Dear Forests of Vasundhara: Danger Clouds Over 68 Percent of Temperate Rainforest

A cloud of danger is looming over the temperate rainforests of India, research has revealed. If the green house gas emissions continue at the same level, then this danger is considered certain. Two-thirds of these forests will be lost by the year 2100, according to a study published by researchers at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom. Some regions may lose 90 percent of their forest cover. Temperate rainforests are rare ecosystems, found only in wet and cold regions. This makes them susceptible to hot weather. These ecosystems are important to conserve, as they breed unique species and can store large amounts of carbon. Limiting global warming below two degrees, the damage could be reduced by nine percent, according to the research. Temperate rainforests cover less than one percent of the Earth's surface, accounting for about 2.5 percent of global forest cover. However, compared to other forests, they are a critical factor due to their ecological importance and carbon density. The countries with the largest temperate rainy climates are Canada, the US, Chile, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the UK. Lead author Ben Silver of the university's School of Earth and Environment says, 'U. Uncontrolled climate change is a disaster for temperate rainforests in K. and globally, as they cannot survive the summer heat. We are starting to observe temperature more regularly. Future climate change simulations only predict worse.' The study concluded that 43 percent of the existing temperate rainforest biome has been lost due to indiscriminate cutting, leaving only 37 percent of the primary growth forest. In regions like Europe, the situation is very serious. It is also recommended to restore these types of forests. Red alert for Cheria on Maldives' blue ocean The Maldives' mesmerizing views are attracting some Indian tourists on social media amid controversy, but a new study finds the future of the so-called Cheria, a coastal protectorate there, is at risk. In 2020, the Maldives has seen a quarter of its rainforests disappear, with record-breaking sea level rise to blame, according to new research. Due to the climate pattern that runs through the Indian Ocean Bipolar, this important coastal protectorate area of ​​Cheria is flooded with saline water, which has caused the forests to slowly decline before being destroyed. Between the years 2017 and 2020, sea levels in the small island rose by about 30 millimeters, submerging Cheria and putting it under salinity stress, a report published in the journal Scientific Reports on November 2024 found. As of 2020, several islands in the Maldives have lost more than half of their cherry forests. The 'Indian Ocean Dipole' (IOD) is a climate system that influences the winds, sea surface temperature and rainfall in the Indian Ocean basin. During the positive phase between 2019 and 2020, the western Indian Ocean, where the Maldives is located, saw warmer sea surface temperatures and sea levels due to ocean expansion, while the eastern Indian Ocean saw cooler waters and lower sea levels. 15 different species of Cheria are found on at least 150 islands in the Maldives, of which four are salt tolerant, while five are moderately tolerant. This type of effect has mainly occurred on the species 'Bruguera cylindrica', which has low salt tolerance. A team of scientists, led by Lucy Carruthers and Vasile Irsek from the Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences at Northumbria University, carried out the scientific analysis. Due to the small land area, coastal development and low sedimentation, the Cheriya here could not migrate landward. To cope with rising sea levels, cheria must adapt by increasing sediment accumulation on the surface, but rapid sea-level rise has prevented cheria on low-lying Caribbean and Pacific islands from keeping pace, the researchers noted. 26 percent of the Maldivian islands were affected, with some inhabited and uninhabited islands losing 50 percent of their coral cover. 60% of Europe's water is dirty When the name of vacation comes to mind, America, Europe or London comes to mind, but the scientists there have realized that 60% of the water there is dirty and now a new trend has arisen. A report published by the European Environment Agency (EEA) concluded that less than 40 percent of surface waters such as rivers and lakes are currently healthy. Europe's water resources are under severe stress, with no significant progress since 2009. The report, State of Europe's Water 2024, highlighted the urgent need for strict implementation of the 'Water Framework Directive', significant changes in agricultural production, pollution reduction and urgent ecosystem restoration. About 25 percent of groundwater chemical conditions are not suitable, even though it supplies nearly two-thirds of Europe's drinking water. Europeans are increasingly paying the price for their government's inaction on the water crisis. According to the latest Euroborometer survey, 78 percent of Europeans want action to tackle water pollution. 'This is not just a European issue, but a global crisis,' says Andas Krolop, head of biodiversity policy at The Nature Conservancy Europe. At least 25,000 km. Restoring rivers to their free-flowing regions is not just an environmental imperative: it is a commitment to biodiversity and our future.'}