Climate

Warnings are circulating that a possible super El Nino event, amplified by global warming, could put as many as 450,000 lives at risk. The claim, highlighted in Marathi-language news coverage, links the intensifying El Nino pattern to deadly heatwaves, droughts and crop failures. Commenters are debating how far climate change is making these warming episodes stronger and more dangerous for vulnerable populations.

A study published in Science argues that a Mega El Niño pattern, producing extreme and prolonged climate swings, triggered the end-Permian mass extinction around 252 million years ago, the deadliest extinction event in Earth's history. The researchers say runaway warming destabilised ecosystems beyond what species could tolerate. The paper is being shared widely, with an open-access version of the full text available.

Small island nations facing existential threats from rising seas and climate change are pressing the international community for stronger action, declaring 'we're not giving up.' The widely syndicated AP story frames these states as the moral voice of global climate negotiations, highlighting their activism despite limited power. The coverage is being picked up by outlets across the United States.

Island nations facing rising seas and intensifying storms say they will not abandon their fight against climate change, despite mounting setbacks. Leaders and residents of low-lying states are pressing for stronger global action on emissions and climate finance as their homelands face existential threats from warming oceans and coastal erosion.

A new Guardian documentary, 'Prison Letters', follows Max, a 14-year-old struggling with climate anxiety, as he writes letters to climate activists who have been imprisoned for direct action. The film traces his search for hope and his quest to understand the human stories behind protest movements and why so many climate demonstrators have served time in prison.

Al Jazeera is reporting that climate change is redrawing coastlines, warning that rising sea levels pose a growing threat to coastal cities around the world. The coverage highlights how flooding, erosion and land loss are expected to displace communities and strain infrastructure in low-lying urban areas as warming oceans continue to expand and ice sheets melt.

Winemakers worldwide are adopting new strategies to cope with climate change, which is altering growing seasons, harvest times and grape quality in traditional wine regions. Reported approaches include shifting to more resilient grape varieties, moving plantings to cooler altitudes and latitudes, changing vineyard management techniques and experimenting with new irrigation and shading methods. The story highlights how a sector closely tied to stable weather patterns is being forced to adapt its centuries-old practices.

Energy costs and surging electricity demand from artificial intelligence are reshaping climate negotiations underway in New York. Delegates are weighing how to meet climate goals while power-hungry AI data centres drive up consumption, making affordability and grid capacity central issues alongside emissions targets.

An unmanned, hurricane-proof Saildrone vessel has begun a treacherous 22,000km journey around Antarctica, departing from Hobart in the name of climate science. The autonomous craft is designed to withstand extreme conditions while collecting ocean and climate data from one of the planet's harshest marine environments, drawing attention for the ambition of its circumnavigation.

Some television weather forecasters are working climate change into their broadcasts, explaining links between warming and extreme weather. CBC reports that while many meteorologists see it as part of their job, not all viewers welcome the added context, and some forecasters face criticism or complaints when they connect daily forecasts to longer-term climate trends.

A deadly flood in Nepal has renewed debate over climate justice, with Inside Climate News examining what fair support for the country should look like. Nepal contributes little to global greenhouse gas emissions yet suffers severe losses from climate-driven disasters, raising calls for wealthy nations to provide greater funding and accountability for adaptation and recovery efforts.

A climate lawsuit brought by the City of Boulder against fossil fuel companies is set to reach the US Supreme Court, according to reporting from CU Boulder Today. The case is considered a landmark in climate litigation, and observers are weighing what is at stake: whether cities can hold energy companies financially liable for local climate damages. The outcome could shape similar lawsuits across the country.

As artificial intelligence data centers grow larger and increasingly cluster together in cities, they release significant amounts of hot air into surrounding neighborhoods, creating a new environmental and planning challenge. The waste heat adds to urban heat island effects, raising questions about where these facilities should be built and how cities will manage the extra warmth as AI infrastructure expands.

Researchers are calling on organisers of the 2034 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah, to use the Games as a catalyst for improving the region's air quality. Utah's valleys regularly suffer from pollution-trapping inversions, and scientists argue the Olympic spotlight should be leveraged to push for lasting clean-air policies rather than short-term measures.

amNewYork published an op-ed arguing that rebuilding the Metro-North Hudson Line is only one piece of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's wider effort to protect New York's transit network from climate change. The piece frames the repair work as part of a larger strategy of hardening infrastructure against flooding and extreme weather, and it invites readers to weigh how the MTA should prioritize climate adaptation across the system.

Saudi Aramco scientists have contributed to IPCC climate reports, the UN assessments that shape global climate policy. Reporting by the Guardian highlights how oil company researchers ended up with roles in the world's most influential climate science documents, raising questions about conflicts of interest and industry influence over the scientific consensus on fossil fuels and global warming.

High Country News reporter Hannah Covington examines hail damage, a problem costing billions of dollars annually in the United States and one that could intensify as the climate warms. At a cold laboratory in Colorado, scientists are working to better understand how hailstones form so they can improve forecasting and reduce losses to crops, vehicles and buildings.

Japan has shifted from a rice shortage to a rice surplus in roughly two years, according to Fortune. The reversal is attributed to a combination of factors: drought conditions that had previously squeezed harvests, surging tourism that drove up domestic demand, and trade dynamics involving the United States. The swing has drawn attention given the political sensitivity of rice prices in Japan, where rice costs have been a major consumer concern.

The Guardian has published an explainer on El Niño, the periodic warming of sea surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific that can drive droughts, floods and heatwaves across the world. The piece outlines what causes the phenomenon, how it disrupts weather patterns, and which measures can reduce the risks it poses to communities and agriculture.

Scientists say fall foliage across the United States is shifting, with peak colors arriving later and displays becoming less vibrant in many regions. Warmer temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns and stress from drought and disease are altering when and how leaves change. The changes are drawing attention as autumn tourism and beloved seasonal traditions could be affected in popular foliage destinations.

Questions are being raised about whether river cruising, a popular and fast-growing segment of the tourism industry, faces long-term risk from climate change. Low water levels on major rivers in recent years have already disrupted sailings in Europe, prompting debate about droughts, changing rainfall and the viability of routes that depend on stable water depths.

New analysis indicates that American attitudes toward climate change cannot be reduced to race alone: views vary significantly within racial and ethnic groups and track party affiliation more closely than identity. The findings suggest political partisanship is a stronger predictor of climate beliefs than demographic background, complicating common assumptions about how different communities in the United States perceive environmental issues and climate policy.

New reporting highlights that emissions already released by the world's biggest polluters will continue driving global warming for decades, even if new pollution stops. The findings underline the long-lasting effect of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and the lag between emissions cuts and temperature stabilization. Commenters are stressing the urgency of holding major emitters accountable and the limits of near-term climate action.

London's royal parks are set for a major redesign as officials draw up plans to prepare them for climate change. The scheme reportedly involves changing planting and landscapes so the historic green spaces can withstand hotter, drier conditions. Details of the proposals are reported by The Times, which describes it as a 'changing of the garden' for the parks.

Billionaire investor Mark Cuban asked Elon Musk's chatbot Grok which threat is most likely to cause human extinction within 25 years. The chatbot reportedly answered that artificial intelligence is about 3,000 times more likely than climate change to wipe out humanity. The exchange is drawing attention in ongoing debates about AI safety versus climate risk, with skeptics questioning how such odds can be calculated and others citing it in warnings about runaway AI development.

Food Tank argues that data and AI technologies can accelerate responses to climate change, but should support rather than replace existing climate action. The piece emphasizes that tools like data analytics and artificial intelligence are complements to established environmental strategies, helping speed up decision-making and implementation, not substitutes for the fundamental work of reducing emissions and adapting to a warming world.

New Jersey regulators have fined a DataOne datacenter in Vineland $1.1 million after a journalist-led visual investigation found dozens of unpermitted diesel generators on the site. It is described as the state regulator's largest fine of its kind, and the case is drawing attention to the environmental footprint and regulatory oversight of rapidly expanding datacenter infrastructure.

A Nation.Cymru commentary argues that climate change has fallen off the top of Wales's political agenda and sets out what it would take to restore its priority. The piece reflects concern among Welsh campaigners and commentators that economic pressures and day-to-day politics are crowding out climate action, and calls for renewed focus from the Welsh Government and policymakers.

Flood risk is increasing in the Philadelphia region, according to a WHYY report outlining what residents need to know. The piece explains the growing dangers from heavier rainfall and changing conditions in the area, offering guidance on how people can prepare and stay informed. It reflects broader concern across the region about intensifying flood threats and the steps communities should take to protect homes and infrastructure.

OnlyFans creators, including British model Lily Phillips, are using their large online audiences to raise awareness about climate change, according to Mashable. The unusual crossover between adult content creators and environmental messaging has drawn attention for reaching audiences that traditional climate campaigns often struggle to engage, though details of the specific campaigns remain limited.

A new interactive map charting glacier extinction has been launched, tracking which of the world's glaciers are projected to disappear and when. The tool comes as scientists warn that glacier loss is accelerating worldwide, threatening water supplies for millions and raising concern among skiers, mountain communities and climate researchers.

A rural Idaho county that banned renewable energy development is now reconsidering the decision, according to Grist. The story is drawing attention among climate and clean energy observers, who see it as an example of communities weighing the economic and practical costs of rejecting wind and solar projects after the fact.

Burlington County in New Jersey has been selected to take part in a new climate change study, according to an announcement from the county government. The study is expected to examine climate-related risks and conditions affecting the region. Details on funding, partners, and timeline have not yet been released, and local reaction is still limited.

Smithsonian Environmental Research Center scientists deliberately flood a forest in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, every summer as part of a long-running experiment. By pumping water into the wetland forest, researchers simulate sea-level rise to study how coastal ecosystems and carbon storage respond to climate change. The unusual project draws attention for its hands-on approach to understanding what rising seas will do to Maryland's tidal forests.

Veteran California political columnist Dan Walters argues that campaigns seeking voter approval for local tax increases frequently rely on tricks and manipulation to tilt the outcome. His piece examines the tactics used to sway voters on local revenue measures across the state, adding to ongoing debate over how California municipalities fund services through ballot measures.

Time magazine examines how warming oceans and a changing climate may be altering the intensity and behavior of Nor'easters, the powerful storms that batter the US East Coast. Warmer sea surface temperatures can fuel heavier precipitation, while shifting jet stream patterns may influence storm tracks and frequency, raising questions about future coastal storm risks.

Colorado's glaciers are shrinking, and researchers say their retreat is a visible signal of a warming climate. Reporting from Colorado focuses on what the loss of these ice masses means for the state's water supplies, ecosystems and mountain landscapes. Coverage highlights the glaciers as local indicators of broader climate change, drawing attention from residents and scientists alike.