Review of 2022 (part 2)

Temperatures around the world were very high in 2022. The UK had its highest temperature ever at 40 degrees Celsius. In Portugal and France, there were huge forest fires which burnt down many people's homes. Fires also continued to burn through forests in the US Pacific coast.

The Indian government targeted plastic pollution. A new law made some single-use plastics illegal. Businesses are making eco-friendly food packaging.

Rhea Mazumdar Singhal: 'We wanted to create a product that was safe for humanity to eat their food out of. By that I mean that it doesn't change the nutritional value of the food that you put in it. Secondly, it had to be safe for the environment. So it wasn't going to sit in a landfill and it's not going to outlive you forever.'

In many countries, women were taking new opportunities. In Saudi Arabia, the government opened employment to women. Some began working as mechanics. They’re part of a plan to grow the country's economy.

Taliban rulers in Afghanistan kept girls’ schools closed. Girls could only go to religious schools. So many secret schools started. They called themselves religious schools but girls study other subjects.

Researchers tested a new way to find bacteria. This is important for making safe vaccines. At the moment, they test vaccines with blood from horseshoe crabs. The new test uses an artificial liquid solution.

Children in Kenya were saved by peanut paste. This ready to use food stops people from starving. It contains enough energy, protein and vitamins to keep children alive.

James Jarso: "If we run out of this, more deaths would be recorded very soon actually, very soon. We lost a child, I saw. We actually referred four of them to Marsabit County referral hospital. One died! We lost him. Three of them survived. So, this one is life saving. Without this, more children will die."

The world lost two important leaders. FIrst, Mikhail Gorbachev, who’d been president of the Soviet Union, died. Then Queen Elizabeth II died after 70 years as Queen of the United Kingdom.

Climate change took many people’s lives in September. Pakistan had an extreme rainy season, where floods left a third of the country under water. They caused billions of dollars of damage and were a reminder of the dangers of climate change.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus: "Floods in Pakistan, drought and famine in the Greater Horn of Africa, and more frequent and intense cyclones in the Pacific and Caribbean all point to the urgent need for action against the existential threat of climate change."

Hurricane Ian destroyed homes in the US state of Florida. Residents were unsure if they wanted to continue living there.

Irene Giordano: "We have nowhere to go. I mean we could, we've, well I mean, we have places to go. But I, I just, you know, my mom's here – I just don't know. Don't have really any desire, in, in some ways, I – it's hard to say. It just, it just, it's just hard to describe."

World leaders met in November to talk about climate change targets. Poorer countries demanded funds for loss and damage at the COP27 event in Egypt. They haven’t caused climate change, but experience the worst effects of it.

Disha Ravi: "We are here today to ask world leaders to pay up for loss and damages in my country and other countries in the world that are on the frontline of the climate crisis, so we are here to ask today to show us the money."

At the end of 2022, Russian attacks on Ukraine focused on the power network. Ukraine’s government organised power cuts to protect electricity supplies. In Kyiv’s empty concert halls, musicians organised concerts by LED candlelight. They helped people keep warm and destress. View Less