It has been confirmed that the summer of 2023 in the Northern hemisphere was hottest in the last 2,000 years. The UN’s climate body has said that the last time the Earth was continuously this warm may have been more than 100.000 years ago.
The experts looked at deep sea sediments and ice cores to determine this. They also looked at tree rings for valuable insights about climate. Tree rings not only show the tree’s age, but also record detailed information about the state of the climate each year as the tree grows. Scientists reviewed living specimens and fossils, from the European Alps to the Russian Altai mountains.
They studied trees living at altitude, where the impact of summer growth would be most clearly felt. In such places, ringe are usually wider in warmer years when there is more growth and thinner in colder years. This long term Tree ring record along with modern temperature data has shown that: Summer of 2023 was 2.07°C warmer than the “pre-industrial” period of 1850-1900. Compared with the coldest summer in the record which was the year 536, last summer was 3.93°C warmer.
How is Global Warming Tracked?
Presently, global warming is tracked by comparing temperatures to the “pre-industrial era”, before humans started burning large amounts of fossil fuels. This time period is widely defined as the period between 1850 to 1900.
World Oceans Day is celebrated every year on June 8 and the main objective of the day is to focus on and create awareness about ocean conservation. World Oceans Day serves as a reminder to everyone about the major role the oceans have in our everyday life. The world’s oceans, their temperature, currents and marine life, drive global systems that make the Earth habitable for humankind. Our rainwater, drinking water, weather, climate, coastlines, much of our food, and even the oxygen in the air we breathe, are all ultimately provided and regulated by the ocean. Throughout history, oceans and seas have also been vital for trade and transportation. Careful management of this essential global resource is a key feature of a sustainable future.
The concept of a ‘World Oceans Day’ was first proposed in 1992 at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to raise awareness about the crucial role the ocean plays in our lives and the important ways people can help protect it. In 2008, led by Canada, the United Nations General Assembly resolved that June 8 would be designated by the United Nations as “World Oceans Day”. The theme of the inaugural World Oceans Day in 2009 was ‘Our Oceans, Our Responsibility’. The theme for World Oceans Day 2024 is ‘Awaken New Depths.
What was the Earth Summit?
In 1992, more than 100 heads of state met in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for the first international Earth Summit convened to address urgent problems of environmental protection and socio-economic development.
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Oceans And The Threats They Face
Our modern habits and the use of many kinds of technologies have a devastating impact on the oceans and on the marine ecosystems and life in general.
Overfishing
Climate Change
Plastic Pollution
Did You Know?
World Environment Day is celebrated every year on June 5 to encourage global action to protect the environment. It is led by the United Nations Environment Programme and has been held annually since 1973. It is celebrated by millions of people across the world. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will host World Environment Day 2024 with a focus on land restoration, desertification, and drought resilience.
How Can We Save The Oceans?
The time has come to take action and safeguard the ocean. We can all do our bit by taking small steps. We can:
Conserve Water
Shop Responsibly
Reduce Pollutants
Use Less Energy
Fish Responsibly
Reduce Waste
Reduce Vehicle Pollution
Some Important Facts About Oceans:
Did you know that the Earth has one global ocean? Oceanographers and nations have divided it into five different geographical regions – the Pacific, the Atlantic, India, Arctic, and Southern.
The ocean produces at least 50% of the planet’s oxygen.
Oceans absorb about 30% of carbon dioxide produced by humans, reducing the impacts of global warming.
Oceans play an important role in influencing and regulating the climate on the Earth.
Oceans are a major source of food and medicine.
The ocean covers 71% of the Earth’s surface. It also holds about 96.5% of all Earth’s water.
Ocean is home to 94% of life on Earth. However, the exact number of species that live in the ocean is unknown.
The sea is home to the world’s largest living structure – the Great Barrier Reef. It is 2,600km long and can be seen from the Moon.
The ocean is very important for our economy. It is estimated that 40 million people will be employed by ocean-based industries by 2030.
UN Report Says: More than 1 Billion Meals Wasted per Day in 2022
According to a recent study by the United Nations (“UN”), households all over the world threw away one billion meals every day in 2022. In its latest Food Waste Index Report 2024 (“Report”), the UN stated that over $1 trillion worth of food was thrown away by businesses and households, when about 780 million people were going hungry.
“Food waste is a global tragedy. Millions will go hungry today as food is wasted across the world, Inger Andersen, executive director of the UN Environment Programme, said in a statement. Such wastage was not just a moral but “environmental failure”, the report said.
It was also reported that food loss and waste generate 8 to 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. If food waste was a country, it would be the third-biggest emitter of greenhouse gas emissions on the planet behind the US and China.
The Report has also showed that almost one-fifth of all the food wasted in 2022:
60% In our Homes
28% By food services like restaurants and hotels
12% By supermarkets and other shops
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The good news is that all the people that are currently hungry in the world (about 800 million people) can be fed over a meal a day just from the food that is wasted every single year.
The UN is asking countries to cut food waste by half by 2030!
Do you waste food? What can you do at home to minimise food wastage?
According to UNICEF’s “Children Displaced in a Changing Climate” report, 43 million children have been forced to leave their homes because of extreme weather events between 2016 and 2021. The report has predicted that 100 million more children will be displaced over the next 30 years due to climate change. UNICEF has stated that:
• More needs to be done to help children affected by climate change.
• 95% of the children displaced were due to floods and storms.
• Two million children were displaced due to droughts and wild-fires.
• The highest number of children displaced were recorded from China and the Philippines.
The report has asked governments to protect children from the adverse effects of climate change, help them prepare to deal with climate change, increase participation of children in conversations about climate change, and give priority to children and young people when preparing action plans.
Word Check
UNICEF is an organisation that works to help children around the world.
Have you felt the effects of climate change where you live?
