Search Climate Insights Directory

The report segments Marylanders into six climate change audiences: Alarmed, Concerned, Cautious, Disengaged, Doubtful, and Dismissive. In spring 2013, 62% of residents fell into the Alarmed (23%) and Concerned (39%) categories. The study finds high polarization regarding local environmental changes and health risks, while identifying broad support for renewable energy and the protection of public water supplies. It details the demographic and behavioral profiles of each segment to inform state climate and energy policy communication.

The 2014 Maryland statewide survey reveals that while a majority of residents support state action to protect coastal areas from sea level rise and general climate harms, there is significant uncertainty regarding whether sea level rise is currently occurring and what causes it. Preferred adaptation strategies include changes to zoning regulations and long-range planning. Residents identify hotter weather and severe storms as the most likely local climate impacts, with agriculture, public health, and coastlines viewed as the most at-risk resources.

The document argues that disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation have evolved separately despite significant overlaps. It highlights that while DRR focuses on near-term risks and emergency management, adaptation takes a longer-term view of adjusting to climatic shifts. The brief emphasizes that both are driven by exposure and vulnerability, which are often exacerbated by poor development planning. It calls for a transformative approach that prioritizes vulnerability reduction over simple risk management, integrating human rights and sustainable development to prevent the creation of new risks.

The 'Minimum Standards for local climate-smart disaster risk reduction' guide establishes a framework for integrating future climate-related risks into local disaster risk reduction (DRR) activities. It provides two sets of standards: one for community-level implementation and another for civil society organizations (CSOs) or local government authorities supporting those communities. The guide emphasizes moving beyond 'business as usual' by utilizing weather forecasts, seasonal projections, and vulnerability assessments to create adaptive action plans.

The report examines how climate hazards—such as permafrost degradation, sea-level rise, and extreme weather—threaten Canadian infrastructure, including transportation, buildings, and water systems. It finds that while significant economic costs are already being incurred and research is extensive, policy and regulatory responses remain nascent and investment decisions are not yet substantially driven by adaptation needs. The document details regional vulnerabilities and explores enabling factors such as updated building codes, insurance incentives, and industry-led sustainability initiatives to strengthen long-term resilience.

The document argues that while climate change is unlikely to be the sole direct cause of conflict, it acts as a 'threat multiplier' that intersects with poor political governance and socio-economic vulnerabilities to increase the risk of violence. In the Zambezi basin, this manifests as competition over dwindling water and food supplies, migration-induced tensions, and the manipulation of resource scarcity by political elites. Case studies of Bulawayo and Chinde highlight how chronic water shortages, flooding, and political marginalisation create flashpoints for unrest. The author emphasizes that strengthening Local Adaptive Capacity (LAC) and community resilience through grassroots organisations and traditional governance can mitigate these risks.

Small-scale fisheries in Mozambique support approximately 280,000 fishers and are vital for rural food security, yet they face threats from overfishing, illegal practices, and external economic pressures. While the government has implemented co-management through Conselho Comunitário de Pesca (CCPs) and established a three-mile exclusive-use zone for small-scale fishers, these efforts are hindered by poor financial management of license and park fees. The sector is further pressured by top-down Marine Protected Area (MPA) management, which has created conflicts between fishers and tourism operators, and by high vulnerability to climate-induced droughts, cyclones, and flooding. The document recommends strengthening the role of CCPs in disaster risk preparedness, improving environmental impact assessment (EIA) monitoring, and enhancing cooperation between conservation authorities and fishing communities.

Intervenors, represented by Earthjustice, submitted additional evidence to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to argue that the proposed Dominion Cove Point LNG facility faces significant climate-related risks. The submission includes a NOAA report predicting an above-normal 2013 Atlantic hurricane season, a Maryland Climate Change Commission report projecting sea-level rise of up to 5.7 feet by 2100, and an IPIECA report on oil and gas industry adaptation. The intervenors contend that these factors increase the likelihood of catastrophic facility breaches or ship accidents and demand a comprehensive climate risk assessment covering the project's design, location, and shipping activities.

The report identifies Pakistan as highly vulnerable to climate change due to its geography, economic dependence on agriculture, and high poverty levels. It evaluates the 2013 National Climate Change Plan (NCCP) and the impact of the 18th Amendment, which devolved environmental responsibility to provinces. The document proposes ten priority action areas across policy, governance, technical capacity, and capacity building, while drawing lessons from adaptation planning in Kenya and the Dominican Republic.

The document applies an eight-step process to analyze climate risks in Bagamoyo, Tanzania, by comparing local community perceptions of floods, droughts, and sea-level rise with historical data from the Dar es Salaam International Airport station and future projections under the RCP8.5 scenario. While historical data only partially confirm local perceptions of specific flood and drought events, future projections strongly suggest increasing maximum temperatures and a likely decrease in the length of the long rainy season. The study concludes that these trends threaten agriculture and health, necessitating 'climate-smart' agricultural practices and improved coastal infrastructure.

The project utilized community-based participatory methods and the CRiSTAL tool to identify climate vulnerabilities in six Ghanaian communities, linking local findings to national policy discussions in Accra to improve coastal urban development and disaster management.

The project uses proxy data from lagoon sediments, stalagmites, tree-rings, and corals to analyze past hurricane activity. Key findings indicate that higher hurricane activity correlates with warmer sea surface temperatures and specific climate patterns like the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) and El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Research in Nicaragua and Belize suggests an anti-phase relationship in landfall activity between Central America and the eastern Caribbean/U.S. East coast, influenced by the inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ) and subtropical anticyclone. Additionally, the project identifies the Low-Level Jet (IALLJ) as a critical factor for sea surface temperatures and moisture advection. Demographic data highlights that approximately 19 million people in the conterminous U.S. live in vulnerable areas less than 1 km from the coastline.

The Arctic Athabaskan Council (AAC) has filed a petition with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, arguing that Canada's inadequate regulation of black carbon emissions is causing rapid Arctic warming and melting. This environmental degradation is alleged to violate the human rights of Arctic Athabaskan peoples in Canada and the United States, specifically their rights to culture, property, health, and means of subsistence. The document details the potent warming effect of black carbon, the fragmented nature of Canadian air quality regulations, and the specific ecological and social impacts on Athabaskan communities, including the decline of caribou populations and the loss of traditional knowledge. The petitioners request that the Commission investigate these harms and recommend that Canada implement mandatory measures to limit black carbon emissions.

The document details how global average sea level has risen 8 inches since 1880, noting that the US East Coast and Gulf of Mexico are hotspots due to ocean current changes and land subsidence. It highlights the accelerating role of land ice melt—which contributed 75 to 80 percent of the total increase between 2003 and 2007—and asserts that future sea level rise will be primarily driven by the loss of ice sheets in Greenland and West Antarctica.

The document aggregates data from multiple polling organizations, indicating a general rise in American concern regarding climate change and a growing belief in its human causes. While there is broad support for renewable energy and power plant emission regulations, public support for carbon taxes and cap-and-trade measures remains low. The data highlights significant demographic variations, with higher levels of concern and support for government action among Democrats, minorities, and younger adults compared to Republicans.

The document explains that global sea level has risen approximately eight inches since the Industrial Revolution, driven primarily by thermal expansion and the melting of land ice due to global warming. It highlights that the U.S. East and Gulf coasts are experiencing some of the world's fastest rates of rise. Projections for 2100 range from 8 inches to 6.6 feet, with significant risks of permanent inundation, amplified storm surges, and shoreline erosion for over 100 million Americans living in coastal counties. The report argues that while adaptation is necessary, reducing heat-trapping emissions is the most effective way to limit the pace and magnitude of future sea level rise.

Cartagena de Indias has developed the first adaptation guidelines for a coastal city in South America to manage risks from sea level rise, extreme weather, and flooding. These guidelines integrate scientific knowledge with the city's socioeconomic context, including its reliance on tourism and transportation. The process is being monitored by the Colombian government to inform the National Adaptation Plan and other coastal urban areas. The city views adaptation as a means to improve citizen life and avoid the long-term costs of inaction, though the process requires sustained capacity building for local stakeholders.

The document details the creation of the 'Guidelines for Adaptation to Climate Change in Cartagena de Indias', the first of its kind for a South American coastal city. It highlights the city's vulnerabilities to sea level rise, flooding, and ecosystem degradation, while outlining a participatory process involving 64 stakeholder groups to mainstream adaptation into zoning and land-use policies. The brief emphasizes that while the guidelines provide a framework, the process requires sustained capacity building and political commitment to overcome the opportunity costs of adaptation and the skepticism of investors.

The SEI Science Forum 2013 Book of Abstracts presents a diverse portfolio of research focusing on the water-energy-food nexus, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and sustainable governance. Key projects include the development of integrated modeling toolkits (WEAP and LEAP), assessments of climate vulnerability in cities like Quito and Cape Town, and evaluations of international climate finance mechanisms such as the Adaptation Fund. The research spans global scopes with specific case studies in regions including Southeast Asia, Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Arctic, emphasizing the bridge between scientific research and policy implementation.

The document analyzes the rise of atmospheric CO2, which reached a record high of over 400 ppm in May 2013, and discusses the resulting climate impacts and the necessity of immediate mitigation to avoid dangerous warming.