Climate Change Adaptation Research Articles

Abstract 3818: Climate stressors and oncology care: awareness of healthcare professionals in Puerto Rico

Abstract Introduction: Climate change affects oncology care and health outcomes of cancer patients. Island communities are particularly vulnerable to these climate-related hazards and healthcare disruptions. Oncology healthcare professionals (OHP) are called to participate in climate change education and adaptation efforts actively. We investigate the awareness of OHP in Puerto Rico regarding the impact of climate change on oncology care. Methodology: This ongoing cross-sectional study is recruiting adult OHPs. The “Global Survey of the Effects of Climate Change on Oncology Care” was translated into Spanish and is being administered as a data collection instrument. OHP are being recruited online using a quick-response (QR) code, social media, and through in-person activities, including oncology medical and nursing annual meetings. Descriptive statistics are used to define the study population. From Aug-Nov 2024, 178 OHP completed the survey; 101 (56.7%) are used in this analysis as they properly completed questions related to the impact of atmospheric events on oncology care and climate-related events experienced by patients reported by OHP. Results: Most study participants were nurses (52.5%), followed by physicians (31.7%) and other healthcare professionals (15.8%); 79% worked in urban settings. The climate events most reported to affect oncology care were hurricanes (91.0%), floods (86.1), heavy rains (85.1%), and extreme heat (71.3%). Most OHP reported that due to atmospheric events, patients have frequently/occasionally missed appointments (85.2%), experienced delays in treatments (75.2%), needed relocation for treatment (46.5%), had climate-related health concerns (74.2%), had mental health (80.2%) and issues (77.2%) issues, and had concerns about food security or housing (65.4%). In terms of preparedness, 54.5% of OHP reported that their workplace had disaster plans and 82.2% that their institutions are taking preparation steps for climate-related events. Conclusion: While our sample of OHP exhibits awareness of the impact that climate change can pose on oncology care, many did not report planning efforts in their institutions. Education and preparedness efforts among OPH are warranted. Funding: NIH awards U54GM133807; 2U54MD007587; P20CA294096-01 Citation Format: Jessica Hernandez Marrero, Nancy R. Cardona-Cordero, Marievelise Soto-Salgado, Pamela Ginex, Milagros Eliah, Ana P. Ortiz. Climate stressors and oncology care: awareness of healthcare professionals in Puerto Rico [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2025; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2025 Apr 25-30; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2025;85(8_Suppl_1):Abstract nr 3818.

Abstract 4929: Differences in cancer risk by environmental disparities in Puerto Rico: findings from 2016-2020 cancer data

Abstract Background: Chemical contaminants have been established as risk factors for certain types of cancer including breast and prostate, which are the most commonly diagnosed cancers in Puerto Rico among women and men, respectively. By law, industries report their chemical emissions to air, water, and soil to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Toxic Release Inventory Sites (TRI) program. In 2006, Puerto Rico had 148 TRI facilities across 49 of the 78 municipalities, releasing 518 chemicals, including 170 carcinogens such as arsenic, benzene, radon, and trichloroethylene. This ecological study assesses the strength of the association between cancer risk and municipalities with environmental disparities (contaminated vs. non-contaminated sites) in Puerto Rico. Methods: Cancer incidence data from 2016 to 2020 were obtained from the Puerto Rico Central Cancer Registry. Contaminated sites, defined as municipalities with TRI facilities, were identified using data from the TRI program in 2006 (10 years before the estimation of cancer risk). To estimate cancer risk between contaminated and non-contaminated sites, we calculated the standardized incidence relative risk (RR = standardized rate of contaminated sites / standardized rate of non-contaminated sites) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) from 2016 to 2020 by type of cancer and sex. All analyses were conducted using SEER*Stat v8.4.4. Results: Between 2016 and 2020, 71,814 new cancer cases were diagnosed in Puerto Rico, 37,582 among males and 34,232 among females. The RR for residents of contaminated sites showed a significant excess risk of 7% (95%CI: 1.05-1.09, p<0.0001) for all types of cancer compared to residents of non-contaminated sites; similar findings were observed in both men (9%, CI 1.06-1.12, p<0.0001) and women (6%, CI 1.03 -1.09). When evaluating the risk of female-related cancers, excesses of 6% (95%CI: 1.01-1.11, p=0.01) and 24% (95%CI: 1.04-1.49, p=0.02) were observed for breast and ovarian cancers, respectively, among residents of contaminated sites compared to residents of non-contaminated sites. For male-related cancers, an excess risk of 10% (95%CI: 1.06-1.14, p<0.0001) was observed for prostate cancer among residents of contaminated sites compared to residents of non-contaminated sites. Conclusions: Our findings suggest a significant excess in cancer incidence among residents in municipalities with TRI facilities overall and for certain cancer types. These results underscore the need for targeted environmental interventions and public health actions to mitigate exposure to carcinogens in Puerto Rico. Acknowledgments: This study was supported by the Caribbean Climate Change Adaptation, Cancer, and Health Disparities Research Center (CARIB-CARES) funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI, award # 1P20CA294096-01). Citation Format: Nancy Raquel Cardona, Ana P. Ortiz, Carlos R. Torres, Polaris Torres-Rodríguez, Karen Ortiz-Ortiz, Noreen Michael, Pablo Mendez-Lazaro, Marievelisse Soto-Salgado. Differences in cancer risk by environmental disparities in Puerto Rico: findings from 2016-2020 cancer data [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2025; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2025 Apr 25-30; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2025;85(8_Suppl_1):Abstract nr 4929.

Indigenous peoples and local community reports of climate change impacts on biodiversity.

Climate change impacts on biodiversity have been primarily studied through ecological research methods, largely ignoring other knowledge systems. Indigenous and local knowledge systems include rich observations of changes in biodiversity that can inform climate change adaptation planning and environmental stewardship. We reviewed literature documenting local observations of climate change impacts on biodiversity reported by Indigenous peoples and local communities. We examined whether reported impacts varied across taxa, geographic regions, and people's main livelihood activities and assessed whether local reports followed geographic and taxonomic patterns found in the natural sciences literature. We also compared taxa reportedly affected by climate change by Indigenous peoples and local communities and by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Our analyses included 2452 observations of climate change impacts on 1715 taxa from 203 documents describing 291 case studies. Changes in taxon abundance, phenotype, phenology, and distribution were widely reported, and most climate change impacts were reported for plants, fishes, and mammals. Reported impacts differed by geographic region and by livelihood, and most species reported as affected by climate change by Indigenous peoples and local communities were not considered threatened by climate change by the IUCN. Our results showed that Indigenous and local knowledge systems can contribute to a more complete understanding of climate change impacts on biodiversity.

A Train-the-Trainer Approach to Build Community Resilience to the Health Impacts of Climate Change in the Dominican Republic

Communities in the Dominican Republic (DR) face increased natural disasters, poor air quality, food insecurity, and health impacts related to climate change. We evaluated the success of a train-the-trainer program to empower community leaders, women, and at-risk youth with the knowledge and skills to increase individual and community resilience in Cristo Rey, Dominican Republic. Three in-person two-day courses were conducted between July and August 2024 at the Universidad Iberoamericana. Each session included eight lectures and collaborative learning activities on climate change science, adaptation, resilience, and health impacts. Intra-group analyses comparing pre- and post-course surveys assessed participants’ climate change awareness, literacy, and communication and response skills. One hundred and four attendees participated in the survey study. Of the 100 participants with demographic data, 55% (n = 55) were 35 years old or younger, 70% (n = 70) identified as female, and 45% (n = 45) lived in Cristo Rey. The participants reported high baseline climate change awareness. Compared to before the course, the participants reported increased literacy regarding the environmental impacts of climate change relevant to the DR and the specific health impacts (p-value < 0.05) and increased climate change-related communication and response skills (p-value < 0.001). This study suggests competency-based, regional-specific courses deployed in a train-the-trainer model, have the potential to equip community members with knowledge to protect their health.

Assessment of Winter Indoor Humiture and Spatial Optimization of Rural Residential Buildings in Mengda National Nature Reserve, China

The development of global nature reserves is currently in a rapid growth phase. One of the key challenges in establishing nature reserves is balancing environmental protection with rural residential development within these areas, where housing plays a crucial role in the built environment. Successful residential architecture in nature reserves typically meets residents’ diverse needs and environmental protection requirements by considering regional ecology, culture, economic conditions, natural environment, indoor thermal comfort, and energy consumption. This study examines rural residential buildings in the Mengda National Nature Reserve (MNNR) under cold climate conditions in Western China. Through surveys, architectural mapping, and thermal–humidity environment assessment of typical residential buildings across multiple rural communities within the nature reserve, this research explores possibilities for improving indoor thermal comfort in nature reserve residential buildings. Combined with local climate adaptability and architectural design characteristics, this study proposes rational spatial improvement strategies. This study explores climate-adaptive design in the MNNR, integrating passive solar energy and sustainable heating. It proposes spatial strategies to reduce energy use and enhance thermal comfort. The research findings provide a valuable reference for the spatial optimisation of rural residential construction in nature reserves under similar climatic conditions.

Developing a Multi-Criteria Decision Model to Unlock Sustainable Heritage Tourism Potential

Heritage sites are vital resources for the tourism industry due to treasures such as world heritage sites. Caravanserais are newly inscribed world heritage sites that, beyond their historical roles, are now capable to be developed as tourist attractions. This study aims to propose a framework based on a multi-criteria decision-making system to evaluate Persian caravanserais’ potential for development as tourist attractions. This study focuses on Isfahan Province in Iran, with a specific emphasis on eight caravanserais within the province that are listed as UNESCO world heritage Sites. A total of 39 relevant criteria related to network connectivity and access, tourist attractions, facilities and services, climatic conditions, geomorphological features, and hazards were utilized to assess the heritage tourism potential. The BMW-WLC multi-criteria decision-making model was applied to determine tourism development suitability and rank the studied caravanserais. The results revealed that a significant portion of the area (34%) is classified as having very high suitability, while only 6% is identified as having very low suitability. The analysis reveals varying tourism potential among caravanserais. Gaz and Gaba Abad rank high overall but require climate adaptation strategies. The results demonstrate that the proposed framework effectively assesses the heritage tourism potential of caravanserais, providing a data-driven, multi-criteria approach to sustainable development.

Advancing crop resilience through nucleic acid innovations: rhizosphere engineering for food security and climate adaptation.

Advancing crop resilience through nucleic acid innovations: rhizosphere engineering for food security and climate adaptation.

ROBIN: Reference observatory of basins for international hydrological climate change detection

Human-induced warming is modifying the water cycle. Adaptation to posed threats requires an understanding of hydrological responses to climate variability. Whilst these can be computationally modelled, observed streamflow data is essential for constraining models, and understanding and quantifying emerging trends in the water cycle. To date, the identification of such trends at the global scale has been hindered by data limitations – in particular, the prevalence of direct human influences on streamflow which can obscure climate-driven variability. By removing these influences, trends in streamflow data can be more confidently attributed to climate variability. Here we describe the Reference Observatory of Basins for INternational hydrological climate change detection (ROBIN) – the first iteration of a global network of streamflow data from national reference hydrological networks (RHNs) – comprised of catchments which are near-natural or have limited human influences. This collaboration has established a freely available global RHN dataset of over 3,000 catchments and code libraries, which can be used to underpin new science endeavours and advance change detection studies to support international climate policy and adaptation.

Engaging health professionals in climate change: a cross-national study of psychological distance across 12 countries

BackgroundUnderstanding the psychological distance (PD) of health professionals toward climate change is essential to promote effective climate action and informed health policy. While climate change poses a global health threat requiring urgent collaboration, limited cross-national research exists on health professionals’ perspectives, particularly on how they perceive PD in relation to climate change.ObjectiveThis study aims to provide initial insights into how health professionals perceive climate change across different countries, focusing on key factors influencing PD, including personal experiences, uncertainty, perceptions, information environments, global interconnectedness, and climate-resilient infrastructure.MethodsThis research employed an exploratory mixed-methods approach, combining descriptive surveys and in-depth semi-structured interviews with 18 early-to-mid-career health professionals from 12 countries. This design facilitated a nuanced exploration of the dimensions of PD—temporal, spatial, social, and uncertainty-related—by integrating quantitative data with qualitative insights to uncover emerging trends and hypotheses.ResultsFindings reveal diverse perceptions of PD among health professionals, shaped by contextual factors such as exposure to extreme weather, information environments, and infrastructure development. These results challenge the oversimplified view that professionals in developing countries consistently perceive climate change impacts as more distant, underscoring the need for localized understandings of PD.ConclusionAssessing PD requires consideration of its diverse dimensions to inform effective climate-related behaviors and interventions. Tailored communication strategies reflecting unique national and regional contexts are essential to engage health professionals, enabling them to drive climate discourse and policy advocacy. This study highlights the potential of the early-to-mid-career health professionals in bridging the gap between public awareness and climate action. Their unique position enables them to drive long-term climate adaptation and policy implementation, fostering both global and localized solutions to climate challenges.

Impacts of Climate Change on Agriculture Production in Lam Dong- Vietnam

Purpose: The study aims to investigate how climate change affects the production of key agricultural products tea, coffee, and vegetables in Lam Dong province. The research focuses on assessing specific impacts such as temperature rise, unpredictable rainfall, and extreme weather on crop yield, quality, and farmers’ livelihoods. Additionally, it seeks to propose adaptive strategies to mitigate these impacts while promoting sustainable agricultural practices. Methodology: The study uses a mixed-method approach: Quantitative analysis: Utilizes historical climate data, crop yield records, and soil quality assessments from Lam Dong over the past two decades. Qualitative research: Involves surveys and interviews with local farmers, agronomists, and policymakers to understand on-ground challenges and perceptions of climate change. Geospatial tools: Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing are applied to map vulnerable areas and predict future impacts under different climate scenarios. Findings: Rising temperatures and erratic rainfall patterns have led to reduced tea and coffee yields and have disrupted vegetable production cycles. Pests and diseases have become more prevalent, further threatening crops. Smallholder farmers are disproportionately affected due to limited access to resources and technology. However, some opportunities exist, such as shifting cultivation to higher altitudes for coffee and adopting heat-resistant vegetable varieties. Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy Implications and Practical Contributions: This study highlights the intersection of climate science, agriculture, and socioeconomics in a region-specific context, offering insights into how microclimates within Lam Dong interact with global climate trends. It contributes to the broader understanding of climate adaptation in tropical highland agriculture. The study provides practical recommendations for farmers, including diversification of crops, use of precision farming technologies, and strategies for integrated pest and water management. It also emphasizes community-based approaches for knowledge-sharing and collaborative adaptation efforts. In summary, the research offers a comprehensive analysis of the challenges posed by climate change to tea, coffee, and vegetable production in Lam Dong and serves as a foundation for informed decision-making and strategic planning in agriculture.

Decolonial perspectives on climate change: Learning from the Kainai First Nation in Canada

This study focuses on the reflections and insights of Indigenous Elders from the Kainai First Nation in Canada regarding climate change challenges and potential solutions. Through a decolonial and Elder-led land-based learning process, the research team captured the traditional land-based knowledge of the Elders, rooted in their profound understanding of the interconnectedness between humans, nature, and climate. The findings showcase the shared concerns of Indigenous Elders and emphasize the imperative of recognizing and valuing Indigenous knowledge systems as crucial resources for climate adaptation and mitigation strategies. Indigenous land-based knowledge offers a holistic perspective that encompasses social, cultural, and spiritual dimensions, advocating for sustainable practices and harmonious coexistence with the environment. This decolonial study identifies specific strategies and practices proposed by Indigenous Elders as potential solutions to climate change challenges. The insights shared by Indigenous Elders emphasize the urgency of integrating Indigenous knowledge systems into global efforts to address climate change. By honoring and learning from their wisdom, societies can cultivate a more holistic and sustainable approach to climate adaptation and mitigation, fostering resilience, biodiversity conservation, and the well-being of both human and non-human communities.

CO2 emission changes in two Italian regions: progress toward 2050 climate neutrality under the Covenant of Mayors

In 2008, the European Commission established the Covenant of Mayors (CoM), a voluntary initiative to involve and support local authorities in pursuing the European Union's climate change mitigation and adaptation goals. This study proposes a methodology to evaluate the effectiveness of Sustainable Energy Action Plans (SEAPs) and Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans (SECAPs) in terms of reducing carbon dioxide emissions in the regions of Apulia and Sicily. The CO2 emissions are analyzed at the provincial level, before and after the approval of the plans by the municipal council, using homogeneous consumption data from national sources, rather than from data declared by the CoM signatories themselves. The methodology adopted combines the analysis of variance and compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of emissions, both total and per capita, with an assessment of the level of involvement of municipalities and the population in CoM plans. Through Pearson's coefficient, the correlation between the spread of plans and emissions at the provincial level was also assessed. The main results show that Apulia and Sicily, with a share of approved plans of 45.5% and 87.7%, respectively, experienced a reduction in total emissions of 12.1% and 21.2%, and per capita of 9.3% and 18.7%, in the period after municipalities submitted their SEAPs or SECAPs. A greater effectiveness of the plans is denoted in Sicilian provinces than in Apulian ones. These findings underscore the importance of emissions monitoring by signatory local governments, particularly through a uniform methodology, as well as monitoring at the provincial and regional levels, implemented by the Covenant Territorial Coordinators (CTCs), to assess the implementation of the action plans and ensure that regional and national emission reduction targets are met.

Mandate Matters: Evolving Views and Counter-cyclical Surprises from the World’s Newest, Southern-led, Multilateral Development Banks

ABSTRACT This article examines the responses of Southern-owned and led MDBs to the complex and multi-faceted shocks caused by Covid-19, through the lens of mandate and public purpose. It finds that public banks with a clear sense of this quickly met the needs better meet the needs of their members — flexibly switching to policies or strategies that are different from what they were designed for and what they are used to doing. It helps to have available resources; but if these are lacking political will can create them. Similarly, resources may be available but under-utilized if public purpose is unclear. These findings stem from quantitative and qualitative research into the surprisingly rapid and large-scale counter-cyclical lending by the world’s two newest MDBs and seeks lessons for the long-term lending needed for climate change adaptation and mitigation. The paper finds that the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the New Development Bank had a clear sense of what was required of them to meet their members’ needs in a time of crisis and had the space in which to provide it. These new banks provided a service that was lacking from private or commercial banks and were also more responsive and resilient than the historic global lenders of last resort.

TEMLI: A High-Resolution Air Temperature Estimation Using Machine Learning and Land Surface Data Across Morocco

Abstract Air temperature (Tair) is an important parameter to understand climate dynamics and support decision-making across various sectors. However, accurately estimating Tair at high spatial resolution remains challenging, particularly in data-sparse regions. This study addresses the research gap that arises from the scarcity of observed temperature data by developing a robust machine learning-based estimation model, TEMLI (Temperature Estimation with ML and Land Input). The approach leverages satellite-derived inputs such as Land Surface Temperature (LST), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), albedo, and wind speed. The objective is to improve the accuracy of Tair estimation by capturing the nonlinear relationships between these variables. Among the models tested within the TEMLI framework, the Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) demonstrated superior performance, achieving a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of less than 1.6 °C. Notably, the model excelled in estimating extreme temperatures, especially in high-altitude regions. Trained using Moroccan weather station data, the model’s generalizability across diverse climatic conditions was also validated. This study concludes that integrating satellite-derived data with machine learning offers a scalable and reliable approach for Tair estimation, particularly in regions with limited in situ observations. The findings have significant implications for advancing climate modeling, monitoring extreme events, and informing decision-making in various climate-sensitive sectors. Graphical Abstract This visual summary offers a concise and accessible overview of the study’s main objectives, methodology, and findings. The TEMLI (Temperature Estimation with Machine Learning and Land Inputs) framework aims to improve air temperature (Tair) estimation at high spatial resolution (1 km) using satellite-derived inputs. The left panel introduces the research context, emphasizing the need for accurate temperature datasets in regions with sparse observations. The central panel outlines the methodological flowchart, detailing the various inputs (LST, NDVI, NDWI, albedo, wind speed), the machine learning models tested, and the selection of the optimal model (MLP), and the evaluation metrics and process. The right panel highlights key results, demonstrating TEMLI’s improved performance over ERA5 products with RMSE < 1.6 °C and R² > 0.9, particularly in high-altitude areas. It also summarizes practical applications, such as enhanced hydrological modeling, improved agricultural climate monitoring, and better temperature-based climate adaptation strategies.

Investigating climate change perceptions and behaviors from a microscopic perspective in four mountain villages in Taiwan

Formulating climate change adaptation strategies based on local perceptions and behaviors, especially in mountainous areas, is challenging for managers. This study aims to identify the risk perception, avoidance behaviors, and adjustment strategies of residents in different mountain villages within the same township. A census was conducted through questionnaire-based onsite surveys, collecting 302 responses from four mountain villages in the Shuilixi township of Nantou County. The results indicate that Han people perform significantly better than indigenous people in avoidance behavior and adaptation strategies due to better socio-economic conditions. Significant differences emerge among four groups: indigenous in high-risk areas, Han in high-risk areas, indigenous in low-risk areas, and Han in low-risk areas. Residents in low-risk areas, regardless of ethnicity, outperform those in high-risk areas in climate risk perception, avoidance behavior, and adaptation strategies. Respondents from different backgrounds (gender, age, income, occupation) in low-risk areas also fare better in these aspects. Notably, residents in high-risk areas exhibit lower actual avoidance behavior than their perceived behavior, possibly due to limitations in occupation, education, income, or available space. The study highlights significant differences in ethnic distribution and geographical features within small-scale villages in the upper Shuili stream area. It suggests that future research should compare towns and villages in different geographical locations for a broader understanding of population characteristics and that climate change disaster prevention planning should be considered on a village-by-village basis.

The Sydney Opera House – a modern heritage site’s response to climate change

This paper addresses how the Sydney Opera House (hereafter ‘Opera House’), an UNESCO World Heritage site, has responded to climate change over the past three decades to become a more sustainable heritage site. The implementation of climate actions is critical to conserving and strengthening the Opera House’s cultural heritage significance—the building and its function as a performing arts centre and place for the community. The paper points out that climate action has been, and continues to be, achieved at the Opera House by the organisation’s responsibility for its custodianship by (1) bringing the Opera House team together to tackle climate change through good governance; (2) inspiring positive change in the community through creative programming and engagement; (3) holding the organisation accountable by setting and achieving environmental performance benchmarks; (4) implementing practical mitigation measures that also respect heritage values; and (5) applying a participatory approach to climate risk and adaptation planning. The paper argues that the tangible heritage values of the Opera House (e.g. the building and site) were not adversely affected by the engagement and mitigation actions and that these actions were, in fact, conserved and strengthened the site’s intangible heritage values (e.g. its use). This paper aims to provide an example of sustainable management and climate action by a cultural organisation that serves as the custodian of a heritage site.

ClimateMind50+: Development and validation through cognitive interviews of a questionnaire to measure climate change knowledge, concerns, and actions in older adults

Older adults are particularly vulnerable to climate-related hazards such as extreme heat, flooding, and severe storms, yet their perspectives and contributions to climate resilience remain underrepresented in research. The ClimateMind50+ questionnaire is a tailored instrument to assess the knowledge, concerns, preparedness, behaviours, and involvement of individuals aged 50 and above. The systematic development of the ClimateMind50+ involved rigorous cognitive testing with 15 diverse participants, ensuring clarity, accessibility, and relevance. Review by experts helped to refine its content and ensure its comprehensiveness. Designed for versatility in administration (face-to-face, via telephone, or self-completion) to facilitate its integration across various research contexts. Experts’ input led to refinements to ensure the questionnaire effectively captures older adults's knowledge, concerns, preparedness, and involvement in climate action while making it more accessible. Cognitive testing highlighted the need for clear wording, simplified response scales, and time-appropriate framing of questions. For instance, questions on climate preparedness and sustainable practices were refined to capture lifetime actions (“ever”) rather than limited timeframes, enhancing their relevance for older respondents. By providing nuanced insights into the experiences of older adults and their potential contributions to climate mitigation and adaptation, the ClimateMind50+ offers a robust foundation for climate change research among older people. Its deployment can support policymaking and community initiatives aimed at reducing climate risks while promoting sustainable and healthy aging practices. This innovative tool underscores the importance of amplifying the voices of older adults in climate discourse and harnessing their capacities for fostering resilience.

What’s next in water conservation measures? Exploring hotel guests’ profiles and perceptions in Mediterranean mass-tourism destinations

The hotel industry, the largest water consumer in mass tourist destinations, has developed many water-saving measures over the past decades to alleviate scarcity in the Mediterranean coastal regions, where water balance is delicate and is threatened by climate change. In this context, non-widespread water-saving actions arise. However, a research gap exists regarding guests’ perceptions of them, which may affect their success and viability. This study explores perceptions of water-saving measures based on 850 face-to-face surveys carried out in the Mediterranean destinations of Benidorm (Spain) and Rimini (Italy) during the summer of 2021. A two-step cluster analysis was performed to segment guests based on their perceptions of water-saving measures, and non-parametric tests were employed to identify differences in their sociodemographic profiles and stay characteristics. Outcomes showed a greater acceptance of introducing non-conventional water sources and economic incentives, as well as differences between tourist profiles based on their origin, age, traveling companions and educational attainment. This information will be helpful for the design of social marketing and climate change adaptation strategies for tourist destinations.

Climate Change, Extreme Weather Events, Food Security, and Nutrition: Evolving Relationships and Critical Challenges.

Climate change, also known as global warming, poses significant challenges for both the planet and humanity. With further warming, every region across the world is projected to increasingly experience concurrent and multiple changes in climate, compounding overall risk. Long-term climate change and near-term extreme weather events have multiple negative effects on food security, diets, and nutrition via complex, multidirectional pathways through food, health, water, and social protection systems. However, measuring climate-attributable malnutrition impacts, especially among the most vulnerable populations, remains challenging. Changes in climate across a range of geographies have been modeled, projected, and observed showing detrimental associations with dietary and nutrition outcomes, particularly undernutrition. Many of these undernourished populations are climate vulnerable due to a variety of determinants challenging their ability to adapt to impending risks. While nutrition integration within climate adaptation plans have lagged, there is momentum for robust collaboration between climate and nutrition communities to fill data gaps that are critical for joint decision-making.

Increasing probability of extreme rainfall preconditioned by humid heatwaves in global coastal megacities

Hot–wet compound events, the sequential occurrence of humid hot days followed by extreme rainfall, can cause catastrophic consequences, often exceeding the impacts of the isolated occurrence of each event. The urban-coastal microclimate is confounded by complex interactions of land–sea breeze circulations, urban effects of convection and rainfall, and horizontal advection of moisture, which can favor the hot–wet compound occurrence. We present the first observational assessment (1951–2022) of summertime hot–wet compound events across global coastal megacities. We find a significant (P < 0.001) increase in the frequency of hot–wet compound events in both hemispheres: on average, ~3 events in the 1950s to 43 events in the 2020s. Cities with upward trends in the frequency of hot–wet compound events are situated < 30 km from coasts, with cities in the southern hemisphere showing faster hot-to-wet transition times (<3 days) than cities in the northern hemisphere. Further, 26 out of 29 sites show increased extreme precipitation, reaching 153%, when humid heat amplitude rises from the 50th to 90th percentiles. Understanding hot–wet compound interactions over the world’s coasts is highly relevant for climate change impact assessment and informing climate adaptation.