Tag: climate destabilization

Greater Middle East

Syria faces ‘dire water crisis’

HassakehSyria's cholera outbreak has now spread to every one of the country's 14 provinces, with 24,000 suspected cases and more than 80 deaths since early September. Severe water shortages—exacerbated by war, politics, and climate change—have forced people to drink unsafe water and allowed cholera bacteria to spread in the extremely low Euphrates River. There are other dangerous impacts from what the UN calls an "already dire water crisis" that is likely to get worse: Pastures dry up, and farmers have to sell their livestock. Crop yields are low, prices go up, and more families are forced to skip meals. This has especially grim implications as winter comes to northern Syria, where some 1.7 are displaced and living in camps—already facing privation and harsh conditions. (Photo: Daniela Sala/TNH)

Planet Watch
Chad

Podcast: climate change and the global struggle II

ZaporizhzhiaUN Secretary-General António Guterres strongly condemned Russia's largest yet wave of drone and missile attacks in Ukraine, especially noting strikes that disrupted the power supply to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), endangering nuclear safety. Rafael Grossi, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), also warned of the persisting "extremely fragile" situation at Europe's largest nuclear facility. Russia's latest air-strike against the ZNPP marked the ninth time power was broken off to the plant since the war began in February 2022. Although external power has been restored, Grossi cautioned that the situation remains unsafe. (Photo: Wikipedia)

Planet Watch
air pollution

UN: no ‘credible pathway’ to Paris climate goals

Chief Dsta’hylThe Court of Appeal for British Columbia unanimously upheld the criminal contempt conviction against Chief Dsta'hyl (Adam Gagnon), finding him in breach of a court injunction by protesting against a pipeline project in the territories of the Wet'suwet'en First Nation. In 2019, the British Columbia Supreme Court issued an injunction banning protests in the construction area of the Coastal GasLink pipeline project. Defying the injunction, Chief Dsta'hyl organized a blockade in an attempt to block the construction in 2021. At trial, he contended that the protests were necessary to uphold the traditional Wet’suwet’en law of trespass and fulfill his duties as a chief to preserve and protect their yintah (territory). The trial judge rejected the defense, holding that it was an impermissible "collateral attack" on the injunction. Amnesty International declared Chief Dsta'hyl Canada's first prisoner of conscience. (Image: Front Line Defenders)