A new study from Aggreko predicts that climate change is accelerating faster than previous expectations, due in large by the growth of developing economies in Africa, Asia and South America.

The Associated Press

Thick brown clouds of soot, particles and chemicals stretching from the Persian Gulf to Asia threaten health and food supplies in the world, the UN reported yesterday.

The regional haze, known as atmospheric brown clouds, contributes to glacial melting, reduces sunlight and helps create extreme weather conditions that affect agricultural production, said the report commissioned by the UN Environment Program.

International Herald Tribune

Melting Himalayan glaciers, rising sea levels and depleting fresh water sources as a result of global climate change are posing grave threats to food production and economic development in the populous South Asia region, experts said Monday.

Dozens of scientists and policy makers from 18 countries and international agencies gathered Monday at the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, for the start of a six-day conference to discuss ways to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change on food security in South Asia.

As the effects of La Nina wear off, Asian countries will likely experience hot and dry spells. This change in weather pattern will also increase smog from forest fires.

South Asian leaders must act immediately against the threat of rising sea levels and river salinity due to global warming, which endangers millions of poor people in the region, a top Bangladesh official said on Tuesday.

Measurements at a Norwegian station in the Arctic show that carbon dioxide levels have risen about 1.5ppm since early measurements in 2008. Concentrations are now at 394ppm, partly due to economic growth in Asian countries.