What’s Going On Here? Last week, intersessional climate talks ended after intense negotiations between the world’s leading climate diplomats. Unfortunately, the main issues of the three-week event were left unresolved and negotiators have been asked to propose solutions to ministers as part of a political resolution. What Does This Mean? From 31 May to 17 June, vital global climate negotiations were held…
What’s Going On Here? This week the International Energy Agency (IEA) released its Renewables 2020 report, a detailed analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on renewables in the electricity, transport and heat sectors. What Does This Mean? Whilst almost all other fuels have been badly impacted, the renewable energy sector has adapted to the rapid changes of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and…
What’s Going On Here? A recent paper in Nature Communications has found that the world’s oceans could be absorbing significantly more carbon from the atmosphere than previously thought. What Does This Mean? The ocean is a carbon sink and absorbs around 25% of global atmospheric carbon dioxide through a process called the ‘ocean-atmosphere CO2 flux’. This amounts to about 2 billion tonnes…
What’s Going On Here? The Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) is melting at such a high rate that even if global heating were to stop today, the ice would continue to disappear. What Does This Mean? According to a new study conducted by scientists at Ohio State University, the world’s second largest ice sheet has reached a tipping point, whereby annual snowfall is…
In its latest annual progress report, the independent advisory group, The Committee on Climate Change (CCC)…
What’s Going On Here? The first four months of 2020 have seen global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions fall to levels not observed since 2006, representing the largest reduction in CO2 since records began. What Does This Mean? The new study, published in Nature Climate Change, found that daily CO2 emissions decreased by 17% relative to 2019 daily levels. Government policies introduced in response to the COVID-19…
What’s Going On Here? Scientists have recently discovered a bacterium that not only feeds off toxic unrecyclable plastic, but uses it as food to fuel the process! What Does This Mean? The bacterium ‘Pseudomonas sp. TDA1’ was discovered at a waste dump site where it was found to be breaking down polyurethane, a very common yet difficult to recycle plastic used in the production…
What’s Going On Here? It’s in our own hands. That’s the theme of Recycling Week 2019, the annual celebration of recycling organised by WRAP, which is taking place this week between 23-29 September. What Does This Mean? After big Dave hit us with Blue Planet 2, 2018 was the year Britain opened its eyes to plastic pollution. After Greta inspired the world, 2019…
What’s Going On Here? Farmers are at the forefront of climate change. The industry is one of the most susceptible to changes in our climate (temperature, rainfall, extreme weather etc), but also has the potential to shape our societies resilience in the future (see last week’s curious.earth article). In the week where we learn our beloved cauliflower is in short supply due to the extreme June…
