Universiteit Almeria (ES) zoekt een consortium voor FP7 ENV.2010 (voorstel in wording of reeds opgestart)

University of Almeria in Spain is seeking to join as partner a research proposal, ongoing or in the course of elaboration on the following themes:

FP7-ENV-2010 Environment (including Climate Change) Calls

FP7- ENV.2010.1.1.6-1 Climate change mitigation options linked to deforestation and agriculture in the context of a post-2012 international agreement on climate change

FP7- ENV.2010.1.1.6-2 Explore climate policy scenarios for developing countries
and/or emerging economies

Theme: Assessment of the potential for attenuation of regional warming and atmospheric CO2 offset through land albedo change at European human settlements

Objective: Our line of research can play a significant role in projects developing new approaches for integrating cost-effective adaptation and mitigation measures supporting the post-2012 initiatives, particularly from the local action point of view.

Our competency:

We have developed an integrated methodology to study mitigation and adaptation options to global warming at local or regional scales based on land cover changes:
 
- Estimation of radiative forcing of climate associated to land cover changes, by remote sensing data coupled with field measurements
- Life cycle assessment (LCA) of mitigation options, integration of changes in land cover reflectivity in global warming potential (GWP) estimates.
- Analysis of long-term climate trends in order to characterize the impact of global warming at local scales and future projections.

Context:

There is a growing body of evidences demanding the inclusion of human driven changes in net solar energy budget in the post-Kyoto policy, along with emission reductions goals. For instance, the government of California is steadily moving towards including CO2 offset by urban surface albedo enhancement in its climate policy.

At local and regional scales, changes in land cover can exert forcings on climate that largely offset warming due to greenhouse gases. This makes changes in reflectivity or albedo of human settlements a cost-effective and short-term option for adaptation and saving time while emissions reductions or development of new climate neutral technologies is achieved.

Our line of research stands from a landmark study published in 2008:

Campra, P., M. Garcia, Y. Canton, and A. Palacios-Orueta (2008), Surface temperature cooling trends and negative radiative forcing due to land use change toward greenhouse farming in southeastern Spain, J. Geophys. Res., 113, D18109, doi:10.1029/2008JD009912.

In this research we found a casual link between cooling temperature trends detected in the province of Almeria, south of Spain, and the recent development of horticulture in thousands of hectares of highly reflective greenhouses. A summary and draft of this paper can be read at my web www.ual.es/~pcampra. Other references can be found at New Scientist and Reuters:

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20026775.000-are-shiny-hothouses-keeping-spain-cool.html
http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE4983OH20081009

Similarly, another 2008 study, lead by Dr. Akbari from the National Berkeley Lab in California proposed increasing urban albedo worldwide as a carbon offset feasible option: 

http://www.climatechange.ca.gov/events/2008_conference/presentations/2008-09-09/Hashem_Akbari.pdf

Dr. Akbari has shown disposition to participate in our EU project.

This and many other recent works highlight the need of research into the feasibility, efficiency and mitigation potential of the implementation of albedo enhancement of human settlements in Europe, especially in Mediterranean latitudes. Additionally, this strategy should be considered as a complementary climatic policy option for developing and emerging countries reluctant to commit with gas reductions that conflict with economic development, as their per capita emissions are still well below industrialized countries. Most of these countries have high annual incoming solar radiation which make albedo enhancement even more effective than in high latitudes.

 Proposed participation:

Ideally we prefer to integrate our line of research into a wider project in course of elaboration or ongoing, dealing with other mitigation or adaptation options to climate change in Europe or developing countries. However, we are open to other formulas of cooperation.

Short description of organization:

The University of Almeria has develop an intense specialization in greenhouse farming, in response to technological demands from one of the biggest horticultural export sector in Europe, rooted in the widest extension of greenhouses in the world. Our organization develops research projects aimed to improve the sustainability of the intensive agricultural model, such as irrigation efficiency, optimization of the use of agrochemicals, biologic pest control, residue management, etc.

CONTACT:

Prof. Dr. Pablo Campra,
Dep. Hidrogeología y Quimica Analítica
Escuela Politecnica Superior
University of Almeria
Ctra Sacramento S/N
Almeria
Tel. (34)606111020
Email: pcampra@ual.es