Updates: polution; hunting; animal slaughter; climate change

[Anthea]

30 million acres burned

Last month, Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair said that Canada was experiencing its worst wildfire season of the century

The latest data from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre reveals that some 12.1 million hectares (30 million acres) of wildland have burned in Canada.

While 4,742 fires had erupted across the country since the start of the year, the current number of active blazes currently stands at 1,069.

Weather forecasts show that the coming weeks are predicting above-average temperatures in several parts across the country, in particular Quebec -- the most affected region.

391 wildfires are burning in British Columbia, Canada.
Over half of them are out of control.
235 wildfires started in the last seven days.
They've have burned 13986 square kilometers (5,400 square miles) an all time record.
It's only July.

This isn't normal. #ActOnClimate pic.twitter.com/n6AiKM08iN
— Mike Hudema (@MikeHudema) July 20, 2023

July alone has been particularly difficult for emergency services and firefighters. Some fires have reportedly been described as "out-of-control" as strong winds continue to fan over fires in British Columbia, Alberta, and Northwest Territories.

Last month, Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair said that Canada was experiencing its worst wildfire season of the century.

Since the beginning of May, over 155,000 people have been forced to evacuate residential areas.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/env ... -wildfires

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Despair at water loss, river pollution

RAQA, Syria - Around war-torn Syria's biggest freshwater dam reservoir, fishermen say their catch is now a fraction of what it used to be as environmental pressures have decimated aquatic life

Ismail Hilal, 50, sat on the hull of his rowboat -- now lodged firmly on the shores of Lake Assad -- as gentle waves washed in, talking about the way of life he has lost.

After 37 years as a fisherman, he has retired his nets, declaring defeat as fish stocks have declined, water levels have dropped and pollution has worsened in the Euphrates and the dam reservoir it feeds.

"I have spent my whole life on the water, since childhood," said Hilal, a father of seven. "But I was forced to stop this year. I couldn't live on fishing anymore."

Syria has endured more than a decade of civil war, and the nearby town of Raqa was the centre of the Islamic State group's brutal "caliphate" until their ouster in 2017.

The battered country, where half a million died in the conflict, has also suffered the impacts of climate change, from searing summer heat to prolonged drought.

The flow of the Euphrates -- one of the region's mighty streams, where the world's earliest civilisations flourished -- has been further impacted by upstream dams in Turkey.

Other fishermen AFP spoke to also blamed the river's low water levels, lack of rainfall, worsening pollution and overfishing for the sharp decline in fish stocks.

Fishermen now "barely take in five percent" of their catch from former times, Hilal said.

He now works in a restaurant in Tabqa, on the eastern edge of the lake, toiling in front of a flaming hot oven and preparing and grilling fish instead of catching them.

- 'Downward spiral' -

The Euphrates, said to have nourished the biblical Garden of Eden, runs for almost 2,800 kilometres (1,700 miles) through Turkey, Syria and Iraq, where it empties into the sea.

From the Turkish border, it flows southeast across Syria, irrigating its breadbasket region and filling the reservoirs of three hydroelectric dams that provide drinking water and electricity for millions.

Lake Assad is the biggest reservoir, stretching across 600 square kilometres (230 square miles).

But its water level has dropped by four metres (12 feet) since last year, says Dutch peace-building group PAX, which blames a "downward spiral of drought and water shortages".

The lack of water and the pollution are "driving further biodiversity loss along the lakes and rivers" in Syria's north and east, said the group's Wim Zwijnenburg.

Raqa province received only 208 mm per month of rainfall last year, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.

An AFP team visiting Lake Assad saw vast plumes of algae -- an indicator of pollution, according to experts, that sucks oxygen from the water and kills aquatic life.

- 'Disastrous' situation -

When Ali Shebli, 37, a fisherman like his father, pulled in his long green nets, they were empty except for a few bits of the seagrass that now chokes some shallow areas.

"In the past, we could take in 50 kilogrammes of fish" per day, he said. "But now we barely get one or two kilos, and sometimes nothing ... because of the low water level and the pollution".

Shebli, who struggles to support his wife, three children and his ill father, said the falling fish stocks had made the family's situation "disastrous".

The crisis has impacted the wider local economy.

Fish are displayed on blocks of ice at a market in nearby Raqa, a town under Kurdish control since the IS was ousted by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.

But fishmonger Ragheb Ismail, 45, scaling fresh fish on a bench, said what is on offer now is a far cry from the times when there were "tons of fish" for sale.

"Now even the biggest fishmonger has no more than 200 kilogrammes on offer because of the drought, the lack of water and the high temperatures," he said.

These days, he said with frustration, there are plenty of customers but "not enough fish".

https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/syria/28072023

[Anthea]

Battle against the Deserts

Deserts now cover more than a third of the Earth's surface, affecting over 2.6 billion people in 110 countries. This program delves into the global issue of desertification, with a focus on Asia and Europe. Discover how desertification is altering the delicate balance of our planet and the consequences it has on agriculture, ecosystems, and human populations

Part 1:

Did you know that China, despite being known for its vast landscapes, is actually home to one of the world's largest deserts? With a staggering third of its land area covered in useless sand, China faces significant challenges in ensuring food security for its population. Join us in this eye-opening documentary as we explore the impact of desertification on China's arable lands and the measures being taken to combat it.

Part 2:

Discover the hidden deserts of Europe in this captivating documentary. Contrary to outdated beliefs found in school textbooks, countries like Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Greece have experienced severe desertification, prompting their participation in the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (CCD). Join us as we delve into the environmental challenges faced by these EU nations and their battle against the encroaching desert.

phpBB [video]

https://youtu.be/Rcrq6ukeiZA

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Wildfire Continue to Burn

On Sunday, hundreds of people have been ordered to evacuate in western Canada due to an out-of-control wildfire burning across the Canada-U.S. border

The evacuation order covers the area north of the Canada-United States border to the intersection of Highway 97 and Highway 3, as well as west and north along Highway 3.

According to several reports, the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen and the Town of Osoyoos issued an evacuation order on Saturday evening for 732 properties in and around Osoyoos, 400 km east of Vancouver.

The wildfire, called Eagle Bluff, which originated from the northwestern U.S. state of Washington, is burning about 4 km from Osoyoos in British Columbia's southern Interior.

According to Washington State wildfire officials, as of Sunday morning, the fire has grown to 885 hectares on the Canadian side of the border, and burned more than 4,000 hectares on the U.S. side.

"There are Initial Attack crew personnel, several single resources, two helicopters, structure protection personnel and heavy equipment responding to the incident," BC Wildfire Service said on Sunday.

https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/Wil ... -0003.html

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Water scarcity threatens farms

A dramatic plummet in Iraq's Nasiriyah marshes has turned a once wet region into a desert, causing forced migration of numerous farmers to urban areas and abandoning a life focused on agriculture

Nasiriyah is the capital of the southern province of Dhi Qar where the Tigris and Euphrates rivers have witnessed a sharp decrease in their levels in recent years. Baghdad authorities have repeatedly accused Ankara of withholding water and pledged to resolve the matter, but so far to no avail.

Fazel Khidhir Hamdani, 80, says he has dedicated his life to raising livestock in the area and has never seen so much shortage of water resources.

The climate change crisis has forced Hamdani to sell most of his oxen. He urges the Iraqi government to take swift action to resolve the problem or farming may come to an end in their areas in the near future.

"Can you stand up if your legs are dead? No, you cannot. If your stomach is empty, you cannot make any move. These animals are done. They cannot make any move. They are hungry," Hamdani lamented.

"Due to this water shortage, there is no fodder for them. Those who have money and can afford it will buy fodder for their livestock," he added.

In the course of the past seven months, around 7,000 farmers have abandoned farming in Iraq, including 3,000 alone from Nasiriyah, and moved to the urban areas elsewhere in the country in search of an alternative livelihood to feed their families, according to data from Rudaw's Halkawt Aziz has received from Iraq's migration ministry officials.

"Our ministry has begun taking measures about the migration of farmers from the rural to urban areas due to water scarcity. According to our studies, marshlands, north of Basra, Maysan surroundings, Diwaniyah, and Hilla have borne the brunt of the water shortage," Ali Abbas Jahangir, spokesperson of the Iraqi migration ministry told Rudaw over the weekend.

The UN classifies Iraq as the fifth most vulnerable country in the world to the effects of climate change. Droughts are more frequent and longer. Water reserves have decreased by half since last year due to a combination of drought, lack of rainfall, and declining river levels, according to the water ministry.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/020820232

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Temp to exceed 50 degrees

Temperatures across southern Iraq are expected to exceed 50 degrees Celsius on Sunday, prompting some provinces to announce public holidays

According to the Iraqi meteorological organization, 13 provinces in the southern region of the country are expected to experience temperatures surpassing 50 degrees, according to Iraqi state media (INA).

The organization recently announced that the country will experience a heat wave this week.

In response to the soaring temperatures, Dhi Qar governor Mohammed Hadi al-Ghazi declared Sunday a public holiday and shortened working hours by an hour. Additionally, Diyala Governor Muthanna al-Tamimi announced that governmental institutions in the province will work half-days. Other provinces are likely to follow suit.

Iraqi Civil Defense issued instructions to citizens on Saturday, advising them to exercise caution during the heat wave, recommending care with cars and electrical devices, conserving electricity, and avoiding walking during the hottest part of the day.

High summer temperatures are not new in Iraq, particularly in the south which regularly experiences temperatures around 50 degrees Celsius. However, a lack of access to basic services such as water and electricity make it difficult for people to cope with the heat.

The effects of climate change have also made matters worse. According to the United Nations, Iraq is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change, including water and food insecurity. It is facing a severe water shortage because of reduced precipitation, higher temperatures, and waste and mismanagement.

Activists have warned the situation could further deteriorate if no action is taken.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/13082023

[Anthea]

Venezuela Expels 8,400 Miners

On Sunday, the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) Commander Domingo Hernandez confirmed that the military has expelled 8,431 illegal miners from the Venezuelan Amazon region since July 1st

The control operations took place in the Yapacana National Park, which houses ecosystems endowed with unique biodiversity and close to the borders with Colombia and Brazil.

The FANB, however, did not offer details about the fate of these people or if they will face any criminal proceedings.

In a recent operation, members of the FANB dismantled a camp area where they found and destroyed 18 homes, 14 engines, 1,400 meters of hoses, 800 liters of fuel, 8 power plants, 4 chainsaws, 9 water pumps, 500 grams of mercury, and other materials used for illegal mining.

The tweet reads, "The Bolivarian National Armed Force exercising sovereignty in the south of the country. Soldiers deploy from the territorial security base to the Yapacana National Park to combat illegal mining and prevent the destruction of our natural reserves."

"These illegal practices are promoted from the Colombian Guainia department. This destructive behavior generates ecocide in our Indigenous lands," Hernandez denounced, reiterating that the FANB will remain deployed "until the last predator is expelled from the Amazon region."

Subsequently, the troops will begin reforestation processes and other necessary measures for the recovery of the Amazonian soils and rivers, which are severely degraded after years of mineral extraction.

The eviction of illegal miners began by order of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who asked the FANB to "cleanse" the Amazon of illegal mining, an economic activity that employs about 10,000 people.

https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/Ven ... -0006.html

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Baghdad zoo animals suffer

A pair of Siberian tigers pant incessantly beside a pond at their zoo enclosure in the scorching summer heat of the Iraqi capital

Temperatures on Monday breached 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit) in Baghdad for the second day in a row -- making life outdoors unbearable for both humans and animals.

The orange, striped felines from far-eastern Russia are more suited to living "where temperatures drop to as low as minus 20 degrees" than in one of the hottest cities in the world, said Wassim Sarih, the veterinarian at Baghdad's only zoo.

Underfunded and run down by years of unrest and mismanagement, the zoo's dilapidated facilities make matters worse for its roughly 900 animals, including lions, exotic birds, bears and monkeys.

Most of the enclosures are open air and "suit animals that live in hot climates", said Sarih. "We don't have ones for animals accustomed to the cold."

In an attempt to lower the temperature, air coolers have been installed in front of the lion cages, and pools are provided for the bears and tigers.

Iraq is unable to provide sufficient electricity to meet domestic needs and is consequently plagued by power cuts that can last up to 10 hours a day.

Baghdad Zoo hasn't seen major renovations since the 1970s, said its director Haider al-Zamili, who is forced to make do with the meagre funds the authorities allocate.

Under such conditions, Sarih said "the lifespan of our animals is shorter compared to other zoos".

The zoo's Siberian tigers live for 17 or 18 years while their counterparts in other zoos have a life expectancy of 20 to 25 years, with the heat making the difference, he said.

The veterinarian said the zoo has lost bears, lions and birds in recent years, some of them because of the soaring temperatures caused by climate change.

Years of drought

The United Nations says Iraq is one of the five countries in the world most touched by the effects of climate change.

Currently the country is facing its fourth consecutive year of drought.

Not a single visitor was seen at the zoo as it's far too hot to venture outside. Only the cries of monkeys and singing of birds can be heard.

Karrar Jassem, a zoo employee, is one of the few people seen wandering around the garden under the punishing sun as he feeds the animals.

Like the many outdoor workers in Iraq exposed to the heat, the 32-year-old said he must provide for his family.

He earns only 250,000 Iraqi dinars a month (about $165 or 150 euros).

Employees' wages are "very low and don't correspond to the hazards they face, such as potential injuries or joint pains", said Sarih.

The veterinarian said he had contacted the authorities, including the municipality of Baghdad, which is responsible for the zoo, but had yet to come across "any receptive ears".

Sarih predicted the zoo will soon have to close its doors in the absence of an ambitious renovation plan.

"Then the whole community will be a loser," he said.

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/32 ... 50-degrees

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Raw sewage in 90% of rivers

An investigation by The Observer reveals the appalling condition of the nation's protected freshwater areas of exceptional scientific importance

According to an Observer investigation, farmed pollution, raw sewage, and water abstraction have negatively impacted more than 90% of the freshwater habitats on England's most valuable rivers.

A study of official inspection records reveals that none of England's 40 or so rivers with protected ecosystems are in generally good condition. These include the Wensum River in Norfolk, the River Eden in Cumbria, and the Rivers Avon in Hampshire.

Only 9.9% of these ecosystems on sites of special scientific interest (SSSI) are in favorable condition, according to recent government statistics. Freshwater habitats, as well as surrounding forests, marsh, and fenland, are all included in the SSSI designation. Comparatively, the condition of protected habitats on beaches and estuaries is favorable in 59.4% of cases. According to The Observer's investigation, freshwater environments are most in danger due to a mixture of pollution from sewage discharges, microplastics, and agricultural runoff, as well as harmful human interventions like dredging.

Only 23 (9%) of the 256 freshwater habitat assessments on the 38 English rivers that are SSSIs were in favorable condition, indicating that they are in a healthy state and are being protected by suitable management.

Charles Watson, founder and chair of the charity River Action believes this "is an utter disgrace." "These should be the most protected river catchments in the country, but there has been a total failure of regulation," he added.

Due to a lack of funding, certain SSSI river segments have not been surveyed since 2010. Volunteers from all around the nation are stepping up to assess the condition of their local rivers and are urging the government to take action in response to what they see as an insufficient inspection system.

The government, according to campaigners, is not treating the issue seriously enough. SSSIs are intended to protect England's most significant natural heritage places, and Natural England, the conservation watchdog, is required by law to do so. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), however, stated that it was unable to "get this specific dataset" when The Observer requested "a list of rivers in England which are sites of special scientific interest and their current status" more than a week ago.

On the River Avon, just two of the 17 river and stream segments designated as protected ecosystems are in good shape. According to a September 2021 evaluation, "water quality fails on several indicators."

At every location where monitoring data is available, River Wensum has an excessive concentration of phosphorus. The rapid growth of some plants and algae blooms that harm habitats can be brought on by an excess of nutrients in the water.

Thirty-five waterways along the River Eden and its tributaries in Cumbria are designated as protected habitats. None of them are in good shape.

According to assessments, there are multiple stretches that "exceed the phosphorus target" and physical obstacles to salmon migration. The Eden Rivers Trust, a nonprofit organization, has been striving to preserve and revitalize the river.

All six of Hampshire's SSSI-designated River Itchen stretches are deemed unfavorable. "Water quality measurements show phosphorus concentrations to be exceeding the targets in most units," according to a Natural England paper.

The River Kennet has four assessed stretches. All four are rated as unfavorable, but with a plan to restore the river's health, they are seen to be recovering.

Low water flow, sewage treatment system discharges, and channel modification such as dredging, according to a June 2022 Natural England assessment, have been long-term problems.

After a campaign against the negative effects of industrial chicken raising and volunteers' river sampling in May, the River Wye's quality was downgraded. All four SSSI units and all seven stretches of the Wye assessed as SSSIs are currently classified as "unfavorable-declining".

The majority of the major SSSI rivers are covered by a collaborative river restoration initiative between the Environment Agency and Natural England, with projects ongoing all throughout the nation. The program covers roughly 30 rivers and their catchments.

According to a report on water bodies released in September 2020 as part of the EU Water Framework Directive, 14% of the rivers in England had high ecological conditions, but none had a good status for chemicals.

No rivers satisfied the requirements since a river must be rated as good in all categories to be considered good overall.

Government target dates for water bodies to achieve good chemical and ecological status range from 2027 to 2063.

Natural England’s chair, Tony Juniper, said many of England's rivers "are under huge pressure, from over-abstraction to chemical pollution and from physical modification, to now, also, the effects of global heating. Many of the pressures causing river health to decline, such as runoff from fields, can arise some distance away from our sites of special scientific interest, but cause damage nonetheless," adding that they have to be "working together with partners to deliver solutions that work for farmers, landowners and industry and the environment on which we all depend."

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/env ... nds-rivers

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Massive fire engulfs Erbil

Civil defense teams and locals came together to battle a huge fire that engulfed the forests in northern Erbil’s mountainous region, burning down thousands of trees and swathes of greenery. Officials and locals believe the fire was [b]sparked intentionally[/b]

An investigation has been launched into Tuesday’s fire in the Balakyati region in Choman, northeastern Erbil, that is believed to have destroyed 6,000 trees, a significant swathe of green lush and pastures and bushes, which is estimated at around 4,500 dunams of land.

The past month has reportedly seen at least ten fires in the elevated areas near the Galala sub-district in the Balakayati region, Erbil province.

With each fire, significant portions of land are turned to ashes, according to local residents who believe these fires are intentionally ignited.

"People are intentionally starting these fires, and it's not by chance. This marks the tenth time this has happened. Due to the forceful wind, as we manage one side, the opposite side becomes engulfed in flames," Sarbaz Ahmed, chieftain of Galala sub-district, told Rudaw's Andam Jabar at the scene of the giant blaze.

The lush greenery of the region, sustained by trees including oak, raisin, and oak apple, was destroyed by a relentless fire.

From the lower plains to the mountain summits, even the areas teeming with spring flora like rhubarb, spear thistle, and mushrooms were transformed into a fire ring.

Ramazan Khoshkani, who leads the Galala Agriculture Office, lamented the loss, adding that the trees may have stood there for five decades.

"The destroyed trees include oak, raisin, and oak apple. There are plenty of other tree species destroyed in the blaze. Unfortunately, many of the trees might have been fifty years old or beyond," Khoshkani said of the losses their region befell.

It took five civil defense teams, along with dozens of Peshmerga forces and local residents, to extinguish the fire.

In addition to battling the flames, authorities at the border are in pursuit of individuals believed to be responsible for igniting the destructive fire in the dead of night.

"At 11:30 pm to 12:00 pm last night, we received a distressing call regarding an anonymous hand starting a massive fire in the district," Hardi Mustafa, the district director, told Rudaw, noting that a massive amount of trees and pastures have been destroyed.

"The civil defense authorities are yet to announce the scale of the damages," Mustafa said. "This is not the first time that such an incident has happened. We have learned that such fires are intentionally started and we do not yet know the identity of the suspects, nor have we received complaints with respect to this matter."

Fires are common in the Kurdistan Region during summer. Sometimes blazes are blamed on scorching weather and some other times on tourists.

Conflict is another cause. Erbil and Duhok mountainous regions bordering Turkey are the site of frequent and sporadic clashes between the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and Turkish forces. Thousands of dunams of land are destroyed as a result.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/16082023

[Anthea]

Canada wildfires

What are the causes and when will it end?

More than 20,000 people in Yellowknife were evacuating the northern Canadian city as fire crews on Thursday battled to keep wildfires from reaching the city - the latest chapter in the country's worst fire season ever.

Here are some questions and answers about Canada's wildfires, which have charred millions of hectares and polluted the air in that nation and the U.S.

WHAT PARTS OF CANADA HAVE WILDFIRES HIT?

Wildfires are common in Canada's western provinces, but this year the eastern provinces of Nova Scotia, Quebec and parts of Ontario have also reeled from out-of-control wildfires.

This week, the focus returned to the west, as wildfires burned about 16 km (10 miles) northwest of Yellowknife, the capital of the vast, sparsely populated Northwest Territories. The fires may reach the city's outskirts by the weekend, the Territories' fire information officer, Mike Westwick, told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation on Thursday.

As of Wednesday, there were 1,054 active wildfires in Canada, including 230 in the Northwest Territories and 669 deemed out of control, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center.

There have been 5,738 such fires so far this year, which have burned 13.7 million hectares (33.9 million acres). At least four firefighters have died in Canada.

The previous record wildfire season was in 1989, when 7.6 million hectares (18.8 million hectares) were torched.

This year's fires started in late April in the western provinces of British Columbia and Alberta, displacing more than 30,000 people at their peak, and temporarily shutting down oil and gas production.

WHAT'S HAPPENING IN AND AROUND YELLOWKNIFE?

Yellowknife residents have until noon on Friday (1800 GMT) to evacuate under an order issued on Wednesday. The Northwest Territories, with a population of just 46,000 people, have limited infrastructure, and there is only one road out of the city to Alberta to the south.

Thousands of residents have already fled smaller communities, and Enterprise, a hamlet near the Alberta border, was nearly destroyed by a blaze on Sunday. In a social media post, the Northwest Territories' fire service said a wildfire that had been threatening Hay River, a community of some 3,000 further south on Great Slave Lake, had stalled overnight.

Diamond producer De Beers said in a statement that its Gahcho Kue mine, some 280 km (170 miles) northeast of Yellowknife, continued to operate, although some employees from surrounding communities had evacuated.

In May 2016, a huge fire destroyed 10% of structures in the northern energy-producing Alberta city of Fort McMurray, forcing the evacuation of 90,000 residents and shutting in more than a million barrels per day of oil output.

In June 2021, 90% of the structures in the British Columbia village of Lytton burned down.

HOW ARE THE WILDFIRES HURTING AIR QUALITY?

Smoke from this season's fires has made the air unhealthy to breathe across Canada and swaths of the United States, prompting warnings and recommendations that people limit their time outside or wear masks.

In this week's fires, the Canadian government's air quality health index put Yellowknife and Fort Smith at "very high risk" and Winnipeg, Manitoba's capital 1,700 km (1,060 miles) to the southeast, at "high risk."

Earlier this fire season, authorities issued air quality warnings for Canada's capital Ottawa and financial capital Toronto. In the U.S., air quality alerts were issued for sections of the Midwest, the East Coast and the South, including New York, Washington and Chicago.

WHAT IS THE OUTLOOK FOR THE FIRES?

Most recent government projections indicate the potential for higher-than-normal fire activity will persist across much of Canada in August and September.

Next month, the potential area at extreme risk is expected to become a bit smaller, covering southern British Columbia, the Prairies, part of the Northwest Territories and western Ontario, a government official said. In much of that area, the number of new fires will taper off as autumn arrives. Large existing fires are expected to continue burning or smoldering, and new problematic fires can occur anywhere, the official said.

WHAT'S CAUSING THE FIRES?

Drought has been a contributing factor to the number and intensity of this year's fires, officials say, with high temperatures exacerbating the situation. Much of Canada has seen abnormally dry - or worse - conditions.

Atlantic Canada received low snowfall this winter, followed by an exceptionally dry spring.

Most of the wildfires are believed to have been accidentally caused by human activity.

WHAT ROLE IS CLIMATE CHANGE PLAYING?

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in June attributed the increase in the number of wildfires to climate change. Ellen Whitman, a research scientist with the Canadian Forest Service, said it is difficult to determine the impact of climate change on a single fire season.

For coastal regions, climate change is expected to bring more rain, which should reduce the fire risk, but a warmer atmosphere is more efficient at pulling moisture out of soils, a factor that increases fire risk.

Widespread spring fires across the whole of Canada are also unusual, and research shows fire seasons across North America are getting longer.

https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/ ... 023-08-17/

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Riverless Mesopotamia by 2040

Iraq is grappling with a severe water crisis as water discharges from neighboring Iran and Turkey have drastically decreased, leading to a significant decline in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers

Additionally, climate change has caused reduced rainfall, and extensive oil extraction has depleted groundwater reserves, experts have predicted.

United Nations warnings have highlighted the precarious situation, as most of Iraq's dams face drying up due to drought and water scarcity. Turkey and Iran's monopolization of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers has further exacerbated the crisis.

Recent reports indicate that the Tigris and Euphrates rivers have decreased by 50% compared to the previous year, leading experts to predict that both rivers could dry up completely. The situation is pushing Iraq into a critical drought phase, prompting the government to impose agricultural restrictions to secure drinking water.

Economist Nabil al-Marsoumi has highlighted alarming statistics on the water crisis. Iraq's water consumption reached 60 billion cubic meters, while its water revenue in 2023 plummeted to only 15 billion cubic meters, a significant decrease from 93 billion cubic meters in 2019. Each 1 billion cubic meters shortage results in the loss of 260,000 acres of valuable agricultural land.

Moreover, Iraq's total water share per capita has dramatically declined, from 2,389 cubic meters in 2019 to 348 cubic meters in 2023, threatening the livelihoods of millions.

Experts predict a grim future for Mesopotamia, with both the Tigris and Euphrates rivers projected to dry up completely by 2040. The consequences are already evident, with fertile lands turning into barren deserts, displacing thousands of people in search of water and leading to dry farms and acidic groundwater unsuitable for drinking or agriculture.

Iraq's water crisis has triggered waves of internal displacement, with thousands forced to leave their homes due to water shortages, rising salinity, and waterborne diseases. Maysan province, known for its villages suffering from the highest rate of drought, has become one of the hardest-hit areas, facing mass migration as resources dry up.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/818781

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Honey production decreases

Honey harvesting in Erbil province’s Balakayati region has decreased this year even as many beekeepers raising bees, with sudden rainfall a primary disruptor of production

“I have around 300 bees and they produced around 200 kilograms of honey while it was supposed to be more than a tons of honey, and it has been around 5 years that I have not seen this low amount of honey production,” Jabar Nabi, a beekeeper in Erbil province's Balakayati area, told Rudaw’s Andam Jabar on Monday.

Honey is harvested around early August but a shortage of honey has delayed the process this year.

Aref Sherwani, president of the Kurdistan Beekeepers Network, said that honey production this year has halved in Duhok and Sulaimani provinces, blaming sudden rainfall as the primary factor.

“This year, production has decreased, by less than a half, and according to preliminary data, honey production has decreased by 50 percent in Duhok and Sulaimani provinces,” he told Rudaw on Monday. “After the months of May and June, there were showers of rain that caused the bees to not produce honey.”

There were 700,000 bees in 2022, but this year the number has almost doubled according to the Kurdistan Beekeepers Network. Kurdistan's honey production peaked at its highest level of 1,000 tons for the first time in 2021 while it dropped by 800 tons in 2022, and this year it is expected to drop by an additional 350 tons.

The Kurdistan Region’s honey sells for around 30,000-150,000 Iraqi dinars ($25-$125) per kilo, depending on its type and purity.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/people-places/20082023

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Fukushima nuclear disaster

Japan to release treated water in 48 hours

Japan will start releasing treated radioactive water from the tsunami-hit Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean on Thursday, despite opposition from its neighbours

The decision comes weeks after the UN's nuclear watchdog approved the plan.

Some 1.34 million tonnes of water - enough to fill 500 Olympic-size pools - have accumulated since the 2011 tsunami destroyed the plant.

The water will be released over 30 years after being filtered and diluted.

Authorities will request for the plant's operator to "promptly prepare" for the disposal to start on 24 August if weather and sea conditions are appropriate, Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Tuesday after a Cabinet meeting.

Mr Kishida had visited the plant on Sunday, prompting speculation the release was imminent.

The government has said that releasing the water is a necessary step in the lengthy and costly process of decommissioning the plant, which sits on the country's east coast, about 220km (137 miles) north-east of the capital Tokyo.

Japan has been collecting and storing the contaminated water in tanks for more than a decade, but space is running out.

In 2011, a tsunami triggered by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake flooded three reactors of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. The event is regarded as the world's worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl.

Shortly after, authorities set up an exclusion zone which continued to be expanded as radiation leaked from the plant, forcing more than 150,000 people to evacuate from the area.

The plan to release water from the plant has caused alarm across Asia and the Pacific since it was approved by the Japanese government two years ago.

It was signed off by the UN's nuclear watchdog in July, with authorities concluding the impact on people and the environment would be negligible.

But many people, including fishermen in the region, fear that discharging the treated water will affect their livelihoods.

A crowd of protesters in Tokyo on Tuesday also staged a rally outside the official prime minister's residence, urging the government to stop the release.

Plant operators Tepco have been filtering the water to remove more than 60 radioactive substances but the water will not be entirely radiation-free as it will still contain tritium and carbon-14- radioactive isotopes of hydrogen and carbon that cannot be easily removed from water

But experts believe they are not a danger unless consumed in large quantities, because they emit very low levels of radiation.

Tokyo has previously said the water that will be released into the Pacific Ocean, which has been mixed with seawater, has tritium and carbon 14 levels that meet safety standards.

Nuclear plants around the world regularly release waste water with tritium levels above that of the treated water from Fukushima.

But the plan has caused uproar in neighbouring countries, with China the most vocal opponent. It accused Japan of treating the ocean like its "private sewer."

In response to Tuesday's announcement, Hong Kong said it would "immediately activate" import curbs on some Japanese food products.

Both South Korea and China have already banned fish imports from around Fukushima.

South Korea's government, however, has endorsed the plan, and has accused protesters of scaremongering.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-66578158

[Anthea]

Hawaiiani wildfires

Government did not activate siren warning

The official death toll of the Maui wildfires has reached 114, with more than 1,000 people missing

In an interview with Sputnik, Hawaiian business proprietors strongly criticized the authorities' handling of the devastating wildfires that have swept across the island of Maui, particularly their deliberate choice not to activate warning sirens.

The wildfires, which ignited on August 8, were exacerbated by dry, hot conditions and intensified by the powerful winds generated by Hurricane Dora. The fires ravaged multiple settlements, including the well-known tourist hub of Lahaina, prompting road closures and suspension of public transportation. The official death toll currently stands at 114, with over 1,000 individuals reported missing.

Recently, US President Joe Biden declared a major disaster in Hawaii, facilitating additional federal resources to aid in combating the wildfires.

Government negligence

In the aftermath of the Maui tragedy, Herman Andaya, who was then in charge of the county's emergency management agency (and has since resigned), received backlash for defending the decision not to activate the siren warning system.

He justified this stance by asserting that the system was primarily intended for tsunamis and that people would naturally seek higher ground. However, the county's website clearly states that the system "can be used for a variety of both natural and human-caused events; including tsunamis, hurricanes, dam breaches, flooding, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, terrorist threats, hazardous material incidents, and more."

Michael Dougan, the owner of the Yonegan Pro-Diver dive shop, expressed bewilderment over the decision not to sound warning sirens, regardless of their intended use for tsunamis. He noted that sirens are attention-grabbing and could awaken people from sleep, allowing them to use their judgment to safeguard their lives. He found it illogical not to activate the warnings for the evacuation of Lahaina.

Nathon Holder, proprietor of the VigiLatte Artisan Coffee shop, concurred with this sentiment and criticized the state's lack of preparedness for the wildfires. He argued that Andaya's decision resulted in numerous lives being lost unnecessarily.

Donald Moriarty, owner of the Doner Shack eatery in Honolulu, shared this perspective and labeled the decision not to activate sirens as unforgivable. He believed that victims' families and rational individuals would not accept such a justification from the state.

How did the government respond?

Regarding the authorities' response to the natural catastrophe, the business owners offered differing viewpoints.

Nathon Holder criticized the federal response as inadequate, describing it as laughable. He asserted that there was minimal federal aid on the ground to effectively assist those in need, highlighting that FEMA and the Red Cross were merely operating donation sites for redistributing essential supplies to the public.

On the contrary, Michael Dougan praised FEMA for its swift reaction to the incident, describing their response as extraordinary. He acknowledged their rapid response within 24 hours and commended their efforts to the best of their capacity.

However, Dougan criticized the state government's approach of discouraging travel to areas of Maui unaffected by the wildfires. He argued that the government's decision to shut down the entire island due to the impact on Lahaina's economy was inappropriate.

He contended that such a move resulted in a significant loss of tourism, which constituted a substantial portion of the economic engine. Dougan also refuted the reasoning offered by officials that this would free up housing for evacuees and first responders.

Despite the challenges, Moriarty noted that the people of Hawaii displayed impressive solidarity and generosity in the face of the tragedy. He observed that locals exhibited the true spirit of "Aloha," demonstrating quick and generous responses, contrasting this with what he perceived as lackluster government efforts.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... -on-maui-w