climate risk Archives - Page 4 of 5

Jan282025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

UNHCR Faces Record Humanitarian Challenges in 2024 Amid Conflicts and Climate Crises

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) confronted unprecedented challenges in 2024, responding to a record 43 humanitarian emergencies, including 26 newly declared crises. Seven of these reached the agency’s highest emergency level, reflecting escalating global needs due to ongoing conflicts, new wars, and climate-related disasters, as highlighted in the recently released 2024 Impact Report: Response to New Emergencies and Protracted Crises. The war in Sudan remained a central focus for UNHCR, with relief efforts continuing into a second year to address the severe regional impact. Alongside Sudan, other conflict zones such as Lebanon, Syria, Ukraine, Myanmar, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo demanded significant humanitarian response. Climate-related emerge...

Jan272025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Just Resilience Advancing Equity in Climate Adaptation Strategies

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

A new paper delves into the concept of "just resilience," emphasizing the integration of justice and equity into climate adaptation and resilience research and policy. By exploring underrepresented perspectives, particularly from the global south, and addressing the social, structural, and geographical drivers of vulnerability, the paper seeks to shape a global agenda for equitable adaptation. Emergence of Just Resilience Just resilience has become a critical focus in addressing the unequal burdens of climate change. Adaptation strategies can inadvertently create disparities, turning some groups into winners while leaving others behind. Interplay of Climate and Structural Inequities Climate change impacts often exacerbate preexisting inequities based on wealth, power dynamics, ...

Jan272025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Greenland’s Lakes Transform from Carbon Sinks to Sources Due to Extreme Climate Events

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Environment

A new study has revealed alarming changes in over 7,500 lakes in western Greenland, which have shifted from being carbon sinks to carbon sources due to extreme climatic conditions. The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), highlights the profound ecological transformation of these vital ecosystems caused by atmospheric rivers (ARs) and other climate extremes in recent years. In September 2022, a series of atmospheric rivers long, narrow regions in the atmosphere that carry large amounts of water vapor struck western Greenland, causing record-breaking heat followed by rains. These events significantly altered the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of the region’s lakes. In addition, the impact of Hurricane Fiona further raised ...

Jan222025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Global Economy Faces 50% GDP Loss by 2090 Without Climate Action, Warns Report

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Fact Check

A stark warning has been issued about the economic and humanitarian costs of inaction on the climate crisis. According to the "Planetary Solvency – Finding Our Balance with Nature" report, global GDP could shrink by 50% between 2070 and 2090 if decisive measures are not taken. Populations are already grappling with food system shocks, water insecurity, heat stress, and infectious diseases. Without intervention, the likelihood of mass mortality, displacement, economic collapse, and conflict increases dramatically. The report, the fourth in a series by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA) in collaboration with climate scientists, offers a framework for global risk management. It emphasizes that ineffective risk messaging has hampered policy decisions and delayed critical action, ...

Jan172025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Fighting Poverty in Angola: A Climate-Challenged Journey of Resilience

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

Huila, Angola – Frail and clutching her infant tightly, Ooli stands as a symbol of resilience in the face of adversity. Living in a small, straw-and-mud shack in the remote Bata-Bata community of Huila province, she is one of the beneficiaries of Angola's flagship social protection program, Kwenda. Despite the support, her journey reflects the uphill battle many face in regions increasingly gripped by the dual challenges of poverty and climate change. With cash transfers from Kwenda, Ooli initially invested in pigs, hoping to establish a sustainable livelihood. However, the unrelenting dry season claimed the lives of her livestock. Undeterred, she used her next tranche of funds to buy chicks, which now roam freely near her home. Their survival, like Ooli's hope, depends on withstanding ...

Jan162025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Global Risks 2025 Cyber Threats Top Concerns as Climate Change Rises

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Environment, Learning & Developments

As businesses prepare for 2025, the Allianz Risk Barometer reveals a landscape dominated by interlinked global challenges. Cyber-attacks, particularly data breaches, have been identified as the leading risk, with 38% of companies marking them as their top concern. Following closely are business interruptions (31%) and natural catastrophes (29%). Climate change climbs to its highest-ever position at #5, reflecting a year marked by extreme weather and record-breaking temperatures. Cybersecurity remains the top concern for businesses worldwide for the fourth consecutive year. The increasing sophistication of cyber threats, exacerbated by advances in artificial intelligence, has businesses on edge. Data breaches remain the most feared cyber incident, followed by attacks on critical infrastr...

Jan132025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

2025 NDC Update: Bridging Adaptation Plans with Paris Agreement Goals

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Fact Check

As the 2025 update to nationally determined contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement approaches, a new briefing highlights the opportunity for countries to align their NDCs with their national adaptation plans (NAPs). The review assesses how adaptation-related information presented in these key documents can be better integrated, offering a roadmap for policymakers to strengthen climate action. This briefing is particularly aimed at national policymakers and NAP teams responsible for adaptation planning and implementation. It underscores the critical role of the 2025 NDC update in enhancing the coherence between the NAP process and NDC commitments, ensuring that adaptation measures are effectively mainstreamed into national climate strategies. By synthesizing insights from coun...

Jan102025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Rising Temperatures and Warnings: Latest Climate Research Highlights Urgent Action Needed

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

As global temperatures soared to record highs in 2024, the urgency to address climate change is intensifying. New research underscores how rapidly the planet is warming and reveals unexpected consequences of climate shifts, from ocean changes to wildfires and ecosystem transformations. Recent findings suggest Earth may have already reached 1.5°C of warming above pre-industrial levels, a critical threshold that could lead to irreversible climate impacts. A November 2024 study based on 2,000 years of atmospheric gas data from Antarctic ice cores indicates that warming hit 1.49°C in 2023. Unlike previous calculations, which used a baseline from 1850-1900, this analysis extends the pre-industrial baseline back to 13 CE, offering a broader historical perspective. The warming Atlantic Ocea...

Dec162024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Amazon Fires Intensify as Groundwater Depletion El Niño Fuel Catastrophic Events

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Environment

A groundbreaking study has demonstrated a clear link between climatic phenomena and the rising propensity for fires in the Amazon rainforest. Researchers have identified compromised groundwater storage, exacerbated by El Niño-driven droughts, as a critical factor in escalating fire risks. The findings, backed by satellite data and fire reports, could pave the way for more effective prevention strategies. Role of Groundwater and El Niño in Amazon Fires The study highlights that regions with depleted groundwater storage are at greater risk of fires during extreme droughts. Researchers observed that during El Niño events, prolonged dry conditions impact three key water reservoirs: topsoil, the tree root zone, and groundwater, with groundwater being the slowest to recover. El Niño, chara...

Nov252024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Global Cities Fail to Meet Tree Canopy Goals Despite Abundance of Trees

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

New research has revealed that most global cities, including Melbourne and Sydney, lack adequate tree canopy coverage, even though trees are abundant in urban landscapes. The study, published in Nature Communications, measured over 2.5 million buildings across eight cities using the '3-30-300' rule, a benchmark for sustainable urban nature access. Melbourne and Sydney Fall Short The study found that only 3% of buildings in Melbourne's inner suburbs had sufficient canopy cover, despite 44% of buildings having views of at least three trees. Central Sydney performed slightly better, with 17% of buildings shaded adequately, though 84% of buildings had views of three or more trees. Lead researcher Dr. Thami Croeser from the Centre for Urban Research said urgent action is needed to incr...