Climate change

The world's first chemical tanker ship fitted with massive rigid aluminium "sails" has left Rotterdam, its owner hoping to plot a route to bringing down the shipping industry's huge carbon footprint.

The MT Chemical Challenger, a 16,000-ton chemicals transporter set sail from Antwerp for Istanbul on Feb. 16, and will undergo sea trials along the way.

For the first time, global warming has exceeded 1.5C across an entire year, according to the EU’s climate service

In a groundbreaking stride towards environmental sustainability, Bulgaria has emerged as a shining star in the European Union's battle against climate change. According to recent data released by the statistical office Eurostat on Wednesday, Bulgaria has achieved a remarkable 18.6% reduction in its greenhouse gas emissions during the third quarter of 2023.

Earth has endured 12 months of temperatures 1.5C hotter than the pre-industrial era for the first time on record, Europe's climate monitor said Thursday, in what scientists called a "warning to humanity".

Before you rush to answer in the affirmative, here are two important news stories that - as so often is the case with important news - went largely unnoticed last week.

One is good news: The European Union cut carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels by 8% by 2023, to the lowest levels in 60 years.

Lubomila Jordanova, Founder and CEO of Plan A, a technology developer that enables companies to reduce their carbon emissions, has been nominated a European Young Leader (EYL40) by the Brussels-based think tank Friends of Europe.

Climate change is effectively reducing the year's seasons to two, according to the head of the Greek Meteorological Society.

"We have observed the expansion of summer into the fall, while winter - especially the winter of 2023 - is showing higher temperatures, mainly because of climate change," Panagiotis Nastos told the Athens-Macedonian News Agency.

Ferry trips between Greece and Italy will from Monday incur fare hikes of around 5%, depending on the route. These hikes are an environmental compliance fee after the EU's decision to include shipping in the Emission Trading System from the beginning of 2024.

Following the El Nino phenomenon that caused sweltering heat and record high temperatures globally, climate scientist Levent Kurnaz has warned of an even hotter summer in 2024 as the sun is reaching the peak of its activity, known as "solar maximum."

Τhe cost of climate change for Greece by the end of the century is estimated at 2.2 billion euros per year, or about 1% of gross domestic product at current values, according to a report by the Bank of Greece and its governor Yannis Stournaras on the environmental, economic and social impacts in Greece.