Real Climate

NOVEMBER 29, 2023

It is 33 years now since the IPCC in its first report in 1990 concluded that it is “certain” that greenhouse gas emissions from human activities “will enhance the greenhouse effect, resulting on average in an additional warming of the Earth’s surface.”

Greenhouse 301

Greenhouse Radiation Cooling Carbon Dioxide 301

Frontiers

AUGUST 7, 2023

By Prof Martin Siegert, University of Exeter (Cornwall) Image: Shutterstock.com 42 governments around the world have agreed to protect Antarctica’s environment. For example, Antarctica acts to cool our planet by reflecting solar radiation back to space by virtue of the brightness of its snow surface.

Ocean 98

Ocean Fossil Fuels Radiation Environmental Science 98

Real Climate

AUGUST 9, 2021

As climate scientists we tend to look at the IPCC reports a little differently than the general public might. Here are a few things that mark this report out from previous versions that relate to issues we’ve discussed here before: Extreme events are increasingly connected to climate (duh!) 1981) which can be seen here.

Sea Level 341

Sea Level 2012 Radiation Ocean 341

HumanNature

APRIL 10, 2023

Altering cloud properties influences Earth’s climate On sunny days, it’s clear that clouds leave shadows on the landscape. Climate scientists are interested in clouds for exactly this reason- clouds reflect sunlight, which has a cooling effect on surface temperatures. Cirrus clouds formed this way have many, small ice crystals.

Climate Change 52

Climate Change Paris Agreement Atmosphere Cooling 52

Environmental Progress

AUGUST 3, 2020

The ideas of Thomas Malthus (center) were used by British governments to justify the Irish Famine, 1845-1848 (left) and Bengali Famine, 1943-1945 (right) before becoming the basis for 20th Century environmentalism. To be sure, there is much that Gleick and I agree upon. “We Why else use it? In Apocalypse Never , I point to a pattern.

Fossil Fuels 124

Fossil Fuels Climate Change Atmosphere Natural Gas 124