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PIK in the Media (Link collection)

"Amazonas, en riesgo por sequías y deforestación"

Using a novel complex network analysis of water fluxes, a new PIK-study found: future rainfall reductions intensified through climate change could push the Amazon region into a vicious dieback circle. However, a great variety of tree species in a forest patch can strengthen the chance of survival. PIK-scientist Delphine Clara Zemp comments on the study results. Text in Spanish. Source: El Tiempo (Colombia), 13.03.2017.

"Questions of Stability: An Interview with Stefan Rahmstorf"

Stefan Rahmstorf is co-chair of the PIK Research Domain Earth System Analysis and Professor of Physics of the Oceans at the University of Potsdam. In an interview, he speaks about his scientific career, introduces his current research topics, and emphasizes the dangers of global warming. Source: Earth101 YouTube Channel (Iceland), 03.03.2017.

"Severe heatwaves show the need to adapt livestock management for climate"

Climate change has a major impact on food production and security - as the effects of recent heatwaves in Australia have shown once more. PIK-scientist Christin Meyer with Elisabeth Vogel and Richard Eckard from the University of Melbourne explain, how important mitigation and adaptation measures are. Source: The Conversation (Australia), 27.02.2017.

"To The Last Drop"

In a last year's study, PIK-scientists investigated the global potential to produce more food with the same amount of water - by optimizing rain use and irrigation. PIK-scientist Jonas Jaegermeyr explains in a commentary, why water scarcity is a societal phenomenon, and how it could be countered. Source: The Mark News (Canada), 27.02.2017.

"We should assume our worst fears will be realised"

The ambitions of the new US-administration in terms of climate protection still remain unclear. Worrying Donald Trump risks creating "an atmosphere of conflict", PIK-scientist Stefan Rahmstorf emphasizes the need of international co-operation to avoid dangerous global warming. Source: The Sydney Morning Herald (Australia), 05.02.2017.

"People around the world are helping the US save its climate data"

As public communication concerning climate change has already been restrained by the Trump administration, the scientific community is worried, that climate data itself could also become restricted from public access. PIK-scientist Anders Levermann explains the global importance of these data from institutions like NASA or NOAA. Source: Public Radio International (USA), 26.01.2017.

"Global warming could cut essential crop harvests in half"

A new PIK-study found, that in the US, yield losses of 20 percent for wheat, 40 percent for soybean and almost 50 percent for maize are possible by 2100 - without efficient emission reductions. The effects went far beyond the US, one of the largest crop exporters. PIK-scientist Bernhard Schauberger comments on the results. Source: The Independent (UK), 19.01.2017.

"Climate change will hurt crops more than it helps them"

As plants can react to a changing climate in complicated and even contradictory ways, research on the effects of Climate Change on Agriculture is tricky. A new PIK study found, that some of the most important crops risk substantial damage from rising temperatures. PIK-scientist Bernhard Schauberger explains the study results. Source: Washington Post (USA), 19.01.2017.

"Climate Change: The Trump Card"

Whilst delegates from 196 states gathered at the UN Climate Change Conference in Marrakech, Donald Trump was elected the President of the United States. How will this interfere with the Paris agreement? PIK-director John Schellnhuber explains the urgency of effective climate policies and interprets Albert Einstein's view on climate protection. Source: BBC Radio 4 (UK) 08.01.2017.

"Global ocean circulation may be more vulnerable to shutdown than we thought"

2015 already, a PIK-study revealed hints about a weakening of the "Gulf Stream" called circulation system in the Atlantic Ocean, which had effects on marine eco-systems, the global sea-level and the weather in North America and Europe. In a new simulation by US-scientists, the current seems to be even more vulnerable. PIK-scientist Stefan Rahmstorf comments. Source: Washington Post (USA), 04.01.2017.

"La planète enregistre un recul inédit de ses banquises"

Depuis novembre, la couverture mondiale de glace de mer accuse une perte de plus de trois millions de kilomètres carrés par rapport à la moyenne 1981-2010, selon les données du National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) américain. PIK-scientifique Anders Levermann commente: "C’est une situation époustouflante." Source: Le Monde (France), 29.12.2016.

"Financing the Climate-Change Transition"

As humanity faces unprecedented climate risks, "for both public and private actors, the time to act is now", conclude PIK-director John Schellnhuber, Christian Thimann from AXA and Axel Weber from UBS. In a joint commentary, they explain, how the Climate-Change Transition could be financed. Source: Project Syndicate (seated in Czech Republic), 24.11.2016.

"Threat to NASA climate role a 'disaster' for global warming action"

NASA's Earth Science Division makes significant contributions to global efforts to monitor and counter global warming. Ending NASA's Earth Observatory Mission through the Trump administration "would seriously impair our ability to see the big planetary picture", criticizes PIK-director John Schellnhuber among other climate researchers. Source: Sydney Morning Herald (Australia), 24.11.2016.

"Paris climate agreement enters into force"

At the COP20 Conference in Paris in 2015, emissions reductions in order to keep global warming "well below 2°C" were negotiated. Whilst the agreement now enters into force, leading climate experts, among them PIK-scientists Stefan Rahmstorf and Bill Hare, comment on current climate policies and tell their expectations for the future. Source: The Conversation (UK), 03.11.2016.

"Record heat streak ends but global warming unrelenting"

The 16-month streak of record high average temperatures finally came to an end with September, which was slightly cooler than last year. PIK-scientist Stefan Rahmstorf and other climate experts explain, that global warming, nevertheless, is going on. Source: Vancouver Sun (Canada), 19.10.2016.

"How will we power the planet in 2050?"

To limit global warming below 2°C, a long-term reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is necessary. PIK-scientist Gunnar Luderer explains, why therefore "the energy mix in 2050 will have to look fundamentally different from the one we have today." Source: CNBC (USA), 10.10.2016.

"Climate change is an emergency today"

In this year of unprecedented temperature levels, also other records concerning heatwaves, floodings, wildfires and hurricanes tumble around the world. Alongside other climate experts, PIK-scientist Stefan Rahmstorf comments on these extremes: "I hope people realise that global warming is not something down the road, but it is here now and is affecting us now." Source: The Guardian (UK), 17.06.2016

"Do Sweden and Germany hold the key to unlocking climate action worldwide?"

"The only way of stabilising global warming at well below 2˚C is to urgently decrease global emissions and create a fossil fuel-free world economy no later than 2040-2060", say PIK-director John Schellnhuber and Johan Rockström, director of the Stockholm Resilience Center, in their recent op-ed article. How Germany and Sweden's decision about the Vattenfall Europe browncoal sell-off could influence global climate policies. Source: Huffington Post, 08.06.2016.

Mercator Climate Lecture 2016: "The World in 2050 - Towards Sustainable Development and Deep Decarbonization"

More than 1000 people attended the 2016 Mercator Climate Lecture "The World in 2050 - Towards Sustainable Development and Deep Decarbonization" in Berlin on Wednesday. Top US-economist Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University and Special Advisor on Sustainable Development for the United Nations, gave a much-applauded keynote. This was followed by an intense discussion with Ottmar Edenhofer, Chief Economist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and Professor at Technische Universität (TU) Berlin. The lecture is a joint project by Stiftung Mercator, Technische Universität Berlin, and PIK. Source: TU Berlin, 01.06.2016.

"Migration in the age of Climate Change"

Migration is mostly driven by a multitude of factors - and almost never by a single cause. At the same time, global environmental change, and specifically climate change, is an additional and potentially severe risk factor. PIK-scientist Hermann Lotze-Campen and Mariam Traore Chazalnoel from the International Institute for Migration speak in a video statement about the topic.