<p>U doktorskoj disertaciji su istraženi problemi katastrofalnih &scaron;teta, upravljanja njima u uslovima klimatskih promena i uticaja klimatskih promena na delatnost osiguranja. U cilju ispitivanja povezanosti klimatskih promena i &scaron;teta u osiguranju napravljen je regresioni model koji karakteri&scaron;e tu vezu.Rezultati istraživanja ukazuju da klimatske promene imaju snažan uticaj na povećanje svih hazarda povezanih sa vremenskim prilikama, &scaron;to ima negativan uticaj na raspoložive kapacitete i uspe&scaron;nost poslovanja sektora osiguranja. Transfer rizika i saradnja sa javnim sektorom neophodni su u cilju održivog finasiranja posledica klimatskih promena.</p> / <p>In the doctoral dissertation problems of catastrophic losses, their management under climate changes and the impact of climate changes on insurance industry are explained in detail. With the aim of investigation the link between climate changes and insurance lossses we use regression model. The research results indicate that climate changes have strong impact on the increase of all hazards connected with weather conditions and that increase have negative impact on available capacities and business success of insurance industry. Risk transfer and cooperation with public sector is necessary for financing of losses of climate changes but insurance industry can play an important role in prevention of future losses.</p>

Thesis (PhD. (Agricultural economics)) --University of Limpopo, 2013 / Declining rural livelihood and coping strategies in the Caprivi region have for some time been blamed on climate risk factors alone. Prominent climate risk factors are drought and floods. While the indignation of many speculators about the devastating effects of climate risk factors on annual harvests may be valid, the truth is that there are now new constraints on the livelihoods of rural households. Multi-stage cluster and stratified random sampling were used in identifying respondents. Data was collected by means of face-to-face interviews with a structured questionnaire that was applied on a sample of 253 respondents. The respondents resided in three constituencies, namely Kabbe, Katima Rural and Linyanti, which are classified as floodplains. With regards to the analytical framework, the thesis used descriptive statistics, factor analysis, a logistics regression model, as well as an unconstrained multivariate regression model. The objective of the thesis is to suggest mitigating strategic policy prescriptions that will enhance the livelihoods of rural communities in the Caprivi region. The results revealed that albeit agriculture is the main livelihood strategy, it is on a declining path in the context of livestock numbers (cattle, goats and chickens) and crop harvest (maize, millet and sorghum). Of the respondents, a substantial number (31%) of rural households are headed by people who are ≥ 56 years of age. Notwithstanding the damage caused to crop fields by other factors, the main causative factor to the poor harvest in 2007 was wild animals. The biannual harvesting approach has been abandoned for a single approach owing to climate risk factors and changes in the natural environment attributed to climate change and destruction of crop field by wild animals. The average annual rainfall at Katima Mulilo is 653 mm, but volatility in annual rainfall often results in drought or floods. Malaria, Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome are to blame for reduced availability of labour to maintain livelihood activities that sustain rural households. The results further show that five factor components make rural households eligible for receiving food aid. The first is the capacity to farm, the second is climate risk awareness, the third is household economic status, the fourth is past economic opportunities, and the last factor is household labour fitness. Salient to a rural farming household’s decision to farm are three variable, namely food cost, age of the head of the household and the value of food aid. Using income as a proxy to the de factor inadvertent climate risk occurrences and damage to crops by wild animals, pension in the hands of heads of rural households, the value of livestock owned by rural households and, the value of food aid provided to rural households proved to have a significant relationship with rural household income. In order to enhance rural livelihoods in the study area, the government and development partners should work towards establishing a repository for indigenous knowledge which rural communities have employed in the past. This knowledge should be improved on in order to use it in tackling related challenges in future. There is a need to invest more in agricultural infrastructure such as water-catchment facilities and irrigation infrastructure to assist communities to embark on irrigated vegetable farming in dry seasons; establish health facilities close to rural communities that are remote; address the lack of access to finance in the study area; and as an illustration of the lack of government projects in the study area, the green scheme should be rolled out in the area. The opening up of conservancies in areas where rural communities eke out their living from the agricultural livelihood strategy has caused unintended consequences for farming rural households. Thus the policy interface gap between the opening up of community conservancies and the agricultural policy affecting the agricultural livelihood strategy need to be addressed.

<p><em>Människors miljörelaterade beteenden behöver förbättras. I studien undersöktes unga vuxna universitetsstuderandes syn på klimatproblematiken. En enkät delades ut som mätte miljövänligt beteende, ansvarskänsla, tillit till forskning, upplevelse av att kunna påverka och kunskap när det gäller klimatproblematiken. Deltagarna fick också beskriva anledningar som möjliggör eller förhindrar en förbättring av klimatproblematiken. Deltog gjorde 97 personer. Resultatet visade på signifikanta samband mellan å ena sidan ansvarskänsla, tillit, påverkansmöjlighet samt kunskap, och å andra sidan miljövänligt beteende. Ansvar och kunskap var signifikanta prediktorer för miljövänligt beteende. Deltagarna var överens om vilka anledningar som möjliggör och vilka som förhindrar en förbättring av klimatproblematiken. Ovanstående faktorer kan till viss del förklara miljövänligt beteende. </em></p> / <p>People’s environmentally related behavior must improve. This study mirrors the views of young university students regarding climate change. Students responded to a questionnaire measuring environmental behavior, the sense of responsibility, faith in research and the ability to influence as well as knowledge of climate change issues. The participants, 97 in all, were also asked to describe reasons for or against facilitating improvements regarding climate problems. The results revealed significant relations between on one hand responsibility, trust, opportunities to influence and knowledge, and on the other hand pro-environmental behavior. Responsibility and knowledge were significant predictors of pro-environmental behavior. The participants agreed on what reasons improve and what inhibits climate problems. The factors above explain to a certain extent pro-environmental behavior.</p>

Människors miljörelaterade beteenden behöver förbättras. I studien undersöktes unga vuxna universitetsstuderandes syn på klimatproblematiken. En enkät delades ut som mätte miljövänligt beteende, ansvarskänsla, tillit till forskning, upplevelse av att kunna påverka och kunskap när det gäller klimatproblematiken. Deltagarna fick också beskriva anledningar som möjliggör eller förhindrar en förbättring av klimatproblematiken. Deltog gjorde 97 personer. Resultatet visade på signifikanta samband mellan å ena sidan ansvarskänsla, tillit, påverkansmöjlighet samt kunskap, och å andra sidan miljövänligt beteende. Ansvar och kunskap var signifikanta prediktorer för miljövänligt beteende. Deltagarna var överens om vilka anledningar som möjliggör och vilka som förhindrar en förbättring av klimatproblematiken. Ovanstående faktorer kan till viss del förklara miljövänligt beteende. / People’s environmentally related behavior must improve. This study mirrors the views of young university students regarding climate change. Students responded to a questionnaire measuring environmental behavior, the sense of responsibility, faith in research and the ability to influence as well as knowledge of climate change issues. The participants, 97 in all, were also asked to describe reasons for or against facilitating improvements regarding climate problems. The results revealed significant relations between on one hand responsibility, trust, opportunities to influence and knowledge, and on the other hand pro-environmental behavior. Responsibility and knowledge were significant predictors of pro-environmental behavior. The participants agreed on what reasons improve and what inhibits climate problems. The factors above explain to a certain extent pro-environmental behavior.

This is a comprehensive research which examines students’ perception of climate change and their positive actions (i.e., Low-Carbon Behaviors) by comparing students in primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong. The research has employed both quantitative and quantitative approaches to collect data. Quantitative data was collected from 709 student samples from two secondary schools and two primary schools by conventional paper-and-pencil questionnaire surveys that include the measures of (1) environmental attitude; (2) perception of climate change problem; (3) engagement in LCBs; (4) hurdles to the adoption of LCBs; and (5) climate change knowledge. Qualitative data was collected from five school teachers of the participating schools by interviews to gather views on climate change education (CCE) and to explore the constraints of its effective implementation. The research concluded that students held moderate pro-environment attitude. Both primary and secondary students were equally worried about climate change problem and believed that its impacts were severe. Yet, fewer primary students believed the anthropogenic cause of climate change and they also perceived lower severity of climate change impact on local ecological environment. Students held modestly positive hope in mitigating climate change problem. Primary students felt a stronger empowerment to influence others, and were more willing to take action than secondary students. Moreover, students perceived that additional commitment and lack of practicing opportunities were major hurdles of LCBs. They also possessed a fairly low level of climate change knowledge with different misconceptions. In addition, the research has unveiled that lack of funding support and inconsequential administrative procedures from the application of environmental project funds were the foremost obstacles to the implementation of CCE. Most teacher respondents were contented with the curriculum design of climate change problem and inclined to oppose the introduction of formal CCE in Hong Kong. Furthermore, the research has thoroughly reviewed the existing curricula in primary and secondary schools. The existing design of school curriculum on climate change was found to be fragmented and unable to allow students to comprehend the issues thoroughly. Finally, overseas CCE practices, recommendations on improving CCE, and enhancing students’ engagement in LCBs, were discussed. / published_or_final_version / Environmental Management / Master / Master of Science in Environmental Management

Magistro darbe tiriama miško aplinkos sąlygų ir klimato kaitos įtaka inkiluose perintiems žvirbliniams paukščiams. Darbo objektas – inkiluose perintys žvirbliniai paukščiai. Darbo tikslas – ištirti žvirblinių paukščių veisimosi dėsningumus Kazlų Rūdos miškų masyve ir įvertinti klimato kaitos poveikį. Darbo metodai – sistemingai iškeltų inkilų stebėjimas, loginė literatūros analizė, statistinė duomenų analizė. Darbo rezultatai. Atlikus tyrimus Kazlų Rūdos mokomosios miškų urėdijos Jūrės girininkijos miškuose, įvertintas miško aplinkos veiksnių ir klimato kaitos poveikis didžiosios zylės Parus major L. ir margasparnės musinukės Ficedula hypoleuca Pall. veisimuisi ir gauti tokie rezultatai: didžiosios zylės pirmojo kiaušinio padėjimo laiką tiesiogiai įtakoja vidutinė paros temperatūra, tačiau reakcija yra uždelsta 4 dienomis; didžiosios zylės antrojoje vadoje arčiau miško aikštės, kirtavietės ar jaunuolyno krašto deda didesnes dėtis; šiltėjančio klimato pasėkoje didžiosios zylės pradeda veistis vidutiniškai 5 dienomis anksčiau lyginant su A. Aleknonio pateiktais duomenimis (1958-1982); dėl ankstesnio didžiųjų zylių veisimosi pirmojoje vadoje, taip pat dėl pailgėjusio periodo su aukštesnėmis temperatūromis antra vada pradedama dėti anksčiau ir būna gausesnė. / This study is analyzing Forest environment conditions and changes in climate influence on breeding passerine birds hatched in nest boxes. The Object – Passerine birds breeding in nest boxes. The aim of this paper is to investigate regularities of breeding passerine birds in Kazlų Rūda forest and to estimate possible impact of climate change. Methods – observation of systematically placed nest boxes, logical literature analysis, statistical analysis of data. Results. Study was carried on Training State Forest Enterprise of Kazlų Rūda, Forestry of Jūrė. Impact of forest environment and changes in climate on breeding of Great Tit (Parus major) and Pied Fly Catcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) were estimated. Following results were found: time of first laying egg is directly influenced by mean temperature of the day, but reaction time is delayed for 4 days; in the second broad that are closer to the forest openings, forest cuttings or brush stage forest edge Great Tits are laying more eggs; thought the warming of the climate Great Tits starts to breed 5 days earlier comparing to data by A. Aleknonis (1958-1982); regarding earlier breeding of Great Tits in first broad, either prolonged period with higher temperatures second broad is relatively larger and initiated to lay earlier.

The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of meteorological factors on the phenological phases of the vegetation in broadleaved forests under varying climatic conditions. To attain the aim, the following objectives were set: 1. Characterize the changes of values of meteorological parameters (temperature, precipitation) in the studied period; 2. Determine solar radiation intensity under the canopies of trees, phenological phases of trees and bushes and their changes; 3. Determine the changes of projection coverage, height and phenological phases of herbaceous plants during the growing period; 4. Ascertain the relationship between meteorological factors and phenological phases of woody and herbaceous plants. Scientific novelty, theoretical and practical significance. Up till now in Lithuania phenological studies mostly of agricultural plants have been conducted. Phenological studies on woody and herbaceous plants in the forests of Lithuania are almost absent. Most of the studies were conducted with indicator species, such as hazel, coltsfoot, etc. During the study, for the first time in Lithuania a complex investigation of forest community was carried out and the influence of meteorological factors on the phenological phases of herbaceous and woody plants in Kamša botanical-zoological reserve was determined. The results of the study allow to better assess the influence of meteorological factors on seasonal development (phenology) of herbaceous plants, trees and... [to full text] / Darbo tikslas – ištirti meteorologinių veiksnių įtaką plačialapių lapuočių miškų augalijos fenologiniams tarpsniams skirtingų klimatinių sąlygų metais. Tyrimo uždaviniai: 1. charakterizuoti meteorologinių rodiklių (temperatūros, kritulių) reikšmių kaitą tiriamuoju laikotarpiu; 2. nustatyti apšvietimą po medžių lajomis, medžių ir krūmų lapojimo fenologinius tarpsnius ir jų pokyčius; 3. nustatyti žolinių augalų projekcinio padengimo, aukščio, fenologinių tarpsnių kaitą vegetacijos metu; 4. nustatyti ryšį tarp meteorologinių veiksnių ir sumedėjusių, žolinių augalų fenologinių tarpsnių. Darbo mokslinis naujumas, teorinė ir praktinė reikšmė. Lietuvoje iki šiol daugiausia atlikta fenologinių tyrimų su žemės ūkio augalais. Sumedėjusių augalų ir miško žolinių augalų detalių fenologinių tyrimų Lietuvoje beveik nėra. Daugiausia atlikta indikatorinių rūšių, kaip paprastasis lazdynas, paprastasis šalpusnis ir kt., tyrimų. Pirmą kartą Lietuvoje kompleksiškai tirta miško bendrija, nustatyta meteorologinių veiksnių įtaka sumedėjusių augalų lapojimo ir žolinių augalų fenologiniams tarpsniams Kamšos botaniniame-zoologiniame draustinyje. Darbo rezultatai leidžia geriau įvertinti meteorologinių veiksnių įtaką miško žolinės augalijos, medžių ir krūmų sezoniniam vystymuisi (fenologijai). Gautos žinios svarbios ne tik teoriniam išsamesniam atskirų rūšių biologijos pažinimui, bet ir praktiniams tikslams: dendrologijoje, fitopatologijoje ir t. t.

Thesis (MS)--Montana State University--Bozeman, 2009. / Typescript. Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Rick L. Lawrence. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 93-106).

This thesis is focused on a survey whether the production of greenhouse gases by cultivation of vegetable, concretely garlic, is higher in a conventional way of cultivation or in an organic way of cultivation of garlic (from view of the environment). The study is composed on the base of all system processes which are used during cultivation of garlic. It was clear from collection of input data (which were obtained by questionnaire or telephone survey) that main processes for calculation would be mainly agricultural processes. An emission load of CO2 equivalent to a kilogram of individual product was calculated from obtained data and information from a database Ecoinvent. The purpose of this work is making information about possibility of choice of food and its influence on the environment available to people. It should help them to choose which food they want to eat. The conclusion of this thesis is the result which shows that organic cultivation of garlic is more sparing to the environment because it produces less emission than conventional agriculture.

This thesis deals with a quantity of CO2 emissions produced during breeding of pigs. Two systems of farming (conventional and organic) were compared between each other. With help of questionnaire survey the data were obtained ? they were needed for a calculation of CO2 emissions in software program SIMA PRO which calculates emissions produced in agricultural phase: the breeding of animal from its birth to the end of fattening and converts them into CO2 equivalent. The aim of this work was to find out, which system of farming produces more CO2 emissions.