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Thirteen regional New South Wales councils have pooled their resources to make the shift to renewable energy via a power purchase agreement (PPA) coordinated by the Hunter Joint Organisation and Mid North Coast Joint Organisation. The Powering Tomorrow: Regional Councils NSW PPA will secure fixed pricing for the councils up until the end of 2030. Under the agreement, the councils will collectively receive over 390 gigawatt…

  YouTube”Both Oman and the UAE, which hosted last year’s COP28 UN climate talks, have previously warned that global warming is likely to lead to more flooding.Friederike Otto, a leader in the field of assessing the role of climate change on specific extreme weather events, said it was likely that global warming played a part in this week’s rain.”It is highly likely that the deadly and destructive…

Sustainability Victoria is serving up reusable cups at Australian Open 2025 to reduce single-use plastic waste and encourage people to reuse. Tennis fans will be able to sip sustainably during AO 2025 with 38,000 reusable cups from Sustainability Victoria replacing single-use cups in selected bars around the precinct. It’s projected 50,000 single-use cups will be avoided at the tournament, equivalent to 400 kg of plastic. Future reuse…

For all of us concerned about climate change, 2023 was a grim year. According to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), it was the warmest year documented so far, with records broken – and in some cases smashed – for ocean heat, sea-level rise, Antarctic sea-ice loss and glacier retreat. Capping off the warmest 10-year period on record, global average near-surface temperature hit 1.45 °C above pre-industrial…

Algae!!!…Green, gooey, slimy, messy, smelly, unpleasant…All these words come to mind when I hear the word “Algae”.  What if I told you algae has the power to revolutionize the world today. Oh yes! There is an “Algae Revolution” and it is quite fascinating.  Just imagine yourself, walking into a coffee shop with your own bag of kelp (an algae) and leaving with your hot coffee in…

Update on June 4, 2024: This image shows greenhouses in eastern China. Congratulations to James Varghese for being the first to correctly identify the feature and its location. Read more about the area in “A Greenhouse Boom in China.” How to answer. You can use a few words or several paragraphs. You might simply tell us the location, or you can dig deeper and offer details about what satellite and…

Boral has unveiled new carbon-reducing technology at its Berrima Cement Works, with Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen officially opening the upgraded facility on 4 December. Located in the Southern Highlands region of New South Wales, Berrima Cement Works supplies 40% of cement in NSW and the Australian Capital Territory. The site is strategically important both for the company and Australia’s manufacturing capability. The…

UN climate talks in Bonn ended in finger-pointing over their failure to move forward on a key programme to reduce planet-heating emissions, with the UN climate chief warning of “a very steep mountain to climb to achieve ambitious outcomes” at COP29 in Baku. In the closing session of the two-week talks on Thursday evening, many countries expressed their disappointment and frustration at the lack of any…

The image below shows NOAA monthly mean concentration of carbon dioxide (CO₂) recorded at Mauna Loa, Hawaii, from 2020 through July 2024. The inset shows that CO₂ was 425.55 parts per million (ppm) in July 2024, an increase of 3.72 ppm from July 2023, when CO₂ was 421.83 ppm. This 3.72 ppm growth is higher than the 3.36 ppm annual growth in 2023, the highest annual…

Unbearable heat and worsening storms prompt residents of states such as Florida to move elsewhereAs a Rust belt town of 65,000 people in eastern Indiana, Muncie may not be the most exciting place in the world. It doesn’t have beaches, year-round warm weather or much in the way of cosmopolitanism.But for Laura Rivas, a cybersecurity engineer formerly of North Miami Beach, Florida, Muncie is perfect. Continue…

As Australia ushers in a new era of climate-related financial disclosure, many organisations are gearing up for a significant shift in their reporting practices. Since 1 January 2025, the disclosure of Scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions transitioned from voluntary to mandatory, marking a crucial step in the country’s commitment to addressing climate change. Scope 3 emissions, which encompass indirect GHG emissions occurring in an entity’s…

The precise geometry of the protected area encompassing an iconic New Zealand volcano is unmistakable from space. Read More…

Temperatures in the Tropics (23.5°S-23.5°N, 0-360°E) have been very high in 2024 (see black line, image below), much higher than they were at this time of year in 2023 (orange line). The above image shows that on May 24, 2024, the temperature was 26.7°C (or 80.06°F), an anomaly of 1°C (or 1.8°F) compared to 1979-2000. The image below shows the average monthly temperature anomaly over the past few years through…

Cal Fire says Robert Hernandez ignited blazes while off duty in forest land in north of stateA California department of forestry and fire protection employee was arrested on Friday on suspicion of starting five brush fires in northern California in recent weeks, officials said.Robert Hernandez, 38, was arrested at the Howard forest fire station in Healdsburg, California, on suspicion of arson to forest land, the state…

Update on August 23, 2024: This Landsat 8 image shows several golf courses north of Chicago. Congratulations to Jeff Pettett for being the first reader to identify the location and spot the golf courses. Read more about the area in “Golfing in Illinois.”  Every month on Earth Matters, we offer a puzzling satellite image. The August 2024 puzzler is shown above. Your challenge is to use the comments…

Perrine Fournier is a trade and forests campaigner at the forests and rights NGO Fern The view from the highest vantage point in Kabaena island is awe-inspiring. Mountain peaks coated with thin clouds rise over a thick blanket of vegetation. But the natural beauty of this tropical island in Indonesia’s Southeast Sulawesi province, belies the human and environmental damage that’s unfolding below – and which is…

Riverina Oils, a NSW canola oil producer, has partnered with Australian renewable energy retailer Flow Power to power its operations with solar energy. Flow Power described the new solar installation as its largest behind-the-meter project, adding that it set a new standard for renewable energy use in the manufacturing of Australian products. Located in the agricultural hub of the Riverina region in Bomen, NSW, the plant —…

On January 10, NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released their annual analysis finding that 2024 was the hottest year on record globally and that global average temperatures likely surpassed an increase of 1.5° Celsius above pre-industrial levels. On the same day, NOAA released its US Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters analysis for 2024 and found that last year an estimated 568 people…

Patches of forest thrive on a plateau that straddles the border between North Dakota and Manitoba.   Read More…

Global heating could bring “untold suffering” for humans.  It could also mean less fresh water and less rice, though tasting more of arsenic. In an unprecedented step, more than 11,000 scientists from 153 nations have united to warn the world that, without deep and lasting change, the climate emergency promises  humankind unavoidable “untold suffering”. And as if to underline that message, a US research group has…

  Update on December 17, 2024: This Landsat image shows the Messak Settafet plateau in southwestern Libya. Congratulations to Jim Wright for being the first reader to identify the location, and to Nerissa-Cesarina Urbani for naming the plateau. Read more about the area in “Human Fingerprints on an Ancient Landscape.” Every month on Earth Matters, we offer a puzzling satellite image. The November 2024 puzzler is shown…

Sea surface temperature at record high The image below, created with Climate Reanalyzer screenshots, shows that the sea surface temperature (SST 60°S – 60°N mean) was 21.2°C on April 24, 2024, reaching yet another record high. These record high sea surface temperatures are reached as long-term sea surface temperatures are falling and as El Niño is predicted to weaken, which is fueling fears that feedbacks are…

Steve Edwards is head of biodiversity at South Pole.  The 16th United Nations Biodiversity Conference of the Parties (COP16) in Colombia late last year underscored an urgent truth: global efforts to halt biodiversity loss remain inadequate.   While many hoped the event would catalyse clear and enforceable pathways for nature protection, the outcomes fell short, marked by vague targets and limited accountability.  This presents a critical challenge…

There are moments in history when we are called to pause, to reflect, and to ask ourselves: What does it mean to resist? What does it mean to rise? Maya Angelou’s poem Still I Rise has long been a source of inspiration for those of us who refuse to be broken by oppression. It is more than just a poem—it is a declaration, a shield, and…

San Fernando, one of the affected areas pictured on the 7th of January 2025. Image credit: By P. Rivas – CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia. By Anders Lorenzen The Southern California wildfires, burning on their sixth day since emerging on the 7th of January and have devastated large parts of Greater Los Angeles (LA), are set to be the state’s largest and most extreme weather event…

At the Energy LIVE 2024 conference in Houston, Texas, the path to a net-zero emissions future was a hot topic. In a session titled ‘The Great Electrification Debate’, energy experts Dr Tej Gidda and Dr Peter Benyon, both from GHD, discussed whether full electrification is possible on a global or regional scale. Speaking to an audience of industry insiders, policymakers and innovators, Gidda and Benyon presented…

At the first board meeting of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) since President Donald Trump cancelled $4 billion in US pledges to it, countries sparred this week over who should plug the gap. Board members representing Germany and Sweden encouraged governments outside the GCF’s existing contributor base – such as high-income developing nations – to open their wallets. But oil-rich Saudi Arabia, which would be included…

A truly impressive paper was published this week with a new reconstruction of global temperatures over the last ~500 million years. There is something tremendously satisfying about seeing a project start, and then many years later see the results actually emerge and done better than you could have imagined. Especially one as challenging as accurately tracking half a billion years of Earth’s climate. Think about what…

The first major, widespread winter storm of 2025 delivered snow, ice, and frigid temperatures to a large swath of the country. Read More…

Macquarie University researchers have investigated the level of sewage pollution in 18 global harbours, with concerning results. Their work was part of an international study using a special DNA technique that the researchers say is more targeted than traditional methods. The team’s findings have been published in Nature Water. In contrast to other approaches, which may use E. coli or enterococci to detect sewage pollution, the…

Earth’s Energy Imbalance is now about four times as high as it was a decade ago, as illustrated by the above image, by Eliot Jacobson. As a result, feedbacks are starting to kick in with greater ferocity. Water vapor feedback One such feedback is the water vapor feedback. The temperature rise results in more evaporation, i.e. more water vapor and heat will enter the atmosphere, much…

The fifth round of negotiations for a new Global Plastics Treaty to end plastic pollution (Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee or INC-5) finished in Busan, South Korea on December 1st, 2024. This was supposed to be the final round of negotiations, but in the end the talks were extended. We know that we urgently need an ambitious Plastics Treaty that protects our health, biodiversity and climate. Here is…

The Middle East crisis, wildfires in Portugal, floods in Poland and London fashion week: the last seven days as captured by the world’s leading photojournalists Continue reading…

Sea ice [ click on images to enlarge ] The above image shows Arctic sea ice extent from November 5 to December 24, a period when Arctic sea ice is growing in extent. The red line shows 2024 sea ice extent through November 23, 2024. Dots mark Arctic sea ice extent on November 23 for the respective year. On November 23, Arctic sea ice extent was…

Since January 5, 2025, vehicles are being tolled to enter the Congestion Relief Zone in Manhattan South, New York, under the Congestion Pricing Program of the City of New York.On February 19, 2025, the federal government, through the Department of Transportation, stated its disapproval of the program. A WhiteHouse social media post shows a TIME magazine-style cover featuring Trump wearing a crown with the text ‘Congestion pricing is…

On May 11, 2024, the day-night band of VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) on the Suomi NPP satellite spotted the aurora borealis over the United States during the strongest geomagnetic storm in over two decades. That same night, observers on the ground captured spectacular photographs of the dazzling light. The following photos represent just a handful of those shot by citizen scientists as part of NASA’s Aurorasaurus…

Energy minister Chris Bowen says Peter Dutton must explain what happens to national grid over next decade if opposition stops building renewablesFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Coalition’s proposal to cap large-scale renewable energy and eventually build nuclear power plants would lead to “massive” electricity supply shortages risking blackouts, according to analysis released…

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An extratropical storm system dropped torrential rains on parts of Morocco and Algeria. Read More…

The Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego, reported a daily average carbon dioxide (CO₂) at Mauna Loa, Hawaii, of 428.63 parts per million (ppm) on April 26, 2024, as illustrated by the image below.  This is the highest daily average on record at Mauna Loa, which is the more remarkable since the annual CO₂ maximum is typically reached in May, so even higher values are…

Congratulations humanity! For the first time in recorded history we have breached 2C above preindustrial levels!  (Glacecakes Tumblr) 

A new report from the United Nations environment program (Unep) finds that on current pledges, the world is heading for a 3.2 degree rise. Although G20 nations collectively account for 78 percent of all emissions, only five members have committed to a long-term emissions target. Of these, the UK and France are the only two to have passed legislation confirming their commitments in law. Germany, Italy…

Antarctic sea ice [ Antarctic sea ice, click on images to enlarge ]The above images, adapted from University of Bremen and ClimateReanalyzer.org, illustrate the decline in thickness (in cm) and of Antarctic sea ice between August 27, 2024, and January 9, 2025, and the sea ice concentration on January 9, 2025.The compilation image below shows the Southern Hemisphere on January 5, 2025, when the sea surface temperature off the…

By Liu Lican China’s first Biennial Transparency Report on Climate Change was released last week, and the country confirmed it has yet to peak its carbon emissions. The report, submitted to the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), discloses China’s greenhouse gas inventory in 2020 and 2021. It showed that total greenhouse gas emissions in 2021, including that from land use,…

Pollution from microplastics – small plastic particles less than 5 mm in size – poses an ongoing threat to human health. Independent studies have found microplastics in human tissues and within the bloodstream. And as blood circulates throughout the body and through vital organs, these microplastics reach can critical regions and lead to tissue dysfunction and disease. Microplastics can also cause functional irregularities in the brain,…

In Brief: Methane ‘hot spots’ in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta are more likely to be found where recent wildfires burned into the tundra, altering carbon emissions from the land. In Alaska’s largest river delta, tundra that has been scorched by wildfire is emitting more methane than the rest of the landscape long after the flames died, scientists have found. The potent greenhouse gas can originate from decomposing…

There’s nothing quite like an Aussie-style Christmas lunch or dinner — fresh seafood, roast meats, vibrant salads and summertime desserts enjoyed with family and friends. For many, it’s a day to indulge and savour every delicious bite — but it can also provide us with an opportunity to reflect on how we can consume more sustainably. With the majority of food waste in Australia coming from our homes…

Update: This Landsat 8 image shows ship wakes and wind turbines in the Atlantic Ocean near Block Island, which flanks southern New England. Congratulations to Rafael and Jim Steinert for being the first to identify these features and the image’s location. Read more about the area in “A Piece of Rhode Island in the Atlantic.” Every month on Earth Matters, we offer a puzzling satellite image. The July…

‘Risk’ analyses largely ignore the dangers of the climate crisis. Unless we wake up to them, they will soon outweigh all others The Irish sea captain who in 1751 discovered the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (Amoc) – closely connected with, though not identical to, the Gulf Stream – found a practical use for it: he used the frigid deeper water to cool his wine.That may seem…

A razor-thin vote in favour of the EU’s nature restoration law on Monday has salvaged the bloc’s ability to restore its carbon sinks and reach its net zero goal, top officials told Climate Home. The regulation, which tasks the EU’s 27 member states with reviving their land and water habitats and planting billions of trees, was narrowly passed by EU environment ministers. The controversial law only…

Thirteen regional New South Wales councils have pooled their resources to make the shift to renewable energy via a power purchase agreement (PPA) coordinated by the Hunter Joint Organisation and Mid North Coast Joint Organisation. The Powering Tomorrow: Regional Councils NSW PPA will secure fixed pricing for the councils up until the end of 2030. Under the agreement, the councils will collectively receive over 390 gigawatt…

Models that analyze what is driving up the temperature all too often omit specific sources, or when included, models all too often downplay their contribution. Accordingly, policies that are promoted based on such models are all too often ineffective or even counter-productive. Methane is all too often referred to as ‘natural gas’ originating from wetlands, swamps, cows and pigs, as if calling methane ‘natural’ implied that human…

Go Carbon Neutral without paying large fees and commissions Carbon Offset Sales a division of the Climate Change Institute Each Carbon Offset Certificate is for One Tonne of Carbon removed from the atmosphere. Enough to fill 500 fire extinguishers or 8 swimming pools, with the same weight as 400 bricks. Verra & Gold Standard Highest Certification Standards Carbon offset certificates finance projects that slow down the…

Climate economics researchers have often underestimated – sometimes badly underestimated – the costs of damages resulting from climate change.  Those underestimates occur particularly in scenarios where Earth’s temperature warms beyond the Paris climate target of 1.5 to 2 degrees C (2.7 to 3.6 degrees F). That’s the conclusion of a new report written by a team of climate and Earth scientists and economists from the Earth…

Every month on Earth Matters, we offer a puzzling satellite image. The September 2024 puzzler is shown above. Your challenge is to use the comments section to tell us where it is, what we are looking at, and why it is interesting.How to answer. You can use a few words or several paragraphs. You might simply tell us the location, or you can dig deeper and offer details about…

Every month on Earth Matters, we offer a puzzling satellite image. The December 2024 puzzler is shown above. Your challenge is to use the comments section to tell us where it is, what we are looking at, and why it is interesting. How to answer. You can use a few words or several paragraphs. You might simply tell us the location, or you can dig deeper and offer details about what satellite and…

The year 2024 has officially been declared the warmest year globally, with average temperatures surpassing 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels for the first time. This historic announcement was made by the Copernicus Climate Change Service, the European Union’s Earth observation program, on Friday. The declaration comes amid raging wildfires in Los Angeles, California—an escalating disaster exacerbated by climate change. The unprecedented heat of 2024 was largely driven…

GS1 Australia has entered into a partnership with the Product Stewardship Centre of Excellence (the Centre) with the intention of speeding a transition to a circular economy. The two not-for-profit organisations will pool their resources to foster innovation, enhance product stewardship and drive the development of sustainable practices across industries in Australia. Peter Carter, General Manager of Public Policy & Government Engagement at GS1 Australia, said…

Oscar Berglund is a senior lecturer in international public and social policy at the University of Bristol and Tie Franco Brotto is a PhD candidate at the University of Bristol’s School for Policy Studies. Climate and environmental protest is being criminalised and repressed around the world. The criminalisation of such protest has received a lot of attention in certain countries, including the UK and Australia. But…

A network of public bodies are supposed to safeguard us from flooding. But, like old boys’ clubs, they are bastions of self-interestLabour’s first stage of government resembles a vast forensic excavation. As it works through the Conservatives’ midden of horrors, it discovers an ever greater legacy of underinvestment, neglect and corruption. However disappointing the new government’s compromises might be, we shouldn’t forget how overwhelming this task…

Sustainability Victoria is serving up reusable cups at Australian Open 2025 to reduce single-use plastic waste and encourage people to reuse. Tennis fans will be able to sip sustainably during AO 2025 with 38,000 reusable cups from Sustainability Victoria replacing single-use cups in selected bars around the precinct. It’s projected 50,000 single-use cups will be avoided at the tournament, equivalent to 400 kg of plastic. Future reuse…

I feel like I am safe in saying that we are not thriving on our changing planet – and we will not in the coming decadesMy house in Altadena burned down in the wildfires on Wednesday. It all happened quickly. On Tuesday around 7pm, my wife and daughters went to a hotel as a precaution. I left the house with the dogs when the mandatory evacuation…

Governments should promise in their next round of climate plans, due by early next year, not to build any new coal-fired power stations and to shut down existing ones early, the head of the International Energy Agency (IEA) has said. Speaking on Monday at an old London coal power plant-turned-shopping centre, IEA head Fatih Birol said he would be “very happy” to see new NDCs (Nationally…

As Australia ushers in a new era of climate-related financial disclosure, many organisations are gearing up for a significant shift in their reporting practices. Since 1 January 2025, the disclosure of Scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions transitioned from voluntary to mandatory, marking a crucial step in the country’s commitment to addressing climate change. Scope 3 emissions, which encompass indirect GHG emissions occurring in an entity’s…

The temperature in the Tropics (23.5°S-23.5°N, 0-360°E) reached a new record high on April 24, 2024 of 27°C (or 80.6°F). The image below shows the monthly temperature anomaly over the past few years through March 2024, when the anomaly reached a record high of 1.448°C (or 2.606°F).  Note that the anomaly in the top image is calculated from 1979-2000 as a base, while anomalies in the above image…

The UK said it will cut its overseas aid budget in a new blow to vulnerable nations. The move will make it more difficult for the government to deliver on a promise to increase climate finance to developing countries, analysts have warned. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced plans to slash the UK aid budget from 0.5% to 0.3% of national income in order to…

In my 20 years of work experience, I have never felt so passionate and committed to promoting sustainable development. I started my professional career under the premise of making things more sustainable and more profitable. As a businessman, this business model has allowed me to understand that doing the right thing generates even more profitability for a company. And as a citizen, contributing to the benefit…

In Canada, we are witnessing the deliberate weaponization of the term “woke” by political figures like Pierre Poilievre and other right-wing leaders, who use it as a blanket label to dismiss calls for justice, equity, and truth. What began as a term rooted in activism—particularly within Black and Indigenous communities—has been distorted into a derogatory buzzword, often used to discredit legitimate movements for social change. A…

The Marshall Project and the Prison Journalism Project asked incarcerated reporters to document the impact of extreme heat on their facilities. Their stories reveal the brutal realityAfter a summer of record-breaking temperatures, scientists predict that 2024 could end up being the hottest year on record. For people in US prisons and jails – who often lack access to even the most basic cooling measures – conditions…

Follow the particulates: Snapshot of airborne pollution produced when a car brakes. (Courtesy: Adapted from Si, Run and Stafford, Jason 2024 R. Soc. Open Sci. 11 241111)http://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.241111) Scientists at the University of Birmingham, UK, have used physics-based modelling to develop a tool that lets cyclists and pedestrians visualize certain types of pollution in real time – and take steps to avoid it. The scientists say the…

The astonishing recent rise in temperatures makes one wonder whether a Regime Change did take place in 2023. The February 2024 temperature was 1.76°C above 1885-1915, potentially 2.75°C above pre-industrial (bright yellow inset right). The image was created by Sam Carana for Arctic-news.blogspot.com with an April 2024 data.giss.nasa.gov screenshot. The red line (6 months Lowess smoothing) highlights the Regime Change that may have occurred in 2023.Meanwhile, NASA…

Scientists use satellites in orbit and boots on the ice to monitor glacial changes on the flanks of Mount Baker and elsewhere in Washington state. Read More…

Congratulations humanity! For the first time in recorded history we have breached 2C above preindustrial levels!  (Glacecakes Tumblr) 

Global heating could bring “untold suffering” for humans.  It could also mean less fresh water and less rice, though tasting more of arsenic. In an unprecedented step, more than 11,000 scientists from 153 nations have united to warn the world that, without deep and lasting change, the climate emergency promises  humankind unavoidable “untold suffering”. And as if to underline that message, a US research group has…

Emission Reduction ProgramTo facilitate the implementation of the policies and procedures by an organisation to reduce their emissions. To see the full program: click here (password required) As a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, businesses have a vital role to play in mitigating climate change. By developing a comprehensive emissions reduction program, companies can make a positive impact on the environment and help reduce their carbon…

Trade unionists and campaigners seeking a fair deal for workers whose jobs will be affected by the transition away from planet-heating fossil fuels are placing their hopes in next year’s UN climate summit in Brazil following a disappointing outcome at COP29 in Azerbaijan. From coal mines and oil refineries to car factories and construction, the global shift to cleaner sources of energy will alter the nature…

The Rev Sue Parfitt has lost right to conduct religious ceremonies after her arrest at a Just Stop Oil demonstrationAn 82-year-old retired priest has spoken of her pain at losing her right to conduct religious ceremonies because of her participation in Just Stop Oil protests.The Rev Sue Parfitt was arrested in May after allegedly causing damage to the glass around Magna Carta at the British Library…

Neshwin Rodrigues and Duttatreya Das are energy analysts at Ember High cost of capital is a major barrier to the rollout of renewable energy across the Global South. The Alliance of Small Island States has highlighted this repeatedly, and last year the International Energy Agency (IEA) concluded that across a range of developing and emerging economies, raising capital to build utility-scale solar projects costs twice as…

From melting ice caps to dying forests and thawing permafrost, the risk of ‘abrupt and irreversible changes’ is much higher than thought just a few years ago. Humans are playing Russian roulette with Earth’s climate by ignoring the growing risk of tipping points that, if passed, could jolt the climate system into “a new, less habitable ‘hothouse’ climate state,” scientists are warning ahead of the annual…

  Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cells are ubiquitous in electric vehicles and stationary energy storage because they are cheap and have a long lifetime. This webinar will show our studies comparing 240 mAh LFP/graphite pouch cells undergoing charge-discharge cycles over 5 state of charge (SOC) windows (0%–25%, 0%–60%, 0%–80%, 0%–100%, and 75%–100%). To accelerate the degradation, elevated temperatures of 40°C and 55°C were used. In…

UN endorsed projects that slow down the rate of global warmingBuying time for the world to make the transition to low-emission economies. Projects have different standards, such as Verra and Gold Standard, and are subject to a rigorous certification and verification process, and must submit regular updates and reports. To be certified, projects must have verifiable attributes. AdditionalityThe project is justified and the the carbon emission…

To protect the climate, most coal, oil, and natural gas must be left in the ground, a recent study reported. In the 2015 international Paris Climate Agreement, nearly every country agreed to try and limit global warming to no more than 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) and preferably closer to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial temperatures.  Achieving these goals will require dramatic…

Logging, farming, and fires have contributed to the loss and degradation of forest reserves in the West African country. Read More…

Solid-state batteries are considered next-generation energy storage technology as they promise higher energy density and safety than lithium-ion batteries with a liquid electrolyte. However, major obstacles for commercialization are the requirement of high stack pressures as well as insufficient power density. Both aspects are closely related to limitations of charge transport within the composite cathode. This webinar presents an introduction on how to use electrochemical impedance…

Death toll rises to at least 24 as first identifications emerge of Los Angeles residents killed in firesCalifornians: have you been affected by the wildfires?At least 24 people have died in the wildfires surging across the Los Angeles area, the largest of which are burning about 25 miles west and north of downtown, plunging the second-largest city in the US into shock and fear.On Friday, officials…

An ethical oil startup has taken out KPMG’s $100,000 Nature Positive Prize — part of an annual Challenge run by KPMG to boost inventive environmental problem-solving. The successful startup, NSW-based Levur, is dedicated to finding innovative ways to replace unsustainable animal and plant oils for a variety of consumer products. The company was formed in reaction to the devastation wrought by the palm oil industry on…

So-called “forever chemicals”, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), are widely used in consumer, commercial and industrial products, and have subsequently made their way into humans, animals, water, air and soil. Despite this ubiquity, there are still many unknowns regarding the potential human health and environmental risks that PFAS pose. Join us for an in-depth exploration of PFAS with four leading experts who will shed light…

Europe’s climate service said on Friday that 2024 was the hottest calendar year on record and the first in which average temperatures exceeded the key limit of 1.5C above pre-industrial times, raising the importance of efforts to protect people from dangerous impacts. The confirmation – widely trailed before the announcement – came as wildfires made worse by drought conditions rampaged across Los Angeles, causing at least…

Making do, sustainability and living a simpler life July 12th is National Simplicity Day – a day to put technology away and get back to basics; reflect on the simpler things in life.  Claire reflects on how we can be more positive about sustainability and more aware of the benefits of living a more frugal life: I may be looking at the past through rose-tinted glasses, but out…

Widespread bleaching of reefs is devastating delicate ecosystemsIt is one of the least understood processes in nature. How do two very different species learn to live with each other and create a bond, known as symbiosis, which can give them a powerful evolutionary advantage?Coral reefs are the most spectacular manifestations of symbiosis – and understanding the mechanics of this mutual endeavour has become an urgent task…

With Donald Trump, a notorious climate change sceptic, poised to enter the White House for a second term, the climate world – from officials to campaigners and business executives – is bracing for the impact of his presidency. Trump, a Republican business mogul who has called climate change a “scam”, has made no secret about his intentions. From plans to withdraw the US from the Paris…

An extratropical storm system dropped torrential rains on parts of Morocco and Algeria. Read More…

Firefighters have been rescuing people stranded on their balconies and rooftops after Storm Boris triggered flooding and landslides in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna. Two people were reported missing in Traversara, a hamlet in Ravenna province, and about 1,000 people have been evacuated from their homes. Storm Boris has battered parts of Italy after causing havoc in eastern and central EuropeTwo missing and 1,000 evacuated…

The temperature in the Tropics (23.5°S-23.5°N, 0-360°E) reached a new record high on March 13, 2024. The image below shows the situation over the years through March 13, 2024, when the average daily surface air temperature was 26.9°C and 1.4°C above 1979-2000 (black line is 2024).The previous record high temperature was reached on April 24, 2016, when it was 26.8°C, and 1°C above 1979-2000 (grey line…

With storms becoming more frequent due to the climate crisis, insurers are forcing operators to respondOne of the least considered hazards of climate change is the increasing frequency of hailstorms and the size and the impact of the pieces of ice they produce. This, in turn, threatens one of the most promising solutions to the climate crisis: solar farms.In the last year, the number of hailstorms…

Firefighters and police in Rondônia battle fires intensified by both the climate crisis and a criminal assault on the rainforestThe occupants of the vinyl-coated military tents at this remote jungle camp in Brazil’s wild west compare the hellscape surrounding them to catastrophes old and new: the extinction of the dinosaurs, the bombardment of Gaza, the obliteration of Hiroshima during the second world war.“It’s as if a…

Global sea ice area was 13.00 million km² on February 9, 2025, a deviation (1981-2000 base) of -5.75 σ and the lowest area on record, as illustrated by the image below, adapted from seaice.visuals.earth.What is the difference between sea ice area and extent? Extent is the total region with at least 15% sea ice cover. Extent can include holes or cracks in the sea ice and…

The policy framework, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), was engineered and passed through Congress by the Biden Administration with cross-party support. It has been hailed as the biggest and most significant policy framework ever approved in the US political system. As a result, when looking at outgoing President Biden’s climate legacy, this policy alone means that the 46th president’s overall score is high. But the test…

Following its win in October at the Australian Water Association (AWA) Victorian Water Awards, Victorian utility South East Water has netted two more awards at this year’s Asian Water Awards, held in late 2024. The utility’s Hydrotrak Geofencing technology received the Water Technology Excellence (Research and Development) – Australia award, as well as the Water Technology Excellence (Water Resource Management) – Australia award, at the Asian Water Awards. Developed by…

A temperature of -40°C (-39.9°F) was recorded at the circle on February 19, 2025 14:00 UTC, as illustrated by the above image.What made this possible? Temperature anomalies were very high in January 2025 in the Arctic, as illustrated by the image on the right. Arctic sea ice extent is currently at a record low for the time of year. Temperatures of the water in the Arctic Ocean…

Temperatures in the Tropics (23.5°S-23.5°N, 0-360°E) have been very high in 2024 (see black line, image below), much higher than they were at this time of year in 2023 (orange line). The above image shows that on May 24, 2024, the temperature was 26.7°C (or 80.06°F), an anomaly of 1°C (or 1.8°F) compared to 1979-2000. The image below shows the average monthly temperature anomaly over the past few years through…

Models that analyze what is driving up the temperature all too often omit specific sources, or when included, models all too often downplay their contribution. Accordingly, policies that are promoted based on such models are all too often ineffective or even counter-productive. Methane is all too often referred to as ‘natural gas’ originating from wetlands, swamps, cows and pigs, as if calling methane ‘natural’ implied that human…