Extreme weather events are by definition rare on our planet. Violent storms, heatwaves and even severe frosts illustrate what the climate is capable of at its worst. But what can be considered normal or not is changing. As the Earth's climate warms rapidly, mainly due to the burning of fossil fuels, the range of possible weather conditions, including extreme conditions, is changing.

Scientists define "climate" as the distribution of weather events that can be observed in a given period, such as minimum and maximum temperatures, total precipitation, or the number of hours of sunshine. They derive statistical measurements such as average (or normal) temperature. (Simon H. Lee, University of St Andrews - Hayley J. Fowler, Newcastle University - Paul Davies University, Newcastle University, more at techno-science.net)

The new regulation requires European Union member states to monitor imports, exports and production of certain commodity products such as timber, cocoa, coffee, soybeans, oil palm, rubber and cattle. These commodities are considered to be the main drivers of global deforestation and forest degradation. The Act, which was prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture, also regulates the Act on Forests and the Act on Nature and Landscape Protection. (More on rokovania.gov.sk)

Planetary Boundaries Science (PBScience), a new initiative led by PIK Director Johan Rockström and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), supported by Planetary Guardians and other partners, has launched the Planetary Health Check (PHC), a first-of-its-kind scientific report and life health tool important organs of the Earth, which serve as the life support system of mankind. PHC combines pioneering Earth science, Earth observation data and multidisciplinary thinking to quantify the health of the planet and provide solutions to reverse the impact of human activity on the planet. (More on pik-potsdam.de)

A new survey of climate experts reveals that most believe the Earth is headed for a global temperature rise well above the 2015 Paris Agreement target of 1.5C to well below 2C. The study was published in Communications Earth & Environment . It also shows that two-thirds of respondents – all authors of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – believe we can achieve net zero CO2 emissions in the second half of this century ₂ . That suggests some optimism that mitigation efforts can begin to bend the emissions curve toward what would be needed to meet the Paris temperature target.

Most also recognized the potential for atmospheric CO removal ₂ , with the median response indicating the belief that this technology could remove up to five gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (GtCO) by 2050 ₂ ) annually. This is at the lower end of the expected range. necessary to meet the Paris goals. (Patrick Lejtenyi, Concordia University, more at phys.org)

Mental health has become an overlooked victim of the ongoing climate change debate. While we focus on the tangible losses – wildfires, rising seas and extreme weather – the silent impact on our mental well-being often goes unnoticed.

The time has come to face the question: Is a changing climate affecting our mental health in unprecedented ways?

The mental toll of extreme weather

Extreme weather fluctuations and unrelenting heat threaten not only the environment, but also put an enormous burden on mental health.

Communities around the world face the harsh reality of more frequent flooding from stronger storms and seemingly endless days with triple-digit temperatures. The psychological strain of these climatic events can be as intense as the heat itself. (Rodielon Putolm, more at earth.com)

This summer, Arctic sea ice retreated to near-record lows in the Northern Hemisphere, continuing a decades-long trend of shrinking and thinning ice cover in the Arctic Ocean.

This is the conclusion reached by researchers from NASA and the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC).

More melting and less ice formation

The amount of frozen seawater in the Arctic changes throughout the year as the ice melts and refreezes between seasons. Scientists track these fluctuations to understand how the Arctic responds over time to rising air and sea temperatures and longer periods of melting.

Over the past several decades, satellites have consistently observed more melting during the summer and less ice formation in the winter. (Andrei Ionescu, more at earth.com)

Rationing may seem dramatic, but so is climate change. This may explain why support is quite high. One advantage of allocation is that it can be perceived as fair if it is (viac…)

Agriculture accounts for 13.1 percent of greenhouse gas emissions produced by the 27 EU member states. The sector's emissions have fallen only slightly from 2021, with only a 4 percent fall at EU level expected by 2030 compared to 2005 levels, data from the European Environment Agency shows.

Ottmar Edenhofer, chairman of the European Scientific Advisory Committee on Climate Change, told the Financial Times last week that it would be "almost impossible" to achieve the Commission's target of cutting emissions by 90 percent by 2040 without a tax on agricultural emissions.

"The price signal is important because without a price signal it is very unlikely that we will be able to reduce emissions," Edenhofer said.

In June, Denmark became the first country in the world to agree to a law that would impose a carbon tax on its livestock emissions. (Philippa Nuttall, more at sustainableviews.com)

The International Space Station (ISS) is set to advance Earth monitoring and environmental research. An ISS National Laboratory®-sponsored payload placed on the Airbus-developed Bartolomeo platform will extend access to the space station's unique vantage point. This innovation will improve Earth observation and provide unprecedented research opportunities, providing a deeper understanding of our planet.

Earth observation with Bartolomeo

"Airbus is improving our ability to observe and understand our planet as well as democratizing access to space by allowing more research and technology demonstrations on the ISS than ever before," said Debra Facktor, head of US Space Systems for Airbus. (Rodielon Putol, more at earth.com)

Unrelenting 21st century climate change will accelerate arctic and subarctic thawing of permafrost, which may intensify microbial degradation of carbon-rich soil, methane emissions, and global warming. The impact of melting permafrost on future arctic and subarctic fires and the associated release of greenhouse gases and aerosols is less well understood. Here, we present a comprehensive analysis of the impact of future permafrost thaw on land surface processes in the arctic-subarctic region using the large CESM2 ensemble forced by the SSP3-7.0 greenhouse gas emissions scenario. By analyzing 50 greenhouse warming simulations that capture the coupling between permafrost, hydrology, and the atmosphere, we found that predicted rapid permafrost melting leads to massive soil drying, surface warming, and reduced relative humidity in the arctic-subarctic region. These combined processes lead to late 21st century nonlinear regime shifts in the coupled soil-hydrological system and rapid fire intensification in western Siberia and Canada. (In-Won Kim, Axel Timmermann, William R. Wieder, more at nature.com)

European farmers are facing a disastrous year due to extreme weather events caused by climate change. Droughts and floods ravaged agricultural regions across Europe, leading to widespread crop losses and livestock deaths. Although the European Commission has pledged €10 billion in aid for recovery efforts, it is worrying that land degradation is not considered a contributing factor to these crises. Agricultural economist Benedikt Bösel highlights the alarming link between soil health and extreme weather events. He says neglecting the soil's ability to absorb and store water leads to cycles of floods and droughts. Despite this obvious connection, discussions of land degradation are largely absent from post-crisis recovery plans. (of Business AM, more at fr.businessam.be)

Although both regions strive to achieve net zero emissions, their methods differ significantly, creating profound differences. The climate policy debate between the United States and Europe is gaining momentum as (viac…)

In an increasingly interconnected world, the ripple effects of conflict go far beyond immediate human suffering and geopolitical instability, exacerbating global challenges such as environmental degradation and climate change. The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and the ongoing violence in Gaza have unleashed humanitarian disasters with serious ecological consequences.

These conflicts have disrupted global energy supplies, degraded ecosystems and shifted political priorities away from addressing the climate crisis. The urgency of climate justice—an equitable approach to addressing climate change—has become more critical as these conflicts intensify environmental vulnerabilities around the world. (Anjan Sarma, more at mahabahu.com)

To avert the climate crisis, global greenhouse gas emissions must reach "net zero" within a few decades. The Ecological Institute combines political, economic and legal analysis to propose effective policy solutions to this challenge at all levels.

At the international level, our legal experts monitor and contribute to the negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). At EU, national, regional and local level, our research projects generate recommendations for specific policy instruments as well as appropriate governance and institutions to implement the Paris Agreement.

The climate team covers most aspects of climate policy, especially at the European level. Our team has an exceptionally strong track record in a number of specific policy areas, such as carbon pricing (with a focus on the EU Emissions Trading System), climate law, long-term planning and evaluating policy effectiveness. Our team also includes experts from the fields of energy, transport, agriculture and circular economy.

We engage with and work for a wide range of academic organizations and stakeholders from government, business and civil society, co-creating solutions to address the climate crisis. Communicating results and insights in a targeted manner is one of the team's priorities. We strive for innovation in fostering ongoing dialogue between key public and private actors – online and in person – to support effective and progressive climate action. The climate team is also engaged in teaching in cooperation with several universities. In addition, we design our own training courses, increasing the capacity and understanding of climate change and possible solutions for an audience that includes journalists and UNFCCC negotiators. We also regularly present ourselves to groups of visitors from all over the world, where we explain how we understand the political processes of the EU and Germany. In addition, we have been continuously teaching emissions trading courses for over ten years.More on ecologic.eu)

Living in the days of climate change means we live in an era of ecological sadness. This emotional phenomenon has inspired glacier burials in Iceland, Oregon and Switzerland. Scientists have reported feeling shock and loss with each subsequent return to the Great Barrier Reef as new areas of coral bleach and dry out. Throughout the mining country of Central Appalachia, where mountains have been cut in half and forests cut down for coal mining, grief appears in the form of diagnosed mental health conditions.(Eve Andrews, more at theatlantic.com)

The European Green Deal is a package of policy initiatives to ensure that the EU achieves climate neutrality by 2050. Given this challenge, the parallel goals of green and digital transformation are at the heart of the European Commission's priorities, but are they consistent with each other? A study by the UOC (Universitat Oberta de Catalunya) warns of the risk that the grouping of these two transformations could lead to environmental challenges taking second place to digital innovation. The findings are published in the journal Environment and Planning E: Nature and Space . (Agustín López, Open University of Catalonia, viac on phys.org)

At the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau co-hosted a high-level event on carbon pricing and innovation entitled "Innovation for a Sustainable Future: Working Together for Industrial Growth and Decarbonization". The event was enriched by the participation of industry leaders, as well as closing remarks by Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization and Selwyn Charles Hart, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Climate Action. (More on climate.ec.europa.eu)

Textile supply chains have become the new focus of the fight against climate change. The European Commission plans to use new regulations to promote circulation and sustainability in this industry, which has the fourth largest environmental impact. Digital Product Passports (DPPs) will be key to increasing traceability and transparency, helping a more sustainable industry.

Consisting of scannable QR codes, RFID tags and blockchain, DPP will provide a unique digital ID for each product, enabling consumers to make informed and sustainable purchases. Although there are challenges in implementation, the system is trying to expand the circular model of production, which will also affect brands outside the EU.

The implementation of DPP will bring challenges, such as the need to invest in IT systems and training. In some EU countries, businesses have already started this process based on the Care in the Supply Chain Act.

Businesses will need to streamline data collection and organization by using cloud platforms that enable data integration and management across systems. The latest data analysis tools will provide opportunities for environmental reporting and regulatory compliance.

Players in the fashion industry can benefit from technological solutions that meet the needs of micro-sectors. Integrated systems covering the entire supply chain will facilitate data sharing. Although DPPs present challenges, they also bring opportunities to increase consumer trust and improve brand reputation, along with the possibility of creating business models based on circularity. Successful minimization of environmental impact combined with operational efficiency can yield significant commercial benefits. (Co2AI)

The EU's Climate Action Academy has a mission to inform everyone about the consequences of climate change, as well as the best ways to act. Climate change is already here and will affect us all - so we must act fast. Whether you're just starting out on your climate action journey or want to make an even bigger difference, the Academy is here to support you every step of the way.

Why not start learning today? Register for our upcoming webinar on October 1st, discover our wide range of resources and look forward to new courses coming soon. (More on climate-pact.europa.eu)

A new multi-agency report coordinated by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) provides an update on the latest data on the state of weather, climate, water and related environmental (viac…)