Climate change is no longer a threat of the future. It is happening now. The question is, how do we adapt to the increased likelihood of extreme events? Part of the solution is putting ample and early warning systems into place that allow all communities and sectors across the globe to know when, where and how to act.
”It was clear that our narrative had to present climate change as a problem with solutions. That’s where the idea of humanising climate risks through stories of resilience came together.” Faces of Climate Resilience, the winner of the 2023 CMCC Award, is a compelling short-documentary series showcasing the voices of individuals in some of India’s most climate-vulnerable regions. In an interview with creative producer Milan George Jacob, we discuss storytelling as a tool for effective, people-focused climate communication.
The impacts of climate change on the ocean are driving more frequent and intense extreme events at our coasts. International initiatives such as the United Nations Early Warning For All and the Global Ocean Observing System’s CoastPredict aim to revolutionize access to improved early warnings.
The loss and damage fund has been established, and initial pledges have been made, but how much money should be directed into it and how should it be organized? Massimo Tavoni, director of the CMCC-RFF European Institute on Economics and the Environment, explains how climate-economic science and modeling can support the loss and damage debate. The latest evidence indicates that an adequate fund should be in the order of [140-822] USD billion and that it should differ from existing funding arrangements used for mitigation and adaptation.
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.
Risk landscape has significantly changed in recent years, and further changes are expected in the near future. DRR have to evolve consequently.
“We need now to integrate private sector actors, take advantage of innovative technologies and AI, and train future generations.” Healthy and well-managed ecosystems provide a range of services that support climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction. The achievements and upcoming priorities when it comes to nature-based solutions in the words of Nathalie Doswald.
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.
Accounting for 30% of total global greenhouse gas emissions, agriculture’s connection with climate change is intricate. At the same time, “The real challenge for agriculture in the next few decades will be climate change,” says FAO’s Francesco Tubiello. “Without strategic interventions the goals outlined in the Paris Agreement cannot be met.”
Africa is one of the most vulnerable continents to climate change and variability, a situation which is further aggravated by its low adaptive capacity and the interaction of factors such as poverty, energy demand and rapid urbanisation.
The link between buildings and climate change has long been a focal point of global discussions on mitigation and adaptation. A new report by UNEP and Yale addresses the urgent need to decarbonize the construction sector, responsible for more than one third of global CO2 emissions. With global emissions on the rise, this report provides a blueprint for reducing “embodied carbon” emissions from building materials by 2050. Expert Paolo Bertoldi highlights that creating a sustainable building industry is possible and needs collaboration across sectors and countries.
A summary and collection of visual aids that help us better understand the true extent of the 2023 wildfire season in the Northern Hemisphere.
