Drivers of collaboration to mitigate climate change: An illustration of Swiss climate policy over 15 years

Climate change mitigation policy is driven by scientific knowledge and involves actors from the international, national and local decision-making levels. This multi-level and cross-sectoral context requires collaborative management when designing mitigation solutions over time and space. But collaboration in general policymaking settings, and particularly in the complex domain of climate mitigation, is not an easy task. This paper addresses the question of what drives collaboration among collective actors involved in climate mitigation policy. We wish to investigate whether common beliefs or power structures influence collaboration among actors. We adopt a longitudinal approach to grasp differences between the early and more advanced stages of mitigation policy design. We use survey data to investigate actors’ collaboration, beliefs and power, and apply a Stochastic Actor-oriented Model for network dynamics to three subsequent networks in Swiss climate policy between 1995 and 2012. Results show that common beliefs among actors, as well as formal power structures, have a higher impact on collaboration relations than perceived power structures. Furthermore, those effects hold true for decision-making about initial mitigation strategies, but less so for the implementation of those measures.     

A Simulation Study on the Extreme Temperature Events of the 20th Century by Using the BCC_AGCM

Extreme temperature events are simulated by using the Beijing Climate Center Atmospheric General Circulation Model (BCC AGCM) in this paper. The model has been run for 136 yr with the observed external forcing data including solar insolation, greenhouse gases, and monthly sea surface temperature (SST). The daily maximum and minimum temperatures are simulated by the model, and 16 indices representing various extreme temperature events are calculated based on these two variables. The results show that the maximum of daily maximum temperature (TXX), maximum of daily minimum (TNX), minimum of daily maximum (TXN), minimum of daily minimum (TNN), warm days (TX90p), warm nights (TN90p), summer days (SU25), tropical nights (TR20), and warm spell duration index (WSDI) have increasing trends during the 20th century in most regions of the world, while the cold days (TX10p), cold nights (TN10p), and cold spell duration index (CSDI) have decreasing trends. The probability density function (PDF) of warm/cold days/nights for three periods of 1881-1950, 1951- 1978, and 1979-2003 is examined. It is found that before 1950, the cold day/night has the largest probability, while for the period of 1979-2003, it has the smallest probability. In contrast to the decreasing trend of cold days/nights, the PDF of warm days/nights exhibits an opposite trend. In addition, the frost days (FD) and ice days (ID) have decreasing trends, the growing season has lengthened, and the diurnal temperature range is getting smaller during the 20th century. A comparison of the above extreme temperature indices between the model output and NCEP data (taken as observation) for 1948-2000 indicates that the mean values and the trends of the simulated indices are close to the observations, and overall there is a high correlation between the simulated indices and the observations. But the simulated trends of FD, ID, growing season length, and diurnal temperature range are not consistent with the observations and their correlations are low or even negative. This indicates that the model is incapable to simulate these four indices although it has captured most indices of the extreme temperature events.     

基于GPU-OpenACC的气候模式加速优化研究

为使数值模式适应异构架构在高性能计算领域的快速发展趋势,本文基于OpenACC语言,对气候模式BCC_AGCM3.0中动力框架三段程序段进行GPU加速优化试验。通过异步执行设置、循环内移、数据管理及向量参数化配置等方式,对模式中计算密集部分程序段进行GPU加速并行化,并进行了优化运行效率对比及正确性验证。试验结果表明,BCC_AGCM3.0模式中三段程序段GPU加速后效率提升均在3倍以上,BCC_AGCM气候模式全球涡度均方根相对误差控制在一定范围之内。加速方法及策略对于数值天气气候模式在异构环境下的移植与优化具有一定参考价值。     

9000年前古气候的数值模拟研究

本文用大气物理所的全球大气环流模式模拟了9000年前一月份和七月份的古气候.得出:北半球夏季由于地球轨道参数的变化引起的比现在多7％的太阳辐射使得温度升高了,尤其是高纬地区,海陆对比的加强又增强了季风,季风区域降水增加了;而冬季因为太阳辐射在北半球减少了7％,温度变低了.这些结果与现有的古气候证据相一致,并与其他模拟结果进行了较详细的比较,还作了进一步的讨论.     

The seasonal climatic simulation of 9000 years before present by using the IAP atmospheric general circulation model

The seasonal cycle of the climate of 9000 years before present was simulated with the IAP two-level atmospheric general circulation model. The incoming solar radiation was specified from the orbital parameters for 9000 years Ago. The boundary conditions of that time were prescribed to the present value because of the small differences between the two. The change in radiation makes temperature to be higher in summer and lower in winter over large areas of the land; and the increased temperature contrast between the land and the ocean strengthens the summer monsoon circulation and increases the precipitation over there. The asymmetry of temperature change between the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere and between summer and winter still exists, which agrees with that get from the previous perpetual experiments.     

Economic and environmental effectiveness of a technology-based climate protocol

Abstract

The present stalemate in climate negotiations between the USA and the other Annex I countries has led policy analysts and economists to explore the possible emergence of alternative climate regimes that may be applied after 2012. This article explores the idea of replacing international cooperation on greenhouse gas emission control with international cooperation on climate-related technological innovation and diffusion. This idea—recently proposed among others by Barrett (2001) and Benedick (2001)—is based on the insight that incentives to free-ride are much smaller in the case of technological cooperation than in the case of cooperation on emission control. This article provides a first applied game theory analysis of a technology-based climate protocol by assessing: (i) the self-enforcingness (namely, the absence of incentives to free-ride) of the coalition that would form when countries negotiate on climate-related technological cooperation; (ii) the environmental effectiveness of a technology-based climate protocol. The analysis is carried out by using a model in which endogenous and induced technical change are explicitly modelled. The results of our analysis partly support Barrett's and Benedick's conjectures. On the one hand, a self-enforcing agreement is more likely to emerge when countries cooperate on environmental technological innovation and diffusion than when they cooperate on emission abatement. However, technological cooperation—without any commitment to emission control—may not lead to a sufficient abatement of greenhouse gas concentrations.     

中国近50年气温及降水量的变化趋势分析

通过对我同385个站的观测资料序列进行分析研究,得到我国气候变化的一些特征。近25年全国平均温度有明显的上升趋势,只有极少数测站有明显的降温趋势,华北及东北的广大地区是增温最快、范围最大的地区。全国平均降水量没有明显的变化趋势。逐站分析降水量的年际变化后发现,我国降水量的变化存在着明显的区域特征,新疆地区足降水量增加最快的地区;华中华北地区的降水则存在明显的减少趋势;这两个地区的、平均降水量都与全球海表温度距平有很好的相关性。文中还利用同期大气再分析资料(NCEP／NCAR)尝试分析了气候变化与大气环流特征的关系。     

黔南州凝冻气候特征以及异常凝冻年环流特征

贵州凝冻天气主要以雨凇形式出现,该文利用黔南州1968年12月—2018年3月12日地面观测站资料,分析了50 a来出现的雨凇和凝冻天气的空间分布、初始时间、持续时间等方面,同时利用NECP/NCAR的2.5°×2.5°格点的逐日再分析资料,探究了黔南出现特重级凝冻和重级凝冻的500 hPa环流特征。结果表明:凝冻天气的频次和持续时间的长短,与其地理位置和地貌特征有明显的关系,尤其瓮安出现的凝冻次数最多、持续时间最长,罗甸、荔波50 a来未出现凝冻天气;黔南凝冻平均初日在1月中旬到下旬初,平均终日在1月下旬后期;在区域性凝冻天气环流场分析中,高纬地区的冷高压位置越往南且强度越大,则影响黔南出现区域性凝冻天气可能性越大,尤其在太平洋副高西伸的情况下,凝冻灾害最重。     

黄河流域未来气候-水文变化的模拟研究

将大尺度半分布式水文模型VIC应用到黄河上中游流域(花园口水文断面以上),并利用区域气候模式RegCM4.0单向嵌套全球气候模式BCC_CSM1.1,动力降尺度到黄河流域的模拟结果驱动VIC模型,开展在新的典型浓度路径下(RCP4.5和RCP8.5)黄河流域未来气候和水文变化的离线模拟。模拟结果显示,在RCP4.5和RCP8.5排放情景下,黄河流域21世纪平均地表气温相对于1971—2000年均呈显著上升趋势,2019—2048年上升1.2—1.5℃,2069—2098年上升2.19—3.9℃。未来年平均降水量有微弱的增大,2019—2048年增幅为6%左右,2069—2098年增幅为1.4%—5.6%。未来蒸发量增大明显,2069—2098年年平均蒸发量最大可增加9.6%。2019—2048年花园口水文站的年平均径流量增大3.4%—7.4%,2069—2098年年平均径流量转为减少,减幅为3.3%—5.3%。黄河上游地区未来气候和水文变化趋势与黄河流域基本一致,但未来年径流量变幅低于黄河流域,相对比较稳定。     

Pledges,politics and performance: an assessment of UK climate policy

Abstract

New Labour came to power in 1997 pledging to put environment concerns at the heart of policy-making. Shortly after being elected, the Labour Government signed the Kyoto Protocol and adopted a voluntary domestic target of a 20% cut in carbon dioxide emissions by 2010. This article looks at the development of UK climate policy since 1997 and the political drivers that have led to development of the climate policy mix. It assesses the Climate Change Programme adopted in 2000 and its delivery, and it also looks at the 5-year Climate Change Programme Review published in March 2006. It conducts a quantitative assessment of the UK's performance by looking at emissions data, and it also provides a qualitative analysis, by looking at the UK policies and measures within their political and institutional context. The article concludes that Labour has been actively promoting climate policy since coming to power and has played a strong leadership role internationally. The UK is on track to meet and surpass its Kyoto target, meeting its international commitments. Between 24.1 and 29.1 million tonnes of carbon savings per year are expected by 2010. Policies and measures in the industrial sector are delivering real emissions reductions, in addition to the reductions made through fuel switching. The Government has found it more difficult to make some of the tough choices necessary to deliver emissions reductions in the transport and the household sectors. The article seeks to explain why the Labour Government has found it uncomfortable, politically, to implement stronger measures in these parts of the economy. The article highlights the changing dynamics within UK politics and concludes that there are two possible avenues for taking more stringent measures in the future. The first involves the development of a cross-party consensus on climate change. The second is to change the way that climate change is framed, so that it is no longer seen as an ‘environment’ issue but one with which voters and decision-makers can immediately connect. Only then will it be possible to implement the necessary policies and measures across the whole economy.     

Thirty years on: Planetary climate planning and the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee

On the occasion of the thirtieth anniversary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, this principal supra-national institution remains paramount to the project of planetary climate planning and governance. Reflections on this anniversary should serve to recall the contestations through which this foundational institution was formed, and the delegate dynamics that continue to be reproduced in its wake. The contentious debates and political dynamics that afflicted the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee tasked with crafting the Framework Convention on Climate Change, as well as dissension in the periphery, remain as relevant today as they were three decades ago. Reprising these dynamics through detailed historical and archival analysis, this article excavates the negotiations of the 1992 Framework Convention on Climate Change by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee, which met in 5 sessions during 1991–1992. The aim is to identify key fault-lines and conflicts in the lead-up to the finalization of the 1992 Convention, in order to demonstrate whose epistemic and normative commitments came to be reflected in the final outcome and to show how the legacy of this process endures to date. I seek to render visible actors and proposals peripheralized in the formation of planetary climate governance to extrapolate normative boundaries and proffer heterodox lessons from the margins.     

气候变暖背景下西太平洋副热带高压体形态变异及热力原因

采用美国NCEP/NCAR再分析资料,利用相关、合成分析、大气热源的计算等方法,研究了气候变暖背景下西太平洋副热带高压（副高）空间形态的变异及热力原因。结果表明,气候变暖前、后各层副高形态特征有很大的差异,副高体的空间形态从850—700 hPa开始显著西伸南扩,到500 hPa最为明显。各层副高在冷、暖期的形态差异与其周围大气热源和涡度的变化相对应。随着气候变暖,副高西侧和南侧的大气热源在850—700 hPa上开始有明显的加强,500 hPa热源加强最明显,且副高体南侧热源中心有所南移;同时,其西侧和南侧从对流层低层至中高层有反气旋涡度的增大,西侧的反气旋涡度在850—700 hPa增大最明显,南侧的反气旋涡度在500 hPa增大最明显,且反气旋中心整体南移。表明气候变暖后,副高体西侧和南侧大气热源的加强,导致相应区域反气旋涡度增大,副高体向反气旋涡度增大的方向发展,从而使副高西脊点西伸,南边界南扩,整体南移。      

Modelling the Baltic Sea ocean climate on centennial time scale: temperature and sea ice

This study considers the possible use of different kinds of forcing datasets in Baltic Sea ocean climate modelling on centennial time scales, in particular for the past half millennium. We demonstrate that high-quality station data of the past century and gridded multi-proxy reconstructions for the past 500 years can be used with great success but with various levels of detail. We also demonstrate that output data from the state-of-the-art global climate model EcHo-G are not suitable for modelling the Baltic Sea ocean climate. Two climate properties were studied: the annual maximum ice extent (MIB) and the vertically and horizontally integrated annual water temperature. Centennial time scale results indicate that the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries were the coldest centuries, while the 1690s were the coldest decade and 1695 the coldest year in the last 500 years. The results also indicate that the twentieth century was the warmest century with the least MIB of the last 500 years. On a decadal time scale, the 1990s, 1930s and 1730s were the warmest decades and comparable in terms of both water temperature and MIB. The year 1989 had the minimum observed MIB of only 52,000 km², implying that the Baltic Sea has been partly ice covered in all winters of the past half millennium. Even though different climate forcing mechanisms may operate on the climate system today compared to over the last half millennium, this study cannot clearly state that the region is experiencing climate change outside the natural limits of the past 500 years.     

新、旧气候态差异及对中国地区气候和极端事件评估业务的影响

利用1961—2020年中国区域2089个地面观测站资料,分析了1991—2020年和1981—2010年新、旧气候态下,平均气温、最高气温、最低气温和降水量等变量的空间变化特征,探讨对气候距平值、极端事件等评估结果的影响。结果表明：新气候态下,全国三类气温年和季节平均均一致升高,年降水增加,空间上气温偏高（低）、降水偏多（少）的特征将弱（强）化;华北东部、华东中部和北部以及青海西南部的年平均风速和日照时数距平增加;极端高温年减少,低温年增多,其中平均气温和最低气温受到的影响较最高气温更大;夏季南北方两条雨带极端强降水年的发生概率降低,冬季东北中部和南部、华北、华东北部、西北东部极端弱降水年概率显著增加;全国超过一半的站点极端日高温、低温和强降水事件的历史频次发生改变;新气候态还减弱了极端日高温事件的增速,加快了极端日低温事件的降速。     

气候资源的法律概念及其属性探讨

运用价值分析、比较分析、历史分析等方法,探讨了气候资源法律概念的内涵与外延及其属性问题,旨在为我国气候资源保护立法研究提供基础法律理论支撑。结果表明:气候资源是气候要素中可以被人类利用的那一部分自然物质和能量,是一种典型的自然资源,可以成为法律关系客体;它具备自身鲜明的特性,有必要对之提出专门的立法保护。气候资源保护法律规范属于环境保护与自然资源法律规范的范畴。     

The discourses of climate change science: Scientific reporting,climate negotiations and the case of Papua New Guinea

This paper analyses climate science as a discourse to reveal how it enables and constrains climate change negotiations and action. Focusing on long-term outcomes projected in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fifth Assessment Report and the World Bank’s “Turn Down the Heat” reports, this paper examines processes of discourse structuration and institutionalization to identify the dominant discourses which frame climate action. We trace the dominant discourses identified in the scientific reports – Survivalism, Ecological Modernisation and Economic Rationalism – through the Paris Agreement and selected Leader Statements and Intended Nationally Determined Contributions from COP21. From the 24 states included in this analysis, Papua New Guinea (PNG) is developed as a case study to investigate the hybridity and institutionalization of discourses. Even though PNG’s rhetoric and commitments at COP21 express Survivalism, the state’s policy frameworks rarely move beyond solutions found in Economic Rationalism and Ecological Modernisation. This suggests that states strategically adopt hybrid discourses drawn from climate science in line with their positionality, political economy and interests. Understanding how discourses drawn from climate science manifest in national policies has significant implications not only for how science is communicated at the international level but also for understanding different state positions in the global climate governance regime.     

近50年塔克拉玛干沙漠和古尔班通古特沙漠及其周边地区气候变化特征的对比分析

利用塔克拉玛干沙漠及古尔班通古特沙漠及其周边地区（包括平原和山区）76个气象站1961-2010年的逐日地面观测资料,对比分析了两个沙漠及其周边地区气温和降水变化特征。结果表明：塔克拉玛干沙漠及其周边地区年平均气温明显高于古尔班通古特沙漠及其周边地区,但是升温速率低于古尔班通古特沙漠,两大沙漠及其周边地区年平均气温的差值在缩小,塔克拉玛干沙漠周边山区上升速率接近或者大于大部分平原地区,而古尔班通古特沙漠周边山区上升速率与平原地区相比总体偏小,塔克拉玛干沙漠及其周边地区年平均气温的突变时间在1989-1993年,古尔班通古特沙漠及其周边地区的突变时间在1994-1995年,同时均存在8～9a振荡周期;古尔班通古特沙漠及其周边地区年降水量是塔克拉玛干沙漠及其周边地区的2.5倍,增加速率高于塔克拉玛干沙漠及其周边地区,增加相对幅度小于塔克拉玛干沙漠及其周边地区,两大沙漠及其周边地区年降水量的差值进一步加大但加大的速度在减缓,塔克拉玛干沙漠及其周边地区的突变时间在1984年,古尔班通古特沙漠及其周边地区的突变时间在1983-1986年,塔克拉玛干沙漠及其周边地区存在5a、7～8a和18a的振荡周期,古尔班通古特沙漠及其周边地区存在2～4a、6～8a、18a的振荡周期。     

Tackling the climate,biodiversity and pollution emergencies by making peace with nature 50 years after the Stockholm Conference

Today’s increasingly unequal and resource intensive development model degrades and surpasses Earth’s finite capacity to sustain human well-being. Society must restore this capacity and adapt to it without surrendering hard won development gains while also honoring the rightful aspirations of poorer nations and people to enjoy better living standards, according to the UNEP report “Making Peace with Nature”. This article presents findings from the report and reflections on how to take advantage of the 50 years of experience gained since the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment. The interconnected environmental emergencies of climate change, loss of biodiversity and pollution need to be addressed together. International scientific assessments are providing the knowledge base for informed evidence-based decision-making, but none of the internationally agreed environmentally targets for climate and biodiversity have been met and the situation is becoming more dire with each passing year. Unless these issues are addressed in the next 5–10 years none of the 2030 sustainable development goals will be achieved. Human knowledge, ingenuity, technology and cooperation need to be mobilized in such an effort. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals provides a blueprint for the transformation. The international environmental governance structure needs to facilitate a system-wide cross-sectoral transformation of humankind's relationship with nature. Transformed economic, financial and productive systems can lead and power the shift to sustainability. Major shifts in investment and regulation are key to just and informed transformations that overcome inertia and opposition from vested interests. Government actions at all levels are needed together with strengthened actions by all actors in society and the next decade is critical.     

The Fractal Dimension Distribution of the Short-Term Climate System in China and It’s Connection with the Monsoon Climate

By analyzing the Fractal Dimension(FD) distribution of the Short-range Climate system(SCS) in China, it is found that the FD varies in different region and this just agrees with the regionally of the monsoon climate in China. The FD of the SCS Lays between 2.0 and 5.0. In the vast eastern area of China, the FD almost grows gradually with the latitude. Line 4.0 is along the mountain chains from the Nanlin Mountain to the Wuyi Mountain. North of the line the FD varies only slightly and all are above 4.0. Only in coastal islands the FD is smaller than 3.0.     

Precursors of Copepod Abundance in the Gulf of Maine in Atmospheric Centers of Action and Sea Surface Temperature

Interannual variations of total copepod abundance in the Gulf of Maine (1961-1991) are analyzed and related to the semi-permanent atmospheric pressure systems: Icelandic Low (IL) and the Azores High (AH). These centers of action dominate atmospheric and oceanic circulation in the North Atlantic. Cross-correlation analysis of zooplankton, sea surface temperature (SST) and the atmospheric characteristics have revealed different (from one to three years) time lags between the above characteristics. A multiple stepwise regression analysis gave a correlation value of 0.7 between observed and predicted interannual changes of total copepod abundance. A discussion is included of possible mechanisms that may contribute to the dynamic links that transfer atmospheric variation into observed changes in zooplankton abundance.