climate

Attention is turning to the current El Niño, which is being described as unlike any previously recorded. Commentators highlight that ocean temperatures and weather disruptions have exceeded anything seen in past El Niño cycles, raising concerns about extreme heat, storms and drought across multiple continents. Many are asking how climate change may be intensifying the pattern and what the coming months could bring.

Italy's parliament has approved a move toward restarting nuclear power, reversing a stance the country has held since abandoning nuclear energy after referendums following the Chernobyl disaster. The vote opens the way for new nuclear technology, including small modular reactors, as Italy seeks stable low-carbon energy supplies. Supporters frame it as energy security and climate policy; critics recall Italy's long-standing public opposition to nuclear power.

UN News has published a feature looking at how the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy is changing the idea of energy security. The piece argues that the recent global energy crisis pushed countries to rethink dependence on imported fuels, and that expanding wind, solar and other renewables can reduce exposure to price shocks and supply disruptions while supporting climate goals.

Germany has for the first time formally committed to phasing out fossil fuels, setting a target date of 2045. The pledge, reported by the Guardian, marks a significant shift in the country's climate policy and aligns with its existing goal of climate neutrality by 2045. Observers are weighing how Germany plans to replace gas and coal while maintaining industrial output.

Nepali political figure Balen Shah addressed the UN General Assembly, delivering a speech focused on climate change and Nepal's message to the world. The full speech circulated widely and generated strong engagement, with viewers sharing his remarks on the climate threats facing Himalayan nations and Nepal's call for global action.

US Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has withdrawn from a major climate-change case just days before it was due to be heard, according to a New York Times report. The recusal of a justice at the last minute from such a consequential case is highly unusual, and it remains unclear what prompted the decision or how it will affect the court's handling of the dispute.

The Wall Street Journal reports that American pressure is energizing Canada's energy sector, framing it as a sleeping giant now being roused. The piece suggests U.S. policy is pushing Canada to develop and assert its energy resources more aggressively. Further details from the article are not available, so the specific measures and reactions remain unclear.

US Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has recused himself from a major climate change case before the court, according to reports from USA Today and the Detroit Free Press. The move means the remaining eight justices will decide the landmark litigation. His withdrawal is drawing attention because recusals at the Supreme Court are rare and the case could shape US climate policy.

The Trump administration's push to expand domestic mining of critical minerals is moving into a region conservationists call America's 'forgotten wildlife corridor'. Reporting by InvestigateWest and Inside Climate News examines how mineral extraction plans could fragment habitat used by migrating wildlife, pitting the national strategy to secure supply chains for batteries and defense industries against environmental protection. Critics warn the corridor's ecological role has been overlooked in the rush to permit new mining projects.

A Kelvin wave is an underwater pulse of unusually warm water that travels eastward along the equator in the Pacific. Meteorologists are watching current Kelvin activity because such waves can push warm water toward the coast, influencing ocean temperatures, marine life, and weather patterns, and potentially shaping conditions that could affect California's climate outlook.

Scientists are tracking a slow-moving kelvin wave, a vast pulse of warm ocean water travelling along the equatorial Pacific toward the US West Coast. The phenomenon is closely tied to El Niño-Southern Oscillation dynamics, and observers warn it could shift weather patterns, raise coastal sea levels and influence storm activity for California in the months ahead, sharpening fears of extreme conditions on the West Coast.

Carbon Brief has published an explainer outlining how rising sea levels threaten human communities, cultural heritage and natural ecosystems worldwide. The piece details the science behind sea level rise, its causes and projected impacts on coastal populations, historic sites and habitats. It frames the issue as an existential threat, underscoring growing scientific concern about long-term coastal inundation.

Climate change is dominating global news coverage, ranking as the most discussed topic across international outlets. Major broadcasters including ABC News are leading with breaking coverage on the issue. The sustained attention reflects ongoing public concern over extreme weather, emissions policy and international climate negotiations, keeping the subject at the top of the global agenda.

Public health advocates in New Mexico are urging state lawmakers to adopt new measures addressing extreme heat and climate change. The proposals focus on protecting residents from rising temperatures and related health risks as the state faces hotter conditions. The push comes as legislators weigh priorities for upcoming sessions, with health groups seeking concrete policy action on climate-driven threats.

A question circulating online asks why climate scientists and environmental organisations rarely urge the public to go vegan, despite animal agriculture's links to emissions, deforestation and land use. Commenters are debating whether groups avoid the message for fear of alienating supporters, or whether individual dietary change is simply a smaller lever than policy and energy reform.

New reporting by Mongabay outlines a growing body of research suggesting climate change may be intensifying El Niño events, the periodic warming of the Pacific Ocean that drives droughts, floods and heatwaves worldwide. Scientists are examining whether warmer ocean temperatures are making these episodes more frequent or more extreme, with major implications for global weather patterns.

A new commentary argues that symbolic climate policies—measures with limited direct emissions impact—can still shape climate politics significantly by signalling government commitment, shifting public norms, and building support for stronger action. The piece suggests small policy signals can produce large political effects, influencing how citizens and businesses perceive the credibility of climate ambition.

A new book by scholar Monroe, 'Heritage and Hate: Old South Rhetoric at Southern Universities,' analyzes how Old South and Confederate rhetoric persists on Southern US campuses. Drawing on rhetoric, history, sociology, Southern studies and African American studies, it develops the concept of 'confederate rhetoric' to explain how heritage-based language functions amid ongoing debates over campus symbols and race.

A new report finds climate change is worsening skin disease in 42% of countries worldwide. Rising temperatures, pollution, and extreme weather are being linked to increased rates of dermatological conditions such as eczema, infections, and skin cancers, with the burden falling unevenly across regions. Health commentators say the findings add skin health to the growing list of medical impacts attributed to global warming.

A video challenging climate change denial is attracting wide attention online, having drawn more than 164,000 engagements under a title aimed directly at skeptics. The piece argues against claims that reject established climate science, and its popularity suggests a large audience for content confronting denial arguments head-on. Specific claims and who produced the video were not detailed in the available information.

The Wall Street Journal reports that El Niño has suppressed the Atlantic hurricane season, leaving it unusually quiet. The climate pattern's strong winds are tearing storms apart before they can develop, and forecasters and coastal residents are weighing what the calm season means for the rest of the year and for future hurricane outlooks.

The Scottish Government has launched a new Public Engagement Strategy for Climate and Nature, aiming to give communities a greater role in tackling the climate and nature crisis. The strategy seeks to help people understand how climate change affects their lives, support local action and ensure wider public involvement in Scotland's response to the crisis.

The BBC World Service's Climate Question podcast examines whether efforts to combat extreme heat are failing, as heatwaves intensify worldwide. The episode explores why rising temperatures continue to outpace adaptation and mitigation measures. It has drawn significant attention from audiences concerned about the pace of global climate action and the growing dangers of record heat.

Nepal's Prime Minister has described recent devastating floods in the country as 'a warning to the world' about climate change, urging global action as extreme weather intensifies in the Himalayan nation. The remarks come amid deadly flooding and landslides that have killed dozens and displaced thousands, drawing international attention to Nepal's vulnerability to climate-driven disasters.