Recent spate of wildfires in Japan and South Korea linked to climate change
ClimaMeter, a European Union-backed project studying the impact of climate change on extreme weather, said the ongoing wildfires in both countries were made more intense due to persistently dry soil, strong winds and unusually high temperatures.
The wildfires erupted between Friday and Sunday and are still raging in Okayama and Ehime prefectures in Japan, as well as in parts of South Korea .
Meanwhile, a new wildfire detected in the city of Miyazaki around noon on Tuesday continued to spread on Wednesday despite efforts by local firefighters and Self-Defense Forces to tame the blaze. The fire had razed 50 hectares as of Wednesday morning and at least 70 households in the city have been told to evacuate.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Wednesday issued an order to ministers and relevant authorities to maximize efforts to put out the fires, support residents' safe evacuation and get trucks mounted with electric generators ready in case of large-scale power outages.
In the European study, researchers compared patterns of the atmospheric pressure system of 1987-2023 with those of the 1950-1986 period, when they were less affected by climate change. The results showed that the weather in the latest period was warmer by up to 2 degrees Celsius, precipitation was down by up to 2 millimeters per day and winds were stronger by up to 4.8 kph.
The wildfires in the past week follow the nation's worst wildfire in half a century , which broke out in Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture in February, right on the heels of record snowfall observed the same month in eastern and northern Japan .
'In weeks, the region saw record snowfall and the worst fire in decades,' said Davide Faranda, a researcher at the French National Centre for Scientific Research, who was involved in the study.
'Climate change isn't just warming the planet, it is amplifying extremes of different nature, fueling disasters from both fire and ice in the region.'
Carmen Alvarez Castro, a researcher at the University Pablo de Olavide in Spain who was also involved in the study, concurred.
'The wildfires in eastern Asia in March 2025, strengthened by human-driven climate change, underscore the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events, stressing the urgent need to tackle the rising impacts of climate change,' she said.
In their analysis, the researchers factored in different natural phenomena such as El Nino and concluded that, while some of these changes can be caused by natural variability, contributions by human-driven climate change was undeniable.
While an average of 1,300 wildfires strike Japan every year, this year has seen a spate of events that are much worse than most. In addition to the Ofunato wildfire, which razed 2,900 hectares of vegetation, a forest fire in Imabari, Ehime Prefecture continues to rage at the time of writing, having spread some 300 hectares. The city has ordered a total of 3,800 households to evacuate from their homes.
Firefighting efforts were also ongoing in the city of Okayama, where 546 hectares had been burnt down as of 2 p.m. Wednesday.
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Yomiuri Shimbun
an hour ago
- Yomiuri Shimbun
The Beauty Industry Loves Argan Oil. But Demand, and Drought, Are Straining Morocco and Its Trees
SMIMOU, Morocco (AP) — Argan oil runs through your fingers like liquid gold — hydrating, luscious, and restorative. Prized worldwide as a miracle cosmetic, it's more than that in Morocco. It's a lifeline for rural women and a byproduct of a forest slowly buckling under the weight of growing demand. To make it, women crouch over stone mills and grind down kernels. One kilogram — roughly two days of work — earns them around $3, enough for a modest foothold in an economy where opportunities are scarce. It also links them to generations past. 'We were born and raised here. These traditions come from nature, what our parents and grandparents have taught us and what we've inherited,' cooperative worker Fatma Mnir said. Long a staple in local markets, argan oil today is in luxury hair and skin care products lining drugstore aisles worldwide. But its runaway popularity is threatening argan forests, with overharvesting piled on top of drought straining trees once seen as resilient in the harshest of conditions. Hafida El Hantati, owner of one of the cooperatives that harvests the fruit and presses it for oil, said the stakes go beyond the trees, threatening cherished traditions. 'We must take care of this tree and protect it because if we lose it, we will lose everything that defines us and what we have now,' she said at the Ajddigue cooperative outside the coastal town of Essaouira. A forest out of time For centuries, argan trees have supported life in the arid hills between the Atlantic Ocean and the Atlas Mountains, feeding people and animals, holding soil in place and helping keep the desert from spreading. The spiny trees can survive in areas with less than an inch of annual rain and heat up to 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit). They endure drought with roots that stretch as far as 115 feet (35 meters) underground. Goats climb trees, chomp their fruit, and eventually disperse seeds as part of the forest's regeneration cycle. Moroccans stir the oil into nut butters and drizzle it over tagines. Rich in vitamin E, it's lathered onto dry hair and skin to plump, moisturize and stave off damage. Some use it to calm eczema or heal chicken pox. But the forest has thinned. Trees bear fewer fruit, their branches gnarled from thirst. In many places, cultivated land has replaced them as fields of citrus and tomatoes, many grown for export, have expanded. Communities once managed forests collectively, setting rules for grazing and harvesting. Now the system is fraying, with theft routinely reported. What's wrong with the forest But a forest that covered about 5,405 square miles (14,000 square kilometers) at the turn of the century has shrunk by 40%. Scientists warn that argan trees are not invincible. 'Because argan trees acted as a green curtain protecting a large part of southern Morocco against the encroaching Sahara, their slow disappearance has become considered as an ecological disaster,' said Zoubida Charrouf, a chemist who researches argan at Université Mohammed V in Rabat. Shifting climate is a part of the problem. Fruit and flowers sprout earlier each year as rising temperatures push the seasons out of sync. Goats that help spread seeds can be destructive, too, especially if they feed on seedlings before they mature. Overgrazing has become worse as herders and fruit collectors fleeing drier regions encroach on plots long allocated to specific families. The forests also face threats from camels bred and raised by the region's wealthy. Camels stretch their necks into trees and chomp entire branches, leaving lasting damage, Charrouf said. Liquid gold, dry pockets Today, women peel, crack and press argan for oil at hundreds of cooperatives. Much makes its way through middlemen to be sold in products by companies and subsidiaries of L'Oréal, Unilever, and Estée Lauder. But workers say they earn little while watching profits flow elsewhere. Cooperatives say much of the pressure stems from climbing prices. A 1-liter bottle sells for 600 Moroccan dirhams ($60), up from 25 dirhams ($2.50) three decades ago. Products infused with argan sell for even more abroad. Cosmetics companies call argan the most expensive vegetal oil on the market. The coronavirus pandemic upended global demand and prices and many cooperatives closed. Cooperative leaders say new competitors have flooded the market just as drought has diminished how much oil can be squeezed from each fruit. Cooperatives were set up to provide women a base pay and share profits each month. But Union of Women's Argan Cooperatives President Jamila Id Bourrous said few make more than Morocco's minimum monthly wage. 'The people who sell the final product are the ones making the money,' she said. Some businesses say large multinational companies use their size to set prices and shut others out. Khadija Saye, a co-owner of Ageourde Cooperative, said there were real fears about monopoly. 'Don't compete with the poor for the one thing they live from,' she said. 'When you take their model and do it better because you have money, it's not competition, it's displacement.' One company, Olvea, controls 70% of the export market, according to data from local cooperatives. Cooperatives say few competitors can match its capacity to fill big orders for global brands. Representatives for the company did not respond to requests for comment. Mounting challenges, limited solutions On a hill overlooking the Atlantic, a government water truck weaves between rows of trees, pausing to hose saplings that have just started to sprout. The trees are a project that Morocco began in 2018, planting 39 square miles (100 square kilometers) on private lands abutting the forests. To conserve water and improve soil fertility, argan trees alternate rows with capers, a technique known as intercropping. The idea is to expand forest cover and show that argan, if properly managed, can be a viable source of income. Officials hope it will ease pressure on the overharvested commons and convince others to reinvest in the land. The trees were expected to begin producing this year but haven't during a drought. Another issue is the supply chain. 'Between the woman in the village and the final buyer, there are four intermediaries. Each takes a cut. The cooperatives can't afford to store, so they sell cheap to someone who pays upfront,' Id Bourrous, the union president, said. The government has attempted to build storage centers to help producers hold onto their goods longer and negotiate better deals. 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The Diplomat
9 hours ago
- The Diplomat
What Is Behind Gwadar's Continued Water Woes?
The thirsty port city is once again fighting for water, with no permanent solution in sight. Nisar Dagar near Pishukan in Pakistan's Gwadar district, which was previously a wetland, is now completely dry due to the ongoing drought. In Gwadar, Pakistan's multimillion-dollar port city, hundreds of women and children have been protesting water shortages since early June. They bring empty buckets and containers to their protest site at the Fish Harbor Road to block one of the routes to Gwadar Port. Temperatures in Gwadar can go as high as 45 degrees Celsius. That doesn't deter them; they keep returning to the streets, protesting, blocking roads and burning tires — all in the hope that someone in power might address the ongoing water crisis. With drought taking over and water levels in dams dropping to historic lows, questions are being raised not just about the current water crisis, but about decades of neglect that have pushed Gwadar to this situation. How will Gwadar's 260,000 people survive without a sustainable and long-term strategy in place? One of Pakistan's most important cities, Gwadar is the gateway to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship project of China's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Already, China has spent around $28 billion on CPEC and some $230 million on Gwadar city, including its water infrastructure. Yet, something as basic as access to water remains an unresolved issue for the people of Gwadar. What Is Behind the Crisis? Gwadar's main source of water is rainfall. But weather patterns have been changing, and like the rest of Pakistan, Balochistan's southern coast, where Gwadar is located, is beginning to suffer the impacts of climate change. Winter downpours that were once common in the region have become a rarity, and when they do arrive, they bring destructive flooding, as was seen in 2005, 2007, 2010, 2022, and 2024. 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Both want to control water projects and this could be causing delays,' Nasir Rahim Sohrabi, an activist and president of a local development organization, said. Why Have Desalination Plants Failed? There is the water of the Arabian Sea that Gwadar can draw on. To this end, 11 desalination plants have been set up in Gwadar district, but none currently provides water to the city. 'Although desalination is a viable solution, it is a costly process and needs constant power supply, which the region lacks, Sohrabi told the Diplomat. Many of these plants were set up with Chinese funding. For example, a 1.2 million-gallon-per-day (MGD) desalination plant was installed through CPEC funding at an estimated cost of $12.7 million. Another 5 MGD plant costing $5 billion is under construction. In 2023, China also donated a desalination plant, which it says provides 5,000 tons of potable water per day. New plants are being set up when existing ones are not functional. 'Although such plants may create the impression that the crisis is being taken seriously, each new plant is only a new photo session opportunity for the successive governments,' Nabi Buksh Baloch said. 'Each desalination plant,' he said, 'brings in more funding. That also means more opportunities for those in power to misuse the funds.' The Quick Fix of Trucking in Water Authorities have also tried trucking in water. During droughts in 2012 and 2017, for example, when Gwadar only had pipeline connections with the Ankara Kaur dam, the government paid tanker companies to truck in water from the Meerani dam, located in the neighboring district of Kech, around 150 kilometers from Gwadar city. This was a burden on the government. According to Nabi Buksh Baloch, 'many officials from the PHE and the local administration allegedly pocketed funds meant for water supply. Consequently, many tanker owners went unpaid and they often cut off water supply to residents.' These days, the government is no longer hiring tanker companies for water supply to Gwadar. 'So now when supply is short, those who can afford it buy water from tankers, which costs around $70-$90 per tank, that too for contaminated water, as the trucks source it from nearby ponds,' Nabi Buksh Baloch said. Is Corruption Fueling the Crisis? Corruption is yet another issue. Earlier this month, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Balochistan Assembly pointed out financial irregularities in the functioning of the PHE. This isn't the first time that such corruption has been laid bare. In 2021, the National Accountability Bureau's Balochistan chapter detected corruption to the tune of $4.46 million in one of Gwadar's water desalination projects. In addition to these massive corruption cases, 'residents are often forced to pay a bribe to the 'valve-man' if they want to fill their home tanks. While officers at higher levels benefit from massive funds, the lower staff exploit residents by demanding petty bribes,' said Nabi Buksh Baloch. Can the Crisis be Resolved? Despite several dams being constructed, desalination plants being installed, and billions of rupees being spent on water infrastructure, Gwadar's water woes persist. The water crisis is not the result of water scarcity alone. Failure of effective planning, lack of transparency and accountability, misuse of funds, and lack of climate adaptation measures are also to blame. Larger dams can store more water during rainy seasons. These could help deal with water shortage during droughts. These dams need to be well-connected with the city through pipeline systems. There is also no need for more desalination plants, but it's crucial to make operational the ones already set up. 'Gwadar is not without water resources. It has the Arabian Sea, groundwater reserves in Dasht and Jiwani, and surface water of Sawad and Shadi Kaur dams,' Ahmad said, adding that 'what's lacking is the political will and capacity to manage these resources and climate-resilient planning.'
The Mainichi
a day ago
- The Mainichi
Sapporo schools rush to install air conditioning amid dangerous temps
SAPPORO -- Efforts to equip schools in this north Japan city with air conditioning are underway amid another scorching summer, with the current installation rate at just about 10% of all schools. Many children still lack a suitable learning environment, prompting the Sapporo Municipal Board of Education to expedite the process, aiming for all schools to have air conditioning by the summer of 2027. On July 23, the Hokkaido capital experienced an extreme heat day, hitting a high temperature of 35.7 degrees Celsius and leading over half of the city's schools to cancel classes and send students home early. The first school term ended on July 25, and, as with last summer, an extended summer break as a heat countermeasure has started. During the fourth period class held on July 10 at Toen Elementary School in Sapporo's Toyohira Ward, students were focused and engaged in their lessons. A thermometer at the front of the classroom displayed a comfortable room temperature of 25.2 C with 39% humidity, conditions defined as "almost safe from heatstroke." Toen Elementary is one of the schools where permanent air conditioning units were installed in regular classrooms this summer. Until last summer, they relied on portable air conditioners without outdoor units and fans to combat the heat. Aoi Kobayashi, 11, expressed her delight, saying, "The cool air fills the classroom, making it pleasant. It's easier to listen to the teacher now." The sixth grader noted that no longer needing to fan herself during lessons has improved her concentration. Principal Miki Okada remarked, "In recent years, even Sapporo has experienced dangerous heat levels. Last year, there were days when the temperature inside the school building exceeded 30 C. Air conditioning is essential not only for creating a conducive learning environment but also for protecting students' lives." Following the record high temperature of 36.3 C in Sapporo in the summer of 2023, the city began installing air conditioning in all municipal schools and kindergartens (312 facilities, approximately 6,000 rooms) starting in fiscal 2024. This summer, 39 schools (roughly 580 rooms), accounting for 12.5% of the total, had permanent air conditioners with outdoor units for the first time. The education board is expected to have 67.3% coverage by the summer of 2026, with all schools equipped by the summer of 2027. The push for classroom air conditioning gained momentum nationwide after a first grade boy died of heatstroke in the summer of 2018 at a public elementary school in Toyota, Aichi Prefecture. According to the education ministry, air conditioning installation rate in regular classrooms of public elementary and junior high schools nationwide was 99.1% in 2024. Although a simple comparison is not possible because the rate includes portable air conditioners, some school officials believe that "Hokkaido, which once had a cooler climate, has not yet embraced an 'air conditioning culture,' leading to delays in installation." The Sapporo education board explains that the reason why air conditioners will not be installed in all schools until 2027 is that "it takes time and labor to do construction work to increase the amount of electricity that can be used in schools." Some schools have air conditioners installed but cannot use them yet due to insufficient power. An education board official said, "We are unable to meet the expectations of the children and their parents, and it will take some time. We apologize for this." As a measure against the heat, the education board is promoting initiatives along with air conditioner installation. Sapporo's elementary schools have a combined total of 50 days for summer and winter breaks. Until the 2023 academic year, each break was 25 days. However, to reduce the number of days spent in hot conditions at school, winter break was shortened and summer break was extended to 30 days starting last school year. Additionally, when extreme heat is announced, schools make decisions on measures such as holding only morning classes or school closures. On July 23, 200 schools advanced their dismissal times.
