Climate Actions Archives - Page 68 of 77

Jul82024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Assam Floods Perennial Flood Crisis and government initiative and Projects Mitigation Efforts

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters

Guwahati, Assam: Last year in October, after flood waters had receded in Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced 54 projects aimed at mitigating the effects of swelling rivers. These initiatives, he had asserted, “would bring us close to a flood-free Assam.” Yet, as the monsoon season of 2023 unfolded, the state government finds itself struggling to protect lives and properties from the fury of the floods. According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), floods have claimed over 50 lives and displaced 360,000 people this year. More than 40,000 hectares of crop area have been affected, with significant portions of Dibrugarh and Guwahati submerged. Chief Minister Sarma has recently expressed despair, attributing the floods to “geographical factors beyond the...

Jul72024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Heavy Rainfall Brings Relief and Flooding: IMD Warns of More Rain in July

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters

Heavy rainfall across large parts of India has compensated for the June deficit, bringing the overall monsoon precipitation into the surplus category. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), more spells of heavy to very heavy rain are likely over northwest India and the western parts of peninsular India during the next two to three days and over the northeast during the next five days. India, the world's top producer of critical crops such as rice, wheat, and sugarcane, logged a rainfall deficit of 11 percent in June, with northwest India recording a shortfall of 33 percent. However, heavy rain in the first week of July has compensated for the shortfall but has also caused flooding in many northeastern states. Since the four-month monsoon season began on June 1, the c...

Jun282024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

New Tool Developed by University of Hawai Scientists Enhances Long-Term Forecasting of El Niño Events

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Tech

As severe weather events draw increasing global attention, scientists at the University of Hawai at Mānoa are making strides in improving the forecasting of droughts, floods, and other climate scenarios. Researchers from the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) have developed a novel tool that allows for the prediction of El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events up to 18 months in advance. The research, which integrates insights into the physics of the ocean and atmosphere with predictive accuracy, was recently published in the prestigious journal Nature. "We have developed a new conceptual model - the so-called extended nonlinear recharge oscillator (XRO) model - that significantly improves predictive skill of ENSO events over one year in advance, better than g...

Jun262024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

NASA Highlights Alarming Changes in Oceans Due to Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Breaking News, Climate Actions

Greenhouse gases affect the Earth's water body, as NASA visualizes the ocean. Taking to Instagram, he shared a visualization showing sea level flux based on NASA's Climate Change, Assessment of Ocean Circulation and Climate, Phase II Model (ECCO2). In the paper, the space agency wrote that human emissions are changing the oceans. "Our oceans are changing," the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said in a statement. "Covering 70% of the planet's surface, the ocean is an important driver of the Earth's global climate. However, increased greenhouse gas emissions from human activity are changing the ocean before our eyes. NASA and its partners want to learn more," said NASA further. Also, detailing the visualization, NASA says that the different colors represent the ave...

Jun252024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Building Resilience in the Face of Uncertainty: IDA’s Role in Mitigating Global Disasters and Enhancing Preparedness

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Idea & Innovations

Over 400 natural disasters occur worldwide each year, placing millions of people at risk, particularly those living in countries supported by the International Development Association (IDA). In 2023, these disasters resulted in a staggering $250 billion loss and claimed 74,000 lives globally. Severe regional storms were responsible for 76% of the economic losses. Furthermore, the looming threat of climate change is expected to trigger even more destructive weather events in coastal regions worldwide, underscoring the urgency of the situation. Disasters can be natural (e.g., earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes, floods) or human-made (e.g., war, climate change, accidents). The Oxford English Dictionary defines a disaster as "An event or occurrence of a ruinous or very distressing nature; a...

Jun252024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Informing Multi-Hazard Risks for Decision Makers in Moldova’s Agriculture Sector

Breaking News, Climate Actions

Agriculture is a cornerstone of Moldova's economy, comprising nearly 74% of its territory and being the primary livelihood for 70% of the rural population. However, the sector faces significant threats from prolonged droughts and climate change, particularly in regions like Anenii Noi known for their fertile chernozem soils. These conditions can degrade soil health, reduce crop yields, and increase food prices, illustrating the cascading effects on food security and the economy. IMPACT, in collaboration with the STRIVE Consortium (comprising Acted, Libraries Without Borders, and REACH), and funded by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), conducted an ABRA to understand and mitigate these risks. The assessment utilized geospatial data to identify natural hazards and social vulnera...

Jun232024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

India Approves New Inter-State Transmission System to Boost Renewable Energy Evacuation from Rajasthan and Karnataka

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

In a significant move to bolster its renewable energy infrastructure, the Government of India has greenlit the implementation of a new Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) designed to evacuate a substantial 9 GW of electricity from the states of Rajasthan and Karnataka. This ambitious project, which falls under the Tariff Based Competitive Bidding (TBCB) regime, is a crucial part of India's overarching goal to establish 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030, with 200 GW already operational. The approved scheme aims to enhance the country's renewable energy capabilities by facilitating the efficient transfer of power from areas rich in renewable resources to regions with high demand. The initiative underscores India's commitment to sustainable development and its efforts to mitig...

Jun222024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

AI to Forecast Toxic “Blue-Green Tides”: A Breakthrough in Battling Harmful Algal Blooms

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

A team of scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory is leveraging artificial intelligence to forecast toxic algal blooms, known as harmful algal blooms (HABs), which have become increasingly common due to climate change and rising water temperatures. These blooms, which have now been reported in all 50 U.S. states, pose a significant threat to water bodies by closing beaches and lakes, killing aquatic life, and causing billions in economic damage. "Harmful algal blooms are appearing in areas where, historically, they were never present," said Babetta Marrone, the project's lead scientist. The complexity of the ecosystems causing these blooms, combined with dispersed data across various databases, presents a unique opportunity for AI to aid in understanding and predicting these events...

Jun222024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

World Risk Poll Reveals Global Disparities in Resilience Amidst Increasing Climate Threats

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters

The latest World Risk Poll resilience report by Lloyd’s Register Foundation has uncovered stark disparities in how different regions and demographics are coping with an increasingly turbulent world shaped by climate change and technological advancements. Surveying perceptions of risk across 142 countries, the report provides critical insights into how individual concerns, fears, and hopes vary across social groups and contexts. The 2023 data shows that 30% of people worldwide have personally experienced a natural hazard-related disaster in the past five years, up from 27% in 2021. This rising trend underscores the urgent need for improved disaster preparedness and resilience strategies globally. Key Findings The most vulnerable groups, including those over 50, the unemployed, and ...

Jun222024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Extreme Heatwave Claims Over 100 Lives in Mexico as Climate Change Intensifies

Breaking News, Climate Actions

An unprecedented and relentless heatwave, exacerbated by climate change, has gripped southwestern parts of the United States, Mexico, and northern Central America, leading to over 100 fatalities in Mexico alone. This extreme heat event, driven by a persistent high-pressure system known as a heat dome, has shattered daytime and nighttime temperature records across the region, including Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and the southwestern United States. The heat dome phenomenon, which traps hot air near the ground and intensifies under clear skies and sunshine, has resulted in severe and widespread impacts. Mexico has reported 125 heat-related deaths since March, with the ongoing drought conditions further aggravating the situation. The drought has not only reduced water availability but als...