Articles on all aspects of global warming and climate change, on land, sea and in the air. Learn about Earth’s energy balance, the effect of rising temperatures on wildfires, sea level rise and extreme weather events, and much more.
What is meant by global warming potential? Why is it important? How does the atmospheric lifetime of a greenhouse gas affect its impact on radiative forcing? What is the GWP of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and the main F-gases? Which has the highest global warming potential? What are the high GWP gases? We answer all these questions and more.
Our climate plan is broken. Why? Because not enough people take global warming seriously. And who can blame them? When a US President promotes the idea that global warming is a hoax; when the all-powerful President of China is happy to build more and more coal-fired power plants; when governments fail to implement their climate pledges and refuse to abide by the treaties they sign, then global warming has a serious credibility problem.
Our climate crisis is intensifying. So are we taking steps to safeguard our environment? Are we reducing our emissions of greenhouse gases? Are we using less fossil fuel? Are we consuming less energy? How much renewable energy are we using? Are we investing enough money in renewables? Do we need a massive carbon tax? We answer these and other questions.
We describe the primary and secondary factors that influence our climate, including the use of fossil fuels. We also look at the main effects of climate change, as well as the advice being offered by the UN and the IPCC on preventing and cushioning its impacts.
We explain how climate action incorporates mitigation and adaptation strategies and needs to be guided by climate ethics in order to achieve global acceptance. We outline the 10 important elements of a climate action plan and discuss the United Nations’ Goal 13.
We examine the main aims, methods and strategies of climate change mitigation, including switching from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, the conservation of our carbon sinks – like our rainforests and permafrost peatlands – and the use of carbon capture & storage and tree-planting.
We examine some of the ethical dilemmas that are embedded in any discussion of our climate crisis. The principles of climate justice help determine who pays the costs of reducing global warming, what governance needs to be in place, and so on. We explain why – in the aftermath of COP25 – the issue of climate ethics has become critical.
Burning fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas is said to be the main cause of climate change, but it’s not true. Fossil fuel combustion isn’t the real cause of global warming, it’s more of a symptom. Read this article for a full explanation.
We examine the short-term effect of coronavirus on global warming. We look at various forecasts of global industrial activity and energy consumption, and examine how the COVID pandemic might impact on CO2 emissions from transport. We also assess the long-term effect of the virus crisis on climate change mitigation plans, in view of the decrease in the global carbon footprint.
In this article we answer 50 FAQs concerning our climate crisis. They cover the causes of global warming, the greenhouse effect, the impact of climate change on polar regions, climate tipping points, Earth’s temperature, methane emissions from livestock, renewable energy sources, and air pollution from fossil fuels. We also look at the effects of global warming on animals and the biosphere.
We review the massive Australian wildfires that raged across NSW and Victoria during the 2019-20 bushfire season. We explain the causes, the ecological damage, including the loss of koalas and other wildlife, as well as the effect of the fires’ huge CO2 emissions on global warming.
We explain the science behind man-made global warming, and explain what makes it so different from other episodes of climate change. We examine its causes, as well as its effects, and what we can do to stop it.
We look at what 97 percent of scientists say about global warming and how the climate skeptics respond. We look at the financing of climate change denial campaigns and their links with Big Oil.
A simple explanation of Earth’s energy balance – the balance between incoming solar energy from the Sun and outgoing infrared energy from the surface of the Earth. We look at how the Stefan-Boltzmann Law works, as well as the impact of clouds. The energy balance – the so-called radiative equilibrium – is the critical mechanism that raises or lowers Earth’s temperature.
Questions & answers on the causes and effects of climate change, global temperature projections, greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, polar ice melt, sea level rise, decarbonization of the energy system, and much more.
A simple guide to climate change in an essay of about 1,000 words. We explain the accepted causes and consequences of climate change, as well as its impacts on the planet. We also look at the climate action needed, and the ethics about who should pay for it. We explain why extremism will not solve global warming and why a more pragmatic approach is essential.
The IPCC has warned of extremely serious dangers to our climate if global warming exceeds 1.5°C and reaches 2°C. But many people don’t understand how a half-degree can make such a difference. So we explain why such a small increase in Earth’s temperature is such a big deal for the environment, for animals and other living organisms on land and sea, including human beings.
What were the first signals of climate change? When exactly did global warming first begin? Some climatologists say it started around 1720. Others say it began in 1780 due to increased coal consumption during the Industrial Revolution. Meantime, the IPCC uses an 1850-1900 baseline to calculate the ensuing rise in global temperature. This article explains all you need to know.
In recent years, an increase in temperature of 1 degree Celsius, caused by global warming, has set Australia on fire, as well as Siberia, California, Argentina and elsewhere. Other global impacts include devastating storms and floods, mass destruction of corals, and sea level rise. We now explain the likely effects when temperatures rise by 3, 4 and 5 degrees Celsius.
This article explains the background assumptions for the latest global temperature projections, in an attempt to assess how global warming is likely to develop, and over what time span. We examine the IPCC’s representative concentration pathways (RCPs), fossil fuel consumption and expected greenhouse gas emissions. We ask: how hot will the world get?
We examine 8 major impacts of global warming. (1) Rise in sea-levels. (2) Damage to agriculture and other enterprises in low-lying coastal zones. (3) Extreme heat. (4) Air pollution and smog. (5) Disease. (6) Freshwater problems. (7) Interruption of power supply. (8) Refugees.
We look at 5 major impacts of global warming on the planet. (a) Extreme weather patterns. (b) Damage to the cryosphere. (c) Rising sea levels. (d) Overheating and acidification of the oceans. (e) Loss of biodiversity and other ecological effects, including the consequences for polar bears and penguins.
Where does Earth’s heat come from? What is the temperature on the surface of the Earth and in the atmosphere? What influences global temperatures? How hot is the planet compared to Venus and Mars? How do we measure Earth’s temperature? We answer these and other questions.
Our carbon footprint is our personal contribution to global warming. It’s an approximate measure of the greenhouse gas emissions we’re responsible for. In the West, carbon emissions are between 2 and 4 times higher than those in the developing world, which means we need to make some serious changes. So here are the best ways to lower your carbon footprint and help save the planet.
• Since 1900, Earth’s temperature has risen by 1 °C (1.8 °F). It might not sound much, but this rise is enough to trigger extreme weather events like heatwaves, flash floods and wildfires. • The most consecutive years with one or more Category-5 hurricanes in each, are the last four: 2016-2019. • By 2100, temperatures could rise by 4.8°C (8.5°F). In this worst-case scenario, the state of Florida is now ocean, and London, Venice and the Netherlands are also lost to the sea. • According to Forbes, oil firms spend millions every year on climate change lobbying - making efforts to delay, control or block political policies to tackle climate change. BP, Shell and ExxonMobil spent $53m, $49m and $41m respectively in 2019. Chevron and Total each spend around $29 million annually. • Increased levels of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide (CO2) are causing global warming. In 1750 the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere was about 280 ppm (parts per million). It is now around 410 ppm, which means that CO2 levels today are higher than at any point in the past 800,000 years. • Scientists are already forecasting a 50-90 percent increase in food demand by 2050, which means more forests will be cleared, less CO2 will be stored in trees, and more CO2 will be emitted.