Global Warming
Will the Gulf Stream slow down?Guardian Unlimited | 29 Mar 2011The Gulf Stream and North Atlantic Drift - which are part of the Atlantic thermohaline circulation – bring warm water, and with it warm air, from the tropical Atlantic to northern Europe. This helps keep the UK several degrees warmer than it would otherwise be. Although this system is unlikely to pack up entirely, the IPCC deems a slowdown of it "very likely" over the next century.
England | United Kingdom | Climate Change | Global Warming Target 'black carbon', recommends UNGuardian Unlimited | 23 Feb 2011Cutting the amount of soot we pour into the atmosphere, and emissions of methane from agriculture, would be one of the most powerful ways to tackle climate change, a new report from the United Nations environment programme (Unep) has concluded. Preventing "black carbon" - particles of soot from industry and cooking fires – from polluting the air would help to cut global warming by as much as 0.5C, and reduce warming in the Arctic by about two thirds by 2030.
Air Pollution | Global Warming | Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Industry | Science and Environment How bike hire users can cut emissionsGuardian Unlimited | 16 Feb 2011Serco's fleet of vehicles used to tow trailers of bikes have been involved in road accidents and create emissionsJust when Transport for London (TfL) thought the bike hire scheme provided an answer to London's carbon emissions problem, they found a snag - bikes cannot be provided without producing emissions. TfL uses Serco contractors to move hire bicycles around London, so there are enough in each dock to meet demand, while ensuring there is space for users to drop theirs off.
England | Global Warming | Governance | Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Pollution | Pollution Impacts The weather in JanuaryGuardian Unlimited | 07 Feb 2011A period of cold, wintry weather in Scotland up to 11 January was followed by a mild and wet spell across the UK between 12 and 16 January. Anticyclonic conditions early in the month gave way to a prevalence of low pressure, then mild south-westerlies, and between 7 and 17 January there was a lot of rain, some of it heavy. High pressure built again through the second half of the month, leading to a drier, colder last week or so.
United Kingdom | Climate and Atmosphere | Global Warming | Local Issues | Weather Conditions Guardian green blog festivalGuardian Unlimited | 31 Jan 2011The environment is, by definition, global. So over the next two weeks, we will bring you a blog a day at 8am from a different part of the world, allowing fresh voices to explore the top green issues there. Of particular personal interest is the post from Brazil we will run tomorrow. I visited last year and was really struck by the progress made there under President Lula and its ambition to be the world's first environmental superpower.
England | Climate Change | Environmental Awareness | Education | and Public Participation