Explore

Rapid ReadRapid Read
European Children to Face Double the Extreme Fire Weather Days Compared to Grandparents

European Children to Face Double the Extreme Fire Weather Days Compared to Grandparents

A new study published in the journal Environmental Research Letters indicates that children born in Europe today will experience nearly double the number of extreme fire weather days compared to their grandparents, an 84% increase. Specifically, a child born in Europe in 2025 is projected to live through more than three additional years of extreme fire weather. The Mediterranean region is expected to see the largest increases, with individuals born in 2025 potentially facing up to 2.5 times the exposure to extreme fire weather than those born in 1950, equating to over five additional years. This projection is based on a scenario where global warming increases by 2.6°C above pre-industrial temperatures by 2100, aligning with current global climate and energy policies. Europe is currently the fastest-warming continent, with temperatures rising by approximately 0.56°C per decade since the mid-1990s, more than double the global average. This summer alone, wildfires burned over 668,000 hectares across the E.U.,...
Rapid ReadRapid Read
MBARI Deploys Autonomous Drones to Study Marine Snow and Ocean Carbon Sequestration Off California

MBARI Deploys Autonomous Drones to Study Marine Snow and Ocean Carbon Sequestration Off California

The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) has deployed two 242.5-pound autonomous underwater vehicles (LRAUVs) off the coast of California as part of the 'Chasing Marine Snowstorms' expedition. These drones are designed to independently track a drifting sediment trap by its acoustic beacon, photographing the top 656 feet of the ocean. The sediment trap, deployed from MBARI's flagship R/V David Packard, collects 'marine snow'—a mixture of mucus, dead plankton, and organic matter—at various depths down to 1,640 feet. This dual Eulerian-Lagrangian approach allows researchers to simultaneously observe what is sinking and what is still floating in the same moving body of water. The LRAUVs were pre-deployed from MBARI's cabled observatory (MARS) and motored to an offshore mooring before the research vessel even departed, demonstrating their advanced autonomous capabilities. This mission aims to measure the amount and composition of marine snow, which plays a crucial role in the ocean's biological carb...
1Weather1Weather
U.S. Drought Monitor Highlights Persistent Dryness

U.S. Drought Monitor Highlights Persistent Dryness

The U.S. Drought Monitor, a collaborative effort by the National Drought Mitigation Center, USDA, NOAA, and NASA, continues to track drought conditions across the United States. The organization aims to mitigate the effects of drought on people, the environment, and the economy through research and planning. The latest data reveals ongoing drought conditions in various regions, with detailed charts and maps available for analysis. The monitor provides tools for understanding drought severity and trends, helping decision-makers at all levels, from local communities to national agencies, plan and respond effectively. Source time: not specified.
ReutersReuters
Macron, Carney pledge closer ties in Atlantic island meeting amid strains with Trump

Macron, Carney pledge closer ties in Atlantic island meeting amid strains with Trump

By John Irish Sept 20 (Reuters) - The leaders of France and Canada on Sunday pledged closer ties to grapple with rising geopolitical tensions, climate change and the erosion of democratic values, after they met in the French territory of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon off Canada's Atlantic coast.
Sarasota Herald-TribuneSarasota Herald-Tribune
Why Florida’s drought is threatening more than lawns

Why Florida’s drought is threatening more than lawns

2026 has been a historic year for severe drought in Florida, and local counties have been greatly affected. What this means for clean water access.
Rapid ReadRapid Read
German Government Seeks 'Coalition of the Willing' to Reduce SF6 Emissions in China's Electric Grid

German Government Seeks 'Coalition of the Willing' to Reduce SF6 Emissions in China's Electric Grid

The German government's international development agency is actively seeking to establish a 'coalition of the willing' among emerging and developing countries to address sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) emissions, particularly within China's electric grid. SF6 is a potent greenhouse gas, 24,300 times more effective at warming the planet than carbon dioxide, and once released, it remains in the atmosphere for 1,000 years. China's electric grid is the largest emitter of SF6 globally, with emissions nearly doubling from 2011 to 2021 and projected to continue rising. While China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) claims utilities can recycle 90% of waste SF6, Inside Climate News estimates the actual recycling rate is closer to 30%. Increasing this rate to approximately 90% could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions at a relatively low cost, estimated at about $6 million per year, compared to the $70 billion annually invested in China's electric grid. The Chinese government has recently called for an...
1Weather1Weather
12.5 Trillion Tons of Ice Melted Since 1979

12.5 Trillion Tons of Ice Melted Since 1979

A new study published in the journal Scientific Data reveals that Earth has lost approximately 12.5 trillion tons of ice from Greenland and Antarctica since 1979. This amount of ice melt is equivalent to covering the entire continental United States with a 5-foot layer of ice. The research highlights that the majority of the melting is caused by warmer ocean waters eroding the ice sheets from below and the sides, rather than by rising air temperatures. The study, conducted by an international team of polar scientists, utilized data from 45 independent surveys and 27 satellites, including those from NASA and the European Space Agency. The findings indicate that ice sheet melting has accelerated significantly since the 2010s, contributing to a global sea level rise of about one inch over the past 47 years.
1Weather1Weather
Melting Arctic Ice Threatens Alaskan Communities

Melting Arctic Ice Threatens Alaskan Communities

The Arctic region is experiencing rapid ice melt due to climate change, with significant impacts on coastal communities in Alaska. Rising sea levels, driven by melting permafrost and disappearing ice, are putting some areas at risk of becoming uninhabitable within the next decade. This phenomenon is forcing residents in affected regions to consider relocation, effectively making them climate refugees. The situation underscores the urgent need for global action to address climate change and its cascading effects on vulnerable populations.
Rapid ReadRapid Read
Former Deputy Secretary David J. Hayes Advocates for Improved Climate and Environmental Data Accessibility

Former Deputy Secretary David J. Hayes Advocates for Improved Climate and Environmental Data Accessibility

David J. Hayes, who served as U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Department of the Interior in three presidential administrations and as Special Assistant to the President for Climate Policy, is emphasizing the critical need for accessible and usable climate and environmental data. Hayes, currently an Advisory Board Member and Co-Founder of the Center for Climate and Environmental Data (CCED) at the Data Foundation, highlights issues such as data fragmentation, lack of measurement standards, and insufficient granularity. He points out that greenhouse gas data, for instance, is spread across various federal scientific agencies like NASA, NOAA, and USGS, as well as policy-making bodies such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Energy. This fragmentation makes it challenging for decision-makers, from foresters considering reforestation projects to city managers evaluating tree planting initiatives, to access and utilize the data effectively for actionable insights. Hayes's interest in en...
Rapid ReadRapid Read
Global Oceans Experience 100 Days of Record Heat, Amplified by El Niño

Global Oceans Experience 100 Days of Record Heat, Amplified by El Niño

The global ocean has recorded 100 consecutive days of unprecedented high average sea surface temperatures between June 2 and September 10. Data from the Climate Reanalyzer, overseen by the University of Maine’s Climate Change Institute, indicates that on each of these days, sea surface temperatures surpassed those recorded on the same date in any year since 1982. One of the highest readings occurred on August 22, reaching 21.10° Celsius (69.98° Fahrenheit), according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, with the Climate Reanalyzer reporting an even higher average of 21.18° C (70.12° F) between August 22 and 27. Experts, including Zachary Labe, a climate scientist at the U.S.-based nonprofit Climate Central, attribute this long-term trend to human-induced climate change, with over 90% of excess heat from burning fossil fuels being absorbed by the ocean. The current El Niño weather pattern, which began in June and is predicted by NOAA to be 'very strong,' is further amplifying this warm...
1Weather1Weather
El Niño to Cause Unpredictable Weather in 2026

El Niño to Cause Unpredictable Weather in 2026

El Niño, a recurring climate phenomenon, is expected to bring unpredictable weather anomalies in 2026, according to a report by the U.S. National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). During the 2023–2024 season, the typical weather patterns associated with El Niño were disrupted. Southern U.S. states did not experience the anticipated wet season, and northern states did not see the expected dry conditions. Researchers attribute this deviation to the slow warming of tropical waters in the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, which interfered with the usual climate teleconnection patterns. This disruption highlights the increasing complexity of predicting El Niño's impacts as global climate systems evolve.
1Weather1Weather
Drought Conditions Monitored Across New Jersey

Drought Conditions Monitored Across New Jersey

The U.S. Drought Monitor has classified parts of New Jersey under varying levels of drought, ranging from 'Abnormally Dry' (D0) to 'Extreme Drought' (D3). These classifications are based on physical indicators and local observations, and they highlight the ongoing water shortages in the region. The drought map, updated weekly, is a collaborative effort by agencies such as NOAA, USDA, and NASA. It serves as a critical tool for disaster declarations and water supply planning. The drought conditions are impacting water availability for municipal, industrial, and agricultural use, as well as increasing the risk of severe weather events.