On 15 January, Dr. Jan Wedemeier, a long-standing employee at the HWWI and head of the HWWI site in Bremen, will take over the management of the newly founded JHS innovate! Center MaTeNa at the University of Bremen. We wish him every success in his new role and remain in good contact.

Research on climate change and health has surged, underscoring its urgency as extreme weather events (EWEs) intensify. This review of 152 studies highlights links between EWEs and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Heatwaves increase mortality from stroke, cardiovascular, and respiratory diseases. Wildfires and floods worsen respiratory and mental health, while droughts contribute to stress and heat-related illnesses. Vulnerable groups, including older adults and disadvantaged populations, are disproportionately affected.

For governments, the occurrence of natural disasters creates the opportunity to demonstrate their willingness and competence in providing prompt and efficient disaster aid. A number of studies has investigated the political consequences of providing disaster aid by analyzing the effects of such aid on subsequent election results. However, the findings of these studies have not yielded a coherent picture. This paper makes a contribution to the existing literature by employing high-frequency survey data on presidential approval. The combination of this data with wildfire data and information on Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) aid approvals and denials reveals that Barack Obama gained in support among (potential) voters for whom FEMA aid was approved by the president, while he was not punished for denials of FEMA assistance. We show that this effect is exclusively driven by voters without party affiliation and the that the effect is temporary.

The HWWI, in collaboration with other research institutions, has contributed to a study analyzing the impact of bottom trawl fishing on carbon release from the seabed. The findings show that bottom trawling disrupts carbon storage in sediment—CO₂ that is normally bound within the seabed is thereby released into the atmosphere. The study underscores the importance of sustainable fishery management to protect the CO₂ storage capacity of our coastal seas, thereby making a significant contribution to climate protection.

For the study, HWWI researcher Dr. Lea Bernhardt conducted the multivariate statistical analysis to investigate the relationship between bottom trawl fishing and the seabed’s carbon storage capacity. Through regression analyses, the effect of fishing activity on the sediment’s carbon content is estimated.