Scientists’ framing of the ocean science–policy interface

Scientists’ ideas, beliefs, and discourses form the frames that shape their choices about which research to pursue, their approaches to collaboration and communicating results, and how they evaluate research outputs and outcomes. To achieve ocean sustainability, there are increasing calls for new levels of engagement and collaboration between scientists and policy-makers; scientists’ willingness to engage depends on their current and evolving frames. Here, I present results about how scientists involved in diverse fields of ocean research perceived their role as scientists working at or near the ocean science–policy interface and how this related to their perceptions regarding ocean research priorities. The survey of 2187 physical, ecological and social scientists from 94 countries showed that scientists held different perspectives about their appropriate level of engagement at the ocean science–policy interface and the relative primacy of science versus politics in formulating ocean policy. Six clusters of scientists varied in their frames; three clusters accounted for 94% of the sample. Of 67 research questions identified from 22 research prioritization and horizon scanning exercises, the top eight were shared among all three clusters, showing consistency in research priorities across scientists with different framings of their role at the science–policy interface. Five focused on the mechanisms and effects of global change on oceans, two focused on data collection and management for long-term ocean monitoring, and one focused on the links between biodiversity and ecological function at different scales. The results from this survey demonstrated that scientists’ framings of the role of ocean science at the science–policy interface can be quantified in surveys, that framing varies among scientists, and that research priorities vary according to the framings.     

人类在极端环境气象中的适应问题

世界屋脊青藏高原因海拔高而带来的缺氧、低温和大风,给人类生活带来诸多困难。在这种极端环境气象中,人们为了生存和工作,必须了解和掌握缺氧、低温和大风等与人类的关系,并逐渐摸索人类如何适应上述极端环境气象的规律,从而在这种极端环境气象条件下自由自在地生活与工作。若能如此,可谓“天人合一”了。       

Understanding social resilience to climate variability in primary enterprises and industries

Resource-dependent industries are particularly vulnerable to climate change, and their ability to adapt will be as critical to society as to the natural systems upon which they rely. More than ever, resource-users will need to anticipate, and prepare for, climate-related changes, and institutions will need to be particularly supportive, if resource industries and the extended social systems dependent on them are to be sustained. I examine the capacity of cattle-graziers in Australia to cope and adapt to climate variability as a precursor for understanding their vulnerability to climate change by assessing: (i) their perception of risk, (ii) their capacity to plan, learn and reorganise, (iii) their proximity to the thresholds of coping, and (iv) their level of interest in adapting to change. Graziers perceived themselves to be resilient to climate variability in their perceptions of climate risk, reorganising capacity, coping, and interest in adapting. Their dependency on the grazing resource and use of seasonal climate forecasts were significant influences, suggesting that resilience could be enhanced. Facilitated collaborative learning amongst graziers and other stakeholders may assist to develop strategic skills, increasing climate awareness, developing financial security and adopt climate tools such as seasonal climate forecasts. Enhanced strategies for coping with climate variability will provide a way for encouraging gradual, incremental adjustments for climate adaptation.     

‘Bubbling’ and the Kyoto mechanisms

The Kyoto Protocol allows a group of Annex B countries to fulfill their emissions limitation commitments jointly by forming a “bubble” equal to their collective commitment. Annex B countries, whether members of a bubble or not, can use the Kyoto mechanisms to help meet their emissions limitation commitments. I argue that Kyoto mechanism rules should be applied to Parties individually regardless of their membership in a bubble. This means there are virtually no advantages to joining a bubble, but it is not clear that the option to form a bubble should confer benefits on the members relative to other Annex B Parties that do not join a bubble.     

Environmental non-migration as adaptation in hazard-prone areas: Evidence from coastal Bangladesh

Despite suffering significantly from the adverse impacts of climate change and human-induced hazards, many people at risk deliberately choose not to migrate from hazard-prone areas in coastal Bangladesh. As many of them encounter significant challenges in maintaining their livelihoods, ascertaining how and under what circumstances voluntary non-migration decisions occur is crucial. Only a handful of studies have investigated whether individuals and groups who decide to stay put in the face of climatic hazards consider their decision to be an adaptive action. In this regard, this study contributes to the existing literature by empirically investigating the voluntary non-migration decision as an adaptation strategy through an exploration of the factors affecting this decision. We employed a systematic random sampling technique and selected 627 respondents from two climatic hazard-prone coastal districts: Khulna and Satkhira. Using the Generalized Structural Equation Model (GSEM), we found that voluntary non-migrants (84% of total respondents) appeared to enjoy the significant advantage of access to their communities' basic need provision and social support. Furthermore, the social, psychological, and economic opportunities found at their existing location (e.g., better income prospects, affordable living costs, receipt of financial help during post-disaster periods, and skills allowing them to stay in that location), as well as their access to local natural resources, strengthened their social capital and thus influenced their desire to stay. Together, these factors enhanced people’s adaptability to climatic shocks and motivated them to choose voluntary non-migration as an adaptation option.     

‘Bubbling’ and the Kyoto mechanisms

Abstract

The Kyoto Protocol allows a group of Annex B countries to fulfill their emissions limitation commitments jointly by forming a “bubble” equal to their collective commitment. Annex B countries, whether members of a bubble or not, can use the Kyoto mechanisms to help meet their emissions limitation commitments. I argue that Kyoto mechanism rules should be applied to Parties individually regardless of their membership in a bubble. This means there are virtually no advantages to joining a bubble, but it is not clear that the option to form a bubble should confer benefits on the members relative to other Annex B Parties that do not join a bubble.     

Uncovering the political dimension of social-ecological systems: Contributions from policy process frameworks

Research on the governance of social-ecological systems often emphasizes the need for self-organized, flexible and adaptive arrangements to deal with uncertainty, abrupt change and surprises that are characteristic of social-ecological systems. However, adaptive governance as well as transitions toward alternative forms of governance are embedded in politics and it is often the political processes that determine change and stability in governance systems and policy. This paper analyses five established theoretical frameworks of the policy process originating in political science and public policy research with respect to their potential to enhance understanding of governance and complex policy dynamics in social-ecological systems. The frameworks are found to be divergent in their conceptualization of policy change (focusing on incremental or large-scale, major changes), highlighting different aspects of bounded rationality in their model of individual behavior and focusing their attention on different aspects of the policy process (role of information, attention, beliefs, institutional structure, particular actors, etc.). We discuss the application of these frameworks and their potential contribution to unravelling the political dimension in adaptive governance and transformations.     

论近地面层湍流通量观测的一些问题

本文回顾并总结了目前在近地面层内观测湍流通量的方法。指出了各种观测方法的适用条件。比较了它们的测量误差和它们的优缺点，并讨论了各种测量方法存在的问题。该文的讨论对于选择近地面层湍流通量观测方案、提高观测精度、评价观测结果并对结果进行修正都有一定参考价值。     

Propagation of Envelope Solitons in Baroclinic Atmosphere

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Numerical studies of barotropic modons

Numerical solutions of barotropic modons are examined to assess the accuracy with which they can be calculated, their behavior under the influence of dissipation, and their resistance to perturbations.     

International climate policy: a “second best” solution for a “second best” world?

In the current political environment, it is highly unlikely that all countries will agree to take on immediate commitments to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. In particular, developing countries will look to their wealthier neighbors to be the “first movers.” In this paper, we assume that developing countries will eventually accede to an international emission reductions regime under two alternative scenarios. In the first, the decision on the part of developing countries to join the coalition is not made until just before accession. There is no planning to reconfigure their capital stock in advance of joining the coalition. In the second, we assume that developing countries commit to prespecified reductions beginning at an agreed upon date in the future; that is, they anticipate accession. We find that with an agreement now to future reductions, developing countries will modify their technology investment decisions in advance of accession to avoid being saddled with costly stranded assets, substantially reducing their GDP losses. Developed countries also benefit from not having to make as drastic reductions in the near-term to preserve the feasibility of stringent stabilization goals.     

近2ka古里雅冰芯记录的温湿配置多尺度特征

采用正交小波分解研究了近2 ka来青藏高原古里雅冰芯记录的气温和冰川积累量演变多尺度特征,得到了与构成序列中主要气候事件对应的尺度分量。用130 a尺度以上分量几乎可以重建冰芯记录中的主要冷暖或干湿气候事件。平均而言,温度和冰川积累量配置在大多数时间尺度上都呈正相关,即暖湿/冷干配置,但在130 a尺度上是负相关,即冷湿/暖干配置。20世纪以来的快速增暖增湿发生在260 a尺度上。线性增暖趋势和千年尺度分量都是暖湿/冷干配置并占有较大的方差,它们在很大程度上左右着百年尺度上的温湿配置。二者的结合直接导致千年尺度上温湿配置在8世纪出现由冷湿/暖干向暖湿/冷干气候型的转变。     

Effects of economic recession and local weather on climate change attitudes

How are large companies responding to the challenges of reducing their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions? An analysis of the published climate change policies and performance of 125 large European companies is presented. The results suggest that most large European companies have now developed the management systems and processes necessary for them to effectively manage their GHG emissions and related business risks. However, there is a significant disconnect between the targets that companies set for themselves and the more ambitious targets being set by the European Union (which has committed to a 20% reduction in its emissions by 2020 against a 1990 baseline). Of the companies surveyed, just over one-third had stabilized or reduced their total GHG emissions over the period 2002–2007, and fewer than one-third expected their emissions to stabilize or reduce in the coming years. The relationship between the quality of corporate policies and performance outcomes (in terms of GHG emissions) suggests that while companies with stronger policies are likely to have relatively better performance, only a minority of those companies with the highest-quality policies are committing to absolute reductions in their GHG emissions.     

积云参数化方案研究的现状

对现有的广泛使用的１１种积云参数化方案进行综述,侧重于它们的热力学特点和它们的优缺点,并对目前积云参数化的研究进行讨论。     

Dangerous fogs on the territory of Georgia

The statistical structure of dangerous fogs with the visibility of less than 50 m is studied using the observation data of 50 meteorological stations in Georgia for the period of 1961–2006. The contribution of dangerous fogs to the total number of foggy days is estimated. The number of days with dangerous fogs and their duration in different regions of the country are determined and the empirical functions of their distribution, sizes of areas of their expansion, temperature regime, and peculiarities of annual variations are studied.     

等电位连接网络在信息系统防雷接地工程中的应用

根据S型和M型两种结构等电位连接网络的不同特点来说明其适用范围、防雷接地工程应用以及安装注意事项.     

The case for Japanese—Russian joint implementation in implementing the Kyoto Protocol

The Doha Amendment allows surplus Assigned Amount Units (AAUs) to be carried over from the first commitment period, but limits their use for offsetting emission growth beyond commitment levels. Amendment 7ter simultaneously ‘shaves’ AAU allocation to a level equivalent to the average 2008–2010 emissions for countries that pledged a growth target under the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol. This means that economies in transition (EITs) are not allocated headroom for growth, and makes their commitments starkly different from their original pledges. The ‘bubble’ arrangement within the EU adds uncertainty to whether new Member States will avoid the ‘shaving’ of 7ter due to their pooled target. This would put Annex I EITs into an unequal position as a result of the Doha Amendment.     

当代大气科学方法论及其展望述评

从方法论的高度上阐述大气科学中关于"确定论"和"随机论"两种主导思想的研究方法。指出,确定论不再是唯一占统治地位的方法论,不确定性的客观存在已经为愈来愈多的科学事实所证明。天气气候变化过程,既有确定性的一面,又存在着不确定性的一面。必须正确认识两者对立统一的辩证关系。文中指出,由于"新三论"的异军突起,必须重新认识自然界历来就存在的必然性现象及其动力学规律、偶然性现象及其统计规律、既必然又偶然的混沌现象及其非线性规律及其三者的相互联系。因而在大气科学研究中,确定性方法和随机性方法必须有机结合,而其新的结合点正是混沌理论及其非线性科学。