Global Warming

Heat exposure during pregnancy can lead to a lifetime of health problems

By Matthew Chersich, University of the Witwatersrand and Darshnika Pemi Lakhoo, University of the Witwatersrand Climate change is one of the greatest public health threats humanity has ever faced. Global warming is part of this threat. Increasing temperatures are linked to deteriorating health, especially in vulnerable populations, including pregnant women and children. Scientists have previously shown that heat exposure increases the risk of preterm […]

20 June, 2024

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.

17 June, 2024

Environment

UN Chief calls for action to protect biodiversity and combat climate change

One million species now under threat, and humanity is to blame, the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres has warned, in a call to protect the plants, animals, microorganisms and more, that sustain all life on Earth. Pollution, climate chaos, habitat loss and exploitation of nature have pushed a million plant and animal species to the brink of extinction. Guterres called on developed countries to invest in biodiversity and climate action […]

23 May, 2024

Environment

Heat waves can be deadly for older adults: An aging global population and rising temperatures mean millions are at risk

Older adults face health risks from high heat for many reasons, including medications. AP Photo/Manu Fernandez By Deborah Carr, Boston University; Enrica De Cian, Ca' Foscari University of Venice; Giacomo Falchetta, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, and Ian Sue Wing, Boston University A deadly heat wave gripped large regions of Asia for weeks in April and May 2024. As temperatures climbed past 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius) […]

23 May, 2024

World

Global coral bleaching caused by global warming demands a global response

Bleached coral at the Keppel Islands in the southern Great Barrier Reef in early March 2024. © AIMS | Eoghan Aston By Britta Schaffelke, Australian Institute of Marine Science; David Wachenfeld, Australian Institute of Marine Science, and Selina Stead, Newcastle University The fourth global coral bleaching event, announced this week, is an urgent wake-up call to the world. While the US National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s announcement is […]

19 April, 2024

World

Fasting is a key part of Ramadan, but for many Muslims, climate change is making food scarce all year

By Nasya Bahfen, La Trobe University Every Ramadan, volunteers at Westall Mosque and OneSpace in Melbourne hold free weekly iftars (communal dinners to break the fast in Ramadan). This year, volunteers say numbers are up. To cut down on the resulting landfill, attendees are asked to bring their own reusable food containers and water bottles. In dedicated bins, bottles and cans are collected and recycled under the […]

2 April, 2024

Environment

Venomous snakes could start migrating in large numbers if we hit 5ºC warming

By Pablo Ariel Martinez, Universidade Federal de Sergipe A global group of scientists has predicted that climate change may cause dramatic movements in venomous snake populations across many countries in Africa. The scientists took into account climate change predictions about changes to the current habitats of 209 venomous snakes, and mapped where those environments were found elsewhere. Based on this, they predict that snakes were likely to migrate […]

28 March, 2024

Africa

School’s out: how climate change is already badly affecting children’s education

The education of students in countries like Sudan is already being negatively affected by the extremes of climate change. Richard Juilliart/Shutterstock By Caitlin M Prentice, University of Oslo; Francis Vergunst, University of Oslo; Helen Louise Berry, Macquarie University, and Kelton Minor, Columbia University Schools across South Sudan have been ordered to close as a heat wave of 45°C sweeps across the country. In recent years, severe flooding has […]

22 March, 2024

Environment

By Anna Dulisse via Mongabay On an island chain in the middle of the Indian Ocean lies an invaluable treasure: “white gold.” While it may not be a gem to proposition a prospective fiancée with, it does protect the ocean’s most biodiverse ecosystem: coral reefs. Casey Benkwitt, a research fellow at Lancaster University in the U.K., says she couldn’t be more thrilled about it. “It’s exciting to learn and show something […]

29 February, 2024