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Consider a water supplier who determines sales rates with the goals of maximizing profits, protecting consumer welfare, and ensuring adequate future water supplies. Buyers are differentiated and can use the water for domestic, agricultural, and industrial purposes. We propose a leader-follower finite-horizon differential game. The leader (the water supplier) determines the selling price and the followers (consumers) react by requesting their optimal amount of water. We calculate a feedback Stackelberg equilibrium assuming that all user demand is satisfied (interior equilibrium). We compare two different tariff schemes: linear tariffs (the price paid is a multiple of the volume of water purchased), and increasing block tariffs (the unit price is lower for quantities of water that do not exceed a fixed threshold). We show that block pricing is never optimal and linear pricing is always preferred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The challenges posed by environmental pollution, water scarcity, and energy limitations resulting from industrialization and modernization pose significant threats to human habitats. Consequently, assessing ecological livability and delineating pathways for improvement carry considerable practical importance. Leveraging panel data encompassing 288 cities in China from 2010 to 2021, this study establishes an evaluation system for ecological livability, encompassing three dimensions: natural greenery level, residential comfort level, and environmental governance level. Subsequently, the study measures the ecological livability level and investigates the impact of "sponge city" pilots on ecological livability and their underlying mechanisms using a multi-period difference-in-differences model. Our findings underscore the substantial role of "sponge city" pilot projects in bolstering ecological livability, with robustness observed across various models and specifications. Specifically, human capital concentration and green technology innovation emerge as pivotal pathways through which "sponge city" pilots augment ecological livability. Moreover, the effectiveness of "sponge city" pilots varies across regions due to disparities in drought severity and water supply, with more pronounced effects observed in arid areas and cities facing water supply shortages. This research furnishes comprehensive theoretical and empirical underpinnings for comprehending the influence of "sponge city" pilots on ecological livability, offering valuable insights and recommendations to inform future efforts aimed at enhancing ecological livability and fostering sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes the vicious cycle of Israel's control of water resources in Jordan and the Palestinian territories, the development of a one‐state reality in the region, and geopolitical changes driven by the Israeli occupation and the war in Gaza. Israel no longer suffers from water shortages, but its domination of Palestine and the conflict sparked by Hamas have increased the yawning water deficit. This has played a role in the decades‐long move away from the two‐state solution promised by the Oslo peace process. This article examines regional security through the lens of water resources. It shows that Jordan is left with few options but to accept its dependence on Israel and muddle through. In addition, the Palestinian territories, which face not just Israeli military rule but also the expansion of settlements, experience major water shortages. The article concludes that the increasing water hegemony reduces Israeli incentives for a comprehensive peace with the Palestinians that could resolve the resource crisis and enable two states to live side by side. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unexpected and large spring precipitation events in the Colorado River Basin (CRB) that significantly alleviated an otherwise severe water shortage have been observed for over a century, such as the "Miracle May" of 2015. Although these events are often termed as "drought‐busting" or "miracle events" by water managers and the media, they have not been extensively researched or characterized. In this collaborative study with water managers across the CRB, we propose a definition for these hard‐to‐predict, ultra‐high precipitation events occurring during the late‐snow or snowmelt season. This characterization provides a framework for quantifying the frequency and intensity of extreme dry‐to‐wet springtime transitions. Despite limitations of climate model simulations due to uncertainties and the inhomogeneous qualities, our findings suggest that such transitions may become less frequent and less intense in a warming climate. In view of the potentially wetter but less‐snowy climate in the basin, the need for future research to more quantitatively assess these "miracle events" is emphasized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes the Hybrid desalination and power generation through parabolic trough collectors. This study aims to examine the feasibility, performance optimization, and economic viability of power-generation plant and hybrid-desalination using multi-stage flash (MSF) and reverse osmosis (RO) technologies assessed by using the parabolic trough collectors (PTC). The objective is to discover the posibilities of this innovative approach in addressing water scarcity and clean energy demands. The studies usually focus on several key aspects. Firstly, it resolves the technical feasibility of integrating MSF and RO technologies with parabolic-trough-collectors to optimize energy efficiency and freshwater production. This involves evaluating the system design, heat transfer mechanisms, and operational parameters.Secondly, performance optimization is a key area of investigation. By optimizing these parameters the aim is to maximize freshwater production while minimizing energy consumption. Thirdly, the economic viability of the hybrid plant will be assessed. This involves considering capital investment, conducting a comprehensive cost analysis, maintenance costs, and operational expenses. The study also evaluates the potential for revenue generation through the sale of excess electricity produced by the system. The potential outcomes of this research include demonstrating the technical-feasibility as well as economic-viability of the hybrid desalination and power generation plant. The findings may indicate that this approach can effectively address water scarcity challenges while contributing to clean energy production. The study may also highlight the environmental benefits of integrating renewable energy sources (RESs) and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional desalination methods.The proposed method is executed in MATLAB platform and compared to various existing approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is increasingly exacerbating water shortages worldwide. Among the various repercussions of water scarcity, notably in developing countries, the most critical are the decline in social sustainability and the widening inequality within farming communities. In response, irrigation reforms aimed at establishing farmer-managed networks have been introduced to foster equitable water distribution and enhance the livelihood and food security of underprivileged farmers. However, these reforms have largely fallen short of achieving their social sustainability goals. A significant factor in this shortfall is the farmers' limited capacity and reluctance to assume roles typically filled by bureaucracy under institutional reforms. This study explores farmers' willingness to engage in a World Bank-assisted participatory irrigation infrastructure program. We utilized questionnaire surveys and hierarchical analysis to evaluate how various factors influence farmers' willingness to participate. The findings indicate a multifaceted challenge that intensifies in communities fragmented by socioeconomic and political divides. Particularly, the predominance of large landowners in agricultural communities and the absence of sufficient bureaucratic support for participation are key impediments. Our research offers comprehensive insights into the regional sociopolitical obstacles obstructing farmer involvement in government-led participatory projects. It also guides policymakers in grasping the intricate interplay between program design, execution, and contextual elements, which is crucial for the sustainable development of resource-stressed areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water exhibits various politico-economic dynamic. Water scarcity can lead to conflicts, and it lies at the core of Iran's environmental crises. The literature on Iran's water crisis indicates the effects of this issue in terms of multidimensional environmental degradation, community disintegration, and state-society and intercommunal conflict. Approximately 28 million of Iran's 85 million residents reside in water-stressed areas, a situation identified as 'water bankruptcy'. The water shortage is experienced differently across the country. The plateau's central regions, home to Iran's major industries, are where the worst water deficit is occurring. However, regions with abundant water resources have also been impacted. These regions – known as 'donor basins' – due to intensive and disproportional inter-basin water transfer and other engineering interventions deployed by the Government to deal with the water shortage of the central regions, suffer from a different form of water crisis. A condition of asymmetrical and conflictual power relations between the state and subaltern communities in Iran's peripheral regions has been created. This paper argues that this constitutes environmental racism, characterised by multilayered impoverishment and unsustainable development among communities in the donor regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dialysis practice has a particularly high environmental impact, including responsible for carbon emissions and climate change. Insufficient research has been conducted on environmental sustainability activities in dialysis therapy in Japan. Methods: We conducted an online Green Survey comprising 30 question items based on a previously conducted survey in Australia. Between August and September 2023, this was sent to members of the Japanese Association of Dialysis Physicians, including hospital and clinic physicians, working across 885 dialysis facilities in Japan. Results: In total, 255 (29%) facilities responded to the survey. More than half of the facilities (n = 157; 61.6%) responded that they did not have a strategy, policy, or action plan for environmental sustainability. In four-fifths of the facilities (n = 208; 81.6%), no "green team" or committee had been formed to promote environmental protection. By contrast, most of the surveyed facilities had emergency strategies for natural disasters, such as covering for patient visits and staff commuting during extreme weather conditions (n = 169; 66.3%), water shortages (n = 159; 62.4%), and power outages (n = 188; 73.7%). Conclusions: Following the UK, Australia and New Zealand, and Portugal, this is the fourth Green Survey to be conducted, and the first on environmental sustainability among kidney health-care providers in Japan. The results indicated that daily activities for environmental protection are still lacking at many facilities, even though the management of dialysis treatment during a natural disaster is well conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study assessed the effectiveness of infiltration-based Low Impact Development (LID) techniques and augmented infiltration LIDs (such as recharge shaft) in a coastal urban catchment in India using a semi-coupled approach between numerical models VS2DI and Storm Water Management Model (SWMM). Site specific VS2DI modelling indicated that the infiltration LIDs resulted in more saturation excess runoff due to the soil's insufficient hydraulic conductivity and increased lateral flow. Catchment-scale modeling indicated that LIDs significantly improved water retention (p ≪ 0.05), with a 35% reduction in total runoff volume. The recharge shafts were shown to be more efficient in reducing runoff volume and peak runoff, particularly for high runoff rates (more than 22 mm/hr). The study suggests that direct recharge to the aquifer through recharge shafts could be a suitable solution to manage runoff and meet the demand for domestic water supply during times of water scarcity in coastal urban catchments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water demand continuously increases in urban zones, and water scarcity is frequently associated with a lack or a reduction of water availability at water sources and maintenance problems, such as leakage and pipe aging. These facts inevitably lead to challenging water distribution system (WDS) management. In this scenario, intermittent operation emerges as an alternative to system operation. This is not the most desirable solution from a social perspective because many consumers cannot be supplied as desired for days. To tackle problems like this, many works have investigated how to help decision makers improve water system efficiency during the last decades. Nevertheless, few works have considered combining several structural interventions, such as pipe replacement, installation of new pump stations, fixing leaks, and installing and controlling pump stations and valves. One reason is that alternatives for recovering the hydraulic capacity in decision-making processes are computationally burdensome, mathematically complex, and, sometimes, even physically incompatible. Considering the problem stated by the Battle of Intermittent Water Supply, this work proposes a methodology for optimal operation and recovery of a WDS. The Battle problem is presented in two stages organized during different years: Year 0 and the following 5 years. For Year 0, only operational optimization is allowed. Consequently, optimal operation of pumps and valves is proposed for this initial year to maximize the number of nodes being supplied. For the rest of the years, because implementing structural changes is allowed within a defined budget, the proposal suggests applying a search space reduction process based on a cost-benefit trade-off and the hydraulic relevance of each structural alternative evaluated individually in terms of the nine indicators proposed in the Battle statement. Those alternatives that better improve the indicators are then considered in a multiobjective optimization setting. For every year, a set of structural changes is selected, followed by related changes in the operational setup. The alternatives are selected year by year and evaluated considering the past selected alternatives to assess the effects during the five evaluation years. This is done in a dynamic programming process, ensuring that a near optimal is achieved by the end of the last, fifth, year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water is a finite resource but an essential one. The continuously increasing demand leads to competition and conflict over limited resources. Syria, Jordan, and Israel compete over the water resources in the transboundary Yarmouk River basin where two water agreements dictate the allocation of water. The two arrangements are far from being efficient and fair while little cooperation is being made over sharing the resources that are being over-exploited. In this study, water sustainability was investigated under projected developments and trends based on the current use and allocation regime in the watershed using several scenarios. A one bucket soil moisture model was adopted and optimized in order to fully represent the ever-changing hydrology of the basin using the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) tool. Demands along with the existing water infrastructure and their operation were modelled despite the lack of many data and the huge uncertainty in some. Simulation of business as usual scenario showed that continuing with the current use cannot be sustainable in the short and long term. The growth of both agriculture and population produced huge water shortages in all demand sectors. Under climate change scenarios RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5, surface water availability and the retention of dams reduced significantly. The share of Jordan from the Yarmouk River was the most vulnerable to climate change impacts. Enhancing irrigation efficiency and a more stable population growth based on the UN medium variant population projection showed improvements in water coverage within all demand sectors. Analysis of future scenarios suggests that water shortage is expected in all riparian states of the basin but can be mitigated by reducing demands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) is a promising solution to the water shortage problem. Current sorption-based AWH (SAWH) systems seldom obtain both wide climatic adaptability and high energy efficiency due to the lack of thermodynamic optimization. To achieve the ideal harvesting circulation in SAWH systems, the "optimal harvesting window" (OHW) design based on thermodynamic analysis was first proposed and validated by our prototype. The "OHW" theory indicates the water production rate and energy efficiency could be improved by properly reducing the adsorption temperature. As the humidity increases, the optimal adsorption temperature should be closer to the dew point of the environment. Experimental results revealed that, loaded with 3 kg widely adopted silica gel, the daily water production could reach 5.76–17.64 L/d with ultrahigh energy efficiency of 0.46–1.5 L/kWh. This prototype could also achieve optimal performance in wide climatic conditions in terms of 13–35 °C and 18%–72% RH. Lastly, the performance of photovoltaic (PV)-driven SAWH was evaluated. Results showed that a 1 m2 PV panel could generate 0.66–2 L water per day in Shanghai throughout the year, the highest in opening literature. Notably, this work introduces a promising concept that can help achieve large-scale, ultra-fast, energy-efficient AWH worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During summer and fall 2023, Louisiana experienced a historic local drought while dry conditions elsewhere in the central US withheld vital runoff from the Mississippi River, leading to below‐normal discharge into the Gulf of Mexico. Thus, by late October 2023, Louisiana was gripped by two super‐imposed water crises: a severe local drought and saltwater contamination in the Mississippi River channel. This study frames the development of the water emergency through the lens of flash drought using the Evaporative Demand Drought Index (EDDI). The EDDI shows south Louisiana experience a flash drought during June 2023, while the Mississippi River basin was subsequently characterized by large expanses of high‐percentile EDDI in August‐September 2023 shortly before the saltwater intrusion episode along the lower Mississippi River. Over the last 15 years, MRB‐wide EDDI percentile has oscillated between years‐long elevated and depressed states, accounting for 23.7% of the monthly discharge anomaly near New Orleans. Plain Language Summary: In 2023, Louisiana experienced one of its driest and hottest summers on record. While drought developed across the state, rain shortfalls further north led to low water levels in the Mississippi River, a major navigation corridor and drinking water source for the state. As river levels fell, seawater moved into the channel, threatening to contaminate the water supply with salt. The statewide drought, particularly in coastal Louisiana, is shown to have developed rapidly during June 2023 through a process called flash drought. Meanwhile, high evaporation rates and low rainfall upriver exacerbated Louisiana's water shortage by limiting runoff into the Mississippi River. Over the last 15 years, evaporative demand over the Mississippi River watershed varies closely with river discharge near New Orleans, and even corresponds to river conditions more closely than rainfall itself. Key Points: Louisiana experienced 5 months of exceptional evaporative demand and low precipitation, including a flash drought during June 2023Historically low flows on the lower Mississippi River in fall 2023 were accompanied by several episodes of high evaporative demand upbasinBasin‐wide high evaporative demand coincides with low discharge near New Orleans, with a trend toward this combination since the 2019 flood [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar steam generation has emerged as a promising approach to address water scarcity issues globally. However, a few challenges remain, including high cost, limited scalability, and salt accumulation, before this technique can be adopted by the general population. Here, an all‐in‐one photothermal fabric is reported such as a solar steam generator (SSG), consisting of commercial hydrophilic superfine denier polypropylene fiber and water‐repellent expandable polyethylene foam, manufactured via a conventional weaving machine. By tailoring the yarn twist and density, optimized micro‐macro hierarchical channels can be created in the SSG to provide sufficient water supplementation and continuous steam generation. Due to the Marangoni effect introduced by the temperature gradient along the yarns water with high salinity transports to the bulk water, realizing a salt‐rejecting property. As a result, the SSG demonstrates a rapid evaporation rate of 1.408 kg m−2 h−1 and energy efficiency of 92.43% under 1 sun, as well as outstanding stability for desalination of high salinity brine (10 wt% NaCl). Furthermore, this strategy provides a new solution to achieve excellent cost‐effectiveness in clean water production at ≈1700 g h−1 $−1. This work provides a sustainable fabric‐based SSG for practical large‐scale clean water production, and can potentially inspire other textiles‐based water treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Biofloc technology reduces the environmental effects and reliance on fishmeal in the aquaculture business, which is experiencing growth. This technique removes organic nitrogen from aquaculture effluent, improves water quality, and generates microbial protein for use as a feed supplement for aquatic animals. Moreover, this method decreases the feed conversion ratio and manufacturing costs. Aquatic animals may obtain nutrients, fatty acids, and minerals from biofloc throughout the day. Biofloc, when combined with designed meals, offers a full food chain for aquatic animals, resulting in improved growth performance. In this review, we discussed the history and types of biofloc technology. We also reviewed microbial communities and factors related to BFT. Lastly, we described the advantages, applications, sustainability, and future aspects of biofloc technology. Given the scarcity of water and land resources, coupled with the competitive nature of aquaculture, the long-term viability of this industry will depend on strategies for vertical development. This involves enhancing production environments, increasing productivity, and advancing aquaculture technologies. The use of biofloc technology offers a potential solution to mitigate the adverse environmental impacts and the heavy reliance on fishmeal in the aquaculture sector. This method is designed to effectively assimilate inorganic nitrogen found in aquaculture wastewater, thereby enhancing water quality. Additionally, this process produces microbial protein, which can serve as a viable supplemental feed for aquatic animals. Furthermore, this technique has the potential to reduce the feed conversion ratio, thereby lowering overall production costs. This article provides an overview of the evolving field of biofloc system technology within aquaculture. In this study, we will examine the historical development and various types of biofloc systems, as well as the factors that influence their effectiveness. Finally, we will explore the economic potential of implementing biofloc systems in aquaculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo's presidential campaign in Mexico and her promises to support science and innovation if elected. Topics include her background as an environmental engineer; her lead in the polls; and the uncertainty within Mexico's scientific community about whether she will deliver on her promises, given her alignment with the current president's policies, which many scientists oppose.

Water shortages and population surges pose notable challenges to food security. North China is an important grain base of the country, with limited available water resources. Therefore, it is necessary to research the patterns of photosynthate accumulation, distribution, and transfer in summer maize under water stress. On the basis of existing methods, in this study, we considered the impact of water stress with two methods, namely the distribution coefficient method and the distribution index method. The results showed that the water correction coefficient indices of the stem–leaf ratio spike–stem ratio, and root–shoot ratio were 0.2705, 0.3530, and −0.2097, respectively, which revealed that water stress caused a decrease in the stem–leaf ratio and spike–stem ratio and an increase in the root–shoot ratio. Water stress caused a reduction in the stem distribution index and leaf distribution index and a slight increase in the spike distribution index. The filling stage was the critical period for water stress to affect the distribution coefficient of each organ, while the jointing stage was the critical period for water stress to affect the leaf distribution index. During the middle growth period, water stress exerted the greatest impact on the distribution parameters. Water stress imposed a greater influence on the distribution coefficient than on the distribution index. The two methods effectively simulated the accumulation and distribution process of photosynthates under water stress conditions, and the R2, average absolute percentage and root mean square error values were 0.9358–0.9997, 4.15–22.71%, and 2.6–24.37%, respectively. The change trend of the photosynthate transfer rate calculated by the distribution coefficient method under water stress conditions was more consistent with that of the actual values. The distribution coefficient method generally performed better than the distribution index method. This study avoids the problem of solely relying on experimental data to determine crop growth dynamics and provides a way to describe crop photosynthate accumulation continuously and quantitatively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Korean Peninsula’s mountainous terrain poses challenges to effective water resource management. Notably, two significant river basins, North Han River and Imjin River basins, are essentially shared rivers originating in North Korea. After the construction of various dams in North Korea, billions of tons per year of water annually decreased from the upper reaches of these rivers of North Korea to South Korea. This study conducted an impact analysis on two major river basins affected by dam operations in North Korea. Both before and after the Imnam Dam operation, significant reduction (27.7%) in the average monthly inflow was observed, and the total release of the Hwacheon Dam in South Korea decreased by 40.2%. The analysis of instream flow indicated that the operation of dams in North Korea had a substantial impact on fulfilling instream flow requirements for dams located in North Han River and Imjin River basins. To ensure instream flow, this study pro)posed two plans. The first plan involved the utilization of existing dams in the North Han River basin, while the second plan suggested connecting the dams in North Korea, taking into account the shared rivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging climate-development processes jeopardize water supply, especially in the Global South. In the Vietnamese Mekong Delta, disrupted water flows driven by climate change and hydropower development have caused water scarcity, threatening agricultural systems in both upstream and coastal areas. Based on insights from desk reviews, stakeholder workshops and interviews with local informants, this paper argues that while grey (engineered) solutions take precedence in addressing water scarcity, securing water sustainability (water retention) for agricultural resilience demands integrated 'grey–green' (engineered-nature-based) solutions. This paper suggests demands for translating this approach into the water governance framework for the delta's agricultural development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mulberries are vital for the silk industry as the sole natural food for silkworms, but their quality and quantity can be greatly impacted by environmental factors, notably water shortages or droughts. In this study, the proline content and expression levels of the Pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase (P5CR) gene in four recommended Thai mulberry varieties (Sakhonnakorn, Sakhonnakorn 85, Burirum 60, and Srisaket 84) and one standard drought tolerant variety (SRCM9809-34) were measured under drought stress. Additionally, physiological data and antioxidative enzymatic activities were also examined. The findings revealed that SRCM9809-34, a drought-tolerant variety, had the lowest proline content, followed by Sakhonnakorn 85, Burirum 60, while the highest proline content was observed in Srisaket 84. Although there was no correlation between the expression level of the P5CR gene and proline content, the overall trend in all varieties was the same: proline content increased after drought conditions. Regarding physiological responses, the wilting score showed similar results to proline content, with SRCM9809-34 having the lowest proline content and wilting score. Moreover, SRCM9809-34 exhibited the highest RWC, Pn and WUE values, as well as the lowest level of MDA and H2O2. Our results validated and indicated that SRCM9809-34 is a drought-tolerant variety. From this finding, among the four Thai mulberry varieties, Sakhonnakorn 85 exhibited the highest potential for drought tolerance, and this potential can be enhanced through crossbreeding with SRCM9809-34. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil moisture plays a crucial role in determining the yield of winter wheat. The Huang-Huai-Hai (HHH) Plain is the main growing area of winter wheat in China, and frequent occurrence of drought seriously restricts regional agricultural development. Hence, a daily-scale Non-stationary Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (NSPEI), based on winter wheat crop coefficient (Kc), was developed in the present study to evaluate the impact of drought characteristics on winter wheat in different growth stages. Results showed that the water demand for winter wheat decreased with the increase in latitude, and the water shortage was affected by effective precipitation, showing a decreasing trend from the middle to both sides in the HHH Plain. Water demand and water shortage showed an increasing trend at the jointing stage and heading stage, while other growth stages showed a decreasing trend. The spatial distributions of drought duration and intensity were consistent, which were higher in the northern region than in the southern region. Moreover, the water shortage and drought intensity at the jointing stage and heading stage showed an increasing trend. The drought had the greatest impact on winter wheat yield at the tillering stage, jointing stage, and heading stage, and the proportions of drought risk vulnerability in these three stages accounted for 0.25, 0.21, and 0.19, respectively. The high-value areas of winter wheat loss due to drought were mainly distributed in the northeast and south-central regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Tehran, Iran's most populous province, there has been a notable surge in livestock production in recent years, prompting a critical examination of water resource allocation through the water footprint indicator. This study uniquely concentrates on livestock productions at a provincial level, specifically within four key counties boasting the highest production rates in Tehran province. Employing the methodology introduced by Mekonnen and Hoekstra (2012), a comprehensive analysis of the water footprints (WFs) associated with various livestock productions is conducted. The results underscore that milk production holds the highest average water footprint at 13,007 cubic meters per ton, significantly surpassing other products. Conversely, lamb exhibits the lowest water footprint at 2,266.7 cubic meters per ton among livestock productions. Evaluation of fresh water sources in relation to animal water footprints highlights unsustainable conditions in southern counties, particularly Islamshahr, due to a pronounced disparity between their product water footprint and available water resources. In contrast, northern counties demonstrate lower water footprints, aligning with their abundant water resources. A scrutiny of water resources reveals vulnerability in Tehran's dams, approaching long-term minimum water volume despite the escalating levels of livestock production. While Varamin features a wastewater treatment unit contributing substantial volume (160 million cubic meters) and recycled water to the system, wells and Qanats play a role in water provision but prove inadequate. Given the substantial productions and water resource scarcity, a recommendation is made to discontinue all livestock production; however, if production persists, focusing solely on sheep meat (lamb) in northern counties is deemed a feasible strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water and nitrogen are the two main limiting factors on wheat growth. How to optimize the water and fertilizer management practices of irrigated spring wheat, so as to retain high and stable yield, maintain highly use efficiency of agricultural resources and to be environmentally friendly, is an urgent production problem need to be solved. The promotion of controlled experiment results is limited by experiment sites, experiment duration or the number of experiment designs, while the process-based crop models can effectively solve this difficulty. In recent years, the crop model has become a powerful and technical tool for exploring better crop planting management practices and for evaluating how agriculture production adapts to climate change. In this study authors collected experimental observation data (meteorological, crop, soil, and management data) of spring wheat (Yongliang 4) from 2010 to 2018 at the agricultural meteorological experimental station in Linhe district, Bayannur city, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to determine the key genetic parameters of wheat growth and development in the APSIM-wheat model. Based on the calibrated model and meteorological data from1986 to 2020, we designed multiple intelligent management scenarios under different drought levels, and then explored the final optimal water and nitrogen management modes of spring wheat based on several key selection indicators (yield, water/fertilizer application rate, and water/fertilizer utilization efficiency). The results showed that: (1) the APSIM-wheat model can effectively reproduce the spring wheat development and growth with the RMSE of 1.96d to 3.21d for the spring wheat developmental stages (emergence, jointing, flowering and maturity). As for the wheat growth process (leaf area index (LAI), aboveground dry matter mass, and yield), the RMSE values were 1.65, 292.44g·m-2, and 588.96 kg·ha-1, respectively. (2) Based on the key selection indicators (yield, irrigation amount, water utilization efficiency (WUE), nitrogen fertilizer application amount, and nitrogen utilization efficiency (NUE)), the research concluded that the two management modes, that auto irrigation be applied when soil root layer (60cm) water deficit reached 40% (S3P40) and when soil root layer water deficit reached 50% (S3P50), were superior to other management modes. (3) Compared with the conventional management mode, the S3P40 management mode was preferred with the production goal to significantly improve yield, in which lead to a 14.4% increase in yield production. With the production goal to stabilize yield and reduce water and fertilizer application amount simultaneously, the S3P50 management mode was favored, which resulted in a 23.2% reduction in irrigation amount and 32.4% reduction in nitrogen application rate compared with traditional management mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land use/land cover (LULC) changes significantly impact spatiotemporal groundwater levels, posing a challenge for sustainable water resource management. This study investigates the long-term (2000–2022) influence of LULC dynamics, particularly urbanization, on groundwater depletion in Kabul, Afghanistan, using geospatial techniques. A time series of Landsat imagery (Landsat 5, 7 ETM+, and 8 OLI/TIRS) was employed to generate LULC maps for five key years (2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2022) using a supervised classification algorithm based on Support Vector Machines (SVMs). Our analysis revealed a significant expansion of urban areas (70%) across Kabul City between 2000 and 2022, particularly concentrated in Districts 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 15, 17, and 22. Urbanization likely contributes to groundwater depletion through increased population growth, reduced infiltration of precipitation, and potential overexploitation of groundwater resources. The CA-Markov model further predicts continued expansion in built-up areas over the next two decades (2030s and 2040s), potentially leading to water scarcity, land subsidence, and environmental degradation in Kabul City. The periodic assessment of urbanization dynamics and prediction of future trends are considered the novelty of this study. The accuracy of the generated LULC maps was assessed for each year (2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2022), achieving overall accuracy values of 95%, 93.8%, 85%, 95.6%, and 93%, respectively. These findings provide a valuable foundation for the development of sustainable management strategies for Kabul's surface water and groundwater resources, while also guiding future research efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar desalination, harvesting solar energy to purify seawater, has received considerable attention due to water scarcity problems caused by climate change and human activity. In this study, we investigated a membrane desalination method that collects vaporized water from the surface of a sun-lit porous medium floating on salt water. To maximize the water evaporation rate at the membrane surface, several effective photothermal converting materials were coated on the membrane. In addition, to amplify the water transport to the sun-lit surface, the pore size of the porous medium also was controlled by filtering sugar particles by size. We found that the evaporation rate increased as the reflectivity of the coating materials decreased, and demonstrate the optimized pore size, leading to improved evaporation at the three-phase interface by controlling the size of the pores. The water transport is caused by the porous medium resulted from competition between capillary and viscous forces; thus, the optimal pore size for maximum water transport and evaporation rate is discussed. The finding of this study provide insight into optimizing the design of the membrane's structure and coating materials to maximize the evaporation rate in solar desalination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Municipal water supply through truck-to-cistern systems is common in northern Canada. Household satisfaction and concerns about water services likely impact user preferences and practices. This case study explores household perspectives and challenges with regard to domestic access to water in a decentralized truck-to-cistern system. A case study was conducted in the Northern Village of Kangiqsualujjuaq, Nunavik (Quebec, Canada). A paper-based questionnaire was completed by 65 households (one quarter of the population). Many households (37%) reported not drinking tap water from the truck-to-cistern system. Chlorine taste was a frequently reported concern, with those households being significantly less likely to drink water directly from the tap (p = 0.002). Similarly, households that reported a water shortage in the previous week (i.e., no water from the tap at least once) (33%) were more likely to express dissatisfaction with delivered water quantity (rs = 0.395, p = 0.004). Interestingly, 77% of households preferred using alternative drinking water sources for drinking purposes, such as public tap at the water treatment plant, natural sources or bottled water. The study underscores the importance of considering household perspectives to mitigate the risks associated with service disruptions and the use of alternative sources for drinking purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability challenges related to food production arise from multiple nature- society interactions occurring over long time periods. Traditional methods of quantitative analysis do not represent long- term changes in the networks of system components, including institutions and knowledge that affect system behavior. Here, we develop an approach to study system structure and evolution by combining a qualitative framework that represents sustainability- relevant human, technological, and environmental components, and their interactions, mediated by knowledge and institutions, with network modeling that enables quantitative metrics. We use this approach to examine the water and food system in the Punjab province of the Indus River Basin in Pakistan, exploring how food production has been sustained, despite high population growth, periodic floods, and frequent political and economic disruptions. Using network models of five periods spanning 75 y (1947 to 2022), we examine how quantitative metrics of network structure relate to observed sustainability- relevant outcomes and how potential interventions in the system affect these quantitative metrics. We find that the persistent centrality of some and evolving centrality of other key nodes, coupled with the increasing number and length of pathways connecting them, are associated with sustaining food production in the system over time. Our assessment of potential interventions shows that regulating groundwater pumping and phasing out fossil fuels alters network pathways, and helps identify potential vulnerabilities for future food production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] A new high-quality chironomid-based temperature record was obtained from Shuanghu Lake in arid NW China. Combined with hydroclimatic and historical datasets, we demonstrated the direct effect (water shortages) and indirect effect (geopolitical conflicts) of climate change on the shift of the Silk Road route from the Tarim Basin to the northern slopes of the Tianshan Mountains during ∼420–850 CE. Although climate change has convincingly been linked to the evolution of human civilization on different temporal scales, its role in influencing the spatial patterns of ancient civilizations has rarely been investigated. The northward shift of the ancient Silk Road (SR) route from the Tarim Basin (TB) to the Junggar Basin during ∼420–850 CE provides the opportunity to investigate the relationship between climate change and the spatial evolution of human societies. Here, we use a new high-resolution chironomid-based temperature reconstruction from arid China, combined with hydroclimatic and historical datasets, to assess the possible effects of climate fluctuations on the shift of the ancient SR route. We found that a cooling/drying climate in the TB triggered the SR route shift during ∼420–600 CE. However, a warming/wetting climate during ∼600–850 CE did not inhibit this shift, but instead promoted it, because of the favorable climate-induced geopolitical conflicts between the Tubo Kingdom and the Tang Dynasty in the TB. Our findings reveal two distinct ways in which climate change drove the spatial evolution of human civilization, and they demonstrate the flexibility of societal responses to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Interfacial solar steam generation is considered a promising approach to address energy and drinking water shortages. However, designing efficient light-absorbing and photothermal-converting materials remains challenging. In this study, we describe a detailed method for synthesising a three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical oxygen defect-rich WO 3 /Ag/PbS/Ni foam (termed WO 3-x /Ag/PbS/NF) composite to realise efficient exciton separation and enhanced photothermal conversion. The 3D heterogeneous ternary photothermal material combines the individual benefits of WO 3-x , Ag and PbS, improving charge transfer and promoting photogenerated electron-hole pairs. This enhances light absorption and energy conversion. Theoretical calculations indicate that the increased photothermal conversion efficiency primarily results from the heterojunction between Ag, WO 3-x and PbS, facilitating exciton separation and electron transfer. Consequently, the WO 3-x /Ag/PbS/NF solar evaporator exhibits exceptional light absorption (98% within the sunlight spectrum), a high evaporation rate of 1.90 kg m−2h−1 under 1 sun and a light-to-heat conversion efficiency of 94%. The WO 3-x /Ag/PbS/NF evaporator also exhibits excellent capabilities in seawater desalination and wastewater treatment. This approach introduces a synergistic concept for creating novel multifunctional light-absorbing materials suitable for various energy-related applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, Rwanda, especially its Eastern Province, has been contending with water shortages, primarily due to prolonged dry spells and restricted water sources. This situation poses a substantial threat to the country's agriculture-based economy and food security. The impact may escalate with climate change, exacerbating the frequency and severity of droughts. However, there is a lack of comprehensive spatiotemporal analysis of meteorological and agricultural droughts, which is an urgent need for a nationwide assessment of the drought's impact on vegetation and agriculture. Therefore, the study aimed to identify meteorological and agricultural droughts by employing the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) and the Vegetation Health Index (VHI). VHI comprises the Vegetation Condition Index (VCI) and the Temperature Condition Index (TCI), both derived from the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Land Surface Temperature (LST). This study analyzed data from 31 meteorological stations spanning from 1983 to 2020, as well as remote sensing indices from 2001 to 2020, to assess the spatiotemporal patterns, characteristics, and adverse impact of droughts on vegetation and agriculture. The results showed that the years 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017 were the most prolonged and severe for both meteorological and agricultural droughts, especially in the Southern Province and Eastern Province. These extremely dry conditions led to a decline in both vegetation and crop production in the country. It is recommended that policymakers engage in proactive drought mitigation activities, address climate change, and enforce water resource management policies in Rwanda. These actions are crucial to decreasing the risk of drought and its negative impact on both vegetation and crop production in Rwanda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pecan is a major crop in the Mesilla Valley, New Mexico. Due to prolonged droughts, growers face challenges related to water shortages. Therefore, irrigation management is crucial for farmers. Advancements in satellite-derived evapotranspiration (ET) models and accessibility to data from web-based platforms like OpenET provide farmers with new tools to improve crop irrigation management. This study evaluates the evapotranspiration (ET) of a mature pecan orchard using OpenET platform data generated by six satellite-based models and their ensemble. The ET values obtained from the platform were compared with the ET values obtained from the eddy covariance (ETec) method from 2017 to 2021. The six models assessed included Google Earth Engine implementation of the Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (geeSEBAL), Google Earth Engine implemonthsmentation of the Mapping Evapotranspiration at High Resolution with Internalized Calibration (eeMETRIC) model, Operational Simplified Surface Energy Balance (SSEBop), Satellite Irrigation Management Support (SIMS), Priestley–Taylor Jet Propulsion Laboratory (PT-JPL), and Atmosphere–Land Exchange Inverse and associated flux disaggregation technique (ALEXI/DisALEXI). The average growing season ET of mature pecan estimated from April to October of 2017 to 2021 by geeSEBAL, eeMETRIC, SSEBop, SIMS, PT-JPL, ALEXI/DisALEXI, and the ensemble were 1061, 1230, 1232, 1176, 1040, 1016, and 1130 mm, respectively, and 1108 mm by ETec. Overall, the ensemble model-based monthly ET of mature pecan during the growing season was relatively close to the ETec (R2 of 0.9477) with a 2% mean relative difference (MRD) and standard error of estimate (SEE) of 15 mm/month for the five years (N = 60 months). The high agreement of the OpenET ensemble of the six satellite-derived models' estimates of mature pecan ET with the ETec demonstrates the utility of this promising approach to enhance the reliability of remote sensing-based ET data for agricultural and water resource management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phenomenon of flash droughts, marked by their fast onset, limited predictability, and formidable capacity for devastation, has elicited escalating concern. Despite this growing interest, a comprehensive investigation of the spatiotemporal dynamics of flash drought events within zones of ecological sensitivity, alongside their consequential ecological ramifications, remains elusive. The Songnen Plain, distinguished as both an important granary for commodity crops and an ecological keystone within China, emerges as an indispensable locus for the inquiry into the dynamics of flash droughts and their repercussions on terrestrial biomes. Through the application of daily soil moisture raster datasets encompassing the years 2002 to 2022, this investigation delves into the spatiotemporal progression of two distinct categories of flash droughts—those instigated by heatwaves and those precipitated by water deficits—within the Songnen Plain. Moreover, the ecosystem's response, with a particular focus on gross primary productivity (GPP), to these climatic variables was investigated. Flash drought phenomena have been observed to manifest with a relative frequency of approximately one event every three years within the Songnen Plain, predominantly lasting for periods of 28–30 days. The incidence of both heatwave-induced and water deficit-induced flash droughts was found to be comparable, with a pronounced prevalence during the summer and autumn. Nevertheless, droughts caused by water scarcity demonstrated a more extensive distribution and a heightened frequency of occurrence, whereas those rooted in heatwaves were less frequent but exhibited a propensity for localization in specific sectors. The sensitivity of GPP to these meteorological anomalies was pronounced, with an average response rate surpassing 70%. This spatial distribution of the response rate revealed elevated values in the northwestern segment of the Songnen Plain and diminished values towards the southeastern sector. Intriguingly, GPP's reaction pace to the onset of heatwave-driven flash droughts was observed to be more rapid in comparison to that during periods of water scarcity. Additionally, the spatial distribution of water use efficiency during both the development and recovery periods of flash droughts largely deviated from that of base water use efficiency. The insights from this study hold profound implications for the advancement of regional drought surveillance and adaptive management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, high resolution (HR) remote sensing images have brought significant changes to land cover monitoring. Monitoring water resources, a vital and scarce commodity for human survival, is a crucial aspect of land cover monitoring and forms the foundation for water resource allocation in regions facing shortages. Hence, a universal method is necessary to address this problem and handle large-scale water resources monitoring. We explore the network structure via improving the interpretability to reduce the network layers and propose a lightweight pixel-wise semantic segmentation model, which achieves waterbody extraction from GF-1 remote sensing images with high accuracy and high speed. The proposed model structure addresses both semantic segmentation for large and small waterbodies, extracting fine-grained edge and contour information from high-resolution feature maps. Additionally, it efficiently extracts multi-scale high-level semantic information using residual convolutional blocks and dilated convolutional blocks. The multi-scale feature maps are fused, and binary classification is predicted through Support Vector Machines (SVM). Furthermore, the paper introduces a model training method with an adaptive learning rate, reducing the overall training time. To validate the model's performance, remote sensing images from GF-1 are utilized to construct a dataset. Experimental results, compared with five models, demonstrate that the proposed method achieves the highest accuracy and least training time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India, being a tropical country, frequently experiences a natural hazard called heat waves especially during the hot summer season. During the summer months of 2022, India experienced moderate to severe heat waves spanning March to the third week of May. This adverse weather situation severely affects the northwest and the central Indian regions, causing loss of human lives, crop damage, and a scarcity of water. The present study is the first attempt to assess the meteorological situations favoring heat waves using Indian National Satellite (INSAT)-3DR sounder data. Such studies using satellite based sounder data have seldom happened. The study is conducted during March-May 2022 using the mixing ratio data derived from the INSAT-3DR sounder at 500 hPa, 620 hPa, 700 hPa, 850 hPa, and 950 hPa pressure levels of the atmosphere. From the present study, it is observed that the INSAT-3DR derived mixing ratio profile gives clear signatures of an impending heat wave condition. The weather signal can be observed as an apparent dryness representing the low mixing ratio values (<6 g/kg) percolating from upper layers (600 hPa) to lower levels (850 hPa). These percolations (seeping) happen prior to the surface layers actually show the effects of the heat wave. The study verifies the prior studies of heat wave strike over northwest frontiers of Indian land mass and its further expansion to eastern and southern regions. During strong heat wave conditions surface temperatures reaching maximum of 46 ͦ C at northwest regions, 41 ͦ C at eastern regions and 40 ͦ C at southern regions. The corresponding mixing ratio values at 950 hPa diminishes to 2–4 g/kg for northwest regions and 4–6 g/kg at eastern and southern regions. The study also gives hints to locate signals of heat waves regarding their origin, possible expanding directions, and geographical extent from the satellite-derived mixing ratio. The observations from the analysis give scope for further enhancing the study in the future to devise efficient forecasting methodologies to predict heat wave conditions using satellite derived mixing ratio profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change will reduce the availability of Colorado River Water (CRW) in the Lower Colorado River Basin (LCRB) and hydroelectric power generation at Lakes Powell and Mead. Efforts to stabilize reservoir levels in the presence of interdecadal drought are based primarily on shortages in water deliveries to LCRB states and Mexico per the 2007 Interim Guidelines (2007-IG) and later the LCRB Drought Contingency Plan (2019-DCP). When climate effects are considered, the expected energy generation (lakes Mead and Powell combined) is projected to decrease from 6500 GWH in 2024 to 5400 GWH in 2060, despite a 400–600 GWH annual increase consequent to 2019-DCP measures. 2019-DCP shortages decrease cumulative water deliveries to the LCRB states and Mexico during 2022–2060, increasing evaporative losses from lakes Mead and Powell. The cumulative present value of LCRB water deliveries during 2022–2060 dwarfs that of hydroelectric energy benefits. However, the differences in benefits under the two sets of measures reveal that the economic impact of water and energy are of the same order of magnitude. Under the 2019-DCP rules, energy production and recreation benefits are positive in all but one scenario, while overall water deliveries are reduced in two-thirds of all scenarios. The median difference in present value benefits under 2019-DCP compared with the 2007-IG is about +$100 M , but the full range of outcomes for all climate-related scenarios investigated is approximately ±$1 B. Mexico and the seven US states that take water from the Colorado River system have opened negotiations to reallocate Colorado River water ahead of 2026. The process will be contentious due to competing interests and uncertainties related to the projected flows and associated benefits. Here, the present values of Colorado River system water deliveries, hydroelectric energy generation at Lakes Powell and Mead and associated recreational benefits are projected through 2060. For purposes of comparison, the operations analyzed conform to requirements of either the 2007 Interim Guidelines (2007-IG) or the 2019 Drought Contingency Plan (2019-DCP). This offers a baseline and framework for economic evaluation of benefits resulting from river management alternatives beyond those of the 2007-IG and 2019-DCP. Results indicate that the present worth of water deliveries in the Lower Colorado River Basin (LCRB) during 2022–2060 will clearly exceed that of energy generation at Lakes Powell and Mead. However, differences in revenue show that the economic DCP-impact of water and energy are of the same order of magnitude (and larger than recreational benefits). The analysis and results described provide an avenue for proposing, comparing, and selecting rational river management measures in the presence of unavoidable uncertainties and competing interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the most constraining environmental factor of vegetation development in arid areas, soil moisture is mainly supplied by precipitation and groundwater resources. Considering the varying sensitivity of different plant communities to precipitation and groundwater‐induced water shortages, the communities' management requires the study of the effects of both meteorological and hydrogeological droughts on vegetation. Therefore, this study sought to model the effects of meteorological and hydrogeological droughts on vegetation indices obtained from MODIS satellite images in the Sirjan plain from 2000 to 2019. To this end, vegetation communities were first identified and separated based on extensive field operations, taking into account the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Vegetation Condition Index (VCI) at the plant communities' scale. Then, meteorological drought was calculated using Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and the hydrogeological drought was also measured by Groundwater Resource Index (GRI) via the Kriging technique. Finally, the relationship was modelled using Multivariate Linear Regression (MLR). The results revealed that SPI at a 6‐month time scale (as an important index) played a significant role in elaborating the changes in VCI in eight communities out of 18 ones at the 6‐month scale, acting as a strong and reliable estimator. Moreover, 61.6% of VCI changes in Artemisia sieberi‐Seidlitzia rosmarinus community were explained with GRI and SPI at a 6‐month time scale, indicating the dependence on groundwater and precipitation. Nonetheless, some communities (i.e. six cases) were unresponsive. These findings draw our attention to the importance of considering the special reaction of each plant community in the management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation is a sustainable and green desalination method with great prospects for development in today's severe water shortage problem. In this paper, a novel composite aerogel was prepared by hydrothermal method with sodium alginate (SA) and Cu2+ in the preparation process using reduced graphene oxide as photothermal material and cellulose nanofibers as substrate. The good hydrophilicity of nanocellulose makes the composite aerogel have strong capillary action and continuous water transport. The gel formed by ion exchange between SA and Cu2+ greatly improves dry and wet mechanical strength of the composite aerogel and ensures the stability of the evaporator for multiple recycling. Copper is doped by reduction of copper ion complexes and reduced graphene oxide have a synergistic effect to increase the photothermal response rate of the composite aerogel of 1.446 kg m−2 h−1 with evaporation efficiency of 84.87% under one standard solar irradiation. In addition, the purification of heavy metal ions, dye wastewater as well as acid and alkali solutions also has excellent results. It is expected that this study will provide some new ideas for the fields of seawater desalination and wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To mitigate the unfavorable effects of excessive water resources consumption, mainly induced by poor performance of irrigation practices, efficient water resource management strategies are required. In response to this need, we have, in an innovative way, enhanced the water resources management (WRM) strategies by both considering the regional conditions with the graph model for a conflict resolution (GMCR) decision support system, and linking the irrigation concept and water resources allocation theory to develop a coupled WRM simulation–optimization model. Typically, implementation of the modified WRM strategies may cause local conflicts because of losing the original water rights. To improve the current irrigation water allocation system with the minimum objections, the hypergame theory was utilized to enhance the capabilities of traditional GMCR models by including the parties' misunderstandings in the negotiation process and assessing the partial perceptions rather than crisp options. Moreover, by dynamic monitoring of available water resources and water consumption patterns, a WRM simulation model was developed, which is applicable in real agricultural conditions of multi-agricultural zones with multi-crop and intercropping systems and variable water supply sources. The genetic algorithm was utilized to allocate the water resources and determine optimal WRM strategies with the lowest irrigation water shortage. The efficiency of the proposed framework was assessed in conventional agricultural zones in Oman. The recommended strategies not only address local conflicts during the implementation of optimal WRM strategies, but also demonstrate significant potential to reduce the water shortage as a serious environmental concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our world faces potentially catastrophic climate change that can damage human health in multiple ways. The impact of climate change is uneven, disproportionately affecting the lives and livelihoods of women and girls. This conceptual article compiles evidence for a model that argues that climate change has more detrimental consequences for women than men because of women's precarity (unequal power) and corporal (physical) vulnerability. Climate change challenges the human rights of women and girls, triggering displacement, interrupted education, food and water scarcity, economic instability, mental and physical health challenges, reproductive injustice, gender‐based violence, exploitation and human trafficking. Women are effective and essential change agents; their empowerment can directly contravene or mitigate climate change and also break the links between climate change and its negative consequences for women and girls. Gender‐sensitive responses to the effects of climate change are imperative. Women's empowerment will further human rights and achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rice production and productivity must be increased despite water scarcity and deterioration of soil fertility by imbalanced fertilizer application. To meet the demand of the ever growing population, the production level must be increased to cope with minimum inputs and enhanced input-use efficiency. Efficient and effective method of irrigation and fertilizer application could address the emerging issue. Methods: The field study was conducted at the Agricultural College and Research Institute in Madurai to identify suitable irrigation methods and nutrient management practices with the aim of increasing the yield of rice under transplanted condition during Kharif 2022. The experiment was carried out in a split plot design with irrigation methods in the main plot and foliar spray of nano-fertilizers in combination with conventional fertilizers in the sub-plot. Result: Yield characters such as number of productive tillers m-2, panicle length (cm), panicle weight (g), number of grains and filled grains panicle-1 were recorded in addition to grain and straw yield (kg/ha). From this study it could be concluded that, irrigation through alternate wetting and drying along with combined application of 50% N and K through straight fertilizers + Nano N and K applied as foliar spray recorded higher yield attributes and yield of rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Water is the most important environmental factor for sustainability of rice production. Traditionally rice was cultivated by continuous flooding. Due to global climate change and rapid industrialization and urbanization, the amount of water utilised for agriculture is declining which increases the water scarcity for irrigated rice production. Methods: The present experiment was carried out during Kuruvai (July-November) 2022 at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. Experiments were carried out with five treatments viz., T1 - 100% Saturation under drip irrigation, T2 - 150% Saturation under drip irrigation T3 - 200% Saturation under drip irrigation, T4 - System of Rice Intensification (SRI), T5 - Conventional method. Result: Results of the experiment showed that growth parameters was higher in SRI method and this was on par with conventinal method. SRI method recorded significantly higher yield parameters and grain yield. From the above results, it can be concluded that. SRI method performed well compared to different method of cultivation due to the synergistic effects of various cultivation principles followed in this method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual water trade (VWT) provides a new perspective for alleviating water crisis and has thus attracted widespread attention. However, the heterogeneity of virtual water trade inside and outside the river basin and its influencing factors remains further study. In this study, for better investigating the pattern and heterogeneity of virtual water trade inside and outside provincial regions along the Yellow River Basin in 2015 using the input-output model (MRIO), we proposed two new concepts, i.e., virtual water surplus and virtual water deficit, and then used the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) model to identify the inherent mechanism of the imbalance of virtual water trade between provincial regions along the Yellow River Basin and the other four regions in China. The results show that: 1) in provincial regions along the Yellow River Basin, the less developed the economy was, the larger the contribution of the agricultural sector in virtual water trade, while the smaller the contribution of the industrial sector. 2) Due to the large output of agricultural products, the upstream and midstream provincial regions of the Yellow River Basin had a virtual water surplus, with a net outflow of virtual water of 2.7 × 108 m3 and 0.9 × 108 m3, respectively. 3) provincial regions along the Yellow River Basin were in a virtual water deficit with the rest of China, and the decisive factor was the active degree of trade with the outside. This study would be beneficial to illuminate the trade-related water use issues in provincial regions along the Yellow River Basin, which has far-reaching practical significance for alleviating water scarcity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The circular economy model is based on the 4R framework—reduce, reuse, recycle, and recover. While recycling was the primary focus in the past, the shortage of raw materials and the desire to reduce carbon footprints have led to a change in focus: end-of-life materials are now considered resources rather than waste. When discharged, end-of-life materials still possess properties that can be exploited. For this reason, a comprehensive characterization of reusable materials is mandatory to reduce waste and increase material availability. The reuse of waste materials, such as surgical masks, is of particular interest in giving people in disadvantaged contexts the opportunity to self-produce and self-install panels within their homes, with the dual result of improving indoor comfort and increasing human capital. This paper focuses on the identification of a possible second application for surgical face masks through experimental characterization. Panels made of masks were tested for water vapor permeability, thermal conductivity, and fire resistance and their use as insulating material in the building sector was discussed. Based on the results, surgical face masks are suitable as thermal insulating materials, do not pose safety concerns, and can reduce energy consumption and improve thermal comfort when installed indoors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) has been proposed as an innovative water storage method to manage variable water availability in Australian agricultural regions by combatting water shortage whilst addressing groundwater overuse and reducing large evaporative losses from surface storages. MAR innovations involve the recharge of water into aquifers and extraction when needed. However, their uptake has been limited as they are associated with large amounts of uncertainty. We present an argumentation approach to reason about the feasibility of MAR in the Coleambally Irrigation Area in the Murrumbidgee catchment. Three scenarios that focus on managed aquifer recharge and two competing surface water scenarios are developed for the case study area, as well as associated recommendations aimed at the key stakeholders who can initiate change. The approach and scenarios show potential, with future work involving the implementation of the recommendations and the application of the approach to another case study for further refinement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) is a fundamental staple food for the countries of the Mediterranean basin. Climate change is predicted to cause a trend of increasing drought severity in this region in the near future, necessitating the improvement of durum wheat's resilience to drought stress. Using polyethylene glycol to simulate water scarcity, early vigour parameters in germinating seeds are quickly, easily and affordably assessed. Many screenings, however, only consider the seedling stage; consequently, genotypes identified as promising for cultivation in drought scenarios, may not show such features if drought appears in later phenological phases, as happens in Mediterranean climatic areas, generally prone to terminal drought. The correlation between drought stress resistance during the seedling stage (early vigour) and later stages in the life cycle is elusive due to the lack of scientific efforts. Here we used polyethylene glycol screening to classify fifty‐five tetraploid wheat accessions into three clusters (susceptible, medium resistant and highly resistant to drought), based on morpho‐physiological traits. These accessions included durum wheat cultivars and landraces, as well as ancestors like durum emmer wheat and wild emmer wheat. The results of the screenings were combined with subsequent pot experiments using nine randomly selected accessions, imposing terminal drought, and evaluating their performance. Principal component analysis was performed on data for net photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, transpiration and grain yield. Notably, the genotypes that performed best in the pot experiments were also those that performed well in the screening. Highly resistant candidates had in fact higher physiological and performance parameters than susceptible candidates. In summary, polyethylene glycol screening of germinating seeds resulted to be suitable to predictively evaluate drought resistance in tetraploid wheat accessions under terminal drought conditions, typical of Mediterranean climate zones. The reported data, thus evidence of how this inexpensive and simple method might be efficiently applied for large‐scale phenotyping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examined the role of agricultural cooperatives in strengthening the resilience and social fabric of rural communities in the Kita and Yanfolila regions of Mali. Using a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods, data was collected from 149 participants, including cooperative members and non-members, through structured surveys and focus group discussions. It explored the challenges faced by farmers, the benefits of cooperative membership, the dynamics of social cohesion within these cooperatives, the nuances of inclusion, and conducted a comparative analysis between cooperative members and non-members. The communities in Kita and Yanfolila faced multiple adversities that significantly affected their resilience, livelihoods and overall well-being. Drought emerged as the most serious problem, affecting the entire population and underscoring its profound impact on agriculture and welfare. Flooding was also a significant threat, exacerbating food insecurity. While terrorist activities and COVID-19 seemed less pressing due to their limited occurrence or awareness at the time, vigilance and awareness remained key. The study highlighted the myriad benefits of cooperative membership and how it empowered members through agricultural training, access to resources and financial stability. In particular, cooperatives have been instrumental in addressing water scarcity and ensuring sustainable access through initiatives such as boreholes and pumping equipment, thereby increasing agricultural productivity and food security. The study also highlighted the key role of cooperatives in fostering social cohesion, promoting conflict resolution and serving as networking platforms. Members praised cooperatives for providing emotional and material support in times of need, disseminating conflict management techniques and promoting transparent, collective decision-making processes. However, there was a noticeable gap in perceptions between cooperative members and non-members regarding the role of cooperatives in conflict resolution. Non-members were less confident, possibly due to a lack of exposure or understanding of cooperative mechanisms. Inclusivity emerged as a key issue, with discussions highlighting the challenge of extending benefits to nonmembers, which could lead to feelings of exclusion. Income disparities between members and non-members further exacerbated issues of social cohesion. The study also highlighted the profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, revealing disrupted supply chains, reduced incomes, increased unemployment and heightened food insecurity in rural communities. Despite this, agricultural cooperatives stepped up by disseminating information, distributing essential supplies and promoting hygiene practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]