climate change

Where can you breathe the cleanest and the most harmful air in the world? – MAP

Air Quality Around The World

HouseFresh has compiled the data and made an interective map of air quality of the world and all the states of the US. Below, you can find a summary of what they found.

The American Lung Association State of the Air 2021 report found that despite nationwide efforts in controlling air pollution, more than 40% of Americans – over 135 million people – are still living in areas with unhealthy particulate pollution and ozone levels.

In fact, 9 out of 10 urban dwellers are affected by air pollution. And this isn’t just the case in the United States, it’s a worldwide problem. But which cities are the worst, and which are the best for breathing fresh air?

To find out, HouseFresh visualized the latest data on air quality in major cities around the world, revealing the most and least polluted cities in nearly every country, as well as in every US state.

HouseFresh is a team of experts in keeping your house clean and fresh. Whether they are rounding up the best advice for cleaning your kitchen or shortlisting the best air purifiers on the market, HouseFresh’s goal remains the same: making your house a little “fresher” without breaking the bank.

Terrible! Air quality worsens across Hungary

Planet Budapest 2021 Sustainability Expo and Summit to be held from November 30

Methodology:

Researchers at HouseFresh extracted city-level air quality data from the latest 2020 World Air Quality report by IQAir. Data in hand, the team identified the best and worst cities and towns for clean air across nearly 100 countries, as well as across all 50 US states.

Cities and towns were ranked on the average value of PM2.5 concentration in μg/m³ in 2020 and countries without at least five cities were omitted.

The team then plotted the results on an interactive map, plus static world and continent maps.

Key Findings:

  • Bangladesh takes the top spot as the most polluted country, followed by Pakistan, India, and Mongolia.
  • 49 of the 50 most polluted cities worldwide were in Bangladesh, Pakistan, China, and India.
  • Japanese city Obihiro was Asia’s top city for clean air with a PM2.5 of 5.6μg/m3.
  • Judbury (Australia), Kailua Kona (U.S.A.), and Muonio (Finland) were the cities with the cleanest air around the globe.
  • Susanville in wildfire-ravaged California had the dirtiest air in America with a PM2.5 of 26.2μg/m3.

If you would like to know more, give a visit to HouseFresh and check out the air quality statistics of all US states. Clikc HERE.

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Read alsoHungary ranked among TOP countries for reducing carbon emission

Minister told when 5-11-year-olds can receive the vaccine

Kindergarten-vaccine
The prime minister’s chief of staff, Gergely Gulyás, said on today’s government info that they would approve the vaccination of 5-11-year-olds once it is approved by either the Hungarian or European drug regulator. He added that Hungary has more than 3 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine in stock in addition to 1 million doses of the Moderna and Janssen jabs, and more than 2 million doses of Sinopharm, he said, adding that the Pfizer vaccine accounted for about two-thirds of all Covid jabs being administered at present.
 
Gulyás said the National Public Health Centre (NNK) had carried out a study on the efficacy of the Sputnik jab at the request of Russia. He said the government had ordered the same for all vaccines. Asked about the possible need to administer a fourth jab, Gulyás said the question needed to be studied by medical professionals, but Hungary had enough vaccines in stock if more inoculations became necessary. He said some people may require a fourth jab and there was no rule against administering one.

Asked about the potential epidemiological risks posed by Friday’s FIFA World Cup qualifier at Budapest’s Puskás Aréna, Gulyás said there was minimal risk involved for any spectator who had received three vaccine doses, but he would “not talk anyone out of wearing a mask”.
 
 
 
As regards European politics, Gulyás said Hungary welcomed European People’s Party group leader Manfred Weber “joining the chorus of those emphasising the importance of border protection”. “It appears he is in favour of Poland’s border protection efforts, not just from a political, but also from a financial point of view,” he added. Gulyás insisted that
 
the EPP had ceased to be a “major political force” in western Europe.
 
The conservative grouping’s policies of the last ten years, Gulyás said, had led to there being no EPP member party in power to the west of Austria.

Meanwhile, he said remarks from the three parties working to form Germany’s next governing coalition indicated that they intended to “encourage all forms of migration”, which he said could also impact Brussels’s migration policy.
 
Asked about a statement by Lajos Kosa concerning the Pegasus spyware, and whether his statement fell foul of official secrets rules, Gulyás said it was up to the
 
authorities to decide whether the statement amounted to a criminal offence.

He added that no state gave information on the technology or technical means used to collect information in the secret domain. The issue, he said, had turned into a political football because the left wing and Hungarian left-wing journalists had made it into one. Gulyas insisted that no illegal secret information gathering had taken place in Hungary since 2010. The way in which secret information is handled is strictly regulated, he said.
 


On the subject of climate change, Gulyás said Hungary was among the few countries that had kept to its emission reduction targets, and this would have been impossible without nuclear energy. He said the issue within the EU was controversial, but Hungary was not the sole operator of nuclear energy in the bloc. Ten member states, led by France, have turned to EU institutions with the aim of recognising nuclear energy as climate friendly, he said.
wizz air
Read also14 new routes and significant frequency increases at Budapest Airport!

Hungarian green party slams ‘disappointing’ COP 26 summit

Máté Kanász-Nagy

Hungary’s opposition LMP party on Sunday slammed the United Nations GOP 26 climate conference, saying the summit had so far yielded “disappointing results”.

In the fifty years since the first world conference on environmental destruction, the situation has worsened due to man-induced climate change, party co-leader Máté Kanász-Nagy told a press conference.

Although the leading nations of the world have pledged to protect forests and curb methane emissions, those commitments are insufficient, Kanász-Nagy said.

Terrible! Air quality worsens across Hungary

Fidesz MEP: Hungary safe from power failures despite energy crisis in Europe

“We know what we should do but we don’t act. At best, we are treating the symptoms of the environmental crisis,” he said.

“Meanwhile, it is as if Hungary wasn’t even present at the summit,” Kanász-Nagy said. The Hungarian government continues to support the “great polluters”, multinational companies, and continues to hinder the spread of sustainable energy resources, he said.

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Read alsoHungary ranked among TOP countries for reducing carbon emission

Terrible! Air quality worsens across Hungary

Air Pollution Quality

Air quality has deteriorated across Hungary due to a high concentration of airborne particulates, the National Public Health Centre (NNK) said on Saturday.

The National Public Health Centre (NNK) declared air quality to be “dangerous” in Kazincbarcika, Sajószentpéter, Nyíregyháza and Dorog.

Air quality is “unhealthy” in Budapest, Százhalombatta, Tatabánya, Várpalota, Putnok, Miskolc, Oszlár and Debrecen, NNK said.

Insurance covering extra costs due to global warming launches in Hungary

Mesmerising wetland oasis to be built as part of new Budapest park development

Concentrations of particulate matter (PM10) in the air are near the threshold for hazardous classification mainly in the north-eastern parts of the country, it said.

NNK has advised vulnerable groups such as children, people suffering from respiratory diseases and the elderly in those localities to spend less time outdoors as the effects of the air pollution level can be dangerous for them.

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Read alsoBrand new Hungarian-developed electric buses have arrived — PHOTOS

Insurance covering extra costs due to global warming launches in Hungary

Pollution-environment-climate change

Europe’s leading insurance and financial services group offers insurance to cover the extra costs due to climate change if the outside temperature exceeds 37 degrees Celsius.

The world is changing day by day, and so are the demands for new and different insurance solutions and services. The insurance sector is often regarded solely as a provider of compensation for losses, but it plays an integral role in the risk-management cycle, for example, this sector develops solutions that contribute both to the mitigation of and the adaptation to climate change (e.g. insurance against weather-related disasters).

During the last few years, several well-known companies, such as Facebook, Google, or Amazon, entered the insurance sector as “alternative providers”, and these companies are undoubtedly changing this market segment, explains You Talk Insurance. For example, the ability to thoroughly understand the customer and implement technology to effectively pre-empt claim situations is becoming a key element.

Thus,

insurers have to monitor the rapidly changing consumer needs so they can serve them with unique services and an outstanding customer experience.

The coronavirus pandemic has moved both businesses and consumers out of their comfort zone and showed the practicality and usefulness of personalised products and contents, writes Napi. Companies have learned that it is essential to pay attention to existing customers and to strive to simplify customer processes, involve customers in product development, and respond quickly and efficiently to customer needs.

Insurers can best achieve this goal by collaborating with the above-mentioned “alternative providers” and other companies to leverage their knowledge of the latest technologies and further enhance their product offerings. Thanks to the cooperation of car manufacturers and insurers, for example, customers can often get compulsory insurance or travel insurance when buying a car.

Nowadays, sustainability is a key consideration for customers: sustainable products are not only part of the premium category anymore, but they have become crucial elements for all businesses to ensure long-term success. Younger generations are more concerned with global challenges, and they opt for environmentally conscious options.

Therefore, Europe’s leading insurance and financial services group aims to bring the total greenhouse gas emissions of all its real estate investments in accordance with the target set in the Paris Agreement.

This means that the company will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 30% compared to 2019, and by 2023, it will double the share of renewable energy use and further reduce the use of disposable plastics.

csepel_park
Read alsoNew, 36-hectare urban green oasis to be built in Budapest! – PHOTOS

President: Hungary to achieve climate neutrality by 2050

Szalajka Valley Waterfall Vízesés
Hungary was among the first countries to ratify the Paris Climate Agreement and has taken measures to ensure that the country will achieve climate neutrality by 2050, President János Áder said in an environmental debate held in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg on Wednesday.
 
Concerning the Paris Agreement, adopted in 2015, Ader said that “after six years we are further away from the targets than we were at the time of their adoption … we must complete what we agreed on”. He said that countries referring to themselves as “climate champions”, including a number of European countries, had even increased rather than cut their emissions, and warned that unless current tendencies are reversed, emissions of hazardous substances may not decrease but increase by 60 percent by 2030 compared to the amounts measured in 1990.
 
“Can we preserve our constructed world as we see it or will we destroy it instead?”
 
the president asked.

Referring to the measures Hungary has taken, Áder said that the country had reduced its emissions by 32 percent compared to 1990, adding that coal would soon be phased out from the country’s energy production. It has been decided that Hungary would double its solar energy capacities each year, and all new buses in public transport would be electric from 2030 on.
 
Hungary has doubled its forest areas in the past 100 years
 
and is planning to further increase its woodlands, Áder said. Hungary, in cooperation with neighbouring countries, has developed one million hectares of bio-reserves, the president added.
 

Áder warned that the number of natural disasters had increased five-fold in the past 50 years and the total damage doubled. Such disasters occurring in succession could lead to economic and political crises, he said. “
 
We are destroying our own life,
 
the current way of life putting our own future and living conditions in jeopardy. We should recognise that climate protection is not about nature, which will adapt and regenerate. The question is us and our own future,” he said.
Read alsoHungarian President János Áder tells about his discussions with Pope Francis

Bike-sharing scheme in Budapest is as successful as the ones in New York or Barcelona!

Budapest Mol Bubi bike tourist traps
Budapest’s upgraded Mol Bubi bike-sharing scheme, operated by the Budapest Public Transport Centre (BKK) with the support of Hungarian oil and gas company MOL, has attracted a record number of riders since its re-launch in the spring, BKK said on Wednesday.
 
The lighter, more comfortable Mol Bubi bikes have been used almost 850,000 times since their rollout in May, well over the full-year record of 652,000 rides reached in 2015. The number of daily rides
 
climbed over 10,000 on some days in September,
 
which means each bike was used about eight times daily. That daily average usage rate puts Budapest on par with cities such as New York or Barcelona, where bike-sharing schemes average six rides per day for every bicycle, BKK said.

In light of strong demand, BKK will expand the Mol Bubi fleet by about 30 percent this year, adding several hundred bikes.
 
 
The Planet Budapest 2021 sustainability expo will be held between November 29 and October 5, designed to raise awareness on climate change, which has been accelerated by human activity in the past decades, President János Áder told public news channel M1 on Wednesday. The event will feature conferences, exhibitions and youth programmes on climate change, water crisis, transport and energy efficiency, Áder said. Many companies will present their solutions to climate-related problems, and youth programmes will include interactive exhibitions of popular science, he said.

Hungary strives to become carbon neutral by 2050 as enshrined in Hungarian law, Ader said. The same aim should be set globally, but the
 
“situation has only deteriorated since the Paris climate accord five years ago,”
 
with the coronavirus pandemic only bringing temporary relief, he said. All solutions would need to be global, he said. Hungary or Europe cannot solve this problem on their own, he said.

The technological know-how to stop climate change is largely already at hand, Áder noted. However, “political will sometimes slackens”, and the fossil fuel industry has contrary interests, he said. The paradigm shift would have to happen with as little social conflict possible, he said. Áder pointed at Hungary as an example of reconciling economic growth and curbing emissions. Hungary is one of the 21 countries in the world to have cut its greenhouse gas emissions while growing economically, he said.
Read alsoClimate change: “the only way Fidesz will act is if we, the people force them to”

Hungarian President János Áder tells about his discussions with Pope Francis

Climate change, the created world and the protection of Hungarian families were the main topics discussed at a meeting with Pope Francis last Sunday, the Hungarian president said on public broadcaster Kossuth Radio on Sunday.

János Áder told a morning programme that it was his fifth meeting with the pope and the third occasion to have a longer conversation with him.

He said he had first met Pope Francis in 2013 to discuss with him the protection of the created world when this topic was not yet “fashionable at all”.

Áder said he briefed the pontiff about Hungary’s achievements and commitments made in environmental protection, noting the cleaning of rivers and the fact that the forest areas of Hungary had doubled over the last hundred years.

Minister: there were no disagreements between Pope Francis and PM Orbán

He said he also told the pope about Hungary being the first in the European Union to adopt a law on zero greenhouse emissions by 2050.

The president said he had also given Pope Francis an outline of the government’s family protection measures to reverse “a demographic low’ recorded in 2010, noting family tax rebates, housing support schemes for young couples and benefits granted to large families. He said as a result of measures, the number of marriages and births had increased, while abortions had gone down.

Pope Francis to come back to Hungary soon?

Áder said he had highlighted the significant role that church institutions play in the protection of families, adding that “their presence in health, social care, or education is indispensable”.

Source: MTI

Is Hungary the “black sheep” of the EU?

budapest hungary

More and more people look to Hungary as an example to follow, and the country’s ideas on building Europe are gaining traction, Justice Minister Judit Varga said ahead of an international forum in Alpbach, central Austria on Thursday.

Though the international media and certain politicians “enjoy portraying Hungary as the black sheep” of Europe, the country is a regular guest at the European Forum in Alpbach, the minister said in an English-language post on Facebook.

Varga said that despite a push by

some to “exclude Hungary” from the event,

“Hungary is alive and well” and “there are no traces of exclusion at the Forum”.

Many are curious about Hungary’s perspective and solutions, she said, adding that “more and more people consider us an example and accept our advice on how to build Europe.”

Varga said she is later scheduled to hold talks with European Commission Vice-President Dubravka Suica and take part in a panel discussion on the challenges facing Europe at the invitation of Karoline Edtstadler, Austria’s federal minister for the European Union.

Other topics at the forum include migration, climate change, the post-Covid recovery and the ongoing conference on the future of Europe,

she said.

Hungary remains committed to Europe and the EU, Varga said, adding that “we want to build this community” instead of “destroying the unity with artificial ideological debates”.

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Read alsoEuropean leaders follow Orbán’s example in days of crisis?

Hungary is leading the way with the biggest increase in electric vehicles

Since the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report confirmed they have evidence humanity is to blame for rising temperatures across the world, the increasing risk of greater global warming is at the forefront of everybody’s minds.

With over 290 million cars on the road in Europe, research from Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service, has revealed which EU countries are leading the way and making the biggest increases in alternative fuel vehicles

Over the past 10 years, Cyprus has seen a 167% annual increase in alternative fuel vehicles (783 compared to 0), with Luxembourg and Ireland coming in second and third place for the biggest increases. Luxembourg’s alternative fuel vehicle rate increased by an annual average of 106% (8,957 compared to 0) in ten years, and Ireland’s increased by 105% (20,937 compared to 0) on average per year.

The report reveals Hungary’s biggest increases in the electric vehicle market, as well as the most popular alternative car fuel. 

Further key findings: 

  • Hungary has seen the biggest increase in electric vehicles, with 35 more on the road and an annual growth rate of 100% 

  • Leading the way in alternative fuels is Cyprus, which has seen a 167% annual increase in alternative fuel vehicles in the last 10 years

  • Following on, Luxembourg and Ireland come in second and third place with 106% and 105% average annual growth on alternative fuel vehicles respectively.

  • Europe has eight times more electric cars on the road in 2020 compared to 2015

Will Owen, energy expert at Uswitch.com comments: 

“With Cyprus and Luxembourg leading the way in the electric and alternative fuel vehicle market, across the EU, it shows we are heading in the right direction to achieve more eco-friendly vehicles on the road.

“Here are our top tips if you’re considering buying an alternative fuel car:

  1. Think about what type of vehicle you need. If you live in the city, you’ll tend to drive slower so a small hybrid model would be more suitable for fuel efficiency.

  2. Commit to the upkeep. Learn what the different alternative fuels are and check the price. While they’re likely to be cheaper than petrol or diesel, know what you’re committing to, for example, a replacement battery in the future.

  3. Know how far you can travel. Consider how many fuel stations are in your area that can power your preferred alternative fuel vehicle.

  4. Time to charge. Factor how long it will take to charge or power your energy efficient car. Depending on the battery size, it can take up to two hours for some models.”

Find out more information on the fastest growing car markets by Uswitch here.

Read alsoHungary is leading the way with the biggest increase in electric vehicles

Coats up! Nearly freezing temperatures to come this weekend in Hungary

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This summer we could experience extreme weather conditions in Hungary and what’s more, even bigger temperature changes are expected for the last days of August. For the second half of the week, Arctic air masses bring extremely cold and rainy weather to Hungary, as a result of which nearly freezing temperatures can be expected in the coldest parts of the country. Weather forecast!

This year’s extreme weather conditions will stay with us at the end of the summer as well. After the cool spring caused by anticyclones in April-May, we had a very stormy summer in Hungary with occasional heatwaves or extraordinary supercells. After all these, it might not be surprising that the end of summer also holds an unexpected turn in the weather.

Due to a large-scale, stable anticyclone that has recently formed over Great Britain,

the air cools down significantly for the second half of the week, bringing Arctic air masses to Hungary.

Presumably, the sunny, slightly windy weather of this week will bring drastic changes on Thursday night when the first cold front will arrive, followed by a significant temperature drop. On Saturday, the weather turns autumnal, especially in the north-eastern landscapes where the average daily temperature will be around 13°C. Thus, heating may even be necessary – reported by the Hungarian news portal 24.hu. The national average will be about 6-17 degrees at dawn;

however, in the coldest parts of Hungary, such as Zabar or Szécsény, the temperature can drop to 2-3°C.

During the day, the temperature will increase; in permanently sunny places, it can reach 17-25°C. However, instead of sunshine, cloudy and rainy weather can be expected at the end of the week, bringing showers and thunderstorms in the upcoming days. Most of the precipitation is expected in the southern and eastern parts of Hungary. Overall, the temperature will be at least 7°C below the normal value at the end of August.

According to the long-term forecast, the cool weather will stay with us until the beginning of September. From 3rd-4th September, warming is expected, and temperatures will return to the average values ​​of 21-26°C.

The extreme weather conditions caused by the climate change will probably stay with us in September as well. Presumably, the changeable weather in Hungary will require both a winter coat and summer shorts. Currently, another significant cold front is forecasted in mid-September.

Hungary weather storm
Read alsoThe storm devastated Budapest yesterday – will this horrible weather remain? – PHOTO, VIDEO

Opposition about climate change: “we are in the last minute”

hungary weather storm

The opposition LMP party is calling for immediate government action to halt climate change, co-leader Máté Kanász-Nagy told an online press conference on Facebook on Saturday.

Kanász-Nagy cited a United Nations report published this week, in which the organisation, relying on 14,000 expert opinions, concluded that “we are in the last minute”. The UN warned of worsening global warming, and insisted that mankind needs to act immediately so as to halt or at least slow climate change, he said.

Kanász-Nagy noted that LMP had initiated a referendum on its initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 65 percent by 2030 compared with 1990 levels. Although the National Election Committee (NVB)

rejected the initiative,

LMP has appealed the decision and turned to the Kuria, Hungary’s supreme court, he said.

Kanász-Nagy

accused the government of unwillingness to deal with the issue.

He added that although President János Áder considers himself “a green head of state”, his commitment was confined to “lamenting over the desiccation of a lake in which he can no longer angle”.

He accused Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of representing the interests of corporations and major polluters, adding that Orban “sneaked away” when the European Union approved the European climate law.

 

Climate change: “the only way Fidesz will act is if we, the people force them to”

The opposition LMP is turning to the Kúria, Hungary’s supreme court, over the election committee’s rejection of its referendum question on cutting greenhouse gas emissions, the party’s co-leader said on Friday.
 
Last month, the National Election Committee (NVB) rejected LMP’s referendum initiative on whether greenhouse gas emissions should be reduced by 65 percent by 2030 compared with 1990 levels, citing incompatible timeframes regarding the legislative agenda and the timeframe included in the question.
 
 
Erzsébet Schmuck told an online press conference that Hungary needed to act immediately on the issue of climate change, insisting that “the only way [ruling] Fidesz will act is if we, the people force them to”. She criticised the NVB for rejecting her party’s referendum bid “for bogus reasons”.

 Schmuck cited a United Nations report published this week in which the organisation sounds a
“code red for humanity”,
warning of worsening global warming. According to the report, world governments need to act immediately on climate change or they will never get another chance, she said.

She said the Hungarian government’s pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2030 was “inadequate”. Citing scientific studies, she said the European Union, including Hungary, needed to reduce its emissions by 65 percent this decade in order to avert a climate disaster.
“Though this is a serious challenge, there are no other options,”
Schmuck said. “Either we take these steps or risk the survival of our civilisation.”

Schmuck said the Hungarian people had a right to express their opinion on such an important issue. If the Kuria backs the bid, the people will get to have their say in a referendum, and if it doesn’t, they will have the chance to express their views in the general election next spring, she said.
 

Brutal storms and crazy weather hit Hungary on Monday – VIDEOS

Storm Budapest3

On Monday morning, the crazy storms and extreme weather conditions caused massive chaos in the Hungarian capital. The water flood on the streets of Budapest has completely paralysed the traffic, causing enormous damage and huge traffic jams at the beginning of the week. Videos can be checked out below!

Not long after last week’s extreme weather, this Monday started with crazy storms in Budapest that flooded the Hungarian capital within seconds. As Borsonline reports, the stormy rains poured such a large amount of water into the streets of the Hungarian capital that the sewer system could no longer drain it.

The flooding water paralysed both car traffic and public transport; furthermore, traffic lights did not work either that caused massive traffic jams on the roads. Extreme weather conditions and non-functioning traffic lights lead to car crashes in Budapest. On Monday morning, disaster protection units were alerted to about fifty locations in the Hungarian capital and Pest County due to the sudden stormy rainfall.

Professional and voluntary disaster management units were alerted to remove torn tree branches and pump out basements, garages, basements flooded with water.

An orange alarm is still in effect due to the stromy weather conditions.

However, not only the Hungarian capital but Hungary as a whole – except for Hajdú-Bihar and Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg counties – suffered storm damages over the weekend. On Sunday, 175 firefighter interventions were required to resolve problems caused by fallen trees, torn tree branches that fell on roads, houses, electrical wires.

In addition, our neighbors did not get away with stormy weather last weekend either – reported by Index.

In several places, the storm caused great damages: there were flooded roads, twisted streets, flowing streams of water and hails.

Storm Budapest
Photo: MTI/Mihádák Zoltán

In Slovakia, due to the rising water level of the River Danube flood protection alert was issued in Bratislava and the surroundings. Presumably, the water level may peak on Monday afternoon, reaching seven meters and can even rise further.

In Austria, floods were mostly reported in Salzburg, Tyrol and Upper Austria due to extreme weather conditions. In the province of Salzburg, the Kothbach stream spilt, the water flooded Hallein’s old town. In Tyrol, trees were twisted by the storm, and water broke into basements and underground garages. Several roads became impassable in Upper Austria, where firefighters were alerted to more than 500 cases.

In Romania, more than two hundred people were evacuated due to the floods, the landslide damaged 16 houses, and another 72 houses were flooded in Roşia Montană. Fortunately, the storm has no human victim, but the material damage is significant.

In Transcarpathia, trees were felled by the stormy wind; as a result, 11 settlements were completely, and 19 were partially left without electricity last night. The wind damaged 35 houses in Beregvidék, 19 trees fell on the roads of Ukraine. Due to the vast downpour, two mudslides rushing down the hillsides flooded a road in the Huszti district.

Firefighters were alerted to the scene to make the road walkable. Serious thunderstorms are still expected in much of the county.

Somoskő Castle
Read alsoClimate concerns still on public’s mind during pandemic

Hungary’s third biggest lake is drying out! — VIDEO

Lake Velence

A drone video shows the poor condition of Hungary’s third-largest natural lake. Water has completely disappeared from part of the highly protected area. This is also ominous news because it is an important nesting area for many waterfowl.

The Gárdonyi Közlöny presented a video that illustrates the scale of the problem in certain parts of Lake Velence. According to the recordings, the water in the area of the bird sanctuary in the southwestern part of the lake disappeared completely.

“Lake Velence has lost 44 per cent of its water in the last two years.

Due to water scarcity, the nature reserve in the south-western part of the lake, the Lake Velence bird sanctuary, has almost completely dried up,” writes Gárdony Közlöny.

This area is an important nesting area for waterfowl.

In the list of wild waters of international importance, the 420-hectare area of Lake Velence was declared highly protected in 1958. This area is home to the great egret, the Eurasian spoonbill, the great crested grebe, the little grebe and the summer goose, among others. This area is not only important for birds. The original bog flora of the reserve is also significant from a nature conservation point of view.

The uniqueness of the place is proved by the presence of the spleen orchid species called the onion shell, which is rare in Europe, writes hvg.hu. On the website of the Danube-Ipoly National Park, you can read what the main task would be to protect the lake and the area.

The main conservation task is to regulate the water level of Lake Velence.

Lake Velence has been in the spotlight several times this summer. Due to the high heat and low rainfall, very low water levels were measured at Lake Velence. At the beginning of the summer, its water level was 39 centimetres below the minimum control level. The consequence of this is the decrease of the oxygen level in the water and the significant destruction of the fish stock, writes index.hu.

Locals are trying to fix the problem both individually and at the organisational level. Volunteers helped the Hungarian National Fishermen’s Association to clean up the dead fish. Civilians also collected several bags of garbage and dead fish separately. The Volunteer Firefighters of the City of Venice pumped water into the lake to help supply fish with oxygen. Animal Welfare came up with an interesting idea. Jet ski owners are asked to stir the stagnant water using the vehicle.

PM Office: Linking child protection law, EU subsidies ‘detrimental’

hungary children camp

The European Union will “come to ruin” if “unrelated issues are linked”, Gergely Gulyás, the head of the Prime Minister’s Office, told his weekly press conference on Thursday.

Gulyás said that the EU’s “legally linking” community recovery funds and Hungary’s recent child protection law was “an extremely negative development”.

Gulyás insisted that Hungary was entitled to the funds, but emphasised that being an EU member was in Hungary’s interest.

“There are more arguments for the EU membership than against it.”

Concerning the contested legislation, Gulyás said that the government would not give up its position that sex education was up to the parents, adding that “when Brussels demands equlity in sex education it means that we should allow LGBTQ activists into schools and kindergartens”.

EC climate change plan ‘unacceptable’ in current form

Hungary considers the European Commission’s new “Fit for 55” catch-all climate change plan “unacceptable in its current form”, the prime minister’s chief of staff said on Thursday.

Gergely Gulyás told a regular press briefing that the EC’s plan would make households, rather than polluters bear the costs of the fight against climate change, and would also “destroy” the achievements of the government’s policy of reducing household utility fees.

Hungary is prepared to support a more ambitious climate plan, Gulyás said, adding, however, that most European Union member states were not even honouring the commitments they had made so far.

He also underscored the importance of making climate protection and emissions reduction a global issue.

Hungary climate change
Read alsoHungarian president committed to fighting against climate change

Fidesz: leftist parties want households to bear the costs of climate change

FIDESZ, Orbán, politics, Hungary
Leftist parties, “hand in hand with Brussels”, would have private citizens bear the costs of pollution and climate change by raising utility prices, the deputy group leader of ruling Fidesz said on Saturday.
 
László Böröcz said the party would not support any proposal that would result in rising household energy prices. Fidesz stands by the view that large polluters, such as multinational companies, should bear the costs of climate protection, Borocz said in a video message sent to MTI.

Leftist parties, on the other hand, would have private citizens pay the price of the green transition, he said.
He encouraged Hungarians to fill out the National Consultation survey to state their dissent.
Attila Steiner, the state secretary responsible for energy and climate policy, said in a video on Facebook that the survey’s question on carbon tax referred to a proposal currently before the European Commission, which would “burden families with the costs of carbon emissions”. That could mean “hundreds of thousands of forints” in additional costs to Hungarian families, he said.

Springtime frost killed Hungarian peach and apricot pálinka?

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80 per cent fewer peaches are growing this year than average, and spring frosts have caused significant damage, according to the National Chamber of Agriculture (NAK) survey. Climate change is an increasing threat, and in the long run, the establishment of new, more resilient plantations, the optimisation of variety use, and the spread of modern cultivation methods cannot be avoided.

Farmers were able to report the April frost damage until May 17, said the Secretary of State for Agriculture and Rural Development at the Ministry of Agriculture (MoD) to Portfolio.hu.

As it turns out, peach and apricot yields are severely threatened this year.

NAK co-organised a peach trade meeting and variety presentation on June 25, 2021, in Torda, together with the Agricultural Genetic Resources Directorate (NÉBIH-MGEI) of the National Food Chain Safety Agency. Here, information was provided to farmers on modern variety use, treatment options for frost-damaged plantations, and modern cultivation systems.

Dr Béla Mártonffy, President of the National Department of Horticulture and Supplier Industry of NAK, emphasised:

Peach cultivation can be successful in Hungary, but only if the work is done in the right place, with the right variety and the right growing technology. Long-term global climate change is also a serious challenge for the horticultural sector, requiring the planting of more resilient fruit varieties. […]

Due to the extreme weather, it would be topical to rethink cultivation, to include varieties customary to the domestic climate, from which the varieties produced are better suited to domestic conditions.

The annual yield, which is strongly influenced by weather conditions, fluctuates, usually between 16 and 45 thousand tonnes. Most of the peach orchards are located in Csongrád (1,294 hectares), Pest (450 hectares), and Bács-Kiskun (394 hectares) counties. Significant production also takes place in Fejér (128 hectares), Somogy (136 hectares), Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg (174 hectares), and Heves (169 hectares) counties.

In Hungary, peach cultivation flourished in the 1970s when the area of ​​commodity-producing peach orchards was about 13,000 hectares, which has been steadily declining since then and is now just over 3,000 hectares. Another problem is that the majority of the plantations are characterised by an outdated cultivation system and variety range. There are few new plantings, only a few 100 hectares in recent years.

In the coming years, the government will provide an outstanding amount of resources for the development and increase of the efficiency of agriculture, in the framework of which domestic fruit breeding may be re-strengthened, which is also called for by NAK. The renewal of the plantations is also supported by a large-scale tender, which also supports the establishment of new plantations and the replacement of existing ones.

pálinka, Hungary, drink
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