Aug 29, 2025 06:51 PM
Extreme heat linked to spike in domestic violence calls in New Orleans, study finds
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1096355
INTRO: Prolonged extreme heat in New Orleans was linked to a measurable increase in domestic violence-related emergency calls, according to new research in JAMA Open Network co-authored by the Tulane University’s Newcomb Institute.
The study analyzed more than 150,000 domestic violence (DV) calls made to the New Orleans Police Department from 2011 to 2021. Researchers found that when “feels-like” temperatures factoring in heat and humidity stayed in the city’s top 10% for at least five straight days, domestic violence calls rose by 7%. In New Orleans, those conditions typically mean sustained feels-like temperatures of 93 to 100 degrees or higher.
Absent such extreme heat there would have been about 245 fewer calls during the study period.
“Extreme heat is more than a weather issue — it’s a public health and safety concern,” said Anita Raj, executive director of the Newcomb Institute and senior author of the study. “We must treat heat preparedness as part of our violence prevention strategies.” (MORE - details, no ads)
Net zero pledges: corporate buzzword or genuine commitment?
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1096427
INTRO: Many of the world’s largest corporations have adopted ‘net-zero’ carbon reduction pledges because they feel the need to conform to expected ‘appropriate behaviour’ or risk reputational damage, a new study reveals.
While ‘net zero’ has become a dominant theme for companies communicating their climate change credentials, many corporate pledges lack the substance needed to drive real change.
Publishing their findings in Applied Corpus Linguistics, researchers from the University of Birmingham conclude that companies' net-zero narratives often serve as symbolic reputation management rather than a blueprint for transformative climate action.
Drs Matteo Fuoli and Annika Beelitz used advanced linguistic techniques to analyse over 1,200 sustainability reports from Fortune Global 500 companies between 2020 and 2022.
The study is the first large-scale linguistic analysis of net-zero discourse among these companies. It combines quantitative text analysis with qualitative interpretation to reveal how language shapes corporate climate narratives.
They discovered that adoption of net-zero targets is driven by a mix of pressures such as legal mandates, peer imitation, and social expectations. Oil and gas companies, under intense scrutiny, appear motivated by legitimacy concerns, while financial firms emphasize alliances and peer alignment.
Dr Fuoli commented: “While net-zero pledges are a step forward, their credibility hinges on transparency and measurable progress. Our findings suggest that net zero is often used as a symbolic tool to maintain legitimacy rather than a framework for transformative action. Without clearer strategies and stronger commitments, these pledges risk becoming another chapter in the long history of corporate greenwashing.”
The study highlights recent rollbacks in climate commitments by major players like BP and Shell, raising concerns about the resilience of corporate climate strategies in the face of geopolitical and economic pressures... (MORE - details, no ads)
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1096355
INTRO: Prolonged extreme heat in New Orleans was linked to a measurable increase in domestic violence-related emergency calls, according to new research in JAMA Open Network co-authored by the Tulane University’s Newcomb Institute.
The study analyzed more than 150,000 domestic violence (DV) calls made to the New Orleans Police Department from 2011 to 2021. Researchers found that when “feels-like” temperatures factoring in heat and humidity stayed in the city’s top 10% for at least five straight days, domestic violence calls rose by 7%. In New Orleans, those conditions typically mean sustained feels-like temperatures of 93 to 100 degrees or higher.
Absent such extreme heat there would have been about 245 fewer calls during the study period.
“Extreme heat is more than a weather issue — it’s a public health and safety concern,” said Anita Raj, executive director of the Newcomb Institute and senior author of the study. “We must treat heat preparedness as part of our violence prevention strategies.” (MORE - details, no ads)
Net zero pledges: corporate buzzword or genuine commitment?
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1096427
INTRO: Many of the world’s largest corporations have adopted ‘net-zero’ carbon reduction pledges because they feel the need to conform to expected ‘appropriate behaviour’ or risk reputational damage, a new study reveals.
While ‘net zero’ has become a dominant theme for companies communicating their climate change credentials, many corporate pledges lack the substance needed to drive real change.
Publishing their findings in Applied Corpus Linguistics, researchers from the University of Birmingham conclude that companies' net-zero narratives often serve as symbolic reputation management rather than a blueprint for transformative climate action.
Drs Matteo Fuoli and Annika Beelitz used advanced linguistic techniques to analyse over 1,200 sustainability reports from Fortune Global 500 companies between 2020 and 2022.
The study is the first large-scale linguistic analysis of net-zero discourse among these companies. It combines quantitative text analysis with qualitative interpretation to reveal how language shapes corporate climate narratives.
They discovered that adoption of net-zero targets is driven by a mix of pressures such as legal mandates, peer imitation, and social expectations. Oil and gas companies, under intense scrutiny, appear motivated by legitimacy concerns, while financial firms emphasize alliances and peer alignment.
Dr Fuoli commented: “While net-zero pledges are a step forward, their credibility hinges on transparency and measurable progress. Our findings suggest that net zero is often used as a symbolic tool to maintain legitimacy rather than a framework for transformative action. Without clearer strategies and stronger commitments, these pledges risk becoming another chapter in the long history of corporate greenwashing.”
The study highlights recent rollbacks in climate commitments by major players like BP and Shell, raising concerns about the resilience of corporate climate strategies in the face of geopolitical and economic pressures... (MORE - details, no ads)