Glaciers melting faster than ever before, and other nature and climate stories you need to read this week

Glaciers around the world are disappearing faster than ever recorded, according to a new study published in Nature.

These frozen rivers of ice hold enough water to raise global sea levels by 32cm if fully melted.

Glaciers have lost more than 6,500 billion tonnes of ice – about 5% of their total mass – since 2000.

The pace of change has only increased in recent years. Over the past decade, glacier losses were more than a third higher than during the decade before that, the study found.

Even small rises in sea levels can dramatically increase the risk of flooding, putting coastal communities at risk.

Asia has suffered at least $2 trillion in damages from extreme weather events such as floods and heatwaves since 1993, according to the Climate Risk Index 2025.

The annual report analyzes the effect of climate-related extreme weather events on countries around the world.

From 1993 to 2022, more than 765,000 lives were lost and direct economic losses of nearly $4.2 trillion were recorded worldwide – all as a result of over 9,400 extreme weather events during that period.

Of the Asian countries, China was the most affected in terms of economic losses as it incurred $706 billion in costs and recorded 42,000 deaths over the past 30 years.

Myanmar recorded exceptionally high numbers of deaths, with Cyclone Nargis in 2008 claiming the lives of nearly 140,000 people in floods and causing $5.7 billion in damage.

The Trump administration has pulled US scientists out of key United Nations global climate assessments, Reuters reports. This move means US scientists will not attend a major Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Plenary meeting in Hangzhou, China, from 24-28 February.

Sunscreen use may lead to bleaching of coral and a decrease in fish fertility, according to new research published in Science Direct. Sunscreen washes off human skin quickly, with the study estimating that a single beach with 1,000 visitors could lead to 35kg entering the ocean and harming marine life.

The Turkish government has submitted a climate change-related bill to establish a carbon market board and an emissions trading system, Reuters reports.

Reintroducing wolves into the Cairngorms in Scotland could help with carbon storage, a study published in the Ecological Solutions and Evidence journal has found. Grey wolves curb the problem of red deer eating tree saplings, which stops natural woodland regeneration.

'Hurricane-proof' skyscrapers built to weather major hurricanes perform poorly in less powerful windstorms called derechos, a study from Frontiers in Built Environment has revealed. The research highlights 'the need for a reassessment of wind effects on tall buildings to better reflect the complex interactions between wind forces and urban environments'.

Greece loses over 40% of drinking water due to pipe leaks and theft, highlighting the water management challenges faced by the continent, Reuters reports. The European Union (EU) launched a campaign this month that gives EU countries until next year to assess leakage levels before a legal threshold is imposed.

The European Union is working to reform its corporate sustainability rules. Later this month, the European Commission will introduce an Omnibus proposal that seeks to streamline corporate sustainability reporting regulations on social and environmental risks. The reform includes a “record number of initiatives with a strong simplification dimension”.

Deforestation compliance measures are essential to protecting the trees needed to curb global carbon emissions. One good example is the European Union Deforestation Regulation, which will penalize non-compliant businesses and restrict their access to European markets. The mix of policy and regulation with technology, particularly traceability tools, can start to move the needle to a new economic model with people and the planet at its heart.