Accelerated melting in the world's cryosphere alarms climate scientists
New measurements show a dramatic decline in the health of glaciers and sea ice, perpetuating the cycle of warming.
Polar Regions
China and Russia keep commission blocked from Antarctica safeguards
Deadlock stymied a third East Antarctica protection plan. Only twice before has the panel created marine protected areas.
'Continuous advance' of climate crisis pushes 1.15° C. warming
Droughts, floods and heatwaves drove food insecurity and mass migration as communities on every continent were hit by massive costs, the World Meteorological Organization said.
Nearly even odds of 1.5 degrees by 2026
Within the next five years the world has an almost 50-50 chance of temporarily surpassing the 1.5 degrees Celsius warming threshold, WMO reported.
Report urges more water crisis planning
Nations must prepare better for more water-related disasters along with a growing lack of access to safe drinking water and sanitation, WMO reported.
UNEP report points to catastrophic warming
Unmet promises to cut carbon emissions put the planet on track for temperatures to rise "in excess of 3 degrees Celsius this century," UNEP reported.
U.N. calls on nations to end 'war on nature'
The U.N. chief appealed to world leaders to start fixing our "broken" planet by ringing in 2021 with a commitment to a carbon pollution-neutral future.
WMO warns Earth halfway to Paris limit
Signs of global warming are everywhere, WMO said in a report that found the world officially crossed the halfway point to a major climate crisis benchmark.
Alpinism added to UNESCO heritage list
Alpinism, named for the range where it took root, won UNESCO recognition as a celebrated pursuit with an "intangible" cultural heritage worthy of protecting.
U.N.: Oceans and frozen regions changing
Coastal flooding with huge ice and snow losses are getting more extreme as oceans warm and acidify while frozen parts of the planet melt faster, IPCC said.
Scientists point to gaps in climate ambition
A day before the U.N. Climate Action Summit, climate science groups said nations must reduce "glaring and growing gaps" between intention and action.
World leaders urged to adopt ocean treaty
The U.N. leaned on star power in a renewed push for a legally binding global treaty in 2020 to promote conservation and sustainable uses of high seas.
In Trump era, Arctic Council steers clear of addressing the climate crisis
Scientists say the Arctic region is warming about twice as fast as the rest of the planet, but the Trump administration blocked a council statement from referring to that threat.
International array captures the unseeable with a 'virtual telescope'
The Event Horizon Telescope pulled off one of astrophysicists' longtime dreams by documenting a supermassive black hole.
Scientists find Earth's ozone hole is on the mend due to treaty efforts
A new scientific assessment shows damage to the ozone layer from aerosol sprays and coolants started recovering in parts of the stratosphere with bans on ozone-depleting substances.
Nations agree to fishing ban allowing Arctic marine protections
Concerns about climate change's rapid rate of advance in the far north drove three years of talks on commercial fishing.