Tsukuba, Japan (SPX) Aug 04, 2022 Researchers from the University of Tsukuba find that soil decontamination efforts in Fukushima result in constant, high levels of suspended sediments and a rapid decline in radiocesium particles, and that rapid vegetation recovery reduces the duration of unsustainable turbidity effects Tsukuba, Japan-The effects of increased sediment load in rivers during the recovery phase after a nuclearhttp://dlvr.it/SWMLF4 Continue reading Suspended sediment reduced by rapid revegetation after Fukushima decontamination

Seoul (AFP) Aug 9, 2022 Subway stations and major roads were underwater in the South Korean capital Seoul after record-breaking rains caused severe flooding, with at least seven people dead and seven more missing, officials said Tuesday. Authorities warned there was more rain to come even as emergency workers struggled to clear the hulks of flooded cars, which AFP reporters saw strewn across major intersections … Continue reading Record rainfall, flooding in Seoul kill seven

Hong Kong (AFP) July 21, 2022 The world’s longest-living male giant panda under human care, An An, has died at the age of 35, the Hong Kong zoo where he spent most of his life said Thursday. An An’s health had deteriorated in recent weeks, with a severe decrease in physical activity and appetite, and he was euthanised by veterinarians early Thursday morning, a statement … Continue reading Longest-living male giant panda in captivity An An dies at 3

Farnborough, United Kingdom (AFP) July 20, 2022 Aerospace giant Airbus is to conduct test flights to study the composition of contrails left by zero-emission hydrogen-powered planes, the company announced Wednesday at the Farnborough Air Show. The project, named Blue Condor, is part of efforts to bring a hydrogen-combustion plane into service by 2035 to try to eliminate CO2 emissions, the main gas responsible for the … Continue reading Airbus to study climate impact of hydrogen-powered planes

Washington (AFP) July 20, 2022 US President Joe Biden announced Wednesday that he will welcome African leaders to Washington in December, a new initiative to build ties with the continent where China’s influence has been rising. Biden said he will hold the summit from December 13 to 15 to “demonstrate the United States’ enduring commitment to Africa.” “The US-Africa Leaders Summit will build on our … Continue reading Biden plans Africa summit in December as China influence grows

Somerset, United States (AFP) July 20, 2022 US President Joe Biden unveiled a series of executive measures Wednesday to combat climate change and pledged more to follow, seeking to advance his environmental agenda stalled by unsupportive lawmakers and a conservative Supreme Court. Summer heat waves have highlighted the threat, with 100 million people in the United States under excessive heat alerts, and devastating record temperatureshttp://dlvr.it/SVGYZq Continue reading Biden vows climate action as heat waves slam US, Europe

Brussels (AFP) July 18, 2022 Researchers at the European Commission warned on Monday that nearly half of the EU’s territory is currently at risk of drought, as southwest Europe wilted under a punishing heatwave. In a report for July, the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre said that 46 percent of the EU’s territory was exposed to warning-level drought, with 11 percent at an alert level, … Continue reading Nearly half of EU territory ‘at risk’ of drought

Paris (ESA) Jul 21, 2022 With searing temperatures and a string of record highs being smashed across western Europe, the current heatwave is all too apparent. Extreme heat warnings have been issued in several countries including France, Spain and Portugal, and deadly wildfires have forced thousands to flee their homes. The satellite images here are an example of how the crisis is being viewed by … Continue reading Feeling the heat from space

Malihabad, India (AFP) July 20, 2022 Every day, Indian octogenarian Kaleem Ullah Khan wakes at dawn, prays, then ambles about a mile to his 120-year-old mango tree, which he has coaxed into producing more than 300 varieties of the beloved fruit over the years. His footsteps quicken as he draws nearer and his eyes light up as he peers closely at the branches through his … Continue reading India’s mango man, father of 300 varieties

Geneva (AFP) July 19, 2022 Heatwaves like the one stifling western Europe are becoming more frequent and the trend is set to continue until at least the 2060s, the United Nations said Tuesday. The current heatwave should act as a wake-up call for countries pumping ever more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, the UN’s World Meteorological Organization said. “They are becoming more frequent and this … Continue reading UN warns heatwaves will happen more often until 2060s