How can your car journey be more eco-friendly? 5 climate change stories to read this week

Matt Brittin, President of Business and Operations for Google in Europe, Middle East and Africa explains Google Maps' new fuel-efficient routing feature. Vehicles on the road account for nearly three-quarters of transportation CO2 emissions.

But, Google's new tool means that users can now not only see the fastest route, but also the most sustainable route. The tool uses AI to compare all the different possible routes, accounting for traffic, road incline, road type and more.

Learn more about Google's new tool.

Gaining wider popularity in the 1960s and 70s, ecovillages are communities designed to be sustainable from an environmental, social and economic perspective. From locally grown and managed food sources to hosting a variety of renewable energy sources, these villages are grounded in having an awareness of their environmental impact.

Take the Findhorn EcoVillage in Scotland for example. This ecovillage was established in the 1980s, with its founders being involved in establishing the Global Ecovillage Network. The village has one of the lowest ecological footprints of any community in the developed world, and half the UK average.

Explore four other innovative ecovillages.

A German non-profit’s list of the 10 countries most affected by climate change-related extreme weather events during the first two decades of this century includes eight former colonies. According to the IPCC, colonialism leaves behind 'development challenges' that heighten vulnerability to climate impacts.

Another injustice of colonialism is that countries with lower emissions are disproportionally affected by extreme weather events, often with higher fatality rates than heavy emitters.

Read more on the link between colonialism and climate change.

An estimated 1.81 billion people, or 23% of the world population, face significant flood risk, with low- and middle-income countries making up 89% of those at risk. The lowest income countries are also least prepared or able to deal effectively with such risks - risks that are rising as a result of climate change and rapid urbanization.

At 668 million people, East Asia has the highest number of flood-exposed people, corresponding to about 28% of its total population.

Learn more about flood risk around the world.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act include more than $500 billion of climate spending - on technology and clean energy.

From giving tax refief to funding new battery chemistry and more efficient solar panels, these three laws will help the US tackle climate change.

Discover more about the potential impacts of these three laws.