scholarly journals WHY SHALL WE CONSIDER THE GENDER IMPLICATIONS OF BIODIVERSITY MANAGEMENT? THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION

New Medit ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 109-111
Author(s):  
Ilaria Sisto ◽  
Maurizio Furst
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
World Bank ◽  
Rural Women ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Wild Plants ◽  
Director General ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Food And Agriculture ◽  
The Mediterranean

Women as farmers, livestock keepers, fishers and forest dwellers play vital – often overlooked – roles in natural resources use and management in the Mediterranean region. Women’s exclusion from decision making bodies and unequal access to productive resources represent a missed opportunity in terms of sustainable management of available resources and economic development. Recent studies indicate that if men and women equally participate in the labour market, in the southern Mediterranean region the GDP could rise by 47% over the next decade, meaning an annual benefit from an economic impact of €490 billion (Woetzel et al., 2015). The Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), José Graziano da Silva, at the fourth Regional conference on women’s empowerment in the Euro-Mediterranean region stressed that rural women’s contributions and leadership is crucial to feed the Mediterranean region’s growing population and achieve sustainable food production: «By enabling rural women to reach their full potential, we can make food systems more inclusive, efficient and effective» (FAO 2018). In the region women sustain such food systems by gathering wild plants for food, medicinal use, fuelwood and other purposes, acting as herbalists, tending home gardens, selecting, managing and storing seeds, managing crops, trees and small livestock, domesticating plants, participating in small-scale fisheries and aquaculture, and storing, preserving and processing foods after harvesting. They have a unique knowledge about local biodiversity, which is often passed from generation to generation (FAO, 2019; World Bank, FAO and IFAD, 2009). Nevertheless, still too often women have less access than men to land and livestock, production inputs and services such as education, extension and credit, and are not represented in decision-making processes related to food and agriculture (Lehel 2018; World Bank, FAO and IFAD, 2009).

Combining wildfire behaviour simulations and complex network theory to support decision-making: A case-study in a Mediterranean region

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno A. Aparício ◽  
Ana C.L. Sá ◽  
Francisco C. Santos ◽  
Chiara Bruni ◽  
José M.C. Pereira
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Landscape Connectivity ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Fire Spread ◽  
Environmental Research ◽  
Fuel Treatments ◽  
Wildfire Management ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Fire Properties

<p>Wildfires represent one of the most devastating natural disasters, bearing relevant environmental and socioeconomic impacts. The Mediterranean region is characterized by large and recurring summer wildfires that often jeopardize people’s safety. Currently, wildfire management largely (if not entirely) relies on wildfire suppression, despite growing evidence of its inefficiency to control the larger and more intense wildfires [1]. Moreover, climate change is expected to significantly affect the Mediterranean region and further exacerbate such hazard, even if global warming does not exceed 1.5°C (target of the Paris Agreement) [2]. Hence, fire prevention measures based on landscape fuel reduction strategies are crucial to decrease the magnitude of the impacts of future wildfires.</p><p>Here, we used FlamMap, a widely applied fire spread simulation system, to estimate fire spread and behaviour properties in the Monchique region, a highly fire-prone area, located in Southern Portugal. Five weather scenarios were defined based on hierarchical clustering analysis of temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction data derived from the spreading days of large wildfires (larger than 100 ha) between 2001 and 2019. Complex networks were generated from fireline intensity and rate of spread estimates (proxies for the difficulty of suppression and safety) with the main goal of decreasing landscape fire hazard. More precisely, we aimed to: i) evaluate how different weather scenarios/conditions affect landscape connectivity; ii) identify the location of fuel treatments; and iii) assess the impact of the proposed fuel breaks on the fire properties. These challenges were addressed under the perspective of connectivity indexes and metrics from the field of network science.</p><p>The results show that, as expected, weather conditions affect both the amount of area with more intense wildfires and wildfire connectivity, with more severe weather conditions presenting the greatest hazards. Additionally, the identified optimal locations of fuel treatments were compared against the locations previously proposed for fuel breaks and the potential impact on fire properties of both was evaluated. Further analysis of the effectiveness of different management options (fraction of landscape treatment and extent of each intervention) will be assessed under the previously identified weather scenarios, considering the extent of high-intensity classes of fires and multiple landscape connectivity indexes. Based on our results, we discuss the best strategies to reduce wildfire hazard for different criteria and under different weather scenarios. Moreover, both methods can be used to assess fire transmission between land uses and then to identify the key values exposed. We demonstrate that combining network graphs and fire spread simulations have a large potential to support more informed decision-making and significantly wildfire impact mitigation.</p><p> </p><p>References</p><p>[1] Moreira, F., Ascoli, D., Safford, H. et al. (2020) Wildfire management in Mediterranean-type regions: paradigm change needed. Environmental Research Letters, 15, 011001. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab541e</p><p>[2] Turco, M., Rosa-Cánovas, J.J., Bedia, J. et al. (2018) Exacerbated fires in Mediterranean Europe due to anthropogenic warming projected with non-stationary climate-fire models. Nature Communications 9, 3821. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-06358-z</p>

scholarly journals Mediterranean Sea Literacy: When Ocean Literacy becomes region- specific

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
MELITA MOKOS ◽  
MARIA TH. CHEIMONOPOULOU ◽  
PANAYOTA KOULOURI ◽  
MONICA PREVIATI ◽  
GIULIA REALDON ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Informed Decision Making ◽  
Research Education ◽  
Ocean Literacy ◽  
Research Institutes ◽  
The Us ◽  
Sustainable Economy ◽  
The Mediterranean

Ocean Literacy (OL) has been defined as an understanding of the ocean’s influence on people and their influence on the ocean. The OL movement was born in the US and its framework consisted of seven essential principles and 45 fundamental concepts; it is now largely accepted worldwide for use in both formal (schools and universities) and non-formal (research institutes, aquaria, museums, etc.) education settings. Based on this framework, marine scientists and educators developed the “Mediterranean Sea Literacy” (MSL) guide adapted to the specificities of the Mediterranean region, presented here. The MSL principles (7) and concepts (43), serving as guidance for research, education, informed decision-making, and improved citizens’ lifestyles, aim to contribute to environmental protection, conservation, and restoration of the Mediterranean Sea as well as to help to achieve a blue innovative and sustainable economy.

Achieving Seafood Security in the Mediterranean Region

2021 ◽  
pp. 173-193
Author(s):  
Seda Yıldırım ◽  
Durmuş Cagrı Yıldırım
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Food Sources ◽  
Statistical Institute ◽  
Food And Agriculture ◽  
Food And Agriculture Organization ◽  
Seafood Products ◽  
Food Market ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Development Approach

The last decade has shown that food security is a major problem in the long term. Especially, food insecurity will be higher in poor and developing countries when the rising population needs more food sources. In this point, seafood products seem an alternative solution to achieve food security in the global food market. The Mediterranean region, which has lots of benefits from seafood market and fisheries, gives more attention to seafood security. Achieving seafood security is an important issue for coastal countries. This study aims to explain the importance of seafood security in the Mediterranean region through case of Turkey. The open access data from TURKSTAT (Turkish Statistical Institute) and FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) were used to determine seafood security conditions in Turkey. The study presents significant findings showing the role of seafood security in Mediterranean region in the context of sustainable development approach.

scholarly journals Assessing atmospheric moisture effects on heavy precipitation during HyMeX IOP16 using GPS nudging and dynamical downscaling

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (10) ◽  
pp. 2753-2776
Author(s):  
Alberto Caldas-Alvarez ◽  
Samiro Khodayar
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Air Entrainment ◽  
Heavy Precipitation ◽  
Western Mediterranean ◽  
Convective Precipitation ◽  
Precipitation Event ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Atmospheric Moisture ◽  
Large Variability ◽  
The Mediterranean

Abstract. Gaining insight into the interaction between atmospheric moisture and convection is determinant for improving the model representation of heavy precipitation, a weather phenomenon that causes casualties and monetary losses in the western Mediterranean region every year. Given the large variability of atmospheric moisture, an accurate representation of its distribution is expected to reduce the errors related to the representation of moist convective processes. In this study, we use a diagnostic approach to assess the sensitivity of convective precipitation and underlying mechanisms during a heavy precipitation event (Hydrological cycle in the Mediterranean eXperiment Intensive Observation Period; HyMeX IOP16) to variations of the atmospheric moisture spatio-temporal distribution. Sensitivity experiments are carried out by nudging a homogenized data set of the Global Positioning System-derived zenith total delay (GPS-ZTD) with sub-hourly temporal resolution (10 min) in 7 and 2.8 km simulations with the COnsortium for Small-scale MOdeling in CLimate Mode (COSMO-CLM) model over the western Mediterranean region. The analysis shows that (a) large atmospheric moisture amounts (integrated water vapour; IWV ∼ 40 mm) precede heavy precipitation in the affected areas. This occurs 12 h prior to initiation over southern France and 4 h over Sardinia, north-eastern Italy and Corsica, which is our main study area. (b) We found that the moisture is swept from the Atlantic by a westerly large-scale front associated with an upper level low on the one hand and evaporated from the Mediterranean Sea and north Africa on the other. The latter moisture transport occurs in the 1 to 4 km layer. (c) COSMO-CLM overestimated the atmospheric humidity over the study region (Corsica), and this was, to a good extent, corrected by the GPS-ZTD nudging. This reduced maximum precipitation (−49 % for 7 km and −16 % for 2.8 km) drastically, considerably improving the precipitation representation in the 7 km simulation. The convection-permitting simulation (2.8 km) without the GPS-ZTD nudging already did a good job in representing the precipitation amount. (d) The two processes that exerted the largest control on precipitation reduction were the decrease of atmospheric instability over Corsica (convective available potential energy; CAPE −35 %) and the drying of the lower free troposphere bringing additional dry air entrainment. In addition, the 7 km simulation showed a weakening of the represented low-pressure system and the associated cyclonic wind circulation. This ultimately reduced the intensity and number of convective updrafts represented over the island. These results highlight the large impact exerted by moisture corrections on precipitating convection and the chain of processes leading to it across scales.

scholarly journals Sustainability of Food Systems in the Mediterranean Region

New Medit ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Research Agenda ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Mediterranean Area ◽  
Policy Governance ◽  
Sustainable Food Systems ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Governance Practice ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Union For The Mediterranean

Despite the recurring discourse on food systems and their sustainability in the Mediterranean region, compre-hensive studies are hard to find. Therefore, this article provides an overview on the challenges and perspectives of food systems in the Mediterranean. In particular, the paper addresses the main challenges (environmental, economic, socio-cultural and nutrition-health) facing Mediterranean food systems; analyses the multifaceted relations between sustainable food systems (SFS) and sustainable diets by exploring the example of the Medi-terranean diet; and briefly presents the relevance of the innovation for Mediterranean food systems. The paper highlights the urgency of action to move towards sustainable and resilient food systems in the Mediterranean area. This is particularly relevant in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. For that, there is a need for shared policy, governance, practice and research agenda. In this respect, the contribution of CIHEAM results fundamental. The paper concludes by highlighting the disruptive potential of the SFS-Med Platform – under co-development by CIHEAM, FAO and the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) – to foster food systems trans-formation towards sustainability and accelerate the achievement of SDGs in the region.

scholarly journals Investigating the Influence of Anthropogenic Forcing on Observed Mean and Extreme Sea Level Pressure Trends over the Mediterranean Region

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Armineh Barkhordarian
Keyword(s):  
Sea Level ◽  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Internal Variability ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Sea Level Pressure ◽  
Anthropogenic Forcing ◽  
Level Pressure ◽  
Internal Climate Variability ◽  
The Mediterranean

We investigate whether the observed mean sea level pressure (SLP) trends over the Mediterranean region in the period from 1975 to 2004 are significantly consistent with what 17 models projected as response of SLP to anthropogenic forcing (greenhouse gases and sulphate aerosols, GS). Obtained results indicate that the observed trends in mean SLP cannot be explained by natural (internal) variability. Externally forced changes are detectable in all seasons, except spring. The large-scale component (spatial mean) of the GS signal is detectable in all the 17 models in winter and in 12 of the 17 models in summer. However, the small-scale component (spatial anomalies about the spatial mean) of GS signal is only detectable in winter within 11 of the 17 models. We also show that GS signal has a detectable influence on observed decreasing (increasing) tendency in the frequencies of extremely low (high) SLP days in winter and that these changes cannot be explained by internal climate variability. While the detection of GS forcing is robust in winter and summer, there are striking inconsistencies in autumn, where analysis points to the presence of an external forcing, which is not GS forcing.

Efficiency and Effectiveness Evaluation of Micro-credit Programme in Transforming Rural Women Entrepreneurs: Experiences from Balasore District of Odisha

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 87-94
Author(s):  
Navin Kumar Rajpal ◽  
Sharmila Tamang
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
World Bank ◽  
Financial Institutions ◽  
Rural Women ◽  
Women Entrepreneurs ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Effectiveness Evaluation ◽  
Government Agencies ◽  
Efficiency And Effectiveness ◽  
Micro Credit

The micro-credit programme was introduced with multi-dimensional objectives and therefore was always under direct purview of various government agencies. Microfinance in Odisha works under umbrella of Mission Shakti and TRIPTI (a world bank initiated project). Balasore district is selected on the basis of MFPI index taking into consideration the saving, credit linkage and credit-deposit ratio indicators. The analysis had shown positive impact of programme on various economic, social and decision making dimensions. The linked financial institutions have undertaken SHGs as their major customers and therefore positive impact on loan disbursement and recovery rate is observed.

scholarly journals Towards food systems transformation in the Mediterranean region: Unleashing the power of data, policy, investment and innovation

New Medit ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Region ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Global Solutions ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Stakeholder Collaboration ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Local Actors ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Multi Stakeholder

There is an abundance of actions that could positively change the way food systems operate in the Mediterranean region. However, the uptake of these actions at local level has proven to be slow and often limited in their scope and impact. Considering the diverse nature of agri-food systems challenges in the region, trade-offs in interventions and the diversity of stakeholders, a radical shift from focusing on top-down, global solutions for sustainable food systems, to adapting demand driven, country-led actions is required. This review uses a food systems lens to identify four levers which are essential to “enable” and accelerate the adoption of game changing solutions to food systems challenges by local actors in the Mediterranean region. These are namely: 1) Multi-stakeholder collaboration; 2) Data and evidence; 3) Technological innovation; and 4) Coherent policies and investment. We recognize that each of these enablers is a powerful mean of change, but the evidence suggests that a sustainable and inclusive transformation is only possible when they are deployed together in an integrated and inten-tional way. Results of this review outline some of the barriers to unlocking the potential of enablers and provide insights on how to use their power to transform Mediterranean food systems.

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