Updates: polution; hunting; animal slaughter; climate change

[Anthea]

Sandstorms risk to health

Sandstorms have engulfed the Middle East in recent days, in a phenomenon experts warn could proliferate because of climate change, putting human health at grave risk

At least 4,000 people went to hospital Monday for respiratory issues in Iraq where eight sandstorms have blanketed the country since mid-April.

That was on top of the more than 5,000 treated in Iraqi hospitals for similar respiratory ailments earlier this month.

The phenomenon has also smothered Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates with more feared in the coming days.

Strong winds lift large amounts of sand and dust into the atmosphere, that can then travel hundreds, even thousands, of kilometres (miles).

Sandstorms have affected a total of 150 countries and regions, adversely impacting on the environment, health and the economy, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said.

"It's a phenomenon that is both local and global, with a stronger intensity in areas of origin," said Carlos Perez Garcia-Pando, a sand and dust storm expert at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center and the Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies.

The storms originate in dry or semi-dry regions of North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, Central Asia and China.

Other less affected areas include Australia, the Americas and South Africa.

The UN agency WMO has warned of the "serious risks" posed by airborne dust.

The fine dust particles can cause health problems such as asthma and cardiovascular ailments, and also spread bacteria and viruses as well as pesticides and other toxins.

"Dust particle size is a key determinant of potential hazard to human health," the WMO said.

Small particles that can be smaller than 10 micrometres can often become trapped in the nose, mouth and upper respiratory tract, and as a result it is associated with respiratory disorders such as asthma and pneumonia.

- 'Unbreathable' -

The most at-risk are the oldest and youngest as well as those struggling with respiratory and cardiac problems.

And the most affected are residents in countries regularly battered by sandstorms, unlike in Europe where dust coming from the Sahara is rare, like the incident in March.

Depending on the weather and climate conditions, sand dust can remain in the atmosphere for several days and travel great distances, at times picking up bacteria, pollen, fungi and viruses.

"However, the seriousness is less than with ultrafine particles, for example from road traffic, which can penetrate the brain or the blood system," says Thomas Bourdrel, a radiologist, researcher at the University of Strasbourg and a member of Air Health Climate collective.

Even if the sand particles are less toxic than particles produced by combustion, their "extreme density during storms causes a fairly significant increase in cardio-respiratory mortality, especially among the most vulnerable," he said.

With "a concentration of thousands of cubic micrometres in the air, it's almost unbreathable", said Garcia-Pando.

The sandstorms' frequency and intensity could worsen because of climate change, say some scientists.

But the complex phenomenon is "full of uncertainties" and is affected by a cocktail of factors like heat, wind and agricultural practices, Garcia-Pando told AFP.

"In some areas, climate change could reduce the winds that cause storms, but extreme events could persist, even rise," he said.

With global temperatures rising, it is very likely that more and more parts of the Earth will become drier.

"This year, a significant temperature anomaly was observed in East Africa, in the Middle East, in East Asia, and this drought affects plants, a factor that can increase sandstorms," the Spanish researcher said.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/20052022

[Anthea]

Animals suffer lack of pasture

KIRKUK, Iraq - A shepherd in a village in Kirkuk was forced to sell most of his sheep because of poor pasture conditions for his animals and out of 300 sheep, only 27 of them are left

Ahmad Khorshid has had a difficult year because of the drought.

“Everything is expensive now. If fodders were available and cheap like before, I could have survived. No one shepherds because of the lack of pasture,” he told Rudaw’s Hardi Muhammad Ali on Friday.

Khorshid has spent most of his life working as a shepherd in Jabal Bawr village, Kirkuk, but this is the first time he experiences such a lack in adequate pasture for his herd.

“I was only two years old when we came to this village. I am now 74 years old. I have never seen anything like this before,” Khorshid added.

Fodders were not necessary for the past years because farmers used to graze their sheep in a lush green pasture.

“The demand for buying and keeping animals decreased lately and most people sell their own animals because they cannot keep them,” Jawhar Ahmad, a local butcher, said.

Iraq is the fifth-most vulnerable nation in the world to the effects of climate change, including water and food insecurity.

A senior adviser at the Iraqi water resources ministry warned earlier this year that the country's water reserves have decreased by half since last year, due to a combination of drought, lack of rainfall, and declining river levels.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/220520222

[Anthea]

Tenth dust wave in two months

After less than a week of relatively clean weather, Iraq’s meteorology department on Saturday warned that a new dust storm would sweep through Iraq and the Kurdistan Region this week, marking the tenth wave of dust storms in the country in two months

The spokesperson to Iraq’s meteorology and seismology directorate, Amer al-Jabri, on Saturday told Rudaw that their department’s forecast shows yet another wave of dust storm is set to arrive in Iraq’s central and southern provinces on Sunday and a day later to the Region.

The dust storm that will come less than a week after dust engulfed several of the country’s provinces on Monday will remain for a few days this time. It is believed to end on Wednesday by the time of which it would have already covered majority of the country, including the Kurdistan Region.

Jabri said that on Monday and Tuesday, the speed of the wind will at times reach 30 kilometers per hour and result in a dust storm in the majority of the country.

“This will result in visibility to reduce down to two to four kilometers, but we expect the dust storm to end on Wednesday,” he said.

This will be the tenth wave of dust storms enveloping the country since March.

Scores of people have been hospitalized for breathing difficulties across the country over the past two months.

Earlier this month, around four thousand cases of breathing difficulties were recorded across several provinces of Iraq, with Kirkuk, Salahaddin, Wasit, and Basra accounting for almost 1,300 of the hospitalized cases.

Iraq's environment ministry in April said that the number of dusty days in the country has increased from 243 to 272 days per year over the past two decades, and is expected to reach 300 dusty days per year in 2050.

Despite Jabri denying such statements earlier this month and stating that it was not possible “to expect storms during 300 days throughout the year,” Iraq’s deteriorating climate situation and low rainfall could eventually lead the country into a dust-covered area for the majority of the year.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has long warned that the water available in Iraq is set to decrease by around 20 percent by 2025, threatening the long-term stability of Iraq’s agriculture and industry.

According to another concerning report by the United Nations, dams built in neighboring Turkey and Iran have also dramatically reduced the combined volume of the Tigris and Euphrates by up to 60 percent.

Iraq is the fifth-most vulnerable nation in the world to the effects of climate change, including water and food insecurity.

In November, the World Bank warned that Iraq is running out of water, with devastating consequences for the country’s employment and economy, stressing the failure to manage water resources as a key damaging factor.

The effects of climate change in Iraq are not just words anymore. A senior advisor at the Iraqi water resources ministry warned last month that the country’s water reserves have decreased by half since last year, due to a combination of drought, lack of rainfall, and declining river levels.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/29052022

[Anthea]

Iraq water shortages and harvest

Chelab had planted most of his 10 acres (4 hectares) of land, but he was only able to irrigate a quarter of it after the Agriculture Ministry introduced strict water quotas during the growing season, he said. The produce he was growing on the rest of it, he fears, “will die without water.”

At a time when worldwide prices for wheat have soared due to Ukraine conflict, Iraqi farmers say they are paying the price for a government decision to cut irrigation for agricultural areas by 50%.

The government took the step in the face of severe water shortages arising from high temperatures and drought - believed to be fueled by climate change - and ongoing water extraction by neighboring countries from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. All those factors have heavily strained wheat production.

Wrestling with the water shortage, Iraq’s government has been unable to tackle other long-neglected issues.

Desertification has been blamed as a factor behind this year’s relentless spate of sandstorms. At least 10 have hit the country in the past few months, covering cities with a thick blanket of orange dust, grounding flights and sending thousands to hospitals.

“We need water to solve the problem of desertification, but we also need water to secure our food supplies,” said Essa Fayadh, a senior official at the Environment Ministry. “We don’t have enough for both.”

Iraq relies on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers for nearly all of its water needs. Both flow into Iraq from Turkey and Iran. Those countries have constructed dams that have either blocked or diverted water, creating major shortages in Iraq.

Water Resources Minister Mahdi Rasheed told The Associated Press that river levels were down 60% compared to last year.

For Chelab, less water has meant a smaller grain size and lower crop yields.

In 2021, Chelab produced 30,000 tons of wheat, the year before that 32,000, receipts from Trade Ministry silos show. This year, he expects no more than 10,000.

His crops are both rain-fed and irrigated via a channel from the Euphrates. Due to low precipitation levels, he has had to rely on the river water during the growing season, he said.

Government officials say change is necessary.

The current system has been inefficient and unsustainable for decades. Water scarcity is leaving them no choice but to push to modernize antiquated and wasteful farming techniques.

“We have a strategic plan to face drought considering the lack of rain, global warming, and the lack of irrigation coming from neighboring countries as we did not get our share of water entitlements,” said Hamid al-Naif, spokesman at the Agriculture Ministry.

The ministry took measures to devise new types of drought-resistant wheat and introduce methods to increase crop yields.

“We are still dealing with irrigation systems of the 1950s. It has nothing to do with the farmers,” he said. “The state must make it efficient, we must force the farmer to accept it.”

Iraqi farmers have historically been heavily dependent on the state in the production of food, a reliance that policymakers and experts said drains government funds.

The Agriculture Ministry supports farmers by providing everything from harvesting tools, seeds, fertilizers and pesticides at a subsidized rate or for free. Water diverted from rivers for irrigation is given at no cost. The Trade Ministry then stores or buys produce from farmers and distributes it to markets.

Wheat is a key strategic crop, accounting for 70% of total cereal production in the country.

Planting starts in October and harvest typically begins in April and extends to June in some areas. Last year, the Agriculture Ministry slashed subsidies for fertilizers, seeds and pesticides, a move that has angered farmers.

Local demand for the staple is between 5-6 million tons a year. But local production is shrinking with each passing year. In 2021, Iraq produced 4.2 million tons of wheat, according to the Agriculture Ministry. In 2020, it was 6.2 million tons.

“Today we might get 2.5 million tons at best,” said al-Naif. That would require Iraq to drive up imports.

Most of the wheat harvest is usually sold to the Trade Ministry. In a sign of the low harvest, so far there are currently only 373,000 tons of wheat available in Trade Ministry storehouses, al-Naif said.

To meet demands amid the recent global crisis in the grain market, the government recently changed a policy to allow all Iraqi farmers to sell their produce to the Trade Ministry silos. Previously, this was limited to farmers who operated within the government plan.

Back in Chelab’s farm, the wheat is ready to be transported to the silo.

“It’s true we need to develop ourselves,” he said. “But the change should be gradual, not immediate.”

https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/290520221

[Anthea]

1,000 suffer breathing difficulties

Iraqi health workers recorded 1,000 cases of "suffocation" in the last 24 hours due to the latest dust storm that engulfed the country this week

Iraqi hospitals have recorded 1,000 cases of patients suffering from breathing difficulties, the Iraqi Health Ministry Spokesperson Saif Al-Badr said in a statement on Tuesday.

The majority of the patients left hospitals after receiving the necessary treatment, according to the official.

The storm is the tenth one to hit Iraq since the start of the year. As with its predecessors, it forced the international airports of Baghdad and Najaf to cancel and ground flights due to extremely low visibility.

More people suffered breathing difficulties in previous dust storms. In late May, for example, at least 4,000 cases were recorded.

Experts believe that climate change and the mismanagement of vital water resources are behind the increase in these storms.

"Climate change has become a very convenient excuse for officials to avoid responsibility for not taking action over the last 20 to 40 years," Azzam Alwash, the head of Nature Iraq, a non-for-profit environmental organization, told AP in early May.

Outdated agricultural practices are another contributing factor, according to Alwash.

Iraq is the fifth most vulnerable country to the adverse effects of climate change.

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/28 ... rm-in-Iraq

[Anthea]

Effort To Fight Plastic Pollution

At a press conference on environmental initiatives, China's ambassador to the World Trade Organization (WTO), Li Chenggang, said China will coordinate closely with other WTO members for promoting plastic pollution prevention and control work

The ambassador said that China's economic and social development is focused on sustainability. In this regard, Li said the country is a pioneer in the fight against plastic pollution, adding that in recent years it has adopted a variety of measures aimed at curbing its impact.

Li added that China is open to exchanging experience with other members of the WTO and collaborating to actively address such global issue in terms of trade.

The Chinese ambassador highlighted the important role that the WTO stands to play in mobilizing its members towards joint action against plastic pollution.

China is willing to work with other members of the World Trade Organization (#WTO) to tackle the global challenge of plastic pollution, said Li Chenggang, #China's Ambassador to the WTO, during the WTO's 12th Ministerial Conference (MC12). pic.twitter.com/tlDiGaeqfR
— China Economy (@CE_ChinaEconomy) June 15, 2022

China initiated the WTO Informal Dialogue on Plastic Pollution and Environmentally Sustainable Trade in Plastics (IDP), which counts with the participation of 72 members of the WTO.

WTO's MC12, held in Geneva, Switzerland, opened on Sunday, June 12, and will run until June 15. The event provides a space for discussion for members of the trade organization.

The TRIPS (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) exemption for COVID-19 vaccines, pandemic response, fisheries subsidies, agriculture, food security, WTO reform, and its forthcoming agenda have been among the topics covered on this occasion.

https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/Chi ... -0022.html

[Anthea]

Iraqi gazelles facing extinction

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Climate change has pushed the Iraqi gazelles in Muthana's Sawa wildlife reserve to the brink of extinction, the United Nations' food and agriculture agency announced on Thursday

In just one month, the number of gazelles at the reserve dropped from 148 to 87 due to thirst and hunger caused by severe drought.

In a visit to the southern Iraqi province of Muthana, the Food and Agriculture Organization, known as FAO, met with the local authorities to discuss the issue, according to a statement shared on Twitter.

Known as rhim gazelles, the rare animals have been around for a long time in Iraq, but now they are threatened with extinction "due to the impact of climate change," the agency said.

The agency also said it is making efforts to prevent the gazelles, distinguishable from their curved thorns and dust-colored coats, from going extinct.

The animals are also on the "Red List" of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, indicating that they are endangered.

"They no longer have a supply of food because we have not received the necessary [government] funds," the reserve's director, Turki al-Jayashi, recently told AFP.

"The climate has also strongly affected the gazelles," he added.

Ranked as the fifth most vulnerable country in the world to the effects of climate change, Iraq has recently experienced increased desertification caused by drought, lack of precipitation, and improper agricultural practices.

Frequent and severe dust storms have become a new norm in the country, hospitalizing thousands with breathing difficulties and grounding flights.

There are only 224 gazelles altogether in Iraq's three other reserves, according to a Ministry of Agriculture official who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity.

Link to Article - Photos:

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/28 ... hange:-FAO

[Anthea]

Burning forests in southwest Turkey

The wildfire in Turkey’s southwestern province, which broke out on Tuesday, is yet to be controlled

The area located on Turkey’s Aegean town of Marmaris is partially populated and no casualty has been reported. A total of 2,851 people as well as 27 helicopters and 14 amphibious aircrafts are involved in the process of putting out the fire, according to the Forest General Directorate.

“There is a good response. It is risky to say that such fires are under control before they are completely extinguished because there is wind and there is the possibility that the fire may start from another spot. Therefore, we should announce its control after it is completely extinguished,” Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu told Rudaw’s Omer Sonmez near the wildfire.

Fahrettin Koca, Turkish health minister, said in a tweet late Thursday that the blaze has affected 29 people but only two remain in hospital.

Marmaris is one of the country’s popular places for holiday-makers.

A series of wildfires in Mugla and Bodrum last year devastated tens of thousands of hectares. A European Union atmosphere monitor said at the time that the blazes were the most intense in Turkey’s history.

Strong winds are spreading the flames. According to the Forest General Directorate, the speed of the winds was 22 kilometres per hour on Thursday.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeas ... /250620222

[Anthea]

Drastic drop in Iraq water levels

Climate change, dust storms, and a dramatic decrease in the water levels of its main rivers are only a few of the major challenges Iraq finds itself engulfed in, posing a long-term threat to the local population, agriculture, and livestock

Water levels have been declining significantly in Iraq’s Tigris and Euphrates rivers, its main lifelines.

“There is no water. What does it mean? The summer season is passing and we should buy water tankers. On what basis? Where should we live? We buy water tankers for 30,000-40,000 Iraqi dinars [around $20],” Hussain Ali, a livestock owner, told Rudaw’s Anmar Ghazi on Friday.

Concerns among Iraqis have been increasing as water resources are visibly decreasing. Clean water suitable for drinking is now becoming inaccessible, with diseases such as cholera on the rise.

“Our relatives in the south call us saying they are thirsty and have no drinking water. Where is our government and where did our elections go?” Farhad Jabar, a local farmer, cried out.

Iraq held elections in October last year but the political process to form a new government has been stalling since as issues in the country continue to multiply.

Neighboring Iran and Turkey have been accused to building dams on the river and redirecting the flow of water away from Iraq, despite criticism from Iraqi authorities.

Iraq is the fifth-most vulnerable nation in the world to the effects of climate change, including water and food insecurity. Low rainfall levels and high temperatures caused by climate change are depleting water supplies across the country. Much of Iraq’s agricultural lands depend on irrigation, but dams and reservoirs were at record-low levels this summer.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/03072022

[Anthea]

Click to Enlarge:


U.S. Biggest Reservoir Hits Historic Low

Surrounded by a white band of dried rocks, the vast drop in water levels is visible this week at Lake Mead, the biggest reservoir in the United States, which has been shrinking amid a two-decade-long megadrought

The "bathtub ring" around the drought-stricken lake, on the Arizona-Nevada border and over 40 kilometers east of Las Vegas, is made of minerals deposited on the rock walls when the lake's water level was higher.

Some boat launching ramps along the lake were closed due to the low water levels. Lots of things underneath Lake Mead have resurfaced in recent weeks, including formerly sunken boats, as the lake's water level is continuing to decline.

Lake Mead's water levels have dropped to historic lows since it was filled in the 1930s. As of Thursday night, the water in the lake, formed by the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River, was around 1,042.3 feet above sea level - a decline of more than 43 feet from 1,085.95 feet by the end of January 2021, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

The highest recorded level of the lake was in 1983 when it was 1,225 feet above sea level. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation's 24-month outlook released last month said it was forecasting the most probable lake level would be 1,014.86 feet by September 2023.

Lake Mead currently provides municipal water for the cities of Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, and Boulder City, as well as municipal and industrial water and irrigation water for downstream users, according to the U.S. National Park Service.

"Altogether, about 25,000,000 people rely on water from Lake Mead, and it is unlikely that the Southwest could have developed as it has without it," said the agency in an overview of the lake on its official website.

The lake is nearing "dead pool status," NBC, a major broadcasting television network in the country, noted in a report last month.

If the reservoir drops below 895 feet - a possibility still years away - the lake would reach dead pool status, with potentially catastrophic consequences for millions of people across the U.S. states of Arizona, California and Nevada, and parts of Mexico, said the report.

"The situation is critical," commented the Los Angeles Times, the biggest newspaper on U.S. West Coast, in a report earlier this month.

If the lake's surface drops another 150 feet, there will not be enough water flowing through Hoover Dam to supply large metropolitan centers downstream, including Las Vegas, Phoenix, Los Angeles and San Diego, explained the newspaper, adding that "When that happens, Lake Mead will be a 'dead pool'."

The megadrought is draining Lake Mead faster than anticipated, Las Vegas Review-Journal, the largest circulating daily newspaper in Nevada, pointed out in a report last month.

Water shortages and demand on the Colorado River Basin will require reductions in water use of 2 million to 4 million acre-feet in 2023 to preserve "critical levels", said the report, citing Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton.

Last August, the federal government declared a shortage on the Colorado River for the first time, triggering substantial cutbacks in water deliveries to the U.S. states of Arizona and Nevada, as well as Mexico. Many Arizona farmers have left some fields dry and unplanted, and have turned to more groundwater pumping, the report added.

https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/U.S ... -0018.html

[Anthea]

Click to Enlarge:


Trophy Hunter Shot Dead in South Africa

A trophy hunter, who killed lions and elephants, was found shot dead in South Africa

An enthusiastic trophy hunter who slaughtered lions and elephants was shot dead in South Africa after his truck broke down at Kruger National Park wildlife reserve.

The 55-year-old Riaan Naude was gunned down at close range when a car pulled up next to his truck in Marken Road, Limpopo.

South Africa’s national police force spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Mamphaswa Seabi, said: “The man was lying with his face up and there was blood on his head and face.”

Two hunting rifles, clothes, water, whiskey and pajamas were found by officers in Naude’s truck near the Kruger National Park wildlife reserve, local outlet Maroela Media reported.

The Police Spokesperson further said, “The motive for the attack and the subsequent murder is unknown at this stage.”

Sudden murder of trophy hunter

A nonprofit group against rhino poaching, Heritage Protection Group, claim there are two suspects involved in the hunter’s murder, who pulled up alongside him when the hunter stopped his truck near Mokopane after it overheated.

The group said two men got out of a white Nissan pickup truck. One of the men shot him, and the pair snatched one of his guns and fled.

A cattle herder heard a gunshot and witnessed a Nissan truck speeding away, according to reports.

Mr. Naude was the head of Pro Hunt Africa firm, a “hunting and Eco Safari outfit” in northern South Africa which offered hunting safaris in northern South Africa near Kruger National Park.

Aside from lions and elephants, hunting safaris offered by Pro Hunt Africa include baboon, hyena, zebra, and warthog safaris.

A hunter’s day rate costs £250, and customers can inquire about special rates for hunting safaris geared towards the so-called Big Five, which include the lion, leopard, black rhinoceros, African bush elephant, and African buffalo.

Non-profit organization Protect All Wildlife claimed Naude was involved in breeding and selling giraffes to customers solely for hunting purposes.

https://greekreporter.com/2022/07/05/tr ... th-africa/

I remember Cecil

[Anthea]

Cereal production in Iraq fallen

United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) confirmed a decline in cereal production in Iraq in 2022 because of the drought, indicating that the amount of cereal harvest in 2022 in Iraq amounted to 3.4 million tons

The Rome-based organization said in a report “grain production in Iraq in 2022 declined even in the northern part of the country (including the main wheat-producing Nineveh province) compared to the previous year due to the negative impact of drought, which prompted the government to reduce the area planted with irrigated crops to reduce water demand amid increasing water scarcity. "

It is expected that the amount of grain harvest for 2022 in Iraq will reach 3.4 million tons (including 2.7 million tons of wheat), which is about 35% less than in 2021, when the amount of grain production amounted to 5.2 million tons, including 4.2 million tons of wheat.

The report noted that "both Turkey and Iran, the two neighbour countries of Iraq, have increased grain production in 2022 by 15.3% and 13.5%, respectively."

Iraq has suffered a major drought during the past three years because of the lack of rainfall and the lack of water revenues in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, in addition, to the closure of the tributaries coming from Iran and diverting them inward.

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/28 ... rought:-UN

[Anthea]

1.5 Million Cattle Killed by Drought in Ethiopia

On Monday, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) disclosed at least 1.5 million livestock have died across drought-affected parts of Ethiopia

Many regions in Ethiopia are currently experiencing one of the most severe La Nina-induced droughts in recent decades, with more than eight million people acutely food insecure, and the death of 1.5 million livestock due to drought destroying people's livelihood.

"Nearly 300,000 drought-affected people have migrated in search of water, pasture, or assistance," the UN agency disclosed.

The IOM is providing in-kind emergency shelter, essential non-food household items, cash-for-rent, and construction of emergency shelters to displaced drought-affected populations and host communities. It also said it's providing water and sanitation-related services, as well as delivering comprehensive lifesaving primary healthcare and nutrition services.

Last week, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) disclosed at least seven million livestock have died across drought-affected Horn of Africa (HOA) countries.

The UNOCHA also warned that the situation could further deteriorate as forecasts indicate that the October-December 2022 rainy season could also fail, leading to "an unprecedented and catastrophic situation, the likes of which has not been witnessed in the Horn of Africa in recent history."

Amid the continued drought conditions, communities are facing the threat of starvation following four consecutive failed rainy seasons in parts of Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia.

https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/1.5 ... -0004.html

[Anthea]

Irreversible damages caused by US

A report issued by the IPCC finds that the US is the number one emitter of greenhouse gases, causing more than $1.9 trillion in damage to other countries

A recent study conducted by the University of Dartmouth reveals that the US has caused the most economic damage to the rest of the world in terms of greenhouse gas emissions.

The US figured on top of the ladder with a wobbling amount of $1.91 trillion in economic damages, followed by China with $1.83 trillion in damages, then Russia with $986 billion. India and Brazil came afterward.

The extent of the harm caused to other countries by the US' unhinged gas emissions since 1990, mostly poor countries, has been so severe as to cost all kinds of environmental disasters, ranging from heatwaves to crop failures and other consequences.

The study is the first to assess the economic impacts that individual countries have caused on other countries through their contributions to global warming. The research draws direct connections between cumulative emissions per nation of heat-trapping gasses to losses and gains in the gross domestic product in 143 countries of which data are available.

The study, published in the journal Climatic Change, provides an essential basis for nations to make legal claims for economic losses tied to emissions and warming.

In November of last year, an agreement was made on the night of the COP26 climate talks regarding pushing forward for the "loss and damage" from climate change up the agenda, as it becomes harder for many people to live safely on a hotter planet.

But after resistance from the US, the EU, and other wealthy nations, the commission failed to secure the establishment of a dedicated new damages fund for vulnerable nations.

In recent years, the US has been a hotbed of climate science denial when compared to other countries, with international polling showing a significant number of Americans do not believe human-driven climate change is occurring.

Two weeks ago, the US supreme court ruled against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Although the Biden administration has vowed to cut US emissions in half by the end of this decade, no efforts were made when attempts to legislate this outcome were floundered with a sweeping climate bill sunk by the opposition of Republican senators and Joe Manchin, the centrist Democratic senator from West Virginia.

Conversely, China has made considerable efforts to alleviate climate change. In 2021, China included the binding target of slashing carbon intensity by 18 percent in its 5-year plan. It has announced the decision to halt the production of new coal-fired power projects overseas. The country has formulated and released a top-level design document for peaking carbon emissions and achieving carbon neutrality and is working on an action plan for peaking carbon emissions before 2030.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/env ... enhouse-ga

[Anthea]

UK Red Warning for Extreme Heat

On Friday, the United Kingdom's Met Office (Met) issued a red warning for extreme heat that covers parts of England next Monday and Tuesday

The Met office expects "population-wide adverse health effects, not limited to those most vulnerable to extreme heat, leading to serious illness or danger to life."

"Exceptional, perhaps record-breaking, temperatures are likely on Monday, then again on Tuesday," it added, recalling that the highest temperature recorded in the UK so far was 38.7 degrees Celsius at Cambridge Botanic Garden in July 2019.

Similar precautions were raised by the Irish Meteorological Office (Met Éireann), which issued an orange heat alert for this weekend and the beginning of the next. It expects temperatures to be between 25 and 32 degrees Celsius during the day and between 15 and 20 degrees Celsius at night.

The anatomy of our looming heatwave...

The cut-off low spinning to the west of Portugal is helping intensify the heat over Moroccos & Iberia as we speak. This feature will essentially act like Europe's heat pump. pic.twitter.com/HgqOb7rlwm
— Scott Duncan (@ScottDuncanWX) July 12, 2022

Meanwhile, the heatwave left over 300 dead and fires in southern Europe. From July 10 to 12, at least 84 people died in Spain, where cities like Madrid, Seville, Zamora, and Ourense recorded temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius.

The situation is even worse in Portugal, where a temperature of 47 degrees was recorded on Tuesday. Between July 7 and 13, the Health Directorate recorded an "excess mortality" of 238 deaths over the usual average. Dehydration, decompensation, or chronic diseases are some of the factors that can suddenly worsen the health of some people to the point of death.

In the Mediterranean, the most visible consequence of the heat wave is the fires. French authorities reported three uncontrolled fires, the worst of which are in the Gironde department, where 7,500 hectares have already burned and over 11,300 people have been evacuated.

https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/Uni ... -0014.html

a) I think that kebab shops should shut for a few days

b) In many parts of UK temp have already risen to 36degrees on several occasions, so expecting it to be well above 40 in a few days