Speculative Political Ecologies: (re)imagining urban futures of climate extremes

What role can a speculative political ecology play in (re)imaging urban futures of climate extremes? In recent years, narratives of dystopian futures of climate extremes have proliferated in geosciences, and across the media and creative arts. These anxiety-fueled narratives often generate a sense of resignation and unavoidability, which contributes to foreclosing the possibility of radically different political projects. In this article, we argue that these narratives conceal the coproduction of nature and society and treat nature as the problem, thereby locking futures into dystopic configurations. Political ecology scholarship can contribute to generate a politics of possibility by reconceptualizing the relations that constitute urban futures under climate extremes as socionatural. This, we argue, calls for a more experimental political ecology and new forms of theorizing. To this aim, we develop a speculative political ecological approach grounded on a numerical model that examines the potential of transformative change in the aftermath of extreme flood events in a capitalist city. Analytically, this opens a unique possibility of exploring urban futures beyond current trajectories, and how these alternative futures might transform vulnerability and inequality across urban spaces. From a policy perspective, we lay the foundations for a new generation of models that apprehend the role of power and agency in shaping uneven urban futures of climate extremes

Drought and society: scientific progress, blind spots, and future prospects

Human activities have increasingly intensified the severity, frequency and negative impacts of droughts in several regions across the world. This trend has led to broader scientific conceptualisations of drought risk that account for human actions and their interplays with natural systems. This review focuses on physical and engineering sciences to examine the way and extent to which these disciplines account for social processes in relation to the production and distribution of drought risk. We conclude that this research has significantly progressed in terms of recognizing the role of humans in reshaping drought risk and its socio-environmental impacts. We note an increasing engagement with and contribution to understanding vulnerability, resilience and adaptation patterns. Moreover, by advancing (socio)hydrological models, developing numerical indexes and enhancing data processing, physical and engineering scientists have determined the extent of human influences in the propagation of drought hazard. However, these studies do not fully capture the complexities of anthropogenic transformations. Very often, they portray society as homogeneous, and decision-making processes as apolitical, thereby concealing the power relations underlying the production of drought and the uneven distribution of its impacts. The resistance in engaging explicitly with politics and social power—despite their major role in producing anthropogenic drought—can be attributed to the strong influence of positivist epistemologies in engineering and physical sciences. We suggest that an active engagement with critical social sciences can further theorisations of drought risk by shedding light on the structural and historical systems of power that engender every socio-environmental transformation

Suitability of electroencephalography in brain death determination: a monocentric, 10-year retrospective, observational investigation of 428 cases

Background We aimed to verify the usefulness of electroencephalographic (EEG) activity recording (that is mandatory according to the Italian law), in addition to two clinical evaluations spaced 6 h, among the procedures of brain death determination (BDD) in adult individuals. Methods The study is a monocentric, retrospective analysis of all BDDs performed in the last 10 years at Policlinico Le Scotte in Siena (Italy). Results Of the 428 cases revised (mean age 67.6 ± 15.03 years; range 24–92 years), 225 were males and 203 females. In total, 212 out of 428 patients (49.5%) were donors. None of the BDD procedures were interrupted due to the reappearance of EEG activity (neither for clinical reasons) at any sampling time, with the exception of one case that was considered a false negative at critical reinspection of the EEG. In 6/428 cases (1.4%), a cardiac arrest occurred during the 6 h between the first and second evaluation, thus missing the opportunity to take organs from these patients because the BDD procedure was not completed. Conclusions Once the initial clinical examination before convening the BDD Commission has ascertained the absence of brainstem reflexes and of spontaneous breathing, and these clinical findings are supported by a flat EEG recording, the repetition of a 30-min EEG twice over a 6 h period seems not to add additional useful information to clinical findings. Current data, if confirmed in other centers and possibly in prospective studies, may help to promote a scientific and bioethical debate in Italy, as well as in other countries where the EEG is still mandatory, for eventually pdating the procedures of BDD. © 2022, The Author(s)

Integrating Multiple Research Methods to Unravel the Complexity of Human-Water Systems

Abstract: Predicting floods and droughts is essential to inform the development of policy in water management, climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction. Yet, hydrological predictions are highly uncertain, while the frequency, severity and spatial distribution of extreme events are further complicated by the increasing impact of human activities on the water cycle. In this commentary, we argue that four main aspects characterizing the complexity of human‐water systems should be explicitly addressed: feedbacks, scales, tradeoffs and inequalities. We propose the integration of multiple research methods as a way to cope with complexity and develop policy‐relevant science

Panta Rhei benchmark dataset: socio-hydrological data of paired events of floods and droughts

As the adverse impacts of hydrological extremes increase in many regions of the world, a better understanding of the drivers of changes in risk and impacts is essential for effective flood and drought risk management and climate adaptation. However, there is currently a lack of comprehensive, empirical data about the processes, interactions and feedbacks in complex human-water systems leading to flood and drought impacts. Here we present a benchmark dataset containing socio-hydrological data of paired events, i.e., two floods or two droughts that occurred in the same area. The 45 paired events occurred in 42 different study areas and cover a wide range of socio-economic and hydro-climatic conditions. The dataset is unique in covering both floods and droughts, in the number of cases assessed, and in the quantity of socio-hydrological data. The benchmark dataset comprises: 1) detailed review style reports about the events and key processes between the two events of a pair; 2) the key data table containing variables that assess the indicators which characterise management shortcomings, hazard, exposure, vulnerability and impacts of all events; 3) a table of the indicators-of-change that indicate the differences between the first and second event of a pair. The advantages of the dataset are that it enables comparative analyses across all the paired events based on the indicators-of-change and allows for detailed context- and location-specific assessments based on the extensive data and reports of the individual study areas. The dataset can be used by the scientific community for exploratory data analyses e.g. focused on causal links between risk management, changes in hazard, exposure and vulnerability and flood or drought impacts. The data can also be used for the development, calibration and validation of socio-hydrological models. The dataset is available to the public through the GFZ Data Services (Kreibich et al. 2023, link for review: https://dataservices.gfz-potsdam.de/panmetaworks/review/923c14519deb04f83815ce108b48dd2581d57b90ce069bec9c948361028b8c85/).</p

Carbon footprint, stato dell'arte ed applicazione pilota

Lo strumento in esame è il carbon footprint che ha lo scopo primario di calcolare l’impronta rilasciata in atmosfera dalle emissioni di gas ad effetto serra. Il carbon footprint è stato descritto ed esaminato in ogni suo aspetto pratico, strutturale e funzionale evidenziandone sia pregi da tenere in considerazione sia limiti da colmare anche attraverso il ventaglio di strumenti di misurazione ambientale che si hanno a disposizione. Il carbon footprint non verrà descritto unicamente come strumento di contabilità ambientale ma anche come mezzo di sensibilizzazione del pubblico o dei cittadini ai temi ambientali. Questo lavoro comprende un’indagine online degli strumenti di misura e rendicontazione delle emissioni di CO2 che sono sotto il nome di carbon footprint o carbon calculator. Nell’ultima parte della tesi si è applicato ad un caso reale tutto quello che è stato appreso dalla letteratura. Il lavoro è consistito nell’applicare lo strumento del carbon footprint ad un’azienda italiana di servizi seguendo la metodologia di calcolo prevista dalla norma ISO 14064. Di essa sono state contabilizzate le emissioni di CO2 generate dalle attività quotidiane e straordinarie sulle quali l’azienda ha un controllo diretto o comunque una responsabilità indiretta

Parched Injustice : Unravelling the production and distribution of drought risk in South Africa

Droughts and water shortages constitute some of the most urgent challenges that society must address. Due to anthropogenic pressure and human-induced climate change, future projections expect droughts to escalate and most heavily affect those who are socially, economically and politically disadvantaged. However, the world seems still unprepared to face future droughts, much less to address their implications. As of today, it is still difficult to foresee when droughts are likely to strike, for how long, and in particular, what their impacts will be. One of the reasons for this impasse is that scientists have not yet fully grasped the socioenvironmental complexity of droughts. To account for such complexity, this thesis combines sociohydrological and critical social sciences. This interdisciplinary effort contributes to better understand why droughts occur and manifest themselves the way they do. Specifically, the thesis aims to apprehend the production and distribution of drought risk over time and across space by (a) unravelling the socioenvironmental processes that over time reshape drought hazard along with (b) revealing the way certain socioenvironmental processes redistribute drought vulnerabilities across space. This thesis shows how different temporal and spatial scales expose distinctive socioenvironmental processes which are entangled with the production of drought hazard and vulnerabilities. The city of Cape Town and Ladismith’s agricultural area in South Africa provide the empirical basis for such analyses as they both witnessed extreme droughts which unfolded as water crises experienced unevenly by their respective populations. The thesis finds that rather than society as whole, power dynamics and social inequalities are much more adept at explaining the way humans unsustainably and unevenly reshape water systems, thereby transforming droughts into water crises. All too often, water consumption by privileged social groups exerts unsustainable pressure on the local hydrology, thereby constituting a serious threat for the long-term sustainability of urban or rural water systems. Power imbalances are amongst the driving mechanisms that determine what human-water dynamics will be sustained over time. As a result, to better understand the production and distribution of drought risk it is necessary to focus on the political economic processes that produce such injustices. Whilst doing so, drought scholars should always account for the agency of non-human processes and their entanglements with power dynamics. Ultimately, if as humans we cannot tame the agency of biophysical processes, we have, at minimum, the responsibility to address the political-economic systems and power dynamics that produce unjust and unsustainable socioenvironmental transformations.

Aid and trade : From policy discourses to development practices

Set within a broader mainstream 'aid effectiveness' debate and embedded in a neo-liberal discourse, the new Dutch 'Aid and Trade' development policy shifted towards poverty eradication jointly with economic growth and prosperity for Dutch companies abroad. Throughout this agenda, the Netherlands is seeking to reduce the aid provided to its recipient countries and eventually move toward purely trade relationships, focusing on the Dutch top sectors where it might be easier to achieve the worldwide success of Dutch businesses. Self-interest was the main incentive for this reformed approach, casting aside the moral motive and solidarity that used to characterise the past Dutch development policies. Moreover, by merging aid and trade, the Dutch agenda for development appears to focus mainly on fostering Dutch business opportunities rather than facilitating the entry of low income countries in global economics. Steered by this policy shift, yet concerned about the consequences of its implementation, this research essentially aims to understand "what the policy means in practices". By unravelling the everyday practices of WASH development practitioners in Kenya it allows for a better cognizance of the policy itself and of the process that result from its implementation. Abiding by the Rein and Schön definition of policy frame, this study firstly describes the policy discourses that frame problems, normalize ideas and select certain solutions. The new agenda was driven by the perception that aid was not effective and that only market based policies would offer the necessary opportunities for development. At the same time, the geography of power and poverty that characterises the world today, encouraged the shift toward trade and gave priority to Dutch economic interests. This research found that 'Aid and Trade' basically implies leaving room for the private sector, increasing opportunities for the Dutch companies, privileging productive activities and lastly, provide leverage for additional investments. In particular for the WASH sector, 'Aid and Trade' is also about promoting the Dutch water brand. For instance, by building strategic partnerships between Dutch and local actors. The Dutch private sector would not only be involved for exporting products, innovative technologies, but also knowledge and technical assistance to the local partners. Moreover, the new approach considers water supply and sanitation services more sustainable and efficient in private hands. Drawing on the discourses, this research tried to trace the policy shift also within the financial instruments used in the WASH development sector. Recognising, as Lascoumes and Les Gales did, that instruments can determine the ways in which actors are going to behave, it was necessary to analyse how the programmes funded by the Netherlands Ministry for Trade and Development Cooperation have incorporated the shift. The new financial instruments indeed seemed to be more in line with the actual policy objectives of fostering inclusive economic growth, trade and investments. They also have an explicit intention of involving as much as possible Dutch companies. Finally, acknowledging the complexity of policy implementation, as the work of anthropologists such as Mosse or Shore and Wright suggests, this research disentangles the WASH development practices to discover how they have translated and/or reshaped the 'Aid and Trade' policy discourses. This was achieved by observing the actors that manage or implement the WASH projects, and scrutinising these projects with 'Aid and Trade lenses'. The research concludes that the policy through discourses and financial instruments legitimate some actors, influence their ideas, and support certain solutions. At the same time actors "work hard" for maintaining coherent representation of the policy discourses and implementing its solutions. However, the actual practices do not entirely match with the actors' and project' ceremonial representations. A mismatch, that uninformed about the local context, might hinder the pursuit of the "inclusive and sustainable economic growth" toward where this policy is aiming

Parched Injustice : Unravelling the production and distribution of drought risk in South Africa

Droughts and water shortages constitute some of the most urgent challenges that society must address. Due to anthropogenic pressure and human-induced climate change, future projections expect droughts to escalate and most heavily affect those who are socially, economically and politically disadvantaged. However, the world seems still unprepared to face future droughts, much less to address their implications. As of today, it is still difficult to foresee when droughts are likely to strike, for how long, and in particular, what their impacts will be. One of the reasons for this impasse is that scientists have not yet fully grasped the socioenvironmental complexity of droughts. To account for such complexity, this thesis combines sociohydrological and critical social sciences. This interdisciplinary effort contributes to better understand why droughts occur and manifest themselves the way they do. Specifically, the thesis aims to apprehend the production and distribution of drought risk over time and across space by (a) unravelling the socioenvironmental processes that over time reshape drought hazard along with (b) revealing the way certain socioenvironmental processes redistribute drought vulnerabilities across space. This thesis shows how different temporal and spatial scales expose distinctive socioenvironmental processes which are entangled with the production of drought hazard and vulnerabilities. The city of Cape Town and Ladismith’s agricultural area in South Africa provide the empirical basis for such analyses as they both witnessed extreme droughts which unfolded as water crises experienced unevenly by their respective populations. The thesis finds that rather than society as whole, power dynamics and social inequalities are much more adept at explaining the way humans unsustainably and unevenly reshape water systems, thereby transforming droughts into water crises. All too often, water consumption by privileged social groups exerts unsustainable pressure on the local hydrology, thereby constituting a serious threat for the long-term sustainability of urban or rural water systems. Power imbalances are amongst the driving mechanisms that determine what human-water dynamics will be sustained over time. As a result, to better understand the production and distribution of drought risk it is necessary to focus on the political economic processes that produce such injustices. Whilst doing so, drought scholars should always account for the agency of non-human processes and their entanglements with power dynamics. Ultimately, if as humans we cannot tame the agency of biophysical processes, we have, at minimum, the responsibility to address the political-economic systems and power dynamics that produce unjust and unsustainable socioenvironmental transformations.

Us and Them : Privileged emotions of Cape Town's urban water crisis

Political ecology has already engaged with emotions in order to reveal the intimate, unconscious and unexplored power dynamics which characterise patterns of water use and control. Similar explorations have mostly focused on the emotional struggles of structurally disadvantaged people rather than on the emotions of those with privilege: the elite. This oversight becomes problematic when it conceals disproportionate shares of power and the implications that such power has on the sustainable use and just distribution of water resources. The 2018 water crisis which affected Cape Town’s metropolitan area constitutes the empirical context of this paper, which sets out to address the aforementioned research gap. Focusing on the elite’s emotional responses to Cape Town’s drought and subsequent water crisis, this paper seeks to advance political ecology’s understanding of urban water crises by retracing the emotional geography of Cape Town’s most privileged urban dwellers. In particular, this work leverages the concept of subjectivity to explain the way emotions are constructed and come to materially and discursively reproduce historical power dynamics. These findings reveal that fear, anger, and a sense of pride felt by wealthier Capetonians results from and perpetuates the privileged conditions of those elite. Rooted in colonial and apartheid past, Capetonians’ privileged emotions end up perpetuating the main causes of the water crisis and eventually excluding the most disadvantaged inhabitants from future use and control of water resources. Ultimately, by connecting with privileged emotions, it is possible to challenge certain subjectivities and create space for more just and sustainable urban-water imaginaries