Impacts of Climate Factors Influencing Rice Production in Bangladesh

This study aims to study the climate change pattern, assess the situation of climate change, finding the influences of climate change on the production of rice, estimating a model between climate change and rice production in Bangladesh. Ordinary Least Squares (OLS), Generalized Least Squares (GLS), Feasible Generalized Least Squares (FGLS) were used in this study to compare the results. This study included all 64 districts of Bangladesh with a time span from 2011 to 2018. It included panel data of the production of Aus rice, Aman rice, Boro rice as well as HYV of each rice (Aus, Aman, Boro) of 64 districts of Bangladesh for agricultural data, temperature, rainfall and humidity of 64 districts for climate data. This study estimates the stochastic production function formulated by Just and Pope (1978, 1979), which allows the effect of inputs on the mean yield to differ from that on yield variance. The results showed that increased climate variability, climate extremes; in particular, exacerbate risk on Rice production in Bangladesh. Rice yields are sensitive to rainfall extremes, with both deficient and surplus rainfall increasing variability. For 1% increase in annual total rainfall, Mean Yield will decrease by 0.139%, 0.141%, 0.132% in OLS, GLS and FGLS method respectively, if other variables remaining the same. For 1% increase in annual average percentage of humidity, Mean Yield increases by 1.352%, 1.340%, 1.362% in OLS, GLS and FGLS method respectively, if other variables remaining the same. for 1% increase in HYV area, Mean Yield increases by 0.831% in OLS, GLS and FGLS method, if other variables remaining the same. Additionally, climate inputs, non-climate input, high yielding variety seeds are found to increase average yield.

Climate Change, Water Quality and Water-Related Challenges: A Review with Focus on Pakistan

Climate variability is heavily impacting human health all around the globe, in particular, on residents of developing countries. Impacts on surface water and groundwater resources and water-related illnesses are increasing, especially under changing climate scenarios such as diversity in rainfall patterns, increasing temperature, flash floods, severe droughts, heatwaves and heavy precipitation. Emerging water-related diseases such as dengue fever and chikungunya are reappearing and impacting on the life of the deprived; as such, the provision of safe water and health care is in great demand in developing countries to combat the spread of infectious diseases. Government, academia and private water bodies are conducting water quality surveys and providing health care facilities, but there is still a need to improve the present strategies concerning water treatment and management, as well as governance. In this review paper, climate change pattern and risks associated with water-related diseases in developing countries, with particular focus on Pakistan, and novel methods for controlling both waterborne and water-related diseases are discussed. This study is important for public health care, particularly in developing countries, for policy makers, and researchers working in the area of climate change, water quality and risk assessment.

Depositional environment and climate changes during the Holocene in Grande Valley, Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, Antarctica

A 9.24 m sediment core, GA-2, was collected on the coastal platform of Grande Valley, a relatively narrow and shallow fjord in Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, Antarctica. The sediment was formed between 6600 and 2000 cal. yr bp according to accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) 14C dating of five bulk sediment samples. The comprehensive proxy indicators (grain size, loss on ignition at 550°C, magnetic susceptibility, elements) were analysed, and three separate depositional environments and an alternating climate change pattern were identified. Grande Valley experienced a warm marine environment between 6600 and 5800 cal. yr bp, a minor cooling between 5800 and 4800 cal. yr bp, the transition from cool to warm during 4800–4400 cal. yr bp, a mid-Holocene climatic optimum between 4400 and 2700 cal. yr bp, and the onset of the Neoglacial at 2700 cal. yr bp. This study reconstructed the environmental history of Grande Valley during the mid–late Holocene, provides the missing marine record of historical climate for the western coast of Fildes Peninsula and lays the foundation for further study of the climate and environment changes therein. Our finding that the sea level was c. 12 m a.m.s.l. at 2000 cal. yr bp allows for detailed reconstruction of Holocene sea level variations.