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Nature-friendly measures in the urban city of Brno
Svobodová, Lenka ; Zedník, Ondřej (referee) ; Kriška-Dunajský, Michal (advisor)
The thesis is focused on climate change impact in cities. In its first general section various nature-based adaptation solutions for urban areas are presented. Functional instances of finished implementations from city of Brno are named. The second, practical, section a particular proposal of nature-based solution for Brno by partial revitalization of Svratka river and its surrounding area is shown. The feasibility is supported by 1D and 2D numerical models. Crucial output of the work are technical drawings and flood simulation maps.
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Creating of Dispatcher Graph for a Selected Dam Reservoir Considering Climate Change
Hakl, Petr ; Sobek, Martin (referee) ; Menšík, Pavel (advisor)
The aim of a thesis is construct a several dispatcher graphs for a selected Vír I. water dam, from real flow series, then extended by synthetic flow series generated by regional climatic models. Particular models will be discribed, so the construction of dispatcher graph. Graphs will be compared by appropriately selected parameters. In the end of the thesis will be comparision of requirements sets by manipulate order with predicted evolution of affluent to the dam and sustainability for todays claims relation on improved outflows in future with the same condition.
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Generating of Stochastic Rainfall Data Using by Specific Weather Generator
Benáčková, Kateřina ; Menšík, Pavel (referee) ; Marton, Daniel (advisor)
The aim of this work is to study the topics of climate change, SRES emission scenarios, global GCM and regional RCM climate models, which are necessary basis for using the LARS WG software (Stochastic Weather Generator for Use in Climate Impact Studies). Based on given knowledge using LARS WG the testing time series of daily precipitation and temperatures data will be generated for three future time periods. The observed weather data from the Meteostation VUT was used. Generated data will be analysed and interpreted for its future uses.
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Development of surface water quality in selected rural areas of the Elbe River basin
Mrkva, Luboš ; Janský, Bohumír (advisor) ; Pechar, Libor (referee) ; Kodeš, Vít (referee)
Development of surface water quality in selected rural areas of the Elbe River basin Water quality is an enduring issue in water management and has global importance. This work deals with surface water quality in the Elbe River basin, focusing on river basins in agricultural and rural areas where surface water quality remains a significant ecological problem. As part of this work, two watersheds with a significant representation of agriculturally used areas were chosen: the Mastník River catchment, which flows into the Vltava River, and the Šlapanka River catchment, which flows into the Sázava River. In the case of the Mastník stream, the work deals with the basin itself and changes in water quality in the Mastník bay, which is part of the Slapy reservoir located on the Vltava River. Water quality was analysed using the concentration of selected parameters through long-term field research supplemented with data from the State Enterprise of the Vltava River basin. In this part, it was proved that constructing new wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) gradually improves the overall water quality. However, the parameter chlorophyll-α and the lack of dissolved oxygen remain problematic. The finding of high concentrations of chlorophyll in the stream is followed by an assessment of the changes in water quality in...
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Adaptation to climate change from the perspective of (Czech) law
Jech, Martin ; Sobotka, Michal (advisor) ; Fabšíková, Tereza (referee)
Adaptation to climate change from the perspective of (Czech) law Abstract Key words: climate change, adaptation, Czech law Climate change is a current topic that has an impact on many components of the environment and the whole society. Besides mitigation, adaptation is a key response to climate change. This diploma thesis deals with the issue of how (especially Czech) law approaches to adaptation to climate change. Particular legal instruments related to adaptation to climate change are discussed, especially conceptual, administrative and economic instruments, in the fields of protection of water resources, forest, agricultural land and nature and landscape. Selected non-law instruments related to adaptation to climate change are also mentioned. The thesis has several related research inquiries. The first question is what is actually a climate change and whether it is (or will be) its course unprecedented in the Holocene and the related question what climate is expected in the next decades. This is followed by other research questions, particularly how the political-legal approach to the question of climate change (especially adaptation) has evolved and what is the current legal level of adaptation to climate change, i.e. whether it is satisfactory or has some imperfections. And if it has some...
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The German Arctic Policy
Nguyenová, Thi Khanh Ly ; Handl, Vladimír (advisor) ; Hornát, Jan (referee)
The thesis deals with Germany's Arctic policy in the last decade and focuses on its security dimension. The Arctic region has undergone many changes in recent years due to climate change and the new geopolitical situation, including a change in the security situation. Based on the concepts of civilian power and securitization, the thesis examines whether Germany approaches the Arctic as a multilateral actor or whether the Arctic has gained importance in German foreign and security policy and become a recognized security issue for Germany. The introductory part of the thesis is devoted to a general introduction of the Arctic region, its definition and a presentation of the global security, environmental and economic aspects and challenges associated with it. The thesis then briefly outlines the history of German involvement in the Arctic, its activities and Germany's relevance to the region. The main research part of the thesis is divided into the bilateral and multilateral dimensions of German Arctic policy, thus reflecting the nature of German multilateralism. The results of the examination of German Arctic policy have shown that Germany is aware of the various aspects of Arctic security and its global dimension, however, the focus is on the climate and economic security issues of the region. Even...
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Interannual temperature variability in Europe
Švábek, David ; Huth, Radan (advisor) ; Mikšovský, Jiří (referee)
This master thesis is focused on interannual variability of air temperature throughout Europe and its long-term trends. Alongside changes in average air temperature, it is the changes in variability that fundamentally affect meteorological extremes. Therefore, those are fundamental climate characteristics at which we do not know yet if they are changing and if so, in what direction. The changes seem to differ between individual regions, seasons and timescales. Changes behave differently when they are short-term (interday to interseasonal) and when they are long-term (interannual). These interannual changes are the main topic of this master thesis. In the review part of the thesis, the scientific literature is summarized, supplemented by changes in interannual variability both globally and regionally for the territory of Europe, namely for individual seasons. The objective of the practical part of the paper is the analysis of long-term interannual temperature variability in the period from 1 March 1961 to 28 February 2018, for each season separately. The objective of this work is not only to quantify the trends of interannual temperature variability but also to compare them among five different climate databases, as most scientific studies that analyse long-term changes in variability have been...
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Corporate responsibility and human rights: A way forward for climate litigation?
Chytil, David ; Žákovská, Karolina (advisor) ; Sobotka, Michal (referee)
Subject of this diploma thesis is the accountability of largest private green-house gas emitters, mainly fossil fuel corporations (so called "carbon majors") and in particular their relationship with human rights law. Strategic climate litigation is on a rise and private emitters are increasingly targeted by the litigants. While human rights are widely used in climate change litigation against governments and state authorities, their role in existing and potential climate lawsuits targeted at private parties remains uncertain. The goal of the thesis is to enlighten this topic analysing potential grounds for corporate climate liability and recent case-law. Firstly, impact of corporations on climate system (their "share" of GHG emissions) is presented in contrast to their peripheral role in the international climate governance and law. Climate change as a human rights issue is briefly examined in the second part focusing on human rights abuses of fossil fuel corporations, including "case studies" of human rights impacts of corporations Shell, Total and Texaco/Chevron in countries of the Global South. Third part deals with various sources of potential climate change liability of corporations and role human rights law might play. Concepts of Corporate Social Responsibility and Business and Human Rights...
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Vliv světla a sucha na fotosyntézu a vodní provoz podrostních bylin temperátních doubrav
Vitásek, Roman
Woody plants, especially trees, affects the site microclimate. With their physiological manifestations, they influence hydrological and light conditions and, consequently, the composition and abundance of species from the plant community. A dense tree layer lowers the air and even more the surface temperatures. Its mitigating effect is most pronounced on hot summer days. While transpiration lowers air temperature, trees compete with understory for water. While the shade lowers surface temperature of understory, plants, as autotrophic organisms, need enough light for their survival. Therefore, the question arises, which density of forest canopy is optimal for the survival of understory during the global change that brings along increased temperatures and elevated levels of drought. I investigated how understory herbs cope with drought under simulated sparse and dense forest canopy. The focal species, European wild ginger (Asarum europaeum L.) and liverwort (Hepatica nobilis Schreb.), were divided into four groups: two of them were fully watered and two of them droughted. Each of the water regimes were divided in two groups, simulating sparse or dense canopy of woody overstory. The physiological response of plants (such as the rate of light-saturated photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, intrinsic water use efficiency, concentration of non-structural carbohydrates and water potential) on manipulated light and drought conditions was monitored under various levels of drought stress. The mortality was always higher under deep shade than under light conditions, despite different water management strategies of stomatal regulation. The European wild ginger has characteristics of an isohydric type of plant. During drought, it copes with the negative water potential by reducing stomatal conductivity, at the expense of the ability to actively fight water stress by creating assimilates. Under favorable conditions, this species stores starch that allow it to survive even with a significantly reduced rate of photosynthesis. The liverwort is more anisohydric in its behavior. With the increasing intensity of drought and increasing transpiration, it keeps the stomata open and by active photosynthesis it creates soluble carbohydrates for the production of osmotically active secondary metabolites. It has a very low level of stored starch, which can have a negative effect during prolonged drought. The results indicate that light plays an important role for plant survival under water stress. The changing climate brings along not only increased temperatures but often increased levels of summer drought. Therefore, growing in the understory of the dense forest does not always help the plant to survive warming climate.
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Nature-based solutions and biomimicry for urban sustainability and climate change mitigation and adaptation: a case studies analysis
Hreljic, Aziz
This thesis reviews the role of nature-based and biomimetic solutions in improving the dimensions of urban sustainability and their effectiveness in addressing the growing pressures of climate change through mitigation and adaptation. The five case studies conducted on solutions in five cities from five continents suggest that the utilization of nature-based solutions in urban contexts creates benefits for all three dimensions of sustainability, albeit to different extents, despite the lack of policies that purposefully incorporate nature-based and biomimetic solutions in urban infrastructure. The study further revealed a lower level of usage of the solutions in climate change mitigation and adaptation, although there are some mitigation and adaptation co-benefits observed with some solutions. The economic dimension of development is undeniable, and from this perspective, there is still insufficient data that could be used to fully understand the implications and true value of nature-based and biomimetic solutions. This can also be said about quantitative data about the effects of the analyzed nature-based and biomimetic solutions in terms of air purification or energy efficiency. However, there is some data that implies these solutions support both energy efficiency, as well as bring environmental and health benefits to their users. Something that cities can and should do is develop policies that will promote the usage and monitoring of nature-based and biomimetic solutions in urban areas, in order to future-proof their infrastructure and to reap their social and economic benefits.
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