From coastlines to capital cities, healthcare workers are warning about the immediate need for a treaty to end plastic pollution.



The danger of a global health disaster is at its highest level as United Nations-led negotiations to form a plastic treaty continue to remain dead-locked due to ongoing disputes.



Plastic pollution not only endangers human health, but threatens to harm our planet itself. Without decisive action, the consequences could be irreversible.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plastic-treaty-negotiations">Plastic treaty negotiations</h2>



At the forefront of this urgent plea for action are researchers from the Revolution Plastics Institute at the <a href="https://www.port.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Portsmouth</a>.



The experts recently spotlighted the matter in an article published by the British Medical Journal, following their participation in the plastic treaty negotiations in Busan last December.



The negotiations concluded without any agreement being reached, and this pushed further discussions into 2025.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-skyrocketing-plastic-production">Skyrocketing plastic production</h2>



With global annual <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-production-increases-create-identical-plastic-pollution-increase/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plastic production</a> currently at an alarming 400 million tonnes and expected to double by 2040, the scientists see health care professionals playing an increasingly crucial role.



The need of the hour, they say, is for more robust scientific evidence showing the impact of plastic pollution on human health. 



Such data will fortify the treaty process and guide the creation of targeted policies to reduce human exposure to plastic pollution.



"The treaty to end plastic pollution represents a historic opportunity to protect human health. If the treaty is to meet this challenge, its text must include specific measures to mitigate the health effects of plastic pollution, human health targets and metrics to measure progress towards improved health outcomes," noted Professor Steve Fletcher, the director of the Revolution Plastics Institute.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-human-health-versus-plastic-pollution">Human health versus plastic pollution</h2>



The article focuses on two critical health concerns linked to plastic pollution. 



First, there are the omnipresent <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-are-infiltrating-the-human-body-even-the-brain/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">microplastics</a> - tiny particles found in the air we breathe, waterways, polar ice, soil, and in our food.



Humans are constantly ingesting, inhaling, and absorbing these particles. They have been detected in numerous organs and tissues, from the brain and blood to the placenta and liver. Microplastics have even been found in breast milk and semen.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-open-burning-of-plastic-waste">Open burning of plastic waste</h2>



The other critical issue is the harmful health effects of inhaled <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-can-make-other-pollutants-more-toxic/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">toxic pollutants</a> that are released from the open burning of plastic waste. This danger is particularly acute in areas with deficient waste management systems.



The emissions from such open burns, which are loaded with toxic chemicals, particulate matter, and microplastics, are associated with serious health conditions. These include respiratory infections, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/steep-rise-in-cardiovascular-disease-expected-in-the-u-s/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cardiovascular diseases</a>, and chronic conditions like COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).



Dr. Cressida Bowyer, the Deputy Director of the Revolution Plastics Institute, has extensively studied the perils of open burning of plastic waste. 



"With 16% of global municipal waste burned openly, rising to 40–65% in low-and middle-income countries, vulnerable populations bear the brunt of this crisis. The toxic fumes from burning plastic are a silent but deadly contributor to global health burdens. Urgent action is needed to eliminate this dangerous practice and protect public health," she warned.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vulnerable-populations-are-affected-the-most">Vulnerable populations are affected the most</h2>



The longer the world waits to finalize a binding plastic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-plastics-treaty-countries-with-nothing-to-lose-delayed-progress/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">treaty</a>, the more devastating the health impacts of plastic pollution will become.



Studies show that vulnerable populations, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, are disproportionately exposed to the harmful effects of plastics. 



This disparity is most apparent in regions with inadequate waste management systems, where open burning of plastic waste is rampant and environmental contamination intensifies daily.



Beyond its environmental toll, plastic pollution worsens global health inequalities. Microplastics and toxic chemicals from mismanaged plastic waste seep into the food chain, water sources, and also into the air.



Toxic emissions, especially in urban areas, have been linked to respiratory diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disorders.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-treaty-needed-to-end-plastic-pollution">Treaty needed to end plastic pollution</h2>



Health experts warn that without the necessary steps of action, these health crises will intensify and spread aggressively, straining health systems and threatening the health of future generations.



But dealing with plastic pollution is not just an environmental issue; it is an important step to ensuring the global public's health.



The message is clear. As responsible stewards of the planet and protectors of human health, it's time for all health professionals to take a determined stand against the harms of plastic pollution.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/388/bmj.q2890" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">British Medical Journal</a>.



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Plastic treaty is a 'historic opportunity' to stop a human health crisis

From coastlines to capital cities, healthcare workers are warning about the immediate need for a treaty to end plastic pollution. The danger of a global health disaster is at its highest level as United Nations-led negotiations to form a plastic treaty continue to remain dead-locked due to ongoing disputes. Plastic pollution not only endangers human health, but threatens to harm our planet itself. Without decisive action, the consequences could be irreversible. Plastic treaty negotiations At the forefront of this urgent plea for action are researchers from the...

During his 2016 presidential campaign, Donald Trump promised on many occasions to walk away from the landmark <a href="http://unfccc.int/paris_agreement/items/9485.php">Paris Agreement</a>, a treaty signed by 194 nations in an effort to curb <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forests-reduce-greenhouse-gases/">greenhouse gas</a> emissions and climate change. In a campaign <a href="http://mashable.com/2016/11/22/trump-climate-paris-agreement-nyt-interview/#jc8aEY9yWaq6">speech</a> in May 2016, Trump promised, “we’re going to cancel the Paris Climate Agreement and stop all payment of U.S. tax dollars to U.N. global warming programs." Now, the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/02/us/politics/climate-change-trump.html?smprod=nytcore-ipad&amp;smid=nytcore-ipad-share&amp;_r=0">New York Times</a> is reporting that Trump’s key advisors are heavily divided on how the administration will proceed with the Paris Agreement.

In one corner is Trump senior advisor Steve Bannon, who sources say firmly believes that the United States should fully withdraw from the treaty. Bannon is the former head of Breitbart News, which has regularly run editorial pieces calling climate change a complete hoax. 

In the other corner are Ivanka Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who believe that there could be significant diplomatic fallout from allies should the United States completely pull out. While Trump could not single-handedly dismantle the Paris Agreement, he could begin a 4-year process for U.S. withdrawal, which in turn, could damage the nation’s credibility abroad. While Ivanka Trump has yet to publicly speak out on the matter, she has met with high-profile environmental activists like Al Gore and Leonardo DiCaprio.

The <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/ivanka-trump-jared-kushner-pushed-to-remove-language-critical-of-climate-deal-from-executive-order-1487889272">Wall Street Journal</a> has also reported that Ivanka Trump has quietly represented environmental interests in the oval office. A February 23rd WSJ piece wrote, "At the request of President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and his wife, Ivanka Trump, language critical of a global climate deal was struck from an executive order that Mr. Trump is planning to sign soon, according to multiple people familiar with the move."

As <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trumps-budget-epa-programs/">we reported</a> this week, sources say Trump’s new <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">EPA</a> budget could cut the department’s funding by 24% and slash a significant number of environmental programs.

--

By Rory Arnold, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/02/us/politics/climate-change-trump.html?smprod=nytcore-ipad&amp;smid=nytcore-ipad-share&amp;_r=0">The New York Times</a>

Trump administration divided over future of Paris Agreement

During his 2016 presidential campaign, Donald Trump promised on many...

This week, scientists from the <a href="http://www.wmo.int/">World Meteorological Organization</a> (WMO) announced that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/strong-ocean-waves-antarctic-ice/">Antarctica</a> has officially reached a new record high temperature of 63.5 degrees. 

But the record was actually set almost two years years ago on March 24, 2015. Often times, world weather records can take several years to verify. This is due to procedure requiring researchers to cross reference meteorological data and weather station accuracy. 

Randall Cerveny, Chief Rapporteur of Climate and Weather Extremes at the WMO, told <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2017/03/01/antarctica-new-record-high-temperature/98538084/">USA Today</a> that scientists also had to define the three Antarctic regions. While the record for the Antarctic continent is now 63.5 degrees, the record for the Antarctic region is actually 67.6 degrees, which was set on Signy Island in 1982. The WMO defines the Antarctic Region as all land and ice south of the 60 degree latitude line. 

The Antarctic Plateau has been defined as a third category due to its extremely high elevation. The record high here is 19.4 degrees and was set in December 1989. 

The WMO has emphasized the importance of verifying weather extremes in the study of naturally-occurring climate variability versus human-induced climate change.

“This investigation highlights the need to continually monitor all of the Antarctic Region is ensure that we have the best possible data for climate change analysis at both the regional and global scales,” Cerveny said.

The world’s lowest temperature was also set in Antarctica. In July 1983, the Soviet Union’s Vostok Station measured a reading of 128.6 degrees below zero.

--

By Rory Arnold, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.wmo.int/">World Meteorological Organization</a>

Antarctica sets new record high temperature

This week, scientists from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) announced...

The bad news is that Oklahomans should expect another intense level of earthquake activity in 2017 – the most activity of any state. The good news is that it shouldn’t be as bad as last year. That’s according to the 2017 earthquake forecast released this week by the <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/">U.S. Geological Survey</a> in the journal Seismological Research Letters.

The federal agency earthquake forecast also notes the possibility of strong earthquake activity in central California. In fact, the odds given of a damaging quake impacting most of <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/scott-pruitt-environmental-protection-agency-2/">Oklahoma</a> and parts of California were between five and 12 percent, the highest odds in the nation for 2017.

Most of the seismic activity in the Sooner State is due to hydraulic fracturing – or fracking – a practice that injects huge volumes of wastewater deep underground during oil and natural gas drilling. The process has long been linked to escalated seismic activity.

For context, between 1980 and 2000, Oklahoma experienced an annual average of two quakes of 2.7 magnitude or higher. In 2014, with fracking in full operation, the state had about 2,500 earthquakes of that magnitude. In 2015, the number jumped again, this time to some 4,000.

But after state regulations limited the volume of water that can be injected during drilling operations, the number of quakes went down in 2016 to around 2,500. Based on that trend, Mark Petersen, USGS seismic hazard chief, said the agency’s scientists expect the state’s earthquake tally to decrease again somewhat.

 “We know that already in the first couple months of this year, the rates did come down,” said Petersen. “This is exactly what we wanted.”

The areas likeliest to be hit, the northern and eastern part of the state, also saw major activity in 2016. That including a quake measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale in Pawnee and a magnitude 5.0 quake in Cushing.

As always, California along the San Andreas fault must be watcher carefully, said Petersen. That includes a large section south of the San Francisco Bay area near Gilroy. Southern California, Seattle and the New Madrid Seismic Zone also bear watching.

“That’s a constant concern to us,” said Petersen of New Madrid, a quake-prone region of the nation where Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky and Illinois meet.

-- 

By David Searls, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/">U.S. Geological Survey</a>

Seismologists release 2017 earthquake forecast

The bad news is that Oklahomans should expect another intense...

Ever since President Donald Trump appointed Scott Pruitt to run the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency</a> (EPA), an organization he notoriously fought against for years, environmental activists have braced for massive cuts in EPA programs. Now, <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/02/politics/epa-programs-donald-trump-budget/index.html">CNN</a> is reporting that a source has revealed exactly which EPA programs are on the chopping block under Trump’s budget proposal.

The source told CNN that the latest proposal would slash the EPA budget by 24% and cut staff by 20%. Specific programs facing possible elimination include initiatives intended to improve <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/houseplants-reduce-indoor-air-pollution/">air</a> and water quality, along with regulations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

The Environmental Justice Program, which was established to help local communities with environmental issues, faces possible elimination.

The Clean Power Plan, an initiative set up by former President Barack Obama intended to reduce carbon emissions in each state, could also be cut. The list also includes 14 other EPA partnership programs aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, along with the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act.

A number of grants and fellowships also face elimination, including Energy Star grants and Science to Achieve Results (STAR) graduate fellowships.

"The Trump administration has decided fence-line communities across the country, whose residents already bear an outsized burden from pollution, are on their own to take on big polluters,” Ken Cook, head of the Environmental Working Group, told CNN. 

The possible elimination of the Environmental Justice Program, in particular, has many outraged. The program focuses on equal and fair protection from environmental hazards for people of races. 

"To cut the Environmental Justice program at EPA is just racist," John Coequyt, campaign director the environmental group Sierra Club, told CNN. "I can't imagine it's an office that runs up much cost. I can't describe it in any other terms than a move to leave those communities behind. I can't imagine what the justification would be, other than racism."

--

By Rory Arnold, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/02/politics/epa-programs-donald-trump-budget/index.html">CNN</a>

Trump’s new budget could cut a large number of EPA programs

Ever since President Donald Trump appointed Scott Pruitt to run...

If global carbon emissions continue at their current rate, the damage incurred by climate change could be incredibly expensive. In a new study, researchers from the <a href="http://www.bc3research.org/">Basque Centre for Climate Change</a> in Leioa, Spain have attempted to calculate just how much climate change will cost major European coastal cities if emissions continue at the worst case scenario rate established by the <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch">Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change</a>.

Their findings were reported in a paper titled “Climate Risk Assessment under Uncertainty: An Application to Main European Coastal Cities” and published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2016.00265">Frontiers in Marine Science</a>.

The study focused on 19 major coastal cities including Barcelona, Copenhagen, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Dublin, <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/air-pollution-limit-london/">London</a>, Marseille, and St. Petersburg. The researchers used modeling methods to calculate cost that accounted for areas of uncertainty and economics.

According to the study, by 2030, Rotterdam will be the most affected with an expected annual loss of nearly $240 million. 

By 2100, Istanbul could see an annual loss of almost $10 billion, Odessa, Ukraine could lose $6.5 billion annually, and Rotterdam would lose $5.5 billion annually. Dublin and Glasgow would see annual losses of $1.5 billion.

The study also notes that more than 60% of Earth’s major cities are located in low-lying coastal areas, making them severely vulnerable to rising sea levels.

The authors of the study urge local and national governments and policy-makers to adopt new and innovative approaches to preparing for the effects of climate change. Coastal cities, in particular, will need to implement adaptation measures in the near future to avoid massive economic losses.  

--

By Rory Arnold, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source: <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2016.00265">Frontiers in Marine Science</a>

Calculating the cost of climate change for major cities

If global carbon emissions continue at their current rate, the...

As each country continues to debate how it will regulate the emission of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/forests-reduce-greenhouse-gases/">greenhouses gases</a>, we are once again reminded that air pollution does not care about our territorial borders. According to a new study, air pollution emitted by countries in Asia has lead to increased smog levels in the western United States. 

The study was conducted by a collaborative team of researchers from <a href="https://www.princeton.edu/">Princeton University</a> and the <a href="http://www.noaa.gov/">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s</a> Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL). Their research was published in the journal <a href="http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/17/2943/2017/">Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics</a>. 

The team studied the origins of smog, also known as ground-level ozone, from the 1980s until present day. Although we have managed to cut the emission of nitrogen oxides and other smog-forming chemicals by 50% in the last 25 years, smog levels in the western U.S. have actually increased. And while smog levels in the east have decreased, they still spike during heat waves as the warm air traps pollutant particles. 

The research showed that the increase in ground-level ozone in the west was directly affected by the influx of pollution from countries in Asia, such as Japan, China, North and South Korea, and India. As a whole, this region has tripled its nitrogen oxide emissions in the past 25 years. 

The authors of the study point out that the Asian-born air pollution could cause areas in the west to fail to meet federal ozone standards.

"Increasing background ozone from rising Asian emissions leaves less room for local production of ozone before the federal standard is violated," said lead author Meiyun Lin of <a href="https://www.princeton.edu/">Princeton University</a>.

The team used climate models and ozone measurements to prove that air pollution from Asia is in fact increasing smog levels in the western United States, particularly during spring when weather patterns push this air directly across the Pacific. This study was the first to track the extent to which emissions in Asia impact ground-level ozone in the United States.

"The model allows us to divide the observed air pollution into components driven by different sources," explained Lin.

Lin further emphasized the need for a global perspective and strategy to combat ground-level ozone levels. 

--

By Rory Arnold, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Asian pollution causes increased smog in western U.S.

As each country continues to debate how it will regulate...

Science is getting better and better predicting how future (and ongoing) climate change will affect the <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/artificial-ice-storms-severe-weather/">weather</a>, animal and plant life, oceanic conditions, food production and a whole lot more. But what about us? How will the human species adapt to changes to come?

That’s the next question science must ask and answer, suggests researchers from the <a href="http://www.iiasa.ac.at/">International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis</a> (IIASA) in a thought piece published in the latest issue of Nature Climate Change. It was authored by IIASA World Population Program Director Wolfgang Lutz and researcher Raya Muttarek.

The two wrote about a growing body of research from IIASA and the <a href="http://www.oeaw.ac.at/vid/">Vienna Institute of Demography</a>, on “demographic metabolism,” a conceptual model that can account for the changing characteristics of populations through the replacement of generations.

Their premise is that climate scientists can project the demographic characteristics of future generations of humans to more accurately gauge how they will react with a changed environment.

"Just like cells turn over in a body, the individuals in a population are constantly replaced. The people of today differ in many ways from their parents and grandparents, and we will also be different from future generations,” said Muttarak. "We differ in education levels, in health, environmental awareness, and many other factors – and what our research has shown is that these factors directly affect our vulnerability to natural disasters or changes in our environment."

Will a better educated population be better prepared to confront what could be a harsher environment? Those are among the questions we must begin to ask, said the researchers.

“Education matters for adaptive capacity in the context of climate change,” said Muttarek in a later interview with <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>. “With the entry of younger generations who are more educated than the older ones, thank to universal educational expansion… we predict that the future society will have higher adaptive capacity than that of today. Of course, this is based on the assumption that public educational expansion continues.”

The Lutz and Muttarek article is a call to action.

As Muttarek told <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>, “The key message we would like to send out is that demography has a concept and methodological tools to forecast how future societies will look like, to a certain extent. We would like climate modelers to explicitly consider socio-demographic components in their climate change scenarios.”

 --

 By David Searls, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source:<a href="http://www.nature.com/nclimate/index.html"> Nature Climate Change</a>, Earth.com

Coming generations may be surprisingly adaptive to climate change

Science is getting better and better predicting how future (and...

Methane gas is a major climate offender, and now scientists have found its latest very large crime scene. The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/noaa-federal-waters-fish-farming/">Pacific Ocean</a> from the coast of Central America to Hawaii is now being called the world’s largest pool of marine methane.

That’s according to a study undertaken by researchers from <a href="http://www.qmul.ac.uk">Queen Mary University of London</a> (QMUL), funded by the <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/">Natural Environment Resource Council</a> (NERC), and published in the journal of the International Society for Microbial Ecology.

The research was conducted on a six-week research cruise whereby scientists measured seabed sediment and oceanic water up to depths of more than 3,000 feet.

“The research is novel because it's the first time anyone has successfully retrieved sediment from this part of the ocean and directly measured methane production using specialized equipment on board the research ship,” said Felicity Shelley, of QMUL’s School of Biological Sciences and joint lead author of the paper.

Shelley added in a follow-up <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> interview, “The general consensus was that methanogenesis in the surface layer of marine sediments was limited because of the high concentrations of sulphate in seawater. However, we found the fine, fluffy, surface layer sediments actually had the highest potential to produce methane. Also, where the oxygen minimum zone (a thick wedge of seawater with no oxygen), intersects the seabed on the edge of the continental shelf, the sediments kick out an enormous amount of methane. And because the oxygen is so low in the OMZ, the aerobic bacteria which normally consume methane, cannot function. Therefore, this plume of methane is spreading out, thousands of kilometers into the Pacific.”

She added of her team’s research, “Nothing we have done is ground-breaking or shocking on its own. But we are the first people to pull together all these techniques and [to offer a complete] explanation for this very large plume of methane in the Pacific.”

At this point, we know that methane gases have increased in the atmosphere in the past few decades and that human activity is involved. However, until we can better understand the natural production and consumption of the gas, it will be difficult to estimate the scope of human involvement.

“It is important that we understand how microbes produce and consume this powerful greenhouse gas, especially in the oceans where we currently understand very little,” said Shelley.

Shelley’s team’s research on marine methane was originally funded to take place in the Arabian Sea, but it’s still considered a danger zone due to modern-day piracy.

-- 

By David Searls, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Source:<a href="http://www.isme-microbes.org/"> International Society of Microbial Ecology</a>, <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>

Adding to climate woes, largest marine methane field discovered

Methane gas is a major climate offender, and now scientists...

Forests are an important, as well as aesthetically pleasing, tool for mitigating the effects of climate change and meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. But what can we realistically expect in terms of mitigation potential?

In a paper published in Nature Climate Change titled “Key role of forests in meeting climate targets but science needed for credible mitigation,” scientists voiced the challenge in assigning realistic metrics for forests toward hitting the Paris goal of restraining global temperature rise. 

In an interview with <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a>, study co-author Dr. Joanna House of the University of Bristol's Cabot Institute said, “Our paper highlights the urgent need for better transparency in accounting for emissions from the Land Use Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) sector.  It shows that you get very different answers for CO2 mitigation in the land sector depending on the methods used by countries to do their accounting.”

House added, “It was also somewhat eye opening to realize how different historical emissions estimates were when reported by countries to UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) using IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) Good Practice Guidance methods, compared to the independent scientific global estimates we rely on, summarized in the IPCC Assessment Reports.”

 In other words, world governments tend to be more optimistic in their metrics assignments for forestry than the scientific community.

 “Countries consider the land sector, primarily forests, to be really critical in climate mitigation up to 2030, providing a quarter of mitigation potential,” said House. “Given the issues around competition for land, but the many co-benefits of forestry (protected or enhanced biodiversity, flood and erosion control, rainfall recycling), this is a clear signal to prioritize sustainable forestry.”

 House added in the <a href="http://earth.com">Earth.com</a> interview that world <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/super-yield-wheat-trial/">governments</a> must refrain from overpromising.

 “Forests play an important role, not least because of the co-benefits of biodiversity, rainfall recycling, and protection from flooding and erosion. However, our land resource is limited, so there is no getting away from the need to also switch to low carbon energy as many countries are doing with great success while their economies continue to flourish.”

 After all, she noted, fossil fuels are responsible for 90 percent of greenhouse gas emissions.

--

By David Searls, Earth.com Staff Writer

Source:<a href="http://www.nature.com/nclimate/index.html"> Nature Climate Change</a>, Earth.com

Forests reduce greenhouse gases, but don't overpromise

Forests are an important, as well as aesthetically pleasing, tool for...

When discussing negative impacts on the environment, we might think of fossil fuels or meat production – but bread? Yes, like virtually any other kind of production, that innocent-looking loaf makes its mark. And with 12 million loaves a year sold in the United Kingdom, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/indonesia-peatlands-reduce-fires/">greenhouse gases</a> add up.

That’s what spurred a team of interdisciplinary researchers from the University of Sheffield's Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures to study the entire supply chain to find out where the most damage is done. Their findings were published February 27 in the journal Nature Plants.

They looked at each field-to-retailer step along the way, from growing and harvesting the wheat, milling the grain and producing the flour to baking the bread, packaging and distribution. Perhaps not surprisingly, the biggest culprit by far – responsible for a whopping 43 percent of greenhouse gases expelled throughout the process – was ammonium nitrate fertilizer.

“We found in every loaf there is embodied global warming resulting from the fertilizer applied to farmers' fields to increase their wheat harvest,” said study leader Dr. Liam Goucher, N8 Agrifood Research Fellow from the University of Sheffield. “This arises from the large amount of energy needed to make the fertilizer and from nitrous oxide gas released when it is degraded in the soil.”

The research asks some hard questions. Fertilizer use brings down the cost of growing crops – but at what actual cost?

As Professor Peter Horton FRS and a corresponding author of the study pointed out, “High agricultural productivity – necessary for profit for farmers, agribusinesses and food retailers, whilst also keeping prices low for consumers – currently requires high levels of application of relatively cheap fertilizers.”

There are some possible solutions, through “improved agronomic practices,” said co-author Professor Duncan Cameron, co-director of the P3 Centre for Translational Plant and Soil Science. “These harness the best of organic farming combined with new technologies to better monitor the nutritional status of soils and plants and to recycle waste, and with the promise of new wheat varieties able to utilize soil nitrogen more efficiently.”

Author Shel Horowitz told Earth.com that we collectively hold the answer. ““In my tenth book, Guerrilla Marketing to Heal the World, and in my speaking, I show the impact of consumer choices on showing businesses how they HAVE to be part of the change – and how these businesses can profit when they go beyond mere "sustainability" (keeping things the same) to "regenerativity" (making things better).”

By David Searls, Earth.com Staff Writer

Source:<a href="http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/"> University of Sheffield</a>,<a href="http://www.nature.com/nplants/"> Nature Plants</a>

Your loaf of bread is hurting the planet

When discussing negative impacts on the environment, we might think...

For years, many climate experts have worked to present their data with neutrality, for fear of slipping into activism. Now, a new study shows that engaging in some limited climate change advocacy won’t harm scientists’ credibility with the public.

“I believe advocacy by climate scientists has damaged trust in the science. We risk our credibility, our reputation for objectivity, if we are not absolutely neutral,” Dr. Tamsin Edwards once wrote in an opinion column for <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/political-science/2013/jul/31/climate-scientists-policies">The Guardian</a>. While she became a scientist because she cares about the environment, she said, she feared expressing her opinions would damage her own reputation and her field.

However, a new study conducted by researchers from <a href="https://www2.gmu.edu/">George Mason University</a> shows that calls for scientists to hide their own opinions about their data may be, at least partially, unfounded.

The study created a fictional scientist on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/">Facebook</a>, who then offered opinions about environmental topics. In five out of six instances, that climate change advocacy did not harm the fake scientist’s credibility, nor did it affect how the public viewed the imaginary person’s colleagues.

The opinions were based on recent scientific findings, discussion about the effects of climate change, discussion of various ways to address global warming, a call for action, and two specific statements, one about coal-burning power plants and one about building more nuclear power plants.

The George Mason team tested the comments on a representative sample of U.S. adults from all over the country.

"This study certainly won't end debate about how scientists can best contribute to public discussions about climate change," said Dr. John Kotcher, the study’s lead author. "However, we hope that our findings at least help stimulate a more evidence-based conversation among scientists about the relationship between scientific advocacy and credibility, rather than simply relying upon intuition or anecdote to choose which role is best for them."

With the exception of comments about nuclear power plants, the faux scientist’s credibility was not negatively affected. This suggests that general opinions won’t harm how the public views scientists, but they should still carefully consider taking a stance on a specific, narrow action or issue, the researchers said.

Scientists should still take care when sharing their opinions, and consider how they might impact their own research and their colleagues’ work, researchers said. However, the study shows that scientists can communicate with the public and advocate more generally for the environment with little risk to their credibility, the George Mason team said.

The study has been published in the journal <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/renc20/current">Environmental Communications</a>.

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By Kyla Cathey, Earth.com staff writer

Just the facts? Climate change advocacy doesn't hurt scientists' credibility

For years, many climate experts have worked to present their...

In Greenland, nature's clock has gone haywire. Some plants are sprouting or emerging from winter dormancy far earlier than they should. Others are showing up later than usual.

According to biologists and polar ecologists from the <a href="https://www.ucdavis.edu/">University of California, Davis</a>, the early spring that is speeding up or short-circuiting plants’ biological clocks seems to be connected to Earth’s changing climate.

“Monthly Arctic-wide sea ice extent was a significant predictor of emergence timing in 10 of 14 species,” the <a href="http://rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/12/12/20160332">new study</a> found.

It’s not just affecting plants, but also the species that depend on them for food, the scientists said.

Caribou in Greenland head into the low Arctic at the same time each year, in early spring, to forage for food. They rely on new growth, which is more nutritious, for the vitamins and energy they need to birth healthy calves.

When they eat plants that have been green for longer, they’re not as healthy, the Davis researchers said. Fewer calves are born, and fewer calves survive to adulthood, they said.

The timing of plant growth and flower budding has disrupted nature's clock in Greenland for dozens of species, said the Davis researchers, who have been studying plant growth in Greenland for 12 years now. They study plant growth enclosed plots near the Russell Glacier in western Greenland every spring.

Over the past several years, which have seen record high temperatures and rapid loss of sea ice in the Arctic, the researchers have documented plants emerging much earlier or later than usual. For example, one sedge species begins its spring growth nearly a month earlier than it did a decade ago, the scientists said.

"When we started studying this, I never would have imagined we'd be talking about a 26-day per decade rate of advance," lead author Dr. Eric Post said in a press release. Post has studied the Arctic for more than 25 years. "That's almost an entire growing season. That's an eye-opening rate of change."

Not every plant has been affected. One willow species still buds at about the same time each year, and a dwarf birch species has only shifted by a few days.

However, the shifting of nature's clock for some species is a trend scientists can’t ignore.

“Think of it as going from something like a Picasso painting that blurs before your eyes and reorganizes into some kind of Dali landscape,” Post said. “You can see the pieces are still there, but the way they’re organized in relation to each other doesn’t look like what it used to be, and you wonder, ‘What am I looking at now and what does that mean for how it all works together?’”

The Davis researchers are working with colleagues to study how else warmer temperatures and ice loss may be affecting Arctic species.

The study was published in the journal <a href="http://rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.org/">Biology Letters</a>. It was funded by the <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/">National Science Foundation</a> and the <a href="http://www.nationalgeographic.org/grants/">National Geographic Committee for Research and Exploration</a>.

— 

By Kyla Cathey, Earth.com staff writer

Climate change plays havoc with nature's clock in Greenland

In Greenland, nature's clock has gone haywire. Some plants are...

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.igb.illinois.edu/">Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology</a> reveals how scientists can modify common crops like soybean, rice, and wheat to protect them from heat stress.



“We need to double crop production by 2050 to feed a growing global population, and not only are we not on track to do that, but climate change is further complicating things,” said Amanda Cavanagh, a lecturer at the University of Essex. 



The study is part of Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE), an international research project that aims to develop food crops that turn the sun’s energy into food more efficiently.



“Using an engineering approach we designed multiple alternative metabolic pathways to photorespiration. Testing them in the field showed increases in productivity which led Amanda to significantly move the project forward by showing our engineered plants can withstand pretty extreme temperature stress,” said study co-author and RIPE researcher Paul South.&nbsp;



“As the climate changes and temperature stresses increase the pressure on our global food supply, farmers will need every tool available including engineering approaches like the synthetic biology used here to maintain safe and productive harvests.”



The experts tested plants modified to have more efficient photorespiration to see if they were better adapted to warmer temperatures.&nbsp;



The team found that the engineered plants produced 26 percent more biomass than the wild-type plants exposed to the same temperatures, and had 15 percent less yield loss under the higher temperatures.



Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Designing crops that can beat the heat

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes the first comprehensive estimate of carbon density in the Saharan, Sahel, and Sudanian zones of Africa. In an effort to measure the amount of carbon stored across these drylands, a team of scientists used high-resolution satellite images and artificial intelligence to map nearly 10 billion individual trees. 



"The high spatial resolution (50 cm) combined with AI and field measurements used in this study is key to improving tree inventories in drylands," said Pierre Hiernaux, a French researcher working for NASA. "The ever-increasing availability of very high-resolution satellite imagery will make it possible to assess carbon pools and their dynamics at the individual tree level on a global scale."



"This study is exceptional because it is pioneering a type of approach that will revolutionize the monitoring of trees and forests on a global scale: in the short term, it will be possible to map the world's trees from the centre of the Amazon to our schoolyards," said <a href="https://www.inrae.fr/en">INRAE</a> researcher Jean-Pierre Wigneron.



"Many fields of application will become much more efficient and accurate, such as tracking carbon stocks, biodiversity, monitoring logging and protection against illegal forest degradation, in near real time.”



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Remote sensing will revolutionize the way we monitor trees

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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky" Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features northwest Lesotho in South Africa.



According to ESA, Lesotho is the only nation in the world that lies completely above 1,000 m in elevation. The country is famous for its tall mountains and narrow valleys, and is known as Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky."



Out of a population of around two million people, about 80 percent live in rural areas. More than 75 percent of these people are engaged in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-will-have-a-global-impact-on-agriculture/">agriculture</a>, including rainfed cereal production and animal grazing.&nbsp;



ESA reports that the country’s agricultural system faces a growing number of issues, with climate-related vulnerabilities such as drought, floods and extreme temperatures occurring more frequently. 



Diamonds are amongst the minerals found in the mountains. Indeed, Lesotho can truly be called the Kingdom in the Sky. Beautiful, culturally rich, safe, affordable, and easily accessible from Durban and Johannesburg, mountainous Lesotho is a vastly underrated travel destination. the Kingdom of Lesotho (Sotho: 'Muso oa Lesotho) is an enclaved country in southern Africa. It is just over 30,000 km2 (11,583 sq mi) in size and has a population of around 2 million.



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 



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Lesotho: Africa's "Kingdom in the Sky"

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> features a visual dataset of.methane emissions from wetlands across the globe. Atmospheric methane levels have reached record highs in recent years, and wetlands are a major source of these emissions.&nbsp;



"Methane is an important greenhouse gas that contributes substantially to global warming. On a molecule by molecule basis, methane is much more efficient at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, the main driver of warming," says NASA.



"Though human activities, including agriculture, oil and natural gas production and use, and waste disposal, collectively contribute the majority of methane to the atmosphere, about a third of total methane emissions comes from wetlands."&nbsp;



According to NASA, understanding methane emissions from wetlands and other natural sources is critically important for scientists and policymakers who are working to combat climate change by reducing emissions from human activities.



Video Credit: NASA Goddard



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Wetlands are a major source of methane emissions

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> reveals the evolution of the Columbia Glacier in southeastern Alaska. Columbia is among the fastest shrinking glaciers in the world, and the video documents its rapid retreat over the years.&nbsp;



Columbia Glacier is a large, multi-branched calving glacier that flows out of the Chugach Mountains to the Prince William Sound.&nbsp;



According to USGS, Columbia had a long history of stability prior to 1980, with a length 41 miles, and small, short-lived advances or retreats.



In the years since 1980, however, satellite images have captured Columbia’s alarming retreat. By using false-color images, scientists can distinguish between snow and ice, open water, vegetation, and rocky debris on the glacier’s surface.



The series of false-color images featured in today's video were acquired over the span of 35 years. You can see that by 2021, the glacier’s main branch had retreated about 15 miles from its initial position.



The Columbia Glacier has also lost more than 50 percent of its volume, mostly due to calving. <a href="https://www.earth.com/video/nasa-reveals-3d-visual-of-an-atmospheric-river/">NASA</a> reports that while climate change likely started the retreat, mechanical processes kept the disintegration going.



The NASA images are provided by Jesse Allen, Robert Simmon, Joshua Stevens, and Lauren Dauphin using data from Landsat satellites, from the U.S. Geological Survey, and data from MODIS on NASA’s Terra satellite. The structure of Columbia’s moraine played a large role in the stability of the glacier before 1980. 



Like other tidewater glaciers, the Columbia built up a moraine over time, and the mixture of ice and rock functioned like a dam keeping out the sea. It was supported on one end by the shoreline and by the underwater terminal moraine at the other.



Video Credit: NASA Earth Observatory/&nbsp; NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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The rapid retreat of the Columbia Glacier

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes how record-breaking heat expressed itself around the world in 2022.



Scientists have determined that 2022 was the 5th warmest year since 1880. Furthermore, the last nine consecutive years have been the warmest on record.



From devastating floods and wildfires to natural disasters like Hurricane Ian, 2022 showed us yet again how a warming climate affects people across the globe.&nbsp;



"As we look back at 20:22 and years past, we see that each year we better understand the challenges we face and how important it is to meet them," says NASA.



Video/ Image Credit: NASA Goddard



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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2022 illustrated the consequences of a warming climate

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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard</a> describes Earth’s interconnected systems, and how this network is affected by rising temperatures.&nbsp;



During 2020, average global temperatures matched the hottest year on record. The hurricane season was also record-breaking, with many of the storms intensifying at extraordinary speeds. Hot water in the ocean is fuel for hurricanes. The satellite data shows that it's all one interconnected system showing how Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected.



According to NASA, dust swept up from Northern Africa plays a major role in the formation of hurricanes, and is also a key source of fertilization in the Amazon rainforest. As a result of<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seagrass-wasting-disease-is-fueled-by-climate-change/"> climate</a> change, dust plumes are expected to decline, which will have an effect on vegetation far away.&nbsp;



Images from Earth-observing satellites show how the world’s plant life is affected by natural disasters, fires, and deforestation. Satellites also reveal how widespread changes in vegetation impact waterways,&nbsp; the climate, air quality. Satellites communicate by using radio waves to send signals to the antennas on the Earth. "Earth From Space" is a groundbreaking two-hour special that reveals a spectacular new space-based vision of our planet. 



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Satellites reveal how Earth's systems are interconnected

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://welcome.miami.edu/">University of Miami</a> Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science explores how changes in water temperatures have affected tiger shark habitats and movements in the North Atlantic Ocean. The study reveals that rising temperatures have caused the sharks to shift toward the poles over the past 40 years.



“Tiger shark annual migrations have expanded poleward, paralleling rising water temperatures,” explained study lead author Neil Hammerschlag. “These results have consequences for tiger shark conservation, since shifts in their movements outside of marine protected areas may leave them more vulnerable to commercial fishing.”



The researchers analyzed nine years of tracking data from satellite-tagged tiger sharks, combined with four decades of conventional tag and recapture data provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Cooperative Shark Tagging Program.



The experts found that during the last decade of record heat, for every one-degree Celsius increase in water temperatures, tiger sharks migrated further poleward by over 400 kilometers. They also migrated two weeks earlier than usual to waters off the northeastern coast of the United States.



“Given their role as apex predators, these changes to tiger shark movements may alter predator-prey interactions, leading to ecological imbalances, and more frequent encounters with humans,” concluded Professor Hammerschlag.



Video Credit: University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Tiger sharks are shifting poleward as temperatures rise

Today’s Video of the Day from the University of Miami...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> is focused on the melt ponds that emerge during the spring and summer on the Greenland Ice Sheet, which is the largest ice mass in the northern hemisphere.



"Melt ponds are vast pools of open water that form on both sea ice and ice sheets and are visible as turquoise-blue pools of water in this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image," says ESA.



"When snow and ice melts atop glaciers, water flows in channels and streams and collects in depressions on the surface. These melt ponds can speed up the melting of the surrounding ice since they greatly reduce the ice’s ability to reflect sunlight."



"This can create a positive feedback where an increasing number of melt ponds absorb more heat which causes ice cover to melt even faster."



According to ESA, Greenland has been hit with a late-season heatwave that began in early September. This caused the type of melt event that usually occurs in the middle of summer.



"In a recent paper published in Nature Climate Change, scientists found that major sea-level rise from the melting of the Greenland ice cap is now ‘inevitable’ even if the burning of fossil fuels were to halt overnight," says ESA. "Using satellite observations of Greenland ice loss and ice cap from 2000 to 2019, the team found the losses will lead to a minimum rise of 27 cm regardless of climate change."



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Melt ponds on the Greenland Ice Sheet

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes how Earth is unique in our solar system for its ability to sustain liquid water on its surface. But now, the water cycle is shifting as the climate warms, and scientists must find ways to predict how these changes will affect water availability.



Overall, 96 percent of Earth's water is saltwater, and nearly all of freshwater is found in ice and groundwater. These sources of water are linked as it passes through solid, liquid and gas phases.



In a warmer climate, the water cycle will be transformed. It will be easier for water to evaporate and form clouds, and storms will become more frequent and intense. Some regions will get too much water, while others will be left without enough water. In addition, soil moisture will be lost - which threatens food security.



Scientists are using satellite data from over the last 40 years to track changes that are happening in the water cycle. This will ultimately help us prepare for extreme events and better manage our water resources, according to ESA.



Video Credit: ESA



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Tracking changes in Earth's water cycle

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Today's Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA Goddard Space Flight Center</a> features images of Saturn from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. The photographs capture the start of the mysterious "spoke season" on Saturn - when unexplained features appear on its rings. 



According to NASA, both the cause of the spokes and their seasonal variability have yet to be fully explained by planetary scientists.



"Like Earth, Saturn is tilted on its axis and therefore has four seasons, though because of Saturn's much larger orbit, each season lasts approximately seven Earth years. Equinox occurs when the rings are tilted edge-on to the Sun," explains NASA.



"The spokes disappear when it is near summer or winter solstice on Saturn. (When the Sun appears to reach either its highest or lowest latitude in the northern or southern hemisphere of a planet.) As the autumnal equinox of Saturn's northern hemisphere on May 6, 2025, draws near, the spokes are expected to become increasingly prominent and observable."



Experts believe that the spokes may be a product of the planet's variable magnetic field. When magnetic fields interact with solar wind, an electrically charged environment is created. This phenomenon is visible on Earth as the northern lights.&nbsp;



"Scientists think that the smallest, dust-sized icy ring particles can become charged as well, which temporarily levitates those particles above the rest of the larger icy particles and boulders in the rings," says NASA.



The spokes were first observed in the early 1980s by NASA's Voyager mission. Depending on the angle of the rings, the spokes can appear dark or light.



"Thanks to Hubble's OPAL program, which is building an archive of data on the outer solar system planets, we will have longer dedicated time to study Saturn’s spokes this season than ever before," said NASA senior planetary scientist Amy Simon, head of the Hubble Outer Planet Atmospheres Legacy (OPAL) program.



"Despite years of excellent observations by the Cassini mission, the precise beginning and duration of the spoke season is still unpredictable, rather like predicting the first storm during hurricane season."



Video Credit: NASA Goddard&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Mysterious "spoke season" captured on Saturn

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Closeup,Of,Fresh,Green,The,Napier,Bush,Grass,As,Animal

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="http://www.ntu.edu.sg/">NTU Singapore</a> reveals that some plants can remove toxic heavy metals from soil.&nbsp;



The researchers analyzed samples of various tropical plant species to test for levels of heavy metals and metalloids. The study showed that there are existing plants with high levels of these contaminants, which means that these species are great candidates for drawing pollutants out of the soil.&nbsp;



Among the plants examined in the study, 12 species had accumulated several types of heavy metals and metalloids. These plants are widely available, including species that are native to Singapore.



“In a small nation like Singapore, land may be repurposed to support new development plans, so it is important that we have a green and sustainable way to remediate land that is contaminated," said Professor Lam Yeng Ming.



"We set out to uncover how to better make use of tropical plants to do phytoremediation and through advanced characterization techniques, we showed how some of these tropical plant species can be an environmentally friendly and literally a 'green' way to remove contaminants in soil."&nbsp;



"Phytoremediation also has benefits of cost effectiveness, simplicity of management, aesthetic advantages, and long-term applicability and sustainability. The strategy prevents erosion and metal leaching by stabilizing or accumulating heavy metals, so that helps reduce the risk of contaminant spread.”



Video Credit: NTU Singapore



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Plants help remove heavy metals from contaminated soil

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> describes why herbicides are not as effective in killing weeds anymore. In the 20th century, chemical companies developed thousands of herbicides. The most commonly used herbicide was glyphosate, which was introduced in 1974.



Over the past few decades, dozens of species of weeds have evolved resistance to glyphosate. Depending on the site of action, the part of the plant that an herbicide interacts with, weeds may even be resistant to herbicides that have not been developed yet.&nbsp;



With increasing resistance to glyphosate and other herbicides, weeds are - once again - becoming a major concern for farmers.&nbsp;



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Weeds are becoming increasingly resistant to herbicides

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/">NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory</a> (JPL) describes a dust storm on Mars that was nearly twice the size of the United States. As the storm covered the southern hemisphere of the planet, some of NASA’s explorers had to delay their normal activities.



NASA’s Insight lander put itself in a "safe mode" for 11 days to conserve battery power because solar power was disrupted by the dust. The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter postponed flights until conditions improved.



"A fleet of NASA orbiters monitor Martian dust storms like this one and serve as lifelines to Earth by relaying data from the rovers and lander on the ground back to the team. This includes the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, MAVEN, and Odyssey," reports JPL.



"Dust storms like this recent one start close to the ground and are spread by wind as they rise – warming the cold Martian atmosphere."



The images in the video were captured by NASA’s Curiosity as the dust rolled in. A fleet of orbiters monitored the dust storm from above, relaying data from Mars’ explorers back to scientists on Earth.



Video &amp; Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

NASA monitors giant dust storms on Mars

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="http://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. This strait provides the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean.



Qeshm is separated from the Iranian coast by the Clarence Strait, also known as Khuran.&nbsp;The Hara Forest Protected Area is a network of shallow waterways and forest located between the island and the mainland. This protected region is home to sea turtles, snakes, and more than 150 species of migrating birds.



Qeshm is famous for its wide range of&nbsp;ecotourist&nbsp;attractions, such as the&nbsp;Hara marine forests. According to environmentalists, about 1.5 percent of the world birds and 25 percent of Iran's native <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/female-hummingbirds-avoid-sexual-harassment-by-looking-like-males/">birds</a> annually migrate to the forests, which are the first national geo park in Iran.



Tourists are also drawn to the island to see an age-old Portuguese&nbsp;fort, historic mosques, the&nbsp;Seyyed Mozaffar&nbsp;and&nbsp;Bibi Maryam&nbsp;shrines, and the "Valley of Stars."



The average temperature on the island is 81 degress and the region is often hot and humid. From June to August, the island is described as being oppressively hot. The ideal time to visit is during the winter season. 



Video Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique.&nbsp;



"Inhambane Bay is a deep inlet into which the small Mutamba River flows," says ESA. "On one side of the bay lies the historical city of Inhambane, capital of the Inhambane Province, while the sister city of Maxixe, the economic capital of Inhambane, sits across from it. The province is the second largest grower of cashews, after Nampula, and it also produces coconut and citrus fruits."



The beaches of Barra and Tofo are popular with tourists. There are also coral reefs along the long coastline of Inhambane, making it an ideal destination for scuba diving and snorkeling.



"Mozambique’s extensive coastline heightens the country’s vulnerability to tropical cyclones that develop in the Indian Ocean as well as storm surge flooding," says ESA.



"More than half of the population lives in low lying coastal areas, putting communities at risk. Inhambane Bay was dangerously close to where Cyclone Idai made landfall in 2019 causing widespread destruction to the country."



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Inhambane Bay in southeast Mozambique

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency </a>&nbsp;features the Kangerlussuaq Glacier, one of the largest tidewater outlet glaciers in Greenland. The glacier is located on the east coast of the Greenland ice sheet.



As human-induced climate change continues to drive up temperatures, global ice loss is accelerating at an alarming rate. ESA reports that, over the past decade alone, 3.5 trillion tons of ice have melted from the Greenland ice sheet. This is enough to cover the UK with meltwater 15 meters deep.



Based on satellite imagery, researchers determined that Kangerlussuaq entered a new phase of rapid retreat and acceleration in 2017. In their study, published in <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2019.00123/full">Frontiers in Earth Science</a>,&nbsp; the experts report that the glacier's ice front is now at its most retreated position since the early 20th century.



"Given Kangerlussuaq’s previous impacts on both the magnitude and pattern of ice sheet wide mass loss, we predict that its new phase of retreat, acceleration and thinning will markedly enhance the south-east region’s contribution to increasing discharge from the ice sheet," wrote the study authors.&nbsp;&nbsp;



"More broadly, accurate forecasting of the ice sheet’s contribution to sea level rise will require a deeper understanding of, and responses to, these non-linear ice dynamic processes."



Video Credit: ESA



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Kangerlussuaq Glacier on the Greenland ice sheet

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes the complex relationship between ocean and climate. ESA's Climate Change Initiative will help us understand how oceans influence the climate and how climate change is impacting the oceans.&nbsp;



"Earth’s oceans are huge heat stores, soaking up 93% of the excess heat from human activity over the past 70 years. Ocean currents redistribute heat around the planet, from the Equator to the poles. Where this ocean heat goes influences weather patterns and regional climate," explains ESA.



"As well as absorbing heat, oceans are a natural carbon sink, absorbing a quarter of carbon dioxide emissions from human activity. This has led to the acidification of ocean water, threating marine life."



The amount of heat and carbon dioxide soaked up by the ocean depends on specific variables, including phytoplankton, temperatures, waves, salinity, and ice cover. Satellites can be used to measure these variables from space.



"From their unique vantage point, satellites provide key information for understanding the complexities of our planet and monitoring environmental issues," says ESA.



Video Credit: ESA



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Ocean heat influences regional climate

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> describes the importance of monitoring the shape of the sea surface, which is constantly changing. These observations have many applications, such as ship routing, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-modem-ocean-is-a-tough-place-for-whales-to-survive/">ocean</a> current forecasting, and debris tracking.



"A project supported by the Discovery element of ESA’s Basic Activities recently investigated a new technique to measure sea surface topography very precisely," reports ESA.



"The technique involves looking at satellite navigation (GNSS) signals that have been reflected off of the sea surface at very low angles. At these so-called grazing angles, waves and surface roughness have very little impact on the reflection process; the sea surface acts as a very smooth mirror."



Estel Cardellach is the principal investigator at the Institute for Space Studies of Catalonia, who first submitted the idea for the project.



“In a mirror-like reflection the phase of the signal can be tracked – it is continuous," said Cardellach. "Different surface heights result in different phase measurements. It gives a very precise measurement of the surface altitude at a few centimetres’ precision.”



The researchers developed a GNSS receiver and set up an experiment in the Balaeric Islands to collect signals from the receiver that were reflected off the sea surface. Ultimately, these signals will provide improved measurements of the shape of the sea surface.



Image/ Video Credit: ESA



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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Monitoring the dynamic shape of the sea surface

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Today’s Video of the Day from <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/goddard">NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center</a> describes how scientists are using autonomous sound sensors to monitor deforestation in the Amazon. By recording soundscapes, the experts can determine which animals are present through their distinct sounds.&nbsp;



Using this method, sounds can be used as scientific measurements to analyze the effects of deforestation. The researchers will gain a better understanding of how the acoustics of a forest can be used to measure its health.&nbsp;



"From space, parts of the Amazon rainforest that have previously been logged or burned may look lush and green, like a place buzzing with activity and full of sounds. But inside the rainforest, the animal life may tell a different story, of a harsh environment and a quieter soundscape," says NASA.



Video Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center&nbsp;



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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Monitoring deforestation in the Amazon through sounds

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