Warning signs on climate flashing bright red: top scientists

Warning signs on climate flashing bright red: top scientists
Dire future climate impacts worse than what the world has already experienced are already baked in over the next decade or two. (AFP)
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Updated 19 June 2025
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Warning signs on climate flashing bright red: top scientists

Warning signs on climate flashing bright red: top scientists
  • “The next three or four decades is pretty much the timeline over which we expect a peak in warming to happen”

PARIS: From carbon pollution to sea-level rise to global heating, the pace and level of key climate change indicators are all in uncharted territory, more than 60 top scientists warned Thursday.
Greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels and deforestation hit a new high in 2024 and averaged, over the last decade, a record 53.6 billion tons per year — that is 100,000 tons per minute — of CO2 or its equivalent in other gases, they reported in a peer-reviewed update.
Earth’s surface temperature last year breached 1.5 degrees Celsius for the first time, and the additional CO2 humanity can emit with a two-thirds chance of staying under that threshold long-term — our 1.5C “carbon budget” — will be exhausted in a couple of years, they calculated.
Investment in clean energy outpaced investment in oil, gas and coal last year two-to-one, but fossil fuels account for more than 80 percent of global energy consumption, and growth in renewables still lags behind new demand.
Included in the 2015 Paris climate treaty as an aspirational goal, the 1.5C limit has since been validated by science as necessary for avoiding a catastrophically climate-addled world.
The hard cap on warming to which nearly 200 nations agreed was “well below” two degrees, commonly interpreted to mean 1.7C to 1.8C.
“We are already in crunch time for these higher levels of warming,” co-author Joeri Rogelj, a professor of climate science and policy at Imperial College London, told journalists in a briefing.
“The next three or four decades is pretty much the timeline over which we expect a peak in warming to happen.”
No less alarming than record heat and carbon emissions is the gathering pace at which these and other climate indicators are shifting, according to the study, published in Earth System Science Data.
Human-induced warming increased over the last decade at a rate “unprecedented in the instrumental record,” and well above the 2010-2019 average registered in the UN’s most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, in 2021.
The new findings — led by the same scientists using essentially the same methods — are intended as an authoritative albeit unofficial update of the benchmark IPCC reports underpinning global climate diplomacy.
They should be taken as a reality check by policymakers, the authors suggested.
“I tend to be an optimistic person,” said lead author Piers Forster, head of the University of Leed’s Priestley Center for Climate Futures.
“But if you look at this year’s update, things are all moving in the wrong direction.”
The rate at which sea levels have shot up in recent years is also alarming, the scientists said.
After creeping up, on average, well under two millimeters per year from 1901 to 2018, global oceans have risen 4.3 mm annually since 2019.
An increase in the ocean watermark of 23 centimeters — the width of a letter-sized sheet of paper — over the last 125 years has been enough to imperil many small island states and hugely amplify the destructive power of storm surges worldwide.
An additional 20 centimeters of sea level rise by 2050 would cause one trillion dollars in flood damage annually in the world’s 136 largest coastal cities, earlier research has shown.
Another indicator underlying all the changes in the climate system is Earth’s so-called energy imbalance, the difference between the amount of solar energy entering the atmosphere and the smaller amount leaving it.
So far, 91 percent of human-caused warming has been absorbed by oceans, sparing life on land.
But the planet’s energy imbalance has nearly doubled in the last 20 years, and scientists do not know how long oceans will continue to massively soak up this excess heat.
Dire future climate impacts worse than what the world has already experienced are already baked in over the next decade or two.
But beyond that, the future is in our hands, the scientists made clear.
“We will rapidly reach a level of global warming of 1.5C, but what happens next depends on the choices which will be made,” said co-author and former IPCC co-chair Valerie Masson-Delmotte.
The Paris Agreement’s 1.5C target allows for the possibility of ratcheting down global temperatures below that threshold before century’s end.
Ahead of a critical year-end climate summit in Brazil, international cooperation has been weakened by the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement.
President Donald Trump’s dismantling of domestic climate policies means the United States is likely to fall short on its emissions reduction targets, and could sap the resolve of other countries to deepen their own pledges, experts say.


Philippine government brings one-stop service for overseas Filipinos to Riyadh 

Philippine government brings one-stop service for overseas Filipinos to Riyadh 
Updated 8 sec ago
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Philippine government brings one-stop service for overseas Filipinos to Riyadh 

Philippine government brings one-stop service for overseas Filipinos to Riyadh 
  • Around 898,000 overseas Filipino workers live and work in the Kingdom 
  • Philippine officials plan to take ‘service caravan’ to Jeddah, Alkhobar, as well as Qatar, UAE

MANILA: The Philippine Department of Migrant Workers launched on Friday the Middle East leg of its “service caravan” in Riyadh, as officials seek to provide an all-in-one stop of essential government services for overseas Filipinos in the region. 

Saudi Arabia is the leading destination for overseas Filipino workers, with about 898,000 of them currently living and working in the Kingdom. 

The DMW collaborated with other government agencies to bring them the Serbisyo Caravan, or service caravan, an outreach program that offers various state services. 

“The Serbisyo Caravan here in the Middle East is part of the government’s ongoing program to bring vital services directly to our OFWs,” Rommel Romato, the Philippine consul-general in Jeddah, told Arab News. 

“By gathering multiple agencies in one place, the caravan makes it easier and faster for OFWs to access assistance without needing to make special trips to the Philippines.” 

The services include welfare counseling, free legal consultations, business support assistance, as well as registration and processing of official documents, among other things that are usually only available within the Philippines. 

Many Filipino nationals in the Saudi capital flocked to take advantage of the service caravan, with large numbers queuing since Friday morning, as seen in a video posted by the DMW on Facebook. 

“We want to regularize this program as we expand our diplomatic and consular services to millions of OFWs abroad,” Romato said. 

Philippine First Lady Louise Marcos arrived in Riyadh on Friday to oversee the launch of the outreach program. As part of the working visit, she will also meet with Filipino migrant workers in the Kingdom, according to Presidential Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro. 

Though Philippine officials first launched the service caravan in Hong Kong last month, Friday’s service marks the first time it was brought to the Middle East.

After Riyadh, the DMW is set to take the caravan program to the Saudi cities of Jeddah and Alkhobar, as well as Qatar and the UAE in July and August. 

Around 20 percent of Filipino migrant workers are in Saudi Arabia, while about 13.6 percent live and work in the UAE, and another 6.2 percent are in Qatar.


UK police hunt suspects after anti-migrant protests turn violent

UK police hunt suspects after anti-migrant protests turn violent
Updated 59 min 43 sec ago
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UK police hunt suspects after anti-migrant protests turn violent

UK police hunt suspects after anti-migrant protests turn violent
  • Eight police officers were injured and three vehicles were damaged, Essex police said
  • Essex police on Friday insisted officers would “continue to support those communities that want to peacefully protest“

EPPING, UK: Police promised Friday to track down suspects behind violence at a protest outside a southeast England hotel believed to house asylum seekers, after officers and vehicles were attacked.

The violence followed several demonstrations in recent days in the town of Epping which flared after police charged an asylum seeker with sex offenses.

Eight police officers were injured and three vehicles were damaged, Essex police said.

The unrest, which police blamed on people from “outside of our community,” comes a year after anti-immigration riots rocked the UK in the wake of the fatal stabbings of three young girls in the northern town of Southport.

Then, rioters targeted hotels housing asylum seekers in several different English cities, infamously attempting to set fire to one in Rotherham, northeast England.

Essex police on Friday insisted officers would “continue to support those communities that want to peacefully protest” but would not tolerate “acts of violence and vandalism.”

“After last night I’ve got a team of specialist detectives today that are combing through the body-worn video CCTV to identify those who are responsible,” Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Hooper told AFP.

“And what I can say is if you’re one of those individuals you can expect a knock on the door.”

Hooper said the “selfish individuals” behind the violence were mostly “from outside of the area” and had traveled to Epping “intent on causing criminality.”

Right-wing agitators, including far-right activist Tommy Robinson, have been sharing posts and videos about the situation on social media.

Footage of Thursday’s protests showed masked people pelting police vans and jumping on them, as well as clashing with officers.

The disturbances came after police charged 38-year-old asylum seeker Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu with three counts of sexual assault, one count of inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity and one count of harassment without violence.

The charges stem from allegations he tried to kiss a 14-year-old girl as she ate pizza at a restaurant in Epping, just northeast of London, on July 7 and again the following day.

He has pleaded not guilty, and appeared in court for a hearing on Thursday.

An asylum seeker from Ethiopia, he arrived in the UK irregularly after crossing the Channel on a small boat at the end of last month.

In the wake of the incident, local officials have called for the Bell Hotel to no longer house asylum seekers.


Disinformation catalyzes anti-migrant unrest in Spain

Disinformation catalyzes anti-migrant unrest in Spain
Updated 18 July 2025
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Disinformation catalyzes anti-migrant unrest in Spain

Disinformation catalyzes anti-migrant unrest in Spain
  • The altercations were sparked after a 68-year-old pensioner said three men of North African origin attacked him without provocation on July 9
  • The conservative-led city council organized a protest against insecurity, which quickly escalated when far-right groups joined with hostile slogans against immigrants

MADRID: The rare anti-migrant violence that recently rocked a Spanish town demonstrated how online disinformation feeds xenophobic hate speech, which leapt from screens to real life with the support of politicians, experts said.

Last weekend’s unrest in the southeastern town of Torre Pacheco pitted far-right groups against immigrant residents, mainly of Moroccan origin, but a heavy police presence prevented serious confrontations.

The altercations were sparked after a 68-year-old pensioner said three men of North African origin attacked him without provocation on July 9.

Two days later, the conservative-led city council organized a protest against insecurity, which quickly escalated when far-right groups joined with hostile slogans against immigrants.

That day, and for several nights, riots broke out in the streets of the southeastern city of 40,000.

Authorities have arrested 14 people, including three suspected of involvement in the attack on the retiree.

Also among those detained is the leader of the far-right “Deport Them Now” group, who allegedly called for a “hunt” of migrants on social media.

The sudden outbreak of violence took Spain by surprise but anti-migrant discourse had already been brewing, partly due to disinformation circulating on social media.

AFP’s digital verification team in Spain has debunked many false claims linked to immigrants, mostly concerning public benefits they supposedly receive and alleged attacks by foreigners on Spanish customs.

For Alexandre Lopez Borrull, a professor in communication and information science at the Open University of Catalonia, disinformation in such cases is “the fuel and the spark at the same time.”

The narrative “is fueled over a long period of time” and when a specific event occurs, it can act as a spark in scenarios like the one that played out in Torre Pacheco, he said.

A video purporting to show the assault on the pensioner, along with a list of alleged attackers, quickly circulated online — both debunked by AFP.

Elisa Brey, a sociology professor at Madrid’s Complutense University, likened the phenomenon to criminals setting off wildfires.

“It’s hot, there’s a temperature alert, and an arsonist passes by and throws a match. That is what happens with disinformation,” she said.

Experts also emphasized the role of politicians, particularly the far-right Vox party, in fanning the flames of anti-migrant rhetoric.

Vox has long connected immigration to crime and recently proposed, echoing other EU political parties and far-right activists, that some migrants be deported as part of a broad “remigration” plan.

Foreigners make up 14 percent of Spain’s population, up from only 1.6 percent in 1998.

In events like the violent protests in Torre Pacheco, malicious discourse seeps through different layers of social media before erupting into the public sphere, Brey explained.

First, it simmers at an “underlying” level on less visible platforms like Telegram, before jumping to more popular networks such as X and TikTok. Politicians then amplify the message through public statements, she said.

Vox’s leader in the southeastern Murcia region, which includes Torre Pacheco, blamed the unrest on “illegal immigration,” claiming that migrants had assaulted the elderly and committed sexual violence against women.

Prosecutors have opened an investigation into his comments to determine if they constitute a hate crime.

Social media was used in a way that, “in the end, it led to these events,” added Marcelino Madrigal, an expert in online platforms and cybersecurity.

Madrigal also detected that parties were shifting their position on immigration with an eye on political gain at a time of speculation about early elections in Spain.

“With disinformation about immigration, the aim is to destabilize a government or a country as well as present yourself as an alternative to save us from a problem that does not exist,” he said.


Baby dies after being left in hot car in Belgium

Baby dies after being left in hot car in Belgium
Updated 18 July 2025
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Baby dies after being left in hot car in Belgium

Baby dies after being left in hot car in Belgium
  • Prosecutors launched a manslaughter investigation
  • A forensics examination ruled out foul play

BRUSSELS: A 15-month-old baby has died in Belgium after being left inside a car on a warm summer day, authorities said on Friday.

Prosecutors in the southern city of Namur said they had launched a manslaughter investigation following the incident, which took place on Thursday.

A forensics examination ruled out foul play and concluded the baby died of hyperthermia, or overheating.

“According to the preliminary findings of the investigation, the child was forgotten inside a vehicle,” the prosecutor’s office said.

Local media alleged that the father forgot to drop the baby off at daycare on his way to work.

The child was left for several hours inside the car at the man’s company car park.

Temperatures in Namur reached around 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit) on Thursday afternoon.


UK police drop Kneecap probe after Glastonbury performance

UK police drop Kneecap probe after Glastonbury performance
Updated 18 July 2025
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UK police drop Kneecap probe after Glastonbury performance

UK police drop Kneecap probe after Glastonbury performance
  • Irish rappers were being investigated over comments during a performance at Glastonbury
  • Band member Liam O’Hanna has been previously charged with 'terror' offense over alleged support for Hamas and Hezbollah

LONDON: UK police said on Friday they had dropped a criminal investigation into on-stage comments by Irish rappers Kneecap at the Glastonbury festival.
Avon and Somerset Police in southwest England said last month it had launched an enquiry after reviewing “video footage and audio” of both Kneecap and London-based duo Bob Vylan, whose frontman led a chant against the Israeli army at the festival.
The Kneecap probe was focused on remarks made about a forthcoming court case in which one band member Liam O’Hanna, known by his stage name Mo Chara, is charged with a “terror” offense over alleged support for banned organizations Hamas and Hezbollah.
But in an update the force said it would take no further action against Kneecap, whose members had been informed of the decision.
“Detectives sought advice from the Crown Prosecution Service during their enquiries and after that advice, we have made the decision to take no further action on the grounds there is insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for any offense,” it said.
Inquiries into the separate allegations against Bob Vylan, however, would continue, it added.
Chara appeared in court in June accused of having displayed a Hezbollah flag while saying “Up Hamas, Up Hezbollah” at a London concert last year.
The Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah and the Palestinian militants Hamas are banned in the UK, where it is an offense to express support for them.
Kneecap deny the terrorism charge and say the video featuring the Hezbollah flag has been taken out of context.