climate action Archives - Page 8 of 29

Mar292025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

India Braces for Intense Summer as IMD Predicts Doubling of Heatwave Days

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that northwestern parts of the country will likely endure an unusually hot summer, with nearly twice the usual number of heatwave days. Typically, the region experiences five to six heatwave days per season, but this year, the IMD forecasts 10 to 12. Extreme Heat Expected Across West and Central India IMD scientist Soma Sen Roy stated that heatwave conditions will be "slightly above normal," particularly in West and Central India. However, she clarified that this seasonal outlook does not mean every day will be excessively hot. A heatwave is officially declared when temperatures reach at least 40°C in the plains, 30°C in the hills or rise five degrees above the seasonal average. Will 2025 Break Last Year’s Record Heat? Whi...

Mar292025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

India Rising Heat Worsens Water Crisis, Government Efforts and Sustainable Solutions

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

India is grappling with an escalating water crisis worse by rising temperatures with 2024 recorded as the hottest year since 1901. As heatwaves intensified the country saw 733 deaths due to extreme heat according to a report by Heat Watch. The gap between water availability and consumption termed the water gap is increasing at an alarming rate. A study in Nature Communications found that India leads globally in water scarcity, with a baseline shortfall of 24.3 cubic km per year. Under a 1.5°C warming scenario, this gap is projected to increase by 11.1 cubic km annually, further straining resources. The worst-affected basins include the Ganga-Brahmaputra (56.1 cubic km per year) and Sabarmati (52.6 cubic km per year), where water demand far exceeds supply. Government Efforts and Su...

Mar292025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Haryana Steps Up Pollution Fight Plans Long-Term Clean Air Project

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

Chandigarh, March 29, 2025 – Haryana is tightening its grip on air pollution with a series of strict regulatory actions including industrial closures, heavy fines, and pollution-control initiatives. Environment Minister Rao Narbir Singh, addressing the State Assembly emphasized the government's focus on air quality improvement through inspections, penalties, and awareness campaigns. 480 Industries Shut, ₹35 Crore in Fines The Haryana State Pollution Control Board has been actively inspecting industries, leading to the closure of 480 non-compliant units and the imposition of environmental fines worth ₹35 crore. While these efforts have led to some improvement in AQI, pollution hotspots like Faridabad and Gurugram continue to experience poor air quality. To combat seasonal pollution...

Mar292025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Lakes Across the Globe Losing Oxygen at Unprecedented Rate as Heat Waves and Climate Change Drive Deoxygenation Crisis

Breaking News, Climate Actions

Lakes around the world are rapidly losing oxygen, a trend that scientists warn could have devastating consequences for aquatic life, global food security, and climate stability. A new study published in Science Advances on March 21, 2025, has revealed that deoxygenation in global lakes is occurring at a rate faster than that observed in oceans and rivers. The research led by Yibo Zhan of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, found that 83 percent of the 15,535 lakes studied are experiencing continuous oxygen loss, with the decline driven primarily by rising global temperatures and an increasing frequency of heat waves. The study identified long-term climate warming as the primary driver of oxygen loss, accounting for 55 percent of the depletion in surface waters. As temperatures rise, the...

Mar282025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Massive 7.7 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Myanmar, Aftershocks Rattle Region

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters

A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on Friday March 28, causing widespread damage in Mandalay, the country's second-largest city. The quake, recorded at a depth of 10 km by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), was followed by a strong 6.4 magnitude aftershock. Tremors were felt as far as Bangkok, Thailand, where several buildings shook, and in parts of India and Bangladesh. In Mandalay, parts of the historic former royal palace suffered damage, and multiple buildings collapsed. The Sagaing region, southwest of Mandalay, reported the collapse of a 90-year-old bridge and damage to sections of the highway linking Mandalay to Yangon. In the capital Naypyitaw, religious shrines and homes sustained damage, but there were no immediate reports of casualties. Tha...

Mar282025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Bangkok Fights Urban Heat Crisis With Bold Action Plan World Bank Report Warns of Deadly Risks

Breaking News, Climate Actions

As Bangkok faces intensifying urban heat city leaders are taking urgent steps to cool the metropolis and protect residents according to a new report by the World Bank and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA). The study Shaping a Cooler Bangkok: Tackling Urban Heat for a More Livable City warns that without intervention a one-degree Celsius rise in the city’s average temperature could result in over 2,300 heat-related deaths annually, 44 billion baht in lost wages due to lower productivity, and 17 billion baht in additional cooling costs each year. The report highlights that Bangkok is experiencing longer and more extreme heatwaves worsened by the urban heat island effect, which traps heat in built-up areas and strains public health, productivity and infrastructure. If no action...

Mar272025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Women Farmers in India Use Climate Insurance to Fight Extreme Heat

Breaking News, Climate Actions

Deepikaben Rathva stood in her parched Gujarat field, the cracked earth beneath her feet a stark reminder of the May 2024 heatwave that had burned her crops to dust. But this time instead of falling into debt or desperation, her mobile phone buzzed a message from the Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA) confirmed that an insurance payout had arrived. She hadn’t even filed a claim. For millions of women farmers in India, climate change is more than a crisis it’s a battle for survival. Limited land rights, smaller plots, and restricted financial access leave them especially vulnerable. A 2024 FAO report reveals that female-headed households lose 8% more income to heat stress than male-headed ones. If global temperatures rise by 1°C, their earnings could drop 34% more than their male c...

Mar272025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Maasai Pastoralists Fight to Protect Land as Carbon Credit Deals Raise Dispossession Fears

Breaking News, Climate Actions

Under the scorching sun of northern Tanzania Joseph Ole Parsaloi moves across the dry plains, guiding his cattle through the vast landscape. Like generations before him, he relies on the land for grazing but a new challenge threatens his way of life. Foreign backed carbon credit projects are imposing restrictions on traditional grazing sparking fears among the Maasai of land dispossession under the guise of climate action. For thousands of Maasai pastoralists communal grazing has been the foundation of survival. However carbon offset projects, such as the Longido and Monduli Rangelands Carbon Project and The Resilient Tarangire Ecosystem Project are changing how the land is used. Supported by international investors, these initiatives aim to store carbon in the soil by enforcing control...

Mar272025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

South Korea Faces Worst Wildfire Crisis as Blazes Leave 18 Dead, Thousands Displaced

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters

South Korea is battling its deadliest wildfire outbreak, with at least 18 fatalities and 19 injuries reported as flames continue to consume vast areas of the country's southeastern regions. The fires, which erupted on March 21 in Sancheong County, have spread rapidly to Uiseong, Andong, Cheongsong, Yeongyang, and Yeongdeok, forcing over 23,000 people to evacuate. Acting President Han Duck-soo described the situation as “unprecedented”, marking a historic wildfire disaster in a country where such fires are relatively rare. The National Fire Agency has escalated its response to the highest emergency level, deploying thousands of firefighters, 5,000 military personnel, and US military helicopters to combat the blazes. Among the devastation is Gounsa Temple1,300-year-old Buddhist site, w...

Mar272025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Bengaluru Student Study Shows Rejuvenating Lakes Can Solve Water Crisis

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Fact Check

Once known as the ‘City of Lakes’, Bengaluru now faces severe water shortages with demand outstripping supply as rapid urbanisation takes its toll. However student-led research project under the Anveshana initiative suggests that restoring the city’s historical lake system could help achieve water self-reliance. Historically Bengaluru’s lakes functioned as interconnected reservoirs storing rainwater and supporting agriculture drinking water needs, and groundwater recharge. They also helped control floods by gradually releasing excess rainfall. However over the decades, urbanisation and groundwater extraction led to widespread lake neglect and encroachment, with many turning into sewage dumps. The city, now reliant on importing water from the Cauvery River, faces a growing demand-supp...