Elly Vaughan: The climate-health nexus between pollen and heatwaves
The interplay between climate change, air quality and lung health is a key issue that requires innovative approaches and solutions. “It’s not just what the empirical evidence is telling us about different particle concentration levels in the air but how people are perceiving air quality,” says health policy expert at Economist Impact Elly Vaughan.
Extreme events as a menace to wellbeing: what we know, and how
Diseases spreading to new corners of the globe as local climates become more suitable, vulnerable members of society killed by extreme events, reduced ability to work and faltering food security. A collection of CMCC reports, papers and articles on the impacts of climate change on human health, including strategies and tools to address them.
Climate and health: understanding the entanglement
Infographics, resources, and analyses to understand the way climate change and health are closely connected. The increasing frequency of extreme weather events and substantial environmental transformations, primarily driven by climate change, pose significant threats to both physical and mental well-being. These changes have far-reaching implications for safety, affecting people’s access to critical resources such as clean air, safe water, food, and healthcare.
Is the AMOC one of the planet’s most vulnerable tipping points?
Could climate change interrupt the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation – the system of currents that circulates water within the Atlantic Ocean – and bring about a new ice-age? A recent study suggests this tipping point may be closer than previously thought.
Blue crabs and other aliens: the era of invasive species
The spread of this Atlantic species threatens biodiversity, as well as the economy and tourism of Mediterranean countries. But, it is not the only unwanted guest: according to a report published by IPBES, alien invasive species cost humans $423 billion each year.
In hot water: strong marine heatwaves in a record breaking summer
An extreme summer has propelled 2023 toward becoming the hottest year on record. The combination of El Niño and climate change has amplified temperatures, while strong marine heatwaves and ecosystem impacts underline the urgent need for understanding and adaptation.
ChatGPT: climate knowledge – and misinformation – at your fingertips
As AI generated language models proliferate we interview OpenAI’s Chat GPT on climate change, its future role in climate science and communication, and the dangers of relying on chatbots for accurate information.
How good is ChatGPT at climate science?
CMCC President Antonio Navarra reflects on our interview with ChatGPT and how good it is at answering questions related to climate science. “ChatGPT doesn’t actually ‘understand’ anything [but] the technology’s potential is enormous and the next versions will be able to do much more than this interview shows.”
AI chatbots and the battle for information
From the controversy surrounding scientific papers written by AI powered chatbots and their contributions to carbon emissions, to the greater role of AI in providing climate solutions including accurate and timely information, is AI a force for good or evil when talking about the climate?
A series of dialogues involving international experts, writers, artists, journalists, scientists, innovators and entrepreneurs to discuss the role of communication in accelerating the climate transition.
Discover and join the forthcoming Foresight Dialogues, the webinar series for the CMCC Climate Change Communication Award “Rebecca Ballestra”.
A collection of words with which we hope to plant the seeds of awareness, providing in-depth definitions of some of the most pressing topics related to climate change.
Because understanding the discourse that surrounds the climate crisis is the key to a sustainable future.
Disclosure
Transparency from companies and governments about climate-related information, risks and opportunities is crucial for building a resilient economy, empowering communities and creating an equal and fair society. In the era of climate change, a standardized disclosure framework to understand climate risk is not only helpful to investors, it’s also critical to companies for strategic planning.
Green premium
“It is a challenge to be overcome if we want to reach our climate targets,” say global experts, investors and economists. The green premium concept helps measure progress on green technology deployment and, at the same time, establish what the next steps should be for a rapid low-carbon transition. A review of sources, definitions and data to understand a key factor in the climate transition.
Food security
Available, accessible, safe. A set of tools and definitions to navigate the complex world of food security, a concept that has evolved constantly in the past decades, reflecting shifts in approach and point of view, and adapting to changes in international policy, environmental awareness, and scientific evidence.
Every story is a climate story – Ep. 09
We know a lot about the crisis. We know that it is time to progress from understanding the problems to solving them. However, we also know that there is no perfect solution. It is a
How much is it? The cost of climate change – Ep. 08
Money moves the attention of people, investors, and capital owners. Money is part of many solutions to the climate deadlock. But numbers are not enough to calculate the economic value of the climate issue. Numbers
Climate on trial – Ep. 07
The Urgenda case was the game changer. It opened up a new dialogue between human rights law and climate science, while it marked a watershed moment for climate justice: from then on, we saw new
“Every story is a climate story”, and this is why
Deep into the future planet: Telling climate stories and how they intertwine with our individual and collective lives, across all levels and dimensions. Interview with Elisabetta Tola, science journalist and author of the Foresight podcast produced by CMCC and FACTA. A mix of voices from the worlds of science, art, activism, policy, show the complexity of the climate crisis and its possible solutions.
Resources Radio: bringing people closer to science
Leave behind technical terms, forget jargon and acronyms, minimize technical elements and keep the conversation fairly informal. The producer and one of the co-hosts of Resources Radio unveil the strategy behind Resources for the Future’s podcast. A podcast that aims “to draw people in, rather than push information out” while keeping the focus on rigorous scientific content about climate change, energy, ecosystems, and more.
Agriculture as a solution: carbon farming towards a net zero world
EU is committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions to reach a net zero target by 2050. The pathway will require deep emission cuts across all sectors, including agriculture. An interview with Tashina Petersson, researcher in Agriculture, Forests and Ecosystem Services
Yes. You can feel one degree
The human body can perceive a one-degree difference in air temperature, although most of us not aware of this sensitivity. Experiments conducted in EURAC climatic chambers contributes sheding light on the reasons why climate change awareness is so hard to reach and how psychology can offer new strategies to moderate heat stress. Because “we cannot talk about problems involving humans without understanding how humans work”. An interview with psychologist Laura Battistel.
Our favourite podcasts on climate change (and beyond)
Technical or easygoing, informative or inspiring, settled or still on air: the panorama of podcasts on climate change is wide and diverse. Maybe, even too much: to guide you in finding the most suitable one for you, we asked the CMCC scientists to suggest their favorite podcast series.
A summer of ice and fire
Heatwaves, wildfires and storms are affecting many regions of the world, especially the Mediterranean area, with impacts on people’s health, the environment and economies. Another record-breaking summer, which in the media is finally being unequivocally linked to human-induced climate change.
The hottest month ever
July 2023: we are living through Earth’s warmest three-week period on record. A round-the-world media tour to enter the narrative of the period that will mark the history of the climate change public discourse. At least until the next record is broken.
Europe’s climate bill: the price of extreme weather
Europe’s “summer of hell” is impacting people, assets and the environment with exceptional intensity. Extreme weather and climate-related events lead to economic losses in different sectors. An overview of the estimates and projections of Europe’s economic toll from extreme climate events.
Visualizing climate science
A participatory approach is the foundation for building solutions that empower citizens, policymakers, experts, and non-experts to make informed decisions. Co-designing data visualizations that reflect the findings made with climate science is key to reach the right audiences and foster change. Data visualization explained by Angela Morelli, the information designer that contributed to the most recent Summaries for Policymakers published by the IPCC.
Unearthing perspectives: the new European soil health law
The wellbeing of our planet also rests on the health of our soil. With over 60% of European soil believed to be in an unhealthy state many see the Union’s soil monitoring, health and resilience proposal as too little too late. Media and experts reactions to the new European Soil Health Law.
Diversifying critical material supply chains minimises geopolitical risks
A new report published by the International Renewable Energy Agency examines the geopolitical risks and opportunities linked to a growing demand for minerals and metals required for the energy transition.
The urban divide: unequal distribution of heat-related risks on city dwellers
Climate change and global warming affect humans, nature and the environment at a global scale. However, their impacts are often not equally and uniformly distributed. People living in Urban Heat Islands are more likely to experience higher levels of heat-related risks for their health, often enhancing existing social inequalities.
The cities of the future
Skyscrapers made of bamboo. Green roofs. Smart glass. Houses that are cool in summer and warm in winter without burning through loads of energy. All around the world, the future of cities and urbanization looks to bring smarter, more energy-efficient, healthier buildings to the urban environment. An unattainable utopia or simply a necessity in a rapidly urbanizing world that needs to find sustainable solutions to the cities of the future?