The fields of climate change and livestock research have not always been cosy bedfellows. But they are ironing out their difficulties and looking ahead.
Accurately characterizing natural versus forced sea surface temperature variability in observations is needed to validate and verify climate models used for projections of future climate change. This study successfully resolves previous large discrepancies in estimated tropical Indo-Pacific twentieth-century trends between observationally based sea surface temperature reconstructions.
Using a comprehensive data set of thermal tolerance limits, latitudinal range boundaries and latitudinal range shifts of cold-blooded animals, this study explores the likely consequences of climate change for the geographical redistribution of terrestrial and marine species at a global scale.
Agricultural expansion and deforestation contribute to approximately 17% of global greenhouse-gas emissions. The fate of cleared wood and subsequent carbon storage as wood products, however, has not been consistently estimated. Now research fills this gap and shows that 30 years after forest clearance the percentage of carbon stored in wood products and landfills ranges from about 0% to 62% globally.
Thermoelectric power in Europe and the United States is vulnerable to climate change. Here research relates lower summer river flows and higher river water temperatures as a result of climate change to thermoelectric plant capacity. Summer average capacity can decrease by 6.3–19% in Europe and 4.4–16% in the United States, depending on the cooling system type and climate scenario for 2031–2060.
Reliable statistics are important for both climate science and international negotiations about emission-reduction targets. However, China is often questioned in terms of its data transparency and accuracy. Now researchers have compiled the carbon dioxide emission inventories for China and its 30 provinces for the period 1997–2010, and found a 1.4 gigatonne discrepancy between national and provincial inventories in 2010.
Future greenhouse-gas emissions need to deviate from a fossil-fuel intensive scenario to avoid dangerous climate change, and this implies feedback links between climate change and societal actions. Research shows that the global growth of new renewable energy post-1990 represents an annual climate–society feedback of ∼ 0.25% per degree increase in global mean temperature.
Glacial melting in the Tibetan Plateau affects the water resources of millions of people. This study finds that—partly owing to changes in atmospheric circulations and precipitation patterns—the most intensive glacier shrinkage is in the Himalayan region, whereas glacial retreat in the Pamir Plateau region is less apparent.
Hydrological processes in the humid tropics differ from other regions in having greater energy inputs and faster rates of change. In this Review it is argued that understanding of the key hydrological interactions there remains limited, and a vision of future research designed to address these shortcomings is outlined.
