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File:  ltr to Congress, 76 scientists 2012.pdfResource Type: Letters

File:  ltr to Congress, 76 scientists 2012.pdfResource Type: Letters

Wildfire, ICE and the Trump war on clean energy Jonathan Lawson Fri, 09/12/2025 - 3:16 pm

Washington’s Climate Commitment Act a Critical Buffer Against Federal Blows to Climate and Clean Energy Funding Climate Solutions Thu, 09/11/2025 - 1:48 pm

Open access notables

Wild, scenic, and toxic: Recent degradation of an iconic Arctic watershed with permafrost thaw, Sullivan et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Science

The streams of Alaska’s Brooks Range lie within a vast (~14M ha) tract of protected wilderness and have long supported both resident and anadromous fish. However, dozens of historically clear streams have recently turned orange and turbid. Thawing permafrost is thought to have exposed sulfide minerals to weathering, delivering iron and other potentially toxic metals to aquatic ecosystems. Here, we report stream water metal concentrations throughout the federally designated Wild and Scenic Salmon River watershed and compare them with United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) chronic (4-d) exposure thresholds for toxicity to aquatic life. The main stem of the Salmon had elevated SO42− concentrations and elevated SO42−: Ca relative to a predisturbance baseline for most of its length, consistent with increased sulfide mineral weathering. Most of the tributaries also had elevated SO42− concentrations and elevated SO42−: Ca, especially those in the upper watershed. The Salmon River mainstem consistently exceeded EPA chronic exposure thresholds for total recoverable iron, total recoverable aluminum, and dissolved cadmium from its first major tributary to its mouth. Nine of ten major tributaries that we sampled exceeded EPA thresholds for at least one metal on at least one of three sampling dates. Our findings indicate that habitat quality for resident and anadromous fish has been severely degraded in the Salmon River watershed. Loss of important spawning habitat in the Salmon and many other streams in the region might help explain a recent crash in chum salmon returns, which local communities depend upon for commercial and subsistence harvest.

Speleothem evidence for Late Miocene extreme Arctic amplification – an analogue for near-future anthropogenic climate change?, Umbo et al., Climate of the Past

Our estimate of > 18 °C of Arctic warming supports the wider consensus of a warmer-than-present Miocene and provides a rare palaeo-analogue for future Arctic amplification under high-emissions scenarios. The reconstructed increase in mean surface temperature far exceeds temperatures projected in fully coupled global climate models, even under extreme-emissions scenarios. Given that climate models have consistently underestimated the extent of recent Arctic amplification, our proxy data suggest Arctic warming may exceed current projections.

Long-term decline in montane insects under warming summers, Sockman, Ecology

Widespread declines in the abundance of insects portend ill-fated futures for their host ecosystems, all of which require their services to function. For many such reports, human activities have directly altered the land or water of these ecosystems, raising questions about how insects in less impacted environments are faring. I quantified the abundance of flying insects during 15 seasons spanning 2004–2024 on a relatively unscathed, subalpine meadow in Colorado, where weather data have been recorded for 38 years. I discovered that insect abundance declined an average of 6.6% annually, yielding a 72.4% decline over this 20-year period. According to model selection following information theoretic analysis of 59 combinations of weather-related factors, a seasonal increase in insect abundance changed to a seasonal decline as the previous summer's temperatures increased. This resulted in a long-term decline associated with increasing summer temperatures, particularly daily lows, which have increased 0.8°C per decade. However, other factors, such as ecological succession and atmospheric elevation in nitrogen and carbon, are also plausible drivers. In a relatively pristine ecosystem, insects are declining precipitously, auguring poorly for this and other such ecosystems that depend on insects in food webs and for pollination, pest control, and nutrient cycling.

Addressing methane emission feedbacks from global wetlands, Ury et al., Nature Sustainability

Earth-system feedback loops that exacerbate climate warming cause concern for both climate accounting and progress towards meeting international climate agreements. Methane emissions from wetlands are on the rise owing to climate change—a large and difficult-to-abate source of greenhouse gas that may be considered indirectly anthropogenic. Here we illustrate the power of emissions reduction from any sector for slowing the progress of earth-system feedbacks.

From this week's government/NGO section:

About half of Americans understand that global warming is increasing homeowners insurance costs, Ettinger et al., Yale University and George Mason University

A large majority of Americans (82%) say the cost of homeowners insurance is increasing, including about two-thirds (66%) who say it is increasing “a lot.” A majority of Americans (69%) think disasters such as hurricanes, floods, and wildfires contribute to increasing homeowners insurance costs, including nearly half (47%) who say such disasters contribute “a lot.” About half of Americans (48%) think global warming contributes to increasing homeowners insurance costs. More Democrats than Republicans say that global warming contributes to the increasing cost of homeowners insurance. Although many Americans understand that global warming contributes to rising homeowners insurance costs, more attribute the cost increases to corporate profits, disasters (such as hurricanes, floods, and wildfires), inflation, and rising property values. Democrats and Republicans hold similar views about these other factors’ roles in increasing insurance costs.

Reporting extreme weather and climate change. A Guide for Journalists, Ben Clarke and Friederike Otto, World Weather Attribution

Extreme weather events, such as heatwaves, heavy rainfall, storms and droughts, are becoming more frequent and stronger in many parts of the world as a result of human-caused climate change. However, not all events are becoming more likely, and changes are uneven across the world. These events often have widespread effects on society, including the loss of crops and farmland, destruction of property, severe economic disruption and loss of life. Following an extreme event with severe impacts, a great deal of public interest is generated in its causes. Increasingly, the dominant question is: “Was this event caused by climate change?” This guide is intended to help journalists navigate this question. 74 articles in 46 journals by 443 contributing authors

Physical science of climate change, effects

Changes in atmospheric circulation amplify extreme snowfall fueled by Arctic sea ice loss over high-latitude land, Liu et al., Weather and Climate Extremes Open Access 10.1016/j.wace.2025.100802

Climate-sensitive chemical weathering feedbacks in a Glacial River Basin, Northeast Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Li et al., Global and Planetary Change 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2025.105053

Enhanced West Antarctic ice loss triggered by polynya response to meridional winds, O'Connor et al., 10.5194/egusphere-egu25-13728

Heatwaves on the Rise: The Role of El Niño-Southern Oscillation and Local Water-Energy Exchanges in Shaping Global Patterns, Zhang et al., Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres Open Access 10.1029/2024jd042446

Tropical Pacific Warming Patterns Influence Future Hydroclimate Shifts and Extremes in the Americas, Heede et al., Earth's Future Open Access 10.1029/2025ef006014

Observations of climate change, effects

Ice core evidence of rapid climate and environmental changes on the Tibetan plateau, Zhang & Kang, Atmospheric Environment Open Access 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2025.121483

Increasing Vulnerability of Urban Climate to Recent Climate Change, Zahradní?ek et al., International Journal of Climatology Open Access 10.1002/joc.70051

Systematic attribution of heatwaves to the emissions of carbon majors, Quilcaille et al., (preprint)  Open Access pdf 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4796598/v1

Wild, scenic, and toxic: Recent degradation of an iconic Arctic watershed with permafrost thaw, Sullivan et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Open Access 10.1073/pnas.2425644122

Instrumentation & observational methods of climate change, effects

Early warning skill, extrapolation and tipping for accelerating cascades, Ashwin et al., Proceedings of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences Open Access 10.1098/rspa.2025.0405

European extreme events climate index (E3CI): a climate service for weather induced hazard, Giugliano et al., Frontiers in Climate Open Access 10.3389/fclim.2025.1628534

What is climate change doing in the Himalaya? Thirty years of the Pyramid Meteorological Network (Nepal), Salerno et al., Open Access 10.5194/essd-2024-591

Modeling, simulation & projection of climate change, effects

Controls on Fjord Temperature Throughout Greenland in a Reduced-Physics Model, Mas e Braga et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2025gl116902

Far-future climate projection of the Adriatic marine heatwaves: a kilometre-scale experiment under extreme warming, Denamiel, Open Access 10.5194/egusphere-2025-1363

Future Summertime Marine Heatwaves in the Indian Ocean in Response to Enhanced Variability of the Western North Pacific Subtropical High Under Warming Climate, Sandaruwan et al., Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans 10.1029/2025jc022626

Advancement of climate & climate effects modeling, simulation & projection

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

Cryosphere & climate change

Beyond carbon: Multi-scale thermal and hydrological feedback of permafrost on the Tibetan Plateau, Xiao et al., Earth 10.1016/j.earscirev.2025.105248

Enhanced West Antarctic ice loss triggered by polynya response to meridional winds, O'Connor et al., 10.5194/egusphere-egu25-13728

Ongoing firn warming at Eclipse Icefield, Yukon, indicates potential widespread meltwater percolation and retention in firn pack across the St. Elias Range, Kindstedt et al., Open Access 10.5194/egusphere-2024-3807

Southern Ocean sea-ice leads: first insights into regional lead patterns, seasonality, and trends, 2003–2023, Dubey et al., The Cryosphere Open Access 10.5194/tc-19-3535-2025

Variabilities in climate sensitivities and mass balance of four High Mountain Asian glaciers, Mukherjee et al., Global and Planetary Change 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2025.105044

Wild, scenic, and toxic: Recent degradation of an iconic Arctic watershed with permafrost thaw, Sullivan et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Open Access 10.1073/pnas.2425644122

Paleoclimate & paleogeochemistry

Pulsed biogenic methane emissions coupled with episodic warming during the Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event, Qiu et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Open Access 10.1073/pnas.2423598122

Speleothem evidence for Late Miocene extreme Arctic amplification – an analogue for near-future anthropogenic climate change?, Umbo et al., Climate of the Past Open Access 10.5194/cp-21-1533-2025

Biology & climate change, related geochemistry

Bark beetles as microclimate engineers – thermal characteristics of infested spruce trees at the canopy surface and below the canopy, Greiser et al., Agricultural and Forest Meteorology Open Access 10.1016/j.agrformet.2025.110796

Building heat-resilient Caribbean reefs: integrating thermal thresholds and coral colonies selection in restoration, Blanco Pimentel et al., PeerJ Open Access 10.7717/peerj.19987

Designing Conservation Networks to Ensure Connectivity in a Changing Climate: Application to Spanish Forests, Goicolea et al., Diversity and Distributions Open Access 10.1111/ddi.70068

Community-based research supports more just and equitable industrial decarbonization, Smith et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-025-63569-x

The Global Decarbonisation Potential of Synthetic Biology, Wiskich & Speight, Global Change Biology 10.1111/gcb.70478

Forestlines in Italian mountains are shifting upward: detection and monitoring using satellite time series, Baglioni et al., Biogeosciences Open Access pdf 10.5194/bg-22-4349-2025

Long-term decline in montane insects under warming summers, Sockman, Ecology Open Access pdf 10.1002/ecy.70187

Ocean acidification impairs growth and induces oxidative stress in the macroalgae Ulva fasciata and Petalonia fascia, de Freitas et al., Marine Environmental Research 10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107429

Range Shift and Climatic Refugia for Alpine Lichens Under Climate Change, Francesconi et al., Diversity and Distributions Open Access 10.1111/ddi.70079

The Diverse Reactions of Butterflies and Zygaenids (Lepidoptera) to Climate Change—A Large Scale, Multi-Species Study, Birch et al., Global Ecology and Biogeography Open Access 10.1111/geb.70112

The Optimal Temperature of Ecosystem Respiration Homogenizes Under Global Warming, Niu et al., 10.21203/rs.3.rs-5577552/v1

Thermal responses of feeding rates differ across co-occurring predator species, Neale & Rudolf, Ecology 10.1002/ecy.70184

Understanding Unanticipated Range Shifts: Biotic Interactions as Key Mediators in a Changing Climate, Wang et al., Global Change Biology 10.1111/gcb.70470

GHG sources & sinks, flux, related geochemistry

Activation Energy of Organic Matter Decomposition in Soil and Consequences of Global Warming, Filimonenko & Kuzyakov, Global Change Biology Open Access 10.1111/gcb.70472

Addressing methane emission feedbacks from global wetlands, Ury et al., Nature Sustainability Open Access 10.1038/s41893-025-01625-6

Enrichment of metastable iron minerals in global coastal wetlands, Ma et al., Nature Geoscience 10.1038/s41561-025-01764-7

Island Size Modulates the Effects of Multiple Global Change Factors on Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Microbial Communities, Shah et al., Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences 10.1029/2025jg009017

Pulsed biogenic methane emissions coupled with episodic warming during the Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event, Qiu et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Open Access 10.1073/pnas.2423598122

Sinking carbon sinks, WANG et al., Applied Ecology and Environmental Research Open Access 10.15666/aeer/2302_34813490

Soil CO2 and CH4 effluxes in powerline rights-of-way and their adjacent forests, Harel et al., Agricultural and Forest Meteorology Open Access 10.1016/j.agrformet.2025.110801

Spatial and temporal variations of gross primary production simulated by land surface model BCC&AVIM2.0, Li et al., Advances in Climate Change Research Open Access 10.1016/j.accre.2023.02.001

CO2 capture, sequestration science & engineering

Public preferences for local carbon capture and utilization implementation: A French-German comparison, Schomakers et al., Energy Policy Open Access 10.1016/j.enpol.2025.114781

Decarbonization

Community-based research supports more just and equitable industrial decarbonization, Smith et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-025-63569-x

The Global Decarbonisation Potential of Synthetic Biology, Wiskich & Speight, Global Change Biology 10.1111/gcb.70478

Geoengineering climate

Divergent impacts of climate interventions on China’s north-south water divide, Zhang et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access 10.1038/s43247-025-02708-0

Climate change communications & cognition

Adjust the thermostat and eat more plants? Comparing energy and climate knowledge amongst botanical garden members, Drummond Otten et al., Energy Research & Social Science Open Access 10.1016/j.erss.2025.104276

Evidence for motivated control? Climate change related distress is positively associated with domain-specific efficacy beliefs and climate action, Hanss et al., Journal of Environmental Psychology Open Access 10.1016/j.jenvp.2025.102695

Limited Impact of Interventions for Climate Belief: A Systematic Review Assessing Risk of Bias, de Oliveira Cardoso et al., Trends in Psychology 10.1007/s43076-025-00485-5

Reply to Loh and Ren: Motivating action among climate change believers, Sinclair et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Open Access 10.1073/pnas.2515426122

Weathering the storm: youth vulnerability and resilience during the climate crisis, Pollock & Kantorski, npj Climate Action Open Access 10.1038/s44168-025-00288-5

Agronomy, animal husbundry, food production & climate change

Compound drought-heatwave events accelerate the potential risk on rice yield over Southeast Asia, Wu et al., Atmospheric Research 10.1016/j.atmosres.2025.108410

CROMES v1.0: a flexible CROp Model Emulator Suite for climate impact assessment, Folberth et al., Open Access 10.5194/egusphere-2025-862

Increasing Accumulated Temperature Pushed the Maize Planting Limit Northwards: Phenomenon Analysis and Coping Strategy, Huang & Liu, Earth's Future Open Access 10.1029/2025ef005937

Massive carbon inputs from fish farming reduce carbon sequestration capacity in a macroalgae mariculture area, Yang et al., Marine Environmental Research 10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107515

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

Reduced Crop Yield Stability Is More Likely to Be Associated With Heat Than With Moisture Extremes in the US Midwest, Liu et al., Earth's Future Open Access 10.1029/2024ef005172

Hydrology, hydrometeorology & climate change

Changes in atmospheric circulation amplify extreme snowfall fueled by Arctic sea ice loss over high-latitude land, Liu et al., Weather and Climate Extremes Open Access 10.1016/j.wace.2025.100802

Ice core evidence of rapid climate and environmental changes on the Tibetan plateau, Zhang & Kang, Atmospheric Environment Open Access 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2025.121483

Increasing Vulnerability of Urban Climate to Recent Climate Change, Zahradní?ek et al., International Journal of Climatology Open Access 10.1002/joc.70051

Systematic attribution of heatwaves to the emissions of carbon majors, Quilcaille et al., (preprint)  Open Access pdf 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4796598/v1

Wild, scenic, and toxic: Recent degradation of an iconic Arctic watershed with permafrost thaw, Sullivan et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Open Access 10.1073/pnas.2425644122

Climate change economics

Green jobs and just transition: Employment implications of Europe's Net Zero pathway, Emmerling et al., Energy Research & Social Science Open Access 10.1016/j.erss.2025.104292

The drag effect of carbon emissions on China’s economic growth under 2030 carbon emission reduction target, Xu et al., Frontiers in Environmental Science Open Access pdf 10.3389/fenvs.2025.1651189

Climate change mitigation public policy research

Application of artificial intelligence and machine learning with international guidelines for greenhouse gas reduction in wastewater treatment, Kothale & Sadgir, International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology 10.1007/s13762-025-06651-7

Climate policy in an era of disruption: the impact of COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine on the United States, Russia, Canada and the European Union, Harrison & Sundstrom, Environmental Politics 10.1080/09644016.2025.2554446

Exploring modes of third-party market cooperation in energy projects: A strategic approach to addressing climate change, Zhao & Peng, Energy Policy 10.1016/j.enpol.2025.114779

First Nations at the forefront: The changing landscape of clean energy agreements in Australia, O'Neill & Thorburn, Energy Research & Social Science Open Access 10.1016/j.erss.2025.104183

From climate crisis to energy crisis: foster public support for renewable energy transition through framing, Chen et al., Environmental Politics 10.1080/09644016.2025.2543622

The negligible role of carbon offsetting in corporate climate strategies, Stolz & Probst, Open Access pdf 10.21203/rs.3.rs-5355499/v1

Climate change adaptation & adaptation public policy research

Coupling human development and adaptation through enhancing adaptive capacity and equity in climate change adaptation projects: Insights from practitioners in Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa, Shackleton et al., PLOS Climate Open Access 10.1371/journal.pclm.0000697

Exploring the use of adaptation tipping points: A systematic review of definitions, characteristics and applications, Paarlberg et al., Environmental Science & Policy Open Access 10.1016/j.envsci.2025.104211

Perspectives on climate change and adaptation in Fijian villages contemplating relocation, Yoshida et al., Frontiers in Climate Open Access 10.3389/fclim.2025.1579299

Unintended consequences: The erosion of traditional collective action and social capital by externally imposed climate adaptation programs, Acharya, Environmental Science & Policy 10.1016/j.envsci.2025.104167

Urban density and pedestrian wind comfort in hot-arid climates: Insights for climate-resilient city planning, Najian & Goudarzi Goudarzi, Energy for Sustainable Development 10.1016/j.esd.2025.101776

Climate change impacts on human health

Rising temperatures increase added sugar intake disproportionately in disadvantaged groups in the USA, He et al., Nature Climate Change Open Access 10.1038/s41558-025-02398-8

Other

Climate obstruction in Brazil under the Bolsonaro administration: building empirical and conceptual blocks, Milani et al., Climate and Development 10.1080/17565529.2025.2551952

Unprecedented suppression of Panama’s Pacific upwelling in 2025, O’Dea et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Open Access 10.1073/pnas.2512056122

Informed opinion, nudges & major initiatives

Community-based research supports more just and equitable industrial decarbonization, Smith et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-025-63569-x

Sinking carbon sinks, WANG et al., Applied Ecology and Environmental Research Open Access 10.15666/aeer/2302_34813490

The energy trilemma COP-out: accessibility is under-reported in international English-language media coverage of United Nations Climate Change Conferences, Roberts et al., Energy Research & Social Science Open Access 10.1016/j.erss.2025.104275

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

2025 Realtor.com Housing and Climate Risk Report, Jiayi Xu, Realtorcom

Insurance costs weigh most heavily on lower-value, high-risk markets—particularly in states such as Louisiana and Florida. In 2025, approximately 6.1% of homes in the United States, valued at nearly $3.4 trillion, face severe or extreme risk of flood damage. Flood risks are largely underestimated: About 2 million homes, valued at nearly $1 trillion, could face significant flood risk without homeowners being aware because they are not located in FEMA Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs), often called high-risk flood zones. The low take-up rates of government-backed insurance (the National Flood Insurance Program) suggest that the risk is even overlooked in high-risk FEMA zones. In 2025, approximately 18.3% of homes in the United States, valued at nearly $8 trillion, face severe or extreme risk of hurricane wind damage. In 2025, approximately 5.6% of homes (worth $3.2 trillion) in the United States face severe or extreme risk of fire damage, and nearly 39% of these high-risk homes (worth $1.8 trillion) are in California.

A Climate First Foreign Policy for Australia, The Australian Security Leaders Climate Group

Australia needs a contemporary framing of security that places the biggest threat to our future — climate disruption — at the center of defense and foreign policy. A climate-first policy would would adopt an emergency response, incorporating commitment to deep cooperation with nations that prioritize climate disruption risks, with climate-focused agreements on tax, trade, technology, finance, equity and the like; diplomatic leadership in high-ambition alliances, such as agreements: to phase out fossil fuel subsidies and international financing; to phase out the fossil fuel economy; and for a regional economic climate mobilization; understanding of the risks with mandated and regular climate-related security risk assessments, with outcomes shared within Australia and with neighbors; full integration of climate risk into defense and security planning, humanitarian response, and conflict prevention efforts and support for vulnerable and frontline nations, increased climate finance and leadership in the establishment of international legal frameworks to address climate displacement and migration.

Improving public participation for climate action and resilient democracy in the European Union, Accogli et al., Retool

Meaningful public participation is a powerful means to strengthen climate action and democratic governance as it fosters policy effectiveness, legitimacy, and public support for policymaking. Current turbulent political times underscore the need to harness the full potential of public participation. A wide range of mechanisms for public participation in EU decision-making exist at both the EU and Member-State levels. However, these mechanisms are characterized by important gaps and shortcomings, undermining their potential to provide meaningful and high-quality public participation. The identified mechanisms face key challenges including imbalanced participation, implementation gaps, limited impact and transparency, low public visibility, and lack of deliberative spaces across governance levels. The authors propose seven pragmatic action points to improve the quality and impact of public participation mechanisms for EU climate governance. These are aligned with the European Commission's strategic priorities, particularly the goal of strengthening democracy.

Climate Related Financial Risk Disclosures: Draft Checklist, California Air Resources Board

The Climate Related Financial Risk Disclosure Program applies to U.S. companies that do business in California with annual revenues in excess of $500 million. Beginning on January 1, 2026, these reporting entities must biennially prepare and publicly disclose a report on their climate-related financial risk and the measures adopted to reduce and adapt to climate-related financial risk.

Reporting extreme weather and climate change. A Guide for Journalists, Ben Clarke and Friederike Otto, World Weather Attribution

Extreme weather events, such as heatwaves, heavy rainfall, storms and droughts, are becoming more frequent and stronger in many parts of the world as a result of human-caused climate change. However, not all events are becoming more likely, and changes are uneven across the world. These events often have widespread effects on society, including the loss of crops and farmland, destruction of property, severe economic disruption and loss of life. Following an extreme event with severe impacts, a great deal of public interest is generated in its causes. Increasingly, the dominant question is: “Was this event caused by climate change?” This guide is intended to help journalists navigate this question.

Mining and Money: Financial Faultlines in the Energy Transition, Forests & Finance

The authors found that top financial institutions, including JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America and BlackRock, support mining companies linked to deforestation, land-grabs, contamination and Indigenous rights violations. According to the authors, from 2016-24, major banks provided $493 billion in loans and underwriting to mining companies, including Glencore, Rio Tinto and Vale. As of June 2025, investors held $289 billion in bonds and shares of 111 transition mineral companies. The authors focus on financing for companies mining critical minerals used in the global energy transition, including lithium, nickel, graphite and cobalt. Nearly 70% of these transition mineral mines overlap with Indigenous lands and roughly an equal amount is in regions of high biodiversity.

Strengthening the OSCE’s Climate Security Agenda, Emma Hakala and Florian Krampe, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute

Despite a clear mandate from the December 2021 Stockholm Ministerial Council Decision on Strengthening Co-operation to Address the Challenges Caused by Climate Change, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s (OSCE) approach is yet to reach its full potential. The authors' analysis of the current strategy shows that while the OSCE has strengths, such as a comprehensive security mandate and a grassroots presence through its field operations, its effectiveness is undermined by weaknesses, such as geopolitical distractions, a tendency to focus on general environmental work rather than security and poor integration between headquarters and field missions. To strengthen its work, the OSCE should frame climate change as a cross-dimensional security risk, create an annual integrated climate and environmental security assessment and improve internal cooperation. These actions would better prepare the organization for a changing security landscape.

California prepares for a climate-safe future with new Climate Adaptation Strategy, State of California

The updated Climate Adaptation Strategy sets strategic direction through six priorities including protecting communities most vulnerable to climate change; improving public health and safety to protect against increasing climate risk; building a climate-resilient economy; expanding nature-based climate solutions and strengthening the resilience of natural systems; making decisions based on best available climate science, and partnering and collaborating to leverage resources. Key updates to the Strategy include the addition of new actions from recent climate initiatives like the 2021 Extreme Heat Action Plan and California’s Water Supply Strategy: Adapting to a Hotter, Drier Future; updates to actions and success metrics to improve clarity and reduce redundancy; increased consistency among success metrics and timeframes to improve implementation reporting, and integration of extensive public input, including feedback from over 500 Californians gathered through workshops, community meetings, online sessions, and tribal roundtables.

Economic and Power System Impacts of New York’s Nuclear Units, Murphy et al., Carbon Free New York

the authors examine the economic and power system effects of the four nuclear units in upstate New York. Constellation currently is actively assessing license renewal for two of these units. gridSIM, Brattle’s power sector capacity expansion model, is used to simulate power sector effects. Energy demand, resource adequacy, regulations and clean energy policies in New York as well as those in neighboring markets were accounted for in the analysis. The modeling was benchmarked against a recent New York Independent System Operator analysis.

Climate Change and Maternal, Newborn and Child Health: Time for Action, Takeda et al., The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

The authors explore the current scientific understanding of climate risks to maternal, newborn, and child health. They highlight the many threats for which significant epidemiological evidence exists, explore the substantial gaps in data and in academic research, and detail why it is so crucial to invest now to enhance our knowledge while developing actions that protect the health of women and children.

Companies’ Role in Scaling Up Durable Carbon Dioxide Removals, Mooldijk et al., New Climate Institute

Limiting global warming to 1.5?°C or well below 2?°C requires deep and sustained reductions in greenhouse gas emissions as the primary priority. In addition, carbon dioxide removal (CDR) will be necessary. Only durable forms of CDR that store CO? on millennial timescales can effectively neutralize residual fossil fuel emissions. Most companies focus on non-durable CDR (e.g. reforestation), in their climate strategies, but measuring the impact of these activities in GHG terms is highly limited. Problems include unreliable tracking and reporting, limited land and risks to ecosystem health. Moreover, the concept of reforestation in one area to offset deforestation elsewhere overlooks the local biodiversity and ecosystem services that communities depend on. Durable CDR uptake is small and mostly driven by a few big tech players. Microsoft alone is responsible for over two-thirds of all durable CDR ever contracted. To achieve global net-zero emissions, capacity and demand for durable CDR would need to increase by a factor of 1,000 by 2050.

About half of Americans understand that global warming is increasing homeowners insurance costs, Ettinger et al., Yale University and George Mason University

A large majority of Americans (82%) say the cost of homeowners insurance is increasing, including about two-thirds (66%) who say it is increasing “a lot.” A majority of Americans (69%) think disasters such as hurricanes, floods, and wildfires contribute to increasing homeowners insurance costs, including nearly half (47%) who say such disasters contribute “a lot.” About half of Americans (48%) think global warming contributes to increasing homeowners insurance costs. More Democrats than Republicans say that global warming contributes to the increasing cost of homeowners insurance. Although many Americans understand that global warming contributes to rising homeowners insurance costs, more attribute the cost increases to corporate profits, disasters (such as hurricanes, floods, and wildfires), inflation, and rising property values. Democrats and Republicans hold similar views about these other factors’ roles in increasing insurance costs.

Residents in at Least 41 States and Washington, D.C., Are Facing Increased Electric and Natural Gas Bills, Thyagarajan et al., The Center for American Progress

The Trump administration’s actions to discourage clean energy projects could send rates even higher. Utility companies propose increasing prices for customers in the next year, including estimated additional revenue collected through 2028 and monthly residential bill impacts. As of September 4, 2025, at least 102 gas and electric utilities have either raised or proposed higher rates that would go into effect in 2025 or 2026. Nearly 50 percent of the nation’s electricity utility customers (81 million) and more than one-third of natural gas customers (28 million) will be affected.*

Integrating Carbon Dioxide Removal with Industrial Processes: Challenges and Policy Opportunities, Daniel Elizald and Maeriam-Al-Shamma, Bipartisan Policy Center

Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) is a growing industry with the potential to reduce U.S. emissions while advancing national energy objectives. However, the removal and storage of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere can be costly to implement and often requires access to large quantities of minerals, water, biomass waste, heat, energy, and other inputs. There are strong synergies between industries already dealing with these CDR inputs—in some cases, as waste products—and CDR pathways such as enhanced rock weathering and biomass carbon removal and storage. In many cases, processes enabling CDR deliver cost savings, operational efficiencies, and supply chain security, with carbon removal effectively a co-benefit. However, to overcome existing challenges to widespread deployment of CDR technologies, federal policy support will be needed alongside industry engagement. About New Research

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The previous edition of Skeptical Science New Research may be found here.

This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler

My last post described our 450-page response to the DOE Climate Working Group report. This DOE report seems designed to muddy the waters about climate science — it’s a new iteration of the Merchants of Doubt. We found the report used selective misquoting of the scientific literature (cherry picking), omission of contrary results from the scientific literature, and simple errors due to a lack of understanding of the science to reach its conclusions. Further commentary of the process is in this post.

A reporter asked me for a comment on a post on Dr. Judy Curry’s blog about our review of the DOE Climate Working Group report. In her post, she said:

Let me first say, wow, this is generous and far better than I expected. Only referring to me as “unhinged” once is a W and I’ll take it. Near the end of her post, she wrote:

underline added by me

When I read the underlined portion (added by me), I said to myself, “so that’s how they’re going to do it.” Yes, the fix is in — everyone should understand that this is a show trial for climate science and the inevitable outcome of this “debate” will be that climate science is found to be too uncertain to justify climate policy. And now I think I know how they’ll do it.

Let me walk you through it, starting with an explanation of how peer review works.

how does peer review work?

Peer review is a system of quality control designed to ensure the rigor of research and it’s one of the bedrocks of science. This process begins after individual research groups conduct their analyses and write up their findings in a manuscript.

The authors submit their manuscript to a scholarly journal. The manuscript is then assigned to one of the journal’s editors, who are typically established experts in the field. The editor first assesses the paper for its suitability for the journal. If it meets the basic criteria, the editor then sends the paper out to a few independent experts in the same field. These are the “peers” in peer review.

These peer reviewers critically evaluate the manuscript, scrutinizing its methodology, the validity of its data, the soundness of its conclusions, and its overall contribution to the field. They then send detailed comments and recommendations back to the editor.

The editor evaluates these comments and sends anonymized versions to the authors. The authors are then required to revise their paper, addressing the concerns and suggestions raised by the peer reviewers.

A crucial aspect of this process is that the ultimate authority to publish rests with the editor. Therefore, the authors must convince the editor that they have made the appropriate and necessary changes to their work. The paper can go back and forth over several revision cycles between the authors, the editor, and the peer reviewers.

This rigorous back-and-forth is a robust process. I can’t tell you how many times, when working with a student, I’ll tell them “That argument will never make it through peer review” as an indicator that we need to shore up that part of the work.

Eventually, the editor is satisfied that the authors have fixed the issues and the manuscript is accepted for publication. Or the editor decides that the paper does not meet the standard for publication and the paper is rejected.

While peer review does not eliminate all subpar work from being published, it absolutely compels authors to write better, clearer, and more scientifically defensible papers than would occur in its absence.

yes, there’s an extra arm in the middle panel you need an editor to handle the process

The editor’s role as a neutral arbiter is essential to the peer-review system. A process where reviews were sent directly back to authors, with instructions to “incorporate the good comments” would be disastrously ineffective.

Peer review is absolutely brutal. Receiving negative peer-review feedback after you’ve invested months of work into a manuscript can be a heart-rending and upsetting experience. The natural human tendency is to dismiss negative critiques (“the reviewers are idiots”) and ignore comments that require substantial revision.

This is why the editor is so important. To get the paper published, the authors understand that they have to address these criticisms head on. They cannot just blow them off because they’re upset — they must make cogent arguments that convince the editor that they have responded reasonably to the reviewers, regardless of how distasteful that is.

To demonstrate this, journals typically require authors to submit a point-by-point response that explains how each reviewer’s comment was addressed, often supplemented by a revised manuscript with tracked changes so the editor can see exactly where the changes were made.

scientific assessments are no different

The need for an impartial editor to ensure peer review is properly handled is also a requirement for scientific assessments. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has formalized this by appointing a “Review Editor” to each chapter. These editors play the same role as journal editors: they are auditors of the review process.

Their main responsibility is to take the complete record of comments from expert and government reviewers and verify that the author teams have responded to every single one, either by revising the text or by providing a transparent and scientifically valid reason for not doing so. This structured process guarantees that criticism is not simply dismissed by angry authors.

There are comprehensive descriptions of the duties of review editors (REs). Here’s the guidance for REs from the last IPCC report:

the job of the review editor (RE) in the IPCC process the DOE report

When I saw Dr. Curry’s comment that “I wouldn’t change any of the conclusions of the DOE report in response” to our comments, I suddenly realized that the DOE is not going to appoint a review editor.

They’re going to simply send the comments to the DOE authors and leave it up those authors whether and how to address comments. This is a recipe for a review process that is an unscientific sham and it would demonstrate in no uncertain terms that the DOE is uninterested in legitimate scientific debate.

The good news is that the solution is simple: they just need to appoint an unbiased, expert review editor for each chapter and design a process like that followed by the IPCC. That review editor would track every comment and ensure that a reasonable effort has been made to respond and publicly post that.

Luckily, there are thousands of climate scientists out there, so it should not be a problem to find a half dozen or so who are unbiased.

Perhaps I’m reading too much into that Curry quote. Maybe in a few days the DOE will announce the details of a credible review process, including the appointment of expert and unbiased review editors. Maybe pigs will fly. Maybe I’ll win the 2025 AL Cy Young Award. Who knows which of these equally likely things will occur.

Skeptical Science is partnering with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. You can submit claims you think need checking via the tipline.

Has Arctic sea ice recovered?

Arctic sea ice, in both extent and volume, continues to decline.

The only fair comparison for Arctic sea ice is to a full 12 months prior, as ice accumulates each winter and melts each summer.

By that metric, Arctic sea ice extent set a record low maximum in March 2025, the month when ice is at its highest. Arctic sea ice volume for July 2025 was the 5th lowest on record.

There are two types of sea ice: thin “first-year” ice and thick “multi-year” ice. First-year ice grows and shrinks with the seasons and fluctuations in ocean currents and wind patterns.

These short-term ups and downs do not change the decline of multi-year ice. Satellite records since 1979 show continued loss in both extent and volume of multi-year ice. 

Since that year, June ice extent loss has totaled more than 3 million square kilometers, nearly twice the size of Alaska.

Go to full rebuttal on Skeptical Science or to the fact brief on Gigafact

This fact brief is responsive to quotes such as this one.

Sources

NSIDC Sea Ice Today

NSIDC Sea Ice - Science

Polar Science Center PIOMAS Arctic Sea Ice Volume Reanalysis

NSIDC The peak of summer, the depths of winter

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About fact briefs published on Gigafact

Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer "yes/no" answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact — a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all of our published fact briefs here.

This is a re-post from The Climate Brink by Andrew Dessler

If you don’t follow climate policy closely, you may not know that the Trump administration is launching an effort to overturn one of the most fundamental pillars of American climate policy: the scientific finding that carbon dioxide endangers human health and welfare (the so-called “Endangerment Finding”). If successful, this move could unravel virtually every U.S. climate regulation on the books, from car emissions standards to power plant rules.

To support this effort, the Department of Energy hand-selected five climate contrarians who dispute mainstream science to write a report, which ended up saying exactly what you would expect it to say: climate science is too uncertain to justify policies to limit warming.

I’m guessing that the goal here is very much like what the tobacco companies did in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Their goal was not to win the debate that cigarettes were safe — they clearly understood they could not — but to muddy the waters enough to head off regulations on their business.

Thus, the DOE report is designed to do exactly the same thing: muddy the waters enough that the government can claim there’s too much uncertainty to regulate carbon dioxide.

I am part of a group of 85+ scientists who have submitted a 400+ page comment to the DOE critiquing their report. You can find a link to the comment and our press release here. If you are a reporter, science communicator, podcaster, etc., who wants an interview, please email us.

You can find bios for the author team here. It is a humbling group to be a part of, full of brilliant and high-achieving individuals, many of whom I have admired for years. The team’s ranks include six members of the National Academy of Sciences, two Fellows of the Royal Society, at least two MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship recipients, and numerous Fellows of the American Geophysical Union, American Meteorological Society, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Reinforcing their prominence in the field, many of these authors also wrote papers that were (mis)cited by the DOE report.

My personal perspective

Before I talk about our comment, let me give you my personal perspective. I did not go into science to make money, nor did I go in to push a “liberal agenda”. I went into science because I love science. I love the rigor, I love the discipline, I love looking at data and seeing how the world operates. Most importantly, I respect science.

When I read the DOE report, I saw a document that does not respect science. In fact, I saw a document that makes a mockery of science. And I thought to myself, I cannot let this go without a response. So that’s why I’ve spent a huge amount of time over the last month (when I should have been working on my classes for the fall semester) putting this comment together.

A show trial for climate science

Like any good Soviet trial, the outcome of this exercise by the Dept. of Energy is already known: climate science will be judged too uncertain to justify the endangerment finding.

Once you understand that, everything about the DOE report makes total sense. You understand why the five contrarian authors were selected: The only way to get this report was to pick these authors. If any other writing team had been chosen, the report would have been 180° different.

And you understand why it went through no serious peer review before release: the report would not have survived any legitimate peer review.

As my colleague Kerry Emanuel, arguably the world’s foremost authority on hurricanes physics, succinctly puts it:

My reading of the report uncovered numerous errors of commission and omission, all of which slant toward a conclusion that human-caused climate change poses no serious risks. It seems to work backward from a desired outcome.

To be clear, the DOE report raises no “interesting questions” overlooked by the scientific community, highlights no ignored research gaps, and brings no fresh perspective. Instead, it’s a rats’ nest of bad arguments.

To the extent that there are legitimate scientific arguments in there, those have already been rejected by the scientific community. But scientific arguments are rare in the DOE report; rather, it’s mainly selective misquoting of the scientific literature (cherry picking), omission of contrary results from the scientific literature, and simple errors due to a lack of understanding of the science.

The scale problem

Let’s compare the IPCC and DOE reports:

where IPCC WG1 = the Sixth Assessment Report working group 1 report and WG1+WG2 = the sum of working group 1 and 21.

The comparison reveals that the DOE report ignores 99% of the scientific literature reviewed by the IPCC2. This isn't surprising—five authors simply cannot read and analyze 24,000 papers in the scientific literature. Comprehensive analysis of this scale requires thousands of contributors, as the IPCC employs. It also requires a much longer time frame to write the text than the DOE authors apparently had.

It would be reasonable to ask yourself how you can have a meaningful discussion of any topic in science if you’re ignoring nearly all of the scientific literature on that topic.

And it’s not just that the authors don’t reference the literature — it seems clear that they have not read it. For example, Section 8.5 of the DOE report, “Attribution of Climate Impact Drivers”, is an entire section built on the authors not understanding what a climate impact-driver (CID) is.

The claims made in Section 8.5 are well-worn denier tropes (e.g, Table 12.12 shows humans aren’t affecting extreme weather!) based on this same misunderstanding. It seems likely that the authors of the report simply read a few denier blogs, thought to themselves, “Hey, this sounds like a good argument,” and copied it into their report.

Sadly, this is not the only example, although it’s among the most egregious. But it’s emblematic that these authors wrote on things that are far outside their knowledge base, leading to a sloppy report full of errors.

Again, this is also why the IPCC has thousands of authors, to ensure that every sentence written in an IPCC report is written by an expert team with deep and fundamental knowledge of the topic.

If you want to understand the problem with Section 8.5 in more detail, read that section of the DOE report and then read our comment (starting on page 312).

Conclusions

It appears to me that the DOE is mirroring the tactics chronicled in Naomi Oreskes and Erik Conway’s book Merchants of Doubt. For decades, industries facing regulation have employed the same playbook: hire contrarian experts, selectively cite favorable research, ignore contrary evidence, and claim that mainstream science is too uncertain to justify action.

We see this strategy deployed throughout the DOE report—from the hand-picked authorship team to the systematic omission of 99% of scientific literature to cherry picking favorable scientific papers and omitting unfavorable ones. Like their predecessors in the tobacco debates, these authors work backward from a predetermined conclusion rather than forward from the evidence.

I see no way that the report can be meaningfully revised while preserving its central (bogus) claim of excessive uncertainty. I therefore predict that the DOE will not actually revise this. Instead, they will declare victory and announce that their report was soooooo successful that they’re moving to the next stage of the “debate”, which will be a venue where scientific standards are even weaker — e.g., public debates, blogs, social media exchanges. These are venues where rules of evidence are weak and advocates can use rhetorical techniques3 that would never fly in the scientific community to spread uncertainty among the general public.

The history of cigarettes shows that such tactics can delay policy action for decades, but they cannot indefinitely postpone scientific reality from emerging. The only real question is how much damage the delay causes.

Thanks for reading The Climate Brink! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support our work.

You can find a link to our comment here.

Other stuff

On The Trade Off, Ryan Katz-Rosene has two great posts about climate change and wildfires. They are here and here. Check ‘em out and subscribe!

1 The number of authors was estimated using values of 80 citations per chapter, the number of citations is 2,000 per chapter. This is a back-of-the-envelope calculation, so the numbers are certainly not exactly right, but the order of magnitude of the numbers is correct. For a complete analysis of the citations of the DOE report, see the section starting on page 432 of our comment. 2 The DOE report authors would probably respond that their report is not designed to cover as many topics as the IPCC, which is undoubtedly true. However, the scale difference is so enormous that this can’t explain the entire difference. 3.e.g, Gish Gallop

A listing of 28 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, August 31, 2025 thru Sat, September 6, 2025. Stories we promoted this week, by category:

Climate Policy and Politics (8 articles)

• How to organize a peaceful and effective climate protest "Are you ready to organize your first event on behalf of the planet? Here are some ideas and tips on how to make it successful." Yale Climate Connections, Colleen M. Crary, Aug 28, 2025.
• Historians See Autocratic Playbook in Trump’s Attacks on Science "Authoritarians have long feared and suppressed science as a rival for social influence. Experts see President Trump as borrowing some of their tactics. The New York Times, William J. Broad, Aug 31, 2025.
• Trump cuts to climate satellites will make weather prediction harder, scientists say The Trump administration is scrapping satellite observations of Earth that officials say go beyond the essential task of predicting the weather. Washingto Post, Scott Dance, Sep 1, 2025.
• Dozens of scientists find errors in a new Energy Department climate report NPR News, Julia Somon, Sep 2, 2025.
• The merchants of doubt are back But this time, it's the U.S. government pushing doubt The Climate Brink, Andrew Dessler, Sep 02, 2025.
• Meet the UN-backed `green` investors` group that invested in fossil fuels Despite having pledged to reach net-zero emissions, major members of Net Zero Asset Managers hold billions of dollars’ worth of fossil-fuel stocks, including those in “carbon bomb” projects, while marketing their funds as green and sustainable. DeSmog, Giorgio Michalopoulos and Stefano Valentino, Sep 03, 2025.
• The fix is in Judy Curry unwittingly spills the beans The Climate Brink, Andrew Dessler, Sep 04, 2025.
• The Trump Administration Wants to Switch Off Climate Satellites The Trump administration wants to switch off and possibly destroy the climate-monitoring technology. New York Times, Sachi Kitajima Mulkey, Sep 05, 2025.

Climate Change Impacts (6 articles)

• Summer 2025 ranks among Spain's hottest ever after historic August heatwave "Extended periods of high temperatures this summer have significantly increased wildfire risks and put vulnerable communities on alert across Spain.? Green, EuraNews, Aug , Jesús Maturana, Aug 26, 2025.
• Deadly Floods in Punjab Devastate Pakistan’s Breadbasket Housing communities and businesses that rely on agriculture have been destroyed in the country’s largest province." Asia Pacific, by Elian Peltier & Zia ur-Rehman, Photographs by Asim Hafeez, by Asim Hafeez, Aug 31, 2025.
• ‘It happened so fast’: the shocking reality of indoor heat deaths in Arizona " ‘It happened so fast’: the shocking reality of indoor heat deaths in Arizona Heat deaths could surge in the state as energy poverty linked to Trump’s energy and trade policies burns" US News, The Guardian, Nina Lakhani, Aug 31, 2025.
• Climate change is making rollercoaster harvests the new normal Phys.org, University of British Columbia, Sep 03, 2025.
• Japan and South Korea record hottest summers in history "Record temperatures come amid scientists’ warnings that climate change is causing more frequent extreme weather events." Aljelzeera, Staff, Sep 3, 2025.
• Humans Are Altering the Seas. Here’s What the Future Ocean Might Look Like. "Some marine ecosystems could soon be unrecognizable, according to new research." Interactives, The New York Times, by Delger Erdenesanaa Graphics by Mira Rojanasakul; Photographs and Video by Madeline Gray, Dec 24, 2025.

Climate Science and Research (4 articles)

• How scientists unmask climate change’s role in extreme weather Mongabay, Kristine Sabillo, Sep 1, 2025.
• Global temperatures to remain above average despite return of La Niña, says UN "Climate phenomenon cools surface of Pacific but won’t stop human-induced climate change increasing temperatures and exacerbating extreme weather" The Guardian, Agence France-Presse, Sep 2, 2025.
• Five forecasts early climate models got right-the evidence is all around you The Conversation, Nadir Jeevanjee , Sep 03, 2025.
• Skeptical Science New Research for Week #36 2025 A don't miss: with ideological forces in the US federal government now actively misleading US citizens on climate change, the American Meteorological Society and another ad hoc group of scientists explain exactly how US citizens are being deceived. We make it easy to find both reports in our weekly research roundup. Skeptical Science, Doug Bostrom & Marc Kodack, Sep 04, 2025.

Public Misunderstandings about Climate Science (3 articles)

• AI ‘Slop’ Websites Are Publishing Climate Science Denial "MSN hosted AI-generated content that cited non-existent climate experts and institutions." DeSmogDeSmog, Joey Grostern, Aug 27, 2025.
• Debunking climate misinformation is becoming a full-time job - but you can help defend the facts | Jonathan Watts The political pushback against positive green progress has been shocking. But as corporations and those in power turn away, the overwhelming majority of people in the world want more ambitious climate action The Guardian, Jonathan Watts, Aug 31, 2025.
• Fact brief - Is global warming actually happening? Yes - Multiple indicators show Earth is warming rapidly. Skeptical Science, Sue Bin Park, Sep 2, 2025.

Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation (2 articles)

• How to protect US students from heat in schools – and is it time to rethink summer break? "US schools were built for a cooler climate that no longer exists. Now they face record-high temperatures" US News, The Guaardian, Marina Dunbar, Sep 3, 2025.
• Study: There is less room to store carbon dioxide, driver of climate change, than previously thought Phys.org, Tammy Webber, Sep 06, 2025.

Climate Education and Communication (2 articles)

• The growing question about climate change coverage right now Recent data hint at a possible recent downtrend in coverage. But the matter requires much more investigation before we can say for sure what's going on. ReportEarth, Chris Mooney, Sep 5, 2025.
• UN climate chief issues rallying cry on national climate plans as deadline looms "Simon Stiell calls for “strong” climate targets to be submitted as soon as possible to ensure their inclusion in a critical UN progress report" Climate Homes News, Matteo Civillini, Sp 5, 2025.

International Climate Conferences and Agreements (2 articles)

• Like many dysfunctional relationships, the UNFCCC and the IPCC need to talk more "To make the most of the best available research, the UN climate change convention and its climate science body must get in sync – fast" Opinion, Climate Home News, Opinion by Svante Bodin & Örjan Gustafsson, Aug 28, 2025.
• Despite Lack of Federal Support, US Scientists Continue Work on Key Global Climate Reports "Amid rising repression of climate science domestically, researchers from universities around the country are lending their expertise to an international effort." Science, Inside Climate News, Bob Berwyn, Aug 30, 2025.

Miscellaneous (Other)

• 2025 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #35 A listing of 29 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, August 24, 2025 thru Sat, August 30, 2025. Skeptical Science, Bärbel Winkler, John Hartz & Doug Bostrom, Aug 31, 2025.

If you happen upon high quality climate-science and/or climate-myth busting articles from reliable sources while surfing the web, please feel free to submit them via this Google form so that we may share them widely. Thanks!

Tell the EPA: carbon pollution is dangerous Joëlle Robinson Fri, 09/05/2025 - 3:19 pm

Lower Costs and Less Pollution! What We Can Win in Gas Rate Cases Claire Prihoda Fri, 09/05/2025 - 2:51 pm

Open access notables

Special: The Practice and Assessment of Science: Five Foundational Flaws in the Department of Energy's 2025 Climate Report, AMS Council, American Meteorological Society

Here we identify five foundational flaws in the Department of Energy’s (DoE’s) 2025 Climate Synthesis report[1]. Each of these flaws, alone, places the report at odds with scientific principles and practices. For the report to accurately characterize scientific understanding and to be useful as a basis for informed policy and decision making, the DoE must first rectify all five flaws and then conduct a comprehensive assessment of scientific evidence. Were DoE to do so, the result will almost certainly be conclusions that are broadly consistent with previous comprehensive scientific assessments of climate change, such as those from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM); American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS); Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), American Meteorological Society (AMS), and a wide-range of other scientific organizations. 

[See also first item in gov/NGO reports section, Climate Experts’ Review of the DOE Climate Working Group Report.]

Anthropogenic forcing drives equatorward migration of heatwave locations across continents, Feng et al., Nature Communications 

Heatwaves have increased in frequency, intensity, duration, and spatial extent, posing a serious threat to socioeconomic development, natural ecosystems and human health worldwide. Assessments of trends in heatwave locations (HWL) have been hindered by the distinct regional characteristics of heatwaves across continents. Here we identify a consistent striking equatorward migration in the average latitudinal location of heatwaves occurrence over the period 1979−2023 based on various datasets. The trends of HWL in each hemisphere illustrate equatorward migration at a rate of approximately one degree of latitude per decade, which falls well into the extent of the estimated rate in the observed intertropical convergence zone contraction and the contrast in soil moisture between tropics and subtropics. Our analyses suggest that anthropogenic contribution plays a dominant role in the equatorward trends. The equatorward migration, which has already occurred and is projected to continue in future scenarios, highlights that the risk of damages and disasters caused by heatwaves may increase at lower latitudes.

How climate change and deforestation interact in the transformation of the Amazon rainforest, Franco et al., Nature Communications

The Amazon rainforest is one of Earth’s most diverse ecosystems, playing a key role in maintaining regional and global climate stability. However, recent changes in land use, vegetation, and the climate have disrupted biosphere-atmosphere interactions, leading to significant alterations in the water, energy, and carbon cycles. These disturbances have far-reaching consequences for the entire Earth system. Here, we quantify the relative contributions of deforestation and global climate change to observed shifts in key Amazonian climate parameters. We analyzed long-term atmospheric and land cover change data across 29 areas in the Brazilian Legal Amazon from 1985 to 2020, using parametric statistical models to disentangle the effects of forest loss and alterations of temperature, precipitation, and greenhouse gas mixing ratios. While the rise in atmospheric methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) mixing ratios is primarily driven by global emissions (>99%), deforestation has significantly increased surface air temperatures and reduced precipitation during the Amazonian dry season. Over the past 35 years, deforestation has accounted for approximately 74% of the  ~ 21 mm dry season−1 decline and 16.5% of the 2°C rise in maximum surface air temperature. Understanding the interplay between global climate change and deforestation is essential for developing effective mitigation and adaptation strategies to preserve this vital ecosystem.

Global Warming Induced Changes in Extreme Precipitation in the Western United States: Projections From Dynamically Downscaled CMIP6 GCMs, Adhikari et al., Geophysical Research Letters

This study uses 25 CMIP6 global climate model simulations, bias-corrected and dynamically downscaled to 9 km, to examine regional changes in extreme precipitation, and predictive uncertainty, in the western United States under global warming levels (GWL) of 2°C and 3°C. This resolution is needed to capture orographic precipitation enhancement. Most models agree on significant increases in both the Rx1day and R99p indices. The largest increases in extreme precipitation are anticipated in California, both in an absolute sense, with Rx1day increases up to ∼10 mm/day, and in a relative sense, with up to a doubling of R99p in the more arid parts of the state for GWL 3°C. The most significant reductions in return intervals of extreme precipitation events are anticipated in the Rocky Mountain region. For instance, 50-year Rx1day events become 3 to 4 times more frequent under GWL 2°C and 6 to 8 times more frequent under GWL 3°C.

 

This study is funded by the National Science Foundation under Grant OIA-2149105 and enabled by University of Wyoming award WYOM0143 that provided access to the resources of the NCAR Wyoming Supercomputer Center.

Hottest year in recorded history compounds global biodiversity risks, Merow et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

As climate change accelerates, effectively monitoring and managing the growing impacts on biodiversity is an urgent priority. Here, we identify the exposure of species to unprecedented heat to evaluate the potential impact of 2024—the hottest year on record—across >33,000 vertebrate species worldwide. One in six (5,368) species were exposed to unprecedented temperatures across >25% of their range—68% more species than in 2023. Most (81%) species exposed in 2023 were also exposed in 2024, potentially compounding risks. For the first time, widespread species were exposed to extreme temperatures across >10% of their ranges. We propose using these exposure estimates to inform monitoring and mitigation efforts to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

From this week's government/NGO section:

Climate Experts’ Review of the DOE Climate Working Group Report, Dressler et al., Ad hoc

On behalf of the more than 85 experts who contributed to the Climate Experts’ Review of the DOE Climate Working Group Report, we are writing to submit this compendium of public comments on the Climate Working Group (CWG) Report entitled A Critical Review of Impacts of Greenhouse Gas Emissions on the U.S. Climate, under docket number DOE-HQ-2035-0207. As explained at length in these comments, the CWG report currently fails to adequately represent the scientific understanding of climate change. DOE must subject the CWG report to unbiased, robust, and transparent peer review under the Information Quality Act and other federal requirements. Accordingly, it will require very substantial revision before it can be relied upon by any federal agency or other entity.

[See also American Meteorological Society Responds to DOE Climate Synthesis Report]

Value of Wind in Winter 2024/25, Daymark Energy Advisors, Renew Northwest

The authors examine the potential New England regional market and Massachusetts ratepayer impacts if 3,500 MW of contracted offshore wind projects had been generating last winter between December 2024-February 2025. This study is intended as a high level, indicative analysis of some key environmental and market benefits; it does not attempt to capture all benefits of offshore wind. Meteorological data shows that offshore wind could have produced 3.6 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity in winter 2024/25, enough to power 567,759 homes for an entire year. The authors hourly dispatch analysis indicates that emission-free offshore wind generation would have offset natural gas, oil and coalfired generation, reducing fossil fuel burned by 34 million MMBtu over the 3-month period. Greenhouse gas emissions savings of 1.8 million tons is equivalent to removing almost 400,000 passenger cars from the road for a year. 116 articles in 50 journals by 674 contributing authors

Physical science of climate change, effects

Enhanced Relationship Between Stratospheric Sudden Warming and the Madden–Julian Oscillation in Recent Two Decades, Ma et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2025gl117289

Human-induced changes in extreme cold surges across the Northern Hemisphere, Nie et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-025-62576-2

Recent asymmetric tropical ocean warming has altered regional propagation of Madden-Julian Oscillation, Kim et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access 10.1038/s43247-025-02652-z

Relative importance of driving factors for daytime and nighttime heatwaves in China, Qin et al., Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society 10.1002/qj.5045

Unprecedented UK heatwave harmonised drivers of fuel moisture creating extreme temperate wildfire risk, Ivison et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access 10.1038/s43247-025-02746-8

Observations of climate change, effects

Anthropogenic Changes of Compound Extreme Precipitation Preconditioned by Heatwaves Have Emerged From the Internal Climate Variability in China, Liu et al., Earth's Future Open Access 10.1029/2024ef005162

Anthropogenic forcing drives equatorward migration of heatwave locations across continents, Feng et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-025-63558-0

Deceleration of tropopause rise amidst ozone recovery over Queen Maud Land, East Antarctica, Wu et al., Advances in Climate Change Research Open Access 10.1016/j.accre.2025.08.003

Flood inundation amplified by large-scale ground subsidence funnel under the ongoing global climate change, He et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access 10.1038/s43247-025-02669-4

How climate change and deforestation interact in the transformation of the Amazon rainforest, Franco et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-025-63156-0

Snowfall decrease in recent years undermines glacier health and meltwater resources in the Northwestern Pamirs, Jouberton et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access 10.1038/s43247-025-02611-8

Instrumentation & observational methods of climate change, effects

A new metric: average extreme heat intensity used as indication of climate change signals in arid environment (Iraq), Qasim et al., Theoretical and Applied Climatology 10.1007/s00704-025-05711-9

Editorial: AI and data analytics for climate data management, Kumar et al., Frontiers in Environmental Science Open Access 10.3389/fenvs.2025.1679608

Global dataset of storm surges and extreme sea levels for 1950–2024 based on the ERA5 climate reanalysis, Aleksandrova et al., Open Access 10.5194/essd-2025-471

Modeling, simulation & projection of climate change, effects

A Model-Based Evaluation of the Effects of Irrigation Expansion on Regional and Global Land Surface Climate, Casirati et al., Earth's Future Open Access 10.1029/2025ef006271

Attributing future changes in terrestrial evapotranspiration: The combined impacts of climate change, rising CO2, and land use change, Hou et al., Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 10.1016/j.agrformet.2025.110747

Bias-Corrected Climate Projections for Xinjiang: Decomposing Future Trends and Uncertainties in Temperature and Precipitation, Fan & Duan, International Journal of Climatology 10.1002/joc.70101

Diverging trends in large floods across Europe in a warming climate, Fang et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access 10.1038/s43247-025-02734-y

Global Warming Induced Changes in Extreme Precipitation in the Western United States: Projections From Dynamically Downscaled CMIP6 GCMs, Adhikari et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access pdf 10.1029/2025gl116113

Projections of Aerosol Effect on Diurnal Cycle of Precipitation Amount and Frequency Over Central Africa, Mbienda et al., International Journal of Climatology 10.1002/joc.70103

Scaling of precipitation extremes with surface temperature in western Canada: Understanding the control factors using a convection-permitting climate model, Li & Li, Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society Open Access 10.1002/qj.5033

The Impact of Antarctic Sea Ice on Southern Ocean Water Mass Transformation in Coupled Climate Models, Chen et al., Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans Open Access 10.1029/2025jc022445

The Increased Eddy Kinetic Energy in the California Current System From High-Resolution Climate Models' Projections, Wang et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2025gl116713

What CMIP6 Models Tell Us About the Impact of AMOC Variability on the Arctic, Weijer et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2025gl116282

Advancement of climate & climate effects modeling, simulation & projection

An ensemble-based coupled reanalysis of the climate from 1860 to the present (CoRea1860+), Wang et al., Earth System Science Data Open Access 10.5194/essd-17-4185-2025

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

Benefits of kilometer-scale climate modeling for winds in complex terrain: strong versus weak winds, Beluši? & Lind, Weather and Climate Dynamics Open Access pdf 10.5194/wcd-6-863-2025

Comparative study of parameterization schemes for aerosol indirect effects in East Asia based on RegCM4, Zhao et al., Atmospheric Environment 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2025.121505

Long-Term Regime Shifts in Xeric Ecoregion Freshwater Fish Assemblages due to Anthropogenic and Climate Stressors, Krabbenhoft et al., Ecology and Evolution Open Access 10.1002/ece3.72067

Resolution Effects on Extreme Precipitation Simulation Over China: A CMIP6 HighResMIP Perspective, Zhang et al., International Journal of Climatology 10.1002/joc.70100

Sensitivity of Earth's Radiation Budget to Lower Boundary Condition Data Sets in Historical Climate Simulations, Fan et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2025gl115914

Cryosphere & climate change

Evolution of Ice Tensile Strength With Grain Size: Implications for Future Mass Loss From Pine Island Glacier, Ranganathan & Robel Robel, Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2025gl117691

Investigating seasonal and multi-decadal water/ice storage changes in the Murtèl rock glacier using time-lapse gravimetry, Halloran & Amschwand Amschwand, Open Access 10.5194/egusphere-2024-3933

Sea level & climate change

Global dataset of storm surges and extreme sea levels for 1950–2024 based on the ERA5 climate reanalysis, Aleksandrova et al., Open Access 10.5194/essd-2025-471

Paleoclimate & paleogeochemistry

Anomalous warm winters on the southeastern Tibetan Plateau during the 8.2 ka cold event: Implications for recent warming amplification, Yu & Zhang, Global and Planetary Change 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2025.105027

Early Warming Over the Southern Ocean During the Last Deglaciation, Zheng et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access pdf 10.1029/2025gl117155

Enhanced Continental Weathering Contributed to the Termination of the Middle Miocene Climatic Optimum, Wu et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2025gl118302

Sensitivity of Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide to Dust Iron Solubility During the Last Glacial-Interglacial Cycle, Opazo et al., Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology Open Access 10.1029/2025pa005132

Biology & climate change, related geochemistry

Tubastraea coccinea (Lesson, 1830), a coral species with high invasive potential, can benefit from the synergistic effects of ocean warming and acidification, Vilanova Gallardo et al., Marine Environmental Research Open Access 10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107430

Contrasting effects of rhizosphere and sediment microbiota on seagrass performance in response to a simulated marine heatwave, Jongen et al., Journal of Ecology Open Access 10.1111/1365-2745.70104

Hottest year in recorded history compounds global biodiversity risks, Merow et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Open Access 10.1073/pnas.2504945122

Land aridification persists in vulnerable drylands under climate mitigation scenarios, Piao et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access 10.1038/s43247-025-02742-y

Long-Term Regime Shifts in Xeric Ecoregion Freshwater Fish Assemblages due to Anthropogenic and Climate Stressors, Krabbenhoft et al., Ecology and Evolution Open Access 10.1002/ece3.72067

Marine heatwaves and eutrophication jeopardize the seagrass Halodule wrightii and associated infauna, Peixoto Dias et al., Marine Environmental Research 10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107441

Marine heatwaves are shaping the vertical structure of phytoplankton in the global ocean, Ma & Chen, Communications Earth & Environment Open Access pdf 10.1038/s43247-025-02718-y

Projecting Uncertainty in Ecosystem Persistence Under Climate Change, Buelow et al., Global Change Biology Open Access 10.1111/gcb.70468

Rapid Climate Acclimation (Not Traits or Phylogeny) Drives Variation in Photosynthesis Temperature Response, Garen & Michaletz, Global Change Biology Open Access 10.1111/gcb.70474

Rising global temperatures reduce soil microbial diversity over the long term, Sun et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Open Access 10.1073/pnas.2426200122

Snowmelt timing alters the phenology but not the performance of an understory spring ephemeral plant, Kiel et al., Journal of Ecology Open Access 10.1111/1365-2745.70099

Soil and forest floor respiration already acclimated to increasing temperatures in a mixed deciduous forest, Scapucci et al., Ecological Processes Open Access 10.1186/s13717-025-00639-4

Spatiotemporal variations of vegetation and its response to climate change and human activities in loess hilly area of western Henan Province, China, Gu et al., Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution Open Access 10.3389/fevo.2025.1597342

GHG sources & sinks, flux, related geochemistry

Above and Belowground Carbon Dynamics of a Degraded Mountain Peatland, Jayasekara et al., Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences Open Access 10.1029/2025jg008822

Climate and vegetation jointly determine the interannual variation of net ecosystem CO2 fluxes over 12 years in a restored coastal wetland, Zhang et al., Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 10.1016/j.agrformet.2025.110760

Climate Warming and Soil Drying Lead to a Reduction of Riverine Dissolved Organic Carbon in China, Yu et al., Global Biogeochemical Cycles 10.1029/2025gb008665

Current and future methane emissions from boreal-Arctic wetlands and lakes, Kuhn et al., Nature Climate Change 10.1038/s41558-025-02413-y

Direct analysis of dissolved CO2 in coastal waters: development and validation of a simple method, Rangel-García et al., Marine Environmental Research Open Access 10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107414

Global methane footprints growth and drivers 1990-2023, Shan et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-025-63383-5

Massive losses and gains of northern land carbon stocks since the Last Glacial Maximum, Lindgren et al., Science Advances Open Access 10.1126/sciadv.adt6231

Record-breaking high temperature amplifies the negative anomaly of tropical net land carbon sinks in the 2023-2024 El Niño, Du et al., Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 10.1016/j.agrformet.2025.110793

Soil Carbon Dynamics Reshaped by Ancient Carbon Quantification, Copard et al., Global Change Biology Open Access pdf 10.1111/gcb.70482

Spatial and temporal variations of gross primary production simulated by land surface model BCC&AVIM2.0, Li et al., Advances in Climate Change Research Open Access 10.1016/j.accre.2023.02.001

Substantial Deep-Soil Carbon Losses Outweigh Topsoil Gains in European Beech Forests Since the 1980s, Mayer et al., Global Change Biology Open Access 10.1111/gcb.70446

Unexpected decline in the ocean carbon sink under record-high sea surface temperatures in 2023, Müller et al., Nature Climate Change Open Access 10.1038/s41558-025-02380-4

CO2 capture, sequestration science & engineering

CO2 sequestration in geological formations: Insights into mineral reactions and reservoir dynamics, Nazari et al., Earth 10.1016/j.earscirev.2025.105200

Land availability and policy commitments limit global climate mitigation from forestation, Wang et al., Science 10.1126/science.adj6841

Rising from the ashes: treatments stabilize carbon storage in California’s frequent-fire forests, Yackulic et al., Frontiers in Forests and Global Change Open Access 10.3389/ffgc.2025.1498430

Decarbonization

Concentrating solar technologies for low-carbon energy, Stengler et al., Nature Reviews Clean Technology 10.1038/s44359-025-00096-4

Cultivating engagement: Public participation in agrivoltaics planning and design, Seay-Fleming et al., Energy Research & Social Science 10.1016/j.erss.2025.104273

Optimizing utility-scale solar siting for local economic benefits and regional decarbonization, Owusu-Obeng et al., Energy Policy Open Access 10.1016/j.enpol.2025.114834

Review of the Challenges and Prospects in Agrivoltaics, Mahim et al., Advanced Energy and Sustainability Research Open Access 10.1002/aesr.202500227

Geoengineering climate

Multi-Model Future World Aridity and Groundwater Recharge Changes With and Without Stratospheric Aerosol Intervention Under High Warming Scenario, Rezaei et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access pdf 10.1029/2025gl117234

Sensitivity of Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide to Dust Iron Solubility During the Last Glacial-Interglacial Cycle, Opazo et al., Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology Open Access 10.1029/2025pa005132

Aerosols

Projections of Aerosol Effect on Diurnal Cycle of Precipitation Amount and Frequency Over Central Africa, Mbienda et al., International Journal of Climatology 10.1002/joc.70103

Climate change communications & cognition

Energy at the fair: County fair sponsorship patterns from the energy sector in the United States, Martinez et al., Energy Research & Social Science Open Access 10.1016/j.erss.2025.104245

Public Attitudes to Responding to Global Catastrophic Risks: A New Zealand Case Study, Kerr et al., Risk Analysis Open Access 10.1111/risa.70096

The effects of second-order climate beliefs on environmental communication behavior: The mediating role of environmental discussion efficacy, Ji et al., Journal of Environmental Psychology 10.1016/j.jenvp.2025.102746

Agronomy, animal husbundry, food production & climate change

A Systematic Review on the Role of Agroforestry Practices in Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation, Abebaw et al., Climate Resilience and Sustainability Open Access 10.1002/cli2.70018

Bridging the gap between natural and social sciences: a bibliometric review of climate-smart agriculture-challenges and opportunities, Zhao et al., Environment, Development and Sustainability Open Access 10.1007/s10668-025-06782-4

Climate change increases the interannual variance of summer crop yields globally through changes in temperature and water supply, Proctor et al., Science Advances 10.1126/sciadv.ady3575

Cultivating engagement: Public participation in agrivoltaics planning and design, Seay-Fleming et al., Energy Research & Social Science 10.1016/j.erss.2025.104273

Estimation of Seasonal Net Carbon Sequestration Under Noncontinuous Flooding in Rice Fields, Hou et al., Global Change Biology 10.1111/gcb.70464

Greenhouse Gas Footprints of Maize Cultivation Systems in Different Climate Zones: Field Data Validation and Application of CNMM–DNDC as a Hydro-Biogeochemical Model, Li et al., Advances in Atmospheric Sciences 10.1007/s00376-025-4420-y

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

Modeling material flow dynamics in coupled natural-industrial ecosystems for resilience to climate change: A case study on a soybean-based industrial ecosystem, Farlessyost & Singh, Journal of Industrial Ecology Open Access 10.1111/jiec.70087

Modeling the impact of climate warming on tomato phenology, Ahmad et al., Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 10.1016/j.agrformet.2025.110825

More Than a Decade of Moderate Grazing: No Impact on Soil Organic Carbon Stocks and Enhancement of Mineral-Associated Organic Carbon via Livestock Diversification, Zhou et al., Global Change Biology 10.1111/gcb.70466

Oyster farming acts as a marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) hotspot for climate change mitigation, Chen et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Open Access 10.1073/pnas.2504004122

Review of the Challenges and Prospects in Agrivoltaics, Mahim et al., Advanced Energy and Sustainability Research Open Access 10.1002/aesr.202500227

Spring phenology projections for apples in southwestern Germany indicate persistent frost risk levels, Caspersen et al., Agricultural and Forest Meteorology Open Access 10.1016/j.agrformet.2025.110824

Hydrology, hydrometeorology & climate change

Climate impacts and future trends of hailstorms in China based on millennial records, Zhang et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-025-63028-7

Climate-Driven Changes to Suspended-Sediment Yields by the End of the Century, Prescott & Pelletier Pelletier, Earth's Future Open Access 10.1029/2025ef006125

Diverging trends in large floods across Europe in a warming climate, Fang et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access 10.1038/s43247-025-02734-y

Anthropogenic Changes of Compound Extreme Precipitation Preconditioned by Heatwaves Have Emerged From the Internal Climate Variability in China, Liu et al., Earth's Future Open Access 10.1029/2024ef005162

Anthropogenic forcing drives equatorward migration of heatwave locations across continents, Feng et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-025-63558-0

Flood inundation amplified by large-scale ground subsidence funnel under the ongoing global climate change, He et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access 10.1038/s43247-025-02669-4

How climate change and deforestation interact in the transformation of the Amazon rainforest, Franco et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-025-63156-0

Snowfall decrease in recent years undermines glacier health and meltwater resources in the Northwestern Pamirs, Jouberton et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access 10.1038/s43247-025-02611-8

Flood inundation amplified by large-scale ground subsidence funnel under the ongoing global climate change, He et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access 10.1038/s43247-025-02669-4

Interdecadal Variation of Spring Rainfall in Taiwan and Modulations of Global Warming and Pacific Decadal Oscillation, Li et al., International Journal of Climatology 10.1002/joc.8904

Modeling the Effects of Aridification on Hydrologic Fluxes and Reservoir Dynamics in the U.S. Southwest, Elkouk et al., Earth's Future Open Access 10.1029/2025ef006372

Snowfall decrease in recent years undermines glacier health and meltwater resources in the Northwestern Pamirs, Jouberton et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access 10.1038/s43247-025-02611-8

SSP-CABra—Streamflow Scenarios Projections for Brazilian Catchments, Almagro et al., Geoscience Data Journal Open Access 10.1002/gdj3.70029

Climate change economics

Examining climate shocks and currency resilience in a stateless economy: evidence from Somalia’s informal exchange market, Nor, Frontiers in Climate Open Access 10.3389/fclim.2025.1615226

Climate change mitigation public policy research

Climate change mitigation and the European Union: a Lacanian exploration of desire and enjoyment, Swyngedouw, Environmental Politics 10.1080/09644016.2025.2553468

Household carbon caps and tariffs: A living lab experiment, Scharnhorst et al., Energy Research & Social Science Open Access 10.1016/j.erss.2025.104294

Improving the IPCC–UNFCCC relationship for effective provision of policy-relevant science, Bodin & Gustafsson, Nature Climate Change 10.1038/s41558-025-02412-z

Meteorological drivers of carbon flux variations on Xinglong Mountain in the transition zone between the Qinghai–Tibet and Loess Plateaus, Chen et al., Frontiers in Environmental Science Open Access 10.3389/fenvs.2025.1657389

Mitigation and adaptation: Assessing the multi-value benefits of transmission expansion, Seatle & McPherson, Energy Policy 10.1016/j.enpol.2025.114821

Nigeria's climate responsiveness: Navigating energy-climate and techno-financial conundrums in the low-carbon energy transition, Atedhor, Energy for Sustainable Development 10.1016/j.esd.2025.101810

Pathways towards carbon-peak transportation in China: Energy alternatives and emission mitigation strategies, Zhang et al., Energy for Sustainable Development 10.1016/j.esd.2025.101796

Plausible global emissions scenario for 2 °C aligned with China’s net-zero pathway, Zhong et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-025-62983-5

Reconfiguring industry in the United Kingdom. Global lessons for ambition versus policy on the path towards net-zero, Finkill et al., Energy Policy Open Access 10.1016/j.enpol.2025.114832

Scaling fairness: Balancing self-interest, community needs and societal justice for public acceptance of climate change mitigation policies in the Nordic Region, Tapia et al., Environmental Science & Policy Open Access 10.1016/j.envsci.2025.104185

To speak truth as, with, and through power: Co-producing knowledge politics of a just transition with Swedish citizens and trade unions, Sokolova, Environmental Science & Policy Open Access 10.1016/j.envsci.2025.104166

Climate change adaptation & adaptation public policy research

A novel climate assessment framework for integrating adaptation into planning and design interventions on public real estate, Apreda et al., Urban Climate 10.1016/j.uclim.2025.102589

Barriers to nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation in Mexico, Bernabé & Park, Climate and Development 10.1080/17565529.2025.2540443

Climate change preparedness in Nigerian libraries: an empirical study on vulnerabilities and strategic actions for resilience, Ajani et al., Climate and Development 10.1080/17565529.2025.2539164

Decision-making under flood predictions: A risk perception study of coastal real estate, Seenath et al., Risk Analysis Open Access 10.1111/risa.17706

Global climate migration is a story of who and not just how many, Benveniste et al., Open Access 10.2139/ssrn.4925994

Moving beyond projects to achieve transformative adaptation, Mills-Novoa et al., Nature Climate Change Open Access 10.1038/s41558-025-02414-x

Revisiting the challenges to monitoring, evaluation, reporting, and learning for climate adaptation, Goodwin & Olazabal, Environmental Science & Policy Open Access 10.1016/j.envsci.2025.104199

The 2021 Henan flood increased citizen demand for government-led climate change adaptation in China, Shen, Communications Earth & Environment Open Access 10.1038/s43247-025-02745-9

Transboundary conflict from surface water scarcity under climate change, Jiang et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-025-63568-y

Climate change impacts on human health

Inequality in human exposure to future climate extremes, Hosseinzadehtalaei et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-025-63385-3

Sustainable personal cooling in a warming world, Shou & Li, Science 10.1126/science.adt9536

Climate change & geopolitics

Transboundary conflict from surface water scarcity under climate change, Jiang et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-025-63568-y

Informed opinion, nudges & major initiatives

The Practice and Assessment of Science: Five Foundational Flaws in the Department of Energy's 2025 Climate Report, AMS Council, American Meteorological Society

Hottest year in recorded history compounds global biodiversity risks, Merow et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Open Access 10.1073/pnas.2504945122

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

An EU purchasing programme for permanent carbon removals: Assessment of policy options and recommendations for short-term policy design, McDonald et al., European Commission

To address the lack of demand for permanent carbon dioxide removal, the authors explore the potential for an European Union (EU) purchasing program that identifies and assesses policy options for an EU purchasing program and proposes a detailed policy design for a purchasing-prograe in the short- term (2025-2030).

Carbon removals in the EU. Review of current carbon removal projects and early-stage financing, Witteveen et al., European Commission

The authors focus on permanent carbon removals. While there is not yet one agreed classification of permanent carbon dioxide removal technologies, the authors focus on the following: - Biochar carbon removal - Biogenic emission capture with permanent carbon storage (BioCCS), focusing on Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) - Direct air carbon capture and storage (DACCS) - In-situ mineralisation - Ex-situ mineralisation (and Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW)) - Ocean-based approaches (Direct Ocean Capture (DOC), Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement (OAE)).

Funding EU carbon removals. Assessment of existing EU funding programmes and new funding models to increase carbon removal supply, Marton et al., European Commission

The authors assess and map existing European Union (EU) programs available to CDR companies within the EU framework, and how they can be improved to better support the scale-up of CDR technologies. This includes analyzing the programs and assessing their relevance and effectiveness with regard to different CDR technologies, identifying current obstacles and opportunities and suggesting improvements areas. The authors also identify and assess innovative models and approaches for funding of early-stage CDR projects, considering the specificities of each CDR technology. Additionally, the task will consider the impact of proposed funding tools on the EU budget and their potential to attract private investment.

Consumer Pulse and Market Segmentation, Wave 9, Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative

In this survey, the authors asked about electricity attitudes, priorities and concerns, interest in and use of technology to manage electricity use, relationship and engagement with their electricity providers, and energy management behaviors and demographics.

The State of Siting: 2025 Legislative Round-Up, Alex Breckel and Nelson Falkenburg, Clean Tomorrow

The authors attempt to clarify siting policy options, provide useful context, and empower others to improve state and local siting policies for renewable energy projects. The authors provide an overview of every siting policy framework used across the continental United States.

Water Inequity in Global Agricultural Trade, Qin et al., United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment, and Health (

Virtual water transfers through food trades generally reduce water scarcity for much of the global population, while at the same time deepening shortages for millions of others, particularly those in low-income communities. The authors found that this trade generally alleviates water scarcity for a large portion of the global population, with developed countries benefiting more than developing ones. For example, 75% of the population in developed countries benefit from reduced scarcity, while in developing countries, 62% of the population benefits, but 37% experience increased scarcity. This reflects the disproportionate impact on lower-income groups. Trade can increase inequality and inequity in regions like northern Africa and Saudi Arabia, while improvements are seen in China and some other African countries. Developing countries face a higher prevalence of increased inequality and inequity (29% of the population), with trade-related imbalances often driving these unjust outcomes.

The Electrification Tipping Point. The energy, economic, and emissions impacts of electrifying Australia’s homes and vehicles, Griffith et al., Rewiring Australia

The authors show that the economics in Australia have passed a crucial milestone: buying an electric appliance or vehicle is cheaper than the fossil-fuel powered alternative, even when you consider the upfront costs. That means buying an efficient, electric appliance is always going to be cheaper than its fossil fuel alternative.

Value of Wind in Winter 2024/25, Daymark Energy Advisors, Renew Northwest

The authors examine the potential New England regional market and Massachusetts ratepayer impacts if 3,500 MW of contracted offshore wind projects had been generating last winter between December 2024-February 2025. This study is intended as a high level, indicative analysis of some key environmental and market benefits; it does not attempt to capture all benefits of offshore wind. Meteorological data shows that offshore wind could have produced 3.6 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity in winter 2024/25, enough to power 567,759 homes for an entire year. The authors hourly dispatch analysis indicates that emission-free offshore wind generation would have offset natural gas, oil and coalfired generation, reducing fossil fuel burned by 34 million MMBtu over the 3-month period. Greenhouse gas emissions savings of 1.8 million tons is equivalent to removing almost 400,000 passenger cars from the road for a year.

Drought & Climate Resiliency Solutions for Small Water Systems in Los Angeles County, Sun et al., Department of Urban Planning at the University of California, Los Angeles

The authors examine the vulnerabilities of small water systems, many of which were directly impacted by the L.A. wildfires, and proposes solutions to ensure safe and reliable drinking water for fire-impacted communities across Los Angeles County

Voters Support Geothermal and Nuclear Energy Development Over Fossil Fuels, Catherine Fraser, Data for Progress

As demand for electricity rises and the urgency to decarbonize power system grows, nuclear and geothermal development presents a tremendous opportunity to deliver clean, reliable power to the grid, and to complement the intermittency of solar and wind energy. A new poll explores voter attitudes toward nuclear and geothermal, particularly in the context of local deployment and decarbonization. While geothermal energy in particular is still largely unknown to voters, these survey results demonstrate a clear demand for clean energy — like solar, wind, battery storage, nuclear, and geothermal — over fossil fuels, and a strong interest in the public development and ownership of nuclear energy. As the New York Power Authority (NYPA) moves forward with developing New York’s first new nuclear facility in decades, voters signal a clear appetite for an approach that prioritizes public ownership and involvement in such development.

Allocating Electricity, Alexandra Klass and Dave Owen, George Washington Law Review

Based on principles distilled from federal natural gas markets and U.S. western water law doctrine, the authors propose a contracts- and trading-based framework for regulating data centers. They call this approach “demand-side connect-and-manage.” This approach can reduce the likelihood of overbuilding energy generation plants, allocate risks to and encourage innovation from major data center companies, and accelerate data center grid interconnection. Moreover, our analysis supports a shift in basic assumptions of electricity law and a re-examination of the roles of regulators and markets in electricity systems.

Weather conditions leading to deadly wildfires in Türkiye, Cyprus and Greece made 10 times more likely due to climate change, Keeping et al., World Weather Attribution

In July 2025, Greece, Türkiye and Cyprus experienced one of the most devastating months of wildfires in recent years, fueled in Greece by a record heatwave above 45C, drought, and strong winds. To determine the role of climate change, the authors combine the observation-based estimates with climate models. The models on average show a stronger increase in likelihood and intensity than observed. This leads to an overall increase in vapor pressure deficit of a factor of about 13 and an increase in intensity of about 18% attributable to human-induced climate change. For the daily severity rating the overarching increase in likelihood due to climate change is a factor 10 and an increase in intensity of about 22%.

Generation Energy transition?, Civey, EON Foundation

The authors focus on the attitudes of the 18- to 29-year-old age group regarding attitudes to climate change and the energy transition. On behalf of the E.ON Foundation Civey has been continuously surveying 10,000 Germans aged 18 and over online since August 2022 on their attitudes around the energy transition, climate protection and transformation. The current analysis is divided into four thematic areas – Concerns, Finances, Attitudes and Energy – and highlights differences and similarities between young adults and older age groups. Not only statistical findings are presented, but also these are also classified. A final conclusion draws conclusions from this and makes recommendations for politics and society (Paraphrase of Google translate).

Youth Climate Literacy. A 2025 National Snapshot, The Aspen Institute Energy and Environment Program, The Aspen Institute

Teenagers do not feel confident about their understanding of climate change and solutions. 12% of teens feel they know “a lot” about the causes of climate change. 10% of teens feel they know “a lot” about the solutions to climate change. Only 54% of teens identified greenhouse gas emissions from human activity as the biggest contributor to climate change. Only 33% of teens see climate change as impacting the area where they live now. Teens overestimate the role of recycling in solutions. 57% identified recycling as having a large impact on climate change, higher than any other solution. Slightly over 40% of teens recognize that talking, learning, collaborating, and advocacy can have an impact on climate change.

Navigating Supply Chain Disruptions: How Firms Respond to Low Water Levels, Saskia Meuchelbock, Rethink GSC

The author examines how firms adjust to temporary infrastructure disruptions, using a period of exceptionally low water levels on European inland waterways as a natural experiment. Linking monthly trade and transport data for Germany, she shows that firms relying on inland shipping for imports reduced the value, variety, and geographic scope of their exports. These effects were strongest among firms with limited transport diversification and cannot be explained by demand shocks or export constraints, highlighting the role of supply bottlenecks. Affected firms adapted by persistently switching to alternative transport modes, showing that even short-lived shocks can induce lasting behavioral change.

Clean Investment Monitor: Q2 2025 Update, Rhodium Group

In the second quarter of 2025, clean energy and transportation investment in the United States totaled $68 billion, a 0.3% decrease from the previous quarter, but a 1% increase from the same period in 2024. Clean investment accounted for 4.8% of total private investment in structures, equipment, and durable consumer goods. Investment activity was driven primarily by retail consumer purchases and installations of clean technology (zero-emission vehicles, heat pumps, distributed generation and storage), which accounted for just over half of the total at $34 billion. The pipeline of new project announcements contracted across segments. Utility-scale clean electricity announcements totaled $21 billion, mostly in solar and storage, down 51% relative to the previous quarter. New industrial decarbonization announcements stood at $2 billion, a 17% decline quarter-on-quarter and a 38% decline compared to Q2 2024.

Reclaiming Our Future: A Climate Jobs Agenda for the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Cunningham et al., The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers and The Climate Jobs Institute at Cornell University’s ILR School

Fortunately, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM( has been proactive in addressing the climate crisis. IAM delegates passed climate resolutions at the union’s 2016 and 2022 conventions, calling on the union to take leadership in making industry more sustainable, creating high-quality union jobs, and expanding opportunities for members to gain the skills needed to thrive in a climate-safe economy. This report is a result of those efforts. Combating climate change is a massive undertaking, but the IAM is poised to push for solutions that protect our planet while building union power. In order to prepare for the clean energy economy of the future, the IAM must understand the threats climate change poses to members and prepare for how it will affect core industries and geographies. The IAM must also have a plan to advocate for climate action that creates good, union jobs while preserving a bright future for the next generation.

Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the Agriculture Sector, Congressional Budget Office

The agriculture sector emits greenhouse gases (GHGs) through its two main activities: producing crops and managing livestock (including poultry). The sector is the nation’s leading source of emissions of GHGs other than carbon dioxide (CO2 ). The accumulation of GHGs in the atmosphere contributes to climate change, which affects the economy and the federal budget. Agriculture accounts for about 10 percent of total U.S. GHG emissions (measured by their capacity to trap atmospheric heat), including nearly half of the nation’s total non-CO2 emissions. Agricultural GHG emissions are mainly nitrous oxide and methane, which, per ton emitted, are much more potent than CO2 in trapping atmospheric heat. Agriculture accounts for nearly all U.S. emissions of nitrous oxide and almost half of emitted methane. CBO projects that in the coming decades, GHG emissions from agriculture will increase by about a quarter of a percent each year. Actual GHG emissions will vary depending on whether future demand for U.S. agricultural production is greater or less than projected and on the pace at which agricultural technologies that would reduce emissions are developed and adopted.

Climate change in the property sector: A cross-market update (UK focused), Landmark Information Group

The authors explore the progress being made across the industry in building climate resilience, while also highlighting the key barriers that continue to slow momentum. The authors spoke to 150 senior property professionals, including estate agents, residential conveyancers, and mortgage lenders, each with decades of experience navigating the UK property landscape to understand how far the sector has come in addressing climate-related risks, and what is still standing in the way. 99% of property professionals say their clients are concerned to some degree with the evolving / future potential threat of climate change when buying a property. On average, property professionals are advising 52% of their clients on potential climate change risks to their property (50% in 2024). 93% of property professionals say that recent climate events have impacted the way they advise clients to think about climate related risks and how they could affect their home.

Enhancing Europe’s land carbon sink, European Environment Agency

The land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector is the only sector that removes carbon on a large scale, and it has become a key component of EU and Member State policymaking in the transition to a climate neutral economy by 2050. A wide variety of options is available to protect carbon stocks and to enhance removals in all land categories. Applied at scale, these options can jointly have a significant climate change mitigation potential and offer many co-benefits to society. In view of the increasing effects from climate change on terrestrial ecosystems, increasing their resilience is a prerequisite for effective mitigation action in the sector. Between 2014-2023, the EU's average net annual carbon sink was 30% smaller compared to the decade before, largely due to dynamics in forest land. In 2023, the EU LULUCF sector provided a net carbon sink of 198 MtCO2 e, relative to around 6% of EU gross emissions from other sectors.

Accelerating Social Change in Response to the Climate and Ecological Crisis, Spaiser et al., School of Politics and International Studies, University of Leeds

The authors discuss pathways forward in response to the climate and ecological crisis that the UK and the whole world is facing. This co-produced policy brief is a result of the conversations at a collective learning event held in June 2025 and the collaborative work afterwards.

Climate Experts’ Review of the DOE Climate Working Group Report, Dressler et al., Unassigned

On behalf of the more than 85 experts who contributed to the Climate Experts’ Review of the DOE Climate Working Group Report, we are writing to submit this compendium of public comments on the Climate Working Group (CWG) Report entitled A Critical Review of Impacts of Greenhouse Gas Emissions on the U.S. Climate, under docket number DOE-HQ-2035-0207. As explained at length in these comments, the CWG report currently fails to adequately represent the scientific understanding of climate change. DOE must subject the CWG report to unbiased, robust, and transparent peer review under the Information Quality Act and other federal requirements. Accordingly, it will require very substantial revision before it can be relied upon by any federal agency or other entity. About New Research

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1909 IWW Band Postcard. From the IWW Materials Preservation Project.

Greetings Fellow Workers,

The Little Red Songbook (LRS) Committee has been working for two years on the new 39th Edition of the songs of the IWW. The Literature Committee sent requests to the GOB, IW, Wob Forum, and the Seattle Worker seeking committee participants, submissions, and ideas. A survey for song suggestions was created and widely distributed. With input from many Wobs, we reviewed over 150 songs for their potential publication in our new edition of the songbook.

The Songbook has been a part of the IWW since its first publication 1909. Published in Spokane, Washington during the 1909 Free Speech Fight under the title, Songs of Workers, on the Road, in the Jungles, and in the Shops. 

The songbook is a foundational piece of our Union. The songbook is the most widely distributed piece of IWW literature to the general public, and might be the best-selling item in our store inventory.

Members of the Committee judged songs based on their pertinence to today, musicality, and content. We submit the following list of song for publication. We ask for your comments and opinions.

Our goal for the next year is to finalize the song list and to start the process of laying out and creating the new edition complete with cords, lyrics, notes, and art. We are hoping to create a rough draft by September 2026. 

Contact, comment, and join the LRS Committee by sending a note to: lrs-39@googlegroups.com

For the OBU.

1916 Industrial Worker Advert, “Selling by the Thousands.” From the IWW Materials Preservation Project. Song List

1. A la Huelga – Chico Sánchez Ferlosio
2. All Used Up
3. All You Fascists Are Bound to Lose – Woody Guthrie
4. Banks of Marble
5. Bread and Roses / Du Pain et des Roses
6. Dump the Bosses Off Your Back
7. El Derecho de Vivir en Paz (2019 version) – Victor Jara
8. El Pueblo Unido Jamás Será Vencido – anonymous
9. En la Plaza de Mi Pueblo – anonymous
10. God Bless You Very Wealthy Men
11. Hallelujah, I’m a Bum
12. Hold the Fort / Recordad!!
13. Huelga En General
14. I Dreamed I Saw Joe Hill Last Night – Alfred Hayes & Earl Robinson
15. If They Come For You – Ed Peckford
16. Joe Hill’s Last Will
17. May Day
18. Minimum Wage Strike
19. Never Cross a Picket Line – Billy Bragg
20. Niños Campesinos
21. Paper Heart -Si Kahn
22. Rich People – Carsie Blanton
23. Roll the Union On – John Handcox
24. Solidarity Forever / Solidaridad pa’ siempre / Solidarité mes frères sœurs
25. Stung Right
26. That Sabo-Tabby Kitten
27. The Chemical Worker’s Song – Process Man
28. The Internationale
29. The Little Flame – Carsie Blanton
30. The Little Red Songbook – Richard Brazier
31. The Popular Wobbly
32. The Preacher and the Slave / Pastel Celestial
33. The Rebel Girl – Joe Hill
34. The Right to be Lazy
35. There is Power in a Union
36. There is Power in a Union (Pride Version) – Billy Bragg
37. Tierra y Libertad
38. Union Maid
39. We Have Fed You All for a Thousand Years
40. What Shall We Do with the Starbucks Bosses?
41. Where the Fraser River Flows – Utah Phillips
42. Which Side Are You On?
43. Wobbly Doxology
44. Workers Song – Dick Gaughan
45. Working Folk Unite
46. Ya Ain’t Done Nothing if ya Ain’t Been Called a Red – Faith Petric

This story was published in Seattle Worker in the 2025 September/October edition.

This video includes personal musings and conclusions of the creator climate scientist Dr. Adam Levy. It is presented to our readers as an informed perspective. Please see video description for references (if any).

As the northern hemisphere experiences summer, we have also been experiencing the disastrous impacts of climate change - extreme weather like heatwaves droughts; records being smashed time and time again; and wildfires raging through our cities and our forests. But despite the fact that we're seeing unprecedented conditions, some are still claiming that all this can be explained by simply saying "It's Called Summer". But this form of climate denial - that today's conditions are normal summer, rather than a symptom of a changed climate - is surprisingly widespread... despite also being nonsensical. In this video, I get into why this kind of argument holds back climate action.

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Is global warming actually happening?

Multiple indicators show Earth is warming rapidly.

Global surface temperatures are now about 1.47°C (2.65°F) above the 19th century average, with the past ten years the warmest on record. Surface temperatures are measured by thousands of land weather stations and weather balloons, along with ships, ocean buoys, and satellite measurements. Oceans, which absorb over 90% of excess heat, hit record highs in 2024, making the last decade the warmest since the 1800s.

Sea levels are rising at the fastest rate in 2,500 years, driven by melting ice sheets and the thermal expansion of seawater. Polar regions are losing ice, while heatwaves and droughts are becoming more intense and frequent.

Atmospheric CO2 reached 428 ppm in July 2025, or 50% higher than preindustrial levels, before large-scale fossil fuel use. Evidence from air, land, oceans, and ice all point to global warming, with human activity as the primary cause.

Go to full rebuttal on Skeptical Science or to the fact brief on Gigafact

This fact brief is responsive to quotes such as this one.

Sources

NASA Carbon Dioxide

NASA Global Temperature

NASA How do scientists measure global temperature?

NASA Ocean Warming

NASA Sea Level

World Meteorological Organization Climate change and heatwaves

CarbonBrief ‘Multi-year’ droughts have become more frequent, drier and hotter over past 40 years

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This is a re-post from And Then There's Physics

In 2020, a large group of scientists published a paper in which they used multiple lines of evidence to assess Earth’s climate sensitivity. The lines of evidence they used were the physical processes that determine climate sensitivity, the historical climate record, and the paleoclimate record. The key results were:

• The 66% range is 2.6–3.9 K for the Baseline calculation and remains within 2.3–4.5 K under robustness tests.
• the corresponding 5–95% ranges are 2.3–4.7 K, bounded by 2.0–5.7 K.
• all three lines of evidence are difficult to reconcile with an equilibrium climate sensitivity, characterised by an effective sensitivity S, below 2K.
• the paleoclimate evidence provides the strongest evidence against S > 4.5 K.

All of this seems quite reasonable. A likely range from just above 2K to about 4.5K, little evidence to support an equilibrium climate sensitivity below 2K, and evidence against it being above 4.5K.

Unsurprisingly, however, Nic Lewis has views. He has a published a response in which he objectively combines climate sensitivity evidence and finds that

[t]he estimates of long-term climate sensitivity are much lower and better constrained (median 2.16 °C, 17–83% range 1.75–2.7 °C, 5–95% range 1.55–3.2 °C)

and that

[t]his sensitivity to the assumptions employed implies that climate sensitivity remains difficult to ascertain, and that values between 1.5 °C and 2 °C are quite plausible.

As far as I can tell, the differences are mostly due to different choices about the various parameters. Given that different choices of values can give such large variations in the results, does seem to suggest that climate sensitivity remains difficult to ascertain. However, it’s less clear that values between 1.5 °C and 2 °C are quite plausible, although it does depend on what one means by plausible.

I realise that one can select a set of potentially plausible parameters that will give values between 1.5°C and 2°C, but given that we’ve already warmed by ~1.5oC, that the planetary energy imbalance has recently been above 1 Wm-2, and that we haven’t yet reached in change in anthropogenic forcing equivalent to a doubling of atmospheric CO2, values in this range don’t seem particularly plausible.

I do like Nic Lewis’s work and I have learned quite a lot by working through some of it. However, I do think a weakness is a reluctance to properly interrogate why his work seems to suggest values for climate sensitivity that are lower than many other experts would regard as plausible.

I think there’s a tendency to think that if you’ve justified all your assumptions, carefully chosen your parameters, and ensured that the methodology is robust, that the results should then stand. In my view, it’s always worth sanity checking the results. I realise that you have to be careful of not introducing additional biases, but you also have to be careful of trusting a result simply because the analysis is supposedly objective.