Climate Change Considerations Research Articles

Climate change considerations in environmental impacts assessment (EIA) practices: learning from climate sensitive projects in Rufiji Basin Tanzania

Abstract The assessment of climate change mitigation and adaptation in environmental impact assessment practices has been mostly inconsistently addressed. Studies that use data validation from experts and relevant authorities to address the socio-political context that influence the process have been inadequate. This study aimed to bridge the gap by examining the extent to which climate change mitigation and adaptation in environmental impact assessment practices in Tanzania have been considered and the broader social-political context that influence the process. A mixed research design employing sequential methods was adopted. Both primary and secondary data was used. Primary data was obtained from 22 environmental experts through a close-ended questionnaire and interview with 6 key informants, while secondary data was obtained from 19 environmental impact assessment reports issued between January 2020 and January 2022. Purposive sampling was used to select key informants and simple random sampling was used to select environmental experts and environmental impact assessment reports. Content analysis was employed to assess qualitative text data to generate descriptive information. SPSS enabled the processing and analysis of quantitative data through frequencies and percentages. The findings revealed that 23.3% and 10.5% of reviewed reports considered climate change mitigation, and adaptation respectively, reflecting that the degree of consideration was low and was mainly limited to mitigation. A close link between the environmental impact assessment legal frameworks and the environmental impact assessment practices was observed and it was recommended for a review of basic frameworks to mandate and include details on climate change mitigation and adaptation assessment in environmental impacts assessment practices. The study recommends building capacity of experts and authority, preparing clear climate change assessment guidelines, and availing reliable climate data at the local level to facilitate modelling.

Future impacts of river flow on hydropower generation in Great Britain

ABSTRACT Climate change is likely to alter Great Britain (GB)'s water resource availability for hydropower generation. These changes affect hydropower production due to uncertainty around the timing and magnitude of water availability, particularly run of river (RoR) schemes that lack the necessary storage capacity to buffer seasonal flow variability. This study examines the likely future changes on RoR potential at locations across GB using the enhanced future flows (eFLaG) dataset of future flow projections. Results show that annual river flows are projected to increase in winter and spring but reduce in summer and autumn. These changes have an impact on RoR potential with a projected decrease in the near (2030–2059) and far future (2050–2079) for both summer (−19%, −32%) and autumn (−11%, −19%) throughout GB. Therefore, results indicate a general decrease in the annual RoR potential in GB. This study underscores the importance of incorporating climate change considerations in the planning and operation of RoR schemes to ensure sustainable energy generation. This could be achieved by upgrading existing turbines to handle higher flows or designing new turbines capable of accommodating larger discharges to fully utilise the increased flows during winter. However, this should be done with consideration of the technical limitations and the opportunities for optimisations for system generation.

Symposium 4: Reflections on Hybridity in the Malta Networked Learning Forum 2021

This paper discusses the practicality, successes and possible failures of the Malta Networked Learning (NL) Forum held in May 2021. The forum was held in a hybrid synchronous face-to-face and virtual context, with a wide range of international participants, planned at short notice due to continuing uncertainty of Covid-19 restrictions. The paper outlines contexts and understandings of hybridity in both events and pedagogical approaches, noting varying definitions and concepts that may utilise this term to indicate forms of barrier breaking, overcoming limitation or supporting flexibility. Further context highlights recent literature concerning other digitally hybrid conference events, the need for which have been accelerated in light of the Covid-19 pandemic and additional considerations of climate change for reducing the carbon footprint of academic communities. Discussion leads to the type of hybridity implemented for the Malta NL Forum in May 2021, where pandemic international travel restrictions, local regulations and participant planning uncertainty required the adoption of a face-to-face and virtual synchronous event. The local organising team (authoring this paper) provides commentary to critically reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of the modality adopted. Emphasis is placed on designing for hybridity in future events, to improve planning and organisation for flexible and agile awareness to support the full range of participants in hybrid contexts and activities. The paper attempts to support those whose role is to convene and host similar events aiming to foster rewarding engagement for those participating, both presenting as well as attending.

Global decarbonization potential of CO2 mineralization in concrete materials

CO2 mineralization products are often heralded as having outstanding potentials to reduce CO2-eq. emissions. However, these claims are generally undermined by incomplete consideration of the life cycle climate change impacts, material properties, supply and demand constraints, and economic viability of CO2 mineralization products. We investigate these factors in detail for ten concrete-related CO2 mineralization products to quantify their individual and global CO2-eq. emissions reduction potentials. Our results show that in 2020, 3.9 Gt of carbonatable solid materials were generated globally, with the dominant material being end-of-life cement paste in concrete and mortar (1.4 Gt y-1). All ten of the CO2 mineralization technologies investigated here reduce life cycle CO2-eq. emissions when used to substitute comparable conventional products. In 2020, the global CO2-eq. emissions reduction potential of economically competitive CO2 mineralization technologies was 0.39 Gt CO2-eq., i.e., 15% of that from cement production. This level of CO2-eq. emissions reduction is limited by the supply of end-of-life cement paste. The results also show that it is 2 to 5 times cheaper to reduce CO2-eq. emissions by producing cement from carbonated end-of-life cement paste than carbon capture and storage (CCS), demonstrating its superior decarbonization potential. On the other hand, it is currently much more expensive to reduce CO2-eq. emissions using some CO2 mineralization technologies, like carbonated normal weight aggregate production, than CCS. Technologies and policies that increase recovery of end-of-life cement paste from aged infrastructure are key to unlocking the potential of CO2 mineralization in reducing the CO2-eq. footprint of concrete materials.

Exploring the Spatiotemporal Evolution Patterns and Determinants of Construction Land in Mianning County on the Eastern Edge of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

Studying the spatiotemporal evolution and driving forces behind construction land amidst the intricate ecological and geological setting on the eastern edge of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau offers invaluable insights for local sustainable development in a landscape transition zone and ecologically fragile area. Using construction land data from four phases, spanning 1990 to 2020, in Mianning County, this study employs methodologies like the Landscape Expansion Index (LEI) and land use transfer matrix to delineate the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of construction land. A comprehensive set of 12 influencing factors across five categories—geomorphology, geological activity, climate, river and vegetation environment, and social economy—were examined. The Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) model was then employed to decipher the spatial distribution pattern of construction land in 1990 and 2020, shedding light on the driving mechanisms behind its changes over the three decades. The research reveals distinct patterns of construction land distribution and evolution in Mianning County, shaped by the ecological and geological landscape. Notably, the Anning River wide valley exhibits a concentrated and contiguous development mode, while the Yalong River deep valley showcases a decentralized development pattern, and the Dadu River basin manifests an aggregation development mode centered around high mountain lakes. Over the study period, all three river basins witnessed varying degrees of construction land expansion, transitioning from quantitative expansion to qualitative enhancement. Edge expansion predominantly characterizes the expansion mode, complemented by leapfrog and infilling modes, accompanied by conversions from cropland and forest land to construction land. An analysis of the spatial pattern and drivers of construction land change highlights human-induced factors dominating the Anning River Basin, contrasting with natural factors prevailing in the Yalong River Basin and the Dadu River Basin. Future efforts should prioritize climate change considerations and environmental capacity, aiming for an ecologically resilient spatial pattern of construction land.

The impact of floods and cyclones on fiscal arrangements in India: An empirical investigation at the sub-national level

Disasters can inflict severe devastation on communities and territories at all levels of authority. With regard to the connection between floods and cyclones and their financial impact, this study seeks to refocus national and subnational research efforts. The consequences of floods and cyclones on India's budget and economy at the subnational government level are examined in this study. The study creates a physical disaster intensity index to evaluate the impact on fiscal sustainability after disasters, as the estimated damages statistics are unreliable. Between 1995 and 2018, the study integrated disaster intensity index and budgetary data to produce a panel dataset of 25 Indian states. Using Panel Vector Autoregression, the study discovers that a state's overall government expenditure goes up, and its budget deficit worsens when floods and cyclones strike. By further breaking up the fiscal variables, we could pinpoint specific areas where disasters have exerted their influence, especially in terms of decreased own tax revenue, increased social sector expenditure and capital outlay, increased outstanding liability, increased primary deficit, and reduced transfers from the centre over time. It observed that after disasters, states more prone to disasters have higher volatility in revenue generation and expenditure patterns, and a sharp increase in outstanding liabilities. This suggests a greater reliance on borrowing for disaster recovery. Less-prone states, however, show higher utilization rates of disaster relief funds, indicating better resource allocation for disaster response and recovery. The study highlights that state governments rely highly on ex-post Disaster Risk Financing instruments, especially debt financing, as national relief and response funds couldn't manage the increased spending and budget deficit from disasters. This study thus helps policymakers and governments look for more proactive disaster financing instruments and make changes in India's fiscal framework to integrate climate change considerations.

Reflections on the Consideration of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Environmental Impact Assessment

Abstract Environmental impact assessment (EIA) involves assessing the implications of proposed activities on the environment to inform decisions about whether those actions should proceed and under what conditions. Efforts are being made to incorporate climate change considerations into EIA internationally, but the assessment of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions poses particular challenges. This article compares the incorporation of GHG emissions into EIA in two jurisdictions: Canada (under the Impact Assessment Act 2019) and Western Australia (under the Environmental Protection Act 1986). Four questions are considered, relating to screening and scoping; information requirements; decision-making and condition setting; and post-approval activities. Key differences between the two jurisdictions were found in relation to screening and scoping (Western Australia applies an emissions threshold while Canada utilizes a project list coupled with tailored guidelines); decision-making (Western Australia generally considers a straight line trajectory to net zero by 2050 as acceptable whereas Canada considers emissions in the context of international commitments and against other sustainability considerations); and post-approval activities (a strength of the Western Australian system is mechanisms enabling review and tightening of GHG conditions over time). It will be important to continue to review the effectiveness of EIA as a tool for climate mitigation as practice evolves.

The role of perceived powerlessness and other barriers to climate action

AbstractThe impacts of anthropogenic climate change are rapidly worsening, but current efforts to mitigate this crisis are insufficient. Therefore, it is critically important to understand how to motivate more individuals to take action to protect against future climate change impacts. This study examines the individual‐level factors that predict motivations to act, as well as potential barriers to action in a sample of Canadian adults. Participants completed a questionnaire that assessed a) demographics; b) climate change knowledge, opinions, and scepticism; and c) psychological factors that may impede action. The responses were analyzed to determine the factors that explain whether individuals would change their actions in light of climate change and to what extent climate change considerations impact their actions. Predictors of action included how informed individuals were about climate change, perceived severity of its effects, perceived urgency to act, and climate change scepticism. The strongest predictor was perceived powerlessness; individuals who felt a sense of powerlessness were less likely to change their actions and reported that the threat of climate change had less influence over their behaviours. Powerlessness in turn was associated with age and political affiliation. Implications of these findings, and possible solutions to overcome the barrier of perceived powerlessness, are discussed.

Risk Assessment in Landslide-Prone Terrain within a Complex Geological Setting at Kadugannawa, Sri Lanka: Implications for Highway Maintenance

The major highway in Sri Lanka that links the capital, Colombo, with the second capital, Kandy, passes through Kadugannawa, characterized by steep hills. The geological and geomorphological setting of the terrain often leads to slope failures. The objective of this study is to interpret the key factors influencing the slope failures that occurred in close proximity at two separate locations with two different slope conditions. Typical local and regional brittle and ductile structures include fault scarps, deep-seated detachments, and variable folding. According to our results, one of the studied locations experienced translational landslides because of weakened basement rock surfaces, hydrophilic clay minerals, and anthropogenic influences, whereas the other location experienced multiple stages of mass movement influenced by inhomogeneous colluvial soil and regional, geological, and hydrogeological conditions. Based on the present study, it can be concluded that geological studies must be carried out within the local area rather than at the regional scale. Otherwise, the constructions for the prevention of landslides in complicated geological settings will fail or may not be used for a long period. Moreover, consideration of future climate change is essential when undertaking construction in challenging terrains.

U.S. military installations and extreme weather: an Oklahoma case study on preparation

ABSTRACT The readiness and execution of national security missions by The United States Department of Defense (DoD) hinges on military installations being equipped with infrastructure that can support the actions needed to protect the U.S., including extreme weather responses. Extreme weather threatens human lives, property, and military operations nationally. Thus, it is paramount to mitigate these impacts and improve preparedness. Oklahoma is home to five federal military installations, all of which are susceptible to hazardous weather, such as severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, and flooding. At a local level, hazardous weather events can be quite costly in a variety of ways, including disrupting operations, causing economic losses, and leading to injuries. This case study examines the preparedness and impacts of extreme weather events as well as climate change considerations at two Oklahoma military installations (Tinker Air Force Base and Fort Sill). Interviews and a focus group revealed weather-related decisions at these installations were unit-specific and dependent on the weather event. These installations have both short- and long-term preparedness plans for different weather scenarios. The impacts of these weather events ranged from delays/cancellations of training to installation closures. Lastly, climate considerations from DoD have been, and continue to be, included in planning. This study highlights the nuances across different military installations as a function of their differing roles; there is not a ‘one size fits all’ preparedness plan that will work across the board. Further, there is much room to improve military-civilian collaboration to mitigate the effects of extreme weather events and climate change on military installations and their operations.

Strategic environmental assessment of Thai river basins: Incorporating climate change considerations

Strategic environmental assessment of Thai river basins: Incorporating climate change considerations

Consideration of Climate Change on Environmental Impact Assessment in Tanzania: Challenges and Prospects.

The potential of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process to respond to climate change impacts of development projects can only be realized with the support of policies, regulations, and actors' engagement. While considering climate change in EIA has become partly mandatory through the EU revised Directive in Europe, African countries are still lagging. This paper assesses Tanzanian policies, laws, regulations, and EIA reports to uncover consideration of climate change impacts, adaptation, and mitigation measures, drawing from the transformational role of EIA. The methodology integrates content analysis, interpretive policy analysis, and discourse analysis. The analyses draw from environmental policy, three regulatory documents and three EIA reports in Tanzania using a multi-cases study design. The aim was to understand how considering Climate Change issues in EIA has played out in practice. Results reveal less consideration of climate change issues in EIA. The policy, laws, and regulations do not guide when and how the EIA process should consider climate change-related impacts mitigation and adaptation. The practice of EIA in the country is utterly procedural in line with regulations provisions. Consequently, environmental impact statements only profile the climatology of the study area without conducting a deeper analysis of the historical and future climate to enhance the resilience of proposed projects. The weakness exposed in the laws and regulations contributes to the challenges of responding to the impacts of climate change through the EIA process. It is possible to address climate change issues throughout the project life cycle, including design, approval, implementation, monitoring, and auditing, provided the policy and regulations guide how and when the EIA process should consider climate change issues. Additionally, increasing stakeholders' awareness and participation can enhance the EIA process's potential to respond to the impacts of climate change.

Unlocking climate finance for social protection: an analysis of the Green Climate Fund

ABSTRACT Social protection has gained increasing attention in global climate policy due to its potential to contribute to low-carbon, just and climate-resilient development. Unlocking climate finance for social protection is critical to realize this potential. Multilateral climate funds established under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) can play a particularly important role by financing social sectors where private investments are not attractive. Yet, there is a distinct policy and research gap in understanding the potential and limitations of the UNFCCC financial mechanisms to support social protection in low- and middle-income countries. Taking as a case study the Green Climate Fund (GCF), which is the largest multilateral fund under the financial mechanism of the UNFCCC, we seek to address this gap. First, the study introduces a framework for analysis of the ways climate finance engages with social protection by looking into a comprehensive set of formal social services and transfers provided by the state to individuals, households, and on a collective basis. Second, the study identifies a continuum of entry points for integrating social protection into the GCF’s project portfolio and offers a holistic perspective by capturing climate change mitigation, adaptation and loss and damage. We find that social protection can be instrumental in the design and implementation of GCF projects. In addition, our analysis reveals that the GCF has the potential to support projects that create enabling conditions for integrating climate change considerations into national social protection systems, and that aim at piloting or establishing long-term social protection mechanisms with climate change objectives.

Residual Effect of Compost and Biochar Amendment on Soil Chemical, Biological, and Physical Properties and Durum Wheat Response

The residual effect of compost and biochar amendment on soil properties and durum wheat response was evaluated under field conditions in a Mediterranean environment. The treatments compared in a randomized complete block experimental design with three replications were: mineral fertilizer (100 kg N ha−1), compost applied at the rate of 25 Mg ha−1, biochar applied at the rates of 10 and 30 Mg ha−1, unfertilized control. Wheat was the second crop included in a sorghum–wheat cropping system and did not receive fertilizer supply. A hierarchical statistical analysis was carried out to investigate how different treatments could impact the cropping system performance. The findings highlight the significant influence of soil properties, particularly total N, WEOC, and TOC, on wheat and protein yield. One year after the amendment and fertilizer application, compost and biochar significantly increased soil total organic carbon content. The highest soil water extractable organic carbon was found with the compost application (76.9 mg kg−1), whereas the lowest value (50 mg kg−1) was with the highest rate of biochar. Soil respiration rates and hydraulic properties were not affected by the investigated treatments. This behavior is probably related to the short experimental duration and to the silty clayey soil texture. Significant correlations were observed between bulk density and water content at pressure heads in the −20 and −100 cm range; this range accounts for the effect of soil macro and mesopores. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed strong predictive power for grain (R2_adj = 0.78; p < 0.001) and protein yield (R2_adj = 0.77; p < 0.001). The highest grain yield (3.36 Mg ha−1) was observed with compost, and the lowest (2.18 Mg ha−1) with biochar at a rate of 30 Mg ha−1. These findings lay the basis for understanding how different soil amendment management may impact soil quality and wheat performance, even in consideration of climate change.

Article: The FET Standard between Treaty Reform and ISDS Practice: An Analysis of the Modernized ECT

The Modernization of the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) counts as a prominent attempt to better incorporate climate change considerations into an investment treaty that is highly impactful from a climate change perspective. Among other initiatives, reform efforts in the ECT Modernization have led to amendments of key standards of treatment providing the substantive legal basis for claims by foreign investors. Focusing on the Fair and Equitable Treatment (FET) standard, this article contrasts the new treaty provision under Article 10 of the ‘modernized’ ECT with consolidated interpretations of the FET standard in previous arbitral practice. Building on such a jurisprudential analysis, this article evaluates the extent to which reformed standards of investment protection in the Modernized ECT can lead to an increased likelihood of climate-aligned outcomes in investor-State disputes, thereby providing an analytical assessment as to the potential of the newly introduced ECT provisions on FET – which may also serve as benchmark for further reforms of international investment agreements (IIAs) – to expand regulatory space for host States and support the adoption of more stringent climate policies. Fair and Equitable Treatment, Energy Charter Treaty, Modernization, Investor-State Dispute Settlement, Climate Change, Regulatory Space, Investment Arbitration, Fossil Fuels, Legitimate Expectations, Treaty Reform

Evaluation of land suitability for surface irrigation under changing climate in a tropical setting of Uganda, East Africa

CONTEXTAssessment of land suitability for irrigation under changing climate holds paramount significance given the pronounced reliance on rainfed agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa. OBJECTIVETo investigate land suitability for surface irrigation under changing climate in a tropical setting of Uganda, East Africa and explore implications for irrigation development as well as food security. METHODSThe study used a GIS-based multi-criteria evaluation using the Analytical Hierarchy Process that considered seven factors: soil texture, slope, land use/land cover, soil drainage, distance to river, distance to road network and rainfall deficit. Each factor was rasterized, reclassified and standardized to a similar measuring scale, resulting in a numeric range; higher values indicating areas that are more suitable and lower values indicating areas that are less suitable for irrigation. Weighted factors were added using the weighted overlay approach in the ArcGIS environment to create the final irrigation suitability map. Suitability was further assessed under two scenarios; an increase in average temperature of 1.5 °C and 10% increase in annual rainfall for the period from 2041 to 2060 (scenario I) and an increase in average temperature of 4.3 °C and 20% increase in annual rainfall for the period from 2061 to 2080 (scenario II). RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSFindings reveal that of the entire area of Uganda, 43.7% is currently constrained, 32.4% is moderately suitable, 23.1% is marginally suitable, only 0.9% is highly suitable, and only 0.02% is not suitable for surface irrigation. Highly suitable land is mostly found in the Lake Victoria Crescent whereas land not suitable for surface irrigation is mostly found in the Karamoja zone. Suitability of land for surface irrigation generally decreased with changing climate. Land not suitable for surface irrigation increased to 0.11% and 0.34%, and marginally suitable land increased to 28.4% and 35.8% of the total area, under scenarios I and II respectively. Whereas moderately suitable land decreased to 27.5% and 20.1%, and highly suitable land decreased to 0.29% and 0.046% of the total area, under scenarios I and II respectively. In both scenarios, suitable land for surface irrigation is highest in the South East L. Kyoga Flood Plain and lowest in the Western Mid-Altitude Farmland. The investigation underscores the dynamic nature of irrigation suitability of land, subject to various influencing factors with climate dynamics being a major factor. SIGNIFICANCEThe findings emphasize the importance of adopting adaptive strategies and incorporating climate change considerations into irrigation decision-making processes for increased food production.

Implementing climate change adaptation through mainstreaming at the local level—a comparative case study of two municipalities in the Netherlands

Governments face increasing urgency to adapt to climate change. However, there is a persistent gap between needed and implemented adaptation. The implementation of adaptation often takes place at the local level, making municipalities crucial actors, particularly regarding mainstreaming adaptation into various sectors. While mainstreaming has the potential to bring many benefits, it does not necessarily result in the implementation of adaptation. Its contribution to the adaptation process over time and the resulting implementation at the local level remain poorly understood, exacerbating the adaptation implementation gap. To advance the understanding of mainstreaming for implementation, we synthesize the emerging debates on adaptation mainstreaming with the literature on environmental policy integration and offer a framework towards a nuanced conceptualization of mainstreaming. Our results from a case study of two Dutch municipalities show that managerial actions precede the acceleration of implementation in the built environment and point to a learning curve. Furthermore, mainstreaming focuses on the water sector, built environment and green infrastructure, with little attention paid to the intersection of heat stress and drought with other sectors, while differences in the implementation of adaptation in the two cases hint at the influence of the local context. We conclude that there is no blueprint to implement adaptation, and while local preferences determine the sectors where integration and implementation occur, consideration of long-term future climate change is lacking in both cities’ mainstreaming of adaptation implementation. Our framework allowed identifying the potential and pitfalls of mainstreaming adaptation towards implementation at the local level.

Enhancing climate change planning and adaptive management in marine protected areas through targets, thresholds, and social-ecological objectives

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are being deployed globally to protect the Earth’s biodiversity in rapidly changing oceans. Nesting climate change considerations within adaptive MPA management and monitoring is becoming a more common approach, and while climate change is increasingly addressed in MPA planning, implementation gaps remain. This study applied the climate robustness index (CRI) to MPA monitoring plans to assess how climate change is outlined within site- and regional-level plans. Previously developed to assess MPA management plans, the CRI scores plans based on their degree of incorporation of climate change adaptation principles, including core elements of adaptive management. We supplemented our CRI findings for monitoring plans by associating index scores of MPAs in the United States with selected MPA traits, as well as by examining specific physical, ecological, and sociological climate change impacts that were being considered within the monitoring scope of a subset of monitoring plans. We found considerable gaps in actionable targets and thresholds in MPA monitoring plans, consistent with a previous study evaluating MPA management plans, demonstrating that the adaptive management cycle is incomplete in many cases. We consider the importance of completing the adaptive management cycle as a core climate adaptation strategy, and explore the roles of social-ecological objectives and local partnerships as avenues to continue to improve MPA outcomes in a changing world.

Allocation of reservoirs sites for runoff management towards sustainable water resources: Case study of Harirud River Basin, Afghanistan

The intensification of drought conditions in arid and semi-arid regions coupled with the growing population increased water demands (domestic, and irrigation). It signifies the importance of addressing the pressing need for sustainable water resource management. Seventeen criteria spanning topographical, hydrological, geological, environmental, and socio-economic categories, were used for dam site suitability analysis for Harirud River Basin, Afghanistan. Weighted Linear Combination (WLC) model and Geographic Information System (GIS) were employed to perform multi-criteria analysis (MCA) method. The results revealed that the final suitability map exposed 12.31 % highly suitable, 21.0 % moderately suitable, and 66.68 % non-suitable sites, totaling 125.8 km, 214.6 km, and 681.4 km, respectively. Segmentation accuracy assessment was utilized to evaluate the existing dam’s accuracies. The study revealed that accuracies of 84.65 % for the Salma Dam and 88.08 % for the Pashdan Dam were achieved, respectively. Six new dams, along with the existing two, formed the series of eight dams. The dam series were optimized for the total annual runoff of (1,600,000,000 m3), and the final dam heights were determined as follows: 107.5 m, 42 m, 100 m, 23.9 m, 30 m, 18 m, 23.44 m, and 22.65 m for dams (1 to 8), respectively. The study underscores the methodology's superiority in site suitability analysis and runoff optimization, while recommending future focus on observational data and higher-resolution digital elevation model (DEM) files for enhanced precision, environmental impact assessment, climate change considerations, social and economic implications, improved data resolution, and transboundary cooperation.

International collaboration to assess and manage the impacts of climate change on plant health in the framework of the International Plant Protection Convention

AbstractAs part of the 2020–2030 strategic framework for the International Plant Protection Convention, a focus group on climate change was established in 2021. The focus group includes scientists and plant health officials from around the world. The group has been raising awareness of the importance of climate change to plant health, promoting the consideration of climate change in all IPPC activities and drafting technical resources for NPPOs. The group is due to continue its activities until 2025.