Background Articles

When geophysicist Sigurjón Jónsson started researching South Iceland earthquakes a short while after the big one in 2000, he was struck by how many of the other big shakes had also occurred during summertime. He decided to search through old records and found 30 earthquakes in South Iceland that had caused damage were recorded—either by date or at least by time of year. He noticed a pattern and wanted to learn more.

Greenhouse gas emissions provide extreme warming on Svalbard.

The Arctic is expected to get warmer and wetter by the end of this century and new research says that could mean trouble for infrastructure in Inuvik.

In this corner of the Middle East, a changing climate and debilitating dust storms have brought life to a standstill.

Research suggests climate change is going to cause more damage to roads and other infrastructure in Canada's North than previously feared. The study has major implications for construction in the North.

Underneath the ground is a thick layer of permafrost and trillions of cubic meters of natural gas. Development is the main source of concern for the reindeer herders who increasingly are hindered by new pipelines, roads and railway lines.

Scientists say the world's permafrost is getting warmer, with temperatures increasing by an average of 0.3 C over a decade.

Slik har Norge forandret seg. Sakte, nesten umerkelig.

Climate change is ravaging the natural laboratory that inspired Darwin. The creatures here are on the brink of crisis.

While public comment has been mixed, the issue of potential risk to subsistence lifestyles in many of Alaska Native villages along the proposed road have played a large part in testimony from Fairbanks community members, specifically at a public comment hearing in November of last year.

Global warming has already resulted in more forest fires out West, according to the latest National Climate Assessment. The future could see more of the country burn.

Extreme climatic events are harming plant communities in the Arctic. The resulting colour change is bad news for the region's carbon storage.

Scientists say the threat from sargassum is as serious as rising sea levels and hurricanes.

A new study based on analysis of satellite images shows how much snow cover Switzerland has lost in the last 20 years. Losing all the glaciers in Switzerland is not that far away.

The permafrost beneath certain lakes is thawing rapidly, which will release a significant amount of methane into the atmosphere.

Researchers have developed a new benchmark model that estimates changes in the proportion of the Earth's surface where plant growth will no longer be limited by cold temperatures over the 21st century.

Climate change: the boreal forest will grow, then decline: The acceleration of growth will be fueled by warming in the north of the boreal forest, while the south (Abitibi, Lac-Saint-Jean, Gaspésie) will suffer from a lack of water.

Scientist warns of "seagrass crisis" in Caribbeans MEXICO CITY (Rahnuma): Massive quantities of Sargassum seaweed are invading Caribbean beaches mostly thanks to global warming and countries should work closely with scientists for a sustainable solution, said a researcher at a leading Mexican university on

A storm had destroyed Napakiak's boat and hovercraft landing, which residents relied on for food and supply deliveries, KYUK-AM reported.

The "business-as-usual warming of the planet" could make areas too warm for human habitation if heat trends continue, climate researchers say.