Deforestation is the process of removing forest cover from the Earth's surface, most often to make way for agriculture, pasture, urbanization, or logging. However, forests play a key role in the global carbon cycle, and their loss has significant consequences for climate change.

🔥 How deforestation contributes to climate change

1. 🌫️ Releasing stored carbon:

• Forests are important carbon reservoirs. Trees and plants absorb carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere through photosynthesis and store it in the form of biomass (wood, leaves, roots).
• When forests are cut down or burned, the stored carbon is released back into the atmosphere in the form of CO₂, increasing the concentration of greenhouse gases.

2. 🌿 Reduction in the ability to absorb CO₂:

• Removing forests reduces the overall ability of the biosphere to absorb CO₂ from the atmosphere, thereby reducing the carbon sink.
• Young forest stands and agricultural crops cannot replace the carbon storage capacity of mature forests.

3. ☀️ Change in surface albedo:

• Deforestation can change the reflective properties of the Earth's surface (albedo).
• Bare land or agricultural land may reflect more or less solar radiation compared to a forest, which can locally affect the heat balance.

4. 🧱 Impact on soil carbon:

• Forest soils contain significant amounts of organic carbon.
• Deforestation and subsequent soil erosion can lead to the release of carbon from the soil into the atmosphere.

🌍 Global consequences of deforestation

• Deforestation is responsible for approximately 10–15 % of global greenhouse gas emissions, making it a significant contributor to climate change.
• Tropical forests, such as the Amazon rainforest, the Congo Basin, and the forests of Southeast Asia, are particularly important because of their high biodiversity and capacity to store carbon.

⚠️ Other environmental and social impacts of deforestation

1. 🦜 Biodiversity loss:

• Forests are home to 80 % terrestrial species of plants and animals.
• Deforestation leads to habitat loss and can cause the extinction of many species.

2. 💧 Disruption of the water cycle:

• Forests play a significant role in regulating precipitation and maintaining the water cycle.
• Their decline can lead to reduced rainfall, droughts and floods.

3. ⛰️ Soil erosion and degradation:

• Removing trees leaves the soil exposed to erosion by wind and water.
• This leads to a reduction in soil fertility and can affect agricultural productivity.

4. 👥 Socio-economic impacts:

• It affects local communities and indigenous peoples who depend on forests for livelihoods, culture and identity.
• It can lead to resource conflicts and social instability.

🔍 Causes of deforestation

🌾 Agricultural expansion:

• Commodity crops such as soy, oil palm and cattle ranching are major causes of deforestation in tropical regions.

🪵 Timber harvesting:

• Unsustainable logging for wood products and paper contributes to forest loss.

⛏️ Raw material extraction and infrastructure:

• Mining, road construction and urban expansion lead to the removal of forest cover.

🔥 Fires:

• Careless or deliberate burning of forests for the purpose of clearing land for agriculture or other uses.

✅ Possible solutions and measures

1. 🌲 Sustainable forestry:

• Wood certification (e.g. FSC – Forest Stewardship Council) supports responsible logging.
• Implementing sustainable forestry practices reduces the negative impact on forests.

2. 🛡️ Forest protection and restoration:

• Creating protected areas and national parks to preserve biodiversity.
• Afforestation and reforestation of areas affected by deforestation.

3. ⚖️ Political and economic instruments:

• Regulations and laws to stop illegal deforestation.
• Economic incentives for sustainable land use and forest protection.
• International programs such as REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) motivate countries to protect forests.

4. 🛍️ Responsible consumer approach:

• Support for products with sustainability certificates and transparent origins.
• Reducing consumption of products associated with deforestation (e.g. uncertified palm oil, tropical wood).

5. 🔋 Alternative energy sources:

• The transition to renewable energy sources reduces pressure on forests used as fuelwood.

6. 🤝 Involving local communities:

• Strengthening indigenous peoples' rights to land and forest use.
• Education and provision of alternative livelihoods for communities dependent on deforestation.

Deforestation has a significant negative impact on climate change through the release of greenhouse gases and the reduction of the planet's ability to absorb CO₂. It also contributes to biodiversity loss, the disruption of ecosystem services and has social consequences for people dependent on forests. Addressing deforestation is essential to mitigating climate change and requires a global effort involving governments, businesses, communities and individuals. Spring

Ocean acidification is the process of lowering the pH of seawater caused by increasing concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the atmosphere. Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, atmospheric CO₂ levels have increased due to human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial processes. The oceans absorb approximately 25–30 % of anthropogenic CO₂ emissions, leading to chemical reactions that increase the acidity of seawater.

🧪 Chemical process of acidification:

1. CO₂ absorption in the ocean:

• CO₂ from the atmosphere dissolves in the surface layers of the ocean.

2. Carbonic acid formation:

• Dissolved CO₂ reacts with water (H₂O) to form carbonic acid (H₂CO₃).

3. Dissociation of carbonic acid:

• Carbonic acid further breaks down into bicarbonate ions (HCO₃-) and hydrogen ions (H+).

4. Lowering the pH of water:

• Increased amounts of hydrogen ions (H+) cause a decrease in pH, which means the water becomes more acidic.

5. Decrease in carbonate ions:

• Hydrogen ions react with carbonate ions (CO₃²-), reducing their availability.

🐚 Impacts on marine life:

1. Threat to organisms with calcareous shells:

• Corals, bivalves, mollusks, sea urchins and some planktonic species need carbonate ions to form their shells and skeletons (calcium carbonate – CaCO₃).
• The reduced availability of carbonate ions makes it difficult for these organisms to build and maintain their shells.
• Shell erosion: More acidic water may even dissolve existing shells, leading to increased mortality.

2. Disruption of food webs:

• Planktonic organisms, the foundation of marine food chains, are under threat. Their decline can have a cascading effect on entire ecosystems.
• Fish and marine mammals dependent on these organisms may suffer from food shortages.

3. Changes in fish behavior and physiology:

• Increased acidity can affect the nervous system of fish, leading to problems with orientation, avoiding predators, and finding food.
• Reproductive success may be reduced.

4. Impact on coral reefs:

• Coral bleaching: Acidification increases corals' sensitivity to temperature stress, leading to bleaching and death.
• Biodiversity loss: Coral reefs are home to more than 25 % of all marine species; their degradation has wide-ranging ecological consequences.

5. Changes in chemical signals:

• Some marine organisms use chemical signals to communicate and find mates or food. Changing pH can disrupt these processes.

💰 Wider implications:

Economic impacts:

• Fisheries and aquaculture: The decline in marine species populations is affecting the livelihoods of millions of people who depend on the sea for food and income.
• Tourism: The loss of attractive coral reefs can negatively impact the tourism industry.

🌱 Ecosystem services:

• Oceans play a key role in the global carbon cycle and climate regulation, and acidification could impair their ability to store carbon.
• Deterioration in water quality can affect its ability to support life and provide other ecosystem services.

🥗 Food safety:

• Threats to marine food sources can increase pressure on land-based food systems and worsen global food security.

🛠️ Possible solutions and adaptation measures:

1. Reducing CO₂ emissions:

• The main solution is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions globally through a transition to renewable energy sources, increased energy efficiency, and technologies to remove carbon from the atmosphere.

2. Protection and restoration of ecosystems:

• Creating marine protected areas to reduce other stressors such as overfishing and pollution.
• Restoring mangrove forests and seagrasses, which can help store carbon and improve water quality.

3. Research and monitoring:

• Investing in research to better understand the effects of acidification on different species and ecosystems.
• Monitoring changes in pH and other chemical parameters of the oceans at a global level.

4. Adaptation strategies in fisheries:

• Developing more resilient species for aquaculture.
• Diversification of economic activities in fishing-dependent communities.

5. Education and awareness:

• Increasing public awareness of the causes and consequences of ocean acidification.
• Promoting sustainable consumer practices and reducing individuals' carbon footprint.

Ocean acidification is a serious and growing threat to marine life and the overall health of the oceans. It has the potential to disrupt fundamental ecological processes, reduce biodiversity and affect millions of people who depend on the sea for their livelihoods and food. Addressing this problem requires a coordinated global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect marine ecosystems and support local adaptation. The oceans are an integral part of our planetary system and their protection is essential for sustaining life on Earth in its diverse forms. Spring

Permafrost, or permanently frozen ground, is the subsoil (soil, sediment, or rock) that remains frozen for at least two consecutive years. Permafrost occurs mainly in polar regions in the Northern Hemisphere, such as Siberia, Alaska, Canada, and some parts of Greenland, but also in high-altitude areas.

❄️ Main characteristics of permafrost

• Extension: It covers approximately 24 % of the Earth's surface in the Northern Hemisphere.
• Thickness: It can range from a few meters to more than 1,500 meters in the coldest areas of Siberia.
• Active layer: The surface layer of permafrost that thaws in summer and freezes again in winter. Its thickness ranges from 0.3 to 4 meters.

🌡️ The importance of permafrost in the context of climate change

Permafrost is of fundamental importance to the global climate system and its melting has significant consequences:

• 💨 Storing huge amounts of carbon
  • Organic matter reservoir: Permafrost contains approximately 1,500 billion tons of carbon, almost double the amount of carbon currently present in the atmosphere.
  • This carbon comes from incompletely decomposed plant and animal remains that have accumulated over millennia.
• 🌫️ Greenhouse gas emissions during heating
  • Carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄): As permafrost thaws, microorganisms begin to break down organic matter, leading to the release of CO₂ and methane.
  • Methane is particularly significant because it is approximately 25 times more effective at trapping heat than CO₂ over a 100-year timescale.
• 🔥 Strengthening climate change
  The release of these gases creates a positive feedback loop that can accelerate global warming.

🏚️ Impacts on infrastructure and the environment

• Soil instability: Melting permafrost is causing landslides and terrain collapse, threatening buildings, roads and other infrastructure projects in Arctic regions.
• Hydrological changes: Changes in water runoff can affect local ecosystems, such as the formation of new lakes or the drying up of wetlands.
• 🦠 Releasing ancient pathogens: There is concern that melting permafrost could release long-preserved viruses and bacteria, as happened in 2016 in Russia with anthrax.

🌍 Impact on global climate

• ⚡ Amplification of extreme events: Increased greenhouse gas emissions may contribute to more frequent and intense extreme weather events.

🔭 Current observations and forecasts

• Faster Arctic warming: The Arctic is warming twice as fast as the rest of the world, accelerating the melting of permafrost.
• 💥 Potential carbon emissions: It is estimated that by 2100, 120 to 240 billion tons of carbon could be released from melting permafrost if current emissions trends continue.
• Uncertainty in scientific models: Melting permafrost poses a major uncertainty in climate models because the exact extent and rate of carbon release are difficult to predict.

🔬 Measures and research

• 🛰️ Permafrost monitoring: Scientific teams use satellite observations, soil probes, and models to track changes in permafrost.
• 🌿 Reducing emissions: Global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are key to slowing warming and protecting permafrost.
• 🏗️ Infrastructure adaptation: Development of new construction techniques and materials for Arctic regions that take into account changing soil conditions.

Permafrost plays a critical role in the global climate system as a vast carbon reservoir. Its melting due to rising global temperatures could significantly contribute to increased greenhouse gas emissions, creating a dangerous feedback loop accelerating climate change. In addition, melting permafrost has significant impacts on local communities, infrastructure and ecosystems. Therefore, continued research, monitoring and global efforts to reduce emissions are essential to minimize these risks and protect permafrost for future generations. Spring

Climate change is having a significant and predominantly negative impact on biodiversity (the variety of life on Earth) and the functioning of ecosystems. Increasing average global temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, rising sea levels, and increased frequency of extreme weather events are causing widespread ecological changes. These changes affect plants, animals, microorganisms, and the overall ecological processes that underpin life on Earth.

🌍 Key ways in which climate change affects biodiversity and ecosystems:

1. 📍 Shifts in the geographical distribution of species:

• Many species are moving towards the poles or to higher altitudes to adapt to colder conditions.
• This movement can disrupt existing ecosystems as species enter new areas where they can compete with native species.
• Species with limited migration opportunities, such as mountain or island species, are at high risk of extinction.

2. 🌸 Changes in the timing of biological processes (phenology):

• Climate change affects the timing of key events such as plant flowering, bird migration, or animal reproduction.
• Mismatches in these processes can disrupt food chains, for example when insects hatch earlier but birds migrating for food arrive later.

3. 🌪️ Increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events:

• Floods, droughts, heat waves and wildfires can directly damage or destroy habitats.
• Repeated extreme events can exceed the ability of ecosystems to recover, leading to permanent changes.

4. 🌊 Sea level rise:

• It threatens coastal and low-lying ecosystems such as wetlands, mangrove forests and coral islands.
• Salt water is invading freshwater ecosystems, affecting species that cannot tolerate high salinity.

5. 🌡️ Ocean acidification:

• Increased levels of CO₂ in the atmosphere lead to higher absorption of CO₂ by the oceans, which causes the pH of seawater to decrease.
• It negatively affects organisms with calcareous shells, such as corals, bivalves, and some planktonic species, which can disrupt entire marine food webs.

6. ❄️ Melting permafrost and Arctic ecosystems:

• Melting permafrost is changing tundra ecosystems, affecting soil processes and releasing methane, a potent greenhouse gas.
• Arctic species, such as polar bears, are losing their natural habitat due to the loss of sea ice.

7. 🦠 Increasing incidence of pests and diseases:

• Milder winters and warmer climates allow the survival and spread of pests and pathogens that can harm plants and animals.
• An example is the bark beetle in the forests of North America, which caused widespread tree dieback.

8. 🌱 Disruption of ecosystem services:

• Ecosystems provide services such as pollination, water purification, flood protection, and carbon storage.
• The degradation of these services has direct consequences for human health, the economy and quality of life.

🌍 Specific examples of impacts:

• 🐠 Coral reefs:

Coral bleaching: Rising seawater temperatures lead to the expulsion of symbiotic algae from corals, causing bleaching and often death of the corals.

Great Barrier Reef: Has experienced several mass bleaching events since 2016, threatening the biodiversity of one of the richest ecosystems in the world.

• 🌲 Forest ecosystems:

Amazon: Increased droughts and deforestation are increasing the risk of fires, which can turn parts of the rainforest into savanna.

Boreal forests: Rising temperatures allow pests to spread, leading to tree dieback over large areas.

• 🧊 Polar regions:

Polar bears and walruses are losing the icy habitat they need to hunt and breed.

Antarctic species: Changes in sea ice extent affect food webs, including krill, which is a staple food for many species.

🌍 Implications for human societies:

• 🍽️ Food safety:
• Changes in fish and seafood populations affect the nutrition and livelihoods of millions of people.
• Reduced agricultural productivity due to extreme weather events and the spread of pests.
• 💉 Health risks:
• The increase in diseases transmitted by vectors, such as mosquitoes, due to the expansion of their geographical range.
• Deterioration of water and air quality due to ecosystem degradation.
• 💰 Socio-economic impacts:
• The loss of ecosystem services may increase the costs of replacing them with technical solutions.
• Changes in the availability of natural resources can lead to conflict and migration.

🌍 Mitigation and adaptation measures:

Protecting and restoring ecosystems:

• Creating protected areas and corridors to support species migration.
• Restoration of degraded habitats to increase ecosystem resilience.

Reducing other stressors:

• Combating pollution, overuse of resources and invasive species.
• Sustainable land and water management.

Climate adaptation:

• Implementation of adaptation strategies in agriculture, forestry and fisheries.
• Supporting research and monitoring to better understand impacts and more effective responses.

Climate change poses one of the greatest threats to biodiversity and ecosystem stability worldwide. The degradation of natural systems has not only ecological but also profound socio-economic consequences. Conserving biodiversity is essential for maintaining ecosystem services that are essential for human life and prosperity. Combining global efforts to mitigate climate change with local measures to protect and restore ecosystems is key to protecting our planet for future generations. Spring

Climate change, caused primarily by increased emissions of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide (CO₂), is leading to an increase in the Earth's average temperature. This increase in temperature has a significant impact on the global climate system and is manifested in an increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events.

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⚡ How climate change affects extreme weather:

1. 🌡️ Increasing atmospheric and ocean temperatures

• A warmer atmosphere holds more moisture. According to the Clausius-Clapeyron relationship, for every 1°C increase in temperature, the atmosphere's capacity to hold water vapor increases by approximately 7 %. This leads to more intense precipitation and an increased risk of flooding.
• Warming oceans add energy to tropical cyclones (hurricanes, typhoons), which can increase their intensity, wind speed, and rainfall.

2. ☔ Changes in precipitation patterns

• Some areas are experiencing heavier and more frequent torrential rains, while others are facing prolonged droughts. This is affecting agriculture, water supplies and increasing the risk of fires.

3. 🌊 Rising sea levels

• Melting glaciers and polar ice caps are contributing to rising sea levels, increasing the risk of coastal flooding and erosion during storms and tidal surges.

4. 🔥 Extreme temperature events

• Heat waves are becoming more frequent and intense. For example, Europe experienced heat waves in 2003, 2010, 2015, 2019 and 2021 with record temperatures.
• Cold extremes are less common, but climate change may cause disruption of the polar vortex, leading to extreme cold events in temperate latitudes.

5. 💨 Changes in atmospheric circulation

• Disruption of the jet streams can cause certain weather patterns to become "stuck" over an area, leading to extended periods of drought or precipitation.

6. ⚠️ Increased frequency of extreme events

• Stronger storms, tornadoes, and flash floods may become more frequent due to increased atmospheric instability.

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🧪 Evidence of a relationship

• The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) states in its 6th Assessment Report that it is very likely that human activity is the main cause of the observed increase in extreme temperature events since the mid-20th century.
• Statistical analyses show an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme precipitation in many regions.
• Observational data record an increase in the intensity of tropical cyclones, especially in the North Atlantic.

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📌 Specific examples

• 🌀 Hurricane Harvey (2017): It brought record rainfall to Texas, leading to massive flooding. Surface water temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico were abnormally high, adding to the hurricane's energy.
• 🔥 Australian fires (2019–2023): Extremely dry and hot conditions contributed to widespread fires that burned millions of hectares of forest.
• 🌡️ European heat waves: In 2019-2024, temperatures exceeding 45°C were recorded in some parts of Europe, which is unprecedented.

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🧍 Impacts on society and ecosystems

• 🩺 Health risks: Increased number of deaths and illnesses caused by heat waves, floods and other extreme events.
• 💰 Economic costs: Growing financial losses due to damage to infrastructure, agriculture and property.
• 🚶 Migration: People are forced to leave their homes due to extreme events, leading to an increase in the number climate refugees.
• 🌿 Ecological consequences: Biodiversity loss, ecosystem change and extinction of sensitive species.

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♻️ Adaptation and mitigation

• 🛠️ Customization: Developing and implementing strategies to reduce vulnerability to extreme events, such as improved warning systems, resilient infrastructure, and water management.
• 🔋 Mitigation: Reducing greenhouse gas emissions through the transition to renewable energy sources, improving energy efficiency and sustainable practices in industry and agriculture.
• 🤝 International cooperation: Adhering to agreements like the Paris Agreement, which aims to keep global warming below 2°C above pre-industrial levels.

Climate change significantly affects the occurrence and nature of extreme weather events. This relationship has far-reaching consequences for people, ecosystems and economies around the world. Understanding and acknowledging this relationship is key to taking effective action to mitigate the impacts of climate change and protect future generations. Spring

The carbon budget represents the total amount of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and other greenhouse gases that can be released into the atmosphere to keep global warming below a certain temperature limit, such as 1.5°C or 2°C above pre-industrial levels, in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement.

📜 More detailed explanation:

• 🧾 Paris Agreement and temperature goals:
  In 2015, the international community adopted the Paris Agreement, committing to holding the increase in global average temperature to well below 2°C and pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

📐 Carbon budget calculation:

• Scientists, particularly from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), have calculated the maximum amount of emissions that humanity can emit to stay within these temperature limits.
• For temperature limit 1.5 °C The IPCC estimates that from 2020 we can only emit around 400 gigatons of CO₂ (Gt CO₂) with a 66 % probability of not exceeding this limit.
• For the 2°C limit, the available budget is larger, approximately 1,150 Gt CO₂.

🌍 Current emissions:

• Annual global CO₂ emissions are around 40 Gt CO₂. If we continue at the current rate of emissions, the carbon budget for 1.5°C would be exhausted in ten years.

❗ Why is the carbon budget important?

1. 🎯 Provides a specific goal:

• A carbon budget allows governments, businesses and society to set clear and measurable targets for reducing emissions.

2. ⏳ Emphasizes urgency:

• It shows that time for effective action is limited, increasing the pressure to quickly adopt solutions to mitigate climate change.

3. 🛠️ Helps with planning:

• It serves as a tool for planning the transition to a low-carbon economy, including investments in renewable energy sources, energy efficiency and innovation.

4. 🤝 Encourages global collaboration:

• It emphasizes the need for international cooperation, as emissions know no borders and climate change is a global problem.

5. ⚖️ Fair redistribution:

• It opens a debate on fairness and responsibility between countries with different levels of historical emissions and abilities to contribute to solving the problem.

⚠️ Challenges associated with the carbon budget:

• ⛔ Rapid depletion: At current emissions levels, the carbon budget is shrinking rapidly, meaning that without fundamental changes, we may soon exceed safe limits.
• ❓ Uncertainties in estimates: The carbon budget is based on the best available scientific data, but there are uncertainties regarding climate sensitivity and the future behavior of ecological systems.
• ♻️ Necessary system changes: Meeting the carbon budget requires a fundamental transformation of energy, transport, industrial and agricultural systems.

The carbon budget is a key concept in the fight against climate change, as it provides a quantitative framework for how much more emissions we can still emit before we exceed critical temperature limits. Its importance lies in highlighting the urgent need for action and in motivating people to take effective measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Adhering to the carbon budget is essential to ensure a sustainable future for our planet and for future generations. Spring

The concentration of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the atmosphere is measured using precise instruments that analyze the chemical composition of the air. The most common method is infrared spectroscopy, which uses the absorption properties of CO₂ for infrared light. Measurements are made at a worldwide network of monitoring stations, the best known of which is the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii.

🛠️ CO₂ concentration measurement methods

• Direct measurements: Starting in 1958, Charles David Keeling began systematically measuring CO₂ concentrations on Mauna Loa, which led to the creation of the so-called Keeling curve, which documents the continuous increase in CO₂ concentrations in the atmosphere.
• Global network of stations: In addition to Mauna Loa, there are dozens of other stations around the world, including in the polar regions, that provide data on CO₂ concentrations at different latitudes and altitudes.
• Ice core analysis: Analysis of air bubbles trapped in glaciers is used to determine historical CO₂ concentrations. This data allows scientists to reconstruct atmospheric conditions up to 800,000 years ago.

📈 Historical trends in CO₂ concentration

• Pre-industrial era: Before the Industrial Revolution, the concentration of CO₂ in the atmosphere was approximately 280 ppm.
• 20th century: Due to industrialization and increased burning of fossil fuels, CO₂ levels began to rise significantly.
• Exceeding 400 ppm: In 2013, the border was crossed for the first time in recorded history 400 ppm on Mauna Loa.
• Current values: By 2023, CO₂ concentrations continued to rise and values exceeded 420 ppm, which represents an approximately 50 % increase over pre-industrial levels.
• Long-term trends: Ice cores show that current CO₂ concentrations are the highest in the last 800,000 years (and probably longer).

⚠️ Consequences and significance

• Global warming: The rapid increase in CO₂ concentrations is a major cause of climate change because CO₂ traps heat in the atmosphere.
• Historical context: The measurements provide important context for understanding how quickly and to what extent human activity is changing the composition of the air.
• Political decisions: CO₂ monitoring is crucial for assessing the success of international emissions agreements and for forecasting future climate conditions.

Measurements of atmospheric CO₂ concentrations have revealed a relentless upward trend due to human activity. These precise and long-term measurements are essential for understanding the extent of climate change and for making informed decisions on environmental policy and sustainable development. Spring

Faculty, academic staff, and course coordinators at public health institutions are invited to participate in a short 5-15 minute survey assessing climate and health education in public health training. This survey, developed by the Global Consortium for Climate and Health Education (GCCHE) at Columbia University in collaboration with the Global Network for Academic Public Health and the Capacity Building Subcommittee of the WHO Civil Society Working Group, informs a new indicator in the Lancet. Countdown to Health and Climate Change and is essential for informing national, regional, and global investments in climate and health education.

Welcome to Education For Climate Day 2024, where we immerse ourselves in informative discussions, get inspired by demonstrations, connect at the center of challenges and collaborate across borders. Join us today at Climate Education Day 2024 about climate resilience - preparing for the future !

All information: https://education-for-climate.ec.europa.eu/community/day2024

From 9:30 CET, watch and join to: https://webcast.ec.europa.eu/the-educationforclimate-day-2024-climate-resilience-preparing-for-the-future

We will continue from 14:00 CET

"The environment and the fight against climate change is a horizontal priority in the selection of projects. Priority will be given to projects focused on the development of competences in various green sectors, including those in the contribution of education and culture to the Sustainable Development Goals, the development of green sector strategies and skills methodologies and future-oriented curricula, as well as initiatives that support the planned approaches of participating organizations regarding environmental sustainability. (More on education-for-climate.ec.europa.eu)

Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are at the heart of the Paris Agreement and the achievement of its long-term goals. The NDCs embody each country's efforts to reduce national emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change. The Paris Agreement (Article 4, paragraph 2) requires each party to prepare, communicate and maintain progressive Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) that it intends to achieve. The Parties shall pursue domestic mitigation measures to achieve the objectives of such contributions.

what does that mean

The Paris Agreement requires each country to outline and communicate their post-2020 climate action, known as their NDCs.

Together, these climate actions determine whether the world meets the long-term goals of the Paris Agreement to reach a global peak in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as soon as possible and then make rapid reductions in line with the best available science to achieve a balance between anthropogenic emissions from sources and sinks of GHGs in the second half of this century. It is understood that peaking emissions will take longer for developing country Parties and that emission reductions are undertaken on the basis of equity and in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication efforts, which are critical development priorities for many developing countries.

The Paris Agreement recognizes that the long-term goals specified in its Articles 2 and 4.1 will be achieved over time, and therefore builds on a gradual increase in aggregate and individual ambitions.

NDCs are submitted every five years to the UNFCCC Secretariat. In order to strengthen ambitions over time, the Paris Agreement stipulates that subsequent NDCs will represent progress on the previous NDC and reflect its highest possible ambitions.

In its 2024 Green Skills Report, social media platform LinkedIn uses data from its 1 billion users to track the evolution of so-called "green skills" in the labor market. Their findings show that while the number of people with skills to help combat the effects of climate change has grown by more than 5 percent in a year, this has not matched the 11 percent increase in jobs requiring those skills. During the COP29 climate summit, FRANCE 24's Charles Pellegrin talks to LinkedIn Vice President of Public Policy Sue Duke. (More on france24.com)

Climate change threatens all of humanity. But for children it is existential. A child born today is likely to live another 70 years or more, a period in which – without significant climate action – Europe and Central Asia will experience more heat, fires, floods, deteriorating water quality and air pollution. 

However, for society and the economy in general, the consequences of climate change go beyond that. Children's bodies and brains are much more vulnerable to the effects of climate change than adults. They also threaten children's physical and mental development in the long term – undermining their ability to reach their full potential as productive, problem-solving members of society. And this damage is already happening: in Europe and Central Asia, more than 100 million children are currently feeling the effects of climate change.

This means that the cost of inaction is huge. It also means that taking action now will reap financial rewards – now and far into the future. One of the most important ways to solve this crisis and ensure children's ability to contribute to society and the economy in both the short and long term is education. (More on unicef.org)

Tipping points in the climate system represent critical limits at which small changes can trigger self-reinforcing feedbacks that lead to significant and often irreversible changes in the state of the system. Their mechanism lies mainly in positive feedbacks, such as the ice-albedo effect, where melting ice reveals a darker water surface that absorbs more solar radiation and thus accelerates further warming.

Breakpoints (tipping points) are critical thresholds beyond which a climate or ecological system shifts to a new, often irreversible state. Unlike the gradual changes that the climate crisis typically brings, tipping points can trigger sudden and fundamental transformations of entire regions or systems.

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🔄 How do they work?

These points are driven by positive feedbacks – for example, when melting ice causes the oceans to warm, leading to even more melting. Similar processes can be seen in rainforests, where the loss of vegetation reduces rainfall and accelerates further drying.

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☠️ Why are they so dangerous?

• ⚡ Sudden changes: There are sudden and often unpredictable changes.
• 🔁 Irreversibility: Once the tipping point is crossed, the system has difficulty or no ability to recover.
• 🧩 Chain reactions: One tipping point can trigger another (the so-called cascade effect).
• 👥 Social consequences: Threats to food security, migration, economic losses and conflicts.

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🌍 Examples of climate tipping points

• 🧊 Greenland Ice Sheet: Its collapse could raise sea levels by more than 7 meters.
• ❄️ West Antarctic Ice Sheet: There is a risk of a similar effect with long-term consequences.
• 🌊 Atlantic Ocean Circulation (AMOC): Its collapse would affect the weather in Europe, Africa and America.
• 🌳 Amazon rainforest: A loss of 20–25 % can result in the transformation of a rainforest into a savanna.
• 🧱 Permafrost: Decomposition releases methane and CO₂ – powerful greenhouse gases.
• 🐠 Coral reefs: They are very sensitive to ocean warming and acidification.

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🔍 How can we identify them?

Scientists use climate models, satellite observations, historical ice core and sediment data, and analyze feedbacks in the system to help us detect warning signs and estimate where we stand relative to potential thresholds.

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🛑 How can we prevent breaking points?

1. ♻️ Emission reduction: Transition to renewable sources, reduction of fossil fuel consumption.
2. 🌲 Ecosystem protection: Stop deforestation, restore forests, wetlands and cliffs.
3. ⚙️ Innovations: Support for research and technologies for carbon capture.
4. 🌐 Global collaboration: Stronger climate policies and international cooperation.
5. 📚 Education and awareness: Raising awareness and motivating society to change.

Crossing tipping points could lead to the destabilization of the entire planetary system. To prevent this, we need rapid, consistent and global action at all levels of society. The sooner we act, the better chance we have of keeping our planet habitable. Spring

Our planet is warming at an alarming rate. Climate change is one of the most serious global problems today. Its consequences affect every single person on Earth. So it seems perfectly logical that scientific publications on global warming are written in a global language: English.

And yet it is precisely because it is written in English that climate science is largely inaccessible to most people around the world.

To explain this apparent contradiction, we need to look at some numbers. Almost 90 % scientific publications worldwide are in English. This is the staggering dominance of just one language. But English, often called the global language, is spoken by only a minority of the world's population. ( Mario Saraceni, University of Portsmouth, more at theconversation.com)

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals are a challenge for all poor, rich and middle-income countries. Their purpose is to promote prosperity and at the same time protect the planet. They assume that ending poverty must go hand in hand with strategies that build economic growth and address a range of social needs, including education, health, social protection and employment opportunities, while taking into account climate changes a environmental protection. These goals are extremely relevant today and provide a critical framework for recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The seventeen goals, unanimously adopted by 193 countries, set a new universal development standard that aims to include all without distinction. Objectives and the indicators that underpin them provide benchmarks for measuring success. (More on unis.unvienna.org)

 

A staggering 400 million students worldwide have experienced school closures due to extreme weather since 2022, with climate change disproportionately affecting those boys and girls who are displaced or affected by conflict, violence and other humanitarian crises.

The challenge is clear, as are many of the solutions. Here are the specific measures that need to be taken.

They include concrete measures to involve children and young people in deciding their own futures and ensuring they have the means to take care of that future – which inevitably means access to quality learning, green skills and climate education. Actions can also be taken to increase funding for climate change adaptation and mitigation projects targeting sectors such as education that increase the resilience of vulnerable communities. To support these priorities and to address the impacts of the climate crisis on education, education must have a place in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and other climate plans at local, national and international levels. (More on reliefweb.int)

 

Russia's invasion of Ukraine resulted in the deterioration of the energy security of the European Union, which led to the adoption of fundamental steps by EU leaders. In order to reduce the EU's dependence on Russian fossil fuels, (more…)

This topic draws inspiration from the document "Greening curriculum guidance Teaching and learning for climate action" and provides a framework for incorporating the principles of green education and climate awareness into the teaching of pupils in the 1st to 5th grade of primary schools.

The head of this theme is focused on building pro-ecological behavior for first-year students. It is important to introduce them to topics such as recycling, composting and ecological shopping in a playful and comprehensible form, which corresponds to their age.

Importance of recycling and composting

• Recycling:
  • Discussion: What does the word "recycling" mean? What can we recycle? Why is recycling important? (we save trees, save energy, protect nature).
  • Visual aids: Sorting containers (paper, plastic, glass), images of products made from recycled materials.
  • Games and activities: Waste sorting game, making simple objects from recycled materials (eg bookmarks from magazines, bird feeder from a plastic bottle).
• Composting:
  • Discussion: What is compost? Where do we throw fruit and vegetable waste? How does it become fertilizer?
  • Visual aids: Pictures of compost, demonstration of composting in the school garden (if possible).
  • Games and activities: Joint establishment of compost in the school garden (if possible), sorting biological waste in the classroom into a prepared container.

Ecological purchases - choosing products with respect to the environment

• Discussion: What does it mean to "buy green"? Why is it important to choose products that do not burden the environment?
• Examples:
  • Shopping with your own bag: Why is it better to use your own bag instead of plastic bags?
  • Selection of products with an ecological label: Searching for ecological labels on product packaging (e.g. organic farming).
  • Shopping for local food: Why is it better to eat fruits and vegetables that have grown in our surroundings?
• Games and activities: A game about a store where children buy organic products, creating posters with the theme of organic shopping.

Saving paper and other materials

• Discussion: Why is it important to save paper? What is paper made of? How else can we save at school and at home (water, electricity, toys)?
• Practical advice:
  • Printing from both sides of the paper.
  • Using envelopes repeatedly.
  • Turning off the lights when leaving the room.
  • Closing water taps.
• Games and activities: Paper saving competition in the classroom, making toys from waste materials (e.g. puppets from toilet paper rolls).

Creative activities:

• Production of toys from waste materials:
  • Children can use their imagination and make toys from various waste materials (e.g. toy cars from cardboard boxes, animals from toilet paper rolls).
• Games with an environmental theme:
  • A waste sorting game using sorting bins.
  • A game to save endangered animals.
  • Creation and dramatization of stories with an ecological message.

Note: It is important to emphasize that the mentioned activities and examples are only a topic and can be adapted to the specific conditions of the school and the age of the children.

This theme was prepared by our AI. (CO2AI)

CO2AI can sometimes give inaccurate answers, so we recommend that you check all the facts yourself.

 

Most of the earth's atmosphere consists of a mixture of only a few gases - nitrogen, oxygen and argon; these three gases together make up more than 99.5 % of all gas molecules in atmosphere . These gases, which are the most abundant in the atmosphere,  they show almost no effect on the warming of the Earth and its atmosphere because they do not absorb visible neither infrared radiation . However, there are smaller gases that make up only a small fraction of the atmosphere (about 0.43 % of all air molecules, most of which is water vapor with 0.39 %) that absorb infrared radiation. These "trace" gases contribute substantially to the warming of the Earth's surface and atmosphere due to their ability to trap infrared radiation emitted by the Earth (see below for details on the greenhouse effect). Since these trace gases affect the Earth in a somewhat greenhouse-like manner, they are referred to as greenhouse gases or greenhouse gases. (More on gml.noaa.gov)