Sunday, February 23News That Matters

Tag: population

New Data Shows Climate Adaptation Urgent as Cities Face Rising Hazards Amid Warming

New Data Shows Climate Adaptation Urgent as Cities Face Rising Hazards Amid Warming

Breaking News, Environment, Idea & Innovations
With over two-thirds of the world's population expected to live in cities by 2050, new data from the World Resources Institute (WRI) reveals the stark challenges urban areas will face due to climate change. The analysis, focused on the 1,000 largest cities globally, highlights the growing threats from extreme heat, disease, and energy demand, with low-income regions particularly vulnerable. Under a scenario of 3 degrees Celsius (5.4 degrees Fahrenheit) of warming above pre-industrial levels, cities could endure significantly longer and more frequent heat waves compared to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) of warming. This would trigger skyrocketing demand for cooling and heighten risks from diseases such as dengue and Zika. The report underscores the urgent need for climate a...
Study Finds Children Born in 2020 to Face Twice as Many Wildfires as Those Born in 1960

Study Finds Children Born in 2020 to Face Twice as Many Wildfires as Those Born in 1960

Breaking News, Disasters, Environment
Children born in 2020 are projected to experience double the number of wildfires over their lifetimes compared to those born in 1960, according to recent studies. In regions like California, wildfires have become a common occurrence during the summer and fall seasons, releasing harmful particulate matter (PM₂.₅) into the air that poses significant health risks. Wildfire-produced PM₂.₅ can penetrate deep into the lungs, causing immediate respiratory issues. While short-term exposure is linked to acute health problems like asthma, the long-term effects of repeated exposure are still unclear. A major challenge is accurately measuring wildfire-related PM₂.₅ exposure, as the intensity of pollution can vary drastically from day to day. Current methods of measuring annual average PM₂.₅, whi...
Study Warns 70% of Global Population Will Face Extreme Weather by 2044

Study Warns 70% of Global Population Will Face Extreme Weather by 2044

Breaking News, Environment
A new study predicts that nearly 75% of the global population will face extreme weather events in the next two decades unless greenhouse gas emissions are drastically reduced. Led by climate scientists from the Center for International Climate Research (CICERO) in Norway, the research warns that even in the best-case scenario, 1.5 billion people will experience rapid and dangerous changes in weather patterns. Physicist Bjørn Samset from CICERO stresses that these extreme events, such as intense heatwaves, floods, and storms, are already locked in due to the current state of the climate. Samset explains, "The only way to deal with this is to prepare for a situation with a much higher likelihood of unprecedented extreme events, already in the next one to two decades." Recent climate da...
Study Warns of Drastic Climate Extremes for Three-Quarters of Global Population Without Emissions Cuts

Study Warns of Drastic Climate Extremes for Three-Quarters of Global Population Without Emissions Cuts

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment
A new study has issued a stark warning about the impending global climate crisis, projecting that nearly 70% of the world’s population could face significant and rapid changes in extreme temperatures and rainfall over the next two decades if greenhouse gas emissions are not drastically reduced. This groundbreaking research was led by the CICERO Center for International Climate Research and supported by the University of Reading. The study, published in Nature Geoscience, reveals that up to 20% of the population could still face extreme weather risks even if emissions are reduced enough to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. Without substantial action, however, this figure could soar to 70%, underscoring the urgent need for more aggressive climate mitigation strategies. Impact of R...