Australian vineyard looks to find solutions amid constant climate disasters
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a day ago
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Heat stress: Land transport infrastructure sector employers urged to adopt heat measures
Authorities are urging the land transport infrastructure sector to step up heat-stress management, as temperatures rise with climate change. Their latest guidelines build on earlier measures for outdoor work, and cover workers involved in road works and related activities. Professor Marcus Ong, Senior Consultant at the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Singapore General Hospital, examines if these measures are enough. He also puts forward his own proposed recommendations.
CNA
3 days ago
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Climate change made Nordic heatwave 2°C hotter: Study
STOCKHOLM: Human-caused climate change made a recent Nordic heatwave about 2°C hotter, putting a strain on healthcare, ecosystems and indigenous Sami reindeer herders in a region ill-equipped for such events, researchers said on Thursday (Aug 14). Finland, Norway and Sweden experienced unusually hot weather for two weeks in the second half of July as temperatures soared above 30°C, with Finland seeing 22 consecutive days of temperatures above 30°C. The persistent heat led to people fainting at outdoor events, overcrowded and overheated hospitals, wildfires, algae blooms, a surge in drownings, and sightings of reindeer seeking shade in towns, the two dozen European researchers said in a report published by the World Weather Attribution. "Climate change made the heatwave about 2°C hotter and at least 10 times more likely," their rapid analysis showed. The heatwave was intensified by the burning of fossil fuels, which release planet-heating carbon emissions, they said. "Climate change is fundamentally reshaping the world we live in," Clair Barnes, a researcher at the Centre for Environmental Policy at Imperial College London said in a statement. "Cold-climate countries like Norway, Sweden and Finland are now experiencing unfamiliar levels of heat, as recently seen in strained health systems and sightings of reindeer seeking shade in urban areas," she said. The report came as temperatures were again expected to soar to almost 30°C in parts of the region on Thursday. The Nordic countries are known for their cooler climate and are not normally considered vulnerable to high temperatures. "Our infrastructure was not built to withstand these extreme temperatures and our ageing population is increasingly susceptible to dangerous heat," Maja Vahlberg, a climate consultant at the Swedish Red Cross said in the report. Buildings in the region are often well-insulated but poorly ventilated, Vahlberg told reporters at a press briefing. The researchers also noted that warmer temperatures were threatening the livelihood of indigenous Sami reindeer herders in the north. Reindeer normally move to higher ground in summer but those areas now offer less relief, causing the animals to overheat and struggle to find food and water. Additionally, warmer winters cause more snow to fall as rain, with alternating periods of freeze and thaw building layers of ice that prevent reindeer from digging for food. The Arctic region is heating far faster than other parts of the planet, other studies have shown. Barnes said that the likelihood of a prolonged period of heat like the recent heatwave has almost doubled since 2018, when the region last experienced such an intense heatwave.
CNA
07-08-2025
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Deadly Indian Himalayan flood likely caused by glacier collapse, experts say
NEW DELHI: A deadly wall of muddy water that swept away an Indian Himalayan town this week was likely caused by a rapidly melting glacier exacerbated by the rising effects of climate change, experts said on Thursday (Aug 7). Scores of people are missing after water and debris tore down a narrow mountain valley, smashing into the town of Dharali in Uttarakhand state on Tuesday. Several people could be seen in videos running before being engulfed as waves uprooted entire buildings, leaving others smothered in freezing sludge. At least four people have been confirmed killed, but at least 50 others are missing. Government officials said shortly after the disaster that the flood was caused by an intense "cloudburst" of rain. However, experts assessing the damage suggested that it was only the final trigger, adding to days of prolonged rains that had already soaked and loosened the ground. PK Joshi, of New Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University, an expert on Himalayan hazards, said it appeared the flood was caused by the collapse of debris - known as moraine - that had dammed a lake of meltwater from a retreating glacier. "Given the persistent rainfall over preceding days and the sudden discharge observed, a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) or collapse of a moraine-dammed lake is suspected as the primary trigger," Joshi told AFP. That would have contributed to a "sudden high energy flash flood", he said, noting that glacial terrain upstream of the town included "unstable sediment zones". Cloud cover has obstructed satellite imagery to check for the exact source of the debris, and Joshi cautioned that there was not enough satellite data for a "definitive confirmation". "DISASTER SEVERITY" Safi Ahsan Rizvi, an adviser to the National Disaster Management Authority, also said that it was "likely" that the cause was a "glacio-fluvial debris landslide". Sandip Tanu Mandal, a glaciologist at New Delhi's Mobius Foundation, also pointed to the "possibility of a GLOF", caused by "significant water accumulation in the lake due to increased melting and rainfall". Mandal noted that while heavy, the amount of rain immediately before the flood was "not very significant" in comparison to the vast volumes of water that poured down the valley. That would indicate the source was a potentially collapsing lake. Himalayan glaciers, which provide critical water to nearly two billion people, are melting faster than ever before due to climate change, exposing communities to unpredictable and costly disasters, scientists warn. The softening of permafrost increases the chances of landslides. Joshi said the latest disaster "highlights the complex and interconnected nature of Himalayan hazards". Rapid development and building downstream meant that the damage caused was multiplied.
