The Climate Pact brings people and organizations together for a common goal: climate action. Together, our community has achieved significant milestones, driven by unwavering commitment, collaboration, and passion. Check out our poster and see the special moments of 2024. Spring

Document addresses the issue of climate misinformation, particularly in the context of cities and their efforts to combat climate change. Climate misinformation poses a threat because it undermines public trust in scientists, institutions and elected officials, making it difficult to implement climate policies. The document cites examples of disinformation campaigns targeting mayors, such as Rafal Trzaskowski in Warsaw and Sadiq Khan in London.

Disinformation is spread mainly through digital platforms that favor controversial content and lack sufficient oversight over the spread of false information. The document distinguishes between disinformation, which is deliberately spread with the aim of manipulating, and misinformation, which is spread unintentionally.

The document identifies several strategies to combat climate disinformation:

• Informing citizens: Providing clear and accurate information on climate policies and solutions.
• Public involvement: Engaging communities in climate discussions and decision-making.
• Inspiration for the event: Highlighting successful climate initiatives and their positive impacts.
• Empowering people: Equipping individuals with the knowledge and tools to enforce measures.

The paper provides examples of cities that have successfully implemented these strategies, such as Despenaderos in Argentina, Paris in France, and Guelph in Canada.

An important part of combating disinformation is effective communication about climate action. The document emphasizes the following principles:

• Stay positive: Focus on the benefits of climate action.
• Focus on the benefits: Explain the benefits of the measures in a way that people understand.
• Be specific: Talk about specific issues and use facts and figures.
• It's about people: Communicate with people on their level and respect them.

The document emphasizes that the fight against disinformation is complex and requires joint efforts from governments, institutions and individuals. With the advent of artificial intelligence, it will be even more difficult to distinguish between truth and lies, so it is important to build strategies to explain the benefits of climate action and refute misinformation.

The document also includes a glossary with definitions of key terms and a list of resources with more information on climate disinformation.

The Global Health Resilience group in the Earth Sciences Department at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC) has three new positions available:

The year 2024 is confirmed by the service Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) as the world's warmest year on record and the first calendar year in which the global average temperature exceeded 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. C3S is implemented on behalf of the European Commission by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), whose scientists monitor key climate indicators and document unprecedented daily, monthly and annual temperature records through 2024. Human-induced climate change remains the main driver of extreme air and sea surface temperatures; while other factors, such as the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), have also contributed to the unusual temperatures observed throughout the year.

Global efforts to tackle climate change will suffer a severe blow if US President-elect Donald Trump again pulls the country out of the Paris Agreement, the EU's climate policy chief has warned.

Document presents a new method called Wasserstein Stability Analysis (WSA) for detecting changes in the probability distribution of climate data, which overcomes the limitations of traditional trend analysis based on average values.

Key ideas and facts:

• Inadequacy of average value analysis: While averages are useful for capturing overall energy conditions and filtering out noise in the data, with the advent of the big data era, it is becoming important to uncover deeper patterns and correlations in complex, high-resolution data sets. Changes in probability distributions that may be important for understanding climate change remain hidden when analyzing averages.
• Wasserstein distance: WSA uses Wasserstein distance (W-distance), a metric that quantifies the distance and similarities between two probability distributions. This metric has proven useful in various fields of climatology, but its potential in analyzing the physical properties of big data has remained largely unexplored.
• Detection of shifts in extreme events: By applying WSA to air temperature data from 1998-2013, the authors identified significant shifts in extreme events. For example, the eastern equatorial Pacific experienced a decrease in hot extremes and an increase in cold extremes, suggesting a temperature shift toward a La Niña-like phenomenon, even though no significant trend in average temperature was observed.
• Impact of melting sea ice: WSA also revealed significant changes in the probability distribution of air temperature in the Arctic regions. In the Barents and Kara Seas, where sea ice has been significantly reduced, WSA showed a weakening of the physical constraints on maximum air temperature, leading to changes in the shape of the probability distribution. This change is not easily detected using traditional trend analysis.
• Significance for climate modeling: The authors emphasize that the ability of WSA to detect changes in the probability distribution associated with sea ice melt could be a valuable tool in the development and validation of climate models. Improved sea ice modeling was one of the most significant advances in the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report compared to previous reports.

Quotes from the article:

• "While averages represent important statistical properties of data sets, capture overall energy conditions, and filter out noise in low-quality data sets well, the advent of the big data era requires new methodologies."
• "In this study, we applied W-distance to the physical analysis of climate data from the early 21st century. By using W-distance, we introduce a new method – Wasserstein stability analysis (WSA) – aimed at revealing the variability of the probability density function (PDF) under climate change."
• "The results show that despite a non-significant trend, the equatorial eastern Pacific experienced a decrease in hot extremes and an increase in cold extremes, suggesting a La Niña-like temperature shift."
• "The findings suggest that sea ice strongly limits hot extremes of air temperature near the surface. This influence diminishes as sea ice melts."

WSA appears to be a promising tool for investigating climate change dynamics, providing valuable information for a better understanding of climate evolution. WSA reveals changes in probability distributions that may be overlooked by traditional trend analysis, thereby allowing deeper insight into complex climate processes, such as shifts in extreme events and the impact of sea ice melt.

Global warming is progressing faster than the best models can keep up.

Document summarizes the global water cycle in 2024, identifying key trends and analyzing significant hydrological events. The report provides updated metrics on precipitation, temperature, air humidity, river flows, and water stored in lakes, soil, and underground. It also provides an overview of extreme precipitation and temperature events. The report highlights a clear message: As the planet warms, water problems are escalating year by year.

The main aspects of the water cycle in 2024 on the global land were:

• Precipitation over land was close to the 1995–2005 average. Extremely dry months have become increasingly common in recent decades, with 38 % more record dry months in 2024 than in the base period.
• Daily precipitation extremes were 52 % more common in 2024 than in 1995–2005, with record daily rainfall recorded in West Africa, Europe and Asia. It was recorded significant increasing trend of 4 % per decade over land.
• The average temperature over land was the highest recorded globally and in 111 countries, and globally 1.2°C higher than the 1995–2005 average. The frequency of record-breaking warm months was the highest since 1979.
• A decreasing trend was recorded in the relative humidity of the air over the mainland. Humidity was very low in South America and Central Africa in 2024.
• The extent of surface water over land was close to average. Since 2003, there has been increasing trend in record high monthly water area worldwide by 3 % per decade.
• Water levels in lakes and reservoirs around the world have fallen for the fifth year in a row, with unprecedented low levels recorded in South America and record highs in Africa.
• Groundwater reserves – groundwater and surface water, ice and snow combined – report in 2024 continue to be low in most dry regions of the world, but a strong increase in West, Central and East Africa.

In 2024, water-related disasters caused more than 8,700 deaths, displaced 40 million people and caused economic losses exceeding $550 billion worldwide, with the actual numbers likely higher due to incomplete data and events not reported.

The document further discusses in detail individual hydrological events, such as floods in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Typhoon Yagi in Southeast Asia, floods in Bangladesh, landslides in India, floods in southern China, etc. The report also analyzes the impact of climate change on these events and points to the increasing risk of extreme weather events in the future.

The document concludes with an outlook for 2025. Hydrological conditions at the beginning of 2025 indicate that Droughts are potentially developing or intensifying in northern South America, southern Africa, North Africa, Central Asia, parts of North America and Western AustraliaRegions such as the Sahel, the Horn of Africa, Europe and most of Asia are relatively humid and may face a greater risk of flooding than drought.

Ongoing climate change increases the potential for extreme weather events, including flash floods, flash droughts, intense storms and heat waves in many regions in 2025.

The document highlights the importance of reliable and up-to-date information on water resources and hazards. Satellite observations currently play a key role, offering rapid and consistent global data on the atmosphere and the Earth's surface, but they should not replace ground networks. JaroR 

The European Commission's call for proposals supports transnational, structured, result-oriented projects in which partners share common goals and work together to promote innovation, new skills, a sense of initiative and an entrepreneurial mindset.

Call ID: ERASMUS-EDU-2025-PI-ALL-INNO-EDU-ENTERP

goal(s)

The Innovation Alliance aims to strengthen Europe's innovation capacity by supporting innovation through cooperation and knowledge flows between higher education, vocational education and training (both initial and continuing) and the wider socio-economic environment, including research.

They also aim to support the provision of new skills and address skills mismatches by designing and developing new curricula for higher education (HE) and vocational education and training (VET), thereby supporting the development of a sense of initiative and an entrepreneurial mindset in the EU.

More on eufundingportal.eu

Call for proposals under the Eurogia2030 project for organizations that collaborate internationally on research and development of low-carbon technology projects to support economic and social growth.

goal(s)

The aim of this call for proposals is to stimulate activity in this important area by creating international collaborative projects in applications that will support economic growth and benefit society as a whole.

Eligibility

Eureka has limited eligibility criteria for organizations participating in Clusters:

• Your project idea must represent international cooperation in the form of a concrete project.

• The project must be focused on the research or development of an innovative product, process or service with the aim of commercialization.

• The project must have a civilian purpose.

• Your consortium must include at least two independent legal entities from at least two Eureka countries.

• No single organization or country can be responsible for more than 70% of the project budget.

More on eufundingportal.eu

The DESTINY project, which aims to develop AI-powered tools to make climate and health research evidence synthesis faster, cheaper and more useful, is recruiting for three positions.

The transition to a greener economy is essential if the European Union (EU) wants to meet its climate goals while protecting its economy and citizens from the consequences of climate change. (more…)

Despite international commitments to reduce emissions of ultra-potent greenhouse gases such as HFC-23, current measurements suggest that their emissions are up to five times higher than what governments report, underscoring shortcomings in monitoring and implementing climate policies designed to limit global warming.

What is HFC-23 and why is it problematic?

HFC-23 (hydrofluorocarbon) is a by-product of the production of refrigerants used in air conditioning and refrigeration systems. This gas has a global warming potential (GWP) 12,400 times greater than carbon dioxide (CO₂), making it one of the most potent greenhouse gases on Earth.

HFC-23 is considered a waste product that should be properly captured and disposed of to prevent it from escaping into the atmosphere. Many countries have committed to eliminating its emissions under the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, but current data suggests that these commitments are only partially being met.

Global HFC-23 Emissions: Reality vs. Reports

According to atmospheric measurements conducted by the Global Monitoring Laboratory, HFC-23 emissions are approximately five times higher than those reported by individual countries. For example:

• In 2022, global HFC-23 emissions reached an estimated 15 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent, with official reports declaring less than 3 million tonnes.
• The largest producers of this gas are countries with developed chemical industries, such as China and India, but accurate data is lacking.

Why do commitments fail?

Despite clear goals to phase out HFC-23, several key issues have emerged:

1. Insufficient monitoring:
   Countries often lack effective systems to track and verify their emissions, and most data is based on estimates, not actual measurements.
2. Economic costs:
   The phase-out of HFC-23 requires investments in special technologies, which are financially difficult for some countries.
3. Lack of transparency:
   Some governments and companies do not provide accurate information about their emissions practices, making international monitoring difficult.
4. Insufficient implementation of agreements:
   The Kigali Amendment, adopted in 2016, aims to phase down the use of HFCs. However, not all countries have met their commitments within the set timeframes.

Consequences of the continued HFC-23 leak

1. Faster global warming:
   The high GWP of HFC-23 means that even relatively small amounts of this gas can contribute significantly to global warming. If emissions are not reduced, the likelihood of exceeding the critical warming limit of 1.5°C will approach.
2. Increasing adaptation costs:
   The consequences of climate change, such as more frequent floods, droughts and extreme temperatures, will require greater investment in adaptation measures.
3. Undermining trust in international agreements:
   If countries fail to meet their commitments, it could undermine confidence in future climate agreements and slow progress in global cooperation.

Possible solutions

1. Improving monitoring systems:
   Using more accurate atmospheric measurements combined with satellite technologies can help to accurately identify sources of HFC-23 emissions.
2. Increase in funding:
   Richer countries could provide financial support to developing countries to implement technologies to phase out HFC-23.
3. Stricter control and sanctions:
   International organizations, such as the UN, could impose stricter sanctions on countries that fail to comply with their commitments.
4. Support for innovation:
   Investments in research and development can bring about new, cheaper and more efficient ways to dispose of HFC-23 and other harmful gases.

The release of HFC-23 into the atmosphere is a warning sign that international agreements are not enough without adequate monitoring and implementation. If we want to avoid the worst consequences of climate change, we need greater transparency, financing and cooperation between countries. The years we have to reduce these emissions are quickly running out – it is time to act. Spring

Antarctica, the coldest continent on Earth, has long been considered an inhospitable land covered in ice and snow. Its white, pristine landscape has been a symbol of eternal winter and freezing silence. However, in recent decades, the Antarctic Peninsula has undergone dramatic changes that have alarmed the scientific community worldwide. Places that were once covered in snow year-round are now turning green, indicating profound ecological changes caused by global warming.

Rising temperatures on the Antarctic Peninsula

The Antarctic Peninsula, jutting northwestward from South America, is one of the fastest-warming places on the planet. Since the mid-20th century, the region’s average annual temperature has risen by about 2.5°C. That’s more than five times the global average warming of about 0.5°C over the same period. In 2020, Antarctica recorded a record temperature of 18.3°C at Esperanza Station, highlighting the region’s radical climate change.

Melting ice and exposing soil

Rising temperatures are causing widespread melting of glaciers and snow, exposing rocky surfaces and soil that had been hidden for millennia under thick layers of ice. According to a NASA study, Antarctica lost about 148 billion tons of ice per year between 2002 and 2020. This rapid melting is contributing to a global sea level rise of about 0.4 millimeters per year.

Expansion of vegetation in extreme conditions

As the soil is exposed, new conditions are created for plant growth. The most dominant plants on the Antarctic Peninsula are mosses and liverworts, which are able to survive in extreme conditions of low temperatures and intense UV radiation. In recent decades, scientists have recorded a fivefold increase in biological activity in old moss stands.

A study published in the journal Current Biology in 2017 analyzed moss core samples from five locations on the peninsula. The results showed a significant increase in growth and biological productivity since 1950. This increase correlated with rising temperatures, suggesting that warming is promoting the expansion of vegetation.

Biological consequences of greening

The expansion of vegetation can have a profound impact on the local ecosystem. Increased vegetation can accelerate the decomposition of organic matter, leading to the release of additional greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane. This process can create a feedback loop that further accelerates warming.

Additionally, as vegetation grows, the risk of introducing non-native species increases. Tourist and scientific visits to Antarctica have increased, with more than 74,000 people visiting in the 2019-2020 season. These visitors can inadvertently bring seeds and microorganisms from other parts of the world, potentially disrupting the fragile Antarctic ecosystem.

Changes in the hydrological cycle

In addition to vegetation growth, the hydrological cycle on the Antarctic Peninsula is also changing. Higher temperatures are leading to the formation of new freshwater lakes and streams from melting ice. These bodies of water can support microorganisms and simple life forms, further altering the ecological balance.

A 2020 study published in Geophysical Research Letters found that the number of surface liquid bodies has increased by 27% over the past decade. These bodies can also contribute to the instability of glaciers by penetrating cracks and accelerating their disintegration.

Global implications

Changes in the Antarctic Peninsula have global implications. Antarctica contains approximately 90% of the world's ice and 70% of fresh water. If all of the Antarctic ice were to melt, sea levels would rise by approximately 58 meters. Although such a complete melt is unlikely in the near future, the current rate of melting is contributing to a sea level rise of approximately 0.6 millimeters per year.

Rising sea levels threaten coastal cities and island nations around the world. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), sea levels could rise by 0.26 to 0.77 meters by 2100, depending on greenhouse gas emissions.

Climate models and predictions

Scientists are using data from the Antarctic Peninsula to improve climate models. A better understanding of how warming affects ice sheets and ecosystems helps predict future changes. These models are key to shaping global policies to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

One of the main findings is that current climate models may be underestimating the speed and extent of change in the polar regions, suggesting that action to reduce emissions is even more urgent than previously thought.

Challenges for Antarctic protection

Protecting the Antarctic Peninsula and the entire Antarctic is an international priority. The Antarctic Treaty of 1959 stipulates that the continent is reserved for peaceful purposes and scientific research. The 1991 Protocol on Environmental Protection is also currently in force, which prohibits resource extraction and sets rules for environmental protection.

Despite these measures, climate change poses a threat that cannot be addressed at the regional level alone. It requires global cooperation and a commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Organizations such as the IPCC and the United Nations are calling on countries to adopt ambitious targets under the 2015 Paris Agreement.

The role of science and research

Scientific research is key to understanding the changes taking place. There are approximately 70 research stations in Antarctica from more than 30 countries. Teams of scientists study the climate, ecology, geology and other aspects of the continent. Their work provides invaluable data for global climate models and helps shape environmental policies.

Research in Antarctica is also bringing about technological innovations, particularly in areas such as remote sensing, robotics, and materials science. These technologies can have broad applications in monitoring and solving environmental challenges.

The greening of the Antarctic Peninsula is visible and tangible evidence of ongoing climate change. These changes have profound consequences not only for the local ecosystem, but also for the entire planet. Developments on the southernmost continent remind us of how fragile and interconnected our ecosystems are.

It is essential that we, as a global society, take action to mitigate the impacts of climate change. This includes reducing emissions, investing in renewable energy sources, and supporting scientific research. Only in this way can we ensure that Antarctica remains a place of scientific discovery and not a cautionary tale about the consequences of inaction.

Our planet is undergoing transformation, and the Antarctic Peninsula is a barometer of these changes. It is up to us to take these signals seriously and act to preserve life and biodiversity for future generations. Spring

Visegrad+ grants support projects that contribute to democratization and transformation processes in selected Western Balkan countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia) and Eastern Partnership regions (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine). (More on International Visegrad Fund)

If our actions are anything to go by, it’s clear that we are least concerned about the health and prosperity of our future generations. How else can we justify our continued failure to protect planet Earth? The latest UN report says that 2024 is on track to be the hottest year on record, a title currently held by 2023. The basic understanding of this trend is that as we move forward, our actions are continuing to drive global temperatures higher. The Earth is too hot to live on. According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), greenhouse gas emissions hit new highs in 2024, setting the stage for more heat to come. (More on thenews.com)

Overview of climate events scheduled for 2025. The list includes an extensive selection of conferences, summits and forums, focused on sustainable development, ocean protection and addressing climate change. The most significant include COP30 in Brazil and various UN meetings. Events are diverse, from high-level summits to youth-focused initiatives.

• February 5: ECOSOC Partnership Forum, UN Headquarters, New York, USA
• March 5-7: World Summit on Sustainable Development, New Delhi, India
• March 12-13: 12th World Ocean Summit and Exhibition, Tokyo, Japan
• March 12-13: United Nations Development Cooperation Forum, UN Headquarters, New York, USA
• March 12-13: Global Forum for Sustainable Energy for All, Bridgetown, Barbados
• April 2nd - 5th: Global Youth Climate Summit, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
• April 15-17: ECOSOC Youth Forum, UN Headquarters, New York, USA
• April 30 – May 1: Future Days 2025, Lisbon, Portugal
• May 21-23: Funding for a Feminist Future, Madrid, Spain
• May 26th – 30th: IMFN Global Forum 2025, Kemptville, ON, Canada
• June 9th – 13th: UN Ocean Conference 2025, Nice, France
• June 16th – 26th: UN Climate Change Conference in Bonn 2025, Bonn, Germany
• July 14th – 23rd: High-Level Forum on Sustainable Development 2025, UN Headquarters, New York, USA
• September 10-11: 13th International Conference on Sustainable Development, Rome, Italy
• October 9th – 15th: IUCN World Conservation Congress, Abu Dhabi, UAE
• October 12th – 14th: World Health Summit 2025, Berlin, Germany (and online)
• October 20th – 24th: 6th World Congress on Agroforestry, Kigali, Rwanda
• November 4th - 6th: Second World Summit on Social Development, Doha, Qatar
• November 10th - 21st: UN Climate Change Conference (COP30), Belém, Brazil