Latest Talking Point articles
Talking Point articles RSS feedCarbon offsetting - a way of avoiding emissions reductions? Nov 5, 2008 3 comments
Does offsetting promote low-carbon lifestyles or relieve guilt and encourage more emissions, asks Lorraine Whitmarsh.
WindPower 2.0: technology rises to the challenge Oct 21, 2008 2 comments
As wind turbines grow larger and reach more remote locations, they’ll need new technologies and systems to keep them running, says Peter Clive.
Ice shelves come in many guises Oct 6, 2008 1 comment
It’s vital to obtain enough data from the Earth’s remaining ice shelves to assess their risk of becoming unstable, says Angelika Humbert.
The IPCC report: what the lead authors really think Sep 17, 2008 4 comments
How much did views on the IPCC Fourth Assessment get diluted? Ann Henderson-Sellers considers the results of a survey.
UK renewables – how not to do it Sep 2, 2008
Quota-based systems are not as good as feed-in tariffs at promoting renewable energy, and may even have provoked public opposition, says David Elliott
Satellites keep tabs on the environment Aug 5, 2008
Satellite images can supply visual proof of environmental damage caused by man, such as changes in deer habitat use caused by oil and gas drilling and the sediment plumes thrown up by fishing trawlers, says John Amos of SkyTruth.
Glaciers in the balance Jul 23, 2008
Defining the rate at which the world’s glaciers are shrinking is not as easy as you’d think, says Graham Cogley.
Winds of change Jul 9, 2008
Andrew Garrad on the future of wind energy, including how people may one day live in offshore wind turbines.
Will climate change stir up the Southern Ocean? Jun 20, 2008
Wouter Lefebvre and Hugues Goosse take a look at the effects of climate change on the Southern Ocean.
Climate change: the thin end of the wedge Jun 11, 2008
Stephen Pacala on how emissions have changed since his "stabilization wedges" paper and his new work on calculating fair national emissions caps.
MIT spreads its bets on energy solutions May 28, 2008
The MIT Energy Initiative is building a portfolio of long-term sustainable energy solutions but right now, solar is "the long pole in the tent".
The heat is on May 12, 2008
With climate change threatening to melt the world’s ice sheets and cause devastating flooding, glaciologists have their work cut out for them, say Tavi Murray, Ian Rutt and David Vaughan.
Setting new international standards in collaborative science Apr 29, 2008
International Polar Year, which just passed its mid-point, is one of the largest research programmes ever.
Laser physicist looks to the Sun Apr 15, 2008
Stephen Chu, director of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, has set his sights on solar energy.
Could cosmic rays cause global warming? Apr 3, 2008 18 comments
The link between cosmic rays and cloud cover is not established, say Terry Sloan and Arnold Wolfendale.
Fixing nitrogen levels Mar 26, 2008
Moves to reduce low level nitrogen pollution in the US are being complicated by climate change, says Jill Baron.
Indigenous maps safeguard territories Mar 12, 2008
Maps made by local communities can act as a tool for protecting their environment, say Dora Napolitano and Gregor MacLennan.
Climate change and cities Feb 27, 2008 1 comment
Urban areas are central to adaptation and mitigation agendas, says David Satterthwaite.
Storing carbon: the options Feb 12, 2008 1 comment
With atmospheric carbon dioxide levels rising, Julianna Fessenden examines technologies for locking the gas away.
Climate change: where’s the justice? Jan 25, 2008 2 comments
James Garvey steers a path through the massively complex ethics of climate change with the aid of a bottle of tequila.