🧊 Melting Glaciers Caused 2cm of Sea Level Rise This Century

🚃 Climate Change’s Impact on Public Transportation

A researcher at the University of Oregon examined the impacts of extreme weather events and climate change on public transit ridership. The study looked at 17 years of data from the 48 cities with the highest public transit ridership, covering diverse geographic regions. Public transportation is an important tool for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but climate change has caused a decline in public transit use. National ridership decreases during periods of extreme heat, cold, or precipitation. The study also found that weekends are more sensitive to weather than weekdays. For some cities, adding bus stops, expanding transportation networks, and increasing the frequency of routes could help. Adding better shade and rain coverage at bus stops could also encourage riders. The research also indicates that lower-income cities are more sensitive to extreme temperatures and public transportation than higher-income cities.

Ed Dorsch, University of Oregon via Phys.org

🧊 Melting Glaciers Caused 2cm of Sea Level Rise

Decades-long research shows the world’s glaciers collectively lost 6.542 trillion tons of ice between 2000 and 2023. This loss of ice has caused almost 2 centimeters of sea level rise this century alone. The world’s glaciers lost an average of 273 billion tons of ice every year, which is the equivalent of 30 years of water consumption by the entire global population. This century, Antarctic and subantarctic islands lost 2% of their glacier volume, but central Europe’s glaciers lost 39%. This study serves a reminder that things are changing rapidly and some regions are more impacted than others. It was also noted that 36% more ice melted between 2012 and 2023 than the previous decade, confirming the pace of glacier melting is accelerating over time. Over 2 billion people depend on meltwater from glaciers, so the retreat of glaciers is becoming a big problem for society. Glaciers are also important for power generation. For example, 70% of electricity in Iceland comes from hydropower that relies on water melt from glaciers to function.

Mariam Amini, The Guardian

👨‍🌾 Breakthrough Technology Helps Farmers Combat Climate-driven Yield Loss

A Canadian-based company called Acadian Plant Health recently unveiled its groundbreaking portfolio, Abiotic Stress Management (ASM). This is a major advancement that surpasses conventional bio-stimulants and is designed to enhance plant growth and improve stress tolerance to help crops combat abiotic stress - the leading cause of yield loss worldwide. According to the USDA, up to 90% of crop losses are linked to extreme weather events like droughts, floods, and extreme temperatures. These climate-driven events reduced annual farmer income by around $170 billion. ASM offers a powerful, science-driven solution to mitigate these risks and ensure crop resilience by integrating highly effective biological compounds specifically formulated to target and counter key crop stressors.

Acadian Plant Health via Potato News Today