At least 4 dead in ‘terrorist attack’ on aerospace facility in Turkey

(NEW YORK) — The climate crisis is not a distant threat; it’s happening right now and affecting what matters most to us. Hurricanes intensified by a warming planet and drought-fueled wildfires are destroying our communities. Rising seas and flooding are swallowing our homes. And record-breaking heatwaves are reshaping our way of life.

The good news is we know how to turn the tide and avoid the worst possible outcomes. However, understanding what needs to be done can be confusing due to a constant stream of climate updates, scientific findings, and critical decisions that are shaping our future.

That’s why the ABC News Climate and Weather Unit is cutting through the noise by curating what you need to know to keep the people and places you care about safe. We are dedicated to providing clarity amid the chaos, giving you the facts and insights necessary to navigate the climate realities of today — and tomorrow.

What caused the extreme flooding in Spain that killed more than 90 people?

The weather phenomenon responsible for the extreme rainfall and flooding in Valencia, Spain, isn’t rare or even uncommon. It was also well forecasted in the days leading up to the storm.

The Mediterranean region, including parts of eastern Spain, is frequently affected by heavy rainfall and significant flash flooding events. This recent disaster saw a year’s worth of rainfall in just eight hours. In September 2019, the same region saw 12 to 18 inches of rain in 48 hours.

What’s responsible for these events is a weather system known as a cut-off low. This happens when a low-pressure area is separated from the primary airflow.

Cut-off lows are common and can happen at any time of the year, anywhere in the world. When there is an extended stretch of cloudy, damp, and dreary weather, this is often related to a cut-off low.

However, the slow-moving nature of a cut-off low can set the stage for devastating extreme rainfall events when it interacts with other favorable factors, like the warm waters of the Mediterranean Sea and nearby mountains. Because it is slow-moving, it can quickly pound areas with relentless rounds of heavy rain, resulting in significant flooding.

In Spain, these weather events are often called a “gota fría,” which translates to “cold drop.” But that term doesn’t tell the whole story. What happened in Valencia wasn’t caused by a sudden cold blast sweeping across the region but by the unique characteristics of a cut-off low.

That’s not to say that cold air in the atmosphere doesn’t play a role in enhancing the precipitation. It does bring more frequent rounds of heavy rain. As the system pushes the colder air over the very warm waters of the Mediterranean Sea, it helps trigger and enhance areas of heavy rain.

Because the low-pressure system moves very slowly, it keeps sending waves of heavy rain over the same areas for an extended period, bringing extreme rainfall totals and catastrophic flash flooding.

The nearby mountains also likely enhanced the precipitation and impacts. Plus, the infrastructure in the Valencia region, like many municipalities, isn’t built to handle this amount of rainfall. Add in all of those factors, and you get catastrophic flash flooding.

What role, if any, does climate change play in these extreme weather events?

Climate attribution science will look at how much worse the rain was because of human-caused emissions, but we know that human-amplified climate change is supercharging the water cycle, bringing heavier rainfall and related flood risks. More intense extreme rainfall events increase the frequency and scale of flash flooding as the influx of water is more than the infrastructure of many municipalities was built to handle.

According to the U.S. Government’s Fifth National Climate Assessment, human-amplified climate change is contributing to increases in the frequency and intensity of the heaviest precipitation events. So, in a way, we are all making it rain more.

-ABC News meteorologist Dan Peck and ABC News Climate Unit’s Matthew Glasser

Reducing food waste is good for your budget and the planet

We waste a lot of food. According to the U.N., over a billion tons of it are wasted each year globally, most of it from households. Not only does wasting all this food cost the average American family $1,200 a year, but it’s a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions.

The EPA says food waste in the U.S. is equivalent to the greenhouse gas emissions of more than 50 million passenger cars and is responsible for 58% of methane emissions from municipal landfills.

Methane is a particularly potent greenhouse gas because it traps more heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. The U.N. Environment Programme says methane is “responsible for more than 35 percent of the global warming we are experiencing today.”

How does our food waste become methane?

Landfills act like big diaper linings on the ground, so nothing we throw away decomposes into the soil. There’s a barrier preventing it. Our food waste gets sandwiched between all the plastic, metal and non-organic trash, and without oxygen, it mummifies and releases methane. So, every time we throw away leftover food, we create methane and speed up climate change.

There are, however, ways to curb food waste at home. Composting can turn leftovers into fertilizer for your plants and homegrown produce. If you don’t have a garden, you can use a product like the Mill Kitchen Bin to turn your food waste into clean, dry grounds that don’t smell. Those grounds can then be used as part of the composting process at home or given to a local community garden or farm.

The Too Good To Go app is another way of keeping food out of landfills. The service allows people to purchase surprise bags of surplus food from nearby restaurants, bakeries and grocery stores, preventing perfectly edible items from being thrown away. The bags, priced between $5 and $10, are packed with various items that are still good to eat but would have been thrown away.

Understanding food labels can also significantly reduce your waste. The often confusing terms “use by,” “best by,” and “expiration dates” sound similar but mean different things.

A “use by date” is the last date recommended for eating a product while it’s still at its peak quality. After this date, the food might still be safe, but the quality may decline. For perishable items like dairy or meats, it’s often best to follow this date closely, but use your nose and eyes to help determine whether it’s still good.

“Best by” or “best before” dates are about the product’s quality, not safety. It indicates when the food will be at its best flavor or texture. After this date, the food is usually still safe to eat, but it might not taste as good or have the same texture. Often, you won’t even notice a difference.

“Expiration dates” are dates found on products where safety is a concern, like baby formula or certain medications. After this date, the product should not be consumed, as it may not be safe or effective.

-ABC News Chief Climate Correspondent Ginger Zee and ABC News Climate Unit’s Matthew Glasser

Greenhouse gas concentrations reach new record high in 2023

Our planet is facing another unfortunate climate milestone.

According to a new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), carbon dioxide concentrations have increased by more than 11% in just two decades, making 2023 a record for the amount of the greenhouse gas currently in our atmosphere.

The WMO says CO2 is now building up in the atmosphere faster than at any time in human existence. They say massive vegetation fires, which emit greenhouse gases, and El Niño, which can reduce our forests’ ability to absorb CO2 due to drought, contributed to the recent surge. However, the U.N. agency also points out, “The reason behind this decade-long significant increase in CO2 is historically large fossil fuel CO2 emissions in the 2010s and 2020s.”

The WMO began reporting on greenhouse gas emissions in 2006. That year, they found that atmospheric CO2 levels for 2004 were at 377.1 parts per million. Last year, they were recorded at 420 parts per million. That puts CO2 concentrations at 151% above the preindustrial era.

Methane, one of the worst greenhouse gases in terms of global warming, also reached a record level for atmospheric concentrations. It is now 265% higher than preindustrial readings at 1,934 parts per billion.

Because CO2 stays in the atmosphere for 300 to 1,000 years, according to NASA, the WMO is warning that these high levels of greenhouse gases “lock in future temperature increase” even if emissions are cut to net zero.

-ABC News Climate Unit’s Matthew Glasser

October record heat made more likely because of climate change

It may be fall, but it feels a lot like summer in much of the country. That has some people wondering: Is climate change responsible for these record-high temperatures? With climate attribution science, we can now answer that question and determine when human-amplified climate change is responsible for extreme weather events and the significance of that impact.

Using advanced computer models, climate attribution science takes a real-world weather event, such as a record high-temperature day or a hurricane, and compares it to the world where human-caused, post-industrial greenhouse gas emissions don’t exist. By comparing what is actually happening with what would have happened without human intervention, science can estimate how likely or severe a weather event has become due to climate change.

Climate Central, a nonprofit climate research and communications organization, uses climate attribution science to provide real-time data that shows “how much climate change influences the temperature on a particular day.” The information is displayed on a global interactive map called the Climate Shift Index.

For example, the Index showed that human-amplified climate change made Sunday’s record high in Tucson, Arizona of 98 degrees at least three times more likely. The same was true for Waco, Texas, which broke a record with 92-degree heat, and Mobile, Alabama, which hit a record 90 degrees.

Extreme heat is the deadliest weather-related hazard in the U.S., with children and adults over 65 being among the most vulnerable to heat-related illnesses and death. And the average number of heat waves that major U.S. cities experience each year has doubled since the 1980s, according to the federal government’s Fifth National Climate Assessment.

-ABC News Climate Unit’s Matthew Glasser

How crops will fare with 45% of the US experiencing drought

The U.S. is experiencing the driest fall on record, which could potentially impact the quality of upcoming autumn harvests, experts told ABC News.

About 77% of the mainland U.S. is abnormally dry, and almost half of the country is experiencing drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. The spatial pattern of the dry conditions varies widely across the continent, Josue Medellin-Azuara, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of California Merced, told ABC News.

Improvement in the drought is not expected for most of the South, the Plains and parts of the Upper Midwest due to expected La Nina conditions this winter that would further reinforce the dryness, according to forecasts by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

However, a lot of the crops in these regions that harvest in the fall had good growing conditions throughout the summer and are in the process of being harvested, meaning overall output should not be heavily impacted, Joseph Glauber, senior research fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute and former chief economist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, told ABC News.

Read more here.

EPA cancels toxic pesticide used in growing produce

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said it’s canceling any product containing the pesticide dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate (DCPA), also known as Dacthal.

According to the EPA, their decision is based on comprehensive scientific studies that indicate potential thyroid toxicity linked to DCPA. The agency says research suggests that exposure to this pesticide during pregnancy can lead to changes in thyroid hormone levels in unborn children. Studies cited by the EPA indicate that these hormonal changes could be associated with various health concerns, including low birth weight, impaired brain development and reduced IQ. That research suggests that these developmental challenges may also have long-term effects on motor skills.

DCPA is used in the industrial farming of broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and onions. While pregnant women working in agriculture are most at risk, pesticides can travel into neighboring communities via the air and runoff, putting non-agricultural workers at risk as well.

In a press release, EPA’s assistant administrator for the office of chemical safety and pollution prevention, Michal Freedhoff, wrote, “With the final cancellation of DCPA, we’re taking a definitive step to protect pregnant women and their unborn babies. The science showing the potential for irreversible harm to unborn babies’ developing brains, in addition to other lifelong consequences from exposure, demands decisive action to remove this dangerous chemical from the marketplace,” Freedhoff added.

-ABC News Climate Unit’s Matthew Glasser

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(NEW YORK) — Israeli troops are now active in southern Lebanon in what the Israel Defense Forces called “limited, localized, and targeted ground raids” targeting Hezbollah positions.

Israel believes it has eliminated around 30 top Hezbollah leaders over the last several weeks, including Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut, U.S. and Israeli officials said.

Here’s how the news is developing:

Israel striking Hezbollah targets in Beirut: IDF

The Israel Defense Forces said it is currently striking Hezbollah targets in Beirut.

The update comes about an hour after the IDF issued an evacuation order for parts of southern Beirut suburbs.

Iran’s missile attack largest ever on Israel, Israeli official says

The Iranian barrage marked the largest missile attack ever on Israel, according to Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations.

“Tonight, Iran carried out the largest and most violent missile attack against the State of Israel to date,” Danon said in a statement through his spokesperson earlier Tuesday. “We are ready and prepared defensively and offensively.”

Iran fired 220 total missiles over two waves in 30 minutes, according to a U.S. official.

US Embassy in Jerusalem lifts shelter-in-place order

The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem has lifted a shelter-in-place order for U.S. government employees and their family members, stating in an updated security alert, “The threat of missile barrages has diminished.”

Previous travel restrictions to areas outside the greater Tel Aviv region, Jerusalem and Be’er Sheva remain in place until further notice, it said.

2 US Navy destroyers fired missile interceptors: Pentagon

Two U.S. Navy destroyers fired “approximately a dozen” missile interceptors at the incoming ballistic missile barrage aimed at Israel, Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said during a briefing earlier Tuesday.

Ryder said the two destroyers that launched missile interceptors were the USS Bulkeley and USS Cole.

A Navy official told ABC News they believe the two destroyers shot down multiple Iranian missiles.

No U.S. personnel were injured during the Iranian missile attack, Ryder said.

-ABC News’ Luis Martinez

Iran fired 220 missiles in 2 waves: US official

Iran fired 220 missiles in two waves over 30 minutes, with a brief pause between the waves, according to a U.S. official.

Some of the missiles did impact Israel, but not in major areas, the official said. There was no direct impact near Tel Aviv, although some shrapnel fell in the area, the official said.

Many missiles were intercepted over Jordan, the official said.

Among the casualties from the attack, a Palestinian was killed in Jericho, and there are reports of a Bedouin killed in the Negev, according to the official.

-ABC News’ Martha Raddatz

IDF issues evacuation warning for southern Beirut suburbs

The Israel Defense Forces have issued an evacuation warning for residents in southern Lebanon.

The “urgent warning” was issued to residents of southern Beirut suburbs Tuesday night local time.

A similar warning was also sent on Monday.

Netanyahu: ‘Iran made a big mistake’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran’s attack “failed” while vowing to respond.

“Iran made a big mistake tonight — and it will pay for it,” he said in a statement. “The regime in Iran does not understand our determination to defend ourselves and our determination to retaliate against our enemies.”

“We will stand by the rule we established: Whoever attacks us — we will attack him,” he added.

Biden: ‘Make no mistake, the US is fully, fully, fully supportive of Israel’

In his first on-camera remarks since Iran’s missile attack, President Joe Biden reiterated the United States’ full support of Israel.

“Make no mistake, the United States is fully, fully, fully supportive of Israel,” he said.

He said that at his direction, the U.S. military “actively supported the defense of Israel” and while they are still assessing the impact, the attack “appears to have been defeated and ineffective.”

Biden said there was “intensive planning” between the U.S. and Israel to “anticipate and defend against the brazen attack we expected.”

Asked how he would like Israel to respond, Biden said it was an “active discussion.”

“We’re gonna get all the data straight,” he said. “We’ve been in constant contact with the Israeli government and our counterparts, and that remains to be seen.”

-ABC News’ Cheyenne Haslett

Discussions with Israel on response ongoing: State Department

Talks between the United States and Israel on what a response to Iran’s attack should look like are “already underway,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters Tuesday.

Those conversations were happening across the State Department, the White House and the Pentagon, he said.

Miller declined to say whether Israel had presented possible targets to the U.S. or if Iran’s nuclear facilities might be a legitimate target.

“This is not to say that I’m ruling anything out and that I’m ruling anything in,” he said.

On whether Iran’s attack on Israel was over, Miller repeated the U.S. assessment that the current wave has ended, but that he could not definitively say whether there would be additional waves.

“Certainly, it would be incredibly reckless and would continue to be escalatory for Iran to launch further attacks on Israel and we’ll be monitoring in the hours ahead,” he said.

-ABC News’ Shannon K. Kingston and Emily Chang

2 US Navy destroyers fired missile interceptors: Pentagon

Two U.S. Navy destroyers fired “approximately a dozen” missile interceptors at the incoming ballistic missile barrage aimed at Israel, Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said during a briefing.

Ryder said the two destroyers that launched missile interceptors were the USS Bulkeley and USS Cole.

He didn’t confirm whether they hit their targets, saying the assessment is ongoing.

No U.S. personnel were injured during the Iranian missile attack, Ryder said.

-ABC News’ Luis Martinez

Iran ‘stands firmly against any threat’: President Pezeshkian

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a post on X that the attack on Israel was “based on legitimate rights and with the aim of peace and security for Iran and the region.”

Pezeshkian also addressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly in his post: “Let Netanyahu know that Iran is not belligerent, but it stands firmly against any threat.”

“This is only a tiny part of our power. Do not step into a conflict with Iran,” Pezeshkian added.

-ABC News’ Somayeh Malekian

Israel appears to have ‘defeated’ Iran’s attack: US

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Israel appears to have “effectively defeated” Iran’s attack.

“A few hours ago, Iran — for the second time in the space of five months — launched a direct attack on Israel, including some 200 ballistic missiles. This is totally unacceptable and the entire world should condemn it,” he said during a previously scheduled meeting with India’s external affairs minister.

National security adviser Jake Sullivan also told reporters during a White House briefing that Iran’s attack “appears to have been defeated and ineffective” based on the United States’ early assessment.

Sullivan said the U.S. military worked closely with the IDF to defend Israel and was proud to do so, including in shooting down incoming missiles from U.S. naval destroyers positioned in the area, and that President Joe Biden will be involved in constant conversations with the Israelis about what should come next. He declined to provide any details about what level of response Biden will encourage.

-ABC News’ Shannon K. Kingston and Cheyenne Haslett

Iran says it targeted 3 military bases around Tel Aviv

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it targeted three Israeli military bases around Tel Aviv in its attack on Israel.

The Iranian Mission to the United Nations told ABC News that “no notice was given to the U.S. prior” to the attack, though a “serious warning was issued afterward.”

-ABC News’ Hami Hamedi

IDF says 180 missiles fired from Iran

The Israel Defense Forces said it identified approximately 180 missiles fired toward Israel from Iran.

The Iranian missile attack began at 7:31 p.m. local time on Tuesday, the IDF said.

Most of the missiles were intercepted, but “several hits were identified, and the damage is being assessed,” an Israeli security official said.

-ABC News’ Dana Savir

UN Security Council expected to convene Wednesday

The United Nations Security Council is expected to convene on Wednesday to discuss Iran’s attack on Israel, according to Israel’s ambassador to the U.N.

-ABC News’ Josh Margolin

DHS warns of potential cyberattack threat against US following killing of Nasrallah

The Iranian regime is unlikely to take direct military action against the U.S. homeland following Israel’s killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, though his death could prompt Iran or its proxies to take alternative actions like cyberattacks, according to a new Department of Homeland Security alert.

Nasrallah’s death is also unlikely to galvanize people within the U.S to take action, though the “expansion of the regional conflict and potential for increased circulation of graphic images highlighting civilian deaths could contribute to [extremist] radicalization to violence,” according to the Sept. 30 document obtained by ABC News and distributed to law enforcement agencies around the country.

“We also assess that it is unlikely that Iran or its proxies will target the homeland during any potential physical response to the airstrike,” the alert stated. “We are concerned that the incident may prompt Iranian government or other malicious cyber actors supportive of Tehran’s interests to conduct cyber attacks against poorly secured US critical infrastructure entities, among other targets.”

-ABC News’ Aaron Katersky and Josh Margolin

Israel will have a ‘significant response,’ Israeli official says

Israel will have a “significant response” to Iran’s attack, an Israeli official told ABC News.

“What Iran has suffered so far is only a promo,” the official said.

-ABC News’ Jordana Miller

No additional threats from Iran at this time, no casualties reported: IDF

The Israeli military does not see any additional threats at this time from Iran, Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said.

Hagari said they have carried out a “large number of interceptions.” There were a “few hits” in the south and officials are assessing the damage, though there are no reported casualties, he added.

“We are on high alert both defensively and offensively,” he said. “We will defend the citizens of the State of Israel. This attack will have consequences.”

US says it has intercepted Iranian missiles

The U.S. has intercepted some of the Iranian missiles launched against Israel, but how many is unclear, an official told ABC News.

“In accordance with our ironclad commitment to Israel’s security, U.S. forces in the region are currently defending against Iranian-launched missiles targeting Israel,” the official said. “Our forces remain postured to provide additional defensive support and to protect U.S. forces operating in the region.”

-ABC News’ Matthew Seyler

Biden says US prepared to help Israel defend against Iranian attack

President Joe Biden said Tuesday the U.S. is prepared to help Israel defend against the Iranian missile attack.

Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are monitoring the Iranian attack from the White House Situation Room and receiving regular updates from their national security team. Biden directed the U.S. military to aid Israel’s defense against Iranian attacks and shoot down missiles.

Before the attack began, he posted on X that he and Vice President Kamala Harris had convened their national security team.

He said as well that the U.S. was ready to protect American personnel in the region.

Read more on the response from the Biden administration.

Lindsey Graham calls Iran’s missile attack ‘breaking point’

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina condemned Iran’s missile attack on Israel, calling it a “breaking point” on Tuesday and urging President Joe Biden’s administration to respond.

“This missile attack against Israel should be the breaking point and I would urge the Biden Administration to coordinate an overwhelming response with Israel, starting with Iran’s ability to refine oil,” Graham said in a statement.

Graham called for oil refineries to be “hit and hit hard” and said his prayers are “with the people of Israel.”

-ABC News’ Allison Pecorin

Iran confirms responsibility, says launches retaliation for assassinations

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said moments ago the missile attack was a retaliation for different assassinations carried out by Israel, Mehr News Agency reported.

The IRGC said the operation will continue if Israel does not stop, Mehr News Agency reported.

Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, a key ally of Iran, was killed in a strike in Beirut last week, while a top member of the IRGC was also killed.

IDF warns some citizens to enter ‘protected space’

Israel Defense Forces spokesman Daniel Hagari issued remarks Tuesday evening, announcing that missiles had been launched from Iran toward Israel.

He said messages have been sent to cellphones, warning Israeli citizens in certain areas to enter “protected space” and to seek shelter if they hear sirens.

Hagari added that if citizens hear explosions, they may be the result of interceptions or impacts.

“We are strong and can handle this event as well,” Hagari said. “The IDF is doing and will continue to do everything necessary to protect the civilians of Israel. The IDF is fully prepared for both defense and offense at peak readiness.”

-ABC News’ Jordana Miller

Flights diverting near Iran

Several flights near Iran are diverting ahead of expected missile launches at targets in Israel.

Several Lufthansa flights and one Swiss Air flight were diverted back to Frankfurt, Germany, and Turkey as they approached Iranian air space.

-ABC News’ Sam Sweeney

IDF says missiles launched from Iran toward Israel

Israel said missiles have been launched from Iran toward Israel.

Sirens are sounding across the country.

Israel expecting 240-250 missiles from Iran: Sources

Iran is expected to launch 240 to 250 missiles in two waves at four targets in Israel, including Mossad headquarters and three air bases, according to an Israeli source and a senior U.S. administration official.

Israel is not expected to launch a preemptive strike, according to the U.S. administration official. It should take the missiles less than 15 minutes to reach targets once launched.

The U.S. and Israel have all defenses activated, and Israel will “absolutely “ retaliate after it happens,” the official said.

The total number of ballistic missiles is about double the number launched by Iran in April — 99% of which were intercepted.

-ABC News’ Martha Raddatz

Israeli forces issue warning for residents to stay near shelter in greater Tel Aviv

The Israel Defense Forces issued a warning for residents of the “Dan area,” referring to the greater Tel Aviv area, to stay “near a shelter until further notice.”

Sirens sounded in central Israel, the IDF said in a second statement, after issuing the warning to stay in shelters. The sirens sounding in central Israel were due to launches from Lebanon, the IDF told ABC News.

“From this moment, Israelis living in central Israel are advised to stay by their safe rooms. Enter them during sirens and stay there until further notice,” IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari said in Hebrew.

-ABC News’ Dana Savir, Anna Burd and Jordana Miller

US Embassy in Jerusalem issues ‘shelter in place’ order

The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem issued a statement directing all government employees and their family members “to shelter in place until further notice,” following reports of an imminent Iranian missile attack on Israel.

The embassy noted the “continued need for caution and increased personal security awareness as security incidents, including mortar and rocket fire and unmanned aircraft system,” which it said “often take place without warning.”

“The security environment remains complex and can change quickly depending on the political situation and recent events,” it added.

Netanyahu warns Israelis of ‘testing days ahead’

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged unity among Israelis in a video statement published Tuesday, as Israel Defense Forces operations in Lebanon expanded and amid fears of an imminent Iranian missile attack.

“We are in the midst of a campaign against Iran’s ‘Axis of Evil,'” the prime minister said. “These are days of great achievements and great challenges.”

The “great achievements,” Netanyahu said, included the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in a Beirut airstrike last week, plus the defeat of an alleged Hezbollah plan to launch an infiltration attack into northern Israel.

The country still faces “big challenges,” he continued.

“What I ask of you is two things: One — to strictly obey the directives of the front-line command, it saves lives. And second — to stand together. We will stand firm together in the testing days ahead.”

“Together we will stand, together we will fight and together we will win.”

–ABC News Joe Simonetti and Jordana Miller

Iran to launch ballistic missiles at Israel ‘imminently,’ US official says

A senior White House official told ABC News on Tuesday that the U.S. “has indications that Iran is preparing to imminently launch a ballistic missile attack against Israel.”

“We are actively supporting defensive preparations to defend Israel against this attack,” the official added.

“A direct military attack from Iran against Israel will carry severe consequences for Iran,” the official said.

Israeli special ops teams active in Lebanon for almost a year, IDF says

Israel special operations teams have been operating in southern Lebanon since November, an Israeli security source said Tuesday, conducting around 70 missions in groups of 20 to 40 operators.

The troops spent around 200 nights inside Lebanon, making it the most intense series of special operations missions in Israel’s history, the official said.

The units operated between 1 and 2 miles inside Lebanese territory, the official said, blowing up and dismantling hundreds of Hezbollah facilities including tunnels.

Some tunnels doubled as weapons caches and others stretched to the Israeli border. Officials said on Tuesday they believed Hezbollah was planning an imminent “Oct.7-style invasion” of northern Israel.

The security source claimed that Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force was at times as little as six hours from launching such an attack. ABC News was not immediately able to independently verify the official’s claims.

The Israeli special operations units operating in southern Lebanon encountered almost no resistance, the official said, and did not suffer any casualties.

Though some 2,000 Radwan troops are believed to be present within 3 miles of Israel’s border — and between 6,000 and 8,000 in southern Lebanon in total — they have not been fighting.

“During these operations, the troops also collected valuable intelligence and methodically dismantled the weapons and compounds, including underground infrastructure and advanced weaponry of Iranian origin,” the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement.

“Some of the weapons were recovered and taken by the soldiers back into Israeli territory.”

Airstrike hits southern Beirut suburb

The southern Beirut suburb of Dahiya was hit by a fresh airstrike early on Tuesday, as Israeli warplanes continued to bomb targets across Lebanon in pursuit of Hezbollah members and resources.

Lebanon’s Health Ministry said Tuesday that the previous 24 hours saw at least 95 people killed and 172 wounded by Israeli strikes in Lebanon’s southern regions, the eastern Bekaa Valley and Beirut.

Hezbollah disputes Israel’s incursion claims

Israeli claims that its soldiers began ground operations inside southern Lebanon “are false,” Hezbollah said in a Tuesday statement.

“No direct ground clashes have yet taken place between the resistance fighters and the occupation forces,” the group said, referring to Israeli troops.

“The resistance fighters are ready for a direct confrontation with the enemy forces that dare or attempt to enter Lebanese territory and inflict the greatest losses on them,” the group added.

Beirut not a target of Israeli ground incursion, official says

The Israel Defense Forces’ operation in southern Lebanon is occurring “right by the border” with no intention of pushing towards the capital Beirut, an Israeli security official said during a Tuesday briefing.

The IDF has three goals, the official said.

The first is to remove the threat of cross-border fire at Israeli citizens, they said. The second is to target senior militant leaders planning such attacks, the official added.

The third goal is to create a situation in which tens of thousands of displaced Israelis can return to their homes in the north of the country.

“We’re talking about limited, localized, targeted rates based on precise intelligence in areas near the border,” the official said when asked about the scope of the operation.

Beirut, they added, is not on the table, though airstrikes are expected to continue across the country and in the capital.

“We’re talking about Hezbollah embedding itself in the Lebanese villages, right by the border,” they said.

“We’re operating at the moment according to the mission we received from the political echelon. We’re acting in a limited area that is focusing on the villages right by the border,” they explained.

IDF claims Hezbollah was planning ‘invasion’ of Israel

Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said Israeli troops were engaged in “limited and targeted raids” in southern Lebanon as of Tuesday morning, alleging that Hezbollah was planning “an Oct. 7-style invasion” into Israeli homes.

“Hezbollah turned Lebanese villages next to Israeli villages into military bases,” ​​Hagari said. “Hezbollah planned to invade Israel, attack Israeli communities and massacre innocent men, women and children.”

“I want to make it clear: our war is with Hezbollah, not with the people of Lebanon,” Hagari continued. “We do not want to harm Lebanese civilians, and we’re taking measures to prevent that.”

More than 700 people were killed by an intensified Israeli airstrike campaign across Lebanon last week. Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported 95 people killed and 172 people by strikes on Monday. Israeli bombing continued overnight into Tuesday morning, including in the capital Beirut.

UK charters flight for citizens in Lebanon, urges Britons to ‘leave now’

The British government announced Monday that it chartered a commercial flight out of Lebanon for citizens wishing to leave the country.

British nationals, their spouse or partner and children under the age of 18 are eligible, a Foreign Office press release said. “Vulnerable” citizens will be prioritized, it added.

The flight is scheduled to depart Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport on Wednesday.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the situation in the country “is volatile and has potential to deteriorate quickly.”

“The safety of British nationals in Lebanon continues to be our utmost priority,” he added.

“That’s why the U.K. government is chartering a flight to help those wanting to leave. It is vital that you leave now as further evacuation may not be guaranteed,” he said.

IDF reports ‘heavy fighting’ in Lebanon border areas

Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee — the Israel Defense Forces’ spokesperson for Arab media — warned residents of southern Lebanon on Tuesday morning that “heavy fighting” is now underway in the region.

“Hezbollah elements,” he said, are “using the civilian environment and the population as human shields to launch attacks.”

Adraee told residents not to move vehicles from the north to the south of the Litani River, which is around 18 miles north of the Israeli border. Israel previously demanded that all Hezbollah forces withdraw north of the waterway in accordance with the United Nations Security Council resolution that sought to end the 2006 border war.

“This warning is in effect until further notice,” Adraee said.

The IDF said Monday that its ground offensive into Lebanon was underway, following a week of punishing airstrikes and targeted killings across the country.

The IDF described the operations as “limited, localized, and targeted ground raids based on precise intelligence against Hezbollah terrorist targets and infrastructure in southern Lebanon.”

A senior U.S. official told ABC News that the incursion is expected to be significant but not “major.” Lebanese leaders, meanwhile, are calling for an immediate ceasefire and the implementation of the 2006 U.N. resolution that would see Hezbollah forces leave southern Lebanon.

10 projectiles fired back at Israel from Lebanon amid ground incursion: IDF

After Israeli forces began the ground incursion into southern Lebanon, at least 10 projectiles crossed over into northern Israel, according to the IDF.

“Following the sirens that sounded in the area of Meron in northern Israel, approximately 10 projectiles were identified crossing from Lebanon,” the IDF said in a statement Monday.

“Some of the projectiles were intercepted and a number of projectiles fell in open areas,” the IDF said.

IDF begins ground incursion into Lebanon

Israeli forces have begun a ground incursion into southern Lebanon, a spokesperson for the IDF said in a statement.

The IDF described the operations as “limited, localized, and targeted ground raids based on precise intelligence against Hezbollah terrorist targets and infrastructure in southern Lebanon.”

“The IDF is continuing to operate to achieve the goals of the war and is doing everything necessary to defend the citizens of Israel and return the citizens of northern Israel to their homes,” the statement said.

95 killed, 172 injured in Lebanon from attacks Monday

The death toll in Lebanon from Israeli attacks rose to 95 on Monday with 172 people injured, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health said in a post on X.

Ground operations in Lebanon will be significant but not ‘major’: US official

The Israel Defense Forces’ ground movement into Lebanon will be significant but not “major,” a senior U.S. official told ABC News.

The operations will be limited to small unit commando teams, the official said, adding that the teams will have air power backup against Hezbollah fighters.

IDF issues ‘urgent warning’ to residents of southern suburbs of Beirut

The Israeli Defense Forces issued an “urgent warning” Monday to residents of the southern suburbs of Beirut.

In a post on X, the IDF urged people in three neighborhoods — Lilac, Haret Hreik and Burj Al-Barajneh — to evacuate.

“You are located near interests and facilities belonging to the terrorist Hezbollah, and therefore the IDF will act against them forcefully,” the IDF wrote. “For your safety and the safety of your family, you must evacuate the buildings immediately, starting at a distance of no less than 500 meters.”

UNRWA chief denies knowing suspended staffer was Hamas leader in Lebanon

On Monday, UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini denied having being aware that staffer Fateh Sherif Abu el-Amin had been the head of Hamas’ Lebanon branch.

Abu el-Amin and his family were killed in an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon, a spokesperson for Hamas said Monday.

In his press briefing in Geneva on Monday, Lazzarini said Abu el-Amin had been suspended from his UNRWA position in March after allegations arose that he was involved in Hamas.

-ABC News’ William Gretsky

5 killed, 57 injured in Israeli air strikes on Yemen: Houthi spokesperson

Five people were killed and 57 were injured after Sunday’s Israeli air strikes in Al-Hodeidah, Yemen, the Houthi spokesperson said in a statement Monday.

“This crime will be responded to with escalating military operations against the criminal enemy during the coming period,” the Houthi spokesperson added in his statement.

-ABC News’ Ahmed Baider

12 killed, 20 wounded in Lebanon from attacks Monday

Twelve people have been killed and at least 20 were injured in attacks in Lebanon on Monday, the Lebanese Ministry of Health said.

The number of casualties from strikes in Lebanon on Sunday rose to 118 killed and 376 injured, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.

Hezbollah and Israel continued to trade attacks on Monday.

Hezbollah issued 10 statements taking responsibility for various attacks on Monday.

The Israeli Defense Forces said they destroyed a “surface-to-air missile launcher storage facility approximately 1.5 kilometers” from Beirut’s international airport in a release Monday.

-ABC News’ Ghazi Balkiz and Jordana Miller

Israeli forces conducting ‘training’ near northern border, IDF says

Israeli forces have been “conducting training near the northern border,” the IDF said in a release Monday.

“As part of increasing readiness for combat, IDF soldiers from the 188th Brigade have been conducting training near the northern border and at the command’s headquarters,” the IDF said in the release.

Sinwar goes radio silent in Gaza cease-fire negotiations

Senior Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, one of the key architects of the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, has gone radio silent, according to an official familiar with negotiations to reach a cease-fire and hostage release deal.

Sinwar’s absence has created another hurdle for U.S. officials who are still trying to complete an overdue “final” proposal for a deal.

It has also sparked speculation that Sinwar is dead, but the official said there is no indication that’s the case.

State Department spokesperson Matt Miller spoke about Hamas’ role in delaying a cease-fire proposal during a briefing Monday, but did not weigh in on Sinwar’s status specifically.

“When it comes to Sinwar, I don’t have any update on his condition at all, one way or the other,” he said, before asserting that Hamas has been unwilling to “engage at all” with Egyptian or Qatari mediators “over the past several weeks.”

“So the reason you have not seen us put forward this proposal is we can’t get a clear answer from Hamas of what they’re willing to entertain and what they’re not willing to entertain,” he said. “We’re going to continue to try to work it.”

-ABC News’ Shannon Kingston

More officials say invasion possibly imminent, US fighter jets heading to region for air defense

Israel’s limited ground incursion into Lebanon could be imminent, two more U.S. officials have told ABC News.

One of the officials said Israel notified the U.S. of its intentions.

Deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh would not confirm as much when repeatedly asked Monday, but did give new details on the additional forces being sent to the region to potentially defend Israel and its own forces.

“These augmented forces include F-16, F-15E, A-10, F 22 fighter aircraft and associated personnel,” Singh said.

The fighter aircraft are to be used for air defense, such as intercepting missiles if needed, according to Singh. There are “an additional few thousand” troops in the region as part of the augmented force, according to Singh.

-ABC News’ Luis Martinez and Matt Seyler

Israel imminently planning limited ground operation in Lebanon: Senior US official

The U.S. expects Israel to imminently begin a limited ground operation into Lebanon that would be targeted, in order to clear out Hezbollah infrastructure near Israeli border communities and then pull their forces back, according to a senior U.S. official.

This could start “immediately,” according to the senior official.

-ABC News’ Selina Wang

Biden tells Israel to stop when asked about possible Lebanon invasion

Speaking to reporters Monday at the White House, President Joe Biden addressed Israel’s continued attacks on Lebanon and reports that they are preparing for a limited ground operation.

The comment, which followed Biden’s remarks on Hurricane Helene, came after a reporter asked if he was aware of and “comfortable” with the possibility of Israel invading Lebanon.

“I’m more aware than you might know, and I’m comfortable with them stopping. We should have a cease-fire now,” Biden replied.

Middle East ‘safer’ without ‘brutal’ Nasrallah, Blinken says

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday that slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was “a brutal terrorist, whose many victims included Americans, Israelis, civilians in Lebanon, civilians in Syria and many others as well.”

During a ministerial meeting on defeating ISIS in Washington, D.C., Blinken said Hezbollah under Nasrallah’s leadership “terrorized people across the region and prevented Lebanon from fully moving forward as a country.”

“Lebanon, the region, the world, are safer without him,” Blinken added.

Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike in southern Beirut on Friday, marking the most significant blow yet to Hezbollah over almost a year of cross-border conflict with Israel.

Israeli airstrikes are continuing across Lebanon and in the capital. A U.S. official told ABC News on Sunday that small-scale cross-border Israeli ground operations may have already begun, as a prelude to a wider offensive into southern Lebanon in pursuit of Hezbollah targets.

Blinken said the U.S. and its partners would continue to work toward a diplomatic solution “that provides real security to Israel, to Lebanon, and allows citizens on both sides of the border to return to their homes.”

“Diplomacy remains the best and only path to achieving greater stability in the Middle East,” he said. “The United States remains committed to urgently driving these efforts forward.”

-ABC News’ Shannon K. Kingston

‘Nowhere’ Israel cannot reach, Netanyahu warns Iran

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appealed to anti-government sentiment in Iran on Monday, telling the Iranian people: “With every passing moment, the regime is bringing you — the noble Persian people — closer to the abyss.”

“Every day, you see a regime that subjugates you make fiery speeches about defending Lebanon, defending Gaza,” the prime minister said in a video statement posted to social media.

“Yet every day, that regime plunges our region deeper into darkness and deeper into war. Every day, their puppets are eliminated.”

“Ask Mohammed Deif. Ask [Hassan] Nasrallah,” Netanyahu said, referring to the Hamas military commander — whose death the group has not confirmed — and the former Hezbollah leader. Israel claims Deif was killed in Gaza in July, while Nasrallah was killed in Beirut on Friday.

“There is nowhere in the Middle East Israel cannot reach,” Netanyahu said.

“Iran’s tyrants don’t care about your future,” Netanyahu continued. “When Iran is finally free — and that moment will come a lot sooner than people think — everything will be different.”

“Our two ancient peoples, the Jewish people and the Persian people, will finally be at peace,” Netanyahu said. “The people of Iran should know — Israel stands with you.”

Tehran has not yet responded to Netanyahu’s statement. But on Monday, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said his country would not deploy volunteer troops to Lebanon in response to Israel’s expanding campaign there against Hezbollah.

“We believe that the governments and nations of the region have the necessary ability and authority to defend themselves,” he said. “We have not had any request from anyone, and we know that they do not need deployment of human forces from our side.”

-ABC News’ Joe Simonetti and Somayeh Malekian

Hamas leader in Lebanon killed in airstrike, IDF says

The Israel Defense Forces said Monday it killed Fatah Sharif Abu al-Amine, the head of Hamas’ Lebanon branch, in an overnight airstrike.

“Sharif was responsible for coordinating Hamas’ terror activities in Lebanon with Hezbollah operatives,” the IDF said in a statement.

“He was also responsible for Hamas’ efforts in Lebanon to recruit operatives and acquire weapons.”

-ABC News’ Jordana Miller and Joe Simonetti

Deadly strike hits central Beirut for first time in 18 years

An overnight precision strike on an apartment building in the Cola neighborhood was the first such strike in central Beirut for 18 years.

Four people were killed, including three members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine militant group.

Israel did not immediately claim the strike but is widely assumed to have carried it out.

-ABC News’ Joe Simonetti

Hezbollah deputy gives first statement since Nasrallah assassination

Naim Qassem, Hezbollah’s deputy secretary general, addressed followers Monday in the first leadership statement since Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut on Friday.

“The mujahadeen will continue,” Qassem said of the militant group’s fighters, their work informed by “what [Nasrallah] designed.”

Qassem did not announce a replacement for Nasrallah, but said Hezbollah’s next leader will be chosen “sooner rather than later.”

Details of Nasrallah’s funeral are still unconfirmed. A three-day mourning period in Lebanon began on Monday.

-ABC News’ Ghazi Balkiz and Joe Simonetti

IDF confirms new attacks on Hezbollah targets

The Israel Defense Forces said it carried out an operation against more Hezbollah targets early Monday morning local time.

The Israeli Air Force attacked targets in the Bekaa region of Lebanon, the IDF said in a statement.

Targets included launchers and buildings where the IDF said weapons were held.

The Israeli Air Force also attacked what it said were military buildings in southern Lebanon.

-ABC News Will Gretsky

At least 105 people killed Sunday in Lebanon: Ministry of Health

The death toll in Lebanon as a result of Israeli airstrikes Sunday rose to 105, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health.

Nearly 360 individuals were wounded in the strikes, the ministry reported.

The strikes occurred in southern Lebanon, the Bekaa, Baalbek-Hermel and the southern suburbs of Beirut (Dahieh), according to the ministry.

Netanyahu announces former rival Gideon Sa’ar joined Israeli cabinet

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has appointed opposition lawmaker Gideon Sa’ar to rejoin his cabinet, the politicians announced in a joint statement Sunday.

Sa’ar will serve in the Security Cabinet, according to Netanyahu.

“I appreciate the fact that Gideon Sa’ar responded to my request and agreed today to return to the government,” Netanyahu said, noting how the leaders have put aside their disagreements.

“We will work together, and I intend to use him in the forums that influence the conduct of the war,” Netanyahu added.

Sa’ar was once a member of Netanyahu’s Likud Party but defected after an unsuccessful bid for party leadership. He formed his own party in 2020 called New Hope.

“I am joining the government at this stage without a coalition agreement – but with an orderly worldview and with a strong patriotic attitude for our people,” Sa’ar said in the joint statement.

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(NEW YORK) — The climate crisis is not a distant threat; it’s happening right now and affecting what matters most to us. Hurricanes intensified by a warming planet and drought-fueled wildfires are destroying our communities. Rising seas and flooding are swallowing our homes. And record-breaking heatwaves are reshaping our way of life.

The good news is we know how to turn the tide and avoid the worst possible outcomes. However, understanding what needs to be done can be confusing due to a constant stream of climate updates, scientific findings, and critical decisions that are shaping our future.

That’s why the ABC News Climate and Weather Unit is cutting through the noise by curating what you need to know to keep the people and places you care about safe. We are dedicated to providing clarity amid the chaos, giving you the facts and insights necessary to navigate the climate realities of today — and tomorrow.

UN says it will take ‘a quantum leap in ambition’ to avoid climate disaster

The United Nations is calling out the world’s largest polluting nations for failing to take decisive action in their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions significantly. And they’re warning that it will require nothing short of “a quantum leap in ambition” if we are to avoid the worst-case global warming scenarios.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme’s Emissions Gap Report 2024, aptly titled, “No more hot air … please!” the world has made little progress in reversing the use of fossil fuels and faces twice as much warming as agreed to during the Paris Climate Agreement. The report finds that unless we significantly reduce our global emissions and do so quickly, the planet is headed toward a 3.1° C (5.6° F) increase in warming above pre-industrial levels by 2100.

The annual report looks at countries’ emission reduction promises and where we are in meeting those goals. The report said that despite the urgent need to reduce GHG emissions, global emissions actually set a new record in 2023, increasing by 1.3%.

However, the report made a point to emphasize that the majority of global emissions are coming from G20 countries, specifically China, the United States and India. Only the U.S. showed a slight reduction in emissions in 2023, down 1.4%. China and India saw an increase of 5.2% and 6.1% respectively. Both countries produce many of the products purchased and used by American consumers, and some experts say their emissions are our emissions.

In 2015, during a summit in Paris, the majority of the world’s governments agreed to work toward limiting global warming to 1.5° C (2.7° F). This new report said it would require a 42% cut in yearly GHG emissions by 2030 if we want to try to avoid surpassing that milestone.

World leaders will meet in Azerbaijan next month for the UN climate summit COP29 to work on meeting the goals first agreed to in Paris.

-ABC News Climate Unit’s Matthew Glasser

Central Park and Philly could break no rain records

The Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions are experiencing an unprecedented dry spell, raising concerns of fire danger.

Central Park in New York City is also facing an unusually dry October. The world-renowned landmark has seen zero rainfall this month. Since record-keeping began in 1869, there has never been a month in Central Park that didn’t have some rainfall. With no rain in the forecast through the end of the month, this could be a first.

Similarly, Philadelphia is on the brink of shattering its record for the longest period without rain, reaching 25 days as of Oct. 24. If the city doesn’t receive any precipitation by the end of Monday, Oct. 28, it will surpass an historic 29-day dry streak, the current record. Records go back to 1871.

As a result of these near-record dry conditions, fire danger levels have surged. Elevated warnings stretch from Massachusetts to Virginia, with humidity levels plummeting to around 30% and gusty winds of nearly 30 mph. New Jersey is particularly vulnerable, with most of the state under a Red Flag Warning, indicating a high threat of wildfires. The combination of low moisture and wind creates an environment ripe for the spread of any fire, making it crucial for residents to remain vigilant.

-ABC News meteorologists Max Golembo and Kenton Gewecke and ABC News Climate Unit’s Matthew Glasser

World’s coral in peril: Largest bleaching event in history is underway

A global coral bleaching event that began in Feb. 2023 is now the largest bleaching event on record, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The agency says nearly 77% of the world’s coral reef areas have experienced bleaching-level heat stress.

NOAA says the previous record, which occurred between 2014 and 2017, impacted 65.7% of the world’s reef area.

“We’ve eclipsed the previous record by 11.3% and did so in about half the amount of time,” said NOAA in a statement to ABC News. “This percentage is still increasing in size.”

The world’s oceans experienced record-breaking temperatures in 2024, and when the water is too warm, coral can expel the algae inside it, causing it to turn completely white. While bleaching doesn’t necessarily kill the coral, it can increase the likelihood of permanent damage or death.

This latest mass bleaching event marks the 4th global bleaching event since 1998 and the second since 2010. NOAA says each event has been more extensive than the last, with the current one setting a global record.

Since Feb. 2023, 74 countries and territories have been impacted by the mass coral bleaching event, affecting the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, according to NOAA.

Coral reefs are among the planet’s most diverse and valuable ecosystems. While they only cover 1% of our oceans, they provide a home to at least 25% of our marine life and significantly impact the global economy. Reefs attract millions of tourists and visitors, supporting local businesses and jobs.

-ABC News Climate Unit’s Matthew Glasser and Dan Manzo
 

Study finds biodiversity isn’t safe even in protected areas

In 2022, world leaders agreed to a landmark deal to protect the planet’s biodiversity at the UN Conference of Parties convention (COP15) in Montreal. Dubbed “30 by 30,” the historic agreement called for protecting 30% of the globe’s land and waters by 2030. As a result, many of the participating nations strengthened and expanded protected areas for plants and animals.

But, according to new research conducted by the National History Museum in London, biodiversity in these protected areas is declining faster than in non-protected areas. Using their own “Biodiversity Intactness Index,” which estimates how much of an area’s biological diversity is left in an area in response to human interventions, the Museum found that life in protected areas declined by around 2% compared to 1.8% globally.

The difference was even more significant in areas with the most critical ecosystems. Protected areas saw a loss of 2.12% compared to 1.91% overall.

The study’s authors don’t know for sure why there is this discrepancy but say it could be because many protected areas only focus on protecting a specific species. They also say many of the protected areas were already in trouble, and that’s why they were protected.

The team says we need to not only protect individual species but the land and ecosystem where they live. They are also calling for better monitoring of these critical areas.

The study comes while world leaders meet in Columbia for the UN’s COP16 Biodiversity Conference—a global effort to protect the planet’s biological diversity.

-ABC News Climate Unit’s Matthew Glasser

 

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