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October 2026 Curated Climate News

OCTOBER 2026

Every month, we scour the headlines to curate a mix of news that helps us understand how climate change is impacting our lives and recognize the solutions we have to address the risks. Here are some highlights from the past few weeks:

Georgia News of Hope

Georgia’s two new Public Service Commissioners promise to lower power bills using clean energy and to hold data centers accountable. The new commissioners say they hope to  fulfill Southern Company’s goal of net zero emissions by 2050.

The University of Georgia plans to use an $8 million federal grant to restore marshes that are eroding due to climate change-driven sea level rise in Georgia, Florida, and the Carolinas. Salt marshes provide critical wildlife habitat and protect against the dangerous tides and flooding brought by stronger storms. 

Athens-Clarke County is making measurable progress toward its goal of 100% clean and renewable electricity for municipal properties and government operations by 2035. Officials estimate the county is now 45% to 60% of the way toward the 2035 target.

At the Athens-Clarke County Landfill, dozens of wells drilled into buried waste capture methane produced by decomposing organic material and pipe it to an on-site plant, where it is converted into usable electricity. This gas-capture system mitigates the climate impact of waste already buried at the site. 

Athens Area Habitat for Humanity recently celebrated a solar panel installation at Micah’s Creek, a new affordable housing development. The Bright Homes Energy Initiative, the volunteer group spearheading solarization, seeks to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and create a neighborhood with some of the lowest utility bills in the state. 

Congregation Children of Israel in Athens recently upgraded its facilities with a new rooftop solar array that will help the congregation lower its monthly electricity costs and generate its own clean power.

Georgia News of Concern

Georgia’s data centers are using diesel backup generators that emit nitric oxide in quantities that more than double Georgia Power’s two large coal plants. State lawmakers are urging the EPA to regulate these emissions, which drive climate change and are harmful to the health of nearby communities.

Georgia extended its annual wild oyster harvest closure date beyond the usual September 30. Unusually warm ocean temperatures have allowed bacteria to flourish, making oysters unsafe to eat. 

Ways to Act

Georgia college students are asking for 15 minutes of your time. Please watch their short videos about the climate crisis and what we can all do about it. 

A podcast episode we think you’ll like: “Whatever Happened to the Ozone Hole?” from Are We Doomed?

Remember the hole in the ozone layer? Today, it’s largely considered one of our biggest environmental success stories – but getting there was much messier than we remember.

 This episode of Are We Doomed? goes back to how scientists discovered the problem, the political and public battles over what to do about it, and how the world ultimately came together to take action. For Simmer Down listeners, it’s a fascinating and hopeful look at what it actually takes to build consensus around a global environmental threat, and what that success might teach us about tackling climate change today.

The Big Picture

News of Concern

■  The Trump administration plans to roll back regulations requiring oil and gas companies to detect and repair methane leaks. Methane is one of the most potent greenhouse gases and cutting back leaks is considered one of the fastest ways to slow warming. 
■  Most of our coral reefs – vital ecosystems for the whole planet – could collapse in the next 50 years if climate change continues on its current trajectory. 
■  California, which is responsible for almost 15% of our national GDP, issued a new climate assessment report that projects a difficult future: more wildfires, bigger storms, longer droughts, vastly reduced beaches and snowpacks, and significant hits to farming and property values. 
■  Texas A&M’s university system removed climate change from core curricula at public universities because it has deemed it not “foundational and fundamental” to prepare students for civic life and the workforce, even though since 1980, Texas has experienced the most weather-disaster damages of any state and is considered one of the most vulnerable states going forward.   

News of Hope

■   Experts see signs that the U.S. electric vehicle market is rebounding as automakers roll out better and cheaper models and gas prices remain high.

■   Ford’s Fathom – an electric pickup due to hit markets in 2027 – doesn’t just have a low sticker price, it has technology that will allow it to act as a home battery, a real advantage as grids become more insecure.

■   Thermal storage – battery arrays that store “blistering” heat and release steam as a power source – has the potential to provide vast amounts of inexpensive clean energy.

■   A new report shows using more heat pumps to warm and cool our homes could help significantly drive down electricity costs, save emissions, and smooth out grid use in most parts of the country.

Notable Graphic

The U.S. is still installing record amounts of clean energy, with growth expected to accelerate next year and surpass natural gas capacity by September of 2027. At the same time, however, the data center surge is driving an expansion of natural gas, dampening the climate benefits from that clean-energy growth.

Notable Video

Electrify everything! It’s our climate change mantra, and it’s happening all around us. For example, electric ferries are increasingly sailing (and, in some cases, “flying”) across the water, allowing us to travel in an affordable, clean way – and a fun one, at that. This video from Climate Central gives us a great peek into this growing mode of transportation.

Read More
Pam Parsons November 11, 2026 0
AI Blog 250
Curated Climate News

October 2026 – Worrying About Climate and AI?

OCTOBER 2026

Worrying about climate and AI
isn’t crazy. It’s smart.

By Kathleen Biggins

The White House recently suggested that the same “hysterical” people who care about climate change are the ones concerned about the rapid buildout of artificial intelligence. The administration might be onto something.

Not because the AI buildout is driving up emissions – although that is a growing concern. One recent report estimates that the increase in U.S. emissions associated with gas-powered AI and data centers over the next three years could equal Mexico’s entire current annual emissions. Nor is it simply because AI infrastructure can create environmental problems, including air, heat, and noise pollution.

And certainly not because those of us concerned about both issues are simply “Luddites” who shun all technological progress.

It is because climate change and AI share some striking similarities that may not be apparent at first glance.

Climate change is primarily driven by carbon pollution from burning fossil fuels. These fuels have powered the development of our modern world, bringing prosperity and a high quality of life to billions of people. But the very technology that helped build our civilization is now destabilizing the natural systems on which we depend. We are setting in motion changes that, once unleashed, could be impossible to reverse within human timescales.

We have known for decades that burning fossil fuels would harm our planet. President Lyndon B. Johnson was briefed on the dangers of rising carbon dioxide levels in the 1960s. Yet we failed to develop the policies and technologies needed to safely manage our dependence on fossil fuels. Had we acted earlier, we could have avoided much of the damage we are now facing.

The short-term benefits were simply too seductive. Fossil fuels created enormous wealth and prosperity, while the consequences of their use seemed distant and abstract. But now the bill is coming due.

Climate change is already imposing substantial economic costs, from destructive storms and wildfires to rising insurance premiums and damage to infrastructure. The projected losses are staggering. Experts warn that climate-driven insurance costs could make homes, businesses, and long-term investments increasingly difficult to insure at affordable rates. This could put pressure on mortgage lending and banking, creating cascading effects throughout the economy.

And the consequences extend far beyond financial losses. Rising temperatures could make some regions of the world increasingly difficult, or even impossible, for humans and other species to inhabit. Climate change could also intensify competition over dwindling resources, increase migration, and heighten the risks of conflict.

Now consider artificial intelligence.

AI, too, promises enormous benefits and wealth creation. It could transform medicine, scientific research, education, and countless other aspects of our lives. But some of the very experts developing this technology warn that it could also create risks we may struggle to control.

Some fear that increasingly capable AI systems could improve themselves so rapidly that humans lose the ability to manage them. Others warn that AI could make it easier to develop dangerous weapons or enable malicious countries or groups to cause widespread harm.

There is another risk that may be less dramatic than the prospect of AI escaping human control but could be just as consequential: the disruption of our already fragile social fabric.

AI is already displacing humans within the work force and will continue to outperform us in an ever-growing range of tasks. Our prevailing social paradigm values education, expertise, creativity, and hard work. Our work has been an important part of our identity and a guiding tenet of how we organize our days and lives. By replacing or diminishing our value within the workforce and society, AI could foreseeably lead not just to widespread economic disruption but to a deepening social crisis.

The details of these risks are different from those posed by climate change. But the underlying challenge is remarkably similar.

In both cases, we are developing powerful technologies that deliver enormous benefits today while potentially creating risks that could be catastrophic tomorrow. The people and industries benefiting from these technologies have strong incentives to keep advancing them. And the consequences of getting things wrong may not become apparent until it is too late to prevent serious harm.

The goal is not to stop progress. It is to make sure that progress serves humanity rather than putting our future at risk. We need to create safeguards while we still can.

Climate change has taught us how costly it can be to ignore the warning signs of a powerful technology. We should not make the same mistake twice.


A podcast episode we think you’ll like: “Whatever Happened to the Ozone Hole?” from Are We Doomed?

Remember the hole in the ozone layer? Today, it’s largely considered one of our biggest environmental success stories – but getting there was much messier than we remember.

This episode of Are We Doomed? goes back to how scientists discovered the problem, the political and public battles over what to do about it, and how the world ultimately came together to take action. For Simmer Down listeners, it’s a fascinating and hopeful look at what it actually takes to build consensus around a global environmental threat, and what that success might teach us about tackling climate change today.

The Big Picture

Every month, we scour the headlines to curate a mix of news that helps us understand how climate change is impacting our lives and recognize the solutions we have to address the risks. Here are some highlights from the past few weeks:

News of Concern

■  The Trump administration plans to roll back regulations requiring oil and gas companies to detect and repair methane leaks. Methane is one of the most potent greenhouse gases and cutting back leaks is considered one of the fastest ways to slow warming. 
■  Most of our coral reefs – vital ecosystems for the whole planet – could collapse in the next 50 years if climate change continues on its current trajectory. 
■  California, which is responsible for almost 15% of our national GDP, issued a new climate assessment report that projects a difficult future: more wildfires, bigger storms, longer droughts, vastly reduced beaches and snowpacks, and significant hits to farming and property values. 
■  Texas A&M’s university system removed climate change from core curricula at public universities because it has deemed it not “foundational and fundamental” to prepare students for civic life and the workforce, even though since 1980, Texas has experienced the most weather-disaster damages of any state and is considered one of the most vulnerable states going forward.   

News of Hope

■   Experts see signs that the U.S. electric vehicle market is rebounding as automakers roll out better and cheaper models and gas prices remain high. 
■   Ford’s Fathom – an electric pickup due to hit markets in 2027 – doesn’t just have a low sticker price, it has technology that will allow it to act as a home battery, a real advantage as grids become more insecure. 
■   Thermal storage – battery arrays that store “blistering” heat and release steam as a power source – has the potential to provide vast amounts of inexpensive clean energy. 
■   A new report shows using more heat pumps to warm and cool our homes could help significantly drive down electricity costs, save emissions, and smooth out grid use in most parts of the country.

Notable Graphic

The U.S. is still installing record amounts of clean energy, with growth expected to accelerate next year and surpass natural gas capacity by September of 2027. At the same time, however, the data center surge is driving an expansion of natural gas, dampening the climate benefits from that clean-energy growth.

Notable Video

Electrify everything! It’s our climate change mantra, and it’s happening all around us. For example, electric ferries are increasingly sailing (and, in some cases, “flying”) across the water, allowing us to travel in an affordable, clean way – and a fun one, at that. This video from Climate Central gives us a great peek into this growing mode of transportation.

Read More
Pam Parsons November 11, 2026 0
AI Blog 250
Athens

AI and Climate Change – A Blog by Kathleen Biggins

Worrying about Climate and AI
Isn’t Crazy. It’s Smart.


By Katheen Biggins

The White House recently suggested that the same “hysterical” people who care about climate change are the ones concerned about the rapid buildout of artificial intelligence. The administration might be onto something.

Not because the AI buildout is driving up emissions – although that is a growing concern. One recent report estimates that the increase in U.S. emissions associated with gas-powered AI and data centers over the next three years could equal Mexico’s entire current annual emissions. Nor is it simply because AI infrastructure can create environmental problems, including air, heat, and noise pollution.

And certainly not because those of us concerned about both issues are simply “Luddites” who shun all technological progress.

It is because climate change and AI share some striking similarities that may not be apparent at first glance.

Climate change is primarily driven by carbon pollution from burning fossil fuels. These fuels have powered the development of our modern world, bringing prosperity and a high quality of life to billions of people. But the very technology that helped build our civilization is now destabilizing the natural systems on which we depend. We are setting in motion changes that, once unleashed, could be impossible to reverse within human timescales.

We have known for decades that burning fossil fuels would harm our planet. President Lyndon B. Johnson was briefed on the dangers of rising carbon dioxide levels in the 1960s. Yet we failed to develop the policies and technologies needed to safely manage our dependence on fossil fuels. Had we acted earlier, we could have avoided much of the damage we are now facing.

The short-term benefits were simply too seductive. Fossil fuels created enormous wealth and prosperity, while the consequences of their use seemed distant and abstract. But now the bill is coming due.

Climate change is already imposing substantial economic costs, from destructive storms and wildfires to rising insurance premiums and damage to infrastructure. The projected losses are staggering. Experts warn that climate-driven insurance costs could make homes, businesses, and long-term investments increasingly difficult to insure at affordable rates. This could put pressure on mortgage lending and banking, creating cascading effects throughout the economy.

And the consequences extend far beyond financial losses. Rising temperatures could make some regions of the world increasingly difficult, or even impossible, for humans and other species to inhabit. Climate change could also intensify competition over dwindling resources, increase migration, and heighten the risks of conflict.

Now consider artificial intelligence.

AI, too, promises enormous benefits and wealth creation. It could transform medicine, scientific research, education, and countless other aspects of our lives. But some of the very experts developing this technology warn that it could also create risks we may struggle to control.

Some fear that increasingly capable AI systems could improve themselves so rapidly that humans lose the ability to manage them. Others warn that AI could make it easier to develop dangerous weapons or enable malicious countries or groups to cause widespread harm.

There is another risk that may be less dramatic than the prospect of AI escaping human control but could be just as consequential: the disruption of our already fragile social fabric.

AI is already displacing humans within the work force and will continue to outperform us in an ever-growing range of tasks. Our prevailing social paradigm values education, expertise, creativity, and hard work. Our work has been an important part of our identity and a guiding tenet of how we organize our days and lives. By replacing or diminishing our value within the workforce and society, AI could foreseeably lead not just to widespread economic disruption but to a deepening social crisis.

The details of these risks are different from those posed by climate change. But the underlying challenge is remarkably similar.

In both cases, we are developing powerful technologies that deliver enormous benefits today while potentially creating risks that could be catastrophic tomorrow. The people and industries benefiting from these technologies have strong incentives to keep advancing them. And the consequences of getting things wrong may not become apparent until it is too late to prevent serious harm.

The goal is not to stop progress. It is to make sure that progress serves humanity rather than putting our future at risk. We need to create safeguards while we still can.

Climate change has taught us how costly it can be to ignore the warning signs of a powerful technology. We should not make the same mistake twice.

Read More
Pam Parsons November 10, 2026 0
Talk
B-Change Blog

How to Talk About Climate Change

One Simple Thing We Can Do to Help
With Climate Change: Talk About It.

October, 2026

By Karen Dougherty

How can talking about climate change be a solution?

If you are reading this, you probably care that our planet is heating up. But did you realize you’re in good company? Contrary to popular belief, most Americans care, but we tend not to talk much about our concerns. Why not? Maybe it’s because we assume others disagree and we want to avoid an uncomfortable conversation. But how do we know how others feel unless we ask?

Bringing up climate change is a simple strategy, but it’s also powerful. Having a calm, respectful conversation about climate change can:

■  Generate ideas
■  Instill hope
■  Reduce polarization
■  Build consensus
■  Uncover myths
■  Validate facts
■  Be contagious
■  Lead to action

Why does it seem so hard?
 If you hesitate to bring up climate change with friends, family members, neighbors, or colleagues, it’s understandable. It may be because most of us underestimate how many others feel the same way. We shouldn’t let that hold us back; in reality, there is a good chance we’ll find common ground with the person in front of us. Polling shows that an estimated 63% of Americans are somewhat or very worried about climate change, and 74% believe we should be regulating carbon dioxide as a pollutant.
 
What should I say?
If you’re game to try but don’t know where to begin, this clever video is a helpful guide on how to have a meaningful conversation with someone about climate change. This is another clip on the same topic. And for some ideas on how to talk about specific issues related to climate – such as extreme weather, health, or cost of living – check out this resource.

Tips to get started
Here are some quick tips to help you get started, along with a few things I’ve learned through trial and error:

1. Start with a question
Don’t assume you know what someone thinks about climate change. If you throw it out there, you might be surprised by what you hear. So, simply asking what they think is a great place to start.

2. Listen (the hard part)
Once you ask your question, stop and truly hear the response. Don’t interrupt or disagree, even if your tongue is bleeding from biting it. Ask follow-up questions and seek to understand their perspective. This is the hardest part for most of us, but easily the most crucial.

Regardless of their response, don’t start dumping facts. I’ll admit I’ve made this mistake many times, and it’s the fastest way to shut things down. Nobody wants to be ambushed at a social event (or ever). The goal of the conversation is not to convince the other person of your views but to learn from one another.

3. Tell your story and make a connection
We all have different reasons to care about climate change, but we are each affected in some way. Many people are being impacted by the warming planet already without connecting the dots. Try bringing up a common hobby or share what got you interested in the first place.

For example, does this person like to ski, go to the beach, fish, travel, or drink coffee? Do they have children and/or grandchildren? Try to make a connection between climate change and the things or people they love.

You could also mention something you’re doing in your own life to reduce emissions. Maybe you switched to a heat pump or got an electric vehicle. Maybe you’re substituting ground turkey for beef or considering solar panels. Any small step you’re taking could become a conversation starter.

4. End on a positive note
No matter what, do your best to end on a positive note. Optimism is infectious, and the last thing we want is for people to feel like the situation is beyond fixing. Bring up a hopeful news story or innovative solution. The Daily Climate website has a compilation of upbeat stories on climate change. Maybe keep a few positive story ideas in your back pocket for when the opportunity strikes.

5. Practice makes you better
The more conversations you have, the easier they become. And as it turns out, now – midterm election season – is a great time to practice your skills.  No better time than the present to start talking!

In addition to volunteering for C-Change, Karen blogs about climate change at unheating.com. 

Read More
Pam Parsons October 20, 2026 0
Contrast
Curated Climate News

September 2026 – It Was a Week of Contradictions

Dear Friends,

In September, the climate world descended on New York City for the 18th annual Climate Week. Several C-Change Conversations members attended, and we were honored to present at several events. 

It was a week of contradictions. 

On one hand, the U.S. energy leaders like Secretary of Energy Chris Wright promoted fossil fuels, telling us that energy security can only be obtained by investing more in these power sources. In his address to the United Nations, the president of the United States also emphasized the need to grow fossil fuel usage and reissued an old – and inaccurate – claim that the climate has not been heating up at all and has been, in fact, cooling.

But during the same timeframe, climate change was unsheathing its claws. On the Sunday of that week, during an extreme heat wave in Nashville, the astroturf reached 157°F at the Titans/Eagles football game, causing players’ cleats to melt. A few days before, a tropical depression in the Pacific morphed into a category 5 hurricane in less than 24 hours, the second-fastest intensification on record. And it’s official: July, August, and September were each the hottest ever recorded in the contiguous United States. Extreme heat and hurricane intensification are hallmarks of climate change, and September’s events are harbingers of the challenges that will worsen more in the future as climate pollution continues and temperatures rise. 

The juxtaposition of these two realities indicates how challenging our situation is. According to a new U.N. study, we are now certain to miss the 1.5°C climate goal and will need to both stop emitting greenhouse gases as quickly as is feasible and remove carbon from the atmosphere on a grand scale to avoid “catastrophic” levels of warming. Yet despite the clear need for action, our political systems aren’t up to the task. Instead of supporting a disciplined transition toward cleaner tech, the U.S. is doubling down on the very products that are causing climate change – and the pain and economic loss that come with it. 

We can do better. Other countries are doing better. And the good news underscored at Climate Week? Energy security comes from energy sovereignty, the ability to make and control the energy you need, while avoiding price shocks from globally traded fossil fuels. And wind, solar, and batteries can help deliver that in spades, usually at lower prices than fossil fuels. That new reality – that clean energy provides safer and more affordable energy – gives us a winning hand. We just need to start playing it.

Sincerely,
Kathleen Biggins
President and Founder

Notable Quote
“I think this summer was a summer of truth. The recent summer months have been, as we heard from the scientists, the hottest on record, but may be the coolest for the years to come.” 
— Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission 
News of Concern

Unfortunately, as noted above, the U.S. is not recognizing that moment of truth: last month the administration repealed carbon emission limits for power plants and scaled back fuel-efficiency regulations for light trucks and new cars. Both moves will significantly drive up greenhouse gas emissions, but the fuel-economy rule is particularly bedevilling because it hampers American competitiveness in the global car market. Combustion engine cars reached their peak sales globally in 2017 and have been declining steadily since. In contrast, global sales of electric vehicles are skyrocketing – buoyed by declining battery costs and escalating gas and diesel costs – and the International Energy Agency projects they could comprise the majority of new car sales as early as the mid 2030s. Redirecting policy support from EVs to combustion engine cars in the U.S. is like doubling down on building DVD players when digital streaming was ascending – it locks us into antiquated technology.  

There were many areas of concern in September: 

■  The world is experiencing a “Super El Niño” at a time when climate change is already pressuring communities. In California, sea levels have risen 6-9 inches since preindustrial times, and some coastal homes were already tumbling into the sea. Now El Niño is delivering a series of Kelvin waves – pulses of water that could suddenly raise sea level an additional 6-12 inches – threatening much greater swaths of the coastline. Scientists warn the Kelvin waves give us a preview of what regular sea levels could be later in the century due to climate change. 

■  Climate change is impacting water sources in other ways as well – warmer temperatures are melting glaciers and thawing permafrost, which can cause deadly flooding like the event that devastated Nepal in September.  This is a growing threat across mountain regions globally.

■  This incredibly hot summer in Europe was not an outlier. Scientists expect 2027 to be just as hot, and future summers even hotter as climate change ratchets up. And in many places that means it’s getting drier as well – in fact, scientists are concerned that climate change could help make the megadrought that has plagued our Southwest permanent.

■  China may lead the world in renewable energy growth, but it’s also emitting the world’s most-potent, longest-lived greenhouse gas at an alarming rate. Sulfur hexafluoride is used in electrical circuit breakers and high-voltage equipment. China apparently vents much of it into the air when that equipment is no longer in use and in quantities that can equal the annual emission of 29 million gas-powered vehicles.

As it turns out, our brains really don’t love the heat. Scientists have found that rising air temperatures negatively impact our brain chemistry and function. To put it bluntly – extreme heat is making us dumber. However… 

News of Hope

… Cleaner air makes us smarter. Studies looked at how children’s cognitive development was impacted by prenatal exposure to air pollution (a byproduct of climate change, because higher temperatures contribute to increased levels of smog). Not surprisingly, less exposure to pollutants equaled better brain function. 

When we understand how climate change impacts our brains – and so many other aspects of our lives – we’re more inclined to talk about it and act to bring about solutions.

In other hopeful news:

■  The Senate is finally tackling the thorny problem of permit reform for the electricity system, including the grid and more. U.S. electricity demand and prices are soaring, in part due to AI data center expansion, but our antiquated grid can’t bring on new electricity generation fast enough. Part of the problem is that it can take decades to get approval for new power lines, and natural gas pipelines often face years of environmental litigation. The new bipartisan Senate proposal attempts to broker a way forward to increase electricity generation and control escalating costs. While we are not endorsing the specific proposal, we are excited that Congress is finally focusing on permitting reform, as it has become the “third rail” of energy politics.

■  In a huge step forward for clean energy, Fervo Energy became the first company to sell enhanced geothermal energy onto the grid. Enhanced geothermal injects fluid miles below the surface, captures the Earth’s heat, then uses it to turn turbines for electricity generation. This new approach enables geothermal energy production far beyond volcanic areas and provides carbon-free, round-the-clock energy.  

■  We talk a lot about worrisome climate tipping points that will have far-reaching and irreversible impacts on the world. Fortunately, hopeful tipping points are emerging as
well – for example, solar is now the cheapest source of electricity in the world and is growing at unprecedented levels. Access to clean power enables areas like transport, heating and cooling, and manufacturing to electrify and decarbonize, creating positive economic changes while also lowering pollution levels.  

■  It takes a lot of space to build a solar array, and that’s not always easy to come by in smaller countries. We loved reading that Japan is repurposing parts of its small island on a grand scale, turning its defunct golf courses into solar farms.

■  On another small island filled with apartment dwellers, charging an electric vehicle can pose a major challenge. In response, New York City is stepping up for its EV-driving residents, installing hundreds of curbside chargers to make it easier to own these nonpolluting automobiles.

■  Did you know cement making is responsible for 8% of the world’s carbon emissions? This new method could literally change the foundation of construction, drastically reducing the carbon output of cement by using an electrochemical process and renewable electricity during production.

Notable Graph

As climate change drives up our global temperatures, we’re being exposed to more extreme heat for longer periods of time – heat that even the healthiest of us can’t tolerate. And that could be many more people than you’d expect: this NPR study estimates that heat is killing five times more people in the U.S. than official CDC records show, at a rate of about 9,000 deaths per year. 

Source: NPR

Notable Video

As we said above, tipping points are those moments when a final shift occurs to create an unstoppable change on a larger scale. Experts are concerned that we are approaching such a moment with the AMOC (Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation). This excellent video by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research explains how the AMOC works, why experts are concerned about how climate change is disrupting it, and what that would mean for our civilization as we know it today.

Source: The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research

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Pam Parsons October 15, 2026 0
Hot desert
Curated Climate News

August 2026 – How Hot Is Too Hot?

Dear Friends,

How hot is too hot? More of us are about to find out.

We are reaching temperature thresholds around the world – including in our own country – where even the healthiest humans couldn’t survive outside over an extended period. When it gets too hot and humid, our sweat can’t evaporate fast enough to cool us down, no matter how young or healthy we are.

Because of climate change, that kind of heat is happening more often and it impacts more than just our health – it lowers productivity, harms crops, dries up water resources, and supercharges hurricanes.

And countries are feeling the climate change bite to their economies – especially this year as El Niño amplifies disruptions. The unprecedented heatwaves in Europe this summer are projected to wipe out roughly $208B of GDP, essentially negating the EU’s expected economic growth.

Here in the U.S., we’re weathering an increasingly ironic scenario – even as we were enduring the hottest month ever recorded in the lower 48 (July), we’re embarking on the biggest natural gas buildout ever in order to power new data centers. Some of the AI generation is still speculative and may not be built, but the sheer number of proposed natural gas additions is so high we can be confident that much more natural gas will be used in the future – and that our emissions will climb significantly.

In the long term, this will lock in more climate damage. In the shorter term, this rapid increase in demand is expected to strain supply and send prices higher. So, as we turn on our air conditioners more often to beat the heat in the future, the costs of our electricity will spike even higher.

We are in for a rough patch. Our grid is modernizing too slowly to meet AI’s breathtakingly large electricity demands (one AI center purports to need power capacity equal to that of New York City). While data center operators say they’d rather plug into the grid than build their own gas plants on site – connecting to the grid would be cleaner and cheaper – our system is constrained by physical bottlenecks, outdated regulations, and politics. And, as you’ll read below, it’s not improving quickly.  

So, let’s root for the new technologies, some outlined below, that can pave the way to a different, more sane, and affordable energy system. If we don’t, today’s hot temperatures will simply be a precursor to tomorrow’s hotter ones. 

Sincerely,
Kathleen Biggins
Founder and President

Notable Quote

“El Niño is a giant hammer that the climate gets hit with, so it is going to scramble a lot of different things.”
– Zeke Hausfather, Berkeley Earth scientist

News of Concern

We’re barreling toward irrevocable shifts in our natural world – changes driven by our continued reliance on fossil fuels that we won’t be able to undo, even when we manage to curtail our emissions. A heartbreaking example: the wildfires raging across the west in our country are burning so hot that they are turning our great forests into stunted shrublands – and the trees that once thrived there won’t return. This will have far-reaching impacts, from a drier landscape with a scarcer water supply for both humans and wildlife to decreased carbon absorption, which means more heat-causing emissions escaping into our atmosphere.
 
In other concerning news:

■  China’s use of coal power is rising after a decade of decreases, as El Niño heat is straining the country’s hydropower facilities and the war with Iran has hindered imports of liquified natural gas. This is disheartening because China – the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitter – had generated more electricity from renewables than coal for the first time last year.
 
■  On a good news/bad news note, batteries are transforming our grid – enabling us to use cheaper, cleaner energy for more parts of the day and providing more stability – but we aren’t getting them onto the system fast enough. Bottlenecks in building grid infrastructure, like transformers and switch plugs, have created a five-year wait before new projects can hook in. This is a big deal – there’s 750 gigawatts of storage (the equivalent of 700 nuclear plants) waiting to get connected.
 
■  Our electricity bills are soaring, and new research shows current federal energy policies curtailing renewables and supporting fossil fuels will both drive up emissions and make power even more expensive, with U.S. households potentially spending an extra $650 billion over the next 15 years.
 
■  In another bad news/good news story, the Trump administration announced new tariffs on solar components last month that will slow solar’s skyrocketing growth (it’s currently the fastest form of new generation in the country despite policy pullbacks) but will also shore up American manufacturers to protect supply chains in the future.

News of Hope

Fortunately, we continue to push the envelope on developing ways to tackle climate change. Cities and companies, large and small, are thinking outside the box and embracing clean energy. And climate scientists are persisting in their research and communication efforts even after the government scuttled their programs. A particularly bright note here is the nonprofit climate.us, created after the Trump administration shut down NOAA’s climate.gov.
 
There’s so much good news to share this month:
 
■  New York City is exploring opportunities to beat the heat, including a huge air-exchange system that could capture and store the sweltering heat of the summer subways for warming buildings in the winter and embracing apartment-sized home batteries that residents can plug their air conditioners into at peak times to reduce both their costs and the strain on the grid on extremely hot days.
 
■  Boston is also turning its attention to novel clean-power sources, testing three thermal-energy projects that would use its rivers for heating and cooling. Because water temperatures fluctuate less than air, the rivers could support efficient heat pump systems that proponents claim could supply a “near-infinite” source of energy in the future.

The “most magical place on Earth” has just pulled another rabbit from the hat. Disney World is now capable of powering its entire resort – including all of the parks and hotels – with 100% solar energy during daytime hours.  Source: The Walt Disney Company   
   
And there was more good news in June:

■ The UK and Google are working together in a landmark effort to evaluate if altitude adjustmentsfor planes flying over the Atlantic Ocean could lessen the aviation industry’s impact on the climate. “Operation Blue Skies” will analyze if the shifts can decrease contrails, which trap heat and contribute to global warming.

■  Wildfire survivors are some of our fiercest fighters in reducing our risk from these deadly disasters. They’re building companies and pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into creating technology to combat wildfires, from drones to tracking balloons to systems that disrupt the oxygen in a blaze.

■   Americans are flocking to heat pumps (which provide both heating and cooling) for their homes, with sales outpacingfossil fuel furnaces by 32% in the first quarter of the year and almost beating out AC units. Farmers are embracing heat pumps as well, with milk and cheese producers reporting heat pumps can cut electricity use in half.

■  A hearty cheer to this innovation – a Heineken brewery is replacing natural gas boilers with heat batteries for manufacturing some of its beers. The batteries use clean energy to generate high heat, which is stored in special bricks, then used to generate the clouds of steam necessary for brewing the beer.       

Notable Graphic

Growth of renewable power remains strong in the United States. Solar and storage made up 91% of all new energy generation capacity in the first quarter of 2026 (with solar accounting for 60%). Current federal policies that favor fossil fuels are slowing our momentum – growth was down 27% from last year. But even with these headwinds, solar is expected to continue to grow rapidly. Experts project it could surpass natural gas as the primary power generator around mid-century.

Notable Video

Wildfire smoke has engulfed swaths of the country this year, sometimes traveling for thousands of miles from the source of the blaze. It’s becoming a more-common occurrence as climate change heats the air, shifts rainfall patterns, and dries out land to create tinderbox conditions. This graphic visualization drives home the sheer scope of how the smoke travels through the air.    

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Pam Parsons September 1, 2026 0
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C-Change Blog

The Winds of Change

The Winds of Change are Stiffening

By Kathleen Biggins

At a time when caring for the climate seems downright quaint and out of date, when the drumbeat of climate denial sounds steadily and loudly, when federal policy is squashing and delaying renewable energy projects, it may seem incongruous to herald that progress is being made. But when we consider the big picture, the winds of change are stiffening. Let’s take a closer look at some positive trends at home and abroad.

Demographics are changing. Younger Republicans are substantially more concerned about climate change than their parents and grandparents. They also support fossil fuels less and support clean energy more. As younger voters become a larger share of the electorate, today’s partisan divide on climate change is unlikely to remain as stark as it is today.

Political backlash is growing against high electricity costs – and renewables can help. Artificial intelligence and data centers are dramatically increasing electricity demand, driving up costs and leading to political fallout in both conservative and liberal areas. We simply can’t meet the demand without new power generation. 

In the near-term, reliance on natural gas, historically the primary electricity source in the U.S., is expected to increase – especially at off-the-grid power generators at data center sites. But it is significantly hampered by delays and cost: new gas-fired plants now take five to seven years to come online and are three times more expensive to build than a decade ago due to supply chain and workforce shortages. In addition, fuel prices are expected to rise significantly as we export more liquefied natural gas onto the global market and due to geopolitical disruptions. 

At the same time, we have an enormous backlog of cheaper clean-energy projects waiting in our transmission queue. Approximately 95% of all sidelined capacity consists of wind, solar, and battery storage – roughly 2.6 terawatts of potential generation, and more than twice the generating capacity of our current U.S. grid. Harnessing this clean energy is the quickest and cheapest way to add capacity to our grid.

Clean energy is now the cheapest energy. Wind and solar are now the lowest-cost sources of new electricity generation in almost all of the United States and around the world. Conservative states such as Iowa, South Dakota, and Kansas generate at least half of their electricity from wind while maintaining some of the nation’s lowest electricity prices. Texas, long identified with oil and gas, has become one of the world’s renewable energy leaders, generating more than one-third of its electricity from wind, solar, and battery storage. Those resources have significantly reduced wholesale electricity costs and improved grid reliability while providing billions of dollars in income to rural landowners and local communities.

These energy savings are getting too big to ignore. The world saved $480B last year by using more renewable energy instead of burning fossil fuels. And these savings are not one-and-done; sunbeams and wind currents are “free,” so renewable generation will continue to displace fossil fuels and provide savings in future years. 

Climate change is no longer an abstract discussion. In the 1980s, the U.S. experienced $1B weather and climate disasters three times a year – we are now averaging roughly one every two weeks. Unsurprisingly, a large majority of Americans report experiencing an extreme weather event during the past year. Research also suggests that people who experience these events are more likely to recognize the role climate change plays in making many of these disasters more frequent or more severe.

Cleantech is getting more politically savvy. Many Republican lawmakers privately acknowledge the scientific consensus on climate change, yet have faced strong political incentives to avoid publicly embracing climate policy. Following the successful playbook of fossil fuel companies, many cleantech leaders are increasingly investing in relationships across the political spectrum, working to make clean-energy innovation a “purple” issue versus a “progressive” one. 

Clean energy is taking the high ground. Another longstanding criticism – that pursuing clean energy condemns poorer communities to “energy poverty” – is steadily losing credibility.

Across Africa and other developing regions, distributed solar power is bringing electricity to communities that otherwise might wait decades for centralized transmission infrastructure. Instead of relying on imported fossil fuels with volatile prices, families gain access to affordable, locally generated electricity. In fact, Africa – where the vast majority of people without energy access live – is becoming one of the fastest-growing renewable markets. 

The same principle applies in the United States. Wind and solar development is creating new income streams for farmers, ranchers, and economically struggling rural communities, particularly across states like Texas, as well as creating opportunities for lower future utility costs nationwide. 

Other countries are moving quickly and benefiting from the transition. China and India continue to consume enormous quantities of fossil fuels as their economies expand, but last year both decreased fossil fuel electricity generation as they rapidly deployed renewable energy, batteries, and modern electric grids.

India, the world’s fastest growing economy and third-largest emitter,  produced three times as much new clean energy than was needed to fully power that growth, allowing it to actually lower its emissions last year while its economy expanded. 

And China, the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter, last year installed half of all new global clean-energy capacity. These additions mean that, as of this year, China now has more generation capacity in renewables than in fossil fuels.

Worldwide, carbon intensity – the greenhouse gas emissions produced per unit of economic output – has continued to decline as clean energy expands. North America was a notable exception in 2025, with emissions and carbon intensity increasing, driven largely by surging electricity demand from AI infrastructure and increased fossil fuel generation in the United States. In fact, last year our increased demand exceeded our clean-energy additions – North American carbon emissions rose 3.2%, driven primarily by the U.S. and accounted for 47% of global emissions growth.

And so here we are. History is filled with moments when a determined minority delayed critically needed change. Current climate policy in the U.S. will likely be remembered as one of those moments. But the winds of change are strong, and this recent doubling down on fossil fuels and climate denial could be the last hurrah of a fading system fighting against an inevitable future. 

Kathleen Biggins is Founder and President of C-Change Conversations.

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Pam Parsons August 28, 2026 0
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B-Change Blog

Balcony Solar: A Trending Climate Solution

JULY 2026

By Karen Dougherty

Have you been curious about solar energy for your home but aren’t ready for a major financial commitment? Is your roof covered in shade but you have a sunny porch? Or are you renting a place and wish you could get into the clean-energy game? If any of these are true for you, balcony solar might be calling your name.
 
Balcony solar (also known as plug-in solar) is trending. This may have something to do with skyrocketing energy prices and accelerating demand due to the explosion of data centers. Nobody wants to see energy costs rise, but the more they do, the more benefit there is to powering part (or all) of your home with the sun.

WHAT IS BALCONY SOLAR?
 
Just as the name suggests, balcony solar panels are small enough to go on your porch…or fence, shed, wall, or yard. They plug right into a standard outlet and supply electricity directly to your home’s circuits. In other words, you can access solar without needing a contractor or big investment. Cool, right?
 
The units use a tiny device called a microinverter to convert the sun’s energy into usable electricity for your apartment or home. The power goes straight into your home’s wiring and helps run the always-on appliances like your fridge, Wi-Fi router, laptop chargers, lights, and electronics.
 
Already booming in other countries, balcony solar has recently started gaining popularity in pockets of the United States. 
 
PROS

■  Lower investment than rooftop solar – substantially lower up-front cost vs. rooftop solar, and  you can also start with one panel and add on
■  Renter-friendly – the unit moves with you
■  Easy setup – kits are light and install easily with minimal tools
■  Lower electric bills – can reduce power bills by 10 to 25%
■  No roof required – perfect for apartment, condos, duplexes, and shaded roofs
■  Slows climate change – the more clean energy we use, the less fossil fuel energy we need
■  Can act as a backup power source – when you pair with a battery, you can maintain some power during an outage

CONS

■  Not sufficient to power a whole home – more “trim your bill” than “go fully off-grid”
■  Needs decent sunlight – north-facing balconies or heavily shaded areas won’t work
■  Legal rules are still messy in the U.S. – some states explicitly allow solar panels, some are considering laws, and others are vague or restrictive
■  Landlord or HOA drama may still occur – even where state law allows solar panels, building rules may not
■  Savings are modest – think “helps with the utility bill,” not “break up with my energy utility”
 
WHAT IS THE COST?
 
Typical U.S. balcony solar kits cost between $500 to $1,500 depending on size and energy output. European systems are much cheaper because the market is more mature, but U.S. prices are coming down.
 
How much can people save? There are lots of variables, like system sizes and electricity rates, but the short answer is: noticeable but not life-changing money.

Typical estimates are about 10 to 25% savings, depending on the size of the solar unit. The payback period depends on the cost of electricity where you live, but typically lands between two to five years. As energy prices go up, this time goes down.
 
WHERE IS BALCONY SOLAR ALLOWED?
 
One challenge is many states have antiquated laws requiring balcony solar to have the same permits and fees as commercial solar farms. This is a case of rules not keeping pace with technology – many states are in a “legal gray area” where the laws don’t clearly permit or ban plug-in solar yet. Because of broad interest, things are rapidly changing. Eight states have laws allowing residents to use plug-in solar, and many others have active legislation or regulatory discussions underway.

States where plug-in solar is approved:
■  Colorado
■  Connecticut
■  Maine
■  Maryland
■  New Hampshire
■  Utah (first state to explicitly legalize it, in 2025)
■  Vermont
■  Virginia

States with active legislation (stay tuned – this is a fast-moving target):
■  Arkansas
■  California
■  Delaware
■  Georgia
■  Hawaii
■  Idaho
■  Illinois
■  Indiana
■  Iowa
■  Massachusetts
■  Michigan
■  Minnesota
■  Missouri
■  New Jersey
■  New York
■  North Carolina
■  Ohio
■  Oklahoma
■  Oregon
■  Pennsylvania
■  Rhode Island
■  South Carolina
■  Washington
■  West Virginia
■  Wyoming

WHAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE?
 
If you want to give balcony solar a try, do a bit of research to make sure it’s allowed in your state. And keep checking, because things are moving fast. If legislation is in process, consider firing off an email to your state representatives voicing support.
 
Before buying, you will also want to consider the size of the unit that best matches your budget, as well as the size of your sunny spot. When dealing with electricity, safety is obviously important, so look for a unit that is UL-certified. And finally, don’t forget to check with your HOA or building manager.
 
In a nutshell, balcony solar could be a simple way to dip your toe into the solar game, be part of the solution to climate change, and save some money along the way. Triple win!

In addition to volunteering for C-Change, Karen blogs about climate change at unheating.com. 

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Pam Parsons July 19, 2026 0
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Curated Climate News

June 2026 – Understanding the Risks of Climate Change

JUNE 2026

At a time when the world’s climate systems are flashing red, many Americans seem to be responding with a shrug – or with willful avoidance of the topic. Media climate desks have been disbanded, liberal politicians have dropped the issue, consumers are understandably focused on soaring energy costs, and the federal government is pretending climate change doesn’t exist and perversely boosting coal (the most expensive and carbon intensive fuel of all). It’s like we are collectively reverting to childhood, shutting our eyes so the boogeyman can’t get us. 

But, unfortunately, closing our eyes doesn’t mean the boogeyman isn’t coming – and this one is coming with a vengeance. So far this year, temperatures are trending higher (France just hit its hottest day ever recorded), early wildfires are more widespread and destructive, and water supplies are at record lows). And the
extremes – heat, drought, and, conversely, excessive rain – are bedeviling farmers and endangering food supplies. 

And remember, our climate woes today will look like child’s play tomorrow. To get a sense of what we may be setting into motion, let’s look at conditions the last time emissions were this high: three million years ago, when temperatures were 4.5-7.4°F hotter than our pre-industrial temperatures and oceans were at least 16 feet higher with large parts of the Atlantic coast, the Carolinas, and Florida under water. 

The good news is that despite this environment of “climate malaise,” more Americans than ever are worried about climate change and a strong majority – 63% in a recent Gallup poll – want our government to do more about it. Companies, including American icons like GM, are reimagining how our energy systems will run in the future. Investors are piling into cleantech, with global investments hitting $2T in 2025, more than double investment in fossil fuels. And electrification – using electricity for transport, industry, heating, and power – is advancing globally at a blistering pace and is three times more efficient than using fossil fuels for most of the same tasks.  

So, let’s shake off our malaise and get cracking. Let’s open our eyes to what’s happening, so we can understand both the real risk of climate change and the promise of the innovation around us. The only way to chase that boogeyman away is to meet him head on. 

Sincerely,
Kathleen Biggins
Founder and President

Notable Quote

“The current El Niño is … riding on top of a substantial amount of global warming. This means that the actual temperatures in affected regions could well be unprecedented, as the warming from El Niño is being topped up by climate change.”  – Adam Scaife, a climate scientist at the U.K.’s national weather service

News of Concern

El Niño has officially arrived – and the likelihood that it will become a rare “super” El Niño is looking more and more likely. El Niño is a Pacific weather pattern that affects the whole globe, increasing temperatures and causing extremes in both rainfall and drought. This El Niño is beginning when our oceans are already 0.9°F warmer than normal and forecasters believe there’s a high chance that sea surface temperature rise will exceed 3.6°F this year. That means more storms in the southern U.S., hotter weather in the Pacific Northwest, and less snow in Canada – all of which will impact our weather and our economy.

In other concerning news we’re watching: 

■   Natural gas flares – the gas burned off during processing – rose to the highest level since 2019. The U.S. is among the top producers of flares, which pump carbon into the atmosphere and contribute to global warming. 

■   According to a new report from the United Nations, the amount of electricity gobbled up by data centers around the world might be equal to that of the sixth-largest power-consuming country by 2030. 

■   At a time when electricity demand is skyrocketing, the Trump administration continues to cancel wind projects. But we are encouraged by one energy development company that took the payout – Invenergy said it will use that money to invest in next-gen geothermal development.

■   We’ve talked a lot about how climate change is coming for the things we value – and now our beloved tomatoes (and all of the products they’re in, like ketchup and sauce) are on that list as drought and heat impact crops around the world. 

News of Hope

It’s a welcome sign that renewable energy is getting big enough and politically savvy enough to start challenging candidates who are vehemently against clean energy. Stealing a page from the fossil fuel industry, a new PAC is supporting Republicans who may not be full-throated supporters of renewable energy, but who are more moderate than their opponents. In other words, the PAC is retaliating against those who are gunning for the renewables industry and is aimed at making clean-energy support important on both sides of the aisle.

Here’s some good news for our coral reefs: a new study has identified more than 5,800 square miles of ocean where local conditions will slow climate change’s impact and allow some coral to survive longer. Coral reefs, which are bleaching at a rapid rate due to rising sea temperatures, are crucial to the health of the ocean and to our economy.

And there was more good news in June:

■   The Trump administration announced a $17.5 billion loan for building large nuclear reactors, with the hope they can be built faster than in the past and come online by the mid-2030s. The driving force behind the funding is to provide more power for data centers, but utility and energy companies should also benefit from an influx of clean power on the grid.

■  The data center buildout is increasing support for novel approaches to add grid flexibility and meet higher peak power demands. Sunrun, Tesla, and Renew Home – the top providers of rooftop solar, home batteries, and smart thermostats in the U.S. – are teaming up to create a massive virtual power plant (a network of home-based smart thermostats, EV chargers, smart appliances, and home batteries) that are contracted to send power back to the grid when needed. Harnessing this “distributed power” (aka power in our homes) more widely could result in $10B in savings to U.S. utility customers annually and can provide new energy resources more quickly than building new plants.
 
■   Seven Northeast states are suing the Trump administration for paying TotalEnergies $1B to scrap offshore wind projects. States claim the administration’s move will squander billions already spent in economic investments, raise electricity costs, and kill thousands of green-energy jobs. Their goal is to strike down the administration’s agreement for canceling the offshore leases.

■   One of the biggest challenges of climate change is how it is impacting our water
supplies – in many cases, higher temperatures and evaporation levels are leading to less water for farms, energy production, and people. California is expanding a pilot program to put solar panels above irrigation canals that can both generate significant amounts of clean energy and save billions of gallons of water by protecting the canals from evaporation.

Notable Graph

For the first month ever, wind and solar generated more electricity than gas globally in April. Part of this is due to gas disruption from the Iranian war but the shift may be more permanent than many people think, as countries move toward clean-energy sources that are cheaper and more secure. For contrast, just five years ago, natural gas provided almost twice as much electricity as wind and solar, indicating how rapidly renewable energy is shaping the power mix worldwide.

Source: Monthly electricity data, Ember. “Other renewables” includes hydro, bioenergy, and smaller generators such as geothermal. “Other fossils” includes oil and other fossil generators  

Notable Video

As summer settles in, so does the humidity for much of the country. The number of dangerous humid heat days has more than doubled since the 1970s – and is affecting more locales than ever – increasing our risk of heat-related health issues like heat stroke and heart attacks. Climate Central explains why humid heat is so dangerous.

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Pam Parsons July 3, 2026 0
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Ask a Climate Expert

What Would Happen if AMOC Collapsed Completely?

By Michael Mann

Climatologist and geophysicist ​Michael Mann is a presidential distinguished professor in the department of Earth and Environmental Science at the University of Pennsylvania and the director of the Penn Center for Science, Sustainability, and the Media. Dr. Mann received his M.S. degree in physics from Yale University, and a Ph.D. in geology & geophysics from Yale University. His research interests include the study of Earth’s climate system and the science, impacts, and policy implications of human-caused climate change. He is author of more than 200 peer-reviewed and edited publications, numerous op-eds and commentaries, and six books.

Question:

What happens if AMOC [Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation] collapsed completely, happened suddenly, and circulation stopped completely and the ocean cooled to full potential. From a physics point of view, if energy is not transferred by the ocean, it builds up and should be transferred somehow, perhaps using the atmosphere.

Answer:

The short answer is that a slowdown, or possible collapse, of the AMOC would not have the dramatic impacts that are depicted in popular movies and renditions (e.g. “Day After Tomorrow”). There would probably be cooling of the sea surface temperatures in the subpolar North Atlantic (including Iceland), but simply less warming in eastern North America and western Europe – as it would offset some of the more globally pervasive warming regionally. 

There would be less ocean mixing in parts of the North Atlantic and decreased marine productivity (which would be very bad for global fish stocks), increased sea level rise along parts of Mid-Atlantic coast, and regional changes in atmospheric circulation that could lead to more warming in some places and cooling in others.

The question is on target in that there is a tendency for compensation. If you slow down the current and get cooling up north, you increase the sea surface temperature gradient between the mid-latitudes and pole, increasing mid-latitude storm activity, which transports more heat poleward in an attempt to even out the gradient.

 

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Pam Parsons June 13, 2026 0
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