World’s major cities to face ‘unknown’ climate conditions by 2050
London’s climate in 2050 could be similar to Barcelona’s current climate, with Madrid feeling more like Marrakesh and Seattle more like San Francisco
-
-
Opinion: Why traditional knowledge – not external tech – is the key to truly sustainable agriculture
Substituting organic “bio-inputs” for synthetic agrochemicals is still a one-size-fits-all, technology-focused solution, which means it won’t lead to sustainable agriculture
-
As funding for the Resilient Cities programme ends, plans to counter risks from climate & social change continue
More than 70 cities that are part of the 100 Resilient Cities (100RC) network, set up in 2013, have crafted “resilience strategies” that include about 3,500 activities designed to combat shocks and stresses – everything from floods to an influx of refugees.
-
Global warming and heat stress could cost 80 million jobs by 2030 according to UN
Heat stress from global warming of 1.5C could lead to a 2.2 per cent drop in working hours – and cost the global economy $2.4 trillion, the UN says
The costs and benefits of a clean economy
As the cost of renewable energy falls, Australia’s transition to clean energy makes sound economic as well as environmental sense
From just two bulls, 9 million US dairy cows
There are more than 9 million dairy cows in the United States, and the vast majority of them are Holsteins, large bovines with distinctive black-and-white (sometimes red-and-white) markings. The amount of milk they produce is astonishing. So is their lineage. When researchers at the Pennsylvania State University looked closely at the male lines a few years ago, they discovered more than 99 percent of them can be traced back to one of two bulls, both born in the 1960s.
New computer memory uses quantum mechanics to massively reduce energy use
A new type of computer memory which could solve the digital technology energy crisis has been invented and patented by Lancaster scientists. The electronic memory device promises to transform daily life with its ultra-low energy consumption.
World’s first research hub to create living buildings launches
Experts from Newcastle and Northumbria Universities are to develop new technologies to revolutionise how buildings are constructed and how they operate. The new hub will include The OME, an experimental biological house, which will be built on Newcastle University’s campus. A living lab, the OME will be used as an experimental facility to test and showcase the hub’s ground-breaking research.
Could a simple glue be the solution to carbon capture at power stations?
Is glue the answer to climate change? Researchers at the Energy Safety Research Institute (ESRI) at Swansea University have proven that it could certainly help. They have developed a new material capable of capturing the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) with the key ingredient being a common epoxy resin you probably have at home.
UK’s net-zero emissions 2050 pledge undermined by biomass energy loophole
The United Kingdom and the European Union are setting goals to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. But that declaration is deeply flawed, analysts say, due to a long-standing United Nations carbon accounting loophole that turns a blind eye toward the conversion of coal burning power plants to burning wood pellets.
In courtrooms, climate change is no longer up for debate
In September 2017, San Francisco experienced its hottest day on record, with temperatures reaching a searing 106 degrees. Weeks later, the city joined Oakland to announce it would sue five major fossil fuel firms — BP, Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron, and ConocoPhillips — for the costs of building sea walls and other infrastructure to protect residents from global warming.
With drones, AI and e-vehicles, China crafts green-tech megalopolis
Beijing fosters links between nine cities in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau to forge the world’s biggest urban area offering 70 million people a smart, low-carbon lifestyle
Solarcentury says UK needs new policies to meet 2050 carbon target
Solar industry wants renewed government backing as new research suggests the sector may easily beat existing forecasts
Short food supply chains: setting another place at the table
Ever more citizens are opting for short food supply network to get fresh local produce. They bypass supermarkets and support sustainable agriculture. However, this is often the prerogative of an educated and activist population. The challenge is to involve more disadvantaged people.
How to keep fish in the sea and on the plate: Pacific temporary fishing bans are better than permanent closures
Temporary bans on fishing can be better than permanent ones as a way of allowing fish stocks in an area to recover, while still providing enough to eat, a research team has found.
Melting glaciers threaten Asia’s drought buffer, scientists warn
Countries from India to Kazakhstan are far more dependent on melting glaciers for water than previously thought, particularly in summer droughts, scientists said this week, warning that rising temperatures were threatening supply.
