Climate

The EU Commission has partially rolled back the planned 2035 combustion engine ban, which a study by the think tank Transport & Environment says could lead to higher CO₂ emissions and declining EV sales. The original 100 percent CO₂ reduction was softened to 90 percent, reducing the share of pure electric vehicles to 85 percent. Experts fear job losses in the German automotive industry.

29 Mwezi wa kwanza, 2026 Imeripotiwa na AI

A study reveals that the Arabian Sea had more dissolved oxygen 16 million years ago than today, despite global temperatures being warmer during the Miocene Climatic Optimum. This challenges simple assumptions about warming leading to immediate ocean deoxygenation. Regional factors like monsoons and currents delayed severe oxygen loss in the area.

A new study reveals that El Niño weather events contributed to famines across Europe between 1500 and 1800, triggering some and prolonging others. Researchers found strong associations in central Europe and broader price impacts continent-wide. Modern agriculture, however, mitigates such risks today.

4 Mwezi wa kwanza, 2026 Imeripotiwa na AI

In the Antilles, sargassum is smothering mangroves and marine seagrass beds, making these spaces uninhabitable for wildlife and plants. Research by the University of the Antilles highlights the severe impact of these brown algae on biodiversity, following a 2025 request from the Guadeloupe prefecture. This issue, intensified since 2011, stems from climate change and shifts in ocean currents.

South Africa's summer rainfall areas, including Gauteng, have experienced heavy rains this season and are forecast to stay wet through late summer and early autumn. The South African Weather Service predicts above-normal rainfall in most regions from January to May, boosting dam levels but raising flood risks. While this bodes well for the summer maize crop, excessive rain could reduce yields.

21 Mwezi wa kumi na mbili, 2025 Imeripotiwa na AI

Statistics from the German Weather Service indicate that white Christmases in Germany are becoming rarer. There used to be more snow during the holidays, but climate change is leading to milder temperatures. The probability of snow never exceeded 20 percent in major cities.