Archive for January 2021
Forest Defenders: A Panamanian Tribe Regains Control of Its Lands
With a landmark court ruling, the Naso people of Panama have won the rights to ancestral territory that includes two national reserves the tribe will now help manage. The victory comes as mounting evidence shows that Indigenous groups are often the best protectors of their lands.
Read MoreAs World’s Deltas Sink, Rising Seas Are Far from Only Culprit
Although climate change is often blamed for coastal inundation in places like the Bay of Bengal, other factors such as dam building and urbanization play an important role. Scientists say that more sustainable development policies can help blunt the impacts of rising seas.
Read MoreSharks Born Prematurely, Weaker in Warmer Ocean Temperatures
As ocean temperatures rise, baby sharks will be born prematurely, undernourished, and into harsh environments difficult for them to survive in, according to a new study of epaulette sharks — an egg-laying species found on the Great Barrier Reef — published in the journal Scientific Reports.
Read MoreGlobal Warming Could Stabilize Faster than Originally Thought If Nations Achieve Net Zero
The world may be barreling towards climate disaster but rapidly eliminating planet-heating emissions means global temperatures could stabilize within just a couple of decades, scientists say.
Read MoreNASA, NSF Sign Agreement to Advance Space, Earth, Biological, Physical Sciences
NASA and the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) have signed a memorandum of understanding affirming the agencies’ intent to continue their longstanding partnership in mutually beneficial research activities advancing space, Earth, biological, and physical sciences to further U.S. national space policy and promote the progress of science.
Read MoreAs Big Energy Gains, Can Europe’s Community Renewables Compete?
Local wind and solar cooperatives have been instrumental in fostering Europe’s renewable energy growth. Now, as multinational corporations play an ever-larger role in efforts to decarbonize Europe’s economy, the EU is looking to bolster these grassroots clean-energy initiatives.
Read MoreOne-Third of U.S. Rivers Have Changed Color Since 1984
One in three large American rivers has changed color over the last 36 years, shifting from shades of blue to green and yellow, raising concerns about the health of U.S. waterways, according to an analysis of nearly 235,000 satellite images published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.
Read MoreStudy of Growth Rings in Tundra Shrubs Reveals Spread of Arctic `Browning’
As Arctic sea ice steadily disappears and temperatures rise across the region, the tundra has generally been greening, with shrubs and small trees growing more robustly. But a new study of growth rings in Arctic shrubs reveals a countervailing trend — the withering of plants in some areas because summer conditions have grown too hot and dry.
Read More