Diseases passed from animals to humans are on the rise, as the world continues to see unprecedented destruction of wild habitats by human activity. Scientists suggest that degraded habitats may encourage more rapid evolutionary processes and diversification of diseases, as pathogens spread easily to livestock and humans. The World Health Organization reports that an animal…
by: Liz Kimbrough and Mongabay • The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has been characterized by the World Health Organization as a pandemic. As the virus spreads, so too does misinformation about its origins. • Rumors that COVID-19 was manufactured in a lab or that we know with full certainty which animal host passed the…
On Saturday, 28 March at 8:30 p.m. local time, Earth Hour, one of the largest global grassroots movements for the environment, will bring people together around the world to show their commitment to the planet. With global biodiversity declining at an unprecedented and alarming rate, up to one million species threatened with extinction and the…
World Water Day, on 22 March every year, is about focusing attention on the importance of water. This year’s theme, ‘Water and Climate Change’, explores how water and climate change are inextricably linked. The idea for this international day goes back to 1992, the year in which the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development…
If the world doesn’t act urgently to address the nature and climate emergency, the world stands to see $10 trillion wiped off the global economy over the next 30 years A new report from World Wildlife Fund (WWF) reveals for the first time the countries whose economies would be worst affected over the next…
by: Greenpeace A new report by Greenpeace reveals the cost of air pollution from fossil fuels and highlights solutions that can protect our health and benefit our communities. Air pollution generated from burning fossil fuels is attributed to approximately 4.5 million premature deaths worldwide every year, the report shows. Air pollution increases the incidence of…
As climate and commercial threats intensify, WHO-UNICEF-Lancet Commission presses for radical rethink on child health No single country is adequately protecting children’s health, their environment and their futures, finds a landmark report released today by a Commission of over 40 child and adolescent health experts from around the world. The Commission was convened by…
By Brian Donegan (weather.com) • Earth had its warmest January on record in 2020. • Temperature departures in January were the highest ever recorded in any month without an El Niño. • Record warmth was found in parts of Scandinavia, Asia and Central and South America. January 2020 was Earth’s warmest January in 141…
New Detections of ‘Forever Chemicals’ in New York, D.C., Other Major Cities By: Sydney Evans, David Andrews, Ph.D., Tasha Stoiber, Ph.D., and Olga Naidenko, Ph.D. Environmental Working Group www.ewg.org New laboratory tests commissioned by EWG have for the first time found the toxic fluorinated chemicals known as PFAS in the drinking water of dozens…
• Severe threats to our climate account for all of the Global Risks Report’s top long-term risks, with “economic confrontations” and “domestic political polarization” recognized as significant short-term risks in 2020 • It warns that geopolitical turbulence and the retreat from multilateralism threatens everyone’s ability to tackle shared, critical global risks • Without urgent attention…