Factors Affecting COVID-19 Outbreaks across the Globe: Role of Extreme Climate Change

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic poses a serious threat to global health system and economy. It was first reported in Wuhan, China, and later appeared in Central Asia, Europe, North America, and South America. The spatial COVID-19 distribution pattern highly resembles the global population distribution and international travel routes. We select 48 cities in 16 countries across 4 continents having infection counts higher than 10,000 (by 25 April 2020) as the COVID-19 epicenters. At the initial stage, daily COVID-19 counts co-varies strongly with local temperature and humidity, which are clustered within 0–10 °C and 70–95%, respectively. Later, it spreads in colder (−15 °C) and warmer (25 °C) countries, due to faster adaptability in diverse environmental conditions. We introduce a combined temperature-humidity profile, which is essential for prediction of COVID-19 cases based on environmental conditions. The COVID-19 epicenters are collocated on global CO2 emission hotspots and its distribution maximizes at 7.49 °C, which is 1.35 °C/2.44 °C higher than current (2020)/historical (1961–1990) mean. Approximately 75% of the COVID-19 cases are clustered at severe-extreme end of historical temperature distribution spectrum, which establish its tighter and possible association with extreme climate change. A strong mitigation measure is essential to abate the GHG emissions, which may reduce the probability of such pandemics in the future.

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Investigating the effects of environmental patents and climate change mitigation technologies on sustainable economic growth in the Middle East

International Journal of Low-Carbon Technologies ◽

10.1093/ijlct/ctab007 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Sadegh Abedi ◽

Mehrnaz Moeenian

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Economic Growth ◽

Middle East ◽

Climate Change Mitigation ◽

Developed Countries ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Middle East Countries ◽

Sustainable Economic Growth ◽

Change Mitigation

Abstract Sustainable economic growth and identifying factors affecting it are among the important issues which have always received attention from researchers of different countries. Accordingly, one of the factors affecting economic growth, which has received attention from researchers in the developed countries over recent years, is the issue of environmental technologies that enter the economic cycle of other countries after being patented through technology transfer. The current research investigated the role of the environment-related patents and the effects of the patented technological innovations compatible with climate change mitigation on the economic growth and development in the Middle East countries within a specific time period. The required data were gathered from the valid global databases, including Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and World Bank and have been analyzed using multi-linear regression methods and econometric models with Eviews 10 software. The obtained results with 95% confidence level show that the environmental patents (β = 0.02) and environment management (β = 0.04) and technologies related to the climate change mitigation (β = 0.02) have a significant positive impact on the sustainable economic development and growth rate in the studied countries. Such a study helps innovators and policymakers in policy decisions related to sustainable development programs from the perspective of environmentally friendly technologies by demonstrating the role of patents in three important environmental areas, namely environmental management, water-related adaptation and climate change mitigation, as one of the factors influencing sustainable economic growth.

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Interactions between Climate and Nutrient Cycles on Forest Response to Global Change: The Role of Mixed Forests

Forests ◽

10.3390/f10080609 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (8) ◽

pp. 609 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Ester González de Andrés

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Global Change ◽

Environmental Conditions ◽

Species Interactions ◽

N Deposition ◽

Elemental Ratios ◽

Nutrient Mineralization ◽

Carbon Dioxide Co2 ◽

The Impact

Forest ecosystems are undergoing unprecedented changes in environmental conditions due to global change impacts. Modification of global biogeochemical cycles of carbon and nitrogen, and the subsequent climate change are affecting forest functions at different scales, from physiology and growth of individual trees to cycling of nutrients. This review summarizes the present knowledge regarding the impact of global change on forest functioning not only with respect to climate change, which is the focus of most studies, but also the influence of altered nitrogen cycle and the interactions among them. The carbon dioxide (CO2) fertilization effect on tree growth is expected to be constrained by nutrient imbalances resulting from high N deposition rates and the counteractive effect of increasing water deficit, which interact in a complex way. At the community level, responses to global change are modified by species interactions that may lead to competition for resources and/or relaxation due to facilitation and resource partitioning processes. Thus, some species mixtures can be more resistant to drought than their respective pure forests, albeit it depends on environmental conditions and species’ functional traits. Climate change and nitrogen deposition have additional impacts on litterfall dynamics, and subsequent decomposition and nutrient mineralization processes. Elemental ratios (i.e., stoichiometry) are associated with important ecosystem traits, including trees’ adaptability to stress or decomposition rates. As stoichiometry of different ecosystem components are also influenced by global change, nutrient cycling in forests will be altered too. Therefore, a re-assessment of traditional forest management is needed in order to cope with global change. Proposed silvicultural systems emphasize the key role of diversity to assure multiple ecosystem services, and special attention has been paid to mixed-species forests. Finally, a summary of the patterns and underlying mechanisms governing the relationships between diversity and different ecosystems functions, such as productivity and stability, is provided.

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SADC’s response to climate change – the role of harmonised law and policy on mitigation in the energy sector

Journal of Energy in Southern Africa ◽

10.17159/2413-3051/2014/v25i1a2685 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 25 (1) ◽

pp. 26-32 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

M. Barnard

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Global Climate Change ◽

Global Climate ◽

Action Plan ◽

Ghg Emissions ◽

Energy Sector ◽

Literature Study ◽

Member States ◽

Law And Policy

The negligible levels of energy-related GHG emissions attributable to the Southern African sub-region translates into the sub-region contributing relatively little towards global climate change. Notwithstanding, the member states comprising the Southern African Development Community (SADC) are among the most vulnerable to the trans boundary effects of global climate change. Existing SADC climate change policy documents highlight the important role of the energy sector in climate change mitigation. Furthermore, various international, African Union and SADC legal instruments stress the crucial role of harmonised law and policy as climate change adaptive measure. It is the central hypothesis of this paper that harmonised sub-regional law and policy aimed at regulating SADC member states’ mitigation efforts in the energy sector is a crucial climate change adaptive strategy. This hypothesis is based on the mandates for the formulation of a SADC climate change action plan and for mitigation in the energy sector. These mandates are contained in the texts of the SADC-CNGO Climate Change Agenda, 2012 and the Southern Africa Sub - Regional Framework on Climate Change, 2010 respectively. It is the main aim of this paper to investigate recent developments in the formulation of harmonised SADC law and policy on climate change in general and law and policy pertaining to mitigation in the energy sector specifically. In achieving the stated aim, themes to be investigated by means of a literature study are those of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions and global climate change and harmonised sub-regional policy on mitigation in the energy sector as adaptive measure in the SADC.

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The CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT ON THE HUMAN RIGHT TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS OF A SPECIFIED QUALITY (SAFE, CLEAN, HEALTHY AND SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT): SOME INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL LAW ISSUES

Review of European and Comparative Law ◽

10.31743/recl.4764 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 36 (1) ◽

pp. 93-112

Author(s):

Olha Sushyk ◽

Olena Shompol

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Human Rights ◽

Environmental Conditions ◽

Environmental Law ◽

International Environmental Agreements ◽

Ghg Emissions ◽

Environmental Safety ◽

Human Right ◽

Human Environment ◽

The Right

This article discusses recognition between climate change and human rights at the international level. The analysis shows that despite the UN climate change framework does not adequately address the magnitude of the threat posed by climate change related harm to human rights, domestic, regional or international courts must take account of its provisions in deciding cases. The article argues that the causes for climate cases are diverse, whereby the most often ones are those referring to the competent public authority’s failure to fulﬁl its obligation to regulate limitations of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Further identify the links between human rights and environmental protection, were apparent at least from the first international conference on the human environment, held in Stockholm in 1972. More broadly, it demonstrates international environmental agreements, were some aspects of the right to environmental conditions of a specified quality are identify. This article discusses also theoretical issues of individual environmental rights and the right to environmental safety in Ukraine. Keywords: climate, human rights, environmental, Ukraine

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THE ROLE OF IPCC ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN AGRICULTURE

Towards Excellence ◽

10.37867/te090321 ◽

2017 ◽

pp. 173-180

Author(s):

Mahesh Patel ◽

J.G. Rangiya ◽

K.J Patel

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Sustainable Development ◽

Global Climate Change ◽

Land Surface ◽

Sea Water ◽

Global Climate ◽

Land Use Changes ◽

Ghg Emissions ◽

Warming World

Recognizing the pressing global problem of climate change, the IPCC was formed in 1988 as an apex source to holistically address the issue. It strives to critically congregate best scientific, technical and socio-economic data on global climate change to produce various papers and reports which become standard works of reference (UNEP, 2004). IPCC has contributed extensively to unleash the mitigation potential from the perspective of agriculture, correlating it with climate change policy, environmental quality and ultimately, sustainable development (Working group II, 2007). Agriculture lands form 40- 50% of the earth’s land surface and contribute to 10-12% of the Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In this sector, by improved crop, soil, water, livestock and water management, the mitigation of climate change can be approached in a cost-effective way than other sectors. Hence this paper dwells into the significant role of IPCC to progress towards sustainable development in agriculture sector. It would discuss about how agriculture management activities would decrease GHG emissions and increase carbon sequestration (Technical group V, 2002). In the warming world, precipitation is skewed, sea level is rising, glaciers are melting, acidic levels in oceans are rising and dissolved oxygen in sea water is declining (IPCC, 2014). Hence major river floods are likely, which is a threat to the food production. This paper would highlight the need to limit effects of climate change to achieve sustainable development as the focus, and would further discuss social equity and poverty eradication. It would explore adaptation and mitigation methods to enumerate short and long-term goals to combat climate change from reinvented livestock and crop systems, beneficial land use changes, improved fertilizers and advanced technological perspectives (IPCC, 1990). It would enforce the learnings from IPCC’s contributions enumerating how agriculture must have a high synergy with sustainable development to address global climate change.

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Growing our future: Assessing the outcome of afforestation programs in Ontario, Canada

The Forestry Chronicle ◽

10.5558/tfc2021-019 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 97 (02) ◽

pp. 179-190

Author(s):

Georgina K. Magnus ◽

Elizabeth Celanowicz ◽

Mihai Voicu ◽

Mark Hafer ◽

Juha M. Metsaranta ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Climate Change Mitigation ◽

Carbon Sink ◽

Ghg Emissions ◽

Mitigation Strategies ◽

Spatially Explicit ◽

Auxiliary Data ◽

Carbon Budget Model ◽

Change Mitigation

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) requires its signatories, including Canada, to estimate and report their annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and removals. Forests are an important natural resource as they slow the accumulation of atmospheric carbon through the process of carbon sequestration. Due to the role of forests as carbon sinks, governments consider afforestation projects as feasible climate change mitigation strategies. This article outlines a spatially-explicit approach to validating afforestation data in Ontario, Canada. Validation is a user-supervised process that uses satellite imagery, remote sensing tools, and other auxiliary data to confirm the presence of seedlings planted through Forests Ontario’s 50 Million Tree program. Of the 12 466 hectares assessed, 83% is identified as afforested, 6% is not afforested and 10% is not determined. The area classified as successful afforestation is used as input for the Generic Carbon Budget Model (GCBM), to simulate afforestation effects on carbon stocks. Our findings show the afforestation activities will create a small carbon sink by 2060. From this project, it is evident that spatial validation of afforestation data is feasible, although the collection of additional standardized auxiliary data is recommended for future afforestation projects, if carbon benefits are to be reported.

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Achieving a low carbon transition in Japan, the role of motor vehicle lifetime

Low Carbon Mobility Transitions ◽

10.23912/978-1-910158-64-7-3270 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Shigemi Kagawa ◽

Daisuke Nishijima ◽

Yuya Nakamoto

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

New Technologies ◽

Motor Vehicle ◽

Global Climate ◽

Ghg Emissions ◽

Low Carbon ◽

Policy Tool ◽

Using Data

In order to achieve climate change mitigation goals, reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from Japan’s household sector is critical. Accomplishing a transition to low carbon and energy efficient consumer goods is particularly valuable as a policy tool for reducing emissions in the residential sector. This case study presents an analysis of the lifetime of personal vehicles in Japan, and considers the optimal scenario in terms of retention and disposal, specifically as it relates to GHG emissions. Using data from Japan, the case study shows the critical importance of including whole-of-life energy and carbon calculations when assessing the contributions that new technologies can make towards low carbon mobility transitions. While energy-efficiency gains are important, replacing technologies can overlook the energy and carbon embedded in the production phase. Without this perspective, policy designed to reduce GHG emissions may result in increased emissions and further exacerbate global climate change.

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Flights Dominate Travel Emissions of Young Urbanites

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su11226340 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (22) ◽

pp. 6340 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Michał Czepkiewicz ◽

Áróra Árnadóttir ◽

Jukka Heinonen

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Online Survey ◽

Ghg Emissions ◽

International Travel ◽

City Center ◽

Long Distance ◽

Unequal Distribution ◽

Leisure Travel ◽

Travel Abroad ◽

The City

Transport is a key sector in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A consensus prevails on a causal relationship between distance to the city center and emissions from private transport, which has led to an emphasis on density in urban planning. However, several studies have reported a reverse association between the level of urbanity and emissions from long-distance leisure travel. Studies have also suggested that pro-environmental attitudes and climate change concerns are unrelated or positively related to emissions from long-distance travel. The goals of this case study were to find out the structure, levels, distribution, and predictors of GHG emissions from the local, domestic, and international travel of young adults of the Reykjavik Capital Region. A life cycle assessment (LCA) approach was utilized to calculate emissions, and the materials were collected with a map-based online survey. International leisure travel dominated the overall GHG emissions from personal travel regardless of residential location, modality style, or income level. A highly unequal distribution of emissions was found. A higher climate change awareness was found to predict higher GHG emissions from trips abroad. Emissions from leisure travel abroad were the highest in the city center, which was related to cosmopolitan attitudes among downtown dwellers.

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Soil water content drives spatiotemporal patterns of CO<sub>2</sub> and N<sub>2</sub>O emissions from a Mediterranean riparian forest soil

Biogeosciences ◽

10.5194/bg-14-4195-2017 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 14 (18) ◽

pp. 4195-4208 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Sílvia Poblador ◽

Anna Lupon ◽

Santiago Sabaté ◽

Francesc Sabater

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Water Content ◽

Soil Water ◽

Soil Water Content ◽

Riparian Forest ◽

Ghg Emissions ◽

Microbial Processes ◽

N2o Emissions ◽

Nitrification And Denitrification

Abstract. Riparian zones play a fundamental role in regulating the amount of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) that is exported from catchments. However, C and N removal via soil gaseous pathways can influence local budgets of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and contribute to climate change. Over a year, we quantified soil effluxes of carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) from a Mediterranean riparian forest in order to understand the role of these ecosystems on catchment GHG emissions. In addition, we evaluated the main soil microbial processes that produce GHG (mineralization, nitrification, and denitrification) and how changes in soil properties can modify the GHG production over time and space. Riparian soils emitted larger amounts of CO2 (1.2–10 g C m−2 d−1) than N2O (0.001–0.2 mg N m−2 d−1) to the atmosphere attributed to high respiration and low denitrification rates. Both CO2 and N2O emissions showed a marked (but antagonistic) spatial gradient as a result of variations in soil water content across the riparian zone. Deep groundwater tables fueled large soil CO2 effluxes near the hillslope, while N2O emissions were higher in the wet zones adjacent to the stream channel. However, both CO2 and N2O emissions peaked after spring rewetting events, when optimal conditions of soil water content, temperature, and N availability favor microbial respiration, nitrification, and denitrification. Overall, our results highlight the role of water availability on riparian soil biogeochemistry and GHG emissions and suggest that climate change alterations in hydrologic regimes can affect the microbial processes that produce GHG as well as the contribution of these systems to regional and global biogeochemical cycles.

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Climate change mitigation and adaptation in agriculture: the case of the olive

Journal of Water and Climate Change ◽

10.2166/wcc.2018.023 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 633-642 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

G. Montanaro ◽

V. Nuzzo ◽

C. Xiloyannis ◽

B. Dichio

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Climate Change Mitigation ◽

Management Practices ◽

Ghg Emissions ◽

Tree Biomass ◽

Climatic Impact ◽

Soil C ◽

Mitigation And Adaptation ◽

Change Mitigation

Abstract Agriculture might serve as a mitigation solution through carbon (C) sequestration in soil, in tree biomass and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Increased C is beneficial for some soil structures and functions, improving the use of water and in turn the crop adaptation. This study reports on the synergy between mitigation and adaptation in agriculture through the paradigm of the olive (Olea europaea). Through data on net ecosystem productivity and soil respiration, the role of olive groves to store C in tree biomass (from 0.36 to 2.78 t CO2 ha−1 yr−1) and into soil (∼8.5 t CO2 ha−1 yr−1) is reviewed. The influence of some management practices on that role is also discussed. The overall climatic impact of olive fruit and oil production has been evaluated also considering GHG emissions by field operations (e.g., pruning, mulching of cover crop, fertilization, harvest, etc.) and by the extraction and bottling of oil. Soil C as interface between climate change mitigation and adaptation has been delineated, linking C-induced improvements in soil properties to increased water storage and reduced run-off and erosion. The outcomes may strengthen the environmental role of agriculture and promote synergistic mitigation and adaptation policies assisting in soil and water resources conservation.

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