Global environmental talks are facing a crisis, with recent UN negotiations on climate change, plastic pollution, biodiversity loss, and desertification yielding disappointing results. Experts and activists warn of a "broken" multilateral system hampered by consensus requirements, fossil fuel industry influence, and geopolitical divisions. Despite some progress on climate finance, the overall pace of change is deemed too slow to address the scale of the environmental challenges.
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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.
Japan Tuesday pledged to slash greenhouse gas emissions by 60 percent in the next decade from 2013 levels but climate campaigners said the target fell short of what was needed under the Paris Agreement to limit global warming. On Tuesday Tokyo's environment ministry said the country would slash emissions 60 percent by the 2035 fiscal year.
A grieving orca named Tahlequah, who famously carried her dead calf for 17 days in 2018, is now seen carrying another dead calf. This comes as a significant blow to the endangered Southern Resident killer whale population, which is already struggling due to scarce prey and environmental pollutants.
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.
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.
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.
Physicist Stephen Hawking's predictions about Earth's future resurface as NASA warns of existential threats like climate change and overpopulation. Hawking urged action to colonize other planets to ensure humanity's survival, highlighting climate change, nuclear war, pandemics, AI, and asteroid impacts as key dangers. NASA emphasizes urgent action to mitigate irreversible climate damage.
Global temperatures soared to historic highs in March, continuing an unprecedented heat streak that challenges scientific understanding. Europe experienced its hottest March ever, leading to extreme rainfall variations. The world marked its second-hottest March, sustaining record-breaking temperatures since July 2023, with scientists noting the persistent anomaly and its link to human-caused climate change.
Six critically endangered Mekong giant catfish, weighing up to 287 pounds each, were recently discovered and released back into the Mekong River Basin. This unprecedented event offers hope for the species' revival, as conservationists gain crucial information about their ecology and migrations through tagging.
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.