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Study projects thermoelectric power in Europe and US vulnerable to climate change due to lower summer river flows and higher river water temperatures

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Projected changes in summer mean usable capacity of power plants in the US and Europe for the SRES A2 emissions scenario for the 2040s (2031–2060) relative to the control period (1971–2000). A study published in Nature Climate Change suggests that thermoelectric power plants (i.e., Source: van Vliet et al. Michelle T.

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Black carbon is a much larger cause of climate change than previously assessed; about twice previous estimates, and 2/3 the effect of CO2

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Accounting for all of the ways black carbon can affect climate, it is believed to have a warming effect of about 1.1 Emission rates of BC in the year 2000 by region, indicating major source categories in each region. Black carbon aerosol plays a unique and important role in Earth’s climate system. Source: Bond et al.

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Study associates long-term exposure to air pollution with increasing emphysema

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Long-term exposure to ambient air pollutants, especially O 3 (ozone), is significantly associated with increasing emphysema, according to a new study led by the University of Washington, Columbia University and the University at Buffalo. This work in the MESA Air study was led at the University of Washington.

Pollution 223
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New study finds GHG emissions from palm oil production significantly underestimated; palm oil biofuels could be more climate-damaging than oil sands fuels

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Historical analysis shows strong acceleration of plantation development in recent years: 70% of all industrial plantations have been established since 2000 and only 4% of the current plantation area existed in 1990. Tropical peatlands cover more than 25 Mha in Southeast Asia and are estimated to contain around 70 Gt of carbon.

Oil-Sands 314
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Despite a Slight Recovery in 2009, Arctic Sea Ice Remains on Downward Trend

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square kilometers) below the 1979-2000 September average, according to the report. Sea surface temperatures in the Arctic this season remained higher than normal, but slightly lower than the past two years, according to data from University of Washington Senior Oceanographer Mike Steele. This was 409,000 square miles (1.06

2009 150
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Devil in the Details: World Leaders Scramble To Salvage and Shape Copenhagens UNFCCC Climate Summit

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“ One Agreement, Two Steps ” Expectations for Copenhagen quickly became complicated after Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen boarded an overnight flight to Singapore to address an impromptu breakfast forum on climate change at the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) summit on 15 November. by Jack Rosebro.

Climate 236
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NASA GISS Study Finds That Methane Has an Elevated Warming Effect Due to Interactions With Aerosols

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Our results suggest that gas-aerosol interactions play an important role in methane’s GWP, and hence our larger value would allow better optimization of climate change mitigation policies. Methane’s GWP may also change with time as air quality regulations alter the background state of tropospheric chemistry. Shindell et al.