Nature
Arctic melt fears rise despite ‘Santa’s lake’ picture error
North Pole is still frozen say researchers, after erroneous pictures of a ‘lake’ appeared in news outlets, but melt could still break 2012 record
Alaska forest fires ‘worst for 10,000 years’
Recent fires in the forests of Alaska have been the worst for 10,000 years – and they could happen elsewhere in this warming world researchers say
Alberta faces ‘unstoppable’ tar sands oil leak
Local scientist says Canadian government and oil exploration companies are ‘freaking out’ over damaging oil leak
Arctic sea ice loss accelerated in July
Ice loss has been “even faster than usual” according to records from the USA’s National Snow and Ice Data Center
Arctic melt is $60tn ‘economic time bomb’
Methane emitted from Arctic sea ice thaw could have catastrophic effects on global economy say UK researchers
Antarctic and Greenland glaciers at risk of “catastrophic breakup”
New research shows that Large stretches of ice along the polar coastlines could fall into the sea faster than originally thought
Trees absorb lower levels of pollution in hot weather
Heatwaves force plants and trees to focus on their own well-being and stop absorbing harmful gases, causing wider levels of pollution to rise
Arctic could be ice-free by 2058
Arctic icecap melt now so fast and certain researchers can confidently predict when the ocean will become ice-free
80% of Malaysian Borneo’s rainforests destroyed by logging
New research shows rainforests on Borneo have been ravaged by logging companies and palm oil plantations
Wildfires shoot climate warming tar balls into atmosphere
Los Alamos National Laboratory scientists reveal small carbon balls created in wildfires are 10 times as warming as conventional soot
Africa’s tiny ‘sand dams’ can save millions from drought
Simple, cheap and quick to construct – small walls trapping seasonal rainwater can save Africa’s dryland regions from desertification
UN warns decade of climate disruption set to continue
Record breaking extreme weather in 2001-2010 set to continue the UN’s World Meteorological Organisation has warned in a new report
NASA experiment uncovers Arctic climate time bomb
More accurate data on carbon leaking from thawing permafrost uncovers “sleeping climate giant”
Climate change will force new species onto endangered list
Up to 83% of birds, 66% of amphibians and 70% of corals are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change says the International Union for Conservation of Nature
UN moves closer to establishing drought reduction targets
Influential panel of experts call for world leaders to adopt goals to combat desertification, land degradation and drought
Desert offers clue to species’ climate survival
Research into one of world’s oldest and driest deserts finds species have evolved to cope with the changes
Climate adaptation planning ‘could have prevented’ Uttarakhand deaths
Local expert tells RTCC lives could have been saved if government had enforced rules banning construction of buildings on flood plans
Indonesian government blamed for Singapore smog
Greenpeace South Asia says with half the forest clearance fires inside a protected area, responsibility lies at the feet of government
Costa Rica sacks climate advisor for criticising China oil loan
Government asked Monica Araya to leave climate change team after publicly criticising a $1bn deal with China to finance a new oil refinery, a move Araya says could lead to oil exploration in Costa Rica
Climate change a factor in UK’s unusual weather – Met Office
Workshop concludes with unusual seasons pinned on newly discovered cycle in ocean temperatures, climate change and a number of other factors