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72 news posts in Climate action

Climate action

23 Feb 2022

Sharp drop in flower abundance caused by climate crisis will leave pollinators searching further for food

By Mischa Dijkstra, Frontiers science writer Image credit: Ellen D Moss Researchers simulated the warmer, wetter conditions predicted for northern Europe under climate change, by locally heating agricultural fields by 1.5 ºC and increasing irrigation by 40%. These conditions immediately lead to changes in the community of wildflowers and their associated insects. Most plant species were ‘losers’: they grew fewer flowers, secreted less nectar, and set fewer or lighter seeds. This reduced the food resources for pollinators, stimulating them to visit a wider range of plants. It is predicted that global average temperatures will have risen by between 0.9 and 2.0 ºC around the middle of this century, according to the IPCC’s intermediate emission scenario RCP4.5. As a result, many species, especially specialists with highly specific requirements for food, habitat, and reproduction, won’t be able to adapt. Because approximately 35% of our crops depend on insects for pollination, it is necessary to study impact of global warming on the fitness of insects and the wildflowers on which they depend for food. Once we understand the likely changes, we may be able to mitigate the negative effects for wild and crop plants. Here, a study by scientists from Newcastle University in […]

Climate action

17 Dec 2021

No more ‘We’re going to Ibiza’? Between 56 and 65% of beach area in the Balearic Islands will be permanently lost due to the climate crisis

By Mischa Dijkstra, Frontiers science writer Image credit: Anna Ok / Shutterstock.com Scientists use complex mathematical modeling of sea states, sea level rise, and local geography to predict the permanent loss of between 56 and 65% of the current area of sandy beaches in the Balearic Islands by the end of the 21st century, depending on the global warming scenario. During extreme weather conditions such as the strongest storm surges with the highest waves, between 84 and 86% of the beach area will be flooded. The impact of the climate crisis on coastal areas has been well documented, but new research has shown the impact it may have on the beaches found on the Balearic Islands in the north-western Mediterranean. Findings published in Frontiers in Marine Science showed that the archipelago – heavily reliant on tourism – could lose most of its beaches. “Much of the income of touristic regions in the Mediterranean comes from beach and sun tourism: more than 25% in the case of the Balearic Islands. This means that it is essential to predict the fate of these beaches under climate change,” said first author Miguel Agulles, a PhD student at the Oceanographic Center of the Balearic […]

Climate action

29 Nov 2021

Estimating the impact of ‘eco’ jet fuel: How much could it reduce CO2 emissions by 2050?

By Colm Gorey, Frontiers science writer Image: Thiago B Trevisan/Shutterstock.com The aviation sector is seen as a very visible contributor of CO2 emissions globally, but will efforts to clean up the industry pay off? New research published with Frontiers has calculated what impact ‘sustainable aviation fuel’ (SAF) will have, showing CO2 emissions between 4% and 23% lower than if no SAF was used, even if airlines exceed pre-Covid-19 demand. However, while the use of SAF can help contribute to international targets, SAF alone will not be enough to meet 2050 net-zero CO2 goals for aviation. Much in the same way that the automotive industry is shifting gears to produce more environmentally-friendly cars to offset the effects of the climate crisis, the aviation sector is trying to find ways to significantly cut down on its CO2 emissions. Estimates suggest that the sector is responsible for about 2.5% of global carbon emissions and equivalent to the release of more than 900m metric tons of CO2 annually just prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, with entirely electric-powered aircraft some way off from becoming commonplace and limited in range, airlines have turned to cleaner jet fuels to help reduce their impact on the planet […]

Climate action

14 Sep 2021

Prof Iain Stewart: “It’s important that challenges to the ‘business as usual’ are not constrained behind a paywall”

By Prof Iain Stewart, Royal Scientific Society, Amman, Jordan/Colm Gorey, Frontiers science writer Prof Iain Stewart speaking at a conference. Image: Prof Iain Stewart Prof Iain Stewart of the Royal Scientific Society in Amman, Jordan has appeared on our television screens to educate us on the fantastic field of geoscience. Now, collaborating with Frontiers, he has highlighted what role universities have in building a more sustainable world. The profound threat to the long-term wellbeing of society as a whole, both present and future generations, is arguably the most acute threat humanity has ever faced. But what is the culpability of universities in allowing this systemic unsustainability to emerge? And how can this existential threat be dealt with if academic institutions are not firmly in the vanguard? This fundamental question is the focus of a research topic (RT) published by Frontiers launched earlier this year, overseen by topic editors including Prof Iain Stewart, titled ‘Re-Purposing Universities for Sustainable Human Progress’. Regular watchers of BBC science documentaries will be familiar with his work, particularly in the field of geoscience, that spanned 15 years. In 2016, Stewart decided to step away from the small screen to become director of the University of Plymouth’s […]