European Union negotiators will on Tuesday seek a deal on a law to make the bloc's emissions-cutting goals legally binding, as it seeks to cement its claim to be a global climate leader ahead of a summit of global powers this week.

The EU is racing to finish its climate law ahead of a US-hosted summit on Thursday and Friday, when the White House will urge world leaders to make tougher pledges to protect the planet.

Europe's commitments to cut greenhouse gas emissions have so far outstripped those of most major emitters, and the EU hopes to raise the leadership bar by enshrining more ambitious targets in law. Only a handful of countries, including Britain, have made their climate goals legally binding.

Negotiators from EU countries and the European Parliament meet on Tuesday to attempt to finish the law containing the EU's goal to eliminate its net emissions by 2050, and a 2030 target to cut emissions faster than previously planned.

"It would be a missed opportunity to show the world that we really do mean business," Danish climate minister Dan Jorgensen said of the possibility that Tuesday's talks would not yield a deal. He said there was no risk the EU would backtrack on a minimum EU target agreed in December to cut net emissions at least 55% by 2030, from 1990 levels.

The main quarrel in Tuesday's negotiations will be whether that goal should be more ambitious. The European Parliament wants a 60% cut in outright emissions.

"I'm absolutely hoping for a deal," Jytte Guteland, Parliament's lead negotiator, said. "But this net target is not ambitious enough."

Member states will moot a compromise on Tuesday to limit the amount of emissions removals that can be counted towards the 2030 target, according to EU officials and documents seen by Reuters.

That could soothe some lawmakers' concerns that polluting sectors would be let off the hook by a net target that can be met by reducing the CO2 produced by sectors like energy or industry, or by removing CO2 from the atmosphere through carbon-absorbing forests and wetlands.

European Union negotiators will on Tuesday seek a deal on a law to make the bloc's emissions-cutting goals legally binding, as it seeks to cement its claim to be a global climate leader ahead of a summit of global powers this week.

European Union negotiators will on Tuesday seek a deal on a law to make the bloc's emissions-cutting goals legally binding, as it seeks to cement its claim to be a global climate leader ahead of a summit of global powers this week. The EU is racing to finish its climate law ahead of a US-hosted summit on Thursday and Friday, when the White House will urge world leaders to make tougher pledges to protect the planet. Europe's commitments to cut greenhouse gas emissions have so far outstripped those of most major emitters, and the EU hopes to raise the leadership bar by enshrining more ambitious targets in law. Only a handful of countries, including Britain, have made their climate goals legally binding. Negotiators from EU countries and the European Parliament meet on Tuesday to attempt to finish the law containing the EU's goal to eliminate its net emissions by 2050, and a 2030 target to cut emissions faster than previously planned. "It would be a missed opportunity to show the world that we really do mean business," Danish climate minister Dan Jorgensen said of the possibility that Tuesday's talks would not yield a deal. He said there was no risk the EU would backtrack on a minimum EU target agreed in December to cut net emissions at least 55% by 2030, from 1990 levels. The main quarrel in Tuesday's negotiations will be whether that goal should be more ambitious. The European Parliament wants a 60% cut in outright emissions. "I'm absolutely hoping for a deal," Jytte Guteland, Parliament's lead negotiator, said. "But this net target is not ambitious enough." Member states will moot a compromise on Tuesday to limit the amount of emissions removals that can be counted towards the 2030 target, according to EU officials and documents seen by Reuters. That could soothe some lawmakers' concerns that polluting sectors would be let off the hook by a net target that can be met by reducing the CO2 produced by sectors like energy or industry, or by removing CO2 from the atmosphere through carbon-absorbing forests and wetlands.

EU seeks deal on climate change law, ahead of world leaders' summit

Google&nbsp;Earth on Thursday added a timelapse feature to the popular platform, providing a glimpse into how climate change, urbanisation and deforestation have altered the planet over the last four decades.

Created with 24 million satellite images, along with 800 curated videos and interactive guides, the feature allows users to see a timelapse of any place on the planet, using inputs from the NASA, US&nbsp;Geological Survey's Landsat program, and the European Union's Copernicus program.

Climate change is causing more frequent and severe flooding, droughts, storms and heatwaves as average global temperatures rise to new records.

Google&nbsp;Earth's timelapse tool shows the change in coastlines, sprawling expansion of cityscapes and agricultural lands, as well as simultaneous recession of glaciers, forests and rivers.

One video shows rapid transition of forests near Bolivia into villages and farms, a major cause for deforestation in the Amazon rainforest; while another shows the recession of the Columbia Glacier in Alaska by 20 kilometers due to global warming.

Scientists have warned that a rise in global emissions of greenhouse gases may lead to extreme weather conditions and higher risks from natural disasters.

(With input from agencies)

Google Earth on Thursday added a timelapse feature to the popular platform, providing a glimpse into how climate change, urbanisation and deforestation have altered the planet over the last four decades.

Google Earth on Thursday added a timelapse feature to the popular platform, providing a glimpse into how climate change, urbanisation and deforestation have altered the planet over the last four decades. Created with 24 million satellite images, along with 800 curated videos and interactive guides, the feature allows users to see a timelapse of any place on the planet, using inputs from the NASA, US Geological Survey's Landsat program, and the European Union's Copernicus program. Climate change is causing more frequent and severe flooding, droughts, storms and heatwaves as average global temperatures rise to new records. Google Earth's timelapse tool shows the change in coastlines, sprawling expansion of cityscapes and agricultural lands, as well as simultaneous recession of glaciers, forests and rivers. One video shows rapid transition of forests near Bolivia into villages and farms, a major cause for deforestation in the Amazon rainforest; while another shows the recession of the Columbia Glacier in Alaska by 20 kilometers due to global warming. Scientists have warned that a rise in global emissions of greenhouse gases may lead to extreme weather conditions and higher risks from natural disasters. (With input from agencies)

Google Earth adds time-lapse feature for satellite imagery to show impacts of climate change

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California is providing the instrument that will enable a nonprofit organisation called Carbon Mapper to pinpoint and measure methane and carbon dioxide (CO2) point-sources from space.

The data collected by the instrument will help to find super-emitters, the small percentage of individual sources that are responsible for a significant fraction of global emissions of methane and carbon dioxide.

“JPL is excited to be pioneering this research effort, which will provide critical information about greenhouse gases and the future of Earth’s climate,” said James Graf, director for the Earth Science and Technology Directorate at JPL.

“This effort is the first time we have partnered on a space mission with a consortium of nonprofit organizations, universities, and the State of California.”

The first Carbon Mapper satellite is targeting a 2023 launch. JPL will provide a state-of-the-art imaging spectrometer, a type of instrument used widely in scientific research. Where a digital photograph breaks down visible light into just three colors,&nbsp;red, green, and blue, an imaging spectrometer breaks down light into hundreds of colors to reveal the unique spectral signatures of molecules such as methane and carbon dioxide in the air.

JPL has been developing imaging spectrometers since the 1980s for NASA, and its instruments have unmatched performance. In the last few years, the laboratory has used these imagers deployed on airplanes to measure atmospheric gases, including methane in California and the Four Corners region of the US&nbsp;JPL imaging spectrometers will also be aboard upcoming missions to the Moon and Jupiter’s moon Europa.

The Carbon Mapper’s Earth-orbiting imaging spectrometer will have a pixel size of about 30 meters (98 feet) square. Other imaging spectrometers currently in orbit have larger pixel sizes, making it hard to pinpoint the locations of sources that may not be visible on the ground, such as cracks in natural gas pipelines.

“With such high-resolution images, there is no question where greenhouse gas plumes originate. This technology enables researchers to identify, study, and quantify the strong gas emission sources,” said JPL scientist Charles Miller, who has spent decades studying methane around the world.

JPL’s research in methane quantification from spectroscopy, funded by NASA’s Earth science division, is also helping Carbon Mapper to address a second challenge: making its data on emissions accessible to all interested users in industry, government, and the private sector.

Carbon Mapper will have an open data portal making its findings available quickly and continuously, speeding disaster responses and the repair of faulty industrial equipment.

“This decade represents an all-hands-on-deck moment for humanity to make critical progress in addressing climate change,” said Riley Duren, Carbon Mapper’s chief executive officer and a research scientist at the University of Arizona in Tucson.

“Our mission is to help fill gaps in the emerging global ecosystem of methane and CO2 monitoring systems by delivering data that are timely, actionable, and accessible for science-based decision making.”

NASA’s Earth science division pioneers technological innovations that propel observations and scientific understanding of the changing Earth system.

Besides JPL, other Carbon Mapper partners are the State of California, Planet, the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, High Tide Foundation, and RMI.

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California is providing the instrument that will enable a nonprofit organisation called Carbon Mapper to pinpoint and measure methane and carbon dioxide (CO2) point-sources from space.

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California is providing the instrument that will enable a nonprofit organisation called Carbon Mapper to pinpoint and measure methane and carbon dioxide (CO2) point-sources from space. The data collected by the instrument will help to find super-emitters, the small percentage of individual sources that are responsible for a significant fraction of global emissions of methane and carbon dioxide. “JPL is excited to be pioneering this research effort, which will provide critical information about greenhouse gases and the future of Earth’s climate,” said James Graf, director for the Earth Science and Technology Directorate at JPL. “This effort is the first time we have partnered on a space mission with a consortium of nonprofit organizations, universities, and the State of California.” The first Carbon Mapper satellite is targeting a 2023 launch. JPL will provide a state-of-the-art imaging spectrometer, a type of instrument used widely in scientific research. Where a digital photograph breaks down visible light into just three colors, red, green, and blue, an imaging spectrometer breaks down light into hundreds of colors to reveal the unique spectral signatures of molecules such as methane and carbon dioxide in the air. JPL has been developing imaging spectrometers since the 1980s for NASA, and its instruments have unmatched performance. In the last few years, the laboratory has used these imagers deployed on airplanes to measure atmospheric gases, including methane in California and the Four Corners region of the US JPL imaging spectrometers will also be aboard upcoming missions to the Moon and Jupiter’s moon Europa. The Carbon Mapper’s Earth-orbiting imaging spectrometer will have a pixel size of about 30 meters (98 feet) square. Other imaging spectrometers currently in orbit have larger pixel sizes, making it hard to pinpoint the locations of sources that may not be visible on the ground, such as cracks in natural gas pipelines. “With such high-resolution images, there is no question where greenhouse gas plumes originate. This technology enables researchers to identify, study, and quantify the strong gas emission sources,” said JPL scientist Charles Miller, who has spent decades studying methane around the world. JPL’s research in methane quantification from spectroscopy, funded by NASA’s Earth science division, is also helping Carbon Mapper to address a second challenge: making its data on emissions accessible to all interested users in industry, government, and the private sector. Carbon Mapper will have an open data portal making its findings available quickly and continuously, speeding disaster responses and the repair of faulty industrial equipment. “This decade represents an all-hands-on-deck moment for humanity to make critical progress in addressing climate change,” said Riley Duren, Carbon Mapper’s chief executive officer and a research scientist at the University of Arizona in Tucson. “Our mission is to help fill gaps in the emerging global ecosystem of methane and CO2 monitoring systems by delivering data that are timely, actionable, and accessible for science-based decision making.” NASA’s Earth science division pioneers technological innovations that propel observations and scientific understanding of the changing Earth system. Besides JPL, other Carbon Mapper partners are the State of California, Planet, the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, High Tide Foundation, and RMI.

NASA-built instrument will help to spot greenhouse gas super-emitters

Climate Change: The biggest environmental challenge of our times. How is it linked to population growth? How should the world tackle it? Watch 'Mission Sustainability - Population vs Planet'.

Climate Change: The biggest environmental challenge of our times

New studies suggest that if China wants to become a carbon neutral nation by 2030 it needs to clearly half it's carbon dioxide emissions from coal fire power plants by the end of this decade.

China aims to be carbon neutral by 2060

Gravitas Plus | The West polluted the environment, then exported its emissions. Today it preaches climate action. Palki Sharma says: Saving the earth is a collective responsibility, but shouldn't rich countries pay up before they preach?

Gravitas Plus: Who is responsible for Climate Change?

China said on Friday that the US needed to take more responsibility on climate change. The comments came during former US Secretary of State John Kerry's visit to the country. However, China welcomed greater co-operation on the issue with China.

The former secretary of state turned US climate emissary was the first official from President Joe Biden's administration to visit China, signalling hopes the two sides could work together on the global challenge despite sky-high tensions on multiple other fronts.

"China attaches importance to carrying out dialogue and cooperation on climate change with the US side," said Vice Premier Han Zheng, according to state news agency Xinhua.

"China welcomes the US return to the Paris agreement, and expects the US side to uphold the agreement, shoulder its due responsibilities and make due contributions," Han said after virtual talks with Kerry, who visited Shanghai where he met his Chinese counterpart.

Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying was more blunt on Twitter as she highlighted the US withdrawal from the Paris accord under former president Donald Trump.

"Its return is by no means a glorious comeback but rather a truant getting back to class," Hua said of the United States.

Chunying pressed the UN to ""offer how it will make up for the lost four years" including payments to the UN-backed Green Climate Fund, which provides support to developing countries worst hit by climate change

Joe Biden is expected to announce new US targets on reducing carbon emissions.

(With inputs from agencies)

China said on Friday that the US needed to take more responsibility on climate change. The comments came during former US Secretary of State John Kerry's visit to the country.

China said on Friday that the US needed to take more responsibility on climate change. The comments came during former US Secretary of State John Kerry's visit to the country. However, China welcomed greater co-operation on the issue with China. The former secretary of state turned US climate emissary was the first official from President Joe Biden's administration to visit China, signalling hopes the two sides could work together on the global challenge despite sky-high tensions on multiple other fronts. "China attaches importance to carrying out dialogue and cooperation on climate change with the US side," said Vice Premier Han Zheng, according to state news agency Xinhua. "China welcomes the US return to the Paris agreement, and expects the US side to uphold the agreement, shoulder its due responsibilities and make due contributions," Han said after virtual talks with Kerry, who visited Shanghai where he met his Chinese counterpart. Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying was more blunt on Twitter as she highlighted the US withdrawal from the Paris accord under former president Donald Trump. "Its return is by no means a glorious comeback but rather a truant getting back to class," Hua said of the United States. Chunying pressed the UN to ""offer how it will make up for the lost four years" including payments to the UN-backed Green Climate Fund, which provides support to developing countries worst hit by climate change Joe Biden is expected to announce new US targets on reducing carbon emissions. (With inputs from agencies)

China puts climate change onus on US during Kerry's visit

With climate change becoming a key issue for the world, India has been making several attempts to fight it with path-breaking moves.&nbsp;

Aiming towards making the industrial sector energy efficient, India’s Bureau of Energy Efficiency launched the Perform, Achieve, and Trade scheme on July 4, 2012.&nbsp;

Industries achieving the set targets are given incentives in the form of energy-saving certificates and the ones that fail to achieve the targets are penalised calculated on what remains to be achieved. &nbsp;

Addressing audiences at TERI's annual flagship event World Sustainable Development Summit in February 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about safeguarding the health of our planet by thinking out of the box and investing in the youth of our country. &nbsp;

He also emphasised attaining Climate Justice as a measure towards the sustainable climate. Prime Minister Modi also spoke about India's progress towards attaining the goals set for 2030 at the Paris agreement in 2015.&nbsp;

The Prime Minister also mentioned that India’s annual renewable energy capacity has been exceeding that of coal-based thermal power since 2017.&nbsp;

In addition to this, Prime Minister also said that India to have 220 Giga Watts of renewable energy capacity by 2020. Currently, our renewable energy capacity is 136 Giga Watts.&nbsp;

In March 2019, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change launched the India Cooling Action Plan (ICAP) making India the first country to launch a national plan on sustainable cooling.&nbsp;

The responsibility of successfully tackling climate change does not entirely rely upon the government alone. Laxman Singh, a climate crusader from Rajasthan, has been building water conservation and natural resource management systems in the rural, drought-prone districts of the state since 1977.

With climate change becoming a key issue for the world, India has been making several attempts to fight it with path-breaking moves. Aiming towards making the industrial sector energy efficient, India’s Bureau of Energy Efficiency launched the Perform, Achieve, and Trade scheme on July 4, 2012.

With climate change becoming a key issue for the world, India has been making several attempts to fight it with path-breaking moves. Aiming towards making the industrial sector energy efficient, India’s Bureau of Energy Efficiency launched the Perform, Achieve, and Trade scheme on July 4, 2012. Industries achieving the set targets are given incentives in the form of energy-saving certificates and the ones that fail to achieve the targets are penalised calculated on what remains to be achieved. Addressing audiences at TERI's annual flagship event World Sustainable Development Summit in February 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about safeguarding the health of our planet by thinking out of the box and investing in the youth of our country. He also emphasised attaining Climate Justice as a measure towards the sustainable climate. Prime Minister Modi also spoke about India's progress towards attaining the goals set for 2030 at the Paris agreement in 2015. The Prime Minister also mentioned that India’s annual renewable energy capacity has been exceeding that of coal-based thermal power since 2017. In addition to this, Prime Minister also said that India to have 220 Giga Watts of renewable energy capacity by 2020. Currently, our renewable energy capacity is 136 Giga Watts. In March 2019, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change launched the India Cooling Action Plan (ICAP) making India the first country to launch a national plan on sustainable cooling. The responsibility of successfully tackling climate change does not entirely rely upon the government alone. Laxman Singh, a climate crusader from Rajasthan, has been building water conservation and natural resource management systems in the rural, drought-prone districts of the state since 1977.

'India addressing climate change issue efficiently' 

Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, is asking his opposition to finally admit that climate change is real, and has urged locals to prepare for what’s after the pandemic.

"While we are fighting to end the pandemic... we must prepare for what comes after,"&nbsp;he said during his speech.

During a virtual convention for the Liberal party, Trudeau delivered a speech where he asserted that the Liberals are the "only ones with a real plan to tackle climate change and pass on a cleaner and more prosperous future."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canadas-justin-trudeau-warns-of-very-serious-third-wave-of-coronavirus-375837">Canada's Justin Trudeau warns of 'very serious' third wave of coronavirus</a>

His speech has come at a time when the country is abuzz with rumours of an electoral campaign in the next few months.

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Together, we can choose a brighter future. Together, we can keep supporting each other and build the kind of tomorrow we all want to see. Tune in to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LIB2021?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LIB2021</a> as I speak about building that future with each and every one of you: <a href="https://t.co/pBwiGq4DqS">https://t.co/pBwiGq4DqS</a>
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Trudeau urged people to keep working to restore the environment. "Together, we have accomplished a lot of things... but the work is far from being finished," he said.

He also attacked his main opposition party, the Conservatives, by claiming they "refuse to admit climate change is real".

His accusation comes after a majority of Conservative delegates rejected a resolution recognising the danger posed by climate change.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LIB2021?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LIB2021</a> may be over, but our work isn’t. To all of you who logged on, tuned in, and took part in the <a href="https://twitter.com/liberal_party?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Liberal_Party</a>’s largest-ever national convention: thank you. Let’s keep this going, and let’s keep Canada moving forward. <a href="https://t.co/3fnhtwtZ2X">pic.twitter.com/3fnhtwtZ2X</a>
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Trudeau accused the opposition party leader, Erin O'Toole of being disconnected and said the Conservatives are simply "flirt(ing) with disinformation"&nbsp;related to public health in case of the coronavirus pandemic.

Meanwhile, his administration is on the right track “to meet our commitment&nbsp;that every Canadian who wants to will be fully vaccinated by the end of the summer,” he said.

Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, is asking his opposition to finally admit that climate change is real, and has urged locals to prepare for what’s after the pandemic.

Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, is asking his opposition to finally admit that climate change is real, and has urged locals to prepare for what’s after the pandemic. "While we are fighting to end the pandemic... we must prepare for what comes after," he said during his speech. During a virtual convention for the Liberal party, Trudeau delivered a speech where he asserted that the Liberals are the "only ones with a real plan to tackle climate change and pass on a cleaner and more prosperous future." Also read | Canada's Justin Trudeau warns of 'very serious' third wave of coronavirus His speech has come at a time when the country is abuzz with rumours of an electoral campaign in the next few months. Together, we can choose a brighter future. Together, we can keep supporting each other and build the kind of tomorrow we all want to see. Tune in to #LIB2021 as I speak about building that future with each and every one of you: https://t.co/pBwiGq4DqS — Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) April 10, 2021 × Trudeau urged people to keep working to restore the environment. "Together, we have accomplished a lot of things... but the work is far from being finished," he said. He also attacked his main opposition party, the Conservatives, by claiming they "refuse to admit climate change is real". His accusation comes after a majority of Conservative delegates rejected a resolution recognising the danger posed by climate change. #LIB2021 may be over, but our work isn’t. To all of you who logged on, tuned in, and took part in the @Liberal_Party’s largest-ever national convention: thank you. Let’s keep this going, and let’s keep Canada moving forward. pic.twitter.com/3fnhtwtZ2X — Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) April 10, 2021 × Trudeau accused the opposition party leader, Erin O'Toole of being disconnected and said the Conservatives are simply "flirt(ing) with disinformation" related to public health in case of the coronavirus pandemic. Meanwhile, his administration is on the right track “to meet our commitment that every Canadian who wants to will be fully vaccinated by the end of the summer,” he said.

'Prepare for what's after': Justin Trudeau warns Canada against climate change

Global warming needs no explanation. The threat of sea levels rising due to melting polar ice caps is well known. The rising sea levels are expected to cause much trouble for shoreline cities in coming decades.

But even when some of largest cities in the world face getting submerged. International efforts to stall global warming need more push.

Now it has been said that the 'Doomsday glacier' in Antarctica may be melting at faster rate than previously anticipated. The Thwaites Glacier has been given this scary nickname. Doomsday glacier&nbsp;currently accounts for 10 per cent of global sea-level rise. The glacier is 192,000 square kilometres (74,000 square miles) wide. Imagine the trouble caused when and if it melts completely.

Now, readings taken by researchers from University of Gothenburg in Sweden have revealed that warm water is seeping under the Doomsday glacier and threatening to melt the very pillars that keep the glacier afloat.

These 'pinning points' are being whittled down from all sides due to heat inflow caused by warm water.

Warm, salty water is entering the cavity under the Doomsday glacier and threatening the entire structure, researchers have found.

They have published their findings in the journal Science Advances.&nbsp;

Global warming needs no explanation. The threat of sea levels rising due to melting polar ice caps is well known. The rising sea levels are expected to cause much trouble for shoreline cities in coming decades.

Global warming needs no explanation. The threat of sea levels rising due to melting polar ice caps is well known. The rising sea levels are expected to cause much trouble for shoreline cities in coming decades. But even when some of largest cities in the world face getting submerged. International efforts to stall global warming need more push. Now it has been said that the 'Doomsday glacier' in Antarctica may be melting at faster rate than previously anticipated. The Thwaites Glacier has been given this scary nickname. Doomsday glacier currently accounts for 10 per cent of global sea-level rise. The glacier is 192,000 square kilometres (74,000 square miles) wide. Imagine the trouble caused when and if it melts completely. Now, readings taken by researchers from University of Gothenburg in Sweden have revealed that warm water is seeping under the Doomsday glacier and threatening to melt the very pillars that keep the glacier afloat. These 'pinning points' are being whittled down from all sides due to heat inflow caused by warm water. Warm, salty water is entering the cavity under the Doomsday glacier and threatening the entire structure, researchers have found. They have published their findings in the journal Science Advances.

Scary: Doomsday glacier may be melting faster than expected

Direct human alterations to natural aquatic ecosystems can increase methane emissions, a new study has found.

Atmospheric methane has tripled since pre-industrial times. It traps heat far more effectively than carbon dioxide and accounts for 25 per cent of atmospheric warming to date. And much of that methane is coming from aquatic ecosystems, with human activities contributing to the emissions levels, a new paper published in Nature Geoscience has found.

The global contribution and importance of aquatic ecosystems as methane emitters has been underestimated, says Judith Rosentreter, postdoctoral associate at the Yale School of the Environment (YSE) who led the study with a team of 14 researchers worldwide.

The study authors reviewed methane fluxes from 15 major natural, human-made, and human-impacted aquatic ecosystems and wetlands, including inland, coastal, and oceanic systems. They found that when methane emissions are combined from these aquatic ecosystems, they are potentially a larger source of methane than direct anthropogenic methane sources, such as agriculture or fossil fuel combustion.

Aquatic ecosystems and wetlands contribute at least as much as half of the total methane emissions budget.

"An accurate accounting of the sources of methane from aquatic ecosystems, and if they are impacted by human activities, is important to understanding atmospheric methane concentrations,''&nbsp;says Peter Raymond, professor of ecosystem ecology who co-authored the study.

One issue that stood out is how humans have impacted methane emissions from aquatic sources.

"Anything human-driven or human-impacted had much higher fluxes than more natural sites,''&nbsp;says Rosentreter, a Yale Institute for Biospheric Studies Hutchinson Fellow.

Globally, rice cultivation releases more methane per year than all coastal wetlands, the continental shelf, and open ocean combined. Fertilizer runoff causes nutrient-rich lakes and reservoirs to release methane.

Coastal aquaculture farms have methane fluxes per area that are 7-430 times higher than from non-converted coastal habitats, such as mangrove forests, salt marshes or seagrasses. But the study notes that there are opportunities to reduce human-impacted emissions with the right management techniques.

"The intense methane emissions from aquatic ecosystems offer opportunities for intervention providing potential quick wins in reducing greenhouse emissions, provided the much large role per molecule emitted of methane compared to carbon dioxide,''&nbsp;says study co-author Carlos M. Duarte, professor at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia.

Fluctuating between flooded and non-flooded conditions in aquaculture farms and rice paddies; restoring tidal flow in degraded coastal wetlands; and reducing nutrient and organic matter in freshwater lakes, reservoirs, and rivers can all help reduce emissions, the study notes.

"Reducing methane emissions from aquatic systems will be an important part of stabilising the Earth's temperature,''&nbsp;says co-author Bradley Eyre Director, Centre for Coastal Biogeochemistry at Southern Cross University in Australia.

Bringing awareness to the number of methane emissions coming from aquaculture and other water systems can help inform new monitoring and measurements that identify where and how methane emissions are being produced and change over time."With this awareness is also the possibility of helping to keep our waters cleaner," Rosentreter says.

Direct human alterations to natural aquatic ecosystems can increase methane emissions, a new study has found. Atmospheric methane has tripled since pre-industrial times.

Direct human alterations to natural aquatic ecosystems can increase methane emissions, a new study has found. Atmospheric methane has tripled since pre-industrial times. It traps heat far more effectively than carbon dioxide and accounts for 25 per cent of atmospheric warming to date. And much of that methane is coming from aquatic ecosystems, with human activities contributing to the emissions levels, a new paper published in Nature Geoscience has found. The global contribution and importance of aquatic ecosystems as methane emitters has been underestimated, says Judith Rosentreter, postdoctoral associate at the Yale School of the Environment (YSE) who led the study with a team of 14 researchers worldwide. The study authors reviewed methane fluxes from 15 major natural, human-made, and human-impacted aquatic ecosystems and wetlands, including inland, coastal, and oceanic systems. They found that when methane emissions are combined from these aquatic ecosystems, they are potentially a larger source of methane than direct anthropogenic methane sources, such as agriculture or fossil fuel combustion. Aquatic ecosystems and wetlands contribute at least as much as half of the total methane emissions budget. "An accurate accounting of the sources of methane from aquatic ecosystems, and if they are impacted by human activities, is important to understanding atmospheric methane concentrations,'' says Peter Raymond, professor of ecosystem ecology who co-authored the study. One issue that stood out is how humans have impacted methane emissions from aquatic sources. "Anything human-driven or human-impacted had much higher fluxes than more natural sites,'' says Rosentreter, a Yale Institute for Biospheric Studies Hutchinson Fellow. Globally, rice cultivation releases more methane per year than all coastal wetlands, the continental shelf, and open ocean combined. Fertilizer runoff causes nutrient-rich lakes and reservoirs to release methane. Coastal aquaculture farms have methane fluxes per area that are 7-430 times higher than from non-converted coastal habitats, such as mangrove forests, salt marshes or seagrasses. But the study notes that there are opportunities to reduce human-impacted emissions with the right management techniques. "The intense methane emissions from aquatic ecosystems offer opportunities for intervention providing potential quick wins in reducing greenhouse emissions, provided the much large role per molecule emitted of methane compared to carbon dioxide,'' says study co-author Carlos M. Duarte, professor at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia. Fluctuating between flooded and non-flooded conditions in aquaculture farms and rice paddies; restoring tidal flow in degraded coastal wetlands; and reducing nutrient and organic matter in freshwater lakes, reservoirs, and rivers can all help reduce emissions, the study notes. "Reducing methane emissions from aquatic systems will be an important part of stabilising the Earth's temperature,'' says co-author Bradley Eyre Director, Centre for Coastal Biogeochemistry at Southern Cross University in Australia. Bringing awareness to the number of methane emissions coming from aquaculture and other water systems can help inform new monitoring and measurements that identify where and how methane emissions are being produced and change over time."With this awareness is also the possibility of helping to keep our waters cleaner," Rosentreter says.

Aquatic ecosystems source of half of global methane emissions: Study

Hungry polar bears are increasingly foraging on seabird eggs as climate change shrinks their Arctic hunting grounds, but research published Wednesday on the phenomenon highlights the struggle these apex predators have to adapt to their rapidly changing environment.&nbsp;

The climate change threat to polar bears is well known, driven by the extraordinary pace of change in the Arctic, which is warming twice as fast as the planet as a whole.

This is already leading to dwindling sea ice, cutting short the time they have to hunt seals, their preferred prey.

With a growing imperative to find alternative sustenance, polar bears have been pushed further afield in search of food, including scavenging in areas populated by humans.&nbsp;

Some bears are also coming ashore at the same time seabirds are nesting and are snacking on their eggs.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

To measure how efficient these top-of-the-food-chain predators were at this foraging -- and therefore how useful the eggs are to provide energy in their diets -- researchers in Canada used drones to monitor them feeding from common eider duck nests on Mitivik Island, in Nunavut.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Inefficient hunting&nbsp;

The study, published in the journal Royal Society Open&nbsp;Science, tracked how the bears approached the nesting site over a period of 11 days, as the number of eggs were depleted.

"We found that later-arriving bears increasingly visited more empty nests and did not travel&nbsp;in an energy-minimizing way, but became less picky in the clutches&nbsp;they&nbsp;consumed," said lead author Patrick Jagielski, of the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research at the University of Windsor. &nbsp;

Bears also did not consistently realise that the sudden appearance of a fleeing eider hen meant eggs were nearby.

"This study demonstrates that, while species are able to incorporate 'less preferred' resources into their diet when their primary prey becomes more difficult to obtain, they may not be able to do so efficiently," the authors said.&nbsp;

Jagielski said&nbsp;that the research could not speak more broadly to polar bears' ability to cope with climate change, but did raise questions about the energy value of eggs as an alternative food source.&nbsp; &nbsp;

'Extinction event'

There are approximately 25,000 Ursus maritimus left in the wild today in 19 population subgroups distributed across the Arctic in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Norway, and Russia.

In July, a study published in Nature Climate Change estimated the species would be starved to extinction by 2100.&nbsp;

Researchers looked both at predictions for climate heating and data on the increasing portion of the year that the bears' must survive on their fat reserves.&nbsp;

Earlier this month, a paper published in the journal Global Change&nbsp;Biology&nbsp;found that polar bears maintained highly specialized diets of soft blubber and flesh for hundreds of years -- even during previous periods of Arctic warming.

Researchers at Vanderbilt University, who examined dental wear in skulls held in museums, said polar bears are so specialised in their diets that they may struggle to adapt to the warming Arctic.&nbsp;

But they said an increase in encounters with grizzly bears could provide one evolutionary option, noting incidents where the two species have produced offspring.&nbsp;

Jack Tseng of University of California, Berkeley said in a related commentary that the fate of the polar bear was ultimately "inextricably tied" to how the momentum towards a "tipping point" for Earth's flora and fauna is managed.

"Will polar bear populations have to rely on hybridization with grizzly bears as a means of adaptation to a changing environment," said Tseng, who was not involved in the study.

"Will they successfully shift their hunting strategy to reduce competition with their sister species or will they become one more casualty in the ongoing extinction event that is accelerating in this century?"

The study, published in the journal Royal Society Open&nbsp;Science, tracked how the bears approached the nesting site over a period of 11 days, as the number of eggs were depleted.

"We found that later-arriving bears increasingly visited more empty nests and did not travel&nbsp;in an energy-minimizing way, but became less picky in the clutches&nbsp;they&nbsp;consumed," said lead author Patrick Jagielski, of the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research at the University of Windsor. &nbsp;

Bears also did not consistently realise that the sudden appearance of a fleeing eider hen meant eggs were nearby.

"This study demonstrates that, while species are able to incorporate 'less preferred' resources into their diet when their primary prey becomes more difficult to obtain, they may not be able to do so efficiently," the authors said.&nbsp;

Hungry polar bears are increasingly foraging on seabird eggs as climate change shrinks their Arctic hunting grounds, but research published Wednesday on the phenomenon highlights the struggle these apex predators have to adapt to their rapidly changing environment.

Hungry polar bears are increasingly foraging on seabird eggs as climate change shrinks their Arctic hunting grounds, but research published Wednesday on the phenomenon highlights the struggle these apex predators have to adapt to their rapidly changing environment. The climate change threat to polar bears is well known, driven by the extraordinary pace of change in the Arctic, which is warming twice as fast as the planet as a whole. This is already leading to dwindling sea ice, cutting short the time they have to hunt seals, their preferred prey. With a growing imperative to find alternative sustenance, polar bears have been pushed further afield in search of food, including scavenging in areas populated by humans. Some bears are also coming ashore at the same time seabirds are nesting and are snacking on their eggs. To measure how efficient these top-of-the-food-chain predators were at this foraging -- and therefore how useful the eggs are to provide energy in their diets -- researchers in Canada used drones to monitor them feeding from common eider duck nests on Mitivik Island, in Nunavut. Inefficient hunting The study, published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, tracked how the bears approached the nesting site over a period of 11 days, as the number of eggs were depleted. "We found that later-arriving bears increasingly visited more empty nests and did not travel in an energy-minimizing way, but became less picky in the clutches they consumed," said lead author Patrick Jagielski, of the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research at the University of Windsor. Bears also did not consistently realise that the sudden appearance of a fleeing eider hen meant eggs were nearby. "This study demonstrates that, while species are able to incorporate 'less preferred' resources into their diet when their primary prey becomes more difficult to obtain, they may not be able to do so efficiently," the authors said. Jagielski said that the research could not speak more broadly to polar bears' ability to cope with climate change, but did raise questions about the energy value of eggs as an alternative food source. 'Extinction event' There are approximately 25,000 Ursus maritimus left in the wild today in 19 population subgroups distributed across the Arctic in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Norway, and Russia. In July, a study published in Nature Climate Change estimated the species would be starved to extinction by 2100. Researchers looked both at predictions for climate heating and data on the increasing portion of the year that the bears' must survive on their fat reserves. Earlier this month, a paper published in the journal Global Change Biology found that polar bears maintained highly specialized diets of soft blubber and flesh for hundreds of years -- even during previous periods of Arctic warming. Researchers at Vanderbilt University, who examined dental wear in skulls held in museums, said polar bears are so specialised in their diets that they may struggle to adapt to the warming Arctic. But they said an increase in encounters with grizzly bears could provide one evolutionary option, noting incidents where the two species have produced offspring. Jack Tseng of University of California, Berkeley said in a related commentary that the fate of the polar bear was ultimately "inextricably tied" to how the momentum towards a "tipping point" for Earth's flora and fauna is managed. "Will polar bear populations have to rely on hybridization with grizzly bears as a means of adaptation to a changing environment," said Tseng, who was not involved in the study. "Will they successfully shift their hunting strategy to reduce competition with their sister species or will they become one more casualty in the ongoing extinction event that is accelerating in this century?" The study, published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, tracked how the bears approached the nesting site over a period of 11 days, as the number of eggs were depleted. "We found that later-arriving bears increasingly visited more empty nests and did not travel in an energy-minimizing way, but became less picky in the clutches they consumed," said lead author Patrick Jagielski, of the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research at the University of Windsor. Bears also did not consistently realise that the sudden appearance of a fleeing eider hen meant eggs were nearby. "This study demonstrates that, while species are able to incorporate 'less preferred' resources into their diet when their primary prey becomes more difficult to obtain, they may not be able to do so efficiently," the authors said.

Polar bears forced to forage eggs as warming shrinks hunting grounds

A new study reveals how marine life is moving away from tropical waters as temperatures continue to rise. What is the cost of this global event for humans and aquatic organisms? Find out in the video.

Mass migration of equatorial fish threatens livelihoods

Ahead of Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry's New Delhi visit, the US has said that India is a "critical part of the solution to the climate crisis". Kerry will arrive in New Delhi on Monday (April 5) for a 4-day visit. During his visit, Kerry will call on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and also hold talks with India's Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar.

"In New Delhi, Special Presidential Envoy Kerry will meet with representatives of the Indian government, private sector, and non-governmental organizations," said a spokesperson at the US Embassy in New Delhi.

"As one of the world’s largest economies and a global leader in science and innovation, India is a critical part of the solution to the climate crisis. &nbsp;We see India as an important partner on future clean energy research, development, and deployment, not least because of their successful domestic agenda in this area," the spokesperson added further.

John Kerry's visit comes ahead of US President Joe Biden's Climate Summit from April 22nd to 23rd, and the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in November. India has been invited to the Climate Summit that will take place virtually later this month. This will be 2nd time that Indian PM Modi, and US President Biden will be together at a virtual summit. They were last together at last month's Quad meeting.

"A key focus for our Administration is supporting and encouraging India’s decarbonization efforts through clean, zero, and low-carbon investment, and supporting India in mitigating its fossil energy use,” said US Embassy spokesperson.

During his India visit, Kerry will also meet External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Petroleum &amp; Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan 
&nbsp;

Ahead of Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry's New Delhi visit, the US has said that India is a "critical part of the solution to the climate crisis".

Ahead of Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry's New Delhi visit, the US has said that India is a "critical part of the solution to the climate crisis". Kerry will arrive in New Delhi on Monday (April 5) for a 4-day visit. During his visit, Kerry will call on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and also hold talks with India's Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar. "In New Delhi, Special Presidential Envoy Kerry will meet with representatives of the Indian government, private sector, and non-governmental organizations," said a spokesperson at the US Embassy in New Delhi. "As one of the world’s largest economies and a global leader in science and innovation, India is a critical part of the solution to the climate crisis. We see India as an important partner on future clean energy research, development, and deployment, not least because of their successful domestic agenda in this area," the spokesperson added further. John Kerry's visit comes ahead of US President Joe Biden's Climate Summit from April 22nd to 23rd, and the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in November. India has been invited to the Climate Summit that will take place virtually later this month. This will be 2nd time that Indian PM Modi, and US President Biden will be together at a virtual summit. They were last together at last month's Quad meeting. "A key focus for our Administration is supporting and encouraging India’s decarbonization efforts through clean, zero, and low-carbon investment, and supporting India in mitigating its fossil energy use,” said US Embassy spokesperson. During his India visit, Kerry will also meet External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Petroleum & Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan

India critical in solving climate crisis, says US ahead of Kerry's visit

The United States climate envoy John Kerry will hold talks with Indian leaders during an Asian tour starting on Thursday in an effort to narrow differences on climate change goals to slow global warming.

US climate envoy heads to India to lift 'climate ambition'

Despite long-standing disagreements that have affected the bilateral relationship, United States is 'hopeful working with China' to tackle climate change.

Climate Change: US to work with China despite disagreements

US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry said the United States was hopeful it could work with China to tackle climate change, despite longstanding disagreements that have affected the bilateral relationship.&nbsp;

"Our hope is that we’re going to be able to deal with yes, China," Kerry told reporters during a visit to the United Arab Emirates capital Abu Dhabi on Saturday. "President Biden has made it clear and I’ve made it clear: none of the other issues we have with China -- and there are issues -- is held hostage to or is engaged in a trade for what we need to do on climate."

Sino-US relations have been strained in recent years by disagreements about trade, China’s treatment of its Uighur minority, as well as China’s actions in Taiwan and Hong Kong.

China has pledged to become carbon neutral by 2060 while US President Joe Biden’s administration is expected to announce a new target for reducing emissions at a global climate summit on April 22.

Kerry will take part in a climate dialogue for the Middle East and North Africa hosted by Abu Dhabi on Sunday. The UAE said the dialogue would focus on national and regional preparations ahead of a United Nations climate summit to be held in Glasgow in November.

Kerry said the countries would discuss how to reduce a reliance on coal, as well as how to ‘raise ambitions’ on climate change ahead of November’s conference.

"I think the next generations are screaming at us to fulfill our promise," he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry said the United States was hopeful it could work with China to tackle climate change, despite longstanding disagreements that have affected the bilateral relationship.

US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry said the United States was hopeful it could work with China to tackle climate change, despite longstanding disagreements that have affected the bilateral relationship. "Our hope is that we’re going to be able to deal with yes, China," Kerry told reporters during a visit to the United Arab Emirates capital Abu Dhabi on Saturday. "President Biden has made it clear and I’ve made it clear: none of the other issues we have with China -- and there are issues -- is held hostage to or is engaged in a trade for what we need to do on climate." Sino-US relations have been strained in recent years by disagreements about trade, China’s treatment of its Uighur minority, as well as China’s actions in Taiwan and Hong Kong. China has pledged to become carbon neutral by 2060 while US President Joe Biden’s administration is expected to announce a new target for reducing emissions at a global climate summit on April 22. Kerry will take part in a climate dialogue for the Middle East and North Africa hosted by Abu Dhabi on Sunday. The UAE said the dialogue would focus on national and regional preparations ahead of a United Nations climate summit to be held in Glasgow in November. Kerry said the countries would discuss how to reduce a reliance on coal, as well as how to ‘raise ambitions’ on climate change ahead of November’s conference. "I think the next generations are screaming at us to fulfill our promise," he added. (With inputs from agencies)

Kerry: US 'hopeful' to work with China to tackle climate change

Indian Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/narendra-modi">Narendra Modi </a>will be attending the 2-day virtual summit on climate change being hosted by US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>. Washington has invited 40 countries for the summit that will take place from April 22 to April 23. In South Asia, Prime Minister of India, Bhutan's Lotay Tshering and Bangladesh's Sheikh Hasina have been invited, with the notable absence of Pakistani PM Imran Khan. &nbsp;

Confirming PM Modi attending the summit, Spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs Arindam Bagchi said, "President Biden of US, invited PM Modi to attend the climate leaders' summit that will happen virtually...PM welcomed President Biden's initiative and accepted the invitation".

Summit will reconvene the US-led Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate, which brings together 17 countries responsible for approximately 80 per cent of global emissions and global GDP. The is the 2nd time both leaders will take part in a virtual meet. March saw both leaders together for the first Quad virtual summit.

Ahead of the summit, US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry will be in India from April 5 to April 8. John Kerry will be the second top Biden Administration official to visit India in the last one month. March saw the visit of US Defense secretary Lloyd Austin.

Arindam said, "purpose of the visit will be discussing the forthcoming climate leaders' summit and climate issues in general in the context of 26th 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference."

 
&nbsp;

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be attending the 2-day virtual summit on climate change being hosted by US President Joe Biden. Washington has invited 40 countries for the summit that will take place from April 22 to April 23.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be attending the 2-day virtual summit on climate change being hosted by US President Joe Biden. Washington has invited 40 countries for the summit that will take place from April 22 to April 23. In South Asia, Prime Minister of India, Bhutan's Lotay Tshering and Bangladesh's Sheikh Hasina have been invited, with the notable absence of Pakistani PM Imran Khan. Confirming PM Modi attending the summit, Spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs Arindam Bagchi said, "President Biden of US, invited PM Modi to attend the climate leaders' summit that will happen virtually...PM welcomed President Biden's initiative and accepted the invitation". Summit will reconvene the US-led Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate, which brings together 17 countries responsible for approximately 80 per cent of global emissions and global GDP. The is the 2nd time both leaders will take part in a virtual meet. March saw both leaders together for the first Quad virtual summit. Ahead of the summit, US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry will be in India from April 5 to April 8. John Kerry will be the second top Biden Administration official to visit India in the last one month. March saw the visit of US Defense secretary Lloyd Austin. Arindam said, "purpose of the visit will be discussing the forthcoming climate leaders' summit and climate issues in general in the context of 26th 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference."

Indian PM Modi to attend US President Biden's climate summit

What’s behind Japan’s early cherry blossom this year? Climate change may be the reason. Watch the video to know more.

Climate change causing early blossoming of Japan's cherries

Tropical forests around the world were destroyed at an increasing rate in 2020 compared with the year before, despite the global economic downturn caused by the pandemic, which reduced demand for some commodities that have spurred deforestation in the past.

Worldwide, loss of primary old-growth tropical forest, which plays a critical role in keeping carbon out of the atmosphere and in maintaining biodiversity, increased by 12% in 2020 from 2019, according to the World Resources Institute, a research group based in Washington that reports annually on the subject.

Overall, more than 10 million acres of primary tropical forest was lost in 2020, an area roughly the size of Switzerland. The institute’s analysis said loss of that much forest added more than 2 1/2 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, or about twice as much as is spewed into the air by cars in the United States every year.

“We’re still losing primary forest at an unacceptable rate,” said Rod Taylor, global director of the institute’s forest program. “A 12% increase year over year is too much when the trend should be going down.”

Brazil once again led the world in forest loss by a wide margin, as the pro-development policies of the country’s president, Jair Bolsonaro, led to continued widespread clear-cutting. Surging forest losses were also reported in Cameroon in West Africa. And in Colombia, losses soared again last year after a promising drop in 2019.

Indonesia and Malaysia were rare bright spots, with forest loss declining from 2019. For Indonesia, 2020 marked the fourth year in a row of declines, a sign the government was having success in its efforts to halt deforestation following a horrific fire season in 2015.

As in previous years, the institute said, most forest loss in the tropics was driven by agriculture, either the production of commodities like palm oil and cocoa or subsistence efforts by small farmers. In either case, forests are usually clear-cut and the resulting debris is burned to prepare the fields. Often these fires can grow out of control, resulting in greater forest loss, and the warming and drying brought on by climate change can make the situation even worse.

Most of the forest loss in Brazil occurred in the Amazon rainforest, as it has for years. But this year the Pantanal, the enormous wetlands region in the southern part of the country, which also covers parts of Bolivia and Paraguay, contributed greatly to the losses. The region experienced a historic drought, made worse by climate change, that led to a severe fire season, with 16 times more forest loss in 2020 than the year before.

Frances Seymour, a senior fellow at the institute, said that what happened in the Pantanal was just one example of global warming’s increasing role in forest loss. “The most ominous signal from the 2020 data is the number of instances where forests themselves have fallen victim to climate change,” she said. “Nature has been whispering this risk to us for a long time, but now she is shouting.”

Last year, anecdotal reports from Brazil and other countries suggested that deforestation was rising because of the pandemic, as the health crisis hampered governments’ efforts to enforce bans on clear-cutting, and as workers who lost their jobs because of the downturn migrated out of cities to rural areas to farm. But Taylor said the analysis showed “no obvious systemic shift” in forest loss as a result of the pandemic.

If anything, the crisis and the resulting global economic downturn should have led to less overall forest loss, as demand, and prices, for palm oil and other commodities fell. While falling demand may have helped improve the situation in Indonesia and a few other countries, Seymour said that globally it was “astonishing that in a year that the global economy contracted somewhere between 3 and 4%, primary forest loss increased by 12%.”

She said the world has yet to see the greatest impact on forests from the pandemic, “which will probably come into play as economies start to recover.”

The concern is that governments, facing deficits, “will be tempted to cut the budgets of enforcement agencies and license new investment projects that could lead to more forest loss,” she said. “Unless we offer alternatives, it is likely that government will try to restart their economies on the backs of forests.”

The data for the report was provided by scientists at the Global Land Analysis and Discovery laboratory at the University of Maryland, who have devised methods for analysing satellite imagery to determine forest cover. The World Resources Institute refers to their findings as “forest cover loss” rather than “deforestation” because the analysis includes trees lost from plantations and does not distinguish between trees lost to human activities and those lost to natural causes.

Tropical forests around the world were destroyed at an increasing rate in 2020 compared with the year before, despite the global economic downturn caused by the pandemic, which reduced demand for some commodities that have spurred deforestation in the past.

Tropical forests around the world were destroyed at an increasing rate in 2020 compared with the year before, despite the global economic downturn caused by the pandemic, which reduced demand for some commodities that have spurred deforestation in the past. Worldwide, loss of primary old-growth tropical forest, which plays a critical role in keeping carbon out of the atmosphere and in maintaining biodiversity, increased by 12% in 2020 from 2019, according to the World Resources Institute, a research group based in Washington that reports annually on the subject. Overall, more than 10 million acres of primary tropical forest was lost in 2020, an area roughly the size of Switzerland. The institute’s analysis said loss of that much forest added more than 2 1/2 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, or about twice as much as is spewed into the air by cars in the United States every year. “We’re still losing primary forest at an unacceptable rate,” said Rod Taylor, global director of the institute’s forest program. “A 12% increase year over year is too much when the trend should be going down.” Brazil once again led the world in forest loss by a wide margin, as the pro-development policies of the country’s president, Jair Bolsonaro, led to continued widespread clear-cutting. Surging forest losses were also reported in Cameroon in West Africa. And in Colombia, losses soared again last year after a promising drop in 2019. Indonesia and Malaysia were rare bright spots, with forest loss declining from 2019. For Indonesia, 2020 marked the fourth year in a row of declines, a sign the government was having success in its efforts to halt deforestation following a horrific fire season in 2015. As in previous years, the institute said, most forest loss in the tropics was driven by agriculture, either the production of commodities like palm oil and cocoa or subsistence efforts by small farmers. In either case, forests are usually clear-cut and the resulting debris is burned to prepare the fields. Often these fires can grow out of control, resulting in greater forest loss, and the warming and drying brought on by climate change can make the situation even worse. Most of the forest loss in Brazil occurred in the Amazon rainforest, as it has for years. But this year the Pantanal, the enormous wetlands region in the southern part of the country, which also covers parts of Bolivia and Paraguay, contributed greatly to the losses. The region experienced a historic drought, made worse by climate change, that led to a severe fire season, with 16 times more forest loss in 2020 than the year before. Frances Seymour, a senior fellow at the institute, said that what happened in the Pantanal was just one example of global warming’s increasing role in forest loss. “The most ominous signal from the 2020 data is the number of instances where forests themselves have fallen victim to climate change,” she said. “Nature has been whispering this risk to us for a long time, but now she is shouting.” Last year, anecdotal reports from Brazil and other countries suggested that deforestation was rising because of the pandemic, as the health crisis hampered governments’ efforts to enforce bans on clear-cutting, and as workers who lost their jobs because of the downturn migrated out of cities to rural areas to farm. But Taylor said the analysis showed “no obvious systemic shift” in forest loss as a result of the pandemic. If anything, the crisis and the resulting global economic downturn should have led to less overall forest loss, as demand, and prices, for palm oil and other commodities fell. While falling demand may have helped improve the situation in Indonesia and a few other countries, Seymour said that globally it was “astonishing that in a year that the global economy contracted somewhere between 3 and 4%, primary forest loss increased by 12%.” She said the world has yet to see the greatest impact on forests from the pandemic, “which will probably come into play as economies start to recover.” The concern is that governments, facing deficits, “will be tempted to cut the budgets of enforcement agencies and license new investment projects that could lead to more forest loss,” she said. “Unless we offer alternatives, it is likely that government will try to restart their economies on the backs of forests.” The data for the report was provided by scientists at the Global Land Analysis and Discovery laboratory at the University of Maryland, who have devised methods for analysing satellite imagery to determine forest cover. The World Resources Institute refers to their findings as “forest cover loss” rather than “deforestation” because the analysis includes trees lost from plantations and does not distinguish between trees lost to human activities and those lost to natural causes.

Tropical forest destruction accelerated in 2020

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/google">Google</a> Maps has announced a new feature in which the drivers will be guided through the most eco-friendly path.

The app will now show the routes after estimating which path generates the lowest carbon emissions on the basis of traffic, slopes and other factors.

This feature will be launched later this year in the US initially and will then be followed by a launch of this feature in other countries.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/google-collects-data-in-incognito-mode-consumers-allege-in-lawsuit-370408" hreflang="en">Google collects data in incognito mode, consumers allege in lawsuit</a>

Google has decided to put in more efforts in its commitment to help combat climate change in its day-to-day happenings and through its most commonly used apps and features.

This feature will be set on automatic mode and unless the drivers opt out of it, Google will only show the most eco-friendly route.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/colour-coded-google-to-redesign-search-for-better-user-experience-359236" hreflang="en">Colour coded: Google to redesign 'search' for better user experience</a>

These routes will be more eco-friendly but will take almost the same time to reach the destination. Google will also offer alternate routes and will let users choose the route based on emissions.

"What we are seeing is for around half of routes, we are able to find an option more eco-friendly with minimal or no time-cost tradeoff," Russell Dicker, a director of product at Google said.

Google has assured that the calculation of emissions is done by testing across different types of vehicles and road types and takes insights from the US government's National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL).

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/asian-americans-and-blacks-experienced-increased-online-harassment-in-2020-survey-372852" hreflang="en">Asian Americans and Blacks experienced increased online harassment in 2020: Survey</a>

This decision has been taken after a study at California State University concluded that people were more inclined to consider carbon emissions while selecting a route.

Google will also be warning drivers travelling through low emissions zones where some vehicles are restricted in Germany, France, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom.

The Maps will also now be bringing the toggle option for car, bikes, and other transport options under one section soon.

Google Maps has announced a new feature in which the drivers will be guided through the most eco-friendly path. The app will now show the routes after estimating which path generates the lowest carbon emissions on the basis of traffic, slopes and other factors.

Google Maps has announced a new feature in which the drivers will be guided through the most eco-friendly path. The app will now show the routes after estimating which path generates the lowest carbon emissions on the basis of traffic, slopes and other factors. This feature will be launched later this year in the US initially and will then be followed by a launch of this feature in other countries. Also read | Google collects data in incognito mode, consumers allege in lawsuit Google has decided to put in more efforts in its commitment to help combat climate change in its day-to-day happenings and through its most commonly used apps and features. This feature will be set on automatic mode and unless the drivers opt out of it, Google will only show the most eco-friendly route. Also read | Colour coded: Google to redesign 'search' for better user experience These routes will be more eco-friendly but will take almost the same time to reach the destination. Google will also offer alternate routes and will let users choose the route based on emissions. "What we are seeing is for around half of routes, we are able to find an option more eco-friendly with minimal or no time-cost tradeoff," Russell Dicker, a director of product at Google said. Google has assured that the calculation of emissions is done by testing across different types of vehicles and road types and takes insights from the US government's National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL). Also read | Asian Americans and Blacks experienced increased online harassment in 2020: Survey This decision has been taken after a study at California State University concluded that people were more inclined to consider carbon emissions while selecting a route. Google will also be warning drivers travelling through low emissions zones where some vehicles are restricted in Germany, France, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom. The Maps will also now be bringing the toggle option for car, bikes, and other transport options under one section soon.

Google Maps to suggest more 'eco-friendly' routes

Nepal&nbsp;has ordered schools to close for four days after air pollution climbed to hazardous levels, forcing millions of students to stay home across the country.

Nepal, with a population of 30 million people, is located in the Himalayas between China and India.

Air pollution is a chronic problem in the rapidly growing capital city of Kathmandu and an additional headache for the government that is struggling to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

Over the weekend, pollution levels hit their highest in the capital since the government began keeping records in 2016, government official Shankar Paudel told Reuters.

Education ministry spokesman Deepak Sharma said about eight million students have been affected by the closures.

The 24-hour average level of PM2.5, fine particulate matter that can reach deep into the lungs, was 214 micrograms per cubic metre in the upscale area of Bhaisepati in Kathmandu on Sunday, Department of Environment data showed. That compares with the government's standard level of 40 micrograms per cubic metre.

Air quality in the capital has deteriorated recently but average pollution readings were not available.

Dust from construction works, exhaust from old, poorly maintained vehicles and smoke from coal-burning brick kilns blend in a murky haze that hangs over the ancient city of four million people, raising the risk of cancer, stroke, asthma and high blood pressure, experts say.

"This also adds to the risk of COVID-19," said Sher Bahadur Pun, a doctor at a tropical and infectious disease hospital in the capital.

Arjun Khadka, 65, who owns a grocery store in Kathmandu, said he experienced itching and burning sensations in the eyes and nose which could be due to pollution.

"I don't remember this level of pollution in Kathmandu in the past," Khadka told Reuters.

People must stay safe indoors and not come out except for emergencies, the health ministry said.

Officials at&nbsp;Nepal's only international airport in Kathmandu said poor visibility, which was down to 1,000 metres on Monday, widely disrupted flights.

Nepal has ordered schools to close for four days after air pollution climbed to hazardous levels, forcing millions of students to stay home across the country. Nepal, with a population of 30 million people, is located in the Himalayas between China and India.

Nepal has ordered schools to close for four days after air pollution climbed to hazardous levels, forcing millions of students to stay home across the country. Nepal, with a population of 30 million people, is located in the Himalayas between China and India. Air pollution is a chronic problem in the rapidly growing capital city of Kathmandu and an additional headache for the government that is struggling to contain the coronavirus pandemic. Over the weekend, pollution levels hit their highest in the capital since the government began keeping records in 2016, government official Shankar Paudel told Reuters. Education ministry spokesman Deepak Sharma said about eight million students have been affected by the closures. The 24-hour average level of PM2.5, fine particulate matter that can reach deep into the lungs, was 214 micrograms per cubic metre in the upscale area of Bhaisepati in Kathmandu on Sunday, Department of Environment data showed. That compares with the government's standard level of 40 micrograms per cubic metre. Air quality in the capital has deteriorated recently but average pollution readings were not available. Dust from construction works, exhaust from old, poorly maintained vehicles and smoke from coal-burning brick kilns blend in a murky haze that hangs over the ancient city of four million people, raising the risk of cancer, stroke, asthma and high blood pressure, experts say. "This also adds to the risk of COVID-19," said Sher Bahadur Pun, a doctor at a tropical and infectious disease hospital in the capital. Arjun Khadka, 65, who owns a grocery store in Kathmandu, said he experienced itching and burning sensations in the eyes and nose which could be due to pollution. "I don't remember this level of pollution in Kathmandu in the past," Khadka told Reuters. People must stay safe indoors and not come out except for emergencies, the health ministry said. Officials at Nepal's only international airport in Kathmandu said poor visibility, which was down to 1,000 metres on Monday, widely disrupted flights.

Nepal's schools close as air pollution hits alarming levels

Climate change has wrought major changes to ocean stability faster than previously thought, according to a study published Wednesday, raising alarms over its role as a global thermostat and the marine life it supports.&nbsp;

The research published in the journal Nature looked at 50 years of data and followed the way in which surface water "decouples" from the deeper ocean.

Climate change has disrupted ocean mixing, a process that helps store away most of the world's excess heat and a significant proportion of CO2.

Water on the surface is warmer,&nbsp;and therefore less dense,&nbsp;than the water below, a contrast that is intensified by climate change.&nbsp;

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-natural-sounds-and-landscapes-boost-health-markers-lower-stress-372557" hreflang="en">Natural sounds and landscapes, boost health markers, lower stress</a>

Global warming is also causing massive amounts of fresh water to flush into the seas from melting ice sheets and glaciers, lowering the salinity of the upper layer and further reducing its density.&nbsp;

This increasing contrast between the density of the ocean layers makes mixing harder, so oxygen, heat and carbon are all less able to penetrate to the deep seas. &nbsp;

"Similar to a layer of water on top of oil, the surface waters in contact with the atmosphere mix less efficiently with the underlying ocean," said lead author Jean-Baptiste Sallee of Sorbonne University and France's CNRS national scientific research centre.&nbsp;

He said while scientists were aware that this process was under way, "we here show that this change has occurred at a rate much quicker than previously thought: more than six times quicker." &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/melting-glaciers-are-contributing-to-earthquakes-in-alaska-research-finds-372046">Melting glaciers are contributing to earthquakes in Alaska, research finds</a>

The report used global temperature and salinity observations obtained between 1970 and 2018, including those from electronically tracked marine mammals, with a focus on the summer months, which have more data.&nbsp;

It said that the barrier layer separating the ocean surface and the deep layers had strengthened world-wide,&nbsp;measured by the contrast in density, at a much larger rate than previously thought. &nbsp;

Researchers also found that, contrary to their expectations, winds strengthened by climate change had also acted to deepen the ocean surface layer by five to 10 metres per decade over the last half century.

A significant number of marine animals live in this surface layer, with a food web that is reliant on phytoplankton.&nbsp;

But as the winds increase, the phytoplankton are churned deeper, away from the light that helps them grow, potentially disrupting the broader food web.

These are "not small changes that only some experts care about," Sallee told said

"They represent a fundamental change in the underlying structure of our oceans. Way more pronounced than what we thought until now."

'Profound and troubling'

The oceans play a crucial role in mitigating the effects of climate change by absorbing around a quarter of man-made CO2 and soaking up more than 90 percent of the heat generated by greenhouse gases, according to the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC).

"But by stabilising, the ocean's role to buffer climate change is made harder as it is made more difficult for the ocean to absorb these vast amounts of heat and carbon," Sallee said.&nbsp;

Scientists are increasingly sounding the alarm over the potential implications of warming on our oceans.&nbsp;

In 2019, research published in the US Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences calculated that climate change would empty the ocean of nearly a fifth of all living creatures, measured by mass, by the end of the century.

Climate scientist Michael Mann warned in September that findings from a study he co-authored in Nature Climate Change -- which suggested global ocean stratification had increased by 5.3 percent from 1960 to 2018 -- had "profound and troubling" implications.&nbsp;

These included potentially more intense hurricanes driven by warming ocean surfaces.&nbsp;

And in February, research in Nature Geoscience found that the northern extension of the Gulf stream,&nbsp;the vast, heat carrying ocean current that influences weather in Europe and sea levels in the US,&nbsp;was its weakest in over a thousand years, likely because of climate change.

They said increased rainfall and melting of the Greenland ice sheet have increased the freshwater in the upper ocean, disrupting the normal cycle that carries warm, salty surface water northwards from the equator and sends low-salinity deep water back southwards.&nbsp;

Climate change has wrought major changes to ocean stability faster than previously thought, according to a study published Wednesday, raising alarms over its role as a global thermostat and the marine life it supports.

Climate change has wrought major changes to ocean stability faster than previously thought, according to a study published Wednesday, raising alarms over its role as a global thermostat and the marine life it supports. The research published in the journal Nature looked at 50 years of data and followed the way in which surface water "decouples" from the deeper ocean. Climate change has disrupted ocean mixing, a process that helps store away most of the world's excess heat and a significant proportion of CO2. Water on the surface is warmer, and therefore less dense, than the water below, a contrast that is intensified by climate change. Also read| Natural sounds and landscapes, boost health markers, lower stress Global warming is also causing massive amounts of fresh water to flush into the seas from melting ice sheets and glaciers, lowering the salinity of the upper layer and further reducing its density. This increasing contrast between the density of the ocean layers makes mixing harder, so oxygen, heat and carbon are all less able to penetrate to the deep seas. "Similar to a layer of water on top of oil, the surface waters in contact with the atmosphere mix less efficiently with the underlying ocean," said lead author Jean-Baptiste Sallee of Sorbonne University and France's CNRS national scientific research centre. He said while scientists were aware that this process was under way, "we here show that this change has occurred at a rate much quicker than previously thought: more than six times quicker." Also read| Melting glaciers are contributing to earthquakes in Alaska, research finds The report used global temperature and salinity observations obtained between 1970 and 2018, including those from electronically tracked marine mammals, with a focus on the summer months, which have more data. It said that the barrier layer separating the ocean surface and the deep layers had strengthened world-wide, measured by the contrast in density, at a much larger rate than previously thought. Researchers also found that, contrary to their expectations, winds strengthened by climate change had also acted to deepen the ocean surface layer by five to 10 metres per decade over the last half century. A significant number of marine animals live in this surface layer, with a food web that is reliant on phytoplankton. But as the winds increase, the phytoplankton are churned deeper, away from the light that helps them grow, potentially disrupting the broader food web. These are "not small changes that only some experts care about," Sallee told said "They represent a fundamental change in the underlying structure of our oceans. Way more pronounced than what we thought until now." 'Profound and troubling' The oceans play a crucial role in mitigating the effects of climate change by absorbing around a quarter of man-made CO2 and soaking up more than 90 percent of the heat generated by greenhouse gases, according to the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC). "But by stabilising, the ocean's role to buffer climate change is made harder as it is made more difficult for the ocean to absorb these vast amounts of heat and carbon," Sallee said. Scientists are increasingly sounding the alarm over the potential implications of warming on our oceans. In 2019, research published in the US Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences calculated that climate change would empty the ocean of nearly a fifth of all living creatures, measured by mass, by the end of the century. Climate scientist Michael Mann warned in September that findings from a study he co-authored in Nature Climate Change -- which suggested global ocean stratification had increased by 5.3 percent from 1960 to 2018 -- had "profound and troubling" implications. These included potentially more intense hurricanes driven by warming ocean surfaces. And in February, research in Nature Geoscience found that the northern extension of the Gulf stream, the vast, heat carrying ocean current that influences weather in Europe and sea levels in the US, was its weakest in over a thousand years, likely because of climate change. They said increased rainfall and melting of the Greenland ice sheet have increased the freshwater in the upper ocean, disrupting the normal cycle that carries warm, salty surface water northwards from the equator and sends low-salinity deep water back southwards.

Global warming fundamentally altering structure of world's oceans

Every year the&nbsp;World Meteorological Day is celebrated on March 23 to highlight the significance of people's role and their behaviour in protecting the Earth's atmosphere.

It also commemorates the establishment of&nbsp;the World Meteorological Organization, an intergovernmental body on March 23, 1950.

It showcases the essential contribution of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services to the safety and wellbeing of society and is celebrated with activities around the world. &nbsp;The themes chosen for World Meteorological Day reflect topical weather, climate or water-related issues.

Covering some 70 per cent&nbsp;of the Earth’s surface, the ocean is a major driver of the world’s weather and climate. It also plays a central role in climate change. The ocean is also a major driver of the global economy, carrying more than 90 per cent&nbsp;of world trade and sustaining the 40 per cent&nbsp;of humanity that lives within 100 km of the coast.

Recognizing this, National Meteorological and Hydrological Services and researchers regularly monitor the ocean and how it is changing, modelling how it affects the atmosphere and delivering a wide variety of marine services, including supporting coastal management and Safety of Life at Sea.

The World Meteorological Day theme - The ocean, our climate and weather – celebrates WMO’s focus in connecting the ocean, climate and weather within the Earth System. It also marks the starting year of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030).

The Decade galvanizes efforts to gather ocean science – through innovative and transformative ideas &nbsp;- as the basis of information to support sustainable development. &nbsp;WMO, as the United Nations specialized agency for climate, weather and water, strives to support understanding the inextricable link between ocean, climate and weather. This helps us understand the world in which we live, including the impacts of climate change, and to help Members to strengthen their ability to keep lives and property safe – reducing the risk of disaster – and to maintain viable economies.

Here are 10 facts about water and how vulnerable communities are struggling to access supplies as growing demand and a warming planet raise the risk of shortages:

* About 2.2 billion people, or 29% of the global population, lacked safely managed drinking water services in 2017, according to the latest U.N. data.

* More than 2 billion people live in countries experiencing water stress - when demand outstrips available supplies - and an estimated 4 billion live in areas that suffer from severe water scarcity for at least one month per year. By 2050, more than half of the global population is expected to face water stress.

* One in five children worldwide do not have enough water to meet their daily needs, and children in more than 80 countries live in areas with high water vulnerability, meaning they depend on surface water, unimproved sources or water that takes more than 30 minutes to collect.

* Eastern and southern Africa have the highest proportion of children living in such areas, with 58% facing difficulty accessing sufficient water every day.

* Two in five people worldwide, or 3 billion, do not have a hand-washing facility with water and soap at home, including nearly three-quarters of people in the poorest countries.

* Providing access to safe drinking water and sanitation in 140 low and middle-income countries would cost $114 billion per year, whereas the many social and economic benefits of safe water are hard to evaluate.

* Global freshwater use has increased six-fold over the past 100 years and continues to grow at a rate of about 1% per year since the 1980s.

* Agriculture accounts for nearly 70% of global water withdrawals, mainly for irrigation but also for livestock and aquaculture. The ratio can reach up to 95% in some developing countries.

* Climate change is altering rainfall patterns, reducing water availability, and worsening the damage caused by floods and drought around the world.

* The melting of ice cover and glaciers – known as the water towers of the world - is leading to more hazards such as flash floods in the short-term, while threatening to reduce water supplies for hundreds of millions of people in the future.

Every year the World Meteorological Day is celebrated on March 23 to highlight the significance of people's role and their behaviour in protecting the Earth's atmosphere.

Every year the World Meteorological Day is celebrated on March 23 to highlight the significance of people's role and their behaviour in protecting the Earth's atmosphere. It also commemorates the establishment of the World Meteorological Organization, an intergovernmental body on March 23, 1950. It showcases the essential contribution of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services to the safety and wellbeing of society and is celebrated with activities around the world. The themes chosen for World Meteorological Day reflect topical weather, climate or water-related issues. Covering some 70 per cent of the Earth’s surface, the ocean is a major driver of the world’s weather and climate. It also plays a central role in climate change. The ocean is also a major driver of the global economy, carrying more than 90 per cent of world trade and sustaining the 40 per cent of humanity that lives within 100 km of the coast. Recognizing this, National Meteorological and Hydrological Services and researchers regularly monitor the ocean and how it is changing, modelling how it affects the atmosphere and delivering a wide variety of marine services, including supporting coastal management and Safety of Life at Sea. The World Meteorological Day theme - The ocean, our climate and weather – celebrates WMO’s focus in connecting the ocean, climate and weather within the Earth System. It also marks the starting year of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030). The Decade galvanizes efforts to gather ocean science – through innovative and transformative ideas - as the basis of information to support sustainable development. WMO, as the United Nations specialized agency for climate, weather and water, strives to support understanding the inextricable link between ocean, climate and weather. This helps us understand the world in which we live, including the impacts of climate change, and to help Members to strengthen their ability to keep lives and property safe – reducing the risk of disaster – and to maintain viable economies. Here are 10 facts about water and how vulnerable communities are struggling to access supplies as growing demand and a warming planet raise the risk of shortages: * About 2.2 billion people, or 29% of the global population, lacked safely managed drinking water services in 2017, according to the latest U.N. data. * More than 2 billion people live in countries experiencing water stress - when demand outstrips available supplies - and an estimated 4 billion live in areas that suffer from severe water scarcity for at least one month per year. By 2050, more than half of the global population is expected to face water stress. * One in five children worldwide do not have enough water to meet their daily needs, and children in more than 80 countries live in areas with high water vulnerability, meaning they depend on surface water, unimproved sources or water that takes more than 30 minutes to collect. * Eastern and southern Africa have the highest proportion of children living in such areas, with 58% facing difficulty accessing sufficient water every day. * Two in five people worldwide, or 3 billion, do not have a hand-washing facility with water and soap at home, including nearly three-quarters of people in the poorest countries. * Providing access to safe drinking water and sanitation in 140 low and middle-income countries would cost $114 billion per year, whereas the many social and economic benefits of safe water are hard to evaluate. * Global freshwater use has increased six-fold over the past 100 years and continues to grow at a rate of about 1% per year since the 1980s. * Agriculture accounts for nearly 70% of global water withdrawals, mainly for irrigation but also for livestock and aquaculture. The ratio can reach up to 95% in some developing countries. * Climate change is altering rainfall patterns, reducing water availability, and worsening the damage caused by floods and drought around the world. * The melting of ice cover and glaciers – known as the water towers of the world - is leading to more hazards such as flash floods in the short-term, while threatening to reduce water supplies for hundreds of millions of people in the future.

World Meteorological Day 2021: All you need to know

While technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) could help the world deal with dangerous climate and environmental change, fake news on social media about global warming and biodiversity loss has emerged as a barrier in the climate change mitigation efforts, a group of scientists has warned.&nbsp;

The report, published in Ambio, a journal of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, concludes that inequality and environmental challenges are deeply linked. Reducing inequality will increase trust within societies.&nbsp;

Trust is essential for governments to make long-term decisions, the report argues. Social media and access to reliable knowledge is also highlighted as a barrier to progress.&nbsp;

"As the pressure of human activities accelerates on Earth, so too does the hope that technologies such as artificial intelligence will be able to help us deal with dangerous climate and environmental change," said Co-author Victor Galaz, Deputy Director of the Stockholm Resilience Centre.&nbsp;

"That will only happen however, if we act forcefully in ways that redirects the direction of technological change towards planetary stewardship and responsible innovation."&nbsp;

Human actions are threatening the resilience and stability of Earth's biosphere -- the wafer-thin veil around Earth where life thrives, according to the report published for the first Nobel Prize Summit, a digital gathering to be held in April to discuss the state of the planet in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.&nbsp;

"In a single human lifetime, largely since the 1950s, we have grossly simplified the biosphere, a system that has evolved over 3.8 billion years. Now just a few plants and animals dominate the land and oceans," said lead author Carl Folke, Director of the Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics and Chair of the Stockholm Resilience Centre at Stockholm University.&nbsp;

"Our actions are making the biosphere more fragile, less resilient and more prone to shocks than before."&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

While technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) could help the world deal with dangerous climate and environmental change, fake news on social media about global warming and biodiversity loss has emerged as a barrier in the climate change mitigation efforts, a group of scientists has warned.

While technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) could help the world deal with dangerous climate and environmental change, fake news on social media about global warming and biodiversity loss has emerged as a barrier in the climate change mitigation efforts, a group of scientists has warned. The report, published in Ambio, a journal of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, concludes that inequality and environmental challenges are deeply linked. Reducing inequality will increase trust within societies. Trust is essential for governments to make long-term decisions, the report argues. Social media and access to reliable knowledge is also highlighted as a barrier to progress. "As the pressure of human activities accelerates on Earth, so too does the hope that technologies such as artificial intelligence will be able to help us deal with dangerous climate and environmental change," said Co-author Victor Galaz, Deputy Director of the Stockholm Resilience Centre. "That will only happen however, if we act forcefully in ways that redirects the direction of technological change towards planetary stewardship and responsible innovation." Human actions are threatening the resilience and stability of Earth's biosphere -- the wafer-thin veil around Earth where life thrives, according to the report published for the first Nobel Prize Summit, a digital gathering to be held in April to discuss the state of the planet in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. "In a single human lifetime, largely since the 1950s, we have grossly simplified the biosphere, a system that has evolved over 3.8 billion years. Now just a few plants and animals dominate the land and oceans," said lead author Carl Folke, Director of the Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics and Chair of the Stockholm Resilience Centre at Stockholm University. "Our actions are making the biosphere more fragile, less resilient and more prone to shocks than before." (With inputs from agencies)

Fake news on social media barrier hampering climate fight 

Glaciers across the world are melting quickly in the face of climate change and the aberrant changes triggered in weather. Alaska’s glaciers are also melting. Now, a scientific model posits that the unprecedented melting of glaciers could be behind the earthquakes in the region.

As glaciers melt, land underneath rises upward again, but there’s enormous levels of pressure and weight involved in this process.

Researchers looked at records of ice loss and seismic records starting 1920 and found that majority of the earthquakes were linked to melting of ice. Due to adjustments in glacial mass caused from ice melt, at least 23-30 earthquakes with magnitudes over 5.0 have troubled the region.

The Glacier Bay Icefield near Lituya Bay has lost over 3,000 square kilometres of ice since 1770. This has thinned the ice field by up to 1.5 kilometres.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/a-comet-struck-jupiter-in-1994-now-it-is-revealing-the-planets-secrets-371960" hreflang="en">A comet struck Jupiter in 1994, now it is revealing the planet's secrets</a>

Even though tectonic changes and movements have been attributed as the primary cause of earthquakes in the area, authors believe that loss of glaciers is causing significant harm.

As glaciers melt, the weight over large masses is let off. This, in turn makes it easier for plates beneath to slip and move. Scientists believe this could cause unpredictable earthquakes in the future. The research was undertaken by Chris Rollins, a seismic risk scientist at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-posts-beautiful-photo-of-fifth-brightest-galaxy-in-the-sky-371947" hreflang="en">NASA posts beautiful photo of fifth brightest galaxy in the sky</a>

“There are two components to the uplift… There’s what’s called the ‘elastic effect,’ which is when the earth instantly springs back up after an ice mass is removed. Then there’s the prolonged effect from the mantle flowing back upwards under the vacated space”, Rollins said in a release on the university website.

But there’s a catch - melting glaciers do not necessarily mandate earthquakes. In fact, only places where tectonic pressure beneath ice is already high remain the most vulnerable to quakes. Among these spots are Alaska - especially in the southwestern areas, along with Greenland.

Glaciers across the world are melting quickly in the face of climate change and the aberrant changes triggered in weather. Alaska’s glaciers are also melting. Now, a scientific model posits that the unprecedented melting of glaciers could be behind the earthquakes in the region.

Glaciers across the world are melting quickly in the face of climate change and the aberrant changes triggered in weather. Alaska’s glaciers are also melting. Now, a scientific model posits that the unprecedented melting of glaciers could be behind the earthquakes in the region. As glaciers melt, land underneath rises upward again, but there’s enormous levels of pressure and weight involved in this process. Researchers looked at records of ice loss and seismic records starting 1920 and found that majority of the earthquakes were linked to melting of ice. Due to adjustments in glacial mass caused from ice melt, at least 23-30 earthquakes with magnitudes over 5.0 have troubled the region. The Glacier Bay Icefield near Lituya Bay has lost over 3,000 square kilometres of ice since 1770. This has thinned the ice field by up to 1.5 kilometres. Also read: A comet struck Jupiter in 1994, now it is revealing the planet's secrets Even though tectonic changes and movements have been attributed as the primary cause of earthquakes in the area, authors believe that loss of glaciers is causing significant harm. As glaciers melt, the weight over large masses is let off. This, in turn makes it easier for plates beneath to slip and move. Scientists believe this could cause unpredictable earthquakes in the future. The research was undertaken by Chris Rollins, a seismic risk scientist at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks. Also read: NASA posts beautiful photo of fifth brightest galaxy in the sky “There are two components to the uplift… There’s what’s called the ‘elastic effect,’ which is when the earth instantly springs back up after an ice mass is removed. Then there’s the prolonged effect from the mantle flowing back upwards under the vacated space”, Rollins said in a release on the university website. But there’s a catch - melting glaciers do not necessarily mandate earthquakes. In fact, only places where tectonic pressure beneath ice is already high remain the most vulnerable to quakes. Among these spots are Alaska - especially in the southwestern areas, along with Greenland.

Melting glaciers are contributing to earthquakes in Alaska, research finds

Beijing and Washington will likely set up a joint working group on climate change, a Chinese media report has said.

The top Chinese and US diplomats, in their first meeting of Joe Biden's presidency on Thursday and Friday, publically rebuked each other's policies at the start of what Washington called "tough and direct" talks in Alaska.

But after the meeting the two sides were "committed to enhancing communication and cooperation in the field of climate change," news agency Xinhua said on Saturday.

They would also hold talks to facilitate the activities of diplomats and consular missions, "as well as on issues related to media reporters in the spirit of reciprocity and mutual benefit," the report said.

The talks in Anchorage, headed by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and China's top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, had a fiery kickoff, in front of TV cameras, and had appeared to yield no diplomatic breakthroughs.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-china-wrap-up-high-level-alaska-talks-after-bitter-opening-exchanges-371815">Also read |&nbsp;US, China wrap up high-level Alaska talks after bitter opening exchanges</a>

But the Chinese delegation said "both sides share the hope of continuing such type of high-level strategic communication," Xinhua reported.

"The two sides also agreed that they ... will maintain dialogue and communication, conduct mutually beneficial cooperation, avoid misunderstanding and misjudgment, as well as conflict and confrontation, so as to promote sound and steady development of China-US relations."

China and the United States also discussed adjusting travel and visa policies according to the coronavirus pandemic situation, "and gradually promoting the normalization of personnel exchanges between China and the United States," the report said.

After the meetings, Yang told China's CGTN television that the discussions had been constructive and beneficial, "but of course, there are still differences."

Last year, as tensions between Beijing and Washington worsened dramatically, the United States shut China's consulate in Houston, prompting China to shut the US consulate in Chengdu.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-china-engage-in-undiplomatic-sparring-match-371789">Also read |&nbsp;US-China engage in undiplomatic sparring match</a>

Beijing and Washington will likely set up a joint working group on climate change, a Chinese media report has said. The top Chinese and US diplomats, in their first meeting of Joe Biden's presidency on Thursday and Friday, publically rebuked each other's policies at the start of what Washington called "tough and direct" talks in Alaska.

Beijing and Washington will likely set up a joint working group on climate change, a Chinese media report has said. The top Chinese and US diplomats, in their first meeting of Joe Biden's presidency on Thursday and Friday, publically rebuked each other's policies at the start of what Washington called "tough and direct" talks in Alaska. But after the meeting the two sides were "committed to enhancing communication and cooperation in the field of climate change," news agency Xinhua said on Saturday. They would also hold talks to facilitate the activities of diplomats and consular missions, "as well as on issues related to media reporters in the spirit of reciprocity and mutual benefit," the report said. The talks in Anchorage, headed by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and China's top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, had a fiery kickoff, in front of TV cameras, and had appeared to yield no diplomatic breakthroughs. Also read | US, China wrap up high-level Alaska talks after bitter opening exchanges But the Chinese delegation said "both sides share the hope of continuing such type of high-level strategic communication," Xinhua reported. "The two sides also agreed that they ... will maintain dialogue and communication, conduct mutually beneficial cooperation, avoid misunderstanding and misjudgment, as well as conflict and confrontation, so as to promote sound and steady development of China-US relations." China and the United States also discussed adjusting travel and visa policies according to the coronavirus pandemic situation, "and gradually promoting the normalization of personnel exchanges between China and the United States," the report said. After the meetings, Yang told China's CGTN television that the discussions had been constructive and beneficial, "but of course, there are still differences." Last year, as tensions between Beijing and Washington worsened dramatically, the United States shut China's consulate in Houston, prompting China to shut the US consulate in Chengdu. Also read | US-China engage in undiplomatic sparring match

US, China to work together in fight against climate change

Young Mauritian marine scientist and activist, Shaama Sandooyea, puts on her flippers as she preparers for the first underwater climate strike in a remote stretch of the western Indian Ocean. Sandooyea dives into the water at the Saya de Malha Bank, which is home to the world's largest seagrass meadow, in a bid to draw attention to the danger of global warming and rising seas.

Ocean life is 'magical’, says young Mauritian activist in first underwater climate strike

Hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "fantastic leadership" in the fight against climate change, UK PM Boris Johnson said his India visit will include discussion for a sustainable future.&nbsp;

"We have a shared vision for a sustainable future for our nations and global community and I very much look forward to discussing this and many other issues with Prime Minister Modi on my upcoming visit to India," Johnson said while addressing the International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (ICDRI).&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/united-kingdom-pm-boris-johnson-expected-to-visit-pune-371007/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

He said Modi has displayed "fantastic leadership" in fields such as renewable energy to tackle climate change and welcomed the India-led CDRI co-chaired by Britain.&nbsp;

"I applaud my friend Prime Minister Modi for his commitment to this excellent initiative, the Coalition for Disaster Resilience Infrastructure (CDRI). The UK is proud to be its co-chair and I am delighted that since its launch, the coalition has made such a great start with 28 countries and organisations now signed up, the UK PM was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/uk-pm-boris-johnson-to-visit-india-in-april-370759">UK PM Boris Johnson to visit India in April</a>

Johnson's remarks came ahead of his visit to India at the end of April.&nbsp;

Earlier Modi in his inaugural address said that "we are all in the same boat" and the "pandemic has reminded us&nbsp;that no one is safe until everyone is safe."

Hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "fantastic leadership" in the fight against climate change, UK PM Boris Johnson said his India visit will include discussion for a sustainable future.

Hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "fantastic leadership" in the fight against climate change, UK PM Boris Johnson said his India visit will include discussion for a sustainable future. "We have a shared vision for a sustainable future for our nations and global community and I very much look forward to discussing this and many other issues with Prime Minister Modi on my upcoming visit to India," Johnson said while addressing the International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (ICDRI). Watch | He said Modi has displayed "fantastic leadership" in fields such as renewable energy to tackle climate change and welcomed the India-led CDRI co-chaired by Britain. "I applaud my friend Prime Minister Modi for his commitment to this excellent initiative, the Coalition for Disaster Resilience Infrastructure (CDRI). The UK is proud to be its co-chair and I am delighted that since its launch, the coalition has made such a great start with 28 countries and organisations now signed up, the UK PM was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. Also read | UK PM Boris Johnson to visit India in April Johnson's remarks came ahead of his visit to India at the end of April. Earlier Modi in his inaugural address said that "we are all in the same boat" and the "pandemic has reminded us that no one is safe until everyone is safe."

UK PM Johnson hails PM Modi's 'fantastic leadership' in fields such as climate change

More than 10 million&nbsp;people have been displaced in the last six months due to&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change-induced events such as flooding and droughts, the majority of them in Asia, according to a recent report.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said about 2.3 million others were displaced by conflict in the same period, indicating the vast majority of internal displacements are now triggered by climate change.

Though the figures cover only a six-month period from September 2020 to February 2021, they highlight an accelerating global trend of climate-related displacement, said Helen Brunt, Asia Pacific Migration and Displacement Coordinator for the IFRC.

"Things are getting worse as climate change aggravates existing factors like poverty, conflict, and political instability," Brunt said. "The compounded impact makes recovery longer and more difficult: people barely have time to recover and they're slammed with another disaster."

Some 60 per cent&nbsp;of climate-IDPs (internally displaced persons) in the last six months were in Asia, according to IFRC's report.

McKinsey and&nbsp;Co consulting firm has said that Asia "stands out as being more exposed to physical climate risks than other parts of the world in the absence of adaptation and mitigation".

Statistics from the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center (IDMC) show that on average 22.7 million people are displaced every year. The figure includes displacements caused by geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, but the vast majority are displaced by weather-related events.

Globally, 17.2 million people were displaced in 2018 and 24.9 million in 2019. Full-year figures are not yet available for 2020, but IDMC's mid-year report showed there were 9.8 million displacements because of natural disasters in the first half of last year.

More than 1 billion people are expected to face forced migration by 2050 due to conflict and ecological factors, a report by the Institute for Economics and Peace found last year.&nbsp;

More than 10 million people have been displaced in the last six months due to climate change-induced events such as flooding and droughts, the majority of them in Asia, according to a recent report.

More than 10 million people have been displaced in the last six months due to climate change-induced events such as flooding and droughts, the majority of them in Asia, according to a recent report. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said about 2.3 million others were displaced by conflict in the same period, indicating the vast majority of internal displacements are now triggered by climate change. Though the figures cover only a six-month period from September 2020 to February 2021, they highlight an accelerating global trend of climate-related displacement, said Helen Brunt, Asia Pacific Migration and Displacement Coordinator for the IFRC. "Things are getting worse as climate change aggravates existing factors like poverty, conflict, and political instability," Brunt said. "The compounded impact makes recovery longer and more difficult: people barely have time to recover and they're slammed with another disaster." Some 60 per cent of climate-IDPs (internally displaced persons) in the last six months were in Asia, according to IFRC's report. McKinsey and Co consulting firm has said that Asia "stands out as being more exposed to physical climate risks than other parts of the world in the absence of adaptation and mitigation". Statistics from the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center (IDMC) show that on average 22.7 million people are displaced every year. The figure includes displacements caused by geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, but the vast majority are displaced by weather-related events. Globally, 17.2 million people were displaced in 2018 and 24.9 million in 2019. Full-year figures are not yet available for 2020, but IDMC's mid-year report showed there were 9.8 million displacements because of natural disasters in the first half of last year. More than 1 billion people are expected to face forced migration by 2050 due to conflict and ecological factors, a report by the Institute for Economics and Peace found last year.

More than 10 million displaced by climate disasters in last six months: Report

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