Review of Biometeorology of Heatwaves and Warm Extremes in Europe

Numerous extreme heatwaves producing large impacts on human health, agriculture, water resources, energy demand, regional economies, and forest ecosystems occurred during the first twenty years of the 21st century. The present study strives to provide a systematic review of recent studies of warm biometeorological extremes in Europe. The main aim of this paper is to provide a methodical summary of the observed changes in warm extremes, duration, and variability in different parts of Europe. During the last decade, much attention has been paid to the negative impacts of heat and humidity on human health. Therefore, the human biometeorology is required to appraise the human thermal environment in a way that human thermoregulation is taken into account. In many European countries and regions, future heat exposure will indeed exceed critical levels, and a steep increase in biometeorological heatwaves and warm extremes are expected. The indices that take into account human energy balance along with weather conditions should be used to examine the impacts of extreme heatwaves on human health and should be used as a basis for the determination of acclimatization to high-heat-stress conditions. A detailed description of recent studies that have used biometeorological indices such as Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET) and Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) for the estimation of warm extremes and their influence on human health is provided. Additionally, a short overview of the existence of the heat-health warning systems (HHWS), their conceptualization, and implementation across the European continent is considered, as well as the possibilities for further investigations and implementation of effective measures and programs that could reduce the adverse health impacts

THE PERCEPTION OF UNETHICAL ISSUES IN SELECTED THAILAND TOURIST AREAS: MEASURING THE ATTITUDES OF FOREIGN TOURISM STUDENTS

The principal aim of the paper was to examine what kind of experience international exchange students, as future professionals in tourism industry, gained during their study at the Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism in Phuket, Thailand. Thus, the paper deals with how often they encountered the unethical issues in the tourism industry, and how these issues affect their perception of the image of Thailand as a tourist destination. The paper also explores how formal education in Tourism ethics affects the perception of Thailand tourism unethical practices, and as such, it is one of the first studies in this field. In addition, the paper intends to show if there is a relationship between formal education in Ethics in tourism and the respondents’ experience and perception of unethical issues. The results show that these unethical issues have the significant and very strong influence on tourism perception of Thailand with a special emphasis on exploitation of women and children in sex tourism. Also, the study indicates that respondents who have a formal education in Ethics were more aware and had a clearer picture of the negative effect of these unethical issues on the image of Thailand as a destination

Geography of diseases caused by biological agents from water – AP Vojvodina

The aim of this article is to investigate the health effects of biological agents originating from the waters of the AP Vojvodina (northern Serbia). Microbiological defects in untreated drinking water were analysed for coliform microorganisms, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus (genus Streptococcus), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, aerobic mesophilic and thermotolerant microorganisms of faecal origin, and the possible effects on public health are discussed. Characteristic diseases caused by biological pathogens (acute bacillary dysentery, giardiasis, infectious jaundice, leptospirosis, tularemia, amoebic dysentery) are also shown with an illustration of the changes in disease patterns and their tendencies. These analyses can influence the improvement of population and public health status, the adaptation of prevention programs in vulnerable areas, and the reduction of waterborne disease prevalence among the local population

Geography of diseases caused by biological agents from water – AP Vojvodina

The aim of this article is to investigate the health effects of biological agents originating from the waters of the AP Vojvodina (northern Serbia). Microbiological defects in untreated drinking water were analysed for coliform microorganisms, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus (genus Streptococcus), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, aerobic mesophilic and thermotolerant microorganisms of faecal origin, and the possible effects on public health are discussed. Characteristic diseases caused by biological pathogens (acute bacillary dysentery, giardiasis, infectious jaundice, leptospirosis, tularemia, amoebic dysentery) are also shown with an illustration of the changes in disease patterns and their tendencies. These analyses can influence the improvement of population and public health status, the adaptation of prevention programs in vulnerable areas, and the reduction of waterborne disease prevalence among the local population

Geographical information systems and remote sensing methods in the estimation of potential dew volume and its utilization in the United Arab Emirates

In a fast growing region of Middle East and with rapid depletion of fossil groundwater, possibilities for dew utilization as a limited renewable water resource play an important role in the water management of the United Arab Emirates. Despite projected changes in air temperature and rainfall, geographical and topographical features of the UAE show some potential for dew harvesting, mostly at the altitudes higher than 1000 m and some isolated oasis areas. With the help of geographical information system (GIS), remote sensing, and numerical and theoretical methods, approximate volumes of dew were estimated. Meteorological data was inputted together with theoretical and numerical calculations into grids by using pixelization processes. Methods such as zonal statistics, kriging, semi-kriging, and interpolation were implemented through GIS software. Another method used in this research is supervised classification and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) which is being determined by means of software IDRISI terra set. After finishing all the proposed methods applied in this research, four belts of potential dew use were presented. The Arabian Desert in the territory of the United Arab Emirates has no potential for dew utilization. The zone close to the oases has very low possibility of dew use. The hilly-mountainous area between 500 and 800 m.a.s.l. has medium possibility for dew use. There is a high possibility for dew use on mountain Al Hajar, occupying the area higher than 800 m; 1.3% of the whole country’s territory has excellent potential for dew use. In this part of the country, theoretically, it is possible to use dew for farming and partial watering. Experimental study together with GIS, remote sensing, and numerical analysis may extend knowledge about dew properties. Although this research includes theoretical calculations of dew utilization and has some limitations, it still presents a new insight into climate cycles in this part of the Arabian Peninsula and a way to understand them better

Using natural disasters to instigate radical policy changes – the effect of Fukushima nuclear power plant accident on nuclear energy policies

Natural disasters and their effects have evolved to reflect the complexities of the physical and human environments, and their interactions in the modern world. After the earthquake and the tsunami of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear reactors in March 2011 activists, lobbyist and reporters were quick to expose nuclear technology and demand if not an immediate closure, than at least a gradual phasing out of nuclear power plants. Further research on topics such as the safety of nuclear power plants, the environmental and social effects of radioactive contamination, and the potential of nuclear energy as a world power source has a critical role in this ongoing debate in order to reduce consumption of fossil fuels, and continuing rise in national energy demands for providing powerful motivators in the search for alternative energy sources

Using DPSEEA Framework to Investigate the Relation between Arsenic Concentration Values in Waters and Cancer Rates in AP Vojvodina (North Serbia)

Naturally high arsenic concentrations are characteristic for the ground water of the Pannonian Basin which covers parts of Hungary, Romania, Croatia, Serbia, and Slovakia. The aim of this study is to empirically test the relation between arsenic concentration values in water and cancer rates (lung and bladder cancer) using the well-established cause-effect framework (model) of Driving force–Pressure–State–Exposure–Effect–Action (DPSEEA) and systematically collected data in the AP Vojvodina (Northern Serbia). Two models were tested in this study. The first one was the Three-Element Model used for analysing the linkage between the state element (arsenic concentration values), the exposure element (water access), and the effect element (cancer rates). The second model was the Effect-Action Model for the analysis of the association between the effect element (cancer rates) and the action element (monitoring intensity). Both models confirm the intrinsic validity of the four elements of the DPSEEA framework. A linear function tested in the second model suggests that the association is not a simple, linear relationship between the four elements, but rather a more complex interaction. Research in this field may find a wider application in improving the health care management in Serbia

Special software for aridity indices calculation (AICS); Vojvodina, Serbia case study

Knowledge of aridity is necessary to explain the characteristics of the geographical landscape. Increasing aridity due to global warming can be a real hazard, with the threat of desertification. The main aim of this paper is to introduce special software for aridity indices calculation (AICS), and on the basis of those data to peruse aridity as a natural hazard. These indices were calculated from data obtained from 10 meteorological stations in the Vojvodina region for the period from 1949 to 2006. In order to calculate the De Martonne aridity index, IDM, and the Pinna combinative index, IP, software was created using C# programming language. Not only that this software shows the values of indices, but also it shows to which class it belongs according to the De Martonne climate classification. Graphical presentation of both calculated indices is also enabled. Further development of AICS is planned. As additional software package here was used ArcMap 10.1 for the spatial representation and visualization of the aridity indices. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 176020 i br. 176013

GISand remote sensing techniques for the estimation of dew volume in the Republic of Serbia

With the help of satellite data and numerical geographical information system (GIS) methods, the total capacity of dew volume on the entire territory of the Republic of Serbia was estimated. Multicriteria GIS analysis and satellite detections with the support of methods such as kriging and semi-kriging gave satisfactory results in the present research. After the download of satellite data, they were compared with meteorological data for precipitation, evaporation and air temperature. A very precise grid in 1 x 1 degrees of longitude and latitude was created. The average estimated dew potential for the territory of Serbia is 20-40 mm.year(-1)for the south of the country, 15 mm.year(-1)for the north, 30-50 mm.year(-1)for the central region and 20-30 mm.year(-1)for the east. In most drought regions, it is lt 10 mm.year(-1).m(-2). Counties with the largest dew capacity (between 15,200 and 20,000 L) include Borski, Nisavski and Jablanicki in the eastern part of the country, as well as Zlatiborski, Raski and Pec in the western and southern parts, respectively. On the other hand, counties with the lowest dew capacity (2,000-3,000 L) encompass northern parts of Serbia (Sremski, Severno-Banatski, Srednje-Banatski, Juzno-Banatski, Severno-Backi and Zapadno-Backi). The possibility for dew use is particularly strong during the spring. The estimated total capacity of the dew potential for Serbia is 1.5 x 10(7)L. By comparing the obtained data for Serbia, it is concluded that the amount of this type of water resource is not large, but enough for use in agricultural and other economic sectors

The coastal fog and ecological balance for plants in the Jizan region, Saudi Arabia

Fog water collection provides a sustainable resource for watering of crops. The Jizan region is one of the smallest states in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) but very rich with unique flora, fauna, landscape diversity, and occurrence of fog. According to satellite data from the period between (1991–2021) the average visibility in this fog belt varied between 5 m and 100 m. Specific relief properties, such as elevation contrast, present rare space for flora preservation and sustainable fog utilization and use in the watering of crops. Some results showed that number of foggy days is not equal and can be divided in three big cycles. It was estimated that 8 × 1013 L, or 80 m3 of fresh water from fog per year, could be used for drinking and partly for farming in Jizan region from settlements Al Araq and Al Gandla, city of Jizan, Al Madaya, Al Mubarakiyah, Muwassam. This amount of water varied through time. The last observational period had large amount of water, 10 × 1013 L or 100 m3. The main methodologies used in this research were advanced GIS (Geographical Information Systems), Remote Sensing (RS), and numerical analysis. Satellite data were downloaded from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Landsat 8 and 9 satellite missions. This kind of alternative water may produce stability for three main plants in Jizan region, palm, wheat and olive. Typical arid regions in KSA can be transformed by water used from the fog