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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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 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.
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.
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 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.
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.
