What happened around the world in June?
past month saw a number of reports on species that face the threat of extinction globally as well as a worrying record high temperature of 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 Fahrenheit) in the Arctic Circle. The following is a look at the environmental developments and stories that dominated the month of June.
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JUNE 1
- Over 500 animal species, including the giant panda, tiny tamaraw buffalo and riverine rabbit, are officially on the brink of extinction, as less than 1,000 of them remain in the wild.
JUNE 3
- Russia declares a state of emergency in the Siberian city of Norilsk following a major fuel leak in the environmentally sensitive Arctic Circle.
JUNE 4
- Mangrove trees, a well-known species that store large amounts of carbon, will not survive the sea-level rise by 2050 if the world fails to cut emissions.
JUNE 5
- China upgrades the national protection status of its native pangolin species, the world’s most-trafficked mammal.
- Ethiopia says it plans to plant 5 billion seedlings during this year’s rainy season.
JUNE 8
- Record-holding freediver Şahika Encümen is named Turkey’s Life Below Water Advocate by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).
- Danish pension fund MP Pension excludes further 24 oil companies from its portfolio, divesting over $130 million in assets.
JUNE 9
- China removes pangolin scales from an official 2020 list of traditional medicines as part of efforts to protect the population.
- Across the planet, 41% of insect species are in decline and one-third faces a risk of extinction, according to Insect Atlas 2020.
- China launches a newly developed satellite into orbit to monitor the maritime environment, including sea surface temperatures.
JUNE 15
- The Swedish Supreme Court gives the green light for a new oil refinery which will become the country’s largest CO2 emitter.
JUNE 17
- Croatian authorities declare a natural disaster in the country’s northernmost province after 50 million bees are found dead in the region of Medzimurje.
JUNE 19
- Turkey breaks a record of the past 20 years by producing 66% of its total electricity from renewable energy in April.
JUNE 20
- Mercury hits 38 C (100.4 F) within the Arctic Circle, 17 C (62.2 F) hotter than normal for the day.
JUNE 23
- Temminck’s pangolins, one of the eight existing species, return to South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province where they once existed.
JUNE 24
- Germany bans single-use plastic products, which will come into effect from July 2021.
JUNE 25
- The high COVID-19 tally in India’s capital New Delhi and Mumbai is linked to air pollution levels, as experts say air quality has a profound impact on the immunity of people.
JUNE 26
- The smooth handfish, also known as Sympterichthys unipennis, officially goes extinct.
JUNE 30
- Free-diving champion Şahika Ercümen takes a dive in the waters of the Bosporus to highlight the importance of keeping the world’s waters clean. Photos showing all the masks, gloves and other plastics polluting the water make the rounds on social media.
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