Plant diseases are increasingly destroying EU trees and crops
While farmers and conservationists struggle to contain previously introduced pathogens, new outbreaks are being detected. According to scientists, the problem will only get worse as temperatures rise. Infectious diseases don’t just threaten the health of humans and animals. Plants are also susceptible to new pathogens, and scientists are concerned that...
Current in Planet
Africa is witnessing a huge electronic waste problem
Africa is increasingly becoming a dumping ground for electronic waste from developed nations. Despite having the lowest annual e-waste production per capita, UN agencies project a growth rate of 3 to 5 percent annually - a trend likely to continue with further technology integration. The African continent has emerged...
Reforesting with the wrong trees could be worsening the climate crisis
Tree planting has been heralded as a saving grace in the face of a warming planet, but projects that use the wrong plant species are contributing further to the climate crisis and worsening biodiversity loss. By now, we are all aware of just how vital trees are to our...
Is cloud seeding to blame for the Dubai floods?
Last week, approximately 25cm of rain – roughly twice the UAE’s yearly average – fell in a single day, leaving much of the city’s outdoor infrastructure under water. This has sparked a debate about weather modification. In parts of the Northern Hemisphere, April is known as the month of showers. This...
South Sudan schools continue to close amid heatwaves
In a bid to safeguard the health and well-being of students, educational authorities in South Sudan have taken the unprecedented decision to close schools across the nation in preparation for a 45C heatwave. South Sudan, already known for its scorching temperatures, has experienced an unprecedented rise in mercury levels...
The importance of World Water Day
Though access to water is often taken for granted in many parts of the world, every continent faces unique challenges when it comes to securing this precious resource in the future. On World Water Day, let's explore them. Today is World Water Day, an observance held each year on March...
An in-depth look at the ‘triple planetary crisis’
Beyond the headlines of rising temperatures and extreme weather, the United Nations sounds the alarm on a broader environmental threat: the triple planetary crisis. In the age of climate change, where rising temperatures and extreme weather events dominate headlines, the environmental challenges we face extend far beyond a warming planet. The United Nations has identified a more comprehensive threat: the ‘triple planetary crisis.’ The dangers associated with this, though often overlooked,...
Great Barrier Reef hit by fifth mass coral bleaching event in eight years
Australia's Great Barrier Reef faces a dire threat as officials confirm a mass bleaching event caused by climate change, marking the fifth occurrence of significant damage in just eight years. The Great Barrier Reef, one of the world's most iconic natural wonders, is under major threat as officials confirm a mass bleaching event wreaking havoc on its delicate ecosystem. In a grim announcement on Friday, the Australian Institute of Marine Science...
Gray whale sighted 200 years after believed Atlantic extinction
Scientists were excited to confirm the sighting of a gray whale in the Atlantic Ocean 200 years after its purported regional extinction. The caveat, is that the impacts of climate change are likely responsible. An exciting biological discovery has arrived with an unwanted side of existential concern. Scientists have confirmed the presence of a gray whale off the coast of New England. For 200 years the species was thought to be...
Survey finds Gen Z climate anxiety is extremely prevalent
New research by the Curtin University shows that young people in Australia have significant, life-impacting concerns about the state of the climate. Climate anxiety amongst Gen Zers is at an all-time-high. A new study by Curtin University has found that Australian young people have drastic concerns about the climate crisis, so much so that it is impacting their lives and may have wider consequences in their long-term futures. Gen Z’s Climate...
