Dense evergreen forests in Canada’s snow-covered boreal regions can absorb enough sunlight to offset 6 to 20 percent of their reported carbon benefit, according to a new publication by the UN University. Researchers warn that Canada’s carbon accounting largely overlooks this warming effect, potentially overstating the climate value of reforestation and carbon credits. They call for a new Net Cooling Standard that accounts for surface reflectivity, wildfire risk and long-term carbon storage, while prioritizing mixed-species forests that deliver more durable climate cooling.

Climate variability in the Atlantic Ocean can help predict cutaneous leishmaniasis outbreaks in North Africa several months in advance. The study identifies how specific climate patterns affecting rainfall across the region influence, over different timescales, the transmission of this disease and make it possible to develop a seasonal forecasting system with up to one year’s lead time.