Climate Commons^™

Differential Impacts Of Weather Anomalies On Household Energy Expenditure Shares: A Comparison Of Clustered Panel Analysis Methods, Jordan Champion

Theses and Dissertations--Agricultural Economics

Recent emphasis on environmental justice has highlighted deficiencies in our energy system that produce disparities in accessibility and affordability for the most vulnerable. Meanwhile, the realities of a gradually warming climate and the onset of a global energy crisis (IEA 2022) have coincidently contributed to spikes in both energy prices and demand. These implications threaten to further exacerbate existing disparities for income-constrained and vulnerable populations, enhancing their risk of falling into prolonged insecurity. To ensure our transition to a just, sustainable future, we must first ensure equitable access to affordable and reliable energy for everyone. Combining household-level panel and state-level …

The Future Of International Climate Change Litigation, Heloise S. Evins-Mackenzie

Honors Theses

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are increasingly seeking justice from international courts to address their significant climate change impacts, which are disproportionate to their minimal historical emissions. The Commission of Small Island States on Climate Change and International Law (COSIS), an internationally recognized legal body, has requested an advisory opinion on the obligations of all member states to protect and preserve the marine environment and prevent pollution related to climate change and its impacts. The present study aims to predict the future landscape of climate litigation if the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) specifies that states’ …

Last Millennium Hurricane Activity Linked To Endogenous Climate Variability, Wenchang Yang, Elizabeth Wallace, Gabriel A. Vecchi, Jeffrey P. Donnelly, Julien Emile-Geay, Gregory J. Hakim, Larry W. Horowitz, Richard M. Sullivan, Robert Tardif, Peter J. Van Hengstum, Tyler S. Winkler

OES Faculty Publications

Despite increased Atlantic hurricane risk, projected trends in hurricane frequency in the warming climate are still highly uncertain, mainly due to short instrumental record that limits our understanding of hurricane activity and its relationship to climate. Here we extend the record to the last millennium using two independent estimates: a reconstruction from sedimentary paleohurricane records and a statistical model of hurricane activity using sea surface temperatures (SSTs). We find statistically significant agreement between the two estimates and the late 20th century hurricane frequency is within the range seen over the past millennium. Numerical simulations using a hurricane-permitting climate model suggest …

The Impacts Of Anthropogenic Activity And Climate Change On The Formation Of Harmful Algal Blooms (Habs) And Its Ecological Consequence, Zhangxi Hu, Aifeng Li, Zhun Li, Margaret R. Mulholland

OES Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Nitrogen Fixation At The Mid-Atlantic Bight Shelfbreak And Transport Of Newly Fixed Nitrogen To The Slope Sea, C. R. Selden, M. R. Mulholland, K. E. Crider, S. Clayton, A. Macías-Tapia, P. Bernhardt, D. J. Mcgillicuddy Jr., W. G. Zhang, P. D. Chappell

OES Faculty Publications

Continental shelves contribute a large fraction of the ocean's new nitrogen (N) via N₂ fixation; yet, we know little about how physical processes at the ocean's margins shape diazotroph biogeography and activity. Here, we test the hypothesis that frontal mixing favors N₂ fixation at the Mid-Atlantic Bight shelfbreak. Using the ¹⁵N₂ bubble release method, we measured N₂ fixation rates on repeat cross-frontal transects in July 2019. N₂ fixation rates in shelf waters (median = 5.42 nmol N L⁻¹ d⁻¹) were higher than offshore (2.48 nmol N L⁻¹ d⁻¹) …

Integrating Climatological-Hydrodynamic Modeling And Paleohurricane Records To Assess Storm Surge Risk, Amirhosein Begmohammadi, Christine Y. Blackshaw, Ning Lin, Avantika Gori, Elizabeth Wallace, Kerry Emanuel, Jeffrey P. Donnelly

OES Faculty Publications

Sediment cores from blue holes have emerged as a promising tool for extending the record of long-term tropical cyclone (TC) activity. However, interpreting this archive is challenging because storm surge depends on many parameters including TC intensity, track, and size. In this study, we use climatological-hydrodynamic modeling to interpret paleohurricane sediment records between 1851 and 2016 and assess the storm surge risk for Long Island in The Bahamas. As the historical TC data from 1988 to 2016 is too limited to estimate the surge risk for this area, we use historical event attribution in paleorecords paired with synthetic storm modeling …

Nitrogen Uptake Rates And Phytoplankton Composition Across Contrasting North Atlantic Ocean Coastal Regimes North And South Of Cape Hatteras, Yifan Zhu, Margaret R. Mulholland, Peter W. Bernhardt, Aimee Renee Neeley, Brittany Widner, Alfonso Macías Tapia, Michael E. Echevarria

OES Faculty Publications

Understanding nitrogen (N) uptake rates respect to nutrient availability and the biogeography of phytoplankton communities is crucial for untangling the complexities of marine ecosystems and the physical, biological, and chemical forces shaping them. In the summer of 2016, we conducted measurements of bulk microbial uptake rates for six ¹⁵N-labeled substrates: nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, urea, cyanate, and dissolve free amino acids across distinct marine provinces, including the continental shelf of the Mid-and South Atlantic Bights (MAB and SAB), the Slope Sea, and the Gulf Stream, marking the first instance of simultaneously measuring six different N uptake rates in this dynamic region. …

An Inconsistent Enso Response To Northern Hemisphere Stadials Over The Last Deglaciation, Ryan H. Glaubke, Matthew W. Schmidt, Jennifer E. Hertzberg, Lenzie G. Ward, Franco Marcantonio, Danielle Schimmenti, Kaustubh Thirumalai

OES Faculty Publications

The dynamics shaping the El Niño-Southern Oscillation's (ENSO) response to present and future climate change remain unclear, partly due to limited paleo-ENSO records spanning past abrupt climate events. Here, we measure Mg/Ca ratios on individual foraminifera to reconstruct east Pacific subsurface temperature variability, a proxy for ENSO variability, across the last 25,000 years, including the millennial-scale events of the last deglaciation. Combining these data with proxy system model output reveals divergent ENSO responses to Northern Hemisphere stadials: enhanced variability during Heinrich Stadial 1 (H1) and reduced variability during the Younger Dryas (YD), relative to the Holocene. H1 ENSO likely intensified …

Integrating Climatological-Hydrodynamic Modeling And Paleohurricane Records To Assess Storm Surge Risk, Amirhosein Begmohammadi, Christine Y. Blackshaw, Ning Lin, Avantika Gori, Elizabeth Wallace, Kerry Emanuel, Jeffrey P. Donnelly

OES Faculty Publications

Sediment cores from blue holes have emerged as a promising tool for extending the record of long-term tropical cyclone (TC) activity. However, interpreting this archive is challenging because storm surge depends on many parameters including TC intensity, track, and size. In this study, we use climatological-hydrodynamic modeling to interpret paleohurricane sediment records between 1851 and 2016 and assess the storm surge risk for Long Island in The Bahamas. As the historical TC data from 1988 to 2016 is too limited to estimate the surge risk for this area, we use historical event attribution in paleorecords paired with synthetic storm modeling …

4500-Year Paleohurricane Record From The Western Gulf Of Mexico, Coastal Central Tx, Usa, Sarah B. Monica, Davin J. Wallace, Elizabeth J. Wallace, Xiaojing Du, Sylvia G. Dee, John B. Anderson

OES Faculty Publications

Texas receives the second-highest number of tropical cyclone (TC) landfalls per year in the United States. At present, long-term TC projections from climate models remain uncertain due to the short and biased nature of Atlantic TC observations. Sediment archives of past storms can help extend the observational record of TC strikes over the past few millennia. When a TC makes landfall along the central Texas coast, coastal downwelling channels and storm currents transport and deposit coarse sediment to a zone of rapid accumulation along the shelf, known as the Texas Mud Blanket (TMB). This “backwash” process results in expansive storm …

A Proxy System Modeling Approach To Combining Tree-Ring And Sediment-Based Paleotempestological Records, Elizabeth J. Wallace, Sylvia Dee, Joshua Bregy, Kerry A. Emanuel

OES Faculty Publications

The short and biased observational record of tropical cyclones (TCs) limits scientific understanding of how these destructive storms respond to climate forcing. Paleohurricane records use natural archives (tree rings, coarse-grained sediment) to reconstruct TC properties (frequency and intensity of rainfall, wind) over the past few hundreds to thousands of years. However, different sensitivities and sampling biases in the various paleohurricane proxies restrict our ability to compile these records into regional or basin-scale TC estimates. Here we test how well pseudo tree-ring records of paleohurricanes capture TC rainfall and occurrence. Using a large set of statistically downscaled storms forced with the …

Impact Of Solar Radiation On Perchlorate Formation In The Atmosphere: Evidence From Ice Core Measurements, Bishnu Kunwar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Perchlorate, which derives from both anthropogenic and natural sources in the current environment, poses a substantial health hazard to humans as it competes with iodine uptake in the thyroid gland. Consequently, there has been considerable concern about minimizing human exposure to environmental perchlorate by restricting its release from man-made sources. However, the absence of a clear understanding regarding the respective contributions of man-made and natural sources has hindered widespread regulation efforts. A 300-year (1700–2007) Summit, Greenland ice core record from a previous study showed relatively stable perchlorate concentrations in Greenland snow prior to 1980, with some elevated perchlorate levels associated …

The Effects Of Temperature, Flooding, And Goose Feces Addition On Greenhouse Gas Emissions And Ammonification In Four High-Latitude Soils From Western Alaska, Jenna M. Ross

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The large carbon (C) stock of wetlands is vulnerable to climate change, especially in high latitudes that are warming at a disproportional rate. Likewise, low-elevation Arctic coastal areas will flood more frequently under climate change and sea-level rise, which may alter goose herbivory and fecal deposition patterns if geese move inland. While temperature, flooding, and feces impact soil C emissions, their interactive effects have been rarely studied. Here, I explore the impact of these interactions on CO2 and CH4 emissions and nitrogen (N) mineralization (ammonification) in soils collected from four plant communities in the Yukon-Kuskokwim (Y-K) Delta, a high latitude …

Carbon Neutral By 2030 - Katanning Research Station, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Climate Science Published Reports

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development's (DPIRD) Katanning Research Station (KRS) is developing practical techniques and methods for mitigating carbon emissions from the livestock industry.

This research will help the livestock industry in Western Australia (WA) access anticipated future markets for carbon neutral food and fibre products.

Effects Of El Nino And Sunspot Cycles On Global And Reginal Climate, August Nathan Tolzman

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Sunspots and El Nino affect the interannual variability of temperature on earth. Separately there is a positive relationship between higher sunspots and warmer temperatures or more intense El Nino and warmer temperatures globally and in Missoula. This is with the bias of climate change removed. Putting these two processes together it is expected that when intense El Ninos and high sunspots happen in the same year there will be warmer temperatures. This was not the case, there was no data to support that putting these to processes together makes them more or less intense.

Improving Accessibility And Understanding: Studying The Impact Of Human Activities And Dam Removals On Anadromous Fish Species In The Pacific Northwest, Adia F. Bennett

Scripps Senior Theses

Human activities in North American watersheds have significantly impacted anadromous fish, causing some species of salmon and steelhead to become threatened and endangered. These fish hold ecological, cultural, and economic importance, yet factors such as habitat destruction, overfishing, pollution, climate change, and hydroelectric dams continue to degrade populations. Dams are particularly harmful to anadromous fish, sparking a recent movement advocating for dam removals. This study uses NOAA’s 2022 Biological Viability Assessment to examine the response of anadromous fish to recent dam removals in the Pacific Northwest. Four populations were selected to analyze due to their interaction with sites that had …

The Role Of Atmospheric And Oceanic Feedbacks In Orbital And Millennial Timescale Variability Of The Coupled Climate-Carbon System, Fangze Zhu

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

An intriguing mechanism of the Pleistocene glacial-interglacial cycles is the phase locking of internal climate oscillations to external forcings, suggesting the leading role of the natural climate variability in the past climate changes on orbital timescales. Similarly, the millennial-scale variability over the last glacial period may be attributed to unforced climate dynamics. One of the central themes of the climate sciences is to acquire a fundamental understanding of climate feedbacks over a broad range of timescales. The main objective of this thesis is to identify the characteristic natural variability in a fully coupled climate-carbon model from orbital to millennial timescales, …

Removing Development Incentives In Risky Areas Promotes Climate Adaptation, Hannah Druckenmiller, Yanjun (Penny) Liao, Sophie Pesek, Margaret Walls, Shan Zhang

Economics Faculty Publications

As natural disasters grow in frequency and intensity with climate change, limiting the populations and properties in harm’s way will be key to adaptation. This study evaluates one approach to discouraging development in risky areas—eliminating public incentives for development, such as infrastructure investments, disaster assistance and federal flood insurance. Using machine learning and matching techniques, we examine the Coastal Barrier Resources System (CBRS), a set of lands where these federal incentives have been removed. We find that the policy leads to lower development densities inside designated areas, increases development in neighbouring areas, reduces flood damages and alters local demographics. Our …

Burning Fear, Amy Dorie

Textile Society of America: Symposium Proceedings

Climate change is leading to more intense and devastating wildfires that lead to tragic loss of life and property (Cal Fire, 2018; Sinco et al., 2023) and disturbing environmental impacts (OECD, 2023). The purpose of this textile design was to create an activist design that communicates the fear and anxiety felt by those impacted by wildfires. First-hand accounts of those experiencing wildfires were researched as inspiration for the textile design. Based on the accounts, a selection of wildfire-related images were cropped in irregular shapes, placed around the canvas, and blended evoking a sense of chaos and devastation. An image of …

Exploring Women`S Perceptions Of Climate Change Impact On Agriculture, Health & Food Security In Upper Hunza, Gilgit Baltistan, Ambreen, Elina Nizar Ali, Taiba Yar Baig, Fozia Parveen

Institute for Educational Development, Karachi

The Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region, renowned for its towering mountains and major river basins, sustains nearly 1.4 billion people worldwide and is pivotal to global food production. Glacial melt from the HKH region nourishes agriculture, livestock, and horticulture, supporting the livelihoods of mountain communities. However, climate change is accelerating the melting of glaciers, and shifts in wet seasons significantly impact food security in these communities. Sectors such as water resources, agricultural land, and human health, particularly women’s health, are significantly affected by these changes. For centuries, agriculture has been the backbone of Gilgit-Baltistan’s economy, with over 70% of livelihoods …