All things surrounding an organism that affect its growth process either directly or indirectly constitute its environment. Our environment has undergone serious changes due to the rapid urbanization activities of the human kind. Technological advancements have also supported this change in many ways. Environmental problems such as pollution, global warming, depletion of natural resources, loss of biodiversity etc. are on the rise. Environment News for Kids brings to your attention many such issues from around the world, that will make you think and may even stir some action in you.
Bushfire in Australia
A bushfire is a wildfire that happens in the grasslands or the scrubs in Australia. The global climate changes that led to a prolonged drought period has led to an enormous bushfire this year. These fires are so intense that they are triggering their own thunderstorms. The fire has gutted bout 6 million hectares of land, killed innumerable wild life and consumed many human lives too.
These wildfires seem to be linked to a weather pattern that starts in the Indian Ocean. The temperature difference across the Indian ocean created a ‘positive dipole’ that drew moisture away from Australia, intensifying the droughts. Also, the rising level of the greenhouse gases changed the Earth’s radiation balance which in turn restricted the escape of heat. Unfortunately, these extreme fires are going to be more common in the future, with the addition of more greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.
Palau bans sunscreens to save coral reefs
The scenic island nation of Palau is an archipelago located in the western Pacific ocean. It consists of about 200 small islands. Palau is famous for diving and also known for its stunningly beautiful and vibrant coral reefs. To protect its beautiful lagoons and the diverse marine life, Palau has banned the use of sunscreens that are toxic to coral reefs. Palau also became the first country in the world to ban the manufacture, import or sale of sunscreens that contain certain harmful ingredients. The legislation to ban such products came into effect on January 1, 2020, as part of Palau’s new Responsible Tourism Education Act.
Some of these ingredients are highly toxic to juvenile stages of many wildlife species, including corals, fish etc. The ban is part of a wider attempt by the government to protect its environment, particularly from tourists. Travelers from outside the country, if found carrying products containing these harmful ingredients, will be charged a huge penalty of 1000 US Dollars.
Plants Growing Higher Up on Mount Everest
Satellite records have shown that there is more green cover on the slopes on the Mt. Everest than there was 25 years ago. The warming of the Himalayan region due to greenhouse emissions could be attributed to this phenomenon. Plants have started moving uphill, as the temperature conditions are becoming more favorable there. The abundance of carbon dioxide higher up, could also be a reason for this expanding green cover. Here we see the other side of climate change!
Satellite data from 1993 to 2018 was used to measure the extent of plant cover between the tree-line and the snow-line. These studies indicated an increase in vegetation in this subnival region.
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