As Vilnius basks in its Green City 2025 accolade, the newest initiative, a small fleet of fully electric boats, has been launched on the Neris River to promote sustainable urban transport and reduce pollution.

Lithuania: Vilnius electrifies river commute with electric boats

Gen Z is reporting the highest levels of anxiety and depression compared to any other generation. What’s driving this crisis? From climate change fears and crushing financial instability to nonstop social pressure and the overwhelming impact of technology, young people today face an unprecedented storm of stressors. But there's also hope — Gen Z is more open than ever about mental health and is actively seeking support in ways that break generational taboos. Here’s what’s behind the numbers, and what could change the game.

Why Gen Z is so anxious: Climate, cash, and constant pressure

Study Links Fossil Fuels to Global Heat Crisis, 180 Carbon Majors Amplified 213 Heatwaves Since 2000 | WION Climate Tracker

Carbon emissions generated by the world’s 180 largest fossil fuel and cement producers have played a substantial role in driving dangerous and oftentimes deadly extreme heat events around the world, according to new research. 



Study Links Fossil Fuels to Global Heat Crisis, 180 Carbon Majors Amplified 213 Heatwaves Since 2000

August 2025 Ranked Third Hottest Globally | North Atlantic, Pacific Hit Hottest Temperature Ever | WION Climate Tracker
 


August 2025 Ranked Third Hottest Globally | North Atlantic, Pacific Hit Hottest Temperature Ever

Tea, the drink that defines India and delights the world, is now under strain.
In Assam, the heart of India’s tea industry, extreme heat and erratic rains are cutting harvests in half.
Prices are rising, exports are shrinking, and workers are struggling under blazing skies.
This next report takes you inside the plantations where climate change is brewing a crisis for a 10 billion dollar global industry.

Heatwaves shrivel Assam’s tea harvests

India Is Grappling With One Of Its Most Intense And Devastating Monsoon Seasons In Decades. From Late August Into Early September, The India Meteorological Department Reveals India Recorded 48% More Rain Than Normal — Getting 75.2 mm Of Rain Instead Of The Usual 49 mm

IMD warns of more floods, cloudbursts

Severe Storms and Heavy Rains Caused Flooding in Several Coastal Towns Along Croatia’s Istrian Peninsula...

Key Sites in Novigrad, Including a Retirement Home and a School, Were Affected...

Residents and Emergency Teams Are Working Together to Repair the Damage After the Sudden Floods.

Heavy rains hit Croatia’s Istria peninsula

Eye witness Video Captured From A Car In Trieste, Italy Shows Streets Flooded After A Storm Hit The City. Video Showed People Wading Through The Inundated Streets Of The City.

Italy floods 2025: Trieste drowns After heavy storm 

Lightning sparked nearly two dozen wildfires across northern california, ---
Scorching over 13,000 acres and forcing widespread evacuations. ..
More than 600 firefighters are battling the blazes as communities remain on high alert...

Wildfires rage across two northern California counties

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued red, orange, and yellow alerts across multiple states as heavy rainfall lashes parts of India. Flash floods, waterlogging, and severe disruptions are expected in several regions.

India: People Stuck For Hours As Massive Traffic Jam Grips Gurugram After Heavy Rain

Nepal Bans Solo Climbs On Mount Everest, Other 8,000-Metre Peaks Comes Into Effect

Severe monsoon rains continue to wreak havoc across northern and northeastern India. Himachal Pradesh is facing widespread flooding, with roads washed away, homes submerged, and emergency services overwhelmed. In Jammu & Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh, multiple landslides have blocked key highways and cut off remote areas.


India Meteorological Department Issues Red Alert For Heavy Rain In Multiple States

The Indian Meteorological Department has issued forecasts of widespread rainfall across the country over the coming days, driven by multiple active monsoon systems.



India Monsoon: Heavy Rains Submerge Most of North India, IAF Conducts Daring Rescue Ops 

Severe monsoon rains continue to wreak havoc across northern and northeastern India. Himachal Pradesh is facing widespread flooding, with roads washed away, homes submerged, and emergency services overwhelmed. In Jammu & Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh, multiple landslides have blocked key highways and cut off remote areas.

North India Floods: Floods Ravage Himachal, Landslides In J&K, Arunachal Amid Heavy Rain

India: IMD Sounds Heavy Rain Alert Across Multiple States in India | WION

A snow leopard cub at Chester Zoo melts hearts as she takes her first brave steps outside her enclosure. The rare and endangered cub is part of vital conservation efforts at one of the UK’s leading zoos.

Cub takes first steps in outdoors enclosure in adorable video

Tokyo is in the grip of a historic heatwave, with temperatures soaring to 35°C or higher for 10 consecutive days — a first since record-keeping began in 1875. The intense heat is straining healthcare systems, disrupting daily life, and raising concerns about climate resilience in one of the world’s most densely populated cities.

Authorities are urging residents to take precautions as Japan faces one of its most extreme summers on record.

Thousands hospitalized in Tokyo heat 

Syria is on the brink of a major food crisis. As the country reels from nearly 14 years of war, an unprecedented drought is pushing more than 16 million people toward food insecurity in 2025. The worst climate conditions in 60 years have crippled wheat production across nearly 2.5 million hectares of farmland, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

In both government- and Kurdish-controlled regions, producers are scrambling for a shrinking harvest, raising fears of famine, instability, and a deeper humanitarian crisis. With wheat output falling millions of tonnes short of national needs, Syria's dependence on imports is expected to soar  even as its economy continues to collapse.

Syria’s wheat war leaves 16 million people facing hunger as drought and conflict devastate crops.

Hurricane Erin continues to gain strength as it moves closer to the U.S. East Coast, bringing the threat of dangerous surf, strong rip currents, and coastal hazards. Authorities are monitoring closely as a second tropical system begins to form in its wake. 


Hurricane Erin: Outer Banks 'highly vulnerable': Experts warn

A Humanitarian Crisis is Unfolding in Afghanistan,

Where Climate Change, Not Conflict, Has Become the Leading Driver of Displacement....

Years of Relentless Drought and Sudden, Devastating Floods Are Forcing Families to Abandon Their Homes and Communities....

400,000 displaced by environmental disasters

<p>India has reached a significant clean energy milestone five years earlier than planned. By June 30, half of the nation’s total power generation capacity comes from non-fossil fuel sources, said the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). How did India reach this mark? What does it mean in real numbers? And what is the future of clean energy for India? Here is a lowdown:</p><h2>India achieves renewable energy milestone: What does it mean?</h2><p>Out of a total 484.8 Gigawatts installed capacity, 242.8 GW is now based on renewable or low-carbon sources, said the ministry in a statement.&nbsp;</p><p>Under the Paris Climate Accord and National Targets, &nbsp;India had committed to set up 500 GW of renewable energy-based power generation by 2030. Achieving the 50 per cent non-fossil fuel capacity mark in 2025 showcases India’s strong progress and leadership in clean energy transitions, according to experts.</p><h2>How India generates its power now</h2><p>As of June 30, India’s installed power capacity composition is: 49.92 per cent thermal or fossil fuels, 1.81 per cent nuclear and 48.27 per cent renewable energy (including large hydropower).<br>“Timely interventions for renewables, like the waiver of Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) charges and regular auctions, have elevated India's commitment to sustainability, and today it has the world's third-largest solar power capacity,” said Aarti Khosla, Founder and Director, Climate Trends.</p><h2>India's global standing on emissions</h2><p>India’s per capita emissions remain at one-third of the global average, which keeps it among the lowest worldwide.&nbsp;</p><p>It is also one of the few G20 countries on track to meet its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) on climate action.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/sustainable-rice-for-a-changing-climate-9036529/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/sustainable-rice-for-a-changing-climate-9036529/embed</a></p><h2>How India achieved the clean energy milestone</h2><p>Several government initiatives have helped India achieve rapid growth in clean energy development. They include PM-KUSUM, or Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan, a scheme on solar power for farmers. PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana aims to provide free solar electricity for households.&nbsp;<br>The National Wind-Solar Hybrid Policy of the Indian government aims to promote large grid-connected wind-solar PV hybrid systems. &nbsp;India is also going through large-scale solar park development.</p><p>“India is one of the leading countries which have achieved this feat, better than most developed nations. The aggressive non-fossil fuel capacity addition is a positive example for the world to follow. &nbsp;Policy push coupled with the entrepreneurial spirit of India Inc has been instrumental in achieving this growth,” said Mohit Bhargava, Former CEO, NTPC Green Energy Ltd.</p><h2>The way ahead for India on non-fossil fuel energy</h2><p>India will now have to shift towards strengthening the national transmission grid, expanding battery storage capacity and developing pumped hydro storage systems, according to experts.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

Under the Paris Climate Accord and National Targets,  India had committed to set up 500 GW of renewable energy-based power generation by 2030. Achieving the 50 per cent non-fossil fuel capacity mark in 2025 showcases India’s strong progress 

India has reached a significant clean energy milestone five years earlier than planned. By June 30, half of the nation’s total power generation capacity comes from non-fossil fuel sources, said the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). How did India reach this mark? What does it mean in real numbers? And what is the future of clean energy for India? Here is a lowdown: India achieves renewable energy milestone: What does it mean? Out of a total 484.8 Gigawatts installed capacity, 242.8 GW is now based on renewable or low-carbon sources, said the ministry in a statement. Under the Paris Climate Accord and National Targets, India had committed to set up 500 GW of renewable energy-based power generation by 2030. Achieving the 50 per cent non-fossil fuel capacity mark in 2025 showcases India’s strong progress and leadership in clean energy transitions, according to experts. How India generates its power now As of June 30, India’s installed power capacity composition is: 49.92 per cent thermal or fossil fuels, 1.81 per cent nuclear and 48.27 per cent renewable energy (including large hydropower). “Timely interventions for renewables, like the waiver of Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) charges and regular auctions, have elevated India's commitment to sustainability, and today it has the world's third-largest solar power capacity,” said Aarti Khosla, Founder and Director, Climate Trends. India's global standing on emissions India’s per capita emissions remain at one-third of the global average, which keeps it among the lowest worldwide. It is also one of the few G20 countries on track to meet its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) on climate action. https://www.wionews.com/videos/sustainable-rice-for-a-changing-climate-9036529/embed How India achieved the clean energy milestone Several government initiatives have helped India achieve rapid growth in clean energy development. They include PM-KUSUM, or Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan, a scheme on solar power for farmers. PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana aims to provide free solar electricity for households. The National Wind-Solar Hybrid Policy of the Indian government aims to promote large grid-connected wind-solar PV hybrid systems. India is also going through large-scale solar park development. “India is one of the leading countries which have achieved this feat, better than most developed nations. The aggressive non-fossil fuel capacity addition is a positive example for the world to follow. Policy push coupled with the entrepreneurial spirit of India Inc has been instrumental in achieving this growth,” said Mohit Bhargava, Former CEO, NTPC Green Energy Ltd. The way ahead for India on non-fossil fuel energy India will now have to shift towards strengthening the national transmission grid, expanding battery storage capacity and developing pumped hydro storage systems, according to experts.

<p>Under the Paris Climate Accord and National Targets, &nbsp;India had committed to set up 500 GW of renewable energy-based power generation by 2030. Achieving the 50 per cent non-fossil fuel capacity mark in 2025 showcases India’s strong progress&nbsp;</p>

India achieves clean energy target milestone five years ahead of schedule. Here is why it matters

<p>A new report from the Convention on Wetlands reveals a disturbing trend: the world’s wetlands, essential for supporting global food security, flood regulation, and climate resilience, are vanishing at an unprecedented pace. If current trends continue, the report warns, the loss of wetlands could result in a staggering $39 trillion in economic damage by 2050. According to the <i>Global Wetland Outlook 2025</i>, approximately 22 per cent of wetlands worldwide have disappeared since 1970, marking the fastest rate of ecosystem decline. Wetlands, which cover just 6 per cent of the Earth’s surface, provide crucial services such as water purification, carbon storage, fisheries support, and flood control. Their rapid destruction threatens both biodiversity and human livelihoods.</p><p>The report identifies several key drivers behind this loss: land-use changes, pollution, agricultural expansion, invasive species, and the impacts of climate change, including rising sea levels and prolonged droughts. These pressures have led to the loss of 411 million hectares of wetlands globally—equivalent to the size of half a billion football pitches. Alarmingly, a quarter of the remaining wetlands are now classified as being in a degraded state.</p><h2><strong>Urgent action needed for wetland restoration</strong></h2><p>The report calls for significant financial investment to reverse these destructive trends, with estimates ranging from $275 billion to $550 billion annually. Without immediate action, the report warns that the cost of inaction could be catastrophic, with wetlands poised to continue disappearing at an average rate of 0.52 per cent per year.</p><p>“We are sitting on a $10 trillion opportunity,” said Dr. Musonda Mumba, Secretary General of the Convention on Wetlands. “Restoring wetlands could unlock these benefits, but we’re running out of time.” The report emphasises that wetlands are vital to the water cycle, climate regulation, and supporting millions of people’s livelihoods worldwide.</p><h2><strong>Global efforts and the way forward</strong></h2><p>While the situation is dire, the report highlights some successful wetland restoration efforts, demonstrating that recovery is possible. In Zambia’s Kafue Flats, a $300,000 restoration project improved water systems and supported over 1.3 million people. Similarly, the Regional Flyway Initiative in Asia protects wetlands critical to migratory birds and nearly 200 million people.</p><p>The Convention on Wetlands will address these challenges at its 15th meeting in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, later this month, where representatives from 172 countries will discuss strategies for conservation, restoration, and financing. However, with rising global tensions and geopolitical uncertainty, it remains unclear whether all nations will participate in this crucial gathering.</p><p>With continued degradation most severe in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, the report underscores the need for robust international cooperation. Nations like Zambia, Cambodia, and China have already initiated restoration projects, but greater global commitment is needed to tackle the urgent crisis facing the world’s wetlands.</p>

According to the Global Wetland Outlook 2025, approximately 22 per cent of wetlands worldwide have disappeared since 1970, marking the fastest rate of ecosystem decline. 

A new report from the Convention on Wetlands reveals a disturbing trend: the world’s wetlands, essential for supporting global food security, flood regulation, and climate resilience, are vanishing at an unprecedented pace. If current trends continue, the report warns, the loss of wetlands could result in a staggering $39 trillion in economic damage by 2050. According to the Global Wetland Outlook 2025, approximately 22 per cent of wetlands worldwide have disappeared since 1970, marking the fastest rate of ecosystem decline. Wetlands, which cover just 6 per cent of the Earth’s surface, provide crucial services such as water purification, carbon storage, fisheries support, and flood control. Their rapid destruction threatens both biodiversity and human livelihoods. The report identifies several key drivers behind this loss: land-use changes, pollution, agricultural expansion, invasive species, and the impacts of climate change, including rising sea levels and prolonged droughts. These pressures have led to the loss of 411 million hectares of wetlands globally—equivalent to the size of half a billion football pitches. Alarmingly, a quarter of the remaining wetlands are now classified as being in a degraded state. Urgent action needed for wetland restoration The report calls for significant financial investment to reverse these destructive trends, with estimates ranging from $275 billion to $550 billion annually. Without immediate action, the report warns that the cost of inaction could be catastrophic, with wetlands poised to continue disappearing at an average rate of 0.52 per cent per year. “We are sitting on a $10 trillion opportunity,” said Dr. Musonda Mumba, Secretary General of the Convention on Wetlands. “Restoring wetlands could unlock these benefits, but we’re running out of time.” The report emphasises that wetlands are vital to the water cycle, climate regulation, and supporting millions of people’s livelihoods worldwide. Global efforts and the way forward While the situation is dire, the report highlights some successful wetland restoration efforts, demonstrating that recovery is possible. In Zambia’s Kafue Flats, a $300,000 restoration project improved water systems and supported over 1.3 million people. Similarly, the Regional Flyway Initiative in Asia protects wetlands critical to migratory birds and nearly 200 million people. The Convention on Wetlands will address these challenges at its 15th meeting in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, later this month, where representatives from 172 countries will discuss strategies for conservation, restoration, and financing. However, with rising global tensions and geopolitical uncertainty, it remains unclear whether all nations will participate in this crucial gathering. With continued degradation most severe in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, the report underscores the need for robust international cooperation. Nations like Zambia, Cambodia, and China have already initiated restoration projects, but greater global commitment is needed to tackle the urgent crisis facing the world’s wetlands.

<p>According to the <i>Global Wetland Outlook 2025</i>, approximately 22 per cent of wetlands worldwide have disappeared since 1970, marking the fastest rate of ecosystem decline.&nbsp;</p>

Global wetlands disappearing at alarming rate, threatening $39 trillion in economic losses

What if your AC didn't harm the planet? Researchers are developing a revolutionary solid refrigerant to replace polluting gases in air conditioners. Could this solid solution be the future of keeping cool and saving the planet?

Solid state solution to ac emissions

Swiss glaciers are once again facing a tough year. Experts say snow levels this winter were significantly below average, raising new concerns about accelerated melting as summer approaches.

Swiss glaciers face another tough year, snow levels 13% below average

A severe heatwave grips India, driving air conditioner sales to unprecedented heights. As temperatures soar, the demand for ACs has skyrocketed, making them a necessity rather than a luxury. Watch this report for more details!

Delhi heatwave drives soaring demand for air conditioners

The India Meteorological Department has issued a widespread thunderstorm and rainfall warning for several parts of northwest, central, and eastern India through May 6, as multiple weather systems converge.

India Meteorological Department Forecasts Rain And Thunderstorms

India has made a major breakthrough in agricultural science by releasing the world’s first genome-edited rice varieties. The move is designed to boost yield and improve climate resilience.

Sustainable rice for a changing climate

Hawaii lawmakers have approved groundbreaking legislation aimed at protecting the environment and boosting climate resilience, and it’s coming straight from the pockets of tourists.

Hawaii: Lodging tax for climate action

Baghdad was blanketed by a sandstorm, affecting residents of the Iraqi capital. Some experienced respiratory problems and were admitted to the hospital. It is the first heavy sandstorm to hit Baghdad this year.

Baghdad hit by first major sandstorm of the year

An unusual early heatwave has hit northern France, with Paris recording temperatures as high as 25°C — well above seasonal norms. As Parisians bask in the unexpected sunshine, concerns rise over climate patterns and sudden temperature spikes this spring.

Temperatures in Paris reach unusual high of 25 °C

Severe weather has hit New Zealand on May 1 with a State of Emergency declared in part of the country.

New Zealand: State Of Emergency Declared Due To Severe Weather

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