Environment

A new way to lower CO2 in the atmosphere may lie within Cyprus’ Troodos Mountains, as they contain intact sheets of ophiolitic rocks – sections of oceanic crust and upper mantle thrust above sea level. Those rocks react naturally with atmospheric CO2, transforming it into minerals - a process that captures and stores carbon, helping to slow climate change and limit long-term environmental impacts. The CO2NOR project, led by Dr. Ioannis Rigopoulos, investigated how to speed up this natural process by converting these rocks into nanomaterials, which can substantially increase their CO2-storage capacity. The technique used a process called ball milling to grind the rocks into powders to speed up reactions with CO2. Ophiolitic rocks are found on almost every continent and are cheap to quarry; currently, tonnes of these rocks are considered waste. However, the researcher’s experiments showed that the method could be used to trap CO2 emissions from industries such as cement plants, while those quarry wastes can also be used for the development of carbon-capturing building materials. Additional experiments showed that the application of this method in the oceans could promote the immobilisation of large amounts of atmospheric CO2 as environmentally benign minerals.

Governments are counteracting climate change by reducing fossil fuel use, boosting renewable energy, and preparing societies for its effects. But how does this also affect the economy? To find out, the ECOCEP project used complex economic modelling to evaluate the economic impact of climate and energy policies. The project brought together social science researchers specialising in areas such as the environment, natural resources, public health and agriculture. These experts estimated the economic value of the effects of climate change and developed models to assess the impact of climate policies on the economy. The results ranged from the economics of air quality in Europe and the drivers of biodiesel pricing to the influence of climate data on car-buying decisions and the ecological and societal benefits of forests. These findings strengthen the economic argument for protecting forests, water, and wildlife for generations to come. Above all, the project gives Europe’s policymakers evidence that their climate adaptation and mitigation policies can both reduce carbon dioxide emissions and people’s cost of living.

In the last decade, Europe has seen torrential rain, drought, high temperatures and windstorms destroy homes and businesses, and cause billions in damage. Yet people often receive insufficient warning before they happen. In fact, scientists and practitioners still do not understand all the details of why specific types of extreme weather events happen, and what their implications are for society. Better ways to predict the extremes and their impacts are urgently needed. The EDIPI project trained early-career researchers to integrate climate science, statistics, and public health, enabling them to better understand Europe’s extreme weather events and improve forecasting. This included studying connections between the ocean and the atmosphere, improving predictions of heat-related deaths, assessing drought impacts in Europe, and linking extreme weather events to human-driven climate change. For Europe’s policymakers, city planners, and emergency services, this means smarter, climate-aware decisions. For Europe’s population, it means more time and better information to prepare for extreme weather events.