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Neuroscience can help combat climate change by studying its impact on the human brain, adaptation strategies, decision-making processes and communication strategies. This Perspective outlines a roadmap towards these targets and calls on neuroscientists to join the fight against this global threat.

Aerial photographs collected during mapping expeditions of Greenland’s coastline represent the only robust, widespread observations of twentieth-century glacier change for this vast island. We use this unique dataset to document the response of Greenland’s peripheral glaciers to climate change over approximately 130 years, providing enhanced confidence that recent changes are exceptional on a century timescale.

.Observations of glacier response to climate changes prior to the satellite era are sparse. Here the authors use historical aerial photographs to document change in peripheral glaciers in Greenland since 1890, providing enhanced confidence that recent changes are unprecedented on a century timescale.

Societal transition to address climate change will require many changes. As society adapts and transforms, the labour market will be altered as some established areas of employment will disappear and new areas will emerge that will need workers.

The global loss and damage fund is essential to provide support for climate-impacted groups and help their local initiatives for adaptation. Now, research focusing on the Vanuatu population highlights the necessity to put human rights as a central consideration for loss and damage fund agendas.

Climate models have evolved from research tools to underpin decision-making across the globe. To provide optimal value for society in the future, the models need to be made operational.

Concrete analysis of job impacts is needed to inform efforts for a just transition. Now, a study finds that decarbonizing US electricity generation will create jobs, but with uneven distribution among states, industrial sectors and skill needs.

Climate change is a major human rights challenge. This research shows how climate change is impeding the human rights of Ni-Vanuatu, outlines what can be done in response, and discusses how the future loss and damage fund should consider human rights restoration and compensation packages.

Non-tornadic thunderstorm winds are associated with particularly strong damages. Here, the author assesses changes in these winds in the central USA and shows that they have intensified stronger than other extreme winds over the past decades, while the affected area increased 4.8-fold.

The low-carbon transition would bring both challenges and opportunities for the labour market, which have important implications for a just transition. In the US power system, the lowest-skilled workers in fossil fuel-dependent states will face more uncertain employment and job training will be necessary.

The remaining carbon budget for 1.5 °C has been a highly discussed tool to communicate the urgency of efforts needed to meet the Paris Agreement. Now, research reassesses IPCC estimates, suggesting that ongoing near-flat emissions and methodological choices can make big relative differences to the tiny remaining 1.5 °C budget.