Conservation
One Third of the Amazon Has Been Degraded by Human Activities
A pair of studies raise concerns that the Amazon rain forest may be approaching a point of no return
Stories by Chelsea Harvey
Climate Change
Temperatures in One of Earth’s Coldest Corners Are the Highest in 1,000 Years
Temperatures in north-central Greenland are the highest in at least a millennium, contributing to ice melt that is raising global sea levels
Climate Change
Global Carbon Removal Efforts Are Off Track for Meeting Climate Goals
Carbon removal is an “unavoidable” part of global climate action, but a new report finds that current efforts aren’t enough to meet the warming limits set by the Paris climate agreement...
Climate Change
Exxon’s Own Models Predicted Global Warming—It Ignored Them
Scientists working for the oil giant Exxon in the 1970s and 1980s estimated temperature increases with remarkable accuracy. Those findings could now be used as evidence in climate litigation...
Oceans
Oceans Break Heat Record for Fourth Year in a Row
The world’s oceans hit their warmest levels on record for the fourth consecutive year in 2022, fueling sea-level rise and contributing to climate disasters
Climate Change
Half of All Mountain Glaciers Are Expected to Disappear by 2100
Even if the world meets its most ambitious climate targets, about half of all mountain glaciers will melt away by the end of the century
Fossil Fuels
Record-High Temperatures across Europe Ease Energy Crisis Imposed by Russia’s War
Extreme heat has provided some relief from Europe’s punishing energy crunch. Trouble looms, though, as it continues to seek alternative energy sources
Climate Change
Perfectly Preserved Insects and Plants Point to Warm Greenland Future
A mile-long ice sample extracted by the U.S. military while it was studying whether to arm Greenland with nuclear missiles during the cold war is yielding insights into the Greenland ice sheet’s future in a warming world...
Climate Change
More Americans Are Moving into Dangerous Wildfire Zones
A new study that looked at U.S. Census data found that migration patterns are putting more people in the way of wildfires and hot summers
Conservation
China and Russia Continue to Block Protections for Antarctica
For the sixth year in a row, nations failed to agree on any new marine protected areas in the fragile Southern Ocean around Antarctica
Climate Change
Warming Worsened West Africa Floods That Killed 800 People
Unusually heavy monsoon rains that caused deadly flooding in Nigeria were made 80 percent more likely by climate change
Climate Change
Even Weak Hurricanes Are Getting Stronger as the Climate Warms
Data collected by thousands of scientific instruments scattered across the world’s oceans show that weak tropical cyclones are intensifying, not just stronger ones
Climate Change
The World Will Likely Miss 1.5 Degrees C—Why Isn’t Anyone Saying So?
Though many scientists say it’s inevitable that the world will overshoot 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming, the global climate talks unfolding in Egypt are bound to the target
Climate Change
Climate Impacts Threaten Nearly Every Aspect of Life in U.S., Government Report Says
The effects of climate change in the U.S. are steadily worsening and disproportionately affect the most vulnerable residents, a draft report of the next National Climate Assessment finds...
Endangered Species
Wildfires Spurred Risky Behavior in Los Angeles Mountain Lions
Already threatened mountain lions in the Los Angeles area crossed busy roads more often and exhibited other risky behaviors after the 2018 Woolsey Fire
Climate Change
Greenland Is Disappearing Quickly, and Scientists Have Found a New Reason Why
Meltwater from Greenland churns the ocean, speeding the loss of glaciers like stirring ice cubes in a glass of water
Climate Change
‘Absolutely No Doubt’ That Climate Intensified Current Drought
Global warming made drought that has gripped the Northern Hemisphere, from China to Europe to the U.S., 20 times more likely to occur
Climate Change
Hundreds of Hospitals Are at Risk of Hurricane Flooding
Florida hospitals are among the most vulnerable to flooding during hurricanes, but others along the East Coast and Gulf Coast are at risk, too
Natural Disasters
Hurricane Ian Grinds toward Florida with Deadly Winds and Walls of Water
Hurricane Ian poses catastrophic risks to the Gulf Coast of Florida as climate change exacerbates the storm’s effects
Climate Change
Hurricane Ian Intensifies into a Monster with Climate Markings
Storms like Hurricane Ian may become more common because hurricanes are expected to rapidly intensify more often as the world warms
