According to an IMF report, climate-related disasters are on the rise in West Asia posing a major threat to growth and prosperity. West Asian Countries wake up to reality of climate change, hold Climate Summits

West Asia's upcoming Climate Crisis: Countries wake up to reality of climate change

Recent studies show that impact of climate change has worsened over time and heatwaves are expected to get more deadly in future.

Impact of climate change on human health worsening with time

UN&nbsp;climate&nbsp;experts are set to&nbsp;release&nbsp;what is expected to be the definitive guide to halting global warming on Monday, in a report that lays out how societies and economies must transform to ensure a "liveable" future.

With war in Ukraine spurring an urgent energy rethink in the West, analysts say the latest report from the&nbsp;UN's Intergovernmental Panel on&nbsp;Climate&nbsp;Change&nbsp;will also be an important resource for nations seeking a rapid transition away from Russian oil and gas.

In recent months the IPCC has published the first two instalments in a trilogy of mammoth scientific assessments covering how greenhouse gas pollution is heating the planet and what that means for life on Earth.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/many-of-new-zealands-glaciers-might-vanish-within-a-decade-scientists-warn-467056">Scientists warn that many of New Zealand’s glaciers might vanish within a decade</a>

This third report will outline what to do about it.

But that answer has sweeping political ramifications as&nbsp;climate&nbsp;solutions&nbsp;touch on virtually all aspects of modern life -- and require significant investment.&nbsp;

Two weeks of gruelling negotiations have seen nearly 200 nations struggling to thrash out line-by-line a high-level "summary for policymakers" that distils the hundreds of pages of underlying assessment.&nbsp;

That meeting was supposed to wrap up on Friday, but dragged on through the weekend.&nbsp;The IPCC assessment was originally due to be published publicly on Monday at 0900 GMT, but will now be released at 1500GMT.&nbsp;

"Everybody has something to lose and everybody has something to gain," said one person close to the process.

Easy answers are unlikely, with the IPCC expected to detail the need for transformational changes to energy generation and industry, as well as to cities, transportation and food systems.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;India, a voice for developing nations on climate change

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-a-voice-for-developing-nations-on-climate-change-467487/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">&nbsp;</div>

To save the world from the worst ravages of&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change, the report is also expected to warn that slashing carbon dioxide pollution is no longer enough.&nbsp;

And technologies that are not yet operating to scale will need to be ramped up enormously to suck CO2 out of the atmosphere.

A 1.5C cap on global warming -- the aspirational goal of the 2015 Paris&nbsp;climate&nbsp;accord -- has been embraced as a target by most of the world's nations.

Barely 1.1C of warming so far has ushered in a devastating surge of deadly extreme weather across the globe.

Fossil fuels

UN&nbsp;chief Antonio Guterres warned last month that major economies are allowing carbon pollution to increase when drastic cuts are needed.

"We are sleepwalking to&nbsp;climate&nbsp;catastrophe," he said.

In February, the IPCC report on past, present and future&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change&nbsp;impacts and vulnerabilities detailed what Guterres called an "atlas of human suffering".&nbsp;

The report concluded that further delays in cutting carbon pollution and preparing for impacts already in the pipeline "will miss a brief and rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a liveable and sustainable future for all".

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/covid-vaccine-covaxin-supply-through-un-procurement-agencies-suspended-by-who-467944">&nbsp;Covid vaccine Covaxin supply through UN procurement agencies suspended by WHO &nbsp;</a>

Current national carbon-cutting commitments still put the world on a catastrophic path toward 2.7C of warming by 2100.

"How much more destruction must we witness, and how many more scientific reports will it take, before governments finally acknowledge fossil fuels as the real culprits behind the human suffering being felt across the globe?", said Namrata Chowdhary of 350.org.&nbsp;

The main focus of the report is on weaning the global economy off fossil fuels and moving to low- or zero-carbon sources of energy, from solar and wind to nuclear, hydro and hydrogen.

Helping that transition is the fact that renewable energy is now cheaper than energy generated by fossil fuels in most markets.

The IPCC also details ways to reduce demand for oil, gas and coal, whether by making buildings more energy-efficient or encouraging shifts in lifestyle, such as eating less beef and not flying half-way around the world for a holiday or business meeting.

With intense political wrangling over the high-level policy summary, some fear the message will have been watered down.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/un-peacekeepers-deployed-to-northeastern-mali-amid-spate-of-killings-467447">UN peacekeepers deployed to northeastern Mali amid spate of killings</a>

"The&nbsp;climate&nbsp;crisis is accelerating and fossil fuels are the overwhelming cause. Any report on mitigation that fails to emphasise that fact is denying the very science to which the IPCC is committed," said Nikki Reisch of the Center for International Environmental Law.&nbsp;

The report's finding will feed into&nbsp;UN&nbsp;political negotiations, which resume in November in Egypt at COP 27.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

UN climate experts are set to release what is expected to be the definitive guide to halting global warming on Monday, in a report that lays out how societies and economies must transform to ensure a "liveable" future.

UN climate experts are set to release what is expected to be the definitive guide to halting global warming on Monday, in a report that lays out how societies and economies must transform to ensure a "liveable" future. With war in Ukraine spurring an urgent energy rethink in the West, analysts say the latest report from the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change will also be an important resource for nations seeking a rapid transition away from Russian oil and gas. In recent months the IPCC has published the first two instalments in a trilogy of mammoth scientific assessments covering how greenhouse gas pollution is heating the planet and what that means for life on Earth. Also read | Scientists warn that many of New Zealand’s glaciers might vanish within a decade This third report will outline what to do about it. But that answer has sweeping political ramifications as climate solutions touch on virtually all aspects of modern life -- and require significant investment. Two weeks of gruelling negotiations have seen nearly 200 nations struggling to thrash out line-by-line a high-level "summary for policymakers" that distils the hundreds of pages of underlying assessment. That meeting was supposed to wrap up on Friday, but dragged on through the weekend. The IPCC assessment was originally due to be published publicly on Monday at 0900 GMT, but will now be released at 1500GMT. "Everybody has something to lose and everybody has something to gain," said one person close to the process. Easy answers are unlikely, with the IPCC expected to detail the need for transformational changes to energy generation and industry, as well as to cities, transportation and food systems. Watch | India, a voice for developing nations on climate change To save the world from the worst ravages of climate change, the report is also expected to warn that slashing carbon dioxide pollution is no longer enough. And technologies that are not yet operating to scale will need to be ramped up enormously to suck CO2 out of the atmosphere. A 1.5C cap on global warming -- the aspirational goal of the 2015 Paris climate accord -- has been embraced as a target by most of the world's nations. Barely 1.1C of warming so far has ushered in a devastating surge of deadly extreme weather across the globe. Fossil fuels UN chief Antonio Guterres warned last month that major economies are allowing carbon pollution to increase when drastic cuts are needed. "We are sleepwalking to climate catastrophe," he said. In February, the IPCC report on past, present and future climate change impacts and vulnerabilities detailed what Guterres called an "atlas of human suffering". The report concluded that further delays in cutting carbon pollution and preparing for impacts already in the pipeline "will miss a brief and rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a liveable and sustainable future for all". Also read | Covid vaccine Covaxin supply through UN procurement agencies suspended by WHO Current national carbon-cutting commitments still put the world on a catastrophic path toward 2.7C of warming by 2100. "How much more destruction must we witness, and how many more scientific reports will it take, before governments finally acknowledge fossil fuels as the real culprits behind the human suffering being felt across the globe?", said Namrata Chowdhary of 350.org. The main focus of the report is on weaning the global economy off fossil fuels and moving to low- or zero-carbon sources of energy, from solar and wind to nuclear, hydro and hydrogen. Helping that transition is the fact that renewable energy is now cheaper than energy generated by fossil fuels in most markets. The IPCC also details ways to reduce demand for oil, gas and coal, whether by making buildings more energy-efficient or encouraging shifts in lifestyle, such as eating less beef and not flying half-way around the world for a holiday or business meeting. With intense political wrangling over the high-level policy summary, some fear the message will have been watered down. Also read | UN peacekeepers deployed to northeastern Mali amid spate of killings "The climate crisis is accelerating and fossil fuels are the overwhelming cause. Any report on mitigation that fails to emphasise that fact is denying the very science to which the IPCC is committed," said Nikki Reisch of the Center for International Environmental Law. The report's finding will feed into UN political negotiations, which resume in November in Egypt at COP 27.

UN to release handbook of climate change solutions

India has emerged as a strong voice of developing nations on climate change issues that can neither be suppressed not ignored, Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav asserted in Parliament.

India, a voice for developing nations on climate change

Climate change is amongst the one biggest problem we are facing in the modern world. Major alterations in the working of our ecosystem undoubtedly impact the health of human population. WION tells you more on this.

Impact of climate change: How global warming affects us

Climate Change continues to wreak havoc and if things don’t change, it could get worse. Scientists have warned that New Zealand’s glaciers are getting small and skeletal due to climate change. It has been predicted that they might disappear within a decade.&nbsp;

An annual end-of-summer survey, that records the snowline of South Island glaciers has revealed continuous loss of snow and ice.

Each year, the Victoria University of Wellington, the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) and the conversation department gather thousands of aerial pictures of these glaciers to measure the altitude of the snowline and to see how much of the previous winter’s snow has remained covering the glacier.&nbsp;

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/nepal-pm-deuba-calls-for-bold-climate-action-at-bimstec-summit-466839">&nbsp;Nepal PM Deuba calls for ‘bold climate action’ at BIMSTEC Summit</a>

This snowline, also known as the equilibrium line altitude (ELA), allows scientists to evaluate a glacier’s health. If the glacier's size has decreased, then the line will be higher, because less snow remains.&nbsp;

According to a principal scientist at Niwa, they expect these snowlines to be high because of the warm weather they’ve had and their instincts are confirmed. Dr Lauren Vargo from Victoria University said that the glaciers in New Zealand had lost mass over the past decade.&nbsp;

New Zealand is experiencing more frequent extreme temperature, which is four to five times more extreme than what they expected in a climate with no long-term warming. In January, Niwa reported 2021 as New Zealand’s hottest year on records.&nbsp;

Antarctica, last year week recorded its temperatures more than 40C warmer than the seasonal norms.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/hundreds-of-mammal-species-still-waiting-to-be-discovered-says-study-466637">Hundreds of mammal species still waiting to be discovered, says study</a>

A Niwa climate scientist said this year’s survey showed a noticeable difference from the previous years. The scientist further added that the snowline elevations this year were high, which means much of the winter's snow has melted, leaving a lot of glacial ice exposed.

The long-term aerial survey started in 1977, giving a visual timeline of how much glaciers have retreated. Since this survey began, the global climate had warmed about 1.1C and Niwa estimated, that more than a third of the ice volume has been lost from the Southern Alps.&nbsp;

Dr Andrew Lorrey, a principal scientist at Niwa said that the current scenario is a clear retreat, and is all because of this climate change. Within a decade, they predict many of their beloved glaciers will be gone.&nbsp;

These implications are enormous. Glaciers are an important source of freshwater, and their periodic melting into rivers helps to irrigate farms and hydropower schemes but acting as a drought buffer. The melting ice contributes to the rising sea levels as well.&nbsp;

“This will have far reaching impacts, such as altering our beautiful landscape, affecting the livelihoods of people who rely on these natural wonders for tourism, and flow on effects from decreased meltwater during periods of drought,” Lorrey said.&nbsp; &nbsp;

This also emphasises the urgency of slowing the climate change because later the impacts are going to be costly and hard to avoid.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;Wion Climate Summit: Why ignoring Climate change is not an option

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-climate-summit-why-ignoring-climate-change-is-not-an-option-462714/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

&nbsp;

Climate Change continues to wreak havoc and if things don’t change, it could get worse. Scientists have warned that New Zealand’s glaciers are getting small and skeletal due to climate change.

Climate Change continues to wreak havoc and if things don’t change, it could get worse. Scientists have warned that New Zealand’s glaciers are getting small and skeletal due to climate change. It has been predicted that they might disappear within a decade. An annual end-of-summer survey, that records the snowline of South Island glaciers has revealed continuous loss of snow and ice. Each year, the Victoria University of Wellington, the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) and the conversation department gather thousands of aerial pictures of these glaciers to measure the altitude of the snowline and to see how much of the previous winter’s snow has remained covering the glacier. Also read | Nepal PM Deuba calls for ‘bold climate action’ at BIMSTEC Summit This snowline, also known as the equilibrium line altitude (ELA), allows scientists to evaluate a glacier’s health. If the glacier's size has decreased, then the line will be higher, because less snow remains. According to a principal scientist at Niwa, they expect these snowlines to be high because of the warm weather they’ve had and their instincts are confirmed. Dr Lauren Vargo from Victoria University said that the glaciers in New Zealand had lost mass over the past decade. New Zealand is experiencing more frequent extreme temperature, which is four to five times more extreme than what they expected in a climate with no long-term warming. In January, Niwa reported 2021 as New Zealand’s hottest year on records. Antarctica, last year week recorded its temperatures more than 40C warmer than the seasonal norms. Also read | Hundreds of mammal species still waiting to be discovered, says study A Niwa climate scientist said this year’s survey showed a noticeable difference from the previous years. The scientist further added that the snowline elevations this year were high, which means much of the winter's snow has melted, leaving a lot of glacial ice exposed. The long-term aerial survey started in 1977, giving a visual timeline of how much glaciers have retreated. Since this survey began, the global climate had warmed about 1.1C and Niwa estimated, that more than a third of the ice volume has been lost from the Southern Alps. Dr Andrew Lorrey, a principal scientist at Niwa said that the current scenario is a clear retreat, and is all because of this climate change. Within a decade, they predict many of their beloved glaciers will be gone. These implications are enormous. Glaciers are an important source of freshwater, and their periodic melting into rivers helps to irrigate farms and hydropower schemes but acting as a drought buffer. The melting ice contributes to the rising sea levels as well. “This will have far reaching impacts, such as altering our beautiful landscape, affecting the livelihoods of people who rely on these natural wonders for tourism, and flow on effects from decreased meltwater during periods of drought,” Lorrey said. This also emphasises the urgency of slowing the climate change because later the impacts are going to be costly and hard to avoid. Watch | Wion Climate Summit: Why ignoring Climate change is not an option

Scientists warn that many of New Zealand’s glaciers might vanish within a decade

A human rights group has said in its report that its findings pointed towards the possibility that popular social media platform Facebook nudged users towards climate change denying content than that obtained from reliable sources. The group, named Global Witness, said that Facebook users who show an interest in climate skepticism are often nudged by the platform towards "increasingly extreme" climate misinformation by FB's algorithms.

"We simulated the user experience of an individual liking pages such as “Net Zero Watch”, an organisation countering climate policies and linked to the UK Conservative MP Steve Baker. We found that immediately after liking this page, the user was recommended “Climate Depot”, a US based outlet run by Marc Morano and part of CFACT, a group that calls human-induced climate change “a myth”" said the group in its press release.

"Facebook has repeatedly said it wants to combat climate disinformation on its platform, but our investigation shows how worryingly easy it is for its users to be led down a dangerous path that flies in the face of both science and reality. Facebook is not just a neutral online space where climate disinformation exists; it is quite literally putting such views in front of users eyes," said Mai Rosner, Digital Threats to Democracy Campaigner at Global Witness. Rosner was quoted in the press release.

After its findings, Global Witness has called on governments to make law to rein in Big Tech. The Big Tech companies, said Global Witness,&nbsp;had the power to "shape our realities in dangerous and divisive ways that threaten to derail progress toward tackling the greatest challenge our planet collectively faces".

A human rights group has said in its report that its findings pointed towards the possibility that popular social media platform Facebook nudged users towards climate change denying content than that obtained from reliable sources.

A human rights group has said in its report that its findings pointed towards the possibility that popular social media platform Facebook nudged users towards climate change denying content than that obtained from reliable sources. The group, named Global Witness, said that Facebook users who show an interest in climate skepticism are often nudged by the platform towards "increasingly extreme" climate misinformation by FB's algorithms. "We simulated the user experience of an individual liking pages such as “Net Zero Watch”, an organisation countering climate policies and linked to the UK Conservative MP Steve Baker. We found that immediately after liking this page, the user was recommended “Climate Depot”, a US based outlet run by Marc Morano and part of CFACT, a group that calls human-induced climate change “a myth”" said the group in its press release. "Facebook has repeatedly said it wants to combat climate disinformation on its platform, but our investigation shows how worryingly easy it is for its users to be led down a dangerous path that flies in the face of both science and reality. Facebook is not just a neutral online space where climate disinformation exists; it is quite literally putting such views in front of users eyes," said Mai Rosner, Digital Threats to Democracy Campaigner at Global Witness. Rosner was quoted in the press release. After its findings, Global Witness has called on governments to make law to rein in Big Tech. The Big Tech companies, said Global Witness, had the power to "shape our realities in dangerous and divisive ways that threaten to derail progress toward tackling the greatest challenge our planet collectively faces".

Facebook nudges climate-skeptics towards disinformation, says a study

Climate groups have claimed that altering codes can reduce bitcoin energy consumption by 99 per cent as a campaign called Change the Code Not the Climate.

The campaign is coordinated by the Environmental Working Group, Greenpeace USA, and several groups battling bitcoin mining facilities in their communities.

An obstacle to large-scale bitcoin mining is finding enough cheap energy to run the huge, power-gobbling computer arrays that create and transact cryptocurrency.&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/how-cryptocurrency-scammers-use-dating-apps-to-steal-your-money-tech-it-out-466584/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Bitcoin mining, in simple terms, is the process by which a network of computers checks and validates a block of transactions that then get added to the blockchain. Miners get rewarded for completing a block.

Bitcoin miners unlock bitcoins by solving complex, unique puzzles. As the value of Bitcoin goes up, the puzzles become increasingly more difficult, and it requires more computer power to solve them. Estimates on how much energy Bitcoin uses vary.

It's an expensive business, though, requiring not just sophisticated and fast "rigs" costing upwards of $10,000, but also a huge amount of power. And it's getting pricier.

The seven-day average of total mining cost per transaction validated has fallen to $176.8 from a record $235.57 hit in May last year, data from blockchain.com shows.

"As more miners join the network, each individually earns fewer bitcoin. This is because network difficulty increases in order to slow the issuance of new bitcoin," said Joe Burnett, analyst at infrastructure and mining firm Blockware Solutions.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/how-much-tax-is-imposed-on-cryptocurrency-in-different-countries-worldwide-449585">Also see |&nbsp;How much tax is imposed on cryptocurrency in different countries worldwide?</a>

Waning mining profitability is also hitting the broader market because some institutional investors, who are unable or unwilling to invest directly in cryptocurrencies, instead buy shares of listed miners or ETFs that track miners as an alternative way of gaining access to the young industry.

Some of the pressures on miners flow from bitcoin's inherent structure. The decentralised blockchain was created anonymously with a final limit of 21 million coins, of which nearly 19 million has already been minted.

It takes around 10 minutes to mine one block and the reward for miners, who currently get 6.25 bitcoin per block, is halved about every four years.

"There could be one miner or a million, it doesn't change anything. There's only one block and a set number of bitcoins issued," said d'Anethan at Amber Group.

“This is a big problem. In part because of where the industry stands now but also because of our concerns about its growth,” said Michael Brune, campaign director and former executive director of Sierra Club.

“Coal plants which were dormant or slated to be closed are now being revived and solely dedicated to bitcoin mining. Gas plants, which in many cases were increasingly economically uncompetitive, are also now being dedicated to bitcoin mining. We are seeing this all across the country,” said Brune.

Brune added: “It’s particularly painful to see this in the electric sector because that is precisely the place where the US has made most of its progress in the last decade,” he said.&nbsp;

''There’s no way we can reach our climate goals if we are reviving fossil fuel plants.''

(With inputs from agencies)

Climate groups have claimed that altering codes can reduce bitcoin energy consumption by 99 per cent as a campaign called Change the Code Not the Climate. The campaign is coordinated by the Environmental Working Group, Greenpeace USA, and several groups battling bitcoin mining facilities in their communities.

Climate groups have claimed that altering codes can reduce bitcoin energy consumption by 99 per cent as a campaign called Change the Code Not the Climate. The campaign is coordinated by the Environmental Working Group, Greenpeace USA, and several groups battling bitcoin mining facilities in their communities. An obstacle to large-scale bitcoin mining is finding enough cheap energy to run the huge, power-gobbling computer arrays that create and transact cryptocurrency. Bitcoin mining, in simple terms, is the process by which a network of computers checks and validates a block of transactions that then get added to the blockchain. Miners get rewarded for completing a block. Bitcoin miners unlock bitcoins by solving complex, unique puzzles. As the value of Bitcoin goes up, the puzzles become increasingly more difficult, and it requires more computer power to solve them. Estimates on how much energy Bitcoin uses vary. It's an expensive business, though, requiring not just sophisticated and fast "rigs" costing upwards of $10,000, but also a huge amount of power. And it's getting pricier. The seven-day average of total mining cost per transaction validated has fallen to $176.8 from a record $235.57 hit in May last year, data from blockchain.com shows. "As more miners join the network, each individually earns fewer bitcoin. This is because network difficulty increases in order to slow the issuance of new bitcoin," said Joe Burnett, analyst at infrastructure and mining firm Blockware Solutions. Also see | How much tax is imposed on cryptocurrency in different countries worldwide? Waning mining profitability is also hitting the broader market because some institutional investors, who are unable or unwilling to invest directly in cryptocurrencies, instead buy shares of listed miners or ETFs that track miners as an alternative way of gaining access to the young industry. Some of the pressures on miners flow from bitcoin's inherent structure. The decentralised blockchain was created anonymously with a final limit of 21 million coins, of which nearly 19 million has already been minted. It takes around 10 minutes to mine one block and the reward for miners, who currently get 6.25 bitcoin per block, is halved about every four years. "There could be one miner or a million, it doesn't change anything. There's only one block and a set number of bitcoins issued," said d'Anethan at Amber Group. “This is a big problem. In part because of where the industry stands now but also because of our concerns about its growth,” said Michael Brune, campaign director and former executive director of Sierra Club. “Coal plants which were dormant or slated to be closed are now being revived and solely dedicated to bitcoin mining. Gas plants, which in many cases were increasingly economically uncompetitive, are also now being dedicated to bitcoin mining. We are seeing this all across the country,” said Brune. Brune added: “It’s particularly painful to see this in the electric sector because that is precisely the place where the US has made most of its progress in the last decade,” he said. ''There’s no way we can reach our climate goals if we are reviving fossil fuel plants.'' (With inputs from agencies)

Altering code can reduce bitcoin energy consumption by 99%, say climate groups

It was so hot in Kuwait last summer that birds dropped dead from the sky. Kuwait is among the world’s hottest places. But it remains among the world’s top oil producers and exporters. On The West Asia Post, Ghadi Francis takes a look at why Kuwait is lagging on climate action.

The West Asia Post: Kuwait is fast becoming unliveable

Various countries from around the world have observed Earth hour to draw attention to climate change.

The world observes Earth hour to draw attention to climate change

In a global call for demanding climate action against climate change, Protesters took to the streets across the world.

Protesters take to the streets across the world in a global call for climate action

A new study has shown that several bird species are nesting and laying eggs almost a month early.

The research, published in the Journal of Animal Ecology, discusses in detail how a warming climate is causing spring to arrive earlier across most of the United States.

This is throwing off the timing of important natural events like migration and reproduction, as well as prolonging pest and allergy seasons.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-why-hundreds-of-birds-fell-to-death-in-mexico-453597/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

“It was shocking to find this,” said John Bates, curator of birds at the Field Museum and the study’s lead author.&nbsp;

“What we can see is clearly pointing in the direction that climate change is having a significant effect on the behavior of birds. It’s another piece of the puzzle we are trying to figure out in terms of impacts.”

The analysis finds that spring ‘leaf out’ is happening earlier in 76 per cent (181) of the 239 cities analysed, compared to 1981.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/venice-hotels-provide-guests-with-orange-coloured-water-pistols-to-fight-off-gulls-465327">Also read |&nbsp;Venice hotels provide guests with orange-coloured water pistols to fight off gulls</a>

Species including bluejays, yellow warblers and field sparrows are now laying their first eggs 25 days earlier than they were 100 years ago.

Earlier springs created a mismatching in availability of food (and other resources) with important natural events such as migration, hibernation and reproduction.

“If you’re a bird and you nest earlier, you put yourself at risk of these cold snaps that can still arrive in spring, which then affects the plants and insects,” said Bates.&nbsp;

“That then impacts the reproductive success of the birds. Springs are becoming more volatile and that is taking its toll.”

It might seem appealing to shake off the winter cold sooner, but earlier springs can have negative consequences such as longer allergy seasons, more persistent pests (like mosquitoes), and risks to fruit production. 
&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

A new study has shown that several bird species are nesting and laying eggs almost a month early. The research, published in the Journal of Animal Ecology, discusses in detail how a warming climate is causing spring to arrive earlier across most of the United States.

A new study has shown that several bird species are nesting and laying eggs almost a month early. The research, published in the Journal of Animal Ecology, discusses in detail how a warming climate is causing spring to arrive earlier across most of the United States. This is throwing off the timing of important natural events like migration and reproduction, as well as prolonging pest and allergy seasons. “It was shocking to find this,” said John Bates, curator of birds at the Field Museum and the study’s lead author. “What we can see is clearly pointing in the direction that climate change is having a significant effect on the behavior of birds. It’s another piece of the puzzle we are trying to figure out in terms of impacts.” The analysis finds that spring ‘leaf out’ is happening earlier in 76 per cent (181) of the 239 cities analysed, compared to 1981. Also read | Venice hotels provide guests with orange-coloured water pistols to fight off gulls Species including bluejays, yellow warblers and field sparrows are now laying their first eggs 25 days earlier than they were 100 years ago. Earlier springs created a mismatching in availability of food (and other resources) with important natural events such as migration, hibernation and reproduction. “If you’re a bird and you nest earlier, you put yourself at risk of these cold snaps that can still arrive in spring, which then affects the plants and insects,” said Bates. “That then impacts the reproductive success of the birds. Springs are becoming more volatile and that is taking its toll.” It might seem appealing to shake off the winter cold sooner, but earlier springs can have negative consequences such as longer allergy seasons, more persistent pests (like mosquitoes), and risks to fruit production. (With inputs from agencies)

Study shows several bird species nesting and laying eggs almost a month early

Plastic is among biggest pollutants on our planet. WION tells you how it was once assumed to be the great boon for human life.

Plastic: Beauty and the beast; How can we solve plastic pollution?

Young activists take climate protest to Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s residence

It's old knowledge that forests are important. But oftentimes, trees and forests are only viewed as carbon absorbing entities in policymaking circles. But a new study has shed light on how forests are doing even more for the planet than we think.&nbsp;

Climate Change is a real threat to humankind. Average temperature rise of just a few degrees may result in increase in sea levels and spell doom for dozens of cities situated on the coasts across the world.

Forests have been seen to be instrumental in keeping global temperature in check.&nbsp;

This study was carried out by researchers from the US and Colombia. The researchers found that forests help the planet stay cooler by at least half a degree.

Moreover, they found that there were some forest that contributed more in this aspect than others. The study is first to pinpoint non-carbon dioxide benefits of different forests.

Forests in the tropics, like those in Brazil, Guatemala, Chad, Cameroon and Indonesia had a cooling effect of more than one degree.

As per the research, forest cooling is because of variety of biophysical effects like the physical aspects of thr trees (like wood, density and leaves) as opposed to biochemical factors like Carbon.

It's old knowledge that forests are important. But oftentimes, trees and forests are only viewed as carbon absorbing entities in policymaking circles. But a new study has shed light on how forests are doing even more for the planet than we think.

It's old knowledge that forests are important. But oftentimes, trees and forests are only viewed as carbon absorbing entities in policymaking circles. But a new study has shed light on how forests are doing even more for the planet than we think. Climate Change is a real threat to humankind. Average temperature rise of just a few degrees may result in increase in sea levels and spell doom for dozens of cities situated on the coasts across the world. Forests have been seen to be instrumental in keeping global temperature in check. This study was carried out by researchers from the US and Colombia. The researchers found that forests help the planet stay cooler by at least half a degree. Moreover, they found that there were some forest that contributed more in this aspect than others. The study is first to pinpoint non-carbon dioxide benefits of different forests. Forests in the tropics, like those in Brazil, Guatemala, Chad, Cameroon and Indonesia had a cooling effect of more than one degree. As per the research, forest cooling is because of variety of biophysical effects like the physical aspects of thr trees (like wood, density and leaves) as opposed to biochemical factors like Carbon.

Forests help planet much more than previously thought: Study

Climate change is affecting everyone. Chile's lake Penuelas which has now transformed as one of the major source of water for 2 million people has now transformed into a pile of skeletons.

Chilean lake Penuelas dries up by over a decade of drought

Climate change is now the greatest threat to the future and security of Australia. The warning comes from the senior defense figures in Australia.

Australia: Senior defence members raise climate alarm

Global warming has become a big concern around the world nowadays. Numerous protests have been held around the world recently to force governments to take concrete steps to fix the issue. &nbsp;

With time and rise in occurrence of several natural calamities, the need to increase the green cover globally has also been felt. &nbsp;

On this International Day of Forests, let’s learn about the significance of the day and theme for 2022. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/starbucks-looks-to-promote-use-of-reusable-cups-to-phase-out-single-use-ones-464199" hreflang="en">Starbucks looks to promote use of reusable cups to phase out single-use ones</a>

Since 2013, the International Day of Forests has been celebrated on March 21. It was established on November 28, 2012 after a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The day is observed to ‘celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests.’ &nbsp;

On the day, several events are held by the United Nations Forum on Forests, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in association with many governments and organisations working in this field. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/recycled-plastic-bottles-pass-more-harmful-chemicals-into-contents-than-new-ones-warn-researchers-463736" hreflang="en">Recycled plastic bottles pass more harmful chemicals into contents than new ones, warn researchers</a>

As celebrations are held under a specific theme every year, this year’s is ‘Forests and Sustainable production and consumption.’ &nbsp;&nbsp;

Over 1.6 billion people are directly dependent on forests for food, medicines, shelter, energy, shelter, income, etc, as per a UN estimate. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Global warming has become a big concern around the world nowadays. Numerous protests have been held around the world recently to force governments to take concrete steps to fix the issue.

Global warming has become a big concern around the world nowadays. Numerous protests have been held around the world recently to force governments to take concrete steps to fix the issue. With time and rise in occurrence of several natural calamities, the need to increase the green cover globally has also been felt. On this International Day of Forests, let’s learn about the significance of the day and theme for 2022. Also Read: Starbucks looks to promote use of reusable cups to phase out single-use ones Since 2013, the International Day of Forests has been celebrated on March 21. It was established on November 28, 2012 after a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution. The day is observed to ‘celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests.’ On the day, several events are held by the United Nations Forum on Forests, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in association with many governments and organisations working in this field. Also Read: Recycled plastic bottles pass more harmful chemicals into contents than new ones, warn researchers As celebrations are held under a specific theme every year, this year’s is ‘Forests and Sustainable production and consumption.’ Over 1.6 billion people are directly dependent on forests for food, medicines, shelter, energy, shelter, income, etc, as per a UN estimate. (With inputs from agencies)

Time to push for spike in global green cover on this International Day of Forests

According to a study, if carbon emissions go unchecked, pollen season could start up to 40 days earlier and last 19 days longer by the end of the century. This would increase annual pollen emissions in the US by as much as 40 percent.

Study: Pollen season to get longer and more intense due to climate change

Climate scientists are sounding alarm over heatwaves at both the Earth’s poles, saying that such “unprecedented” phenomena could trigger faster and abrupt climate breakdown than previously thought.

The warnings have been issued after some places in Antarctica recorded 40C above normal, while the north pole’s temperature stood at 30C higher than normal, reaching levels normally registered later in the year, The Guardian reported.

The rapid rise in temperatures at the poles is an indication that Earth’s climate systems have been disrupted due to human lifestyles, the UK-based newspaper reported.

Meanwhile, the scientists have labelled the developments as “historic” and “dramatic.

Michael Mann, director of the Earth System Science Centre at Pennsylvania State University, told the newspaper: “The models have done a good job projecting the overall warming, but we’ve argued that extreme events are exceeding model projections. These events drive home the urgency of action.”

Mark Maslin, professor of earth system science at University College London, said he and his colleagues were already shocked by the amount and the level of severity of extreme weather events last year.

“Now we have record temperatures in the Arctic which, for me, show we have entered a new extreme phase of climate change much earlier than we had expected,” he added.

Last year, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned of unprecedented warming signals already occurring, resulting in some changes – such as polar melt – that could rapidly become irreversible

The latest unprecedented weather patterns follow a series of alarming heatwaves in 2021,&nbsp;most notably in the US Pacific north-west, where previous records were shattered by several degrees as temperatures climbed close to 50C.

(With inputs from agencies)

Climate scientists are sounding alarm over heatwaves at both the Earth’s poles, saying that such “unprecedented” phenomena could trigger faster and abrupt climate breakdown than previously thought.

Climate scientists are sounding alarm over heatwaves at both the Earth’s poles, saying that such “unprecedented” phenomena could trigger faster and abrupt climate breakdown than previously thought. The warnings have been issued after some places in Antarctica recorded 40C above normal, while the north pole’s temperature stood at 30C higher than normal, reaching levels normally registered later in the year, The Guardian reported. The rapid rise in temperatures at the poles is an indication that Earth’s climate systems have been disrupted due to human lifestyles, the UK-based newspaper reported. Meanwhile, the scientists have labelled the developments as “historic” and “dramatic. Michael Mann, director of the Earth System Science Centre at Pennsylvania State University, told the newspaper: “The models have done a good job projecting the overall warming, but we’ve argued that extreme events are exceeding model projections. These events drive home the urgency of action.” Mark Maslin, professor of earth system science at University College London, said he and his colleagues were already shocked by the amount and the level of severity of extreme weather events last year. “Now we have record temperatures in the Arctic which, for me, show we have entered a new extreme phase of climate change much earlier than we had expected,” he added. Last year, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned of unprecedented warming signals already occurring, resulting in some changes – such as polar melt – that could rapidly become irreversible The latest unprecedented weather patterns follow a series of alarming heatwaves in 2021, most notably in the US Pacific north-west, where previous records were shattered by several degrees as temperatures climbed close to 50C. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Unprecedented’ heatwaves recorded at Earth’s poles, scientists warn of climate calamity

The coldest location in the world has been experiencing high temperatures this week and this has caused a lot of concern among the meteorological experts. According to the data, Eastern Antarctica has recorded temperatures which are more than 30 degrees Celsius above the normal level.<o:p></o:p>

The Concordia research base at Dome C, which is at an altitude of 3,000 metres (9,800 feet), on Friday registered a record -11.5 degrees Celsius (11.3 Fahrenheit), according to Etienne Kapikian, a meteorologist from France-Meteo.

Generally, the temperatures start to fall towards of the end of summer but the Dumont d'Urville station on Antarctica registered record temperatures for March with 4.9C (40.82F) – a time when the normal temperatures were already supposed to be sub-zero.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/forgotten-lottery-ticket-helps-us-man-win-89-million-jackpot-463926" hreflang="en">Forgotten lottery ticket helps US man win $8.9 million jackpot &nbsp;</a>

“This event is completely unprecedented and upended our expectations about the Antarctic climate system,” said Jonathan Wille, a researcher studying polar meteorology at Université Grenoble Alpes in France, said in an interview with the Washington Post.<o:p></o:p>

“Antarctic climatology has been rewritten,” tweeted Stefano Di Battista, a researcher who has published studies on Antarctic temperatures. He went on to say that temperature anomalies like this one would have been considered “impossible” and “unthinkable” in theory.<o:p></o:p>

The average high in Vostok – which is at the middle of the eastern ice sheet – is around -53 Celsius in March. But, on Friday, it went up to -17.7 Celsius – the warmest it has even been for almost 65 years. It broke the previous monthly record by a margin of almost 15 degrees Celsius.

<o:p>Also read |&nbsp;</o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-under-attack-ukrainian-army-claims-to-have-blocked-russias-main-routes-for-attacking-kyiv-463638" hreflang="en">Ukrainian army claims to have blocked Russia's main routes for attacking Kyiv</a>

“In about 65 record years in Vostok, between March and October, values ​​above -30°C were never observed,” wrote Di Battista in an email.

Vostok is a Russian meteorological observatory which saw the lowest temperature ever observed on Earth: minus 89.2 Celsius, set on July 21, 1983.

(With inputs from agencies)

The coldest location in the world has been experiencing high temperatures this week and this has caused a lot of concern among the meteorological experts. According to the data, Eastern Antarctica has recorded temperatures which are more than 30 degrees Celsius above the normal level.

The coldest location in the world has been experiencing high temperatures this week and this has caused a lot of concern among the meteorological experts. According to the data, Eastern Antarctica has recorded temperatures which are more than 30 degrees Celsius above the normal level. The Concordia research base at Dome C, which is at an altitude of 3,000 metres (9,800 feet), on Friday registered a record -11.5 degrees Celsius (11.3 Fahrenheit), according to Etienne Kapikian, a meteorologist from France-Meteo. Generally, the temperatures start to fall towards of the end of summer but the Dumont d'Urville station on Antarctica registered record temperatures for March with 4.9C (40.82F) – a time when the normal temperatures were already supposed to be sub-zero. Also read | Forgotten lottery ticket helps US man win $8.9 million jackpot “This event is completely unprecedented and upended our expectations about the Antarctic climate system,” said Jonathan Wille, a researcher studying polar meteorology at Université Grenoble Alpes in France, said in an interview with the Washington Post. “Antarctic climatology has been rewritten,” tweeted Stefano Di Battista, a researcher who has published studies on Antarctic temperatures. He went on to say that temperature anomalies like this one would have been considered “impossible” and “unthinkable” in theory. The average high in Vostok – which is at the middle of the eastern ice sheet – is around -53 Celsius in March. But, on Friday, it went up to -17.7 Celsius – the warmest it has even been for almost 65 years. It broke the previous monthly record by a margin of almost 15 degrees Celsius. Also read | Ukrainian army claims to have blocked Russia's main routes for attacking Kyiv “In about 65 record years in Vostok, between March and October, values above -30°C were never observed,” wrote Di Battista in an email. Vostok is a Russian meteorological observatory which saw the lowest temperature ever observed on Earth: minus 89.2 Celsius, set on July 21, 1983. (With inputs from agencies)

Antarctica experiences massive heat wave, hits record high temperatures

The world needs to launch a "transformation" to curb global warming, a top researcher behind an upcoming UN report on&nbsp;climate&nbsp;solutions said, adding that it is&nbsp;never&nbsp;to&nbsp;late&nbsp;to act.

In a United Nations assessment in February dubbed an "atlas of human suffering", experts laid out in devastating detail the past, present and future impacts of&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change on people and the planet they depend on.&nbsp;

Science now considers it unequivocal that humans are responsible for this accelerating climatic upheaval, and the next report by the Intergovernmental Panel on&nbsp;Climate&nbsp;Change (IPCC), expected in early April, focuses on how we might get ourselves out of the mess we created.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wion-climate-summit-denmarks-ambassador-to-india-emphasised-the-need-of-individual-responsibility-462688">WION Climate Summit | Denmark's Ambassador to India stresses the need for individual responsibility</a>

To do that the world must find a way to drastically cut the amount of planet-warming gases pumped into the atmosphere.&nbsp;

"We are talking about the large-scale transformation of all the major systems: energy, transport, infrastructure, buildings, agriculture and food,"&nbsp;climate&nbsp;economist Celine Guivarch told AFP.&nbsp;

The war in Ukraine not only shows the world’s "great dependence on fossil fuels", particularly responsible for&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change, but it also could be an opportunity to make the right choices, she said.

"We are at a crossroads and depending on the decisions taken, we can contribute to making the problem of&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change worse or to find answers", said Guivarch.&nbsp;

But to reach carbon neutrality by mid-century, major changes must be started now, said the researcher at the International Centre for Research on the Environment and Development.&nbsp;

That is in part because of the inertia in human systems -- like the time it takes to build new infrastructure -- and natural ones, because CO2 remains in the atmosphere for several centuries.

Never&nbsp;too&nbsp;late

According to the UN, emissions must be slashed almost in half by 2030 to have a hope of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial era, the most ambitious Paris Agreement goal.&nbsp;

But emissions are still on the rise.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/thousands-protest-in-france-to-call-for-more-attention-towards-climate-461810">Thousands protest in France to call for more attention towards climate</a>

Despite the urgency, some still want to do nothing.&nbsp;

"We hardly hear&nbsp;climate-sceptic commentary anymore, but there is this new 'delay discourse'," said Guivarch.&nbsp;

"They recognise that there is&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change and that it is of human origin, but they seek to justify minimal&nbsp;action&nbsp;or no&nbsp;action."

Some suggest waiting for future technological solutions to be deployed in 10, 20 or 30 years.&nbsp;&nbsp;

And people, companies and even nations may argue that since their emissions are dwarfed by bigger polluters, it is useless to take&nbsp;action.&nbsp;

Others shrug at the signs that&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change is ramping up extreme events and say it is&nbsp;too&nbsp;late&nbsp;to do anything about it.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"This is wrong," said Guivarch, adding that every fraction of a degree increases the impacts and multiplies the risks.&nbsp;

So, "it is&nbsp;never&nbsp;too&nbsp;late&nbsp;to act, because all greenhouse gas emissions avoided, stave off impacts and risks".&nbsp;

But she does not minimise the challenges ahead.&nbsp;

To trigger a real economic transformation will require bringing on board "the whole of society, businesses, citizens", while focusing investments on solutions and away from fossil fuels.&nbsp;

While awareness has grown since the Paris deal was signed in 2015 and decision-makers are increasingly embracing the subject, she said there is still a lack of understanding of the "orders of magnitude, the speed and the extent of the transformation that we are talking about". &nbsp;&nbsp;

"Collectively on a global scale, the actions are not up to the challenge," said Guivarch.

Watch |&nbsp;Wion Climate Summit: Where do we find the money to fund climate change?

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-climate-summit-where-do-we-find-the-money-to-fund-climate-change-462644/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The world needs to launch a "transformation" to curb global warming, a top researcher behind an upcoming UN report on climate solutions said, adding that it is never to late to act.

The world needs to launch a "transformation" to curb global warming, a top researcher behind an upcoming UN report on climate solutions said, adding that it is never to late to act. In a United Nations assessment in February dubbed an "atlas of human suffering", experts laid out in devastating detail the past, present and future impacts of climate change on people and the planet they depend on. Science now considers it unequivocal that humans are responsible for this accelerating climatic upheaval, and the next report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), expected in early April, focuses on how we might get ourselves out of the mess we created. Also read | WION Climate Summit | Denmark's Ambassador to India stresses the need for individual responsibility To do that the world must find a way to drastically cut the amount of planet-warming gases pumped into the atmosphere. "We are talking about the large-scale transformation of all the major systems: energy, transport, infrastructure, buildings, agriculture and food," climate economist Celine Guivarch told AFP. The war in Ukraine not only shows the world’s "great dependence on fossil fuels", particularly responsible for climate change, but it also could be an opportunity to make the right choices, she said. "We are at a crossroads and depending on the decisions taken, we can contribute to making the problem of climate change worse or to find answers", said Guivarch. But to reach carbon neutrality by mid-century, major changes must be started now, said the researcher at the International Centre for Research on the Environment and Development. That is in part because of the inertia in human systems -- like the time it takes to build new infrastructure -- and natural ones, because CO2 remains in the atmosphere for several centuries. Never too late According to the UN, emissions must be slashed almost in half by 2030 to have a hope of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial era, the most ambitious Paris Agreement goal. But emissions are still on the rise. Also read | Thousands protest in France to call for more attention towards climate Despite the urgency, some still want to do nothing. "We hardly hear climate-sceptic commentary anymore, but there is this new 'delay discourse'," said Guivarch. "They recognise that there is climate change and that it is of human origin, but they seek to justify minimal action or no action." Some suggest waiting for future technological solutions to be deployed in 10, 20 or 30 years. And people, companies and even nations may argue that since their emissions are dwarfed by bigger polluters, it is useless to take action. Others shrug at the signs that climate change is ramping up extreme events and say it is too late to do anything about it. "This is wrong," said Guivarch, adding that every fraction of a degree increases the impacts and multiplies the risks. So, "it is never too late to act, because all greenhouse gas emissions avoided, stave off impacts and risks". But she does not minimise the challenges ahead. To trigger a real economic transformation will require bringing on board "the whole of society, businesses, citizens", while focusing investments on solutions and away from fossil fuels. While awareness has grown since the Paris deal was signed in 2015 and decision-makers are increasingly embracing the subject, she said there is still a lack of understanding of the "orders of magnitude, the speed and the extent of the transformation that we are talking about". "Collectively on a global scale, the actions are not up to the challenge," said Guivarch. Watch | Wion Climate Summit: Where do we find the money to fund climate change?

Never too late for 'transformational' climate action: UN report

"Nepal has very low contribution to greenhouse gas emission, but the climate vulnerability is among the highest," says Ramsahay Prasad Yadav, Nepal's Minister for Forest and Environment at WION Climate Summit. He says that Global additional partnerships is essential in combating the challenges posed by climate changes successfully.

WION Climate Summit: Ramsahay Prasad Yadav discusses on combating challenges by climate change

During the Wion Climate Summit, Palki Sharma Upadhyay, Executive Editor of Wion, started the discussion on why ignoring climate change is not an option. Sudhir Chaudhary, CEO & Editor-in-Chief of Wion, gave the welcome address as the panelists discussed solution-oriented deliberation on climate policy.

Wion Climate Summit: Why ignoring Climate change is not an option

European Union’s Envoy to India Ugo Astuto talks about the challenges regarding climate change and why we need to act now.

Wion Climate Summit: ‘Don’t have the luxury…’: Ugo Astuto on climate change

During Wion Climate Summit, Svein Tveitdal, Director, Klima 2020, talks about electronic vehicles and problems related to EV mobility in future.

WION Climate Summit: Challenges in EVs, are they truly sustainable?

The dream to establish itself as a global research and manufacturing hub the country has shown exemplary leadership in climate policy by spearheading the international solar alliance. India is committed to achieving net zero emission by 2070 and has set an ambitious target for itself and for the world to follow and who better to help us understand India's road map than India's minister of road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari, our chief guest for tdoay.

Union minister Nitin Gadkari at WION Climate Summit

Climate change is getting more severe and intense with each passing year, and it is set to be the norm in the future if the necessary action is not taken, professor Tim Smith said on Tuesday while speaking at WION’s Climate Summit.

Speaking at the event in New Delhi, Smith, professor, Sustainability Research Centre, Australia’s University of the Sunshine Coast, reminded the world about Australia, which has been facing the vagaries of climate.

“In 2010, Australia had flooding issues in Queensland. The property damage bill was US $1.5 billion dollars. In 2019, we had bushfires and the claims for the bushfire was US $2.5 billion. And just a few weeks ago, we had incredibly significant flooding again, and the claims for that will far eclipse the two previous events,” he said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wion-climate-summit-indias-first-hydrogen-powered-car-to-be-unveiled-gadkari-462655">WION Summit | India's first Hydrogen-powered car to be unveiled: Gadkari</a>

“So, the climate change impact is getting more intense and severe. These extreme events are going to become ordinary events. So, it is really about exploring the cost of inaction,” he added.

Highlighting the problem of funding climate change, Smith noted that while the North (developed countries) had the wherewithal to mitigate the effects of global warming, the South (developing countries) lacked resources, while weighing on the debate of “who should pay”.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wion-climate-summit-climate-change-can-deprive-us-from-basic-needs-warns-sudhir-chaudhary-462548" hreflang="en">WION Summit: Climate Change can affect our basic needs, warns Sudhir Chaudhary</a>

“The North needs to recognise that it has the resources to adapt to these things that give them the room to be able to mitigate because of decades of climate destruction. So, we need to be transparent about that as well. The global South has a range of other challenges” he said.

Watch |&nbsp;Wion Climate Summit: Where do we find the money to fund climate change?

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-climate-summit-where-do-we-find-the-money-to-fund-climate-change-462644/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Climate change is getting more severe and intense with each passing year, and it is set to be the norm in the future if the necessary action is not taken, professor Tim Smith said on Tuesday while speaking at WION’s Climate Summit.

Climate change is getting more severe and intense with each passing year, and it is set to be the norm in the future if the necessary action is not taken, professor Tim Smith said on Tuesday while speaking at WION’s Climate Summit. Speaking at the event in New Delhi, Smith, professor, Sustainability Research Centre, Australia’s University of the Sunshine Coast, reminded the world about Australia, which has been facing the vagaries of climate. “In 2010, Australia had flooding issues in Queensland. The property damage bill was US $1.5 billion dollars. In 2019, we had bushfires and the claims for the bushfire was US $2.5 billion. And just a few weeks ago, we had incredibly significant flooding again, and the claims for that will far eclipse the two previous events,” he said. Also read | WION Summit | India's first Hydrogen-powered car to be unveiled: Gadkari “So, the climate change impact is getting more intense and severe. These extreme events are going to become ordinary events. So, it is really about exploring the cost of inaction,” he added. Highlighting the problem of funding climate change, Smith noted that while the North (developed countries) had the wherewithal to mitigate the effects of global warming, the South (developing countries) lacked resources, while weighing on the debate of “who should pay”. Also read | WION Summit: Climate Change can affect our basic needs, warns Sudhir Chaudhary “The North needs to recognise that it has the resources to adapt to these things that give them the room to be able to mitigate because of decades of climate destruction. So, we need to be transparent about that as well. The global South has a range of other challenges” he said. Watch | Wion Climate Summit: Where do we find the money to fund climate change?

WION Climate Summit | Climate change impacts are getting more severe, says professor Tim Smith

Speaking at the WION’s Climate Summit, European climate pact ambassador, Netherlands, Laura De Vries called on the government across the world to shift their focus on “sustainable investment”, saying that the present level of investment was insufficient to mitigate the effects of climate change.

“So far, we have not invested (enough). For example, in Netherlands, we know we have to invest a certain amount of money for the climate transition. This government’s record is better, but it is still not there. I think that the problem persists globally,” she said while speaking about the importance of commerce of climate.

“The investors do not see the business on sustainable investing yet. We need to make sure that we are investing as much as possible to negate the damages to a minimum,” she added.

She also called for more engagement of youth in the decision-making process with regards to tackling climate change.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/wion-climate-summit-climate-change-impacts-are-getting-more-severe-says-professor-tim-smith-462686">Also read:&nbsp;WION&nbsp;Climate Summit | ‘Climate change impacts are getting more severe,’ says professor Tim Smith</a>

“Since our future is affected, we tend to be more long-term thinking, we are creative and invested in climate crisis. We are more interested in this because it about our future, our children and grandchildren. And because of that, it is really important to involve us. The challenges we are facing right now, and the solutions we are taking, it has to be more climate-proof. So, all the solutions we are thinking of right now, it should suit the future,” De Vries asserted.

She, however, was quick to add that the decision-making process should be more inclusive and that the people from different sections of the society, especially the indigenous communities, must be involved.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wion-climate-summit-indias-first-hydrogen-powered-car-to-be-unveiled-gadkari-462655">WION Climate Summit | India's first Hydrogen-powered car to be unveiled: Gadkari</a>

“It is not only about the future generations, but it is also about inclusivity. So, I think, apart from the youth, people from marginalised communities, tribal communities etc., should also be involved. Also, it is really important to learn from each other. Take for example&nbsp;indigenous communities. They know how to preserve the earth’s biodiversity. It’s just a waste of resources by not learning from them,” she added.

Speaking at the WION’s Climate Summit, European climate pact ambassador, Netherlands, Laura De Vries called on the government across the world to shift their focus on “sustainable investment”, saying that the present level of investment was insufficient to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Speaking at the WION’s Climate Summit, European climate pact ambassador, Netherlands, Laura De Vries called on the government across the world to shift their focus on “sustainable investment”, saying that the present level of investment was insufficient to mitigate the effects of climate change. “So far, we have not invested (enough). For example, in Netherlands, we know we have to invest a certain amount of money for the climate transition. This government’s record is better, but it is still not there. I think that the problem persists globally,” she said while speaking about the importance of commerce of climate. “The investors do not see the business on sustainable investing yet. We need to make sure that we are investing as much as possible to negate the damages to a minimum,” she added. She also called for more engagement of youth in the decision-making process with regards to tackling climate change. Also read: WION Climate Summit | ‘Climate change impacts are getting more severe,’ says professor Tim Smith “Since our future is affected, we tend to be more long-term thinking, we are creative and invested in climate crisis. We are more interested in this because it about our future, our children and grandchildren. And because of that, it is really important to involve us. The challenges we are facing right now, and the solutions we are taking, it has to be more climate-proof. So, all the solutions we are thinking of right now, it should suit the future,” De Vries asserted. She, however, was quick to add that the decision-making process should be more inclusive and that the people from different sections of the society, especially the indigenous communities, must be involved. Also read: WION Climate Summit | India's first Hydrogen-powered car to be unveiled: Gadkari “It is not only about the future generations, but it is also about inclusivity. So, I think, apart from the youth, people from marginalised communities, tribal communities etc., should also be involved. Also, it is really important to learn from each other. Take for example indigenous communities. They know how to preserve the earth’s biodiversity. It’s just a waste of resources by not learning from them,” she added.

WION Climate Summit | Governments not focusing enough on sustainable investment, says Laura De Vries

During Wion Climate Summit, Caspar Rawles talks about the challenges in developing nickel and cobalt industries around the world.

WION Climate Summit: How can India, others develop nickel, cobalt industry?

A landmark ruling stating that Australia's environment minister had a duty to protect children from climate change was overturned by an Australian court on Tuesday.

Environmental groups had hailed last year's legal victory by a group of high school students as a tool to fight fossil fuel projects.&nbsp;

A federal court ruled that Environment Minister Sussan Ley did not have to weigh the ill effects of climate change on children when assessing the approval of new fossil fuel projects.

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The decision overturned a July 2021 ruling by a lower court that said the minister had a duty to "avoid causing personal injury or death" to minors because of the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

While Minister Ley welcomed the verdict,&nbsp;Anjali Sharma, the 17-year-old student who brought the legal action in 2020 said she was "devastated" by the minister's successful appeal.

"Two years ago, Australia was on fire; today, it's underwater. Burning coal makes bushfires and floods more catastrophic and more deadly. Something needs to change," she said.

Whitehaven's Vickery coal mine, at the centre of the case, posed only a "tiny increase in risk" to the students, according to the federal court.

According to Macquarie University law professor George Newhouse, the Sharma decision reflects Australia's lack of a bill of rights.

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We don't have the scope for the successful climate change litigation that we see in Europe because Australia has a constitution that, quite intentionally, contains no human rights," he said while speaking to AFP.

Newhouse said landmark cases such as the Urgenda precedent, in which Dutch citizens successfully sued their government for climate action, would also fail in Australia for the same reason.

"I am disappointed by the Sharma decision, but not surprised," he said.

Sharma and her fellow students will consider whether to appeal to the highest court in Australia.

Considering the importance of the issues raised, climate and environmental law expert Laura Schuijers from the University of Sydney says the High Court may well decide to hear the appeal.

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<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/you-can-help-fight-climate-change-with-these-six-lifestyle-changes-459986/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

According to Schuijers, Australia's lack of constitutional protection for human rights makes it "a very interesting place for climate litigation."

"It means that litigants are seeking creative ways to test the bounds of the law and to ask the ultimate question: in the face of inaction, who is responsible for picking up the slack?" she said.

The ruling had "put the spotlight on Australia's politicians and policymakers to take the proactive action that the science presented in the courtroom suggests is urgently needed".

As global weather patterns change, Australia has experienced more droughts, deadly bushfires, bleaching events on the Great Barrier Reef, and floods.

(With inputs from agencies)

A landmark ruling stating that Australia's environment minister had a duty to protect children from climate change was overturned by an Australian court on Tuesday.

A landmark ruling stating that Australia's environment minister had a duty to protect children from climate change was overturned by an Australian court on Tuesday. Environmental groups had hailed last year's legal victory by a group of high school students as a tool to fight fossil fuel projects. A federal court ruled that Environment Minister Sussan Ley did not have to weigh the ill effects of climate change on children when assessing the approval of new fossil fuel projects. Also read | World is undergoing sixth mass extinction and things don't look good for humans The decision overturned a July 2021 ruling by a lower court that said the minister had a duty to "avoid causing personal injury or death" to minors because of the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. While Minister Ley welcomed the verdict, Anjali Sharma, the 17-year-old student who brought the legal action in 2020 said she was "devastated" by the minister's successful appeal. "Two years ago, Australia was on fire; today, it's underwater. Burning coal makes bushfires and floods more catastrophic and more deadly. Something needs to change," she said. Whitehaven's Vickery coal mine, at the centre of the case, posed only a "tiny increase in risk" to the students, according to the federal court. According to Macquarie University law professor George Newhouse, the Sharma decision reflects Australia's lack of a bill of rights. Also read | Thousands protest in France to call for more attention towards climate We don't have the scope for the successful climate change litigation that we see in Europe because Australia has a constitution that, quite intentionally, contains no human rights," he said while speaking to AFP. Newhouse said landmark cases such as the Urgenda precedent, in which Dutch citizens successfully sued their government for climate action, would also fail in Australia for the same reason. "I am disappointed by the Sharma decision, but not surprised," he said. Sharma and her fellow students will consider whether to appeal to the highest court in Australia. Considering the importance of the issues raised, climate and environmental law expert Laura Schuijers from the University of Sydney says the High Court may well decide to hear the appeal. Watch | You can help fight climate change with these six lifestyle changes According to Schuijers, Australia's lack of constitutional protection for human rights makes it "a very interesting place for climate litigation." "It means that litigants are seeking creative ways to test the bounds of the law and to ask the ultimate question: in the face of inaction, who is responsible for picking up the slack?" she said. The ruling had "put the spotlight on Australia's politicians and policymakers to take the proactive action that the science presented in the courtroom suggests is urgently needed". As global weather patterns change, Australia has experienced more droughts, deadly bushfires, bleaching events on the Great Barrier Reef, and floods. (With inputs from agencies)

Children and climate change: Australian court strikes down landmark ruling protecting minors

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