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Evaluation of environmental impacts of insect production for food purposes in conditions of the Czech republic by the LCA method
MUCHKA, Lukáš
The thesis deals with the evaluation of environmental impacts of insect farming for food purposes in the Czech Republic. The topic is focused on the impact category of climate change, with emphasis on Global Warming Potential (GWP for short). Environmental impacts are assessed using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method. This method is based on evaluating the impact that a product has on the environment over its lifetime. This has enabled the method to assess different potential types of impacts. LCA analysis is based on the principle of "cradle to gate". The approach is based from the sourcing of raw materials to the final output gate, represented in the form of a product. One kilogram of insect product is chosen as the pro-product. For the LCA analysis, a model farm of the mealybug (Tenebrio molitor) was established. Data for this work were collected from edible insect farmers in the Czech Republic who were sent a survey. Some data were obtained from the literature. In relation to the obtained data, a calculation of the environmental burden was made. In the thesis it was found that one kilogram of insect product generates a carbon footprint of 11.87 kg CO2-eqv.
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Climate change and conflict in Africa - case study Darfur
Donkoh, Bright
The aim of the thesis is to analyse possible relationship between the climate change, conflict and security level in Darfur, Sudan. The prevalence of drought, inconsistency in rainfall, desertification and other consequences ensuing from environmental changes weaken the adaptability capacity of the African continent. The Earth's climate has changed throughout the history of man. In the last 650,000 years, there have been seven cycles of glacial movement and retreat coupled with the abrupt end of the last ice age about 7,000 years ago which marked the beginning of the modern climate era and of human civilization and development. The indicators of climate change in Darfur deepened in 1980s when the region observed a severe famine and drought, as a result more people are competing for access to land, water and other natural resources in Darfur region. During 2003, the conflict turned to be an armed conflict among the various tribes over natural resources, particularly water and land. Individuals in Darfur have been devastated by war, and its aftermath has been sorrowful story of suffering, displacement, death, among others. Simultaneously, the war has become one of the most distorted and misunderstood conflicts in history of recent years. Experts and activists have oversimplified the causes of the conflict, slighting its historical and systemic origins. The study examined the extent to which conflicts are erupted as a result of geographical variations, thus climate change. This is especially using the Darfur region as a case study. A case study method was adopted to better enable the researcher to meet the intended research objectives for this study. Through this study, it has been shown that deterioration in the climate and environment alone may not lead to conflict, as local populations have learned to adapt to their environments. This is when it becomes associated with other social, economic and political factors that aggravate scarcity that conflict become more probable.
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Evolution of climate litigation in European context
Kavalírová, Julie ; Fabšíková, Tereza (advisor) ; Žákovská, Karolina (referee)
Evolution of climate litigation in European context, abstract This diploma thesis deals with the evolution of climate litigation in the European context. The aim of this paper is to describe and map the institute of climate litigation as a whole, to describe its types based on different standpoints and aspects and to describe the historical development of climate litigation in the world and in Europe. This paper further describes five leading cases of European climate litigation in detail. The cases of Urgenda Foundation v. The Netherlands, Neubauer v. Germany, Notre Affaire à Tous v. France, VZZ Klimaatzaak v. the Kingdom of Belgium, and the case of Milieudefensie v. Royal Dutch Shell PLC were thoughtfully chosen based on their connection and the impact they had on climate action in their respective countries. To finish, this thesis aims to find answers to several legal questions concerning climate litigation by comparing those described climate cases. The main methods used in this diploma thesis were the research of legal literature, case law of foreign courts and legal regulations. The conclusions of this paper were gained by analysis of information and subsequent use of different methods of interpretation. This diploma thesis is divided into an introduction and a conclusion and three main chapters, some...
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Essays on Environmental and Health Economics
Kyrychenko, Olexiy ; Gaule, Patrick (advisor) ; Fichera, Eleonora (referee) ; Mohnen, Myra (referee)
Essays on Environmental and Health Economics Olexiy Kyrychenko Abstract In the first chapter, we examine the impact of temperature on manufacturing production in India and the underlying mechanisms. Using plant-level manufacturing data and satellite- based temperature estimates from 1998-2007, we find that the relationship between temperature and output exhibits an inverted U-shape, with especially large losses occurring at extreme cold and hot temperatures. Such nonlinearity provides valuable insight into the potential welfare consequences of climate change. Back-of-the-envelope calculations suggest that a 1řC shift in the annual distribution of daily temperature would lead to net losses in manufacturing output of 1.3% or USD 0.6 billion, equivalent to a 0.5% reduction in India's GDP 2007 through the manufacturing sector alone. The estimated temperature-output relationship is driven by the joint effects of temperature on total factor productivity and capital. This finding has important implications for adaptation. The manufacturing sector can adapt to changing climate by reducing the sensitivity of labor productivity to temperature and by making investments in machinery. Labor-related adjustments can also contribute to adaptation by offsetting direct productivity losses or facilitating labor reallocation....
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Natural epigenetic variation: a driver for adaptation of wild plant populations?
Sammarco, Iris ; Latzel, Vít (advisor) ; Johannes, Frank (referee) ; Pečinka, Aleš (referee)
A growing body of literature suggests that epigenetic variation might contribute to local adaptation of natural plant populations. Epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation, can in fact quickly alter phenotypes in response to environmental changes. Furthermore, these changes can be inherited across several generations (especially clonal), suggesting that DNA methylation may enable heritable phenotypic variation and eventually contribute to adaptation. However, it is still unclear whether epigenetic mechanisms can have an adaptive potential in plants, or in other words, whether they present variation among natural populations, are inherited across generations and have fitness effects. During my PhD project, together with my co-authors, I tested these conditions on several natural populations of two non-model clonal plant species, the wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca) and the black poplar (Populus nigra). To do so, I used the current gold standard for DNA methylation analysis (Whole Genome Bisulfite Sequencing), which allowed me to characterize the genome-wide DNA methylation level of individual plants at the single base-resolution. For both species, I found extensive DNA methylation diversity among populations, which was partially affected by the natural climatic conditions of the populations...
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Hydrological Drought in Headwaters of Šumava Mountain
Skála, Vít
This master thesis if focused on the phenomenon of hydrological drought in the Šumava (Bohemian/Black Forrest) region. Hydrological drought is defined on seven hydrological stations (Modrava (CZ), Rejštějn (CZ), Sušice (CZ), Zwiesel (DE), Teisnach (DE), Chamerau (DE), Kalteneck (DE)) during period 1931-1937 and 1949-2014. The aim is in finding suitable hydrological dought indexes and other methods and apply them od the data. Results are compared each other and also are compared with studies that were proceed in non-mountainous region. For hydrological drought evaluation the threshold concept and method according Gumbel 1963 were used and deficite volumes were calculated. Seasonality graphs and graphs for nuber of drought days in hydrological years were constructed, For trends defining, Mann.Kendall and Hisch-Slack tests were used. Hydrological drought sesonality is different on german and czech side, it means effect of exposition towards southwest winds. Hydrological drought is concetrated in autumn at german stations and in winter on czech stations. Number of drought episodes decreases with decreasing elevation. There were found significant decreasing trends in drought episodes occurance in time. Monthly trends aren't so clear. On czech side there is significant decreasing trend in winter months,...
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Sources and framing: a comparison of media coverage of climate change across the world
McCauley, Amina Rhyl ; Neag, Annamária (advisor) ; Němcová Tejkalová, Alice (referee)
in English This paper looks into how climate change is being covered by newspaper media in two Global South countries and two Global North countries - India, the Philippines, Denmark and Australia. While there is some literature on who the main sources are in climate change coverage, as well as how frequently climate change is covered in different countries, there is less literature on how climate change is framed, and how this relates to who the main sources are. Analyzing articles from three newspapers in each country, this content analysis gathered data on what sources are being predominantly used in news articles, and further, how these articles are being framed. It was found that climate change has become a highly politicized issue in the media across most of these countries, and that the main voice in how climate change is becoming to be understood is politicians - except for in Denmark. At the same time, it was found that climate change is mainly being framed as an issue in need of action - except for in Australia.
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Sex ratios in reptiles according to the type of sex determination
Palata, Tomáš ; Kratochvíl, Lukáš (advisor) ; Rehák, Ivan (referee)
There are many factors influencing sex ratios in reptile populations and these factors can differ among sex ratios in different developmental stages. The observed ratio is the result of many complex processes. One of the key factors is the mechanism of sex determination. In reptiles we distinguish two mechanisms of sex determination. The first is genotypic sex determination (GSD), where sex is determined during the fusion of gametes. Species with GSD show just little variation in sex ratios after birth or hatching and during adulthood there is a higher mortality rate of the heterogametic sex. Secondarily, there are reptiles possesing environmental sex determination (ESD). The sex of the developing individual of this species is influenced by incubation temperature during the thermosensitive phase of development. Reptiles with ESD show much greater variability in sex ratios after hatching and this variability may persist to adulthood. This thesis focuses mainly on the differences in sex ratios between GSD and ESD species. One of its interests is also the question of vulnerability of reptiles with ESD in terms of skewed sex ratios during contemporary climate change. Key words: sex ratio, reptiles, sex determination, GSD, ESD, climate change
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Changes in distributional range and ecology of bats realated to climate change
Pavlíková, Barbara ; Lučan, Radek (advisor) ; Bartonička, Tomáš (referee)
In the last few decades bats are affected by climate change. Changes in average temperatures affect their morphology, phenology, diversity and distribution. Changes in biotopes caused by anthropogenic influences are responsible for the loss of shelters and connectivity of habitats. Empirical data show us that the range expansion of many bat species are gradually shifting to higher latitudes or altitudes. Mathematical models predict that the bat diversity and richness around the world will decline. Some species will shift their ranges and some will shrink their range or even become extinct. Key words: chiroptera, bats, range shift, bioindicators, climate change
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