2007 — Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research

Stefan Rahmstorf receives Media Award

12/11/2007 – The Deutsche Umwelthilfe e.V. (DUH) has awarded Stefan Rahmstorf of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) the Environment Media Award. The German environmental organization honored the oceanographer and climate researcher for his engagement in raising the awareness of climate change.

Nobel Peace Prize 2007 goes to the IPCC

10/12/2007 - The Nobel Peace Prize 2007 will go to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and Al Gore. Numerous scientists of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) have contributed substantially to this year's IPCC report as lead authors or review editors.

Nobel Laureates agree on a Global Contract – a proposition for a Great Transformation

10/10/2007 - The Nobel Laureates Symposium “Global Sustainability: A Nobel Cause” in Potsdam was concluded yesterday with a Memorandum that all participants agreed to. Some 15 Nobel Laureates and internationally renowned experts like Sir Nicholas Stern and Rajendra Pachauri had discussed new solutions to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

Information Centre for Weather & Climate opened at PIK

09/04/2007 (German Version only)

Geoscientific work of PIK in top-ranking position

08/31/2007 - The Potsdam Institute has become one of the top 1% of institutions whose publications in the field of geosciences have been cited most frequently

Towards a Global CO2 Market?

07/07/2007 - International linking of emissions trading systems represents an important option for climate protection. The European Emissions Trading Scheme could serve as a starting point for a global permit trading scheme. This is the finding of a report by the PIK, commissioned by the German Federal Foreign Office.

Risk of breakdown of Atlantic Ocean circulation

06/29/2007 - Triggering a breakdown of a major part of the Atlantic Ocean circulation within this century is a non-negligible risk, as a new survey amongst leading climate scientists reveals. The results of the survey, conducted by scientists from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) in Germany jointly with Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, USA, are published in the June issue of the journal "Climatic Change". The survey is based on in-depth interviews with experts in the field of Atlantic Ocean dynamics.

Heat Record in Germany

06/27/2007 - In Germany, temperatures have never been as high over a 12 month period as between June 2006 and May 2007. During a routine analysis of meteorological observations from Potsdam, the attention of scientists of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) was drawn to a temperature phenomenon.

Surprise during the Search for a Second Earth

06/11/2007 - A team of scientists led by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) investigated the habitability of the planetary system Gliese 581 in the constellation of Libra, 20 light-years away. With the help of a model for the evolution of Earth-like planets coupled with a climate model they were able to demonstrate habitable conditions on the planet Gl 581d, while its smaller brother, Gl 581c, has to be classified uninhabitable.

Massive climate change is avoidable at low cost

05/04/2007 - The third volume of the UN climate report identifies strategies to mitigate global warming. The most serious impacts of climate change can still be avoided. What's more, effective climate protection through the reduction of global greenhouse gas emissions is affordable and makes economic sense. These are the main messages sent out by the latest report published by the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The findings are based on research carried out by scientists at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK). According to the UN report, energy efficiency, renewable energies and carbon capture and storage will all play a key role in cutting emissions. Nuclear energy will play a smaller role.

Debate over: Human-induced climate change under way

02/02/2007 - The new climate science assessment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), to which scientists of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) contributed, was released in Paris on 2 February. This 4th IPCC report confirms earlier projections of global temperature increase and should dispel any remaining doubts that all regions of the Earth are already experiencing human-induced climate change.