Day :
- Climate Change and Climatology | Pollution and Climate Change | Climate Change: Marine Life | Global Warming Effects and Causes | Endangered Species and Forestry
Location: Amsterdam
Chair
Dr. Terence Goh
Imperial College London, UK
Co-Chair
Khatuna Gigauri
Georgian Institute of Public Affairs (GIPA), Georgia
Session Introduction
Geoffrey Mukwada
University of the Free State, South Africa
Title: Influence of climate change on temperature and precipitation patterns and trends in the Drakensberg Mountain Region of South Africa and Lesotho
Time : 11:50-12:20
Biography:
Geoffrey Mukwada is an Associate Professor in Environmental Geography at the University of the Free State in South Africa. His research primarily revolves around natural resource management, climate change and rural livelihoods. He has published more than 30 papers in accredited journals. He is the Founding Coordinator of the Afromontane Research Unit (ARU) at the University of the Free State and is the Leader of the University Staff Doctoral Programme (USDP).
Abstract:
While climate change is a universal phenomenon, its impacts are expected to be disproportionately higher in mountainous regions than in other regions. This vulnerability can be explained in terms of altitude, one of the four factors that regulate the climate of mountain regions - latitude, continentality and topography included. This case study uses Climate Research Unit Time series 4.01 monthly observation data to assess the impact of climate change on precipitation and temperature trends and anomalies in the Drakensberg Mountains. Understanding how the climate is changing in this region will not help policy makers in these in South Africa and Lesotho to plan better for mitigation but will also have a variety of applications in hydrological, ecological, social and agricultural studies and related fields. Climate Research Unit Time series 4.01 data were downloaded from the Climate Explorer website. The resolution of the data was 0.5o×0.5o, and covered the mountain belt that was delineated from a digital elevation model (DEM), comprising the region whose altitude exceeds 1,600 meters above sea level. The results of this study indicate that the climate of the Drakensberg Mountain Region is becoming warmer, while droughts are becoming more frequent due to reduced rainfall reliability. These changes will create a number of environmental challenges which might impact negatively on both ecosystem services and the livelihoods of mountain communities.
Dwijendra Nath Dwivedi
Cracow University of Economics, Poland
Title: Climate change: Empirical and time series study of emissions and temperature for EU nations
Time : 12:20-12:50
Biography:
Dwijendra Nath Dwivedi has completed his MPhil from Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research and currently pursuing PhD from Cracow University of Economics Poland. His research work has been accepted in more than 12 international conferences.
Abstract:
Proponents of the hypothesis of anthropogenic global warming assert that the increase in carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere is the major contributor to the increase in surface temperature, due to the “greenhouse effect”. Climate forcing by CO2 is the largest forcing among all other anthropogenic greenhouse gases. The concentration of CO2 and other greenhouse gases have risen significantly. This paper attempts to the similarity/dissimilarity between CO2 emissions per person for most of the EU countries to segment EU nations. Idea is identify cluster of countries with high, medium and low growth similarity pattern of CO2 emission. Time series clustering is used to partition time series data into groups based on similarity, so that emission time series in the same cluster are close. Proponents of the hypothesis of anthropogenic global warming assert that there in surface temperature, due to the “greenhouse effect”. Global average temperature has raised .150C per decade from 1976 to 2001 (IPCC). This paper analyzes the temperature data for EU nations from 1991 onwards. We tend to understand the average, minimum and maximum temperature change for the economies in the clusters. We build time series models to project the new forecast of temperature change for EU nations on an average, other than the given by existing models by IPCC. We forecasted temperature using time series forecasting models for five years.
Margarita V Alario
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, USA
Title: The case for nuclear energy in a global changing climate: A cautionary tale
Biography:
Margarita V Alario has completed her PhD, is a Professor of Environmental Studies and Sociology at the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater, WI., USA. She is the author of multiple peer-reviewed articles in multidisciplinary journals. She is a Fulbright Scholar, and has been the recipient of several national and international awards and grants.
Abstract:
Given the risks posed by climate change, and its low CO2 ecological imprint, the nuclear energy industry has found enthusiasts. In the USA, there are even historical precedents for this renew enthusiasm. The latter half of the 20th century was a time when the confluence of science, nuclear technology and economic interests seemed in tune with military interests and national security goals. The Eisenhower administration inaugurated the civilian uses of nuclear energy, the so-called Atoms for Peace program, and went as far as promoting this program around the world. The mixed results of this civilian nuclear technology development signal reasons for restraint. Furthermore, the post-Cold War as well as the presently and slowly developing “new cold war” between the USA and Russia gives as the empirical and analytic line of reasoning for a cautionary tale. In this paper I analyze; the civil nuclear energy development program; its unintended consequences in the development of nuclear weapons; the current and evolving global security threats by nuclear powers. Given other viable and “green energy” sources which are non-CO2 emitters, a cost-benefit analysis on the nuclear energy industry is significant.
Aulia Salmaddiina
University of Indonesia, Indonesia
Title: Increase in number of motor vehicles and COPD prevalence in Java Island Indonesia: An ecological study
Biography:
Aulia Salmaddiina is currently studying in Environmental Health Major at the Faculty of Public Health University Indonesia. Her strong passions in research about Environmental Health with participate on Health impact assessment team about contamination of heavy metal in Leuwiliang, Bogor Indonesia. Also participate on drafting indicators for healthy market collaboration with Indonesia government agencies.
Abstract:
Pollution exposure due to an increase in motorized vehicles is suspected to cause the prevalence of COPD cases in six provinces on Java Island. This study aimed to assess the association between the increase in the number of motor vehicles and the prevalence of COPD in six provinces of Java Island in 2013. The method used in this study is ecological studies, data on COPD prevalence were obtained from Indonesia's annual health survey (RISKESDAS) and data on the number of motor vehicles was obtained from the 2013 National Transportation Statistics. The results showed a strong relationship (r=0.649) between an increase in the number of motor vehicles and the prevalence of COPD cases in six provinces on the Island of Java. The conclusion of this research that the government of Indonesia should build a strong regulation about the limitation of every individual to have more than one motor vehicles, so that in the coming year there will be no more increase in the number of motorized vehicles.
Biography:
Md Ashik Sarder is as a Researcher and Development Practitioner, working at International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Bangladesh Country Office as Disaster Management Officer. He has completed his graduation, Post-graduation and MPhil degree in Anthropology from University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. During his professional career, he has also worked at Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS), NGO Forum for Public Health and UNDP Bangladesh. He is experienced in working with issues like Climate Change, Resilience, Adaptation, Migration, Disaster Management and Humanitarian Response.
Abstract:
The geo-physical contexts of different areas of Bangladesh are diverse and distinctive from location to location. Each of the area has distinct characteristics and varied livelihoods pattern. The recent climate change has made different communities of Bangladesh vulnerable to frequent disasters. The impact of climate change has also been visible at river-adjacent communities. So, enhancing community resilience is very important to make the community people capable to cope with climate change and ensure sustainable livelihoods for future. If the community people become resilient, then they can come back in their previous usual situation within very short period after any type of disaster. The Khas Barashimul community is a flood-prone community situated in Sirajganj District of Bangladesh on bank of Jamuna River with having Brahmaputra delta characteristics. Most of the community people are marginalized; and agriculture and day-labouring are the main means of their livelihood. Almost every year, flood occurs and causes tremendous losses to property and livelihoods. The study has aimed to identify the flood vulnerability due to climate change on the Khas Barashimul community people and their livelihoods. The study has been conducted at participatory observation approach using both qualitative and quantitative research perspectives. The study has identified some of the local and indigenous community resilience techniques which the community people usually used to practice as solutions to escape from flood vulnerability by their own knowledge and experiences. Some of other resilience techniques and solutions have also been suggested to make community people more resilient to disasters and flood risks resulted from climate change.
Mohammad Abotalib
Kuwait University Khaldiya Campus, Kuwait
Title: Environmental analysis of carbon capture and sequestration in Western Europe and North America
Biography:
Mohammad Abotalib has completed his PhD from Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA. Currently he is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Science at Kuwait University. His teaching course related to environmental sciences and engineering including pollution control, sustainability, and waste management. Provide environmental consultancy for government agencies and raise environmental awareness among the society for a better sustainable future.
Abstract:
The energy penalties of carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) has raised the awareness of possible associated environmental impacts as a result of technology deployment at a large-scale. However, the technology is considered the future towards achieving low-carbon electricity from fossil fuel in general, and more specifically in the coal-fired power industry. Therefore, many scientists suggested using the life cycle assessment (LCA) approach as an environmental assessment tool of the technology’s environmental impacts. Most published literature on LCA of post-combustion carbon capture and sequestration CCS, represents the European and the North American scenarios. Regardless to the region considered, LCA studies agree on significant reduction in global warming potential (GWP) (70-72%) and a considerable increase in cumulative energy demand (CED) (41-49%). Nevertheless, there is a less of an agreement about the changes in eutrophication potential (EP) and acidification potential (AP). The result shows that the mean of AP is not significantly different in Western Europe and North America. On the other hand, changes in the mean of EP for coal-fired power plants in North America and Western Europe are different. In Western Europe, coal is transported over short distances leading to lower NOx emission. Furthermore, phosphorus continent in fuel was about half the amount that is found in North America, which resulted in lower phosphorus and phosphate emission (major contributors for eutrophication).
Yared Mulat Tefera
Hawassa University, Ethiopia
Title: Soil organic carbon stock under different land use types in Kersa Sub Watershed, Eastern Ethiopia
Biography:
Yared Mulat Tefera has completed his PhD from Haramaya University specializing in Soil Science. He is the Member of Natural Resource Management in the Department in Hawassa University Wondo Gent College of Forestry. He has published one paper in reputed journals and has been serving as Lecturer, Researcher and Secretary in the Department of Natural Resource Management.
Abstract:
Understanding and assessing soil organic carbon stock (SOCS) within the framework of greenhouse gas emissions and land degradation is crucial in combating climate change and enhancing ecological restoration. The goal of this study was to quantify the current SOCS of major land use types in Kersa Sub-Watershed, Eastern Ethiopia. Replicated soil samples from 0–20, 20–40, and 40–60 cm depth were collected from three major land use types: grazing, cultivated, and fallow lands. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare means and Pearson correlation analysis was used to see relationships between selected soil parameters. The results of the study revealed significant (P≤0.05) difference in SOCS under the different land use types. Soil under grazing land use type had significantly higher SOCS (42.9 t/ha and 32.9 t/ha) than the cultivated (32.6 t/ha and 26.3 t/ha) and fallow (23 t/ha and 12.5 t/ha) land use types in the surface and subsurface layers, respectively. Soil organic carbon stock decreased with soil depth in all the land use types and showed positive and significant correlation (P≤0.05) with clay content, while it was negatively and significantly correlated with bulk density. The results show the potential contribution of vegetation cover as a land use to enhance soil organic carbon sequestration and environmental protection.