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At what temperature would melting become irreversible?

One of the biggest contributors to the increasing speed of sea level rise of 3.4 millimetres a year is the Greenland ice cap, which is 3 kilometres thick and has the potential to raise sea levels by 7 metres if it all melted. Scientists have been working out at what temperature Greenland’s melting would become irreversible. The threshold, according to a new study presented in Nature, is between 1.7°C and 2.3°C above pre-industrial levels. As current projections predict that global temperatures are set to rise by up to 3°C this century, the world is perilously close to the tipping point. Against that, the researchers point out that by the time we would get back down to 1.5°C, sea levels would already be 2 or 3 metres higher than now.

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2023/oct/27/at-what-threshold-is-greenl...

In this issue

Countries are not on track to achieve the 1.5°C target

Discussions about new 2035 and 2040 climate targets have started in the European Union.

Editorial: Canada not happy with EU Deforestation Regulation

EU Member States and the European Parliament recently agreed on the Regulation on deforestation-free products, which aims to promote the consumption of forest-friendly products and reduce the EU’s impact on global deforestation and forest degradation.

Five key global 2030 targets aligned with 1.5°C

The IPCC’s sixth assessment report (AR6) provides crucial information on how to tackle climate change, in particular identifying pathways that limit warming to 1.5°C with zero or limited overshoot.

Crowdfunding and energy communities take centre stage

Poorer areas of the EU are exploring funding approaches such as crowdfunding and citizen-driven energy communities for the green transition.

Green governance innovation curbs climate impact from public canteens

In 2022 Aarhus introduced an internal climate tax. In the first year, it resulted in a 40 per cent reduction of beef consumption and a 12 per cent overall decrease in food-related emissions.

Car-free city improves health

Car-free cities is an opportunity to reduce the health burden in cities. Society need to keep their eyes on the goal and make science-based decisions to get there.

Ban fossil industry funding in medical research

Leading experts are asking medical researchers to ban financial interference between research individuals and institutions and the fossil fuel industry.

India reaches record levels of dirty air … again

A mix of factors, including vehicular, agricultural and industrial emissions, dust and weather patterns, make Delhi the world’s most polluted capital.

Targeting two pollutants at a single stroke

Farming contributes to both ammonia and methane emissions. A recent guidance document maps the synergies and trade-offs in mitigating these two gases.

2023 from the corals’ perspective: heatwaves and backlashes

Mass bleaching of corals have become a global phenomenon. Among the best-known coral reefs is the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, which has suffered from mass bleaching events for more than two decades. But mass bleaching events have increasingly turned more widespread over the globe, including also reefs in the northern hemisphere.

Action to triple renewable power and double energy efficiency

A rapid, sustained and concerted action is needed limit temperature rise to less than 1.5°C. A new report by IRENA, GRA, and the COP28 Presidency analyses renewable energy targets, highlights current gaps and identifies key enablers. Launched during Pre-COP, the report sets the stage for global climate summit negotiations.

The importance of Electricity Market Design trilogues and recommendations

Lawmakers in the European Parliament agreed on their negotiating positionon 14 September to reform the EU’s electricity market to avoid a repetition of the soaring prices witnessed in 2021 and 2022.

Phasing out coal in the EU by 2030 at the latest

What happened to coal power amidst Europe’s winter crisis of 2022/2023, and what lessons can we learn for this winter.

Northern forests and climate change project

AirClim’s Northern Forests and Climate Change project aims to increase the visibility of Northern forests in the international climate debate.

Flora and fauna of the Siberian forest

The most important factor influencing plants and wildlife distribution is climate. At the northern limit of tree distribution in the forest tundra of Siberia the mean annual soil temperature is -1 to -3°C. Around a hundred days a year have air temperatures above +5°C, and only 57–70 days are above +10°C.

Forests are especially valuable natural resources in Georgia

They occupy about 40 per cent of the territory of the country and have exceptional importance at the national, regional, and global levels. 95–98 per cent of the Georgian forests have natural origin. 60 per cent of the forest belongs to the Black Sea and 40 per cent to the Caspian Sea basins.

Main menu

At what temperature would melting become irreversible?

In this issue

Countries are not on track to achieve the 1.5°C target

Editorial: Canada not happy with EU Deforestation Regulation

Five key global 2030 targets aligned with 1.5°C

Crowdfunding and energy communities take centre stage

Green governance innovation curbs climate impact from public canteens

Car-free city improves health

Ban fossil industry funding in medical research

India reaches record levels of dirty air … again

Targeting two pollutants at a single stroke

2023 from the corals’ perspective: heatwaves and backlashes

Action to triple renewable power and double energy efficiency

The importance of Electricity Market Design trilogues and recommendations

Phasing out coal in the EU by 2030 at the latest

Northern forests and climate change project

Flora and fauna of the Siberian forest

Forests are especially valuable natural resources in Georgia

Publications

Food for Thought

Northern forests, climate change and the UNFCCC

EU climate targets aligned with the Paris agreement’s 1.5°C objective

Baltic Sea Offshore Wind Collaborative-Learning project

Air pollution in Europe and children’s health

Climate Change: A Himalayan Odessey

No further discussion needed. The agreed global goal is to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C

Fossil-free electricity 2021

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