More than a third of all global tree losses last year — 9.3 million hectares — were caused by forest fires, and the damage is expected to be even more widespread with climate change being the primary driver behind it, a new report says.
Analysis from the Global Forest Watch, a forest monitoring platform, suggested that the amount of trees burnt down across the world has nearly doubled in the past two decades. Forest fires result in three million hectares of tree loss per year compared with 2001.
The increase in fire activity is likely to be driven by climate change, as the drier landscapes create the dry conditions for forest fires. The emissions released from these fires further exacerbate climate change as part of a “fire-climate feedback loop”, which have accounted for the recent devastating fires in France and elsewhere, the researchers said.
Northern high-latitude regions, which house boreal forests, have been most affected by forest fires. Though forest fires are a natural function of how these forests function, the regions are warming at a faster rate than the rest of the world.
Nowhere is the devastation clearer than in Russia, which experienced an unprecedented loss of trees last year. The country accounted for 5.4 million of the 9.3 million hectares burnt globally. Russia's 31 per cent increase from 2020 was attributed to prolonged heatwaves that the Global Forest Watch said was “practically impossible” without human-influenced climate change.
Elsewhere, factors such as deforestation have made tropical forests more susceptible to wildfires.
In the Brazilian Amazon, where deforestation hit a record high in January, fires used to clear land after trees have been cut down can encroach into surrounding forests.
“As a result, almost all fires that occur in the tropics are started by people, rather than sparked by natural ignition sources like lightning strikes,” the report said.
Fires accounted for nearly half of tree losses in the Amazon in 2016-17, suggesting that the rainforest could be reaching a climate tipping point. This means it could emit more carbon than it stores, releasing billions of tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and exacerbating climate change.
Forests are critical to the environment because of their ability to store carbon and keep the planet from warming. They also act as effective air-filtration systems and provide habitats for myriad animal species.
Any solution to reduce fire activity would have to include drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the researchers said. Scientists also called for limiting burning fields and ending deforestation. Doing so, they said, would make forests more resilient.
World leaders at the Cop26 summit in Glasgow, Scotland, last year pledged to reverse deforestation in an effort to restrict global warming to 1.5ºC above pre-industrial levels.
US President Joe Biden on Tuesday signed into law a climate and social spending bill that Democrats say will reduce US gas emissions by 40 per cent by 2030. However, that falls short of Mr Biden's goal of reducing emissions by 50-52 per cent by 2030.
Boulder shooting victims
• Denny Strong, 20
• Neven Stanisic, 23
• Rikki Olds, 25
• Tralona Bartkowiak, 49
• Suzanne Fountain, 59
• Teri Leiker, 51
• Eric Talley, 51
• Kevin Mahoney, 61
• Lynn Murray, 62
• Jody Waters, 65
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How to come clean about financial infidelity
- Be honest and transparent: It is always better to own up than be found out. Tell your partner everything they want to know. Show remorse. Inform them of the extent of the situation so they know what they are dealing with.
- Work on yourself: Be honest with yourself and your partner and figure out why you did it. Don’t be ashamed to ask for professional help.
- Give it time: Like any breach of trust, it requires time to rebuild. So be consistent, communicate often and be patient with your partner and yourself.
- Discuss your financial situation regularly: Ensure your spouse is involved in financial matters and decisions. Your ability to consistently follow through with what you say you are going to do when it comes to money can make all the difference in your partner’s willingness to trust you again.
- Work on a plan to resolve the problem together: If there is a lot of debt, for example, create a budget and financial plan together and ensure your partner is fully informed, involved and supported.
Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
SERIES INFO
Afghanistan v Zimbabwe, Abu Dhabi Sunshine Series
All matches at the Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Test series
1st Test: Zimbabwe beat Afghanistan by 10 wickets
2nd Test: Wednesday, 10 March – Sunday, 14 March
Play starts at 9.30am
T20 series
1st T20I: Wednesday, 17 March
2nd T20I: Friday, 19 March
3rd T20I: Saturday, 20 March
TV
Supporters in the UAE can watch the matches on the Rabbithole channel on YouTube
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Young women have more “financial grit”, but fall behind on investing
In an October survey of young adults aged 16 to 25, Charles Schwab found young women are more driven to reach financial independence than young men (67 per cent versus. 58 per cent). They are more likely to take on extra work to make ends meet and see more value than men in creating a plan to achieve their financial goals. Yet, despite all these good ‘first’ measures, they are investing and saving less than young men – falling early into the financial gender gap.
While the women surveyed report spending 36 per cent less than men, they have far less savings than men ($1,267 versus $2,000) – a nearly 60 per cent difference.
In addition, twice as many young men as women say they would invest spare cash, and almost twice as many young men as women report having investment accounts (though most young adults do not invest at all).
“Despite their good intentions, young women start to fall behind their male counterparts in savings and investing early on in life,” said Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz, senior vice president, Charles Schwab. “They start off showing a strong financial planning mindset, but there is still room for further education when it comes to managing their day-to-day finances.”
Ms Schwab-Pomerantz says parents should be conveying the same messages to boys and girls about money, but should tailor those conversations based on the individual and gender.
"Our study shows that while boys are spending more than girls, they also are saving more. Have open and honest conversations with your daughters about the wage and savings gap," she said. "Teach kids about the importance of investing – especially girls, who as we see in this study, aren’t investing as much. Part of being financially prepared is learning to make the most of your money, and that means investing early and consistently."
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