Drought

Greece’s Growing Thirst: The Looming Water Scarcity

Greece’s Growing Thirst: The Looming Water Scarcity

Water scarcity is no longer a future threat for Greece; it’s a pressing reality worsening with each passing year. The nation, particularly its most populous regions, is confronting a critical shortage, driven by dwindling reserves and unsustainable practices. For the Athens metropolitan area (Attica), home to approximately half of Greece’s population, solutions have been urgently…

Farmers in arid region re-introduce native seeds to remote outback rangelands

Farmers in arid region re-introduce native seeds to remote outback rangelands

While many farmers are continuing to wait for rain during record-dry conditions, some in the far west of New South Wales are focused on being rain-ready. As part of the Perennial Pastures Resilient Rangelands project, a small group of farmers are working with Local Land Services NSW at a site on a remote station north…

Will you live an unprecedented life? 

Will you live an unprecedented life? 

Research led by climate scientists from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) reveals that millions of today’s young people will live through unprecedented lifetime exposure to heatwaves, crop failures, river floods, droughts, wildfires and tropical storms under current climate policies. If global temperatures rise by 3.5°C by 2100, 92% of children born in 2020 will experience…

Water Shortage in Lesvos Prompts State of Emergency Declaration

Water Shortage in Lesvos Prompts State of Emergency Declaration

The municipalities of Mytilene and Western Lesbos on the eastern Aegean Island of Lesbos have been declared in a state of emergency for one month due to a dramatic decline in water reserves. The decision aims to bypass red tape causing delays, expedite much-needed measures and infrastructure projects, and address the water shortage. A detailed…

Does Intercropping improve soil aggregation and organic carbon protection? A case-study in the Semi-Arid Mediterranean

Intercropping has been claimed to improve the soil structure and soil quality, however its effects on soil fertility parameters in semi-arid Mediterranean agroecosystems remain unclear. The objective of this study was to assess whether intercropping and its combination with N fertilisation are adequate practices to improve the soil aggregate stability and organic matter quality. An…

Effective management of urban water resources under various climate scenarios in semiarid Mediterranean areas

Climate change has a significant impact on water resources, making it essential to re-evaluate water management strategies and incorporate climate scenarios in assessments. The Municipal Department of Aigeiros is located in the northern part of Greece. Water consumption is high in Aigeiros and the increased future temperatures projected during the summer period will create significant…

State of the Global Climate 2024

State of the Global Climate 2024

The clear signs of human-induced climate change reached new heights in 2024, which was likely the first calendar year to be more than 1.5°C above the pre-industrial era, with a global mean near-surface temperature of 1.55 ± 0.13 °C above the 1850-1900 average. This is the warmest year in the 175-year observational record. The State…

Desertification and Climate Change: What’s the Link?

Desertification and Climate Change: What’s the Link?

Around the world, huge swathes of fertile land are turning into arid wastelands at alarming rates, threatening ecosystems, agriculture, and humanity. This process is known as desertification, and it is closely linked to the effects of climate change.  Desertification is accelerating due to rising temperatures, erratic weather patterns, and human activities. The consequences of desertification…

Why Olive Oil Prices in Greece Aren’t Falling

Why Olive Oil Prices in Greece Aren’t Falling

In Greece, the reduced olive oil prices at ori­gin are not reflected in the retail mar­ket, as con­sumers con­tinue to dig deep into their pock­ets when buy­ing olive oil in super­mar­kets and gro­cery stores. Producer prices for extra vir­gin olive oil in the coun­try have almost halved this year, rang­ing from €4.80 per kilo­gram in…