At COP29 the critical role of agriculture, forestry, and other land use (AFOLU) as both a catalyst and a provider of potential solutions to rising emissions is of significant importance. “COP29 must lay the groundwork for COP30 by prioritizing sustainable land-use strategies and ensuring stronger commitments to reducing emissions from land use,” says CMCC researcher and member of the Italian delegation to COP29 Matteo Bellotta.
Removing carbon from the atmosphere will play a crucial role in the ability of countries to reach their climate goals. “Alongside the role of carbon capture technologies, enhancing the carbon sink potential land sector is the solution to offsetting residual un-abatable emissions and therefore achieving net-zero targets,” says Maria Vincenza Chiriacò, CMCC researcher and member of the Italian delegation to COP29 – where Parties to the Paris Agreement are working towards establishing clear and rigorous rules for a UN backed-global carbon market.
Mitigation and adaptation finance are critical elements in climate negotiations aimed at building a more resilient future. “COP29 has already been called ‘the Finance COP’ due to the importance of the New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance (NCQG), which will replace the previous USD 100 billion goal,” says Marta Ellena, CMCC researcher and member of the Italian delegation to COP29. Frontier climate research, such as that conducted at CMCC, can support international and local climate financing mechanisms by quantifying needs, evaluating and devising effective policies, and ensuring accountability and transparency of financial flows.
As the world’s leaders, scientists, and policy experts gather for COP29 in Baku, discussions around National Adaptation Plans for the most vulnerable nations, particularly least developed countries, are poised to take center stage. With climate change disproportionately impacting these regions, scientific insight from CMCC researcher Caterina Guidi highlights that adaptation is not just a policy goal but an urgent necessity for survival and sustainable development.
“We need to pull together and scale up resources within and beyond the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement, and ensure that these resources reach those most in need,” say CMCC experts in the buildup to COP29. Following the creation of the Loss and Damage Fund, economic and adaptation experts have focused on estimating the amount of financial resources needed to support vulnerable regions whilst promoting a just allocation that reflects the unequal distribution of climate impacts. After the official operationalization of the Fund and the first round of commitments, pledges have reached over 700 million USD in 2024.
Climate change and biodiversity loss are intertwined crises with common causes and effects. Research, science-based tools, and collaboration are taking center stage as national and international efforts to understand, monitor and promote biodiversity ramp up. From the ongoing COP16 on Biological Diversity to the National Biodiversity Future Centre, Italy’s first National Research and Innovation Center dedicated to biodiversity, getting accurate knowledge and data to decision makers and stakeholders is key.
2024 saw yet another Mediterranean summer characterized by extreme climate and weather events. From waterspouts and wildfires to heatwaves, cyclones and floods, researchers are investigating the causes of these changes, how to better predict them, and what we need to adapt to the changes that they bring.
Modeling and data-driven analysis are two essential pillars of climate science. The complex and chaotic nature of the climate system defies straightforward predictions like those possible with linear physical systems. A comprehensive theoretical framework for complexity could provide the context and tools to fully describe it. Could a century-old mathematical tool hold the key? The revival of the Koopman operator offers a promising path to achieve a more complete theoretical understanding of the climate system.
A collection of exhibitions and cultural events from around the world that showcase the value of bringing together art and science. From photography to design, art can help communicate climate, create increased understanding and awareness about our planet and also stimulate scientific progress.
Climate change induced extreme weather events are on the rise, exacerbating inequalities both between and within countries on all continents. From hurricanes to heatwaves, extreme events impose costs that are not borne equally and that weigh more heavily on the poorest. “We are increasingly seeing that differing capacities for adapting to climate change are not just a matter that concerns high- and low-income countries but also the social differences within wealthy ones,” says CMCC researcher Giacomo Nicolini.
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.
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?
