The Elephant
A resource for journalists, politicians, policy makers, activists and citizens interested in climate change and the environmental emergency
The ElephantA resource for journalists, politicians, policy makers, activists and citizens interested in climate change and the environmental emergency
Visit: newscientist.com
Solar geoengineering: Should we tweak the atmosphere to counteract global warming? | New Scientist
2024-04-23 in New ScientistWith severe climate impacts becoming more and more apparent, many scientists think we should explore ways to block out solar radiation, but doing so would be risky
Our plans to tackle climate change with geological carbon storage don't add up | New Scientist
2024-04-16 in New ScientistModelling that shows how the world can remain below 1.5°C of warming assumes we can store vast amounts of carbon dioxide underground, but a new analysis reveals that achieving this is extremely unlikely
Spreading rock dust on farms boosts crop yields and captures CO2 | New Scientist
2024-03-28 in New ScientistWe already have evidence that rock dust can remove carbon dioxide from the air – now there are signs that spreading the dust on farm fields also enhances crop growth
There are growing fears of an alarming shift in Antarctic sea ice | New Scientist
2024-03-11 in New ScientistAntarctic sea ice cover remains far below average levels for the third year in a row, but researchers are uncertain whether this is a permanent shift driven by climate change or part of natural fluctuations
Tagged under: Sea Level | Ice Melting | Antarctic
Natural hydrogen: Does Earth contain near-limitless clean fuel? | New Scientist
2024-01-31 (or before) in New ScientistProspectors around the world are scrambling to find reserves of "gold hydrogen", a naturally occurring fuel that burns without producing carbon dioxide. But how much is really out there and how easy is it to tap into?
World's first tunnel to a magma chamber could unleash unlimited energy | New Scientist
2024-01-04 (or before) in New ScientistIn Iceland, scientists are planning to drill two boreholes to a reservoir of liquid rock. One will give us our first direct measurements of magma – the other could supercharge geothermal power
Tagged under: Geothermal Energy
Much of North America may face electricity shortages starting in 2024 | New Scientist
2023-12-23 in New ScientistOver the next several years, many regions of the US and Canada may struggle to ensure a reliable electricity supply amid soaring energy demand from the tech industry and electrification of buildings and vehicles
Tagged under: Electricity
Ancient climate analysis suggests CO2 causes more warming than thought | New Scientist
2023-12-07 in New ScientistA reconstruction of 66 million years of climate history indicates global temperature may be even more sensitive to carbon dioxide levels than current models estimate
End Times: Why reports that Western civilisation will soon collapse are premature | New Scientist
2023-12-05 (or before) in New ScientistA scientific analysis of history reveals that societies are becoming more resilient to collapse – and shows how to successfully navigate crises, says complexity scientist Peter Turchin
Tagged under: Collapse
Extreme rainfall is increasing even more than expected as world warms | New Scientist
2023-11-28 in New ScientistA study comparing weather records with climate model projections suggests that the latest models are underestimating how often future rainfall extremes will occur
We are on track to pass 1.5°C warming in less than 10 years | New Scientist
2023-09-24 (or before) in New ScientistBusiness as usual would cause the planet to warm above the aspirational 1.5°C limit agreed at the UN Paris meeting as early as 2026
Tagged under: Global Warming
What will happen if the world passes 1.5°C of global warming for the first time? | New Scientist
2023-09-24 (or before) in New ScientistLimiting global warming to 1.5°C has become the defining measure of success in the climate fight and we need to think about what comes next
Tagged under: Global Warming
Oxygen levels are dropping in rivers across the US and central Europe | New Scientist
2023-09-20 (or before) in New ScientistRivers in the US and central Europe are losing their ability to hold oxygen because of rising temperatures, which could put fish at risk
Climate change: Something strange is happening in the Pacific and we must find out why | New Scientist
2023-08-18 (or before) in New ScientistUnexpectedly, the eastern Pacific Ocean is cooling. If this “cold tongue” continues, it could reduce greenhouse gas warming by 30 per cent – but also bring megadrought to the US
Tagged under: Oceans | Climate Change
Scientists 'shocked' by extreme events in Antarctica as Earth heats up | New Scientist
2023-08-08 (or before) in New ScientistFrom shrinking sea ice to the wildest heatwave ever, the extreme events happening recently in Antarctica could be a sign of much worse to come
Tagged under: Antarctic
River Thames was pumped full of oxygen in 2022 to prevent fish deaths | New Scientist
2023-06-26 (or before) in New ScientistFalling oxygen levels caused by sewage and hot weather saw a specialised boat deployed for 11 days in August to save plants and fish
Bendy solar panels are just as good as regular ones | New Scientist
2023-05-25 (or before) in New ScientistExisting solar cells are normally only used on flat, static surfaces to avoid them cracking, but now there is a flexible alternative with the same energy-generating efficiency
Tagged under: Solar Energy
Lab-grown meat could be 25 times worse for the climate than beef | New Scientist
2023-05-09 in New ScientistAnalysis finds the carbon footprint of cultivated meat is likely to be higher than beef if current production methods are scaled up because they are still highly energy-intensive
Tagged under: Meat Production | Cattle and Dairy Farming
Breakaway iceberg raises concerns over Antarctica’s Thwaites glacier | New Scientist
2023-01-23 (or before) in New ScientistA massive iceberg that has been stuck on the seafloor in front of the Thwaites glacier in West Antarctica for two decades and helped protect it is now floating away
Tagged under: Antarctic
Strong El Niño could make 2024 the first year we pass 1.5°C of warming | New Scientist
2023-01-15 (or before) in New ScientistEarly modelling suggests the world’s climate could shift to an El Niño pattern towards the end of 2023, which is likely to increase the global average temperature
Tagged under: El Niño
California's carbon offsetting may actually be increasing emissions | New Scientist
2022-12-24 (or before) in New ScientistThe state's ambitious plan to be carbon-neutral by 2045 relies on carbon offsets through the state’s forests. But scientists say it may be causing more harm than good
Tagged under: California | Trees
Computer chip made using mushroom skin could be easily recycled | New Scientist
2022-11-13 (or before) in New ScientistThe base of computer chips and batteries tends to be made from unrecyclable plastic, but using skin from a certain species of mushroom instead would reduce electronic waste
The Climate Book review: An essential guide to a better world | New Scientist
2022-10-22 (or before) in New ScientistGreta Thunberg has enticed over 100 experts to write about the climate crisis. No one else could have created this incredible resource
Tagged under: Greta Thunberg
Even 'net zero' aviation could still cause significant global warming | New Scientist
2022-10-20 (or before) in New ScientistNot accounting for aviation’s non-CO2 effects such as contrails could ignore 90 per cent of future flights’ contribution to climate change
Tagged under: Climate Change | Net Zero
To encourage sustainability, we must remember we are apes, not angels | New Scientist
2022-09-22 (or before) in New ScientistIf we want to change our consumerist society, we need greener status signals that appeal to our animal instincts, says Solitaire Townsend
Tagged under: Sustainability
Heatwave in China is the most severe ever recorded in the world | New Scientist
2022-08-26 (or before) in New ScientistA long spell of extreme hot and dry weather is affecting energy, water supplies and food production across China
Tagged under: Extreme Weather | Heatwaves | Food Production and Consumption
UK government will hold back data on the state of English wildlife | New Scientist
2022-08-08 (or before) in New ScientistOnly 7 of 24 of biodiversity indicators will be published this year, and many of those being omitted show a deterioriating natural environment
Tagged under: Wildlife
Arctic sea ice loss could trigger huge levels of extra global warming | New Scientist
2022-07-25 (or before) in New ScientistArctic sea ice vanishing in summers by 2050 could trigger 0.19°C of extra global warming – almost enough to wipe out any savings from China going carbon neutral
Tagged under: Arctic | Sea Level
Climate change: 42% chance of breaching 1.5°C goal even if all carbon emissions cease | New Scientist
2022-06-07 (or before) in New ScientistHowever, research shows that prospects for meeting the Paris Agreement’s backstop of 2°C is still well within reach, provided emissions are cut rapidly
Tagged under: Climate Change
India heatwave: Severe temperatures will bake a billion people and damage crops | New Scientist
2022-04-30 (or before) in New ScientistWheat production is at risk from extreme temperatures across much of India, but better early warning systems appear to be limiting how deadly the heatwaves are
Tagged under: Extreme Weather | Heatwaves
Climate fiction has come of age – and these fabulous books show why
2022-02-03 (or before) by in New ScientistTagged under: Climate Change
The Amazon is turning into savannah – we have 5 years to save it
2021-12-13 (or before) by in New ScientistTagged under: Rainforests | Amazon Rainforest | Climate Change
UK refuses to release document showing Net Zero Strategy CO2 savings
2021-12-05 (or before) by in New ScientistTagged under: Climate Change | Net Zero
China's new climate plan promises to peak CO2 emissions before 2030
2021-10-29 (or before) by in New ScientistTagged under: China | COP26 | Climate Change
Why chemical pollution is turning into a third great planetary crisis
2021-10-28 (or before) by in New ScientistTagged under: Climate Change
Environmentalist Jonathon Porritt’s big idea to slow global warming
2021-10-22 (or before) by in New ScientistTagged under: COP26 | Climate Change
Limiting warming to 1.5°C may save billions from tropical storms
2021-09-28 (or before) by in New ScientistTagged under: Extreme Weather | Climate Change
Some corals ‘killed’ by climate change are now returning to life
2021-09-24 (or before) by in New ScientistTagged under: Climate Change | Coral Reefs
Alok Sharma: COP26 is for ordinary people, not just climate warriors
2021-09-24 (or before) by in New ScientistTagged under: COP26 | Climate Change | Finance
Net-zero living: How your day will look in a carbon-neutral world
2021-09-02 (or before) by in New ScientistTagged under: Net Zero
Can we fix climate models to better predict record-shattering weather?
2021-07-27 (or before) by in New ScientistTagged under: Extreme Weather | Predictions | Climate Change
Controversial geoengineering scheme will dump iron in the sea
2021-07-05 (or before) by in New ScientistTagged under: Oceans | Climate Change | Geoengineering
Inside the race to rescue clues to Earth’s past from melting glaciers
2021-06-23 (or before) by in New ScientistTagged under: Climate Change | Ice Melting
World's most powerful magnet being shipped to ITER fusion reactor
2021-06-22 (or before) by in New ScientistTagged under: Nuclear Power | Nuclear Fusion
Pesticide-resistant blood-sucking lice threaten wild and farmed fish
2021-05-27 (or before) by in New ScientistGreenland’s ice sheet is releasing huge amounts of mercury into rivers
2021-05-25 (or before) by in New ScientistTagged under: Arctic | Climate Change | Rivers
Climate emergency: The new science showing it’s make-or-break time
2021-04-21 (or before) by in New ScientistTagged under: COP26 | Climate Change
Billions of extra trees may give us 20 years to tackle climate change
2021-04-18 (or before) by in New ScientistTagged under: Rainforests | Amazon Rainforest | Climate Change | Trees
Green spaces aren’t just for nature – they boost our mental health too
2021-03-25 (or before) by in New ScientistTagged under: Health
Wildfires could become a big threat in the UK due to climate change
2021-03-24 (or before) by in New ScientistTagged under: Wildfires | Climate Change
Billions could go hungry from global warming by 2100
2021-03-10 (or before) by in New ScientistWe are nowhere near keeping warming below 1.5°C despite climate plans
2021-03-03 (or before) by in New ScientistTagged under: Climate Change
Rescue plan for nature: How to fix the biodiversity crisis
2021-02-18 (or before) by in New ScientistTagged under: Climate Change
A quarter of all known bee species haven't been seen since the 1990s
2021-01-23 (or before) by in New ScientistEarth may be even closer to 1.5°C of global warming than we thought
2020-12-15 (or before) by in New ScientistTagged under: Climate Change
Friederike Otto interview: Can we sue oil giants for extreme weather?
2020-07-27 (or before) by in New ScientistTagged under: Extreme Weather | Climate Change
Antarctica's doomsday glacier is melting. Can we save it in time?
2020-01-28 (or before) by in New ScientistTagged under: Oceans | Climate Change | Antarctic | Ice Melting | Sea Level
Electric cars could charge in 10 minutes with a new kind of battery
2020-01-06 (or before) by in New ScientistTagged under: Lithium | Batteries | Electric Cars | Cars | Electricity
A new battery could keep your phone charged for five days
2020-01-06 (or before) by in New ScientistTagged under: Lithium | Batteries | Electric Cars | EVs
Conservationists are ignoring climate change, risking mass extinctions
2019-12-29 (or before) by in New ScientistTagged under: Climate Change
We constantly eat microplastics. What does that mean for our health?
2019-12-05 (or before) by in New ScientistTagged under: Microplastics and Nanoplastics | Oceans | Health
General election 2019: Why you should think climate change not Brexit
2019-12-02 (or before) by in New ScientistTagged under: Climate Change
CO2-guzzling bacteria made in the lab could help tackle climate change
2019-12-02 (or before) by in New ScientistTagged under: Greenhouse Gases | Climate Change
Steel and concrete are climate change's hard problem. Can we solve it?
2019-11-17 (or before) by in New ScientistTagged under: Climate Change
How deadly disease outbreaks could worsen as the climate changes
2019-10-28 (or before) by in New ScientistTagged under: Deforestation | Climate Change
US green economy has 10 times more jobs than the fossil fuel industry
2019-10-23 (or before) by in New ScientistTagged under: Coal
Climate myths: Ice cores show CO2 increases lag behind temperature rises, disproving the link to global warming | New Scientist
2019-10-15 (or before) in New ScientistThis proves that rising CO2 was not the trigger that caused the initial warming at the end of these ice ages - but no climate scientist has ever made this claim
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