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Research to date has suggested that both individual marine species and ecological processes are expected to exhibit diverse responses to the environmental effects of climate change. Evolutionary responses can occur on rapid (ecological) timescales, and yet studies typically do not consider the role that adaptive evolution will play in modulating biological responses to climate change. Investigations into such responses have typically been focused at particular biological levels (e.g., cellular, population, community), often lacking interactions among levels. Since all levels of biological organisation are sensitive to global climate change, there is a need to elucidate how different processes and hierarchical interactions will influence species fitness. Therefore, predicting the responses of communities and populations to global change will require multidisciplinary efforts across multiple levels of hierarchy, from the genetic and cellular to communities and ecosystems. Eventually, this may allow us to establish the role that acclimatisation and adaptation will play in determining marine community structures in future scenarios.

AbstractAccelerated warming and melting of Arctic sea-ice has been associated with significant increases in phytoplankton productivity in recent years. Here, utilizing a multiproxy approach, we reconstruct an annually resolved record of Labrador Sea productivity related to sea-ice variability in Labrador, Canada that extends well into the Little Ice Age (LIA; 1646 AD). Barium-to-calcium ratios (Ba/Ca) and carbon isotopes (δ13C) measured in long-lived coralline algae demonstrate significant correlations to both observational and proxy records of sea-ice variability, and show persistent patterns of co-variability broadly consistent with the timing and phasing of the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO). Results indicate reduced productivity in the Subarctic Northwest Atlantic associated with AMO cool phases during the LIA, followed by a step-wise increase from 1910 to present levels—unprecedented in the last 363 years. Increasing phytoplankton productivity is expected to fundamentally alter marine ecosystems as warming and freshening is projected to intensify over the coming century.

This paper explores institutional responses from Regional Fisheries Bodies (RFBs) to climate change. Fisheries management is highly dependent on the stability or predictability of targeted fish populations. Oceanic changes occurring as a result of climate change will see continuing and potentially irreversible deviations from the conditions of fisheries past. These changes present challenges to fisheries management at all scales – from local to international – relating to food security, sustainability, and ecological integrity. Areas of measurably warmer ocean, or ‘hotspots’, are a very clear indicator of direct climate change effects. RFBs with hotspots in their areas of competence were chosen for this study. Three levels of institutional engagement were developed: Awareness of climate change; Learning about climate change; Action taken by the institutions. While 94% of institutions demonstrated awareness of climate change and 82% demonstrated learning about climate change, only 41% demonstrated some form of action; and these were mainly procedural and administrative. Only two of the RFBs considered made explicit statements about incorporating climate change into future fishing management plans. The inference is that RFBs are largely practising business-as-usual, with the implication that many exploited fish populations will face additional survival pressure as the sea around them alters.

Indicators of sustainability and environmental performance can be useful for comparing modes, discerning trends, and formulating appropriate policies. This paper considers the performance of U.S. transportation service sectors through use of 1992 and 1997 benchmark input–output models. Use of these models permits assessment of not only the direct performance of the sectors but also the supply chain impacts required for operation of the transportation sectors. Consideration of indirect impacts is critical for assessment of the overall costs and impacts of particular products or services. Six transportation service sectors (air, rail, water, truck, transit, and pipeline) are examined. Economic impact, energy, greenhouse gas emissions, and toxic emissions are examined. The transportation sectors use large amounts of energy, both in total and per dollar of output and on a per service basis. Pipeline and water transportation have particularly large energy requirements per dollar of output, likely reflecting higher energy intensity and lower labor intensity in these modes. Truck transportation is the most energy intensive of the freight transportation modes per ton-mile of service, but it has a trend toward greater energy efficiency. For greenhouse gas emissions, truck, water, and air transportation have the highest emissions per dollar of output. Water transportation freight rates are sufficiently low that emissions on a per ton-mile basis would be correspondingly low. Finally, the supply chain (indirect) toxic emissions per dollar of output are highest for rail and pipeline transportation. There is considerable work to be done to improve the overall sustainability of the different transportation modes.

Since the Paris Agreement adopted in 2015, global societies are increasingly aware of the needs to limit global warming to 1.5 C and reach global carbon neutrality by 2050. However, current commitments of global societies are not sufficient, party owing to the lack of cost-effective decarbonization measures. The SolarEV City concept is proposed for cost-effective urban decarbonization combining rooftop PV with EV through bi-directional charging in a city scale. In this study, we conducted techno-economic analyses to test the concept in Paris and Ile-de-France. PV+EV systems are found to add value to rooftop PV systems raising selfconsumption and self-sufficiency, when the roof coverage by PV is reached to 50-60% for Paris and 20-30% for Ile-de-France, allowing to bypass expensive stand-alone battery storage. The system allows CO2 emissions reduction through accelerated development of EV.

High-flow tidal stream environments, targeted for tidal turbine installations, exhibit turbulent features, at fine spatio-temporal scales (metres and seconds), created by site-specific topography and bathymetry. Bed-derived turbulent features (kolk-boils) are thought to have detrimental effects on tidal turbines. Characterisation of kolk-boils is therefore essential to inform turbine reliability, control, and maintenance strategies. It will also improve the understanding of potential ecological interactions with turbines, as marine animals use these sites for foraging. Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), or drone, imagery offers a novel approach to take precise measurements of kolk-boil characteristics (distribution, presence, and area) at the surface. This study carried out sixty-three UAV surveys within the Inner Sound of the Pentland Firth, Scotland, UK, over four-day periods in 2016 and 2018. Kolk-boil characteristics were examined against relevant environmental covariates to investigate potential drivers of presence and area. The results show that distribution at the surface could be predicted based on tidal phase, with current velocity significantly influencing presence above 3.0 m/s. The technique can be used to inform turbine development, micro-siting and provide better understanding of environmental implications of turbine operation. Finally, it highlights the suitability of UAVs for capturing rapid fine-scale hydrodynamic data in the absence of in situ measurements.

Traffic congestion is a perpetual problem for the sustainability of transportation development. Traffic congestion causes delays, inconvenience, and economic losses to drivers, as well as air pollution. Identification and quantification of traffic congestion are crucial for decision-makers to initiate mitigation strategies to improve the overall transportation system’s sustainability. In this paper, the currently available measures are detailed and compared by implementing them on a daily and weekly traffic historical dataset. The results showed each measure showed significant variations in congestion states while indicating a similar congestion trend. The advantages and disadvantages of each measure are identified from the data analysis. This study summarizes the current road traffic congestion measures and provides a constructive insight into the development of a sustainable and resilient traffic management system.