The Elephant
The climate change and environmental emergency: a comprehensive resource for journalists, politicians, policy makers, activists and citizens
The ElephantThe climate change and environmental emergency: a comprehensive resource for journalists, politicians, policy makers, activists and citizens
Visit: theconversation.com
These colourful diagrams show how air quality has changed in over 100 countries around the world since 1850
2024-08-23 by in The ConversationScientists have designed a powerful visual tool to make the invisible threat of air pollution more visible.
The overshoot myth: you can’t keep burning fossil fuels and expect scientists of the future to get us back to 1.5°C
2024-08-20 by in The ConversationThe net zero approach of the Paris agreement has become detached from reality as it increasingly relies on science fiction levels of speculative technology.
We pumped extra CO₂ into an oak forest and discovered trees will be ‘woodier’ in future
2024-08-13 by in The ConversationBut this is no long-term solution for storing carbon.
Wildfires don’t just burn farmland − they can contaminate the water farmers use to irrigate crops and support livestock
2024-08-13 by in The ConversationJust like fires can contaminate municipal water systems by melting pipes, farms’ and ranches’ water supply systems are at risk. A first-of-its-kind study after the Maui fires explores the harms.
Industry push to earn carbon credits from Australia’s native forests would be a blow for nature and the climate
2024-08-12 by in The ConversationAustralia cannot risk any further declines in its biodiversity resulting from harvesting native forests, or actions that bring further risks to its emissions-reduction goal.
Tagged under: Carbon Offsetting | Trees | Forests | Australia
Mexico’s planned glyphosate ban helped show how agroecology can lead the way forward
2024-07-10 by in The ConversationMexico waffles on glyphosate ban but support for Agroecology stays strong.
Nuclear power makes no sense for Australia – but it’s a useful diversion from real climate action
2024-05-05 by in The ConversationInsisting nuclear power is the only way for Australia to achieve net zero by 2050 is a classic move from the playbook of those who oppose urgent action on climate change.
Tagged under: Nuclear Power
More than coral: the unseen casualties of record-breaking heat on the Great Barrier Reef
2024-04-22 by in The ConversationBleached coral draws our attention, but marine heat does damage to many unseen parts of these ecosystems.
Feeling depleted? So is the planet. Here’s how to move from exhaustion to empowerment
2024-04-08 by in The ConversationA new book, The Exhausted Earth, outlines how capitalism leads to burnout - for people and planet. But regenerative solutions are possible if people focus on interconnectedness, not isolation.
Tagged under: Capitalism
100,000 years and counting: how do we tell future generations about highly radioactive nuclear waste repositories?
2024-03-18 by in The ConversationSpent nuclear fuel remains dangerous for so long that languages can disappear and humanity’s very existence cannot be guaranteed. So how do we communicate information about repositories into the future?
Tagged under: Nuclear Power
Surviving fishing gear entanglement isn’t enough for endangered right whales – females still don’t breed afterward
2024-03-13 by in The ConversationEven when female North Atlantic right whales survive entanglement in fishing gear, it may affect their future ability to breed, increasing the pressure on this critically endangered species.
Tagged under: Fish
The next pandemic? It’s already here for Earth’s wildlife
2024-03-11 by in The ConversationBird flu is decimating species already threatened by climate change and habitat loss.
The Great Barrier Reef’s latest bout of bleaching is the fifth in eight summers – the corals now have almost no reprieve
2024-03-09 by in The ConversationThe Great Barrier Reef is facing its worst summer of sustained heat stress since the mass bleaching event of 1998, but now with less time to recover amid repeated brutal conditions.
Mass extinction: our fossil study reveals which types of species are most at risk from climate change
2024-03-08 by in The ConversationIf the climate warms by more than 7 degrees, the likelihood of extinction for a species increases, regardless of its other traits.
Tagged under: Extinction
Climate change is warping the seasons
2024-03-06 by in The ConversationA new series will investigate what’s happening to nature’s calendar.
Tagged under: Insects | Wildlife | Agriculture | Climate Change | Climate Change Impacts
Not such a bright idea: cooling the Earth by reflecting sunlight back to space is a dangerous distraction
2024-02-29 by in The ConversationA UN meeting this week considered a motion on a suite of technologies known as ‘solar radiation modification’, but no consensus could be reached on the controversial topic.
Tagged under: Regulation | United Nations | Geoengineering
Climate change: alarming Africa-wide report predicts 30% drop in crop revenue, 50 million without water
2024-02-28 by in The ConversationA new study reveals that from 2050, Africa will suffer from food and water scarcity, and a massive loss of jobs in agriculture, unless climate change mitigation measures are put in place now.
Tagged under: Climate Change Mitigation | Africa
A single Antarctic heatwave or storm can noticeably raise the sea level
2024-02-20 by in The ConversationTo narrow our predictions of global sea level rise, we need to know more about these sudden ‘non-linear’ changes to ice sheets.
Tagged under: Sea Level | Antarctic
New ecosystems, unprecedented climates: more Australian species than ever are struggling to survive
2024-02-19 by in The ConversationWe’ve brought some species back from the brink – but more and more are being threatened. Here’s why
Tagged under: Wildlife | Climate Change Impacts | Australia
Atlantic Ocean is headed for a tipping point − once melting glaciers shut down the Gulf Stream, we would see extreme climate change within decades, study shows
2024-02-09 by in The ConversationScientists now have a better understanding of the risks ahead and a new early warning signal to watch for.
Tagged under: Oceans | Tipping Points
Climate change: university researchers feel powerless to take action – survey
2024-01-30 by in The ConversationSome study the crisis, but all are worried – and frustrated.
Tagged under: Climate Change | Science | Activism
Military interests are pushing new nuclear power – and the UK government has finally admitted it
2024-01-18 by in The ConversationCivil nuclear energy maintains the skills and supply chains needed for nuclear subs and weapons.
Tagged under: Nuclear Power
Dangerous chemicals found in recycled plastics, making them unsafe for use – experts explain the hazards
2024-01-16 by in The ConversationRecycled plastics are not safe if the chemicals used in creating them in the first place are harmful.
Canadian scientists are still being muzzled, and that risks undermining climate policy
2023-12-13 by in The ConversationIf scientists cannot freely conduct and communicate their work, the gap between evidence and policy widens, and that means Canada gets less effective laws and policies.
The disagreement between two climate scientists that will decide our future
2023-12-08 by in The ConversationIs reaching net zero emissions by 2050 enough to halt warming? One leading scientist says no.
Tagged under: Net Zero
Climate tipping points are nearer than you think – our new report warns of catastrophic risk
2023-12-06 by in The ConversationCoral reefs are already being lost, and four other vital climate systems may tip soon.
Tagged under: Collapse | Coral Reefs | Tipping Points
Climate complacency: study finds even the most informed people would rather take the easy option
2023-11-17 by in The ConversationEveryone surveyed opted for the least impactful climate actions, regardless of their level of knowledge or worries.
Extreme weather is outpacing even the worst-case scenarios of our forecasting models
2023-10-30 by in The ConversationA deadly hurricane developed in just 12 hours.
Slow solutions to fast-moving ecological crises won’t work – changing basic human behaviours must come first
2023-10-18 by in The ConversationEcological overshoot is driven by human consumption and a belief in endless economic growth. Could the marketing and media industries that feed those habits also help change them?
Tagged under: Economics | Economic Growth
Western sanctions haven't curbed Russian oil profits, but the green energy transition could
2023-10-13 by in The ConversationAn initial squeeze on demand for Russian oil due to western sanctions was temporary but the country’s oil industry might have bigger problems.
Tagged under: Russia
Climate change could lead to food-related civil unrest in UK within 50 years, say experts
2023-10-12 by in The ConversationOur study shows the UK must prepare for, and respond to, the risks associated with future food shortages.
Lough Neagh: UK and Ireland's largest lake is being suffocated by business and agricultural interests
2023-10-09 by in The ConversationThe largest lake in the UK and Ireland has been blighted by toxic blue-green algae.
Have some economists severely underestimated the financial hit from climate change? Recent evidence suggests yes
2023-10-03 by in The ConversationWhen economists model climate impacts, they look to what past weather shocks have done to the economy. But this does not remotely capture what climate change could do.
Tagged under: Economics | Climate Change Impacts | Carbon Capture and Storage
Sunak should be wary of backtracking on net zero – what history tells us about flip-flopping on the environment
2023-09-20 by in The ConversationRishi Sunak has delayed some of the UK’s key net zero targets – a look back at history may explain why.
Tagged under: Rishi Sunak | Net Zero
On hot days, up to 87% of heat gain in our homes is through windows. On cold days, it's 40% of heat loss. Here's how we can fix that
2023-09-06 by in The ConversationCompared to roughly 80% in the US, UK and NZ, only 11% of Australian homes have high-performance windows. Installing them can transform a household’s comfort, energy use and emissions.
Critics of ‘degrowth’ economics say it’s unworkable – but from an ecologist's perspective, it’s inevitable
2023-08-16 by in The ConversationAccess to fossil fuels allowed humanity to overshoot Earth’s biophysical limits. The crises we now face are all symptoms of this overshoot, and the only fix is to cut our demands on the biosphere.
Tagged under: Degrowth | Economics | Fossil Fuels
Rising methane could be a sign that Earth's climate is part-way through a 'termination-level transition'
2023-08-14 by in The ConversationThe last time methane in the air rose so fast, Greenland warmed by 10°C within decades.
Tagged under: Methane
Protecting boreal plant species is a critical part of reconciliation efforts
2023-08-10 by in The ConversationSome boreal plant species are classified — and treated — as weeds, affecting Indigenous communities’ access to important cultural, medicinal and ceremonial resources.
'Australia is sleepwalking': a bushfire scientist explains what the Hawaii tragedy means for our flammable continent
2023-08-10 by in The ConversationAs I hear reports of the fire tearing through Maui, I feel utterly depressed. As a fire scientist, I know the unfolding horror is just the beginning in our warmer world.
Net zero: direct costs of climate policies aren't a major barrier to public support, research reveals
2023-08-03 by in The ConversationReneging on climate commitments indicates the UK government’s misreading of public attitudes.
Tagged under: Net Zero
We asked the British public what they really think about net zero – here's what we found
2023-08-02 by in The ConversationResearch found people were not confident about the government’s leadership in meeting net zero.
Tagged under: Net Zero
Science shows the severe climate consequences of new fossil fuel extraction
2023-08-02 by in The ConversationMore than a century of research shows that burning fossil fuels warms the climate – that’s exactly why granting new North Sea oil and gas licenses is a bad idea.
Tagged under: Fossil Fuels
We've discovered how diamonds make their way to the surface and it may tell us where to find them
2023-07-26 by in The ConversationScientists were not previously certain how the precious stones arrived at the Earth’s surface.
The climate crisis leaves students feeling helpless – what universities can do to empower them
2023-07-24 by in The ConversationGetting involved in collaborative projects can help students feel they can make a difference.
Science activism is surging – which marks a culture shift among scientists
2023-07-06 by in The ConversationPolitical mobilization among scientists has been growing in recent years. Two social scientists break down what this looks like and how it represents a culture shift among the scientific community.
Tagged under: Activism
Global average sea and air temperatures are spiking in 2023, before El Niño has fully arrived. We should be very concerned
2023-06-20 by in The ConversationOver the past three years, Earth’s climate system has accumulated an average of 11 Hiroshima bombs’ worth of excess energy per second. And it’s showing in the current surge in ocean temperature.
Tagged under: Oceans | El Niño
'We are gambling with the future of our planet for the sake of hamburgers': Peter Singer on climate change
2023-06-14 by in The ConversationWhen Peter Singer first published Animal Liberation in 1975, he wasn’t aware of climate change. But the new book, Animal Liberation Now, argues eating plants will reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Tagged under: Climate Change
Antarctic tipping points: the irreversible changes to come if we fail to keep warming below 2℃
2023-06-13 by in The ConversationWe are on a trajectory that takes Earth across thresholds humans have never experienced, into a climate where Antarctica’s ice shelves can no longer exist, leading to several metres of sea-level rise.
Tagged under: Climate Change | Antarctic | Sea Level | Tipping Points
Energy generators' soaring revenues highlight deep problems in the way Britain prices its electricity
2023-06-07 by in The ConversationBritish electricity generators saw their revenues increase by £29 billion in 2022 – here’s why that happened.
Tagged under: Electricity
Current emissions targets could keep the planet below a 2°C temperature rise but a turbocharged effort is needed
2023-06-07 by in The ConversationStudy suggests that current national climate commitments could be enough to stabilise global warming within the century. But mitigation action needs to be turbocharged.
Tagged under: Climate Change Mitigation
Europe has lost over half a billion birds in 40 years. The single biggest cause? Pesticides and fertilisers
2023-06-01 by in The ConversationInsect-eating birds such as swifts and yellow wagtails are particularly vulnerable.
Tagged under: Insects
It's not just climate – we've already breached most of the Earth's limits. A safer, fairer future means treading lightly
2023-05-31 by in The ConversationWe’ve blown past the safe and just limit for vital Earth systems, from climate change to the biosphere and the use of fertilisers and freshwater. For humans to thrive means living in safe limits
Tagged under: Climate Change
Why 40°C is bearable in a desert but lethal in the tropics
2023-05-31 by in The ConversationA heatwave isn’t just about the temperature.
Earth's energy budget is not in balance. Should we be concerned?
2023-05-30 by in The ConversationAn expert in atmospheric science sheds light on Earth’s energy imbalance and its consequences for humankind.
Tagged under: Earth Energy Imbalance
Antarctic alarm bells: observations reveal deep ocean currents are slowing earlier than predicted
2023-05-25 by in The ConversationScientists have detected a 30% slowdown of the deep ocean currents that form in Antarctica, with profound consequences for Earth’s climate, sea level and marine life.
Tagged under: Oceans | Predictions | Antarctic | Sea Level
Degrowth isn't the same as a recession – it's an alternative to growing the economy forever
2023-05-23 by in The ConversationNot only is degrowth is not the same as negative GDP growth, it is actually better for the planet.
Tagged under: Economics | Degrowth | Economic Growth
'Regenerative agriculture' is all the rage – but it's not going to fix our food system
2023-05-09 by in The ConversationWe know industrial farming needs to change. But regenerative agriculture may not be the transformation our global food system needs.
Tagged under: Farming
Two trillion tonnes of greenhouse gases, 25 billion nukes of heat: are we pushing Earth out of the Goldilocks zone?
2023-05-02 by in The ConversationLife relies on a fine balance between energy in and energy out. But heating the world 1.2℃ means we’ve trapped an extraordinary amount of extra energy in the Earth system.
An epic global study of moss reveals it is far more vital to Earth's ecosystems than we knew
2023-05-01 by in The ConversationData from 123 sites across all continents, including Antarctica, show mosses affect all major soil functions critical for sustaining life on Earth.
Tagged under: Antarctic
Replacing methane with hydrogen to heat homes is a bad idea – here’s why
2023-04-26 by in The ConversationThe government is considering blending hydrogen into the UK gas network.
Tagged under: Methane
Climate change: multi-country media analysis shows scepticism of the basic science is dying out
2023-04-18 by in The ConversationWe watched 30 news programmes in five countries to see how they covered an IPCC report.
Tagged under: IPCC | Climate Change
Why more and more Americans are painting their lawns
2023-04-11 by in The ConversationThe ideal of perfect turf – a weed-free, supergreen monoculture – is a relatively recent phenomenon.
The untapped power of ocean winds – why New Zealand is looking offshore for future renewable energy
2023-04-06 by in The ConversationBuilding offshore wind farms is complex and expensive. But with plenty of wind coming in from the sea, New Zealand could harness the renewable resource as it aims to decarbonise the energy sector.
Tagged under: Renewable Energy | Oceans | Wind Power
Countries agreed to ban ozone-depleting chemicals in the 1980s – but we found five CFCs increasing to record levels in the atmosphere
2023-04-03 by in The ConversationChlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are also potent greenhouse gases which contribute to climate change.
Tagged under: Climate Change
Companies that frack for oil and gas can keep a lot of information secret – but what they disclose shows widespread use of hazardous chemicals
2023-04-03 by in The ConversationFracking for oil and gas uses millions of pounds of chemicals, some of which are toxic or carcinogenic. Two researchers summarize what companies have disclosed and call for more transparency.
Tagged under: Fracking
Why a serious climate strategy is almost impossible in the UK's current political system
2023-03-30 by in The ConversationThe country is missing a strong and strategic coalition of pro-climate interest groups, says research.
Torrents of Antarctic meltwater are slowing the currents that drive our vital ocean 'overturning' – and threaten its collapse
2023-03-29 by in The ConversationIn a plot reminiscent of the 2004 movie The Day After Tomorrow?, Australian scientists are warning that the Southern Ocean’s deep “overturning” circulation is slowing and headed for collapse.
Tagged under: Oceans | Antarctic | Collapse
Is ‘climate anxiety’ a clinical diagnosis? Should it be?
2023-03-28 by in The ConversationIs ‘climate anxiety’ a reasonable response to impending environmental catastrophe? Or a problem to see a mental health professional about?
A tonne of fossil carbon isn't the same as a tonne of new trees: why offsets can't save us
2023-03-09 by in The ConversationLabor must resist the false promise of carbon offsets in its safeguard mechanism. The only thing that matters is actually cutting emissions
Tagged under: Trees
Economic growth is fuelling climate change – a new book proposes 'degrowth communism' as the solution
2023-03-03 by in The ConversationWhat does Karl Marx have to say about climate change? Quite a lot, according to a new book.
Tagged under: Economics | Climate Change | Degrowth | Economic Growth
Extinction Rebellion says 'we quit' – why radical eco-activism has a short shelf life
2023-01-06 by in The ConversationSuch groups rarely last more than a few years.
Tagged under: Extinction Rebellion | Activism
Cumbria coal mine: how to understand local support for the new pit
2022-12-15 by in The ConversationLocal people describe a purposeful past in this former mining community – and a bleak future.
Tagged under: Coal
Africa has vast gas reserves – here’s how to stop them adding to climate change
2022-11-15 by in The ConversationDeveloped nations threaten to consume more than their fair share of Earth’s dwindling carbon budget.
Tagged under: Climate Change | Africa
Global carbon emissions at record levels with no signs of shrinking, new data shows. Humanity has a monumental task ahead
2022-11-11 by in The ConversationAt current levels of emissions, there is a 50% chance the planet will reach the 1.5℃ global average temperature rise in just nine years.
Public order bill: new law is designed to stop climate protests – but it could actually give activists a legal tool
2022-10-31 by in The ConversationA legal expert explains how climate activists could use the government’s own legislation to their advantage.
Tagged under: Activism | Legislation
Glaciers in the Alps are melting faster than ever – and 2022 was their worst summer yet
2022-10-18 by in The ConversationSwitzerland’s glaciers just lost 6% of their ice in a single year.
Tagged under: Ice Melting
America's summer of floods: What cities can learn from today's climate crises to prepare for tomorrow's
2022-08-25 by in The ConversationFlood risks are rising as the climate warms. The risks are complex, as a levee or new roadway in one place can worsen flooding somewhere else.
Which diet will help save our planet: climatarian, flexitarian, vegetarian or vegan?
2022-08-12 by in The ConversationA climate-friendly diet is a relatively easy way to reduce your environmental impact.
Climate change: why we can't rely on regrowing coastal habitats to offset carbon emissions
2022-07-29 by in The Conversation‘Blue carbon’ habitats can store a lot of carbon – but not reliably enough to offset emissions.
Tagged under: Climate Change
Australia has a once in a lifetime opportunity to break the stranglehold fossil fuels have on our politics
2022-06-20 by in The ConversationAustralia needs an honest reckoning with the fossil fuel industry’s decades-long hold over Australian politics. Without that, we cannot shift to a principled stand against ceaseless expansion.
Tagged under: Fossil Fuels
How climate change, overfishing and COVID drove irregular migration from West Africa
2022-06-16 by in The ConversationThe influx of migrants from West Africa must be viewed as a manifestation of problems in the countries of origin.
Tagged under: Climate Change | Africa
Climate breakdown: even if we miss the 1.5°C target we must still fight to prevent every single increment of warming
2022-05-11 by in The ConversationEvery tenth of a degree makes climate change significantly worse.
Tagged under: Climate Change
Tigray in Ethiopia was an environmental success story – but the war is undoing decades of regreening
2022-04-30 (or before) by in The ConversationWe used satellite imagery to track the decline of vegetation since the civil war began.
12 best ways to get cars out of cities – ranked by new research
2022-04-14 by in The ConversationA new study finds congestion charging and creating car-free streets and separated bike lanes have been most effective at reducing car use in European cities.
Tagged under: Cars
Climate change is warping our fresh water cycle – and much faster than we thought
2022-03-17 (or before) by in The ConversationDry regions will get drier and wet regions wetter as the climate changes. How quickly? Quicker than we thought, unfortunately.
Tagged under: Climate Change
How a humble mushroom could save forests and fight climate change
2022-02-08 (or before) by in The ConversationInoculating trees with an edible fungi can produce more protein per hectare than pasture-raised beef, while reforesting, storing carbon and restoring biodiversity.
Tagged under: Climate Change | Cattle and Dairy Farming | Trees
Safe havens for coral reefs will be almost non-existent at 1.5°C of global warming – new study
2022-02-01 (or before) by in The ConversationMarine heatwaves will happen so often that reefs will struggle to weather successive bleaching events.
Tagged under: Heatwaves | Coral Reefs
Why a more equal world would be easier to decarbonise
2022-01-15 (or before) by in The ConversationDemand would shift from luxuries to necessities.
Climate explained: what the world was like the last time carbon dioxide levels were at 400ppm
2022-01-14 (or before) by in The ConversationThe last time global carbon dioxide levels were around 400ppm was four million years ago. On average, the world was 3℃ warmer, but in high northern latitudes, it was up to 14℃ warmer than today.
Meat and dairy gobble up farming subsidies worldwide, which is bad for your health and the planet
2022-01-12 (or before) by in The ConversationVegetables, fruits and legumes are nutritious and sustainable – but subsidies overwhelmingly neglect them.
Tagged under: Farming | Cattle and Dairy Farming | Health
Masking and unmasking of global warming by aerosols
2021-11-21 (or before) by in The ConversationClimate scientists have established a convincing case for the link between increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases and observed warming of the Earth since the 19th century. The Fifth Assessment Report…
Tagged under: Greenhouse Gases
What Big Oil knew about climate change, in its own words
2021-11-19 (or before) by in The ConversationTranscripts and internal documents show how the industry shifted from leading research into fossil fuels’ effect on the climate to sowing doubt about science.
Tagged under: Climate Change | Fossil Fuels
Degrowth: why some economists think abandoning growth is the only way to save the planet – podcast
2021-10-30 (or before) by in The ConversationWe talk to three experts who argue we governments need to find alternatives for their dependence on economic growth. Listen to episode 39 of The Conversation Weekly.
Tagged under: Economics | Degrowth | Economic Growth
Young climate activists have far more power than they realise
2021-10-26 by in The ConversationRegardless of the outcomes of COP26, imaginations have already revolted.
Tagged under: COP26 | Activism
How to make climate action popular
2021-10-24 (or before) by in The ConversationWhat research shows is important to win support for bold decarbonisation measures.
Tagged under: Decarbonisation
Climate finance: rich countries aren't meeting aid targets – could legal action force them?
2021-10-07 (or before) by in The ConversationRich countries have promised to compensate poor ones for the impacts of climate change.
Tagged under: Climate Change | Climate Change Impacts | Finance
Most buildings were designed for an earlier climate – here's what will happen as global warming accelerates
2021-07-26 (or before) by in The ConversationStructures are built to withstand a normal range of conditions. But what’s ‘normal’ is changing rapidly.
Climate denial hasn't gone away – here's how to spot arguments for delaying climate action
2021-05-14 (or before) by in The ConversationNew research exposes the common tropes of bad faith arguments about climate change.
Tagged under: Climate Change
Climate scientists: concept of net zero is a dangerous trap
2021-04-27 (or before) by in The ConversationProminent academics, including a former IPCC chair, round on governments worldwide for using the concept of net zero emissions to ‘greenwash’ their lack of commitment to solving global warming.
'Existential threat to our survival': see the 19 Australian ecosystems already collapsing
2021-02-25 by in The ConversationIconic ecosystems, from coral reefs to Tasmania’s ancient forests, are collapsing across the continent and into Antarctica. It’s not too late to act — in fact, our lives depend on it.
Tagged under: Antarctic | Coral Reefs | Trees | Collapse
Private planes, mansions and superyachts: What gives billionaires like Musk and Abramovich such a massive carbon footprint
2021-02-25 (or before) by in The ConversationBillionaires have carbon footprints hundreds of times higher than the average American. Two scholars tried to put a number on it.
Solar panels in Sahara could boost renewable energy but damage the global climate – here's why
2021-02-14 (or before) by in The ConversationIn a bid to ditch fossil fuels, some countries are considering carpeting deserts with solar panels.
Tagged under: Renewable Energy | Solar Energy | Fossil Fuels
Mutant roots reveal how we can grow crops in damaged soils
2021-01-25 (or before) by in The ConversationResearchers have unearthed a ‘biological switch’ which could boost crop yield worldwide.
Climate change: what would 4°C of global warming feel like?
2021-01-15 by in The ConversationClimate models are likely underestimating the true severity of future warming in urban areas.
Tagged under: Climate Change
Green growth is trusted to fix climate change – here’s the problem with that
2021-01-03 (or before) in The ConversationTagged under: Climate Change
Net-zero carbon emissions won't be sustainable if social inequalities aren't addressed
2020-10-26 (or before) by in The ConversationThe effects of climate change and mitigation are not just unequal between countries but also within countries.
Tagged under: Climate Change | Net Zero | Climate Change Mitigation
Nobel prize-winning economics of climate change is misleading and dangerous – here's why
2020-09-09 by in The ConversationThis celebrated research gives governments a reason to give climate change a low priority, but is based on spurious empirical data.
Tagged under: Climate Change | Economics
Don't rush into a hydrogen economy until we know all the risks to our climate
2020-08-09 by in The ConversationHydrogen is hailed as a new clean fuel, but little attention has been paid to the potential environmental challenges presented by the energy shift.
Tagged under: Hydrogen
The number of climate deniers in Australia is more than double the global average, new survey finds
2020-06-16 (or before) by in The ConversationAustralia ranks third in the world in climate change deniers. It’s a bronze medal we don’t want.
Tagged under: Climate Change
The stark truth about UK government climate action: there is no one in charge
2020-03-12 (or before) by in The ConversationThe Committee on Climate Change criticises slow progress, but has little to say about how to reconfigure government to make climate action a priority.
Tagged under: Committee on Climate Change UK | UK Politics | UK | Climate Change
Climate change: focusing on how individuals can help is very convenient for corporations
2020-01-07 (or before) by in The ConversationFrom eating less meat to foregoing flying, individual obligations make up our understanding of how to fight climate change, letting polluters off the hook and stifling real change.
Tagged under: Climate Change
Would you stand up to an oppressive regime or would you conform? Here's the science
2020-01-02 (or before) by in The ConversationWe all like to think of ourselves as heroes. But according to science, the vast majority of us wouldn’t be prepared to rebel against totalitarian rulers.
Climate change will make fire storms more likely in southeastern Australia
2020-01-01 (or before) by in The ConversationExtreme fire risk will overlap with weather patterns to create fire tornadoes more often under climate change.
Tagged under: Extreme Weather | Climate Change
Climate change: yes, your individual action does make a difference
2019-12-30 (or before) by in The ConversationGlobal problems need global solutions. But what you do personally can shift what’s seen as ‘normal’.
Tagged under: Climate Change
Methane and the risk of runaway global warming
2019-12-10 (or before) by in The ConversationResearch was published this week showing the financial cost of methane being released from Earth’s permafrosts. But the risks go beyond financial - Earth’s history shows that releasing these stores could…
Tagged under: Global Warming | Methane
The five corrupt pillars of climate change denial
2019-11-28 by in The ConversationHow to identify and understand different types of denial: scientific, economic, humanitarian, political and crisis.
Tagged under: Climate Change
'4°C of global warming is optimal' – even Nobel Prize winners are getting things catastrophically wrong
2019-11-14 by in The ConversationWilliam Nordhaus’ predictions of what the climate crisis will cost the earth are dangerously at odds with climate science.
Tagged under: Predictions
Buried, altered, silenced: 4 ways government climate information has changed since Trump took office
2019-10-21 (or before) by in The ConversationDespite scientists’ initial concerns, federal climate change data sets are still available. But other documents and web pages have changed over the last year.
Tagged under: Donald Trump | Climate Change
Animals are disappearing from forests, with grave consequences for the fight against climate breakdown – new research
2019-10-14 by in The ConversationIn the absence of animals to help larger trees reproduce, forests are suffering.
Tagged under: Trees
There are three types of climate change denier, and most of us are at least one
2019-10-09 by in The ConversationIt’s easy to spot outright rejection of the facts on climate change. But it’s far harder to see our own biases and excuses that lead us to delay or deny the need for real action.
Tagged under: Climate Change
Climate change: 'We've created a civilisation hell bent on destroying itself – I'm terrified', writes Earth scientist
2019-06-03 (or before) by in The ConversationWhy radical changes to society are needed if we are to escape environmental disaster.
Tagged under: Climate Change
Britain has its first new deep coal mine in decades – a result of pretending climate change isn't political
2019-03-23 (or before) by in The ConversationCumbria council has approved the £165m Woodhouse colliery – and highlighted the failings of national climate policy.
Tagged under: Coal | Climate Change
School climate strikes: what next for the latest generation of activists?
2019-02-18 by in The ConversationFour pieces of advice for young people wanting to fight climate change.
Tagged under: Activism | Climate Change
Capitalism is killing the world’s wildlife populations, not ‘humanity’
2018-11-01 by in The ConversationThe WWF’s report avoids the C-word – here’s why that matters.
Tagged under: Wildlife | Capitalism
Wicked problems and how to solve them
2018-10-18 by in The ConversationEnergy-efficient water supply is a wicked problem – and we might have found a way to solve it.
Meet El Niño’s cranky uncle that could send global warming into hyperdrive
2017-02-05 by in The ConversationWe’re due to cop a hiding from the Pacific Ocean, but we don’t know when.
Tagged under: Pacific Ocean | El Niño | Oceans
The oceans are changing too fast for marine life to keep up
2015-10-13 by in The ConversationOver the past five years we’ve seen a significant increase in research on ocean acidification and warming seas, and their effect on marine life. Overall, unfortunately, the news is not good.
Tagged under: Oceans | Ocean Acidification
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