Tuesday, November 4News That Matters

Climate Actions

More Trees, Fewer Deaths: Study Finds Urban Greening Could Save Over 1 Million Lives

More Trees, Fewer Deaths: Study Finds Urban Greening Could Save Over 1 Million Lives

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Fact Check, Learning & Developments
A landmark global study has revealed that increasing vegetation in cities by just 30% could have prevented over one-third of all heat-related deaths between 2000 and 2019 potentially saving 1.16 million lives worldwide. The research led by Monash University Professor Yuming Guo and published in The Lancet Planetary Health provides the most detailed modeling to date of how urban greenery can cool cities and save lives. Greener Cities, Cooler Summers, Fewer Deaths The study analyzed data from 11,534 urban areas, showing that a 10%, 20%, and 30% increase in vegetation would have lowered the global population-weighted warm-season mean temperature by 0.08°C, 0.14°C, and 0.19°C, respectively. These seemingly small changes in temperature could have reduced heat-related deaths by: 0.86 ...
Canada Faces a Dual Climate Crisis: Wildfire Smoke and Extreme Heat Threaten Public Health

Canada Faces a Dual Climate Crisis: Wildfire Smoke and Extreme Heat Threaten Public Health

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment
As climate change intensifies, Canadians are increasingly being forced to cope with the combined threat of extreme heat and wildfire smoke two environmental hazards that not only overlap during the hottest months of the year, but also amplify each other’s impacts on health. From the devastating 2023 wildfire season to the deadly 2021 heat dome, recent events have shown that these climate risks are no longer isolated. Now, they’re occurring together more frequently, more intensely, and with serious health consequences. More Than Just Smoke or Heat: The Rising Danger of Combined Exposure While there’s robust scientific evidence linking wildfire smoke to hospitalizations for lung and heart conditions and heat waves to deadly strokes and cardiovascular stress most research has looked...
As Seas Rise Farmers Face a Choice: Stay, Adapt or Move Global DYNAMO-M Model Reveals Future of Coastal Agriculture

As Seas Rise Farmers Face a Choice: Stay, Adapt or Move Global DYNAMO-M Model Reveals Future of Coastal Agriculture

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Learning & Developments
A groundbreaking new model developed by researchers at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam could change how we understand and respond to the unfolding crisis of coastal agriculture under sea level rise. Dubbed DYNAMO-M, the global agent-based model simulates not just the physical impact of climate change but the personal decisions millions of farmers may be forced to make as the waters rise: stay and adapt, or leave everything behind. 13 Million Farming Households on the Frontlines of Sea-Level Rise Presented at the EGU General Assembly 2025 in Vienna, DYNAMO-M offers one of the first comprehensive looks at how 13 million coastal farming households around the world might react to increasing threats from flooding and saltwater intrusion between 2020 and 2080. Unlike traditional models...
IMD Warns of Heat, Storms & Rain Across States from May 3–9

IMD Warns of Heat, Storms & Rain Across States from May 3–9

Breaking News, Climate Actions
Hot & Humid Spell Over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted intense hot and humid conditions over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal on May 3, 2025. With temperature and moisture levels set to rise, residents are advised to stay indoors during peak hours and hydrate frequently to avoid heat-related illnesses. Southern India Braces for Thunderstorms, Rain & Hail South Peninsular India will see widespread weather activity over the next seven days. Light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and strong winds (30–40 km/h, gusting to 50 km/h) is expected over Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Mahe, and Yanam. Isolated hailstorms are also likely ...
20 Missing After Boats Capsize in China’s Wu River During Sudden Storm

20 Missing After Boats Capsize in China’s Wu River During Sudden Storm

Breaking News, Climate Actions
A sudden and violent storm capsized two boats on the Wu River in China’s southwestern Guizhou province on Sunday, leaving 20 people missing and prompting a large-scale rescue operation. Around 70 people were aboard the vessels when the storm, bringing heavy rain, hail, and strong winds, struck without warning. Rescue teams managed to save 50 people by Sunday evening, according to sources. The search for the missing continues in the Qianxi area, where emergency workers are battling misty conditions and turbulent waters. Footage shared by state media shows a dramatic moment where a rescuer is seen performing CPR on a rescued individual aboard a boat. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the missing individuals were wearing life jackets or the nature of the boat trip. The W...
Delhi Hit by Record May Rain, BJP Vows to End Monsoon Waterlogging

Delhi Hit by Record May Rain, BJP Vows to End Monsoon Waterlogging

Breaking News, Climate Actions
Following one of the heaviest May downpours in over a century, Delhi Minister Ashish Sood assured citizens that the BJP government is taking decisive steps to address chronic waterlogging issues ahead of the monsoon season. The city received 78mm of rainfall by Friday morning, making it the second-highest May rainfall since 1901, as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The IMD attributed the intense rain to moisture and wind convergence from both the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, intensified by the lingering impact of Cyclone Tauktae. The sudden deluge triggered major disruptions, with severe waterlogging and traffic snarls reported across key areas like Gurgaon, Minto Road, and Delhi Airport. Addressing the situation, Minister Sood emphasized ongoing government effort...
Climate Change Reshapes Farming in Uttarakhand: Pulses & Spices Replace Traditional Crops

Climate Change Reshapes Farming in Uttarakhand: Pulses & Spices Replace Traditional Crops

Breaking News, Climate Actions
In the hill state of Uttarakhand climate change is driving a major transformation in agriculture. Once dominated by water-intensive crops like wheat, paddy, and potatoes, the state's farmlands are now tilting towards climate-resilient pulses and spices as extreme weather patterns worsen year after year. A new report titled Water and Heat Stress in the Hills paints a grim picture: over the past decade, Uttarakhand has lost 27.2% of its cultivated land and suffered a 15.2% decline in total agricultural yield. The hardest-hit are food grains and oilseeds, with wheat and paddy cultivation seeing a marked decline. Meanwhile, pulses and spices are emerging as the unexpected winners of this climate-induced shift. The Rise of Resilient Crops As rainfall becomes erratic and winters turn drier,...
Mangroves vs. Storms: New ‘HU Method’ Offers Simple Way to Predict Coastal Protection

Mangroves vs. Storms: New ‘HU Method’ Offers Simple Way to Predict Coastal Protection

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Learning & Developments
Imagine a natural wall rooted, green, and alive that stands firm when violent storms lash our shores. That’s the quiet power of mangroves and forested wetlands. Long praised for their ability to reduce flood risk, these natural guardians now have a new spotlight moment. A recent international study led by researchers from Sun Yat-Sen University in China and the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) reveals a groundbreaking yet simple way to measure just how well these ecosystems shield coastlines during extreme weather events. Nature’s Armor, Measured Simply Until now, predicting the strength of mangroves during intense storms was a complex task. Models that attempted to calculate how much these forests could reduce wave heights were often too intricate or data-heavy fo...
New Study Warns Climate Crisis Could Worsen Global Antibiotic Resistance, Poorer Nations Most at Risk

New Study Warns Climate Crisis Could Worsen Global Antibiotic Resistance, Poorer Nations Most at Risk

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Fact Check
A landmark forecasting study by Chinese researchers has revealed a troubling connection between climate change and the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), predicting that global AMR levels could rise significantly by 2050 if fossil fuel-heavy development continues. Published today in Nature Medicine, the study projects a 2.4% global increase in AMR under high-emission climate scenarios with low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) facing the brunt of the impact. But the study also offers a silver lining. If LMICs improve healthcare access, sanitation, and immunization, global AMR levels could fall by over 5%, more than double the projected impact of halving antibiotic use alone. Socioeconomic and Climate Pressures Driving AMR The research team, led by Peking Universi...
Climate Toll in India: Heat & Cold Extremes Kill 35,000 in Two Decades from heatstroke

Climate Toll in India: Heat & Cold Extremes Kill 35,000 in Two Decades from heatstroke

Breaking News, Climate Actions
As India faces a future of increasing climate extremes, new research reveals a stark toll already being paid. A study published in the journal Temperature has found that nearly 35,000 people died from extreme heat and cold between 2001 and 2019, with heatstroke emerging as the deadlier threat and men, particularly working-age men, disproportionately affected. The study, led by Pradeep Guin of OP Jindal Global University (JGU), analysed temperature data from the India Meteorological Department and mortality records from the National Crime Records Bureau. The researchers found 19,693 deaths due to heatstroke and 15,197 from cold exposure over the two-decade period, with a clear increase in deaths over time. The year 2015 stood out as the deadliest year, recording 1,907 heat-related and 1,...