The Philippines is well known for its homegrown produce reaped by its indigenous communities. With the archipelago’s favourable climate, fresh summer fruit and vegetables are known to harvest well in the country. Nonetheless, the rapidly intensifying climate crisis is threatening even the most reliable harvests grown through traditional indigenous farming methods.

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Indigenous Farming in the Philippines

The Philippines thrives on its agriculture and rural communities, with its agricultural sector generating 9.6% of the country’s gross domestic product in 2021. Despite donning a large value of 1.76 trillion Philippine pesos (US$31 billion), the agricultural sector shoulders a variety of indigenous groups that practise an even wider array of farming methods. A case study by the International Labour Organization (ILO) showcased the extensive farming techniques adopted in different regions of the country.

Ifugao, a province located in Luzon, practises farming systems like wall-terracing, dike construction, and composting enrichment planting. These sustainable practices are also economically advantageous for farmers themselves. For example, as shown in a 2019 research study, wall-terracing can improve the livelihoods of farmers due to the well-grown produce that can be harvested on the terrace walls.

The Atis, an indigenous group residing on the island of Panay, adopt the practice of contour farming. This method can maximise the productivity of steep slopes on grassland, as it prevents soil erosion and properly sustains yields. 

In contrast, industrial agriculture has adopted unsustainable techniques, including exploiting chemicals and fertilisers on soil, the development of genetically modified crops, and overproduction. These farming methods have intensified as the global corporate agribusiness agenda has flourished, forcing small-scale local farmers out of business due to the rising costs and lowered market prices from mass-produced goods.

On the other hand, according to 1988 publication Indigenous Knowledge for Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development, indigenous farming is integral to maintaining sustainable agricultural systems and increasing the likelihood of rural populations’ development. This especially stands true to the Philippines’ economy as it is highly reliant on its produce and exports. 

A 2021 report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) encapsulates the importance of indigenous communities in agriculture, stating that “the world cannot feed itself sustainably without listening to Indigenous Peoples.”

You might also like: Indigenous People Are Essential for Preventing Biodiversity Loss. They Mustn’t Be Sidelined.

Climate Change Is Affecting Indigenous Farming 

In late July to early August, three typhoons – Doksuri, Khanun, and Talim – wreaked havoc across Philippine lands, ultimately killing 25, displacing 300,000, and destroying agricultural land.

Typhoons in the region have grown stronger and are occurring more frequently as a consequence of man-made climate change. With the world’sescalating carbon emissions, UN Secretary-General António Guterres announced last month that we have gone beyond global warming and commenced the era of global boiling. All of these climate conditions have only made it more difficult or sometimes even nearly impossible for farmers to reap harvests.

Farmers of the Suludnon tribe, an indigenous community located in the Iloilo province, are slowly losing their edge in the agricultural sector. The once self-sustaining farming system has grown dependent on local governments for various reasons. For example, the slow process of planting and yielding crops often gets compromised once a destructive storm hits. While the destruction itself is brief, its damages are long-lasting. 

Additionally, these warmed-up environments and frequent rainfalls have created a favourable breeding ground for pests and diseases that feed on the farmers’ crops. While this definitely poses a great risk to the health of the crops themselves, it also puts the health of consumers in jeopardy.

The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) also found that rising carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere breed pathogens like fungi. Handling the growth of crops is one thing but limiting the spread of pathogens in crops is another challenging task for farmers that often results in a losing battle. FAO found that up to 40% of global crop production is lost to pests annually, and over US$220 billion is lost due to plant diseases.

Just like everyone else, Filipino indigenous tribes are currently struggling to grapple with the intensity, speed, and frequency of climate change events. Nonetheless, their situation is all the more severe since their livelihoods mostly depend on their crops. 

“The land is as precious as gold to us as it sustains our livelihood – it’s been our home since the beginning,” said Indigenous Suludnon farmer Adelfa Lebuna. Lebuna’s family told Mongabay that their entire house was destroyed by Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, forcing them to rebuild their lives based on their traditional agricultural practices. 

While these farmers can indeed rely on their agricultural knowledge, their efforts only go so far. With the rapidly changing climate bringing about more destruction than ever, farmers’ earnings grow less and less sufficient to sustain their livelihoods. Despite having a slight decrease of 1.6% from 2018, farmers still remain the poorest in the nation, with a poverty incidence rate of 30% in 2021.

A 2020 report by the World Bank found that transforming the agricultural systems in the Philippines is crucial to solving the country’s poverty crisis and ensuring economic growth. Additionally, the report shows that local farmers struggle to market their produce, while agribusinesses and wholesalers find it difficult to maximise the quality and quantity of their produce sold. 

Ultimately, the best solution is for the government to bridge the gap between both parties with proper agricultural planning. Instead of phasing out indigenous traditional farming, it should be emphasised and supported by financial aid from both the government and agribusiness enterprises. 

It is of utmost importance that indigenous communities are protected at all times. Not only are they crucial in passing down finetuned agricultural knowledge to younger generations, indigenous people are humans that deserve rights to their farming practices. Filipino indigenous tribes deserve to have their voices heard on both the national and international stages of environmental talks.

Featured image: ILO/Allan Barredo/Flickr

You might also like: The Role of Indigenous Knowledge in Climate Change Adaptation In Bangladesh and the Philippines

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Florida is the only state in the US that has “extensive” coral reef formations near its coasts that are home to barrier reefs and patch reefs. Unfortunately, due to the surge in ocean temperatures, the rich population of reefs and corals has bleached and disappeared at an alarming rate. In this article, we dive into the tribulations faced by Florida’s coral reef and what this summer’s mass coral bleaching event means for the future of marine life. 

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Marine Heatwave Strikes South Florida

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Florida’s sea surface temperatures have reached the highest level ever recorded. On July 25, 2023, a buoy in the Manatee Bay of Florida Keys measured a scorching temperature of 38.38C (101.1F), well above the average sea temperature of the area during the same period, which is typically around 30C (85F). The heating is also occurring much earlier than normal, as temperatures usually spike between August and September. 

“We didn’t expect this heating to happen so early in the year and to be so extreme,” NOAA Coral Reef Watch coordinator Derek Manzello told the CNN. “This appears to be unprecedented in our records.”

On July 6, reefs managed by the Florida Aquarium reached a temperature of 32.8C (91F). While the corals were still healthy at the time of the recording, the aquarium’s crew discovered less than two weeks later that all of the corals were bleached and 80% of them had died, CNN reported. 

One of the most significant features of the Florida Keys is Cheeca Rocks, as the area is known for its persistence despite unfavourable living conditions brought by climate change, most prominently, the rising sea temperatures. Nevertheless, even the most resilient coral reefs can only go so far. 

Non-profit organisation Coral Restoration Foundation reports a “100% coral mortality” at Sombrero Reef in the Florida Keys. Additionally, 99% of the corals at Cheeca Rocks are bleached and the typically “resilient” corals there are also “struggling.”

“Cheeca Rocks has been, in the past, a really remarkable story of persistence,” said Ian Enochs, coral reef ecologist at NOAA. “Nonetheless, my team [has] brought back reports and photographs of absolutely widespread bleaching. Not just that, they’re already starting to see mortality.”

You might also like: The Impact of Rising Ocean Temperatures on Humans, Marine Biodiversity and Ecosystems

Coral Bleaching in Florida Waters

Coral reefs are always a sight for sore eyes due to their burst of saturated colours against the blue hue of ocean beds. 

Bleaching occurs when all those colours fade, leaving a dull, sand-coloured coral. The process occurs when corals expel algae living in their tissues, draining the colours out of their surface. However, it does not mean that they are dead, they are just “under more stress” and more vulnerable. 

Contrary to popular belief, bleaching events do not merely occur when water temperatures rise. Corals are generally extremely sensitive to all kinds of changes in their living conditions, including alterations in temperature, light, and even nutrients. An increase of 1C in ocean temperatures would be enough to trigger large-scale bleaching, and given that water surface temperatures in Florida have remained 2C above the normal range for an extended period of time.

Early signs of the mass bleaching event in the Florida Keys were already evident in late June. Mote Marine Laboratory confirmed 11 observations of partial bleaching, concluding that the threat of mass bleaching was “moderate.” 

Florida’s mass coral bleaching unfolds amid the El Niño weather pattern that is dominating this year’s summer, causing a spike in the number of record-breaking heatwaves and floods. Our World In Data shows the positive relationship between the number of coral bleaching events and El Niño weather, with the bleaching events worldwide occurring much more frequently during El Niño than during other weather patterns.

El Niño weather conditions have a much larger number of coral bleaching events than other climate conditions. Image: Our World In Data.

Furthermore, a study published by NOAA last year showed that coral diseases caused by climate change and bleaching events had already eroded 70% of Florida’s corals, reporting that Florida reefs are in a “net erosional state.” Most shockingly, the highest percentage of net erosional reefs was found in the northernmost region of South Florida, where 98% of reefs had been eroded.

The research study further concluded that the reef systems have been negatively changed over the last 50 years, resulting in the presence of “opportunistic weedy species” rather than the old “dominant habitat-creating” corals. In other words, corals have systematically grown weaker.

Despite occupying less than 1% of the ocean beds, corals play an important role for marine ecosystems. According to the United Nations, they could be regarded as “underwater cities” since they house up to 800 different hard coral species and more than 25% of marine creatures. Losing ten coral reefs means losing hundreds of coral species and marine life. 

With a flourishing coral reef system, there will be flourishing businesses. Corals in the Florida Keys have generated billions of dollars for the state’s economy through fishing and tourism. According to NOAA and National Marine Sanctuaries, Florida’s corals have an asset value of US$8.5 billion, granting 70,400 jobs in local communities. 

If coral reefs continue to bleach and die at this staggering rate, experts warn, we will experience an imminent plethora of consequences. 

According to The Reef-World Foundation, over one million species that depend on coral reefs will die, establishing a chain effect of dying species. Coastal tourism businesses and the fishing industry will phase out, bringing down the state of the economy and diminishing job opportunities. Additionally, medical studies will be severely hindered as coral reefs are used to develop medicine for sicknesses including Alzheimer’s and heart diseases.

Some Hope Left for Coral Reefs

Since the horrific mass bleaching event has already occurred, we are already beyond looking into preventative actions. Instead, what we must prioritise is salvaging the surviving species.

On a more positive note, the persistent corals in Cheeca Rocks are being studied, as scientists want to examine the “potential mechanisms of resilience” and apply them to other areas with corals. There have also been efforts in finding unique genotypes that are responsible for resilience to high temperatures.

Most importantly, vestiges of saved corals have been extracted and put into labs like the Florida Institute of Oceanography’s Keys Marine Laboratory (KML). The lab already has around 1,500 corals in an attempt to rescue the coral species. The population is expected to grow to 5,000.

Nonetheless, coral reefs were never made to adapt above the seas. We must remember that their rightful home is the ocean floor, not science laboratories. If we wish to see the colourful sights underwater, mitigating climate change and global warming is the one and only solution.

You might also like: 5 Coral Reefs That Are Currently Under Threat and Dying

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In early August, China’s capital Beijing was hit by the heaviest rains since records began 140 years ago, causing massive floods that killed at least 33 people. Meanwhile, other areas of the country were battling a historic heatwave that exacerbated water supplies, affecting agricultural outputs and hydropower generation. As the country deals with the grave effects of climate change, the spotlight is cast on its involvement in climate action, and whether the government has done enough to combat its rapidly evolving climate crisis. In this article, we take a look at how China’s energy transition is going to understand if the world’s largest polluting country is on the right path.

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Beijing’s Heaviest Rain and Hottest Summer on Record

On August 2, 2023, Beijing was struck by the heaviest downpour it has ever experienced since records began 140 years ago. 

According to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), the floods, which killed at least 33 people, prompted authorities to evacuate more than 125,000 people from affected areas. 

The record-breaking rainfall in Beijing was prompted by the arrival of Typhoon Doksuri from southern Fujian province, which made its way up to China after wreaking havoc on the Philippines in late July, killed 39 on the island of Luzon.

Local weather authorities in Beijing recorded 744.8 millimetres (29.3 inches) of rainfall at the Wangjiayuan reservoir in Changping District in early August. In just 40 hours, Beijing experienced the average rainfall it typically experiences throughout the entire month of July. The torrential rains did not spare Beijing’s neighbouring areas either. Hebei was among the worst affected areas, with over 1.2 million people displaced.

Prior to the devastating rainstorms, China experienced an unusually prolonged heatwave. The capital grappled with scorching heat in early July as temperatures jumped past 40C (104F). 

As the effects of climate change grow increasingly destructive, the Chinese government is pressured to come up with feasible solutions.

China’s Recent Major Climate Talks 

The deadly rainstorms came days after the G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Ministerial Meeting in Chennai, India, where negotiators failed to reach a consensus on key environmental issues. Four of the 68 discussion points – including phasing down fossil fuels, doubling the rate of energy efficiency while tripling renewable energy capacity, and implementing green border taxes – lacked collective consensus.

According to the BBC, China and Saudi Arabia reportedly avoided “making commitments” during the discussions. When questioned about this, the spokesperson of China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi wrote in a public statement that some countries experienced “geopolitical issues” that obstructed the meeting, which China regards as “regrettable.”

According to the latest available data, China is the most polluting country in the world, followed by the US. The country emits 11.5 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) annually, more than double the amount emitted by the US. While the US has reduced its annual emissions by nearly 17% between 2000 and 2021, China’s emissions have grown by 215%.

China tops the charts for annual carbon dioxide emissions. Image: Our World In Data.

According to 2021 data, China tops the chart in annual carbon dioxide emissions from coal, the country’s highest-consumed fossil fuel. China yields an annual amount of 7.96 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide from coal – a far cry from the second leading country, India, which has an annual amount of 1.80 billion tonnes.

China’s annual carbon dioxide emissions from coal has accelerated in recent decades. Image: Our World In Data.

China’s reliance on coal consumption does not seem to grow any weaker. Another report by GEM in collaboration with the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) shows that China approved a record number of coal plants in 2022 for a total of 106 gigawatts worth of power capacity. 

China’s Energy Transition

Despite its heavy reliance on fossil fuels, China’s energy transition, characterised by a rapid expansion of renewable energy, has been nothing short of impressive.

An annual report by Global Energy Monitor (GEM) shows that China has become the global leader in renewable energy deployment. The country is projected to double its wind and solar energy production by 2025 and achieve its clean energy target five years ahead of schedule.The study further states that, as of the first quarter of 2023, China’s operating large utility-scale solar capacity reached 228GW, more than that of the rest of the world combined. China’s involvement in wind power generation stands unparalleled as well, with total capacity surpassing 310GW, nearly equal to the next top seven countries’ capacities combined

The country’s heavy emphasis on renewable energy deployment is certainly helpful in terms of combatting climate change. However, this pursuit of energy transition has come into conflict with other environmental issues. 

Recently, China has come under fire for its opposition to establishing a moratorium on deep-sea mining, with reports saying that the country would “block the motion for a discussion” during the conference. International negotiations, initiated by the International Seabed Authority (ISA) last month, ultimately concluded that a moratorium would be granted until next year. 

More on the topic: Unsettled Depths: The Murky Outcome of Deep-Sea Mining Negotiations

Deep-sea mining has been a hotly debated topic. Major countries like China, South Korea, and Russia have expressed interest in the practice, as the metals extracted from the deep seabeds are crucial elements of the green technology. Indeed, these metals are used to manufacture environmentally-friendly technologies such as batteries for electric vehicles, a market led by China. 

While the green transition is framed as the main goal for deep-sea mining, there are certainly some underlying political and financial agendas as well. China is responsible for 77% of the world’s battery cell manufacturing capacity, housing six of the world’s 10 biggest battery manufacturers. In 2022, the country had more battery production capacity than the rest of the world combined. China also has the largest electric vehicle market in the world, accounting for 52% of global sales in 2021. The metals extracted from deep-sea mining are integral to this flourishing business.

Furthermore, as promising as it may sound, China’s stride towards renewable energy sources would not only be unproductive but also irreversibly damaging if the country continued to rely on coal as its main source of energy. The high reliance on this planet-warming fossil fuel has propelled the nation into a vicious cycle of worsening climate change and increasing power consumption. 

“Coal power projects are mostly loss-making and will provide little boost to economic growth in the future,” Gao Yuhe, a Beijing-based project leader of Greenpeace East Asia, told the South China Morning Post. “The real revitalisation of the economy requires investment in projects such as new energy storage rather than new coal power.”

Final Thoughts

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recently declared that we have gone beyond the stage of global warming and have now entered the era of “global boiling.”

“We are on a highway to climate hell with our foot on the accelerator,” he warned during the COP27 summit last year.

If China continues to feed into its demand for short-term solutions brought by coal production, all of its remarkable efforts in renewable energy production will be in vain. As the world’s largest fossil fuel consumer, it bears international responsibility for every ounce of fossil fuel burnt and every molecule of carbon dioxide emitted. Until we put a complete stop to coal consumption, China will remain a culprit in the climate crisis regardless of all the wind turbines and solar panels installed.

Featured image:Wikimedia Commons

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The post China’s Energy Transition: Is the World’s Largest Polluter Doing Enough? appeared first on Earth.Org.

Water, one of the most fundamental human resources, is facing a depleted supply worldwide amid the rapidly intensifying climate crisis. A newly published report found that the world is experiencing an “unprecedented water crisis” due to the growing population and global warming events, with one-quarter of the world facing extreme water stress every year.

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An Unprecedented Water Crisis

A recent study conducted by World Resources Institute’s (WRI) Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas found that 25 countries, equivalent to approximately one-quarter of the world’s population, are going through “extremely high water stress” every year. The top five countries with the highest water stress levels are Bahrain, Cyprus, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, and Qatar.

As explained in the report, “extreme water stress” means the country is using at least 80% of its available water supply, while “high water stress” indicates that it is withdrawing 40% of its supply.

Researchers behind the study, which was published in August 2023, also predicted that about 60% of the population will be affected by water stress for at least one month per year by 2050. 

A world map showing countries with varying levels of annual water stress. Image: World Resources Institute.

The water crisis does not simply involve water. The report found that 31% of the global GDP will be negatively affected by extreme water stress by 2050, and industrial interruptions will occur more frequently due to limited water coolant. Moreover, the water crisis is already putting food security in serious jeopardy, as 60% of the world’s agriculture faces high water stress. This water stress phenomenon is perpetuated by the growing demand for water due to the rapidly growing global population. Indeed, experts suggest that the agricultural output needs to expand by another 70% by 2050 to meet the growing demand for food.

The misuse of water resources also plays a significant role in the decreasing drinking water supply. Prompted by the fast-paced corporate and business agendas, sewage and waste from industrial sites and agricultural practices have been mishandled and directly ejected to fresh streams, contaminating drinking water and making it unfit for human consumption. 

While the contamination from the agricultural and industrial sectors is indeed extensive in straining our water supply, the current water shortage is most exacerbated by the increasingly severe climate change-related extreme weather events unfolding across the world in recent years. 

Our Planet Is Getting Hotter and Drier

Global warming has taken a toll on our planet this summer, with this year’s June being the hottest June ever recorded. Meanwhile, this year’s July was the world’s hottest month since records began 174 years ago, accumulating four record-breaking temperatures of the world’s hottest day. Though July 4 was ultimately deemed the hottest day on record with a global average temperature of 17.18C (62.92F), experts agree that the record might be broken again very soon as global warming intensifies.

The heat has been undeniably growing more intense in recent years. Last month, UN Secretary-General António Guterres declared that we have gone beyond the stage of global warming and have entered the era of “global boiling.”

Unprecedented heatwaves and devastating wildfires have made headlines nearly every single day over the course of this summer. The Maui wildfires claimed nearly 100 lives on August 8 and completely destroyed the historic town of Lahaina. A few weeks before that, wildfires tormented regions in the Mediterranean, engulfing entire cities in Greece, Algeria, and Italy’s South. The death toll across the three countries exceeded 40, while tens of thousands were displaced. 

On August 17, 2023, local French authorities reported that a heat dome in France could result in the nation’s “most intense heatwave ever.” The high temperature and minimal precipitation in the country have contributed to a sharp decline in water supply, leaving over 30,000 residents in Southern France with no “reliable water sources” due to the severe drought.

Intense heatwaves also occurred in China, as the nation logged a temperature of 52C (126F) in its northwest region on July 17, breaking its previous record of 50.3C (122.54F). Its capital city Beijing recorded its hottest June day in 60 years, with temperatures soaring to 41.1C (105.9F). Additionally, local media reported that accumulated precipitation in northern China from June 2023 to August 2023 was 30% to 70% less than normal, implying that droughts in those areas will persist until the end of August, putting a strain on local cultivation of livestock, maintenance of hydropower supplies, and crop irrigation.

The dwindling water supply has evidently grown to be a global problem. As the World Bank puts it: “Climate change expresses itself through water.”

How Do We Stop This?

Climate change has forced us into a vicious cycle of heatwaves that have been drying up our water sources. Despite it all, we still have a chance to turn things around.

To improve the situation, the WRI report suggests preserving wetlands and forestry to improve water quality, subsequently reducing expenses on water treatment. This could also help “build resilience” against droughts and floods. Prioritising “water-prudent energy sources” like solar and wind power, instead of wave, tide, and hydroelectric energy sources, would also go a long way in preserving the water supply. 

Another noteworthy point is the fact that agricultural practices can be altered for water conservation. For a reliable, short-term solution, more drought-tolerant crops, such as figs, okra, and grapes, can be harvested to consolidate food security. But for more long-lasting effects, techniques like drip-irrigation could be widely adopted. Drip-irrigation uses pipes to slowly drip water onto the roots of crops, conserving 20% to 50% of the water typically used for irrigation. 

There are even more specific steps that can alleviate water scarcity and extreme water stress. Most notably, a proper and well-managed green infrastructure can be sustained. The report suggests that for water governance to be improved, policymakers must adopt an integrated water resource management.

Bahrain, crowned as the most water-stressed country in the world, has several flaws in its water management system. For example, Water Action Hub found that the entire nation has no rivers, lakes, or dams, a factor that significantly limits access to water. Therefore, the country sought water from the ground, which prompted a “sharp decrease in groundwater storage” that resulted in the degradation of more than half of its reservoir.

In contrast, some other countries are leading the way, such as South Korea, which adopted a smart-water management system, a network comprised of reusing, properly treating, and delivering water to end users. Recently, the US also announced plans to invest in water infrastructure in the Upper Colorado River Basin in hopes to enhance Western communities’ resilience to drought and climate change.

With continuous and proper management, we can adequately maintain our water supply. We must remember that having enough water does not simply equate to quenching our thirst, but also ensuring food security, fighting urgent disasters like wildfires and heat-related illnesses, and maintain adequate levels of sanitisation.

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As we approach another month of summer, heatwaves in the US persist, mostly in Southern states. Arizona’s capital Phoenix has seen record-breaking temperatures for a whopping 31 consecutive days last month, prompting authorities to issue excessive heat warnings in the state. While residents are struggling to beat the heat, there has also been another rather unexpected victim: cactuses.

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Phoenix’s Climbing Temperatures

The National Weather Service in Phoenix reported that the region experienced 31 consecutive days of temperatures above 43.3C (110F) for the month of July. Despite temperatures dropping slightly, the city continues to hold an Excessive Heat Warning issued by the National Weather Service. 

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the average temperature last month was 42.2C (108F), the highest ever recorded in the state, beating last year’s record of 39.4C (1-3F) for July.

Additionally, this summer has yielded some of Phoenix’s highest temperatures of all time. For example, July alone has set 12 new daily records for the highest temperatures, with the mercury reaching up to 48.3C (119F). 

July temperature ranges exceed the normal range and peaked at the red zone in the graph. Image: National Weather Service.

The extreme heat has led to numerous heat-related health issues in the state of Arizona. Arizona Department of Health Services reported that the number of patients with heat-induced emergency illnesses increased from 1,928 patients in 2018 to 2,462 patients in 2022.

However, one peculiar event has been unraveling since last month, setting this year’s summer apart from previous ones. Cactuses, plants that are known for flourishing in arid climates, have been dying en-masse in Phoenix’s desert lands. The cause of their demise is no mystery – they simply cannot handle the extreme heat.

Friend Turned Foe: How the Heat Is Killing Cactuses

Although cactuses favour heated conditions, too much heat had proven to be deadly for them. As temperatures continue to spike, much-needed rainfall has failed to show up for the crops, prompting the health decline of many cactuses in Phoenix. Last month, no precipitation was recorded in the capital city, according to NOAA Online Weather Data. 

“These plants are adapted to this heat, but at some point the heat needs to cool down and the water needs to come,” Desert Botanical Garden’s research scientist Tania Hernandez told Firstpost.

A 2022 peer-reviewed study by Nature Plants revealed 60-90% of all cactus species assessed are expected to be negatively impacted by climate change and other anthropogenic processes. In this case, the combination of scorching heat and absent rainfall is the perfect formula for the cactuses’ demise.

Sophia Booth, landscape designer at Moon Valley Nursery, told the AP that people from across the city have called and noted that their cactuses were “yellowing really hard, fell over or [had] broken arms.”

Cactuses exercise their vital flora activity at night, when they open up their stomata to conduct respiration. This is crucial for their photosynthesis process during the day, where they take in the atmosphere’s carbon dioxide. Additionally, with a lack of water in their systems, cactuses lose rigidity and structure. They ultimately will turn soft and fall. 

Since Phoenix’s extreme heat extends to the night, the cactuses suffocate and get “stressed out,” making them vulnerable to infections and insects.

As an extremely arid city, Phoenix is the perfect home for cactuses. The Desert Botanical Garden holds more than 1,000 saguaro cactuses, making it one of the most iconic cactus species in the city. While this species can live up to 200 years, many of those aged between 40 and 80 years old have perished from the heat.

Heatwaves have grown rampant in the US over the past four weeks, with temperatures reaching unprecedented levels for extended periods of time. El Paso, Texas, experienced 42 consecutive days of temperatures above 37.7C (100F), while Miami recorded 46 consecutive days of temperatures above the same mark.

Since Phoenix’s 31-day streak of temperatures above 43.3C (110F) has finally ended, hopes for the approaching rainfall to ease the heat intensity have reignited. Nonetheless, the downpours will only act as a temporary fix to the long-term effects of climate change and heatwaves, as the global warming crisis continues to intensify every summer. 

You might also like: Top 6 Environmental Issues the US Is Facing in 2023

The post Cactuses Are Dying From the Heat in Arizona appeared first on Earth.Org.

On December 18, 2022, the 15th Conference of Parties (COP15) dedicated to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity achieved a historical feat in biodiversity conservation, with more than 190 countries adopting the historic Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. 

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What Is the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework?

Dubbed a “Paris moment for biodiversity,” the high expectations of the biodiversity framework mirror that of the 2015 Paris Agreement as they are both projected as pivotal agreements in global climate action.

While the Paris Agreement focused on limiting global warming to 1.5C-2C, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework was implemented to safeguard global biodiversity, which has been dwindling at an alarming rate. 

According to World Wildlife Fund’s 2020 Living Planet Report, there has been a global average loss of 69% in mammal, bird, fish, reptile, and amphibian species since 1970. The steep loss is largely due to man-made habitat destruction from unsustainable agricultural activities. 

With 23 elaborate goals to be achieved by 2030, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) states that this biodiversity framework aims to “halt and reverse nature loss.” 

“The agreement represents a major milestone for the conservation of our natural world,” said the director general of WWF International, Marco Lambertini. “And biodiversity has never been so high on the political and business agenda.”

You might also like: Did COP15 Succeed or Fail?

The Main Goals of the Biodiversity Framework

One of the most notable takeaways of the framework is the 30×30 goal, which requires at least 30% of terrestrial, inland water, and of coastal and marine areas “effectively conserved” or otherwise restored from degraded states by 2030. 

This framework is indeed ambitious in contrast with the previous biodiversity agreement, the 2010 Aichi Biodiversity Targets. The latter agreement had 20 goals surrounding biodiversity protection, including protecting 17% of land and 10% of oceans by 2020. Unfortunately, none of the Aichi targets were accomplished.

The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework also recognises the roles of indigenous communities when it comes to biodiversity conservation. 

Posed at Target 1, the framework emphasises the goal of reducing the loss of areas that are heavily linked to high biodiversity concentrations close to zero by the end of the current decade. Most importantly, it states that this will be done while “respecting the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities.”

Indigenous people have long suffered from environmental conservation laws that overlook and dismiss their contributions to environmental protection. The Stockholm Conference of 1972, designed to address environmental issues in the modern age, failed to acknowledge the rights of indigenous people. In 2014, the UN Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner (OHCHR) published a press release condemning the deletion of indigenous people from final drafts of UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Indigenous communities are essential in carrying out solutions for ecosystems, since their traditional knowledge is useful when it comes to assessing the environment for proper and sustainable ecosystem management. By properly addressing them in global conferences, their rights and identities are officially recognised. In turn, they can continue to fine-tune their environmental conservation practices freely.

You might also like: Indigenous People Are Essential for Preventing Biodiversity Loss. They Mustn’t Be Sidelined.

Another key feature of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework is the acknowledgement of the financial impacts on global biodiversity. Depending on where the finances are invested, the efforts for ecological conservation could either be hindered or heightened. 

The framework suggests that incentives and subsidies that are harmful for biodiversity will be eliminated, phased out or reformed by 2050. Meanwhile, starting with the most harmful incentives, the money allocated to them will be sliced by at least US$ 500 billion per year by 2030.

Aside from limiting budgets that harm the environment, more financial investments will go to conservation strategies. The total global biodiversity-related financial resources will need to reach at least US$20 billion per year by 2025, and to at least $30 billion per year by 2030.

The financial discussion poses as a monumental message that biodiversity loss is a new, imminent risk for asset managers, as the finance industry is pushed to be transparent about their biodiversity footprint. 

How Will the Goals Be Pursued?

The biodiversity framework enforces high hopes for future biodiversity conservation but whether it can be properly implemented has been a question left hanging over the past few months.

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) was tasked to collect required funding for the framework, leading to the establishment of a new trust fund – the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBF).

According to GEF, the participating countries will translate the framework into national strategies. This would mainly require the allocation of adequate funding, especially for developing countries, which are also those with the richest biodiversities on earth. 

On June 26, 2023, the GEF published a press release stating its provision of $1.4 billion to support 136 countries, particularly developing ones, in protecting their species and habitat loss, which is in line with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Furthermore, the GEF plans to collect another $9.1 billion for additional financial support.

While the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework sounds extremely promising, it highly relies on sufficient financial aid for developing countries since they house most of the biodiverse areas. In order to fully implement the framework, the circulation of financial aid from developed countries to developing countries is essential. After all, a rich biodiversity is not only a national asset for developing regions but an international asset for all.

Featured image: UN Biodiversity/Flickr

You might also like: The Remarkable Benefits of Biodiversity

The post The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, Explained appeared first on Earth.Org.

A week ago, a tragic flood filled a South Korean underpass with deadly waves, leaving at least 46 dead. However, this is not the first time relentless flooding wreaked havoc on South Korea’s streets. After one too many heavy rainfalls, the nation admired for its elaborate soft power is now facing heavy scrutiny as the public begins to question its climate crisis resolutions. In this article, we explore how climate change is unfolding in South Korea.

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The Cheongju Tunnel Incident

On the morning of July 15, 2023, a ferocious wave of flood waters rushed into a 430-metre (1,410ft) underpass in western Cheongju, located southeast of Seoul. The tunnel’s motorists could not outrun the speed of the flood, leaving many unable to escape. 

Ultimately, the death toll climbed to 46, with 4 missing people. 15 were vehicles trapped in the underpass, including one bus and 12 cars. About 16,000 residents have since been evacuated to shelters, 30,000 hectares (74,121 acres) of farmland have been damaged, and 693,000 livestock have died. 

With South Korea entering the climax of its summer monsoon season, the Cheongju flood was triggered by a series of torrential downpours that drenched the country for weeks. The heavy rainfall caused a massive overflow in a nearby dam that also blocked the tunnel’s entryway. 

Back in May, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) predicted that a strong El Niño, the first one since 2020, would occur during the summer, pushing temperatures “off the charts”. El Niño is a climate pattern that results from the unusual increase in water temperatures. Meanwhile, The Korean Herald reported that July was predicted to have a 40% chance of precipitation higher than or similar to the yearly average.

On the Monday after the incident, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol conducted a meeting on Disaster Response. While the President primarily blamed the authorities’ failure to follow rules to tackle the disaster, he declared that “extreme weather events” are the new normal.

“We need to tear down perceptions that these situations cannot be helped because they’re unusual,” Yoon said. “We need to deal with them with extraordinary determination.”

South Korea’s Floods and Typhoons

The horror of the Cheongju flood reignited similar sentiment from last year’s fatal flood in Seoul, where the city experienced the heaviest rain in 115 years since records began in 1907. The record-breaking downpours killed nine people and left 17 injured.

On August 8, 2022, Seoul was rocked with the heaviest daily rainfall of 381.5 millimetres, dethroning the previous record of 332.8 millilitres in 1998. The rainfall also brought a series of fierce lightning that struck the city more than 2,000 times in one night. The destructive rain flooded multiple low-lying residencies, particularly killing residents of banjiha, otherwise known as basement apartments. 

Another historic flooding occurred back in the summer of 2020, when heavy rainfall flooded the city of Daejoon. It was the longest monsoon in seven years, with 42 consecutive days of rain. The disastrous rain killed 15 people and forced 1,500 people out of their homes. 

In the same year, three consecutive tropical cyclones hit the country within two weeks in August and September, causing a whopping 676 power outages nationwide. Consequently, 290,000 households had no electricity, six nuclear power reactors stopped working, and renewable sources failed to provide the electricity needed due to a lack of solar irradiation and aggressive winds exceeding the speed limits.

Causes of Erratic Weather Conditions

In South Korea, the summer season naturally occurs during July and August, when both temperatures and precipitation reach their peak levels. 

According to an analysis by Korea Meteorological Administration, the annual weather averages between 1990 and 2018 show that July and August have the highest temperatures of 26.8C and 29.9C respectively. Meanwhile, July has the highest precipitation level of 285.5 millimetres, followed closely by August with 274 millimetres.

South Korea’s annual weather report by Korea Meteorological Administration. Image: Fourth National Communication of the Republic of Korea.

As shown in the table above, July and August are the most vulnerable months when it comes to heatwaves, rainfalls, and tropical cyclones. These natural phenomena have significantly intensified in recent years due to climate change.

The country has been no exception to the global warming crisis, with temperatures rising by 0.23C (32.41F) per decade between 1954-1999 and by 0.5C between 2001 and 2010, according to a 2021 report by the International Energy Agency (IEA). Between 2000 and 2020, South Korea has seen a 0.6C (33.08F) increase in annual temperatures.

The annual surface temperature of South Korea has a continuous increase. Image: IEA/Korea Climate Resilience Policy Indicator.

While it may seem unrelated at first glance, the increase in temperatures largely contributes to the exceptionally destructive typhoons in the nation. Tropical cyclones are boosted by warmer seas, and a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, so the storms bring more moisture ashore which leads to more intense rainfall. South Korea has grown notorious for its extensive events with tropical storms, as it experienced nine tropical cyclones from 2000 to 2020, more than eight times the global average. 

However, the situation simply boils down to our contributions to climate change, and South Korea is far from being innocent when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions. In the most updated report, Our World In Data shows that South Korea had 11.89 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per capita in 2021, making it one of the top emitting countries in the world.

South Korea’s carbon dioxide emissions per capita has increased dramatically in recent decades. Image: Our World In Data.

From unnecessary food packaging to the prevalence of single-use plastics, South Korea’s plastic consumption is another crucial factor in its unfolding climate crisis. In the most recent Statista report, around 91% of coastal waste found in South Korea in 2022 was plastic. This implies that plastic waste is largely disposed of in seawaters, where they emit methane and ethylene due to sunlight exposure, as proven by a 2018 research article. Subsequently, these emitted greenhouse gases only worsen the climate crisis in South Korea.

Government Response

In contrast to his words about the Cheongju Tunnel incident, President Yoon Suk Yeol has done little to combat climate change and has instead added fuel to the fire. 

Earlier this year, Yoon declared that Seoul might have to invest in nuclear weapons in response to North Korea’s nuclear threats. This nuclear rhetoric is supported by his stance against renewable energy. During the presidential election last year, Yoon dismissed the notion of committing to RE100, an initiative to wholly transition to renewable energy by 2050. 

“That 100% renewable energy doesn’t make any sense,” Yoon said during the TV debate. 

According to Climate Action Tracker, South Korea’s overall rating for its action against climate change is classified as “Highly Insufficient”, indicating that the country’s policies do not align with the Paris Agreement. This conclusion is derived from the assessment of government policies throughout the years.

South Korea’s overall climate action is classified as “Highly Insufficient.” Image: Climate Action Tracker.

In January 2023, the government enacted the Tenth Electricity Plan, which aims to utilise nuclear energy in a bid to decarbonise the country. Contrary to the initial goal of capping the nuclear share at 30% by 2030, the Tenth Electricity Plan raises the proportion of nuclear energy usage to 34.6%. This increase in electricity generated implies the development of six new nuclear reactors alongside the existing 12 reactors. This policy goes directly against former President Moon Jae In’s goal of gradually abandoning nuclear power. 

Although nuclear power does not emit greenhouse gases, it should not be considered the ultimate solution to climate change as it provides additional risks that prove to be far more life-threatening. For example, nuclear-related accidents, high costs, complex construction, incompatibility with wind and solar power, and sensitivity to heatwaves. 

In January 2012, the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) was enacted in the country. According to the IEA, the programme aims to expand renewable energy usage and make it a promising market competitor. Through this, the biggest 13 power companies were required to increase their renewable energy usage to 10% in 2012-2024. The aforementioned plan, however, stifles the RPS by lowering its ratio from 14.5% to 13% in 2023.

In the Fourth National Communication of the Republic of Korea, published in 2009, the nation declared a target of reducing 30% of greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. It is not clear whether this goal has been achieved. Nonetheless, the recent backtracking policies already prove that South Korea’s drive for climate action has been dwindling.

While South Korea has been garnering international attention for its influential music and TV shows, it has undoubtedly been lagging behind in terms of climate action. Without proper implementation of its policies, they will merely be words on paper. Until we stray away from carbon emissions and nuclear power, torrential rains and tropical cyclones will continue to rock the streets of South Korea, and the rest of the world.

You might also like: 15 Biggest Environmental Problems of 2023

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Known as a staple condiment in Vietnamese cuisine, the Huy Fong Sriracha sauce has been a familiar sight on the shelves of Asian restaurants and grocery stores around the world. However, the well-known hot sauce has recently been facing a heated battle owing to a scarcity of basic ingredients, leading to a nationwide Sriracha shortage in the US. In this article, we dig deep into the root cause of the issue.

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The Sriracha Shortage Explained

The beloved hot sauce used to be sold at US$5-10 a bottle. But now that the green-capped bottles have almost gone astray, prices for the remaining stocks have only spiked. 

The Huy Fong Foods Sriracha Sauce is now going for US$23.98 on Amazon and nearly $100 on eBay. According to NBC News, the price has even reached $150 per bottle on some websites, nearly thirty times the original price. 

This phenomenon may ring a bell for avid Sriracha consumers, as the nation also faced limited Sriracha supply last year. Huy Fong Foods Inc. reportedly emailed customers in early 2022, stating that it would “suspend sales” of the Sriracha hot sauce during the summer due to an unprecedented shortage of chilli peppers. 

“Although some production did resume this past fall season, we continue to have a limited supply that continues to affect our production,” a Huy Fong spokesperson told CNN. 

Huy Fong Foods generated over $150 million in revenue as of 2022. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

What makes Sriracha such a cult favourite is its essential ingredient – red jalapeños. The medium-sized chilli peppers are sourced from Mexico, California, and New Mexico. According to Mexico’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the peppers are primarily produced in very dry regions, including Sinaloa, Chihuahua, and Michoacán in Mexico.

Chilli peppers, however, require extra care in order to grow properly.

“Jalapeños are really labor intensive, requiring people to de-stem them by hand before they go for processing,” Stephanie Walker, Extension Vegetable Specialist at New Mexico State University, told The Guardian.

Unfortunately, Mexico has recently been hit with severe environmental problems that hinder the meticulous farming conditions needed to grow chilli peppers. Current record heatwaves in the country have resulted in at least 100 casualties within just two weeks in June. As temperatures soared to nearly 50C (122F) last month, droughts across the region have only gotten worse. According to the North American Drought Monitor, more than 70% of Mexico is now experiencing drought conditions. The minimal water supply leads to poor vegetation, robbing the chilli peppers of the delicate conditions they need for growth.

What’s Behind the Crisis?

Mexico’s drought has been plaguing the nation for more than three years. Image: North American Drought Monitor.

The drought is intensified by heatwaves, a direct consequence of anthropogenic climate change and reckless human actions, including deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions. According to the National Forest Monitoring System, between 2001 and 2021, a staggering annual average of 208,850 hectares (516,079 acres) of forest vegetation was lost in Mexico. In contrast, the country’s cumulative carbon dioxide emissions reached 20.59 billion tonnes in 2021, the highest value ever recorded.

With a steep decrease in forest area and a dramatic increase in carbon dioxide emissions, the country is now unsurprisingly grappling with even more serious climate-related consequences, and the situation is expected to worsen in the years to come.

Mexico’s cumulative carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions have skyrocketed in recent decades. Image: Our World in Data.

Furthermore, Mexico’s government has not made significant progress in climate mitigation in recent years and has even declined the revival of its Climate Change Fund earlier this year. 

The fund was established in 2012 to create a national movement toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions and slowing down deforestation rates in the country while scaling up renewable energy. 

In November 2020, the fund, described as “one of the most relevant sources” of funding for climate action, was abolished. Many environmental groups, including Group for Climate Finance in Latin America and the Caribbean and Fridays For Future Mexico, heavily criticised the decision. Ultimately, after being given a chance for reconsideration, Mexico’s Supreme Court rejected an injunction to re-establish the abolished fund.

According to Climate Action Tracker, if all countries were to follow Mexico’s environmental route, the planet would endure up to a 4C (39.2F) increase in temperature by the end of the century.

Mounting reckless human activities, coupled with government inaction, have been contributing to the country’s deterioration. A shortage in red jalapeños is just one factor in a long list of climate change consequences that Mexico is currently battling.  The absence of the coveted sauce has customers questioning when the production and prices will go back to normal. However, when Sriracha shortage will be over remains hard to tell.

Huy Fong has told publications that “limited production has recently resumed” but the company has “no estimations of when supply will increase.”

You might also like: Global Food Security: Why It Matters in 2023

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From its cowboy culture to country music, Texas is a state full of wonders even to the international eye. However, the state has recently been garnering global attention for all the wrong reasons. As temperatures soar to record levels, all eyes are on Texas, waiting for its power grid to face yet another disastrous malfunction. But why do these failures keep happening in Texas specifically? And how do we avoid Texas’ energy crisis from spurring out of control? 

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Texas Energy Crisis: A Fragile Power Grid 

Texas’ temperatures have skyrocketed to unprecedented levels for three weeks straight, putting the state as one of the contestants for the hottest locations on Earth this summer. As the scorching heat continues to garner attention, the underlying fear of Texas’ residents begins to surface – and it has to do with the state’s fragile power grid.

In February 2021, Texas made headlines for a record-breaking winter storm that caused power outages across the state. As shown in the 2021 Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Report, between February 8-20, 2021, Texas experienced a total of 4,124 outages or failures in its generating units. 75% of these malfunctions were caused by freezing temperatures and fuel issues.

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) develops a Seasonal Assessment of Resource Adequacy (SARA) for each season to measure the energy consumption and availability of the power grid. The SARA report shows that on February 14, 2021, the peak demand for the grid exceeded the energy supply by over 26,000 MW. This was over 2.5 times the predicted worst-case scenario in any SARA report.

The demand for electricity was so high that ERCOT pleaded with residents to reduce their energy consumption by issuing a public statement on that day. “We are asking Texans to take some simple, safe steps to lower their energy use during this time,” said ERCOT President Bill Magness.

About 69% of Texas residents lost electricity during the 2021 storm, and at least 210 lives were lost.

It is known that the climate crisis is affecting nations worldwide, with winter storms and heatwaves wreaking havoc in numerous regions. However, why is Texas the only state in the US that is notoriously known to crumble at extreme temperatures?

You might also like: Temperatures Surpass 45C in China and US Amid Fierce Heatwaves

Texas’ Unique Power Grid Structure and Its Downfall

Dubbed the Lone Star State, Texas is known for its long history as an independent republic.  This sense of independence extends to the construction of its power grid. Unlike other states, Texas’ power grid is not connected to the grid powering the rest of the nation.

90% of the state relies on ERCOT, a non-profit council, for electricity services. ERCOT, however, does not have its own power grid and accumulates power from different companies that produce electricity from different sources including natural gas, coal, and solar power. These electricity generators send the extracted power to transmission companies, which in turn send power to households. In other words, the power grid in Texas is decentralised, making it harder to regulate during times of crisis. 

During the 2021 winter storm, ERCOT asked companies to reduce power demand, hoping to avoid damaging its power grid. This order backfired as transmission companies cut power to natural gas companies that failed to do the required paperwork for power supply during emergencies. Unfortunately, in 2021, more than half of the overall electricity generation in Texas came from natural gas, while about 30% came from wind and solar power. ERCOT’s order eventually exposed a devastating loophole: Natural gas production relies on electricity, and electricity relies on natural gas production. 

Subsequently, the faulty measures have made Texas vulnerable not only to cold weather but also to hot conditions.

Texas energy mix, 2021. Image: ERCOT.

How Do We Fix This?

Although the doomed interdependence between natural gas production and electricity resulted in dozens of fatalities in 2021, the crux of the Texas electricity crisis lies in the over-reliance on natural gas instead of renewable energy. 

Texas politicians were quick to falsely blame renewable energy for the 2021 winter turmoil. They neglected to address the real problem of this energy crisis, which is instead related to the failure of state’s ageing fossil fuel power plants.

“The coal plants average about 50 years of age, gas plants average about 30. They’re mechanical, they’re prone to breakdowns … but there have been years of underinvestment,” said Ed Hirs, an expert on energy at the University of Houston. 

In recent talks about Texas’ ongoing heatwaves, solar power has been found to be productive in meeting energy demands. Texas experiences on average more sunny days than most other states, providing more opportunities for electricity generation. 

Alternatively, wind power is deemed unproductive during the day due to absent winds. However, wind turbines come into play once the sun sets, as steam from the sun’s heat hovers in evening skies. 

Not only do both wind and solar power make a full cycle of energy production, but they also do it without compromising the environment. At the end of the day, climate change is the sole perpetuating factor to extreme weather conditions. In order to tackle heatwaves and winter storms, we must stop feeding into shortcut solutions brought by fossil fuels and adopt more sustainable energy sources.

You might also like: 4 Environmental Issues in Texas in 2023

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Situated thousands of miles apart, China and the US currently share one thing in common – the intensity of heatwaves. Both countries are experiencing record-breaking temperatures amid intense, climate change-fuelled heatwaves that have raised the alarm for public health, agriculture, and energy generation.

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What Is Happening?

China recorded a staggering 52.2C (125.96F) on Monday in the Sanbao village of Xinjiang province, located in the country’s northwest region. Local news forecasted that the heat will persist for a least another five days, prompting authorities to issue high-temperature warnings in several cities.

Monday’s temperature broke the previous record of 50.3C (122.54F), which was documented in 2015 near Ayding, also located in Turpan.

The scorching heat recorded in China in recent weeks has pushed residents to turn to fans and air conditioners to cool down. According to the Chinese Energy Investment Corporation – one of the world’s largest generators of power – the volume of electricity generated on Monday touched unprecedented levels, reaching a total of 4.09 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity, 40 million kWh more than the previous record.

The capital Beijing has also been grappling with one of the most intense summers on record, with temperatures skyrocketing past 40C (104F) for weeks on end. Last month, the capital was gripped by extreme temperatures, with the thermometer soaring to 41.1C (106F), the second-highest temperature recorded since weather documentation began  in the city in 1961.

Aside from China, the US is also battling long heatwaves blazing across several sates. 

California in particular has been experiencing a long heat dome, a phenomenon that occurs when the ground heats up and loses moisture, trapping the heat in an enclosed space and resulting in a spike in temperatures. On Sunday, Death Valley recorded a temperature of 53.9C (128F), close to hottest temperature ever recorded on Earth (56.7C, or 134F), which was also recorded in the same area more than a century ago. 

The sizzling heat is projected to linger until next week, as the heat dome moves to Western states from Texas. The state has experienced three consecutive weeks of fierce heat that has knocked out electrical power from thousands of households as its power grid faltered.

More on the topic: Texas Energy Crisis: Why Is the US State’s Power Grid So Fragile?

What’s Behind the Heatwaves?

The world has already heated up by 1.1C (33.98F) since the Industrial Revolution, which fostered the burning of fossil fuels, the main source of carbon dioxide. 

While heatwaves are a natural occurrence in the summer months in many parts of the world, climate change has resulted in tumultuous patterns by increasing their intensity and frequency, making them as abnormally fierce as the ones the world has learned to know in recent years experience today. 

According to a 2023 study by the World Weather Attribution (WWA), climate change makes heatwaves at least 30 times more likely to occur in Asia. In April alone, Thailand recorded its hottest day ever with 45.5C (113.9F), India saw soaring temperatures up to 44C (111.2C) in some northern and eastern cities, while Laos recorded its hottest day ever with 42.9C (109.22) in the Sainyabuli province.

In the latest report published earlier this year, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) insisted that we have reached a point of no return as the planet is “more likely than not” to reach a 1.5C (34.7F) rise since pre-industrial levels. And only last month, experts warned that CO2 levels are at a historic high and are currently 50% higher than pre-industrial levels.

The occurrence of heatwaves is not only limited to the US and Asia. Last month was the warmest June ever recorded globally.

You might also like: Climate Change-Driven Extreme Flooding Kills Dozens in US, Asia

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