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Peatland Fires Contribute to Between 40% and 60% of the GHG Emission Impact

Deforestation fires in Brazil and Indonesia accounted for 3% and 7%, respectively, of the planet's total greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in 2019 and 2020, finds a new study in Frontiers in Climate. Of that amount, fires in peatlands contributed to between 40% and 60% of the GHG emission impact, showing a severe underrepresentation by previous estimations. The researchers urge better forest and peatland protection policies.

9 Feb 2022

Carolina Chemists Suggest a Method to "Upcycle" Discarded Plastic to Tougher, Stronger Material

According to a 2020 study, more plastic trash is generated by the United States than any other country in the world—approximately 46.3 million tons of it, which can be interpreted as 287 pounds per person annually.

8 Feb 2022

Study Recommends Using Dry Powder Inhaler to Help Cut Carbon Footprint of Asthma Treatment

A pharma sector-sponsored study, published online in the journal Thorax, shows that shifting from a metered-dose inhaler to a dry powder model for maintenance therapy more than halves the carbon footprint of people with asthma, and without causing deteriorating their condition.

7 Feb 2022

Satellite Imagery Reveals Methane Releases Linked to Oil and Gas Extraction Activities

An international study involving CNRS and CEA researchers and the company Kayrros has uncovered hundreds of major methane releases linked to global oil and gas extraction activities.

4 Feb 2022

Understanding How Ghost Forests Produce Methane

Recent research indicates that ghost forests produce an abundance of methane. While the methane is initially produced in the soil, the trees act like vents that allow the methane to rise and escape into the atmosphere.

3 Feb 2022

Solar-Powered System Helps Reduce Methane Emissions from Landfills

The second-largest driver of global warming is methane, a greenhouse gas 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Landfills are a major source of methane, which is created when organic material decomposes underground.

3 Feb 2022

Geospatial Scientists Find New Way to Detect Coastal Plastic Waste

Millions of tons of plastic enter the oceans every year. While stopping this flow is crucial, so is tracking down what's already there so we can clean it up.

3 Feb 2022

Illegal Gold Mining in the Peruvian Amazon Results in High Levels of Atmospheric Mercury Pollution

New study Amazon forests capture high levels of atmospheric mercury pollution from artisanal gold mining published in Nature Communications. An international team of researchers documented substantial mercury accumulation in soils, biomass, and resident songbirds in some of the Amazon's most protected and biodiverse areas.

2 Feb 2022

Governments Rally Around Airly Sensors to Tackle Air Pollution

The UK’s second largest city Birmingham and Poland’s capital Warsaw have taken decisive action to address the plight of air pollution by taking the first step to monitor air quality through Airly, the cleantech company who will install their sensors across their cities.

2 Feb 2022

Study Finds Tradeoff Between Farm Conservation Practices and Water Quality

With water quality guidelines compelling more farmers to act on nitrogen loss, cover crops and split nitrogen applications are becoming more common in the Midwest. But new University of Illinois research shows these conservation practices may not provide environmental benefits across the board.

28 Jan 2022