A team of atmospheric and climate scientists from several institutions in Europe found that even if all human management of forest land stopped immediately, it would not be enough to offset global carbon emissions. In his study, published in the journal Science , the group used mapping and AI applications to model the extent to which such a plan would result in forest regrowth, and thus CO2 sequestration. 

For several years now, many large corporations have been trying to manage their own carbon footprint by doing business with carbon offsets and credits, while paying others to engage in activities that remove CO ₂ from the atmosphere, they theoretically compensate for the emissions they emit. The biggest customers in such stores are those who manage large forests, such as parts of the Amazon. However, researchers say there is a flaw in this system – reusing the land as a forest will not be enough to overcome the problem of climate change (by Bob Yirk, Phys.org)

Kanada opäť takmer určite nesplní svoj cieľ znížiť emisie skleníkových plynov o 40 až 45 percent do roku 2030 v súlade s najnovšími odporúčaniami Medzivládneho panelu pre zmenu klímy (IPCC) . A to aj napriek optimistickej nálade vlády pri zverejnení najnovšej správy o inventarizácii emisií . Jerry DeMarco, komisár pre životné prostredie v kancelárii generálneho audítora , kritizoval vládny rekord ako litániu nedodržaných sľubov:

„Opakovane sme zvonili na poplach. Teraz sú tieto zvony takmer ohlušujúce.“

Kanada je jedinou krajinou G7 s úrovňami emisií uhlíka v roku 2022, ktoré sú vyššie ako v roku 1990. Má jednu z najvyšších emisií skleníkových plynov na obyvateľa na svete a jej priemysel fosílnych palív patrí tiež medzi najväčšie na svete. ( Bruce Campbell , York University, Kanada)

In 2019, only 16 % of the global economy was estimated to be covered by net zero targets, increasing to 68 % by 2021.

ESG investing is falling in popularity among UK investors

However, not all net zero pledges are created equal and we as investors have a role to play in examining the viability of the targets our investee companies have set themselves to ensure they are playing their part in the fight against climate change. While there is no single definition of net zero and no single framework for measurement, the Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) has published the following definition of corporate net zero in its guidance:

• Reducing scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions to zero or to a residual level consistent with achieving net zero emissions at the global or sectoral level in eligible 1.5°C aligned pathways
• Neutralization of any residual emissions in the net-zero target year and all greenhouse gas emissions released into the atmosphere after that year

The first point in the definition, while not without problems, is the clearer ambition for many companies and will have the greatest short-term impact on emissions.

Many of the companies we speak to have been able to carry out initial assessments of their carbon footprints and have used these to set preliminary targets that will see substantial reductions in emissions in the short term. (Amelia Overd)

Global warming potential , for short GWP , is a term used to describe the relative effectiveness, molecule for molecule, of a greenhouse gas , taking into account how long it remains active in the atmosphere. Currently used global warming potentials (GWPs) are calculated for 100 years. Carbon dioxide is taken as a reference gas and has a 100-year GWP of 1.

Komplexné účtovanie uhlíka v lesoch si vyžaduje spoľahlivý odhad zásob organického uhlíka v pôde (SOC). Napriek tomu, že ide o dôležitý zdroj uhlíka, sú k dispozícii obmedzené informácie o zásobách SOC v globálnych lesoch, najmä v lesoch v horských oblastiach, ako sú stredné Himaláje. Dostupnosť dôsledne meraných nových terénnych údajov nám umožnila presne odhadnúť zásoby organického uhlíka v lesnej pôde (SOC) v Nepále, čím sa riešila predtým existujúca medzera v poznatkoch. Naša metóda zahŕňala modelovanie odhadov SOC lesa pomocou kovariátov súvisiacich s klímou, pôdou a topografickou polohou. Náš kvantilný náhodný lesný model viedol k predikcii s vysokým priestorovým rozlíšením nepálskych národných lesných zásob SOC spolu s neistotami predikcie. Naša priestorovo explicitná mapa SOC lesa ukázala vysoké úrovne SOC v lesoch s vysokou nadmorskou výškou a výrazné nedostatočné zastúpenie týchto zásob v hodnoteniach v globálnom meradle. Naše výsledky ponúkajú vylepšenú základnú líniu distribúcie celkového uhlíka v lesoch centrálnych Himalájí. Referenčné mapy predpovedaných lesných SOC a súvisiacich chýb spolu s naším odhadom 494 miliónov ton (SE = 16) celkového SOC v ornici (0–30 cm) zalesnených oblastí v Nepále majú dôležité dôsledky pre pochopenie priestorovej variability, lesných SOC v horských oblastiach so zložitým terénom. Presný a spoľahlivý odhad národných zásob organického uhlíka v pôde (SOC) je rozhodujúci pre podávanie správ v kontexte programu OSN na znižovanie emisií z odlesňovania a degradácie lesov (REDD+) 1 a niekoľkých ďalších iniciatív. Hodnotenie zásob uhlíka v lesných ekosystémoch si vyžaduje pochopenie biomasy v stromoch, podzemnej biomasy a uhlíka v pôde, ako aj tokov. (Shiva Khanal, Rachael H. Nolan, Belinda E. Medlynová, Matthias M. Boer, Scientific Reports)

More than half of the world's great lakes and reservoirs have shrunk since the early 1990s - mainly due to the climate crisis and human consumption - intensifying concerns about water supplies for agriculture, hydropower and human consumption, a study has found. A team of international researchers reported that some of the world's most important sources of fresh water — from the Caspian Sea between Europe and Asia to South America's Lake Titicaca — have been losing water at a cumulative rate of about 22 gigatons per year over nearly three decades, equivalent to the total water use of the U.S. for an entire year 2015. Fangfang Yao, a surface hydrologist at the University of Virginia who led the study published Thursday in the journal Science , reported that 56 % of the decline in natural lakes was due to global warming and human consumption, with warming accounting for "the larger share". . Climatologists generally think that dry areas of the world will become drier and wet areas wetter due to climate change, but the study found significant water loss even in wet areas. (Reuters)

Greenhouse gases they form a group of gases that contribute to global warming and climate change.

Kyoto protocol , the environmental agreement adopted by many of the parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1997 to limit global warming, currently covers seven greenhouse gases :

• non-fluorinated gases:
  • carbon dioxide (CO ₂ )
  • methane (CH ₄ )
  • nitrous oxide ( _N2O )

• fluorinated gases:
  • hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
  • perfluorocarbons (PFCs)
  • sulfur fluoride (SF ₆ )
  • nitrogen fluoride (NF ₃ )

Their conversion to equivalents carbon dioxide (or CO ₂ ) allows their comparison and determination of their individual and overall contribution to global warming.

When G7 leaders gather in Hiroshima this weekend, they face a choice: double down on their commitments and move toward a clean, sustainable and more secure energy future, or continue down a destructive path of fossil fuel dependence and climate chaos. Last month, climate ministers from a group of rich countries they declared , that they are "firm in their commitment ... to keep the 1.5°C global temperature rise within reach". If they want to stay true to their word, they must close the door to new gas investments, including dangerous liquefied natural gas (LNG), honor their commitment to end international fossil fuel financing, and resist Japan's push for fossil fuel-based technologies. .

End investments in fossil fuels

Stopping new natural gas projects is critical to avoid the worst impacts of the climate crisis. The latest reports from the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) show that maintaining a 50 % chance of limiting global warming to 1.5°C requires an immediate end to investment in new coal, oil and gas. production and infrastructure for dangerous liquefied fossil gas.

(Elizabeth Bast, Tasneem Essop and Kanna Mitsuta)

The UAE has appointed 31 people, including fossil fuel executives and climate activists, to its advisory committee for November's Cop28 climate talks. The group includes the chairman of an Indian gas company, the former head of China's National Petroleum Corporation, the former head of British oil firm BP and the CEO of an Emirati oil and gas producer. It also includes the head of the African Climate Foundation, a Bangladeshi veteran fighting against fossil fuels and the former president of the climate-threatened Marshall Islands. The UAE government said the council brought together "climate expertise from thought leaders from countries across six continents". They said it spans "politics, industry, energy, finance, civil society, youth and humanitarian action" and will "provide advice and guidance to the Cop Presidency in the run-up to Cop28 and beyond". But Oil Change International campaigner Romain Ioualalen told Climate Home: "While there has been an evident effort to make the advisory committee inclusive and diverse, it is very worrying to see oil and gas interests being consulted on how to conduct negotiations on gradually phasing out their products. .” (Joe Lo)

Global warming is likely to have intensified a climate pattern in the Pacific since the 1960s that has caused extreme droughts, floods and heat around the world, according to a new study. Scientists say they have shown for the first time that greenhouse gas emissions are already likely to make El Niños and La Niñas more severe. Shifts in ocean temperatures and atmospheric conditions in the Pacific—known as the El Niño Southern Oscillation (Enso)—affect the world's weather, threaten food supplies, spread disease, and affect societies and ecosystems. Scientists tried to find out whether adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere - trapping huge amount of heat in the ocean – has already changed Enso. But because the system has natural fluctuations lasting decades, and actual observations were too rare, the scientists instead looked at more than 40 climate models, analyzed in several ways. Dr Wenju Cai, lead author studies from Australia's CSIRO science agency, said the models showed a "human fingerprint" from the 1960s. That meant climate change likely made both El Niños and La Niñas "more frequent and more extreme," he said.(Graham Readfearn)

Governments are increasingly focusing on health risks driven by global warming, with most countries now considering concerns from malaria to heart disease in their climate plans, according to data shared exclusively by the World Health Organization (WHO). More than 90 percent of countries have included health risks in their climate change commitments, known as nationally determined contributions (NDCs), up from 70 percent in 2020, according to a new WHO dataset to be published in an upcoming report. Dr Maria Neira, WHO Director of Public Health and Environment, said the climate crisis threatens key pillars of public health - including access to food, water, shelter and clean air - and countries may struggle to respond adequately to the growing risks. Climate change will fuel all the possible health disasters we expect. We need to make sure we have health systems fit for the 21st century," Dr Neira said ahead of the launch of the WHO's annual health statistics report on Friday. “We have to change the conversation (on climate change). Until now, we have been too focused on the glaciers, the next generation and the planet," she said in an interview. But "the health case for climate action can be very strong and can be one that could motivate governments". (The Straits Times)

The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) was formally adopted by the Council of the European Union representing the bloc's 27 member states. The aim of the new law is to prevent products and commodities linked to deforestation and forest degradation from being placed on the EU market, representing a significant milestone in the global effort to protect forests. After the law enters into force, large and medium-sized companies will have 18 months to implement the new rules. Companies will be required to carry out due diligence on commodities covered by the legislation: beef, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, soy, timber and rubber, as well as derivative products such as beef, furniture or chocolate. The following is a statement from Stientje van Veldhoven, Vice President and Regional Director for Europe, World Resources Institute:  “The EU regulation could be of great benefit to global efforts to stop deforestation and combat climate change – but its success will depend on the EU being able to engage meaningfully with the countries, companies and small farmers who produce the goods. "Effectively implemented, the law could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions that result from the clearing of tropical forests for food and other commodities. And it could help protect critical biodiversity and water resources in tropical rainforests. The law also sends an important signal to markets around the world: getting the food and commodities we need doesn't require destroying the world's forests — and continuing to do so will harm people and the climate. (World Resources Institute)

As one of the largest economies and political entities in the world, the European Union (EU) plays a key role in the global fight against climate change. Over the years, the EU has implemented a range of policies and initiatives aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing the share of renewable energy and promoting energy efficiency. However, with the increasing urgency of the climate crisis, the question arises: Is the EU doing enough to fight climate change? In this blog post we will discuss EU climate policy, its effectiveness and possible areas for improvement. Policies in the field of climate and energy. The EU has been at the forefront of global climate action, implementing various policies and targets aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting renewable energy. The European Green Deal, announced in 2019, is a comprehensive plan to achieve climate neutrality for the EU by 2050, which includes a wide range of initiatives and policies, including a European climate law that legally binds the goal of climate neutrality by 2050. One of the EU's most important climate policies is the Emissions Trading System (ETS), which limits the total amount of greenhouse gases that large industries and power plants can emit and allows companies to trade emission allowances. This market-based approach incentivizes businesses to reduce their emissions, with the cap gradually reduced over time. In addition, the EU has set ambitious targets for renewable energy and energy efficiency. For example, the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) requires EU countries to reach a common target of 32 % of renewable energy by 2030. This has led to the growth of the renewable energy market in Europe, with companies increasingly entering into Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) to secure supplies renewable energy. The emergence of PPA Europe platforms has facilitated the growth of corporate renewable energy resources, further supporting the clean energy transition. (Canyon News)

Formálne schválenie smernice EÚ o obnoviteľnej energii bolo odložené po námietke Paríža na poslednú chvíľu, ktorý chce ďalšie „záruky“ na nízkouhlíkový vodík získaný z jadrovej energie. Smernica o obnoviteľnej energii (RED) bola v stredu (17. mája) v procese formálneho schvaľovania po tom, čo krajiny EÚ a Európsky parlament dosiahli 30. marca predbežnú politickú dohodu. Dohoda prišla po mesiacoch napätých rokovaní, keď sa Francúzsko podporované východnými krajinami EÚ snažilo o uznanie „nízkouhlíkového vodíka“ vyrobeného z jadrovej energie, ktorý sa má odpočítať od cieľov bloku v oblasti obnoviteľnej energie. Tento aspekt dohody bol zakotvený v článku 22b smernice, ktorý stanovuje ciele čistého vodíka na dekarbonizáciu európskeho priemyslu. Právnym expertom trvalo niekoľko týždňov, kým text finalizovali, a veľvyslanci z 27 členských štátov EÚ plánovali v stredu pracovať na jeho formálnom vygumovaní. According to Švédska, ktoré je šesťmesačným rotujúcim predsedníctvom EÚ v Rade a má na starosti schvaľovacie postupy, bol tento bod z programu na poslednú chvíľu odstránený. Švédske predsedníctvo odmietlo komentovať dôvody oneskorenia, ale zdá sa, že na schválenie zákona pravdepodobne nebola dostatočná podpora, pričom niekoľko diplomatov, ktorých kontaktoval EURACTIV, obvinilo Francúzsko. Jeden diplomat EÚ obvinil Paríž, že „hrá tvrdo“ kvôli ústupkom. „Zákon sa stal rukojemníkom veľmi úzkych národných záujmov,“ povedal druhý diplomat, ktorý hovoril pod podmienkou anonymity. (Kira Taylor, Sean Goulding Carroll, Euractiv)

Vedci z Inštitútu Maxa Plancka vytvorili syntetickú metabolickú dráhu, ktorá premieňa oxid uhličitý na formaldehyd prostredníctvom kyseliny mravčej, čo ponúka uhlíkovo neutrálnu metódu výroby cenných materiálov. Nové syntetické metabolické cesty na fixáciu oxidu uhličitého by mohli nielen pomôcť znížiť obsah oxidu uhličitého v atmosfére, ale aj nahradiť konvenčné chemické výrobné procesy liečiv a účinných látok uhlíkovo neutrálnymi biologickými procesmi. Nová štúdia demonštruje proces, ktorý môže premeniť oxid uhličitý na cenný materiál pre biochemický priemysel prostredníctvom kyseliny mravčej. Vzhľadom na rastúce emisie skleníkových plynov je naliehavou otázkou zachytávanie uhlíka, teda sekvestrácia oxidu uhličitého z veľkých zdrojov emisií. V prírode asimilácia oxidu uhličitého prebieha už milióny rokov, no jeho kapacita ani zďaleka nepostačuje na kompenzáciu emisií spôsobených človekom. Výskumníci pod vedením Tobiasa Erba z Inštitútu Maxa Plancka pre suchozemskú mikrobiológiu využívajú súbor prírodných nástrojov na vývoj nových spôsobov fixácie oxidu uhličitého. Teraz sa im podarilo vyvinúť umelú metabolickú dráhu, ktorá produkuje vysoko reaktívny formaldehyd z kyseliny mravčej, čo je možný medziprodukt umelej fotosyntézy. Formaldehyd by mohol byť privádzaný priamo do niekoľkých metabolických ciest za vzniku ďalších cenných látok bez akýchkoľvek toxických účinkov. Rovnako ako v prírodnom procese sú potrebné dve primárne zložky: energia a uhlík. To prvé môže zabezpečiť nielen priame slnečné svetlo, ale aj elektrina — napríklad zo solárnych modulov. (SciTechDaily)

The Commission's proposal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 % by 2030 puts Europe on a responsible path to becoming climate neutral by 2050. Based on a comprehensive impact assessment, the Commission proposed to increase the EU's ambitions in the area of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and set this more ambitious path for the next 10 years. The assessment shows how all sectors of the economy and society can contribute and sets out the policy measures needed to achieve this.

Forecasters at the World Meteorological Organization said on Wednesday that global temperatures are likely to hit record highs over the next five years, driven by man-made warming and a climate pattern known as El Niño. The record for the hottest year on Earth was set in 2016. There is a 98 percent chance that at least one of the next five years will surpass that, forecasters said, while the average from 2023 to 27 will almost certainly be the warmest on record. recorded five-year period. "It will have far-reaching consequences for health, food security, water management and the environment," said Petteri Taalas, the meteorological organization's secretary-general. "We must be ready."

Why it matters: Every fraction of a degree brings new risks.

Even a small increase in warming can worsen the risk of heat waves, wildfires, droughts and other disasters, scientists say. Increased global temperatures in 2021 helped fuel the heat wave in the Pacific Northwest, which broke local records and killed hundreds of people. El Niño conditions may cause further unrest by altering global rainfall patterns. The weather organization said it expects increased summer rainfall in places such as northern Europe and the Sahel in sub-Saharan Africa and reduced rainfall in the Amazon and parts of Australia over the next five years.

(Brad Plumer)

Klimatické zmeny sa stále dajú riešiť – ale iba ak budú ľudia ochotní prijať zásadné zmeny v spôsobe, akým žijeme, uvádza správa. Autori zostavili zoznam najlepších spôsobov, ako môžu ľudia znížiť svoju uhlíkovú stopu. Reakcia na krízu Covid-19 ukázala, že verejnosť je ochotná akceptovať radikálnu zmenu, ak to považuje za potrebné, vysvetľujú. A správa dodáva, že priority vlády musia byť preusporiadané. Vedci tvrdia, že ochrana planéty sa musí stať prvou povinnosťou všetkých tých, ktorí rozhodujú. Autori vyzývajú verejnosť, aby prispela prijatím opatrení na znižovanie emisií uhlíka v správe, ktorá je založená na analýze 7 000 ďalších štúdií. Na vrchole zoznamu je život bez áut, ktorý ušetrí v priemere 2,04 tony ekvivalentu CO2 na osobu ročne. Nasleduje jazda na batériovom elektromobile – 1,95 tony ekvivalentu CO2 na osobu ročne – a každý rok o jeden let na dlhé vzdialenosti menej – 1,68 tony ekvivalentu CO2 na osobu. Prechod na vegánsku stravu pomôže – ale menej ako riešiť dopravu, ukazuje výskum. Hovorí sa, že obľúbené činnosti, ako je recyklácia, stoja za to, ale neznížte emisie o toľko.

The US government plans to crack down on greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, and as a result, a lot of money is about to be poured into technology that can capture carbon dioxide from smokestacks and lock it away. This raises an important question: When carbon dioxide it captures and stores how do we make sure it stays? Power plants that burn fossil fuels , such as coal and natural gas , release a lot of carbon dioxide. As CO₂ accumulates in the atmosphere, it traps heat near the Earth's surface, thereby causing global warming . However, if CO₂ emissions can be captured instead and lock them for thousands of years, existing power plants on fossil fuels could meet proposed new federal standards and reduce their impact on climate change . We work as scientists and engineers on the technologies and policies carbon capture and storage. one of us Klaus Lackner , proposed a principle more than two decades ago that is reflected in the proposed standards: For all carbon extracted from the earth, there must be the same amount safely and permanently neutralized. To ensure this, carbon capture and storage needs an effective certification system.by Stephanie Arcus and Klaus Lackner)