation of complementary currencies worldwide. Among them, a number of newly created local currencies were notable. France proved to be especially fertile in this regard from the early 2010s. La Gonette, operating in the metropolitan area of Lyon, is one of the biggest French local complementary currencies in terms of its users, providers (business partners), and money supply. For every scheme, the most important issue, which is also a challenge, is to provide enough spending options to be attractive for users, while also retaining their particular sociocultural identity. Besides a variety of spending options, their location features are also important in regards to future development, so decision-makers of a scheme can diversify the business expansion strategy accordingly in order to better achieve the desired socio-economic goals. Using la Gonette as a case study, the research objective of this paper is to uncover the implications of the providers’ location on the functioning of the scheme. To address this objective, I applied statistical tests for correspondence on the providers’ categorical and locational breakdowns. The results have shown heterogeneity in the spatial distribution of the types of providers in accordance with broader location characteristics, a fact which supports the need for territorial diversification of future development concepts.

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