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Straits Times
2 days ago
- Climate
- Straits Times
France expecting peak temperatures as heatwave hits Europe
The sun rises by the Eiffel Tower and the Sacre Coeur Basilica ontop of the Montmartre hill in Paris on July 1, 2025. PHOTO: AFP PARIS - Paris extended a red alert for high temperatures on July 1 , with the top of the Eiffel Tower shut, polluting traffic banned and speed restrictions in place as a searing heatwave grips Europe. Mediterranean countries from the Iberian peninsula through France and Italy to the Balkans and Greece have been sweltering for several days, prompting health warnings and wildfire alerts. Scientists say human-induced climate change is making such heatwave events more intense, frequent and widespread. Temperatures in France were expected to hit a peak on July 1 , according to the Meteo France weather agency, with some areas expected to soar beyond 40 deg Celsius. 'We have air-conditioning but it's not very powerful,' said Mr Raphael, 27, on the street in a Parisian suburb. 'Today is going to be a struggle.' Paris was facing its first red alert in five years, with local officials empowered to limit or ban sporting events, festivals and school outings for children. Authorities said the alert would be extended into July 2 . Operators of the Eiffel Tower shut the summit of the 330m high landmark at 11am GMT (7pm, Singapore time) on June 30 and said it would remain closed on July 1 and 2 because of the heatwave. 'Remember to protect yourself from the sun and stay hydrated. Water fountains are available in the walkways leading to the esplanade,' they said. All but the least polluting vehicles were banned from the Ile-de-France region, which includes Paris, between 3.30am GMT to 10pm GMT because of high ozone pollution levels, police said. Speed limits of 20kmh would also remain in some places. Across France, the government said it expected nearly 1,350 schools to be partially or completely shut – nearly double the number on June 30 – with teachers complaining that overheated and unventilated classrooms were making students unwell. Warnings were issued for young children, older people and those with chronic illnesses. 'Heatwaves are deadly,' said Mr Akshay Deoras, a research scientist at the University of Reading, west of London. 'We need to treat extreme heat with the same seriousness we give to dangerous storms.' Roll cloud Portugal is expecting some respite on July 1 after two days on red alert in several regions, including Lisbon, and warnings will be downgraded in all but eight areas inland. But temperatures were still expected to reach 40 deg C in the central city of Castel Branco, Beja and Evora in the south, and 34 deg C in the capital. The national meteorological agency IPMA said those on the beaches in northern and central Portugal would have seen a rare 'roll cloud' blown towards the coast on June 30 . Images shared on social networks showed a huge horizontal cloud heading from the horizon towards the shore, accompanied by a violent gust of wind when it reached land. 'The most frightening thing was the wind and everything becoming dark,' one swimmer told online media outlet ZAP. 'It was very strange. We all started packing up our things and running. It looked like a tsunami.' Similar temperatures in the high 30s to mid 40s were forecast in Spain after they soared to 46 deg C in the south – a new record for June, according to the national weather agency. Red alerts have been issued for 18 Italian cities in the coming days, including Rome, Milan, Verona, Perugia and Palermo, as well as across the Adriatic on the Croatian coast and Montenegro. Italy also experienced another type of extreme weather event on June 30 when a flash flood in the northern region of Piedmont caused by heavy rain killed a 70-year-old man. 'We are increasingly faced with emergency situations due to weather events that we used to call exceptional but are now more and more frequent,' said the president of the region, Mr Alberto Cirio, on social media. The Mediterranean Sea itself recorded a new June high of 26 deg C on June 29 , according to French weather service scientist Thibault Guinaldo, citing data from EU monitor Copernicus. The risk of forest fires remains high in a number of Portuguese regions. On the night of June 30 , some 250 firefighters were tackling a blaze in the southern Aljustrel area. In Turkey, rescuers evacuated more than 50,000 people threatened by a string of wildfires, most from the western province of Izmir, where winds of 120km per hour fanned the blazes. Greece has also been tackling wildfires. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Al-Ahram Weekly
2 days ago
- Climate
- Al-Ahram Weekly
France expecting peak temperatures as heatwave hits Europe - International
Paris extended a red alert for high temperatures on Tuesday, with the top of the Eiffel Tower shut, polluting traffic banned and speed restrictions in place as a searing heatwave grips Europe. Mediterranean countries from the Iberian peninsula through France and Italy to the Balkans and Greece have been sweltering for several days, prompting health warnings and wildfire alerts. Scientists say human-induced climate change is making such heatwave events more intense, frequent and widespread. Temperatures in France were expected to hit a peak on Tuesday, according to the Meteo France weather agency, with some areas expected to soar beyond 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). "We have air-conditioning but it's not very powerful," said Raphael, 27, on the street in a Parisian suburb. "Today is going to be a struggle." Paris was facing its first red alert in five years, with local officials empowered to limit or ban sporting events, festivals and school outings for children. Authorities said the alert would be extended into Wednesday. Operators of the Eiffel Tower shut the summit of the 330-metre (1,083-feet) high landmark at 1100 GMT on Monday and said it would remain closed on Tuesday and Wednesday because of the heatwave. "Remember to protect yourself from the sun and stay hydrated. Water fountains are available in the walkways leading to the esplanade," they said. All but the least polluting vehicles were banned from the Ile-de-France region, which includes Paris, between 0330 GMT to 2200 GMT because of high ozone pollution levels, police said. Speed limits of 20 kilometres per hour (12.5 miles per hour) would also remain in some places. Across France, the government said it expected nearly 1,350 schools to be partially or completely shut -- nearly double the number on Monday -- with teachers complaining that overheated and unventilated classrooms were making students unwell. Warnings were issued for young children, older people and those with chronic illnesses. "Heatwaves are deadly," said Akshay Deoras, a research scientist at the University of Reading, west of London. "We need to treat extreme heat with the same seriousness we give to dangerous storms." Roll cloud Portugal is expecting some respite on Tuesday after two days on red alert in several regions, including Lisbon, and warnings will be downgraded in all but eight areas inland. But temperatures were still expected to reach 40C in the central city of Castel Branco, Beja and Evora in the south, and 34C in the capital. The national meteorological agency IPMA said those on the beaches in northern and central Portugal would have seen a rare "roll cloud" blown towards the coast on Monday. Images shared on social networks showed a huge horizontal cloud heading from the horizon towards the shore, accompanied by a violent gust of wind when it reached land. "The most frightening thing was the wind and everything becoming dark," one swimmer told online media outlet ZAP. "It was very strange. We all started packing up our things and running. It looked like a tsunami." Similar temperatures in the high 30s to mid 40s were forecast in Spain after they soared to 46C in the south -- a new record for June, according to the national weather agency. Red alerts have been issued for 18 Italian cities in the coming days, including Rome, Milan, Verona, Perugia and Palermo, as well as across the Adriatic on the Croatian coast and Montenegro. Italy also experienced another type of extreme weather event on Monday when a flash flood in the northern region of Piedmont caused by heavy rain killed a 70-year-old man. "We are increasingly faced with emergency situations due to weather events that we used to call exceptional but are now more and more frequent," said the president of the region, Alberto Cirio, on social media. The Mediterranean Sea itself recorded a new June high of 26.01C on Sunday, according to French weather service scientist Thibault Guinaldo, citing data from EU monitor Copernicus. The risk of forest fires remains high in a number of Portuguese regions. On Monday night, some 250 firefighters were tackling a blaze in the southern Aljustrel area. In Turkey, rescuers evacuated more than 50,000 people threatened by a string of wildfires, most from the western province of Izmir, where winds of 120 kilometres (75 miles) per hour fanned the blazes. Greece has also been tackling wildfires. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Forbes
5 days ago
- Science
- Forbes
500 Bird Species Face Extinction Within The Next Century
The loss of these birds will lead to the unraveling or to the complete collapse of entire ecosystems. An adult male yellow-bellied sunbird-asity (Neodrepanis hypoxantha) in Ranomafana National Park, ... More Madagascar. This tiny songbird lives in montane forests where it feeds on feeds on nectar. (Credit: Dubi Shapiro / CC BY-SA 3.0) A recent international study warns that more than 500 bird species could go extinct in the next 100 years due to climate change and human persecution. The species that are most vulnerable to extinction include the yellow-bellied sunbird-asity, the helmeted hornbill and the bare-necked umbrellabird. The loss of these vulnerable birds would greatly reduce the variety of avian sizes and shapes and would harm ecosystems as well as humans that depend on unique birds for vital ecosystem functions. 'The rate of extinction in modern times is unprecedented,' the study's lead author, ornithologist and conservation biologist Kerry Stewart, a PhD student at the University of Reading, told me in email 'We predict three times as many bird extinctions in the next 100 years as have been recorded since 1500 AD (164 recorded avian extinctions). Extinctions on this scale are expected to fundamentally alter avian communities worldwide, potentially undermining ecosystem stability and resilience.' Helmeted Hornbill (Rhinoplax vigil) is a very large bird in the hornbill family. It is found on the ... More Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo, Thailand and Myanmar. It is critically endangered due to poaching and habitat loss. (Credit: Doug Janson / CC BY-SA 3.0) Many of these threatened birds will require targeted interventions if they are to survive at all. 'We need immediate action to reduce human threats across habitats and targeted rescue programs for the most unique and endangered species,' Ms Stewart explained. 'Many birds are already so threatened that reducing human impacts alone won't save them. These species need special recovery programs, like breeding projects and habitat restoration, to survive.' Tragically, Ms Stewart and collaborators found that even with complete protection from hunting, habitat loss, and climate change, roughly 250 bird species will probably go extinct anyway. Ms Stewart and collaborators came to this conclusion after examining IUCN Red List data for nearly 10,000 bird species. They predicted extinction risk based on the types of threats that each species faces. 'Birds differ in their vulnerability to different human threats, so large-bodied species are particularly likely to be vulnerable to hunting and climate change, while birds with broad wings suffer more from habitat loss,' Ms Stewart told me in email. 'We also found that many of the world's most unique species in terms of their size and shape are threatened with extinction.' Why should people care about these bird species, many of which live in faraway places? 'Bird declines have serious implications for ecosystems and human societies,' Ms Stewart replied in email. 'Declines alter species interaction networks which undermines ecosystem stability and has knock-on effects for other species including plants, mammals and insects. The impact of bird declines are expected to be particularly serious when they reduce the diversity of the roles that species play within an ecosystem.' The Indian vulture (Gyps indicus) is an Old World scavenger native to India, Pakistan, and Nepal. ... More They are usually found in savannas and other open habitats around villages, cities, and near cultivated areas. They are critically endangered after their populations crashed in 2002 and afterwards. (Credit: Mike Prince via / CC BY) 'Birds provide many services that humans depend upon. For example, pollination, pest control and seed dispersal are necessary for agricultural production, and some birds are important scavengers – the vulture decline in India was estimated to have killed more than half a million people between 2000 and 2005 (ref) following the spread of disease-carrying pathogens due to an excess of dead animals,' Ms Stewart elaborated in email. 'Birds also have immense cultural value, with over $14.5 billion being spent on birdwatching trips every year in the US alone (PDF).' Considering this is not the first warning that scientists have delivered regarding the conservation status of the world's birds, what makes this study unique? 'One of the novel aspects of this paper is that we estimated biodiversity loss in more than one way, looking at species extinctions and functional diversity decline,' Ms Stewart explained in email. 'Functional diversity describes the diversity of size and shape of species within a community, and can be useful for understanding the range of ecological roles present in an ecosystem which is important for understanding ecosystem function and integrity. We found that functional diversity will decline as much as species richness in response to species extinctions, and that threats like hunting and collection have a particularly large impact on functional diversity per the number of species affected.' In addition to sounding yet another warning regarding these birds' extinction risks, Ms Stewart and collaborators also identified which conservation actions will best preserve both the number of bird species and their ecological functions. The study found that stopping the destruction of habitats would save the most bird species overall. However, reducing hunting and preventing accidental deaths would save birds with more unusual functions, which are especially important for ecosystem health. But as many as 250–350 species will require more intensive conservation measures, such as captive breeding programs and habitat restoration, if they are to survive into the next century. For example, prioritizing conservation programs for just 100 of the most unusual threatened birds could save 68% of the variety in bird shapes and sizes. This approach could help to keep ecosystems healthy. One particularly inspirational conservation triumph that illustrates successful intensive conservation efforts is the California condor, Gymnogyps californianus. With a 9½-foot wingspan, this species is amongst the largest birds in North America. When in flight, this spectacular bird is hard to miss. But poaching for feathers and eggs, poisoning from consuming lead ammunition in carcasses, and habitat destruction caused the condors' population to crash. By 1987, the entire species – numbering just 22 individuals – was removed from the wild and placed into captive breeding programs at a number of zoos throughout the United States. Meanwhile, lead ammunition for hunting has been either banned or severely restricted, thereby protecting condors as well as other large birds, particularly eagles. These targeted intensive conservation efforts are paying off: there are more than 350 condors currently living in the wild, with more than 200 individuals in the state of California alone, and over 180 birds (including chicks) living in captivity. A fledgling California condor (Gymnogyps californianus) spreads her wings to absorb the sun's rays. ... More (Credit: NPS / Gavin Emmons / public domain.) What is this study's most important take-home message? 'The take-home message of this study is that immediate and ambitious actions to reduce threats to natural populations are essential to prevent avian diversity loss, but threat reduction alone is not enough. Many species will require additional measures such as captive breeding efforts for their survival.' Source: Kerry Stewart, Chris Venditti, Carlos P. Carmona, Joanna Baker, Chris Clements, Joseph A. Tobias & Manuela González-Suárez (2025). Threat reduction must be coupled with targeted recovery programmes to conserve global bird diversity, Nature Ecology & Evolution | doi:10.1038/s41559-025-02746-z © Copyright by GrrlScientist | hosted by Forbes | Socials: Bluesky | CounterSocial | LinkedIn | Mastodon Science | MeWe | Spoutible | SubStack | Threads | Tumblr | Twitter
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
‘Extinction crisis' could see 500 bird species vanish within a century
More than 500 bird species could vanish within the next century, researchers have found, calling for urgent 'special recovery programmes' such as captive breeding and habitat restoration to rescue unique species. Birds such as the puffin, European turtle dove and great bustard will be among those to disappear from our skies if trends continue, according to the paper. Their loss threatens to unravel ecosystems across the globe. 'We face a bird extinction crisis unprecedented in modern times,' said Kerry Stewart, lead author of the research from the University of Reading, who described the headline finding of the paper as a 'shocking statistic'. It is triple the number of birds that went extinct in the previous 500 years. The paper, published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution, examined data from nearly 10,000 birds (almost all of those known to exist) and used IUCN data to predict extinction risk. Habitat loss – driven mainly by the expansion and intensification of agriculture – emerged as the most significant driver of species extinction. But even if habitat loss, hunting and climate breakdown stopped today, about 250 species could still die out, as they are already teetering on the brink of extinction. Local conservation efforts may feel small but they are essential to save a species from going extinct, the researchers found. 'Many birds are already so threatened that reducing human impacts alone won't save them. These species need special recovery programmes, like breeding projects and habitat restoration, to survive,' said Stewart. Conservation success stories show it is possible to bring species back from the brink of extinction. By 1987, the California condor – North America's largest bird – had gone extinct in the wild. There were about 22 birds in captivity, which were then bred and released; now there is a population of 350 in the wild. In the UK, the bittern – a shy-reed-dwelling bird – went extinct as a breeding bird in the 1870s because its wetland habitat had been drained for farming. Now, thanks to habitat restoration, their population is at its highest in more than 200 years, with more than 280 booming male bitterns recorded last year. Prof Manuela González-Suárez, senior author of the study at the University of Reading, said: 'Stopping threats is not enough. As many as 250-350 species will require complementary conservation measures … to survive the next century.' Related: Bringing back the birds: the 'ghost woodlands' transforming England's barren sheep fells The latest State of the World's Birds report found nearly half of the planet's bird species are in decline. Habitat loss, logging, invasive species, exploitation of natural resources and climate breakdown were highlighted as the main threats. 'There is no magic bullet for solving the extinction crisis,' said Stuart Butchart, chief scientist at BirdLife International, who was not involved in the research. 'Protected areas can play a key role, while abating threats from agriculture, logging, fisheries, hunting and other sources is essential. However, some species require targeted recovery efforts, involving interventions like captive breeding and release, translocation, or supplementary feeding, to overcome barriers to recovery. 'This paper adds to a growing body of evidence showing that actions across the whole framework will be necessary to stop human actions from driving species extinct.' Find more age of extinction coverage here, and follow the biodiversity reporters Phoebe Weston and Patrick Greenfield in the Guardian app for more nature coverage
Hans India
24-06-2025
- Science
- Hans India
Over 500 bird species face extinction risk in the next 100 years: Study
New Delhi: More than 500 bird species are likely to be wiped out from the face of the Earth in the next 100 years, due to climate change and habitat loss, according to a study on Tuesday. Researchers from the University of Reading in the UK noted that the number is three times higher than all bird extinctions recorded since 1500 CE. The study, published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution, reveals that the bare-necked umbrellabird, the helmeted hornbill, and the yellow-bellied sunbird-asity are the most vulnerable. The extinction of these birds would greatly reduce the variety of bird shapes and sizes worldwide, harming ecosystems that depend on unique birds like these for vital functions. Importantly, the scientists found that even with complete protection from human-caused threats like habitat loss, hunting, and climate change, about 250 bird species could still die out. 'Many birds are already so threatened that reducing human impacts alone won't save them. These species need special recovery programmes, like breeding projects and habitat restoration, to survive,' said lead author Kerry Stewart, from the University of Reading. "We face a bird extinction crisis unprecedented in modern times. We need immediate action to reduce human threats across habitats and target rescue programmes for the most unique and endangered species," Stewart added. The researchers examined nearly 10,000 bird species using data from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. They predicted extinction risk based on the threats each species faces. The study found that large-bodied birds are more vulnerable to hunting and climate change, while birds with broad wings suffer more from habitat loss. Further, the team also detailed the conservation actions to preserve both the number of bird species and their ecological functions. Beyond stopping the threats, the team called for complementary conservation measures, such as breeding programmes and habitat restoration to help as many as 250-350 species survive the next century. "Prioritising conservation programmes for just 100 of the most unusual, threatened birds could save 68 per cent of the variety in bird shapes and sizes. This approach could help to keep ecosystems healthy,' said Professor Manuela Gonzalez-Suarez, senior author of the study at the University of Reading. Stopping the destruction of habitats would save most birds overall. However, reducing hunting and preventing accidental deaths would save birds with more unusual features, which are especially important for ecosystem health, the team said.
