Rising carbon dioxide levels from global warming will drastically reduce the amount of protein in staple crops like rice and wheat, leaving vulnerable populations at risk of growth stunting and early death, experts warned&nbsp;Wednesday.

Researchers say they still don&#39;t understand how or why carbon dioxide emissions sap protein and other nutrients from plants, but the mystery is one that could have devastating consequences across the globe.

An additional 150 million people globally may be at risk of protein deficiency by 2050 because of rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere said the report in the journal Environmental Research Letters.

The study, led by Harvard University researchers, is the first to quantify the impacts of global warming on the protein levels of crops.

It relies on data from open field experiments in which plants were exposed to high concentrations of CO2.&nbsp;

Global dietary information from the United Nations was used to calculate the impact on people who live dangerously close to the edge when it comes to getting enough protein. Without it, growth is stunted, diseases are more common and early mortality is far more likely.

Carbon dioxide is a byproduct of fossil-fuel burning that helps trap heat around the Earth. Without stark action, these emissions are expected to climb in the decades to come, resulting in rising seas, hotter temperatures, and more extreme weather events.

A leading hypothesis was that CO2 might increase the amount of starch in plants, thereby decreasing protein and other nutrients.&nbsp;

But lead author Samuel Myers, a senior research scientist in Harvard University&#39;s TH Chan School of Public Health, said that experiments did not back up the theory.

&quot;The short answer is we really have no idea,&quot; he told AFP.&nbsp;

&quot;We&#39;ve looked into it pretty extensively.&quot;&nbsp;

Protein was not the only nutrient to take a major hit.&nbsp;

Other research has shown that rising CO2 will cut key minerals like iron and zinc in staple crops, leading to further nutritional deficiencies worldwide.

Africa, Asia hardest hit

Researchers calculated that by 2050, higher CO2 concentrations will sap the protein contents of barley by 14.6 per cent, rice by 7.6 per cent, wheat by 7.8 per cent, and potatoes by 6.4 per cent.

&quot;If CO2 levels continue to rise as projected, the populations of 18 countries may lose more than 5 per cent of their dietary protein by 2050 due to a decline in the nutritional value of rice, wheat, and other staple crops,&quot; said the report.

A full 76 per cent of the people on Earth rely on plants for most of their daily protein, particularly in poor areas of the globe.

The hardest hit areas are expected to be Sub-Saharan Africa, where millions already don&#39;t get enough protein in their diets, and South Asia where rice and wheat are common staples.

India alone may lose 5.3 per cent of protein from a standard diet, putting a predicted 53 million people at new risk of protein deficiency.

Researchers said solutions may include cutting carbon emissions, supporting more diverse diets, enriching the nutritional content of staple crops, and breeding crops that are less sensitive to the harmful effects of CO2.

India alone may lose 5.3 per cent of protein from a standard diet, putting a predicted 53 million people at new risk of protein deficiency

Rising carbon dioxide levels from global warming will drastically reduce the amount of protein in staple crops like rice and wheat, leaving vulnerable populations at risk of growth stunting and early death, experts warned Wednesday. Researchers say they still don't understand how or why carbon dioxide emissions sap protein and other nutrients from plants, but the mystery is one that could have devastating consequences across the globe. An additional 150 million people globally may be at risk of protein deficiency by 2050 because of rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere said the report in the journal Environmental Research Letters. The study, led by Harvard University researchers, is the first to quantify the impacts of global warming on the protein levels of crops. It relies on data from open field experiments in which plants were exposed to high concentrations of CO2. Global dietary information from the United Nations was used to calculate the impact on people who live dangerously close to the edge when it comes to getting enough protein. Without it, growth is stunted, diseases are more common and early mortality is far more likely. Carbon dioxide is a byproduct of fossil-fuel burning that helps trap heat around the Earth. Without stark action, these emissions are expected to climb in the decades to come, resulting in rising seas, hotter temperatures, and more extreme weather events. A leading hypothesis was that CO2 might increase the amount of starch in plants, thereby decreasing protein and other nutrients. But lead author Samuel Myers, a senior research scientist in Harvard University's TH Chan School of Public Health, said that experiments did not back up the theory. "The short answer is we really have no idea," he told AFP. "We've looked into it pretty extensively." Protein was not the only nutrient to take a major hit. Other research has shown that rising CO2 will cut key minerals like iron and zinc in staple crops, leading to further nutritional deficiencies worldwide. Africa, Asia hardest hit Researchers calculated that by 2050, higher CO2 concentrations will sap the protein contents of barley by 14.6 per cent, rice by 7.6 per cent, wheat by 7.8 per cent, and potatoes by 6.4 per cent. "If CO2 levels continue to rise as projected, the populations of 18 countries may lose more than 5 per cent of their dietary protein by 2050 due to a decline in the nutritional value of rice, wheat, and other staple crops," said the report. A full 76 per cent of the people on Earth rely on plants for most of their daily protein, particularly in poor areas of the globe. The hardest hit areas are expected to be Sub-Saharan Africa, where millions already don't get enough protein in their diets, and South Asia where rice and wheat are common staples. India alone may lose 5.3 per cent of protein from a standard diet, putting a predicted 53 million people at new risk of protein deficiency. Researchers said solutions may include cutting carbon emissions, supporting more diverse diets, enriching the nutritional content of staple crops, and breeding crops that are less sensitive to the harmful effects of CO2.

Global warming reduces protein in key crops: Study

&nbsp;

Environmentalists have long been worried about melting glaciers in the Himalayas. Studies and articles on the matter often border on the extreme. Some seek to reassure people that it is not a big deal, while others paint doomsday scenarios. But while global warming is a reality, available facts and figures are not enough to ascertain exactly how frozen surfaces in the region are melting or what its impact is on the environment, vegetation or animal life.&nbsp;

The Himalayan range and its extension in the northwest are home to more than 50,000 glaciers. Only the polar circles have more. Approximately 60,000 square kilometres of ice are stored along the Hindu Kush-Karakoram-Himalaya mountain ranges. But despite the huge dimensions, these frozen masses do not last for ever and have retreated in the last few decades. Glaciers are fragile. After all, they consist of nothing but ice.

Global warming has led to the Himalayan range witnessing less snowfall, more rains and hotter summers. Glaciers erode and become shorter and thinner every year, a loss that is impossible to recover as long as the mercury continues to rise.

Fieldwork is a major problem here. Many of the glaciers are located in isolated high mountain areas and reaching these places with necessary equipment involves a lot of time and money. In some areas of Afghanistan, it is also a matter of safety. Data are fragmented and it is impossible to have a precise overall picture.

Some glaciers have visibly receded, like the Gangotri, in India, where the Ganges has its headwaters. From 2000 onwards, it has been receding to the tune of 12 metres every year. It has already lost nearly 200 metres of its length.

But not all South Asian glaciers are melting though. The process seems to have been reversed in the Karakoram range, along the border between Pakistan, India and China. The monsoon reaches this region in winter and the precipitation freezes thanks to severe temperatures.&nbsp;

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<h5>When it comes to South Asian glaciers, one of the chief factors contributing towards their melting is dust. A part of it comes from forest fires, cooking fires, agricultural and industrial burn wastes.</h5>
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It is not good news though and it does not balance the loss. &quot;It is more of a unique phenomenon. There are very few other places in the world where this is happening,&quot; says Sarah Kapnick, a physical scientist at Princeton University who studies the area closely. &quot;We can create a hypothesis that may be valid for the next hundred years. It is impossible to know what could happen after that. And this does not mean that it is not getting warmer up there. It sounds counterintuitive. But more snow means more precipitation which is another effect of rising temperatures,&quot; the scientist tells WION.

It is almost unanimously recognised that global warming is a human-induced phenomenon, mostly caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases. But when it comes to South Asian glaciers, one of the chief factors contributing towards their melting is dust. A part of it comes from forest fires, cooking fires, agricultural and industrial burn wastes. Particles get deposited on the frozen surface, absorb the sun light, warm up and create holes, pretty much what happens when a firebrand is placed on an ice cube. Through these holes, solar heat gets the chance to penetrate deep in. The melting gathers speed.

It is a classic domino effect example, a chain reaction. More dust means more heat, more heat more holes, more holes more heat.

Most of this dust has natural origins: it comes from the Asian Brown Cloud (ABC), a recurring layer of pollution partially covering South Asian skies.

&quot;Poor quality petrol combustion also contributes to this cloud but it is mainly composed of natural dust coming from Rajasthan and other dry places in India and Pakistan which gets blown by the wind,&quot; says Dipak Gyawali, director of Nepal Water Conservation Foundation (NWCF) and a former Nepalese minister for water resources. &quot;There is not much that we can do about the natural part of it. We can surely work on cutting down on the use of poor quality petrol and coal to reduce the damage,&quot; he adds.

Glaciers are, above all, storage systems. They thicken with winter snowfalls and release water when the summer comes. &quot;Most of the high altitude settlements rely on spring sources for their water. This is true for Nepal. The shrinking of glaciers will not cause them problems. It will mostly affect low altitude areas, reducing the flow of rivers during dry seasons,&quot; the director of NWCF puts the elements into perspective.

Monsoons remain the principal source of fresh water in South Asia but the flows of some of the biggest rivers in the region depend on ice melt. The Indus in Pakistan, for example, relies on glaciers for up to forty per cent of its flow. But a dense network of minor rivers and major ones across the Indo-Gangetic plain mitigates the reduction in ice melt. The network continues to support agriculture and ensures the survival of hundreds of millions of lives.

Rice is the main agricultural product of the region and it is a water-intensive crop. According to the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), paddy grows on 60 million hectares of land in South Asia. Accounting for more than a quarter of the global production, Bangladesh and India take the lead. Any change in the rivers&rsquo; flows will have a severe impact.

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<h5>Glaciers are a hot topic. There is too much hype. For instance, you say that if glaciers melt, Bangladesh will be completely flooded. You immediately grab eyeballs. But it is scientific nonsense.</h5>
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&nbsp;

Sifting through the jungle of articles, videos and infographics on the matter, one encounters contradictory figures. One moment, it seems that South Asian glaciers will disappear in two decades and there will be huge floods followed by terrible droughts. The next moment, one encounters data that points to their good health. This is confusing and undermines the credibility of the scientific community.

&quot;See, glaciers are a hot topic. There is too much hype. For instance, you say that if glaciers melt, Bangladesh will be completely flooded. You immediately grab eyeballs. But it is scientific nonsense. You are saying a wrong thing. Floods occur because of massive monsoon rains and the problem is that no one can ever predict the right amount of precipitation. Water warming is a much bigger problem and nobody is talking about it,&quot; comments Dipak Gyawali.

&quot;It is always difficult to speak about environmental problems with a non-specialist. It is also challenging because what will happen in the future is pretty much uncertain. Climatic conditions change in decades and some of these are natural. As scientists, we are not always good at explaining this to common people,&quot; opines Sarak Kapnick.

A balanced narrative will improve general awareness about the negative effects of global warming. Water, in all its forms, is a basic need of any ecosystem and its preservation is a priority. It is the common interest of the world.

South Asian rivers are also an important source of clean energy. Some countries base their energy provision on hydropower. It powers more than sixty per cent households in Bhutan.

A decline in river flow leads to a decrease of potential energy. In a developing region like South Asia, this may also have political ramifications. It may force countries to further tighten their borders. A run for energy in such a scenario will affect peaceful and constructive coexistence.

But global warming also presents a unique opportunity for South Asian governments to come together to battle the problem. They can coordinate their actions and benefit from each other&rsquo;s respective strengths. Rivers and glaciers are often shared between neighbouring countries and change in one place will affect people in another. Any negative changing will affect all their populations. Pakistan, for instance, can face water and hydropower shortage if Indian glaciers melt too fast. The necessity of a common strategy to preserve water sources may become a way to mend poor diplomatic relations between some South Asian countries. In case they succeed, the region can gain a global leadership role in environmental protection. It is a chance not to be underestimated and a cause not worth neglecting.

The impact of global warming presents South Asian countries with a unique chance to unite

Environmentalists have long been worried about melting glaciers in the Himalayas. Studies and articles on the matter often border on the extreme. Some seek to reassure people that it is not a big deal, while others paint doomsday scenarios. But while global warming is a reality, available facts and figures are not enough to ascertain exactly how frozen surfaces in the region are melting or what its impact is on the environment, vegetation or animal life. The Himalayan range and its extension in the northwest are home to more than 50,000 glaciers. Only the polar circles have more. Approximately 60,000 square kilometres of ice are stored along the Hindu Kush-Karakoram-Himalaya mountain ranges. But despite the huge dimensions, these frozen masses do not last for ever and have retreated in the last few decades. Glaciers are fragile. After all, they consist of nothing but ice. Global warming has led to the Himalayan range witnessing less snowfall, more rains and hotter summers. Glaciers erode and become shorter and thinner every year, a loss that is impossible to recover as long as the mercury continues to rise. Fieldwork is a major problem here. Many of the glaciers are located in isolated high mountain areas and reaching these places with necessary equipment involves a lot of time and money. In some areas of Afghanistan, it is also a matter of safety. Data are fragmented and it is impossible to have a precise overall picture. Some glaciers have visibly receded, like the Gangotri, in India, where the Ganges has its headwaters. From 2000 onwards, it has been receding to the tune of 12 metres every year. It has already lost nearly 200 metres of its length. But not all South Asian glaciers are melting though. The process seems to have been reversed in the Karakoram range, along the border between Pakistan, India and China. The monsoon reaches this region in winter and the precipitation freezes thanks to severe temperatures. When it comes to South Asian glaciers, one of the chief factors contributing towards their melting is dust. A part of it comes from forest fires, cooking fires, agricultural and industrial burn wastes. × It is not good news though and it does not balance the loss. "It is more of a unique phenomenon. There are very few other places in the world where this is happening," says Sarah Kapnick, a physical scientist at Princeton University who studies the area closely. "We can create a hypothesis that may be valid for the next hundred years. It is impossible to know what could happen after that. And this does not mean that it is not getting warmer up there. It sounds counterintuitive. But more snow means more precipitation which is another effect of rising temperatures," the scientist tells WION. It is almost unanimously recognised that global warming is a human-induced phenomenon, mostly caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases. But when it comes to South Asian glaciers, one of the chief factors contributing towards their melting is dust. A part of it comes from forest fires, cooking fires, agricultural and industrial burn wastes. Particles get deposited on the frozen surface, absorb the sun light, warm up and create holes, pretty much what happens when a firebrand is placed on an ice cube. Through these holes, solar heat gets the chance to penetrate deep in. The melting gathers speed. It is a classic domino effect example, a chain reaction. More dust means more heat, more heat more holes, more holes more heat. Most of this dust has natural origins: it comes from the Asian Brown Cloud (ABC), a recurring layer of pollution partially covering South Asian skies. "Poor quality petrol combustion also contributes to this cloud but it is mainly composed of natural dust coming from Rajasthan and other dry places in India and Pakistan which gets blown by the wind," says Dipak Gyawali, director of Nepal Water Conservation Foundation (NWCF) and a former Nepalese minister for water resources. "There is not much that we can do about the natural part of it. We can surely work on cutting down on the use of poor quality petrol and coal to reduce the damage," he adds. Glaciers are, above all, storage systems. They thicken with winter snowfalls and release water when the summer comes. "Most of the high altitude settlements rely on spring sources for their water. This is true for Nepal. The shrinking of glaciers will not cause them problems. It will mostly affect low altitude areas, reducing the flow of rivers during dry seasons," the director of NWCF puts the elements into perspective. Monsoons remain the principal source of fresh water in South Asia but the flows of some of the biggest rivers in the region depend on ice melt. The Indus in Pakistan, for example, relies on glaciers for up to forty per cent of its flow. But a dense network of minor rivers and major ones across the Indo-Gangetic plain mitigates the reduction in ice melt. The network continues to support agriculture and ensures the survival of hundreds of millions of lives. Rice is the main agricultural product of the region and it is a water-intensive crop. According to the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), paddy grows on 60 million hectares of land in South Asia. Accounting for more than a quarter of the global production, Bangladesh and India take the lead. Any change in the rivers’ flows will have a severe impact. Glaciers are a hot topic. There is too much hype. For instance, you say that if glaciers melt, Bangladesh will be completely flooded. You immediately grab eyeballs. But it is scientific nonsense. × Sifting through the jungle of articles, videos and infographics on the matter, one encounters contradictory figures. One moment, it seems that South Asian glaciers will disappear in two decades and there will be huge floods followed by terrible droughts. The next moment, one encounters data that points to their good health. This is confusing and undermines the credibility of the scientific community. "See, glaciers are a hot topic. There is too much hype. For instance, you say that if glaciers melt, Bangladesh will be completely flooded. You immediately grab eyeballs. But it is scientific nonsense. You are saying a wrong thing. Floods occur because of massive monsoon rains and the problem is that no one can ever predict the right amount of precipitation. Water warming is a much bigger problem and nobody is talking about it," comments Dipak Gyawali. "It is always difficult to speak about environmental problems with a non-specialist. It is also challenging because what will happen in the future is pretty much uncertain. Climatic conditions change in decades and some of these are natural. As scientists, we are not always good at explaining this to common people," opines Sarak Kapnick. A balanced narrative will improve general awareness about the negative effects of global warming. Water, in all its forms, is a basic need of any ecosystem and its preservation is a priority. It is the common interest of the world. South Asian rivers are also an important source of clean energy. Some countries base their energy provision on hydropower. It powers more than sixty per cent households in Bhutan. A decline in river flow leads to a decrease of potential energy. In a developing region like South Asia, this may also have political ramifications. It may force countries to further tighten their borders. A run for energy in such a scenario will affect peaceful and constructive coexistence. But global warming also presents a unique opportunity for South Asian governments to come together to battle the problem. They can coordinate their actions and benefit from each other’s respective strengths. Rivers and glaciers are often shared between neighbouring countries and change in one place will affect people in another. Any negative changing will affect all their populations. Pakistan, for instance, can face water and hydropower shortage if Indian glaciers melt too fast. The necessity of a common strategy to preserve water sources may become a way to mend poor diplomatic relations between some South Asian countries. In case they succeed, the region can gain a global leadership role in environmental protection. It is a chance not to be underestimated and a cause not worth neglecting.

Is it bad news for the Himalayan glaciers?

It is the 17th year of the 21st century, and we might feel that a technologically advanced world as ours does not need to be concerned about its depleting soil quality. But there are a few things which are not retrievable. Soil, for instance. Massive use of pesticides, fertilizers and other chemicals on our soil has led to its depletion beyond measure. Of late, the way we have been practicing agriculture can rightly be called &#39;soil mining&#39;.

&nbsp;

With the advent of Green Revolution that began in India in the 1960s, through the introduction of the high-yield variety of seeds, fertilisers, pesticides and application of modern agricultural techniques, there was definitely an insurmountable increase in food production in India. The production of wheat gave us the best results in fueling self-sufficiency of India. But what it also brought along with it was the following:

&nbsp;

1. A disparity in the consumption of fertilisers where the district-wise fertiliser consumption in the country varies from 50 to 200 kg/ha.

&nbsp;

2. An excessive use of chemical fertiliser (150-200 kg/ha) as reported from some states like Punjab and Haryana has caused the destruction of useful microorganisms, insects and worms in the soil.

&nbsp;

3. Imbalance in nutrient status has caused a significant deficiency of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium as well as zinc, sulphur, molybdenum and boron. It has also disturbed soil texture and its physio-chemical properties.

&nbsp;

4. Environmental degradation like depletion of stratospheric ozone and nitrate toxication have caused health hazards, such as cancer, methemoglobinemia respiratory illness, hypertension etc.

&nbsp;

5. Pollution with heavy metals and pesticides have caused serious damages to food quality. Evidently, food is no longer safe to consume.

&nbsp;

Somewhere in between using these chemicalised farming methods and being able to increase our yield, we forgot that there have been alternate ways to grow more food and provide higher incomes to farmers without destroying the environment, the soil and killing our peasants. For instance, traditional systems of rain-fed farming methods like Baranaja has allowed 3.5 million farmers of Tehri Garhwal region to grow sufficient harvest for themselves and carry forward the amazing seeds in the next season.

&nbsp;

Baranaja is a mixed crop farming method and is based on a long-established wisdom. The word literally means twelve grains. It involves growing of 12 different seeds, which includes that of grains, dhal, fibre, millet, oil, amaranth, buck wheat and a traditional variety of soya called bhaat. Such wide bio-diversity also means, only one or two will effectively fall to pests or diseases. In case of flood or drought, the resistant ones among these varieties survive and so people won&rsquo;t go without a harvest. These twelve grains when grown in a synergistic combination with each other ensure soil fertility.

&nbsp;

In Baranaja, the seeds of 12 crops are mixed together and spread at random in the field that has been treated with manure. Baranaja allows experimentation when it comes to growing the seeds. Most of the times the harvest is fruitful and there is always a scope to learn from the kind of crops that are grown with such inter-mixing.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Oftentimes, the demand of the market limits this exploration and learning but the ways in which our eco-system benefits from such a practice is insurmountable. As Indian environmentalist and activist Vandana Shiva points out, &quot;In Baranaja system, crops are chosen after many years of sowing and seeing: What are the symbiotic relationship between plants and between plants and the chosen soil? In this system plants are thinned and replanted to preserve a working diversity so that the harvest is beneficial both to the sower and the soil. The knowledge gained from observation can lead to greater yields and an understanding of seed and soil that is the basis of what we have labeled &#39;sustainability&#39;.&quot; The practice of Baranaja not only preserves biodiversity but also what Shiva refers to as food democracy.

&nbsp;

Over the years, as we have practiced agriculture, there has been a focus on yield rather than on soil. There is a focus on only commerce and not the environment. There is a focus on business and not sustainability. This one-sided approach to our agricultural policies has led to a chaos in our agricultural practices. Over the years, as our yield has increased and has managed to feed our population, we have stopped realising that the top soil in most continents has been depleting at a rapid rate. The day our top soil dies, we will not be able to produce any more food. In a way, we have become consumers without a thought.

&nbsp;

Aparna Rajagopal who is a lawyer turned farmer and has largely been inspired by Barnaja farming techniques says, &quot;People ask me whether organic farming is the answer and can it feed the world? I think it is possible that organic farming can feed everyone. Two reasons: 80 percent of land holdings in India are small holdings. If every farmer is encouraged by the government to adopt certain practices which are traditional, grow clean food, crops that are suited to their region. Punjab is a case in point. Punjab is a region where they used to grow a lot of millet and legumes. Today, after the Green Revolution, they only grow cash crops such as rice, wheat, mustard and sugarcane. In order to grow rice, the government let the farmers dig tube wells like there is no tomorrow and used so much of chemicals and fertilisers that all of it seeped into the groundwater of Punjab and it is contaminated. There is a train that comes from Bhatinda to Bikaner called &quot;Cancer express&#39;&#39;, virtually every family has cancer. It is the destruction of an entire region geographically and sociologically.&quot;

&nbsp;

As organic food becomes popular across the world, it is important that India makes an effort to conserve its farming legacy. The government has a huge role to play in driving our agrarian economy. It has to give subsidies for sustainable agricultural practices in order to encourage the same. Unless we pay attention, we will continue to consume poisonous food and continue mining our soil. It takes three years to convert farm land to organic practices. Which means farmers must be adequately compensated for full and half-crop losses in the first and second year, respectively.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Given how rampantly we have used chemicals and fertilisers on our soil in the past it is going to be unfair to expect similar yields as with chemical farming in the first two years of conversion from chemical to organic. It becomes important, therefore, that the government looks into how the farmers are going to cope up with the kind of losses that are directly incurred with the conversion from chemical to organic instead of simply announcing to turn all of specified region into an organic production region, such as in the North East India. With the changing climate it has become even more difficult to understand which crop befits which companion crop in order to get maximum yield without being dependant on chemical fertilisers.

&nbsp;

While farming and agriculture in India have primarily become an occupation our youth simply wants to evade from, one must realise that it requires a scientific bent of mind to be able to produce a crop efficiently and sustainably. Lack of scientific knowledge about any crop would definitely hinder us from combating the drastic effects of climate change on our crops. Our farmers need to have the right training and the knowledge to be able to reap the benefits of traditional practices in the current times.

Baranaja system of farming can be the answer to India's growing problems with soil erosion, ground water depletion and climate change

It is the 17th year of the 21st century, and we might feel that a technologically advanced world as ours does not need to be concerned about its depleting soil quality. But there are a few things which are not retrievable. Soil, for instance. Massive use of pesticides, fertilizers and other chemicals on our soil has led to its depletion beyond measure. Of late, the way we have been practicing agriculture can rightly be called 'soil mining'. With the advent of Green Revolution that began in India in the 1960s, through the introduction of the high-yield variety of seeds, fertilisers, pesticides and application of modern agricultural techniques, there was definitely an insurmountable increase in food production in India. The production of wheat gave us the best results in fueling self-sufficiency of India. But what it also brought along with it was the following: 1. A disparity in the consumption of fertilisers where the district-wise fertiliser consumption in the country varies from 50 to 200 kg/ha. 2. An excessive use of chemical fertiliser (150-200 kg/ha) as reported from some states like Punjab and Haryana has caused the destruction of useful microorganisms, insects and worms in the soil. 3. Imbalance in nutrient status has caused a significant deficiency of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium as well as zinc, sulphur, molybdenum and boron. It has also disturbed soil texture and its physio-chemical properties. 4. Environmental degradation like depletion of stratospheric ozone and nitrate toxication have caused health hazards, such as cancer, methemoglobinemia respiratory illness, hypertension etc. 5. Pollution with heavy metals and pesticides have caused serious damages to food quality. Evidently, food is no longer safe to consume. Somewhere in between using these chemicalised farming methods and being able to increase our yield, we forgot that there have been alternate ways to grow more food and provide higher incomes to farmers without destroying the environment, the soil and killing our peasants. For instance, traditional systems of rain-fed farming methods like Baranaja has allowed 3.5 million farmers of Tehri Garhwal region to grow sufficient harvest for themselves and carry forward the amazing seeds in the next season. Baranaja is a mixed crop farming method and is based on a long-established wisdom. The word literally means twelve grains. It involves growing of 12 different seeds, which includes that of grains, dhal, fibre, millet, oil, amaranth, buck wheat and a traditional variety of soya called bhaat. Such wide bio-diversity also means, only one or two will effectively fall to pests or diseases. In case of flood or drought, the resistant ones among these varieties survive and so people won’t go without a harvest. These twelve grains when grown in a synergistic combination with each other ensure soil fertility. In Baranaja, the seeds of 12 crops are mixed together and spread at random in the field that has been treated with manure. Baranaja allows experimentation when it comes to growing the seeds. Most of the times the harvest is fruitful and there is always a scope to learn from the kind of crops that are grown with such inter-mixing. Oftentimes, the demand of the market limits this exploration and learning but the ways in which our eco-system benefits from such a practice is insurmountable. As Indian environmentalist and activist Vandana Shiva points out, "In Baranaja system, crops are chosen after many years of sowing and seeing: What are the symbiotic relationship between plants and between plants and the chosen soil? In this system plants are thinned and replanted to preserve a working diversity so that the harvest is beneficial both to the sower and the soil. The knowledge gained from observation can lead to greater yields and an understanding of seed and soil that is the basis of what we have labeled 'sustainability'." The practice of Baranaja not only preserves biodiversity but also what Shiva refers to as food democracy. Over the years, as we have practiced agriculture, there has been a focus on yield rather than on soil. There is a focus on only commerce and not the environment. There is a focus on business and not sustainability. This one-sided approach to our agricultural policies has led to a chaos in our agricultural practices. Over the years, as our yield has increased and has managed to feed our population, we have stopped realising that the top soil in most continents has been depleting at a rapid rate. The day our top soil dies, we will not be able to produce any more food. In a way, we have become consumers without a thought. Aparna Rajagopal who is a lawyer turned farmer and has largely been inspired by Barnaja farming techniques says, "People ask me whether organic farming is the answer and can it feed the world? I think it is possible that organic farming can feed everyone. Two reasons: 80 percent of land holdings in India are small holdings. If every farmer is encouraged by the government to adopt certain practices which are traditional, grow clean food, crops that are suited to their region. Punjab is a case in point. Punjab is a region where they used to grow a lot of millet and legumes. Today, after the Green Revolution, they only grow cash crops such as rice, wheat, mustard and sugarcane. In order to grow rice, the government let the farmers dig tube wells like there is no tomorrow and used so much of chemicals and fertilisers that all of it seeped into the groundwater of Punjab and it is contaminated. There is a train that comes from Bhatinda to Bikaner called "Cancer express'', virtually every family has cancer. It is the destruction of an entire region geographically and sociologically." As organic food becomes popular across the world, it is important that India makes an effort to conserve its farming legacy. The government has a huge role to play in driving our agrarian economy. It has to give subsidies for sustainable agricultural practices in order to encourage the same. Unless we pay attention, we will continue to consume poisonous food and continue mining our soil. It takes three years to convert farm land to organic practices. Which means farmers must be adequately compensated for full and half-crop losses in the first and second year, respectively. Given how rampantly we have used chemicals and fertilisers on our soil in the past it is going to be unfair to expect similar yields as with chemical farming in the first two years of conversion from chemical to organic. It becomes important, therefore, that the government looks into how the farmers are going to cope up with the kind of losses that are directly incurred with the conversion from chemical to organic instead of simply announcing to turn all of specified region into an organic production region, such as in the North East India. With the changing climate it has become even more difficult to understand which crop befits which companion crop in order to get maximum yield without being dependant on chemical fertilisers. While farming and agriculture in India have primarily become an occupation our youth simply wants to evade from, one must realise that it requires a scientific bent of mind to be able to produce a crop efficiently and sustainably. Lack of scientific knowledge about any crop would definitely hinder us from combating the drastic effects of climate change on our crops. Our farmers need to have the right training and the knowledge to be able to reap the benefits of traditional practices in the current times.

Can we truly reap the benefits of traditional farming practices?

Under a dual onslaught of global warming and localised, urban heating, some of the world&#39;s cities may be as much as eight degrees Celsius (14.4 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer by 2100, researchers warned Monday.

Such a temperature spike can have dire consequences for the health of city-dwellers, robbing companies and industries of able workers, and put pressure on already strained natural resources such as water.

The projection is based on the worst-case-scenario assumption that emissions of planet-warming greenhouse gases continue to rise throughout the 21st century.

The top quarter of most populated cities, in this scenario, could see the mercury rise 7 C or more by century&#39;s end, said a study in the journal Nature Climate Change.&nbsp;

For some, nearly 5 C of the total would be attributed to average global warming.

The rest would be due to the so-called Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect, which occurs when cooling parks, dams and lakes are replaced by heat-conducting concrete and asphalt -- making cities warmer than their surrounds, the researcher said.

&quot;The top five per cent (of cities per population) could see increases in temperatures of about 8 C and larger,&quot; study co-author Francisco Estrada of the Institute for Environmental Studies in the Netherlands told AFP.

Estrada and a team used different projections of average planetary warming, combined with the UHI effect and potential harms, to estimate the future costs of warming on cities.

The median city, right in the middle of the range, stands to lose between 1.4 and 1.7 per cent of GDP per year by 2050 and between 2.3 and 5.6 per cent by 2100, they concluded.

&quot;For the worst-off city, losses could reach up to 10.9 per cent of GDP by 2100,&quot; wrote the team.

UHI &quot;significantly&quot; increases city temperatures and economic losses from global warming, they added.

This meant that local actions to reduce UHI -- such as planting more trees or cooling roofs and pavements, can make a big difference in limiting warming and minimising costs.

Cities cover only about one per cent of earth&#39;s surface but produce about 80 per cent of gross world product and account for around 78 percent of energy consumed worldwide, said the researchers.

They produce more than 60 per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions from burning coal, oil and gas for fuel.

The world&#39;s nations agreed in Paris in 2015 to the goal of limiting average global warming to two degrees Celsius over pre-Industrial revolution levels by curbing greenhouse gas levels in Earth&#39;s atmosphere.

For the latest study, researchers used data from the world&#39;s 1,692 largest cities for the period 1950 to 2015.

(AFP)

Such a temperature spike can have dire consequences for the health of city-dwellers

Under a dual onslaught of global warming and localised, urban heating, some of the world's cities may be as much as eight degrees Celsius (14.4 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer by 2100, researchers warned Monday. Such a temperature spike can have dire consequences for the health of city-dwellers, robbing companies and industries of able workers, and put pressure on already strained natural resources such as water. The projection is based on the worst-case-scenario assumption that emissions of planet-warming greenhouse gases continue to rise throughout the 21st century. The top quarter of most populated cities, in this scenario, could see the mercury rise 7 C or more by century's end, said a study in the journal Nature Climate Change. For some, nearly 5 C of the total would be attributed to average global warming. The rest would be due to the so-called Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect, which occurs when cooling parks, dams and lakes are replaced by heat-conducting concrete and asphalt -- making cities warmer than their surrounds, the researcher said. "The top five per cent (of cities per population) could see increases in temperatures of about 8 C and larger," study co-author Francisco Estrada of the Institute for Environmental Studies in the Netherlands told AFP. Estrada and a team used different projections of average planetary warming, combined with the UHI effect and potential harms, to estimate the future costs of warming on cities. The median city, right in the middle of the range, stands to lose between 1.4 and 1.7 per cent of GDP per year by 2050 and between 2.3 and 5.6 per cent by 2100, they concluded. "For the worst-off city, losses could reach up to 10.9 per cent of GDP by 2100," wrote the team. UHI "significantly" increases city temperatures and economic losses from global warming, they added. This meant that local actions to reduce UHI -- such as planting more trees or cooling roofs and pavements, can make a big difference in limiting warming and minimising costs. Cities cover only about one per cent of earth's surface but produce about 80 per cent of gross world product and account for around 78 percent of energy consumed worldwide, said the researchers. They produce more than 60 per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions from burning coal, oil and gas for fuel. The world's nations agreed in Paris in 2015 to the goal of limiting average global warming to two degrees Celsius over pre-Industrial revolution levels by curbing greenhouse gas levels in Earth's atmosphere. For the latest study, researchers used data from the world's 1,692 largest cities for the period 1950 to 2015. (AFP)

Some cities may be 8 degrees Celsius warmer by 2100

A crack that could create an iceberg the size of Delaware -- and destabilise one of the largest ice shelves in the Antarctic -- has branched out and begun to widen more quickly, a scientist said on Wednesday.

The new fissure has turned toward the shelf&#39;s ocean edge, potentially speeding up the iceberg&#39;s process of breaking off, said Dan McGrath, a geophysicist with the US&nbsp;Geological Survey and a project partner with UK-based monitoring group Project Midas, which reported on the new crack on Monday.

&quot;It&rsquo;s taking basically a sharp hook toward the calving front,&quot; said McGrath, using a technical term to describe the ocean side of the ice shelf.

It is reasonable to link the event and the shrinking ice shelves in Antarctica to global warming, Richard Alley, a glaciologist at Penn State University who is not connected with the project.

An overwhelming majority of scientists say human activity - including the burning of oil, gas and coal - is the main driver of rising global temperatures.

Located on the Larsen C ice shelf, the fourth largest in Antarctica, the new Antarctica crack is an offshoot of a rupture that gained notice after growing dramatically in 2014, and last year was forecast to cause the separation of a 1,900-square-mile (5,000-square-kilometer) iceberg within years.

For comparison, the projected size of the iceberg is more than 300,000 times the size of the 125-meter (410-foot) iceberg that sunk the Titanic, putting it among the largest on record.

While not getting longer, the original crack has continued to widen steadily, at a rate of about 3 feet (1 meter) per day, a rate that has increased since the new crack formed, according to the Midas report.

McGrath, who has studied the shelf extensively, said the combination of the new crack and the faster widening could point to an imminent separation of the berg, even as soon as this summer.

The loss of so much ice would shrink the shelf by about 10 percent, leaving it with the smallest area ever recorded.

Scientists from the group also warned in 2015 that the loss of such a large mass of ice would create a &quot;significant risk&quot; of the shelf as a whole becoming unstable and breaking up, although McGrath cautioned the outcome is not guaranteed.

(Reuters)

The new fissure has turned toward the shelf's ocean edge, potentially speeding up the iceberg's process of breaking off, said Dan McGrath

A crack that could create an iceberg the size of Delaware -- and destabilise one of the largest ice shelves in the Antarctic -- has branched out and begun to widen more quickly, a scientist said on Wednesday. The new fissure has turned toward the shelf's ocean edge, potentially speeding up the iceberg's process of breaking off, said Dan McGrath, a geophysicist with the US Geological Survey and a project partner with UK-based monitoring group Project Midas, which reported on the new crack on Monday. "It’s taking basically a sharp hook toward the calving front," said McGrath, using a technical term to describe the ocean side of the ice shelf. It is reasonable to link the event and the shrinking ice shelves in Antarctica to global warming, Richard Alley, a glaciologist at Penn State University who is not connected with the project. An overwhelming majority of scientists say human activity - including the burning of oil, gas and coal - is the main driver of rising global temperatures. Located on the Larsen C ice shelf, the fourth largest in Antarctica, the new Antarctica crack is an offshoot of a rupture that gained notice after growing dramatically in 2014, and last year was forecast to cause the separation of a 1,900-square-mile (5,000-square-kilometer) iceberg within years. For comparison, the projected size of the iceberg is more than 300,000 times the size of the 125-meter (410-foot) iceberg that sunk the Titanic, putting it among the largest on record. While not getting longer, the original crack has continued to widen steadily, at a rate of about 3 feet (1 meter) per day, a rate that has increased since the new crack formed, according to the Midas report. McGrath, who has studied the shelf extensively, said the combination of the new crack and the faster widening could point to an imminent separation of the berg, even as soon as this summer. The loss of so much ice would shrink the shelf by about 10 percent, leaving it with the smallest area ever recorded. Scientists from the group also warned in 2015 that the loss of such a large mass of ice would create a "significant risk" of the shelf as a whole becoming unstable and breaking up, although McGrath cautioned the outcome is not guaranteed. (Reuters)

Growing Antarctic crack primes Delaware-sized iceberg

President Donald Trump complained on Thursday that the United States was being unfairly treated in the Paris Climate Agreement and told Reuters he would announce a decision in about two weeks on whether Washington would remain in the accord.

The Republican Trump, elected in November, had vowed during his campaign to withdraw from the Paris accord within 100 days of becoming president, part of a broader plan to sweep away Obama administration environmental protections he said were hobbling the economy.

He has since said he is open to staying in the pact if Washington gets better terms, and scores of large U.S. companies and several Republican lawmakers have urged him to stay in the deal as a way to protect American industry interests overseas.

Trump, who will mark the 100th day of his presidency on Saturday, told Reuters in an interview he would announce his decision &quot;in about two weeks,&quot; but complained that China, India, Russia and other countries were paying too little to help poorer countries battle climate change under the agreement&#39;s Green Climate Fund.

&quot;It&#39;s not a fair situation because they are paying virtually nothing and we are paying massive amounts of money,&quot; he said.

Asked for a hint of what his decision might be, he said: &quot;I can say this, we want to be treated fairly.&quot;

An administration source told Reuters earlier that Trump administration officials would likely meet in May to decide whether to keep the United States in the climate deal, having had an initial meeting on Thursday at the White House.

The group of advisers, which includes Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Energy Secretary Rick Perry and national security adviser H.R. McMaster, was on track to make the decision before a Group of Seven summit on May 26, the source said.

CABINET DIFFERENCES

Tillerson, the former head of Exxon Mobil Corp, and Perry have said the country should remain in the agreement. McMaster shares that view, a source outside the administration said.

Opponents of the pact include Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt, the former attorney general of oil-producing state Oklahoma, and White House chief strategist Steve Bannon.

Nearly 200 countries struck the Paris agreement to limit climate change by cutting carbon dioxide emissions and making investments in clean energy.

Many companies such as BP Plc and Microsoft Corp have urged the United States to stay in the agreement to protect their competitiveness.

A group of nine Republican lawmakers on Thursday urged Trump to stick to the pact, but to weaken the U.S. pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Congressman Kevin Cramer of oil-producing state North Dakota and eight other Republicans in the House of Representatives sent a letter to Trump urging him to use the country&#39;s &quot;seat at the Paris table to defend and promote our commercial interest, including our manufacturing and fossil fuel sectors.&quot;

If the United States is to stay in the 2015 agreement, Washington should present a new emissions cutting pledge that &quot;does no harm to our economy,&quot; said the letter from Cramer, who advised Trump on energy and climate during his 2016 presidential campaign.

Trump&#39;s Democratic predecessor, former President Barack Obama, had pledged a 26 percent to 28 percent cut in U.S. greenhouse gas emissions from 2005 levels, by 2025. Most scientists say the world needs to curb greenhouse gas emissions to limit the effects of climate change, including rising seas, deadly heatwaves, and severe storms and droughts.

The Republican lawmakers also said Washington should retain its seat on the Green Climate Fund but not make additional transfers to it. Obama pledged $3 billion to the fund in 2014, and gave $1 billion to it, with the last $500 million payment coming in his last days as president.&nbsp;

(Reuters)

'It's not a fair situation because they are paying virtually nothing and we are paying massive amounts of money,' he said

President Donald Trump complained on Thursday that the United States was being unfairly treated in the Paris Climate Agreement and told Reuters he would announce a decision in about two weeks on whether Washington would remain in the accord. The Republican Trump, elected in November, had vowed during his campaign to withdraw from the Paris accord within 100 days of becoming president, part of a broader plan to sweep away Obama administration environmental protections he said were hobbling the economy. He has since said he is open to staying in the pact if Washington gets better terms, and scores of large U.S. companies and several Republican lawmakers have urged him to stay in the deal as a way to protect American industry interests overseas. Trump, who will mark the 100th day of his presidency on Saturday, told Reuters in an interview he would announce his decision "in about two weeks," but complained that China, India, Russia and other countries were paying too little to help poorer countries battle climate change under the agreement's Green Climate Fund. "It's not a fair situation because they are paying virtually nothing and we are paying massive amounts of money," he said. Asked for a hint of what his decision might be, he said: "I can say this, we want to be treated fairly." An administration source told Reuters earlier that Trump administration officials would likely meet in May to decide whether to keep the United States in the climate deal, having had an initial meeting on Thursday at the White House. The group of advisers, which includes Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Energy Secretary Rick Perry and national security adviser H.R. McMaster, was on track to make the decision before a Group of Seven summit on May 26, the source said. CABINET DIFFERENCES Tillerson, the former head of Exxon Mobil Corp, and Perry have said the country should remain in the agreement. McMaster shares that view, a source outside the administration said. Opponents of the pact include Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt, the former attorney general of oil-producing state Oklahoma, and White House chief strategist Steve Bannon. Nearly 200 countries struck the Paris agreement to limit climate change by cutting carbon dioxide emissions and making investments in clean energy. Many companies such as BP Plc and Microsoft Corp have urged the United States to stay in the agreement to protect their competitiveness. A group of nine Republican lawmakers on Thursday urged Trump to stick to the pact, but to weaken the U.S. pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Congressman Kevin Cramer of oil-producing state North Dakota and eight other Republicans in the House of Representatives sent a letter to Trump urging him to use the country's "seat at the Paris table to defend and promote our commercial interest, including our manufacturing and fossil fuel sectors." If the United States is to stay in the 2015 agreement, Washington should present a new emissions cutting pledge that "does no harm to our economy," said the letter from Cramer, who advised Trump on energy and climate during his 2016 presidential campaign. Trump's Democratic predecessor, former President Barack Obama, had pledged a 26 percent to 28 percent cut in U.S. greenhouse gas emissions from 2005 levels, by 2025. Most scientists say the world needs to curb greenhouse gas emissions to limit the effects of climate change, including rising seas, deadly heatwaves, and severe storms and droughts. The Republican lawmakers also said Washington should retain its seat on the Green Climate Fund but not make additional transfers to it. Obama pledged $3 billion to the fund in 2014, and gave $1 billion to it, with the last $500 million payment coming in his last days as president. (Reuters)

Paris climate agreement:?Trump says India, China pay too little to help poor countries

Pakistan has arrested at least 100 Indian fishermen off the Gujarat coast.

The arrests were made allegedly for illegally fishing in Pakistani&nbsp;waters, officials said on Sunday.

The Maritime Security Agency (MSA) made the arrests Saturday night, and also impounded 19 wooden boats, a security official told AFP on condition of anonymity because he is not authorised to speak to the media.

&quot;The 100 men would be taken to the court on Monday,&quot; senior police official Adeel Chandio said after the fishermen were handed over to the police by MSA officials.

On March 5, Pakistan apprehended 94 Indian fishermen off the Gujarat coast in the Arabian Sea.&nbsp;

An official of the National Fishworkers&#39;&nbsp;Forum had said that the Pakistani agency&#39;s vessels are active.

Pakistan released 219 Indian fishermen as a &quot;goodwill&quot; gesture in January.

But overall relations between the two neighbours have plummeted since a deadly attack on an Indian army base in Indian Kashmir in September, which New Delhi blamed on Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

Experts say global warming and chaotic urbanisation is to be blamed

Pakistan has arrested at least 100 Indian fishermen off the Gujarat coast. The arrests were made allegedly for illegally fishing in Pakistani waters, officials said on Sunday. The Maritime Security Agency (MSA) made the arrests Saturday night, and also impounded 19 wooden boats, a security official told AFP on condition of anonymity because he is not authorised to speak to the media. "The 100 men would be taken to the court on Monday," senior police official Adeel Chandio said after the fishermen were handed over to the police by MSA officials. On March 5, Pakistan apprehended 94 Indian fishermen off the Gujarat coast in the Arabian Sea. An official of the National Fishworkers' Forum had said that the Pakistani agency's vessels are active. Pakistan released 219 Indian fishermen as a "goodwill" gesture in January. But overall relations between the two neighbours have plummeted since a deadly attack on an Indian army base in Indian Kashmir in September, which New Delhi blamed on Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Why is South America being hit by deadly landslides?

Researchers on Monday warned that reindeer in the Arctic are shrinking due to climate change, news agency AFP reports.

According to recent findings presented at the British Ecological Society (BES) in Liverpool, the average weight of reindeer in Svalbard in the Norwegian Arctic has dropped by 12 per cent over the past 16 years.

The average weight of adult reindeer has fallen to 48 kg from 55 kg in the 1990s, the study found.

&quot;Twelve per cent may not sound very much, but given how important body weight is to reproduction and survival, it&#39;s potentially huge,&quot; study leader Steve Albon of the James Hutton Institute in Scotland, told AFP.

Albon and his fellow researchers blame climate change for the shrinking reindeer.

Warmer winters mean more rain, which falls on snow and freezes into a sheet of ice, according to the BES.

The ice makes it harder for the herbivores to reach plant food.&nbsp;

&quot;The reindeer starve, aborting their calves or giving birth to much lighter young,&quot; AFP quoted the BES as saying.

Albon said reindeer numbers have increased over the past two decades. The rising population also means more competition for scarce food in winter.

The team has tracked Arctic reindeer since 1994, catching, marking and measuring 10-month-old calves every winter and returning the following year to recapture and note the animals&#39; size and weight, AFP said.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

The weight of adult reindeer in Svalbard in the Norwegian Arctic has dropped by 12% over the past 16 years

Researchers on Monday warned that reindeer in the Arctic are shrinking due to climate change, news agency AFP reports. According to recent findings presented at the British Ecological Society (BES) in Liverpool, the average weight of reindeer in Svalbard in the Norwegian Arctic has dropped by 12 per cent over the past 16 years. The average weight of adult reindeer has fallen to 48 kg from 55 kg in the 1990s, the study found. "Twelve per cent may not sound very much, but given how important body weight is to reproduction and survival, it's potentially huge," study leader Steve Albon of the James Hutton Institute in Scotland, told AFP. Albon and his fellow researchers blame climate change for the shrinking reindeer. Warmer winters mean more rain, which falls on snow and freezes into a sheet of ice, according to the BES. The ice makes it harder for the herbivores to reach plant food. "The reindeer starve, aborting their calves or giving birth to much lighter young," AFP quoted the BES as saying. Albon said reindeer numbers have increased over the past two decades. The rising population also means more competition for scarce food in winter. The team has tracked Arctic reindeer since 1994, catching, marking and measuring 10-month-old calves every winter and returning the following year to recapture and note the animals' size and weight, AFP said. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Reindeer shrinking, because of climate change

The sea level is expected to rise more than previously estimated in 2100 due to accelerated global warming.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said the average sea level will be a half a metre more than earlier suggested by them.

By 2100, the sea level will rise by 8.2 feet (2.5 metres), according to NOAA.

The figure has been revised due to disappearing ice cover in Antarctica&nbsp;and Greenland.

&quot;Recent (scientific) results regarding Antarctic ice sheet instability indicate that such outcomes may be more likely than previously thought,&quot; said the report, released on January 19.

The lower limit of the sea level rise also saw an increase. In the best case scenario, the sea level will rise by nearly one foot (0.3 metres), up from four inches (0.1 inches) as was previously estimated.

NASA also weighed in on the subject, saying unfettered burning of fossil fuels were causing global warming, which meant that the rise in sea level was &quot;unavoidable&quot;.

But the big question remains: how soon? Researchers do not know how soon the seas will rise, and whether they will hit these levels in this century or beyond.&nbsp;

&quot;We are not projecting anything. Everything is dependent on the amount of future heating, ocean and atmospheric heating,&quot; the lead author of the reprot, William Sweet, said.

Localised results

Though experts warn that the past is not an accurate predictor of future sea level rise, global average sea level has climbed eight to nine inches since 1880, when modern record-keeping began.

Much of that has taken place in recent years, as global warming has accelerated. Seas around the world have risen an average of nearly three inches&nbsp;since 1992.&nbsp;

The NOAA report also&nbsp;pointed to regional dangers of sea level rise, with some portions of the US coast more likely to see above-average&nbsp;rise and increased flooding than other parts of the world.

Land in Alaska is rising, but in Louisiana and along the Gulf Coast and the mid-Atlantic, it is sinking.

Other factors, like changing ocean circulation in some parts of the planet, affect how much oceans mount in various places.

As ice sheets melts, the gravity around Earth will change as the planet loses mass, causing some areas to see higher or lower sea level rise than the global average.

Recent research has shown that about three feet of sea level rise &quot;would permanently inundate areas currently home to two million Americans,&quot; said the report.&nbsp;

Six feet would flood the homes of six million people in the United States.

Sweet said the report&#39;s release was not planned to coincide with the end of the Obama presidency, or to precede the inauguration of Donald Trump, who has expressed doubts about climate change and pledged to increase fossil fuel extraction in the United States.

&quot;The timing might look suspect,&quot; Sweet said.

&quot;But no, this has actually been in the works for over a year.&quot;

(WION with inputs from AFP)

The figure has been revised due to rapidly disappearing ice cover in Antarctica and Greenland

The sea level is expected to rise more than previously estimated in 2100 due to accelerated global warming. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said the average sea level will be a half a metre more than earlier suggested by them. By 2100, the sea level will rise by 8.2 feet (2.5 metres), according to NOAA. The figure has been revised due to disappearing ice cover in Antarctica and Greenland. "Recent (scientific) results regarding Antarctic ice sheet instability indicate that such outcomes may be more likely than previously thought," said the report, released on January 19. The lower limit of the sea level rise also saw an increase. In the best case scenario, the sea level will rise by nearly one foot (0.3 metres), up from four inches (0.1 inches) as was previously estimated. NASA also weighed in on the subject, saying unfettered burning of fossil fuels were causing global warming, which meant that the rise in sea level was "unavoidable". But the big question remains: how soon? Researchers do not know how soon the seas will rise, and whether they will hit these levels in this century or beyond. "We are not projecting anything. Everything is dependent on the amount of future heating, ocean and atmospheric heating," the lead author of the reprot, William Sweet, said. Localised results Though experts warn that the past is not an accurate predictor of future sea level rise, global average sea level has climbed eight to nine inches since 1880, when modern record-keeping began. Much of that has taken place in recent years, as global warming has accelerated. Seas around the world have risen an average of nearly three inches since 1992. The NOAA report also pointed to regional dangers of sea level rise, with some portions of the US coast more likely to see above-average rise and increased flooding than other parts of the world. Land in Alaska is rising, but in Louisiana and along the Gulf Coast and the mid-Atlantic, it is sinking. Other factors, like changing ocean circulation in some parts of the planet, affect how much oceans mount in various places. As ice sheets melts, the gravity around Earth will change as the planet loses mass, causing some areas to see higher or lower sea level rise than the global average. Recent research has shown that about three feet of sea level rise "would permanently inundate areas currently home to two million Americans," said the report. Six feet would flood the homes of six million people in the United States. Sweet said the report's release was not planned to coincide with the end of the Obama presidency, or to precede the inauguration of Donald Trump, who has expressed doubts about climate change and pledged to increase fossil fuel extraction in the United States. "The timing might look suspect," Sweet said. "But no, this has actually been in the works for over a year." (WION with inputs from AFP)

Sea level to rise more than previously thought by century end

&nbsp;

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The melting of the Arctic sea ice could reduce the polar bear population by a third over the next few decades, scientists said on Monday, news agency Reuters reported.

Arctic sea ice is the animal&rsquo;s chief habitat.

The current global population of polar bears is estimated to be around 26,000.

However, scientists say&nbsp;their population is expected to diminish by some 8,600 over the next 35-40 years.&nbsp;

The new findings were presented as part of a panel discussion about climate impacts on wildlife during a meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco.&nbsp;

&quot;There is the potential for a large reduction in the global population of polar bears over the next three generations if the sea ice loss continues at the rate we&#39;ve seen it,&quot; Reuters quoted Kristin Laidre, a marine mammal ecologist at the University of Washington&#39;s Polar Science Center, as saying.

The study was led by the US Fish and Wildlife Service&#39;s Eric Regehr.&nbsp;

The polar bear research is drawn from new satellite data documenting a loss of Arctic sea ice from 1979 to 2015.

(WION with inputs from Reuters)

The polar bear research is drawn from new satellite data documenting a loss of Arctic sea ice from 1979 to 2015

The melting of the Arctic sea ice could reduce the polar bear population by a third over the next few decades, scientists said on Monday, news agency Reuters reported. Arctic sea ice is the animal’s chief habitat. The current global population of polar bears is estimated to be around 26,000. However, scientists say their population is expected to diminish by some 8,600 over the next 35-40 years. The new findings were presented as part of a panel discussion about climate impacts on wildlife during a meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco. "There is the potential for a large reduction in the global population of polar bears over the next three generations if the sea ice loss continues at the rate we've seen it," Reuters quoted Kristin Laidre, a marine mammal ecologist at the University of Washington's Polar Science Center, as saying. The study was led by the US Fish and Wildlife Service's Eric Regehr. The polar bear research is drawn from new satellite data documenting a loss of Arctic sea ice from 1979 to 2015. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Polar bear numbers to plunge a third as Arctic sea ice melts

A German court will on Thursday hear a complaint by a Peruvian farmer who accuses energy giant RWE of contributing to the climate change that has caused glacial melting in the Andes, threatening his home and livelihood.

Saul Luciano Lliuya argues that RWE, as a major historic emitter of greenhouse gases, should share in the cost of protecting his hometown Huaraz from a nearby glacial lake that is at risk of overflowing from melting snow and ice.

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<h5>Germanwatch, a pressure group advising Luciano, said the case was the first of its kind in Europe and could set a legal precedent</h5>
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Luciano, who is also a mountain guide, filed the landmark lawsuit a year ago but Thursday&#39;s hearing at the regional court in Essen, where RWE is based, will mark the first time the two sides will come face to face.

Germanwatch, a pressure group advising Luciano, said the case was the first of its kind in Europe and could set a legal precedent.

&quot;The big contributors to climate change, such as RWE, must finally take responsibility for the consequences of their emissions,&quot; Luciano was quoted as saying in a statement on the Germanwatch website.

&quot;We in Peru have hardly contributed to climate change but have to live with the worst consequences.&quot;

But Germany&#39;s second-largest energy producer said it expected the judges to throw out the case.

&quot;We consider the complaint to be unfounded. There is no legal basis for the applicant&#39;s request,&quot; RWE spokesman Guido Steffen told AFP.

Luciano&#39;s German lawyer, Roda Verheyen, however claims that RWE is the &quot;top single-greatest CO2-emitter in Europe&quot; and says that according to a 2013 climate study it was responsible for 0.5 percent of the total emissions &quot;since the beginning of industrialisation&quot; -- making it at least partly responsible for Luciano&#39;s plight.

According to a court summary of the case, Luciano, who will be in Essen for the hearing, is asking RWE for 17,000 euros ($18,000) to help pay for flood defences for his community. He is also asking RWE to reimburse him for 6,300 euros he himself has spent on protective measures.

RWE has countered that the plaintiff has failed to demonstrate a clear link between CO2 emissions and the alleged flood danger, and that the act of emitting greenhouse gases was not against the law.

Court spokesman Johannes Hidding said judges could rule on the claim&#39;s admissibility as early as Thursday, or they could ask for more information and schedule further hearings before making a decision.

&#39;World belongs to all&#39; 
Luciano, a father of two, told AFP last year that he had spent his whole life watching climate change breaking the Andes glaciers apart.

&quot;Someone caused this,&quot; he said. &quot;It&#39;s not right to remain silent. The world belongs to all of us, not just the polluters.&quot;

His community in Peru&#39;s northern Ancash region believes that at the Palcacocha lake, there is a risk of massive flooding from ice chunks that could break off from surrounding glaciers and crash into the water, requiring a new drainage system and a reinforcement of the lake&#39;s dams.

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) said in a 2014 report that the lake is so swollen it has become a permanent threat.

RWE spokesman Steffen said the firm did not understand why it had been singled out for legal action.

&quot;We are making a huge contribution to the modernisation of coal-fired power plants in Germany&quot; to make them more efficient and reduce the output of CO2, he told AFP.

At the same time RWE was &quot;investing billions in renewable energy&quot;, he said, as part of Germany&#39;s switch from fossil fuels to clean energy such as wind, solar, biomass and hydroelectric power.

(AFP)

Saul Luciano accuses energy giant RWE of contributing to the climate change that has caused glacial melting in the Andes

A German court will on Thursday hear a complaint by a Peruvian farmer who accuses energy giant RWE of contributing to the climate change that has caused glacial melting in the Andes, threatening his home and livelihood. Saul Luciano Lliuya argues that RWE, as a major historic emitter of greenhouse gases, should share in the cost of protecting his hometown Huaraz from a nearby glacial lake that is at risk of overflowing from melting snow and ice. Germanwatch, a pressure group advising Luciano, said the case was the first of its kind in Europe and could set a legal precedent × Luciano, who is also a mountain guide, filed the landmark lawsuit a year ago but Thursday's hearing at the regional court in Essen, where RWE is based, will mark the first time the two sides will come face to face. Germanwatch, a pressure group advising Luciano, said the case was the first of its kind in Europe and could set a legal precedent. "The big contributors to climate change, such as RWE, must finally take responsibility for the consequences of their emissions," Luciano was quoted as saying in a statement on the Germanwatch website. "We in Peru have hardly contributed to climate change but have to live with the worst consequences." But Germany's second-largest energy producer said it expected the judges to throw out the case. "We consider the complaint to be unfounded. There is no legal basis for the applicant's request," RWE spokesman Guido Steffen told AFP. Luciano's German lawyer, Roda Verheyen, however claims that RWE is the "top single-greatest CO2-emitter in Europe" and says that according to a 2013 climate study it was responsible for 0.5 percent of the total emissions "since the beginning of industrialisation" -- making it at least partly responsible for Luciano's plight. According to a court summary of the case, Luciano, who will be in Essen for the hearing, is asking RWE for 17,000 euros ($18,000) to help pay for flood defences for his community. He is also asking RWE to reimburse him for 6,300 euros he himself has spent on protective measures. RWE has countered that the plaintiff has failed to demonstrate a clear link between CO2 emissions and the alleged flood danger, and that the act of emitting greenhouse gases was not against the law. Court spokesman Johannes Hidding said judges could rule on the claim's admissibility as early as Thursday, or they could ask for more information and schedule further hearings before making a decision. 'World belongs to all' Luciano, a father of two, told AFP last year that he had spent his whole life watching climate change breaking the Andes glaciers apart. "Someone caused this," he said. "It's not right to remain silent. The world belongs to all of us, not just the polluters." His community in Peru's northern Ancash region believes that at the Palcacocha lake, there is a risk of massive flooding from ice chunks that could break off from surrounding glaciers and crash into the water, requiring a new drainage system and a reinforcement of the lake's dams. The US Agency for International Development (USAID) said in a 2014 report that the lake is so swollen it has become a permanent threat. RWE spokesman Steffen said the firm did not understand why it had been singled out for legal action. "We are making a huge contribution to the modernisation of coal-fired power plants in Germany" to make them more efficient and reduce the output of CO2, he told AFP. At the same time RWE was "investing billions in renewable energy", he said, as part of Germany's switch from fossil fuels to clean energy such as wind, solar, biomass and hydroelectric power. (AFP)

Peruvian farmer sues German energy giant over climate change

The earth is on track for its warmest year on record after October temperatures equalled the third-warmest for the month ever, a US&nbsp;government agency said on Thursday.

October globally was 1.31 Fahrenheit (0.73 Celsius) above the 20th century average of 57.1 F (13.9 C) and tying it with 2003 as the third warmest October on record, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said in a statement.

For the year through October, the average global temperature was 1.75 F (0.97 C) above average, topping the record set in 2015 by 0.18 F (0.1 C).

&quot;With only two months left in the year, the globe remains on track to be one of the warmest years, if not the warmest, in the 122-year record,&quot; the agency said.

It said temperatures had begun to fall because of the La Nina weather pattern. It is characterised by unusually cold temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean.

Among standouts last month, Alaska and Finland had the driest Octobers on record. Africa also notched the second-warmest October, behind the record set in 2015.

The US&nbsp;weather agency&#39;s report comes as negotiators meet in Morocco to hammer out the fine points of the historic 2015 Paris accord aimed at staving off climate change.

Almost 200 nations reaffirmed support for the deal on Thursday. The talks which have been overshadowed by worries that US&nbsp;President-elect Donald Trump, who has called climate change a hoax, would pull out of the accord.

NOAA said the average Arctic sea ice area for October was 28.5 per cent below the 1981&ndash;2010 average, the smallest extent of ice for the month since records began in 1979.

The world&#39;s averaged sea surface temperature was the second warmest on record for October, and the warmest on record for the year to date, according to the NOAA.

(Reuters)

For the year through October, the average global temperature was 1.75 F above average, topping the record set in 2015 by 0.18 F

The earth is on track for its warmest year on record after October temperatures equalled the third-warmest for the month ever, a US government agency said on Thursday. October globally was 1.31 Fahrenheit (0.73 Celsius) above the 20th century average of 57.1 F (13.9 C) and tying it with 2003 as the third warmest October on record, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said in a statement. For the year through October, the average global temperature was 1.75 F (0.97 C) above average, topping the record set in 2015 by 0.18 F (0.1 C). "With only two months left in the year, the globe remains on track to be one of the warmest years, if not the warmest, in the 122-year record," the agency said. It said temperatures had begun to fall because of the La Nina weather pattern. It is characterised by unusually cold temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. Among standouts last month, Alaska and Finland had the driest Octobers on record. Africa also notched the second-warmest October, behind the record set in 2015. The US weather agency's report comes as negotiators meet in Morocco to hammer out the fine points of the historic 2015 Paris accord aimed at staving off climate change. Almost 200 nations reaffirmed support for the deal on Thursday. The talks which have been overshadowed by worries that US President-elect Donald Trump, who has called climate change a hoax, would pull out of the accord. NOAA said the average Arctic sea ice area for October was 28.5 per cent below the 1981–2010 average, the smallest extent of ice for the month since records began in 1979. The world's averaged sea surface temperature was the second warmest on record for October, and the warmest on record for the year to date, according to the NOAA. (Reuters)

Earth heading for hottest year on record

Global warming is on track to breach a 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) threshold by 2050 unless governments double their efforts to limit greenhouse gas emissions, seven of the world&#39;s top scientists warned&nbsp;on Thursday.

&nbsp;

&quot;Climate change is happening now, and much faster than anticipated,&quot; Sir Robert Watson, former head of the UN&#39;s Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC), the body charged with distilling climate science for policy makers, was quoted as saying by AFP news agency.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Due to climate change, devastating weather-related events&nbsp;including floods, drought, more intense storms, heat waves and wildfires, have doubled in number since 1990, a report put together by the seven scientists states says, the international news agency reports.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;Without additional efforts by all major emitters (of greenhouse gases), the 2C target could be reached even sooner,&quot; Watson said during a teleconference.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&ldquo;The INDC&rsquo;s (Intended Nationally Determined Contributions is a term used under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions) are totally inadequate to meet the 2-degree Celsius goal,&rdquo; he was quoted as saying in the media reports.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&ldquo;Governments must double and redouble their pledges,&rdquo; he said, adding that it&rsquo;s almost certain that the average global temperature will surpass the aspirational 1.5 degree goal as soon as 2030.

&nbsp;

The report, prepared on behalf the Universal Ecological Fund, an Argentine-based NGO and was co-authored by scientists from Austria, Argentina, Brazil, Italy, the United Kingdom and the US, also says that pledges made under the Paris climate agreement are inadequate.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Inked by 195 nations in December, the Paris Agreement set an even more ambitious target, vowing to cap warming at &quot;well under&quot; 2C, and even 1.5C if possible. &nbsp;The deal may enter into force by the end of year.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;I think the 1.5 degree pathway is clearly not achievable. We&#39;ll pass it probably in the early 2030s,&quot; Watson observed&nbsp;adding there is a dire need to cut down the greenhouse gas emissions.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The co-authors of the report include Carlo Carraro, scientific director of the Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei in Italy, and vice-chair of one of three IPCC working groups, Nebojsa Nakicenovic, deputy director of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis in Vienna and lead author the IPCC working group III.

&nbsp;

2015 was the hottest year on record, and 2016 is shaping up to be even warmer, US and European government scientists have forecast, according to AFP.

&nbsp;

Global warming is projected to cause more heatwaves, droughts, downpours and rising sea levels, Reuters observes.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Average world temperatures this year are set for record highs, about 1C above pre-industrial times.

&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from AFP, Reuters)&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Reuters)&nbsp;

Global?warming?is projected to cause more heatwaves, droughts, downpours and rising sea levels

Global warming is on track to breach a 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) threshold by 2050 unless governments double their efforts to limit greenhouse gas emissions, seven of the world's top scientists warned on Thursday. "Climate change is happening now, and much faster than anticipated," Sir Robert Watson, former head of the UN's Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC), the body charged with distilling climate science for policy makers, was quoted as saying by AFP news agency. Due to climate change, devastating weather-related events including floods, drought, more intense storms, heat waves and wildfires, have doubled in number since 1990, a report put together by the seven scientists states says, the international news agency reports. "Without additional efforts by all major emitters (of greenhouse gases), the 2C target could be reached even sooner," Watson said during a teleconference. “The INDC’s (Intended Nationally Determined Contributions is a term used under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions) are totally inadequate to meet the 2-degree Celsius goal,” he was quoted as saying in the media reports. “Governments must double and redouble their pledges,” he said, adding that it’s almost certain that the average global temperature will surpass the aspirational 1.5 degree goal as soon as 2030. The report, prepared on behalf the Universal Ecological Fund, an Argentine-based NGO and was co-authored by scientists from Austria, Argentina, Brazil, Italy, the United Kingdom and the US, also says that pledges made under the Paris climate agreement are inadequate. Inked by 195 nations in December, the Paris Agreement set an even more ambitious target, vowing to cap warming at "well under" 2C, and even 1.5C if possible. The deal may enter into force by the end of year. "I think the 1.5 degree pathway is clearly not achievable. We'll pass it probably in the early 2030s," Watson observed adding there is a dire need to cut down the greenhouse gas emissions. The co-authors of the report include Carlo Carraro, scientific director of the Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei in Italy, and vice-chair of one of three IPCC working groups, Nebojsa Nakicenovic, deputy director of the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis in Vienna and lead author the IPCC working group III. 2015 was the hottest year on record, and 2016 is shaping up to be even warmer, US and European government scientists have forecast, according to AFP. Global warming is projected to cause more heatwaves, droughts, downpours and rising sea levels, Reuters observes. Average world temperatures this year are set for record highs, about 1C above pre-industrial times. (WION with inputs from AFP, Reuters) (Reuters)

Global warming set to breach 2C limit by 2050, scientists warn

The world is on track for its hottest year on record and levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere have reached new highs, further fuelling global warming, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) said on Thursday. 
 
June marked the 14th straight month of record heat for land and oceans, the United Nations agency said. It called for speedy implementation of a pact reached last December to limit climate change by shifting from fossil fuels to green energy by 2100. 
 
The average temperature in the first six months of 2016 was 1.3&deg;Celsius (2.4&deg;Fahrenheit) warmer than the pre-industrial era in the late 19th Century, according to NASA. 
 
&quot;This underlines more starkly than ever the need to approve and implement the Paris Agreement on climate change, and to speed up the shift to low carbon economies and renewable energy,&quot; said WMO secretary-general Petteri Taalas. 
 
Under December&#39;s Paris Agreement, nearly 200 governments agreed to limit global warming to &quot;well below&quot; 2&deg;C (3.6&deg;F) above pre-industrial times, while &quot;pursuing efforts&quot; for a ceiling of just 1.5&deg;C. Temperatures are already nudging towards that lower limit. 
 
&quot;The heat has been especially pronounced in the Arctic, resulting in a very early onset of the annual melting of the Greenland ice sheet and Arctic sea ice,&quot; WMO said. 
 
David Carlson, director of the WMO&rsquo;s Climate Research Programme, told a news briefing: &quot;What we&rsquo;ve seen for the first 6 months of 2016 is really quite alarming.&quot; 
 
&quot;We would have thought it would take several years to warm up like this,&quot; he added. &quot;We don&#39;t have as much time as we thought.&quot; 
 
The northern hemisphere, including the state of Alaska in the United States, Canada and Russia, have posted unusually warm temperatures, he said. 
 
The last month with global temperatures below the 20th century average was December 1984. 
 
A strong El Nino weather event in the Pacific Ocean, a phenomenon associated with extreme droughts, storms and floods, &quot;has now disappeared&quot;, the WMO said in a statement. 
 
The El Nino event developed in 2015 and contributed to the record temperatures in the first half of 2016 before disappearing in May, WMO said. 
 
&quot;Climate change, caused by heat-trapping greenhouse gases, will not (disappear). This means we face more heatwaves, more extreme rainfall and potential for higher impact tropical cyclones,&quot; said Taalas. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

Rising levels of carbon dioxide could further fuel global warming, fears the World Meteorological Organisation

The world is on track for its hottest year on record and levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere have reached new highs, further fuelling global warming, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) said on Thursday. June marked the 14th straight month of record heat for land and oceans, the United Nations agency said. It called for speedy implementation of a pact reached last December to limit climate change by shifting from fossil fuels to green energy by 2100. The average temperature in the first six months of 2016 was 1.3°Celsius (2.4°Fahrenheit) warmer than the pre-industrial era in the late 19th Century, according to NASA. "This underlines more starkly than ever the need to approve and implement the Paris Agreement on climate change, and to speed up the shift to low carbon economies and renewable energy," said WMO secretary-general Petteri Taalas. Under December's Paris Agreement, nearly 200 governments agreed to limit global warming to "well below" 2°C (3.6°F) above pre-industrial times, while "pursuing efforts" for a ceiling of just 1.5°C. Temperatures are already nudging towards that lower limit. "The heat has been especially pronounced in the Arctic, resulting in a very early onset of the annual melting of the Greenland ice sheet and Arctic sea ice," WMO said. David Carlson, director of the WMO’s Climate Research Programme, told a news briefing: "What we’ve seen for the first 6 months of 2016 is really quite alarming." "We would have thought it would take several years to warm up like this," he added. "We don't have as much time as we thought." The northern hemisphere, including the state of Alaska in the United States, Canada and Russia, have posted unusually warm temperatures, he said. The last month with global temperatures below the 20th century average was December 1984. A strong El Nino weather event in the Pacific Ocean, a phenomenon associated with extreme droughts, storms and floods, "has now disappeared", the WMO said in a statement. The El Nino event developed in 2015 and contributed to the record temperatures in the first half of 2016 before disappearing in May, WMO said. "Climate change, caused by heat-trapping greenhouse gases, will not (disappear). This means we face more heatwaves, more extreme rainfall and potential for higher impact tropical cyclones," said Taalas. (Reuters)

Out of time? 2016 set to be hottest year yet

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended Congressional Reception jointly hosted by Foreign Relations Committees and India Caucus in Washington DC on Wednesday. 
 
Addressing the gathering, Modi called for India-US collaboration to solve issues like global warming and climate change. 
 
&quot;Be it global problems like climate change, global warming, poverty or heath concerns, we can together find solutions for the world. We must use our skills, our intelligence, our resources and commit ourselves to move forward. I think my journey this time, my two-day visit to the United States has only reinforced this commitment,&quot; said Modi. 
 
Earlier in the day, Modi became the fifth Indian to address the joint session of US Congress. 
 
Modi called for a closer security relationship between his country and the United States as he stressed on the importance of warming ties between the two countries. 
 
He dedicated much of the speech to the importance of fighting militancy, thanking Congress for US support after a Pakistan-based military group&#39;s rampage in Mumbai killed 166 people in 2008. 
 
He leavened the speech to lawmakers, the first such address by an international leader since Pope Francis&#39; in September, with jokes about Congress&#39; bitter partisan divide and yoga. But Modi used it to make serious points about India&#39;s neighbour and arch-rival Pakistan and regional concerns about Chinese expansionism. 
 
In a 45-minute speech interrupted by cheers and at least eight standing ovations, the 65-year-old Indian leader said deeper US-Indian security cooperation should isolate anyone who harbours, supports or sponsors terrorists. 
 
Modi is on the US leg of an international tour. On Tuesday, he met with President Barack Obama at the White House, where the two leaders said India has agreed to work toward joining the Paris Agreement on climate change this year and discussed security and cyber-security issues. 
 
The visit, two years after Modi became prime minister, capped an improving relationship between New Delhi and the United States. Before he was elected, Modi was barred from even entering the country because of concerns about his handling of 2002 riots that killed at least 1,000 people, mostly Muslims. 
 
After the Congressional reception, Modi left for a day-long visit to Mexico. He will arrive in New Delhi this Friday.

Modi said that US and India should deepen their security cooperation and isolate anyone who harbours, supports or sponsors terrorists

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended Congressional Reception jointly hosted by Foreign Relations Committees and India Caucus in Washington DC on Wednesday. Addressing the gathering, Modi called for India-US collaboration to solve issues like global warming and climate change. "Be it global problems like climate change, global warming, poverty or heath concerns, we can together find solutions for the world. We must use our skills, our intelligence, our resources and commit ourselves to move forward. I think my journey this time, my two-day visit to the United States has only reinforced this commitment," said Modi. Earlier in the day, Modi became the fifth Indian to address the joint session of US Congress. Modi called for a closer security relationship between his country and the United States as he stressed on the importance of warming ties between the two countries. He dedicated much of the speech to the importance of fighting militancy, thanking Congress for US support after a Pakistan-based military group's rampage in Mumbai killed 166 people in 2008. He leavened the speech to lawmakers, the first such address by an international leader since Pope Francis' in September, with jokes about Congress' bitter partisan divide and yoga. But Modi used it to make serious points about India's neighbour and arch-rival Pakistan and regional concerns about Chinese expansionism. In a 45-minute speech interrupted by cheers and at least eight standing ovations, the 65-year-old Indian leader said deeper US-Indian security cooperation should isolate anyone who harbours, supports or sponsors terrorists. Modi is on the US leg of an international tour. On Tuesday, he met with President Barack Obama at the White House, where the two leaders said India has agreed to work toward joining the Paris Agreement on climate change this year and discussed security and cyber-security issues. The visit, two years after Modi became prime minister, capped an improving relationship between New Delhi and the United States. Before he was elected, Modi was barred from even entering the country because of concerns about his handling of 2002 riots that killed at least 1,000 people, mostly Muslims. After the Congressional reception, Modi left for a day-long visit to Mexico. He will arrive in New Delhi this Friday.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends Congressional Reception in Washington DC

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