Latest news with #2040
Sydney Morning Herald
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
These kids want climate action. Here are the cutting questions they're asking CEOs
'You are not a powerful leader. You are a disgrace.' Skye Neville, a 13-year-old Welsh eco-activist, recently said this point blank to Nestle's global head of public affairs during a meeting about the food and beverage conglomerate's contribution to the climate crisis. She wasn't alone in criticising the company. Seven other children, aged from 10 to 15, sat intently around the same boardroom table, determined to make one thing clear: they believe the company is not doing enough. This powerful scene is captured in Future Council, a documentary film that follows eight children travelling across Europe in a vegetable oil-powered school bus to better understand the climate crisis, and to hold those in positions of power to account. Directed by and featuring Damon Gameau (That Sugar Film), Future Council is a stark reminder not to underestimate young people's understanding of the world around us – an insight that hit Gameau during the press tour for his 2019 documentary 2040, which also centred on environmental awareness. 'We did many classroom screenings for that film. I was shocked by the level of acumen the younger generation had around sustainability. My generation probably underestimated this new generation and how much information they're exposed to,' Gameau says. 'The ones who are passionate about sustainability actually know far more than most adults do. I just thought, these children need their own platform – a way to express their ideas, their concerns for the future, and why they should have a say in shaping their future given they're going to inherit it.' It turns out many children were craving such a platform – more than 1000 young people from across the globe auditioned to take part in Gameau's Euro-environmental adventure, making it a tough job to narrow the group down. 'But the final eight, they really chose themselves,' Gameau says. 'As soon as they were on camera, there was something in me that went, 'OK, they're coming on the trip'.'
The Age
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
These kids want climate action. Here are the cutting questions they're asking CEOs
'You are not a powerful leader. You are a disgrace.' Skye Neville, a 13-year-old Welsh eco-activist, recently said this point blank to Nestle's global head of public affairs during a meeting about the food and beverage conglomerate's contribution to the climate crisis. She wasn't alone in criticising the company. Seven other children, aged from 10 to 15, sat intently around the same boardroom table, determined to make one thing clear: they believe the company is not doing enough. This powerful scene is captured in Future Council, a documentary film that follows eight children travelling across Europe in a vegetable oil-powered school bus to better understand the climate crisis, and to hold those in positions of power to account. Directed by and featuring Damon Gameau (That Sugar Film), Future Council is a stark reminder not to underestimate young people's understanding of the world around us – an insight that hit Gameau during the press tour for his 2019 documentary 2040, which also centred on environmental awareness. 'We did many classroom screenings for that film. I was shocked by the level of acumen the younger generation had around sustainability. My generation probably underestimated this new generation and how much information they're exposed to,' Gameau says. 'The ones who are passionate about sustainability actually know far more than most adults do. I just thought, these children need their own platform – a way to express their ideas, their concerns for the future, and why they should have a say in shaping their future given they're going to inherit it.' It turns out many children were craving such a platform – more than 1000 young people from across the globe auditioned to take part in Gameau's Euro-environmental adventure, making it a tough job to narrow the group down. 'But the final eight, they really chose themselves,' Gameau says. 'As soon as they were on camera, there was something in me that went, 'OK, they're coming on the trip'.'
LBCI
02-07-2025
- Business
- LBCI
EU proposes 90% climate emission cuts by 2040, with flexibility
The European Commission proposed on Wednesday to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 90 percent by 2040, with flexibility to address concerns from EU member states that must approve the plans. The long-delayed target is a key milestone on the path to the European Union's 2050 carbon neutrality goal. To sway skeptical capitals, the EU executive proposes that from 2036, the bloc's 27 countries can count carbon credits purchased to finance projects outside Europe for up to three percent of their emission cuts. AFP
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Dementia risk 'can be reduced' by herb that's easy to grow in kitchens and gardens
Dementia affects millions of people worldwide, and the numbers are increasing. There is currently an estimated 982,000 people with dementia in the UK, and it is predicted that 1.4 million people will be living with dementia by 2040, according to the Alzheimer's Society. However, new research has emerged that suggests that a common herb that's easy to grow in your kitchen or garden can actually reduce the risk of getting the brain disorder. Rich in natural compounds that support memory and protect brain cells, this everyday plant is gaining attention as a simple yet powerful ally in the fight against dementia. The secret weapon: rosemary. The herb has long been associated with sharper memory and improved mental clarity, and even appeared in Shakespeare's Hamlet, where Ophelia stated: "There's rosemary, that's for remembrance." READ MORE: Scientist reveals that eating this one fruit a day will lower inflammation READ MORE: Early dementia symptom that could show up when you're on holiday But now modern science is exploring whether rosemary can be linked to aiding Alzheimer's disease. In a 2025 study published in Antioxidants, researchers explored the benefits of carnosic acid, which is a natural compound found in rosemary and sage. Carnosic acid is known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which activate the body's natural defence enzymes. However, "pure carnosic acid" is too unstable for direct use as a drug, so a more stable form called diAcCA was developed, which converts to carnosic acid in the gut, reported Scripps Research. Research showed "that when diAcCA was used to treat mouse models of Alzheimer's disease, it achieved therapeutic doses of carnosic acid in the brain and led to enhanced memory and synaptic density, or more synapses (representing the connections between nerve cells), in the brain. "Because the decline of neuronal synapses is also closely correlated to dementia in Alzheimer's disease, this approach could counteract the progression of cognitive decline." A health expert at the Independent also shared that rosemary can enhance mental clarity by boosting blood flow to the brain, delivering more oxygen and nutrients. Its calming aroma has also been linked to reduced anxiety and better sleep, both key for focus and memory. Another study conducted by a team at Northumbria University found a link between rosemary oil, lavender oil and memory performance. A doctor who participated in the study spoke to the BBC and shared: "It turns out that there are compounds in rosemary oil that may be responsible for changes in memory performance. "One of them is called 1,8-cineole - as well as smelling wonderful (if you like that sort of thing) it may act in the same way as the drugs licensed to treat dementia, causing an increase in a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine." The compound 1,8-cineole helps preserve acetylcholine, a vital brain chemical for learning and memory. By protecting this neurotransmitter, rosemary may support cognitive performance, even when we age. The doctor concluded: "The implications of this kind of research are huge, but they don't mean you need to spend your days smelling of rosemary and your night sleeping on a pillow of lavender. "The effects were measurable but modest, and they give us a clue that further research into some of the chemicals in essential oils may yield therapeutics and contribute to our understanding of memory and brain function."
The Sun
22-06-2025
- Health
- The Sun
I'm slowly losing my brilliant Dad to dementia – but now I'm tormented by a fear his demise could've been easily avoided
WATCHING my dad Mick cry sitting on the bottom stair when I was 11 years old in 1990 is a memory I can recall far too easily. Confused, I asked my mum Irene what was going on. I was told he was on new antidepressants and it would take some time for him to get used to the dose. 14 14 I knew what depression was, I'd read about it in magazines, but it was the first time I was told my beloved dad – who was just 43 at the time – had it. It's been 35 years since that memory. But every single one of those days since he's taken medication, which has chemically levelled out his poor mental health. When he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and dementia in 2020, the memory of hearing his sobbing didn't even register – until a few weeks ago. New research brought it screaming back into my mind. A study from the University of Nottingham, published last month, suggested having depression in midlife could increase the risk of Alzheimer's by as much as 56 per cent. My wonderful dad is one of about a million people in the UK living with dementia - a figure that's set to rise to 1.4million people by 2040. According to the charity Alzheimer's UK, depression is one of 14 modifiable and potentially preventable risk factors of the condition, so what if the depression I watched him live with throughout my childhood has contributed to or even caused the diagnosis which ultimately will end his life? Professor Jacob Brain, from the Institute of Mental Health and School of Medicine at the University of Nottingham who led the research, says the findings from the study need to be acted upon. 'Our study shows depression is linked to an increased risk of dementia in both midlife and late life,' he says. 'This highlights the importance of recognising and treating depression across the life course, not just for mental health, but also as part of a broader strategy to protect brain health. 'Public health efforts need to place greater emphasis on preventative brain health, including scaling up access to effective mental health care.' Around 2.5million people took part in the study, which concluded that feelings like my dad had in midlife – specifically in your 40s and 50s - more than doubled the risk of developing the condition. And with dementia costing the UK £42billion today, rising to £90billion by 2040, there's an urgency to treat midlife mental health to potentially reduce both the diagnosis statistics and the cost of dementia to the already struggling NHS. My dad doesn't know anything about the link between the two conditions, but it's all I can think about. While talking therapies were in their infancy back in the 90s, his midlife mental health and diagnosis could be inextricably connected. After crying on the stairs, his new dosage kicked in and he bounced back to the father I adored, who I used to make bread with and play chess with. Yet while clinical psychology has been in existence since the 1890s, it's only after his dementia diagnosis five years ago he was offered a psychologist to talk to. Until that time, his only help was a pill. It leaves me wondering whether his dementia would have occurred had his depression been treated and cured, rather than medicated for decades – and that's something I'll never have an answer to. I dread not knowing my grandchildren's names when I see them. I can't imagine the hurt they'll feel when that day comes and that's heartbreaking Mick O'ReillyDad Dementia is considered a terminal illness because it's degenerative and there's no cure. On average, life expectancy is between five and 10 years after diagnosis, and my amazing, funny, kind, smart and wonderful dad is halfway through that timeline. When he was diagnosed, under mum's advice, he wrote letters to both my brother Michael and I, as well as his four grandchildren, to be opened when he's not around anymore. The bomb blast of his diagnosis in our tight knit family was, and continues to be, devastating. My three children Eddie, 21, Sammy, 16, and Annie, 14, all cried on hearing the news. 14 14 14 14 Watching him forget simple words like 'pasta' or struggling to recall what a sofa is called has been challenging at best and devastating at worst. His passion for poetry and art is dwindling as his confusion mounts and his thousand-yard stare becomes something we grow accustomed to. But given the fact that around 13 per cent of people over the age of 65 suffer from depression, our family can't be the only ones living with a dementia diagnosis after midlife depression, which was left treated but not cured in the 1980s and 1990s. 'It's hard to admit it, but I'm terrified' By Mick O'Reilly, written in November 2020 after being diagnosed IN my heart I knew I had something wrong with me before it was diagnosed as dementia and Alzheimer's. For the last two years when I've woken in the night I don't know where I am and it takes a few seconds, sometimes a minute or two, to remember I'm at home. Despite living here for 36 years, if I'm out with my wife, Irene, I forget what the front of the house looks like. I've grown familiar with those feelings, that uncertainty, but labelling them – while it felt like being hit with a brick – was a relief. I'd worried it was a brain tumour and while people might think I'm mad to prefer this diagnosis to a brain tumour, it's just how I feel. It's hard to admit I'm frightened but I am. I'm terrified. I've had almost 50 years of marriage with Irene and we've raised a family – while those memories will go for me, she has plenty that will last her. The same with my children Michael and Clare; we've had holidays to Barry Island, Prestatyn and Scarborough with fish and chips and pickled cockles on the beach. We've had plenty of Christmases and birthdays together. I've watched them graduate from university and have their own children, but it's my four grandchildren I'm most saddened for. I've only had six years with my youngest grandchild, Michael, and whatever memories we make together will have to last him forever and they might fade for him as he grows up. I know I won't be present when it happens but I dread not knowing their names when I see them. I can't imagine the hurt they'll feel when that day comes and that's heartbreaking. Having had epilepsy for 41 years and thousands of seizures, many of which I had no idea were coming, I'm familiar with uncertainty, with not knowing what will happen next. But I do know this diagnosis isn't going anywhere and I have to accept that. I'm reminded of it every time I watch The Chase. I used to be able to get a few questions right, now I'm very lucky if I get one. Despite staring down the barrel of an abyss though, I don't feel sorry for myself. Why would I? I'll be ignorant in bliss, it's the family I love who'll have the hardship, not me. I feel guilty they'll have to endure the hurt that comes with this diagnosis – with being forgotten – but I'm helpless to prevent it. I'm not scared either, we all have to go some time and I've had a life far richer than a lot of people. I know Clare says at my essence I'm a decent bloke and will still be that even when I'm not anchored by my history or a past or family I've forgotten, but I can't help but wonder who I'll be when I've forgotten myself. The new research brings together existing evidence, but also adds fresh analysis to examine the relationship between the two conditions in more detail. 'Our findings raise the possibility that depression late in life may not just be a risk factor, but it could also be an early warning sign of dementia beginning to develop,' says Mr Brain. 'By clarifying this timing, our work helps guide future research, treatment, and prevention strategies. 'We specifically focused on the timing of when depression was measured, whether it was measured in midlife or in later life, and calculated how much it increased the risk of developing dementia. 'This essentially allowed us to provide a more accurate and up-to-date picture of how depression at different life stages is linked to dementia risk.' 'Bitter pill to swallow' While Alzheimer's UK says depression is a risk factor that can be attributed to three per cent of dementia cases, around 13 per cent of people over the age of 65 suffer from the condition, and my dad is one of them. With the publication of the findings from the University of Nottingham, Alzheimer's UK is calling on the UK Government and NHS to set ambitious and achievable new diagnosis rate targets. Dr Richard Oakley, associate director of research and innovation at Alzheimer's Society, says even more research will help establish the correlation and relationship between the two conditions. 'The relationship between depression and dementia is a complicated topic,' he says. 'While there is a connection, the association is still unclear, and we don't fully understand the specific changes that link these two conditions. 'We know that depression is a risk factor for dementia and some research suggests treating depression may reduce the risk of developing dementia in the future. 'This is why getting the right support for depression is important.' 14 14 14 It's too late for my dad to get the help that might have changed his diagnosis. There's a possibility he would have been diagnosed anyway but – like his antidepressants in the 1990s – it's a bitter pill to swallow. He still takes the 'happy pills' as he used to call them. And while there are glimpses of the dad who I grew up adoring, they're becoming fewer and further apart. I was too little to do anything back in 1990; his wonderful GP unaware of the link and his devoted wife – my mum – couldn't have known either. I do know there'll be an equivalent 'me' though – kids across the UK are living with parents with depression in their midlives. So for the sake of their adult selves, I hope the research findings are acted upon before another generation has to watch a parent they adore disappear in front of their eyes. 14 14 14 14
