Posted on 15 November 2026 by BaerbelW, Doug Bostrom

Stories we promoted this week, by category:

International Climate Conferences and Agreements (6 items)

• Cop31 will expose the conflicts and contradictions of the world`s fossil fuel reliance The move to clean electricity will form the focus of the climate summit, which begins next week in coal-obsessed Turkey. The Guardian, Fiona Harvey, Nov 06, 2026.
• They're still at it. A video explaining the tactics to delay the publication of the IPCC's AR7 report. DrGilbz on Youtube, Ella Gilbert, Nov 7, 2026.
• Climate Catastrophe Kills Climate Conference New video in the run-up to COP31 "Just have a Think" on Youtube, Dave Borlace, Nov 8, 2026.
• 5 ways countries stymie climate negotiations without actually saying `no` An expert identifies 5 ''tells'' of insincerity by nation states engaged in climate negotiations. English - The Conversation, Shannon Gibson, Nov 09, 2026.
• U.N. climate talks begin today. Here are 3 things to know NPR, Julia Simon, Nov 09, 2026.
• Indigenous leaders at COP31 say it`s past time to turn promises into action As climate disasters mount, Indigenous advocates are pushing governments to follow through on commitments made at previous global climate summits. Grist, Joseph Lee, Nov 13, 2026.

Climate Policy and Politics (6 items)

• Beyond the Threshold: The Tyranny of Climate Apathy Far from sounding global alarms and triggering unprecedented mobilization, breaching planetary boundaries has induced a state of collective fatigue, political cynicism, and systemic paralysis. Mexico Business News, Adrián Sánchez Roa, Nov. 3, 2026.
• Misinformation won: How divisive politics doomed Canada`s carbon tax Misleading messages were amplified and simplified via memes widely shared by right-of-centre allies on social media, and the impact of misinformation was facilitated by a growing partisan divide and decline of shared news sources. The Conversation, Kathryn Harrison, Alice Lépissier, Chloé Boutron, Erick Lachapelle, Matto Mildenberger, Nov 08, 2026.
• Democrats Can Act on Climate - Permitting Bill is Job One A bill pending passage in the lame duck US Congress presents a tricky dilemma of compromise. This is Not Cool, Peter Sinclair, Nov 09, 2026.
• How a French Oil Executive Is Working With the Trump Administration to `Kill` Europe`s Methane Plan Key piece of EU climate legislation facing coordinated pushback from TotalEnergies lobbyist and U.S. officials. DeSmog, TJ Jordan and Cécile Marchand, Nov 09, 2026.
• Why the world is still running on fossil fuels after 30 years of climate talks Missed opportunities, industry influence and political maneuvering are behind the lack of progress in slowing global warming. Inside Climate News, Bob Berwyn, Nov 10, 2026.
• `Fossil fuels must go the way of the dinosaurs`: UN boss pushes Australia to go further Outgoing UN Secretary-General António Guterres told world leaders on Wednesday (Antalya time) that “fossil fuels must go the way of the dinosaurs”. Sydney Morning Herald, Natassia Chrysanthos, Nick O'Malley, Nov 11, 2026.

Climate Change Impacts (6 items)

• Many Regions Have Warmed Beyond 1.5°C and Some Beyond 2°C, New Study Finds A new study finds that many regions on Earth have already surpassed 1.5°C (2.7°F), and suggests that other regions have warmed as much as 2°C (3.6°F) due to human-caused climate change. Eos, Grace van Deelen, Nov 09, 2026.
• Even cacti are severely threatened in a warmer, drier world An international team led by researchers at the University of Arizona and the University of South Florida found that more than a quarter of cactus species analyzed could lose at least 80% of their suitable habitat by the end of the century. Phys.org, University of Arizona press release, Nov 11, 2026.
• UK ministers have no plans to publish explosive report on climate crisis Andy Burnham’s newly appointed climate adviser used report to warn of national security risk from collapsing ecosystems. The Guardian, Fiona Harvey, Nov 12, 2026.
• October 2026: Earth`s warmest October on record The year 2026 is expected to be Earth’s 2nd-warmest year on record, with 2027 likely to be the warmest. Yale Climate Connections, Bob Henson, Nov 12, 2026.
• Scientists warn 1.5°C climate change threshold could arrive by 2029 Climate action is stalled as fossil fuel development and emissions keep growing, accelerating our trajectory toward harmful temperature rise. Ars Technica, Bob Berwyn, Nov 13, 2026.
• Cryosphere decline beyond safe planetary limits, putting conditions for human society at risk The study ''The Cryosphere Beyond a Planetary Safe Operating Space'' offers an authoritative global assessment of the basic cryospheric conditions required for Earth system resilience—and concludes that these conditions are being transgressed. Phys.org, Stockholm Resilence Center, Nov 13, 2026.

Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation (3 items)

• The climate case for AI has not been made AI leaders claim their tech will fix the climate. The evidence mostly points in the opposite direction so far. MIT Technology Review, Mary Nichols & Jeremy Tamanini, Nov 09, 2026.
• Analysis: Fossil-fuel CO2 emissions set to dip in 2026 as Iran conflict hits oil use A mixed bag of emissions trajectories means that CO2 emissions from fossil fuels and land use are projected to reach a record high of 43.3 billion tons of CO2 in 2026 – marginally above 42.8 billion tons in 2025. Carbon Brief, Dr Zeke Hausfather, Prof Pierre Friedlingstein, Nov 10, 2026.
• ExxonMobil carbon storage project faces opposition in Texas Texas now issues permits for companies to store carbon dioxide underground. East Texas residents fear safety risks, and skeptics doubt the climate benefits. Texas Tribune, Emily Foxhall, Nov 10, 2026.

Climate Education and Communication (2 items)

• The rise and fall of the term `carbon neutral` - and where we go from here New EU rules have put strict conditions on offset-based green claims; Dan Morrell helped put ‘carbon neutral’ into the dictionary and is now delighted to see it removed from circulation by the EU. The Independent, Caroline Garland, Nov 09, 2026.
• Fact brief - Does solar development eliminate more U.S. jobs than it creates? Solar development creates more jobs per unit of energy than other modes of production, and projections indicate more jobs will be created by renewables than lost. Skeptical Science, Sue Bin Park, Nov 10, 2026.

Climate Science and Research (2 items)

• What if digitalization isn`t the climate fix we imagined? Smart cities and paperless offices promised efficiency. Thirty years of data from the world’s largest economies suggest the energy needed to power them has so far outweighed the savings. The Anthropocene, Sarah DeWeerdt, Nov 10, 2026.
• Skeptical Science New Research for Week #46 2026 Skeptical Science's weekly roundup of newly published climate research, in peer-reviewed academic journals and from government/NGO sources. Skeptical Science, Doug Bostrom & Marc Kodack, Nov 12, 2026.

Health Aspects of Climate Change (1 item)

• The Scientists Fighting to Help Wildfire Survivors Heal A wildfire exposure study on Maui created a new blueprint for public health research and support after disasters—but funding was drying up. Could the organizers keep it afloat? Inside Climate News, Keerti Gopal, Nov 08, 2026.

Public Misunderstandings about Climate Science (1 item)

• Scientists defend UN overshoot report after Saudi-led push to sideline it at COP31 After critics questioned the report’s scientific legitimacy, Its authors say the review matched IPCC standards. Climate Home News, Matteo Civillini, Nov 14, 2026.

Miscellaneous (1 item)

• 2026 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #45 A listing of 28 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, November 1, 2026 thru Sat, November 7, 2026. Skeptical Science, Bärbel Winkler & Doug Bostrom, Nov 08, 2026.