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Climate Change: Workers in South Asia at risk in extreme heat
Source: The Daily Star
Date: 10 May 2023
Rising global temperatures are endangering workers, raising the risk of fatalities and disabilities from extreme heat. South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa are expected to bear the brunt of lost working hours due to extreme heat. India, Bangladesh, and neighboring countries, with substantial agricultural and informal sector workforces lacking health insurance, are particularly vulnerable. An international conference in Qatar highlighted tens of thousands of worker deaths linked to extreme heat-related illnesses.
While some reforms have been made, the absence of international temperature standards for outdoor work necessitates urgent action. Heat-related health problems, such as kidney disease and cancer, are increasing. Prioritizing worker well-being with rest, shade, and water is crucial, even if it challenges productivity-focused owners.
Explained: Climate change, earthquakes and hydropower in the Himalayas
Source: The Third Pole
Date: 11 May 2023
Climate change is potentially influencing earthquake frequency in the Himalayas. An analysis of seismic activity between 1900 and 2010 shows an increase in earthquakes, particularly after 2000, though no direct link to climate change has been established. The Himalayas, which are warming faster than the global average, host significant glaciers. Glacial melt could trigger more earthquakes through a process called glacial isostatic adjustment.
Monsoon patterns also impact seismic activity, with more earthquakes occurring in the winter when water pressure on the Gangetic basin is higher. Furthermore, large infrastructure projects, like dams, can induce earthquakes. Complex disasters involving earthquakes, landslides, and glacial lake outburst floods are becoming more likely due to climate change, threatening the region.
Global warming: Why India is heating up slower than the world average
Source: Indian Express
Date: 11 May 2023
This single number denoting global temperature increase, very effective for communicating the dangers of climate change, is built on top of several layers of averages. To understand what is happening in India, all these figures need to be looked at.
