Climate Change & Energy

Does climate change cause extreme wildfires? New techniques analyze human impacts on fire risks.

As large wildfires threaten communities in many parts of the world, understanding how climate change will influence extreme fire events can help predict future fire risk. In a recent study, researchers used new models to find that human emissions increased fire risk by 1.5 to 6 times in western Canada.

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Katie Murray

Clean water and green energy: Making desalination practical

Researchers have developed a system for purifying salt water that can run on solar energy. This technology could make fresh drinking water available in remote areas.

Tuesday, February 6, 2018

Eva Alblaghti

What’s missing in science communication

To promote environmental advocacy, we need science to be a priority to people. But how scientists better communicate their findings to the wider world? Too often, recent studies suggest, science communication fails to address key factors such as audience curiosity and intelligence, political ideology and personal beliefs.

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Anna Maria Cárcamo

Global warming could destroy Tibetan economy

Rising sea levels and melting glaciers are certainly worrisome consequences of climate change — but there are more subtle changes that could also be disastrous. The geographical shift of caterpillar fungus, for example, could spell economic disaster for Tibetan people.

Tuesday, January 2, 2018

Thupten Wodzer

The complex relationship between carbon emissions and government corruption

Does corruption lead to higher emissions? A study of 19 Asia-Pacific countries shows how the relationship between corruption and carbon dioxide emissions is more nuanced than one may think.

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Shi Yi

The conundrum of siting wind farms

Although wind power is often hailed as one of the ultimate sustainable energy sources, siting wind farms can be tricky. A recent study examined the trade-offs between building wind farms close to population centers or in remote regions with more suitable wind conditions. The results can help policymakers locate new wind development more efficiently.

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Krisztina Pjeczka

Good carbon pricing is good carbon spending

If you don’t like it, why not put a… price on it? Researchers from Stanford University prepared a guide to carbon pricing and how governments around the world are using the money generated from it.

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

Krisztina Pjeczka

Will corals survive humans?

We have entered an era where humans have had a profound impact on the planet. In this new world that we have created, what species will endure and what others shall perish? How can we predict what species they will be?

Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Sanna O’Connor-Morberg

Editor's Choice Finalist

Could there be a turning point for Indonesia’s CO2 emissions?

A recent study showed empirical evidence of a turning point of Indonesia CO2 emissions. According to the findings, CO2 emissions will start to decline as income per capita reaches around $8,000, with profound implication Indonesian energy policy.

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Ewin Winata