Climate change scientists around the world are working on new methods and technologies to increase the quantity and quality of environmental data. Key data that are missing include biogeochemistry information explaining how chemicals and nutrients traverse through the earth’s physical systems, ecosystems and atmospheric systems. Many climate change scientists are utilizing machine learning methods to teach their models how to better analyze the data.

The US leads the world in earth and environmental sciences research, but due to the current administration’s threats of environmental policy changes , as well as a 2011 Congress rule that prohibits NASA scientists from directly collaborating with their contemporaries in China, this leading status is precarious. NASA is a significant funder of environmental sciences research in the US.

Although, in absolute terms, the US is the leader in earth and environmental science research publication output according to the Nature Index, China has the greatest growth in publications among the 10 leading countries. In order, the remaining leaders in publication output are the UK, Germany, France, Canada, Australia, Japan, Switzerland and the Netherlands. Australia has the highest proportion of earth and environmental sciences publications relative to total natural sciences output at 23%, while Japan has the lowest at 7%. The US’ proportion is around 13%, while China’s is 10%. Over the past 10 years, China has spent $100 billion on reforestation efforts and has collaborated with the US to develop software that can identify where a reforestation effort would yield the most benefits.

Source: Nature