NASA tracks changes to the planet with satellites and other scientific instruments. These include monitoring sea surface heights, sea surface temperatures, precipitation, and more. With these measurements, we can see the global impact of climate phenomena including El Niño and La Niña. What’s up with El Niño and climate change? Swipe through ➡️
#NASA #ENSO #ClimateChange #Earthdata
Image Description (1/2):
Slide 1: In the background, a data map of sea surface temperature anomalies superimposed on a globe. Text on slide reads: What’s up with El Niño & climate change? Red arrows guide the reader to the next slide.
Slide 2: Black slide with a global temperature map. Text on slide reads: NASA reported that 2023 was the hottest year on record. That was fueled primarily by a long-term rise in human emissions of greenhouse gases. But warmer ocean temperatures from El Niño also added to the global temperature. We know because NASA satellites help us keep an eye on our changing planet. Red arrows guide the reader to the next slide.
Slide 3: Black background. A map of ocean temperature has a white border around it. Text on slide reads: The Breakdown: El Niño. Normally the winds blow from east to west across the tropical Pacific Ocean, which pushes warm water to the west. During El Niño, these winds weaken and the warm water moves back to the east. This results in warmer tropical waters in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean. Red arrows guide the reader to the next slide.
Slide 4: Black background. A map of ocean temperature has a white border around it. Text on slide reads: The Breakdown: La Niña. Sometimes the winds that normally blow from east to west in the tropical Pacific strengthen, pushing warm water to the west. Colder, deeper water then rises to the surface along South America’s Pacific coast. This results in cooler ocean waters known as La Niña. A red arrow guides the reader to the next slide.
[Image Description continued in the first comment]
Sustainable construction is moving from ambition to delivery as policy, procurement and building performance converge around whole life carbon, embodied carbon and life cycle cost.
Record uptake of Boiler Upgrade Scheme vouchers in Britain indicates that heat pumps are entering the mainstream for housing, retrofit and low carbon building specification. Germany’s 2045 phase-out of oil, gas and coal reinforces the direction for net zero carbon buildings across Europe: electrification, energy-efficient buildings and low carbon design are becoming market requirements, not optional sustainability claims.
The industry’s capacity to deliver remains the decisive constraint. Calls for stronger construction training and reskilling underline a core risk for environmental sustainability in construction: policy can drive demand, but competent labour determines whether sustainable building design performs in practice. The post-Building Safety Act regime raises the bar for building control, fire-safety competence and verifiable compliance.
Net zero whole life carbon ambitions depend on robust whole life carbon assessment, lifecycle assessment, sustainable material specification and evidence such as environmental product declarations (EPDs), not on poorly installed systems or untested green building products.
Circular economy in construction is shifting into practical specification. New guidance on reusing doors shows how embodied carbon in materials can be reduced through repeatable procurement, inspection, warranties and end-of-life reuse in construction. The next phase of green construction will rely on circular construction strategies, resource efficiency in construction, low embodied carbon materials and low carbon construction materials as much as new technology. Standards including BREEAM and BREEAM v7 will sharpen expectations for building lifecycle performance, carbon footprint reduction and credible eco-design for buildings. The sector’s credibility now rests on proving that sustainable building practices, eco-friendly construction and carbon neutral construction can withstand the scrutiny of installers, inspectors, clients and quantity surveyors.
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