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Still on the right track? Researchers at the University of Graz enable reliable monitoring of the Paris climate goals

Researchers at the University of Graz have developed a new benchmark timeseries that tracks global surface air temperature change from 1850 to 2034. This enables reliable monitoring of the Paris climate goals, which are set to be exceeded by 2028. The study proposes a four-classes assessment scale to gauge compliance with the agreement.

SourceUniversity of Graz·JournalCommunications Earth & Environment·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJun 2, 2025

1.5°C Paris Climate Agreement target too high for polar ice sheets and sea level rise

A new study suggests that limiting global temperature increase to 1.5°C may not be enough to save the world's ice sheets, which could lead to significant losses and extensive displacement of coastal populations. The researchers argue that a target of around 1°C would be more effective in preventing rapid sea level rise.

SourceDurham University·JournalCommunications Earth & Environment·TypeSystematic review·DateMay 20, 2025

Rising temperatures lead to unexpectedly rapid carbon release from soils

Researchers discovered that soil carbon turnover accelerates rapidly in response to temperature increases, releasing more CO2 than previously thought. This finding has significant implications for the future of atmospheric CO2 concentrations and highlights the need to revise soil sensitivity in climate models.

Aldabra Atoll's remarkable shoreline resilience over 51 years

A new study published in Scientific Reports reveals that Aldabra Atoll's shoreline has maintained its net shoreline and total land area over 51 years, with an average change rate of 25 cm per year. The lagoon shoreline underwent more rapid changes than the ocean shoreline, particularly in areas exposed to wind and waves.

SourceUniversity of Zurich·JournalScientific Reports·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 12, 2024

Possible to limit climate change to 1.5°C – if EU and 17 other countries go beyond their own targets

A new study quantifies each country's equal share of the remaining 1.5C carbon budget based on equal per capita historic emissions since 1990 and share of the remaining carbon budget. High-income countries have large carbon debts, while several upper-middle income countries have high future emissions.

SourceStockholm University·JournalNature Communications·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateNov 12, 2024

New study charts how Earth’s global temperature has drastically changed over the past 485 million years, driven by carbon dioxide

A new study reveals that Earth's surface temperature has varied more greatly over the past 485 million years than previously thought. The study, co-led by the Smithsonian and University of Arizona, confirms that carbon dioxide is strongly correlated with global temperatures across geological time.

SourceSmithsonian·JournalScience·TypeObservational study·DateSep 19, 2024

Sea surface temperature record in the southwestern Pacific: Coral colony from Fiji reveals warmest temperatures in over 600 years

A coral colony from Fiji has provided a new record of sea surface temperatures in the southwestern Pacific, revealing that 2022 was the warmest year in over 600 years. The reconstruction uses data from the giant coral Diploastrea heliopora, which records long-term climatic and environmental changes.

SourceJohannes Gutenberg Universitaet Mainz·JournalScience Advances·DateSep 18, 2024

Land-sea “tag-team” devastated ocean life millions of years ago reveal scientists

A team of researchers discovered that a 'tag-team' between the oceans and continents led to severe environmental crises, causing mass extinctions of marine species. The study found that chemical weathering pulses disrupted the oceans, leading to anoxic events that had profound impacts on marine ecosystems.

SourceUniversity of Southampton·JournalNature Geoscience·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateAug 29, 2024

Study finds highest prediction of sea-level rise unlikely

A new study led by Dartmouth researchers questions the rapid polar ice collapse model used in the IPCC's sixth assessment report. The team found that the expected rate of retreat is significantly lower than predicted, making the worst-case scenario less likely, but still dire due to ongoing ice loss from Greenland and Antarctica.

SourceDartmouth College·JournalScience Advances·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateAug 21, 2024

Climate reporting standards insufficient, must be expanded, say Oxford net zero experts

A new study by the University of Oxford recommends expanding climate reporting standards to capture companies' wider impact on global net zero. This includes their product power, purchasing power, and political influence. The goal is to incentivize systemic change through products, purchases, and policy lobbying.

SourceTaylor & Francis Group·JournalCarbon Management·TypeCommentary/editorial·DateAug 14, 2024

New perspectives for using corals in climate research

A research team from the University of Göttingen has developed a new method to analyze the oxygen isotope composition of coral skeletons, allowing for more accurate temperature reconstructions and insights into biomineralization processes. This breakthrough enables scientists to correct for 'vital effects' that can distort climate data.

SourceUniversity of Göttingen·JournalGeochemical Perspectives Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 7, 2024

The solar system may have passed through dense interstellar clouds 2 million years ago, altering Earth’s climate

Astrophysicists calculate that two million years ago, the solar system encountered a cold, harsh interstellar cloud, which may have interfered with the sun's solar wind and affected Earth's climate. The heliosphere, a protective plasma shield, was compressed in such a way that it briefly placed Earth outside its influence.

SourceBoston University·JournalNature Astronomy·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJun 10, 2024

Riding the whims of the wind

Researchers develop a mathematical model that analyzes the future survival of plants in a changing climate by studying how far wind can carry seeds. The model provides fast and reliable predictions of seed movement, considering factors like seed type, plant height, and wind speed.

SourceUniversity of Missouri-Columbia·JournalEcological Modelling·DateNov 30, 2023

Laser-based ice-core sampling for studying climate change

A new laser-based sampling system allows for higher depth resolution, enabling scientists to reconstruct continuous annual temperature changes thousands of years ago. The LMS system overcomes previous limitations in sampling ice cores, preserving critical oxygen and hydrogen isotopes needed to infer past temperatures.

SourceRIKEN·JournalJournal of Glaciology·DateSep 19, 2023

Climate projections detail future risks for many people worldwide

A recent study by Bay Area Environmental Research Institute and NASA reveals that two degrees of warming will lead to increased heat stress, fire weather, floods, and droughts globally. The NEX-GDDP dataset provides daily climate projections for regions, enabling local leaders to develop targeted adaptation and mitigation plans.

SourceBay Area Environmental Research Institute·JournalEarth s Future·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateAug 10, 2023