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Natural Feedback Loops Projected to Increase Global Warming by 20-30% This Century

Natural Feedback Loops Projected to Increase Global Warming by 20-30% This Century

Natural feedback loops, such as thawing permafrost, warming wetlands, and increased wildfires, are projected to amplify global warming by an additional 20% to 30% this century. A study by Christina Schädel at Woodwell Climate Research Center and her colleagues estimated emissions from four major natural feedbacks. Thawing Arctic permafrost releases carbon dioxide and methane as microbes decompose ancient organic matter. Warmer wetlands, ponds, and lakes also emit more methane due to higher decomposition rates and reduced gas solubility in warmer water. Additionally, hotter air, shorter winters, and drier soils contribute to more frequent and intense wildfires, leading to greater CO2 and methane emissions. These feedbacks are expected to add an average of 0.2°C to 0.4°C of warming by 2100, on top of the already anticipated 1°C to 2°C of global warming.
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Global heat stuck on high. Scientists say August was Earth's hottest month they've measured.

Global heat stuck on high. Scientists say August was Earth's hottest month they've measured.

The European climate service Copernicus said the Earth just sweltered through its hottest month on record in August
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August 2026 Confirmed as Earth's Hottest Month on Record

August 2026 Confirmed as Earth's Hottest Month on Record

August 2026 has been confirmed as the hottest month ever recorded on Earth, according to the European climate service Copernicus. The global average temperature reached 62.53°F (16.96°C), narrowly surpassing the previous record set in July 2023. This milestone is attributed to the combined effects of human-induced climate change and a strong El Niño event. The month also marked the hottest Northern Hemisphere summer on record, with global temperatures exceeding pre-industrial levels by 1.65°C (nearly 3°F). Ocean temperatures also hit unprecedented highs, with August 22 setting a record for the hottest day in the world's seas. Scientists warn that these trends are consistent with long-term climate forecasts and are expected to continue unless significant action is taken to reduce fossil fuel emissions.
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Earth Just Had Its Hottest August on Record

Earth Just Had Its Hottest August on Record

August 2026 tied July 2023 as the hottest month ever recorded globally, with an average surface temperature of 62.5°F, according to Copernicus. Global temperatures were 1.65°C above the 1850–1900 average, while ocean temperatures also reached record levels. A rapidly strengthening El Niño is adding heat on top of long-term global warming, with potentially wider weather impacts ahead.
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UN Report Warns World Nearing Critical 1.5°C Global Warming Limit

UN Report Warns World Nearing Critical 1.5°C Global Warming Limit

A new report detailed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) indicates that the world is on track to soon exceed the 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) global warming limit established by the 2015 Paris Agreement. This agreement, signed by 196 nations and territories, aimed to restrict the average rise of global temperatures to below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, with an ideal target of 1.5 degrees Celsius. U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres stated that recent extreme weather events, including scorching heat, wildfires, and floods, serve as a warning of future consequences. The report emphasizes the need to make any overshoot of the 1.5°C limit as small and short as possible, requiring an increase in ambition to address climate change. The primary drivers of climate change are human activities such as transportation, industrial manufacturing, and agriculture.
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August 2026 Declared Earth's Hottest Month on Record

August 2026 Declared Earth's Hottest Month on Record

August 2026 has been confirmed as the hottest month ever recorded on Earth, according to the European climate service Copernicus. The global average temperature reached 62.53°F (16.96°C), marginally surpassing the previous record set in July 2023. This milestone was driven by a combination of human-induced climate change and a strong El Niño event. The month also saw global ocean temperatures tie a March 2024 record for the warmest month, with August 22 marking the hottest day ever recorded in the world's seas. The eight hottest months on record have all occurred since July 2023, underscoring the accelerating pace of global warming.
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US Records Hottest Summer, Surpassing Dust Bowl Era

US Records Hottest Summer, Surpassing Dust Bowl Era

The United States has experienced its hottest summer on record, surpassing the infamous Dust Bowl summer of 1936. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the average temperature across the contiguous U.S. and Washington, D.C., from June to August 2026 was 74.4°F (23.56°C), breaking the previous record by 0.4°F. This summer also set a record for the highest nighttime lows, with 133 million Americans living in areas where at least 25% of nights were classified as 'extremely hot.' The heat was particularly severe in the western U.S., where states like Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah experienced their hottest summers on record, and Arizona tied its previous record. The data also revealed that four of the six hottest U.S. summers have occurred since 2021, highlighting the accelerating impact of climate change.
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UNEP Warns World Likely to Breach 1.5°C Global Warming Threshold Soon

UNEP Warns World Likely to Breach 1.5°C Global Warming Threshold Soon

The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has issued a warning that the world is projected to exceed the 1.5°C global warming threshold within the next few years. This projection indicates a temporary breach, meaning temperatures will likely rise above this critical limit before potentially declining as greenhouse gas emissions are reduced. The UNEP report outlines a pathway described as 'overshoot, peak, and decline,' where global temperatures temporarily surpass 1.5°C. This scenario emphasizes the urgent need for immediate and coordinated global actions to mitigate further warming. The report suggests that implementing clean air and climate change initiatives could significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 2050, cut methane emissions by 60%, and decrease major air pollutants by approximately 70%. Such measures could prevent about 0.34°C of global warming by 2050 and a more substantial 1.4°C by 2100.
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Stardust Solutions Develops Solar Geoengineering Particles, Raising Scientific Concerns

Stardust Solutions Develops Solar Geoengineering Particles, Raising Scientific Concerns

Stardust Solutions, an Israeli-US company founded in 2023 by former Israeli government nuclear physicists, is advancing solar geoengineering technology. Their plan involves creating tiny particles from common substances like a food additive (amorphous silica) and the mineral found in eggshells (calcium carbonate), then spraying them into the atmosphere to reflect sunlight and cool the Earth. The company has developed two types of particles: one made entirely of amorphous silica and another with a calcium carbonate core surrounded by amorphous silica. Stardust Solutions claims that deploying one million tons of these particles annually could achieve 0.9 degrees Fahrenheit of cooling at a cost of approximately $10 billion per year. This approach mimics natural phenomena, such as volcanic eruptions that temporarily lower global temperatures by releasing sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere. The company emphasizes that this technology is not a complete solution to climate change but rather a tool to buy time for...
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August 2026: Warmest Month on Record for the Contiguous U.S.

August 2026: Warmest Month on Record for the Contiguous U.S.

The National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) has reported that August 2026 was the warmest month on record for the contiguous United States. The average temperature for the month was 76.89°F (24.94°C), which is 3.30°F (1.83°C) above the historical average of 73.59°F (23.10°C). This significant departure from the norm highlights ongoing climate variability and the potential for extreme weather patterns. The data was released on September 9, 2026, as part of the NCEI's Climate at a Glance National Mapping initiative.
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Understanding the Impact of Melting Glaciers on Global Communities

Understanding the Impact of Melting Glaciers on Global Communities

Melting glaciers are accelerating due to climate change, leading to increased risks of floods, landslides, and rising sea levels. Learn how these changes affect communities worldwide and what can be done to mitigate the dangers.