title: Developing and testing a cost-effectiveness analysis to prioritize green infrastructure alternatives for climate change adaptation

authors: Reu Junqueira, Juliana

subjects: Green infrastructure

abstract: Green infrastructure has been increasingly identified as an option to help manage climate change impacts in urban areas, although its implementation is still not widely promoted in urban planning. This is because of the lack of detailed analysis for decision-makers regarding construction and maintenance costs for different types and how effective various measures are at managing precipitation at a catchment scale. This paper contributes to fill this gap in knowledge by developing a green infrastructure cost-effectiveness ranking index (GICRI) able to evaluate the stormwater runoff volume reduction of multiple green infrastructure alternatives under different climate change scenarios, over differing spatial configurations and combining this performance data with their construction and maintenance costs. After applying this model over two case study areas, this paper provides three main insights. First, climate change projections have a significant impact on green infrastructure cost-effectiveness. Second, as green infrastructure cost-effectiveness is influenced by the spatial scale, there are different challenges for larger cities and smaller regional towns. Building on this, the paper argues that GICRI can be a simple and fast heuristic to increase the use of green infrastructure by informing decision-makers regarding how and where to prioritize investment or where greater modelling is needed.

text: Developing and testing a cost-effectiveness analysis to prioritize green infrastructure alternatives for climate change adaptation Green infrastructure has been increasingly identified as an option to help manage climate change impacts in urban areas, although its implementation is still not widely promoted in urban planning. This is because of the lack of detailed analysis for decision-makers regarding construction and maintenance costs for different types and how effective various measures are at managing precipitation at a catchment scale. This paper contributes to fill this gap in knowledge by developing a green infrastructure cost-effectiveness ranking index (GICRI) able to evaluate the stormwater runoff volume reduction of multiple green infrastructure alternatives under different climate change scenarios, over differing spatial configurations and combining this performance data with their construction and maintenance costs. After applying this model over two case study areas, this paper provides three main insights. First, climate change projections have a significant impact on green infrastructure cost-effectiveness. Second, as green infrastructure cost-effectiveness is influenced by the spatial scale, there are different challenges for larger cities and smaller regional towns. Building on this, the paper argues that GICRI can be a simple and fast heuristic to increase the use of green infrastructure by informing decision-makers regarding how and where to prioritize investment or where greater modelling is needed.

year: 2022-11-23

title: Ages of 24 widespread tephras erupted since 30,000 years ago in New Zealand, with re-evaluation of the timing and palaeoclimatic implications of the Lateglacial cool episode recorded at Kaipo bog

authors: Lowe, David J.

subjects: ACR

abstract: Tephras are important for the NZ-INTIMATE project because they link all three records comprising the composite inter-regional stratotype developed for the New Zealand climate event stratigraphy (NZ-CES). Here we firstly report new calendar ages for 24 widespread marker tephras erupted since 30,000 calendar (cal.) years ago in New Zealand to help facilitate their use as chronostratigraphic dating tools for the NZ-CES and for other palaeoenvironmental and geological applications. The selected tephras comprise 12 rhyolitic tephras from Taupo, nine rhyolitic tephras from Okataina, one peralkaline rhyolitic tephra from Tuhua, and one andesitic tephra each from Tongariro and Egmont/Taranaki volcanic centres. Age models for the tephras were obtained using three methods: (i) 14C-based wiggle-match dating of wood from trees killed by volcanic eruptions (these dates published previously); (ii) flexible depositional modelling of a high-resolution 14C-dated age-depth sequence at Kaipo bog using two Bayesian-based modelling programs, Bacon and OxCal's P_Sequence function, and the IntCal09 data set (with SH offset correction -44 ± 17 yr); and (iii) calibration of 14C ages using OxCal's Tau_Boundary function and the SHCal04 and IntCal09 data sets. Our preferred dates or calibrated ages for the 24 tephras are as follows (youngest to oldest, all mid-point or mean ages of 95% probability ranges): Kaharoa AD 1314 ± 12; Taupo (Unit Y) AD 232 ± 10; Mapara (Unit X) 2059 ± 118 cal. yr BP; Whakaipo (Unit V) 2800 ± 60 cal. yr BP; Waimihia (Unit S) 3401 ± 108 cal. yr BP; Stent (Unit Q) 4322 ± 112 cal. yr BP; Unit K 5111 ± 210 cal. yr BP; Whakatane 5526 ± 145 cal. yr BP; Tuhua 6577 ± 547 cal. yr BP; Mamaku 7940 ± 257 cal. yr BP; Rotoma 9423 ± 120 cal. yr BP; Opepe (Unit E) 9991 ± 160 cal. yr BP; Poronui (Unit C) 11,170 ± 115 cal. yr BP; Karapiti (Unit B) 11,460 ± 172 cal. yr BP; Okupata 11,767 ± 192 cal. yr BP; Konini (bed b) 11,880 ± 183 cal. yr BP; Waiohau 14,009 ± 155 cal. yr BP; Rotorua 15,635 ± 412 cal. yr BP; Rerewhakaaitu 17,496 ± 462 cal. yr BP; Okareka 21,858 ± 290 cal. yr BP; Te Rere 25,171 ± 964 cal. yr BP; Kawakawa/Oruanui 25,358 ± 162 cal. yr BP; Poihipi 28,446 ± 670 cal. yr BP; and Okaia 28,621 ± 1428 cal. yr BP.

Secondly, we have re-dated the start and end of the Lateglacial cool episode (climate event NZce-3 in the NZ-CES), previously referred to as the Lateglacial climate reversal, as defined at Kaipo bog in eastern North Island, New Zealand, using both Bacon and OxCal P_Sequence modelling with the IntCal09 data set. The ca 1200-yr-long cool episode, indicated by a lithostratigraphic change in the Kaipo peat sequence to grey mud with lowered carbon content, and a high-resolution pollen-derived cooling signal, began 13,739 ± 125 cal. yr BP and ended 12,550 ± 140 cal. yr BP (mid-point ages of the 95% highest posterior density regions, Bacon modelling). The OxCal modelling, generating almost identical ages, confirmed these ages. The Lateglacial cool episode (ca 13.8-12.6 cal. ka BP) thus overlaps a large part of the entire Antarctic Cold Reversal chronozone (ca 14.1-12.4 cal. ka BP or ca 14.6-12.8 cal. ka BP), and an early part of the Greenland Stadial-1 (Younger Dryas) chronozone (ca 12.9-11.7 cal. ka BP). The timing of the Lateglacial cool episode at Kaipo is broadly consistent with the latitudinal patterns in the Antarctic Cold Reversal signal suggested for the New Zealand archipelago from marine and terrestrial records, and with records from southern South America.

text: Ages of 24 widespread tephras erupted since 30,000 years ago in New Zealand, with re-evaluation of the timing and palaeoclimatic implications of the Lateglacial cool episode recorded at Kaipo bog Tephras are important for the NZ-INTIMATE project because they link all three records comprising the composite inter-regional stratotype developed for the New Zealand climate event stratigraphy (NZ-CES). Here we firstly report new calendar ages for 24 widespread marker tephras erupted since 30,000 calendar (cal.) years ago in New Zealand to help facilitate their use as chronostratigraphic dating tools for the NZ-CES and for other palaeoenvironmental and geological applications. The selected tephras comprise 12 rhyolitic tephras from Taupo, nine rhyolitic tephras from Okataina, one peralkaline rhyolitic tephra from Tuhua, and one andesitic tephra each from Tongariro and Egmont/Taranaki volcanic centres. Age models for the tephras were obtained using three methods: (i) 14C-based wiggle-match dating of wood from trees killed by volcanic eruptions (these dates published previously); (ii) flexible depositional modelling of a high-resolution 14C-dated age-depth sequence at Kaipo bog using two Bayesian-based modelling programs, Bacon and OxCal's P_Sequence function, and the IntCal09 data set (with SH offset correction -44 ± 17 yr); and (iii) calibration of 14C ages using OxCal's Tau_Boundary function and the SHCal04 and IntCal09 data sets. Our preferred dates or calibrated ages for the 24 tephras are as follows (youngest to oldest, all mid-point or mean ages of 95% probability ranges): Kaharoa AD 1314 ± 12; Taupo (Unit Y) AD 232 ± 10; Mapara (Unit X) 2059 ± 118 cal. yr BP; Whakaipo (Unit V) 2800 ± 60 cal. yr BP; Waimihia (Unit S) 3401 ± 108 cal. yr BP; Stent (Unit Q) 4322 ± 112 cal. yr BP; Unit K 5111 ± 210 cal. yr BP; Whakatane 5526 ± 145 cal. yr BP; Tuhua 6577 ± 547 cal. yr BP; Mamaku 7940 ± 257 cal. yr BP; Rotoma 9423 ± 120 cal. yr BP; Opepe (Unit E) 9991 ± 160 cal. yr BP; Poronui (Unit C) 11,170 ± 115 cal. yr BP; Karapiti (Unit B) 11,460 ± 172 cal. yr BP; Okupata 11,767 ± 192 cal. yr BP; Konini (bed b) 11,880 ± 183 cal. yr BP; Waiohau 14,009 ± 155 cal. yr BP; Rotorua 15,635 ± 412 cal. yr BP; Rerewhakaaitu 17,496 ± 462 cal. yr BP; Okareka 21,858 ± 290 cal. yr BP; Te Rere 25,171 ± 964 cal. yr BP; Kawakawa/Oruanui 25,358 ± 162 cal. yr BP; Poihipi 28,446 ± 670 cal. yr BP; and Okaia 28,621 ± 1428 cal. yr BP.

Secondly, we have re-dated the start and end of the Lateglacial cool episode (climate event NZce-3 in the NZ-CES), previously referred to as the Lateglacial climate reversal, as defined at Kaipo bog in eastern North Island, New Zealand, using both Bacon and OxCal P_Sequence modelling with the IntCal09 data set. The ca 1200-yr-long cool episode, indicated by a lithostratigraphic change in the Kaipo peat sequence to grey mud with lowered carbon content, and a high-resolution pollen-derived cooling signal, began 13,739 ± 125 cal. yr BP and ended 12,550 ± 140 cal. yr BP (mid-point ages of the 95% highest posterior density regions, Bacon modelling). The OxCal modelling, generating almost identical ages, confirmed these ages. The Lateglacial cool episode (ca 13.8-12.6 cal. ka BP) thus overlaps a large part of the entire Antarctic Cold Reversal chronozone (ca 14.1-12.4 cal. ka BP or ca 14.6-12.8 cal. ka BP), and an early part of the Greenland Stadial-1 (Younger Dryas) chronozone (ca 12.9-11.7 cal. ka BP). The timing of the Lateglacial cool episode at Kaipo is broadly consistent with the latitudinal patterns in the Antarctic Cold Reversal signal suggested for the New Zealand archipelago from marine and terrestrial records, and with records from southern South America.

year: 2013

title: Translated application interfaces - issues of engagement

authors: Mato, Paora James

abstract: In New Zealand, English is the language that dominates contemporary technologies. Usability testing was completed on a range of applications, available with a Māori-language interface, to gauge levels of awareness, engagement and perception. Nearly all of the respondents were unaware of the availability of these interfaces but most indicated they would prefer to use the Māori-language versions. In terms of engagement and usability, users initially engaged using Māori but switched to English when they wanted to quickly complete the task at hand. Few remained fully engaged with the Māori-language interfaces. High levels of language switching were reported and some frustration as the participants encountered new and unfamiliar uses of words. At face value the feedback suggests the translated interfaces contained unnecessary complications and that better design and content might have enhanced the user experience. However, there is evidence that extended use would enable users to become more familiar with the interfaces alluding to initial barriers created by a previous competence in another language -- in this case English. With this previous competence in mind it might be more useful to employ design concepts that would alleviate initial difficulties and serve to keep the user engaged in the target language for longer periods of time.

text: Translated application interfaces - issues of engagement In New Zealand, English is the language that dominates contemporary technologies. Usability testing was completed on a range of applications, available with a Māori-language interface, to gauge levels of awareness, engagement and perception. Nearly all of the respondents were unaware of the availability of these interfaces but most indicated they would prefer to use the Māori-language versions. In terms of engagement and usability, users initially engaged using Māori but switched to English when they wanted to quickly complete the task at hand. Few remained fully engaged with the Māori-language interfaces. High levels of language switching were reported and some frustration as the participants encountered new and unfamiliar uses of words. At face value the feedback suggests the translated interfaces contained unnecessary complications and that better design and content might have enhanced the user experience. However, there is evidence that extended use would enable users to become more familiar with the interfaces alluding to initial barriers created by a previous competence in another language -- in this case English. With this previous competence in mind it might be more useful to employ design concepts that would alleviate initial difficulties and serve to keep the user engaged in the target language for longer periods of time.

year: 2015