Safe return of Rohingyas to Myanmar 'complex': UN envoy
United Nations, July 24 : Special UN Envoy to Myanmar Christine Schraner Burgener has said that the return of 900,000-plus Rohingya refugees stranded in Bangladesh to Myanmar will take time.
There is no "quick fix", Burgener told reporters after briefing the 15 UN Security Council members on the Rohingya refugee situation on Monday.
The special envoy of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said she has "visited many, many people to have an overall picture of the complex situation in Myanmar" since she took office, Xinhua news agency reported.
According to UN refugee agency UNHCR, more than one million ethnic minority Rohingyas have fled their homes in Myanmar's northern Rakhine State since August 2017.
The refugees fled as far as Malaysia and Indonesia, but mainly to neighbouring countries, with the overwhelming number going to adjacent Bangladesh.
During her two trips to Myanmar, Burgener said she worked with Myanmar's State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi on the Rohingya refugee issue, attended a peace conference, and visited refugee camps, particularly in Cox's Bazar in southern Bangladesh.
Getting the refugees to return home willingly in a safe and dignified manner is a big problem, she said.
While Myanmar's government wants them back, some members of local communities in northern Rakhine State do not.
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Groundwater depletion causes Earth's axis to shift by 31.5 inches: Study
A recent study has uncovered a significant impact of human activity on the planet: Earth's axis has shifted by 31.5 inches (nearly 80 centimeters) due to extensive groundwater extraction. Published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, the research highlights how large-scale pumping of groundwater has changed the distribution of Earth's mass, affecting its rotation and contributing to sea-level rise. The shift in Earth's tilt is linked to a sea-level increase of 0.24 inches, according to Popular Mechanics.
Lead researcher Ki-Weon Seo, a geophysicist at Seoul National University, explained that among climate-related factors, the redistribution of groundwater has had the most significant effect on the movement of Earth's rotational pole. The planet's tilt, or axial precession, is influenced by changes in mass distribution. As glaciers and polar ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica melt, water migrates towards the equator, shifting the planet's balance—a phenomenon comparable to how a figure skater’s spin changes when they alter their body position.
The study examined data from 1993 to 2010, revealing that approximately 2,150 gigatons of groundwater were pumped out during this time, largely for agricultural and human consumption. This large-scale extraction has contributed to a shift in Earth's axis of about 31.5 inches.
Groundwater, which is water stored underground in soil and rock, plays a crucial role in the hydrological cycle. It originates from precipitation that seeps into the earth, replenishing natural aquifers. These aquifers are vital freshwater resources, supporting drinking water supplies, agriculture, and industry. The availability and quality of groundwater depend on natural factors like recharge rates and human activity.
While the 31.5-inch shift in Earth's axis might seem minor, the consequences could be far-reaching over geological timescales. Changes in water distribution can lead to varying sea-level changes across regions, affecting coastal areas differently. Additionally, shifts in Earth's tilt can influence its internal systems, such as the magnetic field, which acts as a shield against harmful solar radiation.
