Assessing vegetation response to multi-time-scale drought across inner Mongolia plateau

This study assessed the impacts of climate change in IMP by investigating vegetation responses droughtin multiple timescales. Methods used included the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) andStandardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI), by annual maximum Pearson correlation(Rmax) and the corresponding month (Rmonth) of drought. Results showed that: (1) It is necessary tozone IMP when analyzing the vegetation responses to drought. (2) Rmax is significantly positive cor-relation in IMP, indicating that vegetation was largely in fl uenced by drought; the most seriously affectedareas are in the north-eastern part of typical steppe, south-western parts of steppe desert and southernpart of desert steppe, while light seriously are distributed in the south-eastern of typical steppe andforest steppe. (3) Vegetation in typical steppe, steppe desert and desert steppe are sensitive to shortertime-scales of droughts, while in the forest, forest steppe and sand desert, vegetation shows a closerelationship with the longer drought time-scales. (4) The effects of drought related climate extremes canalso contr ibute to Rmax and Rmo nth between SPEI and NDVI. Vegetation in forest and sand desert areas,have lower sensitivity to drought under the effect of climate extremes. Adaptation measures, such asbuilding drought resilience vegetation types, applying biochar and monitoring and forecasting drought,must be timely and effectively initiated, especially, in the typical steppe, steppe desert and desert steppein IMP since vegetation in these four areas is affected seriously, once drought occur. The results from thisstudy may provide useful infor mation about appropriate adaptation and mitigation strategies against theinverse effects of drought on vegetation, and even alleviate the losses caused by drought

Climate change effects on people’s livelihood

Generally climate is defined as the long-term average weather conditions of a particular place, region, or the world. Key climate variables include surface conditions such as temperature, precipitation, and wind. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) broadly defined climate change as any change in the state of climate which persists for extended periods, usually for decades or longer (Allwood et al. 2014). Climate change may occur due to nature’s both internal and external processes. External process involves anthropogenic emission of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, and volcanic eruptions. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) made a distinction between climate change attributable to human contribution to atmospheric composition and natural climate variability. In its Article 1, the UNFCCC defines climate change as “a change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods” (United Nations 1992, p. 7)

The impacts of the early outset of the COVID-19 pandemic on climate change research: Implications for policy-making

Since January 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has dominated the media and exercises pressure on governments worldwide. Apart from its effects on economies, education systems and societies, the pandemic has also influenced climate change research. This paper examines the extent to which COVID-19 has influenced climate change research worldwide during the first wave at the beginning of 2020 and how it is perceived to exploit it in the future. This study utilised an international survey involving those dedicated to climate change science and management research from Academia, Government, NGOs, and international agencies in 83 countries. The analysis of responses encompasses four independent variables: Institutions, Regions, Scientific Areas, and the level of economic development represented by the Human Development Index (HDI). Results show that: (1) COVID-19 modified the way the surveyed researchers work, (2) there are indicators that COVID-19 has already influenced the direction of climate change and adaptation policy implementation, and (3) respondents perceived (explicitly concerning the COVID-19 lockdowns of March-April 2020), that the pandemic has drawn attention away from climate policy. COVID- 19 has influenced the agenda of climate change research for more than half of the respondents and is likely to continue in the future, suggesting that the impacts on their research will still be felt for many years. The paper concludes by outlining critical implications for policy-making

Climate change adaptation on small island states: An assessment of limits and constraints

Small Island States (SIDS) are among the nations most exposed to climate change (CC) and are characterised by a high degree of vulnerability. Their unique nature means there is a need for more studies focused on the limits to CC adaptation on such fragile nations, particularly regarding their problems and constraints. This paper addressed a perceived need for research into the limitations of adaptation on SIDS, focusing on the many unique restrictions. To this end, the study identified and described the adaptation limits they have by using a review of the literature and an analysis of case studies from a sample of five SIDS in the Caribbean and Pacific regions (Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Cook Islands, Fiji, Solomon Islands and Tonga). This research’s findings showed that an adaptable SIDS is characterised by awareness of various values, appreciation and understanding of a diversity of impacts and vulnerabilities, and acceptance of certain losses through change. The implications of this paper are two-fold. It explains why island nations continue to suffer from the impacts of CC and suggest some of the means via which adequate policies may support SIDS in their efforts to cope with the threats associated with a changing climate. This study concluded that, despite the technological and ecological limits (hard limits) affecting natural systems, adaptation to CC is limited by such complex forces and societal factors (soft limits) that more adequate adaptation strategies could overcome