Nature Climate Change

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Nature Climate Change is a monthly journal dedicated to publishing high-quality research papers that describe the most significant and cutting-edge research on the causes, impacts and wider implications of global climate change. The journal publishes climate research across the physical, biological and social sciences and strives to integrate and communicate interdisciplinary research. The journal aims to play a leading role in: providing accessibility to a broad audience to research published both within and outside the journal; raising the visibility of climate change research in related research communities as well as the mainstream media; and offering a forum for discussion of the challenges faced by researchers and policy makers (and other interested parties) in understanding the complex mechanisms and impacts associated with the Earth’s changing climate.
Updated: 1 hour 18 min ago

A westward shift of heatwave hotspots caused by warming-enhanced land–air coupling

Thu, 03/20/2025 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 20 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02302-4

Heatwaves are expected to become more frequent with warming, but how their spatial patterns change is not well understood. Here the authors show that heatwave hotspots in the Northern Hemisphere have shifted westwards over the past few decades.

Decreasing dynamic predictability of global agricultural drought with warming climate

Mon, 03/17/2025 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 17 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02289-y

Soil moisture droughts can have severe impacts on agriculture, which makes forecasting them crucial. Here the authors show that the dynamic predictability of these agricultural droughts decreases with climate change in many regions.

Publisher Correction: Climate-driven connectivity loss impedes species adaptation to warming in the deep ocean

Fri, 03/14/2025 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 14 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02313-1

Publisher Correction: Climate-driven connectivity loss impedes species adaptation to warming in the deep ocean

Small step funding models fit better for climate research

Fri, 03/14/2025 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 14 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02281-6

Small step funding models fit better for climate research

Mitigation needed to avoid unprecedented multi-decadal North Atlantic Oscillation magnitude

Wed, 03/12/2025 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 12 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02277-2

The North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) is a key pattern of climate variability for surrounding land areas during winter. Here the authors constrain projections to show that the magnitude of the NAO increases under high emissions, leading to more severe winters.

The implications of climate gentrification for urban climate action

Tue, 03/11/2025 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 11 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02265-6

Urban climate actions have resulted in some progress towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting human settlements to a warmer planet. However, the long-term implications of climate gentrification threaten the continued efficacy of these actions.

Adaptation gaps in airports

Mon, 03/10/2025 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 10 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02285-2

Adaptation gaps in airports

Groundwater recharge in a warming world

Mon, 03/10/2025 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 10 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02286-1

Groundwater recharge in a warming world

Southern African flux variability

Mon, 03/10/2025 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 10 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02284-3

Southern African flux variability

Germination timing shifts communities

Mon, 03/10/2025 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 10 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02287-0

Germination timing shifts communities

Strength in collaboration

Mon, 03/10/2025 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 10 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02298-x

The IPCC is in its seventh assessment cycle, and international collaboration, which established this organization, is still needed to ensure successful deliverables.

Avoiding misuses of energy-economic modelling in climate policymaking

Mon, 03/10/2025 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 10 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02280-7

Energy-economic models are increasingly being used to inform climate mitigation policies. This Comment describes three situations where models misinform policymakers and calls for more iterative, policy-orientated modelling exercises that maximize learning in the pursuit of long-term emissions reductions goals.

Worldwide rooftop photovoltaic electricity generation may mitigate global warming

Fri, 03/07/2025 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 07 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02276-3

Rooftop photovoltaic systems are often seen as a niche solution for mitigation but could offer large-scale opportunities. Using multi-source geospatial data and artificial intelligence techniques, the authors map their potential for reducing global temperatures and analyse regional differences.

The role of non-state actors in shaping UN climate change side event discussions

Thu, 03/06/2025 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 06 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02255-8

How discussions around key climate change topics evolve over time and which organizations drive such change are important questions. We found that business non-governmental organizations affiliated with fossil fuels focus on hosting renewable energy events but remain absent from anti-fossil-fuel discussions, led instead by a tightly connected network of environmental non-governmental organizations.

A deep dive into climate connectivity

Tue, 03/04/2025 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 04 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02253-w

Species are shifting their distributions in response to climate change, which on land depends on routes connecting intact habitat patches. Now, an analysis exploring the interaction between climate-driven shifts and human activities across ocean depths reveals threats for deep-sea biodiversity.

Climate-driven connectivity loss impedes species adaptation to warming in the deep ocean

Tue, 03/04/2025 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 04 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02256-7

The authors demonstrate that warming will reduce connectivity for ocean species, potentially limiting their capacity to adapt to warming through habitat shifts. The results show particularly strong losses of connectivity in deeper ocean strata, affecting 95% of abyssopelagic species.

Cascading impacts of climate change on child survival and health in Africa

Tue, 03/04/2025 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 04 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-024-02197-7

Children will bear considerable burdens of climate change, particularly where impacts intersect with pre-existing vulnerabilities. In this Perspective, the authors highlight how climate factors and socio-political stratifiers increase children’s risks in Africa and propose action to break vulnerability cycles.

Tracing inclusivity at UNFCCC conferences through side events and interest group dynamics

Mon, 03/03/2025 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 03 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02254-9

Side events of annual UNFCCC Conferences of Parties are one of several channels by which non-state actors influence climate negotiation. By analysing discourse and networks of actors, this research examines how topics evolve over time and how energy interest groups gain access to agenda setting.

Climate change and the global distribution of wealth

Mon, 03/03/2025 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 03 March 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02268-3

Rising wealth inequality is a major challenge for this century, and climate change could further exacerbate it. Based on an overview of existing studies, this Perspective proposes a framework to advance understanding of wealth inequality in relation to climate change and climate policies.

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