In the face of the “existential threat posed by climate change,” the new visa offers Tuvalu citizens a pathway to permanent residency in Australia. Since mid-June, more than a third of Tuvalu’s population has registered for an online ballot to obtain the world-first climate visa.

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More than 1,000 Tuvalu nationals have entered the ballot to apply for an Australian visa since it opened earlier this month. When accounting for family members – including applicants’ spouses and children – the total surpassed 4,000. For an island that is home to some 10,000 people, the number is rather impressive.

Earth.Org looks at how the visa works and why it has gained so much traction in so little time.

How Does the Visa Work?

The Pacific Engagement Visa (PEV) – Treaty stream (Tuvalu) was created as part of a bilateral treaty between Australia and Tuvalu encompassing three crucial aspects: climate cooperation, mobility, and security.

The pathway to permanent residency is open to all Tuvalu citizens above 18 years of age, as long as they have not obtained their Tuvaluan citizenship through an investment to Tuvalu and are not citizens of New Zealand. While not specifically a climate visa, New Zealand also offers citizens of Tuvalu and three other Pacific Island nations a pathway to permanent residency through a ballot system.

Only up to 280 Tuvaluans will be granted the visa every year, which allows them to work, study or live in Australia. A job offer, contrary to other visa schemes for Pacific citizens, is not required.

To obtain it, applicants must first register to an online ballot, which opened on June 16 and will close on July 18. The random selection period will open on July 25 and conclude in January 2026.

World-First Climate Visa

While the visa itself does not mention climate change, the bilateral treaty Australia and Tuvalu that led to it does. Signed in late 2023, the Australia-Tuvalu Falepili Union treaty aims to protect the two countries’ shared interests in security, prosperity and stability “in the face of the existential threat posed by climate change.”

Recognizing climate change as Tuvalu’s “greatest national security concern,” Australia committed to providing assistance to the small nation in case of natural disasters and support for adaptation. Meanwhile, the mobility component of the treaty introduced a special pathway for Tuvaluans to live, study and work in Australia permanently and access benefits granted to permanent residents of the country, including public education and health services.

When announcing the treaty in 2023, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said it came in response to a request by Tuvalu “to safeguard the future of [its] people, identity and culture”.

“That is why we are assisting on adaptation, but we are also providing the security that these guarantees represent for the people of Tuvalu, who want to preserve their culture, want to preserve their very nation going forward as well,” Albanese said at the time.

Lying just 5 meters (16 feet) above sea levels, experts have warned that up to 90% of the archipelago could be underwater by 2100. But the small nation, home to nearly 11,000 people, is also facing other climate-related threats, including water scarcity, loss of crucial ecosystems and escalating extreme weather events, which are leading financial instability and huge cultural losses.

Over the past 50 years, nearly 1,500 disasters in the South-West Pacific have caused 66,951 deaths and over US$185 billion in economic losses, according to the World Meteorological Organization.

Despite contributing only 0.02% of global emissions, the region’s 14 Small Island Developing States, including Tuvalu, are particularly at risk from climate hazards. Sea levels in the region have risen nearly twice as fast as the global average, and sea surface temperatures have increased three times faster since the 1980s. In 2019, modellings by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology found that droughts and climate change-induced floods in the region have already increased in frequency by 30%, and are projected to increase by 90% in the first half of this century and 130% in the latter half.

More on the topic: Tuvalu’s Sinking Reality: How Climate Change Is Threatening the Small Island Nation

Other Pathways

A separate pathway to obtain permanent residency in Australia for Pacific and Timor-Leste nationals is the Pacific Engagement Visa. Citizens of the 10 participating countries who are aged between 18 and 45, as well as their partners and children, can apply for one of 3,000 visas available each year, also trough an online ballot. As permanent residents, visa holders will get access to Australia’s universal health care system Medicare, public schools, child care subsidies and family tax benefits.

In 2024, the program allocated 100 visas to Tuvalu nationals.

It also allocated 1,515 visas for Papua New Guinea nationals, 300 each for Fiji, Timor-Leste and Tonga nationals, 150 each for Solomon Islands, Nauru and Vanuatu, 24 for Federated States of Micronesia and 11 for Palau nationals.

Race Against Time

The rush for Australia’s new climate visa is emblematic of the existential threat faced by dozens of nations worldwide.

The growing threats of climate change are poised to reshape the world map, permanently altering borders, cultures and geopolitics. Unless the world acts now, the disappearance of Tuvalu will serve as a prelude to large-scale loss and suffering around the world.

Featured image: UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji via Flickr.

The post Explainer: What You Need to Know About Australia’s World-First Climate Visa for Tuvalu Citizens appeared first on Earth.Org.

Did you know that penguins are the second-most threatened bird group in the world? Climate change, overfishing, diseases, and habitat destruction are threatening these charismatic aquatic birds. To celebrate World Penguin Day 2025, which every year falls on April 25, here are some interesting facts about endangered penguin species. 

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1. Penguins thrive in varying climates

Penguins’ inability to fly makes it challenging for them to defend themselves from attacks by predators. Thus, their habitats include remote coasts in continental regions, far away from threatening animal hunters, as well as oceans.

These aquatic birds are adapted to living at sea, where they can spend months at a time. While they live primarily in the Southern Hemisphere, from South America to New Zealand and Australia, two species – the threatened African and the Galápagos penguin – can be found north of the equator.

2. These flightless birds have evolved to ‘fly’ underwater

Penguins might not be able to fly but they thrive underwater. Contrary to most birds that have hollow, air-filled bones, the strong bodies of this particular species reduce their tendency to float, making them much easier to swim.

Their bodies have also evolved in ways that protect them from the freezing cold Antarctic waters. While their thick feathers keep them warm, a gland near the base of their tail provides them with waterproof oil, which they spend hours covering their body with before swimming.

You might also like: 11 of the Most Endangered Species in the Ocean

3. Apart from being excellent swimmers, penguins are also great walkers

Penguin feet are incredibly strong, allowing them to walk the distance of two marathons on ice to get to their breeding groups. They developed incredible muscles that can keep their body just above freezing temperatures, protecting them from the cold. Penguins’ feet are also precious allies underwater, as they allow them to change direction and brake.

4. Penguins are the second-most threatened bird group in the world

Despite being legally protected from hunting and egg collecting by the 1959 Antarctic Treaty, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), nine out of the 18 listed species have been deemed endangered and vulnerable while three are considered near threatened. This makes them one of the world’s most threatened birds, second only to the albatross.

Unsurprisingly, some of the most imminent dangers penguins face today are global warming and changing oceanic conditions; most species do not have the rapid adaptation skills to survive climate changes. Aside from sea level rises, direct human activities such as oil spills and other oceanic pollution are all threatening to destroy entire colonies and affect future generations.

Because of humanity’s unsustainable and irresponsible fishing practices, thousands of seabirds also face starvation; overfishing is contributing to the disappearance of most of the fishes that penguins feed on like sardines and anchovies.

5. The African Penguin is among the most endangered penguin species

Mainly found in Southern Namibia and the South West coast of South Africa, the population of African penguins – also called black-footed penguins – has declined by about 70% in three generations, from roughly 82,000 to just about 25,000 individuals. Today, only 2% of the species’ early-20th century population remains.

Among the biggest threats to this penguin species are energy production-related activities – such as oil and gas drilling – and mining as well as overfishing and unregulated harvesting of aquatic resources. Organisations such as the South African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) work tirelessly to help this increasingly vulnerable species survive and educate the local population on ways to improve the state of the environment. 

6 Over 90% of Emperor Penguins could be wiped out by 2100

Climate change-triggered melting of sea ice in Antarctica is taking a heavy toll on emperor penguins and could wipe out entire populations by as early as 2100, new research suggests.

Classified as one of Antarctica’s most vulnerable species, emperor penguins require sea ice attached to solid land between April and January to breed. This makes them extremely vulnerable to rapid sea ice loss in the region, which reached record levels in the spring season of 2022.

According to the study, record low sea ice in 2022 coincided with the first-ever recorded large-scale breeding failure of emperor penguins. Researchers found that, of the five breeding sites in Antarctica, “all but one experienced total breeding failure after sea ice break-up.” They argue that over 90% of the species colonies will be “quasi-extinct” by 2100 if current warming rates continue.

You might also like: How Many Endangered Species Are There?

The post All You Need to Know About Endangered Penguin Species appeared first on Earth.Org.

This week, we headed into another meeting of the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO) with New Zealand – yet again – isolated from our allies and reneging on our international ocean commitments. It feels like a bad case of deep-sea déjà vu.  

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By Helen Clark

Last year, I was horrified at New Zealand’s position at SPRFMO, where we were roundly criticised by our usual Pacific and Pacific-rim allies for blocking a proposal to set a minimum level for the protection of vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs) – like seamounts – in the South Pacific. 

As delegates gathered in Santiago, Chile, for the 2025 meeting this week, the picture didn’t look any better. In fact, now we need to add the shame of a New Zealand vessel being caught dredging up over twice the legal limit of protected coral while bottom trawling on seamounts in the international waters of the Tasman Sea.

New Zealand holds the dubious honor of being the only country still bottom trawling – for orange roughy – in the high seas of the South Pacific, a region that’s home to hundreds of seamounts, each one of them a unique, fragile biodiversity hotspot. Bottom trawling involves dragging hugely heavy nets across the seafloor: they destroy everything in their wake. 

Seamounts and seamount chains are populated by long-lived coral and sponge species, they provide shelter and hunting grounds to species like sharks, whales and sea turtles, and play a key role in cycling nutrients throughout the ocean. 

Every expedition to these underwater mountains discovers amazing new species, and a growing body of scientific evidence shows that these vulnerable ocean lifelines are in urgent need of protection, especially from destructive bottom trawling. So why does our Government still allow New Zealand-flagged bottom trawlers to fish in international waters where seamounts are known to exist?

By contrast, the host of this year’s SPRFMO meeting, Chile, has already acted to ban bottom trawling on all seamounts in its waters and is supporting similar in the high seas. Meanwhile, the global community, including the member States of North Atlantic regional fisheries management organisations (RFMOs), are moving at pace to protect seamounts and VMEs. 

Most recently, Australia joined the growing global community of countries taking ocean leadership, announcing it is to hold a landmark science and knowledge symposium to map the extraordinary values of the Lord Howe Rise – South Tasman Sea. This announcement came at the same time as a New Zealand trawler was reported dredging up corals around the Lord Howe Rise in the same area. New Zealand is poised to become a Pacific pariah, and all for a couple of tonnes of orange roughy.

Our outlier position applies beyond the Pacific. New Zealand is one of only a handful of states worldwide who still permit bottom trawling on high seas seamounts. International commitments, including multiple UN General Assembly resolutions, promise to protect these ecosystems from destructive bottom trawling practices, yet over 20 years have passed without action to secure full protection for VMEs, including seamounts, from destructive bottom trawling practices. The Third World Ocean Assessment identifies destructive bottom trawling as the single greatest threat to deep-sea ecosystems, including seamounts. How much more science do we need? 

Many governments are taking steps towards recognizing the threat bottom trawling poses to seamount ecosystems and ensuring their protection – it is well past time New Zealand joined them. With the third UN Ocean Conference in June, preparatory meetings for the entry into force of the high seas treaty in April and August, and the IUCN World Conservation Congress in October, 2025 promises to be pivotal for ocean protection. SPRFMO could lead the way towards delivering on international commitments and provide the first, foundational step in a year of action for our ocean, but that can only happen if New Zealand joins global leaders. 

New Zealand was instrumental in setting up SPRFMO and we still host the secretariat. Our Government needs to stop tarnishing our global reputation to pander to a handful of renegade bottom trawling companies. It must catch up with fellow SPRFMO Member States – including our closest allies and trading partners – and finally protect seamounts on the high seas from bottom trawling.

Featured image: Dugornay Olivier.

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About the author: Rt Hon Helen Clark is the former prime minister of New Zealand, and former administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The post It Is Time For New Zealand to Cease Bottom Trawling appeared first on Earth.Org.

Heat stress in the southern Great Barrier Reef last year triggered “severe and widespread bleaching to levels not previously recorded,” the team of Australian scientists behind a new study concluded.

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Over 40% of individual corals monitored near a southern Great Barrier Reef island perished last year due to extensive coral bleaching, a new study has revealed.

Following a mass bleaching event that started in early 2024, a group of Australian scientists studied the health of 462 coral colonies at One Tree Island, a protected coral cay situated in the southern part of the Australia’s iconic reef. 

The team from the University of Sydney carried out research in four phases over a period of 161 days, starting in February, and then again in April and May. By the time the last assessment was carried out in July, 44% of the bleached colonies were dead. Some coral genera, such as Acropora, experienced up to 95% mortality rate. Only 92 coral colonies escaped bleaching entirely.

The mass bleaching event – the seventh such event on the Great Barrier Reef since 1998 and the fifth since 2016 – was the most widespread and “catastrophic” outbreak to hit the reef system, the study concluded.

Coral bleaching occurs as a heat stress response from rising ocean temperatures, which drives algae away from coral reefs, causing reefs to lose their vibrant colours. While a bleaching event is not directly linked to corals’ death, more frequent and intense heat stresses make corals more vulnerable to diseases, slowing down their recovery and limiting their ability to spawn.

One of the marine biologist behind the study described the scenery as “really devastating.”

“I have gone from being really sad to being really cranky. We have been trying to get the message across about climate change for ages,” Maria Byrne, who works at the University of Sydney, told the Guardian.

Co-author Ana Vila Concejo, said the study is “a wake-up call for policymakers and conservationists.”

“The resilience of coral reefs is being tested like never before, and we must prioritise strategies that enhance their ability to withstand climate change,” Concejo, who works at the School of Geosciences, said.

Under Threat

In August, a study warned that this generation will likely witness the demise of Australia’s iconic Great Barrier Reef unless rapid, coordinated, and ambitious action is taken globally to reverse climate change.

Scientists came to this conclusion after looking at recent sea surface temperature trends. They found that the extreme ocean heat recorded between January and March in 2017, 2020, and 2024 – the hottest year on record globally – was the highest in 400 years. These extremes, caused by anthropogenic influence on the climate system, pose an “existential threat” to the reef’s ecosystem.

At this rate, the study concluded, the reef is at risk of experiencing “near-annual coral bleaching,” which would “further threaten the ecological function and outstanding universal value of one of Earth’s greatest natural wonders.”

Located off the coast of Queensland, the Great Barrier Reef is the largest in the world. It covers an area of about 344,400 square kilometres (133,000 square miles), more than the UK and Ireland combined. It is renowned for its biodiversity, housing thousands of species of marine life. 

According to the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), approximately half of the reef’s coral cover has been lost since 1995, with recent bleaching events further exacerbated by extreme weather patterns linked to climate change.

Global Mass Bleaching Event

Last April, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) and the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) confirmed that the world is undergoing its fourth global coral bleaching event.

In October, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) confirmed that the current mass coral bleaching event affecting over 50 countries worldwide, including Mexico, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia, and Australia, is now the largest event ever recorded.

Coral reefs are extremely important ecosystems that exist in more than 100 countries and territories and support at least 25% of marine species. They are integral to sustaining Earth’s vast and interconnected web of marine biodiversity and provide ecosystem services valued up to $9.9 trillion annually. They are sometimes referred to as “rainforests of the sea” for their ability to act as carbon sinks by absorbing the excess carbon dioxide in the water. 

According to the most recent report by the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN), the world has lost approximately 14% of corals since 2009. 

Featured image: Tourism and Events Queensland.

You might also like: Why Elevating Indigenous Voices Is Crucial to Protecting the World’s Coral Reefs

The post Southern Great Barrier Reef Affected By ‘Catastrophic’ Bleaching: Study appeared first on Earth.Org.

This weekly round-up brings you key climate news from the past seven days, including 2024 officially confirmed as the hottest year on record, Los Angeles’ historic wildfires, and Thailand’s ban on plastic imports.

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1. 2024, Hottest Year on Record, Surpasses 1.5C Mark Amid Rise in Greenhouse Gases

Earth’s temperature hit new milestones in 2024: reaching record-breaking levels and rising to more than 1.5C above pre-industrial levels.

That last year was going to be the warmest on record became clear a few months ago, when global temperatures did not fall as predicted after El Niño subsided last June. The weather pattern, which is associated with the warming of sea surface temperatures in the central-east equatorial Pacific, pushed global temperatures “off the charts” in 2023, making it the hottest year on record.

But while conditions in the equatorial Pacific returned to normal mid last year, global temperatures did not.

“All of us who made projections at the start of the year underestimated just how warm 2024 would be,” said Zeke Hausfather, a climate scientist at Berkeley Earth.

On Friday, the EU’s Earth observation programme Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) also confirmed another earlier prediction: that 2024 marked the first calendar year that the average global temperature exceeded 1.5C above its pre-industrial level. While this does not signal a permanent breach of the critical limit, which scientists say is measured over decades, it sends a clear warning to humanity that we are approaching the point of no return much faster than expected.

Read the full article.

2. At Least 5 Dead, 70,000 Evacuated Amid Historic Blazes in Drought-Stricken LA

Fast-spreading, out-of-control wildfires have prompted widespread evacuations in the Los Angeles region, shocking the nation as footage captures homes ablaze and vast swaths of vegetation consumed by the relentless fires.

A combination of several factors have allowed the fires to grow and spread rapidly.

Powerful Santa Ana winds, with speeds reaching up to 80mph and even 100mph in certain areas, have fanned the flames at an unprecedented pace, leading to “one of the most significant fire outbreaks in history,” according to meteorologist Ariel Cohen.

These dry, warm winds originate from the western desert interior of the United States and push towards southern California, creating ideal conditions for wildfires by reducing humidity and drying out vegetation. These winds have fuelled some of Los Angeles worst wildfires in the past.

Adding to that was an abundance of dry, fire-prone vegetation in the area.

Southern California has experienced “exceptionally dry” conditions following two winters of heavy rainfall in 2022 and 2023.

Read the full article.

3. Thailand’s Ban on Plastic Imports Comes into Force as Campaigners Warn of Challenges in Enforcement

A ban on plastic waste imports has come into force in Thailand, two years after it was announced in a bid to control pollution and protect people’s health.

Thailand and other developing countries, particularly in Southeast Asia, have acted as the dumping ground for foreign nations’ trash for decades. Until 2017, China was the world’s largest importer of plastic waste, bringing in an average of 8 million tonnes of plastic a year from more than 90 nations around the world. To tackle the pressing plastic pollution crisis, the Chinese government in 2018 introduced an import ban on solid waste, including several types of plastics and other recyclable waste.

Since then, big exporters like the US, which was shipping about 4,000 containers of garbage to China every day before the ban came into effect, rerouted most of their trash to Southeast Asia nations such as Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand. 

Read the full article.

4. Biden Locks in Offshore Drilling Ban Weeks Before Trump Takes Office, Ramps Up Fossil Fuel Production

US President Joe Biden has issued a decree that permanently bans new offshore oil and gas development across 625 million acres of US coastal waters. The move comes just two weeks before President-elect Donald Trump, a climate denier, takes office with the promise to expand fossil fuel production in the country.

The ban, which has no expiration date, concerns all future oil and natural gas leasing in an area that extends to the entire US East coast, the eastern Gulf of Mexico, the Pacific off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California, and additional portions of the Northern Bering Sea in Alaska.

Speaking on a radio show after the ban was announced, Trump said he would “unban it immediately,” though it might no be easy.

In contrast to many executive actions that can be easily reversed, Biden’s offshore drilling ban is rooted in a long-standing 72-year-old law, which grants the White House extensive authority to permanently shield US waters from oil and gas leasing without explicitly providing presidents with the ability to retract these protections once they are established.

Read the full article.

5. Australia’s Southeast Braces for Extreme Fire Risk Amid Intense Heatwave

A heatwave in Australia’s southeast intensified over the weekend, increasing the risk of bushfires and prompting fire bans across the region.

The heatwave sent the mercury above 40C in parts of the state of Victoria on Sunday, prompting local authorities to issue total fire bans across three districts facing “extreme” fire danger.

The NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) last year predicted a “normal” fire season for most of 2024 amid “wetter-than-normal conditions” and “an increased chance of above average rainfall through winter and spring.” However, it also added that fire activity could increase in early 2025 amid an increase in temperatures across the country.

2024 was Australia’s second-hottest year on record overall, behind only 2019, with the average temperature 1.46C above the 1961-1990 average. Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology also noted that Australia’s ten hottest years all occurred in the past two decades and that only two years of the past 40 have been cooler than average, the Guardian reported.

Read the full article.

6. Costliest Climate Disasters of 2024 Racked Up More than $229bn in Damages, Killed 2,000: Report

The ten costliest climate disasters of 2024 caused more than $229 billion in damages, according to an analysis by non-profit Christian Aid.

From deadly floods in China, Europe and East Africa to tropical storms in the Atlantic and Pacific, scorching heatwaves in India and droughts in South America, no region was spared by extreme weather events this year, the hottest year on record.

The ranking was compiled based on an analysis of insurance payouts alone, focusing on storms and cyclones due to their significant impact on infrastructure compared to any other type of extreme weather event. Because it does not take into account costs deriving losses in crop production and delays in trading, among others, the true financial toll of these events is believe to be much higher.

Read the full article.

The post Week in Review: Top Climate News for January 6-10, 2025 appeared first on Earth.Org.

The New South Wales’ Rural Fire Service (RFS) last year predicted a “normal” fire season for most of 2024 and “increased fire activity” in early 2025.

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A heatwave in Australia’s southeast intensified over the weekend, increasing the risk of bushfires and prompting fire bans across the region.

The heatwave sent the mercury above 40C in parts of the state of Victoria on Sunday, prompting local authorities to issue total fire bans across three districts facing “extreme” fire danger.

Firefighters on Monday managed to contain a large fire that ripped through The Grampians National Park in Victoria’s west for 21 days. The fire, which spread across 74,000 hectares, destroyed four homes and multiple sheds and killed hundreds of animals.

“It is likely we will still see smoke and small flare-ups in the area, but we will continue to be present to deal with these when and as they arise,” incident Controller Peter West told ABC news on Monday as he declared the fire contained. 

The states of Western Australia, New South Wales (NSW) and Tasmania were also under heatwave warnings on Sunday as temperatures neared 40C.

Firefighters on Monday said a bushfire in the Attunga State Forest in NSW was finally “under control.” The fire, which ignited by a lightning strike on Saturday, December 28, has burned 1,277 hectares.

“There is still a lot of smoke visible, but nearly all that’s associated with containment strategy backburning,” said NSW’ Rural Fire Service (RFS) public information officer Inspector Lachlan Gilchrist. “At the moment we are cautiously optimistic … we are not expecting a significant increase in fire behaviour in the coming 48 hours, and there is no pressure on containment lines.”

Cooler weather and rainfall were expected to bring some relief to the Southeast from Monday, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

“After storms passed through the area yesterday, several new fires have been detected in remote bushland to the north of Colo Heights, in the Hawkesbury LGA,” the RFS said on Monday. “Today, northerly winds will push smoke from these fires into the north-western parts of Sydney.”

As of noon on Monday, 87 fire were burning across NSW.

Climate Change

The NSW RFS last year predicted a “normal” fire season for most of 2024 amid “wetter-than-normal conditions” and “an increased chance of above average rainfall through winter and spring.” However, it also added that fire activity could increase in early 2025 amid an increase in temperatures across the country.

2024 was Australia’s second-hottest year on record overall, behind only 2019, with the average temperature 1.46C above the 1961-1990 average. Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology also noted that Australia’s ten hottest years all occurred in the past two decades and that only two years of the past 40 have been cooler than average, the Guardian reported.

Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick, deputy director of the Centre of Excellence for 21st Century Weather at Australian National University, said higher-than-usual temperatures were becoming routine as she blamed human-made climate change.

“Undoubtedly climate change has been a major factor because none of the climate mechanisms that gear things up for a hot year – like El Niño or [conditions in the Indian ocean] were really in play,” Perkins-Kirkpatrick said.

Australia has warmed by 1.51C since high-quality records started in 1910, according to a recent report by the Bureau of Meteorology that also found an upward trend in extremely hot days – days when the average temperature for the continent was in the top 1% of hottest on record.

“We know heatwaves are becoming longer and the intensity is increasing and they are becoming more frequent,” said Karl Braganza, the bureau’s climate services manager. “The rate of change points to how rapidly our climate system is changing. The climate of the 1980s and 1990s is very different to what we are experiencing today.”

The same report also found an increase in the number of dangerous fire weather days since the 1950s and a longer fire season for much of southern and eastern Australia.

Rising ocean temperatures off Australia’s coastline are threatening the Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest coral reef system, as well as kelp and seagrass.

A paper last year warned that this generation will likely witness the demise of the iconic reef unless rapid, coordinated, and ambitious action is taken globally to reverse climate change. Scientists said that at this rate, the reef is at risk of experiencing “near-annual coral bleaching,” which would “further threaten the ecological function and outstanding universal value of one of Earth’s greatest natural wonders.”

The post Australia’s Southeast Braces for Extreme Fire Risk Amid Intense Heatwave appeared first on Earth.Org.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites represent humanity’s shared cultural and natural treasures, recognized for their outstanding universal value. Unfortunately, many of these sites are threatened by climate change and human activity, with 56 now listed as World Heritage Sites at risk. 

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Established under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1972, the World Heritage Convention aims to identify and protect sites that possess exceptional cultural or natural value. 

Today, there are over 1,100 UNESCO Heritage Sites across the globe, encompassing both cultural and natural categories. Cultural Heritage Sites include monuments, groups of buildings, and archaeological sites, such as the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt and the Great Wall of China. Natural Heritage Sites, on the other hand, are celebrated for their natural beauty and biodiversity, with examples like the Grand Canyon National Park in the US and the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.

For a site to be designated as a UNESCO Heritage Site, it must meet at least one of ten specific criteria. These criteria ensure that only the most significant sites receive this prestigious designation, highlighting their global importance. Sites may be recognized for their artistic genius, their testimony to cultural traditions, or their exceptional natural phenomena. The rigorous selection process emphasizes the necessity of preserving these sites for future generations while fostering a deeper understanding of our collective history.

UNESCO Heritage Sites serve several critical functions that extend beyond their immediate location. They are vital for preserving the cultural heritage of communities and nations, providing a tangible link to the past. These sites allow future generations to learn about their history, traditions, and the diverse narratives that shape our world. 

Additionally, natural Heritage Sites play a crucial role in preserving biodiversity, ecosystems, wildlife habitats, and endangered species. The designation often boosts tourism, drawing visitors from around the globe and generating significant economic benefits for local communities. This influx can lead to increased funding for conservation efforts, ensuring that these treasures are maintained for years to come.

Impact of Climate Change and Human Destruction

Despite their significance, UNESCO Heritage Sites face numerous challenges that threaten their integrity. 

Rising temperatures, sea-level rise, and extreme weather events affect many sites, particularly natural ones. 

The World Monument Fund (WMF) has identified that climate change is the predominant threat to sites in Sub-Saharan Africa, whereas urbanization and development pose the greatest risks to historical sites in Asia. The Great Barrier Reef, for example, is experiencing severe coral bleaching due to changing ocean conditions, which jeopardizes its biodiversity. 

In Europe and North America, insufficient funding is the primary challenge, while overtourism significantly impacts sites in Latin America and the Caribbean. Human activities, such as overtourism, urban development, and industrialization, further contribute to the degradation of these sites. Venice, famous for its historic architecture and iconic canals, is sinking due to both natural processes and human-induced factors, which threaten its cultural heritage. 

In the Middle East and North Africa, the main concerns are armed conflict and a lack of local resources. For instance, the ongoing crisis in Syria has led to significant damage to ancient sites like Palmyra, underscoring the vulnerability of cultural heritage in times of turmoil.

But what are the UNESCO Heritage Sites most at risk? Earth.Org takes a look.

1. Great Barrier Reef, Australia

The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system, spanning over 2,300 kilometers along the northeastern coast of Australia. It is renowned for its biodiversity, housing thousands of species of marine life. 

The reef is facing severe threats primarily due to climate change. Rising ocean temperatures have led to mass coral bleaching events, where corals expel the algae that provide them with nutrients and color. 

According to the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), approximately half of the reef’s coral cover has been lost since 1995, with recent bleaching events further exacerbated by extreme weather patterns linked to climate change. In October, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) confirmed that the current mass coral bleaching event affecting dozens of countries worldwide is now the largest event ever recorded.

Additionally, pollution from agricultural runoff and coastal development poses risks to the reef’s health.

More on the topic: 5 Coral Reefs That Are Currently Under Threat and Dying

2. The Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

The Galápagos Islands, famous for their unique ecosystems, are threatened by invasive species, overfishing, and climate change. Invasive species such as goats and rats disrupt local ecosystems by preying on native wildlife and competing for resources. 

For instance, the iconic Galápagos tortoise has faced significant population declines due to hunting, habitat destruction, and competition with invasive species like goats. As ecosystem engineers and large vertebrates, Galápagos tortoises play a crucial role in maintaining the health of the island’s ecosystems. Their sensitivity to environmental changes makes them valuable indicators of ecological disturbances. Conservation efforts are ongoing to protect and restore their populations.

A study published in 2021 by the Galápagos Conservancy highlights that these invasions have led to declines in native species populations. Furthermore, climate change is causing ocean acidification and rising sea levels, which threaten the delicate balance of the islands’ ecosystems.

3. Venice, Italy

Venice, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987, is celebrated for its unique architecture and intricate canal system, yet it faces significant threats to its structural integrity and cultural heritage. 

Rising sea levels, exacerbated by climate change, have exacerbated flooding, causing extensive damage to buildings and infrastructure. In addition, the city is also sinking due to geological processes and groundwater extraction.

Overtourism adds another layer of pressure, with millions of visitors yearly contributing to wear and tear on historic sites and overcrowding. Pollution from boats and industrial activities threatens the marine ecosystem while large cruise ships raise concerns about environmental and structural impacts.

Initiatives such as the MOSE project, which features a sophisticated system of movable barriers designed to be raised during extreme tidal events to protect the Venetian Lagoon from flooding, are crucial for safeguarding the city. However, ongoing commitment is vital to ensure that this iconic site is preserved for future generations.

4. Ancient City of Aleppo, Syria

Political instability in regions experiencing conflict can also put heritage sites at risk. Many sites struggle with limited resources for maintenance and conservation, hindering efforts to protect these treasures from decay. 

The Ancient City of Aleppo is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, with a rich history reflected in its historic architecture, including the Citadel of Aleppo and the Great Mosque. However, the ongoing Syrian Civil War has resulted in extensive damage to the city’s cultural heritage. 

According to reports from the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, many historic buildings have been destroyed or severely damaged due to military actions, looting, and neglect. The lack of adequate resources for restoration and protection compounds the risk, with the site now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in danger. 

Outlook

These are just some of the many sites that are at risk due to climate change and human activities. The threats they face are not just isolated challenges; they reflect broader patterns of environmental degradation and cultural loss that impact communities worldwide. 

As we continue to witness the accelerating impacts of climate change – such as rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and habitat destruction – it becomes increasingly clear that urgent action is necessary. 

Preserving these UNESCO Heritage Sites is crucial not only for protecting their inherent beauty and historical significance but also for maintaining the cultural narratives and biodiversity they represent. It requires a collective effort from governments and individuals to advocate for sustainable practices, invest in conservation, and promote awareness of the importance of these sites.

The post Heritage at Risk: 4 UNESCO Sites Under Threat appeared first on Earth.Org.

49 of the 56 Commonwealth nations – former British colonies – have a coastline and 25 of them are small island states threatened by climate change, sea level rise, rising temperatures and increasing ocean acidity.

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Commonwealth nations on Saturday adopted their first Ocean Declaration as calls for from some of Britain’s former colonies for reparatory justice for the trans-Atlantic slave trade mounted.

The Apia Ocean Declaration was announced on the last day of the 27th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which took place in the Pacific island nation of Samoa. It calls on all 56 Commonwealth nations, 49 of which have a coastline, to protect the ocean in the face of severe climate, pollution and overexploitation.

25 of Britain’s former colonies are Small Island Developing States (SIDS) facing unique social, economic, and environmental vulnerabilities such as sea level rise, rising temperatures, climate change-induced extreme weather events and ocean acidity. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports an accelerated rise in global sea levels affecting small island states, averaging 0.2 meters (0.7 feet) over the past century. 

In the declaration, Commonwealth leaders agreed that a nation’s maritime boundaries should remain fixed regardless of physical changes that may arise from sea level rise. In other words, the rights and economic benefits of vast fishing grounds continue to apply to these nations even if much of their population is forced to migrate as dry land is submerged.

The move follows a campaign by Tuvalu to secure statehood in perpetuity under international law. In addition to rising sea levels, which risks displacing 60% of the population by mid-century, the small island nation is increasingly battered by more frequent and severe weather events, such as cyclones and storm surges. These events further erode the delicate balance of the island’s ecosystems, making life increasingly precarious for its residents. 

You might also like: Tuvalu’s Sinking Reality: How Climate Change Is Threatening the Small Island Nation

Aside from the recognition of national maritime boundaries, the declaration mandates the protection of 30% of oceans and marine ecosystems restoration by 2030. It also calls for “urgently” finalizing the Global Plastics Treaty, ratifying the UN High-Seas Treaty, developing coastal climate adaptation plans and strengthening support for sustainable blue economies.

“It is fitting that our first ocean declaration is adopted in the Blue Pacific continent given climate change has been recognised as the single greatest threat to the security and well-being of our people,” said Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, Samoa’s prime minister. “The ocean makes up 96 per cent of our region; and where we are amongst the first to most immediately suffer the impacts of climate change.”

Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland praised the “incredible progress” since the adoption of the Blue Charter in 2018, adding that the new declaration paves the way for upcoming international meetings, including next month’s COP29 in Azerbaijan and next year’s UN Ocean Conference.

“We are immensely proud of this achievement and will leave no one behind as we advocate for stronger ocean protection,” Scotland said.

Featured image: UNDP Climate/Flickr.

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Speaking on the first day of the Pacific Islands Forum in Tonga, António Guterres urged G20 nations to “step up and lead” the transition away from fossil fuels. “If we save the Pacific, we save the world,” he said.

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Pacific islands should be provided with a “greater voice on the global stage” as climate change and sea level rise driven by reckless actions from industrialized nations threaten their existence, António Guterres said on Monday.

Addressing reporters on the sidelines of the Pacific Islands Forum in Tonga, the UN Secretary-General warned of the imminent threat of sea level rise in the Pacific. Guterres highlighted the findings of two UN reports, which show that the South West Pacific is worst hit by rising sea levels, with some areas at risk of disappearing by the end of the century. According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the average annual increase was “significantly higher” in two measurement areas of the Pacific north and east of Australia compared to the global average rate rise of 3.4 millimetres a year over the past 30 years.

“I am in Tonga to issue a global SOS – Save Our Seas – on rising sea levels,” Guterres said. “Around the world, rising seas have unparallelled power to cause havoc to coastal cities and ravage coastal economies. Rising seas are a crisis entirely of humanity’s making. The world must act, and answer the SOS before it is too late.”

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Pacific Islands Forum in Tonga, the UN Chief also praised the Pacific region as a shining example of “solidarity and strength, environmental stewardship and peace” amidst the turmoil afflicting much of the world. Conflicts, inequalities, and the escalating climate crisis are slowing down progress on the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development, said Guterres, but Pacific islands hold the key to protecting “our climate, our planet and our oceans.”

“The world has much to learn from you. It must also step up to support you.”

Pacific nations such as Fiji, Tuvalu, Marshall Islands, and Kiribati are some of the world’s most vulnerable areas to climate change. Their geographic location and low-lying atolls pose little to their resistant capacity to tropical cyclones and rising sea levels. Despite contributing only 0.02% of global emissions, these islands bear the most brunt of a warming planet, with increased coastal inundations threatening their resilience.

Their governments, some of the first to declare climate change a dire threat in the early 1990s, have repeatedly urged industrialized nations, those most responsible for climate change, to phase out fossil fuel production and include small island states at the negotiating table.

In 2021, the video of a man in a suit and tie urging world leaders to take action against climate change and put small island nations and their struggles with sea level rise on the spotlight went viral around the world. The man was Simon Kofe, Foreign Minister of Tuvalu, and he was addressing COP26 attendees standing knee-deep in the seawater of his hometown.

Tuvalu, a low-lying island nation in the Pacific, faces an existential threat from rising sea levels driven by climate change. Data collected by NASA shows that sea levels are nearly 0.15 meters (6 inches) higher compared to three decades ago and projections estimating they will rise at least 20 centimeters (8 inches) by 2050 and 0.5-1 meter (20-40 inches) by the end of the century.

More on the topic: Tuvalu’s Sinking Reality: How Climate Change Is Threatening the Small Island Nation

The sinking of Tuvalu is emblematic of the existential threat faced by the region at large – and its fate fully depends on how much the world will be able to limit global warming, said Guterres.

“The survival plan for our planet is simple: Establishing a just transition for the phaseout of the fossil fuels that are responsible for 85 per cent of the emissions of greenhouse gases. The G20 – the biggest emitters responsible for 80 per cent of those emissions – must step up and lead, by phasing out the production and consumption of fossil fuels and stopping their expansion immediately.”

In March 2023, small island states hailed a historic win as the UN General Assembly passed a historic resolution asking the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to define the obligations of individual states to fight climate change. The resolution was the culmination of a four-year campaign initiated by Pacific island law students, who demanded clarity regarding the obligations of small and big countries in terms of dealing with global warming. While not legally binding, the advisory opinion of the ICJ – the world’s top court – could help clarify legal obligations under other international agreements.

The US, the world’s second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, did not support the resolution. 

The 53rd Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, which will last until Friday, is the top political decision-making body of the region. It brings together Australia, New Zealand, and 16 other Pacific nations to develop collective responses to regional issues and foster collaboration and partnerships.

Four of its members – Niue, Palau, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu – were part of a group of small island states which earlier this year won a historic climate change case at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), which ruled that major polluters have obligations under a global treaty to protect the marine environment.

In its advisory opinion, the ITLOS states that all 169 signatories of the 1994 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) must “take all necessary measures to prevent, reduce and control marine pollution from anthropogenic [greenhouse gas] emissions.” While not legally binding, the court’s clarification on how international law should be applied sets an important precedent for future rulings on the matter.

The post UN Chief Issues Climate ‘SOS’ For Pacific Islands Worst Hit By Ocean Warming, Sea Level Rise appeared first on Earth.Org.

This weekly round-up brings you key climate news from the past seven days, including the devastating toll of wildfires in Greece and a Guardian investigation revealing that a non-profit linked to Shell donated to anti-climate groups linked to Project 2025.

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1. Thousands Flee as Wildfires Rage Across Athens Suburbs Amid Hottest Summer on Record

Greece’s worst wildfire so far this year began spreading into Athens suburbs on Monday after first igniting in the northern fringes of the capital on Sunday afternoon, forcing thousands of residents and tourists to flee.

A spokesperson for the European Commission said on Monday that “[t]he EU civil protection mechanism was activated upon request of the Greek authorities.” In a post on X, the EU civil protection unit said it had mobilized two firefighting planes from its fleet in Italy, one helicopter from France, and ground firefighting teams from Czechia and Romania. Meanwhile, local authorities deployed more than 700 local firefighters, 199 fire engines and 35 waterbombing aircrafts, according to the BBC.

Like many other parts of the world, Greece has seen a notable increase in temperatures in recent years. The country just had its hottest June and July on record. Historical data suggests that the average temperature for July has increased by 2.5C between 1960 and now, with three of the four warmest July months in at least the last 80 years occurring in the past four years.

Read more here.

2. Non-Profit Linked to Oil Giant Shell Donated to Anti-Climate Conservative Groups Behind Project 2025, Investigation Reveals

Tax records analyzed by the Guardian show that the Shell USA Company Foundation sent $544,010 between 2013 and 2022 to several conservative and religious organizations advocating against LGBTQ+ and abortion rights, and denying climate change.

Among the recipients are fourteen groups figuring on the board of Project 2025, a political initiative that promotes conservative and right-wing policies to reshape the US federal government and consolidate Donald Trump’s executive power if he wins the upcoming presidential election. While Trump has distanced himself from the conservative blueprint, it was revealed that more than 100 people who worked for his administration contributed to it.

According to the Guardian, the Shell USA Company Foundation, operated by Shell’s American subsidiary, “helps employees boost their charitable giving to non-profits,” matching them by up to $7,500. A spokesperson told the newspaper that the foundation “does not endorse any organization” and employees donations are “not directed by the company.”

Read more here.

3. Extreme Heat Killed Nearly 48,000 People in Europe Last Year: Study

Nearly 48,000 people died in Europe last year due to extreme heat, according to a new study that argues heat-related mortality would have been 80% higher had it not been for modern-day adaptation measures. In the study period 2014-2023, only 2022 surpassed last year in terms of heat-related deaths with over 60,000 casualties.

Of the 47,690 estimated deaths in 2023, 47,312 occurred between late May and early October, the hottest months of the year, and mostly in Southern European countries including Greece, Bulgaria, Italy, Spain, Cyprus, and Portugal. The study, published Monday in Nature Medicine, also found that women and the elderly were disproportionally affected.

Heat-related mortality in Europe has increased by around 30% in the past two decades, while heat-related deaths are estimated to have increased in 94% of the European regions monitored.

Read more here.

4. Destructive Wildfires At Least Three Times More Likely Due to Climate Change, Report Finds

Published Wednesday in the journal Earth System Science Data (ESSD), the inaugural State of Wildfires report looked at large-scale wildfire events during the 2023-24 season. Despite being “slightly below average” in terms of area burnt compared to previous seasons, the total amount of carbon emissions generated from all fire events combined last year was 16% above average, totalling 8.6 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2), the analysis revealed.

Almost a quarter of this increase can be attributed to Canada’s record-breaking fire season. Last year, nearly 6,600 blazes burnt across 45 million acres, 5% of the entire forest area of Canada and roughly seven times the annual average, affecting 230,000 people. According to the EU-funded Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), fire carbon emissions totalled 480 megatonnes, over nine times the historical average, with toxic smoke reaching as far as the US East Coast.

According to the report, which is set to be published every year, climate change increased the probability of high fire weather conditions, long-term average burned area, and extreme burned area during the 2023/24 season. The report found that anthropogenic influence on the climate system made the fires in Canada at least three times more likely as it increased the risk of high fire weather.

Read more here.

5. Australia’s Fossil Fuel Exports Ranked 2nd For Climate Footprint Globally, Report Finds

Australia’s fossil fuel exports contribute to global emissions more than any other country aside from Russia, owing particularly to the footprint of coal exports, according to a new report that suggests emissions will rise by 50% over the next decade.

The country’s climate footprint – roughly 4.5% of global fossil carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, with 80% coming from coal and gas exports – “far exceeds” its economic size and population, the report says. Without fossil fuel exports, the country’s contribution to global emissions would be around 1%. Australia also remains the country with one of the highest per-capita emissions for all greenhouse gases, double that of China and nine times larger than India, the world’s first and third largest emitters, respectively.

The country ranked third in the world for fossil exports in 2021, behind only Russia and the US. In 2022, it accounted for 52% of global metallurgical coal exports and 17% of global thermal coal exports.

Read more here.

The post Week in Review: Top Climate News for August 12-16, 2024 appeared first on Earth.Org.