Nature Climate Change

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Nature Climate Change is a monthly journal dedicated to publishing high-quality research papers that describe the most significant and cutting-edge research on the causes, impacts and wider implications of global climate change. The journal publishes climate research across the physical, biological and social sciences and strives to integrate and communicate interdisciplinary research. The journal aims to play a leading role in: providing accessibility to a broad audience to research published both within and outside the journal; raising the visibility of climate change research in related research communities as well as the mainstream media; and offering a forum for discussion of the challenges faced by researchers and policy makers (and other interested parties) in understanding the complex mechanisms and impacts associated with the Earth’s changing climate.
Updated: 34 min 53 sec ago

Social inequalities mediate temperature–child maltreatment associations in Africa

Fri, 05/15/2026 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 15 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41558-026-02650-9

The link between temperature and child maltreatment in Africa remains unexplored. This study demonstrates a substantial association, particularly among socio-economically disadvantaged families, driven by behavioural changes, occupational exposure and reduced household resources.

Future changes in seasonal sea-level variability could reshape coastal ecosystems

Wed, 05/13/2026 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 13 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41558-026-02631-y

Assessments of coastal ecosystem resilience typically consider the impacts of annual mean sea-level rise, while increases in the seasonal sea-level cycle could also affect intertidal ecosystems. The authors show how such increases can threaten intertidal zones through altering the frequency and duration of inundation and emergence events.

Understanding and reducing the intention–behaviour gap in climate action

Wed, 05/13/2026 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 13 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41558-026-02630-z

Climate-friendly intentions do not always translate into action. This Review synthesizes evidence on the intrapersonal, social and structural mechanisms underlying this gap and outlines interventions that offer actionable strategies to close it.

Increasing atmospheric dryness and storms accelerates biomass turnover in Amazonian forests

Wed, 05/13/2026 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 13 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41558-026-02639-4

The carbon sink of tropical forests is in part constrained by biomass turnover. This study assesses aboveground biomass turnover in the Amazon and finds that convective storms are the main driver of spatial variation in turnover and future climate impacts will lead to accelerated biomass turnover.

Exporting environmental harm

Tue, 05/12/2026 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 12 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41558-026-02582-4

Multinational investment is vital for African growth, yet it drives higher rates of forest loss than local industry. Researchers now suggest that home-country laws should hold global firms accountable for their environmental footprint abroad.

The environmental impact of multinational firms in Africa

Tue, 05/12/2026 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 12 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41558-026-02637-6

Developing countries are faced with trade-offs where multinational corporations could help local economic growth, but also cause more environmental damage than domestic counterparts. This research confirms such negative effects and discusses how better governance could reduce detrimental outcomes.

Forest tree fecundity declines as climate shifts

Tue, 05/12/2026 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 12 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41558-026-02638-5

The authors use 34 years of seed harvest data from Poland, covering over 40,000 observations and five common species, to understand the impacts of climate change on tree fecundity. They show reduced fecundity across all species, with hotter summers as the dominant driver.

City type specifies carbon cycle

Mon, 05/11/2026 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 11 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41558-026-02646-5

City type specifies carbon cycle

Largest increase of carbon dioxide in 2024

Mon, 05/11/2026 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 11 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41558-026-02647-4

Largest increase of carbon dioxide in 2024

Food policy adaptation

Mon, 05/11/2026 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 11 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41558-026-02645-6

Food policy adaptation

Decreasing ice and colder winters

Mon, 05/11/2026 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 11 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41558-026-02648-3

Decreasing ice and colder winters

Scientists breed low-emission rice to fight climate change

Mon, 05/11/2026 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 11 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41558-026-02614-z

New hybrid grains are expected to emit less than half of the methane that their natural counterparts emit.

Carbon markets rule change would harm mitigation and Indigenous peoples

Mon, 05/11/2026 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 11 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41558-026-02629-6

Carbon markets rule change would harm mitigation and Indigenous peoples

The importance of recognizing opportunities in climate change impacts

Wed, 05/06/2026 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 06 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41558-026-02626-9

Assessing risk and adverse impacts associated with climate change is essential to inform adaptation efforts. However, this Perspective argues that knowledge of potentially beneficial impacts is also crucial for adaptation, requiring modifications of current impact and adaptation research frameworks.

Small plastics with large warming potential

Mon, 05/04/2026 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 04 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41558-026-02616-x

Microplastics and nanoplastics are moving in the atmosphere worldwide. Now, research shows that they can interact with sunlight and influence the climate system.

Atmospheric warming contributions from airborne microplastics and nanoplastics

Mon, 05/04/2026 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 04 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41558-026-02620-1

The radiative impact of microplastic and nanoplastic particles in the atmosphere is not well understood. Here the authors quantify their radiative forcing, finding that they can exceed that of black carbon regionally.

Inequity arises from multi-gas mitigation

Fri, 05/01/2026 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 01 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41558-026-02628-7

Addressing non-CO2 greenhouse gases alongside CO2 is essential for climate mitigation, but distributional effects remain a major concern. Now a study shows that when climate policy extends beyond CO2, the resulting costs are unevenly distributed across households worldwide.

Distributional effects of expanding climate targets beyond CO<sub>2</sub>

Fri, 05/01/2026 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 01 May 2026; doi:10.1038/s41558-026-02622-z

In response to the large contribution of non-CO2 GHG to global warming, pricing of their emissions has been proposed as a cost-effective mitigation option. The authors find that such multi-GHG pricing can be more regressive than CO2-only pricing, with a relative increase in burden for low-income households.

Tropical cyclones relieve drought

Wed, 04/29/2026 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 29 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41558-026-02627-8

Droughts and tropical cyclones are two well-known hazards that can interact in dynamic ways. Now, research shows that rainfall from tropical cyclones shortens and weakens droughts in coastal regions but not in a uniform way.

From yield impacts to just transformation of food systems

Wed, 04/29/2026 - 12:00am

Nature Climate Change, Published online: 29 April 2026; doi:10.1038/s41558-026-02625-w

Food security remains a major global challenge, which is only amplified by ongoing climate change. Here, I look back on a 2015 paper on climate change impacts on wheat and discuss subsequent research on agriculture and food security.

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