Environment Archives - Page 17 of 45

Feb202025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Goma Dual Crisis M23 Rebel Group Takeover & Mount Nyiragongo Threat

In January 2025, the city of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) fell under the control of the M23 rebel group. This marked a deadly escalation in a decades-long conflict that has led to mass displacement and numerous deaths. Goma, home to two million people, faces a compounded risk. Just 12 miles from the city lies Mount Nyiragongo, one of the world’s most dangerous active volcanoes. The volcano’s lava flows can reach speeds of over 60 miles per hour faster than a person can run. During its 2021 eruption, thousands were displaced and at least 250 people lost their lives. An earlier eruption in 2002 left 13% of Goma buried in lava. The DRC exemplifies the dangers faced by fragile, conflict-affected regions when natural disasters strike. Climate change further intensifies v...

Feb192025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Guillain-Barre Syndrome Claims Two Lives in Andhra Pradesh, Sparks Health Alert

Breaking News, Disasters, Environment

In Andhra Pradesh, health authorities have sounded the alarm after two deaths from Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) were reported. Dr. Sivananda, Superintendent of King George Hospital in Visakhapatnam, described GBS as a rare, non-contagious post-viral condition that can cause paralysis and autoimmune disorders. He noted that GBS affects only two out of every two lakh people. Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav confirmed the deaths occurred in Guntur and Srikakulam districts. While acknowledging the syndrome’s 5-7% global mortality rate, Yadav reassured the public that Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has directed comprehensive response measures. He urged people to remain calm and seek immediate medical attention if symptoms appear. The state’s first GBS-related death was recorded at Gun...

Feb182025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Sargasso Sea: Earth’s Only Sea Without Shores Faces Climate Crisis

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

The Sargasso Sea, located in the North Atlantic Ocean, is the only sea in the world that doesn’t touch any land. It is defined by four ocean currents the North Atlantic Current, Canary Current, North Atlantic Equatorial Current, and Antilles Current forming a natural boundary rather than a coastline. Instead of sandy shores, the sea is blanketed by large mats of Sargassum seaweed, giving it a distinctive appearance. This seaweed has been washing up on the shores of North America and the Caribbean, but out in the open sea, it serves as a haven for marine life. The Sargasso Sea Commission highlights the region’s ecological importance, noting it provides breeding grounds for endangered eels and migratory paths for species like sperm and humpback whales, tuna, and turtles. Historically a...

Feb182025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Environmental Groups Urge IMO to Ditch Biofuels, Warn of Deforestation Risks

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

Environmental organizations are pressing the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to reject biofuels as a low-carbon option for the shipping industry, arguing that their expanded use could worsen deforestation, land grabbing, and climate change. Biofuelwatch and the Global Forest Coalition (GFC), along with 65 other groups, submitted an open letter ahead of the IMO’s upcoming discussions on low-carbon fuel standards. The letter warned that biofuel expansion, particularly in the Global South, poses significant environmental and social threats. It also called for stricter sustainability criteria to prevent the negative impacts of biofuel production. Brazil, the world’s second-largest biofuel producer, has emerged as a vocal supporter of biofuels in the shipping sector. The country...

Feb182025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Climate Change Fuels Insurance Crisis as Extreme Weather Becomes New Normal

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

The insurance industry is facing unprecedented challenges as climate change intensifies the frequency and severity of extreme weather events. Traditionally, insurers relied on probability to assess risks and set premiums. However, with disasters like storms, floods, wildfires, and hurricanes becoming almost annual occurrences, the business model is under severe strain. Rising claims have led to skyrocketing premiums, making insurance unaffordable for many and forcing insurers out of high-risk markets. California’s ongoing wildfire crisis is a stark example of this trend. Wildfires that erupted in Los Angeles County in January 2025 burned over 23,000 hectares, killed 29 people, destroyed 16,000 structures, and displaced thousands. Typically, the region’s wildfire season occurs from June ...

Feb182025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Kenya Faces Food Insecurity Risks After USAid Famine Warning Network Shutdown

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

Kenya’s food security is under threat following the shutdown of the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (Fews Net) on January 30, 2025. For 40 years, this USAid-funded platform provided crucial data to predict and track food insecurity across nearly 30 countries in Africa, Central America, and Asia. Its abrupt closure has left a significant void in Kenya’s ability to anticipate and respond to food crises. Fews Net played a vital role in Kenya’s food security planning by collaborating with the National Drought Management Agency and the Kenya Food Security Steering Group. The platform offered forecasts for crop production, food insecurity assessments, and climate and conflict-based predictions for potential crises. These reports helped Kenya’s government and international partners priori...

Feb152025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Earth’s Magnetic North Pole Continues Its Drift Toward Siberia: How This Ongoing Shift Could Impact Global Navigation and Technology

Breaking News, Environment, Fact Check, Learning & Developments

Earth’s magnetic north pole has moved again, drawing closer to Siberia, according to the latest update of the World Magnetic Model (WMM). This shift could have significant implications for global navigation systems, including those used by commercial aviation and GPS devices. Unlike the fixed geographic North Pole, magnetic north is influenced by the turbulent movement of molten iron in Earth’s core. The pole has been drifting for centuries, but its speed increased dramatically in the 1990s, reaching a peak of 34.2 miles (55 km) per year before slowing to around 21.7 miles (35 km) per year by 2015. The WMM, updated every five years, ensures accurate navigation for planes, ships, and military operations. If updates are delayed, navigation errors could occur. Dr. Arnaud Chulliat, a sen...

Feb132025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

UNDRR, WMO Launch Global Early Warning System Investment Observatory

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) have launched the Global Observatory for Early Warning System (EWS) Investments to improve tracking and coordination of funding for disaster preparedness. This initiative aims to support the UN’s goal of global EWS coverage by 2027, announced by Secretary-General António Guterres in 2022. Early warning systems are critical in saving lives during extreme weather events, which are becoming more frequent and severe due to the climate crisis. However, fragmented financing has limited their global reach. Launched in December 2024, the Observatory provides an overview of funding flows from nine key financing institutions. It identifies gaps, avoids duplication, and ensures investme...

Feb132025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Climate & Maternal Health Curtin Study Links Air Pollution to Prolonged Pregnancy

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment, Learning & Developments

New research from Curtin University reveals that exposure to outdoor air pollution and extreme temperatures during pregnancy may increase the risk of prolonged pregnancies, offering fresh insights into the effects of climate change on maternal health. The study, which analyzed nearly 400,000 births in Western Australia, found that higher exposure to fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) and biothermal stress a combination of temperature, humidity, wind speed, and human physiology was linked to pregnancies lasting beyond 41 weeks. Dr. Sylvester Dodzi Nyadanu, the study’s lead author from Curtin’s School of Population Health, explained that while preterm births have been studied extensively, this is the first research to explore the impact of environmental factors on prolonged pregnan...

Feb122025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

2025 record heat highlights January become the hottest month Ever in the history

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Environment

January 2025 was the hottest on record - a whole 1.7°C above pre-industrial levels. If many climate-watchers expected the world to cool slightly this year thanks to the natural "La Niña" phenomena, the climate itself didn't seem to get the memo. In fact, January 2025's record heat highlights how human-driven ocean warming is increasingly overwhelming these natural climate patterns. La Niña is a part of the El Niño southern oscillation, a climate fluctuation that slowly sloshes vast bodies of water and heat between different ocean basins and disrupts weather patterns around the world. El Niño was first identified and christened by Peruvian fishermen who noticed a dismal drop in their catch of sardines that coincided with much warmer than usual coastal waters. El Niño is now well known...