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Two missing after deadly spring snowstorm wreaks havoc in the Alps

Two people were still missing in Italy on Friday after unusually heavy spring storm across the Alps dumped more than a metre of snow in some areas, shutting ski areas, halting transport and leaving at least one person dead.

Vietnam ups wind, solar targets as energy demand soars

Vietnam has dramatically increased its wind and solar targets as it looks to up its energy production by 2030 to meet soaring demand, according to a revised version of its national power plan.

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Hundreds of Philippine schools suspend classes over heat danger

Hundreds of schools in the Philippines, including dozens in the capital Manila, suspended in-person classes on Tuesday due to dangerous levels of heat, education officials said.

Saharan dust smothers Switzerland, southeast France

An exceptionally rare haze of Saharan dust cloaked Switzerland and southeastern France on Saturday, sparking health warnings as a yellow hue tinged the sky.

Climate change is slowing heat waves, prolonging misery

Climate change is causing heat waves to slow to a crawl, exposing humans to extreme temperatures for longer than ever before, a study published in Science Advances said Friday.

UK greenhouse gas emissions fell 5.4% in 2023: data

UK greenhouse gas emissions fell by 5.4 percent in 2023, largely due to a reduction in the amount of gas used in power stations, according to official data published on Thursday.

Swiss Re warns insured disaster losses could double in a decade

Insured property losses could double in the coming decade due to climate change and more frequent and more intense severe weather events, reinsurance giant Swiss Re warned Tuesday.

Dig deep: US bets on geothermal to become renewable powerhouse

Though geothermal represents only a tiny fraction of current US energy production, several businesses and President Joe Biden's administration are betting on technological advances to make it a backbone of the green transition.

Brazil races to save flood victims as storm death toll rises

Rescuers in boats and aircraft raced against the clock Sunday to help isolated people in Brazil's mountainous southeast after storms and heavy rains left at least 25 people dead in two states.

Rescuers race to find trapped people as Brazil storms kill at least 20

Rescuers in boats and aircraft raced against the clock Sunday to help isolated people in Brazil's mountainous southeast after storms and heavy rains killed at least 20 people.

Brazil rescuers save girl after storm kills at least 12

Search teams in southeastern Brazil rescued a girl buried for more than 16 hours in the rubble of a collapsed house following a powerful storm that has claimed at least a dozen lives.

Southeast Brazil battered by downpours, at least a dozen killed

A powerful storm has claimed at least a dozen lives in southeastern Brazil, mostly in the mountainous parts of Rio de Janeiro state, where authorities on Saturday deployed rescue teams to deal with a "critical" situation.

Southeast Brazil battered by downpours, more than 10 killed

A powerful storm has claimed more than 10 lives in southeastern Brazil, mostly in the mountainous parts of Rio de Janeiro state, where authorities on Saturday deployed rescue teams to deal with a "critical" situation.

Southeast Brazil battered by downpours, over a dozen killed

A powerful storm has claimed at least 13 lives in southeastern Brazil, particularly in the mountainous parts of Rio de Janeiro state, where authorities on Saturday deployed rescue teams to deal with a "critical" situation.

Powerful storm leaves at least nine dead in Brazil

A powerful storm has claimed at least nine lives in southeastern Brazil, particularly in the mountainous part of Rio de Janeiro state, where authorities on Saturday deployed rescue teams to deal with a "critical" situation.

No 'human era' in Earth's geological history, scientists say

A top panel of geologists has decided not to grant the 'human age' its own distinct place in Earth's geological timeline after disagreeing over when exactly our era might have begun.

Fossil fuels to become as unpopular as cigarettes: Brazil energy minister

Fossil fuels will eventually be seen as just as unhealthy as cigarettes, according to Brazil Energy Minister Alexandre Silveira, who oversees the South American country's balancing act a giant of both renewables and oil.

Panama Canal administrator hopes traffic normalizes by February 2025

Traffic through the Panama Canal could return to normal by next February, its administrator said, after record-low water levels limited the number of ships able to transit through the global pipeline.

Nuclear's EU comeback on show at Brussels summit

Promoting nuclear power was long taboo in Brussels, but a high-profile international summit Thursday will send loud and clear the message that atomic energy -- now touted by its champions as key to fighting climate change -- is back.

'Overly rosy picture': KLM loses Dutch 'greenwashing' case

Dutch airline KLM misled consumers with "vague and general" adverts about its efforts to reduce the environmental impact of flying, an Amsterdam court ruled Wednesday in a greenwashing case brought by a pressure group.

Planet 'on the brink', with new heat records likely in 2024: UN

Global temperatures "smashed" heat records last year, as heatwaves stalked oceans and glaciers suffered record ice loss, the United Nations said Tuesday -- warning 2024 was likely to be even hotter.

Climate protesters under fire in Europe: UN expert

Environmental activists are increasingly facing hostility across Europe, a UN expert said, warning that the very right to protest was "at risk" in countries usually considered beacons of democracy.

Methane emissions from energy sector rose in 2023: IEA

Planet-heating methane released by the fossil fuel industry rose to near record highs in 2023 despite technology available to curb this pollution at virtually no cost, the International Energy Agency said Wednesday.

Britain vows to build new gas power stations

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's government pledged Tuesday to build new gas-fired power stations to boost energy security, drawing criticism over his climate policies before this year's general election.

Four dead, three missing after French weekend storms

Four people died over the weekend when violent storms swept southern France, authorities said Monday, as rescue services continued their search for three missing people, including two children.

Europe must do more against 'catastrophic' climate risks: EU

Europe could suffer "catastrophic" consequences from climate change if it fails to take urgent and decisive action to adapt to risks, a new EU analysis warned Monday.

2023-24 winter warmest on record for mainland US

The 2023–24 winter season was the warmest ever recorded for the mainland United States, official data showed Friday, in the latest sign the world is moving into unprecedented territory as a result of the climate crisis.

UN, France co-host forum to decarbonise construction sector

France and the UN Environment Programme co-host a two-day conference starting Thursday to find ways to cut the sizeable carbon footprint of the construction sector, a major contributor to climate change.

Spekboom bushes protect earth but can they cool Earth?

Andre Britz pulled over his pick-up truck on a rocky mountain track to show off the nature-preserving powers of southern Africa's spekboom shrub.

Sinking US cities more exposed to rising seas: study

Sea level rise could hit major US cities like New Orleans and San Francisco harder than expected by mid-century because coastal land is sinking, researchers said Wednesday, warning current flood defences leave people and property at risk.

Icy reception for plan to 'save' Venezuela's last glacier

A small patch of ice among bare rock is all that remains of Venezuela’s last glacier, which the government hopes to restore to its former glory using a geothermal blanket.

Hanoi chokes as Vietnam capital tops most polluted cities list

Vietnamese capital Hanoi was blanketed by a thick haze of pollution on Tuesday that obscured high-rise buildings and left the city's nearly nine million people breathing toxic air.

California man first in US charged with smuggling greenhouse gases

A California man has become the first person in the United States charged with illegally smuggling greenhouse gases into the country, officials said Monday.

Sounding warning, Kerry urges new ways on climate finance

Veteran envoy John Kerry called Friday for the United States to find major new climate finance methods, warning of "huge disappointment" if historic promises to transition from fossil fuels go unheeded.

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