The Japan Times

Featured

Global warming makes French reservoir a winter resort for migrating cranes

The Lac du Der was once just a passing glimpse for hundreds of thousands of cranes flying from Scandinavia in search of sunshine, but with global warming the French reservoir has become an attractive winter retreat.

'I'm out of here': French town waits for flood to recede

Residents of a flooded French town on Thursday waited for the water to drain away from its streets, after a nearby river did not rise out of its bed quite as high as expected.

Last news

Efforts to clean up power sector too slow: watchdog

Many of the most polluting countries are failing to cut carbon emissions from their energy sectors quickly enough to meet the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, a watchdog said on Tuesday.

Climate change, conflict made Libya deluge more likely: study

Climate change made torrential rains that triggered deadly flooding in Libya up to 50 times more likely, new research said Tuesday, noting that conflict and poor dam maintenance turned extreme weather into a humanitarian disaster.

UK carmakers hope for delay to post-Brexit tariff

The UK carmaking industry is hopeful of a postponement in a provision in the nation's post-Brexit EU trade treaty, which will otherwise impose a 10-percent tariff on electric vehicles.

Climate activists spray Berlin's Brandenburg Gate

Activists from climate group "Last Generation" spray-painted Berlin's famous Brandenburg Gate on Sunday, calling for the abandonment of fossil fuels and more action on climate change.

Greek PM vows for a restart after criticism for natural disasters' handling

Faced with criticism for his alleged poor handling of the fires and floods that struck Greece this summer, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis pledged fresh funding and reforms in order to fight the "climate war".

Thousands stage climate protests across Germany

Tens of thousands of people rallied in cities across Germany on Friday at climate protests urging Chancellor Olaf Scholz's government to do more for environmental protection.

Floods wiped out quarter of Greek farm produce: experts

A quarter of Greece's annual agricultural production was wiped out in last week's deadly flash floods triggered by Storm Daniel, which drenched the central region of Thessaly, according to experts.

Top science editor defends peer-review system in climate row

Top science journal Nature was hit with claims last week that its editors -– and those of other leading titles -– have a bias towards papers highlighting negative climate change effects. It denies the allegation.

UK man swims entire New York river in clean-water campaign

British endurance swimmer Lewis Pugh on Wednesday completed a 315-mile (500-kilometer) journey down New York's Hudson River, highlighting its successful decades-long cleanup as a beacon for other waterways.

Humanity deep in the danger zone of planetary boundaries: study

Human activity and appetites have weakened Earth's resilience, pushing it far beyond the "safe operating space" that keeps the world liveable for most species, including our own, a landmark study said Wednesday.

Rice price spike offers preview of climate food disruption

A 15-year high in rice prices, prompted by top exporter India's restrictions on overseas sales, should be a wake-up call on how climate change can disrupt food supplies, experts say.

US hit by record number of billion-dollar disasters so far this year

Between January and August, the United States was struck by a record-breaking 23 weather and climate disasters where losses exceeded $1 billion in each case, official data showed Monday.

Small islands take ocean protection case to UN court

Leaders of nine small island states turned to the UN maritime court on Monday to seek protection of the world's oceans from catastrophic climate change that threatens the very existence of entire countries.

Rescues underway in Greek towns cut off by floods

Firefighters backed by the army were rescuing hundreds of people Saturday in villages in central Greece blocked off by floods that have claimed at least 10 lives.

Huge rescue effort in Greek villages after deadly storms

Helicopters and lifeboats have been deployed to reach hundreds of stranded villagers in central Greece, as the death toll from deadly flooding rose to seven, authorities said Friday.

UK experiencing longest September heatwave

Britain is experiencing a record-breaking period of hot September weather with Friday expected to be the fifth consecutive day of temperatures climbing above 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit).

G20 gathers in India with Xi absent

G20 leaders began to descend on New Delhi Friday, hoping to make progress on trade, climate and a host of other global problems despite the Chinese and Russian presidents skipping the summit.

Climate change pushes Bordeaux winemakers to harvest at night

In France's southern Bordeaux region, the grape harvest is often now done at night to ensure the peak freshness required to obtain the best wine but this is also a response to climate change.

Hong Kong flooded by heaviest rainfall in 140 years

Hong Kong was flooded by the heaviest rainfall in nearly 140 years on Friday, leaving the city's streets and some subway stations under water and forcing its schools to close.

Record rainfall floods Hong Kong days after typhoon

Record rainfall in Hong Kong caused widespread flooding Friday, closing schools, suspending border cargo services and disrupting road and rail traffic just days after the city was shut down by a super typhoon.

Record rainfall causes flooding in Hong Kong days after typhoon

Record rainfall in Hong Kong caused widespread flooding in the early hours of Friday, disrupting road and rail traffic just days after the city dodged major damage from a super typhoon.

Climate change supercharged this summer's record heat: study

Record-shattering temperatures that impacted billions of people in the northern hemisphere this summer were given a massive boost by human-caused climate change, an analysis showed Thursday.

Hong Kong hit with heavy rain, flooding days after typhoon

Hong Kong saw widespread flooding and heavy rain in the early hours of Friday, which disrupted road and rail traffic just days after the city dodged major damage from a super typhoon.

India's Modi calls for climate finance ahead of G20 meet

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Thursday that leaders of the G20 summit he is chairing this weekend must support developing nations to tackle climate change with more cash and by sharing technology.

Berlin-Paris night train to return after nine years

A night train linking Berlin and Paris will return in December, nine years after the service was cancelled, Austrian rail operator OeBB said Wednesday.

Storms kill 14 in Mediterranean, east Europe

Storms have killed at least 14 people in Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria, with a Greek region hit by more rain in 24 hours than it normally sees in a year, officials said Wednesday.

Toll from Bulgaria flooding rises to four

The toll from torrential rains and flooding on Bulgaria's Black Sea coast has climbed to four, while several thousand tourists have been left stranded, officials said Wednesday.

Adapt now as hotter marine heatwaves hit: scientists

Conservationists and the fishing and tourism industries must take pre-emptive measures to protect wildlife and livelihoods as the El Nino phenomenon amplifies marine heatwaves already made more intense and frequent by climate change, scientists said on Wednesday.

Toll from Bulgaria flooding rises to three

The toll from torrential rains and flooding on Bulgaria's Black Sea coast has climbed to three as the bad weather left tourists stranded, officials said Wednesday.

Climate change worsening heatwaves, air quality: UN

Climate change is driving more intense and more frequent heatwaves, which in turn generate a "witch's brew" of pollutants, threatening the health of humans and other living things, the UN warned Wednesday.

2023 likely to be hottest year on record: EU monitor

2023 is likely to be the hottest year in human history, and global temperatures during the Northern Hemisphere summer were the warmest on record, the EU climate monitor said on Wednesday.

Measuring the retreat of Italy's largest glacier

The Adamello glacier, the largest in the Italian Alps, is slowly being destroyed by global warming, with experts giving it less than a century to survive.

The Japan Times - Weather (English)