ESMH Press Review – September 16, 2020

Climate change, Internet off Things & Disinformation: check out the ESMH selection of 20 science & tech news published in the last weeks on the web. Pick your favourite from the most popular topics in the mainstream media!

on September 16, 2020

In the spotlight

 

European Commission to propose more ambitious 2030 climate goal

 

trust, 11.09.2020

 

The European Commission will propose that the European Union sets a 2030 target of cutting its net greenhouse gas emissions by "at least 55%" against 1990 levels, according to an internal document seen by Reuters.

 

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Agriculture & Environment

 

Agriculture & Environment Media Review

 

It's official: La Nina has arrived, but what does this mean?

 

digitaljournal, 14.09.2020

 

A 'La Nina' climate pattern has developed and is likely to persist through the winter, according to an advisory issued by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. What does this mean for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere? It is a natural Pacific Ocean climate phenomenon.

 

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Earth's 'lost species' only the tip of the iceberg

 

bbc, 04.09.2020

 

An endangered white-handed gibbon: the right conservation strategies can save the day. Scientists have calculated how many mammals might be lost this century, based on fossil evidence of past extinctions.

 

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Transport & Energy

 

Transport & Energy Media Review

 

Give us green post-Covid recovery, urges CBI boss

 

bbc, 14.09.2020

 

The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) is urging government to create new green jobs to lift productivity after the pandemic. Chief Dame Carolyn Fairbairn will say the UK must become a global leader in climate action at a virtual conference.

 

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China is rapidly building a world-beating wind energy revolution

 

wired-co-uk, 11.09.2020

 

While the desert winds will forever blow a gale, the surrounding rural villages aren’t necessarily in need of that much turbine-produced electricity. Meanwhile, Beijing and China’s economic centre sits at least a 20-hour drive away. “The onshore wind resource is fantastic, but only a fraction of gigawatts has been installed,” Zhao explains.

 

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Information society

 

Information society Media Review

 

What Is the Internet of Things? A WIRED Guide

 

wired, 11.09.2020

 

How many engineers does it take to change a lightbulb? Depends on whether or not that lightbulb is connected to Wi-Fi. Lightbulbs, along with refrigerators, coffee makers, microwave ovens, baby monitors, security cameras, speakers, televisions, and thermostats have, in the past few decades,....

 

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Lifelong learning is what it will take to be a 21st century accounting and finance professional

 

forbes, 11.09.2020

 

Lifelong learning enhances skillsets, setting professionals up for success. getty. A new school year has just begun amid the confusion and uncertainty of COVID-19. While health and safety are top of mind, this crisis has reminded us of the importance of learning as an integral part of our lives, underscoring the value of lifelong learning.

 

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Food & Health

 

Food & Health Media Review

 

Coronavirus: Who will get the vaccine first?

 

bbc, 11.09.2020

 

If or when scientists succeed in making a coronavirus vaccine, there won't be enough to go around. Research labs and pharmaceutical companies are rewriting the rulebook on the time it takes to develop, test and manufacture an effective vaccine.

 

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World must scale up clinical trials to address COVID-19, WHO says

 

reuters-uk, 10.09.2020

 

The head of the World Health Organization urged countries on Thursday to contribute resources that can expedite products which may help stem the coronavirus pandemic.

 

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Science policy & Communication

 

Science policy & Communication Media Review

 

EU warns tech giants 'time to go beyond self-reguation'

 

euobserver, 11.09.2020

 

Two years after a code of practice to fight online disinformation, the European Commission has concluded the self-regulatory mechanism fails to guarantee enough transparency and accountability from the tech platforms and advertisers that signed up to it.

 

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Misinformation, political instability hamper vaccine trust: Study

 

aljazeera-en, 11.09.2020

 

"There's a lot of confidence in the world about vaccines. But don't take it for granted. Confidence goes up and down ... it's highly variable," said Heidi Larson, a professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine who led the research [Henry Ford Health System/AFP].

 

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Getting wise to fake news

 

nytimes, 11.09.2020

 

Lindsay Dina wasn’t fooled by a photo on Facebook that supposedly showed masses of dolphins frolicking in the canals of Venice. Ms. Dina, 75, ventured onto the social media platform roughly a decade ago, and has developed some savvy. She mostly shares information from established news organizations.

 

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The case of ibuprofen: evidence of huge impact of COVID-19 misinformation when coming from credible sources

 

eurekalert, 04.09.2020

 

In March, in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic in Europe, a tweet from the French Health Minister, Olivier Verán, advised patients with COVID-19 not to take ibuprofen, an anti-inflammatory drug with analgesic and antipyretic properties.

 

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EU initiatives

 

Press release - EU climate law: MEPs want to increase emission reductions target to 60% by 2030

 

europarl, 11.09.2020

 

The Environment Committee wants earlier emission reduction targets to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Environment Committee MEPs voted to make climate neutrality obligatory by 2050 in both EU and member states and call for a more ambitious 2030 emissions reduction target.

 

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Commissioner Kadri Simson warns green recovery plans will only succeed with cities and regions fully on board

 

Cor-EN, 09.09.2020

 

EU Commissioner for energy debates the way forward of the energy transition and the Green Deal with local leaders calling on Member States to be fully involved in Recovery and Resilience plans.

 

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Just Transition Fund: helping EU regions adapt to green economy

 

europarl, 09.09.2020

 

The EU is committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2050 and has integrated the target across all its policies within the to tackle climate change . This ambitious target requires a transition to a low carbon economy and is challenging for regions relying mostly on fossil fuels and carbon-intensive industries.

 

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Curious news

 

Why so serious? Tenet and the new wave of 'science-based' time travel movies

 

guardian, 09.09.2020

 

Moviegoers could be forgiven for feeling a certain sense of deja vu: Christopher Nolan’s film is part of a growing trend for blockbuster plotlines that unpick time-travel and all its implications in head-spinning detail.

 

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Pandemic challenges U.S. lifeline to authentic Italian foods

 

forbes, 09.09.2020

 

Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese named after the producing areas near Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, and Bologna (all in Emilia-Romagna), and Mantova (in Lombardia), Italy. getty. The COVID-19 pandemic threatens to fray America’s love affair with authentic Italian foods.

 

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