The time has come for revolutionary changes that have no parallel in history. Planet Earth, a majestic 4.54 billion years old, was once covered in green, but the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has found that the Earth has now lost one-third of its forest to human activity. WWF estimates that such land-use changes have caused wildlife to decline by 69 percent over the past five decades. The UN has found that 75 percent of the Earth's land is degraded, while its oceans are now 30 percent more acidic, choked with plastic and chemical waste. (Jaydev Jana, more at thestatesman.com)

Unhealthy environments usually affect children more than adults. They are still growing, with more exposure to air, food and water relative to their weight. They will be exposed to climate change for more years than people who have already grown up. Today's children are the people who will have to create ever more effective solutions to these problems in the future.

Adults have a responsibility to teach children the extent and consequences of climate change, while trying to limit its impact on their health. Children are experiencing increasingly devastating disasters driven by climate change, such as hurricanes and wildfires. It can be daunting, scary and overwhelming. So what should children learn about climate change that is developmentally appropriate and action-oriented, while inspiring hope? (from Dr. Faith Coleman, more at studyfinds.org)

Since the Industrial Revolution, average global temperatures have increased significantly. The last decade (2011-2020) was the warmest in history. 19 of the 20 warmest years ever occurred after 2000.

According to data from the Copernicus climate change service, 2020 was the second warmest year with the warmest summer on record. Most studies suggest that an increase in greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activity is responsible for the higher temperatures.

The global average temperature today is 0.95 to 1.2 degrees Celsius higher than at the end of the 19th century. For science, an increase of two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels is a dangerous threshold with catastrophic consequences for the climate and the environment.

The international community therefore agrees that global warming must remain well below two degrees Celsius. (More on europarl.europa.eu)

Reforestation efforts to restore stocks of depleted forests are important for addressing climate change and for sequestering and restoring carbon from the Earth's atmosphere. These types of solutions to reduce carbon emissions are critical after 2023 turned out to be the warmest year on record. However, some models were found to be inaccurate. New research from Michigan State University found that the carbon removal potential of some afforestation models was overstated—and not by a small factor—but by as much as threefold. The goal set by the 2015 Paris Agreement for countries to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees is now close to being met. (From Michigan State University, more at phys.org)

The Earth is coming off its hottest year on record, intensifying the destruction caused by hurricanes, wildfires, heat waves and drought. Oceans remain alarmingly warm, triggering the fourth global coral bleaching event on record. Concentrations of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere have reached levels not seen on this planet in millions of years, while humanity's demand for the fossil fuels that produce this pollution is at an all-time high.

But at the same time, the world may be closer than ever to turning the corner on coral climate change efforts. (Umair Irfan, more at vox.com)

The State of Europe's Climate 2023 report, published jointly by the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), points to record high temperatures, heatwaves, fires and severe flooding experienced by Europe in 2023. The year had the highest number of days of extreme heat stress to hit large parts of Europe. (More on climate-adapt.eea.europa.eu)

The North Pole region is warming faster than the rest of the world. Although this is a known fact, climate models underestimate the rate at which the region is warming. "We lack a proper understanding of the exact dynamics of climate warming at the North Pole. When and how much will the temperatures rise? Our lack of knowledge makes it difficult to predict consequences such as melting sea ice.''” Barten explains.

But new data obtained by a research ship that traveled the Arctic Ocean and got stuck in sea ice for an extended period of time will now correct that. Barten improved the predictions using the amount of data that this expedition brought back. (From Wageningen University, more at phys.org)

The global crises we face today highlight the importance of full and accurate reporting by independent media at all levels to guarantee citizens' right to information. Climate change may be a global phenomenon, but its effects are primarily felt by our communities, locally and regionally. Wildfires are destroying regional nature reserves, rainstorms are flooding the streets of our cities, and rising sea levels are threatening coastal communities. The local impact of climate change must be reported in the press." On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, spokespeople of the Congress on Local and Regional Self-Governments (part of the Council of Europe), Cecilia Dalman Eek (Sweden) and Mélanie Lepoultier (France) declared this. (More on reportsardegna24.it)

Recently, a group of Polish scientists from the University of Lublin, led by Dr. Jan Kubicki, published a study that could revolutionize our understanding of the effects carbon dioxide (CO2) to the earth's atmosphere. These researchers argue that the Earth's atmosphere is now "saturated" with CO2, meaning that further increases in this gas would not lead to an increase in global temperatures. Research suggests that although current CO2 levels are around 418 parts per million (ppm) , exceeding the 400 ppm threshold would not lead to further warming. Researchers have looked in depth at the relationship between CO2 concentration and global temperature rise and have concluded that the greenhouse effect caused by this gas is no longer a significant warming factor above a certain saturation level. ( LUISY BRUNOVA, sea at meteogiornale.it )

Here, to support the path towards net-zero urban emissions, we review the existing literature on urban-scale carbon dioxide removal (CDR), seeking to quantify the potential negative contribution of cities to emissions globally. Urban CDR options considered here include carbon sequestration in urban vegetation, soil and buildings, and CO capture ₂ from the indoor environment through decentralized direct air capture. Our estimates of carbon storage and sequestration potential suggest that the deployment of urban-scale CDR options could make a significant contribution to global climate change mitigation, along with supporting the scale-up of climate action from local to regional and national levels. (Quirina Rodriguez Mendez, Sabine Fuss, more at nature.com)

Researchers have discovered the missing piece of the puzzle behind a rare hole in the sea ice around Antarctica that was nearly twice the size of Wales and occurred during the winter of 2016 and 2017. The study, published today [1. May 2024] in the journal Science Advances reveals a key process that has eluded scientists as to how the opening, called a polynya, could form and persist for weeks.

A team of scientists from the University of Southampton, the University of Gothenburg and the University of California San Diego studied the Maud Rise polynya - named after the submerged mountain formation in the Weddell Sea over which it grows.

They found that the polynya formed as a result of complex interactions between wind, ocean currents, and the unique geography of the ocean floor, which transports heat and salt toward the surface. (UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON, more at eurekalert.org)

Together we can ask questions and look for answers, how trees in the country affect air quality, reduce the consequences of climate change and what are the other positives for people.

"The publication contains inspiration for all those who are not indifferent to nature and the relationship to it," Father Cyril from the Franciscan order in Fiľakovo expressed his feelings with these words.

After the introductory information about air quality in Slovakia, the work is divided into chapters, where we get to know the characteristics of selected tree formations in the seat and in the country.

The popularization text intended for the general public is conceived in a fictional presentation. (More on popular.sk)

In Europe, by the end of the century, the number of tree species suitable for combating forest loss could be reduced by a third due to climate change. A study published in "Nature Ecology & Evolution" raises alarm. The findings suggest that some trees could be at risk even in a mild climate change scenario. The death rate of European trees has increased dramatically over the past three decades, forcing authorities to think about how to preserve forest ecosystems. Johannes Wessely of the University of Vienna in Austria and colleagues assessed the distribution of 69 native tree species in Europe, including ash, oak, willow and rowan, both in the wild and in plantations. The scientists then modeled their ability to survive until the end of the century based on three climate scenarios such as representativeness, concentration, landscape. (Vuac on agi.it)

Earth, our living planet, has witnessed countless climate changes throughout its history, each of which has left an indelible mark on the land and the life it sustains. At the heart of this complex dance between climate and life are plants, the silent architects of Earth's atmosphere and the key to understanding our planet's response to the urgent problem of global warming. (Eric Ralls, more at Earth.com)

The EU-funded Climateurope2 project annually formulates key messages for the standardization of climate services, applicable to European standardization bodies and relevant organizations. Their goal is to support the development of high-quality and easily accessible climate services, including for policy makers. (More on climate-adapt.eea.europa.eu)

According to the prevailing view, inflation is driven by climate change. This is how the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research determined it - and many media parrot this alleged connection. However, from a certain economic point of view, this equation is not correct.

Prices - here on the goods market - arise from supply and demand. Climate change can make supply production more difficult, for example due to lack of water, etc. – but that doesn't necessarily have anything to do with demand. This does not answer the question whether demand will then automatically be only at higher prices than before. Pricing is not automatic, even though an economics textbook in a simple economics class would probably see it that way. (NEOPRESSE, more at neopresse.com)

Wars, conflicts, a shift to the right – and then the climate crisis. This worries most people. A look abroad shows the differences.

Düsseldorf - According to a recent survey, one in five people in Germany is worried about climate change every day. In a survey by the auditing firm PwC, which was available to the German Press Agency before publication, 19.8 percent said so. (More on merkur.de)

warming, attention turns to meaningful ways to address the second most important gas in climate change. While CO2 accounts for 66 percent of global warming, methane emissions contribute 16 percent. Despite its smaller share of climate change emissions, methane has contributed about 30 percent of global warming since pre-industrial times, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and has been spreading faster than ever since records began. started in the 1980s. Although CO2 emissions have slowed during pandemic-related lockdowns in 2020, atmospheric methane has shot up and is now at its highest level in 800,000 years. Methane was present in the pre-industrial atmosphere at 800 parts per billion (ppb); today it is 1,800 ppb. (Mark Rowe, more at geographical.co.uk)

Get an expert's perspective on the threat to global peace and security posed by climate change. Join Advanced Academic Programs Program Coordinator Lam Elhatow for a curated conversation with Swathi Veeravalli, Director of Climate Security and Adaptation for the National Security Council.

The discussion will address the profound security challenges we face as our climate changes, including the increased potential for conflict, national security concerns and threats to human security. Veeravalli will draw on her experience with the National Security Council and as an interdisciplinary research scientist to provide insight into the risks and perspective shift needed to design inclusive, sustainable strategies that address the multifaceted nature of climate-related security threats. (More on hub.jhu.edu)

The Indian Ocean is experiencing unprecedented and accelerated warming that may continue throughout the century unless greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are reduced immediately. A new study published in the journal Science Direct  predicted that between 2020 and 2100, the Indian Ocean could warm at a rate of 1.7 to 3.8 degrees Celsius per century.

This could lead to large-scale socio-economic impacts along with significant impacts on biodiversity, particularly on coral reefs.

"The future increase in heat content is equivalent to adding the energy of one Hiroshima atomic bomb blast every second, all day, every day, for a decade," said Roxy Mathew Koll, a climatologist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology and lead author. studies, in an interview for Down To Earth . (Akshit Sangomla, more at downtoearth.org.in)