water

Jul

2023

The cycles of carbon, water and energy are closely coupled

Nature can’t be seen and analyzed linearly. She is always more complex. That’s why we must look at how the cycles of carbon, water and energy are closely coupled. Here is a draft sketch of mine to show this. How is incoming solar radiation transformed on the ground – producing latent energy (therefore water is needed) or sensible heat? Sensible heat means higher reradiation from the land into the atmosphere – a key factor for the greenhouse effect. The higher the reradiation, the higher the GHG effect.

Latent energy – that is water vapour – build clouds, reflecting solar radiation (positive!), transporting that solar energy from the ground into the higher atmosphere (positive!), which can dissipate partly into outer space (positive!). And the clouds can bring rain (positive!).

Sensible heat is producing a lot of hot air (negative!), increasing long-wave reradiation (negative!), building eventually high pressure zones which can block incoming low pressure zones which would bring precipitations (negative!).

Just to name a few consequences. For more, check out my UNEP paper “Working with plants, soils and water to cool the climate and rehydrate Earth’s landscapes” [1], my presentation “Planting water” [2], our project “Climate Landscapes” [3].

[1] bit.ly/3zeukPb
[2] www.youtu.be/tBmtIPhh7UI
[3] www.climate-landscapes.org

Apr

2023

Water: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

Interesting, new, challenging, depressing – John Oliver gives a really good view on water management issues in the southwestern United States. Worth looking into!

Oct

2022

The cycles of carbon, water and energy are closely coupled

Nature can’t be seen and analyzed linearily. It’s always more complex. That’s why we must look at how the cycles of carbon, water and energy are closely coupled. Here is a draft sketch of mine to show this.

Tomorrow, 18/10/22, the Climate Landscapes Conference, https://climate-landscapes.org, will look into this in more detail. Come and join us!

And check out my presentation “Planting water”.

Oct

2022

Climate Landscapes Conference starts tomorrow, 18.10.2022

Countdown for our Climate Landscapes Conference, https://climate-landscapes.org, with one day to go. We’ll bring together scientists and practitioners from around the world under the (sub)title “Working with plants, soils and water to cool the climate and rehydrate Earth’s landscapes“. Come and join us!

Rising temperatures and weather extremes such as droughts and floods threaten the Earth and the human population, besides biodiversity loss, land degradation and other major issues. However, it seems we have a solution for many of these issues right before us: We can work with plants, soils and water to cool the climate and rehydrate and restore Earth’s landscapes.

With our “Climate Landscapes Conference“, we want to draw attention to the interrelationships and potentials of vegetation, soils, water and climate to cool the climate and rehydrate earth’s landscapes. A combination of scientific presentations, enterprise engagements and best practices will show

the interrelationships between vegetation, soils, water & climate,
the enormous potentials of ecosystemically oriented land- and appropriately designed water management for and with agriculture, forestry and settlement planning,
the associated positive effects on biodiversity, land restoration, the health of soils, nutrition and improved climate adaptation.

Our conference aims to provide a forum for people from different fields of science, practice, politics, administration, business and media. You will have the chance to learn about the interwoven natural relationships from world-renowned speakers and participants, discuss the appropriate solutions, create new networks and find ways for the next urgent steps.

For more information and registration please check out our website.

Oct

2022

The rainforest’s water pump

It’s (almost) all about forests and water: An investigation of naturally occurring water recycling in rainforests finally marries the results of global climate models with observations. Alarmingly, it also suggests that deforestation can greatly reduce tropical rainfall.

Join us next week for much more insights in our Climate Landscapes Conference.

Oct

2022

Water in Plain Sight – Missing the Water for the Trees. Judith Schwartz

Judith Schwartz’ book “Water in Plain Sight” is a really great read on all these interconnections between vegetation, soil, water, atmosphere and climate. If you haven’t read it yet, go for it.

The publisher agreed to make available the chapter “Missing the Water for the Trees” in PDF format, as this subject becomes more and more attention, and is so important for cooling the climate. So, here you go with the chapter. Enjoy!

And join as at the Climate Landscapes Conference, online, 18.-19.10.2022 in order to learn from experts from various fields and discuss with others.

Aug

2022

What Are Climate Models Missing?

Not sure if this article is still correct after 10 years of further model refining. I presume that yes, as these water interactions are really difficult to model.

There is now ample evidence that an inadequate representation of clouds and moist convection, or more generally the coupling between atmospheric water and circulation, is the main limitation in current representations of the climate system.

Rather than reducing biases stemming from an inadequate representation of basic processes, additional complexity has multiplied the ways in which these biases introduce uncertainties in climate simulations.

This diversity of responses arises because, at low latitudes, the coupling between water and circulation is disproportionately dependent on the representation of unresolved processes, such as moist convection and cloud formation. The mid-latitudes show more robust responses because much of the energy transport is carried by baroclinic eddies; these, too, are fundamentally coupled to water, but they are much better described and resolved by modern GCMs

Jun

2022

The longest river in Italy is drying up. What does this mean for those who rely on it for food?

“Italy’s Po River flows some 650km from the snowy Alps in the northwest to the wild Po Delta in the east before rushing out into the Adriatic Sea.

During its course, the great waterway nourishes the expansive fertile plains of northern Italy where farmers have thrived for generations. Dubbed Italy’s breadbasket, these flatlands covered with crops are responsible for some 40 per cent of Italy’s GDP.

At the moment, however, the normally life-giving waters of the Po River have suddenly become an unexpected threat. The dramatically low water levels of the river have been causing seawater to be sucked back upstream.”

Source: Euronews

Jun

2022

Forest restoration must navigate trade-offs between environmental and wood production goals

New research shows forest restoration schemes should prioritise restoring native forests for greatest climate and environmental benefits. However these benefits have a trade-off with wood production in comparison with tree plantations.

The faster growth of trees in plantations managed for timber or pulp production implies greater uptake of water from the soil, which leaves less water for replenishing the groundwater reserves that sustain streams, especially in drier areas. To make matters worse, trees in such plantations are typically harvested more frequently than those in native forests, leading to greater soil disturbance and poorer streamflow regulation.”

May

2022

H2O – The molecule that made us

Very interesting documentary with impressive pictures around the big problem of dwindling water: “Water is the prerequisite for life. A few tiny drops are already enough to make a withered desert blossom anew. Water also played an important role in the emergence of early civilizations. Control of the resource gave humans clear advantages. But access to clean water is becoming increasingly difficult, and fear for the resource is growing. – A documentary series tracing our relationship with the “blue gold.””