Climate action to save glaciers 'a matter of survival' for people too
More than 275,000 glaciers cover 700,000 square kilometers of the planet. Glaciers and ice sheets store 70% of all freshwater.
Polar Regions
Enjoy our Free+ stories and our weekly newsletter
Start your free accessAlready have an account? Log in
Nations rush to cash in as warming opens up Arctic's mineral wealth
The Arctic Council finds itself at a difficult crossroads as its member nations move to exploit the region's mineral wealth.
ITU-led summit outlines measures to protect global submarine cables
Leaders and experts say stronger international cooperation is needed to support the world's digital infrastructure.
Greenland's international ties stand in way of Trump's strategic interest
The Arctic island's E.U. and NATO ties make it highly unlikely the U.S. would risk a move that could destabilize the region.
Earth's protective ozone layer seen as 'on track to long-term recovery'
The U.N. chief calls on all nations to adopt a newer measure for phasing out powerful climate-warming chemicals.
Accelerated melting in the world's cryosphere alarms climate scientists
New measurements show a dramatic decline in the health of glaciers and sea ice, perpetuating the cycle of warming.
China and Russia keep commission blocked from Antarctica safeguards
Deadlock stymied a third East Antarctica protection plan. Only twice before has the panel created marine protected areas.
'Continuous advance' of climate crisis pushes 1.15° C. warming
Droughts, floods and heatwaves drove food insecurity and mass migration as communities on every continent were hit by massive costs, the World Meteorological Organization said.
Nearly even odds of 1.5 degrees by 2026
Within the next five years the world has an almost 50-50 chance of temporarily surpassing the 1.5 degrees Celsius warming threshold, WMO reported.
Report urges more water crisis planning
Nations must prepare better for more water-related disasters along with a growing lack of access to safe drinking water and sanitation, WMO reported.
UNEP report points to catastrophic warming
Unmet promises to cut carbon emissions put the planet on track for temperatures to rise "in excess of 3 degrees Celsius this century," UNEP reported.
U.N. calls on nations to end 'war on nature'
The U.N. chief appealed to world leaders to start fixing our "broken" planet by ringing in 2021 with a commitment to a carbon pollution-neutral future.
WMO warns Earth halfway to Paris limit
Signs of global warming are everywhere, WMO said in a report that found the world officially crossed the halfway point to a major climate crisis benchmark.
Alpinism added to UNESCO heritage list
Alpinism, named for the range where it took root, won UNESCO recognition as a celebrated pursuit with an "intangible" cultural heritage worthy of protecting.
U.N.: Oceans and frozen regions changing
Coastal flooding with huge ice and snow losses are getting more extreme as oceans warm and acidify while frozen parts of the planet melt faster, IPCC said.
Scientists point to gaps in climate ambition
A day before the U.N. Climate Action Summit, climate science groups said nations must reduce "glaring and growing gaps" between intention and action.