Aims & Scope

Aims

Understanding the Earth's changing climate, and its consequences, is a scientific challenge of enormous importance to society. Nature Climate Change is a monthly journal dedicated to publishing the most significant and cutting-edge research on the nature, underlying causes or impacts of global climate change and its implications for the economy, policy and the world at large.

Nature Climate Change publishes original research across the natural and social sciences and strives to synthesize interdisciplinary research. The journal follows the standards for high-quality science set by all Nature-branded journals and is committed to publishing top-tier original research in all areas relating to climate change through a fair and rigorous review process, access to a broad readership, high standards of copy editing and production, rapid publication and independence from academic societies and others with vested interests.

Scope

In addition to publishing original research, Nature Climate Change provides a forum for discussion among leading experts through the publication of opinion, analysis and review articles. It also highlights the most important developments in the field through Research Highlights and publishes original reporting from renowned science journalists in the form of feature articles.

Topics covered in the journal include:

  • Adaptation
  • Anthropology
  • Atmospheric science
  • Biochemistry
  • Communication
  • Cryospheric science
  • Ecology
  • Economics
  • Energy
  • Ethics
  • Geography
  • Health
  • Hydrology
  • Impacts and vulnerability
  • Mitigation
  • Modelling
  • Oceanography
  • Palaeoclimate*
  • Philosophy
  • Policy and governance
  • Political science
  • Psychology
  • Sociology
  • Sustainability and development

*Nature Climate Change publishes cutting-edge research on the science of contemporary climate change, its impacts, and the wider implications for the economy, society and policy. Thus, while we certainly appreciate the importance of palaeoclimate research in its own right, we can only consider for publication palaeoclimate studies that shed significant new light on the nature, underlying causes or impacts of current climate change.