A three-year effort to track the movement of greenhouse gases throughout the atmosphere has yielded surprising results that could help improve the accuracy of climate models. Sifting through the data collected over five long-haul flights will take several years, but the project has already yielded some surprising results for researchers who study how greenhouse gases move through the atmosphere. One important discovery is that surface waters in the open Arctic Ocean are releasing heat-trapping methane gas into the atmosphere at a "significant" rate as the region's sea ice recedes, one scientist said. It's not clear where the methane is coming from, but the measurements suggest the amount released by the ocean is "of sufficient size to be important globally," he added (Scientific American, 9/8/11).

Scientists have unveiled new video documentation of what they say is another stunning effect of the world's steadily warming oceans: the unusual haulout of as many as 20,000 walruses off the coast of Alaska. The video compiled by the U.S. Geological Survey's Alaska Science Center, together with data from radio collars affixed to some of the animals, could help scientists learn more about the problems posed by shrinking sea ice for the creatures that call the Arctic home (Anchorage Daily News, 9/15/11).

The Arctic sea ice melted more this summer than any other summer on record except for the record lows of 2007, according to the US National Snow and Ice Data Center. The Arctic ice melts and refreezes each year, but scientists have recorded more and more dramatic cycles of melting since 1972. If the rate of melting observed this summer continues, Arctic summers will likely be ice-free within 30 years, an estimate that is 40 years earlier than the figure proposed at the last International Panel on Climate Change (The Guardian, 9/11/11).

Tapping into hot rocks that are tantalizingly close to the surface in western and northern Canada could generate more electricity than the country now consumes, and generate few greenhouse gas emissions, according to a new report. The report suggests the clean, renewable source of energy could be a game-changer for Canada. According to a co-author of the report, "Canada's in-place geothermal power exceeds one million times Canada's current electrical consumption. The research team estimates that 100 enhanced geothermal plants could supply all of Canada's electricity needs" (The Montreal Gazette, 9/13/11).

A state appeals court ruled in the first case of its type that an insurance company does not have to foot the bill for a company facing damages over climate change. The Virginia Supreme Court ruled in the closely watched case that Steadfast Insurance does not have a duty to defend AES Corp., a utility which is a defendant in a major climate case, Kivalina v. Exxon Mobil Corp., et al., which is currently before the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Litigation over insurance coverage relating to climate change is likely to grow in coming years, lawyers predict, so the ruling could help shape the legal landscape. When AES faced the Kivalina lawsuit in 2008, it asked its insurer, Steadfast, to defend it against the claims that emissions had contributed to rising sea levels that are endangering the village (New York Times, 9/16/11).

According to a new study, the habitat of a species of king crab is expanding as the coastal shelf waters of Antarctica become warmer. The species were previously only found in the Ross Sea in the Southern Ocean of Antarctica, but climate change has allowed them to populate Palmer Deep, a basin on the edge of the continental shelf next to the West Antarctic Peninsula. The current population of invasive crabs in the Palmer Deep is expected to be over 1 million. The crabs alter their habitat by reducing biodiversity and changing the geochemistry of their surroundings by consuming and digesting small animals living in the sediment, harming the ecosystems they inhabit (ABC, 9/7/11). 

A recent poll revealed that 83% of Americans believe in climate change, compared to 75% last year. According to the poll, about 72% of Republicans acknowledge global warming and 92% of Democrats do. Of the participants who believe in global warming, 71% are convinced that it is at least partially caused by humans. About 15% of voters see global warming as a primary concern. The poll also indicated that, although more Americans recognize climate change, those who are skeptical are increasingly sure of their convictions (Reuters, 9/15/11).

A recent study found that populations of spring-run Chinook salmon may be depleted in California by the end of the century because the waters will be too warm to spawn. According to the lead author of the study, the depletion of salmon is avoidable, but the solutions would affect hydroelectric power generation. One option would likely require reducing hydroelectric power generation during the warmest months, which are also the peak months for energy consumption in California. Other potential solutions include holding water for salmon at other locations, and dumping cooler water into the stream during heat waves (Science Daily, 9/1/11).

A recent commentary on former President Al Gore's "Climate Reality" event described why the event was unlikely to advance the climate conversation to a new, elevated place in the public mind. The author points out a cardinal rule of politics: If you don't define your message, your opponent will. Generally speaking, playing defense is not a winning strategy. Of his event, Gore says "This presentation is a defense of the science and the scientists, against the timeworn claims by deniers." Such a strategy, besides forcing Gore into a defensive crouch, is built on the assumption that "deniers" are the primary reason for the stalemated climate politics and the public's insufficient attention to climate change. What might do the trick? It is recommended that the climate message be communicated less literally and more subtly through likable characters and storytelling (Yale Forum on Climate Change & The Media, 9/16/11).