The pursuit of human needs and demands is placing more pressure on land resources than ever before. The challenge of feeding 7 billion people is increasingly competing with rising demands for materials and biofuels. D...The pursuit of human needs and demands is placing more pressure on land resources than ever before. The challenge of feeding 7 billion people is increasingly competing with rising demands for materials and biofuels. Deforestation and land degradation are among the pressing outcomes of these trends. Drivers of environmental change—including population growth, economic activity, consumption, urbanization, trade, conflict, and governance—clearly play a role in aggravating or mitigating these pressures on land. Despite advances in understanding causality in complex systems, navigating the interactions between these drivers remains a major challenge. This paper analyzes and visualizes the relationships between multiple, interacting drivers of environmental change and specific pressures on land-based ecosystems. Drawing on experience from the development of the Drivers and Land chapters of the UN Environment Programme’s Fifth Global Environment Outlook report (GEO-5), we use a series of Kiviat diagrams to illustrate the relative influence of key drivers on selected pressures on land. When individual diagrams are overlaid, patterns of influence emerge that can provide insight into where policy responses might best be targeted. We propose that, subject to some limitations, the Kiviat exercise can provide an accessible and potentially valuable “knowledge-intermediary” tool to help link science-based information to policy action.展开更多
Integrating disaster waste issue is a critical component of making humanitarian action fit for the future,anticipating global risks and challenges such as increased vulnerability due to climate change and environmenta...Integrating disaster waste issue is a critical component of making humanitarian action fit for the future,anticipating global risks and challenges such as increased vulnerability due to climate change and environmental degradation.This requires a fundamental shift towards a model that not only strengthens the response to crises but also learns and adapts in order to anticipate and act before such waste garnered.This article conducted analyses on the characteristics of disasters in the past two decades.Uncertainties confound disaster waste management,including the timing and magnitude of each disaster,and the amounts and types of waste that will be generated.For these reasons alone,disaster waste management must be an integral part of development planning and processes.Making 10 years since the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake,this article highlights that disaster waste management is not only debris clearance or waste management following a disaster,but also includes prevention and pre-disaster preparedness aspects in terms of enhancing resilience of local communities.Such"mainstreaming,"ensures that disaster waste management(DWM)will be treated as a priority issue,on an ongoing basis.Based on UN Environment's experiences and approaches,this paper emphasises that preparedness is the key,and that priority should be accorded to integrating disaster contingency planning in national and city level waste management strategies as well as mainstreaming waste management issues within broader disaster preparedness and response plans and actions.It is envisaged that the issues presented and the gaps identified in this paper will provide a basis for future comprehensive and cohesive research on disaster waste management.In turn,this research can lead to better preparedness and response on disaster waste management.展开更多
In order to enhance and restore the ecosystems of natural capital in African arid regions,the Global Dryland Ecosystem Programme(G-DEP)consultative meeting was hosted in Dakar,Senegal,from 23 to 25 September 2019.This...In order to enhance and restore the ecosystems of natural capital in African arid regions,the Global Dryland Ecosystem Programme(G-DEP)consultative meeting was hosted in Dakar,Senegal,from 23 to 25 September 2019.This paper details the first African meeting of the G-DEP.Consultative meeting reviewed preceding dryland ecosystems case studies,identified vulnerable arid and semi-arid regions,and proposed sustainable solutions to problems.It also identified the successes and failures of previous attempts to improve vulnerable ecosystems and ultimately formed an action plan to improve these attempts.Climate,ecosystems,and livelihoods for Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs),Great Green Wall Initiative(GGWI)for Sahara and Sahel,and China-Africa cooperation on science,technology,and innovation are three extra main sections concerned of the meeting.Separately,more specific topics as the complicated relationship between these natural processes and human activity,including pastoralism,soil restoration,and vegetation regenerate techniques,were fully discussed.Consultative meeting also identified the positive effects international collaboration can have on dryland regions,specifically in the capacity of sharing information,technology,and innovation on purpose to develop a joint proposal for long-term research programs in African arid and semi-arid areas.Moreover,meetings that review the progress made on ecosystem management for the sustainable livelihoods in Africa,identification of priority areas,and the development and implementation of ecosystem programs for proper research and collaboration in African arid and semi-arid zones,have been proposed as strategic recommendations to enhance the global partnership for sustainable development.Furthermore,as the outcomes of the workshop,there are three steps proposed to handle African dryland climate changes,several aspects suggested to solve current dilemmas of the GGWI,and a series of actions recommended for G-DEP related activities in Africa.展开更多
Comprehensive Air Quality Model with extensions(CAMx)-Decoupled Direct Method(DDM)simulations of first-order ozone(O_(3))sensitivity to nitrogen oxides(NO_(x))and volatile organic compounds(VOCs)emissions were perform...Comprehensive Air Quality Model with extensions(CAMx)-Decoupled Direct Method(DDM)simulations of first-order ozone(O_(3))sensitivity to nitrogen oxides(NO_(x))and volatile organic compounds(VOCs)emissions were performed and combined with modelled P_(H_(2)O_(2))/P_(HNO_(3))ratios to obtain a range of thresholds for determining O_(3)-sensitivity regimes for different areas of China.Utilising the new threshold ranges for photochemical indicators,the method for determining O_(3)formation in the Ozone Source Apportionment Technology(OSAT)module within CAMx was improved by a dynamically varied threshold of P_(H_(2)O_(2))/P_(HNO_(3))ratio.The O_(3)concentration contributions in the newly added transition regime were apportioned to NO_(x)and VOCs emissions in proportion to the relationship between the P_(H_(2)O_(2))/P_(HNO_(3))ratio and first-order O_(3)sensitivity.The source contributions of O_(3)concentrations from different emission sectors from June to September 2019 were compared using the original and improved CAMx-OSAT.The results showed that the O_(3)concentration contributions changed significantly in the NO_(x)-limited regime,with a maximum decrease of 21.89%,while the contributions increased by up to 7.57%in the VOC-limited regime,and were within 15μg/m^(3)in the transition regime.The modified OSAT module enabled a more sophisticated attribution of O_(3)to precursor emissions and may have far-reaching implications for informing O_(3)pollution control policy.展开更多
Sand and dust storms （SDS） are common phenomena in arid and semi-arid areas. In recent years, SDS frequencies and intensities have increased significantly in Iran. A research on SDS sources is important for understa...Sand and dust storms （SDS） are common phenomena in arid and semi-arid areas. In recent years, SDS frequencies and intensities have increased significantly in Iran. A research on SDS sources is important for understanding the mechanisms of dust generation and assessing its socio-economic and environmental impacts. In this paper, we developed a new approach to identify SDS source areas in Iran using a combination of nine related datasets, namely drought events, temperature, precipitation, location of sandy soils, SDS frequency, hu- man-induced soil degradation （HISD）, human influence index （HII）, rain use efficiency （RUE） and net primary pro- ductivity （NPP） loss. To identify SDS source areas, we firstly normalized these datasets under uniform criteria in- cluding layer reprojection using Lambert conformal conic projection, data conversion from shapefile to raster, Min-Max Normalization with data range from 0 to 1, and data interpolation by Kriging and images resampling （resolution of 1 km）. After that, a score map for the possibility of SDS sources was generated through overlaying multiple datasets under average weight allocation criterion, in which each item obtained weight equally. In the score map, the higher the score, the more possible a specific area could be regarded as SDS source area. Exceptions mostly came from large cities, like Tehran and Isfahan. As a result, final SDS source areas were mapped out, and Al-Howizeh/Al-Azim marshes and Sistan Basin were identified as main SDS source areas in Iran. The SDS source area in Al-Howizeh/Al-Azim marshes still keeps expanding. In addition, Al-Howizeh/Al-Azim marshes are now suf- fering rapid land degradation due to natural and human-induced factors and might totally vanish in the near future. Sistan Basin also demonstrates the impacts of soil degradation and wind erosion. With appropriate intensity, dura- tion, wind speed and altitude of the dust storms, sand particles uplifting from this area might have developed into extreme dust storms, especially during the summer.展开更多
We have arrived at a critical juncture when it comes to understanding the numerous ways in which trade interacts with climate change and energy(trade-climate-energy nexus).Trade remains crucial for the sustainable dev...We have arrived at a critical juncture when it comes to understanding the numerous ways in which trade interacts with climate change and energy(trade-climate-energy nexus).Trade remains crucial for the sustainable development of the world's greatest trading nation:China.After clarifying the linkages within the trade,climate change and energy nexus,this article delves into China's specific needs and interests related to trade,climate change and energy.Then it explores the ways in which trade can contribute to China's needs,to sustainable energy development and to the goals of the global climate agreement that is under negotiation.One main findings are China is a key participant in negotiations on trade liberalization of environmental technologies and services.These negotiations are in China's interests in terms of innovative industries,technological upgrading,employment and public health.China could stand up for the interests of other emerging and developing countries and serve as an example in terms of transitioning to a low-carbon economy.Beyond trade barriers issues of domestic(energy)regulation such as fossil-fuel subsidies as well as investment,competition-policy,tradefacilitation and transit issues related to clean energy need to be addressed.Building trust between relevant actors across sectors and national borders will be of the essence in order to foster long-term cooperation on technological innovation.As a way forward,different approaches towards the governance of trade and climate change will be highlighted.Besides discussing the specific aspects of Chinese participation in global trade and climate change governance,this paper aims at offering broader insights into the nexus between trade,energy and climate governance in China.展开更多
The practice of raw material extraction has a high impact on the environment and represents a potential threat to the health and thriving of local communities.The concept of Extractive Essential Variables(EEVs)are exp...The practice of raw material extraction has a high impact on the environment and represents a potential threat to the health and thriving of local communities.The concept of Extractive Essential Variables(EEVs)are explored in order to propose variables that can be used to quantify the environmental footprint of mineral extraction.Considering the interdependence of mining activities with social,economic and environmental issues,the variables target the development of monitoring tools for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs).The identification of EEVs is based on the use of Earth Observation products in the field of mineral resources exploitation.A list of variables is proposed based on three classes of Essential Variables(EVs):installation and exploration phase,mineral extraction,and ore processing.These variables take into account the impacts of mining on the hydrology,land,water resources and the atmosphere of the area subjected to mineral exploitation.One of the variables is implemented as an operational workflow addressing SDG15,“life on land”.The workflow is intended to assess the area of forest ecosystem lost due to the presence of a mining site.Geospatial data on the extent of mining concessions and forest cover are combined using ArcGIS^(TM).The workflow is successively translated into a Unix script to automatize the process of data treatment.The script is developed using the Geospatial Data Abstraction Library(GDAL).The use of a Virtual Laboratory Platform(VLab),a web-service-based access platform,increases the accessibility of data and resources and the re-use of the script.This work is a first attempt to propose a framework of EEVs,derived data workflows,while the underlying methodology,partially based on scientific publications and on personal reasoning,still needs to be tested and,improved based on expertise in the sector.展开更多
This paper examined consumers’experiences in and preferences for plant-based meat(PBM)food and their respective correlates,based on data from an online survey of 579 consumers in four major cities in China in early 2...This paper examined consumers’experiences in and preferences for plant-based meat(PBM)food and their respective correlates,based on data from an online survey of 579 consumers in four major cities in China in early 2021.We first described consumers’experiences in consuming and purchasing PBM food and their correlates,and then analyzed consumer preferences using hypothetical choice experiment.The experiment offered consumers various options to purchase burgers made from PBM or animal-based meat(ABM),combined with different countries of origin(COO),taste labels,and prices.Our data showed that respondents hold overall positive attitudes toward PBM food;85 and 82%of respondents reported experience in eating and purchasing PBM food,respectively.More than half of them ate PBM food because they wanted to try new food(58%),or were interested in healthy food(56%).Income,religion,and dietary restrictions were significantly correlated with consumers’experiences in PBM food consumption.Results from the Random Parameter Logit Model based on the hypothetical choice experiment data showed that 79%of respondents chose PBM burgers and were willing to pay an average of 88 CNY for a PBM burger.We also found that 99.8 and 83%of respondents are willing to buy burgers made in China and those with a taste label,with a willingness to pay(WTP)of 208 and 120 CNY,respectively.The heterogeneity test revealed that females and those with at least a bachelor’s degree,higher income,religious beliefs,and dietary restrictions are more likely to buy PBM burgers than their counterparts.展开更多
A new form of producing and sharing knowledge has emerged as an international(United States of America,Asia,and Europe) research collaboration,known as the Long-Term Ecological Research(LTER) Network.Although Africa b...A new form of producing and sharing knowledge has emerged as an international(United States of America,Asia,and Europe) research collaboration,known as the Long-Term Ecological Research(LTER) Network.Although Africa boasts rich biodiversity,including endemic species,it lacks the long-term initiatives to underpin sustainable biodiversity managements.At present,climate change may exacerbate hunger and poverty concerns in addition to resulting in ecosystem degradation,land use change,and other threats in Africa.Therefore,ecosystem monitoring was suggested to understanding the effects of climate change and setting strategies to mitigate these changes.This paper aimed to investigate ecosystem monitoring ground sites and address their coverage gaps in Africa to provide a foundation for optimizing the African Ecosystem Research Network(AERN) ground sites.The geographic coordinates and characteristics of ground sites-based ecosystem monitoring were collected from various networks aligned with the LTER implementation in Africa.Additionally,climatic data and biodiversity distribution maps were retrieved from various sources.These data were used to assess the size of existing ground sites and the gaps in description,ecosystems and biomes.The results reveal that there were 1089 sites established by various networks.Among these sites,30.5%,27.5%,and 28.8% had no information of area,year of establishment,current status,respectively.However,68.0% of them had an area equal to or greater than 1 km2.Sites were created progressively over the course of the years,with 68.9% being created from 2000 to 2005.To date,only 41.5% of the sites were operational.The sites were scattered across Africa,but they were concentrated in Eastern and Southern Africa.The unbalanced distribution pattern of the sites left Central and Northern Africa hardly covered,and many unique ecosystems in Central Africa were not included.To sustain these sites,the AERN should be based on operational sites,seeking secure funding by establishing multiple partnerships.展开更多
FINALLY,the world is witnessing what may well turn out to be the definitive how-to guide on building a sustainable economy that works in complete harmony with theenvironment:China's transformation under the ban-ne...FINALLY,the world is witnessing what may well turn out to be the definitive how-to guide on building a sustainable economy that works in complete harmony with theenvironment:China's transformation under the ban-ner of an"ecological civilization."展开更多
The United Nations Environment Programme（UN Environment） launched at the end of 2016 a decade-long（2016–2025） flagship programme on Climate, Ecosystems and Livelihoods（CEL）, with the aim to assist developing co...The United Nations Environment Programme（UN Environment） launched at the end of 2016 a decade-long（2016–2025） flagship programme on Climate, Ecosystems and Livelihoods（CEL）, with the aim to assist developing countries in delivering the Sustainable Development Goals（SDGs） and climate targets while protecting their ecosystems and improving the livelihoods of their people. The CEL programme is a major initiative supported by China and other developing countries to promote long-term South-South cooperation, led by the United Nations Environment Programme International Ecosystem Management Partnership（UNEP-IEMP）. This article presents the conceptual framework and implementation strategy of the CEL programme, which were proposed through consultations between UN Environment, Chinese and international experts. Within the conceptual framework, the CEL programme will 1） focus its work on the nexus of climate change, ecosystem services and sustainable livelihoods as the primary priority; 2） encourage cross-sectoral and multi-stakeholder cooperation, enhance interdisciplinary research, and strive for breakthroughs that cross disciplinary boundaries; 3） provide four types of services and products—monitoring and assessment, capacity building, technology demonstration, and science for policy through mainly South-South cooperation; and 4） have far-reaching impacts on delivering SDGs and climate targets in vulnerable developing countries. The CEL programme is going to be implemented in a strategic way through a set of related projects and initiatives. More particularly, it will 1） focus on fragile ecosystems like drylands, mountains, river basins and coastal zones in Asia, Africa and other key regions along the Belt and Road, in the early stage and expand to include some other regions at a later stage; 2） take a three-phase approach, including Phase I, Kick-off（2016–2018）, Phase II, Development（2019–2021）, and Phase III, Scaling-up（2022–2025）; and 3） draw on the globally relevant knowledge, expertise and other resources of a substantial network of partners. So far, UNEP-IEMP has developed more than twenty projects and initiatives in the regions along the Belt and Road, especially in Africa and the Greater Mekong Subregion, which lay a solid foundation for the implementation of CEL programme in its first phase.展开更多
It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the planet,which is seriously affecting the planetary health including human health.Adapting climate change should not only be a slogan,but requires a united,holistic ...It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the planet,which is seriously affecting the planetary health including human health.Adapting climate change should not only be a slogan,but requires a united,holistic action and a paradigm shift from crisis response to an ambitious and integrated approach immediately.Recognizing the urgent needs to tackle the risk connection between climate change and One Health,the four key messages and recommendations that with the intent to guide further research and to promote international cooperation to achieve a more climate-resilient world are provided.展开更多
Accurate,consistent,and high-resolution Land Use&Cover(LUC)information is fundamental for effectively monitoring landscape dynamics and better apprehending drivers,pressures,state,and impacts on land systems.Never...Accurate,consistent,and high-resolution Land Use&Cover(LUC)information is fundamental for effectively monitoring landscape dynamics and better apprehending drivers,pressures,state,and impacts on land systems.Nevertheless,the availability of such national products with high thematic accuracy is still limited and consequently researchers and policymakers are constrained to work with data that do not necessarily reflect on-the-ground realities impending to correctly capture details of landscape features as well as limiting the identification and quantification of drivers and rate of change.Hereafter,we took advantage of the Switzerland’s official LUC statistical sampling survey and dense time-series of Sentinel-2 data,combining them with Machine and Deep Learning methods to produce an accurate and high spatial resolution land cover map over the Lake Geneva region.Findings suggest that time-first approach is a valuable alternative to space-first approaches,accounting for the intra-annual variability of classes,hence improving classification performances.Results demonstrate that Deep Learning methods outperform more traditional Machine Learning ones such as Random Forest,providing more accurate predictions with lower uncertainty.The produced land cover map has a high accuracy,an improved spatial resolution,while at the same time preserving the statistical significance(i.e.class proportion)of the official national dataset.This work paves the way towards the objective to produce a yearly high resolution land cover map of Switzerland and potentially implement a continuous land change monitoring capability.However further work is required to properly address challenges such as the need for increased temporal resolution for LUC information or the quality of training samples.展开更多
A comprehensive assessment of climate change vulnerability is imperative for formulating effective adaptation strategies and advancing sustainable development goals.As one of the most climate-vulnerable regions global...A comprehensive assessment of climate change vulnerability is imperative for formulating effective adaptation strategies and advancing sustainable development goals.As one of the most climate-vulnerable regions globally,the Pan-Third Pole area lacks transnational vulnerability assessments,which poses a significant obstacle to efficient climate adaptation.This study conducted transnational comparisons based on primary micro-survey data collected uniformly across Nepal,Cambodia,Thailand,and Myanmar,which are all located in the Pan-Third Pole region.Evaluating and comparing the vulnerabilities employed an extended framework of climate change indicators.The findings reveal substantial variations in vulnerability among the countries,with Cambodia exhibiting the highest vulnerability,followed by Thailand,Myanmar,and Nepal in descending order,primarily due to differences in exposure.Household exposure to climate change also varied significantly.Sensitivity scores decreased in the order of Nepal>Cambodia>Thailand>Myanmar,with demographic factors,tap water accessibility,and land being the major contributors and sources of differentiation among the countries.Regarding adaptability,Thailand demonstrated the highest adaptability,with human and financial capital as the key differentiators.The outcomes underscore the need for tailored policy measures addressing the diverse vulnerabilities,including enhancing household disaster prevention and capital protection.Furthermore,targeted international investments are crucial for improving adaptability among smallholders in this unique region.展开更多
Natural hazards and their related impacts can have powerful implications for humanity,particularly communities with deep reliance on natural resources.The development of effective early warning systems(EWS)can contrib...Natural hazards and their related impacts can have powerful implications for humanity,particularly communities with deep reliance on natural resources.The development of effective early warning systems(EWS)can contribute to reducing natural hazard impacts on communities by improving risk reduction strategies and activities.However,current shortcomings in the conception and applications of EWS undermine risk reduction at the grassroots level.This article explores various pathways to involve local communities in EWS from top-down to more participatory approaches.Based on a literature review and three case studies that outline various levels of participation in EWS in Kenya,Hawai'i,and Sri Lanka,the article suggests a need to review the way EWS are designed and applied,promoting a shift from the traditional expert-driven approach to one that is embedded at the grassroots level and driven by the vulnerable communities.Such a community-centric approach also raises multiple challenges linked to a necessary shift of conception of EWS and highlights the need for more research on pathways for sustainable community engagement.展开更多
Pressures on natural resources are increasing and a number of challenges need to be overcome to meet the needs of a growing population in a period of environmental variability.Some of these environmental issues can be...Pressures on natural resources are increasing and a number of challenges need to be overcome to meet the needs of a growing population in a period of environmental variability.Some of these environmental issues can be monitored using remotely sensed Earth Observations(EO)data that are increasingly available from a number of freely and openly accessible repositories.However,the full information potential of EO data has not been yet realized.They remain still underutilized mainly because of their complexity,increasing volume,and the lack of efficient processing capabilities.EO Data Cubes(DC)are a new paradigm aiming to realize the full potential of EO data by lowering the barriers caused by these Big data challenges and providing access to large spatio-temporal data in an analysis ready form.Systematic and regular provision of Analysis Ready Data(ARD)will significantly reduce the burden on EO data users.Nevertheless,ARD are not commonly produced by data providers and therefore getting uniform and consistent ARD remains a challenging task.This paper presents an approach to enable rapid data access and pre-processing to generate ARD using interoperable services chains.The approach has been tested and validated generating Landsat ARD while building the Swiss Data Cube.展开更多
This study highlights drought characteristics and the many responses to drought stresses employed by Turkana pastoralists of northwestern Kenya. Multiple data sources, including socioeconomic interviews with 302 house...This study highlights drought characteristics and the many responses to drought stresses employed by Turkana pastoralists of northwestern Kenya. Multiple data sources, including socioeconomic interviews with 302 households, focus group discussions, and informal interviews with pastoralists were used to capture various aspects of drought and drought adaptation and coping practices.Standardized precipitation index derived from long-term rainfall data obtained from the Kenya Meteorological Service was used to quantify different degrees of drought intensity between 1950 and 2012. Results revealed that extreme drought events were increasingly frequent, and have impacted negatively on pastoral livelihoods. In order to adapt to or cope with climatic anomalies, households are using a variety of strategies. In addition to the traditional short-term coping mechanisms, the long-term adaptation strategies used include diversification of livelihood sources; livestock mobility to track forage and water resources;diversification of herd composition to benefit from the varied drought and disease tolerance, as well as fecundity of diverse livestock species; and sending children to school for formal education as a long term investment expected to pay back through income from employment. Policies anddevelopment interventions that reduce risks, diminish livelihood constraints, and expand opportunities for increased household resilience to drought are critical complements to the existing pastoral strategies.展开更多
Strengthening research efforts to understand the combined impacts of conservation and livelihoods in protected areas（PAs） will increase the collective contribution that PAs can make towards meeting global goals for ...Strengthening research efforts to understand the combined impacts of conservation and livelihoods in protected areas（PAs） will increase the collective contribution that PAs can make towards meeting global goals for sustainable development in the next decade. As an example of such efforts, in 2014 the Chinese Academy of Sciences（CAS）, the Kenya Wildlife Service（KWS） and the United Nations Environment Programme（UN Environment） jointly initiated the ＂Sustainable Management of Protected Areas in East Africa＂ project. This paper provides a brief overview of the project＇s research background, goals and research tasks. The study is based on a look at the PA management system in East Africa and a review of the literature on the impact of PAs in the region. Results show that East African nations have expanded the coverage of PAs and established a complex set of PA management systems over the past century. The mandate for PAs in East African nations has changed recently from protecting biodiversity to alleviating poverty and supporting livelihoods. However, a combination of human activities and ecological processes inside and outside of PAs may not only impact biodiversity and ecosystem function over the long term, but also pose a threat to the capacity of PAs to maintain livelihoods and alleviate poverty in the local communities around them. The state of existing research in the field suggests there is an enormous need for additional research, the purpose of which is to help PA managers and policy-makers in East Africa understand how to achieve win-win outcomes for both ecosystems and human well-being. Against this background, the CAS-KWS-UN Environment joint research project aims to understand the dynamic interactions between ecosystems and human well-being around PAs in East Africa and identify good practices for PA management to reconcile conservation targets with the livelihood demands of local communities. It is intended that this research be shared with interested parties throughout the developing world. Significant progress has been made in the implementation of the project, in terms of data collection, exchanges of researchers, and the completion of case studies. In the coming year, success stories and examples of failures of PA management in the region will be systematically summarized and shared among scientists, managers and decision makers worldwide. Given its blueprint for building a ＂Beautiful China＂, China can both supplement and benefit from East African knowledge and experience of PA management. This joint research effort promotes Sino-African cooperation on PA research and management.展开更多
Communal rangelands provide diverse ecosystem services to millions of pastoralists and agro-pastoralists. Resettling destitute communities into hitherto uninhabited communal rangelands and forests, a common practice t...Communal rangelands provide diverse ecosystem services to millions of pastoralists and agro-pastoralists. Resettling destitute communities into hitherto uninhabited communal rangelands and forests, a common practice throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, is a threat to the sustainable use of range and forest land resources. In order to understand the effect of resettlement on a semi-arid woodland in northwestern Ethiopia, satellite imagery of 23 resettlement villages taken over a period of fourteen years, and woody vegetation floristic data for three old resettlements, three new resettlements, two refugee camps and one protected area were analyzed using ANOVA and canonical correspondence analysis（CCA）. The normalized differential vegetation index（NDVI） and canopy cover around all village types decreased with disturbance gradients, while the magnitude of change varied according to the type of settlement. Limited canopy cover was observed in refugee camps and new resettlements, compared to old resettlements and protected areas. Woody vegetation height class showed a J shaped distribution in all sites except refugee camps（RC）, indicating a decline in vegetation. CCA showed that variables like site type, altitude and disturbance gradient significantly affected the diversity of woody species at the different sites. Comparison of individual species responses to disturbances indicated that low fodder value invaders like Dichrostachys cinerea, and many Acacia species were increasing in proportion and coverage at the expense of some multipurpose species including Tamarindus indica, Diospyros mespiliformis, and Pterocarpus lucens. In the absence of regulated vegetation use, resettlements result in a decline in overall vegetation cover and a shift in floristic diversity in favor of invasive species.展开更多
文摘The pursuit of human needs and demands is placing more pressure on land resources than ever before. The challenge of feeding 7 billion people is increasingly competing with rising demands for materials and biofuels. Deforestation and land degradation are among the pressing outcomes of these trends. Drivers of environmental change—including population growth, economic activity, consumption, urbanization, trade, conflict, and governance—clearly play a role in aggravating or mitigating these pressures on land. Despite advances in understanding causality in complex systems, navigating the interactions between these drivers remains a major challenge. This paper analyzes and visualizes the relationships between multiple, interacting drivers of environmental change and specific pressures on land-based ecosystems. Drawing on experience from the development of the Drivers and Land chapters of the UN Environment Programme’s Fifth Global Environment Outlook report (GEO-5), we use a series of Kiviat diagrams to illustrate the relative influence of key drivers on selected pressures on land. When individual diagrams are overlaid, patterns of influence emerge that can provide insight into where policy responses might best be targeted. We propose that, subject to some limitations, the Kiviat exercise can provide an accessible and potentially valuable “knowledge-intermediary” tool to help link science-based information to policy action.
文摘Integrating disaster waste issue is a critical component of making humanitarian action fit for the future,anticipating global risks and challenges such as increased vulnerability due to climate change and environmental degradation.This requires a fundamental shift towards a model that not only strengthens the response to crises but also learns and adapts in order to anticipate and act before such waste garnered.This article conducted analyses on the characteristics of disasters in the past two decades.Uncertainties confound disaster waste management,including the timing and magnitude of each disaster,and the amounts and types of waste that will be generated.For these reasons alone,disaster waste management must be an integral part of development planning and processes.Making 10 years since the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake,this article highlights that disaster waste management is not only debris clearance or waste management following a disaster,but also includes prevention and pre-disaster preparedness aspects in terms of enhancing resilience of local communities.Such"mainstreaming,"ensures that disaster waste management(DWM)will be treated as a priority issue,on an ongoing basis.Based on UN Environment's experiences and approaches,this paper emphasises that preparedness is the key,and that priority should be accorded to integrating disaster contingency planning in national and city level waste management strategies as well as mainstreaming waste management issues within broader disaster preparedness and response plans and actions.It is envisaged that the issues presented and the gaps identified in this paper will provide a basis for future comprehensive and cohesive research on disaster waste management.In turn,this research can lead to better preparedness and response on disaster waste management.
基金Funding to support this consultative meeting was provided by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41761144053,41661144022)the International Partnership Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(121311KYSB201700).
文摘In order to enhance and restore the ecosystems of natural capital in African arid regions,the Global Dryland Ecosystem Programme(G-DEP)consultative meeting was hosted in Dakar,Senegal,from 23 to 25 September 2019.This paper details the first African meeting of the G-DEP.Consultative meeting reviewed preceding dryland ecosystems case studies,identified vulnerable arid and semi-arid regions,and proposed sustainable solutions to problems.It also identified the successes and failures of previous attempts to improve vulnerable ecosystems and ultimately formed an action plan to improve these attempts.Climate,ecosystems,and livelihoods for Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs),Great Green Wall Initiative(GGWI)for Sahara and Sahel,and China-Africa cooperation on science,technology,and innovation are three extra main sections concerned of the meeting.Separately,more specific topics as the complicated relationship between these natural processes and human activity,including pastoralism,soil restoration,and vegetation regenerate techniques,were fully discussed.Consultative meeting also identified the positive effects international collaboration can have on dryland regions,specifically in the capacity of sharing information,technology,and innovation on purpose to develop a joint proposal for long-term research programs in African arid and semi-arid areas.Moreover,meetings that review the progress made on ecosystem management for the sustainable livelihoods in Africa,identification of priority areas,and the development and implementation of ecosystem programs for proper research and collaboration in African arid and semi-arid zones,have been proposed as strategic recommendations to enhance the global partnership for sustainable development.Furthermore,as the outcomes of the workshop,there are three steps proposed to handle African dryland climate changes,several aspects suggested to solve current dilemmas of the GGWI,and a series of actions recommended for G-DEP related activities in Africa.
基金supported by the the National Key Research and Development Project(Nos.2022YFC3701105,2018YFC0213504,2017YFC0213003)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.42005112)。
文摘Comprehensive Air Quality Model with extensions(CAMx)-Decoupled Direct Method(DDM)simulations of first-order ozone(O_(3))sensitivity to nitrogen oxides(NO_(x))and volatile organic compounds(VOCs)emissions were performed and combined with modelled P_(H_(2)O_(2))/P_(HNO_(3))ratios to obtain a range of thresholds for determining O_(3)-sensitivity regimes for different areas of China.Utilising the new threshold ranges for photochemical indicators,the method for determining O_(3)formation in the Ozone Source Apportionment Technology(OSAT)module within CAMx was improved by a dynamically varied threshold of P_(H_(2)O_(2))/P_(HNO_(3))ratio.The O_(3)concentration contributions in the newly added transition regime were apportioned to NO_(x)and VOCs emissions in proportion to the relationship between the P_(H_(2)O_(2))/P_(HNO_(3))ratio and first-order O_(3)sensitivity.The source contributions of O_(3)concentrations from different emission sectors from June to September 2019 were compared using the original and improved CAMx-OSAT.The results showed that the O_(3)concentration contributions changed significantly in the NO_(x)-limited regime,with a maximum decrease of 21.89%,while the contributions increased by up to 7.57%in the VOC-limited regime,and were within 15μg/m^(3)in the transition regime.The modified OSAT module enabled a more sophisticated attribution of O_(3)to precursor emissions and may have far-reaching implications for informing O_(3)pollution control policy.
基金funded by the Small Scale Funding Agreement (UNEP/ROWA)
文摘Sand and dust storms （SDS） are common phenomena in arid and semi-arid areas. In recent years, SDS frequencies and intensities have increased significantly in Iran. A research on SDS sources is important for understanding the mechanisms of dust generation and assessing its socio-economic and environmental impacts. In this paper, we developed a new approach to identify SDS source areas in Iran using a combination of nine related datasets, namely drought events, temperature, precipitation, location of sandy soils, SDS frequency, hu- man-induced soil degradation （HISD）, human influence index （HII）, rain use efficiency （RUE） and net primary pro- ductivity （NPP） loss. To identify SDS source areas, we firstly normalized these datasets under uniform criteria in- cluding layer reprojection using Lambert conformal conic projection, data conversion from shapefile to raster, Min-Max Normalization with data range from 0 to 1, and data interpolation by Kriging and images resampling （resolution of 1 km）. After that, a score map for the possibility of SDS sources was generated through overlaying multiple datasets under average weight allocation criterion, in which each item obtained weight equally. In the score map, the higher the score, the more possible a specific area could be regarded as SDS source area. Exceptions mostly came from large cities, like Tehran and Isfahan. As a result, final SDS source areas were mapped out, and Al-Howizeh/Al-Azim marshes and Sistan Basin were identified as main SDS source areas in Iran. The SDS source area in Al-Howizeh/Al-Azim marshes still keeps expanding. In addition, Al-Howizeh/Al-Azim marshes are now suf- fering rapid land degradation due to natural and human-induced factors and might totally vanish in the near future. Sistan Basin also demonstrates the impacts of soil degradation and wind erosion. With appropriate intensity, dura- tion, wind speed and altitude of the dust storms, sand particles uplifting from this area might have developed into extreme dust storms, especially during the summer.
文摘We have arrived at a critical juncture when it comes to understanding the numerous ways in which trade interacts with climate change and energy(trade-climate-energy nexus).Trade remains crucial for the sustainable development of the world's greatest trading nation:China.After clarifying the linkages within the trade,climate change and energy nexus,this article delves into China's specific needs and interests related to trade,climate change and energy.Then it explores the ways in which trade can contribute to China's needs,to sustainable energy development and to the goals of the global climate agreement that is under negotiation.One main findings are China is a key participant in negotiations on trade liberalization of environmental technologies and services.These negotiations are in China's interests in terms of innovative industries,technological upgrading,employment and public health.China could stand up for the interests of other emerging and developing countries and serve as an example in terms of transitioning to a low-carbon economy.Beyond trade barriers issues of domestic(energy)regulation such as fossil-fuel subsidies as well as investment,competition-policy,tradefacilitation and transit issues related to clean energy need to be addressed.Building trust between relevant actors across sectors and national borders will be of the essence in order to foster long-term cooperation on technological innovation.As a way forward,different approaches towards the governance of trade and climate change will be highlighted.Besides discussing the specific aspects of Chinese participation in global trade and climate change governance,this paper aims at offering broader insights into the nexus between trade,energy and climate governance in China.
基金The authors would like to acknowledge the European Commission“Horizon 2020 Program”that funded ERAPLANET/GEOEssential project(Grant Agreement no.689443).
文摘The practice of raw material extraction has a high impact on the environment and represents a potential threat to the health and thriving of local communities.The concept of Extractive Essential Variables(EEVs)are explored in order to propose variables that can be used to quantify the environmental footprint of mineral extraction.Considering the interdependence of mining activities with social,economic and environmental issues,the variables target the development of monitoring tools for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs).The identification of EEVs is based on the use of Earth Observation products in the field of mineral resources exploitation.A list of variables is proposed based on three classes of Essential Variables(EVs):installation and exploration phase,mineral extraction,and ore processing.These variables take into account the impacts of mining on the hydrology,land,water resources and the atmosphere of the area subjected to mineral exploitation.One of the variables is implemented as an operational workflow addressing SDG15,“life on land”.The workflow is intended to assess the area of forest ecosystem lost due to the presence of a mining site.Geospatial data on the extent of mining concessions and forest cover are combined using ArcGIS^(TM).The workflow is successively translated into a Unix script to automatize the process of data treatment.The script is developed using the Geospatial Data Abstraction Library(GDAL).The use of a Virtual Laboratory Platform(VLab),a web-service-based access platform,increases the accessibility of data and resources and the re-use of the script.This work is a first attempt to propose a framework of EEVs,derived data workflows,while the underlying methodology,partially based on scientific publications and on personal reasoning,still needs to be tested and,improved based on expertise in the sector.
基金support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(71861147003,71925009,72141014).
文摘This paper examined consumers’experiences in and preferences for plant-based meat(PBM)food and their respective correlates,based on data from an online survey of 579 consumers in four major cities in China in early 2021.We first described consumers’experiences in consuming and purchasing PBM food and their correlates,and then analyzed consumer preferences using hypothetical choice experiment.The experiment offered consumers various options to purchase burgers made from PBM or animal-based meat(ABM),combined with different countries of origin(COO),taste labels,and prices.Our data showed that respondents hold overall positive attitudes toward PBM food;85 and 82%of respondents reported experience in eating and purchasing PBM food,respectively.More than half of them ate PBM food because they wanted to try new food(58%),or were interested in healthy food(56%).Income,religion,and dietary restrictions were significantly correlated with consumers’experiences in PBM food consumption.Results from the Random Parameter Logit Model based on the hypothetical choice experiment data showed that 79%of respondents chose PBM burgers and were willing to pay an average of 88 CNY for a PBM burger.We also found that 99.8 and 83%of respondents are willing to buy burgers made in China and those with a taste label,with a willingness to pay(WTP)of 208 and 120 CNY,respectively.The heterogeneity test revealed that females and those with at least a bachelor’s degree,higher income,religious beliefs,and dietary restrictions are more likely to buy PBM burgers than their counterparts.
基金Under the auspices of National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31161140355)
文摘A new form of producing and sharing knowledge has emerged as an international(United States of America,Asia,and Europe) research collaboration,known as the Long-Term Ecological Research(LTER) Network.Although Africa boasts rich biodiversity,including endemic species,it lacks the long-term initiatives to underpin sustainable biodiversity managements.At present,climate change may exacerbate hunger and poverty concerns in addition to resulting in ecosystem degradation,land use change,and other threats in Africa.Therefore,ecosystem monitoring was suggested to understanding the effects of climate change and setting strategies to mitigate these changes.This paper aimed to investigate ecosystem monitoring ground sites and address their coverage gaps in Africa to provide a foundation for optimizing the African Ecosystem Research Network(AERN) ground sites.The geographic coordinates and characteristics of ground sites-based ecosystem monitoring were collected from various networks aligned with the LTER implementation in Africa.Additionally,climatic data and biodiversity distribution maps were retrieved from various sources.These data were used to assess the size of existing ground sites and the gaps in description,ecosystems and biomes.The results reveal that there were 1089 sites established by various networks.Among these sites,30.5%,27.5%,and 28.8% had no information of area,year of establishment,current status,respectively.However,68.0% of them had an area equal to or greater than 1 km2.Sites were created progressively over the course of the years,with 68.9% being created from 2000 to 2005.To date,only 41.5% of the sites were operational.The sites were scattered across Africa,but they were concentrated in Eastern and Southern Africa.The unbalanced distribution pattern of the sites left Central and Northern Africa hardly covered,and many unique ecosystems in Central Africa were not included.To sustain these sites,the AERN should be based on operational sites,seeking secure funding by establishing multiple partnerships.
文摘FINALLY,the world is witnessing what may well turn out to be the definitive how-to guide on building a sustainable economy that works in complete harmony with theenvironment:China's transformation under the ban-ner of an"ecological civilization."
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(31361140360)
文摘The United Nations Environment Programme（UN Environment） launched at the end of 2016 a decade-long（2016–2025） flagship programme on Climate, Ecosystems and Livelihoods（CEL）, with the aim to assist developing countries in delivering the Sustainable Development Goals（SDGs） and climate targets while protecting their ecosystems and improving the livelihoods of their people. The CEL programme is a major initiative supported by China and other developing countries to promote long-term South-South cooperation, led by the United Nations Environment Programme International Ecosystem Management Partnership（UNEP-IEMP）. This article presents the conceptual framework and implementation strategy of the CEL programme, which were proposed through consultations between UN Environment, Chinese and international experts. Within the conceptual framework, the CEL programme will 1） focus its work on the nexus of climate change, ecosystem services and sustainable livelihoods as the primary priority; 2） encourage cross-sectoral and multi-stakeholder cooperation, enhance interdisciplinary research, and strive for breakthroughs that cross disciplinary boundaries; 3） provide four types of services and products—monitoring and assessment, capacity building, technology demonstration, and science for policy through mainly South-South cooperation; and 4） have far-reaching impacts on delivering SDGs and climate targets in vulnerable developing countries. The CEL programme is going to be implemented in a strategic way through a set of related projects and initiatives. More particularly, it will 1） focus on fragile ecosystems like drylands, mountains, river basins and coastal zones in Asia, Africa and other key regions along the Belt and Road, in the early stage and expand to include some other regions at a later stage; 2） take a three-phase approach, including Phase I, Kick-off（2016–2018）, Phase II, Development（2019–2021）, and Phase III, Scaling-up（2022–2025）; and 3） draw on the globally relevant knowledge, expertise and other resources of a substantial network of partners. So far, UNEP-IEMP has developed more than twenty projects and initiatives in the regions along the Belt and Road, especially in Africa and the Greater Mekong Subregion, which lay a solid foundation for the implementation of CEL programme in its first phase.
基金Shanghai International Science and Technology Partnership Project(No. 21230780200)。
文摘It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the planet,which is seriously affecting the planetary health including human health.Adapting climate change should not only be a slogan,but requires a united,holistic action and a paradigm shift from crisis response to an ambitious and integrated approach immediately.Recognizing the urgent needs to tackle the risk connection between climate change and One Health,the four key messages and recommendations that with the intent to guide further research and to promote international cooperation to achieve a more climate-resilient world are provided.
基金funded by the Data Science Impulse grant of the University of Geneva.
文摘Accurate,consistent,and high-resolution Land Use&Cover(LUC)information is fundamental for effectively monitoring landscape dynamics and better apprehending drivers,pressures,state,and impacts on land systems.Nevertheless,the availability of such national products with high thematic accuracy is still limited and consequently researchers and policymakers are constrained to work with data that do not necessarily reflect on-the-ground realities impending to correctly capture details of landscape features as well as limiting the identification and quantification of drivers and rate of change.Hereafter,we took advantage of the Switzerland’s official LUC statistical sampling survey and dense time-series of Sentinel-2 data,combining them with Machine and Deep Learning methods to produce an accurate and high spatial resolution land cover map over the Lake Geneva region.Findings suggest that time-first approach is a valuable alternative to space-first approaches,accounting for the intra-annual variability of classes,hence improving classification performances.Results demonstrate that Deep Learning methods outperform more traditional Machine Learning ones such as Random Forest,providing more accurate predictions with lower uncertainty.The produced land cover map has a high accuracy,an improved spatial resolution,while at the same time preserving the statistical significance(i.e.class proportion)of the official national dataset.This work paves the way towards the objective to produce a yearly high resolution land cover map of Switzerland and potentially implement a continuous land change monitoring capability.However further work is required to properly address challenges such as the need for increased temporal resolution for LUC information or the quality of training samples.
基金The National Natural Science Foundation of China(7231101308,72374190,31861143015)The Strategic Priority Research Program of theChinese Academy of Sciences(XDA20010303).
文摘A comprehensive assessment of climate change vulnerability is imperative for formulating effective adaptation strategies and advancing sustainable development goals.As one of the most climate-vulnerable regions globally,the Pan-Third Pole area lacks transnational vulnerability assessments,which poses a significant obstacle to efficient climate adaptation.This study conducted transnational comparisons based on primary micro-survey data collected uniformly across Nepal,Cambodia,Thailand,and Myanmar,which are all located in the Pan-Third Pole region.Evaluating and comparing the vulnerabilities employed an extended framework of climate change indicators.The findings reveal substantial variations in vulnerability among the countries,with Cambodia exhibiting the highest vulnerability,followed by Thailand,Myanmar,and Nepal in descending order,primarily due to differences in exposure.Household exposure to climate change also varied significantly.Sensitivity scores decreased in the order of Nepal>Cambodia>Thailand>Myanmar,with demographic factors,tap water accessibility,and land being the major contributors and sources of differentiation among the countries.Regarding adaptability,Thailand demonstrated the highest adaptability,with human and financial capital as the key differentiators.The outcomes underscore the need for tailored policy measures addressing the diverse vulnerabilities,including enhancing household disaster prevention and capital protection.Furthermore,targeted international investments are crucial for improving adaptability among smallholders in this unique region.
文摘Natural hazards and their related impacts can have powerful implications for humanity,particularly communities with deep reliance on natural resources.The development of effective early warning systems(EWS)can contribute to reducing natural hazard impacts on communities by improving risk reduction strategies and activities.However,current shortcomings in the conception and applications of EWS undermine risk reduction at the grassroots level.This article explores various pathways to involve local communities in EWS from top-down to more participatory approaches.Based on a literature review and three case studies that outline various levels of participation in EWS in Kenya,Hawai'i,and Sri Lanka,the article suggests a need to review the way EWS are designed and applied,promoting a shift from the traditional expert-driven approach to one that is embedded at the grassroots level and driven by the vulnerable communities.Such a community-centric approach also raises multiple challenges linked to a necessary shift of conception of EWS and highlights the need for more research on pathways for sustainable community engagement.
基金The authors would like to thank the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment(FOEN)for their financial support to the Swiss Data Cube.
文摘Pressures on natural resources are increasing and a number of challenges need to be overcome to meet the needs of a growing population in a period of environmental variability.Some of these environmental issues can be monitored using remotely sensed Earth Observations(EO)data that are increasingly available from a number of freely and openly accessible repositories.However,the full information potential of EO data has not been yet realized.They remain still underutilized mainly because of their complexity,increasing volume,and the lack of efficient processing capabilities.EO Data Cubes(DC)are a new paradigm aiming to realize the full potential of EO data by lowering the barriers caused by these Big data challenges and providing access to large spatio-temporal data in an analysis ready form.Systematic and regular provision of Analysis Ready Data(ARD)will significantly reduce the burden on EO data users.Nevertheless,ARD are not commonly produced by data providers and therefore getting uniform and consistent ARD remains a challenging task.This paper presents an approach to enable rapid data access and pre-processing to generate ARD using interoperable services chains.The approach has been tested and validated generating Landsat ARD while building the Swiss Data Cube.
基金funded by African Climate Change Fellowship ProgramGlobal Change for System Analysis, Research & Training—ACCFP/START+1 种基金support from the Red Cross/Red Crescent Climate Center/STARTUnited Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) under Climate and Development Knowledge Network small grant
文摘This study highlights drought characteristics and the many responses to drought stresses employed by Turkana pastoralists of northwestern Kenya. Multiple data sources, including socioeconomic interviews with 302 households, focus group discussions, and informal interviews with pastoralists were used to capture various aspects of drought and drought adaptation and coping practices.Standardized precipitation index derived from long-term rainfall data obtained from the Kenya Meteorological Service was used to quantify different degrees of drought intensity between 1950 and 2012. Results revealed that extreme drought events were increasingly frequent, and have impacted negatively on pastoral livelihoods. In order to adapt to or cope with climatic anomalies, households are using a variety of strategies. In addition to the traditional short-term coping mechanisms, the long-term adaptation strategies used include diversification of livelihood sources; livestock mobility to track forage and water resources;diversification of herd composition to benefit from the varied drought and disease tolerance, as well as fecundity of diverse livestock species; and sending children to school for formal education as a long term investment expected to pay back through income from employment. Policies anddevelopment interventions that reduce risks, diminish livelihood constraints, and expand opportunities for increased household resilience to drought are critical complements to the existing pastoral strategies.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(31361140360)
文摘Strengthening research efforts to understand the combined impacts of conservation and livelihoods in protected areas（PAs） will increase the collective contribution that PAs can make towards meeting global goals for sustainable development in the next decade. As an example of such efforts, in 2014 the Chinese Academy of Sciences（CAS）, the Kenya Wildlife Service（KWS） and the United Nations Environment Programme（UN Environment） jointly initiated the ＂Sustainable Management of Protected Areas in East Africa＂ project. This paper provides a brief overview of the project＇s research background, goals and research tasks. The study is based on a look at the PA management system in East Africa and a review of the literature on the impact of PAs in the region. Results show that East African nations have expanded the coverage of PAs and established a complex set of PA management systems over the past century. The mandate for PAs in East African nations has changed recently from protecting biodiversity to alleviating poverty and supporting livelihoods. However, a combination of human activities and ecological processes inside and outside of PAs may not only impact biodiversity and ecosystem function over the long term, but also pose a threat to the capacity of PAs to maintain livelihoods and alleviate poverty in the local communities around them. The state of existing research in the field suggests there is an enormous need for additional research, the purpose of which is to help PA managers and policy-makers in East Africa understand how to achieve win-win outcomes for both ecosystems and human well-being. Against this background, the CAS-KWS-UN Environment joint research project aims to understand the dynamic interactions between ecosystems and human well-being around PAs in East Africa and identify good practices for PA management to reconcile conservation targets with the livelihood demands of local communities. It is intended that this research be shared with interested parties throughout the developing world. Significant progress has been made in the implementation of the project, in terms of data collection, exchanges of researchers, and the completion of case studies. In the coming year, success stories and examples of failures of PA management in the region will be systematically summarized and shared among scientists, managers and decision makers worldwide. Given its blueprint for building a ＂Beautiful China＂, China can both supplement and benefit from East African knowledge and experience of PA management. This joint research effort promotes Sino-African cooperation on PA research and management.
基金International Foundation for Science,Stockholm,Sweden,through a grant to Mulubrhan Balehegn(D5056-1)Norwegian Research Council(Project 236373)National Natural Science Foundation of China(31361140360)
文摘Communal rangelands provide diverse ecosystem services to millions of pastoralists and agro-pastoralists. Resettling destitute communities into hitherto uninhabited communal rangelands and forests, a common practice throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, is a threat to the sustainable use of range and forest land resources. In order to understand the effect of resettlement on a semi-arid woodland in northwestern Ethiopia, satellite imagery of 23 resettlement villages taken over a period of fourteen years, and woody vegetation floristic data for three old resettlements, three new resettlements, two refugee camps and one protected area were analyzed using ANOVA and canonical correspondence analysis（CCA）. The normalized differential vegetation index（NDVI） and canopy cover around all village types decreased with disturbance gradients, while the magnitude of change varied according to the type of settlement. Limited canopy cover was observed in refugee camps and new resettlements, compared to old resettlements and protected areas. Woody vegetation height class showed a J shaped distribution in all sites except refugee camps（RC）, indicating a decline in vegetation. CCA showed that variables like site type, altitude and disturbance gradient significantly affected the diversity of woody species at the different sites. Comparison of individual species responses to disturbances indicated that low fodder value invaders like Dichrostachys cinerea, and many Acacia species were increasing in proportion and coverage at the expense of some multipurpose species including Tamarindus indica, Diospyros mespiliformis, and Pterocarpus lucens. In the absence of regulated vegetation use, resettlements result in a decline in overall vegetation cover and a shift in floristic diversity in favor of invasive species.
