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☆ Switzerland fights to contain forest fire near Italy border as winds pick up
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-18 | by ( Denis Balibouse | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BITSCH, Switzerland, July 18 (Reuters) - Swiss firefighters on Tuesday were battling a forest fire that has forced more than 200 people to evacuate, and authorities warned winds were making the blaze difficult to contain. The fire broke out on Monday on the forested flank of a mountain in Bitsch in the Valais canton near the Italian border. An helicopter carries water to a wildfire on the flank of a mountain in Bitsch near Brig, Switzerland, July 18, 2023. REUTERS/Denis BalibouseThe situation could deteriorate further if winds grow stronger, said Adrienne Bellwald, spokesperson for the cantonal police. Its Federal Office for the Environment has warned forest fires could become more frequent, especially in summer, due to an increase in hot, dry weather caused by climate change.

Persons: Mario Schaller, Denis Balibouse, Adrienne Bellwald, Noele Illien, Emma Farge, Gabrielle Tétrault, Farber, Janet Lawrence, Conor Humphries, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Helicopters, REUTERS, Federal Office, Environment, Reuters, World Meteorological Organization, Thomson Locations: Switzerland, Bitsch, Valais, Brig, Europe, Asia, United States

☆ Soaring temperatures to record rainfall: flooding ravages East Asia as climate crisis takes hold
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Heather Chen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Record temperatures also led to a rise in heat-related illnesses, particularly among vulnerable communities such as the elderly. In response to the loss of life, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol called for an overhaul of the country’s approach to extreme weather. “This kind of extreme weather event will become commonplace — we must accept climate change is happening, and deal with it,” Yoon said Monday. A vulnerable regionScientists have warned the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events will continue to increase as the human-caused climate crisis accelerates. “Floods, droughts and other devastating climate events are “all showing us very clearly what will the future be,” she added.

Persons: Yoon Suk, ” Yoon, ”, John Kerry, Reuters Heatwaves, Shehbaz Sharif, Manish Swarup, —, “, Sunita Narain Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, CNN, Japan’s Meteorological Agency, Reuters, World Meteorological Organization, ”, United Nations General Assembly, Disaster, World Bank, Centre for Science Locations: Hong Kong, Japan, China, South Korea, India, South Korean, Cheongju, Philippines, Cambodia, Manila, Phnom Penh, Delhi, Beijing, Washington, Chongqing, Kiryu, Gunma Prefecture, Kyoto, Tokyo, Hatoyama, Saitama Prefecture, Asia, Pakistan, New Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Assam, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, “

☆ Global temperatures near record highs as US, China meet on climate
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Charlie Devereux | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

REUTERS/Remo CasilliSummary Weather extremes experienced around the worldBiggest polluters United States and China meetClimate crisis 'is happening', says WHO bossMADRID, July 17 (Reuters) - Global temperatures were soaring to historic highs as the world's two biggest carbon emitters, the United States and China, sought on Monday to reignite talks on climate change. Wildfires in Europe raged ahead of a second heat wave in two weeks that was set to send temperatures as high as 48C. Ahead of meeting Chinese counterpart Xie Zhenhua in Beijing, U.S. climate envoy John Kerry urged China to partner with the United States to cut methane emissions and coal-fired power. Prolonged high temperatures in China are threatening power grids and crops and raising concerns about a repeat of last year's drought, the most severe in 60 years. The heat dome across the western United States also helped to generate heavy rains in the northeast, claiming at least five lives.

Persons: Remo, MADRID, reignite, Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Xie Zhenhua, John Kerry, Talim, Charon, Matilde, Angelica Aureli, it's, Ruben del Campo, Sergio Rodriguez, Kayla Hill, Carlo Buontempo, Buontempo, Charlie Devereux, Emma Pinedo, Giselda Vagnoni, Emma Farge, Kate Abnett, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: REUTERS, United, World Health, ACT, Italy's Air Force, La Palma, Canaries, TVE, World Meteorological Organization, National, Thomson Locations: Italy, Rome, United States, China, Sanbao, Europe, Beijing, U.S, Guangdong, Hainan, South Korea, Seoul, Sardinia, Spain, La, Florida, Furnace Creek, Salt Lake City , Utah, Madrid, Geneva, Brussels

☆ Europe weather: Second heat wave in a week brings soaring temperatures and raging fires
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

In Italy, which has been particularly hard hit, temperatures in many cities are expected to soar above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). In Spain, temperatures in the cities of Seville, Cordoba and Granada have reached 40 degrees Celsius. Even the normally cooler region of Navarra in the north of the country is experiencing up to 40 degrees Celsius. Firefighters have controlled the fire and it’s not yet clear if the region’s high temperatures played any role. While in the US, California’s Death Valley reached nearly 52 degrees Celsius (125.6) on Sunday.

Persons: Gregorio Borgia, Tiziana Fabi, Andres Gutierrez, EIRIF Handout, Catania, Niño, ” Christopher Hewitt Organizations: CNN, European Space Agency, ESA, Getty, La Palma, Anadolu Agency, Reuters, Firefighters, World Meteorological, WMO Locations: Europe, Italy, Spain, Greece, North Africa, Rome, Florence, Popolo, AFP, Athens, Seville, Cordoba, Granada, Navarra, La, Spain’s Canary, La Palma, Canary Islands, Tijarafe, Tenerife, Peloponnese, Catania, Sicily, China

☆ California's Death Valley could top 130 degrees Fahrenheit this weekend – the hottest temperature recorded on Earth
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-15 | by ( Tasmin Lockwood | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

California's Death Valley could top 130 degrees Fahrenheit this weekend – the hottest ever on Earth. Excessive heat warnings and heat advisories now cover over 100 million people in the US, per National Weather Service. California's Death Valley could topple the hottest temperature recorded this weekend amid what the US National Weather Service dubbed "sweltering and dangerous heat." John Locher/APSummer temperatures in the infamously dry national park often top 120 Fahrenheit, according to the National Parks Service. Heat could surpass 130 Fahrenheit this weekend, the record for the hottest temperature ever reliably measured on Earth, according to the Scientific American.

Persons: John Locher, Petteri Taalas Organizations: Service, World Meteorological Organization, Weather Service, National Weather Service, National Parks Service, Scientific American, Guardian, Meteorological Organization Locations: West, Phoenix , Arizona, Europe, Turkey, Morocco, Argentina, Patagonia, Iraq

Japan’s Kyushu region has been experiencing heavy rainfall since the beginning of the month and Monday saw record-breaking levels, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. Harumi Ozawa/AFP/Getty ImagesResidents maneuver through a flooded street in the city of Kurume, Fukuoka prefecture, on July 10, 2023. JIJI Press/AFP/Getty ImagesJapan is not the only country currently grappling with intense rainfall. While heavy rainfall events will always happen, scientists say that climate change means they are becoming more severe. A warmer atmosphere is able to store more water, leading to more intense rainfall when it falls.

Persons: Harumi Ozawa, Kazuhiro Nogi, JIJI Press, ”, Richard Allan, Stefan Uhlenbrook, It’s, Uhlenbrook, they’re, ” Uhlenbrook Organizations: CNN, Disaster Management Agency, Japan Meteorological Agency, Getty, Reuters, JIJI, Japan, UK’s University of Reading, World Meteorological Organization Locations: Japan, Japan’s Kyushu, Chugoku, Kyushu, Karatsu, AFP, Kurume, Fukuoka prefecture, Fukuoka, Oita prefectures, Tanushimarumachi, India, Delhi, New York, New York , Vermont , Massachusetts, Maine

☆ Antarctic ice levels undergo 'massive decrease', data shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

GENEVA, July 10 (Reuters) - Antarctic sea ice levels reached record lows last month, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Monday, a development climate change experts described as worrisome. WMO said that Antarctic sea ice levels last month - the hottest June ever recorded -- were at their lowest since satellite observations began, at 17% below average. "We're used to seeing these big reductions in sea ice in the Arctic, but not in the Antarctic. This is a massive decrease," Michael Sparrow, Chief of World Climate Research Programme, told reporters in Geneva. "Alarm bells are ringing especially loudly because of the unprecedented sea surface temperatures in the North Atlantic."

Persons: We're, Michael Sparrow, Gabrielle Tétrault, Farber, Christina Fincher Organizations: World Meteorological Organization, WMO, El, Thomson Locations: GENEVA, Geneva, Global, North

☆ Global heat in ‘uncharted territory’ as scientists warn 2023 could be the hottest year on record
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-08 | by ( Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

It works like this: As the world burns fossil fuels and pumps out planet-heating pollution, global temperatures are steadily warming. David J. Phillip/APWhile the record temperatures may have been expected, the magnitude by which some have been broken has surprised some scientists. Historically, global heat records tend to topple in El Niño years, and the current record-holder, 2016, coincided with a strong El Niño. The world gets hung up on blockbuster records but “these heat records are not exciting numbers,” she told CNN. CFOTO/Future Publishing/Getty ImagesUnheeded warningsFor climate scientists, this is the “I told you so” moment they never wanted.

Persons: –, Jennifer Francis, ” Carlo Buontempo, Copernicus, “, we’ve, ” Francis, El, ”, Friederike Otto, Andres Matamoros, David J, Phillip, Peter Stott, There’s, Robert Rohde, ” Otto, Prashanth Vishwanathan, Niño, El Niños, ” Stott, Otto said, “ Organizations: CNN, Climate Research, World Meteorological Organization, Grantham Institute, Climate, UK’s Met, ”, Bloomberg, Getty, Publishing Locations: Europe, Antarctica, Pacific, El, Houston, Berkeley, Patna, Bihar, India, Texas, Mexico, China, Beijing, Northern, Zhonghua, Handan, North China's Hebei

☆ China's capital grapples with scorching summer heat
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —Beijing’s temperature soared past 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) again Thursday, as the Chinese capital grapples with what is shaping up to be one the most severe heat waves on record. China has been gripped by scorching heat waves for weeks, which authorities said had arrived earlier and been more widespread and extreme than in previous years. People shield themselves from the sun amid extreme heat on July 5, 2023 in Beijing. The persistent heat waves have put huge stress on the country’s power grids as demand for air-conditioning soared, with some local governments urging companies and residents to curb the usage of electricity. As the climate crisis intensifies, scientists say dangerous, record heat waves are set to become more frequent and more severe.

Persons: Tianyong Jia, heatstroke, Niño, El Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, heatstroke, China News Service, Beijing Daily, World Meteorological Organization, El Locations: Hong Kong, Beijing, China, Northern China, Hebei, Henan, Hunan, 17.18C

☆ Bad news for nervous flyers: Turbulence is getting worse as the planet warms
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Anmar Frangoul | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

In addition, moderate turbulence jumped from 70.0 to 96.1 hours, while light turbulence hit 546.8 hours, up from 466.5. "[This] doesn't necessarily mean planes are encountering turbulence, clear air turbulence, 55% more often because, of course, planes try and avoid it and they've been getting very good at avoiding it," he said. "Although the radar on the flight deck can't see … clear air turbulence, there's a related technology called LIDAR that stands for light detection and ranging," Williams said. "By using that different wavelength of light, we can see invisible clear air turbulence ahead," he said. "Unfortunately it's very expensive and also comes in a big heavy box, which you don't want really to go on a plane to add weight onto the aircraft," Williams said.

Persons: Joe Giddens, Paul Williams, they've, Williams, Mark Prosser, Prosser, LIDAR, it's Organizations: Research, World Meteorological Organization, University of Reading, Atlantic, CAT, Aircraft, Istock, Getty, CNBC Locations: Northamptonshire, England, USA

☆ El Niño is here and the world must prepare for more extreme heat, UN weather agency warns
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( Helen Regan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The WMO said there was a 90% probability of El Niño continuing during the second half of 2023 at moderate strength. Along with increased ocean warming, El Niño events are usually associated with increased rainfall in parts of southern South America, the southern United States, the Horn of Africa and central Asia. In India, a major rice producing nation, El Niño can weaken the monsoon that brings the rainfall the country relies on to fill aquifers and grow crops. El Niño this year could also dent US economic growth, potentially impacting everything from food prices to winter clothing sales, a recent study found. The study attributed $5.7 trillion in global income losses to the 1997-98 El Niño and $4.1 trillion in losses to the 1982-83 El Niño.

Persons: El Niño, El, ”, Petteri Taalas, Niño, Chris Hewitt, “ Organizations: CNN, World Meteorological Organization, WMO, United Nations, El Locations: El, South America, United States, of Africa, Asia, Australia, Indonesia, Central America, Pacific, India, Paris, Europe, Americas

☆ CNBC Daily Open: The sun rises on Japan
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( Yeo Boon Ping | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Philip Fong | Afp | Getty ImagesThis report is from today's CNBC Daily Open, our new, international markets newsletter. CNBC Daily Open brings investors up to speed on everything they need to know, no matter where they are. What you need to know todayU.S. markets on holidayU.S. markets were closed yesterday for the Fourth of July holiday, while futures were little changed on Tuesday night. Inflation exceptionalismThe U.K. is the only G7 country where inflation is still rising, according to data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The sky's the limitAround 30% of the flights operated by U.S. airlines were delayed between June 24 through July 2.

Persons: Philip Fong, Abu Dhabi's, Xi Jinping, aren't, Niño, El Niño Organizations: Tokyo, Mount, Afp, Getty, CNBC, Organization for Economic Cooperation, Development, U.S, aren't fazed, World Meteorological Organization Locations: Mount Fuji, Ichikawa city, Chiba prefecture, Tokyo, China, Beijing, U.S

☆ Extreme weather in Latin America unlocks vicious cycle that further fuels climate dangers
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( Nelson Acosta | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HAVANA, July 5 (Reuters) - Extreme weather is wreaking havoc across Latin America, racking up billions worth of damage and unleashing a vicious cycle that leads to higher demand for fossil fuels and more climate change, the World Meteorological Organization said on Wednesday. Temperatures have warmed an average 0.2 degree Celsius per decade over the past 30 years – the highest rate on record, according to the State of the Climate in Latin America and the Caribbean 2022 report. As temperatures rise, extreme weather events become more common, with often unexpected consequences that stoke climate change, the report said. “Many of the extreme events were influenced by the long-running La Nina but also bore the hallmark of human-induced climate change," said WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas. "We are facing increasingly strong impacts from climate change, but the decisions adopted in climate negotiations for the implementation of the Paris Agreement do not advance at the same rate," she said.

Persons: Petteri Taalas, Daniel Becerril, Elba Rosa Perez, Nelson Acosta, Dave Sherwood, Marguerita Choy Organizations: World Meteorological Organization, stoke, Nina, REUTERS, El Nino, for Research, Meteorological Institute, Environment, Development, Thomson Locations: HAVANA, America, Latin America, Caribbean, South America, Monterrey, Mexico, El, Havana, China, Cuba, Paris

☆ El Niño + climate change = heat records
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( Zachary B. Wolf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Climate change combined with this year’s El Niño set a new world record for worldwide heat on Tuesday – 62.92 degrees Fahrenheit or 17.18 degrees Celsius. The WMO declared the onset of an El Niño Tuesday and warned governments to prepare for more extreme weather events as a result. This will be the first El Niño in seven years. The last very strong El Niño year – 2016 – also saw the previous record for worldwide heat that August. “It is El Niño on top of decades of human emissions of greenhouse gases.”There is no turning back, he said, but humans can likely slow the change.

Persons: Niño, –, It’s, Bill Weir, we’re, ”, ” Weir, John Abraham, Thomas, Weir, ” Abraham, Abraham, “ Organizations: CNN, National Centers, Environmental, World Meteorological Organization, United Nations, WMO, El, CNN International, University of St, Reuters Locations: Switzerland, Americas, Africa, Quebec, Miami, Minnesota, El, ”

☆ As the world gets hotter, millions of workers face up to the challenge of heat stress and productivity losses
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( Anmar Frangoul | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

According to those involved in the report's production, warmer working environments can create some very challenging scenarios indeed. Issues relating to productivity also apply to equipment, facilities and buildings, Fox said. "The economic losses due to heat stress at work were estimated at US$280 billion in 1995," the U.N. agency said. "This clothing can be quite cumbersome … and quite hot to wear, even under cold conditions," Fox said. Fox noted that buildings of this type haven't particularly been designed with heat ingress — especially extreme heat ingress — in mind.

Persons: Tim Fox, Fox, Marco Bertorello, that's, Laura Kent, Jorge Guerrero, Yolanda Díaz, Díaz, It's Organizations: World Meteorological Organization, of Mechanical Engineers, CNBC, International Labour Organization, Workers, AFP, Getty, ILO, Fox, Factories, Health, Safety, Spain's, Labour, Social, State Meteorological Agency, Spain's Labour Ministry, Reuters, heatstroke . Trade, Union Locations: Europe, Italy, Ronda, Spain, Madrid, heatstroke, Britain, Ireland

☆ Temperatures seen surging as El Nino weather pattern returns
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

El Nino, a warming of water surface temperatures in the eastern and central Pacific Ocean, is linked to extreme weather conditions from tropical cyclones to heavy rainfall to severe droughts. The world's hottest year on record, 2016, coincided with a strong El Nino - though experts says climate change has fuelled extreme temperatures even in years without the phenomenon. The World Health Organization said last month it was preparing for an increased spread of viral diseases such as dengue, Zika and chikungunya linked to El Nino. During El Nino, winds blowing west along the equator slow down, and warm water is pushed east, creating warmer surface ocean temperatures. In the past, it has caused severe droughts in Australia, Indonesia, parts of southern Asia, Central America and northern South America.

Persons: El, Maria Neira, Gabrielle Tétrault, Farber, Andrew Heavens, Alex Richardson, Christina Fincher Organizations: WHO, El, World Meteorological Organization, El Nino, WMO, Prediction Service, World Health Organization, Environment, Health, Thomson Locations: GENEVA, Pacific, Geneva, South America, United States, of Africa, Central Asia, Australia, Indonesia, Asia, Central America

☆ El Niño has officially begun. UN says phenomenon likely to threaten lives, break temperature records
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( Sam Meredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Japan experienced its warmest spring on record this year, the national weather agency said June 1, as greenhouse gasses and El Niño combine to send temperatures soaring worldwide. El Niño has arrived. The U.N. weather agency on Tuesday declared the onset of the major climate phenomenon, warning its return paves the way for a likely spike in global temperatures and extreme weather conditions. "Early warnings and anticipatory action of extreme weather events associated with this major climate phenomenon are vital to save lives and livelihoods." The update follows a report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in early June, which said El Niño conditions were present and "expected to gradually strengthen into the Northern Hemisphere winter."

Persons: Niño, El, Petteri Taalas Organizations: World Meteorological Organization, El, WMO, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration Locations: Japan, El

☆ Climate nears point of no return as land, sea temperatures break records, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( David Stanway | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Sea temperatures also broke April and May records. Global average sea surface temperatures hit 21C in late March and have remained at record levels for the time of year throughout April and May. Australia's weather agency warned that Pacific and Indian ocean sea temperatures could be 3C warmer than normal by October. Though this year's high sea temperatures are caused by a "perfect combination" of circumstances, the ecological impact could endure, she said. The Worldwide Fund for Nature, however, warned of a "worrying lack of momentum" during climate talks in Bonn this month, with little progress made on key issues like fossil fuels and finance ahead of November's COP28 climate talks in Dubai.

Persons: Kerry, Sarah Perkins, Kirkpatrick, Piers Forster, El Nino, Annalisa Bracco, Li Shuo, John Kerry, Li, David Stanway, Ali Withers, Gloria Dickie, Jamie Freed Organizations: EU, Australia's University of New, U.S ., World Meteorological Organization, El Nino, University of Leeds, Georgia Institute of Technology, DUBAI, The, Nature, Thomson Locations: Beijing, SINGAPORE, Bonn, Australia's University of New South Wales, United States, North America, Canada, U.S . East Coast, India, Spain, Iran, Vietnam, Paris, 1.5C, California, Africa, November's, Dubai, China, Copenhagen, London

☆ World hits record land, sea temperatures as climate change fuels 2023 extremes
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( David Stanway | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Persons: Cpl Marc, Andre Leclerc, Kerry, Sarah Perkins, Kirkpatrick, Piers Forster, El Nino, Annalisa Bracco, Li Shuo, John Kerry, Li, David Stanway, Ali Withers, Gloria Dickie, Jamie Freed Organizations: Canadian Forces, REUTERS, EU, Australia's University of New, U.S ., World Meteorological Organization, El Nino, University of Leeds, Georgia Institute of Technology, DUBAI, The, Nature, Thomson Locations: Mistissini, Quebec, Canada, Beijing, SINGAPORE, Bonn, Australia's University of New South Wales, United States, North America, U.S . East Coast, India, Spain, Iran, Vietnam, Paris, 1.5C, California, Africa, November's, Dubai, China, Copenhagen, London

☆ Himalayan glaciers could lose up to 80% of their ice by 2100 as temperatures rise, report warns
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Kathleen Magramo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The report found that glaciers in the Hindu Kush and Himalaya mountain range region melted 65% faster in the 2010s compared with the previous decade, which suggests higher temperatures are already having an impact. With between 1.5 to 2 degrees Celsius of warming, the world’s highest mountain region stands to lose 30% to 50% of its volume by 2100, the latest report said. Glaciers in the Hindu Kush and Himalaya mountain range region are melting faster than expected. Courtesy Jitendra Raj Bajracharya/ICIMODRapid warming and glacial meltAbout 240 million people live in the Hindu Kush Himalaya region, many of their cultures dating back thousands of years, and another the 1.65 billion live downstream. “The glaciers of the Hindu Kush Himalaya are a major component of the Earth system.

Persons: Saleemul Huq, Bajracharya, Amina Maharjan, Maharjan, yaks, ”, Izabella Koziell Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, International Centre, Integrated Mountain Development, World Meteorological Organization Scientists, International Locations: Hong Kong, Nepal, Afghanistan, Myanmar, China, India, Pakistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Asia, Murree Hills

☆ Heat, drought and fire: Europe's year of extremes in 2022 will not be a 'one off,' new report finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The climate crisis is taking an enormous toll on Europe, which was ravaged by extreme heat, drought, wildfires and glacier melt last year, a new analysis has concluded. The cracked ground of La Vinuela reservoir during a severe drought in La Vinuela, near Malaga, southern Spain August 8, 2022. Europe experienced the second-largest burned area on record in 2022, the report found, with Central Europe and the Mediterranean, in particular, seeing large areas scorched by fire. And oceans were unusually warm, with average sea surface temperatures in the North Atlantic the hottest on record. With the arrival of El Niño, a natural climate phenomenon with a global warming effect, many scientists are concerned 2023 could see even starker climate extremes.

Persons: ”, Carlo Buontempo, Jon Nazca, El, Petteri Taalas Organizations: CNN, World Meteorological Organization, Central, North Atlantic, WMO Locations: Europe, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, France, La Vinuela, Malaga, Central Europe, North

☆ Swiss voters approve new climate law as country's glaciers melt
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Swiss voters have approved a new law to cut the use of fossil fuels and significantly reduce levels of planet-heating pollution, as the country faces alarming levels of glacier melt. “These fossil fuels will not be available indefinitely and they place a heavy burden on the climate,” a statement on the Swiss government website said Sunday. The Swiss population sends out a strong signal: the law for bringing the country to net zero emissions was accepted today! A climate law was first introduced back in 2021, including measures to increase taxes on activities that produce high levels of planet-heating pollution, such as flying and driving gas-powered cars. This current climate bill was proposed as a response to the Glacier Initiative, set up by the Swiss Association for Climate Protection, which pushed for an end to fossil fuels in order to save the country’s glaciers.

Persons: André, R2O5BIk9xE — Matthias Huss, there’s, ”, Matthias Huss, ” Huss Organizations: CNN — Swiss, Swiss, Twitter, Glacier Initiative, Swiss Association for Climate Protection, ETH Zurich, CNN, Meteorological Organization Locations: Switzerland, Swiss

Islamabad and New Delhi CNN —Tens of thousands of people are being evacuated as India and Pakistan brace for the impact of Cyclone Biparjoy, which is expected to make landfall in densely populated areas across the subcontinent Thursday, putting millions of lives at risk. Mass evacuations have started in Pakistan’s Sindh province, with about 60,000 people sent to temporary shelters, according to local authorities. Residents evacuate from a coastal area of Keti Bandar before the expected arrival of Cyclone Biparjoy in Pakistan's Sindh province on June 13. In India’s Gujarat state, about 21,000 people have been evacuated from coastal areas, according to the state’s relief commissioner, Alok Kumar Pandey. People gather near the shore before the arrival of Cyclone Biparjoy at Clifton Beach in Karachi, Pakistan, on June 13.

Persons: Biparjoy, ”, Leela Ram Kohli, Alok Kumar Pandey, Rashmi, Sherry Rehman, Cyclone, Akhtar Soomro, Tauktae Organizations: New Delhi CNN, India Meteorological Department, Cyclone, AFP, Getty, PIA, Livestock, CNN, Authorities, Twitter, Shenzhen Institute of Meteorological, Chinese University of Hong, World Meteorological Organization Locations: Islamabad, New Delhi, India, Pakistan, Pakistan’s Sindh, Karachi – Pakistan’s, Keti Bandar, Pakistan's Sindh, Sindh, Badin, India’s Gujarat, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Mumbai, Balochistan, People, Clifton Beach, Karachi, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Asia, India’s

☆ Temperatures have reached 100 degrees in Siberia amid its 'worst heat wave in history'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Dozens of heat records have fallen in Siberia, as temperatures climbed above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.7 Celsius). Last Saturday, temperatures reached 37.9 degrees Celsius (100.2 Fahrenheit) in Jalturovosk, its hottest day in history, according to the climatologist Maximiliano Herrera, who tracks extreme temperatures across the globe. Several all-time heat records were broken on Wednesday, including in Baevo, which reached 39.6 degrees Celsius (103.3 Fahrenheit), and Barnaul, which hit 38.5 degrees Celsius (101.3 Fahrenheit). Some of these stations have between five and seven decades of temperature recordings, Herrera told CNN. On Wednesday, temperatures of more than 45 degrees Celsius (111.2 Fahrenheit) were recorded in China, 43 degrees Celsius (109.4 Fahrenheit) in Uzbekistan and 41 degrees Celsius (105.8) in Kazakhstan.

Persons: Maximiliano Herrera, Herrera, ”, ” Herrera, ” Omar Baddour, Samantha Burgess, Canada –, It’s Organizations: CNN, Twitter, “ Records, Tomsk, World Meteorological Organization, Northern Locations: Siberia, Jalturovosk, Baevo, Asia, China, India, Northern Hemisphere, Canada, Central Asia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan

☆ Climate change: The world's biggest companies have made almost no progress on limiting greenhouse gas emissions since 2018
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

London CNN —The vast majority of the world’s biggest companies have done almost nothing in the past five years to cut their planet-heating pollution enough to avoid catastrophic climate change. Large companies are either more likely to contribute to extreme levels of warming or are not disclosing their greenhouse gas emissions at all, according to a new report from ESG Book, seen by CNN. Slow progressIn its analysis, ESG Book assigned “temperature scores” to companies based on publicly reported emission data and factors such as emission reduction targets to determine firms’ contribution to global climate goals. It accounted for direct emissions from operations as well as indirect emissions from use of the companies’ products. Still, slightly more than $1 trillion is expected to flow toward oil, gas and coal this year, significantly above the level consistent with the world reaching net-zero emissions by 2050, the IEA said.

Persons: ”, Daniel Klier, we’re, ” Klier, Fatih Birol Organizations: London CNN, CNN, Shell, BP, European Union, EU, International Energy Agency, World Meteorological Organization Locations: Paris, United States, United Kingdom, China, India

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