Month: September 2026

  As cities expand and landscapes change rapidly, outdated maps can make it difficult for planners to understand emerging disaster risks. A new analysis highlights how drone mapping could help cities collect detailed and up to date spatial information to strengthen disaster resilient urban planning. Drone technology can capture high resolution images of buildings, roads, drainage systems, slopes and vegetation, helping planners better understand how physical changes in cities may increase exposure to floods, wildfires and other hazards. The value of drones goes beyond taking detailed photographs from the sky. When drone imagery is processed into orthomosaics, elevation models and three dimensional datasets, it can be combined with Geographic Information Systems, hazard maps a...

  Machine learning systems could detect signs of sudden eruptions hours earlier forcing scientists and authorities to rethink the balance between false alarms and public safety Scientists are exploring whether artificial intelligence and machine learning systems could provide earlier warnings of sudden volcanic eruptions even if doing so means communities may occasionally face more false alarms. New research suggests that automated forecasting tools capable of analysing subtle changes in volcanic vibrations could identify signs of an impending eruption hours before it occurs. The findings raise an important question for disaster management: how many false alarms should society accept if earlier warnings could save lives? The issue is particularly urgent for volcanoes capab...

  An invasive tree introduced decades ago to combat desertification in Gujarat Banni grasslands is now being used in biochar projects linked to corporate carbon removal deals, but experts and local communities have raised concerns over the model’s environmental impact. Prosopis juliflora, locally known as gando baval has spread across large parts of the Banni grasslands since its introduction in the 1960s. The invasive species has displaced native vegetation and contributed to a sharp decline in fodder production. Climate tech company Varaha ClimateAg has developed a project in Kachchh in which the invasive tree is converted into biochar using low oxygen kilns. The resulting material is intended to be mixed into soil where its carbon can potentially remain stored for long periods...

Disasters are often described using terms such as “natural,” “compound,” “cascading,” “complex” or “hybrid.” However, disaster researcher Ilan Kelman argues that these labels can distract from a more important reality disasters occur because hazards interact with human vulnerabilities. In a recent analysis Kelman emphasised that floods, earthquakes, storms, pandemics and other hazards do not automatically become disasters. Social inequality, poverty, discrimination, weak infrastructure and poor governance often determine who suffers the greatest consequences. Vulnerability turns hazards into disasters According to the analysis, vulnerability is created through long term social and political processes. Unequal access to education, healthcare, resources and safe infrastructure can l...

An invasive tree introduced in Gujarat Kachchh region decades ago to combat desertification is now being used in biochar projects linked to the carbon market, with major companies including Google and Microsoft among buyers of carbon removal credits. Prosopis juliflora locally known as gando baval, has spread across large parts of the Banni grasslands, replacing native vegetation and reducing fodder availability. Climate tech company Varaha ClimateAg has worked with local organisations to convert the tree’s biomass into biochar, a charcoal like material intended to store carbon when incorporated into soil. However, the approach has raised concerns among researchers, contractors and community members. Some field observations suggest that biochar may encourage the regrowth of Prosopis ...

Scientists are exploring a new nanotechnology based floating cover that could help reduce water loss from lakes, dams and reservoirs by blocking heat from the sun while still allowing enough visible light to reach the water. The idea described by physicist Daniel Kwasi Kpeglo of the University of South Africa, works like a sunscreen for water. The lightweight floating material is designed to reflect heat carrying infrared radiation while allowing much of the visible sunlight needed by aquatic plants and animals to pass through. Water evaporation is a major challenge for reservoirs, particularly in hot and dry regions. Rising temperatures are increasing evaporation rates, reducing the amount of stored water available for households, agriculture and industry. The experimental cover us...

  More than 1.3 million plastic bottles were collected from beaches, rivers and waterways around the world during the 2025 International Coastal Cleanup, highlighting the continuing scale of plastic pollution in marine environments. Around 630,000 volunteers participated in the annual cleanup organised by Ocean Conservancy, removing almost 13.9 million pieces of rubbish from more than 15,000 miles of coastline and waterways. Plastic bottles were the most commonly recorded item collected during the cleanup. Volunteers also picked up more than 1.2 million cigarette butts, 885,000 plastic bottle caps, 581,000 plastic shopping bags and more than 1 million other plastic bags and food containers. The figures underline the continued dominance of disposable plastic in marine litte...

  A potential “Super El Nino” developing in 2026 could intensify droughts, floods, food insecurity and wildfires across several regions, according to experts. The climate pattern, which occurs naturally every two to seven years, is expected to strengthen during late 2026 and early 2027. A very strong event could push Pacific Ocean temperatures more than 2°C above average, disrupting weather patterns worldwide. Regions including central and northern India, Central America, parts of Africa, Indonesia, the Philippines and Australia could face worsening drought and water shortages. Meanwhile, other areas may experience heavier rainfall and flooding. Food systems could face additional pressure as extreme heat drought and flooding affect crops and livestock. Rising fuel and fert...

  The death toll from devastating flash floods and mudslides in Nepal has risen to at least 1,050, with nearly 4,000 people still missing, according to disaster authorities. The disaster, triggered by a collapse of ice and rock near the Nepal Tibet border on August 26, swept through northern and central Nepal, destroying homes, roads bridges and hydropower projects. Nearly 12,000 people have been rescued as security forces continue search operations across eight affected districts. Rescue teams are also searching damaged hydropower tunnels, where several workers are feared trapped. India has deployed specialised tunnel rescue and forensic teams, while other countries have sent humanitarian assistance. Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah linked the disaster to climate change, w...

  Tianmu Mountain in eastern China is showing how centuries old religious beliefs can work alongside modern conservation to protect biodiversity. Buddhist, Daoist and Confucian traditions have long encouraged local communities to respect forests, plants and wildlife in the region. The area recently underwent a major conservation expansion. The former Qingliangfeng National Nature Reserve, once covering about 4,300 hectares, became part of the much larger 54,700 hectare Tianmushan Qingliangfeng UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve in 2025. Known as the “kingdom of big trees,” the reserve is home to thousands of species, including the endangered Ginkgo biloba, Chinese pangolin, black muntjac, Chinese golden larch and Tianmu ironwood. For generations temples and religious instituti...