The recent extreme rainfall in Dubai has sparked concerns about the vulnerability of cities around the Arabian Sea to extreme weather events. As global warming continues to warm the ocean, experts are examining the potential impacts on weather patterns and exploring technologies like cloud seeding and geo-engineering as possible solutions.
The International Labor Organization (ILO) has issued a stark warning that over 70% of the world’s workforce is likely to face excessive heat exposure during their careers. This exposure to high temperatures, along with air pollution and other hazards, can lead to serious health problems such as cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Vietnam, the world’s third-largest rice exporter, is facing a paradox: rice is vulnerable to climate change but also contributes to it by releasing methane. To address this, Vietnamese farmers are adopting new techniques such as alternate wetting and drying (AWD), which reduces water usage and methane emissions. Drones are being used for precise fertilizer application, and rice stubble is no longer burned, but collected for other uses. These methods help farmers reduce costs, increase yields, and contribute to environmental sustainability. Vietnam is also working to expand the use of climate-resilient rice varieties and improve drying facilities to adapt to changing weather patterns.
California is set to open its first new state park in a decade this summer, alongside unveiling targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions on natural lands. The Dos Rios tract in the Central Valley will open on June 12, offering hiking, picnicking, and future swimming and boating access. Governor Gavin Newsom also announced new goals to cut wildfire risks, expand forest cover, and restore wetlands. The plan aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045.
Australia experienced its biggest bushfire season in over a decade in 2023, with fires burning across 84 million hectares of desert and savannah in northern Australia. These fires were driven by heavy rainfall and lightning strikes in dry fuel loads, and burned at an incredible speed. Indigenous fire management practices have been proven to be effective in reducing the severity of these fires, and efforts are being made to incorporate these practices into future fire management strategies.
This summer, people across the U.S. will have a new way to keep track of dangerous heat headed their way through a new heat warning system called HeatRisk. The tool, developed by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), will be used by National Weather Service offices across the country to give people an understanding of when heat goes from uncomfortable to dangerous.
The National Weather Service and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have launched a new heat risk system that uses a seven-day forecast and a color-coded scale to alert Americans to dangerous heat conditions. The system includes five categories: pale green (little to no risk), yellow (minor risk), orange (moderate risk), red (major risk), and magenta (deadliest risk). The system is based on science-set numerical thresholds that take into account local weather data, climatology, and health data. Heat is the number one weather-related cause of death in the United States, and the new system is designed to help reduce deaths by providing better warnings and planning tools.
California is set to open its first new state park in a decade, Dos Rios, this summer. The 1,600-acre park, located in the Central Valley near the confluence of the Tuolumne and San Joaquin rivers, will offer hiking, picnicking, and future plans for swimming and boating. The park’s opening coincides with Governor Gavin Newsom’s announcement of new targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions on natural lands. The plan aims to reduce wildfire risks, expand forest cover, and restore wetlands, moving the state closer to its goal of carbon neutrality by 2045.
The National Weather Service and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have developed a new heat risk system that uses color-coded warnings to alert Americans to dangerous heat conditions. The system uses a seven-day forecast and combines meteorological and medical risk factors to provide simplified and easy-to-understand alerts.
A new study has introduced the concept of “outdoor days” to measure the impact of climate change on global destinations. The study predicts that countries in the Global North will experience an increase in outdoor days, while countries in the Global South will face a decline. Popular tropical destinations like the Dominican Republic and Greece are expected to lose a significant number of outdoor days due to extreme heat and other climate change impacts.
