Thesis (M.E.S.)--The Evergreen State College, 2007. / Title from title screen (viewed 2/25/2009). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 32-38).

The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation has a vast potential for abrupt climate change due to its large heat transport through the ocean and its nonlinear dynamics. Because of these unique properties, this paper investigates how the climate of West Africa and Europe will respond to a shutdown of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation at the end of the 21st century. Here we use a regional climate model with 90-km grid spacing is forced by an idealized sea-surface temperature anomaly, based upon coupled atmosphere/ocean global model water hosing experiments, with a business-as-usual global warming scenario to discover how West African and European climate will change. In both the boreal spring and summer, cooling in the eastern Atlantic is associated with a strong intensification and eastward extension of the North Atlantic subtropical high over Europe throughout the depth of the atmosphere, a strengthening of the heat low over West Africa at low levels, and a weakening of the Saharan High in the upper atmosphere. Rainfall rates also decrease markedly throughout most of West Africa and Europe: in spring, rainfall rates decrease by 50-80% over Sahelian Africa, in summer rainfall over Europe decreases by up to 90%, while precipitation over West Africa is reduced by 40%. / text

published_or_final_version / Applied Geosciences / Master / Master of Science

Climate change is an undeniable global event. Widely believed to be caused by human activities that release greenhouse gases, this change in climate will occur over a very short period of time when it is compared to natural climate variations. The effect the change will have on environments is somewhat unknown and any predictions are best guess scenarios. In British Columbia the mountain pine beetle has destroyed millions of pine trees but the infestation is not yet done. This may be one of the early symptoms of global warming on the British Columbia environment. Climate change will warm temperatures in BC and increase the annual precipitation. These warmer temperatures allow for longer growing seasons and in many cases, more favorable growing conditions. Studies on Sitka Spruce have found increases in volume growth by as much as 20% and growth in the boreal has been found to increase with higher CO2 levels and warmer temperatures. Climate change does not have to mean beetle epidemics and dying ecosystems. With proactive management British Columbia may actually find benefits in a warming climate.

Ilgą laiko tarpą hidroenergetika vertinta kaip sėkminga žmonijos vystimosi ir akivaizdžios naudos išraiška, pastaruoju metu siejama su reikšmingu poveikiu gamtinei aplinkai bei įtaka klimato kaitai. Lygumų šalyse, net ir mažos galios hidroelektrinių statyba pareikalauja didelių užliejamų žemės plotų. Šiame darbe atlikome aštuoniasdešimties iki 2007 metų pastatytų hidroelektrinių poveikio aplinkai analizę bei aptarėme galimą „Lietuvos hidroenergetinių išteklių schemoje„ numatytų statyti HE poveikį aplinkai palyginant didžiąją ir mažąją hidroenergetiką. Atlikus tyrimą nustatyta, kad nedidelės galios hidroelektrinės poveikis aplinkai, lyginant pagaminamos energijos vienetui yra daug didesnis nei didelių hidroelektrinių atveju. Tam, kad pagaminti 1 kW elektros energijos – 100 kW galingumo hidroelektrinėje, reikės užlieti apie 0,5 ha žemės, kai tokiam pačiam kiekiui pagaminti didelėje (100MW) galios HE prireiks 0,06 ha užliejamos žemės. Planuojamų statyti hidroelektrinių atveju, nepriklausomai nuo regiono, hidroelektrinių tvenkiniai užlietų didelius, žemių plotus. Įgyvendinant „Lietuvos hidroenergetinių išteklių schemą“ būtų sunaikinti 670 km2. miškų ir žemės ūkio naudmenų. Vien tik užtvankos ant Nemuno užlietų 278 km2 užimantį plotą. Užliejamos žemės vertintinos kaip didelę ekologinę ir estetinę vertę turinčios teritorijos, pasižyminčiomis unikaliomis gamtinėmis buveinėmis ir turtinga rūšine įvairove. Užliejus teritorijas radikaliai pakeičiamas kraštovaizdis, prarandamos... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / During the last century hydroenergy become one of the most important energy source in the world. However, the environmental impacts of dams have been disccused widely in recent years. Number of reserches indicates dams reservoir as an significant greenhouse gas source. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effects on environment made by electrical dams in country of flatlands. To assess all possible impact of designed power plants, analysis of more than 80 working electrical dams has been made. The impact of small and large power plants was considered. Analysis shows that there was a quite big difference in flooded land area per energy unit (kW), between low-power and high-power hydroelectric. Average flooded area for 100 kW power plant destroys over 0,5 hectare of species rich semi-natural grasslands forests and other landed property. When high-power (100MW) hydroelectric dam require only about 0,06 hectare of flooded land per unit. Thus, indicates that small water-plants gives much more negative impact per unit, than big ones. However, the impact of dams, are highly destructive in conditions of flatlands. Results has showed that further hydroenergy development in Lithuania, according to planned “Lithuanian hydroenergy resource use scheme” would require vast flooded area of total 670 km2. In addition, dams reservoir emit a significant amount of greenhouse gas to the atmosphere. The impact of Global warming will contribute 43960 thousand ton of CO2 and 580... [to full text]

An ecophysiological comparison among species was conducted to investigate the possible factors controlling the distribution of North American spruce (Picea) species, especially with regard to the possible influence of global change. The seedlings of 8 North American spruce species were grown in a growth chamber, with half of them being given an episodic 'increased temperature and drought' stress treatment. Trait values among species, particularly growth analysis components, were compared and related to climatic variables associated with the geographical range of the species. Relative growth rate (RGR) and specific leaf area (SLA) were positively correlated with latitude, and the leaf weight ratio (LWR) variation negatively with the dryness of species' natural ranges. All these relationships hold with both messed and unstressed seedlings, even thou seedling response to the stress was significant. The SLA-latitude and LWR-dryness relationships are likely to have ecological significance, and this indicates that foliage stricture (SLA) and allocation (LWR) play important roles determining a species range along temperature and dryness gradients.

This paper focuses on the possible input of African Ethics into the global warming and climate change discourse in light of the economic dilemma of sustainability. The paper argues that African Ethics through its concept of Ubuntu can make a worthy contribution to the issues surrounding sustainable development, ecological debt and international climate change talks. In a world where the lives of the affluent nations impact drastically on our climate and necessitate calamitous climate disasters and cause the poor to suffer, why is it that the international community has not reached any noteworthy climate change solutions? The same poor countries are also burdened by payment of huge debts and poor climate change adaptation and development. Can African ethics make some contribution to these challenging issues brought by global warming and climate change? The dissertation seeks to tackle these questions by employing a qualitative methodology informed by Gadamer’s philosophical hermeneutics and using the research design of Boff’s ecological holism and Murove’s relational paradigm. However, in order for African ethics to make such a viable contribution the paper seeks to reveal the philosophical and economic substrata sustaining the incessant degradation of the ecology. This opens us the entry point for African ethics through Ubuntu to engage with other voices in the search for solutions to the global warming and climate change crises. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2013.

70 % of the worlds most expensive wildfireshas occurred since year 2003. This is a clear example of that wildfires arean increasingly growing problem which demands new solutions. Some of the most prominent problems of fighting wildfires are the harsh terrainand limited accessibility, the lack of communication and difficulties in creating an overview off the scene and predict how the wildfire will develop. These problems are all factors which I have tried to focus on in my degree project, the Trition. By doing thoroughly research about wildfires and by gathering information and inspiration from other areas, such as the military, it was possible to see the problems of wildfires in a more problem solving perspective. Ideas and forms were generated through unrestrictive sketching and created sketch models.The Trition is a terrain fire truck that serves as a response vehicle, with exceptionally good off-road mobility and that always can be first at the scene. The Trition also serves as a command central which can organise the enormous operations that big fires demands. By having a mobile and multifunctional command central it is possible to always have the latest data about the scene and plan the wildfire fighting in the most efficient way.The Trition is equipped with a drone on its roof. The drone can take off and sweep the area, collecting data which gives the firefighters a good overview and that help to predict the wildfire, such as wind speed and the terrain incline. The drone also has an important preventing function. By regularly sweeping inhabitant areas, the drones infrared camera can detect wildfires earlyon and alert the Trition for an early intervention.

Dwindling natural resources, the impact of the green house effect and infrastructure that is resource intensive are becoming a global problem. Signs of unsustainability can be identified in various events worldwide. T he above poses an important quest ion: who should be responsible for the protection of natural resources? This question is debatable when reference is ma de to groups such as governments, consumers and business organisations. However, the destruction of the environment cannot continue and it becomes a problem that should be pondered by humanity at large. This leads to the role of education in environmental protection, and in this study specifically to the education of managers. An organisation's base rests on management's philosophy, values, vision and goals. Clearly, a manager 's influence can have immense influence on the organisation, its goals and involvement in environmental protect ion. Taking the above into consideration, this study's objective is to determine if environmental education should be included in the curriculum of management learners on tertiary level. To achieve this objective, exploratory research-was used-to learn more about the dilemma or problem identified. Through interviews (qualitative research) with interest groups such as managers, lecturers and learners in management studies, the attitude of these groups were tested regarding the above objective. Based on the study the following recommendations could be made: • The state of the environment is of great concern and is a global phenomenon affecting all humanity, not only certain groups. • Managers can play a much greater role in the protection of the environment. • Governments and people in leadership positions should decide and put legislation in place that could play an important role in the protection of the environment. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Dwindling natural resources, the impact of the green house effect and infrastructure that is resource intensive are becoming a global problem. Signs of unsustainability can be identified in various events worldwide. T he above poses an important quest ion: who should be responsible for the protection of natural resources? This question is debatable when reference is ma de to groups such as governments, consumers and business organisations. However, the destruction of the environment cannot continue and it becomes a problem that should be pondered by humanity at large. This leads to the role of education in environmental protection, and in this study specifically to the education of managers. An organisation's base rests on management's philosophy, values, vision and goals. Clearly, a manager 's influence can have immense influence on the organisation, its goals and involvement in environmental protect ion. Taking the above into consideration, this study's objective is to determine if environmental education should be included in the curriculum of management learners on tertiary level. To achieve this objective, exploratory research-was used-to learn more about the dilemma or problem identified. Through interviews (qualitative research) with interest groups such as managers, lecturers and learners in management studies, the attitude of these groups were tested regarding the above objective. Based on the study the following recommendations could be made: • The state of the environment is of great concern and is a global phenomenon affecting all humanity, not only certain groups. • Managers can play a much greater role in the protection of the environment. • Governments and people in leadership positions should decide and put legislation in place that could play an important role in the protection of the environment. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.