The theory behind,and the challenges of,conserving nature's stage in a time of rapid change

Most conservation planning to date has focused on protecting today's biodiversity with the assumption that it will be tomorrow's biodiversity. However, modern climate change has already resulted in distributional shifts of some species and is projected to result in many more shifts in the coming decades. As species redistribute and biotic communities reorganize, conservation plans based on current patterns of biodiversity may fail to adequately protect species in the future. One approach for addressing this issue is to focus on conserving a range of abiotic conditions in the conservation‐planning process. By doing so, it may be possible to conserve an abiotically diverse “stage” upon which evolution will play out and support many actors (biodiversity). We reviewed the fundamental underpinnings of the concept of conserving the abiotic stage, starting with the early observations of von Humboldt, who mapped the concordance of abiotic conditions and vegetation, and progressing to the concept of the ecological niche. We discuss challenges posed by issues of spatial and temporal scale, the role of biotic drivers of species distributions, and latitudinal and topographic variation in relationships between climate and landform. For example, abiotic conditions are not static, but change through time—albeit at different and often relatively slow rates. In some places, biotic interactions play a substantial role in structuring patterns of biodiversity, meaning that patterns of biodiversity may be less tightly linked to the abiotic stage. Furthermore, abiotic drivers of biodiversity can change with latitude and topographic position, meaning that the abiotic stage may need to be defined differently in different places. We conclude that protecting a diversity of abiotic conditions will likely best conserve biodiversity into the future in places where abiotic drivers of species distributions are strong relative to biotic drivers, where the diversity of abiotic settings will be conserved through time, and where connectivity allows for movement among areas providing different abiotic conditions.     

Influences of Border Carbon Adjustments on China’s Foreign Trade

The EU, the United States and other economies, with the intention to implement unilateral trade measures Border Carbon Adjustments, impose emission reduction pressure on developing countries. Once implemented, the measures will have great impact on China’s foreign trade. Using the input-output table in 2007, this paper had analyzed the influences on China’s foreign trade as a whole and sub-sectors in three tax rates scenarios. The results showed that the tariff level of China’s exports will increase by 3.6%-6.3% if the tax was levied on exports embodied emissions, and by 1.0%-1.7% if levied on export direct emissions. In 2007, the former total amount of carbon tax was about US$42.6-73.0 billion, 4 times that of the latter. Based on export embodied emissions, sectors largely influenced were non-traditional energy intensive ones, such as textile, et al. These sectors should be encour-aged to carry out industrial upgrading, raising the value-added of export goods, and reducing their embodied emissions by reduction of energy intensity. Taking into account of the complexity of data collection, the tax levied on products direct emission is more operational. The results showed that the five top sectors most affected were other chemical materials, processing of petroleum and nuclear fuel, coking, smelting and rolling of ferrous metal and textile. Most of them were energy intensive sectors. Therefore, adjusting export products structure, and controlling too fast development of energy intensive industries are also important strategies in China.     

Relation between extinction and assisted colonization of plants in the arctic‐alpine and boreal regions

Assisted colonization of vascular plants is considered by many ecologists an important tool to preserve biodiversity threatened by climate change. I argue that assisted colonization may have negative consequences in arctic‐alpine and boreal regions. The observed slow movement of plants toward the north has been an argument for assisted colonization. However, these range shifts may be slow because for many plants microclimatic warming (ignored by advocates of assisted colonization) has been smaller than macroclimatic warming. Arctic‐alpine and boreal plants may have limited possibilities to disperse farther north or to higher elevations. I suggest that arctic‐alpine species are more likely to be driven to extinction because of competitive exclusion by southern species than by increasing temperatures. If so, the future existence of arctic‐alpine and boreal flora may depend on delaying or preventing the migration of plants toward the north to allow northern species to evolve to survive in a warmer climate. In the arctic‐alpine region, preventing the dispersal of trees and shrubs may be the most important method to mitigate the negative effects of climate change. The purported conservation benefits of assisted colonization should not be used to promote the migration of invasive species by forestry.     

Survey‐Based Approach for Hydrological Vulnerability Indicators Due to Climate Change: Case Study of Small‐Scale Rivers1

Jung, Yong and Minha Choi, 2012. Survey‐Based Approach for Hydrological Vulnerability Indicators Due to Climate Change: Case Study of Small‐Scale Rivers. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 48(2): 256‐265. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2011.00608.x Abstract: The vulnerability indicators can be used to develop water resource policy in the context of climate change. The Delphi method, an interactive prediction technique, is an efficient way to apply weighting functionality to vulnerability indicators consisting of three parts: Exposure, Sensitivity, and Adaptive Capacity on climate change. The Delphi method is an anonymous iterative survey of expert opinion, which is then shared with other participants. A total of three different rounds were carried out. The first round was a problem selection set, and the second and third were the standard Delphi survey. Fifty‐eight experts (66% academic and 34% practitioner) were invited. The rates of reply were 59, 50, and 38% for the first, second, and third Delphi processes, respectively. The degree of consensus of the Delphi survey was validated via variance changes and Kendall’s W test. Exposure and Adaptive Capacity presented increased levels of agreement among respondents in their given priorities. Particularly strong convergence (0.20 to 0.71 in Kendall’s W) of the experts’ opinions for Adaptive Capacity was observed. The results of this study indicate that finalized factors with ultimate weights through the Delphi method can be a strong support for governmental policy making with respect to climate change.     

Global progress in climate change adaptation policies and its implication for China

This paper reviews the progress in climate change adaptation (CCA) policies both under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and in major regions and countries, including the EU and its major member countries, the influential developed countries in the Asia-Pacific region, the emerging economies and the least developed countries (LDCs). The progress made in China in CCA policies is also reviewed and compared with that in other countries. Finally, good international practices are proposed for China’s policy development. It is found that adaptation has been given the same priority as mitigation since the twenty-first century with regard to climate change-related actions. The topics related to adaptation in the international climate change negotiations under the UNFCCC have evolved from mechanisms for finance and technology development and transfer exclusively in the early stages to implementation of practical adaptation programs and actions. Since 2006, major developed and developing countries have frequently set forward specific CCA policies or general climate change policies involving adaptation in the form of laws, frameworks, strategies, and plans. The LDCs have also been working on National Adaptation Programmes of Action and subsequent National Adaptation Plans with the support from the financial mechanisms under the UNFCCC. Therefore, globally, it has become a common practice to develop national or regional policies to plan and guide CCA actions. China has established climate change policies involving adaptation at the national, regional, and sectorial levels since 2007. However, these policies have strong limitations in their knowledge base, strategic positioning, contents, and implementation mechanisms, e.g. lack of a sound knowledge base, an international perspective, clear responsibilities for policy implementation, and appropriate monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. It is recommended that China should further strengthen its technical capabilities in climate change projections as well as impact, vulnerability, and risk assessment, and develop methodologies and techniques for the preparation, impact assessment and implementation of CCA policies. Furthermore, future CCA strategies or plans should be developed with an emphasis on China’s vision and strategic position on the world stage.     

Climate capacity:the measurement for adaptation to climate change

This article proposed the concept of"climate capacity"as a way of measuring human’s adaptiveness to climate change.This article also focused on the related concepts like ecological carrying capacity,water resources carrying capacity,land carrying capacity as well as population carrying capacity.The concept of climate capacity was articulated against a background of global climate and environmental change.Essentially,China’s efforts to adapt to climate change was a matter of improving climate capacity,which is the ecosystem as well as the frequency,the intensity and the scale of human’s social activities that the climatic resources of a particular geographic area were supposed to support.The climate capacity has two components.One is the natural climate capacity,which includes temperature,sunlight,precipitation,extreme climatic events,etc.The other is the derived climate capacity,which includes water resources,land resources,ecological systems,climatic risks,etc.The climate capacity can be developed or be transferred between regions by taking engineering,technology or regime-based adaptive measures.However,these adaptive measures must be implemented under the principle of economic rationalism,ecological integrity,climate protection,and social justice.It is expected that by combining the climate capacity and its threshold value with the assessment of climate change risks,we are able to predict the optimal population carrying capacity and the scale of socioeconomic development,and furthermore,provide policy support for the socioeconomic development strategy and adaptive planning.In the regions with high climate capacity,there is a symbiotic relationship between adaptation and socioeconomic development.But,in the regions with limited climate capacity,irrational development may further damage the environment.Taking the Yangtze River delta,a region with high climate capacity,and a region of Ningxia,a region with limited climate capacity,as illustrative examples,the authors of this article analyzed the policy implications of climate capacity and further made suggestions on the problems of capacitylimited adaptation and development-driven adaptation.This article argued that the concept of climate capacity can not only be used as an analytical instrument of climate change economics,but also it can provide research support for planning regional adaptation and development with climate change impact and risk assessments.     

International mechanism for loss and damage from climate change: recommendations for related work in China

Loss and damage (L&D) from climate change has threatened the sustainable development of humankind, while the progress of mitigative and adaptive measures carried out under the international multilateral framework has been slow. The scientific community and policymakers have placed increasing emphasis on the international L&D response mechanism as a potential direct solution. This paper reviewed the origins of such a mechanism, with an in-depth analysis of the related connotations. A review of the existing situation in China on work related to L&D arising from climate change was conducted, followed by a summary of the findings. Finally, measures and recommendations to improve China’s efforts were proposed in this issue.     

西南地区陆地植被生态系统NPP时空演变及驱动力分析

研究西南地区陆地植被生态系统净初级生产力(NPP)的时空演变特征及其驱动力,对区域生态环境保护具有重要的现实意义.利用2000～2021年MODIS NPP、1999～2021年基于站点的气象数据和2000～2020年土地利用类型等数据,结合主成分分析、残差分析、Theil-Sen Median趋势分析和偏相关分析等方法,研究西南地区陆地植被生态系统NPP时空演变及其对驱动力的响应特征.结果表明,时间上,2000～2021年西南地区植被NPP呈波动上升趋势,速率为3.54g·(m²·a)^-1.气候变化和人类活动影响下,农田、草地和森林生态系统NPP均呈上升趋势,但农田生态系统NPP的上升趋势最为显著.空间上,西南地区植被NPP呈上升趋势的面积占比为89.06%,显著上升和极显著上升的区域主要分布在广西南部、四川东部、重庆西部,以及云南和贵州交界处.气候变化和人类活动对西南地区植被生长具有双重影响,气候变化和人类活动影响下农田生态系统NPP呈上升趋势的面积占比均高于草地和森林生态系统.西南地区植被NPP与各气象因子的相关性呈明显地域差异.区域尺...     

气候变化和人类活动对我国典型草原区植被恢复的影响

草原区作为影响我国陆地生态系统碳水循环和生态安全的重点区域,对气候变化和人类活动极为敏感.然而,有关气候变化和人类活动对该区域植被恢复相对贡献的认识尚存分歧.以生态系统净初级生产力(NPP)为评价指标,通过对比MODIS观测的实际NPP和基于Thornthwaite Memorial模型估算的潜在NPP的趋势差异,量化了2000～2020年气候变化和人类活动对我国典型草原区(北方温性草原区和青藏高原高寒草原区)植被恢复的相对作用.结果表明,研究区内93%的草地植被呈恢复趋势,NPP平均增加速率达(以C计)2.12 g·(m²·a)^-1(P<0.01),其中,近一半植被恢复区受气候变化和人为活动共同控制,约36%和10%植被恢复区分别受气候变化和人类活动的独立控制;此外,不同草地类型气候变化主导植被恢复的面积占比差异大,主要表现为高寒草地明显高于温性草地,气候条件越干旱,气候主导面积占比越大.人类活动不是北方温性草原区和青藏高原高寒草原区植被恢复的主要原因,但在气候条件恶化地区,人类活动可降低甚至抵消气候变化对植被的负面影响.未来需加强长...     

气候变化对中国夏季臭氧影响

气象条件对近地层臭氧(O₃)的生成有重要影响.为了探讨未来气候变化如何影响中国不同地区的O₃浓度,本研究将全球耦合模式比较计划CMIP5提供的CESM地球系统模式的气候预测数据作为WRF区域气象模式的初始边界条件,降尺度模拟了3种代表情景(RCP4.5、 RCP6.0和RCP8.5)下的未来2046～2055年夏季气候变化情况,并驱动CMAQ区域空气质量模式模拟气候变化对O₃的影响.结果表明,气候变化使中国夏季边界层高度、温度均值和高温天数增加,相对湿度有所降低,近地面风速无明显变化.在气象要素的共同影响下,O₃浓度在京津冀、四川和华南等地区呈现增加趋势,O₃每日最大8 h滑动平均(MDA8)极值在不同情景下增幅为：RCP8.5(0.7μg·m^-3)>RCP6.0(0.3μg·m^-3)>RCP4.5(0.2μg·m^-3).夏季MDA8超标日变化与高温天数变化有较为相似的分布,MDA8超标的发生与高温天...