Global Change Research Articles

Prospects of Cooperation in the Commonwealth of Independent States

The modern world is going through global changes that to some extent affect all nations. The goals, institutions and principles that were considered to be the basis of international relations have turned out to be unstable and often discredited. In this context, a new system of international relations is being formed, which should reflect the national interests of all states. The current crisis has a major impact on the Commonwealth of Independent States, and the effect is both negative and positive. Western sanctions directly target Russia and Belarus and indirectly they also affect other members. At the same time, such challenges contribute to greater cohesion within the CIS and can give impetus to closer cooperation. Thus, international tension can be the launch point to help intensify integration processes in the CIS and to form a new quality of relations in it. This article aims at determining the current state of relations between the member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States, assessing its strengths and weaknesses as an international organisation, and predicting possible prospects for the development of relations between the states. The article focuses on the current trends in the activities of the Commonwealth of Independent States. It examines the problems of cooperation within the CIS, as well as the causes of these problems, including both internal contradictions and increasing foreign influence. The author explores the advantages and disadvantages of the CIS and proposes three different scenarios of the further evolution of interaction between the Commonwealth’s member states.

National innovation system for resilience, transformation and sustainable development in Uganda: contextual analysis of the factors, actors and associated linkages

Purpose While the role of the National Innovation System (NIS) in promoting economic growth is well recognized, there remains a significant knowledge gap concerning how interactions among actors and learning processes within these systems facilitate innovation commercialization in Uganda. This gap hinders the effective design and implementation of policies aimed at boosting innovation-driven development in emerging economies. This study aims to explore the linkages and interrelationships among NIS actors in Uganda. Design/methodology/approach This study used systematic document reviews and case-study techniques. A systematic review based on the SPAR-4-SLR protocol evaluated the literature on Uganda’s NIS, including policy and strategy documents, development frameworks, journal articles and working papers. This dual approach allowed for an in-depth analysis of policy documents and empirical examples, revealing complex mechanisms within Uganda’s NIS. A content analysis tool facilitated the reduction of qualitative data through codification, theme development and the reporting of results. Findings This study explored the relationships among NIS actors, offering insights into using Uganda’s unique institutional and economic landscape for sustainable growth. It identifies key drivers, such as improved collaboration between the government, industry and academia and strategic policy measures in technology transfer and innovation funding, which are essential for revitalizing Uganda’s innovation ecosystem. Research limitations/implications This study presents a preliminary analysis of Uganda’s NIS. Future studies should adopt a longitudinal approach to examine the evolution of NIS over time, including the impact of global technological advancements and policy changes on Uganda’s innovation ecosystem. To elucidate the complex interrelationships within an NIS, subsequent research could employ network analysis or systems thinking methodology. These approaches would facilitate a more nuanced understanding of the interconnections and reciprocal influences among various NIS stakeholders. Practical implications The inclusion of the innovation, technology development and transfer (ITDT) program in National Development Plan III demonstrates that National Innovation System (NIS) incorporation into the country’s development process is possible through a combination of policy/regulatory, market/economic and technical/technological factors. Originality/value This study significantly advances the understanding of innovation systems by detailing the intricate network of relationships within Uganda’s NIS. This highlights the unexplored dimensions of learning and cooperation and offers a thorough analysis of the factors that enable innovation, which are crucial for promoting innovation in a developing country.

Reported foodservice environmental sustainability practices in Australian healthcare and aged care services pre and post the onset of COVID-19.

Healthcare foodservices substantially impact global environmental changes. This study investigated environmentally sustainable practices in Australian health foodservices; and perceptions of the influence of COVID-19 on foodservice environmental sustainability. An observational study was undertaken collecting data at two time points (2019 and 2022) via a pre-workshop survey with healthcare foodservice stakeholders. The survey used rating scales and free text options to explore sustainable practices, perceived barriers and enablers to sustainable practices, and a free-text response on the impact of COVID-19. Analysis included independent samples t-tests (continuous, normally distributed),Mann-Whitney U tests (continuous non-normally distributed data), and Pearson chi-squared tests (categorical data). A qualitative analysis of free text responses to a single question about the impact of COVID-19 was used to identify, analyse, and report positive and negative aspects of COVID-19 for sustainable foodservice practices. Demographic and employment characteristics were similar between timepoints n = 37 (2019) and n = 30 (2022), except for number who had attendedsustainability training (n = 14, 38.8% vs n = 19, 63.3%; p = 0.038). There were fewer private hospital (n = 6, 16.2% vs n = 0), (0%) and more rural site representation in 2022 (n = 2, 5.4% vs n = 13, 43.3%; p <0.001). Sustainable foodservice practices were consistent across timepoints (overall mean (SD) sum score for sustainable practices 63.3 (20.7) vs 61.3 (20.4); p = 0.715), with recycling cardboard (n = 27, 90.0% vs n = 22, 84.6%), and the use of reusable cutlery (n = 26, 86.7% vs n = 22, 84.6%) the most prevalent practices at both timepoints. A 'lack of equipment' was the primary reported barrier while passionate staff ("champions") was the primary reported enabler. Participants reported that the COVID-19 pandemic led to an increase in single-use disposable items. This study describes negligible changes in reported environmental sustainability practices by Australian healthcare foodservice stakeholders from 2019 to 2022. The study provides useful information on sustainability beliefs and practices in healthcare foodservices.

ЗАРУБЕЖНЫЙ ОПЫТ ФОРМИРОВАНИЯ ИНСТИТУЦИОНАЛЬНЫХ УСЛОВИЙ АДАПТАЦИИ АГРОПРОДОВОЛЬСТВЕННЫХ СИСТЕМ К ИЗМЕНЕНИЮ КЛИМАТА

The relevance of the study is due to the need to ensure sustainable development of agri-food systems (AFS) in the context of global climate change. The search for an answer to the climate challenge requires studying effective institutional mechanisms for adapting AFS in countries with developed climate economies. The article presents the experience of state support for adaptation measures implemented within the framework of the Common Agricultural Policy in the EU countries. The main national programs of the EU member states are analyzed and their distinctive features are identified. Particular attention is paid to financial instruments for supporting public and private initiatives in the direction of increasing the resilience of agri-food systems to climate change.

POLICIES TO FOSTER ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY IN SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED INDUSTRIAL FIRMS IN EAST ASIA

Environmental sustainability is becoming crucial for development, especially in countries grappling with global warming and climate change. This study examines environmental sustainability in small and medium-sized industrial firms across seven East Asian countries from 2000 to 2021. Using the Continuously Updated Fully Modified (CUP-FM) approach, the analysis reveals a significant relationship between state-provided loans to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and increased CO2 emissions, underscoring how financial support impacts environmental outcomes. Governance quality plays a key role, with better governance linked to lower emissions, highlighting its importance in fostering sustainability. Unexpectedly, a negative correlation between inflation and CO2 emissions suggests that inflation might encourage SMEs to adopt more energy-efficient practices. Additionally, higher employment and poverty levels are associated with increased CO2 emissions, reflecting the difficulties SMEs face in balancing economic growth with environmental impact. Based on these results, East Asian countries are advised to enforce stricter regulations, improve access to green financing, enhance governance and encourage collaboration to advance SME sustainability.

Identification of fossil juniper seeds from Rancho La Brea (California, USA): drought and extirpation in the Late Pleistocene.

Juniperus spp. are keystone shrubs in western North America and important climatic indicators in paleo-records. However, a lack of taxonomic resolution among fossil species limits our ability to track past environmental changes. Plant macrofossils at Rancho La Brea (RLB) allow for reconstructions of juniper occurrence to species across 60 000 yr. We use microscopy, image analysis, species distribution modeling (SDM), and radiocarbon dating to identify an unknown Juniperus species at RLB and put it into chronological context with fossil Juniperus californica at the site to infer past environmental conditions. We identify the unknown taxon as Juniperus scopulorum Sargent, 1897. The Pleistocene occurrence of this species in California expands its known distribution and documents its extirpation. Temporal ranges of the two fossil junipers alternate, revealing a pattern of differential climatic sensitivity throughout the end of the Pleistocene. Occurrence patterns suggest sensitivity to temperature, moisture availability, and the presence of two mega-droughts at c. 48-44.5 ka and c. 29.3-25.2 ka. Extirpation of both taxa by c. 13 ka is likely driven by climate, megafaunal extinction, and increasing fire. The extirpation of fossil junipers during these past climatic events demonstrates vulnerability of juniper species in the face of global change.

The impact of global change factors on the functional genes of soil nitrogen and methane cycles in grassland ecosystems: a meta-analysis.

Soil functional genes in grasslands are crucial for processes like nitrogen fixation, nitrification, denitrification, methane production, and oxidation, integral to nitrogen and methane cycles. However, the impact of global changes on these genes is not well understood. We reviewed 84 studies to examine the effects of nitrogen addition (N), warming (W), increased precipitation (PPT +), decreased precipitation (PPT-), and elevated CO2 (eCO2) on these functional genes. For nitrogen cycling, global changes mainly boost genes involved in nitrification but reduce those in denitrification, with nirK being the most sensitive. Most nitrogen fixation-related genes did not show a significant response. Among single factors, N and PPT + have the most significant effects. The impact of global changes on nitrogen cycling genes is largely additive, and their interaction with N is particularly influential. For methane cycling, global changes notably affect mcrA, while only PPT + significantly reduces pmoA. The magnitude and duration of global change treatments are more critical than the treatment form for nitrogen cycling genes. For methane cycling, the form and intensity of nitrogen addition, along with treatment duration, affect pmoA abundance. We also identified a competitive relationship between methane oxidation and nitrification and a complex coupling with denitrification. This study provides new insights into microbial responses in nitrogen and methane cycling under global changes, with significant implications for experimental design and management strategies in grassland ecosystems.

Strategic vaccination responses to Chikungunya outbreaks in Rome: Insights from a dynamic transmission model.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) outbreaks, driven by the expanding habitat of the Aedes albopictus mosquito and global climate change, pose a significant threat to public health. Our study evaluates the effectiveness of emergency vaccination using a dynamic disease transmission model for a potential large-scale outbreak in Rome, Italy. The model incorporates a susceptible-exposed-infected-recovered (SEIR) framework for human and mosquito populations, taking into account temperature-dependent mosquito lifecycle dynamics, human-mosquito interactions, and various vaccination scenarios. Results indicate that emergency vaccination could significantly mitigate the impact of a CHIKV outbreak. Without vaccination, an outbreak is estimated to infect up to 6.21% of Rome's population, equating to approximately 170,762 individuals. Implementing rapid vaccination after detecting the virus in ten individuals and achieving 40% coverage could reduce infection rates by 82%, preventing 139,805 cases. Scenario and sensitivity analyses confirm that even with lower vaccination coverage rates, significant benefits are observed: at 10% coverage, the number of infections drops to 115,231, and at 20% coverage, it further reduces to 76,031. These scenarios indicate prevention of approximately 33% and 55% of infections, respectively. The findings highlight the critical role of timely vaccination interventions in outbreak settings, demonstrating that even modest coverage levels can markedly decrease the spread of CHIKV. This study underscores the importance of preparedness, early detection and adaptive response capabilities to manage emerging infectious diseases in urban centres, advocating for strategic vaccine stockpiling and rapid deployment mechanisms to enhance public health outcomes.

Towards effective implementation of building energy efficiency codes in Tripoli, Lebanon: Key actions for enforcement

Energy is vital for human life. However, the increasing global demand for and reliance on fossil fuels are significantly contributing to rising CO2 emissions. The Building Energy Efficiency Codes (BEECs) are a government initiative aimed at regulating CO2 emissions. BEECs support both national environmental goals and global climate change initiatives in Lebanon. The study aims to close the gap between the effectiveness of Lebanon's building energy codes and the country's environmental goals. It seeks to identify the key enforcement actions taken by the Trpl-M towards the successful implementation of the Building Energy Efficiency Code (BEEC). Tripoli was selected for its administrative independence and unique authority in enforcing building energy codes, including a dedicated technical department. This autonomy provides a valuable setting to explore compliance strategies and address regional challenges. This is achieved through an approach involving a literature review, case studies, and semi-structured interviews with employees from the Trpl-M Permit Office. The data is analyzed using a thematic analysis approach, providing a nuanced understanding of the implementation challenges within the employees' working environment. Findings suggest considering proactive design integration, third-party inspections, random compliance checks, penalties, and incentives to achieve high standards of energy efficiency and contribute to sustainable urban development and energy conservation in the region.

Research on Industrial CO2 Emission Intensity and Its Driving Mechanism Under China’s Dual Carbon Target

As global climate change becomes increasingly severe, industrial CO2 emissions have received increasing attention, but the impact factors and driving mechanisms of industrial CO2 emission intensity remain unclear. Based on panel data from 2010 to 2021 in Shandong Province, a key economic region in eastern China, the industrial CO2 emission intensity under China’s dual carbon target was analyzed using multivariate ordination methods. The results showed that (1) total CO2 emissions from industry are increasing annually, with an average growth rate of 3.74%, and electricity, coal, and coke are the primary sources of CO2 emissions. (2) Total CO2 emissions originated primarily from the heavy manufacturing, energy production, and high energy intensity industry categories, and the CO2 emission intensity of different types of energy increased by 21.24% from 2010 to 2021. (3) CO2 emission intensity is significantly positively correlated with the proportion of high energy intensive industry, energy consumption intensity, and investment intensity and significantly negatively correlated with gross industrial output. In addition, the effects of different types of energy on industrial CO2 emission intensity varied, and coal, coke, electricity, and diesel oil were significantly positively correlated with CO2 emission intensity. Therefore, to reduce the CO2 emission intensity of the industrial sector in the future and to achieve China’s dual carbon target, it is necessary to adjust and optimize the industrial and energy structure, strengthen technological progress and innovation, improve energy utilization efficiency, improve and implement relevant policies for industrial carbon reduction, and then ensure the sustainable development of the economy, society, and environment.

WTO Legality Analysis of the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and China's Response

Now that the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) has entered into force and is entering a transition period, its compliance with WTO trade rules has been controversial. CBAM's differential treatment of goods from different origins based on their carbon content violates the GATT principle of non-discrimination and may result in WTO members being denied fair, just and equal treatment in international trade. CBAM is a tax on the carbon emissions of some specific imported goods, requiring high-carbon products imported into or exported from the EU to pay the corresponding amount of tax or refund the corresponding carbon emission quotas, thus affecting China's export trade. This study mainly utilizes literature research method and comparative research method. At the international level, analyze whether CBAM can meet the WTO legal requirements to construct international carbon tariff rules separately from the existing WTO rules, affecting the global environment and climate change issues. At the domestic level, the impact of CBAM on China's foreign trade is explored. China should adhere to multilateralism, strengthen international cooperation, continuously develop low-carbon technologies and improve the carbon trading market to cope with the impacts of CBAM. Thus, to the effect of safeguarding international interests and contributing to global development.

Public Opinion about European Researchers’ Night on Climate Change and Polar Science in Türkiye

The European Researchers' Night is an annual event held across Europe on the last Friday of September, with the primary goal of promoting public recognition of scientists, disseminating information about the real-world impact of their research, inspiring young people to pursue careers in science, and raising awareness about research and innovation activities. In 2022, European Researcher’s Night focused on climate change and polar science in Istanbul and Gaziantep provinces. The central aim was to enhance public awareness of polar regions and global climate change, as well as to facilitate the acknowledgment of researchers and their work by the general public. This study examined the opinions of participants who attended these events, including 221 primary school students, 687 secondary school students, 525 high school students, and 319 adults. Utilizing a mixed-method approach, participant opinions were collected through both quantitative questionnaires and qualitative interviews conducted concurrently during the events. The results revealed overwhelmingly positive feedback from all participants regarding the events, with unanimous support for the continuation of such engaging public outreach initiatives. In conclusion, these events serve as effective channels for communicating scientific research with the public and underscore the importance of research extending beyond the confines of research communities.

Herbivory resistance in dwarf shrubs combines with simulated warming to shift phenology and decrease reproduction

Abstract Research focus on the phenology of plants has accompanied current trends in climate warming, because the two are inextricably linked. Warmer temperatures have led to advanced plant phenology in a range of systems, although some responses are species specific. However, other stressors, such as herbivory, can delay or advance plant phenology, and few studies have addressed the combined impact of these drivers. We experimentally warmed plots with open top chambers (OTCs) and simulated herbivory resistance to insect outbreaks with methyl jasmonate (MeJA), along an elevational climatic gradient. We then recorded vegetative and reproductive phenology in two functionally important dwarf shrubs, the deciduous Vaccinium myrtillus (bilberry) and the evergreen V. vitis‐idaea (lingonberry), to test the responses to the combined treatments. Based on earlier findings, we expected larger phenological responses at higher elevations and for bilberry. We found that in the year after MeJA application, both bilberry and lingonberry delayed vegetative and reproductive phenology, although responses were stronger in bilberry. Warming with OTCs weakly advanced phenology in both species, but combined effects were not consistent. We further examined the consequences of this altered phenology on reproductive output with multigroup piecewise structural equation modelling and found that herbivory resistance driven changes to phenology had a strong mediating effect on berry numbers, particularly under warmed conditions and mainly in the year after MeJA application. Synthesis. These results demonstrate the need to consider combined pressures in understanding the impacts of global change on plants and highlight that multiple drivers may have unidentified synergetic effects on species phenology and reproduction.

Long-Term Monitoring of Trends in Xerothermality and Vegetation Condition of a Northeast Mediterranean Island Using Meteorological and Remote Sensing Data

There is no doubt that global climate change is happening and affecting life on Earth in a variety of ways. It can be seen on the extreme events of natural disasters, prolonged periods of drought, and increased summer and annual temperatures. While climate change affects every place on Earth, the Mediterranean region is considered a hot spot of climate change. Temperature is expected to increase further, precipitation, especially during summer months, is expected to decrease, and extreme rainfall events are projected to increase. These projected changes will affect both continental and insular environments, with small islands being particularly vulnerable due to the lack of space for species to move into more favorable conditions. As a result, these environments need to be studied, the changes quantified, and the consequences monitored. The current study focuses on the island of Fournoi in the central eastern part of the Aegean Sea. We employed data from a local meteorological station, which operates for a limited period, the Climate Research Unit TS data, and remote sensing thermal data to monitor the trends in aridity over a period of almost 40 years. The results show that summer temperature has increased significantly over the last 40 years, and this is confirmed by both meteorological and remote sensing data. At the same time, precipitation seems to remain stable. Despite the increased aridity imposed by the increased temperature and stable precipitation, vegetation seems not to be experiencing extreme stress. On the contrary, it seems to be following a positive trend over the study period. This observation is explained by the extreme resilience of the plant species of the study area and the fact that vegetation has been recovering over the last 50 years after a period of human overexploitation, and this recovery overcomes the stress imposed by increased aridity.

GLOBAL WARMING: A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF CAUSES, IMPACTS, AND SOLUTIONS

Global warming is one of the most critical environmental challenges facing humanity today, characterized by a significant increase in Earth's average surface temperature due to human-induced greenhouse gas emissions. This paper provides a comprehensive examination of the primary anthropogenic causes of global warming, including industrialization, deforestation, and changes in land use patterns. The burning of fossil fuels—such as coal, oil, and natural gas—for energy production and transportation has led to a dramatic rise in carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. This surge in CO2 concentrations has intensified the greenhouse effect, trapping more heat within the Earth's atmosphere and contributing to the overall rise in global temperatures. In addition to carbon dioxide, other potent greenhouse gases like methane and nitrous oxide, released from agricultural practices and industrial processes, exacerbate the warming effect. The expansion of industrial agriculture has significantly increased methane emissions, while synthetic fertilizers contribute to higher levels of nitrous oxide. Deforestation driven by agricultural expansion and urban development further diminishes the Earth's capacity to absorb carbon dioxide, releasing stored carbon and altering local climate patterns. The impacts of global warming are extensive, affecting ecosystems, weather patterns, and human societies worldwide. Rising sea levels threaten coastal communities, while changing precipitation patterns lead to more frequent and severe droughts and floods. This paper also discusses the interconnected nature of these factors and their complex feedback systems that amplify global warming effects. To address this multifaceted challenge, the paper proposes a comprehensive approach that includes transitioning to renewable energy sources, enhancing energy efficiency across all sectors, implementing sustainable land use practices, and fostering international cooperation through policy initiatives such as the Paris Agreement. Understanding these intricate relationships is crucial for developing effective strategies to mitigate and adapt to the challenges posed by global warming, ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come.

Anthromes and forest carbon responses to global change

Societal Impact StatementForest ecosystems absorb and store about 25% of global carbon dioxide emissions annually and are increasingly shaped by human land use and management. Climate change interacts with land use and forest dynamics to influence observed carbon stocks and the strength of the land carbon sink. We show that climate change effects on modeled forest land carbon stocks are strongest in tropical wildlands that have limited human influence. Global forest carbon stocks and carbon sink strength may decline as climate change and anthropogenic influences intensify, with wildland tropical forests, especially in Amazonia, likely being especially vulnerable.Summary Human effects on ecosystems date back thousands of years, and anthropogenic biomes—anthromes—broadly incorporate the effects of human population density and land use on ecosystems. Forests are integral to the global carbon cycle, containing large biomass carbon stocks, yet their responses to land use and climate change are uncertain but critical to informing climate change mitigation strategies, ecosystem management, and Earth system modeling. Using an anthromes perspective and the site locations from the Global Forest Carbon (ForC) Database, we compare intensively used, cultured, and wildland forest lands in tropical and extratropical regions. We summarize recent past (1900‐present) patterns of land use intensification, and we use a feedback analysis of Earth system models from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 to estimate the sensitivity of forest carbon stocks to CO2 and temperature change for different anthromes among regions. Modeled global forest carbon stock responses are positive for CO2 increase but neutral to negative for temperature increase. Across anthromes (intensively used, cultured, and wildland forest areas), modeled forest carbon stock responses of temperate and boreal forests are less variable than those of tropical forests. Tropical wildland forest areas appear especially sensitive to CO2 and temperature change, with the negative temperature response highlighting the potential vulnerability of the globally significant carbon stock in tropical forests. The net effect of anthropogenic activities—including land‐use intensification and environmental change and their interactions with natural forest dynamics—will shape future forest carbon stock changes. These interactive effects will likely be strongest in tropical wildlands.

Analysis of Spatiotemporal Variation Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Grassland Vegetation Coverage in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau from 2000 to 2023 Based on MODIS Data

Changes in grassland fractional vegetation coverage (FVC) are important indicators of global climate change. Due to the unique characteristics of the Tibetan Plateau ecosystem, variations in grassland coverage are crucial to its ecological stability. This study utilizes the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform to retrieve long-term MODIS data and analyzes the spatiotemporal distribution of grassland FVC across the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP) over 24 years (2000–2023). The grassland growth index (GI) is used to evaluate the annual grassland growth at the pixel level. GI is an important indicator for measuring grassland growth status, which can effectively measure the changes in grassland growth in each year relative to the base year. FVC trends are monitored using Sen-Mann-Kendall slope estimation, the coefficient of variation, and the Hurst exponent. Geographic detectors and partial correlation analysis are then applied to explore the contribution rates of key driving factors to FVC. The results show: (1) From 2000 to 2023, FVC exhibited an overall upward trend, with an annual growth rate of 0.0881%. The distribution of FVC on the QTP follows a pattern of higher values in the east and lower values in the west; (2) Over the past 24 years, 54.05% of the total grassland area has shown a significant increase, 23.88% has remained stable, and only a small portion has shown a significant decrease. The overall trend is expected to continue with minimal variability, covering 82.36% of the total grassland area. The overall grassland GI suggests a balanced state of growth; (3) precipitation (Pre) and soil moisture (SM) are the main single factors affecting FVC changes in grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau (q = 0.59 and 0.46). In the interaction detection, in addition to the highest interaction between Pre and other factors, the interaction between SM and other factors also showed a significant impact on the changes in FVC of the QTP grassland; partial correlation analysis of hydrothermal factors and FVC of the QTP grassland. It shows that precipitation has a stronger correlation with QTP grassland FVC changes than temperature. This study has enhanced our understanding of grassland vegetation change and its driving factors on the QTP and quantitatively described the relationship between vegetation change and driving factors, which is of great significance for maintaining the sustainable development of grassland ecosystems.

The effects of evaporation and precipitation on droughts under global change

Drought can be defined as a kind of natural disaster, with a series of effects in different aspects of human life, including environment, economic, ecosystem and agriculture. Previous studies has delved more deeply into the impact of drought, examining it through a range of drought indices, including PEI, SPEI, PDSI, and others. Our study is aims to analyze and research the effects of evaporation and precipitation on droughts under global climate change. Through the temperature changing data research the global climate change feature, analyzing the development of droughts using a drought assessment index (P-E) and making use of bucket model to analyze the relationship between precipitation rate and soil moisture. Research found that the average land temperature is increasing. On the context of this change, the change of evaporation and precipitation causes dry regions to become drier and wet regions wetter. Furthermore, the 20% decrease of precipitation leads to about a one-fifth decline in soil water content, and a lower precipitation rate would speed up the drought states. Meanwhile, soil moisture can also lead to an increase in precipitation. A coupling phenomenon between precipitation rate and soil moisture is exist. This study provides a new point for predicting future droughts conditions.

Analysis of air temperature change trends and their impacts in Australia

Global climate change has become a major challenge of our time, affecting ecosystems, weather patterns, and human activities across the globe. In this paper, we analyze the causes and effects of climate change by looking at Australia, in particular, summer temperature trends in the Melbourne region over the past 20 years. By examining historical data and considering the current situation, this paper makes recommendations to address these challenges. The relevant data shows a general increase in average summer temperatures in Melbourne and across Australia from 2003 to 2023. The main factors contributing to these fluctuations include global climate change, human activity, and urbanization. Continued temperature increases are primarily caused by global warming, exacerbated by increased greenhouse gas emissions from human activities and the urban heat island effect. The impacts of climate change on Melbourne and Australia are multifaceted, affecting public health, water management, energy demand, ecosystems, and agriculture. After analyzing Australia's overall climate, this paper proposes measures to improve it, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing urban resilience, improving public health security, protecting and restoring ecosystems, and promoting scientific research and education.

Exploring current student-centred assessment practices in higher education towards adaptive graduates

The last three decades have seen significant educational reform, which have influenced the transformation of assessment practices in higher education institutions (HEIs). In addition, various societal and global changes have required that higher education create adaptive graduates who acquire and develop higherorder skills which include problem-solving skills, critical thinking, creativity and autonomy. Thus, HEIs are expected to produce adaptive graduates to meet the demands of the current national and international society and workforce. Literature suggests that student-centred assessments (SCA) can promote such higherorder skills, which have also become known as 21st century skills. Since, assessment is an integral part to learning and instruction, the design of assessments have become an important aspect in HEIs. This entails HEIs adapting to the paradigm shift from traditional assessment methods to student-centred assessment methods. This study adopted a case study approach to explore staff and student’s experiences of student-centred assessments. The respondents for this study were the staff and students from a Faculty of Accounting and Informatics at a HEI in South Africa. The findings reveal that while staff and students support various SCA and activities , the implementation of these assessments are hindered by challenges faced by staff . The contribution of this paper is to emphasize how student-centred assessment (SCA) practices foster the development of adaptive graduates while addressing the challenges to their effective implementation. Furthermore, this paper is significant to policymakers, educators, and institutional leaders seeking to enhance assessment practices and prepare adaptive, future-ready graduates.