The frequency and intensity of wildfire events is on the rise due to a combination of climate and land use changes. However, the dominant approach to wildfire management, namely direct reaction and response, is starting to prove both ineffective and in some ways even contributing to megafire events. With researchers increasingly focusing on prevention and preparedness there are new solutions to creating resilient firewise communities.
As wind energy continues along its upward trajectory, gradually becoming a crucial global energy source, identifying the regions with the greatest potential for future development is key. However, understanding wind variability and identifying areas susceptible to “wind droughts” can inform where we should develop the industry and how to make it more resilient.
In 2023 the global wind industry expanded its capacity by over 50% compared to the previous year as countries around the world ramped up investments in wind energy generation. Despite this, recent news has focused on a wind slowdown due to rising prices, supply chain issues and local opposition. What is the true state of global wind energy development?
What does it mean to be the world’s fastest warming continent toppling flooding, temperature and wildfire records as glaciers melt at unprecedented rates and communities suffer like never before? Understanding the latest trends in Europe’s climate, including progress in areas such as renewable energy generation and resilience to extreme events, is the key to effective adaptation and mitigation.
In the pre-WWII era, the German design school set the template for beautiful, functional design with a focus on the built environment. In its modern iteration, the New European Bauhaus integrates the principles of sustainability, inclusivity, and aesthetics to propel innovation and move society towards more sustainable development.
As the global community grapples with the urgency of preserving one of the planet’s most vital resources, the Ocean Decade Conference is striving to put science at the center of the process. Has the latest conference in Barcelona shown how to deliver the science we need for the ocean we want?
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.
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.
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.
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.
Direct electrification is one of the main solutions to lowering carbon emissions and improved energy security. A series of reports and studies look at how electrification is revolutionizing the transport sector, why the transition has been slowing down and what further gains are to be expected in the future.
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.
