Wildfires in Spain burn ten times more land than last year
Data from the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), part of the Copernicus European Environmental Monitoring Programme, shows that 411,315 ...
Floods driven by climate change are raising the danger of long-banned toxic chemicals resurfacing in rivers, soil, and food chains, according to a new UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report.
The Frontiers 2025 report highlights floods as a growing threat that can stir up harmful substances buried in sediments and infrastructure over decades or centuries. These toxins risk spreading across agricultural lands, urban areas, and freshwater sources, endangering both human health and ecosystems.
“Floodwaters can remobilize chemicals thought safely buried,” the report said, warning that increasing extreme weather linked to global warming is amplifying this risk.
Experts note many of these persistent chemicals, banned under international agreements like the 2006 Stockholm Convention, remain trapped in riverbeds, landfills, and contaminated sites. Flooding events can release them back into the environment, allowing them to bioaccumulate in wildlife and humans.
Low-lying and coastal populations are particularly vulnerable, as more people worldwide settle in flood-prone areas. UNEP officials urge governments to strengthen water management, environmental monitoring, and emergency planning to address these risks.
Industrial toxins such as persistent bioaccumulative and toxic substances (PBTs), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and asbestos are among the dangerous chemicals that floods may release. Despite bans and restrictions, these compounds continue to appear in water systems globally, posing long-term health threats.
UNEP experts also highlight the urgent need to improve early warning systems and monitoring capabilities, especially in vulnerable regions, to better manage and mitigate the impact of chemical pollution linked to climate-driven flooding.
“Preventing contamination is far more cost-effective than dealing with its aftermath,” the report stresses, calling for greater policy attention to these emerging environmental challenges.
A powerful eruption at Japan’s Shinmoedake volcano sent an ash plume more than 3,000 metres high on Sunday morning, prompting safety warnings from authorities.
According to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Oaxaca region of Mexico on Saturday.
The UK is gearing up for Exercise Pegasus 2025, its largest pandemic readiness test since COVID-19. Running from September to November, this full-scale simulation will challenge the country's response to a fast-moving respiratory outbreak.
Kuwait says oil prices will likely stay below $72 per barrel as OPEC monitors global supply trends and U.S. policy signals. The remarks come during market uncertainty fueled by new U.S. tariffs on India and possible sanctions on Russia.
A major fire has broken out at Hamburg’s city port, leaving several people injured.
Data from the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS), part of the Copernicus European Environmental Monitoring Programme, shows that 411,315 hectares of forest and rural land have burned in Spain so far this year — roughly ten times more than the 42,615 hectares affected in 2024.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has ordered a reinforcement of the “Relámpago del Catatumbo” operation, extending it to Tachira state under Peace Zone One.
North Korea has criticised the joint military exercises between the US and South Korea, with state media reporting that the drills demonstrate Washington’s intent to “occupy” the Korean peninsula and target its regional adversaries.
On Monday, Russia claimed its forces had carried out extensive strikes on Ukrainian drone bases and other military targets over the past 24 hours, while Ukraine reported having destroyed a significant amount of Russian military hardware.
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