Posts Tagged ‘Climate’

ICTs for e-Environment – guidelines for developing countries, with a focus on climate change

Posted by admin on February 2nd, 2012


Authors:
R. Labelle



Publisher:
International Telecommunication Union , 2008

This report, ICTs for e-Environment, reviews key ICT trends and provides an overview of the impact that ICTs have on the environment and climate change as well as their role in helping mankind to mitigate and adapt to these changes. The ICTs for e-Environment report documents current activities and initiatives and makes a set of recommendations for strengthening the capacity of developing countries to make beneficial use of ICTs to mitigate and adapt to environmental change, including climate change.

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Defra: Climate change risk assessment shows the UK needs to adapt

Posted by admin on January 26th, 2012

The UK is set to be amongst the best prepared nations for the implications of climate change following publication of a groundbreaking study into the threats the country faces.

The Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) highlights the top 100 challenges to the UK and our economy of a changing climate and provides the most compelling evidence yet of the need to increase our resilience. The research confirms the UK as a world-leader in understanding climate risk to ensure we can make robust plans to deal with these threats.

In order to provide a reliable baseline for decisions by Government, local authorities and businesses the research does not take into account any future policies or plans. However, a Government report published alongside the CCRA does highlight the many current and future policies already in place and gives details of plans which will address some of the risks identified.

The Government has also today announced a National Adaptation Programme that will prepare the UK for the effects of climate change, including the risks set out in the CCRA. People are encouraged to give their views through a new website on the action needed to tackle the implications of climate change where they live and work.

Speaking at the launch of the CCRA, Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman said:

“This world class research provides the most comprehensive case yet on why we need to take action to adapt the UK and our economy to the impacts of climate change. It shows what life could be like if we stopped our preparations now, and the consequences such a decision would mean for our economic stability.

“The Climate Change Risk Assessment will be vital in helping us to understand what we need to do to stop these threats becoming a reality. In doing so there is also great potential for growth through UK firms developing innovative products and services tailored to meet the global climate challenges.”

Professor Sir Bob Watson, Chief Scientific Adviser at Defra, said:

“The CCRA is ground-breaking research which puts the UK at the forefront of understanding what the projected changes to our climate will really mean for us.

“For the first time it means we can compare a wide range of risks based on their financial, social and environmental implications. This will be invaluable for Government in prioritising the areas for future policies and investment, and it will help businesses assess what they need to do to ensure they are resilient to the changing climate.”

Lord John Krebs, Chair of the Adaptation Sub-Committee of the Committee on Climate Change, said:

“Without an effective plan to prepare for the risks from climate change the country may sleepwalk into disaster. This report represents an important first step in the process and demonstrates why the UK needs to take action to adapt now. The work of my Committee has found that by taking steps to manage these risks, the UK can reduce the costs of climate change in the future.

“The Government’s forthcoming adaptation programme should tackle barriers to adaptation so that local communities, businesses and households can take action to prepare.”

Among the key risks the CCRA identifies, in the unlikely event the UK took no further action, are:

• Hotter summers present significant health risks. The CCRA projects that without measures to reduce the risk, there could be between 580-5,900 additional premature deaths per year by the 2050s. The Department for Health launched a Heatwave Plan in 2004 and update it annually to provide advice and support for people vulnerable to hotter weather.

• Increasing pressure on the UK’s water resources. The CCRA projects that without action to improve water resources, there could be major supply shortages by the 2050s in parts of the north, south and east of England with the greatest challenge in the Thames River basin. Defra published a Water White Paper last year which includes a package of measures to address water supply shortages, and to ensure the water industry is more resilient to future challenges.

• The risks of flooding are projected to increase significantly across the UK. New analysis for England and Wales show that if no further plans were made to adapt to changing flood risks, by the 2080s due the effects of climate change and population growth annual damages to buildings and property could reach between £2.1billion – £12billion, compared to current costs of £1.2billion. Defra has introduced a new method of allocating funding for flood defences so that more communities will benefit from flood protection, and the Department is working with the ABI to ensure that flood insurance remains widely available after the current agreement between Government and insurers expires in 2013. As part of these discussions, Defra is considering whether there are feasible, value for money ways of targeting funding support to those at highest flood risk and less able to pay.

• The number of days in an average year when temperatures rise above 26 degrees C is projected to rise from 18 days to between 27-121 days in London by the 2080s. This could mean greater demand for energy to cool buildings and more heat related illnesses.

• Increases in drought and some pest and diseases could reduce timber yields and quality. Projected drought conditions could mean a drop in timber yields of between 10% and 25% by the 2080s in the south east, driving up timber costs. Pests and diseases, which thrive in warmer conditions, may also pose an increasing threat, such as red band needle blight – which causes loss of foliage and can lead to tree death. Defra has published a Tree and Plant Health Action Plan and committed £7million to further research into plant diseases.

The CCRA also highlights opportunities for the UK that climate change could present, including:

• Opening of Arctic shipping routes. The melting of Arctic sea ice could lead to the opening up of new container shipping routes and improved trade links with Asia and the Pacific.

• Milder winters may result in a major reduction in cold-related deaths and illnesses. Currently, cold weather results in between 26,000 and 57,000 premature deaths each year in the UK. By the 2050s, a reduction in these figures of between 3,900 and 24,000 is projected to occur due to increasing average winter temperatures. This would particularly benefit vulnerable groups, including those with existing health problems.

• Opportunities to improve sustainable food production. Sugar beet yields are projected to increase by 20-70% and wheat yields by 40-140% by the 2050s due to longer growing seasons if water and nutrients remain available. A warmer climate presents opportunities to grow new crops such as soya, sunflowers, peaches, apricots and grapes, while new markets may open up overseas for British grown produce.

The CCRA evidence will be used to develop a National Adaptation Programme (NAP) that will set out timescales for the actions Government will take to meet the challenges of climate change.

The development of the NAP starts today and Caroline Spelman has called on the public to give their views on what the priorities areas for action should be. These views will help shape the final NAP, which will be published in 2013.

Mrs Spelman continued:

“Climate change is a global phenomenon, but its impacts will be felt at a local level and affect people differently depending on where they live. That is why I want people to give us their views to help develop a National Adaption Programme that puts us in the best shape possible to meet climate change head on.”

  1. The Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA), and the complimentary Government report, can be viewed here.
  2. The CCRA has been undertaken by an independent consortium funded by Defra and the Devolved Administrations, and led by independent research organisation HR Wallingford.
  3. The CCRA and the National Adaptation Programme (NAP) are statutory requirements under the Climate Change Act 2008, and will be repeated in 5-year cycles.
  4. The National Adaptation Programme website can be found at http://engage.defra.gov.uk/nap
  5. The CCRA builds on the 2009 UK Climate Projections to develop our understanding of climate risk, and it provides detailed analysis of what the practical implications of climate change will be across all sectors of the economy and society. For the first time ever the CCRA enables comparison of different risks based on the scale of their financial, social and environmental impacts, their likelihood, and how soon the risk is likely to occur. This analysis will help Government, businesses and other groups to assess the priority areas for action.
  6. The CCRA was extensively peer-reviewed, including by the Adaptation Sub-Committee of the Climate Change Committee.

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Climate Change report informs Government activity for rest of the century

Posted by admin on January 26th, 2012

The report addresses all areas of Welsh life that will be affected by a changing climate. The Welsh Government is committed to addressing these issues and in many areas is already making good progress in managing and reducing risks.

In March, the Environment Minister, John Griffiths, will publish the first Climate Change Strategy for Wales Annual Report. This will provide an update on the action the Welsh Government is taking to address the causes and consequences of climate change.

Speaking during a visit to the Environment Agency’s flood incident room in Cardiff, the Minster said:

“This report highlights the biggest risks facing us in Wales and allows the Welsh Government to plan sustainably for the future. The findings of the report will inform decision making across all portfolios.

“For Wales, the Risk Assessment identifies some opportunities for Wales that are likely to emerge as a result of a changing climate, but the findings indicate that these will be vastly outweighed by the costs of managing adverse impacts. One of the big threats for Wales is increased flooding.

“Not all flooding can be prevented but we can manage risks and reduce consequences. Last year, we published our National Strategy for Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management to raise awareness of the risks and reduce the consequences.  

“With almost £50 million from the European Regional Development Fund we are driving a programme of over £100 million to reduce flood and coastal erosion risk to over 3,000 properties through the construction of 29 schemes across Wales.”

Chris Mills, Director Environment Agency Wales, said:

“Climate change will mean more extreme weather with an increased risk of intense rainfall, and much drier summers.

“We are likely to see more frequent and serious flooding. This will not only affect those whose homes are flooded directly. Flooding also hits food production, electricity and water supplies, hospitals, schools and the places we work.
 
“This assessment identifies these risks and their potential impacts. We already take climate change into account when we build and maintain our flood defences and when balancing how much water is taken from our rivers for people and for the wildlife that lives there.

“What is now clear is that everybody will need to review their own risks and plan to adapt to the pressures that climate change will bring.”

The main opportunities for Wales identified in the CCRA relate to an extended tourist season and the potential to increase visitor numbers, increased crop yields, and a likely fall in winter deaths as a result of milder temperatures.  

The key findings of the report can be read on the Welsh Government’s website.

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Climate Change Risk Assessment for Wales

Posted by admin on January 26th, 2012

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Risks and opportunities for Wales from climate change this century.
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Does God care about climate change?

Posted by admin on January 26th, 2012

[unable to retrieve full-text content]

James West asks the question in Flushing, Queens, New York, America’s most religiously diverse district


Environment news, comment and analysis from the Guardian | guardian.co.uk

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Climate Change Risk Assessment shows the UK needs to adapt

Posted by admin on January 26th, 2012

The UK is set to be amongst the best prepared nations for the implications of climate change following publication of a groundbreaking study into the threats the country faces.

The Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) highlights the top 100 challenges to the UK and our economy of a changing climate and provides the most compelling evidence yet of the need to increase our resilience. The research confirms the UK as a world-leader in understanding climate risk to ensure we can make robust plans to deal with these threats.

In order to provide a reliable baseline for decisions by Government, local authorities and businesses the research does not take into account any future policies or plans. However, a Government report published alongside the CCRA does highlight the many current and future policies already in place and gives details of plans which will address some of the risks identified.

The Government has also today announced a National Adaptation Programme that will prepare the UK for the effects of climate change, including the risks set out in the CCRA. People are encouraged to give their views through a new website on the action needed to tackle the implications of climate change where they live and work.

Speaking at the launch of the CCRA, Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman said:

“This world class research provides the most comprehensive case yet on why we need to take action to adapt the UK and our economy to the impacts of climate change. It shows what life could be like if we stopped our preparations now, and the consequences such a decision would mean for our economic stability.

“The Climate Change Risk Assessment will be vital in helping us to understand what we need to do to stop these threats becoming a reality. In doing so there is also great potential for growth through UK firms developing innovative products and services tailored to meet the global climate challenges.”

Professor Sir Bob Watson, Chief Scientific Adviser at Defra, said:

“The CCRA is ground-breaking research which puts the UK at the forefront of understanding what the projected changes to our climate will really mean for us.

“For the first time it means we can compare a wide range of risks based on their financial, social and environmental implications. This will be invaluable for Government in prioritising the areas for future policies and investment, and it will help businesses assess what they need to do to ensure they are resilient to the changing climate.”

Lord John Krebs, Chair of the Adaptation Sub-Committee of the Committee on Climate Change, said:

“Without an effective plan to prepare for the risks from climate change the country may sleepwalk into disaster. This report represents an important first step in the process and demonstrates why the UK needs to take action to adapt now. The work of my Committee has found that by taking steps to manage these risks, the UK can reduce the costs of climate change in the future.

“The Government’s forthcoming adaptation programme should tackle barriers to adaptation so that local communities, businesses and households can take action to prepare.”

Among the key risks the CCRA identifies, in the unlikely event the UK took no further action, are:

• Hotter summers present significant health risks. The CCRA projects that without measures to reduce the risk, there could be between 580-5,900 additional premature deaths per year by the 2050s. The Department for Health launched a Heatwave Plan in 2004 and update it annually to provide advice and support for people vulnerable to hotter weather.

• Increasing pressure on the UK’s water resources. The CCRA projects that without action to improve water resources, there could be major supply shortages by the 2050s in parts of the north, south and east of England with the greatest challenge in the Thames River basin. Defra published a Water White Paper last year which includes a package of measures to address water supply shortages, and to ensure the water industry is more resilient to future challenges.

• The risks of flooding are projected to increase significantly across the UK. New analysis for England and Wales show that if no further plans were made to adapt to changing flood risks, by the 2080s due the effects of climate change and population growth annual damages to buildings and property could reach between £2.1billion – £12billion, compared to current costs of £1.2billion. Defra has introduced a new method of allocating funding for flood defences so that more communities will benefit from flood protection, and the Department is working with the ABI to ensure that flood insurance remains widely available after the current agreement between Government and insurers expires in 2013. As part of these discussions, Defra is considering whether there are feasible, value for money ways of targeting funding support to those at highest flood risk and less able to pay.

• The number of days in an average year when temperatures rise above 26 degrees C is projected to rise from 18 days to between 27-121 days in London by the 2080s. This could mean greater demand for energy to cool buildings and more heat related illnesses.

• Increases in drought and some pest and diseases could reduce timber yields and quality. Projected drought conditions could mean a drop in timber yields of between 10% and 25% by the 2080s in the south east, driving up timber costs. Pests and diseases, which thrive in warmer conditions, may also pose an increasing threat, such as red band needle blight – which causes loss of foliage and can lead to tree death. Defra has published a Tree and Plant Health Action Plan and committed £7million to further research into plant diseases.

The CCRA also highlights opportunities for the UK that climate change could present, including:

• Opening of Arctic shipping routes. The melting of Arctic sea ice could lead to the opening up of new container shipping routes and improved trade links with Asia and the Pacific.

• Milder winters may result in a major reduction in cold-related deaths and illnesses. Currently, cold weather results in between 26,000 and 57,000 premature deaths each year in the UK. By the 2050s, a reduction in these figures of between 3,900 and 24,000 is projected to occur due to increasing average winter temperatures. This would particularly benefit vulnerable groups, including those with existing health problems.

• Opportunities to improve sustainable food production. Sugar beet yields are projected to increase by 20-70% and wheat yields by 40-140% by the 2050s due to longer growing seasons if water and nutrients remain available. A warmer climate presents opportunities to grow new crops such as soya, sunflowers, peaches, apricots and grapes, while new markets may open up overseas for British grown produce.

The CCRA evidence will be used to develop a National Adaptation Programme (NAP) that will set out timescales for the actions Government will take to meet the challenges of climate change.

The development of the NAP starts today and Caroline Spelman has called on the public to give their views on what the priorities areas for action should be. These views will help shape the final NAP, which will be published in 2013.

Mrs Spelman continued:

“Climate change is a global phenomenon, but its impacts will be felt at a local level and affect people differently depending on where they live. That is why I want people to give us their views to help develop a National Adaption Programme that puts us in the best shape possible to meet climate change head on.”

  1. The Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA), and the complimentary Government report, can be viewed here.
  2. The CCRA has been undertaken by an independent consortium funded by Defra and the Devolved Administrations, and led by independent research organisation HR Wallingford.
  3. The CCRA and the National Adaptation Programme (NAP) are statutory requirements under the Climate Change Act 2008, and will be repeated in 5-year cycles.
  4. The National Adaptation Programme website can be found at http://engage.defra.gov.uk/nap
  5. The CCRA builds on the 2009 UK Climate Projections to develop our understanding of climate risk, and it provides detailed analysis of what the practical implications of climate change will be across all sectors of the economy and society. For the first time ever the CCRA enables comparison of different risks based on the scale of their financial, social and environmental impacts, their likelihood, and how soon the risk is likely to occur. This analysis will help Government, businesses and other groups to assess the priority areas for action.
  6. The CCRA was extensively peer-reviewed, including by the Adaptation Sub-Committee of the Climate Change Committee.

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How fast is malaria spreading with climate change?

Posted by admin on January 25th, 2012


How fast is malaria spreading with climate change?


Authors:
R. C. Dhiman (ed); L. Chavam; M. Pant



Publisher:
National Institute of Malaria Research, 2011

This paper analyses impacts of climate change on malaria transmission at the national and regional level in India, with emphasis on the Himalayan region, northeastern states, the Western Ghats and coastal areas under the aegis of NATCOM II and the up Indian Network for Climate Change Assessment (INCCA). It seeks to elicit the most vulnerable areas of malaria due to climate change and pave the way for identifying remedial measures for addressing the potential threat in the country.

The paper presents a map showing the distribution of different categories of Transmission windows (TWs) under the baseline scenario and projected scenario by 2030. It notes that projections based on temperature alone, and combined temperature and Relative Humidity (RH) differ in the number of months of transmission opening.

It reports that, projections based on temperature reveal introduction of new foci in Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, increased intensity in Arunachal Pradesh, and increase in the opening of more transmission months in the districts of the Himalayan region, northeastern states and the Western Ghats. The northeastern states are projected to show a rise in transmission intensity. Districts under the Western Ghats are not likely to experience any change by 2030 as all the 28 districts show an opening of TWs for 10–12 months in the baseline as well as projected scenario. But TWs based on both temperature and relative humidity show reduced intensity in the number of open months for transmission in the baseline and a slight increase by 2030. The eastern coastal areas are projected to experience reduction in the number of months open for transmission, which is in effect due to increased temperature cutting off the upper limit of transmission suitability.

The article provides the following recommendations.

  • There is a need for a detailed study on the presence of micro-niche particularly in areas like Gujarat and Rajasthan.

  • Based on the outputs of open months for malaria transmission, validation is needed at the district level to determine cut-off limits of transmission for temperature, relative humidity and rainfall.

  • The study should be expanded to other vector borne diseases in India.

  • There is a need for a holistic projection based on not climatic parameters alone, but integrated with socioeconomic intervention measures and immunity of the population.

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Biodiversity crisis is ‘worse than climate change’

Posted by admin on January 25th, 2012

A conference of more than 100 scientists and decision makers at the University of Copenhagen last week concluded that “the biodiversity crisis…is probably a greater threat than climate change to the stability and prosperous future of mankind on Earth”.

However, the talks signal a positive step towards addressing this pressing global issue as attendees discussed the future direction of the recently formed Intergovernmental Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), created to coordinate international efforts to address the biodiversity crisis.

Text adapted from original article at physorg.com

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Launch of the first Climate Change Commission for Wales’ First Annual Report

Posted by admin on January 24th, 2012

The Commission will launch its first annual report on 31 January.

Date of Event:
31/01/2012

The event will take place at the Media Briefing room in the Senedd, Cardiff Bay between 12:15 – 13:30.

The Minister for Environment and Sustainable Development will speak and the Met office will give a presentation on the latest climate science.

Spaces at the event are very limited. Information on how to book your space are available in the document below.

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Hogan issues Roadmap for Climate Policy and Legislation

Posted by admin on January 23rd, 2012



Hogan issues Roadmap for Climate Policy and Legislation

23/01/12

Today, 23 January 2012, Minister Phil Hogan, T.D., issued a work programme setting out the steps and milestones for the development of national climate policy and legislation. 

The programme of work was today also sent to the Chair of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Environment, Transport, Culture and the Gaeltacht as part of the follow-up to the Minister’s meeting with the Committee in December.   In issuing the work programme, the Minister said, “I foresee a central role for the Joint Committee in the policy development process, most importantly on the critical issue of coming to a clear national understanding of how we will meet our binding EU and wider-international mitigation commitments, as well as pursuing our national objectives in a low-carbon global economy.”  This role for the Committee was also reflected in the Government’s legislative programme for the Spring 2012 parliamentary session.

The work programme for policy development, including legislation covers the next 18 months (see below).  The principal milestones include:
- a public consultation which will take place in the first half of 2012;
- in the second half of the year, the publication of an initial report by the NESC Secretariat on potential climate policies and measures (to be completed by end June 2012) and the development of heads of a Climate Bill for consideration by the Committee following Government approval (end-2012); and
- the consideration of the end-2012 final report by the NESC Secretariat and the heads of Bill by the Committee in the first half of 2013.

The Minister also reiterated his commitment to an open and transparent process involving all stakeholders.  “A successful way forward for Ireland lies in structured dialogue on the range of views that exists across society, on an open and inclusive basis, and this will be facilitated at various points in the course of this work programme, beginning with the open consultation I will initiate next month” the Minister said. 

- ENDS -

Note for Editors:
On 3 November, Minister Hogan released a review of national climate policy and announced his intention to move the policy development process forward in three, interconnected ways:
- a public consultation to enable all stakeholders to engage in the policy development process;
- an independent analysis by the secretariat to the National Economic and Social Council to include a set of potential policies and measures to close the distance to targets already in place, and development of the basis for a long-term socio-economic vision to underpin effective national transition to a low-carbon future by 2050; and
- continued engagement across Government via the Cabinet Committee on Climate Change and the Green Economy with a  view to achieving making progress on sectoral mitigation measures.

On 15 December, the Minister met with the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Environment, Transport, Culture and the Gaeltacht and agreed to set out a roadmap for policy development including climate legislation.
 
National Climate Policy

Programme for the development of national climate policy and legislation

2012

January Independent analysis by NESC Secretariat, for the purpose of informing further development of national climate policy, to commence.

Early February In parallel with the independent analysis by the NESC Secretariat, Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to launch a structured, open, and inclusive consultation on national policy and legislation following on from the review issued the Minister on 3rd November 2011.

The consultation process will run up to the end of April.

End June NESC Secretariat to submit its interim report, which will focus on potential options for policies and measures to close the distance to Ireland’s greenhouse gas emission reduction target under Decision 406/2009/EC in the compliance period 2013-2020.
 Minister to make an overview analysis of the responses to the consultation available on line.

Quarter 3 Minister to release the interim report from NESC Secretariat; views to be sought from Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Environment, Transport, Culture and the Gaeltacht.

Quarter 4 Minister to –
 a) announce the Government response to the interim report from NESC Secretariat, and
 b) issue heads of a climate Bill for consideration by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Environment, Transport, Culture and the Gaeltacht and stakeholders, following Government approval.
End 2012 NESC Secretariat to submit its final report.
 

2013

February Minister to release final report from NESC Secretariat.

March – June Oireachtas Joint Committee to consider the NESC reports and Heads of climate bill, consulting with stakeholders as determined by the Committee.

End June Oireachtas Joint Committee to report on national climate policy development and appropriate legislation.

Quarter 3/4 Having regard to –
 

• the National Climate Policy Review,
• the reports from the NESC Secretariat and the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Environment, Transport, Culture and the Gaeltacht, and
• ongoing evolution of climate policy within EU level and at a wider-international level under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change,
 

Government to adopt a national policy position on transition to a low-carbon future, including appropriate institutional arrangements, and finalise the introduction of climate legislation.

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