The Fall of Usagi and the Rise of Man-yi, From Barren to Green, & Smog in the City - 50th Issue

Esilalei village, in the heart of Tanzania, has had a green revolution courtesy of the #EarthSmiles initiative by JUSTDIGGIT. Sharing its vision, the Maasai people began revitalizing their landscape by illustrating the power of community-driven environmental contributions.

They set off by creating semi-circular bunds to trap and store rainwater. This step proved to prevent soil erosion and, by extension, recovered local vegetation. The regreening process evolved from vegetation thriving around the buds to vibrant greenery across the territory, improving soil health and biodiversity.

The villagers continue to capture and store water to sustain their newfound treasure, even in dry spells. Esilalei has further secured land rights through CCRO and in partnership with UCRT to empower residents to manage their land sustainably and protect their cultural heritage.

The 29th Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC held in Baku is becoming an eye-opener on many environmental issues globally. Among the talks, Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Ex-WHO Chief Scientist warned that almost all Indians are at risk of climatic change impacts. Effects range from scorching heat to vector-borne diseases caused by increased pollution.

Dr Swaminathan insisted that women and children are especially vulnerable to these health risks. In an interview with PTI, she shared an urgent need for collaboration to stabilize the effects seen thus far in the health and economic sectors. 

Soumya advocated for carbon-neutral public transport that can reduce air pollution and promote physical activity to improve health. She believes policies integrating development with climate-resilient focus can help mitigate the risks.

Locally known as Ofel, Typhoon Usagi escalated into a super typhoon, making landfall in Baggao, Cagayan. Bearing down the areas, Usagi blew away houses leaving a horrific sight in the aftermath. After terrorizing the Philippines’ northern towns, the tropical cyclone weakened towards the end of the week.

Just after having a sigh of relief, meteorological officials are already warning of another typhoon. Typhoon Man-yi, the 16th cyclone to hit the Philippines in 2024, is intensifying in the western Pacific and is expected to hit the county’s capital region and the eastern towns.

Man-yi could grow into a super typhoon over the weekend according to Pag-asa, a Philippine meteorological agency. The country is prone to typhoons because of its geographical location, where they experience heavy rains and strong winds.

No casualties of Usagi have been reported yet, as thousands of families fled for safety. Damage assessment is ongoing, and evacuation attempts for vulnerable people in Typhoon Man-yi’s path will begin soon to manage the risk

Lahore, Pakistan is facing a health emergency because of smog. Smog is an advanced variant of air pollution, combining atmospheric pollutants, fog, smoke, and dust. Smog has choked residents of Punjab for weeks, deteriorating nearly 2 million and clouding a larger area of the province.

Marriyum Aurangzeb, a senior provincial minister declared a health emergency due to the smog. He further announced measures to tackle the crisis, including cancellation of time off for medical practitioners, shutdown for all education institutions until further notice, restaurants to close by 4 pm, and lockdowns in Multan and Lahore, stopping all construction works in those towns.

The smog is a byproduct of air pollution from motor vehicles, industrial activities, and construction work in Pakistan. Reports show that the average air quality index records in some areas in Lahore was more than 600. This reading is horrific in a city of 11 million residents, considering a 300 reading is deemed dangerous to health.