Arguments
Skeptical Science New Research for Week #17 2026
Posted on 23 April 2026 by Doug Bostrom, Marc Kodack
Technical note: new feature in New Research
Every article we list here is eyeball-scanned by a real human but we do lean on bibliographic catalogs (publication databases) to supply article metadata for assembly of each edition of our weekly research surveillance scan. A little in-house software on our end connected via an API to a rich suite of upstream bibliographic information makes regular production possible.
While recently making API changes to improve our background tooling for New Research, we found ourselves unable to resist tapping into a little more information to include in our regular product. There's one key metric to help us all better understand what practicing scientists find most useful (and stimulating) in the torrent of climate-related research reports we sample here each week: "how many investigators cite a work in their own inquiries?" Our knowledge boundaray inexorably expands past any given report, but older results may well be foundational to newer exploration. So, we've added an little retrospective to each domain section in our weekly listing. For each section, we query our data, asking "what paper listed here 2 years ago has been most cited since it appeared?" This new feature appears at the end of each section:
There's a vast wealth in our bibliographic resources of ways to see how fresh information travels and effloresces after publication. For instance, by looking at raw cite statistics one might think that Springer-Nature is the center of mass of the entire academic publishing world. But by other metrics quite likely better describing concentration of thought and new insight, the barycenter of cutting-edge human intellect may well lie elsewhere. Given enough effort it's possible to "see" such things in diagram form— but there are not 36 hours in a day, unfortunately. Hopefully we'll have time to explore more!
After this round of tinkering, we now rely entirely on OpenAlex for bibliographic catalog API services. While this speeds internal production, we continue to recommend Unpaywall, and particularly the Unpaywall browser extension which for readers denied institutional privileges affords much handier access to many research articles.
Open access notables
Increasing Population and Cropland Exposure to Human-Induced Sequential Heatwave-Downpour Events, Guan et al., Earth s Future
Compound sequential heatwave-downpour (SHD) events, characterized by abrupt shifts from heatwaves to heavy rainfall, pose serious threats to health, infrastructure, and agriculture. However, the anthropogenic influence on the increasing trend of SHD events is poorly understood, and projections also exhibit large uncertainties. Our study revealed that the affected area of SHD events has grown notably across the Northern Hemisphere. The anthropogenic influences account for approximately 82.2% of the increase in affected areas of SHD events, with greenhouse gas emissions contributing the most. The constrained projection found that the exposure of population and cropland will increase nearly 8-fold under a high-emission scenario in the long term (2081–2100), compared to the current climate baseline (1991–2020). Notably, climate change, rather than population or land use change, is identified as the dominant driver of this increased exposure. Our finding highlights that reducing greenhouse gas emissions can mitigate the impacts of SHD on populations and croplands.
Dramatic increase in ecosystem respiration causes record-breaking atmospheric CO2 growth rate in 2024, Dong et al., Nature Communications
2024 is the hottest year on record, accompanied by extreme precipitation, droughts and fires. The global atmospheric CO2 growth rate in 2024 reached a historic high of 3.73 ppm yr-1, significantly surpassing the previous record set during the 2015/16 El Niño event. Here, we investigate the causes and underlying mechanisms of this record-high growth rate by combining satellite-based atmospheric inversions and estimates of gross primary production and fire emissions. We find that the record-high CO2 growth rate is due to large reductions in the land CO2 sink. This is dominated by a dramatic increase in total ecosystem respiration, which occurred primarily in grass and shrub lands, owing to compound hot-wet climatic conditions in 2024. Given the projected increase in the frequency and intensity of compound pluvial-hot extremes under warming, changes in ecosystem respiration will become more drastic and cause positive feedback to climate warming.
Climate futures require politics, Leininger et al., Nature Communications [commentary]
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) seventh assessment cycle (AR7) has begun. Scientists have started to assess the literature on feasible and just climate and sustainability scenarios. The recommendations of the IPCC Workshop on the lessons learnt from the use of scenarios in AR6 point to the need for political science expertise to improve scenarios1. One key aspect highlighted in this report is political development2, including the quality and effectiveness of institutions, rule of law, and maintenance of peace. These factors have not yet been incorporated systematically and quantitatively into the Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs) used to generate pathways of climate action that are assessed in the IPCC. Findings of the IPCC have substantially influenced global climate action. If the omission of political development biases the conclusions drawn from scenario analysis, then the real-world merit of the scenario-based findings is called into question. Therefore, the purpose of this commentary is to suggest steps to improve the incorporation of political development in scenarios during the AR7 assessments and beyond.
A weakened diurnal weather constraint leads to longer burning hours in North America, Luo et al., Science Advances
Contemporary North American wildfires exhibit increasingly erratic intraday burning, posing immediate operational and socioeconomic challenges. Here, we show that climate-driven weakening of day-night (diurnal) weather constraints extends and intensifies burning hours, a key mechanism behind broader fire regime transformations. Analyzing hourly geostationary satellite observations for ~9000 fires (>200 hectares; 2017–2023), we found western mountains and boreal forests experienced the longest active burning hours, with approximately one-third of active days exceeding 12 hours. About 60% of fires reached peak intensity within 24 hours of detection, while 14% of active days peaked at night. On the basis of fire weather, annual potential burning hours were estimated to rise 36% over 1975–2024, with pronounced increases in western regions and spring/fall (48 to 57%). Regions with significant changes gained 26 more potential active days annually and 1.2 additional potential burning hours daily, while extreme days (≥12 or 24 potential burning hours) rose 81 to 233% in fire-prone biomes. Future management requires adaptation to wildfires that increasingly defy diurnal norms.
From this week's government/NGO section:
Climate Change Concern Near Its High Point in U.S, Jeffery Jones, Gallup
Americans’ concern about global warming or climate change remains elevated compared with what it had been prior to 2017. At least four in 10 U.S. adults have expressed “a great deal” of concern about the matter throughout the past decade except for a 39% reading in 2023. Between 2009 and 2016, worry was typically in the low-to-mid 30% range but dropped to as low as 25% in 2011. Currently, 44% of U.S. adults worry a great deal about global warming or climate change, among the highest in the full trend since 1989, along with 46% measured in 2020 and 45% in 2017.
A Global Fleet Under Wind: Scaling Wind Propulsion for Emission Reduction, Energy Demand and Equity, Mason et al., Seas at Risk
The authors present a first-ever study showcasing the benefits of wind propulsion when scaled up to the global fleet. Drawing on 1.74 billion kilometers of real voyage data – the equivalent distance from Earth to Saturn – wind propulsion could, conservatively, reduce modelled wind ship fuel use by 6.3-9.4%, with an even greater potential if paired with other optimization measures such as weather routing, slowing down speeds, and hull cleaning. By 2050, it could deliver up to 762 million tons of cumulative CO2 savings, getting us closer to our climate targets. The technology is here, but is policy willing?
173 articles in 70 journals by 1545 contributing authors
Physical science of climate change, effects
Can Large-Scale Clustering of Tropical Precipitation Be Used to Constrain Climate Sensitivity?, Blackberg & Singh, Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres Open Access 10.1029/2025jd045282
Global warming intensifies pantropical coupling and its control on northern hemisphere tropical cyclones, Zhao et al., npj Climate and Atmospheric Science Open Access pdf 10.1038/s41612-026-01412-w
Large Overestimation of Projected Western U.S. Wildfire Burned Forest Area With Warming, Cheng et al., AGU Advances Open Access 10.1029/2026av002350
Response of Ocean Mesoscale Coherent Eddies to Global Warming, Yang et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2025gl120228
The combined role of sea surface temperature and sea ice in the summer heatwaves over Pakistan, Li et al., Atmospheric Research 10.1016/j.atmosres.2026.108977
The Emergence of a Human Fingerprint in the Boreal Winter Extratropical Zonal Mean Circulation, Blackport & Sigmond, Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2026gl121773
The role of upper ocean stratification in resurgent marine heatwaves in the East/Japan Sea, Kim et al., Scientific Reports Open Access pdf 10.1038/s41598-026-47541-3
Weakening sensitivity of China’s terrestrial evapotranspiration to vegetation greening in a warmer world, Guo et al., Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 10.1016/j.agrformet.2026.111183
Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Hydrologic cycle weakening in hothouse climates, Science Advances, 10.1126/sciadv.ado2515 13 cites.
Observations of climate change, effects
A weakened diurnal weather constraint leads to longer burning hours in North America, Luo et al., Science Advances Open Access 10.1126/sciadv.aed0725
Declines in Autumn Precipitation in Southwestern China and the Yangtze River Basin Linked to the Tropical Pacific and Atlantic Warmings, Deng et al., Journal of Climate 10.1175/jcli-d-25-0479.1
Dramatic increase in ecosystem respiration causes record-breaking atmospheric CO2 growth rate in 2024, Dong et al., Nature Communications Open Access pdf 10.1038/s41467-026-72189-y
Global glacier mass change in 2025, Network et al., Nature Reviews Earth & Environment 10.1038/s43017-026-00777-z
Heatwave Characteristics and Trends Across Eight Japanese Cities, Mcgregor & Suzuki-Parker, Durham Research Online (Durham University) Open Access pmh:oai:durham-repository.worktribe.com:5179207
Increasing Population and Cropland Exposure to Human-Induced Sequential Heatwave-Downpour Events, Guan et al., Earth s Future Open Access 10.1029/2025ef007442
Large-scale aggregation of humid heatwaves exacerbated by coastal oceanic warming, Cai et al., Nature Geoscience 10.1038/s41561-026-01952-z
Ocean warming weakens the sea–land breeze in coastal megacities, Xiao et al., Earth s Future Open Access pdf 10.1029/2022ef003341
Tropical precipitation response to anthropogenic climate change in recent decades, Joseph et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-026-71187-4
Warming and snow loss increase reliance on old groundwater in a Colorado River headwater, Siirila-Woodburn et al., Nature Geoscience Open Access pdf 10.1038/s41561-026-01945-y
Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Record-breaking fire weather in North America in 2021 was initiated by the Pacific northwest heat dome, Communications Earth & Environment, 10.1038/s43247-024-01346-2 36 cites.
Instrumentation & observational methods of climate change, effects
A harmonized 2000–2024 dataset of daily river ice concentration and annual phenology for major Arctic rivers, Qiu et al., Earth system science data Open Access 10.5194/essd-18-2703-2026
ALTICAP: a new global satellite altimetry product for coastal applications, Cancet et al., Earth system science data Open Access pdf 10.5194/essd-18-2319-2026
Annually resolved atmospheric CO2 growth rate over the past nine centuries, Zhang et al., Nature Communications Open Access pdf 10.1038/s41467-026-72220-2
From Extreme Days to Event-Scale Persistence: Characterizing for Persistent Extreme Precipitation Across Multisource Datasets, Zhao et al., Weather and Climate Extremes Open Access 10.1016/j.wace.2026.100905
Improvements and limitations of the new Climate Hazards Center Infrared Precipitation with Stations (CHIRPSv3) dataset: Insights from multiple spatio-temporal scales in Colombia, Valencia et al., Atmospheric Research 10.1016/j.atmosres.2026.108971
Precipitation observing network gaps limit climate change impact assessment, Su et al., Nature Open Access 10.1038/s41586-026-10300-5
Sampling Biases in Daily Average Temperatures From Greenland Climate Records, Rapp et al., International Journal of Climatology 10.1002/joc.70317
Warming-induced positive age trends challenge MXD detrending, Esper et al., Dendrochronologia Open Access 10.1016/j.dendro.2026.126529
Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Data Drought in the Humid Tropics: How to Overcome the Cloud Barrier in Greenhouse Gas Remote Sensing, Geophysical Research Letters, 10.1029/2024gl108791 22 cites.
Modeling, simulation & projection of climate change, effects
Air Quality Penalty in Southeast Asia Driven by AMOC Slowdown, Vella et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2025gl121309
Amplified European Future Warming Under Mesoscale-Resolving Sea Surface Temperature Forcing, Moreno?Chamarro & Ortega, Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2025gl120578
Climate change affects future sea-bed mobility via storms and sea level rise, Rulent et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access pdf 10.1038/s43247-026-03500-4
Emerging Importance of Compound Flooding in Future Tropical Cyclone Hazard Profiles, Gori et al., Open MIND pmh:10.17615/ggmz-8m83
Enhanced Decadal Variance in Nordic Seas With AMOC Weakening in CESM, Patrizio et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2025gl118635
Impact attribution of the March 2022 Antarctic heatwave reveals amplification by cloud feedbacks and increased future meltwater, González et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access 10.1038/s43247-026-03485-0
Mediterranean and Global Sea Surface Temperature Trends to 2100: An ARIMAX Time-Series Forecasting Approach, Yildirim et al., Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics 10.1016/j.jastp.2026.106810
Multi-Model Evaluation and Future Projections of Radio Refractivity over West Africa Using CMIP6, Israel et al., Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics 10.1016/j.jastp.2026.106811
Multidecadal Oscillation Masks Ocean Wave Climate Trends in 75-Year Global Wave Hindcast, Shimura et al., Journal of Geophysical Research Oceans Open Access 10.1029/2025jc022340
The Hydroclimate Paradox of the Indian Summer Monsoon Projections: Dual Amplification of Deficit and Excess Rainfall in CMIP6 Models, Kulkarni et al., International Journal of Climatology 10.1002/joc.70401
Twenty-First Century Projections and Trends of JJAS Rainfall Over the Greater Horn of Africa Under CMIP6 Shared Socioeconomic Pathways Scenarios, Jima et al., International Journal of Climatology 10.1002/joc.70390
Widespread shift toward extreme dominated precipitation with pronounced trends in arid and mediterranean regions, Zaerpour et al., Scientific Reports Open Access pdf 10.1038/s41598-026-47708-y
Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Characteristic changes in compound drought and heatwave events under climate change, Atmospheric Research, 10.1016/j.atmosres.2024.107440 49 cites.
Advancement of climate & climate effects modeling, simulation & projection
Advancing Weather and Climate Science in Mesoamerica and the Caribbean: A Novel Regional Multiweek Convection-Permitting Simulation, Ocasio et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society 10.1175/bams-d-25-0023.1
CMIP7 Data Request: atmosphere priorities and opportunities, Dingley et al., Geoscientific model development Open Access pdf 10.5194/gmd-19-2945-2026
Evaluating model uncertainty in critical threshold estimations from time series data: application to the Atlantic meridional Overturning Circulation, Cotronei et al., Frontiers in Climate Open Access 10.3389/fclim.2026.1761461
Modeling snowpack dynamics and surface energy budget in boreal and subarctic peatlands and forests, Nousu et al., cryosphere Open Access 10.5194/tc-18-231-2024
Three decades of simulating global temperature patterns with coupled global climate models, Brunner et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access pdf 10.1038/s43247-026-03497-w
Towards improved Euro-Mediterranean discharge simulations in regional coupled climate models: a comparative assessment of hydrologic performance, Hamitouche et al., Geoscientific model development Open Access 10.5194/gmd-19-2881-2026
Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Projected changes in compound hot-dry events depend on the dry indicator considered, Communications Earth & Environment, 10.1038/s43247-024-01352-4 29 cites.
Cryosphere & climate change
A harmonized 2000–2024 dataset of daily river ice concentration and annual phenology for major Arctic rivers, Qiu et al., Earth system science data Open Access 10.5194/essd-18-2703-2026
Antarctic Meltwater-Stratification Feedback Is Less Pronounced Under High Climate Forcing, Kreuzer et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2025gl118643
Atmospheric Teleconnections as Potential Drivers of Ross Ice Shelf Basal Melt, Xiahou, Journal of Geophysical Research Oceans Open Access 10.1029/2026jc024241
Giant iceberg behaviour impacts regional biogeochemical cycling in the Southern Ocean, Taylor et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access pdf 10.1038/s43247-026-03440-z
Glacier mass balance and its response to 2022 heatwaves for Kangxiwa Glacier in the eastern Pamir: insights from time-lapse photography, Xie et al., cryosphere Open Access pdf 10.5194/tc-20-2279-2026
Global glacier mass change in 2025, Network et al., Nature Reviews Earth & Environment 10.1038/s43017-026-00777-z
Ice front positions for Greenland glaciers (2002–2021): a spatially extensive seasonal record and benchmark dataset for algorithm validation, Lu et al., Earth system science data Open Access 10.5194/essd-18-2635-2026
Permafrost tipping point triggered by warming-driven loss of old carbon, Wei et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-026-72122-3
Recent extremes in Antarctic sea ice extent modulated by ocean heat ventilation, Wilson et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Open Access pdf 10.1073/pnas.2530832123
Regional extreme Antarctic sea-ice retreat linked to tropical forcing, Liang et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access pdf 10.1038/s43247-026-03488-x
Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Geometric amplification and suppression of ice-shelf basal melt in West Antarctica, , 10.5194/egusphere-2023-1587 8 cites.
Sea level & climate change
Rapid Intensification and Relative Sea-Level Rise Amplify Compound Flooding From Hurricanes Harvey and Beryl, Lee et al., Earth s Future Open Access 10.1029/2025ef007678
Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Sustained increase in suspended sediments near global river deltas over the past two decades, Nature Communications, 10.1038/s41467-024-47598-6 61 cites.
Paleoclimate & paleogeochemistry
Climate and ocean circulation changes toward a modern snowball Earth, Obase et al., arXiv (Cornell University) Open Access pdf pmh:oai:arXiv.org:2603.26700
Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Ocean cavity regime shift reversed West Antarctic grounding line retreat in the late Holocene, Nature Communications, 10.1038/s41467-024-47369-3 9 cites.
Biology & climate change, related geochemistry
Biogeochemistry of climate driven shifts in Southern Ocean primary producers, Fisher et al., Biogeosciences Open Access pdf 10.5194/bg-22-975-2025
Bumble bee species display contrasting phenological responses to climate variation, Elshoff et al., Ecology 10.1002/ecy.70385
Climate change and non-climatic drivers jointly enhanced the NDVI of alpine grassland in the Source Region of the Yellow River (2000–2022), An et al., Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution Open Access 10.3389/fevo.2026.1748078
Climate change dominates blue-green water shifts in China’s Arid Northwest: Evidence from the Heihe River Basin, Ma et al., Environmental Earth Sciences Open Access pdf 10.1007/s12665-026-12940-2
Climate modes can be leveraged to forecast coral bleaching months in advance, Galochkina et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access 10.1038/s43247-026-03438-7
Climate warming and drought modify galling effects on tall goldenrod, Parker et al., Oecologia Open Access pdf 10.1007/s00442-026-05889-3
Dramatic increase in ecosystem respiration causes record-breaking atmospheric CO2 growth rate in 2024, Dong et al., Nature Communications Open Access pdf 10.1038/s41467-026-72189-y
Drivers of Thermal Habitat Use in Turtles Studied Under Semi-Natural Conditions, White et al., Ecology and Evolution Open Access 10.1002/ece3.73325
Ecological Divergence Governs Plant Resilience to Compound Salinity–Waterlogging Stress Under Global Change, Qiu et al., Global Change Biology 10.1111/gcb.70875
Fire and Snow: Effects of Snowpack Variation and Wildfire on Small Mammal Dynamics in Sub-Alpine Habitats, Green et al., Ecology and Evolution Open Access 10.1002/ece3.73525
Fish and Zooplankton Co-Responses to Environmental Gradients Under Different Climate Change Scenarios, Paquette et al., Global Change Biology Open Access 10.1111/gcb.70845
Frequent Dry–Hot Extremes Slow the Loss of Semi-Arid Ecosystem Resilience, Shi et al., Global Change Biology 10.1111/gcb.70835
Gene-to-Population Level Responses to Multiple Stressors on the Rocky Shore, Wilson et al., Ecology and Evolution Open Access 10.1002/ece3.73368
Giant iceberg behaviour impacts regional biogeochemical cycling in the Southern Ocean, Taylor et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access pdf 10.1038/s43247-026-03440-z
Global Warming Amplifies Nitrogen Over Phosphorus Limitation in Aquatic Ecosystems: A Multi-Trophic Meta-Analysis, Zhong et al., Global Change Biology 10.1111/gcb.70832
Hyperdominant Trees Reveal Savanna Vulnerability Under Climate Change, Alvarez et al., Global Change Biology Open Access 10.1111/gcb.70859
Mesothermic fishes face high fuel demands and overheating risk in warming oceans, Payne et al., Science Open Access 10.1126/science.adt2981
Monitoring Coral Reef Metabolism Under Changing Oceans–Novel Insights From Seawater Stable Carbon Isotopes, Bolden et al., Journal of Geophysical Research Biogeosciences Open Access 10.1029/2025jg009416
Permanence Risks to Biodiversity and Nature-Based Carbon Offsets, Dhond et al., Conservation Letters Open Access 10.1111/con4.70044
Predicted Range Shifts of Non-Native Grasses in Response to Climate Change Are Influenced by Photosynthetic Pathway: A Case Study in the Hawaiian Islands, Daehler et al., Diversity and Distributions Open Access 10.1111/ddi.70190
Projected heatwave-related excess mortality under climate change scenarios across 2288 communities in Australia: a nationwide ecological projection modelling study, Chen et al., The Lancet Planetary Health Open Access 10.1016/j.lanplh.2026.101446
Quantifying Under-Ice Phytoplankton Blooms in the Changing Arctic and Southern Oceans, Payne et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2026gl121750
Reconsidering the role of introduced species in the climate-affected and highly invaded eastern Mediterranean, Katsanevakis et al., Conservation Biology Open Access 10.1111/cobi.70288
Temperature-Related Changes in Avian Nestling Provisioning: A Global Analysis, Molenaar et al., Global Change Biology Open Access 10.1111/gcb.70871
Temporal shifts in kelp forest structure and distribution largely reflect recent ocean warming trends, Salland et al., Ecography Open Access 10.1002/ecog.08280
The effect of trait choice on hybrid species distribution model projections under climate change, Delva et al., Ecography Open Access 10.1002/ecog.08355
Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Mechanisms, detection and impacts of species redistributions under climate change, Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, 10.1038/s43017-024-00527-z 165 cites.
GHG sources & sinks, flux, related geochemistry
2019–2024 trends in African livestock and wetland emissions as contributors to the global methane rise, Balasus et al., Atmospheric chemistry and physics Open Access 10.5194/acp-26-4601-2026
Annually resolved atmospheric CO2 growth rate over the past nine centuries, Zhang et al., Nature Communications Open Access pdf 10.1038/s41467-026-72220-2
Deadwood carbon pool and uncertainty estimates: effects of decay status and vegetation types, Masanja et al., Frontiers in Forests and Global Change Open Access pdf 10.3389/ffgc.2026.1706865
Diurnal versus spatial variability of greenhouse gas emissions from an anthropogenic modified German lowland river, Koschorreck et al., Biogeosciences Open Access pdf 10.5194/bg-21-1613-2024
Drivers and implications of declining fossil fuel CO2 concentrations in Chinese cities revealed by radiocarbon measurements, Li et al., Atmospheric chemistry and physics Open Access 10.5194/acp-26-5085-2026
Hydrological Control on Soil Redox Condition and Carbon Loss of Coastal Wetland Under Sea-Level Rise, Chen et al., Earth s Future Open Access 10.1029/2025ef007528
Permafrost tipping point triggered by warming-driven loss of old carbon, Wei et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-026-72122-3
Quantifying urban and landfill methane emissions in the United States using TROPOMI satellite data, Wang et al., Science Advances Open Access 10.1126/sciadv.adz9308
Soil texture prevails over vegetation change in determining soil organic carbon storage in an African savanna, Zhou et al., Journal of Ecology Open Access 10.1111/1365-2745.70307
Space-based observation of global increase in urban methane emissions from 2019–2023, Whiting et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Open Access pdf 10.1073/pnas.2504211123
Tidal Wetland Soil Carbon Accumulation Rates for Coastal California, Holmquist et al., Scientific Data Open Access pdf 10.1038/s41597-026-06935-8
Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
An Assessment of CO2 Storage and Sea?Air Fluxes for the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea Between 1985 and 2018, Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 10.1029/2023gb007862 23 cites.
CO2 capture, sequestration science & engineering
Achieving carbon neutrality in China via carbon capture and storage with onshore-offshore geological storage, Wen et al., Global Environmental Change 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2026.103158
Current and potential carbon storage in soils of Chilean Patagonia, Figueroa et al., Frontiers in Environmental Science Open Access pdf 10.3389/fenvs.2026.1789707
Decades of increased emissions from forest-fuelled BECCS, Searchinger et al., Nature Sustainability 10.1038/s41893-026-01817-8
Hydrological Mismatch in Arid Planted Shrublands: Non-Responsiveness to Precipitation Changes and Unsustainable Water Use, You et al., Journal of Geophysical Research Biogeosciences 10.1029/2026jg009715
Machine learning reveals insufficient carbon capture storage deployment to meet climate goals, Li et al., Global Environmental Change 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2026.103157
Rethinking carbon dioxide removal: a justice-centred analysis of CDR perspectives research, Pues et al., Figshare Open Access 10.6084/m9.figshare.31864323
Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Public perceptions on carbon removal from focus groups in 22 countries, Nature Communications, 10.1038/s41467-024-47853-w 56 cites.
Decarbonization
Aligning offshore wind deployment with local priorities to accelerate power system decarbonization, Peng et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access 10.1038/s43247-026-03533-9
Does rail transportation matter for climate outcomes? evidence from public transport systems in Asia, Choudhary et al., Frontiers in Environmental Science Open Access pdf 10.3389/fenvs.2026.1807635
Exponential AI growth and the physical limits of renewable energy systems, Henni & Mohammed, Energy Policy Open Access 10.1016/j.enpol.2026.115314
Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Artificial intelligence-aided wind plant optimization for nationwide evaluation of land use and economic benefits of wake steering, Nature Energy, 10.1038/s41560-024-01516-8 39 cites.
Geoengineering climate
Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
The Potential of Stratospheric Aerosol Injection to Reduce the Climatic Risks of Explosive Volcanic Eruptions, Geophysical Research Letters, 10.1029/2023gl107702 8 cites.
Aerosols
Contrail Formation Within Cirrus: Contrail Induced Perturbations and Cirrus Adjustments, Verma & Burkhardt, Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres Open Access 10.1029/2025jd045269
Isotopic apportionment of sulfate aerosols between natural and anthropogenic sources in the outflow of South Asia, Clarke et al., Atmospheric chemistry and physics Open Access 10.5194/acp-26-5333-2026
Significant Radiative Absorption of Brown Carbon Aerosols From Residential Fuel Combustion in Developing Regions, Gao et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2026gl121829
Substantial aircraft contrail formation at low soot emission levels, Voigt et al., Nature Open Access pdf 10.1038/s41586-026-10286-0
Climate change communications & cognition
Apocalyptic Climate Change Conspiracy Theories and Misinformation in White-Nationalist Communities Online: An Analysis of 25 Years of Discourse on Stormfront, Ophir et al., Environmental Communication 10.6084/m9.figshare.31832763.v1
Heatwaves and online climate sentiment: evidence from Chinese social media, Feng et al., Figshare Open Access 10.6084/m9.figshare.32032693
How Communication of Scientific Uncertainty Affects Trust in Science—A Systematic Review, Schuster & Scheu, Risk Analysis 10.1111/risa.70233
Questioning Net Zero: a case study of the UK’s national press coverage, Painter et al., Climate Policy 10.1080/14693062.2026.2649378
The convergence of barriers: why people resist personal carbon account?, Wu et al., Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change 10.1007/s11027-026-10308-2
Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
“This community will grow” — little concern for future wildfires in a dry and increasingly hotter Swedish rural community, Regional Environmental Change, 10.1007/s10113-024-02227-2 10 cites.
Agronomy, animal husbundry, food production & climate change
A land-based pathway to carbon neutrality in rural districts, Pizzileo et al., Frontiers in Environmental Science Open Access pdf 10.3389/fenvs.2026.1792209
Adaptive Sowing Helps Mitigate Future Wheat Losses Globally, Qiao et al., Earth s Future Open Access 10.1029/2025ef006554
Asymmetric Shifts in Precipitation Alter Nitrogen Use Strategies in Global Croplands, Cui et al., Global Change Biology 10.1111/gcb.70863
Enhanced weathering leads to substantial C accrual on crop macrocosms, François, Open Science Framework Open Access 10.17605/osf.io/ah75t
Food sovereignty and climate resilience through regional development assistance programs: insights from the Pacific region, Platts & Yoon, Climate and Development 10.1080/17565529.2026.2654672
From heterogeneity factors to targeted policy: an application of econometrics and machine learning to Climate-Smart Agriculture adoption in maize production, Zhao et al., Figshare Open Access 10.6084/m9.figshare.32016933
Hydrological Mismatch in Arid Planted Shrublands: Non-Responsiveness to Precipitation Changes and Unsustainable Water Use, You et al., Journal of Geophysical Research Biogeosciences 10.1029/2026jg009715
Increasing Population and Cropland Exposure to Human-Induced Sequential Heatwave-Downpour Events, Guan et al., Earth s Future Open Access 10.1029/2025ef007442
Interactive effects of heat and drought on wheat yield change from synergistic to antagonistic as their severity increases, Chisaka et al., Agricultural and Forest Meteorology Open Access 10.1016/j.agrformet.2026.111189
Mapping current and future coffee suitability in Peru under climate change: implications for restoration and deforestation-free development, Zabaleta-Santisteban et al., Frontiers in Environmental Science Open Access pdf 10.3389/fenvs.2026.1777634
Measuring carbon sequestration and climate change mitigation potential of croplands under different climatic scenarios using RothC model, Adeel et al., Frontiers in Climate Open Access 10.3389/fclim.2026.1801916
Peak carbon sequestration rate reached on the Loess Plateau plantations, Jia et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access pdf 10.1038/s43247-026-03419-w
Phosphorus enrichment does not enlarge the predicted CO2 fertilization effect on forest carbon sequestration, Wang et al., Open Access CRIS of the University of Bern Open Access 10.48620/97012
Polish Agriculture in the Face of Climate Change: Better or Worse?, Szwed & Holka, International Journal of Climatology 10.1002/joc.70387
Positive effects of species mixing on soil carbon sequestration and water retention in global forest plantations, Huang et al., Journal of Ecology 10.1111/1365-2745.70321
Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Rethinking the social license to operate? A theoretical exploration of its synergies with social acceptance and energy justice for a just transition, Energy Research & Social Science, 10.1016/j.erss.2024.103552 26 cites.
Hydrology, hydrometeorology & climate change
Declines in Autumn Precipitation in Southwestern China and the Yangtze River Basin Linked to the Tropical Pacific and Atlantic Warmings, Deng et al., Journal of Climate 10.1175/jcli-d-25-0479.1
From Extreme Days to Event-Scale Persistence: Characterizing for Persistent Extreme Precipitation Across Multisource Datasets, Zhao et al., Weather and Climate Extremes Open Access 10.1016/j.wace.2026.100905
Green water will deviate the planetary boundary twice by the end of the 21st Century, Yang et al., Global and Planetary Change 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105482
Precipitation observing network gaps limit climate change impact assessment, Su et al., Nature Open Access 10.1038/s41586-026-10300-5
Rapid Intensification and Relative Sea-Level Rise Amplify Compound Flooding From Hurricanes Harvey and Beryl, Lee et al., Earth s Future Open Access 10.1029/2025ef007678
Regional drying over the Western U.S. driven by enhanced atmospheric subsidence amid global moistening from 1980 to 2020, Ding et al., Nature Communications Open Access pdf 10.1038/s41467-026-71818-w
Towards improved Euro-Mediterranean discharge simulations in regional coupled climate models: a comparative assessment of hydrologic performance, Hamitouche et al., Geoscientific model development Open Access 10.5194/gmd-19-2881-2026
Transpiration Changes With Soil Warming: Insights From a Mechanistic Model, Luo et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2025gl120046
Tropical precipitation response to anthropogenic climate change in recent decades, Joseph et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-026-71187-4
Twenty-First Century Projections and Trends of JJAS Rainfall Over the Greater Horn of Africa Under CMIP6 Shared Socioeconomic Pathways Scenarios, Jima et al., International Journal of Climatology 10.1002/joc.70390
Warming and snow loss increase reliance on old groundwater in a Colorado River headwater, Siirila-Woodburn et al., Nature Geoscience Open Access pdf 10.1038/s41561-026-01945-y
Widespread shift toward extreme dominated precipitation with pronounced trends in arid and mediterranean regions, Zaerpour et al., Scientific Reports Open Access pdf 10.1038/s41598-026-47708-y
Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Dynamic pathway linking Pakistan flooding to East Asian heatwaves, Science Advances, 10.1126/sciadv.adk9250 62 cites.
Climate change economics
Achieving climate justice: climate finance and income inequality in developing countries, Li et al., Open MIND Open Access pmh:10.6084/m9.figshare.31389871
Digital economy-driven decarbonization pathways: analyzing how digital economy and globalization impact climate change in the top-10 digital economies, Bashir et al., Frontiers in Environmental Science Open Access pdf 10.3389/fenvs.2026.1784967
Fixed climate feedback assumptions systematically underestimate policy-relevant economic risks: Implications for climate resilience, SHEN et al., Advances in Climate Change Research Open Access 10.1016/j.accre.2026.04.004
Loss and damage fund and countries’ incentives to compensate for climate-related damages, Silipo et al., Energy Policy Open Access 10.1016/j.enpol.2026.115300
Making expertise in international environmental governance: establishing loss and damage expert groups in the UNFCCC, Johansson, Environmental Sociology Open Access 10.1080/23251042.2026.2657318
Public support for climate finance to developing countries: a contingent valuation study in South Korea, Shin & Huh, Figshare Open Access 10.6084/m9.figshare.32054467.v1
Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
The relationship between CO2 emissions and macroeconomics indicators in low and high-income countries: using artificial intelligence, Environment Development and Sustainability, 10.1007/s10668-024-04880-3 18 cites.
Climate change and the circular economy
Water–energy–food nexus in the circular economy: implications for climate mitigation, Papadas et al., Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability Open Access 10.1016/j.cosust.2026.101649
,Climate change mitigation public policy research
Aligning climate change mitigation strategies with policy objectives beyond cost savings, [authors did not process], Nature Climate Change 10.1038/s41558-026-02617-w
Humanitarian blind spots in Western climate change policy and discourse, Qamar & Baig, Nature Climate Change 10.1038/s41558-026-02613-0
Regional priorities in implementing forestation and wind energy as climate solutions in facing their trade-offs, Zhang et al., Nature Communications Open Access pdf 10.1038/s41467-026-71674-8
Sector-specific climate policies for a green industrial transition with public support, Hansen & Koslowski, Figshare Open Access 10.6084/m9.figshare.31939110.v1
Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Modeling V2G spot market trading: The impact of charging tariffs on economic viability, Energy Policy, 10.1016/j.enpol.2024.114109 44 cites.
Climate change adaptation & adaptation public policy research
Adapting to what? Regional climate policy in Russia, Andreeva, Climate Policy 10.1080/14693062.2026.2643215
Assessing walkability and climate adaptive capacity in relation to urban morphology and historical development, Shartova & Mironova, GeoJournal 10.1007/s10708-026-11635-2
Centring Power in Climate Adaptation Politics Through Cross-Scale Governmentalities: A Systematic Review of High-Income Countries, Garland et al., Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews Climate Change Open Access 10.1002/wcc.70057
Gender and climate change: differential risks and resilience among internal migrants at their urban destination in coastal Bangladesh, Brisebois & Hoffmann, Climate and Development Open Access 10.1080/17565529.2026.2651955
Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Challenges for climate change adaptation in Latin America and the Caribbean region, Frontiers in Climate, 10.3389/fclim.2024.1392033 27 cites.
Climate change impacts on human health
A global research and evaluation agenda for centering health and equity in city Climate Action Plans, Adlakha et al., PLOS Climate Open Access 10.1371/journal.pclm.0000891
Association Between Observed Climate Change and Cardiovascular Disease in the United States, Yeager et al., GeoHealth Open Access 10.1029/2025gh001588
Climate and health at a critical juncture, Lokmic-Tomkins et al., PLOS Climate Open Access 10.1371/journal.pclm.0000895
Global hotspots of compound extreme heat-pollution linked to local surface and atmospheric conditions, Huang et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access 10.1038/s43247-026-03460-9
Projected heatwave-related excess mortality under climate change scenarios across 2288 communities in Australia: a nationwide ecological projection modelling study, Chen et al., The Lancet Planetary Health Open Access 10.1016/j.lanplh.2026.101446
Weather forecasts become more important for reducing mortality as the climate warms, Shrader et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Open Access 10.1073/pnas.2523372123
Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Mapping urban heatwaves and islands: the reverse effect of Salento’s “white cities”, Frontiers in Earth Science, 10.3389/feart.2024.1375827 4 cites.
Climate change & geopolitics
Global climate cooperation under the 2 °C goal: Mechanisms and pathways via a coupled CGE–ABM framework, Chen et al., Advances in Climate Change Research Open Access 10.1016/j.accre.2026.04.002
Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Transparency is what states make of it: whose climate priorities are reflected in the Paris Agreement’s enhanced transparency framework?, Climate Policy, 10.1080/14693062.2024.2341945 10 cites.
Climate change impacts on human culture
Climate Influences on Intangible Cultural Heritage in China over Two Millennia and its SDG Implications, Zhang et al., Anthropocene 10.1016/j.ancene.2026.100543
Extreme heat and humidity reduce the recreational value of urban green spaces, WANG et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access pdf 10.1038/s43247-026-03389-z
Do scientometric studies serve climate research?, Dyachenko et al., Climate and Development 10.1080/17565529.2026.2652538
Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Diversity in global environmental scenario sets, Global Environmental Change, 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2024.102839 6 cites.
Informed opinion, nudges & major initiatives
Climate futures require politics, Leininger et al., Nature Communications Open Access pdf 10.1038/s41467-026-71711-6
Editorial: Assessing greenhouse gas emissions at city and regional levels: challenges and methods, Hu et al., Frontiers in Environmental Science Open Access pdf 10.3389/fenvs.2026.1839415
Why more fossil fuels won’t fix the Iran energy crisis, Wagner, Nature 10.1038/d41586-026-01197-1
Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Human influence can explain the widespread exceptional warmth in 2023, Communications Earth & Environment, 10.1038/s43247-024-01391-x 19 cites.
Book reviews
What does the future hold for the thawing Arctic?, Gehrke, Nature 10.1038/d41586-026-01258-5
Articles/Reports from Agencies and Non-Governmental Organizations Addressing Aspects of Climate Change
Climate Change Concern Near Its High Point in U.S, Jeffery Jones, Gallup
Americans’ concern about global warming or climate change remains elevated compared with what it had been prior to 2017. At least four in 10 U.S. adults have expressed “a great deal” of concern about the matter throughout the past decade except for a 39% reading in 2023. Between 2009 and 2016, worry was typically in the low-to-mid 30% range but dropped to as low as 25% in 2011. Currently, 44% of U.S. adults worry a great deal about global warming or climate change, among the highest in the full trend since 1989, along with 46% measured in 2020 and 45% in 2017.
Utility Spending is Rising: A Review of Utility Capital Expenditure Plans, Powerlines
PowerLines found that investor-owned utilities are planning to spend at least $1.4 trillion over the next five years through 2030 on capital expenditures (CapEx)—a more than 21 percent increase over the $1.1 trillion over a five-year period outlined last year. Capital expenditures include expenses on physical assets such as power plants, transmission lines, and distribution poles and wires. This planned spending comes at a time when utility bills are rapidly rising. PowerLines analysis has shown that utility bills have increased approximately 40 percent since 2021, with no signs of slowing down. In 2025 alone, utilities requested $31 billion in rate increases, while electricity and gas became the fastest drivers of inflation. Most utilities expect high levels of capital spending to continue through 2030, a trend that promises to intensify growing affordability pressures. While these proposed spending amounts do not necessarily equate on a one-to-one basis to rate increases, utility CapEx plans are often a leading indicator of incoming rate increase requests. These growing costs could become the key driver behind utility rate increase requests over the next five years.
Delivering on Adaptation: An Assessment of International Adaptation Finance Flows, INKA Consult, DanChurchAid
The authors map and analyze international public adaptation finance, providing a better understanding for how progress toward the goal of tripling adaptation finance by 2035 can be achieved. The authors used publicly available data from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Climate-Related Development Finance (CRDF) database. There have been some estimates to enable the analysis.
Measure twice, cut once: A state-level framework for effective wildfire risk mitigation, Wara et al., Milliman
The authors present a risk-based framework guiding states to focus their efforts where they are more likely to see results: the built environment, particularly existing structures and surrounding vegetation, and electricity infrastructure. The framework consists of six steps including inventory the universe at risk; establish metrics for quantifying risks and damages; determine the key physical risks to mitigate and the appropriate actions needed to address each of them; assess the cost of mitigations and potential funding source; secure stakeholder buy-in; and create an action plan prioritizing mitigation methods and targets.
2026 Heat Safety Awareness Toolkit, Shivank Jhanji, The Alliance for Heat Resilience and Health
The author developed a new toolkit to help organizations and individuals take meaningful action around the national Heat Safety Week. It is designed for anyone who wants to raise awareness about extreme heat and support policies that protect the people most at risk. The toolkit is structured around three levels of engagement: Level 1: Social Media Amplify heat safety messages during NIHHIS Heat Safety Week (May 18–22). Share content, use #HeatSafety, and help spread the word. Level 2: Proclamation Request an official proclamation from your mayor or governor recognizing Heat Safety Week, using our step-by-step guide and templates. Level 3: Legislation Explore local and state policy options to protect your community from extreme heat, with real-world examples.
Stop Greed, Build Green: A Working Class Climate Strategy, Bigger et al., Climate and Community Institute
The US is staring down deepening cost-of-living and climate crises. A framework that focuses on immediate relief, robust regulation, state capacity, and massive investment can move us towards a stable, green economy that works for everyone. Enter Green Economic Populism (GEP), an intellectual framework and political strategy for a new era of climate and economic urgency. GEP recognizes that the affordability crisis is not a temporary setback but a structural challenge that will be intensified by the climate crisis. Therefore, any attempt to solve or even to alleviate the affordability crisis must, in tandem, address the climate crisis. The Green Economic Populism has four key planks including provide immediate economic relief to the cost-of-living crisis; regulate the industries and corporations driving economic and climate catastrophe; build a public sector that works for everyone; and mobilize massive green investments in communities, infrastructure, and industry.
A Global Fleet Under Wind: Scaling Wind Propulsion for Emission Reduction, Energy Demand and Equity, Mason et al., Seas at Risk
The authors present a first-ever study showcasing the benefits of wind propulsion when scaled up to the global fleet. Drawing on 1.74 billion kilometers of real voyage data – the equivalent distance from Earth to Saturn – wind propulsion could, conservatively, reduce modelled wind ship fuel use by 6.3-9.4%, with an even greater potential if paired with other optimization measures such as weather routing, slowing down speeds, and hull cleaning. By 2050, it could deliver up to 762 million tons of cumulative CO2 savings, getting us closer to our climate targets. The technology is here, but is policy willing?
The State(s) of Distributed Solar — 2025 Update, Ingrid Behrsin, The Institute for Local Self-Reliance
Distributed solar, which can be owned by individuals, small businesses, and public entities, is turning the electricity industry upside down as individuals choose to generate their own solar power on their rooftop or through participation in community solar. In 2025, of the 36 new gigawatts of solar capacity installed, 19% (6.8 GW) was distributed throughout communities. Many individuals who cannot go solar themselves can subscribe to a community solar garden. These solar arrays offer the same electric bill stability and savings as rooftop solar, but operate remotely under a subscription model. In 25 states and the District of Columbia, there’s sufficient distributed solar to serve one in every 25 households (a state distributed solar saturation of more than 100 watts per capita). This is the same as last year, although the average watts per capita among these leading states has risen from 273 to 329, suggesting that leading states continue to progress.
Mayor Bass' Climate Action Plan for Los Angeles, City of Los Angeles
Los Angeles is working to address the growing impacts of climate change and build a safer and more sustainable city. Developed in partnership with City departments, the roadmap outlines the actions, investments, and measurable targets needed to reduce emissions, strengthen infrastructure, and protect communities. Taking action now is critical to improving public health, reducing climate risks, and ensuring a more resilient and equitable future for all Angelenos.
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