Cities globally are implementing strategies to combat extreme heat, a growing challenge exacerbated by climate change. Measures include improving building design, increasing green spaces, and utilizing renewable energy to create more resilient urban environments.
A study by the Italian Institute for Planetary Health (Iiph) confirms that global warming significantly impacts human health, increasing diseases, especially infectious ones, and mental health issues. Extreme weather events and economic damage further exacerbate the problem.
A study by the University of Tsukuba and Hokkaido University found that the flow of "atmospheric rivers" over Japan has increased by approximately 8% in the past 40 years due to global warming. These rivers, carrying large amounts of water vapor, can cause heavy rainfall and are expected to intensify further.
The SEC proposes to repeal a 2024 rule requiring public companies to disclose greenhouse gas emissions and climate-related risks, citing exceeded statutory authority and unjustified costs.
UN climate chief Simon Stiell warns that Europe's record-breaking heat wave, linked to human-caused climate change, highlights the urgent need to ditch fossil fuels, as Western Europe experiences extreme temperatures, heat-related deaths, and heightened wildfire risks.
Scientists warn that a developing El Niño will exacerbate heatwaves, droughts, and floods in 2026, but emphasize that human-induced climate change remains the primary driver of climate extremes, with unprecedented weather risks expected due to the combined effects.
Botanists in Hong Kong are calling for a citywide study to examine how global warming affects plant phenology after observing changes in leaf-shedding and flowering patterns. Species like the red kapok tree and flame tree, which typically shed all leaves in winter, have shown incomplete leaf drop by spring and early flowering in recent years. Professor Jim Chi-yung from the Education University of Hong Kong emphasizes that phenological research reveals the far-reaching impacts of climate change on nature and human life.
