Earth
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- Earth
Cameras catch underwater volcano in the act
Seafloor eruption in the South Pacific is the deepest and most violent yet seen.
- Earth
2009 Science News of the Year: Environment
Recent monitoring (from a gondola in Washington state, shown) reveals that rates of tree death are up. Credit: Univ. of Washington Routine tree deaths doubled Small background rates of everyday tree death have doubled in old-growth, western forests since 1955, possibly because of climate change, researchers report (SN: 2/14/09, p. 8). In 76 plots with […]
- Climate
Carbon dioxide: Blame where blame is due?
Blog: Measuring outsourcing of greenhouse gases. From the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union.
- Climate
Climate: China defends its reputation
Over the past few days, a number of national delegations – not least the United States’ – have criticized implicitly, if not explicitly, China’s unwillingness to accept binding limits on its greenhouse-gas emissions and the measurement of emissions by outside auditors. This morning, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao addressed a plenary meeting of the United Nations climate-change conference – populated by more than 100 heads of heads of state – to make his case that China has embarked on an earnest step toward substantive climate protection.
- Climate
Obama: Climate’s rock star
A little over a half-hour ago, President Barack Obama wrapped up a stirring pep talk to his fellow world leaders attending the United Nations climate change meeting. He didn’t promise the world. Only that the United States could be depended upon to do its part in helping stem global greenhouse gas emissions and to fund measures that would help fund the world’s poorest and climate-beleaguered nations adapt. But what was especially interesting was to watch how the whole climate conference has waited with baited breath to learn what Obama would say: Could our President make promises that would at last galvanize action in the United States and accord among countries whose views, even yesterday, seemed poles apart?
- Climate
Climate emissions mandates: What role China and India?
One major schism between negotiating blocs at the United Nations climate change meeting is over which nations should face a mandate to reduce their greenhouse-gas emissions. Just the industrial powers that have historically spewed most of the carbon dioxide responsible for today’s climate troubles? Or that group and the newly emerging industrial leaders – especially China, who for several years has reigned as the world’s greenhouse-gas king? The deadline for resolving this dilemma is ostensibly quite imminent. As in today.
- Earth
Carbon dioxide: blame where blame is due?
Tracking the outsourcing of greenhouse gas emissions.
- Climate
Tiny Tuvalu could quash climate deal
Prime Minister Apisai Ielemia brags that his tiny 9-island state of Tuvalu is the world’s smallest independent country. Its 10,000 inhabitants live an average of 2 meters above sea level, which makes their homeland highly vulnerable to disappearing with even modest sea-level rise. With the nation’s survival so dependent on climate protection, he vowed today that Tuvalu will not sign onto any climate-change accord that does not require “legally-binding” language and programs aimed at ensuring global temperatures peak at “well below” 1.5 oC. That could effectively torpedo hopes for a climate accord tomorrow when the United Nations climate change meeting is slated to wrap up.
- Climate
U.S. backs $100-billion-a-year plan for climate adaptation
Blog from Copenhagen: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton arrived at the climate talks December 17, and debate continued over how much 'transparency' countries are willing to accept.
- Earth
For coots, hatching order is crucial ID
When birds sneak eggs into others' nest, mom and dad can learn to find their own.
- Earth
Seismology in your backyard (and on your Twitter feed)
With two USGS programs, Twitter, inexpensive seismic equipment transform citizens into scientists.
