Praseodymium (Pr) has been detected in the air of the city of Leicester (England). To further biomonitor air quality for Pr, thin layers of bark were collected from 96 trees in Leicester (n=55) and surrounding rural/suburban areas (41). Pr was monitored by ICP-MS [LoD=0.157 ng/g dry weight (dw)]. Levels were slightly higher in the samples collected from trees growing in urban areas (median and ranges, in ng/g dw): 2.611 (0.714-47.603) and 2.450 (0.757-14.839). Pr content varied between bark samples collected across the city (medians, in ng/g dw): 11.374 (SE) > 4.183 (SW) > 2.471 (NE) > 1.967 (NW), and between the three quadrants into which the rural areas were divided: 7.348 (NW) > 2.244 (NE) > 0.881 (SE). Finding a hypothesis that could explain the differences found is challenging as the atmospheric transport of this metal and other rare earth elements (REEs) is poorly understood. However, our results could suggest that the airborne Pr content is little influenced by its presence in the topsoils, as the patterns found were different for the two main areas: NE>SW>SE>NW and SE>NE>SW>NW. Levels were much higher than the range reported in bark samples (1.85-2.69 ng/g dw) collected in an area of eastern Washington (US) with little anthropic pollution, suggesting that the air quality of Leicestershire would have some anthropic input. However, the enrichment factors (0.436 and 0.487), calculated in relation to the average Pr concentration in the Earth’s continental crust and the scandium content, were very low in both areas, suggesting no discernible enrichment. These values were also lower than those observed for other REEs monitored in the same bark samples, reinforcing the minimal anthropogenic input of Pr into the air of Leicester city and surrounding areas, as REEs are known to behave as a coherent group of elements in plants.

Tree bark was used to gain an understanding of the atmospheric presence of lutetium (Lu) in Leicestershire (UK). Bark samples were collected from 96 trees in Leicester (n=55), as well as from the surrounding rural/suburban areas (41). Lu was monitored using ICP-MS in cleaned/ground/homogenised samples mineralised with HNO₃/H₂O₂ [LoD=0.000654 ng/g dry weight (dw)]. The results were compared with those of previous studies performed on 106 mushrooms and 850 topsoils collected from the same areas. Slightly higher levels were found in bark samples collected in rural areas (median and ranges, in ng/g dw): 0.584 (0.402-1.071) vs. 0.580 (0.182-2.118), which is in line with the trend detected in the topsoils [0.123 (0.069-0.162) vs. 0.117 (0.084-0.182), mg/kg]. This may be logical as metals released into the air from pollution sources will eventually reach the soil surface. However, the content of Lu was higher in mushrooms collected in the main urban area [0.347 (0.285-293.837) vs. 0.196 (0.780-8.116), ng/g dw)], which could be explained by the small effect of topsoils on the levels of Lu detected in mushrooms, as they showed no statistical correlation (p-value=0.506). Furthermore, our previous observations showed minimal anthropic contamination in the topsoils, which could explain the similar concentrations of Lu in the bark of trees monitored in the urban and rural areas. Lu content varied between bark samples collected across the city of Leicester (median values, in ng/g): 0.892 (SE) > 0.646 (SW) > 0.585 (NE) > 0.544 (NW). Similarly, lower concentrations were found in the soil samples monitored in parks located in the northwest quadrant. The calculated enrichment factors were 2.15 and 2.58 using scandium relative to the upper continental crustal concentration, suggesting particulate phase deposition of Lu at natural background levels in both areas of Leicestershire. However, further studies are required as the atmospheric transport of Lu and other lanthanide elements is poorly understood.

Climate change in urban areas is not neutral concerning different social groups and vulnerable people. People such as the elderly or people with disabilities are more exposed in terms of vulnerability than the rest of the population simply because they are less mobile. This is not the only aspect to be taken into account; in fact, the vulnerabilities mentioned above are often linked to situations of chronic illness, low social income, and potential situations of energy poverty, which prevent de facto protection from heat waves, at least in one's own home. The protection of those beyond the limits of the average individual is, therefore, a major social and economic challenge in a system of "advanced countries" in which the demographic pyramid of the young population is shrinking and that of the elderly is growing considerably, which is also thanks to developments in medicine and quality of life. The first results of the European CARMINE project are presented, which, in a specific study area (the metropolitan city of Bologna, Italy), aimed to study the mobility pathways of these frailties to reach potential markets and to identify the NBS that could potentially be used along the highlighted pathways to protect the physiological balance of these sectors of the urban population.

The construction sector significantly influences environmental development and is a significant source of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions worldwide. Over the years, the sector's decision-making procedures have frequently prioritised economic concerns over sustainability. Nonetheless, recently, there has been growing recognition of the importance of evaluating the environmental impacts at every stage of a building's lifecycle, from the design process to its demolition. This study uses Design Builder software to simulate a base case residential building in Mozambique, aiming to identify the most impactful design parameters for reducing its CO₂ emissions while reducing its energy consumption. By analysing data from both the base case and modified design schemes, this research reveals that employing 95 mm thick foamed expanded polystyrene (EPS) panels for roofing and double glazing of 6 mm/13 mm within an air/wood frame for exterior windows can reduce the energy consumption by 42.14% and decrease CO₂ emissions by 42.20% compared to these values in conventional construction designs. These results emphasise how crucial it is to use alternative building materials to reduce energy consumption and lessen the environmental impact of residential buildings. This study also urges stakeholders to embrace progressive policies and practices that promote sustainable growth in the industry and push for a paradigm change that strikes a balance between environmental and economic viability.

The climatic conditions of a region are a constant object of study, especially in our days as climate change is clearly affecting the way and quality of life, and are studied through meteorological data. Meteorological installations include a set of sensors to monitor the meteorological and climatic conditions of an area. Meteorological data parameters comprise measurements of temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind speed and direction, and instruments include oratometers and pyranometers, etc. Specifically, the pyranometer is a high-cost instrument that has the ability to measure the intensity of sunshine on the surface of the earth, expressing measurements in Watt/m². In this research work, both the implementation and the evaluation of an integrated low-cost pyranometer system are presented. The proposed pyranometer device consists of affordable modules: both the microprocessor and sensor. In addition, a central server, as an information system, was created for data collection and visualization. The data from the measuring system is transmitted via a wireless network (Wi-Fi), over the Internet, to an information system (central server), which includes a database for collecting and storing the measurements, and visualization software. The end user can retrieve the information through a webpage.

Snow cover plays an important role in soil formation and has a significant impact on vegetation. The need to study snow cover has been increasing in recent years due to global climate change. Special attention should be paid to the study of the dynamics of snow cover in artificially created biogeocenoses, in order to understand the general trends in the interaction of soils, snow mass, and vegetation under anthropogenic influence. This is especially true for the taiga zone of the European North, which is characterized by great variability in the natural environment. Insufficient attention to this problem has determined the purpose of this work: to study the depth of snow cover in a chronological series of the birch bark of various grasses. In the middle taiga subzone of Karelia, a change in the depth of snow cover was carried out in birch plantations of different ages.

The research conducted has shown that the formation of snow cover changes dramatically in space and time, and depends on abiotic and biotic factors. It was found that stable snow cover had formed by October 30, 2023. The period of snowfall in the studied areas was 7 months. The maximum height of the stable snow cover was 80 cm, with a minimum of 5 cm. An analysis of the results showed that the distribution of snow on the site depends on the microsite (crown-window): higher indicators were noted “under the crown” compared to the microsite “window”. This study confirms the role of the phytocomplex in the formation of snow cover and established general trends in changing the thickness of snow cover depending on the age of birch planting. The results obtained are the basis for creating a database for the predictive monitoring of the carbon footprint ofterrestrial ecosystems of the boreal zone of the European North.

The Indian heat-low, a strong atmospheric circulation pattern marked by low pressure and high temperatures, significantly impacts weather patterns over Pakistan and northern India. Understanding how terrestrial heating patterns vary over time is critical to climate change. Such changes can profoundly impact large-scale systems such as the heat-low and monsoon. The evolving characteristics of the heat-low area over the Indian subcontinent from 1950 to 2020 are investigated using a decadal analysis of reanalysis data (ERA5). The data show that the heat-low trend shifted eastward over this period. Furthermore, as part of the CMIP5 RCP8.5 ensemble, the CMCC-CMS model predicts a further eastward shift of this circulation pattern between 2050 and 2100. The heat-low pattern's eastward movement substantially impacts the monsoon circulation system, potentially resulting in large adjustments in rainfall patterns across the Indian subcontinent. The results of both the ERA5 and CMCC-CMS models support the idea of an eastward shift in rainfall, demonstrating the possibility of altered precipitation distribution in the future. Furthermore, this study emphasizes the possible drying of the western Indian subcontinent, including Pakistan and western India, because of the altering heat-low trend. These findings highlight the necessity of considering changing atmospheric circulation patterns in climate change assessments and the need for a better understanding of the associated implications for regional climate dynamics.

Ocean–atmosphere interaction is defined as the exchange of energy at the interface of the ocean and atmosphere. The ocean surface energy, which is largely related to Sea Surface Temperature (SST), determines the stability of the lower atmosphere and ocean surface ecosystems and mechanisms. Marine Heat Waves (MHWs) are characterized by Sea Surface Temperature hotspots, which are practically linked to increases in air temperature. This strongly influences phytoplankton production, causes the appearance of specific phytoplankton blooms, and indirectly impacts the marine food web. In this work, we used Sea Surface Temperature of MODIS remote sensing data and their equivalent daily Ocean Color MODIS remote sensing data for over 20 years in the Algerian Basin (South-Western Mediterranean Sea). Mainly, we found the location of Marine Heat Waves specific to the Algerian Basin. However, the Marine Heat Waves generate specific phytoplankton blooms in coastal areas which are highly related to seasonality (regional climate). For example, some phytoplankton species bloomed after days of increased sea surface temperature. Moreover, the days on which these specific phytoplanktonic blooms (such as the coccolithophore bloom) appeared are sometimes followed by rainy days because of the chemical composition of phytoplankton species (coccolithophore species live on the ocean surface and have limestone shells).