Tree ring derived summer temperature variability over the past millennium in the western Himalayas of northern Pakistan

Long-term high resolution climate proxies are essential for understanding climate variability particularly,in regions such as the western Himalayas of northern Pakistan,where few long-term climate records are available.Using standard dendrochronological methods,an 1132-year(882 to 2013 C.E.)tree-ring chronology of Juniperus excelsa M.Bieb was established from the western Himalayas,northern Pakistan(WHNP).Tree growth was negatively and significantly(r=-0.65)correlated with the growing season(June-July)mean temperature,and positively and weakly(r=0.22)associated with precipitation.This inverse relationship of tree radial growth with temperature and positive association with precipitation demonstrated that forest growth is sensitive to high temperature related drought.Utilizing a reliable STD chronology and robust reconstruction model,a 928-year(1086 to 2013 C.E.)mean temperature reconstruction was developed for the WHNP using the substantial negative correlation between the summer temperature and standard tree ring-width chronology.According to statistical validation,the reconstruction accounted for 41.6% of the climatic variation for the period of 1956-2013 C.E.instrumental period.Individual extreme-warm periods occurred in 1093 C.E.(29.42℃)and extreme cold periods in 1088 C.E.(26.99℃)observed during the past 928 years.The reconstruction's multi-taper method(MTM)spectral analysis reveals significant(p<0.05)2-3-year and 63.8-year cycles.Since the 2-3-year cycle occurred within the range of ENSO variation,which indicates that ENSO had an impact on the regional temperature in our studied area.

Insights into nanoplastics effects on human health

Plastics are ubiquitous. Their role as a cost-effective, chemically stable, versatile multipurpose material precluded early attempts to regulate plastic wastes and facilitated the, now widespread, planetary contamination. Left to slow UV decay and thermooxidative weathering, large plastics chip away into less than 5 mm fragments, or microplastics, which, in turn, can degrade further into nanoplastics. In the manufacturing process, several components,such as catalysts, solvents, stabilizers。

Mainstreaming the nexus approach in climate services will enable coherent local and regional climate policies

The current challenges that society faces call for actions fostering climate change adaptation and long-term sustainability grounded in effective policies. Consequently, to raise environmental resilience and sustain human wellbeing, we need to overhaul the policy-making process towards a ‘holistic approach’. The nexus approach has proven a valuable tool for identifying gaps and incoherencies in current policies, for understanding major interlinkages across sectors and scales, and for promoting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Nevertheless, a ‘silo approach’ to decision making currently prevails, thus achieving cross-sectoral and cross-scale harmonization still remains a challenge in policy-making. In response to this challenge, the next step in the science–policy–practice interface is to integrate the nexus approach in the ‘climate services’ arena, in order to support integrated policies. Climate services embody a bridge between researchers and stakeholders, and by supporting integrated policies they will ensure synergies between sectors and scales, reduce potential trade-offs, and enable co-benefits.