Climate Change & Environment
Latest stories
Heavy rains lash UAE as death toll in Oman flooding rises to 18

Heavy rains lashed the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, flooding out portions of major highways and leaving vehicles abandoned on roadways across Dubai. Meanwhile, the death toll in separate heavy flooding in neighboring Oman rose to 18 with others still missing as the sultanate prepared for the storm.

The rains began overnight, leaving massive ponds on streets as whipping winds disrupted flights at Dubai International Airport, the world's busiest for international travel and the home of the long-haul carrier Emirates.

W140 Full Story
Lightning, rains kill 36 people in Pakistan as authorities declare a state of emergency in southwest

Lightning and heavy rains have killed at least 36 people, mostly farmers, across Pakistan in the past three days, officials said Monday, as authorities in the country's southwest declared a state of emergency.

Most of the deaths occurred when lightning struck farmers harvesting wheat and rains caused houses to collapse in eastern Punjab province, said Arfan Kathia, a spokesman for the provincial disaster management authority. He said more rains were expected this week.

W140 Full Story
Wildfire rages in eastern Spain as temperatures rise

A forest fire that started in abnormally hot temperatures has burned through through more than 500 hectares (1,235 acres) of land in eastern Spain and forced 180 people to flee their homes, officials said Monday.

The fire began on Sunday near Tarbena in the Valencia region as temperatures reached 30 degrees Celcius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), which is unusually high for the season.

W140 Full Story
US complex wildfires prompt changes in firefighting workforce

It's shaping up to be a long wildfire season, with Texas already seeing its largest blaze in recorded history and firefighters becoming overwhelmed with recent blazes in Virginia.

Just in the first three months of the year, more than 2,669 square miles (6,912 square kilometers) were charred in the United States. That's more than half of last year's total, and forecasters are predicting elevated risk of fires over the coming months in the Great Lakes region, parts of the Midwest, Southwest and in Hawaii.

W140 Full Story
Swiss women score landmark climate win in Europe court

Europe's highest human rights court ruled Tuesday that its member nations must protect their citizens from the consequences of climate change in a landmark ruling that sided with a group of 2,000 Swiss women against their government in a case that could have implications across the continent.

The European Court of Human Rights rejected two other, similar cases — a high-profile one brought by Portuguese young people and another by a French mayor that sought to force governments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But those plaintiffs rejoiced, nonetheless, since the Swiss case sets a legal precedent in the Council of Europe's 46 member states against which future lawsuits will be judged.

W140 Full Story
Beacon of hope: Beirut's Middle East Clean Energy returns

Lebanon is facing tough times, but amidst the challenges, a beacon of hope shines bright. The 3rd edition of the Middle East Clean Energy (MECE) is set to take place in Beirut from May 8 to May 10, 2024. This exciting event showcases the latest advancements in clean and renewable energy, offering a glimpse into a greener future for Lebanon and the region.

Why You Should Care About Clean Energy:

W140 Full Story
Natural farming expands in India as extreme weather hits farmers hard

There's a pungent odor on Ratna Raju's farm that he says is protecting his crops from the unpredictable and extreme weather that's become more frequent with human-caused climate change.

The smell comes from a concoction of cow urine, an unrefined sugar known as jaggery, and other organic materials that act as fertilizers, pesticides and bad weather barriers for his corn, rice, leafy greens and other vegetables on his farm in Guntur in India's southern Andhra Pradesh state. The region is frequently hit by cyclones and extreme heat, and farmers say that so-called natural farming protects their crops because the soil can hold more water, and their more robust roots help the plants withstand strong winds.

W140 Full Story
Venice vows light touch in new measure to cut down on day visitors

Venice's mayor has promised a light touch "without queues" when the city rolls out a new ticket policy in a few weeks, seeking to cut down on the hordes of visitors who descend on its canalled streets every summer.

The new strategy to lower the number of tourists visiting the UNESCO World Heritage site calls for day-trippers to pay a five-euro ticket to enter the historic city center and is due to start on April 25.

W140 Full Story
Mercury exposure widespread among Yanomami tribe in Amazon, report finds

Many Yanomami, the Amazon's largest Indigenous tribe in relative isolation, have been contaminated with mercury coming from widespread illegal gold mining, according to a report released on Thursday by Brazil's top public health institute.

The research was conducted in nine villages along the Mucajai River, a remote region where illegal mining is widespread. Mercury, a poison, is commonly used in illegal mining to process gold.

W140 Full Story
As fire season approaches, Greece looks for edge in response time

In a drill at a 12th century monastery near Athens, a fast-approaching wildfire threatens to trap clergy and a group of people attending a baptism.

Volunteers and firefighters race to pull them to safety through clouds of red smoke, as a drone buzzing overhead sends live video of the rescue to a national coordination center.

W140 Full Story