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Nature’s role in healthy aging

Most likely, you know someone aged 65 or older, as about  17% of our nation’s population falls in that age range. September is  Healthy Aging Month , which promotes ways people can stay healthy as they age. Of particular importance to the health of our elders is the healing benefits of nature. Research from several studies has shown the physical, mental and cognitive health benefits of elders interacting with nature.

A recently published  large-scale study found that association with natural environments reduced hospital admissions for people with Alzheimer disease (and related dementias) and folks with Parkinson disease. Researchers analyzed first hospitalizations with one of these diagnoses against zip code location and greenness, park cover and/or blue space cover (visible surface water). 

In evaluating over 61 million Medicare beneficiaries (most women and white), the research found greater zip code greenness (but not park or blue space cover) was associated with fewer hospitalizations for people with Alzheimer and related dementias. All of the outdoor conditions (greenness, parks and blue space), were associated with a decrease in symptoms of Parkinson disease.

Other studies have examined the health benefits of greenspace for the elderly such as a recent study published in  Science Advances , which investigated the association between 20-year exposure to greenness and epigenetic aging in a large, biracial urban cohort. The study found that greater greenness was associated with slower epigenetic aging. Specifically, Black participants had less surrounding greenness than white participants and a diminished association between greenness and epigenetic aging; but those from disadvantaged neighborhoods had a stronger association. This study suggests Black participants might have fewer opportunities for access to greenness resulting in less improvement in epigenetic aging. 

You don’t need to go far to experience the health benefits of nature. Here are a few nature-based activities that can improve the wellbeing of older adults:

Spend a few minutes each day on a balcony (if you have access to one) or find a seat outdoors and look for any birds or other appealing aspects of nature. You can write down what you see, sketch the view and/or just enjoy looking at changing nature scenes. 

If you have access to a window, make a point of opening the shade up each day and spend time looking outside and searching for nature. If you can, open the window to let in the fresh smells of the outdoors. 

Print out any favorite nature photos and hang them up in areas frequented often to activate memories and reap the benefits of reminiscence. 

Read more about the health benefits of natural landscapes for elders in a  study by Texas A&M University that compared the quality of landscape features at assisted living facilities with actual levels of outdoor usage by residents.

Dr. Jean Larson is the manager of  Nature-Based Therapeutics and  Nature Heals Initiative at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and is faculty lead of the Nature-Based Therapeutic Studies at the  Earl Bakken Center for Spirituality and Healing of the University of Minnesota.

Cover photo of Wood Duck Trail by Mark MacLennan

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• NEWS EXPLAINER
• 28 August 2024

Mpox is spreading rapidly. Here are the questions researchers are racing to answer

• Sara Reardon

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Monkeypox virus particles (shown in this coloured electron micrograph) can spread through close contact with people and animals. Credit: NIAID/Science Photo Library

When the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a public-health emergency over mpox earlier this month , it was because a concerning form of the virus that causes the disease had spread to multiple African countries where it had never been seen before. Since then, two people travelling to Africa — one from Sweden and one from Thailand — have become infected with that type of virus, called clade Ib, and brought it back to their countries.

Monkeypox virus: dangerous strain gains ability to spread through sex, new data suggest

Although researchers have known about the current outbreak since late last year, the need for answers about it is now more pressing than ever. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has spent decades grappling with monkeypox clade I virus — the lineage to which Ib belongs. But in the past, clade I infections usually arose when a person came into contact with wild animals, and outbreaks would fizzle out.

Clade Ib seems to be different, and is spreading largely through contact between humans, including through sex . Around 18,000 suspected cases of mpox, many of them among children, and at least 600 deaths potentially attributable to the disease have been reported this year in the DRC alone.

How does this emergency compare with one declared in 2022, when mpox cases spread around the globe? How is this virus behaving compared with the version that triggered that outbreak, a type called clade II? And will Africa be able to rein this one in? Nature talks to researchers about information they are rushing to gather.

Is clade Ib more deadly than the other virus types?

It’s hard to determine, says Jason Kindrachuk, a virologist at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada. He says that the DRC is experiencing two outbreaks simultaneously. The clade I virus, which has been endemic in forested regions of the DRC for decades, circulates in rural regions, where people get it from animals. That clade was renamed Ia after the discovery of clade Ib. Studies in animals suggest that clade I is deadlier than clade II 1 — but Kindrachuk says that it’s hard to speculate on what that means for humans at this point.

Even when not fatal, mpox can trigger fevers, aches and painful fluid-filled skin lesions.

Growing mpox outbreak prompts WHO to declare global health emergency

Although many reports state that 10% of clade I infections in humans are fatal, infectious-disease researcher Laurens Liesenborghs at the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium, doubts that this figure is accurate. Even the WHO’s latest estimate of a 3.5% fatality rate for people with mpox in the DRC might be high.

There are many reasons that fatality estimates might be unreliable, Liesenborghs says. For one, surveillance data capture only the most severe cases; many people who are less ill might not seek care at hospitals or through physicians, so their infections go unreported.

Another factor that can confound fatality rates is a secondary health condition. For example, people living with HIV — who can represent a large proportion of the population in many African countries — die from mpox at twice the rate of the general population 2 , especially if their HIV is untreated. And the relatively high death rate among children under age 5 could be partly because of malnutrition, which is common among kids in rural parts of the DRC, Liesenborghs says.

Is clade Ib more transmissible than other types?

The clade Ib virus has garnered particular attention because epidemiological data suggest that it transmits more readily between people than previous strains did, including through sexual activity, whereas clade Ia mostly comes from animals. An analysis posted ahead of peer review on the preprint server medRxiv 3 shows that clade Ib’s genome contains genetic mutations that seem to have been induced by the human immune system, suggesting that it has been in humans for some time. Clade Ia genomes have fewer of these mutations.

But Liesenborghs says that the mutations and clades might not be the most important factor in understanding how monkeypox virus spreads. Although distinguishing Ia from Ib is useful in tracking the disease, he says, the severity and transmissibility of the disease could be affected more by the region where the virus is circulating and the people there. Clade Ia, for instance, seems to be more common in sparsely populated rural regions where it is less likely to spread far. Clade Ib is cropping up in densely populated areas and spreading more readily.

Jean Nachega, an infectious-disease physician at the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, says that scientists don’t understand many aspects of mpox transmission — they haven’t even determined which animal serves as a reservoir for the virus in the wild, although rodents are able to carry it. “We have to be very humble,” Nachega says.

How effective are vaccines against the clade I virus?

Just as was the case during the COVID-19 pandemic, health experts are looking to vaccines to help curb this mpox outbreak. Although there are no vaccines designed specifically against the monkeypox virus, there are two vaccines proven to ward off a related poxvirus — the one that causes smallpox. Jynneos, made by biotechnology company Bavarian Nordic in Hellerup, Denmark, contains a type of poxvirus that can’t replicate but can trigger an immune response. LC16m8, made by pharmaceutical company KM Biologics in Kumamoto, Japan, contains a live — but weakened — version of a different poxvirus strain.

Hopes dashed for drug aimed at monkeypox virus spreading in Africa

Still, it’s unclear how effective these smallpox vaccines are against mpox generally. Dimie Ogoina, an infectious-disease specialist at Niger Delta University in Wilberforce Island, Nigeria, points out that vaccines have been tested only against clade II virus in European and US populations, because these shots were distributed by wealthy nations during the 2022 global outbreak . And those recipients were primarily young, healthy men who have sex with men, a population that was particularly susceptible during that outbreak. One study in the United States found that one dose of Jynneos was 80% effective at preventing the disease in at-risk people, whereas two doses were 82% effective 4 ; the WHO recommends getting both jabs.

People in Africa infected with either the clade Ia or Ib virus — especially children and those with compromised immune systems — might respond differently. However, one study in the DRC found that the Jynneos vaccine generally raised antibodies against mpox in about 1,000 health-care workers who received it 5 .

But researchers are trying to fill in some data gaps. A team in the DRC is about to launch a clinical trial of Jynneos in people who have come into close contact with the monkeypox virus — but have not shown symptoms — to see whether it can prevent future infection, or improve outcomes if an infection arises.

Will the vaccines help to rein in the latest outbreak?

Mpox vaccines have been largely unavailable in Africa, but several wealthy countries have pledged to donate doses to the DRC and other affected African nations. The United States has offered 50,000 Jynneos doses from its national stockpile, and the European Union has ordered 175,000, with individual member countries pledging extra doses. Bavarian Nordic has also added another 40,000. Japan has offered 3.5 million doses of LC16m8 — for which only one jab is recommended instead of two.

Monkeypox in Africa: the science the world ignored

None of them have arrived yet, though, says Espoir Bwenge Malembaka, an epidemiologist at the Catholic University of Bukavu in the DRC. Low- and middle-income nations cannot receive vaccines until the WHO has deemed the jabs safe and effective. And the WHO has not given its thumbs up yet. It is evaluating data from vaccine manufacturers, delaying donors’ ability to send the vaccines.

Even when the vaccines arrive, Bwenge Malembaka says, “it’s really a drop in the bucket”. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, estimates that 10 million doses are needed to rein in the outbreak.

Bwenge Malembaka says that the uncertainty over vaccine arrival has made it difficult for the government to form a distribution plan. “I don’t know how one can go about this kind of challenge,” he says. Bwenge Malembaka suspects that children are likely to receive doses first, because they are highly vulnerable to clade I, but officials haven’t decided which regions to target. It’s also unclear how the government would prioritize other vulnerable populations such as sex workers, who have been affected by clade Ib. Their profession is criminalized in the DRC, so they might not be able to come forward for treatment.

Researchers lament that public-health organizations didn’t provide vaccines and other resources as soon as the clade I outbreak was identified, especially given lessons learnt from the 2022 global mpox outbreak. “The opportunity was there a couple months ago to cut this transmission chain, but resources weren’t available,” Liesenborghs says. “Now, it will be more challenging to tackle this outbreak, and the population at risk is much broader.”

Nature 633 , 16-17 (2024)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-02793-9

Americo, J. L., Earl, P. L. & Moss, B. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 120 , e2220415120 (2023).

Article   PubMed   Google Scholar  

Yinka-Ogunleye, A. et al. BMJ Glob. Health 8 , e013126 (2023).

Kinganda-Lusamaki, E. et al. Preprint at medRxiv https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.08.13.24311951 (2024).

Yeganeh, N. et al. Vaccine 42 , 125987 (2024).

Priyamvada, L. et al. Vaccine 40 , 7321–7327 (2022).

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12 misleading or lacking-in-context claims from Harris’ DNC speech

Domenico Montanaro

Vice President Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, made 12 misleading or lacking-in-context statements during her speech at the Democratic National Convention last week. Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

There were about a dozen statements that Vice President Kamala Harris made during her roughly 40-minute acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago that were either misleading or lacking in context.

They range from characterizations of former President Trump’s stances on abortion rights and Social Security to her plans to address housing and grocery prices.

It’s the role of the press to try and hold politicians to account for the accuracy of their statements in a good-faith way. The dozen Harris statements lacking in context are far less in comparison to 162 misstatements, exaggerations and outright lies that NPR found from Trump’s hour-long news conference Aug. 8.

Nonetheless, here’s what we found from Harris’ convention speech:

1. “His explicit intent to jail journalists, political opponents, and anyone he sees as the enemy.” 

Trump has promised retribution against his political enemies, has called reporters “the enemy of the people,” and has made vague threats of jail time for reporters.

“They’ll never find out, & it’s important that they do,” Trump wrote in a post on his social media platform after the leak of a draft of the Dobbs decision was published. “So, go to the reporter & ask him/her who it was. If not given the answer, put whoever in jail until the answer is given. You might add the editor and publisher to the list.”

He’s made other such comments, but there’s no explicit and specific policy from Trump on this because, as with many things involving Trump, he has been vague about his specific intentions.

2. “[W]e know and we know what a second Trump term would look like. It's all laid out in Project 2025, written by his closest advisers. And its sum total is to pull our country back to the past.” 

Project 2025 is the work of people with close ties to Trump through the Heritage Foundation. Trump has disavowed parts of Project 2025, and a campaign official called it a “ pain in the ass .” There’s good political reason for that. Many of the detailed proposals are highly controversial and unpopular. The website for Project 2025 lays out some of the connections to the Trump administration in black and white, as well as the group’s belief that a Trump administration will use it as a blueprint:“The 2025 Presidential Transition Project is being organized by the Heritage Foundation and builds off Heritage’s longstanding ‘Mandate for Leadership,’ which has been highly influential for presidential administrations since the Reagan era. Most recently, the Trump administration relied heavily on Heritage’s “Mandate” for policy guidance, embracing nearly two-thirds of Heritage’s proposals within just one year in office.

“ Paul Dans , former chief of staff at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) during the Trump administration, serves as the director of the 2025 Presidential Transition Project. Spencer Chretien , former special assistant to the president and associate director of Presidential Personnel, serves as associate director of the project.”

In fact, CNN reported that “at least 140 people who worked in the Trump administration had a hand in Project 2025,” including his former chief of staff Mark Meadows and adviser Stephen Miller.

What’s more, CBS News found at least 270 policy proposals that intersect with the about 700 laid out in Project 2025.

3. “We're not going back to when Donald Trump tried to cut Social Security and Medicare.” 

Former President Trump has pledged not to cut Social Security, the popular retirement program. While he was in office, Trump did try, unsuccessfully, to cut benefits for people who receive disability payments from Social Security.

Social Security benefits could be cut within a decade anyway, unless Congress takes steps to shore up the program. With tens of millions of baby boomers retiring and starting to draw benefits, and fewer people in the workforce paying taxes for each retiree, Social Security is expected to run short of cash in 2033. If that happens, almost 60 million retirees and their families would automatically see their benefits cut by 21%.

The problem could be solved by raising taxes, reducing benefits or some combination of the two. – Scott Horsley, NPR chief economics correspondent

4. “We are not going to let him end programs like Head Start that provide preschool and childcare for our children in America.”

This is again tied to Project 2025, but not something Trump has specifically talked about. Trump has talked about shutting down the Department of Education, but Head Start is funded through the Department of Health and Human Services.

5. “[A]s president, I will bring together labor and workers and small-business owners and entrepreneurs and American companies to create jobs to grow our economy and to lower the cost of everyday needs like healthcare and housing and groceries.”

High supermarket prices are a common complaint. Although grocery prices have largely leveled off, rising just 1.1% in the 12 months ending in July, they jumped 3.6% the previous year and a whopping 13.1% the year before that. Vice President Harris has proposed combating high grocery prices with a federal ban on “price gouging,” but her campaign has offered no specifics on how that would work or what would constitute excessive prices. The Biden-Harris administration has previously blamed some highly concentrated parts of the food chain – such as meat-packers – for driving up prices. The administration has tried to promote more competition in the industry by bankrolling new players. – Scott Horsley

6. “And we will end America's housing shortage.”

The U.S. faces a serious shortage of housing, which has led to high costs. The average home sold last month for $422,600. Last week, Harris proposed several steps to encourage construction of additional housing, including tax breaks intended to promote 3 million new units in four years. (For context, the U.S. is currently building about 1.5 million homes per year, including just over a million single family homes.) Harris has also proposed $25,000 in downpayment assistance for first-time homebuyers and a $40 billion fund to help communities develop affordable housing. She has not said where the money for these programs would come from. – Scott Horsley

7. “He doesn't actually fight for the middle class. Instead, he fights for himself and his billionaire friends. And he will give them another round of tax breaks that will add up to $5 trillion to the national debt.”

While the 2017 tax cuts were skewed to the wealthy , it did cut taxes across the board.

Large parts of that tax cut are due to expire next year. Trump has proposed extending all of them, and while also calling for additional, unspecified tax cuts. Harris has proposed extending the tax cuts for everyone making less than $400,000 a year (97% of the population) while raising taxes on corporations and the wealthy.

Under the Biden-Harris administration, the IRS has also beefed up tax enforcement to ensure that wealthier people and businesses pay what they owe. GOP lawmakers have criticized that effort, and it would likely be reversed in a second Trump administration. Both Harris and Trump have proposed exempting tips from taxation. While popular with workers in the swing state of Nevada, where many people work in tip-heavy industries like casinos, the idea has serious problems. Unless the lost tax revenue were replaced somehow, it would create an even bigger budget deficit. It would treat one class of workers (tipped employees) differently from all other workers. And it would invite gamesmanship as other workers tried to have part of their own income reclassified as tax-free tips. Depending on how the exemptions were structured, it could also result in lower retirement benefits for tipped workers. – Scott Horsley

8. “And all the while he intends to enact what, in effect, is a national sales tax? Call it a Trump tax that would raise prices on middle class families by almost $4,000 a year.”

This appears to be a reference to tariffs. Donald Trump raised tariffs sharply while he was in office, and he’s pledged to go further if he returns to the White House. During his first term, Trump imposed tariffs on imported steel and aluminum, washing machines, solar panels and numerous products from China. Many trading partners retaliated, slapping tariffs of their own on U.S. exports. Farmers and manufacturers suffered.

Despite the fallout, the Biden/Harris administration has left most of the Trump tariffs in place, while adding its own, additional levies on targeted goods from China such as electric vehicles. In a second term, Trump has proposed adding a 10% tariff on all imports, with a much higher levy on all Chinese goods. Researchers at the Peterson Institute for International Economics estimate such import taxes would cost the average family $1,700 a year. – Scott Horsley

9. “This is what's happening in our country because of Donald Trump. And understand he is not done as a part of his agenda. He and his allies would limit access to birth control, ban medication abortion, and enact a nationwide abortion ban with or without Congress. And get this, get this – he plans to create a national anti-abortion coordinator and force states to report on women's miscarriages and abortions.”

It is accurate to point out that the lack of abortion access across the country for millions of women particularly in the South is directly because of Trump and his decision to appoint three conservative justices to the Supreme Court who voted to overturn Roe . As president, he sided with employers , who for religious or moral reasons, didn’t want to pay for contraception, as he tried to change the mandate that contraception be paid for under the Affordable Care Act.

But it’s unclear what Trump will do again as president. He has made conflicting comments about access to contraception. Harris’s charges about an “agenda” again seem to be based on the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 . It would be accurate to warn that it’s possible, if not likely, Trump would take up the recommendations given that people close to Trump were instrumental in writing it and given that in his first term as president, he adopted many of the Heritage Foundation’s recommendations. But it’s not entirely accurate to say “he plans to create” these things when Trump himself and his campaign have not advocated for this. Trump himself has said that abortion should be left up to the states – and insisted that he doesn’t support a national ban.

10. “With this election, we finally have the opportunity to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and the Freedom to Vote Act.”

This is another one of those traps politicians fall into – overpromising when it’s not something they can control. Harris needs Congress to do this, and her winning the presidency does not guarantee that any of what she wants done legislatively will get done, even if Democrats take control of both chambers.

11. “Last year, Joe and I brought together Democrats and conservative Republicans to write the strongest border bill in decades.”

While Donald Trump stood in the way of this bill passing, and it had been written with conservative Republicans, it’s not accurate to say this was the “strongest border bill in decades” unless you count 11 years as decades. The 2013 comprehensive immigration overhaul that got 68 votes in the Senate and was killed by the GOP House, did far more than this bill did.

12. “He encouraged Putin to invade our allies, said Russia could quote, do whatever the hell they want.”

While an alarming thing for an American president to say about a NATO ally, this is lacking in some context. Trump said he would say Russia could “do whatever the hell it wanted” – and Trump would not defend an ally – if that country didn’t “pay.” Trump continues to get wrong, however, that no countries in the alliance “pay” anything to anyone except themselves. What Trump is talking about is NATO countries’ goals of funding their own defense to 2% of their gross domestic product. But not defending a country from a hostile invasion would violate Article 5 of the 1949 treaty that binds the countries in battle and was created as a way to thwart any potential efforts by the former Soviet Union to expand beyond its borders.

It reads : “[I]f a NATO Ally is the victim of an armed attack, each and every other member of the Alliance will consider this act of violence as an armed attack against all members and will take the actions it deems necessary to assist the Ally attacked.”

It has been invoked once: After the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the U.S.

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FDA Authorizes Updated Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine to Better Protect Against Currently Circulating Variants

FDA News Release

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use authorization (EUA) for an updated version of the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine that more closely targets currently circulating variants to provide better protection against serious consequences of COVID-19, including hospitalization and death. The updated vaccine is authorized for use in individuals 12 years of age and older. It includes a monovalent (single) component that corresponds to the Omicron variant JN.1 strain of SARS-CoV-2. 

“The COVID-19 vaccines have had a tremendous positive impact on public health and vaccination continues to be the most effective method for COVID-19 prevention,” said Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. “COVID-19 continues to be a very real risk for many people, and we encourage individuals to consider getting an updated COVID-19 vaccine when eligible. Today’s authorization provides an additional COVID-19 vaccine option that meets the FDA’s standards for safety, effectiveness and manufacturing quality needed to support emergency use authorization.”

This authorization follows the FDA’s recent approvals and authorizations of updated mRNA COVID-19 vaccines for 2024-2025 manufactured by ModernaTX Inc. and Pfizer Inc.

What You Need to Know

• Individuals 12 years of age and older who have never been vaccinated with any COVID-19 vaccine are eligible to receive two doses of this updated vaccine, 3 weeks apart.
• Individuals who have been vaccinated only with one dose of any Novavax COVID-19 vaccine are eligible to receive one dose of the updated Novavax COVID-19 vaccine at least 3 weeks after the previous dose.  
• Those who have been vaccinated with a prior formula of a COVID-19 vaccine from another manufacturer or with two or more doses of a prior formula of the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine are eligible to receive a single dose of the updated Novavax COVID-19 vaccine at least 2 months after the last dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

The FDA assessed manufacturing and nonclinical data to support the change to the 2024-2025 formula. The updated vaccine is manufactured using a similar process as previous formulas of this vaccine. Individuals who receive this vaccine may experience similar side effects as those reported by individuals who received previous formulas of this COVID-19 vaccine and as described in the fact sheets . 

The FDA has determined that the updated Novavax COVID-19 vaccine has met the statutory criteria for issuance of an EUA, including that the known and potential benefits of the vaccine outweigh its known and potential risks in individuals 12 years of age and older. 

As part of today’s action, the Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine, Adjuvanted (2023-2024 Formula) is no longer authorized for use.

The FDA granted the emergency use authorization of the Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine, Adjuvanted (2024-2025 Formula) to Novavax Inc. of Gaithersburg, Maryland.

Related Information

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• Updated COVID-19 Vaccines for Use in the United States Beginning in Fall 2024
• June 5, 2024, Meeting of the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory

The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, radiation-emitting electronic products, and for regulating tobacco products.

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When will the next presidential debate of 2024 take place and who will moderate it?

By Caitlin Yilek

Updated on: September 3, 2024 / 4:29 PM EDT / CBS News

Before President Biden decided to  drop out of the race  for reelection, he and former President Donald Trump had agreed to one more showdown on the debate stage before the  2024 presidential election . 

After Mr. Biden ended his campaign, it was initially unclear whether a debate between Trump and the new Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, would take place, but ABC News confirmed both campaigns said  they would participate  in the debate, which is scheduled for next week, on Sept. 10, just a few weeks after Harris formally accepted the nomination. It will be the first time she and Trump meet in person.

When is the second presidential debate?

ABC News is hosting the second presidential debate on Tuesday, Sept. 10, at 9 p.m. Eastern Time. It will be the first time Harris and Trump debate each other. 

The debate will be held at the National Constitution Center  in Philadelphia .

The first presidential debate , on June 27, in which Trump faced President Biden in Atlanta, came unusually early  in the election season given that neither candidate had formally received their party's nomination yet. Trump accepted the GOP nomination on July 18 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Harris accepted the Democratic nomination during the party's convention in Chicago on Aug. 22. 

Plans for the ABC debate had been in question after Trump said on Aug. 3 that he was "terminating" it and would do a debate hosted by Fox News on Sept. 4 instead. Harris responded that she would be at the ABC News debate on Sept. 10 and hoped "to see him there." 

Then, at a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate on Thursday, Aug. 8, Trump recommitted to the ABC News debate. 

He also proposed two others, with Fox News on Sept. 4 and NBC News on Sept. 25. Harris has not yet agreed to the two additional debates. A Harris campaign spokesperson said Harris is "open to and eager to discuss more debates, but Trump has to show up to the September 10th debate first." The Harris campaign said it would be willing to debate at an unspecified date in October.

Trump seemed to indicate on Aug. 26 that he would not participate in the ABC debate, saying that his campaign agreed to the same rules regarding microphones in place for the  first presidential debate , including muting the mics. Harris' team confirmed it did not want to mute the mics while the other candidate was talking, saying "our understanding is that Trump's handlers prefer the muted microphone because they don't think their candidate can act presidential for 90 minutes on his own."

But Trump later said "we agreed to the same rules. I don't know, doesn't matter to me." 

Who will moderate the next debate?

"World News Tonight" anchor David Muir and ABC News Live "Prime" anchor Linsey Davis will moderate the debate, ABC News said.

Which candidates qualify for the debate?

The qualifications are similar to the first debate, making it unlikely that any  non-major party candidates will meet the ballot access and polling requirements to earn a spot on stage. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who was running as an independent, suspended his campaign on Aug. 23 and threw his support behind Trump.

Candidates need to earn at least 15% support in four approved national polls and be on the ballot in enough  states to be able to win 270 votes  in the Electoral College — the threshold to win the presidency — in order to qualify.

How many more debates will there be for 2024?

There are no other presidential debates scheduled before the election at this point. The campaigns previously  agreed to only two debates — the one hosted by CNN on June 27 and the other by ABC News on Sept. 10. Trump has proposed two more, but the Harris campaign has not agreed, instead saying it would evaluate a second debate in October after the first meeting.

CBS News has also invited the campaigns to participate in a vice presidential debate on Oct. 1 , and both the Democrat, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and the Republican, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, have accepted.

The candidates have  bypassed the tradition of three debates organized by the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates, which had overseen presidential debates since 1988. The commission's three debates were scheduled to take place in September and October at universities in Texas, Virginia and Utah. Instead, this year's debates were agreed upon without any involvement by the commission.

The commission was met with sharp criticism by both Trump — who has accused the commission of being biased against Republicans — and by close advisers to Mr. Biden, who view commission procedures as outmoded and fussy. The co-chair of the commission, Frank Fahrenkopf, told CBS News' podcast "The Takeout" that top White House communications adviser Anita Dunn "doesn't like us," and he said on a Politico podcast that this was the reason Mr. Biden's team went around the commission to negotiate directly with Trump's campaign.

• Presidential Debate
• Kamala Harris
• Donald Trump
• 2024 Elections

Caitlin Yilek is a politics reporter at CBSNews.com, based in Washington, D.C. She previously worked for the Washington Examiner and The Hill, and was a member of the 2022 Paul Miller Washington Reporting Fellowship with the National Press Foundation.

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Where Kamala Harris Stands on the Issues: Abortion, Immigration and More

She wants to protect the right to abortion nationally. Here’s what else to know about her positions.

• Share full article

By Maggie Astor

• Published July 21, 2024 Updated Aug. 24, 2024

With Vice President Kamala Harris having replaced President Biden on the Democratic ticket, her stances on key issues will be scrutinized by both parties and the nation’s voters.

She has a long record in politics: as district attorney of San Francisco, as attorney general of California, as a senator, as a presidential candidate and as vice president.

Here is an overview of where she stands.

Ms. Harris supports legislation that would protect the right to abortion nationally, as Roe v. Wade did before it was overturned in 2022, in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.

After the Dobbs ruling, she became central to the Biden campaign’s efforts to keep the spotlight on abortion, given that Mr. Biden — with his personal discomfort with abortion and his support for restrictions earlier in his career — was a flawed messenger. In March, she made what was believed to be the first official visit to an abortion clinic by a president or vice president.

She consistently supported abortion rights during her time in the Senate, including cosponsoring legislation that would have banned common state-level restrictions, like requiring doctors to perform specific tests or have hospital admitting privileges in order to provide abortions.

As a presidential candidate in 2019, she argued that states with a history of restricting abortion rights in violation of Roe should be subject to what is known as pre-clearance for new abortion laws — those laws would have to be federally approved before they could take effect. That proposal is not viable now that the Supreme Court has overturned Roe.

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Posted by Richard Willett - Memes and headline comments by David Icke Posted on 3 September 2024

I’ll certainly be watching this interview given that this bloke ahmed wants to dictate what you can see or hear and it’s important to glimpse the personality behind the censor. labour party activist imran ahmed and keir starmer’s chief aid morgan mcsweeney founded the censorious center for countering digital hate (ccdh) which is now a transatlantic operation seeking censorship of free speech in both the uk and america.

“You are being DISRESPECTFUL to the people who receive hate speech.” We invited @CCDHate founder @Imi_Ahmed to discuss free speech and censorship in the social media age. It got heated. Then it got personal. Available on YouTube and X this Wednesday – 7PM UK / 2PM EDT. pic.twitter.com/Kc8d8QU6VL — TRIGGERnometry (@triggerpod) September 2, 2024

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Angela Rayner refuses to rule out scrapping single person council tax discount

The Deputy Prime Minister says Labour has no plans to increase council tax in England but did not make same commitment to lone residents

Angela Rayner has refused to rule out scrapping the single person discount for council tax , a move which would affect thousands of widows.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Communities Secretary said the Government had no plans to increase council tax in England.

She declined to make the same commitment about the single person discount.

At present, people get 25 per cent off their bill if they live alone, to take account of the fact that they benefit from fewer council services than couples or those with families.

Cutting or scrapping this discount would affect many older people just weeks after it was announced most will lose the winter fuel payment of up to £300 a year.

‘Discount is so important’

Speaking in the Commons, Graham Stuart, a Tory former minister, said the discount “is so important to pensioners who are already losing out because of the absence of the winter fuel allowance”.

The allowance is a previously universal payment to pensioners of up to £300, which the Labour Government has announced will be available only to those on pension credit from 2024.

He urged Ms Rayner to “guarantee today, put gladness into all their hearts across the country,” that she would not look at removing the single person discount .

She replied: “I find it astonishing that members opposite, after running down the economy in the way that they have, after the Chancellor had to come to this House to talk about the billions of pounds black hole , that they’re now trying to claim that this Government is about raising taxes.

“This Government is about making sure that working people are better off and we’ll intend to do that.”

Earlier Kemi Badenoch, the shadow communities and local secretary, told MPs: “It’s been reported that the Secretary of State is being lobbied to increase council tax and remove discounts like the single occupant discount.

“Will she take this opportunity to reassure the House that the Government has no plans to increase council tax as they assured us before the election?”

Ms Rayner replied: “Yes.”

Average council tax in England now stands at £2,130 for a Band D home, meaning that a 25 per cent discount is worth more than £500 a year.

For an expensive Band H it would be worth more than £1,000.

Rachel Reeves announced in July that only pensioners receiving certain benefits would be able to receive the winter fuel allowance .

The Chancellor said this was because her officials had discovered a £22 billion black hole in the nation’s finances.

Sir Keir Starmer has warned that October’s budget would be “painful” and that those with the “broadest shoulders” face higher taxes.

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Perspectives

The Power of Nature

While natural systems are under threat like never before, nature is not as fragile as we sometimes think.

August 31, 2020

This article was written by Giulio Boccaletti, former Chief Strategy Officer & Global Ambassador for Water with The Nature Conservancy.

We all have seen them: natural history documentaries that begin with a wonderfully pristine ecosystem, first on stage as a fragile, unstable thing of beauty. Complex habitats and rare animals mesmerize viewers with delicate, spellbinding behavior. Then, the story takes a dark turn as nature collides with the forces of mass production. The global economy, with its ruthless incentive structures and unrelenting search for growth, is the powerful nemesis to the fragile environment in need of a savior. The narrator urges us: Will we be, after all, the heroes of this story? Act, before it is too late.

There is truth to this story. There is no doubt humanity has inflicted untold damage on the world’s ecosystems. Our footprint is everywhere. As modernity chips away at the last great wild places, cutting down forests, polluting rivers, and spreading invasive species, the fossil fuels that power its march burn up the sky, altering the chemistry of the atmosphere, shifting the energy balance of the planet. When atmospheric chemist Paul Crutzen baptized this human era as “the Anthropocene,” he crystallized into geological nomenclature a simple fact: Homo sapiens is the only species in Earth’s long history to have been able to fundamentally alter the geochemical cycles that regulate the planet in a mere few decades.

But who is the real hero of this story, and who is the victim? The narrative of nature’s fragility misses something important. Nature has agency. Nature acts on the planet on a scale that dwarfs most human processes. The Earth’s powerful climate system is a case in point. The impact it has on every person in the world makes clear one basic fact : We are small, we are fragile, we are the ones at risk. One of its principal components, the hydrological cycle of the planet, for example, is a system of extraordinary complexity and power. The energy released over the course of a few days by a single hurricane is equivalent to that used by the entire world economy in a year. And that is a single storm. For all of our ingenuity and power, recent human actions are a perturbation on the vast and complicated machine that is the Earth. A perturbation that has been able to throw this big machine off balance, for sure, but one whose perpetrators are also a primary victim.

The camera needs to turn around. Nature is looking at us. We are the fragile creatures that have chosen to undermine the very foundation that keeps our home from collapsing. We are the unwitting victims of our own success. And, if we are going to survive—and hopefully even thrive—we need to turn to nature for the answers.

That story needs telling, too. The good news is that a growing number of natural history documentaries are catching on to this revelation, capturing the complexities and power of nature, rather than just its frailties. The Age of Nature, a threepart series that I and my Nature Conservancy colleague Stella Cha helped the producer Brian Leith and his team conceive and that will air on PBS this October, explores the true potential of nature in shaping our future. Rather than looking at nature from an exclusively human perspective, the documentary frames people as they are embedded in the ecosystems that sustain them. In this way, we try to understand nature’s agency on us.

One of the most intriguing stories from the series, revealing our utter dependence on the power of nature, is that of the Chagres River, which feeds the Panama Canal. To keep the canal operational requires capturing water from the Chagres in an artificial lake, called Gatun Lake, at the center of the isthmus. A series of three locks on both the Atlantic and Pacific sides of the canal control the flow of that freshwater into the ocean. When a ship enters the locks, it is gradually raised up to the height of the lake, about 85 feet above sea level, and then is lowered back down on the other side.

The canal system—heralded as one of the greatest engineering feats of the 20th century—works well as long as there’s abundant freshwater coming in. But even before the canal opened, farmers were clearing forests in the Chagres watershed, and the river’s flow began to decline. Over time, the operators of the canal realized that there was a tight relationship between the amount of forest in the mountains and the amount of water replenishing the canal. The watershed was a pump maintaining this key economic asset that much of the world’s shipping trade was passing through. Recognizing the value at stake, a plan was devised to set aside the lands surrounding the river as national parks, which have become some of the best-protected and best-studied tropical forests in the world.

People often marvel at the sight of some of our accomplishments: skyscrapers, interstate highways or machines that fly. But these achievements are dwarfed by the awesome power of nature, working sometimes over millions of years, to create some of the most fundamental and sophisticated systems on the planet. Because many of these systems operate in the background, we often see nature as passive. But it is not. Nature shapes our landscapes and maintains crucial processes on which we all depend—from photosynthesis to pollination. The story of the Chagres shows that nature is an active agent, not just a place. It is the protagonist of the heroic journey of this planet. Nature has agency.

Nature acts on the planet on a scale that dwarfs most human processes...We are small, we are fragile, we are the ones at risk.

The agency of nature is not just reflected in its function. It is also expressed by its ability to recover. Another story in the series focuses on Bikini Atoll. Between 1946 and 1958, the United States detonated 23 nuclear bombs on the atoll in the Pacific Ocean as part of a weapons-testing program. The local coral reefs were annihilated and the islands were too contaminated for displaced residents to be resettled. In 2017, when scientists returned to scuba dive at the Bravo Crater— left behind by a 15-megaton hydrogen bomb, the most powerful nuclear weapon ever detonated by the U.S.—they discovered a coral community teeming with marine life. In some places, living coral covered 80 percent of the seafloor and scientists saw branching corals up to 25 feet tall. There were fewer species than there used to be prior to the nuclear tests, but the visit was proof of the resiliency of nature.

And Bikini Atoll is not an isolated case. From the return of wolves to Yellowstone National Park to the recovery of fisheries in the North Atlantic, conservation success stories happen all the time when nature is given the chance.

This ability to recover is a powerful engine we can rely on to restore functions we critically depend on. One great example of this, also featured in the series, is TNC’s work on the water supply in Cape Town, South Africa. In 2018, the city came frighteningly close to running out of water . In the watersheds that provide water to Cape Town, invasive trees, including acacia, pine, and eucalyptus, were sucking up 14 billion gallons of water every year—about two months’ worth of the city’s supply. Working together with local partners, TNC is in the process of pulling out those destructive plants from one particular watershed. The resurgence of dry-adapted native vegetation will help ensure Cape Town has the equivalent of two more months of water a year. Nature, once again, has agency.

Undoubtedly, the most challenging problem humanity faces is climate change. Carbon dioxide concentrations are reaching dangerous levels in the atmosphere. To avert disastrous impacts on the conditions we depend on to inhabit this planet, we have to reduce fossil-fuel emissions. But TNC’s research has shown that reducing emissions alone will not be enough. We also need to take an enormous amount of carbon out of the atmosphere, urgently. The only thing on this planet that can operate on that scale are the ecosystems that TNC is trying to protect.

Our scientists have shown that by restoring our coastal wetlands to their 1990 extent, for example, we could offset the emissions generated by more than 2 billion barrels of oil. And we could achieve those gains while also reducing flood damage to oceanside communities by up to 29%. In Australia’s savanna, we’ve supported traditional fire management practices that will keep up to 13.8 million metric tons of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere over the next 7 to 10 years by curbing out-of-control megafires. Expanding our early-season controlled burning programs to 29 countries in Africa, South America and Oceania could prevent 89.3 million metric tons from being emitted from savanna fires every year. Every day we’re learning more and more about nature’s capacity to heal itself, and our job as conservationists is really to learn to play to its strengths, so that we can all rely on its agency.

The title shot of The Age of Nature captures well the spirit of this story. The scene is that of a city, seen from a distance. In the foreground, dark leafy branches frame the image, suggesting that the city, glimmering in the sun, is seen from a clearing within a thick, dark forest. The camera has truly been turned around. It is not looking at nature. It is nature that is looking at us: people living as part of a fragile, unstable system in need of saving. We need nature to intervene before it is too late. We have entered an era in which the destiny of humanity depends on our ability to call nature to our aid. It is, as the title of the series suggests, The Age of Nature .

Nature-Based Solutions Are Protecting Cape Town’s Water Supply

After five years, the Greater Cape Town Water Fund is returning billions of liters of water to the city and surrounding areas.

Human Nature—Visualized: How do we balance development and conservation on a finite planet?

Balancing the protection of nature with growing human needs will require careful planning—and a more complete understanding of how we are changing the planet.

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Importance of nature

Are you getting enough nature?  

It’s easy to think nature will always be with us. But even in my lifetime, birds like starlings and house sparrows have declined so much they’re now listed as endangered. 

In fact, nature is faring worse in the UK than in most other countries. The 2020 State of Nature report shows that over half our wild species – plants, insects, birds, mammals – are in decline. 

Overlooking the importance of nature, as we go about our busy lives, makes it easier for it to disappear right in front of our eyes.

Are you in nature deficit?  

First, how was your last holiday? Did you spend any time in nature? Shut your eyes and see if you can recall how you feel about the last time you spent time in nature.  

What about your normal busy day away from stunning views, beaches and sunsets? Does your daily routine give you any experiences of nature? 

Perhaps you don't have the time to notice the birds calling, the bees buzzing and to enjoy the colours of the changing seasons in a local park, even in your own street. 

If you’re not getting enough nature you're not alone. 

Dealing with nature deficit 

Seven out of 10 people admit they’re losing touch with nature. And more than a third of parents admit they could not teach their own children about British wildlife. 

Pressures of daily life mean we’re increasingly detached from nature even though nature in many forms is there for us. Yes, like love, nature is all around – and it’s free. 

Even watching wildlife programmes online or on the TV costs — but it’s still no substitute for experiencing nature direct. You don’t have to go on safari, to the Amazon rainforest or to the Grand Canyon for fulfilling experiences of nature.  

Great as those places are, nature is also on our doorstep all year round. Even in winter. Just add your own curiosity, a chunk of attention span and a dollop of patience. 

What do people think about the importance of nature?

Asked to give their favourite views, Britons tend to put natural heritage before buildings and cityscapes. Yes, Brits favour views of Wales’ Gower Peninsula and Northern Ireland’s Mountains of Mourne over sights like Waterloo Bridge, Blackpool Tower and Stonehenge. 

Not even the poet William Wordsworth put people off voting for the “long, stern and desolate" views of Cumbria’s Wastwater and its scree slopes to the Scafell peaks as Britain’s favourite.  

Dramatic landscapes fire our imagination, fill our hearts and put our lives into perspective. But everyday experiences of nature give us a boost too. It’s like having our very own free Natural Health Service. 

Wild child: importance of nature to children 

Children especially have a natural affinity with nature. Evidence is growing of how regular contact with nature boosts new born children’s healthy development, supports their physical and mental health and instils abilities to assess risk as they grow. It even underpins their informal learning and academic achievement. 

For children and adults alike, daily contact with nature is linked to better health, less stress, better mood, reduced obesity – an amazing list of features no other product can ever match.

This affinity tends to get knocked out of them as they grow. They come under pressure to put away childish things in favour of passing exams and getting a "proper job".  

Along with digital distractions and legitimate fears about playing outdoors, the pressures are removing children from nature before our very eyes. Who can blame them for thinking an apple is a gadget first and a fruit second? 

Yet for children and adults alike, daily contact with nature – being in green, open space, near healthy rivers, exploring nature’s colours, sounds, tones and textures — is linked to better health, less stress, better mood, reduced obesity. That’s already an amazing list of features no other product can ever match. 

Nature’s importance to our health 

Nature performs major miracles for us every day – from giving us great views and helping to prevent floods to regulating the weather and keeping us supplied with clean water, fresh air and plentiful food.  

When running the tap or doing the shopping it’s easy to forget that without healthy soils and diverse plant and animal species doing their thing our lives would be tougher and poorer. 

Trees in towns cool us in summer and trap air pollution. Bees pollinate our crops, putting food on our table and in our stomachs. Even much-maligned  wasps have uses such as controlling aphids. 

However smart we’ve become as a species, without diverse nature and a healthy functioning natural environment we’ll be as lost as a tourist without a map app. 

Loss of nature

Beyond our shores, tropical forests regulate global temperatures and support countless wild species — from berries used in medicines to gorillas and other primates a few genes away from ourselves. Yet the forests are being felled for timber, mining and cattle ranching.  

Mangroves help absorb storm surges and shelter small fry from big fish until they’re ready to venture into the open seas. Yet mangroves are being destroyed by coastal development. 

We're removing the vital links in the safety chain of life — pulling away life’s building blocks in a risky global game of Jenga

Healthy seas and oceans regulate the planet’s temperature. But we’re undermining their ability to do this by turning them acidic with our wasteful energy policies and by removing species, as we over-exploit the seas for short-term profit. 

We’re busy taking out sharks, tuna and other top predators from the oceans and leaving squid and jellyfish to take their place in the food chain. This is upsetting millions of years of natural balance in less than a century. 

We're recklessly removing the vital links in the safety chain of life — pulling away life’s building blocks in a risky global game of Jenga. 

The value of nature 

Talking of risk, on one level it's absurd to even try to work out the financial value of nature to us all. How can we ever accurately value bees pollinating apples or healthy soils and forests holding back flood waters? 

The UK’s Office of National Statistics put the financial value of just 3 of the UK’s natural ecosystems (woodlands, farmland and freshwater habitats such as lakes) at £178bn. That’s 9 noughts on the end: 178,000,000,000. 

It’s a mind-bending amount and is similar to the value of exports from the Euro zone (€) to the rest of the world. NHS spending is about £140bn. 

It’s easy to think nature will always be with us. But such wishful thinking depends on whether we let nature go to the wall or act to repair, restore and maintain it.

What about the value of the world’s natural ecosystem services? A first estimate was put at an average $33 trillion annually – that’s 12 noughts or a million million.   

More to the point, this value of nature is nearly twice global GNP of $18 trillion. 

The figures will have changed since these first calculations but it underlines the obvious - that nature is both invaluable and priceless. Put another way, if we’re silly enough to let nature decline can we afford to put it back? Three guesses. 

That matters when one considers another big global study of the state of nature and its value. The UN Millennium Ecosystem Assessment found that approximately two-thirds of the world’s natural ecosystems are degraded or being used in irresponsible, unsustainable ways. “Every year we lose three to five trillion dollars’ worth of natural capital, roughly equivalent to the amount of money we lost in the financial crisis of 2008–2009”, the report said. Every year. 

It’s easy to think nature will always be with us. But it depends on whether we let nature go to the wall or act to repair, restore and maintain it. Right now species are going extinct and the natural systems that support all life on Earth are being eroded faster than ever before. 

Even once common species like bees, hedgehogs, starlings and house sparrows are in trouble – going missing from our streets and neighbourhoods. The bees and birds lose out big time – and so do we. 

Is it beyond the wit of humankind to bring nature back from the brink? It’s in our own interests to do so. That said, we do seem to be the only species on Earth that actively destroys its own home and life-support systems.

“The effect that human beings are having on the natural world is profound. Because we are out of touch with the natural world… most of us don’t see the effects.”  Sir David Attenborough

Yet, with nature doing so much for us day in and year out, the advertising industry should be rushing to promote it… ‘New, improved nature. It will change your life.’ 

Nature in our hands 

Friends of the Earth has a 45-year track record of working with people to protect nature. There are plenty of ways to support our nature work, including signing our petition to double tree cover in the UK, or donating today . Thank you.

This article has been updated. It was originally published  in October 2017.

We all deserve thriving nature, clean air and safe waters.

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Nature Speech | Speech on Nature for Students and Children in English

February 8, 2024 by Prasanna

Nature Speech:  We rely on our environmental factors for our everyday exercises. Each living and non-living thing around us has a few advantages for everybody and fill for some particular needs. Every one of these things together makes ‘Nature.’ The physical and mundane world around us that isn’t made by a human is Nature. Nature incorporates woods, slope, waterways, seas, deserts, climate, and so forth. Nature is past humans existing much before the presence of a human. Nature gives us assets like water, air, food to satisfy our requirements and wants.

Students can also find more  English Speech Writing  about Welcome Speeches, Farewell Speeches, etc.

Long and Short Speeches on Nature for Students and Kids in English

We are providing a long Nature Speech having 500 words and a short Nature speech of 150 words along with ten lines about the same topic to help readers.

These speeches will prove to be useful for school going students as well as college students. They can refer to this anytime to boost their marks.

Long Speech on Nature 500 Words in English

Long Speech on Nature is usually given to classes 7, 8, 9, and 10.

Good morning everyone, I thank the crowd for giving me the chance to introduce a short discourse on Nature.

Nature alludes to the natural world. The whole earth comprising of water assets, soils, air, mountains, creatures, plants, and people, establishes Nature. Earth is the main known planet that bolsters life and has Nature for effective endurance. Environment, atmosphere, and climate go under Nature and are basic for us. Nature has an environment comprising of biotic and abiotic segments. All the biotic and abiotic segments are integral and a piece of Nature. Indeed, even all the organisms and creepy crawlies are a significant piece of Nature. Life on the earth is conceivable simply because of the presence of Nature here.

Nature additionally alludes to the wonders that aren’t changed by human exercises or those that exist even with human intercession. Common Ecosystem comprises of living and non-living characteristic components of the earth that is mutually dependent on one another. Air is the layer of gases that encompasses the earth. The gases that structure the air incorporates nitrogen, oxygen, water fume, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and different gases. The ozone layer secures the common habitat by draining the bright (UV) beams that arrive at the earth. Seas are made of saltwater. They spread almost 71 percent of the natural earth’s surface. An enormous number of marine exist together inside the sea biological system.

Regular new water assets incorporate streams, lakes, and lakes. Lakes are bigger than lakes and are, for the most part, taken care of with waterways. Streams are characteristic wellsprings of freshwater. The greater part of the waterways begin from mountains and stream towards the sea. As per the regular climatic changes, the climate fluctuation is caused because the world’s hub is inclined. These changes are called seasons. The climate is cold throughout the winter season, and it is blistering throughout the late spring.

Individuals are a little piece of the natural world. People have been utilizing advances to make their life simpler. They misuse natural assets and cause deforestation, contamination, an unnatural weather change, environmental change, oil slicks, and ozone layer exhaustion. The unique marine biological system is under danger because of oil slicks and contamination. Ozone layer exhaustion is presenting the earth to the risky bright beams. The world’s normal temperature is ceaselessly rising, and the atmosphere isn’t following the regular examples. A large segment of woodlands has been cleared for making the space for horticulture. Each compound of Nature assumes a major job in a human’s presence. Be that as it may, as improvement is occurring, we are hurting our natural resources. For little benefit, we are surrendering a major piece of Nature.

In this way, I might want to wind up my speech with a solicitation that we should think about our condition. We should make an effort not to destroy it by decreasing the utilization of plastic, planting more trees, not squandering papers, supportable turn of events, and so forth.

Thank you for giving your valuable time.

Short Speech on Nature 150 Words in English

Short Speech on Nature 150 Words is usually given to classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

Good morning everyone.

I am standing before you to talk about my topic, Nature. We human beings depend on Nature every time for everything like natural resources. Many people admire the beauty of Nature. Even they write many novels and poems on it because the beauty of Nature cannot be expressed in one single thought or saying. Nature provides the humans, animals, and all the living beings on the earth a place to live. Nature is the world around, as I said before, only, but human beings are destroying it by using its resources in the wrong way and exploiting it. Nature is now totally getting destroyed because of pollution and global warming.

Nature is a good place to be peacefully, but we humans destroy it for our livelihood for our living place and food and needs. Nature would be good only when human beings don’t destroy it and take care of it very well.

Thanks for giving me your time.

10 Lines on Nature Speech in English

• The environmental factors we live in, the common assets or food we expend all, are portions of Nature.
• Nature gives a practical situation and important assets for endurance like air, water, soil, and so on.
• Nature assists with thriving the biological system and biodiversity of our planet by giving all the essential assets.
• Trees, plants, and backwoods are the essential pieces of Nature that give oxygen.
• The trilling of flying creatures, the humming of bugs, and stirring of leaves are the hints of Nature that loosen up our brain and quiet our spirit.
• Nature is the principle wellspring of food, be it dairy, grains, organic products, or nuts, all originate from Mother Nature.
• The garments we wear to cover our body and get spared from extreme climate conditions additionally originate from Nature.
• Water is one of the necessities for all the known types of life, and Nature has given it in a colossal add up to us.
• The childishness and covetousness of man have made Nature helpless against the expanding contamination.
• The furious reaction of Nature in the previous hardly any years has caused us to understand that if we don’t stop the decimation of Nature, it will bring up human endurance.

FAQ’s on Nature Speech

Question 1. What is Nature in straightforward words?

Answer: The words Nature and characteristic are utilized for all the things that are ordinarily not made by people. Things like climate, life forms, landforms, heavenly bodies, and considerably more are parts of Nature. Researchers study how the pieces of nature work. People frequently observe Nature as natural assets.

Question 2. What is nature lover called?

Answer: A single word for “nature lover” is “Thoreauvian,” gotten from American savant and naturalist Henry David Thoreau.

Question 3. How might you depict Nature in photography?

Answer: Nature photography is a wide scope of photography taken outside and gave to showing common components, for example, scenes, untamed life, plants, and close-ups of characteristic scenes and surfaces.

Question 4. What are the benefits of Nature?

Answer: Stress decrease is one of the most notable advantages of being in Nature. Getting outside, or in any event, seeing scenes of Nature lessens outrage, dread, and stress and increments lovely sentiments. Subsequently, it might likewise help diminish circulatory strain, pulse, muscle pressure, and the creation of stress hormones.

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Speech about Nature [Short & Long]

• 1 1st Speech about Nature (20 min Speech)
• 2 2nd Speech about Nature (20 min Speech)
• 3 3rd Speech about Nature (15 min Speech)
• 4 4th Speech about Nature (10 min Speech)
• 5 5th Speech about Nature (5 min Speech)
• 6.1 What is a speech about nature?
• 6.2 What are some topics that can be covered in a speech about nature?
• 6.3 What is the purpose of a speech about nature?
• 6.4 What are some tips for delivering an effective speech about nature?
• 6.5 How can I prepare for a speech about nature?

Looking for a powerful speech about nature that inspires and educates? Edukar has a collect of 5 Best speeches about nature that describes the importance of preserving our environment, highlighting the beauty and majesty of the natural world. Whether you’re an environmental activist, teacher, or simply a nature enthusiast, our speech is the perfect resource to help you articulate your message and make a positive impact on the world.

Nature is a vast and beautiful creation of God that has been a source of inspiration for countless generations. It is the foundation of life on Earth, and its bounties provide sustenance and shelter for all living beings. A speech about nature is an opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of preserving our natural world and to celebrate its wonders.

In this blog, we have provided 5 speech about nature that cover various various topics and ideas, including the benefits of conservation, the beauty and diversity of wildlife, the impact of human activities on the environment, and the need for sustainable development.

1st Speech about Nature (20 min Speech)

Ladies and gentlemen,

Today, I would like to talk about something that is very close to our hearts – nature. Nature is all around us, from the trees and the birds to the oceans and the mountains. It is the source of life and beauty, and it is something that we should cherish and protect.

Unfortunately, in today’s world, we often take nature for granted. We destroy forests to make way for housing and agriculture, we pollute the air and water with our factories and cars, and we contribute to climate change with our consumption habits. We are slowly but surely destroying the very thing that sustains us.

So what can we do to protect nature? The first step is to recognize its value. Nature provides us with clean air to breathe, clean water to drink, and food to eat. It also provides us with a sense of peace and tranquility that we cannot find anywhere else. By recognizing its value, we can begin to appreciate it and take steps to protect it.

The second step is to educate ourselves and others about the importance of nature. We need to understand how our actions affect the environment and what we can do to minimize our impact. We can learn about conservation efforts and support organizations that work to protect endangered species and ecosystems.

The third step is to take action. We can make small changes in our daily lives that can have a big impact. We can reduce our energy consumption by turning off lights and unplugging electronics when they are not in use. We can use public transportation or carpool instead of driving alone. We can recycle and compost our waste. We can also support companies that have environmentally-friendly practices.

The fourth step is to advocate for change. We can write to our elected officials and encourage them to pass laws that protect the environment. We can also vote with our wallets by supporting companies that have sustainable practices and avoiding those that do not.

Finally, we can appreciate nature. We can spend time outdoors, whether it is hiking in the mountains, swimming in the ocean, or simply sitting in a park. We can take in the beauty of the natural world and feel grateful for all that it provides.

In the end, nature is a precious gift that we must protect. By recognizing its value, educating ourselves and others, taking action, advocating for change, and appreciating its beauty, we can ensure that it will continue to sustain us for generations to come. Let us all do our part to protect and preserve nature. Thank you.

2nd Speech about Nature (20 min Speech)

Dear friends,

It is a great pleasure for me to talk about nature, one of the most beautiful creations of our universe. Nature is an intricate and complex web of life that includes all living beings and their environment. From the tiniest insect to the tallest tree, every aspect of nature is worth marveling at.

Nature is essential for the survival of all living beings on this planet. It provides us with the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the water we drink. It is the foundation of our existence and a source of inspiration for our creativity and imagination.

Nature has always been an integral part of human history, culture, and traditions. It has been a source of awe, wonder, and reverence for all civilizations. From ancient cultures that worshipped the sun and the moon to modern-day environmentalists who work tirelessly to protect our planet, nature has always played a vital role in shaping our lives.

The beauty of nature is unimaginable. It can be seen in the majestic mountains that rise high into the sky, the roaring oceans that stretch out endlessly, and the lush green forests that teem with life. Each season brings with it a unique and breathtaking landscape that is a testament to the natural beauty of our planet.

But nature is not just about its aesthetics. It is also about the intricate balance of life that exists within it. Each living being plays a crucial role in maintaining this balance. From the smallest microorganisms to the largest mammals, every living being has a purpose and a function that contributes to the ecosystem.

However, despite its immense importance, nature is under threat. Climate change, deforestation, pollution, and other human activities are putting immense pressure on our planet. We are witnessing the extinction of countless species, the destruction of entire ecosystems, and the degradation of our environment.

But it is not too late to act. We can all make a difference in protecting and preserving nature. We can reduce our carbon footprint, plant trees, reduce waste, and recycle. We can support conservation efforts, engage in sustainable practices, and advocate for policies that protect our planet.

In conclusion, nature is a gift that we must cherish and protect. It is the foundation of our existence, a source of inspiration, and a testament to the beauty and wonder of our universe. Let us all work together to preserve and protect it for generations to come.

3rd Speech about Nature (15 min Speech)

It is an honor to stand before you today and speak about one of the most beautiful things that exist in our world – nature.

Nature is a powerful force that has the ability to amaze, inspire and heal us. It is the air we breathe, the water we drink and the ground we walk on. It is the plants, animals and insects that inhabit our planet. It is the mountains, the oceans and the vast blue skies that surround us. It is a reminder that there is something greater than ourselves.

We are all connected to nature, whether we realize it or not. Every time we step outside, we are greeted by a world full of wonder and beauty. We see the colors of the flowers and the leaves, hear the birds singing and feel the sun on our skin. We are reminded of the beauty that exists in our world, and we feel a sense of peace and calm.

But nature is more than just a pretty sight. It has the power to heal us in ways that medicine cannot. Research has shown that spending time in nature can reduce stress and anxiety, improve our mood and even boost our immune system. In fact, nature is so important for our well-being that some doctors are now prescribing time in nature as a treatment for a variety of health problems.

Unfortunately, in today’s world, we have become disconnected from nature. We spend most of our time indoors, staring at screens, and we have forgotten how to appreciate the beauty that surrounds us. We have become so focused on progress and development that we have neglected the very thing that sustains us – our planet.

We have polluted our air and water, destroyed our forests and oceans, and caused irreparable damage to our planet. We have forgotten that we are just one small part of a much larger ecosystem, and that our actions have a profound impact on the world around us.

But it’s not too late to change. We can all make a difference by taking small steps to protect our planet. We can reduce our carbon footprint by using public transport, walking or cycling instead of driving. We can reduce waste by recycling and reusing. We can support local farmers and businesses that use sustainable practices. We can even plant trees and flowers in our own gardens.

And we can also take the time to appreciate the beauty of nature. We can take a walk in the park, go on a hike or a camping trip. We can watch the sunrise or the sunset, listen to the birds and the sound of the wind. We can sit by a lake or a river and simply enjoy the peacefulness of our surroundings.

In doing so, we will not only benefit ourselves, but also the world around us. We will be reminded of the beauty and wonder of our planet, and we will be motivated to protect it.

So let us all take a moment to appreciate the beauty of nature. Let us be grateful for the air we breathe, the water we drink and the ground we walk on. Let us remember that we are all connected to this planet, and that our actions have a profound impact on the world around us.

And let us all do our part to protect nature, so that future generations can enjoy its beauty and wonder as well.

4th Speech about Nature (10 min Speech)

It is a great pleasure to stand before you today and speak about one of the most awe-inspiring topics that we as human beings can contemplate – nature.

Nature is a term that encompasses all living and non-living things that exist on our planet. It is the air we breathe, the water we drink, the soil we cultivate, the forests we walk through, the mountains we climb, and the oceans we explore. It is everything that surrounds us, sustains us, and gives us life.

For centuries, nature has been a source of inspiration for poets, artists, and philosophers. Its beauty and majesty have moved countless individuals to tears, and its power and resilience have amazed and humbled us. But nature is more than just a source of inspiration. It is a complex and delicate system of interconnected parts that work together to maintain balance and harmony.

Unfortunately, in recent times, we have seen the devastating impact that human activities can have on nature. We have polluted the air, contaminated the water, destroyed forests, and caused the extinction of countless species. We have acted as though nature was ours to use and abuse, forgetting that we are only a small part of the greater whole.

But it is not too late to change. We can still work to protect and preserve the natural world, and in doing so, protect ourselves and future generations. We can plant trees, reduce our carbon footprint, use renewable energy sources, and protect wildlife habitats.

When we protect nature, we also protect ourselves. We are part of a larger ecosystem, and our health and wellbeing are intimately connected to the health and wellbeing of the planet. Clean air and water, healthy soil, and thriving ecosystems are essential for our survival and prosperity.

Nature also has the power to heal and rejuvenate us. Studies have shown that spending time in nature can reduce stress, improve mood, and increase physical health. Whether we are hiking in the mountains, swimming in the ocean, or simply sitting in a park, being in nature has a powerful effect on our minds and bodies.

So, at the end of this speec. I would like to say that nature is a precious and invaluable gift that we have been given. It sustains us, inspires us, and heals us. It is our responsibility to protect and preserve it, not just for ourselves, but for all the living beings that call our planet home. Let us work together to ensure that future generations can experience the same wonder and awe that we feel when we contemplate the beauty and majesty of nature.

5th Speech about Nature (5 min Speech)

Dear Friends,

Today, I would like to talk about something that is close to our hearts, yet often neglected in our daily lives – nature.

Nature is all around us, from the towering trees to the smallest blade of grass, from the gentle breeze to the raging storm. It is a source of inspiration and wonder, a reminder of the beauty and diversity of life.

But nature is not just something we look at from a distance. It is something we are a part of, something that sustains us and gives us life. We breathe in the oxygen produced by plants, drink the water that flows from rivers and lakes, and rely on the sun’s energy to grow our food.

Unfortunately, we often take nature for granted and fail to appreciate its importance. We pollute our air, water, and land, destroy habitats and species, and contribute to climate change. As a result, we are putting our own survival and that of countless other species at risk.

But it is not too late to make a change. We can start by reconnecting with nature and learning to appreciate its beauty and value. We can reduce our environmental footprint by using resources responsibly, recycling, and reducing waste. We can support conservation efforts and advocate for policies that protect nature and promote sustainability.

Nature is not just a luxury, but a necessity. It is not just something we enjoy, but something we depend on. So let us cherish and protect it, for the sake of ourselves and future generations.

In the words of the poet William Wordsworth, “Nature never did betray the heart that loved her.” Let us love nature, and in doing so, find renewed joy and meaning in our lives. Thank you.

What is a speech about nature?

A speech about nature is a presentation given to an audience on topics related to the environment, ecology, conservation, and the natural world.

What are some topics that can be covered in a speech about nature?

There are many topics that can be covered in a speech about nature, including the impact of climate change, the importance of biodiversity, the benefits of green living, the significance of national parks, and the role of individuals in protecting the environment.

What is the purpose of a speech about nature?

The purpose of a speech about nature is to inform, educate, and inspire people to take action to protect the environment. It aims to raise awareness of environmental issues and encourage people to make positive changes in their lives to reduce their impact on the planet.

What are some tips for delivering an effective speech about nature?

Some tips for delivering an effective speech about nature include choosing a topic that you are passionate about, using clear and concise language, including relevant statistics and facts, using visuals to illustrate your points, and engaging the audience through questions and interactive activities.

How can I prepare for a speech about nature?

To prepare for a speech about nature, you should research your topic thoroughly, gather relevant data and statistics, organize your ideas into a clear outline, practice your delivery, and seek feedback from others to improve your presentation.

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It is the time for nature: World Environment Day 2020

Prepared for delivery

Inger Andersen, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme  

World Environment Day is a day of celebration. It is a day upon which, for over forty years, people the world over have advocated and acted for a healthy environment. From beach clean-ups to mass tree-planting to marches, individuals, communities and governments have come out to stand shoulder-to-shoulder for our planet.

This year, we cannot take to the beaches, forests and streets. We must stay at home, keep our distance and mark World Environment Day virtually. This is because we all stand in solidarity with those suffering from the global pandemic. We need to protect the sick, the poor and the vulnerable from the worst ravages of this disease. In particular, our thoughts are with the Americas, where the pandemic is now hitting hard.

I pay tribute to Colombia, this year’s World Environment Day host nation, for making this event happen, and to the many thousands of advocates honouring this day with their own virtual events during these difficult times.

While these online celebrations are a tribute to human commitment and ingenuity, the fact that we have to do it this way means something is terribly wrong with human stewardship of the Earth. This virus is not bad luck, or a one-off event that nobody could see coming. It is an entirely predictable result of humanity’s destruction of nature – which will cause far greater suffering if left unchecked.

Humanity’s unhealthy relationship with nature

The science does not lie. We can tell much of the story of the damage our species has wrought with a few facts.

• Humanity has altered 75 per cent of the Earth’s ice-free surface.  
• Since 1990, 420 million hectares of forest, equal to three times the size of South Africa, have been lost.
• Nearly one million species face extinction, while the illegal wildlife trade is the fourth largest illegal trade crime in the world.

COVID-19, which was transmitted from animals to humans, is a direct warning that nature can take no more. COVID-19 is zoonotic, a type of disease that transmits between animals and humans. We are facing it in large part because humanity’s expansion into wild spaces and exploitation of species brings people into closer contact with wildlife. COVID-19 may be one of the worst, but it is not the first. 75 per cent of all emerging infectious diseases are of zoonotic. origins. Ebola, SARS, the Zika virus and bird flu all spread from animals to people, often due to human encroachment on nature.

But zoonotic illnesses are not the only warning sign that the degradation of nature is threatening health, peace and prosperity.

As ecosystems and biodiversity fall to cities, agriculture, infrastructure, climate change and pollution, nature’s ability to provide food, oxygen, clean water and climate regulation plummets. This directly impacts human health and wealth.

Meanwhile, the climate emergency has not gone away. CO 2 levels in the atmosphere hit an all-time high in early May. In April, the World Meteorological Organization said temperatures have increased 1.1 degrees centigrade above pre-industrial levels. We are seeing the consequences in bushfires, acidifying oceans and locust invasions – which could push millions of people in East Africa into hunger.

And while greenhouse gas emissions may dip this year because of lockdowns, we should not celebrate. Think of the atmosphere as a bathtub, and emissions as the water that flows from the tap. We have only turned down the tap slightly. The tub is still filling. This means, as Joseph Stiglitz and other luminaries recently said, we face going out of the COVID frying pan into the climate fire.

COVID-19 recovery packages can spark change

So, lockdowns are not a silver lining for the environment. They have, however, shown that nature can still flourish, if we give it the chance. During the lockdowns, we saw air pollution clear and nature coming out of hiding – from penguins wandering the streets of Cape Town to kangaroos bouncing through Adelaide. This gives us a glimpse into how much better our lives could be if we lived in harmony with nature. But we need to make this happen in a way that lasts.

Now is not the time to set aside environmental laws and norms in the name of recovery, as we have seen done in some places. We need to strengthen environmental protection to build back better. We have the opportunity to do just that.

Governments have already invested trillions of dollars to stabilize our economies and protect the most vulnerable. They will invest trillions more to restart our economies. These funds should be aligned with pro-nature growth in line with the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement and the upcoming global framework on biodiversity. These agreements form the only viable global roadmap to protecting the natural world that sustains us and lifting billions of people out of poverty.

But what does this actually mean?

• It means investments and policies that focus on investments in “nature’s infrastructure” for climate regulation: our wetlands, forests, mangroves and more besides.
• Keeping wild spaces wild, stopping deforestation and restoring degraded land to protect biodiversity, boost food production and store carbon.
• Making agriculture biodiversity positive.
• Integrating natural infrastructure with built infrastructure to reduce climate impacts and bring biodiversity back.
• Backing sustainable production and consumption to conserve the planet’s resources.
• Ending fossil fuel subsidies and making renewable energy the future.
• Retrofitting our built infrastructure to be more energy efficient.
• Investing in public transport expansion and bicycle paths.

These are all smart investments. COVID-19 has killed hundreds of thousands of people and shrunk the global economy by trillions of dollars. Climate change, pollution and biodiversity carry price tags that are heftier and longer lasting. But if we make the right investments, we don’t just avoid future damage. We make everyone’s lives better.

COVID-19 has hammered home that addressing inequality is one of humanity’s biggest pieces of unfinished business. The World Bank estimates that COVID-19 is likely to cause the first increase in global poverty since 1998. We cannot afford to delay environmental action, as it is the poorest and most vulnerable that will suffer the most.  

Time for nature

This is why we say it’s time for nature. If anyone needs further convincing, perhaps it is useful to highlight some numbers that show what nature already gives us, and how much more it could give if we treat it with the respect it deserves.

• Around half of global GDP depends on nature.
• Our oceans and forests sustain billions of people and provide green jobs – 86 million green jobs from forests alone.
• Four billion people rely primarily on natural medicines.
• Natural climate solutions – such as afforestation and using greenery to cool our cities and buildings – can provide around one-third of the emissions reductions needed to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.

Nature is of even greater significance in Colombia and the wider Latin American region, home to the Amazon and so much more.

• 6 countries in the region are considered megadiverse: Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela.
• The economic value of terrestrial nature’s contributions to people in the Americas is estimated at USD 24.3 trillion per year.
• The world’s top biodiversity body, IPBES, estimates that restoring degraded lands in Latin American and the Caribbean could bring USD 23 billion in economic benefits in the next 50 years.

These benefits are in clear and present danger. But Colombia and other nations are aware of this. They are acting.

• Colombia adopted national strategies on the circular economy, electric mobility and low-carbon development.
• The National Council to Combat Deforestation and other Environmental Crimes, established in 2019, reported a reduction of about 50 per cent in some of the deforestation hotspots during the last quarter of 2019.
• At the World Economic Forum in January, President Duque announced Colombia’s target to plant 180 million trees by August 2022.
• In Latin America and the Caribbean, 24 per cent of land is designated as protected, as opposed to the global average of 15.2 per cent.

But we all have to do a lot more, including my organization.

Working in partnership: the role of UNEP

Everything UNEP does is geared towards creating a healthy natural world that will support human health, peace and prosperity for generations to come.

• When UNEP publishes science to help governments design and implement the right policies, it is for nature.
• When UNEP provides technical advice on issues as diverse as ecosystem fragmentation, circularity, and food waste, it is for nature.
• When UNEP works through its network of global multilateral agreements – the glue that binds the international community together on environmental action – it is for nature.
• When UNEP collaborates with the private sector to encourage banks, businesses and investors to shift their investments towards sustainability, it is for nature.
• When UNEP creates partnerships and coalitions across the UN system, governments, the private sector and civil society to accelerate action on climate change, sustainable consumption and production, biodiversity loss and pollution, it is for nature.

Everything UNEP does is in partnership. This is because the world is too big and interconnected for anybody to go it alone in the face of the environmental problems challenging our species. Isolationism and short-termism will help no one in the long run. Countries cannot close their borders to climate change or biodiversity loss.

Today, on World Environment Day, I call on all everyone to work together to protect the nature that supports us all. The stronger our planet’s life support systems are, the better human health and wealth will be.

It is, without a doubt, time for nature.

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2 Minute Speech On The Importance Of Nature In English

Good morning everyone present here, today I am going to give a speech on the importance of nature. We wouldn’t be living if it weren’t for nature. Humans can gain much from nature in terms of their health. The most crucial element provided by nature for living is oxygen. Nature controls the entire respiration cycle.

The non-material, regulating, and temporary services that nature offers us are available constantly. Benefits derived from nature, such as food, water, natural fuels and fibers, and medicinal plants, are examples of provisional services. Decomposition, water filtration, pollution, erosion control, flood management, and climate regulation are all examples of natural processes that can be regulated.

Animals that are a part of nature and interact with people help to relieve tension, discomfort, and anxiety. People find companionship and a sense of purpose in nature. Thank you.

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• Speech About Nature

What is Nature?

Nature includes our natural surroundings including both the biotic and abiotic components. It is essential for our survival and provides us with air, water, and trees. It plays an important role in maintaining the ecological balance of Earth. Here we have provided three dedication speech examples about nature. There is a Long speech about nature and a short 1 minute speech about nature for students and we have also provided 10 lines on Nature Topics for Speech for kids. Students can refer to them to get some idea on the topic.

Long and Short Dedication Speech Example about Nature

Long speech about nature.

Good afternoon all! Today, I am here to deliver a Speech About Nature. For all our needs, such as food, oxygen, air, natural resources, we are all dependent on nature and, most importantly, it gives us a place where we live. Our human life started on this planet, and our "Mother Earth" has faced the dangers of devastation and abuse ever since. Beautiful forests have been ruined because of the innate selfish nature of humans, rivers have been polluted and wide-open areas have been used for factories or other architectural growth.

We don't know that we are invoking Mother Earth's wrath, which can pose a serious threat to our lives. Our land is currently facing the results of all the harmful practices, caused by the drying up of the river, the dying of plants, and the disappearance of mammal species. Another serious issue which we are dealing with is 'global warming', which has a tremendous effect on our atmospheres, such as thawing glaciers, rising sea level and rapidly evolving climate change. This is why we should all track our operations and assist in controlling such circumstances.

The question now arises: how do we control our activities?  Water is an essential natural resource. Therefore, if not in use, we can save every drop of water, by fixing any leakage in taps and closing them properly when not in use. We can practise rainwater harvesting as there is unnecessary water pollution and it is a good means to make use of rainwater. Additionally, wet or dry waste should not be thrown into the drainage pipes as they ultimately harm our water bodies. 

As for the protection of our plants, toxic pesticides shouldn’t be used and the use of home remedies or other environmentally friendly tools should be encouraged. Also, people can avoid throwing rotting fruits, vegetables, leftover food, and eggshells in the waste bin and instead use those to make organic manure for their home garden. Different activities, such as helping to generate fertilizer, aid a ton in recycling waste products from useful items.

Similarly, we should start conserving the electricity used by us. We must switch the power button off before leaving our room/house. When public transport can be used, we shouldn’t use private cars. In reality, we can also use bicycles for a short distance, and protect our environment from the unnecessary release of harmful gasses from our vehicles. In this way, we can make our precious contribution to protecting Mother Earth from permanent/irreversible damage. 

I would like to conclude this speech by requesting each of you to spread awareness regarding our environment and the practices which we can follow to save it.

Short 1 Minute Speech on Nature

Today, I am here to deliver a 1 minute speech on nature. One of the amazing gifts with which the planet earth is endowed is nature. It's the incomparable beauty of planet earth. Nature comprises the sweet birds singing, the change of season, the blessed morning and evening, the light of the rivers, the thunderstorms, the floods, the glaciers, the mountains, etc. In reality, the variety and blessing of nature can never be counted by humanity. Nature, in human life, has tremendous meaning and significance. To protect our lives, we need water, fresh air, and the earth. Mankind's survival is entirely dependent on nature.

Sadly, at the hands of humans, nature has suffered a great deal. Humanity has damaged and ruined nature in different ways over a hundred years or more. Mankind's industrial and technological advancement has hit the flow and rhythm of nature badly. Without understanding the fact that its destruction would end human existence, we have been unnecessarily misusing nature and its wealth for our material benefit. 

The ecology of our lives has been seriously disrupted by the cutting of trees, burning of fossil fuels, pollution of soil, water and climate, etc. Nature is at immense risk. The atmosphere is contaminated by the introduction of dangerous and contaminating elements into it. We are experiencing shifts in the patterns of the atmosphere. The living testimony to this reality is the torrential rains, floods, droughts, earthquakes, landslides and glacier loss, etc.

It is time for us to understand the significance and value of our mother nature. We need to prepare and behave accordingly to tackle it effectively. To rescue our future generations, we need to save nature.

10 Lines on Nature Topics for Speech

Here we have provided pointers which will help you in writing a 1 minute Speech about Nature.

The surroundings where we live, the natural resources or food we consume are parts of nature.

Forests, hills, rivers, seas, deserts, weather etc. are part of nature.

Nature provides us with opportunities to satisfy our needs and wants, such as water, air, and food.

Earth is the only known world that supports life for good and has biodiversity survival. 

The environment, the climate and the weather are part of nature and are important to us.

Nature is also a major source of Ayurvedic medicines that have been used in the treatment of different common and fatal diseases for thousands of years.

Nature has an ecosystem consisting of biotic and abiotic components which are complementary and a part of nature.

As for the protection of our plants, toxic pesticides shouldn't be used and the use of home remedies or other environmentally friendly tools should be encouraged.

Human wellbeing is entirely connected to the health of the surrounding community. Nature is full of different resources responsible for our lives that are renewable and non-renewable.

In reality, we can also use bicycles for a short distance, and protect our environment from the unnecessary release of harmful gasses from our vehicles.

FAQs on Speech About Nature

1. Does Vedantu provide any article on the topic of "Nature" in English?

There is a speech on the topic of "Nature" in English available on the official website of Vedantu. In this article, a long speech, short speech and 10 lines of speech on the given topic are provided to the student. Through this content, students will get to know about the meaning of nature, the factors that are affecting nature and the conservative measures to prevent nature. The whole content is prepared by Vedantu experts in an easy to comprehend language. The students can download this speech in PDF format.  

2. Which factors are affecting the growth of plants in nature?

Ecological factors affect the growth of plants in nature. There are three types of ecological factors. These are mentioned below:

Climatic Factors - This type consists of factors like light, wind, temperature, atmospheric humidity, atmospheric gases and rainfall. 

Physiographic Factors - The factors included in this type are the direction of slopes, sunlight on vegetation, altitude and effect of steepness.

Biotic Factors - The biotic factors affecting the plants' growth are interrelationships between various plants of a particular region, the interrelationship between plants and animals living in the same area and interrelationship between plants and soil microorganisms. 

  3. In what ways can pollution be controlled to protect nature?

The following steps can prove to be helpful in controlling the pollution to protect nature:

To reduce air pollution, one should reduce the use of vehicles for short distances. Instead of vehicles, people can use bicycles. 

Turn off the fans and lights when not in use. By doing this, we can save electricity.

Plastic is very harmful to nature. One should not use and burn plastic bags and other plastic products. 

Plant more and more trees to increase the amount of oxygen in nature.

  4. What are the prime components of nature?

There are two prime components of nature. These are as follows:

Biological Components - Biological components which are also known as biotic components comprises all living things. Various ecosystems are formed due to the interaction between the animals, microorganisms and plants with the abiotic components. In these ecosystems, organisms are classified as decomposers, producers and consumers.

Physical Components - These components are also known as abiotic components which comprise all non-living things. These components are classified as lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere. 

5. What is the role of decomposers in nature?

Decomposers are the organisms that decompose the dead decaying organic matter in the environment. The decomposers consist of saprophytes like bacteria and fungi. The role of these decomposers are discussed below:

They recycle all the nutrients that are used by the plants.

Decomposers are regarded as cleansing agents as they decompose the dead and decaying animals and plants.

As they decompose the dead organic matter, a new place is created for other organisms in the biosphere. 

Decomposers help in putting different elements back in air, water and soil so that producers can use them. 

Speech on Nature Is The Best Teacher

Nature is all around you, teaching valuable lessons every day. It’s a silent mentor, guiding you with its endless wisdom and patience.

Pay attention to the trees, the flowers, the birds, and the seasons. They each tell a story, offering insights on life and growth.

1-minute Speech on Nature Is The Best Teacher

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Let’s talk about nature, our greatest teacher. Look around you. Trees, flowers, birds, rivers, mountains, and even the stars above. They all have lessons to teach us.

Trees can’t run away when it’s too hot or too cold, can they? They stand tall, brave every storm and blossom when spring arrives. They teach us to be strong and resilient.

Have you ever seen a river that stops flowing because it comes across a mountain? No, right? It finds a new route, goes around it, or sometimes even through it. The river tells us to keep moving. No matter what problems we face, we must find a way and carry on.

Birds fly, not caring for borders or walls. They remind us that freedom is our birthright. They inspire us to rise above our problems and strive towards our dreams.

Ever seen a flower refuse to bloom because it’s not as big or colorful as the one next to it? Of course not. Each flower blooms in its own time, adding beauty to the world in its unique way. This teaches us to be ourselves, not to fear being different, but to embrace it.

Finally, the stars. No matter how dark the night, stars shine. They encourage us to be a light in the darkness, to be a source of hope and joy.

Ladies and Gentlemen, nature is the best teacher because it teaches us lessons of strength, persistence, freedom, individuality, and hope. Next time you step outside, take a moment to listen. You’ll be amazed at what you can learn.

Also check:

2-minute Speech on Nature Is The Best Teacher

Today, I stand before you to talk about a wonderful friend, a silent guide, and a wise teacher – Nature. Just like a tree with deep roots, nature stands strong and teaches us many valuable lessons. Let’s look at some of these lessons.

Firstly, nature teaches us about patience. Have you ever planted a seed and watched it grow? It does not become a tree overnight. It takes time. Days, weeks, months, and sometimes even years. This is nature’s way of telling us that everything has its own pace. You cannot rush things. You need to wait, to have patience.

Thirdly, nature instills in us the value of harmony. Look at a forest. Different types of plants, animals, and birds live there. They all live together, in harmony. They respect each other’s space and live in balance. This teaches us that we should also live in harmony with others. Respecting each other’s differences and living peacefully together is the key to a happy life.

In conclusion, nature is indeed the best teacher. It does not use words, but it teaches us many important lessons. It teaches us to be patient, to embrace change, to live in harmony, to be resilient, and to value silence. So, let’s open our hearts and minds to this wonderful teacher. Let’s learn from nature and apply these lessons in our lives. It’s time to step outside and let nature be our guide. Thank you.

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