April 2012 global warming headlines and climate change news

April 29 - Hansen's 1981 climate predictions accurate
A 1981 paper, authored by NASA's James Hansen and others, predicting the steady increase of atmospheric carbon dioxide and the effects of climate change such as the opening of the Northwest Passage has proven accurate. Read more.

April 27 - Climate change accelerating water cycle
A 4 to 5 per cent amplification of the global water cycle per degree of warming predicted by climate models appears to have been too conservative, with a new study finding it will accelerate by 8 per cent per degree of surface warming. Read more.

April 16 - Alaska's climate refugees
The permafrost upon which an Eskimo community in Newtok in western Alaska is built is thawing, forcing its residents to relocate the entire town 9 miles away. Read more

April 24 - Corn prices and climate change
A recent study of movements on corn prices over the last few decades found it hasn't been socio-economic policy having the biggest effect on prices; but climate - with extreme heat events being a major player. Read more.

April 23 - A salty Silicon Valley
The San Joaquin-Sacramento River Delta's levee system is in bad shape and sea level rise poses a major threat. If the levee were to fail, the San Francisco Bay could pour into the fresh water of the Delta, contaminating the fresh water that provides half of Silicon Valley's supply. Read more.

April 22 - Mexico's new climate change laws
New legislation implmented in Mexico includes a mandate to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 30% by 2020, and by 50% below 2000 levels by 2050. The laws also include a commitment to see the nation gain 35% of the country's energy from renewable sources by 2024. Read more.

April 20 - American views on extreme weather
A Yale study has found a majority of Americans believe global warming made several recent severe weather events worse and 35 percent report they were personally harmed by such events. Read more

April 16 - UK's drought tightens grip
While the UK isn't usually associated with drought, farmers in parts of the nation are facing ruin due to a lack of water impacting on their operations. Half of Britain is now officially experiencing drought conditions. Read more.

April 15 - Cut red meat to rein in emissions
A new study states that in order to achieve emissions targets, the average person will need to cut their meat consumption in half by the year 2050. A stepping stone recommended is to switch from consuming red meat to pork and poultry; both of which involve less greenhouse gas emissions. Read more.

April 11 - Climate change threatens NYC transport
Inundation of La Guardia Airport and New York's extensive subways are real threats to the city posed by the effects of climate change. Read more.

April 10 - Hansen proposes global carbon tax
NASA climate scientist Professor James Hansen says addressing climate change is a great moral issue and has again warned the current situation is an emergency. Professor Hansen has proposed a global across-the-board rising fee on carbon emissions. Read more.

April 8 - USA's early spring bad news for some
While warm conditions in many US regions have been welcomed by some, for others they present major headaches. Orchard and vineyard owners in Wisconsin have trees and vines blooming early and are waging war against the frost that threatens them. Read more.

April 6 - UK residents grapple hose ban
While residents of countries such as Australia are all too familiar with bans on the use of garden hoses, in the UK, it's not such a regular occurrence. England's worst drought since 1976 has seen hosepipe use banned for 20 million people in the south-east of the country. Read more.

April 4 - Dallas hit by major tornado
A tornado that picked up trucks and hurled them hundreds of metres hit Dallas on Tuesday, with many homes still without power now. The tornado wasn't the only one - a dozen twisters are thought to have touched down in Dallas and Fort Worth. Read more.

April 4 - Satellites spy melting permafrost
Satellite are detecting changes in land surfaces at northern latitudes, indicating thawing permafrost. When permafrost melts and organic materials within it thaw, potent greenhouse gases are released, contributing to positive feedback loops and accelerating climate change. Read more.

April 3 - CSIRO gives thumbs up to carbon capture
The highly controversial concept of Carbon Capture and Storage (or Sequestration), aka CCS, has been found to be viable for Australian coal fired power stations by the nation's leading research organisation, CSIRO. However, the CSIRO notes the technology won't be ready for prime time for 20 years and stations using CCS will also be less efficient in energy production. Read more.

April 3 - State Of The Planet: almost screwed
According to some of the world's leading documenters of environmental change in a 'State of the Planet' declaration, humanity has only ten years left to take real action on climate change before tipping points are reached and the planet is irreversibly damaged. Read more.