Europe’s power grid has a big drought problem
Europe’s droughts are challenging its clean energy ambitions — with considerable social and environmental costs. There’s a solution – but it’s not quite what you might expect.
Climate
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What freezing plants in blocks of ice can tell us about the future of Svalbard’s plant communities
How will a warming Arctic affect plant growth on Svalbard? Researchers encased plant plots in a thick layer of ice during the winter and used little greenhouses to heat up those plots in the summer. The surprise? The plants that got the harshest treatment did just fine.
Is it possible to cut CO2 emissions from European agriculture by 40 per cent?
Research shows that allowing natural vegetation to grow back in mountainous areas and on steep slopes and moving production to more fertile areas will both reduce climate emissions and increase biodiversity.
Saving seagrass and French oysters: Fresh solutions breathe new life into Europe’s coastal areas
European coastal areas are under increasing pressure. Researchers are investigating ways to reverse this trend and help communities adapt to climate change.
House sparrows in northern Norway can help us save other endangered animals
How much does it matter where you are born, or whether you are heavy or light, if you are a house sparrow? Researcher Kenneth Aase calculates what the future looks like for these grey-brown feather balls – and hopefully other species, too.
How storm surges could impact your workplace
Businesses along the Norwegian coastline are becoming increasingly vulnerable to storm surges and flooding. Researchers have now created digital maps that show who is most at risk.
Old rules do not work for reindeer husbandry
The Norwegian ‘rules of use’ for Sámi reindeer husbandry were intended to help keep reindeer husbandry sustainable and allow for self-governance. But “sustainability” and “self-governance” can mean something completely different for authorities than reindeer herders.
Can we tap the ocean’s power to capture carbon?
The oceans have to play a role in helping humanity remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to curb dangerous climate warming. But are we ready to scale up the technologies that will do the job?
Want to cut your carbon footprint? Move out of your house
There’s no getting around it: downsizing the kind of housing you live in is the best thing you can do for the environment.
Ships need maintenance too. For the climate, it’s best to do it at home
If a worn propeller requires repair, the CO2 footprint will be a full 40 percent lower if the job is done in Norway than if the repair is done in China, the researchers write in this article.
Solving a dirty problem with sunlight and oil
Wastewater can contain many harmful substances, but a new method enables researchers to purify this water using sunlight and droplets of oil.
Does adapting to a warmer climate have drawbacks?
When animals evolve to tolerate higher temperatures, those evolutionary changes might have other negative effects. Or maybe not.
Better offshore wind solutions
Constructing offshore wind turbines is both costly and challenging, but researchers are working to make offshore wind more profitable and secure.
COP29 resulted in a crisis of confidence – the last thing the world needs
An ineffective negotiation system was the main impression people left with from the climate summit in Baku. Restoring trust in this system must be the top priority for the next conference.
New theory on dense gases and liquids could help carbon capture
The transport of dense gases and liquids is becoming increasingly relevant in relation to carbon capture. New research is helping us understand more about how this can be done most efficiently.
Equal distribution of wealth is bad for the climate
The climate benefits if only a few people have a lot of power and money. So, should the rest of us be held back because of this fact?
It’s a short distance to a policy for buildings that strengthens the climate issue
Greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting for buildings is an effective tool for achieving climate targets. The requirements must now be followed up with policy in Norway as well.
Sámi reindeer herders are more afraid of predators than climate change
Climate change is affecting the Sámi rhythm of life and their faith in the future. Yet Norwegian and Swedish reindeer herders see predators, forestry and wind farms as greater threats.
We are lagging behind finding measures to combat climate change
That is the message from Atle Harby, senior researcher at SINTEF. He is a member of the expert committee tasked with looking at the socio-economic consequences of climate change.
Boardroom diversity affects carbon emissions – but not in the way you think
Forget gender, ethnic background, and age. When it comes to cutting carbon emissions, it’s the board’s diversity in skills, expertise, experience and insider/outsidership that matters.
Autonomous robots track plankton in the Arctic Ocean
Underwater robots, combined with simple instruments from 100 years ago, are helping researchers unlock the secrets of microscopic marine organisms called plankton.
Genes and electrons receive millions in EU funding
Two associate professors at NTNU have been awarded roughly NOK 43 million from the European Research Council to study molecular models and gene variations that can affect animal survival.
Collected climate data from Nigeria that researchers need
Climate scientists often lack the information they need for their climate models. A master’s student helped to find important figures from Africa’s most populous country – Nigeria.
As our energy demands increase, the planet continues to overheat. But there is hope.
A cure for global warming: Technologies exist that can get us out of this mess. Let’s take a look at them.