At El Niño In the generally cooler eastern Pacific Ocean along the equator, sea surface temperatures are rising by more than 3°C above the long-term average. This causes above-normal rainfall, which also reaches the west coast of South America, where it often causes catastrophic flooding. In contrast, droughts often occur in Australia, the western Pacific and India. The drop in air pressure in the eastern Pacific causes the trade winds to weaken, so that surface ocean currents and the movement of nutrient-rich water from the depths to the surface (so-called upwelling) weaken off the west coast of South America. This leads to fish kills here.

La Nina is, on the contrary, manifested by warmer sea water along the equator compared to normal by up to more than 3 °C. It causes increased precipitation in the western Pacific, and conversely drought in its central part. The increase in air pressure in the eastern Pacific causes the strengthening of the trade winds, so that the surface ocean currents and the upwelling of deep water off the western coast of South America are strengthened. The designation La Niña (little girl) arose as a contrast to the naming of the earlier known, opposite phase El Niño (little boy, baby Jesus). (CO2AI)

By 2030, we must decide what direction the future of our planet will take. After that date, there will be no turning back. The professor was clear . Riccardo Valentini, Nobel Peace Prize laureate for climate change research, spoke at a conference at the Pontifical University Antonianum in Rome on the topic: "Mediterranean Connections: Culture and sport for peace ", in the context of the Day of Sport for Development and Peace, which is established annually by the United Nations on April 6. (Francesco Vitale, more at interris.it)

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), water vapor is the most abundant greenhouse gas and is responsible for about half of Earth's natural greenhouse effect.

NOAA scientists are studying a method that could remove water vapor from Earth's atmosphere before it reaches the stratosphere, reducing one of the greenhouse gases that contributes to global warming.

Carbon dioxide emissions caused by human activity " are by far the most important driver of climate change ", researchers say, but water vapor is the most abundant greenhouse gas and is responsible for about half of Earth's natural greenhouse effect. But it also helps make our planet habitable. (ELISABETTA BONORA, more at aliveuniverse.today)

Who knows how many times you will read: " The climate has always changed, so there is nothing unusual about today's change. ". Well, for the layman, let's be clear. Earth's climate has always shown a cyclical alternation between glacial and interglacial periods, which marked the beginning of the modern climate era and human civilization almost 10,000 years ago. These are changes attributed to small orbital variations capable of modifying the amount of solar energy received by our planet. However, direct observations show that Earth's climate is warming at an unprecedented rate. The advent of satellites and technology in orbit has allowed climate scientists to gain insight and a wealth of information on a global scale. A dataset that reveals signs of a changing world in the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere and biosphere. (Renato Sansone, more at geomagazine.it)

A survey across the Arctic has found that permafrost is releasing more carbon into the atmosphere than it is absorbing, causing the planet to warm even more. Areas of permafrost in northern regions are now releasing more carbon into the atmosphere than they are absorbing, causing the planet to warm even more, according to the first estimate of all three major greenhouse gases across the Arctic.

Frozen ground, or permafrost, which underlies 15 percent of the Northern Hemisphere and contains twice as much carbon as the atmosphere, has shrunk an estimated 7 percent in area over the past 50 years as it melts. Recent research suggests that the melting will slow… (Alec Luhn, more at newscientist.com)

Soil carbon usually refers only to the organic matter component of soil, known as soil organic carbon (SOC). However, soil carbon also has an inorganic component, known as soil inorganic carbon (SIC). Solid SIC, often calcium carbonate, tends to accumulate more in dry areas with poor soil, leading many to believe that it is not important.

In a study published in in the journal Science  Researchers led by Prof. Huang Yuanyuan from the Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Prof. Zhang Ganlin from the Institute of Soil Science of the CAS, along with collaborators, have quantified the global trade of SIC, challenging this long-held view.

Scientists have found a whopping 2.305 billion tons of carbon stored as SIC in the top two meters of soil worldwide, more than five times the carbon found in all the world's vegetation combined. This hidden reservoir of soil carbon could be the key to understanding how carbon moves around the world. (Chinese Academy of Sciences, more at phys.org)

At the same time as farmers protested in European capitals to demand greater certainty for their future, the European Environment Agency published a report highlighting the serious climate risk to food security. In the European  climate risk assessments identified 36 major climate risks for Europe related to food, ecosystems, health, infrastructure, economy and finance. The assessment mapped the direct and cascading effects of these risks and the areas with the most severe impacts.  (Justin Zahra, more at edf.org)

A new study published in Nature Communications revealed that the interplay between meandering ocean currents and the ocean floor induces rising velocity and transports warm water to shallower depths. This mechanism is a major contributor to the melting of ice shelves in the Amundsen Sea in West Antarctica. These ice shelves are rapidly destabilizing and contributing to sea level rise. An international team of researchers from the Korea Polar Research Institute, Hokkaido University, and Seoul National University, led by Taewook Park and Yoshihiro Nakayama, used advanced ocean modeling techniques to investigate the underlying forces behind the rapidly melting ice shelves. (Hokkaido University, more at phys.org)

Climate change damages the immune system: according to an international study with Swiss participation, global warming, air pollution and a decline in biodiversity are increasing health problems such as asthma, allergies and cancer.

“Climate change poses an existential threat to human, animal and ecosystem health,” write the scientists who participated in the study published in the journal Frontiers in Science. The pool brings together scientists from around thirty institutes in different countries, including the Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research in Davos and the Center for Allergy Research and Education, also in Davos. (More on laregione.ch)

The European elections are approaching and one of the main topics at the centre of the debate is the fight against climate change. Attitudes towards new sustainable policies will inevitably influence the vote in June. European voters are aware of the importance of the climate emergency and the European measures taken in recent years to support the environment. However, many do not consider them sufficient to cope with the ever-growing emergency. According to a recent Euronews-Ipsos poll, less More than a third of voters in the European elections think that Europe has a positive impact on the environment.

In recent years, European institutions have set themselves the goal of reducing emissions by 55 % by 2030 and eliminating them completely by 2050. (Bianca Terzoni, more at lasvolta.it)

Under the heading “young people,” the report says it is a unanimous recommendation. “Climate change must be a compulsory subject in the curriculum from primary to secondary school, and children should be involved in its development,” it says.

"So that all children are informed, have the opportunity to engage and speak out, influence their parents, and help bring about change within the home and at the local level."

“Because it is currently only optional – it would ensure that all students gain basic knowledge about climate change, energy production, global issues and green job opportunities.” (Kathleen Nutt, more at heraldscotland.com)

UN climate chief Simon Stiell warned G20 nations on Wednesday that their economies were facing decimation and that they must overcome geopolitical differences to tackle global warming. Stiell said the climate crisis was slipping off the crowded global agenda at a time when consensus was needed on how to help developing countries pay for clean energy and respond to extreme weather.

The Group of 20 developed and developing economies, including the United States, China and India, faced many geopolitical challenges, but that "cannot be an excuse for timidity in the midst of this worsening crisis," Stiell said in a speech in London.

“I’ll be honest: shifting blame is not – is not – a strategy. Climate pushback is not the solution to a crisis that is decimating every G20 economy and has already begun to hurt,” said the UN executive secretary. Framework Convention on Climate Change. (More on phys.org)

Tuesday's court ruling to change the definition means nearly 50 governments must now grapple with a new era of climate litigation. Warning to governments: You must protect your citizens from climate change – it's their human right.

That prescient message was embedded in a sweeping ruling by Europe's top human rights court on Tuesday. The court's conclusion? People have a right to security from climate disasters, which is rooted in their right to life, privacy and family.

The European Court of Human Rights’ decision to change the definition means that nearly 50 governments representing nearly 700 million people will now have to contend with a new era of lawsuits from climate-affected communities over alleged inaction. (FEDERICA DI SARIO, politico.eu)

Data storage now accounts for more carbon emissions than the commercial airline industry—and a single data center uses the same amount of electricity as powering 50,000 homes. 1 gigabyte of cloud storage uses about seven kilowatts of electricity per hour. One of the biggest contributors to the data storage industry is the energy consumption of data centers, the physical locations where data is stored and processed.

These centers require a lot of energy to power the servers, cooling systems, and other infrastructure needed to store data. In addition to the energy consumption of data centers, the manufacturing of the hardware and the transportation of data can also contribute to the industry's carbon footprint. (More on netzero.im)

Since September 2023, 159 new eco-label licences have been granted across different product groups, bringing the total to 2,743. A remarkable 6,837 new products have been awarded the EU Ecolabel, meaning consumers can now choose from almost 96,000 goods and services that have demonstrated their environmental credentials. These record figures are cause for celebration as they reflect a growing collective commitment to end greenwashing.   

The tourism product group maintains its leadership accommodation services  with the highest number of licenses overall. Holidaymakers will now have a choice of over 700 EU Ecolabelled hotels and campsites for their next travel adventures, the vast majority of which are micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. (More or less environment.ec.europa.eu)

European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) based in Strasbourg, by a majority of 16 votes to 1, officially linked the climate crisis with the protection of human rights. The decision of the European Court of Human Rights represents a fundamental point for disputes over climate change in Europe . A new stage is opening, in which Italy could soon join, where all internal rules must respect the rights and principles guaranteed by the ECHR and where the constitutional court is obliged to decide on respect for the above-mentioned principles, the violation of which is unconstitutional. (More on wwf.it)

Global warming caused by climate change is reshaping our world in many ways. In addition to melting glaciers and rising sea levels, it also has a significant impact on our food systems and security. Let's dive into how global warming intersects with foodborne illness, those most at risk, and strategies to increase sustainability.

The link between climate change and foodborne illness:

According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), climate change is directly affecting our global food system, posing new challenges to food safety and human health. (KIT REDWINE, more at foodpoisoningnews.com)

The non-profit research groups NewClimate Institute and Carbon Market Watch looked at the climate commitments of 51 multinational companies and found that many brands overstate their sustainability claims. Distinguishing real reductions in planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions from "baseless greenwashing" was a big challenge, especially for consumers, they said.

Taken together, the brands examined in the report – mostly household names including H&M Group, Nestle and Toyota – accounted for 16 percent of global emissions in 2022.

However, their efforts were "critically insufficient" to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius - the safer limit set by the 2015 Paris climate agreement. (From Linda GIVETASH, phys.org)