A call to action for a climate-resilient Europe. Interview with Hans-Martin Füssel.
As Europe grapples with the escalating impacts of climate change, urgent action is imperative to address the multifaceted risks threatening the continent’s well-being. In an interview with Hans-Martin Füssel, an EEA Expert in Climate Change Adaptation, we delve into the findings of the European Climate Risk Assessment (EUCRA) report. From heatwaves to floods, the report sheds light on critical challenges and underscores the need for proactive measures that safeguard Europe’s future amidst the climate crisis.
Summer’s Threat: Heat, health and climate risk in Europe
Human health is impacted in many ways by climate change, both at the individual level and through systemic risks to the health system. The European Climate Risk Assessment identified heat stress and wildfires as the two risks for which urgent action is needed.
Adapting to rising climate risks: A matter of justice
The EEA’s first ever European Climate Risk Assessment (EUCRA) identifies justice as a key component of adaptation. Yet justice is not just about measuring the equity in distribution of benefits and burdens from climate impacts, it’s also intrinsically tied to the concept of resilience.
The rocky path to Europe’s Nature Restoration Law
The Nature Restoration Law, initially a cornerstone of the European Green Deal, has undergone significant revisions due to pressure from farmer protests and the rise of populist sentiments among some EU lawmakers and governments. Despite numerous concessions, the law remains stuck in the regulatory process, with some countries taking hardline positions ahead of the upcoming bloc-wide election.
The climate vote
At times, climate policies are divisive and polarizing, others they do not even reach party platforms. At first glance, climate policies should carry significant weight in voters’ decisions, but the situation is much more complex. To better understand it, we reckon with political short-term goals, the parties’ ability to engage citizens in decision-making, and even the role of misinformation. A review of how climate change and electoral consensus are interlinked.
Backwards or forwards? Climate policy and the EU elections
Between 6-9 June 2024, voters across the EU will decide on the next European Parliament, and in the process, set the course for the bloc’s next five years of climate policy. Polls and experts suggest that, although climate issues continue to be a key concern, the next EU Parliament may dilute climate policy. The issue however, is not with the climate policies themselves, but which climate policies are being implemented.
John Weyant: Integrated Assessment Modelling informing future climate policy
“Whether or not we keep up with the needs of policymakers will be determined by how much they trust the results from models and how relevant they are to their needs.” Professor John Weyant of Stanford University discusses the evolution of Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs), emphasizing the importance of incorporating growing datasets to meet policymakers’ needs. The Integrated Assessment Modeling Consortium (IAMC) gathers leading climate modeling experts, facilitating crucial advancements in scenario development for climate policy. Its contributions, including defining concepts like Net-Zero, are crucial in informing international climate agreements and shaping future strategies for combating climate change.
Brick by brick: A multi-dimensional approach to protecting public property
Climate scientists worked together with state property administrators and technicians towards understanding and assessing key climate hazards for buildings in Italy. A one-of-its-kind collaboration, it resulted in a step-by-step methodology to support efforts in evaluating the impacts of climate change on built heritage. The process involved examining prevalent tools in architectural and urban design, analyzing common policy frameworks, and exploring emerging trends at the community level.
What if AI could save lives? A paradigm shift in weather forecasting
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is showing an ability to provide faster and more accurate medium-range weather forecasts at a global level using fewer computational resources. Remi Lam presents GraphCast, the open-source machine-learning model produced by the AI firm Google DeepMind. Delivering 10-day weather predictions in less than one minute, the model could benefit people’s everyday lives across the globe, as well as providing better warnings for extreme events.
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.
Climate-smart agriculture
Growing the food of tomorrow will require ever greater technological support. From sensors and the internet of things to robotics and novel ways of analyzing data, climate-smart agriculture is emerging as a key solution to producing more with less in a rapidly changing world.
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.
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
Beyond carbon price tags: Achieving climate justice in the EU
As climate policies evolve, so too must their approach to equity: a just and equal transition is “probably the only one that’s feasible”, explains Matthias Weitzel, researcher at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre. Navigating the complexities of EU climate policies, such as the balance between regulatory standards and carbon pricing, is crucial to ensure fairness and equity across society.
More comfort, less carbon: Climate resilient housing in the Global South
The Global South is both home to over 75% of the world’s urban population and at the same time urbanizing faster than anywhere else in the world. “Building low carbon, climate resilient and affordable housing is therefore a priority if we are to meet climate goals in these areas,” says Building Science expert and Professor at Hiroshima University, Tetsu Kubota.
Ambitious and realistic. Europe’s path to decarbonization
Linda Kalcher, Executive Director of the think tank Strategic Perspectives, outlines strengths and weaknesses of the EC recommendation of reducing 90% net EU greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 and describes opportunities and shapes of a future that is just around the corner.
With great risks come opportunities: Interview with Francesco Bosello
Technological, economic, and environmental risks are on the rise, but it is precisely in these areas that the opportunities for building a better future lie. In an increasingly fragmented world, awareness of the need to act on climate risks is growing whilst priority for action is directed elsewhere. CMCC Principal Scientist Francesco Bosello comments on the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2024.
Beyond forecasting: Machine Learning exploring climate impacts
Machine learning has emerged as a transformative tool in climate research, evolving from theory to practice over the past few decades. In this context, CMCC is expanding its focus beyond traditional climate modeling to include the study of environmental, social and economic impacts of climate change through data-driven approaches. This transformation is expected to involve all-encompassing capacity building, with substantial infrastructure investments alongside efforts to enhance the knowledge base of scientists.
The AI revolution in weather forecasting: Reactions and comments from the mediasphere
The accuracy and timeliness of weather forecasts can make all the difference in decision making processes. However, as private sector actors leverage artificial intelligence to develop more accurate forecasts than traditional models, experts and journalists try to identify new ethical, political, and technological challenges for the future of weather forecasting.
Twice the work in half the time: EU calls for 90% cut of GHG emissions by 2040
The European Commission set an intermediate step on the path to 2050 climate neutrality. An incredibly detailed impact assessment explains how member states would concretely reach this ambitious goal.
Shifting the private sector narrative: How companies embrace sustainability
Climate change poses an array of diverse challenges for the business world, yet within the corporate sphere, a plethora of climate solutions are available. Ione Anderson, architect solutionist and associate partner at Ernst & Young, and Solitaire Townsend, co-founder and chief solutionist at Futerra, examine the dynamic relationship between the private sector and climate change, highlighting the innovative and challenging approaches that businesses are undertaking for a green transition.
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.
Ice’s perpetual change through the lens of photography, semiotics and science
The climate and environmental history of our planet are archived in ice. Glaciers are an invaluable resource for understanding how our climatic system operated in the past and how it operates now; witnesses of the changes that our planet is undergoing. Carlo Barbante, Director of the CNR Institute of Polar Science, Fabiano Ventura, photographer and president of the non-profit organisation Macromicro, and Valeria Burgio, postdoctoral researcher at Ca’ Foscari University in Venice, engage in dialogue on the role of glaciers as archives and sentinels of climate change.
Art and science for climate action
Art and science speak different languages, but when it comes to climate change, they tell the same story. Artist Carolina Aragón and climatologist Vladimir Djurdjevic join in dialogue on their unique perspectives on the intersection between climate change and the world of art and science.
Research and innovation as a harbor for public engagement
From ivory tower to harbor for trading knowledge, research and innovation can benefit from public engagement to ensure excellence in science. Annette Klinkert, Executive Director of the European Science Engagement Association (EUSEA), and Eulàlia Baulenas, postdoctoral researcher at the Barcelona Supercomputing Centre (BSC), explore the concept of public engagement, its significance for the research community, and how it can translate from theory into action.
Navigating the European response to climate disinformation
The European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO) serves as a hub for fact-checking by focusing on the analysis of disinformation, including recent climate disinformation narratives, to support European regulation policies. Paula Gori, Secretary-General and Coordinator at EDMO, and Tommaso Canetta, Coordinator of EDMO’s fact-checking activities, present the network’s initiatives in monitoring and addressing climate disinformation.