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The impacts of extreme weather and climate can be amplified by physical interactions among events and across a complex set of societal factors. This Perspective discusses the concept and challenge of connected extreme events, exploring research approaches and decision-making strategies.
Surface CO2 concentrations in the western Arctic Ocean differ due to local processes. During the period 1994–2017, the Canada Basin has shown rapid increases as warming and ice loss enhance air–sea exchange of CO2, whereas the Chukchi Shelf has strong biological activity, resulting in a CO2 sink.
Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) will be necessary to meet climate targets. Applying equity principles to allocate national CDR quotas shows a large variation across countries and principles, while within the EU domestic biophysical limits constrain individual capacity to achieve them.
The world has changed this year under the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lockdowns around the world have reduced energy demand, resulting in emissions declines, but what could the post-COVID-19 world look like — a return to normal, or will this start a transition?
An Oxford atmospheric physicist and experimenter on early NASA weather satellites who revolutionized the field through leadership of the Appleton Laboratory, the Meteorological Office and the Science Board of the IPCC.
The carbon footprint of oil refining differs depending on crude oil quality and refinery configuration. Analysis of global oil refining in 2015 shows refining carbon intensity at crude, refinery and country levels and highlights potential for emissions reductions.
Traditional coastal protection methods that rely on built, hard structures like seawalls may not be effective to keep pace with a changing climate. Nature-based coastal defences based on habitat restoration can be an adaptive coastal protection alternative.
Warming is predicted to weaken the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation. Simulated temperature stabilization at Paris Agreement targets shows recovery to a level independent of the target, with continued North Atlantic warming and North Atlantic sea-level rise lower than the global mean.
Synergistically addressing local and global environmental damages rather than optimizing a specific aspect of the policy conundrum helps to effectively foster climate action in road transport while maintaining public acceptance and socially fair outcomes.
Ocean acidification is changing the productivity and composition of phytoplankton communities at the base of the aquatic food web. Now a study shows that acidification impairs the swimming ability of flagellated microalgae, suggesting that their capacity to survive is threatened in a high CO2 world.