January 2015 Climate Change News
January 31 -Aussie Sports Threatened By Climate Change
While it's probably way down the list of threat severity and things to be concerned about for some folks, climate change and extreme weather events are threatening the future of sport in Australia according to a study by the Climate Institute
January 30 - Iceland Rises
As its glaciers melt, the Earth's crust beneath iceland is rising up to 1.4 inches per year. The phenomenon could could increase the frequency of volcanic eruptions
January 29 - Climate Change Country Risk Rankings
Countries most at risk from climate change include the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, Eritrea, Burundi and Chad. That's according to a project of the University of Notre Dame in the US that ranks more than 175 countries based on both their vulnerability and adaptability.
January 28 - A Climate Change "Magna Carta"
Prince Charles says a climate change agreement to be hammered out in Paris this year, should “be seen as a new Magna Carta for the Earth, and humanity’s relationship with it”.
January 27 - Totten Glacier Melting From Below
Warm ocean water is melting the Totten glacier, one of the world's biggest glaciers from below. The glacier is twice the size of the Australian state of Victoria and if it did fully melt, it would raise sea levels around the world by 6 metres.
January 26 - Little Auks Coping With Climate Change
Little auks, the most abundant seabird in the Atlantic Arctic, seems to be coping well with climate change in the Franz-Josef archipelago. While some of its feeding grounds have been affected by disappearing sea ice, retreating glaciers created new ones.
January 25 - Ocean Heat Increase "Broke" Tracking Chart
The additional heat pumped into the world's oceans was such that in 2014, it "broke" the chart that scientists use to track these changes.
January 24 - Arctic Ice Cap Rapidly Thinning.
A remote Arctic ice cap in the south-east region of Austfonna, located in the Svalbard archipelago, has lost more than 50 metres of its thickness since 2012 and is now flowing 25 times faster.
January 23 - Doomsday Clock : 3 Minutes To Midnight
The hand on the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists' Doomsday Clock has been moved two minutes closer to midnight as a result of unchecked climate change and a nuclear arms race.
January 22 - Obama - Climate Change The Greatest Threat
In his sixth State of the Union address, US President Barack Obama said there was no greater threat to future generations than the one posed by climate change - and the nation should act appropriately.
January 21 - 135 Years Of Global Warming
A frightening animation showing the Earth’s warming climate over 135 years. Thirteen of the 14 hottest years occur during the last 15 years.
January 20 - Mass Die-offs Increase
Mass mortality events of fish, birds and other animals appear to on the increase in terms of frequency and the numbers of individuals involved states a new study from Yale. One of the study's authors sees a clear connection to climate change
January 19 - Manicured Lawns A CO2 Source
When the energy associated with mowing, fertilizing and other activities are taken into account, a nicely manicured lawn may in fact be responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions that what it soaks up.
January 18 - Sea Level Rise Acceleration
The current sea level rise rate is 2.5 times faster than it was from 1900 to 1990, which could make adaptation to climate change more difficult and expensive.
January 17 - 2014 Hottest In Modern History
Recently released data fro NASA shows 2014 was the warmest year recorded since 1880 and 10 of the hottest years on record have occurred since 1998.
January 15 - The True Cost Of Carbon Pollution
New analysis suggests the social cost of carbon should be six times higher than what the US Government anticipates. The study from Stanford states true cost of greenhouse gas emissions is around $220 a ton
January 14 - 2015 Kicks Off With 440 PPM CO2
The first days of 2015 have seen average carbon dioxide levels above 400 parts per million according to reading taken at Hawaii's Mauna Loa. 400 ppm over a significant period is considered a "redline" level in terms of impacts relating to climate change.
January 13 - Climate Changemakers - Squirrels
While there are far more significant offenders (namely, humans), it appears squirrels and beavers contribute much more to climate change than was earlier thought.
January 12 - The Last Generation That Can Fight Climate Change
"Ours is the first generation that can end poverty, and the last that can take steps to avoid the worst impacts of climate change," says Ban Ki-moon, secretary general of the United Nations "In this 70th anniversary year in which we renew our commitment to the goals and principles of the UN charter, the international community must rise to the moment."
January 11 - Climate Change Denial: Fear Of Regulation
In some case, climate change denial may have its roots not so much in denial of facts, but implications in some cases. It appears it may be tied in with belief about government regulation and what forecasts would mean for government regulation.
January 10 - Fossil Fuels Must Be Left In The Ground
33% of world’s oil reserves, 50% of gas and more than 80% of all coal reserves should should remain untouched before 2050 in order to stay below the 2°C target according to research by the University College London’s Institute for Sustainable Resources.
January 10 - Pakistan's Coastal Villagers Retreating
Many communities in Pakistan's Indus Delta are seeking higher ground as their land disappears due to erosion from rising seas. Seawater has destroyed thousands of hectares of fertile land and has contaminated aquifers
January 10 - Climate Change Related Migration Planning Needed
With three to 10 times more people displaced by natural disasters than all conflicts and war in the world combined, governments need to plan better for increasing migration driven by climate change according to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre in Geneva.
January 7 - California's Governor Calls For More Renewable Energy
California's governor, Jerry Brown, has called for the state to source 50 percent of electricity from renewables. California's current target is 33 percent by 2020.
January 6 - 2014 Australia's Third Warmest Year
Australia's Bureau of Meteorology says last year was Australia's third-warmest year since national records began in 1910. Maximum temperatures were 1.16 degrees Celsius above average.
January 5 - Carbon Emissions 2015
Greenhouse gas emissions could increase by around 2.5% this year due to economic momentum picking up globally.
January 4 - South Australian Fires A Climate Change Reminder
Major fires in South Australian and Victoria are a reminder that the nation's government needs to stop climate denial and help prepare the country for more extreme conditions says Green leader Senator Christine Milne.
January 3 - Attenborough: "Easier To Deny" Climate Change
Sir David Attenborough says world leaders are in denial about the dangers climate change poses; even in the face of overwhelming evidence about its risks.
January 3 - Not Prepared To Pay The Cost
A comprehensive survey in the USA of attitudes toward energy and climate has found while people are prepared to pay more for renewables based electricity, they aren't prepared to pay much. This isn't confined to the USA - a similar response has been noted in other nations.
January 3 - Monarch Butterfly Threatened
Monarch butterfly populations have decreased by nearly 90 percent in the last two decades and the species may end up on the US endangered list this year. It's thought habitat destruction, pesticides and climate change are playing a role in its demise.
January 1 - Drought And The Downfall Of The Mayans
Researcher have determined an extreme drought occurred around 800 AD that lasted for over a century, coinciding with the collapse of the Maya civilization. Another major drought occurred between 10000 and 1100 AD in the region
January 1 - The Soil Carbon Time Bomb
Increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere could spark a chain reaction resulting in the release of carbon from one of the largest reservoirs on the planet - soil
January 1 - Australian Farmers Rising To The Climate Change Challenge
Australian farmers have long since adapted to the nation's often hot, dry and unpredictable weather conditions. While climate change presents some very unwelcome additional challenges, they are reacting quickly to accelerating seasonal changes and climate variability.
|