Suchergebnisse

Abstract
Increased cooperation of an interdisciplinary group of climate change professionals as a social network can play a crucial role in adaptation to climate change. To investigate this relationship at the country scale, this study uses a case study in Iran to 1) measure the cooperative relationship among climate change professionals using the network analysis approach and 2) analyze the potential of the network in promoting adaptation measures based on sustainable development. Social network analysis, which is both a quantitative and qualitative method of grounded theory, was used to analyze the data. Data collection was performed using two questionnaires, including network analysis and a survey, as well as a number of semistructured interviews with the climate change professionals. The data were collected from climate change professionals, including a sample of 55 individuals who were surveyed as a cross section of representative participants from a variety of sectors and organizations. The network relationship results have been analyzed using different tests at three levels (micro, macro, and the interactions between the two). The results have shown that the connectedness of the network is 23.7%, with 42.4% mutual links. The transitivity rate in the network is 51.39%, which determines the possibility of each professional communicating with a third party. According to the normalized degree index, 34.29% of the cases are in contact with other researchers in the network and 53.15% received a connection from others. Grounded theory analysis showed that five core categories including social capital, managerial factors, research, relations, and coordination affected the quality and utility of Iranian climate change professionals' network.

Climate Change in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands: Indicators and Considerations for Key Sectors is a report developed by the Pacific Islands Regional Climate Assessment (PIRCA). It is one in a series of reports aimed at assessing the state of knowledge about climate change indicators, impacts, and adaptive capacity of the US-Affiliated Pacific Islands and the Hawaiian archipelago. Authors from the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) Office of Planning and Development, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the East-West Center—along with technical contributors from government and nongovernmental organizations, research, and community groups—collaboratively developed the CNMI PIRCA report. Key climate change issues affecting the CNMI include more destructive typhoons, threats to ocean ecosystems, and mental and physical health risks. Climate change is expected to disrupt many aspects of life in CNMI. Those who are already vulnerable—including children, the elderly, low-income families, and individuals with disabilities—are at greater risk from extreme weather and climate events. Climate Change in CNMI: Indicators and Considerations for Key Sectors provides guidance for decision-makers seeking to better understand the implications of climate variability and change for CNMI and its communities. This assessment also identifies the additional information and research needed to support responses that enhance resilience and help CNMI to withstand the changes to come.

Climate Change in Palau: Indicators and Considerations for Key Sectors is a report developed for the Pacific Islands Regional Climate Assessment (PIRCA). It is one in a series of reports aimed at assessing the state of knowledge about climate change indicators, impacts, and adaptive capacity of the US-Affiliated Pacific Islands and the Hawaiian archipelago. Authors from the Republic of Palau's Office of Climate Change, the Coral Reef Research Foundation, the Palau International Coral Reef Center, and the East-West Center—along with 30 technical contributors from government and nongovernmental organizations, research, and community groups—collaboratively developed the Palau PIRCA report. Key climate change issues affecting Palau include hotter conditions, stronger typhoons, threats to coastal infrastructure, and declining ocean ecosystem health. Climate change is expected to disrupt many aspects of life in Palau. Those who are already vulnerable—including children, the elderly, low-income families, and individuals with disabilities—are at greater risk from extreme weather and climate events. Climate Change in Palau: Indicators and Considerations for Key Sectors provides guidance for decision-makers seeking to better understand the implications of climate variability and change for Palau and its communities. This assessment also identifies the additional information and research needed to support responses that enhance resilience and help Palau to withstand the changes to come. ; The report is available for download on the East-West Center's website, at www.eastwestcenter.org/PIRCA-Palau. To request a printed copy, please contact Zena Grecni, grecniz@eastwestcenter.org.

Abstract
Understanding how climate science can be useful in decisions about the management of freshwater resources requires knowledge of decision makers, their climate-sensitive decisions, and the context in which the decisions are being made. A mixed-methods study found that people managing freshwater resources in Hawaii are highly educated and experienced in diverse professions, they perceive climate change as posing a worrisome risk, and they would like to be better informed about how to adapt to climate change. Decision makers with higher climate literacy seem to be more comfortable dealing with uncertain information. Those with lower climate literacy seem to be more trusting of climate information from familiar sources. Freshwater managers in Hawaii make a wide range of climate-sensitive decisions. These decisions can be characterized on several key dimensions including purpose (optimization and evaluation), time horizon (short term and long term), level of information uncertainty (known, uncertain, deeply uncertain, and completely unknown), and information type (quantitative and qualitative). The climate information most relevant to decision makers includes vulnerability assessments incorporating long-term projections about temperature, rainfall distribution, storms, sea level rise, and streamflow changes at an island or statewide scale. The main barriers to using available climate information include insufficient staff time to locate the information and the lack of a clear legal mandate to use the information. Overall, the results suggest that an integrated and systematic approach is needed to determine where and when uncertain climate information is useful and how a larger set of organizational and individual variables affect decision making.