Research
Sustained cheap oil likely to hurt global climate plans
Low oil prices “considerably” hinder transition to greener energy, say IIASA and World Bank analysts, while sustained high prices would give a boost
Energy ministers gather in San Francisco to reboot climate ‘moon-shot’
Bill Gates and officials from over 20 governments will meet to discuss plans for a vast hike in clean-tech funding by 2020
Cows, rice and soil are key to farming emissions cuts
More action is needed to cut the carbon footprint of food production in line with a 2C global warming limit
No need to destroy forests to feed growing population – study
Models show saving trees and expanding food supply are compatible, particularly if people avoid meat
Global warming ‘hiatus’ row offers lessons to scientists
COMMENT: Scientifically prudent but publicly ill-conceived formulations can be of huge consequence in a fast-changing media landscape
Rougher Atlantic storms to pound Western Europe – study
NEWS: Britain, France and Portugal should prepare defences for stronger waves as global warming intensifies, say researchers
Why reframing climate policy is a waste of time
NEWS: Stressing the health, economic or social co-benefits of measures to cut global warming risk doesn’t increase public support, study finds
Hotter planet spells harder rains to come – study
NEWS: Planners told to boost flood defences especially in dry regions as global warming intensifies water cycle
Intense heatwaves could become ‘annual events’ by 2075
NEWS: Researchers warn that more areas of the world will swelter more often in potentially lethal heatwaves unless greenhouse gas emissions are drastically curtailed
Nanotechnology trial shows route to carbon negative cars
NEWS: Carbon dioxide can be used to make batteries for electric vehicles, US scientists have shown
Major cities threatened by rapid sea level rise, new reports find
NEWS: Faster than ever sea level rise puts densely populated coastal regions increasingly at risk by 2100, as two studies reveal past and future sea level projections
Food production could increase 40% with better water use
NEWS: Careful irrigation can go half way to close the ‘hunger gap’ by mid-century, study finds, feeding the world’s growing population
Climate scientists face tight deadline to deliver 1.5C research
NEWS: Researchers will have 18-21 months to flesh out understanding of tough global warming limit if – as expected – IPCC accepts call to produce a special report
Shallow fracking wells contaminate drinking water, warns US scientist
NEWS: Stronger safeguards are needed to prevent poorly built wells leaking gas into aquifers, says Stanford researcher
Study flags concerns CO2 underground stores could leak
NEWS: Carbon dioxide pumped into old oil wells could react with salt water and erode ‘host rocks’ and cement, researchers find
‘Confused’ US teachers spread climate denial – study
NEWS: Educators lack awareness of the scientific consensus on human-caused global warming, researchers find, leading to mixed messages in classrooms
Land water storage slowed sea level rise – study
NEWS: Extra rain falling on continents partly offset the effect of melting ice caps last decade, data shows, with implications for coastal communities
Tax high carbon food, sugar for climate and health gains – study
NEWS: A carbon levy would cut consumption of meat and cheese, find researchers – and coupled with a sugar tax, it could save lives
Scientists pour cold water on ocean geoengineering idea
NEWS: Fertilising algae with iron filings is no easy climate fix, study finds, as benefits in one region will be offset elsewhere
Did Spain’s US conquest trigger a ‘little ice age’?
NEWS: Missionaries caused Native American populations to crash in 1600s, prompting regrowth of carbon-sucking forests, researchers find