A 5,000-mile-wide blob&nbsp;of murky seaweed slithered menacingly across the Atlantic before depositing itself upon the US coastline. It may have been one of Alfred Hitchcock's fantastical otherworldly stories.

However, now that massive clumps of the 13 million tonne sargassum belt known as the Great Atlantic are washing up on Florida beaches, scientists are warning of a real-life hazard posed by the heaps of rotting algae, notably high concentrations of the flesh-eating Vibrio bacteria hiding in the vegetation.

The disturbing discovery by marine scientists at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) gives the invasion of brown seaweed—which is already threatening to ruin the state's lucrative summer tourism season—a perilous new dimension. Coatings of decomposing goop emit a strong odour resembling that of rotting eggs.

Even more concerning, according to the experts, is how ocean pollution contributes to the growth of the bacteria, which, if ingested, can lead to illness and even death. As a result of the plastic debris's interaction with the bacteria and algae in the samples studied from the Atlantic's Caribbean and Sargasso Sea, a "perfect pathogen storm [with] implications for both marine life and public health" was created.

“Our lab work showed that these Vibrio are extremely aggressive and can seek out and stick to plastic within minutes,” Tracy Mincer, assistant professor of biology at FAU’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute and Harriet L Wilkes Honors College told the Guardian.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/breast-cancer-drug-slashes-risk-of-recurrence-by-25-a-game-changer-in-fight-against-the-disease-600156">Breast cancer drug slashes risk of recurrence by 25 pc, a game-changer in fight against the disease</a>

<h2>Disturbing discovery</h2>

He said that the seaweed belt, which stretches from the Gulf of Mexico to the coast of Africa, served as the ideal breeding habitat for "omnivorous" strains of bacteria that prey on both plant and animal life, as well as accompanying "microbial flora" that may include diseases with high pathogenic potential.

“We really want to make the public aware of these associated risks. In particular, caution should be exercised regarding the harvest and processing of sargassum biomass until the risks are explored more thoroughly,” he said.

Many people are concerned about this, including municipal workers tasked with cleaning up washed-up seaweed off Florida's beaches to make them more appealing to visitors, as well as groups of volunteers who care about the environment and fill garbage bags with the debris that has washed ashore.

“It’s very alarming in the first place to see it on the beaches, and alarming to see all the plastic that is entangled in it. And now even more than that, there’s harmful bacteria too. That’s so scary,” Sophie Ringel, founder of the non-profit&nbsp;Clean Miami Beach told the Guardian.

In order to minimise direct contact with the items they remove, recruits will be using protective measures including thick gloves, sanitisers, and long-handled grabbers for the group's beach cleaning on Saturday to commemorate World Ocean Day.

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A 5,000-mile-wide blob of murky seaweed slithered menacingly across the Atlantic before depositing itself upon the US coastline. It may have been one of Alfred Hitchcock's fantastical otherworldly stories.

A 5,000-mile-wide blob of murky seaweed slithered menacingly across the Atlantic before depositing itself upon the US coastline. It may have been one of Alfred Hitchcock's fantastical otherworldly stories. However, now that massive clumps of the 13 million tonne sargassum belt known as the Great Atlantic are washing up on Florida beaches, scientists are warning of a real-life hazard posed by the heaps of rotting algae, notably high concentrations of the flesh-eating Vibrio bacteria hiding in the vegetation. The disturbing discovery by marine scientists at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) gives the invasion of brown seaweed—which is already threatening to ruin the state's lucrative summer tourism season—a perilous new dimension. Coatings of decomposing goop emit a strong odour resembling that of rotting eggs. Even more concerning, according to the experts, is how ocean pollution contributes to the growth of the bacteria, which, if ingested, can lead to illness and even death. As a result of the plastic debris's interaction with the bacteria and algae in the samples studied from the Atlantic's Caribbean and Sargasso Sea, a "perfect pathogen storm [with] implications for both marine life and public health" was created. “Our lab work showed that these Vibrio are extremely aggressive and can seek out and stick to plastic within minutes,” Tracy Mincer, assistant professor of biology at FAU’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute and Harriet L Wilkes Honors College told the Guardian. Also read | Breast cancer drug slashes risk of recurrence by 25 pc, a game-changer in fight against the disease Disturbing discovery He said that the seaweed belt, which stretches from the Gulf of Mexico to the coast of Africa, served as the ideal breeding habitat for "omnivorous" strains of bacteria that prey on both plant and animal life, as well as accompanying "microbial flora" that may include diseases with high pathogenic potential. “We really want to make the public aware of these associated risks. In particular, caution should be exercised regarding the harvest and processing of sargassum biomass until the risks are explored more thoroughly,” he said. Many people are concerned about this, including municipal workers tasked with cleaning up washed-up seaweed off Florida's beaches to make them more appealing to visitors, as well as groups of volunteers who care about the environment and fill garbage bags with the debris that has washed ashore. “It’s very alarming in the first place to see it on the beaches, and alarming to see all the plastic that is entangled in it. And now even more than that, there’s harmful bacteria too. That’s so scary,” Sophie Ringel, founder of the non-profit Clean Miami Beach told the Guardian. In order to minimise direct contact with the items they remove, recruits will be using protective measures including thick gloves, sanitisers, and long-handled grabbers for the group's beach cleaning on Saturday to commemorate World Ocean Day. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

US: Heaps of seaweed full of flesh-eating bacteria hit Florida beaches

While we all know about the conventional museums found across the world, do you know that Australia has an underwater art museum? Not just that, but a series of underwater sculptures on the Great Barrier Reef have been recently installed in the museum. According to a BBC report, the sculptures located at the Museum of Underwater Art (MOUA) have a low centre of gravity so that they are able to face the strong oceanic forces in the water.

The collection comprises eight different art categories with several sculptures. These sculptures have been modeled on Australian citizens who have worked in the fields of marine science and conservation of marine species, leaving a huge impact on the understanding of reef protection. It might also be thrilling to know that one of these sculptures has been modeled after Molly Steer. At the young age of just 9 years, she founded a campaign with the name ‘Straw No More’ which focuses on getting rid of single-use plastic straws. The campaign also helps encourage schools to stop using plastic straws. As a result of their efforts, more than 3,000 schools have joined the campaign and pledged to stop using single-use plastic straws.

These sculptures have been made from low-carbon earth-friendly concrete and reinforced with stainless steel. They are designed such that they can be colonised by the surrounding marine life, and become a part of the ecosystem. It is believed that various species such as corals and sponges will grow on and around these sculptures within the coming few years. This will alter the appearance of the sculptures in unpredictable ways.

One of the users commented on BBC's post, “Future marine biologists are going to be confused as hell." &nbsp;

“Archeologists in 3,000 years after discovering an ancient civilisation and reimagining how civilisation works," read another comment.

This unique museum is intended to spread awareness regarding coral reef conservation across the world. In 2020, when the museum first opened, it only featured floating trees, sculptures of children, and coral in planter boxes. In May 2023 other sculptures were added as a part of their third art installation. The ticket prices for the museum begin from Rs. 13,000 per head. 
 
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While we all know about the conventional museums found across the world, do you know that Australia has an underwater art museum? Not just that, but a series of underwater sculptures on the Great Barrier Reef have been recently installed in the museum.

While we all know about the conventional museums found across the world, do you know that Australia has an underwater art museum? Not just that, but a series of underwater sculptures on the Great Barrier Reef have been recently installed in the museum. According to a BBC report, the sculptures located at the Museum of Underwater Art (MOUA) have a low centre of gravity so that they are able to face the strong oceanic forces in the water. The collection comprises eight different art categories with several sculptures. These sculptures have been modeled on Australian citizens who have worked in the fields of marine science and conservation of marine species, leaving a huge impact on the understanding of reef protection. It might also be thrilling to know that one of these sculptures has been modeled after Molly Steer. At the young age of just 9 years, she founded a campaign with the name ‘Straw No More’ which focuses on getting rid of single-use plastic straws. The campaign also helps encourage schools to stop using plastic straws. As a result of their efforts, more than 3,000 schools have joined the campaign and pledged to stop using single-use plastic straws. These sculptures have been made from low-carbon earth-friendly concrete and reinforced with stainless steel. They are designed such that they can be colonised by the surrounding marine life, and become a part of the ecosystem. It is believed that various species such as corals and sponges will grow on and around these sculptures within the coming few years. This will alter the appearance of the sculptures in unpredictable ways. One of the users commented on BBC's post, “Future marine biologists are going to be confused as hell." “Archeologists in 3,000 years after discovering an ancient civilisation and reimagining how civilisation works," read another comment. This unique museum is intended to spread awareness regarding coral reef conservation across the world. In 2020, when the museum first opened, it only featured floating trees, sculptures of children, and coral in planter boxes. In May 2023 other sculptures were added as a part of their third art installation. The ticket prices for the museum begin from Rs. 13,000 per head. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

This Australian underwater museum houses sculptures modelled on environment activists

A United Nations committee began talks to come up with a landmark global plastics treaty in Paris, on Monday (May 29), which would ideally be aimed to end global plastic pollution. However, the countries remained divided as the debate rages on about what the outcome should be.

The debate which is emerging between countries is around some wanting to limit the production of more plastics while others calling for recycling as the solution to plastic waste, with the plastic-producing and oil and gas companies supporting the latter and environmental groups in favour of the former.&nbsp;

<h2>United Nations talks in Paris&nbsp;</h2>

The meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for Plastics began on Monday and will go on till the end of the week. The committee has been tasked with developing the first international legally binding agreement on plastics as early as next year.&nbsp;

Representatives from 175 nations and over 2,000 participants from governments and observers met at the United Nations cultural agency headquarters in Paris. Head of the negotiations Gustavo Meza-Cuadra Velazquez began the meeting by acknowledging that the challenge was “immense, as we are all aware here, but it is not insurmountable.” He added, “The world’s eyes are on us.”&nbsp;

The negotiations to deal with arguably one of the biggest environmental issues that affected the world are supposed to take place over five meetings by next year which is a short amount of time and&nbsp;needless to say, the stakes are high. This was the second meeting of the countries which followed the first one, six months ago in Uruguay.&nbsp;

French President Emmanuel Macron, on Monday, also addressed the session and urged the nations to negotiate and put an end to today’s “globalised and unsustainable” production model. “Plastic pollution is a time-bomb and at the same time already a scourge today,” said Macron, in a video message.&nbsp;

<h2>Global plastic problem</h2>

A report published by the UN Environment Program, earlier this year, said that humanity produces more than 430 million tons of plastic annually out of which two-thirds are short-lived products which eventually become waste. This waste then ends up in our oceans, sits in landfills, and is now making its way into the human food chain.&nbsp;

So far, microscopic bits of plastic have been detected in human blood, breast milk and placentas. There are some 13,000 chemicals associated with plastic production out of which 3,000 are considered hazardous, said the report by UNEP.

Similarly, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) reported that the plastic waste produced globally is set to almost triple by 2060 with nearly 50 per cent of it ending up in landfills and less than a fifth recycled.&nbsp;

Plastic also accounted for 1.8 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases in 2019 and over three per cent of global emissions, said the OECD report. “Only elimination, reduction of, a full lifecycle approach, transparency and a just transition, only those can bring success because the truth is that we cannot recycle our way out of this mess,” UNEP’s Inger Andersen told the delegates. &nbsp;&nbsp;

<h2>What do different countries and groups want?</h2>

The UNEP, which is also hosting the talks, released a report earlier this month for reducing plastic waste by 80 per cent by 2040. It outlines three key areas of action to reduce plastic pollution – reuse, recycling and reorientation of plastic packaging to alternative materials.&nbsp;

Similarly, several countries have said the goal should be the “circularity” of plastics, which means keeping the already-produced plastic items in circulation as long as possible.&nbsp;

The so-called High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution wishes that the treaty should focus on human health and the environment and called for provisions to ensure an “increase the safe circularity of plastics”.&nbsp;

“We have a responsibility to protect human health in our environment from the most harmful polymers and chemicals of concern through the treaty,” said Rwanda’s environment minister and co-chair of the coalition, Jeanne d’Arc Mujawamariya, on Monday.

The 55-nation coalition led by Norway and Rwanda also includes countries like Peru, Australia, several island nations, and European Union member states also aim to end plastic pollution by 2040.&nbsp;

“We agree that we need to reduce production at least of virgin plastics,” Norway Environment Minister Espen Barth Eide told DW. He also noted that the market demand for new plastics would decrease as the circular economy increased.&nbsp;

However, many environmental groups have criticised this possible solution as they believe it focuses on waste management and recycling instead of reducing production and grants concessions to the plastics and petrochemicals industry.&nbsp;

<h2>Environmental groups about the treaty</h2>

A report published by Greenpeace, on May 24, found that recycling plastic can make it more toxic and it should not be considered a solution to plastic pollution. “Plastics are inherently incompatible with a circular economy,” said the report by the environmental group.&nbsp;

They have also called for the production of plastic to be slashed by 75 per cent from the 2017 levels as recycling certain types of plastic remains extremely difficult.&nbsp;

“If we keep the focus at the end of the pipe and on recycling and promoting a bunch of false solutions like chemical recycling, or cement kilns, or waste-to-energy, we will lock ourselves into some of the worst impacts of climate change,” said Graham Forbes, global plastics project leader at Greenpeace, United States, as quoted by DW.&nbsp;

Notably, this shift of focus from addressing plastic waste and scaling up recycling has been supported by plastic-producing and oil and gas exporters nations. The German-based media outlet, citing sources also said Saudi Arabia is one of the reluctant nations to an ambitious strategy to end plastic pollution while the US, China, and India have low ambition for the talks.

“Real solutions to the plastics crisis will require global controls on chemicals in plastics and significant reductions in plastic production,” said Therese Karlsson, science advisor with the International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN).&nbsp;

Similarly, IPEN’s co-chair, Dr Tadesse Amera said that if the treaty were to focus on plastic waste as opposed to plastic production as well as extraction of fossil fuels and toxic chemical additives, to solve the crisis, it would be a “failure”.&nbsp;

<h2>What do the plastic producers want?</h2>

Several plastics producers’ associations have also supported recycling. In line with this, the International Council of Chemical Associations, the World Plastics Council, the American Chemistry Council and others which make, use and recycle plastics have called for the elimination of plastic pollution while “retaining the societal benefits of plastics.”&nbsp;

They have also called themselves “global partners for plastics circularity,” as per the Associated Press. “The agreement should require national action plans as that will most effectively eliminate plastic pollution specific to a country’s situation,” said Joshua Baca, VP of plastics at the American Chemistry Council, as per AP. He also said that the “one-size fits all approach” would not work to eliminate plastic.&nbsp;

On the other hand, IPEN’s international coordinator, Bjorn Beeler said leaving these decisions up to individual countries as opposed to having an international legally binding document in place would be unfair to regions like Latin America and Africa that do not manufacture much plastic or chemicals.&nbsp;

“So that national approach climate model would be a failure again because you can't really handle a global problem at a national level,” said Beeler, as quoted by DW.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
 
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A United Nations committee began talks to come up with a landmark global plastics treaty in Paris, on Monday (May 29), which would ideally be aimed to end global plastic pollution.

A United Nations committee began talks to come up with a landmark global plastics treaty in Paris, on Monday (May 29), which would ideally be aimed to end global plastic pollution. However, the countries remained divided as the debate rages on about what the outcome should be. The debate which is emerging between countries is around some wanting to limit the production of more plastics while others calling for recycling as the solution to plastic waste, with the plastic-producing and oil and gas companies supporting the latter and environmental groups in favour of the former. United Nations talks in Paris The meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for Plastics began on Monday and will go on till the end of the week. The committee has been tasked with developing the first international legally binding agreement on plastics as early as next year. Representatives from 175 nations and over 2,000 participants from governments and observers met at the United Nations cultural agency headquarters in Paris. Head of the negotiations Gustavo Meza-Cuadra Velazquez began the meeting by acknowledging that the challenge was “immense, as we are all aware here, but it is not insurmountable.” He added, “The world’s eyes are on us.” The negotiations to deal with arguably one of the biggest environmental issues that affected the world are supposed to take place over five meetings by next year which is a short amount of time and needless to say, the stakes are high. This was the second meeting of the countries which followed the first one, six months ago in Uruguay. French President Emmanuel Macron, on Monday, also addressed the session and urged the nations to negotiate and put an end to today’s “globalised and unsustainable” production model. “Plastic pollution is a time-bomb and at the same time already a scourge today,” said Macron, in a video message. Global plastic problem A report published by the UN Environment Program, earlier this year, said that humanity produces more than 430 million tons of plastic annually out of which two-thirds are short-lived products which eventually become waste. This waste then ends up in our oceans, sits in landfills, and is now making its way into the human food chain. So far, microscopic bits of plastic have been detected in human blood, breast milk and placentas. There are some 13,000 chemicals associated with plastic production out of which 3,000 are considered hazardous, said the report by UNEP. Similarly, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) reported that the plastic waste produced globally is set to almost triple by 2060 with nearly 50 per cent of it ending up in landfills and less than a fifth recycled. Plastic also accounted for 1.8 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases in 2019 and over three per cent of global emissions, said the OECD report. “Only elimination, reduction of, a full lifecycle approach, transparency and a just transition, only those can bring success because the truth is that we cannot recycle our way out of this mess,” UNEP’s Inger Andersen told the delegates. What do different countries and groups want? The UNEP, which is also hosting the talks, released a report earlier this month for reducing plastic waste by 80 per cent by 2040. It outlines three key areas of action to reduce plastic pollution – reuse, recycling and reorientation of plastic packaging to alternative materials. Similarly, several countries have said the goal should be the “circularity” of plastics, which means keeping the already-produced plastic items in circulation as long as possible. The so-called High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution wishes that the treaty should focus on human health and the environment and called for provisions to ensure an “increase the safe circularity of plastics”. “We have a responsibility to protect human health in our environment from the most harmful polymers and chemicals of concern through the treaty,” said Rwanda’s environment minister and co-chair of the coalition, Jeanne d’Arc Mujawamariya, on Monday. The 55-nation coalition led by Norway and Rwanda also includes countries like Peru, Australia, several island nations, and European Union member states also aim to end plastic pollution by 2040. “We agree that we need to reduce production at least of virgin plastics,” Norway Environment Minister Espen Barth Eide told DW. He also noted that the market demand for new plastics would decrease as the circular economy increased. However, many environmental groups have criticised this possible solution as they believe it focuses on waste management and recycling instead of reducing production and grants concessions to the plastics and petrochemicals industry. Environmental groups about the treaty A report published by Greenpeace, on May 24, found that recycling plastic can make it more toxic and it should not be considered a solution to plastic pollution. “Plastics are inherently incompatible with a circular economy,” said the report by the environmental group. They have also called for the production of plastic to be slashed by 75 per cent from the 2017 levels as recycling certain types of plastic remains extremely difficult. “If we keep the focus at the end of the pipe and on recycling and promoting a bunch of false solutions like chemical recycling, or cement kilns, or waste-to-energy, we will lock ourselves into some of the worst impacts of climate change,” said Graham Forbes, global plastics project leader at Greenpeace, United States, as quoted by DW. Notably, this shift of focus from addressing plastic waste and scaling up recycling has been supported by plastic-producing and oil and gas exporters nations. The German-based media outlet, citing sources also said Saudi Arabia is one of the reluctant nations to an ambitious strategy to end plastic pollution while the US, China, and India have low ambition for the talks. “Real solutions to the plastics crisis will require global controls on chemicals in plastics and significant reductions in plastic production,” said Therese Karlsson, science advisor with the International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN). Similarly, IPEN’s co-chair, Dr Tadesse Amera said that if the treaty were to focus on plastic waste as opposed to plastic production as well as extraction of fossil fuels and toxic chemical additives, to solve the crisis, it would be a “failure”. What do the plastic producers want? Several plastics producers’ associations have also supported recycling. In line with this, the International Council of Chemical Associations, the World Plastics Council, the American Chemistry Council and others which make, use and recycle plastics have called for the elimination of plastic pollution while “retaining the societal benefits of plastics.” They have also called themselves “global partners for plastics circularity,” as per the Associated Press. “The agreement should require national action plans as that will most effectively eliminate plastic pollution specific to a country’s situation,” said Joshua Baca, VP of plastics at the American Chemistry Council, as per AP. He also said that the “one-size fits all approach” would not work to eliminate plastic. On the other hand, IPEN’s international coordinator, Bjorn Beeler said leaving these decisions up to individual countries as opposed to having an international legally binding document in place would be unfair to regions like Latin America and Africa that do not manufacture much plastic or chemicals. “So that national approach climate model would be a failure again because you can't really handle a global problem at a national level,” said Beeler, as quoted by DW. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Explained: Plastic recycling in focus as countries meet in Paris for treaty talks

A debate rages on, about the future of plastics and their use at the ongoing global plastics convention in France.

UN talks on plastic treaty get underway in Paris

Despite a move by countries towards single-use and degradable plastics, hundreds of tonnes end up on sites like these, every year. According to the UN’s environment programme, we could reduce our plastic waste by 80% by 2040 by using existing technologies and reusing and recycling.

Pathway to a plastic-free world

Colouring rivers green as a form of environmental activism is a visually striking and attention-grabbing tactic used by activists to raise awareness about water pollution and ecological issues. But it is not known whether Sunday morning when water in the Venice canal turned luminous green, was a part of that activism or something else.&nbsp;

The colouration has given Venetians a startling sight as authorities in the area have taken water samples and started a quick investigation to understand what caused the canal to turn green on Sunday morning.&nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-launches-massive-drone-attack-on-kyiv-on-founding-day-eve-one-dead-597614">Russia launches ‘massive drone attack’ on eve of Kyiv founding day, one dead</a>

There are several theories on what may have caused the water around the well-known Rialto Bridge to change colour. They include everything from a dye leak to an environmental activist demonstration.

<h2>CCTV being reviewed&nbsp;</h2>

Local police were reportedly reviewing CCTV to see whether the release may have been a publicity ploy for the Volgalonga regatta, which is taking place this weekend, according to Italian media reports.

The Volgalonga Regatta is an annual rowing race that takes place in Venice, Italy. The regatta attracts participants from various rowing clubs and associations and follows a course that stretches along the Venetian lagoon, including the Grand Canal and other scenic waterways of Venice.&nbsp;

Participants row in traditional Venetian boats known as "gondolini," which are similar in design to the iconic gondolas but are smaller and lighter for racing purposes.

<h2>Grand Canal in green&nbsp;</h2>

Many social media users claimed that the photos pouring out of Venice reminded them of the 1968 eco-awareness action by Argentine artist Nicolás Garca Uriburu, a prominent environmental artist known for his activism and use of vibrant colours in his work.

During the 1968 Venice Biennale festival, Uriburu used an environmentally safe green dye to colour the waters of the Grand Canal, creating a visually striking spectacle that aimed to draw attention to pollution and ecological issues.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/belarus-president-lukashenko-rushed-to-hospital-after-meeting-with-putin-opposition-leader-597612">Belarus President Lukashenko rushed to hospital after meeting with Putin: Report</a>

His approach continues to inspire artists and activists today, emphasising the importance of raising awareness about our planet's ecological well-being.

<h2>Rome's iconic Trevi fountain water turned black</h2>

Italian climate activists made a strong message by turning the famous Trevi Fountain in Rome's Colosseum black. According to reports, they did this to highlight the recent, disastrous floods in the nation's northeast, which took the lives of 14 people.

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Colouring rivers green as a form of environmental activism is a visually striking and attention-grabbing tactic used by activists to raise awareness about water pollution and ecological issues.

Colouring rivers green as a form of environmental activism is a visually striking and attention-grabbing tactic used by activists to raise awareness about water pollution and ecological issues. But it is not known whether Sunday morning when water in the Venice canal turned luminous green, was a part of that activism or something else. The colouration has given Venetians a startling sight as authorities in the area have taken water samples and started a quick investigation to understand what caused the canal to turn green on Sunday morning. Also Read | Russia launches ‘massive drone attack’ on eve of Kyiv founding day, one dead There are several theories on what may have caused the water around the well-known Rialto Bridge to change colour. They include everything from a dye leak to an environmental activist demonstration. CCTV being reviewed Local police were reportedly reviewing CCTV to see whether the release may have been a publicity ploy for the Volgalonga regatta, which is taking place this weekend, according to Italian media reports. The Volgalonga Regatta is an annual rowing race that takes place in Venice, Italy. The regatta attracts participants from various rowing clubs and associations and follows a course that stretches along the Venetian lagoon, including the Grand Canal and other scenic waterways of Venice. Participants row in traditional Venetian boats known as "gondolini," which are similar in design to the iconic gondolas but are smaller and lighter for racing purposes. Grand Canal in green Many social media users claimed that the photos pouring out of Venice reminded them of the 1968 eco-awareness action by Argentine artist Nicolás Garca Uriburu, a prominent environmental artist known for his activism and use of vibrant colours in his work. During the 1968 Venice Biennale festival, Uriburu used an environmentally safe green dye to colour the waters of the Grand Canal, creating a visually striking spectacle that aimed to draw attention to pollution and ecological issues. Also Read | Belarus President Lukashenko rushed to hospital after meeting with Putin: Report His approach continues to inspire artists and activists today, emphasising the importance of raising awareness about our planet's ecological well-being. Rome's iconic Trevi fountain water turned black Italian climate activists made a strong message by turning the famous Trevi Fountain in Rome's Colosseum black. According to reports, they did this to highlight the recent, disastrous floods in the nation's northeast, which took the lives of 14 people. Watch | Turkey Elections 2023: Erdogan back for another five years × The campaigners claim that the floods, which are being called the worst in a century, were only "a warning". WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Mysterious! Parts of Venice canal turn fluorescent green, locals stunned

Scientists have found what they think to be the origin of massive underwater landslides in Antarctica, which might have resulted in tsunami waves that swept throughout the southern hemisphere hundreds of thousands of years ago. The explanation is well-known: climate change.

But not today's climate change, but climatic change in the distant past. A team of researchers led by Jenny Gales, a lecturer at the University of Plymouth, identified layers of fragile, fossilised, environmentally rich sediments hundreds of metres beneath the seafloor.

According to a <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-38240-y">study</a> published earlier this month in Nature Communications by the researchers, these weak layers left the area susceptible to collapse when earthquakes or other seismic activity occurred.

Based on research, those thin layers originated when temperatures in Antarctica were up to 3 degrees Celsius hotter than they are now, and when sea levels were higher and ice sheets were considerably less than they are now.

If all of that sounds familiar, it's because our planet is already undergoing many similar changes, including rising sea levels, warmer oceans, and disappearing ice sheets. This suggests that such massive underwater landslides are likely to occur again if climate change continues unchecked.

“We need to better understand the extent of the weak layers that sit beneath the submarine landslides in Antarctica that make this area unstable. We also need to better understand exactly how climate is influencing the triggering of these submarine landslides. This will give us a better understanding of the future risks posed by these hazardous events,” Jenny Gales told the Indian Express.

<h2>Risks of underwater landslides</h2>

Underwater landslides, according to Gales, are a massive&nbsp;danger with the potential to create tsunamis that can result in large&nbsp;casualties. These landslides have the potential to harm infrastructure, including subsea cables. "The submarine landslides are dated to around 400,000 years ago, 1.72 million years ago, and 12.14 million years ago, and any tsunami associated with these submarine landslides would have happened directly after the submarine landslide events," Gales explained, referring to landslide evidence discovered in 2017 by an international team of scientists during the Italian Odyssea&nbsp;expedition.

The scientists revisited to the location in 2018 as part of an expedition that gathered sediment cores from hundreds of metres below the seafloor. They studied the materials to determine what the climate would have been like in the region millions of years ago and how it generated the weak layers beneath the ocean floor.&nbsp;

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Scientists have found what they think to be the origin of massive underwater landslides in Antarctica, which might have resulted in tsunami waves that swept throughout the southern hemisphere hundreds of thousands of years ago.

Scientists have found what they think to be the origin of massive underwater landslides in Antarctica, which might have resulted in tsunami waves that swept throughout the southern hemisphere hundreds of thousands of years ago. The explanation is well-known: climate change. But not today's climate change, but climatic change in the distant past. A team of researchers led by Jenny Gales, a lecturer at the University of Plymouth, identified layers of fragile, fossilised, environmentally rich sediments hundreds of metres beneath the seafloor. According to a study published earlier this month in Nature Communications by the researchers, these weak layers left the area susceptible to collapse when earthquakes or other seismic activity occurred. Based on research, those thin layers originated when temperatures in Antarctica were up to 3 degrees Celsius hotter than they are now, and when sea levels were higher and ice sheets were considerably less than they are now. If all of that sounds familiar, it's because our planet is already undergoing many similar changes, including rising sea levels, warmer oceans, and disappearing ice sheets. This suggests that such massive underwater landslides are likely to occur again if climate change continues unchecked. “We need to better understand the extent of the weak layers that sit beneath the submarine landslides in Antarctica that make this area unstable. We also need to better understand exactly how climate is influencing the triggering of these submarine landslides. This will give us a better understanding of the future risks posed by these hazardous events,” Jenny Gales told the Indian Express. Risks of underwater landslides Underwater landslides, according to Gales, are a massive danger with the potential to create tsunamis that can result in large casualties. These landslides have the potential to harm infrastructure, including subsea cables. "The submarine landslides are dated to around 400,000 years ago, 1.72 million years ago, and 12.14 million years ago, and any tsunami associated with these submarine landslides would have happened directly after the submarine landslide events," Gales explained, referring to landslide evidence discovered in 2017 by an international team of scientists during the Italian Odyssea expedition. The scientists revisited to the location in 2018 as part of an expedition that gathered sediment cores from hundreds of metres below the seafloor. They studied the materials to determine what the climate would have been like in the region millions of years ago and how it generated the weak layers beneath the ocean floor. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Massive underwater landslides in Antarctica triggered by past climate change: Study

Businesses all around the world in the mining, tourism, and agriculture sectors are directly impacted by climate change awareness and activism.

The coal mining industry runs the risk of suffering significant losses as governments increasingly tilt towards renewable energy sources and demand that companies have net-zero carbon emissions.&nbsp;

Leisure businesses, such as ski resorts, face risk of melting snow owing to climate change. Droughts, wildfires, and flooding are red flags for the agricultural sector.&nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/11-year-old-black-boy-shot-in-chest-by-mississippi-police-he-called-for-help-596673">11-year-old black boy shot in chest by Mississippi police he called for help</a>

In addition to all of this, businesses are spending money to implement government regulations regarding new climate-friendly policies. The same companies also run the danger of potential legal action, if they do not follow the law.&nbsp;

Therefore, there is no question that climate change is actually impacting the business climate, a term that refers to the overall conditions that influence the success of businesses.

It is in this context of competing forces vying for attention and power that one has to examine the recent crackdown on environmental activists in Germany.

<h2>Climate change and German economic damage forecasts</h2>

According to a study released in March 2023, Germany might wind up bearing huge economic damage of up to 900 billion euros by 2050 due to climate change. Climate activists, on the other hand, &nbsp;are worried that if regulations are not changed, businesses may fail and this could disrupt people's lives.&nbsp;

<h2>Last Generation environmental group</h2>

WION spoke with the Last Generation climate group after Wednesday's raids by German police on its supporters. The climate group is well-known for its distinctive style of protesting, which includes destroying artwork and blocking highways.&nbsp;

They sometimes also glue themselves to roads, actions that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz sees as "completely crazy."

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/imran-his-loyalists-orchestrated-may-9-violence-intel-report-596659">Imran, his loyalists orchestrated May 9 violence: Intel report</a>

Carla Hinrichs, a supporter of the student-led group had her front door broken into by over 25 police officers Wednesday. With their guns drawn, the officers stormed into Carla's room where she was still in bed, the activist group told WION in an email response.&nbsp;

Ahead the protests scheduled for 30 May, the group, in a show of defiance, said that even though the rampant raids frighten them, it will still "not stop us from working for the preservation of a livable planet and climate."

Searches were carried out at the houses of about 15 climate change activists. Two of the group's members allegedly intended to damage a crucial oil pipeline in Bavaria, according to the prosecutor's office.&nbsp;

However, the group refuted all such claims in a conversation with WION saying "everything we do, we do transparently. We show our names and faces during our protests. We announce what we intend to do. We talk to politicians, police, church leaders."&nbsp;

It further questioned, "What is criminal about that? We don't get rich, on the contrary, we are constantly paying fines for what we do."&nbsp;

<h2>What is the group demanding?</h2>

The group has been calling out the German government to commit itself to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, something that all countries reaffirmed at the UN Climate Change Conference COP27 that took place in the Egyptian coastal city of Sharm el-Sheikh last November.&nbsp;

Speaking of their demands from the German government, Last Generation said there is a need for a "social council that leads us out of the climate crisis in a socially just way."&nbsp;

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"Our demand is that we must now come together in a citizen council to give politics a helping hand and preserve what our democracy is all about. For this citizen council, people from society are randomly drawn together to form a truly representative assembly of society. With this political instrument, the necessary measures can be decided in a way that is compatible with society. The Citizen Council is to develop legislative proposals on how Germany can end the burning of fossil fuels in a socially just way by 2030."

Earlier, the German authorities also took the website of the group offline but shortly after, Last Generation launched a new website.&nbsp;

The group is accused of fundraising to finance criminal activities. Last Generation told WION that their donation accounts have also been confiscated by the authorities.&nbsp;

"We are appalled and outraged that our donation accounts have been confiscated. What will happen to the people who have donated small amounts to us? &nbsp;donated? What about the many people who donated 5, 10 or 50 euros? donated. Will they all soon have to face legal consequences because they support a 'criminal organisation'?"

<h2>'Not Afraid'</h2>

Last Generation said it respects the law and would consistently rely on it without fear of court trials. Instead, they are concerned about how the effects of the climate catastrophe may undermine Germany's rule of law.&nbsp;

"We can see it everywhere in the world, whether it is the floods in Pakistan, which have left 30 million people homeless, or the ongoing droughts in France and Spain, which have cut off the drinking water supply in hundreds of communities. Hence, our democracy, our fundamental rights, our future - everything is at stake," the environmental group said. &nbsp;

"The German government is far from presenting a socially just climate protection plan to comply with the 1.5 degree limit that is oriented towards physical realities - as the Federal Constitutional Court ruling from 2021 actually demands of it. For this, it regularly receives harsh criticism from all expert committee, which were specifically used to advise the federal governments. However, this is followed neither by legal consequences nor by any concession on the part of the government," it added.&nbsp;

While rubbishing all allegations against them, the group recalled the words of UN Chief António Guterres that "climate activists are sometimes depicted as dangerous radicals but the truly dangerous radicals are the countries that are increasing the production of fossil fuels. Investing in new fossil fuels infrastructure is moral and economic madness."

As per the climate group, German government wants to sell to the public the idea that the country is on a good path to combat climate change.&nbsp;

"The federal government is breaking its own laws. The federal government is breaking the constitution every day. And as long as this continues, as long as Chancellor Scholz and the entire government break their own climate protection laws. As long as they do not respect the German Basic Law, we will continue to exercise our right to protest peacefully."

In the long term, it said, their goal is to drastically counteract the climate crisis and its drastic effects on people, so that the climatic tipping points are not exceeded and the death and displacement of millions of people can be prevented.

"We are all the last generation that can prevent the uncontrolled heating and destabilisation of the world's climate and thus immense human suffering. But we are also the generation that still has a chance to get out of the destruction. Together, we have to put pressure on our governments so that they finally act and protect our livelihoods."

The UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) will take place this year in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), from November 30 to December 12, 2023.&nbsp;

The nations uniting under one umbrella will establish new objectives, but the current climatic situation requires immediate response.

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Businesses all around the world in the mining, tourism, and agriculture sectors are directly impacted by climate change awareness and activism. The coal mining industry runs the risk of suffering significant losses as governments increasingly tilt towards renewable energy sources and demand that companies have net-zero carbon emissions.

Businesses all around the world in the mining, tourism, and agriculture sectors are directly impacted by climate change awareness and activism. The coal mining industry runs the risk of suffering significant losses as governments increasingly tilt towards renewable energy sources and demand that companies have net-zero carbon emissions. Leisure businesses, such as ski resorts, face risk of melting snow owing to climate change. Droughts, wildfires, and flooding are red flags for the agricultural sector. Also Read | 11-year-old black boy shot in chest by Mississippi police he called for help In addition to all of this, businesses are spending money to implement government regulations regarding new climate-friendly policies. The same companies also run the danger of potential legal action, if they do not follow the law. Therefore, there is no question that climate change is actually impacting the business climate, a term that refers to the overall conditions that influence the success of businesses. It is in this context of competing forces vying for attention and power that one has to examine the recent crackdown on environmental activists in Germany. Climate change and German economic damage forecasts According to a study released in March 2023, Germany might wind up bearing huge economic damage of up to 900 billion euros by 2050 due to climate change. Climate activists, on the other hand, are worried that if regulations are not changed, businesses may fail and this could disrupt people's lives. Last Generation environmental group WION spoke with the Last Generation climate group after Wednesday's raids by German police on its supporters. The climate group is well-known for its distinctive style of protesting, which includes destroying artwork and blocking highways. They sometimes also glue themselves to roads, actions that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz sees as "completely crazy." Also Read | Imran, his loyalists orchestrated May 9 violence: Intel report Carla Hinrichs, a supporter of the student-led group had her front door broken into by over 25 police officers Wednesday. With their guns drawn, the officers stormed into Carla's room where she was still in bed, the activist group told WION in an email response. Ahead the protests scheduled for 30 May, the group, in a show of defiance, said that even though the rampant raids frighten them, it will still "not stop us from working for the preservation of a livable planet and climate." Searches were carried out at the houses of about 15 climate change activists. Two of the group's members allegedly intended to damage a crucial oil pipeline in Bavaria, according to the prosecutor's office. However, the group refuted all such claims in a conversation with WION saying "everything we do, we do transparently. We show our names and faces during our protests. We announce what we intend to do. We talk to politicians, police, church leaders." It further questioned, "What is criminal about that? We don't get rich, on the contrary, we are constantly paying fines for what we do." What is the group demanding? The group has been calling out the German government to commit itself to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, something that all countries reaffirmed at the UN Climate Change Conference COP27 that took place in the Egyptian coastal city of Sharm el-Sheikh last November. Speaking of their demands from the German government, Last Generation said there is a need for a "social council that leads us out of the climate crisis in a socially just way." Watch | Battleground Bakhmut: Russia vs Ukraine | WION Wideangle × "Our demand is that we must now come together in a citizen council to give politics a helping hand and preserve what our democracy is all about. For this citizen council, people from society are randomly drawn together to form a truly representative assembly of society. With this political instrument, the necessary measures can be decided in a way that is compatible with society. The Citizen Council is to develop legislative proposals on how Germany can end the burning of fossil fuels in a socially just way by 2030." Earlier, the German authorities also took the website of the group offline but shortly after, Last Generation launched a new website. The group is accused of fundraising to finance criminal activities. Last Generation told WION that their donation accounts have also been confiscated by the authorities. "We are appalled and outraged that our donation accounts have been confiscated. What will happen to the people who have donated small amounts to us? donated? What about the many people who donated 5, 10 or 50 euros? donated. Will they all soon have to face legal consequences because they support a 'criminal organisation'?" 'Not Afraid' Last Generation said it respects the law and would consistently rely on it without fear of court trials. Instead, they are concerned about how the effects of the climate catastrophe may undermine Germany's rule of law. "We can see it everywhere in the world, whether it is the floods in Pakistan, which have left 30 million people homeless, or the ongoing droughts in France and Spain, which have cut off the drinking water supply in hundreds of communities. Hence, our democracy, our fundamental rights, our future - everything is at stake," the environmental group said. "The German government is far from presenting a socially just climate protection plan to comply with the 1.5 degree limit that is oriented towards physical realities - as the Federal Constitutional Court ruling from 2021 actually demands of it. For this, it regularly receives harsh criticism from all expert committee, which were specifically used to advise the federal governments. However, this is followed neither by legal consequences nor by any concession on the part of the government," it added. While rubbishing all allegations against them, the group recalled the words of UN Chief António Guterres that "climate activists are sometimes depicted as dangerous radicals but the truly dangerous radicals are the countries that are increasing the production of fossil fuels. Investing in new fossil fuels infrastructure is moral and economic madness." As per the climate group, German government wants to sell to the public the idea that the country is on a good path to combat climate change. "The federal government is breaking its own laws. The federal government is breaking the constitution every day. And as long as this continues, as long as Chancellor Scholz and the entire government break their own climate protection laws. As long as they do not respect the German Basic Law, we will continue to exercise our right to protest peacefully." In the long term, it said, their goal is to drastically counteract the climate crisis and its drastic effects on people, so that the climatic tipping points are not exceeded and the death and displacement of millions of people can be prevented. "We are all the last generation that can prevent the uncontrolled heating and destabilisation of the world's climate and thus immense human suffering. But we are also the generation that still has a chance to get out of the destruction. Together, we have to put pressure on our governments so that they finally act and protect our livelihoods." The UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) will take place this year in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), from November 30 to December 12, 2023. The nations uniting under one umbrella will establish new objectives, but the current climatic situation requires immediate response. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

Climate or business climate? Activist group Last Generation speaks to WION after police crackdown

Plastic recycling facilities have been found to damage the environment more than they help. According to a study, plastic recycling facilities are releasing microplastics in air and water around the facility. Is recycling as sustainable as we thought? Molly Gambhir reports.

Gravitas: The perils of plastic recycling

In the small village of Ololosokwan, adjacent to the UNESCO World Heritage site and Tanzania’s famous Serengeti National Park live the centuries-old Maasai people of East Africa who have for over a decade now been pushed out of their land for a “game reserve,” while the government says it is to help protect the environment.&nbsp;

<h2>Who are the Maasai people?</h2>

The pastoralist Maasai is said to be among one of the most vibrant indigenous societies on the continent who have lived and managed alongside other native communities for more than two centuries now in the Great Rift Valley located in Southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. The herders are known for their beaded jewellery and plaid shawls draped over their shoulders and wrapped around their waists.&nbsp;

They live in the Ngorongoro district after British colonial authorities in 1951 declared the Serengeti area a national park and relocated the communities within its borders. Since then, living in small clusters of bomas (traditional Maasai houses), the nearly 7,000 semi-nomadic pastoralist ethnic group of people are being forced to relive the woeful echoes of their colonial past.&nbsp;

<h2>Previous attempts at ‘forced’ evictions</h2>

The Tanzanian government plans to displace about 150,000 pastoralists for its conservation initiatives in two areas in the Ngorongoro district &nbsp;– Loliondo Game Controlled Area and Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA), reported Human Rights Watch (HRW). However, it was not even close to the first time that it has moved to do so.&nbsp;

According to Joseph Oleshangay, a lawyer with the Tanzania-based Legal and Human Rights Centre,&nbsp;the government has made multiple attempts to push the Maasai people out of their lands since 2003. In 2017, government security forces allegedly burned 185 Maasai houses, a move which has been dubbed as a forced act of eviction by rights groups.&nbsp;

At the time, the government had claimed that the houses in question had been built inside the park, a claim which was also upheld in an East African court. Another incident of violence took place last year when the people from the Maasai community in Loliondo protested against the police&nbsp;demarcating 1,500 square kilometres for the “game reserve”.&nbsp;

A report by The Guardian, citing eyewitnesses, said that the police opened fire, stole cattle, and destroyed property.&nbsp;

As per the HRW, security forces arbitrarily arrested and detained 10 community leaders and even fired teargas and rubber bullets. This clash also led to the death of one police officer and left over 30 Maasai, women, children, and older people&nbsp;injured, while thousands fled to Kenya.&nbsp;

Speaking about the incident to Bloomberg, a man who was only referred to as ‘K’, recalled that some 200 police, military and park rangers faced off against around 500 locals at the village office. According to K, while officials were trying to push past the crowd, shots were fired. Meanwhile, the local men pulled out their wooden bows from their backs and unleashed a number&nbsp;of arrows which hit an officer in the eye, who later died.&nbsp;

K said the officials had responded by firing into the crowd when he suddenly fell and was wounded by a gunshot before he passed out into the nearby forest. He has since fled Ololosokwan and had been living across the border in Kenya.

<h2>So-called quieter approach&nbsp;</h2>

This also came after the government opted for a quieter approach to the relocation, as per rights groups. In 2021, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority, which manages the land, issued a 30-day eviction notice to 45 people in the area, which was in addition to 166 others who were identified as illegal “immigrants”.&nbsp;

The agency also ordered the destruction of over 100 homes, churches, schools, medical dispensaries, police stations, and administrative offices within the 30-day period claiming that they had been built without permits, reported The Guardian. The orders were suspended following protests from locals who say that the structures had been there for decades now.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; 
A report by HRW,&nbsp;citing residents, said that since February 2022, the government had begun downsizing essential services in the area. This included health, education, and emergency services after the officials had grounded Flying Medical Services, while the area’s main hospital was downsized to a dispensary from a staff of 64 to two.&nbsp; 
 
The Ngorongoro district authorities, in March 2022, sent two notices seen by The Guardian to six public schools ordering them to transfer some 200 million Tanzanian shillings ($ 84,744) in COVID-19 relief funds to the Handeni resettlement site.&nbsp;

Earlier this year, the local media reported that some 500 residents and 2,000 livestock have been moved to Msomera village in Handeni district, which is hundreds of kilometres away, since the beginning of the relocation back on June 16, 2022. Rights groups have alleged that this downsizing directly hinders the community’s ability to live there.&nbsp;

This was after the land demarcation exercise which&nbsp;restricted people’s access to water sources, and grazing sites, and even cut through some of the houses, reported HRW. “The government is trying to suffocate the communities and make the situation uncomfortable for them,” said human rights lawyer, Denis Moses Oleshangai, as quoted by The Guardian.&nbsp;

Earlier this year, William Ole Seki, a Maasai elder spoke to the United Kingdom-based newspaper and spoke about how the government has banned imports of building materials into the area, the region’s only hospital was under threat of closure, and two villages to the north which had no water for weeks.&nbsp;

Experts from the United Nations have called on the Tanzania government to halt forced evictions and relocation and urged them to work towards conservation with the local community. It is not just the locals, as officials from the European Union, UN, and international non-governmental organisations have also accused the government of pushing the Maasai off their lands.&nbsp;

<h2>What is all of this for?</h2>

Last year, Tanzania’s tourism ministry decided to convert 1,500 square kilometres around Ololosokwan from a “game-controlled area,” where residents are permitted to live, farm and graze livestock, to a “game reserve,” reported Bloomberg. The so-called game reserve would be turned into a wildlife habitat as well as used for safari tourism and people with the right licence can also hunt.

The price of the game reserve is being paid by the Maasai who as per the locals, UN Human Rights Council and the European Parliament,&nbsp;have been subjected to arbitrary arrests, torture and beatings, in addition to the aforementioned hindrances to their livelihoods. Notably, the plans for the so-called game reserve have been in the works for three decades now.&nbsp;

According to the UN, 82,000 Maasai risk being pushed out of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Loliondo reported Bloomberg. However, Tanzania’s Natural Resources and tourism ministry has asserted that Ololosokwan “has no settlements.”&nbsp;

Addressing the conservation efforts the government has alleged that the Maasai and their herds are expanding and now represent a threat to conservation in Ngorongoro and the wider Serengeti ecosystem.&nbsp;

The national park is home to several endangered species including the black rhinoceros, elephant, wild dog and cheetah. However, the Maasai assert that they live harmoniously with wildlife, which scientists have agreed with as nearly 300 researchers from around the world signed an open letter and called for a halt to eviction efforts.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, rights groups have said Tanzania is pushing Maasai out of the region in a bid to expand its lucrative tourism sector supposedly under the guise of conservation efforts. “It’s all about money. Dirty money,” Ole Seki told The Guardian.&nbsp;

In 2019, the tourism sector brought in $6.6 billion and made up 11 per cent of the country’s GDP. According to an analysis by HRW, satellite images of the region show in July 2022 about 90 homesteads and animal enclosures were burned within the demarcated area.&nbsp;

<h2>The UAE connection</h2>

A report by Bloomberg alleges that in 1992, the Ngorongoro district council granted a 10-year hunting permit to a man named Mohammed Abdulrahim Al Ali for areas including Ololosokwan and five other villages. He is currently said to be the chairman and owner of the Al Ali Group, a major property developer in the United Arab Emirates.

Citing the findings of a Tanzanian investigative reporter who has since been arrested, the media report says that millions of dollars in donations were also made from Dubai’s royal family to Tanzania’s ruling party. However, the UAE government has since denied these allegations and said it was “committed to preserving the rights of indigenous peoples”.&nbsp;

Maasai delegation to meet European leaders&nbsp;

Earlier this week, Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) said that a high-profile delegation of Maasai representatives will meet European governments, EU institutions and NGOs like Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS), in May, for what they have described as the government’s “brutal campaign against Maasai in Tanzania.”&nbsp; 
 
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In the small village of Ololosokwan, adjacent to the UNESCO World Heritage site and Tanzania’s famous Serengeti National Park live the centuries-old Maasai people of East Africa who have for over a decade now been pushed out of their land for a “game reserve,” while the government says it is to help protect the environment.

In the small village of Ololosokwan, adjacent to the UNESCO World Heritage site and Tanzania’s famous Serengeti National Park live the centuries-old Maasai people of East Africa who have for over a decade now been pushed out of their land for a “game reserve,” while the government says it is to help protect the environment. Who are the Maasai people? The pastoralist Maasai is said to be among one of the most vibrant indigenous societies on the continent who have lived and managed alongside other native communities for more than two centuries now in the Great Rift Valley located in Southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. The herders are known for their beaded jewellery and plaid shawls draped over their shoulders and wrapped around their waists. They live in the Ngorongoro district after British colonial authorities in 1951 declared the Serengeti area a national park and relocated the communities within its borders. Since then, living in small clusters of bomas (traditional Maasai houses), the nearly 7,000 semi-nomadic pastoralist ethnic group of people are being forced to relive the woeful echoes of their colonial past. Previous attempts at ‘forced’ evictions The Tanzanian government plans to displace about 150,000 pastoralists for its conservation initiatives in two areas in the Ngorongoro district – Loliondo Game Controlled Area and Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA), reported Human Rights Watch (HRW). However, it was not even close to the first time that it has moved to do so. According to Joseph Oleshangay, a lawyer with the Tanzania-based Legal and Human Rights Centre, the government has made multiple attempts to push the Maasai people out of their lands since 2003. In 2017, government security forces allegedly burned 185 Maasai houses, a move which has been dubbed as a forced act of eviction by rights groups. At the time, the government had claimed that the houses in question had been built inside the park, a claim which was also upheld in an East African court. Another incident of violence took place last year when the people from the Maasai community in Loliondo protested against the police demarcating 1,500 square kilometres for the “game reserve”. A report by The Guardian, citing eyewitnesses, said that the police opened fire, stole cattle, and destroyed property. As per the HRW, security forces arbitrarily arrested and detained 10 community leaders and even fired teargas and rubber bullets. This clash also led to the death of one police officer and left over 30 Maasai, women, children, and older people injured, while thousands fled to Kenya. Speaking about the incident to Bloomberg, a man who was only referred to as ‘K’, recalled that some 200 police, military and park rangers faced off against around 500 locals at the village office. According to K, while officials were trying to push past the crowd, shots were fired. Meanwhile, the local men pulled out their wooden bows from their backs and unleashed a number of arrows which hit an officer in the eye, who later died. K said the officials had responded by firing into the crowd when he suddenly fell and was wounded by a gunshot before he passed out into the nearby forest. He has since fled Ololosokwan and had been living across the border in Kenya. So-called quieter approach This also came after the government opted for a quieter approach to the relocation, as per rights groups. In 2021, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority, which manages the land, issued a 30-day eviction notice to 45 people in the area, which was in addition to 166 others who were identified as illegal “immigrants”. The agency also ordered the destruction of over 100 homes, churches, schools, medical dispensaries, police stations, and administrative offices within the 30-day period claiming that they had been built without permits, reported The Guardian. The orders were suspended following protests from locals who say that the structures had been there for decades now. A report by HRW, citing residents, said that since February 2022, the government had begun downsizing essential services in the area. This included health, education, and emergency services after the officials had grounded Flying Medical Services, while the area’s main hospital was downsized to a dispensary from a staff of 64 to two. The Ngorongoro district authorities, in March 2022, sent two notices seen by The Guardian to six public schools ordering them to transfer some 200 million Tanzanian shillings ($ 84,744) in COVID-19 relief funds to the Handeni resettlement site. Earlier this year, the local media reported that some 500 residents and 2,000 livestock have been moved to Msomera village in Handeni district, which is hundreds of kilometres away, since the beginning of the relocation back on June 16, 2022. Rights groups have alleged that this downsizing directly hinders the community’s ability to live there. This was after the land demarcation exercise which restricted people’s access to water sources, and grazing sites, and even cut through some of the houses, reported HRW. “The government is trying to suffocate the communities and make the situation uncomfortable for them,” said human rights lawyer, Denis Moses Oleshangai, as quoted by The Guardian. Earlier this year, William Ole Seki, a Maasai elder spoke to the United Kingdom-based newspaper and spoke about how the government has banned imports of building materials into the area, the region’s only hospital was under threat of closure, and two villages to the north which had no water for weeks. Experts from the United Nations have called on the Tanzania government to halt forced evictions and relocation and urged them to work towards conservation with the local community. It is not just the locals, as officials from the European Union, UN, and international non-governmental organisations have also accused the government of pushing the Maasai off their lands. What is all of this for? Last year, Tanzania’s tourism ministry decided to convert 1,500 square kilometres around Ololosokwan from a “game-controlled area,” where residents are permitted to live, farm and graze livestock, to a “game reserve,” reported Bloomberg. The so-called game reserve would be turned into a wildlife habitat as well as used for safari tourism and people with the right licence can also hunt. The price of the game reserve is being paid by the Maasai who as per the locals, UN Human Rights Council and the European Parliament, have been subjected to arbitrary arrests, torture and beatings, in addition to the aforementioned hindrances to their livelihoods. Notably, the plans for the so-called game reserve have been in the works for three decades now. According to the UN, 82,000 Maasai risk being pushed out of the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Loliondo reported Bloomberg. However, Tanzania’s Natural Resources and tourism ministry has asserted that Ololosokwan “has no settlements.” Addressing the conservation efforts the government has alleged that the Maasai and their herds are expanding and now represent a threat to conservation in Ngorongoro and the wider Serengeti ecosystem. The national park is home to several endangered species including the black rhinoceros, elephant, wild dog and cheetah. However, the Maasai assert that they live harmoniously with wildlife, which scientists have agreed with as nearly 300 researchers from around the world signed an open letter and called for a halt to eviction efforts. Meanwhile, rights groups have said Tanzania is pushing Maasai out of the region in a bid to expand its lucrative tourism sector supposedly under the guise of conservation efforts. “It’s all about money. Dirty money,” Ole Seki told The Guardian. In 2019, the tourism sector brought in $6.6 billion and made up 11 per cent of the country’s GDP. According to an analysis by HRW, satellite images of the region show in July 2022 about 90 homesteads and animal enclosures were burned within the demarcated area. The UAE connection A report by Bloomberg alleges that in 1992, the Ngorongoro district council granted a 10-year hunting permit to a man named Mohammed Abdulrahim Al Ali for areas including Ololosokwan and five other villages. He is currently said to be the chairman and owner of the Al Ali Group, a major property developer in the United Arab Emirates. Citing the findings of a Tanzanian investigative reporter who has since been arrested, the media report says that millions of dollars in donations were also made from Dubai’s royal family to Tanzania’s ruling party. However, the UAE government has since denied these allegations and said it was “committed to preserving the rights of indigenous peoples”. Maasai delegation to meet European leaders Earlier this week, Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) said that a high-profile delegation of Maasai representatives will meet European governments, EU institutions and NGOs like Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS), in May, for what they have described as the government’s “brutal campaign against Maasai in Tanzania.” WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Explained | How Tanzania’s Maasai are being 'forcefully relocated' for a 'game reserve'

In a bid to cut carbon emissions, France has imposed a ban on short-haul flights, on routes where train alternatives can be taken, on Tuesday (May 23). The law came into effect two years after it was signed into law, in line with which flights will no&nbsp;longer work on routes which can be completed in two-and-a-half hours by train.

<h2>Ban irks aviation industry</h2>

The move, which will mostly affect&nbsp;air trips between the capital city of Paris and regional hubs such as Nantes, Lyon and Bordeaux, has since irked the aviation industry. However, the ban will not affect connecting flights. This also comes after environmental groups called for stricter bans following which the initial four-hour travel time was reduced to two-and-a-half hours.&nbsp;

The law also stipulates that the train services on these routes not only be frequent but also be timely and well-connected enough to deal with the influx of passengers who would otherwise travel by air. Additionally, there is also a provision which says that people making these trips should be able to make outbound and return train journeys after spending at least eight hours at the destination.

<h2>Essential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions:&nbsp;Govt</h2>

“This is an essential step and a strong symbol in the policy of reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” said French Transport Minister, Clement Beaune. He added, “As we fight relentlessly to decarbonize our lifestyles, how can we justify the use of the plane between the big cities which benefit from regular, fast and efficient connections by train.”&nbsp;

The government was also able to move forward with the plan after it secured an agreement with Air France in exchange for a 2020 COVID-19 financial support package. This comes as the airlines were severely hit by the pandemic-induced travel restrictions. According to data from Flightradar24, the number of flights taken last year was down from almost 42 per cent in 2019.&nbsp;

<h2>Govt should support real, significant solutions: Critics</h2>

The interim head of the industry group Airlines for Europe (A4E), Laurent Donceel told AFP that the government should “support real and significant solutions” to airline emissions as opposed to the “symbolic bans”. He also said that Brussels had found that “banning these trips will only have minimal effects” on carbon dioxide output.&nbsp;

Furthermore, critics have pointed out how high-speed trains were&nbsp;making fewer passengers opt for flights anyway and that the move is the French government’s attempt to pacify climate concerns without really doing anything about it.&nbsp;

Similarly, A4E has highlighted its own plan to reach net zero by 2050 which includes steps like switching to jet fuel from non-fossil sources and deploying battery or hydrogen-powered aircraft, reported AFP.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

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In a bid to cut carbon emissions, France has imposed a ban on short-haul flights, on routes where train alternatives can be taken, on Tuesday (May 23). The law came into effect two years after it was signed into law, in line with which flights will no longer work on routes which can be completed in two-and-a-half hours by train.

In a bid to cut carbon emissions, France has imposed a ban on short-haul flights, on routes where train alternatives can be taken, on Tuesday (May 23). The law came into effect two years after it was signed into law, in line with which flights will no longer work on routes which can be completed in two-and-a-half hours by train. Ban irks aviation industry The move, which will mostly affect air trips between the capital city of Paris and regional hubs such as Nantes, Lyon and Bordeaux, has since irked the aviation industry. However, the ban will not affect connecting flights. This also comes after environmental groups called for stricter bans following which the initial four-hour travel time was reduced to two-and-a-half hours. The law also stipulates that the train services on these routes not only be frequent but also be timely and well-connected enough to deal with the influx of passengers who would otherwise travel by air. Additionally, there is also a provision which says that people making these trips should be able to make outbound and return train journeys after spending at least eight hours at the destination. Essential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions: Govt “This is an essential step and a strong symbol in the policy of reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” said French Transport Minister, Clement Beaune. He added, “As we fight relentlessly to decarbonize our lifestyles, how can we justify the use of the plane between the big cities which benefit from regular, fast and efficient connections by train.” The government was also able to move forward with the plan after it secured an agreement with Air France in exchange for a 2020 COVID-19 financial support package. This comes as the airlines were severely hit by the pandemic-induced travel restrictions. According to data from Flightradar24, the number of flights taken last year was down from almost 42 per cent in 2019. Govt should support real, significant solutions: Critics The interim head of the industry group Airlines for Europe (A4E), Laurent Donceel told AFP that the government should “support real and significant solutions” to airline emissions as opposed to the “symbolic bans”. He also said that Brussels had found that “banning these trips will only have minimal effects” on carbon dioxide output. Furthermore, critics have pointed out how high-speed trains were making fewer passengers opt for flights anyway and that the move is the French government’s attempt to pacify climate concerns without really doing anything about it. Similarly, A4E has highlighted its own plan to reach net zero by 2050 which includes steps like switching to jet fuel from non-fossil sources and deploying battery or hydrogen-powered aircraft, reported AFP. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

France bans short-haul flights where trains are available to cut carbon emissions

Waking up in your sweat and having restless nights every time the temperature rises by a few degrees is the worst feeling ever. And all of you living in parts of north and central India including Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh can relate to it. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a heat wave warning on Sunday as the maximum temperature in several parts of Delhi crossed 45 degrees Celsius and Najafgarh recorded the highest temperature at 46.3 degrees Celsius. 
 
What's alarming, however, is that just a few hours before the heatwave warning, a new worldwide study highlighted how climate change is costing us our precious nighttime rest. Sadly, it's no secret that sleep deprivation can ramp up heart disease risk, intensify mood disorders, and slow one's ability to work or learn. Yet another harmful effect of climate change on our lives.

So, let’s delve deeper into it!

A new study has linked sleep loss and all the problems that come with it to climate change. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen have found that “ever-warmer nighttime temperatures, nudged higher by climate change, push bedtimes later and wake times earlier, costing us precious nighttime rest”.

Published last week in the journal One Earth, the study stated that people are already losing shut-eye in warm environments and it’s predicted that it will further decrease as temperatures rise due to climate change, especially in lower-income and elderly communities. It will potentially cost sleepers 50 to 58 hours of sleep every year by the end of this century.

It clearly reflects how climate change is playing out in people’s everyday lives, and not just in catastrophic ways like more droughts and flooding. Sleep loss from climate change “is already happening, right now, not in the future but today,” says Kelton Minor, the lead author of the study and a researcher at the University of Copenhagen.

<h2>Alarming data from the study</h2>

Kelton Minor and his colleagues analysed data collected worldwide between 2015 and 2017 from nearly 50,000 people's wristband activity trackers, which recorded when those participants fell asleep, woke up, and how they slept in between. Though the data were anonymized, the researchers could match sleepers' locations with location-specific climate data.

Researchers compared the sleep data with local outdoor temperatures and came up with their findings. One limitation of the study, however, is that the tracker had no information about indoor conditions, or whether air conditioning was in use. The study, however, did look at continuous records of individual people, including how they slept on a cool night in June versus a hot one a few days later, or how they reacted to an unseasonably warm February night.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-tired-of-seeing-your-kid-stress-over-exam-results-heres-what-you-can-do-as-parents-595051">Tired of seeing your kid stress over exam results? Here's what you can do as parents</a>

<h2>Findings!</h2>

The study estimates that people are already losing an average of 44 hours of sleep per year and as global warming continues, people will find it hard to get a good night’s rest. It will potentially cost us all 50 to 58 hours of sleep every year.

The results showed that people slept most when outside temperatures were below 50°F (10°C). Above that threshold, their chances of sleeping less than seven hours went way up. Above 77°F (25°C), the losses accelerated. When outdoor nighttime temperatures topped 86°F (30°C), people lost an average of about 15 minutes a night.

Sara Mednick, a sleep researcher at the University of California, Irvine says that it may not sound like a lot, but it’s “actually quite a big deal”, especially because those 15 minutes likely come from the uber-valuable “slow wave” sleep stage. On an average, we only get about an hour of that type of sleep a night. So taking away 15 minutes from it cuts a big chunk of restorative time.

<img alt="dfg" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d484c71a-fea6-41fe-adec-4116a6bfeeab" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pexels-markus-spiske-2990650.jpg" />

<h2>Who's&nbsp;at risk?</h2>

Climate change and rising temperatures hit some groups worse than others. Senior citizens are twice as sensitive as healthy adults, the study found. They could lose anywhere around 30 minutes of sleep every night under similar conditions. Women are also affected more, losing about 25 per cent more sleep than the average at warmer temperatures.&nbsp;

People in lower and middle-income countries suffer about three times as much disrupted sleep time as those from high-income ones, which the study says could be because of less access to air conditioning. 
“This moves the effects of climate change out of the catastrophic and existential and shows how it affects us every day,” says Jamie Mullins, an environmental economist at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst who was not involved in the research. “It’s going to cost us all in small ways that really add up.”

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-stress-hormones-during-pregnancy-linked-to-improved-language-skills-in-children-research-594442">Stress hormones during pregnancy linked to improved language skills in children: Research</a>

<h2>What’s the solution?</h2>

Many would say one possible solution to climate-induced sleep deficits could be getting a lot of air conditioners. But no, it’s not! ACs actually warm the outdoor environment and add to climate change and global warming, since most of the electricity for it comes from burning fossil fuels. Also, the excess heat sucked out of your house heats up the air outside.&nbsp;

So, then what is the solution? Experts say that the obvious solution is to stop climate change and take necessary actions to reverse the harmful effects of the same. Since the study further clarifies the link between climate and our everyday lives, it has become impossible to ignore our social responsibility to fix the cause of the problem.

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Waking up in your sweat and having restless nights every time the temperature rises by a few degrees is the worst feeling ever. And all of you living in parts of north and central India including Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh can relate to it.

Waking up in your sweat and having restless nights every time the temperature rises by a few degrees is the worst feeling ever. And all of you living in parts of north and central India including Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh can relate to it. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a heat wave warning on Sunday as the maximum temperature in several parts of Delhi crossed 45 degrees Celsius and Najafgarh recorded the highest temperature at 46.3 degrees Celsius. What's alarming, however, is that just a few hours before the heatwave warning, a new worldwide study highlighted how climate change is costing us our precious nighttime rest. Sadly, it's no secret that sleep deprivation can ramp up heart disease risk, intensify mood disorders, and slow one's ability to work or learn. Yet another harmful effect of climate change on our lives. So, let’s delve deeper into it! A new study has linked sleep loss and all the problems that come with it to climate change. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen have found that “ever-warmer nighttime temperatures, nudged higher by climate change, push bedtimes later and wake times earlier, costing us precious nighttime rest”. Published last week in the journal One Earth, the study stated that people are already losing shut-eye in warm environments and it’s predicted that it will further decrease as temperatures rise due to climate change, especially in lower-income and elderly communities. It will potentially cost sleepers 50 to 58 hours of sleep every year by the end of this century. It clearly reflects how climate change is playing out in people’s everyday lives, and not just in catastrophic ways like more droughts and flooding. Sleep loss from climate change “is already happening, right now, not in the future but today,” says Kelton Minor, the lead author of the study and a researcher at the University of Copenhagen. Alarming data from the study Kelton Minor and his colleagues analysed data collected worldwide between 2015 and 2017 from nearly 50,000 people's wristband activity trackers, which recorded when those participants fell asleep, woke up, and how they slept in between. Though the data were anonymized, the researchers could match sleepers' locations with location-specific climate data. Researchers compared the sleep data with local outdoor temperatures and came up with their findings. One limitation of the study, however, is that the tracker had no information about indoor conditions, or whether air conditioning was in use. The study, however, did look at continuous records of individual people, including how they slept on a cool night in June versus a hot one a few days later, or how they reacted to an unseasonably warm February night. Also read: Tired of seeing your kid stress over exam results? Here's what you can do as parents Findings! The study estimates that people are already losing an average of 44 hours of sleep per year and as global warming continues, people will find it hard to get a good night’s rest. It will potentially cost us all 50 to 58 hours of sleep every year. The results showed that people slept most when outside temperatures were below 50°F (10°C). Above that threshold, their chances of sleeping less than seven hours went way up. Above 77°F (25°C), the losses accelerated. When outdoor nighttime temperatures topped 86°F (30°C), people lost an average of about 15 minutes a night. Sara Mednick, a sleep researcher at the University of California, Irvine says that it may not sound like a lot, but it’s “actually quite a big deal”, especially because those 15 minutes likely come from the uber-valuable “slow wave” sleep stage. On an average, we only get about an hour of that type of sleep a night. So taking away 15 minutes from it cuts a big chunk of restorative time. Who's at risk? Climate change and rising temperatures hit some groups worse than others. Senior citizens are twice as sensitive as healthy adults, the study found. They could lose anywhere around 30 minutes of sleep every night under similar conditions. Women are also affected more, losing about 25 per cent more sleep than the average at warmer temperatures. People in lower and middle-income countries suffer about three times as much disrupted sleep time as those from high-income ones, which the study says could be because of less access to air conditioning. “This moves the effects of climate change out of the catastrophic and existential and shows how it affects us every day,” says Jamie Mullins, an environmental economist at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst who was not involved in the research. “It’s going to cost us all in small ways that really add up.” Also read: Stress hormones during pregnancy linked to improved language skills in children: Research What’s the solution? Many would say one possible solution to climate-induced sleep deficits could be getting a lot of air conditioners. But no, it’s not! ACs actually warm the outdoor environment and add to climate change and global warming, since most of the electricity for it comes from burning fossil fuels. Also, the excess heat sucked out of your house heats up the air outside. So, then what is the solution? Experts say that the obvious solution is to stop climate change and take necessary actions to reverse the harmful effects of the same. Since the study further clarifies the link between climate and our everyday lives, it has become impossible to ignore our social responsibility to fix the cause of the problem. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Explained! How climate change is costing you your precious sleep?

Global temperatures will rise to record levels in the next five years and at least one of those years will be the warmest on record, said a report by the United Nation’s weather agency, on Wednesday (May 17).

It also noted that there is a 66 per cent chance that the annual average near-surface global temperature between the years 2023 and 2027, will be more than 1.5 degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels for at least one year, crossing the key threshold.&nbsp;

<h2>What did the UN agency say?</h2>

The report has attributed this record rise in temperatures to a combination of heat-trapping greenhouse gases and naturally occurring El Niño weather pattern.&nbsp;

According to Petteri Taalas, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the weather pattern is expected to develop in the coming months and will combine with human-induced climate change effectively pushing global temperatures into an “uncharted territory”.&nbsp;

He added, “This will have far-reaching repercussions for health, food security, water management and the environment. We need to be prepared.” The report also noted that there is a 98 per cent chance that at least one in the next five years will beat the temperature record set in 2016. The rise in temperature noted seven years ago was also due to an exceptionally strong El Niño.

<h2>The 1.5 degree Celsius limit</h2>

The update issued by the WMO also said that there is a 66 per cent likelihood that the annual average near-surface global temperature between this year and 2027 will cross the 1.5-degree Celsius threshold, warmer than the mid-19th century.

However, the temperature might not stay over the key threshold which remains critical because of the 2015 Paris climate agreement which set the number to guide all nations to substantially reduce global greenhouse gas emissions while countries pledging to try to prevent that in the long run.&nbsp;

The lead author of the report, a climate scientist at the United Kingdom’s Met Office,&nbsp;Leon Hermanson, said, “It won’t be this year probably. Maybe it’ll be next year or the year after,” referring to the 1.5 degree Celsius average. Hermanson also said that “a single year doesn’t really mean anything.” Scientists usually use 30-year averages.

However, he warned that “Nobody is going to be untouched by these changes and it’s already leading to floods across the world, droughts and big movements of people.” Meanwhile, Taalas said that this report does not indicate that the temperature will “permanently exceed” the 1.5-degree Celsius level. 
 
He added, “However, WMO is sounding the alarm that we will breach the 1.5 C level on a temporary basis with increasing frequency.” In a press conference, on Wednesday, the WMO chief also said, “We haven’t been able to limit the warming so far and we are still moving in the wrong, wrong direction.”&nbsp;

<h2>El Niño&nbsp;</h2>

According to the UN, the weather pattern, El Niño, typically increases global temperatures in the year after it develops. In this case, that means 2024, when we could witness large-scale warming of surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. As of now, the world was coming off a record-tying triple dip La Nina for three years straight which is the opposite of the El Niño weather pattern.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

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Global temperatures will rise to record levels in the next five years and at least one of those years will be the warmest on record, said a report by the United Nation’s weather agency, on Wednesday (May 17).

Global temperatures will rise to record levels in the next five years and at least one of those years will be the warmest on record, said a report by the United Nation’s weather agency, on Wednesday (May 17). It also noted that there is a 66 per cent chance that the annual average near-surface global temperature between the years 2023 and 2027, will be more than 1.5 degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels for at least one year, crossing the key threshold. What did the UN agency say? The report has attributed this record rise in temperatures to a combination of heat-trapping greenhouse gases and naturally occurring El Niño weather pattern. According to Petteri Taalas, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the weather pattern is expected to develop in the coming months and will combine with human-induced climate change effectively pushing global temperatures into an “uncharted territory”. He added, “This will have far-reaching repercussions for health, food security, water management and the environment. We need to be prepared.” The report also noted that there is a 98 per cent chance that at least one in the next five years will beat the temperature record set in 2016. The rise in temperature noted seven years ago was also due to an exceptionally strong El Niño. The 1.5 degree Celsius limit The update issued by the WMO also said that there is a 66 per cent likelihood that the annual average near-surface global temperature between this year and 2027 will cross the 1.5-degree Celsius threshold, warmer than the mid-19th century. However, the temperature might not stay over the key threshold which remains critical because of the 2015 Paris climate agreement which set the number to guide all nations to substantially reduce global greenhouse gas emissions while countries pledging to try to prevent that in the long run. The lead author of the report, a climate scientist at the United Kingdom’s Met Office, Leon Hermanson, said, “It won’t be this year probably. Maybe it’ll be next year or the year after,” referring to the 1.5 degree Celsius average. Hermanson also said that “a single year doesn’t really mean anything.” Scientists usually use 30-year averages. However, he warned that “Nobody is going to be untouched by these changes and it’s already leading to floods across the world, droughts and big movements of people.” Meanwhile, Taalas said that this report does not indicate that the temperature will “permanently exceed” the 1.5-degree Celsius level. He added, “However, WMO is sounding the alarm that we will breach the 1.5 C level on a temporary basis with increasing frequency.” In a press conference, on Wednesday, the WMO chief also said, “We haven’t been able to limit the warming so far and we are still moving in the wrong, wrong direction.” El Niño According to the UN, the weather pattern, El Niño, typically increases global temperatures in the year after it develops. In this case, that means 2024, when we could witness large-scale warming of surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. As of now, the world was coming off a record-tying triple dip La Nina for three years straight which is the opposite of the El Niño weather pattern. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Global temperatures set to break records in next five years, might hit key warming threshold: UN

A worker who was previously missing after a powerful explosion at a pharmaceutical chemical plant in Massachusetts, US, was found dead hours after the blast tore through the building, on Thursday (May 4). The incident in Newburyport has since prompted Democrat Senator Edward Markey to demand accountability from the plant’s owners.

The body of the worker was found by the search-and-rescue crews around 5:25 pm (local time), hours after the explosion took place in the morning, said acting Newburyport Fire Chief Stephen Bradbury who did not identify the victim. Bradbury described the blast as a “seven-alarm hazardous materials” event and said that the body was recovered from the building.&nbsp;

According to a local media report, the worker who passed away was a 61-year-old man. Images of the scene show the roof of the building destroyed and debris lying across the field around the plant.&nbsp;

The search and rescue operation was also hampered after given the plant’s structural integrity following the blast and high flames. Furthermore, four workers were taken to the hospital as a precaution but were found uninjured.

While authorities had assured that the plant will not affect the local population, one woman, as per the Associated Press, said she could taste chemicals on her lips. “I could smell chemicals in the air. I could taste it on my lips,” said 58-year-old, Nancy Gero, who works next door to the plant.&nbsp;

The explosion took place around 1:00 am at the Sequens/PCI Synthesis plant, said the officials. The blast blew a vat from the building 30 feet into a parking lot, Bradbury said in a news release.

According to the fire chief, five workers were inside the building at the time of the blast. “It was a very violent explosion,” said Bradbury. After the incident, PCI Synthesis in a statement said, “All our attention is focused on the situation of our employees.”&nbsp;

After the incident, Democrat Senator for Massachusetts took to Twitter and wrote, “This morning’s explosion at the Seqens pharmaceutical manufacturing plant is horrifying—and it's just the latest avoidable disaster at this facility, following years of serious violations, fines, and explosions.”&nbsp;

The cause of the explosion remains unknown including which, if at all, chemicals were involved. According to the officials from the state Department of Environmental Protection, the smoke from the fire blew over the industrial park and into a largely unpopulated area and reported some runoff from firefighting foam.&nbsp; 
 
However, this is not the first time that the chemical plant has come under scrutiny as a fire in 2021&nbsp;sent smoke pouring out of roof vents and prompted a hazardous materials team to respond, reported AP, citing a&nbsp;fire department statement released&nbsp;at the time. The year prior,&nbsp;authorities said a chemical reaction caused a series of explosions at the plant.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

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A worker who was previously missing after a powerful explosion at a pharmaceutical chemical plant in Massachusetts, US, was found dead hours after the blast tore through the building, on Thursday (May 4).

A worker who was previously missing after a powerful explosion at a pharmaceutical chemical plant in Massachusetts, US, was found dead hours after the blast tore through the building, on Thursday (May 4). The incident in Newburyport has since prompted Democrat Senator Edward Markey to demand accountability from the plant’s owners. The body of the worker was found by the search-and-rescue crews around 5:25 pm (local time), hours after the explosion took place in the morning, said acting Newburyport Fire Chief Stephen Bradbury who did not identify the victim. Bradbury described the blast as a “seven-alarm hazardous materials” event and said that the body was recovered from the building. According to a local media report, the worker who passed away was a 61-year-old man. Images of the scene show the roof of the building destroyed and debris lying across the field around the plant. The search and rescue operation was also hampered after given the plant’s structural integrity following the blast and high flames. Furthermore, four workers were taken to the hospital as a precaution but were found uninjured. While authorities had assured that the plant will not affect the local population, one woman, as per the Associated Press, said she could taste chemicals on her lips. “I could smell chemicals in the air. I could taste it on my lips,” said 58-year-old, Nancy Gero, who works next door to the plant. The explosion took place around 1:00 am at the Sequens/PCI Synthesis plant, said the officials. The blast blew a vat from the building 30 feet into a parking lot, Bradbury said in a news release. According to the fire chief, five workers were inside the building at the time of the blast. “It was a very violent explosion,” said Bradbury. After the incident, PCI Synthesis in a statement said, “All our attention is focused on the situation of our employees.” After the incident, Democrat Senator for Massachusetts took to Twitter and wrote, “This morning’s explosion at the Seqens pharmaceutical manufacturing plant is horrifying—and it's just the latest avoidable disaster at this facility, following years of serious violations, fines, and explosions.” The cause of the explosion remains unknown including which, if at all, chemicals were involved. According to the officials from the state Department of Environmental Protection, the smoke from the fire blew over the industrial park and into a largely unpopulated area and reported some runoff from firefighting foam. However, this is not the first time that the chemical plant has come under scrutiny as a fire in 2021 sent smoke pouring out of roof vents and prompted a hazardous materials team to respond, reported AP, citing a fire department statement released at the time. The year prior, authorities said a chemical reaction caused a series of explosions at the plant. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US: Worker killed after pharmaceutical plant explosion in Massachusetts

Environmentalist groups in Mexico have raised objections to one of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador's (Amlo) most publicized works - the Mayan train - devastating huge swathes of virgin jungles.

Environmentalist warns Mexico train project destroying ancient Mayan cave system

While the whole world was celebrating Islamic Festival Eid, a small group of women in the remote village of Karith in India’s Ladakh decided to celebrate the festival in a unique way. These local women from the Karith village got together and raised slogans of cleanliness and made sure the entire village was cleaned on Eid.&nbsp;

The initiative was started by a local self-help group in the area along with the local females. The programme witnessed huge participation from women in the area and also showcased the relationship between humans and nature. Clean surroundings and maintaining a balance between nature and people are of the utmost importance.&nbsp;

“To observe and celebrate Eid Ul Fitr in a beneficial way, all of us got together and carried out the cleanliness drive in our village. The slogan of the clean Karith Village was raised, and a cleaning programme was launched in the village called Clean Karith. We generally clean our houses for the festival of Eid but this year we made sure to clean the whole village,” said a local woman.&nbsp;

The Karith village of Ladakh has taken several initiatives before this also which became a learning point for many other villages. The same ideas were replicated later by many villages across the country.&nbsp;

“Karith village has taken several initiatives which can become a role model for the rest of the villages in the Union Territory. And this step will also come as a prototype for the cleanliness of the society, and it is said that a healthy village is the abode of a healthy society,” said Mohd Hasan of Yuva Karith Group.&nbsp;

The same group has earlier set up a pilot school and Ice Stupa in Ladakh which became popular not only at the regional but also at the national level. These women from the Karith Village have set new standards for keeping their village clean and inspired hundreds of others to take up the same initiative and make villages across India clean and green.&nbsp; 
 
 
&nbsp;

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While the whole world was celebrating Islamic Festival Eid, a small group of women in the remote village of Karith in India’s Ladakh decided to celebrate the festival in a unique way.

While the whole world was celebrating Islamic Festival Eid, a small group of women in the remote village of Karith in India’s Ladakh decided to celebrate the festival in a unique way. These local women from the Karith village got together and raised slogans of cleanliness and made sure the entire village was cleaned on Eid. The initiative was started by a local self-help group in the area along with the local females. The programme witnessed huge participation from women in the area and also showcased the relationship between humans and nature. Clean surroundings and maintaining a balance between nature and people are of the utmost importance. “To observe and celebrate Eid Ul Fitr in a beneficial way, all of us got together and carried out the cleanliness drive in our village. The slogan of the clean Karith Village was raised, and a cleaning programme was launched in the village called Clean Karith. We generally clean our houses for the festival of Eid but this year we made sure to clean the whole village,” said a local woman. The Karith village of Ladakh has taken several initiatives before this also which became a learning point for many other villages. The same ideas were replicated later by many villages across the country. “Karith village has taken several initiatives which can become a role model for the rest of the villages in the Union Territory. And this step will also come as a prototype for the cleanliness of the society, and it is said that a healthy village is the abode of a healthy society,” said Mohd Hasan of Yuva Karith Group. The same group has earlier set up a pilot school and Ice Stupa in Ladakh which became popular not only at the regional but also at the national level. These women from the Karith Village have set new standards for keeping their village clean and inspired hundreds of others to take up the same initiative and make villages across India clean and green. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

India: As people clean their homes on Eid, these women in Ladakh cleaned the whole village

IN PICS | From rituals to protests: Earth Day 2023 celebrations across the world

World Earth Day 2023: Every year on April 22, we observe World Earth Day to spread awareness and support&nbsp;the environmental protection this planet needs. The first-ever Earth Day was observed on April 22, 1970. The theme for this year is a continuation of last year's "Invest in Our Planet" and "Get Inspired. Take Action." On this day a few committees organise events across the world. April 16 to 22 is named as "Earth Week," dedicated to educating people about climate change this planet experiences and steps against it and being a part of the green revolution. However, despite such initiatives, IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) underlines that we still are off track in meeting targets.&nbsp;

<h3>Earth Day 2023: History</h3>

Earth Day was initially founded in 1970 to educate people about environmental issues. The day began as a "national teach-in on the environment" by Senator Gaylord Nelson, the brainchild behind the idea.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
On the first Earth Day in 1970, thousands took part in rallies held in Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles and many American cities, Environmental Protection Agency reported. It was effective at raising awareness about environmental issues and transforming public attitudes.

<h3>Earth Day 2023: Theme</h3>

The theme for this day is "Invest in Our Planet," as per EarthDay.org (EDO), the global organiser for this event. It highlights the crucial role of investment in driving positive change and addressing the current environmental challenges that we face today.&nbsp;

The theme calls on all individuals, communities, governments and businesses to prioritise and take actions towards protecting and preserving our planet.&nbsp;

<h3>Earth Day 2023: Significance</h3>

The first success of this day back in 1970 led to the creation of the EPA or Environmental Protection Agency in the United States initiated several key environmental issues such as Endangered Species Act, Clean Air Acr and the Clean Water Act.&nbsp;

<h3>Steps for you to save Earth:</h3>

The first step to prevent Earth is Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

Plant trees. Planting more trees is the most caring method for the environment as it will help to reduce carbon emissions.&nbsp;

Travel Smart. Choose to walk, ride a bicycle or take public transport whenever possible, as it will help to reduce gaseous emissions.

Conserve Water by fixing loose taps and leaky pipes.

<h3>Interesting facts about Earth:</h3>

Earth is the third planet from the Sun and is the four largest terrestrial planet. It is the only planet in the solar system where water can be present in all three states- solid, liquid and gas.&nbsp;

Earth has formed some 4.54 billion years ago. It is much larger than Venus. It is the only planet that supports life. It is the only planet in the solar system that has tectonic plates underneath its surface. &nbsp;

Earth receives between 100 and 30 metric tonnes of cosmic dust every day.

As we all know Earth is made up of more than 7- per cent of water, but the water accounts are actually less than one per cent of Earth's mass.

About 95 per cent of Earth's oceans are still unexplored.&nbsp;

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World Earth Day 2023: Every year on April 22, we observe World Earth Day to spread awareness and support the environmental protection this planet needs. The first-ever Earth Day was observed on April 22, 1970.

World Earth Day 2023: Every year on April 22, we observe World Earth Day to spread awareness and support the environmental protection this planet needs. The first-ever Earth Day was observed on April 22, 1970. The theme for this year is a continuation of last year's "Invest in Our Planet" and "Get Inspired. Take Action." On this day a few committees organise events across the world. April 16 to 22 is named as "Earth Week," dedicated to educating people about climate change this planet experiences and steps against it and being a part of the green revolution. However, despite such initiatives, IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) underlines that we still are off track in meeting targets. Earth Day 2023: History Earth Day was initially founded in 1970 to educate people about environmental issues. The day began as a "national teach-in on the environment" by Senator Gaylord Nelson, the brainchild behind the idea. On the first Earth Day in 1970, thousands took part in rallies held in Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles and many American cities, Environmental Protection Agency reported. It was effective at raising awareness about environmental issues and transforming public attitudes. Earth Day 2023: Theme The theme for this day is "Invest in Our Planet," as per EarthDay.org (EDO), the global organiser for this event. It highlights the crucial role of investment in driving positive change and addressing the current environmental challenges that we face today. The theme calls on all individuals, communities, governments and businesses to prioritise and take actions towards protecting and preserving our planet. Earth Day 2023: Significance The first success of this day back in 1970 led to the creation of the EPA or Environmental Protection Agency in the United States initiated several key environmental issues such as Endangered Species Act, Clean Air Acr and the Clean Water Act. Steps for you to save Earth: The first step to prevent Earth is Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Plant trees. Planting more trees is the most caring method for the environment as it will help to reduce carbon emissions. Travel Smart. Choose to walk, ride a bicycle or take public transport whenever possible, as it will help to reduce gaseous emissions. Conserve Water by fixing loose taps and leaky pipes. Interesting facts about Earth: Earth is the third planet from the Sun and is the four largest terrestrial planet. It is the only planet in the solar system where water can be present in all three states- solid, liquid and gas. Earth has formed some 4.54 billion years ago. It is much larger than Venus. It is the only planet that supports life. It is the only planet in the solar system that has tectonic plates underneath its surface. Earth receives between 100 and 30 metric tonnes of cosmic dust every day. As we all know Earth is made up of more than 7- per cent of water, but the water accounts are actually less than one per cent of Earth's mass. About 95 per cent of Earth's oceans are still unexplored. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

World Earth Day 2023: Check history, theme, significance & interesting facts about our planet

Gopal Rai, the environment minister, announced on Wednesday (April 19), that the Delhi government planned to offer free saplings and pots to residents' doorsteps in order to increase the amount of greenery in the capital.

In an interview, he told PTI that a team is being formed to identify plant species that have a high mortality rate after transplantation and to determine the impact of the soil type and other factors on the relocated trees in an effort to increase their survival rate.

The green cover of Delhi has increased from 21.88 to 23.06 per cent of its geographic area, according to the most recent India State of Forest Report.

Rai noted, however, that the government is preparing other methods, including urban farming, to increase the amount of greenery.

"The forest department and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi are going to launch a pilot project to provide plants and pots free of cost to people at their doorsteps," he said.&nbsp;

"We are conducting a ward-wise survey, asking people what type of plants they want. A survey is underway in one ward in my assembly constituency (Babarpur in northeast Delhi)," he added.&nbsp;

In Delhi, there are roughly 10,000 residences per ward.

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;India records 12,591 new Covid cases in a day, highest in around 8 months

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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/data-lab-making-sense-of-indias-forest-cover-change-both-gains-and-losses-579663">Data Lab: Making sense of India's forest cover change, both gains and losses</a>

Accordingly, more plans to give people in other places plants and pots would be set up, Rai said, adding "if the project is successful, we will be able to create an alternative green belt."

Small plants are simpler to maintain and use fewer resources than larger ones, say specialists on biodiversity. According to them, this makes smaller plants a more sustainable option for boosting the amount of greenery in particular places.

The environment minister for Delhi claimed that some species have very low survival rates and that some soil types are not suitable for transplanting trees.

Only 33.33 per cent of the 16,461 trees that were transplanted in Delhi over the previous three years have survived, according to data that the forest department submitted to the Delhi High Court in May of last year.

Due to the Delhi government's tree transplantation policy, the affected agencies are required to relocate at least 80 per cent&nbsp;of the trees impacted by their development activities. After a year after transplantation, the benchmark tree survival rate is 80 per cent.

As noted by Rai, the Delhi government has successfully reduced air pollution to a significant degree and is currently focusing on a smaller scale, "trying to ascertain which sources are contributing to air pollution under what conditions."

(With inputs from agencies)

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Gopal Rai, the environment minister, announced on Wednesday (April 19), that the Delhi government planned to offer free saplings and pots to residents' doorsteps in order to increase the amount of greenery in the capital.

Gopal Rai, the environment minister, announced on Wednesday (April 19), that the Delhi government planned to offer free saplings and pots to residents' doorsteps in order to increase the amount of greenery in the capital. In an interview, he told PTI that a team is being formed to identify plant species that have a high mortality rate after transplantation and to determine the impact of the soil type and other factors on the relocated trees in an effort to increase their survival rate. The green cover of Delhi has increased from 21.88 to 23.06 per cent of its geographic area, according to the most recent India State of Forest Report. Rai noted, however, that the government is preparing other methods, including urban farming, to increase the amount of greenery. "The forest department and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi are going to launch a pilot project to provide plants and pots free of cost to people at their doorsteps," he said. "We are conducting a ward-wise survey, asking people what type of plants they want. A survey is underway in one ward in my assembly constituency (Babarpur in northeast Delhi)," he added. In Delhi, there are roughly 10,000 residences per ward. ALSO WATCH | India records 12,591 new Covid cases in a day, highest in around 8 months ALSO READ | Data Lab: Making sense of India's forest cover change, both gains and losses Accordingly, more plans to give people in other places plants and pots would be set up, Rai said, adding "if the project is successful, we will be able to create an alternative green belt." Small plants are simpler to maintain and use fewer resources than larger ones, say specialists on biodiversity. According to them, this makes smaller plants a more sustainable option for boosting the amount of greenery in particular places. The environment minister for Delhi claimed that some species have very low survival rates and that some soil types are not suitable for transplanting trees. Only 33.33 per cent of the 16,461 trees that were transplanted in Delhi over the previous three years have survived, according to data that the forest department submitted to the Delhi High Court in May of last year. Due to the Delhi government's tree transplantation policy, the affected agencies are required to relocate at least 80 per cent of the trees impacted by their development activities. After a year after transplantation, the benchmark tree survival rate is 80 per cent. As noted by Rai, the Delhi government has successfully reduced air pollution to a significant degree and is currently focusing on a smaller scale, "trying to ascertain which sources are contributing to air pollution under what conditions." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

India: Delhi government to offer free plants at doorstep in bid to promote greenery. Details here

The Group of Seven (G7) rich nations’ energy and environment ministers, on Sunday (April 16) vowed to ramp up efforts and work toward cleaner and renewable energy while also phasing out power plants using coal, in a statement, following discussions in the northern Japanese city of Sapporo. However, they could not decide on a deadline to achieve said goals.&nbsp;

The 36-page communique&nbsp;

After two days of discussions between the environment and energy ministers of the bloc, they released a 36-page statement outlining some of their commitments ahead of the G7 summit in Hiroshima set to take place next month.&nbsp;

“Recognizing the current global energy crisis and economic disruptions, we reaffirm our commitment to accelerating the clean energy transition to net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 at the latest,” said the statement.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-germany-to-end-its-decades-old-nuclear-power-era-what-now-582839">Explained | Germany to end its decades-old nuclear power era. What now?</a> 
 
The countries have also pledged to contribute to “expanding renewable energy globally” and reaffirmed their commitment to “achieving a fully or predominantly decarbonised power sector by 2035.”&nbsp;

This includes phasing out domestic “unabated” coal power generation – plants that do not capture emissions and prevent them from escaping into the atmosphere and also encouraged other countries to follow suit.&nbsp;

However, the G7 ministers have not given a deadline for phasing out coal-fired power plants, which has been a long-standing issue as many countries including Japan still heavily rely on this method for generating power. Tokyo relies on coal for nearly one-third of its power generation.&nbsp;

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/g7-climate-talks-meet-seeks-to-reconcile-worlds-heavy-reliance-on-fossil-fuels-582882">G7 Climate Talks: Meet seeks to reconcile world's heavy reliance on fossil fuels</a>

The G7 nations which include countries like Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States,&nbsp;account for some 40 per cent of the world’s economic activity and are also responsible for nearly a quarter of global carbon emissions. The countries are also committed to ending plastic pollution and reducing additional plastic pollution to zero by 2040.&nbsp;

Investment in critical minerals

The G7 nations also acknowledged the importance of critical minerals for the transition to clean energy and reaffirmed the “need to prevent economic and security risks caused by vulnerable supply chains, monopolisation, lack of diversification of existing suppliers of critical minerals.”

In this context, they have also decided to boost the development of new mines and supply chains for critical minerals in a “responsible manner that promotes transparency and traceability” to keep up with demand. It added, “Currently $13 billion fiscal support that can be used for domestic and foreign projects is prepared across the G7 countries.”

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/himalayas-have-lost-glacier-mass-equal-to-weight-of-570-million-elephants-study-579733">Himalayas have lost glacier mass equal to weight of 570 million elephants: Study</a>

Indian&nbsp;environment&nbsp;minister's address

Indian Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav also addressed the plenary session of the G7 ministers’ meeting in Japan and spoke about how economic development is the first defence against climate change. He also took to Twitter and wrote, “The global goal of reaching net zero by 2050 needs enhanced emission descaling by developed nations.” 
&nbsp;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Addressed the Plenary Session at G7 Ministers' Meeting on Climate, Energy and Environment. 
 
IPCC AR 6 Report reemphasises development is our first defence against climate change. 
 
The global goal of reaching net zero by 2050 needs enhanced emission descaling by developed nations. <a href="https://t.co/GAoSXn9o4W">pic.twitter.com/GAoSXn9o4W</a>
— Bhupender Yadav (@byadavbjp) <a href="https://twitter.com/byadavbjp/status/1647072591084146689?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2023</a></blockquote>
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(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

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The Group of Seven (G7) rich nations’ energy and environment ministers, on Sunday (April 16) vowed to ramp up efforts and work toward cleaner and renewable energy while also phasing out power plants using coal, in a statement, following discussions in the northern Japanese city of Sapporo.

The Group of Seven (G7) rich nations’ energy and environment ministers, on Sunday (April 16) vowed to ramp up efforts and work toward cleaner and renewable energy while also phasing out power plants using coal, in a statement, following discussions in the northern Japanese city of Sapporo. However, they could not decide on a deadline to achieve said goals. The 36-page communique After two days of discussions between the environment and energy ministers of the bloc, they released a 36-page statement outlining some of their commitments ahead of the G7 summit in Hiroshima set to take place next month. “Recognizing the current global energy crisis and economic disruptions, we reaffirm our commitment to accelerating the clean energy transition to net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 at the latest,” said the statement. ALSO READ | Explained | Germany to end its decades-old nuclear power era. What now? The countries have also pledged to contribute to “expanding renewable energy globally” and reaffirmed their commitment to “achieving a fully or predominantly decarbonised power sector by 2035.” This includes phasing out domestic “unabated” coal power generation – plants that do not capture emissions and prevent them from escaping into the atmosphere and also encouraged other countries to follow suit. However, the G7 ministers have not given a deadline for phasing out coal-fired power plants, which has been a long-standing issue as many countries including Japan still heavily rely on this method for generating power. Tokyo relies on coal for nearly one-third of its power generation. ALSO WATCH | G7 Climate Talks: Meet seeks to reconcile world's heavy reliance on fossil fuels The G7 nations which include countries like Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, account for some 40 per cent of the world’s economic activity and are also responsible for nearly a quarter of global carbon emissions. The countries are also committed to ending plastic pollution and reducing additional plastic pollution to zero by 2040. Investment in critical minerals The G7 nations also acknowledged the importance of critical minerals for the transition to clean energy and reaffirmed the “need to prevent economic and security risks caused by vulnerable supply chains, monopolisation, lack of diversification of existing suppliers of critical minerals.” In this context, they have also decided to boost the development of new mines and supply chains for critical minerals in a “responsible manner that promotes transparency and traceability” to keep up with demand. It added, “Currently $13 billion fiscal support that can be used for domestic and foreign projects is prepared across the G7 countries.” ALSO READ | Himalayas have lost glacier mass equal to weight of 570 million elephants: Study Indian environment minister's address Indian Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav also addressed the plenary session of the G7 ministers’ meeting in Japan and spoke about how economic development is the first defence against climate change. He also took to Twitter and wrote, “The global goal of reaching net zero by 2050 needs enhanced emission descaling by developed nations.” Addressed the Plenary Session at G7 Ministers' Meeting on Climate, Energy and Environment. IPCC AR 6 Report reemphasises development is our first defence against climate change. The global goal of reaching net zero by 2050 needs enhanced emission descaling by developed nations. pic.twitter.com/GAoSXn9o4W — Bhupender Yadav (@byadavbjp) April 15, 2023 × (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

G7 vows to work towards cleaner, renewable energy with no deadline

This week, dozens of dead stingrays washed up on a beach in Rio de Janeiro, raising questions and alarm in the community.&nbsp;

The first sightings were reported by local fishermen early on Tuesday. A resident of the fishing community claimed that just after dawn, she noticed&nbsp;the incident, which brought vultures to the area.

“This made us all sad. We’ve never seen the death of stingrays like this here,”&nbsp;fisherman Renato dos Reis Oliveira told Reuters.&nbsp;

The absence of other dead species on the beach, according to Mar Urbano Institute biologist Ricardo Gomes, suggests the incidence was probably not brought on by contaminants or a deficiency in oxygen in the sea.

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;Dozens of dead stingrays found on Brazil beach

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“This makes the hypothesis of trawling more evident in the cases of these stingrays,” he told Reuters.&nbsp;

Trawling is a form of fishing when one or more boats pull a net through the water.

<p data-analytics-observe="off" data-component-name="paragraph" data-editable="text" data-uri="archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_1C2C08AC-39B2-967E-708E-75254FC6B3FF@published">“This is not (the stingray’s natural) place, so this is strange even for the people who are here and who live off fishing,” environmentalist Isabeli Delois told Reuters.

<p data-analytics-observe="off" data-component-name="paragraph" data-editable="text" data-uri="archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_81C66FDC-62A6-04D0-ACC3-752568C665A2@published">“Something very bad happened,” she added.

A month ago, several&nbsp;videos did the rounds on social media &nbsp;showing&nbsp;hundreds of dead fish washed onto a beach in Barefoot Beach Preserve in Florida.

The video was shot on Tuesday by Tom&nbsp;

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This week, dozens of dead stingrays washed up on a beach in Rio de Janeiro, raising questions and alarm in the community. The first sightings were reported by local fishermen early on Tuesday.

This week, dozens of dead stingrays washed up on a beach in Rio de Janeiro, raising questions and alarm in the community. The first sightings were reported by local fishermen early on Tuesday. A resident of the fishing community claimed that just after dawn, she noticed the incident, which brought vultures to the area. “This made us all sad. We’ve never seen the death of stingrays like this here,” fisherman Renato dos Reis Oliveira told Reuters. The absence of other dead species on the beach, according to Mar Urbano Institute biologist Ricardo Gomes, suggests the incidence was probably not brought on by contaminants or a deficiency in oxygen in the sea. ALSO WATCH | Dozens of dead stingrays found on Brazil beach “This makes the hypothesis of trawling more evident in the cases of these stingrays,” he told Reuters. Trawling is a form of fishing when one or more boats pull a net through the water. “This is not (the stingray’s natural) place, so this is strange even for the people who are here and who live off fishing,” environmentalist Isabeli Delois told Reuters. “Something very bad happened,” she added. A month ago, several videos did the rounds on social media showing hundreds of dead fish washed onto a beach in Barefoot Beach Preserve in Florida. The video was shot on Tuesday by Tom (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Several dead stingrays found on Brazil beach, environmentalists dig into its root cause

A former Ugandan journalist has turned to bamboo farming as a "Magic bullet" in the fight against environmental degradation. He is our trailblazer this week.

Journalist takes up bamboo farming | World of Africa

Farmers in parts of Africa and Asia have long dreaded when an elephant wanders into their fields where they not only trample the crops but are also capable of consuming an entire year’s harvest overnight, reported the New York Times. These&nbsp;encounters also turn&nbsp;deadly as the elephants occasionally kill humans and when sometimes farmers fight back the tuskers&nbsp;are killed.

However, scientists have found a way to scare the elephants away, not by hitting or screaming at them but buzzing. Earlier this month, footage filmed during an audio trial by the Liberian-based elephant research and conservation group, ELRECO showed a huge male elephant entering&nbsp;from a remote Liberian forest to farmland. Subsequently, the munching elephant heard an angry buzzing sound and froze mid-chew after which he high-tailed out of there.&nbsp;

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This is where Buzz Box comes in, as the sound that led the elephant to take off was of a disturbed hive of bees and like other tuskers across the world, he has learned to avoid that insect sound. “We were absolutely thrilled when we saw the footage. The chance to get this kind of scene is probably one in a million,” said Dr Tina Vogt, technical director of ELRECO, in a statement.&nbsp;

The German non-profit group is currently in the midst of testing the devices in Liberia. The project is also in collaboration with an organisation called, Save the Elephant, which is helping them deploy the BuzzBox. The deadly encounters between humans and elephants “feeds into the issue of local people being recruited into poaching gangs,” said Francesca Mahoney, founder and director of Wild Survivors, a United Kingdom-based non-profit which developed the BuzzBox, as per the New York Times.&nbsp;

Dr Lucy King, head of the human-elephant coexistence program at Save the Elephants, has been studying elephants’ fear of bees for nearly two decades. She has previously created specialised wire fences with beehives hanging like pendulums. Therefore, when elephants move the fence causes a disturbance in the hives and the bees swarm. The 2017 study led by Dr King also shows an 80 per cent success rate in repelling elephants from farms.&nbsp;

“Finding a natural threat to scare elephants in the most holistic way possible, without terrifying them or making them go into pain, is really useful for management”, said Dr King. First developed nearly six years ago by Wild Survivors’ chairperson, Martyn Griffiths, the current model costs around $100 and is simple enough for local school children to build, reported the New York Times.&nbsp; 
 
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Farmers in parts of Africa and Asia have long dreaded when an elephant wanders into their fields where they not only trample the crops but are also capable of consuming an entire year’s harvest overnight, reported the New York Times.

Farmers in parts of Africa and Asia have long dreaded when an elephant wanders into their fields where they not only trample the crops but are also capable of consuming an entire year’s harvest overnight, reported the New York Times. These encounters also turn deadly as the elephants occasionally kill humans and when sometimes farmers fight back the tuskers are killed. However, scientists have found a way to scare the elephants away, not by hitting or screaming at them but buzzing. Earlier this month, footage filmed during an audio trial by the Liberian-based elephant research and conservation group, ELRECO showed a huge male elephant entering from a remote Liberian forest to farmland. Subsequently, the munching elephant heard an angry buzzing sound and froze mid-chew after which he high-tailed out of there. × This is where Buzz Box comes in, as the sound that led the elephant to take off was of a disturbed hive of bees and like other tuskers across the world, he has learned to avoid that insect sound. “We were absolutely thrilled when we saw the footage. The chance to get this kind of scene is probably one in a million,” said Dr Tina Vogt, technical director of ELRECO, in a statement. The German non-profit group is currently in the midst of testing the devices in Liberia. The project is also in collaboration with an organisation called, Save the Elephant, which is helping them deploy the BuzzBox. The deadly encounters between humans and elephants “feeds into the issue of local people being recruited into poaching gangs,” said Francesca Mahoney, founder and director of Wild Survivors, a United Kingdom-based non-profit which developed the BuzzBox, as per the New York Times. Dr Lucy King, head of the human-elephant coexistence program at Save the Elephants, has been studying elephants’ fear of bees for nearly two decades. She has previously created specialised wire fences with beehives hanging like pendulums. Therefore, when elephants move the fence causes a disturbance in the hives and the bees swarm. The 2017 study led by Dr King also shows an 80 per cent success rate in repelling elephants from farms. “Finding a natural threat to scare elephants in the most holistic way possible, without terrifying them or making them go into pain, is really useful for management”, said Dr King. First developed nearly six years ago by Wild Survivors’ chairperson, Martyn Griffiths, the current model costs around $100 and is simple enough for local school children to build, reported the New York Times. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

WATCH | ‘One-in-a-million’ footage: Scientists find an elephant repellent to keep them away from crops

In pics | Lights off! Indian cities mark 'Earth Hour'

The European Union and Germany, on Saturday (March 25), struck a deal which would decide the future use of combustion engines, said officials. In line with the agreement, a planned phaseout on the sale of cars using fossil fuels will take place by 2035. However, it also allowed some combustion engines beyond the 2035 mark, a move which has since drawn condemnation from the prominent environmental group, Greenpeace. &nbsp;

The deal also ends the dispute between Berlin and Brussels over the manufacturing of cars which use so-called e-fuels. This comes as Berlin wanted assurances that new combustion engine cars can be sold beyond the deadline if they run on e-fuels. In line with this, the Germany and EU have decided that they would allow cars to be registered after that date, providing that any fuel they use is exclusively carbon neutral, as per media reports.&nbsp;

“We have found an agreement with Germany on the future use of e-fuels in cars,”&nbsp;EU Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans wrote on Twitter. He added, “We will work now on getting the CO2 standards for cars regulation adopted as soon as possible, and the Commission will follow up swiftly with the necessary legal steps.”&nbsp;

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We have found an agreement with Germany on the future use of efuels in cars. 
 
We will work now on getting the CO2-standards for cars regulation adopted as soon as possible, and the Commission will follow-up swiftly with the necessary legal steps to implement recital 11.
— Frans Timmermans (@TimmermansEU) <a href="https://twitter.com/TimmermansEU/status/1639553948179742720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Meanwhile, German Transport Minister Volker Wissing had also taken to the microblogging platform and said that “the way is clear” after the agreement was reached, late Friday. He added, “Vehicles with internal combustion engines can still be newly registered after 2035 if they fill up exclusively with CO2-neutral fuels.”&nbsp;

The EU diplomats are yet to vote on the formal approval of the 2035 phase-out law. Sweden, which currently holds the EU’s rotating presidency, said that the voting will take place on Monday.&nbsp;

The landmark deal will prohibit new sales of fossil fuel cars from 2035, however, in an unprecedented move earlier this month a leading car producer blocked the agreement at the last minute after it had been approved through the EU’s legislative process, reported AFP.&nbsp;

“This stinky compromise undermines climate protection in transport, and it harms Europe,” said Benjamin Stephan of Greenpeace, as per Reuters. He added&nbsp;that it dilutes the needed focus of the auto industry on efficient electromobility.&nbsp; 
 
The development of the synthetic fuels that Berlin had sought an exemption for, is said to be produced using low-carbon electricity but the technology remains unproven. While German manufacturers hope it will lead to the extended use of combustion engines, Environmental NGOs have disputed its value to the transition towards clean energy sources and said that it is expensive, polluting and energy-intensive. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The European Union and Germany, on Saturday (March 25), struck a deal which would decide the future use of combustion engines, said officials. In line with the agreement, a planned phaseout on the sale of cars using fossil fuels will take place by 2035.

The European Union and Germany, on Saturday (March 25), struck a deal which would decide the future use of combustion engines, said officials. In line with the agreement, a planned phaseout on the sale of cars using fossil fuels will take place by 2035. However, it also allowed some combustion engines beyond the 2035 mark, a move which has since drawn condemnation from the prominent environmental group, Greenpeace. The deal also ends the dispute between Berlin and Brussels over the manufacturing of cars which use so-called e-fuels. This comes as Berlin wanted assurances that new combustion engine cars can be sold beyond the deadline if they run on e-fuels. In line with this, the Germany and EU have decided that they would allow cars to be registered after that date, providing that any fuel they use is exclusively carbon neutral, as per media reports. “We have found an agreement with Germany on the future use of e-fuels in cars,” EU Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans wrote on Twitter. He added, “We will work now on getting the CO2 standards for cars regulation adopted as soon as possible, and the Commission will follow up swiftly with the necessary legal steps.” We have found an agreement with Germany on the future use of efuels in cars. We will work now on getting the CO2-standards for cars regulation adopted as soon as possible, and the Commission will follow-up swiftly with the necessary legal steps to implement recital 11. — Frans Timmermans (@TimmermansEU) March 25, 2023 × Meanwhile, German Transport Minister Volker Wissing had also taken to the microblogging platform and said that “the way is clear” after the agreement was reached, late Friday. He added, “Vehicles with internal combustion engines can still be newly registered after 2035 if they fill up exclusively with CO2-neutral fuels.” The EU diplomats are yet to vote on the formal approval of the 2035 phase-out law. Sweden, which currently holds the EU’s rotating presidency, said that the voting will take place on Monday. The landmark deal will prohibit new sales of fossil fuel cars from 2035, however, in an unprecedented move earlier this month a leading car producer blocked the agreement at the last minute after it had been approved through the EU’s legislative process, reported AFP. “This stinky compromise undermines climate protection in transport, and it harms Europe,” said Benjamin Stephan of Greenpeace, as per Reuters. He added that it dilutes the needed focus of the auto industry on efficient electromobility. The development of the synthetic fuels that Berlin had sought an exemption for, is said to be produced using low-carbon electricity but the technology remains unproven. While German manufacturers hope it will lead to the extended use of combustion engines, Environmental NGOs have disputed its value to the transition towards clean energy sources and said that it is expensive, polluting and energy-intensive. (With inputs from agencies)

Germany and EU strike landmark deal on phasing out fossil fuel cars

Last week, negotiations over how to regulate the mining of the seabed began among the 167-nation body, International Seabed Authority (ISA) which regulates the exploitation of minerals on the seabed outside national jurisdictions also known as the high seas.&nbsp;

The ISA headquartered in Kingston, Jamaica is in the midst of hosting a two-week council session which began on March 16 to discuss the adoption of a mining code which has been in the works for nearly a decade. However, its chief has recently come under fire for supposedly ignoring proposals by other diplomats and pushing them to approve the start of deep-sea mining.&nbsp;

What has been happening at the ISA?

The ISA works under the authorisation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea which allows the 167-nation body to control seabeds outside the territorial waters of nations. “We come together now with the work on the mining code, well advanced and with six weeks of negotiating before us this year”, said a British lawyer and head of the UN-affiliated body Michael Lodge.&nbsp;

ISA has recently faced pressure from the tiny Pacific nation, Nauru, said a report by AFP. Notably, the exploitation of seafloor minerals is not expected to begin until the adoption of a mining code, the discussion of which has lasted for almost 10 years now but in June 2021 the island nation triggered a clause which allowed it to demand the adoption of these rules within two years.&nbsp;

The decision taken by ISA is also being closely watched as it comes amid several landmark treaties signed in favour of protecting the environment. This includes the landmark UN High Seas Treaty which was adopted, earlier this month, to protect oceans and seabeds outside national jurisdiction.&nbsp;

Following the historic UN Biodiversity Conference which aims to protect 30 per cent of the Earth’s land and water by 2030, late last year. “With these global milestones, the pressure is now on the ISA council to deliver,” said Lodge, as per AFP.&nbsp;

What was the row about?

As the two-week council session in Jamaica is underway, the ISA chief has been criticised by diplomats who have claimed that he has been pushing them to accelerate the process of beginning deep-sea mining. According to a report by the New York Times, the British lawyer who has a duty of neutrality has supposedly been ignoring measures proposed by some council members which could potentially slow down approval of the first mining proposals.&nbsp;

Additionally, not all countries are in favour of beginning seabed extraction and raised concerns like a lack of knowledge on the impact of disturbing the ocean floor. Germany and Costa Rica have also joined France, Spain, Chile, New Zealand and several Pacific nations which have expressed these concerns and called for a “precautionary pause” or a ban on mining in the high seas.&nbsp;

The 167-nation body will soon receive an application for commercial seabed mining, which makes the decision about the mining code all the more important as it would govern the process. According to the Guardian, Lodge has previously indicated that the impact of seabed mining is “predictable and manageable”.&nbsp;

In response to the story in the New York Times, Costa Rica’s representative to the ISA, Gina Guillén Grillo took to Twitter, on Monday (March 20) and said “Decisions must come from them &amp; must not be pushed by those who have only administrative duties. Mining the seabed cannot be rushed (because) of the economic interests of a few.”

Similarly, Franziska Brantner, Germany’s minister for economic affairs and climate action, in a letter to Lodge also said, “It is not the task of the secretariat to interfere in the decision making. In the past, you have actively taken a stand against positions and decision-making proposals from individual delegations,” reported the Guardian. It added that Germany was “seriously concerned about this approach.”

How did Lodge respond to these allegations?

In his opening remarks, on March 8, the British lawyer said that the allegations of him taking a position opposing proposals from delegates are “untrue” and that he rejects “such a baseless allegation”.&nbsp;

Subsequently, he also made a statement to the New York Times and clarified his position by saying that he places “high importance on the preservation and protection of the marine environment”. He also spoke about how he is working to make sure that the “decision-making processes around economic activity in the deep seabed is based on best available scientific knowledge”.&nbsp;

What would happen if the ISA cannot reach an agreement?

The two-year period expires in a few months after which Nauru will be able to apply for an exploitation contract for Nauru Ocean Resources, Nori, a subsidiary of Canadian mining startup The Metals Company which the country also sponsors. The small Pacific island country is one of three states sponsoring the Canadian mining startup along with the Kingdom of Tonga and the Republic of Kiribati.

Nauru has also previously sent a memo to the ISA saying that if the seabed authority has not finalised regulations within the time frame and in the meantime if an application for deep-sea mining has been submitted they should “consider and provisionally approve” it. However, other countries have said that they are not obligated to do so until the regulations are finalised.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Duncan Currie, an international legal adviser to the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition and official observer at the meeting on March 8, told the Guardian, “This is not just a row between diplomats. It is very significant. The executive organ is the council. It is not for the administrative body to be telling the council what decisions they should be making.”

ISA spokesperson, who was not named, also told the UK-based news organisation, that the role of the secretariat is to “facilitate negotiations and ensure that discussions are informed by the best available science” and in line with the UN convention.&nbsp;

It does not “pass judgement” on the position of its member states. “The regulations will only be approved should ISA’s members reach a consensus on its content. In the meantime, only exploration activities will be permitted,” said the ISA spokesperson, as per the Guardian.&nbsp;

As of now, about 30 research centres and companies which are only concerned with the exploration of delimited zones have been granted contracts as the seabeds are considered a “common heritage” that belong to no one, reported AFP. However, that could change as the July 2023 deadline approaches.&nbsp;

Kirsten Thompson, a&nbsp;lecturer in ecology at the University of Exeter told BBC Future, that mining could "irreversibly damage"&nbsp;species that live on the ocean floor also known as&nbsp;benthic&nbsp;ecosystems. He added,&nbsp;considering the "myriad threats" the marine&nbsp;ecosystem is facing, regulating human activities is "vital to ensure biodiversity conservation and to preserve ecosystem functioning".&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
 
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Last week, negotiations over how to regulate the mining of the seabed began among the 167-nation body, International Seabed Authority (ISA) which regulates the exploitation of minerals on the seabed outside national jurisdictions also known as the high seas.

Last week, negotiations over how to regulate the mining of the seabed began among the 167-nation body, International Seabed Authority (ISA) which regulates the exploitation of minerals on the seabed outside national jurisdictions also known as the high seas. The ISA headquartered in Kingston, Jamaica is in the midst of hosting a two-week council session which began on March 16 to discuss the adoption of a mining code which has been in the works for nearly a decade. However, its chief has recently come under fire for supposedly ignoring proposals by other diplomats and pushing them to approve the start of deep-sea mining. What has been happening at the ISA? The ISA works under the authorisation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea which allows the 167-nation body to control seabeds outside the territorial waters of nations. “We come together now with the work on the mining code, well advanced and with six weeks of negotiating before us this year”, said a British lawyer and head of the UN-affiliated body Michael Lodge. ISA has recently faced pressure from the tiny Pacific nation, Nauru, said a report by AFP. Notably, the exploitation of seafloor minerals is not expected to begin until the adoption of a mining code, the discussion of which has lasted for almost 10 years now but in June 2021 the island nation triggered a clause which allowed it to demand the adoption of these rules within two years. The decision taken by ISA is also being closely watched as it comes amid several landmark treaties signed in favour of protecting the environment. This includes the landmark UN High Seas Treaty which was adopted, earlier this month, to protect oceans and seabeds outside national jurisdiction. Following the historic UN Biodiversity Conference which aims to protect 30 per cent of the Earth’s land and water by 2030, late last year. “With these global milestones, the pressure is now on the ISA council to deliver,” said Lodge, as per AFP. What was the row about? As the two-week council session in Jamaica is underway, the ISA chief has been criticised by diplomats who have claimed that he has been pushing them to accelerate the process of beginning deep-sea mining. According to a report by the New York Times, the British lawyer who has a duty of neutrality has supposedly been ignoring measures proposed by some council members which could potentially slow down approval of the first mining proposals. Additionally, not all countries are in favour of beginning seabed extraction and raised concerns like a lack of knowledge on the impact of disturbing the ocean floor. Germany and Costa Rica have also joined France, Spain, Chile, New Zealand and several Pacific nations which have expressed these concerns and called for a “precautionary pause” or a ban on mining in the high seas. The 167-nation body will soon receive an application for commercial seabed mining, which makes the decision about the mining code all the more important as it would govern the process. According to the Guardian, Lodge has previously indicated that the impact of seabed mining is “predictable and manageable”. In response to the story in the New York Times, Costa Rica’s representative to the ISA, Gina Guillén Grillo took to Twitter, on Monday (March 20) and said “Decisions must come from them & must not be pushed by those who have only administrative duties. Mining the seabed cannot be rushed (because) of the economic interests of a few.” Similarly, Franziska Brantner, Germany’s minister for economic affairs and climate action, in a letter to Lodge also said, “It is not the task of the secretariat to interfere in the decision making. In the past, you have actively taken a stand against positions and decision-making proposals from individual delegations,” reported the Guardian. It added that Germany was “seriously concerned about this approach.” How did Lodge respond to these allegations? In his opening remarks, on March 8, the British lawyer said that the allegations of him taking a position opposing proposals from delegates are “untrue” and that he rejects “such a baseless allegation”. Subsequently, he also made a statement to the New York Times and clarified his position by saying that he places “high importance on the preservation and protection of the marine environment”. He also spoke about how he is working to make sure that the “decision-making processes around economic activity in the deep seabed is based on best available scientific knowledge”. What would happen if the ISA cannot reach an agreement? The two-year period expires in a few months after which Nauru will be able to apply for an exploitation contract for Nauru Ocean Resources, Nori, a subsidiary of Canadian mining startup The Metals Company which the country also sponsors. The small Pacific island country is one of three states sponsoring the Canadian mining startup along with the Kingdom of Tonga and the Republic of Kiribati. Nauru has also previously sent a memo to the ISA saying that if the seabed authority has not finalised regulations within the time frame and in the meantime if an application for deep-sea mining has been submitted they should “consider and provisionally approve” it. However, other countries have said that they are not obligated to do so until the regulations are finalised. Meanwhile, Duncan Currie, an international legal adviser to the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition and official observer at the meeting on March 8, told the Guardian, “This is not just a row between diplomats. It is very significant. The executive organ is the council. It is not for the administrative body to be telling the council what decisions they should be making.” ISA spokesperson, who was not named, also told the UK-based news organisation, that the role of the secretariat is to “facilitate negotiations and ensure that discussions are informed by the best available science” and in line with the UN convention. It does not “pass judgement” on the position of its member states. “The regulations will only be approved should ISA’s members reach a consensus on its content. In the meantime, only exploration activities will be permitted,” said the ISA spokesperson, as per the Guardian. As of now, about 30 research centres and companies which are only concerned with the exploration of delimited zones have been granted contracts as the seabeds are considered a “common heritage” that belong to no one, reported AFP. However, that could change as the July 2023 deadline approaches. Kirsten Thompson, a lecturer in ecology at the University of Exeter told BBC Future, that mining could "irreversibly damage" species that live on the ocean floor also known as benthic ecosystems. He added, considering the "myriad threats" the marine ecosystem is facing, regulating human activities is "vital to ensure biodiversity conservation and to preserve ecosystem functioning". (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Explained | Row erupts amid talks to regulate deep-sea mining. Here’s what happened

More than half of native species are believed to be in decline, and introduced species now make up the bulk of plants growing in the wild in Britain, according to the findings of a 20-year research presented on Wednesday.

The primary cause of change, according to the "Plant Atlas 2020" research conducted by the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland, has been a shift in land use, notably "the intensification of arable cultivation" (BSBI).

With volunteers providing over 26 million records, including 3,445 distinct species, the 20-year research is the most extensive ever conducted on UK wild flora.

The survey found that 1,692 of them were native to the UK and 1,753 were non-natives that people had either purposefully or unintentionally released into the environment.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/two-fathers-and-a-mice-scientists-make-eggs-from-male-cells-to-do-the-unthinkable-570255">Mice with two biological dads: Scientists do the unthinkable</a>

"This startling finding means that there are now more introduced plants growing in the wild in Britain than natives, with many originating from gardens and then spreading to establish self-sustaining populations," it added.

A comparison with research from the 1950s revealed that native plant species are estimated to have reduced by 53 per cent. Yet, it is projected that the number of recently imported species has grown by 58 per cent.

The research highlighted that the development of arable farming has caused "significant losses of several flora" related to such crops.

The National Farmers' Union (NFU) environment forum chair Richard Bramley said farmers were "committed to enhancing and improving our landscapes".

"In recent decades, farmers have made huge improvements in several areas that this report highlights. For example, more than 10,000 football pitches of habitat have been planted to benefit wildlife such as pollinators," he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

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More than half of native species are believed to be in decline, and introduced species now make up the bulk of plants growing in the wild in Britain, according to the findings of a 20-year research presented on Wednesday.

More than half of native species are believed to be in decline, and introduced species now make up the bulk of plants growing in the wild in Britain, according to the findings of a 20-year research presented on Wednesday. The primary cause of change, according to the "Plant Atlas 2020" research conducted by the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland, has been a shift in land use, notably "the intensification of arable cultivation" (BSBI). With volunteers providing over 26 million records, including 3,445 distinct species, the 20-year research is the most extensive ever conducted on UK wild flora. The survey found that 1,692 of them were native to the UK and 1,753 were non-natives that people had either purposefully or unintentionally released into the environment. ALSO READ | Mice with two biological dads: Scientists do the unthinkable "This startling finding means that there are now more introduced plants growing in the wild in Britain than natives, with many originating from gardens and then spreading to establish self-sustaining populations," it added. A comparison with research from the 1950s revealed that native plant species are estimated to have reduced by 53 per cent. Yet, it is projected that the number of recently imported species has grown by 58 per cent. The research highlighted that the development of arable farming has caused "significant losses of several flora" related to such crops. The National Farmers' Union (NFU) environment forum chair Richard Bramley said farmers were "committed to enhancing and improving our landscapes". "In recent decades, farmers have made huge improvements in several areas that this report highlights. For example, more than 10,000 football pitches of habitat have been planted to benefit wildlife such as pollinators," he added. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

50% of Britain, Ireland’s native plants have diminished over 20 years: Study

Three environmental groups have sued BNP Paribas in France over their fossil fuel financing. Erik Njoka tells you why the activists have taken the bank to the court.

Environmental groups sue BNP Paribas

Venice has often been described as a beautiful oddity and rightfully so. The Italian city built on over 100 islands and crisscrossed by 177 canals and which was once at risk of drowning is now running dry. This has been attributed to weeks of dry winter weather while scientists and environmental groups have raised concerns that this could signal another drought in the European country after last summer’s emergency.&nbsp;

What is happening in Venice?

The Italian city, famous for its gondolas, has also been suffering alongside the country’s rivers and lakes which are also witnessing a severe lack of water. The problems in Venice have been attributed to a combination of factors ranging from a prolonged spell of low tides, lack of rain and a high-pressure system to even a full moon and sea currents.

Consequently, this has led to frustrated boat crews and worried officials as ambulances are unable to navigate through some of its narrower canals. This has become particularly problematic since the famous waterways serve as streets in car-less Venice.&nbsp;

According to a report by the Associated Press, ambulance boats, in certain areas of the city, had to be left tied up farther from their destination. This forced medical personnel to lift stretchers over long distances since their vessels cannot pass through canals reduced to a trickle of water and mud.&nbsp;

Last week, a series of images out of Venice showed pools of water collected in some canals and parked gondolas alongside exposed foundations of several buildings. This also meant that tourists could not navigate some secondary waterways in the Italian city. Notably, boats continued to work in some of the wider waterways across Venice which included the Grand and Giudecca canals.

A sustainable development analyst with the environmental advocacy group, We Are Here Venice, Jane Da Mosto has attributed this phenomenon in the Italian city to a combination of high atmospheric pressure with the lunar cycle producing an ultra-low water level during ebb tide, during mid-winter, reported AP. She also said how this phenomenon highlights the need for cleaning Venice’s inner canal network which is often overlooked.&nbsp;

“It's an absolutely normal phenomenon,” said Alvise Papa, the head of Venice’s tide forecasting centre to AFP, on Tuesday. He added, “Low tides are not enough to dry up the canals, but this year they are accompanied by high atmospheric pressure, which prevents bad weather”. Venice was expected to return to normalcy sometime this week.&nbsp;

Experts raise concern over Italy’s rivers and lakes&nbsp;

As Venice continues to grapple with the dire situation of its waterways, the rest of the country is not faring well either. In the past few days, scientists and experts, in the context of the situation of Venice’s canals have indicated that the country may face another drought. In a statement, on Monday, one of the largest environmental NGOs in Italy, the Legambiente said rivers and lakes, particularly in the north of the country are in “distress” due to the severe lack of water.&nbsp;

In this context, scientists have also referred to the Alps which received less than half of their normal snowfall. The aforementioned high-pressure system compounded by scarce Alpine snow melt this year has also contributed to the lack of water in lakes and rivers in northern Italy in the past few weeks.&nbsp;

The lack of snow this year has also been a concern since there was 53 per cent less in the Alps, particularly in the Po basin. Consequently, the Po, Italy’s longest river which runs from the Alps in the northwest to the Adriatic Sea also received 61 per cent less water than it typically does around this time of the year, said the environmental advocacy citing data from CIMA Research Foundation.&nbsp;

Notably, the aforementioned river accounts for roughly a third of the country's agricultural production. The statement also warned about the cascading effects of a prolonged drought in Italy which included, the lack of water for civil, agricultural and industrial uses that would, in turn, lead to loss of biodiversity, lower yields of crops, and disturb the balance of natural ecosystems.&nbsp;

This also comes as an anticyclone has been dominating the weather in western Europe for the past 15 days or so, which has led to an increase in the number of mild temperatures typically witnessed in late spring, as per Reuters. Additionally, the record low water levels in Lake Garda, in northern Italy, made it possible to reach the small island of San Biagio. Earlier this month, a small pathway which links the shore to the island re-emerged and visitors were able to walk across the middle of the lake.&nbsp;

“We are in a water deficit situation that has been building up since the winter of 2020-2021,” said climate expert Massimiliano Pasqui, from the National Research Council (CNR), as per Italian newspaper, Corriere della Sera. The country requires 500 millimetres of rain in the north-western regions over 50 days in order to recover, he added, reported Reuters.&nbsp;

Italy’s state of emergency over droughts&nbsp;

Last year, Italy declared a state of emergency in five northern regions which included areas surrounding the river Po which was facing its worst drought in 70 years. The government placed Emilia-Romagna, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lombardy, Piedmont and Veneto under emergency and announced a relief fund of $38 million to help tackle the water shortage.&nbsp;

The phenomenon had been attributed to an unusually early heatwave and a lack of rainfall, particularly in the Po valley. Additionally, Lakes Maggiore and Garda had witnessed lower levels of water than typically expected at that time of the year while the levels of the Tiber River, which runs through Rome had also dropped.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Venice has often been described as a beautiful oddity and rightfully so. The Italian city built on over 100 islands and crisscrossed by 177 canals and which was once at risk of drowning is now running dry.

Venice has often been described as a beautiful oddity and rightfully so. The Italian city built on over 100 islands and crisscrossed by 177 canals and which was once at risk of drowning is now running dry. This has been attributed to weeks of dry winter weather while scientists and environmental groups have raised concerns that this could signal another drought in the European country after last summer’s emergency. What is happening in Venice? The Italian city, famous for its gondolas, has also been suffering alongside the country’s rivers and lakes which are also witnessing a severe lack of water. The problems in Venice have been attributed to a combination of factors ranging from a prolonged spell of low tides, lack of rain and a high-pressure system to even a full moon and sea currents. Consequently, this has led to frustrated boat crews and worried officials as ambulances are unable to navigate through some of its narrower canals. This has become particularly problematic since the famous waterways serve as streets in car-less Venice. According to a report by the Associated Press, ambulance boats, in certain areas of the city, had to be left tied up farther from their destination. This forced medical personnel to lift stretchers over long distances since their vessels cannot pass through canals reduced to a trickle of water and mud. Last week, a series of images out of Venice showed pools of water collected in some canals and parked gondolas alongside exposed foundations of several buildings. This also meant that tourists could not navigate some secondary waterways in the Italian city. Notably, boats continued to work in some of the wider waterways across Venice which included the Grand and Giudecca canals. A sustainable development analyst with the environmental advocacy group, We Are Here Venice, Jane Da Mosto has attributed this phenomenon in the Italian city to a combination of high atmospheric pressure with the lunar cycle producing an ultra-low water level during ebb tide, during mid-winter, reported AP. She also said how this phenomenon highlights the need for cleaning Venice’s inner canal network which is often overlooked. “It's an absolutely normal phenomenon,” said Alvise Papa, the head of Venice’s tide forecasting centre to AFP, on Tuesday. He added, “Low tides are not enough to dry up the canals, but this year they are accompanied by high atmospheric pressure, which prevents bad weather”. Venice was expected to return to normalcy sometime this week. Experts raise concern over Italy’s rivers and lakes As Venice continues to grapple with the dire situation of its waterways, the rest of the country is not faring well either. In the past few days, scientists and experts, in the context of the situation of Venice’s canals have indicated that the country may face another drought. In a statement, on Monday, one of the largest environmental NGOs in Italy, the Legambiente said rivers and lakes, particularly in the north of the country are in “distress” due to the severe lack of water. In this context, scientists have also referred to the Alps which received less than half of their normal snowfall. The aforementioned high-pressure system compounded by scarce Alpine snow melt this year has also contributed to the lack of water in lakes and rivers in northern Italy in the past few weeks. The lack of snow this year has also been a concern since there was 53 per cent less in the Alps, particularly in the Po basin. Consequently, the Po, Italy’s longest river which runs from the Alps in the northwest to the Adriatic Sea also received 61 per cent less water than it typically does around this time of the year, said the environmental advocacy citing data from CIMA Research Foundation. Notably, the aforementioned river accounts for roughly a third of the country's agricultural production. The statement also warned about the cascading effects of a prolonged drought in Italy which included, the lack of water for civil, agricultural and industrial uses that would, in turn, lead to loss of biodiversity, lower yields of crops, and disturb the balance of natural ecosystems. This also comes as an anticyclone has been dominating the weather in western Europe for the past 15 days or so, which has led to an increase in the number of mild temperatures typically witnessed in late spring, as per Reuters. Additionally, the record low water levels in Lake Garda, in northern Italy, made it possible to reach the small island of San Biagio. Earlier this month, a small pathway which links the shore to the island re-emerged and visitors were able to walk across the middle of the lake. “We are in a water deficit situation that has been building up since the winter of 2020-2021,” said climate expert Massimiliano Pasqui, from the National Research Council (CNR), as per Italian newspaper, Corriere della Sera. The country requires 500 millimetres of rain in the north-western regions over 50 days in order to recover, he added, reported Reuters. Italy’s state of emergency over droughts Last year, Italy declared a state of emergency in five northern regions which included areas surrounding the river Po which was facing its worst drought in 70 years. The government placed Emilia-Romagna, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lombardy, Piedmont and Veneto under emergency and announced a relief fund of $38 million to help tackle the water shortage. The phenomenon had been attributed to an unusually early heatwave and a lack of rainfall, particularly in the Po valley. Additionally, Lakes Maggiore and Garda had witnessed lower levels of water than typically expected at that time of the year while the levels of the Tiber River, which runs through Rome had also dropped. (With inputs from agencies)

Explained | Scientists in Italy raise concerns after Venice canals run dry. Here’s why

Representatives from 193 member nations of the United Nations convened on Monday (February 20) in the United States city of New York and for the next two weeks will negotiate its long-awaited treaty to protect the world’s oceans. This meeting comes after decades of formal and informal talks which opened with cautious optimism as many hope to make a decision at the end of it. The global agreement will protect and manage nearly two-thirds of the world’s oceans that lie beyond countries’ Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) known as the high seas.

What do we know about the meeting so far?

The talks which opened on Monday will go on till March 3 and are supposed to be the final round of negotiations after no agreement has been reached after more than 15 years. Notably, this is the third time in less than one year that delegates have gathered at the UN headquarters and due to the historic deal reached by the end of the United Nations Biodiversity Conference or COP15 in Montreal, Canada many are hopeful.&nbsp;

“I hope we've come together here with a will to get us to the finish line,” said conference chair Rena Lee, addressing the delegates as the talks began, reported AFP. She added, “an agreement that is universal, that is effective, that is implementable and that is future proofed is within our reach.” The President of the Intergovernmental Conference also encouraged delegates to build on the progress made during the August session, last year and focus on developing an agreement “that will bridge the existing gaps.”

The fifth session of the conference was convened following the General Assembly resolution 77/248 on “Oceans and the law of the sea”. The aim of these rounds of talks is to finalise an international legally binding agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in areas which are beyond national jurisdiction under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.&nbsp;

What per cent of our oceans are protected?

Last year, ministers and government officials from about 190 countries in Montreal signed an agreement known as 30 by 30 which committed to protecting 30 per cent of land and water which are considered pillars of biodiversity by 2030. Prior to this, only 17 per cent of terrestrial and 10 per cent of marine areas were protected.&nbsp;

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), only eight per of the world’s marine areas are protected which includes 1.4 per cent of the high seas. The areas of the high seas that are protected fall under North East Atlantic and Antarctic oceans but they are regional and not global, or even binding for all governments, said Jessica Battle, a senior expert on ocean policy and governance at the World Wide Fund for Nature, as per Al Jazeera.&nbsp;

Why is this agreement important?

As mentioned earlier, the agreement will focus on the high seas which begin at the border of countries' EEZ and extend up to 200 nautical miles, or 370 kilometres from the coast and therefore fall under the jurisdiction of no country. Notably, the high seas make up more than 60 per cent of the world’s oceans and almost half of the planet’s surface but receive little to no&nbsp;attention since there are no borders.&nbsp;

Last month UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, “Humanity has been waging a senseless and self-defeating war on nature, and the ocean is on the front lines of the battle,” and called on the nations to finish the delayed negotiations. The oceans contribute significantly to global climate as well as provide oxygen, drive weather systems, and store a quarter of human-generated carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas heating up the planet.&nbsp;

The ocean supports a huge range of biodiversity and is home to possibly millions of species which are yet to be discovered. According to IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species, at least 10 per cent of underwater plants and animals assessed are under threat of going extinct. Additionally, oceans have been subjected to overfishing, depleting not only the fish stocks but also their ability to rebuild, said Battle, as per Reuters.&nbsp;

She also addresses the lesser-known phenomenon of “bycatch” which means that fish that is accidentally caught is later discarded as waste. It is estimated that bycatch accounts for at least 40 per cent of the world’s global commercial catch. Not to mention the human-induced climate change which has adversely affected ocean health and caused coral reefs to bleach and forced fish to migrate to cooler waters.

What’s the problem?

The UN draft treaty is said to include provisions to protect the world’s oceans from overfishing, pollution and other threats but&nbsp;also comprises parenthetical clauses and multiple options which reflect the long list of contentious issues at hand. The delegates are reportedly divided on one core issue which is how would these sanctuary zones be established. Additionally, there is no agreement on the assessment of the environmental impact of activities like mining in the high seas, reported AFP.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the debate on the division of future profits collected by pharmaceutical, chemical or cosmetic manufacturers, for example from newly discovered marine substances also remains unresolved. As developing countries have argued that they will not be able to afford costly research and fear they might get left behind. This is something that observers had accused rich countries, particularly&nbsp;European Union member states, of doing during the previous session in August 2022, as per reports.&nbsp; 
 
(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
 
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Representatives from 193 member nations of the United Nations convened on Monday (February 20) in the United States city of New York and for the next two weeks will negotiate its long-awaited treaty to protect the world’s oceans.

Representatives from 193 member nations of the United Nations convened on Monday (February 20) in the United States city of New York and for the next two weeks will negotiate its long-awaited treaty to protect the world’s oceans. This meeting comes after decades of formal and informal talks which opened with cautious optimism as many hope to make a decision at the end of it. The global agreement will protect and manage nearly two-thirds of the world’s oceans that lie beyond countries’ Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) known as the high seas. What do we know about the meeting so far? The talks which opened on Monday will go on till March 3 and are supposed to be the final round of negotiations after no agreement has been reached after more than 15 years. Notably, this is the third time in less than one year that delegates have gathered at the UN headquarters and due to the historic deal reached by the end of the United Nations Biodiversity Conference or COP15 in Montreal, Canada many are hopeful. “I hope we've come together here with a will to get us to the finish line,” said conference chair Rena Lee, addressing the delegates as the talks began, reported AFP. She added, “an agreement that is universal, that is effective, that is implementable and that is future proofed is within our reach.” The President of the Intergovernmental Conference also encouraged delegates to build on the progress made during the August session, last year and focus on developing an agreement “that will bridge the existing gaps.” The fifth session of the conference was convened following the General Assembly resolution 77/248 on “Oceans and the law of the sea”. The aim of these rounds of talks is to finalise an international legally binding agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in areas which are beyond national jurisdiction under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. What per cent of our oceans are protected? Last year, ministers and government officials from about 190 countries in Montreal signed an agreement known as 30 by 30 which committed to protecting 30 per cent of land and water which are considered pillars of biodiversity by 2030. Prior to this, only 17 per cent of terrestrial and 10 per cent of marine areas were protected. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), only eight per of the world’s marine areas are protected which includes 1.4 per cent of the high seas. The areas of the high seas that are protected fall under North East Atlantic and Antarctic oceans but they are regional and not global, or even binding for all governments, said Jessica Battle, a senior expert on ocean policy and governance at the World Wide Fund for Nature, as per Al Jazeera. Why is this agreement important? As mentioned earlier, the agreement will focus on the high seas which begin at the border of countries' EEZ and extend up to 200 nautical miles, or 370 kilometres from the coast and therefore fall under the jurisdiction of no country. Notably, the high seas make up more than 60 per cent of the world’s oceans and almost half of the planet’s surface but receive little to no attention since there are no borders. Last month UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, “Humanity has been waging a senseless and self-defeating war on nature, and the ocean is on the front lines of the battle,” and called on the nations to finish the delayed negotiations. The oceans contribute significantly to global climate as well as provide oxygen, drive weather systems, and store a quarter of human-generated carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas heating up the planet. The ocean supports a huge range of biodiversity and is home to possibly millions of species which are yet to be discovered. According to IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species, at least 10 per cent of underwater plants and animals assessed are under threat of going extinct. Additionally, oceans have been subjected to overfishing, depleting not only the fish stocks but also their ability to rebuild, said Battle, as per Reuters. She also addresses the lesser-known phenomenon of “bycatch” which means that fish that is accidentally caught is later discarded as waste. It is estimated that bycatch accounts for at least 40 per cent of the world’s global commercial catch. Not to mention the human-induced climate change which has adversely affected ocean health and caused coral reefs to bleach and forced fish to migrate to cooler waters. What’s the problem? The UN draft treaty is said to include provisions to protect the world’s oceans from overfishing, pollution and other threats but also comprises parenthetical clauses and multiple options which reflect the long list of contentious issues at hand. The delegates are reportedly divided on one core issue which is how would these sanctuary zones be established. Additionally, there is no agreement on the assessment of the environmental impact of activities like mining in the high seas, reported AFP. Meanwhile, the debate on the division of future profits collected by pharmaceutical, chemical or cosmetic manufacturers, for example from newly discovered marine substances also remains unresolved. As developing countries have argued that they will not be able to afford costly research and fear they might get left behind. This is something that observers had accused rich countries, particularly European Union member states, of doing during the previous session in August 2022, as per reports. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Explained | UN ocean treaty talks resume: Why the deal to protect the world’s oceans is so important

Australian energy giant Santos has been accused of covering up the details of an oil spill that allegedly led to the death of at least three dolphins off northern Western Australia (WA) coast, last year. Furthermore, the whistleblower on the case has also sought protection after a statement by the anonymous company employee was tabled at the federal parliament by independent senator David Pocock, on Thursday (February 16). This comes after the oil and gas producer had claimed that the spill caused a “negligible” environmental impact.&nbsp;

In a statement, the anonymous whistleblower who is said to be a Santos employee witnessed the 25,000-litre oil leak near the Lowendal Islands in March 2022 from a hose Santos used to load a tanker moored off their Varanus Island Gas Plant. The account tabled by Australian lawmaker Pocock said it was a spill of condensate, a lighter form of oil 300 km off the coast of Karratha in WA.&nbsp;

Notably, the Lowendal Islands are known for their “pristine white sand beaches, gorgeous blue turquoise water and abundant marine and bird life,” as per a copy of the statement. It added that a subsea hose had been torn which was used to load an oil tanker parked a kilometre from the beach, went unnoticed for more than six hours and poured at least 25,000 litres of condensate into the ocean.&nbsp;

Additionally, the incident was not made public by the company or WA safety regulators till a month after it took place while the company claimed that it was a &nbsp;“minor spill” with “negligible” environmental impact. On the other hand, the anonymous whistleblower, recalling the oil spill said, “Tens of thousands of litres of oil in the ocean, dead dolphins and sea snakes. How was this negligible?”&nbsp;

They added that regardless of the efforts to “cease the spill”, dead dolphins, including a pup, were found “floating in dense sections of the oil spill” while in some areas sea snakes “writhed in agony”. Subsequently, the company employee also said they were shocked to read Santos’ public statement released a month later said it caused “negligible” harm to the environment while the energy giant has also since denied the responsibility for the dolphins’ death.&nbsp;

Along with the whistleblower statement, Pocock also tabled photos of the spill which showed oil in the water along with the tanker in the background, the torn-off subsea hose, and dolphins floating in the sea belly-up. Furthermore, the whistleblower also claimed that the company’s environmental assessors did not arrive on the island until a week after the incident and could not have known the actual scale of impact as it was “never checked”.&nbsp;

They also said that employees spoke up about the public comments internally while the senior executives of Santos knew or should have known that the “company’s deceptive conduct was contrary to its internal code of conduct and values and, possibly, the law.” After the incident, the company spokesperson, at the time, had said that the spill resulted in a light sheen on the sea surface covering a small area and that the “condensate evaporated naturally within 24 hours and the impact to the environment is negligible.”&nbsp;

Late last year when the news about the dead dolphins came to light, Santos’ spokesperson reportedly said that the authorities were made aware of the dolphins seen belly-up floating on the sea on March 20. However, they added that the dolphins could not have been killed due to the spill as they were found hours after the incident occurred.&nbsp;

“I felt strongly that Santos’ comment was baseless, designed to mislead and avoid accountability,” said the whistleblower. The Australian lawmaker while tabling the statement during the Senate estimates exchange with the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) said that he found both the testimony and footage “very distressing”, reported the Guardian.&nbsp;

He also went on to say how this raised serious questions about the regulatory systems and conduct of the parties involved and added, “I applaud the whistleblowers’ bravery in coming forward with this information and look forward to it being thoroughly investigated.”&nbsp;

Subsequently, NOPSEMA chief executive, Stuart Smith said that the spill did not happen in Commonwealth waters and was outside their jurisdiction. However, Smith added, that while he was not aware of the background, a dead dolphin would not be considered “negligible harm.” He added, “If any spill (in Commonwealth waters) causes the death of a dolphin that would be of concern to us,” as per the Guardian.&nbsp; 
 
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Australian energy giant Santos has been accused of covering up the details of an oil spill that allegedly led to the death of at least three dolphins off northern Western Australia (WA) coast, last year.

Australian energy giant Santos has been accused of covering up the details of an oil spill that allegedly led to the death of at least three dolphins off northern Western Australia (WA) coast, last year. Furthermore, the whistleblower on the case has also sought protection after a statement by the anonymous company employee was tabled at the federal parliament by independent senator David Pocock, on Thursday (February 16). This comes after the oil and gas producer had claimed that the spill caused a “negligible” environmental impact. In a statement, the anonymous whistleblower who is said to be a Santos employee witnessed the 25,000-litre oil leak near the Lowendal Islands in March 2022 from a hose Santos used to load a tanker moored off their Varanus Island Gas Plant. The account tabled by Australian lawmaker Pocock said it was a spill of condensate, a lighter form of oil 300 km off the coast of Karratha in WA. Notably, the Lowendal Islands are known for their “pristine white sand beaches, gorgeous blue turquoise water and abundant marine and bird life,” as per a copy of the statement. It added that a subsea hose had been torn which was used to load an oil tanker parked a kilometre from the beach, went unnoticed for more than six hours and poured at least 25,000 litres of condensate into the ocean. Additionally, the incident was not made public by the company or WA safety regulators till a month after it took place while the company claimed that it was a “minor spill” with “negligible” environmental impact. On the other hand, the anonymous whistleblower, recalling the oil spill said, “Tens of thousands of litres of oil in the ocean, dead dolphins and sea snakes. How was this negligible?” They added that regardless of the efforts to “cease the spill”, dead dolphins, including a pup, were found “floating in dense sections of the oil spill” while in some areas sea snakes “writhed in agony”. Subsequently, the company employee also said they were shocked to read Santos’ public statement released a month later said it caused “negligible” harm to the environment while the energy giant has also since denied the responsibility for the dolphins’ death. Along with the whistleblower statement, Pocock also tabled photos of the spill which showed oil in the water along with the tanker in the background, the torn-off subsea hose, and dolphins floating in the sea belly-up. Furthermore, the whistleblower also claimed that the company’s environmental assessors did not arrive on the island until a week after the incident and could not have known the actual scale of impact as it was “never checked”. They also said that employees spoke up about the public comments internally while the senior executives of Santos knew or should have known that the “company’s deceptive conduct was contrary to its internal code of conduct and values and, possibly, the law.” After the incident, the company spokesperson, at the time, had said that the spill resulted in a light sheen on the sea surface covering a small area and that the “condensate evaporated naturally within 24 hours and the impact to the environment is negligible.” Late last year when the news about the dead dolphins came to light, Santos’ spokesperson reportedly said that the authorities were made aware of the dolphins seen belly-up floating on the sea on March 20. However, they added that the dolphins could not have been killed due to the spill as they were found hours after the incident occurred. “I felt strongly that Santos’ comment was baseless, designed to mislead and avoid accountability,” said the whistleblower. The Australian lawmaker while tabling the statement during the Senate estimates exchange with the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) said that he found both the testimony and footage “very distressing”, reported the Guardian. He also went on to say how this raised serious questions about the regulatory systems and conduct of the parties involved and added, “I applaud the whistleblowers’ bravery in coming forward with this information and look forward to it being thoroughly investigated.” Subsequently, NOPSEMA chief executive, Stuart Smith said that the spill did not happen in Commonwealth waters and was outside their jurisdiction. However, Smith added, that while he was not aware of the background, a dead dolphin would not be considered “negligible harm.” He added, “If any spill (in Commonwealth waters) causes the death of a dolphin that would be of concern to us,” as per the Guardian. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Australia: Energy giant Santos accused of covering up dolphin deaths after oil spill

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