Nature Climate Change
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: 1 hour 59 min ago
Increased efficiency of water use does not stimulate tree productivity
Nature Climate Change, Published online: 24 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02504-w
The authors theoretically delineate the maximal increases in tree growth that can be expected from increases in plant intrinsic water-use efficiency, which increases with rising CO2. They highlight environmental and physiological limits on growth in the context of experimental data.Warming increases the phenological mismatch between carbon sources and sinks in conifers
Nature Climate Change, Published online: 21 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02474-z
Measurements of carbon fluxes and wood phenology are used to assess carbon sources from photosynthesis and their sink into woody growth along a thermal gradient. The authors show that stem growth advances slower than photosynthesis per degree Celsius, creating a phenological mismatch for carbon.Global bias towards recording latitudinal range shifts
Nature Climate Change, Published online: 21 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02498-5
The authors consider studies reporting species range shifts and demonstrate a geometric bias in sampling along latitudinal, rather than longitudinal, gradients. This bias may favour the corroboration of shift expectations with warming and mask other patterns and drivers of species movements.Global warming intensifies extreme day-to-day temperature changes in mid–low latitudes
Nature Climate Change, Published online: 21 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02486-9
Climate change is expected to lead to higher day-to-day temperature variability in mid- to low latitudes. Here the authors show that extreme day-to-day temperature changes have distinct impacts on human health and become more frequent and intense in mid- to low latitudes with climate change.Misalignment between objective and perceived heat risks
Nature Climate Change, Published online: 20 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02505-9
Objective assessments indicate that extreme heat is increasing health risks; however, many of the most exposed populations do not perceive extreme heat as risky. This misperception may undermine public awareness of the need for effective cooling strategies, leaving a dangerous blind spot in adaptation and protection.Gene flow between mountainous birds buffers climate change risk
Nature Climate Change, Published online: 18 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02500-0
Climate change threatens biodiversity, but the transfer of genes between species via hybridization can enhance climate resilience. This research demonstrates that hybrid mountain birds show reduced climate vulnerability, highlighting how maintaining natural gene flow can mitigate extinction risks and is crucial for conserving species with narrow environmental tolerances.Increasing risk of mass human heat mortality if historical weather patterns recur
Nature Climate Change, Published online: 18 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02480-1
The authors couple calculations of historical heatwave intensity at present and future global temperatures with exposure–response functions to quantify mortality from extreme heat events in Europe. They project tens of thousands of excess deaths, with limited attenuation from existing adaptations.Author Correction: The carbon hoofprint of cities is shaped by geography and production in the livestock supply chain
Nature Climate Change, Published online: 17 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02509-5
Author Correction: The carbon hoofprint of cities is shaped by geography and production in the livestock supply chainSouthward shift of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current upstream of Drake Passage maintains a stable circumpolar transport
Nature Climate Change, Published online: 17 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02478-9
Climate change is altering the strength and position of Southern Ocean westerly winds but the ocean transport is stable. Here the authors use sea surface height to show that a poleward shift of the northern boundary and changing dynamics maintain the circumpolar transport.Hidden deep soil moisture droughts
Nature Climate Change, Published online: 14 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02493-w
Anthropogenic climate change is exacerbating soil moisture droughts globally, but most studies only consider surface layers. Now, a study reveals that global soil moisture droughts are often also found in deeper layers, and that in a warming climate deep soil moisture droughts are projected to become longer lasting and more severe.Why longer seasons with climate change may not increase tree growth
Nature Climate Change, Published online: 14 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02476-x
In this Progress Article, the authors discuss why longer growing seasons under climate change may or may not increase tree growth. They highlight differences across fields, as well as research gaps, and propose three major open questions to guide future research.Anthropogenic enhancement of subsurface soil moisture droughts
Nature Climate Change, Published online: 14 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02458-z
How the conditions in soil layers below the surface change is not well understood. Here the authors assess changes in subsurface soil moisture, finding that these droughts also become more persistent and intense than surface droughts.Warming overpowers low-frequency North Pacific climate variability
Nature Climate Change, Published online: 13 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02495-8
The Pacific Decadal Oscillation describes the most important pattern of low-frequency climate variability in the North Pacific. An analysis of sea surface temperatures reveals that, since 2014, the Pacific Decadal Oscillation’s influence has been superseded by that of basin-wide warming, producing novel expressions of ocean variability and unexpected ecological impacts.Artificial light reduces ecosystem carbon sinks
Nature Climate Change, Published online: 12 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02499-4
As artificial light encroaches upon cities and countryside, natural darkness recedes and circadian rhythms shift in regions worldwide. Now, a study reveals that bright nights are negatively impacting the carbon sinks of ecosystems.Widespread influence of artificial light at night on ecosystem metabolism
Nature Climate Change, Published online: 12 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02481-0
The authors combine light intensity data with eddy covariance observations from 86 sites to show that artificial light at night increases ecosystem respiration and alters carbon exchange, with impacts shaped by diel cycles and seasonal dynamics.Climate change drives low dissolved oxygen and increased hypoxia rates in rivers worldwide
Nature Climate Change, Published online: 11 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02483-y
Dissolved oxygen concentrations are expected to decline with rising water temperatures under climate change. This study projects declining oxygen levels for most rivers globally and an increase in hypoxic days by the end of the century, with implications for ecosystem and fish health.Hybridization mitigates climate change risk in mountainous birds
Nature Climate Change, Published online: 10 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02485-w
Using population and ecological genomic approaches, the authors demonstrate the potential for interspecific introgression—the transfer of genetic material following hybridization—to reduce climate change vulnerability. Their findings emphasize the importance of preserving interspecific connectivity.Pan-basin warming now overshadows robust Pacific Decadal Oscillation
Nature Climate Change, Published online: 07 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02482-z
Natural patterns of climate variability, such as the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), strongly influence regional climate. This study shows that anthropogenic warming now has greater influence than the PDO on North Pacific sea surface temperatures, with implications for predictability and impacts.Negative verbal probabilities undermine communication of climate science
Nature Climate Change, Published online: 06 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02472-1
Effective communication of uncertainty is vital for public accurate understanding of climate science. Here the authors find that projections using positive probability terms (for example, a small probability) are perceived as more scientific and trustworthy than those using negative terms (for example, unlikely).Paris Agreement after 10 years
Nature Climate Change, Published online: 05 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s41558-025-02473-0
A decade ago, the Paris Agreement was adopted, which was a landmark for international climate governance. In this infographic, we reflect on the progress that has been made as well as some of the challenges that still lie ahead, such as policy agenda, social change and technology development.