Eco Minute 13:30

BULLETIN 28 May 1:30 pm

Good afternoon, here is your Eco Minute:

# The Kamfers Dam, north of Kimberley in the Northern Cape, once a key breeding site for lesser flamingos, has been abandoned by the birds due to years of raw sewage contamination. Conservationists say the toxic water has driven the flamingos away, with breeding halted since 2020. The dam was one of only four African breeding sites. A court has now ordered the Sol Plaatje municipality to fix the damaged sewage plant, but officials say they lack the 106-million-rand needed.

# NASA satellite data shows Antarctica gained ice between 2021 and 2023 due to unusually high snowfall despite ongoing global warming. While this temporary gain reversed some previous losses, experts stress it doesn’t signal a long-term trend. The overall trajectory still shows significant ice loss since 2002, largely driven by glaciers melting into warming oceans. Scientists warn this anomaly will not last, and rising global temperatures will continue to threaten ice stability and contribute to sea level rise.

# And finally: Global warming may be increasing women’s cancer risks in the Middle East and North Africa. A study across 17 countries found that breast, ovarian, uterine, and cervical cancer rates and deaths rose with each degree Celsius of temperature increase. Ovarian cancer saw the highest rise. Scientists from the American University in Cairo have linked this to environmental toxins, disrupted healthcare, and unequal access to screening. They have urged the integration of climate resilience into public health systems to reduce cancer risks and improve outcomes for vulnerable women.

Stay tuned for more news………….