climate change Archives - Page 5 of 40

May22025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

When the Wind Hits Different: Why Downbursts Are More Destructive Than Hurricanes

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Fact Check

In May 2024, downtown Houston saw a surprising twist in storm damage. A powerful downburst, part of a derecho storm, blew out windows and ripped away building facades damage that even Hurricane Beryl, with similar wind speeds, failed to cause just months later. Engineers now believe the reason lies not in the strength of the winds but in how they behave. What Is a Downburst and Why Is It So Dangerous? Downbursts are often mistaken for heavy rain from a distance, but their power lies in what happens at ground level. As cold, dense air from high altitudes plunges downward during a thunderstorm, it accelerates rapidly. Once it hits the ground, it has nowhere to go but outwards sending winds blasting horizontally in all directions. These horizontal gusts can reach over 150 mph on ...

May12025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Climate Disasters Cause Economic Losses in Billions For India, Urgent Need for District-Specific DRR Solutions

Breaking News, Opinions

Climate change is intensifying disasters globally, with India ranking among the most affected countries. With rising economic losses and vulnerability, India urgently needs proactive, localised disaster management strategies, resilient infrastructure, and tech-driven solutions. Strong public-private partnerships and community engagement are vital to mitigate risks and safeguard the nation’s future. Climate change is killing us in unimaginable ways at far more intensity and scale than the kind of responses we deploy to deal with the crisis. Almost all credible studies and reputed institutes indicate alarming levels of rise in climate disasters and natural calamities across the world. Despite global climate action efforts and some level of concerted efforts, economic implications of clim...

May12025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

New Study Links Rainfall Patterns to Deadly Humid heatwaves, opening door to early warnings

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Learning & Developments

Researchers say improved forecasting could protect millions in tropical and subtropical regions as climate change intensifies risk. Scientists may have found a breakthrough in forecasting humid heatwaves a growing and dangerous threat in tropical regions by revealing how recent rainfall and soil moisture can signal when such deadly conditions might arise. In a first-of-its-kind study experts from the University of Leeds and the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology have identified clear links between rainfall patterns and the onset of extreme humid heat across the global tropics and subtropics. The findings, published on Tuesday, April 29 in Nature Communications, could pave the way for early warning systems that help protect vulnerable communities. a deadly but poorly understood da...

Apr302025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Coastal models show how island nations may adapt to sea level rise

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Fact Check

Scientists simulate real-world wave impacts on coral atolls to study future flood risks and explore limits of adaptation. New hope for vulnerable island communities A groundbreaking study using coastal models has revealed how natural coral atoll islands may respond to rising sea levels and more frequent wave-driven flooding. The research, led by Roelvink et al. [2025] and published in Earth’s Future, offers fresh insights into how sediment naturally accumulates on the ocean-facing side of islands, helping raise their elevation and reduce the impact of future overwash during extreme weather events. These findings are particularly relevant for rural, low-lying islands in the Maldives and Pacific Ocean, where communities depend heavily on coral reef protection and are among the first...

Apr302025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Climate crisis shortens window for global wildfire response as fire seasons start to overlap

Breaking News, Climate Actions

Scientists warn that longer fire seasons in Australia and North America are overlapping due to climate change, challenging international emergency cooperation. Fire risk rising with the climate As global temperatures rise, wildfires are becoming more frequent, intense, and unpredictable. A new international study by scientists from Germany’s Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) and Australia reveals that fire weather seasons in eastern Australia and western North America are increasingly overlapping largely due to climate change. This shift threatens the long-standing mutual aid system between fire services in Australia the United States and Canada. The findings were published in the journal Earth’s Future. January 2025 LA wildfires past Australia bushfires show the c...

Apr302025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Donald Trump Ends Climate Panel, Halts Key Reports, Future Research

Breaking News, Climate Actions

In a controversial move former US President Donald Trump’s administration has dismissed all authors of the National Climate Assessment (NCA) a crucial panel that has long shaped the country's understanding of climate change. The decision comes alongside a broader trend under Trump to cut climate research funding, withdraw from climate treaties, and promote fossil fuel development over green alternatives. The National Climate Assessment, launched under the US Global Change Research Program, is released every five years and provides scientific insight on the state of America’s climate from past observations to future predictions. Its findings have helped guide policies to protect the environment and vulnerable communities. The sixth report was expected in 2027, but that now appears to ...

Apr302025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Climate Disasters to Cost a Record $145 Billion in 2025, Warns Swiss Re Study

Breaking News, Climate Actions

Climate disasters are set to cost $145 billion in insured losses globally in 2025 a sharp 6% rise from last year making it one of the costliest years on record, according to a new report by reinsurance giant Swiss Re. This projected figure surpasses the $137 billion loss in 2024 and is well above the historical average. The rise is driven by a growing number of extreme weather events which experts link to climate change, urban expansion, and increasing populations in high-risk zones. A major driver of this year’s spike is the wildfires in Los Angeles which alone are expected to cause $40 billion in insured damages, the report said. Total Damage Far Worse While insured losses are skyrocketing, the total losses from natural disasters including damages not covered by insurance...

Apr292025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Can Climate Change Trigger Earthquakes? Scientists Explore the Link Between Water, Faults & Earthquakes

Fact Check, Thoughts & Talks

While earthquakes are primarily caused by tectonic movements scientists are now examining whether climate change and human activity might indirectly influence seismic activity. New studies suggest that changing water patterns from rain, droughts, melting glaciers, and even reservoirs can alter stress on Earth's crust, potentially affecting earthquake behavior. Water Weight and Fault Stress: A Surprising Connection Earthquakes occur when stress along faults in the Earth’s crust surpasses a breaking point. This stress typically builds due to the movement of tectonic plates. But scientists are studying whether climate-induced surface water changes such as rainfall, snowmelt, or groundwater depletion can subtly shift the balance of stress and possibly influence earthquake timing or freq...

Apr292025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Drought Heat & Dehydration: Kidney Disease Risk Rising in Colorado San Luis Valley

Breaking News, Climate Actions

New research shows that prolonged heat and dryness in Colorado’s San Luis Valley significantly increased the risk of kidney disease between 1984 and 1998. The findings highlight a direct link between climate change and human health particularly for agricultural workers in arid, drought-stricken regions. Kidney Health Threatened by Climate in High-Altitude Desert The San Luis Valley, North America's largest high valley desert, is now at the center of a disturbing trend: rising cases of kidney damage and disease linked to low humidity, rising temperatures, and long-term drought. A 15-year study, recently published in Weather, Climate, and Society, tracked health data from agricultural workers in the region and revealed a worrying pattern a 10% drop in humidity led to a 2% increase in a...

Apr292025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Monsoon Extremes Put Marine Life At Risk in Bay of Bengal: Warns Study

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

A groundbreaking study has revealed that both extremely strong and weak monsoons have historically led to a 50% decline in food availability for marine life in the Bay of Bengal. Researchers warn that with climate change likely to worsen monsoon variability, marine productivity and millions of livelihoods are at serious risk. Monsoons: A Double-Edged Sword for Marine Ecosystems In the dynamic environment of the Bay of Bengal, monsoons play a central role in ocean health. But this new research, conducted by teams from the University of Arizona and IIT Gandhinagar and published in Nature Geoscience, finds that monsoon extremes are harmful, regardless of whether rainfall is too much or too little. The culprit is disrupted ocean mixing, the vertical movement of water that brings nutri...