Posted on 4 October 2026 by BaerbelW, Doug Bostrom

Stories we promoted this week, by category:

Climate Policy and Politics (7 items)

• Midterm Battleground State Poll: Political Priorities & Opinions on the Clean Energy Transition The data relating to “climate hushing” is particularly revealing, showing that — by large margins — battleground state voters (a) want politicians to spend more time talking about climate change (not less), and (b) are more likely to vote for candidates who make transitioning away from fossil fuels a top priority if elected. Environmental Voter Project, EVP staff, Sep 22, 2026.
• Gavin Newsom condemns Democrats` `climate hushing`, predicts Trump`s downfall and expects AOC to run in 2028 Energy modernization means more affordable energy and politicians should not be afraid to say it. The Guardian, Mark Hertsgaard, Sep 24, 2026.
• Fed up with Brazil’s politicians not listening, a climate scientist runs for office Luciana Gatti, who studies carbon uptake in the Amazon, aims to join Brazil’s lower house in this weekend’s elections Science, Daniel Grossman, Sep 28, 2026.
• Alito`s Recusal From Climate Case: Too Little, Too Late? The justice’s participation in the Boulder case already may have been pivotal, and his continued stock holdings—including in fossil fuels—keep an ethics cloud over the Supreme Court. Inside Climate News, Marianne Lavelle, Sep 29, 2026.
• AI Was Supposed to Cut Emissions. Instead, Fossil Fuel Companies Are Using It to Find More Oil and Gas. A new study found AI-driven fossil fuel productivity could increase emissions. Here are examples of companies already using AI to boost production. Desmog, Sarah Hofmann, Sep 30, 2026.
• A Climate Change Rebrand More politicians have stopped talking about the climate, but love of money and risky geopolitics leave the 'green transition' still moving forward. NYT, Katrin Bennhold, Oct 01, 2026.
• Texas can`t hide from climate change by stopping students from learning about it Climate change will shape the future of Texas. Students should be allowed to learn about it. The Climate Brink, Andrew Dessler, Oct 02, 2026.

Climate Science and Research (7 items)

• `Concerning` low sea ice persists as Antarctic hits third-lowest winter peak Antarctic sea ice has recorded its third-smallest winter peak extent since satellite records began 48 years ago, new data reveals. Carbon Brief, Ayesha Tandon, Sep 25, 2026.
• Who is responsible for limiting global warming to 1.5°? Climate mitigation as systems integration: researcher models and quantifies Interlocking systemic changes spanning government, industry and households necessary for adhering to a 1.5°C warming limit. Phys.org, Irene Ketting, Sep 27, 2026.
• Godzilla El Niño is about to hit the Arctic. How bad will it be? Part 1 of a 2-part collaboration between Dave Borlace ("Just have a Think") and Ella Gilbert (Dr Gilbz) about possible connections between the Super El Nino and Artic sea ice in the northern and Antarctica in the southern hemisphere. "Just have a Think" on Youtube, Dave Borlace, Sep 27, 2026.
• “Godzilla” El Niño = crashing Antarctic sea ice? Part 2 of a 2-part collaboration between Dave Borlace ("Just have a Think") and Ella Gilbert (Dr Gilbz) about possible connections between the Super El Nino and Artic sea ice in the northern and Antarctica in the southern hemisphere. Dr Gilbz on Youtube, Ella Gilbert, Sep 27, 2026.
• The impacts of this year`s record-shattering El Niño El Niño will drive severe drought from Indonesia to the Southern Africa and northern South America, with wetter winters from the US Gulf Coast to Southern South America. The Climate Brink, Zeke Hausfather, Sep 28, 2026.
• Planetary Health Check 2026 The 2026 Planetary Health Check identifies 7 of 9 planetary boundaries as exceeded and includes a special focus on carbon sinks. Planetary Health Check, Carlos Nobre et al. , Sep 29, 2026.
• Skeptical Science New Research for Week #40 2026 Skeptical Science's weekly survey of academic, government and NGO climate research. Skeptical Science, Doug Bostrom & Marc Kodack, Oct 01, 2026.

Climate Change Impacts (7 items)

• Explainer: How sea level rise poses an `existential threat` to humans, heritage and nature Here, Carbon Brief unpacks some of the key ways that sea level rise threatens both societies and ecosystems. Carbon Brief, Giuliana Viglione, Sep 22, 2026.
• Sea level rise is reshaping a California beach town and threatening a key rail line “The constant pressure is sea level rise,” said Sean Vitousek, research oceanographer with the U.S. Geological Survey. “It is going to keep rising, and rising, and the beaches will retreat landward.” AP News, Amy Taxin, Sep 27, 2026.
• Antarctica`s ice loss is locked in, and extra snowfall won`t save it - that`s bad news for low-lying coastal areas elsewhere The Conversation, Yucheng Lin, Robert Kopp, Sep 30, 2026.
• Past emissions will continue warming the planet for decades New research shows that past emissions from oil, gas, coal, and cement will continue to affect the environment and increase the odds of extreme weather for decades. Futurity, U. Washington, Sep 30, 2026.
• Swiss glaciers suffer another year of record ice loss Switzerland's glaciers lost more than 5% of their ice in 2026, marking another year of rapid decline. NPR, Imogen Foulkes, Sep 30, 2026.
• Gas from thawing Arctic permafrost is changing world's climate future Two recent studies project that by the end of this century, methane in permafrost liberated by warming due to burning of fossil fuels will add a quarter degree Celsius of warmth to Earth's atmosphere. AP News, Seth Borenstein, Oct 02, 2026.
• Europe`s Extreme Summer Triggered Cascading Climate Shocks A summer of record heat, severe drought and compounding impacts tested Europe's infrastructure and resilience. Inside Climate News, Bob Berwyn, Oct 02, 2026.

Climate Law and Justice (4 items)

• Scrutinizing the Achievement of Climate Targets, Part I: The Widening Reach of Implementation Litigation Columbia University's Sabin Center for Climate Change Law does a deep dive into the role of judiciaries and courts in forcing governments to actually do as they say they will to deal with climate change mitigations. Climate Law Blog, Joe Udell and Filippo Fantozzi, Sep 28, 2026.
• Inside the anti-climate campaign against researchers A POLITICO investigation reveals more than 100 open records requests demanding documents from climate scientists nationwide. Politico, Chelsea Harvey, Lesley Clark and Corbin Hiar, Sep 29, 2026.
• States want to make Big Oil pay for climate harm. Now, courts are weighing in. New York’s "climate superfund” law has suffered two losses in court, while a U.S. Supreme Court case next week could determine the fate of similar efforts nationwide. Grist, Joseph Winters, Sep 30, 2026.
• The surprising allies backing Boulder`s climate case before the Supreme Court Ranchers, conservative legal scholars, and former Republican EPA chiefs are siding against oil companies. Here's why. Grist, Kate Yoder, Oct 01, 2026.

International Climate Conferences and Agreements (1 item)

• `We want action`: Fijian climate activist sends message ahead of UN talks in Pacific Lavenia Naivalu has seen the impact of the climate crisis first-hand and is determined to amplify Pacific voices at this year’s pre-Cop summit in Fiji The Guardian, Sera Sefeti, Oct 02, 2026.

Public Misunderstandings about Climate Solutions (1 item)

• Australia`s climate chief promises harder line on misinformation Senior public servant says bureaucrats will speak up about misinformation that risks policy progress. Politico, Miriam Webber, Oct 01, 2026.

Miscellaneous (1 item)

• 2026 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #39 A listing of 28 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, September 20, 2026 thru Sat, September 26, 2026. Skeptical Science, Bärbel Winkler & Doug Bostrom, Sep 27, 2026.