Water resources and climate change: water managers' perceptions of these related environmental issues

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisabeth Michel-Guillou
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Environmental Issues ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Management Schemes ◽  
Spatio Temporal ◽  
Temporal Dimensions ◽  
Development And Management

The present study focuses on climate change and water resources. Its objectives are: (i) to understand the perceptions of climate change by water managers responsible for the French Water Development and Management Schemes (SAGEs); and (ii) to determine whether or not these managers consider this phenomenon in their management of water resources. The analysis is mainly based on interviewees' spatio-temporal evaluation of these two environmental issues. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 49 people in France. The interviews were transcribed and analysed both manually and via a computer-assisted content analysis. The results show that for water, the major problem is ‘quality’, an issue that is known (i.e. defined by its social, spatial and temporal dimensions), whereas for climate change, this is defined by global warming, drought, or extreme events which are not regularly perceived or locally situated. This indicates that water managers recognize the existence of both issues and the relationships between them. However, because these problems are perceived at different temporal and spatial scales, it seems that these managers find it difficult to incorporate measures into their day-to-day decision-making that take into account the effects of climate change.

scholarly journals Soil salinization under different climate change scenarios: A global scale analysis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nima Shokri ◽  
Amirhossein Hassani ◽  
Adisa Azapagic
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Soil Salinity ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Soil Salinization ◽  
Water Evaporation ◽  
Climate Change Scenarios ◽  
Spatio Temporal ◽  
Salt Affected Soils

<p>Population growth and climate change is projected to increase the pressure on land and water resources, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. This pressure is expected to affect all driving mechanisms of soil salinization comprising alteration in soil hydrological balance, sea salt intrusion, wet/dry deposition of wind-born saline aerosols — leading to an increase in soil salinity. Soil salinity influences soil stability, bio-diversity, ecosystem functioning and soil water evaporation (1). It can be a long-term threat to agricultural activities and food security. To devise sustainable action plan investments and policy interventions, it is crucial to know when and where salt-affected soils occur. However, current estimates on spatio-temporal variability of salt-affected soils are majorly localized and future projections in response to climate change are rare. Using Machine Learning (ML) algorithms, we related the available measured soil salinity values (represented by electrical conductivity of the saturated paste soil extract, EC<sub>e</sub>) to some environmental information (or predictors including outputs of Global Circulation Models, soil, crop, topographic, climatic, vegetative, and landscape properties of the sampling locations) to develop a set of data-driven predictive tools to enable the spatio-temporal predictions of soil salinity. The outputs of these tools helped us to estimate the extent and severity of the soil salinity under current and future climatic patterns at different geographical levels and identify the salinization hotspots by the end of the 21<sup>st</sup> century in response to climate change. Our analysis suggests that a soil area of 11.73 Mkm<sup>2</sup> located in non-frigid zones has been salt-affected in at least three-fourths of the 1980 - 2018 period (2). At the country level, Brazil, Peru, Sudan, Colombia, and Namibia were estimated to have the highest rates of annual increase in the total area of soils with an EC<sub>e</sub> ≥ 4 dS m<sup>-1</sup>. Additionally, the results indicate that by the end of the 21<sup>st</sup> century, drylands of South America, southern and Western Australia, Mexico, southwest United States, and South Africa will be the salinization hotspots (compared to the 1961 - 1990 period). The results of this study could inform decision-making and contribute to attaining the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals for land and water resources management.</p><p>1. Shokri-Kuehni, S.M.S., Raaijmakers, B., Kurz, T., Or, D., Helmig, R., Shokri, N. (2020). Water Table Depth and Soil Salinization: From Pore-Scale Processes to Field-Scale Responses. Water Resour. Res., 56, e2019WR026707. https://doi.org/ 10.1029/2019WR026707</p><p>2. Hassani, A., Azapagic, A., Shokri, N. (2020). Predicting Long-term Dynamics of Soil Salinity and Sodicity on a Global Scale, Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., 117, 52, 33017–33027. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2013771117</p>

In Search of Sustainability

2005 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Urban Design ◽  
Environmental Issues ◽  
Economic Systems ◽  
Sustainable Society ◽  
Natural Ecosystems ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Key Issues

What must we do to achieve a sustainable society? There is no one answer. The first steps towards sustainability cover a whole spectrum of economic, social and environmental issues. In this volume Australian leaders from a wide range of fields discuss the key issues we must address if we are to move towards a more just and sustainable future. They identify the major concerns and challenges for achieving sustainability in the areas of: human health, water resources, land use and natural ecosystems, energy, equity and peace, economic systems, climate change, labour forces and work, urban design and transport, and population. Achieving sustainability will require major changes in our current approaches. The thought-provoking chapters in this book provide a solid introduction to the issues in the search for a genuine path to sustainability.

scholarly journals Contemporary perspectives on the niche that can improve models of species range shifts under climate change

2008 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 573-576 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xavier Morin ◽  
Martin J Lechowicz
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Species Distribution ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Community Diversity ◽  
Vegetation Types ◽  
Heterogeneous Landscapes ◽  
Niche Concept ◽  
Spatio Temporal ◽  
Effective Models

Pioneering efforts to predict shifts in species distribution under climate change used simple models based on the correlation between contemporary environmental factors and distributions. These models make predictions at coarse spatial scales and assume the constancy of present correlations between environment and distribution. Adaptive management of climate change impacts requires models that can make more robust predictions at finer spatio-temporal scales by accounting for processes that actually affect species distribution on heterogeneous landscapes. Mechanistic models of the distribution of both species and vegetation types have begun to emerge to meet these needs. We review these developments and highlight how recent advances in our understanding of relationships among the niche concept, species diversity and community assembly point the way towards more effective models for the impacts of global change on species distribution and community diversity.

Introduction to Water Resources and Environmental Issues

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karrie Lynn Pennington ◽  
Thomas V. Cech
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Emerging Contaminants ◽  
Environmental Issues ◽  
Class Discussion ◽  
Water Law ◽  
Human Populations ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Undergraduate Level ◽  
Made In

How much water does the world need to support growing human populations? What are the potential effects of climate change on the world's water resources? These questions and more are discussed in this thoroughly updated and expanded new edition. Written at the undergraduate level, this accessible textbook covers the fundamentals of water resources, water law, allocation, quality and quantity, health issues, and provides examples of potential personal actions and solutions. There is a keener focus on climate change, as many of the predictions made in the first edition have now come to pass. This new edition features improved artwork, more active learning prompts, more positive examples of beneficial changes, basic introductions to scientific approaches and a discussion of emerging contaminants and LiDAR technology. It contains strong teaching features, with new 'In Depth' and 'Think About It' sections to encourage class discussion, and homework questions to test students' understanding.

scholarly journals Spatio-temporal analysis of rainfall trends in Chhattisgarh State, Central India over the last 115 years

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 117-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manish K. Nema ◽  
Deepak Khare ◽  
Jan Adamowski ◽  
Surendra K. Chandniha
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Water Resources Management ◽  
Change Point ◽  
Temporal Analysis ◽  
Temporal Variations ◽  
Change Point Detection ◽  
Resources Management ◽  
Sustainable Water Resources Management ◽  
Spatio Temporal

AbstractA quantitative and qualitative understanding of the anticipated climate-change-driven multi-scale spatio-temporal shifts in precipitation and attendant river flows is crucial to the development of water resources management approaches capable of sustaining and even improving the ecological and socioeconomic viability of rain-fed agricultural regions. A set of homogeneity tests for change point detection, non-parametric trend tests, and the Sen’s slope estimator were applied to long-term gridded rainfall records of 27 newly formed districts in Chhattisgarh State, India. Illustrating the impacts of climate change, an analysis of spatial variability, multi-temporal (monthly, seasonal, annual) trends and inter-annual variations in rainfall over the last 115 years (1901–2015 mean 1360 mm·y−1) showed an overall decline in rainfall, with 1961 being a change point year (i.e., shift from rising to declining trend) for most districts in Chhattisgarh. Spatio-temporal variations in rainfall within the state of Chhattisgarh showed a coefficient of variation of 19.77%. Strong inter-annual and seasonal variability in regional rainfall were noted. These rainfall trend analyses may help predict future climate scenarios and thereby allow planning of effective and sustainable water resources management for the region.

scholarly journals LOCAL BODIES’ EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND ACTIONS TO RAISE ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE PREFECTURE OF LARISSA IN GREECE

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bechlivani Sofia ◽  
Maria Pavlis-Korres
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Environmental Awareness ◽  
Environmental Issues ◽  
Target Population ◽  
Educational Programs ◽  
Public Institutions ◽  
Local Institutions ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Raising Awareness

<p>The present research aimed at documenting the educational actions and programs about climate change that have been implemented in the Prefecture of Larissa, Greece, and at investigating whether their design and implementation aligns with the principles of adult learning. It also sought to examine whether the participants of these programs have developed environmental awareness and whether they have adapted to the new conditions created by climate change. Following a qualitative methodological approach, this research conducted semi-structured interviews with local bodies’ executives and educators who plan and organize educational programs and events within the scope of climate change. According to the findings of this study, the climate change-related programs implemented in the Prefecture of Larissa were mostly organized by public institutions, had a short duration, and did not always include a practical or experiential part. Their primary purpose was to lead to a more comprehensive approach towards environmental issues and to contribute to the citizens’ and professionals’ adaptation to the changes that have occurred due to climate change. Even though the analysis of target population needs and the program evaluation are generally considered as basic steps in the process of designing adult education programs, this study revealed that local institutions departed from following the abovementioned established practices. In the cases examined, the structure of the content and the implementation of the program were determined by the organizing bodies’ knowledge and capacity. Furthermore, the educational events that offered experiential activities contributed to the participants’ better understanding of the climate change phenomenon, motivated them to become more actively engaged with this issue and led them to the occasional undertaking of initiatives that signified their possible development of environmental awareness. The process of informing, raising awareness and helping people adapt to the consequences of climate change requires time, effort, and persistence by the local institutions and by the state, who can achieve these goals by properly designing and implementing programs that meet the educational needs of the target population.</p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0921/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

scholarly journals Probabilistic models of water resources management on urbanized areas

2020 ◽  
pp. 22-27
Author(s):  
N. M. Kizilova ◽  
N. L. Rychak
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Probabilistic Models ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Measurement Data ◽  
Open Data ◽  
Probability Models ◽  
Urban Territories ◽  
Spatio Temporal ◽  
Mathematical Sciences

Gradual global climate change poses new challenges to the mathematical sciences, which are related to forecasting of meteorological conditions, preparing the infrastructure for possible rains, storms, droughts, and other climatic disasters. One of the most common approaches is synthetic regression-probability models, which use the spatio-temporal probability density functions of precipitation level. This approach is applied to the statistics of precipitation in the Kharkiv region, which shows the tendency to a gradual increase in air temperature, high indices of basic water stress, indices of drought and riverside flood threats. Open data on temperature distributions and precipitation were processed using various probability statistics. It is shown that the lognormal distribution most accurately describes the measurement data and allows making more accurate prognoses. Estimates of drought and flood probabilities in Kharkiv region under different scenarios of climate change dynamics have been carried out. The results of the study can be used for management of water resources on urban territories at global climate warming.

New advanced designed systems to ensure safeguard of the territory and preservation of water resources for irrigation

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Cinalberto Bertozzi ◽  
Fabio Paglione
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Drainage Basin ◽  
Land Reclamation ◽  
Land Area ◽  
Water Board ◽  
Management Schemes ◽  
Innovative Techniques ◽  
River Po ◽  
Crop Irrigation

The Burana Land-Reclamation Board is an interregional water board operating in three regions and five provinces. The Burana Land-Reclamation Board operates over a land area of about 250,000 hectares between the Rivers Secchia, Panaro and Samoggia, which forms the drainage basin of the River Panaroand part of the Burana-Po di Volano, from the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines to the River Po. Its main tasks are the conservation and safeguarding of the territory, with particular attention to water resources and how they are used, ensuring rainwater drainage from urban centres, avoiding flooding but ensuringwater supply for crop irrigation in the summer to combat drought. Since the last century the Burana Land-Reclamation Board has been using innovative techniques in the planning of water management schemes designed to achieve the above aims, improving the management of water resources while keeping a constant eye on protection of the environment.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document