Climate Issues Research Articles

Conceptualizing climate-induced migration in Africa

Climate change has detrimental effects on the livelihoods of Africans, given their dependency on agriculture and subsistence farming. As such, when the environment is no longer conducive due to climate change challenges, migration is opted to seek better, more supportive living conditions. The study aimed to understand migration trends in the African region and to identify sustainable development strategies to mitigate migration by employing a bibliometric and systematic literature review. This systematic literature review of 16 studies conceptualized climate-induced mobility in African countries with evidence on how climate change has influenced migration decisions for most dwellers in vulnerable African areas. The results revealed a rural-urban migration as farming workers searched for other ways to secure livelihoods. Migration to other countries was also identified, especially in countries like the United States, France and the United Kingdom. However, the results also revealed that those who remained in rural areas would opt for other livelihood activities such as businesses. It was also observed that climate-induced migration is growing in Africa, particularly in Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia. Therefore, to mitigate climate issues and manage migration, strategies are required to support communities affected by climate-induced problems.This study recommends that governments and policymakers should consider strategies like climate development finance, capacitating communities depending on natural resources, conservation agriculture and innovative technology to help stabilize the economies in areas affected by climate change and to improve human security.

Closed-loop supply chain network of end-of-life wind turbines mathematical model proposal considering environmental, employment, and cost reduction aspects

The worldwide climate issue makes wind energy an attractive renewable energy source. Wind energy reduces carbon emissions, energy prices, creates jobs, improves power access, and ensures energy security. The mass of employed materials in wind turbines indicates a lot of potential raw materials when the whole mass is evaluated. Additionally, a new wind turbine costs $2–$4 million. Remanufacturing or using recycled raw materials from end-of-life wind turbines is practical due to the decreased cost of new wind turbines. To ensure sustainability, CO2 emissions and social advantages like employment must be considered. Given the typical life expectancy of wind turbines at 20–25 years, this issue must be addressed globally in the mid-term. The objective of the conducted study is to provide a multi-objective mathematical framework that encompasses the environmental, social, and economic aspects of wind turbines at the end of their operational lifespan. Hence, this study presents a methodical framework for achieving sustainability in the wind energy sector through the implementation of a closed-loop supply chain. Furthermore, a lexicographic solution approach is offered for each objective of the mathematical model, with the aim of providing decision makers with a comprehensive overview of solutions. The methodology employed in this work involves the utilization of a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) approach to address the closed-loop supply chain for end-of-life wind turbines. Additionally, a lexicographic solution approach is provided to effectively solve the problem at hand. The novelty of this article lies in its examination of the closed loop supply chain network for end-of-life wind turbines, encompassing the social, environmental, and economic dimensions. This study represents the first of its kind to explore these aspects comprehensively. The proposed mathematical model has three objectives which cover the remanufacturing and recycling and aims to minimize CO2 emissions, unemployment, and transportation cost. In order to evaluate the proposed model, Türkiye is utilized as case with real-life data and Gurobi 9.1.2 is utilized. The locations of wind turbines could not be collected individually, and Euclidian distance was used instead of road distance due to a lack of data. These are the main limitations of the proposed study. The study revealed that the TEC and TCE lexicographic approach has the best recycling and remanufacturing cost-to-manufacturing cost ratio, 52.54 %. The least desired result is 74.50 % from CTE.

Museums and climate change discourse: the selected case studies analysis

ABSTRACT The objective of the article is to analyse how museums become involved in the climate discourse. To analyse the empirical material, a critical discourse analysis was used to examine the discourse practices implemented by museums in their strategic documents on environmental and climate issues. Results: Despite the museums' take on the challenges of the climate crisis in their strategy documents, the tacit assumption of human/cultural dominion over nature prevails. The analyses reveal the facade nature of the content found in the strategic documents of the selected museums. Despite addressing content related to the climate crisis, there is a lack of proposals for unconventional solutions or groundbreaking projects. Bringing together a range of different types of institutions around the theme of sustainability in the broadest sense puts museums at the centre of a network of civil society institutions with an important leadership role in the face of the challenges of the future. It will be up to the museums themselves to mobilise the other actors towards a viable solution to the problem. A limitation of the research is that it was conducted in large museums that are participating in the aforementioned discourse and on the other hand, there is a lack of the local perspective on environmental issues.

Do Digital Adaptation, Energy Transition, Export Diversification, and Income Inequality Accelerate towards Load Capacity Factors across the Globe?

To limit global warming to 1.5 °C, it is imperative to accelerate the global energy transition. This transition is crucial for solving the climate issue and building a more sustainable future. Therefore, within the loaded capacity curve (LCC) theory framework, this study investigates the effects of digital adaptation, energy transition, export diversification, and income inequality on the load capacity factor (LCF). This study also attempts to investigate the integration effects of digital adaptation and energy transition, and digital adaptation and export diversification, on LCF. Furthermore, we explored how income inequality influences the LCF in economies. For this study, 112 countries were selected based on the data availability. Panel data from 2010 to 2021 were analyzed using the STATA software 13 application utilizing a two-step system generalized method of moments (GMM) approach. First, interestingly, our finding shows that digital adaptation and income significantly affect the LCF. An increase in income increases the LCF among the middle-income group of countries. Therefore, LCC is confirmed in this research. Surprisingly, energy transition, export diversification, and foreign direct investment negatively impact the LCF in the base model. Second, the impact of integrating digital adaptation and energy transition has a positive effect on LCF. Third, a negative correlation was observed between the interaction of export diversification and digital adaptation with the LCF. Fourth, a positive correlation was observed between the interaction of renewable energy and digital adaptation with the LCF. Finally, this study explores the impact of the energy transition, export diversification, and income inequality on the LCF with reference to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). The result shows a negative effect between export diversification and LCF among OPECs at a 10% significance level. To improve the quality of our planet, policymakers must understand the forces causing climate change. By adopting a comprehensive perspective, the study aims to understand how these interrelated factors collaboratively influence the LCF thoroughly. Additionally, this research seeks to provide valuable insights related to energy transition, digital adaptation, and export diversification to policymakers, researchers, and stakeholders regarding possible avenues for cultivating a more joyful and sustainable global community.

Logistics and climate: an assessment of logistics’ multiple roles in the climate crisis

ABSTRACT Efforts to mitigate climate change and manage its consequences are becoming increasingly reliant on logistics. Logistics’ contribution is currently under-estimated by policymakers and researchers. The paper identifies eight roles for logistics in the climate crisis, ranging from being a cause and victim of climate change, to its involvement in decarbonisation, adaptation, carbon sequestration, humanitarian relief and possibly geo-engineering. A broad, multi-disciplinary literature is reviewed to assess current knowledge of the nature and scale of logistics’ input into these climate-related activities. Many of them will be highly material- and transport-intensive, stretching future logistical capabilities and making it harder for logistics as a sector to meet Net Zero emission targets. The paper examines the inter-relationship between logistics’ various climate-specific roles, highlighting conflicts and synergies. Its concluding section makes the case for extending the scope of logistics research on climate issues and strengthening its links with climate science, environmental studies and related disciplines.

Addressing Impacts from Climate Change Within International Legal System: More Precise Distribution of Responsibilities

As the international challenges resulting from climate change become emergent, how to reform international law and institutions to reduce the effects of climate change has become a crucial issue. This paper carries out surveys on regulating and restructuring the present international law system about current issues and provides suggestions for further practice. We can also consider building a climate club. The existing climate regulation mechanism needs to improve, leading to problems such as carbon leakage and free riding. Climate clubs can urge countries to fulfill their obligations by rewarding member states that fulfill their obligations and cracking down on non-member states. Apart from efforts in environmental governance, the international law system should also attach attention to the issue of climate refugees as a reaction to climate change. The last article argues that international society should provide legal protection for climate refugees, and it is reasonable for them to acquire a formally defined legal status for future humanitarian care. This thesis also explores the potential role of regional bodies in addressing climate change outside of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the legitimacy of their responsibilities based on constitutional treaties, their role in regulating the international commons, and their relationship to the UNFCCC. Based on this, this thesis suggests that regional institutions take on more responsibility in regulating state obligations and propose possible solutions to the climate change crisis. CBDR is an essential principle in the cooperation among countries to solve the problem of global climate change. It makes global cooperation fairer and more effective but also generates some problems. The main problem is that there is no clear division of responsibilities between countries, and policies must be implemented. This paper proposes three ways to divide responsibilities and argues that companies must actively participate in global emission reduction activities.

Book Review-Speed & Scale: An Action Plan for Solving Our Climate Crisis Now

With the climate crisis deepening at an alarming rate, urgency underscores every facet of our collective response. “Speed & Scale: An Action Plan for Solving Our Climate Crisis Now” by John Doerr is an inspiration of hope in this critical moment. Endorsed by prominent climate leaders including Jeff Bezos, Al Gore, Bill Gates, and Mary Barra, among others, “Speed & Scale” is a significant work, drawing on the insights of those who recognize the need for swift measures. Through Doerr’s thorough research, deep analysis, and rigorous action plan, readers are confronted with the harsh reality of environmental challenges but equipped with practical strategies for change. Beyond mere discussion, this book offers a roadmap for policymakers, activists, and citizens to confront climate issues decisively. As temperatures rise and ecosystems suffer, the need for proactive engagement becomes ever more crucial. Doerr’s work highlights the capacity for innovation and collaboration, urging readers to partake in collective endeavors to safeguard our planet for future generations. The deliberate use of “we” throughout the book fosters a sense of mutual ownership and responsibility towards the stewardship of our vulnerable earth. With Doerr’s passionate advocacy, the book delivers more than a compelling narrative of urgency and hope; it serves as a clarion call for unified, immediate action. The time to forge a path towards a sustainable future is now.

The limits of “resilience”: Relationalities, contradictions, and re‐appropriations

AbstractThe concept of “resilience” is ubiquitous in global governance, extending from climate and ecological issues to practically all spheres of human endeavor. However, post‐pandemic discourses suggest that the concept may no longer be capable of synthesizing diverse and diverging geopolitical interests into common policy goals. Responding to what we see as an emerging “crisis of resilience,” we reconsider the utility of the concept and advance “irresilience” as its critical relational “other.” We argue that to make resilience meaningful in a “polycrisis,” it is necessary to think about it dialectically and consider how it is undermined by the very actors that evangelize it.This article is categorized under: International Policy Framework > Policy and Governance Climate, History, Society, Culture > Disciplinary Perspectives The Social Status of Climate Change Knowledge > Knowledge and Practice Climate and Development > Sustainability and Human Well‐Being

Place-Based Arts Engagement and Learning Histories: An Effective Tool for Climate Action

ABSTRACT Artistic works informed by the global climate emergency are now common. Yet research typically focuses on the role of art in climate communication, rather than evaluating opportunities for large-scale public art to drive climate action and behavioral change amongst audiences. Indeed, arts, culture, and heritage are poorly integrated into Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) even though understanding whether, and how, art drives community engagement with climate issues is crucial for pursuing meaningful adaptation and resilience strategies. This paper addresses these research gaps, drawing on the evaluation of FloodLights, a series of multimedia art installations exploring experiences of living with water past/present/future in Kingston-Upon-Hull, UK, shown in October 2021. Key findings demonstrate that FloodLights empowered audience members to engage in climate and water action. Emotional responses to the installations drove engagement amongst audience members and inspired behavior change. Feedback from respondents demonstrates specific ways in which increased awareness of water and flooding issues is coupled with tangible connections to family and community. We demonstrate that arts-based interventions are effective in raising climate awareness and changing behaviors, and demonstrate that local communities have profound connections to their watery histories and identities, driving even greater impact in the future.

Green School Buildings and Environmental Holistic Elements Approach to Cope with Hot and Humid Climate Challenges – Bahrain Case Study

Public schools in Bahrain and in the Arabian Gulf Region are facing poor indoor and outdoor environments due to the prevailing problem of harsh hot humid weather most of the year. This leads to high consumption of energy, and other resources due to the nature function of the schools. This necessitates effective actions to fill the gap and address properly the climate issues, consumption of resources, and design challenges. Reviewing related literature indicated a lack of Arab region studies in this field, in contrast to Foreign Studies. This gap includes items such as knowledge, data collection, design flaws, performance, guidelines and others. The objectives of this article are to investigate, and identify factors, green elements and possible solutions contributing to sustaining green public-school buildings and the environment while saving national resources and meeting performance sustainable criteria for school buildings and students. Literature review and qualitative descriptive method are essential investigation methodologies. The goal of qualitative descriptive studies is a comprehensive summarization and categorical. Literature review was the main action in the process to start exploring prior research and published works on green school buildings. Collected data on research materials published by reliable professional institutions and research are reviewed, explored, identified, categorized, and summarized in outputs. These are discussed and analyzed to ensure their positive influence on schools’ buildings and address collective challenges. Findings can be summarized in the following outputs: Characteristics. Advantages. Guidelines and standards. Green Building Council’s influence. Performance and rating tools for schools and students. Statistics. Innovation and Case studies and Lessons learned. The first Bahrain green school case study will contribute to the exchange experience with others concerned. In conclusion, this article recommends greening school buildings and environment design through various sustainable elements that are included in the results to enhance school buildings, the environment and student performance.

The Impact of Future Land Use Change on Carbon Emission and Its Optimization Strategy

Rapidly changing climate issues and increasingly severe carbon emissions are great challenges to the carbon peaking and carbon neutrality strategy. Analyzing the impact of future land use changes on carbon emissions can provide an important basis and reference for scientifically constructing a low-carbon and sustainable territorial spatial planning, as well as realizing the goal of the dual-carbon strategy. Based on land use data, agricultural production activity data, and energy consumption statistics, this study simulated the land use changes of the Yangtze River Delta region (YRDR) from 2030 to 2060 under the natural development (ND) scenario and sustainable development (SD) scenario by using the Patch-generating Land Use Simulation (PLUS) model and analyzed the impacts of future land use changes on carbon emissions. The results showed that: (1) The land use simulation results obtained by using the PLUS model under the sustainable development scenario were highly consistent with the actual land use with an OA value of 97.0%, a Kappa coefficient of 0.952, and a FoM coefficient of 0.403; (2) Based on the simulated land use under the SD scenario from 2030 to 2060, the quantity of construction land was effectively controlled, and the spatial distributions of cropland and forests were found to dominate in the north and south of the Yangtze River, respectively; (3) Anhui Province was the major contributor (accounted for 49.5%) to the net carbon absorption by cropland while Zhejiang Province was the major contributor (accounted for 63.3%) to the net carbon absorption by forest in the YRDR during the period 2020–2060 under the SD scenario; (4) Carbon emissions from construction land were the main source of carbon emissions from land use in the YRDR during the period 2020–2060 with proportions higher than 99% under both the ND and SD development scenarios. These findings underscore the urgent need for the government to take measures to balance the relationships between cropland and ecological protection and economic development, which provides a reference for the optimization of land use structure and policy formulation in the future.

Impacts of the energy transition on public health in the context of country risk: From an international perspective

The global climate issue is becoming increasingly serious, and studying the energy transition (ET) has proven to be an effective solution to this problem. The essence of climate mitigation is to address the issue of ensuring the public health (pH) of human beings. Still, the definitions of ET in existing literature are inconsistent, and Many researches overlook the definitions of ET in official documents and discuss the relationship between ET and pH. Therefore, this research utilizes panel data from 107 countries over the period 2000–2020 to construct an energy transition indicator based on the definition from the World Economic Forum (WEF). It also examines the link between ET and pH using a two-way fixed effects regression. In the current turbulent international environment, this paper also investigates this link in the context of composite risk control (CRC), financial risk control (FRC), economic risk control (ERC), and political risk control (PRC). The results show that ET can significantly improve pH, a conclusion that remains significant after being subjected to a range of robustness tests. The study exploring the mechanism impact on the relationship between ET and pH shows that CRC, FRC, ERC, and PRC all strengthen the effect of ET on pH, and the mechanism effect varies considerably between high-income and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs); ET is more significantly affected by the mechanism in LMICs than in high-income countries. Furthermore, this paper illustrates that ET does not differ by gender in improving pH among infants, while there are gender differences in adults by using the instrumental variable regression and GMM regression to mitigate the endogenous and heteroscedasticity issue for heterogeneity test. The study in this paper can not only inspire policy researchers on which aspects to promote ET, but also provide a direction for improving pH.

Women on board, institutional ownership and emissions disclosure practices as tools for attaining sustainable development goals in Nigeria

PurposeThis study aims to examine how women on board influence quality and quantity disclosure of emissions discharge by the listed non-financial firms for the period of six years (2016–2021), with institutional ownership as a moderator.Design/methodology/approachThe study obtained data from a sample of 83 listed non-financial firms. A content analysis technique was employed to compute emissions disclosure indexes using Global Reporting Initiatives standards from the sampled firms. Random and fixed effect regression analyses were run for both direct and moderation models. Based on the results of the Hausman tests, random results were adopted and used in examining the relationship.FindingsThe result reveals that women on board are significantly related to emission disclosure. The study also documented that institutional owners have not influenced the relationship between women directors and emissions disclosure.Practical implicationsThe study's findings have practical implications for emerging economies, corporations and other business organizations seeking to actively involve the emissions control and reduction issues toward sustainable development goals 5, 7 and 13 in their business models and successfully communicate these efforts to stakeholders.Social implicationsListed firms in emerging economies would gain sincerity through the women directors’ knowledge, skills, demographics and ethnicity in the society. Therefore, corporate bodies in emerging economies can successfully contribute toward improving the social welfare of various segments of society by controlling current and future climate issues. Additionally, society will surely benefit when firms control the pollution discharges within the community.Originality/valueThis is the first study, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, that provides empirical evidence on the effect of the presence of women on board on emissions disclosure using institutional ownership as a moderator in Nigeria.

Research on Low-carbon Layout and Planning of Urban Space Driven by Sustainable Development

Carbon dioxide emissions, leading to global warming, have threatened human development. It is urgent to control and slow down greenhouse gas emissions to maintain ecologically sustainable development. The energy demand and pollutant emissions generated in the process of urban development are the main reasons leading to climate and environmental change. Scientific planning for cities and construction of low-carbon urban development models are the first work to deal with climate and environmental issues. In view of these problems, the article takes Guangyuan City as an example of low-carbon city construction, through transforming the city's industrial structure, strengthening the energy and science and technology innovation, establishing and improving the low-carbon system and other methods to implement the specific construction of low-carbon city, to build a clean, low- carbon new urban life mode, Make Guangyuan City from 2015 to reach the exploitable hydropower installed capacity of 65% to 80% in 2020. In this paper, we propose a series of specific low- carbon urban spatial layout and planning strategies, which not only in-depth analysis of the key problems in China's urbanization process, such as energy consumption, carbon emissions, etc., but also propose targeted solutions. By implementing these strategies, we can effectively meet the challenges brought about by urbanization and promote the development of Chinese cities in a more low-carbon and sustainable direction.

Communicating intergenerational justice and climate change: a study of youth-generated environmental discourses

Abstract Awareness of climate change as an intergenerational issue with inequitable risk burden for younger generations is a relatively recent phenomenon. However, youth activists have already managed to come to occupy a meaningful role in climate advocacy. Accepting the invitation to search for positive new discourses to live by, this paper applies a positive discourse analytical lens to the study of the online discourses produced by the youth climate activists of Generation Climate Europe (GCE), the largest coalition of youth-led networks on climate and environmental issues at the European level, examining how GCE newsletters and podcasts use discursive strategies and multimodal resources to communicate their message. The (corpus-assisted) positive discourse analysis of this GCE-produced content revealed that the youth activists designed a complex virtual space brimming with cross-references, intertextuality, and options for its audience that projected an identity for the coalition as a productive, solution-oriented, and agentive organization. The discourses produced by GCE were carefully tailored to a specific interpretive community and they aimed to both claim and impart authority and expertise. GCE’s interactional practices strove to generate wiggle room to resist the status quo and advocate for critical issues such as intergenerational justice and institutional transparency. In disclosing these results, the authors hope to have contributed to understandings of how sustainable climate advocacy is currently being enacted by youth within digital communication across platforms.

Known and Unknown Environmental Impacts Related to Climate Changes in Pakistan: An Under-Recognized Risk to Local Communities

This study prioritized initiatives within the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), foreign funding, and the associated environmental and national issues. Additionally, it analyzed these factors’ effects on improving infrastructure, commerce, and economic cooperation between China and Pakistan. Besides that, it also studies the current climatic, economic, and political challenges, mainly focused on water and agriculture issues. Climate, economic, and political issues affect the environment. These concerns deserve global attention. Pakistan mainly relies on agriculture, and its water scarcity predisposes it to economic losses, urbanization, and many socioeconomic problems. Climate change and the current flood have devastated the agriculture sector. Water scarcity affects agriculture too and significantly impacts the economy and food resources. The nation has not previously experienced such a profoundly distressing epoch. Pakistan has faced several environmental, economic, and political challenges; specifically, the fields of agriculture and water present notable apprehensions. Unfavorable climatic conditions impede the attainment of sustainable agriculture in Pakistan. Considering the strong reliance of agriculture on water resources, it is crucial to acknowledge that industrialization has resulted in substantial water contamination due to the presence of microplastics and heavy metals. Moreover, the South Asian region experiences a significant scarcity of water resources. Besides that, CPEC is the solution for the financial issues, but it is a big challenge for environmental degradation in the current stage, especially since foreign funding is a key challenge for increasing corruption and bringing more burden on the economy. Unfortunately, foreign funding is not good for Pakistan. To ensure safety, security, and sustainability, CPEC projects should follow environmental regulations. This study provides a new list of CPEC initiative priority tasks that more openly disrupt the initiative, serve the whole project, and give appropriate recommendations for future research and policy-making.

Phenotypic and Gene Expression Analysis of Fruit Development of ‘Rojo Brillante’ and ‘Fuyu’ Persimmon (Diospyros kaki L.) Cultivars in Two Different Locations

Fruit development and maturation rely on intrinsic genetic programs involving hormone biosynthesis and signalling and environmental cues, integrating phenological cycles and climatic issues encompassing abiotic stresses and climate change. In persimmon trees, environmental inputs strongly influence fitness and agricultural performance, and fruit yield can be severely compromised by them. We have grown two persimmon accessions (‘Rojo Brillante’ and ‘Fuyu’) under contrasting meteorological conditions of two locations in Spain and Japan. Fruit size, colour change, and firmness parameters were followed during fruit development from 30 days after fruit set until commercial ripening, and the expression of genes related to ethylene production and signalling, gibberellin response, carotenoid biosynthesis, cell wall dynamics, and oxidative stress were reported. Genes depending on intrinsic developmental programs (ethylene and ripening variables, mostly) showed common expression trends in both cultivars and locations, whereas gibberellin and abiotic stress-related genes mimicked reduced fruit growth and abiotic stress associated with higher summer temperatures (>35 °C) and lower rainfall reported in the Spanish location. The expression pattern of these genes is consistent with a growth–defence trade-off that explains fruit differential growth through hormonal and stress tolerance mechanisms.

Validation of Citizen Science Meteorological Data: Can They Be Considered a Valid Help in Weather Understanding and Community Engagement?

Citizen science has emerged as a potent approach for environmental monitoring, leveraging the collective efforts of volunteers to gather data at unprecedented scales. Within the framework of the I-CHANGE project, MeteoTracker, a citizen science initiative, was employed to collect meteorological measurements. Through MeteoTracker, volunteers contributed to a comprehensive dataset, enabling insights into local weather patterns and trends. This paper presents the analysis and the results of the validation of such observations against the official Italian civil protection in situ weather network, demonstrating the effectiveness of citizen science in generating valuable environmental data. The work discusses the methodology employed, including data collection and statistical analysis techniques, i.e., time-series analysis, spatial and temporal interpolation, and correlation analysis. The overall analysis highlights the high quality and reliability of citizen-generated data as well as the strengths of the MeteoTracker platform. Furthermore, our findings underscore the potential of citizen science to augment traditional monitoring efforts, inform decision-making processes in environmental research and management, and improve the social awareness about environmental and climate issues.

Nature-Based Solutions to Enhance Urban Resilience in the Climate Change and Post-Pandemic Era: A Taxonomy for the Built Environment

Global environmental and health issues such as climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted the weaknesses of current urban systems, including the poor availability and accessibility of green and public spaces in cities. Nature-based Solutions are configured as promising solutions to increase the resilience and health of the built environment by addressing climate and pandemic issues, promoting the psycho-physical well-being of users and proposing solutions for the protection of the environment and ecosystems. Following a systematic review of the scientific literature using the PRISMA methodology, this study aims to provide a taxonomic framework for Nature-based Solutions for the built environment that is applicable to the urban and building scales, highlighting key benefits in addressing pandemic and climate challenges and achieving urban resilience. This framework proposes a holistic and multifunctional approach that will prove to be a useful tool for researchers and policy makers to incorporate greening strategies into urban regeneration and redevelopment processes. The application of Nature-based Solutions still seems to be limited. It is therefore necessary to raise awareness of this issue among citizens and policy makers and to promote close co-operation between the different actors in territorial decision-making processes.

Physiological, biochemical, and functional changes in quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd) under potassium and zinc applications in drought stress conditions

The utilization of chelated fertilizers at specific concentrations could serve as an efficient method to mitigate the effects of drought stress in plants, considering it a global climatic issue. The objective of this study was to ascertain the influence of potassium and zinc chelate fertilizers on improving drought tolerance in quinoa plants. The experiment was conducted over two cropping years, 2018–2019 and 2019–2020. It followed a split-plot factorial design within a randomized complete block layout, in three replicates. The results indicated that the foliar application of the combined treatment of 50K + 50Zn significantly increased grain yield, particularly in the Q26 cultivar, under drought-stress conditions. However, the best harvest index was related to the Q26 cultivar under 100Zn application conditions. Nevertheless, the application of chelated fertilizers significantly enhanced these traits under stress compared to the non-application conditions. Furthermore, the content of glycine betaine and proline in the plant increased under the influence of 100K and 100Zn applications in the Q29 cultivar in 25% FC. Based on the obtained results for Catalase enzyme activity at 25% FC and in the presence of 100Zn foliar application and for Peroxidase at 25% FC and the presence of the combined 50K + 50Zn foliar application in the Q29 cultivar, the highest activity of these enzymes was observed. Consequently, considering the increased contents of glycine betaine and proline in the foliar application, as well as the enhanced activity of antioxidant enzymes contributing to improved drought tolerance in these plants, the application of potassium and zinc chelates as fertilizers is recommended.