From floods and fires to locusts, ‘climate breakdown’ cost rich and poor in 2020
Barcelona, SpainThomson Reuters Foundation Disasters fuelled by weather and climate extremes brought “catastrophic results for millions” across rich and poor nations in 2020, causing thousands of deaths and tens of billions of dollars in losses, charity Christian Aid said on Monday. In a report, the aid agency identified 15 of the most destructive climate disasters of […]
No let-up in global rainforest loss as coronavirus brings new danger
Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaThomson Reuters Foundation Tropical rainforests disappeared at a rate of one football pitch every six seconds last year, researchers said on Tuesday, urging countries to include forest protection in post-pandemic plans. The loss in 2019 of 3.8 million hectares of tropical primary forest – which means intact areas of old-growth trees – was […]
THE BIG PICTURE: ‘DEAR GOD, PLEASE BRING UNEXPECTED GOOD’
See OUTREACH MEDIA’s January 2020 poster…
Half of Australians donated to bushfire appeal – survey
Melbourne, AustraliaReuters One in two Australians have donated money to support bushfire relief efforts, a new survey showed over the weekend, with meteorologists warning more hot and dry weather is to return after a heavy rain respite dampened many of the blazes. The Australian bush has always burned, but this season’s fires, which began early, […]
AUSTRALIAN BUSHFIRES: THREE MONTHS AFTER CRISIS BEGAN, CHURCHES TAKE STOCK AND START TO PLAN FOR THE “LONG HAUL”
CHRISTOPHER GILBERT reports on how Christians and church agencies are responding to the weariness and the enormous destruction of three months of bushfires…
Koalas, wallabies endangered by Australia bushfires “ecological disaster”
Melbourne, AustraliaReuters The Australian Government committed $A50 million to an emergency wildlife recovery program on Monday, calling the bushfires crisis engulfing the country “an ecological disaster” that threatens several species, including koalas and rock wallabies. Huge wildfires have razed more than 11.2 million hectares, nearly half the area of the United Kingdom, destroying or severely […]
Koala mittens and joey pouches: Australian bushfires spark global knitting frenzy
Reuters Knitting needles are clicking furiously around the world to create hundreds of protective pouches and blankets for native wildlife made homeless by Australian wildfires that have razed large swathes of bushland. The Animal Rescue Craft Guild said on Monday it has been deluged with offers of help after putting out a call for volunteers […]