Solar surge raises grid balancing concerns as experts call for broader energy rethink
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Fresh warnings from the National Energy System Operator (NESO) have prompted renewed debate over the resilience of Britain’s electricity system, after officials cautioned that rapid growth in solar generation could strain the grid during periods of low demand. In its summer outlook published on 14 April, NESO said it expects to rely on “more tools, […]
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Scientists edge closer to solving one of water’s deepest mysteries
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Water behaves in ways that defy simple explanation. Unlike most liquids, it reaches its maximum density not at its freezing point, but at 4 °C — a property that plays a crucial role in stabilising aquatic ecosystems and Earth’s climate. For decades, scientists have suspected that such anomalies arise because water can exist in two […]
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Seabirds reveal global mercury distribution in oceans
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Mercury released into the oceans affects marine environments worldwide. Traditionally, its distribution and quantity have been estimated using marine biogeochemical simulation models. A recent international study led by Japanese researchers analyzed blood mercury concentrations in more than 11,215 seabirds from 108 species, of which 659 were newly collected samples and over 10,556 were from previous […]
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AI cameras in Sussex will target dangerous driving behaviours
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The use of automated monitoring technologies on UK roads is continuing to grow (pictured, surveillance camera monitoring motorway traffic on the M25 in Hertfordshire). New AI cameras are being used in Sussex to help police target dangerous driving behaviours and improve road safety, as part of a wider push to reduce serious and fatal collisions. […]
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What Can We Hope for from the African Advisory Opinion on Climate Change? Reimagining Climate Justice Beyond 1.5°C
On May 2, 2025, the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (AfCHPR) received a formal petition requesting an advisory opinion on the human rights obligations of African States in relation to the climate change crisis. The petition before the AfCHPR details a continent already experiencing widespread and severe impacts at approximately 1.3°C of global […]
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Q&A: MIT SHASS and the future of education in the age of AI
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The MIT School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (SHASS) was founded in 1950 in response to “a new era emerging from social upheaval and the disasters of war,” as outlined in the 1949 Lewis Committee Report. The report’s findings emphasized MIT’s role and responsibility in the new nuclear age, which called for doubling down on […]
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Human-machine teaming dives underwater
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The electricity to an island goes out. To find the break in the underwater power cable, a ship pulls up the entire line or deploys remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to traverse the line. But what if an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) could map the line and pinpoint the location of the fault for a diver […]
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RECOUP announces a solutions‑driven event for the plastics industry
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A flyer for the event. On 1 October 2026, plastic recycling charity RECOUP will hold The RECOUP Plastics Assembly in Peterborough. “Created to accelerate practical progress, this one day event is designed for professionals who want to drive real change, connect with peers, and gain fresh insight into the solutions shaping tomorrow’s circular plastics system,” […]
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Industrial Carbon Capture Explained: Long-Term and Short-Term Uses
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Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) can help reduce emissions across the world’s most difficult-to-decarbonize industrial sectors — but its application should be limited to niche uses[1] that cannot be readily electrified like carbon-intensive feedstocks and some high-temperature heat needs. A range of cheaper and more efficient existing options can reduce emissions for many industrial […]
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Why Consolidated Freight Is Better for the Environment
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Consolidated freight combines shipments from different businesses into one shared truck or container instead of moving each load on its own. In road transport, that usually means groupage or less-than-truckload, LTL. In sea freight, it usually means less-than-container-load, LCL. The environmental case is straightforward. When trucks and containers carry fuller loads, fewer trips are needed […]
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Refractometers enable development of advanced ‘green hydrogen’ electrolyzers
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The electrolyzer setup (with refractometers highlighted) Instrumentation firm Vaisala explains how its refractometers have supported the development of electrolysers for the generation of hydrogen, highlighting their role in enabling accurate, real-time monitoring of electrolyte concentration in demanding alkaline electrolysis environments The generation of green hydrogen by water electrolysis represents an exciting decarbonisation opportunity. However, the […]
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Climate Change? L’Addition, s’il vous plaît! Why Damage Calculation Matters in Climate Change Litigation
The number of climate change lawsuits brought before domestic, regional, and international courts is growing at an unprecedented pace, with courts increasingly being asked to hold governments and corporations accountable for the harms associated with our warming planet. Most of the focus in the scholarship so far has been on whether such cases can be brought and how to […]
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Marine heatwaves ‘nearly double’ the economic damage caused by tropical cyclones
Tropical cyclones that rapidly intensify when passing over marine heatwaves can become “supercharged”, increasing the likelihood of high economic losses, a new study finds. Such storms also have higher rates of rainfall and higher maximum windspeeds, according to the research. The study, published in Science Advances, looks at the economic damages caused by nearly 800 […]
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DeBriefed 10 April 2026: Worst energy crisis ‘ever’ | India withdraws COP33 bid | Drag artists and climate change
Welcome to Carbon Brief’s DeBriefed. An essential guide to the week’s key developments relating to climate change. This week Ceasefire causes oil price drop CEASEFIRE SLUMP: Following the announcement on Tuesday of a two-week ceasefire agreement between Iran and the US and Israel, oil prices dropped below $96 per barrel, according to the Associated Press. However, […]
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Dirty Business stars launch petition calling for national referendum on water ownership
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A screening of the programme. Ash Smith and Professor Peter Hammond of Windrush Against Sewage Pollution — portrayed by David Thewlis and Jason Watkins in Channel 4’s Dirty Business — have launched a formal government petition calling for a referendum on returning the water industry to public ownership. The move follows the broadcast of the […]
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SMEs ‘willing but unsupported’ on net zero, London programme finds
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Sustainability and decarbonisation are slipping down the priority list for UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), according to new research and programme findings. SMEs account for 99% of the UK business population,1 meaning any slowdown in their climate action risks undermining the government’s net zero ambitions. Keir Starmer has set the country’s sights on an […]
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Firms partner on floating data centre concept using repurposed vessels
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Image credit: nitpicker / Shutterstock.com. Japanese industrial and technology conglomerates have signed an agreement to explore the development and commercialisation of floating data centres, positioned as a way to address rising global demand for digital infrastructure while reducing land use and environmental impact. Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL), Hitachi, and Hitachi Systems, have signed a Memorandum […]
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A philosophy of work
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What makes work valuable? Michal Masny, the NC Ethics of Technology Postdoctoral Fellow in the MIT Department of Philosophy, investigates the role work plays in our lives and its impact on our well-being. Masny sees numerous benefits to work, beyond a paycheck. It’s a space for people to develop excellence at something, make a social contribution, […]