Context Of Climate Research Articles

Fiduciary duties in the climate context: Indian law with comparative notes

This article will discuss the fiduciary duties of directors under Indian laws to consider climate risk and work toward adaptation and mitigation. The second part of this article will briefly examine the effects of climate change on the Indian corporate landscape. Following this, the third part will analyze the Indian legal framework that governs director duties in the context of climate change. The fourth section of this article will explore the challenges that hinder the enforcement of the directors’ duties to act in the interests of stakeholders, including the environment. Subsequently, the fifth section will offer policy recommendations and legal reform suggestions on managing the issues raised in the preceding section. Lastly, the article will concludes, emphasizing the need to have a robust system for nudging directors to take into account the interests of an array of stakeholders, while undertaking and managing commercial ventures.

Clogging Test of Drippers Watered by Surface Water Treated with Natural Coagulants and Suitability of this Water for Drip Irrigation

In the Sahel, rainfall deficits have been recorded increasingly in this portion of Africa over the last 4 decades. This situation has resulted in a remarkable decline in agricultural production and peasant income in Niger. Indeed, agriculture is essentially rain-fed, therefore sensitive to rainfall hazards. It is in this climatic context unfavorable to rainfed agriculture that the State is placing increasing emphasis on surface water with a view to developing intensive and diversified irrigated agriculture. This work aims on the one hand to analyze the hydraulics of the drippers and on the other hand to test products based on Moringa oleifera seeds (powder and cakes from these seeds) in the treatment of surface water in order to improve the physico-chemical and bacteriological qualities of the latter for use in drip irrigation systems. The methodology consists of measuring the water coming from the drippers after each irrigation. To compare the suitability of treated water in a drip irrigation system, three (3) irrigation networks were set up. The hydraulic operation of the latter was previously verified using tap water from the urban distribution network of the city of Niamey on the experimental site of the Faculty of Agronomy of Niamey. The comparison concerned water treated with almond cake and Moringa oleifera almond powders and raw water from the study pond. By carrying out irrigations for 1 hour per network made up of four (4) booms with a total of 24 drippers or 6 drippers per boom. The comparison of the different valve volumes, boom holder volumes, boom volumes, dripper volumes show that at the same pressure, the volumes obtained with treated water are statistically identical to the reference volumes established with tap water. On the other hand, the raw water presented volumes lower and statistically different from the volumes of water mentioned above. This reduction in volume is the consequence of clogging by particles suspended in this network. ...

Aedes-borne arboviral human infections in Europe from 2000-2023: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aedes-borne arboviral infections, both imported and autochthonous, are reported in Europe. We evaluated the landscape of these infections in Europe over 23 years and attempted to pre-empt the trajectory of impact of these infections in the climatic context of Aedes mosquito expansion in Europe. This systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines and registered in Prospero (CRD42023360259). PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, IEEE Xplore, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) databases and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) websites were searched for publications reporting on cases of Aedes-borne infection in Europe between January 1st, 2000, and December 31st, 2023. Some 353 papers were included, covering 59,589 cases of infection in Europe by seven arboviruses: dengue, Zika, chikungunya, yellow fever, Mayaro, Ross River, and Rift Valley. Most cases (55,924) were travel related, while 5% were autochthonous. There were 59 cases of non-vector-borne transmission, primarily Zika-related sexual transmissions. Nineteen deaths were reported, of which three were associated with chikungunya virus infection, 12 with dengue, and four with yellow fever. Notable sequelae included persistent arthralgia from chikungunya and neurological effects in Zika-infected infants. The meta-analysis of 31 studies revealed a pooled prevalence of 0.047 (95% CI: 0.03-0.07) in symptomatic returning travelers. The systematic review provides a comprehensive overview of over 20 years of Aedes -borne infections in Europe, highlighting the dynamic nature of virus transmission influenced by global travel patterns, climate change, the expanding spread of Aedes populations, and evolving public health campaigns.

Drought Analysis Using Various Drought Indices in Sub-District Ngemplak

The study namely Drought Analysis Using Various Drought Indices in District Ngemplak, Boyolali offers a comprehensive examination of drought phenomena in the Ngemplak, Boyolali district through the lens of var­ious drought indices, aiming to understand the impact on agricultural productivity and propose effective water management strategies. Using data from 2009 to 2023, this study used SPI and PDSI. Focusing on the Ngem­plak, Boyolali district, this research identifies the most relevant drought indices tailored to the local climatic and geographical contexts, analyzes the correlation between these indices and the productivity of primary crops, and suggests sustainable water management practices to mitigate drought risks. The study underscores the importance of adopting a multifaceted and adaptive water management framework, incorporating sophisticated irrigation technologies, and fostering policy reforms to enhance water use efficiency and resilience against climatic variability. It calls for collaborative efforts involving stakeholders across different sectors to implement these recommendations, ensuring the sustainability of water resources and agricultural productivity in the face of drought challenges.

POTATO INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT IN CURRENT CLIMATIC CHANGES TO PROMOTE A SUSTENABLE AGRICULTURE

Potato is one of the most important crop worldwide and unfortunately a lot of pests and pathogens impact it causing quantitative and qualitative losses every year. An experiment was conducted to the National Institute of Research and Development for Potato and Sugar Beet Brasov in 2024 to provide an integrated control strategy, based on efficient and suitable methods for technological use in poato field in actual climatic change context. The field experiment was carried out for analysing factors like climate conditions, agricultural practices, and the presence and impact of diseases and pests on the potato crop. Incidence of potato foliar diseases, late and early blight, was quantified during the vegetation, Colorado beetle was controlled by treatments and the wireworms presence and impact on tubers was observed at the harvest time. Dealing with the strategy of the European Union to reduce the use of pesticides enhancing food security and environmental quality, this study looks applying a technology with a minimum volume of pesticides, whose dose should be as low as possible. The aim of an integrated pest management strategy is to reduce the number of treatments used to control pests and diseases in potato crops, promoting the principles of sustainable agriculture

Local conditions have greater influence than provenance on sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) frost hardiness at its northern range limit.

In temperate and boreal ecosystems, trees undergo dormancy to avoid cold temperatures during the unfavorable season. This phase includes changes in frost hardiness, which is minimal during the growing season and reaches its maximum in winter. Quantifying frost hardiness is important to assess the frost risk and shifts of species distribution under a changing climate. We investigate the effect of local conditions and intra-specific variation on frost hardiness in sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.). Seedlings belonging to seven provenances from the northern area of the species' range were planted at two sites in Quebec, Canada. LT50, i.e., the lethal temperature for 50% of the cells, was measured monthly with the Relative Electrolyte Leakage (REL) method on branches and buds from September 2021 to July 2022. LT50 varied between -4°C in summer (July) and-68°C in winter (February). Autumnal acclimation rates (September to early December) and mid-winter frost hardiness (December to early March) were similar in both sites. Samples in the southern site deacclimated faster than in the northern site between March and July, because of a warmer and earlier spring. No difference in frost hardiness was detected between provenances. Our results suggest that the frost hardiness trait is similar within the northern part of the sugar maple distribution, with local weather conditions having a greater influence than provenance. We demonstrate that LT50 in sugar maple can exceed -55°C, far below the minimum temperatures occurring in winter at the northern limit of the species. In order to minimize the risk of damage from extreme frost events exceeding tree frost hardiness, a careful evaluation of site characteristics is more important than provenance selection. Other factors should also be considered within the context of changing climate, in particular the phenology of maple and avoidance of late frost in spring.

Bathing Practices as a Religious and Medical Encounter: Water, Climate and Health Across Monsoon Asia

This study explores the intersection between religious and medical bathing practices across Monsoon Asia, with particularly reference to āyurvedic and Buddhist traditions. While previous scholarship has emphasised the ritualistic and social dimensions of bathing in Brahmanical and Buddhist contexts, this article complements it with discussions of its medicinal and healing functions, as outlined in classical texts and displayed in material culture. The research highlights how bathing was considered essential for maintaining bodily balance—a concept analogous to humoral theory in Galenic medicine—across different climatic and environmental conditions, particularly during the monsoon season. The article further examines the transregional circulation and localisation of these practices, considering how diverse Asian cultures adapted Indic bathing traditions to their unique climatic and cultural contexts. Notably, the study addresses the complex interplay between religious doctrines, health and environmental factors, drawing connections between āyurvedic principles and Buddhist medical discourses. The findings suggest that while the notion of balance in bathing practices was widespread, its interpretation and implementation varied significantly across regions, reflecting local environmental and cultural influences. Through a comparative analysis of sources from South Asia, China and Southeast Asia, this article provides a nuanced understanding of how religio-medical bathing practices were shaped by and responded to the diverse climatic realities of Monsoon Asia.

Protecting the climate through EU supply chain legislation? Two critiques and a compromise

Abstract Climate change law faces a serious implementation problem. New instruments promoted by states from the Global North to address the implementation gap come from the sphere of trade and supply chain regulation. This article focuses on corporate climate due diligence legislation and its potential contribution to fulfilling the objectives outlined in the Paris Agreement. By examining the EU’s legislative process towards adopting a Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), it explores various approaches to regulating the climate impacts of corporations, including along global supply chains. The article critiques both the ultimately adopted climate transition planning requirement and the European Parliament’s alternative proposal, which aimed to incorporate climate mitigation into the general due diligence framework of the Directive but was unsuccessful. It applies two overarching critiques, termed ‘not enough’ and ‘regulatory imperialism’, to the specific context of corporate climate due diligence. Although these critiques may initially appear contradictory, the article endeavours to reconcile them through a compromise approach that fosters greater participation, integrates measures to mitigate impacts on self-determination, and specifies the obligations imposed on corporations regarding climate mitigation. Finally, the article discusses the idea of a decentralised enforcement regime and highlights the importance of regulation in states of the Global South to achieve a truly planetary legal order on corporate climate accountability.

Climatic Influences on the Environmental Performances of Residential Buildings: A Comparative Case Study in Turkey

This study evaluates the environmental performance of residential projects in Bolu and Mardin, Turkey, by assessing the impact of climatic and architectural context on material selection, construction techniques, and environmental outcomes. Using BIM-based LCA tools, the analysis compares Bolu’s humid climate with Mardin’s hot and dry conditions across multiple environmental metrics. In the Product (A1–A3) phase, Bolu has higher CO2 emissions, accounting for 79–85% of the total environmental impact, compared to 77–82% in Mardin. However, energy consumption is higher in Mardin during the Product phase. In the Construction (A4) and End of Life (C2–C4) phases, Bolu has a higher energy consumption and environmental impact than Mardin. In terms of waste generation, the End of Life phases (C2–C4) are identified as significant contributors in both case studies. The material analysis shows that concrete, finishing materials (e.g., paint and plaster) and stone wall materials have the highest environmental impacts in both cases. This study aims to provide a detailed examination of how environmental impacts differ due to material use in two different climatic regions. BIM-based LCA methods were used to investigate the influence of regional and climatic differences on environmental performance. The impacts of material components across all life cycle stages were analyzed, and recommendations for their optimization were provided. Future research could focus on the integration of innovative materials and technologies to improve life cycle efficiency. In addition, incorporating data from different geographic regions could broaden the scope of the analysis and contribute significantly to sustainable building practices. Such approaches provide critical opportunities to develop specific strategies for reducing environmental impacts.

Embedded physical constraints in machine learning to enhance vegetation phenology prediction

ABSTRACT Vegetation phenology plays a pivotal role in ecological processes on terrestrial surfaces and the interactions between the biosphere and atmospheric feedback. Current attempts to retrieve vegetation phenology have primarily depended on vegetation indices extracted from satellite remote sensing imagery. These approaches often neglect the underlying physical mechanisms associated with climatic factors, and there is a notable absence of evaluations and comparisons with field-observed phenology inventory data. To address these limitations, this paper proposes an innovative physical constraint neural networks (PCNNs) model that combines machine learning techniques with physical mechanisms to enhance the accuracy of vegetation phenology predictions. By incorporating meteorological variables into a machine learning model and by using the Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) dataset to identify the vegetation phenology of four vegetation types in North America, this study delved into the relationship between vegetation phenology and climate factors as well as its impacts on ecosystems. Our model demonstrated high accuracy compared to machine learning methods without physical mechanisms when validated by field observations from PhenoCam and the USA National Phenology Network (USA-NPN) spanning from 2001 to 2021. The results show that the overall root mean square error (RMSE) with physical constraints is reduced to 12.37 days, higher by 2.6 days than the machine learning method without physical constraints. We compared four vegetation types using different machine learning and traditional rule-based methods, deciduous vegetation (DV) exhibited the most favorable prediction results, with the RMSE and mean bias error (MBE) as low as 5.71 days and 4.06 days in PCNNs model, respectively. This was followed by evergreen needle-leaved forests and mixed forests with RMSE of 12.32 and 13.28 days, respectively. The stressed deciduous vegetation type had the worst prediction result of 19.86 days (RMSE), and the weighted index of agreement (WIA) attained a value of 0.68. These findings suggest that the model embedded with physical constraints significantly boosted prediction accuracy for four common vegetation types, particularly for DV, compared to the unconstrained ML model. It offers valuable insights into the incorporation of physical mechanisms within machine learning models. This research paves the way for substantial advancements in the field of land surface phenology, enabling more accurate and reliable predictions of vegetation phenology in various ecological and climatic contexts.

FIRST IDENTIFICATION OF DOWNY MILDEW ON QUINOA (PERONOSPORA FARINOSA F. SP. CHENOPODII) IN ROMANIA: PRELIMINARY RESEARCH

With the expansion of quinoa cultivation (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) into new areas, including Romania, it is expected that specific diseases will emerge. Currently, downy mildew is the most significant and studied disease affecting quinoa worldwide. This research was conducted in the experimental fields of the UASVM of Bucharest, under the climatic conditions of the 2024 growing season. Two quinoa varieties, supplied by Quinoa Quality ApS, Denmark, were evaluated for their response to the pathogen Peronospora farinosa f. sp. chenopodii. The first detection of downy mildew in quinoa in our country provides an important update to phytopathological research on this crop, which offers numerous economic advantages in the current climate context. The characteristic symptoms of the disease caused by the pathogen Peronospora farinosa f. sp. chenopodii are described. Vikinga was susceptible to downy mildew (AD 6.6%), while Puno showed an insignificant degree of leaf infection (AD 0.65%).

Energy flexibility potential associated with thermal uses in prototypes of Italian single-family buildings.

Abstract The transition towards renewable distributed generation and the electrification of consumption will increasingly enhance energy flexibility strategies aimed at promoting self-consumption, energy sharing, and optimizing grid operation. Residential thermal loads can also contribute to these objectives, and this study aims to provide new insights in this regard. The study, based on dynamic load simulation, extends to three types of building-system setups (existing, renovated, and nearly zero-energy) in three climatic contexts (Milan, Rome, and Palermo). Characterization of the flexibility potential associated with building thermal inertia is based on appropriate indicators (Flexibility Index and Peak Load Reduction Factor) comparing consumption profiles associated with two types of internal temperature setpoint control: standard and flexible. The latter is modelled predictively, based on a penalty curve and predicted climatic conditions. Two penalty datasets are considered to represent the perspectives of the energy distributor (DSO) and the operator of a Renewable Energy Community (CER) with photovoltaic installations. The results show how the technological characteristics of building structures can influence the building’s flexibility potential. The greatest benefits are observed during the heating phase and in renovated buildings, which manage to ensure good load shifting capability and significant peak load reduction (up to 60-80%). It is interesting to note that in more efficient buildings, a large portion of flexibility potential can be achieved through energy efficiency solutions, even without flexible control.

Genomics-based timely detection of dengue virus type I genotypes I and V in Uruguay

This study details a genomics-based approach for the early detection of mosquito-borne pathogens, marked by Uruguay's first ever complete genomic sequencing of Dengue Virus type I genotypes I and V. This pioneering effort has facilitated the prompt identification of these genotypes within the country, enabling Uruguayan public health authorities to develop timely and effective response strategies. Further integrated into this approach is a climate-driven suitability measure, closely associated with Dengue case reports and indicative of the local climate's role in the virus's transmission in the country within the changing climate context. The detection of multiple DENV-1 genotypes co-circulating in Uruguay underscores the necessity for proactive surveillance, particularly at borders, to prevent the introduction and dissemination of novel viral strains within the country and the region. This approach aids in facilitating prompt public health responses and intervention strategies, which are crucial in mitigating the impact of dengue outbreaks.

Great Gerbils (Rhombomys opimus) in Central Asia Are Spreading to Higher Latitudes and Altitudes.

The great gerbil (Rhombomys opimus) is a gregarious rodent in Central Asia and is one of the major pests found in desert forest and grassland areas. The distribution changes and migration routes of R. opimus in Central Asia under climate change remain unexplored. This study employed multi-model ensemble, correlation analysis, jackknife method, and minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) model to simulate the potential habitat of R. opimus under current and future (2030 and 2050) climate scenarios and estimate its possible migration routes. The results indicate that the ensemble model integrating Random Forest (RF), Gradient Boosting Machine (GBM), and Maximum Entropy Model (MaxEnt) performed best within the present climate context. The model predicted the potential distribution of R. opimus in Central Asia with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.986 and a True Skill Statistic (TSS) of 0.899, demonstrating excellent statistical accuracy and spatial performance. Under future climate scenarios, northern Xinjiang and southeastern Kazakhstan will remain the core areas of R. opimus distribution. However, the optimal habitat region will expand relative to the current one. This expansion will increase with the rising CO2 emission levels and over time, potentially enlarging the suitable area by up to 39.49 × 104 km2. In terms of spatial distribution, the suitable habitat for R. opimus is shifting toward higher latitudes and elevations. For specific migration routes, R. opimus tends to favor paths through farmland and grassland. This study can provide guidance for managing and controlling R. opimus under future climate change scenarios.

Landscape Design Strategies for Healthy Aging-in-Place in Communities: Case Studies from Suzhou, China

As the global population ages, the World Health Organization promotes “Healthy Aging” to enhance the quality of life for the elderly. In China, with its substantial aging population, the “9073” elderly care mode, which prioritizes community-based care, was implemented in 2011. However, the specific needs of elderly residents in different climatic and cultural contexts are often overlooked. This study addresses this gap by examining how community green space design can support healthy aging, using Suzhou as a case study due to its significant elderly population. This research examines the relationship between community environments, elderly needs, and behaviors. Our findings reveal that elderly residents have complex needs, seeking safety, comfort, health, social interaction, and spiritual richness simultaneously. A mismatch was observed between their stated preferences for features like seating and shade and their actual usage patterns, suggesting that existing green spaces may not fully meet their needs. This study underscores the importance of incorporating both expressed preferences and proactive design strategies to enhance the healthy benefit of community green spaces. These insights support the “Healthy China 2030” strategy and promote the well-being of elders, contributing to sustainable urban regeneration.

Drivers of Spatiotemporal Patterns of Riparian Forest NDVI Along a Hydroclimatic Gradient

ABSTRACTIn the context of rising global temperatures and their impact on weather patterns and water cycles, understanding the relationship between vegetation and hydroclimatic forcing is critical. Riparian forests are highly vulnerable to hydroclimatic variability, which can significantly affect water availability in the soil on which they primarily depend. Along large rivers, hydroclimatic forcings can vary, resulting in different vegetative responses depending on the local climatic context and site conditions. To explore this, we studied riparian forest greenness along a 512‐km river corridor with a 3° latitudinal gradient, analysing the relative contributions of climate (latitude, season, temperature, precipitation) and local hydrological conditions (groundwater). Here, we show that riparian forests along a latitudinal gradient respond differently to hydroclimatic controls, with vegetative dynamics that can be attenuated or accentuated by local site conditions. We combined Sentinel‐2 satellite Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data over seven years (2016–2022) with hydroclimatic data to examine riparian forest greenness responses to latitudinal, seasonal and interannual hydroclimatic variability. We found contrasting hydroclimatic controls across the latitudinal gradient, with the northernmost sites predominantly controlled by temperature, while those further south are limited by water availability. In addition, we identified temperature as the primary driver of NDVI throughout the growing season, either positively or negatively. Late season precipitation and high phreatic water availability positively influenced NDVI, emphasising the role of local conditions in governing riparian forest resilience. This study enhances understanding of climate controls on riparian tree greenness, which is critical for designing effective landscape‐scale riparian ecosystem management and restoration strategies.

Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Rainfall Erosivity in Southern Africa in Extreme Wet and Dry Years

Soil erosivity is a key indicator of the effectiveness of precipitation acting on the land’s surface and is mainly controlled by event-scale and seasonal weather and climatic factors but is also influenced by the nature of the land’s surface, including relief and vegetation cover. The aim of this study is to examine spatial and temporal variations in soil erosivity across southern Africa using rainfall data for the period 2000–2023 and a gridded raster spatial modelling approach. The two wettest and driest years in the record (±>1.5 standard deviation of rainfall values) were identified, which were 2000 and 2006, and 2003 and 2019, respectively. Monthly rainfall values in these extreme wet/dry years were then analyzed for four rainfall regions (arid, semiarid, subhumid, humid), identified according to their annual rainfall totals. These data were then used to calculate Precipitation Concentration Index (PCI) values as an expression of rainfall seasonality, and the modified Fournier index (MFI) was used to quantify rainfall erosivity. The results show that there are significant differences in erosivity between the different climate regions based on rainfall seasonality and also their distinctive environmental settings. In turn, these reflect the synoptic climatic conditions in these regions, their different precipitation sources, and rainfall totals. The results of this study show that calculated MFI values at the national scale, which is the approach taken in most previous studies, cannot effectively describe or account for erosivity values that characterize different climatic regions at the sub-national scale. Furthermore, the mismatch between PCI and MFI spatial patterns across the region highlights that, under semiarid, and highly seasonal rainfall regimes, episodic rainfall events interspersed with periods of dryness result in significant variability in erosivity values that are unaccounted for by rainfall totals or seasonality alone. In these environments, flash floods and wind erosion result in regional-scale soil erosion and land degradation, but these processes and outcomes are not clear when considering MFI values alone. Fully evaluating spatial and temporal patterns of erosivity in their climatic and environmental contexts, as developed in this study, has implications for sediment and carbon exports, as well as identifying the major regions in which land degradation is an environmental and agricultural issue.

Simulation of Responsive Envelopes in Current and Future Climate Scenarios: A New Interactive Computational Platform for Energy Analyses

Despite the strong interest concerning the responsive façades, today there are still few built examples and few tools to assess their benefits due to the complex description of the phenomenon. Energy simulations should consider the interactions between a time-varying environment and an environment-dependent envelope, increasing the intricacy of the problem; moreover, these strong environment–envelope interlinkages increase the importance of the location and climate scenarios considered. The aim of this study is to provide a tool to easily model these phenomena in different geographical and climate contexts. For this purpose, an innovative interactive computational platform (ICP) was developed based on EnergyPlus as a simulation engine, Python as a simulation manager, and Grasshopper as a user interface. Thanks to a single user-friendly environment, the users can simply select the climate scenario, the location, the responsive technology, and its main properties to set and run the dynamic energy simulation. After an overview of the current state of the art, this study provides a description of the structure and workflow adopted for developing this platform and details regarding its functioning and input management. Finally, the platform was tested to run an evolutionary optimization of an electrochromic window control strategy in different climate scenarios.

Surface and canopy urban heat island disparities across 2064 urban clusters in China

The vast majority of urban heat island (UHI) studies are now derived from surface temperatures, substituting for the original air temperature-based definition. The disparities in hourly surface-canopy UHI effects (SUHI, CUHI) and the contrasting mechanisms are currently poorly understood. Here, we use high-resolution hourly LST and air temperature data from 2064 urban clusters in China to estimate SUHI and CUHI intensities and their driving mechanisms during the summer and winter of 2022. Across all urban clusters, we find that SUHI is on average ten times higher than the CUHI in the summer (0.97 VS. 0.09 °C) yet nearly triple that in the winter (0.30 VS. 0.11 °C), with SUHI exceeding CUHI in 91.5 % and 65.7 % of urban clusters, respectively. Seasonal and hourly analyses on SUHI/CUHI confirm typically opposite hysteresis variations (magnitude, peak, and timing of occurrence) and more correlated surface-canopy UHIs patterns during the night. We further demonstrate that SUHI magnitude can be largely explained by biophysical factors, urban attributes, and climate contexts, whereas CUHI interferes with additional constraints linked to ground-air energy transfer and advective dissipation. The improvement of urban greenery aids summer cooling efficiently in equatorial and boreal regions, while albedo measures are relevant in mitigating nocturnal warming in arid regions. Our findings support multiple technologies as ideas for urban three-dimensional UHIs (surface, canopy and boundary) and energy mechanisms, and the urgent need for ambitious urban heat mitigation strategies to minimize future climate change impacts.

Space–Time Forecasting of Heating & Cooling Energy Needs as an Energy Poverty Measure in Romania

Lack of access to basic energy services, known as energy poverty, remains felt in the country, with seasonal changes and an economic divide. The frameworks to measure energy poverty differ spatially and temporally, with climate change and behavioral culture being the essential influencing factors. This paper is focused on heating and cooling energy demands, which can be defined as an energy poverty metric for the propensity to be at risk of energy poverty caused by climate regime. Employing sophisticated statistical space–time forecasting tools, we build a model incorporating spatial and temporal energy consumption volatility across Romanian regions at the NUTS3 level. The model considers climatic conditions and raw data from 45 years (1979–2023) of cooling and heating degree days to determine local trajectories for the next nine years. Identifying high-energy-poverty-risk areas in our research can provide valuable insights for policymakers, enabling them to develop targeted plans for eliminating energy poverty and ensuring equitable access to heating and cooling. The results underline the necessity of differentiated approaches in energy policies and add value to the general understanding of energy poverty issues and conditions, considering the Romanian climatic and socio-economic context.