UN modernizes guidance for greenhouse emission estimates

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has updated guidelines for governments to calculate greenhouse gas emissions. The out-of-date norms, written in 2006, have been revised to now include tracking emission sources across the energy, industrial processes, waste, agriculture and forestry sectors. The new rules are a result of a five-day general assembly meeting in Kyoto, Japan. They will help countries to prepare and continuously improve their national greenhouse gas inventories.

Million species at risk of extinction: Landmark UN report blames “relentless growth”

UN biodiversity science body IPBES, formally released its landmark report, warning that one million out of the eight million known plant and animal species could be at risk of extinction due to world’s relentless pursuit of economic growth. Scientists said governments and businesses must fight “vested interests” that are blocking reforms in farming, energy and mining. The Global Assessment report said industrial farming and fishing were mainly responsible for the crisis.

In 2020, countries will meet in Kunming, China, to set global biodiversity targets. Scientists and environment groups have urged the next Australian, with its rich biodiversity, to take a lead in securing a global deal to save nature.

Cambridge scientists test radical “geoengineering” to repair Earth’s climate

Refreezing Earth’s poles by brightening the clouds above them with the injection of tiny salt particles, or recycling CO2, by converting emissions from coal plants into synthetic fuel – Cambridge scientists are willing to adopt such geoengineering options to cut CO2 emissions faster than the world is currently able to. They plan to set up a research centre to test radical ways to fix Earth’s climate.

El Nino may impact monsoons in central and eastern India

The El Nino weather pattern, which warms the Pacific Ocean’s surface temperatures, could impact monsoons in central and eastern India negatively, according to Skymet. The Japan Meteorological Agency said there is an 80% chance that the pattern would stretch well into summer and a 60% chance that it may last until autumn.

The Central Water Commission (CWC) released new data, which shows a drastic drop in water levels in reservoirs across southern and western India. Of the 91 reservoirs assessed, CWC found that 19 had water levels that were half or below the normal storage (average of last 10 years), while 22 were between 50%-80% of that level. What is worrisome, however, is that while precipitation has fallen in these regions, water usage levels remain the same.

Ranavirus may wipe off frogs in UK in next 50 years

A study on British ponds, published in the journal Global Change Biology, has found a deadly frog disease called ranavirus spreading due to warmer temperatures threatening to wipe off entire populations of frogs in the next 50 years. Four out of 10 species are on the verge of extinction globally due to disease, habitat loss and climate change, the study said.

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