Today, our natural world is suffering rapid alterations at large scales as consequence of environmental problems like climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. Impacts like warming temperatures, modified rainfall patterns, as well as droughts and extreme events can shift species historic habitat ranges, as they “follow” livable conditions; or these impacts can also be factors […]
The health of the ocean is under severe threat, despite its importance for people and the planet. To combat this, the United Nations dedicated SDG 14 to ocean issues, and has so far held two Ocean Conferences – one in 2017, and one very recently in 2022. To learn more about the ocean and my […]
If you think of somewhere pristine, what comes to your mind? Perhaps you think of the Galapagos Islands, remote areas of the Amazon, or some protected national park somewhere in the world. Wherever you think, you are probably wrong. Humans have been impacting the environment of our planet for thousands of years. Much has changed: […]
Water is a natural resource that is indispensable for life on the planet. Known as the Blue Planet, Earth has 71% of its surface covered by water. Nevertheless, out of the total amount of water present on our planet, 97% is in the oceans and only 3% is freshwater; this last comprising water in glaciers […]
When we shop for new clothes, a factor that most of us consider is how much we spend. However, while seeking out the best deals, many of us aren’t thinking about what the tag leaves out: a hidden, but steep, environmental and social cost. In fact, the price of your new outfit is probably higher […]
Education is the foundation upon which a prosperous and well-functioning society is built. On an individual basis, a quality education allows a person to cultivate the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to be engaged, productive, and self-governing citizens. This translates to enhanced socioeconomic status and empowerment, as well as reduced poverty and crime [1, 2, […]
This week marked the release of the latest report from the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis is the Working Group I’s contribution to the Sixth Assessment Report, which is due out in full in 2022. This installment represents the work of over 230 authors across 66 […]
An important element of the Global Change Ecology programme lies in the completion of science schools. Students have a lot of freedom in choosing particular schools to participate in. This allows for plenty of flexibility and gives GCEs the opportunity to delve deeper into subjects that they already have an established interest in, or perhaps […]
Climate change and biodiversity loss represent fundamental challenges that must be addressed in order to maintain a functioning planet on which people can have a good quality of life. Yet, these two issues exist within a complex system, where their interactions complicate the formation of an effective response. This could partly explain why, up to […]
Each year, we celebrate the International Day for Biological Diversity, or Biodiversity Day, on May 22. The United Nations sponsors this event as a way to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues across the world [1, 2, 3, 15]. The Convention on Biological Diversity and Biodiversity Day In the late 1980’s, the United Nations […]
