(Bloomberg) — South Africa is home to many of the world’s worst emission sites for toxic nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide and most of those are operated by the nation’s state power utility, according to Greenpeace.
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Coal-fired power plants operated by Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd. account for five of the world’s biggest single source nitrogen-dioxide emission sites and two of the worst sulfur-dioxide sites, the environmental campaign organization said in a study, Major Air Polluters in Africa, released on Thursday. Sasol Ltd., a South African petrochemicals company, operated another of the world’s top 10 nitrogen dioxide sites, Greenpeace said.
South Africa, which relies on coal for the generation of more than 80% of its electricity, has some of the world’s worst air pollution with emission standards that, while considerably more lenient than in other major polluters China and India, are rarely enforced. Across Africa, Eskom is even more dominant in terms of the number of polluting sites it operates.
“The 10 largest nitrogen dioxide point sources identified in Africa are all thermal-power stations, nine of which are in South Africa,” Greenpeace said.
Eskom didn’t respond to a query about the findings by Greenpeace.
Still, industrial pollution on the continent extends beyond South Africa, its most developed nation.
An Ivory Coast power company rounds out the 10 top nitrogen dioxide emission sites in Africa, while Zimbabwe, Mali, Morocco and Egypt have plants emitting sulfur dioxide in the top 10 on the continent, Greenpeace said.
The pollutants cause a range of ailments ranging from respiratory disease to heart attacks, strokes and stillbirths. Exposure to nitrogen dioxide can cause permanent lung damage and contributes to acid rain, which poisons soil and slashes crop yields.
Greenpeace is a global network of organizations that campaign against environmental degradation.
(Updates with nitrogen dioxide’s health impacts in peunultimate paragraph.)
Your favorite wines may soon cease to exist. Some of the world’s traditional wine regions, from Europe to Southern California, are at risk of almost completely disappearing within decades, researchers found, as the conditions necessary to produce their grapes grow more unfruitful due to climate change.
As humans continue to burn fossil fuels, the planet is getting warmer. And those increasing temperatures — which impact everything from the water cycle to locations where people can safely live — are fueling more extreme weather. In a new literature review published in Nature Reviews Earth & Environment on Tuesday, scientists found that climate change’s impact in the coastal and lowland regions of Spain, Italy, Greece and Southern California — all home to some of the world’s most traditional wine producers — is significant.
By the end of the century — just 76 years — they found roughly 90% of these specific regions “could be at risk of disappearing.” Specifically, they found that excessive drought and more frequent heat waves fueled by climate change are responsible for the threat. An area’s temperature, precipitation, humidity, radiation and carbon dioxide levels are also vital components of wine production, and are all altered by climate change.
Overall, the study says, “We estimate a substantial risk of unsuitability (ranging from moderate to high) for 49-70% of existing wine regions, contingent on the degree of global warming.”
Southern California, for example, has a moderate risk of being unsuitable for producing wine with 2 degrees Celsius of global warming, compared to pre-industrial levels. if average temperatures rise between 2 and 4 degrees, however, the region faces a “high risk of unsuitability.” This could pose a major problem for the U.S. West Coast, which produces most of the wine in North America and 10% of the global supply.
“Overall, the net suitable ara for wine production in California could decline by up to 50% by the end of the 21st century,” researchers said. “Similar risks exist for Mexico, the southwestern United States and those regions of the east coast south of New Jersey.”
That shift is seen across much of southern Europe as well.
Current suitability across continental regions is noted by the green shading of the hexagons, from less suitable (light green) to more suitable (darker green). Future suitability change in these regions is noted by the colour of the dots within the hexagons according to the key; the left dot represents the change for a scenario in which there is global warming (GW) of up to 2 °C and the right dot the change for warming of 2-4 °C. The size of the dot represents the confidence of the assessment.
Cornelis van Leeuwen, Giovanni Sgubin, et al/Nature Reviews Earth and Environment
But all hope isn’t lost for wine itself. The rising temperatures may make other regions more suitable for growing the grapes, such as Washington State, Oregon, Tasmania and Northern France. That suitability, however, will “strongly” depend on how much temperatures rise, the researchers say, and there may be risks to environmental preservation. And even though it could bring a new form of economic growth to those areas, people will still be facing extreme weather and its costly impacts.
A changing climate also brings the risk of areas experiencing new pathogens and insects that can impact agriculture and overall environmental and human health. Drier conditions would make some grapevine issues, like downy mildew, less likely, but when it does happen, the outbreak would likely occur earlier and spread faster, the study found.
As with all elements of climate change, adaptation is “mandatory,” researchers said. Wine producers will need to consider grape varieties that are better suited for their changing regions and harvest times. It’s not just essential for global supply, but for overall wine quality.
For example, climate factors affect the levels of pH, alcohol content and acidity, researchers found. While the alcohol and pH levels are increasing in wines, the acidity levels are decreasing, which makes the microbiology within the beverage more unstable. That can lead to “increased risk of microbiological spoilage,” researchers said, and lead to an “overripe and/or cooked fruit aroma.”
Scientists have warned that current global efforts to slow global warming are not enough. Last year was the warmest on record, and the beginning of 2024 has already seen record-breaking heat as well as weather extremes ranging from unusually large blizzards to out-of-season warmth.
Already, global temperatures are 1.35 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial average overall. And the world just recently surpassed for the first time 12 consecutive months where the global average was 2 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial average — a fact that doesn’t mean we’ve permanently crossed the critical 2-degree Celsius threshold that experts warn could have disastrous implications, but means we are well on the way there.
“One thing is certain,” researchers say in the end of their analysis, “climate change will drive major changes in global wine production in the near future. Having the flexibility to adapt to these changes will be essential.”
Li Cohen
Li Cohen is a social media producer and trending content writer for CBS News.
A huge new “Dragon Ball” theme park is coming to Saudi Arabia, the franchise owner said.
The series — one of the most successful Japanese cultural exports — has a dedicated fanbase.
Saudi Arabia is trying to become a flashy tourism hub — an image that clashes with its authoritarianism.
A massive theme park devoted to “Dragon Ball” is due to be built in Saudi Arabia.
The move marries one of Japan’s most beloved cultural exports with the Saudi desire to become a flashy entertainment and tourism powerhouse.
The owners of the Dragon Ball franchise announced Friday that Saudi Arabia’s Qiddiya Investment Company would begin building the only theme park in the world devoted to “Dragon Ball,” the hugely popular manga series.
Here is a video hyping the project:
The park will be built over 500,000 square meters, featuring a 229-foot dragon and rides and other attractions based on the manga series, said the franchise in a statement.
It didn’t give a date for completion.
“Dragon Ball” is one of the most popular manga series in the world and follows the adventures of Goku, a creature with a tail who learns martial arts and seeks to obtain magical balls that can grant wishes.
There are several TV series, computer games, action figures, and several other spin-offs, making it one of the most lucrative media franchises in the world.
The new park is due to be built in Qiddiya City, a planned entertainment district on the fringes of the Saudi capital, Riyadh.
The announcement comes as part of Saudi ruler Mohammed bin Salman’s plans to diversify the Saudi economy from its reliance on fossil fuels. As part of his Vision 2030 project, the kingdom is seeking to transform itself into a gaming, tourism, innovation, and sports destination.
Many fans of Dragon Ball posting on X greeted the news of the park’s planned location with disappointment, citing Saudi Arabia’s human rights record.
On one “Dragon Ball” fan subreddit, the news was greeted with comments like: “I’d prefer not to give the Saudis my money.”
“Such a thrilling announcement…until you read where it’s going to be,” posted another.
Saudi Arabia is governed under ultra-conservative Islamic laws, in which women have few rights and homosexuality is illegal, though Crown Prince Mohammed has sought to liberalize the image of the kingdom.
The NGO Human Rights Watch accuses Saudi Arabia of using its huge investments in sports and entertainment to “deflect” from those realities.
Saudi Arabia has been criticized for the brutal murder of dissident Jamal Khashoggi, who the US says was killed by officials in a Saudi consulate in Turkey in 2018, and the persecution of critics, both domestic and foreign-based.
Business Insider last year reported on a 30-year prison sentence handed down by Saudi Arabia to a critic of the Neom megacity, the centerpiece of the Vision 2030 project.
The news of the theme park came only weeks after the death of “Dragon Ball” creator Akira Toriyama, who died on March 8 aged 68.
Asian cities lead the world in air pollution, according to a new report.
Key points:
The report by Swiss air quality firm IQAir says 99 of the world’s 100 most polluted cities in 2023 are in Asia, with Indian cities dominating. The only city outside the continent to make the list was Benoni in South Africa.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that the average annual concentration of PM2.5 (particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or smaller) should not exceed 5 micrograms per cubic meter to minimize the risk of health problems associated with air pollution.
Only 9% of cities worldwide met the WHO standard, underscoring a global need for transformative clean air policies.
The details:
Of the list’s 100 most polluted cities, 83 come from India. Approximately 1.3 billion people, or 96% of its population, live with air quality seven times above the WHO’s safe limit.
Begusarai, located in northeastern India, is the world’s most polluted city, with PM2.5 levels of 118.9 micrograms per cubic meter, which is 23 times above the WHO guideline. Three other Indian cities — Guwahati, Delhi and Mullanpur — and Lahore, Pakistan, round out the planet’s five most polluted cities.
While India has the world’s most polluted cities, the most polluted country is Bangladesh, having an average PM2.5 concentration of 79.9 micrograms per cubic meter — nearly 16 times higher than the WHO guideline. Pakistan, India, Tajikistan and Burkina Faso in West Africa complete the world’s five most polluted countries.
IQAir attributed Asia’s soaring pollution levels to high greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired power plants and the impact of climate phenomena likeEl Niño. Efforts to combat these issues are hampered by a lack of improvement in energy infrastructure and agricultural practices.
The report calls for increased monitoring and data collection, particularly in Africa, where a third of the population still lacks access to air quality data.
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World’s oceans warming at alarming rate, scientists say – CBS News
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Scientists announced a grim milestone this month: The world’s oceans hit the hottest average recorded temperature. Ian Lee has more on why that’s so alarming, and what it means.
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During a record-hot July, more than 80% of the world’s population saw heat that was statistically unlikely if not for human-caused climate change, according to a new analysis.
The new research, by the nonprofit research group Climate Central, calculated the climate’s shift this July in comparison to a world unaffected by global warming. The analysis includes 4,700 cities and 200 countries. Researchers determined more than four-fifths of the world’s population experienced at least a day of temperatures that were at least three times more likely because of climate change.
This month, prolonged heat waves struck simultaneously in the southern United States, southern Europe and in lowland China, and a separate research group said the U.S. and European heat waves were “virtually impossible” if not for global warming.
The new Climate Central analysis is based on methods that were peer-reviewed as part of previous research. The new results have not undergone peer review. Climate Central has a strong reputation for analyzing climate trends.
The findings suggest that the fingerprint of climate change is sending temperatures soaring in almost every corner of Earth and that it’s causing people to feel heat that would have been statistically unlikely decades ago.
“We really are experiencing climate change just about everywhere,” said Andrew Pershing, the director of climate science for Climate Central.
About 2 billion people experienced temperatures during each day of July that would have been at least three times less likely in a world that had not warmed due to human emissions, according to the analysis.
European scientists last week said July was almost certainly the hottest month of all time. The world will continue to warm until humans figure out how to curb greenhouse gas emissions, like carbon dioxide and methane.
“Temperatures are going to continue to rise and a July like this year eventually will start to look like an average year, or a cool year,” Pershing said. “That’s the big challenge of climate change — is that things are moving so quickly in our system right now and until we get CO2 emissions under control they’re going to continue to move very, very quickly.”
Heat this summer in the U.S.has been implicated in the deaths of hikers and homeless people. It has caused crop losses and sent electricity demand soaring in some communities.
Emergency room visits for heat-related illnesses soared off the charts throughout the U.S. South last month.
“There’s been a big bump up from this heat wave,” said Dr. John Balbus, the acting director of the Office of Climate Change and Health Equity for the U.S Department of Health and Human Services, said in a Tuesday news conference, citing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data showing a sharp rise in heat visits to hospitals.
Evan Bush
Evan Bush is a science reporter for NBC News. He can be reached at Evan.Bush@nbcuni.com.
This month, parts of the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico were more than 5 degrees F warmer than normal. In recent days, a patch of the North Atlantic off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada — a region normally kept relatively cool by the Labrador Current — was an astounding 9 degrees F warmer than usual, according to Frédéric Cyr, a research scientist at Fisheries and Oceans Canada, a department of the Canadian government that oversees marine science and policy and manages the country’s fisheries.
Scientists pay close attention to marine heat waves because the world’s oceans are crucial for the planet’s ability to store heat. Studies have found that Earth’s oceans have absorbed about 90% of the heat trapped on the planet from greenhouse gas emissions since 1970.
As climate change causes the world to warm, sea surface temperatures can offer clues about the health of these bodies of water. As such, the extent of the heat wave unfolding in the North Atlantic, its severity and its duration are all cause for alarm, Ryan said.
“As a scientist, you know this is well within the range of what climate models predict would happen at some point, but to see it actually happening is kind of scary,” she said.
Some impacts are being felt already. The soaring sea surface temperatures off Florida are imperiling the region’s coral reef. Scientists have warned that the heat wave could trigger mass die-offs of coral, which could have profound implications for marine ecosystems in the area.
Elsewhere in the Atlantic, researchers are tracking changes in the distribution of fish as the waters warm. Ryan said certain tropical fish species are expanding their range, venturing further north than normal. Other animals, such as whales, are shifting their movements to match their prey.
“We’re seeing some animals compress their habitats, or some shift latitudinally if they’re capable,” Ryan said. “Or, like the corals in Florida, they just have no chance and die off.”
Kathy Mills, a research scientist at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, said the long-term consequences of such warm waters may not even be known because such conditions have no comparison in recorded history.
“This is out of the realm of anything we’ve observed or been able to observe in the past,” she said, “So we don’t even have data to turn to in order to understand what the impacts of temperatures this hot for such large regions might be.”
Many consequences are also not detectable right away, said Cyr.
“It’s a bit too soon to understand what’s going on,” he said, adding that capturing the full implications for fisheries, marine species and ocean health requires time — and plenty of data.
Mills similarly said that it can take months to conduct biological surveys and work with fisheries to measure outcomes. She said, however, that the warming observed in recent months has been unusually widespread.
“Globally there are very few places that are cooler than usual,” she said. “You would typically expect sort of a balance, but we have a large portion of the ocean that is hotter than long-term averages, and the certain regions experiencing these really exceptional temperatures.”
This year, El Niño conditions are also expected to play a role, compounding background warming from climate change. El Niño, a natural climate cycle characterized by warmer-than-usual waters in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, can have a significant effect on rainfall, hurricanes and other severe weather. El Nińo typically also increases average air and sea temperatures.
That means sea surface temperatures may continue to climb.
“The fact that this could be even more extreme if we had a strong El Niño already set up and in place is just shocking,” Mills said.
Denise Chow
Denise Chow is a reporter for NBC News Science focused on general science and climate change.
