The European Union experienced its hottest combined year on record in 2023, according to a new scientific analysis, pointing to a more dangerous future for a continent that is already the world's fastest-warming.

Europe last year saw the largest wildfires on record and one of the costliest floods in history, according to scientists from the Copernicus Climate Change Service and the World Meteorological Organization in their annual review of the region's climate. This year has seen no respite from extreme weather around the world, including severe flooding that hit Dubai and parts of Russia. (John Ainger, more at insurancejournal.com)

WHO is organizing a series of technical webinars on various climate change and health topics to build capacity for implementation at the country level. These webinars will include training, experience sharing, interactive activities and group discussions.

The first series of webinars will explore specific topics related to:

• Conducting climate change vulnerability assessments and health and adaptation
• Development of a national adaptation plan in the field of health
• Access to climate finance for health
• Climate-resistant and environmentally sustainable medical facilities

(More on who.int)

Google celebrated Earth Day 2024 by replacing the letters with photos of some of the places around the world "where people, communities and governments help protect the planet's natural beauty, biodiversity and resources every day," the company explained. And so the letter G shows the Turks and Caicos Islands; first O the Arrecife Alacranes (the largest coral reef in the southern Gulf of Mexico); the other O is Vatnajökull, in Iceland, the largest glacier in Europe; the second G is Jaú National Park in the Brazilian Amazon; L shows the Great Green Wall in Nigeria, an ambitious project launched in 2007 to create a large belt of vegetation more than 7 thousand kilometers long from the west coast of Africa, in Senegal, to the east coast in Djibouti; E finally shows the Pilbara Islands Nature Reserve in Western Australia. (More on doodles.google)

The report details the main regional events that defined a year of contrasts in Europe. These include record temperatures, widespread heat stress, widespread flooding, rapidly shrinking glaciers, extreme sea heat and the largest fire ever recorded in the European Union.

The ESOTC report also outlines the ways in which extreme temperatures, severe weather events and precipitation have affected societies, the environment and human health.

The annual assessment, first published in 2017, relies heavily on satellite observations made by EUMETSAT satellites, satellite data products produced and distributed by the EUMETSAT satellite application network and reanalyses of satellite data. (More on eumetsat.int)

Last year, Europe experienced more days of extreme heat than ever before since records began. The joint report by the UN World Meteorological Organization and the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service also shows that the number of days with at least severe heat stress is increasing. Europe is the continent warming the fastest. Since the 1980s, temperatures have risen about twice as fast as the global average. Over the past 20 years, the number of deaths from heat has increased by about 30 percent. It is estimated that between 55,000 and 72,000 people died as a result of heat waves in the summers of 2003, 2010 and 2022. (More on deutschlandfunk.de)

Climate change is becoming increasingly evident in Europe – 2023 was a particularly extreme year, according to a new report from the EU's Copernicus climate change service. The consequences for people and nature are very different. At least one thing gives researchers hope. The largest forest fire on record. One of the wettest years ever. At the same time, severe heat waves. Devastating floods. The hottest year on record. Europe will remember 2023 as a year of extremes. It was extraordinary. This is highlighted in a new report from the EU's Copernicus climate change service and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), published in mid-April 2024. (Saskia Heinze, more at rnd.de)

Celebrated annually on April 22 around the world, Earth Day is an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of contemporary environmental movements and to raise awareness of the need to protect the Earth and its resources. Earth Day 2024 has the theme "Planet vs. Plastics"" to draw attention to the pollution caused by the increased use of plastics.

In honor of this day, here are 10 unique things about climate change that you need to know.

1. Rising temperatures

The planet's temperature is rising every year. According to reports from the US-based National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 2023 was the warmest year on record, and there is a good chance that temperatures will continue to rise in the coming years.

2. Melting glaciers

As global warming increases, glaciers in the Arctic and Antarctic regions are beginning to melt. This could lead to rising sea levels and, in turn, increased coastal erosion.

3. Greenhouse effect

The increase in greenhouse gases has a significant impact on the planet's climate. Emissions of carbon and other greenhouse gases have caused heat to be trapped on the Earth's surface, causing the planet to warm.

4. Changing seasons

Due to the increase in the temperature of the Earth, the timing, weather and temperature of the seasons are being severely affected. Summers have become hotter while winters are less cold. Rainfall and the timing of the monsoon are being disrupted by the current climate conditions.

5. Hunger and thirst

Changing weather patterns and extreme weather events are affecting the availability and quality of food. The availability of drinking water is decreasing due to human activities and climate change. If this continues for a long time, starvation and dehydration will increase, which could wipe out huge numbers of people from the face of the earth.

6. Ozone layer depletion

The ozone layer is thinning due to the increased use of CFC-emitting devices. While 3 billion metric tons of ozone seems like a lot, it is only 0.00006 % of the atmosphere. The destruction of the ozone layer causes more UV rays to reach the Earth's surface, which can cause a weakening of the immune system and other health problems for the human race.

7. Irreparable damage

Urgent action is needed to address adverse climate conditions around the world, according to a report by the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. It says climate change could become irreversible by 2030.

8. Cries of the Extinct

Species extinction rates are at historically high levels due to current climate conditions. More than 1 million species are on the verge of extinction. The current extinction rate is 1,000 times higher than the natural extinction rate. This loss of biodiversity can have a detrimental impact on the ecological balance.

9. Nature's Revenge

For every act we take to satisfy our greed, nature pays us back with natural disasters. Human-caused climate change is causing fires, droughts, floods, and more. To reverse this damage before it becomes permanent, we must care for and protect nature.

10. The Bright Side

For every negative, there is a positive side. So is the climate change that is currently happening. It brings space for agriculture in the ice-covered regions of the Arctic and Antarctic. It also prevents the possibility of another ice age. Longer growing seasons may bring increased crop production in some regions.

(Aparna Sajinath, more at theweek.in)

The Slovak Republic has reduced some environmental pressures over the past decade. However, more needs to be done to reduce air pollution, improve waste and wastewater treatment and move towards carbon neutrality. Since 2011, the country has taken important steps to improve its biodiversity policy. Slovakia now needs to align its strategy with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2030. Most species and habitats are in an unfavourable state and biodiversity considerations are not sufficiently integrated into sectoral policies. This is the third assessment of the environmental performance of the Slovak Republic. It provides an evidence-based assessment of the country’s progress in achieving its environmental objectives over the past decade. The 29 recommendations aim to help Slovakia improve its environmental performance, with a particular focus on biodiversity and forests in the context of climate change. (More on oecd.org)

On Monday, April 22, the world will commemorate Earth Day, which aims to raise awareness of environmental issues such as climate change, pollution, nature conservation and endangered species, as well as support for ecological and sustainable practices. This year's theme of Earth Day is Planet vs. Plastic, which highlights the global problem of plastic waste. It also encourages participation in various activities to protect the environment. The Ministry of the Environment of the Slovak Republic is preparing a number of environmental activities for the public as part of Earth Day and in cooperation with sectoral organizations. (More on minzp.sk)

Earth Day is celebrated annually on April 22. It serves as a reminder of the importance of environmental protection and sustainability. We celebrate Earth Day to raise awareness of the critical environmental challenges facing our planet and to mobilize efforts to address them. By coming together on Earth Day, we reaffirm our commitment to protecting the environment, promoting sustainability, and ensuring a healthier and more resilient future for all life on Earth. It is a day to reflect on our individual and collective impact on the planet and to take meaningful action to protect its precious resources. (More on economictimes.com)

April 22 is not just another date on the calendar. It is a date etched in green, a global cry of protest for our planet. Earth Day is a movement that transcends borders and generations, a day when billions of people come together to celebrate our one common home – Earth.

It wasn't always this way. Earth Day emerged from a wave of concern, a collective protest against unchecked environmental damage in the late 1960s. Smog-swamped cities, rivers choked with waste, and the silent disappearance of species all painted a grim picture. Earth Day became a platform for this growing unrest, a way for everyday people to demand action. (Sanjana Gajbhiye, more at earth.com)

“The earth will not continue to yield its harvest unless with faithful stewardship. We cannot say we love the land and then take steps to destroy it so that future generations can enjoy it.” – Pope John Paul II

“We are the first generation to feel the impact of climate change and the last generation that can do anything about it.” – Barack Obama

“Nothing is more beautiful than the beauty of the woods before sunrise.” – George Washington Carver

“What good is a nice house if you don’t have a tolerable planet to put it on?” – Henry David Thoreau

"What you take from the earth, you must give back. That's nature." - Chris d'Lacey

“To me, a lush carpet of needles or spongy grass is more welcome than the most luxurious Persian rug.” – Helen Keller

"A nation that destroys its soil destroys itself. The forests are the lungs of our country, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people." - Franklin D. Roosevelt

“I only get angry when I see garbage. When I see people throwing away things that we could use.” - Mother Teresa

“The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.” – Robert Swan

“If the environment is happy, people will laugh and your sadness will disappear.” – Srinivas Mishra

“The earth is what we all have in common.” – Wendell Berry

The global art world took a major step towards environmental sustainability today as UN Climate Change announced a partnership with the Art Charter for Climate Action (ACCA). The collaboration, unveiled during The Hope Forum at the 60th Venice Biennale, aims to unite the visual arts sector in driving transformative climate action.

ACCA will become the cornerstone for the visual arts within the UN Entertainment & Culture for Climate Action Alliance. This alliance aims to take a two-pronged approach: to minimize greenhouse gas emissions within the arts and entertainment industry and to inspire broader climate action through artistic expression. (More on hdailynewsegypt.com)

Carbon dioxide acts like the Earth's thermostat: The more of it in the air, the warmer the planet. In 2023, global levels of the greenhouse gas rose to 419 parts per million, about 50 percent higher than before the Industrial Revolution. That means there are about 50 percent more carbon dioxide molecules in the air than there were in 1750.

As carbon dioxide builds up in the atmosphere, it traps heat and warms the planet. Every additional amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere contributes to more warming, which is why climate scientists emphasize the need to reach zero emissions.

Carbon dioxide levels are currently rising at a near-record rate. Last year marked the fourth-highest annual increase in global carbon dioxide levels, according to data released earlier this month by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Global Monitoring Laboratory. (Aatish Bhatia, more at nytimes.com)

Each year, Earth Day invites us to reflect on what we can do as individuals to help solve environmental problems. It offers a backdrop for measuring progress on issues ranging from plastic pollution (this year’s Earth Day theme) to biodiversity, land use, just transitions, and climate change. It provides context for assessing whether we have made progress or regressed. We have seen both progress and regression on many environmental issues. But one thing is certain: Addressing complex environmental challenges requires the participation of a wide range of stakeholders—including civil society, government, academia, non-profits, and investors. (Thomas Kuh, more at morningstar.com)

On Earth Day, UNICEF is urging governments to provide every child with educational opportunities to become champions for the planet. In 2023 alone, millions of people were displaced or killed by extreme weather events. Women and girls in climate-sensitive areas suffer disproportionately from the impacts of climate change, pushing more girls out of school and putting them at greater risk of child marriage, violence and exploitation.

Climate-related disasters disrupt the education of 40 million children every year, leaving marginalized young people without the skills they need to adapt to the new realities of climate change. It’s time to act. Join us in fighting for the planet every day and creating a brighter, more sustainable future for all. (Ingrid Sanchez Tapia, unicef.org)

The unique Earth Day, called One Earth, combines several elements at once. You can create your own banner or join the march through the city and create a living chain. But that's not all. You can expect discussions with experts and active citizens of the city, compete in a quiz and have fun at a DJ set in Interpretation. Already on Monday April 22 Let's celebrate Earth Day together. (More on bbonline.sk)

Pessimistic scenarios of climate change often occupy the headlines. But a new report from Harvard offers a glimmer of optimism. According to this report, we can still meet our common climate goals and avoid the catastrophe of global warming. But this success rests on an important caveat: fast action is needed to change the way we produce and consume food. Experts agree that to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, including reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to pre-2019 levels by 2030, we must accelerate the global shift away from animal production in favor of low-carbon, plant-based alternatives. (By Cyril Renault, more at sain-et-naturel.ouest-france.fr)

Global estimates of land use and land cover changes are essential to quantify greenhouse gas exchanges between land and the atmosphere and to help report emissions under the Paris Agreement, but at 100-meter resolution, existing maps showing land cover evolution often fail to detect activities related to small-scale deforestation, agriculture or the growth of new settlements, causing significant errors in climate scenario simulations.

That's why we need newly developed tools, such as the high-resolution satellite maps developed by a team of researchers led by the University of Trento as part of the ESA Climate Change initiative, the European Space Agency's (ESA) climate change initiative, which provides ten times better capacity to monitor and map changes in land cover and land use than is currently available. (More on greenreport.it)

Looking back at last year's climate data, it is clear that the effects of rising temperatures are increasingly being felt across the globe, and Europe is no exception. Last year was the warmest year on record, and data from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the European Climate Change Service Copernicus showed that Europe is actually the fastest warming continent in the world, with temperatures rising twice as fast as the global average.

How does this translate into real life? Last year saw more frequent heat waves and devastating fires, along with flash floods and droughts. Heatwaves are also taking a toll on biodiversity and even our health, with heat-related deaths increasing worldwide. (Anca Ulea, more at euronews.com)