Description
Added on the 18/07/2022 15:16:47 - Copyright : France 24 EN
Firefighters rush to the scene after a new wildfire broke out in the region of Kavala in northeastern Greece, with the emergency services battling fresh blazes across the country. The very hot and dry conditions which increase the fire risk will persist until Friday, according to meteorologists. IMAGES
Carlo Buontempo, director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), says it is virtually certain that the high temperatures in July mean that "the month as a whole will become the warmest July on record, the warmest month on record". The top 21 hottest days have "all occurred this month", he adds. SOUNDBITE
Canadian wildfires that have produced a blanket of smog in cities along the US East Coast are an "alarming example of the ways in which the climate crisis is disturbing our lives," the White House says. SOUNDBITE
As climate change drives drought, and the rising global population drives food demand, the world's food security is ever more precarious. But struggling farmers may find relief from the soaring temperatures from the sun itself--and the technology that harnesses its power. HuffPost reports students at the University of Arizona noticed that vegetables grown under the cover of solar panels flourished during the hottest summer on record. The observation provided food for thought for Prof. Greg Barron-Gafford’s research in 'agrivoltaics': growing food and generating solar energy on the same land. The concept could fulfill the need for land on which to build new solar installations while also helping farmers stay afloat. It’s a case where one plus one could equal more than two. Greg Barron-Gafford Associate Professor, University of Arizona’s School of Geography, Development and Environment
New research published in PLOS One shows the koala bear population is in decline--and it's because of humans. According to CNN, a number of human-driven stressors are depressing koalas' immune systems, making them more susceptible to disease. Human encroachment, or farming land previously occupied by koalas, is a major factor. So is climate change, which is robbing the landscape of water and trees. CNN reports climate change is also contributing to the intensity of widespread bushfires in Australia, as seen in the record-breaking blazes of 2019 and 2020. World Wide Fund for Nature - Australia is trying to double koala numbers-- in part by planting seeds to grow more trees that grow koala food.