Cities hit by ‘climate whiplash’, and other nature and climate stories you need to read this week

As global temperatures affect the water cycle, the weather in some of the world’s most densely populated cities is swinging from droughts to floods and back again, according to a new report.

The study of 42 years of weather data in over 100 cities, commissioned by the charity WaterAid, says this “climate whiplash” is being experienced by 15% of cities, including Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, Hangzhou in China and Jakarta in Indonesia.

Some 20% of cities, meanwhile, are experiencing dramatic shifts to extreme wet or extreme dry conditions. Cities in Southern Asia are becoming overwhelmingly flood-prone and European cities are exhibiting significant drying trends, it says.

In January this year, swings between weather extremes made the Los Angeles wildfires more damaging, experts believe.

Just seven countries met World Health Organization (WHO) air quality standards in 2024, according to data from air quality monitoring firm IQAir.

Australia, New Zealand, the Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada, Estonia and Iceland made the grade. Chad and Bangladesh were the world's most polluted countries, with average smog levels more than 15 times higher than guideline levels.

Researchers said that tackling air pollution would get harder after the United States shut down its global monitoring efforts, which many developing countries rely on, according to Reuters.

Lower-income countries disproportionately experience the burden of outdoor air pollution.

Rising temperatures due to climate change are increasing the risk of human exposure to so-called mycotoxins, according to a new briefing from the European Environment Agency. The naturally occurring toxins, which are produced by fungi that can be found in certain foods, feed and crops, are increasing in prevalence in warmer and more humid conditions.

Researchers say that hope and worry are key emotions driving support for climate interventions. The study of more than 30,000 people across 30 countries explored the relationship between five climate emotions and support for 10 different climate intervention technologies.

Environmental organizations and UK authorities are assessing potential damage to marine species and wildlife after an oil tanker and a cargo ship collided in the North Sea. The oil tanker was carrying 220,000 barrels of jet fuel.

Conservation efforts are “turning the tide” for the Javan slow loris, one of the world’s 25 most endangered primates, the BBC reports. Numbers of the animal have dropped by at least 80% over the past 30 years.

Ireland has donated $16 million to Brazil's Amazon Fund, which aims to stop deforestation and help preserve the rainforest.

Data from the Indian Meteorological Department shows that last month was India's hottest February in 125 years, the BBC reports. The weekly average minimum temperature was also above normal by 1-3°C in many parts of the country.

Restored grasslands need more than 75 years to make a full biodiversity recovery because specialized pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, are slow to return, according to a new study.

The Italian city of Naples has been shaken by a 4.4 magnitude earthquake, which damaged buildings and disrupted power supplies in part of the city. The country’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology said there was “no evidence” of an imminent eruption of nearby Mount Vesuvius, the BBC reports.

With air pollution being a leading cause of death worldwide, artificial intelligence and big data are being used to improve prediction models, detect hidden pollutants and develop wearable tech so people can track their exposure. Read more in this story.

Shrimp farming is inefficient and highly polluting - producing 1kg of shrimp generates around 5kg of CO2 emissions. See how a start-up in Viet Nam is using seaweed to clean it up: