The hottest Climate Impacts Substack posts right now

Modern combat — from fighter jets and rockets to detonations — releases huge amounts of greenhouse gases and other pollutants during the fighting.
Rebuilding and cleanup after wars add large, long‑lasting emissions and pollution, sometimes rivaling the annual output of whole countries.
Multiple current conflicts together are a significant, often overlooked driver of the climate crisis, so cutting fossil fuel use in military operations could reduce that harm.

India looks likely to skip a big coal buildout and scale solar and electrification because new solar is cheaper than running old coal plants. That shift can cut fuel imports, clean city air, and power fast economic growth.
Clean energy and new technologies are gaining ground worldwide — from big solar booms and minigrids to EVs and promising battery and smart-window innovations. That makes energy cheaper, more reliable, and less dependent on imported fossil fuels.
Hostile political choices and cuts to science are raising energy costs and slowing progress at the same time climate impacts like worsening droughts and floods are growing more damaging. That mix makes the clean-energy transition both urgent and geopolitically important.

Oil still shapes geopolitics and can drive coercive, even pirate-like actions as states treat fossil fuels as concentrated sources of power and wealth.
Moving to solar and wind would decentralize energy and make conflicts over resource locations far less likely, so speeding the clean-energy transition also undermines authoritarian, resource-driven power.
The energy transition is making progress—court wins for offshore wind, battery recycling advances, and China's lead—but it faces big obstacles from political rollbacks, EPA denial of climate science, booming energy-hungry datacenters, and worsening extreme weather.

Climate discussions often mention limiting global warming to avoid the worst impacts, but there's no scientific consensus on specific limits.
Focusing on the 1.5°C threshold as crucial is arbitrary, without solid scientific basis.
Considering the costs of limiting warming is essential as it involves trade-offs and impacts on human well-being.

Recent developments and data do not support the idea that the climate is more sensitive to emissions than previously thought.
Certain climate models have high sensitivity to CO2, but community reviews have suggested narrowing down the range of climate sensitivity.
The exact climate sensitivity estimates can vary across studies, but regardless, the priority remains the urgent need to decarbonize our society.

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Biden's decision to halt the biggest fossil fuel expansion on earth is a major win in standing up to the fossil fuel industry.
Exporting natural gas can raise prices for American consumers, and Biden's stance could help in reducing inflation.
The decision is seen as both brave and strategic, aiming to gain support from young climate-conscious voters and addressing concerns about future impacts on greenhouse gas emissions.

Parts of the US with the biggest population growth are also the most at risk from climate change.
Climate change is already impacting areas like Texas, Florida, and South Carolina with projections of increasing dangers in the future.
Factors like denial, optimism bias, and group risk-taking contribute to people moving to high-risk climate areas despite the warnings.

Growing climate anxiety is affecting young people who feel let down by political and economic institutions not addressing the climate emergency.
Institutions like banks, car companies, and universities resisting change are contributing to generational theft as today's practices guarantee future upheaval.
The emotional toll of climate change on children and youth, exacerbated by governmental inaction, poses mental health risks and highlights the need for urgent, proactive responses.

The sun is causing overheating on the planet due to gases in the atmosphere.
Solar power is rapidly growing as a solution to our climate crisis.
Renewable energy like solar and wind power are key to combating the rise in global temperatures.

California passed a significant climate law to force big companies to disclose their carbon emissions
Activism led to New York University finally divesting from fossil fuels after a decade-long battle
Record rainfall in Libya resulted in a tragic loss of life, signaling the urgent need to address climate change

Understanding complex systems through model ecosystems can offer insights.
Tracking market dynamics, like carbon flow or toxins, is crucial for social and environmental impacts.
Economic forecasting models are under scrutiny, highlighting the need for improved market design and monitoring.