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Extreme events related to climate change are increasing in intensity, frequency, and duration worldwide. Europe is identified as a heatwave hotspot, with trends three-to-four time faster than the northern mid-latitudes; effects of heatwaves are combined in urban contexts with the heat island phenomenon, making cities critical for climate risk prevention and management. Land surface temperature represents an essential parameter for assessing the intensity of thermal impact on urban ecosystems and on public health. This parameter is widely used to map and assess urban heat islands in light to support climate-resilient adaptation planning. The general aim of this study is to assess urban heat island intensity, during a significant heatwave, in a critical heat-related risk region in Southern Italy (Salento). Specific objectives are 1) assessing climate change trends for heat-related extremes (hot days and heatwaves), 2) calculating urban heat islands intensity at regional and urban scale, 3) assessing spatial relationships among thermal intensity and urban characteristics (soil sealing and surface albedo). Identification of heatwaves is based on climatological data and statistical analyses; spatial thermal analyses and correlations are based on Landsat-8 imagery while land cover data are derived from ortho-photos. Climate analyses show a notable increase of the maximum annual temperature of 0.5°C per decade, with an increase of eight hot days per decade. Spatial analyses on thermal impact highlight that urban heat island intensity is much lower within cities and towns than in rural areas, showing a "reverse effect" compared to the typical microclimatic characteristics of urban contexts. In fact, thermal intensity in the city of Lecce ranges from -11°C to 5.6°C. Also, by NDVI analyses, we found that permeable surfaces were 2°C higher than impermeable surfaces, with statistically significant differences. Results from albedo analysis suggest that the characteristics of building material in historical sectors of cities may play a crucial role in this "reverse effect" of urban heat islands. Further studies are required to better investigate the contribution of different factors in this context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of climatic factors on landslides triggers and displacement rates is a crucial research topic, especially due to the growing need to understand the evolution of climate change in historical periods of intense precipitation and anomalous temperature increases. Italy, highly prone to hydrogeological instability, extremely its mountainous regions such as the Alps, stands as a pertinent subject area for instability scenarios. However, the interpretation of climate effects on landslides is still an open issue. This work proposed a simplified methodology for investigating the displacements of three slow- moving landslides located in the Western Alps of Piemonte region, in response to significant meteorological events evaluated from reference normal of precipitation and temperature trends over the reference period 1991-2020. Another purpose is to emphasize the advantages of using different monitoring techniques by comparing displacement time series measured with in situ and remote sensing instruments, to detect ground deformation processes of these gravitational phenomena. The existence of a robust monitoring network, coupled with InSAR dataset support, has allowed detecting climatic factors' impact on displacement rates for the outlined case studies. The results have demonstrated the relationships between the identified climatic events and variations in displacement time series, as well as the potential of integrating field observations and InSAR techniques to improve the interpretation of landslide dynamics. Although this study has laid the basis for understanding the influence of climatic factors on landslide displacements, there is still much to investigate and refine. The proposed preliminary analysis will further improve the ability to predict, monitor and mitigate landslide risk under changing climate conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, the phenomenon of urban heat islands has intensified due to the increased frequency, magnitude, and duration of extreme weather and climate events. The study of urban microclimates plays a crucial role in implementing actions to reduce thermal stress caused by urban heat islands. Typically, urban heat islands are identified through thermal satellite images (e.g. Sentinel, Landsat). However, these tools are inadequate for detecting heat islands at an appropriate spatial and temporal scale. Furthermore, satellite images do not measure air temperature but rather the land surface temperature, which is not directly usable to estimate thermal stress on the population. To address this issue, we explored, during Summer 2023 in Padua, the feasibility of using a low-cost sensor (MeteoTracker©) to map urban heat islands, to assess spatial relationships with impermeable surfaces, and to investigate potential correlations with land surface temperature. Over an overall mobile mapping of 540 km, on average, air temperature is 1 °C higher in impermeable areas compared to permeable ones. Confirming this, a 0.1 increase in Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) corresponds to a temperature decrease of 0.23 °C in the afternoon and 0.3 °C in the night. Moreover, a positive relationship was found between Land Surface Temperature (LST) and air temperature: an increase of approximately 2 °C in LST for every 1 °C increase in air temperature. This study lays the foundation for further research on urban heat islands, integrating satellite and ground data for the development of high-resolution adaptation actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduces Organizational Citizenship Behaviour (OCB) as a factor that contributes to the performance ratings of counselors. Describes models of OCB and circumstances that encourage its use. Suggests a method for integrating OCB sensitization training into counselor education programs as a means to prepare counseling interns, including information on the nature of job descriptions compared with what they observe while interning. (Author/JDM)

Recent times have witnessed wildfires causing harm to both ecological communities and urban–rural regions, underscoring the necessity to comprehend wildfire triggers and assess measures for mitigation. This research hones in on Cartagena del Chairá, diving into the interplay between meteorological conditions and land cover/use that cultivates a conducive environment for wildfires. Meteorologically, the prevalence of wildfires is concentrated during boreal winter, characterized by warm and dry air, strong winds, and negligible precipitation. Additionally, wildfires gravitate toward river-adjacent locales housing agriculture-linked shrubs, notably in the northern part of the zone, where a confluence of land attributes and meteorological factors synergize to promote fire incidents. Employing climate scenarios, we deduced that elevated temperature and reduced humidity augment wildfire susceptibility, while wind speed and precipitation discourage their propagation across most scenarios. The trajectory toward a warmer climate could instigate fire-friendly conditions in boreal summer, indicating the potential for year-round fire susceptibility. Subsequently, via machine-learning-driven sensitivity analysis, we discerned that among the scrutinized socio-economic variables, GINI, low educational attainment, and displacement by armed groups wield the most substantial influence on wildfire occurrence. Ultimately, these findings converge to shape proposed wildfire mitigation strategies that amalgamate existing practices with enhancements or supplementary approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]