Author Archives: Rolf Schuttenhelm

‘No, climate sensitivity is not smaller, it is higher than we thought’ – because organic aerosol feedbacks mask warming

Says an international research group led by Gothenburg University. It serves to show individual climate sensitivity studies are never conclusive but add up bits of fresh understanding to an already enormous pile of data and knowledge.

No White Christmas over the European plains – we are sorry we were right

In the last two or three years high pressure blockades dominated the West European December months and many countries including the UK, the Netherlands and Germany could enjoy White Christmases. Christmas Day 2010: some lovely sunshine over a frozen and … Continue reading →

Strong re-emergence of La Niña off northern Queensland coast – SST anomalies again up to 2-3 degrees – above average rains for weeks to come

With the current La Niña strongly in place at the onset of the Australian monsoon and reaching predicted optimum strength at the height of the rainy season the risk of experiencing a repeat of the Queensland floods of 2010-2011 is … Continue reading →

CDR geoengineering challenge: low-carbon cement, high-carbon concrete

Current practice is to grind and burn enormous amounts of limestone, releasing equally enormous amounts of CO2 to the atmosphere. But isn’t there some way to reverse the chemical process and still end up with building material?

Droughts in Horn of Africa have been common for last 20,000 years

This year’s catastrophic drought in Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Somalia is thought to be an indirect consequence of the 2010-2011 La Niña. As part of ENSO cycles such droughts come and go – and have been typical for the region … Continue reading →

Tectonic response measured to 2010 Greenland melting record

To notice something is going on with the world’s ice sheets, you could measure melting water runoff, glacier retreat or use satellites and GPS to measure ice volume decline. Just like measuring sea level rise and temperature this all adds … Continue reading →