Research on the consequences of a changing climate. Covers food and water disparities, sea-level costs, forest resilience, and shifting ecosystems.
A University of Toronto study reveals climate change will reduce UV radiation in northern high latitude regions such as Siberia, Scandinavia and northern Canada, while increasing it in other areas like the tropics and Antarctica.
The authors emphasize the need for radical reductions in CO2 emissions to prevent catastrophic climate change, highlighting its impact on global health and human well-being. They advocate for a low-carbon diet, clean power, and sustainable agriculture to achieve a healthier and more equal society.
The Arctic ecosystem is experiencing rapid changes due to global warming, impacting natural resources, food production, and climate temperature. Many original species are being displaced by migrants from southern areas, leading to concerns about the long-term survival of vulnerable species such as Arctic foxes and ivory gulls.
Plant scientists at the University of Montreal have discovered a key mechanism that enables plants to prevent dangerous gene alterations, ensuring their survival. This finding has implications for understanding gene repair mechanisms in humans and preventing devastating diseases.
The Benthic Rover, a robotic explorer, is revolutionizing our understanding of life on the deep seafloor. By measuring oxygen consumption and studying sediment communities, scientists can better comprehend how organisms find food in low-nutrient environments.
A new study reconstructs Arctic summer temperatures over 1,600 years, showing that recent warming is more anomalous than previously documented. The study agrees with climate models and indicates that the Arctic's sensitivity to climate change will continue into the next century.
A team of researchers found that glaciers in the region advanced due to cooler temperatures created by increased cloud cover and reduced evaporation. The study provides valuable insights into how glaciers respond to climate change, enabling better forecasting of water supply changes in the coming decades.
Tropical lizards detect effects of global warming in climate change research, highlighting threat to species and ecosystems, and human health. The loss of predators due to global warming disrupts natural biodiversity, leading to irreversible long-term consequences.
The Lancet South Africa series proposes three strategies to address public sector workforce needs, affordable national health insurance, and competent leadership. The authors also discuss the decline in clinical research activity and capacity, as well as health inequities in South Africa, highlighting the need for jobs and cooperation ...
A study predicts that US crop yields could decrease by 30-46% over the next century under slow global warming scenarios and by 63-82% under rapid scenarios. Crop yields are most vulnerable to temperatures above 29-32 degrees Celsius, depending on the crop.
A new study found that climate change could exacerbate poverty in developing countries, with urban workers facing the greatest vulnerability. The study used data from 16 countries to analyze the impact of extreme weather events on food prices and agricultural productivity.
A new study predicts that climate volatility will deepen poverty vulnerability in developing countries, particularly among the urban poor. The research, published in Environmental Research Letters, uses a new methodology to understand and predict the effects of climate change on food prices and wages in vulnerable countries.
The APA task force identified numerous psychological barriers to climate change action, including lack of urgency and behavioral feedback. To overcome these barriers, the task force recommends using financial incentives, environmental regulations, and energy-efficient technology to spur people into action.
Year 10 students from Hadden Park High School in Nottingham are using advanced GPS technology to map fragments of heathland at Sherwood Pines Forest Park. The project aims to raise awareness of heathland and develop habitat corridors to protect species affected by climate change.
The NCAR-IDB partnership aims to assess climate risks and develop response plans in Latin America and the Caribbean. Trained scientists will predict climate change impacts and help governments develop strategies to protect society.
A new study by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution researchers predicts a 10-25% decline in US mollusk sales, worth $75-$187 million annually, and $1.4 billion by 2060. This decline could lead to economic hardships for fishing communities.
The new report emphasizes the urgent need for climate action, citing the Southwest as a region particularly susceptible to the effects of global warming. Rising temperatures and water scarcity are projected to exacerbate issues like wildfires, invasive species, and flooding, threatening agriculture, recreation, and urban areas.
Researchers analyzed fossil teeth from two sites in Florida representing different climates and found dramatic changes in mammalian diets during interglacial periods. The study suggests that climate-driven environmental changes can lead to shifts in animal groups' dietary niches, complicating future modeling of mammal distributions.
The Inuit community faces significant threats from climate change, including rising sea levels and permafrost thaw. A new study calls for urgent support to help these communities adapt, with a proposed 'vulnerable people's adaptation fund' that requires global state actors' involvement.
A new study examines how past Caribbean communities coped with rising sea levels, crop failures, and extreme weather. Researchers found that people adapted by building houses on stilts, diversifying food production, and relocating to cave complexes during hurricanes.
Researchers discovered that sweltering summers in the southeastern US can lead to a cooling haze due to the mixing of manmade pollutants with natural compounds from forests and vegetation. This effect was found to be significant enough to outpace carbon dioxide emissions' warming effects by 2-to-1.
The Lancet report warns that climate change will exacerbate traditional diseases like malaria and dengue fever, as well as heat-related mortality. The authors propose three action points: emphasizing the health threat, focusing on health systems, and developing win-win solutions for mitigation and adaptation.
A new project aims to design advanced global models of aerosols, addressing uncertainty in climate change predictions. The study will quantify the levels of uncertainty of each process leading to aerosol production.
A warmer, wetter climate poses a significant threat to Lake Baikal's biodiversity, with declining ice cover affecting iconic diatoms at the base of the food web. Stepped-up monitoring and international action are necessary to mitigate the impact of climate change on this unique ecosystem.
A new study finds that changes in vegetation can have a profound impact on fire occurrences, often overriding the effects of climate change. The research suggests that vegetation can alter the direct link between fuels and climate.
A new report reveals that fire influences global warming more than previously thought, with human-caused fires contributing significantly to the greenhouse effect. The study estimates that deforestation due to burning by humans releases an amount of carbon dioxide equal to 50% of fossil fuel combustion.
A new study found that changes in vegetation can override climate change effects on wildfire frequency. Plant types and abundance play a significant role in determining an ecosystem's flammability. In some cases, vegetation changes were more influential than climate shifts, leading to fewer fires.
The Indigenous Peoples' Global Summit on Climate Change brings together 400 delegates from 80 nations to discuss traditional knowledge and its role in mitigating and adapting to climate change. The summit aims to strengthen communities' participation in climate negotiations and promote their inclusion in a post-Kyoto regime.
Scientists found that temperatures alone can kill drought-stressed piñon pine trees 28% faster, leading to 5 times more frequent die-offs. Carbon starvation is the primary mechanism behind tree mortality, and understanding this relationship is key to predicting future patterns.
A mathematical algorithm has been devised to address population relocation due to climate change, taking into account various costs and planning priorities. The multi-objective optimization approach aims to ensure fair and economically viable relocation decisions.
A new theory suggests that massive emissions of halogenated gases from giant salt lakes at the end of the Permian Age contributed to the world's largest mass extinction. The researchers calculated that these emissions could have caused catastrophic effects on vegetation, leading to irreparable damage.
A new study reveals that climate change is drastically reducing daddy long legs populations, which in turn affects the food supply of upland birds such as golden plovers. The drop in cranefly larvae can lead to starvation and death for many chicks.
A new study reveals that dust storms and volcanic eruptions have a significant impact on the Atlantic Ocean's temperature. The researchers used satellite data and climate models to find that changes in African dust storm and tropical volcano activity account for about two-thirds of the upward trend in recent decades.
Research suggests that global warming will worsen health problems like heat-related mortality and diarrheal diseases due to climate change. The US needs an estimated $200 million in annual funding to study these impacts and develop protective measures.
Scientists have found that rising CO2 levels can stimulate plant productivity and increase marsh surface elevation, potentially increasing the capacity of coastal wetlands to tolerate relative rises in sea level. However, this effect may be short-lived as increased CO2 levels continue to accelerate global warming and sea-level rise.
Citizen scientists transcribe historical bird records into scientific database for better understanding of climate change effects on bird populations. The USGS North American Bird Phenology Program aims to unravel the impact of global warming on bird behavior and migration patterns.
A recent MIT economic analysis reveals that a 1 degree Celsius rise in temperature reduces economic growth by an average of 1.1 percentage points in poor countries, but has no measurable effect in rich countries. Higher temperatures also reduce investment and innovation in poor nations.
A new decade-long database of aerosol measurements over land has been compiled, revealing a global decline in clear sky visibility from 1973 to 2007. This trend is indicative of increases in airborne pollution and its impact on climate change research.
Researchers found phytoplankton levels decreasing in northern part of peninsula and increasing in southern part over past 30 years. This shift may contribute to decline of penguin populations.
Research shows that higher CO2 concentrations in freshwater micro-algae lead to a reduction in their nutritional value, affecting the small animals that eat them. This can have detrimental effects on the entire underwater food chain, influencing ecosystems and potentially leading to changes in aquatic species distribution.
A recent experiment studying the effects of ultraviolet radiation on liverwort asexual propagules found that students successfully formulated and tested hypotheses about UV impact. The study aims to understand how bryophytes develop protection mechanisms against UVR, which can inform crop resilience.
The Amazon Rainforest's drought sensitivity is a growing concern due to climate change, threatening both nature and people. The study reveals that increasing drought can cause irreparable damage to the jungle and its carbon-sequestration abilities.
The USA-NPN is launching a new national program to track the effects of climate change on seasonal changes in plant and animal behavior. Scientists will use volunteer observations to monitor life cycles of nearly 200 species of plants, predicting wildfires, pollen production, droughts and assessing ecosystem vulnerability.
Research finds that tropical forest lizards are less tolerant of high temperatures than their relatives at higher latitudes. A temperature change of just a few degrees can significantly reduce their physical performance, making them more vulnerable to extinction. The study's lead author warns that the same concerns apply to other ectot...
A new indicator shows climate change is affecting many bird species in Europe, with some benefiting and others declining. The study found that 75% of the species studied are projected to decline due to climate change.
Researchers at Cardiff University found evidence of a global ocean circulation 'seesaw' that linked abrupt temperature changes in the North Atlantic to rapid cooling in the Southern Ocean, with implications for our understanding of climate change's effects on a global scale.
A massive 'red tide' bloom caused seabirds to lose their waterproof insulation, leading to hypothermia and starvation. Researchers found a surfactant in the foam that stripped the birds' feathers of their natural oils.
An analysis of European cities found that higher temperatures lead to a significant increase in respiratory-related hospitalizations. For every degree increase above 90% of the maximum apparent temperature, there was a four percent average increase in respiratory-related hospitalizations, especially among the elderly.
Researchers highlight successes in managing fish stocks and protecting Pacific coral reefs from climate change impacts. These efforts may offer a temporary reprieve, but prioritizing biodiversity protection is crucial.
A University of Alberta biologist is sounding the alarm on Canada's neglect of crucial research on climate change's effects on its lakes, reservoirs, and carbon cycles. Studies reveal that lake water levels are depleting at a rate of less than one percent per year, posing a significant threat to emergency water supplies.
Researchers find 93 plant species are moving their flowering ranges to higher elevations due to rising summer temperatures. The study, which spanned 20 years, reveals some plants flowered farther uphill while others stopped at lower elevations.
A dramatic rise in sea level occurred about 400,000 years ago, exceeding 21 meters above current levels. This finding has significant implications for understanding the impact of future climate change on coastal ecosystems and biodiversity.
A new study identifies 33 countries that will suffer most from climate change's impact on fisheries, including those in Africa, Asia, and South America. These nations face unprecedented hardship due to their high dependency on fish as a source of protein and income.
A new model predicts climate change and human water storage behavior will accelerate the spread of the disease-bearing Aedes aegypti mosquito. The study highlights the importance of water hygiene education to prevent mosquito establishment in areas where they are currently not found.
Climate change and mosquito adaptation could lead to the expansion of dengue fever vectors in Australia, increasing disease transmission risk. The researchers' Niche Mapper software predicts suitable habitats for the mosquitoes will increase across the continent by 2050.
Researchers at the University of East Anglia evaluated 12 geoengineering schemes and found that stratospheric aerosol injections and sunshades in space have the greatest potential to cool the climate. However, these schemes also carry significant risks.
A recent study suggests that Neanderthals went extinct due to competition with Cro-Magnon populations. The researchers used a predictive method to analyze the distribution of archaeological sites and reconstructed climatic conditions during this period.
A new US government report suggests that abrupt climate changes could occur within decades, with rapid sea level rise and severe droughts predicted. The report synthesizes the latest evidence on four specific threats for the 21st century, including melting of polar ice sheets and acceleration of seaward flow.
Future increases in wind strength along the California coast may lead to more intense upwelling of cold water, potentially causing a larger 'dead zone' off the Oregon coast. Stronger winds could also create hazardous fire conditions in Southern California.
A new study by Cardiff University found that climate change is hindering the long-term recovery of rivers from the effects of acid rain. The research, which took place over a 25-year period, showed that up to 40% of improvements made in reducing acid rain have been canceled out due to climatic effects.