Contents contributed and discussions participated by Simon Harrison - World at Risk - Year 12 Edexcel Geography

Sunscreen in the Sky? Reflective Particles May Combat Warming - 0 views

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Geoengineering

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Spritzing a sunscreen ingredient into the stratosphere could help counteract the effects of global warming, according to scientists behind an ambitious new geoengineering project. The plan involves using high-altitude balloons to disperse millions of tons of titanium dioxide-a nontoxic chemical found in sunscreen as well as in paints, inks, and even food.

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">Spritzing a sunscreen ingredient into the stratosphere could help counteract the effects of global warming, according to scientists behind an ambitious new geoengineering project. The plan involves using high-altitude balloons to disperse millions of tons of titanium dioxide-a nontoxic chemical found in sunscreen as well as in paints, inks, and even food.</div>

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El Niño Shows Signs of Returning This Year - 0 views

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El nino

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Australia's meteorological service says its climate models indicate that the El Niño ocean-warming phenomenon may return later this year, replacing the stubborn La Niña that has altered global weather patterns for the past two years. El Niño brings its own set of weather disruptions, typically including drought from Australia to Indonesia and potent winter storms to the western United States.

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">Australia's meteorological service says its climate models indicate that the El Niño ocean-warming phenomenon may return later this year, replacing the stubborn La Niña that has altered global weather patterns for the past two years. El Niño brings its own set of weather disruptions, typically including drought from Australia to Indonesia and potent winter storms to the western United States.</div>

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Sun Is Moving Slower Than Thought - 0 views

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Sun

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The sun is moving through the Milky Way slower than previously thought, according to new data from a NASA spacecraft. From its orbit around Earth, the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) satellite measured the speeds of interstellar particles entering at the fringes of our solar system, 9 billion miles (14.5 billion kilometers) from the sun.

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">The sun is moving through the Milky Way slower than previously thought, according to new data from a NASA spacecraft. From its orbit around Earth, the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) satellite measured the speeds of interstellar particles entering at the fringes of our solar system, 9 billion miles (14.5 billion kilometers) from the sun.</div>

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Q&A: carbon capture and storage - 0 views

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Carbon capture

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What is carbon capture and storage? The technology is designed to prevent the carbon dioxide exhaust from the burning of coal and gas from entering the atmosphere and driving further climate change. It does this by either stripping the CO2 from the smokestacks of conventional power stations, or by burning the fuel in special ways to produce exhausts of pure CO2.

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">What is carbon capture and storage? The technology is designed to prevent the carbon dioxide exhaust from the burning of coal and gas from entering the atmosphere and driving further climate change. It does this by either stripping the CO2 from the smokestacks of conventional power stations, or by burning the fuel in special ways to produce exhausts of pure CO2.</div>

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Flooding, Drought and Wildfires Ravage China - 0 views

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Hazards china

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Tens of thousands evacuated as extreme rain events swamp central China More than a million people have been affected in central China's Hunan province, as storms dumped 200+mm of rain in less than 24 hours. Floods have claimed at least a dozen lives, leaving many others injured, damaging or destroying thousands of homes, and forcing...

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">Tens of thousands evacuated as extreme rain events swamp central China More than a million people have been affected in central China's Hunan province, as storms dumped 200+mm of rain in less than 24 hours. Floods have claimed at least a dozen lives, leaving many others injured, damaging or destroying thousands of homes, and forcing...</div>

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Arctic Ocean is an emission source of methane, study finds - big picture - 0 views

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Arctic methane

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Nasa researchers measured surprising levels of the potent greenhouse gas methane coming from cracks in Arctic sea ice and areas of partial sea ice cover

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">Nasa researchers measured surprising levels of the potent greenhouse gas methane coming from cracks in Arctic sea ice and areas of partial sea ice cover</div>

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Flying into the heart of a storm - 0 views

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Rain flood

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Scientists have flown through the heart of a turbulent weather system in a bid to understand the causes of heavy rainfall.

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">Scientists have flown through the heart of a turbulent weather system in a bid to understand the causes of heavy rainfall.</div>

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Earth's environment getting worse, not better, says WWF ahead of Rio+20 - 1 views

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Rio summit

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Twenty years on from the Rio Earth summit, the environment of the planet is getting worse not better, according to a report from WWF. Swelling population, mass migration to cities, increasing energy use and soaring carbon dioxide emissions mean humanity is putting a greater squeeze on the planet's resources then ever before.

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">Twenty years on from the Rio Earth summit, the environment of the planet is getting worse not better, according to a report from WWF. Swelling population, mass migration to cities, increasing energy use and soaring carbon dioxide emissions mean humanity is putting a greater squeeze on the planet's resources then ever before.</div>

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What is global dimming? - 0 views

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Global dimming

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Measurements from the 1960s to the early 1990s, backed up by a wide range of data and a number of independent studies, showed there were substantial declines in the amount of the sun's energy reaching the Earth's surface. This reduction is known as "global dimming". The observed "dimming" has strong regional differences across the globe.

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">Measurements from the 1960s to the early 1990s, backed up by a wide range of data and a number of independent studies, showed there were substantial declines in the amount of the sun's energy reaching the Earth's surface. This reduction is known as "global dimming". The observed "dimming" has strong regional differences across the globe.</div>

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Arctic melt releasing ancient gas - 0 views

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Methane arctic

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Scientists have identified thousands of sites in the Arctic where methane that has been stored for many millennia is bubbling into the atmosphere. The methane has been trapped by ice, but is able to escape as the ice melts. Writing in the journal Nature Geoscience, the researchers say this ancient gas could have a significant impact on climate change.

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">Scientists have identified thousands of sites in the Arctic where methane that has been stored for many millennia is bubbling into the atmosphere. The methane has been trapped by ice, but is able to escape as the ice melts. Writing in the journal Nature Geoscience, the researchers say this ancient gas could have a significant impact on climate change.</div>

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Aquifer drainage and sea level rise - 0 views

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Sea level rise

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Land grabbers: Africa's hidden revolution - 0 views

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Land grabbing africa

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Omot Ochan was sitting in a remnant of forest on an old waterbuck skin and eating maize from a calabash gourd. He was lean and tall, wearing only a pair of combat pants. Behind him was a straw hut, where bare-breasted women and barefoot children cooked fish on an open fire.

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">Omot Ochan was sitting in a remnant of forest on an old waterbuck skin and eating maize from a calabash gourd. He was lean and tall, wearing only a pair of combat pants. Behind him was a straw hut, where bare-breasted women and barefoot children cooked fish on an open fire.</div>

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Fred Pearce: Land grabbing has more of an impact on the world's poor than climate change - 0 views

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Land grabbing

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Over the last few years, I became aware of this hidden revolution taking place around the world: the buying up of vast swaths of land by foreign entities from beneath its occupiers. Soaring grain prices in 2007/2008 led to countries such as Saudi Arabia and South Korea worrying about their national food security and buying up overseas land.

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">Over the last few years, I became aware of this hidden revolution taking place around the world: the buying up of vast swaths of land by foreign entities from beneath its occupiers. Soaring grain prices in 2007/2008 led to countries such as Saudi Arabia and South Korea worrying about their national food security and buying up overseas land.</div>

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Hottest Periods on Record for U.S. - 0 views

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Climate change

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The United States has just undergone the hottest 12-month period ever recorded, according to the environment agency NOAA. While the Pacific Northwest and northern parts of California were actually much cooler than normal over the past year, a vast stretch of the Midwest and East were acutely warm and dry.

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">The United States has just undergone the hottest 12-month period ever recorded, according to the environment agency NOAA. While the Pacific Northwest and northern parts of California were actually much cooler than normal over the past year, a vast stretch of the Midwest and East were acutely warm and dry.</div>

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Flash floods are on the rise, while the budget to tackle them sinks - 0 views

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Flash floods

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A moving new exhibition of photographs at Somerset House shows the human impact of flooding around the world over the past five years and provides an insight into how climate change may already be disrupting lives and livelihoods.

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">A moving new exhibition of photographs at Somerset House shows the human impact of flooding around the world over the past five years and provides an insight into how climate change may already be disrupting lives and livelihoods.</div>

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Climate change is a matter of justice - 0 views

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Climate change

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The rich countries caused the problem, but it is the world's poor who suffer. The Durban climate talks must right this wrong

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">The rich countries caused the problem, but it is the world's poor who suffer. The Durban climate talks must right this wrong</div>

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Met Office warns of UK risks - 0 views

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drought

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Britain will experience water shortages and flooding by the end of the century if temperatures are left unchecked, analysis shows

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">Britain will experience water shortages and flooding by the end of the century if temperatures are left unchecked, analysis shows</div>

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China favours EU plans for Kyoto replacement - but with conditions - 0 views

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durban

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UN climate talks back on track after China and Brazil say they will consider the 'right' legally-binding treaty on emission cuts

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">UN climate talks back on track after China and Brazil say they will consider the 'right' legally-binding treaty on emission cuts</div>

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UN climate talks looking to China - 0 views

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Durban

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China is emerging as the key deal-maker or deal-breaker as the UN climate talks head into ministerial discussions, the BBC's Richard Black reports.

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">China is emerging as the key deal-maker or deal-breaker as the UN climate talks head into ministerial discussions, the BBC's Richard Black reports.</div>

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2011 warmest year with La Niña event - 1 views

Environment secretary Caroline Spelman calls on water companies and public to plan now for 2012 water shortage

Climate la nina

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Global Climate 2011: Warmest year with La Niña, 10th warmest year, lowest Arctic sea ice volume Average global temperatures this year so far are the 10th highest on record and are higher than all previous years with a La Niña event, which has a relative cooling effect, WMO reported

<div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">Global Climate 2011: Warmest year with La Niña, 10th warmest year, lowest Arctic sea ice volume Average global temperatures this year so far are the 10th highest on record and are higher than all previous years with a La Niña event, which has a relative cooling effect, WMO reported</div>

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