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2025 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #35

Skeptical Science - Sun, 08/31/2025 - 08:41
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. Stories we promoted this week, by category:

Climate Policy and Politics (9 articles)

Climate Change Impacts (9 articles)

Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation (3 articles)

Climate Education and Communication (2 articles)

Climate Law and Justice (1 article)

  • 15 Children in Wisconsin File the Latest Youth Lawsuit Citing Climate Dangers The suit, which follows legal victories in Montana and Hawaii, alleges violations of the state constitution and says Wisconsin law impedes a transition to renewable energy, locking in harmful air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel power plants. Inside Climate News, Dana Drugmand, Aug 22, 2025.

Climate Science and Research (1 article)

Public Misunderstandings about Climate Science (1 article)

Public Misunderstandings about Climate Solutions (1 article)

Miscellaneous (2 articles)

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!
Categories: I. Climate Science

The Power of place: chasing blue skies

Climate Solutions - Fri, 08/29/2025 - 11:33
The Power of place: chasing blue skies Megan Larkin Fri, 08/29/2025 - 11:33 am
Categories: G2. Local Greens

Midwest Rail Ridership is Booming, but How Far Can It Grow?

Environmental Law & Policy Center - Thu, 08/28/2025 - 13:38
Categories: G2. Local Greens

Skeptical Science New Research for Week #35 2025

Skeptical Science - Thu, 08/28/2025 - 11:48
Open access notables

Evaluating IPCC Projections of Global Sea-Level Change From the Pre-Satellite Era, Törnqvist et al., Earth's Future Open Access 10.1029/2025ef006533

With an acceleration of global sea-level rise during the satellite altimetry era (since 1993) firmly established, it is now appropriate to examine sea-level projections made around the onset of this time period. Here we show that the mid-range projection from the Second Assessment Report of the IPCC (1995/1996) was strikingly close to what transpired over the next 30 years, with the magnitude of sea-level rise underestimated by only ∼1 cm. Projections of contributions from individual components were more variable, with a notable underestimation of dynamic mass loss from ice sheets. Nevertheless—and in view of the comparatively limited process understanding, modeling capabilities, and computational resources available three decades ago—these early attempts should inspire confidence in presently available global sea-level projections. Such multidecadal evaluations of past climate projections, as presented here for sea-level change, offer useful tests of past climate forecasts, and highlight the essential importance of continued climate monitoring.

Svalbard’s 2024 record summer: An early view of Arctic glacier meltdown?, Schuler et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

A record-breaking melt season affected the Arctic glaciers of Svalbard in summer 2024 by a substantial margin. Across the entire archipelago, glacier melting corresponded to an anomaly of up to four SD and exceeded any previous observation. The pan-Svalbard mass loss in summer 2024 amounts to ~61.7 ± 11.1 Gt and corresponds to 1% of the total ice volume on Svalbard and is comparable to that of the Greenland ice sheet (55 ± 35 Gt), which occupies an area about 50 times larger. Altogether, Svalbard and other glacier regions surrounding the Barents Sea lost 102.1 ± 22.9 Gt of ice in a single year and contributed 0.27 ± 0.06 mm (of which 0.16 mm alone is due to Svalbard) to global sea-level, putting the circum-Barents region among the strongest contributors to global sea-level rise in 2024. Most of the 2024 glacier melt occurred during a 6-wk period of persistent atmospheric circulation pattern causing record-high air temperatures, an event with an extremely low recurrence interval under current climate conditions. However, future climate projections suggest that such temperature levels will become increasingly commonplace by the end of the 21st century, potentially even surpassing those of 2024. Svalbard’s summer of 2024 serves as a forecast for future glacier meltdown in the Arctic, offering a glimpse into conditions 70 y ahead.

Attribution of Changes in Canadian Precipitation, Kirchmeier-Young et al., Atmosphere-Ocean

Total precipitation has increased over Canada, annually and seasonally. However, the drivers of this change have not been formally diagnosed. Globally, while changes in total precipitation have been attributed to anthropogenic forcing at larger scales, attribution at sub-continental scales has thus far been very limited. We perform a detection and attribution analysis using an optimal fingerprinting approach based on estimating equations to compare the observed changes in Canadian precipitation against CMIP6-model-based estimates of externally forced signals. For Canada as a whole and Northern Canada specifically, an anthropogenic forcing signal is detected in the observations, annually and for six-month warm and cool seasons over 1959-2018. For Southern Canada, observed records are longer and attribution is more robust at the century scale (1904-2018), where the observed increase in annual precipitation is attributed to anthropogenic forcing. Understanding the dominant role of anthropogenic forcing through a formal attribution analysis increases our confidence in the characterization of both past and future changes in precipitation over Canada.

Extreme Sahelian Rainfall Continues to Rise Despite Stable Storm Frequency, Spät et al., Geophysical Research Letters

Over the past 40+ years, extreme rainfall in the Sahel has increased faster than the mean seasonal rainfall. From the early 1980s to the late 2000s, the changes can be explained by the fact that the strongest storms became more frequent, likely because of changes in wind patterns linked to temperature differences across the region, especially the enhanced warming of the Sahara. However, since the late 2000s, the number of strong storms has stopped increasing, as warming intensified in both the northern Sahara and equatorial Africa and changed the wind pattern. Despite this, extreme rainfall has kept increasing, possibly due to widespread higher moisture levels in the atmosphere, influenced by warming ocean waters in the tropical Atlantic and the Mediterranean.

Physics-Based Indicators for the Onset of an AMOC Collapse Under Climate Change, van Westen et al., Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans

The Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) is an important tipping element in the climate system. There is a large uncertainty whether the AMOC will start to collapse during the 21st century under future climate change, as this requires long climate model simulations which are not always available. Here, we analyze targeted climate model simulations done with the Community Earth System Model (CESM) with the aim to develop a physics-based indicator for the onset of an AMOC tipping event. This indicator is diagnosed from the surface buoyancy fluxes over the North Atlantic Ocean and is performing successfully under quasi-equilibrium freshwater forcing, freshwater pulse forcing, climate change scenarios, and for different climate models. An analysis consisting of 25 different climate models shows that the AMOC could begin to collapse by 2063 (from 2026 to 2095, 25th to 57th percentiles) under an intermediate emission scenario (SSP2-4.5), or by 2055 (from 2023 to 2076, 25th to 75th percentiles) under a high-end emission scenario (SSP5-8.5). When the AMOC collapses, the Northwestern European climate changes drastically and this will likely induce severe societal impacts.

From this week's government/NGO section:

Global climate change as a threat, Poushter et al., Pew Research Center

A median of 67% of adults across 25 nations say global climate change is a major threat to their country. Another 24% say it is a minor threat, and 9% say it is not a threat. In many of the high-income countries that were surveyed in both 2022 and 2025, the share of adults who see climate change as a major threat has decreased significantly. Majorities in all but three countries – Israel, Nigeria and the U.S. – see climate change as a major threat. Around eight-in-ten hold this view in Argentina, Brazil, France, Japan and South Korea. About a quarter of Israelis (24%) say climate change is not a threat – the largest share to take this stance across the countries surveyed. In the U.S., about a fifth of adults (19%) say the same.

Trump’s Unfolding Energy Crisis, Climate Power

Over 64,000 jobs have already been lost or stalled in the clean energy sector since Trump’s election. With rising energy demand driven by AI and extreme heat, gutting clean energy is already taking critical production offline and increasing costs for consumers. Americans across the nation are already seeing their utility costs skyrocket; the average family’s energy bill will increase by $130 annually by 2030 and $170 annually by 2035, with some states expected to see their bills rise by over $400 per year in the next decade. 154 articles in 68 journals by 870 contributing authors

Physical science of climate change, effects

A conceptual framework for understanding longwave cloud effects on climate sensitivity, Kluft et al., Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Open Access 10.5194/acp-25-9075-2025

Climate forcing due to future ozone changes: an intercomparison of metrics and methods, Collins et al., Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Open Access 10.5194/acp-25-9031-2025

Controls of the global overturning circulation of the ocean, Roquet et al., npj Climate and Atmospheric Science Open Access pdf 10.1038/s41612-025-01185-8

Energy Conservation in a Cooling and Contracting Thermosphere, Nowak et al., Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres Open Access 10.1029/2024jd042513

Physics-Based Indicators for the Onset of an AMOC Collapse Under Climate Change, van Westen et al., Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans Open Access 10.1029/2025jc022651

Quantifying Air–Sea Heat Fluxes over Southeast Asia and Their Response to Climate Change, Nguyen-Thanh et al., Journal of Climate 10.1175/jcli-d-24-0389.1

Observations of climate change, effects

Changes in Dry Season Length in Global Watersheds, Chen & Liu, International Journal of Climatology 10.1002/joc.70078

Emergence of autumn rainy season in Korea due to tropical cyclone influence, Kim et al., Atmospheric Research Open Access 10.1016/j.atmosres.2025.108340

Evaluating weather trends and forecasting with machine learning: Insights from maximum temperature, minimum temperature, and rainfall data in India, Guhan et al., Dynamics of Atmospheres and Oceans 10.1016/j.dynatmoce.2025.101562

Extreme Sahelian Rainfall Continues to Rise Despite Stable Storm Frequency, Spät et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2025gl115942

Local hourly trends in near-surface and land surface temperatures, Safieddine et al., Scientific Reports Open Access 10.1038/s41598-025-15731-0

Rise in heat related mortality in the United States, Narayanan & Keellings Keellings, PLOS Climate Open Access 10.1371/journal.pclm.0000610

State of Wildfires 2024–25, Kelley et al., Open Access 10.5194/essd-2025-483

Instrumentation & observational methods of climate change, effects

Early detection of climate change-induced shallow landslides with IoT-technology, Hofmann et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access 10.1038/s43247-025-02668-5

GIRAFE v1: a global climate data record for precipitation accompanied by a daily sampling uncertainty, Konrad et al., Earth System Science Data Open Access 10.5194/essd-17-4097-2025

Modeling, simulation & projection of climate change, effects

Exploring Global Temperature Oscillations Using a Generalized Linear Box Model, Fredriksen et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2024gl113994

Future Atlantification of the European Arctic limited under sustained global warming, De Rovere et al., Scientific Reports Open Access 10.1038/s41598-025-16161-8

Future Changes in Atlantic Tropical Cyclone Precipitation and Size in Convection-Permitting Regional Model Simulations, Forbis & Patricola, Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres Open Access 10.1029/2025jd043428

Impacts of Global Warming on Severe Drought in Northern Taiwan: A Future Projection Based on the Year 2021, Huang et al., International Journal of Climatology Open Access 10.1002/joc.70094

Poleward migration of western North Pacific tropical cyclones driven by genesis location shift under global warming in HighResMIP-PRIMAVERA models, Li et al., npj Climate and Atmospheric Science Open Access 10.1038/s41612-025-01194-7

 Projections of Lightning-Ignited Wildfire Risk in the Western United States, Kalashnikov et al., Earth's Future Open Access 10.1029/2025ef006108

Advancement of climate & climate effects modeling, simulation & projection

A Deep Learning Earth System Model for Efficient Simulation of the Observed Climate, Cresswell?Clay et al., AGU Advances Open Access 10.1029/2025av001706

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

Heat Waves in Regional Climate Models: Three-Dimensional Insight and Links to Atmospheric Circulation Over Middle Europe, Plavcová et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2025gl115352

Uncertainty in projected changes of Indian Summer Monsoon Rainfall by CMIP6 models, Sooraj et al., Atmospheric Research 10.1016/j.atmosres.2025.108424

Urban climate simulation for extreme heat events – A comparison between WRF and GEM, Marey et al., Urban Climate Open Access 10.1016/j.uclim.2025.102570

Cryosphere & climate change

An 85-year record of glacier change and refined projections for Kennicott and Root Glaciers, Alaska, Wells et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-025-62962-w

Brief communication: Representation of heat conduction into ice in marine ice shelf melt modelling, Wiskandt & Jourdain Jourdain, The Cryosphere Open Access 10.5194/tc-19-3253-2025

Calving front positions for Greenland outlet glaciers (2002–2021): a spatially extensive seasonal record and benchmark dataset for algorithm validation, Lu et al., Open Access 10.5194/essd-2025-304

Decades-Long Evolution of Post-Fire Permafrost Deformation Detected by InSAR: Insights From Chronosequence in North Yukon, Cao & Furuya, AGU Advances Open Access 10.1029/2025av001849

Future winters promise less snow, more rain. Nobody’s prepared, McDermott, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Open Access 10.1073/pnas.2520764122

Loss of accumulation zone exposes dark ice and drives increased ablation at Weißseespitze, Austria, Hartl et al., Open Access 10.5194/egusphere-2025-384

Non-temperature environmental drivers modulate warming-induced 21st-century permafrost degradation on the Tibetan Plateau, Ziteng et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-025-63032-x

Svalbard’s 2024 record summer: An early view of Arctic glacier meltdown?, Schuler et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Open Access pdf 10.1073/pnas.2503806122

The Seasonality of Greenland Iceberg Melt and Its Influences on Fjord Properties and Dynamics, Kinne et al., Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans 10.1029/2025jc022587

Sea level & climate change

Assessing the impact of climate change and glacier retreat on sea level rise, coastal ecosystems, and vulnerable communities, Pallikonda et al., Journal of Earth System Science 10.1007/s12040-025-02643-w

Connecting the Past and the Future to Build Regional Sea-Level Projections, Le Bars & Drijfhout, Earth's Future Open Access 10.1029/2024ef005623

Deep Ocean Steric Sea Level Change in the Subtropical Northwest Atlantic Ocean, Zilberman et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access pdf 10.1029/2024gl114158

Evaluating IPCC Projections of Global Sea-Level Change From the Pre-Satellite Era, Törnqvist et al., Earth's Future Open Access 10.1029/2025ef006533

Paleoclimate & paleogeochemistry

A climate of conflict: How the little ice age sparked rebellions and revolutions across Europe, Kaniewski et al., Global and Planetary Change 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2025.105038

Biology & climate change, related geochemistry

Amazonian and Andean tree communities are not tracking current climate warming, Farfan-Rios et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Open Access 10.1073/pnas.2425619122

Anticipating ecological transformation in the Coorong, Australia: Capacities and knowledge for upstream engagement, Alexandra, Environmental Science & Policy Open Access 10.1016/j.envsci.2025.104147

Assessing the importance of prey, climate change, and human footprint for modeling current and future distribution of Leopardus guigna, Zamora?Cornejo et al., Conservation Biology 10.1111/cobi.70135

Background climate determines the response of spring leaf-out to climate change—Results from a national-scale twig-cutting experiment, Wang et al., Journal of Ecology 10.1111/1365-2745.70142

Climate Change Impacts on the Phenology of Laurentian Great Lakes Fishes, Piczak et al., Global Change Biology Open Access 10.1111/gcb.70436

Climate Change Is Altering Ecosystem Water Use Efficiency in Water-Limited Ecosystems, Green et al., Global Change Biology 10.1111/gcb.70459

Climate-driven spread of giant hogweed [Heracleum mantegazzianum (Sommier & Levier) in Turkey: assessing future invasion risks under CMIP6 climate projections, Farooq, BMC Plant Biology Open Access 10.1186/s12870-025-07145-x

Combining Niche Breadth to Predict the Current and Future Distribution of Leguminosae Under Climate Change on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, Chai et al., Ecology and Evolution Open Access 10.1002/ece3.71895

Decreasing foraminiferal flux in response to ongoing climate change in the Santa Barbara Basin, California, Havard et al., Biogeosciences Open Access 10.5194/bg-22-4035-2025

Drivers of Phytoplankton Communities Across Thermal Regimes and Marine Heatwaves in the U.S. Northeast Shelf, Cirivello et al., Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans Open Access 10.1029/2024jc022029

Future Projections of Biodiversity Under Global Change Need to Include Genetic Diversity, Henry, Global Change Biology Open Access 10.1111/gcb.70477

Global thermal tolerance compilation for freshwater invertebrates and fish, Bayat et al., Scientific Data Open Access 10.1038/s41597-025-05832-w

Global warming reduces the carrying capacity of the tallest angiosperm species (Eucalyptus regnans), Trouvé et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-025-62535-x

Human Pressures Drive Global Mammalian Species Richness Loss and Community Change, Schooler & Belant, Diversity and Distributions Open Access 10.1111/ddi.70076

Human-Impacted Natural Ecosystems Drive Climate Warming, Mander et al., Global Change Biology Open Access 10.1111/gcb.70449

Impacts of Changing Winters on Lake Ecosystems Will Increase With Latitude, Ozersky et al., Ecology Letters Open Access 10.1111/ele.70200

Increasing constraint of aridity on tree intrinsic water use efficiency, Wang et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-025-62845-0

Integrating multi-level approaches to assess blue mussel (Mytilus spp.) responses to short-term temperature and salinity changes, Guinle et al., Marine Environmental Research Open Access 10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107436

Intensified Aridity Hinders Soil Microbes From Improving Their Nitrogen Use Efficiency, Yang et al., Global Change Biology 10.1111/gcb.70453

Microbes Under Climate Refugia: Equable Subcommunity Rank Dynamics in Large-River Deltaic Estuaries, Liu et al., Ecology and Evolution Open Access 10.1002/ece3.72014

Nyinggulu Reef at Risk: Thermal Anomalies, Coral Mortality, and the Erosion of Resilience, Quigley, Global Change Biology 10.1111/gcb.70437

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

Outlasting the Heat: Collapse of Herbivorous Fish Control of Invasive Algae During Marine Heatwaves, Brijs et al., Global Change Biology Open Access 10.1111/gcb.70438

Population Decline for Plants in the California Floristic Province: Does Demography or Geography Determine Climate Change Vulnerability?, Backus et al., Diversity and Distributions Open Access 10.1111/ddi.70067

Response of intertidal fucales to low-tide heat stress at their southern distributional limit, Pereira et al., Marine Environmental Research Open Access 10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107433

Satellite mapping of emperor penguin habitat dispersal under climate extremes, Lin et al., Remote Sensing of Environment 10.1016/j.rse.2025.114984

Short-Term Management of Kelp Forests for Marine Heatwaves Requires Planning, Hopf et al., Conservation Letters Open Access 10.1111/conl.13130

Spatiotemporal Distribution Patterns and Conservation Priorities of Gymnosperms With Different Leaf Shapes in China Under Climate Change, Fu et al., Ecology and Evolution Open Access 10.1002/ece3.71980

Spiny rock lobster (Jasus edwardsii) responses to marine heatwave conditions in southern New Zealand, Gnanalingam et al., Marine Environmental Research Open Access 10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107410

The influence of cross-generational warming on the juvenile development of a coral reef fish under ocean warming and acidification, Cane et al., Marine Environmental Research Open Access 10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107451

Trait Plasticity and Warming Vulnerability in a Structurally Diverse Seagrass Ecosystem, Lawrence, Ecology and Evolution Open Access 10.1002/ece3.72011

Unraveling Nonlinear Interactions: A DPSIR-Based Conceptual Model for Synergistic Impacts of Climate Change and Human Activities on Coastal Blue Carbon Ecosystems, Duan et al., Global Change Biology 10.1111/gcb.70432

Warming aggravates physiological drought in Betula platyphylla during the winter–spring transitional period in Greater Khingan Mountains, Li et al., Dendrochronologia 10.1016/j.dendro.2025.126375

GHG sources & sinks, flux, related geochemistry

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Forest-to-Bog Restoration on Carbon Sequestration, Water Chemistry, and Biodiversity in Irish and British Peatlands, Fundira et al., WIREs Climate Change Open Access 10.1002/wcc.70016

Global decarbonization corresponding with unseasonal land cover change, HE et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-025-63144-4

Global Sensitivity Analysis of the Future Land Carbon Sink, Deepak et al., Atmosphere Open Access 10.1080/07055900.2025.2540430

Inferring methane emissions from African livestock by fusing drone, tower, and satellite data, van Hove et al., Biogeosciences Open Access pdf 10.5194/bg-22-4163-2025

Lignin is an overlooked methane source in anoxic ecosystems, , Nature Geoscience 10.1038/s41561-025-01767-4

Potential buffering capacity of naturally distributed carbonate minerals against future rises in atmospheric CO2 and coastal acidification: the Yellow Sea and three major estuaries in China, Shi et al., Marine Environmental Research 10.1016/j.marenvres.2025.107392

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

Variability and uncertainty in net ecosystem carbon exchange modeling: Systematic estimates at global flux sites via ensemble machine learning, Wang et al., Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 10.1016/j.agrformet.2025.110784

CO2 capture, sequestration science & engineering

A comprehensive review of the physicochemical properties and performance of novel carbon-based adsorbents for CO2 capture, Karimi & Ghaemi, Environmental Science and Pollution Research 10.1007/s11356-025-36803-8

Larger rock extraction sites could improve the efficiency of enhanced rock weathering in the United Kingdom, Madankan et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access 10.1038/s43247-025-02656-9

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

“Do you think that coal will finish?”: The (Im)possibilities of living with and without coal in a central Indian coalfield, Krishnan et al., Energy Research & Social Science Open Access 10.1016/j.erss.2025.104304

A database for identifying and tracking renewable energy embodied in global trade, Yang et al., Nature Sustainability 10.1038/s41893-025-01614-9

Annoyance and memory performance in the presence of wind turbine sound, Garcia-Guerrero et al., Journal of Environmental Psychology Open Access 10.1016/j.jenvp.2025.102653

Dynamic sustainability assessment of critical mineral resources for China's EV industry: A multi-national niche and grey model approach, Guo & Zou, Energy Policy 10.1016/j.enpol.2025.114837

How flexible is the German biogas sector? Stakeholder acceptance of flexible feeding options to support better system integration, Herbes & Apfel, Energy Policy Open Access 10.1016/j.enpol.2025.114795

Invisible hands in energy transitions: installers in the European post-industrial cities of Gothenburg and Rotterdam, van Tuijl et al., Energy Research & Social Science Open Access 10.1016/j.erss.2025.104290

Navigating energy transition solutions for climate targets with minerals constraint, Wei et al., Nature Climate Change 10.1038/s41558-025-02373-3

Sustainable ethanol production: CO2 emission analysis and feedstock strategies through life cycle assessment, Kumar & Sinha, Energy for Sustainable Development 10.1016/j.esd.2025.101775

Aerosols

Aerosols drive the missed global brightening recently in ERA5 and ERAI over Japan, Gao et al., Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society 10.1002/qj.70011

Response of PM2.5 concentration to climate variability and climate change prediction in China, Li et al., Journal of Atmospheric and Solar 10.1016/j.jastp.2025.106588

Shoreline wave breaking strongly enhances the coastal sea spray aerosol population: Climate and air quality implications, Zhou et al., Science Advances 10.1126/sciadv.adw0343

Climate change communications & cognition

Climate Change Information Seeking: A Scoping Review, Zhang et al., Journal of Environmental Psychology Open Access 10.1016/j.jenvp.2025.102742

Downplaying extreme heat: global imaginaries of ‘relative invulnerability’ and ‘common sense’ adaptation, Sou, Climate and Development Open Access 10.1080/17565529.2025.2546377

Extreme Weather and Climate Change Attitudes: Limited Partisan Motivated Reasoning in Response to Sweden’s 2018 Heatwave, Linde & Matti, Journal of Environmental Psychology Open Access 10.1016/j.jenvp.2025.102743

Finite pool of worry and emotions in climate change tweets during COVID-19, Smirnov et al., Journal of Environmental Psychology 10.1016/j.jenvp.2025.102728

Personal actions or systemic solutions: How the focus of the conversation influences willingness to talk about environmental issues, Allen & Hooker Tang Shen Buswell Kahalas Perley Qi Arora Mahmoudi-Aznaveh Laika Kuang Lenferink Arora Verbruggen Choi Cheong Smeralda Liang Rapp Kimura , The Encyclopedia of Adulthood and Aging Open Access 10.1002/9781118521373.wbeaa117

Regional dynamics of public attitudes toward climate change policy, regulatory strategies, and the energy transition in the United States, Ayinla et al., Energy Research & Social Science 10.1016/j.erss.2025.104291

The complaining but competent confronter: An experimental examination of the social costs and benefits related to interpersonal confrontations in climate change conversations, Klaperski-van der Wal et al., Journal of Environmental Psychology Open Access 10.1016/j.jenvp.2025.102738

The lasting effect of the Romantic view of nature: How it influences perceptions of risk and the support of symbolic actions against climate change, Siegrist & Berthold, Risk Analysis Open Access 10.1111/risa.17672

The public’s views on climate policies in seven large global south countries, Carson et al., Nature Climate Change Open Access pdf 10.1038/s41558-025-02389-9

Understanding Underlying Moral Values and Language Use of Climate Change Attitudes on X (formerly Twitter) and Weibo, Song et al., Journal of Environmental Psychology 10.1016/j.jenvp.2025.102736

“I have no future” - the critical need to counter climate doomism, Stuart, Environmental Sociology 10.1080/23251042.2025.2552388

Agronomy, animal husbundry, food production & climate change

Climate-smart biofuel policy as a pathway to decarbonize agriculture, Khanna et al., Science 10.1126/science.adw6739

Climate-Smart Agriculture Adoption and Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review, Yiridomoh et al., Climate Resilience and Sustainability Open Access 10.1002/cli2.70017

Co-production of knowledge on climate change, its effects, and adaptation measures: A gender-responsive qualitative study of smallholder farmers, Bwalya & Mwanza, PLOS Climate Open Access 10.1371/journal.pclm.0000531

Gender-group membership intersectionality and determinants of indigenous climate adaptation of smallholder farmers for climate risk management in northern Ghana, Guodaar, Climate Risk Management Open Access 10.1016/j.crm.2025.100737

Genetic origins and climate-induced erosion in economically important Asian walnuts, Fan et al., Conservation Biology Open Access 10.1111/cobi.70125

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

Rising Heat, Rising Risks: Understanding the Nexus of Marine Heatwaves, Fishing Dependence, and Vulnerability to Coastal Communities, Dowd et al., Global Change Biology 10.1111/gcb.70454

Scientific meetings debate the effect of climate change on future food production, , Nature Open Access 10.1038/d41586-025-02534-6

Hydrology, hydrometeorology & climate change

Attribution of Changes in Canadian Precipitation, Kirchmeier-Young et al., Atmosphere Open Access 10.1080/07055900.2025.2545849

Changes in Dry Season Length in Global Watersheds, Chen & Liu, International Journal of Climatology 10.1002/joc.70078

Divergent Spatiotemporal Patterns and Climate Responses of Lateral and Internal Lake Drainage in the Northern Permafrost Region, Yang et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2025gl117233

Changes in Dry Season Length in Global Watersheds, Chen & Liu, International Journal of Climatology 10.1002/joc.70078

Emergence of autumn rainy season in Korea due to tropical cyclone influence, Kim et al., Atmospheric Research Open Access 10.1016/j.atmosres.2025.108340

Evaluating weather trends and forecasting with machine learning: Insights from maximum temperature, minimum temperature, and rainfall data in India, Guhan et al., Dynamics of Atmospheres and Oceans 10.1016/j.dynatmoce.2025.101562

Extreme Sahelian Rainfall Continues to Rise Despite Stable Storm Frequency, Spät et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2025gl115942

Rise in heat related mortality in the United States, Narayanan & Keellings Keellings, PLOS Climate Open Access 10.1371/journal.pclm.0000610

State of Wildfires 2024–25, Kelley et al., Open Access 10.5194/essd-2025-483

Emergence of autumn rainy season in Korea due to tropical cyclone influence, Kim et al., Atmospheric Research Open Access 10.1016/j.atmosres.2025.108340

Producing Hydrological Projections Under Climate Change: A Groundwater-Inclusive Practical Guide, Mourot et al., Earth's Future Open Access 10.1029/2025ef006316

Soil Moisture Dynamics in South America: A Multi-Dataset Analysis From 1990 to 2020, Saito et al., International Journal of Climatology 10.1002/joc.70047

The future intensification of hydrological extremes and whiplashes in the contiguous United States increase community vulnerability, Maharjan et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access 10.1038/s43247-025-02672-9

Warming climate and water withdrawals threaten river flow connectivity in China, Gou et al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Open Access 10.1073/pnas.2421046122

Climate change economics

Roll with the punches: Climate change regulation and short-term financing, Wang, Energy Policy 10.1016/j.enpol.2025.114805

Climate change mitigation public policy research

Climate action close to home: The role of public attitudes and policy responses in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Ebner et al., Energy Research & Social Science Open Access 10.1016/j.erss.2025.104264

Conceptualizing supply- and demand-side climate change mitigation: A typology and new research directions, Pichler et al., Energy Research & Social Science Open Access 10.1016/j.erss.2025.104225

Energy transition and equity: Quantifying pathways to building decarbonization based on notions of fairness, De Simone et al., Energy Policy Open Access 10.1016/j.enpol.2025.114798

Forest carbon program enrollment in Pennsylvania falls below survey predictions, Weber et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access 10.1038/s43247-025-02657-8

Simulation-based analysis of country-specific mitigation strategies to decarbonize the passenger car fleet: A comparison between Germany, Poland, and Norway, Ginster et al., Journal of Industrial Ecology Open Access 10.1111/jiec.70089

The impact of electricity and fossil fuel prices on electric vehicle new registrations in the European Union, Kucharski et al., Energy Policy 10.1016/j.enpol.2025.114842

The public’s views on climate policies in seven large global south countries, Carson et al., Nature Climate Change Open Access pdf 10.1038/s41558-025-02389-9

Climate change adaptation & adaptation public policy research

Assessing the impact of climate change and glacier retreat on sea level rise, coastal ecosystems, and vulnerable communities, Pallikonda et al., Journal of Earth System Science 10.1007/s12040-025-02643-w

Climate change impacts on roadways, Sias et al., Nature Reviews Earth & Environment 10.1038/s43017-025-00711-9

Cognitive bias in perceived concern with rainfall: Implications for climate adaptation, Skog et al., Journal of Environmental Psychology Open Access 10.1016/j.jenvp.2025.102737

Drivers and barriers to municipal climate change adaptation: a comparative analysis of selected measures and different implementation stages, Otto et al., Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences Open Access 10.1007/s13412-025-01049-w

Future winters promise less snow, more rain. Nobody’s prepared, McDermott, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Open Access 10.1073/pnas.2520764122

Impact of extreme climates on sustainable cooling: A case study of a subtropical office building, Yu et al., Urban Climate 10.1016/j.uclim.2025.102583

Navigating justice tensions in managed retreat, Bower et al., Environmental Science & Policy 10.1016/j.envsci.2025.104191

Risk Storylines: A Community-Led Discussion between Disaster and Climate Science, Cocuccioni et al., Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society 10.1175/bams-d-25-0155.1

Scenario-dependent discounting for climate change adaptation decisions for infrastructure, Nasr et al., Climate Policy 10.1080/14693062.2025.2549563

Climate change impacts on human health

Extreme heat preparedness and coping among older adults: A rapid review, Doherty et al., PLOS Climate Open Access 10.1371/journal.pclm.0000689

Health: The missing metric in climate ambition: The case for health-inclusive NDCs – ambitious climate action to save lives, Cresto Aleina & Beagley, PLOS Climate Open Access 10.1371/journal.pclm.0000694

Long-term impacts of heatwaves on accelerated ageing, Chen et al., Nature Climate Change 10.1038/s41558-025-02407-w

Medical expenditures under climate change and SSP-informed physiological and socioeconomic scenarios in China, Zhu et al., Global Environmental Change 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2025.103052

Rise in heat related mortality in the United States, Narayanan & Keellings Keellings, PLOS Climate Open Access 10.1371/journal.pclm.0000610

Warming climate and hot cities foster cool solutions in China, Gronwald & Lichtfouse, Environmental Chemistry Letters 10.1007/s10311-025-01872-1

Climate change impacts on human culture

Environmental Impact and Carbon Emissions of Sport Events: The Significance of Scope 3, Bae & McCullough, WIREs Climate Change Open Access 10.1002/wcc.70017

Other

The ClimateHack: How tech entrepreneurship shapes climate action, Bialski et al., Environmental Science & Policy 10.1016/j.envsci.2025.104184

Who is Imaged as Being Related to Climate Change? Localization and Individualization of Human Visual Images in China Search Engine, Su et al., Environmental Communication 10.1080/17524032.2025.2544563

Informed opinion, nudges & major initiatives

Anticipating ecological transformation in the Coorong, Australia: Capacities and knowledge for upstream engagement, Alexandra, Environmental Science & Policy Open Access 10.1016/j.envsci.2025.104147

Climate models need more frequent releases of input data — here’s how to do it, Naik et al., Nature 10.1038/d41586-025-02642-3

Future winters promise less snow, more rain. Nobody’s prepared, McDermott, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Open Access 10.1073/pnas.2520764122

NASA’s Earth-observing satellites are crucial — commercial missions cannot replace them, Wood, Nature 10.1038/d41586-025-02685-6

Securing climate justice in the courtroom, Nogrady, Nature 10.1038/d41586-025-02623-6

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

Trump’s Unfolding Energy Crisis, Climate Power

Over 64,000 jobs have already been lost or stalled in the clean energy sector since Trump’s election. With rising energy demand driven by AI and extreme heat, gutting clean energy is already taking critical production offline and increasing costs for consumers. Americans across the nation are already seeing their utility costs skyrocket; the average family’s energy bill will increase by $130 annually by 2030 and $170 annually by 2035, with some states expected to see their bills rise by over $400 per year in the next decade.

The Demand Side Grid Support Program: An Assessment of Scale and Valu, Hledik et al., The Brattle Group

The Demand Side Grid Support (DSGS) program is a taxpayer funded program run by the California Energy Commission (CEC), designed to improve the reliability of the California power system by tapping into the capabilities of behind-the-meter (BTM) resources such as batteries. Sunrun and Tesla Energy commissioned The Brattle Group to evaluate the benefits and costs of DSGS Option 3, which is the participation option that accommodates battery storage. DSGS storage capacity has scaled quickly, and continued growth is expected. DSGS can provide significant net cost savings to California, especially in a suddenly inflationary environment.

Climate Change and Workplace Heat Stress, Flouris et al., World Health Organization and the World Meteorological Organization

The frequency and intensity of extreme heat events have risen sharply, increasing risks for both outdoor and indoor workers. Worker productivity drops by 2–3% for every degree above 20°C. Health risks include heatstroke, dehydration, kidney dysfunction, and neurological disorders, all of which hinder long-term health and economic security. Approximately half the global population suffers adverse consequences of high temperatures.

Global climate change as a threat, Poushter e tal., Pew Research Center

A median of 67% of adults across 25 nations say global climate change is a major threat to their country. Another 24% say it is a minor threat, and 9% say it is not a threat. In many of the high-income countries that were surveyed in both 2022 and 2025, the share of adults who see climate change as a major threat has decreased significantly. Majorities in all but three countries – Israel, Nigeria and the U.S. – see climate change as a major threat. Around eight-in-ten hold this view in Argentina, Brazil, France, Japan and South Korea. About a quarter of Israelis (24%) say climate change is not a threat – the largest share to take this stance across the countries surveyed. In the U.S., about a fifth of adults (19%) say the same.

Understanding data centre water use in England, techUK, techUK and the Environment Agency

The authors examine water use across England’s commercial data centres. They offer evidence into how data centres use and manage water amid the growing interest of the environmental footprint of digital infrastructure. 51% of surveyed sites use waterless cooling systems. 64% use less than 10,000 m³ of water per year – less than a typical leisure centre. 89% of sites either measure water use or deploy systems that do not require water for cooling. These findings challenge assumptions that data centres are inherently water-intensive. Instead, many facilities are already deploying efficient and climate-conscious solutions, and the industry is well-positioned to build on these efficiency gains in the coming years.

Coal is losing ground but not letting go: Structural inertia and the struggle to shift coal’s role in China’s power system, Qi Qin and Christine Shearer, The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air nad the Global Energy Monitor

Although there were some signs of coal power slowing down in 2024 and 2025 has seen China’s clean energy boom meet a significant amount of power demand growth and lower CO2 emissions, coal power remains strong, with new and revived projects the highest in a decade. In H1 2025, 21 gigawatts (GW) of coal power were commissioned, the highest amount in the first half of the year since 2016, with projections for the full year exceeding 80 GW. This increase in commissions follows on the tail of the 2022-2023 coal power permitting surge that saw two new coal projects permitted per week, on average, totaling more than 100 GW of coal power approved per year. This trend will likely continue into 2026 and 2027, unless policy action is taken. Only 25 GW were permitted in H1 2025, yet new and revived projects came to 75 GW in H1 2025, the highest in a decade, and construction starts and restarts reached 46 GW, equivalent to the entire coal power capacity of South Korea.

SAFER (Strategic Adaptation for Emergency Resilience), Read et al., Climate Majority Project

Too often, they can’t picture it at all: an abstract story of invisible gases, distant timelines, and carbon footprints. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this ‘colourless, odourless’ representation of climate has struggled to inspire the scale of mobilisation that climate breakdown demands. To mobilise a majority, climate action must become something people can feel as well as understand – not just a different story, but a different way of living. Until recently, climate adaptation has been sidelined within the broader environmental movement, dismissed as a distraction or even a threat to urgent mitigation efforts. This rationale report equips advocates with narrative tools to challenge this mindset, reframing ecologically sound adaptation as a legitimate and foundational form of climate action.

DRAFT Cleveland-Elyria Metropolitan Statistical Area Comprehensive Climate Action Plan, Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agenc, Office of Sustainability and Climate Justice, City of Cleveland

The Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP) for the Cleveland-Elyria Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) includes a discussion of how the climate is already changing in and the expected changes through 2050; a review of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by sector and the measures the MSA can take to lower those emissions by 2050; a plan to help communities across the MSA implement these measures; and additional technical appendices

Delaware Residents’ Opinions on Climate Change, Responsive Management, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy

According to the latest survey, it is clear that climate change remains a top concern for a significant majority of Delawareans with many believing that it poses a serious threat that will harm future generations. The 2025 survey was administered to 1,520 Delaware residents via phone, text and online between Feb. 5 and Feb. 18, 2025. 74% of Delawareans remain very or somewhat concerned about climate change. 79% of Delawareans view climate change as a very or somewhat serious threat. 55% of Delawareans agree that they have experienced or observed local impacts of climate change. 58% of Delawareans believe that climate change will harm them personally, with an even larger share (79%) feeling the same about the harm it will cause future generations. 66% of Delawareans agree that Delaware can take more action to reduce climate change. 59% of Delawareans agree that they personally can take actions to reduce climate change.

Long-Term Load and DER Forecasting, Giraldez et al., Energy Systems Integration Group

Traditional methods, which allocate load and distributed energy resource (DER) growth based on proportional scaling of energy consumption, peak demand, or customer count, often fail to capture emerging geospatial adoption patterns. To accurately predict future energy demand requires explicit modeling of various demand-side modifiers to arrive at a net load forecast—including energy efficiency, solar, battery storage, economic growth, new customer business loads, electric vehicle charging, and building electrification. The authors outline key elements of a more geospatially and temporally granular, scenario-based approach, including (1) high-resolution, time-based (hourly) forecasts to capture the correlated effects of weather on demand, generation, and the nuances of DER behavior, and (2) methods that account for the underlying drivers of new sector demands and technology adoption, such as price signals and policy drivers. Scenario-based forecasting approaches better equip planners across grid planning entities and within planning departments to assess a range of possible futures and provide opportunities for greater coordination across planning entities to improve system-wide preparedness.

Taking Green Energy Projects to Court: NEPA Review and Court Challenges to Renewable Energy. Obstacles to Energy Infrastructure Project, Fraas et al., Resources for the Future

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is often identified as a major obstacle to renewable energy projects locating on federal public lands or seeking federal funding. Once NEPA permits have been issued, a project may face additional delays if a federal agency’s decision is challenged in court. The authors examine the legal challenges faced by each project presenting the timeline in months for each case. Nearly a third of solar projects and half of wind projects completing NEPA environmental impact statement reviews faced court challenges. Almost all cases were filed after the government agencies had issued their permitting decisions. Although the courts typically ruled in the government agencies’ and project developers’ favor, the majority of cases were appealed. Court challenges in both federal and state courts caused or contributed to the termination of three projects, and six additional projects experienced significant delays as developers awaited court appeal decisions. Wind and solar projects that faced court challenges took an average of about 15 months longer to reach operational status than projects without court challenges.

How Long Does It Take? National Environmental Policy Act Timelines and Outcomes for Clean Energy Projects, Fraas et al., Resources for the Future

Growing demand for electricity and increased interest in affordable clean energy sources have created a rich economic opportunity for renewable energy developers in recent years. However, developers have long expressed frustration with the myriad obstacles to building new generation projects—in particular, selecting a site and securing the necessary leases and federal permits. The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) establishes a process of environmental review that is compulsory for any major action, including the financing of solar and wind projects and construction of utility-scale renewable energy projects on federal lands. Its requirements are often mentioned as a major obstacle to renewable energy development, but does the NEPA process significantly delay renewable energy projects? Would adjustments to NEPA accelerate the clean energy transition? The authors examine the experience for solar, wind, and geothermal power plants that completed the NEPA process from 2009 to 2023 to provide new insights into these questions. Over this period, they found that the solar and wind projects subject to NEPA review account for only a small fraction of the total utility-scale renewable capacity brought online from 2010 through 2023. These renewable projects completed the formal NEPA process in less time than the average time for all project types across all federal agencies. Almost two-thirds of these solar and wind projects did so within one to two years; however, a number of the remaining projects required substantially longer.

The Procedural Hangover. How NEPA Litigation Obstructs Critical Projects, Trembath et al., The Breakthrough Institute

The authors examines the patterns of NEPA challenges brought by plaintiffs before both the District and Circuit Courts from 2013 to 2022. They compiled and reviewed an exhaustive list of over 2,000 District-level judicial opinions that referenced NEPA filed between 2013 and 2022 using the legal research platform Westlaw. Cases that did not contain substantive NEPA claims were excluded, and relevant variables were systematically coded for the remaining opinions. This rigorous screening process reduced the dataset to 1,435 District rulings. Subsequently, these judicial opinions were integrated with the corresponding dataset of Circuit court rulings that we compiled for a previous study.

The first evidence of a take-off in solar in Africa, Dave Jones, Ember

The author presents an analysis of Africa’s imports of solar panels from China. The Chinese solar panel export data gives valuable insights because it includes imports up to June 2025, at a monthly granularity, and for every country in the world. It is sourced from the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC), using the code 85414300 “Photovoltaic cells assembled in modules or made up into panels”. The value in USD is then converted into megawatts of solar panel capacity using average monthly PV module price. About New Research

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Categories: I. Climate Science

Solidarity Suffers Long and Is Kind

Industrial Worker - Thu, 08/28/2025 - 08:00
Fellow Workers David Helm, Scott Slaba, and Mary Thurtle. Food for People Soup Kitchen, Bellingham IWW. From the IWW Materials Preservation Project.

Harry Bridges once said, “The most important word in the language of the working class is solidarity.” While the word itself is as popular as ever, the meaning is far less universal. The truth is, for some workers the word rings with the inspiration of worker-led power, and for others it is buried in the baggage of negative past union experiences.

For Wobblies, Solidarity is not a word, but a weapon. But as any dual card member, especially those fellow workers in business unions, can attest, on the shopfloor, sometimes solidarity isn’t even a word, let alone a real weapon of any note. Eugene V. Debs wrote that “Solidarity is the last and only hope of labor,” a sentiment that I believe to be as true today as it was one hundred years ago. So if it is our only hope, what will it take to reignite the term with the force it demands?

Late author Jane McAlevey once posed the question, “How is every action I’m taking today building solidarity?” This got me thinking. Why hasn’t it gotten any easier to build solidarity on the shop floor? To understand how to build solidarity we have to understand how fellow workers, both radicalized and non-radicalized, understand the concept.

Katie, a Texas-based recruiter shares, “It means that you’re not alone in your fight, and there are people that will be alongside you in challenging times. The word ‘solid’ is the prefix of ‘solidarity’, which to me means that we have to be solid in our approach to fighting together.”

California-based Folksinger Jonny Miller Jr. echoes those sentiments. “Solidarity is about survival. Lot’s of people love to throw around the phrase ‘human nature’ as if it were in our nature to be greedy, rugged individualists. Maybe the last couple thousand years saw a detour in this direction, but there’s no way humanity could have made it this far without cooperation and community. Solidarity is the only way to fight back against the greed of billionaires and the ruling elite, and it is the only way to build a just future for humanity.”

A Colorado-based postal worker and union member shared that “Solidarity means standing up for each other and knowing that other people support me and I support them. We may not agree on everything but I know the support is there and the best interest of a group is there.” 

Javier, a Wisconsin-based national organizer against systemic racism, shared that “Solidarity looks like stepping the f–k up and acting on it.” But that action must be based on a real understanding of the systems and powers at play. “Solidarity means caring and paying attention to the horrors being perpetrated on people, especially those that don’t look like you and are targeted and marginalized for those differences. Caring and paying attention means doing the work to understand how systemic oppression operates, how it functions, who benefits from it, especially how you and people who share characteristics with you benefit from it. This kind of solidarity is role modeling how to use the power and privilege you’ve been given in service to those who have a right to self determination and freedom from persecution.”

Across crafts, occupations, and regions, Solidarity looks different to everyone, but from coast to coast, it never looks like silence, inaction, or absence.

“Solidarity means something. It is the difference between emancipation and slavery. Education without solidarity is ENVY. Organization without solidarity––ain’t! Emancipation without solidarity will never be…”  – T Bone Slim – Industrial Worker, 06 February 1924.

Historically the concept of collective action has changed very little. From the early days of the IWW to today’s largest business unions, to be in solidarity with someone, is simply to stand with them in service of justice. 

So how did it become a buzzword riddled with performative posts, demands from out-of-touch influencers to strike, and more often than not, a toothless word befitting little more than a scoff on the shop floor?

When speaking with an auto mechanic in Wisconsin the word immediately inspired a well-worn anti-union talking point, “I think unions had a time and a place to be useful. If I have a grievance with my employer or my workplace I would just talk to my supervisor about it. If they don’t address the situation in a way that I like I am free to look for work elsewhere. I learned a skill that has always been in high demand since I learned it and I could go apply at any shop that is hiring, maybe even some that aren’t necessarily hiring, and be hired almost on the spot. I don’t need to depend on whining to a third party to negotiate for me while I sit and sulk at a job that I don’t want to be at.”

Solidarity as this worker understands it, isn’t relevant because they don’t think they’ll personally need it. Or in their words, “Ultimately I don’t support unions, and I don’t feel like I need one because of my learned skill and because I think the current employment laws are good enough.” 

I’ve heard anti-union workers complain that there is no solidarity on the shop floor more times than I can count, and I must admit, I’ve seen the rank and file exploit their fellow workers without remorse. Admittedly this is a bigger issue in business unions, but it begs the question, what does solidarity look like in action–and how do we create a culture of solidarity today?

In the spirit of the great wobblies before us, those who Utah Phillips said took the old hymnals and “changed the words so they made more sense,” I humbly suggest that we look to First Corinthians for the template of solidarity in action. 

Solidarity suffers long and is kind; solidarity does not envy; solidarity does not parade itself, is not puffed up; it does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, it is not provoked, solidarity thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; solidarity bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

The reality is that solidarity might be a word, but collective action is the concept, and that action must be standing with your fellow worker in service of justice to qualify as solidarity. So to return to Jane McAleve’s question, “How is every action I’m taking today building solidarity?”

In 2025, it is more important than ever to start with ourselves. What are we doing to build solidarity where we stand, on our shop floor, in our communities and in our neighborhood? I’ve never met a comrade by putting a flag overlay on my profile picture, but I have met many by asking “What is your experience with unions?” This year more than ever, boots on the ground, one on one conversations, and a willingness to really listen to your fellow worker, even when you don’t like what they have to say is what solidarity demands of us. 

Or as Javier explains, it is also about “being open to criticism and feedback and not letting your hurt feelings become the center of attention. It can look like stepping aside and following the lead of those with lived experience when yours is academic or theoretical.” 

 As the Colorado-based postal worker and union member shared, “I think solidarity in 2025 needs to be more grassroots, physically being together to show support. Organizing online is fine, but people need to have constructive conversations and stand united together on various things. Online and keyboard warrior stuff is fine, but showing solidarity needs to be the physical force of seeing crowds of people together for the common good.”

Jonny Miller Jr. shared those same sentiments, that it’s time to “return to our working class roots, from joining or organizing unions in our workplace to showing up on the picket line for workers in every sector of the economy from Amazon warehouse workers to UAW, teamsters to teachers, and donating to strike funds. There are endless opportunities to build solidarity.”

There are endless opportunities, but that doesn’t make it light work. In 2025 it is on each of us to look in the mirror and ask, “What have I done today to build solidarity with my fellow workers on the shop floor and in my community?” We all have something to give, so each according to their ability, without concern for recognition but rejoicing with the truth. 

Solidarity is both the beauty of community and the weapon of the worker. Together, we can wield it as such, but it can’t just be an academic concept or a nostalgic vision of yesteryear. It must find us where we are, with our boots on the ground, shoulder-to-shoulder taking a stand. 

Solidarity forever.

Categories: C1. IWW

Another pause?

Skeptical Science - Wed, 08/27/2025 - 12:45

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

It seems that a slowdown in the melting of Arctic sea ice is now being used to suggest that climate science is melting. This is very silly and is remininsence of the claims of a pause in global warming that dominated much of the discourse in the 2010s.

Arctic sea ice is a small part of the climate system and it’s well known that variability can easily mask long-term trends on decadal timescales. Arctic sea ice extent was particularly low in 2012, so maybe it’s not that surprising that there’s been an apparent pause since then. A strong El Nino in 1998 that led to a record warm year was one of the main reasons for the subsequent suppposed pause in global warming.

You’d hope that skeptics would have learned by now to not use short-term variability to claim that climate science is somehow broken, but that would be naive. This isn’t about genuinely trying to understand the climate system, it’s just about constructing a narrative that suits their ideology.

I do have a small vested interest in this. The only climate bet I’ve taken is that the average of the 2026/27/28 Arctic sea ice minimum would be smaller than the average of 2011/12/13. It’s not looking all that good for me at the moment, but there’s still a chance, it’s only for a pint and me losing a climate bet doesn’t somehow undermine our basic understanding of climate science.

Categories: I. Climate Science

USDA Staffing Crisis: Mass Departures Undermine Local Ag Support

California Climate and Agriculture Network - Wed, 08/27/2025 - 10:00

On July 24, 2025, US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins released a memo (SM-1078-015) describing the planned reorganization of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) staff. This reorganization plan was drafted without any consultation with farmers or other stakeholders. While the reorganization

The post USDA Staffing Crisis: Mass Departures Undermine Local Ag Support appeared first on CalCAN - California Climate & Agriculture Network.

Categories: A3. Agroecology

The surprising reasons floods and other disasters are deadlier at night

Skeptical Science - Tue, 08/26/2025 - 12:57

This story by Kate Yoder was originally published by Grist and is part of Covering Climate Now, a global journalism collaboration strengthening coverage of the climate story.

It was 4 a.m. on July 4 at Camp La Junta in Kerr County when Kolton Taylor woke up to the sound of screaming. The 12-year-old boy stepped out of bed and straight into knee-deep floodwaters from the nearby Guadalupe River. Before long, the water had already risen to his waist. In the darkness, he managed to feel for his tennis shoes floating nearby, put them on, and escape to the safety of the hillside. All 400 people at the all-boys camp survived, even as they watched one of their cabins float away in the rushing river. But 5 miles downriver at Camp Mystic, 28 campers and counselors were killed.

The flash flooding in Texas would have been catastrophic at any time of day, but it was especially dangerous because it happened at night. Research shows that more than half of deaths from floods happen after dark, and in the case of flash floods, one study put the number closer to three-quarters. Other hazards are more perilous in the dark, too: Tornadoes that strike between sunset and sunrise are twice as deadly, on average, as those during the day. No one can stop the sun from rising and setting, but experts say there are simple precautions that can save lives when extreme weather strikes at night. As climate change supercharges floods, hurricanes, and fires, it’s becoming even more important to account for the added risks of nocturnal disasters.

Stephen Strader, a hazards geographer at Villanova University, said that at night, it’s not enough to rely on a phone call from a family member or outdoor warning sirens (which Kerr County officials discussed installing, but never did). The safest bet is a NOAA radio, a device that broadcasts official warnings from the nearest National Weather Service office 24/7. One major advantage is that it doesn’t rely on cell service. 

“That’s old-school technology, but it’s the thing that will wake you up and get you up at 3 a.m.,” said Walker Ashley, an atmospheric scientist and disaster geographer at Northern Illinois University.

Even with warning, reacting in the middle of the night isn’t easy. When people are shaken awake, they’re often disoriented, requiring additional time to figure out what’s happening before they can jump into action. “Those precious minutes and seconds are critical a lot of times in these situations for getting to safety,” Strader said. 

The darkness itself presents another issue. People tend to look outside for proof that weather warnings match up with their reality, but at night, they often can’t find the confirmation they’re looking for until it’s too late. Some drive their cars into floodwaters, unable to see how deep it is, and get swept away. It’s also harder to evacuate — and try to rescue people — when you can barely see anything. “I invite anybody to just go walk around the woods with a flashlight off, and you find out how difficult it can be,” Ashley said. “Imagine trying to navigate floodwaters or trying to find shelter while you’re in rushing water at night with no flashlight. It’s a nightmare.”

The logic applies to most hazards, but the night problem appears the worst with sudden-onset disasters like tornadoes and earthquakes — and the early-morning flash floods in Texas, where the Guadalupe rose 26 feet in 45 minutes. A warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture, meaning that storms can dump more water more suddenly than they used to. 

“We have essentially, because of climate change, put the atmosphere on steroids,” Strader said. It’s on his to-do list to study whether other disasters, like hurricanes and wildfires, are deadlier at night. 

When Hurricane Harvey pummeled Texas with rain for days in 2017, people described waking up to water creeping into their homes; the Texas National Guard navigated rescue boats through neighborhoods in the dark, searching for survivors. In recent years, hurricanes have rapidly intensified before making landfall, fueled by warmer ocean waters. That shrinks the window in which forecasters can warn people a strong storm is coming. *

In the past, nighttime conditions have proved useful for slowing wildfires: Temperatures are cooler and the air has more moisture, reducing the likelihood of fires spreading quickly. But climate change is lessening these beneficial effects. The overall intensity of nighttime fires rose 7 percent worldwide between 2003 and 2020, according to a study in the journal Nature. That means fires are increasingly spreading late at night and early in the morning. It was an ultra-dry January night when the Eaton Fire began tearing through Altadena in Los Angeles County. Some residents were woken up in the predawn hours to smoke already in their homes, strangers pounding on their windows, or sheriff’s deputies and rescue volunteers driving by with loudspeakers.

While daytime tornado deaths have declined over time, nighttime fatalities are on the rise, Strader and Ashley have found in their research. (It’s still unclear as to how climate change affects tornadoes.) They found that tornadoes that touch down at night are statistically more likely to hit someone, simply because there are more potential targets scattered across the landscape. During the day, people are often concentrated in cities and sturdy office buildings versus homes, which may be manufactured and not as structurally resilient to floods or high winds. 

Night adds dimensions of danger to many types of disasters, but the darkness isn’t the only factor at play — and it doesn’t have to be as deadly, Ashley said, stressing the importance of getting a weather radio and making a plan in case the worst happens. “Have multiple ways to get information, and your odds of survival are extremely high, even in the most horrific tornado situation.”

Categories: I. Climate Science

Women in Circularity: Dr. Jess Watson

Resource Recycling News - Tue, 08/26/2025 - 08:42

Women in Circularity: Dr. Jess Watson

In this series, we spotlight women moving us toward a circular economy. Today, we meet Dr. Jess Watson of earthday365.

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Categories: B5. Resilience, Third Nature, and Transition

Visia X-ray tech helps prevent MRF battery fires

Resource Recycling News - Tue, 08/26/2025 - 08:37

Visia X-ray tech helps prevent MRF battery fires

Visia’s effort to curb battery-related fires in recycling facilities is beginning to show measurable results, according to new data from the company’s first wave of commercial installations.

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Categories: B5. Resilience, Third Nature, and Transition

International Week of Peatlands, Sámi Burns and Baltic Herring Bring the Summer to a Close

Snowchange Cooperative - Mon, 08/25/2025 - 21:57
Sea Eagle above Oura

End of August and September bring an international week devoted to the boreal peatlands. A major 450 hectare forest-peatland complex secured in Muonio, Northwestern Finland. Sámi restoration burns enabled recovery of a forest in Ivalo.

Sunset in Oura

As we head to September, major international week of boreal peatlands commences. Both the Endangered Landscapes and Seascapes Programme and the Climate Breakthrough initiative head to Finland for major exchange on conservation and restoration of peatlands as well as inclusion of boreal communities into the work. Over 30 delegates will review and visit Snowchange restoration landscapes, discover Karelian culture associated with peatlands and enjoy the revitalized rune singing of Koitajoki. Delegates are expected across Europe, USA, Alaska, Canada and the UK. 

In rewilding news the peatland restoration proceeded both in the Arctic Circle and in Koitajoki with Kivisuo peatland completed and Petäjäsuo peatland headed for completion. In Muonio, northwestern Lapland, over 450 hectares of sub-Arctic forests, peatlands and three kilometers of a trout river of Mustijoki were included into the Landscape Rewilding Programme bringing the total of owned lands to 8200 hectares. A busy Autumn still awaits and several sites are on the go.

Sámi burns

Sámi restoration burns took place in in the ICCA site of Alttokangas, led by the Sámi traditional owners. Snowchange and Sámi teams burned logged patches, inventoried last years burn sites and reviewed Sámi knowledge of fire. This flagship Arctic restoration of boreal forests will continue with expanded burns and monitoring efforts in 2026.

Cpt. Kuuskeri setting nets at dusk, Baltic Sea.

Fisheries are emerging from the hiatus of very warm summer temperatures. Seining has commenced in Selkie and a large delegation of Snowchange fishers visited Oura archipelago and Reposaari island in Pori on a community-to-community exchange. Baltic herring and sea eagles supported the visits.

Gift of the Sea – Baltic Herring
Categories: E1. Indigenous

Reuse Day: Turns Rental Cups and Bulk Detergent to A Movement for Reuse

Break Free From Plastic - Mon, 08/25/2025 - 20:46

“Sorry, we don’t have single-use cups.” During the hot and humid summer weekends in Guangzhou, China, now you can enjoy a refreshing cup of iced coffee or juice in a more environment-friendly way – to “rent” a cup from a nearby reusable cup rental station, by scanning the QR code on the cup with your phone, and no deposit needed. After finishing your favorite drink, just remember to return the cup by scanning the QR code again on a returning machine.

Renting a cup instead of using a single-use one is a great way to reduce plastic waste. On June 21-22 at Poly Sunny Walk (Taojin), consumers were introduced to this new lifestyle on the Reuse Day. "It's a breeze!" a consumer told the reporter after having the coffee.

More and more people begin to engage in green actions to protect the health of themselves as well as the earth as a whole, including not using single-use plastic products, and embracing zero-waste practices. In the spirit of environmental protection, the first Reuse Day in China was successfully held in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, with the aim to advocate reuse, reduce plastic waste and cut carbon emissions. It was co-organized by Plastic Free China, Jingcao Carnival of Society of Entrepreneurs & Ecology, One Planet Foundation, and Green Pir; and partnered with Ecobuzz to supply the reusable cups. The event was also pleased to have Patagonia, China Zero Waste Alliance, Herbeast and Poly Sunny Walk as sustainability partners, and volunteers from DBS Technology China Volunteer Service Team.

In addition, the first Reuse Day was honored to have Angie Chiu Ngar Chi, actress, and Xu Jiaqi, actress and singer, as Ambassadors, calling on more public engagement in everyday actions that advocates sustainable lifestyle and green consumption habits, in response to building the Beautiful China and Ecological China.

According to Plastic Free China, the Reuse Day attracted over 33,000 visitors in total. The main event was held in Guangzhou, with satellite events in Beijing and Shanghai, bringing together environmental organizations and businesses from across the Greater Bay Area and the nation. The Reuse Day is the first cross-regional program in China that focuses on reuse, and develops a new route to integrate public welfare activities and regional cooperation. It promotes deeper integration in environmental technology and green consumption across the Greater Bay Area, injecting new momentum into regional synergy for building the Beautiful China.

In 2023, more than 410 million tons of plastic were produced around the world, but only less than 9% of them were finally recycled. In big cities in China, for each ton of waste, incineration costs 518 yuan, and landfill, 1,189 yuan. Single-use plastics seem inexpensive, while our environment and society suffer – incineration and landfilling pollute the environment, and plastics eventually break down into microplastics that make their way back into our bodies through the food chain.

Packaging is deeply rooted in the modern lifestyle. Fortunately, people start to look for more environment-friendly alternatives to replace the ubiquitous single-use packaging. In the widely accepted 3Rs principle, namely, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, reuse is the core solution that focuses on reduction at the source.

So, what is reuse? “Reuse is all about using an item more than once. It means the item is used over and over again, for the same purpose without changing how it works or its condition, usually not recycled or only slightly repaired,” Zheng Xue, Director-general of Plastic Free China, explained. Take your own bag for shopping, go to a bulk or zero-waste store, and go downstairs with your own cup to get a refreshing coffee during exam week or work – these are typical examples of reuse. And, when you were young, you carried the empty bottle to the kiosk for soy sauce, or grabbed a bowl to buy tofu pudding nearby for breakfast, which are also very early examples of the latest lifestyle.

In the field of packaging, the reuse packing system is divided in to four types based on who owns it and where it is used. Namely, they are refilling at home, refilling at a designated place, returning at home, and returning at a designated place. At the event, the reusable cup provided by Ecobuzz falls into the category of returning at a designated place.

At the Reuse Day bazaar, Ecobuzz, the designated reusable cup supplier, provided cups of both hot and cold drinks for rental. Each cup has its own identity QR code, and can be recycled through a special recycling system, which improves reuse and same-level recycling efficiency. In this way, fewer raw materials will be used, thus significantly reducing carbon emissions.

Ecobuzz staff also responded to the hygiene concerns from consumers. Otto, project manager of Ecobuzz, said, “Hygiene and safety are our priorities. We have established a professional cleaning and disinfection process. After the cup is returned, our professional team will implement 6 strict processes, that is, inspect, rinse, clean, disinfect, flush, and dry at high temperature. All cups will be manually inspected before they are put back into use. In addition, we will regularly sample the cleaned cups and send to the laboratory for testing, to ensure the cups meet the hygiene standards.”

As green consumption habits of zero plastic and zero waste go popular, bulk and zero-waste shops pop up in cities. Before going to these shops, consumers need to prepare necessary packaging themselves, such as glass bottles, shopping bags, and bags for fresh food. Maxam, a daily chemical product producer, made a special appearance at the Bazaar with its eye-catching bulk laundry detergent and refilling tools. Participants can take the detergent away in their own containers after completing the interaction games at the booth. At the Guangzhou venue, Buy Something Farm Store presented a series of bulk healthy snacks and homemade organic drinks, attracting many to have a try.

More and more daily chemical product producers are joining in this trend, by introducing bagged refills of laundry detergent, clothing conditioner, shampoo and hand soap, so that consumers can refill their empty bottles. Meanwhile, many personal and skin care product producers also have introduced refills and replacement cartridges with lighter packaging and relatively less waste. At the first Reuse Day bazaar, many brands brought a wide range of refill products for consumers to choose from, including Watsons, SukGarden, Dettol, Spes, Curel, Zhuben, and KireiKirei, to name a few. The all-paper decorated booth of BambooComet, a sustainable lifestyle brand, drew the attention of many visitors. Known as a plastic-free home living brand, ranging from product to packaging, it has already received praise from numerous fans for its commitment to zero plastic use. “Buying a pack of BambooComet pocket tissues (160 sheets) means reduction of about 23 small plastic bags, equivalent to at least 25 grams of single-use plastic,” a staff of the brand introduced at the booth.

Zero-waste initiatives, such as second-hand flea markets and repairing instead of discarding, give birth to new businesses as well. The C&P Clothing Art Center, initiated by young people in Guangzhou, along with other clothes-mending booths, offered a variety of services including basic repairs, creative mending, and upcycling. Moreover, these booths offer tailored makeover plans for old clothes with sentimental value, which attracted a lot of attention as well as orders.

In the context of frequent occurrence of extreme weather, people become more aware of the climate change crisis, and more willing to shift to the environment-conscious lifestyle. In the future, reuse will be further integrated to everyday scenarios, and enables everyone to live a life that is convenient, environment-friendly, high-quality, and healthy. At the Reuse Day bazaar stood the art installation, “Reuse Community”, created by the Guangzhou-based artist studio Springflut. It was covered with visitors’ visions and hopes for the future of reuse: "Running into a reuse lifestyle with kitties!" "Living close to neighbors, pursuit for beauty," "A future without illness"... Reuse, it seems, is not only a solution to the environmental crisis, but also a path to a better, healthier, and more harmonious life.

Categories: J2. Fossil Fuel Industry

Denali reports recycling 7 million tons of organics in 2024

Resource Recycling News - Mon, 08/25/2025 - 15:11

Denali reports recycling 7 million tons of organics in 2024

Commercial food waste handler Denali said it recycled nearly 7 million tons of organic material in 2024, including more than 1 million tons of food waste.

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Categories: B5. Resilience, Third Nature, and Transition

News from Closed Loop Partners, Solid Waste Disposal Authority of Baldwin County, Alabama and more

Resource Recycling News - Mon, 08/25/2025 - 14:35

News from Closed Loop Partners, Solid Waste Disposal Authority of Baldwin County, Alabama and more

The Biodegradable Products Institute opened registration for the 2025 BPI Summit, Sept. 16-18 in Atlanta. Closed Loop Partners’ private equity group has acquired the organics waste management platform Agri-Cycle. International Paper is closing several facilities in Georgia and laying off …

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Categories: B5. Resilience, Third Nature, and Transition

August 2025 Newsletter

NW Energy Coalition - Mon, 08/25/2025 - 14:11

Our August newsletter here! The latest edition of The Energy Activist includes:

  • A message from our new executive director, Tamara Kennedy
  • Announcement of our Fall 2025 Clean & Affordable Energy Conference in Portland
  • Spotlight on one of our member organizations, Energy Trust of Oregon
  • Federal, regional, and state updates

Read it here.

The post August 2025 Newsletter first appeared on NW Energy Coalition.

Categories: G2. Local Greens

Record solar growth keeps China’s CO2 falling in first half of 2025

Skeptical Science - Mon, 08/25/2025 - 11:41

This is a re-post from Carbon Brief by Lauri Myllyvirta

Clean-energy growth helped China’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions fall by 1% year-on-year in the first half of 2025, extending a declining trend that started in March 2024.

The CO2 output of the nation’s power sector – its dominant source of emissions – fell by 3% in the first half of the year, as growth in solar power alone matched the rise in electricity demand.

The new analysis for Carbon Brief shows that record solar capacity additions are putting China’s CO2 emissions on track to fall across 2025 as a whole.

Other key findings include:

  • The growth in clean power generation, some 270 terawatt hours (TWh) excluding hydro, significantly outpaced demand growth of 170TWh  in the first half of the year.
  • Solar capacity additions set new records due to a rush before a June policy change, with 212 gigawatts (GW) added in the first half of the year.
  • This rush means solar is likely to set an annual record for growth in 2025, becoming China’s single-largest source of clean power generation in the process.
  • Coal-power capacity could surge by as much as 80-100GW this year, potentially setting a new annual record, even as coal-fired electricity generation declines.
  • The use of coal to make synthetic fuels and chemicals is growing rapidly, climbing 20% in the first half of the year and helping add 3% to China’s CO2 since 2020.
  • The coal-chemical industry is planning further expansion, which could add another 2% to China’s CO2 by 2029, making the 2030 deadline for peaking harder to meet.

Even if its emissions fall in 2025 as expected, however, China is bound to miss multiple important climate targets this year.

This includes targets to reduce its carbon intensity – the emissions per unit of GDP – to strictly control coal consumption growth and new coal-power capacity, as well as to increase the share of cleaner electric-arc steelmaking in total steel output.

If policymakers want to make up for these shortfalls, then there will be additional pressure on China’s next “nationally determined contribution” (NDC, its international climate pledge for 2035) and its 15th five-year plan for 2026-30, both due to be finalised in the coming months.

The falling trend in CO2 emissions – and the clean-energy growth that is driving it – could give policymakers greater confidence that more ambitious targets are achievable.

Falling emissions from power, cement and steel

The reduction in emissions in the first half of 2025 was predominantly driven by the power sector, aided by the building materials, steel and heating industries.

Coal use in the power industry fell by 3.4% compared with the same period a year earlier, while gas use increased by 6%, resulting in a 3.2% drop in emissions for the sector overall.

The reduction in CO2 emissions from coal use in the power sector is shown at the bottom of the figure below, along with the small rise due to higher gas-fired electricity generation.

Other changes in CO2 emissions in the first half of 2025, compared with the same period in 2024, are broken down by source and sector in the rest of the figure.

Year-on-year change in China’s CO2 emissions from fossil fuels and cement, for the period January-June 2025, million tonnes of CO2. Source: Emissions are estimated from National Bureau of Statistics data on production of different fuels and cement, China Customs data on imports and exports and WIND Information data on changes in inventories, applying emissions factors from China’s latest national greenhouse gas emissions inventory and annual emissions factors per tonne of cement production until 2024. Sector breakdown of coal consumption is estimated using coal consumption data from WIND Information and electricity data from the National Energy Administration.

Emissions from the building materials sector fell by 3% and from the metals industry by 1%, with cement falling 4% and steel output 3%. The reason for these reductions is the ongoing contraction in the construction sector, with real estate investment falling 11% and the floor area of new construction starts by 20%. Traditional targets of government infrastructure investment, such as transportation, also showed relatively slow growth.

CO2 reductions resulting from the drop in steel output were limited by a fall in the share of electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmaking, a much less emissions- and energy-intensive process than the coal-based production of primary steel.

The share of electric-arc output in total production fell from 10.2% in 2024 to 9.8% in the first half of 2025, despite a government target of 15% for this year.

Excess coal-based capacity and a lack of incentives for shifting production mean that electric arc steelmakers, rather than coal-based steel mills, tend to absorb reductions in output, as their operating costs are higher and costs of shutting down and starting up production lines are lower.

Shifting to EAF steel is one of the largest emission reduction opportunities in China over the next decade, according to an analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.

Elsewhere, consumption of oil products increased by 1%. However, this growth did not come from transport fuel demand. The production of petrol, diesel and jet fuel all continued to fall, with electric vehicles eating into road-fuel demand. Instead, growth was driven by demand for naphtha from petrochemicals producers, including newly commissioned plants.

Gas use outside the power sector – mainly heating – dropped by 1%, after a fall in the first quarter due to mild winter temperatures and a smaller increase in the second quarter.

Solar boom covers power demand growth

The first half of 2025 saw a new record for the growth of clean power generation excluding hydro, made up of solar, wind, nuclear and biomass.

Clean power generation from solar, wind and nuclear power grew by 270 terawatt hours (TWh), substantially exceeding the 170TWh (3.7%) increase in electricity consumption. Hydropower generation fell by 3% (16TWh), moderating the fall in fossil fuel-fired power generation.

The rise in power generation from solar panels, on its own, covered all of the growth in electricity demand, increasing by 170TWh – equivalent to the national power output of Mexico or Turkey over the same period. Wind power output grew by 80TWh and nuclear by 20TWh.

As a result, the share of low-carbon sources reached 40% of the nation’s electricity generation overall in the first half of the year, up from 36% in the same period of 2024.

The figure below shows how clean-energy sources excluding hydro (columns) have started matching the recent increases in China’s electricity demand (solid line), as well as the average amount of growth in recent years (dashed line).

Columns: Year-on-year change in quarterly electricity generation from clean energy excluding hydro, terawatt hours. Solid and dashed line: Quarterly and average change in total electricity generation, TWh. Sources: China Electricity Council; Ember; analysis for Carbon Brief by Lauri Myllyvirta.

Strikingly, the record growth of solar and continued expansion of wind mean that both sources of electricity generation overtook hydropower for the first time in the first half of 2025, as shown in the figure below. Despite steady growth, nuclear power is a relatively distant fourth, at less than half of the power generation from each of the other three major non-fossil technologies.

Electricity generation from non-fossil fuels in the first half of each year, TWh. Source: Ember; analysis for Carbon Brief by Lauri Myllyvirta.

The growth in solar power generation was driven by record capacity growth. China added 212GW of new solar capacity in the first half of the year, double the amount installed in the first half of 2024, which itself had been a new record.

For comparison, the world’s second-largest nation for solar capacity – the US – had only installed 178GW, in total, by the end of 2024, while third-ranked India had 98GW.

Some 93GW of new solar capacity was added to China’s grid in May alone, as the rush to install before a change in pricing policy culminated. This rate of installations translates to approximately 100 solar panels installed every second of the month.

The acceleration was due to a change in the policy on tariffs paid to new wind and solar generators, which started in June. Previously, new plants were guaranteed to receive the benchmark price for coal-fired power output in each province, for each unit of electricity they generate. Under the new policy, new generators have to secure contracts directly with electricity buyers, causing uncertainty and likely putting downward pressure on revenue.

The resulting surge in new capacity means that solar is poised to overtake wind this year – and hydro this year or next – to become the largest source of clean power generation in China.

This is despite solar capacity additions slowing down in June and projections diverging widely on how much growth to expect for the remainder of 2025 and into 2026, under the new policy.

The consensus among forecasters has been one of a sharp slowdown in installations.

After the new pricing policy was announced, the China Electricity Council (CEC) and China Photovoltaic Industry Association (CPIA) projected 210GW and 215-235GW for 2025 as a whole, respectively, implying plummeting additions in the second half of the year. In contrast, the State Grid Energy Research Institute expects 380GW to be added to the grid this year.

After data for May installations became available, the CEC upgraded its forecast for the whole year to 310GW and the CPIA to 270-300GW, implying that 60-100GW would be added in the second half of the year. This would still be a sharp deceleration compared with the second half of 2024, when 173GW was added.

For wind, the State Grid researchers expect 140GW and CEC 110GW, while 51GW was added in the first half of the year. Both numbers indicate larger capacity additions in the second half of 2025 and an increase for the full year compared with 2024.

The State Grid should have detailed knowledge of projects seeking to connect to the electricity grid, so its projections carry extra weight compared with others. If its expectations for wind and solar growth are realised, this would result in around 850TWh of annual clean power generation being added to the grid in 2025, as shown in the figure below.

This new clean power capacity would be more than enough to meet the entire electricity demand of Brazil (760TWh), or Germany and the UK combined (817TWh).

With the State Grid also projecting demand to grow by 400-640TWh (4.0-6.5%), clean-energy growth should push down CO2 from China’s power sector this year – and well into next year.

Annual electricity generation from clean power capacity newly added each year, terawatt hours by source. Three alternative projections for 2025 are taken from a range of different organisations. Power generation from new capacity is projected using average capacity factors for each technology over 2015–2024. Sources: Historical data from China Electricity Council; projections from China Photovoltaic Industry Association, China Electricity Council, State Grid and analysis for Carbon Brief by Lauri Myllyvirta.

China’s top economic planner, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), is also taking steps to spur demand for contracts with solar and wind producers.

A new policy – published in July – requires for the first time that steel, cement and polysilicon factories, as well as some new data centres, meet a certain percentage of their demand using renewable electricity.

Previously, such requirements were only applied to provinces, power distribution companies and the aluminum industry. Their mandated renewable energy shares have also now increased.

These changes boost demand for contracts with renewable electricity suppliers, just as new solar and wind plants are having to secure contracts directly with buyers, under their new pricing policy.

The increase in demand for renewable power resulting from these measures broadly matches the low end of the growth projected in solar and wind this year. The renewable quotas therefore offer a backstop of support for the continued growth of clean power, which will be required to meet China’s wider climate and energy targets.

The increase in solar power generation from rising installations could be even larger, but is being limited by issues around grid management and capacity.

The share of potential solar power output that was not utilised rose to 5.7% in the first half of 2025, from 3.2% a year earlier. While technical issues such as uncompleted grid connections could play a role amid the boom, this also implies a significant increase in curtailment.

The average utilisation rate of solar panels fell by 12% in the first quarter of this year, compared with the 2020–2023 average, according to China Electricity Council data accessed through Wind Information. This is a much larger reduction than indicated by the reported curtailment rates. The flipside of this dip in utilisation is that improvements to grid operation and infrastructure will unlock even more generation from existing solar capacity.

Coal power capacity is expected to surge this year, even as demand for power generation from coal contracts. The State Grid predicts 127GW of thermal power added. Some of this will be gas, but based on non-coal thermal power additions expected by the CEC, around 90-100GW is coal, while the CEC projects 80GW of coal power added.

Data from Global Energy Monitor shows 93-109GW of coal-power projects under construction that could be completed this year, assuming a 2.5 to 3-year lead time from issuance of permits to grid connection. The largest amount of coal-fired capacity China has ever connected to the grid in one year is 63GW in 2008, so 2025 seems likely to set a new record by a large margin.

A former senior official at one of China’s largest power firms stated in an interview in June 2025 that companies are building coal power capacity due to central government pressure.

There is little enthusiasm to invest and the target to expand coal-power capacity to 1,360GW in this five-year plan period, covering 2021-2025, is unlikely to be met. Operating coal-power capacity was 1,210GW at the end of June, up from 1,080GW at the end of 2020.

The influx of coal-fired capacity will result in falling utilisation and profitability.

However, oversupply of coal power could also weaken demand for contracts with solar and wind producers, undermining clean-energy growth. This makes measures that offer a backstop of demand for clean power, such as the sector quotas, all the more significant.

Coal chemicals shooting up

The only major sector that saw growth in emissions in the first half of the year was the chemicals sector. Coal use in the sector, both as a fuel and a feedstock, increased by a dramatic 20% year-on-year, on top of a 10% increase in 2024.

Oil use in the chemicals sector increased as well, as reflected in a 9% increase in total consumption of naptha – a key petrochemicals feedstock – estimated from OPEC data.

The growth is driven by the coal-to-chemicals industry, which turns coal into synthetic liquid and gaseous fuels, as well as petrochemical products. This is a sector that China has developed aggressively, to reduce reliance on imported oil and gas, as well as to promote the exploitation of coal resources in the country’s far west – particularly Xinjiang – where coal and coal power exports to the rest of China are limited by transportation capacity and costs.

The sector consumed approximately 390m tonnes of coal in 2024, resulting in an estimated 690m tonnes CO2 emissions (MtCO2), making it responsible for 6% of China’s fossil CO2 emissions and 9% of the country’s coal use in 2024.

Coal use and emissions increased 10% from 2023 while total coal conversion capacity increased only 5%, implying that the utilisation of existing capacity increased as well.

The coal-to-chemicals industry used 155m tonnes of standard coal in 2020 and CO2 emissions were estimated at 320MtCO2. The coal-to-chemicals industry therefore added around 3% to China’s total CO2 emissions from 2020 to 2024, making it one of the sectors responsible for the recent acceleration in the country’s CO2 emissions growth and its shortfall against targets to control increases in CO2 emissions and coal use.

Output from the sector reportedly replaced 100m tonnes of oil equivalent (Mtoe) of oil and gas in 2024, which implies 250-280MtCO2 emissions avoided from oil and gas use, depending on how the avoided demand breaks down between oil and gas.

The net effect of the industry on CO2 emissions was therefore an increase of around 410-440MtCO2, or 4% of China’s total CO2, highlighting that coal-based chemical production is much more carbon-intensive than its already carbon-intensive oil- and gas-based equivalent.

The sector’s growth in coal use and emissions reflects drastically improved profitability in most segments in recent years. Its profitability depends heavily on the oil price, so the sharp increase in oil prices from the 2015-2020 level in 2021-24 supported output growth, whereas the recent fall in oil prices could temper it.

The chemical industry association still expects the sector to expand capacity for another decade, until 2035, even under China’s CO2 peaking target.

Analysis by Tianfeng Securities touts the years 2025-2030 as the “peak period” for investment in coal to chemicals, claiming that potential annual investment over the next five years could reach three times the 2021-23 level and that half of this potential investment is in Xinjiang province.

Sinolink Securities projects that an average of at least 37m tonnes of coal conversion capacity will be added in the coal-to-chemicals industry each year from 2025 to 2029, with coal-to-oil-and-gas and coal-to-methanol dominating these capacity additions.

This would mean a 40% increase in the industry’s capacity from 2024 to 2029, with the potential to add over 250MtCO2 per year of emissions, increasing total CO2 emissions by over 2%.

The figure below illustrates this potential increase, which would continue recent trends.

Past and projected annual emissions from the coal-to-chemicals industry in China, MtCO2. Source: IEA World Energy Balances; from 2020 to 2024, news reporting; future projection based on capacity additions from Sinolink Securities, assuming constant capacity utilisation.

If this further expansion takes place – and assuming new chemicals plants are used at the same rate as the existing fleet is being used today – then it would complicate China’s carbon peaking target and make the CO2 intensity target for 2030 even more challenging to meet.

However, this is not the first time that the industry has been predicted to boom. In 2014, the China Coal Association issued a prediction that the coal-to-chemicals industry would be using 750Mt of coal per year by 2020, converting to about 540Mt of “standard” coal.

In reality, less than a third of this demand was realised – in large part due to low oil prices – and the sector was still only using half of this amount by the end of 2024.

New targets on the horizon

Given the major increase in solar capacity in the first half, as well as expected additions of wind and nuclear throughout the year, China is on track for a fall in emissions in 2025.

This would continue a declining trend that began in early 2024 and leaves open the possibility that China’s emissions could have peaked already, years ahead of its “before 2030” target.

The recent slide in China’s total CO2 emissions is shown in the figure below, with the shallow decline illustrating the potential that this trend could be reversed.

China’s emissions from fossil fuels and cement, million tonnes of CO2, rolling 12-month totals. Note the truncated y-axis Source: Emissions are estimated from National Bureau of Statistics data on production of different fuels and cement, China Customs data on imports and exports and WIND Information data on changes in inventories, applying emissions factors from China’s latest national greenhouse gas emissions inventory and annual emissions factors per tonne of cement production until 2024. Sector breakdown of coal consumption is estimated using coal consumption data from WIND Information and electricity data from the National Energy Administration.

Even if China’s emissions fall by a few percent this year, however, this is unlikely to be sufficient to meet the carbon intensity target for 2025 in the current five-year plan. Still, it would make the country’s 2030 carbon intensity commitment under the Paris Agreement easier to meet. 

A continuing fall in emissions, extending the fall that began in early 2024, could also affect target-setting for the next five-year plan – which is being prepared for release in early 2026 – by showing that China could peak and reduce its emissions well ahead of the 2030 deadline.

Yet, despite rapid progress in 2024 and 2025, China is bound to miss multiple emissions-related targets in the 2021-2025 period, due to rapid CO2 rises during and after the Covid pandemic.

These targets include improvements in carbon intensity, “strict” controls of the growth in coal consumption and new coal-fired power plants, as well as the share of cleaner electric arc steelmaking in total steel output.

If China’s policymakers want to make up the shortfall against these 2025 targets and get on track for their 2030 goals, then they would need to set out higher ambitions in the 15th five-year plan, covering 2026-2030. For example, this could include reducing the carbon intensity of China’s economy by more than 20% over the next five years.

China’s new pledge (NDC) under the Paris Agreement, with targets for 2035, is due to be published in the next few months and will provide important indications of their intentions.

The new pricing policy for wind and solar has also increased the importance of target-setting, by making “contracts for difference” available for the amount of capacity needed to meet the central government’s clean-energy targets. An ambitious clean-energy target for 2035 would be a significant new backstop for clean-energy growth, with both climate and economic relevance.

Another major question is how the government will react to the influx of coal-fired capacity, even as power generation from coal recedes. It could either move to close down older coal plants – or to limit clean-energy additions.

With respect to coal power plants, the key point remains, however, that as long as clean power generation keeps growing faster than electricity demand, then increases in coal and gas fired capacity will result in falling utilisation, rather than increased CO2 emissions.

About the data

Data for the analysis was compiled from the National Bureau of Statistics of China, National Energy Administration of China, China Electricity Council and China Customs official data releases, and from WIND Information, an industry data provider.

Wind and solar output, and thermal power breakdown by fuel, was calculated by multiplying power generating capacity at the end of each month by monthly utilisation, using data reported by China Electricity Council through Wind Financial Terminal.

Total generation from thermal power and generation from hydropower and nuclear power was taken from National Bureau of Statistics monthly releases.

Monthly utilisation data was not available for biomass, so the annual average of 52% for 2023 was applied. Power sector coal consumption was estimated based on power generation from coal and the average heat rate of coal-fired power plants during each month, to avoid the issue with official coal consumption numbers affecting recent data. 

CO2 emissions estimates are based on National Bureau of Statistics default calorific values of fuels and emissions factors from China’s latest national greenhouse gas emissions inventory, for the year 2021. Cement CO2 emissions factor is based on annual estimates up to 2024.

For oil consumption, apparent consumption is calculated from refinery throughput, with net exports of oil products subtracted.

Categories: I. Climate Science

“Just no place for street fighting man..” How Dems Shun Street Politics

Green and Red Podcast - Sun, 08/24/2025 - 21:20
Contrary to what happens in many other parts of the world and within Trump’s GOP, the Democratic Party leadership shuns street protests. In fact, discouraging street politics is part of…
Categories: B4. Radical Ecology

2025 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #34

Skeptical Science - Sun, 08/24/2025 - 08:55
A listing of 30 news and opinion articles we found interesting and shared on social media during the past week: Sun, August 17, 2025 thru Sat, August 23, 2025. Stories we promoted this week, by category:

Climate Change Impacts (13 articles)

Climate Policy and Politics (5 articles)

Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation (4 articles)

Health Aspects of Climate Change (3 articles)

Climate Science and Research (2 articles)

Public Misunderstandings about Climate Science (1 article)

Public Misunderstandings about Climate Solutions (1 article)

Miscellaneous (1 article)

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!
Categories: I. Climate Science

Grand Reopening of Sun Village Park in Chester, PA Brings Community Together to Celebrate Green Infrastructure Partnership & the Arts

Clean Air Ohio - Fri, 08/22/2025 - 08:45

CHESTER, PA (August 22, 2025) –  Clean Air Council, City of Chester, and partners are proud to announce that Sun Village Park in Chester, PA, has officially reopened! The newly revitalized park includes a storybook walking trail, new benches and picnic tables, native plantings and mural arts installations. The project is the culmination of a three-year climate resilience communities project funded by the William Penn Foundation, and led by Clean Air Council, along with many Chester residents who contributed their feedback to the process. 

Clean Air Council worked with Olin Design to map and better understand the potential climate impacts to residents living in communities along the Delaware River. Residents provided extensive feedback on where they notice stormwater runoff, flooding, and heat islands, as well as where they would like to see a green infrastructure project installed to help mitigate potential flooding and heat impacts from climate change. Residents chose Sun Village Park and selected all of the new features that have now been installed. 

Additionally, as part of this community-led project, residents gathered at the Sun Village Park pavilion every week this summer for “Arts in the Park” workshops with Bonita Taylor from Bonnie’s Community and Development Corporation and Katarina Sindoni from Legacy Arts Chester. Children from the community gathered weekly to create sculptural mural arts from recycled materials, painting and building flowers and other three-dimensional pieces that have now been installed throughout the park. A vibrant mural was also installed on the pavilion pillars by Carrie Kingsbury of Promised Land murals. The murals reflect the colors and musical theme of the first book in the storybook walk.

“Sun Village Park is a shining example of what happens when community voices lead the way. This beautiful space reflects the creativity, resilience, and pride of Chester’s residents — especially our young people, whose artwork now lives in the heart of this neighborhood,” stated Mayor Stefan Roots. “I’m grateful for the collaboration with Clean Air Council, Legacy Arts Chester, and all our partners who helped make this vision a reality. Together, we’re building a greener, safer, and more vibrant Chester for generations to come.”

The incredible partnership that made this possible was honored Friday with a grand opening celebration. Dozens of community members and representatives from Clean Air Council, City of Chester, Legacy Arts Chester, and the Friends of Sun Village Park were in attendance. Local residents enjoyed a free water ice truck and the opportunity to explore the new storybook walking trail and see the new murals, including sculptural mural arts made by children in the community from recycled and upcycled materials.

“I am very excited about the revitalization of Sun Village Park,” said Bonita Taylor, long-time Sun Village resident and Friends of Sun Village Park leader. “This is a project we have been waiting for for many years; it is bringing happiness and a safe space to our community.’ 

For more information, visit the Friends of Sun Village Park’s Facebook page.

Categories: G2. Local Greens

The Hub 8/22/2025: Clean Air Council’s Weekly Round-up of Transportation News

Clean Air Ohio - Fri, 08/22/2025 - 07:00

“The Hub” is a weekly round-up of transportation related news in the Philadelphia area and beyond. Check back weekly to keep up-to-date on the issues Clean Air Council’s transportation staff finds important.

Join the Transit For All PA campaign for sustainable transit funding to keep our State moving forward.

Have a community project you want to fund and support? Check out the Public Space Enhancement Mini-Grant from Feet First Philly! Applications are due October 1st, full list of requirements and further information can be found here.

Image Source: Gabriel Donahue/WHYY

Plan Philly: Bus late during an emergency? This pilot program will help you get where you need without spending a dime – Philly residents who regularly walk, bike, carpool, or take public transit to work can enroll in the Emergency Ride Home service, a program that reimburses the cost of an alternative form of transportation in the event of an emergency or if the usual transit is unavailable. The Clean Air Council is now testing out a pilot voucher-based version of this service that will help bus riders get to where they need to go if their bus doesn’t show up. Participating residents of the Fair Acres region who regularly take SEPTA bus routes 110, 111, 114, or 117 can now activate a $50 voucher on the Uber app if their bus is seriously delayed, cancelled, or doesn’t go to where they need to get to in an emergency. For more details, see here. 

Image Source: 6abc

NBC10: Philly unveils plan for upcoming SEPTA service cuts, fare hikes – Philly is preparing for a world without usual SEPTA services. Cuts to bus services will roll out on August 24th, the day before schools in the Philadelphia School District start classes. On September 1st, fares will increase, followed by regional rail cuts going into effect on September 2nd. City officials have urged motorists to avoid driving through Center City at rush hours; the city is preparing for an influx of traffic by readying various groups. Throughout September, residents can pay $1 a month to use Indego Bike Share with promo code “indecycle25.”

Image Source: Amtrak

NBC10: SEPTA cuts may ‘lead to deterioration’ of Amtrak services across the Northeast – SEPTA cuts are arriving fast, and they are likely to impact other transit services. Certain SEPTA-operated commuter trains use Amtrak rails, for an annual cost of $71.1 million. If SEPTA is no longer able to provide that funding, Amtrak’s financial ability to maintain those tracks will diminish, slowing its own trains. Most impacted will be Amtrak’s Keystone Service Line, which operates between Philly and Harrisburg, and New York City.

Other Stories

BillyPenn: A week out, SEPTA cuts loom: Will they affect you?

WHYY: Ahead of SEPTA cuts, Philly tells residents to plan for extra commute times next week

6abc: Several bus routes to be eliminated, starting Sunday, in first phase of SEPTA cuts in Philadelphia

CBS News: What buses, trains is SEPTA cutting next week? What to know about cuts, new schedules, fare hikes

Pennsylvania Capital-Star: SEPTA funding crisis could affect central Pennsylvania’s Amtrak service, congressman warns

Philly Voice: Trump administration reluctantly resumes Biden-era funding to install EV chargers

Categories: G2. Local Greens

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