Artificial coral reefs showing early signs they can mimic real reefs killed by climate change – new research: Alexey UW/Shutterstock Earth’s average temperature in September 2023 was 1.75°C above its pre-industrial baseline, breaching (if only temporarily) the 1.5°C threshold at which world leaders agreed to try and limit long-term warming. Persistent warming at this level …
Climate change may make Bordeaux red wines stronger and tastier, but the outlook is mixed elsewhere in Europe: Labellepatine / shutterstock It’s harvest time again for most of Europe’s wine growing regions and grapes are being picked from the UK in the north to Sicily in the south. The grapes are then sorted and pressed …
Elephant teeth: how they evolved to cope with climate change-driven dietary shifts: Proboscideans and their tooth structures in various forms across 60 million years of evolution. Illustration by Óscar Sanisidro. Author provided (no reuse) Seeing elephants in the wild is a timelessly awe-inspiring experience. There are only three living species today: the African savannah elephant, …
Climate change could lead to food-related civil unrest in UK within 50 years, say experts: Baby-Spider/Shutterstock The emptying of supermarket shelves during the COVID pandemic demonstrated the chaos that disruption to the UK’s food supply can provoke. Could this type of disruption have a different cause in the future? And what might the impact on …
Climate hazards aren’t restricted by borders – African countries have taken a big step to address this: Climate risks can be complex to deal with because they don’t respect country borders. Hazards in one region can have negative repercussions in another. These are known as transboundary climate risks, and they’re a growing concern. They require …
Rishi Sunak is introducing the polarised climate politics of the US, Canada and Australia to the UK: In two recent speeches, UK prime minister Rishi Sunak highlighted the costs of everything from heat pumps to electric vehicles as justification for weakening the country’s climate policy. There is a strategy behind this, but it’s one that …
How community gardening could ease your climate concerns: Viktoriia Hnatiuk/Shutterstock Every day, we are bombarded with messages about a world in crisis. Alongside the ongoing reminders of wars, economic recessions and social unrest is news about natural disasters and extreme weather – be that prolonged droughts, freak heatwaves and wildfires or devastating floods and landslides. …
Rishi Sunak has ripped up decades of cross-party consensus on climate change: The acclaimed 1990 film Awakenings tells the story of a neurologist who discovers a drug which rouses catatonic patients from decades of “sleep”. It’s a true story, based on Oliver Sacks’ 1973 memoir of the same name. Sadly, the awakening doesn’t last. The …
Environmental disasters and climate change force people to cross borders, but they’re not recognised as refugees – they should be: As our planet warms, we’re experiencing more frequent and severe weather events, rising sea levels, prolonged droughts and altered ecosystems. These environmental shifts directly affect people’s livelihoods by destroying crops and depleting water sources. They …
France used 10% less electricity last winter – three valuable lessons in fighting climate change: French authorities dimmed public lights in December 2022 to avert energy shortages. Jerome Labouyrie/Shutterstock Measures which help people use less energy at home, while travelling or at work could significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions according to the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel …
Comfort at Your Fingertips: Embracing Smart Climate Control: The essence of a home lies in its ability to offer comfort and solace. In today’s technologically advanced age, this comfort has been elevated to new heights with the introduction of Smart Climate Control. No longer are homeowners at the mercy of the unpredictable whims of Mother …
Climate change is set to make our holidays look very different – here’s how: Holidays are making a comeback after several years of disruption caused by the COVID pandemic. Nearly 4 billion passengers boarded international flights in 2022, up from fewer than 2 billion in 2020. Recent research suggests that people are likely to continue …
Addis Ababa faces growing climate change risks like heat, drought and floods, study warns: About 70% of people in Addis Ababa live in informal settlements that are vulnerable to climate change. Amanuel Sileshi/AFP/ Getty Images Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital city, will likely face increased heatwaves, droughts and severe flooding over the next 67 years. These …
Why your perception of climate change threats might depend on where you live – new research: People's perceptions of the threat of climate change vary according to where they live. JaneHYork/Shutterstock Our planet has just seen its hottest month on record, with many places on fire or flooded. Few events can be directly attributed to …
The Conservatives have seized on cars as a political wedge – it’s a bet on public turning against climate action: “Talking about freedom, sat in Margaret Thatcher’s old Rover” read the UK prime minister’s tweet in July 2023. Earlier that day in an interview with The Telegraph newspaper, Rishi Sunak had declared that the Conservative …
Climate change will affect hydropower — African countries must be prepared: Hydropower provides clean electricity to millions in Africa. It’s the largest source of renewable energy on the continent and accounts for nearly one quarter of total electricity generation in sub-Saharan Africa. Some countries, however, have a much heavier reliance on it than others. For …
Africa’s vast underground water resources are under pressure from climate change – how to manage them: All countries have a variety of water resources – some are on the surface, like rivers, and some are beneath the ground. This groundwater provides almost 50% of all global domestic use and 43% of all the water used …
Zimbabwe’s climate action plan: a win for the environment, health and energy: Reducing carbon emissions will promote health and development in Zimbabwe. Zinyange Auntony/ AFP/ Getty Images The dumping of billions of tonnes of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere yearly is already having a devastating impact around the world. This includes …