Breaking News

  October 13: Asian countries are stepping up efforts to combat plastic pollution through recycled content mandates, certification systems and waste tracking regulations, even as negotiations for a global plastics treaty remain stalled, according to an analysis published by East Asia Forum. The analysis written by Justin Robertson of City University of Hong Kong and Douglas Woodring of Ocean Recovery Alliance, examines how national policies in India, South Korea and Japan are influencing the use of recycled plastics while Australia and China are developing standards to improve plastic waste management and traceability. India has mandated that rigid plastic food packaging contain at least 40 per cent recycled material in 2026–27, with the requirement set to rise to 60 per cent...

  Researchers at the University of Tokyo have developed a high resolution global atmospheric model capable of simulating weather patterns at a grid spacing of just 220 metres, helping eliminate unrealistic bursts of heavy rainfall known as “popcornlike” rain in computer simulations. The breakthrough could improve scientists’ understanding of extreme weather events and help refine future weather forecasting and climate prediction models. The research was published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters. Conventional global climate models typically divide the atmosphere into grid sections spanning tens to hundreds of kilometres. More advanced global storm resolving models use finer grids, generally ranging from one to 10 kilometres, to simulate clouds storms and atmospheri...

  Jeff Bezos Earth Fund has announced more than $25 million in new grants to support ocean conservation across five Pacific nations the Cook Islands, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Vanuatu. The funding will support the protection and sustainable management of more than 625,000 square miles of ocean. It is the second round of grants under the Earth Fund’s $100 million Pacific commitment bringing the total announced funding under the programme to $63.3 million. Papua New Guinea is expected to use the funding to establish its first large offshore marine protected area, while Tonga plans to expand protected areas. Other grants will support the Cook Islands’ Marae Moana ocean park and habitat protection planning in Kiribati and Vanuatu. The Pacific programme aims to help...

  Sections of California’s Scott River have dried up this year raising concerns over the survival of salmon that rely on the river to reach their spawning grounds. The river, near the California Oregon border is partly sustained by groundwater and melting snow. This year extremely low snowfall and unusually warm conditions have sharply reduced water availability. The snowpack measured only 1% of its average level on May 1. Environmental groups have criticised state water regulators for not doing enough to protect river flows particularly by limiting groundwater pumping by farmers. The state had already ordered farms to stop taking water directly from the river in June and asked growers to reduce groundwater use by about 30%. State officials, however said the exceptionally ...

  Scientists have reconstructed month by month climate conditions on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef from around 200 years ago by analysing the shell of a giant clam, revealing that summers were cooler than today while winter temperatures were remarkably similar. The research focused on a giant clam (Tridacna gigas) collected from the lagoon at Jiigurru also known as the Lizard Island Group, in the northern Great Barrier Reef. The findings provide a detailed record of past ocean temperatures, rainfall patterns and climate variability before widespread industrial era warming. Giant clams are the world’s largest living bivalves. They can grow up to 1.2 metres long, weigh more than 200 kilograms and live for over a century. As they grow their shells develop microscopic daily grow...

Maharashtra’s growing water crisis has highlighted the need to turn wastewater reuse policies into effective action as drought conditions inadequate sewage treatment and weak implementation continue to put pressure on the state water resources. In early September 2026, around 265 talukas, nearly 74 per cent of Maharashtra, were declared drought-hit following one of the driest monsoons in years. In response, the state government directed urban and rural local bodies to implement a 10 per cent water cut from October 16, 2026 and prepare dam wise and usage wise water plans to manage supplies until August 31, 2027. The government has also emphasised the reuse of treated wastewater for activities such as gardening, construction and industrial operations. However, despite several policies ...

A doctoral study at MIT World Peace University (MIT-WPU) in Pune has detected microplastics in freshwater fish commonly consumed in the city raising concerns about plastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems and its potential entry into the human food chain. The research focuses on commercially consumed fish species, particularly Rohu and Tilapia to examine the presence, characteristics and possible sources of microplastic contamination along with its implications for freshwater ecosystems and human health. The study is being conducted by Simran Singh, a PhD scholar in the Department of Environmental Studies at MIT-WPU, under the guidance of Dr. Soma Mishra. As part of the research, the team mapped Pune’s freshwater fish supply chain to understand how fish reach consumers. Instead ...

A new island has emerged near Kulaly Island in Kazakhstan’s sector of the Caspian Sea as water levels continue to fall, highlighting the growing environmental changes affecting the world’s largest inland body of water. Scientists warn that parts of the shallow northern Caspian could face severe drying if the decline continues. The newly exposed island was spotted during a recent aerial survey by environmental activists, including volunteer Daniyar Akimzhanov. He said he had documented several newly emerged islands in the region over the past four to five years. Some of these land formations extend for about one kilometre in length and 200 to 300 metres in width. Wildlife has already begun reaching some of the exposed areas. Akimzhanov reported seeing a wild boar on one island, while ...

  Nepal’s Home Minister Sudan Gurung and US Chargé d’Affaires Megan Bouldin discussed bilateral cooperation on disaster preparedness and response along with efforts to identify American and Nepali victims of the devastating August floods. The meeting took place on Thursday, October 8, as recovery efforts continued in flood affected communities. According to the US Embassy in Nepal, more than $36 million in US flood assistance is currently underway to support recovery. The United States is also providing equipment technology and technical expertise to help Nepal’s first responders manage the disaster and assist affected communities. The discussions focused on strengthening cooperation between Nepal and the United States in disaster response and recovery, while authorities c...

  Researchers have found that temperature changes in the Atlantic Ocean may help predict year to year changes in cutaneous leishmaniasis transmission in North Africa, offering new opportunities for disease forecasting in Morocco and Tunisia. The study links ocean temperatures, atmospheric circulation desert rainfall and ecological changes that affect the spread of the parasitic disease. The findings suggest that climate signals originating in the Atlantic can influence disease transmission months later. Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a vector-borne disease transmitted by infected female sandflies. It causes skin lesions and ulcers that can persist for months or years. Although the disease is rarely life threatening and may resolve without treatment, it can leave permanent scars a...