Public perception of climate change and disaster preparedness: Evidence from the Philippines

The Philippines is highly susceptible to both geophysical and climate-related disasters. This article explores Filipinos knowledge and perception of climate change and their association with what action Filipinos take to prepare for rapid onset natural hazards such as typhoons. Data for this study were collected from a nationally representative random survey of 5,184 adults conducted between March and April of 2017. Filipinos self-report relatively low levels of knowledge of climate change and cited increased temperatures, shifts in seasons, and heavier rains as the most likely consequences. Levels of disaster preparedness in the Philippines differ widely by region. Although most Filipinos perceive that natural hazards are a risk to them, only a third of Filipinos undertake measures to prepare for disasters. Filipinos who perceive climate-related changes directly impacting their households report taking greater action to prepare for disasters. Filipinos who believe they have been directly impacted by climate-related changes are also more likely to prepare for disasters, take planning actions, and undertake material actions to prepare, such as dwelling improvements. Other factors associated with disaster preparedness include gender, membership in an association, wealth, risk perception, and prior exposure to and losses due to disasters. The findings imply that, while posing different challenges and requiring different responses, adaptation to climate change and disaster preparedness are inherently associated and potentially mutually reinforcing. Policies and programs would arguably benefit from a more unified intervention framework that links climate change adaptation and disaster preparedness.     

It starts at home? Climate policies targeting household consumption and behavioral decisions are key to low-carbon futures

Through their consumption behavior, households are responsible for 72% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, they are key actors in reaching the 1.5 °C goal under the Paris Agreement. However, the possible contribution and position of households in climate policies is neither well understood, nor do households receive sufficiently high priority in current climate policy strategies. This paper investigates how behavioral change can achieve a substantial reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in European high-income countries. It uses theoretical thinking and some core results from the HOPE research project, which investigated household preferences for reducing emissions in four European cities in France, Germany, Norway and Sweden. The paper makes five major points: First, car and plane mobility, meat and dairy consumption, as well as heating are the most dominant components of household footprints. Second, household living situations (demographics, size of home) greatly influence the household potential to reduce their footprint, even more than country or city location. Third, household decisions can be sequential and temporally dynamic, shifting through different phases such as childhood, adulthood, and illness. Fourth, short term voluntary efforts will not be sufficient by themselves to reach the drastic reductions needed to achieve the 1.5 °C goal; instead, households need a regulatory framework supporting their behavioral changes. Fifth, there is a mismatch between the roles and responsibilities conveyed by current climate policies and household perceptions of responsibility. We then conclude with further recommendations for research and policy.     

Dynamic analysis of eco-environmental changes based on remote sensing and geographic information system: an example in Longdong region of the Chinese Loess Plateau

The Chinese Loess Plateau is suffering from severe soil erosion. The eco-environmental changes of the plateau are believed to have an important influence on global eco-environmental sustainability; hence, this problem has attracted considerable attention from scientists around the world. This study has two purposes; application of remote sensing (RS) and geographic information system (GIS) techniques in the dynamic analysis of eco-environmental changes in the semiarid zone; and using the Longdong region of the Chinese Loess Plateau as an example, to make dynamic analysis of the eco-environmental changes of the region during the 1986–2004 period and identify controlling factors. Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) data at a spatial resolution of 30 m were used for analysis. Two training areas were selected in Jingning and Qingcheng counties for analysis using 10-m resolution SPOT and Landsat TM data. The satellite RS images were obtained from the Institute of Remote Sensing Application (IRSA), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). Each images was rectified by Albers Equal Area Conic projection based on 1:50,000 scale topographic maps after spectrum preparation of the images. To make the precision within 1 or 2 pixels, the accurate coordinative control points of the two systems were identified. Then the interpretation key was established based on the land use/cover survey in the study area. The images were classified into six primary environmental types (farmland, forest, grassland, water, construction area, and desert) and 25 sub-types using a visual image interactive interpretation method to obtain vector and attribute data. The resultant accuracy of the land use/cover classification reached 95%. Finally, the transformation areas and ratios of various eco-environmental types in the region were calculated to obtain the transition matrixes of eco-environmental types in the two training areas, Jingning and Qingcheng. This study demonstrates that satellite RS and GIS techniques are effective tools to monitor and analyze the eco-environmental changes in the semiarid region. Visual image interactive interpretation based on GIS technique provides comprehensive information on the direction, rate, and location of eco-environmental changes. The transition matrix model can be used to precisely analyze the variation and rates of the eco-environmental types and their spatial distribution. Great land use changes have taken place Longdong during the 1986–2004 period. These eco-environmental changes were driven by natural and human factors. Natural factors influencing the Longdong region of the Chinese Loess Plateau mainly include temperature, water condition, terrain, soil, and erosion; while human activities include over-cultivation, overgrazing, and fuelwood cutting. As viewed from the extent and severity of the influences, human activities play a very important role in altering the eco-environment of the semiarid region. The study results indicate a need for future research and observation in the semiarid region.     

内蒙古准格尔旗晚石炭世一早二叠世早期腕足类物种多样性与沉积环境

以定性与定量相结合的研究方法,对内蒙古准格尔旗晚石炭世—早二叠世早期的腕足类物种多样性、沉积环境进行了综合研究,指出本区海进序列的腕足类物种多样性远高于海退序列;规模较大、具有一定水深的海进序列是腕足类辐射、分异、物种多样性升高的重要环境体系;本区腕足类辐射起步于晚石炭世早期之初,物种多样性出现了3次峰值(晚石炭世早期之中期、晚石炭世早期之晚期、晚石炭世晚期之中期),其中晚石炭世早期之晚期是本区腕足类物种多样性的顶峰期。     

伊犁地区近35年冬季积雪变化特征分析

通过对伊犁地区8个气象地面观测站35a(1971—2005年)11—3月逐旬的冬季最大积雪深度、积雪日数、降水量和平均温度的统计分析,结果表明:伊犁地区冬季降雪的时间、空间分布不均,最大降雪发生在新源;平均雪深最大的是伊宁县,最小的是特克斯县;冬季积雪日数变化相对比较稳定;冬季降雪与平均温度存在着很好的响应关系。在SPSS中对冬季的平均温度与平均降水和平均雪深进行相关分析,发现平均雪深、平均温度和平均降水为显著正相关。     

中国城市固体废弃物甲烷排放研究

The greenhouse effect of methane (CH4) is only inferior to that of carbon dioxide (CO2). As an important anthropogenic emission source, the calculation of the emission amount of CH4 from waste treatment in landfills plays an important role in compiling greenhouse gases inventory and in estimating the climate change effects caused by increasing of greenhouse gases. Based on the previous work, and according to the sampling and analysis on municipal solid waste (MSW) in typical cities, the degradable organic carbon (DOC) percentile was identified in typical cities in recent years. According to the IPCC greenhouse gases inventory guideline and default method of CH4 emission from MSW landfills, and in light of MSW managing situation in different regions, the amount of CH4 emission was calculated. The results show that the amount of CH4 emission decreases geographically from east to west and it increases temporally from 1994 to 2004 in China.     

山东省近55年夏季降水和平均气温的多时间尺度分析

利用最近55a山东夏季降水和平均气温资料，统计分析了降水和平均气温的变化特征，并用Meyer小波变换方法，对山东省夏季降水和平均气温进行了分析，发现山东夏季降水呈明显下降趋势，气温略呈上升趋势。小波分析显示两者在中短周期上基本一致，即它们的中短周期基本在11a，5～6a和2～3a左右的时间尺度上变动。而这些基本周期正是太阳黑子活动和海气相互作用的周期，说明山东省夏季降水和平均气温的周期变化主要受太阳黑子活动和海-气相互作用的影响。     

焦作市农业气候资源及变化特点

焦作市的农业气候资源丰富,雨热同季,并有不完全同步的特性,10℃以上活动积温为4653~4960℃.d,降水量为548.8~590.5 mm,主要分布在4-10月,日照时数2107.5~2444.9 h。近40 a热量资源呈增多趋势,20世纪90年代的热量资源明显多于前30 a,水分变化不明显,日照时数呈递减趋势。     

Climatic impacts of historical wetland drainage in Switzerland

The effects of historical land-use and land-cover changes on the climate of the Swiss Plateau in the different seasons were investigated. In the 19th century, a civil engineering project was initiated to reshape the lake and river system on the Swiss Plateau in order to ban the frequent flooding during extreme weather events. The landscape modifications consisted primarily of a conversion of wetlands with extended peat soils into a highly productive agricultural landscape. Historical maps (1800–1850) served as a basis for the reconstruction of the past land use. The “Lokal-Modell” of the Consortium for Small-Scale Modelling was used to conduct eight one-month long high-resolution simulations (1.5 × 1.5 km²) with present and past landscape conditions. The modified soil and surface properties led to distinctly altered energy and moisture exchanges at the surface and as a consequence affected the local and regional climate. The climatic changes show different characteristics and magnitudes in the cold (October – March) as compared to the warm season (April – September). The landscape modifications led to an average daytime cooling between −0.12 °C (January) and −0.61 °C (April) and a night-time warming of 0.19 °C−0.34 °C. The differences in the mean monthly temperatures show a warming of 0.1 °C−0.2 °C in the cold season and a cooling of similar magnitude in most of the study area in the warm season. The modification of the radiation budget and the surface energy balance distinctly affected the convective activity in the study area in the warm season, but had only a weak effect on convectivity in the cold season. The cloud coverage in the warm season is therefore distinctly reduced compared to the past.     

Analysis of the impact of conservation measures on stream flow regime in catchments of the Loess Plateau,China

Catchments in the Loess Plateau have been under the influence of human activities for centuries. In the last four decades, soil conservation measures have accelerated and intensified. These measures were designed to reduce soil erosion, improve agricultural productivity, and enhance environmental quality. It is important to evaluate the effects of these measures on hydrology in order to develop sustainable catchment management plans in the region. This study evaluated changes in stream flow data for four selected catchments in the Loess Plateau following large‐scale soil conservation measures. The non‐parametric Mann–Kendall test was used to identify trends in annual stream flow and the results showed significant downward trends in three of the four catchments. The Pettitt test indicated that a change point occurred in 1978 in these three catchments. Annual precipitation in all the catchments showed no significant trend during the period of record. Comparison of daily flow duration curves for two 20‐year periods (1957–1978) and (1979–2003) showed significant changes in stream flow regime. Reduction in most percentile flows varied between 20 and 45%, and the reduction in low flows was greatest. Overall, the reductions in daily flow were increasing with time, with significant changes occurring in the 1990s. However, it is not clear whether these catchments have seen the full effects of the soil conservation measures, so the results of this study might underestimate the final impact of soil conservation on stream flow regime. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.