Studis on the climatological aspects of air pollution potential over trivandrum

The deteriorating air quality especially in urban environments is a cause of serious concern. In spite of being an effective sink, the atmosphere also has its own limitations in effectively dispersing the pollutants being dumped into it continuously by various sources, mainly industries. Many a time, it is not the higher emissions that cause alarming level of pollutants but the unfavourable atmospheric conditions under which the atmosphere is not able to disperse them effectively, leading to accumulation of pollutants near the ground. Hence, it is imperative to have an estimate of the atmospheric potential for dispersal of the substances emitted into it. This requires a knowledge of mixing height, ventilation coefficient, wind and stability of the region under study. Mere estimation of such pollution potential is not adequate, unless the probable distribution of concentration of pollutants is known. This can be obtained by means of mathematical models. The pollution potential coupled with the distribution of concentration provides a good basis for initiating steps to mitigate air pollution in any developing urban area. In this thesis, a fast developing industrial city, namely, Trivandrum is chosen for estimating the pollution potential and determining the spatial distribution of sulphur dioxide concentration. Each of the parameters required for pollution potential is discussed in detail separately. The thesis is divided into nine chapters.

Significance of soil microorganisms with special reference to climate change

There are a large number of agronomic-ecological interactions that occur in a world with increasing levels of CO2, higher temperatures and a more variable climate. Climate change and the associated severe problems will alter soil microbial populations and diversity. Soils supply many atmospheric green house gases by performing as sources or sinks. The most important of these gases include CH4, CO2 and N2O. Most of the green house gases production and consumption processes in soil are probably due to microorganisms. There is strong inquisitiveness to store carbon (C) in soils to balance global climate change. Microorganisms are vital to C sequestration by mediating putrefaction and controlling the paneling of plant residue-C between CO2 respiration losses or storage in semi-permanent soil-C pools. Microbial population groups and utility can be manipulated or distorted in the course of disturbance and C inputs to either support or edge the retention of C. Fungi play a significant role in decomposition and appear to produce organic matter that is more recalcitrant and favor long-term C storage and thus are key functional group to focus on in developing C sequestration systems. Plant residue chemistry can influence microbial communities and C loss or flow into soil C pools. Therefore, as research takings to maximize C sequestration for agricultural and forest ecosystems - moreover plant biomass production, similar studies should be conducted on microbial communities that considers the environmental situations

Modeling the interplay between land use, bioenergy production and climate change

Land use has become a force of global importance, considering that 34% of the Earth’s ice-free surface was covered by croplands or pastures in 2000. The expected increase in global human population together with eminent climate change and associated search for energy sources other than fossil fuels can, through land-use and land-cover changes (LUCC), increase the pressure on nature’s resources, further degrade ecosystem services, and disrupt other planetary systems of key importance to humanity. This thesis presents four modeling studies on the interplay between LUCC, increased production of biofuels and climate change in four selected world regions. In the first study case two new crop types (sugarcane and jatropha) are parameterized in the LPJ for managed Lands dynamic global vegetation model for calculation of their potential productivity. Country-wide spatial variation in the yields of sugarcane and jatropha incurs into substantially different land requirements to meet the biofuel production targets for 2015 in Brazil and India, depending on the location of plantations. Particularly the average land requirements for jatropha in India are considerably higher than previously estimated. These findings indicate that crop zoning is important to avoid excessive LUCC. In the second study case the LandSHIFT model of land-use and land-cover changes is combined with life cycle assessments to investigate the occurrence and extent of biofuel-driven indirect land-use changes (ILUC) in Brazil by 2020. The results show that Brazilian biofuels can indeed cause considerable ILUC, especially by pushing the rangeland frontier into the Amazonian forests. The carbon debt caused by such ILUC would result in no carbon savings (from using plant-based ethanol and biodiesel instead of fossil fuels) before 44 years for sugarcane ethanol and 246 years for soybean biodiesel. The intensification of livestock grazing could avoid such ILUC. We argue that such an intensification of livestock should be supported by the Brazilian biofuel sector, based on the sector’s own interest in minimizing carbon emissions. In the third study there is the development of a new method for crop allocation in LandSHIFT, as influenced by the occurrence and capacity of specific infrastructure units. The method is exemplarily applied in a first assessment of the potential availability of land for biogas production in Germany. The results indicate that Germany has enough land to fulfill virtually all (90 to 98%) its current biogas plant capacity with only cultivated feedstocks. Biogas plants located in South and Southwestern (North and Northeastern) Germany might face more (less) difficulties to fulfill their capacities with cultivated feedstocks, considering that feedstock transport distance to plants is a crucial issue for biogas production. In the fourth study an adapted version of LandSHIFT is used to assess the impacts of contrasting scenarios of climate change and conservation targets on land use in the Brazilian Amazon. Model results show that severe climate change in some regions by 2050 can shift the deforestation frontier to areas that would experience low levels of human intervention under mild climate change (such as the western Amazon forests or parts of the Cerrado savannas). Halting deforestation of the Amazon and of the Brazilian Cerrado would require either a reduction in the production of meat or an intensification of livestock grazing in the region. Such findings point out the need for an integrated/multicisciplinary plan for adaptation to climate change in the Amazon. The overall conclusions of this thesis are that (i) biofuels must be analyzed and planned carefully in order to effectively reduce carbon emissions; (ii) climate change can have considerable impacts on the location and extent of LUCC; and (iii) intensification of grazing livestock represents a promising venue for minimizing the impacts of future land-use and land-cover changes in Brazil.

Determinants of climate change adaptation strategies used by rice farmers in Southwestern, Nigeria

Poor adaptation to climate change is a major threat to sustainable rice production in Nigeria. Determinants of appropriate climate-change adaptation strategies used by rice farmers in Southwestern Nigeria have not been fully investigated. In this study, the determinants of climate change adaptation strategies used by rice farmers in Southwestern Nigeria were investigated. Data were obtained through Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and field survey conducted in the study areas. Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical tools such as percentage and regression analysis. The major climate change adaptation strategies used by the respondents included; planting improved rice variety such as Federal Agricultural Research Oryza (FARO) (80.5 %), seeking early warning information (80.9 %), shifting planting date until the weather condition was favourable (99.1 %), and using chemical fertilizer on their farms in order to maintain soil fertility (20.5 %). The determinants of climate change adaptation strategies used by the farmers, included access to early warning information (β=43.04), access to fertilizer (β=5.78), farm plot size (β=–12.04) and access to regular water supply (β=–24.79). Climate change adaptation required provision of incentives to farmers, training on drought and flood control, and the use of improved technology to obtain higher yield.

Climate change: a contemporary and geological perspective: introduction

This file describes the resouces to be made available through the Open Educational Resources 'C-change in GEES' project exploring the open licensing of climate change and sustainability resources in the Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences.

Climate Change and Transregional Convergence: Carbon Markets in North Amer ica

National policies in North America have not been drafted properly to address the problem of climate change, following the impasse of international negotiations. Facing this scenario, new alternatives emerge with the leadership and participation of new actors. Local governments in North America, especially of British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec, have been developing strategies to face climate change and emissions reduction in parallel to the national efforts and the global governance strategies. These local governments have developed a transregional approach that has resulted in the creation of regional institutions such as the Western Climate Initiative, the Regional Greenhouse GasInitiative and the Midwestern GreenhouseGas Reduction Accord.Their main goal is to establish regional carbon markets to mitigate and adapt to climate change impacts in a cost-effective way. In spite of these efforts, these initiatives have faced the overlapping problem among them and with national and globalstrategies. The goal of this research is to explore how these carbon markets have developed convergence policies. Convergence among these markets is expressed in their offset system and in secondary markets.

Rural community in the Mediterranean Region in 2030 : projections and future scenarios : climate change and social change. ' Comunidades rurales en 2030 : proyecciones y escenarios futuros : cambio climático y cambio social.

Resumen en español

The rough guide to climate change. 'Guía del cambio climático'.

Edición actualizada que recoge el informe de 2007 del Grupo Intergubernamental de Expertos sobre el cambio climático y la evolución de los acuerdos de Kyoto. Incluye las últimas investigaciónes científicas y los últimos debates políticos para ofrecer un panorama completo sobre el tema más importante que encara nuestro planeta a nivel medioambiental: el calentamiento global y sus consecuencias sobre la Tierra. La guía menciona los planes de los gobiernos y de los científicos, a nivel mundial, para abordar el problema; incluye, también, información sobre estilos de vida y proporciona consejos que cada uno de nosotros puede poner en practicar para ayudar a frenarlo.

Climate change.

Este título forma parte de la serie Planeta bajo presión. Combina la geografía física y la geografía humana para dar respuesta a preguntas difíciles y explica cómo los problemas globales afectan a la vida del lector. El clima está cambiando. El calentamiento global está teniendo un gran impacto, en la fusión del hielo de los polos, subida del nivel del mar, sequías e inundaciones. Todo esto afectará la vida en la Tierra. En esta obra para niños se pone de manifiesto las cuestiones implicadas y examina qué medidas se pueden tomar para reducir las consecuencias del cambio climático. Dirigido a lectores de edades a partir de 12 años. Incluye referencias bibliográficas, glosario e índice.

Climate change, ethics and human security.

Este texto, escrito por expertos internacionales, sostiene que el cambio climático debe considerarse como una cuestión de seguridad humana y no como un problema ambiental que pueda gestionarse en solitario. Muestra el concepto de seguridad humana con un nuevo enfoque ligado a los desafíos que el cambio climático ofrece a la humanidad, así como da respuestas para un futuro más equitativo y sostenible para las próximas generaciones. El cambio climático, la ética y la seguridad humana serán de interés para los investigadores, los responsables políticos y los profesionales interesados con las dimensiones humanas del cambio climático, así como para los estudiantes de nivel superior en ciencias sociales y humanidades preocupados por este problema.

Interdisciplinarity and climate change : transforming knowledge and practice for our global future.

Aborda una de las preguntas más difíciles de nuestro tiempo, pues su único punto de vista se basa en el reconocimiento de que la interdisciplinariedad eficaz y coherente es necesaria para afrontar la cuestión del cambio climático y la multitud de fenómenos vinculados y conectados a él. Solo si se utiliza un enfoque general para dar sentido intelectual a los fenómenos complejos sobre la cuestión del cambio climático, se pueden ofrecer respuestas.

Adaptation to climate change : from resilience to transformation.

Es un análisis exhaustivo de las dimensiones sociales del cambio climático, pues se considera una prioridad para el desarrollo humano aprender a vivir con sus efectos. Se presentan una serie de opciones que puede afrontar la humanidad en esta tarea estrictamente defensiva de adaptación a los riesgos del calentamiento global de la Tierra. Es una obra de referencia para los estudiantes de pregrado y postgrado interesados en los estudios sobre cambio climático, geografía y desarrollo.

Debating climate change.

La percepción y comprensión pública del cambio climático y las actitudes hacia las medidas de mitigación pueden tener un impacto significativo en el desarrollo de programas políticos y acciones individuales destinadas a hacer frente al cambio climático. A partir de una encuesta a una muestra representativa de la población , el presente trabajo analiza distintos aspectos de la percepción pública del cambio climático, tales como el grado de preocupación, el conocimiento, las actitudes ante la utilización de distintas energías o las creencias ante las posibles soluciones y estrategias de adaptación al cambio climático global.