Climate Change Action Research Articles

The PAICE project: Integrating health and health equity into UK climate change policy

This paper announces a new initiative - the research project Policy and Implementation for Climate & Health Equity (PAICE), which aims to investigate the complex systemic connections between climate change action, health and health equity, for translation of evidence into policy and practice in the UK. Using transdisciplinary approaches, PAICE will: (1) co-develop a programme theory and linked monitoring and evaluation plan, (2) work with the UK Climate Change Committee (CCC) and the Greater London Authority (GLA) using system dynamics to analyse national and local policy opportunities, (3) build an integrated model of the effects of these policies on population health, health equity and greenhouse gas emissions, (4) apply the findings to the CCC monitoring framework and GLA policy development, and (5) use the programme theory to help evaluate achievement of PAICE processes and objectives. If successful, PAICE will have helped to establish a systems capability to (i) monitor whether Government plans are on track to deliver their climate targets and associated health impacts and (ii) understand how relevant policy and implementation approaches could be enhanced.

20∗20∗60: A multilevel climate change analysis framework.

Cities worldwide have established plans and policies to achieve climate-neutral and climate-resilient objectives in recent decades. Researches have demonstrated that Climate Change Action Plans generally fail to include mitigation and adaptation approaches in their planning processes, despite their importance. A proposed multilevel assessment of Climate Change Action Plans, urban regeneration, and building projects was used to analyze the ten cities most sustainable in terms of developing environmental strategies, including local climate action to determine the degree of adaptation and mitigation integration in cutting-edge contexts and to identify measures that show synergies and co-benefits for urban design practices. Climate Change Action Plans, urban regeneration and building projects have been evaluated through scoring methods to determine firstly the level of integration among adaptation and mitigation and secondly the most used urban design solutions that addresses both approaches. Almost all of Climate Change Action Plans have "moderate" and "early" integration, with the most advanced in North American cities including Toronto, Montreal, New York, and San Francisco. Climate Change Action Plans partly influence urban regeneration projects. Among the cities studied, Royal Seaport and Hammarby Sjöstad in Stockholm stand out as the most advanced in terms of including measures for both mitigating and adapting to climate change, as well as the extent of activities carried out. North American building projects have the highest adaptation and mitigation strategies. Climate Change Action Plans, urban regeneration initiatives, and building projects analyzed have displayed measures to include both climate change mitigation and climate change adaptation benefits into urban design.

“Taking Action in Community Is Much, Much Preferable to Doing It Alone”: An Examination of Multi-Level Facilitators of and Barriers to Sustained Collective Climate Change Activism Among US Residents

To enact climate mitigation policies, sustained collective activism is essential to create political pressure and prioritize addressing climate change. Climate change activism includes behaviors such as contacting elected officials to urge them to take action on climate change, volunteering, and signing petitions. Climate change activism is often measured as a one-time event, not sustained activism efforts, which are necessary to enact sufficiently impactful policy changes. To examine barriers to and facilitators of sustained climate change activism, 23 in-depth interviews were conducted between August and December 2023 among members of an innovative national climate change-focused organization. Eligibility included being at least 18 years of age, English-speaking, a US resident, and highly engaged in a climate change activism group. Content analysis of interview transcripts was employed, and five themes emerged as barriers, four themes as facilitators, and five themes as both facilitators of and barriers to sustained climate change activism. The study identified strategies to promote the critical behavior of sustained climate change activism, which included fostering a community of climate change activists, clear instructions on how to engage in activism behaviors for all technical abilities, supporting mental health, and creating climate change activism as a habit and identity.

Evaluation of online training to promote peer diffusion of climate change activism in the US

Enacting policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions requires climate change activism (CCA). CCA behaviors include volunteering/donating to organizations addressing climate change and lobbying policymakers. However, effective methods to promote CCA are not well understood. In August 2022, 622 US adults participated in a randomized control trial and one-month follow-up to assess the efficacy of the Climate Change Activism Peer Educator Training Program, a brief one-time training that aims to train people to talk to their social network members about engaging in CCA. Participants reported high levels of satisfaction. The CCA training increased self-efficacy in having conversations about CCA but did not significantly impact the frequency of communicating about or engaging in CCA. Study findings suggest that future CCA interventions target people motivated to take action about climate change for peer educators, tailor training modules to social network characteristics, integrate prompts to reinforce behavior change, and provide easy and specific targets for CCA.

Fire management now and in the future: Will today's solutions still apply tomorrow?

Climate change and fire management actions are the two key drivers of fire regime changes now and into the future. The predicted effects of these drivers vary between regions and global climate projections; however, it is expected that fire regimes globally are likely to intensify. Increased wildfire extent, frequency and severity mean impacts to people, property, infrastructure, production and the environment are also likely to increase under worsening climate conditions. Fire management programs aim to reduce the influence of worsening climatic conditions on wildfires and risk to assets now and into the future However, given the pace of changes to fire regimes, trade-offs between assets are increasingly likely. Therefore, understanding the cost-effectiveness of fire management in the form of both fuel management and suppression is critical for managers to make informed decisions regarding resource allocation. We develop and test a Bayesian Decision Network (BDN) incorporating data from ~1200 fire regime simulations capturing 16 management strategies across six regions and six climate models. We quantify the effects of management and climate on fire size and risk to environmental, infrastructure, and production assets, as well as people and property. We calculate the overall cost-effectiveness of the management scenario based on the cost of implementing the program and the subsequent cost of impacts caused by wildfires. We found that costs increased under future climate conditions for all management scenarios in most regions. Despite some regional variation in the cost-effectiveness of management scenarios we were able to identify key scenarios which consistently had high cost-effectiveness. These were combinations of prescribed burning and suppression. Importantly, the model clearly demonstrates the risk of a do-nothing approach and highlights that action is needed to prevent high impacts now and into the future and to reduce the overall costs of wildfires.

Incorporating Climate Change Action Into Pediatric Residency Training Results in Institutional Change.

Incorporating Climate Change Action Into Pediatric Residency Training Results in Institutional Change.

Growing polarisation: ideology and attitudes towards climate change

To what extent have attitudes towards climate change become more polarised in recent years? Using panel data from the German Longitudinal Election Study between 2016 and 2022, our multivariate linear mixed models reveal an increased polarisation between ideological groups over time, in particular between those positioned on the left and the right of the cultural left-right dimension. This growing polarisation is mostly the result of those at the right end of the cultural divide becoming less supportive of climate change action. The pattern of growing division between ideological groups is also reflected in the polarisation between supporters of the populist radical right party AfD (Alternative for Germany) and Green voters, with AfD voters showing a decrease in their support for climate change action. Overall, our results suggest increased issue polarisation, with populist radical right parties and culturally right-wing ideology driving a gap in support for climate action.

The Scrutiny of States’ Climate Change Action under WTO Law and International Investment Agreements

Abstract The urgency of the fight against climate change is significantly shaping also international economic law. It is herein investigated how international climate change treaties, such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) of 9 May 1992 and the Paris Agreement of 12 December 2015 may be successfully integrated with the World Trade Organization (WTO) covered agreements and international investment agreements (IIAs). While the international trade and investment regimes were originally designed primarily for the vindication of economic concerns, they can already provide sufficient legal avenues for the affirmation of States’ climate commitments and efforts, such as the reliance on general exceptions applicable to environmental matters. In particular, trade and investment treaties must be interpreted pursuant to systemic integration as required by Article 31(3)(c) of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (VCLT). As a result, multilateral treaties addressing climate change do constitute a hermeneutic basis against which adjudicators may assess the respect or the breach of economic and commercial treaties under international law. Within this framework, unilateral climate change action by States (or by the European Union) that furthers the “ambition cycle” set forth by the Paris Agreement may withstand the scrutiny of the WTO Dispute Settlement System (DSS) and international investment tribunals but for a finding of discriminatory, arbitrary, unreasonable, selective or protectionist application.

Impact of climate change and human actions on the turbidity of water from wetlands in Rukiga district in Uganda: implications for health and community involvement

Climate change has been a serious issue in many countries, including Uganda, and has led to water contamination, pollution, and even water scarcity. Wetlands have shown their capacity to maintain water quality and safety for the population’s health through their filtering function, but they are highly susceptible to agricultural activities and destruction. This study aimed to determine the status of fifteen wetlands in the Rukiga district and the impact of climate hazards and human activities on water quality in the area where a conservation project was implemented by three organisations. Eighteen-month records were obtained, and readings were taken to determine the turbidity level of the water from the different wetlands. The reading mean of each wetland was used to determine three water source categories: clear or non-turbid (read > 80), less turbid (read 50–80), and very turbid (read 0–50). Analysis was performed with SPSS V28.0, which included univariate and bivariate analyses. Observation and conversation notes with project staff and community members were taken. The study showed that 93.33% of the water sources from wetlands were turbid, and for some, the turbidity did not oscillate stably from one category to another. Only one water source (6.67%) was still clear (non-turbid) for 18 months. These communities mostly contain wetlands as the main sources of water, which is collected from streams. Wetlands are more susceptible to agricultural activities, and hills are deforested exposing to soil erosion leading to water contamination. In conclusion, most wetlands are destroyed and have lost their filtering capacity and exposing people to consumption of unsafe water. Climate hazards and agricultural activities contributed the most to this issue. Interactions between NGOs and communities are helpful in responding to this threat.

Climate change competence—a view of professionals advancing climate change action

To support development of higher education on climate change (CC), this article uses an exploratory approach to gain perspectives on the needed competence of professionals in advancing CC mitigation and adaptation at expert or leadership positions at Finnish public, private and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). We conducted an open-ended questionnaire with fifty-eight professionals, followed by a series of interviews with twenty-four professionals who coordinate and advance CC actions in a professional manner. Based on our findings, a framework of professional CC competence emerges, through most utilized skills, knowledge(s), attitudes and values, consisting of six categories; Systemic climate change insight; Visions and strategies in changing climate; Collaborative climate leadership; Active engagement in networks; Courage and determination in climate action; and Climate values and justice. Such framing is relevant for climate change education (CCE) in both competency-oriented (higher) education, and in continuous learning, where experts and professionals as key practitioners solving the CC challenges in society are cultivated.

Climate Change and Heatwaves in India: Review of Impacts on Public Health, Livelihoods, and Policy

This paper presents a literature review studying the impacts of climate change and heatwaves on public health and livelihoods, with a focus on India. As global climate change accelerates, heatwaves are becoming more frequent and intense, necessitating new approaches to mitigate their effects on vulnerable populations, especially in urban areas. The review draws on recent studies (2021-2024) that explore the intersections of climate change, heatwaves, public health, livelihoods, policy interventions, and Heat Action Plans. The main findings reveal that heatwaves in India have significant public health impacts, such as increased mortality and morbidity, and disproportionately affect livelihoods, especially in agriculture and informal labor sectors. Vulnerable populations, including urban dwellers and informal workers, face heightened risks, further exacerbated by inadequate infrastructure and policy gaps. The purpose of this review is to synthesize current research to highlight these vulnerabilities and identify gaps in knowledge and policy response. A comprehensive, localized approach combining detailed risk assessments, nature-based solutions, technological innovations, and strengthened governance is essential for effective heatwave management in India. The findings underscore the urgent need for continued research focused on local spaces and comprehensive policy interventions to address the escalating risks posed by climate-induced heatwaves, setting the groundwork for future research and effective heatwave management strategies.

Near-term ecological forecasting for climate change action

Near-term ecological forecasting for climate change action

Exploring the Effects of Greenhouse Gases and Particulate Emissions on Quality of Life: A Country-Level Empirical Study

This study explores the relationship between greenhouse gases (GHGs) and particulate emissions and quality of life. The aim is to understand how emissions affect quality of life globally—across countries, regions, and the global population. Statistical methods were used to examine the impact of various emissions’ indicators on different aspects of quality of life. The study highlights the urgent need for climate change action and encourages policymakers to take strategic steps. Climate change adversely affects numerous aspects of daily life, leading to significant consequences that must be addressed through policy changes and global governance recommendations. Key findings include that higher CO2 and methane emissions and air pollution negatively impact quality of life. CO2 emissions are positively associated with electricity while air pollution is positively associated with GDP and negatively with unemployment. Air pollution has an adverse effect on all three aspects of the children’s welfare dimension of quality of life. These results provide timely and convincing insights for policy- and decision-making aimed at mitigating the impact of emissions on quality of life.

Finding cool spaces in Frankfurt/Main–a heat protection measure for the population of a major city

Abstract With the European continent heating up faster than ever, cities are facing major challenges protecting their population from the effects of climate change. Heat can have devastating effects on people’s physical and mental health with particular significance for the known vulnerable groups - the elderly and young children, people with pre-existing conditions, those who are pregnant and those who cannot protect themselves sufficiently for various reasons plus of course people working outdoors. Following the 2003 heat wave, the city of Frankfurt/Main registered a significant rise in mortality and morbidity, leading the Health Protection Authority to be increasingly concerned with heat-related health problems in the Frankfurt metropolitan area. The city has since developed various systems to protect the population from extreme heat and developed an all-encompassing climate change action plan (CCAP). Part of the CCAP is the provision of cool spaces to provide refuge from the heat for the public and implementation of this project started in the summer of 2022. However, with no legislative basis on which to build such a platform, some creative measures were required to ensure its success. Here, we will not only present the challenges we faced but the solutions we found - and the results of our currently ongoing evaluation of the actual use of our cool spaces to help other cities make their journey to similar measures easier. Starting with a brief overview of the CCAP, we will show the cool spaces’ place within the strategy, followed by our original plan of action and what happened when this plan came into contact with the reality of life in a large and diverse city. We will touch on climate injustice and the difficulties in reaching those parts of the population who actually need protection the most. Finally, we present our evaluation strategy and results together with the adjustments we are considering in moving forward with this climate change protection measure. Key messages • (Establishment of) climate change adaptation measures should urgently be enshrined in law. • Health inequality corresponds to climate inequality and continiously challenges adaptation measures.

Climate change and population aging: The role of older adults in climate change mitigation

This paper explores the intersection of climate change, population aging, and community resilience, focusing on the potentially powerful roles of older adults in climate change mitigation efforts, particularly in developing countries. Through a brief review of relevant literature in the fields of environmental studies, gerontology, and community development, the paper examines the vulnerabilities of older adults to climate change impacts and their potential contributions to adaptation and mitigation strategies. By integrating findings from some existing literature, the paper contributes to ongoing conversations about the inclusivity of climate change actions and the empowerment of marginalized groups. Our suggestions include harnessing the traditional knowledge and leadership of older adults and empowering them to act as climate change activists within their communities. Additionally, the paper suggests encouraging older adults to organize community capacity-building workshops that advocate for environmentally sustainable initiatives. We conclude by emphasizing that neglecting older adults in the climate change discourse risks exacerbating entrenched social inequalities and overlooks the potentially valuable resources and knowledge that older adults can contribute toward climate change mitigation and adaptation. This therefore calls for the recognition of older adults as vital agents of change and empowering them through inclusive development policies, programs, and initiatives. Future research should investigate the long-term impacts of inviting older adults into climate change mitigation efforts, and the barriers that may hinder their active engagement.

Public History: Infrastructure, Climate Change, and Radical Action.

This essay reviews the 2022 American film How to Blow Up a Pipeline, examining its significance for historians of technology. The film highlights do-it-yourself technologies, the experiences of marginalized technology users, and the environmental consequences of infrastructures. Central to the discussion is the film's dystopian portrayal of infrastructure, which drives the characters to take extreme measures, such as the bombing of an oil pipeline, to raise awareness about climate change. While the film might seem to advocate for radical action, this review suggests that it offers historians an opportunity to engage with broader social issues and reflect on the methodological challenges within the history of technology.

Book Review of From Big Oil to Big Green: Holding the Oil Industry to Account for the Climate Crisi

Marco Grasso of Italy authored the book From Big Oil to Big Green: Holding the Oil Industry to Account for the Climate Crisis to enhance public awareness of climate change and urge action from the petroleum and natural gas industry and governments towards achieving zero carbon emissions goals. The book consists of four parts with a total of 10 chapters. The first part addresses the climate crisis and the culpability of petroleum giants. The second part explores their responsibilities and obligations. The third part discusses the responsibilities they must undertake and the fourth part presents the conclusion. The book primarily explores the necessity and urgency of global energy transition, emphasizing the challenges and opportunities involved in achieving this objective. It provides a detailed analysis of the negative environmental and climate impacts of fossil fuels, while highlighting the importance of transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources.

COP 28 Policy Perspectives: Achieving Environmental Sustainability through FDI, Technological Innovation Index, Trade Openness, Energy Consumption, and Economic Development in N-11 Emerging Economies

Despite remarkable success in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) to achieve maximum economic growth, the Next-11 emerging economies grappling with an undesirable situation of environmental degradation have become a hot topic at COP28. Researchers have long focused on this connection, emphasizing the urgent need for international and national environmentalists to promote sustainable development (SD) in these rapidly growing economies under the United Nations (UN) Framework Convention on Climate Change action plans. As a result, this study examines the role of FDI in the N-11 emerging economies, focusing on energy usage and technological innovation within the theoretical framework of the Halo-Haven hypothesis, covering the period from 1990 to 2022. We utilize ARDL, FMOLS, and DOLS techniques to analyze both short-term dynamics and long-term equilibrium relationships, effectively managing heterogeneity, time dynamics, and cross-sectional dependence issues to produce comprehensive results. The long-term analysis supports the haven hypothesis, demonstrating an affirmative relationship between FDI, economic growth, and carbon emissions, whereas energy usage is negatively associated with carbon emissions. Furthermore, the D-H test established a reciprocal causal relationship between variables such as FDI, economic growth, trade openness, and environmental pollution. However, we found a one-way causal correspondence in the usage of green energy, the technological innovation index, and carbon emissions. Given the mixed findings, policymakers should focus on attracting FDI to the green energy sector while reinforcing regulations and implementing stringent oversight for FDI in energy-intensive industries. This approach will ensure that such investments adhere to high environmental standards, thereby benefiting future generations.

A review of climate change and cardiovascular diseases in the Indian policy context.

There is growing evidence that climate change adversely affects human health. Multiple diseases are sensitive to climate change, including cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), which are also the leading cause of death globally. Countries such as India face a compounded challenge, with a growing burden of CVDs and a high vulnerability to climate change, requiring a co-ordinated, multi-sectoral response. In this framework synthesis, we analysed whether and how CVDs are addressed with respect to climate change in the Indian policy space. We identified 10 relevant national-level policies, which were analysed using the framework method. Our analytical framework consisted of four themes: (1) political commitment; (2) health information systems; (3) capacity building; and (4) cross-sectoral actions. Additionally, we analysed a subset of these policies and 29 state-level climate change and health action plans using content analysis to identify health priorities. Our analyses revealed a political commitment in addressing the health impacts of climate change; however, CVDs were poorly contextualized with most of the efforts focusing on vector-borne and other communicable diseases, despite their recognized burden. Heat-related illnesses and cardiopulmonary diseases were also focused on but failed to encompass the most climate-sensitive aspects. CVDs are insufficiently addressed in the existing surveillance systems, despite being mentioned in several policies and interventions, including emergency preparedness in hospitals and cross-sectoral actions. CVDs are mentioned as a separate section in only a small number of state-level plans, several of which need an impetus to complete and include CVD-specific sections. We also found several climate-health policies for specific diseases, albeit not for CVDs. This study identified important gaps in India's disease-specific climate change response and might aid policymakers in strengthening future versions of these policies and boost research and context-specific interventions on climate change and CVDs.

Predicting the effect of climate change and management on net carbon sequestration in the forest ecosystems of the European part of Russia with the complex of models

The objectives of sustainable development require the ability to estimate potential changes in net carbon sequestration in forest ecosystems (including changes in biomass, mortmass, and soil organic matter) under possible climate change and different forest management strategies. Such estimates require consideration of different ecosystem components and processes. To achieve this goal, we have integrated several ecological models (dynamic stand model FORRUS-S, soil organic matter model Romul_Hum, statistical climate generator SCLISS and process-based forest ecosystem model EFIMOD3) to simulate the ecosystem dynamics at the regional level in several study areas within the forest zone of the European part of Russia. The simulation results reflected both the direct effects of climate change and forest management actions on ecosystem carbon pools, and the indirect effects through changes in species composition. The simulation experiments were spatially detailed at the level of individual forest management units, thereby revealing the influence of habitat conditions on the rate of carbon sequestration under the influence of environmental factors. We found that net carbon sequestration in all major ecosystem pools was mostly positive, ranging between 0 and 1.45 t ha year−1 depending on study area and simulation scenario. Higher accumulation was typically observed in medium-rich and rich habitat types with mesic moistening. In the long term, the effect of climate change was found to be comparable to the effect of management interventions.