Latest news with #UN-backed
Malaysian Reserve
8 hours ago
- Climate
- Malaysian Reserve
Swiss glacier collapse offers global warning of wider impact
DUSHANBE (Tajikistan) – The collapse of the Swiss Birch glacier serves as a chilling warning of the escalating dangers faced by communities worldwide living under the shadow of fragile ice, particularly in Asia, experts say. Footage of the May 28 collapse showed a huge cloud of ice and rubble hurtling down the mountainside, into the hamlet of Blatten. Ali Neumann, disaster risk reduction advisor to the Swiss Development Cooperation, noted that while the role of climate change in the specific case of Blatten 'still needs to be investigated', the wider impacts were clear on the cryosphere — the part of the world covered by frozen water. 'Climate change and its impact on the cryosphere will have growing repercussions on human societies that live near glaciers, near the cryosphere, and depend on glaciers somehow and live with them,' he said. The barrage largely destroyed Blatten, but the evacuation of its 300 residents last week averted mass casualties, although one person remains missing. 'It also showed that with the right skills and observation and management of an emergency, you can significantly reduce the magnitude of this type of disaster,' Neumann said at an international UN-backed glacier conference in Tajikistan. Stefan Uhlenbrook, Director for Hydrology, Water and Cryosphere at the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), said it showed the need for vulnerable regions like the Himalayas and other parts of Asia to prepare. 'From monitoring, to data sharing, to numerical simulation models, to hazard assessment and to communicating that, the whole chain needs to be strengthened,' Uhlenbrook said. 'But in many Asian countries, this is weak, the data is not sufficiently connected.' Swiss geologists use various methods, including sensors and satellite images, to monitor their glaciers. Asia was the world's most disaster-hit region from climate and weather hazards in 2023, the United Nations said last year, with floods and storms the chief cause of casualties and economic losses. But many Asian nations, particularly in the Himalayas, lack the resources to monitor their vast glaciers to the same degree as the Swiss. According to a 2024 UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction report, two-thirds of countries in the Asia and Pacific region have early warning systems. But the least developed countries, many of whom are in the frontlines of climate change, have the worst coverage. 'Monitoring is not absent, but it is not enough,' said geologist Sudan Bikash Maharjan of the Nepal-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). 'Our terrains and climatic conditions are challenging, but also we lack that level of resources for intensive data generation.' That gap is reflected in the number of disaster-related fatalities for each event. While the average number of fatalities per disaster was 189 globally, in Asia and the Pacific it was much higher at 338, according to the Belgium-based Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters' Emergency Events Database. Geoscientist Jakob Steiner, who works in climate adaptation in Nepal and Bhutan, said it is not as simple as just exporting the Swiss technological solutions. 'These are complex disasters, working together with the communities is actually just as, if not much more, important,' he said. Himalayan glaciers, providing 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. Hundreds of lakes formed from glacial meltwater have appeared in recent decades. They can be deadly when they burst and rush down the valley. The softening of permafrost increases the chances of landslides. Declan Magee, from the Asian Development Bank's Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department, said that monitoring and early warnings alone are not enough. 'We have to think… about where we build, where people build infrastructure and homes, and how we can decrease their vulnerability if it is exposed', he said. Nepali climate activist and filmmaker Tashi Lhazom described how the village of Til, near to her home, was devastated by a landslide earlier in May. The 21 families escaped — but only just. 'In Switzerland they were evacuated days before, here we did not even get seconds,' said Lhazom. 'The disparity makes me sad but also angry. This has to change.' –AFP
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Gaza aid trucks rushed by desperate and hungry crowds, WFP says
Crowds of civilians have rushed aid trucks in Gaza, the World Food Programme has said, as hunger and desperation create chaotic scenes. The humanitarian organisation said it had brought 77 trucks loaded with flour into Gaza overnight and early on Saturday. "All trucks were stopped along the way, with food taken mainly by hungry people trying to feed their families," WFP said. Due to a "very high" chance convoys would not reach their warehouse, a decision was taken to let people take aid in the event of crowds, WFP spokeswoman Abeer Etefa told the BBC. Israel eased an 11-week aid blockade on 19 May, but the UN says the amount sent in the last week amounts to just over 10% of people's needs. The crowds on Saturday were civilians who had received word that food was coming, "the desperate ones who cannot wait to get to distribution points", Ms Etefa said. WFP had chosen aid delivery routes "that are closer to the populations and safer, and away from the gangs". Workers instructed people to take only one bag of flour each, but were not able to control who took what as intended. "After nearly 80 days of a total blockade, starving people will not let a food truck pass," the WFP added. A UN-backed assessment has said Gaza's entire population is at "critical risk" of famine, with Ms Efeta saying two million people are in "desperate need" of food. After the blockade partially lifted, WFP has been able to distribute trucks, but "not at the scale that we would like to and not at the quantities that should get there so that we can calm the situation and control the chaos", she said. Israel said it had imposed the blockade on Gaza to pressure Hamas to release the remaining hostages, at least 20 of whom are believed to be alive. The UN Palestinian relief agency chief said the 900 trucks sent in to Gaza over the past week were "just over 10% of the daily needs of people". "The aid that's being sent now makes a mockery to the mass tragedy unfolding under our watch," Philippe Lazzarini said on X. Israeli military agency Cogat has accused the UN of not distributing aid already inside Gaza, with Israel's foreign ministry saying hundreds of trucks are waiting. "More aid would actually get to the people if you would collect the aid waiting for you by the crossings," Cogat said to the UN on X on Friday. The UN humanitarian office's regional head, Jonathan Whittall, said the agency faced challenges in distributing aid because of escalating insecurity along routes, being given "inappropriate routes", "long delays" in receiving approvals to move, and "desperate crowds" along the way. Separately, a new US and Israel-backed organisation has also been distributing food at designated sites across Gaza. Israel set up the plan after accusing Hamas of stealing aid, which the group denies. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said it distributed two million meals this week, which the BBC has not been able to independently verify. There were chaotic scenes at those distribution sites this week. The UN has refused to work with the operation, saying it contradicts humanitarian principles. Meanwhile, Israeli air strikes continue. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Saturday that over the past day, it had struck "dozens of terror targets throughout the Gaza Strip". Sixty people were killed in Israeli military operations over the past 24 hours, Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry said. The statistics do not include the North Gaza Governorate, where the last hospital closed on Thursday after the Israeli military ordered its evacuation. Christos Georgalas, a Greek surgeon who until 21 May worked at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, told the BBC his patients were mainly children, usually with shrapnel injuries. "Children were the main victims in terms of trauma and malnutrition," he said on Friday. Malnutrition slows down the healing process and increases the risk of infections because wounds remain open longer, he explained. He and hospital staff eat only rice for lunch and dinner, which he said made them lucky compared to others. One of his colleagues told him he had lost 26 kilos (57 pounds) over recent months. Georgalas said a lot of doctors had not been paid for a year. Some live in tents, commuting without protection to work, or have to evacuate at short notice. "They are worried for their relatives and lives, they are starved, despite that they continue," he said. Since he left Gaza, his colleague told him the ICU had been "constantly full" and "overwhelmed", with doctors having to ration care because so many patients need intubation. Meanwhile, four Arab countries that had planned a landmark visit to the West Bank this weekend condemned Israel's decision to block the trip. The delegation that was planning to meet the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah included the foreign ministers of Egypt, Bahrain, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. An Israeli official said the intended meeting was meant to discuss promoting a Palestinian state, which the current Israeli government rejects. Saudi Arabia and France are co-hosting an international conference next month meant to resurrect the two-state solution as an answer to the Gaza war. Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza in response to Hamas's cross-border attack on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage. At least 54,381 people have been killed in Gaza since then, including 4,117 since Israel resumed its offensive on 18 March, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. How controversial US-Israeli backed Gaza aid plan turned to chaos Last hospital in North Gaza governorate evacuated after Israeli order
France 24
21 hours ago
- Climate
- France 24
Swiss glacier collapse underscores urgency of efficient warning systems elsewhere, experts say
The collapse of the Swiss Birch glacier serves as a chilling warning of the escalating dangers faced by communities worldwide living under the shadow of fragile ice, particularly in Asia, experts say. Footage of the May 28 collapse showed a huge cloud of ice and rubble hurtling down the mountainside, into the hamlet of Blatten. Ali Neumann, disaster risk reduction advisor to the Swiss Development Cooperation, noted that while the role of climate change in the specific case of Blatten 'still needs to be investigated', the wider impacts were clear on the cryosphere – the part of the world covered by frozen water. 'Climate change and its impact on the cryosphere will have growing repercussions on human societies that live near glaciers, near the cryosphere, and depend on glaciers somehow and live with them,' he said. The barrage largely destroyed Blatten, but the evacuation of its 300 residents last week averted mass casualties, although one person remains missing. 'It also showed that with the right skills and observation and management of an emergency, you can significantly reduce the magnitude of this type of disaster,' Neumann said at an international UN-backed glacier conference in Tajikistan. Stefan Uhlenbrook, Director for Hydrology, Water and Cryosphere at the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), said it showed the need for vulnerable regions like the Himalayas and other parts of Asia to prepare. 'From monitoring, to data sharing, to numerical simulation models, to hazard assessment and to communicating that, the whole chain needs to be strengthened,' Uhlenbrook said. 'But in many Asian countries, this is weak, the data is not sufficiently connected.' Need better warning systems Swiss geologists use various methods, including sensors and satellite images, to monitor their glaciers. Asia was the world's most disaster-hit region from climate and weather hazards in 2023, the United Nations said last year, with floods and storms the chief cause of casualties and economic losses. But many Asian nations, particularly in the Himalayas, lack the resources to monitor their vast glaciers to the same degree as the Swiss. According to a 2024 UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction report, two-thirds of countries in the Asia and Pacific region have early warning systems. But the least developed countries, many of whom are in the frontlines of climate change, have the worst coverage. 'Monitoring is not absent, but it is not enough,' said geologist Sudan Bikash Maharjan of the Nepal-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). 'Our terrains and climatic conditions are challenging, but also we lack that level of resources for intensive data generation.' That gap is reflected in the number of disaster-related fatalities for each event. While the average number of fatalities per disaster was 189 globally, in Asia and the Pacific it was much higher at 338, according to the Belgium-based Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters' Emergency Events Database. Heightened risk of landslides Himalayan glaciers, providing 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. Hundreds of lakes formed from glacial meltwater have appeared in recent decades. They can be deadly when they burst and rush down the valley. The softening of permafrost increases the chances of landslides. Declan Magee, from the Asian Development Bank's Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department, said that monitoring and early warnings alone are not enough. 'We have to think ... about where we build, where people build infrastructure and homes, and how we can decrease their vulnerability if it is exposed,' he said. Nepali climate activist and filmmaker Tashi Lhazom described how the village of Til, near to her home, was devastated by a landslide earlier in May. The 21 families escaped – but only just.
Observer
a day ago
- Climate
- Observer
Swiss glacier collapse offers global warning of wider impact
The collapse of the Swiss Birch glacier serves as a chilling warning of the escalating dangers faced by communities worldwide living under the shadow of fragile ice, particularly in Asia, experts say. Footage of the May 28 collapse showed a huge cloud of ice and rubble hurtling down the mountainside, into the hamlet of Blatten. Ali Neumann, disaster risk reduction advisor to the Swiss Development Cooperation, noted that while the role of climate change in the specific case of Blatten "still needs to be investigated", the wider impacts were clear on the cryosphere -- the part of the world covered by frozen water. "Climate change and its impact on the cryosphere will have growing repercussions on human societies that live near glaciers, near the cryosphere, and depend on glaciers somehow and live with them," he said. The barrage largely destroyed Blatten, but the evacuation of its 300 residents last week averted mass casualties, although one person remains missing. "It also showed that with the right skills and observation and management of an emergency, you can significantly reduce the magnitude of this type of disaster," Neumann said at an international UN-backed glacier conference in Tajikistan. Stefan Uhlenbrook, Director for Hydrology, Water, and Cryosphere at the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), said it highlighted the need for vulnerable regions, such as the Himalayas and other parts of Asia, to prepare. "From monitoring, to data sharing, to numerical simulation models, to hazard assessment, and to communicating that, the whole chain needs to be strengthened," Uhlenbrook said. "But in many Asian countries, this is weak, the data is not sufficiently connected." - 'Not enough' - Swiss geologists use various methods, including sensors and satellite images, to monitor their glaciers. Asia was the world's most disaster-hit region due to climate and weather hazards in 2023, according to the United Nations, with floods and storms being the chief causes of casualties and economic losses. But many Asian nations, particularly in the Himalayas, lack the resources to monitor their vast glaciers to the same degree as the Swiss. According to a 2024 UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction report, two-thirds of countries in the Asia and Pacific region have early warning systems. But the least developed countries, many of whom are in the frontlines of climate change, have the worst coverage. "Monitoring is not absent, but it is not enough," said geologist Sudan Bikash Maharjan of the Nepal-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). "Our terrains and climatic conditions are challenging, but also we lack that level of resources for intensive data generation." That gap is reflected in the number of disaster-related fatalities for each event. While the average number of fatalities per disaster was 189 globally, in Asia and the Pacific, it was much higher at 338, according to the Belgium-based Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters' Emergency Events Database. Geoscientist Jakob Steiner, who works in climate adaptation in Nepal and Bhutan, said it is not as simple as just exporting the Swiss technological solutions. "These are complex disasters, working together with the communities is just as, if not much more, important," he said. - 'Sad disparity' - Himalayan glaciers, providing 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. Hundreds of lakes formed from glacial meltwater have appeared in recent decades. They can be deadly when they burst and rush down the valley. The softening of permafrost increases the chances of landslides.
Straits Times
a day ago
- Climate
- Straits Times
Swiss glacier collapse offers global warning of wider impact
The Bietschhorn mountain on May 30 after the huge Birch Glacier collapsed. PHOTO: AFP DUSHANBE, Tajikistan - The collapse of the Swiss Birch glacier serves as a chilling warning of the escalating dangers faced by communities worldwide living under the shadow of fragile ice, particularly in Asia, experts say. Footage of the May 28 collapse showed a huge cloud of ice and rubble hurtling down the mountainside, into the hamlet of Blatten. Mr Ali Neumann, disaster risk reduction adviser to the Swiss Development Cooperation, noted that while the role of climate change in the specific case of Blatten 'still needs to be investigated', the wider impacts were clear on the cryosphere – the part of the world covered by frozen water. 'Climate change and its impact on the cryosphere will have growing repercussions on human societies that live near glaciers, near the cryosphere, and depend on glaciers somehow and live with them,' he said. The barrage largely destroyed Blatten, but the evacuation of its 300 residents last week averted mass casualties, although one person remains missing. 'It also showed that with the right skills and observation and management of an emergency, you can significantly reduce the magnitude of this type of disaster,' Mr Neumann said at an international UN-backed glacier conference in Tajikistan. Dr Stefan Uhlenbrook, director for Hydrology, Water and Cryosphere at the World Meteorological Organisation , said it showed the need for vulnerable regions like the Himalayas and other parts of Asia to prepare. 'From monitoring to data sharing, to numerical simulation models, to hazard assessment and to communicating that, the whole chain needs to be strengthened,' Dr Uhlenbrook said. 'But in many Asian countries, this is weak, the data is not sufficiently connected.' Swiss geologists use various methods, including sensors and satellite images, to monitor their glaciers. Asia was the world's most disaster-hit region from climate and weather hazards in 2023, the United Nations said in 2024, with floods and storms the chief cause of casualties and economic losses. But many Asian nations, particularly in the Himalayas, lack the resources to monitor their vast glaciers to the same degree as the Swiss. According to a 2024 UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction report, two-thirds of countries in the Asia and Pacific region have early warning systems. But the least developed countries, many of whom are in the frontlines of climate change, have the worst coverage. 'Monitoring is not absent, but it is not enough,' said geologist Sudan Bikash Maharjan of the Nepal-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development. 'Our terrains and climatic conditions are challenging, but also we lack that level of resources for intensive data generation.' That gap is reflected in the number of disaster-related fatalities for each event. While the average number of fatalities per disaster was 189 globally, in Asia and the Pacific it was much higher at 338, according to the Belgium-based Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters' Emergency Events Database. Geoscientist Jakob Steiner, who works in climate adaptation in Nepal and Bhutan, said it is not as simple as just exporting the Swiss technological solutions. 'These are complex disasters, working together with the communities is actually just as, if not much more, important,' he said. Himalayan glaciers, providing 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. Hundreds of lakes formed from glacial meltwater have appeared in recent decades. They can be deadly when they burst and rush down the valley. The softening of permafrost increases the chances of landslides. Mr Declan Magee, from the Asian Development Bank's Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department, said that monitoring and early warnings alone are not enough. 'We have to think... about where we build, where people build infrastructure and homes, and how we can decrease their vulnerability if it is exposed', he said. Nepali climate activist and filmmaker Tashi Lhazom described how the village of Til, near her home, was devastated by a landslide earlier in May. The 21 families escaped – but only just. 'In Switzerland they were evacuated days before, here we did not even get seconds,' said Ms Lhazom. 'The disparity makes me sad but also angry. This has to change.' AFP Find out more about climate change and how it could affect you on the ST microsite here.
