earth
Newsletter
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Unexpected temperature spike raises concerns among climate experts
Climate scientists are grappling with a sudden, unpredicted surge in global temperatures, which may signal a shift in the Earth’s climate system.
In short:
- A recent 13-month temperature spike has outpaced global heating predictions, leaving scientists uncertain.
- Experts are concerned this could indicate a fundamental change in the climate system, not just a temporary anomaly.
- Scientists are particularly alarmed by the potential loss of Earth's albedo, reducing the planet's ability to reflect heat.
Key quote:
“As climate change continues, every decade it gets warmer, the impact is larger and the consequences are greater.”
— Gavin Schmidt, director of NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies
Why this matters:
Unexpected shifts in climate patterns suggest we may be underestimating the speed and severity of global warming. The inability to predict such changes could hinder effective policy responses to future climate crises.
Related coverage:
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Credit: Dzmitry Dzemidovich/Big Stock Photo
Earth stays above 1.5°C warming for a year
Earth's average temperature remained 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels for a full year, signaling ongoing and severe climate shifts.
In short:
- Earth's average temperature stayed above 1.5°C for 12 consecutive months, the first such occurrence in recorded history.
- Scientists stress that this 12-month period does not mean the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C limit has been breached, as that target is based on longer-term averages.
- Climate experts warn that, without significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, more temperature records will be broken, and long-term warming trends will continue.
Key quote:
"This is more than a statistical oddity and it highlights a large and continuing shift in our climate."
— Carlo Buontempo, director of Copernicus Climate Change Service.
Why this matters:
This sustained warmth has far-reaching consequences. Extreme weather events such as hurricanes, heatwaves and wildfires are becoming more frequent and intense, wreaking havoc on communities and ecosystems. Rising temperatures also accelerate the melting of polar ice, contributing to sea-level rise that threatens coastal cities and island nations.
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Credit: Eutah Mizushima/Unsplash
The complex implications of Earth's increasing greenery
The planet is experiencing a significant increase in green vegetation, but this trend may not be as positive as it seems.
In short:
- Recent studies show a substantial increase in Earth's green vegetation, driven by factors like CO2 fertilization and agricultural expansion.
- While this greening can help absorb more CO2, it often masks the destruction of diverse ecosystems and can lead to negative environmental impacts.
- The trend reflects the extensive human alteration of the planet, raising concerns about biodiversity loss and ecosystem health.
Key quote:
“The intensification of agriculture that’s been happening in India over the past four decades is stunning.”
— Joshua Gray, geospatial scientist at North Carolina State University
Why this matters:
While increased greenery may seem beneficial for climate change mitigation, it often comes at the cost of biodiversity and ecosystem integrity. This underscores the need for a nuanced understanding of environmental changes and their broader implications for the planet's health.
Rising CO2 will leave crops—and millions of humans—less healthy.
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2023 was Earth’s warmest on record. Will this year be even hotter?
As a year of surprising global warmth came to a close, a record high annual average temperature was already assured. Now, some scientists are already speculating: 2024 could be even hotter.
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Image by Tania Dimas from Pixabay
Earth is taking a pounding from bigger ocean waves. Why this matters
Stormier seas and larger ocean swell in recent decades are pounding Earth’s seafloor with more force, sending larger ripples through Earth’s crust — almost like a tiny, tiny, tiny earthquake.
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5 charts that show the Earth’s climate in uncharted territory
Amid what’s destined to be the Earth’s warmest year on record, multiple climate data points have catapulted to stunning extremes.
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Pixabay
The planet’s big blue machine: Why the ocean engine matters
The ocean is an enormous engine, turning heat energy into motion, says physicist Helen Czerski. But human activity is threatening that machine — depriving the seas of oxygen, increasing stratification, and potentially changing the currents that influence global weather.
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