Retreating glaciers are posing a major threat to the food and water security of nearly 2 billion people globally, the United Nations warns. A new report from Unesco emphasizes that the current pace of glacial melt—described as “unprecedented”—will have far-reaching and unpredictable consequences for both developing and developed countries.
A major international study has revealed that glacier ice loss is accelerating, significantly impacting both global sea levels and regional freshwater supplies. Conducted by 35 research teams as part of the Glacier Mass Balance Intercomparison Exercise (Glambie), the study found that glaciers have been losing an average of 273 billion tonnes of ice per year …
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Over the past three decades, an expanse of land substantially larger than India has transformed from humid to dryland, with drylands now constituting 40% of the Earth’s surface, excluding Antarctica. This shift towards global aridification has had profound implications, with the UN Science Policy Interface reporting that three-quarters of the world’s land experienced drier conditions …
The significant surge in wetland methane emissions has emerged as a critical yet underreported factor in global climate dynamics. Recent findings indicate that methane released from wetlands—particularly tropical ones such as the Congo Basin, Southeast Asia, and the Amazon—is higher than ever, with emissions from these regions largely overlooked by national and global climate models. …
A significant decline in Earth’s freshwater levels began abruptly in May 2014 and has persisted ever since, according to an international study published in Surveys in Geophysics. Using data from NASA-German GRACE satellites, scientists discovered that from 2015 to 2023, the average amount of freshwater stored on land—including surface water, groundwater, and soil moisture—was 290 …
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The Earth relies on natural processes and ecosystems to regulate the climate, with carbon sinks playing a crucial role. These include oceans, forests, and soils, which absorb about half of all human carbon emissions. One of the key processes is the daily migration of zooplankton and other marine organisms that feed on algae near the …
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As our climate warms, scientists are looking to ancient climate events to predict future changes. One such event is the Miocene Climate Optimum (MCO), which occurred between 17 and 15 million years ago. The MCO is associated with significant volcanic activity, particularly the Columbia River Basalts in the Northwestern US, which released large amounts of …
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Recent research highlights a growing concern over the stability of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), a key ocean current system essential for regulating climate and weather patterns across the globe. Scientists warn that the AMOC collapse prediction indicates potential disruptions as soon as the late 2030s to mid-2060s, with models suggesting a greater likelihood …
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Recent scientific research has unveiled a significant role of microbes in the bark of trees in mitigating climate change by facilitating methane absorption in tree bark. This discovery, led by Professor Vincent Gauci from the University of Birmingham and published in the journal Nature, highlights how these microbes contribute to reducing methane levels in the …
Recent research on the Juneau Icefield, which spans the Alaska-Canada border near Juneau, Alaska, indicates a rapid acceleration in the melting processes of one of North America’s largest icefields. This research, highlighted in a publication in Nature Communications, presents an alarming scenario where the icefield might soon reach a tipping point that could be irreversible. …
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