Do you have a story about how you made a positive difference, improved our environment and helped build a more sustainable future? So why not submit it and take part in the European Environment Agency's (EEA) information campaign "Our Environment: Our Future"? Tell us about Europe's environment through your actions and your own words.  ( More on eea.europa.eu )

Document represents Ursula von der Leyen's political guidelines for the next European Commission 2024-2029. In the introduction, it stresses that the recent European elections have confirmed the diversity and unity of the European (viac…)

The European Commission announced today that the publication of the updated climate target for 2040 will be postponed until before the summer. According to sources within the institution, this is a strategic decision (viac…)

A message working group "Knowledge and Citizens", prepared by the Green Deal Projects Support Office and published by the European Commission in January 2025, highlights (viac…)

A study called "Scientists' warning on fossil fuels" (Scientists' Warning on Fossil Fuels) presents a review of the extensive scientific evidence that fossil fuels and the fossil fuel industry are the main (viac…)

New research suggests that if global temperatures rise by more than 3°C above pre-industrial levels this century, global GDP could be reduced by up to 40 %. These findings represent a fundamental shift in understanding the economic consequences of climate change, as traditional economic models have so far underestimated the impact of extreme weather events and disruptions to global supply chains.

Why are the economic consequences much more serious?

According to a new analysis by a group of scientists from Australia and published in the prestigious journal Environmental Research Letters, global warming above 3°C will not only result in an increased frequency of extreme weather events – such as severe storms, floods and prolonged droughts – but also have serious impacts on international trade networks and supply chains. These extreme events can cause a “cascading” disruption to production processes, which in turn leads to a significant decline in economic activity.

Linking local and global damages

While traditional models have focused largely on the local effects of climate change, the new approach emphasizes the interconnectedness of the global economy. For example, if extreme droughts hit major agricultural areas, it is not just a local loss – global supply chains and markets can suffer, leading to significant declines in incomes and living standards in many countries.

Mitigation and adaptation options

The research also highlights that even relatively mild warming of around 2°C could lead to a reduction in GDP per capita of around 16 %, which is still an alarming figure. It is therefore essential that governments and international organisations immediately adopt ambitious policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while investing in adaptation to the necessary changes. Key measures include introducing a single carbon price, promoting low-carbon technologies and improving infrastructure to cope with extreme weather events.

Call for international cooperation

While the research highlights enormous risks, it also offers hope – with an emphasis on rapid and coordinated international action, it is possible to limit global warming to levels that minimize economic damage. Experts warn that any delay in action only increases future costs and reduces adaptation options, which could lead to long-term and irreversible damage to the global economy.

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New analysis clearly suggests that without immediate and ambitious action, we face serious economic risks that could dramatically reduce the living standards of billions of people. If we are to protect our global economy and future generations, we need to act now. Spring

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Glossary of key terms

• Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs): Models that combine knowledge from different disciplines (e.g. climatology, economics, energy) to analyse complex issues such as climate change and its economic consequences, and to evaluate different policy measures.
• Damage function: A mathematical relationship in IAMs that quantifies economic damage (usually as a percentage decrease in GDP) depending on the level of global warming.
• SSP (Shared Socioeconomic Pathways): Scenarios of future socio-economic development that are used in climate models to project future greenhouse gas emissions and subsequent climate change. SSP1-2.6 represents a low-emissions scenario, while SSP5-8.5 represents a very high-emissions scenario.
• CMIP6 (Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6): The sixth phase of a large-scale international climate model intercomparison project, providing a standardized set of climate projections.
• Econometric models: Statistical models used to estimate relationships between economic variables and other factors, in this case between economic growth and weather conditions.
• Global weather: In the context of the article, it refers to averages of weather variables (especially temperature and precipitation) around the world.
• Local weather: Weather conditions specific to a given country or region.
• DICE (Dynamic Integrated Climate-Economy): One of the most famous IAMs, created by William Nordhaus, is used to analyze the costs and benefits of climate change measures and to estimate the optimal level of emission reductions.
• Welfare-optimal climate policy: A climate policy that maximizes overall societal welfare, taking into account the costs of reducing emissions and the benefits of averting climate damage.
• Carbon price: A price paid for the emission of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases, with the aim of internalizing the externalities associated with their release and incentivizing emission reductions.

Study  provides a systematic review of the complex interactions between food systems, climate change and air pollutionIt highlights that food systems are deeply (viac…)

Document, entitled "Ambition for action: a framework for assessing NDCs", provides a framework for assessing new nationally determined contributions (NDCs), which are key to the Paris Agreement (viac…)

This legal document of the European Parliament and of the Council (EU) 2024/3234 of 19 December 2024 amends the earlier EU Regulation 2023/1115, which focuses on reduction of deforestation through rules for trade in certain commodities. (viac…)

The document provided "Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction 2024/2025"analyzes in detail current state of the building and construction sector in 2024/2025 in the context of global climate goals (viac…)

A total of 451 Olympic athletes from 91 countries, including Indonesia, have called on International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry to prioritize responding to the climate crisis over the growing impact of climate change, particularly citing the recent wildfires in Los Angeles, the host city of the 2028 Olympics.

The appeal was made in an open letter signed by athletes. Signatories include Indonesian wall climber Veddriq Leonardo, a gold medalist at the Paris 2024 Olympics, and Rajiah Sallsabillah, a gold medalist at the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) Chamonix 2023 World Cup in France and a participant at the 2024 Olympics. (Gusty Da Costa more on indonesiabusinesspost.com)

The European State of the Climate will be published on 15 April 2025 and will provide a wide range of new data and analysis on the year 2024. After collecting and analysing key climate data for the year, an effort involving around 100 contributors, the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) and the World Meteorological Organization (WOT) are publishing the European State of the Climate (WOTC 2024), which provides a detailed overview and key insights on a wide range of climate variables and topics. ( More on climate.copernicus.eu)

Frequently asked questions on the implementation of the new European regulation on packaging and packaging waste (PPWR), which entered into force in February 2025. It highlights the opportunities (viac…)

Key requirements of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which entered into force on 11 February 2025 and will apply from 12 August 2026, cover a number of areas aimed at reducing (viac…)

Detailed instructions for national and local governments to implement the revised Regulation (EU) 2025/40 on packaging and packaging waste (PPWR). The aim of the regulation, which has (viac…)

A detailed analysis by an international team shows that recent global increases in terrestrial carbon stocks are largely stored in non-living parts of ecosystems, rather than in living biomass, as previously thought. (viac…)

The term greenhouse gas often brings to mind carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ), and rightly so, as it is a key contributor to global warming. However, a more potent pollutant and greenhouse gas (viac…)

Rising temperatures due to climate change are increasing the risk of people being exposed to so-called mycotoxins, naturally occurring toxins produced by fungi found in certain foods, feed and crops, according to a briefing published today by the European Environment Agency (EEA). These toxins can harm health and preventing the increase in contamination requires joint action at European and national level, in research, policies and practice, to effectively reduce the risks. (More on (eea.europa.eu)

The study provides a detailed overview of the impacts of increased atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations on food security, focusing on nutrient assimilation, plant growth and crop quality. (viac…)

Study deals with the impacts of heatwaves and droughts on European forests between 2018 and 2022It highlights that these events are becoming more frequent due to human-induced climate change. (viac…)