Search results for "global warming"
showing 10 items of 283 documents
Using natural analogues to investigate the effects of climate change and ocean acidification on Northern ecosystems
2018
AbstractNorthern oceans are in a state of rapid transition. Still, our knowledge of the likely effects of climate change and ocean acidification on key species in the food web, functionally important habitats and the structure of Arctic and sub-Arctic ecosystems is limited and based mainly on short-term laboratory studies on single species. This review discusses how tropical and temperate natural analogues of carbonate chemistry drivers, such as CO2 vents, have been used to further our knowledge of the sensitivity of biological systems to predicted climate change, and thus assess the capacity of different species to show long-term acclimation and adaptation to elevated levels of pCO2. Natur…
Climate and agriculture: empirical evidence for countries and agroecological zones of the Sahel
2022
International audience; ow heterogenous is the impact of climate change across space and the type of agricultural production? In this paper, we investigate the relationship between climate change and variability, measured by temperature and rainfall, and agricultural production at the country and agroecological zone levels of the Sahel. We consider a crop production index and five cereals (maize, millet, sorghum, wheat and rice). Based on an original climate database and an agricultural production function estimated for the period 1961–2016, we show that average rainfall and temperature during the growing season indeed have highly heterogeneous effects on agricultural production, depending …
Quantities, environmental footprints and beliefs associated with household food waste in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
2019
The objectives of this research were to identify the quantities and global warming, acidification and eutrophication potentials associated with household food waste in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In parallel, this study investigated perceptions related to food waste and using the quality function deployment for environment model, correlated reasons for discarding food waste and beliefs associated with food waste. Based on this study, it is estimated that around 2.8 kg of food waste is disposed of by the average household every week. Global warming, acidification and eutrophication potentials associated with household food waste are, on average, 3.49 kg CO2e/week, 2.42 g SO2e/week and 8.70 g PO…
Assessment of the Trend of Albedo: a Case Study of Palermo
2013
In this paper we propose a case study of urban heat island applied to Palermo. The urban heat island (UHI) is the most studied of the climate effects of settlements. The UHI refers to the generally warm urban temperatures compared to those over surrounding, non-urban, areas. The aim of this paper is to find a connection among the average rise in temperature and the modification of albedo.
UCT-MBR vs IFAS-UCT-MBR for Wastewater Treatment: A Comprehensive Comparison Including N2O Emission
2017
In this study the performance (in terms of carbon and nutrient removal) and N2O emission of two plant configurations adopting innovative technologies were investigated. With this regards, an University Cape Town (UCT) membrane bioreactor (MBR) plant and an Integrated Fixed Film Activated Sludge (IFAS) -UCT-MBR plant were monitored. Both plants treat real wastewater under two different values of the influent carbon nitrogen ratio (C/N = 5 mgCOD/mgN and C/N = 10 mgCOD/mgN). Results have shown the highest carbon and nutrients removal efficiencies for the IFAS-UCT-MBR configuration during both the two investigated C/N values. Furthermore, the lowest N2O emission occurred for the IFAS-UCT-MBR.
Comparative sclerochronology of modern and mid-Pliocene (c. 3.5Ma) Aequipecten opercularis (Mollusca, Bivalvia): an insight into past and future clim…
2009
Records of environment contained within the accretionarily deposited tissues of fossil organisms afford a means of detailed reconstruction of past climates and hence of rigorous testing of numerical climate models. We identify the environmental factors controlling oxygen and carbon stable-isotopic composition, and microgrowth-increment size, in the shell of modern examples of the Queen Scallop, Aequipecten opercularis. This understanding is then applied in interpretation of data from mid-Pliocene A. opercularis from eastern England. On the basis of oxygen-isotope evidence we conclude that winter minimum seafloor temperature was similar to present values (typically 6–7 °C) in the adjacent so…
In-situ measurements of hemp-lime insulation materials for energy efficiency improvement
2018
Abstract Reduction of the CO2 emissions in the atmosphere is one of the goals set forth by the European Union, hence various directives have been adopted, such as the European directive 2012/27/EU on energy efficiency, i.e. ensuring from 2019 the construction of the near-zero energy buildings (nZEB). The construction segment plays a very important part in solving the current global problem of the greenhouse gas emissions and related processes of global warming, because in certain countries (i.e. in Latvia) it represents more than a half of the total energy consumption. Hence the necessity to elaborate means on how to boost the energy efficiency of the buildings meanwhile not rising pressure…
Assessing environmental performance in the European Union: Eco-innovation versus catching-up
2017
Abstract This paper assesses environmental performance in the European Union (EU) using Luenberger productivity indicators, directional distance functions and Data Envelopment Analysis techniques. It considers four indicators of the pressures exerted by economic activity on the environment: global warming, tropospheric ozone formation, acidification and particulate formation. The change in environmental performance from the early 2000s onwards is decomposed at the levels of country and environmental pressure, and as the result of eco-innovations and catching-up with the best available environmental technologies; furthermore, we distinguish between the periods of economic growth (2001–07) an…
Alternatives to the present global development pattern : ecovillages – a model for sustainable living?
2016
Master thesis development management - University of Agder 2016 The current way of development is exhausting the planets limitations, the continues increase in consumption are degrading the nature that is relied on for human existence. Thus, it is necessary to define an alternative way of developing. The aim is to achieve happiness for all, sustaining the resources of the planet. Ecovillages are recognized as a sustainable alternative which encompasses a holistic approach to the term sustainability. Through qualitative research in the form of participatory observations, interviews and a survey performed in Gambhira, an ecovillage in rural Colombia, the sustainability, educational mission as…
A Methodology for Protection of Trees Against Lightning Strikes as a Measure to Prevent Fires and Loss of Human Life
2021
Some regions may be characterized by a very low annual lightning ground flash density, and yet lightning strikes seem to have been in those areas the cause of widespread wildfires in forested areas. Due to global climate change, these occurrences seem to be an increasing threat. In this paper, the authors discuss the withstand capability of trees against lightning and introduce the criteria for the deployment of tree lightning protection systems (TLPS) to protect forested areas, where deemed necessary by the tree risk assessment. This work analytically identifies the critical trunk radius of the tree below which the tree may explode in the case of a lightning strike and ignite the surroundi…