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Both warming and precipitation changes are affecting the global carbon cycle, although the impact of the frequency and intensity of climate extremes on carbon cycling is unclear. Now, research suggests that most extreme events enhance soil organic carbon losses under warming globally.
The shale gas revolution has provided a cheap and relatively clean alternative for coal, but it also threatens the future market for renewables. Recent projections indicate that without tightening climate policy, shale gas will indefinitely delay the transition to net zero.
The Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO), a large storm system over the Indian Ocean and Western Pacific, plays a crucial role in our ability to forecast Earth’s weather 2–4 weeks in advance. Now, research suggests that the predictability of the MJO itself is increasing and will continue to increase with global warming.
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.
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.
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.
Global warming and overfishing are impacting fish species distribution, total catch and aquaculture viability, limiting our ability to harvest vital micronutrients that support human health.
The collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is a worrying climate tipping point, with the potential to raise global sea level by up to 5.3 metres. Now, an assessment of future climate scenarios suggests that accelerated melting of ice shelves in West Antarctica is locked in, even for the most ambitious emissions reduction scenarios.
Oxygen concentrations are a key aspect of water quality, with low levels linked to ecosystem stress. Research indicates that oxygen levels will decrease in hundreds of rivers across the USA and Central Europe under climate change.
Declining snow cover poses a substantial risk for many ski resorts that often counter this trend with snowmaking, leading to increasing emissions caused by ski tourism. Research now quantifies the risks of rising temperatures to the skiing industry at the pan-European level, together with the potential and emissions of snowmaking.
Amidst the Arctic sea-ice decline and the consequent increasing under-ice light transmittance, Arctic zooplankton face challenging times. The collection of a unique dataset in the central Arctic Ocean unravels the patterns of their vertical migration, signalling potential disruptions to the Arctic ecosystem.
Atmospheric observations can quantify anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions, but variability in net land carbon exchange delays the detection of changes. Now, research improves understanding of this variability and allows earlier detection of emissions changes.
Climate change might alter mosquito-borne disease risk, but research now suggests that one emerging mosquito control approach might be largely resistant to warming temperatures.
Natural disasters can trigger conflictive behaviour among affected individuals. Now, research based on survey experiments with Syrian and Iraqi refugees shows how people behave altruistically after experiencing drought, but only towards ingroup members.
An endangered turtle population translocated to a higher-latitude (cooler) location grew inadequately. This calls into question the future viability of the population and highlights the difficulties in carrying out climate change-related translocations.
Greenland is central to climate research and research now shows that Greenlanders are far more aware of a rapidly changing Arctic climate than of the underlying global causes. However, their willingness to harness new opportunities exceeds fear of climate change’s consequences.
Museum collections are a source for monitoring population changes at an evolutionary timescale. A comparative genomic study across time and space of populations of willow flycatchers (Empidonax traillii) reveals evidence of genetic responses to climate change through adaptation in genes associated with changing climatic conditions in southwestern North America.
Decades of deforestation and climate change have led to the southeastern Amazon becoming a carbon source region. Now, research shows that this carbon source region still sustains its own biomass production, but further degradation would decrease moisture recycling and amplify carbon losses to the atmosphere.
