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Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons

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Singapore Management University

2011

Environmental Sciences

Articles 1 - 4 of 4

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Chilling A Hot Planet: Many Solutions, No Answers, Singapore Management University Dec 2011

Chilling A Hot Planet: Many Solutions, No Answers, Singapore Management University

Perspectives@SMU

If there was a report card on how the world is doing on issues related to climate change, it would read a resounding 'F'. Consider the figures. It took about 12,500 years between the last glacial age and today for global temperatures to rise six degrees Celsius. Yet in this century alone – despite heightened awareness of the need to arrest the ever-increasing levels of greenhouse gas emission – temperatures have risen up to four degrees Celsius.


Analyses Of Nocturnal Temperature Cooling-Rate Response To Historical Local-Scale Urban Land-Use/Land Cover Change, Winston T. L. Chow, Bohumil M. Svoma Sep 2011

Analyses Of Nocturnal Temperature Cooling-Rate Response To Historical Local-Scale Urban Land-Use/Land Cover Change, Winston T. L. Chow, Bohumil M. Svoma

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Urbanization affects near-surface climates by increasing city temperatures relative to rural temperatures [i.e., the urban heat island (UHI) effect]. This effect is usually measured as the relative temperature difference between urban areas and a rural location. Use of this measure is potentially problematic, however, mainly because of unclear ‘‘rural’’ definitions across different cities. An alternative metric is proposed—surface temperature cooling/warming rates—that directly measures how variations in land-use and land cover (LULC) affect temperatures for a specific urban area. In this study, the impact of local-scale (,1 km2 ), historical LULC change was examined on near-surface nocturnal meteorological station temperatures sited …


The New Way Of The Future: Small, Local, Open And Connected, Ezio Manzini Jan 2011

The New Way Of The Future: Small, Local, Open And Connected, Ezio Manzini

Social Space

Beset with a global financial crisis and deepening ecological woes, it’s clear that we need alternative models of development. But as Ezio Manzinipoints out, these models are already with us.


Towards Rio 2012 And Collaborative Governance For Sustainable Development, Jem Bendell Jan 2011

Towards Rio 2012 And Collaborative Governance For Sustainable Development, Jem Bendell

Social Space

Since the global Earth Summit in 1992, non-governmental organisations and businesses have made some strides towards sustainable development, but as Jem Bendell explains, governments need to join them.