In August 2025, wildfires in Galicia, Spain, have already burned over 4,000 hectares of land; in the southern French department of Aude, the largest wildfire in 76 years has raged, with the fire area exceeding 16,000 hectares as of August 7, resulting in 1 death, 13 injuries, Additionally, three people are missing, and over a…

The University of Santiago, Chile, has released photos showing a team of Chilean scientists collaborating with researchers from the Netherlands and Germany to study penguins in Antarctica and determine the presence of heavy metals in the region due to increased tourism. According to the study published in the journal *Nature Sustainability*, Antarctica is showing increasing…

Research by the University of Santiago, Chile, shows that heavy metal pollutant levels on the Antarctic Peninsula have increased tenfold over the past 40 years, with tourism and scientific activities being the main sources of pollution. Cadmium and lead concentrations in the soil of penguin habitats have risen significantly, potentially affecting the Antarctic ecosystem through…

A joint research effort by Chinese, German, and American scholars has developed a room-temperature catalytic conversion technology that efficiently converts mixed waste plastics into high-grade gasoline at room temperature and pressure, achieving a conversion rate exceeding 95%. This innovative technology integrates dechlorination, cracking, and alkylation reactions into a single process, reducing energy consumption by 70%…

The Horn of Africa and southern Africa are experiencing the worst drought in nearly 40 years. In Ethiopia’s Somali region, 1.1 million livestock have died, forcing herders to relocate to relief camps. Five countries in Southern Africa (including Malawi and Namibia) have declared a state of national disaster due to the El Niño phenomenon. Zambia…

Western Australia is experiencing the most severe marine heatwave on record, resulting in over 90% bleaching and death of coral reefs along a 1,500-kilometer coastline. The Australian Institute of Marine Science notes that even coral reefs previously unaffected have not been spared, with full recovery expected to take 10–15 years. Meteorological data shows that sea…

The UNESCO 2025 World Water Development Report states that glaciers in mountainous regions worldwide are retreating at a rate of 0.8 meters per year. Meltwater from glaciers in the Himalayan-Karakoram region, Asia’s “water tower,” could decrease by 30% after 2040, directly threatening the drinking water security of 2 billion people. The report calls for the…

The Chinese Arctic Research Expedition discovered significantly elevated concentrations of black carbon (BC) and magnetic particulate matter (MPM) in the soil of the Svalbard Archipelago, with black carbon levels in areas with dense scientific facilities being five times higher than in remote mountainous regions. These pollutants primarily originate from shipping emissions and diesel combustion, not…

The United Nations held a new round of negotiations in Geneva aimed at establishing a legally binding international agreement to tackle plastic pollution. Global plastic consumption exceeded 500 million tons in 2024, with 399 million tons ending up as waste. New EU regulations require that 30% of plastic packaging be recycled by 2030 and restrict…

In mid-August, multiple countries including Italy, France, and Spain issued heatwave red alerts. In Spain, wildfires spread across dozens of locations, resulting in the death of a volunteer during firefighting efforts. In France, temperatures in 14 provinces in the southwest and central-east regions exceeded 42.9°C. Experts from the University of Reading in the UK noted…