Response and Recovery
Featured Effective Communication of Coastal Flood Warnings: Challenges and Recommendations View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Tianze Pang
With the increasing risk of coastal flooding on coastal communities due to climate change, coastal flood warnings (CFWs) are expected to play a critical role in the protection of people and property. However, as destructive coastal flooding hazards have still caused considerable damage in recent years, the effectiveness of coastal flooding warnings can be questioned with their objectives of disaster risk reduction. Here, we deliver a review investigation on the current CFWs in the USA and Canada based on their setup and dissemination, and case study of two representative coastal flooding events. Through this review, we have found that the collaboration of multi-level administration on CFW mechanisms has the potential to strengthen towards higher efficacy. We also found that CFWs from the media often lacked consideration on public acceptance and practicability in their reports, which may have affected the performance of CFW from its original intention. Meanwhile, the technological limitations and uncertain public acceptance may also discount the CFW effectiveness from their expression. Accordingly, media should consider more on the understandability of CFW-related reports. Moreover, emergency information channels should be set in both traditional media and social media, for an accessible use for residents with different customs. Lastly, starting from the normalized prevention of coastal flood disaster, a consensus of crisis awareness should be built, with which the social defensive line towards coastal flooding can be combinedly established for future environmental challenges.
Wildfires and Healthcare: Mitigation and Adaptation of Delivery Systems in the Anthropocene View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Jacob Wood
Wildfires have the ability to negatively impact the health of our communities and place significant strain on healthcare systems. In this work, we discuss the adverse effects of wildfire smoke on multiple organ systems, with many of these impacts remaining incompletely understood and warranting further investigation. Additionally, we discuss how the appearance of megafires, like those seen in Lahaina and Paradise, can largely be attributed to the historical management of wildfires with excessive fire suppression and an increasingly hot and dry climate. In order to protect public health and create resilient healthcare infrastructure, it is imperative health systems take an active role in the management and prevention of wildfires. Therefore, the final section of this work is focused on discussing the unique set of challenges wildfires present for healthcare systems and proposing climate adaptation and mitigation strategies for healthcare delivery.
Arterial Road Bypass and the Changing Climate View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Roxanna Mhae Vidamo, Clarence Emmanuel Alba, Regine Ann Libao
Areas in Bulacan like Guiguinto, Plaridel, Pulilan, Baliuag, San Rafael, and San Ildefonso belong to the low-lying areas that suffer flooding during typhoon and rainy season. The paper aims to increase awareness of the arterial road project funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) that diverged the low-lying old road to the new elevated road to alleviate serious traffic condition along Maharlika highway and to avoid flooded villages and municipalities during typhoon and rainy season. Mixed method research was used to attain the complete result of the study through observation, face to face interviews, and focus group discussion. The result shows that the new elevated arterial road bypass has positive and negative impacts to motorists and residents nearby.
Beyond Carbon: Navigating the Path to Biodiversity Credits for Climate Action and Ecosystem Conservation View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Marianna Manfrino
This paper explores the evolution of climate finance, particularly the transition from conventional carbon credits to a broader framework encompassing biodiversity credits. By integrating biodiversity considerations into the financial landscape, this paper elucidates the potential for a more holistic and effective approach to mitigating climate change and promoting ecosystem conservation. The paper begins by providing a comprehensive overview of the current state of climate finance, highlighting the successes and shortcomings of existing carbon credit systems. It then delves into the rationale behind expanding the scope to include biodiversity, recognizing the interconnectedness between climate change and the loss of biodiversity. The incorporation of biodiversity credits into climate finance is posited as a multifaceted solution that not only addresses carbon emissions but also promotes the conservation and restoration of ecosystems. Moreover, the paper explores the intersection of blockchain technology and artificial intelligence (AI) in the context of biodiversity conservation through the innovative concept of biodiversity credits. These credits serve as a financial instrument, attracting support for projects aimed at safeguarding ecosystems, with a particular focus on the Amazon rainforest. Blockchain and AI integration ensures transparency and traceability in the issuance and tracking of biodiversity tokens, opening up the market to individual consumers. The decentralized nature of blockchain mitigates risks of manipulation, while AI contributes to real-time monitoring, verification, and predictive analytics, enhancing the overall accountability of the token issuance process.
Artificial Islands and Sustainability Considerations Against Climate Change: Evaluation of Solutions from Engineering, Environmental and Economic Perspectives View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Walid Mekni
The purpose of the current project is to assess the long-term sustainability of the artificial islands in UAE against the climate change impact. The project combines two separate fields of research, which are as follows: Economy/Tourism and Engineering/Geology. Experts from two different departments in SUAD will contribute to the assessment of investing in artificial islands construction for touristic purpose and other operational use, with taking into consideration the climate change impact. The way forward of the impact assessment can be built on the following four factors: · Economic/Operational (EO) to qualitatively identify the economic consequences of climate change, both temporary and permanent, as well as the complexities of touristic and other types of investment within the context of the artificial island construction. · Physical and Environmental which takes into consideration the assessment of the two main interference factors from climate change on the marine environment, which are the sea level rise and the excess in carbon dioxide concentrations in seawater. The multidisciplinary analysis enables a “360-degree” identification of impact factors for the artificial island investment in UAE, being one of the leader developers in the world of this technology. In addition, conclude recommendations matrix based on the climate change challenging factors.
Global Environmental Cooperation and How Nationalism Hinders It View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Clarence Phillips
Environmental issues are inherently global in nature – not only do pollutants in air and water ultimately affect all life on Earth but the current warming of the planet cannot possibly be restricted to any single region. And while individual nation states understandably desire autonomy for their citizens and within their own borders, the global issues we collectively seek to address requires a cooperation that such autonomy often obstructs. Even well-intentioned nations, who gather at global summits and pledge their commitment to the environment at large, often return home to conditions which prevent the very cooperation they just pledged. And of course, those who feel they will not benefit from such agreements, or who did not contribute to the problem in the first place, have even less reason to change their ways. Attempts to unify the nations of Earth and make such cooperation more likely have been increasing for over a century now - first with The League of Nations and presently through The United Nations – but even on a global scale, we all recognize the difficulties involved in uniting a population that is now over eight billion strong. Feeding, clothing, and housing this still growing number is challenging enough, but reconciling the political, economic, and religious differences makes genuine cooperation even more difficult. Since the one thing that unites us all is the sustenance this planet has always provided, the purpose of this paper is to show how environmental issues themselves can overcome our most entrenched nationalistic differences.
