Development of a Web-Based GIS of Flood Zones in the Municipality of Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso

This document describes the creation of an informative Web GIS aimed at mitigating the impacts of flooding in the municipality of Ouagadougou, in Burkina Faso, a region that is highly sensitive to climate change. Burkina Faso, which is undergoing rapid urbanization, faces major natural threats, particularly flooding, as demonstrated by the severe floods of 2009 that caused loss of life, injury, structural damage and economic losses in Ouagadougou. The aim of this research is to develop a web map highlighting the municipality’s flood-prone areas, with a view to informing and raising awareness of flood risk reduction. Using the Leaflet JavaScript mapping library, the study uses HTML, CSS and JavaScript to implement web mapping technology. Data on Ouagadougou’s flood zones is generated by a multi-criteria analysis combining Saaty’s AHP method and GIS in QGIS, integrating seven (7) parameters including hydrography, altitude, slope, rainfall, soil types, land use and soil moisture index. QGIS processes and maps the themes, PostgreSQL with PostGIS serves as the DBMS and GeoServer functions as the map server. The Web GIS platform allows users to visualize the different flood risks, from very low to very high, or the high-risk areas specific to Ouagadougou. The AHP calculations classify the municipality into five flood vulnerability zones: very low (24.48%), low (27.93%), medium (23.01%), high (17.11%) and very high (7.47%). Effective risk management requires communication and awareness-raising. This online mapping application serves as a tool for communication, management and flood prevention in Ouagadougou, helping to mitigate flood-related natural disasters.

Trend of Salt Lake Changes in the Background of Global Warming and Tactics for Adaptation to the Changes

Salt lakes are a mirror of climatic changes and provide holographic records of environmental changes of lakes. According to a study of geological hazards in typical salt lake areas in China and other regions, the authors explain how geological hazards in salt lake areas are caused by natural agents and how humans can seek benefits, avoid hazards and reduce losses on the premise that they have monitored and mastered the trend of salt lake changes in advance and even can store flood and recharge water in lakes and extract saline resources. The climate in western China is probably turning from warm-dry to warm-moist. The authors analyze the change trend of salt lakes sensu lato (with salinity≥0.3 wt% (NaCl)eq) and salt lakes sensu stricto (with salinity ≥3.5 wt% (NaCl)eq) in China in such climatic conditions and distinguish three types of salt lake areas (i.e. lake water rising type, lake water falling type and lake water rising and unstable type) according to the characteristics of lake water rising and shrinking. In order to conform to the climatic and lake changes in China's salt lake areas, the authors propose to add and improve hydrological and meteorological observation stations and integrate observations with remote sensing monitoring in important salt lake areas and set up multidisciplinary and interdepartmental basic projects to monitor and study recent climatic and environmental changes in salt lake areas of western China. Moreover, it is necessary to build additional flood-control and drought-preventing water conservancy facilities in key salt lake areas and work out measures for ecological protection in salt lake areas. Full consideration should be given to the influence of flooding when building saltfields and implementing capital projects.

Climate Changes in Brazil： the Expected Financial Benefits by Implementing Smart Grids as a Mitigation and Adaptation Strategy

This research aims to estimate the long-term financial benefits of using smart grids to mitigate and adapt the power sector to climate change. In order to do that, twelve scenarios were analyzed applying an energy accounting model （LEAP （Long-range Energy Alternatives Planning System）） that was developed using Brazilian historical data from 1970 to 2015. To conduct the analysis, the Sathaye and Ravindranath＇s three steps methodology was used. The main final results include a long-term cost-benefit analysis that is developed for each considered scenario. The initial phase includes the analysis of the projections for the power sector up to 2030. The following phase consists on the estimation of costs for operation, maintenance, losses and new electrical projects investments. And finally, all scenarios＇ results were compared and the benefits of implementing smart grids in the sector were estimated. The attained results show that smart grid implementation would contribute to reduce electricity tariffs, the generation costs as well as the costs associated with theft and fraud.

Knowledge flow analysis of knowledge co-production-based climate change adaptation for lowland rice farmers in Bulukumba Regency,Indonesia

To increase the resilience of farmers’livelihood systems,detailed knowledge of adaptation strategies for dealing with the impacts of climate change is required.Knowledge co-production approach is an adaptation strategy that is considered appropriate in the context of the increasing frequency of disasters caused by climate change.Previous research of knowledge co-production on climate change adaptation in Indonesia is insufficient,particularly at local level,so we examined the flow of climate change adaptation knowledge in the knowledge co-production process through climate field school(CFS)activities in this study.We interviewed 120 people living in Bulukumba Regency,South Sulawesi Province,Indonesia,involving 12 crowds including male and female farmers participated in CFS and not participated in CFS,local government officials,agriculture extension workers,agricultural traders,farmers’family members and neighbors,etc.In brief,the 12 groups of people mainly include two categories of people,i.e.,people involved in CFS activities and outside CFS.We applied descriptive method and Social network analysis(SNA)to determine how knowledge flow in the community network and which groups of actors are important for knowledge flow.The findings of this study reveal that participants in CFS activities convey the knowledge they acquired formally(i.e.,from TV,radio,government,etc.)and informally(i.e.,from market,friends,relatives,etc.)to other actors,especially to their families and neighbors.The results also show that the acquisition and sharing of knowledge facilitate the flow of climate change adaptation knowledge based on knowledge co-operation.In addition,the findings highlight the key role of actors in the knowledge transfer process,and key actors involved in disseminating information about climate change adaptation.To be specific,among all the actors,family member and neighbor of CFS actor are the most common actors in disseminating climate knowledge information and closest to other actors in the network;agricultural trader and family member of CFS actor collaborate most with other actors in the community network;and farmers participated in CFS,including those heads of farmer groups,agricultural extension workers,and local government officials are more willing to contact with other actors in the network.To facilitate the flow of knowledge on climate change adaptation,CFS activities should be conducted regularly and CFS models that fit the situation of farmers’vulnerability to climate change should be developed.

Exploring the Nexus between Climate Hazards and Conflict in Lamu County: Implications for Community Adaptation Action Plans

This paper investigated the complex relationship between climate change and security in Lamu County, with focus on community perceptions, vulnerabilities, and adaptation strategies. The study utilized a participatory approach involving Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) to gather insights from diverse community members. Results revealed a growing recognition of climate change as a significant factor amplifying security risks, including resource-based conflicts, food and water insecurity, pest and disease outbreaks, and rising sea levels. The analysis of historical climate data indicated shifts in rainfall patterns and rising temperatures, exacerbating these hazards. Furthermore, it underscores the need to mainstream climate change actions across various sectors for sustainable development and human security. Lamu County in Kenya faces a myriad of security challenges stemming from climate change, with the community perceiving droughts, pests, diseases, and conflicts as prominent hazards. These climatic impacts have led to crop failures, livestock losses, water scarcity, property damage, displacement, and instability. Local adaptation strategies have shown varying degrees of effectiveness, highlighting the need for community-specific and sustainable solutions. The study identified local adaptation strategies and emphasized the importance of early warning systems, informed decision-making, and mainstreaming climate change actions across sectors to enhance human security and sustainable development. However, it also acknowledges limitations in community participation and suggests future research avenues to ensure the inclusion of marginalized voices in such studies.

Roles of State Strategy of Adaptation to Climate Change in China

For the adverse impacts of climate change, China gov- ernment should place the problem of adaptation to climate change on the agenda. It is time to institute and implement a state adap- tive strategy to reduce the adverse impacts on economy, commu- nity and people's health and life by international cooperation and our own endeavor. A state strategy of adaptation to climate change should be closely linked with other current interrelated national strategies, and they should be supplemented and improved by each other. This paper discusses the roles of the state strategy of adaptation to climate change in the state climate change integra- tive strategy, the environmental protection strategy, and the sus- tainable development strategy in China. Furthermore, it proposes the main aims of the state adaptive strategy of China.

Adapting cities to sea level rise： A perspective from Chinese deltas

In recent years, intensifying waterlogging, salt water intrusion, wetland loss, and ecosystem degradation in Chinese delta cities and adjacent regions have generated the pressing need to create an urban form that is suited to both current and future climates incorporating sea level rise. However, adaptation planning uptake is slow. This is particularly unfortunate because patterns of urban form interact with mean sea level rise （MSLR） in ways that reduce or intensify its impact. There are currently two main barriers that are significant in arresting the implementation of adaptation planning with reference to the MSLR projections composed of geomorphologic MSLR projections and eustatic MSLR projections from global climate warming, and making a comprehensive risk assessment of MSLR projections. The present review shows recent progresses in mapping MSLR projections and their risk assessment approaches on Chinese delta cities, and then a perspective of adapting these cities to MSLR projections as following six aspects. 1） The geomorphologic MSLR projections are contributed by the natural tectonic subsidence projections and the MSLR projections by anthropogenic geomorphologic change. The former needs to be updated in a global framework. The latter is accumulated by land subsidence from underground water depletion, water level fall caused by the erosion of riverbeds from a sediment supply decline attributed to the construction of watershed dams, artificial sand excavation, water level raise by engineering projects including land reclamation, deep waterway regulation, and fresh water reservoirs. 2） Controlling MSLR projections by anthropogenic geomorphologic changes. 3） The IPCC AR5 RCPs MSLRs scenarios are expected to be projected to the local eustatic MSLR projections on the Chinese deltas. 4） The MSLR projections need to be matched to a local elevation datum. 5） Modeling approaches of regional river-sea numerical with semi- analytical hydrodynamics, estuarine channel network, system dynamics and adaptation points are perspective. 6） Adaptation planning to MSLR projections requires a comprehensive risk assessment of the risk of flood, fresh water supply shortage, coastal erosion, wetland loss, siltation of ports and waterway in Chinese delta cities and adjacent regions.

Biochar for Soil Management： Effect on Soil Available N and Soil Water Storage

Soil management technologies for climate change adaptation and mitigation are needed to increase and sustain food production in smallholder agriculture while sequestering inert carbon in the soil. In a field studies at Crops Research Institute, Kwadaso-Kumasi Ghana, a control treatment, five inorganic fertilizer combinations （P30K60, N60P30K60, N120P30K60, NlsoP30K60 and N24oP3oK6o） and four biochar rates ＋ inorganic fertilizer （2 t/ha Biochar ＋ N60P30K60, 4 t/ha Biochar ＋ N60P30K60, 6 t/ha Biochar ＋ N6oP3oK6o and 8 t/ha Biochar ＋N6oP3oK6o） were assessed for their effect on soil moisture storage, soil available nitrogen and crop yield. The test crop was okra. Biochar amendments increased soil moisture storage by 14% relative to sole inorganic fertilizer applications. Biochar ＋ inorganic fertilizer relative to sole inorganic fertilizer increased soil available nitrate concentration by 85% at 0-15 cm soil depth but decreased soil ammonium-N by 71%. Compared to control, inorganic fertilizer （P3oK6o） resulted in more than 100% increase in okra fresh fruit yield. Addition of 60 kg N/ha to P3oK6o caused 23% decline in okra fresh fruit yield but showed 60% more okra fresh fruit yield than the control. Inorganic N rates of 120,180 kg N/ha and 240 kg N/ha combined with P3oK6o however caused a decline of 74% in okra fresh fruit yield. Biochar ＋ inorganic fertilizer increased okra fresh fruit yield by 100% compared to sole inorganic fertilizer. Biochar, an inert carbon, combined with inorganic fertilizer has tremendous potential to address food insecurity through soil moisture storage and soil N availability.

Climate change:Impact on the Arctic,Antarctic and Tibetan Plateau

The Arctic, Antarctic and Tibetan Plateau are very sensitive to global climate change. Hence, it is urgent that we improve our understanding ot＇ how they respond to climate change, and how those responses in turn affect both regional and global climate. Against a background of current global warming, the three poles display climate diversities temporarily and spatially, which to different degrees affect the weather and climate over China. Enhanced monitoring of climate change in these three areas, as well as connected work on the responses and feedbacks of the three regions to climate change, will provide necessary support for adaptation and the sustainable development of the Chinese economy.

Identifi cation of national priority areas for adaptation to climate change in China

The problem of global warming has been identif ied as the f irst in the list of the top ten environmental prob-lems in the world.As climate change will seriously affect the social and natural world that people live in,so it may lay serious repercussions on economic progress,social improvement,and sustainable development.International bodies everywhere and many of the countries' governments are responding urgently to this call.In recent years,climate change has affected different regions in China in different ways.In its national agenda,the Chinese government should address the problem of climate change and its negative impact on socio-economic development.In this endeavor the nation should introduce policies which will help its people and economy to adapt to these effects and changes.Priorityf ields of adaptation to climate change are the sensitive areas or departments which are more vulnerable to the negative influences of climate change.The negative impacts of climate change in some parts of China are considered to be very serious indeed as they affect the whole economy and community.As a result,priority should be given to these more affected regions for the limited state f inancing.This paper def ines adaptation and discusses the basic principles and programs in the identif ication of national priority areas where adaptation should be exercised.Based on the past studies,four priority areas in China are identif ied,namely,disaster prevention and mitigation,water resources,agriculture,and ecosystem.An analysis on the identifi cation procedures,and the reasons and tasks involved are given for each.

International Cooperation in Adaptation to Climate Change: Foreign Agendas or Local Necessities?

The paper aims to analyze climate change adaptation projects funded from international cooperation in Veracruz, which is a Mexican state. They used 5 criteria based on international, national and local dimensions as well as their relation to climate adaptation. From this evaluation, they were able to determine that the results were particularly negative. Mostly, because the objectives set by donor countries are scarcely related to the objectives and priorities of recipient countries, in this case developing countries, which are the most vulnerable to climate change. This provides insight into international collaborative projects in developing states and their impact on the socioeconomic, environmental and vulnerable ecosystems.

From Climate to Global Change:Following the Footprint of Prof.Duzheng YE's Research

To commemorate 100 years since the birth of Professor Duzheng YE, this paper reviews the contribution of Ye and his research team to the development from climate to global change science in the past 30 or so years, including：（1） the role of climate change in global change;（2） the critical time scales and predictability of global change;（3） the sensitive regions of global change—transitional zones of climate and ecosystems; and（4） orderly human activities and adaptation to global change, with a focus on the development of a proactive strategy for adaptation to such change.

Countermeasures of adaptation to climate change:establishment and application for implementation matrix

In the conceptual framework of adaptation policy assessment to climate change, adaptation measures can be categorized as two groups：facilitation and implementation. Facilitation measures refers to activities that enhance adaptive capacity, while implementation refers to activities that actually avoid adverse climate impacts on a system by reducing its exposure or sensitivity to climatic hazards, or by moderating relevant non-climatic factors. This paper aims to establish a matrix of implementation measures of adaptation to climate change, through four different ways how adaptation can influencc the relevant elements of climate change. reducing the exposure, reducing the sensitivity, alleviating the adverse impacts and reducing the negative non-climatic factors, and then further discuss the particular implementation measures of adaptation to climate change, through application studies on the selected sub-systems, intend to organize the disordered implementation measures in existent, and put forward some new measures under the guidance of this matrix, which could enrich and promote the system and content of implementation measures of adaptation.

Climate Change Adaptation for People and Nature:A Case Study from the U.S.Southwest

In the U.S.Southwest,global climate change,acting in concert with extant stressors such as urbanization and over-allocation of water resources,is changing ecosystems in measureable and sometimes dramatic ways.Twenty-first century projections indicate accelerating climate change and cascading ecological consequences.Effects observed to date include large-scale forest dieback,large and severe wildfires,and changes in the flow regimes of rivers and streams with attendant changes to riparian and aquatic ecosystems.Rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns are pushing ecosystems across physiological and ecological thresholds,causing widespread mortality and,in some cases,major changes in composition,structure and function.These changes have prompted action by the conservation community to reduce the adverse effects of climate change.The Southwest Climate Change Initiative(SWCCI),a project led by The Nature Conservancy,works with local stakeholders in affected landscapes,reduces adverse impacts on ecological and social systems using scientific knowledge and practical tools.The Initiative has learned through practical experience that: 1) managers must embrace change and manage for resilience rather than resistance;2) strong local science-management partnerships are critical to effective adaptation planning and implementation;3) planners and managers must broaden the scope and accelerate the pace of conservation activities if ecosystem services are to be sustained;4) adaptation often does not require radically new or different management practices,rather,conservationists already have many of the tools they need;and 5) rapid documentation and widespread communication of methods and findings can build rapidly regional capacity for climate change adaptation.Our experience suggests that adaptation efforts can be effective if they are focused at the local scale;employ learning networks;and engage in ecosystem-based adaptation:the sustainable management,conservation and restoration of ecosystems so that they continue to provide the services that allow people to thrive in changing environments.

Climate Change Adaptation Planning for Biodiversity Conservation:A Review

Climate change has been linked to well-documented changes in physiology, phenology, species distributions, and in some cases, extinction. Projections of future change point to dramatic shifts in the states of many ecosystems. Aceommodating these shifts to effectively conserve biodiversity in the context of uncertain climate regimes represents one of the most difficult challenges faced by conservation planners. A number of adaptation strategies have been proposed for managing species and ecosystems in a changing climate. However, there has been little guidance available on integrating climate change adaptation strategies into contemporary conservation planning frameworks. The paper reviews the different approaches being used to integrate climate change adaptation into conservation planning, broadly categorizing strategies as continuing and extending on ＂best practice＂ principles and those that integrate species vulnerability assessments into conservation planning. We describe the characteristics of a good adaptation strategy emphasizing the importance of incorporating clear principles of flexibility and efficiency, accounting for uncertainty, integrating human response to climate change and understanding trade-offs.

Profitability and Farmer Acceptability of Selected Climate Smart Technologies and Practices for Maize-Beans Production in Drought-Prone Areas, Uganda

Climate change is increasingly affecting farm-level decisions on when to plant and which climate smart agriculture (CSA) options to use. This study was conducted to determine the profitability and farmer acceptability of different CSA options for maize-bean production in drought-prone areas of Uganda. It was conducted on-farm in Rakai and Nakasongola districts during 2020 and 2021. Variables included: planting date (early vs late);varieties (common beans: NABE 4 and NAROBEAN 2, and maize: Longe 5 and Bazooka);intercropping versus pure stand;and fertiliser use (manure, Diammonium phosphate (DAP) or combination). The experimental design was split-split plot, replicated six times. Over two years, early planting caused 16% and up to 46% higher yields of maize and beans, respectively, than late planting, resulting in 14% - 28% and 18% - 43% higher Benefit/Cost (B/C) ratio for maize and beans, respectively. Intercropping reduced maize and beans yield by 16% - 25% and 52% - 57%, respectively. The B/C was highest for sole maize;intercropping was more profitable than sole beans. Fertilizer (DAP) was most profitable when Bazooka was early-planted as sole crop followed by intercrop. For late planted-crop, manure was better. These practices were more beneficial when applied simultaneously for both crops excluding bean variety. Farmers’ lessons stressed the importance of early planting and fertilizer use;however, majority indicated they were to adopt more than two of the practices tested.

Hallmark of a Resilient City: Adoption of Green Infrastructure in African Cities

Dynamic urbanization of African cities has created development trajectories that face systemic challenges in the provision of sustainable and ecologically resilient urban environments. The specific challenges include extensive unregulated growth with informal settlements reflecting poor service levels and high poverty indices, inadequacy in provision of basic services in health, water, housing, transport and communication infrastructure, high reliance on biomass fuels, exposure to environmental stress and implausible climate change coping and mitigation mechanisms among others. Review of extensive literature and synthesis of existing bodies of knowledge on the ecological and management perspectives of urban environments revealed many gaps and understanding of urban transformation processes. The purpose of this review was to contextualize credible pathways for optimization of both ecosystem goods and services from green urban landscapes (Green infrastructure) and non-green infrastructure to ensure sustainable and ecologically resilient urban environments. Attempts were made to rationalize and validate through discussions the benefits of managed urban ecosystems for African cities. On the basis of the evidence from the literature, it is concluded that urban development trajectories that do not embrace multifaceted approaches that deliberately retain and maintain green infrastructure in the urban environment may not be cost-effective. It is recommended that systematic integration of urban forestry concepts in urban planning that involves communities, local and national governments, business entrepreneurs and public and private research institutions provides tenable frameworks for addressing current and future challenges of urbanization in Africa.

Effectiveness of Drought Risk Reduction Policies: Case Study of Hay Production in Kajiado County, Kenya

Kenya has integrated several international, continental, and regional strategies and policies into its national and county programs to address climate-related disasters in livestock systems in pastoralism. This study reviews how these policy instruments have been integrated into local laws and the viability of hay production, a drought risk reduction strategy. The methodology used was a desktop review of policies, a KAP survey using a quantitative and qualitative questionnaire on 354 pastoralists and key informants selected using stratified random sampling, and a cost-benefit analysis of 23 hay farms in Kajiado-Central sub-county. The findings established that Kenya had adopted adequate legal instruments to support disasters in general and droughts specifically. However, the strategies are not elaborated into practical guidance resulting in poor implementation. For instance, the flagship hay production project in Kajiado focuses on building infrastructure on the government farms, with little support going to the actual hay farmers. In addition, staffing levels of technical officers are too low to adequately translate the strategies into activities that address the hay farmer’s pain points, namely the lack of a stable hay market, expensive capital assets and machinery, lack of quality forage seeds, and extension education. This paper recommends reviewing the implementation of the ongoing hay flagship projects to address the hay enterprise’s profitability and elaborating the strategies down to guidance that can be easily rolled out cognizant of the low staffing levels. Public-private partnerships can also address some challenges by stabilizing the hay markets, providing storage, and maintaining good-quality hay. In addition, the strategic feed reserve should include hay for pastoral livestock systems under drought risk reduction programs. Thus, targeted, relevant projects are critical if private hay enterprises are a sustainable drought risk reduction strategy.