The Role of Ecosystems in Climate Mitigation

A new report by the United Nations Environment Programme describes the vital contributions which ecosystems can make to offset emissions of greenhouse gases. It presents carbon capture and storage through a Green Economy lens, outlining the potential in terms of natural systems, from forests to grasslands which have been doing the job in a tried and tested way for millennia. Download the report in pdf format.

The New Ocean

The Arctic ice cap shrank so much this summer that waves briefly lapped along two long-imagined Arctic shipping routes, the Northwest Passage over Canada and the Northern Sea Route over Russia. Over all, the floating ice dwindled to an extent unparalleled in a century or more, by several estimates. Read More.

For hundreds of years, mariners have dreamed of an Arctic shortcut that would allow them to speed trade between Asia and the West. Two German ships are poised to complete the first commercial transit through the Northern Sea Route. Read More.

Ice Volume of Switzerland's Glaciers Calculated

Swiss glaciers have lost a lot of ice in recent years due to increased melting. As temperatures climb, so do the fears that the glaciers could one day disappear altogether.

Science Daily

Field Studies of Himalayan Glacial Lakes

Scientists in Nepal have embarked on the first field studies of Himalayan glacial lakes, some of which are feared to be swelling dangerously due to global warming.

BBC Article

Chilean Glaciers Melting at Unprecedented Rates

The latest research expedition to the Southern Patagonia Ice Field revealed that alpine glaciers in the Chilean and Argentine Andes are disappearing at much faster rates than previously anticipated by the scientific community.

Full article in the Santiago Times