Native Americans altered ecosystem

A stalagmite from a cave in West Virginia has provided evidence that early Native Americans had a larger carbon footprint than previously thoughtRead on

Canadian ice mass shrinking

One of the largest ice masses in the Canadian High Arctic is shrinking, according to a new study that analysed almost 50 years of dataRead on

Doubts raised about CCS

A new study has raised questions about the feasibility of using large-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) to reduce carbon emissionsRead on

Melting permafrost is no laughing matter

We’ve all heard about the threat to the global climate posed by methane escaping from the permafrost as it melts, but according to a recent study, that’s only part of the problem
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Cold winters linked to sun’s activity

Having just endured an unusually cold winter, Britons could be forgiven for wondering what happened to global warming. But according to a new study, the recent big chill was the result of a drop in the sun’s activityRead on

Greenland ice loss moving north

A new international study has indicated that ice loss from the Greenland ice sheet is moving up the island’s northwest coast
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Reefs linked to rainfall

An Australian scientist has discovered a startling connection between coral reefs and coastal rainfall that is now being threatened by global climate changeRead on

Volcanoes slowing climate change

Undersea volcanoes are helping to counteract climate change by fertilising the Southern Ocean, according to a team of Australian and French scientistsRead on

Soot to blame for glacier loss in Himalaya

Airborne black carbon, or soot, emitted from India is a far bigger cause of the melting of Himalayan glaciers than greenhouse gases, according to a new studyRead on

Antarctic ice shelves in retreat

Climate change is causing the ice shelves in southern regions of the Antarctic Peninsula to retreat, according to new research by the US Geological Survey (USGS)Read on

Permafrost heading north

During the past 50 years, the southernmost limit of the permafrost in the James Bay region of Canada has receded northwards by 130 kilometres, according to a new study
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Arctic ice melting sooner and for longer

The melt season in the Arctic Ocean is growing longer, intensifying summer ice loss in the region, according to new research by NASARead on

Permafrost thaw increases Arctic methane emissions by a third

Rising temperatures in the Arctic have resulted in a sharp increase in methane emissions, scientists from the University of Edinburgh have discoveredRead on

Bering Strait has had a major influence on past climate

New research has demonstrated that water levels in the Bering Strait have had a significant impact on past climateRead on

Climate change moving too fast for some

Some species will have to migrate at a speed of more than a kilometre a year if they are to keep pace with climate change over the next century, according to a US study published in NatureRead on

Trees to soak up less CO2 in future

Subalpine forests are likely to absorb less carbon dioxide as the climate warms, according to a study by researchers from the University of Colorado at BoulderRead on

Land use changes affecting rainfall in India

Changes in land use have altered the pattern of monsoon rains in India, according to a new studyRead on

Speed of ice age onset determined

Evidence from an ancient lake in western Ireland suggests that ice ages can take hold extremely rapidlyRead on

Sea to rise by more than a metre by century’s end

Sea levels are likely to rise by more than a metre by the end of this century according to two recent studiesRead on

Soot speeding up Himalayan melting

Soot produced in densely populated South Asian cities is causing as much, if not more, warming in the Himalaya as greenhouse gases, according to two recent studiesRead on

Climate change fuels African conflict

A new study suggests that the likelihood of civil war in sub-Saharan Africa could rise by more than 50 per cent by 2030 if global temperatures follow projected trendsRead on

Carbon sinks becoming less efficient

The world’s natural carbon sinks, which include the oceans, forests and soils, are losing their ability to sequester carbon, according to two recent studiesRead on

Ocean acidification may cause global shellfish decline

Current and future increases in ocean acidity could be detrimental to commercially and ecologically valuable shellfish populationsRead on

Antarctic ice loss creates new carbon sink

The loss of the Antarctic ice is having an unforeseen environmental benefit according to research by the British Antarctic Survey (BAS)Read on

Scientists alarmed by glacier thinning

Satellite measurements of the Pine Glacier in west Antarctica have revealed that it’s thinning four times more rapidly than it was a decade agoRead on

Crop yields will drop as USA gets hot

A new study has identified the temperature above which yields for three important crops will begin to significantly decline in the USARead on

Warming waters releasing methane

Methane is seeping from the seabed and into the Arctic Ocean as a result of rising sea temperatures, scientists have discoveredRead on

Clouds could be victim of climate change

A new study has cast light on the effect that climate change is likely to have on cloud formation, and the news isn't goodRead on

Pacific islands may be starved of water

Some Pacific islands may be starved of fresh water by the end of this century if a rain band that affects nearly a billion people continues to migrate north, according to research published in Nature Geoscience.Read on

Mystery of urban methane emissions

A research team has found that up to half of Los Angeles' total annual methane emissions are unaccounted for by known sources of methane in the area.
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Aerosols alter warming less than thought

Tiny airborne pollution particles that can reflect the sun's rays are altering global warming less than previously thought, according to a study published in Science.Read on

Sea ice reinforcing Antarctic ice sheet

Sea ice forming on the base of the Larsen Ice Shelf could be helping to prevent it from breaking up in response to rising temperatures, according to a paper published in Geophysical Research Letters.Read on

CO2 levels reach 2.1-million-year peak

A recent reconstruction of past CO2 levels suggests current atmospheric carbon dioxide levels are the highest in over two millenniaRead on

World rapidly using up its CO2 allowance

The world will exceed its 50-year carbon dioxide targets in less than 20 years, resulting in climate chaos, a new report has claimed.Read on

Antarctic ice shelf collapses

An ice shelf off Antarctica has collapsed and shattered into hundreds of small icebergs, and scientists say global warming is to blame.Read on

Sea level rise overestimated

The potential rise in sea level from the collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) has been hugely overestimated, according to a new study.
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Hurricane damaged forests emit carbon

Damage caused by recurring hurricane activity across the USA is causing millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide to be returned to the atmosphere, according to new research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.Read on

Carbon capture and storage viable

An international team of scientists has demonstrated that carbon dioxide has been stored in natural gas fields for tens of thousands or millions of years, suggesting that underground storage of industrial CO2 is a viable option.Read on

Climate change strain world's waterways

A new study has shown that some of the world’s most important rivers are drying up, in many cases as a result of global climate change.Read on

Ocean fertilisation not climate change fix

A controversial investigation into the use of ocean fertilisation to sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by boosting the growth of photosynthetic plankton has returned disappointing results.Read on

Lights out for climate change

Hundreds of millions of people switched off their lights on Saturday 28th March to take part in WWF’s Earth Hour to call for urgent action on climate change.Read on

Dutch plan to strengthen coastal dykes

The Dutch government has announced a multi-million-pound plan to reinforce dykes and protect freshwater supplies from potential rises in sea level.Read on

Oceans absorb less carbon dioxide

Scientists are concerned that the world’s oceans may be absorbing less carbon dioxide as a result of rising temperatures. Read on

Ocean salinity on the rise

Evidence showing that human activity is changing the salinity of the world’s oceans is beginning to emerge in subtropical regions, according to new researchRead on

Algae to be used to make ‘green oil’

The Carbon Trust is to contribute up to £6million to a UK research and development initiative that aims to find a commercially viable method of producing a new biofuel made from algaeRead on

Maldives to buy a new homeland

The new president of the Maldives is preparing to buy a new home – for the country’s entire 300,000-strong populationRead on

Humans suppressed wildfires, until now

In the past, the global distribution of wildfires has been influenced by the climate, but research in Nature Geoscience has shown that, during the past 200 years, humans exerted a far stronger influence – until now.Read on

World's peatlands left high and dry

New research published in Nature Geoscience has warned that rising temperatures could dry these areas out, causing them to release large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, exacerbating global warming.Read on

Greenhouse effect keeps Spain cool

Thousands of reflective white greenhouses in southeastern Spain are having a cooling effect on local air temperatures, according to new research published in the Journal of Geophysical Research – Atmospheres.Read on

Melting glacier is disaster for kashmir

The Kolahoi glacier, the Kashmir valley’s only permanent water source, could completely disappear within the next ten years, according to scientists who visited the area in AugustRead on

Arctic sea ice is second lowest on record

The area of ice covering the North Pole has shrunk to its second-lowest levels since satellites were first used to survey the ice in 1979Read on

High temperatures inhibit CO2 absorption

As global warming heats up the Earth, plants and soil may absorb less carbon dioxide, according to new researchRead on

Cloud of uncertainty dispelled

The accuracy of climate models has received a significant boost thanks to new research into the relationship between clouds and aerosolsRead on

Typhoons helping to sink carbon

A tropical storm in Taiwan buries as much carbon beneath the sea as the island’s annual rains combined, says research aimed at determining how much carbon is removed from the atmosphere as mountains are weatheredRead on

Pristine forests are better storehouses

The carbon storage capacity of untouched forests has been underestimated by the world’s climate change experts, according to scientists at the Australian National UniversityRead on

Greenland ice sheet and sea level rise

A group of climate scientists have discovered that during the past 20 years, the movement of the vast Greenland ice sheet has actually slowed by around ten per cent, despite frequent periods of acceleration Read on

Icebergs scrape life out of seabed

Antarctic marine species are being threatened as increasing numbers of icebergs scrape their fragile seafloor habitats, according to new British Antarctic Survey (BAS) researchRead on

Fears for forest funding

Moves to fund initiatives aimed at protecting the world’s forests in order to slow global climate change could simply fuel corruption and regional conflict, according to a coalition of NGOsRead on

US waters fail the acid test

A survey of seawater off the Pacific coast of North America has found that it’s considerably more acidic than expected, raising fears for the future of hundreds of the region’s marine speciesRead on

Carbon dioxide high

Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere have hit a record high, according to a new US report Read on

Glaciers releasing chemical cocktails

Frozen stores of the pesticide DDT are leaking from melting Antarctic glaciers, according to a new study Read on

World’s water cooling system concern

Scientists studying the Southern Ocean have found that it’s becoming less salty, which could have a big effect on the world’s climate and ocean currentsRead on

Link between soot and climate change

Soot may be a much greater contributor to global warming than previously thought, according to a new report published in Nature GeoscienceRead on

Global sea levels set to rise

Warming temperatures and melting ice caps will cause average global sea levels to rise much higher than the forecasts published in the IPCC assessments, according to new researchRead on

Carbon targets still too high

A group of the world’s leading climate scientists has warned that international carbon targets aren’t low enough and must be slashed in order to avoid disastrous consequencesRead on

Experts deny climate link to 2007 floods

The extreme floods that struck England last July weren’t a result of global warming, but a remarkable demonstration of the unpredictability of the nation’s weather, according to a report from the Centre for Ecology and HydrologyRead on

Analysis sheds light on Antarctic melting

Analysis of boulders deposited by glaciers in Antarctica has shown that the rate at which the icecap is melting has increased dramatically in recent years, according to research published in the journal GeologyRead on

World’s glaciers melting at fastest rate yet

The world’s glaciers are melting at record rates, threatening the lives of the millions of people who depend on them for their water supplies, according to the latest figures from the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)Read on

GPS: an atmosphere thermometer

Two UK meteorologists have developed a new method of monitoring the effects of climate change in the Earth’s atmosphere using GPS satellites.Read on

Arctic ice in rapid retreat

An area twice the size of France has melted from the Arctic ice cap during the past two years, according to research by the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) in Paris, France, and this year could see further losses.Read on

Crop losses set to affect world’s poorest

Many of the world’s poorest regions could face severe crop losses in the next two decades unless steps are taken to adapt agriculture to a changing climate, according to new research published in the journal Science. Read on

Carbon neutral chemical production

Using biotechnology to make certain commonly used chemicals could cut the amount of carbon emitted during their production by as much as 100 per cent, according to a new studyRead on

Looking back to 2007, a year of extremes

Meteorological records for last year show that 2007 was a year of extreme weather, with many average temperature and precipitation records being exceeded Read on

Protecting peatlands could cut emissions

Cleaning, draining and burning peat bogs emits the equivalent of ten per cent of global emissions from fossil fuels, according to a UNEP reportRead on

Tropics getting wider

Global climate change has caused the tropics to widen by between two and 4.8 degrees of latitude since 1979, new research carried out by US scientists suggestsRead on

Domestic turbines a load of hot air

Micro-wind turbines for domestic electricity generation could create more carbon dioxide than they save, according to the Building Research Establishment TrustRead on

UK's carbon emissions rising

A new report suggests that the UK’s apparent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions is based on incomplete figures that mask a substantial increase in recent yearsRead on

Isle of Wight aims for carbon neutrality

The council in charge of the Isle of Wight has announced plans to power the island entirely by locally produced green energyRead on

Mass extinctions predicted

Half of all plant and animal species could be forced into extinction by rising global temperatures, mirroring five climate-triggered mass extinctions of the past, according to new researchRead on

Hard facts on cement industry emissions

The cement industry has largely escaped the attention of the world’s media and environmental campaigners despite contributing a higher percentage of global carbon emissions than the aviation industryRead on

Scientists to 'scrub' the atmosphere clean

Two scientists from the USA’s Columbia University in New York have identified a method of ‘scrubbing’ carbon dioxide gas from the atmosphereRead on

Climate 'mega disaster' hits

Dire predictions for the impact of climate change are being realised following a record number of climate-related disasters this year, according to the UN’s emergency relief co-ordinator, Sir John HolmesRead on

Irrigation keeping California cool

A new study in the USA, conducted by scientists from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, has shown that intensive irrigation in rural areas lowers local air temperaturesRead on

Chip fat to oil McDonald's delivery chain

McDonald’s is to run its UK fleet of delivery vehicles largely on old chip fatRead on

Sun activity and climate change: no link

A new study of solar activity has removed the central pillar supporting arguments that human activity isn’t responsible for global warmingRead on

Melting icebergs offsetting emissions

Melting ice masses that have broken away from Antarctica are acting as nutrient-rich islands that support a wealth of marine life, including carbon-dioxide-absorbing phytoplankton, according to a new study Read on

‘Cyber carbon footprint’ as bad as airlines

The UK government is considering new proposals to reduce the ‘cyber carbon footprint’ caused by the building, running and disposal of computers in a bid to meet its carbon-reduction targetsRead on

77,000 annual global-warming deaths

A recent report issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that around 77,000 deaths a year in Asia and the Pacific region can be directly or indirectly attributed to global warming Read on

Vatican looks to heavenly body for power

The Vatican City, headquarters of the Roman Catholic church, is doing its bit for the environmentRead on

Oceans and plants consuming less carbon

Two independent studies by British scientists have shown that the world’s natural carbon absorbers – the oceans and plants – are becoming less efficient at mopping up emissions because of global warmingRead on

Fight climate change, save lives

Nations that combat climate change and reduce carbon dioxide emissions would benefit from a cleaner, greener environment, as well as better health prospects, according to the World Health Organization (WHO)Read on

Marine mammals under threat

Climate change is threatening to force a number of marine mammal species towards extinction, according to a new study from the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS)Read on

Wither our woodlands?

If the current warming trend continues, some of Britain’s best-loved plants could face extinction by the middle of this century, according to new research.Read on

Flushing away the problem

Human waste could soon be powering diesel engines and boilersRead on

No gold medals for UK

The UK needs to do more if it is to realistically reduce its impact on global climate changeRead on

Polar explorers get royal send off

Polar explorers setting off to measure the thickness of the Arctic Ocean’s sea ice will today (5 February 2009) attend a farewell reception at Clarence House held by HRH The Prince of WalesRead on