Investigating El Niño‐Southern Oscillation and society relationships

Bibliographic Data

ID12929151
AuthorsStephen E Zebiak (corresponding author), B Orlove (0000-0003-0489-4219, Columbia University), Ángel G Muñoz (0000-0002-2212-6654, University of Zulia), Catherine Vaughan, James Hansen (0000-0002-8599-7895), Tara J Troy (0000-0001-5366-0633, Lehigh University), Madeleine C Thomson (0000-0002-3564-6421, Columbia University), Allyza Lustig (0000-0001-5002-9897), Samantha Garvin
Year2014
Volume6
Issue1
Pages17-34
Publication date2014-06-24
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueWiley Interdisciplinary Reviews Climate Change (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1757-7780 • E-ISSN: 1757-7799
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/wcc.294
OpenAlexW1522985918
LanguageEN
Citations received11
References cited105

Throughout at least the past several centuries, El Niño‐Southern Oscillation ( ENSO ) has played a significant role in human response to climate. Over time, increased attention on ENSO has led to a better understanding of both the physical mechanisms, and the environmental and societal consequences of the phenomenon. The prospects for seasonal climate forecasting emerged from ENSO studies, and were first pursued in ENSO studies. In this paper, we review ENSO 's impact on society, specifically with regard to agriculture, water, and health; we also explore the extent to which ENSO ‐related forecasts are used to inform decision making in these sectors. We find that there are significant differences in the uptake of forecasts across sectors, with the highest use in agriculture, intermediate use in water resources management, and the lowest in health. Forecast use is low in areas where ENSO linkages to climate are weak, but the strength of this linkage alone does not guarantee use. Moreover, the differential use of ENSO forecasts by sector shows the critical role of institutions that work at the boundary between science and society. In a long‐term iterative process requiring continual maintenance, these organizations serve to enhance the salience, credibility, and legitimacy of forecasts and related climate services. WIREs Clim Change 2015, 6:17–34. doi: 10.1002/wcc.294 This article is categorized under: Climate, History, Society, Culture > World Historical Perspectives Social Status of Climate Change Knowledge > Climate Science and Decision Making

Agriculture · Climate change · Climatology · Credibility · Economics · El Niño Southern Oscillation · Environmental resource management · Geography · Legitimacy · Natural resource economics · Political science · Salience (neuroscience · Climate change impacts on agriculture · Climate variability and models · Meteorological Phenomena and Simulations · Psychology · Ecology