U.N. pledges natural disaster alert systems for entire world

With the ever-increasing threat of climate disasters, the United Nations is pledging to deliver early-warning weather monitoring systems to the entire planet

The U.N. Secretary-General says “half of humanity is already in the danger zone” and yet one-third of the world’s people still aren’t protected by proper alert systems. 

There are now five times the number of weather-related disasters when compared with the 1970s. 

Droughts, floods and heatwaves have killed more than 2 million people and resulted in over $3 trillion in losses. 

It’s not yet clear how much money the U.N. has set aside for the project.

How the world’s forests help keep the world’s climate stable:

For a long time it’s been common knowledge that the world’s forests play a key role in storing carbon, but now scientists are convinced they actually do much more. 

New data shows trees and vegetation help to keep air cool and moist, physically transforming energy and water,  keeping our climate stable. 

It’s rainforests throughout Latin America, central Africa and south-east Asia that are generating the most positive global impacts. 

Researchers believe forests are helping keep the planet at least half of a degree Celsius cooler, with some playing a more important role than others. 

They are calling on governments to enact better protections, greater expansions and improved management of the world’s forests in a bid to better tackle global warming.