Climate Actions Archives - Page 67 of 77

Jul242024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Cocaine in Brazilian Sharpnose Sharks: Alarming Levels Found in South America’s Coastal Waters

In a surprising and concerning discovery, researchers in Brazil have found significant levels of cocaine and its metabolites in the system of Brazilian sharpnose sharks (Rhizoprionodon lalandii) swimming in South America's coastal waters. This finding, spearheaded by environmental scientist Gabriel de Farias Araujo from the Oswaldo Cruz Institute, underscores the pervasive issue of pharmaceutical pollution affecting marine life. The research team tested 13 juvenile and young adult Brazilian sharpnose sharks, finding high concentrations of cocaine in all of them. Additionally, the drug's main metabolite, benzoylecgonine, was present in all but one shark. These findings are particularly alarming given that these predators play a crucial role in the marine food chain. While Hollywood mi...

Jul212024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Cooling Urban Heat Islands: New Study Highlights the Role of Surrounding Countryside

Breaking News, Climate Actions

Scientists at the University of Surrey's Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE) and Southeast University (China) have discovered that cooling "urban heat islands" may depend significantly on the surrounding rural areas. The study, which analyzed 20 years of data, reveals that rural regions can effectively reduce city temperatures, especially when the rural ring around a city extends for at least half the city's diameter. Urban heat islands, characterized by significantly higher temperatures in city centers compared to their rural surroundings, are a growing concern as global temperatures rise. Traditional approaches to mitigate these effects have focused on integrating green spaces, wetlands, and waterways within urban areas. However, the scarcity of urban land makes these measure...

Jul172024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Researchers Develop Advanced AI Model for Accurate Typhoon Prediction

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Idea & Innovations

In a significant advancement for climate science, a team of researchers from the Department of Civil, Urban, Earth, and Environmental Engineering at the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), led by Professor Jungho Im, has developed a pioneering deep learning-based model for predicting tropical cyclones (TCs). Their findings have been published in GIscience & Remote Sensing and iScience in March and May 2024, respectively. The newly developed Hybrid-Convolutional Neural Networks (Hybrid-CNN) model integrates real-time geostationary weather satellite data and numerical prediction model outputs to forecast TC intensity with lead times of 24, 48, and 72 hours. This approach offers a significant improvement over traditional methods, which often suffer from lengthy ...

Jul162024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Alarming Erosion Threatens Gujarat’s Coastline Impacting Over a Million People

Breaking News, Climate Actions

A comprehensive 40-year study has revealed a distressing trend of rapid coastal erosion along Gujarat's once stable shores. From the Gulf of Khambhat to the Gulf of Kutch and from the Saurashtra coast to the South Gujarat coast, the state's coastline is vanishing at an alarming rate. The study, conducted by researchers at the Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geoinformatics (BISAG-N), highlights significant erosion in 10 out of the 16 coastal districts, affecting nearly 45.8% of Gujarat's coastline and impacting around 549 villages, home to over a million people. Erosion Rates and Affected Areas The study found that districts like Ahmedabad, Surat, and Bharuch are witnessing erosion encroaching within 30 meters of the coast. A striking example is the Khambh...

Jul152024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Shenzhen’s Mangroves: A Beacon of Conservation Amidst Rapid Urbanization

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

Each spring, as Shenzhen's mangroves burst into life, the region becomes a prime spot for birdwatchers observing the endangered black-faced spoonbill. Known as the "giant panda of birds," this species winters in Shenzhen Bay from October to April, preparing for its northbound migration. Shenzhen Bay, located in southern China and part of the Pearl River Delta expanding into Hong Kong, is a crucial stop-off point for migratory birds using the East Asian-Australasian flyway. The mangroves support over 200 species of birds and host 100,000 migratory birds each winter, drawing enthusiasts and scientists alike to witness these natural spectacles against the backdrop of one of China's most bustling urban settings. Amid the rapid urbanization that defines modern China, Shenzhen stands out n...

Jul152024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Climate Change Puts More Children at Risk by Excessive Heat Stress: Report

Breaking News, Climate Actions

Rising global temperatures and increasing frequency of historic heat waves are putting more children at risk of heat stress each year. According to recent studies, heat stress caused by extreme temperatures can significantly affect the health and well-being of infants and young children. As climate change continues to drive up temperatures, more countries are facing hotter days more frequently, with greater intensity and for longer periods. Currently, a third of the world's children experience 4-5 heat waves annually. This exposure involves enduring temperatures over 35°C for 83.54 or more days per year, enduring heat waves lasting at least 4.7 days, or facing temperatures 2°C or more above the local 15-day average. By 2050, nearly every child in the world, around 2.2 billion children, ...

Jul132024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

New Study Reveals Ancient Origins of LUCA Early Life on Earth

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Idea & Innovations

Once upon a time, Earth was a barren planet. That changed dramatically when, out of the chemistry present during its early history, something began to squirm processing matter to survive, reproduce, and thrive. The nature of that something, and when it first appeared, have puzzled humanity for as long as we have been able to ask, "What am I?" Now, a groundbreaking study has provided some answers, revealing that life emerged surprisingly early in Earth's history. By analyzing the genomes of organisms alive today, scientists have determined that the last universal common ancestor (LUCA) the first organism that spawned all current life on Earth emerged as early as 4.2 billion years ago. Given that Earth is around 4.5 billion years old, this suggests that life began when the planet was s...

Jul122024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

FEMA Adopts New Rule to Improve Flood Resilience by Redefining Floodplain Standards Amid Rising Climate Change Risks

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters

Washington, D.C. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has announced a significant policy change aimed at enhancing community resilience to flooding by redefining the floodplain standards it uses to determine safe building locations. This move follows an executive order from President Joe Biden, compelling government agencies to incorporate climate change impacts into their flood risk assessments. Historically, FEMA and other federal agencies have defined a floodplain based on an area having a 1 percent chance of flooding in any given year, known as the 100-year floodplain standard. However, this standard has proved insufficient, as floods frequently submerge buildings outside these designated zones. The new rule requires FEMA to factor in the effects of climate change, such ...

Jul92024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

New Source of Chemical Pollution Found in Electric Vehicle Batteries: Study Claims

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters

Scientists have uncovered a new source of hazardous "forever chemical" pollution: the rechargeable lithium-ion batteries found in most electric vehicles (EVs). This discovery highlights a significant trade-off in the transition to cleaner energy solutions, as the drive to reduce carbon emissions inadvertently introduces other environmental and health risks. Role of PFAS in Lithium-Ion Batteries Certain lithium-ion battery technologies use a class of PFAS chemicals, known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which help make batteries less flammable and more efficient at conducting electricity. These PFAS chemicals, specifically bis-perfluoroalkyl sulfonimides (bis-FASIs), have been found in various environmental samples near plants manufacturing these chemicals in the US, Belgium, ...

Jul82024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Future of Our Climate Shifting Zones and Increasing Extremes

Breaking News, Climate Actions

Extreme weather events, including storms, floods, fires, droughts, cold snaps, and heat waves, are hitting us harder and more frequently than ever. By the end of the century, more than half of our planet is predicted to shift into new climate zones. A new interactive map, The Future Urban Climates, allows you to explore how your home’s climate will be impacted. Using data from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), University of Maryland spatial ecologist Matthew Fitzpatrick has matched 40,581 places around the globe to nearby locations currently experiencing their future predicted climate in 2080. For instance, a trip to northern Mississippi today would give you an idea of the climate New York City is expected to experience by 2080. However, under a low emissions scenari...