Reviews & Analysis

Global climate change governance has seen an increase in action beyond national governments. This Perspective sets forth a research agenda and recommendations for evaluating non-state and subnational climate mitigation action.

The Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO) is the leading mode of intraseasonal variability in the tropical atmosphere. This Perspective examines how the MJO may change with anthropogenic warming, revealing a projected increase in MJO-related precipitation.

For years, theory and model simulations have strongly disagreed on whether global warming will lead to scarcer or more plentiful water supplies. An elegant study now supplies the missing theoretical piece, strengthening the case that global water resources will increase in a warmer world.

Correcting misperceptions provides an opportunity to reduce household GHG emissions across multiple domains. Now research shows that consumers greatly underestimate emissions from foods, but these misperceptions can be successfully corrected with carbon labelling.

Investors are increasingly asking businesses to disclose their climate risk and corresponding management strategies. A review of corporate adaptation strategies reveals limited consideration of broader risks to supply chains, customers and employees.

Climate policy is heavily focused on reducing demand for fossil fuels, but supply-side polices represent a potentially powerful tool to reduce CO₂ emissions. This Perspective uses the US state of California as a case study to explore the rationale and possible impacts of limiting oil production.

Recent, rapid and (in many cases) unprecedented climate changes in the Arctic continue to outpace all other regions. New research argues that local, not remote, mechanisms are responsible for amplifying polar climate change.

With warming, meltwater will play an increasingly important role in driving ice loss from Antarctica, raising global sea levels. This Perspective discusses the key process through which Antarctic surface hydrology impacts mass balance.

This Review examines the pathways through which humans are impacted by climate change and shows that by 2100 the world’s population will be simultaneously exposed to at least three hazards, and in some locations as many as six, under an RCP 8.5 scenario.

Urban development induces local warming in addition to climate change. New research shows that urban growth, climate change and urban adaptation interact nonlinearly and diurnally.

This Review synthesizes knowledge on projections of the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets at 1.5 °C and 2 °C of warming, discussing possible nonlinear responses, and outlining the need for more insight into future atmospheric and oceanic forcings.

This Perspective provides an overview of the snow–sea ice systems in the Arctic and Antarctic, offering insight on how current uncertainties can be reduced, and future challenges met, to improve understanding of polar climate change.

Snow albedo is impacted by the presence of light-absorbing particles, including black carbon and dust. This Review collates knowledge on the associated radiative forcing, discussing geographic variability, future impacts and challenges for reducing uncertainty.

Using the ‘Can it? Has it? Will it?’ framework, this Review synthesizes current understanding on Eurasian snow–atmosphere coupling, outlining observational and modelling evidence for their dynamical connection and discussing possible changes in the future.

Observations show that the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is slowing down, and this is predicted to continue in response to climate change. This isn’t the only change expected; tracing ocean circulation within a climate model now shows that the locations where water sinks to the deep ocean to feed the AMOC will also shift in the future.

Winter snow conditions influence which plants grow where in the Arctic. Now, a modelling study built on observational data of plant occurrence and snow conditions suggests that declines in snow cover will result in the loss of plant species.

Climate change, in combination with existing environmental issues, threatens the Mediterranean region. This Review highlights how climate change will interact with other factors to exacerbate five areas of risk unless there is mitigation and adaptation.

Recent years have seen increased melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet, contributing to accelerated rates of sea-level rise. New research suggests that this melting occurred due to an increased frequency of atmospheric rivers, narrow filaments of moist air moving polewards.