Ecology
2017 Set to Rank as One of the Hottest Years Ever Recorded
Global temperature records look likely to be smashed once again this year, with 2017 on course to be one of the three hottest years on record, according to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO). In a provisional statement released today to…
New Zealand May Become First Country to Create Climate Refugee Visas
New Zealand had a general election this month, and the government was voted out of power. Already, the nation’s new Prime Minister, Labour’s Jacinda Ardern, has made climate change advocacy a priority. As well as promising to adhere to the…
The Ozone Hole is Shrinking and It’s Now the Smallest It Has Been in 30 Years
Here’s a rare piece of good news about the environment: The giant hole in the Earth’s protective ozone layer is shrinking and has its smallest peak since 1988, NASA scientists said. The largest the hole became this year was about…
National Climate Report Finds Virtually ALL Global Temperature Rise Since 1950 Caused By Human Activity
The National Climate Report is an annual assessment mandated by Congress. This year’s report has just been released and it contains this stunning finding — virtually all of the observed increase in average global temperatures since 1950 is the result…
Mayor Sadiq Khan Confirms 2019 Early Start Date for Ultra-Low Emission Zone
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has confirmed the capital’s planned Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) will enter into force more than a year earlier than originally planned, on April 8 2019. The ULEZ, which will operate 24 hours a day, will impose…
New Zealand is Planning to Plant 100 Million Trees
New Zealand’s incoming government is hoping to make the nation greener by planting 100 million trees each year, ensuring the electricity grid runs entirely from renewable energy, and spending more money on cycle ways and rail transport. Jacinda Ardern, who…
Atmospheric Methane Levels Rose Rapidly In 2016, Scientists Claim To Not Understand Why
Atmospheric methane levels rose fairly rapidly in 2016, as did atmospheric carbon dioxide levels (which saw the yearly average rise up to 403.3 parts per million), according to a new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The scientists involved…