Arguments
Skeptical Science New Research for Week #18 2024
Posted on 2 May 2024 by Doug Bostrom, Marc Kodack
Open access notables
Generative AI tools can enhance climate literacy but must be checked for biases and inaccuracies, Atkins et al., Communications Earth & Environment:
In the face of climate change, climate literacy is becoming increasingly important. With wide access to generative AI tools, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, we explore the potential of AI platforms for ordinary citizens asking climate literacy questions. Here, we focus on a global scale and collect responses from ChatGPT (GPT-3.5 and GPT-4) on climate change-related hazard prompts over multiple iterations by utilizing the OpenAI’s API and comparing the results with credible hazard risk indices. We find a general sense of agreement in comparisons and consistency in ChatGPT over the iterations. GPT-4 displayed fewer errors than GPT-3.5. Generative AI tools may be used in climate literacy, a timely topic of importance, but must be scrutinized for potential biases and inaccuracies moving forward and considered in a social context. Future work should identify and disseminate best practices for optimal use across various generative AI tools.
Astronomy’s climate emissions: Global travel to scientific meetings in 2019, Gokus et al., PNAS Nexus:
Travel to academic conferences—where international flights are the norm—is responsible for a sizeable fraction of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with academic work. In order to provide a benchmark for comparison with other fields, as well as for future reduction strategies and assessments, we estimate the CO2-equivalent emissions for conference travel in the field of astronomy for the prepandemic year 2019. The GHG emission of the international astronomical community’s 362 conferences and schools in 2019 amounted to 42,500 tCO2e, assuming a radiative-forcing index factor of 1.95 for air travel. This equates to an average of 1.0 ± 0.6 tCO2e per participant per meeting. The total travel distance adds up to roughly 1.5 Astronomical Units, that is, 1.5 times the distance between the Earth and the Sun. We present scenarios for the reduction of this value, for instance with virtual conferencing or hub models, while still prioritizing the benefits conferences bring to the scientific community.
The IPCC’s reductive Common Era temperature history, Esper et al., Communications Earth & Environment:
Common Era temperature variability has been a prominent component in Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports over the last several decades and was twice featured in their Summary for Policymakers. A single reconstruction of mean Northern Hemisphere temperature variability was first highlighted in the 2001 Summary for Policymakers, despite other estimates that existed at the time. Subsequent reports assessed many large-scale temperature reconstructions, but the entirety of Common Era temperature history in the most recent Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was restricted to a single estimate of mean annual global temperatures. We argue that this focus on a single reconstruction is an insufficient summary of our understanding of temperature variability over the Common Era. We provide a complementary perspective by offering an alternative assessment of the state of our understanding in high-resolution paleoclimatology for the Common Era and call for future reports to present a more accurate and comprehensive assessment of our knowledge about this important period of human and climate history.
Phasing out coal power in two major Southeast Asian thermal coal economies: Indonesia and Vietnam, Do & Burke, Energy for Sustainable Development:
The phase-out of unabated coal power is crucial for meeting climate agreements in coal-dependent economies such as Indonesia and Vietnam. Despite both countries committing to the 2021 Global Coal to Clean Power Transition Statement, translating phase-out pledges into action poses considerable challenges. Drawing insights from interviews with government, civil society, and industry experts, this study identifies the key barriers hindering coal phase-out in each country. Concerns about potentially escalating electricity prices and power shortages loom large, with the former being more prominent in Indonesia and the latter more prominent in Vietnam. The obstacles appear particularly significant in Indonesia for reasons including its higher coal dependence. We conclude that prioritizing renewable energy growth, as well as halting the construction of new coal plants, would be the most practical and viable way forward for both countries rather than an oversized early focus on coal plant closures. The analysis is of high relevance to informing plans under the two countries' Just Energy Transition Partnerships.
The decision maker’s lament: If I only had some science!, Bisbal, Ambio (perspective):
Environmental decision makers lament instances in which the lack of actionable science limits confident decision-making. Their reaction when the needed scientific information is of poor quality, uninformative, unintelligible, or altogether absent is often to criticize scientists, their work, or science in general. The considerations offered here encourage decision makers to explore alternative approaches to alleviate their disappointment. Ironically, many researchers lament the lack of support for the science they wish to deliver and accuse decision makers of failing to realize the value of the scientific studies they propose. Both communities would benefit by remembering that producing actionable science for a pending decision requires knowing the context for that decision beforehand. They may also look inward. Only then will they find answers to the question: What can I do within my own capacity to ensure that the necessary actionable science becomes available and facilitate its use to inform decisions?
From this week's government/NGO section
Heavy precipitation hitting vulnerable communities in the UAE and Oman becoming an increasing threat as the climate warms, Zachariah et al., World Weather Attribution:
From April 14 to 15 2024, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the northern parts of Oman were hit by exceptionally heavy rainfall causing massive disruption in infrastructure and public life in the area and leading to at least 20 fatalities in Oman and four in the United Arab Emirates UAE. The disagreement between model results and observations prevents the authors from concluding with certainty that human-induced climate change is the main driver making this event more likely. However, while multiple reasons could explain the absence of a trend in the model results, the authors have no alternative explanation for a trend in observations other than the expectation of heavy rainfall increasing in a warmer climate.
Climate Reality on-Screen: The Climate Crisis in Popular Films, 2013-22, Schneider-Mayerson, et al., Buck Lab for Climate and Environment, Colby College:
The authors provide audience members, screenwriters, filmmakers, studios, and researchers with a straightforward way to evaluate whether climate change is represented—or omitted—in any narrative through a two-part, binary evaluation tool that is simple, illuminating, and powerful.
140 articles in 64 journals by 910 contributing authors
Physical science of climate change, effects
Asymmetric impacts of forest gain and loss on tropical land surface temperature, Zhang et al., Nature Geoscience 10.1038/s41561-024-01423-3
Carbon budget concept and its deviation through the pulse response lens, Avakumovi?, Earth System Dynamics Open Access 10.5194/esd-15-387-2024
Observations of climate change, effects
Anthropogenic influence on seasonal extreme temperatures in eastern China at century scale, Hu et al., Weather and Climate Extremes Open Access 10.1016/j.wace.2024.100675
Anthropogenic Influence on the Extremely Low September Sea Ice and Hot Summer of 2020 over the Arctic and Its Future Risk of Occurrence, Kaixi et al., Weather and Climate Extremes Open Access 10.1016/j.wace.2024.100674
Climate change impacts on precipitation and water resources in Northwestern China, Zheng et al., Frontiers in Environmental Science Open Access pdf 10.3389/fenvs.2024.1377286
Increasing Risk of a “Hot Eastern-Pluvial Western” Asia, Ding et al., Earth's Future Open Access 10.1029/2023ef004333
Spatiotemporal variations of meteorological drought and its dominant factors in different climate regions for the first two decades of the twenty-first century, Xing et al., Theoretical and Applied Climatology 10.1007/s00704-024-04833-w
Instrumentation & observational methods of climate change, effects
Advances in monitoring glaciological processes in Kalallit Nunaat (Greenland) over the past decades, Fahrner et al., PLOS Climate Open Access pdf 10.1371/journal.pclm.0000379
Conflicting Changes of Vegetation Greenness Interannual Variability on Half of the Global Vegetated Surface, Tian & Luo, Earth's Future Open Access 10.1029/2023ef004119
Russian collaboration loss risks permafrost carbon emissions network, Schuur et al., Nature Climate Change 10.1038/s41558-024-02001-6
Tropical forest loss alters land surface temperature more than tropical forest gain, , Nature Geoscience 10.1038/s41561-024-01424-2
Modeling, simulation & projection of climate change, effects
Double intensification centers of summer marine heatwaves in the South China Sea associated with global warming, Dong et al., Climate Dynamics Open Access 10.1007/s00382-024-07247-6
Emergent Constraints on Future Projections of Tibetan Plateau Warming in Winter, Hu et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access pdf 10.1029/2024gl108728
Future projections of temperature extremes over East Asia based on a deep learning downscaled CMIP6 high-resolution (0.1°) dataset, Pan et al., Atmospheric Research 10.1016/j.atmosres.2024.107448
Multi-model comparison of trends and controls of near-bed oxygen concentration on the northwest European continental shelf under climate change, Galli et al., Biogeosciences Open Access 10.5194/bg-21-2143-2024
Projecting Changes in the Drivers of Compound Flooding in Europe Using CMIP6 Models, Hermans et al., Earth's Future Open Access pdf 10.1029/2023ef004188
Regional scaling of sea surface temperature with global warming levels in the CMIP6 ensemble, Milovac et al., Climate Dynamics Open Access pdf 10.1007/s00382-024-07218-x
Advancement of climate & climate effects modeling, simulation & projection
Benefits of the coupling in the downscaling the South American climate, Ordoñez et al., Atmospheric Research Open Access 10.1016/j.atmosres.2024.107447
Bergen metrics: composite error metrics for assessing performance of climate models using EURO-CORDEX simulations, Samantaray et al., Geoscientific Model Development Open Access 10.5194/gmd-17-3321-2024
Efficient spin-up of Earth System Models using sequence acceleration, Khatiwala, Science Advances 10.1126/sciadv.adn2839
Global 1 km land surface parameters for kilometer-scale Earth system modeling, Li et al., Earth System Science Data Open Access 10.5194/essd-16-2007-2024
How virtuous are the bias corrected CMIP6 models in the simulation of heatwave over different meteorological subdivisions of India?, Singh et al., Urban Climate 10.1016/j.uclim.2024.101936
Snow depth in high-resolution regional climate model simulations over southern Germany – suitable for extremes and impact-related research?, Poschlod & Daloz Daloz Daloz, The Cryosphere Open Access pdf 10.5194/tc-18-1959-2024
Uncertainty in the Past and Future Changes of Tropical Pacific SST Zonal Gradient: Internal Variability versus Model Spread, Wang et al., Journal of Climate 10.1175/jcli-d-23-0237.1
Cryosphere & climate change
Anthropogenic Influence on the Extremely Low September Sea Ice and Hot Summer of 2020 over the Arctic and Its Future Risk of Occurrence, Kaixi et al., Weather and Climate Extremes Open Access 10.1016/j.wace.2024.100674
Climate change impacts on snow avalanche activity and related risks, Eckert et al., Nature Reviews Earth & Environment 10.1038/s43017-024-00540-2
Climate projections of the Adriatic Sea: role of river release, Verri et al., Frontiers in Climate Open Access 10.3389/fclim.2024.1368413
Firn air content changes on Antarctic ice shelves under three future warming scenarios, Veldhuijsen et al., The Cryosphere Open Access 10.5194/tc-18-1983-2024
The First Hillslope Thermokarst Invertory for the Permafrost Region of the Qilian Mountains, Peng et al., Open Access pdf 10.5194/essd-2023-431
Sea level & climate change
Assessing coastal flood risk under extreme events and sea level rise in the Casablanca-Mohammedia coastline (Morocco), Chtioui et al., Natural Hazards 10.1007/s11069-024-06624-y
Assessment and spatialization of vulnerability of Benin coast to sea level rise using composite/blended approach, Déguénon et al., Environmental Science & Policy 10.1016/j.envsci.2024.103762
Paleoclimate & paleogeochemistry
Historical Soil Moisture Variability in High-Latitude Humid Regions: Insights From a Paleoclimate Data-Model Comparison, Wang et al., Earth's Future Open Access pdf 10.1029/2023ef004017
Stable isotope evidence for long-term stability of large-scale hydroclimate in the Neogene North American Great Plains, Manser et al., Climate of the Past Open Access 10.5194/cp-20-1039-2024
Biology & climate change, related geochemistry
A marine heatwave changes the stabilizing effects of biodiversity in kelp forests, Liang et al., Ecology Open Access 10.1002/ecy.4288
A risk assessment framework for the future of forest microbiomes in a changing climate, Willing et al., Nature Climate Change 10.1038/s41558-024-02000-7
Climate and anthropogenic activities threaten two langur species irrespective of their range size, Ye et al., Diversity and Distributions 10.1111/ddi.13841
Climate-driven shifts in decapod larvae assemblages in a temperate estuary, Monteiro et al., Marine Environmental Research 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106526
Climate-induced reduction in metabolically suitable habitat for U.S. northeast shelf marine species, Slesinger et al., PLOS Climate Open Access pdf 10.1371/journal.pclm.0000357
Compensatory shell thickening in corrosive environments varies between related rocky-shore and estuarine gastropods, Marshall & Tsikouras, Marine Environmental Research 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106536
Extended ozone depletion and reduced snow and ice cover—Consequences for Antarctic biota, Robinson et al., Global Change Biology Open Access 10.1111/gcb.17283
Functional diversity and metabolic response in benthic communities along an ocean acidification gradient, Berlino et al., Marine Environmental Research 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106520
Habitat alteration or climate: What drives the densities of an invading ungulate?, Mohan et al., Current Science Open Access pdf 10.18520/cs/v114/i05/963-963
High-resolution climate data reveal an increasing risk of warming-driven activity restriction for diurnal and nocturnal lizards, Dufour et al., Ecology and Evolution Open Access 10.1002/ece3.11316
Increasing susceptibility and shortening response time of vegetation productivity to drought from 2001 to 2021, Tang et al., Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 10.1016/j.agrformet.2024.110025
Interactions between climate change and urbanization will shape the future of biodiversity, Urban et al., Nature Climate Change 10.1038/s41558-024-01996-2
Introducing the concepts of range-pinning and Allee effects to explain reduced temperature sensitivity of global treeline dynamics, Büntgen et al., Global Change Biology 10.1111/gcb.17288
Local reflects global: Life stage-dependent changes in the phenology of coastal habitat use by North Sea herring, Rademaker et al., Global Change Biology Open Access 10.1111/gcb.17285
Morphological responses of root hairs to changes in soil and climate depend on plant life form, Zhou et al., Frontiers in Forests and Global Change Open Access pdf 10.3389/ffgc.2024.1324405
Pollen thermotolerance of a widespread plant, Lotus corniculatus, in response to climate warming: possible local adaptation of populations from different elevations, Jackwerth et al., PeerJ Open Access 10.7717/peerj.17148
Shark critical life stage vulnerability to monthly temperature variations under climate change, Coulon et al., Marine Environmental Research Open Access 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106531
Short-versus long-term effects of nitrogen addition and warming on soil nitrogen mineralization and leaching in a grass-dominated old field, Souriol & Henry, Oecologia 10.1007/s00442-024-05549-4
Synergistic negative effects between a fungicide and high temperatures on homing behaviours in honeybees, DesJardins et al., Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 10.1098/rspb.2024.0040
The tolerance of a keystone ecosystem engineer to extreme heat stress is hampered by microplastic leachates, Uguen et al., Biology Letters 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0457
Vegetation dieback in the Mississippi River Delta triggered by acute drought and chronic relative sea-level rise, Elsey-Quirk et al., Nature Communications Open Access pdf 10.1038/s41467-024-47828-x
Warming effects on lizard gut microbiome depend on habitat connectivity, Fromm et al., Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences Open Access pdf 10.1098/rspb.2024.0220
GHG sources & sinks, flux, related geochemistry
A Novel Method for Characterizing the Inter- and Intra-Lake Variability of CH4 Emissions: Validation and Application Across a Latitudinal Transect in the Alpine Region, Tomelleri et al., Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences Open Access pdf 10.1029/2023jg007392
An Approach for Assessing Human Respiration CO2 Emissions Using Radiocarbon Measurements and Bottom-Up Data Sets, Wang et al., Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 10.1029/2023jd040578
An Outsized Contribution of Rivers to Carbon Emissions From Interconnected Urban River-Lake Networks Within Plains, Liu et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access pdf 10.1029/2023gl107250
Astronomy’s climate emissions: Global travel to scientific meetings in 2019, Gokus et al., PNAS Nexus Open Access pdf 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae143
Atmospheric constraints on changing Arctic CH4 emissions, Lan & Dlugokencky, Frontiers in Environmental Science Open Access pdf 10.3389/fenvs.2024.1382621
Carbon density and sequestration in the temperate forests of northern Patagonia, Argentina, Loguercio et al., Frontiers in Forests and Global Change Open Access 10.3389/ffgc.2024.1373187
Enhanced response of soil respiration to experimental warming upon thermokarst formation, Wang et al., Nature Geoscience Open Access pdf 10.1038/s41561-024-01440-2
Forest-floor respiration, N2O fluxes, and CH4 fluxes in a subalpine spruce forest: drivers and annual budgets, Krebs et al., Biogeosciences Open Access 10.5194/bg-21-2005-2024
High-resolution US methane emissions inferred from an inversion of 2019 TROPOMI satellite data: contributions from individual states, urban areas, and landfills, Nesser et al., Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Open Access pdf 10.5194/acp-24-5069-2024
Hurricanes pose a substantial risk to New England forest carbon stocks, Tumber-Dávila et al., Open Access pdf 10.1101/2023.11.22.568264
Large variation in carbon dioxide emissions from tropical peat swamp forests due to disturbances, Hirano et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access pdf 10.1038/s43247-024-01387-7
Long-Term Response of Peatland Carbon Exchange to Climatic Changes in the Hudson Bay Lowlands, Balogun et al., Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences Open Access 10.1029/2023jg007873
Modeling carbon burial along the land to ocean aquatic continuum: Current status, challenges and perspectives, Henry et al., Earth Open Access 10.1016/j.earscirev.2024.104791
Modeling fuel-, vehicle type-, and age-specific CO2 emissions from global on-road vehicles, 1970–2020, Yan et al., Open Access 10.5194/essd-2024-101
Picoplanktonic methane production in eutrophic surface waters, Tenorio & Farías Farías Farías, Open Access pdf 10.5194/bg-2023-185
Quantifying CH4 emissions from coal mine aggregation areas in Shanxi, China, using TROPOMI observations and the wind-assigned anomaly method, Tu et al., Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Open Access 10.5194/acp-24-4875-2024
Quantitative imaging of carbon dioxide plumes using a ground-based shortwave infrared spectral camera, Knapp et al., Atmospheric Measurement Techniques Open Access 10.5194/amt-17-2257-2024
Spatial and temporal variations of gross primary production simulated by land surface model BCC&AVIM2.0, Li et al., Advances in Climate Change Research Open Access 10.1016/j.accre.2023.02.001
Spatiotemporal heterogeneity in the increase of ocean acidity extremes in the Northeast Pacific, Desmet et al., Open Access pdf 10.5194/bg-2023-60
Storm-Driven pCO2 Feedback Weakens the Response of Air-Sea CO2 Fluxes in the Sub-Antarctic Southern Ocean, Toolsee et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2023gl107804
Temperature, Water Depth, and Flow Velocity Are Important Drivers of Methane Ebullition in a Temperate Lowland Stream, Bedna?ík et al., Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences 10.1029/2023jg007597
The biological controls of soil carbon accumulation following wildfire and harvest in boreal forests: A review, Gundale et al., Global Change Biology 10.1111/gcb.17276
CO2 capture, sequestration science & engineering
A stakeholder-centred narrative exploration on carbon capture, utilisation and storage: A systems thinking and participatory approach, Mota-Nieto & García-Meneses, Energy Research & Social Science Open Access 10.1016/j.erss.2024.103563
Reforestation done right is a multi-tasking climate solution, Daley, Frontiers in Forests and Global Change Open Access pdf 10.3389/ffgc.2024.1381078
The performance of solvent-based direct air capture across geospatial and temporal climate regimes, Brooks et al., Frontiers in Climate Open Access pdf 10.3389/fclim.2024.1394728
Decarbonization
Battery electricity storage as both a complement and substitute for cross-border interconnection, Biancardi et al., Energy Policy Open Access 10.1016/j.enpol.2024.114134
Impact of electric vehicle charging demand on power distribution grid congestion, Li & Jenn, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Open Access pdf 10.1073/pnas.2317599121
The clock is ticking: Understanding the ‘mixed feelings’ about fusion energy in Europe, Jones et al., Energy Research & Social Science Open Access 10.1016/j.erss.2024.103538
Geoengineering climate Black carbon Aerosols
Aerosol forcing regulating recent decadal change of summer water vapor budget over the Tibetan Plateau, Wang et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-024-46635-8
Climate change communications & cognition
Beyond climate change? Environmental discourse on the planetary boundaries in Twitter networks, Dubey et al., Climatic Change Open Access pdf 10.1007/s10584-024-03729-y
Generative AI tools can enhance climate literacy but must be checked for biases and inaccuracies, Atkins et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access pdf 10.1038/s43247-024-01392-w
Who are climate activists and what do they do? A study of diversity in the U.S. climate movement, Fang, Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences Open Access 10.1007/s13412-024-00911-7
Agronomy, animal husbundry, food production & climate change
Aligning agri-environmental-climate public good supply and desire in a sustainable Dutch agricultural sector, Farokhi et al., Ambio Open Access pdf 10.1007/s13280-024-01983-z
Analysis of drought and heat stress response genes in rice using co-expression network and differentially expressed gene analyses, Cao et al., Open Access pdf 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3047406/v1
Climate-smart agriculture: adoption, impacts, and implications for sustainable development, Ma & Rahut, Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change Open Access pdf 10.1007/s11027-024-10139-z
Do fishers follow fish displaced by climate warming?, Abe et al., npj Ocean Sustainability Open Access 10.1038/s44183-024-00063-9
Groundwater and climate smart agriculture: a reflection from West Bengal, India, Roy et al., Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change 10.1007/s11027-024-10137-1
Long-term straw return to a wheat-maize system results in topsoil organic C saturation and increased yields while no stimulating or reducing yield-scaled N2O and NO emissions, Yao et al., Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 10.1016/j.agrformet.2024.109937
Social responsibility awareness and adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices: evidence from food-based family farms in China, Li et al., Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change 10.1007/s11027-024-10132-6
Hydrology, hydrometeorology & climate change
Changes in drought occurrence and intensity in the context of climate change in Slovakia, Labudová et al., Theoretical and Applied Climatology 10.1007/s00704-024-04864-3
Climate change impacts on precipitation and water resources in Northwestern China, Zheng et al., Frontiers in Environmental Science Open Access pdf 10.3389/fenvs.2024.1377286
Design rainfalls under climate change scenarios in South East Queensland, Australia: A Brisbane River case study, Saboia & Helfer Helfer, Urban Climate Open Access 10.1016/j.uclim.2024.101919
Effectiveness and resilience of BMPs to watershed climate adaptation considering the uncertainty of hydrological model and GCMs, Zhang et al., Climate Risk Management Open Access 10.1016/j.crm.2024.100612
Impact of Soil Moisture Dynamics and Precipitation Pattern on UK Urban Pluvial Flood Hazards Under Climate Change, Rong et al., Earth's Future Open Access pdf 10.1029/2023ef004073
Climate change economics
Higher education’s impact on CO2 mitigation: MENA insights with consideration for unemployment, economic growth, and globalization, Zouine et al., Frontiers in Environmental Science Open Access pdf 10.3389/fenvs.2024.1325598
“Hidden price”: Energy conservation and emission reduction targets and employment growth, Wang et al., Energy Policy 10.1016/j.enpol.2024.114135
Climate change mitigation public policy research
Bourdieu’s sociological lens: unveiling the dynamics of household carbon footprint in the Kalyani sub-division of Nadia district, West Bengal, India, Dey et al., Environment, Development and Sustainability 10.1007/s10668-023-04148-2
Can operational efficiency in the Portuguese electricity sector be improved? Yes, but..., Hou et al., Energy Policy Open Access 10.1016/j.enpol.2024.114146
Catalysts for sustainable energy transitions: the interplay between financial development, green technological innovations, and environmental taxes in European nations, Fatima et al., Environment, Development and Sustainability 10.1007/s10668-023-04081-4
Decarbonization, critical minerals, and tribal sovereignty: Pathways towards conflict transformation, Zarsky et al., Energy Research & Social Science Open Access 10.1016/j.erss.2024.103561
Decoupling government spending from carbon emissions: A spatio-temporal analysis of 283 Chinese cities, Feng et al., Urban Climate 10.1016/j.uclim.2024.101941
Driving toward sustainable cities: The interplay between Chinese emerging corporate ESG performance and climate finance in achieving low-carbon development, Liu et al., Urban Climate Open Access 10.1016/j.uclim.2024.101918
Equitable rooftop photovoltaics deployment, Castellanos, Nature Energy 10.1038/s41560-024-01525-7
Forerunner city or net-zero opportunist? Carbon dioxide removal in Stockholm, residual emissions and risks of mitigation deterrence, Olsson et al., Energy Research & Social Science Open Access 10.1016/j.erss.2024.103567
Impact of population mobility on regional carbon emissions: empirical evidence from Australia, Guo, Frontiers in Environmental Science Open Access 10.3389/fenvs.2024.1392267
Increasing single households challenges household decarbonization in japan, Huang et al., Global Environmental Change Open Access 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2024.102848
Large methane mitigation potential through prioritized closure of gas-rich coal mines, Liu et al., Nature Climate Change 10.1038/s41558-024-02004-3
Market instrument for the first fuel and its role in decarbonizing Indian industrial production, Giri & Sharma, Energy Policy 10.1016/j.enpol.2024.114139
Multinational companies and climate change and sustainable development debate: evidence from cement production in Nigeria, Nkwor et al., Climate and Development 10.1080/17565529.2024.2342683
Phasing out coal power in two major Southeast Asian thermal coal economies: Indonesia and Vietnam, Do & Burke, Energy for Sustainable Development Open Access 10.1016/j.esd.2024.101451
Reading the room: developing a practical justice politics of regional energy transition, Marshall & Pearse, Environmental Politics Open Access 10.1080/09644016.2024.2347164
Stepping into the just transition journey: The energy transition in petrostates, Hasan et al., Energy Research & Social Science Open Access 10.1016/j.erss.2024.103553
The politics of deforestation and REDD+ in Indonesia: global climate change mitigation, Sulistiani & Rambe, Environmental Politics 10.1080/09644016.2024.2347159
Toward sustainable heating: Assessment of the carbon mitigation potential from residential heating in northern rural China, Wang & Wei, Energy Policy 10.1016/j.enpol.2024.114141
Whose Expertise and Whose Knowledge Matter? Influencing Wind Power Decisions in Norway, Bonvik-Stone & Lykke, Environmental Communication Open Access 10.1080/17524032.2024.2341931
Climate change adaptation & adaptation public policy research
Addressing extreme urban heat and energy vulnerability of renters in Portland, OR with resilient household energy policies, Ashbaugh & Kittner, Energy Policy 10.1016/j.enpol.2024.114143
Assessing climate change vulnerability of coastal roads, Rocchi et al., Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change Open Access 10.1007/s11027-024-10140-6
Capturing cascading consequences is required to reflect risk from climate change and natural hazards, Thompson et al., Climate Risk Management Open Access 10.1016/j.crm.2024.100613
Climate impacts and adaptation strategies for coastal erosion, aquaculture, and tourism along the Adriatic side of Apulia region, Parete et al., Frontiers in Climate Open Access pdf 10.3389/fclim.2024.1378253
Delayed, abrupt and unjust: An institutionalist perspective on limits to climate change adaptation, Berkhout et al., Climate Risk Management Open Access 10.1016/j.crm.2024.100611
Exploring co-production in redirecting climate urbanism, Karol Mohan & Muraleedharan, Climate and Development 10.1080/17565529.2024.2339249
Governance, institutions, and climate change resilience in Sub-Saharan Africa: assessing the threshold effects, Bambi et al., Frontiers in Environmental Science Open Access 10.3389/fenvs.2024.1352344
The governance of climate adaptation in metropolitan regions: A systematic review of emerging themes and issues, Gori Nocentini, Urban Climate Open Access 10.1016/j.uclim.2024.101944
Climate change impacts on human health
Analysing health system capacity and preparedness for climate change, Braithwaite et al., Nature Climate Change Open Access 10.1038/s41558-024-01994-4
Beach day or deadly heatwave? Content analysis of media images from the 2021 Heat Dome in Canada, , Hitchhiker Open Access 10.2307/j.ctt1vjqqtb.19
Increasing tree cover and high-albedo surfaces reduces heat-related ER visits in Los Angeles, CA, Sheridan et al., International Journal of Biometeorology Open Access pdf 10.1007/s00484-024-02688-4
Climate change & geopolitics
The challenges of the increasing institutionalization of climate security, Hardt et al., PLOS Climate Open Access pdf 10.1371/journal.pclm.0000402
Other
Extreme hydrometeorological events induce abrupt and widespread freshwater temperature changes across the Pacific Northwest of North America, Déry et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access pdf 10.1038/s43247-024-01407-6
Informed opinion, nudges & major initiatives
A Convergence Science Approach to Understanding the Changing Arctic, Ivanov et al., Earth's Future Open Access 10.1029/2023ef004157
Accuracy of Ocean CO2 Uptake Estimates at a Risk by a Reduction in the Data Collection, Dong et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2024gl108502
Achieving transformational change through the consilience of behavioral science and radical alternatives, Read & Selinske, Sustainability Science Open Access pdf 10.1007/s11625-024-01482-w
Earth Virtualization Engines (EVE), Stevens et al., Earth System Science Data Open Access 10.5194/essd-16-2113-2024
Editorial: Climate science, solutions and services for net zero, climate-resilient food systems, Falloon et al., Frontiers in Environmental Science Open Access pdf 10.3389/fenvs.2024.1416427
The decision maker’s lament: If I only had some science!, Bisbal, Ambio Open Access pdf 10.1007/s13280-024-01986-w
The IPCC’s reductive Common Era temperature history, Esper et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access pdf 10.1038/s43247-024-01371-1
“Net zero” may need a rethink to keep climate targets within reach, Battersby, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Open Access 10.1073/pnas.2407160121
Book reviews
David Sedlak. Water for all: global solutions for a changing climate, Smardon, Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences 10.1007/s13412-024-00925-1
Articles/Reports from Agencies and Non-Governmental Organizations Addressing Aspects of Climate Change
State of the Air 2024 Report, American Lung Assoication
“State of the Air” 2024 is the 25th edition of this annual report, which was first published in 2000. From the beginning, the findings have reflected the successes of the Clean Air Act, as emissions from transportation, power plants and manufacturing have been reduced. In recent years, however, the findings of the report continue adding to the evidence that a changing climate is making it harder to protect human health. High ozone days and spikes in particle pollution related to extreme heat, drought and wildfires are putting millions of people at risk and adding challenges to the work that states and cities are doing across the nation to clean up air pollution.
Climate Change and Military Power: Hunting for Submarines in the Warming Ocean, Gilli et al., Texas National Security Review
Climate change will have significant effects on military power, capabilities, effectiveness, and employment. Yet, scholars have paid little attention to this topic. We address this gap by investigating the effects of changing ocean conditions on anti-submarine warfare. Anti-submarine warfare capabilities exploit various physical phenomena to detect enemy submarines, principally underwater sound propagation. Underwater sound propagation depends on factors influenced by climate change, such as water temperature and salinity. Through ocean-acoustic simulations, we estimate the effect of climate change on the detection range of enemy submarines in the North Atlantic and in the Western Pacific.
Heavy precipitation hitting vulnerable communities in the UAE and Oman becoming an increasing threat as the climate warms, Zachariah et al., World Weather Attribution
From April 14 to 15 2024, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the northern parts of Oman were hit by exceptionally heavy rainfall causing massive disruption in infrastructure and public life in the area and leading to at least 20 fatalities in Oman and four in the United Arab Emirates UAE. The disagreement between model results and observations prevents the authors from concluding with certainty that human-induced climate change is the main driver making this event more likely. However, while multiple reasons could explain the absence of a trend in the model results, the authors have no alternative explanation for a trend in observations other than the expectation of heavy rainfall increasing in a warmer climate.
Mitigating Risk That Climate Change Poses to the National Critical Functions, Resetar,, RAND
The National Critical Functions (NCFs) are those functions vital to the United States' economic and national security, public health, and safety. Climate change effects have the potential to disrupt routine operations of these functions. Climate risk mitigation strategies are intended to reduce an NCF's vulnerability to, or the consequences from, direct and indirect effects of climate change. This report is intended to inform risk mitigation planning and decision-making by contextualizing climate risk mitigation through a review of mitigation strategies for four NCFs: Maintain Supply Chains, Provide Insurance Services, Prepare for and Manage Emergencies, and Provide Public Safety.
Transmission Interconnection Roadmap, Gorman et al., Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
The authors identify solutions to enable interconnection processes to meet the growing demand for renewable energy resources from the rapid, widespread clean energy transition. The authors provide the diverse group of interconnection stakeholders with near- to long-term solutions to address current challenges in transmission system interconnection.
New Nuclear Energy: Assessing the National Security Risks, Sharon Squassoni, The George Washington University
The climate crisis has renewed interest in nuclear energy as a way of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In 2023, the United States and 21 other countries pledged to triple nuclear energy by 2050. Lost in the noise about meeting net zero goals are the national security implications of attempting such an enormous expansion of nuclear energy.
Louisiana Offshore Wind Supply Chain Assessment, Xodus et al., Xodus Group, The Pew Charitable Trusts, Greater New Orleans Inc, the Southeastern Wind Coalition, Center for Planning Excellence
Louisiana’s experience and expertise in offshore energy grants it a unique position to support the burgeoning U.S. offshore wind industry, while attracting new opportunities for existing Louisiana businesses, expanding employment opportunities for Louisiana residents, and capturing significant economic benefits for the State. The authors assess the industry landscape, supply chain, and workforce opportunities available to Louisiana in the offshore wind industry. As a nationally recognized leader in port infrastructure, maritime construction, and energy production, Louisiana can further diversify and develop new employment and economic opportunities through renewable energy production.
New York City Panel on Climate Change Assessments, New York City Panel on Climate Change
The authors provide insights into the state of the science on climate change and the implications for adaptation and mitigation policy in New York City. Building on the longitudinal data afforded by this ongoing research, this assessment centers on equity as a shared focus across all working groups. This is achieved through inclusive internal processes for working group activities and explicit attention to uneven impacts and vulnerabilities associated with climate change policy responses.
Coal to Nuclear Repowering: Considerations for State Energy Offices and Public Utility Commissions, Kelsey Jones, National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners and National Association State Energy Officials
The author highlights some of the benefits and challenges associated with the coal to nuclear repowering process, with a particular focus on the policy, programmatic, and regulatory considerations of relevance to State Energy Offices and Public Utility Commissions. Some of the benefits of coal to nuclear repowering include reduced emissions, workforce and economic development potential, improved electric reliability, and opportunities to save time and money relative to greenfield deployment by repurposing existing infrastructure.
2024 Energy Fact Sheet. Tracking MN’s clean energy trends, Clean Energy Economy MN and the Business Council of Sustainable Energy
The Factsheet outlines key trends in the energy sector. As America continues its transformation to cleaner, cheaper sustainable energy, Minnesota continues to be a leader both regionally and nationally. For example, for the fourth consecutive year, zero-carbon power remained the majority of Minnesota’s electricity with 54% of the state’s power provided, including wind, solar, hydro and biomass — outpacing the national share of 42%.
Climate Reality on-Screen: The Climate Crisis in Popular Films, 2013-22, Schneider-Mayerson, et al., Buck Lab for Climate and Environment, Colby College
The authors provide audience members, screenwriters, filmmakers, studios, and researchers with a straightforward way to evaluate whether climate change is represented—or omitted—in any narrative through a two-part, binary evaluation tool that is simple, illuminating, and powerful.
Obtaining articles without 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. For some key journals this all the mention we'll see in RSS feeds, so we 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.
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