Global Carbon Emissions Hit Record High, Report Finds
The amount of heat-trapping carbon dioxide in the atmosphere reached a record 390.9 parts per million (ppm) in 2011, according to a report released Nov. 20 by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). That’s a 40 percent increase over levels in 1750, before humans began burning fossil fuels in earnest. According to the Global Carbon Project, the… Read More
Tenacious U.S. Drought Worsens, To Last Through Winter
The Northern Plains continue to be the hardest hit states, where Wyoming and Nebraska recorded their driest January to October period on record. Four other states ranked among their top ten driest January to October periods on record as well. Some locations in these states may set all-time records for dryness during November, as well, with some pla… Read More
‘Atmospheric River’ Aims At West Coast; Warmup in Plains
The Pacific storms will play a major part in shifting the jet stream across the U.S., and setting up what is likely to be a remarkably warm start to December, particularly for the Plains and Midwest. Computer model projections show that these areas may see temperatures climb to as high as 20°F above average between Nov. 28 and Dec. 3.… Read More
Top 5 Weather & Climate Challenges Facing White House
How the Obama administration handles these issues, and more, will help determine how resilient the U.S. will become in the face of weather and climate extremes, two of which – the summer-long drought, and Hurricane Sandy – were center stage in 2012. Some of these kinds of events are already becoming more frequent and severe due in part to global wa… Read More
Report Says IPCC Needs to Address Melting Permafrost
The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) released a report early Tuesday morning that recommended the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) address the impact of warming permafrost and the large volume of methane and carbon dioxide that will be emitted from the ground if permafrost continues to melt.… Read More
Doha Talks: EU Weakened Over New Emissions Targets
The European Union will enter crucial global climate talks that begin next week with a weakened bargaining position because it has already met its targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions eight years ahead of time and has no plans to put more ambitious cuts on the table.… Read More
How Shale Will Reshape America’s Role in the World
After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the rise of China and the Arab spring, American energy independence looks likely to trigger the next great geopolitical shift in the modern world. U.S. reliance on the Gulf for its oil — and its consequent need to maintain a dominant presence in the Middle East to keep the oil flowing — has been one of the … Read More
Drought Puts Trees the World Over ‘At the Edge’
As the climate warms, scientists expect an increase in droughts around the world, causing all sorts of problems for water supplies, agriculture, and energy production. Forests will be affected too, naturally, but a new study released Wednesday in Nature shows just how widespread the effects could be. After looking at 226 tree species at 81 … Read More
