4 research outputs found

    Air Pollution and Health: A Review of Measurement Techniques

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    Air pollution is one of the significant causes of loss of healthy life years due to illness originating from indoor and outdoor air pollution sources like burning of biomass, vehicular emissions, etc. In the presented study, review of various methods used to assess health risks in terms of mortality and morbidity has been described. The use of precise instruments is essential for monitoring of health determinants causing serious health effects in urban regions. Data obtained from monitoring can be fed into the mathematical models in order to get the overall impact. These models are fed with specific concentration value for specific compounds, and they provide calculated number of population at risk. The main problem in using such models is the inability to calculate health risks for every pollutant. To validate the results obtained from mathematical models surveying needs to be synergies with the results. In air pollution impact assessment studies, public perception is one of the important components which these mathematical models do not incorporate, hence we recommend integrated assessment models for such studies. Perception based surveys generate huge data set and require statistical tools like SPSS, STATA for further analysis. It is essential to carry out exposure assessment studies as well to determine the pollution source and its impact on health in a more holistic way. Knowledge of these factors will help us to take measures to reduce pollutant concentration and recommend alternative solution

    Knowledge Priorities on Climate Change and Water in the Upper Indus Basin: A Horizon Scanning Exercise to Identify the Top 100 Research Questions in Social and Natural Sciences

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    River systems originating from the Upper Indus Basin (UIB) are dominated by runoff from snow and glacier melt and summer monsoonal rainfall. These water resources are highly stressed as huge populations of people living in this region depend on them, including for agriculture, domestic use, and energy production. Projections suggest that the UIB region will be affected by considerable (yet poorly quantified) changes to the seasonality and composition of runoff in the future, which are likely to have considerable impacts on these supplies. Given how directly and indirectly communities and ecosystems are dependent on these resources and the growing pressure on them due to ever-increasing demands, the impacts of climate change pose considerable adaptation challenges. The strong linkages between hydroclimate, cryosphere, water resources, and human activities within the UIB suggest that a multi- and inter-disciplinary research approach integrating the social and natural/environmental sciences is critical for successful adaptation to ongoing and future hydrological and climate change. Here we use a horizon scanning technique to identify the Top 100 questions related to the most pressing knowledge gaps and research priorities in social and natural sciences on climate change and water in the UIB. These questions are on the margins of current thinking and investigation and are clustered into 14 themes, covering three overarching topics of ‘governance, policy, and sustainable solutions’, ‘socioeconomic processes and livelihoods’, and ‘integrated Earth System processes’. Raising awareness of these cutting-edge knowledge gaps and opportunities will hopefully encourage researchers, funding bodies, practitioners, and policy makers to address them
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