Climate science
Congo’s rainforests and mountain gorillas face oil exploration threat
Virunga National Park, a UNESCO site that is home to critically endangered mountain gorillas faces exploitation by British oil company Soco International
‘Artificial photosynthesis’ can create hydrogen from solar energy
Scientists have developed a simple system which allows solar energy to be stored in the form of hydrogen
Warming oceans drive marine life towards poles
Marine species are advancing towards the poles at an alarming rate, according to a report which will form a part of the next IPCC Assessment
Finland scientists turn dead wood into cheap biofuels
Researchers say they have found how to produce biofuel cheaply using pressurised fluidised bed gasification technology
Rate of climate change ‘fastest in 55 million years’
Scientists from Stanford University believe annual temperatures over North America, Europe and East Asia could rise 2-4 degrees C by 2065
New map charts spread of Indonesia’s forest fires
A new mapping resource from CIFOR shows the source of forest fires in Indonesia – and reveals the largest companies aren’t (wholly) to blame
Poisonous trees planted in desert could mitigate climate change
Scientists say the carbon farming of trees in dry parts of the world could soak up vast quantities of greenhouse gases linked to global warming
Graphene breakthrough could unlock renewable energy’s potential
Graphene-based energy storage device which lasts as long as a conventional battery developed by researchers in Australia
Subsea earthquakes link to global warming gas leaks
Researchers think vast quantities of the potent greenhouse gas methane can be released by underwater tremors
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
Is 1.5C warming target still within reach?
Climate Action Network and Climate Analytics study says rapid investment in biomass, energy efficiency and carbon capture technologies required
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
Warming climate could hit West Africa river levels
A warming climate may play havoc with energy supplies and food for millions of people in West Africa, as well as putting industrial growth in doubt.
Norwegians issue shipping warning as Arctic sea lanes open
Longer ice-free periods in the Arctic will lead to increased activity in the region within the next ten years and intensify ice degradation
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
Scientists admit global warming has paused (but it’s coming back)
UK Met Office say natural causes responsible for slowing temperature rise, but overall trends suggest we’ll still hit 2 degrees of warming
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