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Heatwaves have potential health and safety implications for many workers, and heatwaves are predicted to increase in frequency and intensity with climate change. There is currently a lack of comparative evidence for the effects of heatwaves on workers' health and safety in different climates (sub-tropical and temperate). This study examined the relationship between heatwave severity (as defined by the Excess Heat Factor) and workers' compensation claims, to define impacts and identify workers at higher risk.Workers' compensation claims data from Australian cities with temperate (Melbourne and Perth) and subtropical (Brisbane) climates for the years 2006-2016 were analysed in relation to heatwave severity categories (low and moderate/high severity) using time-stratified case-crossover models.Consistent impacts of heatwaves were observed in each city with either a protective or null effect during heatwaves of low-intensity while claims increased during moderate/high-severity heatwaves compared with non-heatwave days. The highest effect during moderate/high-severity heatwaves was in Brisbane (RR 1.45, 95% CI: 1.42-1.48). Vulnerable worker subgroups identified across the three cities included: males, workers aged under 34 years, apprentice/trainee workers, labour hire workers, those employed in medium and heavy strength occupations, and workers from outdoor and indoor industrial sectors.These findings show that work-related injuries and illnesses increase during moderate/high-severity heatwaves in both sub-tropical and temperate climates. Heatwave forecasts should signal the need for heightened heat awareness and preventive measures to minimise the risks to workers.

In recent years, sustainability concerns have gained increasing attention among countries and stakeholders worldwide. Towards the transition to sustainable rural development, the rural web framework (RWF) has become a consistent tool. Indicators from the RWF have been used to explore sustainable rural development for decision-making tasks, which improves the social, economic, and environmental performance of rural regions. However, the application of the RWF in studies is on the decline. Furthermore, there is a lack of literature reviews on the importance of the RWF and its relationship with different facets of sustainable development. We conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) (a) to explore how studies have used the RWF in the context of sustainable development and (b) to identify areas for further research. This study found that the RWF has mostly been used in developed countries, with fewer applications in developing countries. We suggest that there should be increased application of the RWF, particularly in developing countries, to broaden the rural web–sustainable development discourse and its relevance. This paper presents several areas where the indicators of the RWF can be applied to illustrate their relevance for policy decisions towards the achievement of the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Research on the human dimensions of climate change (HDCC) in the Canadian Arctic has expanded so rapidly over the past decade that we do not have a clear grasp of the current state of knowledge or research gaps. This lack of clarity has implications for duplication of climate policy and research, and it has been identified as a problem by communities, scientists, policy makers, and northern organizations. Our review of current knowledge about the HDCC in Nunavut, Nunavik, and Nunatsiavut indicates that the effects of climate change on subsistence harvesting and other land-based activities and the determinants of vulnerability and adaptation to such changes are well understood. However, the effects of climate change on health are less known. In the nascent research on this topic, studies on food security and personal safety dominate, and little peer-reviewed scholarship focuses on the business and economic sector. Published research shows a strong bias toward case studies in smaller communities, especially communities in Nunavut. Such studies have focused primarily on negative impacts of climate change, present-day vulnerabilities, and adaptive capacity, but studies proposing opportunities for adaptation intervention are beginning to emerge. While documenting the serious risks posed by climate change, they also highlight the adaptability of northern populations and the effects of economic-political stresses on vulnerability to changing climate. We note the absence of studies that examine how Northerners can benefit from new opportunities that may arise from climate change, or assess how the interaction of future climatic and socio-economic changes (specifically, resource development and enhanced shipping) will affect their experience of and response to climate change, or discuss the broader determinants of vulnerability and adaptation.

Abstract The expansion of Sargassum muticum in the Danish estuary Limfjorden between 1984 and 1997 was followed by a decrease in abundance of native perennial macroalgae such as Halidrys siliquosa. Although commonly associated with the expansion of exotic species, it is unknown whether such structural changes affect ecosystem properties such as the production and turnover of organic matter and associated nutrients. We hypothesized that S. muticum possesses ‘ephemeral’ traits relative to the species it has replaced, potentially leading to faster and more variable turnover of organic matter. The biomass dynamics of S. muticum and H. siliquosa was therefore compared in order to assess the potential effects of the expansion of Sargassum. The biomass of Sargassum was highly variable among seasons while that of Halidrys remained almost constant over the year. Sargassum grew faster than Halidrys and other perennial algae and the annual productivity was therefore high (P/B = 12 year−1) and exceeded that of Halidrys (P/B = 5 year−1) and most probably also that of other perennial algae in the system. The major grazer on macroalgae in Limfjorden, the sea urchin Psammechinus miliaris, preferred Sargassum to Halidrys, but estimated losses due to grazing were negligible for both species and most of the production may therefore enter the detritus pool. Detritus from Sargassum decomposed faster and more completely than detritus from Halidrys and other slow-growing perennial macrophytes. High productivity and fast decomposition suggest that the increasing dominance of S. muticum have increased turnover of organic matter and associated nutrients in Limfjorden and we suggest that the ecological effects of the invasion to some extent resemble those imposed by increasing dominance of ephemeral algae following eutrophication.

Background: Minimizing raw salt and increasing fruit consumption are important factors for controlling blood pressure. The study aimed to investigate the following associations: (i) the association between socio-demographic characteristics and awareness of, and attitudes towards, raw salt and fruit consumption and (ii) the association between salt and fruit consumption and blood pressure. Methods: In a cluster-RCT, 307 adults, aged 30 to 75 years, with hypertension were recruited in 2021. Blood pressure was the primary outcome, and knowledge, attitudes and intakes of raw salt and fruit were secondary outcomes. Results: Of the participants, 271 (78.5%) consumed raw salt. More than 80% of the participants knew that reduced raw salt was good for controlling blood pressure and almost everyone knew that fruits and vegetables were good for health. Despite this, 95% of the participants had a habit of eating fruit irregularly. A lower proportion (64%) of the participants having at least a secondary school certificate (SSC) consumed raw salt, compared with those having an education level SSC (82%), p = 0.002. Blood pressure was not significantly different for participants, irrespective of raw salt or fruit consumption. Conclusions: Raw salt consumption among rural people was high and regular fruit consumption was deficient. They intended to reduce raw salt consumption. Appropriate intervention programs should be implemented to reduce salt consumption and increase fruit consumption.

This study highlights how Chinese economic development detrimentally impacted water quality in recent decades and how this has been improved by enormous investment in environmental remediation funded by the Chinese government. To our knowledge, this study is the first to describe the variability of surface water quality in inland waters in China, the affecting drivers behind the changes, and how the government-financed conservation actions have impacted water quality. Water quality was found to be poorest in the North and the Northeast China Plain where there is greater coverage of developed land (cities + cropland), a higher gross domestic product (GDP), and higher population density. There are significant positive relationships between the concentration of the annual mean chemical oxygen demand (COD) and the percentage of developed land use (cities + cropland), GDP, and population density in the individual watersheds (p < 0.001). During the past decade, following Chinese government-financed investments in environmental restoration and reforestation, the water quality of Chinese inland waters has improved markedly, which is particularly evident from the significant and exponentially decreasing GDP-normalized COD and ammonium (NH4+-N) concentrations. It is evident that the increasing GDP in China over the past decade did not occur at the continued expense of its inland water ecosystems. This offers hope for the future, also for other industrializing countries, that with appropriate environmental investments a high GDP can be reached and maintained, while simultaneously preserving inland aquatic ecosystems, particularly through management of sewage discharge.

Heat stress and cold stress have a negative influence on cattle welfare and productivity. There have been some studies investigating the influence of cold stress on cattle, however the emphasis within this review is the influence of heat stress on cattle. The impact of hot weather on cattle is of increasing importance due to the changing global environment. Heat stress is a worldwide phenomenon that is associated with reduced animal productivity and welfare, particularly during the summer months. Animal responses to their thermal environment are extremely varied, however, it is clear that the thermal environment influences the health, productivity, and welfare of cattle. Whilst knowledge continues to be developed, managing livestock to reduce the negative impact of hot climatic conditions remains somewhat challenging. This review provides an overview of the impact of heat stress on production and reproduction in bovines.

Abstract This study evaluates the performance of 75 clear-sky global irradiance models against 75 ground stations worldwide covering five major Koppen-Geiger climate classifications and overall global performance. After quality control, clear-sky detection and data-availability criteria, there are 4.36 million 1-min valid global horizontal irradiance (GHI) data points for evaluation. This study represents the most encompassing evaluation of its kind in terms of number of models assessed, number of ground stations used, most consistent selection of input variables in terms of temporal and spatial resolution, also using the most rigorous and fair performance assessment criteria and suitable ranking system. A statistically rigorous Principal Component Analysis (PCA) ranking procedure is proposed to replace the conventional ordering method based on single and simple statistics. In particular, it is demonstrated that all 13 error metrics contribute to the variance of GHI estimation and thus must all be accounted for in the ranking procedure. The best performing models in each climate zone of equatorial, arid, temperate, cold and polar are REST2v9.1, REST2v9.1, MAC2, REST2v5 and CLS, respectively. Globally, the top three performing models are MAC2, REST2v5, and REST2v9.1. Many models appear to suffer from over-fitting empirical relationships to training data, resulting in inconsistent worldwide performance. Furthermore, six different formulations of the Linke Turbidity factor (TL) are evaluated through its application to five clear-sky models that require it as an input. The best globally performing TL formulations are either by Ineichen or Gueymard when combined with four of the five Linke-dependent clear-sky models, whilst the Grenier formulation performs best with the Ineichen & Perez model. Significant performance variation is observed depending on the TL formulation selected, hence, careful selection is required for an optimal application. The model codes are available in R [1].