• Supporting local communities: Many carbon credit projects, such as those involving carbon agriculture and sustainable land use, directly benefit local communities. For example, reforestation projects can create jobs and improve local air quality. Local residents receive comprehensive training on sustainable practices, tree planting and conservation, and other vital topics that affect their relationship with their ecosystems. Sustainable land use projects provide income to local communities through sustainable agriculture and forestry practices.
• Improving health: Carbon credits help reduce air pollution and improve public health. Coal projects can reduce emissions of particulate matter and other pollutants that can cause respiratory problems and other health problems. Energy efficient stove projects can also reduce indoor air pollution and improve the health of the whole family.
• Promoting social justice:  Carbon credits can be designed to promote social justice by ensuring a fair distribution of the benefits of emissions reductions. This may include working closely with local communities to ensure that they are involved in the design and implementation of carbon credit projects and receive a fair share of the benefits.
• Supporting climate justice:  Carbon credits can support the principles of climate justice by providing a way for developed countries to help finance emissions reductions in developing countries. This ensures that the burden of reducing carbon emissions is shared fairly within the global community. (AJ) DGB group

Mnohí teraz vedia, čo môžu osobne urobiť, aby žili udržateľnejšie. Ekologická stopa na to ponúka   dobrú orientáciu. Ale snaha o udržateľný životný štýl je vždy frustrujúca, keď sú udržateľné možnosti komplikované, drahé alebo nie sú vôbec dostupné. Navyše, len časť spoločnosti sa aktívne snaží o spravodlivú stopu.

Tu prichádza na rad odtlačok ruky. Kampane s odtlačkami rúk menia rámec tak, že udržateľné správanie sa stáva jednoduchším, zrejmejším, lacnejším alebo normou . Zatiaľ čo odtlačok nohy len zlepšuje vašu osobnú environmentálnu  rovnováhu, odtlačok ruky ovplyvňuje situáciu niekoľkých ľudí.

• Stimulation of investments in nature protection:  Carbon credits provide a financial incentive for companies to invest in nature conservation, which helps reduce emissions and supports economic growth through fertile land that provides increased yields, better water supplies and ecosystem restoration. In addition, it can create opportunities for ecotourism. 
• Creating new jobs:  Carbon credit projects such as agriculture and reforestation projects can create jobs in sectors such as agriculture, construction, manufacturing and installation. Afforestation and reforestation projects provide employment opportunities and income for local villagers. 
• Income Generation: Selling carbon credits can generate revenue for companies and individuals that reduce emissions. This provides an additional revenue stream and helps offset the costs of investing in low-carbon technologies.
• Support for innovation: Carbon credits provide a financial incentive for the development of new low-carbon technologies and practices. This can lead to other new products and services that benefit society, nature and the companies that use them. natural markets worth $7 trillion . 
• Support for sustainable development:  Carbon credits support sustainable development by financing nature-based projects, carbon agriculture, land use, renewable energy and energy efficiency. Carbon credits can create new economic opportunities in the agriculture, forestry and clean energy sectors.
• Facilitating international cooperation:  Carbon credits can facilitate international cooperation by providing a way for developed countries to help finance emissions reductions in developing countries. They help build trust and support cooperation in the protection and restoration of nature and natural habitats around the world. (AI) DGB group 

A new international standard for net zero energy and net zero greenhouse gas emissions. In January, ISO released a new guidance document, ISO PAS 50010: 2023, which provides specific recommendations on how an organization can set and meet net-zero energy and emissions targets that increase efficiency every year. “It distinguishes between several different ranges and thresholds for … different net zero goals and their targets, which are increasingly effective in reducing energy and greenhouse gas emissions and therefore more difficult to achieve.” He recommends that the organization develop a multi-year plan to move from more modest net zero targets to more ambitious targets in the following years, which will result in continuously decreasing greenhouse gas emissions. (Dr. David B. Goldstein)

1. Use a washing machine with a hot water connection

Many washing machines and dishwashers can also be connected directly to the hot water supply. This measure is especially worthwhile for short hot water pipes and particularly energy-efficient hot water preparation, for example with a solar thermal system: 49 kilograms less CO is emitted per year _{2 .}

2. Wash without prewashing

Pre-washing is unnecessary. Especially for textiles such as bed linen or towels, the soiling is rarely so great that it is necessary to run a pre-wash before the main wash. By washing without prewashing, you will avoid 11 kilograms of CO for three washes per week ₂ and you save 7 euros per year.

3. Wash the linen at 30 °C

With modern washing machines and detergents, laundry is cleaned not only without pre-washing, but also usually with less hot water. This saves energy because more than three quarters goes to heating the water in the wash cycle. If you run two washing cycles a week at 30 degrees Celsius instead of 60 degrees, you can save 17 euros on electricity costs.

4. Allow the laundry to air dry

No matter how often you use your washing machine: it is always more energy efficient to dry your laundry on a drying rack, clothesline or clothesline than in a dryer. During the year, the dryer releases up to 116 kilograms of CO 2, which is something that can make the air climate-neutral for you. By doing without a clothes dryer, you will also save electricity costs of around 96 euros per year. That's enough to buy a new drying rack or clothesline.

If you absolutely cannot do without a dryer, pay attention to efficiency class A, well-spun laundry in advance and a full load of the washing machine. Modern tumble dryers with heat pump technology consume only half the energy of conventional tumble dryers.

5. Use eco-programs

In washing machines and dishwashers, most of the energy is used to heat water. Eco programs therefore consume less energy despite the longer running time: the water is heated significantly less - and even less water is consumed overall. Instead, the water and detergent are given more time to work - and a longer spin through the wash and rinse water ensures hygienically clean laundry.

Compared to other longer programs, you save 36 euros and 43 kilograms of CO per year ₂ , if you consistently rely on the eco program. You should clean the equipment every three months or run it on hot to kill germs, for example a washing machine with bed linen at 90° Celsius.

6. Install an energy saving shower head and flow limiter

If you heat water with electricity, you should simply do one thing: use less hot water. Flow restrictors in the bathroom and kitchen help with this:

• Economical shower heads into the bath or shower and
• Aerators for faucets.

Flow restrictors are already available for a few euros in hardware stores. They mix air into the water stream so that effectively less water flows out of the faucet or shower head per minute without weakening the stream.

7. Water heater timer

In the hot water tank, the water is heated to a pre-set temperature, temporarily stored and kept warm - even if the hot water tap is turned off all day. In this way, a lot of energy is wasted and CO is produced _{2 .}

Especially if the old hot water storage devices are still connected under the sink, it makes sense to carefully check the hot water demand and adjust the circumstances:

• The tank should be switched off where hot water is rarely required or not at all, for example in a guest toilet, garage or utility room. When washing hands, for example, the temperature of the water is not important.
• Time switches or thermostats can be used in rooms where hot water is only required at certain times. In this way, you will save 35 euros per year on electricity costs.
• Whenever possible, you should replace hot water tanks with electronically controlled instantaneous water heaters. Instantaneous water heaters heat water only when it is really needed and are therefore more energy efficient than storage tanks that are heated frequently.

8. Reduce the temperature of the hot water

What applies to the amount of hot water also applies to the temperature: the less or lower it is, the more you save. With the help of an under-sink tank or an electronic flow water heater, you can set the water temperature as needed. 60 degrees Celsius is completely sufficient for hot water in the bathroom and kitchen. For comparison: The hot water in the bath is usually only about 40 degrees. In this way, energy consumption can be reduced by approximately ten percent. Another advantage of the reduced temperature: the device does not scale so quickly.

But beware: In order to eliminate the risk of health threats from legionella, the temperature of the hot water in the potable water heater should not be reduced below 60 degrees Celsius or 55 degrees Celsius in the circulation.

9. Turn off the hot water circulation

Copernicus , služba Európskej únie na monitorovanie zmeny klímy, 27. júla oznámila, že prvé tri týždne minulého mesiaca boli najteplejším trojtýždňovým obdobím na svete od začiatku porovnateľných meraní v roku 1940 a niekedy dokonca viac ako 1,5 stupňa nad predindustriálnymi úrovňami . úroveň – hranica, ktorá by podľa Parížskej dohody nemala byť dlhodobo prekročená. Predbežným najvyšším bodom bol 6. júl, keď bola globálna priemerná teplota asi o jeden stupeň vyššia ako priemer za roky 1979 až 2000, podľa Climate Change Institute of Maine, čím sa stal najteplejším dňom od začiatku meraní. (Tim Staeger)

Podľa Medzinárodnej agentúry pre energiu (International Energy Agency) spôsobilo vykurovanie v celosvetovom meradle v minulom roku asi štyrikrát viac emisií ako chladenie. Samotné elektrické ohrievače produkujú asi o dve tretiny viac emisií ako každá klimatizácia na planéte – a to je vrchol ľadovca, keďže väčšina vykurovania domácností sa vykonáva kotlami poháňanými plynom, vykurovacím olejom alebo uhlím. (Analýza od Davida Ficklinga, Washingtonpost)

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Oil and gas heating systems are very harmful to the climate and fossil fuels are limited. It is best to switch to heat pumps with green electricity, but this is mostly beyond the control of tenants. Nevertheless, it is possible to reduce CO2 emissions when heating: lowering the room temperature by just one degree will reduce CO2 emissions by around six percent. When you are away, the heating should be turned down, and instead of opening the window to the hinged position, it is more effective to ventilate the room several times a day. In general, it is climatically more favorable to reduce the average temperature in the apartment to a maximum of 20 degrees - but not below 16 degrees, as a lot of energy is consumed during heating. (AI, Greenpeace)

Riešenie situácie neodkladáme na neskôr, nehľadáme výhovorky a sustredíme sa na to, ako sa to dá. Čím rýchlejšie začneme, tým skôr dokážeme zabezpečiť dôstojný život pre budúce generácie. Opatrenia máme pripravené. Ich dôležitou súčasťou je znižovanie dopadov klimatickej krízy či ochrana prírody a ovzdušia. Pre zelenú budúcnosť krajiny je však rovnako kľúčový rozvoj obehového hospodárstva, riešenie envirozáťaží alebo zelená infraštruktúra  v mestách. Naše riešenia sú ambiciózne, ale realistické. Vieme, ako využiť príležitosti. Dokážeme čeliť klimatickej kríze a zároveň zlepšiť kvalitu života všetkých ľudí na Slovensku. 

Klimatické zmeny už teraz ohrozujú lesné ekosystémy a najmä ekosystémové služby, ktoré lesy poskytujú prírode a ľuďom. Mnohé druhy drevín trpia stúpajúcimi teplotami a zvýšeným suchom. Vieme však príliš málo o tom, ako môžeme cieleným obhospodarovaním lesov posilniť odolnosť lesov voči klimatickým zmenám. Celoeurópsky projekt s účasťou WSL má túto vedomostnú medzeru vyplniť. Cieľom projektu FORWARDS je zriadenie observatória ForestWard – nástroja na monitorovanie a hodnotenie vplyvov klimatických zmien na lesy.„ForWARDS po prvýkrát spojí údaje z dlhodobého monitorovania lesov, satelitné údaje a výsledky modelov z celej Európy, aby sme pochopili vplyv klimatických zmien na lesy,“ vysvetľuje výskumník WSL Arthur Gessler. Zozbierané informácie podporujú politikov a lesnícku prax pri prijímaní opatrení a dlhodobom zvyšovaní odolnosti lesov. Observatórium ForestWard je určené na poskytovanie pokynov na opatrenia na európskej, regionálnej a miestnej úrovni s cieľom prispôsobiť riadenie zmene klímy. Hoci Gessler zdôrazňuje, že to nenahrádza naliehavosť CO ₂na zníženie emisií. „Bez takejto redukcie nemôžu adaptačné opatrenia zabrániť zabezpečeniu dôležitých funkcií lesa (ako je ochrana pred lavínami) v takom rozsahu, v akom sú dnes. Preto je nevyhnutné, aby sa prechod na nulové čisté emisie uskutočnil včas.“ (Tamara Bauman)

Vedci definujú podzemné klimatické zmeny ako „tiché nebezpečenstvo“, ktoré číha pod veľkými mestami. Až donedávna neboli jeho účinky na civilnú infraštruktúru dôkladne preskúmané. Známe boli jeho súvislosti s kontamináciou podzemných vôd a dokonca aj so zdravotnými problémami, akými sú astma a infarkty. Nedávna štúdia z Northwestern University v Spojených štátoch však po prvý raz stanovuje spojenie medzi týmto fenoménom a transformáciou pôdy pod mestskými oblasťami. (José Carlos Cueto, Role,BBC News Mundo)

Ekonomická realizovateľnosť cieľov v oblasti zmeny klímy špecifikovaných v Parížskej dohode závisí od uprednostňovania netrhových prvkov, ako je ľudské zdravie a ochrana biodiverzity, podľa nedávnej štúdie vedenej Dr. Taikanom Oki, bývalým vyšším vicerektorom OSN. University, Japan a publikované v akademickom časopise Environmental Research Letters vydavateľstva IOP .Výsledky ukazujú, že finančné prínosy zníženia klimatických zmien sú často podobné nákladom na zmiernenie.  Výskumný tím odhaduje náklady na dodatočné opatrenia na zmiernenie škôd na 45 až 130 biliónov amerických dolárov, pričom finančné prínosy týchto snáh o zníženie sa pohybujú od 23 do 145 biliónov amerických dolárov. Zistili, že na to, aby bol cieľ 2°C teploty ekonomicky realizovateľný, musí sa klásť väčší dôraz na budúci vplyv biodiverzity a zdravotných faktorov, pričom argumentujú, že tieto faktory budú v budúcnosti ešte naliehavejšie.

The Copernicus Atmospheric Monitoring Service (CAMS) provides consistent quality information on air pollution and health, solar energy, greenhouse gases and climate impacts worldwide. CAMS is one of six services that make up the European Union's Copernicus Earth observation programme, which focuses on our planet and its environment, ultimately for the benefit of all European citizens. Copernicus offers information services based on satellite Earth observation, (non-satellite) in situ data and modeling. The CAMS service is implemented by the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) on behalf of the European Commission. ECMWF is an independent intergovernmental organization supported by 35 countries. It is a research institute and 24/7 operational service that produces and disseminates numerical weather forecasts to its member states. ECMWF collaborates with many service providers across Europe to provide and further develop the CAMS portfolio. CAMS thus brings together the expertise and infrastructure that exists in Europe and provides a range of services unmatched by any other organization in the world. To obtain all the observations needed to establish CAMS services, ECMWF cooperates with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), as well as many other organizations providing satellite and in situ observations.

Green IT - this means the use of information and communication technologies in such a way as to save resources as much as possible. This not only protects the environment and reduces emissions, but also makes good business sense. The following tips will help you take the first steps towards green IT.

Artificial intelligence and carbon removal are two of the hottest topics in startup funding in recent months. So what if you combined the two? We explored this question to see how much investment is going into companies that offer expertise in AI and carbon footprint technologies. It turns out that relatively few funded startups offer credentials in these two areas. The last two years have been particularly active, with more than $400 million going into dozens of late-stage seed rounds spanning these two areas of interest. Using Crunchbase data, we've compiled a list of 15 companies at the intersection of AI and carbon that have each raised $10 million or more. (Joanna Glasner)

Organic food is produced without the use of chemical-synthetic pesticides, the soil is managed more sustainably and biodiversity increases. The best are organic products from the region and in season. Because long transport routes for fruit and vegetables, which only grow in southern countries in winter, result in unnecessary emissions: For example, some strawberries from the south cause many times higher CO2 emissions just from transport than domestic strawberries grown in Slovakia. Seasonal calendar provides information on what fruits and vegetables are currently grown in that country. For other products, the origin is also important, local rapeseed or sunflower oil is more climate-friendly than palm or coconut oil, and local beet sugar is more recommended than cane or coconut flower sugar. Because in addition to emissions caused by transport, in many countries nature is destroyed for cultivation areas, which also damages biodiversity and the climate. For example, the rainforest in Southeast Asia is cut down for palm oil - but it filters CO2 from the air and protects the climate. (AI)