Topic description and stories

Morning sun over Los Angeles, USA.

2023 was the hottest summer in two thousand years

14 May 2024

Researchers have found that 2023 was the hottest summer in the Northern Hemisphere in the past two thousand years, almost four degrees warmer than...

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Drone shot in front of a spinning weather station, Free State, South Africa

Death tolls from climate disasters will ‘balloon’ without investment in Africa’s weather stations

14 Aug 2023

Investment in ‘hydromet systems’ using technologies from AI to SMS would provide a nine-to-one ROI in saved lives and assets across African nations...

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Cambridge experts on UK drought and climate change

16 Aug 2022

From pollinators to profits, food to fires, here's what Cambridge experts say about the impacts of water scarcity – and what it signals about our...

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Opinion: How Davos power brokers can start tackling major environmental risks

21 Jan 2016

Bhaskar Vira (Department of Geography), Gemma Cranston (Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership) and Jonathan Green (Department of...

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Words for mud and mountain, wind and wetland: answers on a postcard, please

01 Apr 2015

‘Dumberdash’ is an old Cheshire term for a short but violent storm. A ‘lumpenhole’ is a deep trench for fluid farmyard waste. The man who remembers...

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El Niño waves crash into a pier

Study reveals economic impact of El Niño

11 Jul 2014

El Niño has a significant impact on the world and local economies - and not always for the worst - and countries should plan ahead to mitigate its...

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Tourists hiding from the rain.

A brighter forecast for weather-beaten Britain?

22 Aug 2011

Ever headed out for the day expecting bright sunshine, only to end up getting soaked in a downpour instead? If you’re reading this in the UK, chances...

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Chicago Skyline

An American Tale

31 May 2010

David Reynolds' attempt to tell the history of America in 90 episodes in the landmark Radio 4 series, "America, Empire Of Liberty" set Cambridge's...

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every drop counts

Scientists urge global action to preserve water supplies for billions worldwide

19 May 2009

Chinese, Indian, American and British scientists have released a conference declaration urging a region-by-region response to increased water...

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Clouds 1 - free to use

Unclouding uncertainty in climate modelling

01 May 2009

New understanding of the physics of clouds is helping to model both climate change and the impact of volcanic eruptions and wild fires.

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Cambridge plays role in insurance industry's new climate-friendly initiative

14 Sep 2007

The insurance industry this week launched a new initiative to tackle the challenge of climate change and encourage more climate-friendly customer...

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Coastal communities face greater threat of flooding due to land reclamation

01 Sep 2006

Seafront communities are being left wide open to the risk of flooding because of the loss of coastal ecosystems, a Cambridge academic has warned.

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