Solutions to the plastic waste crisis are often pitched using words that can skew value judgements, new research argues.

The paper, authored by the Sustainable Materials Innovation Hub at The University of Manchester, explores the consequences of terminology choices on end-of-life solutions for plastic waste.  While recycling has long been touted as a solution for plastic sustainability - it comes in many forms, and can sometimes serve as a smokescreen for genuine discussions around sustainability.

The progressive rise in temperatures poses a growing threat to the staging of summer sporting events in Europe and, more specifically, to the Tour de France, due to the increasing risk of heat stress for athletes. This is one of the conclusions of a study published in Scientific Reports, which analysed climate data associated with more than 50 editions of the French race. The progressive rise in temperatures poses a growing threat to the staging of summer sporting events in Europe and, more specifically, to the Tour de France, due to the increasing risk of heat stress for athletes. This is one of the conclusions of a study published in Scientific Reports, which analysed climate data associated with more than 50 editions of the French race.

A new study reveals that heat uptake fluctuations in the Aegean Sea during August provide a powerful new tool for predicting Eastern Mediterranean winter rainfall. Researchers developed the Aegean Sea Heat Uptake Anomaly (AQA) index, showing that when the sea releases more heat in late summer, the following winter tends to bring more frequent and persistent “Cyprus Low” storm systems across the Eastern Mediterranean. The regional index captures a substantial share of year-to-year rainfall variability and significantly improves seasonal forecasting skill compared to traditional global climate indicators such as ENSO and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). By identifying a localized ocean signal with strong predictive power, the study marks a major advance in Mediterranean seasonal rainfall forecasting.

Research reveals a strong disparity in the amount of heat-mitigating tree cover within nine cities across the globe, with wealthy neighborhoods benefitting from shade the most.