climate action Archives - Page 11 of 11

Dec222023 by disastersNo Comments

Octopus DNA Reveals Evidence of West Antarctic Ice Sheet Collapse During Last Warm Spell

In a groundbreaking study published in Science, scientists have turned to the DNA of octopuses living in Antarctica’s frigid waters to uncover evidence of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet’s (WAIS) collapse during the Last Interglacial, a warm period 129,000 to 116,000 years ago. Lead author Sally Lau from James Cook University and her team analyzed the genes of geographically-isolated populations of Turquet’s octopus, discovering genetic mixing that indicated the existence of trans-West Antarctic seaways connecting the Weddell, Amundsen, and Ross seas. The findings suggest that WAIS collapsed during the Last Interglacial when global temperatures were approximately 1.5 degrees Celsius warmer than pre-industrial levels, reflecting current conditions due to human-induced climate change. The st...

Dec222023 by disastersNo Comments

Australia’s Submerged Ancient Landscapes Revealed: Northwest Shelf’s Hidden History

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Learning & Developments

Recent research published in Quaternary Science Reviews unveils the hidden history of Australia’s Northwest Shelf, which was once an expansive, habitable landscape connecting the Kimberley and western Arnhem Land. This submerged continental shelf, stretching nearly 390,000 square kilometers, formed a unique cultural zone during a significant part of Australia’s human history, around 18,000 years ago. As the last ice age concluded, rising sea levels submerged this vast area, creating a complex landscape that remained undiscovered until now. The study used high-resolution maps and projections of past sea levels to reveal an archipelago, lakes, rivers, and a large inland sea that existed on the Northwest Shelf. This region, previously thought to be environmentally unproductive, turns ou...

Dec222023 by disastersNo Comments

UN Report says Global Emission Reductions Fall Short of Climate Goals by 2030 including worst impacts

Breaking News, Thoughts & Talks

A new report by the United Nations warns that global emissions are predicted to decrease by only 2 percent below 2019 levels by 2030, significantly below the required 43 percent reduction to avert the worst impacts of climate change. The report comes ahead of the 28th UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai, where countries are expected to push for stronger climate action to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. According to the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 43 percent by 2030 is crucial to limit temperature rise and avoid severe climate impacts such as droughts, heatwaves, and rainfall extremes. The report analyzed the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) of 195 countries to the Paris Agreement, including 20 new or...

Dec222023 by disastersNo Comments

Arctic Witnesses Record-Breaking Warmth in 2023, Signaling Alarming Climate Changes

Breaking News, Environment

The year 2023 has set a disturbing record as the warmest summer ever recorded in the Arctic, with far-reaching consequences for both the region and the global environment. This revelation comes from the recently released Arctic Report Card for 2023, a collaborative effort involving 82 scientists worldwide who assessed the Arctic’s vital signs, highlighting the profound effects of climate change. The summer of 2023 shattered the previous temperature record set in 2016, with temperatures in July, August, and September rising significantly, surpassing the 2016 record by four times the usual increment. Wildfires ravaged Canada, Greenland experienced unusual warmth leading to ice melting, and sea surface temperatures in various Arctic seas soared to 9 to 12 degrees Fahrenheit (5 to 7 degrees...

Dec222023 by disastersNo Comments

India Faces Increased Seismic Activity in 2023: Alarming Rise in Earthquakes

Breaking News, Disasters

In 2023, India experienced a significant surge in seismic activity, largely attributed to the active Almora Fault in western Nepal. Three major earthquakes rattled the region, with magnitudes of 5.8 on January 24, 6.2 on October 3, and 6.4 on November 3. The aftermath of these quakes resulted in continuous tremors throughout the year, affecting neighboring countries, including India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Nepal. The seismic activity in the region is not unexpected, given its proximity to the Himalayas, an area prone to earthquakes due to the collision of tectonic plates. The collision of the Indian Tectonic Plate with the Eurasian Plate generates ongoing seismic events in the region. The statistics for earthquake occurrences in recent years highlight the intensified seismic acti...