Author | Lightnews

Meike Eijsberg @meikeeijsberg.bsky.social · 5d

Shout out to the economists who helped me make sense of everything!

Meike Eijsberg @meikeeijsberg.bsky.social · 5d

Climate change has sent Europe an invoice - €738 billion in losses from extreme weather since 1980, according to the EEA.

To find out what that really means, I dipped my toe into the world of climate finance💶

An essay for the @eurcorrespond.bsky.social :
europeancorrespondent.com/en/r/why-eur...

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Reposted by Meike Eijsberg

Datawrapper @datawrapper.de · Sep 16

This week's Dispatch brings a range of topics — U.S. politics, gender issues, the economy, conflict, and climate — as well as a chart-themed game at the end. 📊 🕹️

www.datawrapper.de/blog/data-vi...

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Reposted by Meike Eijsberg

The European Correspondent @eurcorrespond.bsky.social · Sep 12

Europe is engulfed in flames. Wildfires raging across the continent have burnt more than 1.8 million hectares as of early September – making 2025 the worst year on record.

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Meike Eijsberg @meikeeijsberg.bsky.social · Sep 12

Combined with rising temperatures and shifting wind and weather patterns, this creates the perfect conditions for wildfires to ignite earlier every year and burn longer – most likely for months to come.

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Meike Eijsberg @meikeeijsberg.bsky.social · Sep 12

The other reason is climate change. Many countries saw heavy rainfall earlier in the year, followed by an exceptionally dry spring. It allowed forests and grasslands to grow lush, only to shrivel back into tinder-dry vegetation afterwards.

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Meike Eijsberg @meikeeijsberg.bsky.social · Sep 12

A closer look at data from the #EFFIS shows that fires are starting earlier each year. The first sparks now flare weeks before summer, while the last embers die out much later. A longer season means more ground can burn, which is one reason behind this year's record total.

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Meike Eijsberg @meikeeijsberg.bsky.social · Sep 12

Europe is engulfed in flames.

Wildfires raging across the continent have burnt more than 1.8 million hectares as of early September – making 2025 the worst year on record.

This figure, although alarming, doesn’t tell the full story.

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Meike Eijsberg @meikeeijsberg.bsky.social · Sep 12

My latest for the @eurcorrespond.bsky.social: an analysis and visualisation of data from #EFFIS
⬇️🔥

europeancorrespondent.com/en/r/a-growi...

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Meike Eijsberg @meikeeijsberg.bsky.social · Sep 10

Gift link for those that stayed: www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/c9f9ee5...

The results of the Big Butterfly Count are in – and it’s not good news

Despite enjoying the sunniest spring and hottest summer on record in the UK, numbers of the colourful flutterers are less than reassuring

www.telegraph.co.uk

Meike Eijsberg @meikeeijsberg.bsky.social · Sep 10

Data from the Office for National Statistics, released earlier this year, show a similar and worrying trend.

The overall number of butterflies in the UK has dropped by 18 per cent over time, and in England by 19 per cent.

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Meike Eijsberg @meikeeijsberg.bsky.social · Sep 10

By contrast, the holly blue had its second-worst Big Butterfly Count result on record, the common blue had its third worst and the meadow brown had its fourth-worst Count result.

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Meike Eijsberg @meikeeijsberg.bsky.social · Sep 10

Thankfully, some species did show increases📈

The large white and small white both recorded their best Big Butterfly Count result on record.

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Meike Eijsberg @meikeeijsberg.bsky.social · Sep 10

It's why this year's numbers are considered concerning -- they could have been higher!

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Meike Eijsberg @meikeeijsberg.bsky.social · Sep 10

But the latter is something they’re more sensitive to, making them important #bioindicators.

Because they respond so rapidly to changes in climate and habitat, they act as an early warning system for wider environmental shifts caused by climate change.

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Meike Eijsberg @meikeeijsberg.bsky.social · Sep 10

Butterflies need two things to thrive: good weather and a healthy environment.

The former was definitely checked off: it was the sunniest spring on record, and the warmest summer! ☀️

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Meike Eijsberg @meikeeijsberg.bsky.social · Sep 10

While a marked improvement on last summer’s record low of just seven, it will do little to reverse longer-term declines.

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Meike Eijsberg @meikeeijsberg.bsky.social · Sep 10

Between July 18 and August 10, more than 125,000 citizen scientists took part and recorded 1.7 million #butterflies and #moths.

On average, participants recorded 10.3 butterflies during each 15-minute count.

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Meike Eijsberg @meikeeijsberg.bsky.social · Sep 10

In case you missed it yesterday: the results of the annual #ButterflyCount are in!🦋

But it's not good news for our fluttering friends😢

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/09...

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Access Restricted

telegraph.co.uk

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Meike Eijsberg @meikeeijsberg.bsky.social · Sep 5

We're tracking Trump on eight pledges:

✅Approval
👮Immigration
🇺🇦The war in Ukraine
📉The economy
👉His executive orders
💼Downsizing the government
🛢️Oil production
🌎Trade

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Meike Eijsberg @meikeeijsberg.bsky.social · Sep 5

With the new BLS data🇺🇸announced today, it feels like a good time to share our Trump tracker once again:

telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/...

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Trump tracker: Is the US president keeping his pledges?

We break down the data behind the Trump’s second term - and let you be the final judge

telegraph.co.uk

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Reposted by Meike Eijsberg

Telegraph Global Health Security @telglobalhealth.bsky.social · Sep 5

No RFK Jr, America isn’t the sickest country in the world – but it’s far from the healthiest

Analysis: Despite spending more on healthcare than any other nation, the United States clearly has a problem

✍️ @sneweyy.bsky.social @meikeeijsberg.bsky.social
analysis

www.telegraph.co.uk/global-healt...

Access Restricted

www.telegraph.co.uk

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Meike Eijsberg @meikeeijsberg.bsky.social · Sep 4

Something did beat that Jet2 holiday

www.ft.com/content/3bef...

Jet2 shares tumble as UK tour operator warns on profits

Company says customers are holding off bookings

www.ft.com

Meike Eijsberg @meikeeijsberg.bsky.social · Sep 1

👏👏👏

NRC @nrc.nl · Sep 1

Waarom zijn de voorpagina en website van NRC vandaag zwart? Om samen met talloze andere media wereldwijd en de organisatie Reporters sans Frontières te benadrukken dat journalisten in Gaza veilig moeten kunnen werken.
buff.ly/ndIvLu6

Wat vindt NRC | Wie journalisten doodt, kan de waarheid niet aan

Oorlog in Gaza

buff.ly

Meike Eijsberg @meikeeijsberg.bsky.social · Aug 26

Gift link🎁
www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/dee919f...

Is your home at risk from rising UK wildfires?

Our interactive tool shows the likelihood of fire breaking out near you

www.telegraph.co.uk