Document deals with using artificial intelligence (AI) to explore the interconnections between the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. (more…)

Document deals with research into groundwater inflow into Arctic coastal waters and its impact on biogeochemical processes. The study focuses on fresh subsea groundwater discharge (FSGD) (more…)

Document, entitled "Final Report: Financing Climate-Friendly Agriculture", assesses appropriate policy instruments and limits of market-based approaches to support climate-friendly agriculture in Europe. (more…)

Von der Leyen: Let's revive Europe's competitiveness without abandoning the Green Deal. The European Union is aiming to restore its competitiveness through a new plan presented by Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen. The plan, called Competitiveness Compass, has three main pillars:

• Bridging the innovation gap: Promoting productivity through innovation.
• Joint Decarbonisation and Competitiveness Plan: Transition to a zero-emissions economy.
• Reducing dependencies and strengthening resilience and economic security.

These pillars are supported by cross-cutting factors such as simplification, reducing barriers in the single market, financing competitiveness, skills and quality of employment a better coordination.

Europe has strengths such as a solid industrial base, a skilled workforce, a single market and a stable regulatory framework, but it lags behind in productivity growth. Europe's economic model has been based on cheap labour and energy, which is no longer sustainable.

First pillar focuses on fostering innovation, as European industry is too static and few start-ups are developing breakthrough technologies. Although the number of patent applications in Europe is comparable to the US and China, only a third of them are commercially exploited. In addition, only 13.5% of European companies use artificial intelligence. The Commission wants to stimulate the use of artificial intelligence, introduce action plans for advanced materials, quantum computing, biotechnology, robotics and space technologies, and improve access to capital. Start-ups face 27 national regulatory frameworks, so a single set of rules is proposed. Access to risk capital is also a problem, with only 5% of venture capital raised in the EU, compared to 52% in the US and 40% in China. Europe has savings, but lacks an efficient capital market, so a European Union Savings and Investment Programme will be presented.

Second pillar stresses the transition to a zero-emission economy and the commitment to the goals of the Green Deal. Europe is a leader in clean technologies and wants to maintain its leadership, guaranteeing certainty in investments, priority in public procurement and targeted state aid in strategic sectors. Another important point is the cost of energy, which is too high, which is why an action plan for affordable energy is being prepared.

Third pillar focuses on resilience and economic security, with Europe a champion of trade with agreements with 76 countries and an economic weight equal to 38% of global GDP. Europe wants to secure supplies of raw materials, clean energy and green technologies from around the world through new trade agreements.

Between transversal factors belongs to simplification of bureaucracy a skills development. European companies complain about excessive bureaucracy, which is why a simplification package is being prepared. Skills development is also important because, although employment is high, there is a shortage of skilled workers, which is why a "European Skills Union" will be launched.

The Competitiveness Compass is a plan with a clear roadmap, the success of which depends on speed and unity. Spring

We are witnessing another record-breaking year. A year of hurricanes, floods, droughts and landslides that are destroying lives and property around the world. Prolonged drought and high temperatures have led to food crises, conflict and migration. The ten largest climate disasters in 2024 cost more than $200 billion, becoming the new norm.

These disasters have affected many countries and communities, but some have been significantly more severe, particularly the V20 – a group of 70 countries highly vulnerable to the climate crisis, with minimal responsibility for its emergence and major obstacles to raising financial resources to increase physical and economic resilience to instability.

Estimates show that the V20 countries need to raise $490 billion annually to address climate change by 2030. However, these countries face challenges in raising the necessary investments due to rising disaster recovery costs, limited fiscal capacity, and problems with access to capital and climate finance. At least a quarter of the V20 countries are currently at risk of debt distress.

In the context of short policy cycles, prioritizing actions is key. This report therefore highlights ten “super strategies” within the global financial system that could generate up to $210 billion per year in climate finance for the V20 and prevent up to $100 billion in economic losses. These strategies not only mobilize resources, but also create a sustainable cycle to strengthen development over the next five years, generating systemic multiplier effects that amplify their collective impact, addressing both immediate and long-term financing needs in four key areas. Spring

The rate of ocean warming has more than quadrupled over the past four decades, according to researchers. While ocean temperature In the late 1980s, it was rising by about 0.06 degrees Celsius per decade, and is now increasing by 0.27 degrees Celsius per decade, scientists said Tuesday. (More on independent.co.uk)

As we burn fossil fuels, the amount of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere gradually increases, and with it the planet's average temperature. How quickly atmospheric carbon dioxide levels rise—and with it, temperatures—depends on the ability of people and ecosystems to adapt. A slower increase gives people time to move away from low-lying areas and animals time to move to new habitats. (More on phys.org)

A study published in the journal Nature Medicine evaluates the impact of climate change on mortality caused by heat and cold in 854 European cities between 2015 and 2099. It analyses different scenarios that take into account climate change, demographic developments and adaptation to heat.

Key findings:

• No heat adaptation Heat-related mortality is expected to overcomes the decline in cold-related mortality in all scenarios considered.
• Under the SSP3-7.0 scenario, which assumes the least effort in mitigation and adaptation, the total number of deaths related to climate change could increase by 49.9 % and accumulate 2,345,410 deaths between 2015 and 2099. Even with a high level of adaptation (50% risk reduction), this trend would not be reversed.
• Regional differences are significant: Northern European countries could see a slight decrease in mortality, while Mediterranean and Eastern Europe they are very vulnerable.
• The increase in heat-related mortality is associated with a steeper curve of the mortality-temperature curve at high temperatures. This means that an increase in temperature has a greater impact on mortality than a decrease in temperature.
• Heat adaptation can mitigate negative impacts, but large-scale adaptation (90% risk reduction) is needed to reverse the trend of increasing mortality, especially under the SSP3-7.0 scenario. Even with 50 % adaptation, mortality would still increase in the Mediterranean, Central Europe and the Balkans.
• Geographical differences are significant. For example, Malta shows the largest increase in mortality, while Ireland shows the lowest.
• The data indicate that strong mitigation policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions are keyto avoid widespread increases in mortality associated with climate change.

The document emphasizes that it is A comprehensive assessment of the impacts of climate change on health is needed and that mitigation and adaptation measures need to be taken to protect the health of the population.

Study methodology:

• The study uses data from 854 European cities with more than 50,000 inhabitants.
• They were used daily temperature data from 19 general circulation models (GCMs), demographic projections, and specific temperature-related mortality curves for each city and five age groups.
• To isolate the impacts of climate change, two sub-scenarios were compared: "full" (with climate and demographic changes) and "demographic change only" (with constant temperature distribution).
• They were also used Monte Carlo simulations to account for uncertainty in epidemiological analyses.

The study also considers factors such as population aging, which increases vulnerability to heat and cold, as well as the potential for adaptation through socio-economic factors. However, the consideration of adaptation was limited to general adaptation without geographical differences and specific driving forces. Spring

Glossary of key terms

• SSP (Shared Socioeconomic Pathways): Shared socio-economic pathways; a framework for socio-economic development scenarios used in modelling the future impact of climate change.
• GCM (General Circulation Model): General circulation model; a computer model that simulates the global climate system and is used to predict future climate conditions.
• ERF (Exposure-Response Function): Exposure response function; an epidemiological function that describes the relationship between exposure (e.g. temperature) and health outcome (e.g. mortality).
• MMT (Minimum Mortality Temperature): Minimum mortality temperature; the temperature at which mortality is lowest, and from which it increases at higher and lower temperatures.
• Net Effect: The balance between increases in heat-related mortality and decreases in cold-related mortality due to climate change.
• Adaptation: Measures that reduce the negative impacts of climate change. In this context, these are measures that reduce the negative impacts of heat on health.
• Mitigation: Measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and thereby slow down climate change.
• Monte Carlo Simulations: A computational technique that uses random numbers to model the probability of different outcomes in a process that cannot be easily predicted due to random variables. It is used in the study to model uncertainty in ERF estimates.
• Mortality: The number of deaths in a given population during a certain period.
• Temperature-related mortality: Mortality that is directly affected by exposure to extremely high or low temperatures.

Document presents 80-million-year record of atmospheric CO2 derived from boron isotopes (δ11B), which was created in combination with other isotopic records (strontium 87Sr/86Sr, carbon δ13C and oxygen δ18O). The research focuses on Late Paleozoic Ice Age (LPIA), which lasted from approximately 370 to 260 million years ago. The main findings and conclusions include:

• Low CO2 during LPIA: During the main phase of the LPIA, which began in the Middle Mississippian (about 330 million years ago), atmospheric CO2 was maintained at low values, which is considered unprecedented in Earth's history. CO2 concentrations have dropped to minimum approximately 200 ± 100 ppm around 298 million years ago.
• Sudden increase in CO2 and the end of LPIA: Around 294 million years ago, there was a sudden fourfold increase in atmospheric CO2, which led to completion of LPIA and the transition to the warmer period of the Early Permian. This increase in CO2 was relatively rapid and led to warming and drier conditions.
• Mechanisms for maintaining low CO2 during LPIA: Low CO2 during LPIA was maintained thanks to increased chemical weathering, which was caused by the collision of Laurasia and Gondwana and the uplift of the Variscan mountain range. Another factor could have been decrease in the rate of CO2 degassing from the Earth's mantle.
• Relationship with large igneous provinces (LIPs): Rapid increase in CO2 at the end of the LPIA coincides with eruptions Skagerrak-Centred LIP (SCLIP) (297 ± 4 Ma). These eruptions are thought to have released large amounts of CO2, contributing to warming and the end of the Ice Age. Other LIPs, such as the Tarim and Panjal, may also have contributed to maintaining elevated CO2 levels.
• Methodology and data: The study uses isotopic analyses of brachiopods for CO2 reconstruction. The δ11B record was converted to pH and CO2 using calibrations on modern brachiopods. It was developed a new approach for estimating δ11B of seawater, which exploits the similarity with the evolution of 87Sr/86Sr.
• Impacts on the carbon system: In addition to changes in CO2, the study also reconstructed changes in Ocean pH a dissolved inorganic carbon concentration (DIC)The findings suggest that changes in CO2 and pH around the Assel-Sakmarian boundary were significant.
• Similarities with the late Cenozoic ice age: The authors point out similarities between the LPIA and the current Late Cenozoic Ice Age (LCIE), which began about 34 million years ago. Both were associated with extensive low-latitude mountain uplift and long-term declines in CO2. The question remains whether a future LIP event will end the LCIE or whether human entry into the game will cause a change.

Overall, the study provides a detailed view of CO2 dynamics during LPIA and highlights the key role of LIP eruptions at the end of this extensive ice age. The findings also indicate that rapid changes in CO2 concentration have a significant impact on climate transitions and ecological systems. Spring

Glossary of key terms

• Late Palaeozoic Ice Age (LPIA): An extensive ice age that lasted from approximately 370 to 260 million years ago, during the late Paleozoic.
• Gondwana: An ancient supercontinent that included present-day Africa, South America, Australia, Antarctica, and India.
• Brachiopod: A marine invertebrate with a two-part shell, often used as a paleo-climatic proxy.
• Isotopes of boron (δ11B): Boron isotopic composition, used as a proxy for the reconstruction of pH and atmospheric CO2.
• Strontium isotopes (87Sr/86Sr): Strontium isotope ratio, used for dating and stratigraphy of rocks, as well as for reconstructing changes in continental weathering.
• Carbon isotopes (δ13C): Carbon isotopic composition, used to study changes in the carbon cycle and organic productivity.
• Oxygen isotopes (δ18O): Oxygen isotopic composition, used to reconstruct paleotemperatures and global climate change.
• Large Igneous Province (LIP): A vast volcanic province, characterized by enormous basalt eruptions.
• Dissolved Inorganic Carbon (DIC): The total concentration of inorganic carbon dissolved in water, including carbon dioxide, carbonates, and bicarbonates.
• pH: The degree of acidity or alkalinity of an aqueous solution.
• Asselian-Sakmarian boundary: The temporal boundary between two geological stages in the Early Permian, associated with the end of the LPIA.
• Carboniferous-Permian: The geological period extending from the end of the Carboniferous to the beginning of the Permian.
• Cisuralian: An older name for the Early Permian epoch, the boundaries of which are approximately identical to the Asselian and Sakmarian stages.
• Pangaea: A supercontinent that existed during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras.
• Orogen: The process of mountain formation caused by tectonic movements.
• Eustatic sea state: A change in sea level that affects all of the world's oceans.
• Radiogenic strontium: The strontium isotope 87Sr, produced by the radioactive decay of rubidium, accumulates in continental crust.
• Neotethys: An ocean that existed during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras between Gondwana and Eurasia.

Document explores the role of the youth sector in addressing climate emotions of young peopleIt points out that young people are deeply concerned about the future of the planet and experience a range of emotions, such as anxiety, sadness and hope.

Key points of the document:

• Young people and climate emotions: The document highlights that young people are particularly vulnerable to negative emotions associated with climate change, such as eco-anxiety, which is a chronic fear of environmental destruction. These emotions have a significant impact on their mental health and daily lives.
• The role of the youth sector: The youth sector, including youth workers and youth organizations, plays a key role in supporting young people to manage climate emotions. It can create safe spaces for expressing feelings, engaging in climate action, and developing resilience.
• Challenges for the youth sector: The youth sector faces challenges such as a lack of training and resources for youth workers, as well as a feeling that young people’s voices are not being heard enough in climate policy discussions. This can exacerbate feelings of powerlessness and frustration.
• Recommendations: The document recommends extensive training programs for youth workers, the creation of safe spaces in youth organizations, and the inclusion of climate change education in school curricula. Collaboration between mental health professionals, educators, policymakers and youth organizations is key.
• The importance of youth policies: Youth policies should explicitly address climate emotions, support youth-led initiatives, and provide healthcare focused on eco-anxiety.
• The term solastalgia: The document also introduces the concept solastalgia, which describes people's fear of negative changes in their home environment due to climate change.
• Emphasis on positive emotions: In addition to negative emotions, the document also highlights positive emotions, such as hope and empowerment that arise from collective action.
• The need for collective action: The document emphasizes that in addition to individual resilience, collective action and community support are also important in managing climate emotions.

The document points to the need holistic approach to address the emotional challenges young people face as a result of climate change, and stresses the key role of the youth sector in providing support and building resilience. Spring

Glossary of key terms

• Eco-anxiety: Chronic fear of environmental destruction, manifested by anxiety, fear, and a sense of helplessness regarding climate change.
• Climatic emotions: A wide range of emotions (both positive and negative) that people experience in relation to climate change and its impacts.
• Solastalgia: Sadness and suffering caused by changes in the home environment due to environmental changes.
• Youth sector: It includes youth workers, youth organizations and other institutions that work with young people and support their development.
• Planetary health: A concept that emphasizes the connection between human health and the health of the planet, while it is necessary to seek comprehensive solutions to protect both.
• Resistance: The ability to cope with and adapt to stress and adverse situations, distinguishing between individual and community.
• Self-efficacy: Belief in one's own ability to achieve goals and take the necessary steps.
• Community resilience: It focuses on strengthening collective resources and support systems in communities to face climate and other challenges together.
• Climate justice: It emphasizes equality and fair distribution of the impacts of climate change and equitable access to solutions for all, especially vulnerable groups.
• Youth policy: A set of strategies, measures and programs that governments and organizations implement to promote the development and well-being of young people in various areas of life, including the environment.

Document represents a principled framework for determining fair contributions of individual countries to warming under the Paris AgreementThe main goal is allocate a global warming budget (encompassing all anthropogenic greenhouse gases) to individual countries based on principles derived from international treaties and environmental law. The study aims to determine each country's fair share of greenhouse gas emissions with a view to achieving the Paris Agreement's goals of limiting global warming to 1.5°C or 2°C.

Key points of the study:

• Fair distribution of effort: International climate negotiations have long debated the fairness of the distribution of efforts to achieve common global goals. The study's framework is based on the principles of fairness, as well as the principles of harm prevention, precaution, polluter-pays, ability to pay, and past-due benefits.
• Global warming budget: The study defines a global warming budget that includes all anthropogenic greenhouse gases and allocates it to individual countries. This approach differs from previous studies that focused only on CO2 emissions. The GWP* metric is used to convert non-CO2 greenhouse gases into CO2 equivalent emissions.
• Three interpretations of justice: The study presents three interpretations of the principles of justice:
  • Interpretation I: Equality and the "polluter pays" principle, where every person is given the same right to pollute, but the country's historical emissions since 1850 or 1990 are taken into account.
  • Interpretation II: It takes into account the ability to pay using indicators such as government bond yields (II-A) and GDP per capita (II-B), which adjusts the distribution based on Interpretation I.
  • Interpretation III: Instead of ability to pay, it takes into account the “beneficiary pays” principle, which uses historical fossil fuel sales to adjust Interpretation I allocated budgets.
• Budget exhaustion: The analysis shows that by 2021, many countries, including most developed countries, will have already exhausted their fair share of the warming budget compatible with the 1.5°C target. The situation is similar for the 2°C target. For example, the US, the UK, Russia and Japan are among the countries with negative remaining budgets. In contrast, countries such as India and Brazil still have most of their budget available.
• Differences between fair budgets and reductions: The study shows a significant gap between the fair budgets allocated to countries and the deepest possible domestic emission reductions they can achieve. Many countries with high levels of human development will need to take action beyond domestic reductions to achieve their fair share.
• Impact of regulatory decisions: The results are influenced by normative decisions such as the choice of equity principles, indicators and base year for calculating historical emissions. For example, when taking into account the “ability to pay” or “beneficiary pays” principle, differences between countries increase.
• Uncertainties and methodological factors: The study also takes into account methodological and physical uncertainties, such as the estimate of the aerosol masking effect, the range of adjustment of the indicators, and the warming target. However, the impact of these factors is less significant than the normative decisions.
• Additional measures: Given the budget overruns of many countries, the study highlights the need for complementary measures such as large-scale carbon dioxide removal (CDR) and international cooperation through financial support and technology transfer.

The study provides a valuable framework for understanding and assessing countries' fair contributions to addressing climate change. It identifies gaps between fair ambition and reality and highlights the need for transnational cooperation. It is also important to note that the study does not take into account the costs of climate change mitigation and the damages caused by climate change, which is important for future studies. Spring

Our Earth is experiencing unusually rapid warming compared to changes over the previous 2,000 years. This global warming is clearly the result of greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas, used in transportation and energy. Global warming and the associated climate change are leading to increasingly serious and harmful consequences for people and the ecosystems that support us. These consequences are manifested in deteriorating health, safety, security and prosperity.

Climate change is often referred to as a challenge or crisis because of its severe impacts, the urgency of finding solutions, and the complexity of the problem. Already, climate change is increasing pressure on the physical infrastructure and social, economic, and political systems we rely on, while also threatening the health and well-being of people and all life on Earth.

Some future climate change is inevitable and/or irreversible, such as the loss of ice sheets and the permanent flooding of coastal areas. However, these changes can be limited by significant and rapid reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions. Urgent action to reduce emissions and scale up adaptation in this decade is crucial to minimize impacts on people and ecosystems. Rapid action would also bring a number of benefits, particularly for air quality and health. These transitions would involve large-scale changes in technology, infrastructure, land use, behaviour and governance structures.

Greenhouse gases emitted by human activities include carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O) and fluorinated gases. Increased amounts of these gases in the atmosphere are causing global warming, with widespread consequences for the climate system.

Climate change has broad impacts on the health and well-being of people and ecosystems. These include more frequent and intense floods, droughts, stronger storms, and fires; changes in food availability and crop production methods; threats to water supplies; and increases in vector-borne diseases, mental health problems, and heat-related illnesses and deaths. Together, these impacts can increase risks to national security.

While some people and regions may experience limited or short-term benefits from climate change, the negative impacts already outweigh most of the positive effects, and with continued warming, any benefits will be further eroded.

Although climate change affects everyone, its impacts are not the same for everyone. Some individuals and communities face higher health risks depending on factors such as age, where they work or live, access to resources, and pre-existing health conditions. These factors are influenced by social and economic context. For example, low-income communities and communities of color face greater risks and harms because they are more likely to live or work in areas exposed to climate hazards and often have fewer resources to respond to their impacts. In rural areas, these risks may be even higher due to a lack of resources or infrastructure to adapt. Young people will also face increasing pressures from climate change throughout their lives. An important part of climate literacy is understanding how and why people perceive the impacts of climate change differently and how social and cultural contexts influence their ability to respond. Spring

Glossary of key terms

• Adaptation: In human systems, it is the process of adapting to actual or expected climate and its effects in order to mitigate damage or take advantage of advantageous opportunities. In natural systems, it is the process of adapting to actual climate and its effects.
• Aerosols: A suspension of airborne solid or liquid particles with a typical particle size ranging from a few nanometers to a few tens of micrometers.
• Biodiversity: The diversity of life, including the number of plant and animal species, other life forms, genetic types, habitats, and biomes in an ecosystem.
• Carbon cycle: The set of processes by which carbon compounds flow between reservoirs in the environment.
• Circulation (ocean): The large-scale movement of water in an ocean basin, which is a key regulator of climate.
• Climate: The average weather conditions of an area over a longer period of time.
• Climate change: Changes in average weather conditions that persist for several decades or longer.
• Climate justice: Recognition of diversity of values and past and present harms.
• Climate model: Numerical representation of the climate system based on physical, chemical and biological properties.
• Climate system: Matter, energy, and processes involved in the interactions between the Earth's atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere.
• Climate variability: Deviations of climate variables from a given average state.
• Co-production (of knowledge): Integration of different knowledge systems.
• Decent work: Productive work for people in conditions of freedom, equality, security and human dignity.
• Discrimination: Unequal treatment of an individual or group of people based on, for example, their race, gender, age or disability.
• Drought: An exceptional period of water shortage.
• Earth system: The function of the Earth as a system of interconnected parts.
• Eco-anxiety: Chronic fear of environmental destruction.
• Eco system: A functional unit consisting of living organisms, their non-living environment, and their interactions with each other.
• Emissions: Release of gases and aerosols into the atmosphere.
• Environmental injustice: Environmental actions, behaviors, laws, and policies that are not fair.
• Equality: The principle of being fair and impartial.
• Extreme events: Weather events that are rare in a particular place and time.
• Extreme heat: Temperatures that are much higher and/or more humid than average.
• Flood: Overflowing of the normal boundaries of a watercourse.
• Food Network: Diagram of the connections between species in an ecosystem.
• Fossil fuels: Carbon fuels from fossil hydrocarbon deposits, including coal, oil, and natural gas.
• Global warming: Increase in global surface temperature.
• Greenhouse effect: The process by which heat is trapped near the Earth's surface by greenhouse gases.
• Greenhouse gas (GHG): Gaseous components of the atmosphere that absorb and emit radiation.
• Danger: The potential occurrence of a natural or man-made physical event.
• Heat wave: A period of abnormally hot weather.
• Tide flooding: It occurs when sea level rise combines with local factors.
• Ice shield: A continental-sized ice body.
• Impact (climatic): Consequences of realized risks on natural and human systems.
• Indigenous Knowledge (IK): Bodies of dynamic and experiential knowledge acquired over time by indigenous peoples.
• Industrial Era: The period from the beginning of large-scale industrial activity around 1750 to the present.
• Inequality: Unfair difference in resource distribution.
• Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: An organization that provides scientific information for climate policymaking.
• Just transition: A set of principles, processes and practices that ensure that no one is left behind in the transition to a low-carbon economy.
• Maladaptation: It occurs when actions are taken that may lead to an increased risk of adverse climate-related consequences.
• Marginalized population/community: A community excluded from mainstream social, economic and cultural life.
• Migration (of people): The movement of a person or group of persons across international borders or within a nation.
• Mitigation: Measures to reduce the amount and speed of future climate change.
• Ocean acidification: The process by which the pH value of seawater shifts towards more acidic values.
• Congested community: A population or geographic area that experiences disproportionate environmental and climate damage and risks.
• Paris Agreement: The 2015 international climate agreement.
• Participatory processes: Approaches to research and planning in which those most affected by the results are actively involved in the process.
• Renewable energy: Any form of energy that is replenished by natural processes.
• Resistance (climatic): The ability of interconnected social, economic and ecological systems to cope with climate change.
• Risk: Threat to life, health, safety, environment, economic well-being and other valuables.
• Sea level rise: Sea level rise.
• Social systems: Institutions, policies, programs, practices, values, and behavior.
• Storm surge: A temporary rise in sea level due to extreme weather conditions.
• Transformational adaptation: Adaptation that changes the fundamental attributes of a socio-ecological system.
• Critical point: The point at which climate change triggers a major environmental event.
• Uncertainty (statistical): An expression of the extent to which a quantity or process is unknown.
• Neglected community: A community that experiences disproportionate environmental and climate harms and risks due to ongoing systemic discrimination.
• Vector (diseases): An organism that transmits disease-causing microorganisms.
• Vulnerability (climatic): The extent to which physical, biological and socio-economic systems are vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change.
• Weather: The state of the atmosphere, especially with regard to its effects on life and human activities.
• Well-being (human): A state of existence that fulfills various human needs.
• Fire: Wildland fire.

Overall goal The INTERCAMBIO project aims to support the mental and physical health of workers in changing work environments due to climate change, the introduction of new working practices and among workers in green jobs. INTERCAMBIO will support evidence-based interventions and the framework for social protection and dignified green jobs . (More on exchange-project.eu)

Soil Atlas 2024 is a publication that emphasizes the importance of soil as the basic source of life on Earth. Soil is considered to be the most diverse habitat on Earth and is essential for food production, water regulation and climate. Yet it is threatened by degradation, which impacts agricultural productivity, food security and ecosystem health.

The main points of the publication include:

• Soil degradation: Approximately a third of the world's soils are degraded, with more than 40 percent of them located in Africa. Land degradation is caused by unsustainable agricultural practices, deforestation and poor land management. In Europe, 60% soils classified as damaged.
• Desertification: Intensive agriculture and the climate crisis are leading to serious land degradation and desertification also in Europe, including countries with temperate and humid climates.
• Climate change: Healthy soil is key to carbon storage. Soil stores more carbon than forestsIt also helps mitigate the impacts of extreme weather, such as storms and floods.
• Corporate power: Excessive use of artificial fertilizers and pesticides damages the soil and biodiversity. These products bring huge profits to multinational companies that influence governments, which prevents the implementation of necessary policies to protect people and the environment.
• Nitrogen fertilizers: Synthetic fertilizers are damaging to the climate, but industrial agriculture is heavily dependent on them. Fertilizer prices have led to increases in food commodity prices, which African countries are most affected.
• Phosphorus: Phosphorus is bioessential element, but its sources are limited. Industrial fertilizers are made from phosphate rocks, the supplies of which are finite.
• Green fertilizers: Producing synthetic nitrogen fertilizers using renewable energy can reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, it does not solve the problems associated with the overuse of synthetic fertilizers.
• Land conflicts: Soil plays an important role in environmental protection, but intensive land use on climate action can lead to conflicts and human rights violations.
• Carbon credits: Soil has a large capacity to store carbon, which is used to create tradable carbon credits. But these can actually undermine efforts to reduce emissions.
• Human rights: Fair access to land is the basis for the realization of human rights, such as the right to food. Yet deadly conflicts over land persist.
• Women and land: Secure access to land is important for long-term soil conservation. However, in many African countries, Women's land rights uncertain, which hinders investment in sustainable land management.
• European Union: EU does not have a comprehensive legal framework for soil protection and previous attempts to create it have been unsuccessful.
• Agroecology: Agroecology represents a response to the industrial model of agriculture, which exploits people and damages the land.
• Hidden costs: Land degradation has many invisible costs – environmental, health, social and economic. Actual Cost Accounting (TCA) allows these costs to be made visible.
• Soil restoration: In India, many farmers are returning to alternative land management practices that were damaged by excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
• Desert restoration: In the fight against desertification in the Sahara and Sahel, they are proving themselves local, bottom-up techniques.
• Soilless farming: Vertical indoor farming allows crops to be grown all year round. Requires less space and promises reducing the consumption of water, fertilizers and pesticidesBut it must be part of a broader transformation of food systems.

The publication also emphasizes that soil protection is essential for the future and that it is necessary cooperate in its protectionIt offers an overview of various aspects of soil and at the same time calls for concrete steps for its protection and sustainable use. Spring

Glossary of key terms

• Soil: The uppermost layer of the Earth's crust, which consists of minerals, organic matter, water, air, and living organisms and is the basis for plant growth and life on Earth.
• Soil degradation: Deterioration of soil quality due to natural and human factors that reduce its fertility and ability to fulfill its ecosystem functions.
• Erosion: The removal of topsoil by water, wind, or other natural forces, leading to loss of nutrients and deterioration of fertility.
• Salinization: The accumulation of salts in the soil, which inhibits plant growth and reduces soil fertility.
• Land grabbing: Large-scale land acquisition by companies, banks and investment funds, often with the complicity of national elites, leading to the displacement of local communities and human rights violations.
• Carbon credit: A certificate representing the storage of one tonne of carbon dioxide in soil, forests or other systems, used in trading under climate policy mechanisms.
• Agroecology: An approach to agriculture that focuses on integrating ecological principles into agricultural practices to increase the sustainability and resilience of agricultural systems.
• Desertification: The process of decreasing soil fertility and drying out in arid and semi-arid regions, leading to the spread of desert conditions.
• Humus: Organic matter in the soil, which is created by the decomposition of plant and animal remains by microorganisms and is of key importance for the structure and vitality of the soil.
• Other technique: A traditional agricultural technique used in dry areas, in which small holes are created to collect water and nutrients for planting plants.
• Vertical farming: An agricultural production technique in which plants are grown in several layers above each other in enclosed spaces, allowing for environmental control and efficient use of space.
• Peatlands: Ecosystems formed by accumulated organic matter from dead plants, which store large amounts of carbon and contribute to the regulation of the water regime.

In Europe and around the world, people are affected by the increasing risks that climate change poses to their lives, health and livelihoods. To honour the victims and those affected by the climate crisis, the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of the EU have designated 15 July as the EU Day for Victims of the Global Climate Crisis.

While climate change is a global challenge, its impacts are being felt locally. July 15 was one of the worst days of deadly flooding to hit Europe in 2021. As our planet warms, the impacts – from extreme weather events such as heatwaves, droughts or floods, to coastal erosion due to rising sea levels – continue to take a toll on lives and livelihoods across Europe and the world, with lasting impacts on local economies and communities. (More on climate.ec.europa.eu)

On his first day as president of the United States, Donald Trump formally announced his country's withdrawal from the Paris Agreement - a landmark global treaty that seeks to limit climate change.

Before signing the order, Trump announced his reasons to an arena of cheering supporters, describing the global agreement as an "unfair, unilateral rip-off of the Paris climate agreement."

Of course, this is not the first time Trump has withdrawn the US from the Paris Agreement – he did so in 2017, during his first term.

On the one hand, Trump's move is a huge blow to efforts at global climate action. The US is the world's second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases after China, and the country is key to global efforts to limit climate change.

But given Trump’s climate denialism, it’s actually better for the US to stay out of international climate talks while he’s in power. That way, the rest of the world can continue to function without Trump’s corrosive influence. (by Rebekkah Markey-Towler, The Conversation, more at phys.org)

Wildfires that raged around the world in 2024 helped drive a record annual spike in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, surprising scientists. The data shows humanity is moving deeper into a dangerous world of extreme weather. (More on theguardian.com)

Document serves as communication tool for promotion the annual event of the European Climate Pact "Together in Action"which will take place March 19, 2025In addition, it also supports a joint mission with the AWorld application.

The document contains short and long texts, which are intended to be shared in various communication channels such as newsletters, websites and social networks.

Main points of the event:

• Discussions and inspirational stories: The event will offer inspiring discussions, networking opportunities, and success stories from climate champions.
• Exclusive dialogue: Participants will be able to engage in a dialogue with Commissioner Wopke Hoekstrom on the latest EU climate policies.
• Panel discussions: There will be panel discussions on accelerating an inclusive green transition, moderated by Kurt Vandenberghe.
• Thematic meetings: Sessions will be held on topics such as climate change adaptation, youth activism, inclusive climate action, overcoming ecological anxiety, and the use of science, art, and artificial intelligence.
• Climate Action Village: The event will feature a "climate action village" with EU initiatives and Climate Pact community projects.
• Live performances: The event will also include live musical performances.

Mission on AWorld:

• The documentary also promotes a mission on the AWorld app, where people can record your climate activities and contribute to the goal of 200,000 actions for the planet.
• Users can earn rewards and compete for the top spots, which will be announced at the annual event.
• The mission in the app lasts from January 21 to March 19, 2025.
• The AWorld application allows monitor activities such as reducing waste, choosing sustainable travel and reducing energy consumption.

Important dates:

• Registration for the event is open until February 24, 2025.
• The annual event takes place on March 19, 2025.
• The mission to AWorld runs from January 21 to March 19, 2025.

The goal events and missions are to involve people in a joint action in the fight against climate change and celebrate progress in this area. Spring

The iconic Great Barrier Reef (GBR) experienced a mass coral bleaching event in early 2024. In the southern GBR, heat stress triggered severe and widespread bleaching to levels not previously recorded, affecting a diverse range of coral genera on One Tree Reef (OTR). We monitored the health of 462 coral colonies over 161 days from the peak of the heatwave to the autumn and winter cooling. 66 % and 80 % colonies were bleached in February and April. By May, 44 % bleached colonies were dead, and 53 % in July. In July, 31 % colonies were still bleached and 16 % had recovered. At Goniopora black streak disease has developed, contributing to high mortality. In Acropora Colony collapse occurred (95% mortality) with accumulation of algal-contaminated fragments. Monitoring of individual colonies in water showed rapid bleaching, disease onset, and mortality. The sheltered condition and offshore location did not protect OTR from bleaching and mortality due to heat stress. (More on aslopubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com)