The course was developed through a partnership between the Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education (GCCHE); Global Nursing Working Group (GNWG)/Nursing Climate Resources for Health Education (N-CRHE); Alliance of Nurses for a Healthy Environment (AHNE), Canadian Association of Nurses for the Environment (CANE) and Climate Action Nurses (CAN).

The main objectives of the course are:

1. Increase the knowledge, self-efficacy, and communication skills of nursing professionals regarding the climate crisis to: 1) improve patient care and public health practice, and 2) serve as trusted ambassadors within their institutions, communities, and practice areas.
2. Equip interested nursing professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to disseminate education so that the health effects of climate change and emergency preparedness can be more easily incorporated into pre- and post-licensure nursing education worldwide.
3. Build and strengthen an agile and informed community of nurses in climate and health education, advocacy and policy for health professionals with strong mentorship and professional support.

You can participate via a live or recorded meeting. Each participant who attends at least 7 of the 10 live zoom sessions OR watches the recordings AND passes the final course exam with a score of 70 % or higher will receive a certificate of participation.

You can register here .

According to an alarming annual climate report, the Earth's vital functions show a rapidly deteriorating state. As we approach the UN summit, the urgent need for immediate climate action has never been greater. The report was prepared by an international coalition led by scientists from Oregon State University (OSU). It issues a chilling warning that the Earth is heading into a "critical and unpredictable new phase of the climate crisis" that requires swift and decisive action.

Dangerous times on planet earth

The detailed report, titled "State of the Climate Report 2024: Dangerous Times for Planet Earth," identifies several areas — including energy, pollutants, nature, food and the economy — where policy changes are essential.

"Much of the very fabric of life on our planet is threatened," said William Ripple, a professor in the OSU College of Forestry. "We are already in the midst of a sudden climate shock that threatens life on Earth like nothing humans have ever seen."(Rodielon Putol, more at earth.com)

Researchers from the University of Oxford's Department of Earth Sciences have shown that rock weathering in the Canadian Arctic will accelerate as temperatures rise, triggering a positive feedback loop that will release more and more CO 2 into the atmosphere. The findings were published in the journal Science Advances. For sensitive regions such as the Arctic, where surface air temperatures are warming nearly four times faster than the global average, understanding the potential contribution of atmospheric CO 2 from weathering is particularly important. (Oxford University, more at phys.org)

As we approach the second half of 2024, a worrying trend has taken hold around the world. Temperatures soared to unprecedented heights, pushing the global average to an unprecedented 17.16 °C (62.89 °F) in July and intensifying drought conditions worldwide.

This searing escalation of global heat is not isolated – its consequences are reflected in ecosystems, economies and the daily lives of millions of people.

Impacts of global drought

Such extreme heat has culminated in accelerated evaporation of soil water, leaving vegetation in a fragile state and stressing biodiversity in many regions of the world.

Coupled with atypically low rainfall, major river basins such as the Amazon, La Plata and Zambezi have seen shrinking water flows, which has significantly affected the wider ecosystems and economies associated with them. (Rodielon Putol, more at earth.com)

The phenomenon, which usually occurs every two to seven years, causes El Niño to produce much warmer than average ocean temperatures in the eastern Pacific, greatly affecting weather around the world.

The Quelccaya Ice Sheet (QIC) in the Peruvian Andes has been shown to be sensitive to these climate changes, but the extent to which El Niño contributes to its continued shrinkage has been unclear until now.

Now, using images captured by NASA's Landsat satellites over the past four decades, researchers have confirmed that the regional warming that regularly causes El Niño has indeed led to a drastic reduction in its snowpack. The study, led by Kara Lamantia, a graduate student at Ohio State University's Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center, found that between 1985 and 2022, the QIC lost about 58 % of its snowpack and about 37 % of its total area. (TatyaWoodall, The Ohio State University, more at phys.org)

The world faces unprecedented environmental health challenges, exacerbated by rapid urbanization, industrialization and climate change. The adverse effects of air pollution, climate variability and unsustainable energy practices on public health require immediate attention and action. The Scientific Advisory Group (SAG) on Air Pollution and Health and the Technical Advisory Group on Air Pollution and Health (GAPH-TAG) were convened by WHO in 2019 and 2021 and act as advisory bodies to WHO by providing program (SAG) technical (GAPH-TAG) guidelines and inputs to support the work of the organization in various important areas. The session will focus on exposure to ambient/indoor air pollution, associated health effects and co-benefits (eg climate) of mitigation strategies. This meeting will provide a platform to:

• Summarize the latest scientific evidence and policy developments on air pollution, climate change, energy and health.
• Discuss ongoing activities and support for the upcoming 2nd WHO Global Conference on Air Quality and Health.
• Foster dialogues between global experts, policy makers and practitioners to identify integrated solutions.
• Foster collaboration and networking to accelerate research and implementation of effective public health interventions.

(More on who.int)

As climate scientists sound the alarm about an unrealistic path to 1.5°C - just as the Arctic burns, the Amazon is cleared and America recovers from the deadliest hurricane in two decades - the key to the future of the planet is how governments reshape their policies.

As well as consumer behavior. The climate crisis affects everyone, everywhere in the world, and it is extremely important to take individual action. A new survey of nearly 19,000 people by consulting firm Bain & Company found that 76 % of the world's population say that practicing an ecological lifestyle is effective and important.

The survey, which comes as the world deals with two geopolitical wars, the rise of artificial intelligence and continued inflation, found that 61 % people in the 10 countries covered are now more worried about the climate crisis than they were two years ago. often prompted by personal experience of extreme weather events that are becoming more frequent as the world warms and our atmosphere becomes heavier on carbon. (Anay Mridul, more at greenqueen.com)

Obligations under the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) were due to apply from 30 December 2024. The European Commission has now proposed a 12-month delay to allow for a 12-month phase-in period to ensure effective implementation. Following the approval of the proposed postponement by the European Parliament and the Council, the EUDR obligations would take effect from 30 December 2025 (and from 30 June 2026 for SMEs).

The EUDR applies to "relevant commodities" ( cattle, cocoa, coffee, oil palm, rubber, soy and timber ) and specified derivative products. It is prohibited to import, make available or export such products to the EU unless they are "deforestation free" and manufactured in accordance with the relevant laws of the country of manufacture. For more information, see our overviews of the EUDR. (Suzanne Kearney, Aisling Carey, Golda Hession, more at lexology.com)

The EU Covenant of Mayors Award is back and offers cities a great opportunity to shine a light on their projects aimed at decarbonising the heating and cooling sector. This year's award is closely linked to the Cities Heat Detox campaign, which focuses on cleaner and more sustainable heating and cooling solutions.

The award recognizes cities' achievements in implementing innovative projects that contribute to local decarbonisation strategies and impact the air quality, economic strength and resilience of their communities.

The award is not only a recognition of your efforts, but also offers a platform to inspire other cities in Europe and beyond. This is your chance to highlight the progress your city has made in the fight against climate change and promote your innovative approach to creating greener, healthier and more sustainable cities and towns. (More on eu-mayors.ec.europa.eu)

The European Center for Disease Control (ECDC) has opened a call for a second national expert (SNE). The purpose of the VNE position is to strengthen and develop relations between national institutions in EU member states while remaining at the service of their employer. In particular, ECDC is looking for candidates with expertise in climate change and environmental determinants to contribute to its disease programmes.

The year 2024 was a record year, and not in a good way. In July, the Earth's average temperature was the highest in 175 years, with July 22 specifically being the hottest day on record. Last summer was the hottest since about 1880, this year's hurricane season kicked off with Beryl — the earliest Category 4 hurricane on record — and a report released in June confirmed that human-caused global warming is at an all-time high. However, scientists are not only worried about the record breakers in the headlines. As of this year, glaciers are melting at an unprecedented rate due to all this human-caused heat, sea levels are rising irreversibly due to melting glaciers, coastal communities are being ravaged by storms made worse by such sea level rise combined with high temperatures, and animals are being displaced from their homes because the Earth is changing too, too fast. Just last month, we saw Hurricane Helene destroy cities and claim lives – and its power is indeed linked to climate change. (Monisha Ravisetti, more at msn.com)

Climate change affects health in many ways, including leading to death and disease from increasingly frequent extreme weather events such as heat, storms and floods, disruption of food systems and increases in animal, insect, food and water-borne diseases. Climate change also affects mental health.

Climate change undermines the social determinants of good health, such as livelihoods, equity and access to health care and social support structures. Climate change affects groups most at risk of vulnerability and disadvantage, such as women, children, minorities, poor people, migrants, the elderly and people with pre-existing conditions.

The short- to medium-term impacts of climate change depend on the level of risk and resilience in communities. In the long term, the effects will increasingly depend on actions taken now to increase resilience and address the root causes of climate change, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions. (More on reliefweb.int)

Nobody likes a rude awakening, especially if it's an intrusive climate change alarm clock. Plants, like people, need time to adapt to new conditions. But what happens when climate change hits the snooze button on the slow pace of development?

We are about to reveal the story of the Siberian arctic primrose, a hardy plant whose existence is threatened by rapid global warming and its efforts to adapt.

Arctic Siberian primrose

The Siberian primrose, perched on the frosty edges of the Bothnian Bay and the Arctic Ocean, has been fighting the snares for centuries and is always resilient.

However, climate change is a terrible enemy. How can plants adapt if they are chained to the ground, unable to move to a more favorable environment, and evolution seems to proceed slowly? (Sanjana Gajbhiye, more at earth.com)

New research shows that the Antarctic Peninsula's vegetation cover has increased more than 10-fold over the past four decades. The Antarctic Peninsula, like many polar regions, is warming faster than the global average, with extreme heat in Antarctica becoming more common.

A new study - by the Universities of Exeter and Hertfordshire and the British Antarctic Survey - used satellite data to assess how much the Antarctic Peninsula has been 'greening' in response to climate change.

The area of vegetation cover on the entire peninsula was found to have increased from less than one square kilometer in 1986 to nearly 12 square kilometers by 2021. (University of Exeter, more at phys.org)

The tables above focused on carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ). CO ₂ however, it is not the only greenhouse gas. Others, including methane and nitrous oxide, have so far had a significant effect on global warming.

The first interactive graph shows greenhouse gas emissions per inhabitant . It is measured as the sum of all greenhouse gases and is given by a metric called "carbon dioxide equivalents".

"Carbon dioxide equivalents" attempt to correct for the fact that one unit (eg a tonne) of a given gas does not have the same warming effect as another. We therefore multiply the emissions of each gas by its "Global Warming Potential" (GWP): this value measures the amount of warming that one tonne of that gas would produce in relation to one tonne of CO ₂ .

Another interactive graph shows where these emissions come from: the contribution of each sector. (More on ourworldindata.org)

There are a few points to keep in mind when considering these figures: These figures are based on 'production' or 'territorial' emissions (ie emissions from burning fossil fuels or making cement within a country's borders). It does not take into account emissions of traded goods (emissions based on consumption). Consumption-based emissions can be found later in this country profile. These figures focus specifically on emissions WHAT ₂ – not on total greenhouse gas emissions. Total greenhouse gas emissions and other greenhouse gas emissions can be found later in this country profile.

Annual emissions can be largely influenced by the size of the population - the per capita figures are shown above. (More on ourworldindata.org)

The Commission is today publishing further guidance and a stronger framework for international cooperation to support global stakeholders, Member States and third countries in their preparations to implement the EU's Deforestation Regulation. In view of the feedback received from international partners on the state of their preparations, the Commission also proposes to give the affected parties additional time for preparation. If approved by the European Parliament and the Council, the law would become applicable from 30 December 2025 for large companies and from 30 June 2026 for micro and small businesses. Since all implementation tools are technically ready, the next 12 months can serve as a phase-in period to ensure proper and effective implementation. (More on ec.europa.eu)

The rate of ocean warming has nearly doubled since 2005, and more than a fifth of the world's ocean surface will experience a severe heat wave in 2023, according to a report by the European Copernicus Observatory published on Monday. “Ocean warming can be seen as our global warming watchdog. It has been steadily increasing since the 1960s, and since about 2005 the rate of ocean warming has doubled," emphasized oceanographer Karina Von Schuckmann during a video conference presenting the 8th Copernicus State of the Oceans Report.

The oceans have warmed by 1.05 watts per square meter since 2005, compared with 0.58 watts per square meter in previous decades, according to the report. This work consolidates the reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). In 2019, these UN-commissioned climate experts considered it "likely" that the rate of ocean warming had "more than doubled since 1993". (More on leseco.ma)