There isn't much green in the Sahara Desert, but after an unusual influx of rain, the color can be seen from space creeping into parts of one of the driest places in the world.
Satellites recently captured plant life blooming in parts of the typically arid southern Sahara after storms moved there when they shouldn't. It has also caused catastrophic flooding. And scientists say a world warming due to fossil fuel pollution is making both more likely.
Rainfall north of the equator in Africa typically increases from July through September as the West African Monsoon kicks into gear. But since at least mid-July, this zone has shifted farther north than it typically should, sending storms into the southern Sahara, including portions of Niger, Chad, Sudan and even as far north as Libya, according to data from NOAA's Climate Prediction Center.
As a result, these portions of the Sahara Desert are anywhere from twice as wet to more than six times wetter than they should be.
Read more at the link in our bio.
📷: CIRA/RAMMB
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The construction pipeline shows uneven momentum, with a fall in main contract awards but new activity in education and commercial sectors. This volatility compels investors to focus on eco‑design for buildings that can be delivered in phases, financed through operating savings and supported by sustainable building practices. Retrofit projects using low embodied carbon materials and renewable building materials strengthen environmental product declarations (EPDs) and promote resource efficiency in construction.
Developers that specify proven heat pump systems, design for flexibility and embed end‑of‑life reuse in construction will capture long‑term value and establish leadership in carbon neutral construction. Integrating circular construction strategies with sustainable material specification ensures that net zero carbon buildings and net zero whole life carbon targets are achievable. The emergent trend signals that decarbonising the built environment relies equally on timing, technology and rigorous life cycle thinking in construction.
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