Climate change and increasing turbulence

The sad news of the tragedy on board a Singapore Airlines London - Singapore flight on which one person died and several were injured due to severe turbulence was recently confirmed. A phenomenon that is actually rare, but which is increasing due to climate change

increased flight turbulence climate change

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A tragic event unfolded on a Singapore Airlines flight from London to Singapore, where severe turbulence led to one death and several injuries. The airline has confirmed the incident, which involved the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew members. Turbulence of this magnitude is rare but is reportedly on the rise due to climate change, explained Paul Williams, a professor at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom.

Flight details and emergency landing

Flight SQ321 departed from London Heathrow on May 20 and was bound for Singapore.

The intense turbulence encountered forced the plane to divert to Bangkok, where it landed at 3:45 PM local time on May 21. This marks the first such incident since December 28, 1997, when a similar event occurred on a United Airlines flight from Tokyo to Honolulu.

Insights on turbulence

Paul Williams, writing on the academic institute’s website, noted that turbulence-related fatalities on commercial flights are exceedingly rare, but unfortunately, they have increased today. Turbulence can be caused by storms, mountains, and strong air currents known as jet streams.

In this instance, it involved clear-air turbulence, which is particularly challenging to avoid as it cannot be detected by radar weather conditions in the cockpit. Detailed analysis of the weather circumstances and the specific type of turbulence that led to today’s fatality will take time.

Climate change and increasing turbulence

The outlook is quite bleak. There is now clear evidence that turbulence is increasing due to climate change. Recent findings indicate that severe clear-air turbulence in the North Atlantic has increased by 55% since 1979.

Future projections suggest a doubling or tripling of severe turbulence and jet streams in the North Atlantic in the coming decades if climate patterns continue as expected.

How a herd of reintroduced bison in Romania’s forests is helping to reduce co2

Having disappeared from Romania for 200 years, the European bison was reintroduced to the Țarcu mountains, at the southern end of the Carpathian chain, in 2014. There are currently 170 bison who - in a true "rewilding" operation - are reshaping the mountain landscape by counteracting greenhouse gas emissions

©O.S.Fisher/Shutterstock

European bison, nearly wiped out across the continent by rampant hunting between the 17th and 19th centuries, faced near extinction. By 1900, only two wild populations remained: one in the Białowieża Forest on the border between Belarus and Poland, and another in the Western Caucasus mountains along Russia’s southern border with Georgia. These herds had vanished by 1927, and the species clung to survival in a handful of European zoos.

After disappearing from Romania over 200 years ago, Rewilding Europe and WWF Romania reintroduced bison to the Carpathians in 2014. This initiative is among several successful reintroduction projects that are helping large herbivores make a comeback.

Currently, there are about 7,000 free-roaming bison across Poland, Lithuania, Russia, Ukraine, and Slovakia.

170 European bison reintroduced among Romania’s Țarcu mountains

In one of the largest free-roaming herds in Europe, 170 European bison have been reintroduced among Romania’s Țarcu mountains. The goal? These formidable animals could help capture and store the carbon released annually by approximately 84,000 average American gasoline cars.

Confirming this is new research suggesting these massive herbivores might play a role in mitigating the impacts of climate change. By grazing an area of about 18.5 square miles within a larger landscape of 115.8 square miles, the bison fertilize the grass and spread seeds, stimulating growth. With their immense girth, they also compact the soil, helping to keep carbon locked in the ground.

In this way, they contribute to capturing tons of carbon every year.

Bison are part of what are known as “umbrella species,” capable of helping flora and fauna thrive: their protection, in short, benefits many other species in the community, allowing the conservation of pastures and microhabitats.