Wednesday, April 23News That Matters

Tag: climate crisis

Maasai Pastoralists Resist Carbon Credit Projects Amid Land Dispossession Fears

Maasai Pastoralists Resist Carbon Credit Projects Amid Land Dispossession Fears

Breaking News, Climate Actions
Across the sun-scorched plains of northern Tanzania, Maasai pastoralists are fighting to protect their ancestral lands from a new threat: carbon credit projects. Global investors, backed by multinational corporations, are securing deals to use Tanzanian grazing lands for carbon storage, promising economic and environmental benefits. But for Maasai communities, these projects feel like a modern land grab, threatening their traditional way of life. A Disguised Land Grab? Over two million hectares of Maasai land have been targeted by carbon offset initiatives, including the Longido and Monduli Rangelands Carbon Project supported by Volkswagen ClimatePartners, and The Resilient Tarangire Ecosystem Project backed by The Nature Conservancy. Under these schemes traditional Maasai grazing...
Rising Heat Poses New Threat to Bangladesh’s Fight Against Child Stunting

Rising Heat Poses New Threat to Bangladesh’s Fight Against Child Stunting

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Fact Check
Bangladesh has made remarkable strides in reducing childhood stunting, cutting rates from 42% in 2012 to 28% in 2019. However™a new less understood threat looms climate change. Could rising temperatures erase years of progress in child health and nutrition? A recent study, Extreme Heat Exposure in the First 1,000 Days: Implications for Childhood Stunting in Bangladesh, has drawn a direct link between heat exposure during early childhood and stunting. It found that a 1% increase in extreme heat days raises the odds of stunting by 56%, with heat exposure after birth having a 67% stronger effect than in utero exposure (28%). How Heat Impacts Child Growth Extreme heat disrupts critical biological processes in both mothers and children: Pregnant women exposed to heat suffer from r...
World Meteorological Day Highlights Urgency of Closing Early Warning Gap

World Meteorological Day Highlights Urgency of Closing Early Warning Gap

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Tech
Celebrations for World Meteorological Day took place worldwide today, focusing on closing the early warning gap and strengthening resilience against extreme weather. Organized by national weather services, events included a gathering at WMO headquarters in Geneva. Though the official day falls on March 23, global discussions continued into Monday. Progress in Early Warnings for All The UN Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative, launched at COP 28, aims to bring the world’s population under a protective early-warning system by 2027. Now at its halfway point, the initiative has seen major progress: In 2023, 108 countries reported having some capacity for multi-hazard early warning systems more than double the 52 countries in 2015. The initiative has saved lives, protected liv...
ADB Triple A Initiative Securing the Future of Atoll Nations Amid Climate Crisis

ADB Triple A Initiative Securing the Future of Atoll Nations Amid Climate Crisis

Breaking News, Climate Actions
Kiribati, Maldives, Marshall Islands, and Tuvalu four atoll nations at the frontline of climate change are facing an existential threat from rising sea levels, coastal erosion and freshwater scarcity. With a combined population of over 700,000 people living on just 1,300 km² of land, these nations are among the world’s most vulnerable to climate risks. Without urgent intervention, projections suggest sea levels could rise by up to 1 meter by 2100, putting large portions of these islands at risk of permanent inundation. In response, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched the Triple A “Accelerating Atoll Adaptation” Initiative, a transformational adaptation strategy designed to strengthen the climate and disaster resilience of these nations. The Socioeconomic Threat of Climate C...
Nepal Sagarmatha Sambaad Set to Tackle Climate Crisis Invite Global Leaders Amid Rising Environmental Concerns

Nepal Sagarmatha Sambaad Set to Tackle Climate Crisis Invite Global Leaders Amid Rising Environmental Concerns

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment
Nepal is gearing up to host its much-anticipated international dialogue, Sagarmatha Sambaad, from May 16 to 18 bringing together world leaders foreign ministers and experts to address the escalating climate crisis. The forum originally planned for 2020 but postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic aims to spark crucial discussions on climate change climate justice, and its devastating impacts on mountainous nations. During a media briefing in Kathmandu, Amrit Bahadur Rai, Secretary at Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, revealed that heads of state, foreign ministers, and ministers of forest and environment from various countries have been invited. While the list of attendees has yet to be finalized he confirmed that continuous dialogue is underway with different governments and internati...
Earth Drying Up UN Report Warns of Expanding Drylands and Looming Crisis

Earth Drying Up UN Report Warns of Expanding Drylands and Looming Crisis

Breaking News, Climate Actions
A 2024 UN report has revealed a troubling trend Earth is becoming increasingly dry as global temperatures rise. Over the past three decades, more than three-fourths of the world’s land has become drier compared to the previous 30 years. Today drylands cover 40.6% of the planet’s landmass, excluding Antarctica. As these regions expand number of people living in drylands has doubled to 2.3 billion making up over a quarter of the global population. If climate change continues at its current pace this number could soar to 5 billion by 2100. Drylands Expanding Across Continents The drying trend is being observed worldwide, from the western United States to Brazil, Europe, Asia, and central Africa. Scientists warn that without significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, an addition...
Warming Climate Shrinks Crop Diversity Threatens Global Food Security

Warming Climate Shrinks Crop Diversity Threatens Global Food Security

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Learning & Developments
A new study published in Nature Food warns that more than half of the world’s cropland could see a decline in suitable crops if global temperatures rise by 2°C. Researchers examined how climate change would affect 30 major crops under four warming scenarios, from 1.5°C to 4°C above pre-industrial levels. The study finds that even at 1.5°C of warming, over half of the analyzed crops including wheat, barley, lentils, and potatoes would experience a net loss in potential cropland. At 3°C, all 30 crops would suffer declining suitable areas, with some reductions surpassing 50%. While warming will shrink crop diversity in tropical regions it may allow for expanded farming options in temperate zones offering adaptation opportunities. Regions near the equator such as sub-Saharan Africa and S...
Himalaya Glaciers Vanishing at Alarming Rate Melting 65% Faster as Climate Crisis Worsens

Himalaya Glaciers Vanishing at Alarming Rate Melting 65% Faster as Climate Crisis Worsens

Breaking News, Climate Actions
  Glaciers across the globe are shrinking at an unprecedented pace, with the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region witnessing the most dramatic losses, retreating 65% faster in 2011-2020 than in the previous decade, according to a United Nations report released on the World Day for Glaciers. The Asia-Pacific region, home to some of the world’s highest mountains and vast glacier systems, is one of the most vulnerable to climate change. Spanning five million square kilometers of high-altitude terrain, the HKH region contains nearly 100,000 square kilometers of glaciers, often referred to as the “Third Pole” due to its immense ice reserves outside the Arctic and Antarctic. This region serves as a crucial water source, feeding ten major river systems and sustaining nearly two billion...
2024 Becomes Hottest Year on Record as WMO Warns of Irreversible Climate Crisis

2024 Becomes Hottest Year on Record as WMO Warns of Irreversible Climate Crisis

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has issued a stark warning in its latest report, confirming that 2024 was the hottest year ever recorded with global temperatures surpassing 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels for the first time. The findings highlight worsening climate conditions, including rising sea levels, record ocean warming, and extreme weather events leading to widespread displacement and economic losses. According to the report, the global mean temperature in 2024 was 1.55 ± 0.13°C above the 1850-1900 average, marking a devastating milestone in human-induced climate change. WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo described the findings as an “urgent warning sign” rather than a definitive failure of the Paris Agreement goals, emphasizing that every fraction of a degree of w...
Global Construction Emissions Stall for First Time Since 2020 But Climate Goals Still at Risk

Global Construction Emissions Stall for First Time Since 2020 But Climate Goals Still at Risk

Breaking News, Climate Actions
For the first time since 2020, emissions from the global building and construction sector did not increase in 2024, according to a new report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction. While this marks a significant milestone the sector remains one of the world’s largest carbon emitters responsible for over a third of global emissions. The Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction 2024-2025, released on March 17, 2025 highlights emerging progress in decarbonization. Energy intensity in the sector dropped by nearly 10%, and the share of renewable energy in final energy demand rose by 5%. However the report warns that these improvements are not enough to keep climate goals within reach. Urgent Need for Stronger P...