The COVID-19 pandemic and global environmental change: Emerging research needs

The outbreak of COVID-19 raised numerous questions on the interactions between the occurrence of new infections, the environment, climate and health. The European Union requested the H2020 HERA project which aims at setting priorities in research on environment, climate and health, to identify relevant research needs regarding Covid-19. The emergence and spread of SARS-CoV-2 appears to be related to urbanization, habitat destruction, live animal trade, intensive livestock farming and global travel. The contribution of climate and air pollution requires additional studies. Importantly, the severity of COVID-19 depends on the interactions between the viral infection, ageing and chronic diseases such as metabolic, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and obesity which are themselves influenced by environmental stressors. The mechanisms of these interactions deserve additional scrutiny. Both the pandemic and the social response to the disease have elicited an array of behavioural and societal changes that may remain long after the pandemic and that may have long term health effects including on mental health. Recovery plans are currently being discussed or implemented and the environmental and health impacts of those plans are not clearly foreseen. Clearly, COVID-19 will have a long-lasting impact on the environmental health field and will open new research perspectives and policy needs.     

The COVID-19 pandemic and global environmental change: Emerging research needs

The outbreak of COVID-19 raised numerous questions on the interactions between the occurrence of new infections, the environment, climate and health. The European Union requested the H2020 HERA project which aims at setting priorities in research on environment, climate and health, to identify relevant research needs regarding Covid-19. The emergence and spread of SARS-CoV-2 appears to be related to urbanization, habitat destruction, live animal trade, intensive livestock farming and global travel. The contribution of climate and air pollution requires additional studies. Importantly, the severity of COVID-19 depends on the interactions between the viral infection, ageing and chronic diseases such as metabolic, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and obesity which are themselves influenced by environmental stressors. The mechanisms of these interactions deserve additional scrutiny. Both the pandemic and the social response to the disease have elicited an array of behavioural and societal changes that may remain long after the pandemic and that may have long term health effects including on mental health. Recovery plans are currently being discussed or implemented and the environmental and health impacts of those plans are not clearly foreseen. Clearly, COVID-19 will have a long-lasting impact on the environmental health field and will open new research perspectives and policy needs.     

The COVID-19 pandemic and global environmental change: Emerging research needs

The outbreak of COVID-19 raised numerous questions on the interactions between the occurrence of new infections, the environment, climate and health. The European Union requested the H2020 HERA project which aims at setting priorities in research on environment, climate and health, to identify relevant research needs regarding Covid-19. The emergence and spread of SARS-CoV-2 appears to be related to urbanization, habitat destruction, live animal trade, intensive livestock farming and global travel. The contribution of climate and air pollution requires additional studies. Importantly, the severity of COVID-19 depends on the interactions between the viral infection, ageing and chronic diseases such as metabolic, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and obesity which are themselves influenced by environmental stressors. The mechanisms of these interactions deserve additional scrutiny. Both the pandemic and the social response to the disease have elicited an array of behavioural and societal changes that may remain long after the pandemic and that may have long term health effects including on mental health. Recovery plans are currently being discussed or implemented and the environmental and health impacts of those plans are not clearly foreseen. Clearly, COVID-19 will have a long-lasting impact on the environmental health field and will open new research perspectives and policy needs.     

The COVID-19 pandemic and global environmental change: Emerging research needs

The outbreak of COVID-19 raised numerous questions on the interactions between the occurrence of new infections, the environment, climate and health. The European Union requested the H2020 HERA project which aims at setting priorities in research on environment, climate and health, to identify relevant research needs regarding Covid-19. The emergence and spread of SARS-CoV-2 appears to be related to urbanization, habitat destruction, live animal trade, intensive livestock farming and global travel. The contribution of climate and air pollution requires additional studies. Importantly, the severity of COVID-19 depends on the interactions between the viral infection, ageing and chronic diseases such as metabolic, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and obesity which are themselves influenced by environmental stressors. The mechanisms of these interactions deserve additional scrutiny. Both the pandemic and the social response to the disease have elicited an array of behavioural and societal changes that may remain long after the pandemic and that may have long term health effects including on mental health. Recovery plans are currently being discussed or implemented and the environmental and health impacts of those plans are not clearly foreseen. Clearly, COVID-19 will have a long-lasting impact on the environmental health field and will open new research perspectives and policy needs.     

The COVID-19 pandemic and global environmental change: Emerging research needs

The outbreak of COVID-19 raised numerous questions on the interactions between the occurrence of new infections, the environment, climate and health. The European Union requested the H2020 HERA project which aims at setting priorities in research on environment, climate and health, to identify relevant research needs regarding Covid-19. The emergence and spread of SARS-CoV-2 appears to be related to urbanization, habitat destruction, live animal trade, intensive livestock farming and global travel. The contribution of climate and air pollution requires additional studies. Importantly, the severity of COVID-19 depends on the interactions between the viral infection, ageing and chronic diseases such as metabolic, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and obesity which are themselves influenced by environmental stressors. The mechanisms of these interactions deserve additional scrutiny. Both the pandemic and the social response to the disease have elicited an array of behavioural and societal changes that may remain long after the pandemic and that may have long term health effects including on mental health. Recovery plans are currently being discussed or implemented and the environmental and health impacts of those plans are not clearly foreseen. Clearly, COVID-19 will have a long-lasting impact on the environmental health field and will open new research perspectives and policy needs.     

The COVID-19 pandemic and global environmental change: Emerging research needs

The outbreak of COVID-19 raised numerous questions on the interactions between the occurrence of new infections, the environment, climate and health. The European Union requested the H2020 HERA project which aims at setting priorities in research on environment, climate and health, to identify relevant research needs regarding Covid-19. The emergence and spread of SARS-CoV-2 appears to be related to urbanization, habitat destruction, live animal trade, intensive livestock farming and global travel. The contribution of climate and air pollution requires additional studies. Importantly, the severity of COVID-19 depends on the interactions between the viral infection, ageing and chronic diseases such as metabolic, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and obesity which are themselves influenced by environmental stressors. The mechanisms of these interactions deserve additional scrutiny. Both the pandemic and the social response to the disease have elicited an array of behavioural and societal changes that may remain long after the pandemic and that may have long term health effects including on mental health. Recovery plans are currently being discussed or implemented and the environmental and health impacts of those plans are not clearly foreseen. Clearly, COVID-19 will have a long-lasting impact on the environmental health field and will open new research perspectives and policy needs.     

The COVID-19 pandemic and global environmental change: Emerging research needs

The outbreak of COVID-19 raised numerous questions on the interactions between the occurrence of new infections, the environment, climate and health. The European Union requested the H2020 HERA project which aims at setting priorities in research on environment, climate and health, to identify relevant research needs regarding Covid-19. The emergence and spread of SARS-CoV-2 appears to be related to urbanization, habitat destruction, live animal trade, intensive livestock farming and global travel. The contribution of climate and air pollution requires additional studies. Importantly, the severity of COVID-19 depends on the interactions between the viral infection, ageing and chronic diseases such as metabolic, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and obesity which are themselves influenced by environmental stressors. The mechanisms of these interactions deserve additional scrutiny. Both the pandemic and the social response to the disease have elicited an array of behavioural and societal changes that may remain long after the pandemic and that may have long term health effects including on mental health. Recovery plans are currently being discussed or implemented and the environmental and health impacts of those plans are not clearly foreseen. Clearly, COVID-19 will have a long-lasting impact on the environmental health field and will open new research perspectives and policy needs.     

The COVID-19 pandemic and global environmental change: Emerging research needs

The outbreak of COVID-19 raised numerous questions on the interactions between the occurrence of new infections, the environment, climate and health. The European Union requested the H2020 HERA project which aims at setting priorities in research on environment, climate and health, to identify relevant research needs regarding Covid-19. The emergence and spread of SARS-CoV-2 appears to be related to urbanization, habitat destruction, live animal trade, intensive livestock farming and global travel. The contribution of climate and air pollution requires additional studies. Importantly, the severity of COVID-19 depends on the interactions between the viral infection, ageing and chronic diseases such as metabolic, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and obesity which are themselves influenced by environmental stressors. The mechanisms of these interactions deserve additional scrutiny. Both the pandemic and the social response to the disease have elicited an array of behavioural and societal changes that may remain long after the pandemic and that may have long term health effects including on mental health. Recovery plans are currently being discussed or implemented and the environmental and health impacts of those plans are not clearly foreseen. Clearly, COVID-19 will have a long-lasting impact on the environmental health field and will open new research perspectives and policy needs.     

环境地球化学研究近十年若干新进展

环境地球化学学科在中国生态文明和美丽中国建设、国际环境公约履约及过去全球变化研究中发挥着越来越大的作用.本文简要回顾了中国过去十年在环境地球化学领域的部分研究进展,介绍了汞、持久性有机污染物和其他重金属污染物长距离传输研究进展;总结了汞、镉、锑、铊等非传统稳定同位素在地表生物地球化学循环过程中的同位素分馏规律及污染来源...     

Some problems of ecological environmental geology in arid and semiarid areas of China

Arid and semiarid areas are widely distributed in China but rich in natural resources. Because of the arid climate, complex geological conditions, and human activities, some problems of ecological environmental geology occur, such as lack of water resources, desertification, salinization, and biogeochemical endemic diseases, etc. These problems occur in fragile regions of the environment, seriously restricting the developing of the national economy and causing harm to human health. Ecological environmental geology is a new developing science in China. Through the research of ecological environmental geology and with the help of research results of the western plain of the Tarim Basin in Xingjing, we propose a comprehensive administrative measure of ecological geological environment on the basis of rational utilization of water resources, and it can be used to improve the ecological environment of arid and semiarid areas.     

大气颗粒物理化特征和影响效应的研究进展及展望

大气颗粒物,尤其是细颗粒物PM_2.5,是有毒和有害物质的载体,对人体健康具有重要的影响,同时大气颗粒物具有吸湿性、光学吸收和散射能力以及云凝结核活性等,对环境和气候变化具有重要的作用,大气颗粒物进一步的长距离输送还会对区域和全球地球化学循环产生重要影响.总结了当前大气颗粒物的物理化学特征研究进展,分析了离线和在线分析技术在大气颗粒物主要组分检测中的应用,阐述了大气颗粒物源解析技术的应用现状,以及由于大气颗粒物污染对环境、气候、人体健康和地球化学循环等产生的影响,最后展望未来大气颗粒物研究的重点问题.      

Reverse osmosis on a small barrier island: transformations of water,landscape, and vulnerability on Ocracoke Island,NC, USA

Globally, modifications to the landscape have drastically transformed social and ecological communities. The implication of global climate change for small islands and small island communities is especially troublesome. Socially, small islands have a limited resource base, deal with varying degrees of insularity, generally have little political power, and have limited economic opportunities. The physical attributes of small islands also increase their vulnerability to global climate change, including limited land area, limited fresh water supplies, and greater distances to resources. The focus of this research project is to document place-specific human–environmental interactions from a political ecology perspective as a means to address local concerns and possible consequences of global environmental change. The place in which these interactions are examined is the barrier island and village of Ocracoke, NC. I focus on the specific historical-geography of land and water management on Ocracoke as a means to examine relationships between local human–environmental interactions and environmental change. I provide an account of technological changes in potable water procurement and the paralleling development of island growth (i.e. people, buildings, tourism). Then, relying on interviews with island residents, I consider how advancements in local water infrastructure, specifically the installation of an additional reverse osmosis unit, are hinged on anticipated future economic development. Lastly the social dimensions of change are discussed with specific focus on the increase in housing density and overburdened septic drainage fields in relation to changing hydrologic processes with an examination of how all of these factors affect local vulnerability.     

The analysis of unparalleled struggle for existence of urban women informal workers in West Bengal,India for survival and resilience to COVID-19 pandemic risk

An unparalleled struggle has been witnessed among the urban women informal workers of Midnapore and Kharagpur cities in West Bengal, India. Many researchers have advocated and are advocating about the deadly impact of COVID-19 pandemic situation on the women informal workers but very few were concentrated on their coping capabilities. These women in the study area have set an example before others that how can one survive her livelihood in the time of critical situation. Despite all the hardships they have been fighting their own lonely battle not only against this situation but also a lot of serious threats like insecurity, low resources and low standard of living. This study mainly highlights the measures taken by these poor women to cope with this situation for the survival of their families along with the external supports provided for them. This is strictly a perception based study conducted among 500 women selected by purposive sampling procedure across age, ethnicity, income and educational level during unlock phases with the help of semi-structured and open ended questionnaire schedule. The result reveals that although their capabilities and efforts to cope with this devastating situation are praiseworthy but it is a hard reality that this pandemic put its evil imprint in every step of their daily livelihoods. The various measures have already been taken by the government but, these measures have to be continued till the situation will become normal along with gender sensitive long term benefit.

     

火星雅丹地貌研究进展

雅丹地貌是一种典型的风蚀地貌.多源遥感探测和就位探测均表明火星表面分布着大量的雅丹地貌,其形态特征和物质组成记录了火星气候环境变化的信息,是当前火星探测和研究的热点之一.本文对火星雅丹地貌的探测历史、分布、类型、几何特征、物质组成、年代学、发育过程及对古气候指示意义等方面的研究进展进行了总结,在此基础上,提出了当前火星雅丹地貌研究存在的主要问题,建议在未来研究中重点加强雅丹地貌定量化和比较行星学研究,并结合其物质组成、年代学等方面工作,探讨其发育过程与气候环境协同演化的机制,为深入认识火星雅丹地貌发育过程,了解火星古气候环境变化提供支持.     

流水下切的动力学机制、物理侵蚀过程和影响因素:评述和展望

流水下切是指河流河道在基岩中的垂直切割。自20世纪90年代以来,由于对全球尺度的气候、地表过程和构造之间相互作用的认识,以及工程建设和天然资源管理决策的需要,流水下切成为构造地貌学的理论研究前缘。文章从动力学机制、物理侵蚀过程、三大外来变量构造、气候和基准面变化的影响,以及区分这些变量影响的可能性等方面,对流水下切研究的最新进展予以评述。未来流水下切研究要在流水动力学和地球动力学两方面探索更多的科学问题     

全球变化及其相关科学概念的发展与比较

在回顾全球变化科学产生和发展历史的基础上,针对当前全球变化、全球气候变化、全球环境变化、地球系统科学在概念和内涵上存在混淆的情况,就全球变化等概念的内涵、产生的过程及其联系进行了综述、分析和比较。提出全球变化是指对人类现在和未来生存与发展有重要的直接或潜在影响、由自然因素或人类因素驱动在全球范围内所发生的地球环境的变化,或与全球环境有重要关联的区域环境的变化。气候变化和全球环境变化的研究范畴包含在全球变化之中,但又各有其关注领域和交叉部分;而地球系统科学是解决全球变化问题的科学理念、思维方式和解决方案。]     

开展干旱环境动力学研究的若干问题

根据目前干旱环境研究的现状，提出了“干旱环境动力学”的概念及其科学问题提法、研究方法论和研究途径，为干旱环境动力学的建立提供了一个科学框架。干旱环境系统是地球系统的一部分，建立干旱环境动力学，应以地球系统科学的基本原理为出发点。但它应着重研究地球系统科学中十至百年时间尺度干旱环境发展规律和趋势，特别是人类活动在该时间尺度内对干旱环境的影响。为了研究干旱环境问题，自然科学领域的地理科学、生物科学、大气科学、水文和水利以及地质学等必须形态统一的观点和普适的方法论，从而形成相对独立且学科交叉的干旱环境动力学。气候动力学已相对成熟，干旱环境动力学建模可以气候动力学为基础。建模成败的关键是如何将生态过程物理化和化学化，如何建立水文子系统、生态子系统和土壤子系统的数学模型，并与气候动力学模式相互耦合。     

国际地球科学与资源环境科学发展战略分析

介绍了国际主要地学机构（NASA、USGS、NOAA、NERC、BGS）、主要组织（ICSU、EU、OECD、UNESCO）、国际主要基金机构（NSF、ESF）21世纪初10～20年有关地球科学与资源环境科学的研究与发展战略的目标、研究计划、主要研究内容与优先研究领域。这些机构与组织的地学与资源环境科学发展战略，反映了国际上地球科学与资源环境科学的研究重点和发展趋势，对把握国际地球科学与资源环境科学发展方向、明确我国地球科学与资源环境科学的战略重点和优先领域具有重要的参考价值。同时，依据美国科学信息研究所（ISI）的基本科学指标数据库（ESI），分析了过去20年国际地学（geosciences）、环境／生态学（environment／ec ology）领域著名科学家的国别和机构分布状况，分析了国际地学、环境／生态学过去10年成果产出最多、论文被引频次最多、篇均被引频次最高的前10个研究机构，反映了过去10年国际地学、环境／生态学研究的影响力。最后，简要分析了国际地球科学与资源环境科学的优先研究领域与主要特点。     

The role of airborne particles and environmental considerations in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2

Corona Virus Disease 2019(COVID-19) caused by the novel coronavirus, results in an acute respiratory condition coronavirus 2(SARS-Co V-2) and is highly infectious. The recent spread of this virus has caused a global pandemic. Currently, the transmission routes of SARS-Co V-2 are being established, especially the role of environmental transmission. Here we review the environmental transmission routes and persistence of SARS-Co V-2. Recent studies have established that the transmission of this virus may occur,amongst others, in the air, water, soil, cold-chain, biota, and surface contact. It has also been found that the survival potential of the SARS-Co V-2 virus is dependent on different environmental conditions and pollution. Potentially important pathways include aerosol and fecal matter. Particulate matter may also be a carrier for SARS-Co V-2. Since microscopic particles can be easily absorbed by humans, more attention must be focused on the dissemination of these particles. These considerations are required to evolve a theoretical platform for epidemic control and to minimize the global threat from future epidemics.     

Perception and knowledge about climate change and health problems: a study in Kolkata Metropolitan Region

In the twenty-first century, land use changes, massive expansion of urbanization, population growth, economic crisis, environmental issues are the main challenges of developing countries. Climate change and its effects on human health are the major concerns for the different age groups of the population. The study delved into the causes associated with climate change and climate change-related myriad health impacts on the study population. This study has used a concurrent mixed-method research design. The quantitative and qualitative data were collected from the study area. Perception and knowledge about climate change and its consequences on health was based on a quantitative approach of Bi-variate analysis and Chi-Square test and Fisher’s exact test; this study also used qualitative data analysis. Study results show that most respondents pointed out that temperature increases throughout the year and 90% of the respondents reported that rainfall pattern has also changed. Similarly, 65% of respondents agreed in their statements in favour of increased natural calamities in this region. The study findings show that more than 40% of population faces dengue fever and 10% of people also suffer from malaria. More than 60% of the urban population suffered from asthma. Similarly, more than 70% of the population also got affected by cold and cough due to weather variability. Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and In-depth interviews of the participants also affirmed the fact that climate variability induced diseases and health problems in Kolkata Metropolitan areas. Urban residents perceived that excessive urbanization contributes to the changes in regional climate and human health. The study will encourage the policy-makers and local government to mitigate adverse health effects driven by climate change in the Kolkata Metropolitan Region.