Strong dust storms have swept through the Iraqi capital Baghdad and southern provinces, paralyzing traffic, closing schools, and sending more than 800 people to the hospital with respiratory ailments. According to the United Nations, Iraq may experience 300 dust storms per year, and prolonged drought and over-cultivation make it one of the most vulnerable countries…

Ghana receives an estimated 15 million pieces of second-hand clothing from around the world every week, nearly half of which cannot be resold and end up piling up on Accra’s beaches or being burned in the open, leading to the collapse of coastal ecosystems. These garments contain high levels of synthetic fibers, releasing microplastics and…

Florida faces ecological damage from invasive species such as the Cuban tree frog and Burmese python, while the spread of parasites exacerbates the risk of extinction for native species. University study calls for increased biodefense and public education to reduce human introduction of invasive species2.

New research suggests that climate change is causing disruptions in tropical rainforests’ heat and precipitation patterns, and that the rate of adaptation is lagging behind environmental change, potentially accelerating ecosystem collapse. Scientists suggest combining indigenous traditional knowledge (e.g., species distribution management) with modern technologies to improve rainforest resilience.

Arctic seabed monitoring shows a 40% increase in summer methane flux in 2025 compared to 2020, with permafrost melting potentially releasing 500 billion tons of carbon. The International Arctic Science Committee warns that this would add an extra 0.3°C to global warming, far exceeding the Paris Agreement’s temperature control targets. Carbon dioxide from the breakdown…

In April 2025, the number of polluted waters doubled from 2023 when Environment Agency data showed that 37 of England’s 451 protected bathing beaches were rated ‘poor’ for exceeding E. coli and enterococci standards. Environmental group Surfers Against Sewage recorded more than 6,000 incidents of sewage discharges, with 2,201 annual sewage discharges at Wallasey Beach,…

In April 2025, the government of Victoria, Australia, shot 750 koalas that had survived the hill fires, including 200 pups in nursery pouches, by helicopter. The state Department of Environment claimed that the koalas were so badly burned and dehydrated that euthanasia was “the only option,” but animal protection groups exposed gaps in the data…

In 2025, an e-waste dismantling site on the outskirts of Seoul was exposed to illegal dumping of e-waste containing lead and mercury, leading to a 50-fold exceedance of heavy metal standards in the surrounding soil. The average blood lead concentration of local residents reached 15 micrograms per deciliter, far exceeding safety standards, and environmental organizations…

In April 2025, Ministry of the Environment tests showed that Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid (PFOS) and Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) exceeded the national standard in rivers and lakes at 242 locations in 22 prefectures, with a maximum of 520 times the national standard in Settsu City, Osaka Prefecture. The source of the contamination points to fire extinguishing…

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced in April that gamma ray and electron beam technologies can be used to transform mixed plastic waste into high-value materials without the use of harmful additives. A radiation-assisted pilot plant has been built in the Philippines to turn recycled plastics into building materials with a 30 percent increase…