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    Ocean density identified as a key driver of carbon capture by marine plankton
    08 Dec 2024

    New findings, published today in Royal Society Open Science, have revealed that changes in ocean density have a significant impact on the rate at which marine plankton incorporate carbon into their shells. This has profound implications for carbon cycling and the ocean’s ability to absorb atmospheric CO2 in response to climate change. Up to now, researchers have […]

    Shark and ray populations have halved since 1970 and overfishing is to blame

    “Sharks and rays are important predators, and their decline disrupts food webs throughout the ocean”, said one of the study’s authors. More than half of all sharks and rays have disappeared since 1970, but a new study shows a clear path to preventing their numbers from dwindling even further. Research reveals that overfishing has caused […]

    $12 billion pledged to tackle land degradation and drought at Cop16 in Riyadh
    06 Dec 2024

    More than $12 billion has been pledged to tackle the issue of land degradation at a major climate conference in Riyadh this week. The funding boost announced at the UN Convention to Combat Desertification at Cop16, which began on Monday, comes after an injection of $10 billion from the Arab Coordination Group, a strategic alliance of […]

    Abu Dhabi scientists want to create drinkable water from humid air

    As efforts to harvest clean water in arid regions continue, a team of scientists has developed crystals that create water from air without using energy. The team, from New York University Abu Dhabi’s Smart Materials Lab, Jilin University in China and the Centre for Smart Engineering Materials, developed elastic organic crystals – named Janus. Inspired by desert […]

    Arctic could be ice-free by summer 2027, scientists warn
    04 Dec 2024

    An ice-free Arctic is possible by the summer of 2027, even earlier than previous pessimistic predictions by climate scientists. Arctic ice is shrinking at an unprecedented rate of 12 per cent every 10 years due to greenhouse gas emissions, potentially leading to its first ice-free day before the end of the decade. Such an event is expected […]

    ‘We should be outraged’: Plastics treaty talks collapse as countries disagree on chemicals and money
    03 Dec 2024

    The talks were about phasing out plastic production, improving waste management, design requirements for plastic products and funding the global transition away from plastic. Talks to reach an agreement on how to tackle the epidemic of plastic waste have collapsed. Countries spent the past week trying to create the first ever legally binding treaty on […]

    World’s largest single purpose-built reef development launched in Dubai

    Dubai: DUBAI REEF, a sustainable initiative under Dubai Can, has officially commenced the deployment phase of its reef modules, which will form the world’s largest single purpose-built reef development. The launch event, marks a significant milestone for DUBAI REEF, the second major project launched under Dubai Can. Dubai Can is a pioneering citywide sustainability initiative […]

    As countries meet to agree a landmark plastics treaty, is recycling or producing less the answer?
    01 Dec 2024

    Even if 50 per cent more plastic was recycled there would still be a pollution problem, a French minister said this week. In Busan, South Korea countries are trying to negotiate a landmark treaty to reduce plastic pollution. It is now entering the final stretch of talks before the treaty becomes legally binding – two […]

    Economic cost of desertification laid bare as Cop16 talks to begin in Riyadh
    30 Nov 2024

    Talks to tackle desertification will kick off in Riyadh on Monday, the first time the UN’s Convention to Combat Desertification Cop, or Cop16, will be held in the Middle East. Desertification linked to climate change is on the rise and land degradation affects nearly 40 per cent of the planet and the lives of more than 3.2 billion […]

    Disappearing ingredients: How crowdsourced collections help to save the foods at risk of extinction
    29 Nov 2024

    Bringing back ancient grains can help family farmers in the face of climate change. In a climate-vulnerable world, growing food is not as easy as it once was. Rising temperatures disrupt farming schedules, drought leaves the ground parched, or flooding wipes away crops completely. The race is on to find ways of making farming sustainable, […]