Climate change 2014 - Synthesis Report

This study investigates the presence of trends in annual maximum daily precipitation time series obtained from a global dataset of 8326 high-quality land-based observing stations with more than 30 years of record over the period from 1900 to 2009. Two complementary statistical techniques were adopted to evaluate the possible nonstationary behavior of these precipitation data. The first was a Mann‐Kendall nonparametric trend test, and it was used to evaluate the existence of monotonic trends. The second was a nonstationary generalized extreme value analysis, and it was used to determine the strength of association between the precipitation extremes and globally averaged near-surface temperature. The outcomes are that statistically significant increasing trends can be detected at the global scale, with close to two-thirds of stations showing increases. Furthermore, there is a statistically significant association with globally averaged near-surface temperature,withthemedianintensityofextremeprecipitationchanginginproportionwithchangesinglobal mean temperature at a rate of between 5.9% and 7.7%K 21 , depending on the method of analysis. This ratio was robust irrespective of record length or time period considered and was not strongly biased by the uneven global coverage of precipitation data. Finally, there is a distinct meridional variation, with the greatest sensitivity occurring in the tropics and higher latitudes and the minima around 138S and 118N. The greatest uncertainty was near the equator because of the limited number of sufficiently long precipitation records, and there remains an urgent need to improve data collection in this region to better constrain future changes in tropical precipitation.

Global increasing trends in annual maximum daily precipitation

Environmental impact assessment using the evidential reasoning approach

There has been increasing attention to and investment in local environmental stewardship in conservation and environmental management policies and programs globally Yet environmental stewardship has not received adequate conceptual attention Establishing a clear definition and comprehensive analytical framework could strengthen our ability to understand the factors that lead to the success or failure of environmental stewardship in different contexts and how to most effectively support and enable local efforts Here we propose such a definition and framework First, we define local environmental stewardship as the actions taken by individuals, groups or networks of actors, with various motivations and levels of capacity, to protect, care for or responsibly use the environment in pursuit of environmental and/or social outcomes in diverse social–ecological contexts Next, drawing from a review of the environmental stewardship, management and governance literatures, we unpack the elements of this definition to develop an analytical framework that can facilitate research on local environmental stewardship Finally, we discuss potential interventions and leverage points for promoting or supporting local stewardship and future applications of the framework to guide descriptive, evaluative, prescriptive or systematic analysis of environmental stewardship Further application of this framework in diverse environmental and social contexts is recommended to refine the elements and develop insights that will guide and improve the outcomes of environmental stewardship initiatives and investments Ultimately, our aim is to raise the profile of environmental stewardship as a valuable and holistic concept for guiding productive and sustained relationships with the environment

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Environmental Stewardship: A Conceptual Review and Analytical Framework.

Agrarian rural dwellers in Nigeria produce about 95% of locally grown food commodities. The low accessibility to and affordability of orthodox medicine by rural dwellers and their need to keep healthy to be economically productive, have led to their dependence on traditional medicine. This paper posits an increasing acceptance of traditional medicine country-wide and advanced reasons for this trend. The fact that traditional medicine practitioners' concept of disease is on a wider plane vis-a-vis orthodox medicine practitioners' has culminated in some socio-cultural and magico-religious practices observed in preparation and use of plant medicines for farmers' health management. Possible scientific reasons were advanced for some of these practices to show the nexus between traditional medicine and orthodox medicine. The paper concludes that the psychological aspect of traditional medicine are reflected in its socio-cultural and magico-religious practices and suggests that government should fund research into traditional medicine to identify components of it that can be integrated into the national health system.

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Preparation and use of plant medicines for farmers' health in Southwest Nigeria: socio-cultural, magico-religious and economic aspects

Environmental impact assessment in developing countries: the case of Ghana

This paper documents a framework suggested for screening urban transport projects in developing countries to reflect local issues relevant to sustainability. The framework is based on the integration of indigenous and scientific knowledge to reflect the sustainability of candidate projects. This is achieved through a participatory approach to integrate inputs from system users and providers to produce a term defined as the Localized Sustainability Score (LSS). The LSS of the projects are then used to produce a relative ranking of potential projects, for use as a decision support for project screening and selection. Proof-of-concept development of the proposed LSS framework is presented via a preliminary case study in Accra–Ghana and the results indicate that the framework adequately represented local sustainable transport needs, priorities and perceptions. The LSS determined for some selected projects maintained the original relative rankings that were already derived using conventional methods. The LSS also has the added advantage of evaluating projects of different scales, which were not easy to evaluate together by conventional methods.

Proposed framework for sustainability screening of urban transport projects in developing countries: A case study of Accra, Ghana

Despite recent interest in indigenous knowledge, few studies have linked it with indigenous beliefs system and its role in environmental stewardship. This link is important to cultural geographers interested in the study of small-scale cultural groups and how they relate to the environment. It also helps us understand the cultural dimensions of environmental stewardship and resource conservation. Based on a study of a monkey sanctuary in Ghana, West Africa, this paper argues that indigenous belief systems form an essential part of indigenous knowledge and that they can serve as a very effective tool for the protection of sacred groves and isolated patches of rainforests that have fallen victim to development as a result of increasing globalization, population pressures, and the spread of Christianity. The paper concludes that indigenous beliefs are not just a relic of the past but something that is needed today and may be needed in future for the conservation of natural resources in indigenous societies.

Indigenous Beliefs and Environmental Stewardship: A Rural Ghana Experience

Increasingly, conservationists and policymakers are using protected areas as a tool for biodiversity conservation and ecotourism. This article discusses livelihood challenges associated with the use of protected areas as a tool for ecotourism at the Kakum National Park in Ghana. The article reveals that most residents in villages close to the park have not realized the expected benefits of ecotourism despite giving up access to resources inside park boundaries more than a decade ago. However, one of the villages has been innovative in using the creation of the park to improve livelihoods in the community and could therefore serve as a model to others.

Seth Appiah-Opoku

Papers

Environmental impact assessment in developing countries: the case of Ghana

Proposed framework for sustainability screening of urban transport projects in developing countries: A case study of Accra, Ghana

Indigenous Beliefs and Environmental Stewardship: A Rural Ghana Experience

Using protected areas as a tool for biodiversity conservation and ecotourism: a case study of Kakum National Park in Ghana.

Women and Land in Africa: Culture, Religion and Realizing Women's Rights