The United Kingdom issued an extreme heat warning. Experts said that Britain's infrastructure and housing need to adapt to cope with the rising intensity of heat waves as it may see 40-degree Celsius heat for the first time.

UK govt holds emergency meeting as temperatures soar across the UK

As a summer heatwave wreaks havoc on forests across southwest Europe, showing no signs of abating on Sunday, parts of the continent are bracing for new temperature records early next week. In the United Kingdom currently, an amber alert is in place for almost all of England, reports Metro News. However, in just a couple of days, a red alert signifying there is a danger to life will come into force. Central England is expected to witness temperatures close to 40° Celcius, which is actually even hotter than some parts of the Sahara Desert.&nbsp;Last week, Britain's weather forecaster issued its first red "extreme heat" warning for areas of England. This warning will be applicable on Monday (July 18) and Tuesday (July 19).&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;UK govt holds emergency meeting as temperatures soar across the UK

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According to predictions, it may witness a record-breaking high temperature of 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). As per Live Science in the Shara desert, the temperature average high is 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit).

In Britain, the highest temperature ever measured was 38.7 Celsius (101.7 F), which was registered in Cambridge on July 25, 2019.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-heatwave-and-wildfire-scorch-parts-of-europe-and-northern-africa-497937">In pics: Heatwave and wildfire scorch parts of Europe and northern Africa</a>

British Health Secretary Steve Barclay said on Saturday (July 16) that the country is preparing for impending heat waves, reported Reuters. As scorching heat sweeps the nation, officials are concerned about the consequences on people's health as well as on a healthcare system that is already under stress from the COVID-19 outbreak.

According to Barclay, further precautions are being taken by the government and ambulance trusts to handle any higher demand brought on by potentially record-breaking temperatures.

Barclay said that while COVID is an "additional pressure," the government is making sure that all hospitals are using their capacity to the fullest in order to prevent unnecessary delays for patients.

(With inputs from agencies)

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As a summer heatwave wreaks havoc on forests across southwest Europe, showing no signs of abating on Sunday, parts of the continent are bracing for new temperature records early next week.

As a summer heatwave wreaks havoc on forests across southwest Europe, showing no signs of abating on Sunday, parts of the continent are bracing for new temperature records early next week. In the United Kingdom currently, an amber alert is in place for almost all of England, reports Metro News. However, in just a couple of days, a red alert signifying there is a danger to life will come into force. Central England is expected to witness temperatures close to 40° Celcius, which is actually even hotter than some parts of the Sahara Desert. Last week, Britain's weather forecaster issued its first red "extreme heat" warning for areas of England. This warning will be applicable on Monday (July 18) and Tuesday (July 19). Watch | UK govt holds emergency meeting as temperatures soar across the UK According to predictions, it may witness a record-breaking high temperature of 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). As per Live Science in the Shara desert, the temperature average high is 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit). In Britain, the highest temperature ever measured was 38.7 Celsius (101.7 F), which was registered in Cambridge on July 25, 2019. Also read | In pics: Heatwave and wildfire scorch parts of Europe and northern Africa British Health Secretary Steve Barclay said on Saturday (July 16) that the country is preparing for impending heat waves, reported Reuters. As scorching heat sweeps the nation, officials are concerned about the consequences on people's health as well as on a healthcare system that is already under stress from the COVID-19 outbreak. According to Barclay, further precautions are being taken by the government and ambulance trusts to handle any higher demand brought on by potentially record-breaking temperatures. Barclay said that while COVID is an "additional pressure," the government is making sure that all hospitals are using their capacity to the fullest in order to prevent unnecessary delays for patients. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION LIVE HERE: You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Britain prepares for temperatures 'hotter' than the Sahara desert

Heat causes 'National Emergency' in the UK as it may see 40-degree Celsius heat for the first time

200 mn people could be displaced by Climate Change by 2050 Flooding alone accounts for half of all weather-related disasters 90% of soil could be degraded by 2050

WION Wideangle | Nature's Fury: What's at stake?

What set out as a hypothetical thought experiment two years ago, is all set become a reality. A UK weather forecaster which predicted what would be the weather forecast in 2050 proved trued 28 years earlier than expected.

According to CNN, meteorologists at the UK Met Office conducted an interesting thought experiment about what the forecasts will look like in 2050.

They ran some calculations using super long-range climate models during the summer of 2020 to see what kind of temperatures the world would witness about three decades later.

At that time, the Met Office's graphics said, "Not actual weather forecast."

"Examples of plausible weather based on climate projections."

But that “plausible weather” prediction will become reality on Monday and Tuesday.

An atmospheric scientist at Columbia University in New York, Simon Lee, pointed out the striking similarity between the 2050 outlook and the forecast for early next week in the UK.

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In 2020, the <a href="https://twitter.com/metoffice?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@metoffice</a> produced a hypothetical weather forecast for 23 July 2050 based on UK climate projections. 
 
Today, the forecast for Tuesday is shockingly almost identical for large parts of the country. <a href="https://t.co/U5hQhZwoTi">pic.twitter.com/U5hQhZwoTi</a>
— Dr Simon Lee (@SimonLeeWx) <a href="https://twitter.com/SimonLeeWx/status/1547957062000267267?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2022</a></blockquote>
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"Today, the forecast for Tuesday is shockingly almost identical for large parts of the country,"&nbsp;he tweeted, adding in a later post that "what is coming on Tuesday gives an insight into the future."

The meteorologists have issued a "red" heat warning for the first time ever on Tuesday, with temperatures touching 40 degrees Celsius (around 104 degrees Fahrenheit) in the UK for the first time.

UK Met Office's climate attribution scientist Nikos Christidis in a statement said, "We hoped we wouldn't get to this situation."

"Climate change has already influenced the likelihood of temperature extremes in the UK. The chances of seeing 40°C days in the UK could be as much as 10 times more likely in the current climate than under a natural climate unaffected by human influence."

He further said that the chance of exceeding 40 degrees is "increasing rapidly."

(With inputs from agencies)

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What set out as a hypothetical thought experiment two years ago, is all set become a reality. A UK weather forecaster which predicted what would be the weather forecast in 2050 proved trued 28 years earlier than expected.

What set out as a hypothetical thought experiment two years ago, is all set become a reality. A UK weather forecaster which predicted what would be the weather forecast in 2050 proved trued 28 years earlier than expected. According to CNN, meteorologists at the UK Met Office conducted an interesting thought experiment about what the forecasts will look like in 2050. They ran some calculations using super long-range climate models during the summer of 2020 to see what kind of temperatures the world would witness about three decades later. At that time, the Met Office's graphics said, "Not actual weather forecast." "Examples of plausible weather based on climate projections." But that “plausible weather” prediction will become reality on Monday and Tuesday. An atmospheric scientist at Columbia University in New York, Simon Lee, pointed out the striking similarity between the 2050 outlook and the forecast for early next week in the UK. In 2020, the @metoffice produced a hypothetical weather forecast for 23 July 2050 based on UK climate projections. Today, the forecast for Tuesday is shockingly almost identical for large parts of the country. pic.twitter.com/U5hQhZwoTi — Dr Simon Lee (@SimonLeeWx) July 15, 2022 × "Today, the forecast for Tuesday is shockingly almost identical for large parts of the country," he tweeted, adding in a later post that "what is coming on Tuesday gives an insight into the future." The meteorologists have issued a "red" heat warning for the first time ever on Tuesday, with temperatures touching 40 degrees Celsius (around 104 degrees Fahrenheit) in the UK for the first time. UK Met Office's climate attribution scientist Nikos Christidis in a statement said, "We hoped we wouldn't get to this situation." "Climate change has already influenced the likelihood of temperature extremes in the UK. The chances of seeing 40°C days in the UK could be as much as 10 times more likely in the current climate than under a natural climate unaffected by human influence." He further said that the chance of exceeding 40 degrees is "increasing rapidly." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

UK Met Office’s heatwave prediction for 2050 set to turn real next week

The United Kingdom has issued an extreme heat warning for southern and central areas on Sunday. Experts said that Britain's infrastructure and housing need to adapt to cope with the rising intensity of heat waves.

UK issues first extreme heat warning, scientists blame climate change for extreme weather

Green sea turtles away from the hustle bustle have been left untouched but now even this isolated area is showing the effects of climate change. Cuba is suffering disproportionately by climate change.

WION Climate Tracker: Climate change threatens Green sea turtles

In Guatemala park rangers are working to save the native Guatemalan lizard species from extinction. The Guatemalan beaded lizard is on the verge of extinction due to climate change. About 600 adult beaded lizards exist in the wild today.

WION Climate Tracker | Guatemalan Beaded Lizard on verge of extinction due to climate change

Japan's sushi industry is also facing the repercussions of climate change. The Katsu fish used in sushi has shown extraordinary swelling and the fishermen are concerned about the future.

WION Climate Tracker | Japan's Katsu fish are swelling up | Fishermen suspect climate change

Climate Change and global warming are daunting realities we all face. Even if you are someone who doesn't really believe in these, the reality is hard to deny. Draughts, floods, wildfires, and heatwaves are all proof it is happening. So what can we do to delay the inevitable?

Is being child-free how you save the planet?

A report from the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) has revealed that investments in plant-based meat alternatives lead to far greater cuts in climate-heating emissions than other green investments.

The improved investment in the production of meat and dairy alternatives resulted in three times more greenhouse gas reductions compared with investment in green cement technology, seven times more than green buildings and 11 times more than zero-emission cars, The Guardian reported citing the report.

“Widespread adoption of alternative proteins can play a critical role in tackling climate change,” Malte Clausen, a partner at BCG told UK-based newspaper

“We call it the untapped climate opportunity – you’re getting more impact from your investment in alternative proteins than in any other sector of the economy.”

Clausen asserted that investments in plant-based have had a dramatic effect in cutting down carbon footprint.

“There’s been a lot of investments into electric vehicles, wind turbines and solar panels, which is all great and helpful to reduce emissions, but we have not seen comparable investment yet [in alternative proteins], even though it’s rising rapidly,” he said. “If you really care about impact as an investor, this is an area that you definitely need to understand.”

Meat and dairy production uses 83 per cent of farmland and causes 60 per cent of agriculture’s greenhouse gas emissions, but provides only 18 per cent of calories and 37 per cent of protein.

Moving human diets from meat to plants means less forest is destroyed for pasture and fodder growing and less emissions of the potent greenhouse gas methane produced by cattle and sheep.

The assessment of the BCG group found resonance in the other report of The Project Drawdown group, in which the scientists concluded that avoiding meat and dairy products is the single biggest way to reduce environmental impact on the planet and that large cuts in meat consumption in rich nations are essential to ending the climate crisis.

“Alternative proteins have received only a fraction of the investment deployed in other sectors,” the BCG report said.

“Buildings have received 4.4 times more mitigation capital than food production, even though building emissions are 57 per cent lower than those tied to food production.”

Switching from conventional meat to alternatives is also much less disruptive to consumers than flying less or retrofitting their homes, the report said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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A report from the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) has revealed that investments in plant-based meat alternatives lead to far greater cuts in climate-heating emissions than other green investments.

A report from the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) has revealed that investments in plant-based meat alternatives lead to far greater cuts in climate-heating emissions than other green investments. The improved investment in the production of meat and dairy alternatives resulted in three times more greenhouse gas reductions compared with investment in green cement technology, seven times more than green buildings and 11 times more than zero-emission cars, The Guardian reported citing the report. “Widespread adoption of alternative proteins can play a critical role in tackling climate change,” Malte Clausen, a partner at BCG told UK-based newspaper “We call it the untapped climate opportunity – you’re getting more impact from your investment in alternative proteins than in any other sector of the economy.” Clausen asserted that investments in plant-based have had a dramatic effect in cutting down carbon footprint. “There’s been a lot of investments into electric vehicles, wind turbines and solar panels, which is all great and helpful to reduce emissions, but we have not seen comparable investment yet [in alternative proteins], even though it’s rising rapidly,” he said. “If you really care about impact as an investor, this is an area that you definitely need to understand.” Meat and dairy production uses 83 per cent of farmland and causes 60 per cent of agriculture’s greenhouse gas emissions, but provides only 18 per cent of calories and 37 per cent of protein. Moving human diets from meat to plants means less forest is destroyed for pasture and fodder growing and less emissions of the potent greenhouse gas methane produced by cattle and sheep. The assessment of the BCG group found resonance in the other report of The Project Drawdown group, in which the scientists concluded that avoiding meat and dairy products is the single biggest way to reduce environmental impact on the planet and that large cuts in meat consumption in rich nations are essential to ending the climate crisis. “Alternative proteins have received only a fraction of the investment deployed in other sectors,” the BCG report said. “Buildings have received 4.4 times more mitigation capital than food production, even though building emissions are 57 per cent lower than those tied to food production.” Switching from conventional meat to alternatives is also much less disruptive to consumers than flying less or retrofitting their homes, the report said. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Investments in plant-based meat can help cut down carbon emissions: Report

In just four days, the equivalent of eight months’ worth of rain fell, paralysing certain areas of Australia’s largest city. As per the experts, the warmer waters and saturated soils are the contributing variables rather than a single factor that may fully explain this catastrophic weather. As per conspiracy theorists, they aren’t supporting this idea. They attribute the excessive rain to "cloud seeding" and "weather manipulation" on social media to be the reason. However, there is no evidence to support these beliefs, as reported by the BBC.

What is cloud seeding?

The concept of cloud seeding is a real thing. It entails modifying already existing clouds to increase the amount of rain or snow they produce. It is accomplished by spraying clouds with tiny particles made of silver iodide. This method has been used for many years throughout the world, for irrigation of crops.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/a-life-threatening-emergency-thousands-of-australians-to-evacuate-from-sydney-494110">&nbsp;‘A life-threatening emergency’: Thousands of Australians to evacuate from Sydney</a>

In a 2016 news report from the Australian TV network 7News, the broadcasters discuss Tasmanians' worries that cloud seeding might have contributed to the state’s worst floods in forty years. Although, a government investigation in Tasmania, concluded that cloud seeding didn’t cause or increase heavy rains, backed by independent scientists and experts.

Watch | WION Climate Tracker | Australia PM Albanese visits flood affected region on Windsor

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The heavy rain that Sydney has been receiving over the past few days, is not a result of a single factor. However, as per scientists, climate change and the La Nina weather phenomenon have made floods worse.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/why-australia-is-battling-floods-again-494549">Why Australia is battling floods again</a>

When powerful winds push the warm Pacific Ocean surface waters away from South America and towards Indonesia, a La Nina forms. Colder water replaces them by rising to the surface.

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(With inputs&nbsp;from agencies)

In just four days, the equivalent of eight months’ worth of rain fell, paralysing certain areas of Australia’s largest city. As per the experts, the warmer waters and saturated soils are the contributing variables rather than a single factor that may fully explain this catastrophic weather.

In just four days, the equivalent of eight months’ worth of rain fell, paralysing certain areas of Australia’s largest city. As per the experts, the warmer waters and saturated soils are the contributing variables rather than a single factor that may fully explain this catastrophic weather. As per conspiracy theorists, they aren’t supporting this idea. They attribute the excessive rain to "cloud seeding" and "weather manipulation" on social media to be the reason. However, there is no evidence to support these beliefs, as reported by the BBC. What is cloud seeding? The concept of cloud seeding is a real thing. It entails modifying already existing clouds to increase the amount of rain or snow they produce. It is accomplished by spraying clouds with tiny particles made of silver iodide. This method has been used for many years throughout the world, for irrigation of crops. Also read | ‘A life-threatening emergency’: Thousands of Australians to evacuate from Sydney In a 2016 news report from the Australian TV network 7News, the broadcasters discuss Tasmanians' worries that cloud seeding might have contributed to the state’s worst floods in forty years. Although, a government investigation in Tasmania, concluded that cloud seeding didn’t cause or increase heavy rains, backed by independent scientists and experts. Watch | WION Climate Tracker | Australia PM Albanese visits flood affected region on Windsor The heavy rain that Sydney has been receiving over the past few days, is not a result of a single factor. However, as per scientists, climate change and the La Nina weather phenomenon have made floods worse. Also read | Why Australia is battling floods again When powerful winds push the warm Pacific Ocean surface waters away from South America and towards Indonesia, a La Nina forms. Colder water replaces them by rising to the surface. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. (With inputs from agencies)

Australia floods: False claims on cloud seeding for heavy rainfall

A wildfire in a park in Northern Rome on Monday filled the sky with smoke above the center of the Italian capital. the firefighters said they were battling the blaze in a part of the park in northern Rome.

WION Climate Tracker | Wildfire rages in Northern Rome in Italy

In a series of wildfires being recorded across the world a wildfire in Spain's Valencia has caused havoc as the raging wildfire engulfed more than one thousand hectares of land. Spanish firefighters are struggling to control the raging forest fires, more than 130 firefighters and military personnel as well as two helicopters are assisting in battling the blazes

WION Climate Tracker | Spain's Valencia battles wildfire

Climate change is causing extreme weather events globally, increasing scientific evidence pointing to the trend of more lightning strikes around the world. A typical lightning flash measures about 300 million volts enough to kill.

WION Climate Tracker | Global warming causing more lightning strikes

What does 'greenwashing' mean and why is it a problem? Why do big brands like Coca Cola engage in it? Greenwashing serves as a smokescreen which hides the continued exploitation of the planet and allows those responsible to get away with it. "The number of products labelled as sustainable or green has increased exponentially in recent years, with many household brands guilty of greenwashing. Yet, as businesses claim progress towards sustainability, emissions continue to rise, extraction increases, and overproduction spirals," says Changing Markets Foundation (CMF)

What is greenwashing, the practice major companies are accused of engaging in?

A new study shows that methane is four times more sensitive to global warming than previously thought, reported The Guardian.

The study justified the rapid growth in methane in recent years and revealed that methane-related global heating could potentially escalate in the future decades unchecked.&nbsp;

Measurements from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recorded the growth of this greenhouse gas passing 1,900 parts a billion last year, nearly triple pre-industrial levels and 80 times as potent as carbon dioxide over a 20-year time span.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/mits-space-bubble-to-tackle-climate-change-494325">MIT's space bubble to tackle climate change</a>&nbsp;

An earth scientist at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, Simon Redfern, claimed, "What has been particularly puzzling has been the fact that methane emissions have been increasing at even greater rates in the last two years, despite the global pandemic, when anthropogenic sources were assumed to be less significant."&nbsp;

Natural sources such as wetlands contribute to nearly 40% of methane emissions, and on the other hand, anthropogenic sources such as cattle farming, fossil fuel extraction, and landfill sites contribute to 60% of the emissions.&nbsp;

Expanding exploration of oil and natural gas, rising emissions from agriculture and landfill, and rising natural emissions as tropical wetlands warm and Arctic tundra melts are a few among others to be blamed for the rising methane emissions.&nbsp;

Generally, methane is removed from the atmosphere through a reaction with hydroxyl radicals (OH) also present in the atmosphere. However, a slowdown in this chemical reaction can also be an explanation for the rise in methane emissions.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Marmolada glacier: How climate change is killing people

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The Guardian quoted Redfern, who said, "The hydroxyl radical has been termed the 'detergent' of the atmosphere because it works to cleanse the atmosphere of harmful trace gases. On average, a carbon monoxide molecule remains in the atmosphere for about three months before it's attacked by a hydroxyl radical, while methane persists for about a decade. So wildfires have a swift impact on using up the hydroxyl 'detergent' and reduce the methane removal."&nbsp;

Redfern and his colleague Chin-Hsien Cheng used four decades of methane measurements to understand the driving force of methane acceleration. They analysed changes in the climate to identify how the availability of hydroxyl radicals influenced the impact of changing climate on methane sources.&nbsp;

The findings of the study have been published in the journal Nature Communications.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-countries-reach-deal-on-climate-laws-after-late-night-talks-492894">EU countries reach deal on climate laws after late-night talks</a>

The study concluded that global warming is four times more influential in speeding up methane emissions than previously estimated, with increasing temperatures contributing to producing more methane and simultaneously slowing down the removal of methane from the atmosphere.&nbsp;

"It was a really shocking result and highlights that the effects of climate change can be even more extreme and dangerous than we thought. The worry is that climate change may accelerate such risks, feeding back to accelerating atmospheric methane concentrations in a vicious circle," The Guardian quoted Redfern.&nbsp;

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A new study shows that methane is four times more sensitive to global warming than previously thought, reported The Guardian. The study justified the rapid growth in methane in recent years and revealed that methane-related global heating could potentially escalate in the future decades unchecked.

A new study shows that methane is four times more sensitive to global warming than previously thought, reported The Guardian. The study justified the rapid growth in methane in recent years and revealed that methane-related global heating could potentially escalate in the future decades unchecked. Measurements from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recorded the growth of this greenhouse gas passing 1,900 parts a billion last year, nearly triple pre-industrial levels and 80 times as potent as carbon dioxide over a 20-year time span. Also read | MIT's space bubble to tackle climate change An earth scientist at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, Simon Redfern, claimed, "What has been particularly puzzling has been the fact that methane emissions have been increasing at even greater rates in the last two years, despite the global pandemic, when anthropogenic sources were assumed to be less significant." Natural sources such as wetlands contribute to nearly 40% of methane emissions, and on the other hand, anthropogenic sources such as cattle farming, fossil fuel extraction, and landfill sites contribute to 60% of the emissions. Expanding exploration of oil and natural gas, rising emissions from agriculture and landfill, and rising natural emissions as tropical wetlands warm and Arctic tundra melts are a few among others to be blamed for the rising methane emissions. Generally, methane is removed from the atmosphere through a reaction with hydroxyl radicals (OH) also present in the atmosphere. However, a slowdown in this chemical reaction can also be an explanation for the rise in methane emissions. Watch | Gravitas: Marmolada glacier: How climate change is killing people The Guardian quoted Redfern, who said, "The hydroxyl radical has been termed the 'detergent' of the atmosphere because it works to cleanse the atmosphere of harmful trace gases. On average, a carbon monoxide molecule remains in the atmosphere for about three months before it's attacked by a hydroxyl radical, while methane persists for about a decade. So wildfires have a swift impact on using up the hydroxyl 'detergent' and reduce the methane removal." Redfern and his colleague Chin-Hsien Cheng used four decades of methane measurements to understand the driving force of methane acceleration. They analysed changes in the climate to identify how the availability of hydroxyl radicals influenced the impact of changing climate on methane sources. The findings of the study have been published in the journal Nature Communications. Also read | EU countries reach deal on climate laws after late-night talks The study concluded that global warming is four times more influential in speeding up methane emissions than previously estimated, with increasing temperatures contributing to producing more methane and simultaneously slowing down the removal of methane from the atmosphere. "It was a really shocking result and highlights that the effects of climate change can be even more extreme and dangerous than we thought. The worry is that climate change may accelerate such risks, feeding back to accelerating atmospheric methane concentrations in a vicious circle," The Guardian quoted Redfern. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Study shows methane is much more sensitive to global heating than previously thought

Can climate change kill you? It killed over 19 people this weekend. From Italy, to Australia and China, climate change is claiming lives around the world. Palki Sharma brings you the story.

Gravitas: Marmolada glacier: How climate change is killing people

In an attempt to stop global warming and reverse its impact, a group of MIT researchers is exploring the idea of fighting climate change using a variation from the common geoengineering of a solar shield of "space bubbles" that would float above the Earth to block and reflect the incoming sun's rays without risk of any interference with the Earth's biosphere. The space bubbles research project proposes building a floating "raft" of frozen bubbles made of a thin filmed material that can be manufactured in space.

Having its root in ideas by scientist James Early, who first suggested deploying a deflective object at the Lagrangian Point, and astronomer Roger Angel, who proposed the bubble-raft, these Bubbles once interconnected would cover an area as large as the size of Brazil, will be floated at L1 Lagrangian Point. It is the stable point in outer space where the Earth's gravitational pull equals the sun.

One of the key reasons for climate change is the greenhouse&nbsp;effect which traps the incoming Solar Radiation from Sun in the atmosphere, hence resulting in a further rise in temperature. The idea was to find a solution that should not interfere with the earth’s atmosphere but supplement the current climate change mitigation efforts.

<blockquote>
"Geoengineering might be our final and only option," said Ratti, who is the head of MIT's Senseable City Lab.&nbsp;"Yet, most geoengineering proposals are earth-bound, which poses tremendous risks to our living ecosystem." 
"Space-based solutions would be safer – for instance, if we deflect 1.8 per cent of incident solar radiation before it hits our planet, we could fully reverse today's global warming."&nbsp;
</blockquote>

Apart from its non-interfering property, another advantage of this particular kind of solar shield is its reversibility i.e., the bubbles could be deflated and removed from their position and then can be inflated back. The most promising material to build such spheres would be silicon, transported to space in molten form, or graphene-reinforced ionic liquids.

A successful preliminary experiment is already carried out by the team at MIT where a spherical shell is inflated in outer space conditions and is believed to be one of the most efficient thin-film bubble-shaped structures for deflecting incoming solar radiation.

As of now, the project is a working hypothesis, but the interdisciplinary team hopes to receive support to conduct a feasibility study that would involve further experimentation and analyses of these shields under various conditions. It will help to identify the right structure as well as materials that would be shipped from the earth for the creation of such space bubbles. It will also help to understand the positioning and stabilization of the shield, shading efficacy, cost efficiency, maintenance, and end-of-life transition, impact on climate and ecosystem, as well as public policy implications.

One such Public Policy debate is whether geoengineering of such a space bubble would undermine the ongoing effort to curb fossil fuel burning and may encourage people to see the shift away from fossil fuels as less important.

Even though Geoengineering has proven controversial, United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (UNIPCC) has focused on it as a necessary alternative, in case we fail to control the temperature rise at a manageable level.

Other geoengineering proposals in consideration include: -&nbsp;

1. Sucking carbon dioxide from the air,&nbsp;

2. Pumping gas into the stratosphere to reflect some of the incoming solar radiation,&nbsp;

3. Brightening marine clouds to make them more reflective, and&nbsp;

4. Modifying the Earth's albedo with white roofs or reflective coverings for deserts.

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In an attempt to stop global warming and reverse its impact, a group of MIT researchers is exploring the idea of fighting climate change using a variation from the common geoengineering of a solar shield of "space bubbles" that would float above the Earth to block and reflect the incoming sun's rays without risk of any interference with the Earth's biosphere.

In an attempt to stop global warming and reverse its impact, a group of MIT researchers is exploring the idea of fighting climate change using a variation from the common geoengineering of a solar shield of "space bubbles" that would float above the Earth to block and reflect the incoming sun's rays without risk of any interference with the Earth's biosphere. The space bubbles research project proposes building a floating "raft" of frozen bubbles made of a thin filmed material that can be manufactured in space. Having its root in ideas by scientist James Early, who first suggested deploying a deflective object at the Lagrangian Point, and astronomer Roger Angel, who proposed the bubble-raft, these Bubbles once interconnected would cover an area as large as the size of Brazil, will be floated at L1 Lagrangian Point. It is the stable point in outer space where the Earth's gravitational pull equals the sun. One of the key reasons for climate change is the greenhouse effect which traps the incoming Solar Radiation from Sun in the atmosphere, hence resulting in a further rise in temperature. The idea was to find a solution that should not interfere with the earth’s atmosphere but supplement the current climate change mitigation efforts. "Geoengineering might be our final and only option," said Ratti, who is the head of MIT's Senseable City Lab. "Yet, most geoengineering proposals are earth-bound, which poses tremendous risks to our living ecosystem." "Space-based solutions would be safer – for instance, if we deflect 1.8 per cent of incident solar radiation before it hits our planet, we could fully reverse today's global warming." Apart from its non-interfering property, another advantage of this particular kind of solar shield is its reversibility i.e., the bubbles could be deflated and removed from their position and then can be inflated back. The most promising material to build such spheres would be silicon, transported to space in molten form, or graphene-reinforced ionic liquids. A successful preliminary experiment is already carried out by the team at MIT where a spherical shell is inflated in outer space conditions and is believed to be one of the most efficient thin-film bubble-shaped structures for deflecting incoming solar radiation. As of now, the project is a working hypothesis, but the interdisciplinary team hopes to receive support to conduct a feasibility study that would involve further experimentation and analyses of these shields under various conditions. It will help to identify the right structure as well as materials that would be shipped from the earth for the creation of such space bubbles. It will also help to understand the positioning and stabilization of the shield, shading efficacy, cost efficiency, maintenance, and end-of-life transition, impact on climate and ecosystem, as well as public policy implications. One such Public Policy debate is whether geoengineering of such a space bubble would undermine the ongoing effort to curb fossil fuel burning and may encourage people to see the shift away from fossil fuels as less important. Even though Geoengineering has proven controversial, United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (UNIPCC) has focused on it as a necessary alternative, in case we fail to control the temperature rise at a manageable level. Other geoengineering proposals in consideration include: - 1. Sucking carbon dioxide from the air, 2. Pumping gas into the stratosphere to reflect some of the incoming solar radiation, 3. Brightening marine clouds to make them more reflective, and 4. Modifying the Earth's albedo with white roofs or reflective coverings for deserts. (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

MIT's space bubble to tackle climate change

‘A life-threatening emergency’: Thousands of Australians to evacuate from Sydney

Every day tonnes of disposable plastic ends up in the ocean, suffocating the marine life, clogging up rivers and oceans around the world, endangering wildlife, poisoning the food chain, and causing the climate crisis. In Kenya, a company has taken up the daunting task of putting all this plastic to good use. The start-up called Noma Green Plastic is giving approximately 30 tonnes of ocean plastic a new shape: that of trendy furniture. It&nbsp;collects almost 30 tonnes of plastic each month from various landfills, sifts, and warms them via moulds using thermo-regulated gear. All this disposable plastic is then turned into poles, tiles, table beams, and other outdoor furniture pieces.

Watch |&nbsp;Climate change endangers Australia's ancient Huon Pines

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Mugo Macharia, Founder of Noma Green Plastic limited while talking to Africa News, said that making furniture out of plastic was practical,&nbsp;and economical&nbsp;and it prevents carpenters from having to cut down trees for wood.

"We believe we contribute to the action on climate change in two ways. One is that we clean up the environment. We take the waste plastic from landfills, and we know the contribution of landfills to global warming, and the second way, our products are very great substitutes for wood."&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/big-brands-like-coca-cola-found-guilty-of-greenwashing-what-is-this-and-why-is-it-problematic-493682#what-exactly-is-greenwashing-493670">Big brands like Coca Cola found guilty of 'greenwashing', what is this and why is it problematic?</a>

"Just look at it this way, one wooden pole is one of our plastic poles. So, the more we use the plastic poles, the more trees we have in our environment and the more we can save our environment from deforestation".

In his opinion plastic's malleability is one of its best qualities. He said that this plastic&nbsp;can be transformed into&nbsp;things, like outdoor benches, tables etc.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ahead-of-un-ocean-conference-mermaids-call-for-ocean-protection-in-portugal-climate-protest-492230">Ahead of UN Ocean conference, mermaids call for ocean protection in Portugal climate protest</a>

"We can partner with anyone who has any form of plastic waste. We can take your plastic waste and we can give it to you in the form that you want. You want signboards for your roads, you want flower pots. It's malleable so we are limited by the extent of the imagination. Because the more products that we can make out of (waste) plastic, the more we can save our environment from the plastic menace."

The UN Environment Program estimates that 400 million tonnes of plastic garbage are produced annually. The truth is that even if the 30 tonnes of green plastic that Norma Green Plastic regenerates every day cannot save the world on its own, they do contribute significantly, both in practice and by example.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Every day tonnes of disposable plastic ends up in the ocean, suffocating the marine life, clogging up rivers and oceans around the world, endangering wildlife, poisoning the food chain, and causing the climate crisis.

Every day tonnes of disposable plastic ends up in the ocean, suffocating the marine life, clogging up rivers and oceans around the world, endangering wildlife, poisoning the food chain, and causing the climate crisis. In Kenya, a company has taken up the daunting task of putting all this plastic to good use. The start-up called Noma Green Plastic is giving approximately 30 tonnes of ocean plastic a new shape: that of trendy furniture. It collects almost 30 tonnes of plastic each month from various landfills, sifts, and warms them via moulds using thermo-regulated gear. All this disposable plastic is then turned into poles, tiles, table beams, and other outdoor furniture pieces. Watch | Climate change endangers Australia's ancient Huon Pines Mugo Macharia, Founder of Noma Green Plastic limited while talking to Africa News, said that making furniture out of plastic was practical, and economical and it prevents carpenters from having to cut down trees for wood. "We believe we contribute to the action on climate change in two ways. One is that we clean up the environment. We take the waste plastic from landfills, and we know the contribution of landfills to global warming, and the second way, our products are very great substitutes for wood." Also read | Big brands like Coca Cola found guilty of 'greenwashing', what is this and why is it problematic? "Just look at it this way, one wooden pole is one of our plastic poles. So, the more we use the plastic poles, the more trees we have in our environment and the more we can save our environment from deforestation". In his opinion plastic's malleability is one of its best qualities. He said that this plastic can be transformed into things, like outdoor benches, tables etc. Also read | Ahead of UN Ocean conference, mermaids call for ocean protection in Portugal climate protest "We can partner with anyone who has any form of plastic waste. We can take your plastic waste and we can give it to you in the form that you want. You want signboards for your roads, you want flower pots. It's malleable so we are limited by the extent of the imagination. Because the more products that we can make out of (waste) plastic, the more we can save our environment from the plastic menace." The UN Environment Program estimates that 400 million tonnes of plastic garbage are produced annually. The truth is that even if the 30 tonnes of green plastic that Norma Green Plastic regenerates every day cannot save the world on its own, they do contribute significantly, both in practice and by example. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION LIVE HERE: You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Kenyan start-up remoulds plastic into useful and trendy furniture

The Joe Biden administration wants to lead the world in climate action, but can't even bring systemic changes at home. The US Supreme Court has curbed federal power to fight climate change. EPA can no longer regulate carbon emissions. Palki Sharma reports.

Gravitas: US Supreme Court restricts federal power to fight climate change

Big brands like Coca Cola found guilty of 'greenwashing', what is this and why is it problematic?

In another major blow, sharply cutting down President Joe Biden's administration's power to combat climate change the US Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) cannot issue wide limitations on greenhouse gases. Derailing Biden's plans to use the EPA to reduce emissions in order to achieve global climate targets, the court determined that the government's primary environmental agency lacked the authority to impose substantial limits on emissions from coal-fired power plants. These plants produce close to 20 per cent of the electricity used in the US. The judge concluded that while EPA had the authority to regulate specific plants, Congress had not granted it the broad authority to impose restrictions on all electricity-generating facilities.

The coal mining and coal power industries, which had been targeted for strict constraints in 2015 by the administration of then-president Barack Obama in an effort to reduce carbon emissions, gained a huge victory with the 6-3 vote.

Watch |&nbsp;U.S. Capitol Riots Hearing: Shocking revelations on Trump emerge before Senate Committee

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It was also a triumph for conservatives who opposed government regulation of the economy.

The three-person liberal minority, however, criticised the majority for exercising authority that they claimed the EPA actually did have.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/they-are-willing-to-let-me-die-protests-rock-us-as-abortion-ban-takes-effect-in-trigger-law-states-492386">'They are willing to let me die': Protests rock US as abortion ban takes effect in 'trigger law' states</a>

"Today, the court strips the Environmental Protection Agency of the power Congress gave it to respond to 'the most pressing environmental challenge of our time,'" they claimed.

A majority of the judges acknowledged that limiting carbon dioxide emissions in order to move away from the power produced by coal "may be a sensible solution" to global warming.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ahead-of-un-ocean-conference-mermaids-call-for-ocean-protection-in-portugal-climate-protest-492230">Ahead of UN Ocean conference, mermaids call for ocean protection in Portugal climate protest</a>

However, they claimed that the case raised "major questions" about US law and government and that the EPA would need particular legislative authorization to exercise these powers.

"It is not plausible that Congress gave EPA the authority to adopt on its own such a regulatory scheme," they said.

"A decision of such magnitude and consequence rests with Congress itself, or an agency acting pursuant to a clear delegation from that representative body," they added.

(With inputs from agencies)

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In another major blow, sharply cutting down President Joe Biden's administration's power to combat climate change the US Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) cannot issue wide limitations on greenhouse gases.

In another major blow, sharply cutting down President Joe Biden's administration's power to combat climate change the US Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) cannot issue wide limitations on greenhouse gases. Derailing Biden's plans to use the EPA to reduce emissions in order to achieve global climate targets, the court determined that the government's primary environmental agency lacked the authority to impose substantial limits on emissions from coal-fired power plants. These plants produce close to 20 per cent of the electricity used in the US. The judge concluded that while EPA had the authority to regulate specific plants, Congress had not granted it the broad authority to impose restrictions on all electricity-generating facilities. The coal mining and coal power industries, which had been targeted for strict constraints in 2015 by the administration of then-president Barack Obama in an effort to reduce carbon emissions, gained a huge victory with the 6-3 vote. Watch | U.S. Capitol Riots Hearing: Shocking revelations on Trump emerge before Senate Committee It was also a triumph for conservatives who opposed government regulation of the economy. The three-person liberal minority, however, criticised the majority for exercising authority that they claimed the EPA actually did have. Also read | 'They are willing to let me die': Protests rock US as abortion ban takes effect in 'trigger law' states "Today, the court strips the Environmental Protection Agency of the power Congress gave it to respond to 'the most pressing environmental challenge of our time,'" they claimed. A majority of the judges acknowledged that limiting carbon dioxide emissions in order to move away from the power produced by coal "may be a sensible solution" to global warming. Also read | Ahead of UN Ocean conference, mermaids call for ocean protection in Portugal climate protest However, they claimed that the case raised "major questions" about US law and government and that the EPA would need particular legislative authorization to exercise these powers. "It is not plausible that Congress gave EPA the authority to adopt on its own such a regulatory scheme," they said. "A decision of such magnitude and consequence rests with Congress itself, or an agency acting pursuant to a clear delegation from that representative body," they added. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION LIVE HERE: You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

SCOTUS strikes again, limits US government powers to curb greenhouse emissions

New research claims that huge businesses like Coca-Cola and Unilever are misleading consumers by claiming that their plastic packaging is environmentally friendly reports, The Guardian. "The number of products labelled as sustainable or green has increased exponentially in recent years, with many household brands guilty of greenwashing. Yet, as businesses claim progress towards sustainability, emissions continue to rise, extraction increases, and overproduction spirals." Some of the most prevalent instances of "greenwashing," according to the Changing Markets Foundation (CMF), include claims that businesses are intercepting and using "ocean-bound" or "recyclable" plastic to address the plastic pollution catastrophe. According to CMF analysis, the promises made regarding how the goods address the plastic pollution crisis are made with scant evidence, this is done to hide from consumers the true effects of plastic.

Watch |&nbsp;Climate change endangers Australia's ancient Huon Pines

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"Greenwashing lulls us into a false sense of security – a smokescreen that conceals the continued exploitation of the planet and allows those responsible to get away with it."

Campaign manager at Changing Markets Foundations, George Harding-Rolls said: “Our latest investigation exposes a litany of misleading claims from household names consumers should be able to trust. This is just the tip of the iceberg and it is of crucial importance that regulators take this issue seriously.”

The investigation, published on the CMF website, asserts that many brands are greenwashing their products. The culprits include "I am not plastic" claims made by Kim Kardashian's clothing line Skims, Unilever pouches of washing liquid, Procter &amp; Gamble's Head and Shoulders shampoo bottles and many more. &nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ahead-of-un-ocean-conference-mermaids-call-for-ocean-protection-in-portugal-climate-protest-492230">Ahead of UN Ocean conference, mermaids call for ocean protection in Portugal climate protest</a>

Sian Sutherland, A Plastic Planet co-founder, said: “Plastic is now a very powerful and emotional word. We all feel the plastic guilt when we fill our shopping baskets. Brands have been exploiting this over recent years, using age-old marketing techniques that are totally misleading or downright fake, pretending that the problem is being fixed when actually it is getting worse, with plastic production set to treble by 2040.”

The examples given in this study demonstrate how brands offer materials and market goods as being better for the environment when in reality they either use a small amount of "ocean-bound" plastic gathered from various clean-ups, which are not recyclable at all or are just marginally recyclable.

(With inputs from agencies)

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New research claims that huge businesses like Coca-Cola and Unilever are misleading consumers by claiming that their plastic packaging is environmentally friendly reports, The Guardian.

New research claims that huge businesses like Coca-Cola and Unilever are misleading consumers by claiming that their plastic packaging is environmentally friendly reports, The Guardian. "The number of products labelled as sustainable or green has increased exponentially in recent years, with many household brands guilty of greenwashing. Yet, as businesses claim progress towards sustainability, emissions continue to rise, extraction increases, and overproduction spirals." Some of the most prevalent instances of "greenwashing," according to the Changing Markets Foundation (CMF), include claims that businesses are intercepting and using "ocean-bound" or "recyclable" plastic to address the plastic pollution catastrophe. According to CMF analysis, the promises made regarding how the goods address the plastic pollution crisis are made with scant evidence, this is done to hide from consumers the true effects of plastic. Watch | Climate change endangers Australia's ancient Huon Pines "Greenwashing lulls us into a false sense of security – a smokescreen that conceals the continued exploitation of the planet and allows those responsible to get away with it." Campaign manager at Changing Markets Foundations, George Harding-Rolls said: “Our latest investigation exposes a litany of misleading claims from household names consumers should be able to trust. This is just the tip of the iceberg and it is of crucial importance that regulators take this issue seriously.” The investigation, published on the CMF website, asserts that many brands are greenwashing their products. The culprits include "I am not plastic" claims made by Kim Kardashian's clothing line Skims, Unilever pouches of washing liquid, Procter & Gamble's Head and Shoulders shampoo bottles and many more. Also read | Ahead of UN Ocean conference, mermaids call for ocean protection in Portugal climate protest Sian Sutherland, A Plastic Planet co-founder, said: “Plastic is now a very powerful and emotional word. We all feel the plastic guilt when we fill our shopping baskets. Brands have been exploiting this over recent years, using age-old marketing techniques that are totally misleading or downright fake, pretending that the problem is being fixed when actually it is getting worse, with plastic production set to treble by 2040.” The examples given in this study demonstrate how brands offer materials and market goods as being better for the environment when in reality they either use a small amount of "ocean-bound" plastic gathered from various clean-ups, which are not recyclable at all or are just marginally recyclable. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION LIVE HERE: You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Report sheds light on big brands like Coca Cola and how they 'greenwash' their products

Ancient pine trees in Australia have stood for thousands of years but they are extremely hard to find some eager scientists have finally found a way to locate them. Huan Pines are some of the oldest living organisms on the planet but there's a concern among some ecologists that climate change may endanger them.

Climate change endangers Australia's ancient Huon Pines

Mangrove forest can be a great agent when it comes to combating climate change. But human encroachment has had a severe impact on mangroves across the world. In Kenya, however this seems to be changing as coastal communities are earning money by restoring the Mangroves.

Kenya's Mangrove cover recovers

Japan has been reeling under the worst heat wave that the country has seen since 1875. Hundreds of people were treated for heat strokes as the temperatures in Tokyo broke nearly 150 year records for the month of June. Meanwhile, China has also issued a yellow alert for high temperatures and heat waves in various parts of the country

Temperatures soar across China & Japan | Heatwave prompts power crunch warning

The leaders of the group of seven rich nations on Tuesday tried to balance the need to tackle global warming and their fears of energy shortage. The G7 countries- The United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the UK ended their summit by reaffirming their goal to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.

G7 struggles to balance climate change and energy crisis

From flooding in South Asia to the heatwave in Europe, these are all reminders of the urgent need for climate action. Here are two scientists who are connecting the dots to tell how climate change and extreme weather are interlinked

Human-induced climate change causing erratic weather

Sydney comes to a standstill as thousands take to streets for Climate change protest

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