Carbon Dioxide

Climate change, coastal development and overfishing have effectively wiped out nearly a fifth of the world’s coral reefs, and by the end of this century they “are unlikely to look much like the reefs that we are familiar with today,” said Peter Mumby, a marine biologist at the University of Queensland in Australia, who envisions smaller and weaker reefs that harbor fewer fish.

“But there will still be reefs and they will still be very important,” he said. “And so what we really have to do is take all the steps we can locally to

Check out seven ways scientists and conservationists are pushing to preserve reefs for future generations.

2009 saw vast patches of the planet protected and world leaders pledge to fight global warming, but the climate continued to change dramatically–putting it in the “loss” column for the environment this year, according to experts who spoke to National Geographic.

In the fight against global warming, most innovations have been targeting the greenhouse gas “supervillain” carbon dioxide.

Meanwhile, several “henchmen” gases—some even more potent than CO2—have also been building up in Earth’s atmosphere.

For now, none of these gases is as big a worry as CO2, due to its higher levels in the atmosphere. But if left unchecked, experts warn, these other compounds could create major new climate change battlefronts.

Grassland ecosystems found in higher altitudes throughout Western Europe may be resistant to climate change, according to new results from a long-term experiment.

The finding is in sharp contrast to similar research conducted in an alpine meadow in North America that suggests mountain wildflowers will all but disappear in a warming world.

Four dollars for a gallon of gas? Experts say rising fuel prices reflect a combination of squeezed oil supplies, soaring international demand and market speculation. As a result, alternative forms of energy are getting a serious look – not only to ease the price squeeze, but also to cut greenhouse-gas emissions. Learn about the top 10 options.

Ocean waters along North America’s west coast are becoming more acidic than expected in response to atmospheric carbon emissions, which will likely cause significant changes to economically vital marine ecosystems, a new study says.

As Earth Day approaches, a new report finds that the United States is on track to breeze past Germany within two years as the world leader in installed capacity to spin the wind into electricity.