U.K. Farmers Adapt to Climate Change
Farmers, used to betting on the weather, are changing their tactics to cope with changes in the rules of the game
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Scientists Criticize Lack of Urgency in Rio+20 Accord
The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) ended with an international agreement on the need for all countries to commit themselves to achieving sustainable development. The agreement immediately came under fire from several quarters for its lack of detail about how this will be done, and the absence of new financial commitments from the…
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East Coast a Hotspot for Rapid Sea Level Rise
Cities from North Carolina to Massachusetts see waters rising more rapidly
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Global Shift to Obesity Packs Serious Climate Consequences
Expanding waistlines are not just tipping scales but may also push the mercury higher around the world, according to a new study. As humanity becomes more rotund, more resources are needed to cool, nourish and transport the extra weight, a trend that can contribute to climate change by requiring the consumption of more fossil fuels…
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Top Predators Key to Extinctions as Planet Warms
Global warming may cause more extinctions than predicted if scientists fail to account for interactions among species in their models, Yale and UConn researchers argue in Science. Phoebe Zarnetske, the study’s primary author, said the complexity of “species interaction networks” discourages their inclusion in models predicting the effects of climate change. Using the single-species, or…
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Warming, Melting Sea Ice Threaten Antarctic’s Emperor Penguins
The Emperor penguin’s future is looking bleak if global temperatures continue to rise and melt sea ice, scientists have warned. At nearly four feet tall, Antarctica’s largest sea bird became a global icon thanks to films like March of the Penguins and Happy Feet, but if temperatures continue to rise, it faces extinction. Unlike other…
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Rio Environment Meeting Focuses On ‘Energy For All’
Diplomats and activists from around the world are meeting in Rio de Janeiro to talk about how the planet’s growing population can live better lives without damaging the environment. The Rio+20 meeting marks the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Earth Summit in Rio, a watershed meeting to address topics as diverse as climate change…
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Rio+20 Deal Would Weaken Energy, Water Pledges
Governments are set to weaken pledges on boosting access to water and energy after a new draft negotiating text was issued at the Rio+20 meeting. The text was issued by the Brazilian host government after it assumed leadership of the talks from the UN. It affirms that nations must not slide back on prior pledges…
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Ancient Antarctica Was Warm Enough for Vegetation
Ancient Antarctica was much warmer and wetter than previously suspected, a new study has found. The climate was suitable to support substantial vegetation – including stunted trees – along the edges of the frozen continent. By examining plant leaf wax remnants in sediment core samples taken from beneath the Ross Ice Shelf, the research team…
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Climate Change Will Reduce Renewable Energy Capacity
Climate change is set to reduce Latin America’s capacity to produce renewable energy, according to Roberto Schaeffer, a Brazilian energy planning expert. He told the Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for Sustainable Development underway in Brazil that many forms of renewable energy are vulnerable to variations in climate, due to their dependence on water…