The top UN court has commenced hearings on the legal responsibilities of countries to combat climate change and assist vulnerable nations. The case, pushed by island nations facing rising sea levels, seeks to establish international legal obligations and consequences for actions affecting the climate, with input from 99 countries and various organizations.
Related news
Delhi residents experienced a partly cloudy morning with a minimum temperature of 15.2 degrees Celsius, slightly above the seasonal average. The India Meteorological Department forecasts the maximum temperature will range between 31 and 33 degrees Celsius. Wind speed is expected to be around 10 kmph in the afternoon. The air quality remains moderate with an AQI of 194.
India's central forest belt is undergoing a major conservation effort with the creation of new wildlife corridors linking key national parks in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Chhattisgarh. These corridors aim to enhance wildlife movement, improve gene flow for endangered species like tigers, and strengthen ecosystem resilience.
Cyclone Chido, having already caused fatalities in Mayotte, made landfall in Mozambique near Pemba with intense winds and heavy rainfall. Communication with Pemba has been lost, but reports indicate significant damage to homes, schools, and health facilities. Aid organizations are working with the government to provide essential services.
Toni Boucher, a 70-year-old resident of Altadena, is concerned about the health risks of sifting through the toxic ashes of her wildfire-ravaged home. Experts warn that the ash contains harmful substances like asbestos, lead, and arsenic, posing significant health hazards to those exposed.
Australian birds are changing shape due to rising temperatures. Over 100 species show smaller bodies and larger beaks, aiding heat dissipation. Long-term warming increases beak size, but short-term heatwaves cause both body and beak shrinkage, possibly due to food scarcity. While adaptation is evident, its impact on survival remains uncertain, raising concerns about species unable to adapt.
Untreated sewage discharge in Pune's Mula-Mutha River resulted in mass fish deaths near Naik Island, blamed on the Naidu Water Purification Project. Residents criticize the Pune Municipal Corporation and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board for failing to address the pollution. This event poses significant health risks and disrupts the river's ecological balance.
Wolves have made a strong comeback in Europe thanks to conservation efforts, but their resurgence has sparked conflicts with farmers worried about livestock losses. In response, the European Commission is considering easing protections to permit culling. Conservationists strongly oppose the proposal, highlighting the crucial role wolves play in maintaining biodiversity, restoring ecosystems, and combating climate change.
The past decade has been the hottest on record, with 2023 marking the warmest year ever, according to a UN report. Rising carbon dioxide levels, record ocean temperatures, and extreme weather events signal a worsening climate crisis. The report attributes global heating mainly to human activities and warns of severe consequences. Amidst policy rollbacks by the Trump administration, experts and activists urge immediate action to curb emissions and transition to clean energy.
Five Hawaiian crows, or 'alala', extinct in the wild since 2002, were released on Maui on Wednesday in a bid to restore the species. This marks the first 'alala release on Maui and follows previous reintroduction attempts on the Big Island. The birds were carefully selected and assessed for their survival skills.
Europe's meteorological agency says cuts by US President Donald Trump's administration to a key American science agency had hindered the sharing of crucial observations used around the globe to monitor the climate and forecast weather. "It's important for climate monitoring -- any observation lost is a loss for climate monitoring, for calibration of satellite, for verification of forecasts," she said.