Addressing the social, economic and environmental challenges – that go hand in hand with transitioning from carbon intensive systems – requires a set of strategies that ensure those most affected are treated fairly. The European Commission’s Just Transition Platform seeks to put those very people and communities at the center of the transformation.
A Just Transition goes hand in hand with Green Jobs, which in turn require a new generation of skilled laborers who are trained to deal with the demands of a changing world. “The issue of new skills cannot be separated from the topic of education. Education needs to be tailored to meet the demands of a changing world,” says CMCC Researcher and Director of the Future Earth Research School (FERS) Giulia Galluccio.
“I’m anxious to see what emerges from the Global Stocktake. Although the report on our progress has already been published, we really need to build on this and raise ambition”. CMCC scientist Lara Aleluia Reis focuses on things such as credibility, accountability and transparency as key issues that will determine the success of COP28 in delivering a more ambitious pathway that brings us closer to the well below 2°C target. How? It all starts with the Global Stocktake.
The democratization of technology and the ability of AI driven models to better process both quantitative and qualitative data is opening new opportunities for the food system to become both more productive and sustainable.
Climate change is altering the way in which insurers offer their services. Higher premiums and lack of affordable coverage in disaster prone areas are highlighting the need for novel ways of insuring against climate change related risks.
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.
The African continent contributes less than 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions and its growing population suffers from some of the lowest access rates to electricity in the world. Yet, it is also home to some of the fastest growing economies and incredible renewable energy potential. Linking future growth to renewables is key to both the continent’s successful development and achieving global climate goals.
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.
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.
Fire has always been an integral part of human civilization and a key ecosystem process. Fires influence vegetation growth, environmental conditions, and even our climate. However, a changing climate and human interactions through land change use and forest management are having an impact on the intensity and frequency of wildfires. So, what can we do about it?
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.
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.
