Community-based responses for tackling environmental and socio-economic change and impacts in mountain social-ecological systems

Climate change, biodiversity loss, and Indigenous Peoples' health and wellbeing: A systematic umbrella review

Indigenous Peoples worldwide are experiencing a cascade of impacts on their health and wellbeing as a result of climate change and biodiversity loss. Existing literature at the interface of climate change, biodiversity loss, and Indigenous health tells us that Indigenous Peoples are among those most disproportionately and acutely affected by these impacts. Yet, a gap exists with respect to comprehensively and critically synthesizing the impacts reported across this literature and identifying Indigenous-led responses. Guided by an Indigenous advisory group, we employed a systematic umbrella review methodology, following PRISMA guidelines, to characterize the global secondary literature (PROSPERO registration #: CRD42023417060). In so doing, we identified the proximal, intermediate, distal, and gendered impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss on Indigenous health and wellbeing as well as Indigenous-led responses. Five databases were searched for published reviews, along with a grey literature search that focused on underrepresented geographic regions in the academic literature. Two independent reviewers conducted two-stage screening, data extraction, and quality assessment of retrieved records. Basic descriptive statistics were calculated. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically, using a constant comparative approach. A total of 38 review articles met the eligibility criteria and 37 grey literature records were retrieved and included in the review. Reviews were published between 2010-2023 and geographically clustered in the Circumpolar North. Intersecting proximal, intermediate, and distal impacts were characterized as place-based and specific, and linked to colonialism as an antecedent to and driver of these impacts. Gendered impacts were underexplored within reviews. Reviewed literature underscored the value of engaging diverse knowledge systems; platforming localized, community-led adaptation to climate change and biodiversity loss, while addressing sociopolitical constraints to these efforts; and applying a broader conceptualization of health that aligns with Indigenous frameworks. Going forward, we must foreground equity- and rights-based considerations within integrated responses to climate and biodiversity crises.

Factors impacting water quality and quantity in rapidly expanding urban areas based on the DPSIR model: experiences and challenges from Addis Ababa City, Ethiopia

Due to the increasing pressures of global change, such as urbanization, climate change, population growth, and socioeconomic changes, cities around the world are facing significant water challenges, both in terms of supply and quality. This emphasizes the need for concerted effort to manage water supplies effectively for sustainable development. The driver, pressure, state, impact, and response (DPSIR) model was applied in this study to determine the underlying causes of Addis Ababa's water supply and quality issues. Field observations, key informant interviews, and previously published reports were used to identify these variables, impacts, and coping mechanisms. The model suggests that issues with urban water are caused by inadequate waste management, fast urbanization, climate change, sociodemographic shifts, economic challenges, changes in land use and land cover, and institutional pressures. As a result, aquatic ecosystems endure damage and there is also an increase in water-related diseases and unmet water demand. Some of the responses to these effects include using bottled water, digging boreholes, harvesting rainwater, planting trees, and soliciting funds. The study concludes by recommending an integrated approach to managing the risks of declining water quality and shortage. This study will advance the important empirical understanding of how urban water supply and quality are impacted by environmental stresses on a global scale. It will also positively impact the development of sustainable water management policies and practices.

Innovative Local Development Initiatives in the Eastern Alps: Forest Therapy, Land Consolidation Associations and Mountaineering Villages

Since the 19th century, Italy’s mountain regions have suffered from depopulation and land abandonment. How can we counter this phenomenon? Here, we present three cases of innovative and participatory approaches implemented in the Eastern Alps of Friuli Venezia Giulia. Forest therapy is a new approach to medical therapy based on the beneficial effects on the human health of frequenting forests. It also has the potential to provide space for local economic initiatives, e.g., hospitality services. Land consolidation associations were created in France to collectively restore the productivity of fragmented and abandoned farmland. They can evolve into long-term planning for the conservation of landed wealth and the valorization of territories. Finally, Mountaineering villages have the potential to develop a more sustainable form of tourism by fostering a sense of responsibility for the natural and cultural heritage of the European Alps, in accordance with the Alpine Convention. These initiatives share the involvement of local actors in the definition of local development strategies, the capability of enhancing endogenous resources and increasing the environmental value of places, the importance of offering qualified and organized services, and the ability to support the local socioeconomic system. The adoption of innovative and participatory approaches such as these has the potential to revert depopulation and economic depression trends in mountain areas.