#climate vulnerabilities

[trendynewsnow]

COP29 Conference in Azerbaijan: Afghanistan's Engagement on Climate Issues

COP29 Conference in Azerbaijan: Afghanistan’s Participation The upcoming COP29 conference, set to commence on Monday in Azerbaijan, represents a significant milestone in global discussions on climate change. Notably, it is one of the first major multilateral talks to include the Taliban, the de facto rulers of Afghanistan, who currently lack international recognition. This inclusion marks a…

[plethoraworldatlas]

In southern Brazil, especially the state of Rio Grande do Sul, severe flooding has caused an emergency being reported around the world. Human losses and homelessness there represent the biggest socioenvironmental catastrophe affecting the country.

One aspect that hasn’t yet garnered much media attention is the impact of these floods on rare and at-risk wildlife. For 11 years I worked on Marinheiros Island, situated on the estuary of Patos Lagoon in the heart of the now-flooded areas. On this island I identified the presence of three species of small vertebrates threatened with extinction, whose populations there are of great conservation importance.

Even before the current crisis, over the past few years, Marinheiros has experienced harsh flooding associated with massive rainfall. The floods are even more intense during El Niño phenomena, which produce heavy rain in southern Brazil. Three main factors there, together, result in the rapid rise of estuarine water levels and consequent flooding of the lagoon’s islands and marginal mainland:

The low elevations of marginal areas.

Heavy rains that increase the flow of rivers into the Patos Lagoon system and the subsequent discharge of water in the choked estuary.

Wind directions against the water flow from the estuary to the Atlantic Ocean, acting as a barrier for water discharging into the ocean.

The year 2023 saw a severe flood in Marinheiros Island and the marginal mainland of the Patos Lagoon estuary. This year has been even more calamitous. Flooding of 70% of the municipalities of Rio Grande do Sul — which includes the whole extension of the Patos Lagoon marginal zone — has, as of this writing, caused 149 people to lose their lives and forced more than 615,000 to leave their homes. Many of the more than 1,100 inhabitants of Marinheiros Island were rescued and sent to temporary shelters.

...

Floods, Vulnerability to Sea-Level Rise, and Loss of Habitats

Marinheiros Island is located in a low-elevation region. The estuarine glass snake and greater guinea pig are found in wet fields of the island’s marginal zone, where elevation does not exceed three meters (10 feet) above sea level. The red-bellied toad occurs in the marginal zone, in addition to more interior sandy fields and dunes, where elevations can reach about 10 meters (33 feet).

While the current rain-related floods are expected — and desired — to be a short-term condition, rising sea levels could cause the island to be permanently submerged. A study conducted in 2010 found that the entire marginal zone of Marinheiros Island — the area where these three species live — is highly susceptible to sea-level rise. This suggests that the ecosystems inhabited by these three small vertebrate species may be completely underwater in the next few decades.

The impacts of short-term floods on the red-bellied toad, estuarine glass snake and greater guinea pig remain unknown. These events induce disturbances to the species’ habitats, causing the loss of shelters and nesting sites and forcing individuals to migrate to more elevated island areas. In the tragic scenario of the sinking of the marginal lands, the species’ populations will indeed be forced to move to higher grounds.

[dullahandyke]

you guys have no idea the restraint im exercising when i dont make a post to bitch every time i see a fucking stupid take on ai art. 'the best argument ive seen against it is that i dont want to bother reading something that nobody bothered to write', wrong! the best argument against ai art is that it's fucking over vulnerable artists and consuming unholy amounts of energy and water during a climate crisis. hope this helps <3

[so-true-overdue]

Climate Change: A Triumph of Human Ingenuity

Ah, climate change. Humanity's crowning achievement. We've really outdone ourselves this time. The planet, our beloved home, is heating up faster than a microwave dinner. And let's be clear: we did this. Humans, with our insatiable appetite for fossil fuels, have managed to turn up the thermostat of Earth.

It's not as if we had no warnings. Scientists have been waving red flags for decades. But who needs experts when you can just deny the problem? After all, it's so much easier to pretend it's not happening while we bask in our air-conditioned homes. Just ignore the melting glaciers, the rising sea levels, and the increasingly erratic weather patterns. Those are probably just coincidences, right?

Our industrial revolution kickstarted this grand experiment. We figured out how to burn coal, oil, and gas to power our lives. It was a revolution! Who cared about a little carbon dioxide in the atmosphere? Well, turns out, the planet does. Greenhouse gases trap heat. More gases, more heat. Simple math, really.

But here's the kicker: some of the most vulnerable to this man-made disaster are the ones least responsible. Small island nations are sinking. Poor communities are facing severe droughts and floods. Meanwhile, the big polluters carry on, business as usual. Isn't that just the epitome of fairness?

The Arctic is a great example of our handiwork. Once a frozen expanse, it's now on its way to becoming a seasonal puddle. Polar bears and other wildlife are struggling to survive. But hey, at least it's opening new shipping routes. Silver linings, right?

Our oceans are another success story. They're acidifying at an alarming rate. Marine life is dying off, coral reefs are bleaching. But think of all the fish we can catch before they're all gone!

So let's give ourselves a round of applause. We wanted progress, and we got it. We wanted growth, and boy, did we grow. The planet is changing, undeniably. And the best part? It's all thanks to us. Human ingenuity at its finest.

Remember, when future generations look back at the legacy we've left, they’ll marvel at how effectively we ignored the obvious. They'll study the artifacts of our civilization, buried under floodwaters or scorched by wildfires, and they'll say, "Wow, they really knew how to ruin a good thing."

Here's to us. The true architects of climate change.

[shjkgegs]

i think personally that the conversation around the "alt right pipeline for men" needs to adress how these "alpha men" are basically cult leaders. or are you gonna tell me andrew tate doesnt use the same tactics a cult leader does

[chipped-chimera]

Augh Fish Karlach video popping off right after she died ... swim in peace girl. You deserved better breeding than you were stuck with 😔

[northernmarigold]

Today I'm obsessed with the soft, tender heartbeat rhythm that punctuates the chorus of 'To Someone From A Warm Climate'.

That particular rhythm beneath the vocals that soar at just that particular point is making me vulnerable to feelings.

[countess-of-edessa]

my brain is so broken

how i genuinely feel: i was literally throwing myself at him. i could not have been more obvious about my feelings without straight up screaming them into a megaphone. it was humiliating how obvious i was being.

me (talking to him): i automatically assume any man who is attracted to me is a pedophile. i have never had a crush on anyone in my life, when one of my friends asked me out in high school i never spoke to him again. i don’t like your shirt.

[faithfromanewperspective]

alright I’ve had an idea who’s keen for a merry thieves vs environmental collapse fic

[vaugarde]

No one likes the V-Wave cause it reminds them that they’re all bitchless

[tunneldweller]

[image description: "you just die #fear is the mind killer, boomers have... a lot of fear #a lot of fear and hurt that they don't examine or know how to examine and it bleeds through #something something 'it all traces back to trauma' #it... we talk about this a lot" end ID]

I mean, we knew, but it's nice to hear so succinctly

[retiredoggggggggggggggggggggs]

there,s a clown at my uni who,s genuinely hyped about trump,s win for geopolitical reasons i,m questioning drinking and drinking

[trendynewsnow]

Global Leaders Address Climate Crisis at Pre-COP29 in Baku

Global Leaders Unite at Pre-COP29 in Baku to Tackle Climate Crisis At the recent Pre-COP29 event held in Baku, world leaders convened to confront the urgent and escalating climate crisis that threatens our planet. The discussions centered around the imperative need for immediate action to cap global warming at 1.5°C, a critical threshold for avoiding the most catastrophic impacts of climate…

[worldpopulationday]

Committee on Social Development, Eighth Session, Day 3 - Afternoon.

The Committee will focus on four areas of social development, namely: (1) future-proofing social protection systems in Asia and the Pacific in view of key megatrends including demographic trends, climate change and digitalization to address vulnerabilities and support sustainable social development, (2) building inclusive and comprehensive social protection systems in the face of emerging challenges as well as the Action Plan to Strengthen Regional Cooperation on Social Protection in Asia and the Pacific, endorsed by the Committee in October 2020, (3) social and economic challenges and opportunities associated with slower population growth and the shift towards a greater number and share of older persons, and (4) strengthening disability-inclusive development and disability rights, as well as Implementation of the Jakarta Declaration on the Asian and Pacific Decade of Persons with Disabilities, 2023-2032.

The Eighth Session of the Committee on Social Development will be convened in-person at the United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok, from 8 to 10 October 2024.

Watch the Committee on Social Development, Eighth Session, Day 3 - Afternoon!

[that-fellow-from-dres]

The miracle of nature!

based on this post

[lepidopterium]

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