RCI affiliates, Rachael Shown and Robert Kopp discuss their recent publication to clarify what is meant by climate tipping points recommending new terminology “climatic tipping elements” and “social tipping elements” to better understand that not all climate science tipping thresholds end up with immediate social or economic consequences because such climate changes may take decades or centuries to play out.
RCI affiliate, Jennifer Francis notes there’s no reason to believe more hemispheric mixing of the jet stream will result from climate change.
National Academies Press, has recently published the following reports: Next Generation Earth System Predictions: Strategies for Subseasonal to Seasonal Forecasts; Characterizing Risk in Climate Change Assessments: Proceedings of a Workshop for the US Global Change Research Program); and Transitioning Toward Sustainability: Advancing the Scientific Foundation.
The U.S. Department of Energy has released the 2016 Billion-Ton Report: Advancing Domestic Resources for a Thriving Bioeconomy which finds the U.S. has the potential to produce 1 billion dry tons of biomass annually from ag, forestry, waste, and algal material to produce enough biofuel, biopower and bioproducts to displace approximately 30% of 2005 U.S. petroleum consumption without negatively affecting production of food or other agricultural products.
RCI affiliate, Janice McDonnell and a team from Rutgers Marine and Coastal Sciences and 4-H Youth Development conducted a four-day polar science investigation workshop for educators from New Jersey and California. Read more here.
United States Department of Agriculture, Northeast Climate Hub notes how warmers winters are affecting Spring plant development and Summer pests here and how weather variability in the Northeast has increased here.
RCI affiliate, Jennifer Francis is quoted in this article Washington Post article about cross-equator flow and the polar jet stream .
As chronic and episodic water shortages are becoming more commonplace in the U.S., the National Academy of Sciences has released this report examining alternative water supplies Using Graywater and Stormwater to Enhance Local Water Supplies: An Assessment of Risks, Costs, and Benefits
RCI Affiliate, Robert Kopp is quoted in this New York Times article about the impact that climate change has had on Tangier Island in Virginia.
Congratulations to RCI affiliates, Enrique Curchitser, Malin Pinsky, and Josh Kohut who received three grants totaling $3 million from the NOAA’s Climate Program Office and its Coastal and Ocean Climate Applications Program to Study Climate Impacts on Commercial and Recreational Fisheries.
The EPA released an updated State and Local guide to U.S. EPA Climate and Energy Program Resources. Click here to view the document.
