Latest news with #PotsdamInstitute
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Experts issue urgent warning on single factor that could cause trillions of dollars in food losses: 'We find damages almost everywhere'
The First Sentier MUFG Sustainable Investment Institute has estimated that the global food system could face up to $38 trillion in damages by 2050 because of the warming climate. According to the report, the world is headed for 2.5 degrees Celsius (4.5 degrees Fahrenheit) of warming by 2050, which could send food prices soaring and have a major impact on supply chains. Temperature extremes, heavy rainfall, flooding, droughts, and severe storms could cause widespread damage to critical infrastructure and ecosystems, which would affect the resilience of our food systems, as the Sustainable Times reported. Global food demand is expected to grow at a rate of 1.26% between 2023 and 2033, surpassing population growth across much of the world. However, the shifting climate could make it difficult to meet that demand, especially in areas heavily impacted by extreme weather. A separate study by researchers from Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research found that not acting fast enough to address the climate could lead to average global economic losses of 60% by 2100. "The world population is poorer than it would be without climate change," Leonie Wenz, Potsdam climate data researcher and co-author on the study, told Reuters. "It costs us much less to protect the climate than not to." "Our study highlights the considerable inequity of climate impacts: We find damages almost everywhere, but countries in the tropics will suffer the most because they are already warmer," Anders Levermann, head of research department complexity science at the Potsdam Institute and co-author of the study, said in a news release. "They are also the ones with the least resources to adapt to its impacts." Aside from the massive financial toll of climate inaction, rising global temperatures caused by the overheating planet could make it harder to grow key crops the world depends on, including corn, wheat, rice, and soybeans, according to the World Economic Forum. This would likely result in more expensive groceries worldwide and disrupt the ecosystems humans depend on for healthy food. Do you worry about how much food you throw away? Definitely Sometimes Not really Never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Prices on many foods have already soared because of worsening weather in places like Australia, Spain, and Portugal. In addition, the Sustainable Times reported that a study by Christian Aid found that cocoa prices have climbed 400% in recent years because of extreme heat and heavy rainfall in Ghana, Cameroon, and Nigeria. If humans don't take steps to drastically reduce pollution from burning dirty fuels, global food systems could suffer in the near future. In the report by the Sustainable Investment Institute, researchers said that better soil management, a shift to more climate-resilient crops, and technology innovations such as artificial intelligence-powered systems could mitigate some of the consequences of the climate crisis. They also suggested that investors prepare by "demanding robust disclosures from food businesses," as the Times explained. This could include climate risk scenario models and other frameworks. In addition, speeding up our transition to cleaner energy sources will lower the planet's temperature by reducing the amount of planet-warming pollution in the atmosphere. "It is on us to decide: structural change towards a renewable energy system is needed for our security and will save us money," Potsdam researchers said. As consumers, we can help by eating more plant-based foods and shopping locally. Both of these actions cut down on pollution and benefit our wallets. With a little planning, you can also shop smarter and save some cash at the grocery store. Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Malay Mail
08-05-2025
- Science
- Malay Mail
Earth nears 1.5°C threshold as global heatwave persists through April 2025
April 2025 was the second-hottest on record, continuing a streak of extreme global heat that has defied expectations even after El Niño faded. Scientists warn the world is on track to exceed the 1.5°C warming limit within four years, with some saying the target is no longer achievable. Experts remain concerned that rapid warming, driven by fossil fuel use and other factors, could trigger long-lasting climate consequences. PARIS, May 8 — Global temperatures were stuck at near-record highs in April, the EU's climate monitor said on Thursday, extending an unprecedented heat streak and raising questions about how quickly the world might be warming. The extraordinary heat spell was expected to subside as warmer El Niño conditions faded last year, but temperatures have stubbornly remained at record or near-record levels well into this year. 'And then comes 2025, when we should be settling back, and instead we are remaining at this accelerated step-change in warming,' said Johan Rockström, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. 'And we seem to be stuck there. What this is caused by — what is explaining it — is not entirely resolved, but it's a very worrying sign,' he told AFP. In its latest bulletin, the Copernicus Climate Change Service said that April was the second-hottest in its dataset, which draws on billions of measurements from satellites, ships, aircraft and weather stations. All but one of the last 22 months exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, the warming limit enshrined in the Paris Agreement, beyond which major and lasting climate and environmental changes become more likely. Missed target Many scientists believe this target is no longer attainable and will be crossed in a matter of years. A large study by dozens of pre-eminent climate scientists, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, recently concluded that global warming reached 1.36°C in 2024. Copernicus puts the current figure at 1.39°C and projects 1.5°C could be reached by mid-2029 or sooner, based on the warming trend over the last 30 years. 'Now it's in four years' time. The reality is we will exceed 1.5 degrees,' said Samantha Burgess of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, which runs Copernicus. 'The critical thing is to then not latch onto two degrees, but to focus on 1.51,' the climate scientist told AFP. The photo taken on July 6, 2024 shows an aerial view of a partially submerged Guanyin temple in floodwaters in the swollen Yangtze River, in Ezhou, in central China's Hubei province. — AFP pic Julien Cattiaux, a climate scientist at the French research institute CNRS, said 1.5°C 'would be beaten before 2030', but that was not a reason to give up. 'It's true that the figures we're giving are alarming: the current rate of warming is high. They say every tenth of a degree counts, but right now, they're passing quickly,' he told AFP. 'Despite everything, we mustn't let that hinder action.' 'Exceptional' Scientists are unanimous that burning fossil fuels has largely driven long-term global warming that has made extreme weather disasters more frequent and intense. But they are less certain about what else might have contributed to this persistent heat event. Experts think changes in global cloud patterns, airborne pollution, and Earth's ability to store carbon in natural sinks like forests and oceans could also be factors contributing to the planet overheating. The surge pushed 2023 and then 2024 to become the hottest years on record, with 2025 tipped to be third. 'The last two years... have been exceptional,' said Burgess. 'They're still within the boundary — or the envelope — of what climate models predicted we could be in right now. But we're at the upper end of that envelope.' She said that 'the current rate of warming has accelerated, but whether that's true over the long term, I'm not comfortable saying that', adding that more data was needed. Copernicus records go back to 1940, but other sources of climate data — such as ice cores, tree rings and coral skeletons — allow scientists to expand their conclusions using evidence from much further into the past. Scientists say the current period is likely to be the warmest the Earth has been for the last 125,000 years. — AFP
Arab News
08-05-2025
- Science
- Arab News
Australian jury convicts two men for murder of Indigenous teen
Global temperatures stuck at near-record highs in April: EU monitor PARIS: Global temperatures were stuck at near-record highs in April, the EU's climate monitor said on Thursday, extending an unprecedented heat streak and raising questions about how quickly the world might be warming. The extraordinary heat spell was expected to subside as warmer El Niño conditions faded last year, but temperatures have stubbornly remained at record or near-record levels well into this year. 'And then comes 2025, when we should be settling back, and instead we are remaining at this accelerated step-change in warming,' said Johan Rockstrom, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. 'And we seem to be stuck there. What this is caused (by) — what is explaining it — is not entirely resolved, but it's a very worrying sign,' he told AFP. In its latest bulletin, the Copernicus Climate Change Service said that April was the second-hottest in its dataset, which draws on billions of measurements from satellites, ships, aircraft and weather stations. All but one of the last 22 months exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, the warming limit enshrined in the Paris agreement, beyond which major and lasting climate and environmental changes become more likely. Many scientists believe this target is no longer attainable and will be crossed in a matter of years. A large study by dozens of pre-eminent climate scientists, which has not yet been peer reviewed, recently concluded that global warming reached 1.36C in 2024. Copernicus puts the current figure at 1.39C and projects 1.5C could be reached in mid 2029 or sooner based on the warming trend over the last 30 years. 'Now it's in four years' time. The reality is we will exceed 1.5 degrees,' said Samantha Burgess of the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, which runs Copernicus. 'The critical thing is to then not latch onto two degrees, but to focus on 1.51,' the climate scientist told AFP. Julien Cattiaux, a climate scientist at the French research institute CNRS, said 1.5C 'would be beaten before 2030' but that was not a reason to give up. 'It's true that the figures we're giving are alarming: the current rate of warming is high. They say every 10th of a degree counts, but right now, they're passing quickly,' he told AFP. 'Despite everything, we mustn't let that hinder action.' This photograph shows a general view of the Atacama Desert covered by flowers in Copiapo, Chile, taken on July 10, 2024. (AFP) Scientists are unanimous that burning fossil fuels has largely driven long-term global warming that has made extreme weather disasters more frequent and intense. But they are less certain about what else might have contributed to this persistent heat event. Experts think changes in global cloud patterns, airborne pollution and Earth's ability to store carbon in natural sinks like forests and oceans, could be factors also contributing to the planet overheating. The surge pushed 2023 and then 2024 to become the hottest years on record, with 2025 tipped to be third. Smoke pours from the exhaust pipes on a truck on November 05, 2019 in Miami, Florida. (AFP) 'The last two years... have been exceptional,' said Burgess. 'They're still within the boundary — or the envelope — of what climate models predicted we could be in right now. But we're at the upper end of that envelope.' She said that 'the current rate of warming has accelerated but whether that's true over the long term, I'm not comfortable saying that,' adding that more data was needed. Copernicus records go back to 1940 but other sources of climate data — such as ice cores, tree rings and coral skeletons — allow scientists to expand their conclusions using evidence from much further into the past. Scientists say the current period is likely to be the warmest the Earth has been for the last 125,000 years.
Arab News
08-05-2025
- Science
- Arab News
Pakistan shoots down Indian drone near naval base in the city of Lahore
Global temperatures stuck at near-record highs in April: EU monitor PARIS: Global temperatures were stuck at near-record highs in April, the EU's climate monitor said on Thursday, extending an unprecedented heat streak and raising questions about how quickly the world might be warming. The extraordinary heat spell was expected to subside as warmer El Niño conditions faded last year, but temperatures have stubbornly remained at record or near-record levels well into this year. 'And then comes 2025, when we should be settling back, and instead we are remaining at this accelerated step-change in warming,' said Johan Rockstrom, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. 'And we seem to be stuck there. What this is caused (by) — what is explaining it — is not entirely resolved, but it's a very worrying sign,' he told AFP. In its latest bulletin, the Copernicus Climate Change Service said that April was the second-hottest in its dataset, which draws on billions of measurements from satellites, ships, aircraft and weather stations. All but one of the last 22 months exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, the warming limit enshrined in the Paris agreement, beyond which major and lasting climate and environmental changes become more likely. Many scientists believe this target is no longer attainable and will be crossed in a matter of years. A large study by dozens of pre-eminent climate scientists, which has not yet been peer reviewed, recently concluded that global warming reached 1.36C in 2024. Copernicus puts the current figure at 1.39C and projects 1.5C could be reached in mid 2029 or sooner based on the warming trend over the last 30 years. 'Now it's in four years' time. The reality is we will exceed 1.5 degrees,' said Samantha Burgess of the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, which runs Copernicus. 'The critical thing is to then not latch onto two degrees, but to focus on 1.51,' the climate scientist told AFP. Julien Cattiaux, a climate scientist at the French research institute CNRS, said 1.5C 'would be beaten before 2030' but that was not a reason to give up. 'It's true that the figures we're giving are alarming: the current rate of warming is high. They say every 10th of a degree counts, but right now, they're passing quickly,' he told AFP. 'Despite everything, we mustn't let that hinder action.' This photograph shows a general view of the Atacama Desert covered by flowers in Copiapo, Chile, taken on July 10, 2024. (AFP) Scientists are unanimous that burning fossil fuels has largely driven long-term global warming that has made extreme weather disasters more frequent and intense. But they are less certain about what else might have contributed to this persistent heat event. Experts think changes in global cloud patterns, airborne pollution and Earth's ability to store carbon in natural sinks like forests and oceans, could be factors also contributing to the planet overheating. The surge pushed 2023 and then 2024 to become the hottest years on record, with 2025 tipped to be third. Smoke pours from the exhaust pipes on a truck on November 05, 2019 in Miami, Florida. (AFP) 'The last two years... have been exceptional,' said Burgess. 'They're still within the boundary — or the envelope — of what climate models predicted we could be in right now. But we're at the upper end of that envelope.' She said that 'the current rate of warming has accelerated but whether that's true over the long term, I'm not comfortable saying that,' adding that more data was needed. Copernicus records go back to 1940 but other sources of climate data — such as ice cores, tree rings and coral skeletons — allow scientists to expand their conclusions using evidence from much further into the past. Scientists say the current period is likely to be the warmest the Earth has been for the last 125,000 years.
Free Malaysia Today
08-05-2025
- Science
- Free Malaysia Today
Global temperatures stuck at near-record highs in April
All but one of the last 22 months exceeded 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. (AP pic) PARIS : Global temperatures were stuck at near-record highs in April, the EU's climate monitor said today, extending an unprecedented heat streak and raising questions about how quickly the world might be warming. The extraordinary heat spell was expected to subside as warmer El Nino conditions faded last year, but temperatures have stubbornly remained at record or near-record levels well into this year. 'And then comes 2025, when we should be settling back, and instead we are remaining at this accelerated step-change in warming,' said Johan Rockstrom, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. 'And we seem to be stuck there. What this is caused (by) – what is explaining it – is not entirely resolved, but it's a very worrying sign,' he told AFP. In its latest bulletin, the Copernicus Climate Change Service said that April was the second hottest in its dataset, which draws on billions of measurements from satellites, ships, aircraft and weather stations. All but one of the last 22 months exceeded 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, the warming limit enshrined in the Paris agreement, beyond which major and lasting climate and environmental changes become more likely. Many scientists believe this target is no longer attainable and will be crossed in a matter of years. A large study by dozens of pre-eminent climate scientists, which has not yet been peer reviewed, recently concluded that global warming reached 1.36°C in 2024. Copernicus puts the current figure at 1.39°C and projects 1.5°C could be reached in mid-2029 or sooner based on the warming trend over the last 30 years. 'Now it's in four years' time. The reality is we will exceed 1.5°C,' said Samantha Burgess of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, which runs Copernicus. 'The critical thing is to then not latch onto two degrees, but to focus on 1.51°C,' the climate scientist told AFP. Julien Cattiaux, a climate scientist at the French research institute CNRS, said 1.5°C 'would be beaten before 2030' but that was not a reason to give up. 'It's true that the figures we're giving are alarming: the current rate of warming is high. They say every 10th of a degree counts, but right now, they're passing quickly,' he told AFP. 'Despite everything, we mustn't let that hinder action.' Scientists are unanimous that burning fossil fuels has largely driven long-term global warming that has made extreme weather disasters more frequent and intense. But they are less certain about what else might have contributed to this persistent heat event. Experts think changes in global cloud patterns, airborne pollution and Earth's ability to store carbon in natural sinks like forests and oceans, could be factors also contributing to the planet overheating. The surge pushed 2023 and then 2024 to become the hottest years on record, with 2025 tipped to be third. 'The last two years… have been exceptional,' said Burgess. 'They're still within the boundary – or the envelope – of what climate models predicted we could be in right now. But we're at the upper end of that envelope.' She said that 'the current rate of warming has accelerated but whether that's true over the long term, I'm not comfortable saying that', adding that more data was needed. Copernicus records go back to 1940 but other sources of climate data – such as ice cores, tree rings and coral skeletons – allow scientists to expand their conclusions using evidence from much further into the past. Scientists say the current period is likely to be the warmest the Earth has been for the last 125,000 years.
