Human impact on the environment

Τhe cost of climate change for Greece by the end of the century is estimated at 2.2 billion euros per year, or about 1% of gross domestic product at current values, according to a report by the Bank of Greece and its governor Yannis Stournaras on the environmental, economic and social impacts in Greece.

China and the United States pledged Wednesday to work more closely together to fight global warming, declaring the climate crisis "one of the greatest challenges of our time".

The European Union's Copernicus climate change panel has stated that last August was the warmest on record globally, and also the third month in a row to establish such a record after the hottest ever June and July.

Europe's top space official has urged wavering politicians not to abandon European leadership in combating climate change, saying record heatwaves and vegetation fires provide "really alarming" evidence of the pace of global warming.

With fear over drought rising in Istanbul as water levels in dams continue to drop due to prolonged heatwaves and hot weather, the Istanbul Water and Sewage Administration (İSKİ) has announced the installation of water-conservation devices in houses with high consumption.

Large and destructive wildfires are showing us once again the importance of protecting the environment. It is no longer a theoretical issue or something that concerns a few scientists.

Attica has lost valuable forests in recent years. The effects of natural disasters have a direct impact on the economy, on tourism and on everyone's lives. 

This was stated by Simon Lewis, Professor of Global Change Science at University College London.
"This is just the beginning. This is what the climate system can do with just 1.2 degrees Celsius of warming. Current global policies are putting us at 2.7 degrees Celsius by 2100. That's really scary," Lewis warned, reports Sky News.

From climate change to species loss and pollution, humans have etched their impact on the Earth with such strength and permanence since the middle of the 20th century that a special team of scientists says a new geologic epoch began then.

A new study conducted by the Archipelagos Institute for Marine Conservation, titled "First Assessment of Micro-Litter Ingested by Dolphins, Sea Turtles and Monk Seals Found Stranded along the Coasts of Samos Island, Greece," has shed light on the extent of plastic pollution in the Aegean Sea. 

India imposed a ban on many single-use plastics on July 1 in a bid to tackle waste choking rivers and poisoning wildlife, but experts say it faces severe headwinds from unprepared manufacturers and consumers unwilling to pay more.