Global Climate News

The Audubon Society's 125th Christmas Bird Count in Central Park, NYC, collected data on bird populations. The Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service use this data in reports on climate change and biodiversity loss. The count revealed a banner year for Tufted Titmice (283) and a record number of Red-tailed Hawks (25).

Canada's Polar Knowledge Canada opened a new office in Whitehorse, Yukon, to strengthen relationships with researchers and Indigenous knowledge holders. Since 2021, it has provided over $4 million in grants for 25 Yukon projects and over $470,000 to 119 students for research. Research includes testing clean energy technologies to reduce fossil fuel dependence and understanding diseases affecting wildlife sustainability.

The Pew Charitable Trusts, in collaboration with 32 international scientists, conducted a horizon scan identifying 15 significant issues shaping environmental conservation. Four key issues highlighted include: macroalgae as a sustainable source of rare earth elements; record low Antarctic sea ice impacting marine ecosystems; human impact on seabed carbon stores; and offshore wind farms altering ocean processes. The study was published in Trends in Ecology & Evolution and partially funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts.

France has experienced significant glacier melt, impacting Mont Blanc's stability and causing increased rockfalls. Geomorphologist Ludovic Ravanel's research highlights the link between climate change and these events, emphasizing the need for safety measures and route reassessment for mountaineers. The mayor of Saint-Gervais proposed a €15,000 deposit for climbers, covering rescue and funeral costs.

The UN Secretary-General expressed sorrow over devastating wildfires in California, claiming lives and displacing thousands. Damages are estimated to exceed $50 billion. The UN commended first responders and highlighted prevention strategies such as clearing underbrush and improving evacuation planning. The WHO emphasized the health risks of wildfire smoke. The UN stands ready to provide assistance if needed.

ETH Zurich researchers have optimized arsenic detection methods, finding it in aerosols, clouds, and rainwater in the Pyrenees. They identified transport patterns from the Atlantic, Spain, France, the Mediterranean, and Africa, showing biological processes are more important in the arsenic cycle than previously assumed. This necessitates incorporating biological processes into models to better estimate global arsenic distribution.

This research assessed patterns of biotic homogenization and differentiation across more than 175,000 samples of 2,006 demersal fish species from 34 regions spanning six decades and 20% of the planet’s continental shelf area. Ten regions showed significant homogenization, eleven showed significant differentiation, and fifteen showed non-monotonic temporal fluctuations. Fishing pressure and temperature influenced beta diversity, but effects varied regionally. The study challenges the global homogenization paradigm in marine ecosystems.

A study has reviewed the reconstructed metabolic evolution of marine picocyanobacteria and explored how the marine biosphere overcame earlier constraints on productivity, potentially linking the rise of arthropods to cyanobacteria's colonization of the open ocean. The research suggests that photosynthesis may have been largely limited to shallow continental shelf waters during the Precambrian, impacting interpretations of biospheric productivity and Earth history.

This research reviews hydrogenotrophic metabolisms affecting underground hydrogen storage (UHS) and natural hydrogen prospecting. It discusses how subsurface microbial communities interact with hydrogen, potentially impacting UHS operations and natural hydrogen production. The study highlights the importance of understanding microbial interactions with hydrogen for efficient geological hydrogen storage and identifying natural hydrogen deposits to reduce the global carbon footprint.

Oregon is experiencing warming temperatures, increased drought, and reduced snowfall due to climate change. The Oregon Climate Assessment highlights adaptation efforts by businesses, including Oregon's high number of B Corporations. The assessment also notes potential economic losses from wildfires, increased health impacts from smoke, the role of reforestation in carbon storage, challenges and benefits of offshore wind energy, and the impact of climate change on the legal system.

Illinois has evaluated progress on nutrient runoff reduction efforts from 1997-2022 across 49 watersheds. Incremental nitrate loads decreased 9% despite a 19% increase in water yield; total phosphorus loads increased 25% despite a 27% reduction in point source discharge. Nonpoint sources comprised 82% and 78% of nitrate and phosphorus yields, respectively.

Studies of 15 dominant tree species in the interior western United States have revealed that seedlings are occupying historically cooler areas than mature trees, indicating regeneration failures in the hottest parts of species’ ranges. Disturbances did not uniformly catalyse climatic range shifts; differences were species- and disturbance-specific. Assisted migration programmes may be needed to help trees adapt.

The US-based Oak Ridge National Laboratory researcher is developing simulations to quantify water-related risks such as flooding and drought, aiming to inform decision-makers and improve disaster predictions as severe weather events rise.

New research reveals that ozone pollution causes 1.407 million deaths annually worldwide. The study highlights the need for stronger monitoring networks, stricter ozone standards aligned with WHO guidelines, and reduced emissions of ozone precursors like NOx and VOCs. Specific areas needing attention include Asia’s croplands and urban centers in the western United States.

Climate change is projected to sharply reduce _E. maimaiga_ infection rates, thereby increasing spongy moth defoliation. Recent rebounds in defoliation are consistent with these projections. This demonstrates that the effects of climate change on species interactions can have important consequences for natural ecosystems.

Researchers interviewed 1,500 farmers across ten African mountain regions to investigate perceived climate change impacts and adaptation responses. They found that farmers perceive multiple impacts and mostly respond by intensifying farming practices and using off-farm labor. Adaptation was mostly incremental, but some sites showed more transformational adaptation due to factors like social capital.

Researchers found that late spring frost reduces photosynthetic productivity by 13.6% and delays spring phenology by approximately 7 days in the subsequent year. This frost-induced delay further decreases photosynthetic productivity the following year. The study used 286,000 ground phenological records and remote-sensing data across the Northern Hemisphere.

A study using a high-resolution ocean biogeochemistry model projected a 40% reduction in the efficiency of the Arctic’s biological carbon pump by 2100 due to climate change, with terrigenous inputs contributing 10%. This will reduce the Arctic Ocean’s carbon sink by at least 10% (33 TgC yr−1).

India's Ministry of Science and Technology, under Dr. Jitendra Singh, highlighted the newly launched BIO-E3 (Biotechnology for Economy, Employment, and Environment) Policy, aimed at boosting India’s biotechnology sector for economic growth, employment, and environmental sustainability. The Ministry also emphasized ongoing initiatives like the Deep Sea Mission and the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (NRF) to foster innovation. India shared an ambitious timeline for space missions, including advancements in NAVIC, the Gaganyaan mission, and plans for a space station and moon landing.

India has launched the BIO-E3 (Biotechnology for Economy, Employment, and Environment) Policy to boost its biotechnology sector and improve environmental sustainability. The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (NRF), passed in 2024, is set to foster innovation in 2025. India also shared an ambitious timeline for space missions, including the Gaganyaan mission and the development of its own space station, Bharat Antariksh Station.