Carbon cycle

• "For the world to effectively address greenhouse gas emissions, carbon removal is an essential element of the path to Net Zero.
• There's no way to reverse humanity's impact on the climate without extracting carbon from our atmosphere and oceans," said Anousheh Ansari, chief executive officer, XPRIZE.
• The 20 finalist teams included below are listed by the competition's four removal pathway tracks: Air, Rocks, Oceans, Land, Oceans.
• To date, XPRIZE Carbon Removal awarded $20M, with $5M distributed to 23 student teams, and $15M awarded to 15 milestone winners.

• "The proposals represent another example of NASA's holistic approach to studying our home planet," said Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
• "As we continue to confront our changing climate, and its impacts on humans and our environment, the need for data and scientific research could not be greater.
• These proposals will help us better prepare for the challenges we face today, and tomorrow."
• After the study period, NASA will choose two proposals to go forward to launch with readiness dates expected in 2030 and 2032.

• The first ever State of the World’s Migratory Species report, released today by the United Nations Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, showed that the conservation status of many migratory species is getting worse.
• The convention maintains a list of migratory species that are already in need of protection.
• More than one in five (or 22%) of the already threatened migratory species now face extinction.

Which species are listed?

• There are 4,508 species in the world that are migratory, and the convention lists 1,189.
• What must be done

  My research has pointed out that migratory species undertake remarkable journeys that connect diverse habitats across the globe.

• The report found that the threatened migratory species occurring in Africa, Asia and North America are experiencing the fastest declines.
• Of the migratory species that the convention lists as needing some level of protection, 97% are under threat of extinction.

Migratory animals’ habitats are being destroyed

• In Africa, 79% of new cropland over the past few decades has been established by destroying the natural vegetation where many migratory animals lived, the report says.
• The report also points out that pollution and introducing alien invasive species into habitats of natural vegetation put pressure on these indigenous species.

Why migratory species are important

• Migratory species consume tons of food daily.
• For example, deep-sea creatures, particularly tiny zooplankton, migrate from deep waters to the surface at night to feed on phytoplankton.
• Tiny marine animals are key to working out its climate impacts

  Protecting migratory species goes beyond conserving biodiversity; it is crucial for ensuring a healthier future for our planet.

What to do about it

• This includes expanding protected areas used by migratory species, taking down fences and making more effort to connect protected areas to each other.
• Stronger laws, enhanced international collaboration to curb illegal activities, and reducing bycatch in fisheries are urgently required, says the report.
• This report marks a significant step towards creating a conservation roadmap for migratory species.

• He is a senior Statistician at the University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany.
• He is also affilicated with the One Mara Research Hub (OMRH) and the Greater Serengeti-Mara Conservation Society; both devoted to securing the future of the magnificient Greater-Serengeti Mara Ecosystem.

• The ice sheets, Amazon rainforest and the Atlantic ocean circulation are among nine recognised global climate tipping elements.
• Once a tipping point is crossed, changes are often irreversible for a very long time.
• Read more:
  Climate tipping points are nearer than you think – our new report warns of catastrophic risk

What are climate tipping points?

• Climate scientists have known for a while, through paleoclimate records and other evidence, that there are “tipping elements” in the climate system.
• Triggering climate tipping points would lead to changes in addition to those commonly included in climate projections.
• Triggering one tipping point may trigger other tipping points.

Read more:
Antarctic tipping points: the irreversible changes to come if we fail to keep warming below 2℃

Grappling with deep uncertainties

• Researchers from Australian science agencies and universities came together last year to consider what global climate tipping points could mean for Australia.
• We considered the nine global climate tipping points – and one of the most relevant regional tipping points for Australia, coral reef die-offs – as defined in a recent scientific review.

• There are deep uncertainties about what conditions would trigger tipping points, how they would play out and their likely impacts.
• Along with recognising the most urgent point – that deep emission cuts will limit the chances of triggering tipping points – our conclusions cover three areas.
• We need more research We need to expand research on paleoclimate records, theory and process understanding, observations, monitoring and modelling.
• Australia leads world-class research, including on Antarctica, the Southern Ocean, the carbon cycle, weather processes and ecosystems.
• Read more:
  Climate 'tipping points' can be positive too – our report sets out how to engineer a domino effect of rapid changes

Michael Grose receives funding from the National Environmental Science Program and the Australian Climate Service. Andy Pitman receives funding from the Australian Research Council.