NOAA: February 2012 to January 2013 Warmest on Record
January was warmer and wetter than average in the contiguous United States, despite the persistent drought in the central U.S., the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Thursday. The average temperature in the lower 48 states reached 32.0 degrees Fahrenheit last month. At 1.6 degrees above the 20th century average, January 2013 ties… Read More
Obama: Will Act on Climate, With or Without Congress
President Barack Obama said Tuesday that he will use his executive powers to enact new policies to fight climate change if Congress does not address the issue. In his fourth State of the Union address to Congress, Obama linked climate change to recent extreme weather events to make his case. “For the sake of our children and our future, we… Read More
NASA to Launch New Earth-Observing Satellite
If the weather holds, NASA will launch its newest Earth-observing satellite from Vandenberg Air Force Base in southern California late Monday morning. An Atlas V rocket is scheduled to carry Landsat 8 into space just after 11 a.m. Pacific time. Once in orbit, the $855 million probe will begin capturing detailed images of Earth’s surface, adding to… Read More
Ongoing Coverage of Historic Drought in U.S.
After a warm and dry spring and a scorchingly hot start to the summer, the U.S. is in the grips of one of its top 10 worst drought events on record. The drought extends from Delaware to California, with the most intense drought conditions centered in the nation's heartland. Corn growers and ranchers have been hard-hit this year, prompting fears of … Read More
Science Groups Push Obama for Climate Change Summit
Six scientific and environmental societies asked the White House to hold a national summit on climate change. “We would like to offer the support and assistance of the thousands of scientists and other professionals who are members of our organizations,” the groups said in a letter Monday to President Barack Obama. “We respectfully request … Read More
Climate Change Set to Batter U.S. Agriculture, Forests
Climate change is likely to transform U.S. agriculture by mid-century, reducing yields of many staple crops and the productivity of livestock operations, according to a new government analysis. Rising temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns will also harm the nation’s forests, increasing their vulnerability to fires, insect infestations … Read More
Study Downplays Risk of Catastrophic Amazon ‘Dieback’
In a warming world, tropical forests may be hardier than previously thought. For scientists who study the Amazon, the worst-case scenario has long been clear. As the planet warms, some models suggest, the rainforest will dry and die, sending a massive shot of carbon into the atmosphere to further warm the planet. … Read More
Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Power Plants Fell in 2011
Greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. power plants fell 4.6 percent in in 2011, according to new government figures. … Read More
