Global Warming

Europe’s shift to dark green forests stokes global warming: study

An expansion of Europe’s forests toward dark green conifers has stoked global warming, according to a study on Thursday at odds with a widespread view that planting more trees helps human efforts to slow rising temperatures.

Forest changes have nudged Europe’s summer temperatures up by 0.12 degree (0.2 F) since 1750, largely because many nations have planted conifers such as pines and spruce whose dark colours trap the sun’s heat, the scientists said.

Lighter-Coloured broad-leafed trees, such as oak or birch, reflect more sunlight back into space but have lost ground to fast-growing conifers, used for everything from building materials to pulp.

Overall, the area of Europe’s forests has expanded by 10 percent since 1750. Conifer forests expanded by 633,000 sq. km, while broad-leaved forests shrank by 436,000 sq. km. Over the period, Europeans have harvested ever more wood from the forests, reducing their role in storing carbon.

Drought

Europe Suffered Summer Drought and Heat

A European Commission report shows that a wide swath of the continent has just endured an exceptionally dry and hot summer.

It documents how nuclear and fossil fuel power plants that rely on rivers for cooling were forced to reduce power or even shut down.

Rainfall up to 60 percent below normal halted some river traffic, killed crops and sparked more frequent wildfires.

But the news wasn’t entirely bad for solar power production, wine producers and tourism that involved outdoor activities, the report says.

Areas experiencing the heat and lack of rainfall include France, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, Hungary, the Czech Republic, northern Italy and northern Spain.

Environment

Heat Wave in Europe

A heat wave has soared across Europe. The heat wave set a record in Germany as 104.54 Fahrenheit was measured in Kitzingen, northern Bavaria, on Sunday afternoon. It is the highest level in Germany since measurements began in 1881.

The heatwave caused the deaths of five elderly people, two cyclists and three beachgoers, in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy.

Wildlife

Bee deaths: EU to ban neonicotinoid pesticides

There is great concern across Europe about the collapse of bee populations.

Wild species such as honey bees are said by researchers to be responsible for pollinating around one-third of the world's crop production.

There is heated debate about what has triggered the widespread decline in bee populations. Besides chemicals, many experts point to the parasitic varroa mite, viruses that attack bees and neglect of hives.

Neonicotinoid chemicals in pesticides are believed to harm bees and the European Commission says they should be restricted to crops not attractive to bees and other pollinators.

But many farmers and crop experts argue that there is insufficient data.

Fifteen countries voted in favour of a ban - not enough to form a qualified majority. According to EU rules the Commission will now impose a two-year restriction on neonicotinoids.

The UK did not support a ban - it argues that the science behind the proposal is inconclusive. It was among eight countries that voted against, while four abstained.

Disease

Europe money crisis leads to poor health

Harsh spending cuts by debt-crippled European governments are also being partly blamed for outbreaks of diseases not normally seen in Europe and a spike in suicides, new research shows.

Since the crisis struck in 2008, state-run welfare and health services across Europe have seen their budgets cut, medical treatments rationed and unpopular measures such as hospital user fees introduced.

Those countries that have slashed public spending the hardest - Greece, Spain and Portugal - have fared the worst medically.

"Austerity measures haven't solved the economic problems and they have also created big health problems," said Martin McKee, a professor of European Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who led the research.

He said worsening health was driven not just by unemployment, but by the lack of a welfare system to fall back on.

"People need to have hope that the government will help them through this difficult time," he said.

The paper was published online on Wednesday in a special series of the journal Lancet.

McKee said Greece in particular was struggling.

Based on government data, he and colleagues found suicides rose by 40 per cent in 2011 compared to the previous year.

Last year, the country also reported an exponential rise in the number of HIV cases among drug users, due in part to addicts sharing contaminated syringes after needle exchange programs were dropped.

In recent years, Greece has also battled outbreaks of malaria, West Nile virus and dengue fever.

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Novel Coronavirus Infection - Update

The Robert Koch Institute has informed WHO of a new confirmed case of infection with the novel coronavirus (nCoV). The patient was a 73-year-old male from United Arab Emirates.

To date, WHO has been informed of a global total of 17 confirmed cases of human infection with nCoV, including 11 deaths.

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Newcastle Disease Outbreak in Israel

The Israeli veterinary authorities have reported an outbreak of Newcastle disease at a breeding farm in Hazafon.

Out of a total of 10680 susceptible birds, 30 deaths were reported. The remaining 10650 birds were destroyed.

Drought

Wheat Stocks Set to Recover

Farmers from Australia to Europe to the U.S. are poised to reap the second-largest wheat crop on record as fields recover from drought and heat waves, boosting global stockpiles for the first time in four years.

Storms and Floods

Cyclone Tim is forming off northern Queensland - Australia's eighth cyclone of the season is likely to form in the Gulf of Carpentaria on Wednesday.

Storm in Sao Paulo, Brazil

Heavy storm in Sao Paulo, the largest city in Brazil bringing floods and landslides which killed two including a 14-year-old girl.

The storm also damaged the shopping continental mall in the Jaguare district but nobody was injured.

Severe Cold Across Europe

Hundreds of drivers have been left stranded after snow brought some roads in Sussex, England to a standstill. Tailbacks of up to 15 miles were reported on the A23 between Crawley and Brighton, with some motorists stuck for up to eight hours. Police said snow and ice had caused hazardous conditions and officers were trying to help gritting lorries through to treat roads.

Heavy snow in north-western Europe is causing severe travel disruption, including the cancellation of hundreds of flights via Frankfurt and Paris.

Heavy storm in Ashanti, Ghana

Heavy storm has affected the people in Kodie, Mpobi, Ahenkro, Ahenkro- Kwamang and Ankaase area of Ghana.

The storm has also damaged the Kodie Junior High School.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Cyclone Haruna

TC Haruna has now killed 10 people in Madagascar.

The cyclone destroyed around 70 percent of the southwestern city of Morombe.

This tropical disturbance is forecast to bring more rain in southern Madagascar in the coming two days.

Unusual Landslide in Spain

Heavy rains in recent weeks have caused a major landslide in Subiza, Spain that has devastated rural roads, farms and caused serious damage to two electrical towers that are at serious risk of falling.

The landslide is located on the southeast slope of Mount of Forgiveness, towards Bells, and therefore did not affect any house in the small town of Basin, of about 190 inhabitants. The dimensions of the land mass, which dragged stones and vegetation as a result of heavy rainfall, are calculated at 800 meters long and 700 wide.

Winter Storm hits Europe

Central Europe has been swept by a powerful cyclone.

Snow caused chaos on roads in Austria, with the situation particularly grave in the east. Heavy trucks cannot cope with the icy slopes; traffic jams stretch for many kilometers. Every hour new accidents are recorded at police stations. Local officials urge drivers to put chains on the wheels.

Cold weather and snow have also descended upon Croatia: frosts have hit resorts on the Adriatic coast, the seafronts and yachts are covered with snow and ice. Local services are toiling around the clock clearing streets. According to weather forecasts, the cyclone has no intention of letting up on the Balkans.

EF-1 tornado with estimated winds of 104 mph tore a damage path 4.5 miles long across parts of Sabine County, Texas, USA just after 1 p.m Friday.

Wildlife

'Alien' wildlife in Europe.

Animals and plants brought to Europe from other parts of the world are a bigger-than-expected threat to health and the environment.

More than 10,000 "alien" species have gained a foothold in Europe, from Asian tiger mosquitoes to North American ragweed, and at least 1,500 are known to be harmful, a new report by the European Environment Agency (EEA) said.

In many areas, ecosystems are weakened by pollution, climate change and fragmentation. Alien species invasions are a growing pressure on the natural world which are extremely difficult to reverse.

Introduced species that suddenly thrive in a new home in Europe, including parakeets from Africa or water hyacinth from the Amazon, were estimated to cost Europe at least 12 billion euros ($16.03 billion) a year.

The problem has exploded in the last 100 years. Europe had the most data but the problem was worsening worldwide. And more travel, trade and climate change were likely to aggravate the invasions.

"Invasive species pose greater risks than previously thought for biodiversity, human health and economies," the EEA said.

Wildlife

Migrating Song Birds Late in Arriving in Europe

- The extensive 2011 drought in the Horn of Africa had significant consequences for European songbirds such as thrush, nightingale and red-backed shrike. These birds visit northern Europe every spring. Year-round tracking revealed that the cause of the delay was a prolongation of stopover time during spring migration at the Horn of Africa, which was affected by extreme drought.

Disease

The outbreak of dengue fever on the Portuguese island of Madeira has tripled and now cases are being seen in other European countries linked to travel to the island.

Drought

Drought, as well as frost and hail have combined to ravage Europe's wine grape harvest, which in key regions this year will be the smallest in half a century.

Drought

Global food prices rose 10% in July according to the World Bank's food price index due to the drought across the USA midwest, Russia and Europe.

Maize and wheat prices rose 25% and soybean prices 17% during the period June - July.

The highest price increases were seen in Africa with maize rising 113% in Mozambique and sorghum rising 220% in southern Sudan.

Despite the rising prices, the organization said it does not predict people will riot as they did in 2008 when food prices last spiked to record levels.