Connection between malaria transmission and climate change and more environmental news

The connection between malaria transmission and climate change

A recent study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health focused on the debate that has been going on for several years around the correlation that exists between the transmission of malaria, a disease caused by the Plasmodium parasite and transmitted by the bite of infected mosquitoes, and regional climate change. The study revealed that the reduction in regional temperatures due to climate change coincides with the reduction in cases of malaria transmission.

These data were obtained from the observation of this phenomenon in the early 2000s, at which time there was a momentary slowdown in global warming. Mercedes Pascual, a researcher in the study, said : "The connection between disease dynamics and climatic conditions is so closely observed at different time scales. The incidence of malaria not only reflected changes in temperature, which we had already shown, but also the decrease in warming that was observed at the beginning of the century, the objective of this study ”.

Indoor cannabis production has a staggering carbon footprint

A study carried out by Colorado State University shows that the carbon footprint due to the massive production of cannabis indoors amounts to 2.2 and 5.1 tons of CO2 per kilo of dried flower in the United States. So far, these are the most detailed data that have been given in this regard. Greenhouse gas emissions related to cannabis production are attributed to the consumption of energy and gas that is used for the growth and drying of plants.

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In addition, with the study, the researchers made available to the public a map showing such emissions anywhere in the United States with specific data and estimates of local emissions.

Cocoa production threatened by witch's broom plague

An investigation carried out by the Journal of the Brazilian Chemical Society, determined that a fungus called Moniliophthora perniciosa, better known as witch's broom, exponentially decreases the nutrients of the cacao plant, directly affecting its production.

This disease is endemic to Latin American countries such as Brazil, Ecuador, Colombia and Suriname. Taking into account that 80% of cocoa on a large scale is produced in the region, it is very important to tackle this problem from the root. According to Marcos de Almeida Bezerra, author of the research, “The challenges presented by the witch's broom for cocoa production are based on tackling the disease using chemical control, biological control and resistant/tolerant cultivars; combined with a fertilization plan and insertion of technologies in the field, with a view to increasing production and productivity ”.

The reactivation of the world economy does not favor the environment, warns the UN

According to the Global Reactivation Observatory, created in order to review the reactivation after the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2020 only 18% of the amounts of the reactivation plans did not take into account being environmentally friendly.  The actions contemplated by governments to be able to move forward after the pandemic do not seek to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or pollution. In fact, the actions could put the environment at even greater risk, to the point of extremely accelerating global warming.

During the presentation of the report that took place on Wednesday, March 10, Inger Andersen, executive director of the UN Environment Program (UNEP), stated that "At this time, global green expenditures are not within reach. the height of the gravity of the three planetary crises that are climate change, the disappearance of nature and pollution ".