Articles tagged with Climate Systems
Researchers caution that weakening core safeguards in carbon markets risk worsening climate impacts and increasing net carbon emissions. Indigenous land stewardship is vital for maintaining intact ecosystems and vital carbon sinks, but alternative support mechanisms are needed to preserve the integrity of climate action.
A new study reveals Antarctica's sea ice collapse is driven by a triple whammy of climate chaos, resulting in record-breaking lows. The Southern Ocean's transformation led to the loss of vast areas of ice equivalent to Greenland, destabilizing global ocean currents and accelerating global warming.
A new study reveals that around two-thirds of the Amazon rainforest could shift into degraded ecosystems at 1.5-1.9°C of global warming due to increased deforestation. The study highlights the critical role of the Amazon in regulating moisture recycling and stabilizing the Earth system.
A two-decade slowdown of a critical Atlantic Ocean current has been found, potentially reshaping weather patterns across the globe. The weakening Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) may lead to more extreme storms, changes in rainfall, and colder winters in some regions.
A new report highlights the catastrophic risks of nature loss on food systems, economies and societies. Chronic pressures like soil degradation and water scarcity are already reducing crop yields and increasing food prices.
A UCLA-led study reveals that airborne desert dust traps about twice as much heat as previously estimated, leading to improved climate and weather models. This increase in precision will help forecasters predict regional temperature shifts, rainfall patterns, and atmospheric motions.
A global paradigm shift is needed to protect intact ecosystems and prioritize Nature Positive framework, integrating Indigenous knowledge and finance. The webinar series on May 28, 2026, will explore effective actions for people and nature, guided by the Three Conditions Framework.
Researchers have forecasted a super El Niño event toward the end of 2026, driven by a rare and extreme surface annular warming pattern in the tropical Pacific. The current heat content buildup alone would generate a moderate El Niño, but adding the influence of annular warming intensifies it into the super category.
A new study explores potential options for Venice to adapt to sea-level rise, including relocating the city, movable barriers, ring dikes, and closing the Venetian Lagoon. The research suggests that no single approach is optimal, requiring a balance of factors such as resident wellbeing, economic prosperity, and cultural heritage.
A new paper warns that halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030 is urgent to avoid destabilizing the Earth's vital systems. The authors call for a unified 'Nature Positive' approach to global environmental goals and governance.
Researchers predict that glaciers in High Mountain Asia may threaten future water security due to rapid melting caused by warming temperatures. The study found significant losses in glacier mass between 2002 and 2023, which could intensify short-term flood risks and reduce long-term meltwater availability.
A recent study reveals that Alaskan permafrost is thawing rapidly, leading to increased runoff, carbon releases, and altered coastal ecosystems. The research focused on a Wisconsin-sized area of Alaska's North Slope, simulating daily river flows and coastal exports over 44 years.
A new study finds that the North Atlantic's exceptional warmth played a key role in the Valencia DANA storm's intensity, with precipitation 40% lower without it. The research highlights the importance of oceanic context in extreme weather events, reinforcing the need for global climate simulations.
A research team analyzed 2.2 million thunderstorm events to identify a physical explanation for their formation. The study found that differences in soil moisture generate near-surface winds, leading to intense thunderstorms. High-resolution satellite measurements of soil moisture were crucial for this analysis.
A new study by Lund University reveals that large forest fire emissions occur below the ground surface, in peat and organic soils, rather than above-ground. This affects climate impact assessments, as traditional methods risk missing significant carbon releases.
Leading climate scientists, including Prof Benjamin Santer, reiterate the role of humans in global warming and warn against using an inaccurate government report to inform legal decisions. The report's claims are factually incorrect, contradicting decades of research on human-caused temperature changes.
A new study by Manchester researchers argues that directional terms like 'upcycling' and 'downcycling' can skew perceptions of plastic sustainability. The study suggests that a more nuanced approach is needed to evaluate the environmental impact of recycling technologies.
Researchers have shown that ocean temperature patterns limit the global spread of droughts, with synchronised droughts affecting only 1.8% to 6.5% of global land. The study identified 'drought hubs' in regions like Australia, South America, and southern Africa.
Scientists warn that synchronised extreme fire weather, characterized by warm and dry conditions, has increased worldwide since 1979, straining international firefighting cooperation. The number of high-risk days with simultaneous fires is more than doubling, making wildfires harder to tackle and increasing air quality issues.
The REST-COAST project presented scientific advances, practical tools, and governance insights developed throughout its lifetime. Researchers explored pathways for upscaling from site-specific demonstrations to broadly adaptable frameworks, linking high-resolution modelling with broader decision-support tools.
The all-virtual Cal Poly Climate Solutions Now conference will address a wide range of climate topics, including energy, water, waste, business sustainability, agriculture, education, and more. Presenters from various industries will share strategies, tools, and information to help mitigate climate change.
New research from the University of Copenhagen suggests that volcanic eruptions during the Ice Age may have disrupted the AMOC, threatening Denmark's climate. The study shows that extreme volcanic eruptions can throw the climate system out of balance and push the AMOC into a weakened or collapsed state.
The University of Washington's STRIVE team will examine the atmosphere where weather forms, while the EDGE team will study the three-dimensional structure of the Earth's surface. These satellite missions aim to provide new insights into temperature, trace gases, and air pollution.
A team of researchers at the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, developed an ensemble technique to improve climate modeling by tracing water molecules' movement. They found a general increase in atmospheric water vapor associated with warming temperatures, linking it to large-scale climate phenomena.
Researchers found that many birds don't strictly follow their supposed temperature adaptations, instead moving to efficiently acquire and use energy. This 'energy efficiency' hypothesis suggests that altitudinal migration is a behavioral mechanism allowing birds to optimize their energy budgets in the face of seasonality and competition.
A combination of weakened atmospheric removal and increased emissions from warming wetlands, rivers, lakes, and agricultural land led to the surge in methane levels. Climate variability amplified methane emissions across interconnected ecosystems, with key contributions from tropical Africa and Southeast Asia.
Research from the University of East Anglia predicts that tropical cities will experience increased urban heat island effects under 2°C global warming. The study finds that up to 81% of medium-sized cities will warm more than surrounding rural areas, with some experiencing warming rates up to 100% higher.
A new study from the University of Copenhagen suggests that flooding low-lying areas in wetlands may not be the most effective way to mitigate climate change. Instead, maintaining a stable water table below ground level can help reduce methane emissions and promote CO2 sequestration, according to researchers led by Professor Bo Elberling.
New research reveals that North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) was only about 1.8°C colder than today during the Last Glacial Maximum, contradicting previous assumptions of near-freezing conditions. The study supports climate model projections and suggests that weakening AMOC could have dramatic consequences for future climate.
A research team evaluated 39 CMIP6 climate models to better understand their performance in simulating multiyear El Niño events and their impact on southern China's spring precipitation. Most models struggle to reproduce the associated precipitation anomalies, highlighting substantial inter-model differences.
Researchers have found that El Niño and La Niña are driving total water storage extremes globally, with a synchronizing effect on water storage across continents. The study uses gravity data from NASA's GRACE and GRACE Follow-On satellites to track water extremes and their connections.
A new study led by NTU Singapore reveals that El Niño events can persistently slow long-term improvements in mortality rates, leading to enduring reductions in life expectancy. The research estimates that El Niño could reduce life expectancy gains by 2.8 years and cause economic losses of up to US$35 trillion by 2100.
Mars plays a measurable role in shaping Earth's long-term climate patterns, including ice ages, through its gravitational influence and orbital cycles. The study suggests that Mars' presence is necessary for the existence of major climate cycles, which have driven evolutionary changes on Earth.
Researchers discover hydroperoxides form from α-keto acids in clouds, rain, and aerosol water when exposed to sunlight, influencing atmospheric hydrogen peroxide levels and particle formation. The study provides a new framework for understanding hydroperoxides' role in the atmosphere.
Researchers discovered a 'one-two punch' of orbital forcing and climate variability driving ice sheet melting in ancient Antarctica. The findings provide new insights into the complex processes shaping our planet's climate history.
Research in Chile's national parks shows that wildfires significantly alter soil structure and nutrient cycles, affecting ecosystem resilience. Humid temperate forests recover faster than mediterranean woodlands due to fire-adapted trees and higher rainfall.
Recent research reveals that volcanic eruptions can cause unpredictable weather patterns, including volcanic rain, dust storms, and unstable Antarctic air. The study also found that the Antarctic surface atmosphere has become less stable and more prone to gravity waves since the 1950s.
The 106th Annual Meeting of the American Meteorological Society will focus on the intersection of technology and human decision-making in weather, water, and climate sciences. The meeting will feature keynote presentations, Presidential Sessions, and named symposia highlighting key Earth science topics.
Researchers found that warming temperatures may actually reduce nitrogen gas emissions from forest soils in dry conditions, contradicting earlier predictions. The study's findings suggest that moisture levels, not just heat, play a crucial role in determining the fate of nitrogen in forests.
Strong EAWM enhances upward heat fluxes, cooling sea surface temperatures south of Japan, modifying storm-track activity and intensifying the monsoon. A feedback loop emerges: cold air cools the ocean, reinforcing the monsoon.
Researchers at ISTA and others have discovered a previously unknown cyclic climate pattern, known as TWISO, which influences weather fluctuations and seasonal changes. This finding has implications for predicting tropical storms and saving lives.
A modelling study suggests that heat stored in the Southern Ocean could be released, causing a rapid warming of the atmosphere. The ocean acts as a large heat reservoir, mitigating atmospheric warming since the Industrial Revolution.
A new paper outlines a global coalition dedicated to conserving microbial biodiversity, which accounts for 99% of life on Earth. The Microbial Conservation Specialist Group will develop Red List-compatible metrics, pilot restoration projects, and promote public awareness to ensure microbes are recognized as essential to planetary health.
Researchers have discovered that sudden shifts in the Southern Westerly Winds 15,000 years ago triggered a massive growth of ancient bogs across the Southern Hemisphere. The study found that the shifting winds created an ideal climate for the swamps to form, and now believe they play a crucial role in regulating carbon stores in peatland.
New research reveals that artificial light at night silently reshapes the carbon balance of entire continents by increasing ecosystem respiration but not photosynthesis. This has major implications for climate models and global carbon budgets, with potential effects on ecosystems, animal behavior, habitats, and natural patterns.
New research suggests that ocean turbulence and horizontal stirring will dramatically increase in the Arctic and Southern Oceans due to human-induced Global Warming. The study uses ultra-high-resolution simulations to investigate how mesoscale horizontal stirring (MHS) responds to warming, revealing a pronounced future intensification ...
A new report published in BioScience reveals Earth's climate crisis is accelerating at an alarming rate, with 22 of 34 planetary vital signs now at record levels. The study emphasizes that climate change mitigation strategies are available and urgently needed to limit warming.
A new study published in Science reveals that large fluctuations in global sea level occurred throughout the last ice age, rather than just at its end. This finding represents a significant shift in researchers' understanding of past climate history and challenges conventional wisdom on the middle Pleistocene transition.
A new study reveals that ENSO could intensify rapidly over the coming decades and synchronize with other major climate phenomena, leading to stronger rainfall fluctuations in regions such as Southern California and the Iberian Peninsula. The amplified impacts will necessitate enhanced planning and adaptation strategies.
Researchers measured gas emissions from 96 US wastewater plants, finding they produce 1.9-2.4 times more nitrous oxide and methane than previously thought. This means taking steps to improve a small number of plants can have a significant impact on overall pollution.
Dr. Ashley Cornish has been awarded the 2025 Peter B. Wagner Memorial Award for her research on the impacts of plant physiological responses to rising CO2 on humidity-based extreme heat. Her study found that decreases in water vapor from plants lead to warmer temperatures, corresponding with increases in extreme heat events.
A study found that UK MPs and the public overestimated the time needed for global greenhouse emissions to peak. Labour MPs were more likely to know the correct answer than Conservative MPs. The researchers suggest that institutions like the IPCC need to improve communication about climate change to policymakers and the public.
The Swiss Alps have experienced its fourth greatest shrinkage of glacier ice since 2003, with over 1,000 small glaciers disappearing since 2015. The rapid melting was driven by low snowfall and record-breaking heatwaves in June 2025.
A new study suggests that the Earth's carbon cycle can overcorrect and plunge the planet into an ice age if greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise. The researchers found that in a warmer world with enhanced algae growth, the oceans lose oxygen, leading to a feedback loop that consumes more carbon.
A study by University of Arizona researchers found that selecting the right data for flood insurance can significantly improve accuracy, speed, and predictability. The type of data used affects not only payout timing but also confidence in anticipating future payouts, influencing program costs.
New research suggests that severe hail storms in Europe will become less frequent but bigger and more devastating, especially in Southern Europe. Climate experts attribute this to warmer temperatures causing hail to form higher in the atmosphere, where storm updrafts are weaker.
Researchers at the University of Tsukuba found that 2023 marine heatwaves significantly exacerbated the record-breaking East Asian summer heatwave. The study revealed that changes in cloud cover and water vapor enhanced solar radiation reaching the ground, amplifying surface temperatures.
Researchers at UC Riverside discovered a carbon burial process in the ocean that can cause Earth's temperature to overshoot and cool down, potentially triggering an ice age. The study suggests that the planet's thermostat is not functioning as expected due to changes in atmospheric oxygen levels.
Hanqin Tian, Boston College Professor and Director of the Center for Earth System Science and Global Sustainability, has been honored with the 2025 AGU Bert Bolin Award. His research has fundamentally advanced understanding of biogeochemical cycles and their roles in the climate system.