Solar geoengineering: The case for an international non-use agreement

Solar geoengineering is gaining prominence in climate change debates as an issue worth studying; for some it is even a potential future policy option. We argue here against this increasing normalization of solar geoengineering as a speculative part of the climate policy portfolio. We contend, in particular, that solar geoengineering at planetary scale is not governable in a globally inclusive and just manner within the current international political system. We therefore call upon governments and the United Nations to take immediate and effective political control over the development of solar geoengineering technologies.Specifically, we advocate for an International Non-Use Agreement on Solar Geoengineering and outline the core elements of this proposal

Financing Adaptation to Climate Change: Issues and Priorities. CEPS ECP Report No. 8, October 2008

The past decade has seen a surge in research and policy analysis on ways in which technology and finance can support mitigation. Similar studies for adaptation are much more recent, and their results therefore less mature. This is a potential bottleneck in the negotiations towards an agreement in Copenhagen. This paper aims to facilitate discussions on adaptation finance by presenting a summary overview of the current state of knowledge and policy initiatives, and by outlining a number of issues that would need to be considered in the negotiation process

Choosing Environmental Policy Instruments : Case Studies of Municipal Waste Policy in Sweden and England

EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Accessibility to the public environment as perceived by teenagers with functional limitations in a south Swedish town centre.

PURPOSE: Owing to physical inaccessibility persons with mobility restrictions and other functional limitations often face problems in public environments, leading to restrictions in activity and participation. To investigate general accessibility and perceived problems of accessibility to the public environment in a town centre, as well as visiting preferences to public facilities, among teenagers with functional limitations. METHODS: An interview questionnaire specific to a south Swedish town was constructed and used with 33 Swedish teenagers with functional limitations. RESULTS: To a varying degree, all 33 teenagers commented on accessibility problems, e.g. concerning uneven surface material outdoors, steps at entrances, heavy doors and restricted space indoors. The results also indicated that teenagers with functional limitations to a high extent want to visit the same environments as other teenagers, but that it is often impossible owing to accessibility problems. Furthermore, because of accessibility problems, many of the teenagers were dependent on personal assistance. CONCLUSION: Inaccessibility results in dependence, which might affect personal development negatively, and much effort are required in order to ensure activity and societal participation. Efficient priorities in public environment accessibility matters and discussions with the actors involved require valid and reliable data on local accessibility problems

Advancing sustainable consumption at the local government level : A literature review

The consumption of goods and services can be a driver of environmental and social impacts around the world. Understanding the role that the different levels of government can play in incentivising sustainable consumption is therefore critical. Using systematic review techniques, this paper reviews the latest evidence on the importance, effectiveness, successes and failures of local government in advancing sustainable consumption. We find that there is little focus on sustainable consumption in its entirety or whether it is being achieved at the local government level. Important consumption categories like food, procurement, water, waste prevention, clothing, other consumables or services are understudied. Evaluation of the outcome of sustainable consumption interventions was limited, and the assessment that was completed gave mixed results. The most popular policy instruments were of the less coercive administrative and informative type. Multiple barriers to the success of an intervention were identified, the top ones being funding; staff capacity, knowledge or data; lack of flexibility and lock-in to the status quo; lack of guidance or political will; administrative burdens; and lack of regulatory powers or tools. Sustainable consumption interventions by local government were most effective when they had strong leadership, good stakeholder engagement, participatory approaches and extensive consultations. (C) 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd

Immune response and gut microbiota of mice on a diet mimicking eating habits of elderly with risk of malnutrition development

The number of elderlies is increasing but prevalence of malnutrition has been reported. The aim of the study was to determine the significance of short-term nutritional deficiencies in mice. Immune status was assessed through flow cytometry of leucocytes in Peyer's patches (PP) and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), and intestinal microbiota was evaluated by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP). C57BL/6NCrl mice fed standard diet (StD) or experimental diet high in fat, and low in carbohydrates, protein, fibre, vitamins, and minerals (ExpD) for 2 or 4 weeks. ExpD-animals gained less weight, increased liver lipids, and developed splenomegaly. Diet affected regulatory T-cells, gut homing receptors and TLR2 and TLR4 in PP and MLN and the microbiota was influenced. Partial least squares models on flow cytometry- and T-RFLP data demonstrated correlations between microbial communities and immune phenotyping. Our model shows similarities to malnourished elderly and interactions between intestinal bacteria and the immune system

Equity and cost-effectiveness of multilateral adaptation finance - are they friends or foes?

This paper analyses potential criteria to allocate international funding for adaptation to climate change, as a response to one of the main governance challenges of international adaptation funding - the prioritization of project proposals given scarce funding. Based on the review of the equity and cost-effectiveness literature and relevant policy documents, we identify three indicators for equity (vulnerability level, poverty, number of beneficiaries), and three indicators for cost-effectiveness (economic savings in absolute and relative terms, human lives saved). Applying these simple indicators to information provided in 16 project documents considered by the Adaptation Fund Board (AFB) in 2011, we find that projects approved by the AFB rank high according to one costeffectiveness indicator (absoluteeconomic savings), while they rather rank low according to all equity and further costeffectiveness indicators. Furthermore, we analyse whether ‘equity’ and ‘cost-effectiveness’ are two contradicting principles, or if ways can be found to reconcile both principles in multilateral adaptation finance. We conclude from both theory and the 16 analysed projects that a pure economic definition of cost-effectiveness is in contradiction with equity but tradeoffs between equity and cost-effectiveness can be limited if relative wealth savings, and other indicators, e.g. human health, are used as indicator for cost-effectiveness

EGF-induced expansion of migratory cells in the rostral migratory stream.

The presence of neural stem cells in the adult brain is currently widely accepted and efforts are made to harness the regenerative potential of these cells. The dentate gyrus of the hippocampal formation, and the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the anterior lateral ventricles, are considered the main loci of adult neurogenesis. The rostral migratory stream (RMS) is the structure funneling SVZ progenitor cells through the forebrain to their final destination in the olfactory bulb. Moreover, extensive proliferation occurs in the RMS. Some evidence suggest the presence of stem cells in the RMS, but these cells are few and possibly of limited differentiation potential. We have recently demonstrated the specific expression of the cytoskeleton linker protein radixin in neuroblasts in the RMS and in oligodendrocyte progenitors throughout the brain. These cell populations are greatly altered after intracerebroventricular infusion of epidermal growth factor (EGF). In the current study we investigate the effect of EGF infusion on the rat RMS. We describe a specific increase of radixin(+)/Olig2(+) cells in the RMS. Negative for NG2 and CNPase, these radixin(+)/Olig2(+) cells are distinct from typical oligodendrocyte progenitors. The expanded Olig2(+) population responds rapidly to EGF and proliferates after only 24 hours along the entire RMS, suggesting local activation by EGF throughout the RMS rather than migration from the SVZ. In addition, the radixin(+)/Olig2(+) progenitors assemble in chains in vivo and migrate in chains in explant cultures, suggesting that they possess migratory properties within the RMS. In summary, these results provide insight into the adaptive capacity of the RMS and point to an additional stem cell source for future brain repair strategies

A Candidate Gene Approach to ANCA-Associated Vasculitis Reveals Links to the C3 and CTLA-4 Genes but not to the IL1-Ra And Fc gamma-RIIa Genes

Background/Aims: The aim of the study is to search for associations between Antineutrophil cytoplasm antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) and polymorphisms in the genes of four key molecules possibly involved in different pathogenic pathways; complement C3, CTLA-4, Fc gamma-RIIa and IL1-Ra. Patients and Methods: Patients with AAV (n=105) subgrouped as microscopic polyangiitis or granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegeners granulomatosis) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) or proteinase 3 (PR3) ANCA positive were compared to a control group of 200 blood donors. Polymorphisms in the genes were analysed with PCR amplification of DNA. Results: The diagnosis of AAV was confirmed in the 105 cases. The gene frequency of C3F was 0.27 in the PR3-ANCA subgroup (p=0.041) compared to 0,19 in the control group. The number of patients homozygous for the shortest 86 bp allele of CTLA-4 was significantly decreased in the whole group of patients (p=0.049). No differences were evident in the Fc gamma-RIIa and IL1-Ra polymorphisms when compared to controls, neither in the whole group of patients, nor in any of the sub-groups. Conclusion: The aberrant gene frequency of the C3F allele among PR3-ANCA positive patients and the findings with the CTLA-4 polymorphism indicates that complement may be involved in pathogenesis and that T-cell activation also is of importance in these diseases