Environment Archives - Page 15 of 45

Mar42025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Unplanned Urbanisation Fuels Rising Heat Managing Blue-Green Spaces Key to Mitigation

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

Urbanisation is coming at the cost of natural blue and green spaces leading to a surge in surface temperatures and exacerbating the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. Researchers warn that without sustainable urban planning or urban centres especially in developing nations like India will face hazardous heat stress, threatening both human health and local ecosystems. Urbanisation and Rising Temperatures The C(UN) estimates that by 2050, 68% of the global population will live in urban areas, with 90% of this growth concentrated in Asia and Africa. As a result, the rate of urban land expansion is already twice as fast as population growth, leading to a dramatic transformation of landscapes. Studies project that by the end of the 21st century, the Land Surface Temperature (LST) could ri...

Mar12025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Taranaki Drought Declared Medium-Scale Adverse Event as Farmers Struggle

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

New Zealand’s Taranaki region has been officially classified as experiencing a medium-scale adverse event due to persistent drought conditions, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay announced. The extreme heat and lack of rainfall have severely impacted pasture growth, forcing many farmers to sell livestock early or rely on stored feed. "Conditions on the ground are becoming extremely difficult," McClay said. "Taranaki is experiencing persistent dry weather, and we recognize the toll this is taking on the farming community." In response, the government has allocated $30,000 to rural support groups providing direct aid to affected farmers. The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is also monitoring conditions nationwide to determine if further intervention is needed. Rural Communities ...

Feb282025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Devastating Earthquake Strikes Nepal High Casualties Feared as Tremors Shake Himalayan Region

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Environment

Kathmandu: A powerful earthquake struck Nepal early Tuesday morning, sending shockwaves across the Himalayan region and triggering widespread destruction. The tremors, felt in neighboring India, China, and Bhutan, caused buildings to collapse, landslides to block key highways, and panic among millions. The full scale of the disaster is yet to be determined, but officials fear high casualties as rescue efforts intensify. According to seismologists, the quake was a result of the Indian tectonic plate pushing into the Eurasian plate at a rate of approximately 5 cm per year, a process that continuously builds stress beneath the Earth's surface. When this stress reaches a breaking point, it is released as a powerful seismic event. The Himalayas, being one of the most geologically active regi...

Feb282025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Texas Child Dies from Measles in First US Fatality in a Decade

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

A measles outbreak in West Texas has taken a tragic turn with the death of an unvaccinated child, marking the first measles-related fatality in the United States in ten years, state health officials reported Wednesday. The child, who succumbed overnight at a children's hospital, was among the more than 130 cases reported across Texas and eastern New Mexico. The outbreak has primarily affected children, with health experts linking its spread to a large under-vaccinated population in a rural Mennonite community. Texas health officials have warned of the disease’s severity, emphasizing its high hospitalization rate. A press conference with local and state health authorities is scheduled to provide updates and address community concerns. From News Desk

Feb282025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Heavy Snowfall Hits Himachal Higher Reaches IMD Predicts heavy Rain Snowfall

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Environment

The higher-altitude regions of Himachal Pradesh have been blanketed in fresh snowfall, while widespread rainfall has drenched the state over the past 24 hours. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast continued snowfall in upper reaches and rain across most regions for the next 48 hours. According to IMD’s Senior Scientist Sandeep Kumar Sharma, Kullu received 22 mm of rain, while Manali witnessed 20 cm of snowfall. Other higher-altitude areas, including Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur, recorded nearly one to one and a half feet of snow overnight. The snowfall is expected to persist in districts like Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Sirmaur, Shimla, Lahaul-Spiti, and Kinnaur, with heavy rainfall likely in parts of Kangra. Daytime temperatures across Himachal Pradesh are currently ...

Feb272025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Climate Change Threatens Thames with Increased Algal Blooms Despite Phosphorus Reduction 80%

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Environment

A new study has warned that climate change could fuel a rise in algal blooms in the River Thames, even though phosphorus levels an essential nutrient for algae have significantly decreased over the past four decades. Led by Helen Jarvie, a professor at the University of Waterloo, the research found that phosphorus loads in the Thames have dropped by 80% due to improved wastewater treatment and agricultural practices. Despite this progress, rising river temperatures driven by climate change are increasing the risk of both spring diatom blooms and summer cyanobacterial blooms. These algal blooms can harm aquatic ecosystems by suffocating marine life, depleting oxygen levels, and releasing potentially toxic cyanobacteria. Water Quality Management at Risk Jarvie emphasized that while ...

Feb272025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Africa Faces Climate Crisis as Warming Threatens Burn Agriculture

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Environment

Despite contributing less than 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions Africa is bearing the brunt of climate change. A new study warns that the continent is “highly likely” to surpass 1.5°C of warming by 2040, worsening extreme weather and threatening agriculture-based livelihoods. Africa’s annual average temperature has been rising at over 0.5°C per decade for 30 years. Southern Africa has already warmed by 1.2°C since pre-industrial times, with North, Southern, and West Africa expected to experience the most intense temperature increases. While rainfall patterns remain unpredictable, many regions especially in the north and west are seeing significant declines. Meanwhile, East and Central African highlands have recorded more frequent heavy rains and floods. Coastal regions also face...

Feb262025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Tree Rings Reveal Climate Change’s Role in Intensifying Drought Across Eurasia

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

Scientists have long struggled to distinguish natural hydroclimatic variability from human-induced climate change when analyzing shifting drought conditions worldwide. While complex computer models can simulate past climate fluctuations, they often carry biases that affect regional drought estimates. Now, a groundbreaking study using tree rings provides compelling evidence that global warming is driving 21st-century drought patterns across Europe and Asia. A team of researchers, led by Kate Marvel and colleagues, turned to the Great Eurasian Drought Atlas (GEDA) a vast collection of tree ring records spanning 1,000 years to reconstruct historical drought trends. Because tree rings grow wider in warm, wet years and thinner in dry, cold years, they serve as a natural climate archive, offe...

Feb252025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Vanishing Giants India Farmlands Lose Millions of Large Trees, Raising Environmental Concerns

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

India has witnessed a dramatic decline in large trees across its farmlands over the past decade, with nearly 5.6 million trees disappearing between 2018 and 2022 alone, a new study has revealed. Researchers using satellite imagery from 2010 to 2022 found that in some regions, up to 50% of large trees have been lost, raising serious concerns about the impact on biodiversity, soil health, and climate resilience. The study identified central Indian states like Maharashtra and Telangana as hotspots for tree loss, with nearly 2.5 million trees vanishing between 2011 and 2018. Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh recorded the highest densities of tree loss, with about 22 trees disappearing per hectare. India’s land-cover data shows that 56% of the country is under farmland, while forests cover only ...

Feb252025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Raging Infernos Forest Fires Surge $30 billion loss as Climate Change Fuels Destruction

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

Forest fires have become a global crisis, unleashing destruction on ecosystems, air quality, and biodiversity while intensifying climate change. The growing frequency and severity of wildfires from Russia to Australia highlight the urgent need for better fire management strategies and stronger climate action. In Los Angeles, wildfires recently caused losses of $30 billion, burning over 57,000 acres and destroying 16,000 structures. Between 2001 and 2023, wildfires wiped out 138 million hectares of tree cover worldwide, with Russia, Canada, and the U.S. suffering the highest losses. Meanwhile, global wildfires have emitted five to eight billion tonnes of CO₂ annually, worsening air pollution and health risks. India, too, faces escalating wildfire threats. With nearly 1.65 million hect...