Environment Archives - Page 2 of 29

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...

Feb122025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Tanzania Farmers Abandoned: How US Aid Cuts Are Turning Hope into Hunger Amid Climate Crisis

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

Asha Omary, a 38-year-old farmer in Tanzania’s Kiroka village, faces a grim reality. Her once-thriving rice fields are now stunted, with yellowing leaves and dry soil. For five years, USAID-supported programs taught her how to grow more rice with less water and reduce soil erosion. But this year, the support vanished. “We had help for years,” Omary said. “Now we are alone.” Her husband, Juma, takes odd jobs to make ends meet. Without expert advice, pests and weeds overrun her fields, and vital terracing techniques are deteriorating. Omary and her fellow farmers have seen their hopes dim as US climate aid ended without notice. These programs were lifelines for many Tanzanian farmers battling erratic rainfall and rising temperatures. Farmers were taught sustainable practices, like the ...

Feb112025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Study Explores Climate Adaptation Strategies Among African Mountain Farmers

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

A recent study examining climate adaptation in African mountain regions has shed light on how farmers perceive and respond to climate change. Researchers interviewed 1,500 farmers across ten mountain regions, uncovering both shared and region-specific adaptation strategies. Mountain communities are particularly vulnerable to climate change, yet little is known about their adaptation responses. This study aimed to determine whether farmers are making incremental adjustments such as modifying existing practices or engaging in transformational changes that fundamentally reshape their livelihoods. Findings revealed that farmers across all study sites recognize multiple climate-related challenges, with the most common responses being intensified farming practices and reliance on off-farm ...

Feb112025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Freetown Share Africa First Heat Action Plan to Combat Rising Temperatures

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown, has taken a groundbreaking step in climate adaptation by launching Africa’s first Heat Action Plan (HAP) to tackle the growing threat of extreme heat. The initiative was unveiled during the first-ever African Urban Heat Summit on February 6, 2025, organized by Freetown’s city government and Climate Resilience for All (CRA), a global climate adaptation NGO. The summit brought together African mayors, policymakers, and climate experts to discuss urban heat resilience. Sierra Leone’s Vice President Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh and Freetown Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr introduced the HAP, emphasizing its importance in protecting vulnerable communities from rising temperatures. “Extreme heat is disrupting lives, straining healthcare systems, and threatening economic st...

Feb112025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Record January Heat Shows La Niña Struggling to Cool a Warming World

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

January 2025 has shattered temperature records, marking the hottest start to a year ever recorded 1.7°C above pre-industrial levels. Many climate watchers expected a cooling effect due to the natural La Niña phenomenon, but global warming appears to be overpowering it. Scientists now warn that human-driven ocean warming is beginning to overwhelm natural climate patterns, making temporary cooling phases like La Niña less effective. La Niña is part of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), a climate pattern that influences global temperatures by shifting ocean heat between basins. While El Niño causes warming, La Niña typically brings cooler global temperatures by shifting heat away from the eastern Pacific. Historically, La Niña has helped suppress temperature spikes, but this year, ev...