The Stream, September 7: Will Climate Change Sink Bangkok?
Bangkok could be under water by 2030, the Guardian reported. The ground beneath Thailand’s capital is quickly subsiding due to rising sea levels, coastal erosion and urbanization.
The minimum summertime volume of Arctic Sea ice reached a record low in 2010, Reuters reported, citing researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle who will soon publish a study on the topic. The current trend could see the Artic Ocean ice-free within decades, and warming sea water will likely increase the melting of Greenland’s freshwater ice sheet.
As Pakistan’s flood-related death toll rose to 123, the government activated the National Health Emergency Response Unit to deal with the outbreaks of water-borne diseases, Xinhua reported. The floods, caused by monsoon rains, have destroyed 500,000 homes and 80 percent of the banana, date, chili, sugarcane and cotton crops in Sindh Province.
India and Bangladesh failed to sign a much anticipated water-sharing deal for the Teesta and Feni rivers. The deal was meant to be the highlight of India Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s first visit to Bangladesh, but inner opposition from West Bengal prompted him to back out at the last minute, The Times of India reported.
In Burundi, civil society organizations and labor unions are threatening to protest against the doubling of water and power fees, according to Bloomberg. The government increased water and electricity tariffs earlier this month to help finance the construction of new hydropower dams.
The Stream is a daily digest spotting global water trends. To get more water news, follow Circle of Blue on Twitter and sign up for our newsletter.
A news correspondent for Circle of Blue based out of Hawaii. She writes The Stream, Circle of Blue’s daily digest of international water news trends. Her interests include food security, ecology and the Great Lakes.
Contact Codi Kozacek
Thx for this great information that you are sharing with us!!!