Global Methane Emissions Reach ‘Record High’ Levels

Global Methane Budget, 2000-2017 (2020), July 15, 2020. A new consensus update to global methane emissions reveals that atmospheric methane increased by 8.5ppb and 10.7ppb in 2018 and 2019, respectively – two of the highest annual values of the 21st century. The current concentration of atmospheric methane is more than 2.5 times higher than pre-industrial […]

World Temperatures Projected to Reach 1.5°C by 2024

Global Annual to Decadal Climate Update, WMO, July 9, 2020. A new report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) finds a ~70% chance that global mean temperature will rise 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels for at least one month within the next 5 years. This projection does not necessarily mean that the 1.5°C limit will have […]

Burning the High Arctic: 2020 Spring and Summer Fire Season in Sakha Republic. A Precursor of Fire Seasons to Come?

2020 has been an exceptionally hot year for the Arctic, especially in High Arctic Russia. Beginning in January, an extended and persistent heat wave has smashed records, peaking at 38°C (100.4°F) in June. Since then, the extreme heat has continued. For example, the Russian town of Verkhoyansk in Siberia has seen over 11 days of […]