Angela Bularga

Sharing news about green policies and action with a focus on Eastern Partnership countries. All views are purely personal

[Angela Bularga @AngelaBularga]

Our planet is incredibly beautiful, we must invest way more into studying and preserving its beauty.

[National Antarctic Scientific Center 🇺🇦 @nasc_ua]

🤩 Look at these incredible photos taken during the 5th season of the r/v Noosfera! Our flagship in the Southern Ocean appears to float among icy mirages — and in some shots, it seems to be “hovering” above the water. 🚢✨

How does this happen? 👇

A mirage is a natural optical illusion caused by differences in air temperature. A thin layer of warmer air above the ocean surface acts like a distorted mirror, bending light rays and creating additional images of distant objects alongside their real positions.

The horizon we see in these conditions is only an apparent one — it lies slightly below the true horizon. The greater the temperature contrast above the surface, the thicker the mirage layer becomes.

You can see similar effects above hot asphalt or desert sands 🏜️. But over the ocean, this kind of mirage is a true polar phenomenon, most often observed around Antarctica 🇦🇶

Here, cold air flowing from the continent meets the relatively warmer Southern Ocean, creating the perfect conditions for powerful mirages that can last for days or even weeks.

🚢 Under such conditions, the Noosfera could easily be mistaken for a “flying ship” — and legends of such vessels were likely inspired by this very phenomenon.

📸 Vladyslav Khreshcheniuk

[Angela Bularga @AngelaBularga]

@ResilienceX3 Beautiful landscapes

[Angela Bularga @AngelaBularga]

@ResilienceX3 Botero

[Angela Bularga @AngelaBularga]

If one accounts for inflation since the late 1980s, this oil price of USD 40 per barrel is very close to the one that collapsed the Soviet Union.

[The Moscow Times (RU) @MoscowTimes_ru]

«Бюджет под угрозой». Цена российской нефти обвалилась до $40 за баррель
https://t.co/UPEFsZNO9h

[Angela Bularga @AngelaBularga]

This framing of fighting a football match agains the world (and not just a small nation) is very convenient for explaining an eventual defeat. It reminds me something...

[Velina Tchakarova @vtchakarova]

The only true geopolitical clout the European Commission has is the EU enlargement. We went from Juncker’s “there won’t be any enlargement until 2019” to VdL’s accelerated enlargement plans. And that’s the right thing to do since Ukraine, Moldova & WB’s accession is geopolitical.

[Angela Bularga @AngelaBularga]

"...satellite observations, hydrological studies and ecological monitoring indicate that the Caspian Sea is undergoing a sustained decline in water levels. The result is a gradual transformation of coastal geography, ecosystems and livelihoods across the region..."

[Angela Bularga @AngelaBularga]

"In 2022, total climatological losses in Europe reached EUR46bn while the insured share rose only marginally. Most heat damage accumulates through excess mortality, lost working hours, healthcare-system pressure and infrastructure stress [...]".

[Alexander Kavtaradze @alexkavtaradze_]

The other day I stood by the river towards evening and these two roe deer appeared at half-minute intervals. As soon as they noticed me, they ran away.

It is difficult to put into words the feeling one experiences when being so close to them. Every living creature is a treasure of this world, and we must cherish them.

Gujareti Valley, Samtskhe, south-central Georgia

[Angela Bularga @AngelaBularga]

A good mapping of my bookshelves too! I have plenty of dictionaries and cookbooks ("half-read"?). The reports that I wrote myself (are they "books"?) could be under "purely for show" category. Do you keep books in hard copy?

[Simon Kuestenmacher @simongerman600]

Wonderful cartoon by @tomgauld describes my bookshelf pretty accurately. Give him a follow if you enjoy books or science. Also buy his stuff and find out which category his books will be in your library!

[Angela Bularga @AngelaBularga]

A very good statement except for its title: this situation is more about Infantino and FIFA than Balogun. https://t.co/ehDD4LfrkA

[Angela Bularga @AngelaBularga]

Good to hear that the value of water as an economic asset is recognised. The water exploitation index (WEI+) can support forecasting efforts and sound economic decisions in situations of water scarcity in particular.

[Christophe Barraud🛢🐳 @C_Barraud]

🚨 USA, Chine, Europe : qui arrive vraiment le mieux armé pour 2026 ?

🗺️ Les US carburent à la dette et à l’IA, la Chine domine l’industrie, l’Europe tente le rebond. Chez @LesFinanciersTV, j'ai fait un bilan macro par zone après le premier semestre.

https://t.co/IqyYlnQ5uA

[Angela Bularga @AngelaBularga]

Brussels has seen a fairly good evolution of outdoor air quality. I wonder how indoor air quality has evolved over the years. You can check your own location, the link is below the air quality stripes.

[Angela Bularga @AngelaBularga]

There was such a strong desire to bring Soviet times back that they brought those times back. The real ones, not the TV propaganda version. What's next? Food shortage and food rationing? Systematically refusing to be just a wealthy nation turns tragic, especially for neighbours.

[Aleksandar Djokic (Александар Джокич) @polidemitolog]

Russia's fuel crisis has brought back Soviet-style shortages on a nationwide scale, with rationing, long queues, preferential access for officials and crackdowns on fuel resellers. Restrictions on gasoline sales are now in place across roughly two-thirds of Russia's regions, while some areas have introduced QR codes or limited fuel sales to specific days. Independent gas stations have shut down, motorists have waited up to 60 hours to refuel, and police have begun targeting people accused of reselling gasoline at inflated prices.

[Angela Bularga @AngelaBularga]

It is highly likely that my late mother treated the Roma baron when he was a child. During her work in the Soroca hospital, she was often visiting the Roma community to address medical urgencies, day or night. They developed a high degree of mutual trust. RIP

[Paula Erizanu @paulaerizanu]

Moldovan Roma baron Artur Cerari died today. I interviewed him a few years ago and told the story of his community here: https://t.co/jrzC26HrbX

[Francesco Sassi @Frank_Stones]

On America’s 250th anniversary, the largest U.S. power grid nearly hit its breaking point.

As triple-digit temperatures forced cancellations across major metros, grid operator PJM deployed extreme emergency protocols.

Target number one? AI and data centres. 🧵🇺🇸⚡️👇

[Angela Bularga @AngelaBularga]

Ultimately, the number of excess deaths is the metrics that shows where heatwaves are managed better. It's not the number of homes with air conditioning. If your grid is down and there is no power, having airco does not help. Let's see in fall what works better under 40-45C.

[Angela Bularga @AngelaBularga]

US: a total of 956, 388 homes without power. No power, no airco. https://t.co/B9Ym1B8Xao

[Angela Bularga @AngelaBularga]

During heatwaves, Paris is a dangerous place for people who live under the roof. I moved out though nowadays living under the roof in Brussels is not any better. Risks are growing across Europe while buildings and mentality are skewed towards insulation from cold.

[LCP @LCP]

"Il faut rappeler que c'est en Europe que les canicules font le plus de morts, et c'est à Paris que les canicules sont les plus mortelles", dit @Gemenne, professeur à HEC. "Il y a quatre fois plus de risques de mortalité dans un appartement sous les toits"

[European External Action Service - EEAS 🇪🇺 @eu_eeas]

The EU's Political and Security Committee (PSC) has just concluded a visit to Kyiv, reaffirming the EU's steadfast support for Ukraine in the face of Russia's war of aggression. From high-level talks to enduring a heavy aerial attack, this visit underscores the unshakable solidarity with Ukraine's resilience.

At Hostomel Airport, the PSC saw firsthand the investigative work into Russian war crimes, a stark example of our determination to hold aggressors accountable. European Union Advisory Mission Ukraine (EUAM) remains a strong pillar for the EU's support in those domains.

The PSC also visited the training of Ukrainian soldiers organised by CAT-C under the EU Military Assistance Mission (EUMAM) Ukraine. To date, the mission has trained 100,000 Ukrainian soldiers. The visit demonstrated the mission's effective adaptation to Ukraine's evolving training needs, particularly in incorporating frontline battlefield experiences and lessons learned.