Are we doomed if we don’t manage to curb emissions by 2030?
By Robert McLachlan Humanity is not doomed, not now or even in a worst-case scenario in 2030. But avoiding doom — either the end or widespread collapse of civilisation — is setting a pretty low bar. We can aim much higher than that without shying away from reality....
What was the world like the last time carbon levels were this high?
By James Shulmeister What was the climate and sea level like at times in Earth’s history when carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was at 400ppm? The last time global carbon dioxide levels were consistently at or above 400 parts per million (ppm) was around four million...
Can New Zealand keep coronavirus out?
By Michael Plank, Alex James, Audrey Lustig, Nicholas Steyn, Rachelle Binny & Shaun Hendy Stringent border controls and mandatory quarantine give New Zealand a good chance to remain free of COVID-19 for months to come, according to our latest modelling. It’s been...
Is the South Pole warming faster than the rest of the world?
By Kyle Clem Over the past 30 years, the South Pole has been one of the fastest changing places on Earth, warming more than three times more rapidly than the rest of the world. Climate scientists long thought Antarctica’s interior may not be very sensitive to warming,...
Is the sun setting on unsustainable long-haul, short-stay tourism?
By James Higham The tourism rebuild must involve all measures being taken to create a high-value, low-leakage and low-emissions tourism future. Unprecedented border closures and the domestic lockdown have paralysed New Zealand’s $40.9 billion a year tourism industry....
Can COVID-19 help us get ready for the next pandemic?
By David Murdoch COVID-19 is being referred to as a “once in a century event” – but the next pandemic is likely to hit sooner than you think. In the next few decades, we will likely see other pandemics. We can predict that with reasonable confidence because of the...
Riot or resistance? How media frames unrest in America will shape public’s view of protest
By Danielle K. Kilgo The general public’s opinions about protests and the social movements behind them are formed in large part by what they read or see in the media. This gives journalists a lot of power when it comes to driving the narrative of a demonstration....
Eliminated: What next for New Zealand post-COVID-19?
By Michael Plank, Alex James, Audrey Lustig, Nicholas Steyn, Rachelle Binny & Shaun Hendy New Zealand hits a 95% chance of eliminating coronavirus. However, researchers predict new cases will emerge. There is now a 95% chance COVID-19 has been eliminated in New...
How can we rebuild our economies fairly post-COVID?
By Ilan Noy Rich and poor don’t recover equally from epidemics. Rebuilding fairly will be a global challenge. Since the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004, disaster recovery plans are almost always framed with aspirational plans to “build back better”. It’s a fine sentiment...Subscribe by Email
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