Mitigation

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.

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.

COP28 | GIULIO BOCCALETTI. The take-home messages: Advanced knowledge of climate and its interaction with society matters far more.

“CMCC’s strategy aligns with the state of science and society today”. CMCC Scientific Director Giulio Boccaletti comments on the outcome of COP28 in Dubai, where our scientists were engaged in many topics, ranging from adaptation to loss & damage, land use and the science-policy interface. The growing need for integrated scientific knowledge, the intertwining of the climate and socio-economic systems, the ever-closer integration of adaptation and mitigation, and the opportunities arising from machine learning and available data: the points that emerge from COP28 are at the heart of the CMCC strategy.

COP28 | MARTA ELLENA: “Three intertwined pillars to solve the climate crisis”

Positioned as a pivotal theme at COP28, adaptation efforts should aim for a shared and common framework to fortify resilience and reduce vulnerabilities at different scales. Adaptation is crucial in the context of the Global Stocktake, intended to inform Parties to the Paris Agreement on their progress against its goals, including limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5°C. National Adaptation Plans also take center stage in current climate discussions, marking the launchpad for states to decipher local and national vulnerabilities and risks, plan effective adaptation actions, and secure funding. CMCC scientist Marta Ellena shares insights illuminating COP28’s ambition for a sustainable and resilient future.

Climate-related disclosure: Bridging the data gap

High quality data is essential if we are to achieve our global climate related goals. Sue Armstrong-Brown, Global Director of Environmental Standards and Thought Leadership at CDP, explains how data obtained through disclosure informed the Global Stocktake to be agreed at COP28 and how the world is taking action to fill the shortage of climate-related information.

Energy efficiency: The low hanging fruit

Decoupling emissions from economic growth is seen as a key requisite for meeting climate targets. How do we achieve this? “Energy efficiency resources are infinitely expendable resources of ideas, depleting only stupidity, a very abundant resource,” says Amory Lovins.

Are we making progress towards a net zero future?

The International Energy Agency’s (IEA) latest report sets a roadmap for net zero emissions by 2050. From progress and positive signals, to bottlenecks and rising challenges we look at how researchers, media and NGOs have reacted to the report. “Governments need to separate climate from geopolitics, given the scale of the challenge at hand,” says IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol.

The cooling solution

The rush of almost every household on the planet to buy an air-conditioning unit as soon as they can afford one is having implications on climate change mitigation. Scientific research meets photography in a project that sheds light on the reasons why air conditioning has become the leading cooling solution in a warming world, and on how we can keep cool without overheating the planet.

Carbon: A matter of budget – Ep.05

A trip among satellites, robots and bottles. One that oscillates between the heights of the atmosphere and the surface of the sea. We ride on carbon dioxide molecules to understand how relevant the word budget can be in delivering a future where a climate neutrality  takes shape.
An attainable horizon as long as we follow a simple little rule:
“Don’t look at what they say. Look at what we’re doing”.