The document discusses holding a seminar on May 14-15, 2014 to exchange knowledge on biomechanics, well-being, nature interactions, and the health co-benefits of climate change mitigation. The seminar will provide graduate and postgraduate students an opportunity to present their work in an open scientific forum. Specifically, the seminar will focus on evidence of alternative practices and environmental strategies that can both minimize climate change impacts and improve public health.

1. 5ª REUNIÓN TÉCNICA Y DE COORDINACIÓN
Bilbao, días 28-29 e 30 de Janeiro de 2014
HEALTH CO-BENEFITS OF CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION:
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
Ronaldo E. C. D. Gabriel, Ph.D.
rgabriel@utad.pt
Department of Sport Science, Exercise and Health
Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environment and Biological Sciences
University of Trás-os-Montes & Alto Douro

2. The threat of climate change has generated a global
flood of policy documents, suggested technical fixes, and
lifestyle recommendations. One widely held view is that
their implementation would, almost without exception,
prove socially uncomfortable and economically painful.
But as a series of new studies shows, in one domain
at least—public health—such a view is ill founded. If
properly chosen, action to combat climate change can, of
itself, lead to improvements in health. The news is not all
bad.

3. Millenn. Ecosyst. Assess. 2003. Ecosystems and HumanWell-Being: a Framework for Assessment. Washington,DC: Island

4. the Biophilia Hypothesis (Wilson, 1984):
DESCRIBING THE INNATE HUMAN TENDENCY TO BE DRAWN TO THE NATURAL WORLD
http://www.biourbanism.org/a-conversation-with-e-o-wilson/
http://conserve.nwtrek.org/page.php?id=246
Wilson, Edward O. (1984). Biophilia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ISBN 0-674-07442-4
http://www.sheknows.com/home-andgardening/articles/8010/gardening-with-your-family

5. KNOWING AND EXPERIENCING NATURE
FOR HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
The balance of evidence indicates conclusively that knowing and experiencing nature makes us
generally happier, healthier people. More fully characterizing our intangible connections with
nature will help shape decisions that benefit people and the ecosystems on which we depend
(Russell et al., 2013).
Russell, R., et al. (2013). Annual Review of Environment and Resources 38(1): 473-502.

6. KNOWING AND EXPERIENCING NATURE
FOR HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
According to EMBODIED COGNITION THEORY all of our more complex, abstract, or culturally specific
concepts are creative recombinations of physical experiences we have with the world around us (e.g., seeing
and interacting with tangible objects, moving our bodies through space, or correlating phenomena such as
size and weight). This implies that the way in which we interact with our environment helps guide how we
think and who we are—and thus impacts the core of our well being (Russell et al., 2013).
Russell, R., et al. (2013). Annual Review of Environment and Resources 38(1): 473-502.

7. Russell, R., et al. (2013).
(a) knowing, the metaphysical
interactions that arise through
thinking about an ecosystem, its
components, or the concept of an
ideal ecosystem, in the absence of
immediate sensory inputs (e.g.,
imagining a polar bear hunting,
thinking about a favorite place).
(b) perceiving, remote (i.e., neither
proximate nor tangible) interactions
with ecosystem components, often
associated with visual information
alone (e.g., viewing a mountain,
watching a nature video).
(c) interacting, physical, active, direct
multisensory
interactions
with
ecosystem components (e.g., catching
a fish, building a sandcastle, touching
moss, smelling nearby pine trees,
gardening), which may be cursory and
may involve other people.
(d ) living within, the everyday,
repetitive, pervasive, voluntary, or
involuntary interaction with the
ecosystem in which one lives (e.g.,
living in a forested area, near an urban
park, or by the seashore).
Russell, R., et al. (2013). Annual Review of Environment and Resources 38(1): 473-502.

8. KNOWING AND EXPERIENCING NATURE
Humans
Channels of Human Experience
Nature
Russell, R., et al. (2013).
How the Human Experience with Ecosystems works?
How to optimize Human Experience with Ecosystems?
Russell, R., et al. (2013). Annual Review of Environment and Resources 38(1): 473-502.
The 10 constituents we use span the spectrum of critical
dimensions of human well-being (Russell et al, 2013):
1. Physical health
2. Mental health
3. Spirituality
4. Certainty and sense of control and security
5. Learning/capability
6. Inspiration/fulfillment of imagination
7. Sense of place
8. Identity/autonomy
9. Connectedness/belonging
10. Subjective (overall) well-being

9. Modified from “A NPS Healthy Parks, Healthy People Science Plan. National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, July 2013.”
How to optimize Human Experience with Ecosystems?
A NPS Healthy Parks, Healthy People Science Plan. National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, July 2013.
How the Human Experience with Ecosystems works?

10. health co-benefits of climate change mitigation
ACTIVE
TRANSPORTATION
greenhouse
gases
(GHGs)
Humans
Channels of Human Experience
Russell, R., et al. (2013).
INCREASING THE AREA
GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE
Carbon sequestration
Nature
OF

11. How to optimize Human Experience with Ecosystems?
ESTABLISHED TOOLS AND METHODS
TO MEASURE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY TYPE
LANDSCAPE
Características gerais das Unidades de Paisagem de Portugal e Espanha
Características
Característica
Observações
Considerados os elementos físicos e biológicos dos ecossistemas, e suas relações
sistémicas. É considerado para esta característica uma avaliação de 1 a 5 de acordo
com a sua maior ou menor presença.
C01
Ecológica
C02
Cultural
Considerados os fatores históricos e culturais bem como questões relacionadas com a
identidade da paisagem. É considerado para esta característica uma avaliação de 1 a 5
de acordo com a sua maior ou menor presença.
C03
Sócio –
Economico
Factos sociais e atividades humanas que alteram a paisagem, e instrumentos de gestão
do território que ditam as “regras de jogo”. É considerado para esta característica uma
avaliação de 1 a 5 de acordo com a sua maior ou menor presença.
C04
Sensorial
Relação homem/paisagem. É considerado para esta característica uma avaliação de
S/M/I de acordo com a sua maior ou menor qualidade visual da paisagem, sendo o S
avaliado em 5 valores, o M em 3 valores e o I em 1 valor.

12. zone/areas where we will have a strong gradient of stress indicators.
thermal zones with vegetation and water on one side and mineral zones
on the other or nearby
ACMG can manage to look
for the thermal satellite
data
UTAD can manage to look
for the walking data for
health promotion
How Improve and promote the green infrastructure to help meet health
and greenhouse gas emissions goals through active transportation

13. 3rd SEMINAR ON BIOMECHANICS, HEALTH AND SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT: HEALTH COBENEFITS OF CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION – THE ADPTACLIMA II PROJECT, 14th – 15th May,
2014.
Forum for exchanging knowledge and experience around biomechanics, components of
well-being and channels of human interaction with nature. Graduate and postgraduate students
from a variety of backgrounds will be given the opportunity to present and discuss their work
carried out in an open scientific environment.
In this 3rd edition, our special attention will be to the health co-benefits of climate change
mitigation. Mitigation and adaptation of climate change has generated several policy documents
with lifestyle recommendations that most of them are socially uncomfortable and economically
painful. However, there is current evidence and potential co-benefits of alternative practices, and
environmental strategies that minimize the effects of climate change and improve health and
well-being.

14. “ANÁLISIS DE ESTUDIO DE ECOAUDITORIAS DE AGUA DEL DUERO”
Aumentar a eficácia da utilização de transporte ativo para a
diminuição da emissão de gases com efeitos de estufa e para a
promoção da saúde e do bem-estar .
- Contabilização da carga antropogénica na bacia do Douro;
- Elaboração da matriz da EcoAuditoria a realizar;
- Aplicação da matriz da EcoAuditoria no terreno, tratamento
de dados e discussão dos resultados;
- Publicação numa revista cientifica com revisão por pares e
indexada no JCR, em co-autoria com a equipa
estudo/investigação da UTAD, de um artigo com os resultados
da EcoAuditoria
http://www.icnf.pt/portal/turnatur/visit-ap/pn/pndi/inf-ger
http://arribesdeldouro.com/