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  What you need to know about the water crisis in Puerto Rico
  by Rafael Méndez Tejeda and Pearl Marvell
  K/Δ27_ 13.08.26_ 082083
  U.S. citizens in the San Juan area are waiting hours in line for water during drought. The post What you need to know about the water crisis in Puerto Rico appeared first on Yale Climate Connections.
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  Rhine falls to record low levels as drought strains Europe’s rivers, putting Germany’s economy at risk
  by Lee Bell
  K/Δ27_ 13.08.26_ 082083
  The Rhine, Danube and Po rivers in Germany have all fallen to historic lows as prolonged heatwaves continue across Europe, disrupting shipping, threatening power supplies and pushing saltwater into farmland Record low water levels have been recorded on the Rhine, Danube and Po as prolonged heatwaves continue to strain Europe’s busiest waterways.Europe’s major rivers do more than you’d expect – theyr’e industrial highways, cooling systems for power plants, and water sources for millions of hectares of farmland. So when they start drying up, the consequences can have a knock-on effect that snowballs across various regions and industries.Last month, it was
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  Met Office names 47 areas facing rare amber heat warning today as temperatures reach 38°C
  by Helena Mottram
  K/Δ27_ 13.08.26_ 082083
  The UK’s most intense heat of the summer so far is arriving today, with temperatures potentially reaching 38°C across parts of England. The Met Office has expanded its rare amber warning westwards, bringing more areas into the zone facing extreme heat and its associated impacts.Thursday will be the peak of the latest heatwave, with strong sunshine and light winds allowing temperatures to rise rapidly across England. The highest temperatures are expected across parts of the Midlands and western England, where 37-38°C is possible.The warning is in force from 09:00 until 23:59 on Thursday, with the Met Office warning of potential
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  Why heat waves can hit residents of cooler states especially hard
  by YCC Team
  K/Δ27_ 13.08.26_ 082083
  People often aren’t acclimated or equipped for extreme temperatures. The post Why heat waves can hit residents of cooler states especially hard appeared first on Yale Climate Connections.
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  Rising heat and wildfire smoke creates difficult indoor air decisions for households, researchers say
  by Kerry Taylor-Smith
  K/Δ27_ 13.08.26_ 082083
  Advice to shut windows and doors during wildfires helps protect against smoke pollution but can be challenging in hot weather, research suggests.Wildfire smoke contains PM2.5, a type of fine particle pollution that can irritate the lungs. Image: Adobe.Closing windows and staying inside doesn’t completely protect you from wildfire smoke while opening windows during hot weather only makes indoor air pollution worse, preliminary findings from the University of Manchester’s Cystic Fibrosis Hub Air Quality Research team suggest.Real-time analysis of PM2.5Smoke from wildfires contain PM2.5, a type of fine particle pollution that can travel deep into the lungs and cause irritation, making
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  Fate of the AMOC may depend on how quickly CO2 rises 
  by Madeleine Cuff
  K/Δ27_ 13.08.26_ 082083
  The critical current could remain stable beyond 5°C of warming, but only if the warming happens very slowly
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  Curaçao: the Caribbean’s hidden gem where the good weather never ends
  by Dainet Sierra
  K/Δ27_ 13.08.26_ 082083
  I’d love to explore Curaçao, a colorful island where the sun shines almost year-round. Its crystal-clear beaches offer a perfect peaceful escape long after the crowds have gone.Discover why Curaçao is about to spark so much curiosity.Cape Verde and Uzbekistan, among others. If the 2026 World Cup did anything beyond causing anxiety, it was to spark curiosity about unexpected national teams.And that is exactly where Curaçao comes in. Not because it entered the tournament as a favorite, but because some teams, even when they lose, manage to gain something else: attention, sympathy, and a place on viewers’ mental maps.That is
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  Tropical Storm Lala heads toward Hawaii; life-threatening floods possible
  by Irene Sans
  K/Δ27_ 12.08.26_ 082083
  Plus: Cristobal forms as the Atlantic awakens, with two tropical waves heading toward the Caribbean. The post Tropical Storm Lala heads toward Hawaii; life-threatening floods possible appeared first on Yale Climate Connections.
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  Gardening tip for hot weather: how to measure your lawn’s water needs with a glass
  by Helena Mottram
  K/Δ27_ 12.08.26_ 082083
  The prolonged heat and dry conditions are taking their toll on lawns in gardens. Local watering restrictions are also causing increasing drought stress. The good news is that lawns can recover quickly.A simple jam jar can be used to determine the amount of water needed for irrigation.In some areas, there are still no watering restrictions, so some people are trying to keep their garden lawns healthy by watering them daily with mains water. However, daily watering is not particularly beneficial during hot, dry conditions.The lawn should not be watered every dayIt is advisable to adopt a new watering routine. Gardening
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  Melting ice drives previously unknown natural process that seeds Arctic cloud formation
  by Kerry Taylor-Smith
  K/Δ27_ 12.08.26_ 082083
  A previously unknown process that seeds cloud formation over the Arctic is driven by melting sea ice, but what effect could it have on future climate change?Researchers discover a new process that could impact the climate by altering cloud cover, sunlight reflection, and future climate change. Image: Adobe.As climate change melts the Arctic ice, its exposed edges are revealing a previously unknown natural processes that is increasing the number of cloud-forming particles in the region.These particles could have a significant impact on the climate by altering cloud cover, sunlight reflection, and future climate change.Arctic ice melt releases cloud seeding particlesLed
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  A review of rescued climate data
  by SueEllen Campbell
  K/Δ27_ 12.08.26_ 082083
  The Trump administration has shut down websites like climate.gov and other climate data projects. Academics, journalists, and nonprofit organizations are working to rebuild what has been lost. The post A review of rescued climate data appeared first on Yale Climate Connections.
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  How an Atlanta ordinance could help the city cool off
  by YCC Team
  K/Δ27_ 12.08.26_ 082083
  It requires new construction and major renovations to use reflective roofs that can cool neighborhoods by as much as six degrees. The post How an Atlanta ordinance could help the city cool off appeared first on Yale Climate Connections.
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  Energy company urges public to power down during the eclipse
  by Catherine Early
  K/Δ27_ 12.08.26_ 082083
  Wednesday evening’s eclipse will briefly dim Britain’s solar power just as evening demand peaks. Octopus energy is rewarding customers who use less electricity from 6-8pm.The moon will cover 95% of the sun during this week’s eclipseWednesday’s solar eclipse is expected to be the best experienced in Britain since 1999, with the moon set to block up to 95% of the sun. However, the eclipse will briefly dim Britain’s solar power just as evening demand peaks.Energy company Octopus is rewarding customers who sign up with free electricity for one hour on Sunday in return for using less during the eclipse, which
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  The invisible effect of extreme heat: experts explain how soaring temperatures are isolating people
  by Helena Mottram
  K/Δ27_ 11.08.26_ 082083
  Severe storms, heatwaves and wildfires can bring a community’s social life to a standstill. Here’s why.Studies show that the amount of time Americans spend interacting face-to-face with friends and family had already been declining even before the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically reduced social interaction from 2020 onwards.When temperatures soar, friends and neighbours share heat alerts, check on older people or other members of the community who may need help, and organise community cooling centres when formal services are overwhelmed. However, the effects of climate change may also be weakening the very social fabric that helps communities thrive.As extreme weather events become
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  July 2026 ties with July 2024 as Earth’s hottest month on record
  by Jeff Masters
  K/Δ27_ 11.08.26_ 082083
  North America, Africa, and Asia all experienced their hottest month on record. The post July 2026 ties with July 2024 as Earth’s hottest month on record appeared first on Yale Climate Connections.
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  Climate change is not causing all mountain trees to move and grow at higher elevations
  by Helena Mottram
  K/Δ27_ 11.08.26_ 082083
  As global temperatures rise, scientists have largely assumed that mountain tree species will move to higher elevations in search of cooler conditions. However, the reality is proving to be more complex.The Green Mountains. The trees growing on the highest peaks of the Green Mountains are mountain forests and were the focus of this study. Credit: Ren Dillon, UVM.A surprising new study reveals why some mountain tree species are actually moving downhill, even as climate change drives others to higher, cooler elevations.New research published in Nature Climate Change reveals a far more complex picture: while some tree species are moving uphill,
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  Many Americans face an impossible choice during heat waves
  by YCC Team
  K/Δ27_ 11.08.26_ 082083
  For low-income families, staying cool can mean sacrificing food or other essentials. The post Many Americans face an impossible choice during heat waves appeared first on Yale Climate Connections.
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  Viral video: Typhoon Dolphin impacts several areas of China
  by Dainet Sierra
  K/Δ27_ 11.08.26_ 082083
  Typhoon Dolphin, the 13th typhoon of the year, made landfall in Yuhuan, a city in Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, eastern China, at around 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, according to the National Meteorological Center. More details in this report.Typhoon Dolphin (known in Chinese as Baihaitun, or “white dolphin”) made landfall in China on Sunday, August 9, 2026, at around 5:30 p.m. local time (09:30 GMT). The center of the system reached the coast near Yuhuan, in Taizhou, Zhejiang Province, in eastern China.At the time of landfall, maximum sustained winds near the center were approximately 151 km/h (94 mph), equivalent to a Category
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  Powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake rocks Colombia, leaving dozens dead and millions shaken
  by Dainet Sierra
  K/Δ27_ 11.08.26_ 082083
  A powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, killing dozens of people, damaging buildings across multiple cities, and shaking millions despite originating 68 miles beneath the Earth’s surface. Here’s why this deep earthquake was still capable of causing widespread destruction.Major damage was reported in Pereira, Cali, Manizales, Quibdó and Buenaventura, where buildings partially or completely collapsed, roads were damaged, and rescue teams rushed to search for survivors trapped beneath the rubble.A powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, killing at least 50 people, injuring hundreds more, and reducing buildings to rubble across parts of the country.
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  The U.S. just had its hottest month in recorded history, surpassing Dust Bowl record
  by Jeff Masters and Bob Henson
  K/Δ27_ 10.08.26_ 082083
  A long-infamous record from the 1930s has bit the dust. The post The U.S. just had its hottest month in recorded history, surpassing Dust Bowl record appeared first on Yale Climate Connections.
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  10 climate refuges in Europe to escape the extreme heat during the August holidays
  by Helena Mottram
  K/Δ27_ 10.08.26_ 082083
  These destinations benefit from a combination of ocean, mountains, vegetation and humidity that helps keep temperatures under control and creates a milder, more pleasant environment for summer holidays.Discover the ten destinations considered climate refuges for escaping this summer’s extreme heat.A list compiled by Forbes España identifies the ten leading holiday destinations in Europe that also serve as natural climate refuges, offering cooler summer temperatures than many other parts of the continent.According to CREAF (the Centre for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications), a public research organisation formed as a consortium of several public institutions, a climate refuge is a natural or
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  Watching the Atlantic: Could tropical waves exiting Africa make it past the wind shear?
  by Irene Sans
  K/Δ27_ 10.08.26_ 082083
  The tropical wave-watching marathon begins: African waves can take up to two weeks to reach the continental U.S., but several obstacles can prevent them from making it that far. The post Watching the Atlantic: Could tropical waves exiting Africa make it past the wind shear? appeared first on Yale Climate Connections.
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  ‘The Earth itself was screaming out:’ Bay Mills Indian Community fights pipeline permitting while enveloped in wildfire smoke
  by Samantha Harrington
  K/Δ27_ 10.08.26_ 082083
  A Canadian oil and gas company wants to continue operating its Michigan pipeline for 99 more years. Tribes and climate groups are pushing back. The post ‘The Earth itself was screaming out:’ Bay Mills Indian Community fights pipeline permitting while enveloped in wildfire smoke appeared first on Yale Climate Connections.
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  The link between Iowa corn and the dead zone in the Gulf
  by YCC Team
  K/Δ27_ 10.08.26_ 082083
  The Mississippi River carries fertilizer runoff from the Midwest to the Gulf – and increasingly extreme rain is making the problem more urgent. The post The link between Iowa corn and the dead zone in the Gulf appeared first on Yale Climate Connections.
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  “This is only a warm-up act”: Already strong El Niño expected to get stronger
  by Timothy McGill
  K/Δ27_ 10.08.26_ 082083
  A powerful El Niño is cooking the climate record books, and it has yet to reach peak intensity, prompting the World Meteorological Organization to issue a call for action. The event will shape weather patterns worldwide for several months.Sea surface temperature anomalies observed during the record-breaking 2015-2016 El Niño. (NOAA)The World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) latest Global Seasonal Climate Update cautions that an already strong El Niño is going to “steadily intensify” over the period of August through October. Most model projections have it peaking late this year, with many suggesting a very strong, even potentially historic, event.The predicted evolution of
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  WMO warns on wildfires: “Climate change increases the risk, but it’s not the only cause”
  by Dainet Sierra
  K/Δ27_ 10.08.26_ 082083
  Climate change is fueling increasingly extreme wildfires, but it does not fully explain their origin. The WMO warns that forest management and human activity remain key factors.Wildfires are no longer just a problem in regions that have historically been affected.Wildfires have become one of the greatest threats of the 21st century. Every summer, we see images of towering smoke plumes, mass evacuations, lockdowns, and thousands of acres reduced to ash, most recently in Spain, France, and Greece.However, experts from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) emphasize that these major wildfires result from the interaction of several factors: extreme weather conditions, the
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  Why is a Spanish village closing a mountain ahead of the Solar Eclipse?
  by Ameya Paleja
  K/Δ27_ 09.08.26_ 082083
  Have you visited a site for a unique experience and seen it flooded with tourists? That’s overtourism, and Spain is taking action to avoid overcrowding tourist hotspots, even if it means losing money in the process. Representative image of a sequence of a total solar eclipse with mountains in the background.On August 12, Spain will see its first total solar eclipse in over a century. The mayor of the tiny village of Jabaloyas in Teruel province, however, has ordered the closure of the highest peak, El Javalon, considered one of the best places in the country to experience totality. This
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  Mega wildfires in southern France detonate more than 400 unexploded shells left behind from the Second World War
  by Helena Mottram
  K/Δ27_ 09.08.26_ 082083
  An unprecedented wildfire crisis has engulfed France, giving rise to an unexpected phenomenon: the explosion of historic ammunition. The wildfires triggered the detonation of deadly Second World War weaponry that had lain hidden beneath the ground for decades.Mega wildfires in southern France detonate more than 400 unexploded shells left behind from the Second World War.The picture-postcard landscapes that traditionally characterise south-western France have been transformed into scenes of devastation. Prolonged drought conditions and persistently above-average temperatures have fuelled the rapid spread of the fires across vast areas of vegetation, dramatically altering the ecological balance of the region.The intense heat generated
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  Historic drought in the UK transforms landscapes and affects millions of people
  by Helena Mottram
  K/Δ27_ 08.08.26_ 082083
  Emergency services in England and Wales responded to almost 400 wildfire incidents in July, while record-breaking blazes swept through the Cairngorms National Park in Scotland. Stonehenge, in Wiltshire, is one of many green landscapes scorched by this summer’s extreme heat. Photo: Toby Melville/Reuters.Cities and rural areas across England and Wales are experiencing one of the worst droughts in recent history. July 2026 is on course to become the driest July ever recorded in official records, driven by successive heatwaves that have transformed traditionally green landscapes into dry, brown ground.The official declaration issued by the Environment Agency in England and Natural
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  ‘Unrecognisable’: nature reserve devastated by Suffolk wildfire
  by Catherine Early
  K/Δ27_ 08.08.26_ 082083
  A wildfire in Suffolk has destroyed 146 football pitches of rare heathland. Campaigners say it will take decades to recover, and is calling for the government to make the UK more resilient to fire and other impacts of climate change. Scorched trees at Dunwich Heath (c) National Trust Justin MinnsAn iconic landscape usually carpeted in purple heather this time of year has been reduced to dust and scorched trees by a wildfire caused by the drought. Dunwich Heath in Suffolk is lowland heath, one of rarest habitats in the country. An estimated 92% of this type of habitat has been
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  NOAA sticks with quieter hurricane season forecast – but don’t let your guard down
  by Dainet Sierra
  K/Δ27_ 08.08.26_ 082083
  NOAA is sticking with its forecast for a below-normal Atlantic hurricane season, pointing to a strengthening El Niño that’s making it harder for storms to develop. Still, the agency says one landfalling hurricane is all it takes to make a season memorable.NOAA’s updated outlook continues to call for fewer Atlantic storms than average, though experts stress that now is not the time to let your guard down.NOAA isn’t changing its forecast for the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, and that’s actually good news. The agency continues to expect fewer storms than usual, thanks largely to a strengthening El Niño that’s making
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  European forests have been losing more biomass since 2018 and storing less CO₂
  by Helena Mottram
  K/Δ27_ 07.08.26_ 082083
  Europe’s forests are losing more biomass than previously thought, and disturbances such as drought and pest infestations are causing increasingly severe losses in some of Europe’s oldest forests. The situation has deteriorated significantly since 2018.Absolute severity measures the amount of above-ground biomass lost following a disturbance such as wind damage, fire, insect infestation or logging. ESAThese are the findings of a study published in Nature Geoscience. The research, which was supported by an initiative of the European Space Agency (ESA), revealed that biomass losses increased dramatically after 2018, as drought, windstorms and insect infestations increasingly affected some of the oldest
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  Could geoengineering ‘ice arches’ help preserve Arctic sea ice?
  by Alec Luhn
  K/Δ27_ 07.08.26_ 082083
  Researchers are investigating whether artificially thickening ice blockages between Canada and Greenland could prevent huge amounts of sea ice from flowing south to melt
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  Some San Antonio neighborhoods are getting cool makeovers
  by YCC Team
  K/Δ27_ 07.08.26_ 082083
  Reflective pavement and new trees are lowering the temperature in heat-stressed communities. The post Some San Antonio neighborhoods are getting cool makeovers appeared first on Yale Climate Connections.
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  The floods of the future won’t come one at a time
  by Jeff Masters
  K/Δ27_ 07.08.26_ 082083
  A dangerous collision of storm surge, torrential rain, and sea level rise threatens to overwhelm communities from Texas to Maine. The post The floods of the future won’t come one at a time appeared first on Yale Climate Connections.
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  15 new books for five new takes on climate change
  by Michael Svoboda
  K/Δ27_ 06.08.26_ 082083
  Recent years have seen a boom in books on climate change. This collection spans from techno-optimism to philosophical pessimism. The post 15 new books for five new takes on climate change appeared first on Yale Climate Connections.
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  When the power goes out, homes can become heat traps
  by YCC Team
  K/Δ27_ 06.08.26_ 082083
  Austin, Texas, is helping low-income residents make energy efficiency upgrades, maintaining cooling centers, and urging people to check on neighbors. The post When the power goes out, homes can become heat traps appeared first on Yale Climate Connections.
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  Classic El Niño is strengthening – what does it mean for our weather?
  by Kerry Taylor-Smith
  K/Δ27_ 06.08.26_ 082083
  A strengthening El Niño means temperatures will remain high, but some areas could see rain in the coming months, while others face drought.El Niño is a phase of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and is one of the most powerful drivers of year-to-year climate variability. Image: Adobe.Global climate patterns between August and October are expected to be dominated by an intensifying El Niño say the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).For the UK, this means temperatures will likely remain above normal with drier-than-normal conditions due to lack of rainfall.What is El Niño? El Niño, and its counterpart La Niña, is a phase
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  We must adapt to climate change while also tackling the root cause
  by New Scientist
  K/Δ27_ 05.08.26_ 082083
  The devastating wildfires in Europe demand urgent measures to make landscapes more resilient, but without action to reduce use of fossil fuels, the danger is only going to increase
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  Analysis: Wind and solar power overtake fossil fuels in Germany for first time ever
  by Carbon Brief Staff
  K/Δ27_ 05.08.26_ 082083
  Print article Share More of Germany’s electricity came from wind and solar power than fossil fuels for the first time ever in 2025. Together, wind and solar power generated 225 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity – accounting for 44% of the total in 2025 – with just 217TWh (43%) coming from fossil fuels. Solar and onshore wind have grown rapidly under Germany’s “Energiewende” strategy over the past two decades, as the nation transitions away from both coal and nuclear power. Renewables have recently faced mounting opposition from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party and the current coalition government has been trying to develop new gas-power plants. Nevertheless, Carbon Brief analysis of Energy Institute data – shown in the chart below – illustrates how wind and solar have continued growing, emerging as the nation’s largest power source. The success of renewables in Germany mirrors the EU as a whole, which also saw wind and solar overtake fossil-fuel power generation in 2025 for the first time. “Other renewables” includes hydropower, bioenergy, geothermal and other renewable sources not otherwise stated. Source: Energy Institute Statistical Review of World Energy, 2026. Germany has various targets in place that require a rapid expansion of wind
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  Climate change is driving a ‘shift’ in childhood malaria risk across Africa
  by Ayesha Tandon
  K/Δ27_ 05.08.26_ 082083
  Print article Share Rising temperatures are redistributing the risk of childhood malaria in sub-Saharan Africa, resulting in areas of “new risk” in the east and south of the continent, but also “relief hotspots” in western Africa. This is according to a new study, published in Nature, which provides the “most comprehensive look to date at the impact of climate change on any infectious disease”. The research finds that since the year 1900, climate change has resulted in one extra case of malaria for every 1,000 children in sub-Saharan Africa on average.  Over the 21st century, climate change is expected to drive down malaria rates across the continent on average, as temperatures rise above the optimum range for mosquitoes.  However, the authors emphasise that continent-wide averages hide more detailed local trends.  They find that cooler parts of Africa face an increase in malaria risk, as rising temperatures have made the regions more suitable for malaria-carrying mosquitoes, while warmer regions see a suppression in malaria cases. The lead author tells Carbon Brief that this is the first study to use “attribution” – a field of climate science which uses models to compare conditions in a world with global warming to one without
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  World falling short on 22 of 23 nature targets for 2030, says draft UN report
  by Carbon Brief Staff
  K/Δ27_ 05.08.26_ 082083
  Print article Share The global goal to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030 “will not be achieved” unless action by countries “accelerates rapidly”, says a draft UN report. Countries are falling short on 22 of the 23 targets for 2030 they set under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), the “Paris Agreement for nature”. That is according to a draft version of a global report prepared by the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), published on 26 July. The report will be finalised ahead of the next nature summit, COP17, taking place in Armenia in October of this year. The second draft of the global report has undergone “peer review”, but will still be subject to “technical edits” before being formally published ahead of COP17. The final version will inform a global review of countries’ progress towards meeting the world’s 2030 nature goals, which will take place in Armenia. Below, Carbon Brief explains why the report has been produced and what it says about countries’ progress in areas such as restoring ecosystems and raising funds for biodiversity. Global report Overall findings Protecting and restoring nature Climate and biodiversity links Subsidies Mobilising finance Genetic resources Pollution Invasive species Article Contents
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  Factcheck: No, Europe is not having its ‘quietest’ year for wildfires
  by Carbon Brief Staff
  K/Δ27_ 05.08.26_ 082083
  Print article Share In recent days, prominent climate sceptics and rightwing commentators have shared charts on social media incorrectly implying that Europe is having its “quietest” year for wildfires in 2026. These include Dr Matthew Wielicki, a former University of Alabama geochemist and self-described “professor in exile”, who was recently appointed by the Trump administration to lead the US Global Change Research Program. However, these charts paint a misleading picture as they are skewed by encompassing the entirety of Russia in the data – including the vast plains of Siberia. These charts also use data that include fires that are deliberately lit to manage cropland, which is a declining practice across much of Europe. In this factcheck, Carbon Brief shows that the area burned by wildfires across the European Union in 2026 is second only to 2022 for this time of year. The latest data from the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) also shows that France has set a new modern record for area burned and Spain’s wildfire season is among the worst on record. The fires have displaced more than a third of a million people across south-western Europe, while an impending heatwave has also raised fears of
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  Correcting climate ‘misperceptions’ may not boost climate action
  by Jess Milligan
  K/Δ27_ 05.08.26_ 082083
  Print article Share The general public often underestimate support for climate action, while overestimating the real-world actions taken by other people to address the problem, according to new research. The study, published in Nature Climate Change, explores the differences between people’s support for climate change, their behaviour and their assumptions about other people’s behaviour. It is based on multiple surveys of more than 5,000 people across Germany and the US.The study expands on previous research on how the general public systematically underestimate the climate commitment of their peers. The difference between actual and perceived support for climate action among the public is sometimes known as a “perception gap”.  The surveys tested how people’s perceptions of climate attitudes and behaviours relate to their own willingness to contribute and undertake “climate-friendly” actions. One of the authors tells Carbon Brief that this perception gap is not due to “ignorance or bias”, but because “people are just not good at making good estimations”. The research also reveals that people’s opinions and behaviours are more “nuanced than previously assumed” and suggests that simply “correcting misperceptions” does not automatically lead to greater climate action. Measuring climate actions The study notes that correcting the perception gap is
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  Q&A: Does the world need ‘carbon capture and storage’ to reach net-zero?
  by Josh Gabbatiss
  K/Δ27_ 05.08.26_ 082083
  Print article Share When carbon dioxide (CO2) is released from a factory or power plant, the gas can be captured and permanently stored underground, preventing it from driving climate change. This is the idea underpinning carbon capture and storage (CCS), a technology that is at the heart of many nations’ net-zero plans. Influential organisations, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), describe CCS as “critical” for cutting emissions from key sectors – and for helping to avoid dangerous global warming. In particular, capturing CO2 is seen as one of the only viable options for decarbonising some of the world’s highest-emitting industries, such as cement production. The UK, for example, has committed to investing as much as £21.7bn over the coming decades in its nascent CCS industry, as part of the nation’s net-zero strategy. Yet, in the UK and elsewhere, there has been a backlash against plans for CCS. Citing high costs, ties to the fossil-fuel industry and a “history of poor performance”, critics describe CCS as a “dangerous distraction” or a “false climate solution”.  Time and again, the outlook for the roll-out of CCS has been scaled back, as the technology has failed to deliver as quickly as expected – and
• 
  Dry July – just how hot and dry has it been?
  by Kerry Taylor-Smith
  K/Δ27_ 05.08.26_ 082083
  July was incredibly sunny, hot and dry, but just what records were broken across the UK nations?The UK has seen above average hours of sunshine this July, but did they break any records? Image: Adobe.July was exceptionally sunny, warm and dry according to provisional statistics from the Met Office. England and Wales have logged their sunniest and driest Julys on record, with Northern Ireland seeing their fourth warmest and eighth driest. Things looked a bit different in Scotland, however, which failed to reach the top 10 on both counts. Hot and sunny across most UK nationsThis summer has seen multiple
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  Antarctica: the Franco-Italian Concordia station recorded −84.1°C, the coldest temperature on Earth in 14 years
  by Helena Mottram
  K/Δ27_ 05.08.26_ 082083
  On 18 July, the Franco-Italian Concordia research station recorded a temperature of −84.1°C. It was the lowest value measured anywhere on Earth since 2012 and came within just six-tenths of a degree of the station’s own record.Concordia station is located on an elevated plateau more than 3,000 metres above sea level and is one of the coldest places on Earth. It is jointly operated by France and Italy.While the Northern Hemisphere was experiencing record-breaking heat, wildfires and extreme temperature warnings, conditions at the opposite end of the planet were moving in exactly the opposite direction. On 18 July, the Franco-Italian
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  9 million U.S. students lost school time for weather in the 2024-2025 school year
  by YCC Team
  K/Δ27_ 05.08.26_ 082083
  Extreme heat, smoke, floods, and storms are disrupting education across the country. The post 9 million U.S. students lost school time for weather in the 2024-2025 school year appeared first on Yale Climate Connections.
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  Farmers learn how to grow crops with dramatically less water
  by YCC Team
  K/Δ27_ 04.08.26_ 082083
  As snowpacks shrink, the Dry Farming Institute in Oregon is teaching farmers how to get by with less irrigation. The post Farmers learn how to grow crops with dramatically less water appeared first on Yale Climate Connections.
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  Urban firestorm devastates Spokane as dense smoke envelops the Northwest
  by Jeff Masters
  K/Δ27_ 03.08.26_ 082083
  Climate change, combined with development in high-risk areas, is making urban wildfires more likely. The post Urban firestorm devastates Spokane as dense smoke envelops the Northwest appeared first on Yale Climate Connections.

The archive is not a prophecy. It is a structured reading of current signals already in motion.