This week, a new warning has emerged from the depths: the world's oceans are getting darker. Scientists report that more than 20 percent of the Earth's ocean surface – which spans 70 percent of the planet – has dimmed over the past two decades. This darkening is caused by shifts in the oceans' optical properties, which reduce the reach of sunlight and moonlight into the water. The result? A shrinking photic zone – the sunlit upper layers where 90 percent of marine life thrives.
At the same time, above ground, a fiery emergency is unfolding in Canada. On Wednesday, Manitoba declared a state of emergency, urging thousands to evacuate as wildfires tore through the region. By Friday, neighbouring Saskatchewan was also under threat, with the town of Creighton ordering evacuations and emergency shelters opening in nearby cities.
So far this year, nearly 200,000 hectares have burned – triple the five-year average – with climate change fuelling both the scale and frequency of the blazes.
This crisis comes on the heels of a troubling global milestone: satellite data released this week reveals that forest loss surged to record levels in 2024. Wildfires alone destroyed 6.7 million hectares of tropical primary forest, nearly twice as much as last year.
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