Zero Emissions Day (ZeDay) is the global 24-hour moratorium on the use of fossil fuels. This movement was started to “give the planet one day off a year” and is organized in the month September. There are 4 simple guidelines: Don’t use or burn oil, gas, or coal. Minimize or eliminate use of electricity generated by fossil fuels. Don’t put anyone in harm’s way: All essential and emergency services operate normally. Do your best, have fun and enjoy the day ZeDay can also be used as an opportunity to raise awareness of the amounts of fossil fuels that are used worldwide every single day. We are going to use this opportunity to share with you some interesting and lesser-known ways in which you could minimize your carbon footprint on the day itself and long-term. What you can do today… Leave your car and/or  public transport pass at home and walk, bike or skate to work - whatever method of transportation you use, make sure that it doesn’t require any fuel or electricity. And who knows, perhaps you will discover exciting hidden gems somewhere you thought you knew so well! Minimize your appliance use on ZeDay. Have a lovely candle-lit dinner, read a book, play a board game or two, practice drawing (like you were planning to do for the past 3 years) – get creative! Plant a tree. Or maybe a bush, or some flowers, or a small herb garden on your balcony – the point is, add more plants! We all know that plants absorb carbon dioxide and transform it into oxygen, so this is a simple way to undo some of the damage that we have already done to the planet and make it at least a bit prettier. Switch over to paper-less billing. Paper bills contribute to carbon emissions in several ways: trees get cut down (which reduces the amount of natural CO2 “converters”), then they are used to manufacture paper (a process that releases many harmful emissions) and then this paper goes in a big adventure full of emissions. Some of it gets transformed into envelopes, some of it gets sent to big warehouses, from where it travels to companies and governmental offices so that they can print it and send it to you. Most of the transport that is used in this process isn’t “green”, so it takes a lot of emissions for you to get a message. Luckily, in the modern age of Internet, many companies and governmental braches allow you to receive all correspondence from them online. Take 10 minutes of your day (yes, you are allow to circumvent the “minimize your appliance use” rule for this!) to make a change that will help you reduce your carbon footprint in the years to come. … And what you can start doing tomorrow Switch to more energy-efficient appliances. This is perhaps an advice that you will see most often, but it is one that can make a lot of difference. You could save a large portion of your energy bill by switching to LED light bulbs and high efficiency appliances. Stop buying fast fashion. Fast fashion is problematic in more ways than one, and production of excessive amount of low quality clothing, transporting it from overseas and short life cycle of the items are just few ways in which this industry plays a big role in increasing carbon emissions. There are better alternatives out there: we have previously discussed the circular fashion movement and introduced you to different technologies that could become the future of sustainable clothing. Being sustainable is trendy! Speaking of circular economy – next time you are looking for something for your house, stop by your nearest charity or thrift shop. There are many amazing items there that can still be used for decades to come; all it takes is some tender loving care. There are also a lot of unique items to be found, they truly don’t make them like they used to anymore. Get some solar chargers to use for your phone, tablet and other small devices. These days there is a vast selection of external batteries, backpacks and even tents that are powered with  solar energy. There are also solar-powered e-bikes, wireless keyboards, Bluetooth speakers and lights in case you want to take in one step further (or simply enjoy spending time in the sun). Vote for greener energy. This is perhaps the most crucial tip of all – it is important for governments and companies to know that we care about where our energy comes from. Make sure to support green causes and if possible don’t purchase from companies that are against making our planet a better place. What other ways do you know to reduce your carbon footprint? Share your tips in the comments! https://www.whatsorb.com/solution/transportation/solar https://www.whatsorb.com/solution/energy/solar

We have all heard that the sea level is rising, but many feel that this change is insignificant, almost negligible. Indeed, this change has so far been happening very slowly – since 1900, the sea has risen only about 8 inches (20.3 cm) in total. However, more than a third of that increase has occurred in the past 25 years. So why is that happening and what can we expect in the years to come? Antarctica’s ice is disappearing at alarming rates Recent study done by the IMBIE (Ice Sheet Mass Balance Inter-comparison Exercise) team, an international collaboration of polar scientists, has shown that Antarctica is quickly becoming one of the largest contributors to sea level rise. In 2012, it was estimated that Antarctic ice melt was causing global sea levels to rise by 0.2mm a year – however, this number has increased to 0.6mm per year. This threefold increase is very significant, considering that it only happened within 5 years’ time. In order to understand why the ice is melting so much faster, the scientists had to study the changes in all 3 areas of Antarctica’s ice sheet: the Antarctic peninsula, West Antarctica and East Antarctica. It appears that West Antarctica has lost the highest volume of ice, thus being the region to contribute most to the sea level change. The reason why West Antarctica is most susceptible to melting is because it is largely made up of glaciers that are located below sea level. Traditionally, when thinking of ice melting, we usually imagine it melting from above as it gets heated from the air, sunlight and infrared energy from the atmosphere. However, recent studies have shown that most of the melting occurs from below – and it is causing more melting. The devastating melting cycle When glaciers melt, they release fresh water into the ocean, making the surface around them less salty and therefore less dense. This slows down or in some cases even prevents natural mixing of the ocean. During winter, the cooler water from the surface cannot mix with warmer water below, allowing the latter to retain its heat and melt the glaciers from below. More fresh water gets released and this cycle repeats itself again, each time accelerating the rates at which the glaciers melt. Currently, ice shelves hold the Antarctic ice sheet in place. The trapped warm waters flowing underneath the shelves can break them down into smaller pieces, making them unable to support the ice sheet. Melting of the ice sheet would lead to catastrophic consequences – West Antarctic part ice sheet alone would raise the sea levels by more than 3 meters (9,8 feet). While West Antarctic is currently the biggest concern, it seems like East Antarctic is also being affected by this devastating cycle. Some of its largest glaciers are starting to show signs of melting and they have the potential of raising sea levels by 4,8 meters (16 feet). This problem is still in its early stages, but it obviously causes a lot of concerns about the future. NASA to launch an ice-monitoring satellite Many islands and coastal areas have already been affected by the sea level rise and accurate predictions could help minimize the negative impacts. In order to help scientists make these predictions, NASA is launching ICESat-2 – a new satellite that will measure the changing heights of Earth’s polar ice using 6 lasers. These lasers will send 10’000 pulses per second, allowing for the measurements to be taken with incredible precision. The ICESat-2 is scheduled to launch on 15 th  of September and the mission has been slated for 3 years, but it can be extended. All of the researchers agree on one thing – sea level is rising at accelerated rate and it is likely directly linked to global warming. There is nothing we can do to reverse the sea level rise, but we can slow down climate change before it is too late. Have you experienced the effects of sea level rise? Share your opinion with us in the comments! https://www.whatsorb.com/solution/climate/general

In the South of Europe, temperatures could reach almost 50C this weekend. Tourist companies all over the world have warn tourists especially for the Iberian Peninsula where earlier records almost got beaten last weekend. Large parts of Europe expected extreme temperatures the weekend of the 4 th and 5 th of August. And it got hot! Temperatures got close to 50C in Spain and Portugal. So, could we record the highest temperatures ever measured since we start tracking the weather? In the Netherlands the summer of 1976 was the hottest till now. In Greece in 1977 measured 48C in Athene. With the wind coming out of the south a lot of hot air got brought to the South of Europe from the African continent. For people in this area, it is not oncoming to have temperatures around the 40C but for people on holiday from the North of Europe, it was hard to handle. For elderly people these high temperatures brought them in a difficult situation because they are more vulnerable for dehydration and heatstroke. The sustained heat from the last month has brought farmers in great difficulty. Devastated wheat- and corn fields and cows who are held inside their stables because the grassland does not supply enough food anymore. Expected is that many animals need to be slaughtered just because there is not enough hay to feed them next winter time. What makes heatwaves so deadly? The human body functions as best around 37C. Researches have been analysed many historical heatwaves to find out which conditions are the worst to be risky for humans. 36 Countries were included in the investigation with almost 800 heatwaves. They discovered a certain maximum where a heatwave gets deadly. Because all this information finds its origin by ‘real people’ it makes it very credible. Researchers found out how common their conditions are already around the globe. It’s not only about temperature but especially about humidity. One of the most important ‘tools’ our body has to get rid of it’s body heat is sweating. When surrounding air is already saturated with moister it’s getting more difficult for a body to release its heat. Because of the results of the investigation, researches can use future climate models to see how it will play out till the end of this century. Deadly heat will be more common by  climate change At the moment around a third of worlds population experiences 20 days or more of deadly heat which will be more than doubled at the end of this century. Producing less Greenhouse gasses will just help a little. It feels that a certain complicated weather meganism has set in motion which can not be stopped by any Paris Agreement or what so ever. The most important issue is that people learn to adapt and that governments stop to focus on small solutions which individuals can bring about but start to ‘force’ large industries to change their polluting habits. The tropics In the tropics there will be in the future in summertime constant temperatures in the danger zone. This causing a lot of death because of heatstroke and a shortage of (clean) drinking water. Also, the food production will be under pressure. For example, if rice does not cool down under a certain temperature at night the grain will grow slower and contains less nutrients. Killer heat caused by climate change Sweden Bushfires are prone at the moment in Sweden because of the high temperatures. About 50 bushfires have been counted which is very unusualy. Normally the temperature sticks around 20C but now it goes all the way up till 32C. Canada In Quebec almost 100 people got killed by the high temperatures in July. Africa In Algeria got Africa’s heat record broken. 51C got reached. Japan Kyoto in japan experienced about 7 days close to 40C. More than 30 people died because of the heat but even more by following heavy rainfall, floods and landslides. It’s hard to deny that ‘something’ is changing and that’s our climate. What ever the reason is; nature, man-made or both we have to learn to deal with it. Climate change is happening. The big question is; will humanity learn to adapt to the new circumstances. Nature will automatically do it. Nature has no economical, political boundaries. Sure, species will disappear, migrate and new ones will emergence. At the end we can ask ourselves, what brought humanity for good to ‘our home’, the Earth. What do you think is necessary to tackle climate change problems? How can we learn to adapt and have the agreements we have made in the past – like the Paris Agreement - any value or are they just ‘nice words’ to keep the mass quit and misinformed? We are currius to your comments. https://www.whatsorb.com/solution/climate/general

Half of plants and animals in nature reserves in danger due to climate change Iconic nature reserves threaten to change beyond recognition and are largely lost if nothing is done about the ongoing climate changes. They then lose up to half of their plant and animal species. Mountain gorillas in the Democratic Republic of Congo. They are very dependent on the temperature in their habitat. Since they live in the mountains, temperature rises are a big problem, since they cannot live at a higher altitude without limit if it gets warmer. This alarming report follows from a new study by the University of East Anglia, James Cook University and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). In the report, which was published today in the scientific journal Climatic Change, scientists investigated the impact of different scenarios of climate change on almost 80,000 plant and animal species in 35 important natural areas around the world. According to the researchers, their calculations show how important it is that the average global temperature does not rise above 2 degrees Celsius, as agreed in the Paris climate agreement. Then the loss of biodiversity will remain somewhat limited. Although even in that scenario the world's most important nature reserves can already lose a quarter of their species. Without intervention, the temperature rises by an average of 4.5 degrees Celsius, which, according to the scientists, has disastrous consequences. Snow Leopard. By: naturepl.com / Reinhard / ARCO / WWF Big losses A loggerhead turtle on a Turkish beach. The animals are seriously threatened by global warming. The temperature of the sand in which sea turtles lay their eggs determines whether a male or a female crawls out of the egg. Male boy coming from the deeper and cooler located eggs. Higher temperatures can mean that only females are born, or worse, that no egg comes out. A loggerhead turtle on a Turkish beach. The animals are seriously threatened by global warming. The temperature of the sand in which sea turtles lay their eggs determines whether a male or a female crawls out of the egg. Male boy coming from the deeper and cooler located eggs. Higher temperatures can mean that only females are born, or worse, that no egg comes out. The Miombo Woodlands in South Africa then lose up to 90% of the amphibians present, 86% of the birds and 80% of the mammals. The Amazon may lose 69% of its plant species and 60% of all species in Madagascar then threaten to die out in any case. The consequences in that scenario are also greater nearer home. Due to warming and less rainfall in the Mediterranean, 69% of the plants present and 60% of mammals can die out, including sea turtles. In addition to the temperature rise, the fragmentation of their habitat also affects animals. If animal species can move, the risk of local extinction in the two degree temperature rise scenario decreases from about 25% to 20%. Fish and coral in a nature reserve near Belize. © WNF / Antonio Busiello Iconic nature reserves threaten to change beyond recognition within a few generations and will be largely lost WWF director Kirsten Schuijt "This research shows what is at stake if we do not take action against climate change," says WWF director Kirsten Schuijt. "Iconic nature reserves threaten to change beyond recognition in a few generations and will be largely lost. Endangered species, from sea turtles to tigers, may not be able to cope with the blows of climate change. And thousands of smaller plant and animal species, which form the foundation of life, threaten to die locally. This also affects the lives of people who depend on biodiversity. We can prevent this disaster scenario, if we reduce CO2 emissions quickly, drastically.'' By: vrt.be, Ben Vanheukelom. Cover photo: An African elephant and a calf in Amboseli National Park in Kenya. The animals need a lot of water. They have to drink about 150-300 liters of water per day and they bathe and play in it. Higher temperatures, less rainfall and severe droughts have a direct effect on the number of elephants: less water and therefore less green feed limits the size of elephant populations, and in dry times the mortality of calves increases. © WNF / Martin Harvey

With the beginning of the new year (2018), the new climate law of Sweden was introduced. This law provides a framework that the country can follow in order to be climate neutral by 2045. Sweden is one of the first countries to set the climate approach by law. Climate Act This Climate Act obliges Sweden to pursue climate policy that is based on objectives set by an independent committee, writes Business Green. The target is five years more ambitious than the original goal set by the country in the Climate Agreement. "From now on it is illegal to give climate policy no priority" "From now on it is illegal to give climate policy no priority," says Isabella Lövin, Minister for International Development Cooperation, in a written response. According to Lövin, the Swedish climate law is the most ambitious climate law in the world. Climate in the budget In order to become climate-neutral, Sweden has to reduce its CO2 emissions by 85 percent up to 2045, compared to CO2 emissions in 1990. Every year, the country has to report on the progress in its budget. In addition, Sweden is expected to publish an action plan every four years in which the country indicates how it will meet its CO2 targets. In June, the Swedish Parliament adopted the Climate Law with an overwhelming majority: 254 against 41. "Every country must actively demonstrate that it takes responsibility in the area of ​​climate change," said Lövin. Meanwhile in Germany While Sweden is fully committed to the climate, the German Conservative CDU / CSU of Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Social Democrats of the SPD have just given up their climate goals for 2020. They wanted to reduce CO2 emissions by 40 percent by 2020 compared to 1990. Now the parties want to focus on a climate target for 2030. In that year, CO2 emissions must have dropped by 55 percent compared to 1990. The government parties are still negotiating the priorities of the new government policy. By Rianne Lachmeijer