Japan has set new decarbonization targets, aiming to cut emissions by 60 per cent by 2035 and 73 per cent by 2040 from 2013 levels. The updated energy plan boosts renewables to 40-50 per cent by 2040 while reviving nuclear power, targeting 20 per cent of energy supply. However, nuclear expansion faces safety concerns and slow regulatory processes. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is monitoring plant restarts, including at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, amid local opposition.
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IAS officer Ms. Supriya Sahu shared a rare and stunning video of two snow leopards playing in the snow in Ladakh's Zanskar region. Captured by Tashi Tsewang, the 28-second clip highlights the majestic and elusive nature of these animals. Snow leopards, or 'ghosts of the mountains,' are rarely seen, making this footage a remarkable find.
The National Green Tribunal has asked the Forest Survey of India to submit a detailed report on the substantial loss of 23 lakh hectares of forest cover since 2000. This reduction, particularly severe in northeastern states, significantly impacts India's carbon balance and ranks the nation second globally in deforestation rates.
In his small Freetown workshop, engineering student James Samba tinkered with batteries and electrical parts he hoped could help clean up Sierra Leone's polluting public transport system. - 'Good for business, environment' - Samba first ventured into engineering when he built an electric wheelchair for his uncle, who had long struggled to access public transport.
A powerful 7.1 magnitude earthquake strikes near the Tibet-Nepal border, killing at least nine people. It causes building collapses and shakes regions across Bihar and North India. The quake's epicentre is in Tibet, about 93 km from Lobuche, Nepal. Two aftershocks were also recorded.
The Purple line metro project in Kolkata has received clearance from the Central Empowered Committee to transplant 691 trees on the Maidan. This allows Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd to proceed with constructing key underground stations and structures. After delays due to tree conservation orders, work for the Purple line’s underground section will resume at full pace.
Many schools and shops in eastern Canada closed, flights were delayed, and driving was hazardous due to a major snowstorm in cities like Montreal, Toronto, and Ottawa. The storm brought significant snowfall, yet residents expressed delight at the wintery weather. Canadians joyfully engaged in snow activities despite the challenges.
Saving the world's shrinking glaciers is a "survival strategy" for the planet, the UN said on Tuesday, a day after President Donald Trump announced the US would withdraw from the Paris climate accord. Tuesday's launch came after Trump announced he was withdrawing the United States -- the world's second-largest emitter after China -- from the Paris Agreement.
Japan's famed cherry trees are getting old, but a new AI tool that assesses photos of the delicate pink and white flowers could help preserve them for future generations. Hiroyuki Wada of the Japan Tree Doctors Association, who inspects cherry trees in major spots in Tokyo, helped supervise the AI tool.
France on Thursday urged the United Nations top court to "clarify" international law relating to the fight against climate change, saying judges had a "unique opportunity" to provide a clear legal framework. "France is convinced that these advisory proceedings provide a unique opportunity for the court to contribute to identifying and clarifying international law in regard to the fight against climate change," said Diego Colas, the country's representative.
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.