Monday, October 13News That Matters

Climate Actions

New Study Warns of Potential 1.9 Metre Sea-Level Rise by 2100 Under High Emissions Scenario

New Study Warns of Potential 1.9 Metre Sea-Level Rise by 2100 Under High Emissions Scenario

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Learning & Developments
An international team of researchers from NTU Singapore and Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in the Netherlands has projected a significant rise in global sea levels if carbon dioxide emissions continue to increase. According to their findings, published in the scientific journal Earth's Future, sea levels could rise between 0.5 and 1.9 meters by the year 2100 under a high-emission scenario. The upper limit of this range is nearly 90 centimeters higher than the latest United Nations (UN) projection, which estimates a rise of 0.6 to 1.0 meters. This study provides a "very likely range" (indicating a 90% probability of occurrence), offering a new dimension to sea-level projections. Previously, projections from the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) were based o...
Climate Change to Cause Over 2.3 Million Additional Heat-Related Deaths in Europe by 2099

Climate Change to Cause Over 2.3 Million Additional Heat-Related Deaths in Europe by 2099

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment
A modelling study led by the Environment & Health Modelling (EHM) Lab at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) reveals alarming projections for the impact of climate change on temperature-related deaths across Europe. Published in Nature Medicine, the study predicts a substantial rise in deaths from heat, far outweighing any reduction in cold-related fatalities. Without immediate action to reduce carbon emissions, climate change could result in over 2.3 million additional temperature-related deaths across 854 European cities by the end of this century. The Mediterranean region, Central Europe, and the Balkans are identified as particularly vulnerable areas, with major cities like Barcelona, Rome, and Madrid expected to bear the brunt of this crisis. Adaptat...
Climate Crisis Deepens Food Security Challenges in Latin America and the Caribbean

Climate Crisis Deepens Food Security Challenges in Latin America and the Caribbean

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters
Changing patterns of climate variability and extreme weather events are intensifying food security challenges across Latin America and the Caribbean, as highlighted in the 2024 Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition report. With the region ranked as the second-most exposed to extreme weather globally, after Asia, the cascading effects of climate change are exacerbating structural inequalities and worsening malnutrition in all its forms. The report reveals that extreme weather events, such as storms, floods, and droughts, are frequent in 74% of the region’s countries. Of these, over half face increased vulnerability, making them more susceptible to undernourishment. Between 2019 and 2023, the prevalence of hunger rose by 1.5 percentage points in nations grappling with climate e...
Expert Calls for Stronger Climate Risk Response to Tackle Extreme Events

Expert Calls for Stronger Climate Risk Response to Tackle Extreme Events

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment, Learning & Developments
Katharine Mach, a climate risk management specialist and chair at the University of Miami’s Department of Environmental Science and Policy, emphasizes the urgent need for a comprehensive risk-response framework to address the increasing complexity of climate change. Drawing insights from her research on hazards like wildfires, flooding, and extreme heat, she outlines key strategies for adaptation and highlights challenges in implementation. Adapting to climate change means preparing for current risks and anticipating future challenges. With global temperatures surpassing a 1.5°C increase for the first time in 2024, communities are grappling with unprecedented climate extremes. Mach stresses that adaptation is crucial to ensuring safety and resilience in the face of these challenges. ...
Haridwar’s Waste Crisis Mirrors Urban India’s Struggle with Modernization

Haridwar’s Waste Crisis Mirrors Urban India’s Struggle with Modernization

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment
Haridwar, a city revered as the gateway of the Ganga into the plains, is a spiritual and cultural hub visited by millions annually. Yet, its divine significance is shadowed by an escalating waste management crisis that underscores urban India’s battle to reconcile its traditions with the demands of modernization. As one of India’s holiest cities, Haridwar attracts over 40 million pilgrims every year. This influx overwhelms its infrastructure, with the city generating 260-300 metric tons of waste daily, surging to nearly 6,000 tons during peak religious festivals like the Kanwar Yatra. This monumental waste burden exposes systemic inefficiencies and the broader challenges faced by Indian cities striving for sustainable development. The waste generated in Haridwar is as diverse as its ...
Extreme Climatic Events Transform Over 7,500 Greenland Lakes from Carbon Sinks to Sources

Extreme Climatic Events Transform Over 7,500 Greenland Lakes from Carbon Sinks to Sources

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Environment
Over 7,500 lakes in western Greenland have undergone a significant ecological transformation due to extreme climatic conditions. Atmospheric rivers (ARs) have turned these lakes from carbon sinks into carbon sources, a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) has revealed. In September 2022, record heat and heavy rains driven by ARs altered the physical, biological, and biogeochemical characteristics of these lakes. ARs, often referred to as “rivers in the sky,” are narrow regions in the atmosphere that transport water vapor outside tropical areas, as defined by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The influx of rainfall instead of snow, alongside remnants of Hurricane Fiona, caused unprecedented melting of the Greenland...
UNHCR Faces Record Humanitarian Challenges in 2024 Amid Conflicts and Climate Crises

UNHCR Faces Record Humanitarian Challenges in 2024 Amid Conflicts and Climate Crises

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) confronted unprecedented challenges in 2024, responding to a record 43 humanitarian emergencies, including 26 newly declared crises. Seven of these reached the agency’s highest emergency level, reflecting escalating global needs due to ongoing conflicts, new wars, and climate-related disasters, as highlighted in the recently released 2024 Impact Report: Response to New Emergencies and Protracted Crises. The war in Sudan remained a central focus for UNHCR, with relief efforts continuing into a second year to address the severe regional impact. Alongside Sudan, other conflict zones such as Lebanon, Syria, Ukraine, Myanmar, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo demanded significant humanitarian response. Climate-related emerge...
Just Resilience Advancing Equity in Climate Adaptation Strategies

Just Resilience Advancing Equity in Climate Adaptation Strategies

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment
A new paper delves into the concept of "just resilience," emphasizing the integration of justice and equity into climate adaptation and resilience research and policy. By exploring underrepresented perspectives, particularly from the global south, and addressing the social, structural, and geographical drivers of vulnerability, the paper seeks to shape a global agenda for equitable adaptation. Emergence of Just Resilience Just resilience has become a critical focus in addressing the unequal burdens of climate change. Adaptation strategies can inadvertently create disparities, turning some groups into winners while leaving others behind. Interplay of Climate and Structural Inequities Climate change impacts often exacerbate preexisting inequities based on wealth, power dynamics, ...
Study Finds Climate Change Fuels Rise in Multi-Year Droughts

Study Finds Climate Change Fuels Rise in Multi-Year Droughts

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Learning & Developments
A groundbreaking 40-year study has revealed a troubling surge in long-lasting, multi-year droughts (MYDs), which have become more frequent, drier, and expansive with the warming climate. The findings, published in Science on January 16, emphasize the global challenge posed by these persistent dry spells, warning of their devastating impact on ecosystems, agriculture, and water resources. Between 1980 and 2018, global terrestrial land affected by MYDs expanded at an alarming rate of 50,000 square kilometers annually. Researchers documented 13,176 MYD events during this period, each lasting at least two consecutive years. These droughts not only grew in size but also experienced significant temperature anomalies in affected regions. Notably, the study identified 10 of the most severe M...
Climate Hazards Disrupt Education for Millions in 2024: UNICEF Report Highlights Urgency

Climate Hazards Disrupt Education for Millions in 2024: UNICEF Report Highlights Urgency

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Fact Check
A new report from UNICEF reveals a disturbing trend at least one in seven students globally had their schooling disrupted due to climate-related hazards in 2024. The report, Learning Interrupted: Global Snapshot of Climate-Related School Disruptions in 2024, released on January 24, 2025, on the International Day of Education, sheds light on the scale of climate's impact on children's education worldwide. According to the report, a staggering 242 million students, ranging from pre-primary to upper secondary education, experienced disruptions to their schooling in 2024 due to climate events. This figure is likely an underestimation, as the report acknowledged data limitations. The analysis examined disruptions across 85 countries from January to December 2024, identifying 119 different...