232
will be central as a means to ease the introduction of models of mitigation and adaptation for a sustainable future. Such a platform should greatly improve the way
regional (global) transatlantic challenges are identified, defined, and addressed. The
combined input of stakeholders across the political and societal spectra both nationally and at the scale of the Agadir Platform will offer an invaluable opportunity to
ensure early recognition of risks, tipping points, climate feedback, among others
that may require a tripartite (global) joint response portfolio.
One of the main difficulties lies in discerning, in which problems require a local,
national, regional, or transatlantic/global response. Systematic, proactive global
scanning has been crucial in bringing new emerging problems—and new responses
to long-standing problems—to the attention of decision-makers. Scientifically
speaking, the platform seeks to address the following caveats to sustainable development trajectories of representative socio-ecological systems: (1) the analysis of past,
present, and future climate volatility at the local, regional, and transatlantic scale in
order to reduce uncertainties for future climate projections and scenarios; (2) the
calibration of biological markers and ecological indicators, in particular, environmental and climatic contexts and conditions; (3) the understanding of the functioning and linkage of local hydrological cycles in relation to dryland use and cover
changes with regional climate variability; (4) assessment programs of the integrity
of natural ecosystem and agricultural systems and the condition of their ecosystem
goods and services and to develop adaptive management practices; (5) the investigation of coastal and marine resources and their interfaces; (6) the discovery of conceptual models for renewable energy projects carefully considering the biophysical
and socioeconomic contexts; and finally (7) understanding livelihood resilience and
development in diverse cultural, socio-political settings of human settlements, as a
basis for innovative adaptation strategies in arid and semiarid regions.
Box 14.1 Climate–Ocean–Land Interconnections Characterizing the
Transatlantic Region
Oceans absorb, store, and distribute energy by acting upon the temperature
and circulation of the atmosphere. Their ability to store heat is much more
efficient (absorbing 93% of excess energy) than those of landmasses (3%) and
the atmosphere (1%). For those reasons, they are considered the moderators
of climate and of its changes, and any alteration in ocean circulation engendered by external forces (volcanic, solar radiation, greenhouse gas, etc.) can
escalate into changes in global atmospheric currents. These alterations are
therefore at the root of the heterogeneous dynamics and spatial–temporal distribution of precipitations, of which the vicissitudes can be the source of
severe droughts and in turn cause desertification.
Long-term studies on the tropical and subtropical climate variability are
justified by the societal requests to understand the distribution and intensity of
seasonal rainfall mode or the duration of dry periods and drought with signifi(continued)
A. Rizzo et al.
will be central as a means to ease the introduction of models of mitigation and adaptation for a sustainable future. Such a platform should greatly improve the way
regional (global) transatlantic challenges are identified, defined, and addressed. The
combined input of stakeholders across the political and societal spectra both nationally and at the scale of the Agadir Platform will offer an invaluable opportunity to
ensure early recognition of risks, tipping points, climate feedback, among others
that may require a tripartite (global) joint response portfolio.
One of the main difficulties lies in discerning, in which problems require a local,
national, regional, or transatlantic/global response. Systematic, proactive global
scanning has been crucial in bringing new emerging problems—and new responses
to long-standing problems—to the attention of decision-makers. Scientifically
speaking, the platform seeks to address the following caveats to sustainable development trajectories of representative socio-ecological systems: (1) the analysis of past,
present, and future climate volatility at the local, regional, and transatlantic scale in
order to reduce uncertainties for future climate projections and scenarios; (2) the
calibration of biological markers and ecological indicators, in particular, environmental and climatic contexts and conditions; (3) the understanding of the functioning and linkage of local hydrological cycles in relation to dryland use and cover
changes with regional climate variability; (4) assessment programs of the integrity
of natural ecosystem and agricultural systems and the condition of their ecosystem
goods and services and to develop adaptive management practices; (5) the investigation of coastal and marine resources and their interfaces; (6) the discovery of conceptual models for renewable energy projects carefully considering the biophysical
and socioeconomic contexts; and finally (7) understanding livelihood resilience and
development in diverse cultural, socio-political settings of human settlements, as a
basis for innovative adaptation strategies in arid and semiarid regions.
Box 14.1 Climate–Ocean–Land Interconnections Characterizing the
Transatlantic Region
Oceans absorb, store, and distribute energy by acting upon the temperature
and circulation of the atmosphere. Their ability to store heat is much more
efficient (absorbing 93% of excess energy) than those of landmasses (3%) and
the atmosphere (1%). For those reasons, they are considered the moderators
of climate and of its changes, and any alteration in ocean circulation engendered by external forces (volcanic, solar radiation, greenhouse gas, etc.) can
escalate into changes in global atmospheric currents. These alterations are
therefore at the root of the heterogeneous dynamics and spatial–temporal distribution of precipitations, of which the vicissitudes can be the source of
severe droughts and in turn cause desertification.
Long-term studies on the tropical and subtropical climate variability are
justified by the societal requests to understand the distribution and intensity of
seasonal rainfall mode or the duration of dry periods and drought with signifi(continued)
A. Rizzo et al.