News Feeds

Renewable developer says the refusal of its closest port to handle a giant transformer has created a long-distance logistical headache to get it delivered on site.

The post “It’s nuts:” Wind developer forced to truck giant transformer thousands of kilometres after port refusal appeared first on Renew Economy.

hambachforest.org – Winning on Tangandewa Slot can be thrilling, but employing the right strategies enhances your chances significantly. Start by understanding the game mechanics. Familiarize yourself with paylines, symbols, and bonus features.

Next, choose a slot machine that aligns with your risk appetite. High volatility slots can offer bigger wins but come with greater risks. Conversely, low volatility games provide smaller payouts more frequently.

Managing your bankroll is crucial. Set clear limits for each session and stick to them. This discipline will help you enjoy gaming without stress.

Take advantage of bonuses and promotions whenever possible. Free spins or deposit matches can extend your gameplay and increase winning opportunities.

Stay informed about any updates or changes in game strategy within Tangandewa Slot. Engaging with online communities or forums can provide valuable insights from fellow players that may boost your success rate.

Introduction to Tangandewa Slot

Tangandewa Slot has quickly gained popularity among online gaming enthusiasts. This vibrant platform offers an immersive experience with stunning graphics and engaging gameplay.

Players are drawn to the variety of themes available, from classic fruit machines to intricate fantasy worlds. Each game is designed with attention to detail, ensuring that every spin feels fresh and exciting.

The user interface is intuitive, making it easy for both newcomers and seasoned players to navigate through the options effortlessly. Tangandewa emphasizes player engagement by frequently updating their game library.

Moreover, special features like bonus rounds and free spins enhance the excitement of each session. With so much on offer, it’s no wonder players keep coming back for more thrills at Tangandewa Slot.

Understanding the Basics: How to Play Tangandewa Slot

Tangandewa Slot is designed for both beginners and seasoned players. Starting with the basics can set you up for a more enjoyable experience.

First, select your preferred bet amount. This will determine how much you’re wagering per spin. Adjusting this amount is simple; just tap on the plus or minus buttons usually found near the betting area.

Next, familiarize yourself with the paylines. These lines decide where winning combinations occur on the reels. Understanding their layout helps in strategizing your gameplay.

Once you’ve set your bet and lined up those paylines, hit the spin button! Watch as symbols align across the screen, hoping to land that jackpot tangandewa combination.

Don’t forget about special features like wilds and scatters. They can enhance your chances of winning while adding excitement to each session. Each feature has unique functions that can change game dynamics significantly.

Tips for Choosing a Winning Slot Machine

Choosing a winning slot machine can feel overwhelming, but some strategies can simplify the process.

Start by looking for machines with high return-to-player (RTP) percentages. The higher the RTP, the better your chances of getting returns over time.

Next, consider volatility. Low-volatility slots pay out smaller wins more frequently, while high-volatility slots offer larger payouts but less often. Identify what suits your playing style best.

Pay attention to the themes and features that appeal to you. Enjoying the game enhances your experience and encourages longer play sessions.

Also, look for progressive jackpot machines if you’re aiming for life-changing sums. These offer bigger potential rewards but come with varying odds compared to regular slots.

Check player reviews or forums for recommendations on which machines have been hot lately. It’s all about finding one that resonates with both strategy and enjoyment.

The post Strategies to Improve Chances of Winning on Tangandewa Slot! appeared first on HAMBACHFOREST.

Wind turbine supplier buys Tasmania wind project, and hopes to begin construction next year if it can find investors.

The post Global wind giant snaps up state’s “biggest” wind project as turbine suppliers turn developers appeared first on Renew Economy.

A New South Wales wind farm is seeking approval to ramp up mitigation measures after its turbines killed 20 wedge-tailed eagles in just 18 months.

The post Wind farm reports 20 wedge-tailed eagle deaths in 18 months, vows to ramp up mitigation measures appeared first on Renew Economy.

A symphony of pealing laughter, buzzing bugs, and rumbling thunder, marked the start of Summer Camp at the Randall Davey Audubon Center.More than 135 campers, with binoculars in hand, explored our...

In this issue:

Calendar of events / Forest Defense Team / Energy Justice Team / Arts Team / Book Club / Washington County Team / 350PDX Reminders: seeking new digs + Take Action page + join our Slack!

With City Council elections coming up, attempts to divert Portland Clean Energy Benefits Fund dollars, and our Energy Justice team taking on building emissions and more, there’s a lot happening! So we’re starting this newsletter with a mini-calendar of upcoming events. Check out team news below for more events and actions.

Mark Your Calendars

• July 9 – Rumble on the River

Join us this Thursday for a Rumble on the River focused on the impacts of heat and what solutions (trees! shade!) are possible. We’ll also premier 350PDX’s new mini-documentary about shade equity; work that our coalition has been leading since 2022. Lineup: 5:00 PM tour of the new Bird Alliance site, 5:30 PM tabling, 6:30 PM panel.

• July 13-19 – PNW Climate Week 

Did you know that the only cross-region climate week in North America happens right here in the PNW?! This is a week of community-powered events happening across 7 cities in our region with the mission to transition to an equitable, climate-positive bioregion. The PNW Climate Week kickoff event happens at Lewis & Clark on Monday, July 13. Fall in Love with the Future. Empowering Local Climate Action: Education, Policy and Practice. 

• July 16 – Our Annual Shade Equity Lents to Laurelhurst Pedalpalooza Ride 350PDX is hosting as part of the PNW Climate Week! See Forest Defense Team below for details.

• August 29 – PCEF 82nd Ave Ride to Jade Night Market 4:30 PM, meet at Bird Alliance of Oregon (bike ride).

If you would like an accessible option for the biking or walking tours, email: info@350pdx.org

Forest Defense Team

The Forest Defense Team brings our beautiful state forests to the city. Stop by the Redwood at 7915 SE Stark in Montavilla to see our latest art installation!

Join us Thursday July 16 for our Annual Shade Equity Lents to Laurelhurst Pedalpalooza Ride! The Action Night will begin at 6:00 PM in the SE corner of Lents Park, near SE 92nd & Steele, with speakers, candidates, networking and refreshments, followed by a 7:00 PM ride. This will be our 5th annual ride focused on bringing joy, curiosity, and thoughtful attention to our urban canopy and its inequities which fall along lines of historical racism and income disparities. We will also celebrate all the newly-planted trees receiving establishment care as a result of community organizing. (Not prepared for a hot bike ride? Join us for the 6:00 – 7:00pm Action Night!)

Energy Justice Team

Our team works on a variety of important campaigns, from fighting data centers and transitioning the CEI Hub, to advocating for reducing emissions from our buildings and transportation, and defending PCEF. We meet every 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 6:00 PM. Reach out to Dineen and Cherice if you’d like to join the team: dineen@350pdx.org, cherice@350pdx.org.

Speak Up and Show Up to Reduce Emissions from Buildings

Did you know that buildings account for 53% of Portland’s greenhouse gas emissions? Portland is hoping to reduce building emissions through a new policy: Climate and Health Standards for Existing Buildings, which will be proposed this summer!

The policy is for large buildings (>20,000 square feet), and it lowers emissions while ensuring rents stay affordable through tenant protections. Methane “natural” gas lobbyists will likely oppose, so we need to show support!

Councilor Avalos is hosting a community workshop to learn about the policy and share your perspective:

• When: Tuesday, July 14, 6:00-8:00pm

• Where: East Portland Community Center, 740 SE 106th Ave

• RSVP link

Volunteer and Learn about Reducing Building Emissions

As part of learning more about building emissions reduction and to build community, the Energy Justice Team will be volunteering on a home energy retrofit project with Community Energy Project. It’s one step in the PCEF-funded Energy Friendly Homes project. The team would love for others to join the fun! If you are interested, learn more and sign up.

• When: Saturday, August 15, from 8:00am-12:30pm (includes lunch)

• Sign up here, space is limited so make sure to sign up soon!

Update: Ballot Measure to Divert 25% of PCEF to Police 

We’ve recently made progress on climate justice issues because of the ballot measure we helped pass—the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF). Now it’s facing its greatest threat yet: an effort by the Portland Police Association (PPA) and other wealthy special interests to raid PCEF. On Monday, after a signature gathering effort plagued by controversy, the PPA has turned in more than 62,000 signatures. The initiative is likely to qualify for the November ballot.

350PDX is part of a coalition fighting back, and we’ll need your help. Learn more at HandsOffPCEF.com and sign up to get involved!

Arts Team

Photo: John Mullen

Can you join us for the July 350PDX art build on Sunday, July 12, 1:00 – 4:00 PM, 3639 N Mississippi?

We have a gang of Billionaire puppets to create for rallies this fall, and we need to make inspirational screen printed posters, too.

Help us please! Strong climate justice work needs all levels of artists, from level 0 to level 10. Email Donna at murph1949@aol.com if you can make it on July 12!

Book Club

The 350PDX Book Club meets every month on the first Wednesday of the month at 6:30 PM. Every other month is in person and the others are virtual. Reach out to books@350PDX.org with any questions or to join our list, and please RSVP so we can inform you of any meeting changes.

Our next meeting is on Wednesday, August 5, 6:30 PM for our next fiction in-person meeting. We’ll discuss Hum by Helen Phillips, an urgent and unflinching portrayal of a woman’s fight for her family’s security in a world shaped by global warming and rapid technological progress. This novel just won the 2026 Climate Fiction Prize. RSVP at books@350PDX.org.

Save the date for our other upcoming discussions:

• No meeting in July

• Wednesday, September 2 at 6:30 PM (Google Meet) – Book to be selected in August

• Wednesday, October 7 at 6:30 PM (In Person) – Book to be selected soon

Do you like to talk about books and climate justice? We are seeking volunteers to help facilitate! Contact books@350PDX.org to learn more.

Washington County Team

The Washington County Team is cohosting the Westside Sustainable Living Fair July 18, 9:00 – 1:00 PM, at the Hillsboro Saturday Market. Enjoy interactive exhibits, games, giveaways, prize drawings, and local resources focused on clean energy, electric vehicles, water conservation, urban forestry, waste reduction, watershed health, wildlife-friendly gardening, and more. The Fair is adjacent to the downtown Hillsboro Farmers Market which features fresh local produce and goods, prepared food, and sustainable products. Visit PGE’s Ride & Drive experience on 3rd Avenue between Main and Washington Streets in the Heritage Bank parking lot where you can learn about and test drive a number of electric vehicle options.

 

Hosted by the City of Hillsboro, Westside Planet Alliance, and 350 Washington County, with support from the Hillsboro Farmers’ Market and sponsorship from PGE.

Our next gathering will be in person for a summer picnic in conjunction with the July 18 event. See details on our Facebook page or check in with 350washco@gmail.com.We always welcome newcomers to our events and to our (mostly) monthly online meetings (6:30 PM on the second Tuesday of the month). For the link, join us here or contact us at 350washco@gmail.com

Before closing our newsletter, a few reminders:

•  350PDX is still searching for a wonderful, new home. Please reach out to info@350PDX.org if you have ideas for a space where we can have meetings and our arts team can create show-stopping puppets and more!
• Check out our Take Action page which we update regularly. It includes actions that may not be in our newsletter, such as the opportunity to comment on Multnomah County’s Draft Climate Justice Plan.
• If interested in joining the 350PDX community Slack channel, reach out to info@350pdx.org and we can add you to our community chat.

The post 2026 July Newsletter! appeared first on 350PDX: Climate Justice.

Twelve independent chapters operate within the Audubon Southwest region. Consider joining a chapter near you to participate in bird-related events near you and engage on local issues. Read on...

Sussex County Board of Supervisors Chairman Steve White proposed and voted for a county ordinance that gave him and his wife Carolyn a tax break for using their personal vehicles as part of their work on the Stony Creek Volunteer Rescue Squad.

The agenda for the board’s Sept. 18, 2025, meeting contained this ordinance:

“AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND CHAPTER 28: TAXATION, TO ADD SECTION 28-64

“VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER AND RESCUE SQUAD PERSONNEL” WHICH

PROVIDES FOR THE SPECIAL CLASSIFICATION OF MOTOR VEHICLES FOR

VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND VOLUNTEER EMERGENCY MEDICAL

SERVICES.”

The proposed ordinance said: “One motor vehicle that is owned by each volunteer rescue squad member or volunteer fire department member, or leased by each volunteer rescue squad member or volunteer fire department member if the member is obligated by the terms of the lease to pay tangible personal property tax on the motor vehicle, is classified under this section, provided the volunteer rescue squad member or volunteer fire department member regularly responds to emergency calls.”

Virginia automobile owners pay an annual personal property tax on their vehicles’ assessed value. The proposal passed with a 6-0 vote, and Supervisor Thomas Baicy was absent.

The details of that was previously unknown, because the minutes of the meeting were not posted on the county’s website. C&BP obtained the minutes on Friday through a Freedom of Information Act request.

Several tipsters have told us that Steve and Carolyn White, who run the Stony Creek Volunteer Rescue Squad, allegedly use their vehicles to respond to calls from the public. We should note that this information is currently unverified, and we are working to confirm its accuracy.

Steve White drives a BMW 740 sedan, while Carolyn White drives an SUV.

The mysterious “retreat”

The Sept. 18, 2025, meeting has been called a “retreat.”

During that meeting, supervisors voted to defund the jobs of then-Fire Chief Nick Sheffield and his deputy, Chris Bailey. Sheffield had asked pointed questions about Stony Creek’s finances in previous meetings.

Neither the agenda nor the minutes from that meeting are posted on the county’s website.

Conflicts of interest

Checks & Balances Project (C&BP) has reported that White has voted on matters involving SCVRS multiple times and not recused himself. SCVRS lost its federal nonprofit status in 2023 after failing to file income tax returns for three years.

White also runs a Virginia nonstock corporation called the Stony Creek Rescue Squad, which is registered at White’s home address in Yale, Va. The relationship between the two entities remains unclear, as White and his fellow supervisors have declined to answer questions.

Ray Locker is the executive director for Checks & Balances Project, an investigative watchdog blog holding government officials, lobbyists, and corporate management accountable to the public. Funding for C&BP is provided by Renew American Prosperity and individual donors.

You may also want to read:

C&BP files complaints with law enforcement agencies

Tips point finger at alleged actions by White and his connection to Stony Creek Volunteer Rescue Squad

Sussex County Sheriff Ernest Giles Sr. refers C&BP complaint to local prosecutor and state police

 

Share Post Share

The post Sussex Supervisor White voted to give himself a tax break for EMS car use, then defunded position for the fire chief who had questioned EMS finances appeared first on Checks and Balances Project.

GTA Assembly Next assembly: July 24th, 2026 About the GTA Assembly The Assembly is the space for dialogue, exchange and debate where the actions, strategies and public position of the Global are shared and discussed. It's also a space of connection for new collaborations emerge among the different organizations taking part in the threads of the tapestry

? In this webinar from June 9, MEIC gathered three experts to discuss what we know about PFAS in Montana, how we get exposed to these chemicals, and what can be done to prevent and remediate this pollution. We also highlight opportunities to speak up, including comment opportunities at the Montana Legislature Environmental Quality Council …

The post Webinar: PFAS 101 – How Toxic Forever Chemicals Are Changing Montana appeared first on Montana Environmental Information Center - MEIC.

Deadlines for Farm Service Agency programs are fast approaching! Explore available programs and check your eligibility for financial assistance.

The post 2026-2027 FSA Deadlines appeared first on RAFI.

Birds in Colombia are making themselves heard everywhere: during the recent Global Big Day (GBD), which reaffirmed our status as the country of birds; on Anderson Cooper’s 60 Minutes segment, which...

July 9, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact
Milagros R. Elia
Program Manager, Climate and Clean Energy Advocacy
Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments
milagros@envirn.org
914.455.1165

 

Nurses Oppose EPA’s Proposal to Ease Heavy-Duty Truck Emissions Rules

(Washington, D.C.) Today, July 9th 2026, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released proposed revisions to the compliance regulations related to Model Year (MY) 2027 and later heavy-duty highway engines. 

The EPA ⁠has emphasized today’s proposal aims to save the trucking industry an estimated $12 billion by scaling back extended warranty mandates, delaying useful-life requirements, and allowing temporary non-conformance penalties. They did not provide an analysis for how the increased emissions with this proposed rule could impact health.

In response to the proposal, the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments Executive Director Katie Huffling, DNP, RN, CNM, FAAN issued the following statement:

“Nurses are strongly opposed to today’s U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposal to relax air pollution standards for buses and trucks. We witness every day how air pollution affects the health of our patients and communities,” 

“Transportation remains one of the largest sources of air pollution in the United States. Nitrogen oxides, particularly nitrogen dioxide, are released into the air due to emissions from vehicles. 

Over time, chronic exposure to elevated concentrations of NO2 may contribute to the development of asthma and potentially increase susceptibility to respiratory infections. People with asthma, as well as children and the elderly are generally at greater risk for  the health effects of NO2. 

With this in mind,we demand policymakers uphold science-based environmental protections that safeguard public health and prioritize policies that protect the health of communities already disproportionately affected by pollution.”

###

The Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments is the only national nursing organization dedicated exclusively to the intersection of health and the environment. The Alliance promotes healthy people and healthy environments by educating and leading the nursing profession, advancing research, incorporating evidence-based practice, and influencing public policy.

 

The post Nurses Oppose EPA’s Proposal to Ease Heavy-Duty Truck Emissions Rules appeared first on ANHE.

The first-ever U.S. lawsuit seeking to hold Big Oil companies accountable for the death of a family member in a climate disaster will proceed toward discovery and trial after a Washington State court rejected the companies’ joint motions to dismiss and strike the case. The court found that the claims in this first-of-its-kind case are not blocked by federal law because they are “not about regulating emissions,” as the oil companies argued.

Misti Leon sued ExxonMobil, BP, Chevron, Shell, and other oil and gas companies for fueling the extreme heat that killed her mother, Julie Leon, on the hottest day in Washington State history during the 2021 Pacific Northwest heat dome. Scientists found that the event would have been “virtually impossible” without climate change.

The temperature rose above 100 degrees for the third consecutive day on June 28, 2021, when Julie was driving home from a doctor’s appointment in Seattle, Washington. Julie was later found unresponsive in her car with the windows down, and despite several rounds of life-saving measures, she could not be revived. The medical examiner ruled Julie’s cause of death as hyperthermia — a condition that killed hundreds of people during the heat dome.

The court granted ConocoPhillips’s request to be removed from the case, but allowed Ms. Leon the opportunity to amend her complaint. Olympic Pipeline Company was removed as a defendant in the case.

Richard Wiles, president of the Center for Climate Integrity, said:

“Big Oil’s reckless climate lies have contributed to countless preventable deaths. Now these corporations are one step closer to being held accountable or knowingly fueling climate conditions that are killing people. Legal action cannot undo the pain and suffering that fossil fuel companies have caused with their callous disregard for the well-established lethal impacts of their products, but it can secure a measure of justice for Big Oil’s victims and their families.”

Background on U.S. Climate Accountability Lawsuits Against Big Oil:

Eleven U.S. states — California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai`i, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont — and the District of Columbia, along with dozens of city, county, and tribal governments in California, Colorado, Hawai`i, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Puerto Rico, have active lawsuits to hold major oil and gas companies accountable for deceiving the public about their products’ role in climate change. These cases collectively represent more than 1 in 4 people living in the United States.

The oil and gas industry and its allies have been lobbying Congress and the Trump administration for more than a year to escape accountability. Republican lawmakers have introduced bills in the U.S. House and Senate that aim to grant Big Oil companies broad immunity from climate laws and lawsuits, and a growing number of states have passed state-level laws that aim to shield fossil fuel companies from legal accountability. Recent reporting from ProPublica found those bills are "part of a coordinated effort by groups linked to right-wing activist Leonard Leo."

Last year, 16 Republican attorneys general proposed creating a “liability shield” for fossil fuel companies modeled on a 2005 law protecting gun manufacturers from lawsuits. In January, the American Petroleum Institute announced that killing state climate lawsuits is a top 2026 priority for the oil lobby.

Later this year, the U.S. Supreme Court will consider a case from Boulder, Colorado. Boulder is one of a growing number of communities across the U.S. — including Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, the District of Columbia, and the states of Massachusetts, Vermont, Minnesota and Connecticut — whose climate deception lawsuits against Big Oil companies are advancing toward discovery and trial after courts denied the companies’ motions to dismiss.

An American-owned hydrocarbon company is backing plans for gas production in the North York Moors National Park, it was revealed today.

Exhibition on plans for Ebberston South gas production, 9 July 2026. Photo: DrillOrDrop

Egdon Resources, now controlled by the Texas-based Heyco Energy Group, is supporting the development of the Ebberston South well site near Dalby Forest.

Egdon staff and consultants were at an exhibition on the plans this afternoon, held in the small North Yorkshire village of Ebberston (population about 600).

Egdon previously submitted official information on the Ebberston South plans, on behalf of Scarborough Energy, the company fronting the proposal.

Scarborough Energy was formed four years ago for the sole purpose of producing gas from Ebberston South, its staff said today.

It has no other projects and has not held an onshore hydrocarbon licence or operated an onshore hydrocarbon site.

The meeting revealed that Egdon was providing technical and financial support to Scarborough Energy, including on the submission of a planning application.

It also emerged that Egdon had an option to acquire part of Scarborough Energy if the Ebberston South proposal secured planning permission. The acquisition could range from 1% to 100%, we were told.

The licence to operate gas production at Ebberston South, PEDL120, is currently held by a subsidiary of Ineos Upstream. But Scarborough Energy said it would acquire the licence from Ineos, again if planning permission were granted.

The industry regulator was “happy” for the licence transfer to happen, Scarborough Energy said.

Ebberston South is an existing gas site, at Givendale Head Farm, about three miles north of Ebberston village.

A single well was drilled and tested in 2008-9 by Warwick Energy. But the well never went into production and the site has been suspended since then.

Opponents of Ebberston plans. Photo: DrillOrDrop

Today’s exhibition recorded 14 people in the first hour. Eight people in the room at that time were against the plans and also opposed plans by Europa and Oil & Gas and Egdon to drill and frack for gas in the village of Burniston, about 13 miles (21km) away.

The event was part of a company consultation, also online, that runs until 31 July 2026.

This does not replace the formal public consultation on any planning application, scheduled to be submitted in September 2026.

Exhibition panels below (photos: DrillOrDrop)

Details

Scarborough Energy said it aimed to develop Ebberson South in five stages:

• Reconfigure the existing wellsite and install environmental protection measures and surface aggregates
• Mobilise a workover rig to recomplete the well for long-term production and confirm gas pressures
• Install gas processing facilities and a 1.5km underground pipeline to connect to the Northern Gas Networks’ local transmission system
• Produce gas production for up to seven years
• Return the site to agricultural use after production ends

No further drilling or any form of fracking would be needed, Scarborough Energy said.

The company estimated that Ebberston South would produce an estimated 4 million cubic feet per day for up to seven years. The company said this total represented 85% of Scarborough’s current annual gas consumption.

The gas would go into Northern Gas Networks’ local transmission system, it said.

The exhibition said the site would create “employment and supply chain opportunities” but a company representative admitted that the site would run largely automatically and would require just one member of staff to visit each day.

Groundwater monitoring boreholes would be installed before operations began and sampling would continue during and after all phases, the company said.

A charitable trust would provide grants to local groups from any profits from gas production.

Scarborough Energy said

“Our work to explore for, and produce, the gas the country needs will help to provide the UK with secure energy supplies, reducing the need for imported gas and delivering local and national economic benefits.”

It added:

“Gas from Ebberston South would enter the local network close to where it’s needed at the right pressure and with far fewer steps [than other sources of gas].”

The company did, however, admit that propane would probably have to be added to the supply to make it meet demands of North Gas Networks.

It said gas flows may need to be restricted in summer if demand was low.

It did not mention that water could be produced along with the gas and this would need to be removed and processed. Other impurities would also need to be removed in a processing plant.

The company said its target date for a decision on the proposals was February 2027.

Concerns

Some of the local people attending the exhibition criticised the information as “low on detail and heavy on spin”. Key concerns include:

Company track record

Some people DrillOrDrop spoke were concerned about what would happen if Scarborough Energy got planning permission but went out of business before it could restore the site.

The exhibition described Scarborough Energy “as a responsible operator” that was “committed to the highest standards of health, safety and environmental performance”.

But the company has no other projects apart from its plans for Ebberston South and no track record as an onshore fossil fuel oil and gas licence operator.

Scarborough Energy’s most recent annual accounts recorded net current liabilities of £162,716. There were no details of earnings or income.

The exhibition did, however, note that the founders had experience as petroleum or reservoir engineers and in the gas processing and the transmission network.

Egdon’s owner, Heyco Energy Group, is privately-owned and its corporate value is not publicly disclosed. But its annual revenue has been estimated at $24.4m.

National Park

The Ebberston South pad is within the boundary of the North York Moors National Park.

Some visitors to the exhibition said sites like this should not be allowed in the national park.

Climate change

Several visitors to the exhibition, held on a very hot sunny day, said there should be no more oil and gas extraction because of climate change. One asked a company representative whether he had “any conscience about climate change”. The representative did not reply, the resident said.

Gas destination

Scarborough Energy said if approved any gas produced would be sent through the new pipeline to a connection point on the Northern Gas Networks’ local transmission system. The company said:

“From here it will feed into local homes and businesses”.

But visitors to the exhibition were concerned about where the gas would actually go.

Ebberston village is not on the gas network. A consultant admitted that most of the gas was likely to go to Hull, about 40 miles away (64km) where industry and other large customers would be able to use the gas year round.

Wildlife

The exhibition said preliminary ecology survey has been undertaken and one panel claimed “no species were found on the site, or within the proposed area”.

A member of staff said this should have read “no protected species”. The exhibition said “full surveys” would be repeated before any work began.

The exhibition also said the site would have no “adverse impacts on any statutory or non-statutory designated sites of nature conservation importance located in the wider area”.

One resident, who attended the exhibition, manages two nearby sites of scientific interest, one of which is 400m from the compound. He was concerned about the impact of noise on rare species.

A habitat classification survey map one of the exhibition panels did not identify the nearest SSSI. An aerial photograph suggested that the compound was surrounded by woodland but one resident said part of this woodland had been clear felled in the past few years.

Noise

The exhibition said the loudest noise would be during construction and earth moving, short-term work carried out during daytime hours. It predicted this would range from 37043 dBA, which it said was “well below typical construction noise limits of 65 dBA.

One resident was concerned that the noise levels did not take into account gas processing, which would continue during the production life of the site.

Traffic

One resident raised concerns about the narrow single-track route which marks the final section of access to the site.

He said the route was already used by mountain rescue and traffic visiting a recycling centre.

The exhibition said during production, an average of one heavy goods vehicle (HGV) and one car or light goods vehicle (LGV) would visit the site each day. There were local calls for this to be a maximum not an average.

During the eight weeks of site configuration, there would be a total of 213 cars or LGVs and 155 HGVs. This represented an average of four cars/LGVs and three HGVs visiting the site each day, each making two journeys, in and out.

That number would rise to five cars/LGVs and four HGVs visits a day during the four weeks of well preparation.

During well decommissioning and site restoration, the estimated number would reach an average of six cars/LGVs and eight HGVs visits a day.

The estimated total vehicle visits over the project would be 2,947 cars/LGVs and 1,705 HGVs.

Views and recreation

The exhibition noted that the Tabular Hills footpath runs along the southern boundary of the site. One resident said many visiting walkers and cyclists used this route and would have a view of the site during that part of their route. The exhibition said a 3m earth bund would be built along this side of the site.

A 10m tall enclosed ground flare would be installed on site to burn waste gas. The company said use of the flare would be “limited” because the produced gas would be piped to the transmission system.

The flare may operate for “short periods” to confirm gas pressures during recompletion of the well, the company said. It said there would be no visible flame and the flare would not operate at night.

Heritage

The pipeline is planned to cross part of the Oxmoor Dikes, an ancient earthwork dating back to the bronze age.

No mitigation measures were required, the company said, and archaeological monitoring would be sufficient to record any finds.

Open access notables

Fossil fuel emissions dominate Northern Hemisphere CO2 seasonal cycle trends under mitigation scenarios, Jin et al., Nature Communications

Variations in the atmospheric CO2 seasonal cycle across the Northern Hemisphere have historically been dominated by terrestrial ecosystems, making ground-based observations a reliable proxy for terrestrial carbon dynamics. However, whether this dominance will persist in the future remains uncertain. Here we combine atmospheric transport modeling with factorial simulations to assess and attribute future changes in the CO2 seasonal cycle through 2100. We show that the dominant drivers of these changes shift fundamentally across scenarios. Under the high-emission scenario (SSP5-8.5), strengthening land sinks dominate and amplify CO2 seasonal variability, preserving ground-based observations as a reliable terrestrial proxy. In contrast, under the low-emission scenario (SSP1-2.6), CO2 seasonal amplitude declines widely, driven primarily by reduced fossil fuel emissions and their dampened seasonality. Consequently, established ground-based CO2 observations may no longer reliably track terrestrial carbon dynamics under mitigation pathways, underscoring the need for new approaches for monitoring and climate policy verification.

Dynamic evaporative and radiative cooling for efficient year-round energy savings, Zhou et al., Science Advances

Electricity-free radiative cooling (RC) techniques are gaining ever-increasing attention to decrease energy consumption and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. However, the cooling power of RC in summer is severely limited by atmospheric window constraints and its negative effect in winter offsets annual energy savings in four-season regions. This study introduces a dynamic evaporative and radiative cooling (DERC) device to maximize the cooling power in hot summer and achieve year-round dynamic thermal management. Adaptive to changes in environmental temperature, the DERC device demonstrates dynamic regulation of water evaporation, along with notable modulation of solar and thermal radiation (ΔAsol = 87%; ΔεBroadband = 63%). Theoretical and real-time experiments demonstrate that the DERC device is more energy-efficient than cutting-edge dynamic radiative cooling (DRC) techniques. The energy-saving simulations indicate that the DERC device yields over 40% primary energy savings and CO2 emission reduction compared to the DRC device. This DERC device represents a conceptual advancement, paving the way for global energy savings and emission reductions.

Heating up the headlines: How tabloid framing reshaped Germany's Buildings Energy Act, Loschke et al., Energy Research & Social Science

Media has become a decisive force in shaping climate and energy policy, influencing not only which issues gain attention but also how they are framed and contested. This paper examines how BILD, Germany's largest tabloid, transformed the 2023 reform of the Buildings Energy Act (GEG) into one of the most polarizing political controversies in recent German history. Analyzing a corpus of 333 BILD articles from January 2023 to March 2024, we identify three dominant rhetorical strategies – personalisation, economic alarmism, and ideological framing – epitomised by the term “Heizungshammer”, which appeared over 250 times in BILD alone and spread to more than 1100 articles across the broader press. These narratives produced concrete policy outcomes: the progressive dilution and eventual abandonment of the 65% renewable energy obligation, the cancellation of planned building efficiency standards, and a reversal of Germany's position in EU negotiations on the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. The case demonstrates that tabloid framing can migrate directly into legislative outcomes, with measurable consequences for climate governance ambition, highlighting the fragility of climate legislation in an age of digital populism.

Shades of Swedish climate scepticism: an exploration of explanatory factors on doubts about climate change, Mendy & Lindvall, Environmental Sociology 

This study examines the drivers of climate scepticism in Sweden, distinguishing between epistemic scepticism – doubts about the scientific evidence of climate change – and response scepticism, concerning doubts about the need or effectiveness of climate mitigation. Using a large-scale survey (n = 5280), we analyse how variants of political ideology – regarding economic and material aspects, and cultural values captured on the GAL-TAN scale – and trust shape these forms of scepticism. While relatively few respondents expressed epistemic scepticism, response scepticism was more prevalent. Low trust in scientists is the strongest determinant of epistemic scepticism, alongside TAN-oriented ideology. TAN orientation associates more strongly with response scepticism than epistemic scepticism, suggesting that individuals who accept climate science may still oppose mitigation policies, possibly due to a proclivity of social dominance orientation or political cues. A novel result is that attributional uncertainty, beliefs that climate is changing equally due to human and natural causes, is found to strongly associate with response scepticism, suggesting that more effective climate communication could alleviate such scepticism. The paper underscores the need to disentangle social mechanisms behind different sceptical climate beliefs and to refine the concept of response scepticism, as it may reflect distinct psychological and political dynamics.

From this week's government/NGO section:

The Power Behind AI. Wave of Dirty Gas Power Plants Planned for Data Centers, Bird et al., The Environmental Integrity Project:

At least 74 natural gas-fired power plants are planned across the U.S. to provide energy for the rapidly growing data center industry. These proposed gas plants, which would be dedicated to serving data centers, are expected to generate 143 gigawatts of electricity – enough to power the state of California nearly three times over. The plants would also release nearly 662 million tons per year of greenhouse gas pollution, which would have the climate-warming effect of 140 million cars and trucks driving for a year or the emissions from the entire nation of Australia. Beyond greenhouse gases, this wave of power plants for data centers could also release 159,142 tons of health-harming air pollutants, including 44,281 tons of nitrogen oxides that contribute to smog and lung damage and 32,684 tons of fine particulate matter, which can trigger heart and asthma attacks. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. This pollution is a small fraction of the likely environmental effect of the booming artificial intelligence (AI) industry and affiliated data centers. These 74 planned gas plants, including 71 new power plants and three plant expansions, would be connected directly to data centers — so-called “behind-the-meter” power plants. These plants are designed to provide their electricity primarily to data centers and not to compete with local households and businesses on regional power grids. More power plants are being planned across the U.S. that will indirectly serve the growing data center industry along with other consumers on the grid, which will likely drive up electricity prices for nearby residents.

Code, carbon, kilowatts: AI’s hidden toll and the race to green the grid, Patrick Hoffmann and Katharina Utermöhl, Allianz Research

Data-center investment reached USD580bn in 2025, putting AI on track to become one of the world's fastest-growing sources of electricity demand. Installed capacity is expected to double by 2030, with AI workloads already accounting for 15–20% of data-center electricity use and potentially approaching 40% by the end of the decade. Yet the sector's environmental footprint remains underestimated as most analyses focus only on operational electricity use. The authors take a broader systems view across 26 countries (+93% of global capacity), adding lifecycle emissions, water use and AI's growing resource demand. Identical workloads can generate up to 24 ti mes more emissions depending on the emission intensity of the grid, making location as decisive as demand growth. Fossil-dependent grids in Indonesia, India and Malaysia exceed 600 gCO2/kWh, compared with under 30 gCO2/kWh in Norway and Sweden. The US and China, which host the largest data-center clusters, sit in between at 384 gCO2/kWh and 526 gCO2/kWh, respectively, giving Europe's cleaner power mix a structural advantage for low-carbon AI growth. These disparities are amplified by transmission and distribution losses of 10–15% in some markets, while less reliable grids raise electricity needs and dependence on backup generation. 125 articles in 56 journals by 1121 contributing authors

Physical science of climate change, effects

A Link between African Surface Temperature and the Eastward Shift of Precipitation over the Indo-Pacific Maritime Continent Region, Hagos et al., Journal of Climate 10.1175/jcli-d-25-0192.1

Antarctic Sea-Ice Loss Enhances East Asian Summer Precipitation Through Tropical Ocean Warming, Zhu et al., Earth s Future Open Access 10.1029/2026ef008147

Changing thunderstorms environments in Saudi Arabia: Frequency, variability and drivers of change, Rafei et al., Atmospheric Research 10.1016/j.atmosres.2026.109186

Glacier thinning causes warmer and drier regional climate at the Jostedalsbreen ice cap in western Norway, Haualand et al., Weather and Climate Dynamics Open Access 10.5194/wcd-7-1033-2026

Increases in Compound Drought and Hot Event in the Southwestern Tibetan Plateau and Its Link to Land-Atmosphere Interactions, Kong et al., International Journal of Climatology 10.1002/joc.70502

Increases in Southeast Pacific Low-Cloudiness During ENSO Warm Phases, Manapat et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2026gl122913

Moderate volcanic eruptions and extreme wildfires humidify the stratosphere, Peng et al., Nature 10.1038/s41586-026-10731-0

Reduced Wind Power on Oceanic Near-Inertial Internal Waves in a Warming Climate, Huang et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2025gl121340

The past evolution of marine heatwaves and their drivers in the southern North Sea, Schulzki et al., Ocean science Open Access 10.5194/os-22-2027-2026

Ultra flash cold events under global warming, He et al., Nature Communications Open Access pdf 10.1038/s41467-026-75094-6

Weak 21st-Century AMOC Response to Greenland Meltwater in a Strongly Eddying Ocean Model, Mehling & Dijkstra, Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2026gl122545

Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Pacific Decadal Oscillation Modulates the Impacts of Bering Sea Ice Loss on North American Temperature, Geophysical Research Letters, 10.1029/2024gl109447 11 cites.

buffer/PWSE

Observations of climate change, effects

Factors Behind Change in Extremes: Change in Precipitation Is Dominated by Its Variability Whereas Change in Temperature by Its Mean, Dash & Maity, Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres 10.1029/2025jd045639

Increasing probability of humid-heat extremes outpaces that of dry-heat extremes in global land monsoon regions under anthropogenic warming, Li et al., Advances in Climate Change Research Open Access 10.1016/j.accre.2026.06.024

Increasing spatially co-occurring droughts or pluvials in global major rivers during 1950-2014, Luo et al., Advances in Climate Change Research Open Access 10.1016/j.accre.2026.06.021

Streamflow composition in U.S. rivers is shifting toward recent precipitation, Chen & Husic, Communications Earth & Environment Open Access 10.1038/s43247-026-03788-2

Sustained decrease in snowfall over the Tibetan Plateau under a changing climate, Lin et al., Global and Planetary Change 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105602

The Spatiotemporal Evolution of Arctic Climate Types and Its Attribution, Liu et al., Journal of Climate 10.1175/jcli-d-25-0207.1

Toward more frequent winter rain-on-snow events in the Pyrenees, Bonsoms, Atmospheric Research Open Access 10.1016/j.atmosres.2026.109184

Warming-driven runoff increase and shifted seasonality in the glacierized Hotan Basin in Central Asia, Xu et al., Global and Planetary Change 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105579

Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Temperatures and hypolimnetic oxygen in German lakes: Observations, future trends and adaptation potential, AMBIO, 10.1007/s13280-024-02046-z 15 cites.

buffer/OBME

Instrumentation & observational methods of climate change, effects

Assessing the Ability of Tree-Ring-Derived Aridity Records to Detect Compound Drought and Heatwave Events, Taylor et al., Journal of Climate Open Access 10.1175/jcli-d-25-0472.1

ClimateBenchPress (v1.0): a benchmark for lossy compression of climate data, Reichelt et al., Geoscientific model development Open Access 10.5194/gmd-19-5933-2026

Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
The Hawai‘i Climate Data Portal (HCDP), Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 10.1175/bams-d-23-0188.1 20 cites.

buffer/WINS

Modeling, simulation & projection of climate change, effects

Atmospheric blocking representation in storm-resolving climate models under historical and future forcing, Dolores-Tesillos et al., Weather and Climate Dynamics Open Access 10.5194/wcd-7-1089-2026

Distinct Changes in Tropical Cyclone Seasons Between the Western North Pacific and North Atlantic Under High-Level Carbon Dioxide Climate Simulations, Wu et al., Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres 10.1029/2026jd046669

Evaluation and Future Changes of Mesoscale Convective Systems Over the Conterminous United States in High-Resolution Global and Regional Simulations, Fu & Prein, Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2026gl122237

Non-Uniform Reduction of the North Atlantic Tropical Cyclones in Response to the AMOC Weakening Under External Freshwater Forcing, Joshi & Zhang, Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2026gl123615

Projected Mid- and Late-Century Changes in Severe Convective Storms Across the United States From Dynamically Downscaled Climate Simulations, Roufa et al., International Journal of Climatology 10.1002/joc.70475

Projection the Risk of Winter Extreme Cold Spells in China Based on Statistical Modelling Under Global Warming of 1.5°C and 2.0°C, Zhu et al., International Journal of Climatology 10.1002/joc.70503

Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Decreased ENSO post-2100 in response to formation of a permanent El Niño-like state under greenhouse warming, Nature Communications, 10.1038/s41467-024-50156-9 36 cites.

buffer/MSWE

Advancement of climate & climate effects modeling, simulation & projection

Barriers to incorporating dichotomy-based impervious surface datasets into high-resolution urban climate studies, Yu et al., Urban Climate Open Access 10.1016/j.uclim.2026.103008

Decade-Long Cloud-Resolving Model Simulations for Arabian Peninsula Winter Precipitation: Climatology and Extremes, Attada et al., Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology 10.1175/jamc-d-25-0123.1

Intrinsic Haline Variability as a Source of Uncertainty in Ocean Simulations Without Salinity Restoring, Berthet et al., Journal of Geophysical Research Oceans 10.1029/2026jc024169

Performance of CMIP6 models in simulating the impact of north tropical Atlantic SST variability on the ITCZ, Lu et al., Frontiers in Climate Open Access 10.3389/fclim.2026.1867838

Removing Implausible Precipitation Extremes from CMIP6 Climate Projections Using a GEV-Based Framework, maddahi et al., Journal of Hydrometeorology 10.1175/jhm-d-25-0099.1

Southern Ocean Barrier Layer Assessment in CMIP6 Models with Argo: Historical Bias and Possible Reasons, Jiang et al., Journal of Climate 10.1175/jcli-d-25-0417.1

Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Assessing CMIP6 uncertainties at global warming levels, Climate Dynamics, 10.1007/s00382-024-07323-x 23 cites.

buffer/GCMA

Cryosphere & climate change

A global meta-analysis of snowpack changes on soil carbon and nitrogen cycling and greenhouse gas fluxes, Wang et al., Global and Planetary Change 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105598

Artificial Flooding Leads to Thicker and Brighter Arctic Sea Ice, Blanchard-Wrigglesworth et al., Earth s Future Open Access 10.1029/2025ef007894

Increasing sea ice variability in the Weddell Sea during recent decades modulated by high-frequency Pacific oscillations, Ejaz et al., Global and Planetary Change 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105604

Lengthening ablation seasons are associated with declining minimum albedo of global glaciers, Xiao et al., Advances in Climate Change Research Open Access 10.1016/j.accre.2026.06.025

Localized positive snow water equivalent anomalies in the Hindu Kush Himalaya under 1.5–5.0 °C warming levels, Zuo et al., Advances in Climate Change Research Open Access 10.1016/j.accre.2026.06.019

Quantification of Heat and Salt Budgets in the Western Ross Ice Shelf Cavity and Polynya System, Wang et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2025gl121363

Regional glacier mass changes and meltwater evolution in the Tianshan Mountains since 2000, Li et al., Global and Planetary Change Open Access 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105587

Sea Ice Latent Heat Becomes More Active in the Arctic Sea Ice Energy Budget, Liu et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2026gl122371

Sustained decrease in snowfall over the Tibetan Plateau under a changing climate, Lin et al., Global and Planetary Change 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105602

Temporal and spatial variations in freezing-thawing indices and their impact on permafrost in the Himalayan region, China, from 1960 to 2020, WANG et al., Advances in Climate Change Research Open Access 10.1016/j.accre.2026.06.020

Uncertainty of the satellite-retrieved sea-ice area record and its trend, Wernecke et al., cryosphere Open Access pdf 10.5194/tc-20-3783-2026

Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Altimetry-based ice-marginal lake water level changes in Greenland, Communications Earth & Environment, 10.1038/s43247-024-01522-4 13 cites.

buffer/CRYO

Sea level & climate change

Evaluating and mitigating ecosystem impacts under future extreme sea-level events: The case of Hong Kong, Cao et al., Urban Climate Open Access 10.1016/j.uclim.2026.103027

Relative contributions of waves and altimetric sea levels to global coastal sea level changes over 1993–2025, Peng et al., Advances in Climate Change Research Open Access 10.1016/j.accre.2026.06.023

Sub-basin sea level budget analysis in the North Indian Ocean (2003–2024), Pillai et al., Scientific Reports Open Access pdf 10.1038/s41598-026-60856-5

Paleoclimate & paleogeochemistry

North Pacific meltwater weakens the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation and preconditions Heinrich Stadial 1, Sun et al., Nature Communications Open Access pdf 10.1038/s41467-026-75199-y

Biology & climate change, related geochemistry

Basin-scale grassland greenness and production capacity under extreme temperature and hydrothermal influences in Aral Sea basin during 21st century, Kayiranga et al., Global and Planetary Change 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105617

Critical slowing down of semiarid vegetation resilience is amplified by intensifying heatwaves, Fu et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-026-75130-5

Earlier spring and later autumn: Climate warming reshapes pollen seasons in Beijing, Li et al., Advances in Climate Change Research Open Access 10.1016/j.accre.2026.07.003

Higher temperatures and low precipitation strongly decrease conifer recruitment in the Rocky Mountains even in heat-adapted species and populations, Bither & Martin, Journal of Ecology 10.1111/1365-2745.70394

Individual Trees Respond to 40 Years of Climate Change Through Leaf Functional Trait Acclimation, Fortier et al., Global Change Biology 10.1111/gcb.70978

Intraspecific trait variation responds consistently to global change drivers and mediates herbivory across unrelated plant species, Zurbuchen & Halliday, Journal of Ecology Open Access 10.1111/1365-2745.70389

Multidecadal shifts in hooded seal dive behaviour in a changing ocean, Mendez-Bye et al., Arctic Science Open Access 10.1139/as-2025-0108

Ocean acidification alters phytoplankton diversity and community structure in the coastal water of the East China Sea, Rao et al., Biogeosciences Open Access pdf 10.5194/bg-23-4515-2026

Positive feedback of forest cover in maintaining hydrological equilibrium under recent climate change projections and land use change scenarios, Kumar et al., Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics 10.1016/j.jastp.2026.106880

Regeneration failure, fire, topography, and climate interact to drive temperate wet forest landscapes into fire traps, Perry, University of Auckland Data Repository Open Access 10.17608/k6.auckland.32320029

Stomatal Decoupling From Photosynthesis Under High Temperatures Is Consistent With Stomatal Optimisation, Jones et al., Global Change Biology Open Access 10.1111/gcb.70972

Unstable climate drove divergent changes in tree richness and evenness on the Tibetan Plateau, Li et al., Global and Planetary Change 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105615

When Tides Run Dry: Exploring an Overlooked Coastal Disturbance and Its Climate Connections, Gauff et al., Global Change Biology Open Access 10.1111/gcb.70976

Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Future trends of marine fish biomass distributions from the North Sea to the Barents Sea, Nature Communications, 10.1038/s41467-024-49911-9 31 cites.

buffer/BIOW

GHG sources & sinks, flux, related geochemistry

A meta-analysis of carbon losses and gains from tropical moist forest degradation and regeneration, Heinrich et al., Science Advances Open Access 10.1126/sciadv.adz1923

A multi-model approach to constrain the atmospheric hydrogen budget, Krishnan et al., Atmospheric chemistry and physics Open Access 10.5194/acp-26-9509-2026

Declines in organic matter persistence with increased soil carbon, Zhao et al., Nature Communications Open Access 10.1038/s41467-026-75185-4

Fossil fuel emissions dominate Northern Hemisphere CO2 seasonal cycle trends under mitigation scenarios, Jin et al., Nature Communications Open Access pdf 10.1038/s41467-026-75003-x

In-depth characterisation of organic matter thermal lability and composition from Arctic Permafrost thaw slumps, Bolandini et al., Biogeosciences Open Access pdf 10.5194/bg-23-4447-2026

Iron as a driver of organic carbon fate in permafrost regions, Opfergelt et al., Nature Geoscience 10.1038/s41561-026-02015-z

Limited energy for microorganisms constrains carbon accrual in soil, Wang et al., Nature Geoscience 10.1038/s41561-026-02035-9

Nonlinear microbial thresholds drive non-additive soil greenhouse gas responses to compound climate extremes, Lv et al., Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 10.1016/j.agrformet.2026.111319

Quantifying the impact of anthropocene river regulation on global organic carbon burial: Mechanisms of accelerated sequestration in karst reservoirs, Wang et al., Global and Planetary Change 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105597

Responses of Soil Carbon Release to Freeze–Thaw Cycles Mediated by Carbon Availability at Regional and Global Scales, Wang et al., Global Change Biology 10.1111/gcb.70991

Soil Moisture Controls on Permafrost Carbon Cycle Under Greenhouse Warming and Zero Emission Pathways, Mun et al., Earth s Future Open Access 10.1029/2026ef008209

Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Four decades of data indicate that planted mangroves stored up to 750f the carbon stocks found in intact mature stands, Science Advances, 10.1126/sciadv.adk5430 60 cites.

buffer/GHSS

CO2 capture, sequestration science & engineering

3D geological modelling for CO2 storage assessment in the Abu Roash-A reservoir, Beni Suef field, Western Desert, Egypt, Arafat et al., Frontiers in Earth Science Open Access pdf 10.3389/feart.2026.1877557

A review of carbon dioxide removal through concrete carbonation: key parameters and life cycle assessment, Knight et al., Environmental Research Infrastructure and Sustainability Open Access pdf 10.1088/2634-4505/ae73b3

Decarbonization

Decarbonization from the ground up: what Local Industrial Decarbonization Plans reveal about place-based approaches to decarbonizing industry in the UK, Rattle & Taylor, Figshare Open Access 10.6084/m9.figshare.32885157.v1

Dynamic evaporative and radiative cooling for efficient year-round energy savings, Zhou et al., Science Advances Open Access 10.1126/sciadv.aed6069

Future scenarios for the benefit of battery storage in the German day-ahead electricity market, Gottfried & Müller, Energy Policy Open Access 10.1016/j.enpol.2026.115461

Projecting and Constraining Solar Energy Resources Along the Silk Road Economic Belt under Climate Change, LIU et al., Advances in Climate Change Research Open Access 10.1016/j.accre.2026.06.028

Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Towards carbon-neutral and clean propulsion in heavy-duty transportation with hydroformylated Fischer–Tropsch fuels, Nature Energy, 10.1038/s41560-024-01581-z 42 cites.

buffer/DCRB

Geoengineering climate

Artificial Flooding Leads to Thicker and Brighter Arctic Sea Ice, Blanchard-Wrigglesworth et al., Earth s Future Open Access 10.1029/2025ef007894

Marine cloud brightening of cumulus clouds: from the sprayer to the cloud, Kainz et al., Atmospheric chemistry and physics Open Access pdf 10.5194/acp-26-9443-2026

Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Decomposing the effective radiative forcing of anthropogenic aerosols based on CMIP6 Earth system models, Atmospheric chemistry and physics, 10.5194/acp-24-7837-2024 18 cites.

buffer/GENG

Aerosols

Global Ocean data set of marine aerosol properties, Quinn et al., Earth system science data Open Access pdf 10.5194/essd-18-4317-2026

Impacts of Aerosol Scavenging and Processing on the Transition of a Stratocumulus Cloud System to Open Cells: A Comparison of Lagrangian and Bin Microphysics Schemes in LES, Chandrakar & Morrison, Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences 10.1175/jas-d-25-0226.1

Record-Breaking Easterly Dust Transport From North Africa to the Arctic: An Observational Study, Chen et al., Geophysical Research Letters Open Access 10.1029/2026gl123383

Temperature and radiative responses to anthropogenic aerosols over the Mediterranean Basin based on CMIP6 Earth system models, Kalisoras et al., Atmospheric chemistry and physics Open Access 10.5194/acp-26-9413-2026

Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Co-Benefits of Mitigating Aerosol Pollution to Future Solar and Wind Energy in China Toward Carbon Neutrality, Geophysical Research Letters, 10.1029/2024gl109296 18 cites.

buffer/AESO

Climate change communications & cognition

A hope-based framework for implementing climate risk education policy in South African secondary schools, Matimolane & Mathivha, Discover Education Open Access 10.1007/s44217-026-01848-5

Heating up the headlines: How tabloid framing reshaped Germany's Buildings Energy Act, Loschke et al., Energy Research & Social Science Open Access 10.1016/j.erss.2026.104832

Institutional quality shapes who citizens hold responsible for climate change mitigation, Klebl et al., Global Environmental Change Open Access 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2026.103190

Moral perspective-taking can reduce polarization around climate policy in the United States, Hurst & Hurst, PNAS Nexus Open Access 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgag225

People systematically under- and overestimate public engagement in climate action, Tiede et al., Open MIND pmh:10.17605/osf.io/kcq37

Shades of Swedish climate scepticism: an exploration of explanatory factors on doubts about climate change, Mendy & Lindvall, Environmental Sociology Open Access pdf 10.1080/23251042.2026.2697748

Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Politicians and climate change: A systematic review of the literature, Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews Climate Change, 10.1002/wcc.908 25 cites.

buffer/CSCC

Agronomy, animal husbundry, food production & climate change

A multivariate framework for assessing compound agroclimatic extremes across Europe, Gohari et al., Communications Earth & Environment Open Access pdf 10.1038/s43247-026-03576-y

Agricultural intensification and greenhouse gas emissions in Saudi Arabia: evidence from linear and nonlinear ARDL models, Hassan et al., Frontiers in Environmental Science Open Access 10.3389/fenvs.2026.1830288

Agrivoltaics: a promising renewable energy model still distant from a collaborative agroecology, Scotti & Osti, Environmental Sociology Open Access pdf 10.1080/23251042.2026.2697744

Breeding drought-tolerant crops for sustainable agriculture, Raza et al., Agriculture & Food Security Open Access pdf 10.1186/s40066-025-00587-4

Fishing and warming reshape size spectra of commercial species in the Mediterranean Sea, Gjoni et al., Scientific Reports Open Access 10.1038/s41598-026-60738-w

Prioritizing Inclusive Practices for Rural Women Smallholder Farmers Participation in Climate Change Adaptation and Ecological Education in Sub-Saharan Africa, Lokonon et al., Climate Resilience and Sustainability Open Access pdf 10.1002/cli2.70053

Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Impacts of the global food system on terrestrial biodiversity from land use and climate change, Nature Communications, 10.1038/s41467-024-49999-z 88 cites.

buffer/AGCC

Hydrology, hydrometeorology & climate change

Changes in the spatial connection and synchronization of extreme rainfall events in recent decades over the Ganga and Yamuna River Basins of India, Pandey et al., Atmospheric Research 10.1016/j.atmosres.2026.109170

Impact, drivers and pathways of two Arctic atmospheric rivers in April 2020, Podgurski et al., Weather and Climate Dynamics Open Access 10.5194/wcd-7-1051-2026

Increasing spatially co-occurring droughts or pluvials in global major rivers during 1950-2014, Luo et al., Advances in Climate Change Research Open Access 10.1016/j.accre.2026.06.021

Increasing urban flash flood risk attributable to both climate and development, Cotterill et al., Explore Bristol Research Open Access pmh:oai:research-information.bris.ac.uk:openaire_cris_publications/0260fbc2-2c41-4b32-a6f9-caa8dedffe1f

Streamflow composition in U.S. rivers is shifting toward recent precipitation, Chen & Husic, Communications Earth & Environment Open Access 10.1038/s43247-026-03788-2

Warming-driven runoff increase and shifted seasonality in the glacierized Hotan Basin in Central Asia, Xu et al., Global and Planetary Change 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105579

Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Response of streamflow and sediment variability to cascade dam development and climate change in the Sai Gon Dong Nai River basin, Climate Dynamics, 10.1007/s00382-024-07319-7 101 cites.

buffer/HYCC

Climate change economics

An assessment of climate vulnerabilities in selected emerging economies with validation of the Environmental Kuznets Curve, Kumari et al., Environment Systems & Decisions 10.1007/s10669-026-10114-w

Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Driving towards a just transition? The case of the European car industry, Energy Research & Social Science, 10.1016/j.erss.2024.103649 17 cites.

buffer/ECCC

Climate change mitigation public policy research

Ecological synergy thresholds: Mechanisms and governance implications for enhancing city-level ecosystem carbon sink in China, Li et al., Global and Planetary Change 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2026.105595

Repoliticising users in energy transitions: A critique of dominant ideas and their effect in policy and practice, Ahlborg et al., Energy Research & Social Science Open Access 10.1016/j.erss.2026.104814

Risk in translation: Climate risk, social vulnerability, and clean energy support across the United States, Tsykalova et al., Energy Research & Social Science Open Access 10.1016/j.erss.2026.104827

Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Supply-side climate policy: A new frontier in climate governance, Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews Climate Change, 10.1002/wcc.909 22 cites.

buffer/GPCC

Climate change adaptation & adaptation public policy research

A multi-level framework for climate adaptation of critical infrastructure: flood risk in railway networks, Gonzalez et al., Environmental Research Infrastructure and Sustainability Open Access 10.1088/2634-4505/ae7fb5

Beyond climatic risk: envisioning, legitimizing and materializing imaginaries of climate change adaptation in Barbados, Córdova, Figshare Open Access 10.6084/m9.figshare.32927386

Effect of financial inclusion and women empowerment on climate resilience: Evidence from sub-Saharan African households, Ali et al., Climate Risk Management Open Access 10.1016/j.crm.2026.100848

Engineering against the climate crisis: assessing the awareness and engagement of South African engineering professionals in climate mitigation and adaptation, Jokazi & Lefalatsa, Frontiers in Climate Open Access pdf 10.3389/fclim.2026.1829348

Household perceptions and behaviour shape climate insurance adoption under climate risk, Kamis et al., Climate Risk Management Open Access 10.1016/j.crm.2026.100844

Occupational productivity under extreme heat: Climate impacts and adaptive strategies, Li et al., Climate Risk Management Open Access 10.1016/j.crm.2026.100834

Planning climate destination cities: migrant narratives from Mongla, Bangladesh, Hasan et al., Climate and Development 10.1080/17565529.2026.2692563

Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Living in Mediterranean cities in the context of climate change: A review, International Journal of Climatology, 10.1002/joc.8546 36 cites.

buffer/CCAD

Climate change impacts on human health

Assessment of urban quality of life under climate change – A framework for Europe, Seku?a et al., Urban Climate Open Access 10.1016/j.uclim.2026.102988

High-Resolution Modeling of Wet Bulb Globe Temperature Reveals Substantial Heat Risks Across Crops and Work Shifts Among Agricultural Workers in Southern California, Parajuli et al., GeoHealth Open Access 10.1029/2025gh001604

Projecting community-specific burden of emergency department visits and hospitalizations associated with heat exposure in Victoria, Australia, Xing et al., Urban Climate Open Access 10.1016/j.uclim.2026.103023

Other

Climate unemployment, Kono, Political Studies 10.1177/0032321719836066

Climatic Drivers of the Area Burned by Winter Wildfires in Northern Italy, Baronetti et al., International Journal of Climatology Open Access 10.1002/joc.70496

Influence of historical urban expansion on the regional climate: A case study in the Paris region with CNRM-AROME, Corneille et al., Urban Climate 10.1016/j.uclim.2026.103013

Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Ocean iron cycle feedbacks decouple atmospheric CO2 from meridional overturning circulation changes, Nature Communications, 10.1038/s41467-024-49274-1 4 cites.

buffer/OTHR

Informed opinion, nudges & major initiatives

Responsible carbon accounting, [authors did not process], Nature Climate Change 10.1038/s41558-026-02707-9

Rethinking urban forests as essential infrastructure for resilience, equity, and biodiversity in the current climate emergency, Esperón-Rodríguez et al., PLOS Climate Open Access pdf 10.1371/journal.pclm.0000953

Most cited from this section, published 2 years ago:
Higher-resolution projections needed for small island climates, Nature Climate Change, 10.1038/s41558-024-02028-9 10 cites.

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

Uneconomic Coal Operations in PJM: Market Distortions, Cost Impacts, and Policy Considerations, Roumpani et al., The Citizens Utility Board of Ohio

Uneconomic coal operations are not isolated incidents, but occur by a combination of permissive market rules, utility incentives, regulatory decisions, and policy interventions. In combination, these weaken price signals and allow aging, high-cost coal units to remain online even when they are no longer competitive. The authors examine mechanisms that allow or drive uneconomic coal operations including self-scheduling, in which generators operate regardless of market prices, often recovering losses through state-approved power cost recovery mechanisms.; uplift payments, which compensate generators under specified conditions for operating or committing when market revenues are insufficient; Reliability Must-Run (RMR) agreements, which keep uneconomic units online after retirement announcements due to localized reliability concerns; and policy interventions, including recent federal actions, that override or blunt market signals.

The Power Behind AI, Bird et al., The Environmental Integrity Project

At least 74 natural gas-fired power plants, which could release as much climate-warming pollution as the nation of Australia each year, are planned across the U.S. to provide energy for the rapidly-growing data center industry. These proposed gas plants, which would be dedicated to serving data centers, are expected to generate 143 gigawatts of electricity – enough to power the state of California nearly three times over – along with 662 million tons per year of greenhouse gas pollution.

Greenpeace Report on Wildfires in Portugal, Viegas et al., Greenpeace

The wildfire risk in Portugal has been changing over the past decades due to the positive or negative effects of various factors, some related to natural or physical conditions and others to socioeconomic, political, and organizational activities. Using statistical data on national fire occurrence and extent, which have been available since 1943, and on climatic factors, vegetation cover and properties, population evolution, and administrative changes in the wildfire risk management system, the authors provide an overview of wildfires in Portugal and their evolution over the past decades. The long-term data are used to provide an overall perspective on some of the major factors present over these eight decades.

Carbon Markets, Unseen Workers: Labor Rights and Governance Gaps in Africa, Otieno et al., Solidarity Center

The authors address a critical gap by analyzing carbon markets through a labor and political economy lens. Grounded in experiences from Kenya, Ghana, South Africa, and Nigeria, the authors examine how both compliance and voluntary carbon market mechanisms shape employment, labor conditions, and worker participation. The authors illuminate the role of workers across carbon value chains, assess alignment with the International Labor Organization's core conventions and decent work principles, identify governance and accountability gaps, and explore pathways for worker and trade union engagement. The authors provide a framework for workers and their organizations to develop their own engagement and advocacy strategies tailored to their specific priorities.

Hawai'i’s Electricity Future: Three Findings on Solar Reform, Enhanced Geothermal, and the JERA LNG Proposal, Ethan Hartley and Michael Roberts, University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization

The authors ask what Hawaiian Electric and Hawai‘i should build to keep O‘ahu’s lights on through 2050 while transitioning to 100 percent clean power, and what it will cost. The analysis uses a planning model — the kind of computer model utility companies and grid regulators run when they have to decide which power plants to build over the next two decades — and solves it more than three hundred times under different assumptions about oil prices, solar and battery costs, land-use rules, the Public Utility Commission-approved Waiau Repower, and the JERA liquefied natural gas proposal. Three findings hold across all the variations tested; cheaper solar and battery deployment is by far the biggest economic lever Hawai‘i has; under defensible current cost assumptions, O‘ahu does not need to build any new fuel-burning power plant beyond what is already committed; and Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) are the largest non-solar economic lever — if the technology delivers on the optimistic cost trajectory.

California Salmon Strategy for a Hotter, Drier Future: Restoring Aquatic Ecosystems in the Age of Climate Change, Second Progress Report, State of California

In January 2024, California adopted the California Salmon Strategy for a Hotter, Drier Future (Salmon Strategy), identifying six priorities and 71 actions to restore struggling salmon populations. Since the release of the Salmon Strategy, the state has fully completed 49% of the actions and partially met or advanced progress on 51% of the actions. This progress report describes progress for the 71 actions across two stages, those that are in-progress and those that have been completed. For example, salmon fishing is back, salmon are returning to the Klamath Basin, salmon have been reintroduced to cold-water habitat on the Yuba River, and river flows for salmon have been protected in the Scott and Shasta rivers.

The Impact of New York's 2026 Climate Law Retreat, Jonathan Binder and Vincent Nolette, Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, Columbia University

On May 26, 2026, New York State enacted significant revisions to its 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). The 2026 Amendments, which include changes to the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission accounting methods, the statewide GHG emission limits, and the requirement to adopt implementing regulations, collectively weaken the Act's ambition. New York’s retreat from state climate action after championing it for years reflects a broader national trend of de-prioritizing mitigation efforts. The 2026 Amendments will have vast and important consequences for the implementation of the CLCPA. Numerous actions will need to be updated through rulemaking, guidance, or other administrative processes. This will require a significant and resource-intensive undertaking by the State, and especially by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Amending the statute was largely done behind closed doors as part of the state budget process. By contrast, most of these administrative actions to implement the amended CLCPA will require a public-facing process. In the background, the risk and actual commencement of litigation will continue to shape the Act’s outcomes. Despite these amendments, DEC, with support of various stakeholders, retains significant discretion to maximize the CLCPA's benefits through strong implementation.

Stafford Act's Requirement to Consider Climate Change in State Hazard Mitigation Plans, Olivia Guarna, Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, Columbia University

Congress passed the Stafford Act in 1988 to provide a means for sustained and coordinated federal aid in response to disasters. The Stafford Act includes a comprehensive non-emergency hazard mitigation program. Hazard mitigation assistance empowers states, tribes, and local governments to engage in planning and mitigation activities that improve disaster outcomes and minimize losses in their jurisdictions. A key component of the Stafford Act’s hazard mitigation assistance programs, which are implemented by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), is the development of state hazard mitigation plans. The Stafford Act requires state hazard mitigation plans to “identify the natural hazards, risks, and vulnerabilities of areas in the State.” The author argues that, under the Stafford Act, state plans must consider the effects of climate change on natural hazard risks and vulnerabilities.

Code, carbon, kilowatts: AI’s hidden toll and the race to green the grid, Patrick Hoffmann and Katharina Utermöhl, Allianz Research

Data-center investment reached USD580bn in 2025, putting AI on track to become one of the world's fastest-growing sources of electricity demand. Installed capacity is expected to double by 2030, with AI workloads already accounting for 15–20% of data-center electricity use and potentially approaching 40% by the end of the decade. Yet the sector's environmental footprint remains underestimated as most analyses focus only on operational electricity use. The authors take a broader systems view across 26 countries (+93% of global capacity), adding lifecycle emissions, water use and AI's growing resource demand. Identical workloads can generate up to 24 times more emissions depending on the emission intensity of the grid, making location as decisive as demand growth. Fossil-dependent grids in Indonesia, India and Malaysia exceed 600 gCO2/kWh, compared with under 30 gCO2/kWh in Norway and Sweden. The US and China, which host the largest data-center clusters, sit in between at 384 gCO2/kWh and 526 gCO2/kWh, respectively, giving Europe's cleaner power mix a structural advantage for low-carbon AI growth. These disparities are amplified by transmission and distribution losses of 10–15% in some markets, while less reliable grids raise electricity needs and dependence on backup generation.

A Study of Architectural Measures to Reduce Overheating. Literature Review and Analysis, Historic England

The authors identified different historic architectural measures used in England and in British colonial architecture abroad. They investigated how passive architectural measures, such as awnings or shutters, have been used in the past to reduce solar gain and seasonal overheating. The different measures are supporting Historic England in identifying appropriate adaptation options to a changing climate. As temperatures increase, there is a growing risk of overheating occurring in buildings. This could lead to thermal discomfort, health implications for building occupants due to thermal stress, and increased energy usage due to a rising demand for cooling to counter the overheating. In addition to identifying what measures were used historically, the authors also sought to identify the different risks, regulations and limitations that might need to be considered when contemplating their integration into an existing historic building.

Glass Half Full: Building a Decarbonized U.S. Power Sector, Lily Bermel, Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) was built, sold, and attacked as the largest climate investment in U.S. history. It enacted an extensive suite of clean energy tax credits and included hundreds of billions of dollars in grant and loan programs, reestablishing the United States as a climate leader. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 (OBBBA) rescinded the vast majority of the IRA’s grant and loan programs and restructured the clean energy tax credit framework by phasing out the wind and solar tax credits and adding restrictions to the others. Many clean energy advocates saw these changes as the death of the IRA and warned of dire consequences for the American energy transition. Indeed, removing and restricting energy tax credits will contribute to higher energy prices, project cancellations, job losses, and less energy added to the grid at a time when power demand is surging. Policymakers designing the next wave of decarbonization policy need to start with a clear-eyed understanding of how the current environment shapes the energy transition. The author provides one for the power sector, the backbone of that transition. The author assesses how much the current policy environment preserves the benefits of the prior policy environment, situates those modeled results within the real-world forces shaping delivery, and draws out what the findings imply for future policy priorities and public spending.

The Power Behind AI. Wave of Dirty Gas Power Plants Planned for Data Centers, Bird et al., The Environmental Integrity Project:

At least 74 natural gas-fired power plants are planned across the U.S. to provide energy for the rapidly growing data center industry. These proposed gas plants, which would be dedicated to serving data centers, are expected to generate 143 gigawatts of electricity – enough to power the state of California nearly three times over. The plants would also release nearly 662 million tons per year of greenhouse gas pollution, which would have the climate-warming effect of 140 million cars and trucks driving for a year or the emissions from the entire nation of Australia. Beyond greenhouse gases, this wave of power plants for data centers could also release 159,142 tons of health-harming air pollutants, including 44,281 tons of nitrogen oxides that contribute to smog and lung damage and 32,684 tons of fine particulate matter, which can trigger heart and asthma attacks. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. This pollution is a small fraction of the likely environmental effect of the booming artificial intelligence (AI) industry and affiliated data centers. These 74 planned gas plants, including 71 new power plants and three plant expansions, would be connected directly to data centers — so-called “behind-the-meter” power plants. These plants are designed to provide their electricity primarily to data centers and not to compete with local households and businesses on regional power grids. More power plants are being planned across the U.S. that will indirectly serve the growing data center industry along with other consumers on the grid, which will likely drive up electricity prices for nearby residents.

City of Boulder, Climate Action Plan, City of Boulder

This Climate Action Plan outlines how Boulder's aim to reduce emissions, strengthen infrastructure resilience and invest in communities most affected by climate change. It connects long-term goals with practical strategies already in motion across the city. Already occurring are extreme heat, longer droughts, greater fire risk and rising energy burdens, especially for community members with the fewest resources. These effects are not future threats. They are here now. The city is responding with clear targets, coordinated action and a focus on long-term public benefit.

Mental Images of Global Warming in the Indian Mind, Thaker et al., Yale Program on Climate Change Communication

Most Indians are unfamiliar with the term "global warming": When asked to name the first word or phrase that came to mind, 58% were unable to give a specific response or said they do not know. Those familiar with “global warming” associate it primarily with heat, water, and pollution. Familiarity with the term “global warming” varies sharply, with higher recognition among more educated, higher income, and urban respondents.

Investing in the green economy 2026: Resilience and reacceleration, Dai et al., London Stock Exchange Group

The green economy has surpassed US$10 trillion despite energy shocks, policy divergence and market volatility. Against a backdrop of volatile markets, energy supply disruption and rising electricity demand, the authors analyze green investment opportunities and how the green transition is evolving by examining the size, growth, performance and financing of the global green economy across asset classes. The authors also examined how green assets are scaled via merger and acquisition with profitability analysis, the role of green bonds in supporting capital flows, and the diverging regional green economy shaped by decarbonization and energy security priorities.

50 State of Energy Affordability, Apadula et al., North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center

The authors provide updates on state and utility actions to address rising electricity costs, including utility business model reforms, utility oversight and cost recovery, infrastructure planning and procurement processes, customer cost allocation, and customer programs.

Economic, Consumer Cost, and Pollution Impacts of Federal Energy Policy Changes, Robbie Orvis and Daniel O’Brien, Energy Innovation Policy and Technology

The United States’ energy policy framework has shifted dramatically during the second Trump administration and 119th Congress. Over the past one and a half years, the federal government has overhauled many legislative and regulatory policies, creating significant implications for clean energy deployment. Energy prices continue rising, exacerbating the affordability crisis Americans are facing. The authors used the Energy Policy Simulator to model federal policy decisions made since January 2025 to determine what the near future holds for families and businesses in terms of energy costs, public health, job losses, and grid reliability. The authors analyze the effects of policy changes on energy prices, the economy, air pollution, and healthcare spending from 2026 to 2040. The author's modeling shows higher energy costs, worsening public health effects, and less capacity added to the grid – blocking new generation when it is needed most and increasing utility costs.

Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2025, Dardour et al., International Renewable Energy Agency

Renewables remain the most cost-competitive source of new electricity generation. More than 90% of utility-scale renewable projects commissioned in 2025 delivered power below the cost of the cheapest new fossil-fuel plant built in their market. After more than a decade of steep declines, renewable power costs are stabilizing. In 2025, Solar PV remained at its 2024 level of USD $44/MWh, while wind continued to improve, with onshore wind falling to USD $33/MWh and offshore wind to USD $78/MWh. In contrast, most dispatchable renewable technologies recorded higher costs, with hydropower, geothermal and concentrating solar power rising to USD $62/MWh, USD $89/MWh and USD $115/MWh, respectively. Bioenergy was the exception, declining to USD $86/MWh. In 2025, renewables helped avoid an estimated USD 480 billion in fossil-fuel costs and about 8.4 gigatonnes of CO2 emissions, confirming their role not only as the cheapest new power, but as a pillar of energy security, economic stability and resilience. About New Research

Click here for the why and how of Skeptical Science New Research.

Suggestions

Please let us know if you're aware of an article you think may be of interest for Skeptical Science research news, or if we've missed something that may be important. Send your input to Skeptical Science via our contact form.

Previous edition

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

After reaching a record low in 2022, effective management and above-average snowpack helped raise and sustain Great Salt Lake water levels. Unfortunately, in 2026, drought and below-average snowpack...

By Charles L. Tumuhe

A few months ago, my sister Janet got married to her husband Nathan. It was a traditional marriage ceremony, and as her Muko (brother), I was handed a big, proud local cock by my in-laws. No speech came with it. None was needed. That bird said everything: you are family now, you are trusted, you belong here. I held it carefully, because I knew what it meant.

You cannot get that meaning from an exotic broiler.

I grew up in a small village in western Uganda with local chickens all around us. On Christmas morning, my mother would dress in her new gomesi (female fabric) and my father in a new shirt saved from the previous Christmas, and we would walk to church in our new clothes carrying a hen or a cock as an offering. It was not unusual. It was just what you did. Even the ‘secular’ neighbours the catechist frowned at, the ones we call traditionalists, kept at least one chicken of a specific colour (usually white) in their home. Not for eating. For protection. The village elders were clear about it: a home without a chicken is an empty home, and empty homes attract trouble.

When important guests came, you did not send a child to buy soda or a takeaway box from the supermarket. You went outside and picked the best local cock in the yard. You honoured people with something real.

Our local chickens were remarkable birds at that time. They found their own food, slept on tree branches and rooftops, raised their own chicks, and managed perfectly well without anyone checking on them. Up to now a local cock will always find the highest point he can, a mango branch, a rooftop corner, the top of a granary, and crow from there. He is not performing. He is simply declaring that he is home. A broiler imported from the Netherlands cannot do any of this. Such a broiler cannot even find its way back to the shed if it wanders ten metres away.

I can tell you that something has gone badly wrong.

Go to most restaurants today, from Kampala through Nairobi to Dar es Salaam, and the chicken on the menu is no longer what we grew up with. It carries the same name, yes. But it is a completely different thing. It is a fast-growing hybrid raised in crowded sheds under artificial light, on antibiotic laced feed, designed to reach slaughter weight in record time. Four or five weeks, the bird is ready for slaughter! Haha! Many of these birds cannot support their own weight by the time they are killed. The meat is soft and tasteless. My grandmother, if she were alive, would refuse to cook or eat it. Is this chicken? I am sure she would wonder!

This exotic bird is now at our school lunches, workplace dining, hospital canteens, wedding receptions, and funerals. It dominates because it is cheap and easily accessible in large quantities. “Cheap” and “available” is a powerful argument. But there are things that “cheap and available” does not tell you. We start with health risks from the methods the exotic bird is raised.

The World Health Organisation and African public health bodies have been warning for years that routine antibiotic use in animal farming is making infections harder to treat in humans. Our hospitals, say the Mulago Cancer Institute in Kampala, are already dealing with this health crisis.

There is also a dependency problem that few people talk about. Many of the popular imported breeds, including the Sasso T451 distributed under licence from Hendrix Genetics, are hybrids. Their offspring do not breed reliably. Every few months, the farmer has to buy fresh chicks, most of them flown in from Europe or Asia. Three companies, namely Tyson Foods in the United States, EW Group in Germany, and Hendrix Genetics in the Netherlands, reportedly control around 90 percent of global poultry genetics. African farmers are their customers, not their partners. It is the hybrid maize story again, this time with feathers.

Ask yourself what happens when a shipment is delayed. When the port closes. When prices go up. Does the wedding go ahead with no cock for the Muko?

GRAIN (2025) documents how Ghana, after independence, built a thriving poultry sector through strong public extension services and careful import controls, reaching self-sufficiency by the 1970s and even exporting to its neighbours. Then the World Bank and IMF arrived with structural adjustment conditions that forced the government to privatise and open its market to cheap imports from Europe, Brazil and the United States. Today, Ghana imports 90 percent of its poultry meat needs. Local commercial production has been decimated. The same story, with local variations, is playing out across the African continent. We are feeding our people with chickens flown in from elsewhere while our own birds, and the women who keep them, go without support.

The people who have always kept our local chickens, the women, the elders, the small farmers with five or ten birds, are scattered and unsupported. I used to be an agricultural extension officer some years ago. I observed that extension veterinary officers prefer to visit the large farmers with imported poultry breeds. Research money also follows these exotic poultry hybrids. The local cock is forgotten! Some donor programmes arrive with impressive looking fast-growing chicks, take a photograph, and disappear. The smallholder counts losses and is left wondering why the chicken her grandmother kept for generations is now considered backward and “unproductive”. The local bird is not a problem. The system has failed the local bird.

In our cities, a lot of young people skip necks and feet when it comes to eating chicken. It’s less about taste and more about the vibe. They’d rather have boneless pieces in a clean, branded box from KFC.  But in northern Uganda, parts of western Kenya, and across much of West Africa, it’s still normal to eat every part of the bird. Not because people are forced to, but because they know those parts are worth it. When I grew up, our mother boiled chicken legs for us to prevent a possible measles disease attack. Nutritionists could explain the magic in this.

FAO Food Balance Sheets show that the average protein supply in Uganda is about 48 grams per person per day, much of it coming from plant foods such as beans, peas and cassava. This is close to the basic adult requirement of about 50 grams per day, but protein quality matters, especially for children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers. They need the animal protein. One egg provides about 6 grams of high-quality protein, along with important nutrients such as vitamin B12, vitamin D, choline and iron. According to 2021 national livestock census, Uganda produces about 907 million eggs per year. With a population of about 52 million people, this means Uganda produces fewer than 18 eggs per person per year (this is roughly one egg every three weeks). If every Ugandan ate just one egg per day, the country would need about 19 billion eggs per year, which is more than twenty times current production. To reach that level, Uganda would need around 127 million productive laying local hens, assuming each local hen lays about 150 eggs per year.

In ordinary village conditions, a local Ugandan hen may lay only about 40 eggs per year. This low number is not because the bird has no potential, but because she is usually left to survive on scavenged feed, poor housing, disease pressure, predators and long brooding periods. With good housing, vaccination, better feeding, manure recycling, clean water, hygiene, predator control and proper chick management, the same local hen can produce about 150 eggs per year, and sometimes more under very good management. Commercial layers from Netherlands produce an average of 200 eggs per year. Yet at a bigger cost to the environment and our culture. This means Uganda does not have to abandon the local chicken. It has to support it properly.

Is there still local chicken in Africa?

Fortunately, 85 percent of poultry flocks in Africa are still indigenous birds raised in backyard systems, and 70 percent of these are managed by women and children (GRAIN, 2025). But unfortunately, these birds rarely feature in policy discussions or trade statistics. The people who have sustained Africa’s poultry genetic heritage for generations are the most invisible in the decisions that affect it. This is not just an agricultural failure. It is a political one.

Isn’t the poultry market already fully captured by the exotic bird?

No, GRAIN wrote in its recent publication that in Zambia and Burkina Faso, indigenous chickens are more profitable for small-scale farmers than exotic free-ranging breeds. Consumers in these markets prefer indigenous birds for their taste, texture and perceived health benefits, and are willing to pay a premium for them. The market is not an obstacle. The market is actually on our side. What is lacking is the organised supply to meet it. Governments also have a direct role to play. Benin, Senegal, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and others have moved to ban or limit imports of frozen chicken — what Beninois communities call “poulets morgue” or mortuary chickens — from Europe, Brazil and the United States. The results have been tangible: local producers recovered markets, and dependency on imported meat declined. Uganda has not yet taken this step. It should.

The way forward is not complicated, though it requires real commitment from all of us. Local chickens need to be taken seriously in agricultural training and extension, not treated as a poor cousin to imported breeds. Smallholder keepers need better housing, better feeding programmes, targeted vaccination for the diseases that threaten their birds, and simple predator proof structures. They also need farmer cooperatives for input and product marketing, and well-designed agroecological crop–livestock systems. Near my village home in western Uganda recently, I watched a young man in my age bracket building a hedge fence around his chicken yard to keep the predators, including “human predators” away. Large sums of local birds “free ranging” yet enclosed and supported with good hygiene and supplementary feeding. A small thing. A smart thing. That is the kind of practical knowledge that deserves support in our agroecology projects and sharing in articles like this one. Smallholders need cooperatives to help them access and supply markets reliably. With such cooperatives, the “are the local chickens available” question is answered. Restaurants and institutions need to be encouraged, and sometimes pushed, to source and name local birds from these cooperatives the way good food culture works elsewhere in the world.

And we need to teach our children that ‘local’ is not a compromise. It is the real thing.

Because that local cock at my sister’s wedding last year was not just a bird. He was family history, held in my two hands, passed from one generation to the next. If we let local chickens go, we lose more than protein and organic soup. We lose the offering carried to church and other shrines, the elder’s cure, the protection at the doorway, the meaning that no exotic broiler has ever been able to carry.

Somewhere on this continent tomorrow morning, a cock will still climb to the highest branch he can find and call out. He is telling the village “I am still here”. The question is whether we are still the kind of people who hear him.

Don’t underestimate heat. While less visible than other extreme weather events like hurricanes or floods, heat consistently accounts for more U.S. fatalities than any other type of weather disaster. Around the world, extreme heat now kills one person every minute, according to a recent report, a rate that has risen 23 percent since the 1990s.

Heat deaths are also chronically undercounted, both in the U.S. and around the world. Outdoor workers are among the most vulnerable, along with older people, children, and those with chronic health conditions. But heat can affect anyone, and our own biases about what constitutes good weather (sunny summer days are glorious) often downplay its risks.

Grist has been reporting on the steadily increasing threat of extreme heat for years. So as we contend with continued record-breaking years of temperature highs, we’re rounding up some of that reporting to help you understand why it’s vital to take heat seriously, and how to stay safe. 

The rising threat of heat A sign posted in Phoenix, Arizona during the city’s 2023 heat wave. Mario Tama / Getty Images

To put it simply, hot places are getting hotter, and places that have traditionally not experienced extreme heat and are less prepared to weather it are increasingly subject to dangerous temperatures.

The risk of heat is increasing. Any given heat event can’t be solely attributed to climate change, but there is no doubt that heat waves are happening more often and reaching higher highs as a result of climate change. In fact, scientific consensus is now that climate change has played a role in making almost all heat waves more likely or more severe.

And yes, even in years that experience extreme cold weather, the average overall temperature is rising.

Other factors can amplify the warming effects of climate change, like the naturally occurring El Niño weather pattern. In an El Niño year, global heat is typically exacerbated by high ocean temperatures in the Pacific. The hottest years on record tend to happen during El Niño.

The term heat wave generally describes any period of unusually hot weather. But some of the most dangerous heat waves are caused by what’s known as a heat dome. In a heat dome, a high-pressure system traps hot air in one region, feeding off itself to increase heat and humidity the longer it stagnates in one place.

Humidity makes heat even more dangerous. Any type of heat can be dangerous when your body can’t pump out sweat fast enough to stay cool. But heat and humidity play together to affect your ability to cool off. Higher humidity makes it harder for sweat to evaporate, reducing your body’s ability to cool itself naturally.

That’s why you may hear not just about temperature, but about something called “wet bulb temperature,” a measure that includes both heat and humidity — essentially the temperature we experience after sweat cools us off.

When the wet bulb temperature crosses 95 degrees Fahrenheit, our bodies lose the ability to cool down entirely — a threshold that has already been breached more than a dozen times, mostly in Pakistan and the Arabian Peninsula. But stress on the body can start much lower than that. Even healthy young adults can experience health effects at a wet bulb temperature as low as 86 degrees F.

Heat affects your whole body A poster on a Los Angeles street warns about heat-related illness in 2026. Justin Sullivan / Getty Images

Exposure to high heat has immediate health effects. Extreme heat forces the heart to pump two to four times as much blood per minute to cool the body. That can lead to dehydration, which makes blood thicker and harder to circulate, and worsen into heat exhaustion or heatstroke, or lead to heart failure. On particularly hot days, burns from scorching hot surfaces, including pavement, are an added risk.

Each year, hundreds of thousands of people in the U.S. end up in the emergency department due to heat illness and related cardiovascular, respiratory, and kidney issues. 

What to watch for: The first symptom of severe dehydration is typically cramps, which might feel like normal workout cramps.

Signs of heat exhaustion include muscle aches or cramps; headache; excessive sweating and thirst; feeling lightheaded or dizzy; nausea or vomiting; and pale, cool, clammy skin, especially on the extremities.

To combat heat exhaustion, bring down a person’s body temperature by removing heavy clothes, drinking water, and moving to shade or AC. Laying them down with elevated legs and applying damp cloths or misting with water can also help actively cool the body.

Save this quick tip sheet from Grist’s Instagram. Adapted from Extreme Heat 101.​

Heatstroke occurs when the body loses its ability to cool itself and reaches dangerous internal temperatures. It can result in permanent brain injury or loss of life. Look out for symptoms like confusion, irritability, or unresponsiveness; severe fatigue; a fast pulse; nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea; lack of sweat (though sweating is possible too); and hot and dry skin.

Call 911 if you think someone is experiencing heat stroke, then dunk them in cold or iced water, or apply ice on areas near large blood vessels, like the groin, armpits, neck, and core.

Save this quick tip sheet from Grist’s Instagram. Adapted from Extreme Heat 101.​

Heat’s health effects also reach much deeper. Exposure to extreme heat affects us in all sorts of other ways that doctors and scientists are just beginning to understand. For example, heat has been shown to increase rates of violent crime, and has been linked to worsening mental health including suicide.

Long-term exposure to heat can result in chronic health issues, like cardiovascular disease. Outdoor workers in some of the hottest parts of the world are developing an unusual form of chronic kidney disease linked to extended dehydration and heat stress. 

Heat affects all of your body systems. These are a few key ones. Find even more here: How climate change gets under the skin​

Nighttime heat is a particular driver. Nighttime temperatures are increasing faster than daytime temperatures in much of the world, eliminating a crucial window for cooling down.

We also sleep worse when it’s hot, already losing 45 hours of sleep per year due to the heat.

Ways to prepare Improvised window coverings in a Paris apartment during the June 2026 heat wave. Sophia Berger / Hans Lucas via AFP / Getty Images

Your house makes a big difference. If a heat wave is headed your way, dehumidify your house to get the indoor humidity down. Seal off openings around windows and doors to prevent hot air from entering. Cover windows to prevent the sun from heating up the indoors — blackout shades, blinds, or even DIY solutions work.

In a low humidity environment, you can even DIY your own air conditioning.

Keep water, electrolytes, and ice on hand, at home and at work, and identify cool places to go, like a public library. This isn’t just useful to ease boredom — heat can place additional strain on the electricity grid as everyone runs their air conditioners, sometimes resulting in power outages.

In the long term: Retrofits like reflective roofs, window overhangs to block the sun, and better insulation can provide more relief.

And as you’re preparing, don’t forget to check on vulnerable neighbors and community members. 

Grist has even more advice for safety and preparedness. Go deeper on community readiness and workplace safety here: Extreme heat 101

And more tips on emergency preparedness, including for heat and power outages, can be found here: How to prepare for a disaster

Stay safe out there (or, better yet, inside where it’s cool).

This story was originally published by Grist with the headline Why heat is so deadly and how to stay safe on Jul 9, 2026.