Category:

Climate, Environment, Renewable Energy

Uttarakhand flood: 2019 study warned Himalayan glaciers melting at alarming speed

The 2019 study, spanning 40 years of satellite observations across India, China, Nepal and Bhutan, indicates that climate change is eating the Himalayas’ glaciers, the researchers said.

The study, published in the journal Science Advances in June 2019, shows that glaciers have been losing the equivalent of more than a vertical foot and half of ice each year since 2000 — double the amount of melting that took place from 1975 to 2000.

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Exxon unveils carbon-removal tech venture in green image push

The move comes as Exxon looks to burnish its environmental credentials as it engages in a proxy fight with hedge fund Engine No. 1, which is attempting to appoint candidates on the oil company’s board and push toward a more renewables-focused future.

The oil major said it would invest $3 billion on lower-emission solutions through 2025, by which time it plans to reduce the intensity of its oilfield greenhouse gas emissions by 15%-20% from 2016 levels.

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China to launch public platform to track, crack down on polluters

Polluting enterprises are obliged to install monitoring equipment and keep at least five years of data, with fines of 200,000 yuan ($31,000) for those that fail to do so. Fines of 1 million yuan can be imposed on firms that pollute without permission.
According to the environment ministry, the new information platform will allow authorities and members of the public to monitor real-time emission levels and check historical data in order to determine whether rules are being breached. It is set to come into effect on March 1.

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More at risk of losing homes as climate change outpaces response, Fiji warns

Mami Mizutori, who leads the U.N. Office for Disaster Risk Reduction said globally, there had been a notable reduction in the loss of life caused by extreme weather events like storms and floods, as governments stepped up efforts over the past five years to evacuate millions of people to safer places. But the number of people affected by disasters remained “chronically high”, with displacement one of the harshest consequences, pushing many into crowded city slums or to other countries where they do not always get a friendly reception.

Only about 100 countries have so far put formal strategies in place to cut the risk of disasters, she said. Such plans can include things like early warning systems, stronger building codes and a ban on construction in flood-prone areas.

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