Sunday, February 23News That Matters

Tag: climate action

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

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...
Study Explores Climate Adaptation Strategies Among African Mountain Farmers

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 ...
Freetown Share Africa First Heat Action Plan to Combat Rising Temperatures

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...
Satellite Data Reveals Warning Signs Before Anak Krakatau Tsunami Disaster

Satellite Data Reveals Warning Signs Before Anak Krakatau Tsunami Disaster

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters
A new study has revealed that Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau volcano, which collapsed in a devastating 2018 eruption and triggered a deadly tsunami, had been slipping for years showing warning signs that could have been detected in advance. Researchers at Penn State analyzed satellite data and found that the mountainside had been slowly shifting before its collapse, offering valuable insight into predicting similar disasters in the future. Published in Geophysical Research Letters, the study used a technique called Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) to track surface deformation over a 12-year period. The analysis showed that the detachment fault beneath Anak Krakatau experienced approximately 15 meters (50 feet) of movement from 2006 to 2018, with notable acceleration just befo...
Without FEMA Disaster Recovery Could Crumble, Are States Ready to Go It Alone?

Without FEMA Disaster Recovery Could Crumble, Are States Ready to Go It Alone?

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Fact Check
ruins and millions in urgent need of aid. In such a crisis, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) would typically deploy supplies, financial relief, and emergency assistance within hours. But what if FEMA no longer existed, and states had to handle disasters alone? With former President Donald Trump questioning FEMA’s future and proposing that states take over disaster recovery efforts, the debate over disaster management is more relevant than ever. Climate change is driving more frequent and severe catastrophes, raising concerns about whether states could cope without federal assistance. Role of FEMA in Disaster Relief FEMA was established in 1979 to coordinate national disaster response efforts, but the federal government has been involved in relief efforts since the 18...
Rising Mega Droughts  Earth Dry Spell Expands by 12 Million Acres Annually

Rising Mega Droughts Earth Dry Spell Expands by 12 Million Acres Annually

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters
A shocking new study published in Science reveals that mega droughts severe, long-lasting dry spells are increasing at an alarming rate, expanding by 50,000 square kilometers (12 million acres) each year. These extreme droughts are depleting water sources, devastating agriculture, and fueling wildfires worldwide. Scientists have compiled the first-ever global catalog of megadroughts since 1980, ranking them by severity. "We found that these multiyear droughts are growing in size, intensity, and impact," said Pascal Buri, a glaciologist at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and one of the study’s authors. The study began with droughts in Chile, which has faced a water crisis since 2010. However, researchers soon expanded their focus and discovered droughts lasting more than two years ...
LA Schools Face Tough Road to Recovery After Wildfires

LA Schools Face Tough Road to Recovery After Wildfires

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment
As Los Angeles County students return to school after devastating wildfires, the focus is on more than just rebuilding classrooms. With over 1,000 schools closed and 600,000 students affected, the impact extends beyond lost buildings it disrupts learning, mental well-being, and the stability schools provide. Learning Loss and Emotional Recovery Past disasters show that pushing students back into classrooms too quickly can be counterproductive. Florida reopened most schools just a week after Hurricane Ian in 2022, but experts suggest emotional healing must come before academic recovery. Following Hurricane Helene in 2024, North Carolina sent over 260 counselors to support affected students. Schools integrated recovery into lessons science teachers used water testing kits to analyze...
Climate-Driven Wildfires Could Reshape Global Emissions Accounting: UN Expert

Climate-Driven Wildfires Could Reshape Global Emissions Accounting: UN Expert

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment, Opinions
The growing impact of climate-driven wildfires is forcing a rethink in how greenhouse gas inventories calculate emissions, says Minal Pathak, an associate professor at Ahmedabad University and co-author of the United Nations Emissions Gap Report. For the first time, the 2024 report has included wildfire emissions, highlighting the complexities of accounting for these fires in global climate data. Pathak explains that wildfires are categorized as either natural or anthropogenic, with the latter resulting from activities like agricultural burning. While CO₂ from fires is often considered carbon neutral since forests can regrow and reabsorb emissions climate change is altering this balance, making it harder to predict how forests recover and store carbon. Recent wildfires in Los Angeles...
Climate Change Threatens Mediterranean Fisheries With 41% Drop in River Flow

Climate Change Threatens Mediterranean Fisheries With 41% Drop in River Flow

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment
A new study by European scientists warns that freshwater flowing through rivers into the Mediterranean Sea could decline by as much as 41% due to climate change. The research, published on February 3, 2025, outlines a worst-case scenario in which global temperatures rise by 4°C above pre-industrial levels, drastically altering coastal ecosystems and threatening the region’s fisheries. The decrease in river flow would reduce freshwater and nutrient inputs, leading to lower primary productivity in the Mediterranean’s marine ecosystem. This would have cascading effects on the food chain, ultimately impacting commercially valuable seafood species. "The results show that 41% less river flow could slash marine productivity by 10% and fish biomass by 6% in the Mediterranean, leading to annu...
Hidden Risk Behind Earthquake Destruction: How Migration Shapes Disaster Impact

Hidden Risk Behind Earthquake Destruction: How Migration Shapes Disaster Impact

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Fact Check
A new study has uncovered a hidden factor behind the devastating impact of earthquakes in suburban areas migration. Researchers at the University of Washington found that workers moving from rural regions to city outskirts often live in low-quality housing, making them more vulnerable to destruction when a major quake strikes. The study, published in Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, analyzed the 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake in Taiwan, which killed over 2,400 people. Surprisingly, the most severe damage was not in city centers but in suburban areas where migrants had settled. Similar patterns were observed in past earthquakes in China, Chile, and Nepal. Lead researcher Tzu-Hsin Karen Chen explained that many migrants do not officially update their residence, leading to underestim...