Stefano Moncada | University of Malta (original) (raw)

Papers by Stefano Moncada

Environmental science & policy, Jul 1, 2024

The Journal of Population and Sustainability

It is not clear how different social, demographic, economic and ecological factors influence the ... more It is not clear how different social, demographic, economic and ecological factors influence the prevalence and lethality of pastoralistfarmer conflicts in Nigeria’s Mid-Benue Trough. This study introduces the ethnicity dimension alongside factors such as climate change, economic development, population density, political violence and terrorism. Data originates from secondary sources, and multinomial regression is used to model significant effects. The results suggest that ethnicity has a greater impact on the lethality of conflicts than other factors (0.038, x2 = 16.339). Further results show that lethal pastoralist-farmer conflict incidents occur in areas directly affected by climate change (87.4 per cent), with low levels of economic development (77.3 per cent) and low population density (58.9 per cent). The study highlights the effect of the multi-ethnic nature of the area as a main driver of lethal conflicts. Solutions for actions are therefore discussed for consideration by re...

Routledge eBooks, Feb 6, 2023

ANU Press eBooks, Jul 31, 2017

Health of people, places and planet : reflections based on Tony McMichael's four decades of contr... more Health of people, places and planet : reflections based on Tony McMichael's four decades of contribution to epidemiological understanding / edited by Colin Butler,

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), Nov 17, 2020

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Nov 17, 2020

European journal of public health, Oct 1, 2022

world's population. A balanced diet that meets food-based dietary guidelines calls for even large... more world's population. A balanced diet that meets food-based dietary guidelines calls for even larger quantities of more costly food groups than would be needed just for nutrient adequacy, owing to their many functional attributes beyond just the essential nutrients that they contain. Faced with this scenario, there is urgent need for an appropriate strategy to increase people's awareness of the relationship between specific food choices and health and to facilitate the educational environment on this issue. Actual examples of current strategies for communication and promotion of healthy and sustainable diets will be discussed. With awareness and knowledge, clear and precise information, a supportive social environment, available and accessible healthy and sustainable food items, and the implementation of related policies, individuals have a great potential to achieve healthiness and environmental sustainability by choosing healthier and more sustainable foods.

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), Nov 17, 2020

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Oct 1, 2022

Zitierweise für dieses Dokument: MedECC-Zusammenfassung für politische Entscheidungsträger 2020 I... more Zitierweise für dieses Dokument: MedECC-Zusammenfassung für politische Entscheidungsträger 2020 In: Klima-und Umweltveränderungen im Mittelmeerbecken-Aktuelle Situation und Risiken für die Zukunft (Climate and Environmental Change in the Mediterranean Basin-Current Situation and Risks for the Future). Erster Sachstandsbericht für den Mittelmeerraum

Annals of the American Association of Geographers

Islandness is a contested concept, not just between disciplines but also cultures, entangled with... more Islandness is a contested concept, not just between disciplines but also cultures, entangled with what islands, island studies, and island identity are understood to be. The purpose of this article is to explore some of these different meanings, without necessarily unifying or reconciling them, with the aim of keeping multiple understandings of islandness in creative tension. We begin by considering islandness as smallness, recognizing that though many entry points into island studies relate to size in some way, what constitutes small is dependent on both context and worldview. Next, we consider islandness as culture, and the concept of island identity, which is expressed in varied forms. Finally, we consider framings of islands as others, and the extent to which contemporary narratives linked to islands are really inherent to islands or not. Ultimately, we conclude that although there is much to be gained from appreciating differing understandings of islandness, these multiple meanings make it critical to reflect on context wherever the term is used, and exercise care in assigning attributes and outcomes to islandness. Key Words: identity, islandness, islands, island studies, narratives.

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Jan 25, 2023

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2020

Virtually all sub-regions of the Mediterranean Basin, on land and in the sea, are impacted by rec... more Virtually all sub-regions of the Mediterranean Basin, on land and in the sea, are impacted by recent anthropogenic changes in the environment. The main drivers of change include climate (temperature, precipitation, atmospheric circulation, extreme events, sea-level rise, sea water temperature, salinity and acidification), population increase, pollution, unsustainable land and sea use practices and non-indigenous species. In most areas, both natural ecosystems and human livelihoods are affected. Due to global and regional trends in the drivers, impacts will be exacerbated in the coming decades, especially if global warming exceeds 1.5 to 2°C above the pre-industrial level. Significantly enhanced efforts are needed in order to adapt to inevitable changes, mitigate change drivers and increase resilience. Due to anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases, climate is changing in the Mediterranean Basin, historically and projected by climate models, faster than global trends. Annual mean temperatures on land and sea across the Mediterranean Basin are 1.5°C higher than during pre-industrial times and they are projected to rise until 2100 by an additional 3.8 to 6.5°C for a high greenhouse gas concentration scenario (RCP8.5) and 0.5 to 2.0°C for a scenario compatible with the long-term goal of the UNFCCC Paris Agreement to keep the global temperature well below +2°C above the pre-industrial level (RCP2.6). On land and in the sea, heat waves will intensify in duration and peak temperatures. Despite strong regional variations, summer rainfall will likely be reduced by 10 to 30% in some regions, increasing existing water shortages, desertification and decreasing agricultural productivity. It is virtually certain that sea surface warming will continue during the 21 st century by 1 to 4°C depending on the scenario (low or high greenhouse gas emissions) and likely that deep waters will warm more in the Mediterranean than in other oceans in the world. Rising carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations lead to seawater acidification, and this trend will continue. The Mediterranean mean sea level has risen by 6 cm over the past 20 years. This trend is likely to accelerate (with regional differences) by the global rate of 43 to 84 cm until 2100, but possibly more than 1 m in the case of further ice-sheet destabilization in Antarctica. Most impacts of climate change are exacerbated by other environmental challenges such as changing land use, increasing urbanization and tourism, agricultural intensification, overfishing, land degradation, desertification, and pollution (air, land, rivers and ocean). Sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) have recently increased drastically, mainly because of shipping activity. Tropospheric ozone (O3) concentrations increase due to pollution and warming, and high-level episodes will be more frequent in the future. Saharan dust transport is likely to also increase. The Mediterranean Sea is heavily polluted by multiple substances including plastic, emerging contaminants, heavy metals, fecal bacteria and viruses, all with expected increase in the future. The Mediterranean Sea is invaded by many non-indigenous species, particularly from the Red Sea but also through the Strait of Gibraltar, maritime transport and aquaculture. On land, non-indigenous species are particularly present in regions with high infrastructure and commerce development, including accidentally introduced phytophagous pests which cause damage to crops and forests. These trends are expected to continue in the future. Agriculture is the largest user of water in the Mediterranean region. Climate change impacts water resources in combination with demographic and socioeconomic drivers, reducing runoff and groundwater recharge, water quality, increasing conflicts among users, ecosystem degradation and groundwater salinization in coastal aquifers. Demand for irrigation is expected to increase by 4 to 18% by 2100. Demographic change, including the growth of large urban centers, could enhance this demand by 22 to 74%. There is adaptive potential in the improvement of water use efficiency and reuse. Other important adaptations are changing agriculture practices and promoting the traditional Mediterranean diet, local production and reduction of food waste. Land and seafood production activities are strongly impacted by climate change, more frequent and intense extreme events, together with higher soil salinization, ocean acidification and land degradation. Crop yield reductions are projected for the next decades in most current areas of production and for most crops. This will potentially be worsened by emerging pests and pathogens. There is large adaptation potential in changing farming practices and management to agroecological methods, also providing important potential for climate change mitigation by increased carbon storage in soils. Marine food production is threatened by unsustainable fishing practices, non-indigenous species, warming, acidification and water pollution, which together may affect species distribution and trigger local extinction of more than 20% of exploited fish and marine invertebrates by 2050. Adaptation will require more rigorous management of fisheries in the Mediterranean. The sustainability of the Mediterranean food sector (from the land and the ocean) also depends on population growth, regional consumer behavior (diet) and the global food markets (which may be affected by environmental crisis elsewhere). Marine ecosystems and their biodiversity are also impacted by overfishing, warming, acidification and the spread of non-indigenous species from tropical waters. Expected consequences include increased jellyfish outbreaks, mucilage and algal bloom outbreaks, reduced commercial fish stocks, and general biodiversity loss due to altered physiology and ecology of most marine organisms. There is potential for mitigating these impacts through improved conservation within and beyond marine protected areas, more sustainable fishing practices and by reducing pollution from agriculture, urban areas and industry. In coastal systems, sea level rise will impact most infrastructure, aquifers, coastal crops, world heritage and other protected sites, notably in river deltas and estuaries. Increasing nutrient flows towards the sea increase the number and frequency of plankton blooms and jellyfish outbreaks, with negative impacts on fisheries, aquaculture and human health. The multiple levels of land-sea interactions could benefit from the implementation of new approaches of ecosystem-based Integrated Coastal Zone Management and conservation planning.

Climate policy documents and national plans of small island states and subnational jurisdictions ... more Climate policy documents and national plans of small island states and subnational jurisdictions frequently reference the need for ‘resilience’. Yet, definitions of ‘resilience’ vary across disciplines, and depend on one’s cultural lens. Furthermore, climatic trends and events are often not the only challenges facing island communities; they occur alongside political, economic, social, and cultural change and events, giving rise to context- specific and interlinked vulnerabilities, which in turn require tailored and thoughtful solutions. This special section seeks to reflect on what the concept of 'resilience' means in island contexts, how it is deployed, and the dynamics of governance and decision making for 'resilience'. Drawing on the papers in this special section, we suggest that there are several points of ‘creative tension’ in resilience discourse. Identifying the gaps between ‘resilience’ as currently conceptualised, and what could be, helps us move towards m...

The chapter analyses the views expressed by the EP political groups on the future of Europe, take... more The chapter analyses the views expressed by the EP political groups on the future of Europe, taken specifically in the context of the Juncker Commission’s White Paper, as well as in the wider sense of their ideological views on the type of ‘Europe’ they envisage. The chapter focuses on the EP groups to be found in the 2014–19 legislature due to the fact that the principal debate on the future of Europe happened during this period. The chapter focuses on three resolutions adopted in 2017 as well as the EP’s reaction to the white paper, and outlines the support for and against ‘more’ Europe. The chapter concludes by affirming that the largest EP groups remain largely in favour of ‘more’ Europe but that the EP elections of 2019 may result in a parliament less united on the call for greater integration.peer-reviewe

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2021

The attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a key objective for small island de... more The attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a key objective for small island developing states (SIDS) and sub-national island jurisdictions (SNIJs). Despite progress in reducing poverty and social inequalities, improving access to education and health and reducing gender inequalities, many are highly vulnerable to shocks. To assess their ability to improve resilience, the paper investigates their advancement towards achieving the SDGs. The existing literature suggests a mismatch between the progress indicated in the official SDGs' reports and public perceptions about these achievements. Using online surveys of stakeholder groups undertaken in 2020; this research critically reviews the current literature on the progress towards achieving SDGs in two Indian Ocean islands: Mauritius and La Réunion. The study further juxtaposes public perceptions, categorises patterns and identifies gaps in policy design. The findings map out the actions needed at national, regional and international levels to address sustainable development challenges.

WIREs Climate Change, 2022

C. (2022) Small Island Developing States in a postpandemic world: challenges and opportunities fo... more C. (2022) Small Island Developing States in a postpandemic world: challenges and opportunities for climate action. WIREs Climate Change 13 (3), e769.

About the Book: This book was made possible by the NGO Support Centre, Cyprus, under the auspices... more About the Book: This book was made possible by the NGO Support Centre, Cyprus, under the auspices of the EuropeAid project “Knowledge Makes Change” which aimed to develop capacity and raise awareness in Cyprus about the Millennium Development Goals. The project and its effective management by the NGO Support Centre has positively improved communication between academia and NGOs in Cyprus, and has, for the first time, given prominence to the notion of development cooperation in the public arena of Cyprus.

Environmental science & policy, Jul 1, 2024

The Journal of Population and Sustainability

It is not clear how different social, demographic, economic and ecological factors influence the ... more It is not clear how different social, demographic, economic and ecological factors influence the prevalence and lethality of pastoralistfarmer conflicts in Nigeria’s Mid-Benue Trough. This study introduces the ethnicity dimension alongside factors such as climate change, economic development, population density, political violence and terrorism. Data originates from secondary sources, and multinomial regression is used to model significant effects. The results suggest that ethnicity has a greater impact on the lethality of conflicts than other factors (0.038, x2 = 16.339). Further results show that lethal pastoralist-farmer conflict incidents occur in areas directly affected by climate change (87.4 per cent), with low levels of economic development (77.3 per cent) and low population density (58.9 per cent). The study highlights the effect of the multi-ethnic nature of the area as a main driver of lethal conflicts. Solutions for actions are therefore discussed for consideration by re...

Routledge eBooks, Feb 6, 2023

ANU Press eBooks, Jul 31, 2017

Health of people, places and planet : reflections based on Tony McMichael's four decades of contr... more Health of people, places and planet : reflections based on Tony McMichael's four decades of contribution to epidemiological understanding / edited by Colin Butler,

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), Nov 17, 2020

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Nov 17, 2020

European journal of public health, Oct 1, 2022

world's population. A balanced diet that meets food-based dietary guidelines calls for even large... more world's population. A balanced diet that meets food-based dietary guidelines calls for even larger quantities of more costly food groups than would be needed just for nutrient adequacy, owing to their many functional attributes beyond just the essential nutrients that they contain. Faced with this scenario, there is urgent need for an appropriate strategy to increase people's awareness of the relationship between specific food choices and health and to facilitate the educational environment on this issue. Actual examples of current strategies for communication and promotion of healthy and sustainable diets will be discussed. With awareness and knowledge, clear and precise information, a supportive social environment, available and accessible healthy and sustainable food items, and the implementation of related policies, individuals have a great potential to achieve healthiness and environmental sustainability by choosing healthier and more sustainable foods.

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), Nov 17, 2020

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Oct 1, 2022

Zitierweise für dieses Dokument: MedECC-Zusammenfassung für politische Entscheidungsträger 2020 I... more Zitierweise für dieses Dokument: MedECC-Zusammenfassung für politische Entscheidungsträger 2020 In: Klima-und Umweltveränderungen im Mittelmeerbecken-Aktuelle Situation und Risiken für die Zukunft (Climate and Environmental Change in the Mediterranean Basin-Current Situation and Risks for the Future). Erster Sachstandsbericht für den Mittelmeerraum

Annals of the American Association of Geographers

Islandness is a contested concept, not just between disciplines but also cultures, entangled with... more Islandness is a contested concept, not just between disciplines but also cultures, entangled with what islands, island studies, and island identity are understood to be. The purpose of this article is to explore some of these different meanings, without necessarily unifying or reconciling them, with the aim of keeping multiple understandings of islandness in creative tension. We begin by considering islandness as smallness, recognizing that though many entry points into island studies relate to size in some way, what constitutes small is dependent on both context and worldview. Next, we consider islandness as culture, and the concept of island identity, which is expressed in varied forms. Finally, we consider framings of islands as others, and the extent to which contemporary narratives linked to islands are really inherent to islands or not. Ultimately, we conclude that although there is much to be gained from appreciating differing understandings of islandness, these multiple meanings make it critical to reflect on context wherever the term is used, and exercise care in assigning attributes and outcomes to islandness. Key Words: identity, islandness, islands, island studies, narratives.

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Jan 25, 2023

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2020

Virtually all sub-regions of the Mediterranean Basin, on land and in the sea, are impacted by rec... more Virtually all sub-regions of the Mediterranean Basin, on land and in the sea, are impacted by recent anthropogenic changes in the environment. The main drivers of change include climate (temperature, precipitation, atmospheric circulation, extreme events, sea-level rise, sea water temperature, salinity and acidification), population increase, pollution, unsustainable land and sea use practices and non-indigenous species. In most areas, both natural ecosystems and human livelihoods are affected. Due to global and regional trends in the drivers, impacts will be exacerbated in the coming decades, especially if global warming exceeds 1.5 to 2°C above the pre-industrial level. Significantly enhanced efforts are needed in order to adapt to inevitable changes, mitigate change drivers and increase resilience. Due to anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases, climate is changing in the Mediterranean Basin, historically and projected by climate models, faster than global trends. Annual mean temperatures on land and sea across the Mediterranean Basin are 1.5°C higher than during pre-industrial times and they are projected to rise until 2100 by an additional 3.8 to 6.5°C for a high greenhouse gas concentration scenario (RCP8.5) and 0.5 to 2.0°C for a scenario compatible with the long-term goal of the UNFCCC Paris Agreement to keep the global temperature well below +2°C above the pre-industrial level (RCP2.6). On land and in the sea, heat waves will intensify in duration and peak temperatures. Despite strong regional variations, summer rainfall will likely be reduced by 10 to 30% in some regions, increasing existing water shortages, desertification and decreasing agricultural productivity. It is virtually certain that sea surface warming will continue during the 21 st century by 1 to 4°C depending on the scenario (low or high greenhouse gas emissions) and likely that deep waters will warm more in the Mediterranean than in other oceans in the world. Rising carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations lead to seawater acidification, and this trend will continue. The Mediterranean mean sea level has risen by 6 cm over the past 20 years. This trend is likely to accelerate (with regional differences) by the global rate of 43 to 84 cm until 2100, but possibly more than 1 m in the case of further ice-sheet destabilization in Antarctica. Most impacts of climate change are exacerbated by other environmental challenges such as changing land use, increasing urbanization and tourism, agricultural intensification, overfishing, land degradation, desertification, and pollution (air, land, rivers and ocean). Sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) have recently increased drastically, mainly because of shipping activity. Tropospheric ozone (O3) concentrations increase due to pollution and warming, and high-level episodes will be more frequent in the future. Saharan dust transport is likely to also increase. The Mediterranean Sea is heavily polluted by multiple substances including plastic, emerging contaminants, heavy metals, fecal bacteria and viruses, all with expected increase in the future. The Mediterranean Sea is invaded by many non-indigenous species, particularly from the Red Sea but also through the Strait of Gibraltar, maritime transport and aquaculture. On land, non-indigenous species are particularly present in regions with high infrastructure and commerce development, including accidentally introduced phytophagous pests which cause damage to crops and forests. These trends are expected to continue in the future. Agriculture is the largest user of water in the Mediterranean region. Climate change impacts water resources in combination with demographic and socioeconomic drivers, reducing runoff and groundwater recharge, water quality, increasing conflicts among users, ecosystem degradation and groundwater salinization in coastal aquifers. Demand for irrigation is expected to increase by 4 to 18% by 2100. Demographic change, including the growth of large urban centers, could enhance this demand by 22 to 74%. There is adaptive potential in the improvement of water use efficiency and reuse. Other important adaptations are changing agriculture practices and promoting the traditional Mediterranean diet, local production and reduction of food waste. Land and seafood production activities are strongly impacted by climate change, more frequent and intense extreme events, together with higher soil salinization, ocean acidification and land degradation. Crop yield reductions are projected for the next decades in most current areas of production and for most crops. This will potentially be worsened by emerging pests and pathogens. There is large adaptation potential in changing farming practices and management to agroecological methods, also providing important potential for climate change mitigation by increased carbon storage in soils. Marine food production is threatened by unsustainable fishing practices, non-indigenous species, warming, acidification and water pollution, which together may affect species distribution and trigger local extinction of more than 20% of exploited fish and marine invertebrates by 2050. Adaptation will require more rigorous management of fisheries in the Mediterranean. The sustainability of the Mediterranean food sector (from the land and the ocean) also depends on population growth, regional consumer behavior (diet) and the global food markets (which may be affected by environmental crisis elsewhere). Marine ecosystems and their biodiversity are also impacted by overfishing, warming, acidification and the spread of non-indigenous species from tropical waters. Expected consequences include increased jellyfish outbreaks, mucilage and algal bloom outbreaks, reduced commercial fish stocks, and general biodiversity loss due to altered physiology and ecology of most marine organisms. There is potential for mitigating these impacts through improved conservation within and beyond marine protected areas, more sustainable fishing practices and by reducing pollution from agriculture, urban areas and industry. In coastal systems, sea level rise will impact most infrastructure, aquifers, coastal crops, world heritage and other protected sites, notably in river deltas and estuaries. Increasing nutrient flows towards the sea increase the number and frequency of plankton blooms and jellyfish outbreaks, with negative impacts on fisheries, aquaculture and human health. The multiple levels of land-sea interactions could benefit from the implementation of new approaches of ecosystem-based Integrated Coastal Zone Management and conservation planning.

Climate policy documents and national plans of small island states and subnational jurisdictions ... more Climate policy documents and national plans of small island states and subnational jurisdictions frequently reference the need for ‘resilience’. Yet, definitions of ‘resilience’ vary across disciplines, and depend on one’s cultural lens. Furthermore, climatic trends and events are often not the only challenges facing island communities; they occur alongside political, economic, social, and cultural change and events, giving rise to context- specific and interlinked vulnerabilities, which in turn require tailored and thoughtful solutions. This special section seeks to reflect on what the concept of 'resilience' means in island contexts, how it is deployed, and the dynamics of governance and decision making for 'resilience'. Drawing on the papers in this special section, we suggest that there are several points of ‘creative tension’ in resilience discourse. Identifying the gaps between ‘resilience’ as currently conceptualised, and what could be, helps us move towards m...

The chapter analyses the views expressed by the EP political groups on the future of Europe, take... more The chapter analyses the views expressed by the EP political groups on the future of Europe, taken specifically in the context of the Juncker Commission’s White Paper, as well as in the wider sense of their ideological views on the type of ‘Europe’ they envisage. The chapter focuses on the EP groups to be found in the 2014–19 legislature due to the fact that the principal debate on the future of Europe happened during this period. The chapter focuses on three resolutions adopted in 2017 as well as the EP’s reaction to the white paper, and outlines the support for and against ‘more’ Europe. The chapter concludes by affirming that the largest EP groups remain largely in favour of ‘more’ Europe but that the EP elections of 2019 may result in a parliament less united on the call for greater integration.peer-reviewe

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2021

The attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a key objective for small island de... more The attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a key objective for small island developing states (SIDS) and sub-national island jurisdictions (SNIJs). Despite progress in reducing poverty and social inequalities, improving access to education and health and reducing gender inequalities, many are highly vulnerable to shocks. To assess their ability to improve resilience, the paper investigates their advancement towards achieving the SDGs. The existing literature suggests a mismatch between the progress indicated in the official SDGs' reports and public perceptions about these achievements. Using online surveys of stakeholder groups undertaken in 2020; this research critically reviews the current literature on the progress towards achieving SDGs in two Indian Ocean islands: Mauritius and La Réunion. The study further juxtaposes public perceptions, categorises patterns and identifies gaps in policy design. The findings map out the actions needed at national, regional and international levels to address sustainable development challenges.

WIREs Climate Change, 2022

C. (2022) Small Island Developing States in a postpandemic world: challenges and opportunities fo... more C. (2022) Small Island Developing States in a postpandemic world: challenges and opportunities for climate action. WIREs Climate Change 13 (3), e769.

About the Book: This book was made possible by the NGO Support Centre, Cyprus, under the auspices... more About the Book: This book was made possible by the NGO Support Centre, Cyprus, under the auspices of the EuropeAid project “Knowledge Makes Change” which aimed to develop capacity and raise awareness in Cyprus about the Millennium Development Goals. The project and its effective management by the NGO Support Centre has positively improved communication between academia and NGOs in Cyprus, and has, for the first time, given prominence to the notion of development cooperation in the public arena of Cyprus.

A study of Malta's Presidency of the Council of the EU during the first half of 2017 from a small... more A study of Malta's Presidency of the Council of the EU during the first half of 2017 from a small state perspective.