scholarly journals The nexus of oil, conflict, and climate change vulnerability of pastoral communities in Northwest Kenya

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 1163-1200 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Schilling ◽  
R. Locham ◽  
T. Weinzierl ◽  
J. Vivekananda ◽  
J. Scheffran
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Border Region ◽  
Oil Exploration ◽  
Oil Reserves ◽  
Vulnerability To Climate Change

Abstract. Turkana, in northwest Kenya, is the country's poorest and least developed county. Pastoralism in Turkana is well adapted to the harsh climatic conditions but an increase in drought frequency associated with global climate change and intensifying violent conflicts between pastoral groups, poses significant challenges for local communities. The conflicts are especially violent in the border region between the Turkana and the Pokot communities. In this very region significant oil reserves have been found recently. The first aim of this paper is to analyse how the oil exploration affects the communities' vulnerability to climate change. Secondly, the paper explores the risk of the oil explorations to create new conflicts or aggravate existing ones. The primary method of the study is qualitative field research supplemented with a geo-spatial analysis of conflict data. The field research was conducted in October 2013 and April 2014 in three villages with different levels of engagement with the oil exploration. At the time of the research, oil exploration was expected close to Lokwamosing while it had recently started in the vicinity of Lopii and had been ongoing for a longer time close to Nakukulas. The findings suggest that the oil exploration increases the community's vulnerability to climate change. Further, unmet community expectations for water, employment and development pose a significant risk for violent conflict between local communities and the operating oil company. Intercommunal conflict over water and land could increase as well.

scholarly journals The nexus of oil, conflict, and climate change vulnerability of pastoral communities in northwest Kenya

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 703-717 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Schilling ◽  
R. Locham ◽  
T. Weinzierl ◽  
J. Vivekananda ◽  
J. Scheffran
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Border Region ◽  
Oil Exploration ◽  
Oil Reserves ◽  
Vulnerability To Climate Change

Abstract. Turkana, in northwest Kenya, is the country's poorest and least developed county. Pastoralism in Turkana is well adapted to the harsh climatic conditions, but an increase in drought frequency associated with global climate change and intensifying violent conflicts between pastoral groups poses significant challenges for local communities. The conflicts are especially violent in the border region between the Turkana and the Pokot communities. In this very region significant oil reserves have recently been found. The first aim of this paper is to analyse how the oil exploration affects the communities' vulnerability to climate change. Secondly, the paper explores the risk of the oil explorations creating new conflicts or aggravating existing ones. The primary method of the study is qualitative field research supplemented with a geo-spatial analysis of conflict data. The field research was conducted in October 2013 and April 2014 in three villages with different levels of engagement with the oil exploration. At the time of the research, oil exploration was expected close to Lokwamosing, while it had recently started in the vicinity of Lopii and had been ongoing for a longer time close to Nakukulas. The findings suggest that the oil exploration increases the community's vulnerability to climate change. Further, unmet community expectations for water, employment and development pose a significant risk for violent conflict between local communities and the operating oil company. Intercommunal conflict over water and land could increase as well.

scholarly journals The Effects of Soil Drying Out and Rewetting on Nitrogen and Carbon Leaching—Results of a Long-Term Lysimeter Experiment

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (18) ◽  
pp. 2601
Author(s):  
Holger Rupp ◽  
Nadine Tauchnitz ◽  
Ralph Meissner
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Best Management Practices ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Leaching Losses ◽  
Lysimeter Experiment ◽  
Nitrogen Concentrations ◽  
Northeastern Germany

As a result of global climate change, heavy rainfall events and dry periods are increasingly occurring in Germany, with consequences for the water and solute balance of soils to be expected. The effects of climate change on nitrogen and carbon leaching were investigated using 21 non-weighable manually filled lysimeters of the UFZ lysimeter facility Falkenberg, which have been managed since 1991 according to the principles of the best management practices and organic farming. Based on a 29-year dataset (precipitation, evaporation, leachate, nitrate and dissolved organic carbon concentrations), the lysimeter years 1995/96, 2018/19, and 2003/04 were identified as extremely dry years. Under the climatic conditions in northeastern Germany, seepage fluxes were disrupted in these dry years. The reoccurrence of seepage was associated with exceptionally high nitrogen concentrations and leaching losses, which exceeded the current drinking water limits by many times and may result in a significant risk to water quality. In contrast, increased DOC leaching losses occurred primarily as a result of increased seepage fluxes.

DATA ANALYTICS FOR CLIMATE AND ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCE

2021 ◽  
pp. 2150005
Author(s):  
STAVROS DEMERTZIS ◽  
VASILIKI DEMERTZI ◽  
KONSTANTINOS DEMERTZIS
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Air Pollution ◽  
Data Analytics ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Atmospheric Science ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Future Climate Change ◽  
Rivers And Lakes ◽  
Atmospheric Concentrations

Global climate change has already had observable effects on the environment. Glaciers have shrunk, ice on rivers and lakes is breaking up earlier, plant and animal ranges have shifted and trees are flowering sooner. Under these conditions, air pollution is likely to reach levels that create undesirable living conditions. Anthropogenic activities, such as industry, release large amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, increasing the atmospheric concentrations of these gases, thus significantly enhancing the greenhouse effect, which has the effect of increasing air heat and thus the speedup of climate change. The use of sophisticated data analysis methods to identify the causes of extreme pollutant values, the correlation of these values with the general climatic conditions and the general malfunctions that can be caused by prolonged air pollution can give a clear picture of current and future climate change. This paper presents a thorough study of preprocessing steps of data analytics and the appropriate big data architectures that are appropriate for the research study of Climate Change and Atmospheric Science.

scholarly journals Attitude of the farmers towards climate change effect on agriculture

2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 367-379
Author(s):  
Md Rakibul Islam ◽  
Md Jamil Hossain Biswas ◽  
Md Golam Rabbani Akanda ◽  
Md Ruhul Amin ◽  
Imam Mehedi Hasan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Coastal Region ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Farm Size ◽  
Favourable Attitude ◽  
Change Effect ◽  
Climate Change Effect

Global climate change has triggered the increased incidence of extreme disasters like cyclone, flood, soil salinity, etc. in the coastal region of Bangladesh. In the recent past, an amplified number of fatalities happened and the greater impact also acted upon the attitude of coastal people. Badarpur Union under Patuakhali Sadar upazila of Patuakhali District was the selected locale of the concerned study. Data for this research work were personally collected from a randomly sampled 121 farmers from different villages of Badarpur union by using an interview schedule. Attitude of the farmers was ascertained through a five-point-Likert type scale. Co-efficient of correlation (r) was computed to explore the relationships between farmers? attitude and their selected characteristics. The findings revealed that 51.2 percent of the farmers had moderately favourable attitude towards climate change effect while 42.1 percent had slightly favourable and 6.6 percent had highly favourable attitude. The correlation test showed that the education, farming experience, farm size, annual income, training received and agricultural knowledge had positive significant relationships with farmers? attitude towards climate change effect on agriculture while the rest of the characteristics had no relationship in the present study. The focus findings of the present study were that, the attitude of the farmers is changing due to changes in the climatic conditions and there was a positive effect of it on agriculture.Asian J. Med. Biol. Res. June 2015, 1(2): 367-379

scholarly journals Phenotypic plasticity of stomatal and photosynthetic features of four Picea species in two contrasting common gardens

AoB Plants ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ming Hao Wang ◽  
Jing Ru Wang ◽  
Xiao Wei Zhang ◽  
Ai Ping Zhang ◽  
Shan Sun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Phenotypic Plasticity ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Physiological Activity ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Leaf Mass Per Area ◽  
Picea Crassifolia ◽  
Common Gardens ◽  
Picea Species ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Global climate change is expected to affect mountain ecosystems significantly. Phenotypic plasticity, the ability of any genotype to produce a variety of phenotypes under different environmental conditions, is critical in determining the ability of species to acclimate to current climatic changes. Here, to simulate the impact of climate change, we compared the physiology of species of the genus Picea from different provenances and climatic conditions and quantified their phenotypic plasticity index (PPI) in two contrasting common gardens (dry vs. wet), and then considered phenotypic plastic effects on their future adaptation. The mean PPI of the photosynthetic features studied was higher than that of the stomatal features. Species grown in the arid and humid common gardens were differentiated: the stomatal length (SL) and width (SW) on the adaxial surface, the transpiration rate (Tr) and leaf mass per area (LMA) were more highly correlated with rainfall than other traits. There were no significant relationships between the observed plasticity and the species’ original habitat, except in P. crassifolia (from an arid habitat) and P. asperata (from a humid habitat). Picea crassifolia exhibited enhanced instantaneous efficiency of water use (PPI = 0.52) and the ratio of photosynthesis to respiration (PPI = 0.10) remained constant; this species was, therefore, considered to the one best able to acclimate when faced with the effects of climate change. The other three species exhibited reduced physiological activity when exposed to water limitation. These findings indicate how climate change affects the potential roles of plasticity in determining plant physiology, and provide a basis for future reforestation efforts in China.

scholarly journals Evaluating the Tourist Climate Comfortable Period of China in a Changing Climate

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Dan-Dan Yu ◽  
Shan Li ◽  
Zhong-Yang Guo
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Climate Index ◽  
Climate Indices ◽  
Climate Data ◽  
Climate Conditions ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Changing Climate

The evaluation of climate comfort for tourism can provide information for tourists selecting destinations and tourism operators. Understanding how climate conditions for tourism evolve is increasingly important for strategic tourism planning, particularly in rapidly developing tourism markets like China in a changing climate. Multidimensional climate indices are needed to evaluate climate for tourism, and previous studies in China have used the much criticized “climate index” with low resolution climate data. This study uses the Holiday Climate Index (HCI) and daily data from 775 weather stations to examine interregional differences in the tourist climate comfortable period (TCCP) across China and summarizes the spatiotemporal evolution of TCCP from 1981 to 2010 in a changing climate. Overall, most areas in China have an “excellent” climate for tourism, such that tourists may visit anytime with many choices available. The TCCP in most regions shows an increasing trend, and China benefits more from positive effects of climate change in climatic conditions for tourism, especially in spring and autumn. These results can provide some scientific evidence for understanding human settlement environmental constructions and further contribute in improving local or regional resilience responding to global climate change.

scholarly journals Predicting growth and habitat responses of Ginkgo biloba L. to climate change

2019 ◽  
Vol 76 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Guo ◽  
Yue Lu ◽  
Yousry A. El-Kassaby ◽  
Lei Feng ◽  
Guibing Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Response Function ◽  
Ginkgo Biloba ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Natural Populations ◽  
Tree Height ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Suitable Habitat ◽  
Climatic Response ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract Key message We developed a climatic response function using 20-year tree height observed from 45Ginkgo bilobaplantations in China and used it to predict the growth and habitat responses to anticipated climate change. We projected northward and upward shifts in the species habitat and productive areas, but a dramatic contraction of the species distribution is unlikely to occur at least during the present century. Context Ginkgo biloba is the only living species in the division Ginkgophyta. The species exists in small natural populations in southeastern China but is cultivated across China and the world. The species’ future under climate change is of concern. Aims This study was initiated to model the species’ growth response to climate change and to predict its range of suitable habitat under future climates. Methods Using height data from 45 20 years old plantations growing under a wide range of climatic conditions across China, we developed univariate and bivariate climatic response functions to identify the climate requirements of the species. Results According to the amount of variance explained (> 70%) and the high level of agreement (> 99%) with independent species occurrence coordinates, the developed climate response function was highly accurate and credible. Projections for future periods (2011–2040, 2041–2070, and 2071–2100) under the Representative Concentration Pathway 4.5 (RCP4.5) scenario indicated that the areas of potential suitable habitat would increase (25–67 million hectares). It would also be associated with northward (0.21–0.62° in latitude) and elevational (24–75 m) shifts. Conclusion Global climate change is projected to increase the area of potential suitable habitats for Ginkgo and shift its spatial distributions northward and upward.

scholarly journals Contrasting effects of climate change on the European and global potential distributions of two Mediterranean helicoid terrestrial gastropods

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (8) ◽  
pp. 2637-2650 ◽  
Author(s):  
Małgorzata Proćków ◽  
Kamil Konowalik ◽  
Jarosław Proćków
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Climate Scenario ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Land Snails ◽  
Limiting Factors ◽  
Terrestrial Gastropods ◽  
Potential Gain ◽  
Distribution Ranges ◽  
Physiological Adaptations

AbstractPredicting the impacts of global climate change on the current and future distribution of alien or endangered species is an essential subject in macroecological studies. Although several investigations have been devoted to animal and plant species, few have addressed terrestrial gastropods. We employed spatial distribution modelling to construct European and global potential distribution ranges of two land snails (Cernuella virgata and Hygromia cinctella) using current and future climate scenarios. Both species have been continuously spreading northward from the Mediterranean region, also being introduced to a few areas outside Europe. We found that under the current climate scenario, most presently occupied areas in Europe are also at high probability of future occurrence of these species. However, under four future climatic conditions, these snails will undergo contrasting scenarios. C. virgata will have a large potential gain, likely due to rising temperatures and its weak fluctuations. In this species, global warming increases in potential area size, accompanied by its morphological and physiological adaptations to arid conditions and the ability to passively disperse, are likely to facilitate invasion into new regions of the world. In contrast, there is no significant change in the geographical distribution of colonisation-prone areas for H. cinctella. Our results demonstrate that wetter climatic conditions in the driest season and greater temperature variability will be key limiting factors of its distribution in the future. An understanding of colonisation patterns can help to better manage these invaders and also to formulate policies for their control.

scholarly journals Forecasting the impacts of chemical pollution and climate change interactions on the health of wildlife

2015 ◽  
Vol 61 (4) ◽  
pp. 669-689 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pamela D. Noyes ◽  
Sean C. Lema
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Future Climate ◽  
Chemical Pollution ◽  
Climate Scenarios ◽  
Chemical Toxicity ◽  
Climate Conditions ◽  
Chemical Exposures

Abstract Global climate change is impacting organisms, biological communities and ecosystems around the world. While most research has focused on characterizing how the climate is changing, including modeling future climatic conditions and predicting the impacts of these conditions on biodiversity, it is also the case that climate change is altering the environmental impacts of chemical pollution. Future climate conditions are expected to influence both the worldwide distribution of chemicals and the toxicological consequences of chemical exposures to organisms. Many of the environmental changes associated with a warming global climate (e.g., increased average – and possibly extreme – temperatures; intense periods of drier and wetter conditions; reduced ocean pH; altered salinity dynamics in estuaries) have the potential to enhance organism susceptibility to chemical toxicity. Additionally, chemical exposures themselves may impair the ability of organisms to cope with the changing environmental conditions of the shifting climate. Such reciprocity in the interactions between climate change and chemicals illustrates the complexity inherent in predicting the toxicological consequences of chemical exposures under future climate scenarios. Here, we summarize what is currently known about the potential reciprocal effects of climate change and chemical toxicity on wildlife, and depict current approaches and ongoing challenges for incorporating climate effects into chemical testing and assessment. Given the rapid pace of new man-made chemistries, the development of accurate and rapid methods to evaluate multiple chemical and non-chemical stressors in an ecologically relevant context will be critical to understanding toxic and endocrine-disrupting effects of chemical pollutants under future climate scenarios.

scholarly journals Adverse consequences of economic policy in combating global climate change in the Czech Republic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zdeněk Pikhart ◽  
Šárka Pikhartová ◽  
Pavel Procházka
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Climate Change ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Environmental Taxes ◽  
Economic Welfare ◽  
Kuznets Curve ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Output Analysis

AbstractThe main aim of the article is to identify unintended consequences of economic policies to combat climate change, in the short and long run, using the example of the Czech economy. The short term impacts are assessed by world input-output analysis in order to capture direct and indirect channels affecting the Czech automotive industry. Optimistic, realistic and pessimistic scenarios of decrease in demand for cars due to the imposition of environmental taxes in the European Union and the rest of the world are presented. The results show adverse impacts on Czech gross domestic product from 1.6 to 4.9 percentage points. The economy is expected to change its structure and reallocate factors of production to an alternative use, but there is a risk of suboptimal allocation, which might reveal losses from less efficient allocation of labor and capital. Therefore, the analysis of the relationship between economic welfare and the quality of the environment is conducted. Data on the Czech economy confirm the hypothesis of an environmental Kuznets curve and point to unintended consequences of overly ambitious policies to mitigate global climate change. If economic welfare excessively declines, there would be a significant risk of undermining people's will to invest into environmental protection.

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