Category:

Non-Life

Scientists update forecasts on extreme weather and climate change 

“It’s not so much that climate change itself is proceeding faster than expected — the warming is right in line with model predictions from decades ago,” said climate scientist Michael Mann of Pennsylvania State University. “Rather, it’s the fact that some of the impacts are greater than scientists predicted.”

That suggests that climate modeling may have been underestimating the “the potential for the dramatic rise in persistent weather extremes,” Mann said.

read more

Virus variant and disasters strike strain global supply chains

Events have conspired to drive global supply chains towards breaking point, threatening the fragile flow of raw materials, parts and consumer goods, according to companies, economists and shipping specialists.

The Delta variant of the coronavirus has devastated parts of Asia and prompted many nations to cut off land access for sailors. That’s left captains unable to rotate weary crews and about 100,000 seafarers stranded at sea beyond their stints in a flashback to 2020 and the height of lockdowns.

read more

Global insurance recovery will be faster, stronger than in 2008: Swiss Re

Writing new policies was more difficult in 2009 and 2010 when insurers were reeling from capital losses, slow economic growth and depleted incomes of companies and individuals.

In contrast, businesses and individuals now have more money from government stimulus and support programs, and are more conscious of the need to buy protection against risks, he added.

read more

Delta infecting even the fully vaccinated at a greater rate

Genomics expert Eric Topolnoted that Delta infections have a shorter incubation period and a far higher amount of viral particles. “That’s why the vaccines are going to be challenged. The people who are vaccinated have got to be especially careful. This is a tough one,” Topol said. reuters
“The biggest risk to the world at the moment is simply Delta,” said microbiologist Sharon Peacock. Until there is more data on its transmission, experts say masks, social distancing and other measures set aside in countries with broad vaccination campaigns may again be needed.

read more

India urges G20 countries to fulfill emission targets

The Indian delegation in the G 20 meeting said that India has already achieved an emission reduction of 28 per cent over 2005 levels and is all set to exceed its NDC(Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC)) commitments before 2030, the press release further stated

India has achieved 38.5 per cent installed capacity from renewables, said the Indian delegation.

read more

Is Delta defeating us? Here’s why the variant makes contact tracing so much harder

Delta makes the job so much harder In the absence of enough vaccines for everyone, control of the epidemic requires: 1) identifying all new cases by testing and isolating them to prevent further transmission 2) tracing all contacts and quarantining them for the incubation period, so they don’t cause further transmission. SARS-CoV-2 is highly infectious in asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic people, so without contact tracing these people would carry on, unaware they are infected, and may infect many others.

read more

Companies struggling to manage reporting on climate risks, says report

”Companies based in India presented 28 per cent on quality disclosure and 49 per cent coverage. Only 3 per cent of global companies reviewed meet the highest levels of quality and the average quality score is 42 per cent,” EY said in a release on Sunday.

Among others, the number of Indian companies responding to disclosure platforms such as carbon disclosure project is on the rise. In the coming year, greater Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures reporting is expected, driven by pressure from financiers, investors and customers, it added.

read more