India has been at the forefront of climate action as many of our guests and dialogue partners have also pointed out it is the only G20 nation that is well on track to meet its climate goals. India is also among the top 10 countries in the climate change performance index. Our guest of honour this evening Bhupender Yadav, minister for environment.

WION Climate summit: 'Adaptation to climate change is a universal requirement,' says Bhupender Yadav

In the recent edition of Wion Climate Summit, Freddy Svane, Denmark’s Ambassador to India, talks about the commerce of climate change. Svane discussed about where to find the money to fund climate change. Tim Smith, Professor at University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia also joined the discussion.

Wion Climate Summit: Where do we find the money to fund climate change?

On the sidelines of WION Climate Summit, Ugo Astuto, the European Union's envoy to India talked about what to look forward to at COP27 in Egypt.

WION Climate Summit: Ugo Astuto, EU's envoy to India highlights what to expect at COP27 in Egypt

What would your message be to those who are fighting this war?' There is no Planet B, we have only this planet for which we need to fight, says Former President of Mauritius Ameenah Gurib-Fakim answers.

WION Climate Summit: 'There is no planet B,' says Former President of Mauritius Ameenah Gurib-Fakim

Former President of Mauritius Ameenah Gurib-Fakim on importance of WION Climate Summit. How world leaders can come together to address climate crisis despite geopolitical tensions.

Ex-President of Mauritius Ameenah Gurib-Fakim on importance of WION Climate Summit

Would you say that all climate conferences and dialogues make any real progress? Or are these just talk shop? Listen in to what Ameenah Gurib Fakim has to say on this?

WION Climate Summit: Do COP26 and other climate conferences make real progress?

Political parties are including climate change in their manifestos, governments are making efforts to be seen to be doing something- are we looking at the glass half full? Divya Datt, Programme management officer, UNEP, India answers

WION Climate Summit: Climate change in political manifestos- are we looking at glass half full?

The aim of WION's climate summit is to focus on implementable solutions. Here we bring you the first session of the evening- Road to change: Understanding climate change.

WION Climate Summit Live: Road to Change: Understanding climate change

A tree planted for every T-shirt purchased. For every bottle of wine. For every swipe of a credit card. Trees planted by countries to meet global pledges and by companies to bolster their sustainability records.

As the climate crisis deepens, businesses and consumers are joining nonprofit groups and governments in a global tree planting boom. Last year saw billions of trees planted in scores of countries around the world. These efforts can be a triple win, providing livelihoods, absorbing and locking away planet-warming carbon dioxide, and improving the health of ecosystems.

But when done poorly, the projects can worsen the very problems they were meant to solve. Planting the wrong trees in the wrong place can actually reduce biodiversity, speeding extinctions and making ecosystems far less resilient.

Addressing biodiversity loss, already a global crisis akin to climate change, is becoming more and more urgent. Extinction rates are surging. An estimated million species are at risk of disappearing, many within decades. And ecosystem collapse doesn’t just threaten animals and plants; it imperils the food and water supplies that humans rely on.

Amid that worsening crisis, companies and countries are increasingly investing in tree planting that carpets large areas with commercial, nonnative species in the name of fighting climate change. These trees sock away carbon but provide little support to the webs of life that once thrived in those areas.

“You’re creating basically a sterile landscape,” said Paul Smith, who runs Botanic Gardens Conservation International, an umbrella group that works to prevent plant extinctions. “If people want to plant trees, let’s also make it a positive for biodiversity.”

There’s a rule of thumb in the tree planting world: One should plant “the right tree in the right place.” Some add, “for the right reason.”

But, according to interviews with a range of players — scientists, policy experts, forestry companies and tree planting organizations — people often disagree on what “right” means. For some, it’s big tree farms for carbon storage and timber. For others, it’s providing fruit trees to small-scale farmers. For others still, it’s allowing native species to regenerate.

The best efforts try to address a range of needs, according to restoration experts, but it can be hard to reconcile competing interests.

“It’s kind of the Wild West,” said Forrest Fleischman, a professor of environmental policy at the University of Minnesota.

‘Harm in the Name of Doing Good’

There is not enough land on Earth to tackle climate change with trees alone, but if paired with drastic cuts in fossil fuels, trees can be an important natural solution. They absorb carbon dioxide through pores in their leaves and stash it away in their branches and trunks (though trees also release carbon when they burn or rot). That ability to collect CO2 is why forests are often called carbon sinks.

In Central Africa, TotalEnergies, the French oil and gas giant, has announced plans to plant trees on 40,000 hectares in the Republic of Congo. The project — on the Batéké Plateau, a rolling mosaic of grasses and wooded savanna with patches of denser forests — would sequester more than 10 million tons of carbon dioxide over 20 years, according to the company.

“Total is committing to the development of natural carbon sinks in Africa,” said Nicolas Terraz, who was then Total’s senior vice president for Africa, exploration and production, in a company news release on the project in 2021. “These activities build on the priority initiatives taken by the group to avoid and reduce emissions, in line with its ambition to get to net zero by 2050.”

To achieve net zero, companies must remove at least as much carbon from the air as they release. Many, like TotalEnergies, are turning to trees for help with that. On the Batéké Plateau, an acacia species from Australia, intended for selective logging, will cover a large area.

The project, part of a Congolese government program to expand forest cover and increase carbon storage, would create jobs, the company said, and ultimately broaden the ecosystem’s biodiversity as local species are allowed to grow in over decades.

But scientists warn that the plan may be an example of one of the worst kinds of forestation efforts: planting trees where they would not naturally occur. These projects can devastate biodiversity, threaten water supplies and even increase temperatures because, in some cases, trees absorb heat that grasslands — or, in other parts of the world, snow — would have reflected.

“We don’t want to cause harm in the name of doing good,” said Bethanie Walder, executive director of the Society for Ecological Restoration, a global nonprofit.

The Batéké Plateau is one of the least-studied ecosystems in Africa, according to Paula Nieto Quintano, an environmental scientist who has focused on the region. “Its importance for local livelihoods, its ecology and ecosystem functions are poorly understood,” Nieto said.

Those who study forest restoration emphasize that trees are not a cure-all.

“I fear that many corporations and governments are seeing this as an easy way out,” said Robin Chazdon, a professor of tropical forest restoration at the University of the Sunshine Coast in Australia. “They don’t necessarily have to work as hard to reduce their emissions because they can just say, ‘Oh, we’re offsetting that by planting trees’.”

‘There Have Been Bad Actors’

All trees store carbon, but their other benefits vary widely depending on the species and where it’s planted.

Eucalyptus, for instance, grows fast and straight, making it a lucrative lumber product. Native to Australia and a few islands to the north, its leaves feed koalas, which evolved to tolerate a potent poison they contain. But in Africa and South America — where the trees are widely grown for timber, fuel and, increasingly, carbon storage — they provide far less value to wildlife. They are also blamed for depleting water and worsening wildfires.

Experts acknowledge that forest restoration and carbon sequestration are complex, and that commercial species have a role to play. People need timber, a renewable product with a lower carbon footprint than concrete or steel. They need paper and fuel for cooking.

Planting fast-growing species for harvest can sometimes help preserve surrounding native forests. And, by strategically adding native species, tree farms can help biodiversity by creating wildlife corridors to link disconnected habitat areas.

“This restoration movement can’t happen without the private sector,” said Michael Becker, head of communications at 1t.org, a group created by the World Economic Forum to push for the conservation and growth of 1 trillion trees with help from private investment. “Historically, there have been bad actors, but we need to bring them into the fold and doing the right thing.”

A challenge is that helping biodiversity doesn’t offer the financial return of carbon storage or timber markets.

Many governments have set standards for reforestation efforts, but they often provide broad leeway.

In Wales, one of the most deforested countries in Europe, the government is offering incentives for tree planting. But growers need only include 25% native species to qualify for government subsidies. In Kenya and Brazil, rows of eucalyptus grow on land that was once ecologically rich forest and savanna. In Peru, a company called Reforesta Perú is planting trees on degraded Amazonian land, but it’s increasingly using cloned eucalyptus and teak, intended for export.

Investors prefer them because they bring better prices, said Enrique Toledo, general manager of Reforesta Perú. “They are well-known species internationally and there is an unsatisfied demand for wood.”

When researchers from University College London and the University of Edinburgh evaluated national commitments toward reforestation and restoration, they found that 45% involved “planting vast monocultures of trees as profitable enterprises.”

‘The Same Species All Over the World’

When businesses promise to plant a tree for every purchase of a given product, they typically do so via nonprofit groups that work with communities around the world. The support may reforest after wildfires or provide fruit and nut trees to farmers. But even these projects can compromise biodiversity.

The planet is home to nearly 60,000 tree species. A third are threatened with extinction, mainly from agriculture, grazing and exploitation. But globally, only a tiny fraction of species are widely planted, according to tree planting groups and scientists.

“They’re planting the same species all over the world,” said Meredith Martin, an assistant professor of forestry at North Carolina State University who found that nonprofit tree planting efforts in the tropics tend to prioritize the livelihood needs of people over biodiversity or carbon storage. Over time, she said, these efforts risk reducing biodiversity in forests.

Nonprofit tree planting groups often say they plant nonnative species because local communities ask for them. But deeper engagement can yield a different story, said Susan Chomba, who oversees forest restoration and conservation in Africa for the World Resources Institute, a global research nonprofit group. When given the chance to consider what they want to accomplish on their land, farmers will recall, for instance, that when they had more trees, they also had streams, she said. They want the water back.

“Then you say, ‘In your traditional, local knowledge, what kind of tree species are suitable for returning water into the ecosystem?’” Chomba continued. “They will give you a whole range of indigenous tree species.”

A major hurdle is lack of supply at local seed banks, which tend to be dominated by popular commercial species. Some groups overcome this problem by paying people to collect seeds from nearby forests.

Another solution, experts say, is to let forests come back on their own. If the area is only lightly degraded or sits near existing forest, a method called natural regeneration can be cheaper and more effective. Simply fencing off certain areas from grazing will often allow trees to return, with both carbon sequestration and biodiversity built in.

“Nature knows much more than we do,” Chazdon said.

A tree planted for every T-shirt purchased. For every bottle of wine. For every swipe of a credit card. Trees planted by countries to meet global pledges and by companies to bolster their sustainability records.

A tree planted for every T-shirt purchased. For every bottle of wine. For every swipe of a credit card. Trees planted by countries to meet global pledges and by companies to bolster their sustainability records. As the climate crisis deepens, businesses and consumers are joining nonprofit groups and governments in a global tree planting boom. Last year saw billions of trees planted in scores of countries around the world. These efforts can be a triple win, providing livelihoods, absorbing and locking away planet-warming carbon dioxide, and improving the health of ecosystems. But when done poorly, the projects can worsen the very problems they were meant to solve. Planting the wrong trees in the wrong place can actually reduce biodiversity, speeding extinctions and making ecosystems far less resilient. Addressing biodiversity loss, already a global crisis akin to climate change, is becoming more and more urgent. Extinction rates are surging. An estimated million species are at risk of disappearing, many within decades. And ecosystem collapse doesn’t just threaten animals and plants; it imperils the food and water supplies that humans rely on. Amid that worsening crisis, companies and countries are increasingly investing in tree planting that carpets large areas with commercial, nonnative species in the name of fighting climate change. These trees sock away carbon but provide little support to the webs of life that once thrived in those areas. “You’re creating basically a sterile landscape,” said Paul Smith, who runs Botanic Gardens Conservation International, an umbrella group that works to prevent plant extinctions. “If people want to plant trees, let’s also make it a positive for biodiversity.” There’s a rule of thumb in the tree planting world: One should plant “the right tree in the right place.” Some add, “for the right reason.” But, according to interviews with a range of players — scientists, policy experts, forestry companies and tree planting organizations — people often disagree on what “right” means. For some, it’s big tree farms for carbon storage and timber. For others, it’s providing fruit trees to small-scale farmers. For others still, it’s allowing native species to regenerate. The best efforts try to address a range of needs, according to restoration experts, but it can be hard to reconcile competing interests. “It’s kind of the Wild West,” said Forrest Fleischman, a professor of environmental policy at the University of Minnesota. ‘Harm in the Name of Doing Good’ There is not enough land on Earth to tackle climate change with trees alone, but if paired with drastic cuts in fossil fuels, trees can be an important natural solution. They absorb carbon dioxide through pores in their leaves and stash it away in their branches and trunks (though trees also release carbon when they burn or rot). That ability to collect CO2 is why forests are often called carbon sinks. In Central Africa, TotalEnergies, the French oil and gas giant, has announced plans to plant trees on 40,000 hectares in the Republic of Congo. The project — on the Batéké Plateau, a rolling mosaic of grasses and wooded savanna with patches of denser forests — would sequester more than 10 million tons of carbon dioxide over 20 years, according to the company. “Total is committing to the development of natural carbon sinks in Africa,” said Nicolas Terraz, who was then Total’s senior vice president for Africa, exploration and production, in a company news release on the project in 2021. “These activities build on the priority initiatives taken by the group to avoid and reduce emissions, in line with its ambition to get to net zero by 2050.” To achieve net zero, companies must remove at least as much carbon from the air as they release. Many, like TotalEnergies, are turning to trees for help with that. On the Batéké Plateau, an acacia species from Australia, intended for selective logging, will cover a large area. The project, part of a Congolese government program to expand forest cover and increase carbon storage, would create jobs, the company said, and ultimately broaden the ecosystem’s biodiversity as local species are allowed to grow in over decades. But scientists warn that the plan may be an example of one of the worst kinds of forestation efforts: planting trees where they would not naturally occur. These projects can devastate biodiversity, threaten water supplies and even increase temperatures because, in some cases, trees absorb heat that grasslands — or, in other parts of the world, snow — would have reflected. “We don’t want to cause harm in the name of doing good,” said Bethanie Walder, executive director of the Society for Ecological Restoration, a global nonprofit. The Batéké Plateau is one of the least-studied ecosystems in Africa, according to Paula Nieto Quintano, an environmental scientist who has focused on the region. “Its importance for local livelihoods, its ecology and ecosystem functions are poorly understood,” Nieto said. Those who study forest restoration emphasize that trees are not a cure-all. “I fear that many corporations and governments are seeing this as an easy way out,” said Robin Chazdon, a professor of tropical forest restoration at the University of the Sunshine Coast in Australia. “They don’t necessarily have to work as hard to reduce their emissions because they can just say, ‘Oh, we’re offsetting that by planting trees’.” ‘There Have Been Bad Actors’ All trees store carbon, but their other benefits vary widely depending on the species and where it’s planted. Eucalyptus, for instance, grows fast and straight, making it a lucrative lumber product. Native to Australia and a few islands to the north, its leaves feed koalas, which evolved to tolerate a potent poison they contain. But in Africa and South America — where the trees are widely grown for timber, fuel and, increasingly, carbon storage — they provide far less value to wildlife. They are also blamed for depleting water and worsening wildfires. Experts acknowledge that forest restoration and carbon sequestration are complex, and that commercial species have a role to play. People need timber, a renewable product with a lower carbon footprint than concrete or steel. They need paper and fuel for cooking. Planting fast-growing species for harvest can sometimes help preserve surrounding native forests. And, by strategically adding native species, tree farms can help biodiversity by creating wildlife corridors to link disconnected habitat areas. “This restoration movement can’t happen without the private sector,” said Michael Becker, head of communications at 1t.org, a group created by the World Economic Forum to push for the conservation and growth of 1 trillion trees with help from private investment. “Historically, there have been bad actors, but we need to bring them into the fold and doing the right thing.” A challenge is that helping biodiversity doesn’t offer the financial return of carbon storage or timber markets. Many governments have set standards for reforestation efforts, but they often provide broad leeway. In Wales, one of the most deforested countries in Europe, the government is offering incentives for tree planting. But growers need only include 25% native species to qualify for government subsidies. In Kenya and Brazil, rows of eucalyptus grow on land that was once ecologically rich forest and savanna. In Peru, a company called Reforesta Perú is planting trees on degraded Amazonian land, but it’s increasingly using cloned eucalyptus and teak, intended for export. Investors prefer them because they bring better prices, said Enrique Toledo, general manager of Reforesta Perú. “They are well-known species internationally and there is an unsatisfied demand for wood.” When researchers from University College London and the University of Edinburgh evaluated national commitments toward reforestation and restoration, they found that 45% involved “planting vast monocultures of trees as profitable enterprises.” ‘The Same Species All Over the World’ When businesses promise to plant a tree for every purchase of a given product, they typically do so via nonprofit groups that work with communities around the world. The support may reforest after wildfires or provide fruit and nut trees to farmers. But even these projects can compromise biodiversity. The planet is home to nearly 60,000 tree species. A third are threatened with extinction, mainly from agriculture, grazing and exploitation. But globally, only a tiny fraction of species are widely planted, according to tree planting groups and scientists. “They’re planting the same species all over the world,” said Meredith Martin, an assistant professor of forestry at North Carolina State University who found that nonprofit tree planting efforts in the tropics tend to prioritize the livelihood needs of people over biodiversity or carbon storage. Over time, she said, these efforts risk reducing biodiversity in forests. Nonprofit tree planting groups often say they plant nonnative species because local communities ask for them. But deeper engagement can yield a different story, said Susan Chomba, who oversees forest restoration and conservation in Africa for the World Resources Institute, a global research nonprofit group. When given the chance to consider what they want to accomplish on their land, farmers will recall, for instance, that when they had more trees, they also had streams, she said. They want the water back. “Then you say, ‘In your traditional, local knowledge, what kind of tree species are suitable for returning water into the ecosystem?’” Chomba continued. “They will give you a whole range of indigenous tree species.” A major hurdle is lack of supply at local seed banks, which tend to be dominated by popular commercial species. Some groups overcome this problem by paying people to collect seeds from nearby forests. Another solution, experts say, is to let forests come back on their own. If the area is only lightly degraded or sits near existing forest, a method called natural regeneration can be cheaper and more effective. Simply fencing off certain areas from grazing will often allow trees to return, with both carbon sequestration and biodiversity built in. “Nature knows much more than we do,” Chazdon said.

Tree planting is booming. Here's how that could help, or harm, the planet.

Thousands protest in France to call for more attention towards climate

Climate Change is real and scientists along with activists have been saying that we are not doing enough to save the only planet we have. For many of us, the situation is tricky as they want to join the fight to save planet Earth but they don't know how or where to start. This study may help them start on their journey to save our home.

The study has been carried out by Leeds University and the data for the study has been analysed by experts at Arup, a global engineering firm and C40 group of world cities.

The study has found that adopting six behavioural changes by citizens in well-off nations may go a long way in arresting climate change. A new climate movement has also sprung up based on this.

The Jump, as the climate movement is called is asking those who sign up do these six things.&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Eating&nbsp;a largely plant-based diet with big portions and ensuring no waste.</li>
	<li>Buying no more than three clothing items in a year.</li>
	<li>Using electrical products for at least seven years.</li>
	<li>Taking only one short-distance flight in three years and a long-distance flight in eight years.</li>
	<li>Getting rid of personal motor vehicles. If this is not possible, keep using the same vehicle for long period.</li>
	<li>Making a considerable effort to nudge the system, like using green energy</li>
</ul>

Tom Bailey, co-founder of the campaign said: “This ends once and for all the debate about whether citizens can have a role in protecting our earth. We don’t have time to wait for one group to act, we need ‘all action from all actors now’. He was quoted by The Guardian. 
&nbsp;

Climate Change is real and scientists along with activists have been saying that we are not doing enough to save the only planet we have. For many of us, the situation is tricky as they want to join the fight to save planet Earth but they don't know how or where to start.

Climate Change is real and scientists along with activists have been saying that we are not doing enough to save the only planet we have. For many of us, the situation is tricky as they want to join the fight to save planet Earth but they don't know how or where to start. This study may help them start on their journey to save our home. The study has been carried out by Leeds University and the data for the study has been analysed by experts at Arup, a global engineering firm and C40 group of world cities. The study has found that adopting six behavioural changes by citizens in well-off nations may go a long way in arresting climate change. A new climate movement has also sprung up based on this. The Jump, as the climate movement is called is asking those who sign up do these six things. Eating a largely plant-based diet with big portions and ensuring no waste. Buying no more than three clothing items in a year. Using electrical products for at least seven years. Taking only one short-distance flight in three years and a long-distance flight in eight years. Getting rid of personal motor vehicles. If this is not possible, keep using the same vehicle for long period. Making a considerable effort to nudge the system, like using green energy Tom Bailey, co-founder of the campaign said: “This ends once and for all the debate about whether citizens can have a role in protecting our earth. We don’t have time to wait for one group to act, we need ‘all action from all actors now’. He was quoted by The Guardian.

These six lifestyle changes will make you an eco-warrior, says study

A study reveals how people from rich countries can prevent the climate crisis by making certain changes in their lifestyles.

You can help fight climate change with these six lifestyle changes

Chile&nbsp;said Saturday it is creating a vast&nbsp;national&nbsp;park&nbsp;to protect hundreds of&nbsp;glaciers&nbsp;that are melting due to climate change.

The new&nbsp;National&nbsp;Glacier&nbsp;Park&nbsp;will cover 75,000 hectares of Andes mountain land about 60 kilometers (40 miles) from the capital Santiago, President Sebastian Pinera said at a ceremony announcing its creation.

"We are managing to protect 368&nbsp;glaciers," the president said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sydney-faces-more-rain-as-death-toll-from-australian-floods-rises-to-17-459463">Sydney faces more rain as death toll from Australian floods rises to 17</a>

These masses of permanent ice hold 32 times more water than a reservoir that serves the capital city's seven million people, the president added.

A recent study by the University of&nbsp;Chile&nbsp;said&nbsp;glaciers&nbsp;in the central part of the country, which includes the new&nbsp;park, are shrinking due to global warming.

Pinera said establishing the&nbsp;park&nbsp;is "a fundamental step that our country is taking to combat the destruction of nature."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/astronomers-have-a-new-theory-on-how-former-fireball-earth-became-habitable-459370">Astronomers have a new theory on how former 'fireball' Earth became habitable</a>

It will also help preserve flora native to mountain terrain and animals likes pumas and foxes.

Chile&nbsp;is among the world's top 10 countries as measured by glacier surface area, the government says. Others include Canada, the United States, China and Russia.

Chile said Saturday it is creating a vast national park to protect hundreds of glaciers that are melting due to climate change. The new National Glacier Park will cover 75,000 hectares of Andes mountain land about 60 kilometers (40 miles) from the capital Santiago, President Sebastian Pinera said at a ceremony announcing its creation.

Chile said Saturday it is creating a vast national park to protect hundreds of glaciers that are melting due to climate change. The new National Glacier Park will cover 75,000 hectares of Andes mountain land about 60 kilometers (40 miles) from the capital Santiago, President Sebastian Pinera said at a ceremony announcing its creation. "We are managing to protect 368 glaciers," the president said. Also read | Sydney faces more rain as death toll from Australian floods rises to 17 These masses of permanent ice hold 32 times more water than a reservoir that serves the capital city's seven million people, the president added. A recent study by the University of Chile said glaciers in the central part of the country, which includes the new park, are shrinking due to global warming. Pinera said establishing the park is "a fundamental step that our country is taking to combat the destruction of nature." Also read | Astronomers have a new theory on how former 'fireball' Earth became habitable It will also help preserve flora native to mountain terrain and animals likes pumas and foxes. Chile is among the world's top 10 countries as measured by glacier surface area, the government says. Others include Canada, the United States, China and Russia.

Chile creates national park to save glaciers

Evidence suggests that the world is going through its sixth mass extinction, as species are vanishing at an abnormally high rate. Most species could be extinct by 2200 if the current rate of extinction continues. The implications for human health and wellbeing are dire, but not unavoidable.

Nearly 99 per cent of all species that have ever existed have gone extinct since the earliest inklings of life existed on Earth, over 3.5 billion years ago.&nbsp;

The evolution of species takes place over time, and as species evolve, they replace other extinct species.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/how-climate-change-will-impact-the-worlds-regions-differently-457772" hreflang="en">How climate change will impact the world's regions differently</a>

Extinctions and speciations, however, do not occur uniformly through time; rather, they tend to take place in large pulses interspersed with periods of relative stability.&nbsp;Scientists refer to these extinction pulses as mass extinction events.

Around 540 million years ago, there was a burst of speciation called the Cambrian explosion. Since then, the fossil record has identified at least five mass extinction events and probably scores of smaller ones.

One of the most infamous of these events occurred about 66 million years ago when a giant asteroid crashed into Earth in what is now the Gulf of Mexico.

For an extinction to be considered mass, at least 75 per cent of all species on Earth have to become extinct within a 'short' time frame, i.e. less than 2.8 million years.&nbsp;

Throughout history, humans have caused smaller extinction events dating back to the late Pleistocene (around 50,000 years ago) to the early Holocene (around 12,000 years ago); when 'megafauna' such as woolly mammoths, giant sloths, diprotodons, and cave bears disappeared from nearly every continent over a few thousand years.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-contrast-to-covids-59-million-deaths-this-malady-kills-more-than-9-million-people-every-year-453616" hreflang="en">In contrast to Covid's 5.9 million deaths, this malady kills more than 9 million people every year</a>

From about the 14th Century onward, the expansion of European colonialism throughout the world led to an extinction cascade, first on islands, before spreading to areas of the continental mainland as the drive to exploit natural resources intensified.&nbsp;

More than 700 vertebrate species and 600 plant species have gone extinct in the last 500 years.

Some say that there is no likelihood that these extinctions would qualify as mass extinctions in the modern era, since they do not meet the 75 per cent threshold.

However, those are just the extinctions humans have recorded. Most species go extinct before they are even discovered, with up to 25 per cent of extinctions going unnoticed by humans.&nbsp;

We lose the services provided by species when they disappear. The result is reduced carbon sequestration, exacerbated climate change, reduced pollination and increased soil degradation, decreased food production, poorer air and water quality, more frequent and intense flooding and fires, and a deterioration of human health.

Watch |&nbsp;Non-vegetarians, will you make changes to save Earth?

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/non-vegetarians-will-you-make-changes-to-save-earth-452411/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

We are to blame for the emergence of diseases like HIV/AIDS, Ebola, and COVID-19 due to our collective disregard for the integrity of natural ecosystems.

However, with a little effort and longer-term planning, we could make our future just that little bit less ghastly. We could potentially limit the damage if societies around the globe embraced certain fundamental, yet achievable, changes.

(With inputs from agencies)

Evidence suggests that the world is going through its sixth mass extinction, as species are vanishing at an abnormally high rate. Most species could be extinct by 2200 if the current rate of extinction continues.

Evidence suggests that the world is going through its sixth mass extinction, as species are vanishing at an abnormally high rate. Most species could be extinct by 2200 if the current rate of extinction continues. The implications for human health and wellbeing are dire, but not unavoidable. Nearly 99 per cent of all species that have ever existed have gone extinct since the earliest inklings of life existed on Earth, over 3.5 billion years ago. The evolution of species takes place over time, and as species evolve, they replace other extinct species. Also read | How climate change will impact the world's regions differently Extinctions and speciations, however, do not occur uniformly through time; rather, they tend to take place in large pulses interspersed with periods of relative stability. Scientists refer to these extinction pulses as mass extinction events. Around 540 million years ago, there was a burst of speciation called the Cambrian explosion. Since then, the fossil record has identified at least five mass extinction events and probably scores of smaller ones. One of the most infamous of these events occurred about 66 million years ago when a giant asteroid crashed into Earth in what is now the Gulf of Mexico. For an extinction to be considered mass, at least 75 per cent of all species on Earth have to become extinct within a 'short' time frame, i.e. less than 2.8 million years. Throughout history, humans have caused smaller extinction events dating back to the late Pleistocene (around 50,000 years ago) to the early Holocene (around 12,000 years ago); when 'megafauna' such as woolly mammoths, giant sloths, diprotodons, and cave bears disappeared from nearly every continent over a few thousand years. Also read | In contrast to Covid's 5.9 million deaths, this malady kills more than 9 million people every year From about the 14th Century onward, the expansion of European colonialism throughout the world led to an extinction cascade, first on islands, before spreading to areas of the continental mainland as the drive to exploit natural resources intensified. More than 700 vertebrate species and 600 plant species have gone extinct in the last 500 years. Some say that there is no likelihood that these extinctions would qualify as mass extinctions in the modern era, since they do not meet the 75 per cent threshold. However, those are just the extinctions humans have recorded. Most species go extinct before they are even discovered, with up to 25 per cent of extinctions going unnoticed by humans. We lose the services provided by species when they disappear. The result is reduced carbon sequestration, exacerbated climate change, reduced pollination and increased soil degradation, decreased food production, poorer air and water quality, more frequent and intense flooding and fires, and a deterioration of human health. Watch | Non-vegetarians, will you make changes to save Earth? We are to blame for the emergence of diseases like HIV/AIDS, Ebola, and COVID-19 due to our collective disregard for the integrity of natural ecosystems. However, with a little effort and longer-term planning, we could make our future just that little bit less ghastly. We could potentially limit the damage if societies around the globe embraced certain fundamental, yet achievable, changes. (With inputs from agencies)

World is undergoing sixth mass extinction and things don't look good for humans

World poverty to rise as climate change hits food supplies

How climate change will impact the world's regions differently

United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has warned that humanity is not doing enough to limit the effects of climate change. IPCC noted that nearly half of the world population was already vulnerable to increasingly dangerous climate impacts.

Through its report, the IPCC has called for drastic action on huge scale. A third to a half of the planet needs to be conserved to ensure future food and freshwater supplies. Coastal cities need plans to keep people safe from storms and rising seas. And more.

"Adaptation saves lives," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said with the report's release. "As climate impacts worsen – and they will – scaling up investments will be essential for survival... Delay means death."

The 3,675-page report, the latest in a series by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), details the global consensus on climate science. This report, however, focuses on how nature and societies are being affected and what they can do to adapt.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine overshadowed the release of the report and drove the sole Ukrainian author to leave the proceedings to take shelter, although a government representative did attend its final approval by nearly 200 nations.

British, Spanish and Egyptian officials said the report was a call to action. U.S. Climate Envoy John Kerry lamented that too little has been done to adapt to climate change and said the report offered a "blueprint for action".

"Denial and delay are not strategies, they are a recipe for disaster," Kerry said in a statement.

TOUGH CHOICES

On nearly all counts, the report makes clear that climate change is impacting the world far faster than scientists had anticipated. Meanwhile, countries have failed to rein in planet-warming carbon emissions, which continue to rise.

"Unchecked carbon pollution is forcing the world's most vulnerable on a frogmarch to destruction," Guterres said in a video address Monday. "The facts are undeniable. This abdication of leadership is criminal."

While governments need to drastically curb their emissions to prevent runaway global warming, they can also work to limit suffering by adapting to the conditions of a warmer world, the report says.

That will take a lot of money - to finance new technologies and institutional support. Cities can invest in cooling areas to help people through heatwaves. Coastal communities may need new infrastructure or to relocate altogether.

"The scale of transformation that we need is unprecedented in human history," said Zinta Zommers, a report review editor with the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has warned that humanity is not doing enough to limit the effects of climate change. IPCC noted that nearly half of the world population was already vulnerable to increasingly dangerous climate impacts.

United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has warned that humanity is not doing enough to limit the effects of climate change. IPCC noted that nearly half of the world population was already vulnerable to increasingly dangerous climate impacts. Through its report, the IPCC has called for drastic action on huge scale. A third to a half of the planet needs to be conserved to ensure future food and freshwater supplies. Coastal cities need plans to keep people safe from storms and rising seas. And more. "Adaptation saves lives," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said with the report's release. "As climate impacts worsen – and they will – scaling up investments will be essential for survival... Delay means death." The 3,675-page report, the latest in a series by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), details the global consensus on climate science. This report, however, focuses on how nature and societies are being affected and what they can do to adapt. Russia's invasion of Ukraine overshadowed the release of the report and drove the sole Ukrainian author to leave the proceedings to take shelter, although a government representative did attend its final approval by nearly 200 nations. British, Spanish and Egyptian officials said the report was a call to action. U.S. Climate Envoy John Kerry lamented that too little has been done to adapt to climate change and said the report offered a "blueprint for action". "Denial and delay are not strategies, they are a recipe for disaster," Kerry said in a statement. TOUGH CHOICES On nearly all counts, the report makes clear that climate change is impacting the world far faster than scientists had anticipated. Meanwhile, countries have failed to rein in planet-warming carbon emissions, which continue to rise. "Unchecked carbon pollution is forcing the world's most vulnerable on a frogmarch to destruction," Guterres said in a video address Monday. "The facts are undeniable. This abdication of leadership is criminal." While governments need to drastically curb their emissions to prevent runaway global warming, they can also work to limit suffering by adapting to the conditions of a warmer world, the report says. That will take a lot of money - to finance new technologies and institutional support. Cities can invest in cooling areas to help people through heatwaves. Coastal communities may need new infrastructure or to relocate altogether. "The scale of transformation that we need is unprecedented in human history," said Zinta Zommers, a report review editor with the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

UN climate report calls for immediate, drastic action

Hadrian's wall is the largest piece of Roman architecture built on the British isles constructed in 122 AD, it has stood for 1900 years but now climate change is posing a big threat to it, our next report gets you all the details.

Climate change threatens Hadrian's Wall

Mudslides and floods kill at least 117, displaces hundreds in Brazil's historic city

Researchers are warning that people are funding their own extinction with at least $1.8 billion spent every year on subsidies that cause wildlife to be wiped out and climate change to rise, according to a new study.

The first cross-sector assessment in over a decade documents how government spending and subsidies are harming the environment. These subsidies range from tax breaks and grants for beef production in the Amazon to funding for unsustainable groundwater pumping in the Middle East.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-contrast-to-covids-59-million-deaths-this-malady-kills-more-than-9-million-people-every-year-453616" hreflang="en">In contrast to Covid's 5.9 million deaths, this malady kills more than 9 million people every year</a>

According to the <a href="https://www.businessfornature.org/news/subsidy-reform">research&nbsp;on explicit subsidies</a>, the 2 per cent of global GDP government support is directly working against the goals of the Paris agreement and draft targets on reversing biodiversity loss. In other words, the government is effectively funding pollution, land subsidence, and deforestation with state funds.

The report urges governments to agree to eliminate environmentally harmful subsidies by the end of the decade. Furthermore, it calls for companies to reveal the subsidies they receive as part of their environmental disclosure reporting.

Amid growing political division on the cost of decarbonising the global economy, the authors suggest repurposing an important part of the $1.8tn to support policies that benefit nature and transition to net zero.

Christiana Figueres, who headed the United Nations climate change convention when the Paris agreement was signed, praised the research. According to her, subsidies created huge risks for businesses that received them.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/toppled-off-of-knife-edge-australias-famous-koala-is-now-an-endangered-animal-452372" hreflang="en">Toppled off of 'knife edge': Australia's famous Koala is now an 'endangered' animal</a>

We have never lived on a planet with so little biodiversity, she said, and nature is declining at an alarming rate. We must reorient harmful subsidies toward protecting nature and the climate, rather than funding our own extinction, she added.

There are four industries that account for most of the $1.8tn, according to the report: fossil fuels ($620bn), agriculture ($520bn), water ($320bn) and forestry ($155bn). There was no estimate for mining, which is said to cause ecosystems billions of dollars in damage every year.

The true cost of subsidies is likely to be much higher due to the lack of transparency between governments and recipients. The International Monetary Fund said last year that fossil fuel companies received subsidies worth more than $5.9 trillion in 2020, but this figure largely reflects hidden costs from failing to hold polluters accountable for their deaths and global warming.

Watch |&nbsp;Non-vegetarians, will you make changes to save Earth?

<iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/non-vegetarians-will-you-make-changes-to-save-earth-452411/embed" width="560"></iframe>

According to a UN report last year, close to 90 per cent of the subsidies given to farmers every year are harmful, damaging people's health, causing climate change, and destroying nature while increasing inequality by excluding smallhold farmers.

The UN's biodiversity chief, Elizabeth Mrema, said the report was critical.

She states that the report highlights how redirecting, repurposing, or eliminating subsidies could make a significant contribution to halting and reversing the loss of nature by 2030 as well as reducing the cost of achieving net zero emissions.

Researchers are warning that people are funding their own extinction with at least $1.8 billion spent every year on subsidies that cause wildlife to be wiped out and climate change to rise, according to a new study.

Researchers are warning that people are funding their own extinction with at least $1.8 billion spent every year on subsidies that cause wildlife to be wiped out and climate change to rise, according to a new study. The first cross-sector assessment in over a decade documents how government spending and subsidies are harming the environment. These subsidies range from tax breaks and grants for beef production in the Amazon to funding for unsustainable groundwater pumping in the Middle East. Also read | In contrast to Covid's 5.9 million deaths, this malady kills more than 9 million people every year According to the research on explicit subsidies, the 2 per cent of global GDP government support is directly working against the goals of the Paris agreement and draft targets on reversing biodiversity loss. In other words, the government is effectively funding pollution, land subsidence, and deforestation with state funds. The report urges governments to agree to eliminate environmentally harmful subsidies by the end of the decade. Furthermore, it calls for companies to reveal the subsidies they receive as part of their environmental disclosure reporting. Amid growing political division on the cost of decarbonising the global economy, the authors suggest repurposing an important part of the $1.8tn to support policies that benefit nature and transition to net zero. Christiana Figueres, who headed the United Nations climate change convention when the Paris agreement was signed, praised the research. According to her, subsidies created huge risks for businesses that received them. Also read | Toppled off of 'knife edge': Australia's famous Koala is now an 'endangered' animal We have never lived on a planet with so little biodiversity, she said, and nature is declining at an alarming rate. We must reorient harmful subsidies toward protecting nature and the climate, rather than funding our own extinction, she added. There are four industries that account for most of the $1.8tn, according to the report: fossil fuels ($620bn), agriculture ($520bn), water ($320bn) and forestry ($155bn). There was no estimate for mining, which is said to cause ecosystems billions of dollars in damage every year. The true cost of subsidies is likely to be much higher due to the lack of transparency between governments and recipients. The International Monetary Fund said last year that fossil fuel companies received subsidies worth more than $5.9 trillion in 2020, but this figure largely reflects hidden costs from failing to hold polluters accountable for their deaths and global warming. Watch | Non-vegetarians, will you make changes to save Earth? According to a UN report last year, close to 90 per cent of the subsidies given to farmers every year are harmful, damaging people's health, causing climate change, and destroying nature while increasing inequality by excluding smallhold farmers. The UN's biodiversity chief, Elizabeth Mrema, said the report was critical. She states that the report highlights how redirecting, repurposing, or eliminating subsidies could make a significant contribution to halting and reversing the loss of nature by 2030 as well as reducing the cost of achieving net zero emissions.

$1.8 billion; that's how much govt subsidies contribute every year to human extinction & climate change

&nbsp;A UN environmental report published on Tuesday said pollution by states and companies contributes to more deaths globally than COVID-19, calling for "immediate and ambitious action" to ban some toxic chemicals.

There are widespread human rights violations caused by pesticides, plastics and electronic waste, as well as at least 9 million premature deaths a year, according to the report, which says the issue is being largely overlooked.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/toppled-off-of-knife-edge-australias-famous-koala-is-now-an-endangered-animal-452372" hreflang="en">Toppled off of 'knife edge': Australia's famous Koala is now an 'endangered' animal</a>

A data aggregator Worldometer reports that an estimated 5.9 million people have died due to the Coronavirus pandemic, a number less than what pollution claims each year.

"Current approaches to managing the risks posed by pollution and toxic substances are clearly failing, resulting in widespread violations of the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment," the report's author, UN Special Rapporteur David Boyd, concluded.

"I think we have an ethical and now a legal obligation to do better by these people," he said in an interview with Reuters.

UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) which has declared clean air and water a human right posted a draft of the document on their <a href="https://www.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/WopiFrame.aspx?sourcedoc=/Documents/Issues/Environment/SREnvironment/SR-Researchathon-on-Sacrifice-Zones-2021-EN.docx&amp;action=default&amp;DefaultItemOpen=1">website</a> on Tuesday. The document will be presented to the UN Human Rights Council next month.

It urges a ban on polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl, man-made chemicals used in household products such as non-stick cookware that have been linked to cancer and have been dubbed "forever chemicals" since they do not degrade easily.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/reduced-meat-consumption-livestock-more-here-is-what-the-wwf-recommends-for-curbing-greenhouse-emissions-451925" hreflang="en">Reduced meat consumption, livestock &amp; more; here is what the WWF recommends for curbing greenhouse emissions</a>

As part of this effort, it is also seeking the clean-up of polluted sites and, in severe cases, possible relocation of affected communities - largely poor, marginalized and indigenous - from so-called "sacrifice zones".

The term "sacrifice zones" has been expanded to describe any heavily contaminated site or place rendered uninhabitable by climate change. Originally, it referred to nuclear test zones.

"What I hope to do by telling these stories of sacrifice zones is to really put a human face on these otherwise inexplicable, incomprehensible statistics (of pollution death tolls)," Boyd said.

Watch |&nbsp;Non-vegetarians, will you make changes to save Earth?

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/non-vegetarians-will-you-make-changes-to-save-earth-452411/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Reuters reports that Boyd considers the report, the latest in a series he has written, to be his toughest yet. He expects "push-back" from the Council when the report is presented at the Geneva meeting.

Michelle Bachelet, UN rights chief, has called environmental threats the biggest global rights challenge. Climate and environmental justice cases are increasingly using human rights as a basis for argument.

An international conference on environmental issues will begin on Feb. 28 in Nairobi, Kenya. It is set to address chemical waste, including a proposal to establish a panel devoted to chemical waste, similar to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

(With inputs from agencies)

A UN environmental report published on Tuesday said pollution by states and companies contributes to more deaths globally than COVID-19, calling for "immediate and ambitious action" to ban some toxic chemicals.

A UN environmental report published on Tuesday said pollution by states and companies contributes to more deaths globally than COVID-19, calling for "immediate and ambitious action" to ban some toxic chemicals. There are widespread human rights violations caused by pesticides, plastics and electronic waste, as well as at least 9 million premature deaths a year, according to the report, which says the issue is being largely overlooked. Also read | Toppled off of 'knife edge': Australia's famous Koala is now an 'endangered' animal A data aggregator Worldometer reports that an estimated 5.9 million people have died due to the Coronavirus pandemic, a number less than what pollution claims each year. "Current approaches to managing the risks posed by pollution and toxic substances are clearly failing, resulting in widespread violations of the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment," the report's author, UN Special Rapporteur David Boyd, concluded. "I think we have an ethical and now a legal obligation to do better by these people," he said in an interview with Reuters. UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) which has declared clean air and water a human right posted a draft of the document on their website on Tuesday. The document will be presented to the UN Human Rights Council next month. It urges a ban on polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl, man-made chemicals used in household products such as non-stick cookware that have been linked to cancer and have been dubbed "forever chemicals" since they do not degrade easily. Also read | Reduced meat consumption, livestock & more; here is what the WWF recommends for curbing greenhouse emissions As part of this effort, it is also seeking the clean-up of polluted sites and, in severe cases, possible relocation of affected communities - largely poor, marginalized and indigenous - from so-called "sacrifice zones". The term "sacrifice zones" has been expanded to describe any heavily contaminated site or place rendered uninhabitable by climate change. Originally, it referred to nuclear test zones. "What I hope to do by telling these stories of sacrifice zones is to really put a human face on these otherwise inexplicable, incomprehensible statistics (of pollution death tolls)," Boyd said. Watch | Non-vegetarians, will you make changes to save Earth? Reuters reports that Boyd considers the report, the latest in a series he has written, to be his toughest yet. He expects "push-back" from the Council when the report is presented at the Geneva meeting. Michelle Bachelet, UN rights chief, has called environmental threats the biggest global rights challenge. Climate and environmental justice cases are increasingly using human rights as a basis for argument. An international conference on environmental issues will begin on Feb. 28 in Nairobi, Kenya. It is set to address chemical waste, including a proposal to establish a panel devoted to chemical waste, similar to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (With inputs from agencies)

In contrast to Covid's 5.9 million deaths, this malady kills more than 9 million people every year

WWF has called on British farmers to cut meat and dairy production by a third in the next 10 years, adding that this is requisite if the country is to meet scientific recommendations on curbing greenhouse gas emissions.

Due to the imported feed, even more cuts to the UK's pig and poultry herds may be necessary. People will need to consume much less meat than they do today, the charity warned.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/mt-everests-2000-year-old-glacier-will-disappear-by-mid-century-warn-scientists-451624" hreflang="en">Mt. Everest's 2,000-year-old glacier will disappear by mid-century, warn scientists</a>

According to the <a href="https://www.wwf.org.uk/basket-metric/climate-change">report</a>, this would result in lower greenhouse gas emissions, a countryside with a greater diversity of wildlife, and better health.

The chief executive of WWF, Tanya Steele, said that agriculture and land use cannot be ignored when it comes to the twin threats of climate change and nature loss. Many UK farmers are already working on producing food sustainably, but they cannot fix a broken system by themselves.

The methane produced by livestock and the carbon associated with the feed they eat are two of the major sources of greenhouse gas emissions. WWF argues that the UK needs to reduce its imports of soy by about a fifth by 2030, as it is linked to deforestation and the overuse of fertilisers overseas.

Ammonia from livestock manure is also responsible for air pollution, and the government has pledged to tackle this.

However, farmers argued that the UK's livestock production is less carbon-intensive than overseas alternatives.

Deputy President of the National Farmers Union, Stuart Roberts, said that UK farmers can maintain domestic food production, including the production of nutritious meat and dairy products while delivering the necessary environmental and climate benefits.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/worlds-top-companies-failing-to-meet-their-own-targets-on-tackling-climate-change-451243" hreflang="en">World's top companies failing to meet their own targets on tackling climate change</a>

British products are often the most sustainable option since more than 90 per cent of UK households still prefer to buy high-quality red meat and cheese, he added.

According to him, the UK's climate is ideal for the production of beef and dairy products, and emissions from their production in the UK are less than half what it is around the world.&nbsp;

He said that cutting sustainable production would only export the country's carbon footprint to other countries that don't meet its high environmental standards and risk, reducing food imports.

According to George Dunn, chief executive of the Tenant Farmers Association, only 10 per cent of the UK's CO2e emissions are attributed to agriculture. Over half of the UK's emissions come from transport and energy.&nbsp;

Rob Percival, the director of food and policy at the Soil Association, recommended that British households cut their meat consumption while buying higher quality meat.

He said grazing cattle is good for soil health and nature, but big cuts in the production of poultry are necessary. This is because cheap chicken production leads to pollution of rivers in the UK, and deforestation in South America as a result of imported soy.

Watch |&nbsp;Plastic pollution rising at an alarming rate, affecting 88% of marine species

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/plastic-pollution-rising-at-an-alarming-rate-affecting-88-of-marine-species-451739/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

He urged the government to reject post-Brexit trade deals that would open the door to low-welfare food with a high carbon footprint.

Food waste is another major issue, and the WWF says it must be halved by 2030. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, households made notable progress in cutting food waste, but the rejection of "imperfect" but edible food by supermarkets, is a major cause of food waste.

Another of the report's recommendations was to reduce the use of artificial fertilisers by implementing precision techniques and discontinuing the use of nitrogen fertilisers wherever possible.&nbsp;

WWF has called on British farmers to cut meat and dairy production by a third in the next 10 years, adding that this is requisite if the country is to meet scientific recommendations on curbing greenhouse gas emissions.

WWF has called on British farmers to cut meat and dairy production by a third in the next 10 years, adding that this is requisite if the country is to meet scientific recommendations on curbing greenhouse gas emissions. Due to the imported feed, even more cuts to the UK's pig and poultry herds may be necessary. People will need to consume much less meat than they do today, the charity warned. Also read | Mt. Everest's 2,000-year-old glacier will disappear by mid-century, warn scientists According to the report, this would result in lower greenhouse gas emissions, a countryside with a greater diversity of wildlife, and better health. The chief executive of WWF, Tanya Steele, said that agriculture and land use cannot be ignored when it comes to the twin threats of climate change and nature loss. Many UK farmers are already working on producing food sustainably, but they cannot fix a broken system by themselves. The methane produced by livestock and the carbon associated with the feed they eat are two of the major sources of greenhouse gas emissions. WWF argues that the UK needs to reduce its imports of soy by about a fifth by 2030, as it is linked to deforestation and the overuse of fertilisers overseas. Ammonia from livestock manure is also responsible for air pollution, and the government has pledged to tackle this. However, farmers argued that the UK's livestock production is less carbon-intensive than overseas alternatives. Deputy President of the National Farmers Union, Stuart Roberts, said that UK farmers can maintain domestic food production, including the production of nutritious meat and dairy products while delivering the necessary environmental and climate benefits. Also read | World's top companies failing to meet their own targets on tackling climate change British products are often the most sustainable option since more than 90 per cent of UK households still prefer to buy high-quality red meat and cheese, he added. According to him, the UK's climate is ideal for the production of beef and dairy products, and emissions from their production in the UK are less than half what it is around the world. He said that cutting sustainable production would only export the country's carbon footprint to other countries that don't meet its high environmental standards and risk, reducing food imports. According to George Dunn, chief executive of the Tenant Farmers Association, only 10 per cent of the UK's CO2e emissions are attributed to agriculture. Over half of the UK's emissions come from transport and energy. Rob Percival, the director of food and policy at the Soil Association, recommended that British households cut their meat consumption while buying higher quality meat. He said grazing cattle is good for soil health and nature, but big cuts in the production of poultry are necessary. This is because cheap chicken production leads to pollution of rivers in the UK, and deforestation in South America as a result of imported soy. Watch | Plastic pollution rising at an alarming rate, affecting 88% of marine species He urged the government to reject post-Brexit trade deals that would open the door to low-welfare food with a high carbon footprint. Food waste is another major issue, and the WWF says it must be halved by 2030. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, households made notable progress in cutting food waste, but the rejection of "imperfect" but edible food by supermarkets, is a major cause of food waste. Another of the report's recommendations was to reduce the use of artificial fertilisers by implementing precision techniques and discontinuing the use of nitrogen fertilisers wherever possible.

Reduced meat consumption, livestock & more; here is what the WWF recommends for curbing greenhouse emissions

Mount Everest, the world's tallest mountain, may lose its highest glacier by the middle of this century as the 2,000-year-old ice cap thinning at an alarming rate.

In the latest report, the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) noted that Everest has lost ice significantly since the late 1990s.

The report estimates that the ice of the South Cole glacier, located at 8,020 metres above sea level, is thinning at a rate of almost two metres per year.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-glacier-melting-update-theres-less-ice-in-them-than-estimated-earlier-says-study-451389" hreflang="en">World Glacier melting update: There's less ice in them than estimated earlier, says study</a>

The study was based on data from a 10-metre-long ice core taken from South Col Glacier (on the Nepalese side of Everest) at a height of 8,020 metres. Meteorological observations from two of the highest automatic weather stations in the world, located on the southern slopes of Everest at 7,945 meters and 8,430 meters respectively, were also used.

Radiocarbon dating was used by the researchers to estimate the glacier's age as 2,000 years.

According to the researchers, the highest glacier could disappear by the middle of this century.&nbsp;It took 2,000 years for this thickness of ice to form, but the rate of ice loss measured is more than 80 times faster.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/heres-how-scientists-use-penguins-to-predict-climate-change-449503" hreflang="en">Here's how scientists use Penguins to predict climate change</a>

Nature Portfolio published an article recently reporting an alarming trend in the thinning of Everest's ice.

Scientists from eight countries, including 17 from Nepal, were part of the multidisciplinary team. Three of the co-authors of the study were affiliated with the ICIMOD.

Watch |&nbsp;A Study reveals that Mount Everest is melting faster than expected due to Global Warming

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/a-study-reveals-that-mount-everest-is-melting-faster-than-expected-due-to-global-warming-450768/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"The long-term effect on the availability and stability of these water towers which will impact downstream communities is of major concern," the ICIMOD said in the statement.

Glaciers in the Himalayas contribute significantly to water supplies for millions of people.

Researchers suspect that climate change might have triggered the change in Everest's ice cover.

(With inputs from agencies)

Mount Everest, the world's tallest mountain, may lose its highest glacier by the middle of this century as the 2,000-year-old ice cap thinning at an alarming rate.

Mount Everest, the world's tallest mountain, may lose its highest glacier by the middle of this century as the 2,000-year-old ice cap thinning at an alarming rate. In the latest report, the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) noted that Everest has lost ice significantly since the late 1990s. The report estimates that the ice of the South Cole glacier, located at 8,020 metres above sea level, is thinning at a rate of almost two metres per year. Also read | World Glacier melting update: There's less ice in them than estimated earlier, says study The study was based on data from a 10-metre-long ice core taken from South Col Glacier (on the Nepalese side of Everest) at a height of 8,020 metres. Meteorological observations from two of the highest automatic weather stations in the world, located on the southern slopes of Everest at 7,945 meters and 8,430 meters respectively, were also used. Radiocarbon dating was used by the researchers to estimate the glacier's age as 2,000 years. According to the researchers, the highest glacier could disappear by the middle of this century. It took 2,000 years for this thickness of ice to form, but the rate of ice loss measured is more than 80 times faster. Also read | Here's how scientists use Penguins to predict climate change Nature Portfolio published an article recently reporting an alarming trend in the thinning of Everest's ice. Scientists from eight countries, including 17 from Nepal, were part of the multidisciplinary team. Three of the co-authors of the study were affiliated with the ICIMOD. Watch | A Study reveals that Mount Everest is melting faster than expected due to Global Warming "The long-term effect on the availability and stability of these water towers which will impact downstream communities is of major concern," the ICIMOD said in the statement. Glaciers in the Himalayas contribute significantly to water supplies for millions of people. Researchers suspect that climate change might have triggered the change in Everest's ice cover. (With inputs from agencies)

Mt. Everest's 2,000-year-old glacier will disappear by mid-century, warn scientists

As per a latest study, the ice on Mount Everest has been thinning at an alarming rate. The Everest region has been losing ice significantly since the late 1990s, 80 times faster than it took to form in 2000 years.

Mount Everest's highest glacier is melting at an alarming rate, says study

Decreasing carbon dioxide and the atmosphere is a key in the battle to tackle climate change. The main obstacle in that fight is how to plant new trees in a short time in areas that are hard to access. Australia is experimenting with drones to speed up the seed planting process.

Australia is using drones to fight against deforestation and global warming

The world's biggest companies are taking pledges to tackle issues related to climate change, but how well are they coming along is a question.&nbsp;

The latest report highlights a grim reality as according to a study of 25 corporations, many big companies are failing to meet their own targets on tackling climate change.&nbsp;

The climate pledges of 25 of the world's largest companies in reality only commit to reducing their emissions by 40 per cent on average, not 100 per cent as suggested by their "net zero" and "carbon neutral" claims.&nbsp;

The findings of the Corporate Climate Responsibility Monitor were released on February 7. It was conducted by NewClimate Institute in collaboration with Carbon Market Watch.&nbsp;

It evaluates 25 major companies – operating across different sectors and geographies – to determine the transparency and integrity of their headline climate pledges.&nbsp;

As per the study, Google, Amazon, Ikea, Apple and Nestle are among those failing to change quickly enough.&nbsp;

As per the report, only one company's net-zero pledge was evaluated as having "reasonable integrity"; three with "moderate", ten with "low". The remaining 12 were rated as having "very low" integrity.&nbsp;

As per the report, Amazon, Deutsche Telekom, Enel, GlaxoSmithKline, Google, Hitachi, IKEA, Vale, Volkswagen and Walmart have low integrity.&nbsp;

Accenture, BMW Group, Carrefour, CVS Health, Deutsche Post DHL, E.ON SE, JBS, Nestlé, Novartis, Saint-Gobain and Unilever have very low integrity.&nbsp;

"We set out to uncover as many replicable good practices as possible, but we were frankly surprised and disappointed at the overall integrity of the companies' claims," said Thomas Day of NewClimate Institute, lead author of the study.&nbsp;

"As pressure on companies to act on climate change rises, their ambitious-sounding headline claims all too often lack real substance, which can mislead both consumers and the regulators that are core to guiding their strategic direction. Even companies that are doing relatively well exaggerate their actions," Day added.&nbsp;

The world's biggest companies are taking pledges to tackle issues related to climate change, but how well are they coming along is a question. The latest report highlights a grim reality as according to a study of 25 corporations, many big companies are failing to meet their own targets on tackling climate change.

The world's biggest companies are taking pledges to tackle issues related to climate change, but how well are they coming along is a question. The latest report highlights a grim reality as according to a study of 25 corporations, many big companies are failing to meet their own targets on tackling climate change. The climate pledges of 25 of the world's largest companies in reality only commit to reducing their emissions by 40 per cent on average, not 100 per cent as suggested by their "net zero" and "carbon neutral" claims. The findings of the Corporate Climate Responsibility Monitor were released on February 7. It was conducted by NewClimate Institute in collaboration with Carbon Market Watch. It evaluates 25 major companies – operating across different sectors and geographies – to determine the transparency and integrity of their headline climate pledges. As per the study, Google, Amazon, Ikea, Apple and Nestle are among those failing to change quickly enough. As per the report, only one company's net-zero pledge was evaluated as having "reasonable integrity"; three with "moderate", ten with "low". The remaining 12 were rated as having "very low" integrity. As per the report, Amazon, Deutsche Telekom, Enel, GlaxoSmithKline, Google, Hitachi, IKEA, Vale, Volkswagen and Walmart have low integrity. Accenture, BMW Group, Carrefour, CVS Health, Deutsche Post DHL, E.ON SE, JBS, Nestlé, Novartis, Saint-Gobain and Unilever have very low integrity. "We set out to uncover as many replicable good practices as possible, but we were frankly surprised and disappointed at the overall integrity of the companies' claims," said Thomas Day of NewClimate Institute, lead author of the study. "As pressure on companies to act on climate change rises, their ambitious-sounding headline claims all too often lack real substance, which can mislead both consumers and the regulators that are core to guiding their strategic direction. Even companies that are doing relatively well exaggerate their actions," Day added.

World's top companies failing to meet their own targets on tackling climate change

According to a new study, the highest glacier on Mount Everest has been melting at a rapid pace, courtesy climate change. &nbsp;&nbsp;

In last 25 years, the South Col Glacier has already lost over 180ft (54m) thickness. The research has been led by the experts of University of Maine. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/where-can-we-expect-the-existence-of-alien-life-study-makes-the-revelation-450620" hreflang="en">Where can we expect the existence of alien life? Study makes the revelation</a>

Located around 7,906m (25,938 ft) above sea-level, the glacier is melting 80 times faster than usual. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The rise in temperatures and strong winds have been blamed for this development. &nbsp;

Since 1990s, the ice, which formed in around 2,000 years, has melted away, the study found. &nbsp;

Dr Mariusz Potocki, one of the lead researchers of the study, said that the findings suggested "that the South Col Glacier may be on the way out - it may already be a 'relic' from an older, colder, time". &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-covid-pandemic-most-americans-turned-into-germaphobes-says-survey-450658">After Covid pandemic, most Americans turned into ‘germaphobes’, says survey</a>

Dr Tom Matthews, another author of the report and a climate scientist from Kings College London, told BBC that there had been no change in the climate of the region to trigger the surge in melting. &nbsp;

"Instead, the steady uptick in temperatures eventually pushes the glacier across a threshold, and suddenly everything changes," Matthews said. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

According to a new study, the highest glacier on Mount Everest has been melting at a rapid pace, courtesy climate change. In last 25 years, the South Col Glacier has already lost over 180ft (54m) thickness.

According to a new study, the highest glacier on Mount Everest has been melting at a rapid pace, courtesy climate change. In last 25 years, the South Col Glacier has already lost over 180ft (54m) thickness. The research has been led by the experts of University of Maine. Also Read: Where can we expect the existence of alien life? Study makes the revelation Located around 7,906m (25,938 ft) above sea-level, the glacier is melting 80 times faster than usual. The rise in temperatures and strong winds have been blamed for this development. Since 1990s, the ice, which formed in around 2,000 years, has melted away, the study found. Dr Mariusz Potocki, one of the lead researchers of the study, said that the findings suggested "that the South Col Glacier may be on the way out - it may already be a 'relic' from an older, colder, time". Also Read: After Covid pandemic, most Americans turned into ‘germaphobes’, says survey Dr Tom Matthews, another author of the report and a climate scientist from Kings College London, told BBC that there had been no change in the climate of the region to trigger the surge in melting. "Instead, the steady uptick in temperatures eventually pushes the glacier across a threshold, and suddenly everything changes," Matthews said. (With inputs from agencies)

Climate change effect: Highest glacier on Mount Everest melting at a rapid pace, says study

Veganuary, a movement encouraging people to try veganism in January and beyond, has proven to be a huge success in India, where it registered the third highest number of participants globally.

Veganuary this year was attended by participants from every country in the world for the first time. There were more than 6,255,000 Veganuary participants from 229 countries and territories, making this the largest Veganuary yet.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/gucci-to-dolce-gabbana-luxury-fashion-brands-that-are-vegan-eco-friendly-and-anti-fur-415545">Gucci to Dolce &amp; Gabbana: Luxury fashion brands that are vegan, eco-friendly and anti-fur</a>

The Veganuary campaign officially launched in India in December 2021, and it received instant support from influential vegans, brands, and individuals alike. &nbsp;

According to a YouGov survey, 65 percent of Indians plan to eat more plant-based/vegan foods in the new year, according to a survey of 1033 adults. India ranks third in the world, behind only the US and UK.

Over the past year, climate emergency and health among the most pressing concerns on everyone's mind. Indians have demonstrated their willingness to take action where it is most necessary- by changing how they eat.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-vegan-day-are-you-willing-to-switch-to-lab-grown-meat-to-combat-climate-change-425972">World Vegan Day: Are you willing to switch to lab-grown meat to combat climate-change?</a>

Reflecting on the success of the 2022 campaign, Veganuary's India Head Prashanth Vishwanath says: "It is incredibly inspiring to see Veganuary received so well in India. As more people become aware of the large impact our food choices have on our health and the planet, attitudes towards veganism are changing everywhere, and Veganuary's growing popularity reflects this shift. We have indeed become a true desi phenomenon."

Plant-based eating appears to be growing in popularity in India, with the YouGov survey reporting that more than 60 per cent of Indians view plant-based diets positively compared to two years ago. Industry projections confirm this trend.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;<a>Gravitas: Plant-based meat is taking over menus globally</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-plant-based-meat-is-taking-over-menus-globally-442524/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In the next three years, the plant-based meat market in India is expected to grow to $500 million from $30-40 million today. The Good Food Institute projects that plant-based dairy in India will grow from $21 million at present to $63.9 million by 2024 at a CAGR of 20.7 per cent.&nbsp;

Alternatives to meat and dairy products are already competing with their animal-derived counterparts, even in terms of price and availability.

(With inputs from agencies)

Veganuary, a movement encouraging people to try veganism in January and beyond, has proven to be a huge success in India, where it registered the third highest number of participants globally.

Veganuary, a movement encouraging people to try veganism in January and beyond, has proven to be a huge success in India, where it registered the third highest number of participants globally. Veganuary this year was attended by participants from every country in the world for the first time. There were more than 6,255,000 Veganuary participants from 229 countries and territories, making this the largest Veganuary yet. Also read | Gucci to Dolce & Gabbana: Luxury fashion brands that are vegan, eco-friendly and anti-fur The Veganuary campaign officially launched in India in December 2021, and it received instant support from influential vegans, brands, and individuals alike. According to a YouGov survey, 65 percent of Indians plan to eat more plant-based/vegan foods in the new year, according to a survey of 1033 adults. India ranks third in the world, behind only the US and UK. Over the past year, climate emergency and health among the most pressing concerns on everyone's mind. Indians have demonstrated their willingness to take action where it is most necessary- by changing how they eat. Also read | World Vegan Day: Are you willing to switch to lab-grown meat to combat climate-change? Reflecting on the success of the 2022 campaign, Veganuary's India Head Prashanth Vishwanath says: "It is incredibly inspiring to see Veganuary received so well in India. As more people become aware of the large impact our food choices have on our health and the planet, attitudes towards veganism are changing everywhere, and Veganuary's growing popularity reflects this shift. We have indeed become a true desi phenomenon." Plant-based eating appears to be growing in popularity in India, with the YouGov survey reporting that more than 60 per cent of Indians view plant-based diets positively compared to two years ago. Industry projections confirm this trend. Watch | Gravitas: Plant-based meat is taking over menus globally In the next three years, the plant-based meat market in India is expected to grow to $500 million from $30-40 million today. The Good Food Institute projects that plant-based dairy in India will grow from $21 million at present to $63.9 million by 2024 at a CAGR of 20.7 per cent. Alternatives to meat and dairy products are already competing with their animal-derived counterparts, even in terms of price and availability. (With inputs from agencies)

Veganuary a hit in India as more people switch to a vegan diet to combat climate change

Penguins have now become the new bioindicators for understanding climate change. For the last few years, scientists have been studying penguins in Antarctica to try and understand the impact of global warming.

Penguins help understand climate change, here's how!

New research highlights the existing concerns of global warming as it has been revealed that the world's oceans passed the "point of no return" back in 2014 and the time we live in has become the new normal.&nbsp;

The study, published in the Plos Climate journal, stated that for the global ocean, 2014 was the first year to exceed the 50 per cent threshold of extreme heat thereby becoming "normal", with the South Atlantic (1998) and Indian (2007) basins crossing this barrier earlier.&nbsp;

While explaining, the study stated that 'The Point of No Return (PoNR)' occurs when each series surpasses and remains above 50 per cent&nbsp;(dashed grey line), or when the historical baseline of extreme heat becomes 'normal'.

The research was aimed at determining a fixed benchmark for marine heat extremes globally and to find how much of the ocean surpassed this point, scientists have mapped sea surface temperatures over the last 150 years. &nbsp;&nbsp;

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The analysis established that extreme temperatures occurred&nbsp;just 2 per cent of the time a century ago have occurred at least 50 per cent of the time since 2014 in oceans globally. &nbsp;&nbsp;

A part of the research read: "For the year 2019, our index reports that 57 per cent of the global ocean surface recorded extreme heat, which was comparatively rare (approximately 2 per cent) during the period of the second industrial revolution."&nbsp;

Kyle Van Houtan, who is part of the research team and also works at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in the US, said: "By using this measure of extremes, we've shown that climate change is not something that is uncertain and may happen in the distant future – it's something that is a historical fact and has occurred already."&nbsp;

ALSO&nbsp; READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-find-evidence-of-an-extreme-solar-tsunami-deep-within-earths-ice-448784">Scientists find evidence of an extreme solar 'tsunami' deep within Earth's&nbsp;ice</a>

Van Houtan added: "Ecology teaches us that extremes have an outsized impact on ecosystems. We are trying to understand the dramatic changes that we've seen along our coasts and in the ocean, on coral reefs, kelp, white sharks, sea otters, fish, and more."&nbsp;

The study mentioned that the recent increases in extreme climatic events have raised concerns over climate change impacts and at the same time, people often look forward to seeking reliable information on past and projected changes to adapt and plan accordingly.&nbsp;

New research highlights the existing concerns of global warming as it has been revealed that the world's oceans passed the "point of no return" back in 2014 and the time we live in has become the new normal.

New research highlights the existing concerns of global warming as it has been revealed that the world's oceans passed the "point of no return" back in 2014 and the time we live in has become the new normal. The study, published in the Plos Climate journal, stated that for the global ocean, 2014 was the first year to exceed the 50 per cent threshold of extreme heat thereby becoming "normal", with the South Atlantic (1998) and Indian (2007) basins crossing this barrier earlier. While explaining, the study stated that 'The Point of No Return (PoNR)' occurs when each series surpasses and remains above 50 per cent (dashed grey line), or when the historical baseline of extreme heat becomes 'normal'. The research was aimed at determining a fixed benchmark for marine heat extremes globally and to find how much of the ocean surpassed this point, scientists have mapped sea surface temperatures over the last 150 years. ALSO READ | Scientists identify interesting similarity between this exoplanet and Earth The analysis established that extreme temperatures occurred just 2 per cent of the time a century ago have occurred at least 50 per cent of the time since 2014 in oceans globally. A part of the research read: "For the year 2019, our index reports that 57 per cent of the global ocean surface recorded extreme heat, which was comparatively rare (approximately 2 per cent) during the period of the second industrial revolution." Kyle Van Houtan, who is part of the research team and also works at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in the US, said: "By using this measure of extremes, we've shown that climate change is not something that is uncertain and may happen in the distant future – it's something that is a historical fact and has occurred already." ALSO READ | Scientists find evidence of an extreme solar 'tsunami' deep within Earth's ice Van Houtan added: "Ecology teaches us that extremes have an outsized impact on ecosystems. We are trying to understand the dramatic changes that we've seen along our coasts and in the ocean, on coral reefs, kelp, white sharks, sea otters, fish, and more." The study mentioned that the recent increases in extreme climatic events have raised concerns over climate change impacts and at the same time, people often look forward to seeking reliable information on past and projected changes to adapt and plan accordingly.

Extreme heating in oceans becoming 'new normal' as it 'passed point of no return' years ago

New data released by Danish researchers suggest that Greenland's ice sheet has lost an immense level of ice in the past 20 years, enough to submerge the entire United States in half a metre of water.

Greenland's Ice sheet lost in past 20 years enough to submerge entire US in half a metre of water

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