• Groundwater Levels Are Falling Worldwide — but There Are Solutions

    The world’s groundwater aquifers are taking a beating. Decades of unrestrained pumping by thirsty farms and fast-growing cities have drained these underground rock beds, which hold more than 95 percent of the planet’s drinkable water. New research shows how to protect the aquifers that hold most of the world’s fresh water.

  • Extreme Weather Cost $80 Billion in 2023. The True Price Is Far Higher.

    The U.S. saw 25 billion-dollar weather disasters in 2023 — more than ever before. 2024 could be worse. Congress has long punted on reforming FEMA and the nation’s disaster relief policy, but it’s only a matter of time before there’s a disaster bad enough that legislators feel pressure to act. That catastrophe didn’t arrive in in 2023, but it is surely coming.

  • Number of People Affected by Tropical Cyclones Has Increased Sharply Since 2002

    The number of people affected by tropical cyclones has nearly doubled from 2002 to 2019, reaching nearly 800 million people in 2019, according to a new study. More people are affected by tropical cyclones in Asia than any other region, but every affected world region saw an increase in the number of people exposed to tropical cyclones, which are expected to become more intense and possibly more frequent as the climate warms.

  • Future Floods: Global Warming Intensifies Heavy Rain – Even More Than Expected

    The intensity and frequency of extreme rainfall increases exponentially with global warming, a new study finds. The study shows that state-of-the-art climate models significantly underestimate how much extreme rainfall increases under global warming – meaning that extreme rainfall could increase quicker than climate models suggest.

  • In Coastal Communities, Sea Level Rise May Leave Some Isolated

    Amid the threat of dramatic sea level rise, coastal communities face unprecedented dangers, but a new study reveals that as flooding intensifies, disadvantaged populations will be the ones to experience some of the most severe burdens of climate change.

  • Evolution Might Stop Humans from Solving Climate Change

    Central features of human evolution may stop our species from resolving global environmental problems like climate change, says a new study. Can humans continue to survive on a limited planet? “We don’t have any solutions for this idea of a long-term evolutionary trap, as we barely understand the problem,” says one expert.

  • The Link Between Climate Change and a Spate of Rare Disease Outbreaks in 2023

    The temperature-sensitive pathogens that caught U.S. communities off guard are a grim preview of the future. Scientists have warned that climate change would alter the prevalence and spread of disease in the U.S., particularly those caused by pathogens that are sensitive to temperature.

  • Planning for an Uncertain Future: What Climate-Related Conflict Could Mean for U.S. Central Command

    The Middle East and Central Asia are projected to become hotter and drier, with reduced access to fresh water, resulting from climate change. These changes could lead to greater conflict in U.S. Central Command’s (CENTCOM) area of responsibility.

  • Earth Had Is Warmest November on Record

    November 2023 was the warmest November in NOAA’s 174-year global climate record, and 2023 still on track to be the globe’s warmest year recorded.

  • Costs of the Climate Crisis: An Insurance Umbrella for Nations at Risk

    International study in the run-up to COP28: Public-private partnerships may help protect developing countries from the financial consequences of climate change.

  • New Insights on Community Resilience and Adaptation

    A major weather event such as a hurricane or wildfire can have lasting, visible impacts on communities, but the longer-term, compounding effects of a changing climate can be harder to see. There are  ways that communities can adapt and become more resilient as the climate changes.

  • Using AI to Help Dams Run Smarter

    Korea faces a precipitation peak during the summer, relying on dams and associated infrastructure for water management. However, the escalating global climate crisis has led to the emergence of unforeseen typhoons and droughts, complicating dam operations. In response, a new study has emerged, aiming to surpass conventional physical models by harnessing the potential of an artificial intelligence (AI) model trained on extensive big data.

  • How a Small Caribbean Island Is Trying to Become Hurricane-Proof

    Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events in the Caribbean and for small islands such as Dominica (not to be confused with the much larger Dominican Republic) it is an existential threat. Unlike larger islands like Cuba or Jamaica, a single storm hitting Dominica can damage the entire country – and the topography and small size of the island imposes hard limits on its ability to adapt.

  • The Historic Claims That Put a Few California Farming Families First in Line for Colorado River Water

    Twenty families in the Imperial Valley received a whopping 386.5 billion gallons of the river’s water last year — more than three Western states. Century-old water rights guarantee that supply.

  • Reforms Needed to Expand Prescribed Burns

    Prescribed fire, which mimics natural fire regimes, can help improve forest health and reduce the likelihood of catastrophic wildfire. But this management tool is underused in the fire-prone U.S. West and Baja California, Mexico, due to several barriers. Study highlights four strategies to overcome barriers to prescribed fire in the West.