Search Climate Insights Directory

Climate change accounted for 27% of the rate of heat-related emergency room visits in the U.S. during 2018-2025. August 2026 was the warmest August on record globally, with record warmth affecting 13.2% of global land and ocean areas. In the U.S., Summer 2026 was the warmest on record for the contiguous region, and August 2026 was the warmest August for average, maximum, and minimum temperatures since 1895. Drought affected at least 81% of the contiguous U.S. as of September 8, 2026, and nearly 8.3 million acres burned year-to-date, driven by increased 'fire weather' days. Attribution analysis using the Climate Shift Index (CSI) indicates human-caused climate change drove summertime warming trends in 91% of analyzed U.S. cities. Additionally, a strong El Niño event is projected to peak around February 2027, with global temperature anomalies potentially reaching 1.7C above pre-industrial levels.

June 2026 was the second-warmest June on record globally, with the Arctic experiencing its warmest June ever. In the U.S., 66% of the contiguous region faced abnormally dry or drought conditions by July 7, 2026, and the West and Southwest regions saw their warmest January-June period on record. A very strong El Niño is forecast to develop between October and December 2026, with an 81% probability, likely pushing global temperatures to or above 1.5C by October. Climate Central's analysis indicates human-caused climate change is a key driver of summertime warming in 91% of analyzed U.S. cities.

The May 2026 report highlights that the month was the second-warmest on record globally, with carbon dioxide levels reaching a new monthly peak of 432.3 ppm. In the United States, spring 2026 was the second-warmest on record for the contiguous U.S., while 77% of the region experienced abnormally dry or drought conditions as of early June. The report also notes a developing potentially very strong El Niño and record-low snowpack in several western states.

The document reports that Europe experienced a November 2025 temperature 1.38°C above the 1991-2020 mean, with record highs in central western Russia and record low precipitation in Turkey. For the January-March 2026 period, forecasts project warmer-than-average temperatures across Europe, particularly in the northeast, and generally weakly positive precipitation anomalies, though soil moisture is expected to be weakly negative in Spain, Italy, central Europe, and Turkey.

January 2026 was the fifth-warmest January on record globally, characterized by significant temperature anomalies in the U.S. West and record-low snowpacks in several states. The document highlights the transition of NOAA to the Relative Oceanic Niño Index (RONI) to better account for climate change in ENSO tracking. Attribution analysis using the Climate Shift Index (CSI) indicates that extreme warmth in the northern U.S. and specific cities like San Juan and Honolulu was strongly driven by carbon pollution.

August 2025 was the third warmest August globally on record, with all ten warmest Augusts occurring since 2015. In the United States, 98% of analyzed cities have experienced fall warming, and as of September 9, at least 60% of the country faces abnormally dry or drought conditions. A record-breaking marine heatwave in the North Pacific Ocean, attributed to climate change, is expected to persist into October.

The study finds that the average WACC for African countries (15.6%) is significantly higher than the 10% uniform value often used in planning, with Eastern Africa facing the highest costs. This high cost of capital, driven by low economic development and high risk premiums, disproportionately affects capital-intensive clean energy projects. The authors argue that relying on uniform WACC values misguides policy and recommend localized data and risk-mitigation instruments to attract private investment.

The document details the creation of global country-level water stress projections by aggregating sub-catchment data using a spatially weighted methodology. It utilizes IPCC AR5 data to model three scenarios—optimistic, business-as-usual, and pessimistic—across three time horizons (2020, 2030, 2040). The rankings are designed to help investors, companies, and governments benchmark national water risks and prioritize adaptation. A 2040 business-as-usual ranking identifies several Middle Eastern countries, including Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar, as having the highest water stress scores of 5.00.

The study estimates that Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia face a potential US$596 million cost to maintain and repair road infrastructure due to climate-driven temperature and precipitation changes by 2050.