Climate change research: If warming approaches 2°C, a trickle of extinctions will become a flood

My colleagues and I overlaid the projections of climate models with data on the geographic distributions of more than 35,000 species on land and in the ocean. We found…Continue readingClimate change research: If warming approaches 2°C, a trickle of extinctions will become a flood

Endangered species list grows by 2,000. Climate change is part of the problem.

Leaders of the IUCN updated their Red List of Threatened Species, a tracker of biodiversity around the globe. It was mainly bad news. The list includes information on 157,000…Continue readingEndangered species list grows by 2,000. Climate change is part of the problem.

How Mounting Demand for Rubber Is Driving Tropical Forest Loss

The elephants are gone. The trees are logged out. The Beng Per Wildlife Sanctuary in central Cambodia is largely destroyed, after being handed over by the government to a…Continue readingHow Mounting Demand for Rubber Is Driving Tropical Forest Loss

Quarter of world’s freshwater fish at risk of extinction

Nearly a quarter of the world’s freshwater fish are at risk of extinction due to global heating, overfishing and pollution, according to an expert assessment. Nearly a fifth of…Continue readingQuarter of world’s freshwater fish at risk of extinction

Current carbon dioxide levels last seen 14 million years ago

New analysis finds the last time the air contained 420 parts per million (ppm) of carbon dioxide was between 14-16 million years ago, when there was no ice in…Continue readingCurrent carbon dioxide levels last seen 14 million years ago

Climate tipping points are nearer than you think. Our new report warns of catastrophic risk.

Most people expect that if a system, like someone’s body, an ecosystem, or part of the climate system, becomes stressed, it’ll respond fairly predictably—double the pressure, double the impact,…Continue readingClimate tipping points are nearer than you think. Our new report warns of catastrophic risk.

Norway’s parliament backs deep-sea mining plans

Norway has secured a parliamentary majority for its plans to open up for deep-sea mining despite opposition from environmentalists and the fishing industry, who warn the move risks further…Continue readingNorway’s parliament backs deep-sea mining plans

Earth on verge of five catastrophic climate tipping points, scientists warn

Many of the gravest threats to humanity are drawing closer, as carbon pollution heats the planet to ever more dangerous levels, scientists have warned. Five important natural thresholds already…Continue readingEarth on verge of five catastrophic climate tipping points, scientists warn

‘A matter of survival’: India’s unstoppable need for air conditioners

The vast amount of electricity that India’s growing number of ACs will require presents a significant challenge. Already during peak summertime hours, ACs have accounted for 40% to 60%…Continue reading‘A matter of survival’: India’s unstoppable need for air conditioners

‘End of century’ extreme heat and drought conditions in Europe could occur much earlier than previously thought

Simultaneous episodes of extreme heat and drought could occur earlier and repeatedly in Europe, reports a study published in Communications Earth & Environment. Laura Suarez-Gutierrez and colleagues investigated how…Continue reading‘End of century’ extreme heat and drought conditions in Europe could occur much earlier than previously thought

Global marine life is on the move due to sea temperature rises

In the ocean, tropical species are moving from the equator towards the poles as sea temperatures rise. Meanwhile, temperate species are receding as it gets too warm, they face…Continue readingGlobal marine life is on the move due to sea temperature rises

Horn of Africa floods displace more than two million, inp

More than two million people across the Horn of Africa have been forced from their homes by torrential rains and floods, according to an AFP tally compiled Thursday from…Continue readingHorn of Africa floods displace more than two million, inp

UN human rights experts express alarm over PFAS pollution in North Carolina

A new investigation by human rights experts appointed by the United Nations has expressed alarm at evidence of pollution from a North Carolina PFAS manufacturing plant, describing it as…Continue readingUN human rights experts express alarm over PFAS pollution in North Carolina

‘Forever chemicals’ found in drinking water sources across England

Potentially toxic “forever chemicals” have been detected in the drinking water sources at 17 of 18 England’s water companies, with 11,853 samples testing positive, something experts say they are…Continue reading‘Forever chemicals’ found in drinking water sources across England

Levels of toxic PCB chemicals found at 30 times ‘safe’ limits in stranded whales

Nearly half of the whales and dolphins found in UK waters over the past five years contained harmful concentrations of toxic chemicals banned decades ago, an investigation has found.…Continue readingLevels of toxic PCB chemicals found at 30 times ‘safe’ limits in stranded whales

Winter isn’t coming: climate change hits Greek olive crop

Spain, the world’s biggest producer of olive oil, suffered a very difficult year in 2022 and drought this year has compounded the problem. In Italy, this year’s olive harvest…Continue readingWinter isn’t coming: climate change hits Greek olive crop

Air pollution behind over 250,000 deaths in Europe in 2021: agency

Fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, is a term for fine particulates that are typically the by-product of car exhausts or coal-fired power plants. Their tiny size enables them to…Continue readingAir pollution behind over 250,000 deaths in Europe in 2021: agency

10 years after Haiyan, are mangroves protecting Philippine coastal areas?

Haiyan was one of the strongest typhoons ever to make landfall. More than 6,300 people were killed as the storm swept across the island of Leyte, flattening homes and…Continue reading10 years after Haiyan, are mangroves protecting Philippine coastal areas?

Queensland’s wet tropics see 25% rise in threatened species in three years as climate change bites

The number of listed threatened species in Australia’s world heritage northern rainforests has increased by 25% since 2020, as ecologists say they are now clearly observing the long-predicted impacts…Continue readingQueensland’s wet tropics see 25% rise in threatened species in three years as climate change bites

After the Storm, Malawi’s Farmers Face a Precarious Future

Cyclone Freddy lasted a record 38 days. The storm barrelled 5,000 miles across the Indian Ocean, pummelling Madagascar and Reunion before striking the African mainland. It swirled over southern…Continue readingAfter the Storm, Malawi’s Farmers Face a Precarious Future

Extreme drought in northern Italy mirrors climate in Ethiopia

Extreme drought in northern Italy has doubled over the past two decades, creating a climate that increasingly mirrors that of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. The southern Shabelle…Continue readingExtreme drought in northern Italy mirrors climate in Ethiopia

After a record year of wildfires, will Canada ever be the same again?

Fire ravaged Canada in 2023 like no other year, by a stupendous margin. A record 45.7m acres (18.5m hectares) went up in flames, an area about twice the size…Continue readingAfter a record year of wildfires, will Canada ever be the same again?

Scientists find hundreds of toxic chemicals in recycled plastics

When scientists examined pellets from recycled plastic collected in 13 countries they found hundreds of toxic chemicals, including pesticides and pharmaceuticals. The results are published in a study led…Continue readingScientists find hundreds of toxic chemicals in recycled plastics

Hazel dormice becoming endangered in UK amid 70% decline

Populations of the hazel dormouse, perhaps the most elusive native British mammal, have plummeted by 70% this century. The nocturnal, tree-dwelling animals are now extinct in 20 counties in…Continue readingHazel dormice becoming endangered in UK amid 70% decline

Study finds Greenland’s glacier retreat rate has doubled over past two decades

Greenland’s thousands of peripheral glaciers have entered a new and widespread state of rapid retreat, a Northwestern University and University of Copenhagen study has found. To piece together the…Continue readingStudy finds Greenland’s glacier retreat rate has doubled over past two decades

UK forests face catastrophic ecosystem collapse within 50 years

UK forests are heading for “catastrophic ecosystem collapse” within the next 50 years due to multiple threats including disease, extreme weather and wildfires, researchers have warned, with trees dying…Continue readingUK forests face catastrophic ecosystem collapse within 50 years

Human-caused heating behind extreme droughts in Syria, Iraq and Iran

Extreme droughts that have wrecked the lives of millions of people in Syria, Iraq and Iran since 2020 would not have happened without human-caused global heating, a study has…Continue readingHuman-caused heating behind extreme droughts in Syria, Iraq and Iran

‘Everything is parched’: Amazon struggles with drought amid deforestation

October, November and December are usually a period of transition. By now, the dry season would normally have peaked, and rivers and aquifers would start to replenish. But the…Continue reading‘Everything is parched’: Amazon struggles with drought amid deforestation

Desolation in Greece’s Dadia park after Europe’s biggest fire

Unprecedented in Greece in its intensity, the Dadia fire has been classed by the European Commission as the largest ever recorded in the EU. Burning for three weeks, the…Continue readingDesolation in Greece’s Dadia park after Europe’s biggest fire

Coral researchers see ‘mass mortality’ amid Florida Reef bleaching crisis

Elkhorn corals are already considered “functionally extinct” in the upper Keys, and other elkhorn and staghorn populations in the Florida Reef are following suit, according to Liv Williamson, an…Continue readingCoral researchers see ‘mass mortality’ amid Florida Reef bleaching crisis

Researchers report mass bleaching of coral reefs in warming Florida oceans: ‘Like a forest without trees’

An unprecedented rise in ocean temperatures off the coast of Florida early in the summer made headlines as it caused countless dead fish to wash ashore. But the impact…Continue readingResearchers report mass bleaching of coral reefs in warming Florida oceans: ‘Like a forest without trees’

In Brazil town turning to desert, farmers fight to hang on

Standing amid a terrain of rugged red craters that looks like something from Mars, Brazilian farmer Ubiratan Lemos Abade extends his arms, pointing to two possible futures for this…Continue readingIn Brazil town turning to desert, farmers fight to hang on

Extreme weather is outpacing even the worst-case scenarios of our forecasting models

In the wake of the destructive Hurricane Otis, we find ourselves at a pivotal moment in the history of weather forecasting. The hurricane roared ashore with 165mph (266kph) winds…Continue readingExtreme weather is outpacing even the worst-case scenarios of our forecasting models

China’s smog problem

China’s weather office has said “foggy and hazy” conditions are prevalent in the capital Beijing, the megacity of Tianjin, and parts of the provinces of Hebei, Shandong and Hubei,…Continue readingChina’s smog problem

When Idiot Savants Do Climate Economics

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has assumed Nordhaus is to be trusted. The integrated assessment models used at the IPCC are based on Nordhausian visions of adaptation to…Continue readingWhen Idiot Savants Do Climate Economics

Destruction of forests gathered pace in 2022, despite global promises

Global destruction of forests increased by 4% last year, compared to 2021, according to a new report. A total of 6.6 million hectares of forests were lost in 2022—an…Continue readingDestruction of forests gathered pace in 2022, despite global promises

Climate report: ‘Uncharted territory’ imperils life on Earth

Earth’s vital signs have worsened beyond anything humans have yet seen, to the point that life on the planet is imperiled. William Ripple, a distinguished professor in the Oregon…Continue readingClimate report: ‘Uncharted territory’ imperils life on Earth

Rapid ice melt in west Antarctica now inevitable

Accelerated ice melt in west Antarctica is inevitable for the rest of the century no matter how much carbon emissions are cut, research indicates. The implications for sea level…Continue readingRapid ice melt in west Antarctica now inevitable

China is set to dominate the deep sea and its wealth of rare metals

The ocean floor is shaping up to be the world’s next theater of global resource competition — and China is set to dominate it. The sea is believed to…Continue readingChina is set to dominate the deep sea and its wealth of rare metals

EU abandons promise to ban toxic chemicals in consumer products

The EU has abandoned a promise to ban all but the most vital of toxic chemicals used in everyday consumer products, leaked documents show. Other legislation to be dropped…Continue readingEU abandons promise to ban toxic chemicals in consumer products

Research tracking map shows wildlife polluted by flame retardants on massive scale

More than 150 species of wild animals across every continent are contaminated with flame retardant chemicals, according to a new map tracking peer-reviewed research worldwide. Polluted wildlife include killer…Continue readingResearch tracking map shows wildlife polluted by flame retardants on massive scale

Malawi swelters in record heat with temperatures nearly 20˚C above average

Parts of Malawi saw a maximum temperature of 43˚C (109˚F), compared with an average of nearly 25˚C (77˚F) for the time of year. The temperatures had dropped by Monday,…Continue readingMalawi swelters in record heat with temperatures nearly 20˚C above average

Drought turns Amazonian capital into climate dystopia

A withering drought has turned the Amazonian capital of Manaus into a climate dystopia with the second worst air quality in the world and rivers at the lowest levels…Continue readingDrought turns Amazonian capital into climate dystopia

Water level at Amazon port in Brazil hits lowest point in 121 years amid drought

The water level at a major river port in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest has hit its lowest point in at least 121 years, as a historic drought upends the lives…Continue readingWater level at Amazon port in Brazil hits lowest point in 121 years amid drought

Lack of food is the new threat to Antarctic fur seals

Antarctic fur seals that were hunted to near extinction have recovered but now face dangerous decline because of a lack of food, new research suggests. The study of fur…Continue readingLack of food is the new threat to Antarctic fur seals

Roundup herbicide ingredient connected to epidemic levels of chronic kidney disease

For the past couple of decades, tens of thousands of people living in rural Sri Lanka have been devastated by kidney failure due to unclear causes, also known as…Continue readingRoundup herbicide ingredient connected to epidemic levels of chronic kidney disease

Human emissions made deadly South American heat 100 times more likely

The deadly heat in central South America over the past two months was made 100 times more likely by human emissions that disrupted the climate, scientists have shown. Temperatures…Continue readingHuman emissions made deadly South American heat 100 times more likely

‘Only the rich can bear this heat’: how Dhaka is battling extreme weather

North Dhaka is particularly vulnerable to the urban heat-island effect due to its densely populated city centre, with some urban hotspots more than 10˚C (18˚F) higher than the surrounding…Continue reading‘Only the rich can bear this heat’: how Dhaka is battling extreme weather

Deaths of 120 Amazon dolphins linked to severe drought, high temperatures

The carcasses of 120 river dolphins have been found floating in a tributary of the Amazon River in Brazil over the last week in circumstances that experts suspect were…Continue readingDeaths of 120 Amazon dolphins linked to severe drought, high temperatures

Canada left battered by ‘never before seen’ wildfire season

When scientists started pouring over data to assess Canada’s fire season this year, they struggled to find the right superlatives. “Never before seen,” was thrown around, as was “exceptional…Continue readingCanada left battered by ‘never before seen’ wildfire season

Netherlands halts extraction from Europe’s biggest gas field

The Netherlands halted extraction from Europe’s biggest gas field on Sunday, which was resulting in earthquakes that have shaken local residents for decades and threaten to persist. Authorities are…Continue readingNetherlands halts extraction from Europe’s biggest gas field

‘Watching extinction in real time’: conservationists losing hope for Australia’s swift parrot if logging continues

Experts predict there will be fewer than 100 individuals of the species by 2031 as the rate of decline in population grows faster. This month, the environment minister, Tanya…Continue reading‘Watching extinction in real time’: conservationists losing hope for Australia’s swift parrot if logging continues

Flash flooding inundates New York City

New York City and its adjoining areas have been brought to a standstill after a bout of torrential downpours triggered flash flooding, disrupting subway service, inundating ground-level apartments and…Continue readingFlash flooding inundates New York City

Antarctic sea ice shrinks to lowest annual maximum level on record

Antarctica has likely broken a new record for the lowest annual maximum amount of sea ice around the continent, beating the previous low by a million square kilometres. The…Continue readingAntarctic sea ice shrinks to lowest annual maximum level on record

Brown bear cubs in Japan die of starvation amid salmon shortage

As many as eight in 10 brown bear cubs born this year in a remote part of northern Japan have died amid a shortage of salmon, with experts blaming…Continue readingBrown bear cubs in Japan die of starvation amid salmon shortage

Wildfires turn Canada’s vast forests from carbon sink into super-emitter

The vast swaths of pine, spruce and larch forest that blanket much of Canada have been prized for generations. Not only do they provide a home to hundreds of…Continue readingWildfires turn Canada’s vast forests from carbon sink into super-emitter

Medicanes: rare, ‘supercharging’ Mediterranean storms

The flash flood that has killed thousands of people in Libya this week followed a “medicane”, a rare but destructive weather phenomenon that scientists believe will intensify in a…Continue readingMedicanes: rare, ‘supercharging’ Mediterranean storms

Devastatingly low Antarctic sea ice may be the ‘new abnormal,’ study warns

Sea ice insulates the ocean, reflects heat, drives currents, supports ecosystems and protects ice shelves. It also has an annual seasonal cycle—some of the ice melts, then freezes again.…Continue readingDevastatingly low Antarctic sea ice may be the ‘new abnormal,’ study warns

Britain’s fish populations are in a ‘deeply troubling state’

Half of Britain’s 10 largest fish populations are in a “deeply troubling state”, having been either overfished or depleted to a critically low size, according to a new report.…Continue readingBritain’s fish populations are in a ‘deeply troubling state’

Earth ‘well outside safe operating space for humanity’

Earth’s life support systems have been so damaged that the planet is “well outside the safe operating space for humanity”, scientists have warned. Their assessment found that six out…Continue readingEarth ‘well outside safe operating space for humanity’