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PIK in the Media (Link collection)

"Why Half a Degree Matters"

A new PIK-study compared the impacts of 1.5°C and 2.0°C of further global warming by means of several different indicators. The PIK-scientists Jacob Schewe and Carl Schleussner explain, why half a degree matters and why different regions show different vulnerabilities for climate change impacts. Source: National Geographic (USA), 21.04.2016.

"A half a degree warming could make the difference"

1.5°C or 2.0°C - two goals for preventing further global warming were mentioned in the Paris Agreement, that is now to be signed. A new PIK-study analyzed different indicators of climate impacts and showed that the two goals would make significant differences. PIK-scientists Jacob Schewe and Carl Schleussner explain the results. Source: Science Magazine (USA), 21.04.2016.

"India's monsoon can now be forecasted significantly earlier"

A new PIK-study introduces a novel monsoon prediction method based on a network analysis of regional weather data. The heavy summer rains are of vital importance for millions of farmers. The PIK-scientists Veronika Stolbova, Elena Surovyatkina and Jürgen Kurths explain the relevance of the new method. Source: The Financial Express (India), 21.04.2016.

"How giant airstreams get trapped sometimes"

Already in 2013, a PIK-study explored the interconnections between the so-called Rossby-Waves and local surface weather. A new PIK-study now revealed, that the balkan floods in 2014 were triggered by these mechanisms. PIK-scientist Kai Kornhuber explains in an illustrated video, how extreme weather events are influenced by the giant airstreams - and how climate change affects them. 18.04.2016.

"How far sea levels could rise thanks to climate change"

Shortly ago, several PIK-studies showed: the sea level is now rising faster than in the last 28 centuries, that with unconstrained emissions, it will continue to rise about 50 to 130 cm in the next century, and even massive geoengineering approaches would not be able to prevent this. PIK-scientist Anders Levermann comments on the results in a synopsis about the danger of sea level rise due to climate change. Source: BBC (UK), 11.04.2016.

"Reducing food waste could help mitigate climate change"

A new PIK-study shows: By 2050, about a tenth of global greenhouse-gas emissions from agriculture could be traced back to food waste. PIK-scientist Prajal Pradhan explains how reducing it would offer the chance to ensure food security as well as it could help mitigate dangerous climate change. Source: Washington Post (USA), 07.04.2016.

"Spike in global temperature fuels climate change fears"

Recent February's spike in global temperatures was the biggest departure from the norm in 137 years of records. "We are running out of time to avoid a 2-degree world", PIK-scientist Stefan Rahmstorf comments. Source: The Sydney Morning Herald (Australia), 25.03.2016

"Welcome to the Climate Emergency"

Global temperature records have recently been broken again and again, last February was 1.35°C warmer than average. PIK-scientist Stefan Rahmstorf states that this is not a surprise and that "time has almost run out to get emissions down". Source: The Guardian, 17.03.2016

"February’s global temperature spike is a wake-up call"

Global February Temperatures showed a disturbing upward spike. PIK-scientist Stefan Rahmstorf and Steve Sherwood from the University of New South Wales explain how global warming and El Niño combine to produce the record warmth. Source: The Conversation (UK), 16.03.2016.

"February breaks global temperature records by 'shocking' amount"

In this February, the Earth's overall surface temperature was about 1.35°C warmer than the average temperature for the month. Do we face a climate emergency? PIK-scientist Stefan Rahmstorf and other experts comment on the record-breaking temperature. Source: The Guardian (UK), 14.03.2016.

"How massive Sea-Level Rise really is"

Could Geo-Engineering help us counter future sea-level rise? A new PIK-study shows: the sea-level rise is too big to be pumped away. PIK-scientist Anders Levermann explains the results and their meaning for the future discussion on climate change. Source: The Washington Post (USA), 10.03.2016.

"Global warming already driving increases in rainfall extremes"

The number of record-breaking rainfalls increases worldwide - related to global warming. Already in 2015, a team of PIK-scientists around Jascha Lehmann and Dim Coumou figured out an innovative method and found, that at least every tenth rainfall record of the last thirty years stands in direct correlation with climate change. Source: Nature, 07.03.2016.

"Climate scientists worry about the costs of sea level rise"

Damages from extreme events like floods are even more relevant than the mean sea level itself when it comes to the costs of climate impacts for coastal regions. A new PIK-study now provides a method to quantify monetary losses from coastal floods under sea-level rise. Source: The Guardian (UK), 02.03.2016.

"Seas Are Rising at Fastest Rate in Last 28 Centuries"

During past millennia sea-level has never risen as fast as during the last century, as a new PIK-study shows. PIK-scientist Stefan Rahmstorf explains, why the study is for sea level what the famous 'hockey stick' diagram was for global temperature. Source: The New York Times (USA), 23.02.2016.

"With unconstrained emissions..."

A new PIK study shows: sea-levels worldwide will likely rise by 50 to 130 centimeters by the end of this century if greenhouse gas emissions are not reduced rapidly. PIK-scientist Matthias Mengel and others give an insight in the results. Source: The Washington Post (USA), 22.02.2016.

"Here's how we could cut the global food gap in half"

Efficient water management could raise the world's calorie production about 40 per cent by 2050, a new PIK-study shows. Some of the harmful climate change effects on crop yields could be buffered. PIK-scientist Jonas Jägermeyr comments on the results. Source: SciDev.net (USA), cited by Time Magazine (USA) as 'Today's best idea' on 16.02.2016.

"What the Earth will be like in 10,000 years"

Before being slowly removed again by natural processes, carbon dioxide stays in the atmosphere for a very long time. So today's human-made emissions might still affect nature and people in hundreds of years, as PIK-scientist Anders Levermann explains. Source: The Washington Post (USA), 08.02.2016.

"Did a Slow Gulf Stream Make the East Coast Blizzard Worse?"

In early 2015, a PIK-study showed the slow-down of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation - as a possible consequence of human-made climate change. PIK-scientist Stefan Rahmstorf explains, how this might have contributed to the big blizzard in the USA in January. Source: Scientific American (USA), 29.01.2016.

"Heat records near impossible without manmade climate change"

13 of the 15 hottest years in the last 150 years occured after 2000. A new PIK-study estimates an as low as 0.01% per cent chance that the recent global heat records happened due to natural climate variations. PIK-scientist Stefan Rahmstorf comments on the results. Source: The Guardian (UK), 25.01.2016.

"Two-thirds are down to human-made emissions"

Melting glaciers, wildfires and dwindling marine ecosystems - only some of the observable impacts of climate change. A new PIK-study shows that two-thirds of the problems caused by climate change are down to human-made emissions. PIK-scientist Gerrit Hansen explains the results. Source: The Independent (UK), 21.01.2016.