Articles

Morphological Variability of Jackfruit (Artocarpus Heterophyllus Lamk) in Taba Penanjung District, Central Bengkulu Regency

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Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lamk) is widely cultivated in Indonesia and has potential source as food, fruit, vegetable, and industrial raw material. However, scientific information on morphological variation in local jackfruit remains limited, including in Central Bengkulu Regency. This study aimed to describe the morphological characteristics of local jackfruit originated from Taba Penanjung District, Central Bengkulu. Ten jackfruit trees representing five accessions were evaluated. Thirty-eight characters, consisting of 14 qualitative and 24 quantitative characters, were observed based on the descriptor of the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI). Data were analyzed using the Gower dissimilarity coefficient and the Average Linkage method ith PBSTAT-CL version 2.2.1. The five accessions were grouped into to clusters at a cophenetic distance of 0.6. Cluster I consisted of Penum, Lubuk Sini, Tanjung Heran, and Bajak accessions, with variations in crown shape (oblong, spherical, elliptical, and broadly pyramidal), leaf blade shape (elliptic, oblong, and narrowly elliptic), and fruit shape (clavate, ellipsoid, spheroid, and oblong). Fruit length in this cluster ranged from 29,75 to 37,10 cm, flesh weight from 425,81 to 460,92 g per 1 kg of fruit, and total soluble solids from 15 to 16,5 °Brix. Cluster II consisted of the Taba Penanjung accession, characterized by a semicircular crown, obovate leaves, and oblong fruit, with a fruit length of 40,6 cm, flesh weight of 300,25 g per 1 kg fruit, and total soluble solids of 11 ºBrix. Tanjung Heran, Bajak, and Taba Penanjung showed a superior potential as germplasm sources for total soluble solids, flesh weight, and fruit size, respectively, for jackfruit breeding program.

Water Demand Management in the Island of Crete, Greece

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The supply and demand management of water resources in Crete is necessary to avoid water shortages in the island predicted in the future due to climate change. Water demand management in Crete should aim not simply to reduce water consumption, but to ensure that available water is used efficiently, economically and sustainably. Several studies related to water resources in Crete have been reviewed and the water consumption in several sectors has been estimated. The island is sufficient in water resources under average meteorological conditions while climate change is foreseen to reduce water precipitation in the coming decades resulting in water shortages. Agriculture is by far the greatest water consumer in the island using around 80% of the total water use. Crete’s tourism industry is growing fast while its share in total water demand is around 3%. Several technical and non-technical measures can be used to reduce the water demand in Crete. The efficient use of water in agriculture and tourism can reduce significantly the total water consumption which was estimated at 610.94 hm3 in 2016. A 10% reduction in water consumption in these two sectors can reduce the total annual water consumption in the island by 8.15 % or by 49.78 hm3/year. Appropriate water pricing, use of financial tools, awareness raising and education of several water-related stakeholders would contribute in the decrease of water demand in Crete. The results of the current study could be used from policy makers, local and regional authorities as well as from water-related organizations in the island.

The Interrelation among Obesity, Climate Change and the Food Industry

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Climate change poses a significant threat to natural ecosystems and human societies, while the global obesity pandemic constitutes a major public health challenge. These two phenomena are increasingly recognized as interconnected, with both influencing and being influenced by the food industry. The present study investigates the interrelationship among obesity, climate change, and the food industry, examining the interactions and mutual dependencies among these three domains. Their interlinkages are analyzed separately and their systemic interactions are highlighted. The results indicate that obesity, climate change, and the food industry are strongly interconnected and mutually influential. Consequently, changes in one of these domains can produce significant effects on the others. The findings suggest that the development of sustainable, low-carbon and climate-resilient agricultural systems capable of producing sufficient and nutritious food with minimal environmental impacts is urgently required. Furthermore, a strategic reorientation of the food industry toward the production of healthier food products with lower environmental footprints is necessary. Finally, the promotion through public policies of healthy dietary patterns with low greenhouse gas emissions could simultaneously reduce obesity prevalence and contribute to climate change mitigation. The findings of this study may be useful to policy makers, climate scientists, medical professionals, the food industry, farmers, and civil society organizations seeking to address these major challenges of the 21st century.

The Impact of Mediterranean Diet on Global Challenges

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Mediterranean diet is considered healthy compared to typical western diets while it was used by populations residing in Mediterranean basin since centuries. Several studies indicate that Mediterranean diet offers many health and environmental benefits. The positive impacts of this diet in treating various global challenges have been examined. Reviewing  several published papers the impacts of Mediterranean diet on managing obesity and malnutrition, on climate change mitigation and in the achievement of the sustainable development goals have been investigated. The results indicate that the use of Mediterranean diet helps in treating obesity and malnutrition, while it contributes positively in climate change mitigation and in achieving the 17 sustainable development goals. Unfortunately, for several reasons, the traditional Mediterranean diet  has been nowadays replaced by unhealthy western type diets burdening various global challenges that humanity faces. Our work is important since it indicates that the change of our dietary pattern shifting from western diet to Mediterranean diet will result in the mitigation of several global challenges. The results of the present study could be useful to medicinal doctors, policy makers, public authorities, non-governmental environmental organizations and other institutions related with the abovementioned issues.

The water-tourism nexus in the island of Crete, Greece

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The island of Crete, Greece is located in eastern Mediterranean region which is characterized by limited water resources. It hosts more than 6 million of tourists every year who consume large quantities of water during their vacations. The study of the interdependence between water and tourism industry in Mediterranean islands with limited water resources is important for their prosperity. Their nexus in Crete has been investigated based on existing data regarding water consumption and the local tourism industry. The share of direct water use in tourism in the total water consumption in Crete has been estimated and compared with other tourism destinations. Tourism industry affects water resources in Crete while water is a basic resource in tourism industry. The share of direct water demand in tourism to total water consumption in the island, at 3.06%, is above the global average, at 0.6%. The high share of direct water demand in tourism industry to total water consumption in Crete, the expected future increase in tourists’ arrivals and the future reduction of water resources due to climate change indicates that improved management of water resources is necessary to avoid water shortages and water-related conflicts. Our results could be useful to public authorities and private bodies related to tourism industry and water use in the island.

Influence of Climate Variability on The Dynamics of Land Use Land Cover in the Sub-Soudanian Sector: The Case of the Badenou Classified Forest, Northern Côte D’ivoire

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In a context of global change marked by climate evolution, tropical forest ecosystems are under increasing pressure that threatens their integrity and biodiversity. This study quantifies the impact of climatic parameters on the evolution of land use/cover in the Badenou Classified Forest (northern Côte d’Ivoire) between 1990 and 2022. By cross-referencing Landsat images and climatic data (temperatures, precipitation, PDSI, SPI) via Google Earth Engine, and applying statistical tests (Spearman correlations, PCA, regressions), significant relationships were highlighted. The results show a distinct vulnerability of natural ecosystems to climatic stresses. Dense dry forests and galleries regress with drought (PDSI: ρ = -0.502, p = 0.003). The low density shrub savannah declines sharply with rising temperatures (Tmax: ρ = -0.613, p < 0.0001). Water bodies decrease during dry periods (PDSI: ρ = -0.545, p = 0.001). Anthropogenic dynamics present contrasting responses. Fallow lands decrease with temperature (Tmax: ρ = -0.413, p = 0.017), while perennial crops expand their reach under these same conditions (Tmax: ρ = +0.413, p = 0.017). An increase in bare soils and built-up areas is correlated with humid conditions (SPI: ρ = +0.362, p = 0.039). This research demonstrates that climatic variables, particularly temperatures and drought indices, are major explanatory factors for landscape transformations. These quantified results provide an essential scientific basis for the development of adaptive management policies, reconciling biodiversity preservation and local development in a context of global change.

Effect of Green Loan and Green Mortgage on Climate Change Mitigation in Nigeria

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Green loans and green mortgages can provide huge opportunities to tackle climate change in Nigeria by providing finance for energy efficient housing and sustainable infrastructure; supporting renewable energy uptake; and creating jobs in the green economy. However, in Nigeria there are still limited examples of green loans and green mortgages due to a lack of empirical evidence; lack awareness from stakeholders, and the necessity to develop stronger policies and regulations to improve the effectiveness of green loans and green mortgages. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to determine the impact of green loans and green mortgages as a great way of addressing climate change in Nigeria; the study explains the effect in a ex-post facto study covering the 2012 to 2024 period. The study relied on time series secondary data, and the data was collected on a quarterly basis and secondary data was obtained directly from the Statistical Bulletin provided by a number of agencies including the Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigerian Stock Exchange, National Bureau of Statistics, World Bank and International Monetary Fund, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the use of an econometric technique of the Autoregressive Distributed Lag model to analyse the data. The study found that green loans and green mortgages have positive and statistically significant effects on Nigeria’s emissions of greenhouse gases. In conclusion, the study says that green loans and green mortgages have a positive impact on climate change mitigation in Nigeria. The study puts forward a number of ways to strengthen outcomes. Policymakers should implement more robust screening and monitoring processes. The requirements for loan approvals should put emphasis on verifiable reduction of emissions targets of borrower’s projects, with the borrower to be required to report on environmental outcomes periodically.

Impacts of climate variability on the spatio-temporal dynamics of plant formations in the forest-savannah transition zone: the case of the Lamto Scientific Reserve, Central Côte d’Ivoire

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Understanding climatic variability’s effects on land and biodiversity is vital for guiding sustainability, conservation, and climate impact predictions in fragile ecosystems like Côte d’Ivoire’s forest-savanna transition zone. This study aims to analyse the impact of climate variability on the spatio-temporal dynamics of land use in the Lamto Scientific Reserve. To do this, a set of monthly climate data covering the period from 1990 to 2022 was used, including indicators such as rainfall, maximum, minimum and average temperatures, drought and standardised rainfall indices. The study also involved the classification of Landsat images dating from 1990, 2002, 2012 and 2022, enabling changes in land use to be observed. The corresponding areas were correlated with the climatic variables using a Spearman correlation test. The results show a transition from savannah to denser tree cover in the reserve. In addition, an increase in rainfall, varying between 900 and 1687 mm, suggests that Lamto could be classified as a humid region. The analysis highlights the complex interactions between climate change, particularly high temperatures, and land-use dynamics. Gallery and semi-deciduous forests show resilience in the face of rising temperatures, favouring their expansion. On the other hand, pre-forest formations, such as open forests and wooded savannahs, are more affected by these temperatures, which hinders their development. Tree savannahs also show a certain resilience, while shrub savannahs and bare land are often associated with ecological degradation processes in response to high temperatures. Finally, although rainfall plays a role, its influence seems minor, suggesting that other environmental or climatic factors, such as watercourses or microclimate, play a more significant role in land use/land cover dynamics.

The Nexus between Mediterranean Diet, Obesity and Climate Change

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Obesity and climate change consist of two major problems which have severe economic, environmental, social and health impacts all over the world. Mediterranean diet used to be the traditional diet in Mediterranean region with many nutritious and health benefits and low environmental impacts. However, it has been replaced nowadays with the western diet or other similar diets. The interlinkages among Med diet, obesity and climate change have been studied. The interrelation among them have been analyzed indicating their complex interdependence. Obesity and climate change are mutually interlinked while the use of Mediterranean diet can reduce the obesity rates and mitigate climate change. It has also lower environmental impacts, compared to western diets, leading to sustainable agricultural systems. Climate change has adverse impacts to Mediterranean diet due to harmful impacts on agriculture. Our findings indicate that the broad adoption of Mediterranean diet would reduce the obesity rates, mitigate climate change, reduce the undesired environmental impacts of the food production system and promote the sustainable agriculture which is necessary for the healthy nutrition of an increasing global population. The results could be useful to national and international policy makers who are trying to develop policies for the mitigation of climate change and the reduction of obesity rates promoting nutritious, healthy and sustainable food production and consumption systems.

The Interrelation between Obesity Management and Climate Change in Greece

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Two major global problems of our era are climate change and obesity. Both are interlinked and interconnected having undesired social, economic, environmental impacts as well as harmful impacts on human health. The rate of obesity and overweight in children and adults in Greece is high compared to other EU countries causing many health, social and economic problems. Climate change is foreseen to have severe and harmful impacts in Greece as well as in other Mediterranean countries altering the climate conditions. Obesity and its treatment mitigate climate change, mainly due to the change in the dietary pattern of the treated patients. The proposed diets for managing obesity, based on Mediterranean dietary patterns, have less GHG emissions and lower climate footprint. Climate change makes more difficult the treatment of obesity, mainly due to the rising temperatures. Climate change has undesired and harmful impacts on obesity treatment in Greece while obesity treatment results in the mitigation of climate change in the country. Future policies for climate change mitigation and managing obesity in Greece should take into account their mutual interconnections and interlinkages in order to maximize their effectiveness in treating these two severe pandemics in the country.