DarkSky International acknowledges Franklin Mountain Energy's efforts in reducing light pollution at oil sites in New Mexico, including Carlsbad Caverns National Park. The lighting retrofits improve workplace safety and reduce electricity consumption. New Mexico is updating its 1999 law to combat increasing light pollution and protect night skies.
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Scientist Inna Birchenko began to cry as she described the smouldering protected forest in Thailand where she was collecting samples from local trees shrouded in wildfire smoke. Birchenko and her colleagues hiked kilometre after kilometre through burned or still-smouldering forest, each footstep stirring up columns of black and grey ash.
The Brazilian COP30 Presidency calls for a 'Circle of Presidencies' to enhance multilateral action on climate change, seeking input from various leaders and sectors. The initiative aims to promote financial alignment with the Paris Agreement and prioritize urgent measures, including forest protection and renewable energy goals.
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.
IIT Indore has developed a solar-powered water purification system for remote and coastal areas. The system uses ISSG technology and photothermal materials to desalinate saline water efficiently. Metal oxide-based inks absorb solar radiation to produce steam from saltwater without external energy. This scalable, cost-effective method offers a low-energy alternative to traditional processes like reverse osmosis.
Sweden and Finland, Europe's most forested countries, are not doing enough to protect their primary and old-growth forests, falling short of EU commitments, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) said in a report Thursday. "The current government has shown a low ambition to strictly protect primary and old-growth forests on private lands," the WWF said.
The deaths of 1,300 pilgrims during the hajj in Saudi Arabia last year underscored the urgent need to mitigate dangers posed by extreme heat, with crowd management an essential first step, analysts say. - 'Extreme danger' - Authorities were pursuing heat-mitigation measures at holy sites long before last year's deaths.
Civil society groups and academics urged governments Thursday to take actual steps toward fulfilling a stalled pledge to end deforestation before this year's UN climate summit in the Brazilian Amazon. "In 2025, governments must take bold action to get on track," the coalition of nearly 40 non-governmental organisations, think-tanks and forest research bodies said in a document outlining policy proposals.
Earth's average temperature in 2024 reached a record high, surpassing the 1.5 degrees Celsius limit set by the Paris Agreement. This increase, linked to fossil fuel emissions and El Nino impacts, is the first full-year breach of this benchmark. Experts warn about the long-term implications, emphasizing urgent action against climate change.
Earth experienced its hottest year ever in 2024, surpassing previous records and briefly exceeding the critical 1.5°C warming limit, according to multiple weather agencies. The rise is attributed to greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels. Scientists warn of severe climate impacts, including increased disasters and long-term environmental damage, urging continued commitment to the Paris Agreement.
Ecologist Madhav Gadgil warns Western Ghats deterioration has reached a critical point, with landslides increasing tenfold. He blames continued mining and construction, despite his 2011 report recommending stronger ecological protections. Gadgil criticizes the subsequent Kasturirangan report for ignoring local communities and urges the government to implement his original recommendations.