Ocean Heat Content vs Sea-Surface Temperature: Understanding the Difference
Ocean heat content (OHC) measures the total thermal energy stored in the ocean, while sea-surface temperature (SST) is the temperature of the ocean's surface…
Evidence library
Joaquimma Anna
Research, explainers and solution analysis for understanding change across a living planet.
412 resources
Primary Microplastics From Tires and Textiles: Sources, Impacts, and Solutions
Primary microplastics are tiny plastic particles intentionally manufactured or directly released from products. Tires and synthetic textiles are major sources, shedding particles during use…
Material Footprint vs Carbon Footprint: Understanding the Difference
Material footprint measures the total amount of raw materials extracted to meet a country's or individual's consumption, including materials used in imported goods. Carbon…
How Changing Rainfall Affects Mosquito-Borne Diseases
A systematic review finds that the relationship between rainfall variability and mosquito-borne disease outbreaks is complex, nonlinear, and highly dependent on local ecology, mosquito…
What the Planetary Boundaries Framework Can—and Cannot—Tell Policymakers
The planetary boundaries framework defines a safe operating space for humanity by identifying nine Earth-system processes and proposing quantitative boundaries for each. It can…
What Is Earth’s Energy Imbalance? A Clear Explanation
SHORT ANSWER: Earth’s energy imbalance is the net difference between incoming solar radiation absorbed by the planet and outgoing thermal radiation emitted back to…
What Is Soil Organic Carbon? A Comprehensive Explainer
Soil organic carbon (SOC) is the carbon stored in soil organic matter, including decomposed plant and animal residues, microbial biomass, and humus. It is…
Planetary Boundaries and the Precautionary Principle
The planetary boundaries framework defines a safe operating space for humanity by setting precautionary limits on nine Earth-system processes. It explicitly incorporates the precautionary…
Why Vehicle Size Matters for Environmental Impact
Reducing vehicle size is a proven, low-cost strategy to cut greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, and resource consumption. Larger vehicles consume more energy and…
Climate Overshoot Explained
Climate overshoot refers to a scenario where global average temperatures temporarily exceed a target level, such as 1.5°C or 2°C above pre-industrial levels, before…