The Stream, June 23, 2020: Pastoral Lifestyles Threatened as Somalia and Somaliland Dry

The Global Rundown

Somalia is drying rapidly, changing the livelihoods of Somali herders. The U.S. National Hurricane Center says there is a 40 percent chance that a cyclone may develop off the coast of Massachusetts in the next couple days. Heavy storms deluge Moscow, Russia. The water hyacinth, an invasive plant, clogs waterways in Iraq. United Kingdom climate advisers say the government is failing to adequately respond to flooding, loss of biodiversity and other climate threats. 

“The UK is due to host the critical United Nations climate change summit next year, but its credibility as a climate leader is now under threat.” –Bob Ward, policy director at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change, said of the shortcomings by the United Kingdom in addressing climate change. A new annual progress report by the government’s Committee on Climate Change is expected to include heavy criticism over the country’s failure to address issues like flash floods, loss of biodiversity, rising sea levels, and other environmental crises. The Guardian

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By The Numbers

40 percent Chance that a cyclone could develop in the Atlantic Ocean in the next couple days. A low pressure system is currently sitting 320 miles southeast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts and could turn into a subtropical storm, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. Reuters 

70 percent Proportion of Moscow’s monthly rainfall that fell within just a few hours in some parts of the city over the weekend, according to local media. A series of heavy storms brought hail and flash flooding across the city, temporarily shutting down some transportation. The Moscow Times 

Science, Studies, and Reports

The water hyacinth, an invasive species native to the Amazon Basin, is choking waterways in Iraq. The fast-spreading plant creates a thick cover, starving aquatic life of sunlight and oxygen. The plant is jeopardizing the local fishing industry and clogging irrigation lines in several areas of the country. Al Monitor 

On the Radar

Droughts are devastating a way of life for herders in Somalia and the autonomous region of Somaliland. Herds of livestock and crops are succumbing to the harsh drought conditions, forcing many pastoral Somalis to relocate. Women, who make up the majority of internally displaced people within the country, are especially vulnerable to the changing conditions. They are often endangered and exploited in the process of securing basic resources like food, water, and shelter. National Geographic 

Kayla Ritter

Kayla Ritter is a recent graduate of Michigan State University, where she studied International Relations and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. She is currently based in Manton, Michigan. Kayla enjoys running, writing, and traveling. Contact Kayla Ritter