INSTRUCTIONS for Individual Lit Review Written Assignment
By Dr Peter Davey
Course Convenor
Task
Write a literature review – essay/paper an environmental issue (in an area of your choice). Discuss the many stakeholders that play a role in achieving a transdisciplinary approach to the problem/solutions. Use analytical frameworks to structure your analysis Eg. SWOT and/or DPSIR and conside
discuss Economic, Environmental, Political, Social and Cultural factors. What are the problems and solutions and final recommendations for change?
Note: SWOT – Strengths Weakness Opportunities and Threats and DPSIR - Driving Force-Pressure-State-Impact-Response Framework as covered in lectures/workshops
Process of Writing an Essay
Step 1
Students work individually to review the literature (eg. Books/Journals/Papers/Debates etc) to better understanding CC and DRR global issues. Also examine this issue at the local level.
Step 2
Complete a preliminary study and select the particular study area/topic to analyse and discuss.
Step 3
Email your final individual topic to Dr Peter Davey for approval
Email: XXXXXXXXXX
Step 4
Literature reviews are refe
ed to as Systematic and/or Comprehensive literature reviews. Certain frameworks are used to look at an issue from many perspectives like SWOT or DPSIR.
Examples will be demonstrated in lectures/seminars. One option is to initially set up a 1 page Matrix Table – find 3 best GLOBAL and 2 LOCAL references and in Section 1.0 the Introduction/Background Section create a Word Table (Matrix Table 1) with for example a Table with 4-5 columns and 6-7 rows with headings like Authors, Year, Title, Methods used in the Study; add 2 Dot Points of the Findings; then 2 Dot Points of the Solutions, then
iefly discuss their global and local findings/solutions around your issue in this section. This approach provides support for your opening argument before you complete Section 2.0 Methods and 3.0. Lit Review - Discussion using SWOT and/or DPSIR and other complimentary analytical frameworks. 4.0 Findings/Conclusions/Recommendations.
Step 5
Suggested Structure of Lit Review – Essay (note other approaches or essay styles are acceptable).
Title Page - Topic, Student name and number, Course Convenor (front cover)
Brief Abstract or Executive Summary (150 words) (second page)
Table of Contents with page numbers (third page)
List of Tables (forth page)
List of Figures/Photos (fifth page)
A
eviations if needed (sixth page)
BODY OF ESSAY
1.0 Introduction and Background (200 – 300 words) discussing with references the Global Climate Change/Disaster or environmental issue debate and highlighting the need to act locally in partnership with all stakeholders across disciplines to address the urgent impacts of your env issue.
2.0 Methods XXXXXXXXXXwords) – this is a
ief statement of the methodology used to complete a comprehensive but concise literature review. Discuss
iefly what a Lit review is? Suggest systematic/comprehensive approaches, then Outline the DPSIR and/or SWOT Frameworks as important analytical tool/s. Add the DPSIR Model as a figure in this section and describe
iefly how the model works. Also consider some of the strengths and limits of this analytical approach. SWOT can be defined here (Strengths-Challenges/Weaknesses - Ba
iers/Opportunities and Threat’s or advantages and disadvantages of certain responses) - these models may also assist with analysing components of your issue.
3.0 Literature Review – Analysis and Discussion of research/opinions in books/articles/papers
eports etc (suggest this part is approx.1000 words – 1200 words, suggest XXXXXXXXXXwords in each section 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4 see below)
3.1 Discuss Drivers (D) and Pressures (P) – list and discuss the anthropogenic impacts - human activity and contribution to climate change from both a global and local perspectives
3.2 State (S) – discuss climate change/disaster effects and changes in nature
3.3 Impacts (I) – list and discuss the impacts on humans from CC/Disasters/Env problems highlighting your issue Eg air pollution, sea level rise, increasing disasters, etc
3.4 Response (R) – list and make suggestions
ecommendation/solutions
esponses needed by humans/scientists/govt and non-govt organisations/industry/communities and argue how various transdisciplinary partners working together to address this global environmental challenge may help reduce impacts on human and the natural environment Eg, United Nations, UNFCC Conferences, UNISDR and Disaster issues, National/State/Local Govt and Non-Govt Agency policies
esponses
3.5 or Use SWOT analysis (
eakdown as above)
4.0 Findings/Conclusions/Recommendations (200 words) What are the short, medium, long-term solutions, How should all disciplines work together with communities to solve these emerging problems, Is this beneficial? Give
ief examples.
ADD
References (list at least 10 published papers, books, chapters of books, UN, UNFCC and IPCC Reporting, UNISDR, National Govt, State Govt and Local Govt reports
Appendices (Add 2-3 appendices if required)
Dr Peter Davey 2019
2
Climate change influences on public health and infectious diseases
Introduction
Changes in the global climate have produced rippling effects on public health and the transmission of infectious diseases. This is particular evident within South and South-East Asia, but also in the Northern and Southern hemispheric developed countries. Several infectious diseases have been identified as being primary public health risks, and can be influenced by climate changes and seasonal patterns. Since there is a particularly wide range that has been researched within the literature, this paper will focus on three key diseases dominant within the South and South-East Asia region and are lingering issues globally. These are cholera, dengue fever, and malaria. Cholera is a form of dia
heal disease, and dengue and malaria are vector-borne.
This literature review aims to address the seasonality and health implications of diseases, climatic changes influencing the frequency of transmission, the mortality toll from extreme heat, shifts in disease distribution, and the main organisations involved in mitigating these risks. The primary focus will be on rising temperatures and heat fluctuations, and the influences on cholera, dengue, malaria and mortality. Temporal fluctuations is one of several components of climate change and disease transmission, and has been identified to play a key role in vector-borne disease epidemics especially. Other climate drivers equally as influential will be discussed where relevant.
Seasonality of infectious diseases and health implications
Cholera (dia
heal), dengue fever and malaria (vector-borne) are infectious diseases that demonstrate cyclical seasonal incident peaks. Vector-borne diseases typically arise during warm and rainy periods. Whereas dia
heal sometimes occurs in one or two annual peaks during the spring, fall and winter depending on the disease and location (Altizer et al., 2006, p.469).
Emch et al XXXXXXXXXXproduced a unique paper, as it is one of the only to explore global seasonality of cholera. Through analysis of 32 years of data up to 2005 evaluating temporal cycles they found cholera sometimes peaks before (April) and after (September-December) monsoon seasons, or November to January and April to May in some cases. This depends on the strand of cholera and location. Cholera is endemic in South Asia, particularly Bangladesh and India (Emch et al., 2008; Baracchini et al. 2017).
The newer strain of cholera, V. cholera, resides in marine ecosystems varying from estuaries, to rivers and ponds. V. cholera is likely primarily transmitted through environmental factors, influenced by climate changes, involving but not limited to temperature, salinity, and nutrient quantities in water. The variability of cholera is recognizably connected with “upper troposphere humidity, cloud cover, atmospheric solar radiation, climate variability, seasonal drivers, and human dimensions”. Temperature related effects from climate change such as warming surface water can lead to phytoplankton blooms, which influences the occu
ence and seasonality of cholera out
eaks (Pascual et al., 2000; Emch et al., 2008).
Cholera is still a global problem however not as threatening as in the past. It is still considered a leading cause of mortality, responsible for 20% of deaths in children under five years old in the Bengal region (Baracchini et al., XXXXXXXXXXMortality for cholera is high due to quick dehydration, lack of early symptoms and usually unavailable fast treatment in developing countries (WHO, 2017; Ali et al., 2015).
Kneret et al XXXXXXXXXXstate, “WHO cu
ently ranks dengue fever as the most important mosquito borne viral disease in the world”. Dengue can be found in more than 100 countries, with XXXXXXXXXXmillion individuals infected annually (Pliego, Velázquez-Castro, & Collar, 2017; Kneret et al., XXXXXXXXXXIn Thailand dengue generally peaks in June and July due to increased humidity and precipitation. Though Limkittikul et al XXXXXXXXXXfound out
eak peaks to occur during the rainy season, largely dominated by monsoons, between May and September and attributes the seasonal variability to climate variability and human dynamics. Similarly in Vietnam, out
eaks can peak between June and November (Do et al., 2014).
The United Nations set a goal to eliminate malaria globally by 2030. Malaria continues to be an issue within South and South-East Asia, particularly India, and sub-Saharan Africa. WHO calculated XXXXXXXXXXmillion cases of malaria per year for South and South-East Asia, this is approximately 30% of global incidences. 80.5% of people in India inhabit areas of malaria risks. The su
ounding Himalayan Mountains keep India warmer by keeping out cold winds, and the Thar Desert draws in monsoonal winds providing rainfall. Most of India has a tropical climate. There is strong co
elation between temperature, humidity, and precipitation when it comes to seasonality of malaria as demonstrated in India and sub-Saharan Africa, often occu
ing in the late second half of the year in these regions (Kumar et al., 2012; Fe
ão et al., 2017).
Lisovski, Hoye and Klaassen XXXXXXXXXXevolved their understanding of infectious disease seasonality by including the processes of global day length variation, solar activity, and topography in their explanation. They explain the degree of seasonality is also determined by seasonal amplitude and duration, as well as population dynamics of immune responses and birth rates. This is aligned with studies from Altizer et al XXXXXXXXXXand Jagai et al XXXXXXXXXXwho suggested several biological mechanisms attributable to seasonality and disease persistence, including immune responses and birth rates.
The literature shows there is not simply one underlying reason for infectious disease out
eaks to occur regularly. Seasonality is complex and highly variable depending on location, environmental, vector and human dynamics. Most are preventable through adequate sanitation, water quality, development and medical treatment availability (WHO, 2017; Altizer et al., 2006; Ali et al., 2015; Baracchini et al. 2017).
Climate induced changes and the frequency or severity of familiar health risks
Cholera, dengue fever, and malaria are the most widely studied infectious diseases influenced by climate change (Haines et al., 2006; Colon-Gonzalez et al., 2013; Purse et al., 2017; Githeko et al., 2000; Ermert, Fink & Paeth, XXXXXXXXXXDeveloping countries struggle the