Phys.org news tagged with:greenhouse gas pollution https://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. Oceans struggle to absorb Earth's carbon dioxide as microplastics invade their waters A new study reveals that microplastics are impairing the oceans' ability to absorb carbon dioxide, a process scientists find crucial for regulating Earth's temperature. https://phys.org/news/2026-01-oceans-struggle-absorb-earth-carbon.html Earth Sciences Mon, 05 Jan 2026 09:10:42 EST news686826602 Methane pollution still rises, but UN reports hope for near future reductions Global efforts to curb emissions of the potent but short-lived heat-trapping gas methane are doing about as poorly as the more prevalent carbon dioxide, but there's hope for the next five years, U.N. officials said Monday. https://phys.org/news/2025-11-methane-pollution-future-reductions.html Environment Tue, 18 Nov 2025 04:16:01 EST news682661756 Climate change inaction being paid for in millions of lives every year, global findings suggest New global findings in the 9th annual indicator report of The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change reveal that the continued overreliance on fossil fuels and failure to adapt to climate change is being paid in people's lives, health, and livelihoods, with 12 of 20 indicators tracking health threats reaching unprecedented levels. https://phys.org/news/2025-10-climate-inaction-paid-millions-year.html Environment Tue, 28 Oct 2025 20:10:07 EDT news680786821 Europe must step up efforts to protect environment: report Europe is a world leader in the fight against climate change but must do more to improve its resilience against global warming, the European Union's environment agency warned on Monday. https://phys.org/news/2025-09-europe-efforts-environment.html Environment Mon, 29 Sep 2025 04:10:01 EDT news678337243 Al Gore's satellite and AI system is now tracking sources of deadly soot pollution Soon people will be able to use satellite technology and artificial intelligence to track dangerous soot pollution in their neighborhoods—and where it comes from—in a way not so different from monitoring approaching storms under plans by a nonprofit coalition led by former Vice President Al Gore. https://phys.org/news/2025-09-al-gore-satellite-ai-tracking.html Environment Wed, 24 Sep 2025 09:50:01 EDT news677925723 Ozone will warm planet more than first thought, study finds The world will warm more than expected due to future changes in ozone, which protects the Earth from harmful sun rays but also traps heat as it is a greenhouse gas. https://phys.org/news/2025-08-ozone-planet-thought.html Earth Sciences Wed, 20 Aug 2025 19:10:01 EDT news674899622 The global plastics treaty process has fallen flat—here's what went wrong, and how you can help Progress toward a legally binding global treaty on plastics pollution stalled and went into reverse this week. The United Nations Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, ran overtime. It's likely to conclude this evening, without agreement. https://phys.org/news/2025-08-global-plastics-treaty-fallen-flat.html Environment Sun, 17 Aug 2025 10:40:01 EDT news674469381 Solar farms look like lakes to birds—and it's messing with their migrations Murdoch University researchers call for wildlife-friendly solar farm designs to protect biodiversity amid global renewable energy expansion. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-solar-farms-lakes-birds-messing.html Ecology Thu, 17 Jul 2025 09:24:01 EDT news671963024 Air pollution cuts in East Asia likely accelerated global warming The cleanup of air pollution in East Asia has accelerated global warming, a new study published today (Monday, 14 July) in the journal Communications Earth and Environment has found. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-air-pollution-east-asia-global.html Earth Sciences Mon, 14 Jul 2025 05:00:02 EDT news671448431 Farming within Earth's limits is still possible—but it will take a Herculean effort The way we currently produce and consume food takes a big toll on the environment. https://phys.org/news/2025-07-farming-earth-limits-herculean-effort.html Agriculture Wed, 02 Jul 2025 10:06:04 EDT news670669561 Warning signs on climate flashing bright red: Top scientists From carbon pollution to sea-level rise to global heating, the pace and level of key climate change indicators are all in uncharted territory, more than 60 top scientists warned Thursday. https://phys.org/news/2025-06-climate-bright-red-scientists.html Environment Thu, 19 Jun 2025 04:50:01 EDT news669527147 What are super pollutants and how do they impact our health? Super pollutants are extremely potent climate pollutants. They include short-lived pollutants like methane, black carbon and tropospheric ozone. Super pollutants are responsible for about 45% of global warming to date. Many of these pollute the air, causing millions of premature deaths and damage to crops. Cutting super pollutants can deliver rapid climate and health benefits. https://phys.org/news/2025-06-super-pollutants-impact-health.html Environment Mon, 16 Jun 2025 09:31:06 EDT news669285062 Trump EPA moves to repeal climate rules that limit greenhouse gas emissions from US power plants The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday proposed repealing rules that limit planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions from power plants fueled by coal and natural gas, an action that Administrator Lee Zeldin said would remove billions of dollars in costs for industry and help "unleash" American energy. https://phys.org/news/2025-06-epa-limit-greenhouse-gases-mercury.html Environment Wed, 11 Jun 2025 16:06:20 EDT news668876774 Shifting pollution abroad may help democratic nations appear more environmentally friendly than non-democratic countries Democratic countries tend to be rated "greener," or more environmentally friendly, compared to other countries—but this may be because they more often outsource the environmental impacts of their consumption to other nations, according to a study published in PLOS Climate by Thomas Bernauer and Ella Henninger from ETH Zurich, Switzerland and Tobias Böhmelt from the University of Essex. https://phys.org/news/2025-05-shifting-pollution-democratic-nations-environmentally.html Environment Wed, 14 May 2025 14:00:02 EDT news666281821 Cutting greenhouse gases will reduce number of deaths from poor air quality, say researchers Up to 250,000 deaths from poor air quality could be prevented annually in central and western Europe by 2050 if greenhouse gas emissions are drastically reduced, say researchers. https://phys.org/news/2025-05-greenhouse-gases-deaths-poor-air.html Earth Sciences Tue, 06 May 2025 09:00:07 EDT news665674501 How AI is making affordable air pollution sensors more accurate Clean air is a fundamental right. However, every day, 100 children under the age of 5 tragically lose their lives in east Asia and the Pacific due to a silent killer—air pollution. https://phys.org/news/2025-03-ai-air-pollution-sensors-accurate.html Environment Thu, 13 Mar 2025 14:40:04 EDT news661091505 Earth's 'dirty mirror' effect is accelerating climate change, research suggests The Earth is absorbing more sunlight and trapping more heat than it releases into space, causing our planet to warm up at an increasing rate. https://phys.org/news/2025-03-earth-dirty-mirror-effect-climate.html Earth Sciences Tue, 11 Mar 2025 08:56:04 EDT news660902161 More than 40% of coral species face extinction, according to new research Following a global assessment, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has revealed that 44% of reef-building coral species globally are at risk of extinction. The announcement was made at the ongoing COP29 UN climate conference. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-coral-species-extinction.html Ecology Fri, 22 Nov 2024 09:10:01 EST news651488800 Researchers advocate for new framework to measure sustainable economic growth The global economy is in transition, with energy systems moving from a central reliance on fossil fuels. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped consumer behavior, labor markets, and business practices, and geopolitics and war have disrupted longstanding trade networks. Each of these forces affects energy sources and consumption, as well as greenhouse gas emissions and local air pollution. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-advocate-framework-sustainable-economic-growth.html Environment Tue, 12 Nov 2024 15:20:01 EST news650646675 Public pressure found to influence whether companies reduce their environmental impact The effectiveness of national voluntary programs asking companies to pledge to lower their pollution and greenhouse gas emissions depends on pressure from the public, according to a new study led by a Penn State researcher. https://phys.org/news/2024-11-pressure-companies-environmental-impact.html Social Sciences Wed, 06 Nov 2024 13:12:04 EST news650121117 Sustainable metal-recycling method reduces cost and greenhouse gas emissions A research team led by Rice University's James Tour has developed a method to recycle valuable metals from electronic waste more efficiently while significantly reducing the environmental impact typically associated with metal recycling. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-sustainable-metal-recycling-method-greenhouse.html Materials Science Wed, 25 Sep 2024 15:25:53 EDT news646496749 Warming waters and nutrient overload: A dangerous combination threatening our rivers and lakes Warming water temperatures and increased nutrient levels are putting freshwater ecosystems at serious risk, new research has revealed. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-nutrient-overload-dangerous-combination-threatening.html Ecology Thu, 15 Aug 2024 15:33:04 EDT news642954781 Researchers work to create biodegradable bioplastics from food waste Extraordinary amounts of energy, water, and capital are put into food systems. However, anywhere from 30 to 40% of the food that is produced ends up in landfills in the United States. https://phys.org/news/2024-07-biodegradable-bioplastics-food.html Materials Science Mon, 08 Jul 2024 16:05:02 EDT news639673496 Study finds emissions trading also creates health benefits The EU Emissions Trading System is not only good for reducing CO2 and for the climate. It also results in considerable health benefits due to reduced air pollution and saves hundreds of billions of euros, according to a recently released study by a team at Universität Hamburg. https://phys.org/news/2024-07-emissions-health-benefits.html Environment Tue, 02 Jul 2024 11:27:40 EDT news639138456 NASA-led mission to map air pollution over both US coasts This summer between June 17 and July 2, NASA is flying aircraft over Baltimore, Philadelphia, parts of Virginia, and California to collect data on air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-nasa-mission-air-pollution-coasts.html Earth Sciences Tue, 25 Jun 2024 07:17:23 EDT news638518595 Big data helps determine what drives disease risk Working with nearly 3,000 observations across almost 1,500 host-parasite combinations, researchers at Notre Dame University have found that biodiversity loss, chemical pollution, introduced species, and climate change, but not urbanization, are driving increases in infectious disease risk. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-big-disease.html Ecology Wed, 08 May 2024 13:21:41 EDT news634393292 Scientists develop framework to measure plastic emissions and bolster U.N. efforts to reduce pollution University of Toronto (U of T) scientists have developed a framework for measuring plastic pollution emissions akin to the global standard for measuring greenhouse gas emissions. The researchers say the approach will boost identification of the biggest contributors to plastic pollution from local to national levels and improve strategies in reducing emissions worldwide. https://phys.org/news/2024-04-scientists-framework-plastic-emissions-bolster.html Environment Tue, 16 Apr 2024 16:30:10 EDT news632503761 Global warming and plastic pollution entwined in vicious circle, researchers say Typically viewed as unrelated problems, global warming and plastic pollution are instead inextricably trapped in a "vicious circle" where one feeds the other, researchers in Sweden report in Nature Communications. The mutually-reinforcing relationship escalates global warming, the degradation of materials, plastic waste and the leaching of toxic chemicals into the biosphere. https://phys.org/news/2024-03-global-plastic-pollution-entwined-vicious.html Environment Tue, 19 Mar 2024 11:26:37 EDT news630066394 Researchers develop AI-enabled model to help mitigate global ammonia emissions from cropland by 38% An international research team led by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has achieved a significant breakthrough by developing an artificial intelligence (AI) model that can help mitigate global ammonia (NH3) emission from agriculture. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-ai-enabled-mitigate-global-ammonia.html Agriculture Thu, 01 Feb 2024 10:56:25 EST news626007376 Researchers say accounting for plastic persistence can minimize environmental impacts With plastic pollution posing a significant threat to ecosystems and human health, various strategies to lessen this type of pollution include reducing the production of plastic, decreasing the generation of plastic waste, and improving the material and product design of plastic items. https://phys.org/news/2024-01-accounting-plastic-persistence-minimize-environmental.html Earth Sciences Mon, 08 Jan 2024 11:27:04 EST news623935621