Climate science
ESA Cryosat reports Arctic sea ice volumes have increased
Scientists say ice thickness has increased, but warn data is not a sign that long-term warming trend has been reversed
Thirsty third of world report water scarcity concerns
Singapore and Western Sahara face toughest competition for water resources, while China and US are equally pushed
Exhausted civil society ‘silent’ on climate change – report
British group says people’s interest in global warming has dwindled and new communication strategies need to be developed
Antarctic fjord life puzzles scientists
To the surprise of researchers, the warming waters of the fjords of the Antarctic Peninsula have an abundant and diverse population of marine life
Warming temperatures spell trouble for hungry bats
Climate change is likely to damage populations of bats which hunt their insect prey with high-frequency ultrasonic squeaks
Greener Arctic ‘warming rapidly’ says US agency
Ice melt declined in 2013 due to cooler temperatures, but NOAA says North Pole continues to heat leading to changes on land and sea
Panama rainforest tribes settle UN REDD dispute
Bitter dispute over indigenous people’s forest rights resolved, paving the way for implementation of forest protection scheme
Thousands dying from coal pollution in China – study
The Guardian: Hundreds of thousands of children still at risk from dangerous levels of air pollution as poisonous smog fills cities, study says
Carbon dioxide’s effect on global warming ‘understimated’
The sensitivity of the Earth system to a doubling of atmospheric carbon dioxide may be twice as great as scientists had thought
China outlines climate change adaptation plans
Leading planning agency calls for more resilient infrastructure, warning global warming cost country $32.9 billion since 1990
Greenpeace enlists stars for Arctic Christmas card series
Raymond Briggs, Vivienne Westwood and Jarvis Cocker among artists highlighting threat of melting Arctic
Reducing sunlight unlikely to cool earth – scientists
Idea that we can address global warming by engineering the atmosphere rebuffed by scientists in USA and Germany
‘Natural defences’ offer best protection from rising sea levels
Many shorelines around the world are at risk – not just from extreme weather, but from far more gradual threats. And often the best protection comes from nature.
Thames Barrier to close as UK prepares for severe flooding
London’s flood defences will be tested tonight by a strong tidal surge, which has caused parts of country to be evacuated
Europe already feeling climate change impacts – report
Extreme weather is becoming the new normal across Europe, according to a report from the Climate Action Network
James Hansen: 2C temperature rise would be “disastrous”
UN’s 2C limit for global warming is way too high and would threaten major dislocations for civilization say a group of prominent scientists
Ocean acidification is making fish anxious
As climate change warms the world’s oceans, they are becoming more acidic. Researchers in Europe and the US have found the rising acidity is bad news for several species.
Deep ocean could hold key to global warming
Understanding what happens on the deep ocean floor should help scientists construct more accurate climate models
Geoengineering could disrupt monsoons say scientists
Geo-engineering could lower global temperatures but could also damage seasonal rainfall patterns, a study says
Chuck Hagel: clean energy capability makes US Army ‘stronger fighting force’
US defense chief says investments in wind, solar and energy efficiency will boost military’s ability to operate around the world