Remedies for loss and damage caused by climate change from the dimension of climate justice

Adverse consequences to the ecological system and human health caused by impacts potentially attributable to climate change have already drawn great and widespread concern of many scientists and international organizations. However, we still have a hard time determining exactly the impact of climate change on the environment or the damage that climate change inflicts on countries comprising small islands or low-lying lands in light of today’s science and technology. The progress for dealing with the issue of loss and damage has been struggling for a long time from the beginning to the present. In this paper, the author begins by summarizing talks on the concept and the positions of commentators. The author is proposing that the development of future climate negotiations and rule-making process be based on global climate justice as a standard for measuring value. Also, the author proposes that a holistic view of climate justice be established. Generally, three aspects of climate justice can be derived. First, the dimension of human rights protection shows that protection of fundamental human rights is a logical precondition if small-island and low-lying countries are able to achieve climate justice. Second, the definite and traditional concepts of distributive justice and corrective justice hold the view that the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities should be upheld as a basic standard of allocating rights and duties associated with climate change. Third, climate justice requires that any state follow the “no-harm principle,” which is regarded as an international customary rule. According to the principle, the obligation of states to prevent the use of their territory for causing trans-boundary harm to the environment shall be a violation of state responsibility, which incurs international punishment. Then we put forward three remedial approaches in light of climate justice, including the approach of State Responsibility (SR) based on the principles and rules of international human rights law and international environmental law. Based on clear rules, the judge can determine whether the damaging behavior or the damage perpetrated by a state party constitutes a state responsibility. The International Environmental Regulation (IEB), which means solving the problems within the framework established by the Conventions on Climate Change, takes advantage of the market mechanisms and incentives such as fund and insurance support system to relieve or compensate the loss and damage. International Environmental Dispute Settlement Mechanism (IEDSM), which includes the means such as consultations, negotiations, nonmandatory ways and international arbitration, international judicial ways to solve these disputes, functions as a procedural safeguard. As an active promoter of global climate governance, China should no doubt stand by the principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibility (CBDR) and take it as a basis for negotiations, actively strengthen the work of South-South cooperation, fulfill her international climate commitments without reservation, vigorously develop a low-carbon economy, and actively promote international negotiations on the subject of loss and damage.     

The impact of climate changes on mass events in China

There is an increasing number of “mass events” in mainland China. My study extends the current studies to the context of China and tries to examine the potential impacts of climate changes on human conflicts in China. The results suggest a strong linkage between the deviation of monthly mean temperature from the historical mean and the number of mass events in a province. If the current trend of warming persists, in the next 6–8 decades, the number of mass events in China will increase by over 8.8%.     

Assessment of decadal changes in sediment contamination in a large connecting channel (Detroit River,North America)

Concentrations of selected heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, Zn) and organic contaminants (PCBs, PAHs) were investigated in samples from the Detroit River (Great Lakes, North America) in 1999 and 2008/09 collected using a stratified random sampling design. Getis–Ord geospatial analysis was used to further establish locations of areas demonstrating significantly high and low contaminant concentrations in the river. Based on the stratified random sampling design, a majority of the examined metals and organic contaminants demonstrated little or no trends with respect to regional sediment concentrations and river-wide mass balances over the investigated time interval. The Getis–Ord analysis revealed local scales of contaminated and clean areas which did not conform to the original strata used in the geostatistical sampling design. It is suggested that geospatial analyses such as Getis–Ord be used in the design of future sediment quality surveys to refine locations of strata that can simultaneously address sediment recovery over system-wide, regional and local spatial scales.     

1998年长江大洪水与大气环流和海温异常分析

概述了引起１９９８年长江大洪水的雨情,从天气气候角度分析了１９９８年长江流域降水异常偏多的原因。指出了最直接的原因是副高移动的反常,特别７月１５日以后副高突然南撤南海季风爆发晚,南亚和东亚季风强度偏弱、夏季赤道辐合带偏弱热带地区台风生成少、生成时间晚,     

气候异常对交通运输影响的对策研究

在概述我国交通运输的构成以及这年发展的基础上,分析了不同气候异常类型对不同交通运输系统在不同阶段的影响,提出了交通运输防御气候异常的战略性对策和在不同气候异常情况下防御气候灾害的战术性对策。     

南亚热带土壤温度动态变化特征及其意义

根据定位系统观测资料,阐述了南亚热带山地常绿森林区、丘陵旱作区和平原水稻区多种土壤的温度变化与气温的关系。观测研究结果表明：低山常绿森林区温度的三维空间差异比丘陵区、平原区大,丘陵区又比平原区大;南亚热带林区的气温、地表温、30cm土温比中亚热带的高,比热带的低：南亚热带林区的谷地气温高于针叶林、混交林和阔叶林,谷地地表温低于针叶林而高于混交林和阔叶林,谷地20m土温低于针叶林、混交林而高于阔叶林;在气温一致的丘陵区栽植植物不同,其地表温、土温略有差异;在平原水稻土区,年气温、地表温、20cm土温差异不大,但30cm以下土温渐显差异;不同地貌单元的气温、地表温和土温的年际差异、年平均温度、各月及0～12～24时的温度动态变化各具特征。根据气温与植物生长的关系,拟把气温＞22℃的4～10月称热季、气温＜22℃的1～3月及11～12月称作凉季。可因地制宜,根据气温和土温的变化特征与土壤水分和作物生长的关系,采取措施调节温度,以利于作物生长。     

A System to Monitor Climate Change with Epilithic Lichens

The issue of biological monitoring of the local consequences of anticipated global climate change is considered for the Central Negev Highlands, Israel. Epilithic lichens are suggested as biological monitors. The proposed methodology of such monitoring consists of a sampling scheme, including lichen measurement along transects on flat calcareous rocks, and construction of a trend detection index (TDI). TDI is a sum of lichen species cover with coefficients chosen so as to ensure maximum ability to detect global climate trends. Coefficients have been estimated in a study of lichens along an altitudinal gradient from 500 to 1000 m a.s.l. The gradient study demonstrated that the TDI index is performed better than other integrated indices. Recommendations on this system to monitor climate change with epilthic lichens are given. Measuring, for instance, a hundred transects in fifty plots (two transet per plot scheme) allows one to detect a climate-driven change in the epilithic lichen community corresponding to a 0.8 °C shift in annual mean temperature. Such resolution appears sufficient in view of global warming of 2.5 °C considered by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change as a realistic prediction for the end of the next century.     

区域大气环境模拟系统RegAEMS的研究进展

区域大气环境模拟系统RegAEMS是我国自主发展的空气质量模式之一,包含中尺度气象模式MM5/WRF/TAPM和大气环境模式AEM,并能与区域气候模式RegCM耦合,可以用于酸沉降、光化学烟雾、细颗粒物、重金属元素等大气污染的形成机理、模拟预测、管控对策、环境影响和气候效应研究.本文主要介绍RegAEMS的发展历程、框架结构和主要性能,重点介绍近期的模式改进和模拟验证情况.研究表明,改进的RegAEMS在硫酸盐、二次有机气溶胶、臭氧和氮沉降方面具有较强的模拟能力,可以用于区域大气复合污染模拟预测和管理控制的基础研究及业务应用.     

基于区域气候模式CCLM的中国极端降水事件预估

选用中国气象局国家气候中心由逐日观测资料插值而成的格点化观测数据集,评估了区域气候模式COSMO-CLM(CCLM)对中国极端降水的模拟能力,并对2016—2050年中国极端降水事件进行预估。文中主要采用强度-面积-持续时间(Intensity-Area-Duration,IAD)方法,识别了既定时间尺度下具有一定强度和影响面积的极端降水事件,分析未来中国极端降水事件的特征和变化趋势,结果表明:1)区域气候模式CCLM对中国极端降水的空间分布和变化趋势均有较强的模拟能力;2)2016—2050年中国极端降水事件整体呈增加趋势,RCP 8.5情景下变化更为显著,事件强度更大;3)未来不同情景下,均有可能发生强度或影响面积超过基准期最大值的事件,其中影响面积大的事件多发生在华北和东北,强度大的事件多发生在西南和华南。     

上海城市热岛效应的特征分析

根据上海市城区和郊区的６个Ｄａｖｉｓ自动气象观测仪，１９９８、１９９９年两年观测记录，分析了近年来上海市城市热岛的变化特征。结果表明：上海市全年出现城市热岛的概率为８５．１３％，大多数的热岛强度约为２～３℃，有时可以达到３～５℃，最大热岛强度可达７．３７℃；上海市城市热岛可分为Ａ、Ｂ两大类，Ａ类日变化较平稳，强度较弱，主要发生在春夏季节；而Ｂ类有明显的日变化，强度较大，基本上发生在秋冬季节，上海市