Climate Urgency

The EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service confirms 2024 will likely surpass 2023 as the hottest year on record, with temperatures reaching over 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Released ahead of COP29 in Azerbaijan, the findings stress the impact of climate change on extreme weather, with scientists urging stronger action to cut carbon emissions and phase out fossil fuels.

The air trapped in the oldest Antarctic ice core reveals a striking similarity between the changes in CO2 levels and Antarctic climate. During cold periods, CO2 concentrations were low, while warm periods saw high concentrations (refer to Fig. 3). This correlation strongly supports the notion that temperature and CO2 are intricately connected, each influencing and amplifying changes in the other through a positive feedback loop. It is widely accepted that the transitions from glacial periods

With the Earth heating up and polar ice melting, the average sea level across the globe is increasing. While the precise heights of oceans differ based on local topography, long-term climate patterns, and the intricate interplay between fluids, gravity, and planetary rotation, scientists analyze sea level patterns by comparing measurements to a reference point that represents a 20-year average in space and time. These depictions employ the symbolic representation of a sunken porthole window to

This NASA representation encompasses various aspects: It exhibits the amount of CO2 released into the Earth’s atmosphere in 2021 and sheds light on the responsible parties behind the climate crisis, namely the Global North. As CO2 emissions accumulate in the atmosphere, we have a responsibility, partly due to historical factors, to swiftly reduce our emissions and develop climate technologies that have global applicability. The representation illustrates the primary contributors to CO2 emissions: fossil fuels depicted

With another year of record emissions, our 1.5 C climate goal has gone up in smoke. It’s time for a dose of climate reality. Even as COP29 continues, we should appreciate that incremental action is no longer sufficient and we urgently need to prepare for life on an increasingly volatile planet. My latest piece in Forbes explains what the science says about our current climate goals, why net zero matters more than ever in a

The date when humanity’s utilization of ecological resources and services surpasses Earth’s capacity to replenish them within a given year is known as Earth Overshoot Day. For the year 2023, Earth Overshoot Day is observed on August 2. This indicates that our current lifestyle necessitates the utilization of 1.7 Earths. Earth Overshoot Day has been progressively advancing in the calendar, and unless we initiate alterations, we will ultimately find ourselves running out of time. Back

Severe heat events can have severe consequences for public health. As exemplified by Europe’s 2003 summer heatwave, which resulted in over 70,000 deaths, extreme heat can lead to detrimental effects. It can worsen air quality issues, contribute to ground-level ozone pollution, intensify the risk of droughts and wildfires, diminish labor productivity, cause infrastructure damage, and reduce crop yields. There are multiple approaches to measure extreme heat. While absolute temperature is one criterion, another crucial factor

The Imperativeness to Confront Climate Change has Never been More Evident. There is ONLY One Earth. At present, we have reached approximately 1.26°C, and it is remarkable to witness the profound consequences even a slight alteration in the global average temperature can unleash. Climate Change is no longer an intangible idea but a tangible actuality that is reshaping our world. The moment to take action is upon us. I am enthusiastic about collaborating with forward-looking

In Brazil, this duo accomplished the extraordinary feat of planting 2 million trees over a span of 18 years, leading to the resurgence of 172 bird species, 33 mammals, 15 amphibians, 15 reptiles, and 293 plant species. Their remarkable endeavors deserve global recognition. Allow me to introduce Lélia Wanick and Sebastião Salgado. Motivated by their passion, the couple initiated the Terra Institute, a modest organization dedicated to reforesting the land by planting 2 million trees