Skeptical Science New Research for Week #26 2026
Climate's changed beforeIt's the sunIt's not badThere is no consensusIt's coolingModels are unreliableTemp record is unreliableAnimals and plants can adaptIt hasn't warmed since 1998Antarctica is gaining. . .
Climate's changed beforeIt's the sunIt's not badThere is no consensusIt's coolingModels are unreliableTemp record is unreliableAnimals and plants can adaptIt hasn't warmed since 1998Antarctica is gaining iceView All Arguments. . . UsernamePasswordNew? Register hereForgot your password?Latest PostsSkeptical Science New Research for Week #26 2026What Americans can learn from London’s war on carsNew Publication: Identifying Flawed Reasoning in Contrarian Claims about Climate ChangeThe Merchants of Doubt are coming for Extreme Event Attribution science2026 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #25Cooking up the Climate Stripes, with Ed HawkinsSkeptical Science New Research for Week #25 2026How ‘balcony solar’ could help fight rising utility costsFact brief - Does solar energy need subsidies to compete with fossil fuels?Plateauing CO2 emissions have slowed atmospheric growth2026 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #24Skeptical Science New Research for Week #24 2026June update: Help still needed to get translations prepared for our website relaunch!How many people does heat actually kill?Check out the brand-new hurricane ‘cone of uncertainty’ graphics arriving this season2026 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #23SkS Housekeeping: Updating the Comments PolicySkeptical Science New Research for Week #23 2026Nobody knows the future of energyFact brief - Do electric vehicles almost always have a lower carbon footprint than gasoline-powered cars?Solar, wind, and EVs have knocked out a doomsday climate scenario2026 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #22Skeptical Science New Research for Week #22 2026The next era of Atlantic hurricanes could be far more destructiveOn the death of RCP8. 5RCP8. 5 Update2026 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #21Skeptical Science New Research for Week #21 2026What’s a ‘super El Niño’? And other El Niño questions, answeredFact brief - Does electromagnetic radiation from wind turbines pose a threat to human health?ArchivesPosted on 25 June 2026 by Doug Bostrom, Marc KodackOpen access notablesPaleorecords inform the limits of Indo-Pacific coral reef survival under accelerating sea-level rise, Ramos et al. ,Nature CommunicationsHere, we compile and evaluate standardized Holocene vertical accretion rates and coral community structure data from 288 Indo-Pacific paleo-reef records across 92 sites to examine intrinsic and extrinsic drivers of accretion. Our findings reveal that reef formation and long-term accretion are determined by a complex interplay between sea-level change and eco-geomorphological factors. Maximum vertical accretion rates indicate that many Indo-Pacific reefs do not have the capacity to keep pace with projected rates of sea-level rise, particularly under high-emissions scenario (76% of reef sites). Critical thresholds suggest that reef accretion is very unlikely (>90% probability) to be maintained when relative sea-level rise rate exceeds 5. 3 mm yr−1, a scenario likely to be surpassed within ~35 years. Without substantial reductions in global emissions, many coral reefs face increasing risk of submergence, structural collapse and loss of critical ecosystem services, especially where modern coral communities differ from predominantly competitive Holocene assemblages and are increasingly dominated by weedy taxa. Wild Ruminants as a Natural Source of Methane: A Global Gridded Emissions Estimate, Yazbeck et al. ,Journal of Geophysical Research BiogeosciencesMethane (CH4) is a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change, but its global estimates are still uncertain. While livestock are known to produce large amounts of methane, wild animals also emit methane during digestion. In this study, we estimate methane emissions from wild ruminants worldwide using a new spatial data set. We combine global information on species distributions and population sizes with a relationship that links body mass to methane emissions and estimate emissions across the globe. Our results suggest that wild ruminants emit about 2. 95 Tg (Tg) of methane per year globally. This estimate is lower than values derived from the IPCC Tier 1 method (∼15 Tg yr−1) but is consistent with previous body-mass-based studies. Although uncertainties remain, mainly in population data and seasonal variability, this work provides a transparent baseline estimate of methane emissions from wild ruminants that can support global methane budget studies and atmospheric modeling. Reversal of the ITCZ Shift During the Satellite Era, Shrestha et al. ,Geophysical Research LettersRoughly one-third of the global precipitation originates from the deep tropics where the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) plays a central role. Even small shifts in this narrow band of intense rainfall can drive major regional hydrological changes both at seasonal and longer timescales, as exemplified by the prolonged Sahel drought of the late 20th century. Studies have attributed the southward migration of the ITCZ during the late 20th century to a larger concentration of aerosols over the Northern Hemisphere (NH) at the time. A growing record of observations now reveal a northward migration of the ITCZ over the past four decades that is, a reversal in the ITCZ shift trend. In this study, we find that both a reduction in aerosols over the NH along with a global increase in greenhouse gases have contributed to this recent reversal in the ITCZ shift. The northward displacement of the ITCZ over the satellite era aligns with observed hemispheric asymmetries in Earth's albedo trends and reinforces model projections of further northward shifts in the decades ahead. Modelling the effect of awareness on the spread of misinformation, Caceres et al. ,Royal Society Open ScienceWe propose a model showing that taking an active role in stopping the spread of misinformation reduces its impact. To do this, we generalize the Maki–Thompson rumour model, where the population consists of spreaders, ignorants and stiflers. Spreaders try to spread the rumour through directed contacts. When a spreader contacts an ignorant, the ignorant becomes a spreader; otherwise, the initiating spreader becomes a stifler. In finite populations, the process reaches an equilibrium in which every individual is either a stifler or an ignorant. Our generalization adds a class of aware individuals who recognize the information as false. In a passive role, an aware individual exposed to misinformation simply avoids spreading it. In an active role, the aware individual not only refuses to propagate the rumour but also stops the spread by the contacting person. For homogeneously mixed populations, we prove limit theorems for the final proportion of ignorants as a function of the proportion of aware individuals and the probability of acting actively or passively. For populations represented by random networks, we perform computational analyses to compare both scenarios and find that propagation decreases sharply in active environments, with the largest differences occurring when awareness is about 30–40%. From this week's government/NGOsection:Lethal humidity and the systemic risks of climate change,Robert Glasser,Australian Strategic Policy InstituteThe author uses ‘lethal humidity’ as a focal concept, but focuses primarily on the broad category of extreme humid-heat events that are increasingly approaching, and in some regions exceeding, that threshold. It focuses on the rising threat posed by extreme humid heat, both as a stand-alone climate hazard and as part of a more complex pattern of interconnected hazards intensified by climate change. He highlights the accelerating effects of extreme humid-heat occurrences and how they will both amplify and be amplified by other climate-related events happening simultaneously or consecutively. The main objective is to show that those effects are not isolated; they cascade through societies, magnified by other climate hazards, such as storms and flooding. Renewables shield Spanish consumers from elevated gas prices,Chris Rosslowe,EmberAs Europe is hit by its second gas price shock in five years, Spain demonstrates the ability of renewable energy to shield against volatile costs. Spain has pursued a strategic expansion of renewable energy since before the gas crisis of 2021-2024, and reinforced this approach following the Iberian blackout of April 2025. This strategy is proving its worth as Spanish consumers continue to benefit from low-cost electricity despite elevated gas prices. Building on this, Spain’s response to the 2026 energy crisis recognizes the importance of electrification to drive deeper reductions in fossil import dependency. 115 articles in 63 journals by 704 contributing authorsPhysical science of climate change, effectsEpisodic Slowdown of Global Warming by a Multiyear La Niña, Iwakiri & Kohyama,Journal of Climate10. 1175/jcli-d-25-0686. 1Limited impact of Greenland meltwater on abruptness and reversibility of future Atlantic overturning changes, Mehling et al. ,Science AdvancesOpen Accesspdf10. 1126/sciadv. aed2633Long-Term Trends and Variability in Arctic Mixed Layer Depth, Eisner et al. ,Journal of Geophysical Research OceansOpen Access10. 1029/2026jc024063Multi-scale drivers of compound day-night heatwaves in Shanghai, China (1873–2023): The role of asymmetric warming, oceanic modes, and urbanization, LIANG et al. ,Advances in Climate Change ResearchOpen Access10. 1016/j. accre. 2026. 04. 012North Atlantic Sea Surface Temperature Variability: Impacts, Mechanisms, and Challenges, He et al. ,Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews Climate ChangeOpen Access10. 1002/wcc. 70077Physical processes leading to extreme day-to-day temperature change – Part 2: Future climate change, Hamal & Pfahl,Refubium (Universitätsbibliothek der Freien Universität Berlin)Open Accesspmh:oai:refubium. fu-berlin. de:fub188/52806Recent Weakening of the Global Radiative Feedback, Loon et al. ,ArXiv. orgOpen Accesspdfpmh:oai:arXiv. org:2603. 12515Reversal of the ITCZ Shift During the Satellite Era, Shrestha et al. ,Geophysical Research LettersOpen Access10. 1029/2026gl123402The Nonmonotonicity of Moist-Adiabatic Warming, Miyawaki,Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences10. 1175/jas-d-25-0099. 1Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:Radiative Heating of High-Level Clouds and Its Impacts on Climate,Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres, 10. 1029/2024jd04085012cites. Observations of climate change, effectsAir temperature trend analysis for the Cananéia–Iguape Coastal System (São Paulo State, Brazil), 1981–2022, using reanalysis products evaluated against surface observations, Baratto et al. ,Dynamics of Atmospheres and OceansOpen Access10. 1016/j. dynatmoce. 2026. 101676Anthropogenic and natural drivers of the Earth's radiation budget changes in South and Southeast Asia (2001?2022), CHEN et al. ,Advances in Climate Change ResearchOpen Access10. 1016/j. accre. 2026. 06. 009Disentangling internal and external impacts on increasing compound heat waves over the Yangtze River valley, Xie et al. ,Weather and Climate ExtremesOpen Access10. 1016/j. wace. 2026. 100927Emergence of Subsurface Warming in the Southern Ocean Gateway Between New Zealand and Antarctica, Ferola et al. ,Geophysical Research LettersOpen Access10. 1029/2025gl121465Extreme sea level changes along the China coast under rising sea levels in 1980–2024, Wang et al. ,Advances in Climate Change ResearchOpen Access10. 1016/j. accre. 2026. 06. 013Heatwaves enable wildfire activity in the western United States, Kalashnikov et al. ,Science AdvancesOpen Access10. 1126/sciadv. aea1277Projections Versus Observations of Extreme Temperatures Over Land During 2006–2023, Qin et al. ,Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres10. 1029/2025jd046261Spatial and Temporal Dynamics of Drought, Heatwave and Compound Extremes in Saudi Arabia From 1984 to 2023: A Comprehensive Analysis, Kamruzzaman,International Journal of Climatology10. 1002/joc. 70404Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:Rapid summer Russian Arctic sea-ice loss enhances the risk of recent Eastern Siberian wildfires,Nature Communications, 10. 1038/s41467-024-49677-036cites. Instrumentation & observational methods of climate change, effectsEvaluation of ERA5, ERA5-Land, CERRA and NEWA datasets in reproducing observed near-surface wind speeds across Spain, Plaza-Martín et al. ,Advances in Climate Change ResearchOpen Access10. 1016/j. accre. 2026. 04. 011Observed Trends and Variability in the Water Masses of the Southern Ocean, Wyatt et al. ,Journal of Geophysical Research Oceans10. 1029/2025jc023852Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:CODC-v1: a quality-controlled and bias-corrected ocean temperature profile database from 1940–2023,Scientific Data, 10. 1038/s41597-024-03494-820cites. Modeling, simulation & projection of climate change, effectsEscalating Hydroclimatic Extremes and Volatility in the UK Under 2°C and 4°C Warming, He et al. ,Earth s FutureOpen Access10. 1029/2025ef007156High-Resolution Climate Simulations Over the Eastern Mediterranean Black Sea Region Using the Pseudo-Global Warming Method With a CMIP6 Ensemble: Wind Energy Resource Availability, Cetin et al. ,Journal of Geophysical Research AtmospheresOpen Access10. 1029/2025jd045816Projected Changes in Extratropical Cyclone Activity Under Climate Change Scenario in East Asia, Byun et al. ,Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres10. 1029/2025jd045725Reduced Future North Atlantic Eddy-Driven Jet Variability in High-Resolution, Fully Coupled Global Climate Models, Baker et al. ,Journal of ClimateOpen Access10. 1175/jcli-d-25-0418. 1Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:Changes in the Typhoon Intensity under a Warming Climate: A Numerical Study of Typhoon Mangkhut,Journal of Climate, 10. 1175/jcli-d-23-0567. 110cites. Advancement of climate & climate effects modeling, simulation & projectionBias correction of CMIP6 models using quantile delta mapping for projecting future IDF curves: case study of the hyderabad metropolitan region, Saravanan & Ji,Theoretical and Applied Climatology10. 1007/s00704-026-06366-wDevelopment of a PCA-based climatic similarity index to enhance weather file selection criteria for climate-based daylight modelling simulations in tropical climates, Aw et al. ,Scientific ReportsOpen Accesspdf10. 1038/s41598-026-58112-xMachine Learning Eliminates Reanalysis Warm Bias and Reveals Weaker Winter Surface Cooling Over Arctic Sea Ice, Hossain et al. ,Geophysical Research LettersOpen Access10. 1029/2025gl121289Projections Versus Observations of Extreme Temperatures Over Land During 2006–2023, Qin et al. ,Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres10. 1029/2025jd046261Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:Incorporation of RCM-simulated spatial details into climate change projections derived from global climate models,Climate Dynamics, 10. 1007/s00382-024-07258-37cites. Cryosphere & climate changeAufeis in a warming world: Global patterns, processes, and environmental implications, Li et al. ,Earth-Science Reviews10. 1016/j. earscirev. 2026. 105590Chaotic fluctuations in Greenland ice streams limit predictability of ice sheet collapse, Kypke et al. ,Earth System DynamicsOpen Access10. 5194/esd-17-769-2026Past, present and future Greenland Ice Sheet surface melt, 1500–2200 CE, Hanna et al. ,Nature Reviews Earth & Environment10. 1038/s43017-026-00800-3Understanding slow glacier flow under climate change: A case study on Vernagtferner, Austria, Dobler et al. ,cryosphereOpen Access10. 5194/tc-20-2531-2026Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:Tipping point in ice-sheet grounding-zone melting due to ocean water intrusion,Nature Geoscience, 10. 1038/s41561-024-01465-728cites. Sea level & climate changeEmergent decadal predictability in Antarctic contribution to sea-level rise, McCormack et al. ,Nature10. 1038/s41586-026-10614-4Extreme sea level changes along the China coast under rising sea levels in 1980–2024, Wang et al. ,Advances in Climate Change ResearchOpen Access10. 1016/j. accre. 2026. 06. 013Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:A framework for physically consistent storylines of UK future mean sea level rise,Climatic Change, 10. 1007/s10584-024-03734-19cites. Paleoclimate & paleogeochemistryCommentary: Reframing Massive Carbon Input During the PETM and a Grand 66 Million Year Geoscience Puzzle, Dickens,Geophysical Research LettersOpen Access10. 1029/2026gl124011Paleorecords inform the limits of Indo-Pacific coral reef survival under accelerating sea-level rise, Ramos et al. ,Nature CommunicationsOpen Access10. 1038/s41467-026-74612-wRapid warming in South America during the last deglaciation, Ampuero et al. ,Nature CommunicationsOpen Accesspdf10. 1038/s41467-026-74093-xMost cited from this section, published 2 years ago:Controlling factors for the global meridional overturning circulation: A lesson from the Paleozoic,Science Advances, 10. 1126/sciadv. adm78138cites. Biology & climate change, related geochemistryConspecific density and reproductive trade-offs govern population response to climate in a clonal wildflower, Loesberg & Williams,Journal of EcologyOpen Access10. 1111/1365-2745. 70376Eastern and southern Asian gymnosperms are doomed to extinction under climate change, Tang et al. ,Communications Earth & EnvironmentOpen Accesspdf10. 1038/s43247-026-03759-7Extreme weather effects on marine predator breeding outcomes in a global climate change hotspot, Sojitra et al. ,Science AdvancesOpen Accesspdf10. 1126/sciadv. aea3220On the collapse of an endemic reef-building coral species, Morais et al. ,Marine Environmental ResearchOpen Access10. 1016/j. marenvres. 2026. 108201Projected Impacts of Climate Change on Interactions Between Plants and Avian Frugivores Across the Americas, Rabeau et al. ,Global Ecology and BiogeographyOpen Accesspdf10. 1111/geb. 70271Projecting biodiversity change to support climate-smart ocean planning in Portugal, julien et al. ,npj Ocean SustainabilityOpen Access10. 1038/s44183-026-00216-ySignificant Coastal Dune Loss Challenges California's Climate Resilience and Biodiversity Goals, Baxter et al. ,Earth s FutureOpen Access10. 1029/2025ef007790Temperate local extinctions from climate change are outpacing tropical extinctions, Murali et al. ,Nature Climate Change10. 1038/s41558-026-02669-yTropical climate modes control strength and distribution of thermal stress mitigation in a coral reef refugia, Camelia et al. ,Scientific ReportsOpen Accesspdf10. 1038/s41598-026-52941-6Variation in bud set phenology, autumn frost tolerance and non-structural carbohydrates among white spruce seed sources on climate-contrasted test sites: implications for assisted migration, Analy et al. ,Frontiers in Forests and Global ChangeOpen Accesspdf10. 3389/ffgc. 2026. 1753580Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:Cumulative risk of future bleaching for the world’s coral reefs,Science Advances, 10. 1126/sciadv. adn966075cites. GHG sources & sinks, flux, related geochemistryAerosol source apportionment modelling using a coupled regional–urban scale system, Caspel et al. ,Atmospheric chemistry and physicsOpen Accesspdf10. 5194/acp-26-8575-2026Cross-stressor resilience of soil microbial growth and carbon metabolism under climate change, Li et al. ,EcologyOpen Access10. 1002/ecy. 70439Dissecting mesopelagic particulate organic carbon budgets in the North Atlantic: A mechanistic diagnosis and evaluation of PISCESv2_RC, Orihuela-García et al. ,BiogeosciencesOpen Access10. 5194/bg-23-4083-2026Dissimilar roles of aerosols, nitrogen deposition and ozone on the terrestrial carbon sink in China during 2010–2020, Xie et al. ,Atmospheric chemistry and physicsOpen Access10. 5194/acp-26-5925-2026Divergent responses of soil organic and inorganic carbon driven by land use during coastal reclamation, Zhai et al. ,Nature CommunicationsOpen Access10. 1038/s41467-026-74876-2Efficient preservation of old methane-derived organic carbon in deep-sea surface sediments, Bao et al. ,Nature CommunicationsOpen Access10. 1038/s41467-026-74250-2Greenhouse gas emissions from freshwater wetlands of the Doon Valley, Northwest Himalaya, India, Baiswar et al. ,Scientific ReportsOpen Accesspdf10. 1038/s41598-026-50605-zHotspots of Arctic and sub-Arctic marine sediment organic carbon are dominated by the Baltic, Barents and Chukchi Seas, Langley et al. ,Communications Earth & EnvironmentOpen Accesspdf10. 1038/s43247-026-03720-8Long-term multiple global change interactions amplify belowground carbon allocation, Chen et al. ,Nature Climate Change10. 1038/s41558-026-02678-xNational pathways of land-use CO? emissions in the 21st century, Zhang et al. ,Nature CommunicationsOpen Access10. 1038/s41467-026-74836-wQuantifying and Mapping Regional C, N and P Stocks From Temperate Fens, Bogs, and Forested Peatlands Using Detailed Peat Bathymetry, Arsenault et al. ,Journal of Geophysical Research BiogeosciencesOpen Access10. 1029/2025jg009407Role of Future Climate Change, Air Pollution Control and Methane Mitigation in Driving Hydroxyl Radical (OH) and Methane Lifetime, Chua,Open MINDOpen Accesspmh:10. 5281/zenodo. 18894153Wild Ruminants as a Natural Source of Methane: A Global Gridded Emissions Estimate, Yazbeck et al. ,Journal of Geophysical Research BiogeosciencesOpen Access10. 1029/2026jg009855Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:Global turnover of soil mineral-associated and particulate organic carbon,Nature Communications, 10. 1038/s41467-024-49743-7184cites. CO2 capture, sequestration science & engineeringGeomechanical characterization of reservoir and caprock integrity for CO2 sequestration assessment in the Jaisalmer Basin, India, Hembram et al. ,Journal of Earth System Science10. 1007/s12040-026-02797-1Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:The effects of policy uncertainty and risk aversion on carbon capture, utilization, and storage investments,Energy Policy, 10. 1016/j. enpol. 2024. 11421212cites. DecarbonizationSector-specific carbon emission trajectories in Beijing (2025–2035): a STIRPAT–LEAP coupled framework for identifying optimal decarbonization pathways, ZHANG et al. ,Frontiers in Environmental ScienceOpen Accesspdf10. 3389/fenvs. 2026. 1834206Strong plans, weak levers: Identifying institutional limits to reducing car dependence in Finland, Lyly & Ghorbani,Energy Research & Social ScienceOpen Access10. 1016/j. erss. 2026. 104737Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:Worldwide greenhouse gas emissions of green hydrogen production and transport,Nature Energy, 10. 1038/s41560-024-01563-186cites. Geoengineering climateCompensation of Ocean Latent Heat to Stratospheric Aerosol Injection Induced Cooling and Its Comparison to Volcanic Aerosols, Gao et al. ,Journal of Geophysical Research Oceans10. 1029/2025jc023882Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:Diminished efficacy of regional marine cloud brightening in a warmer world,Nature Climate Change, 10. 1038/s41558-024-02046-720cites. Black carbonInvestigation of Black Carbon characteristics over the Arctic: Contribution of fossil fuel and biomass burning, Kumar & Srivastava,Atmospheric Environment10. 1016/j. atmosenv. 2026. 122188AerosolsInsights into spring dust aerosol trends over North China from CMIP6 historical simulations and multi-source observations, Sha et al. ,Atmospheric Research10. 1016/j. atmosres. 2026. 109163Reversal of the ITCZ Shift During the Satellite Era, Shrestha et al. ,Geophysical Research LettersOpen Access10. 1029/2026gl123402Substantial Diel Changes of Cloud Adjustments to Aerosols in Ship-Tracks, Yuan et al. ,Geophysical Research LettersOpen Access10. 1029/2026gl121979Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:Why does stratospheric aerosol forcing strongly cool the warm pool?,Atmospheric chemistry and physics, 10. 5194/acp-24-7203-20243cites. Climate change communications & cognitionClimate advocacy and activism by scientists: A narrative review, Finnerty et al. ,PLOS ClimateOpen Accesspdf10. 1371/journal. pclm. 0000942Crowdsourcing Activities for Climate Change Mitigation—Implementation, Opportunities, and Prospects, Wechsler et al. ,Weather Climate and Society10. 1175/wcas-d-25-0086. 1Disagreement among friends: a collaboration-based framework for reducing polarization on climate change, McGrath,Environmental Politics10. 1080/09644016. 2026. 2683947Governmental efficacy is a key psychological pathway to climate action, Goldwert et al. ,Communications Earth & EnvironmentOpen Accesspdf10. 1038/s43247-026-03743-1Green Is the New Bad Libertarian Populism and the Edgar Friendly Style of Climate Denial, Bellolio,Environmental Politics10. 1080/09644016. 2026. 2691473Identifying Flawed Reasoning in Contrarian Claims about Climate Change, Flack et al. ,Environmental Communication10. 1080/17524032. 2026. 2663476Modelling the effect of awareness on the spread of misinformation, Caceres et al. ,Royal Society Open ScienceOpen Access10. 1098/rsos. 252404The relationship between future anxiety and global climate change awareness among physiotherapy students in Turkey: a cross-sectional study, Akaras & Sözlü,BMC Medical EducationOpen Access10. 1186/s12909-026-09696-5Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:Widespread misestimates of greenhouse gas emissions suggest low carbon competence,Nature Climate Change, 10. 1038/s41558-024-02032-z47cites. Agronomy, animal husbundry, food production & climate changeCarbon storage, climate resilience, and livelihoods in coffee agroforestry systems: a systematic review, Omer et al. ,Frontiers in Forests and Global ChangeOpen Accesspdf10. 3389/ffgc. 2026. 1865283Impact of land use change on the long-term economic value of carbon sequestration in Central Alborz, Iran, Joloro et al. ,Scientific ReportsOpen Accesspdf10. 1038/s41598-026-58621-9Regional variability in climate stress, adaptation strategies and resilience among smallholder maize farmers in Tanzania: a systematic review, Amanje & Zhou,Frontiers in ClimateOpen Accesspdf10. 3389/fclim. 2026. 1787495The future fate of Somali upwelling productivity and the implications for fisheries under climate change, Jacobs et al. ,Scientific ReportsOpen Accesspdf10. 1038/s41598-026-55455-3Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:Greenhouse gas mitigation on croplands: clarifying the debate on knowns, unknowns and risks to move forward with effective management interventions,Carbon Management, 10. 1080/17583004. 2024. 236589623cites. Hydrology, hydrometeorology & climate changeClimatology and trends of annual maximum subdaily precipitation in the western United States, Kalashnikov et al. ,Weather and Climate ExtremesOpen Access10. 1016/j. wace. 2026. 100915Comparative hydro-climatic datasets for catchment-wise linked water fluxes and storage changes across South America, Zarei & Destouni,Frontiers in Environmental ScienceOpen Accesspdf10. 3389/fenvs. 2026. 1764771Contesting “climate solutionism”: Critical perspectives from the water-climate nexus, Wilson & Shah,Global Environmental ChangeOpen Access10. 1016/j. gloenvcha. 2026. 103185Differential impacts of vegetation greening on evapotranspiration components across climate zones and vegetation types in China, Huo et al. ,Agricultural and Forest Meteorology10. 1016/j. agrformet. 2026. 111309Escalating Hydroclimatic Extremes and Volatility in the UK Under 2°C and 4°C Warming, He et al. ,Earth s FutureOpen Access10. 1029/2025ef007156Synergistic pathways to mitigate climate and water scarcity risks, Lv et al. ,Nature Sustainability10. 1038/s41893-026-01880-1Water-Limited to Energy-Limited: Seasonal Transitions in Evapotranspiration Controls Across Southern Peninsular India Under Climate Change, Hasanapuram et al. ,Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics10. 1016/j. jastp. 2026. 106876Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:Phase and Amplitude Changes in Rainfall Annual Cycle Over Global Land Monsoon Regions Under Global Warming,Geophysical Research Letters, 10. 1029/2024gl10849613cites. Climate change economicsClimate change as a macro-financial risk multiplier: evidence from private sector credit in fragile sub-Saharan Africa, Mohamed et al. ,Frontiers in ClimateOpen Accesspdf10. 3389/fclim. 2026. 1872050Comprehensive national climate damage assessments framework applied to the UK, Rising et al. ,Nature Climate Change10. 1038/s41558-026-02665-2Reconciling fiscal resilience with low-carbon energy goals: Sri Lanka's carbon-aligned fuel pricing, Heenkenda & Park,Energy Policy10. 1016/j. enpol. 2026. 115458Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:The impact of air transportation, trade openness, and economic growth on CO2 emissions in Saudi Arabia,Frontiers in Environmental Science, 10. 3389/fenvs. 2024. 136605420cites. Climate change mitigation public policy researchAbating industrial nitrous oxide emissions in the United States: legal, economic and scientific dimensions, Kanter et al. ,Climate PolicyOpen Accesspdf10. 1080/14693062. 2026. 2662997Beyond innovation and finance: Reviewing 25 years of United States climate change adaptation foreign aid objectives across 117 projects, Hooshmandi & Sovacool,Climate and Development10. 1080/17565529. 2026. 2681023Editorial: A strategic nexus for enhancing system resilience: advancing energy efficiency, reducing carbon emissions, managing water resources, and controlling air pollution in the industrial sector, Wang & Shao,Frontiers in Environmental ScienceOpen Accesspdf10. 3389/fenvs. 2026. 1835218Evaluation of household electricity cost burden under Japan's green transformation, Zhou et al. ,Energy Policy10. 1016/j. enpol. 2026. 115360Fire risk mitigation underpins durable Nature-based Climate Solutions in the Amazon, Hari et al. ,Communications Earth & EnvironmentOpen Accesspdf10. 1038/s43247-026-03765-9Just-ish Transition: Rethinking justice in practice in South Korea's coal phase-out, Lee et al. ,Energy Research & Social ScienceOpen Access10. 1016/j. erss. 2026. 104744The possible institutionalisation of the carbon removal budget concept across the UNFCCC, UNCBD, and corporate net-zero strategies, Bencini & Iozzelli,Environmental Science & PolicyOpen Access10. 1016/j. envsci. 2026. 104390Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:Effect of renewable energy subsidy policy on firms’ total factor productivity: The threshold effect,Energy Policy, 10. 1016/j. enpol. 2024. 11424133cites. Climate change adaptation & adaptation public policy researchAnalyzing climate risks in the Indian automotive sector using a capability based approach, Gund et al. ,Frontiers in ClimateOpen Accesspdf10. 3389/fclim. 2026. 1790120Beyond innovation and finance: Reviewing 25 years of United States climate change adaptation foreign aid objectives across 117 projects, Hooshmandi & Sovacool,Climate and Development10. 1080/17565529. 2026. 2681023Building climate resilience: a systematic literature review of climate change adaptation efforts in Norwegian municipalities, Bakke & Sydnes,Climate Risk ManagementOpen Access10. 1016/j. crm. 2026. 100847Global Renewable Energy Infrastructure Resilience Under Climate Risks, Hong et al. ,Risk AnalysisOpen Access10. 1111/risa. 70273Rewriting the climate social contract: adaptation, equity, and indigenous rights in Aotearoa New Zealand, Parsons,Global Environmental ChangeOpen Access10. 1016/j. gloenvcha. 2026. 103161Spatiotemporal evolution of cumulative power shortage risks in China under 2 °C warming, Wu et al. ,Advances in Climate Change ResearchOpen Access10. 1016/j. accre. 2026. 06. 016What climate adaptation can learn from evolutionary adaptation, Waananen et al. ,Conservation BiologyOpen Access10. 1111/cobi. 70343Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:Cross-border dimensions of Arctic climate change impacts and implications for Europe,Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews Climate Change, 10. 1002/wcc. 9059cites. Climate change impacts on human healthAssociation of short-term ambient heat exposure with maternal anxiety for fetal health: examining the role of heatwave and climate change risk perception, WU et al. ,Advances in Climate Change ResearchOpen Access10. 1016/j. accre. 2026. 06. 007Global heat stress intensification and its expanding footprint on the human population, Emerton et al. ,Nature Climate ChangeOpen Access10. 1038/s41558-026-02670-5Integrating the Health Sector Into Nationally Determined Contributions: Challenges, Opportunities and Pathways for Climate Resilient Health Systems, Manyele & Anicetus,Climate Resilience and SustainabilityOpen Accesspdf10. 1002/cli2. 70044Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:Climate change is aggravating dengue and yellow fever transmission risk,Ecography, 10. 1111/ecog. 0694215cites. Climate change & geopoliticsTesting Arctic exceptionalism under global tensions: climate change, geopolitics, and the strategic value of the Northern Sea Route, Chen et al. ,Humanities and Social Sciences CommunicationsOpen Accesspdf10. 1057/s41599-026-07384-9Climate change impacts on human cultureMost cited from this section, published 2 years ago:Climate change to exacerbate the burden of water collection on women’s welfare globally,Nature Climate Change, 10. 1038/s41558-024-02037-836cites. OtherA Conceptual Integration of Climate Justice: Taxonomy of Climate Justice Integrating Theory and Policy Practice, Anjum & Aziz,Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews Climate Change10. 1002/wcc. 70078Assessing early oil industry awareness of the impacts of fossil fuels on coral reefs using a novel AI agent, Franta et al. ,npj Ocean SustainabilityOpen Accesspdf10. 1038/s44183-026-00215-zFrom helicopter to satellite science: shifting climate research practices in Khumbu, Nepal Himalaya, Stuart et al. ,Frontiers in Earth ScienceOpen Access10. 3389/feart. 2026. 1781604New list of political jobs at science agencies called ‘weird and capricious’, Mervis,Science10. 1126/science. aej7945Russia plans deep quest for ‘endless oil’, Dobrovidova,Science10. 1126/science. aej7952Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:Observations of diapycnal upwelling within a sloping submarine canyon,Nature, 10. 1038/s41586-024-07411-225cites. Informed opinion, nudges & major initiativesEurope must seize the moment to lead on free and open science, [authors did not process],Nature10. 1038/d41586-026-01953-3The future of global ocean observations: five scenarios, Lehman et al. ,npj Ocean SustainabilityOpen Accesspdf10. 1038/s44183-026-00219-9‘Alternative COP’ must drive real, cooperative change in climate action, [authors did not process],NatureOpen Accesspdf10. 1038/d41586-026-01423-wMost cited from this section, published 2 years ago:Making Global Climate Action work for nature and people: Priorities for Race to Zero and Race to Resilience,Environmental Science & Policy, 10. 1016/j. envsci. 2024. 10380314cites. Book reviewsRejecting climate doomism, Jacques,Environmental Politics10. 1080/09644016. 2026. 2687244Why heritage sites are at risk in a warming world — and how to save them, Megarry,Nature10. 1038/d41586-026-01956-0Articles/Reports from Agencies and Non-Governmental Organizations Addressing Aspects of Climate ChangePowering Down Prices: Policy Solutions to Lower California’s Electricity Rates,Travis Ritchie and Ethan Elkind,The Center for Law, Energy and the Environment, UC Berkeley LawThe authors seek to develop actionable solutions to reduce electricity rates in California while furthering the state’s clean energy and climate goals. The Center for Law, Energy and the Environment at UC Berkeley Law (CLEE) convened electricity and utility experts to identify pragmatic and impactful ideas and to assess potential solutions to address electricity affordability in California. Additional research and outreach with stakeholders and decisionmakers led to the development and implementation of the analysis and practical solutions contained herein. Potential reforms include the California Legislature and Public Utilities Commission could limit the use of single-issue ratemaking mandates and tracking accounts, absent extraordinary circumstances. The legislature could increase public and public-private partnership funding of utility capital expenditures. The legislature could direct the public utilities commission to consider further reducing return on equity (in whole or in part), including a split return on equity with a lower return on wildfire mitigation plan and utility infrastructure undergrounding capital expenditures. State and local governments could increase logistical and financial support for community hardening to protect communities and redirect utility mitigation expenses toward efforts that reduce liability. The legislature or leading stakeholders could research and propose longer-term governance reform of the CPUC, including potential measures such as splitting its jurisdiction between energy and other sectors and altering the quasi-judicial processes. Climate risk in global data center markets,First StreetThe authors quantify physical climate risk across 97 investible data center markets and the implications for their underwriting, financing, and valuation. Climate risk already impacts data center markets. Approximately 54% of global capacity operates under chronic stress conditions such as extreme heat or water scarcity, while 79% is exposed to acute hazards, including flood, wind, or wildfire. These risks do not affect all markets equally, creating widening gaps in operating performance, financing conditions, and long-term valuation outcomes, as assets in higher-exposure locations face sustained cost pressures, greater outage risk, and increasing pressure on cash-flow durability. Despite this, climate risk remains underpriced. Markets with similar demand and infrastructure fundamentals are being underwritten as equivalent, even as their long-term cost structures and reliability profiles diverge. This misalignment is beginning to show up in net operating income stability, insurance availability, debt capacity, refinancing terms, and exit valuations. For investors, lenders, and operators, the implications for data centers are clear: climate risk is no longer peripheral. It is a core driver of operating performance, valuation, and credit quality for data centers as an asset class, and it has to be built directly into underwriting, pricing, and capital allocation. Renewables shield Spanish consumers from elevated gas prices,Chris Rosslowe,EmberAs Europe is hit by its second gas price shock in five years, Spain demonstrates the ability of renewable energy to shield against volatile costs. Spain has pursued a strategic expansion of renewable energy since before the gas crisis of 2021-2024, and reinforced this approach following the Iberian blackout of April 2025. This strategy is proving its worth as Spanish consumers continue to benefit from low-cost electricity despite elevated gas prices. Building on this, Spain’s response to the 2026 energy crisis recognizes the importance of electrification to drive deeper reductions in fossil import dependency. Fixing Climate Communications. Moving beyond narrow narratives to power durable progress,Potential Energy CoalitionData shows that telling simple, human stories about the impact of an overheating planet on people’s everyday lives is the single best way to power new progress. The authors conducted extensive global research to identify the narratives best positioned to grow the audience; drive increased issue prioritization; inform public dialogue and decision-making; inspire leaders to champion climate solutions; and permeate new media and culture. With the right message, climate change can once again become a broadly relevant public issue. Climate action can become a top citizen priority, a top policy priority, and a message that spreads. The support is still there. Fact Sheet | Critical Mineral Deep Dive: Lithium,Nicole Pouy,Environmental and Energy Study InstituteLithium is a U. S. Geological Survey-designated critical mineral. It is used in high-performance batteries for electric vehicles, grid storage systems, and consumer electronics, as well as in the production of metals, ceramics, and pharmaceuticals. It is classified by the U. S. Department of Energy as “highly critical” in the medium term (through 2035) due to its importance for energy applications and exposure to supply chain risks. Fact Sheet | Critical Mineral Deep Dive: Cobalt,Laura Gries,Environmental and Energy Study InstituteCobalt is a U. S. Geological Survey-designated critical mineral. It is widely used in lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles and electronics, and in superalloys for aerospace and industrial applications. The U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) classifies cobalt as having medium to high importance to the clean energy transition through 2035. Prospects for U. S. -Saudi Nuclear Energy Cooperation,Christopher Blanchard and Paul Kerr,Congressional Research ServiceThe 119th Congress is engaging the Trump Administration with regard to U. S. policy toward Saudi Arabia's National Project for Atomic Energy and proposals for U. S. -Saudi nuclear energy cooperation. During Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud's visit to the United States in November 2025, the United States and Saudi Arabia signed a "Joint Declaration on the Completion of Negotiations on Civil Nuclear Energy Cooperation. " Questions surrounding nuclear safeguards, monitoring, and potential production or supply of nuclear fuel are central to the debate in Congress over possible U. S. -Saudi nuclear cooperation. Unless waived, a provision of current law (P. L. 116-92, §1264; 42 U. S. C. §2153 note) restricts the executive branch from submitting a Nuclear Proliferation Assessment Statement (NPAS) required for congressional review of 123 agreements for countries, like Saudi Arabia, that have not agreed to certain international safeguards. Published excerpts of an Administration report to Congress waiving this restriction state that a draft U. S. -Saudi 123 agreement would be implemented with a Bilateral Safeguards Agreement that, "with the involvement" of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), would employ not yet publicly specified "additional safeguards and verification measures to the most proliferation sensitive areas of potential nuclear cooperation. "Advanced Geothermal Energy Is Widely Available, Clean, and Maybe Cheap Enough to Make a Big Impact,Robin Gaster,Information Technology and Innovation FoundationThree advanced geothermal technologies—Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS), Advanced Geothermal Systems (AGS), and Superhot Rock Geothermal (SHR)—are poised to transform geothermal from a niche resource into a significant contributor to the U. S. energy mix. EGS produces energy at commercial scale by drilling deeper and applying techniques from oil and gas fracking to geothermal. It has enormous potential. Traditional geothermal faces limitations in identifying and exploiting underground water or brine reservoirs. EGS instead works with hot dry rocks much further underground. Fervo is the industry leader in EGS. It has generated energy at commercial scale and found commercial demand for its output. Its technology is advancing rapidly, and it is successfully funding development with outside capital. However, EGS understandably still relies on clean energy mandates and federal subsidies. More cost reductions will come as the technology scales, and EGS appears to be on the path to price/performance parity with fossil fuels and cheap renewables. Electric Collective: Europe's Clean Energy Future Without Russia,European Council on Foreign Relations,Szymon Karda?Following Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine, the EU and member states embarked on “energy diplomacy” in search of new international supplies of energy. Between 2021 and 2026, the EU successfully diversified its sources of energy and reduced its' dependence on Russian fossil fuels. It began working more closely with partners around the world on clean electricity imports and critical raw materials. However, structural weaknesses remain for the EU, including a paucity of clean energy agreements and a preponderance of gas deals locking Europeans into fossil fuel reliance. Most energy diplomacy was undertaken by individual member states. Europeans are therefore currently missing out on the energy security benefits of joint action led either by the EU or by collectives of member states. To strengthen their international energy cooperation, the EU and its member states should agree a high-level energy diplomacy framework, conclude more binding agreements that incorporate clean energy components and complete the phase-out of Russian fossil fuels. Lethal humidity and the systemic risks of climate change,Robert Glasser,Australian Strategic Policy InstituteThe author uses ‘lethal humidity’ as a focal concept, but focuses primarily on the broad category of extreme humid-heat events that are increasingly approaching, and in some regions exceeding, that threshold. It focuses on the rising threat posed by extreme humid heat, both as a stand-alone climate hazard and as part of a more complex pattern of interconnected hazards intensified by climate change. He highlights the accelerating effects of extreme humid-heat occurrences and how they will both amplify and be amplified by other climate-related events happening simultaneously or consecutively. The main objective is to show that those effects are not isolated; they cascade through societies, magnified by other climate hazards, such as storms and flooding. United States Data Center Energy Usage Report: 2025 Update,Smith et al. ,Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryThe authors update the 2024 Data Center Energy Usage Report (2024 Report) and estimate that data centers could account for 11. 8% of total U. S. electricity by 2030. The estimate also includes a range of scenarios that indicate the energy use could be between 9. 5 and 15. 3% of total U. S. electricity use by 2030. In comparison, the 2024 Report estimate range was 6. 7% to 12. 0% of total U. S. electricity by 2028. AboutNew ResearchClickherefor the why and how of Skeptical ScienceNew Research. SuggestionsPlease let us know if you're aware of an article you think may be of interest for Skeptical Science research news, or if we've missed something that may be important. Send your input to Skeptical Science via ourcontact form. 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