What's the weather like:the news of the week on the climate crisis [podcast]

Based on preliminary data provided by three meteorological agencies (Japan, United States, European Union), the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) established that the first week of July was the hottest ever recorded since temperatures have been recorded .And 2023 is increasingly becoming the year with the highest temperatures ever.

The impacts of record heat have been felt around the world.After heat waves in China and the United States and drought in Spain, above-average temperatures were recorded in India, Iran and Canada, while extreme heat in Mexico caused more than 100 deaths.Last week in Adrar, Algeria, there was the hottest night ever in Africa, with temperatures not dropping below 39.6°C.Meanwhile, Nigeria is preparing to face another series of dangerous floods.

In recent days we have seen images from northern Spain of people desperately clinging to their cars submerged by flash floods caused by heavy rain.In Japan, one person died and hundreds of thousands were asked to abandon their homes to save themselves from torrential rains.At least 91 people have died in northern India after heavy rains triggered landslides and floods.The Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh has received more than 10 times its average rainfall for this time of year.Torrential rains washed away roads, overwhelmed rivers and left one person dead in the northeastern United States on Monday.More than 13 million Americans were under alert in Boston and western Maine.Vermont has been under water since Tuesday.In Italy, in May, we saw up close what happened in Emilia Romagna.

Did these extreme events come unexpectedly or are we experiencing the “new normal” as claimed by some media these days?What are the causes of the extreme heat and heavy rains of recent weeks?

Record temperatures, storms, floods:Global warming is pushing the planet further into uncharted terrain

Meanwhile, from Bangladesh, among the countries most exposed to floods, strategies are arriving to combat and prevent the worst consequences of the climate crisis which could be lessons and which unfortunately seem increasingly ignored by the governments of the richer countries who do not follow up the announcements adequate emission reduction policies.What can Bangladesh teach us?

Speaking of contrast strategies, the draft of the National Climate and Energy Plan on which the Meloni government is working is circulating in Italy in recent days:what is Italy deciding?

National Energy and Climate Plan:the future of energy according to the Meloni government is a return to the past

Finally, some good news.The law for the restoration of biodiversity was approved today by the European Parliament.It was not an obvious vote, so much so that parliament was practically divided in two.What is it and why has the law been so hindered by conservative governments and right-wing parties, including the Italian one?

Music:Major Lazer, J Balvin - Que Calor ft.El Alfa

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