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267 results
Heat wave in Phalodi, India, 19 May 2016
On 19 May 2016, Phalodi, India, recorded an all-time record high temperature of 51°C. An analysis by the Raising Risk Awareness Project found that while annual mean temperatures across India are increasing and heat waves in some small areas are becoming more frequent and intense, human-induced climate change did not play a detectable role in this specific event or a similar one in Andhra Pradesh in May 2015. The study suggests this lack of a detectable trend might be caused by irrigation use and the masking effect of aerosols on warming.
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Document type: Case study
extreme-heat-australia-february-2017
The analysis finds that climate change significantly increased the likelihood of the record-breaking summer heat in New South Wales and the three-day heatwave in Canberra, while the influence on Sydney's heatwave was less clear due to high variability.
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Document type: Research paper
Lessons from St. Lucia: Building local adaptive capacity through community empowerment, stakeholder partnerships, and institutional diversity
The document outlines the climate vulnerabilities of Saint Lucia, a Small Island Developing State whose economy relies on tourism and banana crops. It focuses on the Soufriere district, where physical capital and key industries like agriculture and tourism are threatened by hurricanes and water scarcity. The GIVRAPD project addressed these issues through vulnerability assessments, multi-stakeholder planning, and micro-insurance, concluding that institutional partnerships and local leadership are essential for improving community resilience.
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Document type: Policy brief
The heat wave in Phalodi, Rajasthan, India, 19 May 2016
The report investigates the 51°C record temperature in Phalodi, Rajasthan, on 19 May 2016. While annual mean temperatures in India are increasing, the analysis found that human-induced climate change did not play a statistically significant role in this specific event or a similar 2015 event in Andhra Pradesh. The authors suggest that the warming effect of greenhouse gases may be masked by the cooling effects of aerosols and increased irrigation. However, the report warns that as energy policies shift away from fossil fuels, the diminishing cooling effect of aerosols could increase the intensity of future heat waves.
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Document type: Report
India Heat Wave 2016
The analysis found that while human-induced climate change slightly increased the probability of the 2016 record-breaking heat in Rajasthan, the effect was not statistically significant. The study suggests that the warming effect of greenhouse gases in India is being partially offset by the cooling effects of aerosols and increased irrigation. Despite the lack of a strong temperature trend, the combination of high heat, pollution, and humidity is increasing the health risks and mortality associated with heat waves.
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Document type: Research paper
Climate Change in California
California is experiencing significant damages from climate change, including increased heat-related mortality, more frequent and severe wildfires, and rising sea levels. The state faces critical water shortages, record-low snowpacks in the Sierra Nevada, and a high risk of extinction for 83 percent of its native freshwater fish species.
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Document type: Briefing
The ABCs of Global Climate Change
The document outlines the role of human activity in increasing greenhouse gas emissions and global warming, the resulting environmental and health risks, and the emission reduction targets required to limit temperature increases to 1.5 or 2 degrees Celsius by 2050.
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Document type: Briefing
CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE BASQUE COUNTRY: IMPACT ON HEALTH AND ADAPTATION MEASURES
The document outlines expected climate impacts in the Basque Country, including rising temperatures, sea-level rise, and altered precipitation, which threaten public health through heat waves, flooding, and increased pollutants. It identifies 26 adaptation measures, highlighting the cost-effectiveness and co-benefits of ecosystem-based solutions like Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) and behavioral changes in transport.
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Document type: Policy brief
LESSONS FROM ST. LUCIA: BUILDING LOCAL ADAPTIVE CAPACITY THROUGH COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT, STAKEHOLDER PARTNERSHIPS, AND INSTITUTIONAL DIVERSITY
The document examines climate vulnerability in the Soufriere region of Saint Lucia, identifying significant gaps in financial, human, and social capital that hinder adaptation. It highlights barriers such as top-down government planning and a lack of incentives in the tourism sector, while suggesting micro-insurance as a tool to replace high-stress coping mechanisms among the poor.
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Document type: Policy brief
Public Call from Scientists, Economists and Other Scholars Supporting Climate Change Objectives of SB 350 and SB 32
A group of Ph.D. researchers and scholars call upon Governor Brown and California legislators to pass SB 32 and SB 350. The signatories argue that human activity is the primary cause of global warming and that California is already experiencing climate impacts such as increased wildfires and extreme heat waves. They advocate for three specific targets: reducing heat-trapping emissions to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050, increasing renewable electricity to 50% by 2030, and reducing transportation petroleum use by 50% by 2030.
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Document type: Statement
Social Learning and Resilience Building in the emBRACE framework
The report argues that social learning—learning embedded within social networks—is essential for developing the adaptive capacity required for community resilience. It distinguishes between single, double, and triple-loop learning, noting that deeper reflection is necessary for transformative change. Using case studies from the UK (floods and heatwaves) and Turkey (earthquakes), the document explores triggers for learning, such as the 'window of opportunity' following a disaster, and the role of 'mavens' or opinion leaders in diffusing knowledge. It highlights barriers including path dependence, power imbalances, and the risk of 'well-informed' individuals feeling a false sense of security. The report concludes that resilience should be viewed as a continuous process of 'bouncing forward' rather than a static end state.
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Document type: Report
Addressing vulnerability to the health risks of extreme heat in urbanising Ahmedabad, India
The document details the creation of the first comprehensive Heat Action Plan in South Asia, implemented by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) in 2013. The plan focuses on an early warning system, public awareness, and healthcare capacity building to protect vulnerable populations from heat-related morbidity and mortality.
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Document type: Research paper
TARISTU JA ENERGIASEKTORI KLIIMAMUUTUSTEGA KOHANEMISE RIIKLIK STRATEEGIA AASTATEKS 2017–2030
The strategy assesses the vulnerability of Estonia's energy and infrastructure systems to climate change, identifying the electricity distribution network and small ports as particularly susceptible. It outlines a comprehensive set of adaptation measures across technical support systems, buildings, transport, and energy resources, with an estimated total implementation cost of approximately 1.3 billion EUR for the 2017–2030 period. The plan emphasizes increasing energy independence through domestic renewable sources and improving the resilience of buildings and transport networks to temperature extremes and flooding.
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Document type: Report
FACT SHEET How California Is Tackling Global Warming, Cutting Oil Use, and Saving Drivers Money
California's climate strategies, centered on the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, are reducing oil use and emissions from the transportation sector, which accounts for nearly 40% of the state's global warming emissions. Key mechanisms include a cap-and-trade program, the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS), and stringent vehicle emissions standards. These policies have led to a 12% drop in oil consumption between 2006 and 2012 and are projected to save drivers money through increased fuel efficiency. Additionally, the state is investing carbon permit proceeds into disadvantaged communities and seeing a boom in clean technology investment and patent registrations.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Power Failure
The U.S. electricity grid is increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather events, with the average annual cost of severe weather rising from $20 billion in the 1980s to $85 billion in the 2010s. Aging infrastructure, graded D+ by the American Society of Civil Engineers in 2013, is susceptible to sea level rise, wildfires, droughts, and heat waves. The report highlights that thermal power plants are particularly at risk due to their heavy reliance on water for cooling, which can lead to production cutbacks or shutdowns when water is too warm or scarce. To improve resilience, the document recommends 'hardening' measures, such as sea walls and burying power lines, alongside the adoption of distributed renewable energy and energy efficiency to reduce overall demand and carbon emissions.
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Document type: Report
BLACKOUT: EXTREME WEATHER, CLIMATE CHANGE AND POWER OUTAGES
The report finds that weather-related power outages in the U.S. have increased significantly, with weather causing 80% of all major outages between 2003 and 2012. It identifies the Midwest and East as particularly vulnerable regions and argues that climate change acts as a 'threat multiplier,' increasing the frequency and intensity of storms, heat waves, and flooding that strain an aging electrical infrastructure.
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Document type: Report
Climate Change in the Texan Mind
The report finds that while a majority of Texans (70%) believe global warming is occurring, fewer than half (44%) attribute it primarily to human activities. There is high consensus among those who believe in global warming regarding future negative impacts in Texas, specifically heat waves (95%) and water shortages (92%). Additionally, a majority of respondents believe that government officials, citizens, and corporations should all do more to address the issue.
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Document type: Executive summary
Extreme Weather and Climate Change in the American Mind
A survey of Americans reveals that 58% believe global warming affects U.S. weather, with significant portions of the population attributing the severity of events like the 2012 record warmth, the Midwest/Great Plains drought, and Superstorms Sandy and Nemo to climate change. The report notes an increase in the perception that U.S. weather has worsened over recent years, with 85% of respondents reporting personal experience with extreme weather in the past year, most commonly high winds and extreme heat.
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Document type: Executive summary
Rising Temperatures, Deadly Threat: Recommendations for Ahmedabad’s Government Officials
The document outlines a framework for Ahmedabad to mitigate the deadly effects of extreme heat, which saw temperatures reach 46.8°C (116°F) during a May 2010 heat wave. It identifies a wide network of stakeholders across central, state, and municipal governments and recommends the creation of a Heat-Health Nodal Office to coordinate communication and response. Key proposed actions include installing additional weather gauges, implementing passive cooling like white china mosaic roofs, and expanding urban green cover. The brief emphasizes the need for targeted outreach to vulnerable populations, such as slum residents and outdoor workers, and suggests integrating heat warnings into existing disease surveillance systems.
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Document type: Policy brief
Heat in the Heartland
The Union of Concerned Scientists reports that cities in the US Midwest have experienced an increase in heat waves and dangerously hot, humid days over the last six decades. Analysis of ten cities, including St. Louis, Chicago, Detroit, and the Twin Cities, shows a rise in the frequency of heat waves and a corresponding loss of cool, comfortable summer days. These trends increase the risk of hyperthermia and dehydration, particularly for vulnerable populations such as the elderly, children, and those with pre-existing medical conditions. The document advocates for city-level preparedness and the reduction of fossil fuel emissions to mitigate these health risks.
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Document type: Fact sheet