climate risk Archives - Disasters News

Mar172025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

New Climate Risk Index Reveals Global Inequities in Climate Crisis

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

A newly released Climate Risk Index (CRI) highlights the devastating impact of extreme weather events worldwide, underscoring the urgent need for stronger climate adaptation and risk management policies. Unlike the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI), which evaluates countries' mitigation efforts, the CRI ranks 171 nations based on the human and economic toll of climate-related disasters. The 2025 report, published by Germanwatch confirms that lower-income nations bear the brunt of climate change, despite contributing the least to global emissions. Over a 30-year analysis (1993-2022), five of the ten most affected nations were lower-middle-income countries including India, Myanmar, and the Philippines while high-income nations like Italy and Spain also made the list. The year 2022 a...

Mar142025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Rising Groundwater Threatens Inland Flooding in Coastal Cities

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

Rising sea levels caused by climate change are bringing an often-overlooked threat to coastal communities rising groundwater. While coastal erosion and storm surges have been widely studied, the inland spread of flood hazards due to groundwater rise remains a hidden danger. A recent study by Cox et al. focuses on Dunedin, New Zealand, a city already facing periodic flooding, and presents a method to predict how rising seas will impact groundwater levels, offering crucial insights for flood risk management. The research, based on data from 2019 to 2023 collected from 35 groundwater sensors, shows that as sea levels rise, groundwater levels will also increase, limiting the land’s ability to absorb rainfall and leading to higher risks of surface flooding. Even before reaching the surfac...

Mar132025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Unstoppable Heatwaves, Deadly Avalanches, and Global Negligence: How Climate Change is Pushing the World to the Edge

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment, Fact Check

As temperatures continue to soar across the country, climate experts warn that 2025 could be even hotter than the record-breaking 2024, pushing the world deeper into an environmental crisis. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has already issued heatwave warnings for multiple states, including Odisha, Kerala, and Maharashtra, while Bengaluru is expected to be hotter than Delhi this year. The rising heat is not just an inconvenience—it is claiming lives. In Mana, Uttarakhand, a devastating avalanche buried around 55 soldiers and workers at a border base camp, with many tragically losing their lives. Experts point to climate change as the root cause of these disasters. The western disturbances, which normally bring snowfall around December and January, have shifted to February and ...

Mar132025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Marine Heatwaves Surge 240% in Two Years, Triggering Global Disruptions

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Environment

A new study has revealed a 240% increase in marine heatwave (MHW) days worldwide during the 2023-24 summers, marking an unprecedented rise in ocean temperatures due to climate change, El Niño, and record-low cloud cover. The research, published in Nature Climate Change, shows that 10% of the world's oceans recorded their highest-ever sea surface temperatures (SSTs), reaching levels four times above historical averages. Extreme Weather and Oceanic Disruptions The prolonged marine heatwaves had far-reaching effects, influencing global weather patterns and triggering severe storms, flooding, and cyclones: Heatwaves struck the UK, North America, and Japan Severe flooding hit Ecuador, Libya, Japan, and Australia The Atlantic hurricane season saw near-record storms MHWs in...

Mar82025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Global Crop Production Faces Threat at 1.5-2°C Warming, Study Warns

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment, Learning & Developments

A major portion of global crop production could be at risk as temperatures rise beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius a new study published in Nature Food has revealed. The research warns that low-latitude regions, particularly in the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa, will face the most significant challenges in maintaining agricultural output under increasing climate pressures. Threat to Crop Diversity and Agricultural Stability The study conducted by researchers from Aalto University (Finland), University of Göttingen (Germany) and University of Zürich (Switzerland), analyzed 30 major crops across four warming scenarios ranging from 1.5°C to 4°C. Findings indicate that as temperatures rise beyond 2°C a significant portion of agricultural land will be exposed to un...

Mar82025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Amphibians Face Overheating Threat as 2°C rise Global Temperatures Rise

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

A new study has found that 2% of the world amphibians are already experiencing temperatures beyond their tolerance levels raising concerns about the future of these vulnerable species. The research published in Nature warns that a 2°C rise in global temperatures could be a tipping point, pushing many species toward extinction. Scientists analyzed 5,203 amphibian species and found that 104 are currently exposed to overheating in shaded terrestrial conditions. If global temperatures increase by 4°C, nearly 7.5% or 391 species could reach their physiological limits, facing severe survival challenges. Amphibians, which rely on external sources to regulate body heat, are among the most climate-sensitive vertebrates. Over 40% of amphibian species are already classified as threatened, and r...

Mar52025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Climate Change Fuels Rising Urban Fire Risks Across 20 countries

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

A new study published in Nature Cities has revealed that climate change is intensifying the threat of urban fires worldwide, with cities facing a significant rise in fire incidents if global temperatures continue to climb. Fire Risk Increases with Rising Temperatures Researchers analyzed fire data and maximum temperatures from over 2,800 cities across 20 countries, covering 20% of the global population. The study found that if global warming exceeds 4°C, the world could witness: 300,000 fire-related deaths and over a million injuries by 2100. A 22.2% rise in outdoor fires and an 11.6% increase in vehicle fires. A 3.3% increase in vehicle fires and a 6.9% rise in outdoor fires for every 1°C rise in temperature. Building fires, however, may decline by 4.6% due to better f...

Feb272025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Climate Change Threatens Thames with Increased Algal Blooms Despite Phosphorus Reduction 80%

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Environment

A new study has warned that climate change could fuel a rise in algal blooms in the River Thames, even though phosphorus levels an essential nutrient for algae have significantly decreased over the past four decades. Led by Helen Jarvie, a professor at the University of Waterloo, the research found that phosphorus loads in the Thames have dropped by 80% due to improved wastewater treatment and agricultural practices. Despite this progress, rising river temperatures driven by climate change are increasing the risk of both spring diatom blooms and summer cyanobacterial blooms. These algal blooms can harm aquatic ecosystems by suffocating marine life, depleting oxygen levels, and releasing potentially toxic cyanobacteria. Water Quality Management at Risk Jarvie emphasized that while ...

Feb262025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Tree Rings Reveal Climate Change’s Role in Intensifying Drought Across Eurasia

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

Scientists have long struggled to distinguish natural hydroclimatic variability from human-induced climate change when analyzing shifting drought conditions worldwide. While complex computer models can simulate past climate fluctuations, they often carry biases that affect regional drought estimates. Now, a groundbreaking study using tree rings provides compelling evidence that global warming is driving 21st-century drought patterns across Europe and Asia. A team of researchers, led by Kate Marvel and colleagues, turned to the Great Eurasian Drought Atlas (GEDA) a vast collection of tree ring records spanning 1,000 years to reconstruct historical drought trends. Because tree rings grow wider in warm, wet years and thinner in dry, cold years, they serve as a natural climate archive, offe...

Feb262025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Ecuador Launches Climate Insurance to Protect Small Farmers

Breaking News, Climate Actions

Ecuador has introduced its first parametric insurance program to protect smallholder maize and rice farmers from climate-related risks such as floods, storms, and El Niño-driven weather events. The initiative, led by Guy Carpenter Mexico, AXA Climate, Blue Marble Microinsurance, and Campo Seguro, in partnership with the InsuResilience Solutions Fund (ISF), aims to provide affordable coverage to farmers who previously lacked access to traditional indemnity-based insurance. Agriculture is crucial to Ecuador’s economy, supporting 17.9% of its workforce and supplying nearly 60% of essential food. However, extreme weather events threaten rural livelihoods, making risk management critical. Unlike conventional insurance, the new parametric model will offer faster payouts based on predefined we...