When temperatures spike, emergency physicians expect to see more cases of dehydration and heat stroke. But a new Northwestern University study suggests that extreme heat also is linked to a much wider range of health problems seen in emergency departments and urgent care clinics, including skin conditions, multiple sclerosis and even injuries from traffic accidents. 

The findings could help emergency departments and health care systems better prepare for heat waves, which are becoming more prevalent with climate change. 

Green spaces could play a key role in helping cities to cope with the effects of climate change, yet they still play only a minor role in climate strategies. These were the findings of researchers at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) and Justus Liebig University Giessen (JLU) who analysed the climate strategies of 25 major European cities. Of the approximately 2,500 individual measures evaluated by the team, only 11.6 per cent included green spaces and urban open spaces. Cities mainly focus on measures to reduce or prevent greenhouse gas emissions. The study was published in the journal “Progress in Disaster Science”.

A correspondence published in The Lancet calls for national dialogues to shape green transition policies and counter fossil-fuel industry misinformation

Dense evergreen forests in Canada’s snow-covered boreal regions can absorb enough sunlight to offset 6 to 20 percent of their reported carbon benefit, according to a new publication by the UN University. Researchers warn that Canada’s carbon accounting largely overlooks this warming effect, potentially overstating the climate value of reforestation and carbon credits. They call for a new Net Cooling Standard that accounts for surface reflectivity, wildfire risk and long-term carbon storage, while prioritizing mixed-species forests that deliver more durable climate cooling.