Monday Morning News & Notes
Planet flirts with marine catastrophe. More weapons for Ukraine.
🍃Environment & Energy⚡️
🇩🇰 🌎
Since February of last year, coral around the world has been undergoing major bleaching events. That is, when the water temperature becomes so warm, the coral expels the colourful algae that it lives symbiotically with. The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is sounding a global alarm, saying that more than 60% of the world’s coral is now ghostly white. It says that is a number that is still growing.
University of Southern Denmark Professor of Marine Biology Erik Kristensen says the mass bleaching event is a “major disaster.” He says coral reefs have the highest biodiversity on the planet, and that is now under extreme threat.
“The big problem is that there is a diversity of crustaceans and fish in particular that feed on these corals. If there is nothing to eat in the coral reefs, then these animals die, and eventually the entire ecosystem disappears.”
Kristensen says if the coral reef ecosystem collapses, it will cause a chain reaction with “large amounts” of other marine species also dying off.
How close are we to such a catastrophic result?
“We are close. Scientists predict that in 20 to 30 years, there won't be much left of the coral reefs as we know them. So it's a massive disaster.”
He says that in order to save what coral is left, we need to lower greenhouse gas emissions while also trying to restore some of the coral we have lost by seeding new coral that is more temperature-resilient. Kristensen says another rescue method would be to move coral farther north and south, where ocean waters aren’t as hot.
🇩🇰
The Danish government has reached an agreement to set aside 405 million Danish kroner (about $80 million Cdn) in emergency funding to address an environmental catastrophe playing out in Denmark’s inland waterways. However, critics say the funding misses the mark.
DTU Aqua Coastal Ecology Professor Karen Timmermann says the emergency funding won’t actually further reduce nitrogen emissions leaking into the marine environment. Those emissions are the main contributor to catastrophically low oxygen levels, creating big dead zones in the Kattegat Strait.
“If we don't further drive down reductions, then the bad state of the water environment will get worse. This is because climate change will further worsen the conditions we have in the aquatic environment.”
The agreement sets a goal of reducing nitrogen emissions into waterways by 10,800 tonnes by 2027, which falls well short of the reduction of 13,100 tonnes set by the European Union in the same year.
80 million kroner of the emergency package will be spent to speed up the processing of cases in the municipalities and push forward projects and plans that are moving too slowly through the system. Opposition politicians call it “wild” that an emergency package has to be dedicated in order to implement things that have already been decided on.
Environment Minister Magnus Heunicke:
“The whole purpose of the emergency package is precisely that we accelerate the schemes that are currently stuck on the starting line. We just have to admit that the effort has fallen short for decades, and it continues to go too slowly. That is why it is necessary that we accelerate these efforts.”
Reporters asked Heunicke if he could promise that this latest emergency package would finally solve the environmental crisis in Denmark’s inland waterways.
“No, there is not one thing we can do to save our fjords. There will be many efforts that must be stacked on top of each other. This will make a very concrete difference to the firestorm situation in Vejle Fjord and at the bottom of Limfjorden. These are some of the worst places, but much more needs to be done.”
-
Garden crops in Randers will be collected and undergo testing for things like lead, cadmium, and PFAS chemicals. The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration will test asparagus, lettuce, and potatoes in the aftermath of the Nordic Waste environmental disaster, where a landslide of toxic soil crawled its way towards nearby waterways. The concern is that the soil, polluted with heavy metals and other nasty things, might have had an impact on surrounding lands and gardens.
-
Denmark’s Environment Minister Magnus Heunicke will take part in an open consultation in the Danish Parliament on Wednesday focused on the environmental crisis unfolding in Denmark’s inland waterways. Oxygen levels in the Kattegat Strait and in huge swaths of the Baltic are critically low driving away fish and wiping out invertebrates creating huge dead zones.
-
A carbon capture roadmap will be unveiled this Wednesday. The roadmap will provide an outline the opportunities ahead and the solutions that need to be found in order to reach Denmark’s goal of reaching negative greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
-
Region Midtjylland is launching a trial program where the region will partner with villages that are interested in creating an e-bike sharing initiatives. The e-bikes can be used for communal purposes or to transit to the nearest bus or train station.
Regional Development Chair Bent Graversen:
“I hope there are local communities that see opportunities in this, take some responsibility, and send in an application.”
Villages that take advantage of the trial offer can continue with the e-bike initiative if it ends up being successful.
-
The sizzling hot weather across Denmark has dried what was just a short time ago rain and flood soaked brush and grass to the degree that the fire danger index in many places is now at ‘high’.
Danske Beredskaber Head of Secretariat Bjarne Nigaard spoke to Ritzau:
“Although some think that it has not been raining for a long time, a lot of sun and wind have meant that in many places the fire danger is high. So it's a good idea to think twice about using an open fire outdoors.”
You can check the fire danger index where you are in Denmark HERE.
-
Denmark’s soaking wet spring is likely behind a reduction in the number of nesting storks arriving in various parts of the country. Just seven pairs of nesting storks have moved into nests in Southern Jutland, on Djursland, and East Zealand, down from the ten that arrived last spring. Storks need dry and sunny weather when they nest.
🇳🇴
Norway set a new heat record on Friday. Temperatures hit 26.1 degrees in Namsos, Stavanger, and Steinkjer, making it the hottest May 17 on record. Friday was also a national holiday, and the combination of sizzling heat, national costumes, and a lot of alcohol led to more than a few people collapsing and being taken to the hospital.
🇫🇮
The weather has turned on a dime in Finland as it went from cold and snowy to sizzling temperatures in the space of a few weeks. The summer-like heat was so intense that wildfires and grass fires were already breaking out in many places across Finland over the weeknd. Outside of Lapland conditions are hot and dry in Finland with no sign of rain in the forecast until possibly this coming weekend. The Finnish Meteorological Institute has raised the fire threat level to ‘high’ in many areas of southern Finland.
While southern Finland sizzles, in Lapland they are dealing with floods. The region’s biggest rivers are expected to peak well into the flood zone over the next few days. The flood risk from the Ounasjoki and Tornio rivers is especially acute.
🇩🇪🇫🇷
Over the weekend, the German state of Saarland, bordering both France and Luxembourg, was hit with record flooding levels. Helped by heavy rains on Friday, the river Saar rose almost eight meters, exceeding levels seen in 1993 in what was dubbed “the flood of the century.” Care homes had to be evacuated, police used rubber boats in rescue efforts, several towns were flooded, and others had to do without electricity and gas due to the flooding.
The flood waters also crossed the border into the French Grand-Est region.
🇩🇪
Climate activists brought air traffic to a halt at Munich Airport on Saturday after they glued themselves to the runway. The protest caused a lot of flight delays. Glue, by the way, is not very environmentally friendly.
🇩🇰⚡️
Electric vehicles are only as good as the charging infrastructure provided and the available electricity in the system to keep things humming. Denmark has done a pretty good job of building out charging infrastructure for electric vehicles for consumers, but the pressure is on for the transition of commercial and heavy-duty vehicles.
Peder Olsen & Søn is a major player in Denmark’s trucking industry. Operations Director Michael Mertov says the trucking sector, government, and power companies, all need to get on the same page to ensure a smooth transition to electric trucks.
“We need to sit down and talk together. I am convinced that everything that can be powered, will be powered. It's coming, and it's going to go fast.”
With buses and garbage trucks already being converted to electricity, industry experts are anticipating that in two to three years, commercial trucks will also begin to transition in earnest.
Dansk e-Mobilitet says it is crucial that the government extend a helping hand to the trucking industry to help them transition to electric commercial vehicles. It calculates that 10,000 electric commercial trucks require about 150 megawatts of power, or roughly the output of ten offshore wind turbines. But it also means there needs to be an expedited build-out of charging stations for big trucks and upgrades to the power grid and transformer stations to facilitate that kind of electrification.
The Danish government has already set aside 750 million Danish kroner for the electrification of the commercial trucking sector.
-
Green Power Denmark is urging the government to take the handcuffs off of municipalities and give them the freedom to plan and implement renewable energy projects.
CEO Kristian Jensen:
“We find that municipalities want to set up wind turbines and solar cells, including in places where there aren't very many right now. But the municipalities are banging their foreheads against a wall of obstacles. They lack the freedom to plan for renewable energy projects. We need to remove many of the land restrictions that stifle the green transition in municipalities.”
Green Power Denmark points to Lejre Kommune in Sjælland as one example. The municipality had its plan for a 641 hectare energy park rejected because it was on land in the transport corridor alongside highways.
Lejre Kommune Mayor Tina Mandrup:
“It is out of step with the urgent need for renewable energy and land optimization that we cannot be allowed to place solar cells in the transport corridor. After all, the transport corridor is a reservation for possible future infrastructure facilities such as traffic and supply facilities. And solar cells, in particular, are a form of infrastructure for which it can be difficult to find space elsewhere. And what is the alternative? That we place solar cells on areas that could be used for forest, untouched nature, or other useful purposes?”
Green Power Denmark says it is time for the government to reassess land restrictions that are proving to be an impediment to green power projects.
🦠Outbreaks🦠
🇺🇸
Researchers have detected the H5N1 avian flu virus in wastewater from nine out of ten Texas cities, according to a preprint study by Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Texas Health Sciences Center. The findings, based on the genomic sequencing of samples collected between March 4 and April 25, showed H5N1 levels sometimes rivaling those of seasonal flu. These results highlight wastewater sampling as a crucial tool for tracking virus circulation and spread, especially with many questions remaining about the virus's presence in dairy cows.
In a related development, the CDC has commenced experiments involving ferrets to better understand H5N1 transmission and disease severity. Following an initial human case in a Texas dairy worker, the CDC has monitored over 260 people for symptoms, with no new cases reported. Ferrets, which exhibit similar flu symptoms and transmission patterns to humans, were infected with the virus to study its behavior under different contact scenarios. Results from these experiments are expected in about three weeks, with further studies planned.
Meanwhile, H5N1 outbreaks continue to affect US livestock. The USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service reported new poultry outbreaks in Idaho, Michigan, and California. Additionally, a global animal influenza expert group noted that the B3.13 genotype of H5N1, recently detected in cattle, had not previously been seen in poultry. Monitoring efforts are ongoing to track the virus's spread and mutation patterns, with the Texas wastewater study underscoring the importance of innovative surveillance methods in managing such outbreaks.
🇪🇺
The flu season appears to be over across Europe, with a handful of exceptions. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control says that for eight weeks running, the influenza positivity percentage has remained below 10% across Europe as a whole. The agency says only four countries are reporting influenza positivity percentages above the epidemic threshold, and of those, only two are seeing widespread geographical spread.
On the COVID front, the ECDC notes that virus activity remains low across Europe, although some countries are reporting slight increases in infection activity.
The agency says measles cases continue to grow, with infection activity reported in 29 European countries as of the end of March. Since its last measles update, the ECDC says it has confirmed 3,826 new infections in 16 countries. Outbreaks are ongoing in Austria, Ireland, France, the Netherlands, and Romania.
“Overall, measles transmission in the EU/EEA has been increasing over the last 12 months, although the situation varies by country, with some countries reporting large outbreaks and others sustaining no or very low transmission.”
The current measles outbreak has claimed 16 lives so far, with all but one fatality being in Romania.
🇳🇴
The respiratory infection picture in Norway remains calm although there are a few concerning developments. With the seasonal influenza and RS virus seasons packing it in until next winter the Norwegian Institute of Public Health says coronavirus infections are at a low level although it notes that cases have been creeping upward for the last few weeks.
A whooping cough outbreak also continues to unfold. The institute says that the virus is hitting young people particularly hard.
Overall, respiratory virus-related hospitalizations continue to drop and are now at the lowest levels since before the COVID pandemic struck in 2020.
🇰🇷
A new study presented at the Heart Failure 2024 scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) in Lisbon, Portugal, has revealed that COVID vaccination significantly improves survival rates among heart failure patients. Researchers from the National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital in Goyang, South Korea, analyzed data from 147,118 heart failure patients in the Korean National Health Insurance Service database. Their findings suggest that vaccinated patients are 82% more likely to live longer compared to their unvaccinated peers, providing compelling evidence of the vaccine's benefits among this vulnerable population.
Globally, over 64 million people suffer from heart failure, a serious condition often exacerbated by COVID. In this study, vaccinated patients (who received at least two doses) were meticulously matched with unvaccinated patients (those with one or no dose) to control for confounding factors. Over a median follow-up period of six months, the results showed that vaccination reduced the risk of death from any cause by 82%, hospitalization for heart failure by 47%, and infection by 13%. Additionally, vaccinated patients exhibited significantly lower risks of stroke, heart attack, myocarditis/pericarditis, and venous thromboembolism, reinforcing the vaccine's protective role.
Dr. Kyeong-Hyeon Chun, a coauthor of the study, emphasized the significance of these findings, noting that this is the first large-scale analysis demonstrating clear benefits of COVID vaccination for heart failure patients. "The study provides strong evidence to support vaccination in patients with heart failure," Dr. Chun stated. However, he also cautioned that the findings might not apply to all heart failure patients, particularly those with unstable conditions, highlighting the need for individualized medical assessments.
🇺🇦Ukraine/ Russia War🇷🇺
🇸🇪/ 🇷🇺
While Russia claws its way forward on the battlefront near the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, one Swedish expert doesn’t believe Russian forces have achieved much of significance.
Military Analyst Johan Norberg says Russia hasn’t advanced all that much. He categorizes them as small gains. He says what is significant is that Russia is pressing in an area where it hasn’t really made much of an offensive before. Norberg says that Russian forces may be looking to create a buffer zone to make future Ukrainian counterattacks more difficult.
He also speculates that Russia could be looking to gain some ground to stage another, much more major attack, or it could be looking to draw Ukrainian forces away from where it is really planning an all-out assault.
“The main Russian effort is still in Donbas, i.e., further south. Now Ukraine is forced to withdraw forces to the north and become weaker in the south.”
Either way, he doesn’t see anything that would lead to a decisive victory for either side at the moment.
“Both sides would have to mobilize much more to be able to decide. Ukraine must continue to receive support from the West; it is absolutely decisive what we in the West do."
🇩🇰
As of this morning, a section of the Roskilde airport and a part of the harbour in Kalundborg have been deemed temporary military zones. That means there will be no public access to the two areas, with both being cordoned off and under military guard. This usually means weapons and equipment from an allied NATO country, most likely the United States, are either arriving in Denmark en route to NATO facilities in the Baltics or being returned home.
The special military area will remain in place at Roskilde airport until midnight on May 30. At Kalundborg, it will remain locked down until midnight on July 6.
-
Denmark continues to move full speed ahead in building its military back up. On Tuesday, Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen will hold a press conference on the topic of expanding national shipbuilding capacity to add to Denmark’s naval fleet.
🇩🇰🇫🇷
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen met with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris over the weekend. The big topic on the agenda was the war in Ukraine. Frederiksen told Denmark’s national broadcaster, DR, that the two discussed how Europe can become more resilient in light of the deteriorating security situation.
“We need to invest much more in our defense and in our own defense industry. And all that requires Europe to be stronger, also competitively, compared to the rest of the world.”
Frederiksen is referring to weapons and ammunition production in Europe.
Macron has struck an increasingly hard line against Russia, including headline grabbing comments recently about sending European troops into Ukraine.
🇫🇮/ 🇷🇺
Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo says while the eastern border with Russia has remained calm, Finnish intelligence indicates that there are still thousands of migrants on the Russian side of the border waiting for it to reopen.
This week, the Finnish government will table a tough new law in parliament seeking to allow illegal migrants to be immediately deported back into Russia under certain circumstances. Critics say the law violates Finland’s international agreements.
Russia instigated a migrant crisis at the Finnish border last fall, forcing the Finnish government to temporarily close its land borders with Russia. In February, the border closure was made indefinite.
-
Former Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin warned that if Russia takes over Ukraine, then Moldova and the Balkans will be the next targets of Russia’s aggression. Marin was speaking at an international conference in Poland.
"We need to send Vladimir Putin the signal that whatever happens, the end [result] will be Ukraine joining the EU and NATO. I don't think that [we] as democracies can afford to let our values slide, let Ukraine lose, and let Russia win, because then we will only end up in a worse situation where all of us are fearing for our future constantly.”
Marin warned the audience that if Russia wins in Ukraine, then it will mean war in Europe “for decades to come.”
🇬🇧🇺🇦
The British government not only sent Ukraine another weapons package on Sunday; it rushed the latest weapons and ammunition donations to the front line. The expedited shipment includes 80 air defense missiles, with 20 more to follow shortly. The UK also sent one million rounds of ammunition, 20 Viking amphibious vehicles, long-range surveillance drones, over 20 mine clearing systems, and 30 pallets of vital spare parts.
UK Defense Secretary Grant Shapps:
“The world cannot wait, Ukraine needs us to step up so they have what they need to push Putin back. That’s exactly what the UK has done today.”
-
The British defense secretary is issuing a “wake up call” for Western countries and their support for Ukraine. In an interview with Sky News, Grant Shapps called delays in military aid from the United States and other countries “completely nonsensical.” Shapps says a recent visit to Kyiv hammered that point home.
"It was a wake-up moment for the West, and by delaying what we should be doing, we were running the risk of doing exactly what President Zelensky is concerned about. I think this is completely nonsensical for the West. We have to understand we are in an existential battle about the way we run the world order and about democracy itself."
He says delays in getting Ukraine weapons and ammunition, particularly from the U.S. were having very real and negative impacts on the battlefield as Russia looked to take advantage.
"Now I'm confident that Ukraine will be able to repel that but there's a few difficult weeks ahead.”
🇪🇪/ 🇷🇺
Russian President Vladimir Putin is using the same rhetoric in referring to the Baltic states as he did with Ukraine to justify Russia’s invasion. Putin uses words like “Nazis” and “subhumans.”
Ahead of this summer’s European parliamentary elections, security and defense are far and away the top issues for voters in Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. The Prime Minister of Estonia, Kaja Kallas, is on the Kremlin’s most wanted list as Moscow accuses her of “desecrating historical memories” for the removal of Russian monuments in Estonia.
Kallas is unphased by being one of the Kremlin’s most wanted.
“Russia wants to signal that they do not recognize Estonia as an independent country. If Ukraine wins the war, we don't need to talk about who will be next. Therefore, we must do our utmost to ensure that they do not lose. Let's not be guided by fear. Putin wants us to be afraid; don't give him that. Let's act decisively and don't let adversaries dictate our future.”
Estonia has committed to spending 3.2% of its GDP on defense. It is also the first country to legislate the use of frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine win the war.
🇵🇱/ 🇷🇺🇧🇾
The Polish government will spend over €2 billion to add even more fortifications along its borders with Russia and Belarus.
Polish Prime Minister, Donald Tusk!
“We have started this work to make Poland's border a secure border in peacetime and impenetrable to an enemy in wartime.”
🇩🇰The Week Ahead Round Up🇩🇰
Monday, May 20:
The Royal Run takes place in six cities across Denmark today. The event was sold out for the first time ever this year. It will also be the first Royal Run since King Frederik X became king. He and other members of the Royal family run in the event every year. If the schedule is right King Frederik will run in Fredericia, Aarhus, and Copenhagen.
-
In Odense, tbe Børnefestibal takes place today. The children’s festival, sometimes called ‘Children’s Roskilde’ after the well know rock festival, uses activities and music to encourage kids to play, enjoy music, and use their imagination.
It begins at noon and goes until 4:00 p.m.
It takes place at Ansgars Anlæg Sdr. Boulevard 1, in Odense.
You can buy tickets HERE.
-
You can learn all about the bee and its role in Danish agriculture as well as taste home-brewed beer made traditionally at Den Fynske Landsby in Odense today.
The outdoor museum runs the special holiday Monday event from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
You can find it at Sejerskovvej 20 in Odense.
Den Fynske Landsby’s website is HERE.
Tuesday, May 21:
Copenhagen hosts the Global Fashion Summit. The three day event begins today and ends on Thursday. This year’s focus is on ‘unlocking solutions to fashion’s biggest sustainability barriers.’
It takes place at Koncerthuset located at Ørestads Boulevard 13.
You can find out more information and buy tickets HERE.
-
The Danish National Women’s team will play two qualifying matches for the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 tournament coming up in May and June. Today the roster will be announced.
The announcement is scheduled for noon at the Dansk Boldspil Union offices in Brønby.
Wednesday, May 22:
A special ceremony will be held today at Copenhagen City Hall today to pay tribute to the people who ran into the burning Børsen building last month to save invaluable artwork and other historical and cultural treasures. Copenhagen Mayor Sophie Hæstorp Andersen will preside over the ceremony.
It begins at 12:30 p.m.
-
The SPOR Festival begins in Aarhus today. The five-day contemporary music and sound art festival looks to build deeper connections to the Danish contemporary music scene.
It takes place at different venues around the city.
You can see the program and buy tickets HERE.
Thursday, May 23:
Copenhagen Art Week begins today and goes until June 1. The event takes place at galleries, art fairs, museums, exhibition halls, and public spaces throughout the city. It also features several special events.
My web browser wouldn’t let me access the event website but you can find out a little more via Visit Copenhagen at this LINK.
-
The Viborg Street Food Festival begins today. The city’s main square will have a number of different food trucks offering all sorts of different tasty morsels along with an array of alcohol and non-alcoholic beverages. There will also be live music. For the children there will be a circus playground, a juggler, a soap bubble show, and more.
The event takes place in the city center from today through Sunday.
You can find out more on Facebook HERE.
Friday, May 24:
The annual Danish Beer Enthusiasts Beer Festival takes place in Copenhagen today. Organizers say there will be 1,000 different beer options to be had. The festival is expected to bring in some 10,000 visitors.
The two day festival takes place at Lokomotivværkstedet, Otto Busses Vej 5.
You can find out a lot more information and buy tickets HERE.
-
The Bloom Festival begins in Copenhagen today. Taking place through Sunday the festival celebrates nature and science through music, art, performance, and other events.
You can see the entire program HERE
-
At the Friday night concert series in Tivoli, Copenhagen’s iconic amusement park, Barselona and Pil will be performing.
The concert begins at 10:00 p.m.
Learn more about them and get tickets HERE.
-
Over in Aarhus at Tivoli Friheden Amusement Park Danish rappers Lamin and Artigeardit are performing at the Friday night concert.
You can find out more and buy tickets HERE.
-
The magnificent Salling rooftop patio in Aarhus holds its usual Friday night summer series event. Come enjoy some great food and drinks, Tonight DJ Supernova takes over the stage.
You can find the Salling rooftop on the Aarhus gågade. Things get going at 4:00 p.m.
Learn all about it HERE.
Saturday, May 25:
The largest carnival in Northern Europe takes place in Aalborg today. More than 100,000 people are expected to watch the magnificent colours and spectacle of Grand Parade that will wind its way through the city streets.
The parade begins at 10:00 a.m.
You can buy tickets and learn more about it all HERE.
Sunday, May 26:
Today is King Frederik X’s birthday. The new Danish monarch will turn 56. The king and the Royal family will appear on the balcony at Frederik VIII’s palace in Amalienborg Slot in Copenhagen where they will be serenaded by the crowd singing happy birthday.
The king will appear on the balcony at noon.