In a Review, Tiffany Morrison and colleagues discuss the risks associated with rapidly emerging marine-climate intervention approaches. Because current governance systems are ill-suited to the scale and novelty of these new interventions, the authors argue, new regulatory frameworks are urgently needed to balance risk and reward, avoid harm, and ensure that ocean-based climate solutions are safe, equitable, and effective. Rapid climate-driven changes are occurring in marine ecosystems worldwide. As a result, a range of new marine-climate interventions have been proposed, ranging from anthropogenically enhancing ocean alkalinity, to removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, to using assisted gene flow to breed heat-resistant corals. However, while many of these strategies inspire optimism, they are largely untested and pose unprecedented governance challenges. Here, Morrison et al. argue that the pace of new interventions is eclipsing the capacity of current governance systems and without careful oversight, these strategies may instead lead to unintended or irreversible harm. According to the authors, governance of marine-climate interventions must go beyond technical plans and public approval and should consider environmental, ethical, and political impacts, especially when projects are carried out on a large scale. While some early-stage guidelines exist, they have yet to be fully integrated into broader governance frameworks. The authors note that this lack of coordination slows progress toward achieving global marine and climate goals. To move forward, Morrison et al. advocate for dynamic governance principles that support “responsible marine transformation.” “There is mounting evidence that responsible transformation principles, if applied, can improve social, equity, and biodiversity outcomes and generate more durable ocean solutions,” write Morrison et al.

New research published "early online" in journals of the American Meteorological Society includes breaking news of a lightning "megaflash" distance record, as well as new findings on tornado climatology, hurricane frequency, Colorado River water, reducing the urban heat island, how pay gaps impede firms' adaptation to climate risks, AI weather prediction, and successful carbon reduction efforts in China.

The ongoing decline in ocean oxygen levels is intensifying due to climate change, significantly impacting marine ecosystems, including mesopelagic fish populations. This could disrupt marine food webs, fisheries, ocean health, and the ocean’s capacity to store carbon. 

New research examining 17 years of data from Medicare hospitalization claims and major flooding events finds increased rates of skin diseases, nervous system diseases, and injuries or poisonings among adults aged 65 and older following major floods.

A holistic approach reveals the global spectrum of knowledge on the impact of cumulative heat exposure on young students, according to an article published July 30 in the open-access journal PLOS Climate by Konstantina Vasilakopoulou from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Australia, and Matthaios Santamouris from the University of New South Wales, Australia. The article aims to shed light on the social and economic inequalities caused within and across countries, the potential adaptive measures to counterbalance the impact of overheating, and forecasts about the cognitive risks associated with future overheating.

Increasing solar power generation in the U.S. by 15% could lead to an annual reduction of 8.54 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, according to a new study led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The researchers found that the climate benefits of solar power differ markedly across U.S. regions, pinpointing where clean energy investments return the greatest climate dividends.

Rising temperatures in California are causing fewer cold-related deaths, outweighing heat-related deaths. But hotter temperatures are increasing emergency department visits, placing a greater burden on the healthcare system, report UC San Diego and Stanford University researchers.