PIK in the Media
At the same funnel
The study of Vladimir Petukhov from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research on the phenomenon of interference huge waves in the atmosphere could provide us with clues about the current record floods in Europe. Source: Expert, 10.06.2013.
Climate and land use: Europe's floods raise questions
Stefan Rahmstorf from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research explains how the current floods in Central Europe can be connected with the recently discovered phenomenon of trapped giant waves in the atmosphere. Source: The Nation, 06.06.2013.
Over half the world's population could rely on food imports by 2050 – study
Marianela Fader from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Germany, and colleagues, calculated the growing capacity of every country in the world, and compared it with food requirements, both now and projected forward to 2050. Their model employed climate data, soil type and land-use patterns for each country, in order to simulate yields for a variety of types of crop. Source: Guardian, 07.05.2013.
Faint Young Sun
Georg Feulner of the Potsdam Institute of Climate Impact Research and other climate scientists acknowledge that the faint young sun paradox probably doesn’t have one simple solution. Nevertheless he states: “I’m rather confident that we can have a much clearer picture of what can solve the faint young sun problem in the next few years.” Source: Sciencenews, 04.05.2013.
Renewable power: Germany’s energy gamble
Brigitte Knopf, head of German and European energy strategies at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, comments on problems connected with Germanys "Energiewende"-Project. She states: “Subsidies have helped to get the renewable thing started, but sooner or later renewable energy must become economically self-sustaining." Source: Nature, 10.04.2013.
Is global warming causing harsher winters?
Dim Coumou of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) comments on the phenomenon why millions of people in northern Europe are still battling snow and ice, wondering why they are being punished with bitter cold when -- officially -- spring has arrived and Earth is in the grip of global warming. Source: AFP, 28.03.2013.
Scientists link frozen spring to dramatic Arctic sea ice loss
Vladimir Petoukhov, professor of Earth system analysis at the Potsdam Institute in Germany, backs with his recent research about weather extremes provoked by trapping of giant waves in the atmosphere statements from climate scientists that have linked the massive snowstorms and bitter spring weather now being experienced across Britain and large parts of Europe and North America to the dramatic loss of Arctic sea ice. Source: The Guardian, 25.03.2013.
Domino effect tips climate over edge
When it comes to the consequences of climate change, few are more dramatic than tipping points – a small push unleashes a big change, which may be unstoppable. PIK´s Anders Levermann comments on a recent study that analyses data from the last 23 years and that suggests we passed the first tipping points in 2007, when Arctic sea ice flipped into a new, less stable state. Source: NewScientist, 02.03.2013.
Global warming and airflow changes 'caused US and EU heatwaves'
Vladimir Petoukhov, lead author of the study of meandering air systems that encircle the planet at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany, explains how Global warming and airflow changes lead to extreme weather events that have killed thousands of people and driven up food prices in the past decade. His comments are part of the statement of the US Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Source: The Guardian, 26.02. 2013.
Climate Change as Source of Future Wars Draws UN Attention
Imagine India in 2033. It has overtaken China as the most populous nation. Yet with 1.5 billion citizens to feed, it’s been three years since the last monsoon. Without rain, crops die and people starve. This is one of the scenarios Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, presented today to members of the United Nations Security Council in New York to show the connection between climate change and global security challenges. Source: Washington Post, 15.02.2013.
Climate Change’s Links to Conflict Draws UN Attention
Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, presented certain scenarios today to members of the United Nations Security Council in New York to show the connection between climate change and global security challenges. In an interview he said: Either rich nations will find a way to supply needy nations suffering from damaging climate effects “or you will have all kinds of unrest and revolutions, with the export of angry and hungry people to the industrialized countries”. Source: Bloomberg News Agency, 15.02.2013.
New map pinpoints cities to avoid as sea levels rise
Mahé Perrette of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany has calculated local sea level rises in 2100 for the entire planet. While the global average rise is predicted to be between 30 and 106 centimetres, he says tropical seas will rise 10 or 20 per cent more, while polar seas will see a below-average rise. He offers a warning to tropical countries and he says: "Build defences.". Source: New Scientist, 07.02.2013.
Qatar to set up climate centre
PIK director Hans Joachim Schellnhuber signed a memorandum of understanding during a brief ceremony held on the sideline of the UN Climate Change Conference in Qatar. Qatar Foundation, in partnership with PIK, will establish a pioneering Climate Change Research Institute and a Global Climate Change Forum in Qatar by 2014. Source: Gulf Times, 06.12.2012.
"You cannot negotiate with nature"
PIK director Hans Joachim Schellnhuber said: "With the current pledges made by countries and their measures, we are on the course of 3.5 or 4 degrees Celsius warming towards the end of the century". Source: Xinhua, 24.11.2012.
Kyoto Protocol extended to 2020 to fight climate change
PIK director Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, who observed the talks, said "China is sitting on the fence" as hopes that China - the world's largest carbon emitter and second-largest economy - would take the lead to save the talks this year had quickly faded. Source: South China Morning Post, 09.12.2012.
Merkel Climate Advisor Blasts Global Inaction
Politicians need to get their act together on climate change, says Chancellor Angela Merkel's leading climate advisor and PIK director Hans Joachim Schellnhuber just days before the global warming conference in Qatar. The World Bank agrees, releasing a report on Monday highlighting the serious consequences that await should global temperatures continue rising unchecked. Source: Spiegel, 19.11.2012.
World Bank report warns of climate change disaster
The report by PIK is a snapshot of the latest climate science prepared for the World Bank. The world is barreling down a path to heat up by four degrees at the end of the century if the global community fails to act on climate change, the World Bank said Sunday. Source: Xinhua, 19.11.2012.
The latest predictions on climate change should shock us into action
PIK produced a report commissioned by World Bank Group to help understand the science and the potential impact on good economic development of a 4C increase. A world four degrees warmer could be too hot to handle, but the exciting prospect of low-carbon living could stop it happening. Source: The Guardian, 19.11.2012.
World Bank Climate Change Report Says 'Turn Down The Heat' On Warming Planet
Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, director of PIK, which along with Climate Analytics prepared the report for the World Bank, says on the dynamics of climate change: "If you look at all these things together, like organs cooperating in a human body, you can think about acceleration of this dilemma." Source: Huffington Post, 18.11.2012.
World Bank report warns of climate change disaster
PIK Director Hans Joachim Schellnhuber says "if we venture far beyond the two degrees guardrail, toward the four degrees line, the risk of crossing tipping points rises sharply. The only way to avoid this is to break the business-as-usual pattern of production and consumption." The report is a snapshot of the latest climate science prepared for the World Bank by PIK and Climate Analytics. Source: CCTV, 18.11.2012
