Ocean Sciences

Geopolicy: Combating plastic pollution – research, engagement and the EU Plastic Strategy

Chloe Hill February 23, 2018

Plastic pollution. Credit: mitchell haindfield (distributed via Flickr).

Awareness around the prevalence of plastic pollution, particularly in our oceans, has been growing over the last few years. This is not surprising considering that plastic production has surged from 15 million tonnes in 1964 to 311 million tonnes in 2014 and models have shown that this number will double again within the next 20 years in a business as usual scenario. Furthermore, research conducte ...[Read More]

Imaggeo on Mondays: Robberg Peninsula – a home of seals

Elizaveta Kovaleva, February 5, 2018

Robberg Peninsula - a home of seals. Credit: Elizaveta Kovaleva (distributed via imaggeo.egu.eu).

This picture is taken from the Robberg Peninsula, one of the most beautiful places, and definitely one of my favorite places in South Africa. The Peninsula forms the Robberg Nature Reserve and is situated close to the Plettenberg Bay on the picturesque Garden Route. “Rob” in Dutch means “seal”, so the name of the Peninsula is translated as “the seal mountain”. T ...[Read More]

GeoTalk: Eleanor Frajka-Williams, the 2017 Ocean Sciences Division Outstanding Early Career Scientists Awardee

Laura Roberts-Artal January 31, 2018

Eleanor Frajka-Williams, the 2017 Ocean Sciences Division Outstanding Early Career Scientists Awardee

Geotalk is a regular feature highlighting early career researchers and their work. Following the EGU General Assembly, we spoke to Eleanor Frajka-Williams, the 2017 Ocean Sciences Division Outstanding Early Career Scientists awardee. In her work, Eleanor uses real-world measurements – from ships, satellites, sea gliders and moorings – to understand how the world’s oceans work. In today ...[Read More]

Geopolicy: How does scientific uncertainty translate into policy?

Chloe Hill January 26, 2018

Direction and uncertainty. Credit: Elis Alves (distributed via Flickr).

Scientific uncertainty is one of the only things in science that is certain. It’s found in complex modelling systems, in the unpredictability of natural processes and even when there seems to be scientific consensus, a new scientific discovery can recreate ambiguity. But how do policymakers deal with scientific uncertainty when they are making decisions? Policymakers deal with and use scientific u ...[Read More]