Abrupt Gulf Stream path changes are a precursor to a collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, van Westen & Dijkstra, Communications Earth & Environment
The Gulf Stream is part of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). The AMOC is a tipping element and may collapse under changing forcing. However, the role of the Gulf Stream in such a tipping event is unknown. Here, we investigate the link between the AMOC and Gulf Stream using a high-resolution (0. 1°) stand-alone ocean simulation, in which the AMOC collapses under a slowly-increasing freshwater forcing. AMOC weakening gradually shifts the Gulf Stream near Cape Hatteras northward, followed by an abrupt northward displacement of 219 km within 2 years. This rapid shift occurs a few decades before the simulated AMOC collapse. Satellite altimetry shows a significant (1993–2024, p < 0.05) northward Gulf Stream trend near Cape Hatteras, which is also confirmed in subsurface temperature observations (1965–2024, p < 0.01). These findings provide indirect evidence for present-day AMOC weakening and demonstrate that abrupt Gulf Stream shifts can serve as early warning indicator for AMOC tipping.
High-Resolution Projections of Extreme Heat and Thermal Stress in Southeastern U.S., Lu et al., Weather and Climate Extremes
Considering the increasing frequency, severity, and societal impacts of extreme heat under climate change, understanding the regional dynamics of extreme heat is critical for informing public health preparedness and energy system planning. This study investigates the spatial characteristics, dominant drivers, and future evolution of extreme heat days in North Carolina (NC) and Virginia (VA) using high-resolution simulations from the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model based on the Pseudo Global Warming (PGW) method. The analysis of May to September in the two base years, 2010 and 2011, reveals different heat mechanisms. Extreme heats in 2010 are primarily associated with weak synoptic anomalies, whereas the extreme heats in 2011 exhibit stronger land–atmosphere coupling, characterized by soil moisture depletion. Based on these two distinct types of heat mechanisms, projections comparing the current climate (2000-2020) with the late-century period (2060-2089) under three Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP5-8.5) indicate different increases in daily 2-m maximum temperature ranging from 1.6 °C to over 4.4 °C. These temperature changes are driven by variations in radiative forcing, atmospheric circulation, and land surface conditions. The frequency, duration, and severity of extreme heat days exhibit a nonlinear escalation under the three scenarios. “Danger” and “Extreme Danger” heat days are projected to emerge under SSP5-8.5, underscoring the urgent need for aggressive mitigation and tailored adaptation strategies to reduce thermal stress risks in this region.
Reports from western U.S. firefighters that nighttime fire activity has been increasing during the spans of many of their careers have recently been confirmed by satellite measurements over the 2003–20 period. The hypothesis that increasing nighttime fire activity has been caused by increased nighttime vapor pressure deficit (VPD) is consistent with recent documentation of positive, 40-yr trends in nighttime VPD over the western United States. However, other meteorological conditions such as near-surface wind speed and planetary boundary layer depth also impact fire behavior and exhibit strong diurnal changes that should be expected to help quell nighttime fire activity. This study investigates the extent to which each of these factors has been changing over recent decades and, thereby, may have contributed to the perceived changes in nighttime fire activity. Results quantify the extent to which the summer nighttime distributions of equilibrium dead woody fuel moisture content, planetary boundary layer height, and near-surface wind speed have changed over the western United States based on hourly ERA5 data, considering changes between the most recent decade and the 1980s and 1990s, when many present firefighters began their careers. Changes in the likelihood of experiencing nighttime meteorological conditions in the recent period that would have registered as unusually conducive to fire previously are evaluated considering each variable on its own and in conjunction (simultaneously) with one another. The main objective of this work is to inform further study of the reasons for the observed increases in nighttime fire activity.
Minimizing climate risks will require accelerating the energy transition on all levels and in all sectors. Replacing 1.4 billion fossil with electric road vehicles will, however, be a process spanning multiple decades. Expanding electric bus transit has the potential to reduce the demand for electric cars while needing little additional infrastructure. Yet, accelerating the electrification of public mobility is a challenge in itself. This paper explores the system-wide effect of applying the emerging strategy of e-retrofitting to Europe’s bus fleet. Diesel buses are thereby retrofitted with electric drive-trains, which reduces environmental impacts compared to the production of a new battery-electric bus. This strategy allows to accelerate bus fleet electrification by 15 years and to increase annual transport services by a maximum of 25%, all without the need to prematurely retire functioning buses. Applied across Europe, e-retrofitting buses can save greenhouse gas emissions up to 300 million tons CO, generate jobs, offer business opportunities, reduce raw material demand, and requires minimal additional infrastructure.
ClimarisQ is both a web and mobile game developed by the Institut Pierre-Simon Laplace to support climate change communication through interactive decision-making. This paper presents an exploratory evaluation of the game based on a post-play questionnaire completed by 77 users. Respondents rated ClimarisQ positively in terms of usability and scientific credibility. Self-reported outcomes indicate that the game supported reflection on the complexity, trade-offs, and uncertainty of climate-related decision-making, rather than the acquisition of factual knowledge, particularly among users with prior expertise. The respondent group was predominantly composed of educated and climate-aware adults, which limits generalization to other audiences. Beyond the questionnaire, the game has been tested in dozens of facilitated sessions with thousands of non-specialist participants, with consistently positive feedback. These results suggest that ClimarisQ can function as a complementary tool for climate education and outreach, especially when used in facilitated settings that encourage discussion and interpretation.
The phasing-out of coal-fired power generation is a critical policy imperative in the energy system transition towards climate change mitigation. This research examines whether the public is willing to share the costs that will arise from the phasing-out of coal-fired power generation. To this end, this study analyzes the public's willingness to pay for policies aimed at reducing coal-fired power generation and assesses their economic feasibility. Stated preference data from 1000 Korean households nationwide are analyzed using the contingent valuation method and cost-benefit analysis (CBA). The results indicate that households are willing to pay an average of KRW 4514 (USD 3.45) with a 95% confidence interval of [KRW 4,087, KRW 5017] per month in additional electricity fees for the next five years to implement compensation and support measures for the phasing-out of coal-fired power plants. The results of the CBA, including sensitivity analysis, suggest that the implementation of support and compensation policies for coal power phasing-out may not be economically feasible. The Korean public is not yet fully prepared to bear the costs associated with the phase-out of coal-fired power generation, and either increased electricity tariffs or excessive government investment for this process could provoke considerable controversy.
Takeaways from USA TODAY’s investigation of clean-energy opposition, Bhat et al., USA Today
America’s renewable energy buildout is facing resistance, not just in Washington but in county commission meetings across the country. A growing number of local governments are restricting or outright blocking large-scale wind and solar projects. These restrictions come in the shape of bans, permitting requirements that make projects economically unfeasible or moratoriums that may or may not eventually expire. All the while, changing economics and improved technology have made wind and solar cheaper than natural gas and far cheaper than coal.?The investigation identified at least 755 counties with regulatory mechanisms that render it difficult or impossible to develop large-scale wind or solar projects. The investigation relied on data collected for 3,142 counties covering all 50 states through official announcements, county board meetings, news reports, emails and phone calls to public offices.
Oil spill. How fossil fuel interests are seeping into the voluntary carbon market rulebook, nigo Wyburd and Jonathan Crook, Carbon Market Watch
Despite belonging to the highly polluting fossil fuel sector, major oil and gas companies are not only among the largest buyers of carbon credits, they are also heavily invested in seeking to shape the voluntary carbon market. The authors zoom in this outsized role. They focus on how oil supermajors employ greenwashing strategies, including offsetting their emissions and using carbon credits to give the illusion of meaningful progress towards reaching their climate targets. Driven by a desire to safeguard the supply of cheap and low-quality carbon credits, some fossil fuel companies have also been engaging with policy and governance processes through both formal and informal channels. These fossil fuel interests consistently back approaches that promote carbon credit use that is in alignment with their commercial interests, including expanding the supply of different carbon credit types and continued market growth. In parallel, these companies operate in close proximity to the institutions tasked with defining and safeguarding carbon market integrity, such as the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) and the Voluntary Carbon Market Integrity initiative (VCMI). While insufficient information is publicly available to assess whether the outcomes of the work undertaken by voluntary initiatives has been directly influenced by oil and gas companies and other market actors, there are sufficient grounds to consider this a credible risk that warrants serious scrutiny.
Physical science of climate change, effects
Abrupt Gulf Stream path changes are a precursor to a collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, van Westen & Dijkstra, Communications Earth & Environment Open Access pdf 10.1038/s43247-026-03309-1
Amplified Mesoscale and Submesoscale Variability and Increased Concentration of Precipitation under Global Warming over Western North America, Guilloteau et al., Journal of Climate Open Access pdf 10.1175/jcli-d-24-0343.1
Changing contributions of teleconnection patterns to extreme heat events in East Asia, Nam et al., Weather and Climate Extremes Open Access 10.1016/j.wace.2026.100865
The Antarctic coastal ocean heat budget is dominated by heat loss to land ice melt, Moorman et al., Science Advances Open Access 10.1126/sciadv.aec7443
Tropical Cloud Feedbacks Estimated From Observed Multidecadal Trends, Van de Koot et al., Journal of Climate Open Access pdf 10.1175/jcli-d-24-0264.1
Two-Stream Approximation in Radiative Transfer: Average Optical Pathlength Estimation, Stamnes et al., Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences Open Access pdf 10.1175/jas-d-24-0148.1
Unraveling the Warm Arctic–Cold Eurasia Pattern: Interplay of Arctic Amplification and Internal Variability in Shaping Midlatitude Weather, Ku et al., Journal of Climate 10.1175/jcli-d-24-0599.1
Observations of climate change, effects
A Characterisation of Extreme-Heat Occurrence and Its Trends in Mexico Based on a High Resolution Dataset, Zermeño?Díaz, International Journal of Climatology Open Access pdf 10.1002/joc.70231
Detectable Anthropogenic Expansion of Compound Dry and Hot Event Areas on Global Land, Li et al., Atmospheric Research 10.1016/j.atmosres.2025.108219
Evaluation and Spatiotemporal Evolution of Surface Air Temperature Estimated by ERA5-Land Reanalysis Data in East China, Ma et al., Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology 10.1175/jamc-d-24-0108.1
Exploring near surface warming trends across China: Establishing a quantitative optimized random forest model, Wang et al., Atmospheric Research 10.1016/j.atmosres.2026.108893
Global prevalence of compound heatwaves from 1980 to 2022, Zhang et al., Advances in Climate Change Research Open Access 10.1016/j.accre.2025.04.010
Multifactor Change in Western U.S. Nighttime Fire Weather, Chiodi et al., Journal of Climate Open Access pdf 10.1175/jcli-d-24-0473.1
Trends and drivers of tropical cyclones originating in the South China Sea during 1949–2021, Li et al., Dynamics of Atmospheres and Oceans 10.1016/j.dynatmoce.2025.101546
Modeling, simulation & projection of climate change, effects
Distinct Future Changes in the Midlatitude and Low-Latitude Connections between the South and East Asian Summer Monsoons Projected by CMIP6 Models, Chen et al., Journal of Climate Open Access pdf 10.1175/jcli-d-24-0357.1
High-Resolution Projections of Extreme Heat and Thermal Stress in Southeastern U.S., Lu et al., Weather and Climate Extremes Open Access 10.1016/j.wace.2026.100878
Minimal influence of future Arctic sea ice loss on North Atlantic jet stream morphology, Anderson et al., Weather and Climate Dynamics Open Access pdf 10.5194/wcd-6-595-2025
Multimodel Evidence of Future Tropical Atlantic Precipitation Change Modulated by AMOC Decline, Cerato et al., Journal of Climate 10.1175/jcli-d-24-0333.1
Quantifying historical trends and future projections of evapotranspiration in arid central Asia using selected CMIP6 and GLEAM, Zhang et al., Frontiers in Environmental Science Open Access pdf 10.3389/fenvs.2026.1757853
Spatiotemporal dynamics of urban extreme heat under intensifying potential future heatwaves: Evidence from the Tokyo megalopolis, Zhu et al., Urban Climate Open Access 10.1016/j.uclim.2026.102839
The role of internal variability and external forcing on the emergence of hot and dry compound extremes in the CESM2 large ensemble, Dwyer et al., Frontiers in Climate Open Access pdf 10.3389/fclim.2026.1739394
Understanding the Greenland Tip Jet Role in the Future: Declining Surface Heat Loss in a High-Resolution CESM Simulation (2015–99), Fedorov et al., Journal of Climate 10.1175/jcli-d-24-0187.1
Wind-Driven Ocean Circulation Changes Can Amplify Future Cooling of the North Atlantic Warming Hole, McMonigal et al., Journal of Climate Open Access pdf 10.1175/jcli-d-24-0227.1
Advancement of climate & climate effects modeling, simulation & projection
Climate models exaggerate greenhouse gas impact on recent interhemispheric temperature patterns and tropical climate, He et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-026-69783-5
Evaluation of CMIP6 Model Performance in Simulating the Stratospheric Semiannual Oscillation, Li et al., Journal of Climate 10.1175/jcli-d-25-0045.1
Higher-Resolution Climate Models Do Not Consistently Reproduce the Observed Tropical Pacific Warming Pattern, Dhame et al., Journal of Climate Open Access pdf 10.1175/jcli-d-24-0248.1
Integration of Physical Bound Constraints to Alleviate Shortcomings of Statistical Models for Extreme Temperatures, Noyelle et al., Journal of Climate 10.1175/jcli-d-25-0112.1
Investigating carbon and nitrogen conservation in reported CMIP6 Earth system model data, Tang et al., Geoscientific Model Development Open Access 10.5194/gmd-18-2111-2025
Machine learning helps to strongly reduce future warming uncertainty, Li et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-026-70205-9
Micro- and Macroparametric Uncertainty in Climate Change Prediction: A Large Ensemble Perspective, de Melo Viríssimo & Stainforth, Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society Open Access pdf 10.1175/bams-d-24-0064.1
Quantifying the spread in sudden stratospheric warming wave forcing in CMIP6, Martínez-Andradas et al., Weather and Climate Dynamics Open Access pdf 10.5194/wcd-6-329-2025
The Antarctic coastal ocean heat budget is dominated by heat loss to land ice melt, Moorman et al., Science Advances Open Access 10.1126/sciadv.aec7443
Trends and variability in global ocean heat content time series data for the period 2005–2035, Bilgili, Journal of Atmospheric and Solar 10.1016/j.jastp.2025.106586
Cryosphere & climate change
A method for better mapping of susceptibility to thaw hazards in data-scarce cold regions, Zhu et al., Remote Sensing of Environment 10.1016/j.rse.2026.115338
Bias in modeled Greenland Ice Sheet melt revealed by ASCAT, Puggaard et al., The Cryosphere Open Access pdf 10.5194/tc-19-2963-2025
Channelized melt beneath Antarctic ice shelves previously underestimated, Zinck et al., Nature Climate Change Open Access 10.1038/s41558-025-02537-1
Declining autumn zero-curtain duration in the Headwater Area of the Yellow River (2011–2024), Luo et al., Advances in Climate Change Research Open Access 10.1016/j.accre.2025.03.004
Extreme rainfall reshapes permafrost thermal regimes across the Northern Hemisphere, Li et al., Nature Communications Open Access pdf 10.1038/s41467-026-70017-x
Frontal variations and surface area changes of Swedish glaciers during 2017–2023, Houssais et al., Journal of Glaciology Open Access pdf 10.1017/jog.2025.10057
Paleoclimate & paleogeochemistry
A critical role of ocean–sea ice interactions in the pronounced warmth during the Miocene Climatic Optimum, Tan et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access pdf 10.1038/s43247-026-03324-2
Coastal changes in the low-latitude western North Pacific region, Xiong et al., Earth 10.1016/j.earscirev.2026.105434
Biology & climate change, related geochemistry
Habitat-based BART models for cetaceans in the western South Atlantic: current and future distribution under climate change scenarios, Martins et al., Marine Environmental Research 10.1016/j.marenvres.2026.107964
Heat and desiccation tolerances predict bee abundance under climate change, Kazenel et al., Nature 10.1038/s41586-024-07241-2
Integrating molecular plant taxonomy into ecosystem restoration and climate resilience strategies in the Global South, Onefeli et al., Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution Open Access pdf 10.3389/fevo.2026.1716707
Key role of moss in supplementing nitrogen for plant growth under warming in a permafrost ecosystem, Zhou et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Open Access 10.1073/pnas.2516443123
Ocean warming enhances iron use efficiencies of marine ammonia-oxidizing archaea, Qin et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Open Access 10.1073/pnas.2531032123
Regional risk shifts to monarch butterfly migration due to climate change, Sánchez-Cordero et al., PLOS Climate Open Access 10.1371/journal.pclm.0000802
GHG sources & sinks, flux, related geochemistry
Decadal extreme drought reduces alpine subsoil carbon stocks, Zhou et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Open Access pdf 10.1073/pnas.2517468123
Impacts of microplastics on terrestrial soil carbon dynamics, He et al., Nature Geoscience 10.1038/s41561-026-01935-0
Long-term observations of atmospheric CO2 and CH4 trends and comparison of two measurement systems at Pallas-Sammaltunturi station in Northern Finland, Laitinen et al., Atmospheric Measurement Techniques Open Access pdf 10.5194/amt-18-3109-2025
Multi-Model Assessment of Future Hydrogen Soil Deposition and Lifetime Using CMIP6 Data, Brown et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access pdf 10.1029/2024gl113653
Thick tephra deposition reduces the carbon sequestration capacity of peatlands, Zhang et al., Global and Planetary Change 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105350
Urban excavated soils as an overlooked carbon source: quantifying CO2 and CH4 emissions and mitigation via biochar and soil capping, Bae et al., Biochar Open Access pdf 10.1007/s42773-026-00587-y
CO2 capture, sequestration science & engineering
Bringing fairness also into carbon removal shares of countries is essential for a just transition, Danzer & Kirchengast, Global Environmental Change Open Access 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2026.103114
Scientific evidence does not support oyster farming as a marine carbon dioxide removal strategy for climate mitigation, Pernet et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Open Access pdf 10.1073/pnas.2533459123
Decarbonization
E-retrofitting can accelerate Europe’s bus fleet electrification by 15 years, Desing, Environmental Research: Infrastructure and Sustainability Open Access 10.1088/2634-4505/ae464b
Limited scientific evidence for decarbonization of energy end-uses and the challenges to learning and empowerment of green hydrogen niches - insights from Canada, Aguilar et al., Energy Policy Open Access 10.1016/j.enpol.2025.114763
Technological improvements in EV batteries offset climate-induced durability challenges, Wu et al., Nature Climate Change 10.1038/s41558-026-02579-z
Aerosols
Declining anthropogenic aerosols amplify Northern Hemisphere Hadley circulation weakening in the 21st century, Kim et al., Nature Communications Open Access pdf 10.1038/s41467-026-69990-0
Climate change communications & cognition
China’s rural-urban climate education divide: addressing environmental justice in climate literacy, Ampofo et al., Climate Risk Management Open Access 10.1016/j.crm.2026.100799
ClimarisQ: What can we learn from playing a game for climate education?, Faranda et al., Geoscience Communication Open Access pdf 10.5194/gc-9-115-2026
Distress and Denial: Dutch Youth aged 16-35 Grappling with Climate Change, Reitsema et al., Journal of Environmental Psychology Open Access 10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.102969
Modeling the Predictors of Extreme Weather Affective Experience and Its Influence on Extreme Weather Decision-Making, Ernst et al., Weather, Climate, and Society Open Access pdf 10.1175/wcas-d-24-0086.1
Agronomy, animal husbundry, food production & climate change
Evaluation of Climate Risk Assessment in Subnational Climate Action Plans for the Agriculture Sector in India, Choubey et al., Weather, Climate, and Society 10.1175/wcas-d-25-0033.1
Hydrology, hydrometeorology & climate change
A Characterisation of Extreme-Heat Occurrence and Its Trends in Mexico Based on a High Resolution Dataset, Zermeño?Díaz, International Journal of Climatology Open Access pdf 10.1002/joc.70231
Detectable Anthropogenic Expansion of Compound Dry and Hot Event Areas on Global Land, Li et al., Atmospheric Research 10.1016/j.atmosres.2025.108219
Evaluation and Spatiotemporal Evolution of Surface Air Temperature Estimated by ERA5-Land Reanalysis Data in East China, Ma et al., Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology 10.1175/jamc-d-24-0108.1
Exploring near surface warming trends across China: Establishing a quantitative optimized random forest model, Wang et al., Atmospheric Research 10.1016/j.atmosres.2026.108893
Global prevalence of compound heatwaves from 1980 to 2022, Zhang et al., Advances in Climate Change Research Open Access 10.1016/j.accre.2025.04.010
Multifactor Change in Western U.S. Nighttime Fire Weather, Chiodi et al., Journal of Climate Open Access pdf 10.1175/jcli-d-24-0473.1
Trends and drivers of tropical cyclones originating in the South China Sea during 1949–2021, Li et al., Dynamics of Atmospheres and Oceans 10.1016/j.dynatmoce.2025.101546
Inter-model differences in 21st century glacier runoff for the world's major river basins, Wimberly et al., The Cryosphere Open Access pdf 10.5194/tc-19-1491-2025
Local and Remote Moisture Sources Both Increase Late Twenty-First Century Arctic Precipitation, Leister et al., Journal of Climate Open Access pdf 10.1175/jcli-d-24-0359.1
Projecting Multiscale River Flood Changes Across Japan at +2°C and +4°C Climates, Chen et al., Earth's Future Open Access pdf 10.1029/2024ef005884
Recent and future variability in 1-day precipitation extremes in Trentino – South Tyrol (Eastern Italian Alps) based on observations (1956-2023) and climate model projections, Maines et al., Weather and Climate Extremes Open Access 10.1016/j.wace.2026.100880
The key role of Mediterranean and North Atlantic sea surface temperatures on the 2024 record-breaking Valencia precipitation event, Saurral et al., Weather and Climate Extremes Open Access 10.1016/j.wace.2026.100877
Climate change economics
Are the public ready to bear the costs of phasing out coal-fired power plants? An economic feasibility analysis, Huh et al., Energy Policy Open Access 10.1016/j.enpol.2026.115177
Global economic exposure to climate change amplified by spatially compounding climate extremes, Biess et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-026-70127-6
The EU carbon border adjustment mechanism: Does it impact the competitiveness of China's export trade?, Wang et al., Energy Policy 10.1016/j.enpol.2026.115161
Climate change mitigation public policy research
Local ordinances and large-scale solar development in the United States, Lee et al., Energy Policy 10.1016/j.enpol.2026.115088
Policy goal communication increases support for ambitious renewable energy policies, Brückmann & Stadelmann-Steffen, PLOS Climate Open Access 10.1371/journal.pclm.0000823
The effect of land costs on the economic and sustainability performance of solar photovoltaics in China, Chen et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Open Access 10.1073/pnas.2512930123
The sustainability trilemma of land scarcity: Quantifying the societal cost of Taiwan's energy transition, Zhao et al., Energy Policy 10.1016/j.enpol.2026.115223
Were subsidy phase-outs premature for offshore wind power in China?, Lin & Xu, Energy for Sustainable Development Open Access 10.1016/j.esd.2026.101967
‘Decision-support’ tools for the assessment of co-benefits: Insights from energy and climate policy in the United Kingdom, Lait & Foxon, Energy Policy Open Access 10.1016/j.enpol.2026.115174
Climate change adaptation & adaptation public policy research
Microcredit as an adaptation strategy to climate change in coastal Bangladesh based on the theory of planned behavior, Mahedi et al., Discover Sustainability Open Access 10.1007/s43621-026-02930-6
Opportunity windows accelerate action and expand options for climate adaptation in Europe, Di Fant et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access pdf 10.1038/s43247-026-03332-2
Reassessing boreal wildfire drivers enables high-resolution mapping of emissions for climate adaptation, Eckdahl et al., Science Advances Open Access 10.1126/sciadv.adw5226
Visual-thermal interaction effects on perceived restoration in dynamic park routes: a time-series perspective on outdoor climate adaptation in hot climates, Dong et al., Journal of Environmental Psychology 10.1016/j.jenvp.2026.102931
Climate change impacts on human health
Community perceptions on climate change and its impacts on malaria transmission in South-eastern Tanzania, Nshatsi et al., Malaria Journal Open Access 10.1186/s12936-026-05835-x
Informed opinion, nudges & major initiatives
Climate research is global — risks and responsibilities should also be distributed, Rui et al., Nature 10.1038/d41586-026-00680-z
Book reviews
2026 Annual Energy Report Vermont's Energy Supply and Demand Key Insights, Recommendations, and Data on Vermont’s Energy Sectors, Vermont Department of Public Service
Vermont’s electric rates are increasing quickly. Dozens of rate cases over the last few years have substantially increased Vermonters’ electricity cost burden. Regional cost pressures, renewable energy requirements, and storm costs are expected to continue to drive rate increases. Despite these increases, Vermont electric costs remain stable and slightly lower than other Northeast states. Weatherization progress continues but could be more efficiently delivered. Vermont continues to make slow but steady progress toward weatherizing its building stock. Dozens of programs serve Vermonters, but they can cause customer confusion and inefficient use of ratepayer and taxpayer investments. Federal Funding is uncertain. 2025 Saw significant federal funding disruption, affecting current programs and the expectation for future program availability. The instate near-term, clean energy market remains strong with dozens of megawatts of solar being proposed by developers through contracts with utilities. Storage deployment remains top in the region. Vermont is ranked first in the nation in percent of clean energy jobs per capita.
A Spatial Analysis of Ground-Mounted Solar Arrays and Agricultural Land in Colorado, Jeremiah Garrick, Colorado Solar and Storage Association
Nearly 90 percent of Colorado’s ground-mounted solar acreage is concentrated in just eight counties, primarily along the Front Range. Pueblo County is the epicenter of solar development, hosting almost 47% of Colorado’s total ground-mounted solar acreage. Twenty-five counties had no ground-mounted solar development. Even in counties with the most solar development, ground-mounted solar occupies well under one percent of total county land area. Approximately 38 percent of solar acreage overlaps with soils classified as agriculturally important, often in areas where farmland dominates the landscape and alternative siting options are limited
Western regionalization: Day-Ahead market benefits analysis for Arizona balancing authorities, Aurora Energy Research, Environmental Defense Fund
Arizona’s largest electric utilities, including Arizona Public Service (APS), Salt River Project (SRP), and Tucson Electric Power (TEP), are all primed to join a regional “day-ahead market” within the next few years. They have two options: 1) the Extended Day-Ahead Market (EDAM), which will be governed by a new independent Regional Organization for Western Energy (ROWE) and operated by the California Independent System Operator, which is poised to be the largest and most resource-diverse market in the region; and 2) Markets+, another day-ahead electricity market that will be run by the Southwest Power Pool. The authors compare these two options and find that APS could save its residential customers nearly $110 million annually more than projected under their current market selection if they instead went with the larger market option. For APS customers, that’s about $50 per year in savings. Additionally, if all Arizona utilities joined the larger market, they would collectively save $114.9 million per year more than the alternative market. These results underscore the significance of this decision for the utilities and their consumers in Arizona.
Takeaways from USA TODAY’s investigation of clean-energy opposition, Bhat et al., USA Today
America’s renewable energy buildout is facing resistance, not just in Washington but in county commission meetings across the country. A growing number of local governments are restricting or outright blocking large-scale wind and solar projects. These restrictions come in the shape of bans, permitting requirements that make projects economically unfeasible or moratoriums that may or may not eventually expire. All the while, changing economics and improved technology have made wind and solar cheaper than natural gas and far cheaper than coal.?The investigation identified at least 755 counties with regulatory mechanisms that render it difficult or impossible to develop large-scale wind or solar projects. The investigation relied on data collected for 3,142 counties covering all 50 states through official announcements, county board meetings, news reports, emails and phone calls to public offices.
Integrated Ocean Carbon Research: a vision primed for implementation, Austin et al., The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO
The authors offer the most comprehensive evaluation to date of the processes driving ocean carbon uptake and storage, and identifies the research priorities required to strengthen global climate planning. Despite major scientific advances, significant uncertainties remain in estimating how much carbon the ocean absorbs each year. Current models diverge by 10-20% globally, and even more in certain regions. These discrepancies stem from limited observations and incomplete understanding of how physical, biological, chemical, and human-driven processes shape the ocean carbon cycle. Among the most influential knowledge gaps are warming, stratification, and changes in ocean mixing; shifts in plankton communities, microbial activity, and food?web dynamics; carbon transfers across coastal, land?ocean, and polar interfaces; growing impacts of industrial activities, including trawling, dredging, drilling, aquaculture, and deep?sea mining; uncertainties around future marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) approaches, such as seaweed cultivation, iron fertilization, and alkalinity enhancement; and together, these unknowns mean governments are making climate decisions without fully understanding how the ocean, our largest carbon sink, will behave in the future.
Grid Growth, Utilization, and Affordability: A Playbook for States, Jigar Shah and Arnab Pal, Deploy Action
The United States electrical grid has entered a period of rapid transformation. Electricity demand is surging at a pace not seen in 25 years, driven by data centers, industrial reshoring, and rising electrification. In parallel, electricity bills have become a major economic and political concern. Retail rates increased roughly ~25% from 2018 to 2024, driven by increasing transmission and distribution costs, and are projected to rise faster than inflation through 2030 absent intervention. If states respond to load growth using the planning models of the past (peak-driven buildout of poles / wires), retail customers will bear an undue cost burden. If modern tools are used, states can increase use of existing grid assets to defer near-term costs while harnessing long-term load growth to spread fixed costs over a growing customer base. Together, these actions would stabilize electricity prices and help preserve customer affordability. State leaders will play a critical role in determining the path forward. Proactive leaders will take steps to more intelligently use existing infrastructure while securing decade-defining long-term investments in their regional economy.
North America Data Center Trends H2 2025, CBRE
The overall vacancy rate in primary markets fell to a record low 1.4% at year-end. Scarce available inventory continues to limit large-scale deployments, prompting preleasing and off-market activity. Primary market supply increased by 36% year-over-year to 9,432 megawatts (MW), surpassing the 34% increase in 2024, due to accelerated hyperscale demand. Primary markets posted record net absorption of 2,497.6 MW in 2025, outpacing the previous record of 1,809.5 MW in 2024. This surge reflects accelerated leasing activity and occupancy of new supply. Northern Virginia led all primary markets for net absorption in 2025 with 1,102.0 MW. Dallas absorbed 470.8 MW, up by 424.0 MW year-over-year, underscoring the region’s growing appeal to hyperscale users.
Powering Intelligence 2026. Updated Scenarios of U.S. Data Center Electricity Use and Power Strategies, Blanford et al., Electric Power Research Institute
Data centers, industrial onshoring, and transport electrification are driving renewed regional load growth. In the United States and other nations, clusters of new, large loads are testing utilities’ ability to keep pace and are spurring technical and business innovation. Artificial Intelligence (AI) plays a growing, but uncertain role in data center load. AI workloads are estimated to account for 15-25% of data center electricity today and that share is rising rapidly even as non-AI data center demand continues steady growth. However, the pace and scale of AI adoption, the power intensity of AI hardware and algorithms, and power system and supply chain constraints remain highly uncertain. EPRI projects data centers to consume 9% to 17% of U.S. electricity by 2030, up from 4% to 5% today. EPRI developed Low, Medium, and High growth scenarios of U.S. state-level data center power demand through 2030 using commercial project development data. The Low scenario assumes most projects under construction and one-fourth of those in advanced planning are fully operational by 2030. The High Scenario assumes all projects under construction or in advanced planning plus 30% of those in early planning quickly overcome supply chain and process constraints to be operational by 2030.
Exploring climate preparedness in low- and middle-income countries, Liu et al., Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, Yale University
Higher levels of economic, governmental, and social readiness for extreme weather in low- and middle-income countries does not mean that people in those countries feel more prepared. In some countries, many individuals are preparing for extreme weather events, but their governments are taking fewer actions than other countries. Countries with lower governmental and individual readiness may require support for capacity-building.
The Cost Of Inaction, Perkins et al., Apparel Impact Institute
Drawing on strategic insights from 10 leading global apparel brands, the authors illustrate how climate risks are increasing costs for companies in the fashion industry, with the potential to affect bottom lines by up to 34% in 2030 and up to 67% by 2040. The authors transform climate risk into financial terms, quantifying the growing financial losses brands will incur unless they act against climate change and its risks. Drawing on insights from participating brands, the authors' identify three primary risks – increasing carbon prices, and higher raw material and energy costs – to quantify how inaction on climate change impacts companies’ operating margins and drives material profit losses. Encouragingly, the authors' also find that early investment, particularly in supplier decarbonization, can unlock business resilience and help brands maintain long-term competitiveness. Key findings from the report include inaction could reduce the value of the $1.77 trillion fashion industry by 70% by 2040 for a conventional operator under a net-zero scenario; conventional operators that delay the energy transition face higher costs and multiplying exposures, including volatile and rising fossil fuel prices tied to coal reliance and raw material risks; incremental improvements deliver meaningful near-term cost relief, build resilience, and unlock capital for future, larger-scale decarbonization efforts. Examples include enhancing energy efficiency and adopting heat recovery; and derisking supply chains and decoupling profitability from climate-volatile inputs helps companies become more resilient and face four to five times less exposure by 2040 across risks.
Weather Modification: NOAA Should Strengthen Oversight to Ensure Reliable Information, Howard et al., Government Accountability Office
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is the only federal agency with responsibilities under the Weather Modification Reporting Act of 1972 (the Act). The authors examine the extent to which NOAA is meeting its statutory responsibilities for overseeing current U.S. weather modification reporting and is prepared to oversee an emerging approach like solar geoengineering. To conduct this review, the authors analyzed a representative sample of weather modification reports filed with NOAA and available on its website and compared reports to information from other sources. The authors reviewed 54 articles from a structured literature search, visited nine locations across two states, and held 24 interviews with agency officials, operators, and other stakeholders. The authors made three recommendations, including that NOAA should (1) establish written agency guidance for its review of and confirmation that all weather modification reports submitted to NOAA contain the legally required information; (2) improve NOAA’s instructions on how to complete the reporting forms for a range of weather modification activities, including emerging solar geoengineering activities; and (3) implement a process to regularly inform the operators as well as state and local agencies directly about NOAA’s role in weather modification oversight, the applicability of the Act to different activities, and where to find required reporting forms. NOAA agreed with the recommendations.
Military Installations: DOD Should Improve Natural Disaster Cost Tracking and Planning for Resilience Improvements, Williams et al., Government Accountability Office
Extreme weather and natural disasters have resulted in billions of dollars of damages to military installations over the past decade. Such damages can affect the Department of Defense's (DoD) ability to execute its mission and disrupt installation resources that support service members and their families. The authors assessed DD’s recovery from natural disasters at military installations. he authors examined the extent to which DoD has (1) tracked costs and damages associated with natural disasters since 2015 and (2) increased resilience of selected installations affected by natural disasters. The authors reviewed documentation and interviewed officials from a non-generalizable sample of 12 installations on disaster damages and resilience improvement efforts and conducted in-person site visits at three of these installations. The authors analyzed annual and supplemental appropriations to identify funds designated for disaster recovery. The authors also reviewed documentation and interviewed DoD and military department officials related to installations’ recovery efforts and collection of related data. The authors made five recommendations, including that DoD improve its efforts to collect data on the effects of extreme weather at installations and that the military departments issue guidance to enhance the use of resilience information in installation master plans. DoD concurred with all the recommendations.
US Energy Storage Market Outlook, Q1 2026, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence Ltd, Solar Energy Industries Association
In 2025, battery energy stationary storage (BESS )installations surpassed 57 GWh/28 GW, a year-on-year increase of 29% (GWh). The utility-scale market underpinned growth with just under 50 GWh/16 GW installed, with California, Texas and Arizona accounting for 74% of installed capacity. Meanwhile, the behind-the-meter (BTM) market saw its share of demand remain consistent with 2024 at 13% of the total market, representing 8 GWh/12 GW. The BTM market saw strong growth in the residential market as the 25D tax credit comes to an end. Throughout 2025 the U.S. BESS policy landscape has seen significant change, with the most substantial being the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). Several states also announced greater commitments to renewables and energy storage. U.S. BESS deployments are set to increase to 70 GWh/35 GW in 2026, with the utility-scale market accounting for 62.4 GWh/20.2 GW and BTM markets accounting for 7.3 GWh/14.8 GW. This represents an estimated $25.2B in capital investment. By 2030, the market is set to exceed annual installations of 110 GWh/47 GW. By 2030 cumulative installed utility-scale BESS is set to reach just under 500 GWh.
Retail rate trends in the US, DeCourcey et al., Charles River Assoicates
Rate increases have been concentrated in specific regions – the Northeast due to wholesale electricity market price increases, and California due to wildfire-related costs. Most areas have experienced stable rates, with utilities effectively managing controllable costs. Data centers have generally not caused retail rate increases, with one exception in parts of the PJM region where capacity price increases were driven partly by data center demand. Protective large load tariffs and agreements are being implemented to prevent cost shifts to existing customers.
Oil spill. How fossil fuel interests are seeping into the voluntary carbon market rulebook, nigo Wyburd and Jonathan Crook, Carbon Market Watch
Despite belonging to the highly polluting fossil fuel sector, major oil and gas companies are not only among the largest buyers of carbon credits, they are also heavily invested in seeking to shape the voluntary carbon market. The authors zoom in this outsized role. They focus on how oil supermajors employ greenwashing strategies, including offsetting their emissions and using carbon credits to give the illusion of meaningful progress towards reaching their climate targets. Driven by a desire to safeguard the supply of cheap and low-quality carbon credits, some fossil fuel companies have also been engaging with policy and governance processes through both formal and informal channels. These fossil fuel interests consistently back approaches that promote carbon credit use that is in alignment with their commercial interests, including expanding the supply of different carbon credit types and continued market growth. In parallel, these companies operate in close proximity to the institutions tasked with defining and safeguarding carbon market integrity, such as the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) and the Voluntary Carbon Market Integrity initiative (VCMI). While insufficient information is publicly available to assess whether the outcomes of the work undertaken by voluntary initiatives has been directly influenced by oil and gas companies and other market actors, there are sufficient grounds to consider this a credible risk that warrants serious scrutiny.
Practical Guide on Climate Action and the Human Rights of Women and Girls, Javier Palummo Lantes, Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and its' Special Rapporteurship on Economic, Social, Cultural and Environmental Rights
The author recognizes that the climate emergency does not affect everyone equally, nor does it distribute the costs of adaptation and State action in an equitable way. In the Americas, climate risks tend to fall more heavily on women and girls, among other factors, due to the gendered division of labor, the disproportionate burden of care work, and persistent gaps in access to land, water, basic services, timely information, and meaningful decision-making spaces. The author also warns that these effects intensify when structural inequalities linked to poverty, ethnic-racial identity, territory, age, disability, or migration status intersect. Thus, climate policies that fail to incorporate a human rights approach and a gender perspective may end up reproducing—and even deepening—pre-existing inequalities, even when pursuing legitimate climate objectives.
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Posted by Doug Bostrom on Thursday, 5 March, 2026
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