The rate of warming is ‘unprecedented.’ Research on Arctic and North Atlantic ecosystems shows the recent warming trend counts as the most dramatic climate change since the onset of human civilisation 5 000 years ago, according to studies published on Thursday. [News Source]

New NASA study reveals changes in glaciers. A NASA-led research team has used satellite data to make the most precise measurements to date of changes in the mass of mountain glaciers in the Gulf of Alaska. [News Source]

Call for national planning controls. Dams, drains and powerlines top the list of infrastructure at risk from a hotter, drier climate. Experts yesterday put the Government on notice of the need for stronger design and building regulations. [News Source]

Asian monsoon cycle disrupted by man-made climate change. A 1,800-year-old Chinese stalagmite reveals low rainfalls that may have brought down dynasties--as water shortages and poor harvests triggered public unrest. [News Source]

Monsoon link to fall of dynasties. The demise of some of China's ruling dynasties may have been linked to changes in the strength of monsoon rains, a new study suggests. [News Source]

Limestone gives clues on rise, fall of dynasties. Scientists have found a giant 1,810-year-old limestone in a cave in northwest China which offers clues on the strength of Asian monsoons in the past and provide a valuable record of past precipitation, temperature and vegetation changes. [News Source]

After 2 centuries of shrinking, Alaska glaciers got thicker this year. Never before in the history of a research project dating back to 1946 had the Juneau Icefield witnessed the kind of snow buildup that came this year. [News Source]

High ways to heritage: Snowy cracks list. The Australian Alps, from the snow-capped peaks of Kosciuszko to the High Country where the legendary Man from Snowy River rode, will be acknowledged today and placed on the National Heritage List. [News Source]

World energy supply and use are unsustainable. The world's energy system will need substantial investments to meet demand, a global agency said Thursday while warning that urgent action is required to curb carbon emissions that cause global warming. [News Source]

Al Gore group urges Obama to create U.S. power grid. Al Gore's Alliance for Climate Protection has some environmental advice for the incoming Obama administration: focus on energy efficiency and renewable resources, and create a unified U.S. power grid. [News Source]

Six countries to launch Coral Triangle in Manado. Six countries plan to officially launch the Coral Triangle Initiative at a summit to be held in Manado, North Sulawesi, in May next year. [News Source]