News | School of Geographical Sciences

‘Inspiring and illuminating': Pupils forge climate consensus at Mock COP26 16 November 2021 Fifty talented A-Level students came up with innovative solutions to the climate crisis during their own COP26.

Pioneering measurement techniques on display at COP26 hold key to effectively combat climate change 8 November 2021 Leading atmospheric scientists are measuring emissions of the most dangerous greenhouse gases at COP26 and sharing them live online to highlight how rigorous measurement and detailed data reporting are essential in the fight against climate change.

Clues from the ancient past can help predict abrupt climate change 25 October 2021 Climate ‘tipping points’ can be better understood and predicted using climate change data taken from the ancient past, new research led by scientists from the universities of Birmingham and Bristol shows.

Leading global experts set to join charge against climate change at COP26 25 October 2021 A team of University of Bristol experts on a wide range of hot topics spanning climate change, environmental justice, emissions, sustainable energy, green finance and the economy are poised to join the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, better known as COP26.

Increased snowfall will offset sea level rise from melting Antarctic ice sheet, new study finds 19 August 2021 A new study predicts that any sea level rise in the world’s most southern continent will be countered by an increase in snowfall, associated with a warmer Polar atmosphere. Using modern methods to calculate projected changes to sea levels, researchers discovered that the two ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica respond differently, reflecting their very distinct local climates.

Blue-green algae key to unlocking secrets of ancient past 17 August 2021 Oxygen-producing bacteria emerged a thousand millions years before the great oxygenation event approximately 2400 million years ago, scientists have found.

Bristol academics elected as Fellows to The British Academy 23 July 2021 Three University of Bristol academics have been elected to The British Academy as Fellows in recognition of their outstanding contributions to social sciences, humanities and the arts.

Microbes feast on crushed rock in subglacial lakes beneath Antarctica 29 June 2021 Pioneering research has revealed the erosion of ancient sediments found deep beneath Antarctic ice could be a vital and previously unknown source of nutrients and energy for abundant microbial life.

Experts highlight advanced satellite data as vital tool in tackling climate change as countdown to COP26 continues 14 May 2021 Earth observation satellites provide the most comprehensive real-time check on the health of the planet and are playing a crucial role in the fight against global heating now and increasingly in future, according to leading climate scientists.

Antarctic ice sheet retreat could trigger chain reaction 13 May 2021 The Antarctic ice sheet was even more unstable in the past than previously thought, and at times possibly came close to collapse, new research suggests.

Professor of Hydrology elected as Fellow of the Royal Society 6 May 2021 The University of Bristol’s Professor of Hydrology, Paul Bates, has been elected as a Fellow of the world's most eminent scientific academy, the Royal Society, for his exceptional contributions to science.

Survey reveals many people have reservations about flying in future 22 April 2021 More than half of adults plan to fly less or much less, even after they have been vaccinated against COVID-19, citing worries about the virus and climate change, according to a survey carried out by the University of Bristol

The Internet brings people into big cities, new study suggests 15 April 2021 The widespread proliferation of the internet and information and communication technologies (ICT) has drawn people into urban centres, according to new research.

Research shows families with children have been hit hardest financially by COVID-19 pandemic 22 March 2021 New research has revealed four million children live in a family which has lost income since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Of those, 1.6 million children live in a family which has lost a third or more of its total household income, according to the findings.

Carbon uptake in re-growing Amazon forest threatened by climate and human disturbance 19 March 2021 Large areas of forests regrowing in the Amazon to help reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, are being limited by climate and human activity.

Bristol part of new £10 million research centre to spur a greener global financial system 15 February 2021 The UK is investing £10 million in a new national green finance research centre that will advise lenders, investors and insurers, enabling them to make environmentally sustainable decisions, and support a greener global economy.

Pioneering research unravels hidden origins of Eastern Asia’s ‘land of milk and honey’ 27 January 2021 A study has revealed for the first time the ancient origins of one of the world’s most important ecosystems by unlocking the mechanism which determined the evolution of its mountains and how they shaped the weather there as well as its flora and fauna.

Wetland methane cycling increased during ancient global warming event 13 January 2021 New research provides a stark warning of the need to address emissions from one of the most potent greenhouse gases - methane.

Research explains why crocodiles have changed so little since the age of the dinosaurs 7 January 2021 New research by scientists at the University of Bristol explains how a ‘stop-start’ pattern of evolution, governed by environmental change, could explain why crocodiles have changed so little since the age of the dinosaurs.

Imminent sudden stratospheric warming to occur, bringing increased risk of snow over coming weeks 5 January 2021 A new study, led by researchers at the Universities of Bristol, Exeter and Bath, helps to shed light on the winter weather we may soon have in store following a dramatic meteorological event currently unfolding high above the North Pole.