Climate

Earth’s Land and Trees Absorbed Almost No Net Carbon in 2023

Earth’s Land and Trees Absorbed Almost No Net Carbon in 2023

Earth’s land-based carbon sinks — forests, wetlands, grasslands and soil — are essential for absorbing atmospheric carbon dioxide, regulating the planet’s temperature and mitigating climate change. A preliminary report shows that last year — the hottest ever recorded — almost no net carbon was absorbed by land. This means the world’s terrestrial carbon sinks temporarily […]

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    Renewables Will Generate Almost Half of Global Electricity by 2030, Falling Short of UN Target to Triple Capacity: IEA Report

    Renewables Will Generate Almost Half of Global Electricity by 2030, Falling Short of UN Target to Triple Capacity: IEA Report

    With solar leading the way, renewables are on track to generate nearly 50 percent of global electricity this decade. But green energy is still predicted to fall short of the United Nations target of tripling capacity, according to Renewables 2024: Analysis and forecast to 2030, a report from the International Energy Agency (IEA). More than […]

    25 of 35 Vital Signs for Earth Have Reached Record Extremes, Scientists Warn

    25 of 35 Vital Signs for Earth Have Reached Record Extremes, Scientists Warn

    A new report from a team of international scientists has revealed harsh realities on Earth, with 25 of 35 planetary vital signs reaching record extremes. Without immediate action, scientists warn that these extremes could threaten life on Earth. In the new study, published in the journal BioScience, scientists presented a stark look at the state […]

    BP Scraps Target of Reducing Oil Production by 2030

    BP Scraps Target of Reducing Oil Production by 2030

    Oil major BP has scrapped its goal of reducing oil and gas production by the end of the decade, angering environmental groups who say the company is prioritizing profits over the planet. According to three sources who have knowledge on the matter, BP CEO Murray Auchincloss scaled back the company’s energy transition plans in order […]

    Global Deforestation Increased in 2023, Report Finds

    Global Deforestation Increased in 2023, Report Finds

    Despite international pledges to limit and reverse deforestation by the end of this decade, the world is seeing an increase in deforestation, a new report has found. The 2024 Forest Declaration Assessment report revealed that globally, deforestation increased in 2023, with 6.37 million hectares lost, including 1.4 million hectares lost in key biodiversity areas. The […]

    Community Groups, Neighbors and Volunteers Mobilize in Aftermath of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina

    Community Groups, Neighbors and Volunteers Mobilize in Aftermath of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina

    Since Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida on September 26, at least 227 people have died, with many still missing and thousands displaced. Homes and businesses in western North Carolina were destroyed, and some are still living without power, internet and safe drinking water. Aid sent by governments and larger nonprofits can sometimes take a […]

    Global River Flows Fell to Record Lows in 2023, WMO Report Says

    Global River Flows Fell to Record Lows in 2023, WMO Report Says

    Last year was the driest for rivers globally in 33 years, according to the State of Global Water Resources 2023 report coordinated by the United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The world’s river flows fell to record lows in 2023, as extreme heat endangered crucial water supplies in a time of increasing demand, a WMO […]