Climate science
Bonn 2012: UNCCD calls for agriculture to be central to Rio+20
Talking to RTCC at the Bonn Climate Talks, UNCCD’s Sergio Bonilla calls for agriculture, land and soil to be central to talks both under the UNFCCC and at Rio this June.
Mercury levels in the Arctic Ocean could be sensitive to climate change
New research finds that changes in the river flow and permafrost thaw in the Arctic could be adding to the Mercury found within the Arctic Ocean in the summer months.
Photo of the week #18 – Defending the coastlines
Our latest photo of the week shows extreme weather’s impact on the Netherlands.
Planet’s “health” has declined since first Rio Earth Summit
Living Planet Index has declined 30% since 1970 as WWF calls for change of pace in the response at Rio+20.
Photo of the week #17 – Greenland’s disappearing glaciers
This week’s photo of the week shows the implications of glacier melt in Greenland on rising sea levels.
Weddell Sea region in West Antarctic could be on brink of change
Two new studies show the Weddell Sea sector of the West Antarctic ice sheet – previously regarded as stable – could be a region of great concern in the future.
Is the Philippines’ climate law the best in the world?
UN Special Envoy calls the Philippines’ climate laws the “best in the world” but what is in the laws to give them this status?
Greenland’s glaciers contributing less to sea level rise than thought
Glaciers have “sped up” and contribution to sea level rise still significant but data shows we’re not on track for worst case scenario.
Biodiversity loss impacts ecosystems as much as climate change
New research warns biodiversity protection could be as important as preventing climate change in protecting ecosystems.
Plants flowering faster because of climate change
New research published on Nature warns that plants flowering faster from climate change could have devastating implication for ecosystems.
Wind farms could affect local weather
New research examining wind farms in Texas found that turbines could affect local weather, causing a rise in night-time temperatures.
Comment: Why is desertification important?
As RTCC launches Desertification Week, we examine what desertification means around the world and why it is so important.
We must correct image of desertification and promote practical solutions
Luc Gnacadja, Executive Secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, writes for RTCC ahead of Desertification Week about why it is important the image of desertification as an unstoppable monster is corrected so practical action can take place.
A week in climate change: five things we learnt
Positive action on desertification, climate change migration and sustainable biofuels, it’s been a busy week for climate change. Here’s what the team at RTCC has learnt this week.
President Dilma must veto Brazil’s Forest laws, say campaigners
As changes to Brazil’s Forest Code are approved by the country’s Chamber of Deputies, campaigners call on President Dilma Rousseff to veto the law and protect the country’s iconic forests.
Warm oceans are driving ice loss in Antarctica, says study
A new study by NASA used laser data to track the thinning of Antarctic ice shelves, finding warm oceans could be a dominant factor in ice loss in the region – bringing researchers closer to predicting sea level rises.
Understanding desertification in Turkey
Duygu Kutluay writes for RTCC about how one project in Turkey is helping researchers to understand how to combat desertification on a number of levels in the country’s drylands.
Photo of the week #15 – Desertification in the USA
This week’s photo, to coincide with Desertification Week, shows the effects of this phenomenon in the USA.
“Significant Challenges” for life in the Arctic Ocean, says report
Unique all-season report finds risk to biodiversity in the Arctic Ocean and points towards “significant challenges” faced by the region’s nature. Meanwhile another study finds some species could still thrive in the Arctic.
Polar bears need longer to adapt to climate change, say researchers
New research has found the polar bear to be much older than originally thought, showing it adapted much less rapidly to harsh conditions of the Arctic. Researchers say this questions its ability to adapt to current climate change.