Climate science
Ocean acidification is slowing coral reef growth – study
NEWS: Experiments in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef show destructive impact of carbon dioxide dissolved in seawater
Extreme cyclones hitting the Philippines are on the rise – study
NEWS: Rising trend seen in powerful storms hitting island nation since 1970s, report finds
NYC, Paris eclipse poorer mega-cities’ spend on climate defences
NEWS: Protection against sea level rise globally prioritises capital over people, suggests review of ten metropolises
Looming Ethiopia famine highlights vulnerability to climate change
NEWS: Aid agencies warn food could run out for millions as failed rains stoked by El Nino ruin crops in east Africa
Scientists settle on low end of carbon budget spectrum
NEWS: Review of research proposes smaller allowance of carbon dioxide emissions to cap warming to safe levels, adding pressure to efforts to cut emissions
Early warnings pay off as cyclone smashes Fiji
NEWS: Tiny Pacific nation praised for preparedness and early warning systems as most powerful storm on record puts early death toll at 42
Major cities threatened by rapid sea level rise, new reports find
NEWS: Faster than ever sea level rise puts densely populated coastal regions increasingly at risk by 2100, as two studies reveal past and future sea level projections
India bee populations are collapsing under environmental strain
NEWS: A warming climate and the loss of natural areas to meet the demands of tourism are driving Indian bee colonies to the brink, imperilling food crops
Food production could increase 40% with better water use
NEWS: Careful irrigation can go half way to close the ‘hunger gap’ by mid-century, study finds, feeding the world’s growing population
Climate scientists face tight deadline to deliver 1.5C research
NEWS: Researchers will have 18-21 months to flesh out understanding of tough global warming limit if – as expected – IPCC accepts call to produce a special report
Shallow fracking wells contaminate drinking water, warns US scientist
NEWS: Stronger safeguards are needed to prevent poorly built wells leaking gas into aquifers, says Stanford researcher
Study flags concerns CO2 underground stores could leak
NEWS: Carbon dioxide pumped into old oil wells could react with salt water and erode ‘host rocks’ and cement, researchers find
Warmer oceans speed up Antarctic ice loss
NEWS: Studies show a thinning ice shelf is accelerating the flow of glaciers into the Southern Ocean, raising sea levels
UN: Weather and climate dominate 2015 disaster trends
NEWS: Hottest year on record linked to soaring levels of drought, heatwaves and rising seas, but better warning systems mean fewer deaths
Zimbabwe: Lessons in how not to prepare for climate change
ANALYSIS: Robert Mugabe blames global warming for drought and crop failures, but failures to invest in irrigation, forecasting and more resilient seeds have exacerbated crisis
‘Confused’ US teachers spread climate denial – study
NEWS: Educators lack awareness of the scientific consensus on human-caused global warming, researchers find, leading to mixed messages in classrooms
Land water storage slowed sea level rise – study
NEWS: Extra rain falling on continents partly offset the effect of melting ice caps last decade, data shows, with implications for coastal communities
Met Office fears Brexit would damage its climate models
NEWS: UK weather agency’s chief scientist warns funding cuts on leaving EU would affect the quality of its long-term forecasts
Climate torture: UN’s IPCC science panel must deliver clearer message
ANALYSIS: At an Oslo meeting this week, communications experts challenged the IPCC to make its reports easier to understand
BP admits it has repeatedly underestimated renewables
ANALYSIS: Oil major revises up forecast for solar, wind and hydro power by its biggest margin yet in 2016 annual energy outlook