Climate Actions Archives - Page 7 of 78

May262025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Torrential rain floods New South Wales: Regional towns brace for worsening emergency

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters

Heavy rainfall continues to batter the Hunter and Mid North Coast regions of New South Wales, causing widespread flooding and prompting urgent warnings across affected areas. Rivers have burst their banks and are spilling across floodplains, putting entire communities under flood watch. As the rain tracks further south, more regions are bracing for potential devastation. This unfolding weather disaster highlights how susceptible rural catchments and regional populations are to extreme rainfall events, especially in the wake of similar flooding earlier this year in western Queensland. The crisis serves as a crucial reminder of the different challenges faced by rural Australia compared to its urban centres during such emergencies. Rural regions face unique vulnerabilities The Mid No...

May262025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Forests Flip from Climate Heroes to Carbon Villains as Wildfires Rise

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Fact Check

Forests long hailed as nature’s best defense against climate change are fast becoming major climate threats. A new policy brief released by the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) warns that wildfires are transforming boreal, Amazonian, and Australian forests into powerful carbon emitters undermining global climate targets and exposing critical flaws in current forest-based carbon offset policies. Titled Beyond Planting Trees Taking Advantage of Satellite Observations to Improve Forest Carbon Management and Wildfire Prevention, the report urges a radical rethink of global carbon sequestration strategies. It reveals how climate change, rising temperatures, and droughts are altering forests so profoundly that planting trees alone may actually ...

May262025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

UK Records Driest Spring in Over a Century Amid Growing Drought Risk

Breaking News, Climate Actions

In yet another sign of escalating climate volatility, the United Kingdom is experiencing its driest spring in more than 100 years. The Met Office has confirmed that this spring’s average rainfall stands at just 80 mm far below the usual seasonal average of 229 mm marking the country’s lowest precipitation for the season in over a century. Rainfall Plummets to Historic Lows The dry spell gripping Britain has seen vast areas of the country go without meaningful rain for extended periods. Notably, regions including Greater London, Hampshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, and Yorkshire have recorded 20 consecutive dry days. While some parts of Wales and southwest England received adequate rainfall earlier in March, most of the UK has seen sharp deficits since then. For comparison, s...

May262025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

AI Weather Models Struggle with ‘Gray Swan’ Events, UChicago Study Finds

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Idea & Innovations, Tech

Neural networks excel at day-to-day forecasting—but falter when facing rare, extreme weather As the world increasingly relies on artificial intelligence for weather prediction, a new study led by the University of Chicago has uncovered a critical limitation: neural networks fail to anticipate so-called “gray swan” weather events rare but devastating occurrences that may not appear in the historical data used to train these AI systems. Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on May 21, the study reveals that although AI models offer fast and energy efficient forecasts, they struggle to predict unprecedented weather phenomena such as 200-year floods, record-breaking heat waves, or catastrophic hurricanes. What Are Gray Swan Events? Unlike typical day-to-d...

May262025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Early Monsoon Hits Kerala, Triggers Torrential Rains and Heatwaves Across India

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

The Southwest Monsoon arrived early over Kerala on May 24, unsettling India’s seasonal weather balance with simultaneous floods and heatwaves across various regions. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed that this early onset nearly a week ahead of the typical June 1 schedule will usher in prolonged rainfall along the western coast while much of northern India remains trapped in oppressive heat. Torrential Rain Forecast Along the Western Coast With the monsoon now active, heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected to drench Kerala, Karnataka, coastal Maharashtra, and Goa over the coming week. The IMD has warned of extremely heavy downpours in isolated areas, especially during the weekends. This surge in rainfall is attributed to a depression currently brewing over the Eas...

May252025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Greater Horn of Africa Braces for Above Normal June–September Rainfall

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters

A new regional climate outlook warns of an above-normal rainy season across much of the Greater Horn of Africa from June to September 2025, raising hopes for improved agricultural output while spotlighting risks of flooding and disease outbreaks. Issued during the 70th Greater Horn of Africa Climate Outlook Forum (GHACOF), the forecast anticipates wetter-than-average conditions across key parts of Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, and Djibouti. The forecast was released by the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC), in collaboration with WMO and national meteorological agencies. Key Rainfall Highlights The seasonal forecast projects a 55% chance of above-normal rainfall in: Central Sudan Eastern South Sudan Northern and southwestern Ethio...

May242025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Australia Reels from Deadly Floods: 5 Dead, Thousands Displaced in Southeast

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters

Australia southeast is facing a grim aftermath after torrential rains triggered devastating floods, killing five people and damaging over 10,000 properties. The New South Wales mid-north coast has been hardest hit with entire towns isolated, homes destroyed and livestock lost to surging floodwaters. Emergency services remain on high alert, conducting rescues and damage assessments as floodwaters slowly recede. Over 50 rescues were carried out overnight with many residents still sheltering in evacuation centers. The latest confirmed fatality was an elderly man discovered at a flooded property near Taree. Government Mobilizes National Response Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed condolences to the families of those lost and pledged full federal support. In a post on X (for...

May242025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

NOAA Forecasts Active 2025 Hurricane Season: 13–19 Named Storms Expected

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters

U.S. meteorologists are warning of a potentially busy Atlantic hurricane season for 2025, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicting 13 to 19 named storms 6 to 10 of which could intensify into hurricanes. The Atlantic hurricane season officially begins June 1 and runs through November 30. This above-normal forecast is based on two critical climate indicators: warmer-than-average Atlantic sea surface temperatures and the current neutral phase of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). These conditions tip the scales toward a more active season though experts stress that forecasting does not equate to guarantees. Warmer Waters and ENSO Fuel Storm Formation Hurricanes feed off warm ocean waters, and current sea surface temperatures are above the 3...

May242025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

WMO Predicts Stronger 2025 Monsoon Across Asia as ENSO Influence Weakens

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has forecasted an above-normal summer monsoon across East and South Asia in 2025, signaling a potentially wetter season for a region that is home to more than 60% of the world’s population. The prediction, issued through the Forum on Regional Climate Monitoring, Assessment and Prediction for Asia (FOCRA II), comes amid a global transition from La Niña to ENSO-neutral conditions. According to seasonal projections consolidated from WMO’s Global Producing Centres for Long-Range Forecasts, the 2025 boreal summer will bring above-average rainfall to large parts of East and South Asia. This monsoon uptick is expected to benefit agriculture-dependent economies but also raises the risk of flooding and landslides, particularly in low-lying and urba...

May242025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

India Sets Carbon Targets to Kickstart Domestic Market, Faces Design Challenges Ahead

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Fact Check

In a significant move toward launching its domestic carbon market, the Indian government has announced the first set of emission reduction targets under the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS). While the initial compliance year opts for relatively modest reductions, the government has signaled a steeper decarbonisation trajectory in the years ahead. The strategy appears calibrated to avoid cost shocks in the early phase while nudging industries toward energy efficiency and cleaner technologies. Gradual Targets, Long-Term Vision The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has adopted a cautious approach for the first year, easing industries into the compliance regime. However, starting in the second year, targets are expected to become more stringent, comp...