Fortnight-long study begins at 6 high-risk glacial lakes in Sikkim

Greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere reached new record highs in 2023, the UN warned on Monday, with countries falling "miles short" of what is needed to curb devastating global warming. "The report's findings are stark but not surprising -- current national climate plans fall miles short of what's needed to stop global heating from crippling every economy, and wrecking billions of lives and livelihoods across every country," said UN climate chief Simon Stiell.

Hurricane Helene's torrential rain and powerful winds were made about 10 percent more intense due to climate change, according to a study published Wednesday by the World Weather Attribution (WWA) group. The research by WWA, an international group of scientists and meteorologists who study the role of climate change in extreme weather events, comes as the southeastern US state of Florida prepares for the arrival of another major hurricane, Milton, just 10 days after it was hit by Helene.

A study led by the University of Birmingham reveals that human-induced bird extinctions over 1,30,000 years have dramatically reduced birds' functional diversity and resulted in a loss of three billion years of unique evolutionary history. Approximately 600 species, including the Dodo and Kaua'i 'o'o, have disappeared, affecting ecological roles like pollination and seed dispersal. This underscores the urgent need for targeted global conservation strategies.