Limiting global warming to 2C would not ‘rule out’ extreme impacts
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Limiting warming to 2C above pre-industrial temperatures may not be enough to prevent “extreme global climate outcomes”, according to research published in Nature. The authors simulate climate extremes – such as drought in breadbasket regions and flooding in populated areas – under a 2C warming scenario using a range of different global climate models. They […]
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Factcheck: Nine false or misleading myths about North Sea oil and gas
The Iran war has triggered another fossil-fuel energy crisis, with surging global prices and increasing concerns over energy security. In the UK, many newspapers, opposition politicians and other public figures have used the crisis to argue in favour of issuing more licences for oil and gas drilling in the North Sea. These arguments have also […]
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What Is Surplus Interconnection? And Why It Could Unlock the U.S. Power Grid
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The United States’ power grid is facing a new era of electricity demand growth as data centers come online and factories, electric vehicles, and buildings switch to affordable electric technologies. But we’re still stuck in yesterday’s approach to connecting new electricity generation resources to our power grid. On average, a power plant that wants to […]
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Cropped 25 March 2026: Seabed mining talks stall | ‘Blueprint’ for land use | India feels Iran war impacts
We handpick and explain the most important stories at the intersection of climate, land, food and nature over the past fortnight. This is an online version of Carbon Brief’s fortnightly Cropped email newsletter. Subscribe for free here. Key developments Seabed mining talks stall UNFINISHED BUSINESS: The International Seabed Authority (ISA) ended a two-week meeting in Kingston, […]
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Royal Mail and Loganair launch UK’s first electric mail flights across Scotland
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Royal Mail, Loganair and US electric aerospace company BETA Technologies have begun the UK’s first live demonstration of electric aircraft on operational postal routes, marking a significant step in the decarbonisation of regional aviation. The initial flight took place on 20 March between Glasgow and Dundee, with additional demonstration routes planned across Scotland’s regional airport […]
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Wristband enables wearers to control a robotic hand with their own movements
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The next time you’re scrolling your phone, take a moment to appreciate the feat: The seemingly mundane act is possible thanks to the coordination of 34 muscles, 27 joints, and over 100 tendons and ligaments in your hand. Indeed, our hands are the most nimble parts of our bodies. Mimicking their many nuanced gestures has […]
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Are Refurbished iPhones a More Sustainable Option Than Buying New?
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The answer’s yes, in most cases a refurbished iPhone is a more sustainable option than buying a brand-new one. The main reason is a pretty simple one: if you re-use a existing phone, you avoid most of the negative environmental impact that comes from having to manufacture a whole new device from scratch. And that […]
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How to create “humble” AI
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Artificial intelligence holds promise for helping doctors diagnose patients and personalize treatment options. However, an international group of scientists led by MIT cautions that AI systems, as currently designed, carry the risk of steering doctors in the wrong direction because they may overconfidently make incorrect decisions. One way to prevent these mistakes is to program […]
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Advancing international trade research and finding community
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The sense of support and community was palpable when Sojun Park, a postdoc at the MIT Center for International Studies (CIS), delivered a recent presentation on The Global Diffusion of AI Technologies and Its Political Drivers. The event, part of the CIS Global Research and Policy Seminar, filled the venue with audience members from across MIT. “My […]
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On algorithms, life, and learning
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From enhancing international business logistics to freeing up more hospital beds to helping farmers, MIT Professor Dimitris Bertsimas SM ’87, PhD ’88 summarized how his work in operations research has helped drive real-world improvements, while delivering the 54th annual James R. Killian Faculty Achievement Award Lecture at MIT on Thursday, March 19. Bertsimas also described […]
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Lighting expert appoints Environmental Metrics Manager
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Flavie Lowres. Lighting circularity expert Recolight has appointed Flavie Lowres as Environmental Metrics Manager. The group said she will play a pivotal role in supporting the lighting industry in the adoption of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). Flavie joins Recolight with a distinguished track record in Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs), EPDs, and the circular economy of […]
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Transatlantic link-up reflects global interest in marine renewables research
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A speaker from the 2023 event. Two international marine science conferences will create a keynote talk with a difference by simultaneously involving speakers on either side of the Atlantic Ocean. The Environmental Interactions of Marine Renewables (EIMR2026) conference in Oban, Scotland and the Pan American Marine Energy Conference (PAMEC) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil will […]
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Analysis: CO2 from UK data centres could be ‘hundreds of times’ higher than thought
Emissions from the new data centres set to drive the UK’s AI “revolution” could be hundreds of times higher than government estimates, according to analysis by Carbon Brief. There are dozens of data centres being developed across the country, potentially driving a surge in electricity demand. Amid uncertainty about the scale and pace of this […]
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The Carbon Brief Quiz 2026
Around 300 scientists, civil servants, journalists and climate experts took part in the 11th annual Carbon Brief quiz on Wednesday 18 March 2026. For the second time, this year’s quiz was hosted by Octopus Energy at its headquarters in central London. In total, 39 teams participated – 25 teams in person and 14 teams joining […]
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DeBriefed 20 March 2026: Energy crisis deepens | Brazil’s new climate plan | New Zealand climate case
Welcome to Carbon Brief’s DeBriefed. An essential guide to the week’s key developments relating to climate change. This week Iran war fallout continues WORK FROM HOME: The International Energy Agency has advised its member countries to take 10 steps in response to the ongoing energy crisis fuelled by the Iran war, including reducing highway speeds and […]
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Q&A: What England’s new ‘land-use framework’ means for climate, nature and food
Just 1% of England’s land will be needed for renewables to help meet the UK’s climate goals by 2050, according to a first-of-its-kind framework. There is enough land in England to meet climate and nature goals, while also producing more food and building new homes, according to the UK government’s new “land-use framework”. Speaking at […]
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What’s the right path for AI?
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Who benefits from artificial intelligence? This basic question, which has been especially salient during the AI surge of the last few years, was front and center at a conference at MIT on Wednesday, as speakers and audience members grappled with the many dimensions of AI’s impact. In one of the conferences’s keynote talks, journalist Karen […]
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MIT and Hasso Plattner Institute establish collaborative hub for AI and creativity
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The following is a joint announcement from the MIT School of Architecture and Planning, MIT Schwarzman College of Computing, Hasso Plattner Institute, and Hasso Plattner Foundation. The MIT Morningside Academy for Design (MAD), MIT Schwarzman College of Computing, Hasso Plattner Institute (HPI), and Hasso Plattner Foundation celebrated the launch of the MIT and HPI AI […]