Local science-based recommendations and monitoring for climate change mitigation in the context of sustainable development goals: European municipal perspective and key indicators

Tese de mestrado em Ecologia e Gestão Ambiental, Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências, 2020As alterações climáticas (AC) presentam-se como um dos maiores desafios que a humanidade confronta atualmente. O aumento dos eventos climáticos extremos, a elevação do nível médio do mar, a perda massiva da biodiversidade e a diminuição da segurança alimentar são apenas algumas das muitas consequências do aquecimento global que ameaçam nossa civilização. Organizações e governos de todo o mundo compreenderam a necessidade urgente de confrontar este desafio. Como resultado, a Convenção-Quadro das Nações Unidas sobre as Alterações Climáticas (UNFCCC) elaborou uma declaração de intenções internacional para limitar o aquecimento global abaixo dos 1,5ºC relativamente aos níveis pré-industriais, o acordo de Paris (2015), integrando 185 países signatários. A Agenda 2030 dedicou um SDG específico à Ação Climática (SDG 13) que abrange tanto a mitigação quanto a adaptação das AC. O Pacto Verde Europeu visa atingir a neutralidade carbónica até 2050 e vários milhares de milhões de euros serão destinados para este fim. Apesar de todas as intenções positivas para confrontar este desafio, as atuais Contribuições Nacionais Determinadas (NDC) de muitas regiões, incluindo a UE, são insuficientes para limitar o aquecimento global abaixo de 2ºC. A tendência global das emissões de gases de efeito estufa (GEE) ainda está a aumentar. O UNDP, a UN-Habitat e a Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments destacam a importância e os benefícios de localizar, com o fim de apoiar as ações para mitigação das AC e para o desenvolvimento sustentável (SD). Os governos locais têm a possibilidade de proceder com medidas contextuais que são fundamentais para potencializar os benefícios e reduzir os efeitos adversos das medidas adotadas, tanto para a ação climática quanto para o desenvolvimento sustentável. No entanto, o apelo para esta abordagem bottom-up (de abaixo para cima no nível hierárquico ou espacial) requer certa energia por parte dos governos locais, sendo que normalmente sofrem da falta de capacidade e recursos, especialmente para abordar desafios multidisciplinares como é o caso das AC. Neste contexto de escassez, facilmente os municípios correm o risco de não realizar uma integração adequada da perspetiva da mitigação das AC nas suas agendas, incluindo a falta de monitorização das suas medidas para reduzir as emissões de GEE. A monitorização e a avaliação são destacadas como componentes fundamentais para aumentar a eficácia e eficiência em todas as ações locais de mitigação das AC e do DS, aumentando o seu sucesso. Com base nesta premissa e na investigação-ação participativa, esta dissertação tem como objetivo explorar e recomendar ações locais efetivas baseadas na ciência (capítulo A) e indicadores relevantes (capítulo B) para a mitigação das AC dentro do contexto municipal europeu. As recomendações foram propostas a partir da revisão bibliográfica, com o principal foco no último relatório do IPPC sobre mitigação das AC (Grupo de Trabalho III, 2014). Para conseguir uma lista de indicadores apropriados, o autor envolveu 17 municípios de 6 países europeus para participar numa serie de inquéritos on-line com a finalidade de validar um conjunto de indicadores compilados, adaptados e criados com base na revisão bibliográfica. Além da análise dos dados, o autor propõe uma metodologia para a sua interpretação, permitindo a classificação dos indicadores propostos. Os resultados apresentam o nível de concordância sobre quais indicadores são adequados para o contexto municipal, avançando e apoiando assim para o estabelecimento de uma metodologia comum para monitorar as ações locais de mitigação das AC.Climate change is one of the major challenges that humanity faces nowadays. Increases in extreme weather events, sea level rise, massive biodiversity loss and a decrease in food security are only a few of many consequences of global warming that threaten our current civilization. Organizations and governments around the world have noticed the urgent need to address the climate change challenge. As a result, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change has developed a declaration for countries around the world to limit global warming below 1.5ºC relative to pre-industrial levels, the Paris Agreement (2015), which has 185 signatory countries. The Agenda 2030 has dedicated a specific Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) to climate action (SDG 13) that encompasses both mitigation and adaptation. The European Green Deal aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, and billions of euros are destinated to that end. Despite all the positive intentions in addressing climate change, the nationally determined contributions of many regions, including the EU, are insufficient for limiting global warming below 2ºC. Global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are still increasing. The United Nations Development Program, UN-Habitat, and the Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments highlight the importance and benefits of localization in supporting climate change mitigation (CCM) and sustainable development actions. Local governments can exploit context specific measures that are key to enhancing co-benefits and reducing trade-offs between climate and sustainable development (SD) actions. Nonetheless, this bottom-up approach requires energy from local governments, who often suffer from a lack of capacity and resources, especially regarding the multifaceted climate change challenge. In this context of scarcity, municipalities could easily fail to properly integrate a CCM perspective into their agendas, including a failure to monitor their measures to reduce GHG emissions. Monitoring and evaluation are highlighted as fundamental components for increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of local CCM and SD actions. In light of this reality and based on participatory-action research, this dissertation explores and recommends effective science-based actions (Chapter A) and relevant indicators (Chapter B) for local CCM for the European municipal context. Recommendations are derived from the literature, especially the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change regarding CCM (Working Group III, 2014). In order to identify a list of appropriate indicators, 17 EU municipalities from six European countries participated in an online survey to validate a number of indicators compilated, adapted and created based on the literature review. Further from the data analysis, the author proposed a methodology for interpreting and classifying the proposed indicators. The results concern the interviewed municipalities level of agreement regarding the suitability of the indicators for the municipal context. These results support the development of a common methodology for monitoring local CCM actions

'Getting out of the closet': Scientific authorship of literary fiction and knowledge transfer

Some scientists write literary fiction books in their spare time. If these books contain scientific knowledge, literary fiction becomes a mechanism of knowledge transfer. In this case, we could conceptualize literary fiction as non-formal knowledge transfer. We model knowledge transfer via literary fiction as a function of the type of scientist (academic or non-academic) and his/her scientific field. Academic scientists are those employed in academia and public research organizations whereas non-academic scientists are those with a scientific background employed in other sectors. We also distinguish between direct knowledge transfer (the book includes the scientist's research topics), indirect knowledge transfer (scientific authors talk about their research with cultural agents) and reverse knowledge transfer (cultural agents give scientists ideas for future research). Through mixed-methods research and a sample from Spain, we find that scientific authorship accounts for a considerable percentage of all literary fiction authorship. Academic scientists do not transfer knowledge directly so often as non-academic scientists, but the former engage into indirect and reverse transfer knowledge more often than the latter. Scientists from History stand out in direct knowledge transfer. We draw propositions about the role of the academic logic and scientific field on knowledge transfer via literary fiction. We advance some tentative conclusions regarding the consideration of scientific authorship of literary fiction as a valuable knowledge transfer mechanism.Comment: Paper published in Journal of Technology Transfe

Characterization of AtDGK2 in relation to Contact Sites

Contact Sites are conserved cellular regions where two membranes of different organelles are very close but not merged. Contact sites between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the plasma membrane (ER-PM CS) play important roles in metabolic functions. We have identified AtDGK2 (Diacylglycerol kinase 2) as an interactor of SYT1 (Synaptotagmin1), which is a protein located at ER-PM CS. DGKs phosphorylate diacylglycerol to produce phosphatidic acid, both important signalling molecules. Arabidopsis thaliana has seven AtDGKs, but only AtDGK1 and AtDGK2 present an ER transmembrane domain, the rest are cytoplasmic. We have analysed the subcellular localization and functions of these two proteins.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. BIO2017-82609-

NRT2.5 a putative sodium dependent high affinity nitrate trasnporter of zostera marina l.

Seagrasses are the only group of vascular plants that recolonized the marine environment, possibly the most severe habitat shift ever accomplished by flowering plants. These plants have regained functions enabling them to thrive in liquid medium with an extremely high salinity (0.5 M Na+), high alkaline conditions (pH 8.2) and very low concentration of essential nutrients as NO3- or Pi. Despite this, seagrasses form one of the highest productive and widespread ecosystems of the planet (Larkum et al., 2006). Zostera marina was the first seagrass fully sequenced and its genome reveals important insights about this secondary adaption. Comparison with land plants indicates that less than 20 % of the genes families are specific in the genome of seagrasses. Thus, adaptation to marine environment seems to be due to molecular changes of the same family genes rather that the speciation of pre-existing genes. This appears to be the case of the high affinity nitrate transporter belonging to the NRT family. In contrast to terrestrial vascular plants, where NRT2 encode high affinity NO3- transporters that operate as H+ symporters, our electrophysiological analysis indicate that in Z. marina high affinity NO3- uptake is mediated by a Na+-dependent mechanism. A detailed analysis of the Z. marina genome indicates the presence of only one gene encoding for this type of transporter: Zosma70g00300.1. Phylogenetic analysis shows that this high affinity nitrate transporter is more related to NRT2.5 than to NTRT2.1, sharing a common ancestor with both, monocot and dicot plants. We have cloned Zosma70g00300.1 and the high-affinity nitrate transporter accessory protein NAR2 (Zosma63g00220.1) in order to characterize the specific transport mechanism mediated by these proteins in Z. marina. Thus, the putative Z. marina NRT2.5 transporter could have evolved to use Na+ as a driving ion, which might be an essential adaptation of seagrasses to colonize the marine environment.MICINN (BFU2017-85117-R; BIO2016-81957-REDT) Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Capacidades organizativas e innovación ¿Qué ocurre en la industria española del juguete?

Los resultados en innovación son siempre importantes, pero para algunos sectores manufactureros altamente competitivos es incluso imprescindible (Camisón y Villar, 2011). Este es el caso de la industria del juguete en España, caracterizada por su actitud altamente innovadora.Los autores agradecen la financiación recibida por el Ministerio Economía y Competitividad (ECO2011-29863) para llevar a cabo esta investigación. Además, se agradece al CSIC la financiación de la beca de investigación de Ana García Granero (JAE-Predoc del Programa «Junta para la Ampliación de Estudios»), co-financiada por la ESF.Peer Reviewe

Undercovering the molecular mechanisms of lipid signalling at ER-PM contact sites in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) under abiotic stress conditions

Abiotic stresses cause large reductions in crop production. Therefore, is important to understand how plants respond in order to develop varieties with increased resistance. Lipid-transport proteins (LTP) are emerging as key players of lipid signaling in response to numerous stresses. Specifically, SYT1, a protein first identified by its role in abiotic stress tolerance, is now recognized as an endoplasmic reticulum-plasma membrane contact site tether capable. Our recent data support that SYT1 in involved on non-vesicular lipid-transport of diacyl glycerol (DAG) through its SMP domain. This data together with the interaction of SYT1 with a diacyl glycerol kinase (DGK) suggest a lipid signaling pathway where the product of phospholipase C, diacylglycerol, might be simultaneously translocated from the plasma membrane to the endoplasmic-reticulum by SYT1 and phosphorylated to phosphatidic acid by DGK at the plasma membrane. Using in vitro biochemical approaches we are investigating the affinity of specific lipid species transported by SYT1 using lipid-competition assays, where a fluorescent lipid competes for SYT1 binding-pocket with different lipid species. Using bioinformatic we are obtaining insight into the lipid signal pathway involving PHOSPHOLIPASE C (PLC), DIACYLGLYCEROL KINASE (DGK) and SYNAPTOTAGMIN1 (SYT1) in tomatoUniversidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech