Suchergebnisse

This is the second major contribution by the author following the first edition published in 2011. This publication is a multidecadal report on the state of Malta's climate based on the data provided by the Meteorological Office situated at Luqa and compiled and analysed by Charles Galdies PhD on behalf of the National Statistics Office. This publication provides an accessible, authoritative and updated analysis of Malta's climate based on the latest set of climate-quality records, with descriptions of climate conditions and extremes covering the period from 1952 till 2020. In addition, it also explores the associated fluctuations in key climate variables and indices with those observed during the periods 1961-1990 and 1991-2020 over Malta. This second edition presents a new section devoted to future climate projections for Malta as produced by a number of climate forecasting models. These models furnish information to the scientific and decision-making communities and are used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) of the United Nations to issue its Assessment Reports that are published every six years. ; peer-reviewed

The link between public policy and climate change has never been as strong as it is now. From the most recent international climate change conferences in Paris, Madrid and Glasgow to emissions regulations, resilience and adaptation, national governments forge public policies aimed at managing the impacts of climate change on primary economic sectors. This is also valid locally where manufacturing, agriculture and energy are just three important sectors that are sensitive to a changing climate. ; peer-reviewed

Malta's climate can be described in the context of the topography of the Mediterranean basin where the flow of the lower atmosphere into the basin occurs mainly through mountain gaps, except over the southern shores east of Tunisia. ; The seasonal features of the Mediterranean can be traced from the motion and development of the pressure systems over the Atlantic, Eurasia and Africa. While the Mediterranean spring is often a period of indecisive weather, summer is characterised by the intensification of the Azores High which tends to stably extend up to the Central Mediterranean, giving general weather conditions consisting of light surface winds ranging from the northwest to northeast. Autumn is relatively short and leads to wintry conditions in a fairly decisive and quick way. During this season Atlantic depressions move eastwards across northern Europe into the Mediterranean bringing with them waves of cold air. In its path, this cold air comes into contact with warm moist air causing vertical instability, the development of vigorous depressions, rainfall and frequent gales. From time to time the eastward march of travelling depressions is interrupted by cold air coming from the Arctic via the Norwegian Sea or Russia. This great thermal contrast leads to very active depressions. ; In the Central Mediterranean region both Sicily and the Tunisian peninsula may play an important part on the local weather. Under certain prevailing conditions Sicily can act as a barrier against strong low-level northerly winds. This Italian island can also create local instabilities due to land heating effects or heat lows which may be advected towards the Maltese Islands depending on the prevailing winds. ; Transient North African low pressure systems have the potential to produce strong winds over the Central Mediterranean. When for example North African lows occur south of the Atlas Mountains, strong easterly to southeasterly winds are likely over the Central Mediterranean resulting in high seas. ; The presence of the surrounding water mass shapes significantly the climate of the Maltese Islands. The general weather is often cooler and more humid than what is experienced in inland areas of larger land masses. The high thermal capacity of the sea also reduces large fluctuations in the ambient temperature of the islands. But the presence of surrounding warm waters during the end of the summer season is a source of major weather instability when colder air migrates into the Central Mediterranean, thus creating areas with heavy thunderstorms and intense precipitation. ; Advances of continental tropical air into the Central Mediterranean after a cold spell can give rise to active warm fronts, sometimes producing very active cumulonimbus clouds, copious rainfall and thunderstorm over the Maltese Islands. A period of sirocco in the Central Mediterranean, sometimes lasting for many days, often follows the first autumnal invasion of cold air. ; peer-reviewed

The coastal zone contains some of the most productive and economically valuable habitats of the biosphere. It has important, but very fragile ecosystems with high species diversity and intense biological activity. Additionally, they offer very important socio-economic benefits in terms of cultural values (e.g. historic, religious, or recreational sites). ; In spite of the present awareness of this fragility, the Maltese socio-economic system is still burdening the coastal zone with non-sustainable economic development. The local approach towards coastal management is uneven, ill-defined and deficient in its decision-making. By and-large, it has been allowed to evolve within the framework of existing administrative structures and is being executed by several agencies or departments acting under a wide-ranging, and mostly non-specific legislation. Moreover, public awareness is still poorly developed and is not yet filling the current deficient policy and procedural vacuum. ; peer-reviewed

The Mediterranean Sea is increasingly exploited by a range of maritime activities, all of which are predicted to expand substantially over the next 20 years: wind farms, oil extraction, cables, shipping routes, fisheries and other human activities including tourism. The increased demand for the limited space and marine resources, increased conflict between maritime sectors as well as between human use and nature has triggered the European Commission to consider an EU-integrated spatial approach towards EU maritime areas in the form of a Marine Spatial Planning Directive. In July 2014, the European Parliament and the Council adopted legislation to create a common framework for maritime spatial planning in Europe. While each EU country will be free to plan its own maritime activities, local, regional and national planning in shared seas would be made more compatible through a set of minimum common requirements. ; The MedTrends project is inspired by WWF"s 2010 report "Future trends in the Baltic Sea", which highlights the substantial growth trend expected in the Baltic region over the next 20 years, showing how the Baltic Sea governance framework is clearly ill-equipped to meet oncoming challenges. In a nutshell the MedTrends project has been scoped to illustrate and map the most likely integrated scenarios of marine economic growth at a transnational level in Med-EU countries for the next 20 years. The potential cumulative impacts of human activities at sea will be assessed and put into the perspective of the 10% marine protected areas target set for the Mediterranean. ; The project has the scope of carrying out an overall analysis of growth trends and potential cumulative impacts of human activities at sea, with particular reference to both the set Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) target of 10% of coastal and marine protected areas in the Mediterranean (CBD target 11), as well as to the achievement of the Good Environmental Status (GES) objective set by the European Union"s Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). The over-arching sectors chosen for this exercise include wind energy, shipping, ports, oil and gas exploration and extraction, pipelines and cables, coastal development, sand and gravel extraction, military activity, industrial pollution, tourism and recreation, commercial fishing, aquaculture, agricultural runoff, climate change, coastal chemical plants, desalinization plants. As far as Malta"s national reporting is concerned, the following themes were examined on the basis of their local relevance: maritime transport, oil and gas exploration and extraction, pipelines and cables, coastal development, extraction of non-living resources (including dredging and water for potable use), infrastructure, land-based activities, tourism, recreational and commercial fishing, marine aquaculture, safety and security and waste disposal. ; This report thus forms part of a collection of other national reports compiled by the MedTrends partners. A transnational report outlining scenarios for the future development is another MedTrends deliverable, meant to outline the future scenario of sectoral development in the Mediterranean. At both the national and transnational levels, advisory committees have been set up to provide advice and assist in the provision of data and information. ; peer-reviewed

The coastal zone is a resource under threat. All over the world, coastal areas are amongst the most densely populated areas of the planet, bringing together a variety of often-conflicting land uses, in an area of immense environmental sensitivity. The challenges for the coastal manager are continually becoming more formidable. This training manual has been developed through the ECONET-COHAST project, an initiative of the European Union's Archimed Interreg III programme. It brings together a variety of contributions, outlining various aspects relating to conservation and coastal management, with special reference to the Mediterranean region. It is intended to provide an overview of several aspects of coastal management for various actors involved in the practice of coastal management. The methods and ideas presented in this manual should be considered to be elements in a holistic and integrated toolkit at the disposal of the coastal manager. ; Project part-financed by the European Union Community Initiative Interreg III Archimed programme: Interreg IIIB. Structural Funds Programme for Malta 2004-2006. ; peer-reviewed

The arguments that shall be briefed are to an extent applicable to all countries where international tourism exists, but they are especially pertinent to small islands, because these tend to depend to a very large extent on tourism for foreign exchange inflows and employment. ; Many governments, particularly that of islands, have attempted to maximize their island's potential to attract tourists, and embarked on a policy to develop this industry through promotion campaigns, building of hotels and other tourist facilities, and so on. It is for this reason that many small islands have a very large import bill, and income from tourism is regarded as a very important source of financing this bill, and thus being given priority. However, a characteristics of tourist trade is that while it is generally a good economic proposition, it often leads to abuse of the environment. ; In practical terms, this should not take extreme points of view , and instead take a more integrated and a more responsible approach towards economic and environmental well-being. Environmental protection is considered as a good which is conducive towards economic well-being. It is the tourist industry which should be at the head of the queue demanding an end to environmental degradation. ; peer-reviewed

This Policy Brief summarizes the key results and recommendations of the Working Group WG Ocean, Climate Change, and Acidification within the COST action CA15217."Ocean Governance for Sustainability – Challenges, Options and the Role of Science" on global and regional management of Ocean Acidification (OA). ; GRANTS: COST Action CA15217, Ocean Governance for Sustainability: challenges, options and the role of science". COST European Cooperation in Science and Technology.

Anthropogenic CO2 emission is the main contributor to Ocean Acidification (OA) because the dissolution of this gas in seawater leads to changes in its chemistry resulting in seawater acidity and a lowering of the calcium carbonate saturation state. Apart from impacting severely life at sea, OA acts in conjunction with other environmental drivers connected to climate, such as increased ocean temperature and lower oxygen content, resulting in combined synergistic or combined negative effects to marine life. Despite the increasing scientific certainty on its scale and consequences, and on the need for immediate action, OA stands as a highly overlooked item on the environmental agenda, generally neglected by policymakers at the international, regional and domestic level. Scholars from different disciplines have pointed out the key challenges in dealing with OA in the current fragmented governance landscape, and highlighted that a coordinated governance effort is needed to address OA effectively. At the international level OA is neither adequately integrated in the climate change regime, which is considered a crucial forum for OA, nor in other multilateral environmental treaties, such as the Convention of Biological Diversity, or the Law of the Sea. At the European level, national policies and legislation addressing OA remains scarce and uncoordinated. ; peer-reviewed

Plastics is all the rage, and mitigating marine litter is topping the agenda for nations pushing issues such as ocean acidification, or even climate change, away from the public consciousness. We are personally directly affected by plastics and charismatic megafauna is dying from it, and it is something that appears to be doable. So, who cares about the issue of ocean acidification anymore? We all should. The challenge is dual in the fact that is both invisible to the naked eye and therefore not felt like a pressing issue to the public, thereby not reaching the top of the agenda of policy makers; but also that it is framed in the climate change narrative of fear - whereby it instills in a fight-or-flight response in the public, resulting in their avoidance of the issue because they feel they are unable to take action that have results. In this article, we argue that the effective global environmental governance of ocean acidification, though critical to address, mitigate against and adapt to, is hindered by the both this lack of perception of urgency in the general public, fueled by a lack of media coverage, as well as a fight-or-flight response resulting from fear. We compare this to the more media friendly and plastics problem that is tangible and manageable. We report on a media plots of plastics and ocean acidification coverage over time and argue that the issue needs to be detangled from climate change and framed as its own issue to reach the agenda at a global level, making it manageable to assess and even care about for policy makers and the public alike? ; Who cares about ocean acidification in the Plasticene? ; Funded by the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme of the European Union. ; publishedVersion

Plastics is all the rage, and mitigating marine litter is topping the agenda for nations pushing issues such as ocean acidification, or even climate change, away from the public consciousness. We are personally directly affected by plastics and charismatic megafauna is dying from it, and it is something that appears to be doable. So, who cares about the issue of ocean acidification anymore? We all should. The challenge is dual in the fact that is both invisible to the naked eye and therefore not felt like a pressing issue to the public, thereby not reaching the top of the agenda of policy makers; but also that it is framed in the climate change narrative of fear - whereby it instills in a fight-or-flight response in the public, resulting in their avoidance of the issue because they feel they are unable to take action that have results. In this article, we argue that the effective global environmental governance of ocean acidification, though critical to address, mitigate against and adapt to, is hindered by the both this lack of perception of urgency in the general public, fueled by a lack of media coverage, as well as a fight-or-flight response resulting from fear. We compare this to the more media friendly and plastics problem that is tangible and manageable. We report on a media plots of plastics and ocean acidification coverage over time and argue that the issue needs to be detangled from climate change and framed as its own issue to reach the agenda at a global level, making it manageable to assess and even care about for policy makers and the public alike? ; Agência financiadora European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) ITC Conference Grant within the COST Action OCEANGOV COST-ITCCG-CA15217-372 Horizon 2020 project GoJelly 774499 SINTEF Ocean project SEEINGSHORE NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-031893 NORTE 2020 Portugal 2020 European Union (EU) Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology SFRH/BPD/108949/2015 CLIMFISH project n2/SAICT/2017 Horizon 2020 ...

Ocean acidification (OA) is a global problem with profoundly negative environmental, social and economic consequences. From a governance perspective, there is a need to ensure a coordinated effort to directly address it. This study reviews 90 legislative documents from 17 countries from the European Economic Area (EEA) and the UK that primarily border the sea. The primary finding from this study is that the European national policies and legislation addressing OA is at best uncoordinated. Although OA is acknowledged at the higher levels of governance, its status as an environmental challenge is greatly diluted at the European Union Member State level. As a notable exception within the EEA, Norway seems to have a proactive approach towards legislative frameworks and research aimed towards further understanding OA. On the other hand, there was a complete lack of, or inadequate reporting in the Marine Strategy Framework Directive by the majority of the EU Member States, with the exception of Italy and the Netherlands. We argue that the problems associated with OA and the solutions needed to address it are unique and cannot be bundled together with traditional climate change responses and measures. Therefore, European OA-related policy and legislation must reflect this and tailor their actions to mitigate OA to safeguard marine ecosystems and societies. A stronger and more coordinated approach is needed to build environmental, economic and social resilience of the observed and anticipated changes to the coastal marine systems. ; peer-reviewed

Ocean acidification (OA) is a global problem with profoundly negative environmental, social and economic consequences. From a governance perspective, there is a need to ensure a coordinated effort to directly address it. This study reviews 90 legislative documents from 17 countries from the European Economic Area (EEA) and the UK that primarily border the sea. The primary finding from this study is that the European national policies and legislation addressing OA is at best uncoordinated. Although OA is acknowledged at the higher levels of governance, its status as an environmental challenge is greatly diluted at the European Union Member State level. As a notable exception within the EEA, Norway seems to have a proactive approach towards legislative frameworks and research aimed towards further understanding OA. On the other hand, there was a complete lack of, or inadequate reporting in the Marine Strategy Framework Directive by the majority of the EU Member States, with the exception of Italy and the Netherlands. We argue that the problems associated with OA and the solutions needed to address it are unique and cannot be bundled together with traditional climate change responses and measures. Therefore, European OA-related policy and legislation must reflect this and tailor their actions to mitigate OA to safeguard marine ecosystems and societies. A stronger and more coordinated approach is needed to build environmental, economic and social resilience of the observed and anticipated changes to the coastal marine systems.