Scientists in a study published in Proceedings of the Royal Society Journal said that half of Great Barrier Reef's corals had died in last 25 years. Climate change is severely affecting the world-heritage listed reef off Australia's northeastern coast.

Great Barrier Reef is made up of corals that support rich and bio-diverse marine life. The reef is 2300 km long.

Climate change has affected larger species of corals which have almost disappeared from far northern reaches of the reef.

"They're typically depleted by (up to) 80 or 90 percent compared to 25 years ago," report co-author and James Cook University professor Terry Hughes told AFP.

"They make the nooks and crannies that fish and other creatures depend on, so losing big three-dimensional corals changes the broader ecosystem."

Great Barrier Reef was an estimated USD 4 billion in revenue from tourism before the coronavirus pandemic.

The reef is at risk of losing its coveted world heritage status because of ocean warming -- fuelled by climate change -- damaging its health.

Changes in ocean temperatures stress healthy corals, causing them to expel algae living in their tissues -- draining them of their vibrant colours in a process known as bleaching.

Back-to-back mass bleaching events in 2016 and 2017 prompted the government to downgrade the long-term outlook for the world's largest living organism to "very poor". 
Mass bleaching was first seen on the reef in 1998 -- at the time, the hottest year on record -- but as temperatures continue to soar it frequency has increased, shrinking the reef and making it harder to recover.

The big mamas

"A vibrant coral population has millions of small, baby corals, as well as many large ones -- the big mamas who produce most of the larvae," the study's lead author Andy Dietzel, also of James Cook University, said.

"Its resilience is compromised compared to the past, because there are fewer babies, and fewer large breeding adults."

On top of long-term ocean warming and associated bleaching, the reef has been battered by several cyclones and two outbreaks of crown-of-thorns starfish -- which eat the coral -- since 1995.

When the starfish occur in small numbers, they are considered part of the natural ecosystem, but when a large outbreak happens, they can rapidly destroy parts of the reef.

While four mass bleaching events up to 2017 were covered by the latest research, the damage to coral species from bleaching in early 2020 is yet to be assessed.

It was the most widespread bleaching on record, impacting swathes of the southern reaches of the reef for the first time.

Hughes said scientists expected corals to continue dying off unless nations met their Paris Agreement commitment to keep the increase in global average temperature under 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels.

"It takes about a decade for a half-decent recovery for the fastest-growing species, so the chances of us getting decades between the future sixth, seventh and eighth bleaching events is close to zero because temperatures are because going up and up and up," he said.

If temperatures do stabilise later this century under the Paris target, it is hoped that corals will be able to reassemble and rebuild their numbers.&nbsp;

Even then, Hughes said, "we don't think they'll rebuild into the mix of species that we've known historically".

If the rise is as much as 3 or 4 degrees Celsius, "forget it", he said.

"The trajectory is changing very, very quickly -- we're shocked and surprised by how quickly these changes are happening -- and there's further change ahead."

(With AFP inputs)

Scientists in a study published in Proceedings of the Royal Society Journal said that half of Great Barrier Reef's corals had died in last 25 years. Climate change is severely affecting the world-heritage listed reef off Australia's northeastern coast.

Scientists in a study published in Proceedings of the Royal Society Journal said that half of Great Barrier Reef's corals had died in last 25 years. Climate change is severely affecting the world-heritage listed reef off Australia's northeastern coast. Great Barrier Reef is made up of corals that support rich and bio-diverse marine life. The reef is 2300 km long. Climate change has affected larger species of corals which have almost disappeared from far northern reaches of the reef. "They're typically depleted by (up to) 80 or 90 percent compared to 25 years ago," report co-author and James Cook University professor Terry Hughes told AFP. "They make the nooks and crannies that fish and other creatures depend on, so losing big three-dimensional corals changes the broader ecosystem." Great Barrier Reef was an estimated USD 4 billion in revenue from tourism before the coronavirus pandemic. The reef is at risk of losing its coveted world heritage status because of ocean warming -- fuelled by climate change -- damaging its health. Changes in ocean temperatures stress healthy corals, causing them to expel algae living in their tissues -- draining them of their vibrant colours in a process known as bleaching. Back-to-back mass bleaching events in 2016 and 2017 prompted the government to downgrade the long-term outlook for the world's largest living organism to "very poor". Mass bleaching was first seen on the reef in 1998 -- at the time, the hottest year on record -- but as temperatures continue to soar it frequency has increased, shrinking the reef and making it harder to recover. The big mamas "A vibrant coral population has millions of small, baby corals, as well as many large ones -- the big mamas who produce most of the larvae," the study's lead author Andy Dietzel, also of James Cook University, said. "Its resilience is compromised compared to the past, because there are fewer babies, and fewer large breeding adults." On top of long-term ocean warming and associated bleaching, the reef has been battered by several cyclones and two outbreaks of crown-of-thorns starfish -- which eat the coral -- since 1995. When the starfish occur in small numbers, they are considered part of the natural ecosystem, but when a large outbreak happens, they can rapidly destroy parts of the reef. While four mass bleaching events up to 2017 were covered by the latest research, the damage to coral species from bleaching in early 2020 is yet to be assessed. It was the most widespread bleaching on record, impacting swathes of the southern reaches of the reef for the first time. Hughes said scientists expected corals to continue dying off unless nations met their Paris Agreement commitment to keep the increase in global average temperature under 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels. "It takes about a decade for a half-decent recovery for the fastest-growing species, so the chances of us getting decades between the future sixth, seventh and eighth bleaching events is close to zero because temperatures are because going up and up and up," he said. If temperatures do stabilise later this century under the Paris target, it is hoped that corals will be able to reassemble and rebuild their numbers. Even then, Hughes said, "we don't think they'll rebuild into the mix of species that we've known historically". If the rise is as much as 3 or 4 degrees Celsius, "forget it", he said. "The trajectory is changing very, very quickly -- we're shocked and surprised by how quickly these changes are happening -- and there's further change ahead." (With AFP inputs)

Great Barrier Reef lost half of its corals in 25 years

The arctic ice cover is disappearing and within decades there could be no ice covering the arctic during the summer months. Scientists are racing against time to save and protest the fragile arctic ecosystem.

Can we save the arctic from destruction? Scientists race to save arctic ecosystem | WION News

An environmental disaster of a yet-to-be-determined cause is looming over Russia's eastern Kamchatka region as locals of the area report encountering dozens of dead sea animals

Russia: Dozens of dead sea animals found

The year 2020 is the hottest in the Antarctic Peninsula in the past three decades, a study by the University of Santiago de Chile has said.

The Antarctic Peninsula is the northernmost part of Antarctica, where there are scientific and military bases from several countries, including Argentina, Chile and Britain.

Temperatures reached between 2 and 3 degrees Celsius (35.6 and 37.4 degrees Fahrenheit) on the peninsula between January and August, which is the northernmost part of mainland Antarctica, according to researchers at the Chilean Air Force's Frei Base on King George Island.

Those temperatures are "more than 2 degrees Celsius over typical values," climatologist Raul Cordero said in a statement released by the Chilean Antarctic Institute (INACH).&nbsp;In addition, the average maximum temperature in the far northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula so far this year has been above 0 degrees. This had not happened for 31 years.

Researchers have termed that fact "alarming," since it could indicate that the rapid rate of ocean warming observed in the area at the end of the 20th century is resuming.

The high Southern Hemisphere winter temperatures are in contrast, however, with those registered between August and September, which reached -16.8 degrees Celsius, the lowest since 1970.

The year 2020 is the hottest in the Antarctic Peninsula in the past three decades, a study by the University of Santiago de Chile has said. The Antarctic Peninsula is the northernmost part of Antarctica, where there are scientific and military bases from several countries, including Argentina, Chile and Britain.

The year 2020 is the hottest in the Antarctic Peninsula in the past three decades, a study by the University of Santiago de Chile has said. The Antarctic Peninsula is the northernmost part of Antarctica, where there are scientific and military bases from several countries, including Argentina, Chile and Britain. Temperatures reached between 2 and 3 degrees Celsius (35.6 and 37.4 degrees Fahrenheit) on the peninsula between January and August, which is the northernmost part of mainland Antarctica, according to researchers at the Chilean Air Force's Frei Base on King George Island. Those temperatures are "more than 2 degrees Celsius over typical values," climatologist Raul Cordero said in a statement released by the Chilean Antarctic Institute (INACH). In addition, the average maximum temperature in the far northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula so far this year has been above 0 degrees. This had not happened for 31 years. Researchers have termed that fact "alarming," since it could indicate that the rapid rate of ocean warming observed in the area at the end of the 20th century is resuming. The high Southern Hemisphere winter temperatures are in contrast, however, with those registered between August and September, which reached -16.8 degrees Celsius, the lowest since 1970.

Antarctic Peninsula at warmest in decades, study says

The European Space Agency has revealed that two of the main&nbsp;glaciers in Antarctica,&nbsp;Pine Island and Thwaites Glaciers, are fracturing faster than ever before.

The glaciers are at&nbsp;Amundsen Sea Embayment and are one of the most important glaciers of the continent.

If these glaciers completely melt, it could lead to nearly&nbsp;3.3 feet rise in the global sea levels. As&nbsp;of now, their melting has resulted in nearly 5 per cent of&nbsp;global sea level rise.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/whats-the-matter-with-the-universe-scientists-have-the-answer-331331">Also read:&nbsp;What's the matter with the Universe? Scientists have the answer</a>

The claim has been made after observing satellite images. "'To reveal what’s really going on at Pine Island and Thwaites, we dug into imaging data from a number of different satellites,' said paper author and geoscientist Stef Lhermitte of the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands.

He researchers have found "structural damage at the "shear margins" of the glaciers’ ice shelves, where the ice transitions from fast- to slow-moving — large crevasses, rifts and open fractures that indicate that the ice shelves are slowly tearing apart."

"Currently, the ice shelves are a little like a slow car in traffic — they force anything behind them to slow down. Once they’re removed, ice sitting further inland will be able to speed up, which in turn will cause sea levels to rise even faster."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/hints-of-life-on-mars-scientists-find-three-lakes-buried-under-the-red-planets-surface-331094">Also read:&nbsp;Hints of life on Mars? Scientists find three lakes buried under the red planet's surface!</a>

The satellite data collected by various agencies as&nbsp;&nbsp;European Space Agency's CryoSat and Copernicus Sentinel-1, as well as the NASA/USGS Landsat program and the Japanese ASTER instrument aboard NASA’s Terra satellite, reveals that the&nbsp;deterioration has increased majorly in the last two decades as crevasses were not seen in images of the ice taken back in 1997, and were still less widespread in 2016.

To understand the impact of the damaged margins, the researchers observed the change in the topography of the glaciers and assessed the speed at which the ice had been moving.

"This fracturing appears to kick off a feedback process — it preconditions the ice shelves to disintegrate,' said paper author Thomas Nagler of Environmental Earth Observation Information Technology (ENVEO) in Innsbruck, Austria.

"As the glaciers fracture at their weak points this damage speeds up, spreads, and weakens more of the ice shelves, causing further deterioration — and making it more likely that the shelves will start crumbling apart even faster," he continued.

Through this research, the scientists are hoping the world will realise how quickly the damage is occurring in the nature, and reveal the vulnerability of glaciers to global warming.

"The results from this study highlight a pressing need to include such feedback processes in model projections of ice shelf retreat, ice sheet mass loss and sea level change,' said European Space Agency CryoSat Mission Scientist, Mark Drinkwater.

"We know that a significant amount of glacial ice in West Antarctica is currently being affected by climate change — in fact, a recent study found 24 per cent of this ice to be rapidly thinning and unstable."

"These new results underline just how quickly this damage is occurring, and reveal that Pine Island and Thwaites Glaciers are more vulnerable than ever before."

The study has been published in the&nbsp;Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.&nbsp;

The European Space Agency has revealed that two of the main glaciers in Antarctica, Pine Island and Thwaites Glaciers, are fracturing faster than ever before. The glaciers are at Amundsen Sea Embayment and are one of the most important glaciers of the continent.

The European Space Agency has revealed that two of the main glaciers in Antarctica, Pine Island and Thwaites Glaciers, are fracturing faster than ever before. The glaciers are at Amundsen Sea Embayment and are one of the most important glaciers of the continent. If these glaciers completely melt, it could lead to nearly 3.3 feet rise in the global sea levels. As of now, their melting has resulted in nearly 5 per cent of global sea level rise. Also read: What's the matter with the Universe? Scientists have the answer The claim has been made after observing satellite images. "'To reveal what’s really going on at Pine Island and Thwaites, we dug into imaging data from a number of different satellites,' said paper author and geoscientist Stef Lhermitte of the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. He researchers have found "structural damage at the "shear margins" of the glaciers’ ice shelves, where the ice transitions from fast- to slow-moving — large crevasses, rifts and open fractures that indicate that the ice shelves are slowly tearing apart." "Currently, the ice shelves are a little like a slow car in traffic — they force anything behind them to slow down. Once they’re removed, ice sitting further inland will be able to speed up, which in turn will cause sea levels to rise even faster." Also read: Hints of life on Mars? Scientists find three lakes buried under the red planet's surface! The satellite data collected by various agencies as European Space Agency's CryoSat and Copernicus Sentinel-1, as well as the NASA/USGS Landsat program and the Japanese ASTER instrument aboard NASA’s Terra satellite, reveals that the deterioration has increased majorly in the last two decades as crevasses were not seen in images of the ice taken back in 1997, and were still less widespread in 2016. To understand the impact of the damaged margins, the researchers observed the change in the topography of the glaciers and assessed the speed at which the ice had been moving. "This fracturing appears to kick off a feedback process — it preconditions the ice shelves to disintegrate,' said paper author Thomas Nagler of Environmental Earth Observation Information Technology (ENVEO) in Innsbruck, Austria. "As the glaciers fracture at their weak points this damage speeds up, spreads, and weakens more of the ice shelves, causing further deterioration — and making it more likely that the shelves will start crumbling apart even faster," he continued. Through this research, the scientists are hoping the world will realise how quickly the damage is occurring in the nature, and reveal the vulnerability of glaciers to global warming. "The results from this study highlight a pressing need to include such feedback processes in model projections of ice shelf retreat, ice sheet mass loss and sea level change,' said European Space Agency CryoSat Mission Scientist, Mark Drinkwater. "We know that a significant amount of glacial ice in West Antarctica is currently being affected by climate change — in fact, a recent study found 24 per cent of this ice to be rapidly thinning and unstable." "These new results underline just how quickly this damage is occurring, and reveal that Pine Island and Thwaites Glaciers are more vulnerable than ever before." The study has been published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.

Antarctica's most important glaciers depleting faster than ever: Study

United under Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, young people rallied across the world on Friday to demand urgent action to halt catastrophic&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change, in their first global action during the coronavirus pandemic.

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With wild weather wreaking havoc across the world,&nbsp;from fires ravaging the US&nbsp;West, to abnormal heatwaves in the Siberian Arctic and record floods in China,&nbsp;organisers said the protests would remind politicians that while the world was focused on COVID-19, the&nbsp;climate&nbsp;crisis has not gone away.

Demonstrations were planned in more than 3,100 locations, with Australia, Japan and Fiji among the first to kick off,&nbsp;though with pandemic-related curbs limiting the size of gatherings, much of the action shifted online.

The demonstration, organised by the Fridays For Future movement, was part of a series of world-wide protests that were expected to be confined to small gatherings and online activism due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The young activists were calling for immediate&nbsp;climate&nbsp;action, holding banners reading "Stop Denying the&nbsp;Climate&nbsp;is Dying" and "Don't Be a Fossil Fool." and mnany had slogans on their masks.

They demand that lawmakers stick to the 2015 landmark Paris climate deal that asks both rich and poor countries to take action to curb the rise in global temperatures that is melting glaciers, raising sea levels and shifting rainfall patterns.

Thunberg said the aim of the protests was to raise awareness, impact public opinion and put pressure on people in power to take action to solve the&nbsp;climate&nbsp;crisis.

Like many of her generation,&nbsp;Mya-Rose&nbsp;Craig&nbsp;feels strongly that adults have failed to take the urgent action needed to tackle global warming and so she has headed to the Arctic Ocean to protest.

Armed with a placard reading 'Youth Strike for Climate", the 18-year-old British activist is staging the most northerly protest in a series of youth strikes worldwide.

The strikes, made famous by Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg, are resuming after a lull caused by the global coronavirus pandemic to draw public attention back to the threat posed by climate change.

Thousands of young people took to the streets of Berlin&nbsp;to protest against what they call government inaction on the&nbsp;climate&nbsp;crisis.

Protesters cycled in groups to the city's landmark, the Brandenburg Gate for a rally following a call for a global&nbsp;climate&nbsp;strike by youth activist movement Fridays For Future.

United under Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, young people rallied across the world on Friday to demand urgent action to halt catastrophic climate change, in their first global action during the coronavirus pandemic.

United under Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, young people rallied across the world on Friday to demand urgent action to halt catastrophic climate change, in their first global action during the coronavirus pandemic. With wild weather wreaking havoc across the world, from fires ravaging the US West, to abnormal heatwaves in the Siberian Arctic and record floods in China, organisers said the protests would remind politicians that while the world was focused on COVID-19, the climate crisis has not gone away. Demonstrations were planned in more than 3,100 locations, with Australia, Japan and Fiji among the first to kick off, though with pandemic-related curbs limiting the size of gatherings, much of the action shifted online. The demonstration, organised by the Fridays For Future movement, was part of a series of world-wide protests that were expected to be confined to small gatherings and online activism due to the COVID-19 pandemic. × The young activists were calling for immediate climate action, holding banners reading "Stop Denying the Climate is Dying" and "Don't Be a Fossil Fool." and mnany had slogans on their masks. They demand that lawmakers stick to the 2015 landmark Paris climate deal that asks both rich and poor countries to take action to curb the rise in global temperatures that is melting glaciers, raising sea levels and shifting rainfall patterns. Thunberg said the aim of the protests was to raise awareness, impact public opinion and put pressure on people in power to take action to solve the climate crisis. Like many of her generation, Mya-Rose Craig feels strongly that adults have failed to take the urgent action needed to tackle global warming and so she has headed to the Arctic Ocean to protest. Armed with a placard reading 'Youth Strike for Climate", the 18-year-old British activist is staging the most northerly protest in a series of youth strikes worldwide. The strikes, made famous by Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg, are resuming after a lull caused by the global coronavirus pandemic to draw public attention back to the threat posed by climate change. Thousands of young people took to the streets of Berlin to protest against what they call government inaction on the climate crisis. Protesters cycled in groups to the city's landmark, the Brandenburg Gate for a rally following a call for a global climate strike by youth activist movement Fridays For Future.

'Urgent action': Greta Thunberg and other youth climate protests make a return

Climate activists unveiled a huge countdown clock on Saturday, showing how little time is left before global temperatures hit a critical high, to kick off a week of climate action in New York.

The 'Climate Clock', which tells us the time we have to save the world

Researchers with the National Snow and Ice Data Center said the minimum was most likely reached on Sept. 15, with 1.44 million square miles of ocean covered in ice.

Arctic sea ice melts to second lowest level on record

WION Dispatch: Climate activists unveil climate clock in New York

A new report of the UN on the state of nature talks about how the international community collectively missed a critical deadline to safeguard biodiversity.

UN report: World missed a critical deadline to safeguard biodiversity

With climate change driving up Arctic temperatures, the once-solid sea ice cover has been shrinking to stark, new lows in recent years.

Climate Change: Big chunk of ice breaks away from Spalte glacier

A new study has revealed that nearly 47 glacier lakes in the Himalayas are at risk of flooding due to rising temperatures and excessive melting of snow. Watch report.

Danger looms over snow-capped mountains: Melting of snow expanding glacier lakes

The global climate crisis could see more than a billion people displaced from their homes in the next 30 years, according to a new report.

The report released on Wednesday blamed ecological disasters drive mass migrations and greater armed conflict for this.

The Ecological Threat Register, conducted by the Sydney-based Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), projected that as many as 1.2 billion people around the world could be displaced by 2050.&nbsp;

The world's poorest and most vulnerable populations will be hardest hit.

The report drew on data from international organisations, and the IEP then calculated the relative threats of population growth, water stress, food insecurity, droughts, floods, cyclones, and rising temperature and sea levels.

It found that more than a billion people lived in 31 countries that had low resilience -- meaning they aren't equipped to withstand the impact of ecological change in the coming decades.

The regions facing the highest number of threats are Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, the report said.

Better-resourced countries in places like North America and Europe will be more able to manage the effects of these disasters -- but they'll likely face huge flows of climate refugees, the report warned.

Water scarcity may be an even bigger issue, the report said.

By 2040, a total of 5.4 billion people -- or more than half of the world's projected population -- will live in countries facing high or extreme water stress. India and China, the world's top two most populous countries, will be among those countries, the report said. 
&nbsp;

The global climate crisis could see more than a billion people displaced from their homes in the next 30 years, according to a new report. The report released on Wednesday blamed ecological disasters drive mass migrations and greater armed conflict for this.

The global climate crisis could see more than a billion people displaced from their homes in the next 30 years, according to a new report. The report released on Wednesday blamed ecological disasters drive mass migrations and greater armed conflict for this. The Ecological Threat Register, conducted by the Sydney-based Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), projected that as many as 1.2 billion people around the world could be displaced by 2050. The world's poorest and most vulnerable populations will be hardest hit. The report drew on data from international organisations, and the IEP then calculated the relative threats of population growth, water stress, food insecurity, droughts, floods, cyclones, and rising temperature and sea levels. It found that more than a billion people lived in 31 countries that had low resilience -- meaning they aren't equipped to withstand the impact of ecological change in the coming decades. The regions facing the highest number of threats are Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, the report said. Better-resourced countries in places like North America and Europe will be more able to manage the effects of these disasters -- but they'll likely face huge flows of climate refugees, the report warned. Water scarcity may be an even bigger issue, the report said. By 2040, a total of 5.4 billion people -- or more than half of the world's projected population -- will live in countries facing high or extreme water stress. India and China, the world's top two most populous countries, will be among those countries, the report said.

Climate crisis could displace 1.2 billion people by 2050, report warns

Concentrations of greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere hit a record high this year, a United Nations report showed on Wednesday.

Greenhouse gases hit new record despite lockdowns

Environmental activists say the lure of such riches has encouraged illegal miners like Franchinis, adding to the growing deforestation in the region

Illegal miners dig for gold in Brazil | Amazon tropical rainforests | South America

Two of the three largest wildfires ever recorded in California have scorched through more than 1m acres, displaced more than 100,000 people

California wildfire death toll up to seven; Scorched over 1 Mn acres

Describing the ice loss as "staggering," the group found that melting glaciers and ice sheets could cause sea levels to rise dramatically

Earth has lost 28 Trillion tonnes of ice since 1994 due to global warming

Greenland's ice sheet melted more last year than any year previously recorded, according to a new study.

Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, is the world's largest island. It's located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, east of Canada's Arctic Archipelago. Around 79% of its surface is covered in ice.

The said research was published in the journal Communications Earth and Environment on Thursday. It found that in 2019, Greenland's ice sheet lost an annual record of 532 billion tonnes of ice, with 223 billion tonnes of ice lost during the month of July alone.

On the contrary, between 2003 and 2016 the ice sheet lost about 255 billion tonnes of ice on average -- per year.

Greenland's ice sheet is the second biggest in the world after Antarctica's, and its annual ice melt during summer contributes more than a millimeter rise to sea levels every year.

In 2019, Greenland's ice sheet lost 15% more ice than the previous record set in 2012, the study found.

Last year was the third hottest year since records began and surface air temperatures at the Arctic were the second highest in 120 years of records.

Interestingly, two colder years that preceded 2019 saw a reduction in the ice melt.

The report follows another study published last week that found Greenland's ice sheet has melted to a point of no return.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/greenland-ice-has-shrunk-beyond-return-study-finds-320639">Also read |&nbsp;Greenland ice has shrunk beyond return, study finds</a>

Greenland's ice sheet melted more last year than any year previously recorded, according to a new study. Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, is the world's largest island.

Greenland's ice sheet melted more last year than any year previously recorded, according to a new study. Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, is the world's largest island. It's located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, east of Canada's Arctic Archipelago. Around 79% of its surface is covered in ice. The said research was published in the journal Communications Earth and Environment on Thursday. It found that in 2019, Greenland's ice sheet lost an annual record of 532 billion tonnes of ice, with 223 billion tonnes of ice lost during the month of July alone. On the contrary, between 2003 and 2016 the ice sheet lost about 255 billion tonnes of ice on average -- per year. Greenland's ice sheet is the second biggest in the world after Antarctica's, and its annual ice melt during summer contributes more than a millimeter rise to sea levels every year. In 2019, Greenland's ice sheet lost 15% more ice than the previous record set in 2012, the study found. Last year was the third hottest year since records began and surface air temperatures at the Arctic were the second highest in 120 years of records. Interestingly, two colder years that preceded 2019 saw a reduction in the ice melt. The report follows another study published last week that found Greenland's ice sheet has melted to a point of no return. Also read | Greenland ice has shrunk beyond return, study finds

Greenland's ice sheet melted faster than ever before in 2019, study says

Polluted water prevented from entering the lake with high ecological sensitivity. Local water quality was gradually improved. This is the story of Huzhou city in East China.

The Story of Huzhou city in East China | Achieving Eco-friendly development | WION

Greenland's ice sheet may have shrunk past the point of return, with the ice likely to melt away no matter how quickly the world reduces climate-warming emissions

Greenland's ice sheet melting has passed the point of no return

A new research has found that rising temperatures are set to cause specific annihilation in poorer, hotter parts of the world that will battle to adjust to terrible conditions that will slaughter huge numbers of individuals.

According to a new study by the National Bureau of Economic Research, Climate change and global warming could drive temperatures up to the point where they would lead to 85 deaths per 100,000 people globally per year by the end of the century. That’s more than are currently killed by all infectious diseases across the globe.

The study projects that climate change’s effect on temperatures could raise global mortality rates by 73 deaths per 100,000 people in 2100 under a continued high emissions scenario, compared to a world with no warming. That level is roughly equal to the current death rate for all infectious diseases—including tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, malaria, dengue, yellow fever, and diseases transmitted by ticks, mosquitos, and parasites—combined (approximately 74 deaths per 100,000 globally).

Such data would help the governments around the world to identify the origin of problem.

But countries are not willing to fix the problem. Their focus has been damage control but knee-jerk reactions and stop-gap solutions will not work anymore.&nbsp;

The effects of climate change are being felt by the people. Air is polluted, the forest cover is dwindling at a rapid rate, and it has become a public health crisis.

Rampaging wildfires and receding glaciers are slowly making life difficult in this planet and failure to act against global warming will accelerate the extinction of life as we know it.

(With inputs from agencies)

A new research has found that rising temperatures are set to cause specific annihilation in poorer, hotter parts of the world that will battle to adjust to terrible conditions that will slaughter huge numbers of individuals.

A new research has found that rising temperatures are set to cause specific annihilation in poorer, hotter parts of the world that will battle to adjust to terrible conditions that will slaughter huge numbers of individuals. According to a new study by the National Bureau of Economic Research, Climate change and global warming could drive temperatures up to the point where they would lead to 85 deaths per 100,000 people globally per year by the end of the century. That’s more than are currently killed by all infectious diseases across the globe. The study projects that climate change’s effect on temperatures could raise global mortality rates by 73 deaths per 100,000 people in 2100 under a continued high emissions scenario, compared to a world with no warming. That level is roughly equal to the current death rate for all infectious diseases—including tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, malaria, dengue, yellow fever, and diseases transmitted by ticks, mosquitos, and parasites—combined (approximately 74 deaths per 100,000 globally). Such data would help the governments around the world to identify the origin of problem. But countries are not willing to fix the problem. Their focus has been damage control but knee-jerk reactions and stop-gap solutions will not work anymore. The effects of climate change are being felt by the people. Air is polluted, the forest cover is dwindling at a rapid rate, and it has become a public health crisis. Rampaging wildfires and receding glaciers are slowly making life difficult in this planet and failure to act against global warming will accelerate the extinction of life as we know it. (With inputs from agencies)

Global warming could cause more deaths than all infectious diseases: Study

The last fully intact ice shelf in the Canadian Arctic has collapsed, losing more than 40% of its area in just two days at the end of July, researchers said.&nbsp;

The Milne Ice Shelf is at the fringe of Ellesmere Island, in the sparsely populated northern Canadian territory of Nunavut.

“Above normal air temperatures, offshore winds and open water in front of the ice shelf are all part of the recipe for ice shelf break up,” the Canadian Ice Service said on Twitter when it announced the loss on Sunday. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/nearly-half-of-worlds-beaches-disappearing-due-to-climate-change-study-283976">Also Read:&nbsp;Nearly half of world's beaches disappearing due to climate change</a>

“Entire cities are that size. These are big pieces of ice,” said Luke Copland, a glaciologist at the University of Ottawa who was part of the research team studying the Milne Ice Shelf.

The shelf’s area shrank by about 80 square kilometers. By comparison, the island of Manhattan in New York covers roughly 60 square kilometers.

“This was the largest remaining intact ice shelf, and it’s disintegrated, basically,” Copland said.&nbsp;

The Arctic has been warming at twice the global rate for the last 30 years, due to a process known as Arctic amplification. But this year, temperatures in the polar region have been intense. The polar sea ice hit its lowest extent for July in 40 years. Record heat and wildfires have scorched Siberian Russia.

Summer in the Canadian Arctic this year in particular has been 5 degrees Celsius above the 30-year average, Copland said.

That has threatened smaller ice caps, which can melt quickly because they do not have the bulk that larger glaciers have to stay cold. As a glacier disappears, more bedrock is exposed, which then heats up and accelerates the melting process.

“The very small ones, we’re losing them dramatically,” he said, citing researchers’ reviews of satellite imagery. “You feel like you’re on a sinking island chasing these features, and these are large features. It’s not as if it’s a little tiny patch of ice you find in your garden.”&nbsp;

The ice shelf collapse on Ellesmere Island also meant the loss of the northern hemisphere’s last known epishelf lake, a geographic feature in which a body of freshwater is dammed by the ice shelf and floats atop ocean water.

A research camp, including instruments for measuring water flow through the ice shelf, was lost when the shelf collapsed. “It is lucky we were not on the ice shelf when this happened,” said researcher Derek Mueller of Carleton University in Ottawa, in an Aug. 2 blog post.

Ellesmere also lost its two St. Patrick Bay ice caps this summer.

“We saw them going, like someone with terminal cancer. It was only a matter of time,” said Mark Serreze, director of the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) in Boulder, Colorado.

Serreze and other NSIDC scientists had published a 2017 study predicting the ice caps were likely to disappear within five years. The ice caps were believed to have formed several centuries ago.

The vanishing was confirmed last month, when NASA satellite shots of the region revealed a complete lack of snow and ice, said Serreze, who studied the caps as a graduate student on his first trip to the Arctic years ago. At the time, he said, the caps had seemed like immovable parts of the geography.&nbsp;

“When I was there in the 1980s I knew every square inch of those ice caps,” he said. “You have the memories. It’s like your first girlfriend.”

Meanwhile, another two ice caps on Ellesmere - called Murray and Simmons - are also diminishing and are likely to disappear within 10 years, Serreze said.

The last fully intact ice shelf in the Canadian Arctic has collapsed, losing more than 40% of its area in just two days at the end of July, researchers said. The Milne Ice Shelf is at the fringe of Ellesmere Island, in the sparsely populated northern Canadian territory of Nunavut.

The last fully intact ice shelf in the Canadian Arctic has collapsed, losing more than 40% of its area in just two days at the end of July, researchers said. The Milne Ice Shelf is at the fringe of Ellesmere Island, in the sparsely populated northern Canadian territory of Nunavut. “Above normal air temperatures, offshore winds and open water in front of the ice shelf are all part of the recipe for ice shelf break up,” the Canadian Ice Service said on Twitter when it announced the loss on Sunday. Also Read: Nearly half of world's beaches disappearing due to climate change “Entire cities are that size. These are big pieces of ice,” said Luke Copland, a glaciologist at the University of Ottawa who was part of the research team studying the Milne Ice Shelf. The shelf’s area shrank by about 80 square kilometers. By comparison, the island of Manhattan in New York covers roughly 60 square kilometers. “This was the largest remaining intact ice shelf, and it’s disintegrated, basically,” Copland said. The Arctic has been warming at twice the global rate for the last 30 years, due to a process known as Arctic amplification. But this year, temperatures in the polar region have been intense. The polar sea ice hit its lowest extent for July in 40 years. Record heat and wildfires have scorched Siberian Russia. Summer in the Canadian Arctic this year in particular has been 5 degrees Celsius above the 30-year average, Copland said. That has threatened smaller ice caps, which can melt quickly because they do not have the bulk that larger glaciers have to stay cold. As a glacier disappears, more bedrock is exposed, which then heats up and accelerates the melting process. “The very small ones, we’re losing them dramatically,” he said, citing researchers’ reviews of satellite imagery. “You feel like you’re on a sinking island chasing these features, and these are large features. It’s not as if it’s a little tiny patch of ice you find in your garden.” The ice shelf collapse on Ellesmere Island also meant the loss of the northern hemisphere’s last known epishelf lake, a geographic feature in which a body of freshwater is dammed by the ice shelf and floats atop ocean water. A research camp, including instruments for measuring water flow through the ice shelf, was lost when the shelf collapsed. “It is lucky we were not on the ice shelf when this happened,” said researcher Derek Mueller of Carleton University in Ottawa, in an Aug. 2 blog post. Ellesmere also lost its two St. Patrick Bay ice caps this summer. “We saw them going, like someone with terminal cancer. It was only a matter of time,” said Mark Serreze, director of the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) in Boulder, Colorado. Serreze and other NSIDC scientists had published a 2017 study predicting the ice caps were likely to disappear within five years. The ice caps were believed to have formed several centuries ago. The vanishing was confirmed last month, when NASA satellite shots of the region revealed a complete lack of snow and ice, said Serreze, who studied the caps as a graduate student on his first trip to the Arctic years ago. At the time, he said, the caps had seemed like immovable parts of the geography. “When I was there in the 1980s I knew every square inch of those ice caps,” he said. “You have the memories. It’s like your first girlfriend.” Meanwhile, another two ice caps on Ellesmere - called Murray and Simmons - are also diminishing and are likely to disappear within 10 years, Serreze said.

Record Arctic heat continues, Canada’s last intact ice shelf collapses into the sea

There has been a drastic rise in the population of emperor penguins in the world. Satellite observations have found nearly a dozen new colonies of the iconic species in Antarctica.

Emperor penguins are a species known for their long, complicated breeding process. They often face challenges from the forces of nature. It's not easy for their numbers to grow. They are faced with the threat of global warming.

But in development, new groups of them have been found in Antarctica. The British Antarctic survey used the European Union's Sentinel-2 spacecraft.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-satellites-find-new-colonies-of-emperor-penguins-318444/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

It scoured the edges of the continent. Looking for emperor penguin activity. Identifying those that have gone unrecognised before.

It's impossible to count individual penguins from orbit. But the researchers can estimate numbers in colonies. From the size of the birds' huddles.

The locations were identified from the way the birds' poo or guano had stained large patches of sea-ice.

The satellite's infrared imagery found 8 breeding sites. And confirmed the presence of three others which were mooted at a time when there were no high-resolution space pictures.

Two of the new locations are in the antarctic peninsula region.

Three are in the western part of the continent and six others are in the east. The new finds take the number of known active breeding sites from 50 to 61.

It seems that these emperor penguin groups like to keep at least a 100 km distance between themselves.

And the new sites maintain that distancing discipline.

The discovery pushes up the emperor penguins population by 5-10 per cent.

There are now more than 278,500 breeding pairs.

However, all the cheer over the new findings. Needs to be tempered with a reality check.

The emperor penguin's whole life cycle is centred around the availability of sea-ice.

And climate models have projected that. They are set to melt fast in the coming decades.

This could have a catastrophic effect on the penguins' ability to survive.

Forecasts have said that their population could crash by a half or even more by the year 2100.

There has been a drastic rise in the population of emperor penguins in the world. Satellite observations have found nearly a dozen new colonies of the iconic species in Antarctica.

There has been a drastic rise in the population of emperor penguins in the world. Satellite observations have found nearly a dozen new colonies of the iconic species in Antarctica. Emperor penguins are a species known for their long, complicated breeding process. They often face challenges from the forces of nature. It's not easy for their numbers to grow. They are faced with the threat of global warming. But in development, new groups of them have been found in Antarctica. The British Antarctic survey used the European Union's Sentinel-2 spacecraft. It scoured the edges of the continent. Looking for emperor penguin activity. Identifying those that have gone unrecognised before. It's impossible to count individual penguins from orbit. But the researchers can estimate numbers in colonies. From the size of the birds' huddles. The locations were identified from the way the birds' poo or guano had stained large patches of sea-ice. The satellite's infrared imagery found 8 breeding sites. And confirmed the presence of three others which were mooted at a time when there were no high-resolution space pictures. Two of the new locations are in the antarctic peninsula region. Three are in the western part of the continent and six others are in the east. The new finds take the number of known active breeding sites from 50 to 61. It seems that these emperor penguin groups like to keep at least a 100 km distance between themselves. And the new sites maintain that distancing discipline. The discovery pushes up the emperor penguins population by 5-10 per cent. There are now more than 278,500 breeding pairs. However, all the cheer over the new findings. Needs to be tempered with a reality check. The emperor penguin's whole life cycle is centred around the availability of sea-ice. And climate models have projected that. They are set to melt fast in the coming decades. This could have a catastrophic effect on the penguins' ability to survive. Forecasts have said that their population could crash by a half or even more by the year 2100.

Satellite observations find drastic rise in population of emperor penguins

Two Canadian ice caps situated on the Hazen Plateau of northeastern Ellesmere Island in Nunavut, have disappeared, as per NASA satellite imagery.

In 2017, a paper by National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) was published in The Cryosphere, which predicted that the St. Patrick Bay ice caps would disappear in the next five years. This prediction was true after images came in from NASA's Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER).

Mark Serreze, who is the director of NSIDC, is also a Professor of Geography at the University of Colorado Boulder. He was the lead author of the prediction published in 2017. He first set foot on the St. Patrick Bay ice caps in 1982 as a young graduate student and visited the ice caps along with his advisor, Ray Bradley, of the University of Massachusetts.

"When I first visited those ice caps, they seemed like such a permanent fixture of the landscape," said Serreze. "To watch them die in less than 40 years just blows me away."

<img alt="lm" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="430f35ad-4e17-4b5d-b5b8-e0561d8b11ee" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%281%29_143.jpg" />

In 2017, the scientists compared the situation of the ice caps through images taken from ASTER. The scientists compared the image taken in July 2015 to the picture taken from August of 1959. It was found that, from 1959 to 2015, the ice caps had been reduced to only five per cent of their former area. The area saw a drastic reduce between 2014 and 2015.&nbsp;

The latest images of the disappeared ice caps were taken on July 14, 2020.&nbsp;

"We've long known that as climate change takes hold, the effects would be especially pronounced in the Arctic," said Serreze. "But the death of those two little caps that I once knew so well has made climate change very personal. All that's left are some photographs and a lot of memories."

Two Canadian ice caps situated on the Hazen Plateau of northeastern Ellesmere Island in Nunavut, have disappeared, as per NASA satellite imagery. In 2017, a paper by National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) was published in The Cryosphere, which predicted that the St.

Two Canadian ice caps situated on the Hazen Plateau of northeastern Ellesmere Island in Nunavut, have disappeared, as per NASA satellite imagery. In 2017, a paper by National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) was published in The Cryosphere, which predicted that the St. Patrick Bay ice caps would disappear in the next five years. This prediction was true after images came in from NASA's Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER). Mark Serreze, who is the director of NSIDC, is also a Professor of Geography at the University of Colorado Boulder. He was the lead author of the prediction published in 2017. He first set foot on the St. Patrick Bay ice caps in 1982 as a young graduate student and visited the ice caps along with his advisor, Ray Bradley, of the University of Massachusetts. "When I first visited those ice caps, they seemed like such a permanent fixture of the landscape," said Serreze. "To watch them die in less than 40 years just blows me away." In 2017, the scientists compared the situation of the ice caps through images taken from ASTER. The scientists compared the image taken in July 2015 to the picture taken from August of 1959. It was found that, from 1959 to 2015, the ice caps had been reduced to only five per cent of their former area. The area saw a drastic reduce between 2014 and 2015. The latest images of the disappeared ice caps were taken on July 14, 2020. "We've long known that as climate change takes hold, the effects would be especially pronounced in the Arctic," said Serreze. "But the death of those two little caps that I once knew so well has made climate change very personal. All that's left are some photographs and a lot of memories."

Canada's St Patrick Bay ice caps disappear as predicted in 2017

Hopes that the rise in average global temperatures by 2100 might be capped below 2.5C can be all but ruled out if greenhouse gas emissions continue at the current rate, new research reassessing the atmosphere's sensitivity to CO2 suggests.

Study: Earth's atmosphere more sensitive to CO2 emissions than thought

Climate change could wipe out the polar by 2100, according to a report.

"It is extremely likely that we are going to lose almost every polar bear population in the world, with the possible exception of one in the very high Arctic as far north as you go, before the end of this century” Peter Molnar from the department of Biological Sciences at the University of Toronto, Scarborough, said.

A new report has said climate change is starving polar bears into extinction and if current trends persist the apex carnivore could all but disappear within the span of a human lifetime.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-polar-bears-could-be-wiped-out-by-2100-315002/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"There is absolutely a sense of urgency. there has been a sense of urgency for a very long time. we need to deal with this, and you know frankly had we dealt with the problem earlier, it wouldn't be so difficult to deal with it now but we still have a chance, and we need to use that chance,” Molnar added.

However, the question is, will we use this chance wisely to save the polar bears? While we all gush at visuals of polar bears across social media, we are completely oblivious to their current plight.

The report published in the journal Nature suggests that climate change has driven sea to lose ice as a result of global warming&nbsp;and it has impacted polar bears directly.

Sea ice loss forces polar bears to fast for longer as they rely on the frozen surfaces to hunt for seals which is their main source of sustenance, if sea ice loss persists, all but a few of the 19 subpopulations of polar bears could be wiped out by 2100.

Statistics from the national snow and ice data centre in Colorado reveal that 13 per cent of the Arctic sea ice has been lost each decade since the 1970s.

“They are so clearly connected to the sea ice, which in turn is so clearly connected to what kind of temperatures we're having on this planet, that climate change impacts are going to be seen on polar bears first, or among the first but that is by no means to say that these are the only animals to be affected," Molnar asserted.

Polar bears may be immediately affected by the consequences of climate change but other species in the animal kingdom may also soon follow.

A polar bear weighs up to 1,600 pounds and needs plenty of food to survive but large regions in the Arctic turn completely ice-free during summer months and the dwindling bodyweights of polar bears is testimony to their ongoing struggle.

So by 2100, the polar bear may be gone completely but the question remains, what all do we have to lose to wake up and take action?

Climate change could wipe out the polar by 2100, according to a report. "It is extremely likely that we are going to lose almost every polar bear population in the world, with the possible exception of one in the very high Arctic as far north as you go, before the end of this century” Peter Molnar from the department of Biological Sciences at the University of Toronto, Scarborough, said.

Climate change could wipe out the polar by 2100, according to a report. "It is extremely likely that we are going to lose almost every polar bear population in the world, with the possible exception of one in the very high Arctic as far north as you go, before the end of this century” Peter Molnar from the department of Biological Sciences at the University of Toronto, Scarborough, said. A new report has said climate change is starving polar bears into extinction and if current trends persist the apex carnivore could all but disappear within the span of a human lifetime. "There is absolutely a sense of urgency. there has been a sense of urgency for a very long time. we need to deal with this, and you know frankly had we dealt with the problem earlier, it wouldn't be so difficult to deal with it now but we still have a chance, and we need to use that chance,” Molnar added. However, the question is, will we use this chance wisely to save the polar bears? While we all gush at visuals of polar bears across social media, we are completely oblivious to their current plight. The report published in the journal Nature suggests that climate change has driven sea to lose ice as a result of global warming and it has impacted polar bears directly. Sea ice loss forces polar bears to fast for longer as they rely on the frozen surfaces to hunt for seals which is their main source of sustenance, if sea ice loss persists, all but a few of the 19 subpopulations of polar bears could be wiped out by 2100. Statistics from the national snow and ice data centre in Colorado reveal that 13 per cent of the Arctic sea ice has been lost each decade since the 1970s. “They are so clearly connected to the sea ice, which in turn is so clearly connected to what kind of temperatures we're having on this planet, that climate change impacts are going to be seen on polar bears first, or among the first but that is by no means to say that these are the only animals to be affected," Molnar asserted. Polar bears may be immediately affected by the consequences of climate change but other species in the animal kingdom may also soon follow. A polar bear weighs up to 1,600 pounds and needs plenty of food to survive but large regions in the Arctic turn completely ice-free during summer months and the dwindling bodyweights of polar bears is testimony to their ongoing struggle. So by 2100, the polar bear may be gone completely but the question remains, what all do we have to lose to wake up and take action?

Climate change could wipe out polar bears by 2100: Report

States of emergency have been declared in the regions of Krasnoyarsk and Yakutia, and in parts of several other Russian regions.

Siberia: Wildfires causing release of more Greenhouse Gases

One degree of warming so far has triggered a crescendo of heatwaves, droughts and superstorms made more destructive by rising seas.

Climate Change is driving Polar Bears towards extinction; May wipe out by 2100

Throughout this week, Jupiter will be at its brightest in the sky. The planet will reach “opposition” last night (July 14), which implies that the planet will now be directly opposite the sun in the sky, and the nearest to Earth.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/science/earths-magnetic-poles-may-be-flipping-by-10deg-each-year-way-more-than-previously-thought-312931" hreflang="en">Earth's magnetic poles may be flipping by 10° each year, way more than previously thought!</a>

Due to this, the planet will be visible with the naked eye in the constellation Sagittarius for the whole month. People in North America will be able to see the constellation. One can follow the Summer Triangle asterism to find the constellation if you’re unable to find it. This can be achieved by imagining a line from the Deneb star, and then through the Altari star, through which one could locate the constellation.

Leave the city!

To get the best view of the planet, one should get out of the city lights, and buildings around the city. Also, once you are able to reach a pitch dark location, give your eyes 15 minutes to acclimatise to the red filters.

<h6><img alt="This NASA image taken on September 1, 2017 and obtained on February 21, 2020 shows Jupiter's southern equatorial region. The image is oriented so Jupiter's poles (not visible) run left-to-right of frame. " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="786f1d95-25b2-4e95-bdfd-f3cde84fac36" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design_118.jpg" /> 
This NASA image taken on September 1, 2017 and obtained on February 21, 2020 shows Jupiter's southern equatorial region. The image is oriented so Jupiter's poles (not visible) run left-to-right of frame. | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

The planet will be visible in the sky immediately after sunset, and will be at a magnitude of -2.7, which denotes the brightness of the planet. The more negative this is, the more bright the planet is. Today, Jupiter will be brighter than the star which emits the most light in the Earth sky - Sirius, a Northern Hemisphere star.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/science/we-all-come-from-star-dust-is-no-longer-just-a-saying-and-scientists-agree-311418" hreflang="en">'We all come from star dust' is no longer just a saying, and scientists agree!</a>

Last night, the planet reached its highest points in the sky around midnight, giving a glimpse of the star.

If you wish to witness the planet’s movement - a pair of binoculars will come in handy! A telescope is also a good accessory to witness the planet’s movement.

However, incase the sky is hazed with clouds and you are unable to witness it, don’t fret. The planet will be visible for the upcoming weeks.

According to a skywatching website - In The Sky, the planet will reach its highest point in the sky every night, but with a haste of 4 minutes over the preceding night. Additionally, it may be witnessed in the evening sky for a few months.

Throughout this week, Jupiter will be at its brightest in the sky. The planet will reach “opposition” last night (July 14), which implies that the planet will now be directly opposite the sun in the sky, and the nearest to Earth.

Throughout this week, Jupiter will be at its brightest in the sky. The planet will reach “opposition” last night (July 14), which implies that the planet will now be directly opposite the sun in the sky, and the nearest to Earth. Also read: Earth's magnetic poles may be flipping by 10° each year, way more than previously thought! Due to this, the planet will be visible with the naked eye in the constellation Sagittarius for the whole month. People in North America will be able to see the constellation. One can follow the Summer Triangle asterism to find the constellation if you’re unable to find it. This can be achieved by imagining a line from the Deneb star, and then through the Altari star, through which one could locate the constellation. Leave the city! To get the best view of the planet, one should get out of the city lights, and buildings around the city. Also, once you are able to reach a pitch dark location, give your eyes 15 minutes to acclimatise to the red filters. This NASA image taken on September 1, 2017 and obtained on February 21, 2020 shows Jupiter's southern equatorial region. The image is oriented so Jupiter's poles (not visible) run left-to-right of frame. | AFP The planet will be visible in the sky immediately after sunset, and will be at a magnitude of -2.7, which denotes the brightness of the planet. The more negative this is, the more bright the planet is. Today, Jupiter will be brighter than the star which emits the most light in the Earth sky - Sirius, a Northern Hemisphere star. Also read: 'We all come from star dust' is no longer just a saying, and scientists agree! Last night, the planet reached its highest points in the sky around midnight, giving a glimpse of the star. If you wish to witness the planet’s movement - a pair of binoculars will come in handy! A telescope is also a good accessory to witness the planet’s movement. However, incase the sky is hazed with clouds and you are unable to witness it, don’t fret. The planet will be visible for the upcoming weeks. According to a skywatching website - In The Sky, the planet will reach its highest point in the sky every night, but with a haste of 4 minutes over the preceding night. Additionally, it may be witnessed in the evening sky for a few months.

Jupiter is currently emitting more light than our brightest star Sirius!

Methane, a planet-warming gas responsible for a major portion of Earth’s global warming has taken up a lot more space than expected over the last decade.

An international study from July 15 has ascertained that the emissions of this poisonous gas have risen by at least nine per cent in the last ten years. The study attributed this to human activity and exploitation of resources for energy and food.

More warming than any other gas!

Methane (CH4) warms the planet more than any other gas, and contributed to Earth’s warming by over 28 more times than Carbon Dioxide.

Since the Industrial Revolution, which began in Europe and the United States as early as 1760, the gas concentration in the atmosphere has more than doubled.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/videos/swiss-company-develops-animal-feed-cuts-methane-emissions-livestock-169245" hreflang="en">Swiss company develops animal feed that cuts methane emissions from livestock</a>

Over the last 20 years, the gas has gained over 80 times potency.

Methane can also occur naturally in the environment, in terrain such as wetlands and lakes. However, over 60 per cent of methane emissions are now artificially occurring in the environment, implying it is manmade.

These can be divided into three categories: extracting and burning fossil fuels to generate power and electricity. Additionally, it is also caused by agriculture which involved livestock, along with management of waste.

2 degree celsius - the upper limit

According to the 2015 Paris climate agreement, the temperature limit countries must commit to shall be “well below” two degree Celsius, which is above the Industrial Era levels.

Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, emissions will fall this year. However, atmospheric methane is increasing by 12 parts per billion every year.&nbsp;By 2100, the planet might witness warming of over 3-4 degree Celsius, as pointed out by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

"Regular updates of the global methane budget are necessary ... because reducing methane emissions would have a rapid positive effect on climate," Marielle Saunois, a researcher at France's Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environment, who also headed the study, said in a briefing.&nbsp;"To meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement, not only do CO2 emissions need to be reduced but also methane emissions”, Saunois added.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/urgent-international-cooperation-needed-to-address-global-warming-impacts-wmo-251656" hreflang="en">Urgent international cooperation needed to address global warming impacts: WMO</a>

50 research institutions around the world constitute the Global Carbon Project, which has collated data from 100 observation stations.&nbsp;Compared to the time period between 2000-2006, the world has produced 50 million additional tonnes of methane every year.

Out of these, over 60 per cent emanated from agriculture and waste. Additionally, 30 per cent were a result of digestive processes of cattle and sheep.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/opinions/wion-edit-global-warming-threat-continues-to-grow-250647" hreflang="en">WION Edit: Global warming threat continues to grow</a>

Also, 22 per cent release of methane is a product of burning oil and gas, while 11 per cent is a direct consequence of leaks from the world’s coal mines.

New studies suggest how methane leaks can be spotted using satellite data. Emissions may be higher than the ones accounted for in this study, which only traced data upto 2017.

But recent studies based on new techniques for spotting methane leaks using satellite data suggest that emissions from the oil and gas sector may be significantly higher than those shown in the study, which only included data through 2017.

Methane, a planet-warming gas responsible for a major portion of Earth’s global warming has taken up a lot more space than expected over the last decade. An international study from July 15 has ascertained that the emissions of this poisonous gas have risen by at least nine per cent in the last ten years.

Methane, a planet-warming gas responsible for a major portion of Earth’s global warming has taken up a lot more space than expected over the last decade. An international study from July 15 has ascertained that the emissions of this poisonous gas have risen by at least nine per cent in the last ten years. The study attributed this to human activity and exploitation of resources for energy and food. More warming than any other gas! Methane (CH4) warms the planet more than any other gas, and contributed to Earth’s warming by over 28 more times than Carbon Dioxide. Since the Industrial Revolution, which began in Europe and the United States as early as 1760, the gas concentration in the atmosphere has more than doubled. Also read: Swiss company develops animal feed that cuts methane emissions from livestock Over the last 20 years, the gas has gained over 80 times potency. Methane can also occur naturally in the environment, in terrain such as wetlands and lakes. However, over 60 per cent of methane emissions are now artificially occurring in the environment, implying it is manmade. These can be divided into three categories: extracting and burning fossil fuels to generate power and electricity. Additionally, it is also caused by agriculture which involved livestock, along with management of waste. 2 degree celsius - the upper limit According to the 2015 Paris climate agreement, the temperature limit countries must commit to shall be “well below” two degree Celsius, which is above the Industrial Era levels. Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, emissions will fall this year. However, atmospheric methane is increasing by 12 parts per billion every year. By 2100, the planet might witness warming of over 3-4 degree Celsius, as pointed out by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). "Regular updates of the global methane budget are necessary ... because reducing methane emissions would have a rapid positive effect on climate," Marielle Saunois, a researcher at France's Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environment, who also headed the study, said in a briefing. "To meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement, not only do CO2 emissions need to be reduced but also methane emissions”, Saunois added. Also read: Urgent international cooperation needed to address global warming impacts: WMO 50 research institutions around the world constitute the Global Carbon Project, which has collated data from 100 observation stations. Compared to the time period between 2000-2006, the world has produced 50 million additional tonnes of methane every year. Out of these, over 60 per cent emanated from agriculture and waste. Additionally, 30 per cent were a result of digestive processes of cattle and sheep. Also read: WION Edit: Global warming threat continues to grow Also, 22 per cent release of methane is a product of burning oil and gas, while 11 per cent is a direct consequence of leaks from the world’s coal mines. New studies suggest how methane leaks can be spotted using satellite data. Emissions may be higher than the ones accounted for in this study, which only traced data upto 2017. But recent studies based on new techniques for spotting methane leaks using satellite data suggest that emissions from the oil and gas sector may be significantly higher than those shown in the study, which only included data through 2017.

Emissions of planet-warming methane have risen by 9% in the last decade

Scientists in Italy are investigating the mysterious appearance of pink glacial ice in the Alps, caused by algae that accelerate the effects of climate change.

Italian alps: Glacier turns pink due to global warming-linked algae

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