Bomen planten in noorden versterkt opwarming

Planting new trees in snow-covered northern regions may actually contribute to global warming as they have the counter-effect of tropical forests, according to a study out Monday.

While rainforests help cool the planet by absorbing carbon dioxide and producing clouds that reflect sunlight, the dark canopy of Canadian, Scandinavian and Siberian forests catches sunrays that would be reflected back to space by the snow, the study said.

The study, published Monday in the online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that reforestation projects in the tropics would help mitigate global warming, but such projects would be "counterproductive" in high latitudes.

In mid-latitude locations like the United States and most of Europe, more trees would only create marginal benefits for climate change, the researchers said.

Bron: www.wbcsd.org

IPCC: Overzicht belangrijkste gevolgen klimaat verandering

Overgenomen uit de samenvatting van het klimaatrapport van de IPCC. Deze samenvatting vind je hier.

Bron: www.ipcc.ch

IPCC: Droogte neemt toe, biodiversiteit neemt af.

Toenemende droogte in toch al kwetsbare gebieden en een ongekend verlies aan biodiversiteit zullen de komende decennia het wereldbeeld bepalen. Ze zijn het gevolg van de klimaatverandering, en de effecten zijn nu al duidelijk zichtbaar.

Bron:www.nrc.nl

Honda schoonste automaker

Honda and Toyota lead the world's top eight automakers in lowest greenhouse gas emissions and smog-forming pollution, according to the results of a survey of the auto industry. America's Big Three -- Ford, General Motors and DaimlerChrysler, placed last on the list.

The survey is conducted by the Union of Concerned Scientists, and ranks two factors to determine scores: smog-forming pollution emissions and greenhouse gas emissions. The scores are weighted across models and for the number of each type of car sold.

Bron: www.GreenBiz.com