Climate Change
Climate change in New Zealand to cause sperm, blue whales to seek higher latitudes
A new study has showed many areas around New Zealand will become unsuitable for blue and sperm whales as global sea-surface temperatures continue to rise, with new modelling predicting they will be seeking refuge further south.
Areas around New Zealand's southern and eastern offshore islands will likely become more suitable for these species, but the move will have a destabilizing effect on marine ecosystems. These changes will likely have a negative effect on tourism in areas such as New Zealand's Kaikoura, known for whale watching, as sightings become less frequent and less reliable, according to the study recently published in the international journal Ecological Indicators,
Most of the tourists going on a whale watching tour in Kaikoura can spot whales from their boats, Nick Jiang, a tour operator in New Zealand's South Island, told Xinhua on Thursday.
However, the chance of spotting a giant sperm whale is decreasing. Instead, killer whales, humpback whales and other smaller whales are much easier to be spotted, Jiang said.
Selling boat tickets for whale watching in Kaikoura, TripAdvisor said on its website "You are almost guaranteed to spot a whale, as you'll receive most of your ticket price back if you don't."
Most of the whale watchers' comments on TripAdvisor are positive, such as "well worth the money" and "a once in a lifetime experience."
The international collaborative study between Massey University, the University of Zurich, the University of Canterbury, and Flinders University, has shed light on how climate change will impact the distribution of great whales in New Zealand waters.
It used a complex modelling approach to project the regional range shift of blue and sperm whales by the year 2100, under different climate change scenarios.
Read: Stranded whale out of French river, to be moved to saltwater
The study showed a southerly shift of suitable habitat for both species, which "increases in magnitude as the ocean warms."
The most severe climate change scenario that was tested generated a 61 percent loss and 42 percent decrease in currently suitable habitat for sperm and blue whales, mostly in New Zealand's northern waters.
"Regardless of which of the climate change scenarios will be the reality, even the best-case scenario indicates notable changes in the distribution of suitable habitat for sperm and blue whales in New Zealand," said research lead Dr Katharina Peters of the University of Canterbury.
Island nations such as New Zealand are extremely vulnerable to climate change impact on marine ecosystems because of their strong connection to the ocean, Peters said, adding sperm whales in New Zealand are critical for the tourism industry and local economy.
Great whales, such as sperm and blue whales, are important ecosystem engineers. This means that they fulfill a multitude of tasks such as facilitating the transfer of nutrients from deep waters to the surface, and across latitudes via migration from feeding to calving areas. Their predicted future southward shift, driven by climate change, will impact ecosystem functioning and potentially destabilize ecological processes in the northern part of New Zealand, the study showed.
The study also highlighted habitats that may be suitable in the future for both whale species in New Zealand's South Island and offshore islands, which provides an opportunity for their increased protection in the future.
Over 200 major glaciers disappear in Italy due to changing climate: research
More than 200 major Alpine glaciers have disappeared in Italy since record-keeping began in 1895, Italy's environmental lobby group Legambiente said in a report released on Wednesday.
In its third "Caravan of the Glaciers" report, Legambiente said the latest findings verified "the dramatic regression of glaciers due to the climate crisis."
The group said Alpine temperatures are rising twice as quickly as temperatures are rising at sea level, and the ground snow has decreased every year since 2012.
The report was produced as a way to inform policymakers regarding policies of sustainable development, said the Legambiente. It was produced by Legambiente in partnership with the Italian Glaciological Committee.
The phenomenon is thought to have wide-ranging consequences. "The rapid retreat of glacial fronts not only leads to the loss of fascinating landscapes and biodiversity, but it also amounts to the disappearance of important fresh water reserves," the report said.
Read: Scientists explore Thwaites, Antarctica's 'doomsday' glacier
The lack of fresh water coming from glacial reserves is a major contributor to the drought gripping most of Italy and threatening to reduce agricultural output, especially in northern Italy, where water from glaciers is a key part of the area's ecosystem, noted the report.
Another key impact involves public safety, said the report. Last month, 11 hikers died when a melting glacier caused a powerful landslide of ice and snow on the Marmolada in Italy's Dolomite Mountains. Officials and experts attributed the tragedy to scorching temperatures.
Hidden Menace: Massive methane leaks speed up climate change
To the naked eye, the Mako Compressor Station outside the dusty West Texas crossroads of Lenorah appears unremarkable, similar to tens of thousands of oil and gas operations scattered throughout the oil-rich Permian Basin.
What’s not visible through the chain-link fence is the plume of invisible gas, primarily methane, billowing from the gleaming white storage tanks up into the cloudless blue sky.
The Mako station, owned by a subsidiary of West Texas Gas Inc., was observed releasing an estimated 870 kilograms of methane – an extraordinarily potent greenhouse gas — into the atmosphere each hour. That’s the equivalent of burning seven tanker trucks full of gasoline every day.
But Mako’s outsized emissions aren’t illegal, or even regulated. And it was only one of 533 methane “super emitters” detected during a 2021 aerial survey of the Permian conducted by Carbon Mapper, a partnership of university researchers and NASA.
The group documented massive amounts of methane venting into the atmosphere from oil and gas operations across the Permian, a 250-mile-wide bone-dry expanse along the Texas-New Mexico border. Hundreds of those sites were seen spewing the gas over and over again. Ongoing leaks, gushers, going unfixed.
“We see the same sites active from year to year. It’s not just month to month or season to season,” said Riley Duren, a research scientist at the University of Arizona who leads Carbon Mapper.
Methane’s earth-warming power is some 83 times stronger over 20 years than the carbon dioxide that comes from car tailpipes and power plant smokestacks. Congress and the Environmental Protection Agency have largely failed to regulate the invisible gas. That leaves it up to oil and gas producers — in some cases the very companies who have been fighting regulations — to cut methane emissions on their own.
The Associated Press took the coordinates of the 533 “super-emitting” sites identified by Carbon Mapper and cross-referenced the locations with public records to piece together the corporations most likely responsible.
Just 10 companies owned at least 164 of those sites, according to an AP analysis of Carbon Mapper’s data. West Texas Gas owned 11.
The methane released by these companies will be disrupting the climate for decades, contributing to more heat waves, hurricanes, wildfires and floods. There’s now nearly three times as much methane in the air than there was before industrial times. The year 2021 saw the worst single increase ever.
Last October, AP journalists visited more than two dozen sites flagged as persistent methane super emitters by Carbon Mapper with a FLIR infrared camera and recorded video of large plumes of hydrocarbon gas containing methane escaping from pipeline compressors, tank batteries, flare stacks and other production infrastructure.
In addition to West Texas Gas’s Mako site, AP observed a large plume of gas escaping from tanks at a WTG compressor station about 15 miles away in the Sale Ranch oil field. Carbon Mapper estimated that emissions from that site averaged about 410 kilos of methane an hour.
In a statement, Midland-based West Texas Gas said it routinely conducts its own overflights with gas detection equipment and within the last six months had either “repaired or upgraded” nine of the super emitting sites that AP asked about, including Mako. The company was “actively addressing” another site, though it declined to provide specifics. WTG said it inspected the last site and found no leak.
Read: Mideast nations wake up to damage from climate change
AP found Targa Resources, a Houston-based natural gas storage, processing and distribution company, was the closest operator to 30 sites that were emitting a combined 3,000 kilograms of methane per hour. Targa did not respond to a detailed list of questions from the AP.
“Reducing air emissions from the oil and natural gas sector is a top priority for the administration and for EPA,” said Tomás Carbonell, EPA’s deputy assistant administrator for stationary sources. Methane, he added, is “helping drive impacts that communities across the country are already seeing every day, including heat waves and wildfires and sea level rise.”
But proposed rules to address emissions most oil and gas sites are still under review, and if implemented will likely face legal challenges.
To track emissions, the U.S. government keeps an inventory of methane released into the atmosphere. Those figures are used by policy makers and scientists to help calculate how much the planet will warm.
AP found the government database often fails to account for the true rate of emissions observed in the Permian.
For example, Devon Energy reported releasing methane equivalent to 42,000 metric tons of CO2 for a year of operations in the Permian Basin. AP’s analysis, using the detected emissions, shows they would emit that much in just 46 days.
A spokesperson for Devon said the company is committed to reducing its methane emissions and being transparent about its progress.
The EPA could not provide AP with a single example of a polluter being fined or cited for failing to report, or underreporting emissions.
At an international climate summit in November, the United States and more than 100 other countries signed on to a Global Methane Pledge to reduce methane emissions by 30 percent by 2030. To meet that deadline, the American oil and gas industry would have to reduce emissions at a rate far beyond anything currently seen.
The industry says it is working toward that goal.
“To be able to capture more methane emissions makes sense from a business perspective,” said Frank Macchiarola, a senior vice president at the American Petroleum Institute, an industry trade group. "It's the product that we ultimately want to bring to market.”
But climate scientists and environmentalists warn the industry’s incremental efforts are nowhere near enough to avoid dire consequences for humanity.
“Methane is responsible for 25% of today’s global warming, and we can’t limit future warming to 2 degrees Celsius if we don’t drastically cut those emissions,” said Ilissa Ocko, a senior climate scientist at the Environmental Defense Fund, a group that campaigns for climate action. “We have the tools to cut methane in half and the faster we do that, the better off our climate and communities will be.”
Climate Change: IOM DDG calls for redoubling efforts ahead of COP 27
International Organization for Migration’s (IOM) Deputy Director General (DDG) for Operations Ugochi Daniels has advocated for greater efforts to jointly address climate change and human mobility at national, regional and global levels.
“Ahead of COP 27, we need to redouble our efforts to ensure the climate change discourse reflects the climate migration nexus, and that this is recognized by the international community,” she said.
DDG Daniels discussed the issues during her discussions with government officials and international humanitarian and development actors.
The World Bank estimates that by 2050 one in every seven people in Bangladesh will have been displaced by climate change.
Read:D-8 PTA likely to be operational this year to boost intra-trade
What Causes Wildfire? How to Prevent Forest Fire?
Wildfires are increasing around the world due to increased temperatures and drier conditions. Although wildfires are a natural part of the ecology of many parts of the world, it is becoming more common due to climate change. And the climate is changing mostly due to human activity, which causes the Earth to warm and makes the air drier. Perhaps it increases the chances of wildfires. This article will take you through the ABCs of wildfire and climate change.
What is Wildfire?
Wildfire is a kind of natural disaster (sometimes man made) that can occur anywhere in the world. They are caused by dry conditions, strong winds, and other factors that can lead to the ignition of flammable materials. Once started, wildfires can spread quickly, consuming everything in their path.
In addition to the damage, they cause to homes and businesses, wildfires also pose a serious threat to human life. Every year, thousands of people are forced to evacuate their homes due to the danger of wildfire. In some cases, such as the California wildfires of 2018, the damage caused by these disasters can cost billions of dollars. Wildfires are a destructive force of nature that everyone should take seriously.
Read Landslide Safety, Preparedness Tips: Dos and Don'ts
Wildfire typically occurs in areas where there is an abundance of dry vegetation that can serve as fuel for the fire. Common regions where wildfires are frequent include parts of the western United States, Australia, and Western South Africa.
This year, the wildfire is at its worst. Because of the extremely hot weather around the world, many European countries are facing some dangerous wildfires in 2022. Cyprus, France, Portugal, and the UK are among the countries facing wildfire.
What Causes Wildfire?
When it comes to wildfires, there are a lot of factors that can contribute to their cause. Things like lightning, human activity, and even the weather can play a role in starting a fire. In dry conditions, a small spark can quickly turn into a large and out of control wildfire. That’s why it’s important to be extra careful when it comes to fire safety in areas that are prone to wildfires.
Read Acid Rain: Causes, Effects and Solutions
Natural Causes of Wildfire
There are three natural causes of wildfires: dryness, wind, and heat. Wildfires need all three of these elements to start and spread. One of the most important things to remember about wildfires is that they can start from a tiny spark. All it takes is for the right conditions to be present, and a wildfire can quickly grow out of control.
Wildfires can start when there’s a buildup of dead trees in an area. The heat from the sun can then dry out the dead trees. This can lead to a buildup of firewood, which can then be set alight by a lightning strike. Also, winds during the fire can boost the wildfire.
Man Made Causes of Wildfire
According to a study, about 85% of wildfires in the USA are man made, and for the rest of the world, the figure would be similar. There are many different man made causes of wildfire. The most common cause is careless human activity, such as unattended campfires, discarded cigarettes, and fireworks. Other causes can include equipment malfunctions and arson.
Read Effects of Air Pollution on Unborn Children, Neonates, Infants
Effects of Wildfire
Wildfire is a natural part of our forest ecosystem. It helps to clear out dense undergrowth, creates openings in the forest canopy that allow sunlight to reach the ground, and helps to keep trees in check. However, wildfires can have both short-term and long-term effects on the environment.
The short-term effects of wildfire can include injuries or fatalities to people and animals, damage to homes and other structures, and air pollution. The smoke can cause respiratory problems, and the ash can contaminate water supplies. Wildfires can also cause mudslides and flash floods. In the short term, a wildfire can be a devastating force. In the short term, smoke inhalation can cause a range of respiratory problems, from minor irritation to more serious conditions like bronchitis and pneumonia.
In addition, wildfires can cause changes to the landscape that can lead to soil erosion and the loss of vegetation. While the immediate effects of a wildfire are well known, the long-term effects are often not as well understood.
Read How to stop global warming? How to combat climate change in Bangladesh?
Wildfires can have a devastating impact on human health, both in the short and long term. In the long term, exposure to wildfire smoke has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, strokes, and even cancer. The physical damage caused by a wildfire can also have a long-lasting effect.
It can also cause changes in the local climate and wildlife. Economic effects can include the loss of property and infrastructure, as well as the cost of fighting the fire. Social effects can include the displacement of people, as well as the loss of life.
Ways To Prevent Wildfire
There are many ways that people can help prevent wildfires. Wildfire prevention starts with education. People need to be aware of the risks and how to prevent wildfires. Some of the things that people can do are: not leaving their campfires unattended, not throwing their cigarettes out the window, and not parking their cars on dry grass. Other ways to prevent wildfires are by having defensible space around their homes and by not having piles of wood or leaves close to their homes.
Read Climate Change: How Bangladesh is being affected by Global Warming?
Be sure to dispose of any flammable materials properly and never leave a fire unattended. By taking these precautions, you can help prevent the spread of wildfires.
Final Words
Wildfires can be caused by many factors, including weather conditions, human activity, and land management. By following a few simple tips, you can prevent these devastating events from happening in the first place. Educate yourself and your community about the dangers of wildfires, and be proactive when it comes to preventing them from happening.
Mideast nations wake up to damage from climate change
Temperatures in the Middle East have risen far faster than the world’s average in the past three decades. Precipitation has been decreasing, and experts predict droughts will come with greater frequency and severity.
The Middle East is one of the most vulnerable regions in the world to the impact of climate change — and already the effects are being seen.
In Iraq, intensified sandstorms have repeatedly smothered cities this year, shutting down commerce and sending thousands to hospitals. Rising soil salinity in Egypt’s Nile Delta is eating away at crucial farmland. In Afghanistan, drought has helped fuel the migration of young people from their villages, searching for jobs. In recent weeks, temperatures in some parts of the region have topped 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit).
This year’s annual U.N. climate change conference, known as COP27, is being held in Egypt in November, throwing a spotlight on the region. Governments across the Middle East have awakened to the dangers of climate change, particularly to the damage it is already inflicting on their economies.
Read: Mideast nations wake up to damage from climate change
“We’re literally seeing the effects right in front of us. ... These impacts are not something that will hit us nine or 10 years down the line,” said Lama El Hatow, an environmental climate change consultant who has worked with the World Bank and specializes on the Middle East and North Africa.
“More and more states are starting to understand that it’s necessary” to act, she said.
Egypt, Morocco and other countries in the region have been stepping up initiatives for clean energy. But a top priority for them at COP-27 is to push for more international funding to help them deal with the dangers they are already facing from climate change.
One reason for the Middle East’s vulnerability is that there is simply no margin to cushion the blow on millions of people as the rise in temperatures accelerates: The region already has high temperatures and limited water resources even in normal circumstances.
Middle East governments also have a limited ability to adapt, the International Monetary Fund noted in a report earlier this year. Economies and infrastructure are weak, and regulations are often unenforced. Poverty is widespread, making job creation a priority over climate protection. Autocratic governments like Egypt’s severely restrict civil society, hampering an important tool in engaging the public on environmental and climate issues.
At the same time, developing nations are pressuring countries in the Mideast and elsewhere to make emissions cuts, even as they themselves backslide on promises.
Mideast nations wake up to damage from climate change
Temperatures in the Middle East have risen far faster than the world’s average in the past three decades. Precipitation has been decreasing, and experts predict droughts will come with greater frequency and severity.
The Middle East is one of the most vulnerable regions in the world to the impact of climate change — and already the effects are being seen.
In Iraq, intensified sandstorms have repeatedly smothered cities this year, shutting down commerce and sending thousands to hospitals. Rising soil salinity in Egypt’s Nile Delta is eating away at crucial farmland. In Afghanistan, drought has helped fuel the migration of young people from their villages, searching for jobs. In recent weeks, temperatures in some parts of the region have topped 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit).
This year’s annual U.N. climate change conference, known as COP27, is being held in Egypt in November, throwing a spotlight on the region. Governments across the Middle East have awakened to the dangers of climate change, particularly to the damage it is already inflicting on their economies.
“We’re literally seeing the effects right in front of us. ... These impacts are not something that will hit us nine or 10 years down the line,” said Lama El Hatow, an environmental climate change consultant who has worked with the World Bank and specializes on the Middle East and North Africa.
“More and more states are starting to understand that it’s necessary” to act, she said.
Read: Biden says US ‘will not walk away’ from Middle East
Egypt, Morocco and other countries in the region have been stepping up initiatives for clean energy. But a top priority for them at COP-27 is to push for more international funding to help them deal with the dangers they are already facing from climate change.
One reason for the Middle East’s vulnerability is that there is simply no margin to cushion the blow on millions of people as the rise in temperatures accelerates: The region already has high temperatures and limited water resources even in normal circumstances.
Middle East governments also have a limited ability to adapt, the International Monetary Fund noted in a report earlier this year. Economies and infrastructure are weak, and regulations are often unenforced. Poverty is widespread, making job creation a priority over climate protection. Autocratic governments like Egypt’s severely restrict civil society, hampering an important tool in engaging the public on environmental and climate issues.
At the same time, developing nations are pressuring countries in the Mideast and elsewhere to make emissions cuts, even as they themselves backslide on promises.
The threats are dire.
As the region grows hotter and drier, the United Nations has warned that the Mideast’s crop production could drop 30% by 2025. The region is expected to lose 6%-14% of its GDP by 2050 because of water scarcity, according to the World Bank.
In Egypt, precipitation has fallen 22% in the past 30 years, according to the World Bank.
Droughts are expected to become more frequent and severe. The Eastern Mediterranean recently saw its worst drought in 900 years, according to NASA, a heavy blow to countries like Syria and Lebanon where agriculture relies on rainfall. Demand for water in Jordan and the Persian Gulf countries is putting unsustainable pressure on underground water aquifers. In Iraq, the increased aridity has caused an increase in sandstorms.
At the same time, warming waters and air make extreme and often destructive weather events more frequent, like deadly floods that have repeatedly hit Sudan and Afghanistan.
The climate damage has potentially dangerous social repercussions.
Many of those who lose the livelihoods they once made in agriculture or tourism will move to the cities in search of jobs, said Karim Elgendy, an associate fellow at Chatham House. That will likely increase urban unemployment, strain social services and could raise social tensions and affect security, said Elgendy, who is also a non-resident scholar with the Middle East Institute.
Adapting infrastructure and economies to weather the damage will be enormously expensive: the equivalent of 3.3% of the region’s GDP every year for the next 10 years, the IMF estimates. The spending needs to go toward everything from creating more efficient water use systems and new agricultural methods to building coastal protections, beefing up social safety nets and improving awareness campaigns.
Read: Palestinians: Israeli forces kill 2 in West Bank gun battle
So one of top priorities for Mideast and other developing nations at this year’s COP is to press the United States, Europe and other wealthier nations to follow through on long-time promises to provide them with billions in climate financing.
So far, developed nations have fallen short on those promises. Also, most of the money they have provided has gone to helping poorer countries pay for reducing greenhouse gas emissions — for “mitigation,” in U.N. terminology, as opposed to “adaptation.”
For this year’s COP, the top theme repeated by U.N. officials, the Egyptian hosts and climate activists is the implementation of commitments. The gathering aims to push countries to spell out how they will reach promised emission reduction targets — and to come up with even deeper cuts, since experts say the targets as they are now will still lead to disastrous levels of warming.
Developing nations will also want richer countries to show how they will carry out a promise from the last COP to provide $500 billion in climate financing over the next five years — and to ensure at least half that funding is for adaptation, not mitigation.
World events, however, threaten to undercut the momentum from COP26. On emissions cuts, the spike in world energy prices and the war in Ukraine have prompted some European countries to turn back to coal for power generation — though they insist it’s only a temporary step. The Middle East also has several countries whose economies rely on their fossil fuel resources — Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf most obviously, but also Egypt, with its increasing natural gas production.
Persistent inflation and the possibility of recession could make top nations hesitant on making climate financing commitments.
With international officials often emphasizing emission reduction, El Hatow said it should be remembered the countries of Africa, the Middle East and elsewhere in the developing world have not contributed substantially to climate change, yet are bearing the brunt of it.
“We need to talk about financing for adaptation,” she said, “to adapt to a problem they did not cause.”
Most major nations lag in acting on climate-fighting goals
For most of the major carbon-polluting nations, promising to fight climate change is a lot easier than actually doing it. In the United States, President Joe Biden has learned that the hard way.
Among the 10 biggest carbon emitters, only the European Union has enacted polices close to or consistent with international goals of limiting warming to just a few more tenths of a degrees, according to scientists and experts who track climate action in countries.
But Europe, which is broiling through a record-smashing heat wave and hosting climate talks this week, also faces a short-term winter energy crunch, which could cause the continent to backtrack a tad and push other nations into longer, dirtier energy deals, experts said.
“Even if Europe meets all of its climate goals and the rest of us don’t, we all lose,” said Kate Larsen, head of international energy and climate for the research firm Rhodium Group. Emissions of heat-trapping gases don’t stop at national borders, nor does the extreme weather that’s being felt throughout the Northern Hemisphere.
“It’s a grim outlook. There’s no getting away from it, I’m afraid,” said climate scientist Bill Hare, CEO of Climate Analytics. His group joined with the New Climate Institute to create the Climate Action Tracker, which analyzes nations’ climate targets and policies compared to the goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement.
Read: Fires scorch France, Spain; temperature-related deaths soar
The tracker describes as “insufficient” the policies and actions of the world’s top two carbon polluters, China and the U.S., as well as Japan, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia. It calls Russia and South Korea’s polices “highly insufficient,” and Iran comes in as “critically insufficient.” Hare says No. 3 emitter India “remains an enigma.”
“We are losing ground against ambitious goals” such as keeping global warming to less than 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) or 1.5 Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) since pre-industrial times, said veteran international climate negotiator Nigel Purvis of Climate Advisers. The world has already warmed 1.1 degrees (2 degrees Fahrenheit) since pre-industrial times.
Seven years ago, when almost all the nations of the world were preparing for what would become the Paris climate agreement, “it was all about ambition and setting ambitious targets,” Larsen said. “Now we are transitioning into a new phase that’s really about implementation ... I don’t think the international community knows how to do implementation.”
Other nations and the United Nations can pressure countries to set goals, but enacting laws and rules is a tougher sell. While Europe has been successful with “a long history of implementing and ratcheting up existing policies,” Larsen said, that’s not the case in the United States. The U.S. is on path to cut emissions by 24% to 35% below 2005 levels by 2030, far shy of the nation’s pledge to reduce emissions by 50% to 52% in that time, according to a new analysis by Rhodium Group.
Biden is running low on options, said Larsen, a report co-author. Congress — specifically key Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia — is balking on the president’s climate-fighting legislation, and the Supreme Court curbed power plant regulations.
Congressional action “was a big window of opportunity that would have allowed us to be on track to our goal,” Larsen said. A second window is available in “the suite of federal regulations that the Biden administration plans to release.”
Climate Change: Special Rapporteur to visit Bangladesh Sept 4-15
Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context of climate change will undertake an official visit to Bangladesh from September 4-15.
Ian Fry, also an international environmental law and policy expert, will be visiting Bangladesh at the invitation of the government of Bangladesh.
During the visit, the Special Rapporteur will study and identify how the adverse impact of climate change affects the human rights of communities in vulnerable situations including climate change-induced displacement.
Read: Climate change wipes out $525 bn over last 2 decades: Report
Furthermore, he plans to identify good practices, strategies and policies implemented by the Government in building resilience to the adverse impact of climate change on the full and effective enjoyment of human rights.
In order to prepare for the visit, the Special Rapporteur has sought input from civil society, human rights organizations and other interested stakeholders by July 27.
He primarily remains focused on mitigation policies and loss and damage associated with the Paris Agreement, Kyoto Protocol and related instruments.
Landslide Safety, Preparedness Tips: Dos and Don'ts
Natural disasters like landslides can demolish infrastructure, houses, structures and harm living beings like humans, pets, wildlife, forests, etc. Keep reading to find out more information on Landslide safety tips and ways of prevention.
What is a Landslide
A landslide occurs when large volumes of rock, soil, or debris slip down a slope. Debris and mudflows are water-saturated rivers of rock, soil, and other debris. They form when water quickly accumulates in the ground, such as after heavy rainfall or fast snowmelt, turning the land into a mudslide or "slurry" river.
At avalanche rates, they may flow quickly and strike with little or no notice. They may also continue many miles from their origin, expanding in size as they take up trees, stones, automobiles, and other debris.
Read: Acid Rain: Causes, Effects and Solutions
Landslides can be caused by a number of different things, such as the pressure of water from underground, rainfall, earthquakes, human activity, and other things.
When to get prepared for Landslide
While landslides may strike without notice, there are warning indicators to look for, particularly if you live in a landslide-prone location or where landslides have occurred before.
Changes in the landscape, such as the flow of precipitation, new fissures in a building's foundation or in paved areas, skewed trees, fences, and utility poles, and the noises of moving material are all symptoms of a landslide. Watch out for those signs and take the necessary cautions to be safe.
Read: School Fire Drills: Significance, Ways to Conduct Safely
How to prepare for Landslide
Landslides may also happen rapidly and without warning, so being knowledgeable about changes in and around your property that might indicate a landslide is imminent is the best way to prepare.
Safety Plan
Establish an emergency plan for your family or company that is in line with local emergency response and evacuation strategies. Make sure you have the correct insurance. Landslides may be insured by different Flood Insurance Programs in certain places.
The gathering of information is the first thing you should do in order to ensure your safety in the event of a landslide. Find out whether and how often landslides and mudslides have occurred in your town, and locate the evacuation routes and shelters in your region.
Read Effects of Air Pollution on Unborn Children, Neonates, Infants
As is the case with the majority of emergency preparations, you should design a household emergency plan that accounts for the chance that your family would be split apart in the event of a landslide. Prepare a portable emergency stockpiling kit that you are able to carry with you in the event that you are forced to evacuate.
Domestic Animal and Pet Safety
Develop a buddy system. If you are unable to care for or evacuate your pets yourself, make arrangements with nearby residents, neighbours, and family members to ensure that someone will be available to do so.
Make sure your pet has a microchip. Be sure to maintain an up-to-date address and phone number, and also include the contact information for a person who is located outside of your local region who can assist you in case of an emergency.
Read How Can One Person Reduce Environmental Pollution?
If you are unclear how to care for your pet in the event of an emergency, it is recommended that you get in touch with your local emergency management office, animal shelter, or animal control agency for extra guidance and information.
Consider the fundamentals for survival, such as food and water, just like you would with your family's emergency supplies box. Have two kits on hand: one bigger kit for sheltering in place and one lighter one in case you need to leave. Check your kits on a frequent basis to check that the contents, particularly meals and medications, are still fresh.
Property Protection
If you want to protect your home and property from being damaged by landslides, you should think about erecting nets, retaining walls, and cultivating sturdy vegetation. This is highly important on slopes and in regions where wildfires have decimated the surrounding plants and trees. It is not appropriate to destroy vegetation that has the potential to help prevent erosion.
Read: School Fire Hazard Safety: Essential preventive measures to minimise risk
Proper Shelter
If you are unable to escape, relocate to a higher level of your house and remain vigilant while listening to the weather radio or watching the weather on television. If you're in your car, be vigilant and keep an eye out for running water, which might signal the start of a landslide.
Do's and Don’ts During Landslide
In the event of a landslide, it is imperative that you safeguard yourself and your community by adhering to certain fundamental dos and don'ts until official aid comes.
What You Should Do
- If you are staying in a landslide-prone region, attempt to leave as soon as possible.
- Be wary of large stones that are unusually cracking or rolling.
- Keep an eye on the stream or channel's water. A change in colour from clear to muddy or an increase in water level might be concerning.
- Keep yourself out of the way of falling rubble or landslides.
- Keep an eye out for mudslides or debris overflow on the road.
- Contact the local government for assistance or aid.
- Notify your neighbours about the disaster.
- Simply bring your essential papers and valuables.
- Make your life a higher priority than your house furnishings or automobiles on the road.
Read How to stop global warming? How to combat climate change in Bangladesh?
What You Shouldn’t Do
- During the Landslide, avoid driving.
- Crossing a stream or a flooded river is not a good idea.
- Try to follow the government's directions and do not disobey them.
- Do not disregard moist places or any signs of a road or building fractures.
How to prevent the human causes of Landslide
Though a landslide is a natural disaster, human activities can influence the process. Land mismanagement may produce landslides, especially in mountainous canyons and coastal areas. Lower precipitation thresholds may cause landslides in regions burnt by forest and brush fires. Many landslides, mudflow, and debris flow hazards may be avoided through land-use zoning, competent inspections, and good design.
Conclusion
Landslides may be produced for a multitude of reasons, including earthquakes, storms, volcanic eruptions, fire, and human land alteration. So far we have mentioned how to stay prepared for landslides. If the people of a community follow a comprehensive landslide safety plan, the harm to life and property can be minimised.
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