Latest news with #UnitedNations'
Local France
an hour ago
- Science
- Local France
Climate change could double summer rainfall in the Alps: study
Researchers said that in a scenario where temperatures rise by two degrees Celsius (about 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), the Alps and nearby regions could experience episodes of intense summer rainfall twice as often as currently. "With such warming, an intense storm currently expected once every 50 years could occur once every 25 years in the future," said the Swiss university, which conducted the study in collaboration with the University of Padua in Italy. "Hot air holds more moisture (around seven percent more per degree), intensifying storm activity", the researchers said. "As the Alpine environment warms faster than the global average, it is particularly affected," they added. The study used summer rainfall data collected from nearly 300 meteorological stations across the European Alps in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, France and Italy. They focused on record-breaking rainfall events -- lasting from 10 minutes to an hour -- that occurred between 1991 and 2020, as well as the temperatures associated with these episodes. "The sudden and massive arrival of large volumes of water can exceed the soil's absorption capacity," which can "trigger flash floods and debris flows, causing damage to infrastructure", said Nadav Peleg, a researcher at UNIL and the study's lead author. Researchers recommend "preparing urban water management systems and other infrastructures" that are ill suited to handle significant rainfall volumes. Advertisement "Promptly updating engineering and urban planning standards" would help mitigate potential risks associated with these events, they added, while also emphasising the need to "limit global warming to 1.5C or less above current levels". According to scientists from the United Nations' IPCC panel on climate change, there is a 50 percent chance of global temperatures rising by an average of 1.5C by 2030-2035. "We are already observing a trend towards intensified summer storms and this trend is expected to worsen in the coming years," said Francesco Marra, a researcher at the University of Padova and a co-author of the study.
Local Italy
an hour ago
- Science
- Local Italy
Climate change could double summer rainfall in the Alps: study
Researchers said that in a scenario where temperatures rise by two degrees Celsius (about 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), the Alps and nearby regions could experience episodes of intense summer rainfall twice as often as currently. "With such warming, an intense storm currently expected once every 50 years could occur once every 25 years in the future," said the Swiss university, which conducted the study in collaboration with the University of Padua in Italy. "Hot air holds more moisture (around seven percent more per degree), intensifying storm activity", the researchers said. "As the Alpine environment warms faster than the global average, it is particularly affected," they added. The study used summer rainfall data collected from nearly 300 meteorological stations across the European Alps in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, France and Italy. They focused on record-breaking rainfall events -- lasting from 10 minutes to an hour -- that occurred between 1991 and 2020, as well as the temperatures associated with these episodes. "The sudden and massive arrival of large volumes of water can exceed the soil's absorption capacity," which can "trigger flash floods and debris flows, causing damage to infrastructure", said Nadav Peleg, a researcher at UNIL and the study's lead author. Researchers recommend "preparing urban water management systems and other infrastructures" that are ill suited to handle significant rainfall volumes. "Promptly updating engineering and urban planning standards" would help mitigate potential risks associated with these events, they added, while also emphasising the need to "limit global warming to 1.5C or less above current levels". According to scientists from the United Nations' IPCC panel on climate change, there is a 50 percent chance of global temperatures rising by an average of 1.5C by 2030-2035. "We are already observing a trend towards intensified summer storms and this trend is expected to worsen in the coming years," said Francesco Marra, a researcher at the University of Padova and a co-author of the study.
Local Germany
an hour ago
- Science
- Local Germany
Climate change could double summer rainfall in the Alps: study
Researchers said that in a scenario where temperatures rise by two degrees Celsius (about 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), the Alps and nearby regions could experience episodes of intense summer rainfall twice as often as currently. "With such warming, an intense storm currently expected once every 50 years could occur once every 25 years in the future," said the Swiss university, which conducted the study in collaboration with the University of Padua in Italy. "Hot air holds more moisture (around seven percent more per degree), intensifying storm activity", the researchers said. "As the Alpine environment warms faster than the global average, it is particularly affected," they added. The study used summer rainfall data collected from nearly 300 meteorological stations across the European Alps in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, France and Italy. They focused on record-breaking rainfall events -- lasting from 10 minutes to an hour -- that occurred between 1991 and 2020, as well as the temperatures associated with these episodes. "The sudden and massive arrival of large volumes of water can exceed the soil's absorption capacity," which can "trigger flash floods and debris flows, causing damage to infrastructure", said Nadav Peleg, a researcher at UNIL and the study's lead author. Researchers recommend "preparing urban water management systems and other infrastructures" that are ill suited to handle significant rainfall volumes. Advertisement "Promptly updating engineering and urban planning standards" would help mitigate potential risks associated with these events, they added, while also emphasising the need to "limit global warming to 1.5C or less above current levels". According to scientists from the United Nations' IPCC panel on climate change, there is a 50 percent chance of global temperatures rising by an average of 1.5C by 2030-2035. "We are already observing a trend towards intensified summer storms and this trend is expected to worsen in the coming years," said Francesco Marra, a researcher at the University of Padova and a co-author of the study.
GMA Network
2 hours ago
- General
- GMA Network
JRU launches new sustainability campaign in commitment to UN SDGs
Jose Rizal University (JRU) launched its Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) initiative, aligning its commitment to sustainability in education, operations, and community collaborations with the United Nations' 17 Global Goals and the 2030 Agenda. In a press release, the university said that the new campaign was launched with an event themed 'Unveiling the Eco Hero in Us' held on Thursday at the JRU Centennial Building Auditorium. Dr. Kathleen G. Apilado, Dean of the College of Hospitality and Tourism Management and Chair of the JRU SDG Committee, highlighted the university's deep commitment. 'This is not just a launch — this is a legacy. Sustainability is part of our identity. It is Taos-Pusong Rizal in action,' she said, reflecting how JRU's core values align with the SDGs and are already evidenced by over 50 SDG-integrated course activities and green campus initiatives. The event also introduced JRU's SDG Committee, headed by Dr. Apilado, with Engr. Joseph S. Dela Cruz and Ms. Hiromi M. Lascano as co-chairs. Among the committee's responsibilities are overseeing various thematic areas of implementation, facilitating collaboration with external stakeholders, and more. Inspiration was also drawn from an audiovisual presentation featuring sustainability case studies from organizations, including GMA Network and others, noting that although they are not official partners, their stories provided inspiration for JRU's advocacy. The event concluded with the official launch of the Green Campus Challenge, a year-long campaign promoting eco-friendly habits and environmental advocacy. —Carby Rose Basina/CDC, GMA Integrated News
The Star
3 hours ago
- Business
- The Star
Sarawak developing statewide sustainability roadmaps, to implement UN's Sustainable Development Goals
KUCHING: Sarawak is developing sustainability roadmaps for all 27 local authorities across the state to implement the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) at the local level. Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian said local authorities were developing the roadmaps with Urbanice Malaysia, an agency under the federal Housing and Local Government Ministry. "We want to see sustainability roadmaps for city, municipal and district council levels. "All this will be localised because we cannot expect to have the same SDG goals as London, Beijing or Washington. We are all different," he said on Friday (June 20). Dr Sim was speaking to reporters after witnessing the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Urbanice and three local councils - Padawan Municipal Council, Kota Samarahan Municipal Council and Sarikei District Council - for the preparation of their SDG voluntary local review report. He said the sustainability roadmaps would help set the standard for local authorities to compare their progress with other cities. This, Dr Sim said, would help identify any gaps that need addressing or areas for improvement. He added that the voluntary local review by the three councils would allow them to look at their gaps in implementing the SDG. "The gaps can be due to local challenges in certain areas of Sarawak, such as places where we are still reaching out to supply electricity and clean water. "We're also looking at parameters such as the difference between urban and rural poverty," he said. Urbanice chief executive officer Norliza Hashim said Sarawak had achieved 58% progress in localising the SDG, above the national average of 43%. "This is the overall achievement of all the local authorities in Sarawak, based on data we got from the Statistics Department, the state government and the local authorities themselves," she said. Norliza also said Sarawak was the first state to evaluate the localisation of SDGs by all its local authorities simultaneously. "This is a good commitment. Then you can take action at the state level, not just at the local level, because you see the results as a whole," she said.
