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World
Group of Seven (G7) Summit
The annual G7 summit of world leaders kicked off today in Cornwall, England, marking the first in-person meeting of the group since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The G7 is a group of some of the world’s biggest economies including the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, France, Canada, and Italy. Together, the group accounts for about half of the global economy but only about 11% of the world’s population. Each year members of this group meet to discuss global issues and coordinate policy. This year COVID-19 and public health is at the forefront of these discussions. Leaders at the summit are expected to pledge to donate a combined one billion doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in an effort to “vaccinate the world.”
This map depicts the G7 members as well as their population and GDP. Click on the map to learn more.
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United States
Extreme Drought in the West
Extreme drought conditions are affecting the western United States, with 72% of the region in ‘severe’ drought conditions and 26% in ‘exceptional’ drought conditions. The current drought is more widespread than it has been at any given time in the last 20 years. Reservoir levels are near record lows, including Lake Mead, the largest human-made reservoir in the United States. Water restrictions have been put into effect across the region. This year’s drought has been unusually severe because conditions have been intensifying quickly, and the hottest summer months haven’t come yet. The drought is only expected to get worse throughout the summer.
This map depicts drought conditions in the western United States as of June 8. Click on the map to learn more.
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Africa
Great Apes Face Habitat Loss
A new study published in Diversity and Distributions found the combination of climate and land-use change and human population growth is massively impacting the habitat range of Africa’s great apes. The study predicts great apes will lose 85-94% of their range within decades. The paper also models whether great apes can or cannot move from their current home. The analysis was conducted using a database with information from hundreds of sites over 20 years. This type of habitat range shift can be expected with all animals as the impacts of climate change increase and action against biodiversity loss is inadequate.
This map depicts the current habitat range of African Apes. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: Sitting on the border of two countries and covering 1,040 square miles (2,700 km sq), which lake’s geologic features make it produce an excess of methane in its lower layers, making it both incredibly dangerous and potentially lucrative?
A: Lake Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda
Lake Kivu sits along the East African Rift Valley, and volcanic activity at its very bottom produces hot springs feeding carbon dioxide and methane into its lower layers. The lake is so deep at 1,500 feet (460 meters), that the pressure of the fresh water above keeps the gases from bubbling up to the surface. This has created two distinct layers of water that don’t interact with each other. But a volcanic event beneath Kivu, an earthquake, or a landslide could potentially disrupt the lower levels, causing a limnic eruption that would release enough carbon dioxide to suffocate neighboring villages, or enough methane to ignite an explosion. But researchers are looking at ways to safely extract the methane for fuel, providing energy for the region and reducing the risk of an eruption.
Source
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Q: Which river in Europe spans 10 countries and has been vital in boosting economic growth, hydraulic power, and commercial travel?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in Monday’s DailyGeo.
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