Environment

Thousands in shelters as 'dangerous' typhoon hits Japan

Thousands of people took refuge in shelters in southwestern Japan on Sunday as powerful Typhoon Nanmadol churned towards the region, prompting authorities to urge over four million residents to evacuate.. National broadcaster NHK, which collates local warnings, said more than four million people across Kyushu were issued evacuation warnings, with officials in Kagoshima and Miyazaki saying over 15,000 people were in local shelters by Sunday afternoon.

Sun, Sep 18, 2022 3 mins read

Environment

Tunisian 'hanging garden' farms cling on despite drought

High in the hills of northwestern Tunisia, farmers are tending thousands of fig trees with a unique system of terracing they hope will protect them from ever-harsher droughts.. Farmer Lotfi El Zarmani, 52, said there was also growing demand for Djebba figs, which were given a protected designation of origin by the agriculture ministry in 2012 -- still the only Tunisian fruit to enjoy the certification.

Sat, Sep 17, 2022 3 mins read

Environment

China doubles down on coal as energy crunch bites

China has stepped up spending on coal in the face of extreme weather, a domestic energy crunch and rising global fuel prices -- raising concerns Beijing's policies may hinder the fight against climate change.. The independent Climate Action Tracker warns that even the "most binding" climate targets laid out by Beijing would be in line with global warming of between three and four degrees Celsius before the end of the century -- well above the Paris Agreement's goal to limit global warming to 1.5C. To meet that goal, it said, China would "need to reduce emissions as early as possible and well before 2030" -- as well as "decrease coal and other fossil fuel consumption at a much faster rate than currently planned".

Sat, Sep 17, 2022 3 mins read

Environment

'Crowns of the forest': Indonesian helps orchids bloom again

Orchids in hand and a bamboo ladder on his shoulder, farmer Musimin scans the forest at the foot of Indonesia's most active volcano to point out clusters of the indigenous flowers he has been salvaging for years.. So he set about saving their wilting fortunes, over the years building two bamboo greenhouses where he could preserve the most special kinds of orchids.

Sat, Sep 17, 2022 2 mins read

Environment

Thousands in shelters as Japan braces for dangerous typhoon

Thousands of people were in shelters in southwestern Japan on Sunday as powerful Typhoon Nanmadol churned towards the region, prompting authorities to urge nearly three million residents to evacuate.. So far, 2.9 million residents in Kyushu have been issued with evacuation warnings, according to the government's Fire and Disaster Management Agency, and Kagoshima officials said over 8,500 people were already in local shelters by Sunday morning.

Sat, Sep 17, 2022 2 mins read

Environment

France sends latest nuclear shipment to Japan

Two ships carrying reprocessed nuclear fuel destined for Japan set sail Saturday morning from northern France, an AFP photographer said, despite criticism from environmental campaigners.. They will ensure the shipment of MOX nuclear fuel to Japan," French nuclear technology group Orano said in a statement Saturday.

Sat, Sep 17, 2022 1 mins read

Environment

India welcomes back cheetahs, 70 years after local extinction

Eight Namibian cheetahs arrived in India Saturday, decades after their local extinction, in an ambitious project to reintroduce the spotted big cats that has divided experts on its prospects.. Cheetahs became extinct in India primarily because of habitat loss and hunting for their distinctive spotted coats. 

Sat, Sep 17, 2022 3 mins read

Environment

Cyclists on alert for swooping magpies at world titles

Riders are bracing for an unusual threat at the world cycling championships in Australia this week -- swooping magpies.. Although the riders will be wearing helmets, the threat from the sharp-beaked birds is a genuine concern.

Sat, Sep 17, 2022 1 mins read

Environment

Japan braces for 'very dangerous' Typhoon Nanmadol

Japan's weather agency on Saturday warned of a "very dangerous" typhoon heading towards the country's southern Kyushu island, urging residents to evacuate before powerful wind hits the area.. "Maximum caution is required," he said, urging residents to evacuate early.

Sat, Sep 17, 2022 1 mins read

Environment

Climate takes backseat in Italy vote despite extreme events

From parched rivers to a glacier collapse and this week's deadly storms, Italy has suffered numerous climate events this year -- but many politicians pay the subject little more than lip service.. - Violence of climate events - This summer's drought, the worst in 70 years, drained the Po River, the peninsula's largest water reservoir and a crucial resource for Italy's agricultural sector.

Sat, Sep 17, 2022 3 mins read