(Climate change is, of course, Fake News. All the Smart People say so.)
Tragically, the American President elect is of that view.
I’m not sure the Guardian article is entirely correct. I don’t think that Great Grey Shrikes and Rough-legged buzzards have been more than scarce winter visitors during the 50 years that I’ve been birding. There are perhaps fewer Snow Buntings, Lapland Buntings and Smew (s?) to take a few random examples. And you don’t see the vast winter flocks of Lapwings and Golden Plovers that you used to in Southern England, although that may also be due to a loss of breeding habitat as well as climate effects.
About 25 years ago when I was writing a course on birds this effect was starting, fewer wintering birds on estuaries of SW and W of UK and it was predicted that they may not turn up here at all. The birds had been going to SW England at times when areas elsewhere were frozen but freezing now much rarer.
President Vladimir Putin has called it an “ecological disaster”
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Not to mention the ecological devastation caused by wars. ……
I noticed this event when it happened but also noticed it vanished from the news almost immediately whereas such a large spill in other places would be kept in the news much longer. Early coverage also mentioned age of the tankers and potentially being unseaworthy especially in storms i.e. a disaster waiting to happen.
This seems to be the current state of much of the Russian (and Russian chartered) fleet at the moment. Stems from the continued reluctance of other states to allow the vessels access for necessary repairs. A potential disaster for the environment … and for the crews.
I imagine that the war in Ukraine has had a big environmental impact as well as a devastating humanitarian one - not to mention all the Z vehicles chugging around burning fuel.
Indeed. There are articles and reports on this topic. Here are 2.
- Reuters A report, ( link below) published by Ukraine’s environment ministry and climate NGOs. June 2023.
The report said that the war emissions could be divided approximately into three thirds: military activity, the steel and concrete needed to rebuild damaged infrastructure, and the final third being made up of several disparate factors including fires and movement of people.
Among the world’s biggest consumers of fuel, militaries account for 5.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to a 2022 estimate,
- War in Ukraine: an overview of environmental impacts and consequences for human health.
Frontiers | War in Ukraine: an overview of environmental impacts and consequences for human health
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