Topics tagged with 'Greenhouse Effect'

Climate crisis drives more days of extreme wildfire risk in NZ
7 Feb 2023
As Aotearoa approaches the height of wildfire season, climate change means increasing forest fire risk – for at least an extra 30 days a year as the air gets thirstier, according to the latest science.

Europe steps up climate change adaptation in wake of floods and heatwaves
3 Feb 2023
Europe's recent extreme weather events, such as heatwaves, droughts and floods, have underlined the urgent need to prepare the continent for the worsening effects of climate change.

Water crises due to climate change: More severe than previously thought
3 Feb 2023
Climate change alters the global atmospheric circulation, which in turn alters precipitation and evaporation in large parts of the world and, in consequence, the amount of river water that can be used locally.

Fossil fuel companies contribute to 43% of global methane emissions: study
3 Feb 2023
After carbon dioxide, global methane emissions are the second-largest contributor to global warming. Despite having a brief atmospheric lifetime of only 12 years on average, the gas has a much higher warming potential during that time.

Marine heat wave linked to death of Fiordland sponges
2 Feb 2023
Media release - Warming waters in Fiordland could be responsible for the loss of up to 10 percent of one of the most abundant marine sponges in Pātea—Doubtful Sound. More sponges may have been lost further south in Tamatea—Dusky Sound and Te Puaitaha—Breaksea Sound.

Scientists now know why methane mysteriously surged during lockdowns
2 Feb 2023
The world largely came to a halt in 2020 when extensive COVID-19 lockdowns were issued, which temporarily caused a global decline in greenhouse gas emissions. Despite the slowdowns in highly polluting sectors like aviation and manufacturing, methane emissions mysteriously climbed.

Earth is on track to exceed 1.5C warming in the next decade, study using AI finds
1 Feb 2023
The world is on the brink of breaching a critical climate threshold, according to a new study published on Monday, signifying time is running exceedingly short to spare the world the most catastrophic effects of global heating.

How culling Australia’s feral water buffalo could help tackle climate change
1 Feb 2023
The world’s largest wild population of water buffalo now roam Australia. As does the largest wild herd of camels. Australia has millions of feral goats and deer.

Dutch flood memories unleash new climate fears
31 Jan 2023
Seventy years after the worst natural disaster to strike the Netherlands, Chiem de Vos, seven at the time, still hears his neighbour's desperate cries of "My children are drowning!" ringing in his ears.

Architects design flood-resilient U-House near Japanese lake
31 Jan 2023
Japanese studio Ushijima Architects has completed a small wood-clad house in Shiga Prefecture, with living spaces raised on a concrete base to help mitigate the risk of flooding.

EU plans restrictions on climate-wrecking fishing method
31 Jan 2023
EU countries will be required to reduce the harmful impacts of fishing on sensitive species and their habitats, under a draft EU biodiversity plan seen by Euractiv.

Auckland floods: even stormwater reform won’t be enough – we need a ‘sponge city’ to avoid future disaster
30 Jan 2023
By Timothy Welch - The Conversation | We’ve built our cities to be vulnerable to – and exacerbate – major weather events such as the one we saw in Auckland on Friday. While almost no city in the world could fully escape the effects of four months’ worth of rain in 24 hours, there are many things that could have been done to avoid some of the worst impacts.

Architecture firm envisions Vancouver in 2100 with predicted sea level rise
30 Jan 2023
Dutch architecture studio MVRDV has released a study that aims to offer possible solutions to urban planning in the face of rising sea levels by reimagining the Vancouver waterfront.

Climate activists block main road into The Hague
30 Jan 2023
Hundreds of climate activists blocked one of the main roads into The Hague on Saturday, defying attempts to prevent their protest that have sparked concerns about restrictions on the right to demonstrate in the Netherlands.

How debt-for-nature swaps are resuscitating climate action investments in Africa
30 Jan 2023
Portugal recently struck a deal to swap Cape Verde's debts for environmental investments in a fund established by the West African country.

Best by the rest...
27 Jan 2023
In our weekly round-up of the best climate coverage in local media: Dame Anne Salmond on New Zealand’s “fatally flawed” climate strategy; a fact check of claims that Kiwi farms are the greenest; and why the country needs an e-bike rebate.

How California’s ambitious new climate plan could help speed energy transformation around the world
27 Jan 2023
California is embarking on an audacious new climate plan that aims to eliminate the state’s greenhouse gas footprint by 2045, and in the process, slash emissions far beyond its borders.

Calls for action as Brazil Yanomami indigenous people face crisis
27 Jan 2023
Brazilian officials have said that the Yanomami indigenous people are living in dire conditions, as illegal gold miners threaten them with violence and block the delivery of goods such as food and medicine to their embattled region.

How ancient seeds from the Fertile Crescent could help save us from climate change
26 Jan 2023
Inside a large freezer room at the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, tens of thousands of seeds are stored at a constant temperature of minus 20 degrees celsius.

From China to Japan, extreme cold is gripping East Asia. Experts say it’s the ‘new norm’
26 Jan 2023
Tens of millions of people across East Asia braved a severe cold snap Wednesday as subzero temperatures and heavy snow brought travel chaos during the Lunar New Year holiday, with climate experts warning that such extreme weather events had become the “new norm.”

Horn of Africa may see record sixth straight failed rainy season
26 Jan 2023
The eastern Horn of Africa just saw an unprecedented fifth straight failed rainy season on record, making it the longest and most severe drought in 70 years of precipitation data.

NGO sues German government for failing climate targets in transport and buildings sectors
25 Jan 2023
Environmental lobby group Friends of the Earth Germany is suing the German government for missing its emission reduction targets in the buildings and transport sectors.

Gisborne District Council supports calls for land use inquiry
24 Jan 2023
Gisborne District Council says it strongly supports an independent inquiry into land use in Tairāwhiti.

A few pieces of good news on climate change (and a reality check)
24 Jan 2023
Emissions of the greenhouse gases that cause climate change reached a new peak in 2022, according to early estimates. And climate disasters seem to be hitting at a breakneck pace. In 2022, the world experienced record heat waves in China and Europe, and devastating floods in Pakistan killed over 1,000 people and displaced millions.

Climate change most important issue facing New Zealand: survey
23 Dec 2022
Climate change is now seen as the most important environmental issue facing New Zealand, surpassing freshwater issues for the first time since surveys into environmental perceptions started in 2000.

Climate action, one recipe at a time
23 Dec 2022
Renowned chefs such as UN World Food Programme (WFP) Goodwill Ambassador Chef Manal Al Alem, and Chef José Andres, as well as indigenous home cooks and farmers from around the world, have contributed to a new cookbook that includes recipes that are delicious and climate friendly.

The simple story of civilisation
23 Dec 2022
An essay by Tom Murphy | The stories we fashion about ourselves are heavily influenced by our short life spans during an age of unprecedented complexity. We humans, it would seem, are unfathomably complicated creatures who defy simple “just-so” characterisations..

Russia’s invasion & Pakistan’s floods defined 2022 in climate
22 Dec 2022
In 2021, governments and corporations got drunk on net zero hype. 2022 was the year when the hangover kicked in and they started to grapple with what their promises meant and whether they were actually prepared to follow through.

Aotearoa signs up to UN deal for nature
21 Dec 2022
Aotearoa New Zealand has agreed to a historic international deal with a 2030 deadline: Protect 30% of Earth’s lands, oceans, coastal areas, and inland waters; reduce annual harmful government subsidies by $500 billion; and cut food waste in half.

Niger urges rich nations to make 'climate loss fund' operational
21 Dec 2022
The "loss and damage" fund agreed to last month at the COP27 climate conference aims for rich nations to help those that have borne the brunt of their global warming emissions. In Niger, climate change has fueled desertification and conflict as communities compete for dwindling resources.

Climate action delivers air quality & health gains in India
20 Dec 2022
New research shows how city actions to address climate change in India can deliver health benefits from cleaner air.

Whales could be a valuable carbon sink: scientists
16 Dec 2022
Whales influence the amount of carbon in our air and oceans, and may help reduce the amount of carbon in the atmosphere, according to new research by US and New Zealand scientists.

Best by the rest...
16 Dec 2022
Carbon market reforms mean big emitters may be eligible for more free credits; should cruise ships be banned from Milford Sound? and the slow pace of targeting agricultural production to a lucrative overseas market which puts a high value on sustainability.

Climate justice needs more than a fund. It needs accountability
16 Dec 2022
After innumerable fits and starts, COP27 witnessed a win for climate diplomacy in November, when the United Nations climate conference agreed to set up a fund for loss and damage caused by global warming — a key demand of many developing nations.

Climate change will impact mountains on a global scale
16 Dec 2022
According to research, climate change will have a severe effect on mountain landscapes and human activities, increasing the likelihood of avalanches, river floods, landslides, debris flows, and lake outburst floods.

Wellington’s emissions down nearly 10% since 2020
15 Dec 2022
Wellington’s emissions have dropped by 9% since 2020, according to the latest data.

Final July and August extreme weather claims top $123 million
15 Dec 2022
Media release | Final claims data released by the Insurance Council of New Zealand Te Kāhui Inihua o Aotearoa (ICNZ) show that extreme weather-related claims spanning five events across July and August has reached 11,086 claims valued at $123.8 million.

Climate change will fuel humanitarian crises in 2023: study
15 Dec 2022
Climate change will accelerate humanitarian crises around the world in 2023, adding to the issues created by armed conflict and economic downturns, according to a study by the NGO International Rescue Committee (IRC).

G7 sets out terms for global ‘climate club’
14 Dec 2022
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz presented the long-awaited terms for his ‘climate club’, a platform for countries wishing to protect the climate. However, it may be overshadowed by similar initiatives recently announced.

Large wild herbivores may help slow climate change
14 Dec 2022
Large animals, especially herbivores such as elephants, are often seen as being destructive of vegetation, so are not thought of as a nature-based climate solution. Scientists are proving otherwise.

Air travel emissions in Norway are double the global average
14 Dec 2022
Emerging research suggests that greenhouse gas emissions from Norwegian air travel are twice as high as the worldwide average.

Climate change is driving millions to the precipice of a ‘raging food catastrophe’
12 Dec 2022
In the Horn of Africa, a climate change-induced drought is exposing cracks in the global food system and pushing humanitarian aid to a breaking point.

New abnormal: climate disaster damage 'down' to $268 billion'
12 Dec 2022
This past year has seen a horrific flood that submerged one-third of Pakistan, one of the three costliest U.S. hurricanes on record, devastating droughts in Europe and China, a drought-triggered famine in Africa and deadly heat waves all over.

How states are getting tougher on climate protesters
12 Dec 2022
Blocking roads and runways has been divisive, and some countries are taking a hard line against further disruptions.

Climate change stokes new norm of extreme Australia weather
12 Dec 2022
Extreme weather events such as bush fires and flooding are set to become the norm in Australia, a new report shows.

Best by the rest...
9 Dec 2022
In our weekly round-up of the best climate coverage in local media: Stuff's Christmas-themed Forever Project magazine is out, featuring an interactive story on the climate impact of food; NZ farmers' global customers demand more climate action; and a booming Nelson ebike company may soon be sending up to 35,000 bikes a year overseas.

Rising temperatures causing distress to foetuses: study
9 Dec 2022
Rising temperatures driven by climate breakdown are causing distress to the foetuses of pregnant farmers, who are among the worst affected by global heating.

International biodiversity conference must lead to law reform in NZ: expert
8 Dec 2022
New Zealand must do more than simply participate at Montreal’s UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15) taking place this week - any agreements must translate to law and policy reform here, according to a local expert.

New marine research and education facility for Tauranga brings climate into focus
8 Dec 2022
A newly approved marine research and education facility for Tauranga will support study into Aotearoa New Zealand’s marine environment and the effects of climate change.

Egypt’s Great Pyramids and the Sphinx could be lost to climate change: experts
8 Dec 2022
Egypt’s world-famous antiquities, including the Sphinx and the Great Pyramids of Giza, could be lost to climate change by the end of the century, experts warn.