Posted on 8 February 2026 by BaerbelW, John Hartz, Doug Bostrom

Stories we promoted this week, by category:

Climate Policy and Politics (11 articles)

• Flawed economic models mean climate crisis could crash global economy, experts warn "States and financial bodies using modelling that ignores shocks from extreme weather and climate tipping points" The Guardian, Damian Carrington, Feb 4, 2025.
• ‘That ends now’: German court ruling raises pressure to fix stalled climate plans "The ruling ends a nearly two-year long legal battle and requires the German government to act." euronews, Craig Saueurs, Jan 30, 2026.
• A Secret Panel to Question Climate Science Was Unlawful, Judge Rules "The researchers produced a report that was central in a Trump administration effort to stop regulating climate pollution." The New York Times, Lisa Friedman, Jan 30, 2026.
• The future of NCAR remains highly uncertain "Members of the American Meteorological Society were briefed Wednesday (Jan 28) about ongoing developments on the future of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, which the White House has said it will break up." Yale Climate Connections, Bob Henson, Jan 30, 2026.
• Fossil fuel firms may have to pay for climate damage under proposed UN tax "Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation could also force ultra-rich to pay global wealth tax" The Guardian, Fiona Harvey & Heather Stewart, Feb 1, 2026.
• Trump’s climate policy rollback plan relies on EPA rescinding its 2009 endangerment finding – but will courts allow it? The Conversation US, Gary W. Yohe, Feb 2, 2026.
• Trump claims blue states have less-reliable, more expensive electricity. Here’s the reality CNN, Ella Nilsen, Feb 2, 2026.
• DOE scientists blasted climate report ordered up by boss "Secretary Chris Wright handpicked five climate contrarians to write about global warming. Department experts pushed back on the findings." E&E News by Politico, Scott Waldman, Feb 2, 2026.
• More Coal Won't Solve US Energy Woes World Resources Institute (WRI), Lori Bird, David Widawsky & Alex Smith , Feb 2, 2026.
• ‘It’s sick’: Trump administration uses mascot called ‘Coalie’ to push dirtiest fossil fuel "Cartoon lump of coal with giant eyes was spotlighted by US interior secretary in X post saying: ‘Mine, Baby, Mine!’ " The Guardian, Oliver Milman, Feb 3, 2026.
• Michigan accuses big oil of being ‘cartel’ that fuels climate crisis and high energy costs "In first-of-its-kind complaint, state accused four fossil fuel majors and US oil lobbying group of climate disinformation" The Guardian, Dharna Noor, Feb 5, 2026.

Climate Change Impacts (5 articles)

• Something Dark Is Growing on Greenland’s Ice. And Melting It Faster. "New studies show how algae grows on ice and snow, creating “dark zones” that exacerbate melting in the consequential region." The New York Times, Sachi Kitajima Mulkey, Jan 3, 2026.
• Why do we still get major snowstorms in a warming world? "A huge US winter storm has reignited confusion about the polar vortex, the jet stream and what climate change really means for winter weather" BBC Science Focus, Tom Howarth, Jan 29, 2026.
• Extreme heat, cold and rainfall make January a month of extremes. "The importance of accurate and timely forecasts and investment in early warning systems has once again been highlighted by extreme weather which wreaked a heavy economic, environmental and human toll throughout January 2026." World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Staff, Jan 30, 2026.
• Why this US cold snap feels bone-shattering when it’s not record-shattering Seth Borenstein & AP News, Seth Borenstein & E.K. Wildeman, Feb 3, 2026.
• Climate ‘fingerprints’ mark human activity from the top of the atmosphere to the bottom of the ocean The Conversation (Europe), Ed Hawkins and Ric Williams, Feb 3, 2026.

Climate Science and Research (5 articles)

• AI Is Making The Climate Crisis Worse. It Could Also Help Fix It. "The data-center boom is driving new emissions while straining energy and water resources. But scientists say AI can also be a massive asset in facing the climate emergency head-on." Atmos, Jake Hall, Jan 26, 2026.
• The accidental climate scientist who uncovered an unexpected force of global warming CNN, Katie Hunt, Jan 29, 2026.
• Unexpected Climate Feedback Links Antarctic Ice Sheet With Reduced Carbon Uptake "New study reveals surprising link between West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) retreat and algae growth over the past 500,000 years." Columbia Climate School, Staff, Feb 2, 2026.
• A new and better way to keep tabs on El Niño and La Niña "Developed in response to a warming world, NOAA’s revised scale more precisely identifies which episodes are likely to have the biggest impacts." Yale Climate Connections, Bob Henson, Feb 5, 2026.
• MethaneSAT Releases First Global Assessment of Oil and Gas Climate Pollution "Nearly a year after the Environmental Defense Fund lost contact with an $88 million satellite, data from the spacecraft reveal higher-than-expected methane emissions from the oil and gas industry." Inside Climate News, Martha Pskowski, & Phil McKenna, Feb 6, 2026.

Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation (2 articles)

• ‘Doomsday Glacier’ is melting faster than we thought. Can a 150-metre wall stop it flooding Earth? "The ‘Doomsday Glacier’ already contributes four per cent of annual sea level rise, but can the consequences of climate change be barricaded off?" euronews, Liam Gilliver, Feb 4, 2026.
• Analysis: Clean energy drove more than a third of China’s GDP growth in 2025 "Solar power, electric vehicles (EVs) and other clean-energy technologies drove more than a third of the growth in China’s economy in 2025 – and more than 90% of the rise in investment."Analysis: Clean energy drove more than a third of China’s GDP growth in 2025 Carbon Brief, Lauri Myllyvirta & Belinda Schaepe, Feb 5, 2026.

International Climate Conferences and Agreements (2 articles)

• Amazon deforestation may rise 30% as major traders exit historic soy pact Mongabay, Fernanda Wenzel, Feb 2, 2026.
• Exclusive: EU rethinks climate diplomacy after bruising COP30 summit, document shows Reuters, Kate Abnett, Feb 4, 2026.

Miscellaneous (2 articles)

• 2026 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #05 A listing of 28 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, January 25, 2026 thru Sat, January 31, 2026. Skeptical Science, Bärbel Winkler, John Hartz and Doug Bostrom, Feb 01, 2026.
• This Week in Climate News (February 2026, Week 1) Earth.org, Staff, Feb 6, 2026.

Public Misunderstandings about Climate Science (1 article)

• ‘Emotional traps’ and fake experts: How to spot climate disinformation in 2026 "As the threat of climate change accelerates, the EU has strengthened its commitment to fight disinformation." euronews, Liam Gilliver, Jan 30, 2026.

Public Misunderstandings about Climate Solutions (1 article)

• Fact brief - Can solar projects improve biodiversity? Yes - Solar projects do not inherently reduce biodiversity, and when designed with best practices, they can sustain or even increase local wildlife and plant diversity. Skeptical Science, Sue Bin Park, Feb 03, 2026.