Land is a critical resource. It is under pressure from human activities and climate change, but it is also part of the solution. According to the IPCC, keeping global warming below 2°C can be possible only by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from all sectors, including land and food. The way we use land impacts climate change and, in turn, climate change deeply affects our land.
Skyscrapers made of bamboo. Green roofs. Smart glass. Houses that are cool in summer and warm in winter without burning through loads of energy. All around the world, the future of cities and urbanization looks to bring smarter, more energy-efficient, healthier buildings to the urban environment. An unattainable utopia or simply a necessity in a rapidly urbanizing world that needs to find sustainable solutions to the cities of the future?
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) defines drought as “a period of abnormally dry weather long enough to cause a serious hydrological imbalance.” The definition is however flexible, as drought is a complex and multidimensional phenomenon, whose impacts are influenced by social, economic, and environmental factors.
Who’s afraid of lab-grown meat? From the cradle of one of the world’s most celebrated food cultures, Sara Roversi, entrepreneur and president of the Future Food Institute, talks about how tradition and innovation in the food sector interact to reveal “the profound interconnection between political, economic, human, environmental, social and cultural pillars.”
What’s at the root of carbon credits from forestry? The capacity of forests and forestry to remove CO2 from the atmosphere moves a lot of money but assessing the actual input and output of carbon remains fraught with complexity.
Efficient, resilient and future proof or wasteful, energy intensive and prohibitively expensive? To some the future of food production lies in indoor vertical farms, where food is grown locally and in controlled environments that are resilient to the fast changing outside world. Others are not buying into the hype.
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.
Global leaders agreed to halt biodiversity loss by protecting 30% of the world’s land and ocean by 2030. Leaders from environmental organizations around the world react to the deal, highlighting its merits and the potential issues that come with it. From “a watershed moment” to “we don’t need people to tell us what to do”, the consensus is that governments need to treat the Kuming-Montreal Biodiversity framework “as a floor, not a ceiling”.
“Paris moment for nature”, is the phrase being used to raise expectations: the COP15, due to be held in Canada, must play a crucial role in halting biodiversity loss and restoring nature over the next decade. However, according to global media predictions, there is something that may undermine the impact of the event before it has even begun.
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!
Discussions about climate must go hand in hand with discussions about the environment and hence biodiversity. This not only means looking at how to ensure biodiversity is maintained and promoted but also how nature itself can be a vital instrument in climate proofing the planet. Biodiversity is the core of COP15 in Montreal and was one of the main topics at COP27 in Egypt. A list of resources to better understand the climate-biodiversity nexus.
What does uncovering the mysteries surrounding sunken ships have in common with understanding our climate? Both involve looking at tree cores and studying the historical archives contained within their inner rings. Dendrochronology, literally the study of tree time, offers a view into the past that provides vital information about our present and future.
