Indian cities have become heat traps

Indian cities have become heat traps

A senior government official says Indian cities have become "heat traps" because of their rapid growth, which is leading to increased carbon emissions and destroying water bodies. This comes as heatwaves in India have killed dozens of people this summer. Rebecca Bundhun reports.

June 18, 2024 34

Environment

Agriculture Ministry holds high-level talks on Stampriet aquifer mining

The Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform today held a high-level meeting in Stampriet regarding Uranium Mining in the Stampriet Transboundary Aquifer system. Here is Agriculture Minister, Calle Schlettwein.

June 17, 2024 63

Environment

One third of global population affected by desertification

Some 3.2 billion people, or almost one-third of the global population, are affected by desertification and land loss driven, in part, by climate change, according to the UN’s most senior official dealing with the issue. Ibrahim Thiaw is the Executive Secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification.

June 17, 2024 28

Environment

Maritime rangers discover whale carcass north of Swakopmund

Captain Sean Naude, Head of the Namibian Maritime Rangers, lifeguard, and marine life rescue services has confirmed the discovery of a whale carcass floating 30 kilometers north of Swakopmund by Wlotkasbaken on Monday. The whale carcass, believed to have been hit by a ship, was found during the team's search efforts for a missing pastor who disappeared nine days ago. The discovery, according to Naude was immediately reported to the […]

June 17, 2024 107

Africa

Zimbabwe’s new dinosaur discovery: inside the find

By Paul Barrett, Natural History Museum; Jonah Choiniere, University of the Witwatersrand; Kimberley E.J. Chapelle, University of the Witwatersrand; Lara Sciscio, Jurassica Museum, and Michel Zondo, University of the Witwatersrand Visitors to Lake Kariba – the world’s largest man-made lake, along the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe – come to enjoy the abundant wildlife, fine fishing or spectacular scenery. However, in 2017, our crew […]

June 17, 2024 50

Africa

Malawi farming experiment shows how simple changes can boost maize yields and improve soil

By Alan Dixon, University of Worcester Malawi’s increasingly unpredictable rainfall and higher than usual temperatures are causing problems for smallholder farmers. Soil erosion has increased, causing soil fertility and water availability to decline. Crops often fail. Farmers are already struggling financially. Many farm only one crop: maize. They can’t easily afford chemical fertilisers that would boost the soil’s fertility and sustain yields. Agriculture accounts for just […]

June 13, 2024 23

Environment

African elephants address one another with name-like calls − similar to humans

Elephants have close social bonds, which may have led to the evolution of name-like calls. Michael Pardo By Mickey Pardo, Colorado State University What’s in a name? People use unique names to address each other, but we’re one of only a handful of animal species known to do that, including bottlenose dolphins. Finding more animals with names and investigating how they use them can improve scientists’ understanding […]

June 12, 2024 39

Africa

Farming with a mixture of crops, animals and trees is better for the environment and for people – evidence from Ghana and Malawi

Moving away from intensive farming practices comes with many benefits. Nikada By Laura Vang Rasmussen, University of Copenhagen; Hanson Nyantakyi-Frimpong, University of Denver; Ingo Grass, University of Hohenheim; Marney Isaac, University of Toronto, and Rachel Bezner Kerr, Cornell University Farming just one kind of crop in a field at a time, and using a lot of chemicals, poses a risk to both people and nature. This simplified […]

June 10, 2024 32

Environment

Flooding and landslides kill three in Vietnam’s north

Flooding and landslides in northern Vietnam have killed three people, state media said Monday, after days of heavy rain that partially submerged thousands of homes. Images on state media showed water gushing down the steep roads of mountainous Ha Giang province, a popular spot for motorcycle tours, with vehicles overturned and abandoned in the floodwater. Residents in Ha Giang city stood on rooftops waiting for rescue. Around […]

June 10, 2024 52