Climatic crisis threatens emperor penguins of Antarctica

The emperor penguins of Antarctica are set to receive new protections under the Endangered Species Act, or ESA. This is because the climate crisis is a threat to these flightless seabirds. Global warming results in melting of sea ice and the penguins depend on the sea ice for their survival. As a result, the US Fish and Wildlife Service has categorized the species as threatened. The federal agency lists “imperiled species as endangered or threatened regardless of their country of origin.” The latest announcement came more than a year after an initial proposal by the service to protect emperor penguins under the ESA. Emperor penguins depend on sea ice to form their breeding colonies, avoid predators in the ocean and forage for food. However, the temperature of the Earth is rising because of increase in emission of greenhouse gas and carbon dioxide. The sea ice is at risk of disappearing. When this happens, entire penguin colonies can decline or disappear. The presence of emperor penguins is important to maintain the ecological balance because they forage for krill, fish and squid in the sea and serve as prey for leopard seals and killer whales. Antarctica’s emperor penguins at risk of extinction due to the climate crisis. As an expert says - climate change is having a profound impact on species around the world and addressing it is a priority for the (Biden) Administration. The listing of the emperor penguin serves as an alarm bell but also a call to action.

Emperor penguins are the tallest and heaviest of the 18 penguin species. They can weigh up to 40 kilograms and stand 1.1 meters tall. A female emperor lays one egg per breeding season, then passes it over to her male partner to incubate while she forages for food for about a two-month period. Listing the species as threatened now could help save them from becoming endangered or extinct in the future. The polar bear was the first species listed as threatened due to climate change under the Endangered Species Act in 2008. Since then, many of the world’s polar bear populations have stabilized, but they remain vulnerable as the climate crisis continues.

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Death of over 65s in England highest in summer 2022 compared to 2004 due to heatwaves

The world is passing through difficult times because of heatwaves. These are the after effects of irregular rainfall, forest fires and global warming. Statistics reveal that 2803 lives have been lost in the 65+ age group during the five "heat periods" of this year's extraordinarily hot summer. This figure does not include deaths due to COVID-19. This is a matter of concern because it happens to be the highest since 2004 when the Heatwave plan for England was introduced. In July, portions of England had to endure temperatures of 40 C and an estimated 1,012 extra people died in that month. The hot weather gave rise to widespread drought apart from wildfires. These had a direct impact on crop harvest. An official of the UK Health Security Agency UKHSA said – “high temperatures can lead to premature death for those who are vulnerable.” She observed, "Higher excess deaths occurred during the hottest days this year and a warming climate means we must adapt to living safely with hotter summers in the future." Excess deaths for over 65s in summer 2022 heatwaves in England highest recorded since 2004. However, the month of August was worse with the death of an estimated 1,458 people aged over 65.

Bob Ward is the policy and communications director at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change. He said the "threat to lives and livelihoods from summer heatwaves is undoubtedly increasing due to climate change.” He urged Prime Minister Liz Truss to "act decisively by initiating a national heat risk management strategy that can be properly put in place ahead of next summer and prevent further unnecessary suffering and death across the country." Obviously, these are the undisclosed side effects of global warming and people have to realize the seriousness.

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Floods in Seoul take lives, paralyzes the city – another instance of climate crisis

Torrential rainfall led to floods and landslides as Seoul witnessed death of at least nine persons. Forecasters cautioned about more rain to come. Three died when they were trapped in a flooded semi-basement. Many others suffered injuries and whereabouts of at least seven more are not known. Record rainfall kills at least 9 in Seoul as water floods buildings, submerges cars. The authorities have evacuated hundreds of people and made available aid in the form of tents, blankets and other essentials. They have also launched cleanup and rescue operations. This is because of damages to houses, shops, retaining walls and other pieces of infrastructure.

The rainfall recorded was the highest since authorities began keeping records in 1907. Photos in social media showed people wading across roads up to their thighs in water. In parts of Seoul, there was blockage of drains. These led to travel problems in the streets and subway stations. The Seoul Metro suspended services in some portions because of the floods. Damages included crumbling of parts of pavement apart from damaged vehicles that were swept up by floodwater. Loss of power left many without power in some areas south of the Han River. Yoon Suk Yeol, president of South Korea sent condolences to the victims. He also assured about conducting an on-site inspection and work to prevent additional damage. He realized the need to review the disaster management system. This is necessary in view of increasing instances of climate crisis. Countries in East Asia are experiencing more intense rainfall. The summer monsoons could grow stronger and more unpredictable due to global warming. This is according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Parts of Japan also faced similar situation as parts of Hokkaido reporting floods with possibilities of flash floods and landslides.

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Massive iceberg is about to break off from Antarctica - sea levels could rise by 10cm

A massive iceberg roughly a quarter of the size of Wales is about to break off from Antarctica and, if it does, sea levels could rise by 10cm. The iceberg is a vast area of Larsen C ice shelf - it is the most northern major shelf in the Antarctic Peninsula and scientists have warned that it is practically "hanging by a thread".
The frozen mass of ice has an area of 5,000 square km (1,930sq miles) and will be 350m thick when it caves.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 6 January 2017.

An expanding rift has increased in size by 18km (11 miles) over the last few weeks which means the piece is now holding on by a strand of just 20km of ice. In the opinion of researchers, shedding of the shelf will lead to global sea levels raising by 10cm and could lead to the wider break-up of Larsen C. The MIDAS Project, based at Swansea University, has been monitoring the rift and has predicted that it will shed over the next few months, depending on weather conditions. Further shedding of ice shelves around the frozen continent due to rising temperatures will give rise to increase of world sea levels.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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Arctic reindeer is another victim of global warming - they are getting smaller

Reindeer on an Arctic island near the North Pole is becoming smaller in size and it is attributed to a side-effect of climate change that has reduced winter food for the animals. The island is Svalbard, a chain of islands north of Norway.
The average weight of an adult reindeer has fallen to 48kg from 55kg in the 1990s and, in the opinion of experts, is a part of sweeping changes to Arctic life as temperatures rise.
This has been reported in nzherald.co.nz dated 12 December 2016.

The study was carried out at the James Hutton Institute in Scotland with Norwegian researchers who concluded that while warmer summers are great for reindeer, the winters are getting increasingly tough. The reason is that less chilly winters mean that once-reliable snows fall more often as rain that can freeze into a sheet of ice. This makes it harder for the herbivores to reach plant food.
Ultimately, some of them starve and females often give birth to stunted young.
In summer, however, plants flourish in a food bonanza that ensures healthy females more likely to conceive in autumn - a pregnancy lasts about seven months.
The wild herd studied at Svalbard, located about 1300-Km from the North Pole, had increased to about 1400 animals from 800 since the 1990s. This rise in population The means more competition for scarce food in winter. Arctic temperatures are rising faster than the world average due to a build-up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.


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Polar bear numbers dropping because of meltng Arctic sea ice

Scientists have sounded an alarm with regard to polar bears - the polar bear numbers could drop by a third in the next 40 years and that would be because of melting Arctic sea ice caused by global warming. In the opinion of scientists, there is a 71% likelihood that polar bear numbers will be reduced by more than 30% in three generations.
This would mean that the current population of some 26,000 bears could be cut to around 17,300 over a period of 35 to 41 years.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 7 December 2016.

The animals are already listed as "vulnerable" on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list of threatened and endangered species. The loss of sea ice as a result of climate change is having a direct impact on the ability of polar bears to feed and survive. These animals need platforms of ice to reach their prey of ringed and bearded seals and some sea of the ice lies over more productive hunting areas than others.
Incidentally, polar bears have been divided into 19 sub-populations by scientists and two of which have already experienced population declines due to shrinking sea ice.


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Hydroelectric power projects in the Himalayas at major risk from melting of glacial lakes

A recent study carried out by Institute of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Potsdam, Germany has revealed that the number of glacial lakes in Himalayan regions have sky-rocketed in the past few years. AS a result, the region is witnessing continuous ice-melting due to glacier recession.
This has been reported in zeenews.india.com dated 18 October 2016.

Climate change and global warming are the twin factors behind such a major loss of ice sheet and, because of this excessive melting of ice, Himalayan dams located close to these glacial lakes are likely to experience overwhelming flood in the near future. It is estimated that out of the 177 hydropower projects (HPP) that are located close to Himalayan glaciers, more than a fifth could be under threat from floods caused by the outbursts of glacial lakes.
Many of these lakes are in India.
The number of hydroelectric power projects in the Himalayas has been increasing during the last decades and many more are planned. Obviously, the dangers keep increasing and requires swift and proper action.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org


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Russian reindeer to be culled to arrest spread of anthrax

Due to the spread of anthrax disease in Russia, a decision has been taken to cull the population of reindeer. As indicated by a governor in Russia's far north, the reindeer population will be drastically reduced by 100,000. However, in the opinion of scientists, twice as many need to be culled.
This has been reported in zeenews.india.com dated 11 October 2016.

Reindeer herding is an important industry and livelihood for indigenous peoples in the Yamal-Nenets region and its governor has revealed that there was a need to cull about 100,000 reindeer this winter because of overpopulation that was straining a limited food supply, thereby, increasing the risk of anthrax infection.
This, incidentally, is the first anthrax outbreak in Yamal-Nenets since 1941 and, in July and August this year, the disease has already claimed the lives of a 12-year-old boy and more than 2,500 reindeer.
Scientists and officials attribute this revival of the “zombie infection” to abnormally high temperatures caused by global warming and climate change. In fact, thawing of the permafrost soil can release the frozen bacteria.
Regional authorities will buy the reindeer to be culled and process the meat. If suitable steps are not taken, there will be a mass die-off in the near future because the animals will not be able to survive against lack of fodder and various diseases.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org


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Bumble bees could soon end up in the endangered species list

The bumble bees are struggling for existence because of climate change and global warming - these bees are highly essential for us and our sustenance but the fury unleashed through climate change coupled with global warming is pushing the bumble bee population to the list of endangered species.
This has been reported in zeenews.india.com dated 29 September 2016.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has proposed listing a species of bumble bee as an endangered species and that would be the first bee species to be granted such federal protection in the continental United States. The bumble bees can be identified through a distinct rust-colored mark on the middle of their second abdominal segment. They are threatened by disease, pesticides and habitat loss, apart from climate change.
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Global warming and rise in sea level could take its toll on US military bases

Global warming is set to present a major problem to the US military because many of its bases located along the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico will be increasingly vulnerable to floods and power-packed storms as the planet warms. This has been indicated in the report by the Union of Concerned Scientists that covered 18 military bases. The research concluded that the military could risk losing land and strategic assets in the coming decades due to sea level rise.
This has been reported in thestatesman.com dated 28 July 2016.

In the opinion of the team, by the year 2050, most of these sites will see more than 10 times the number of floods they experience today. ... in 2070, all but a few are projected to see flooding once or twice every day. And, the worst part is that these are not the worst-case scenarios.
The sea level rise will have its effect on US bases from Florida to Maine. The assumptions are that there would be a moderate rate of ice sheet melt that will continue to increases over a period of time with an ultimate rise of 3.7 feet above 2012 levels, globally, by the end of this century.
Another scenario, assumed a "more rapid ice sheet loss and projects an ultimate rise of 6.3 feet above 2012 levels" across the planet by the year 2100.


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Climate change could rob the Antarctica of half its penguins by 2099

The sudden climate change being witnessed could rob the Antarctica of half its penguins by 2099 - this is the finding of a research carried out by oceanographer Megan Cimino. The study has found that around 60% of the Adelie Penguin habitat in Antarctica could soon disappear in next four decades as the weather will eventually become unfit for their survival.
Needless to say that climate change is wreaking havoc all over the world and Antarctica is no exception.
This has been reported in zeenews.india.com dated 30 June 2016.

Adelie Penguin is one of the two natives of Antarctic penguins and the other is the emperor penguin but Adelie penguins inhibit the full extent of the continent. In the opinion of environmentalists, climate change will hamper the two crucial and primary pathways of these penguins namely, the quality and availability of food and nesting habits.
As a result of climate change and global warming, the warm sea temperature will destroy most of the fish populations and krills which is a vital diet of Adelie penguins. The hardest hit colonies may be in the West Antarctic Peninsula and surrounding islands, which have already witnessed declining penguin populations.


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Malaysia to have a 1 million hectare marine park for coral reefs

Considering the ill effects of global warming and climate change on coral reefs, Malaysia has come up with a plan to try and improve the situation. Keeping in mind the coral bleaching phenomenon, Malaysia has decided to create its largest marine park that will cover 1 million hectares (2.47 million acres). It will be the Tun Mustapha park and it will be located off the coast of the Sabah province in Borneo. The area is home to some of the richest coral habitats in Malaysia. The area also has mangroves and sea grass beds.
This has been reported in zeenews.india.com dated 2 June 2016.

An interesting part of the project is that the park will be open to commercial fishing - this is because local residents depend upon fishing for a significant portion of their sustenance and, the intention behind creating the marine park is to manage fishing operations in a systematic way instead of banning them altogether.
The net result would be that commercial fishing operators and local residents can continue to fish in designated zones which were established in consultation with NGOs, the Malaysian park service, local communities and fishing operators themselves. In short, the establishment of Tun Mustapha Park will boost the conservation and biodiversity of this uniquely rich natural environment. Moreover, it would also help to ensure the sustainable management of the significant marine resources in the area that support jobs, livelihoods and food security.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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Global warming could affect milk production - hence, National Gokul Mission to be set up

Global warming could have a bad effect on production of milk and could result in adversely impacting the overall output in the coming years. Hence, National Gokul Mission has planned to launch suitable programs because dairy business provides livelihood to 60 million rural households in India which continues to be the largest producer of milk in the world.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 23 May 2016.

As estimated by Indian dairy scientists, the climate change will lead to decline in milk production by over 3 million tonnes (MT) per year by 2020. Projections of the growing demand for milk in the country, peg the requirement at 200 MT by 2021-22. No doubt, milk production has been steadily increasing and in 2015-16 it has recorded an output of 160 MT. However, the impact of rising temperatures, especially on cross-bred cows, will make the task of meeting domestic demand difficult and could eventually lead to a decline in per capita consumption.
The world's major producers, including the US, Brazil and Australia, are importing Indian milch animals to develop heat-resistant species - and, the government of India is focusing on indigenous breeds by introducing various schemes through its ambitious National Gokul Mission programs. This would include setting up 'Gokul Gram' (integrated indigenous cattle centres). Its task would be to scientifically help local farmers conserve 'desi' breeds of cows and buffaloes.
The central government has already approved setting up 14 Gokul Grams in different states under the National Gokul Mission. These setups will be self-sustaining centres and generate resources from the sale of milk, organic manure, vermi-compost and urine distillates. Moreover, they will also produce electricity from bio-gas for in-house consumption and sale of animal products.
Each Gokul Gram will maintain milch and unproductive animals in the ratio of 60:40 and will have the capacity to maintain about 1,000 animals. The government has also planned to set up two national Kamdhenu breeding centres and one of these would be in Andhra Pradesh and the other in Madhya Pradesh.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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Melting of Totten Glacier due to global warming could raise sea levels by three meters

Scientists have issued yet another warning about global warming. There is a massive glacier named Totten Glacier and its melting as a result of global warming could send the Antarctica Ocean levels rise by nearly three meters.
A study has predicted that unless action is taken to reduce the current rate of climate change, the Totten Glacier could cross a point of no return within the next century. And - this would be catastrophic. It would lead to it retreating inland by up to 300-Km and, simultaneously, releasing vast amounts of water. Global sea levels could rise by as much as 2.9 metres and the whole process might take several hundred years.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 18 May 2016.

The study states that evidence that is being thrown up paints a bleak picture of the future because East Antarctica appears to be much more vulnerable to a warming environment than presumed. The Totten Glacier is losing ice. This is attributed to warm ocean water and this loss has the potential to also push the glacier back to an unstable place. This glacier is only one outlet for the ice of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, but its impact could be immense.
Incidentally, the East Antarctic Ice Sheet is the largest mass of ice on Earth and any small changes could lead to big influence globally. The Antarctic Ice Sheet covers a land area of almost 5.4 million square miles at the South Pole. It contains about 61% of all the fresh water on Earth and is divided into two western and eastern sections by a range of mountains. The Eastern Antarctic Ice Sheet is believed to be relatively stable compared with the much smaller West Antarctic Ice Sheet.
But Totten Glacier is losing substantial amounts of ice and, in case it withdraws another 100-150-Km inland, its front will be sitting on an unstable bed which could trigger a period of rapid retreat.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

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Death of millions of salmon due to global warming has sent prices spiraling

There is a major shortage of salmon due to death of millions of fish from global warming and this is sending salmon prices spiraling - as per the latest research, Chilean salmon prices are up by over 60 per cent year on year after an algal bloom hits the country's waters in February. The result was the release of powerful toxins and starving the water of oxygen that killed fish.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 17 May 2016.

In Norway, the salmon production has been hit by extreme weather apart from the impact of sea lice in some areas. It needs to be noted that algal blooms contain large numbers of marine algae which occur naturally in the ocean but usually in lower concentration. But, abnormally high ocean temperatures fueled by El Nino have allowed the bloom to flourish.
The bloom affected Chile's salmon region and loss of millions of fish saw the country suffering losses equivalent to 123,500 tonnes of salmon to date. It is predicted that Chilean salmon production could go down by 16 per cent year on year in 2016, to 494,000 tonnes.
The Chilean authorities have claimed that the algae was diminishing and salmon mortality had ended in mid-March. But, it is now battling a second algae attack that is killing bivalves. In the opinion of marine biologists, it could take months for the blooms to dissipate entirely.
The Norwegian salmon production for 2016 is forecast at 1.18 million tonnes - this is down 5 per cent on 2015 levels. Simultaneously, the prices were up 63 per cent year on year last month.


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Global warming leads to disappearance of five islands in the Pacific

Global warming results in rising sea levels and coastal erosion and this is dangerous because it can make islands disappear as has happened in Solomon Islands - five islands in the Pacific have vanished. These islands were once a part of the Solomon Islands and were vegetated reefs and up to five hectares in size. They were occasionally used by fishermen but did not have any permanent human population.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 7 May 2016.

Moreover, a further six reef islands belonging to the same region have been badly eroded and 10 houses were swept into the sea between 2011 and 2014. A study published in Environmental Research Letters indicates that at least 11 islands across the northern Solomon Islands have either totally disappeared over recent decades or are currently experiencing severe erosion. In addition, shoreline recession at two sites has destroyed villages that have existed since at least 1935 - as such communities had to face relocation.
Researchers had examined 33 islands using aerial and satellite images from 1947 to 2014 and have concluded that the rates of shoreline recession were much higher in places that were exposed to high wave energy. Therefore, islands that experienced higher wave energy and sea-level rises disappeared as compared to sheltered islands.
Incidentally, rise in sea levels around the Solomon Islands is almost three times higher than the global average. The Solomons is a nation of hundreds of islands famous for their spectacular scuba diving experiences and Second World War relics and they are now gradually adapting themselves to the changing conditions. While some villages have had to be moved, Taro, the capital of Choiseul Province, will become the first provincial capital in the world to move residents due to the threat of rising seas.


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Jellyfish in Jellyfish Lake, Palau, are now a threatened species

The Jellyfish Lake in Palau in the Pacific Ocean once used to have jellyfish in millions but their numbers have dwindled and now, only a few thousands remain - the blame lies on global warming and En-Nino effects. There are fears that this UNESCO World Heritage site may need to be reamed.
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 3 May 2016.

The Jellyfish Lake is a saltwater lake and has long been a source of wonder for tourists - they used to go for snorkeling among the millions of golden jellyfish that fill the water. Unfortunately, some tourists in recent weeks wre not able to come across a single jellyfish. As a result, at least one tour operator has put on hold its trips.
This situation is due to a severe drought, coupled with hotter temperatures caused by the El Nino weather pattern and warming of portions of the Pacific Ocean that changes weather worldwide and tends to push up global temperatures.
Scientists are hopeful that the jellyfish numbers will rebound when conditions improve. But, they are also worried that the global warming poses a long-term threat to the delicate ecosystem of Palau, a tiny western Pacific island chain.
As per data furnished by Palau's Coral Reef Research Foundation, the numbers of golden jellyfish at the lake had declined from about 8 million to 600,000 and the number continues to drop. In fact, the adult jellyfish have pretty much died out completely, while some young ones remain. The problem is severe because the jellyfish in the lake are a unique subspecies. They have developed in isolation from their lagoon ancestors.


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Corals of the Great Barrier Reef losing their sheen due to global warming

In the opinion of scientists, nearly 93% of Australia's Great Barrier Reef is affected by coral bleaching which is presumed to be a direct fallout of abnormally warm ocean temperatures attributable to global warming. The GBR is a World Heritage site and this damage to the corals is established by the footage released by the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 20 April 2016.

Experts had carried out extensive aerial and underwater surveys along the full 1,429-mile length of the Great Barrier Reef in March and April when the damage has come to light. The finding is that only 7% are not affected or 68 of the 911 individual reefs examined.
It was also revealed that between 60% and 100% of corals were severely bleached on 316 reefs - nearly all of these were in the northern half of the Reef. Another finding is that the reefs in Sydney Harbour were affected by minor bleaching for the first time.
The study was undertaken by the National Coral Bleaching Taskforce and the fact is that, at the moment, nearly 50% of the coral is already dead or dying. Coral bleaching occurs when abnormal environmental conditions, like warmer sea temperatures, make the corals to expel tiny photosynthetic algae called zooxanthellae. This drains them of their color. Of course, coral can recover if the temperature drops and the algae are able to recolonize them.


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Melting of polar ice caps heralds the approach of Doomsday - sea levels coiuld rise by 10ft

Scottish researchers have indicated that if the West Antarctic ice sheet starts to melt as a result of rise in global temperatures, the sea levels would rise and swamp coastal towns and cities around the world. The researchers claim that loss of ice in West Antarctica caused by a warming ocean could increase sea levels by as much as 10ft (3 metres).
This has been reported in dailymail.co.uk dated 3 February 2016.

This study is the first of its kind by which researchers were able to gauge how levels of ice covering the land have changed over hundreds of thousands of years. For this, they studied the peaks protruding through ice in the Ellsworth Mountains, on the Atlantic flank of Antarctica. They assessed changes on slopes at various heights on the mountainside, which indicate levels previously reached by the ice sheet. Moreover, they mapped the distribution of boulders on the mountainside, that had been deposited by melting glaciers.
Subsequently, they took the help of chemical technology - known as exposure dating - to determine how long the rocks had been exposed to the atmosphere, and their age.
The findings indicated that during previous warm periods, a substantial amount of ice would have been lost from the West Antarctic ice sheet by ocean melting, but it would not have melted entirely. From this, it concluded that ice would have been lost from areas below sea level, but not on upland areas.
As per the study, parts of the West Antarctic ice sheet would have existed continuously for at least 1.4 million years but, once global temperatures continues to rise, it would lead to the oceans becoming warmer. Thereby, there would be a substantial amount of loss of ice from the sheet.

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Global warming kills sea birds en-masse in Alaska

#globalwarming #alaska #murres The remains of nearly 8,000 common murres have turned up on a mile-long section of beach at Whittier, a community on Prince William Sound 60 miles south of Anchorage and Federal scientists have begun an investigation into this incident following the discovery of these dead seabirds in Alaska.
This has been reported in news.sky.com dated 12 January 2016.

In the opinion of US Geological Survey researcher John Piatt, winter die-offs of murres is not uncommon - it has happened earlier but the numbers at Whittier is unprecedented. Experts feel the birds have starved to death because laboratory tests did not find any parasites or diseases in the carcasses. Warming ocean surface temperatures may have affected the fish that common murres feed on and brought about this mass scale death.
In 2008, an agency study had found that previous die-offs of the species took place when surface temperatures increased by just a few degrees. A former biologist for the USFWS had alerted colleagues after finding the birds in Whittier. The birds were dangerously underweight and emaciated.
Alaska is believed to be home to an estimated 2.8 million breeding common murres in 230 colonies.

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