News 
(late December 2023)
2023: Record-breaking Fires
In 2023, due to wildfires, it was classified as "the deadliest year of the 21st century" by the Emergency Events Database of the Catholic University of Leuven. Attention is drawn to the fact that a higher number of wildfires corresponds to a shorter time for vegetation regeneration. This also leads to a significant reduction in carbon dioxide absorption, thereby contributing to global warming.
(December 2023)
Permafrost Thawing Could Accelerate Global Warming
Permafrost is the portion of soil that remains below 0°C for two years or more. The Department of Arctic Geology in Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Norway, recently published a study indicating that millions of cubic meters of methane are trapped beneath the permafrost in the Svalbard archipelago.
With rising temperatures, the gas could escape into the atmosphere, exacerbating the greenhouse effect, as it is approximately 25 times more potent than CO2. A large-scale release could create a warming cycle that, in turn, would further increase methane emissions.
Scientists emphasize that the geological and glacial history of Svalbard is very similar to that of the rest of the Arctic region, Siberia, and Alaska. It is likely that these methane deposits are present elsewhere as well.
Studies have also shown that the active layer of permafrost, the upper one or two meters that freeze and thaw seasonally, is expanding with climate warming. If constantly frozen permafrost becomes thinner and fragmented, the trapped methane below could find a way out, thus accelerating global warming and worsening the climate crisis.
(December 2023)
COP 28 in Dubai
From November 30th to December 12th, 2023, the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP) was held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
All member countries of the Climate Convention (almost 200) and some representatives of government organizations participated. Among the main objectives discussed were redefining new environmental policies, working towards fossil fuel elimination, promoting climate change mitigation, and increasing efforts for renewable energy development.
Unfortunately, the agreement reached at the end of the Dubai climate conference was a significant compromise with oil-producing countries. The commitments made are not legally binding and cannot compel any government to act in a certain way. In conclusion, it was all smoke and no fire.
There is no mention of consuming less meat by eliminating intensive livestock farming, which would reduce emissions by up to 15% if implemented globally. There is also no discussion of reducing consumption or controlling population growth, which have a direct and significant impact on CO2 emissions.
While the final agreements mention fossil fuels for the first time and encourage countries to contribute to emission reduction efforts by "gradually moving away from fossil fuels in energy systems," the wording of the climate agreement leaves room for a series of "loopholes" to continue producing emissions without concrete reductions.
COP also calls on UN countries to triple renewable energy production by 2030 and to "substantially reduce" methane emissions, a greenhouse gas with significant short-term effects on the atmosphere, by 2030, without specifying to what extent.
Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, ensured that carbon capture and storage systems were mentioned in the agreement, often touted within the oil industry as the main solution to emissions. In reality, these technologies are still expensive and underutilized, and according to scientists, they will not provide a definitive solution to the climate crisis but will at most maintain a small energy production from fossil fuels. The COP28 agreement simply states to "accelerate" the use of such technologies. It does not mention planting billions of trees, which have naturally captured CO2 since their existence, without any economic expenditure or energy consumption, and protecting existing forests from wildfires.
The document also calls for the acceleration of the gradual reduction of coal-fired power plants without carbon capture and storage facilities. A previous draft also mentioned banning the construction of new coal-fired power plants without such facilities, but China and India, who are planning to build them to meet their energy needs, succeeded in removing that provision.
It also mentions the use of "low-emission impact fuels," a wording that, according to certain interpretations, could refer to natural gas, which among fossil fuels produces fewer emissions. This aspect of the agreement is not well-received by environmentalists and may serve to increase, rather than reduce, the overall use of fossil fuels.
One important aspect is the establishment of a fund through which the wealthiest countries will finance those developing countries most exposed to the negative effects of climate change, such as severe storms and droughts, in order to compensate for losses and damages. However, even on this front, COP28 has not been revolutionary: funds have been promised, but they amount to only 700 million dollars for now. According to the estimate of an international NGO dedicated to the topic, more than 400 billion dollars per year would be needed, so this is just a drop in the ocean.
In conclusion, this COP, like previous ones, faces the problem of being international conferences that do not directly lead to concrete actions in different countries. It remains to be seen whether the world's governments will follow its recommendations, and in the past, some have acted in the opposite direction. In recent years, for example, the European Union has participated in COPs calling for a reduction in fossil fuel use, but many of its member countries have simultaneously invested in new gas infrastructure.
(November 2023)
Copernicus Climate Observation: October Was the Hottest Ever
The European climate change observatory has released its findings: last month, with an average temperature of 15.38 degrees Celsius, surpassed the record set in October 2019, and 2023 is almost certain to break the annual record set in 2016.
(Early November 2023)
Cyclone Ciaran: Interview with Dino Zardi, Professor of Atmospheric Physics at the University of Trento
How did Cyclone Ciaran form?
"It's an extratropical Atlantic storm, common in our latitudes between late summer and autumn. Its origin is always over the ocean, but unlike tropical cyclones, the formation area and dynamics are different, and so are the trajectories. Simplifying a bit, Ciaran can be associated with a north Atlantic jet stream oscillation."
Why did it affect Italy as well? In this case, did the Alps not protect us, as they often do with storms coming from the Atlantic?
"Ciaran is as vast as half a continent. With such large cyclones, even orographic barriers can be crossed. In fact, in cases like this, it can increase the flow of warm air from the South, as happened with the scirocco and libeccio winds, leading to increased precipitation. Bypassing the Alps from the southwest, the first regions it encounters are Tuscany and Liguria."
Not only was there a lot of rain, but the winds were also strong.
"The lower the pressure at the core of the cyclonic system, the stronger the winds; they are connected."
There was a minimum pressure of 953.3 millibars around the British Isles. Is this a record for an extratropical cyclone?
"It's certainly one of the lowest pressure minima. These records have relative importance because each cyclone is unique, and the damage on land depends on many factors. For example, compared to the Vaia storm in 2018, although there were similarities, the amount of rainfall, wind intensity, and trajectory were quite different."
Is there a similarity with November 1966, with the Florence flood and record high water in Venice?
"The one in 1966 and Ciaran are both very extensive disturbances of a similar type. The difference is that now temperatures, and therefore the energies involved, are much higher."
Was Ciaran predictable?
"Meteorological models tracked it very well, and alerts were issued. Large-scale phenomena are more predictable. Ciaran was widely forecasted in the days leading up to it, both in terms of trajectory and intensity. However, predicting localized but highly destructive events like severe summer storms is much more difficult."
Can the current storm be linked to climate change?
"In 2023, the North Atlantic experienced significant warming, far exceeding both the thirty-year averages and the previous record, which was just last year. Storms like Ciaran have always existed, but we have seen that climate change is making them more intense. Many meteorological phenomena in recent times have been amplified. We need to determine whether our infrastructure is still adequate to withstand such impacts."
In a little over a year, Italy has experienced three floods. Events that used to have a return period of a decade are becoming more frequent. What should be done?
"In the short term, we need to prepare for increasingly intense events, and in the long term, we need to work on mitigating climate change."
(October 2023)
Water Flowing Under Glaciers Could Accelerate Melting
New modeling studies on the Antarctic ice conducted by researchers at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego, suggest that meltwater flowing from beneath Antarctic glaciers is causing ice loss at an accelerated rate. Model simulations suggest that this effect is significant enough to contribute significantly to global sea-level rise in scenarios with high levels of greenhouse gases.
(October 2023)
Historic Turning Point in Chile: The First Country in the World to Approve an Ecocide Law
This law introduced the title "Attempts against the environment" into the penal code, harmonizing the international definition of ecocide with national legislation. Law 21.595 consolidated and incorporated environmental offenses, which were previously dispersed in various legal bodies.
As mentioned, this innovative legislation introduces new environmental offenses, including evasion of the environmental impact assessment system, repeated environmental sanctions, illegal water extraction, and serious environmental damage. For example, those who discharge pollutants into marine or continental waters without undergoing an environmental impact assessment can be punished with up to three years in prison.
The law also extends to the definition of ecocide, a term coined in 1970 that refers to the "large-scale destruction of plant or animal life, poisoning of the atmosphere or water resources, and any other action that can cause an environmental disaster." The concept of ecocide has now been incorporated into Chilean legislation in the new articles from 308 to 310 ter of the penal code, which address cases of serious environmental harm.
Furthermore, some changes are introduced to the law that regulates the powers of the Environmental Superintendent (SMA) and the Environmental Assessment Service (SEA), including offenses such as concealing information in the environmental assessment process and failure to comply with precautionary measures or sanctions imposed by the SMA.
(October 2023)
Denmark: The First Country in the World to Bid Farewell to Meat
Denmark could become the world's first country to eliminate meat-based products from the diets of its citizens. The government of Copenhagen recently released an action plan aimed at increasing the production and consumption of plant-based and climate-friendly foods through financial support to the public sector, industry, and research and development centers.
On one hand, the action plan pushes for increased consumption of plant-based products, primarily focusing on school cafeteria menus and the public sector in general. On the other hand, Denmark aims to become a global powerhouse in plant-based food production, including fake meat, and will incentivize research and development activities, chef training, and startups. This plan complements a €100 million fund launched earlier this year to promote such products.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture's calculations, the development of an alternative meat industry could generate revenues of €3.5 billion for the public treasury (including healthcare savings) and create approximately 27,000 jobs. Minister Jacob Jensen stated that "plant-based foods are the future," and the transition from meat is "necessary." He added that "there is no doubt that a diet richer in vegetables helps reduce our carbon footprint" and benefits our health.
