#impact of climate change in india

[lindamarcis-blog]

"Devastating Rainfall and Flooding Hit Northern China: Urgency in Addressing Climate Change"

On July 31, vast areas in northern China were placed under red alert due to heavy rains causing havoc in Beijing and its surroundings. The torrential downpour led to cars being swept away and subway stations being inundated. Storm Doksuri has been moving northward across China since Friday, prompting authorities to issue warnings to millions of people, urging them to stay home for safety. In…

[bumblebeeappletree]

Every week, Eco India brings you stories that inspire you to build a cleaner, greener and better tomorrow.

A Goa-based NGO is helping to protect the marine environment with its adopt-a-coral scheme. Climate change, overfishing and pollution are destroying the area's reefs. The NGO Coastal Impact hopes to stop the decline with coral adoption.

**********

Credits:

Supervising Producer: Nooshin Mowla

Script and Field Producer: Bharat Mirle

Video Editor: Sujit Lad

Associate Producer: Ipsita Basu

Director of Photography: Mithun Bhat

Underwater Cinematographer: Ron Bezbaruah

Voiceover: Chandy Thomas

Production Assistant: Rebekah Awungshi

Executive Producer: Sannuta Raghu

[reasonsofclimatechange]

Impact of Monsoon Patterns on Indian Agriculture Under Climate Change

Introduction

Monsoons are the lifeblood of Indian agriculture, providing essential rainfall for crop cultivation. However, climate change is altering monsoon patterns, posing significant challenges to agricultural productivity and sustainability. This article examines the impacts of changing monsoon patterns on Indian agriculture and explores adaptive strategies to ensure food security.

Changing Monsoon Patterns

Historical Patterns and Recent Changes

Traditionally, the Indian monsoon has been characterised by predictable rainfall patterns. However, in recent years, there have been noticeable shifts, including delayed onset, erratic distribution, and increased intensity of rainfall. These changes are attributed to global climate change and have far-reaching implications for agriculture.

Impact on Crop Yields

Rice and Wheat

Rice and wheat, staple crops in India, are highly dependent on monsoon rains. Erratic rainfall can disrupt planting schedules and affect crop growth, leading to reduced yields. Prolonged dry spells or excessive rainfall can damage crops, resulting in significant economic losses for farmers.

Water Resources Management

Irrigation Systems

The changing monsoon patterns necessitate improved water resources management. Efficient irrigation systems and water conservation practices are essential to mitigate the impact of erratic rainfall. Groundwater depletion, a growing concern, must be addressed through sustainable water management practices.

Soil Health and Fertility

Erosion and Nutrient Depletion

Inconsistent rainfall can lead to soil erosion and nutrient depletion, compromising soil health and fertility. Conservation practices such as contour farming, cover cropping, and organic amendments can help maintain soil quality and support sustainable agriculture.

Pest and Disease Outbreaks

Climate change and altered monsoon patterns can increase the incidence of pests and diseases. Warmer temperatures and high humidity create favorable conditions for pest proliferation and disease outbreaks, affecting crop health and productivity. Integrated pest management strategies are crucial to combat these challenges.

Economic Implications

Impact on Farmers' Income

The variability in monsoon patterns directly impacts farmers' income and livelihoods. Crop losses due to erratic rainfall can lead to financial instability and increased debt among farmers. Ensuring economic resilience through support mechanisms is vital for the agricultural community.

Adaptation Strategies

Crop Diversification

Diversifying crops to include drought-resistant and resilient varieties can enhance agricultural resilience to climate change. Farmers can reduce their dependence on monsoon rains and improve food security by adopting diverse cropping systems.

Resilient Farming Practices

Implementing resilient farming practices such as agroforestry, conservation agriculture, and water harvesting can help farmers adapt to changing monsoon patterns. These practices enhance soil health, conserve water, and improve crop productivity.

Technological Innovations

Drought-Resistant Crops

Developing and adopting drought-resistant crop varieties is a critical adaptation strategy. Advances in biotechnology and plant breeding can produce crops that withstand water stress and thrive in variable climatic conditions.

Precision Agriculture

Precision agriculture techniques, including remote sensing, soil moisture sensors, and climate modeling, enable farmers to make informed decisions. These technologies optimize resource use, improve crop management, and enhance resilience to climate variability.

Government Policies and Support

Subsidies and Insurance Schemes

Government policies and support mechanisms, such as subsidies for irrigation infrastructure and crop insurance schemes, play a vital role in mitigating the impact of changing monsoon patterns. Financial assistance and risk management tools can provide a safety net for farmers.

Policy Reforms

Policy reforms that promote sustainable agriculture and climate resilience are essential. This includes incentivizing conservation practices, supporting research and development, and fostering collaboration between government agencies, research institutions, and farmers.

Community-Based Approaches

Local Initiatives

Community-based approaches, such as farmer cooperatives and local water management initiatives, can enhance resilience to climate change. These initiatives promote knowledge sharing, collective action, and resource pooling, empowering farmers to adapt to changing monsoon patterns.

Case Studies

Successful Adaptation Stories

Documenting and disseminating successful adaptation stories and regional examples can inspire and guide other farmers. Case studies from different regions highlight practical solutions and demonstrate the benefits of adaptive practices.

Future Projections and Research

Predictive Models

Predictive models and ongoing research are crucial for understanding future climate scenarios and their impact on monsoon patterns. Accurate projections can inform policy decisions and guide adaptive strategies for sustainable agriculture.

Conclusion

The impact of changing monsoon patterns on Indian agriculture is profound, affecting crop yields, water resources, and farmers' livelihoods. Adapting to these changes through resilient farming practices, technological innovations, and supportive policies is essential for ensuring food security and sustainable agricultural development. By embracing adaptive strategies and fostering collaboration, India can build a resilient agricultural system capable of withstanding the challenges of climate change.

Writer: Tanvi Kulkarni

[portesina]

Practical insights while working with vulnerable communities

Visiting a women self help group Why local women self help groups play an important role when farmers bring huge arid areas back to life Vibha Varghees, CEO from the organization Vikasana, is one of our nine core NGO partners in the System Changer Network India. Vikasana is located in Karnataka, South India – a 6 hours drive away from Bangalore. Many of the farmers and families here experience…

[seekergkfan]

ESSAY: Climate Change and Food Security

ESSAY: Climate Change and Food Security (Understanding the Link and Urgency for Action) OUTLINE: I. Introduction A. Explanation of climate change and food security B. Interlinkage between climate change and food security C. Importance and urgency of the topic D. Thesis statement “Climate change poses significant challenges to food security, affecting agricultural productivity, food availability,…

[sunveerasolarjalgaon]

Ongrid solar solutions for factory

[reasonsforhope]

"Namibia is the driest country in Sub-Saharan Africa, and home to two of the world’s most ancient deserts, the Kalahari and the Namib. The capital, Windhoek, is sandwiched between them, 400 miles away from the nearest perennial river and more than 300 miles away from the coast. Water is in short supply.

It’s hard to imagine life thriving in Windhoek, yet 477,000 people call it home, and 99 per cent of them have access to drinking water thanks to technology pioneered 55 years ago on the outskirts of the city. Now, some of the world’s biggest cities are embracing this technology as they adapt to the harshest impacts of climate change. But Namibia leads the way.

How did this come about? In the 1950s, Windhoek’s natural resources struggled to cope with a rapidly growing population, and severe water shortages gripped the city. But disaster forced innovation, and in 1968 the Goreangab Water Reclamation Plant in Windhoek became the first place in the world to produce drinking water directly from sewage, a process known as direct potable reuse (DPR). 

That may sound revolting, but it’s completely safe. Dr Lucas van Vuuren, who was among those who pioneered Windhoek’s reclamation system, once said that “water should not be judged by its history, but by its quality”. And DPR ensures quality. 

This is done using a continuous multi-barrier treatment devised in Windhoek during eight years of pilot studies in the 1960s. This process – which has been upgraded four times since 1968 – eliminates pollutants and safeguards against pathogens by harnessing bacteria to digest the human waste and remove it from the water. This partly mimics what happens when water is recycled in nature, but Windhoek does it all in under 24 hours...

Pictured: These ultrafiltration membranes help to remove bacteria, viruses and pathogens. Image: Margaret Courtney-Clarke

“We know that we have antibiotics in the water, preservatives from cosmetics, anti-corrosion prevention chemicals from the dishwasher,” Honer explains. “We find them and we remove them.”

Honer adds that online instruments monitor the water continuously, and staff ensure that only drinking water that meets World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines is sent to homes. If any inconsistencies are detected, the plant goes into recycle mode and distribution is halted until correct values are restored. 

“The most important rule is, and was, and always will be ‘safety first’,” says Honer.  The facility has never been linked to an outbreak of waterborne disease, and now produces up to 5.5m gallons of drinking water every day – up to 35 per cent of the city’s consumption.

Namibians couldn’t survive without it, and as water shortages grip the planet, Windhoek’s insights and experience are more important than ever.

Interest from superpowers across the globe

In recent years, delegations from the US, France, Germany, India, Australia, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates have visited Windhoek seeking solutions to water shortages in their own countries. 

Megadrought conditions have gripped the US since 2001, and the Colorado River – which provides 40 million people with drinking water – has been running at just 50 per cent of its traditional flow. As a result, several states including Texas, California, Arizona and Colorado are beginning to embrace DPR.

Troy Walker is a water reuse practice leader at Hazen and Sawyer, an environmental engineering firm helping Arizona to develop its DPR regulations. He visited Windhoek last year. “It was about being able to see the success of their system, and then looking at some of the technical details and how that might look in a US facility or an Australian facility,” he said. “[Windhoek] has helped drive a lot of discussion in industry. [Innovation] doesn’t all have to come out of California or Texas.”

Pictured: The internal pipes and workings of Namibia's DPR plant. As water becomes scarcer in some parts, countries are looking to DPR for solutions. Image: Margaret Courtney-Clarke

Namibia has also helped overcome the biggest obstacle to DPR – public acceptance. Disgust is a powerful emotion, and sensationalist ‘toilet to tap’ headlines have dismantled support for water reuse projects in the past. Unfortunately, DPR’s biggest strength is also its biggest weakness, as the speed at which water can re-enter the system makes it especially vulnerable to prejudice, causing regulators to hesitate. “Technology has never been the reason why these projects don’t get built – it’s always public or political opposition,” says Patsy Tennyson, vice president of Katz and Associates, an American firm that specialises in public outreach and communications.

That’s why just a handful of facilities worldwide are currently doing DPR, with Windhoek standing alongside smaller schemes in the Philippines, South Africa and a hybrid facility in Big Spring, Texas. But that’s all changing. Drought and increased water scarcity worldwide are forcing us to change the way we think about water. 

Now, the US is ready to take the plunge, and in 2025, El Paso Water will begin operating the first ‘direct to distribution’ DPR facility in North America, turning up to 10m gallons of wasterwater per day into purified drinking water – twice as much as Windhoek. San Diego, Los Angeles, California, as well as Phoenix, Arizona are also exploring the technology."

Of course, DPR is not a silver bullet in the fight against climate change. It cannot create water out of thin air, and it will not facilitate endless growth. But it does help cities become more climate resilient by reducing their reliance on natural sources, such as the Colorado River. 

As other nations follow in Namibia’s footsteps, Windhoek may no longer take the lead after almost six decades in front.

“But Windhoek was the first,” Honer reminds me. “No one can take that away.”"

-via Positive.News, August 30, 2023

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from the Substack Distilled:

In the last few months, the Biden administration has quietly passed multiple federal policies that will transform the United States economy and wipe out billions of tons of future greenhouse gas emissions. 

The new policies have received little attention outside of wonky climate circles. And that is a problem.

Earlier this year, I wrote that Biden has done more to mitigate climate change than any President before him. For decades, environmentalists tried and failed to convince lawmakers to pass even the most marginal climate policies. It wasn’t until Biden took office that the logjam broke and the climate policies flowed. And yet few American voters are hearing this story in an election year of huge consequence.

It’s been two and a half months since I wrote that article. In that short time, the Biden administration has passed a handful of climate policies that will collectively cut more than 10 billion tons of planet-warming pollution over the next three decades, more than the annual emissions of India, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Canada, Saudi Arabia, and the entire continent of Europe—combined.

One climate policy that flew under the radar recently was the administration's latest energy efficiency rule, unveiled at the beginning of May. The new rules will reduce the amount of energy that water heaters use by encouraging manufacturers to sell models with more efficient heat pump technology. The new regulation is expected to save more energy than any federal regulation in history. 

Most people give little thought to how the water in their homes is heated, but water heaters are the second-largest consumer of energy in the average American home and one of the largest sources of climate pollution in the country. 

A few days before the administration announced its water heater efficiency rules, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced another sweeping policy.

According to the new rules, existing coal power plants will need to either shut down or install carbon capture technology capable of removing 90% of their carbon pollution. The policy will also require any new natural gas power plants that provide baseload power—the ones that run throughout the day and night, as opposed to the peaker plants that only run for a small fraction of hours in the year—to install carbon capture technology. 

The new power sector rules are effectively a death blow to coal power in America, which has slowly faded over the last two decades but still emits more carbon emissions than almost every country in the world. 

The water heater rules and power plant regulations will help the country meet its goal of cutting emissions by 50% by 2030. But impactful as they will be, they weren’t the most important climate policy that the Biden administration passed in the last two months. 

That honor goes to the EPA’s tailpipe rules, which are set to transform the auto industry over the next decade.

Today the transportation sector is the largest source of climate pollution in the United States. Within the sector, passenger cars and trucks are the biggest contributors to emissions. While electric vehicle adoption has grown in recent years, America lags behind many other countries in decarbonizing its vehicle stock. 

The EPA’s new rules will force automakers to reduce the amount of pollution and carbon emissions that come from their vehicles. The federal policy doesn’t specifically mandate that automakers produce EVs or stop selling gas-powered cars but instead regulates the average carbon emissions per mile of a manufacturer's entire fleet over the next decade. That means automakers can still sell gas-guzzling, carbon-spewing trucks in 2035. They’ll just need to sell a lot more EVs or plug-in hybrids to bring their average fleet emissions down if they do.

Like the power plant rules, the EPA’s new auto regulations are designed to avoid being thrown out by a conservative and hostile Supreme Court. 

[fatehbaz]

when the British Empire's researchers realized that the cause of the ecological devastation was the British Empire:

much to consider.

on the motives and origins of some forms of imperial "environmentalism".

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Since the material resources of colonies were vital to the metropolitan centers of empire, some of the earliest conservation practices were established outside of Europe [but established for the purpose of protecting the natural resources desired by metropolitan Europe]. [...] [T]ropical island colonies were crucial laboratories of empire, as garden incubators for the transplantation of peoples [slaves, laborers] and plants [cash crops] and for generating the European revival of Edenic discourse. Eighteenth-century environmentalism derived from colonial island contexts in which limited space and an ideological model of utopia contributed to new models of conservation [...]. [T]ropical island colonies were at the vanguard of establishing forest reserves and environmental legislation [...]. These forest reserves, like those established in New England and South Africa, did not necessarily represent "an atavistic interest in preserving the 'natural' [...]" but rather a "more manipulative and power-conscious interest in constructing a new landscape by planting trees [in monoculture or otherwise modified plantations] [...]" [...].

Text by: Elizabeth DeLoughrey and George B. Handley. "Introduction: Toward an Aesthetics of the Earth". Postcolonial Ecologies: Literatures of the Environment, edited by DeLoughrey and Handley. 2011.

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It is no accident that the earliest writers to comment specifically on rapid environmental change in the context of empires were scientists who were themselves often actors in the process of colonially stimulated environmental change. [...] As early as the mid-17th century [...] natural philosophers [...] in Bermuda, [...] in Barbados and [...] on St Helena [all British colonies] were all already well aware of characteristically high rates of soil erosion and deforestation in the colonial tropics [...]. On St Helena and Bermuda this early conservationism led, by 1715, to the gazetting of the first colonial forest reserves and forest protection laws. On French colonial Mauritius [...], Poivre and Philibert Commerson framed pioneering forest conservation [...] in the 1760s. In India William Roxburgh, Edward Balfour [...] ([...] Scottish medical scientists) wrote alarmist narratives relating deforestation to the danger of climate change. [...] East India Company scientists were also well aware of French experience in trying to prevent deforestation [...] [in] Mauritius. [...] Roxburgh [...] went on to further observe the incidence of global drought events which we know today were globally tele-connected El Nino events. [...] The writings of Edward Balfour and Hugh Cleghorn in the late 1840s in particular illustrate the extent of the permeation of a global environmental consciousness [...]. [T]he 1860s [were] a period which we could appropriately name the "first environmental decade", and which embodies a convergence of thinking about ecological change on a world scale [...]. It was in the particular circumstances of environmental change at the colonial periphery that what we would now term "environmentalism" first made itself felt [...]. Victorian texts such as [...] Ribbentrop's Forestry in the British Empire, Brown's Hydrology of South Africa, Cleghorn's Forests and Gardens of South India [...] were [...] vital to the onset of environmentalism [...]. One preoccupation stands out in them above all. This was a growing interest in the potential human impact on climate change [...] [and] global dessication. This fear grew steadily in the wake of colonial expansion [...]. Particularly after the 1860s, and even more after the great Indian famines of 1876 [...] these connections encouraged and stimulated the idea that human history and environmental change might be firmly linked.

Text by: Richard Grove and Vinita Damodaran. "Imperialism, Intellectual Networks, and Environmental Change: Origins and Evolution of Global Environmental History, 1676-2000: Part I". Economic and Political Weekly Vol. 41, No. 41. 14 October 2006.

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Policing the interior [of British colonial land] following the Naning War gave Newbold the opportunity for exploring the people and landscape around Melaka […]. Newbold took his knowledge of the tropical environment in the Straits Settlements [British Malaya] to Madras [British India], where he earned a reputation as a naturalist and an Orientalist of some eminence. He was later elected Fellow of the Royal Society. Familiar with the barren landscape of the tin mines of Negeri Sembilan, Newbold made a seminal link between deforestation and the sand dune formations and siltation […]. The observation, published in 1839 […], alerted […] Balfour about the potential threat of erosion to local climate and agriculture. […] Logan brought his Peninsular experience [in the British colonies of Malaya] directly within the focus of the deforestation debate in India […]. His lecture to the Bengal Asiatic Society in 1846 […] was hugely influential and put the Peninsula at the heart of the emerging discourse on tropical ecology. Penang, the perceived tropical paradise of abundance and stability, soon revealed its vulnerability to human [colonial] despoilment […].

Text by: Jeyamalar Kathirithamby-Wells. "Peninsular Malaysia in the Context of Natural History and Colonial Science". New Zealand Journal of Asian Studies 11, 1. June 2009.

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British colonial forestry was arguably one of the most extensive imperial frameworks of scientific natural resource management anywhere [...]. [T]he roots of conservation [...] lay in the role played by scientific communities in the colonial periphery [...]. In India,[...] in 1805 [...] the court of directors of the East India Company sent a dispatch enquiring [...] [about] the Royal Navy [and its potential use of wood from Malabar's forests] [...]. This enquiry led to the appointment of a forest committee which reported that extensive deforestation had taken place and recommended the protection of the Malabar forests on grounds that they were valuable property. [...] [T]o step up the extraction of teak to augment the strength of the Royal Navy [...] [b]etween 1806 and 1823, the forests of Malabar were protected by means of this monopoly [...]. The history of British colonial forestry, however, took a decisive turn in the post-1860 period [...]. Following the revolt of 1857, the government of India sought to pursue active interventionist policies [...]. Experts were deployed as 'scientific soldiers' and new agencies established. [...] The paradigm [...] was articulated explicitly in the first conference [Empire Forestry Conference] by R.S. Troup, a former Indian forest service officer and then the professor of forestry at Oxford. Troup began by sketching a linear model of the development of human relationship with forests, arguing that the human-forest interaction in civilized societies usually went through three distinct phases - destruction, conservation, and economic management. Conservation was a ‘wise and necessary measure’ but it was ‘only a stage towards the problem of how best to utilise the forest resources of the empire’. The ultimate ideal was economic management, [...] to exploit 'to the full [...]' and provide regular supplies [...] to industry.

Text by: Ravi Rajan. "Modernizing Nature: Tropical Forestry and the Contested Legacy of British Colonial Eco-Development, 1800-2000". Oxford Historical Monographs series, Oxford University Press. January 2006.

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The “planetary consciousness” produced by this systemizing of nature [during the rise of Linnaean taxonomy classification in eighteenth-century European science] […] increased the mobility of paradise discourse [...]. As European colonial expansion accelerated, the homogenizing transformation of people, economy and nature which it catalyzed also gave rise to a myth of lost paradise, which served as a register […] for obliterated cultures, peoples, and environments [devastated by that same European colonization], and as a measure of the rapid ecological changes, frequently deforestation and desiccation, generated by colonizing capital. On one hand, this myth served to suppress dissent by submerging it in melancholy, but on the other, it promoted the emergence of an imperialist environmental critique which would motivate the later establishment of colonial botanical gardens, potential Edens in which nature could be re-made. However, the subversive potential of the “green” critique voiced through the myth of endangered paradise was defused by the extent to which growing environmental sensibilities enabled imperialism to function more efficiently by appropriating botanical knowledge and indigenous conservation methods, thus continuing to serve the purposes of European capital.

Text by: Sharae Deckard. Paradise Discourse, Imperialism, and Globalization: Exploiting Eden. 2010.

[adastra-sf]

Climate change-driven heatwaves threaten millions

Extreme record-breaking heat leads to severe crises across the world.

Already in 2024, from Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria in the West; to Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, China, and the Philippines in the East; large regions of Asia are experiencing temperatures well above 40°C (104°F) for days on end.

The heatwave has been particularly difficult for people living in refugee camps and informal housing, as well as for unhoused people and outdoor workers.

Using the Heat Index Calculator, at that temperature and a relative humidity of 50%, residents see a heat index of 55°C (131°F) - a temperature level humans cannot long survive:

In February, the southern coastal zone of West Africa also experienced abnormal early-season heat. A combination of high temperatures and humid air resulted in average heat index values of about 50°C (122°F) - the danger level, associated with a high risk of heat cramps and heat exhaustion.

Locally, temperatures entered the extreme danger level associated with high risk of heat stroke, with values up to 60°C (140°F):

Even here at Ad Astra's HQ in Kansas, last summer we saw several days with high temperatures of 102°F (39°C) at 57% humidity, resulting in a heat index of 133°F (56°C):

Of course, the major difference in survivability in Kansas versus some of the places suffering extreme heat right now is that air-conditioning abounds here. Those who live somewhere that faces extreme heat but can escape it indoors are a lot more likely to survive, but a person who lives somewhere without such life-saving gear faces not just discomfort, but heat stroke and even death.

This includes unhoused and poor people here in the wealthier parts of the world, who often do not have access to indoor refuge from the heat.

About 15% of US residents live below the poverty line. Many low-wage earners work outside in construction or landscaping, exposed to the ravages of heat. Many do not own an air conditioner, and those who do might need to budget their body's recovery from heat against cost to purchase and run cooling equipment. Because heat stress is cumulative, when they go to work the next day, they’re more likely to suffer from heat illness.

Bad as that is, for those living on the street, heatwaves are merciless killers. Around the country, heat contributes to some 1,500 deaths annually, and advocates estimate about half of those people are homeless. In general, unhoused people are 200 times more likely to die from heat-related causes than sheltered individuals.

For example, in 2022, a record 425 people died from heat in the greater Phoenix metro area. Of the 320 deaths for which the victim’s living situation is known, more than half (178) were homeless. In 2023, Texans experienced the hottest summer since 2011, with an average temperature of 85.3°F (30°C) degrees between June and the end of August. Some cities in Texas experienced more than 40 days of 100°F (38°C) or higher weather. This extreme heat led to 334 heat-related deaths, the highest number in Texas history and twice as many as in 2011.

The Pacific Northwest of Canada and the USA suffered an extreme heat event in June, 2021, during which 619 people died. Many locations broke all-time temperature records by more than 5°C, with a new record-high temperature of 49.6°C (121°F). This is a region ill-suited to such weather, and despite having relatively high wealth compared to much of the world, many homes and businesses there do not have air-conditioning due to a history of much lower temperatures.

Heatwaves are arguably the deadliest type of extreme weather event because of their wide impact. While heatwave death tolls are often underreported, hundreds of deaths from the February heatwave were reported in the affected countries, including Bangladesh, India, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, and the Philippines.

Extreme heat also has a powerful impact on agriculture, causing crop damage and reduced yields. It also impacts education, with holidays having to be extended and schools closing, affecting millions of students - in Delhi, India, schools shut early this week for summer when temperatures soared to 47°C (117°F) at dangerous humidity levels:

At 70°C (157°F !), humans simply cannot function and face imminent death, especially when humidity is high. This is the notion of "heat index," a derivative of "wet-bulb temperature."

Though now mostly calculated using heat and humidity readings, wet-bulb temperature was originally measured by putting a wet cloth over a thermometer and exposing it to the air.

This allowed it to measure how quickly the water evaporated off the cloth, representing sweat evaporating off skin.

The theorized human survival limit has long been 35°C (95°F) wet-bulb temperature, based on 35°C dry heat at 100% humidity - or 46°C (115°F) at 50% humidity. To test this limit, researchers at Pennsylvania State University measured the core temperatures of young, healthy people inside a heat chamber.

They found that participants reached their "critical environmental limit" - when their body could not stop the core temperature from continuing to rise – at 30.6°C wet bulb temperature, well below what was previously theorized. That web-bulb temperature parallels a 47°C (117°F) heat index.

​The team estimates that it takes between 5-7 hours before such conditions reach "really, really dangerous core temperatures."

On March 5, 2024, Hong Kong saw temperatures of 27°C (80°F) with 100% humidity, which results in a heat index of 32.2°C (90°F) - seemingly not so bad until considering it's higher than the critical wet-bulb temperature. Also, if you watch the video, imagine the long-term effects of water accumulating in residences, such as dangerous mold.

We are witnessing the effects of climate change right now, all around the world, and rising temperatures are just the most-obvious (what we used to call "global warming"). Many, many other side-effects of climate change are beginning to plague us or headed our way soon, and will affect us all.

Unfortunately, those most affected - and those being hit the hardest right now - are people most vulnerable to heatwaves. With climate crises increasing in both intensity and frequency, and poverty at dangerous levels, we face a rapidly rising, worldwide crisis.

We must recognize the climate crisis as an international emergency and treat it as such. So much time, creative energy, resources, and life is wasted in war and the pursuit of profit or power - consider how much good could come from re-allocating those resources to ensuring a future for Earthlings, instead.

(Expect to see a "Science into Fiction" workshop on climate change coming soon - SF writers have a particular responsibility to address such important topics of change and global consequence.)

[nohkalikai]

DONATE FOR ISLAMIC RELIEF'S EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO CYCLONE REMAL IN BANGLADESH

select the 'Global Emergencies' fund

Islamic Relief is expanding our emergency response to help those affected by an enormous cyclone that has laid waste to the Bangladeshi coastline over the past few days.

More than 3.7 million people across 19 districts have been affected, with more than 35,000 homes destroyed and a further 115,000 suffering damage.

The districts of Bagerhat, Satkhira, Khulna, and Patuakhali have been most heavily affected.

Thousands of people remain trapped in waterlogged coastal areas as the strong winds and heavy rainfall continues.

A devastating impact

After making landfall close to the Bangladesh-India border on Sunday 26 May, Cyclone Remal has battered coastal regions with strong gales of 110 km/h.

Torrential rain and huge tidal surges as large as 7 feet high have left countless villages flooded.

According to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, over 800,000 people have been evacuated to shelters amid fears up to 8.4 million could ultimately be affected.

10 individuals have died as a result of the cyclone.

Due to the heavy rainfall, landslides are forecast in areas such as Cox’s Bazar, Chattogram and the hill districts. The Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar could be affected, with landslides threatening approximately 27,000 Rohingya. More than 840 shelters have been reported as partially or totally damaged so far.

The cyclone has caused further issues with 26 million people living in Bangladesh’s coastal belt currently without electricity.  

Rising floodwaters have also caused embankments to break in regions such as Kalapara in the Patuakhali district, Amtali in the Barguna district, and Gabura in the Satkhira district.

Bangladesh is one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to the impacts of climate change, regularly suffering extremes including heatwaves and flooding.

Going where we are most needed

Islamic Relief has already begun to help survivors of the cyclone, providing supplementary food packs in the hours before the cyclone made landfall. More than 300 of the most vulnerable families in Satkira received food packs of rice, sugar, energy biscuits, and drinking water that will last at least 7 days.

Moving forward, Islamic Relief’s emergency response will be targeting the badly affected areas of Amtali of Barguna district and Kalapara of Patuakhali district where we will provide 500 families with food packs.

Our initial allocation will also aim to provide 1,735 families with hygiene kits and providing cash transfers enabling them to purchase food, access clean water and emergency shelter items.

As the rainfall continues, Islamic Relief will continue to liaise with the Bangladesh government and work with local authorities to increase our emergency response.

[probablyasocialecologist]

A new study launched this week highlights the work of Andhra Pradesh Community-Managed Natural Farming (APCNF) and the remarkable untapped potential of agroecological natural farming in Andhra Pradesh, India.  Spanning over 6 million hectares, and involving 6 million farmers and 50 million consumers, the APCNF represents the largest agroecological transition in the world. Amidst the diverse landscapes of Andhra Pradesh, this state-wide movement is addressing a multitude of development challenges—rural livelihoods, access to nutritious food, biodiversity loss, climate change, water scarcity, and pollution—and their work is redefining the way we approach food systems. Farmers practicing agroecology have witnessed remarkable yield increases. Conventional wisdom suggests that chemical-intensive farming is necessary to maintain high yields. But this study shows agroecological methods were just as productive, if not more so: natural inputs have achieved equal or higher yields compared to the other farming systems—on average, these farms saw an 11% increase in yields—while maintaining higher crop diversity. This significant finding challenges the notion that harmful chemicals are indispensable for meeting the demands of a growing population. The advantages of transitioning to natural farming in Andhra Pradesh have gone beyond just yields. Farmers who used agroecological approaches received higher incomes as well, while villages that used natural farming had higher employment rates. Thanks to greater crop diversity in their farming practice, farmers using agroecology had greater dietary diversity in their households than conventional farmers. The number of ‘sick days’ needed by farmers using natural farming was also significantly lower than those working on chemically-intensive farms. Another important finding was the significant increase in social ‘capital’: community cohesion was higher in natural farming villages, and knowledge sharing had greatly increased—significantly aided by women. The implications for these findings are significant: community-managed natural farming can support not just food security goals, but also sustainable economic development and human development. The study overall sheds light on a promising and optimistic path toward addressing geopolitical and climate impacts, underlining the critical significance of food sovereignty and access to nourishing, wholesome food for communities. Contrary to the misconception that relentlessly increasing food production is the sole solution to cater to a growing population, the truth reveals a different story. While striving for higher yields remains important, the root cause of hunger worldwide does not lie in scarcity, as farmers already produce more than enough to address it. Instead, food insecurity is primarily driven by factors such as poverty, lack of democracy, poor distribution, a lack of post-harvest handling, waste, and unequal access to resources. 

[reasonsofclimatechange]

Climate Change Impact on Wildlife: Threats and Conservation Efforts  

Explore how climate change affects wildlife habitats, species extinction risks, and conservation efforts to safeguard biodiversity.

Read more at:

https://www.eoroe.com/blogs/the-role-of-deforestation-in-climate-change-discussing-the-importance-of-preserving-and-restoring-forests

[ngdrb]

Kamala Harris' Rise to Prominence and

Political Vision

Background and Achievements

Kamala Harris is the current Vice President of the United States, making history as the first woman, first Black American, and first South Asian American to hold the position. Her rise to prominence is marked by a series of notable achievements throughout her career in public service.

Harris was born in Oakland, California, to immigrant parents from India and Jamaica. After earning her law degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, she began her career as a prosecutor in the Alameda County District Attorney's Office. She later served as the District Attorney of San Francisco from 2004 to 2011, and as the Attorney General of California from 2011 to 2017.

In 2016, Harris was elected to the United States Senate, becoming the second African American woman and the first South Asian American to serve in the Senate. During her tenure, she gained recognition for her work on issues such as healthcare reform, immigration reform, and criminal justice reform.

Political Vision and Proposed Policies

Kamala Harris' political vision revolves around promoting equality, justice, and opportunity for all Americans. Her proposed policies aim to address various critical issues facing the nation, including:

Women's Rights: Harris has been a vocal advocate for protecting and advancing women's rights, including reproductive rights and equal pay for equal work. She has pledged to fight against any efforts to roll back progress made in these areas.

Healthcare Reform: Harris has supported efforts to expand access to affordable healthcare, including protecting and strengthening the Affordable Care Act (ACA). She has also proposed measures to lower prescription drug costs and improve mental health services.

Climate Change: Harris recognizes the urgent need to address climate change and has proposed a comprehensive plan to transition the United States to a clean energy economy, including investing in renewable energy sources and promoting sustainable practices.

Immigration Reform: Harris supports comprehensive immigration reform that provides a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and addresses the root causes of migration, such as violence, poverty, and corruption in countries of origin.

Criminal Justice Reform: As a former prosecutor, Harris has advocated for reforms to the criminal justice system, including addressing racial disparities, reducing mass incarceration, and promoting rehabilitation and re-entry programs for formerly incarcerated individuals.

Potential Impact and Challenges

Kamala Harris' political vision and proposed policies have the potential to shape a more equitable and inclusive future for the United States. However, she may face significant challenges in implementing her agenda, particularly in a divided political landscape.

One of the key challenges Harris may face is navigating the complex relationship between the executive and legislative branches of government. Enacting significant policy changes often requires cooperation and compromise across party lines, which can be difficult to achieve in a polarized political environment.

Additionally, Harris' progressive policies may face opposition from more conservative factions who prioritize traditional values or have different economic and social priorities. Overcoming ideological divisions and building consensus on contentious issues will be crucial for the success of her agenda.

Despite these challenges, Harris' experience, determination, and commitment to her principles position her as a formidable figure in shaping the future direction of the United States. Her ability to inspire and unite diverse constituencies, coupled with her pragmatic approach to policymaking, could prove invaluable in navigating the complexities of the American political landscape.

[mariacallous]

BRUSSELS (AP) — Far-right parties made major gains in European Union parliamentary elections Sunday, dealing stunning defeats to two of the bloc’s most important leaders: French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

In France, the National Rally party of Marine Le Pen dominated the polls to such an extent that Macron immediately dissolved the national parliament and called for new elections. It was a massive political risk since his party could suffer more losses, hobbling the rest of his presidential term that ends in 2027.

Le Pen was delighted to accept the challenge. “We’re ready to turn the country around, ready to defend the interests of the French, ready to put an end to mass immigration,” she said, echoing the rallying cry of so many far-right leaders in other countries who were celebrating substantial wins.

Macron acknowledged the thud of defeat. “I’ve heard your message, your concerns, and I won’t leave them unanswered,” he said, adding that calling a snap election only underscored his democratic credentials.

In Germany, the most populous nation in the 27-member bloc, projections indicated that the AfD overcame a string of scandals involving its top candidate to rise to 16.5%, up from 11% in 2019. In comparison, the combined result for the three parties in the German governing coalition barely topped 30%.

Scholz suffered such an ignominious fate that his long-established Social Democratic party fell behind the extreme-right Alternative for Germany, which surged into second place. “After all the prophecies of doom, after the barrage of the last few weeks, we are the second strongest force,” a jubilant AfD leader Alice Weidel said.

The four-day polls in the 27 EU countries were the world’s second-biggest exercise in democracy, behind India’s recent election. At the end, the rise of the far right was even more stunning than many analysts predicted.

The French National Rally crystalized it as it stood at over 30% or about twice as much as Macron’s pro-European centrist Renew party that is projected to reach around 15%.

Overall across the EU, two mainstream and pro-European groups, the Christian Democrats and the Socialists, remained the dominant forces. The gains of the far right came at the expense of the Greens, who were expected to lose about 20 seats and fall back to sixth position in the legislature. Macron’s pro-business Renew group also lost big.

For decades, the European Union, which has its roots in the defeat of Nazi Germany and fascist Italy, confined the hard right to the political fringes. With its strong showing in these elections, the far right could now become a major player in policies ranging from migration to security and climate.

Bucking the trend was former EU leader and current Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who overcame Law and Justice, the national conservative party that governed Poland from 2015-23 and drove it ever further to the right. A poll showed Tusk’s party won with 38%, compared to 34% for his bitter nemesis.

“Of these large, ambitious countries, of the EU leaders, Poland has shown that democracy, honesty and Europe triumph here,” Tusk told his supporters. “I am so moved.”

He declared, “We showed that we are a light of hope for Europe.”

Germany, traditionally a stronghold for environmentalists, exemplified the humbling of the Greens, who were predicted to fall from 20% to 12%. With further losses expected in France and elsewhere, the defeat of the Greens could well have an impact on the EU’s overall climate change policies, still the most progressive across the globe.

The center-right Christian Democratic bloc of EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, which already weakened its green credentials ahead of the polls, dominated in Germany with almost 30%, easily beating Scholz’s Social Democrats, who fell to 14%, even behind the AfD.

“What you have already set as a trend is all the better – strongest force, stable, in difficult times and by a distance,” von der Leyen told her German supporters by video link from Brussels.

As well as France, the hard right, which focused its campaign on migration and crime, was expected to make significant gains in Italy, where Premier Giorgia Meloni was tipped to consolidate her power.

Voting continued in Italy until late in the evening and many of the 27 member states have not yet released any projections. Nonetheless, data already published confirmed earlier predictions: the elections will shift the bloc to the right and redirect its future. That could make it harder for the EU to pass legislation, and decision-making could at times be paralyzed in the world’s biggest trading bloc.

EU lawmakers, who serve a five-year term in the 720-seat Parliament, have a say in issues from financial rules to climate and agriculture policy. They approve the EU budget, which bankrolls priorities including infrastructure projects, farm subsidies and aid delivered to Ukraine. And they hold a veto over appointments to the powerful EU commission.

These elections come at a testing time for voter confidence in a bloc of some 450 million people. Over the last five years, the EU has been shaken by the coronavirus pandemic, an economic slump and an energy crisis fueled by the biggest land conflict in Europe since the Second World War. But political campaigning often focuses on issues of concern in individual countries rather than on broader European interests.

Since the last EU election in 2019, populist or far-right parties now lead governments in three nations — Hungary, Slovakia and Italy — and are part of ruling coalitions in others including Sweden, Finland and, soon, the Netherlands. Polls give the populists an advantage in France, Belgium, Austria and Italy.

“Right is good,” Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who leads a stridently nationalist and anti-migrant government, told reporters after casting his ballot. “To go right is always good. Go right!”

[notyouraryang0dd3ss]

Omg that ask you received about marginalised swifties ‘Turning their brains off’ to fawn over their fave fascist is SO REAL.

Ur ask box says come here to rant so I’m NOT holding back lmao sorry if this is a long one.

One of my friends is like this but he doesn’t even have Taylor Swift as an exception to his political opinions/ the standards he sets for other celebrities. Instead he will try to the best of his ability to justify EVERYTHING she does. Even if he literally said the opposite five minutes ago.

He loves Greta Thunberg and thinks carbon credits are just rich people shite?? Actually no Taylor is trying her best!! 😭😭 did you know she bought carbon credits so really she’s mitigating climate change.

He is against racism (AS A WHITE ENGLISH BOY) And thinks all celebrities should speak up against it?? Well, if she speaks up she and her fans could be hurt! (In THIS crowd?? 💁🏼‍♀️ 👩🏼👩🏼👩🏼👩🏼‍🦱👩🏼👩🏻‍🦰👩🏼👩🏻👩🏼 Bitch WHO?).

He is against homophobia (dude is literally gay) and any cishet celebrity who doesn’t immediately condemn homophobia is trash and morally bankrupt (his own words- which I agree with)?? Well yk she did make that one song! Wdym it portrays the poor rural working class as the homophobes and the rich educated people as great allies who have never been homophobic nor the ones passing homophobic and transphobic legislation?? No it’s actually a metaphor (for what? Her being classist? Not much of a metaphor when it’s fucking obvious).

That’s the context, so here’s The Story 😸😸

I remember late last year (a few weeks before Taylor Swift donated the wild wild sum of £250 dollars to see a comedy show raising money for Palestine) me and my friend were talking about how it’s morally bankrupt for celebrities to not talk about Palestine and this delulu little swiftie was like “yeah!! You guys are so right!” Until our friend was like “esp billionaires cz they could make so much of an impact just by speaking up once but don’t because they care more their money and have probably never spoken to a brown person darker than a paper bag”

And lemme tell you this about this mf. his face dropped immediately like 😊😟 and he starts waffling on like “uhmm well she’s on tour it would endanger her fans! Like the Manchester terror attack!! And she’s not a politician or anything so it wouldn’t do nowt.”

(The way he was insinuating her fans might get bombed in a ‘terror attack’ is a little 🤨 considering Isreal wouldn’t bomb a white US American woman and her majority wealthy white western fanbase in a western zionist county because that demographic makes up the majority of their supporters, and esp not in a terror attack... unless he’s aware of the fact that she’s probably a Zionist but just doesn’t want to say it LMAOO)

So me and my friend share A Look like what is this english boy (derogatory: inbred racist) on? And he immediately goes on the offence and I will say again; he is a staunch leftist. He is a gay guy in the Uk, esp considering the northern (aka fucked by the government, quite bigoted and really deprived) working class (he is the richest of our friend group but tbh that isn’t saying much lmao) area we live in. He is ALWAYS talking about social justice and how he, who is on average the most privileged person in our friend group, wants to use his privilege to help the less fortunate.

So! He turns to our friend: queer brown girl who’s family are catholic and from Maharashtra (India), and me: queer white girl who’s family are (mostly) Jewish and from Eastern Europe. And he says (I SHIT YOU NOT) extremely loudly so that many people nearby can hear cause we’re in our school’s canteen:

“Well, at least MY ANCESTORS didn’t murder hundreds of Hindus during partition! And at least MY BROTHER isn’t in the IDF!!”

(Wish this was in an English literature exam cause I could analyse the fuck out of it)

All it took was people insinuating his favourite celebrity wasn’t a good person. We didn’t even fucking name her. And he weaponises his privileges against those with less than him. Even if what he said was true it is fucking disgusting to use that against minorities, esp his friends, esp because we live in an area where so many people fall prey to politics scapegoating minorities for all the UK’s problems, and esp because he pretends to be against this stuff??

But no it gets worse, because let me explain the actual truth of that he said.

Our friend’s family were originally Hindu and converted relatively recently and AFTER partition so they wouldn’t have been killing Hindus. And saying murder is just pretty ugh. Also HUNDREDS?? The only people with that much blood on their hands after partition are the English and that’s a fucking fact. And from what I know most of the conflicts within Maharashtra were not religious but ethnic-based?? I might be wrong but of course this guy wouldn’t know regardless. Also it should be noted that the majority of Indian kids at our school are from a different state with a different language + culture and our friend already feels alienated from them along with being treated like shit by a select few. So literally announcing her family fucking MURDERED theirs isn’t helping at all!

Then there’s my bit lol.

First of all it’s not my brother, it’s my half brother. And he’s not in the IDF he is just a Zionist. Which is still really awful and uplifting a system of apartheid. But not the same.

Now the thing is. The only reason this guy knows this is because THREE YEARS AGO i entrusted him as a friend and vented about issues in my family: that my half brother is a Zionist and wants to join the IDF when he’s older and I’m really ashamed that he has interpreted our religion in a way that perpetrates genocide. Also like my entire family are arguing about it and it’s really stressful. A month later (still 3 years ago) someone spread rumours around school that I was a Zionist and hated Muslims (what really happened was that someone was making Holocaust jokes saying ‘I gave them permission to do it’ and I called them out, so that was their revenge.). This guy was my friend all through that and KNOWS how much it upset me and esp because there were at the time no other Jewish people in our school.

To this day I’m still hesitant to tell people at school that I’m Jewish because I’m paranoid something like this will happen again.

But this guy didn’t care. He made up a lie about my friend not only demonising her to her own community but also to outsiders. Blaming mass bloodshed that his own people perpetrated onto her and her family. Then he lied about me and my family- bastardising something I told him years ago as a close friend with the trust he wouldn’t use it against me years later. But he did.

Of our little trio (we do have a bigger friend group but we were the only ones in that convo), he is the one who has done the least for Palestine. We have been fighting for fucking years and he’s only opening his eyes know which is still good and better than never of course. But to speak with such authority when literally all he has done is tell us he’s against Israel (better than Taylor but still spineless). Bro isn’t even an activist because there’s nothing active about what he does. He just passively hangs around and through association with us, other people and being already a minority (queer) isn’t assumed to be a Zionist.

AND!! Ironically he is actually quite disliked at my school- not for being a scumbag, but for the fact that he’s gay. We are some of his only friends but he’s willing to jeopardise our relationship just to uplift an insanely wealthy bigot half a world away.

Anyway yeah that’s it lol.

What he did was racist and antisemitic and fucking AWFUL. He has done stuff like this before and since- never always go the same extent though- and I think this story takes the cake.

When you said leftist swifties will just ignore their values for her. You were right to an extend but also kind of wrong. Turns out they will also weaponise everything they claim to be against just to protect their precious little blonde billionaire. Hooray 🤩🤩

Anyway thank you so so much for not only calling out Taylor swift and swifties’s BS but also issues within the anti community (sigh. Jewishbarbies) and standing up for what’s right. Free Palestine and fuck the colonisers 🇵🇸🇵🇸❤️❤️

As a side note you said you wanted to listen to more Indian songs n you probably already know it cause it’s Bollywood and really popular but CHAMMAK CHALLO by Akon is a lifestyle <3 I might not be here much but I’d love to be 😻 anon if it’s available (or the REAL Jewish barbie if you feel like it lmao)

please drop this guy. this is not your friend this is someone who hangs out with you because (as you said) no one else likes him.

nobody with his alleged politics would ever think let alone ACCUSE you and your desi best friend of racist lies (STRAIGHT UP ACCUSING YOUR FRIENDS FAMILY OF MASS MURDER?) and zionist ties (blaming you for your brother wanting to join the idf?). this is not a good person.

i’m sorry this behavior is so abhorrent. nobody who genuinely respects, likes, cares and KNOWS the both of you would ever think of saying this in your face. and all in the defense of a WEALTHY WHITE CELEB WHO PRIDES HERSELF IN BEING A FEMINIST CONTINUING TO STAY SILENT 9 MONTHS INTO A GENOCIDE. he is showing you that he would rather side with/defend a (privileged) white person rather his own marginalized friends if he likes them more than you. this is not someone not committed to their own politics.

this is what i was saying about further left identifying swifties is that their leftist politics are just aesthetics for them. if you can disregard your politics for your favorite celeb you are not committed to the ideology you claim as your political framework. also i noticed how you used homophobia and greta thunberg as examples, which explains his behavior as self serving meaning he’s a leftist only because he’s directly impacted by his issues. (if he calls himself anti racist tell him to stfu especially after what he said to your desi bff bc wtf) this is not a good person who’s own personal politics regarding palestine are passive at best. he isn’t even committed to palestine’s liberation.

ugh. what a disgusting human being. i am so sorry your “friend” said this disgusting shit to you just because HE felt threatened you guys were holding his fave accountable. he went fully mask off and spouted bigotry because HE felt threatened. if this is not the first or last time he’s done this, he’s told you multiple times who he is and you have no obligation to continue being his friend because he does not deserve to be.

fuck all the zionists in the tag and SHOW UP FOR PALESTINE. go and get involved in your actions, reshare and donate to gfm’s, actively educate yourself (haymarket books has free book pdfs to download about palestine), post online and above all REMAIN STEADFAST IN YOUR COMMITMENT TO PALESTINE.

death to all colonial powers, land back to all indigenous peoples, and reparations and return of all stolen resources and artifacts to the decolonized peoples. fuck israel and death to the white settler colonial state!