Global Warming...New Report...and it ain't happy news

Finnish environmental and human rights organisations and Finnish Sámi Youth are taking Finland to court for its lack of adequate climate action. The organisations argue that the government’s inaction violates Finland’s national Climate Act, internationally acknowledged for its relatively strong targets, and fails to meet the state’s legal obligations to protect human rights. The case builds on a previous court ruling in Finland, as well as on the recent groundbreaking ruling by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in the case of KlimaSeniorinnen v Switzerland.

Abstract

The 2023 Canadian forest fires have been extreme in scale and intensity with more than seven times the average annual area burned compared to the previous four decades1. Here, we quantify the carbon emissions from these fires from May to September 2023 on the basis of inverse modelling of satellite carbon monoxide observations. We find that the magnitude of the carbon emissions is 647 TgC (570–727 TgC), comparable to the annual fossil fuel emissions of large nations, with only India, China and the USA releasing more carbon per year2. We find that widespread hot–dry weather was a principal driver of fire spread, with 2023 being the warmest and driest year since at least 19803. Although temperatures were extreme relative to the historical record, climate projections indicate that these temperatures are likely to be typical during the 2050s, even under a moderate climate mitigation scenario (shared socioeconomic pathway, SSP 2–4.5)4. Such conditions are likely to drive increased fire activity and suppress carbon uptake by Canadian forests, adding to concerns about the long-term durability of these forests as a carbon sink5,6,7,8.

Abstract

Climate change is affecting grape yield, composition and wine quality. As a result, the geography of wine production is changing. In this Review, we discuss the consequences of changing temperature, precipitation, humidity, radiation and CO2 on global wine production and explore adaptation strategies. Current winegrowing regions are primarily located at mid-latitudes (California, USA; southern France; northern Spain and Italy; Barossa, Australia; Stellenbosch, South Africa; and Mendoza, Argentina, among others), where the climate is warm enough to allow grape ripening, but without excessive heat, and relatively dry to avoid strong disease pressure. About 90% of traditional wine regions in coastal and lowland regions of Spain, Italy, Greece and southern California could be at risk of disappearing by the end of the century because of excessive drought and more frequent heatwaves with climate change. Warmer temperatures might increase suitability for other regions (Washington State, Oregon, Tasmania, northern France) and are driving the emergence of new wine regions, like the southern United Kingdom. The degree of these changes in suitability strongly depends on the level of temperature rise. Existing producers can adapt to a certain level of warming by changing plant material (varieties and rootstocks), training systems and vineyard management. However, these adaptations might not be enough to maintain economically viable wine production in all areas. Future research should aim to assess the economic impact of climate change adaptation strategies applied at large scale.


Key points

● Climate change modifies wine production conditions and requires adaptation from growers.

● The suitability of current winegrowing areas is changing, and there will be winners and losers. New winegrowing regions will appear in previously unsuitable areas, including expanding into upslope regions and natural areas, raising issues for environmental preservation.

● Higher temperatures advance phenology (major stages in the growing cycle), shifting grape ripening to a warmer part of the summer. In most winegrowing regions around the globe, grape harvests have advanced by 2–3 weeks over the past 40 years. The resulting modifications in grape composition at harvest change wine quality and style.

● Changing plant material and cultivation techniques that retard maturity are effective adaptation strategies to higher temperatures until a certain level of warming.

● Increased drought reduces yield and can result in sustainability losses. The use of drought-resistant plant material and the adoption of different training systems are effective adaptation strategies to deal with declining water availability. Supplementary irrigation is also an option when sustainable freshwater resources are available.

● The emergence of new pests and diseases and the increasing occurrence of extreme weather events, such as heatwaves, heavy rainfall and possibly hail, also challenge wine production in some regions. In contrast, other areas might benefit from reduced pest and disease pressure.

Over 100 cities have committed to ambitious climate targets by 2030. From free public transport for youth in Porto to green construction in Warsaw and closing Helsinki's coal plants, here's how they plan to do it.

Cities are climate change's engine rooms — consuming 65% of the planet's energy and producing 70% of the greenhouse gas emissions responsible for heating up the planet.

And they are often one of its biggest casualties: residents swelter in dense, concrete environments due to the "heat island effect".

By 2050, urban populations are expected to double, meaning the climate footprint of cities could balloon unless the way we plan, power and move around them is reconfigured.

Can European cities lead on climate action?

As part of an EU initiative, 112 cities are hoping to rise to the challenge.

100 from across the European Union and 12 from associated countries such as the United Kingdom and Turkey were selected to receive support in their efforts to rapidly

Reduce fossil fuel use and ensure any unavoidable emissions can be absorbed by nature or removed via carbon capture technologies. In other words, to reach net zero by 2030.

By comparison most countries around the world are falling short of the 45% reduction in emissions that scientists say are needed by the end of the decade if the world is to avoid the most catastrophic impacts of climate change.

Mission cities receive technical help and support in attracting investment. They are also encouraged to develop detailed roadmaps, which the EU estimates will require an estimated €650 billion (over $700 billion) in investments, mostly from the private sector, to achieve.

Thomas Osdoba, program director of NetZeroCities, an EU-funded project supporting the cities mission, says many of those selected share similar challenges. These include old buildings that are difficult to retrofit, car-centric urban planning, limited renewable infrastructure as well as the constraints of national policies and slow investment cycles.

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"Vb weather conditions" are seldom reported in English-language media, were first described in 1891 by German meteorologist Wilhelm Jacob van Bebber, who cataloged typical paths of low-pressure systems and labeled them with Roman numerals.
In Europe, weather is often determined by low pressure systems that move across the continent from west to east. In a Vb weather situation, however, the path of the low pressure system changes: The low pressure system moves towards the Mediterranean Sea due to colder air masses over western Europe.

Depending on the position of the core, such low pressure areas in the Mediterranean are also known as Genoa, Adriatic or Balearic lows.
[...]
Forecasts suggest climate change could cause Vb weather conditions to become more extreme.

Although there will be fewer summertime Mediterranean lows in the coming decades, meteorologists predict that climate change will cause the atmosphere to warm, allowing for increased absorption of water vapor and subsequent rainfall.

Climate change may also affect the jet stream. At high altitudes, this broad band of very strong westerly winds over the Arctic determines wind conditions and therefore the weather. Recently, the jet stream has shifted significantly to the south.

This could also bring about serious weather changes, such as very long periods of precipitation or phases of extreme heat in the fall.