Should schools teach climate change studies? 5 climate change stories to read this week

As the effects of climate change become ever more apparent, this summer has brought intense heatwaves, severe flooding and damaging storms. Last year, climate anxiety was revealed to affect the daily lives of nearly half of young people, according to a global study.

Despite the UN calling for climate studies to be part of teaching in all schools by 2025, a UNESCO study into 50 countries revealed that more than half make no reference to climate change. However, some countries are making good progress, such as Italy, which in 2019 became the first country to make climate-related studies compulsory in schools.

Find out how other countries are teaching climate studies and why it is important for tackling global warming.

Many parts of the world are experiencing severe drought, with impacts ranging from crop failure, worsening water security and risks to life. In Europe however, drought has had some unexpected impacts too.

The drought in Spain has caused a prehistoric stone circle to reemerge from the dried-up Valdecanas reservoir in the central province of Caceres. This impressive circle of stones is believed to date back to 5000 BC.

Discover more unexpected impacts of drought in Europe.

US President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law on 16 August 2022.

The bill utilises nearly $800 billion of investment, with $369 billion earmarked for clean energy and climate change mitigation initiatives.

The Act incentivises a portfolio of clean energy sources, including energy storage, nuclear power, clean energy vehicles, hydrogen and CCUS, as long as they are carbon neutral.

Learn more about the Inflation Reduction Act and why it's a big step in tackling the climate crisis.

Which is more efficient: running the air conditioning all the time without a break, or turning it off during the day when you’re not there to enjoy it? The answer isn't straightforward, according to three experts.

It depends on how well your house is insulated, the size and type of your air conditioner and outdoor temperature and humidity. These experts compare central air conditioning, air source heat pump and minisplit cooling systems in two different climates to find out the answer.

Find out what they discovered.

As climate change causes global temperatures to rise, ice sheets and glaciers are melting, meaning since 1993 sea levels have risen by around 10cm. As a result, as many as 410 million people could be at risk of coastal flooding by the end of the century.

The cost of damage caused by rising sea levels this century could potentially cost as much as $5.5 trillion. So, how are countries adapting to this change?

Explore how countries are adapting to rising sea levels.