Sunday, February 8News That Matters

Month: February 2025

Climate Change Alters Crocodile Behavior as Temperatures Rise

Climate Change Alters Crocodile Behavior as Temperatures Rise

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment, Fact Check
A new study has revealed that climate change is pushing estuarine crocodiles in Australia to their limits, forcing them to change their behavior in response to rising temperatures. The research, published in Current Biology, suggests that higher temperatures are reducing the reptiles’ diving ability and increasing their need to cool off. Crocodiles Struggling in the Heat Crocodiles are ectothermic (cold-blooded) animals, meaning they rely on external environments to regulate their body temperature. While they usually thrive in warm climates, rising global temperatures are pushing them closer to dangerous thermal limits. Researchers analyzed 203 crocodiles and found that since 2008, their highest body temperatures have risen by 0.55°C. The study noted that many of these crocodiles ...
India Prepares First-Ever National Adaptation Plan to Combat Climate Crisis

India Prepares First-Ever National Adaptation Plan to Combat Climate Crisis

Breaking News, Climate Actions
As climate-related disasters escalate, India is gearing up to launch its first-ever National Adaptation Plan (NAP) a landmark policy initiative aimed at reducing the vulnerability of communities across the country. The plan focuses on enhancing adaptive capacities and resilience at a national level, integrating climate adaptation into existing policies and development strategies. A Comprehensive Framework for Climate Resilience NAP is being developed through multi-stakeholder consultations, bringing together government bodies, scientific institutions, and disaster management experts. A crucial step in this process was a national workshop held on February 10-11 at the Integrated Centre for Adaptation to Climate Change, Disaster Risk Reduction and Sustainability (ICARS) at IIT Roorkee’...
How Satellites AI Supercomputers Are Changing the Battle Against Wildfires

How Satellites AI Supercomputers Are Changing the Battle Against Wildfires

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Learning & Developments, Space, Tech
As wildfires raged through Los Angeles in January 2025, cutting-edge technology played a crucial role in firefighting efforts. Satellites, artificial intelligence, and advanced computer models helped firefighters track, predict, and combat the fast-moving blazes. Fire detection has come a long way from the early 20th-century lookout towers built after the devastating Great Fire of 1910. Today, California alone has over 1,100 cameras scanning for smoke, with AI continuously analyzing images to detect fires before they spread. NOAA satellites provide real-time heat signatures, fire perimeter mapping, and air quality assessments. Once a fire is detected, predicting its behavior becomes essential. Advanced computer simulations use fuel models, terrain data, and real-time weather forecast...
UK Peatland Fires Set to Surge, Emissions Could Jump 60% with 2°C Warming

UK Peatland Fires Set to Surge, Emissions Could Jump 60% with 2°C Warming

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment
A new study warns that fire emissions from the UK’s peatlands could increase by 60% if global temperatures rise by 2°C, highlighting the growing threat of climate change to these vital carbon stores. Researchers found that between 2001 and 2021, peatland fires in the UK released an estimated 800,000 tonnes of carbon. If warming continues, annual emissions could reach 3.8 million tonnes equivalent to those from 820,800 cars or 133 commercial aircraft. The study, published in Environmental Research Letters, underscores the urgent need for restoration efforts to prevent catastrophic carbon losses. Peatlands, covering 9% of the UK’s land area, naturally sequester over three million tonnes of CO₂ annually. However, land management practices and prolonged dry spells have made them more sus...
Six Workers Trapped in Telangana’s SLBC Tunnel Collapse

Six Workers Trapped in Telangana’s SLBC Tunnel Collapse

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Environment
At least six workers are feared trapped after a roof collapse in the under-construction Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel in Nagarkurnool district, Telangana, on Saturday. A senior police official confirmed that six to eight workers were inside the tunnel, 12-13 km from the entrance, when the incident occurred. The company handling the project reported the missing workers. CM Orders Urgent Rescue Operations Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy expressed shock and immediately alerted officials to rush to the site. His office issued a statement confirming that some workers suffered injuries, though no exact number was provided. The district collector, superintendent of police, fire services, HYDRAA, and irrigation officials have been directed to oversee the rescue efforts...
UK Peatland Fires Release Massive Carbon Emissions, Set to Rise with Climate Change temperatures rise by 2°C

UK Peatland Fires Release Massive Carbon Emissions, Set to Rise with Climate Change temperatures rise by 2°C

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment
Peatland fires in the United Kingdom have released an estimated 800,000 tonnes of carbon over the past two decades, with emissions set to rise dramatically as global temperatures increase, a new study has revealed. If the planet warms by just 2°C, emissions from these fires could surge by at least 60%, reaching an annual average of 3.8 million tonnes of carbon, according to findings published in Environmental Research Letters. The study highlights the severe environmental impact of peatland fires, equating the projected emissions increase to those produced annually by 133 commercial aircraft, 820,800 passenger vehicles, or 414,000 homes. Peatlands, a type of wetland, cover about 9% of the UK’s land area and are among the world’s most effective carbon sinks. In a healthy state, they a...
Climate change harsh challenges to Ladakh Changpa pastoralists  impacting livestock and resources

Climate change harsh challenges to Ladakh Changpa pastoralists impacting livestock and resources

Breaking News, Climate Actions
For centuries, the Changpa nomads of Changthang, Ladakh, have led a semi-nomadic lifestyle, herding pashmina goats, sheep, yaks, and other livestock across the region’s rugged terrain. However, climate change is now threatening their age-old way of life, making survival in the harsh Himalayan landscape increasingly difficult. Dwindling Pastures and Water Scarcity The finest pashmina wool in the world comes from the Changpa’s goats, whose soft undercoat is a prized luxury. But rising temperatures and shifting weather patterns are drastically altering the high-altitude ecosystem. Water sources are drying up, grasslands are shrinking, and extreme cold spells are becoming harsher, leaving the nomads and their livestock struggling for sustenance. In the past, Changpa herders followed s...
Global Heatwave Breaks Records Sparks Wildfires and Water Crises Canada

Global Heatwave Breaks Records Sparks Wildfires and Water Crises Canada

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Environment
A historic heatwave is sweeping across the Northern Hemisphere, breaking temperature records and triggering widespread wildfires, droughts, and power outages. With multiple countries facing extreme weather conditions, scientists warn that the crisis is a direct consequence of accelerating climate change. Records Shattered Across Continents The heatwave has gripped vast regions of North America, Europe, and Asia, pushing temperatures to unprecedented levels. In Phoenix, Arizona, thermometers hit 53°C (127°F), making it the hottest day in the city’s history. Across the Atlantic, Paris, France, recorded 45.9°C (114.6°F), forcing the government to issue emergency health warnings. In India’s capital, New Delhi, the mercury soared past 50°C (122°F) for the first time ever, causing mass hos...
Glaciers Lost 6.54 Trillion Tonnes of Ice Since 2000, Driving Sea-Level Rise

Glaciers Lost 6.54 Trillion Tonnes of Ice Since 2000, Driving Sea-Level Rise

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment, Fact Check
Between 2000 and 2023, glaciers lost an estimated 273 billion tonnes of ice annually, making them the second-largest contributor to rising sea levels, according to a new study published in Nature. The total global ice loss during this period reached 6.54 trillion tonnes, raising sea levels by 18 millimeters (mm) and contributing 0.75 mm of sea-level rise per year. The study revealed that ice loss accelerated by 36% in the second half of the study period (2012-2023) compared to the first half. Recent years saw the most severe losses, with the 2019-2023 period witnessing annual ice loss exceeding 400 gigatonnes per year (Gt/yr), including a record 548 Gt/yr in 2023. “This underscores the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s call for urgent action to cut greenhouse gas emissions ...
Carbon Levels Hit Record in 2024 as Climate Change Escalates

Carbon Levels Hit Record in 2024 as Climate Change Escalates

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment, Fact Check
Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations reached a new high of 422 parts per million in 2024, according to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S). This milestone follows another record-breaking year for global temperatures, increasing pressure on policymakers to take more aggressive action against climate change. Recent studies indicate that global warming may be accelerating beyond previous estimates. The world may have already reached 1.5°C above pre-industrial temperatures, a critical threshold for triggering extreme and irreversible climate impacts. Research published in Nature Geoscience in November 2024 used 2,000 years of Antarctic ice core data and found warming at 1.49°C in 2023, based on a longer pre-industrial baseline. Ocean Warming and Storm Intens...