Climate change leads to unexpected greening in drylands

Increased CO2 levels are causing vegetation growth in drylands despite predictions of widespread desertification.

Fred Pearce reports for Yale Environment 360.

In short:

Rising CO2 levels are enhancing photosynthesis, helping plants in arid regions use water more efficiently.
This "CO2 fertilization effect" is leading to increased vegetation in drylands, including areas in Africa, Australia, and India.
However, this greening may deplete scarce water supplies and disrupt local ecosystems.

Key quote:

“Greening is happening in most of the drylands globally, despite increasing aridity.”

— Jason Evans, water-cycle researcher at the Climate Change Research Centre of the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia

Why this matters:

While this greening effect may seem beneficial, it's crucial to understand the broader implications. Enhanced vegetation can temporarily stabilize soils, reducing dust storms and providing habitat for wildlife. However, this could be a double-edged sword. The types of plants thriving may not be the native species but rather opportunistic, invasive plants that could alter the local biodiversity and disrupt existing ecosystems.

e360.yale.edu

Climate change leads to unexpected greening in drylands

Plans to dispose of mining waste in Norway’s Arctic Ocean worries Sámi fishers, herders

The next deluge may go differently

The hidden devastation of hurricanes

The last frontier of empathy: why we still struggle to see ourselves as animals

Opinion: How a Texas shrimper stalled Exxon’s $10bn plastics plant

Two ways of knowing: How merging science and Indigenous wisdom fuels new discoveries

Is ‘imagination activism’ the antidote to climate doom we’ve been looking for?

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Pennsylvania health advocates say Trump’s first 100 days in office have caused “100 harms” to local communities

“They're terrorizing these scientists because they want to keep them silent.”

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.