Damage to World's Oceans 'to Reach $2 Trillion a Year'

"The cost of damage to the world's oceans from climate change could reach $2 trillion a year by 2100 if measures to cut greenhouse gas emissions are not stepped up, a study by marine experts said on Wednesday."

Wind Power Not Cost Effective, Study Says

"British investment in wind turbines is not cost effective for the amount of greenhouse gas emission reductions they would provide, a study indicated."

Great Lakes Ice Coverage Falls 71 Percent Over 40 Years

"Great Lakes ice coverage declined an average of 71 percent over the past 40 years, according to a report from the American Meteorological Society."

More Americans Believe in Climate Change: Poll

"Nearly two-thirds of Americans believe that climate change is real -- the highest level in two years -- as the public trusted its own observations of rising temperatures, a poll said Tuesday."

Study: Clouds Losing Altitude Globally

"Researchers say the sky is falling, after a fashion, as data from a U.S. satellite show clouds around the world are losing altitude."

Mild Drought Killed Off Mayan Civilization: Study

"The collapse of the Mayan civilization was likely due to a relatively mild drought, much like the drier conditions expected in the coming years due to climate change, scientists said Thursday."

Nanotechnology Turns Plants Into Common Plastic

"Dutch scientists have found a way of turning plant matter into the building blocks of common plastics using a nanotechnology process that offers an alternative to oil-based production."

It's Not Fracking's Fault, Study Says

"A university study asserts that the problems caused by the gas extraction process known as hydraulic fracturing, or 'fracking,' arise because drilling operations aren't doing it right. The process itself isn't to blame, according to the study, released today by the Energy Institute at the University of Texas at Austin."

The Himalayas and Nearby Peaks Have Lost No Ice in Past 10 Years, Study Shows

"The world's greatest snow-capped peaks, which run in a chain from the Himalayas to Tian Shan on the border of China and Kyrgyzstan, have lost no ice over the last decade, new research shows."

Russian Scientists Reach Lake Under Antarctica

"After more than two decades of drilling in Antarctica, Russian scientists have reached the surface of a gigantic freshwater lake hidden under miles of ice for some 20 million years — a lake that may hold life from the distant past and clues to the search for life on other planets."

Ocean Motion Could Produce 9 Percent of U.S. Electricity

"Next-generation technologies that harvest electricity from ocean waves and tides sloshing along the U.S. coasts could provide about 9 percent of the nation's demand by 2030, according to a pair of recent studies."

Study Tracks Negative Effects of Nitrogen

"The global nitrogen cycle has been profoundly altered by human activities which, in turn, affects human health, air and water quality, U.S. researchers say."

Old King Coal Stays On World Energy Throne

". . .the Medium-Term Coal Market Report 2011 has concluded coal will remain the world's dominant fuel, despite growing worries about climate change."

Study: Simple Measures Could Reduce Global Warming, Save Lives

"Simple, inexpensive measures to cut emissions of two common pollutants will slow global warming, save millions of lives and boost crop production around the world, an international team of scientists reported Thursday."

Study: 2011 was Ninth-Warmest in 33 Years

"U.S. scientists say 2011 was the ninth-warmest year on record in 33 years of satellite measurements of temperature readings for almost all regions of Earth."

Pair of NASA Studies Reaffirm Impact of Global Warming

"NASA officials have released a pair of new studies showing that global warming could lead to a major transformation for Earth's plants and animals over the next century."

Floods, Landslides, Fire and Drought: Extreme Weather the Norm in 2011

"According to the World Meteorological Organization's (WMO) provisional status report, issued at the United Nations climate talks in Durban, 2011 was the 10th warmest year on record and warmer than any other year with a La Nina event."

2011 is Record Year for $1B Disasters in U.S.

"The United States had a record 12 weather and climate disasters that caused at least $1 billion in damages in 2011, and that number could increase as other assessments wrap up, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Wednesday."

Poll: Religious Believers Concerned With Environment

"A majority of the religious in the United States supports environmental regulation, a poll released Wednesday said."

Past Decade Ties for World's Hottest: UN Agency

"Thirteen of the warmest years recorded have occurred within the last decade and a half, proving that global warming is a reality, the UN's World Meteorological Organisation said on Tuesday."