Climate changes represent an extremely relevant issue in the contemporary debate. The rise of the global temperature of our planet that has occurred in recent years is related to the increase in atmospheric heat-trapping gases concentration: the energy released from the Earth in the form of heat is absorbed by these gases and radiated back to the lower atmosphere and planet surface, rising temperature and provoking the so-called Earth's Greenhouse E ect. Human activities, in particular burning of fossil fuels and deforestation, are considered among the leading causes of high level heat-trapping gases emissions. Moving attention toward the e ects of global warming, it is possible to notice that the most direct consequences of climate changes can be observed in the modi cation of atmospheric and oceanic currents patterns, in the sea-level rising and in the variations of precipitation quantities. In addition to these, they have many wide ranging repercussions that impact on natural ecosystems by damaging ora and fauna but also human health. The work presented in this book addresses the issue of climate changes and their e ects on biodiversity focusing the attention on the Svalbard archipelago. Ecology and landscape are the essential materials of the project, that becomes the trait d'union between science and art, making the entire design process a fundamental common ground within an extremely vast theoretical framework.

Caterina Cotardo

Gaia D'Alpaos