Earth's intact forests shrank by an area larger than Austria every year from 2014 to 2016 at a 20 percent faster rate than during the previous decade, scientists have said as the U.N. unveiled an initiative to harness the "untapped potential" of the land sector to fight climate change.

German carmaker Audi said Tuesday it had named a new interim chief, a day after prosecutors arrested boss Rupert Stadler in connection with parent company Volkswagen's "dieselgate" scandal.

Along Florida's sun-splashed shorelines, home prices are on the rise, developers are busy building new complexes, and listings just blocks from the beach describe homes that are "not in a flood zone," meaning no flood insurance is required.

Flooding in southern Myanmar has caused a landslide at a famed Buddhist pagoda, submerged homes and displaced hundreds of people as monsoon rains batter the country.

The EU agreed Thursday to raise its consumption target from wind, solar and other renewable energy sources, aiming for 32 percent by 2030 rather than the previous 27 percent. 

The German government acknowledged Wednesday that it will miss a 2020 target for reducing carbon dioxide emissions, but vowed to catch up "as quickly as possible."

Global warming is expected to make vegetables significantly scarcer around the world, unless new growing practices and resilient crop varieties are adopted, researchers warned on Monday.

German prosecutors said Monday they had raided the home of Rupert Stadler, chief executive of Volkswagen subsidiary Audi, over suspicion of fraud related to diesel emissions cheating by the firm.

Pope Francis has asked that  major oil and gas companies respect the 2015 Paris climate agreement to help protect the poor from global warming.

Polish police on Thursday said they are investigating the deaths of four seals recently found dead on the Baltic coast around the port city of Gdynia.