Proposal for a global action plan The Climate Change and Health Plan (2025-2028) aims to address the global health crisis caused by climate changeThe plan was developed following extensive consultations with Member States, civil society organisations, experts and WHO staff. (viac…)

Report EB156/24 submitted by the WHO Executive Board contains an updated plan to respond to the adverse health effects of air pollution. This plan builds on the previous plan and proposes a voluntary target (viac…)

The European Union is back in the spotlight with a proposal for new measures that could fundamentally change the electric car market. Brussels is considering introducing mandatory electrification targets for large companies, (viac…)

Arctic carbon cycle is being affected by anthropogenic climate warming and extreme events such as heat waves and fires in boreal and tundra regions. These changes have a direct (viac…)

Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council (EU) 2024/3012 of November 27, 2024 establishes a Union certification framework for permanent carbon removal, carbon agriculture and carbon sequestration in products. (viac…)

The Greenland ice sheet is cracking at its seams and literally falling apart at a rate that is a testament to the brutal and accelerating impact of global climate change. In just five years, 930 million cubic meters of cracks have opened up in the Greenland ice sheet. A recent, large-scale study from the University of Florida shows how this vast frozen region—the world’s second-largest ice sheet—is breaking apart faster than expected. (Eric Ralls, more at earth.com)

According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), January 2025 was the warmest January on record, with an average global temperature of 13.23 °C, which is 0.79 °C higher than the average for the period 1991–2020. This temperature is also 1.75 °C higher than pre-industrial levels.
Despite the expected cooling effect of the La Niña phenomenon, which is usually associated with lower global temperatures, this record was achieved. It suggests that natural climate patterns are unable to compensate for the effects of human-caused global warming. More on climate.copernicus.eu

Keeping long-term global warming to two degrees Celsius – the backup target of the Paris climate agreement – is now “impossible”, according to a brand new analysis published by leading scientists. The work, led by renowned climatologist James Hansen, appears in the journal Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development and concludes that the Earth's climate is more sensitive to increasing greenhouse gas emissions than previously thought.

Hansen and colleagues argued that the crisis was compounded by a recent decline in sun-blocking aerosol pollution from the shipping industry, which was moderating some of the warming.

The ambitious climate change scenario outlined by the UN climate panel, which gives the planet a 50 percent chance of keeping warming below 2°C by 2100, “is an unlikely scenario,” Hansen said at a briefing on Tuesday.

“This scenario is now impossible,” said Hansen, a former top NASA climate scientist who famously told the U.S. Congress in 1988 that global warming was underway.

"The two-degree goal is dead." (More on phys.org)

Health systems, including hospitals, are on the front lines of climate change, bearing the costs associated with increasing disease burdens and more frequent extreme weather events, while also inadvertently contributing to negative environmental and climate impacts.

A new project called ANIPH (Avoiding the Negative Impacts produced by Plastic materials in Humanitarian contexts) aims to redefine the role of plastics in humanitarian contexts and address environmental challenges through the introduction of bio-plastic and biodegradable plastic products (BBpPs). The project focuses on safety, sustainability and the circular economy.

Plastic pollution represents a critical problem, especially for single-use healthcare products and waste packaging, in humanitarian contexts such as armed conflicts and natural disasters. ANIPH aims to address this problem by using polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), a family of biodegradable biopolymers. PHAs are known for their biocompatibility and ability to completely degrade in a variety of environments, including soil, freshwater, and marine ecosystems.

The aim of the ANIPH project is to create new PHA value chain, which will enable the production of advanced wound dressings and recyclable packaging with a water barrier. These products will have programmed biodegradability at every stage of their life cycle. The project uses artificial intelligence for predicting biodegradability, assessing ecotoxicity and optimizing material properties, while a digital tracking tool ensures secure tracking of materials throughout the value chain.

ANIPH focuses on the use of renewable raw materials and reducing industrial waste through innovative manufacturing processes, such as 3D printing of wound dressings. The project also emphasizes end-of-life solutions, including mono-material designs for packaging that allows for recycling and safe biodegradation. The project is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by 43% for packaging and 68% for wound dressings, and to recycle 1,475 kilotonnes of biomass. In addition, the use of 12.93 kilotonnes of hazardous substances will be avoided.

In addition to environmental benefits, ANIPH contributes to development of new standards and certification schemesto ensure the safe and sustainable deployment of BBpPs. The project will also provide capacity resources on the use and disposal of bioplastics, increasing public trust and understanding. Over the next four years, eight European partners, coordinated by CETEC, will combine their scientific expertise and knowledge to deliver lasting environmental, economic and social benefits. Spring

On 29 January 2025, the Commission presented the Competitiveness Compass, the first major initiative of this mandate, providing a strategic and clear framework to guide the Commission's work. The Compass sets out the path for Europe to become the place where future technologies, services and clean products are invented, produced and marketed, while being the first continent to become climate neutral.

Over the past two decades, Europe has lagged behind other major economies due to a persistent productivity growth gap. The EU has what it takes to reverse this trend, with its talented and educated workforce, capital, savings, single market, and unparalleled social infrastructure, provided it acts swiftly to remove the long-standing obstacles and structural weaknesses that hold it back. More on ec.europa.eu

Economic models are significantly underestimating the potential financial losses from climate change, and the global economy could face a loss of at least 50 trillion euros of GDP between 2070 and 2090 if nothing is done to curb emissions, a new report has found. In a report with scientists from the University of Exeter, the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA) have urged political leaders to take more action to avoid what they call a “planetary default,” a disruption of the Earth’s climate systems so severe that it would destabilize societies. (Moriah Costa, more at greencentralbanking.com)

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The Greenland Ice Sheet is opening up faster as it responds to climate change. The warning comes in a new, large-scale study of cracks in the world's second-largest body of ice. Using 3D surface maps, scientists led by Durham University in the UK found that cracks significantly increased in size and depth on the fast-flowing edges of the ice sheet over the five years between 2016 and 2021. (More on phys.org)

In recent years, energy poverty has become an increasingly pressing problem across Europe. In 2023, more than 10 % Europeans were unable to keep their homes adequately warm during the winter (Eurostat 2023). The situation is likely to be even worse in the summer, as heat waves become more frequent and intense, leaving many unable to maintain a safe and comfortable temperature in their homes. (More on eu-mayors.ec.europa.eu)

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. (viac…)

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) (viac…)

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. (viac…)

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)