Global Research in Environment and Sustainability

Development of a Numerical Index as a Framework for Quantifying and Communicating the Health Impacts of Greenhouse Gases

Sat, 02 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0100

Greenhouse gases drive global warming and ultimately Climate change which poses significant health risks worldwide. Existing frameworks, such as Global Warming Potential (GWP) of green house gases, neglect health impacts. The objective of this work was therefore to develop the Climate Change Health Impact Index (CCHII), integrating health effects and GWP. CCHII combines GWP with Health Impact Rating Scale (HIRS), a novel rating system assessing greenhouse gas health impacts. Example calculations of CCHII for CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O yielded CCHII values of 0.06, 1.12, and 21.20, respectively, providing numerical values for health impacts of these prominent green housegases. CCHII provides a numerical index for comparing greenhouse gas health impacts, to potentially support informed policy decisions on greenhouse gases and climate change mitigation strategies. Future refinement of HIRS and CCHII through expert feedback and real-world data will enhance accuracy and applicability.

Transforming Traditional Shifting Cultivation: A Sustainable Prospect in North East India (A Review)

Thejanguno Peseyie — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0100

In every inhabited part of the world man has modified his biophysical environment according to the milieu and available natural resources. Shifting cultivation is one such adaptation on the hills and mountain slopes, whereby farmers carry out cultivation by shifting cultivation plots. This review lays focus on the dominance of traditional shifting cultivation practices in North East India. The region is geographically distinct from the rest of the country in terms of its culture and traditional practices. Locally known as Jhum, this traditional cultivation which was undertaken for self-subsistence using simple tools and long fallow periods has transformed to the present state of short fallow periods over the years. Thereby, the self-sustenance practice which was not in the purview of environmental degradation has now become to be labelled unsustainable in respect to soil loss, forest degradation etc. Studies have shown that with increase in population, shortened fallow periods have transformed the nutrient content of the soil leading to decrease in soil fertility and low productivity. Although, considering the effect it has on the livelihood and food security of the indigenous people shifting cultivation cannot be entirely considered an unsustainable practice. Government initiatives and development programmes have been fruitful in transforming shifting to settled cultivation in some of the states. This review highlights the need for more in-depth assessment of shifting cultivation that will assist in identifying and adoption of proper management and development activities best suited for attaining a sustainable livelihood in the interest of the indigenous population.

Comparative Effects of Plant Growth Regulators on the Growth Performance of Two Purple-Fleshed Sweet Potato Cultivars

Sat, 02 Aug 2025 00:00:00 +0100

Sweet potato varieties “Apomuden” and “Nane” have been supplied to farmers for some years in Northern Ghana. It was suspected that the materials have been infected by viruses. This study was done to generate a protocol for the varieties and to generate planting material for subsequent multiplication and virus indexing. Aseptic cultures of the two varieties were raised through micropropagation. The effect of three growth regulators (IAA, BAP and Kinetin) at 2 mg/l on growth of the two varieties was studied using complete randomised design with three replications. The study was conducted at the Plant Tissue Culture laboratory at Nyankpala campus of the University for Development Studies using Murashige and Skoog media. Shoot induction was more effectively promoted in MS medium supplemented with BAP and performed better in Nane variety as compared to Apomuden. The medium supplemented with IAA stimulated root growth and development while BAP inhibited root formation. It is recommended that BAP at 2 mg/l should be used to multiply the sweet potato varieties for virus indexing.