Report: Can U.S. Carbon Emissions Keep Falling?
A Climate Central analysis of the American energy economy shows that the nearly 9 percent reduction in annual carbon emissions in the U.S. since 2005 is unlikely to continue in the years ahead without major departures from the ways energy is currently produced and used. Recent declines in carbon emissions are the result of a combination of factors… Read More
So-Called Medieval Warm Period Not So Warm After All
The so-called Medieval Warm Period (MWP), a 400-year span from about 950 to 1220 A.D. when the Vikings colonized Greenland, was relatively balmy by the standards of the past 2,000 years, leading some to argue that the global warming we’re now experiencing isn’t that big a deal. But a new report in the journal Geology argues that the MWP wasn’t all … Read More
Forget the Melting Arctic, Sea Ice in Antarctica is Growing!
The ice that covers the Arctic Ocean has plummeted to its lowest level on record — but down at the other end of the world, the sea ice surrounding Antarctica has swelled. That’s no surprise, considering that winter is just ending in the Southern Hemisphere — but what may be surprising is that the overall extent of Antarctic ice has grown by about o… Read More
As the U.S. Warms, Power Plants Face New Water Limits
Thermoelectric plants need large amounts of water for cooling purposes, taking in relatively cool water from rivers, lakes, or the ocean, pumping that water through heated components in the plant to bring temperatures down, and discharging warmer water in return. Such plants use once-through cooling systems. Other power plants take in less water an… Read More
It’s Official: Arctic Sea Ice Shatters Record Low
What makes this year unique is that the 2012 minimum is lower than any since modern satellite observations first began in the late 1970’s — and by a wide margin. The 2012 minimum of 1.32 million square miles (3.41 million square kilometers) shatters the previous mark of 1.61 million square miles (4.17 million square kilometers), which was set in 20… Read More
Warming May Increase Tropical Rainfall, Study Shows
Climate models have trouble projecting increases in warming-related rainfall extremes in the tropics, but a new analysis seems to have solved the problem… Read More
Globe Records Fourth Warmest August as Arctic Ice Melts
Warmer than average temperatures occurred in the northeastern U.S., eastern Canada, southern Greenland, central and southern Europe, Japan, and western Australia, among other locations. Siberia lived up to its reputation by being the main region that was cooler than average during the period.… Read More
Coral Reefs of the Caribbean Facing Collapse
Caribbean coral reefs — which make up one of the world's most colorful, vivid and productive ecosystems — are on the verge of collapse, with less than 10% of the reef area showing live coral cover. With so little growth left, the reefs are in danger of utter devastation unless urgent action is taken, conservationists warned. They said the drastic … Read More
