1,720,975 research outputs found
A Glimpse into the Loss of Salmon Populations in the Columbia River Basin and the Case for Incorporating Traditional Indigenous Management in Restoration
Full text linkPacific salmon are at the heart of the ecosystems and communities that have lived in the Columbia River basin since time immemorial. Through centuries of reciprocity and reverence for salmon, Indigenous people developed systems of management through communal rules and spiritual rituals. In turn, they managed salmon populations sustainably and allowed large salmon runs to return year after year. Colonialism radically disrupted this intricate balance between humans and fish. In this time, tribal land was dispossessed, traditional Indigenous management practices were supplanted with western management, and salmon populations declined. In this thesis, I explore the legal and historical context of this issue to understand how salmon are governed and how co-management operates today. I then review Indigenous management of salmon based in traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) and explore how these time-tested practices can contribute to salmon restoration today. Comparing TEK practices with western management practices, I document the limitations of western management and suggest methods for the two knowledge paradigms to be bridged. Finally, I express that the re-incorporation of TEK practices in salmon management is feasible, will directly benefit the salmon, and provides an empowering resolution for Indigenous people.</p
Five ways to ensure that models serve society: A manifesto. Pandemic politics highlight how predictions need to be transparent and humble to invite insight, not blame (comment).
No full textSaltelli, Andrea/Bammer, Gabriele/Bruno, Isabelle/Charters, Eric/Di Fiore, Monica/Didier, Emmanuel/Espeland, Wendy Nelson/Kay, John/Lo Piano, Samuele/Mayo, Deborah/Pielke, Roger Jr/Portaluri, Tommaso/Porter, Theodore M./Puy, Arnald/Rafols, Ismael/Ravetz, Jerome R./Reinert, Erik/Sarewitz, Daniel/Stark, Philip B./Stirling, Andrew/van der Sluijs, Jeroen/Vineis Paolo (2020) Nature 582/2020 June 2020. Download lin
An Assessment of Policy Recommendations in the Aftermath of Winter Storm Uri
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In February of 2021, an arctic cold front, named Winter Storm Uri, led to freezing temperatures across the state of Texas. As transmission lines froze, the grid was out of order as technology failed and energy demand surpassed manageable output by the utility operators. Following the detrimental impact of the Texas Interconnection by the storm, the Texas Legislature put forth new legislation overhauling the way that the Energy Regulatory Commission of Texas (ERCOT) and the Texas Public Utility Commission (PUC) manage the grid. The new Texas law requires weatherization of gas production utilities. Additionally, it enables improved communication systems among utility managers as well as with customers. Experts recommend many solutions, including fortification of alternative energy sources, market incentives, and expanded interstate grid connections to better address the shortcomings of the grid in the extreme weather event. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) recommended weatherization techniques that include heat tracing, thermal insulation, and windbreaks as well as recommending that a separate entity compensates utility owners for the weatherization of their units. Politics, cost, and feasibility stand in the way of quick progress in these areas. The situation continues to unfold and reveal more about each of these aspects. Since the storm, ERCOT has provided reports on their weatherization standards, demonstrating significant progress. The grid was able to avoid a similar collapse in the midst of Winter Storm Miles in 2022. However, as climate change continues to cause extreme weather events to increase in frequency and scale, impactful legislation is necessary to ensure continued reliability of the Texas Interconnection.
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An Assessment of Policy Recommendations in the Aftermath of Winter Storm Uri
Full text link
In February of 2021, an arctic cold front, named Winter Storm Uri, led to freezing temperatures across the state of Texas. As transmission lines froze, the grid was out of order as technology failed and energy demand surpassed manageable output by the utility operators. Following the detrimental impact of the Texas Interconnection by the storm, the Texas Legislature put forth new legislation overhauling the way that the Energy Regulatory Commission of Texas (ERCOT) and the Texas Public Utility Commission (PUC) manage the grid. The new Texas law requires weatherization of gas production utilities. Additionally, it enables improved communication systems among utility managers as well as with customers. Experts recommend many solutions, including fortification of alternative energy sources, market incentives, and expanded interstate grid connections to better address the shortcomings of the grid in the extreme weather event. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) recommended weatherization techniques that include heat tracing, thermal insulation, and windbreaks as well as recommending that a separate entity compensates utility owners for the weatherization of their units. Politics, cost, and feasibility stand in the way of quick progress in these areas. The situation continues to unfold and reveal more about each of these aspects. Since the storm, ERCOT has provided reports on their weatherization standards, demonstrating significant progress. The grid was able to avoid a similar collapse in the midst of Winter Storm Miles in 2022. However, as climate change continues to cause extreme weather events to increase in frequency and scale, impactful legislation is necessary to ensure continued reliability of the Texas Interconnection.
</div
A Glimpse into the Loss of Salmon Populations in the Columbia River Basin and the Case for Incorporating Traditional Indigenous Management in Restoration
Full text linkPacific salmon are at the heart of the ecosystems and communities that have lived in the Columbia River basin since time immemorial. Through centuries of reciprocity and reverence for salmon, Indigenous people developed systems of management through communal rules and spiritual rituals. In turn, they managed salmon populations sustainably and allowed large salmon runs to return year after year. Colonialism radically disrupted this intricate balance between humans and fish. In this time, tribal land was dispossessed, traditional Indigenous management practices were supplanted with western management, and salmon populations declined. In this thesis, I explore the legal and historical context of this issue to understand how salmon are governed and how co-management operates today. I then review Indigenous management of salmon based in traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) and explore how these time-tested practices can contribute to salmon restoration today. Comparing TEK practices with western management practices, I document the limitations of western management and suggest methods for the two knowledge paradigms to be bridged. Finally, I express that the re-incorporation of TEK practices in salmon management is feasible, will directly benefit the salmon, and provides an empowering resolution for Indigenous people.</p
A Case Study on U.S. City Action Towards Protecting Homeless Lives from Heat Vulnerability
Full text linkVulnerability to times of extreme heat and heatwaves vary by social and socioeconomic groups. The particular group studied in this research is homeless populations. I examined sources outlining vulnerabilities to heat compared to sources covering homeless vulnerabilities. The vulnerabilities homeless people experience to extreme heat and heat waves is defined in this paper. The scope is divided between homeless populations exposure rate and adaptive capacity. The vulnerabilities of homeless populations defined represent higher exposure rate to extreme heat and lower adaptive capacity to extreme heat by homeless communities compared to housed communities.
A case study on two U.S. cities was conducted through policy research on heat mitigation strategies. These cities are Phoenix (AZ) and Philadelphia (PA). I compared the cities’ actions to the vulnerabilities experienced by homeless communities. This comparison highlights where cities are successful or fall short in protecting the lives of homeless populations. The city of Phoenix’s new Office of Heat Response and Mitigation has set plans that will reduce homeless vulnerabilities. The city of Philadelphia has more resources for cold weather events, rather than hot weather events, but their Code Red initiative has potential to be successful if it is implemented similarly to Philadelphia’s Code Blue. </p
A Case Study on U.S. City Action Towards Protecting Homeless Lives from Heat Vulnerability
Full text linkVulnerability to times of extreme heat and heatwaves vary by social and socioeconomic groups. The particular group studied in this research is homeless populations. I examined sources outlining vulnerabilities to heat compared to sources covering homeless vulnerabilities. The vulnerabilities homeless people experience to extreme heat and heat waves is defined in this paper. The scope is divided between homeless populations exposure rate and adaptive capacity. The vulnerabilities of homeless populations defined represent higher exposure rate to extreme heat and lower adaptive capacity to extreme heat by homeless communities compared to housed communities.
A case study on two U.S. cities was conducted through policy research on heat mitigation strategies. These cities are Phoenix (AZ) and Philadelphia (PA). I compared the cities’ actions to the vulnerabilities experienced by homeless communities. This comparison highlights where cities are successful or fall short in protecting the lives of homeless populations. The city of Phoenix’s new Office of Heat Response and Mitigation has set plans that will reduce homeless vulnerabilities. The city of Philadelphia has more resources for cold weather events, rather than hot weather events, but their Code Red initiative has potential to be successful if it is implemented similarly to Philadelphia’s Code Blue. </p
Advancing Bipartisan Decarbonization Policies: Lessons from State-Level Successes and Failures
Full text linkPolitical polarization is at a high point in recent U.S. history and may now be the most significant barrier to coordinated national action addressing climate change. Studies of intergroup conflict suggest that collaborations pursuing shared goals can reduce polarization (and also advance the goals). In this spirit, I comprehensively review and characterize successes and failures of state-level climate legislation, focusing on opportunities for bipartisanship. I analyze 356 major state government enacted bills and 372 failed bills--aimed at decarbonization--from 2015 to 2020, as well as the political contexts in which they were passed or defeated. I use bivariate analyses, regressions, and decision trees to explore correlations and partial correlations between the policy characteristics and political contexts of bills, and their passage or failure, their bipartisanship, and the vote shares they received. Key results include: (i) Roughly one third of these state-level decarbonization bills were passed by Republican-controlled governments. (ii) Bipartisan or Republican co-sponsors disproportionately passed voluntary Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs, solar incentives, renewable energy portfolio goals, and transportation electrification; Democrat-only sponsors disproportionately passed mandatory Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) and emissions standards. (iii) Bills proposed in “purple” states, and those lacking explicit environmental justice components, were disproportionately enacted and bipartisan. Concerning broader framing components, bills that expand consumer or business choice and/or include financial incentives are enacted more often than those that restrict choice. Though climate change is a polarized issue, my results provide tangible insights for future bipartisan successes.</p
Green Roofs in Cities: An Assessment of the Benefits and Review of Policy
Full text linkGreen roofs (GRs, i.e., vegetated roofs) have been increasing in popularity all over the world within the past few years but were first researched and built in Germany in the 1960s. Since then, decades of research have been done on the potential costs and benefits of green roofs: economically, environmentally, and for the mental and physical wellbeing of people living in cities. This literature synthesis will address green roof implementation in metropolitan areas and present current policy from several cities around the world. A synthesis is presented on how particular green roof aspects can be customized to given climate zones. Practices in Denver’s GR industry are evaluated in view of what additional research is needed on the function of GRs, the role of plant species selection in supporting biodiversity, and how to encourage more widespread use of GRs. Economic, environmental, and public health benefits are identified, with the conclusion that these more than compensate for the initial upfront costs of GR installment, and the need for improved local and global policy work in support of mass presence of GRs and future green infrastructure.</p
Advancing Bipartisan Decarbonization Policies: Lessons from State-Level Successes and Failures
Full text linkPolitical polarization is at a high point in recent U.S. history and may now be the most significant barrier to coordinated national action addressing climate change. Studies of intergroup conflict suggest that collaborations pursuing shared goals can reduce polarization (and also advance the goals). In this spirit, I comprehensively review and characterize successes and failures of state-level climate legislation, focusing on opportunities for bipartisanship. I analyze 356 major state government enacted bills and 372 failed bills--aimed at decarbonization--from 2015 to 2020, as well as the political contexts in which they were passed or defeated. I use bivariate analyses, regressions, and decision trees to explore correlations and partial correlations between the policy characteristics and political contexts of bills, and their passage or failure, their bipartisanship, and the vote shares they received. Key results include: (i) Roughly one third of these state-level decarbonization bills were passed by Republican-controlled governments. (ii) Bipartisan or Republican co-sponsors disproportionately passed voluntary Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs, solar incentives, renewable energy portfolio goals, and transportation electrification; Democrat-only sponsors disproportionately passed mandatory Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) and emissions standards. (iii) Bills proposed in “purple” states, and those lacking explicit environmental justice components, were disproportionately enacted and bipartisan. Concerning broader framing components, bills that expand consumer or business choice and/or include financial incentives are enacted more often than those that restrict choice. Though climate change is a polarized issue, my results provide tangible insights for future bipartisan successes.</p
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