Arguments
Skeptical Science New Research for Week #26, 2021
Posted on 30 June 2021 by Doug Bostrom
Not the negative feedback we're looking for
When discussing climate change we hear more about positive feedbacks such as decreasing Arctic Ocean albedo than we do negative feedbacks, which are few and far between. Nikolaos Christidis, Mark McCarthy and Peter Stott manage to pin down one of these rare beasts and put it under the microscope, in Recent decreases in domestic energy consumption in the United Kingdom attributed to human influence on the climate. Due to heating and cooling demands, utility energy consumption tends to form a "U" shape, with the left or right "legs" of the "U" following the proportionality of cold versus hot weather driving heating or cooling loads, cooling being less of a universal feature than heating. The authors find that in the United Kingdom energy consumption for heating has measurably dropped "thanks" to a warming climate, resulting in a reduction of household demand amounting to some 1,400kWh per year. This effect is conspicuous in the UK given the low penetration of and requirement for domestic cooling. While this nets enough savings on utility bills to buy a few bags of groceries the trade does not seem worth it, and of course in other geographic domestic contexts featuring a "U" dominated by cooling the opposite effect will pertain. It's a thought-provoking publication for the layperson, dealing as it does with familiariities while neatly illustrating how warming our climate can produce less obvious and sometimes bizarre effects.
Meanwhile, the blinkered view
Economic and other "externalities" increasingly inform public policy as our realization is cemented that nothing on Earth can be truly "thrown away" or disposed of short of shooting it into deep space and that in a world supporting 7 billion humans virtually every human action leaves a "footprint" even as we walk away. In healthy democracies policy responsive to reality requires impetus and demand from the ultimate authority— voters. Should not enough voters have a factual grip on what shapes their world, policy to optimize our situation will suffer commensurate with the demand failure. In the face of this and with such an abundance of people stressing the capacity of the planet, full accounting for and acknowledgement of our impact becomes very important as a technical matter. It's for this reason that research such as Climate change denial is associated with diminished sensitivity in internalizing environmental externalities (open access) particularly deserves our heed. Our way to a better future lies in better understanding of how we see our world and think about it, so this article by Berger & Wyss is a welcome addition to a crucially important research domain. From the abstract:
Our results show that climate change scepticism predicts self-interested choices and showcases that sceptics have an insensitive acceptance of emissions, reaping benefits no matter how large the climate cost are or how small the personal benefits become.
This may sound condemnatory but the authors are only expressing their findings in clinical language. For us laypersons,"clinical" suggests that a remedy for the malady might be found. Now that we see the problem, we can figure out how to address it.
Housekeeping
In order to slightly level a schedule including peaks that are too high, New Research will be moving to Thursday publication commencing with the next edition.
110 articles
Observations of climate change, effects
Heatwaves in Southeast Asia and their changes in a warmer world
Dong et al Earth's Future
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1029/2021ef001992
Spatial variability of south Asian summer monsoon extreme rainfall events and their association with global climate indices
Jamshadali et al Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics
DOI: 10.1016/j.jastp.2021.105708
Assessing volumetric change distributions and scaling relations of retrogressive thaw slumps across the Arctic
Bernhard et al
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/tc-2021-137 10.5194/tc-2021-137-supplement
Climate pacing of millennial sea-level change variability in the central and western Mediterranean
Vacchi et al Nature Communications
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24250-1
Atmospheric extremes caused high oceanward sea surface slope triggering the biggest calving event in more than 50 years at the Amery Ice Shelf
Francis et al The Cryosphere
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/tc-15-2147-2021
Multi-decadal retreat of marine-terminating outlet glaciers in northwest and central-west Greenland
Black & Joughin Joughin
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/tc-2021-164 10.5194/tc-2021-164-supplement
Complex changes of extreme precipitation in the warming climate of Poland
Pi?skwar International Journal of Climatology
DOI: 10.1002/joc.7274
Spatial and temporal variability in extreme precipitation in the Pearl River Basin, China from 1960 to 2018
Xu et al International Journal of Climatology
DOI: 10.1002/joc.7273
Winter vs. summer temperature variations on the southeastern Tibetan Plateau, 1718–2005?CE
Song et al Atmospheric Research
DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosres.2021.105739
Projection of extreme precipitation induced by Arctic amplification over the Northern Hemisphere
Liu et al Environmental Research Letters
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/ac0acc
Recent decreases in domestic energy consumption in the United Kingdom attributed to human influence on the climate
Christidis et al Atmospheric Science Letters
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1002/asl.1062
Climate change favours large seasonal loss of Arctic ozone
von der Gathen et al Nature Communications
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24089-6
Instrumentation & observational methods of climate change, effects
Revision of the World Meteorological Organization Global Atmosphere Watch (WMO/GAW) CO2 calibration scale DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24089-6
An improved sea ice detection algorithm using MODIS: application as a new European sea ice extent indicator
Parera-Portell et al The Cryosphere
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/tc-15-2803-2021 10.5194/tc-2020-333
Bias-correcting carbon fluxes derived from land-surface satellite data for retrospective and near-real-time assimilation systems
Weir et al Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/acp-21-9609-2021
Modeling, simulation & projection of climate change, effects
The Response of the Nordic Seas to Wintertime Sea Ice Retreat
Wu et al Journal of Climate
DOI: 10.1175/jcli-d-20-0932.1
First assessment of the earth heat inventory within CMIP5 historical simulations
Cuesta-Valero et al Earth System Dynamics
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/esd-12-581-2021 10.5194/esd-2020-88 10.5194/esd-2020-88-supplement
Projection of extreme precipitation induced by Arctic amplification over the Northern Hemisphere
Liu et al Environmental Research Letters
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/ac0acc
Robust increase of Indian monsoon rainfall and its variability under future warming in CMIP6 models
Katzenberger et al Earth System Dynamics
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/esd-12-367-2021
Prospect of increased disruption to the QBO in a changing climate
Anstey et al Geophysical Research Letters
DOI: 10.1002/essoar.10503358.3 10.1029/2021gl093058
Advances in climate & climate effects modeling, simulation & projection
Assessment of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 6 (CMIP6) Model performance in simulating the spatial-temporal variation of aerosol optical depth over Eastern Central China
Li et al Atmospheric Research
DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosres.2021.105747
Underestimated marine stratocumulus cloud feedback associated with overly active deep convection in models
Hirota et al Environmental Research Letters
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/abfb9e
Evaluation of ocean dimethylsulfide concentration and emission in CMIP6 models
Bock et al
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/bg-2020-463 10.5194/bg-2020-463-supplement
Added value of a Convection Permitting Model in simulating Atmospheric Water cycle over the Asian Water Tower
Zhao et al Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres
DOI: 10.1029/2021jd034788
The Importance of the Representation of DMS Oxidation in Global Chemistry?Climate Simulations
Hoffmann et al Geophysical Research Letters
DOI: 10.1029/2021gl094068
Effects of Climate Model Mean?State Bias on Blocking Underestimation
Kleiner et al Geophysical Research Letters
DOI: 10.1029/2021gl094129
Assessing Biases and Climate Implications of the Diurnal Precipitation Cycle in Climate Models
Christopoulos & Schneider Geophysical Research Letters
DOI: 10.1029/2021gl093017
A process?oriented diagnostic to assess precipitation?thermodynamic relations and application to CMIP6 models
Ahmed & David Neelin Geophysical Research Letters
pdf DOI: 10.1029/2021gl094108
A signal processing approach to correct systematic bias in trend and variability in climate model simulations
Kusumastuti et al Geophysical Research Letters
DOI: 10.1029/2021gl092953
Evaluation of statistical downscaling methods for climate change projections over Spain: present conditions with perfect predictors
Hernanz et al International Journal of Climatology
DOI: 10.1002/joc.7271 10.5194/ems2021-46
Cryosphere & climate change
Assessing volumetric change distributions and scaling relations of retrogressive thaw slumps across the Arctic
Bernhard et al
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/tc-2021-137 10.5194/tc-2021-137-supplement
Glacier detachments and rock-ice avalanches in the Petra Pervogo range, Tajikistan (1973–2019)
Leinss et al Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/nhess-2020-285 10.5194/nhess-21-1409-2021
Atmospheric extremes caused high oceanward sea surface slope triggering the biggest calving event in more than 50 years at the Amery Ice Shelf
Francis et al The Cryosphere
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/tc-15-2147-2021
Sensitivity of the Greenland surface mass and energy balance to uncertainties in key model parameters DOI: 10.5194/tc-15-2147-2021
Brief communication: A roadmap towards credible projections of ice sheet contribution to sea-level
Aschwanden et al
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/tc-2021-175
Multi-decadal retreat of marine-terminating outlet glaciers in northwest and central-west Greenland
Black & Joughin Joughin
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/tc-2021-164 10.5194/tc-2021-164-supplement
An improved sea ice detection algorithm using MODIS: application as a new European sea ice extent indicator
Parera-Portell et al The Cryosphere
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/tc-15-2803-2021 10.5194/tc-2020-333
Topographic and ground?ice controls on shallow landsliding in thawing Arctic permafrost
Mithan et al Geophysical Research Letters
DOI: 10.1029/2020gl092264
Do existing theories explain seasonal to multi?decadal changes in glacier basal sliding speed?
F et al Geophysical Research Letters
DOI: 10.1029/2021gl092858
Sea level & climate change
Contributions of altimetry and Argo to non?closure of the global mean sea level budget since 2016
Barnoud et al Geophysical Research Letters
DOI: 10.1029/2021gl092824
Climate pacing of millennial sea-level change variability in the central and western Mediterranean
Vacchi et al Nature Communications
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24250-1
Brief communication: A roadmap towards credible projections of ice sheet contribution to sea-level
Aschwanden et al
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/tc-2021-175
Paleoclimate
Snapshots of mean ocean temperature over the last 700 000 years using noble gases in the EPICA Dome C ice core
Haeberli et al Climate of the Past
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/cp-17-843-2021
Sensitivity of the Greenland surface mass and energy balance to uncertainties in key model parameters DOI: 10.5194/cp-17-843-2021
Parallel between the isotopic composition of coccolith calcite and carbon levels across Termination II: Developing a new paleo-CO2 probe DOI: 10.5194/cp-17-843-2021
Biology & climate change
Future fire-driven landscape changes along a southwestern US elevation gradient
Remy et al Climatic Change
DOI: 10.1007/s10584-021-03140-x
Effects of climate variability on an estuarine green crab Carcinus maenas population DOI: 10.1007/s10584-021-03140-x
Climate warming-induced drought constrains vegetation productivity by weakening the temporal stability of the plant community in an arid grassland ecosystem
Liu et al Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
DOI: 10.1016/j.agrformet.2021.108526
Extreme wet events as important as extreme dry events in controlling spatial patterns of vegetation greenness anomalies
Famiglietti et al Environmental Research Letters
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/abfc78
Biomass partitioning of C3- and C4-dominated grasslands in response to climatic variability and climate extremes
Hossain & Li Environmental Research Letters
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/ac027a
Alkalinity cycling and carbonate chemistry decoupling in seagrass mystify processes of acidification mitigation
Miller & Kelley Kelley Scientific Reports
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-92771-2 10.21203/rs.3.rs-419885/v1
Predicting the responses of subalpine forest landscape dynamics to climate change on the eastern Tibetan Plateau DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-92771-2 10.21203/rs.3.rs-419885/v1
Breeding heat-tolerant corals to save the Great Barrier Reef
Crow Nature
DOI: 10.1038/d41586-021-01753-x
An integrated approach for tracking climate-driven changes in treeline environments on different time scales in the Valle d’Aosta, Italian Alps
Masseroli et al The Holocene
DOI: 10.1177/09596836211025974
Nitrogen restricts future treeline advance in the sub-arctic
Gustafson et al
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/bg-2021-169 10.5194/bg-2021-169-supplement
Causes of the extensive hypoxia in the Gulf of Riga in 2018
Stoicescu et al
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/bg-2021-160
Phytoplankton mortality in a changing thermal seascape
Baker & Geider Global Change Biology
DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15772
Determinants of community compositional change are equally affected by global change
Avolio et al Ecology Letters
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1111/ele.13824
Tree hazards compounded by successive climate extremes after masting in a small endemic tree, Distylium lepidotum, on subtropical islands in Japan
Nakamura et al Global Change Biology
DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15764
Embedding biodiversity research into climate adaptation policy and practice
Graham et al Global Change Biology
DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15770
Planktic foraminiferal changes in the western Mediterranean Anthropocene
Pallacks et al Global and Planetary Change
DOI: 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2021.103549
Growth resistance and resilience of mixed silver fir and Norway spruce forests in central Europe: Contrasting responses to mild and severe droughts
Bottero et al Global Change Biology
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15737
Thermal optima of gross primary productivity are closely aligned with mean air temperatures across Australian wooded ecosystems
Bennett et al Global Change Biology
DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15760
Assessing species reintroduction sites based on future climate suitability for food resources
Gomides et al Conservation Biology
DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13796
Impact of climate change on Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus) and its autumn diet in the northern highlands of Pakistan DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13796
GHG sources & sinks, flux
A review of trends and drivers of greenhouse gas emissions by sector from 1990 to 2018
Lamb et al Environmental Research Letters
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/abee4e
Conventional subsoil irrigation techniques do not lower carbon emissions from drained peat meadows
Weideveld et al Biogeosciences
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/bg-18-3881-2021
Bias-correcting carbon fluxes derived from land-surface satellite data for retrospective and near-real-time assimilation systems
Weir et al Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/acp-21-9609-2021
Small artificial waterbodies are widespread and persistent emitters of methane and carbon dioxide
Peacock et al Global Change Biology
DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15762
Effects of Climate Change on Peatland Reservoirs: A DOC Perspective
Fenner et al Global Biogeochemical Cycles
DOI: 10.1029/2021gb006992
Environmental Controls on the temporal evolution of Energy and CO2 fluxes on an Arid Mangrove of Northwestern Mexico DOI: 10.1029/2021gb006992
Differential impacts of alternate primary producers on carbon cycling
Miranda et al Ecology
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3455
Changes in net ecosystem exchange of CO2 in Arctic and their relationships with climate change during 2002?2017
Li et al Advances in Climate Change Research
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1016/j.accre.2021.06.004
Characterization of spring thaw and its relationship with carbon uptake for different types of southern boreal forest
Ahmed et al Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
DOI: 10.1016/j.agrformet.2021.108511
Diagnosing the impacts of climate extremes on the interannual variations of carbon fluxes of a subtropical evergreen mixed forest
Li et al Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1016/j.agrformet.2021.108507
A versatile gas flux chamber reveals high tree stem CH4 emissions in Amazonian peatland DOI: 10.1016/j.agrformet.2021.108507
Constraints on potential enzyme activities in thermokarst bogs: implications for the carbon balance of peatlands following thaw
Heffernan et al Global Change Biology
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15758
Long?term geothermal warming reduced stocks of carbon but not nitrogen in a subarctic forest soil
Peplau et al Global Change Biology
DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15754
Response of the peatland carbon dioxide sink function to future climate change scenarios and water level management
Salimi et al Global Change Biology
DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15753
Aged soils contribute little to contemporary carbon cycling downstream of thawing permafrost peatlands
Tanentzap et al Global Change Biology
DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15756
GHG removal & mitigation science & engineering
Reducing planetary health risks through short?lived climate forcer mitigation
Zheng & Unger GeoHealth
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1029/2021gh000422
Confronting mitigation deterrence in low-carbon scenarios
Grant et al Environmental Research Letters
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/ac0749
Radial storage efficiency for CO2 injection: Quantifying effectiveness of local flow control methods DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/ac0749
Heterogeneous catalysts for the hydrogenation of amine/alkali hydroxide solvent captured CO2 to formate: A review DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/ac0749
Regional variation in the effectiveness of methane-based and land-based climate mitigation options
Hayman et al Earth System Dynamics
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.5194/esd-12-513-2021 10.5194/esd-2020-24 10.5194/esd-2020-24-supplement
Co-benefits of protecting mangroves for biodiversity conservation and carbon storage
Rahman et al Nature Communications
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24207-4
Geoengineering climate
Modeling the outdoor cooling impact of highly radiative “super cool” materials applied on roofs
Sinsel et al Urban Climate
DOI: 10.1016/j.uclim.2021.100898
Aerosols
Controls on surface aerosol number concentrations and aerosol-limited cloud regimes over the central Greenland Ice Sheet DOI: 10.1016/j.uclim.2021.100898
Decarbonization
Challenges to local innovation and implementation of low-carbon energy-transition measures: A tale of two Austrian regions
Irshaid et al Energy Policy
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2021.112432
Climate change communications & cognition
Climate change denial is associated with diminished sensitivity in internalizing environmental externalities
Berger & Wyss Environmental Research Letters
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/ac08c0
On Decision?Analytical Support for Wicked Policy Issues
Linnerooth?Bayer Risk Analysis
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1111/risa.13750
Epistemic engagement: examining personal epistemology and engagement preferences with climate change in Oregon
Suldovsky & Taylor-Rodríguez Climatic Change
DOI: 10.1007/s10584-021-03138-5
Agronomy, animal husbundry, food production & climate change
Assessment of future climate change impact on rainfed wheat yield in the semi-arid Eastern High Plain of Algeria using a crop model
Kourat et al Natural Hazards
DOI: 10.1007/s11069-020-04435-5
A photovoice assessment for illuminating the role of inland fisheries to livelihoods and the local challenges experienced through the lens of fishers in a climate-driven lake of Malawi
Simmance et al Ambio
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1007/s13280-021-01583-1
Hydrology & climate change
Climate change decisive for Asia’s snow meltwater supply
Kraaijenbrink et al Nature Climate Change
DOI: 10.1038/s41558-021-01074-x 10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-2404
Accounting for tropical cyclones more than doubles the global population exposed to low-probability coastal flooding
Dullaart et al Communications Earth & Environment
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1038/s43247-021-00204-9
Effects of Climate Change on Peatland Reservoirs: A DOC Perspective
Fenner et al Global Biogeochemical Cycles
DOI: 10.1029/2021gb006992
Relationships between NDVI, river discharge and climate in the Okavango River Basin region
Moses et al International Journal of Climatology
DOI: 10.1002/joc.7267
Impact of climate change in the flow regimes of the Upper and Middle Amazon River
de Souza Costa et al Climatic Change
DOI: 10.1007/s10584-021-03141-w
Identifying and separating climate- and human-driven water storage anomalies using GRACE satellite data
Liu et al Remote Sensing of Environment
DOI: 10.1016/j.rse.2021.112559
Climate change and economics & international trade
Embodied carbon emissions of aluminum-containing commodities in international trade: China’s perspective
Li et al Climatic Change
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1007/s10584-021-03144-7 10.21203/rs.3.rs-349460/v1
Potential integration of Chinese and European emissions trading market: welfare distribution analysis
Li et al Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1007/s11027-021-09960-7
Climate change mitigation public policy research
Confronting mitigation deterrence in low-carbon scenarios
Grant et al Environmental Research Letters
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/ac0749
Energy system developments and investments in the decisive decade for the Paris Agreement goals
Bertram et al Environmental Research Letters
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/ac09ae
DICE and the carbon budget for ambitious climate targets
Azar & Johansson Johansson Earth's Future
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1002/essoar.10506432.1 10.1029/2021ef002041
Uncertainty in the prediction and management of CO2 emissions: a robust minimum entropy approach
Qu et al Natural Hazards Natural Hazards
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1007/s11069-020-04434-6 10.1007/s11069-020-04486-8
Mainstreaming climate change mitigation actions in Nepal: Influencing factors and processes
Baniya et al Environmental Science & Policy
DOI: 10.1016/j.envsci.2021.06.018
Ensuring that offsets and other internationally transferred mitigation outcomes contribute effectively to limiting global warming
Allen et al Environmental Research Letters
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/abfcf9
Climate change impacts on human health
Impact of an accelerated melting of Greenland on malaria distribution over Africa
Chemison et al Nature Communications
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24134-4
Toward an integrated system of climate change and human health indicators: a conceptual framework
Liu et al Climatic Change
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1007/s10584-021-03125-w 10.21203/rs.3.rs-338331/v1
Climate change adaptation & adaptation public policy research
Climate change frontrunners in the Australian Property Sector
Warren-Myers et al Climate Risk Management
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1016/j.crm.2021.100340
An Integrated Framework to Streamline Resilience in the context of Urban Climate Risk Assessment
Urquiza et al Earth's Future
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1029/2020ef001508
Embedding biodiversity research into climate adaptation policy and practice
Graham et al Global Change Biology
DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15770
Feasibility assessment of climate change adaptation options across Africa: an evidence-based review
Williams et al Environmental Research Letters
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/ac092d
Adapting transformation and transforming adaptation to climate change using a pathways approach
Colloff et al Environmental Science & Policy
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1016/j.envsci.2021.06.014
Climate change impacts on human culture
Vulnerability and resilience of power systems infrastructure to natural hazards and climate change
Schweikert & Deinert WIREs Climate Change
DOI: 10.1002/wcc.724
Other
Climate-induced stressors to peace: a review of recent literature
Sharifi et al Environmental Research Letters
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/abfc08
Meteorological impact on winter PM2.5 pollution in Delhi: Present and future projection under a warming climate DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/abfc08
Informed opinion, nudges & major initiatives
Filling the evidentiary gap in climate litigation
Stuart-Smith et al Nature Climate Change
DOI: 10.1038/s41558-021-01086-7
Climate change and its impact on the Third Pole and beyond
Chen & Yao Advances in Climate Change Research
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1016/j.accre.2021.06.003
Integrating institutional approaches and decision science to address climate change: a multi-level collective action research agenda
York et al Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability
pdf DOI: 10.1016/j.cosust.2021.06.001
Plastic dinosaurs – Digging deep into the accelerating carbon lock-in of plastics
Bauer & Fontenit Energy Policy
Open Access pdf DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2021.112418
Obtaining articles wihout journal subscriptions
We know it's frustrating that many articles we cite here are not free to read. One-off paid access fees are generally astronomically priced, suitable for such as "On a Heuristic Point of View Concerning the Production and Transformation of Light" but not as a gamble on unknowns. With a median world income of US$ 9,373, for most of us US$ 42 is significant money to wager on an article's relevance and importance.
- Here's an excellent collection of tips and techniques for obtaining articles, legally.
- Unpaywall offers a browser extension for Chrome and Firefox that automatically indicates when an article is freely accessible and provides immediate access without further trouble. Unpaywall is also unscammy, works well, is itself offered free to use. The organizers (a legitimate nonprofit) report about a 50% success rate
- The weekly New Research catch is checked against the Unpaywall database with accessible items being flagged. Especially for just-published articles this mechansim may fail. If you're interested in an article title and it is not listed here as "open access," be sure to check the link anyway.
How is New Research assembled?
Most articles appearing here are found via RSS feeds from journal publishers, filtered by search terms to produce raw output for assessment of relevance.
Relevant articles are then queried against the Unpaywall database, to identify open access articles and expose useful metadata for articles appearing in the database.
The objective of New Research isn't to cast a tinge on scientific results, to color readers' impressions. Hence candidate articles are assessed via two metrics only:
- Was an article deemed of sufficient merit by a team of journal editors and peer reviewers? The fact of journal RSS output assigns a "yes" to this automatically.
- Is an article relevant to the topic of anthropogenic climate change? Due to filter overlap with other publication topics of inquiry, of a typical week's 550 or so input articles about 1/4 of RSS output makes the cut.
A few journals offer public access to "preprint" versions of articles for which the review process is not yet complete. As it is the journal's decision to do so, we respect that and include such items in New Research. These are flagged as "preprint."
The section "Informed opinion, nudges & major initiatives" includes some items that are not scientific research per se but fall instead into the category of "perspectives," observations of implications of research findings, areas needing attention, etc.
Articles are presented with a title link via the original publisher URL so as to preserve provenance information, and when (usually) available, a more permanent DOI link. When a publicly accessible PDF version of an article is found, a direct link is provided.
Suggestions
Please let us know if you're aware of an article you think may be of interest for Skeptical Science research news, or if we've missed something that may be important. Send your input to Skeptical Science via our contact form.
Journals covered
A list of journals we cover may be found here. We welcome pointers to omissions, new journals etc.
Previous edition
The previous edition of Skeptical Science New Research may be found here.
Comments