Latest news with #Antarctica
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Sea level rise will cause ‘catastrophic inland migration', scientists warn
Sea level rise will become unmanageable at just 1.5C of global heating and lead to 'catastrophic inland migration', the scientists behind a new study have warned. This scenario may unfold even if the average level of heating over the last decade of 1.2C continues into the future. The loss of ice from the giant Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets has quadrupled since the 1990s due to the climate crisis and is now the principal driver of sea level rise. The international target to keep global temperature rise below 1.5C is already almost out of reach. But the new analysis found that even if fossil fuel emissions were rapidly slashed to meet it, sea levels would be rising by 1cm a year by the end of the century, faster than the speed at which nations could build coastal defences. The world is on track for 2.5C-2.9C of global heating, which would almost certainly be beyond tipping points for the collapse of the Greenland and west Antarctic ice sheets. The melting of those ice sheets would lead to a 'really dire' 12 metres of sea level rise. Today, about 230 million people live within 1 metre above current sea level, and 1 billion live within 10 metres above sea level. Even just 20cm of sea level rise by 2050 would lead to global flood damages of at least $1tn a year for the world's 136 largest coastal cities and huge impacts on people's lives and livelihoods. However, the scientists emphasised that every fraction of a degree of global heating avoided by climate action still matters, because it slows sea level rise and gives more time to prepare, reducing human suffering. Related: The century of climate migration: why we need to plan for the great upheaval Sea level rise is the biggest long-term impact of the climate crisis, and research in recent years has shown it is occurring far faster than previously estimated. The 1.5C limit was seen as a way to avoid the worst consequences of global heating, but the new research shows this is not the case for sea level rise. The researchers said the 'safe limit' temperature for ice sheets was hard to estimate but was likely to be 1C or lower. Sea level rise of at least 1-2 metres was now inevitable, the scientists said. In the UK, just 1 metre of sea level rise would see large parts of the Fens and Humberside below sea level. 'What we mean by safe limit is one which allows some level of adaptation, rather than catastrophic inland migration and forced migration, and the safe limit is roughly 1cm a year of sea level rise,' said Prof Jonathan Bamber of the University of Bristol in the UK. 'If you get to that, then it becomes extremely challenging for any kind of adaptation, and you're going to see massive land migration on scales that we've never witnessed in modern civilisation.' Developing countries such as Bangladesh would fare far worse than rich ones with experience of holding back the waves, such as the Netherlands, he said. Durham University's Prof Chris Stokes, lead author of the study, said: 'We're starting to see some of the worst-case scenarios play out almost in front of us. At current warming of 1.2C, sea level rise is accelerating at rates that, if they continue, would become almost unmanageable before the end of this century, [which is] within the lifetime of our young people.' The average global temperature rise hit 1.5C for the first time in 2024. But the international target is measured as the average over 20 years, so is not considered to have been broken yet. Related: Greenland losing 30m tonnes of ice an hour, study reveals The new study, published in the journal Communications Earth and Environment, combined data from studies of warm periods up to 3m years ago; observations of ice melting and sea level rise in recent decades; and climate models. It concluded: 'Continued mass loss from ice sheets poses an existential threat to the world's coastal populations.' Prof Andrea Dutton of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who was part of the study team, said: 'Evidence recovered from past warm periods suggests that several metres of sea level rise – or more – can be expected when global mean temperature reaches 1.5C or higher.' At the end of the last ice age, about 15,000 years ago, the sea level was rising at 10 times the rate today, driven by self-reinforcing feedbacks that may have been triggered by only a small increase in temperature. The last time CO2 levels in the atmosphere were as high as today, about 3m years ago, sea level rise was 10-20 metres higher. Even if humanity can bring the planet back to its preindustrial temperature by removing CO2 from the atmosphere, it will still take hundreds to thousands of years for the ice sheets to recover, the researchers said. That means land lost to sea level rise will remain lost for a long time, perhaps until the Earth enters the next ice age. Belize moved its capital inland in 1970 after a devastating hurricane, but its largest city is still on the coast and will be inundated with only 1 metre of sea level rise, Carlos Fuller, Belize's longtime climate negotiator, said: 'Findings such as these only sharpen the need to remain within the 1.5C Paris agreement limit, or as close as possible, so we can return to lower temperatures and protect our coastal cities.'
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Travel + Leisure
3 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Travel + Leisure
White Sneakers Were My Travel Uniform Until I Found This Ultra-comfy, Celeb-loved Pair That Matches Everything
Let's be honest: finding the perfect travel shoe is never easy. What works well for one trip might be completely off for another. We all want shoes that are cute but not flashy, comfortable but not clunky, versatile but still show off our unique style—and bonus if they don't scream 'tourist.' After years of lugging multiple pairs of shoes around the world 'just in case', I've finally found one of my favorite travel shoes: the Puma Speedcat OG sneakers. Don't get me wrong, I do love a good pair of white sneakers. But after ruining one too many on muddy streets (I tend to hike or run wherever I go), I started looking for something more practical. I wanted shoes that were colorful, versatile, and could keep up on subway commutes in London or trails in Colorado. The Puma Speedcats aren't just another pair of sneakers; they make my feet feel good even after thousands of steps, and still look cool when you are stepping out for dinner in a new city after exploring all day. Plus, they come in a variety of colors and work with everything in my travel bag. $100 at Nordstrom $100 at I picked up the Puma Speedcat OGs right before a work trip that took me from Santiago to Punta Arenas and then onto an Antarctica cruise with Aurora Expeditions. Traveling light was key as I was taking a charter flight with strict luggage weight restrictions (33 pounds) from Punta Arenas to King George Island before my cruise, but I also had a couple of days in Santiago with plenty of exploring crammed in. Normally, I'd bring at least two, maybe three pairs of shoes: something to walk in, something to dress up, and a backup. But these Speedcats made me gamble, and that really paid off in terms of traveling light. I wore them straight out of the box onto my flight and all over Santiago. I paired them with everything from my comfortable airport joggers, jeans, and a T-shirt in Santiago, and a dress for the captain's dinner aboard Aurora Expeditions' Silvia Earle. What I really like about these shoes is their low-profile sole, which is flat but surprisingly supportive, keeping me comfortable for hours on my feet without the dreaded arch ache. That's thanks in part to the OrthoLite insert built into the shoe, which adds just the right amount of cushioning and support. Despite their street style appeal, the Puma Speedcat OG's rubber outsole has a similar grip to the traditional performance shoes I'd normally wear for running or hiking, a nod to Puma's motorsport heritage; the original Speedcat, which debuted in 1998 as a Formula 1 racing shoe, was designed with an ultra-slim profile to help drivers shave off precious milliseconds on the track. $100 at Nordstrom $100 at There's also a padded tongue and collar that provide extra cushion without adding too much weight. I've worn these shoes with jeans, joggers, and even a skirt, and they work flawlessly. Another thing I appreciated about the Puma Speedcat is its sleek, aerodynamic profile. They come with either a suede or leather upper with Puma's iconic Formstride leather. Maybe that's why these shoes have been embraced by celebrities like Rihanna, Dua Lipa, and Jennifer Lawrence, who were spotted wearing them everywhere. If you're still not brave enough to travel with just one pair, let me tell you a secret: these shoes collapse down surprisingly well in a suitcase for easy carry (the flexible shape helps). However, they're so comfy that I never end up packing them; instead, I just wear them through security, on the flight, and straight out into whatever city I land in. The only thing to keep in mind is that, because of their sleek design, the shoe may seem narrow for those with wide feet. In that case, just size up for a little bit more room. $100 at Nordstrom $100 at So, if you're a frequent traveler, a light packer, or just tired of swapping shoes midday like me, I can't recommend the Puma Speedcat OG Sneakers. But if you don't want to travel with just one pair and want to explore other stylish options from Puma, here are five other travel-ready picks worth checking out. Love a great deal? Sign up for our T+L Recommends newsletter and we'll send you our favorite travel products each week.
Globe and Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Climatic factors that should lead to a bear market in coffee futures & Will there be a frost in Brazil?
(KCN25) (KCU25) (KCZ25) (RMN25) (RMU25) (RMX25) 'Climatic factors that should lead to a bear market in coffee futures & Will there be a frost in Brazil?' by Jim Roemer - Meteorologist - Commodity Trading Advisor - Principal, Best Weather Inc. & Climate Predict - Publisher, Weather Wealth Newsletter Scott Mathews, Editor This 9+ minute video is a very detailed discussion sent out to WeatherWealth newsletter subscribers last weekend (Sunday Night/Monday morning) before the collapse in coffee prices. Also, this video highlights how I predicted, back in April, a potential longer-term bear market in coffee futures. 1) Where Robusta coffee (cheaper variety that is made into instant coffee) is grown and why production this year will be greater than a year ago. This has created a spiral down in futures contracts traded on the London exchange. Table and Graphic Image Source: in conjunction with (National Coffee Association) - used by permission 2) Image Source: graphs by NOAA - superimposed comments/markers by BestWeather, Inc. 3) How we use the weather over Antarctica to forecast if Brazil'a coffee freezes (or not) Source of above images showing South Pole projection map and Antarctic Oscillation graph: (used by permission) - superimposed arrows and captions by BestWeather, Inc. 4) Will El Niño neutral become a weak La Niña by the autumn. If so, how may it affect rainfall for Brazil's important 2026 crop and coffee bloom in October? Image Source: NOAA Just click this link for the free trial: OR… request an old FREE download of WeatherWealth with THIS LINK Thanks for your interest in commodity weather! Jim Roemer, Scott Mathews and the BestWeather Team Mr. Roemer owns Best Weather Inc., offering weather-related blogs for commodity traders and farmers. He also is a co-founder of Climate Predict, a detailed long-range global weather forecast tool. As one of the first meteorologists to become an NFA registered Commodity Trading Advisor, he has worked with major hedge funds, Midwest farmers, and individual traders for over 35 years. With a special emphasis on interpreting market psychology, coupled with his short and long-term trend forecasting in grains, softs, and the energy markets, he commands a unique standing among advisors in the commodity risk management industry.
ABC News
3 days ago
- Health
- ABC News
Authorities try to protect Australia's vulnerable wildlife as H5N1 bird flu approaches
Karl Hillyard is a busy man. As the South Australian Department for the Environment and Water's bird flu preparedness coordinator, he has been working with colleagues across the country and the world to prepare for the arrival of the H5N1 bird flu in Australia. The flu has had a devastating effect on birds and wildlife across much of the world, but has not yet reached Australia or New Zealand. However, it has been identified in most of the seal species in Antarctica. Dr Hillyard said he had a soft spot for the common and sometimes maligned ibis, but much of his work at the Cleland Wildlife Park in the Adelaide Hills was for the protection of rare birds. He said planning could be difficult when dealing with an evolving situation which had affected "mind-boggling" numbers of water birds and marine mammals. "Overseas in wildlife, there are some really tragic stories and impacts on particularly vulnerable and threatened species," Dr Hillyard said. A trial has started in the US to see if a vaccine against the flu has been effective in protecting the rare California condor. Research has also been carried out by the CSIRO to see if the vaccine could be used in small Australian bird species. Meanwhile, the first line of defence at Cleland will be social distancing of a sort, by making sure captive birds at the park are kept separate from wild birds as much as possible. Dr Hillyard said the "tyranny of distance" had protected Australia so far. "Effectively, sick birds, sick animals are going to struggle to make it here," he said. "And that's really sad. "But it's also what's probably been helping us out so far in Australia." He said work was also being done to assess where the virus might first arrive in South Australia. Wayne Boardman, from the University of Adelaide, said the virus had taken a circuitous route around the world since emerging in China in 1996. He said more wild bird and mammal deaths became apparent in Europe after a 2020 mutation which had spread to Africa and then North and South America. Dr Boardman said the virus would "almost certainly" arrive in Australia at some stage, potentially via islands in the sub-Antarctic or by migratory birds coming through the shorebird flyways from China and Southeast Asia. Dr Boardman said the virus had already caused a devastating loss of Peruvian pelicans and sandwich terns in Europe, and had occurred in more than 500 species of birds and more than 60 species of mammals. "We hope that these species will recover in time, but it could be that the virus is going to circulate for some time and will continue to cause mortality over the next five, 10, 15 years," he said. Dr Boardman said there were concerns that the disease could affect endangered species to the point where recovery would take a long time or could even lead to extinction. One of Dr Boardman's biggest concerns was for the remaining Australian sea lion population, which numbered less than 14,000 and lived mainly around South Australia's coastline. Dr Boardman's concern for the sealions is shared by Independent Member of the Legislative Council, Tammy Franks. Ms Franks has called for the state government to co-fund a field research station in the Coorong, where many thousands of migratory birds arrived each year. She said a 2024 outbreak of avian cholera in the wetland was only able to be confirmed because a fisherman delivered fresh carcasses to biosecurity officers within hours of the birds' death, when useful test samples could still be extracted. She said without the ability to sample and test on the ground in the Coorong, the opportunity to identify the arrival of avian flu could be missed. Coorong Environment Trust Board member Faith Coleman said a suitable property for a laboratory facility was available at Woods Well, on the banks of the south lagoon. She estimated the total cost of purchasing and establishing the facility would be about $1 million. "They [the state government] would only need to contribute a portion," she said. "It would be really helpful if they could meet us halfway." The Minister for the Environment and Water has been contacted for a response.
The National
3 days ago
- Politics
- The National
How the global space race could blast another hole in the ozone layer
A growing global desire to venture into deep space could pose a new threat to life back on Earth – 40 years after the alarm was raised over damage to the ozone layer and its stark consequences for humankind. It was 40 years ago this month that a team of scientists from the British Antarctic Survey published a study that sent shock waves through not just the scientific community, but the world as a whole. They revealed that, from the late 1970s onwards, a hole had been forming each southern hemisphere spring in the ozone layer above the Antarctic. It was a human-made crisis, because the thinning had been caused by the release into the atmosphere of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and related substances used as refrigerants and aerosol propellants. Left unchecked, this destruction could have had increasingly serious consequences, because ozone – a gas whose molecules are made up of three oxygen atoms – filters out the most harmful solar radiation and allows life as we know it to exist. Slowly, the Antarctic hole is healing, thanks largely to the groundbreaking Montreal Protocol, an agreement that came into force in 1989 to restrict the use of CFCs and related gases containing chlorine and bromine. New challenges take flight But even as the crucial healing process continues, the international community is being urged to remain vigilant. In particular, researchers are concerned that rockets that take off for space exploration and to launch satellites are causing damage because the exhausts of these craft release soot directly into the stratosphere. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a US government agency, released a study in 2022 suggesting that 'a significant boost in space flight activity may damage the protective ozone layer'. Also, when satellites reach the end of their life, return to the Earth's atmosphere and burn up, they release nitrogen oxide, chlorine, aluminium and lithium, which can destroy ozone. The UK's University of Southampton said last year that up to 50,000 satellites could be launched into orbit by 2030, while each day over the coming decade dozens will re-enter the Earth's atmosphere and burn up. Rasmus Flytkjaer, head of space at the consultancy London Economics, says that it is unclear if concerns about the environmental impacts of launches and re-entries are having 'an observable impact' on the industry. The problem of space debris continues to grow, which may indicate that environmental impacts from the industry are tackled only when appropriate regulations are in place. Yet Mr Flytkjaer says that standardised global regulations have yet to be put in place, and the sector is 'looking to the UN to become that organisation' that brings them in. 'As the countries haven't agreed, the UN have to tackle this,' he says. 'There are differences between jurisdictions, meaning that satellites not approved in one jurisdiction may be approved in another.' If suitable regulations are in place, the impacts could be much reduced: Mr Flytkjaer said that a wooden satellite, LignoSat, launched last year, was used to demonstrate that satellites did not have to be made from metals that harmed the ozone layer. Another concern is the possibility of hypersonic air travel, which would involve aircraft flying at five times the speed of sound or more. Several companies are developing this technology. 'They will be flying high up, maybe at 30km altitude,' says Prof Guy Brasseur, of the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology in Germany and the National Centre for Atmospheric Research in the US. 'I don't know how much the engines will emit because nobody knows what kinds of engine will be used, but there's the potential for emissions of large amounts of water vapour and nitrogen oxide depending on the technology used.' Further threats include climate change, which with its complex effects on the atmosphere, could cause damage in more than one way. 'Climate change with change the circulation of the stratosphere. It's predicted to make the ozone column in the tropics thinner. The tropics is a region that's not really had depletion in the past, but it's where lots of people live,' Prof Brasseur says. Also, Prof Brasseur says that even as the troposphere warms, global warming will lead to a cooling of the stratosphere, which is likely to result in clouds forming in the stratosphere above the poles more frequently. The interaction of clouds, CFCs and ozone could result in more ozone being destroyed and a thinning of the protective layer above the Antarctic. So, while the world can celebrate the progress made so far in helping to heal the hole in the ozone layer, the future of his critical protective chief remains uncertain. How ozone hole led to global concern 'I guess it was the first strong indication of humans on the planet Earth could have a global impact on the environment, in a supposedly pristine, remote region,' said Prof Martyn Chipperfield, who researches the ozone layer at the University of Leeds in the UK. 'The ozone layer is essential for life on Earth. Life would not have evolved without the ozone layer forming … because it filters out short-wavelength harmful ultraviolet radiation. There's strong, justified concern about us damaging the ozone layer.' The protective ozone layer lies in the stratosphere, which sits between about 11 and 50km above the Earth's surface, directly on top of the troposphere, which stretches up from ground level. The coldness of the stratosphere above the Antarctic accelerates the depletion of ozone by CFCs, and the Arctic too has experienced thinning, but less because temperatures inside the stratosphere there are not as low. Life-saving progress A 2020 report from the US Environmental Protection Agency said that, when considering people born in the US up to the year 2100, the protocol is expected to prevent about 63 million cataract cases, 443 million skin cancer cases and 2.3 million skin cancer deaths. Prof Chipperfield describes the protocol as having been 'a big success', but he cautions that the atmospheric abundance of ozone-depleting gases 'will only gradually decay' because CFCs and similar compounds are stable and remain in the atmosphere for many decades. 'The hole still appears very strongly most years, but the rate at which it grows in September is slowing down. So we do think the Antarctic ozone hole is responding to the decreases in chlorine and bromine,' he says. Prof Chipperfield – who completed his PhD under the supervision of the late Joe Farman, one of three authors of the original report about the ozone hole – said that it will not be until around 2070 that the ozone layer over the Antarctic returns to its 1980 state, which is typically used as the baseline for comparisons.
