Search Climate Insights Directory

The study analyzed climate data from 1960 to 2014 on the northern coast of the Bahía Blanca estuary, Argentina, using Fast Fourier Transform and the Standardized Precipitation Index. Key findings include a 0.9 ºC increase in average air temperature and a reduction in maximum average wind speed by 7.5 km h-1 between 1986 and 2010. The research also identified wet and dry cycles in relative humidity and precipitation linked to El Niño and La Niña events, providing a basis for a sustainable land management plan.

The study found that the areal variation of shallow lakes in Argentina's temperate plains between 2002 and 2011 was more dependent on rainfall regime changes linked to ENSO events than on changes in land use intensity.

The study finds that the 2015/16 El Niño led to a 4% increase in global burned area and a 5% increase in fire emissions compared to a 'No El Niño' scenario, resulting in a 4% reduction in the terrestrial carbon sink. South America experienced the most significant impact, with a 13% increase in burned area and emitted carbon, primarily driven by temperature increases between August and October in central-southern Brazil.

Climate change in Illinois is manifesting as increased precipitation, rising temperatures, and intensified summer droughts, leading to significant infrastructure damage and public health risks. Since the 20th century, average annual precipitation has risen by 12-15%, while extreme events have increased by 40%, causing frequent flooding and sewage overflows in cities like Chicago. Rising temperatures are most pronounced in winter, with a predicted average increase of up to 9°F by 2100, which threatens agricultural yields—potentially reducing corn yields by 23-34% by mid-century—and necessitates an estimated $6.1 billion for school air conditioning by 2025. Additionally, intensified summer droughts threaten crop yields and river navigation, notably impacting barge transportation on the Mississippi River, while increasing the risk of wildfires and health issues from Canadian wildfire smoke.

The report details how climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of extreme weather in Michigan, leading to significant infrastructure damage, public health risks, and economic losses in tourism and agriculture.

The project examines hydroclimate variability in the American cordillera, specifically in western Canada, Mexico, the Altiplano, and Southern South America. Using tree-ring data, glacier studies, and streamflow records, the research analyzes the relationships between precipitation, runoff, and climatic drivers like ENSO and PDO over the last 300 years. Key outputs include long-term drought and precipitation reconstructions for central Mexico and the Bolivian Altiplano, as well as snowpack and river reconstructions for the Southern Andes.

Analysis of Polylepis tarapacana tree rings in the Bolivian Altiplano reveals a severe drought period between 1316 and 1371 that coincided with the abandonment of valley-floor villages in favor of fortified 'Pukara' sites. This evidence supports the hypothesis that water scarcity triggered social conflict among Pre-Inca communities. The document warns that current warming, glacier shrinkage, and increasing demands from mining and agriculture may increase the risk of similar water-related conflicts in the 21st century.

The research finds that human-induced climate change significantly increased the intensity and probability of extreme fire weather in eastern Canada in 2023, particularly in Québec, where the cumulative severity of the fire season was approximately 50% more intense and at least seven times more likely to occur.

The study finds that while human-induced climate change did not significantly alter the likelihood of the overall 24-month rainfall deficit, it drastically increased drought severity through higher temperatures and evapotranspiration. In a world 1.2°C cooler, the combination of low rainfall and high evapotranspiration observed would not have led to drought; however, in the current climate, it is classified as an 'exceptional drought'. The researchers estimate that such droughts have become approximately 100 times more likely due to climate change.

Atmospheric rivers are corridors of moisture that provide essential water resources to the western U.S. but also cause severe flooding and landslides. Climate change is increasing the intensity and moisture content of these storms, which is projected to raise annual flood damages in the western U.S. to between $2.3 and $3.2 billion by 2090. While a series of atmospheric rivers in early 2023 significantly reduced drought coverage in California, the trend toward warmer storms is reducing snowpack and increasing the risk of compounding climate hazards.

The study uses a Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) model and five CMIP5 GCMs to project climate impacts on the Sittaung river basin. Findings indicate that while increased riverine flows will likely benefit domestic water supply and hydropower generation, unmet agricultural demands for food production are expected to increase.

The HydroHazards project develops frameworks to analyze how simultaneous or sequential hydrometeorological events impact critical infrastructure and create social vulnerabilities. A national analysis of Sweden indicates that while extreme precipitation, river streamflow, and sea levels rarely coincide in one location, the south and west coasts are more prone to simultaneous floods and extreme sea levels. In the municipality of Halmstad, the project applies a mixed-methods approach—combining network analysis, synthetic distribution networks, and the Impact Chain model—to identify how infrastructure failures lead to cascading effects on the population, distinguishing between underlying social vulnerabilities (e.g., income) and emerging vulnerabilities caused by service disruptions.

The study compares the Integrated MultisatellitE Retrievals for- Global Precipitation Measurement (IMERG) and Climate Forecast and System Reanalysis (CFSR) products against approximately 50,000 in-situ surface stations globally. The results indicate that IMERG generally outperforms CFSR in simulating monthly rainfall across most regions, continents, and countries. Specifically, IMERG showed significantly better mean Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) in 64 countries. While CFSR provided satisfactory simulations for Europe, North America, and Australia, it was unsatisfactory for other continents. To facilitate the use of high-quality data for hydrologic modelling, the authors introduced the Worldwide Weather Service (W3S) for the preprocessing and dissemination of IMERG precipitation data.

The ClimVis Europe pilot project identifies a significant gap between the production of complex climate data and its usability for non-expert decision-makers and educators in Europe. Through surveys and focus groups across six countries, the project found that existing tools often exclude users due to a lack of native-language options—particularly in Eastern Europe and Russia—and a failure to link real-time extreme weather events with long-term climate trends. The findings advocate for the co-development of intuitive, multilinguistic tools that provide necessary context to support climate risk reduction and adaptation strategies.

The document details how Southern Africa is experiencing temperature increases above the global average, increased frequency of heatwaves and droughts, and significant economic losses. It projects severe future risks to food security, human health, and biodiversity, while emphasizing the need for transformative adaptation and increased climate finance to build resilience.

North Africa is experiencing warming at twice the global rate, leading to increased heat waves, marine heat waves, and widespread losses in agriculture and health. Future projections indicate severe risks to food security, biodiversity, and coastal infrastructure, particularly in Egypt. Adaptation requires transformative, ecosystem-based approaches and a significant increase in disbursed climate finance.

Southern Africa has experienced warming exceeding the global average, leading to increased heatwaves, droughts, and economic losses. Future projections indicate severe risks to food systems, human health, and biodiversity, with significant GDP losses if warming reaches 2°C. Adaptation requires transformative, equity-based approaches and a substantial increase in climate finance and research funding for African institutions.

The document explains 'event attribution' as a scientific method to determine how much human-induced climate change affects the probability and intensity of specific weather extremes. It provides a detailed breakdown of how climate change influences heatwaves, floods, tropical cyclones, snowfalls, droughts, and wildfires, while cautioning against oversimplifying these events as having a single cause. The guide emphasizes that while some trends (like heatwaves) are globally certain, others (like floods or droughts) vary by region and are influenced by local human factors such as land use and water management.

This report by CPI/PUC-Rio uses an atmospheric transport model to demonstrate that deforestation in the Amazon rainforest reduces rainfall in Mato Grosso. A counterfactual analysis of the total deforestation of indigenous territories in the Xingu River Basin suggests a 7% reduction in average annual precipitation, with more severe impacts during the dry season. The study highlights the critical role of protected forest areas in sustaining agricultural productivity, hydroelectric power generation, and urban water supplies.

The lower Winnipeg River basin (LWRB) is characterized by a mean annual discharge of 1,008 ± 294 m3/s at the Pine Falls Generating system, with peaks typically occurring in June and July. The river is a critical contributor to Lake Winnipeg, accounting for 49% of the mean monthly discharge of all rivers and streams entering the lake and providing the largest volume of water to it. Six run-of-river hydroelectric stations in the LWRB generate 583 MW of electrical capacity, representing approximately 10% of Manitoba's energy needs. Climate projections for the 2050s suggest a 6.9% increase in mean annual precipitation and a 3.3% increase in runoff, which may impact downstream nutrient loading. While water levels at most hydrometric stations remain relatively constant, Nutimik Lake shows seasonal trends.