Page 23 - Climate Change

Climate change lead to heavier rainfall triggering Wayanad landslide: Study

The deadly landslides in Kerala's ecologically fragile Wayanad district were triggered by a heavy burst of rainfall, made 10 per cent heavier by climate change, according to a new rapid attribution study by a global team of scientists. Researchers from India, Sweden, the US and the UK warned that such events will become more common as the climate continues to warm. To measure the impact of human-caused climate change, the scientists from the World Weather Attribution (WWA) group analysed climate models with high enough resolution to accurately reflect rainfall in the relatively small study area. The models indicated that the intensity of rainfall has increased by 10 per cent due to climate change, they said. The models also predict a further four per cent increase in rainfall intensity if the average global temperature rises by two degrees Celsius compared to the 1850-1900 average. The scientists, however, said there is a "high level of uncertainty" in the model results as the stu

Was July 2023 or July 2024 hottest month on record? Depends on who you ask

Last week, Copernicus - the EU's climate science service - said July was the second hottest month ever recorded. But this week, NASA and the US NOAA said it was the world's hottest

China's central bank to extend low-carbon lending tool to end of 2027

In sweeping statement of policy goals that was short on specific implementation plans, China promised to develop tax & investment policies that would support what Beijing calls a green transformation

Experts warn against relief even as July ends streak of global heat record

Earth's string of 13 straight months with a new average heat record came to an end this past July as the natural El Nino climate pattern ebbed, the European climate agency Copernicus announced Wednesday. But July 2024's average heat just missed surpassing the July of a year ago, and scientists said the end of the record-breaking streak changes nothing about the threat posed by climate change. "The overall context hasn't changed," Copernicus deputy director Samantha Burgess said in a statement. "Our climate continues to warm." Human-caused climate change drives extreme weather events that are wreaking havoc around the globe, with several examples just in recent weeks. In Cape Town, South Africa, thousands were displaced by torrential rain, gale-force winds, flooding and more. A fatal landslide hit Indonesia's Sulawesi island. Beryl left a massive path of destruction as it set the record for the earliest Category 4 hurricane. And Japanese authorities said more than 120 people died in

Hydrometeorological disasters record highest toll in 5 years: Govt data

The disasters have also resulted in extensive property damage

84% of Indian districts at risk of heatwaves, 70% prone to extreme rainfall

Over 84 per cent of Indian districts are prone to extreme heat waves and 70 per cent of those are witnessing increased frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall events, a study by IPE-Global and GIS company Esri India said on Tuesday. The study projects that eight out of 10 Indians will be exposed to extreme events by 2036. IPE Global, Climate Change and Sustainability Practice, Head Abinash Mohanty, said that the current trend of catastrophic extreme heat and rainfall events is a result of 0.6 degree Celcius temperature rise in the last century. Recent Kerala landslides triggered by incessant and erratic rainfall episodes and the cities getting paralysed with sudden and abrupt downpour is a testament that climate is changed. Our analysis suggests that 8 out of 10 Indians will be highly exposed to extreme events by 2036, Mohanty said. According to the study, the frequency, intensity, and unpredictability of these extreme heat and rainfall events have also risen in recent ...

COP29 only chance to bridge climate action, finance gap: Commonwealth chief

The COP29 climate talks in Azerbaijan's Baku is the world's only chance to bridge the gaps in climate action and finance which is crucial to "rebuild trust" among countries and protect lives and livelihoods, Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland has said. In an interview with PTI via Zoom, Scotland said it is important to have the fossil-fuel producers as allies in the fight against climate change. Azerbaijan, the host of this year's UN climate talks, is a small petrostate on the Caspian Sea. Nearly all of its exports are oil and gas. "We are nearing the cliff, the critical 1.5 degrees Celsius limit. In fact, some of our scientists say that we are there now. Our home, our planet, is literally on fire. Instead of action, we see the gaps in emissions, finance, and justice widening. It is our duty to bridge those gaps, and COP is our only chance. It comes at a moment of immeasurable urgency," Scotland said. She said rich countries promised to provide USD 100 billion (one ..

Severe drought returns to Amazon. And it's happening earlier than expected

Holder of one-fifth of the world's fresh water, the Amazon is beginning the dry season with many of its rivers already at critically low levels, prompting governments to anticipate contingency measures to address issues ranging from disrupted navigation to increasing forest fires. The Amazon Basin is facing one of the most severe droughts in recent years in 2024, with significant impacts on several member countries, stated a technical note issued Wednesday by the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization, which includes Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela. In several rivers in the southwestern Amazon, water levels are the lowest on record for this time of year. Historically, the driest months are August and September, when fire and deforestation peak. So far, the most affected countries are Bolivia, Peru and Brazil, according to ACTO. On Monday, Brazil's federal water agency decreed a water shortage in two major basins, Madeira and Purus, which cove

Malayalam superstar Mohanlal visits landslide-hit Wayanad in Army uniform

Mohanlal, who was conferred the Lt Colonel post in the territorial army in 2009, was spotted donning his army uniform as he reached the Army camp at Meppadi

Wayanad landslide toll mounts 160; disaster linked to 3 causes. 10 updates

Wayanad landslide: Officials fear that casualties are likely to increase as 180 people are still missing and many are feared to be trapped under the debris

India not historically responsible for climate crisis: Commonwealth chief

India is not historically responsible for the climate crisis but it should not emulate polluting practices of the West from the 19th century during its development, Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland has said. In an interview with PTI, Scotland said India has the opportunity to lead a just and equitable energy transition by sharing expertise and technology within the 56-nation club called Commonwealth, which represents 2.7 billion people. She also said that India can exemplify a new, clean and safe development model that can serve as a beacon of hope for the Global South. "India is a developing country, which was not historically responsible for creating this (climate) crisis. So, India is in a similar position to many of the Global South countries. And that is absolutely true," the Commonwealth secretary general said. Despite not causing the crisis, she said, India is suffering from severe climate consequences, including extreme heat, floods and intense monsoons, and

Scientists rely on reanalysis method to know when world has its hottest day

This reanalysis goes back to 1940, and it allows researchers to say with confidence when a record is broken, whether for a day, month or year

Wayanad landslides: How climate change is linked to Kerala disaster

Warming of the Arabian Sea is allowing the formation of deep cloud systems, leading to extremely heavy rainfall in Kerala in a shorter period and increasing the possibility of landslides, a senior climate scientist said on Tuesday. Extremely heavy rain triggered a series of landslides in the hilly areas of Kerala's Wayanad district early on Tuesday, leaving at least 123 people dead and 128 injured. Many were feared trapped under the debris. S Abhilash, director of the Advanced Centre for Atmospheric Radar Research at Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT), said Kasargod, Kannur, Wayanad, Calicut and Malappuram districts have been receiving copious rainfall due to the active monsoon offshore trough affecting the entire Konkan region for the last two weeks. The soil was saturated after two weeks of rainfall. A deep mesoscale cloud system formed off the coast in the Arabian Sea on Monday and led to extremely heavy rain in Wayanad, Calicut, Malappuram and Kannur, resulting

Built to last

Infra spend must focus on climate change

When flights couldn't take off in Leh because air was too thin: Explained

The Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport in Leh, one of the highest in the world, faces challenges due to mountain winds that necessitate flights taking off or landing in the morning hours

Roadmap for decarbonisation of steel to be out for public consultation soon

India's steel sector accounts for about 12% of total greenhouse gas emissions, with an emission intensity of 2.55 tonnes of CO2 per tonne of crude steel compared to a global average of 1.9 tonne

Why is Paris 2024 Olympics set to be the greenest Olympics in history

Paris Olympics 2024 will largely depend on renewable energy sources, including geothermal and solar power; France has put in place several environmentally friendly initiatives

Gujarat sees an increase of nearly 200K piped gas connections, says govt

A statement from the state government said that under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Gujarat is channelling economic development through environmentally friendly policies

Climate events influence actions of central banks, says RBI DG Rao

Rao said that such events can destroy assets funded by institutional finance, thereby harming the financial health of these institutions

Budget 2024: Proposals for critical minerals to help achieve net-zero goals

The Budget announcements related to critical minerals and green transition will not only make India self reliant in resources but also help in meeting net-zero goals, energy industry players said. In her Budget speech on Tuesday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a slew of measures for sectors, including infrastructure, manufacturing, healthcare, education, startups, and green energy, among others. Amit Rautela, CFO of state-owned Meja Urja Nigam said the Budget has strategically addressed present requirement of thermal power with a focus on Advanced Ultra Super Critical (AUSC) technology through joint venture route. Further, duty related measures for critical minerals will make the country self reliant in these important resources. According to Rahul Walawalkar, President of India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA), the announcement for pumped hydro storage in budget is a key step for supporting long duration energy storage technologies. Abolishment of angel tax is a great