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Forest fires supercharged by climate change are burning twice as much global tree cover as 20 years ago, according to a data Wednesday showing the equivalent of 16 football pitches are now lost every minute. The research showed in unprecedented detail how wildfires have progressed over the past two decades, with the blazes claiming an estimated three more million hectares each year -- an area the size of Belgium -- compared with 2001. The study showed that the majority of tree cover loss is occurring in the boreal forests that blanket much of Russia, Canada and Alaska, which are among the largest storers of carbon on Earth. Researchers from the University of Maryland used satellite imagery to map areas of tree cover lost, including that burned by what are known as stand-replacing forest fires. These are fires that kill all or most of the forest's canopy and which cause long-term changes to forest structure and soil chemistry. The data showed 2021 to be one of the worst years … [Read more...] about Climate change driving unprecedented forest fire loss

Indonesian Navy corvette (Photo:indonesiaexpat.biz) Brussels (VNA) – The European Union and Indonesia held their first joint naval exercise in the Arabian Sea on August 14-15. The exercise involved Indonesian Navy corvette KRI Sultan Iskandar Muda and EU NAVFOR Somalia – Operation Atalanta frigate ITS Virginio Fasan. It was based on the scenario of an anti-piracy operation, including cross-deck helicopter landings, complex tactical evolutions at sea, boarding of suspicious vessels and fuel replenishment at sea. The EU project on Critical Maritime Routes in the Indo-Pacific (CRIMARIO) provided its Indo-Pacific Regional Information Sharing (IORIS) platform for communication between participants in the exercise. The EU and Indonesia have conducted a regular Security Policy Dialogue to strengthen cooperation on security issues. In November 2021, the sixth meeting of the dialogue discussed maritime security alongside the fight against terrorism and violent extremism, … [Read more...] about EU, Indonesia hold first joint naval exercise

The event was co-hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). Speaking at the event, MARD Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien said the Vietnamese Government, ministries, agencies and partners are paying attention to minimizing the possible emergence and spread of pathogens in human-animal-ecosystem interaction, strengthening the management of food safety, overseeing and preventing antibiotic resistance, recovering and controlling emerging and re-emerging epidemic risks, and controlling environmental factors that potentially affect the health of humans, animals and plants. He added that as an important bridge connecting the MARD, the MOH, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) with sponsors and development partners, the OHP has made constant efforts to promote inter-sectoral cooperation at high levels and pooled the support of the global community to help Vietnam join … [Read more...] about High-Level Forum on One Health Partnership Framework opens