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Analyses of climate measurement series from Rwandan weather stations revealed that the division into the four formerly described Rwandan climate zones is not correct any more. This could be shown in a more detailed analysis based on currently available data. In the course of discussions held with the Service Meteo Rwanda it emerged that the climate charts used in Rwandan atlases and school books are based on data covering the period from 1931 to 1960. Fortunately, since then a mass of new data have been collected, which, however, until now have only been evaluated in isolated instances for a specific local as needed. This led to the initiation of the ReCCiR project. The project’s aim was to conduct a regional climatic analysis covering all of Rwanda and visualizing it on new maps.

We tested a method for high-resolution measurement of CO 2 within the urban canopy layer for urban land-use types in Essen, Germany (51°28' N, 7°0' E; population: 582 000; area: 210 km 2 ) between 2002 and 2005. CO 2 was measured during calm weather on 50 mobile trips, and analysis of this data showed that the urban CO 2 mixing ratio can be represented both temporally and spatially. Mobile measurement allows basic recurring CO 2 patterns to be recorded, since close similarities can be observed in CO 2 patterns within the urban canopy layer at different times if weather conditions are similar or the measurements are taken at the same time of the day. This method of measurement also allows the researcher to make fewer measuring trips than was initially planned. Statistical analysis confirmed that 4 measuring trips per season (2 for daytime and 2 for night time) are sufficient to obtain a representative and reliable picture of CO 2 within the urban canopy layer. KEY WORDS: Urban CO 2 · Urban environment · Mobile measurements · Air pollutants · Statistical analysis · Essen Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisherClim Res 34: 161-167, 2007161-167, 2004161-167, , Henninger 2005a161-167, , 2006a. Since these investigations were only made over a short period (from a few days to several weeks), it was impossible to get representative and reliable data on the atmospheric CO 2 concentration within the urban canopy layer across different seasons and different times of the day (across which there can be substantial variation in urban CO 2 ). Moreover, there does not yet exist a standardized method for measuring trace gases -especially CO 2 -with a mobile laboratory. For this reason it is nearly impossible to compare the results of the different investigations with regard to travelling time and speed, length of measuring route, frequency of measurement, time of day, and trace gases recorded, because each investigation uses a different measuring method and focuses on a different aspect (e.g. CO 2 in relation to land use, or in relation to time of day).The aim of this investigation was to present a method for determing CO 2 concentration within the urban canopy layer through mobile measurements. This method allows for both reproducibility and statistical verifiability of the final results. MOBILE MEASUREMENTSAn advantage of using a mobile laboratory to make air quality measurements is the high level of temporal and spatial representation that would be difficult to achieve with standardized stationary measurements. Continuous measurements mean that a large number of measurements are made over a short time, and within a small area; the measuring frequency of the analyzers is easily increased to high levels by assigning numerous additional measuring points along the measuring route. In addition, mobile measuring provides a solution to studies with a short time frame (and thus only small amounts of data), since a large number of measuring trips can be made over this short period...

A population’s health makes it possible to draw conclusions about a country’s general development level. In connection with local climatic changes, for example, we can assess how well a society adjusts to the new conditions. To that effect, it has been observed during the last few years that global climate change can also affect human health in various ways. We can differentiate direct health impacts (e.g. extreme weather events, natural catastrophes caused by the weather) from indirect ones. However, the indirect consequences cause by far the greater damages to health. They are being spread increasingly by vectors (mosquitoes, ticks, etc.). Especially when a vector-carried infectious disease (e.g. malaria) migrates into areas where it is not endemic, considerable societal problems can result. The people living there would be immunologically unprepared.

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