Skeptical Science New Research for Week #27 2024

Open access notables

Climate-driven deoxygenation of northern lakes, Jansen et al., Nature Climate Change:

Oxygen depletion constitutes a major threat to lake ecosystems and the services they provide. Most of the world’s lakes are located >45° N, where accelerated climate warming and elevated carbon loads might severely increase the risk of hypoxia, but this has not been systematically examined. Here analysis of 2.6 million water quality observations from 8,288 lakes shows that between 1960 and 2022, most northern lakes experienced rapid deoxygenation strongly linked to climate-driven prolongation of summer stratification. Oxygen levels deteriorated most in small lakes (<10 ha) owing to their greater volumetric oxygen demand and surface warming rates, while the largest lakes gained oxygen under minimal stratification changes and improved aeration at spring overturns.

The Southern Ocean as the climate's freight train – driving ongoing global warming under zero-emission scenarios with ACCESS-ESM1.5, Chamberlain et al., Biogeosciences 

New experiments presented here each simulated 300 years and included intermediate branch points. In each experiment that branched after emitting more than 1000 PgC, the global climate continues to warm. For the experiment that branched after 2000 PgC, or after 3.5 °C of warming from a preindustrial climate, there is 0.37 ± 0.08 °C of extra warming after 50 years of zero emissions, which increases to 0.83 ± 0.08 °C after 200 years. All branches show ongoing Southern Ocean warming. The circulation of the Southern Ocean is modified early in the warming climate, which contributes to changes in the distribution of both physical and biogeochemical subsurface ocean tracers, such as ongoing warming at intermediate depths and a reduction in deep oxygen south of 60° S.

Inoculation hesitancy: an exploration of challenges in scaling inoculation theory, Johnson & Madsen Jens Koed Madsen Jens Koed Madsen, Royal Society Open Science:

Inoculation theory research offers a promising psychological ‘vaccination’ against misinformation. But are people willing to take it? Expanding on the inoculation metaphor, we introduce the concept of ‘inoculation hesitancy’ as a framework for exploring reluctance to engage with misinformation interventions. Study 1 investigated whether individuals feel a need for misinformation inoculations. In a comparative self-evaluation, participants assessed their own experiences with misinformation and expectations of inoculation and compared them to those of the average person. Results exposed a better-than-average effect. While participants were concerned over the problem of misinformation, they estimated that they were less likely to be exposed to it and more skilful at detecting it than the average person. Their self-described likelihood of engaging with inoculation was moderate, and they believed other people would benefit more from being inoculated. In Study 2, participants evaluated their inclination to watch inoculation videos from sources varying in trustworthiness and political affiliation. Results suggest that participants are significantly less willing to accept inoculations from low-trust sources and less likely to accept inoculations from partisan sources that are antithetical to their own political beliefs. Overall, this research identifies motivational obstacles in reaching herd immunity with inoculation theory, guiding future development of inoculation interventions.

Preventing heat-related deaths: The urgent need for a global early warning system for heat, Brimicombe et al., PLOS Climate:

Heatwaves are the deadliest weather hazard and people and societies across the world continue to suffer from heat-related impacts. Future climate projections show a troubling increase in cross-sectoral impacts including health and economic risk presented by heatwaves. Many weather hazards such as floods and droughts already have a type of Early Warning System (EWS) or Global Alert System, but a global heat early warning system currently does not exist. An accurate heat EWS can save lives and can promote heat adaptation across society. Here, we (1) explore the history of Early Warning Systems as framed using the Disaster Risk Reduction paradigms and (2) identify potential barriers to an integrated Global Heat Early Warning system. Finally, we discuss what we have learned from history and the identified current barriers and outline a vision of a Global Heat Early Warning system around four key themes, incorporating systems for low-, middle-, and high-income countries and requiring cross-sectoral, cross-government, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Temperature-related neonatal deaths attributable to climate change in 29 low- and middle-income countries, Dimitrova et al., Nature Communications:

Exposure to high and low ambient temperatures increases the risk of neonatal mortality, but the contribution of climate change to temperature-related neonatal deaths is unknown. We use Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data (n = 40,073) from 29 low- and middle-income countries to estimate the temperature-related burden of neonatal deaths between 2001 and 2019 that is attributable to climate change. We find that across all countries, 4.3% of neonatal deaths were associated with non-optimal temperatures. Climate change was responsible for 32% (range: 19-79%) of heat-related neonatal deaths, while reducing the respective cold-related burden by 30% (range: 10-63%). Climate change has impacted temperature-related neonatal deaths in all study countries, with most pronounced climate-induced losses from increased heat and gains from decreased cold observed in countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Future increases in global mean temperatures are expected to exacerbate the heat-related burden, which calls for ambitious mitigation and adaptation measures to safeguard the health of newborns. 

Applied climatology for heritage, Brimblecombe & Richards, Theoretical and Applied Climatology:

The protection of heritage from a changing climate has been of increasing interest over the last few decades, which creates a need for a systematic approach to the impacts of climate on tangible and intangible heritage. We present heritage climatology as an applied, interdisciplinary field of science that examines aspects of climate that affect heritage and provides data, statistics, well-tuned climate parameters and projections that can aid interpreting past changes and future management of heritage. It must consider the impact of extreme events, cyclic processes and the gradual accumulation of damage. Climate threats to heritage need to be represented at the appropriate temporal and spatial scales, and transferred using dose–response functions such that they can be interpreted in terms of management decisions yet be resistant to errors from both the representation of the climate threat and its translation into policy.

From this week's government and NGO section:

How Americans View National, Local and Personal Energy ChoicesAlec Tyson and Brian Kennedy, Pew Research Center:

The planet’s continued streak of record heat has spurred calls for action by scientists and global leaders. Meanwhile, in the United States, energy development policy is being hotly debated on the national and local levels this election year. How do Americans feel about U.S. energy policy options, and what steps are they willing to take in their own lives to reduce carbon emissions? A new Pew Research Center survey takes a look. There’s been a decline in the breadth of support for wind and solar power. The shares who favor expanding solar and wind power farms are down 12 percentage points and 11 points, respectively, since 2020, driven by sharp drops in support among Republicans. Interest in buying an electric vehicle (EV) is lower than a year ago. Today, 29% of Americans say they would consider an EV for their next purchase, down from 38% in 2023. Still, a majority of Americans (63%) support the goal of the U.S. taking steps to become carbon neutral by 2050. When asked which is the greater priority, far more Americans continue to say the country should focus on developing renewable energy rather than fossil fuel sources (65% vs. 34%).

Understanding pro-climate voters in the United StatesCarman et al., Yale University and George Mason University:

The authors analyzed data from pro-climate voters, or registered voters in the U.S. who say both that global warming is a “very important” issue to their vote for president and that they prefer to vote for candidates who support action on global warming. In the survey, respondents first rated the importance of global warming and 27 other issues in terms of influencing their 2024 presidential vote. Later in the survey, they answered a different question about whether they preferred a candidate who supports or opposes action on global warming. Just over one-third (37%) of registered voters in the U.S. are pro-climate voters. Notably, an additional 25% of registered voters also prefer a candidate who supports climate action even though they do not say that global warming is a very important voting issue to them. Most other respondents indicated that climate change will not factor into their voting choices, but importantly, virtually no registered voters said that global warming was a very important issue and that they prefer a candidate who opposes action.

164 articles in 67 journals by 1014 contributing authors

Physical science of climate change, effects

Characterisation of low-base and mid-base clouds and their thermodynamic phase over the Southern Ocean and Arctic marine regions, Dietel et al., Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Open Access 10.5194/acp-24-7359-2024

Temporal Variability of Ventilation in the Eurasian Arctic Ocean, Gerke et al., Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans Open Access 10.1029/2023jc020608

Observations of climate change, effects

Attribution of the Extreme 2022 Summer Drought along the Yangtze River Valley in China Based on Detection and Attribution System of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhang et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society 10.1175/bams-d-23-0258.1

Climate-driven deoxygenation of northern lakes, Jansen et al., Nature Climate Change Open Access 10.1038/s41558-024-02058-3

Detecting Non-Stationarity of Precipitation across Coastal-Terrestrial Virginia, Yang et al., Journal of Atmospheric and Solar 10.1016/j.jastp.2024.106289

Global Warming Amplifies Outdoor Extreme Moist Heat During the Indian Summer Monsoon, Ambika et al., Earth's Future Open Access 10.1029/2024ef004673

Intensification of Mid-Latitude Cyclone by Aerosol-Radiation Interaction Increases Transport of Canadian Wildfire Smoke to Northeastern US, Wang et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2024gl108444

North Atlantic–Pacific salinity contrast enhanced by wind and ocean warming, Lu et al., Nature Climate Change 10.1038/s41558-024-02033-y

Observed change and the extent of coherence in the Gulf Stream system, Asbjørnsen et al., Open Access pdf 10.5194/egusphere-2023-2963

Persistent global greening over the last four decades using novel long-term vegetation index data with enhanced temporal consistency, Jeong et al., Remote Sensing of Environment Open Access 10.1016/j.rse.2024.114282

Recent trends and variability of temperature and atmospheric water vapor over South Asia, Adeliyi & Akinsanola, Atmospheric Research Open Access 10.1016/j.atmosres.2024.107556

Temperature-related neonatal deaths attributable to climate change in 29 low- and middle-income countries, Dimitrova et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-024-49890-x

Variability and long-term changes in tropical cold-point temperature and water vapor, Zolghadrshojaee et al., Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Open Access 10.5194/acp-24-7405-2024

Instrumentation & observational methods of climate change, effects

A methodological approach for filling the gap in extreme daily temperature data: an application in the Calabria region (Southern Italy), Barca et al., Theoretical and Applied Climatology Open Access 10.1007/s00704-024-05079-2

A time of emergence (TOE) analysis on the impact and uncertainty of global warming on Korean peak summers, Ryu et al., Climatic Change Open Access 10.1007/s10584-024-03766-7

Independent Quality Assessment of Essential Climate Variables: Lessons Learned from the Copernicus Climate Change Service, Yang et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society Open Access pdf 10.1175/bams-d-21-0109.1

On the shoreline monitoring via earth observation: An isoradiometric method, Caldareri et al., Remote Sensing of Environment Open Access 10.1016/j.rse.2024.114286

Routine Climate Monitoring in the State of Hawai‘i: Establishment of State Climate Divisions, Luo et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society Open Access pdf 10.1175/bams-d-23-0236.1

Modeling, simulation & projection of climate change, effects

A CMIP6-ensemble-based evaluation of precipitation and temperature projections, Y?lmaz et al., Theoretical and Applied Climatology Open Access 10.1007/s00704-024-05066-7

Anthropogenic Changes in Interannual-to-Decadal Climate Variability in CMIP6 Multiensemble Simulations, Coquereau et al., Journal of Climate Open Access pdf 10.1175/jcli-d-23-0606.1

Change in high-temperature intensity-duration-frequency under different warming scenarios over India, Maurya et al., Atmospheric Research 10.1016/j.atmosres.2024.107567

Climate sensitivity and relative humidity changes in global storm-resolving model simulations of climate change, Merlis et al., Science Advances Open Access 10.1126/sciadv.adn5217

Collapsed upwelling projected to weaken ENSO under sustained warming beyond the twenty-first century, Peng et al., Nature Climate Change 10.1038/s41558-024-02061-8

Contrasting fast and slow intertropical convergence zone migrations linked to delayed Southern Ocean warming, Liu et al., Nature Climate Change 10.1038/s41558-024-02034-x

Decrease in MJO Predictability Following Indo–Pacific Warm Pool Expansion, Kim, Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2024gl108849

Future reduction of cold extremes over East Asia due to thermodynamic and dynamic warming, Li et al., Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Open Access 10.5194/acp-24-7347-2024

Modeling impacts of dust mineralogy on fast climate response, Song et al., Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Open Access 10.5194/acp-24-7421-2024

The Southern Ocean as the climate's freight train – driving ongoing global warming under zero-emission scenarios with ACCESS-ESM1.5, Chamberlain et al., Biogeosciences Open Access 10.5194/bg-21-3053-2024

Advancement of climate & climate effects modeling, simulation & projection

An improved and extended parameterization of the CO2 15 µm cooling in the middle and upper atmosphere (CO2&cool&fort-1.0), López-Puertas et al., Geoscientific Model Development Open Access 10.5194/gmd-17-4401-2024

General circulation models simulate negative liquid water path–droplet number correlations, but anthropogenic aerosols still increase simulated liquid water path, Mülmenstädt et al., Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Open Access 10.5194/acp-24-7331-2024

Meteorology Modulates the Impact of GCM Horizontal Resolution on Underestimation of Midlatitude Ocean Wind Speeds, Werapitiya et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2024gl108512

The Impact of CO2 and Climate State on Whether Dansgaard–Oeschger Type Oscillations Occur in Climate Models, Malmierca?Vallet et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2024gl110068

Cryosphere & climate change

Accelerating Glacier Area Loss Across the Andes Since the Little Ice Age, Carrivick et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2024gl109154

Accelerating glacier volume loss on Juneau Icefield driven by hypsometry and melt-accelerating feedbacks, Davies et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-024-49269-y

Role of atmospheric and oceanic processes on decadal change of Antarctic sea-ice between 2000–2019, Mukherjee, Dynamics of Atmospheres and Oceans 10.1016/j.dynatmoce.2024.101481

Spatial heterogeneity, terminus environment effects and acceleration in mass loss of glaciers and ice caps across Greenland, Grimes et al., Global and Planetary Change Open Access 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2024.104505

Substantial contribution of slush to meltwater area across Antarctic ice shelves, Dell et al., Nature Geoscience Open Access 10.1038/s41561-024-01466-6

Summer Hydrography Conditions at Proglacial Fjord Entrances Along East Greenland, Rysgaard et al., Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans Open Access 10.1029/2023jc020665

Sea level & climate change

Stakeholder Driven Sensor Deployments to Characterize Chronic Coastal Flooding in Key West Florida, O’Donnell et al., Earth's Future Open Access 10.1029/2023ef003631

Paleoclimate & paleogeochemistry

Past Earth warmed by tidal resonance-induced organization of clouds under a shorter day, Deitrick & Goldblatt, Nature Geoscience 10.1038/s41561-024-01469-3

Biology & climate change, related geochemistry

A mapped dataset of surface ocean acidification indicators in large marine ecosystems of the United States, Sharp et al., Scientific Data Open Access 10.1038/s41597-024-03530-7

Acute warming tolerance (CTmax) in zebrafish (Danio rerio) appears unaffected by changes in water salinity, , 10.7287/peerj.17343v0.1/reviews/1

Analysis of global vegetation resilience under different future climate scenarios, Chen et al., Climate Dynamics 10.1007/s00382-024-07317-9

Carbon-phosphorus cycle models overestimate CO2 enrichment response in a mature Eucalyptus forest, Jiang et al., Science Advances 10.1126/sciadv.adl5822

Climate change and population persistence in a hibernating marsupial, Nespolo et al., Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 10.1098/rspb.2024.0266

Climate, food and humans predict communities of mammals in the United States, Kays et al., Diversity and Distributions Open Access 10.1111/ddi.13900

Climatic conditions and landscape diversity predict plant–bee interactions and pollen deposition in bee-pollinated plants, Sydenham et al., Ecography Open Access 10.1111/ecog.07138

Combined Role of the MJO and ENSO in Shaping Extreme Warming Patterns and Coral Bleaching Risk in the Great Barrier Reef, Gregory et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2024gl108810

Controlled experiments fail to capture plant phenological response to chilling temperature, Wang et al., Global Ecology and Biogeography 10.1111/geb.13888

Current evidence of climate-driven colour change in insects and its impact on sexual signals, Haque et al., Ecology and Evolution Open Access 10.1002/ece3.11623

Gene networks governing the response of a calcareous sponge to future ocean conditions reveal lineage-specific XBP1 regulation of the unfolded protein response, Posadas & Conaco Conaco, Ecology and Evolution Open Access 10.1002/ece3.11652

High temperatures reduce growth, infection, and transmission of a naturally occurring fungal plant pathogen, Chen et al., Ecology Open Access pdf 10.1002/ecy.4373

Impacts of climate change on the geographic distribution patterns of pelagic fishes in the Southern Ocean, Zhai et al., Global and Planetary Change 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2024.104504

Impacts of ocean warming on fish size reductions on the world’s hottest coral reefs, Johansen et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-024-49459-8

Integrating genomic data and simulations to evaluate alternative species distribution models and improve predictions of glacial refugia and future responses to climate change, Naughtin et al., Ecography Open Access 10.1111/ecog.07196

Marine heatwaves alter the nursery function of coastal habitats for juvenile Gulf of Alaska Pacific cod, Thalmann et al., Scientific Reports Open Access 10.1038/s41598-024-63897-w

Melanin-based color variation in response to changing climates in snakes, Goldenberg et al., Ecology and Evolution Open Access 10.1002/ece3.11627

Ocean warming and acidification adjust inter- and intra-specific variability in the functional trait expression of polar invertebrates, Williams et al., Scientific Reports Open Access 10.1038/s41598-024-65808-5

Persistent global greening over the last four decades using novel long-term vegetation index data with enhanced temporal consistency, Jeong et al., Remote Sensing of Environment Open Access 10.1016/j.rse.2024.114282

Quantifying nonlinear responses of vegetation to hydro-climatic changes in mountainous Southwest China, Chen et al., Frontiers in Forests and Global Change Open Access 10.3389/ffgc.2024.1417737

Research priorities to support coral reefs during rapid climate change, Fabricius et al., PLOS Climate Open Access 10.1371/journal.pclm.0000435

Sea-level rise causes shorebird population collapse before habitats drown, van de Pol et al., Nature Climate Change 10.1038/s41558-024-02051-w

Spatio-Temporal Variations of Habitat Quality Under 8 SSP-RCP Scenarios in China, Feng et al., Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences 10.1029/2024jg008030

Temporal patterns in multiple stressors shape the vulnerability of overwintering Arctic zooplankton, Dania et al., Ecology and Evolution Open Access 10.1002/ece3.11673

Uncertainty in consensus predictions of plant species' vulnerability to climate change, Rose et al., Diversity and Distributions Open Access 10.1111/ddi.13898

GHG sources & sinks, flux, related geochemistry

An improved canopy interception scheme into biogeochemical model for precise simulation of carbon and water fluxes in subtropical coniferous forest, Zhao et al., Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 10.1016/j.agrformet.2024.110117

Carbon dioxide and methane fluxes in the growing and non-growing season in the Dajiuhu subtropical peatland: A five-year measurement using the eddy covariance technique, Liu et al., Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 10.1016/j.agrformet.2024.110135

Causal inference reveals the dominant role of interannual variability of carbon sinks in complicated environmental-terrestrial ecosystems, Dang et al., Remote Sensing of Environment 10.1016/j.rse.2024.114300

Evaluation of effects of heat released from SOC decomposition on soil carbon stock and temperature, Huang et al., Global Change Biology 10.1111/gcb.17391

Human degradation of tropical moist forests is greater than previously estimated, Bourgoin et al., Nature Open Access 10.1038/s41586-024-07629-0

Shifting Sources and Fates of Carbon With Increasing Hydrologic Presses and Pulses in Coastal Wetlands, Anderson et al., Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences Open Access 10.1029/2023jg007903

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

The Role of Climate, Mineralogy and Stable Aggregates for Soil Organic Carbon Dynamics Along a Geoclimatic Gradient, Wasner et al., Global Biogeochemical Cycles Open Access 10.1029/2023gb007934

Using eddy-covariance to measure the effects of COVID-19 restrictions on CO2 emissions in a neighborhood of Indianapolis, IN, Vogel et al., Carbon Management Open Access 10.1080/17583004.2024.2365900

CO2 capture, sequestration science & engineering

Assessment of land-based negative emissions Options in Thailand, Suwannakarn & Salam, Carbon Management Open Access 10.1080/17583004.2024.2372318

Organic blue carbon sequestration in vegetated coastal wetlands: Processes and influencing factors, Hao et al., Earth 10.1016/j.earscirev.2024.104853

Political obstacles to carbon capture and storage for carbon removal, Markusson, Nature Reviews Earth & Environment 10.1038/s43017-024-00574-6

Synergies of storing hydrogen at the crest of CO2${rm CO}&{2}$ or other gas storage, Sun et al., Energy & Fuels Open Access 10.1021/ef010067n

Decarbonization

Challenging perceptions of underground hydrogen storage, Edlmann, Nature Reviews Earth & Environment 10.1038/s43017-024-00572-8

Design and optimization of off-grid solar PV and biomass-based hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) for electrification of a rural community in Tharparkar, Pakistan, Nadeem et al., Environment, Development and Sustainability 10.1007/s10668-024-05146-8

Modeling and design of solar + storage-powered community resilience hubs across California, Murphy et al., Risk Analysis Open Access 10.1111/risa.14341

Modelling of mixed-mechanism stimulation for the enhancement of geothermal reservoirs, Dang-Trung et al., Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences Open Access 10.1098/rsta.2023.0420

The low-carbon risk society: Dilemmas of risk–risk tradeoffs in energy innovations, transitions, and climate policy, Sovacool, Risk Analysis Open Access 10.1111/risa.14667

Understanding the large role of long-distance travel in carbon emissions from passenger travel, Wadud et al., Nature Energy Open Access 10.1038/s41560-024-01561-3

Geoengineering climate

Applying the multi-level perspective to climate geoengineering: Sociotechnical bottlenecks for negative emissions and cloud seeding technologies, Herman & Sovacool Sovacool, Energy Research & Social Science Open Access 10.1016/j.erss.2024.103637

Public perceptions on solar geoengineering from focus groups in 22 countries, Low et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access 10.1038/s43247-024-01518-0

Black carbon

Long-Term Trend in Black Carbon Mass Concentration Over Central Indo-Gangetic Plain Location: Understanding the Implied Change in Radiative Forcing, Mehrotra et al., Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres 10.1029/2024jd040754

Mitigation of black carbon emissions could immediately reduce 6.3% of glacier melting in the Qilian Mountains, Chen et al., Advances in Climate Change Research Open Access 10.1016/j.accre.2024.06.010

Aerosols

Intensification of Mid-Latitude Cyclone by Aerosol-Radiation Interaction Increases Transport of Canadian Wildfire Smoke to Northeastern US, Wang et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2024gl108444

Mongolia dust transport across borders under the background of global warming, Zhang et al., Global and Planetary Change Open Access 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2024.104509

Sensitivity of cloud microphysics to aerosol is highly associated with cloud water content: Implications for indirect radiative forcing, Wang et al., Atmospheric Research 10.1016/j.atmosres.2024.107552

Climate change communications & cognition

Changing Community Climate Change Attitudes: Evidence from a Community Exhibit Intervention, Syropoulos et al., Journal of Environmental Psychology Open Access 10.1016/j.jenvp.2024.102369

Climate beliefs, climate technologies and transformation pathways: Contextualizing public perceptions in 22 countries, Fritz et al., Global Environmental Change Open Access 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2024.102880

Comparing attitudinal structures between political orientations: a network analysis of climate change attitudes, Lind et al., Journal of Environmental Psychology 10.1016/j.jenvp.2024.102370

Inoculation hesitancy: an exploration of challenges in scaling inoculation theory, Johnson & Madsen Jens Koed Madsen Jens Koed Madsen, Royal Society Open Science 10.1098/rsos.231711

Pathways to conventional and radical climate action: The role of temporal orientation, environmental cognitive alternatives, and eco-anxiety, Pittaway et al., Global Environmental Change Open Access 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2024.102886

Testing an integrated model of climate change anxiety, Chan et al., Journal of Environmental Psychology Open Access 10.1016/j.jenvp.2024.102368

Theorising resistance in times of fossil fuels: Ecological grief, righteous anger and interaction rituals in Sweden's energy regime shift, Boonstra & Söderberg, Energy Research & Social Science Open Access 10.1016/j.erss.2024.103652

Agronomy, animal husbundry, food production & climate change

600 years of wine must quality and April to August temperatures in western Europe 1420–2019, Pfister et al., Climate of the Past Open Access 10.5194/cp-20-1387-2024

China can enhance its carbon and nitrogen reduction potential by optimizing maize trade across provinces, Liu et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access 10.1038/s43247-024-01526-0

Climate change mitigation potential of paludiculture in Finland: greenhouse gas emissions of abandoned organic croplands and peat substitution, Myllyviita et al., Carbon Management Open Access 10.1080/17583004.2024.2365903

Climate variability, food security, and adaptation strategies in Somaliland a review, Omer, Regional Environmental Change 10.1007/s10113-024-02270-z

Gendered implications for climate change adaptation among farmers in Madagascar, Moore & Niles, Climate and Development Open Access 10.1080/17565529.2024.2363377

Impact thermal and calcium oxide pretreatment on the anaerobic digestion of food waste: performance and carbon emissions, Liu et al., International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology 10.1007/s13762-024-05863-7

Impacts of climate change and agricultural diversification on agricultural production value of Thai farm households, Prommawin et al., Climatic Change Open Access 10.1007/s10584-024-03732-3

Independent estimates of net carbon uptake in croplands: UAV-LiDAR and machine learning vs. eddy covariance, Revenga et al., Agricultural and Forest Meteorology Open Access 10.1016/j.agrformet.2024.110106

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

Mapping risk of heat stress for dairy cattle in Tigray Regional State, Northern Ethiopia, Balcha et al., Theoretical and Applied Climatology 10.1007/s00704-024-05080-9

Modeling biochar effects on soil organic carbon on croplands in a microbial decomposition model (MIMICS-BC&v1.0), Han et al., Geoscientific Model Development Open Access 10.5194/gmd-17-4871-2024

Optimization of straw supply chain considering carbon emissions, supply uncertainty and facility disruption risk, Mao et al., Environment, Development and Sustainability 10.1007/s10668-024-05165-5

Soil carbon maintained by perennial grasslands over 30 years but lost in field crop systems in a temperate Mollisol, Dietz et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access 10.1038/s43247-024-01500-w

The biased narrative of vulnerable women: gender analysis of smallholder farmers’ contextual vulnerability to climate change in the Taita Hills, Kenya, Palosaari et al., Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change Open Access 10.1007/s11027-024-10147-z

The potential climate benefits of seaweed farming in temperate waters, Bullen et al., Scientific Reports Open Access 10.1038/s41598-024-65408-3

Uncertainty and perceived cause-effect help explain differences in adaptation responses between Swidden agriculture and agroforestry smallholders, Moure et al., Environmental Science & Policy Open Access 10.1016/j.envsci.2024.103819

Hydrology, hydrometeorology & climate change

Attribution of the Extreme 2022 Summer Drought along the Yangtze River Valley in China Based on Detection and Attribution System of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhang et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society 10.1175/bams-d-23-0258.1

Detecting Non-Stationarity of Precipitation across Coastal-Terrestrial Virginia, Yang et al., Journal of Atmospheric and Solar 10.1016/j.jastp.2024.106289

Global drought changes and attribution under carbon neutrality scenario, Su et al., Climate Dynamics 10.1007/s00382-024-07310-2

Non-stationary low flow frequency analysis under climate change, Y?lmaz & Tosuno?lu, Theoretical and Applied Climatology Open Access 10.1007/s00704-024-05081-8

Probabilistic projection of extreme precipitation changes over Iran by the CMIP6 multi-model ensemble, Khansalari & Mohammadi, Climatic Change 10.1007/s10584-024-03771-w

Quantification of water yield concerning land use and climate scenarios in the Tajan watershed, North of Iran, Ahmadi-Mirghaed et al., International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology 10.1007/s13762-024-05749-8

Trends and variations of tropical cyclone precipitation contributions in the Indochina Peninsula, Ho et al., Theoretical and Applied Climatology 10.1007/s00704-024-05084-5

Climate change economics

Asset-level assessment of climate physical risk matters for adaptation finance, Bressan et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-024-48820-1

Preferences on funding humanitarian aid and disaster management under climatic losses and damages: A multinational Delphi panel, Jäpölä et al., Climatic Change 10.1007/s10584-024-03741-2

Projections and uncertainty analysis of socioeconomic exposure to compound dry and hot events under 1.5? and 2.0? warming levels across China, Zhang et al., Theoretical and Applied Climatology 10.1007/s00704-024-05085-4

The impact of monetary policy on climate change through the mediation of sectoral renewable energy consumption, Akan, Energy Policy 10.1016/j.enpol.2024.114244

Climate change mitigation public policy research

A political economy theory of fossil fuel subsidy reforms in OECD countries, Droste et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-024-49835-4

A review of Global Carbon Markets from Kyoto to Paris and beyond: the persistent failure of implementation, Asadnabizadeh & Moe, Frontiers in Environmental Science Open Access 10.3389/fenvs.2024.1368105

Are energy transitions reproducing inequalities? Power, social stigma and distributive (in)justice in Mexico, Velasco-Herrejón & Bauwens Bauwens, Global Environmental Change Open Access 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2024.102883

Change everything so that (almost) nothing changes? Investigating the territorial distribution of solar energy subsidies in rural India, Girard & Sareen, Environmental Sociology Open Access 10.1080/23251042.2024.2372890

Diversifying heat sources in China’s urban district heating systems will reduce risk of carbon lock-in, Liu et al., Nature Energy 10.1038/s41560-024-01560-4

Does stricter sewage treatment targets policy exacerbate the contradiction between effluent water quality improvement and carbon emissions mitigation? An evidence from China, Yang et al., Global Environmental Change 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2024.102881

Embodied energy injustice and the political ecology of solar power, Mulvaney, Energy Research & Social Science Open Access 10.1016/j.erss.2024.103607

Energy and environmental impacts of air-to-air heat pumps in a mid-latitude city, Meyer et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-024-49836-3

Exploring representations of climate change as ecocide: implications for climate policy, Proedrou & Pournara, Climate Policy Open Access 10.1080/14693062.2024.2368859

Mapping scholarly publications of energy conservation and emission reduction in support of the sustainable development goals (SDGs), Xu et al., Frontiers in Environmental Science Open Access 10.3389/fenvs.2024.1421990

On being an “oil and gas worker”: dominant discourse, self-representation, and Canada’s energy future, Lajoie-O’Malley, Environmental Politics 10.1080/09644016.2024.2373600

Rage against the fossil machine: The deactivation of fossil energy production in Italy, Grasso & Delatin Rodrigues, Energy Research & Social Science Open Access 10.1016/j.erss.2024.103655

Tackling climate change: The Albarella island example, Zanella et al., PLOS Climate Open Access 10.1371/journal.pclm.0000418

Testing the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis amidst climate policy uncertainty: sectoral analysis using the novel Fourier ARDL approach, Hashmi et al., Environment, Development and Sustainability Open Access pdf 10.1007/s10668-023-03296-9

The European Green Deal and its translation into action: Multilevel governance perspectives on just transition, Sandmann et al., Energy Research & Social Science Open Access 10.1016/j.erss.2024.103659

The politics of China's just transition and the shift away from coal, Gong & Lewis, Energy Research & Social Science 10.1016/j.erss.2024.103643

The race to zero emission: Can climate policy uncertainty threaten decarbonization?, Wei et al., Environment, Development and Sustainability 10.1007/s10668-024-05118-y

Turn down for watt: Community fit and thermal comfort habituation predict average household heating energy consumption, Gruda & Hanges, PLOS Climate Open Access 10.1371/journal.pclm.0000407

Uneven consequences of global climate mitigation pathways on regional water quality in the 21st century, Lee et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-024-49866-x

Unveiling interconnected carbon flows: a demand-driven perspective on industrial emissions, Meng et al., Environment, Development and Sustainability 10.1007/s10668-024-05153-9

“Take your responsibility”: the politics of green sacrifice for just low-carbon transitions in rural Portugal, van Meer & Zografos, Sustainability Science Open Access 10.1007/s11625-024-01519-0

Climate change adaptation & adaptation public policy research

A new dynamic framework is required to assess adaptation limits, Juhola et al., Global Environmental Change Open Access 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2024.102884

Adjusting to the reality of sea level rise: reshaping coastal communities through resilience-informed adaptation, Abdelhafez et al., Climatic Change 10.1007/s10584-024-03763-w

Climate risk perceptions, change in water demand, and preferences for future interlocal collaboration, Bell, Climatic Change 10.1007/s10584-024-03770-x

Establishing a methodology to measure vulnerability of unhoused populations to climate change in the United States, Eisenhardt et al., Climate Risk Management Open Access 10.1016/j.crm.2024.100629

Evaluating the economic and climate adaptation benefits of land conservation strategies in urban coastal regions of the U.S. and China, WU & Kyum KIM, Climate Risk Management Open Access 10.1016/j.crm.2024.100632

From many futures to one: climate-informed planning scenario analysis for resource-efficient deep climate uncertainty analysis, François et al., Climatic Change 10.1007/s10584-024-03772-9

Innovation in coastal governance: management and expectations of the UK’s first sandscaping scheme, Lorenzoni et al., Regional Environmental Change Open Access 10.1007/s10113-024-02248-x

The challenge of closing the climate adaptation gap for water supply utilities, Becher et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access 10.1038/s43247-024-01272-3

The pull vs push approach to building climate change adaptive capacity: does innovation matter, Abdelzaher et al., Climate and Development 10.1080/17565529.2024.2366420

Climate change impacts on human health

Applying global warming levels of emergence to highlight the increasing population exposure to temperature and precipitation extremes, Gampe et al., Open Access pdf 10.22541/essoar.169160346.62640278/v1

Global Warming Amplifies Outdoor Extreme Moist Heat During the Indian Summer Monsoon, Ambika et al., Earth's Future Open Access 10.1029/2024ef004673

Preventing heat-related deaths: The urgent need for a global early warning system for heat, Brimicombe et al., PLOS Climate Open Access 10.1371/journal.pclm.0000437

Temperature-related neonatal deaths attributable to climate change in 29 low- and middle-income countries, Dimitrova et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-024-49890-x

Climate change impacts on human culture

Assessing potential impacts of climate change on China’s ski season length: a data-constrained approach, Fang et al., Theoretical and Applied Climatology 10.1007/s00704-024-05075-6

Other

Assessing of the county-level synergy between CO2 emissions and PM2.5 pollution in Shandong Province, China, Wang & Di, International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology 10.1007/s13762-024-05861-9

Informed opinion, nudges & major initiatives

A commentary on E-liability: does it bring something new to GHG accounting?, Brander & Gatzweiler, Carbon Management Open Access 10.1080/17583004.2024.2372331

Accelerating Antarctic research amid rapid changes, Roach, Nature Water 10.1038/s44221-024-00266-x

Achieving the Kunming–Montreal global biodiversity targets for blue carbon ecosystems, Fu et al., Nature Reviews Earth & Environment 10.1038/s43017-024-00566-6

Applied climatology for heritage, Brimblecombe & Richards, Theoretical and Applied Climatology Open Access pdf 10.1007/s00704-024-05059-6

E-liabilities: a fresh or fantasy proposal?, Gillenwater, Carbon Management Open Access 10.1080/17583004.2024.2369673

Editorial: Doubling global hydropower capacity by 2050 – what about the transboundary dimension?, Edum et al., Frontiers in Climate Open Access 10.3389/fclim.2024.1441782

Editorial: Generating actionable climate information in support of climate adaptation and mitigation, Fischer et al., Frontiers in Climate Open Access 10.3389/fclim.2024.1444157

Guest Editorial: Special Issue on “Sustainable urban energy systems – Governance and citizen involvement”, Correljé et al., Energy Policy Open Access 10.1016/j.enpol.2024.114237

Preventing heat-related deaths: The urgent need for a global early warning system for heat, Brimicombe et al., PLOS Climate Open Access 10.1371/journal.pclm.0000437

Research priorities to support coral reefs during rapid climate change, Fabricius et al., PLOS Climate Open Access 10.1371/journal.pclm.0000435

Strategies to improve the impact of the IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Cities, Solecki et al., Nature Climate Change 10.1038/s41558-024-02060-9


Articles/Reports from Agencies and Non-Governmental Organizations Addressing Aspects of Climate Change

Scientific Assessment of Climate Change and Its Effects in Maine 2024 Update, Arnold et al., Scientific and Technical Subcommittee of the Maine Climate Council

Maine’s climate is getting warmer. Maine’s climate is getting wetter, with more high-intensity precipitation. Maine is experiencing more extremes, from hourly and daily weather to monthly and seasonal climate. As temperatures rise, the warm season gets longer as the winter season shortens and snow and ice decline. A series of weather extremes in 2023 worldwide and in Maine were associated with record-high global temperatures. Winter storms are projected to become more intense, but their frequency remains uncertain. Smoke from wildfires in Canada and the Western U.S. and increased aeroallergens such as pollen are impacting air quality in Maine. Mainers particularly vulnerable to climate change include rural, older, and lower-income residents, as well as those people and places with economies tied to climate-sensitive resources.

Grid Value and Cost of UtilityScale Wind and Solar: Potential Implications for Consumer Electricity Bills, Wiser et al., Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Wind and solar cost declines and wholesale power price fluctuations have once again brought the “hedge value” of renewable energy to the front of mind. Meanwhile, recent research has found that cost savings are the most persuasive driver of broad support for renewable energy. Yet whether consumers directly benefit from the price hedge that wind and solar can provide depends on various factors, most notably the contractual and market structures under which these generators operate. Drawing on a vast amount of plant-level empirical data, the authors quantify the net market value (“net value”) of wind and solar over time and explore various factors that determine the extent to which consumers can capture and benefit from that value. The focus is on elements that may directly impact consumer electricity bills.

How Americans View National, Local and Personal Energy Choices, Alec Tyson and Brian Kennedy, Pew Research Center

The planet’s continued streak of record heat has spurred calls for action by scientists and global leaders. Meanwhile, in the United States, energy development policy is being hotly debated on the national and local levels this election year. How do Americans feel about U.S. energy policy options, and what steps are they willing to take in their own lives to reduce carbon emissions? A new Pew Research Center survey takes a look. There’s been a decline in the breadth of support for wind and solar power. The shares who favor expanding solar and wind power farms are down 12 percentage points and 11 points, respectively, since 2020, driven by sharp drops in support among Republicans. Interest in buying an electric vehicle (EV) is lower than a year ago. Today, 29% of Americans say they would consider an EV for their next purchase, down from 38% in 2023. Still, a majority of Americans (63%) support the goal of the U.S. taking steps to become carbon neutral by 2050. When asked which is the greater priority, far more Americans continue to say the country should focus on developing renewable energy rather than fossil fuel sources (65% vs. 34%).

Understanding pro-climate voters in the United States, Carman et al., Yale University and George Mason Universit

The authors analyzed data from pro-climate voters, or registered voters in the U.S. who say both that global warming is a “very important” issue to their vote for president and that they prefer to vote for candidates who support action on global warming. In the survey, respondents first rated the importance of global warming and 27 other issues in terms of influencing their 2024 presidential vote. Later in the survey, they answered a different question about whether they preferred a candidate who supports or opposes action on global warming. Just over one-third (37%) of registered voters in the U.S. are pro-climate voters. Notably, an additional 25% of registered voters also prefer a candidate who supports climate action even though they do not say that global warming is a very important voting issue to them. Most other respondents indicated that climate change will not factor into their voting choices, but importantly, virtually no registered voters said that global warming was a very important issue and that they prefer a candidate who opposes action.

Raising New York's Distributed Solar Goal, New York Solar Energy Industries Association

In 2019, New York enacted the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), nation-leading climate legislation that mandates New York be powered with 70% renewable energy by 2030, 100% renewable energy by 2040, and a carbon-neutral economy by 2050. Recent setbacks for utility-scale renewable energy projects have created a significant gap between New York’s pipeline of clean energy projects and what's needed to comply with the CLCPA’s 2030 deadline. At the same time, New York is ahead of schedule toward the state’s goal of deploying 10 gigawatts of rooftop and community (“distributed”) solar by 2030. New York’s distributed solar industry is well positioned to help New York close the gap with rooftop and community solar while delivering significant benefits to households, businesses, and communities across New York State. The authors challenge New York’s leaders to raise the Empire State’s distributed solar goal from 10 gigawatts by 2030 to 20 gigawatts by 2035 (20X35). They also highlight the benefits of additional distributed solar and outline high-impact policy interventions to support rapid, cost-effective, and beneficial solar deployment in New York.

Grand Challenge Initiatives in AI for Climate & Nature, Yaakoubi et al., Climate Chane AI, Center for Open Data Enterprise, Bezos Earth Fund and Data Innovators

Grand Challenges differ from other funding instruments, such as incentive prizes or hackathons, in that they catalyze systemic change beyond the immediate solutions they generate, laying the groundwork for long-term impact. Past initiatives have driven a diverse set of systemic changes, such as accelerating innovation ecosystems, creating market incentives, enabling large-scale capacity building, and shaping policy frameworks. The authors evaluated 215 past and ongoing Grand Challenges and related open innovation initiatives, e.g., incentive prizes and crowdsourcing programs, taking place between 2015-2024, including 100 in AI for climate and nature and 115 in AI more broadly. The authors saw a marked increase in the number of Grand Challenges and open innovation initiatives in AI for climate and nature post-2019, as well as a wide range of total funding amounts across these initiatives.

Debunking the Hydrogen. Hype Why Europe should pursue electrification instead of Hydrogen for cooking and heating, Michael Scholand, Environmental Coalition on Standards

Fossil fuel suppliers and some appliance manufacturers are conducting communications campaigns touting hydrogen as “environmentally friendly” and a “renewable energy source” that produces “no harmful by-products when burned, only water”. Their messaging claims that by blending hydrogen and gas, greenhouse gas emissions are reduced, making gas-burning appliances more environmentally sound. The Ariston group, a manufacturer of gas boilers, noted in their 2022 Company Report that their new “hydrogen-ready” products have a lower environmental impact when in use since they are 20% hydrogen blend compatible. Household brands like Bosch and Vaillant tout hydrogen-ready boilers as an environmentally sound alternative, claiming for example that hydrogen produces “no harmful byproducts when burned, only water.” The UK government launched a multi-year research project that was completed in 2022 called “Hy4Heat” – a name combining “Hydrogen for heating” – which found that hydrogen could be made safe for heating and cooking, and proposed field trials. Against this backdrop of industry and governmental efforts to promote hydrogen in household applications including heating, the author offers a summary of evidence that shows the use of hydrogen is neither environmentally friendly nor safe for our health. The author concludes that hydrogen is a risky option for domestic boilers and cookers in terms of safety (fires and explosions), but it is also detrimental to air quality and health, pipe infrastructure, and the climate.

The Preparedness Payoff: The Economic Benefits of Investing in Climate Resilience, US. Chamber of Commerce, Allstate, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation

Investments in resilience and preparedness can reduce the cost of damage after a disaster. An accepted ratio is that $1 of investment reduces the damage and cleanup costs of a disaster by $6. What is less known—and what this study set out to find—is how investments in resilience and preparedness impact a community’s local economy, including jobs, workforce participation, production (GDP), and earned income for residents. The authors found that each $1 of investment in resilience and disaster preparedness reduces a community’s economic costs after an event by $7. That is the median ratio for the 25 disasters modeled as part of the study. That $7 of savings for economic costs is in addition to the $6 of savings for damage already assumed in the model. Combining the two ratios find that every $1 invested in resilience and disaster preparedness saves $13 in economic impact, damage, and cleanup costs after an event.

Pathways to Decarbonization. A North American Aluminum Roadmap, ICF, Aluminum Association

The authors sought to identify potential pathways and strategic options for the North American (NA) aluminum industry to reduce its carbon emissions by 2050 and support achieving the global climate goals set by international agencies and climate institutions. To achieve certain levels of emission reduction, the NA industry needs to reach several major milestones along the pathway to 2050. Each of these milestones has a combination of technological and strategic options associated with it and an assumed schedule of adoption and deployment.

The State of the Field for Research on Agrifood Systems, Porciello et al., Juno Reports

The authors used artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze global research distribution from the past 13 years. They provide a macro-level review of more than six million summaries of scientific papers and reports to provide a snapshot across agrifood systems research, highlighting where progress has occurred, and where significant gaps remain. Despite 60% growth in research publications across agrifood systems in the past 13 years, there are extremely low levels of scientific research targeting the poorest, hungriest, and most vulnerable to climate change countries. Resolving this requires a systems approach and challenging long-standing norms regarding power dynamics across science and policy, including publication and funding norms.

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. 

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:

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.

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Posted by Doug Bostrom on Thursday, 4 July, 2024


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