"The climate crisis is the background music of our lives."
Isabelle Pasteuning-Cannoo, marketeer.
Annoying, but probably true for many. There's news on it every day, but mostly drowned out by other, shorter, higher priority events.
AP: Hungary braces for a full shutdown of the Paks nuclear plant as the Danube River hits record lows
Came across this quote from the movie La Haine:
A person falling from a tall building, halfway:
"Jusqu'ici, tout va bien!" =
So far, everything is fine!
Quoted by Mare de Wit, working on climate adaptation in the Netherlands.
This El Niño is set to be the largest on record by a ‘mind-blowing margin’
Forecasters predict that the monster climate pattern will combine with global warming to push global temperatures in 2027 to new heights.
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-02293-y
France's wildfires already are the most widespread in modern records. (In other 'news', climate deniers in the UK and from the Trump regime deny the severity of the situation).
https://www.carbonbrief.org/factcheck-no-europe-is-not-having-its-quietest-year-for-wildfires
Based on daily values, the July average of atmospheric CO2 at Mauna Loa was ~429.1 ppm. That's "only" 1.2 ppm higher than last year. But don't hold your breath: the upcoming El Niño will probably speed up the increase again.
After two months, this summer is the second hottest on record in the central Netherlands. It will take the lead within a few days, given the forecast.
France's wildfires already are the most widespread in modern records. (In other 'news', climate deniers in the UK and from the Trump regime deny the severity of the situation).
https://www.carbonbrief.org/factcheck-no-europe-is-not-having-its-quietest-year-for-wildfires
US government map of Africa mislabels every country at global conference - map places Nigeria in the Sahara and shifts Mozambique and Ivory Coast. https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/us-government-map-africa-mislabels-every-country-global-conference-2026-07-30/
At the current rate of around +0.35% per day, we'll end up just below 60%, way below the government's target of 80% and our EU obligation of 74%.
Germany is still a bit ahead, but filling at a much slower +0.12%/day...
Looks like we'll be rather exposed to sufficient LNG supply this coming winter.
Dutch gas storages, among the largest in the EU, are only 36.6% full today, 31 July, just two months ahead of the typical end of the filling season (30 September).
https://agsi.gie.eu/
Lowest ever Rhine water flow measured at the German-Dutch border in July was 782 m³/s, in 1976.
Now, we're at 680 m³/s!
Lowest ever Rhine water flow measured at the German-Dutch border in July was 782 m³/s, in 1976.
Now, we're at 680 m³/s!
Europe needs approximately 10 standard LNG tankers to import 1 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gaseous natural gas.
In total, the EU imports ~300 bcm/year, almost half of that as LNG. So, roughly 1,500 tankers per year. That's 4 per day, and more in winter, especially if our storages aren't filled.
Well, at least two governments are connecting the dots now!
".. emphasise the importance of adopting the necessary measures to drastically reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, strengthening cooperation on clean energy and supporting countries of the Global South in their energy transition."
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/joint-statement-by-the-ministers-of-foreign-affairs-of-the-united-kingdom-of-great-britain-and-northern-ireland-and-the-kingdom-of-spain-on-wildfires-
Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs puts its travel advice for Spain on yellow: 'special security risks' due to wildfires and regional state of emergency.
Wow - the average global sea surface temperature outside of the polar regions is currently tied for the all-time absolute hottest on record (in the NOAA/OISST dataset). The record was in 2024.
More graphics like this at https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-briefings
'I spent the night coughing': Wildfire smoke leaves Bordeaux residents struggling to breathe
https://www.france24.com/en/france/20260727-i-spent-the-night-coughing-wildfire-smoke-leaves-bordeaux-residents-struggling-to-breathe
'I spent the night coughing': Wildfire smoke leaves Bordeaux residents struggling to breathe
https://www.france24.com/en/france/20260727-i-spent-the-night-coughing-wildfire-smoke-leaves-bordeaux-residents-struggling-to-breathe