Inspectors from the Issyk-Kul Department of the Environmental and Technical Supervision Service have confiscated approximately 500 meters of synthetic fishing nets during a recent raid on Lake Issyk-Kul.

Large-scale efforts to clean and protect the lake have been underway since 2023. Ahead of this year’s tourist season, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov issued a decree banning the import and use of synthetic fishing nets nationwide. He later participated in a raid on the lake himself, publicly criticizing officials for failing to fully implement the ban.

Despite the government’s strict measures, poaching continues to pose a threat. According to inspectors from the Ministry of Natural Resources, although the latest seizure is not the largest on record, it is still substantial enough to harm the lake’s delicate ecosystem. Raids have been conducted almost continuously throughout the summer.

Just days earlier, divers from the Kyrgyz Ministry of Emergency Situations retrieved 1,500 meters of nets from the lake and rescued 114 fish caught in them. Since the beginning of the year, authorities have removed a total of 80,900 meters of illegal fishing nets from Issyk-Kul.

The State Customs Service also reported intercepting a large shipment of synthetic nets at the border with China. During a routine inspection of freight trucks, 750 kilograms of fishing nets were discovered and subsequently destroyed.

Authorities warn that synthetic fishing nets are especially hazardous because they often contain lead, which can release toxic substances into the water. These toxins poison fish and destabilize the lake’s aquatic ecosystem.

Record High Greenhouse Gas Emissions Recorded in 2024

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported that carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere surged to unprecedented levels in 2024, fueled by human activities and intensified by wildfires. This alarming rise in greenhouse gases commits the planet to more long-term temperature increases, reports 24brussels.

In 2024, atmospheric concentrations of CO2 reached record highs, primarily due to emissions from burning fossil fuels, biomass, land-use changes, and industrial activities such as cement production. This escalation in CO2 levels raises significant concerns regarding long-term climate change and associated impacts.

Greenhouse gases, including CO2, methane, and nitrous oxide, are the foremost contributors to global warming. They trap heat in the atmosphere, thereby elevating Earth’s surface temperature and exacerbating climate change and air pollution. CO2 stands as the dominant greenhouse gas, accounting for approximately three-quarters of planet-warming emissions.

Current CO2 levels are measured at over 425 parts per million (ppm), 50% higher than pre-industrial levels of around 280 ppm. Alarmingly, around 60% of this increase has occurred since 1990, with fossil fuel combustion as a primary driver.

“The heat trapped by CO2 and other greenhouse gases is turbo-charging our climate and leading to more extreme weather. Reducing emissions is therefore essential not just for our climate but also for our economic security and community well-being,” stated WMO Deputy Secretary-General Ko Barrett.

Carbon Sinks at Risk

Approximately half of all CO2 emitted each year remains in the atmosphere, while the remainder is absorbed by Earth’s carbon sinks: land ecosystems and oceans. Scientists express concern that climate change is impairing the ability of these sinks to absorb CO2, as increasing temperatures lead to drier conditions in forests and diminishing gas solubility in warmer ocean waters.

“There is concern that terrestrial and ocean CO2 sinks are becoming less effective, which will increase the amount of CO2 that stays in the atmosphere, thereby accelerating global warming,” highlighted Oksana Tarasova, a WMO senior scientific officer.

Record Levels of Methane and Nitrous Oxide

Alongside CO2, atmospheric concentrations of methane and nitrous oxide also reached record levels in 2024, according to the WMO.

Methane, despite comprising only a small fraction of the atmosphere (~0.0002% by volume), has a considerable climate impact, accounting for 25% of global warming and now at levels 166% higher than pre-industrial times.

About 60% of methane emissions originate from human activities, which include leaks from fossil fuel operations, landfills, livestock waste, rice cultivation, and wildfires. The remaining emissions come from natural sources such as wetlands, wildfires, and geological processes.

Nitrous oxide, the third most significant human-caused greenhouse gas, primarily results from the application of nitrogen fertilizers and manure, driven by expanding agricultural practices. Current atmospheric levels of nitrous oxide have risen to 338 parts per billion (ppb), a 25% increase over the pre-industrial level of 270 ppb.

Belgium’s Federal Institute for the Protection and Promotion of Human Rights (FIRM) has issued a clear warning that the country’s rule of law is under systematic threat. In a report published on Wednesday, FIRM cites the government’s repeated failure to execute court rulings, particularly in asylum and detention cases, as threatening democratic credibility and public trust in the justice system, reports 24brussels.

Since 2021, Belgian authorities have disregarded over 10,000 court orders to provide adequate accommodation for asylum seekers. “Thousands of people entitled to international protection are sleeping on the streets despite binding judicial decisions,” FIRM stated, describing this as a “structural violation of human rights obligations.”

The situation escalated when Asylum and Migration Minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt (N-VA) publicly declared her intention to refuse enforcement of certain rulings, a stance that led to Belgium’s condemnation by the European Court of Human Rights in 2023.

Eroding foundations

FIRM also highlights the worsening overcrowding in Belgian prisons, where more than 13,200 inmates are currently held in facilities designed for just over 11,000. The report emphasizes that rather than expanding prison capacity, the focus should shift to limiting inmate inflow through enhanced judicial resources and alternatives to detention. The institute warns that chronic underfunding “erodes the foundations of the rule of law.”

Concerns have also been raised regarding government initiatives to merge the Council for Alien Law Litigation, which independently handles appeals against Immigration Office decisions, into a new federal migration administration. This proposed structure would allow judges to be appointed for renewable five-year terms rather than for life, potentially jeopardizing judicial independence and blurring the separation of powers. Furthermore, the shift of policing powers to municipal governments, including the imposition of local administrative fines or bans on protests, lacks the procedural safeguards typically associated with criminal law.

The report identifies eight major areas of concern while providing over 30 recommendations aimed at restoring institutional accountability. “Protecting and strengthening the rule of law demands constant vigilance,” it concludes, urging Belgium’s political leaders to uphold the European Convention on Human Rights and ensure that court judgments are executed without exception.