The EU just passed a groundbreaking nature conservation law
The Nature Restoration Law aims to restore 20 percent of land and sea areas by 2030, bolstering degraded ecosystems and enhancing biodiversity. The law sets a historic precedent, aligning with global climate and biodiversity goals. Looking for a mid-week pick me up? Well, in the form of good news, we’ve...
Current in Planet
Viruses frozen in Arctic ice could be slowing melting processes
The idea of ‘supersize’ viruses stored inside Arctic glaciers may sound like the beginning of an apocalyptic novel, but scientists have found that giant viruses are playing a key role in slowing the ice’s melting process caused by climate change. You’ve likely heard that viruses have been frozen inside Arctic...
Panama evacuates coastal island due to rising sea levels
Global coastal communities have been witnessing the effects of climate change unfold right before their eyes. Now, families in Panama are packing up their lives as sea levels rise, making their home island inhabitable. Still a climate change denier? In light of recent news, it might be time to rethink...
Understanding the sand mining crisis in India’s rivers
India's rivers are facing an alarming crisis due to rampant and often illegal sand mining, which is threatening the survival of endangered species and disrupting the delicate ecological balance of these vital waterways. Sand has become a precious commodity in India due to the burgeoning construction industry's insatiable demand. This has...
Is this about to be Britain’s rainiest summer for more than a century?
The Met Office has warned the UK government and nationwide transport officials to start preparing for the wettest summer in over 100 years. If you’re living in the UK right now, you’re probably wondering where the glorious sun is hiding. After an particularly miserable spring, Brits everywhere have been forced to...
Climate change is making plane turbulence worse
While storms and undulating mountain winds can affect the amount of turbulence we experience on flights, there’s one other factor that is being worsened by climate change. For now, it’s completely undetectable to pilots. By now, you’ve probably heard about the Singapore Airlines flight that encountered severe turbulence and suddenly...
Unpredictable weather decimates India’s salt production
India's salt production, concentrated in Gujarat's salt pans, is facing a grim future due to erratic weather patterns, putting the nation's self-sufficiency in salt at risk. For centuries, the Agariya community in Gujarat's Kachchh district has relied on the region's arid climate and vast salt marshes to produce salt, a practice deeply rooted in their cultural heritage. However, the once-predictable weather patterns that facilitated their livelihood have taken an uncertain...
The fight to save the African Penguin
The African penguin, ‘Spheniscus demersus’ is an iconic species native to the coasts of South Africa and Namibia. These charismatic birds face a multitude of threats, primarily from human activities and climate change. In the last century, the African penguin’s population has plummeted, pushing them dangerously close to extinction. Human activities have had a profound impact on the birds and their habitat. Overfishing, pollution, and disturbance from tourism are among the...
Could record-breaking global temperatures finally be dropping?
Predictions from the EU Copernicus Climate Change Service suggest our year of prolonged planetary heat is coming to an end. Still, this news doesn’t indicate that climate change is easing up. As we emerge from what felt like an especially long winter in the Northern Hemisphere, it might be easy to forget that the last year has been one of the warmest humanity has ever recorded. Official figures indicate that April...
Will the growth of offshore oil scupper COP28 pledges?
The recent surge in offshore oil projects raises concerns about the possibility of achieving numerous COP28 pledges. Let's look at the stats. ‘Deepwater is back in vogue’. Those remarks by Pablo Medina, Head of New Ventures at Welligence, highlight the oil and gas industry's narrow focus. It is no secret that companies in the industry view potential new oil supplies purely in terms of profit, disregarding the environment. The pandemic and...
