Page 41 - Climate Change

Aerosols heating up Himalayan climate, accelerates glacier's retreat: Study

Aerosols are heating up the Himalayan climate and contributing significantly to the accelerated retreat of the glaciers and changes in the precipitation patterns over the Hindu Kush-Himalaya-Tibetan Plateau (HKHTP) region, researchers said. Aerosols alone account for more than half of the total warming of the region's lower atmosphere, with the remainder coming from greenhouse gases, the researchers from the Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, and Helmholtz Centre Potsdam and the University of Leipzig, Germany found in a joint study. According to the study, aerosols will likely remain a key factor driving climate change over the region. The researchers observed the concentrations of aerosols and the the amount of heat absorbed (radiative forcing) across several locations in the Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP), the Himalayan foothills and the Tibetan Plateau. These are "relatively poorly studied regions with several sensitive ecosystems of global importance, as well as highly vulnera

India to push developed nations to become 'carbon negative' before 2050

India, which is resisting calls to commit to a deadline for phasing out its own use of coal and other fossil fuels, is set to make its proposal at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai later this year

Antarctica's ice shelves reduced by 40% in volume over 25 years: Study

As many as 71 of the 162 ice shelves surrounding Antarctica have reduced in volume over 25 years from 1997 to 2021, with a net release of 7.5 trillion metric tonnes of meltwater into the oceans, according to a study. The research, published in the journal Science Advances, found that almost all the ice shelves on the western side of Antarctica experienced ice loss. On the other hand, most of the ice shelves on the eastern side stayed the same or increased in volume. Over the 25 years, the scientists calculated almost 67 trillion metric tonnes of ice were exported to the ocean, which were offset by 59 trillion metric tonnes of ice being added to the ice shelves, giving a net loss of 7.5 trillion metric tonnes. "There is a mixed picture of ice-shelf deterioration, and this is to do with the ocean temperature and ocean currents around Antarctica," said Benjamin Davison, a research fellow at the University of Leeds, UK, who led the study. "The western half is exposed to warm water, whi

Sharp rise in companies' climate-related risk disclosure: G20 report

A new report from a G20 advisory body highlights significant growth in companies' disclosure of climate-related risks and opportunities between 2020 and 2022. The report, based on Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations, reveals a 26 per cent increase in companies disclosing their climate-related risks and opportunities, while oversight by company boards in this regard rose by 25 per cent. The Task Force assessed the current state and evolution of climate-related financial disclosures using artificial intelligence technology. It reviewed reports of more than 1,350 public companies over a three-year period fiscal years 2020, 2021 and 2022. Climate-related metrics disclosure led the way with over 70 per cent of companies disclosing the metrics they use. Reporting on greenhouse gas emissions and climate-related targets also showed considerable progress (both at 66 per cent), with a 24 per cent increase in companies reporting on their climate-related

India can become first country to industrialise without carbonising: Kant

With ideal weather conditions, India can redefine its growth model to become the first country in the world to industrialise without carbonising, G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant said on Thursday. Speaking at an event in the national capital, Kant also expressed confidence that the country, which has a young population, will grow at higher rates. According to him, the world is open to India and there is no reason why the country should not grow at higher rates. Highlighting the importance of going green, Kant said that otherwise countries will "neither be able to export to the markets and this is all going to happen before our eyes in the next 5 years." At the SHRM India Annual Conference 2023 here, he also said that India has ideal weather conditions and can go green to redefine its growth model "to become the first country in the world to industrialise without carbonising". During a discussion on his book 'Made in India: 75 Years of Business and Enterprise,' Kant said, India is the only

Global water resources in crisis, river conditions deviate from normal: WMO

More than 50 per cent of catchment areas globally witnessed deviations from normal river discharge conditions last year, posing a significant challenge in providing water to an increasingly vulnerable world grappling with climate change, according to a report by the World Meteorological Organisation. The report titled "WMO State of Global Water Resources 2022 Report" provides an independent and consistent global-scale quantitative assessment of water resources in large river basins in comparison to the long-term average for various variables like river discharge, groundwater, evaporation, soil moisture and inflow to reservoirs. It stated that the hydrological cycle was spinning out of balance as a result of climate change and human activities. The consequences of this imbalance are devastating, with droughts and extreme rainfall events wreaking havoc on both lives and economies. The melting of snow, ice, and glaciers intensifies flood risks and jeopardises long-term water security

Climate activist Greta Thunberg fined again for climate protest in Sweden

A Swedish court on Wednesday fined climate activist Greta Thunberg once again for disobeying police during an environmental protest in July in southern Sweden. The Malmo District Court ordered her to pay a 2,250 kroner ($206) fine. Thunberg, who already had been fined for a similar offence, took part in a July 24 environmental protest at an oil terminal in Malmo, where activists temporarily blocked access to the facility by sitting down and were removed by police. On Sept 15, she was charged with disobedience to law enforcement for refusing to obey police asking her to leave the scene. She then was dragged away by two uniformed officers. Thunberg, 20, has admitted to the facts but denied guilt, saying the fight against the fossil fuel industry was a form of self-defense due to the existential and global threat of the climate crisis. We have the science on our side and we have morality on our side. Nothing in the world can change that and so it is. I am ready to act based on the ..

Melting J&K glaciers threaten water supply, biodiversity, warns expert

Melting of glaciers in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh is going to impact the water availability in the Himalayan region with consequent adverse effect on the dependent livelihoods, a leading scientist has warned. Studies show that glaciers in the region have dwindled by 25 per cent in the last six decades, while 48 per cent of them could vanish by the century's end even with moderate climate change. Earth scientist and glaciology expert, Shakeel Ahmad Romshoo, voiced concerns, highlighting the significance of snow and glaciers for J&K and Ladakh. "We have about 18,000 glaciers, some of these glaciers are big like the Siachen glacier which in one dimension has a length of about 65 kms. The huge glaciers we have, about 500 to 600 metres thick, are huge resources in J&K and Ladakh," Romshoo told PTI. The scientist noted that under climate change and increasing temperatures, the glaciers in the region are melting. "The other thing that is happening in this region under the climate ...

Climate change may make India, Indus Valley too hot for up to 2.2 bn: Study

Climate change could expose up to 2.2 billion people in India's Indus Valley and Pakistan to many hours of heat that surpass human tolerance by the end of the century, according to new study. The study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), found that if global temperatures increase by 1 degree Celsius (C) or more than current levels, each year billions of people will be exposed to heat and humidity so extreme they will be unable to naturally cool themselves. Researchers from the Penn State College of Health and Human Development, Purdue University College of Sciences and Purdue Institute for a Sustainable Future in the US found that warming of the planet beyond 1.5 C above preindustrial levels will be increasingly devastating for human health across the planet. Humans can only withstand certain combinations of heat and humidity before their bodies begin to experience heat-related health problems, such as heat stroke or heart attack. As ...

Climate change blamed as Europe's cities see heat waves in Autumn

London, which endured some cold and bleak weather during the summer, is forecast to reach at least 22C on three of the next five days, while Paris climbs to 26C on Tuesday

Some plants may worsen air pollution on a warming planet, shows study

On a warming planet, plants like oaks and poplars will emit more of a compound that exacerbates poor air quality, contributing to problematic particulate matter and low-atmosphere ozone, a study shows. The same compound, called isoprene, can also improve the quality of clean air while making plants more resistant to stressors including insects and high temperatures. "Do we want plants to make more isoprene so they're more resilient, or do we want them making less so it's not making air pollution worse? What's the right balance?" said Tom Sharkey, a professor at Michigan State University in the US. "Those are really the fundamental questions driving this work. The more we understand, the more effectively we can answer them," Sharkey said. Isoprene from plants is the second-highest emitted hydrocarbon on Earth, only behind methane emissions from human activity. Yet most people have never heard of it, the researchers said. Isoprene interacts with nitrogen oxide compounds found in air

Developed nations pledge $9.3 bn to climate fund at gathering in Germany

Developed countries pledged USD 9.3 billion to help poor nations tackle climate change at a conference held in the German city of Bonn on Thursday, authorities said. However, nongovernmental groups criticized the outcome, saying the funds fall short of what is needed to tackle climate change. The pledges will help replenish the South Korea-based Green Climate Fund, established in 2010 as a financing vehicle for developing countries. It's the largest such fund aimed at providing money to help poorer nations in reducing their emissions, coping with impacts of climate change and boosting their transitions to clean energy. The pledged money at the conference in Bonn will be used to finance projects in developing and emerging nations between 2024 and 2027. The German government alone pledged 2 billion euros (USD 2.1 billion). Twenty-five countries came forward with fresh pledges while five said that they would announce theirs in the near future. The collected sum will likely turn out to

What pandemic preparedness would look like

Given strong odds that we will face another pandemic, the world is rightly engaged in discussions about how to do better next time. But the latest UN agreement on the issue offers mere platitudes

Climate change threatens amphibians, 136 of 426 species in India at risk

Climate change is deteriorating amphibian species around the world and the species continue to be the most threatened class of vertebrates, new research in Nature journal reports. In India, 136 of the 426 species evaluated in the study were found to be threatened, an international team of researchers, including those from Council of Scientific & Industrial Research-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB), Hyderabad, and other Indian institutes, said in their study. "Among the states with high amphibian diversity, Kerala has 178 species of which 84 are threatened, Tamil Nadu is next with 128 species of which 54 are threatened and Karnataka is in third place with 100 species of which 30 are threatened," said study author Gururaja K. V. and faculty at Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Bengaluru campus. Current and projected climate change effects are estimated to be responsible for 39 per cent of status .

Global infra faces losses worth $300 bn due to climate change: Report

The report said the annual investment required to fund the infrastructure deficit, achieve the sustainable development goals, and strengthen resilience by 2050 is about to $9.2 trillion

Global infra faces losses of $300 bn amid worsening climate impacts: CDRI

The global annual average loss (AAL) in the principal infrastructure sectors due to disasters and climate change currently stands between USD 301 and USD 330 billion, according to a biennial report from the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI). The inclusion of health and education infrastructure, and building stock, increases that range to USD 732 to USD 845 billion -- around one-seventh of the global GDP growth in the financial year 2021-2022 -- with nearly half of this contingent liability held by the low-and-middle-income countries, the report said. The low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs), therefore, face a multi-dimensional challenge -- a large infrastructure deficit that constrains social and economic development, precarious and poor-quality infrastructure due to deficiencies in infrastructure governance, disaster-related asset loss and damage and service disruption, and a stock of legacy infrastructure increasingly ill-suited to address the challenges ...

Greenwashing in India Inc: Environment scores create a sense of suspicion

Companies' disclosures should be verified by a single unit under Sebi to avoid disparity in methods

Banks, financial services behind 70% jump in greenwashing incidents in 2023

European financial institutions accounted for most of those instances, and much of the greenwashing involved claims about fossil fuels

India caught between Davids & Goliaths in global clean energy face-off

The US and Europe are offering 8 to 10 times more subsidies amounting to a massive $650 billion, around 18 per cent of India's gross domestic product

MPs raised concerns on climate change: Jairam Ramesh after House panel meet

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Environment, Forests and Climate Change met on Tuesday with MPs raising concerns and questions about various issues, including implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, according to its chairperson Jairam Ramesh. Ramesh said that the Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change met to discuss the subject of Environment and Public Health in terms of morbidity and mortality. It met with both the Ministries of Environment, Forests and Climate Change as well as with the Ministry of Health together, which in itself was a "minor innovation" that hopefully will have major effects, Ramesh said. "Ministries made their presentations. MPs had many concerns and questions on pollution, contamination and climate change. One key concern remained implementation and enforcement of environmental laws," he said on X after the meeting. Future meetings on this very wide but crucial subject will be held in the n