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Food Security and COVID-19

An increasing number of countries are facing growing levels of acute food insecurity, reversing years of development gains. Even before COVID-19 reduced incomes and disrupted supply chains, chronic and acute hunger were on the rise due to various factors including conflict, socio-economic conditions, natural hazards, climate change and pests. COVID-19 impacts have led to severe and widespread increases in global food insecurity, affecting vulnerable households in almost every country, with impacts expected to continue through 2021 and into 2022. This brief looks at rising food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic and World Bank responses to date.

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Air pollution & COVID-19

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India’s crop burning takes a new turn

A year ago, when the Delhi government implemented the second edition of the odd-even vehicle restriction during April 15-30 to fight air pollution, the Central Pollution Control Board, to everyone’s surprise, found that the pollution levels had increased during the experiment. That answer came from an image sent by a NASA satellite. The image showed that the smoke from crop residue burning in Punjab and Haryana had travelled to the national capital, causing the rise in air pollution.

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Delhi smog: Foul air came from India’s farming revolution

It looked like someone had picked up a box of matches and set the earth on fire. Lack of winds meant that the acrid smoke hung in the air.

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Vietnam aviation official: Straw burning threatens flight safety

HANOI, Sept 28 (Vietnam News/ANN): The burning of straw, plant byproducts and other waste on fields near airports produces smoke that affects visibility for pilots and poses a high risk to flight safety, said an official from Northern Airports Authority under the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam.

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$1.6m for scientists studying bird deaths at solar facilities

Vast fields of solar arrays across the United States generate electricity, cut back fossil fuel emissions – and carry unintended consequences: the death of birds.

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Desert damage: the dark side of solar power

Thousands of acres of solar panels could spring up across California’s Mojave Desert like a crop of crystal mushrooms — a new kind of gold rush meant to bring powerful environmental benefits.

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Green energy plant threat to wilderness areas

Wind, solar and hydro power installations pose a growing threat to key conservation areas, say researchers.

The amount of renewable energy facilities in use around the world has essentially tripled over the last 20 years.

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A guide to the energy of the Earth

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