Cryospheric Contributions and Sustainable Development

The cryosphere has been contributing to our societies by providing with services and also hazards, which affecting our wellbeing. Similar to the ecosystem service, the cryosphere has functions of provisioning water supply, regulating climate, supporting ecosystem, and serving the cultural needs, from which human benefits. Meanwhile, cryospheric hazards can generate adverse impacts on societies by such as glacier lake outburst floods, glacial debris flow, wind-blown snow, avalanches, blizzards, freezing rain, freeze–thaw hazards, and river and sea-ice hazards.

In this regard, the cryosphere may contribute to our societies in either positive or negative ways. It brings in risks, but also offers benefits at the same time. The contributions are expected to be significantly affected by climate change. In other words, cryosphere changes may lead to a various kind of impacts, mostly represented by the loss of services contributed by the cryosphere. Alternatively, more losses can occur as a result of increasing cryospheric hazards, leading to severe damage of livelihoods and infrastructures and displacement of population.

To maintain the prosperity in the cryosphere without compromising the ability of future generation to continue sharing its benefits even under climate change, it is required for us to adapt to the change, minimize risks and effectively utilize cryospheric resources by taking more sustainable approaches in our development.

This special issue is dedicated to the research to understand the cryospheric contributions and their changes under changing climate, in particular, identify pathways to adapt to the change and sustainable development. More specifically, the subject may include,

• Crospheric hazards and their risks;
• Cryosphere services and their benefits to societies;
• Effects of climate change on cryospheric contributions in terms of service and risks;
• Understanding changing dynamics of cryosphere-society linkages, particularly under climate change;
• Adaptation to cryosphere changes under scenarios of reduced services and increased hazards;
• Sustainable development in the cryosphere and its contributions to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Manuscript Submission Information:

Manuscripts should be submitted online at http://www.keaipublishing.com/en/journals/advances-in-climate-change-research/ by registering and logging in to this website. Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page at http://www.keaipublishing.com/en/journals/advances-in-climate-change-research/guide-for-authors/.

Ensure that you mention this Special Issue call for papers in your cover letter. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All manuscripts will be peer-reviewed. Manuscripts will be published continuously online immediately on acceptance. All accepted manuscripts will be listed together on the Special Issue website.

Guest Editors:

• Xiaoming Wang, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences
• Amina Maharjan, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Nepal
• Amy Lauren Lovecraft, University of Alaska Fairbanks

Deadline for manuscript submissions is 1 July 2020.