Evidence of the effects of climate change on mental health and well-being is mounting rapidly. The aim of this scoping review is to understand the range and type of existing mental health and psychosocial interventions to address the mental health and psychosocial impacts of climate change. Scope review methodology was followed. MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Web of Science databases were searched from inception to May 2022. A comprehensive gray literature search, including expert consultation, was conducted to identify interventions for which the relevant academic literature may not yet be available. Data on intervention type, setting, climate stressor, mental health outcome, assessment, and any other available details were extracted and results were summarized narratively. ( Siqi Xue, Alessandro Massazza, Emma L. Lawrance, more at nature.com)

Created in 1992, the LIFE program is the EU's instrument for funding environmental and climate action, which has co-financed more than 5,000 projects helping Europe become greener. From 2021, the LIFE program includes a new sub-programme Transition to clean energy.

The total budget for the implementation of the LIFE program for the years 2021-2027 is EUR 5.432 billion.

Join us and submit your project ideas to calls for proposals to tackle environmental degradation, climate change and the clean energy transition. (More on ec.europa.eu)

Berlin. "When children ask where the snow goes in the winter or why the lake behind the kindergarten has almost dried up, educators are often looking for the right answer. Where should they start? How can you talk to kids about climate change without overwhelming them? This is exactly where our new training comes in. We offer educators an introduction to the topic and show that changes can start on a small scale and directly in their institutions," says Ute Krümmel, project manager of the Education for Sustainable Development project at the Children's Research Foundation.

How should you talk to your children about a topic you barely understand yourself? The training course "What does a mountain hare do without snow?" solves this exact question. Understanding climate change, acting together'. The Children's Research Foundation has set itself the task of developing materials and practical training that are suitable for everyday use. The motto of the new offer is: Focus on the everyday life of children. When children notice that the dog is too hot in the summer, the birds can't find food or their favorite tree is losing its leaves, they often worry and want to help. Educators learn to listen to children's feelings and work with them in shaping climate protection. They are also learning how they can better manage heavy rain and heat in their facilities and what they can learn from the animal world for their educational work. (More on www.presseportal.de)

A carbon budget is a concept used in climate policy to help set emission reduction targets in a fair and efficient way. It examines “the maximum amount of cumulative net global anthropogenic emissions of carbon dioxide (CO ₂), which would lead to limiting global warming to a given level". It can be expressed relative to the pre-industrial period (year 1750). In this case it is about total carbon budget. Or it may be expressed as of a recent specified date. In that case, it is about remaining carbon budget . (More on wikipedia.org)

The first ever European Climate Risk Assessment (EUCRA), published by the European Environment Agency (EEA), has identified policy priorities for climate change adaptation and for climate change sensitive sectors. According to the assessment, European policies and adaptation measures are not keeping pace with rapidly growing climate risks. In many cases, gradual adaptation will not be sufficient and it may be necessary to act quickly even for risks that are not yet critical.

The assessment identifies 36 major European climate risks within five broad groups: ecosystems, food, health , infrastructure a economy a finance . More than half of the main climate risks identified in the report now require more action, and eight of them are particularly urgent. (More on climate-adapt.eea.europa.eu)

dr. Kevin Trenberth is one of the world's leading experts on climate change. He is a recognized expert at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, has worked for the World Climate Research Program (WCRP) and has published more than 600 papers on climatology. Despite these impeccable credentials, when Trenberth spoke to Salon about his recent article in the Journal of Climate Action, Research and Policy, an unmistakable note of frustration crept into the scientist's voice. This was an expert who is not listened to by the general public, although he has something extremely important to say. "Climate change is clearly at an advanced stage and poses a major, even existential, threat that is not being adequately addressed," Trenberth writes. "Improvements are sorely needed in explaining why and how the climate is changing as a result of human activity."

He argues that when it comes to fixing climate change, humanity is missing a key point that he has emphasized repeatedly throughout his career: warming and heating are not the same thing. As Trenberth explained in both his article and an interview with Salon, if our species does not soon fully understand this fact and its implications, the consequences will be catastrophic. (MATÚŠA ROZSU, More at www.salon.com)

The extreme heat, droughts, fires and floods we have experienced in recent years will worsen in Europe even under optimistic global warming scenarios and affect living conditions across the continent. The EEA agency published the first ever European Climate Risk Assessment (EUCRA), which is intended to help identify political priorities for adaptation to climate change and for sectors sensitive to climate change.

According to the assessment, European policies and adaptation measures are not keeping pace with rapidly growing risks. In many cases, incremental adaptation will not be sufficient, and as many measures to improve resilience to climate change take a long time, urgent action may be necessary even for risks that are not yet critical. (More on eea.europa.eu)

A combination of regulations, subsidies and pricing instruments are used on the road to climate neutrality. CO2 is increasingly becoming a commodity in different markets with different functions and prices. (more…)

The European Commission, which launched a technical support project, will help Slovakia prepare a new national strategy for adaptation to climate change. In this context, the Ministry of the Environment of the Slovak Republic has started to cooperate with an international team of experts from organizations and consulting firms Trinomics, KRI - Institute for Climate and Development, FreshThoughts Consulting, alpS and AARC. The goal is to prepare a more systemic adaptation strategy by the end of 2024.

The key result of the project will be the adoption of a high-quality, new national strategy for adapting to climate change in Slovakia by the end of 2025, but also improving the abilities of Slovak public bodies and stakeholders to implement adaptation measures. (More on minzp.sk)

The EU strongly supports the transition to a low-carbon, sustainable and more resource-efficient economy. This support is part of the EU's efforts to achieve its climate and energy goals in line with the Paris Agreement and the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

Achieving climate, environmental and social sustainability goals requires significant private and public investments.

While the COVID-19 pandemic brought serious health, financial and economic challenges, the recovery has offered an opportunity to move forward better and more sustainably by strengthening public policies in favour of climate action, such as:

• carbon pricing
• discouraging environmentally harmful and economically inefficient subsidies
• transition to sustainable investments

As part of the EU's Next Generation EU recovery plan, 37 % of the Recovery and Resilience Facility totalling EUR 672.5 billion spends on climate-related goals. For the total amount of expenses from the long-term EU budget for 2021-2027 applies overall climate goal 30 %. (More on consilium.europa.eu)

The European Green Deal is a package of policy initiatives aimed at setting the EU on a path towards green transformation with the ultimate goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050.

Supports the transformation of the EU into a fair and prosperous society with a modern and competitive economy.

It highlights the need for a holistic and cross-sectoral approach, where all relevant policy areas contribute to the ultimate climate objective. The package includes initiatives on climate, environment, energy, transport, industry, agriculture and sustainable finance, all of which are closely linked.

The Commission presented the European Green Deal in December 2019 and the European Council took note of it at its December meeting. (More on consilium.europa.eu)

A forum was held today in Tripoli to launch EU-funded projects to support Libya's "Energy Transition and Climate Change". (more…)

All information about environmental education, training and awareness in one place. The Slovak Environmental Agency has established a unique website that is intended to serve all people who care about the environment. The website contains current information, starting with news from global environmental protection, the latest information from events in the European Union in the field of the environment, but also local information from regions, cities, municipalities, non-governmental organizations, schools and school facilities. An overview of the possibilities of financial support for educational and awareness activities, grants, subsidies, loans, but also events that will take place in the near future, publications and much other interesting information from the field of environmental education. (More on ewobox.sk)

The EU and its Member States have committed to putting biodiversity on a path to recovery by 2030. The EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2030 is the cornerstone of nature conservation in the EU. (more…)

The accuracy of climate models depends on many factors – greenhouse gas emissions from industrial and transport activities, “livestock emissions”, urban growth and forest loss, and solar reflections from snow and soil cover. Natural phenomena such as volcanic eruptions also contribute and are included in the models.

But some other natural processes have been overlooked. Farshid Vahedifard, professor and Louis Berger Chair in Civil and Environmental Engineering, points to an important element that lies right beneath our feet, covering most of our planet above water.

In a study published in Environmental Research Letters Vahedifard notes that soil stores 80 % of the Earth’s carbon, and as drought cycles and severity increase in several regions, this key reservoir is cracking and breaking down, releasing even more carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. In fact, this could create an amplified feedback loop that could accelerate climate change well beyond current predictions. (Mike Silver, Tufts University, more at phys.org)

No part of life seems to be untouched by climate change. Of course, it is already well known that the climate around the world is changing rapidly and as a result many environmental systems are collapsing or changing dramatically from what they were in the past. Even those familiar with the basics of climate change may be surprised to learn that a changing climate is directly causing negative health effects for countless people around the world.

Although climate change is certainly causing negative health effects around the world, the study in question was conducted in the Vancouver, BC region. With over a million people living in this part of Canada, there are certainly many individuals who could be harmed. changes in the environment. Some of the problems predicted to occur with increasing regularity include poor air quality, persistent droughts, extreme heat, severe storms and more. Each has the potential to affect human health in different ways, but all can be particularly harmful. (SARA E. TELLER, more at legalreader.com)

The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol is a globally recognized tool for understanding, quantifying and managing greenhouse gas emissions. It was developed by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) to provide a consistent, flexible and credible framework for businesses and governments to measure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The Greenhouse Gas Protocol provides a single accounting platform for most greenhouse gas standards and programs around the world—from the International Organization for Standardization to climate registries—and hundreds of greenhouse gas inventories developed by individual companies. It is the most widely used international accounting tool for government and business leaders to understand, quantify and manage greenhouse gas emissions.

History of the GHG protocol

The Greenhouse Gas Protocol was launched in 1998 as a multi-stakeholder initiative to develop internationally recognized standards for accounting and reporting of greenhouse gases. The initiative was led by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). Representatives of companies, governments and non-governmental organizations from all over the world took part in its creation.

Since its inception, the GHG Protocol has been revised and expanded to include new guidance, including accounting and reporting in business value chains (Scope 3), accounting for product life-cycle emissions, and accounting for GHGs in cities and communities.

GHG protocol standards

The Greenhouse Gas Protocol contains various standards and guidelines that are designed for specific purposes or industries. These standards include:

– Company standard: Provides companies with comprehensive guidance on quantifying and reporting greenhouse gas emissions.

– Scope 3 standard: It guides companies to include emissions in the value chain.

– Product standard: It guides companies to include emissions associated with the product's life cycle.

– A standard for cities and communities: Allows local communities and cities to account for and report their emissions.

Key Concepts of the GHG Protocol

The Greenhouse Gas Protocol is based on several key principles that are essential for effective accounting and reporting of greenhouse gases. They belong here:

– Relevance: Greenhouse gas inventories must adequately reflect a company's emissions and inform user decision-making.

– Completeness: All emission sources must be included in the inventories.

– Consistency: Using consistent methodologies to enable meaningful comparisons of emissions over time.

– Transparency: Providing sufficient information to make decisions with confidence.

– Accuracy: Achieving sufficient accuracy to ensure the factual accuracy of the inventory and to minimize uncertainties.

Scope of greenhouse gas emissions

Greenhouse gas emissions are categorized in the protocol into three ranges:

1. Range 1: Direct emissions from owned or controlled sources.

2. Range 2: Indirect emissions from the production of purchased energy.

3. Range 3: All other indirect emissions (not included in scope 2) in the value chain, including emissions in the supply and consumption stages.

This breakdown allows companies to identify their emissions and focus their efforts where they can have the greatest impact.

Advantages of using the GHG protocol

Using the protocol has many advantages:

– Trusted framework: It provides a trusted and widely accepted framework that helps ensure consistency, transparency and comparability of emissions data.

– Identification of emission sources: Helps organizations identify the most significant sources of emissions, allowing them to more effectively plan and implement strategies to reduce them.

– Building trust: It contributes to building stakeholder trust and improves the organization's environmental reputation.

Challenges and limitations

Despite its advantages, the protocol also has challenges and limitations:

– Data acquisition: Some organisations may have difficulty obtaining the necessary data, particularly for Scope 3 emissions that arise outside the organisation's direct control.

– Absence of concrete steps: The protocol does not prescribe specific steps to reduce emissions; its effectiveness depends on the commitment and actions of the organizations that use it.

The future of the GHG protocol

The Greenhouse Gas Protocol continues to evolve to meet the changing needs of businesses and governments to address climate change. Recent updates have focused on more detailed guidance, such as Scope 3 emissions and the use of GHG data in decision-making. The Protocol is likely to continue to play a key role in the transition to a low-carbon economy, providing a clear and consistent framework for accounting and reporting of greenhouse gases, enabling informed decisions and effective action against climate change.

The GHG Protocol is an invaluable tool for organizations and governments seeking to understand and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. It provides a clear framework that promotes transparency, consistency, and efficiency in measuring and managing emissions. While it faces some challenges, its continued development and adaptation to new needs ensure its importance in the global effort to combat climate change. Spring

This year, the NEA (National Education Association) is proud to partner with Subject to Climate, EARTHDAY.ORG, Learning for a Sustainable Future, and Worldwide Teach-In to provide Earth Month resource guides for educators around the world.

These manuals  contains a variety of Earth Day-themed learning resources designed to inspire students to become environmental stewards and help care for our planet. Find lessons and activities that are designed to support educators across grade levels and subject areas and that can be easily integrated into your existing lessons. (More on www.nea.org)