Comparative Coastal Risk Index (CCRI): A multidisciplinary risk index for Latin America and the Caribbean

As the world's population grows to a projected 11.2 billion by 2100, the number of people living in low-lying areas exposed to coastal hazards is projected to increase. Critical infrastructure and valuable assets continue to be placed in vulnerable areas, and in recent years, millions of people have been displaced by natural hazards. Impacts from coastal hazards depend on the number of people, value of assets, and presence of critical resources in harm's way. Risks related to natural hazards are determined by a complex interaction between physical hazards, the vulnerability of a society or social-ecological system and its exposure to such hazards. Moreover, these risks are amplified by challenging socioeconomic dynamics, including poorly planned urban development, income inequality, and poverty. This study employs a combination of machine learning clustering techniques (Self Organizing Maps and K-Means) and a spatial index, to assess coastal risks in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) on a comparative scale. The proposed method meets multiple objectives, including the identification of hotspots and key drivers of coastal risk, and the ability to process large-volume multidimensional and multivariate datasets, effectively reducing sixteen variables related to coastal hazards, geographic exposure, and socioeconomic vulnerability, into a single index. Our results demonstrate that in LAC, more than 500,000 people live in areas where coastal hazards, exposure (of people, assets and ecosystems) and poverty converge, creating the ideal conditions for a perfect storm. Hotspot locations of coastal risk, identified by the proposed Comparative Coastal Risk Index (CCRI), contain more than 300,00 people and include: El Oro, Ecuador; Sinaloa, Mexico; Usulutan, El Salvador; and Chiapas, Mexico. Our results provide important insights into potential adaptation alternatives that could reduce the impacts of future hazards. Effective adaptation options must not only focus on developing coastal defenses, but also on improving practices and policies related to urban development, agricultural land use, and conservation, as well as ameliorating socioeconomic conditions

Effects of the urban heat island and climate change on the growth of Khaya senegalensis in Hanoi, Vietnam

Abstract Background Recent projections expect that Vietnam will be affected most severely by climate change with higher temperatures, more precipitation and rising sea levels. Especially increased temperatures will worsen the situations in cities, amplifying the urban heat island effect. Green infrastructures, i.e. urban trees are a common tool to improve the urban micro-climate for humans. Vital and well growing trees provide greatest benefits such as evaporative cooling, shading, air filtering and carbon storage. However, urban tree growth is often negatively affected by urban growing conditions such as high soil sealing with compacted tree pits providing small growing spaces with limited water, nutrient and oxygen supply, further warm temperatures and high pollution emissions. This study analyzed the growth of urban and rural African mahogany (Khaya senegalensis (Desr.) A. Juss.) trees in the city of Hanoi, Vietnam and the effects of the surrounding climate conditions on tree growth. Results The results showed that rural African mahogany trees grew better than trees situated in the city center, which is contrary to other results on tree growth of temperate and subtropical cities worldwide. Moreover tree growth was similar regardless of the time of growth. Other results regarding stem growth of African mahogany located in different areas of Hanoi (east, west, north, city center) revealed a better growth in the northern and western outskirts of the city compared to the growth of trees in the city center. Conclusion African mahogany trees in the urban centers of Hanoi showed a decreased growth compared to rural trees, which was likely induced by a low ground-water level and high pollution rates. In view of climate change and global warming, the decreased tree growth in the city center may also affect tree service provision such as shading and cooling. Those climate mitigation solutions are strongly needed in areas severely affected by climate change and global warming such as Vietnam

The Link Between Community-Based Violence and Intimate Partner Violence: the Effect of Crime and Male Aggression on Intimate Partner Violence Against Women.

Both intimate partner violence (IPV) and community violence are prevalent globally, and each is associated with serious health consequences. However, little is known about their potential links or the possible benefits of coordinated prevention strategies. Using aggregated data on community violence from the São Paulo State Security Department (INFOCRIM) merged with WHO multi-country study on women's health and domestic violence data, random intercept models were created to assess the effect of crime on women's probability of experiencing IPV. The association between IPV and male aggression (measured by women's reports of their partner's fights with other men) was examined using logistic regression models. We found little variation in the likelihood of male IPV perpetration related to neighborhood crime level but did find an increased likelihood of IPV experiences among women whose partners were involved in male-to-male violence. Emerging evidence on violence prevention has suggested some promising avenues for primary prevention that address common risk factors for both perpetration of IPV and male interpersonal violence. Strategies such as early identification and effective treatment of emotional disorders, alcohol abuse prevention and treatment, complex community-based interventions to change gender social norms and social marketing campaigns designed to modify social and cultural norms that support violence may work to prevent simultaneously male-on-male aggression and IPV. Future evaluations of these prevention strategies should simultaneously assess the impact of interventions on IPV and male interpersonal aggression

Peruvian grassroots organizations in times of violence and peace. Between economic solidarity, participatory democracy, and feminism

The new millennium has meant a new start for Peruvian society. After decades of political violence, economic crisis, and an internal war, democracy was restored, and economic growth resumed. The many grassroots organizations that had been established to address the economic and political crisis seem to have lost their initial raison d’être. Still, they have remained in operation to this very day. In this article, we analyze the history and continued presence of two types of urban grassroots organizations: the communal kitchens and the victim-survivor organizations. Our leading question is: what is the present-day rationale sustaining these grassroots organizations that originated as responses to the political and economic turmoil from the previous decades? As we will argue, insight into the values of economic solidarity, participatory democracy, and gender equality is important to better understand the organization’s continuity. They shed light on the organizations’ changing roles and diverging meanings that their members attribute to them. Nowadays, members see the organizations as a platform for self-expression