Australia’s top climate scientist says “we are already deep into the trajectory towards collapse” of civilisation, which may now be inevitable because 9 of the 15 known global climate tipping points that regulate the state of the planet have been activated. Australian National University emeritus professor Will Steffen (pictured) told Voice of Action that there was already a … [Read more...]
Germany and Britain call for ‘green recovery’ from pandemic
Germany and Britain said Monday that efforts to revive the global economy in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic must ensure a ‘green recovery’ that helps the world tackle climate change. Speaking ahead of a virtual meeting of officials from some 30 countries, Germany’s environment minister said it was important for economic recovery programs to invest in future-proof jobs … [Read more...]
Survey reveals common concern of global scientists
The greatest threat to humanity hides in the potential cascading of impacts of five highly-related, highly-likely risks - a collision that can amplify these effects catastrophically, according to a new survey of 222 leading scientists from 52 countries. Conducted by international sustainability research network Future Earth, the survey identifies five global risks - failure … [Read more...]
Cape Town joins global call for 5G moratorium
On Saturday, 25 January a group of responsible South African citizens will gather to raise concern about the proposed roll-out of 5G infrastructure across the country. This is an international event happening in over 112 cities across the world, including Durban. They are asking for a moratorium on 5G until is it proven safe to human and environmental health. It is a call … [Read more...]
Amazon rainforest fires leave São Paulo in the dark
Forest fires have dramatically increased in the Brazilian Amazon this year in the wake of soaring deforestation rates, raising concerns among environmentalists about the fate of the planet’s largest tropical forest. The number of active fires amounted to 74,155 between January 1 and August 20, a spike of 85 percent compared to the same period in 2018, according to data from … [Read more...]
Scientists fear impact of seabed mining on deep-sea ecosystems
Bacteria from the ocean floor can beat superbugs and cancer. But habitats are at risk from the hunger for marine minerals When Prof Mat Upton discovered a microbe from a deep-sea sponge was killing pathogenic bugs in his laboratory, he realised it could be a breakthrough in the fight against antibiotic resistant superbugs, which are responsible for thousands of deaths a year … [Read more...]
Natural methane release leads to increased atmospheric warming
The World Business Academy has released a 31-page whitepaper addressing a global phenomenon it calls the “Methane Accelerator”: cumulative emissions from massive deposits of methane gas, sequestered for millennia in permafrost, glaciers and marine sediment, but which are now being released due to warmer atmospheric and ocean temperatures. For at least 100 years after it is … [Read more...]
Researchers find mental health prescription: nature
A new study finds quantifiable evidence that walking in nature could lead to a lower risk of depression. Specifically, the study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, found that people who walked for 90 minutes in a natural area, as opposed to participants who walked in a high-traffic urban setting, showed decreased activity in a region of the brain … [Read more...]
Farmers stand up against ‘wilful ignorance’ on climate
The last Australian elections may have left the impression with voters that farmers and rural people in general do not accept climate science because there was no seismic shift of seats. Yet this week the agricultural thinktank, the Australian Farm Institute, gathered farmers and their advocacy groups to talk about the impacts of global warming on the already risky business … [Read more...]
Greenpeace report warns of ‘irreversible harm’ from deep sea mining
The world’s oceans could face severe and irreversible harm unless tighter environmental safeguards are put in place to protect them from the risks of deep sea mining, warns Greenpeace report In Deep Water. Shining a light on this emerging threat, the report reveals that the deep sea mining industry is aware that their activities could result in the extinction of unique … [Read more...]
Pharmaceuticals found in fish caught off Cape Town’s coast
The ocean around Cape Town is so polluted that pharmaceutical and industrial chemical compounds are accumulating in the flesh of fish caught off the coast. Scientists from the University of the Western Cape's chemistry department have found that fish caught by small scale commercial fishers in Kalk Bay (such as snoek, bonita and hottentot) are contaminated by antibiotics, … [Read more...]
Scientists test radical ways to fix earth’s climate
Scientists in Cambridge plan to set up a research centre to develop new ways to repair the Earth's climate. It will investigate radical approaches such as refreezing the Earth's poles and removing CO2 from the atmosphere. The centre is being created because of fears that current approaches will not on their own stop dangerous and irreversible damage to the planet. The … [Read more...]
Children may be eating cereal laced with toxic weed killer
The probable carcinogen glyphosate has been detected in popular cereals, but the EPA is ready to approve its use for 15 more years. Quaker Oats “Life” and “Squares” cereals. Gerber and Beechnut baby oatmeal. Cheerios. Store brand “O” cereals from Target, Safeway, Walmart, Trader Joe’s and Kroger. All those products were contaminated with glyphosate (often sold as Roundup) in … [Read more...]
