Ahead of COP31, Brazil offers a global fossil fuel exit plan
A new agreement on fossil fuels is unlikely at the two-week COP31 conference, which begins on Monday in Turkish Mediterranean resort Antalya.
Science
China sees fastest emissions drop since COVID-19 due to Mideast war: report
China’s carbon emissions fell by 3.1 percent in Q3, influenced by disruptions from the Middle East conflict, according to a report by the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air.
Science
Study: Almost All Coral Reef Ecosystems Face Risk of Collapse in 50 Years
The world’s coral reef ecosystems almost all face a high risk of collapse in the next 50 years, mostly due to warming oceans and heat waves, according to a global assessment released Thursday. It's the latest dose of bad news for coral reefs, which are critical sources for seafood and tourism and often serve as buffers from coastal erosion and storms. Sometimes dubbed “rainforests of the sea,” they have some of the world’s richest biodiversity. They support a quarter of marine species as well as coastal communities and businesses.
Science
Endangered Hawaiian Bird Uses Beak and Body to Dig Out its Dinner
The ʻakiapōlāʻau has no need for a toolbox. The endangered Hawaiian bird taps the wood of trees, hacks into it with the lower half of its unusual beak, then switches to its long, flexible upper bill to probe the hole for insect larvae to eat. New research provides the most comprehensive look yet at this Hawaiian honeycreeper's unique anatomy, showing that when the bird strikes the wood, even its legs get involved in the action.