Breaking News Archives - Page 188 of 293

May152025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

NOAA Ends Tracking of Billion-Dollar Climate Disasters Amid Cuts

Key Disaster Dataset Discontinued the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced on May 8, 2025, that it will stop updating its widely used Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters database. The decision is part of broader changes under the Donald Trump administration, including staff reductions and shifting priorities that have impacted the agency’s climate operations. Critical Resource for Climate Costs Retired NOAA has played a central role in tracking the financial toll of floods, heatwaves, hurricanes, wildfires, and other climate-related disasters for over four decades. Its data, used by governments, insurers, and researchers, estimated trillions of dollars in damages across the US. The agency stated that all reports from 1980 to 2024 will remain...

May152025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Powerful Solar Flares Trigger Global Radio Blackouts, Signal Intensifying Sun Activity

Breaking News, Environment, Space

The sun erupted with two massive solar flares early Wednesday, including the strongest of 2025 so far an X2.7-class flare causing widespread shortwave radio blackouts across at least five continents. The event came just a day after NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured another major eruption, an X1.2-class flare, in a dramatic image. Solar flares are categorized by intensity, with X-class being the most powerful. Wednesday’s solar storm peaked at 4:25 a.m. ET, delivering a strong burst of plasma and charged particles into space. This flare followed an M5.3-class flare several hours earlier, further underscoring the heightened solar activity. According to NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center, these intense flares disrupted high-frequency radio communications in parts of Nor...

May152025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Industrial Boilers Responsible for 7% of India Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Reveals New Report

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Fact Check

A comprehensive study has revealed that industrial boilers across India contribute nearly 7% of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions, highlighting a critical and under-addressed source of pollution. With more emissions of particulate matter and sulphur dioxide than the entire automobile sector, the report calls for urgent reforms, including a proposed nationwide “Green Boiler Mission.” The findings underline the importance of overhauling aging industrial systems to achieve India’s climate goals, improve air quality, and enhance energy efficiency. India’s Boilers: A Hidden Climate Challenge India industrial growth has long depended on the power of boilers, especially in sectors like food processing, textiles, and chemicals. However, a new study released during the National ...

May142025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Heat Threatens Latin America Banana Industry, Puts Global Supply at Risk

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment, Fact Check

Climate Pressures Shrinking Banana-Growing Zones Rising global temperatures are pushing Latin America’s banana-producing regions toward unsuitability, with new research warning that by 2080, up to 60% of current export-suitable areas could be lost without urgent climate action. Brazil’s Farmers Struggle in the Heat In Brazil’s northeastern state of Bahia, banana farmers are already facing severe impacts. Even with irrigation, plantations are showing signs of stress during prolonged heatwaves. In 2023, extreme heat reduced harvest output by 15%, and similar conditions are likely to return this year. Major Exporters Under Threat The most vulnerable areas include Colombia and Costa Rica, key banana exporters to Europe and North America. These regions are experiencing rising te...

May142025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Swiss Glaciers Face Another Tough Year as Winter Snow Cover Drops 13% Below Average

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Fact Check

Despite heavy snowfall in 2024, new report warns of accelerating glacier melt and rising sea-level threats due to global warming and snow deficits Switzerland glaciers are once again bracing for a tough summer as a new report reveals that winter snow cover was 13% lower than the 2010–2020 average a worrying sign of their deepening vulnerability to climate change. The finding comes from Glacier Monitoring Switzerland (Glamos), whose latest assessment shows that the glaciers continue to suffer rapid losses even in years with significant snowfall. According to Glamos data Swiss glaciers lost 10% of their total ice volume in just two years 2022 and 2023 marking the steepest decline since records began. The current snow deficit though less severe than the two previous dry winters stil...

May142025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Africa on Climate Frontline: Rising Heat, Floods, and Droughts Worsen Crisis, Threaten Development

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

WMO's 2024 climate report warns of worsening weather extremes, mounting socio-economic toll, and urgent need for digital adaptation and resilience planning across Africa The climate emergency in Africa has reached a critical tipping point, with cascading disasters impacting lives, livelihoods, and the continent’s development prospects at an alarming pace. The State of the Climate in Africa 2024 report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) paints a grim portrait of a region buckling under the weight of extreme heat, deadly floods, prolonged droughts, and widespread humanitarian upheaval. From failed harvests to paralyzed power grids, and from flooded homes to growing water crises, climate change is no longer a future threat for Africa it is a destructive force in the pres...

May142025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Turkmenistan Leads Cryosphere Resilience Efforts with National Climate Workshop in Ashgabat

Breaking News, Climate Actions

Ashgabat hosts critical regional initiative to transform climate strategies into national action as Central Asia responds to escalating cryosphere challenges Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, became a key hub of regional climate dialogue on May 12–13, 2025, as it hosted a high-level national workshop focused on translating Central Asia’s climate resilience strategies into actionable national plans. This pivotal event is part of a broader international initiative under the Global Environment Facility (GEF), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), dedicated to strengthening cryosphere monitoring and fostering sustainable development across Central Asia. The Ashgabat workshop, the fourth in a se...

May132025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Flood Horror in DR Congo: 100+ Dead as Torrential Rains Ravage South Kivu

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters

Fizi Territory submerged as deadly floods destroy homes, trigger disease fears amid ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis More than 100 people have been confirmed dead in the Fizi territory of South Kivu Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, after torrential rains triggered catastrophic floods over the weekend. The relentless downpour began late Friday and continued through Saturday, submerging entire villages and wiping out homes. According to local officials, flash floods devastated the Kasaba locality, destroying at least 150 houses, leaving hundreds homeless and entire families missing. The death toll, still provisional, is expected to rise as rescue operations continue in remote and inaccessible areas. Fears Mount Over Health Crisis Amid Ongoing Rainfall The pro...

May132025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

India Weather Alert: IMD Warns of Heavy Rainfall in Northeast and Heatwaves in Large Parts of Country

Breaking News, Climate Actions

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a nationwide alert as extreme weather patterns continue to grip different regions of the country. While the Northeast braces for intense rainfall, large parts of central, eastern, western, and southern India are expected to experience heatwave conditions through the week. Extremely Heavy Rainfall in Meghalaya on May 13 The IMD has forecast extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places over Meghalaya on May 13, 2025. The Northeast will continue to receive fairly widespread to widespread light to moderate rainfall, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds of 30–40 kmph, occasionally gusting up to 50 kmph, over the next five days. Heavy Showers for Sub-Himalayan Regions and Nicobar Islands The eastern Himalayan foothills wi...

May132025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Will Climate Finance Taxonomy Help India Unlock $2.5 Trillion in Green Investment?

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Thoughts & Talks

India has taken a major step towards aligning its financial system with climate goals by unveiling a draft Climate Finance Taxonomy on May 7, 2025. This move aims to direct both domestic and foreign investments into truly sustainable activities, improve investor confidence, and reduce the risk of greenwashing. With ambitious climate targets set—achieving net-zero emissions by 2070 and ensuring that 50% of electricity comes from non-fossil sources by 2030 India needs to unlock $2.5 trillion in green investment by the end of this decade. The taxonomy is designed to facilitate this capital flow while providing clarity on what constitutes a climate-aligned economic activity. Why a Climate Finance Taxonomy? Despite an increasing number of financial institutions adopting green finance termi...