Deforestation Reality: Stark Clear-Cut Scars Amidst Forest Greens

In this sobering snapshot, we witness the stark reality of deforestation. Amidst a serene forest backdrop, the foreground tells a different story: colossal tree stumps are sombre markers of what once was. These raw wounds in the earth, fresh from the saw, lay bare the relentless march of human progress into the natural world.

As the sun casts its light upon the remnants of these forest sentinels, one can’t help but reflect on the delicate balance between conservation and development. This image serves as a visual plea, urging us to acknowledge the tangible consequences of our choices and the urgent need to protect our planet’s dwindling forests.

Unique Wetlands

Although a small percentage of the earth’s surface, wetlands contain important ecosystems that impact human life. They function as regulators of water regimes and water storage and help with flood prevention and natural water treatment.

They represent habitats with incredible biodiversity and help maintain typical submerged water communities in seas, rivers, marshes and lakes. They support many species of birds and mammals, fish, amphibians, shellfish and insects as their habitat or during migration and breeding season. Wetlands also contribute to many fundamental economic and social values.

DRC Floods: Thousands Displaced, 300 Dead, Aid Awaited

Tens of thousands of people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo live in temporary accommodation and wait for government help after the country experienced its worst flooding in six decades.

More than 300 people have died, and 280,000 households in more than half the country have been forced to leave their homes since heavy rains started at the end of November. Over 1,500 schools, 267 health centres, 211 markets and 146 roads have been damaged. Read More

News Credit: The Guardian

Picture Credit: Xinhua News Agency/Eyevine

EU Air Cleanup Delays Risk More Deaths, Widen Inequality, Experts Warn

The World Health Organization has set guidelines for how many tiny particles and how much toxic gas can dirty the air but stresses that no pollution level is safe to breathe. Doctors writing in the International Journal of Public Health want the limits met by the decade’s end. Still, the European Parliament wants to wait till 2035, the European Commission intends to set weaker limits for 2030 without setting a date to align with the WHO, and the European Council wants to let poorer countries wait till 2040.

However, the proposed delay to EU air pollution limits will mean hundreds of thousands more people dying early and “widen the inequality gap” between Eastern and Western Europe, a group of public health experts have said, as EU negotiators thrash out key rules to clean up the air. Read More

News Credit: Guardian Environment

Picture Credit: David Woodfall/Alamy

Toxic Leak Alert: England’s Landfills Pollute Water, Exceeding Safe Limits by 260x

A comprehensive investigation spanning ten months, from 2021 to 2022, has unearthed alarming evidence that 17 landfills across England are discharging a highly toxic liquid. This hazardous substance is replete with banned and potentially carcinogenic compounds known as “forever chemicals,” with some concentrations found to be 260 times above the safety threshold for drinking water. Despite the gravity of these findings, the government has admitted to a lack of precise information regarding the locations of these contaminated sites.

The study, commissioned by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Environment Agency, aimed to assess the chemical composition of leachate in both operational and closed landfills. Established from the 1960s to the present, these sites were scrutinized to garner a comprehensive overview of the pollutants they harbour, revealing a significant threat to public health and environmental safety. Read More

News Credit: Guardian Environment

Picture Credit: Britstock Images Ltd/Alamy

Catalonia Declares Drought, Barcelona Under Water Restrictions as Reserves Hit 16%

After more than 1,000 days of drought, the Catalan government has formally announced a state of emergency, extending water restrictions to Barcelona and the surrounding region.

It is estimated that 500mm of rain will be needed in Catalonia to make up the deficit. Water reserves have fallen below 16%, low enough to trigger the emergency declaration.

Measures already in place in the north of the region, including a 20% reduction in agricultural irrigation and a ban on watering public parks, will be extended to Barcelona. Read more

News Credit: The Guardian

Picture Credit: Adri Salido/Getty Images