Cutting-edge research to improve our understanding of climate change and its impact on our socioeconomic systems: from CMCC scientists, ten issues at the forefront of the climate-neutral world.
Climate change impacts are already affecting our existence and that of the natural resources which allow us to live on this planet. In this context, adaptation and resilience are crucial for all countries and regions worldwide, especially those more vulnerable to such impacts. Below is a short summary of CMCC’s latest scientific results on adaptation planning, agriculture and food security, the topics at the core of the discussion in Egypt, at COP27 on November 12. Have a look!
A theme for each day throughout COP27 in Egypt. A series of CMCC resources based on climate science. Stay up to date and be a part of the change!
From mid-June to the end of August 2022, Pakistan experienced record-breaking rainfall which led to unprecedented flooding in much of the country. This came off the back of a deadly heatwave just months before with peak temperatures above 50 degrees Celsius. What do these seemingly contrasting events have in common? “Extreme event attribution” helps scientists identify if there are human fingerprints on these extreme events.
Listen to the numbers. From an ice-breaker in the Arctic to the keyboard of a piano, scientific indicators become music and gestures, a narrative made of science and digital art. An experimental tale of the emotions at the heart of research. This is how Judy Twedt creates data-driven soundtracks from sea ice.
Record-breaking temperatures in Europe, heat advisory in the US, and peaks in electricity consumption in China. Media outlets and climate change communicators across the world are pointing to links between the ongoing heatwaves and climate change, just as researchers are working to make the science behind extreme weather attribution more robust.
A mix of high-resolution data, advanced research, participative interactions with local communities and supporting natural and spiritual heritage. This is the starting point to design resilience strategies and plan more sustainable solutions for mountain tourism, a sector that accounts for 15-20% of global tourism.
Is it possible and what are the consequences of exceeding a given global mean temperature threshold and then bringing warming back down again? Although a limited and temporary climate overshoot is better than reaching a peak temperature and staying there, some of its impacts may be irreversible and could push ecosystems towards dangerous tipping points.
The new IPCC report highlights the urgency for our societies to adapt to the unavoidable and rising impacts of climate change. Decision-makers worldwide recognize this need. However, when the time comes to act they are called to find their way through the plethora of tools and models designed by scientists to support decision making. Now there is a compass, calibrated by the main EU experts on climate adaptation modelling.
Climate change is exacerbating problems such as habitat loss and extreme temperature fluctuations. With one in four species currently under threat of extinction, understanding which ones are better equipped to adapt, and hence survive, can provide valuable information for conservation efforts and policy choices.
More data and knowledge to the service of decision makers can help make Europe a fully climate resilient continent by mid-century. The new European Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change aims to lead the world by example and calls for more consideration of the transboundary effects of climate impacts and for a ‘smarter, more systemic and swifter’ adaptation to the impacts of climate change.
Urban centres hold the majority of the world’s population, yet these man-made environments are often devoid of green spaces. Adequately planned urban greening can not only improve living conditions for city dwellers but also help countries meet their broader climate goals.
