Research
Would a CCS leak be as damaging as the BP Gulf of Mexico oil disaster?
Carbon Capture and Storage still remains on the of the most viable technologies to aid climate change mitigation, but what would be the impacts of a CO2 leakage in the world’s oceans?
Climate change could cause Leatherback turtle populations in Costa Rica to collapse by 2100
Eastern Pacific populations of Leatherback turtles could drop 75% by the end of the century as a result of climate change, according to a study published in Nature Climate Change.
South Australia to get “hotter and drier” from climate change, warns report
New report warns urgent adaptation is needed for local communities in South Australia to deal with hotter and drier conditions from climate change.
Rio+20: The underwater lab that could unlock the secrets of the ocean
A 58m sub-sea laboratory could drastically increase the length of time that scientists can observe the oceans.
World leaders must avoid empty ocean commitments at Rio+20, say researchers
New research ahead of the Rio+20 summit on sustainable development has found that commitments made over the last 20 years to protect fisheries have had little success.
Rio+20 Business Focus: Putting sustainability at the heart of Belgium’s Antarctica base
Brigit Fremault and Alain Hubert explain how the Princess Elisabeth Antarctica research base sustainability measures help scientists to study with minimal environmental impact.
Ocean warming a largely man-made phenomena, say researchers
New research finds that the warming of ocean temperatures over the last 50 years has been largely due to man-made greenhouse gases.
UNEP & REN21: 2011 saw record growth for renewable technologies
Two new reports find 2011 was a record year for both capacity growth and investment in renewable technologies, with a record investment of $257 billion.
Arctic ice melt sets stage for severe winters in US and Europe
New research warns that Arctic ice melt from climate change could increase the risk of severe winter weather in the US and Europe.
Scientists urge population rethink ahead of Rio+20
New study which warns the world is dangerously close to planet-wide tipping point calls for population to be drastically lowered, and for people to be forced to be materially poorer.
Climate change chaos for cold-blooded animals
As climate change worsens, a new study predicts cold-blooded animals will have a more chaotic and less predictable response than fish when it comes to redistribution.
Cultural beliefs split climate views not science
New study finds that science literacy comes second to cultural beliefs when adopting views on climate change.
Governments extending “emissions gap” between climate policy and 2°C target
Countries still falling short of 2020 climate change commitments according to new research.
Marine reserves in Australia help sustain fisheries
New research examining marine reserves on the Great Barrier Reef use DNA evidence to discover how far they go in helping to sustain fisheries.
Coastal seagrass could store more CO2 than forests
New research in Nature Geoscience, find that coastal seagrass has the potential to be vital carbon sinks and therefore part of the solution to climate change.
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.
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.
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.